We are Building A Greenhouse! Fall 2021 One Room Challenge
We are building a greenhouse! Join in the fun!
The One Room Challenge is here again, and this time we are building a greenhouse! You can check out all of the details and follow along on the One Room Challenge page. Be sure to sign up for the weekly ORC updates, too!
Thanks to my sponsors for this round!
Update: Our Stock Tank Pool One Year Later
How do we feel about our stock tank pool after a year? Pretty awesome!
As the COVID-19 pandemic began, my husband and I looked ahead at a long, sad, dry summer and decided there was just one thing to do: build a stock tank pool. I’d been angling for one for several years, but he wasn’t convinced it would be enough to satisfy our swimming needs. So here we are more than a year and almost two summers later, and I’m happy to report: a stock tank pool is perfect for us here in Colorado!
Now, having lived in California and Texas and other states with long, hot summers, an in-ground pool is perfect for lots of people. But in the four years that we have lived here in Colorado, we have had snow as late as the last week of May and as early as Labor Day weekend. So… having a big, expensive pool simply doesn’t make much sense for us here.
Our stock tank pool was a very reasonably-priced option — before the price-gouging and supply problems began. I’ve been watching prices, and I see that supplies seem to be easier to find now and prices have come down considerably. Phew! I also have noticed that several people have begun installation businesses in various parts of the country, so if a DIY pool isn’t in your skill set, there are others who can help you. But the DIY option isn’t hard, so don’t be scared of attempting it yourself, either.
So, what did we do differently for year two with our stock tank pool?
Change to a Reusable Filter with Filter Socks
So, first let me say: this pump has exceeded all of my expectations. It has now worked beautifully for two summers, running 24/7 for months on end with no issues. I am really impressed! Last summer I used the disposible, paper-based filters which work very well. But even with washing them out and reusing them over and over again, I was concerned about the waste involved and the fact that they really aren’t recyclable. So when I saw an ad for Orca Filters — “the last filter you’ll ever buy,” I read the reviews and then bought one.
Does it work as well as a paper filter? No. Not without a filter sock. We have had days of cloudy water which we never had with a paper filter. The filter sock helps with this, but it’s not perfect either. However, the filter socks are essentially small stretches of pantyhose material, so they can be washed over and over again rather than being thrown away. I just hose off the Orca Filter every few days, put on a clean filter sock, and all is well. I collect the filter socks together and then throw them into the washing machine
So I would give the Orca a mixed review: it is better than throwing away filters, but it just doesn’t keep the pool as clean and clear.
Expand the Pad Around the Pool
We have an old, cracked concrete pad where a hot tub once stood. The hot tub is long gone, but the pad — located just off of the patio — was a natural spot for the stock tank pool. Last year we placed it on the pad and just enjoyed it. But this year, I wanted to plant around the pool, so once it was scrubbed out and in place, we framed out a bed of gravel around the pool. This serves two purposes: it gave me a place to place the green planters I made, and it also keeps the weeds at bay. With all the splashing that happens in the pool, weeds and grass grow partiucularly well around the pool!
A larger perimeter of gravel, gave me a little more control about what was growing. Less bindweed. More tropical plants. Someday I’ll cover that gravel with a few inches of pea gravel so it is more attractive, but this gravel was free — we have tons of it in the front of our house, so we are working to repurpose it around the house.
Add Barrel Planters
I wanted large planters filled with plants to surround the pool, but large planters are expensive. So I bought some 55 gallon barrels (food grade) on the Facebook Marketplace. They were $16 each, and we made two planters from each barrel. I painted them each a deep green, and filled them with tropical plants!
Tropical Plants: Lots of Them
We live in Colorado. It’s not the tropics — by any stretch! But the pool creates a little microclimate that’s just a bit more humid, and I wanted color and blooms around the pool. So I ordered canna lilies, caladiums, hibiscus, and gladiolus to plant in the new planters around the pool. I wanted to create a little tropical paradise — even if we can’t go to Hawaii. The canna lilies have some nice height to them, too, creating a screen around the pool which, when you are soaking in the pool, provides some privacy.
