Susie Pea's

May 15, 2019May 16, 2019

My Favorite IKEA Finds

Great Finds at IKEA

St. Louis was lucky enough to land an IKEA store in September of 2015. It is a warehouse sized building in downtown St. Louis that offers a range of home furnishing products at an affordable price. IKEA’s line of merchandise combine function, quality, design and value. It helps you envision how your own space can be more functional, organized and cohesive with day to day living. If you get the chance to visit, plan on staying awhile because it is an experience all it’s own. With so many IKEA finds, you will surely walk out with something.

Get organized
and fall in love
with your home
all over again
IKEA

I love to spend an hour or two roaming the expansive show room. I get a ton of amazing hacks going in and out of the tiny apartment sized areas they have staged for you on the top floor of IKEA. Yup, that is how big this place is! (There is even a restaurant with some amazing Swedish Meatballs on the top floor.) I see something new each time I go.

The middle floor houses the market, a small café, a kids area for babysitting while you shop (this in itself is a reason to spend an afternoon here!), a warehouse of products, and the check out.

Since they have opened, I have gotten so many things from IKEA. My bedding, my bath towels, rugs, furniture, dishes, pans, throws, lighting… literally every room in my home is touched by IKEA.

I decided that BLOG wouldn’t be complete without a post on IKEA deals. So without further ado: MY FAVORITE IKEA FINDS

Those Cute Little Plants

The FEJKA plant. There are several styles of this little gem of greenery to choose from. They only cost $5.99 which is amazing for the quality and size. The FEJKA comes in a small, black pot which is complimentary to my style. If you think it needs a little more, you can pop them straight into a tin from IKEA or use one of your own. I have several of these simple IKEA finds at my house and at the lake. You can never get enough of a good thing!

Clocks

The DEKAD clock is another inexpensive find at IKEA. It comes in black or this brushed green color. Even though IKEA products have a more modern and sleek look and feel, this clock blends in perfectly with my farmhouse, antique vibe. (Other décor in this photo are from thrift stores. Check out My Favorite Second Hand Stores in St. Louis here. And Amazing Thrift Store Finds here.)

Little Silver Bucket – Plant Pots

This is another item that I have multiples of at home and the lake. At only $1.99 each, the SOCKER plant pot is the right size for so many things that clutter my house. Having a cute place to store my pens and art supplies to keep them organized is a win-win. These also fits the FEJKA plant pot perfectly.

Chair Cushions

I was blessed with my husband’s, grandmother’s oak table and 3 of her kitchen chairs. They are beautiful and cherished pieces in our home, but not so comfortable. IKEA offers a wide selection of chair cushions in some great colors. For average price of $8.99 each, they were a much appreciated addition to the dining room.

Step Stools

This is my favorite of my IKEA finds. The BEKVAM is only $39.99 and holds a max weight of 220 lbs. Like most IKEA furniture, you have to assemble it yourself. The directions are so easy to understand though, that I have been able to build most of the things by myself. Jaybird helps when it’s a heavier project than I can’t handle. (They also offer to build your furniture for you for a little extra money.) The best thing about this ladder, is that it comes with a mounting bracket to get it up off the floor. Everything has a place and there’s a place for everything!!

Storage

TJENDA $2.99 storage boxes with lids. I have several sizes of these in my home office. These are just the right size for file folders and office supplies. They help me to keep this area clean and organized.

High Chair

ANTILOP High chair with tray. This is a high quality high chair that I use everyday. The best part about it is that I can deep clean it easily with few nooks and crannies for food to get into.

Ice cube Tray

PLASTIS

PLASTIS Ice cube trays are $1.99 each. I use mine for a mold for my KETO fat bombs. Find my Pinterest Board on Keto snacks here. I love how easy it is to pop these sweet treats right out of the mold.

There you have it, My Favorite IKEA Finds. Send me a comment to let me know what great deals you have found from here. If you want to check out these deals or any other goodies from IKEA, but you don’t have one near you, go online at https://www.ikea.com/ and order a free catalog. – Susie Pea

Check out My Great Thrift Store Finds and My Favorite 2nd Hand Stores! Both of these posts have good information for some slappily shopping ideas.

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May 11, 2019May 11, 2019

The Paper Route – The Best Job Ever!

Stuffed to the roof with Newspapers to Deliver — Hoarding Newspapers

I have got to say that the most fun, tiring, crazy, exciting, boring, dirty job that I have ever had was a Newspaper Route. I’m not talking about a “throw onto the front porch while riding by on my bicycle” kid paper route. I am talking about “up all hours of the night, 365 days a year, car packed to the roof, speeding all over town” adult paper route. – And I LOVED IT!!

The Basic Gist of a Paper Route

Every night after the presses run, trucks head out to depots all over the city delivering bundles of edge-of-your-seat information about the day’s news events, headlines, birth announcements, and obituaries. Then it is my job to add some coupons (you’re welcome) and get them to you before the sun comes up!

“Extra, Extra Read All About It”

It’s a pretty easy gig. Unless something spectacular is going on like the World Series. Yes, I have all of the cover pages from St. Louis Cardinals 2011 World Series Games. Then there will be an “EXTRA Edition” of the paper… typically printed out to deliver spectacular or breaking news before or after the “normal” edition. – I miss it!

