Pinterest Fail!

 

Since I won't be able to post at my normal time this week, I didn't post last week and decided to split the difference.  I've been working on putting together a wedding organizer that can be personalized for each bride and groom.  It of course is taking longer than planned, but I've been using postings I found on Pinterest to cross reference and add to what I have. 

 

Working on the binder and searching Pinterest for ideas on what I may have forgotten, made me think of all those Pinterest projects that I've tried and failed at.  I haven't taken photos of all of them, and there have been many, but here are a few.

 

Booties for my son:

Now, this may not look like a fail, but it is.  I followed the directions (to a T, I thought) and we had even recently measured his foot so I choose the pattern that should have been big enough.  What you can't see in the photo is the stitching showing on the back heel and the fact that they did NOT fit my son.  I couldn't even get it on his foot.  Guess I'll have to try again or find a different pattern.  I couldn't get his foot in because the space between the front of the shoe (tongue area) to the heel wasn't wide enough.

 

The apron:

 When cooking, I constantly grab the towel and end up with food all over my pants.  How to solve this problem? Make an apron! I found this cute scalloped edge apron and thought it would be perfect.  I couldn't find material that I liked in which there was enough (the 2 sides are different, the tie is supposed to be what the opposite side is) so I got 3 kinds.  I figured the pockets (was unsure if I wanted them) and the tie could be different, not a big deal.  I printed off the instructions and the pattern.  The pattern was 15 pages and each page was a different file to download and print.  I could deal with that.  Then, as I was trying to put the pattern together, there were only about 5 pages in which I could see the writing....and my printer wasn't out of ink.  I could see a random middle side, one top corner, one bottom corner, and part of the tie back.  Well that wasn't going to work, so I free handed the pattern.  My scallops weren't perfect but the top was to be gathered so I thought they'd be fine.  As I was attempting to gather the top, my thread kept breaking.  Hey it is usable, just not as pretty.

The paper shelves:

This one is partly my inadequate thought process.  I saw that someone had used the flat-rate boxes to help organize their papers and thought it was a great idea, especially since I was in need of one since I had just started the business.  I didn't really want to walk into the post office and take flat rate boxes to used for it and decided to use cereal boxes.  While I was saving them, I saw that for a few other paper holding projects others had used cereal boxes so I thought I was brilliant!  I wanted to just use contact paper I had leftover so I knew it wouldn't be too pretty.  I just wanted to put it together and when I find contact paper I liked, I'd recover it.  As I was putting it together, I discovered that the cereal boxes were different sizes, even if it was the same type of cereal.  I decided that I would just put the taller ones on bottom, not a big deal.  When I was done, I found out that the paper didn't fit into the cereal box! Oh dear.  That wasn't going to fly.  This project was tossed and called a fail.

The homemade ice cream:  I didn't take a picture of this one, but it wasn't ice cream.  The directions said to use Ziploc bags, but we had just run out of the correct sizes.  I figured I could use Tupperware.  Wrong.  After 20 minutes of shaking and it spilling a little, it was still liquid.  The directions said it would take 5 minutes, which I knew that with the Tupperware it would take longer so that wasn't a surprise.  I finally was over my craving and tired of shaking the Tupperware so I just put it in the freezer.  I took it out and put it in the fridge the next day so it would melt slightly and I could shake it some more.  It had turned icy and didn't really shake anymore.  It hadn't completely melted so I decided I'd just add some peanut butter and it'd be pb ice cream.  It was more like pb and ice crystals.  Another fail!

These are just a few of my fails, but I guess I'll learn.  Don't forget about the October Deal and book your consultation for $10 off during the month of October.  I'll be out of the office starting tomorrow, but just email or leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Hope all is well and I'll be sure to post when I get back from Hawaii!!

Updated Chair and a Little Bit Extra

This chair is one that my grandparents had at their house for all of us grandchildren. Grandpa would redo it when it needed to be repainted and it got A LOT of use. There are 7 of us that it survived through, and when grandpa moved it got passed onto me for Isaac.

 

 

As you can see, it wasn't in horrible condition.  I just needed a new coat of paint and a few stickers removed.

 

 

I gave it a new coat of paint and chose a lighter yellow.  Why yes it was left over paint...from Isaac's bedroom to be exact.  I added a little pizazz but using paint pens we have to mark his growth chart and just did some random swirls and stars.

 

 

Of course I had to add his name to it!  When we have more little ones (sometime in the not-so-near future) his name will get painted over so they have to share, or if he has grown out of it a new name will be written in.