Build a Cabana for Changing
It might sound crazy, but we are building a cabana next to the pool as a changing room. This will actually fulfill a few functions. First, it will give us a place to change and to rinse off before and after swimming. There will be a small heated shower, too, as well as hooks and a bench for changing. It also gives us a bit more privacy in the pool — blocking off sightlines for our closest neighbors. It will also help to screen the air conditioner and other utilitarian parts of the backyard that no one wants to see when swimming.
Online Summer Camps for Kids 2021
Just because your kids are staying home doesn’t mean they have to be bored. Check out these great summer camps online for kids all the way through high school!
Last summer I found some incredible online summer camps for kids. Bambino had a wonderful summer of activity and learning and fun — all of which allowed my husband and I to have a relatively productive summer, too. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we have decided that online camps are the way to go again this summer, and I’ve found a variety of great places to recommend — some we did last year and some are new!
One of our favorite places to do summer camp has always been at museums. And museums often rely on summer camp admissions to fund their education and outreach programs for the year. So I’m delighted to be able to support some of our favorite museums again this summer!
And a bonus: you can do camps at museums all over the country! Just make sure the times work for your family. I almost registered Bambino for a camp on the East Coast before realizing that it would start at 6 am our time — that would never work for our family, but it might be perfect for yours!
This list isn’t comprehensive, but if you are looking for online camps for your kids, this is a great place to start. Check with the museums in your area (or farther away) to see what they may be offering as well as your favorite:
Universities and colleges
Private schools
Public schools
Arts organizations
Museum & Arts Camps Online
Charles M. Schulz Museum | California
Last year Bambino took several drawing classes at the Charles M. Schulz museum, and they were FABULOUS! He was enthralled and active for hours, giggling and producing super-fun artwork! He particularly loved classes taught by cartoonist Joe Wos who was both entertaining and instructive. I listened in and was truly impressed by both the instruction and the cartoons they produced. Bambino has spent the year since creating his own cartoons, too. It’s been wonderful! The Charles M. Schulz Museum has several offerings again this summer. Just remember: they are in California, so adjust the times as necessary for your timezone!
School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Illinois
You know that scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off when they are wandering through the museum… THAT’s the Art Institute of Chicago. It’s one of the best art museums in the world, and I suspect their summer of online art camps will be exceptional, too. They have online offerings for kids as young as 4 years old — all the way through high school. They also have adult classes, too. And there’s a Family Camp which I’m really interested in — spend a week doing art with your kids with someone else being in charge!
Met Opera Global Summer Camp | New York
So the Met Opera isn’t technically a museum… but last year they offered a FREE camp all summer! I’m leaving this here in hopes that they will do the same again this year. Each week focuses on a different opera starting with Hansel and Gretel. There are discussion sessions, a craft session led online, and then opportunities to watch the opera. For the budding musician in your home, this is an amazing opportunity! There are two meeting times for different ages, and some of the Met’s stars are coming as guest artists, too.
I want to do this summer camp!!
The Loft | Minnesota
The Loft is a venerated institution in Minnesota dedicated to writing and writers. This summer all of their programming is online, and they have some incredible options for kids all the way through high school. Some of their programs are offered in conjunction with the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, too. So fantastic! Their class list includes creating picture books for young writers and writing ACT essays for high school kids — and everything in between! Oh, and they also have great writing workshops for adults, too!
Joslyn Art Museum | Nebraska
For the second summer, the Joslyn Art Museum is offering some online camps for kids of all ages. Their selection is somewhat limited, but the camps look fantastic, so scurry over to sign up before they are all sold out!
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts | Pennsylvania
If they didn’t start so early in the morning for us, Bambino would be doing a bunch of these camps! If you are on the East Coast or Central time zone (or if your kids are naturally early birds), PAFA’s offerings are fantastic! Their range of camps for kids 6-14 includes a Disney drawing camp, painting, illustration, and fundamentals of graphic design. PLUS, these are such a value for the money. The camps largely run from 9 am - 3 pm EST and are quite reasonably priced. They even offer a payment plan!