Shop for official St. Louis Cardinals fan gear from Majestic, Nike and New Era at Shop.MLB.com

GO CARDS!!

Games run into overtime or extra innings – papers come later. Presses break down – papers come late. Blizzard and storms – papers come late. Crunch time to get the news out doubles! – And I miss it!

Biggest Paper Route Day of the Year – Black Friday

Black Friday Turkey 1 Newspapers. St.Louis Post Dispatch — Black Friday Turkey 1 Newspapers

And then there is BLACK FRIDAY. The biggest newspaper day of the year. It’s the 3 inch thick paper delivered the day after Thanksgiving that has every Christmas ad you can think of packed inside.

Preparation begins weeks before this paper comes. You have to bring in a crew to get the job done. It’s exhausting! – But I miss it!

The Other 360 Days of the Year

The rest of the year runs like business as usual. Up at 2:00a.m. (Check out this alarm clock for heavy sleepers.) Rub the sleep out of my eyes. Throw on some news ink stained clothes and a ponytail. Arrive at the depot just to sit and wait. And wait. And wait.

The tractor trailer brings the goods and the warehouse buzzes like a well oiled machine. Stuff, band, load and I’m off to the dark sleeping city. With the radio blaring, a polar pop (giant soda) on hand, I speed through town.

No time for red lights or stop signs. In and out of businesses delivering the news on the front stoop. (I had a business route, but I have done my son’s residential throwing route more than I wanted to. An aim that could knock out a garden gnome with one hand tied behind my back – or on the wheel 😉

I would drop the last bundle just before the sun came up. It was a beautiful thing.

Paper Route Delivery Tales

Driving every night for over 8 years, I have some great and not so great adventures of my own that could have made the news. Or at least the comics.

My Scoops

Once when I stopped at the Post Office Paper Box on a dead end road, a car came speeding towards me. My adrenaline was going as I sprinted back to my car with only a box cutter in hand. It was an officer speeding to me to find out why someone would be back by these closed businesses in the middle of the night. Not sure why his lights weren’t on, but I yelled at him like I was his mother!

Same Officer, different night and business. I pulled up to deliver my papers and he was outside of his car flapping his arms and spinning around. A giant moth had gotten into his car. –hysterical!

Same Post Office another time I saw someone inside looking out at me. SCARED I ran back to the car screaming!!! Come to find out, it was a life sized cardboard Postman display.

I have chased teenagers running from the cops. Once I held a heroin overdosed girl, freezing on a store parking lot until help arrived. I was first on the scene of serious car accidents making sure everyone was alright. So many stories. So many crazy memories.

Boo & Lee Lou’s Chronicles

I don’t know if any of you have ever seen 30 Days of Night, but after seeing that movie about Vampires, the paper route becomes a little scarier.

Boo and Lee Lou pulled up to a lone Newspaper Box – those yellow boxes with a pull down door, only visible by a dim street light. The only building around was an old abandoned stone mansion. Creepy even on a normal night.

They jumped out leaving the car doors open. One unlocked and opened the hinged box door, they other stuffed the papers in. And then they sprinted back to the still running car.

Lee Lou slipped on the loose gravel and fell flat on her back. When Boo jumped into the car, there was no Lee Lou so she screamed and threw the car in reverse knowing that the vampires got Lee Lou and she was next.

Before Boo could move, Lee Lou sprung up onto the seat half in and half out of the car knowing that her sister was about to leave her behind in order to save herself. –sister love.

Another story Boo shared was when the 7-11 worker handed her a brown paper bag and told her to give it to the SHELL guy down the road. She was so nervous about it. Day 3 she looked in the bag. Taquitos!

A fun favorite was being frisked at the Defense Mapping Agency. That will wake you up for sure.

Jaybird’s Nonfictions

On a typical evening on Jaybird’s throwing route, he would fly up and down residential neighborhoods hitting every driveway and front porch with a paper.

One night an officer pulled him over which was the norm on a route until your car is recognized by the local police. The officer said, son I just watched you blow through 6 stop signs. –Oops!!

Jaybird has also bought a telephone pole and lived to tell about it. He was going less than 5mph –thank God! Those poles are not cheap!

Another night when Jaybird was stopped, the policeman went back to the patrol car to run his information. Watching thru the side car mirror, Jay could see the officer approach the car with his hand on his weapon yelling to him to put his hands out the window and to tell the officer his social security number. Another person with the same exact name and close birthdate was wanted for a double murder. –Whew!

Even Jason Had a Memoir

At the big store chains, we would put large racks out to hold hundreds of Saturday papers. One particular Saturday, the papers were thicker than normal and had a lot of slicks (shiny coupon cards) inside. The whole night was spent straightening up these awkward papers. At Jason’s last stop, he stacked bundles and bundles of thick Saturday Posts one on top of another. As he walked away exhausted from the long evening, all he heard was WHOOSSHHHH!!! He never looked back! –Done!

Newspaper Recycling

These days we recycle, reuse, and repurpose our newspapers. Here are some great crafts and ideas to do with your old newspapers.

