Random Thoughts

Sorry for the lack of posts around here this week.  Like many other blogging mamas, I don't start my blogging until late in the evening after babygirl (and the hubs) are sound asleep.  It works great for a peaceful house and leaving me to my thoughts, but not so good for the terrible picture quality that comes when you take pics with a not-so-great camera in 100% artificial light.  Nonetheless, lack of posting is such a pet peeve for me with the daily blogs I read, so I will try to do better!!  For now, here are some thoughts and goings-on around here...

Apart from the tangle of cords & cables and just random junk on these shelves, I'm really trying to figure out a better solution than the current one you see to block the excess light that comes in during the day.  We have two of those windows in the family room, and the light & heat that come in during the day is ridiculous.  I attached some grasscloth-type material a while back, but as you can see there is a very visible seam, not to mention the adhesive I used isn't holding as tight as I had hoped.  So, I have an idea I'm going to try out soon...

I don't paint my nails too often, but one night this week I couldn't sleep, and so I got up and decided to do my nails.  It always relaxes me to clip & file & polish and just let my mind wander.  However, painting your nails before bed is the worst idea.  The shiny polished surface was anything but in the morning, and following a day of crafting with spray adhesive & spray gloss & hot-gluing, my nails all pretty much look like this.  So sad.

This is a sneak peek of a gift I'm making for a girlfriend of mine.  Excited to reveal it as soon as I give it to her this weekend.  And yes, part of that is the plastic top of a cd tower painted turquoise.  Awesome!

I'm participating in the Random Acts of Craftiness challenge over at His & Hers blog and our first challenge is to make something out of game pieces- eeek.  I found this stack of old school games at my new favorite thrift store today for only $3.23, so hopefully I'll find some inspiration in them!!

And speaking of my new favorite thrift store, I picked up this Peg Perego stroller as well for only $12.12 (what's with thrift store pricing?!).  I have to confess I have a bit of a stroller obsession.  As in, we now own 4 strollers.  And we have just one child, an 11 month old.  Should I confess we also had another two strollers which we've sold??  I know, I know, but let me explain...  When we found out we were expecting, a bunch of kind-hearted folks gave us their used baby gear.  Two different friends gave us strollers.  We sold one of them on Craigslist (yeah, we felt a little bad about that) and we kept the other one, which was actually two strollers.  One was part of the travel system with our baby carrier car seat, and the other was a proper stroller to use once she got bigger.  They both were great.  But as babygirl got bigger and we were using a stroller more often, we realized the benefits of umbrella strollers- they're light, they're compact, they're easier to maneuver.  So I began a search for an umbrella stroller and found a Jeep one at Goodwill for $7 bucks.  It was a great deal and in excellent shape.  But it was very basic and didn't have a basket underneath.  Around the same time my mom found an umbrella stroller at a garage sale with a basket underneath for $10 bucks- score!  So I sold the Jeep stroller in my mom's garage sale (for $10 bucks!) and we have been using the garage sale stroller.  Enter this Peg Perego.  As soon as I saw it at the thrift store I knew it was a great stroller.  Then I saw it was Peg Perego, and my suspicions were confirmed.  The hubs and I fully checked it out and it looked to be in perfect working order.  BUT.  Oh my Lord, this was the filthiest stroller I've ever seen in my life.  I have no idea what the previous owners were doing with this stroller, but it was N.A.S.T.Y!!!  I should have taken a before picture, but honestly, I couldn't bear to look at the filth!  When we got home the hubs put it on the back porch, and that's where it stayed until I was ready to tackle it.  I made quick work of stripping the canopy, seat cover and mesh basket underneath.  The hubs joked that I stripped that thing so quick & thoroughly I may have a future career in car-jacking.  We kid!  All pieces are in the washing machine with an extra dose of detergent, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a full restoration!  In the meantime I scrubbed the heck out of the frame, and even scrubbed the wheels, lol. 

Okay, update, I just took everything out of the washer and WOW, what a difference some soap made!  The canopy & mesh basket came out perfect.  The seat cover was almost 100%, but being a perfectionist, I decided to spot treat the only area where the stains didn't come out completely with a mixture of alcohol and liquid laundry detergent.  I scrubbed with a stiff brush and it appears the stains are totally gone!  I put it back in the washer for a quick rinse, so I will check again in just a few moments...

And here's the finished product!! So pleased with how well it washed up.  I'm never one to be afraid of a little dirt & grime, and you shouldn't be either!  Strollers can be a bit of a challenge to take apart, but they will always come apart & go back together again.  The same goes for pretty much everything- car seats, booster seats, swings, etc.  Babies & kids get things super grimy, but I haven't had any trouble getting grime out with some elbow grease & patience.  Hurray for a $200+ stroller for $12.12.  :)