San Jose Museum of Art | California
From their website: “Our campers will get a rare glimpse into working artists' studios for live demos, tutorials, studio tours and Q&As. Artists Diana Al-Hadid, Kathy Aoki, Kathryn Otoshi, Hayal Pozanti, Jason Sturgill, and Imin Yeh will be guest artists during each week of camp! Several of them are featured in SJMA exhibitions, South East North West: New Works from the Collection and Break + Bleed.”
Every week has a different theme, and they have guest artists as well as a STEM consultant who provides an art + science lesson each week. Awesome! Their schedule is great, too. You could enroll your child in camp for either mornings or afternoons all summer long, and every week will be different.
The Bronx Zoo | New York
Seriously, people. This sounds amazing! From the website: “Our Wildlife Camp Online is full of fun and learning about the world of animals, nature, and science. During the week of camp, campers will engage in counselor-led engagement and self-directed activities including up-close animal encounters, virtual exhibit and behind the scenes visits from all of our WCS zoos and aquarium, chats with our staff, hands-on science projects, crafts, and songs. Some of the activities will be scheduled at specific times and others will allow your child to engage in them at the pace that works for your child.”
California Science Center | California
The California Science Center is a fabulous museum, and their online camps sound really fun. All classes are led by trained educators and include “Interactive virtual tours of exhibits, live demonstrations, and exclusive question and answer sessions with our on-site scientists and animal care staff!”
Sounds amazeballs!
The Library Foundation of Austin | Texas
Writing is such an important skill for kids, and summer is a fabulous time for some intensive creative writing work! Last year Bambino did a Badgerdog session, and it was WONDERFUL! He is already signed up again for this summer. The Library Foundation offers some incredible writing camps for kids all the way through high school. They are affordable, too! Offerings include a poetry and film workshop, Screenwriting 101, Mythology, Slam Poetry, and the famed Badgerdog Creative Writing Summer Camp.
If only parents could sign up…
Cleveland Museum of Natural History | Ohio
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s virtual camps this year are for grades 6-12. They offer both a medical camp and astronomy camp, too. If you have middle and high school students, here’s a great opportunity for STEM learning over the summer!
Frankly, we had such a wonderful experience with online summer camps last summer, and sadly some of our favorites are all in-person this year. I hope museums and other organizations consider making online options a permanent part of their offerings. It allows kids from all over the country to take advantage of their resources! Last summer Bambino attended camps in California, two different cities in Texas, Colorado, and Minnesota — all from our home in Colorado.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. If your local school or museum or university is sponsoring programs that are amazing, leave a link in the comments! Let’s all help each other and help our kids have a wonderful summer — safe at home!
And share this link with anyone you know who has kids at home this summer!
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Documenting Your COVID-19 Experience
Ideas for documenting and preserving your COVID-19 experiences.
Here we are, friends, a year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Depending on where you live, it may be longer than that for you. For our family, our pandemic experience started just over a year ago with a final trip to the grocery store, a new refrigerator, and the end of in-person school. I’ve been thinking a lot about the changes that have happened over the last year, and that led me to develop a project I’m excited to share with you:
The Stay at Home Club: a COVID-19 Journaling Project
Whether you are a regular journal keeper or a complete novice, this is a historic opportunity to document your experiences for yourself — and for posterity.
This journaling project is very simple. All you need is a blank book, something to write with, and the PDF of questions and prompts — a free download which I’ve created to help you. Our family is working on the journaling project together. I want to include everyone’s perspectives and experiences. But this could be a solo project as well.
You’ll find all of the details at the link below. It includes some videos that can help you get started, a few photos of what we have started, and suggestions for supplies, too.