Uses for The Paper Route Recyclables

See how to make Biodegradable Seedling Pots. This post is a DYI on how to make cups used to start plants until established. After you assemble planter cups, place them in a safe place where the seedlings can get sunlight and air.

Once the seedlings are ready for planting, simply place the entire cup into the ground. This way, you get to transfer the seedling without disturbing its roots. Eventually, the newspaper will disintegrate without causing any harm to your plant.

You can make envelopes from recycled paper. Hometalk.com has an easy to follow tutorial on how to make them.

The Paper Route Crafts

How cute are these Newspaper Snails. What a fun way to use old newspapers. Easy and kid friendly.

Check out this post on 42 Simple Newspaper Crafts for Kids. Great ideas that are simple and easy to do. There are so many amazing ideas. I am definitely going to try some with my grandchildren this summer.

Using The Paper Route old newspapers for DIY decorations

The Paper Route Crafts for Kids — Shark Craft with The Paper Route Newspapers from iheartcraftythings.com

The ideas are endless when looking for ways to use your old newspapers. From paper Mache to cover your counters when frying foods. Old newspapers will always come in handy.

I sure do miss that Old Route. We still tell stories about it when we get together. What was your favorite job? I would love to hear about it in the comments below ~Susie Peas.

Here is my DIY Bunting post that you can do with old newspapers! Or save your newspapers for crafts at Grandma Camp.

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019

Springtime Succulent Wreath

My new favorite plant is the succulent. These tiny pieces of greenery are making their way onto the scene and into the spotlight as a great go-to in all types of décor. I thought they would be the perfect plant/garden look for my kitchen door wreath. Here is how I made this darling wreath. So simple, you can make one for yourself in less than 30 minutes!

Supplies

4 – 3′ terra cotta pots
5 – 2.5″ terra cotta pots
4 – 1.5″ terra cotta pots
12 inch grapevine wreath
floral wire
Spanish moss
plastic succulents
embellishments/ribbon
hot glue gun/ glue

Instructions

Step 1: Run floral wire thru each terra cotta pot hole in bottom. Place in alternating spots around wreath securing by tying floral wire ends together, twisting, and tucking into back of wreath. See picture below.

Place wire thru Pot
Secure terra cotta pot onto wreath

Step 2: Check to see that pots are visually pleasing along the wreath. Place them at random points as well as stagger positions of each pot. Double check that pots are secure to wreath.

Visual check of terra cotta pots around wreath

Step 3: Add embellishments and bows/ribbons to wreath with hot glue to fill in empty areas. Inside of pots, add Spanish Moss and succulents.

Add embellishments to succulent wreath
Add ribbon/bow to succulent wreath

Step 4: Add a floral wire loop to top of wreath to hang onto a secure wreath hanger or cup hook. Note: this wreath is heavier than most wreaths.

Simple DIY Succulent Wreath

It didn’t take long to put this darling wreath together and I love how great it looks on my kitchen door. The perfect way to greet neighbors passing by my tiny garden on the side of the house. ~Susie Peas

You have to see my DIY Picture Frame Wreath how-to. It’s a great keepsake wreath that would look amazing in your home. Just like my huge DIY Chalkboard. It’s the perfect large piece to add to your wall décor.

May 6, 2019May 11, 2019

My DIY Bunting That is Simple & Quick to Make

A Simple DIY Bunting

One way that I love to decorate and bring color into a room is by making my own bunting. This way I can pick the colors and designs that will accent the space or party theme perfectly.

My bunting garland is so simple to make. You will want to add them to every room and party. It gives an instant dose of color and helps to theme your décor.

Simple DIY Bunting — Bloom Where You Are Planted

Next week I am having a Succulent Party. Hosting is one of my favorite things to do. I love planning, prepping, decorating, & cooking for each event. See My Favorite Party Planning Tips here. It is my way of sharing the love. I try to add a little bit of my personality in every part of my get togethers. My end goal is for each guest to walk away feeling good.

Everything always $1 – Shop Now

In prepping for my party next week, I decided to make one of my Simple DIY Bunting garlands as decoration over my chalkboard. See how I DIY this amazing chalkboard here. It is an easy way to bring in color and add to my plant theme with patterned card stock.

Supplies for My DIY Bunting

Cardstock for Easy DIY Bunting — Cardstock for my DIY Bunting

4 pieces 12×12 card stock in different complimentary colors/patterns (I got mine at Michael’s when half price).
ruler
scissors
tape
string/twine Length needed my project

Instructions on Making DIY Bunting

Step 1: Decide size of pennants that you want and length of bunting garland. For my project, I wanted smaller pennants and my garland need to be 9 feet in length.

Mine are 3 inches wide across top of pennant and 6 inches high down sides. With a 12×12 cardstock, I was able to get 14 pennants out of each one if needed. My garland is long enough to hang a little over my chalkboard, so I only needed 8 of each color.

I could have made bigger pennants, hung them side by side spaced further apart or closer together, or used more cardstock. Your bunting can be adjusted to what your specifications are for that particular project.

Step 2: (skip this step and go to step 3 if your pennants are longer than 6 inches. 12×12 cardstock folded in half gave me the 6 inch height that I needed.) Fold cardstock in half lengthwise. It will allow for you to double up on cutting and measuring and speed up the process.

