A Couple of Projects

Every day we get closer to our girlie, but still we wait...so while I'm waiting I am enjoying these wonderful days with my boys.  I seem to have more time now that the boys are older, our routines are settled, and thankfully we just finished the last of our adoption paperwork (can you believe we still had paperwork almost a YEAR after we started this thing?!?!?!).  So while I have a little bit of free time I wanted to get a couple of projects finished.

First off, creating a little tray to sit on our ottoman to hold drinks or snacks.

I had this wooden tray that held a toy we got for the boys over a year ago.  I've had it sitting in the basement in my "I'm just sure I can use it for something!" pile...and thanks to pinterest I finally came up with an idea!

I painted the tray dark brown, mod podged some scrapbook paper in the bottom of the tray, and voila!

I decided to do a different paper on the other side of the tray just for a little variety - now I can use it like a little table, too :)  I love it!  It is just a little splash of color that I can pull out and set on the ottoman whenever I need it.

Pinterest also gave me inspiration for a big project I have wanted to get done but truly have not known where to start.  Korea pictures!  I took over 700 pictures on our trip to Korea, and it was overwhelming to think about what to do with them.  They were just sitting on my computer and no one has even seen them!  

On Pinterest I heard about these "Smash Books".  I had seen them at a local craft store but didn't know what they were.  Basically, it is like an old-school scrapbook.  It already has patterned paper in it, and you just glue your pictures, ticket stubs, receipts...anything...into it.  It comes with a pen and glue stick, with the idea that you don't have to sit and agonize over scrapbook pages for ages and ages.

This was exactly what I needed!

I started it last Sunday, and 6 days later it is FINISHED!

I did not use all of my pictures, obviously!  I went through and chose my favorite, about 150, and as I put them in I narrowed it down even more.  There is a big envelope at the back of the book where I put some of the extras that I liked but didn't put in.  I was able to write down memories, funny experiences, places, sights...and it was so super quick!  I love the end result and I'm so glad to have this finished!

Next project: organize all my info about the boys for when we go away, and figure out meals for when we're gone and for when we get back...ugh, I think I'll find something else fun to make instead!