Getting' Crafty With It

After being married for 10 months I decided it was time to start decorating the place.  I'm on a budget of next to nothing and decided it was time to consult my good friend Pinterest.  Apparently the new cool thing is a serving style tray on your coffee table.  I'm not one to jump on new trends, but this one suited my style. After getting a general idea of what I wanted, I went to my local hobby store....we'll just call it Bobby Lobby....and found 3 trays I thought were alright, but the price was well over my budget and then some.  To tell you the truth, I didn't even like them enough to spend that much on them.  I think I went back and forth looking until I found one in the basket section that was perfect.  It was an "antique/vintage" wood crate/tray that I really really loved, but it was $29.99.  Yikes!! That was way too expensive for something that was mass produced. And then it dawned on me...I could probably make that.
So......I went back to Pinterest looking for some DIY tutorials and found this post for a "coffee table tray." I liked what she did, but wanted a different size and slightly different design.  So here it is....step by step in my own little way.

1. I used scrap wood, which included a piece of wood found in the garage, some garden stakes, and sand paper.  After determining my measurements, 14"L x 10 3/4"W,  I "measured twice and cut once." Then set up for a mock layout.  I finished off by sanding each piece to make sure there would no slivers, sharp edges, or unwanted imperfections. 

2. Then I started nailing together.  First I nailed the two side and two base boards together to create the sides of the frame, then I nailed the ends on.  After that I just dropped in one slat at a time until they were all nailed in snug. 

3. Paint!! This part was easy.  I wanted my tray to have a distressed/weathered look, without looking too dingy or having the light wood color show through.  I started with some brown Acrylic paint I had and mixed it until it was dark to my liking.  I made sure to paint all of the "wear and tear" surfaces such as edges and "high spots" on the wood, as well as dings and knicks.  After it dried, which was within minutes, I drilled my handle holes and finished up with spray paint.  I wanted to add some color to my living room and also something that would contrast beautifully with the dark brown so I chose Valspar-Gloss Tropical Oasis spray paint.  (I didn't want a gloss, but the color I wanted only came that way. ) I put on enough coats so that I could no longer see the brown through. It took about 2 med/heavy coats and 1 light/spot coat. 

 (I found this to be a great time to drill the holes for my handle as well!!!!!!)

4. I let it dry for most of the day and then spent about 30-40min using my sandpaper to "distress and weather" the paint.  Again, I focused on the "wear and tear" spots and then just made a few light passes over all of the paint, just enough to remove the glossy shine.  Then followed up with a VERY LIGHT coat of Clear Coat Spray Paint.  I didn't want to add to the shine, but again it's hard to find a clear coat that doesn't come in gloss.  In all reality, it didn't need a clear coat-the wood was sanded smooth and painted, but I wanted to protect it from unwanted scratches and further wear and tear. <-------Ironic and silly, I know. 

 5.  Lastly, I finished up by adding the handles (after it had dried over night.)  I made sure to use a cloth under my screw driver to, again, avoid any unwanted scratches or marks.  Then I finished it off by cutting into pieces some adhesive velcro, the fuzzy side, and placing it on the bottom so no other surfaces get scratched. 

6. FINISHED!!! Here's the finished product.  I'm not completely in love with the decorations, but for the pictures purpose I added them.  They were a shell we already had, two lemonade bottoms from lunch-filled with stones, and a glass "coke can" that I found at the dollar store.  All in all I spent $6 for paint and $4 for the handles.  It was a cheap, very easy, and relatively quick alternative to the pricey trays at the craft store. 

When In Doubt....delegate.

As a mother I am responsible for EVERYTHING. I cook, clean, wash, make lunches,  and manage "the fam". Of course, my boys help, but essentially I hold down the fort. 

As an entrepreneur I am responsible for EVERYTHING. I earn the money, manage the money, pay the employee (me), keep the clients happy, etc. In this case, I am the help, the backup, and the main cheese. I hold down the fort. 

I've recently taken on a volunteer position on my Idaho massage board. While I feel it is beneficial to me, I've bitten off a very large chunk and I'm desperately trying to chew it down to a more manageable size. We had a "Strategic Planning Retreat" this weeked where I learned that while my job entails a lot, it's ok to "Ask For Help."

Now it's not that I'm too stubborn or too proud to ask for help. It's that I want to believe that I really can do it all. 

So I did.  I did it all. 

And, I failed. 

And that's when, at the meeting, I once again heard the words, ask for help. 

I became THAT person. 

The weak one. The one who doesn't have it all together. Who can't hold her own weight and who relies on others to get the job done. 

That's when I realized that asking for help isn't weak. It isn't disgraceful and it certainly isn't looked down on. 

As long as you do it right.  

Whether it's assigning dishes to my boys on the nights I work or giving my board assistant a task list to lighten my load, it's smart delegating. It's all about knowing when your plate is full and being smart enough to stop piling it on before everything falls apart. 

It may be a mantra that I find myself repeating, just to make myself believe it, but "it's ok to ask for help."

So when in doubt, don't hesitate, delegate. 

Grabbing the Metaphorical Bull By Its Horns

I feel fortunate enough to have spent a wonderful weekend with an amazing group of Massage Therapists.  During this weekend I was presented with an amazing opportunity. 

Accepting seemed like a no brainer. 

Declining seemed more than idiotic.  But in the back of my head all I kept hearing was 

"More Responsibility." Yikes. 

Was that really what I wanted? 

I am a mother. I'm a wife. I'm a business owner, not to mention my only employee. In addition, I work for another company, volunteer at a local elementary school, volunteer my time at community events, clean my home, and on top of all of that....maintain my sanity. 

How can I possibly volunteer more of my time on a board committee? 

For me the answer is easy. 

I just buck up and face each challenge head on. But I also recognize when a challenge turns into a road block. I accept what's been earned and reject what won't better me as a human.  

In other words....I recognize my limits and respect them. Besides, why run from something, if it's not all that scary?

I learned something this last weekend. Something important. Something I already knew.  One simple word. 

Breathe. 

Breathing helps calm the nerves, settle emotions, and maintain a more logical thought process, among other things, such as provide vital life support. 

And in my case, it helps me manage stress. So when asked to take on yet another position, I took a deep breath and considered what taking it or denying it would mean. I weighed out my options, took another deep breath and made my decision. 

I chose to match responsibility with reason, confidence, and will. 

I take it head on, and I make sure I remember what matters most. 

Regina Brett once stated, "No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up."

Just remember, first, to breathe.