Step 3: Measure along top of cardstock desired length for each pennant. Mine was 3 inches each. I marked 3 inches, 6 inches, and 9 inches.

Marking top of cardstock for length of pennants — Measure width of each pennant and mark.

Step 4: Mark the halfway point on the bottom of the cardstock. So for my 3 inch wide pennants, the halfway mark would be at 1 1/2 inches, 4 1/2 inches, 7 1/2 inches.

Step 5: Draw line from top left point of pennant to bottom triangle tip of pennant. Now draw line from top right point of pennant to bottom triangle tip.

Marking your pennants using guides.
Marking bottom of pennant at halway mark for each one.

Step 6: Cut bunting pennant triangles along lines.

Assembling My Bunting Garland

Step 7: Assemble bunting garland. You can use a simple pattern of 1 each of the 4 cardstock pennants and then start again. I like to make mine more of a mix and match. For example 1 teal green pennant, 1 cactus pennant, 1 heart pennant, 1 dark green pennant. Then instead of starting pattern over, I might mix it up with 1 heart pennant, 1 dark green pennant, 1 cactus, then 1 teal. Either way is fine.

For this bunting, I put my pennants about a 1/2 inch apart and taped to string. You can space them further apart if you need a longer garland.

DIY Bunting. Simple steps to making your own Bunting. — DIY Bunting

I love how it turned out. I think it will look perfect at my Succulent Party. These colors will be easy to match with paper plates, napkins, and other décor for the party.

More DIY Bunting Projects

Boy’s Toyroom at Previous Home
Toy Room at New Home
Toy Room Bunting

Here are just a few of the other DIY Bunting garlands that I have made. Some are larger or longer than the one that I made for this party. They add the perfect pop of color and whimsy to my grandchildren’s toy rooms.

Click here to see what else I did with the toy room. It’s a fun and functional space in our new home. Be looking for my blog post on how my Succulent Party turns out. Better yet, hit the subscribe button and you won’t miss it! Thanks for stopping by! ~Susie Peas.

May 3, 2019May 6, 2019

Toy Room Ideas

When decorating my grandbabies’ Toy Room, I wanted something fun, colorful, and functional. It needed to be able to host many kids with a wide range of ages. That meant a variety of toys, books, and learning supplies all squeezed into a spot that I use daily. It would also need to house naptime equipment and have lots of storage space.

Find A Theme for the Toy Room

I found this great canvas print of a squirrel for $8.00 at the Home Store. I love the pop of orange-ish brown color, and the whimsy of this little critter. And so the THEME of my toy room was born!

Working Around Your Theme

It always makes decorating easier if you decide on a theme to build around.

For example, with my squirrel print I could go outdoor-camping-woods crazy. I could make some log looking pillows, put a tent up in the corner, place a camping lantern on the dresser, and add lots of green plants.

Or you can theme around colors or textures, which is what I decided to do in this room. I love the way it turned out. It is bright and fun, yet simple with clean lines.

Using Color Themes

The canvas print that I found had that orange color, browns, and grays. I knew it would be easy to add the grays, and the orange would set everything up perfectly.

I wanted to keep my wall color, rug, and linens neutral. When the grandkids get older, it will be easier and less expensive to change. Plus, it is gender neutral which works well for me.

White sheers curtains and shades on each window. Simple black curtain rods were $8.00 each.

The 8×10 gray rug was under $100.00 from Home Depot. It helps soften the room up as well as keeps noise level down.

The cream colored light fixture is from IKEA. My home is older and doesn’t have ceiling lights in the bedrooms. Instead of that expense, plus begging my hubs to hang a fixture, I found this one. I plugged into outlet and hung with hooks from ceiling all myself. And, I like the style of the shade. It reminds me of a cloud. 🙂

I knew that I wanted to have the word ‘PLAY’ on the wall. To bring in the theme colors, I found different letters in multiple fonts, textures, and colors. These were a few dollars each at the Home Store. I literally placed them on the store floor until I found the ones that looked good to me. The orange ‘A’ looks amazing with the squirrel print.

I made the bunting with print paper from Hobby Lobby. I purchased them when they were 1/2 price. You need 2 sheets of 4 different colors/designs, tape, twine (or string), and tacks to hang. Check out how to make my DIY Bunting here. I made my bunting long enough for one wall and a slight overhang on touching wall. It brings your eye around to my word wall art.

Naptime Necessities

The portable crib was passed down from a family friend. I like that it is smaller than a regular crib. It doesn’t take up too much room that is needed for toy space. A regular sized crib would work just as well. I store extra playpens and blankets under the crib for when needed.

The rocking chair is passed down from my husband’s grandmother. I love reading to my sweet peas on my lap, or rocking them to sleep in their great-great grandma’s chair. Nothing sweeter.

Toy Room Storage

I have 6 grandchildren that hang out in this room. With so many little ones, storage for their toys and games was a must.

This 8 cube organizer bookshelf turned on it’s side with added wheels that lock into place gave me a sturdy place to house most of their things. I added gray cubes and some Rubbermaid storage containers. These hold everything from Imaginex, and Potato Heads, to Barbie’s and Littlest Pet Shops. I even have one each for Mega, Duplo, and regular Legos.

