Isn't That Pinteresting?

I love Pinterest, but it sometimes it seems like the people making these crafts and meals must be Martha Stewart clones... incredibly talented crafters, perfect mothers, immaculate housekeepers, and gourmet cooks in their spare time.
As for myself, I'm an okay crafter... if I find time to spend on it. A mother who tries hard... but doesn't always live up to my own standards. A housekeeper... who never has time or energy to clean. And a decent cook... but more concerned with finding quick and easy food that my kids will eat than cooking impressive meals.

So recently I've read several blogs where the authors posted things they've recently found on Pinterest, just to share with their readers some things they liked. And while I enjoy those posts (because I often find something else to pin for myself) I didn't want to do a post like that. What I find more interesting is how these great recipes and projects turn out when someone like me is doing it. Someone who is pretty average and decidely unlike Martha Stewart.

Vinegar as Weed Killer (http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2011/06/got-weeds-use-vinegar-not-roundup/)

I loved this idea! I hate weeds. Our front yard is xeriscaped with wood chips and rock because we couldn't keep a lawn alive. But the weeds still flourish in spite of everything I do to get rid of them. But pulling the weeds is time- and labor-intensive. (And believe me, I've tried to convince the kids that it's fun to help me pull weeds. They don't fall for that.) And I hate to spray poison on the weeds because I worry about the kids getting into it. So I tried the vinegar. Actually, I had the kids try the vinegar. I filled some spray bottles with white vinegar and send the three older kids out to battle the weeds. They had a grand time spraying down all the weeds they could find. (And the van... which resulted in a quick trip to the car wash.) And hey, it kept them busy for a good hour, so that was a definite win. Within a day, some of the weeds had turned yellow and brittle and very dead-looking. Woo-hoo! But other weeds and some grass that crept into the front yard (WHY will grass grow so well now when we don't want it?) seemed completely unaffected. They were all: "Vinegar? Please. You're going to have to do better than that." So I tried again the next weekend. I tried a stronger mix that someone had recommended... a mixture of vinegar, salt and dishsoap. Again the kids sprayed all the weeds liberally. Again they were entertained and outdoors getting some fresh air. And again, the stronger weeds and grass were pretty much unaffected. This time it was more like: "Okay. *cough, cough* So I'm a little sick. But I'm definitely not dead! And I'll be stronger than ever soon!" So as much as I love the idea of vinegar as weed killer, it's not working with the particular weeds in my yard. Guess it's back to the other options.

Easy, Cheap Food Storage (http://www.earthineer.com/content.php?blogid=1574)

I've really had the feeling lately that I need to do something to beef up our food storage. (Which currently consists of approximately 20 pages of expired Ramen Noodles and a dozen boxes of Cocoa Roos.) But every time I look at a food storage plan it starts to seem overwhelming, or I can't figure out where to store it, and I just end up not doing it. But this one seems so simple! An easy way to store rice and beans in old 2-liter bottles. Rice and beans are cheap - and I already have some in the pantry. The need for 2-liter bottles provides me with an excuse to buy some Pepsi. The compact size means it's easy to find places to store the bottles. And while I'll need more than just rice and beans eventually, you can do a  lot with just rice and beans if you need to. So I have the rice, I have some 2-liter bottles, I have some bay leaves, I have a space to store it... and I've just stalled out. The 2-liter bottles are just sitting on my counter, taunting me with my inability to follow through. This weekend I'm storing rice and beans! Really! I mean that. ... Probably.

Wow... I apparently have a lot to say about these little project updates. More than I want to ramble on about in a single post. More than you want to take time to read about in a single post. So I'll follow up with more of our Pinterest project results in another post. (Because I should definitely be taking time to blog... After all, I'm two weeks away from a week-long convention for nearly 350 people where I'm in charge of all the sessions and I don't yet have my materials ready.)