Organize the Kids' Bathtub Toys

This is our kids' bathtub. I don't know why it bothers me, but I do not like seeing this mess. I came up with a way to hide AND organize their things out of sight. It may not be the prettiest solution, but it is hidden and functional.

I purchased a shower curtain organizer that adults use. They are supposed to hang from the curtain rings, but only adults can reach that high. I needed to lower it for my kiddos. In come my Dollar Tree bungee cords. When I attached them, I had to experiment with which ring to attach them to, so that when the curtain was open or closed, the organizer was not going to be scrunched or too spread out.

The bungee cords were pretty easy to hook onto the rings. They can also be removed very easily. We are a military family that moves a lot, so we don't have the luxury of fancy solutions, per se.

The kids enjoy seeing their toys and wash cloths at arms reach in see through pockets, and I love NOT seeing them. 

This photo is so much more soothing to me. Actually, it is even better when the curtain is fully closed, but I can't ask for the world, can I?

Do you have any tricks for hiding a mess in your kids' bathrooms?

Have a great Friday!

~hurley

Homemade Characters Gift

Well, our Spring Break is over and I have been quite busy. I have been taking a lot more pictures of my projects, but many are still awaiting their final step. :-) I plan on posting much more frequently. Thank you for your patience and support. I can't believe it has been month since my last post. I actually miss it.

I saw a fabulous idea on a blog I follow and attempted to recreate it with my own little twist. We had a birthday party coming up, so I figured it was perfect timing to try it out. Up front I must say I am NOT a painter and this is NOT as good as the original, but I tried. Here is the amazing original for boy's and girls.

Here is my process and result.

1. I went to Michael's to find the same wooden figures as in the original tutorial, but could not find them. I adjusted by buying flat character cutouts and also a set of wooden circles for bases. I also purchased a strong cardboard box with lid and a pre-painted star as a "hero" symbol.

2. I brainstormed figures our birthday boy would like and started painting them with acrylic paint with a small paint brush. I should have taken more photos, but I am new at this and am learning a lot on the way.

3. After the figures were painted and dry, I hot glued the bottom of the figures and stuck them on the bases that were also painted and dried. The bases were painted black. As you can see I did not take a picture during the process, so I "faked" it with a non-painted figure.

 4. Here are my painted figures. Can you tell who they are? I started out with pairs and then just made groups.

5. Okay, okay... I know I am not an artist, so I will tell you who they are. Darth Maul & Obi One Kanobi (huge Star Wars fans); Spiderman & SuperMan & escaped prisoner; camouflaged  soldier (birthday boy's Dad is in military) & random bad guy figure.

5. I hot glued the star on the box, inserted the figures and then added the birthday boy's name on the box.

I really enjoyed making a homemade gift, but I know I want to use a tinier paint brush next time. The good thing about crafting homemade things is that they don't have to be flawless. My motto is, "If it was perfect, it would be in a store."


Have a great day! It is great to be back.
~hurley