Cardboard books are low on my shelf for the little “picture” readers. I keep a basket with paper books higher up. This basket was from a thrift store $1.00. I added a cute tag stamped with BOOKS and it works perfectly.

I found this Melissa & Doug puzzle shelf which came with 2 puzzles. It fits nicely on the cube shelf and helps to keep puzzles organized up and away from the littles.

This puzzle shaped shelf from a secondhand store was $5.00. It originally is a Dora the Explorer Book Shelf that had 3 levels and retails for $95.00. Mine came with only 2 of the shelves. I painted it gray to go with my color theme. It can also be used as a bench for around the kiddie table at snack time. My cardboard giant blocksfit well here. See my post on Toys that Promote Gross Motor Development here.

Chalkboard Just Their Size

I got a gently used chalkboard from Facebook Marketplace for $10.00. It is in excellent shape and the perfect price. I hung it low so it is easy to reach. It is a large board that allows for several artists to work at the same time. See how to DIY your own chalkboard here.

I keep the chalk and erasers in a caddy up and away until ready for play.

Keeping their toy room organized and tidy is key for stress free fun. In addition, including them in the clean up teaches them responsibility and allows them to take pride in their work.

Additional Toy Room Storage

Jason built 4 shelves in the closet for added storage. I keep art supplies, a cube full of super hero costumes & dress-up clothes, games, playdough, bean boxes (see a great post on these unique sensory tubs of fun here), and extra clothes/baby supplies for mishaps with my sweet peas.

I have 2 laundry baskets side by side in the bottom of the closet. One is used as a toy box. The other holds my train set, buildings, and tracks (it's huge!). Utilizing laundry baskets makes for easy transport when we want to branch out into other rooms. — Sweet Peas hard at play with the train set.

I have 2 laundry baskets side by side in the bottom of the closet. One is used as a toy box. The other holds my train set, buildings, and tracks. (I have the Geo Trax Rail and Road System and several expansion packs. It’s a great quality and durable set, but rather pricey. I found mine at a second hand store for $5.00. See how I thrift for great finds here.) Utilizing laundry baskets makes for easy transport when we want to branch out into other rooms.

I love how my Toy Room turned out. It’s such a fun place to make memories. It is a great space for my little people! What kinds of things do you consider a must for your toy room? Let me know in the comments below. ~ Susie Peas

May 2, 2019May 2, 2019

DIY Picture Frame Wreath

I got this darling picture frame wreath as a Mother’s Day gift from Becki a few years ago. I absolutely love how well it goes with my farmhouse décor. Since then, I have changed out the pictures a few times as my family has grown.

I have had so many compliments and questions on this wreath, that I decided the next time I updated the pictures, I would deconstruct the wreath and show you how to make one for your self.

What You’ll Need

2×3 picture frames and prints
grapevine wreath and burlap bow

Assembling Your Picture Frame Wreath

Prepare Frames

floral wire inserted in place of easil
floral wire attached to 2×3 frames

Step 1: Remove easel part on hinges from back of picture frames and discard. This will help the frame to lay flat on your wreath.

Cut floral wire in half. This should be long enough to go through hinge on back of frame and wrap securely around wreath allowing for a twist to hold together. Thread floral wire through hinge on back of frame.

Print Pictures

Black and white prints in 2×3 inch frames

Step 2: Print pictures. In the past, I have done in sepia which looks great with the burlap bow. This time I had my pictures printed in Black & White. LOVE!! Have some printed horizontally and others vertically.

Use plain photo paper, wallet sized prints if you do them yourself at home. I get mine done with 1 hour photo development at Walgreens. Be sure to use coupons for 40% when you place your order online.

Trim prints and add to frames. Remember to do both horizontal and vertical pictures.

Attach Frames to Wreath

Step 3: Add frames to wreath by wrapping the open end of the wire around the grapevine wreath branches, secure tightly, and twist closed.

attach frames horizontally and vertically
twist floral wire closed to secure frames

Tuck the ends of the floral wire into the wreath.

Add Bow/Hanger

Step 4: Add burlap bow to wreath and hang.

Pictures in tiny 2x3 inch frames attached to a grapevine wreath. A simple DIY project keepsake picture frame wreath. — Picture Frame Wreath

What a great way to display pictures. A perfect keepsake wreath showing all of your favorite family pictures. See more Mother’s Day Gift Ideas here. If you like DIY’s, see how I made my Spring Burlap Wreath here and my DIY Chalkboard here. ~Susie Peas

April 20, 2019April 20, 2019

The Ultimate Scavenger Hunt for Kids

This year instead of the traditional Easter Egg Hunt, I decided to make an outrageous scavenger hunt for my grandkids. I had a mini scavenger hunt at my last Grandma Camp and it was a hit. Now that 2 of them are readers, I knew this would be a fun new tradition for Grandma’s house.

The Clues For My Scavenger Hunt

I decided to come up with 15 – 20 clues that would have them running from the front of the house, to the backyard, inside, & out. I knew the weather was going to be nice, and this would be a great way to get them moving and burning up some Easter candy energy.