 

Now for a little bit of extra news.  Isaac is growing like crazy and I have my first big trip without him coming up.  It is sure to be fun, but I will miss him like crazy!!  I leave in 2 weeks for 10 days in Hawaii.  Isaac will get to spend some time at daycare, which he loves cause there are other kids there to watch, and lots of time with dad.  They'll get to go visit Oma and Great Grandma.  On the way they even get to stop and watch relative in a football game.  He will be kept busy without me, as I'm sure I'll be kept busy without him. 

 

What does that mean for the business? Not too much.  I will be able to periodically check my email while I'm gone and Eli can let me know if there are any calls I need to return before I get back.  It only cuts into a few of the discount days of October, which is good for customers.  Hopefully most of the appointments get booked before I leave so that I can do that prep work before I leave and be ahead of the game when I get back, but if not it will be fine.  I can't wait to spend time with friends and it will be nice to have some me time.  Give me a shout out if there is something I just have to do while in Hawaii!

 

October Giveaway!!!

I just wanted to announce that in the month of October, I'm discounting my single consultation rates!
 

If you book an appointment to meet with me for a single consultation, I'll take $10 off the price.  If you choose to switch to a package, the savings will transfer.  All you need to do is call me to set up the consultation, or go to my website For You, By Me Events and fill out the Contact Sheet to get started.
 

What goes into a single consultation? Great question!!  I gather some basic information about the event you are looking to plan and what you need help with.  I ask what you are expecting from me and if there is any information in particular that I need supply you with.  I then use that information to come up with some ideas and all the other information you need.  I research the theme, ideas, and find the answers you are looking for.  If you have a facebook or pinterest account, I look to those to see what you like, or to the account of the person the event/party is for.  I will spend up to an hour researching and getting ready for our meeting.  Then we will sit down and discuss everything.  The consultation will last up to 1 hour. 
 

A not-so-bad photo of the little man and myself. 
It was a lounge around the house day.


Where do we meet? Is anyone welcome? More great questions!! We meet at a location chosen by you.  I work out of my home office, so I meet for consultations where ever it is convient for you to meet.  If you are wanting a lunch hour meeting and need to eat, pick the restaurant and we'll meet there.  I also have a few slots available after hours for those who work during the day and just can't get away.  I have a son who is just under 8 months old who will attend most of the consultations with me.  If you prefer that he wasn't there, there is one day a week that he goes to daycare and depending on my schedule as well as the daycare availablity, I can schedule for him to be there a little more often.  If you are scheduling the appointment for your child's party, then they are welcome to come.  Anyone that is helping you with your event is welcome to join, I understand some events are big undertakings and it takes more than one person to tackle.
 
Don't live in Havre and still want a consultation? Depending on where you live, I can make that happen.  Give me a call or fill out the form and I can look into it.  If you live near, I can come to you, or if you are somewhere I am unable to make it to, we can look into video conferences.  Keep in mind that these may have extra costs and it will be more likely that my son will have to join...or be in the background if it is a video conference.  Don't let that deter you though, I would love to help in any way possible and after finding out the basic information, we can discuss if there is a travel charge.
 
Any questions I didn't answer, just let me know!! You can call my home office at 406-262-7150 or email me at hayley.yost@foryoubymeevents.com.  I look forward to hearing from you!!!!

Updated Toy Chest

Eli had an old toy box that his grandma made him for his first birthday, I decided to reclaim it and fix it up.  Isaac is a little to young to be able to play in his room and it seemed like his toys were taking over the living room, so it seemed like a great idea.


First, I had to clean it up and get ready to paint it. It was originally bright red and a few screws to hold the lid on were missing.

There had been stickers on it so I used fingernail polish remover to get rid of the sticky residue.

I covered the rope handles with painters tape. 

 

 

The base coat is now brick red, which was left over from painting an accent wall in the living room.

 

I used a tailor's chalk pencil to draw on my design and found a wooden star to trace onto the box. The tailor's pencil allowed me to draw on the box and if I didn't cover the lines with the paint, I could just wipe it off. 

 

 

I free handed the writing because I didn't want it to be perfect.

 

It is finished!! I used the end of the paint brush to make the dots next to select letters. I used a foam brush to paint the stars and just dabbed it on like a sponge. 

 

 

If I went a little outside the lines, I didn't mind because it gave it a little character.  The green was left over from painting an accent wall in our bedroom and the yellow was from a sample when we were testing colors to go in the nursery. 

 

Nothing like using supplies from around the house.  I just found some extra screws that were laying around to reattach the lid and it was good to go!  Isaac isn't quite big enough to dig in it himself but he's getting there and now we at least have a place to put all his toys.