The Flourishing Abode

Hack Challenge 5! DIY Tray from Auto Glass

I never would have thought of today’s hack-a-week project without my husband, Tim. He currently works in the auto glass industry, and brought home this lovely piece of dark glass. It was his idea to turn it into a tray! Handles were posing somewhat of a problem, though, and so I suggested feet instead. And voilà, here is today’s project! Now, you might be thinking, “Great, I don’t work at an auto glass place. How on earth am I supposed to get my hands on something like that?” Well, here’s the deal. Apparently on certain kinds of trucks with divided back glass, … Read more

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Solutions for Vintage Clothing Problems: Sizing

Personally I love to wear vintage clothing. I like the classic meets whimsical aspect of it. But if you love vintage like I do, then you’re probably been here before: you discover a fabulous vintage clothing find that seems to be in your size, only to realize that you would need to remove some major body organs and perhaps some limbs in order to be able to fit into it. Sizing: it was the single biggest problem that people voted for in a poll I did on why people don’t wear vintage. Not surprising, since no matter how much you … Read more

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Adventure Challenge: Week 4! Go Stargazing

This week’s adventure for our adventure-a-week challenge has been one of my favorites so far: stargazing! For one thing, since it wasn’t a weekday adventure, our whole family was able to do this one together. For another thing – I just love stargazing! Generally the night skies are most interesting in the earliest months of the year, and with these warm days right now, it makes for some pretty optimal gazing-at-stars-time. So gather some blankets and my illustrated printable and get ready to go stargazing! 7K+Save We chose the particular night we did for star gazing because it was peak time for … Read more

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DIY Metal Fire Pit Tutorial- Hack Challenge Finale

Well, it’s the last week of the upcycling hack-challenge! The project for this week is an idea that Tim heard of a while back, and we were hoping to get to do at some point in the series, and luckily we found out a couple days ago that we would be able to get our hands on an old metal basin from a washing machine – just in time! 🙂 These metal basins make excellent fire pits because of the holes all over them, which allow in plenty of air and help keep a fire going strong with very little effort. … Read more

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DIY Metal Fire Pit Tutorial- Hack Challenge Finale

Well, it’s the last week of the upcycling hack-challenge! The project for this week is an idea that Tim heard of a while back, and we were hoping to get to do at some point in the series, and luckily we found out a couple days ago that we would be able to get our hands on an old metal basin from a washing machine – just in time! 🙂 These metal basins make excellent fire pits because of the holes all over them, which allow in plenty of air and help keep a fire going strong with very little effort. … Read more

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Om nom nom: Frozen Chocolate Banana Coins

I just love chocolate and bananas – it is such a great combination! This is something I came up with this summer – a quick and easy treat using (what else?) chocolate and bananas.  Just make sure you use the shell hardening chocolate syrup … that kind that hardens when you pour it over ice cream.  It wouldn’t work with just regular chocolate syrup. Hope you enjoy! My little girl loved these – its a great kitchen project to do with little ones because it is so easy. 🙂 What are some of your favorite quick and easy snacks?Let me … Read more

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Adventure Challenge: Week 1! Pirate Nature Hunt

Well, this past week was week one of my Adventure a Week Challenge, and I think we are off to a great start!  I made an illustrated free printable, and its available at the end of the post, for anyone else who would like to do this scavenger hunt adventure, so be sure not to miss it: 8K+Save When I first mentioned to my four year old daughter that we were going to have an adventure a week, she was thrilled. I told her we might do a nature scavenger hunt, and she said, “Ooooh, how about a pirate nature hunt?” … Read more

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Hack Challenge: Week 2! DIY Record Side Table

Onward with the weekly hack challenge – where each week I have to hack an item and upcycle it into something completely new, typically decor related. I’m so tickled with how last week’s project of the DIY solar paper lamps went, and I’m also excited about this week’s project: an upcycled DIY record side table! I’ll be honest – I had a completely different idea for this week originally, but I was having trouble at the hardware store finding screws with the right threading, the right head and the right length that I needed for that other project .. I must admit, I never … Read more

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