They needed to be fun and imaginative, but not too hard. My group of sweet peas range in age from 2-7 years old. The clues that I made worked out perfect for their ages.

Some of my clues were rhyming, which makes it easier for them to solve. Others were a little more difficult. I made Rebus clues, where you use pictures to describe the clue, mores code clues, clues that you had to use a mirror to read (upsidedowntext.com is a great reverse/backward/upside down word generator), maps, & puzzle pieces.

Clue Ideas that I Used

Turn me on to see at night. I’ll make the front porch seem so bright. – clue taped to porch light.
Red, white, blue. When the wind blows, I wave to you. – clue attached to American Flag.
In this place where Grady (our dog) goes to sleep, He curls in a ball and you won’t hear a peep. – dog bed.
Hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken, and more. Find your next clue where Papa makes food galore. –BBQ pit.
Go to the room that is made for the car. Look on the bench where Papa’s tools are. – garage, work bench.
2 + lips (I drew a picture of lips).- front flower bed.
Wipe your shoes on me before you go into the house. – welcome mat on front porch.
Your next clue is in a box, on a post. I have my own red flag. – clue is in mailbox.
Your next clue is where the fairies play. (This clue was written so that you had to hold it up to a mirror to read.) – clue is by fairy garden.
Play with me on a hot day, cool yourself off when you don’t have a pool to play. – clue is by garden hose.
Rebus clue picture of the sun. picture of a mushroom. the minus sign. the word mush. (See image) – clue is in the sunroom.
I’m dirty and hungry always waiting for my stash, please open my mouth and give me some trash. – clue is taped to trash can.
On the porch is where I sit, please come and join me for a bit. – clue taped to front porch chair.
Open my door for a bright light, grab some juice to fill up your cup. – clue is taped to box of juice drinks in fridge. (great drink break from running back and forth.)
Go to the place where you rest your head. (This clue was written in morse code.) – clue on pillow in bedroom.
Although I have no feet, I can move around. Inside my trunk is here your treasure can be found. (This final clue was written on puzzle pieces that they collected throughout the game.) – Treasure basket waiting for them in the back of my car.

The Set Up for the Scavenger Hunt

I gave each of the sweet peas one puzzle piece in their Easter baskets. As they stuffed their chubby cheeks with treats, they began to realize that they each had a puzzle piece. The 2 oldest ones tried putting them together to see what it said.

They quickly decided that there were more pieces missing and looked to me for an answer. I presented them with clue #1.

In random clues, I included a piece of the puzzle or a piece of a map. Both when completed were a separate clue in itself. In one of the clue envelopes.

In another clue, I added a copy of the Morse Code. It would be used for a later clue. I was excited to see the lightbulb go off when they got to that clue and realized they had the key to help them decipher the clue. Same ah-ha moment when they found the clue that was written in reverse. Their little minds are so smart already!

Their last clue contained only the final piece to the treasure map. No Clue! Their mind wheels began to turn as one of them said let’s put the map together and see if that is the clue.

Of course ran to where the X marked the spot and found the puzzle board with no pieces. They dumbed out their bag of pieces that they had collected along the way and began to work together to finish the puzzle.

This final clue led them to the Treasure Basket. YEAH!!!

Surprises Along the Way

Besides the juices in the fridge for a quick drink break, I also included other treats along the route. (This hunt was long!) There were 6 eggs stuffed with candy by the Fairy Garden Clue. And a bag full of individual animal crackers were waiting at Papa’s Work Bench Clue.

And then the Treasure Basket at the end was full of springtime fun. It was amazing! The sweet peas loved their hunt. I can’t wait to work on my next hunt for Summer Grandma Camp! ~Susie Peas

For more hunting fun, I take the sweet peas geocaching. These are fun for adults too!!

April 19, 2019May 5, 2019

Easy DIY T-Shirt Blanket

What do you do with all those t-shirts from your ball teams, fun runs, and old school t’s? My husband had so many that our dresser drawers were bursting at the seams. No amount of Konmari Method of minimalism was going to fix this. I decided to recruit my seamstress mom to help me make them into a t-shirt blanket.

I gathered 25 of Jason’s old t-shirts and headed to my mom’s. It sounds like a lot to get rid of, but he still has a drawer full. These things are like rabbits!

Here is how we put this amazing blanket together. It was so quick and easy!

What You’ll Need

25 t-shirts
quilt batting (or twin size fleece blanket)
scissors
12×12 cardboard square (use utility knife to cut square)
Straight edge
quilting board or cardboard to protect cutting surface
rotary cutting wheel
straight pins
fabric marker
sewing machine

Make Template & T-Shirt Blanket Squares

Measure a 12×12 square on cardboard and cut with a utility knife. This will be your template when making your batting squares and t-shirt squares.

Place batting on quilting board or cardboard to protect cutting surface. Using template as a guide, place on batting . Align straight edge along cutting side of template (see image above), run rotary cutter guide cutting through batting. Make 25 batting squares.

Now let’s work on t-shirts. Place t-shirts on quilting board. Place template over front of shirt covering design on front of shirt.