Not only is this an exciting project, but it is also my first collaboration with Owl and Ember! Owl and Ember is a new enterprise I am beginning with a dear friend, Holly Kennedy. We are starting small — an Etsy sticker shop — but we have really big ideas!
The shop just launched, and we have the cutest COVID badges for The Stay at Home Club! How did you earn your crafting badge this year? What about cooking? Check out The Stay at Home Club badges and all of the cute stickers at Owl and Ember by clicking the link below!
Be well! Stay safe!
XO
Angela
The Nice List 2020: Three Ways to Plan!
This year we have three ways to use The Nice List and get organized for Christmas — plus stickers!
three ways to plan your holiday season this year!
Plus stickers!
So many of you have bought The Nice List over the years, and for that I am so very thankful! I hope The Nice List has become part of your holiday season -- bringing a little order and sanity to a crazy time.
I have been sitting on so many fun secrets this fall, and it is finally time to reveal it all! With the COVID-19 pandemic and all of the challenges of 2020, there have been some changes to The Nice List, but I think these changes will make planning for the holidays even more fun, creative, and simple.
The biggest secret of the year: there are THREE ways to use The Nice List this year! And everything is for sale NOW!
Three Christmas Planners for 2020
Announcing The Nice List Digital Planner!
Holly Kennedy, my graphic design partner-in-crime (@messymamaholly), and I are so excited to announce The Nice List Digital Planner -- a whole new way to make a list and check it twice! The Nice List Digital Planner works on your tablet or computer and is designed to be used with GoodNotes or Noteshelf. Equipped with all of the goodness of the paper version of The Nice List, The Nice List Digital Planner includes pages which can be duplicated and rearranged making the planner customizable and very easy to use.
Available in two different color schemes, the design is clean and cheerful with plenty of room for digital stickers, notes, photographs, and anything else you may want to add. Oh, and we also have digital sticker sets -- read on!
The Nice List PDF: A Christmas Printable Planner
As we have in the past, we are also offering The Nice List 2020 in a printable PDF format. This option is great for those of you who already have a planner system you love or who prefer using a binder. Perhaps you need larger print? Or you really like to customize your planning? Well, this is the version for you!
Both the Digital and Printable PDF versions are updated with some pandemic-specific ideas and tools as well as room for individualizing and personalizing your planning which makes it all even more fun!
The Nice List: the Original Christmas Planner
Maybe you are a paper planner person and love the paper version. Fear not! Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were not able to source the paper versions of The Nice List this year, but we have a limited supply of 2018 and 2019 books which we are selling at a deep discount just for the paper enthusiasts. Adjust the dates on the calendar pages, and you’ll be ready to go. Choose from a red cover or green cover.
But wait! There’s more!
Christmas Planner Stickers
Announcing The Nice List Sticker Shop!
We can’t introduce a digital planner without digital stickers! So we are launching two amazing sets of digital stickers with artwork by Holly Kennedy and Jone Hallmark to make your digital planning all the more festive. If you haven’t used digital stickers before, they are super easy and fun as you plan in GoodNotes or Noteshelf. Using these stickers, you can decorate any page as you like and use the reminder stickers and planning stickers to make your pages even more functional as well as festive. Each sticker set includes three pages of stickers which can be used over and over again in any digital planner -- not just The Nice List.
Coming soon: printed planning stickers & vinyl stickers!
In just a few weeks we will have planner stickers and vinyl stickers available for purchase as well. Stickers for everyone! Stay tuned for that fun announcement, too!
So no matter how you decide to plan this holiday season, we have you covered!
Additionally, the 2020 Nice List Thoughtful Giving Guide will be coming soon with gift suggestions for everyone on your list -- and a whole list of pandemic-specific ideas for making your holidays even better during this strange time.
Questions? Just ask!
Until then, be safe, and wear a mask!
XO
Angela
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The One Room Challenge Begins!
Exciting news! The Fall 2020 One Room Challenge has begun! Check out all of the details!
You can get all the details on the One Room Challenge and my projects here:
I hope you will stop by!
XOXO
A
Hello, Fall!
