3 Things Thursday!

   Is it Thursday, already?  WOW!  The time is flying by, I guess that is what happens when you are having fun. For this week’s Three things, I thought I would share Do It yourself (or DIY) projects.  Why you may wonder?  Well, first of all I learned a new skill.  I learned how to knit!  This wasn’t an easy task for the uncoordinated gal in the past.  I got invited to a Knit night and thought I need to go give this a try again.  Now let me paint a small picture for you.  A few years ago my G-ma in law attempted to show Joe and I how to knit (or maybe crochet I just know it was yarn and a non sewing needle).  Anyhow, it was Joe and I at her kitchen table.  She was so patient with me and explained a few times the process.  Well needless to say, Joe had made a long string that he couldn’t get the second row, however that was by far a lot better than mine!  I just couldn’t get it, let alone master it like Joe {well he did master compared to me }.  I never picked up the large needle again, until now.  So I am making a pink scarf for my daughter for Christmas.  I am so excited about it.  She doesn’t know it is for her yet so please don’t share.  Check it out!

     Now on to the 3 things I like about these projects:

    First of all, when you work on the project with your family you either make memories or have
quality time.  Why is there a difference you ask?  Well, I remember a time a few years ago when we decided we wanted to plant a natural fence of pine trees.  Well my hubby had the trees delivered and they left a dolly for us to use.  Let me just say I was so grateful for the dolly.  Now Joe had a friend plant 7 of the first 10 with him.  However the last 3 trees I volunteered to help with the next day.  BIG MISTAKE!  So, Joe got the tree on the dolly and pushed it to the hole.  Next he gives it a tug  while turning it to get it in the hole.  All I needed to do was to hold the dolly…easy enough, right?  NOT!  In one big motion Joe slips and goes in the hole, said tree goes in the hole, dolly tree was on goes in the hole and then I go on top.  Yep!  I felt like we were in a 3 ring circus.  No one was hurt in this process, including the tree.  As you can see in the picture we accomplished that natural fence between our house and the road!  Many, many memories have been made as we have added, changed and made our house a home.   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
Secondly, you can be a creative as you want.  Whether or not you are using and idea you found on the web, the home improvement store or your BFF you can customize it any way you want.  We custom made shutters for our house.  Joe took 3 panels of wood and then laid a cross bar to connect them.  Okay that may not explain it very well.  Here is a picture of a similar one.  We both cut the wood, the older kids and he nailed them together and I stained them.  Then the two of us hung them.  Now every time I look at them I know that it was something we made and remember the time we spent together working on it.

  Finally, how cool is it to say that you did it!  Especially when it comes to your family or your home.  I love to look around my house and see how we have made it a home.  My hubby and son made a sofa table for a 4-h project. It sits behind my couch an is a reminder of the time they spent making that for me.  We could have paid the nursery to plant the trees and purchased the shutters at the local hardware store.  I think it is more special when you DIY!