The image on back of shirt will be image on reverse side of blanket. Keep this in mind when choosing template placement. For more than one of my t-shirt squares, I had to cut the front and back of the t-shirt separately. Not any harder, just more time consuming.

Use your straight edge as guide over top of template. (See image above). Run rotary cutter along straight edge guide making sure to cut through front and back of t-shirt.

T-Shirt “Sandwiches”

Put your t-shirt squares and batting squares together like a sandwich. Place back of t-shirt on quilting board, place a batting square on top. Now add front of t-shirt on top of batting square. Straight pin each side to hold in place.

Mark corner to corner with fabric marker making and X on front side of your t-shirt sandwich. This will be your guideline when sewing to complete t-shirt square.

T-Shirt Blanket Layout

Lay your t-shirt sandwiches on an area big enough to allow for 25 squares. I just used the good old floor. Arrange sandwiches 4 across and 5 down. Be sure that you are using the front of each t-shirt sandwich.

Now you can begin sewing your squares. Use your fabric marked X to secure t-shirt and batting.

Then sew sandwiches together row by row going across. Place 2 squares next to each other placing a 1/2 to 1 inch lip together. Sew along this line connecting squares. (see image above). This will give you 5 rows of 4.

Attach these 5 rows together using same 1/2 to 1 inch lip. And there you have it! Easy and quick T-shirt blanket full of memories.

The funny thing is Jason didn’t even miss all of those t-shirts. He thought they were in the laundry!

Thanks Momma!! He loves it! For more DIY’s, check out my Picture frame wreath. It has tiny photos of my darling sweet peas, plus it was so simple to make and looks amazing. And take a look at my DIY Lakehouse décor. There are tons of cute ideas there too. ~Susie Peas

April 14, 2019April 14, 2019

The Ultimate Guide to Staying KETO on Road Trips

I am just about to celebrate my 1 year Ketoversary (it’s a thing). WOOT – WOOT!! I have learned so much in this year about myself and how food affects me. It was hard in the beginning, and I still have times that are rough. But I now have great tricks and tips to help me stay Keto strong by eating keto-friendly foods always.

When I first began My Keto Journey, I spent a lot of time researching exactly WHAT I needed to eat. It was so confusing. Everyone would give you just a pinch of what you could eat, but not what a full day looked like. They all preached that each one of us are walking a different journey, and we have to find what works for us. OKAY. But HOW??

Share The Love

I decided then and there, that if I ever figured it out, I was going to pass on my knowledge. If it works for you, then I have done my job. I am not a nutritionist or doctor. Nor am I an expert. I just know what worked for me. I wanted to share that with anyone that has questions of their own and want to start doing KETO. Use it as a guide and if it works, great. If not, at least you have a starting point and can tweak your own way of eating.

One of the tricks that I learned this past year eating Keto is how to eat Keto-friendly when on a road trip. Jason and I drive back and forth to the lake all of them time. Since hubs is stopping for drive thru food and gas station treats, I had to find what I could eat that wouldn’t throw me out of ketosis.

Real Life Research!

First of all, know this about me… I had a paper route for 8 years – AS AN ADULT. It was THEE most fun, crazy, tiring, ridiculous, job that I have ever had. I could write a book – or a post! I must say that I miss my route, and would do it again in a heartbeat – if Jason would let me.

The reason for telling you this is to say, I KNOW WHERE ALL OF THE LATE NIGHT DEALS AND BEST FOOD IN EVERY GAS STATION IN ST.LOUIS AND SURROUNDING AREAS ARE. When you have a route for 8 years, 365 days a year, all hours of the night, you sometimes eat to stay awake.

I would grab a bag of M&M’s and eat one per mile. I would ritually put it in my mouth, suck the candy shell until it was ever so thin, pop the shell with my teeth, and eat the chocolate inside. (Got the visual? Try it sometime. ;)) This took exactly one mile and believe it or not, helped me stay awake. Being so mindful probably saved my life a few times! Hmmmm, I wonder if this has anything to do with my eating habits, bingeing disorder, and weight problems?

How to Keep it Low Carb

snackle box that is keto friendly full of snacks that you can eat on keto — Snackle Box

Back to gas station food. Not all gas stations are alike and be thankful for that. Most of the food is terrible which always allows for poor choices. But for convenience purposes on road trips, unless you pack your own Snackle Box, you probably will be stopping for a bite to eat, gas, or restroom breaks. So here are a few Keto options when on road trips.

Gas Station Keto-friendly Food

Jerky
Almonds or Keto-friendly nuts
Beef & Cheese Sticks
Pepperoni Cheese sticks
Cheese sticks/ Cheese cubes
Hard boiled Eggs
Cheesewiches (Salami/pepperoni in between 2 pieces of cheese)
Pickles
Hotdog (no bun)
Quest Bar (warm up out of wrapper for 12 seconds – thanks Kayla!)
Pork Rinds
Water
Diet Soda (but contain sweeteners that may cause you to crave sweets)
Sparkling water (always check sweeteners on can)

Drive-thru Keto-friendly Food

Making your own food at home is always the way to go when you are on the Ketogenic Diet. Then you know EXACTLY what is going into your food. But when you are traveling and out and about, sometimes Fast Food is the only option.