Fall is my favorite season! Check out the projects and ideas I have for this coziest of seasons!
Friends,
It’s been a minute — or a month! I hope you are well and are staying safe wherever you are. If you are new here, and there are a bunch of you, WELCOME! I don’t email often, and I always try to make it worth your time to read. So, thanks for following along, and always feel free to ask questions!
My favorite season is here! We are still staying home and staying safe — that’s not going to change for a long time. We have spent the last six months or so living outside. It has been truly wonderful, actually. A few weeks ago on Instagram, I did a look back on all the projects we have taken on this summer. It was eye-opening!
Here are some of our summer highlights:
We did four major backyard construction projects this summer: putting in a Stock Tank Pool, building a stage with a screen, putting a tree house in our Maple tree, and building a deck off of the workshop.
This was also the first summer that I have truly gardened in this house. We put in a vegetable garden — my first successful veggie garden ever! And I have had cut flowers all summer long which makes me incredibly happy. We even saved the garden from our freakish cold snap and SNOW at the beginning of September. Oh, Colorado! You always keep us guessing!
During this pandemic period, I have also taken up embroidery — it keeps me from doomscrolling at night! I’ve done several patterns and ventured out into creating my own free-form patterns, too.
Now it is time to celebrate Fall and bring the beauty of the season into our home! I have lots of easy, DIY fall projects that don’t require leaving the house — or even spending much money at all.
I didn’t spend any money to decorate this year. I used some old books, feathers, and paper grocery bags. Seriously. Click the link to see what came together!
DIY Fall Decorating Ideas
If you or someone you know is struggling with school at home, don’t forget I put together some tips and ideas to help make that a little easier. It isn’t perfect, but our school at home experience is SO MUCH BETTER than last spring! I hope you feel the same!
Successful School at Home
And finally, I am getting ready for the Fall 2020 One Room Challenge! It starts on October 7 which is somehow NEXT WEEK! Yikes!
The One Room Challenge is a super-fun event where hundreds of people around the world commit to truly finishing one room in their home over six weeks. Some people are very ambitious and gut and redo kitchens or bathrooms. Others tackle those rooms that just never seem to take shape or style without a real deadline. There are designers and professionals as well as DIY’ers — and everything in between — who participate. It is a ton of fun!
Next week I’ll be able to tell you what I am taking on. I have some really fun projects planned for this round, and I know there will be lots of people doing amazing work.
Until then, check out my rooms from the 2019 ORCs. I love doing this — and actually finishing a room in my house!
Stay safe! Stay home and wear a mask!
Cheers!
Angela
DIY Workroom Makeover
Fall 2019 One Room Challenge
DIY Guest
Room Refresh
Spring 2019 One Room Challenge
Ah, the End of Summer!
Tips for at-home learning, a tutorial for comfortable face masks, and more!
Hello, friends! Here we are at the end of August. It’s a bittersweet time made more so by the fact that we are in the midst of a pandemic.
Many of you have children and teens in your life: children, grandchildren, friends. Those children are headed back to school in one form or another — and it is likely they will have a very disrupted year this year. So I offer these words as a former teacher and now parent: it is ok that this year is different. To expect anything else just isn’t fair to anyone. It is different, and we must bend, adjust, and adapt accordingly. It isn’t going to be easy, but we can do it.
And to all of you teachers out there: I am thinking of you and praying for you. This isn’t the career you imagined, I know.
As for us: we will be doing school at home, online, for the foreseeable future. I’m comfortable with this and hope it will be a good experience for Bambino. With that in mind, I have created a range of resources for families doing school at home. Whether your children start out at home or transition to at-home learning, I hope these resources will be helpful for the children and families in your life.
And since kids of all ages, and adults, too, need comfortable face masks, here’s my face mask guide as well as a video tutorial on how to make any face mask more comfortable for all-day wear.
Be safe out there, friends! I hope you are well! Wear a mask, stay home, and take care of yourself!
Hugs!
Angela