No worries though, because you can find a keto-friendly food at almost any fast food place out there. Just remember – no bun, no ketchup, and NO FRIES!

Choosing fast food that fits into your low-carb diet can be a challenge. This is especially true when the diet is carb restricted. Having a list of Keto-friendly fast food options can help you stay in ketosis and keep your carbs low.

Mc Donald’s

egg rounds, sausage, and cheese (order an extra patty and use as bun)
egg folds, sausage and cheese (ditto)
quarter pounder with cheese, no bun, no ketchup. add bacon and mayo
double cheeseburger, no bun, no ketchup.
artesian grilled chicken sandwich, no bun.
grilled chicken salad, bring your own dressing or order a ranch dipping cup.

Taco Bell

power bowl, no rice or beans, extra chicken, lettuce, and avocado ranch sauce. (MY FAVORITE)

Burger King

double quarter burger, no bun, no ketchup
whopper, no bun, no ketchup

Kentucky Fried Chicken

Grilled Drumstick
Original Fried Drumstick

Wendy’s

Baconator, no bun, no ketchup

Sonic

chili cheese dog with no buns or beans

Jimmy John’s

“unwich” with any sandwich option. (It is wrapped in lettuce).

Chipotle

Steak Salad (Romain Lettuce, Steak, Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa, Sour Cream, Cheese)
Burrito Bowl (Chicken, Fajita Vegetables, Romain Lettuce, Sour Cream, Cheese)

I hope these ideas will come in handy on your next road trip. Stay Keto strong and happy Keto-ing!! ~Susie Peas.

April 12, 2019May 11, 2019

How to Make the Perfect Pair of Cut-Offs

When I think of summer clothes, I think the main have-to-have is a good pair of cut-off shorts. Comfortable and go with literally everything. The perfect pair of cut-offs scream summertime fun. But finding them can be difficult as well as put you back a pretty penny.

Have no fear. There is an easier and less expensive way to get your summer go-to’s.

I am sure that you have a stack of jeans that you just wont let go of. Dust them off and grab your favorite ones that you no longer wear, and turn them into a great pair of blue jeans shorts.

Making Your Cut-Offs

Measure 3 inches from inseam and cut jeans straight across. Cut the front separate from the back of each leg to ensure that you don’t cut too high either side.

Use discarded pant leg as guide to cut 2nd leg. Match jeans at bottom cuff and then cut along line as shown in image.

Keep in mind that fray of cut-offs will raise length slightly. Try on shorts to see if you are happy with length, or need to make adjustments.

Making the Fray

Snip 1/8 – 1/4 inch high (This is depth of fray) the bottom hemline about every 1/4 inch. This will help to make easier when pulling out the threads to make fray.

Use a fork to scrap bottom of shorts to pull out some threading. You can also use a seam ripper. Scrapping back and forth to rough up threads will also help.

Work around whole cuff of pant leg and repeat on 2nd leg.

Pop into the washer & dryer to complete the finished look. Like a fine wine, your cut offs will look better with time. The more washings, the better the look.

Pair with your favorite comfy T and you have a great summer look! ~Susie Peas

Read about more ways to find affordable clothes at Shop the Look and My Favorite Thrift Store Finds. And see some great outfits for real women in my post on Dressing Room Diaries.

Those Cute Little Plants

Clocks

Little Silver Bucket – Plant Pots

Chair Cushions

Step Stools

Storage

High Chair

Ice cube Tray

Like this:

The Basic Gist of a Paper Route

“Extra, Extra Read All About It”

GO CARDS!!

Biggest Paper Route Day of the Year – Black Friday

The Other 360 Days of the Year

Paper Route Delivery Tales

My Scoops

Boo & Lee Lou’s Chronicles

Jaybird’s Nonfictions

Even Jason Had a Memoir

Newspaper Recycling

Uses for The Paper Route Recyclables

The Paper Route Crafts

Like this:

Supplies

Instructions

Simple DIY Succulent Wreath

Like this:

Supplies for My DIY Bunting

Instructions on Making DIY Bunting

Assembling My Bunting Garland

More DIY Bunting Projects

Like this:

Find A Theme for the Toy Room

Working Around Your Theme

Using Color Themes

Naptime Necessities

Toy Room Storage

Chalkboard Just Their Size

Additional Toy Room Storage

Like this:

What You’ll Need

Assembling Your Picture Frame Wreath

Prepare Frames

Print Pictures

Attach Frames to Wreath

Add Bow/Hanger

Like this:

The Clues For My Scavenger Hunt

Clue Ideas that I Used

The Set Up for the Scavenger Hunt

Surprises Along the Way

Like this:

What You’ll Need

Make Template & T-Shirt Blanket Squares

T-Shirt “Sandwiches”

T-Shirt Blanket Layout

Like this:

Share The Love

Real Life Research!

How to Keep it Low Carb

Gas Station Keto-friendly Food

Drive-thru Keto-friendly Food

Mc Donald’s

Taco Bell

Burger King

Kentucky Fried Chicken

Wendy’s

Sonic

Jimmy John’s

Chipotle

Like this:

Making Your Cut-Offs

Making the Fray

Like this: