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Adding A Timer To Our Kids Play Kitchen

Here’s a little recap of a few small projects and updates that we tackled – all in less than ten minutes a pop. Let’s call it a “tapas” post since they’re all bite sized morsels. And happily, they all actually worked, which isn’t always how it goes (sometimes the occasional this-should-be-quick project morphs into how-on-earth-is-this-taking-so-long?!).

First we have some wooden tattoos I made. Yup, I bought these two little temporary tattoos (they say “breathe” and “delight”) at the same holiday craft fair that we mentioned here (they’re from a local artist named Suzanne, who actually chatted with me about how you can put them on various things beyond skin). They had just been sitting on my desk waiting to be used when I was cleaning out our closet and found two old cedar blocks stuck in the back. So I decided they were the right size for my tattoos and I wanted to see if they’d stick.

Tatoos1

So I peeled off the clear plastic on the front, placed them face down on each block, and wet them down per the application instructions.

Tattoos2

Well lookie there, it actually worked.

Tattoos3

Here they both are right after I applied them (you can see that the “breathe” block is still wet). Can you tell I did this project back before we painted the kitchen walls? Haha!

Tattoos4

Here’s that breathe block now that it’s dry along with two other “wisdom cards” that I keep on my desk (also bought from Suzanne’s shop at the holiday craft fair). They’re a nice reminder not to sit on my butt at the computer all day – sometimes I just look over at them and hop up to go play with Clara for a while (you know, so John can take his turn sitting on his butt at his computer, haha).

Tattoos5

The moral of the story? Try temporary tattoos on wood. Or an old travertine tile? Or a ceramic planter? Who knows where they’ll work – and I bet you could even seal them with spray sealer or Mod Podge or something. Look here are some tattoos on Easter eggs (and some more over here)!

Project number two was adding a timer to Clara’s play kitchen! This was actually a gift from our sweet friends Lauren & Steve (they mentioned that their son Dylan loves the timer that they added to his play kitchen when they passed one along to us, so we couldn’t wait to try it). Isn’t it cute? I think it’s from Anthropologie.

Timer1

The first step was to remove the back where there was a small screw and a magnetic plate that could be screwed into the backsplash on Clara’s play kitchen.

Timer2

Then the timer just snaps back onto then magnetic plate, like so:

Timer3

Clara loves setting the timer and cooking up some potatoes and eggs, as demonstrated above. Seriously though, it’s a really fun interactive element, and we’re so happy that Lauren and Steve passed along such a fun little addition.

Project number three: framing a metal newspaper plate in our hallway frame wall. See how this looks like a sheet of tin?

Metal Plate1

Well it is. In fact it’s a metal newspaper printing plate that the Tacoma News Tribune gave to us when we were in Tacoma for our signing. They did a little write up about us, and even had an illustrator render our likenesses (complete with a pocket sized Burger) so we knew we wanted to frame it. So out came my metal snips…

Metal Plate2

I trimmed that baby down to the size of a frame that already hung in our frame hallway. About a minute later, I had this:

Metal Plate3

Then I just slid it into the frame (with a slightly larger piece of white mat-board behind it) and called it good.

Metal Plate Framed Art6

I think it’s a fun little pop of blue on the wall, and everyone who comes over seems to gravitate towards it and asks what the story is. It’s fun to explain that there are metal printing plates for newspapers since we didn’t even know that was the process before receiving this.

Metal Plate Framed Art4

And the fourth update is actually just bringing a book project into the dining room (this old $10 bar cart that we made over with a fresh coat of deep teal color, and chalkboard paint on the top for labeling bowls of candy and nuts or writing a message to guests at a party). A few people saw the legs of it in this picture from this post about crown molding, and asked for a shot of the full monty, so here she blows. Like how I randomly have a pillow on that tray since we’re fresh outta beverages? Haha! We’ll have to stock up for our next party…

Bar Cart After

So those are four little “tapas” updates that we’ve snacked on lately. What little tweaks are going on at your casa?

Comments

  1. shanna says

    Funny because I have that timer – same color and all! And yes, it is from Anthropologie. I am disappointed with it because it isn’t really accurate with the time, but what a great idea to add to my daughter’s kitchen. :)

    Reply

    • Crystal @ 29 Rue Hosue says

      I just checked out the timer and the website said this “In order for this item to work correctly, turn the dial one complete rotation to 60 minutes before setting your time to jumpstart the mechanism.”

      Maybe that will help – either way, it is super cute!

    • Annabel Vita says

      Mine is the same (but in red) – I find it goes off about minute before the time has actually elapsed, so I only use it for things like cakes where a minute here or there wouldn’t make a difference, I use my watch or phone for anything like eggs where you want to get it exactly right.

      I think the problem probably happens when the inner bit with the times marked on it shifts a bit so could be fixed if one took it apart, but I haven’t bothered.

      I’m sure Clara’s eggs will be fine though!

    • Jenny says

      Haha – I returned mine! It had a tendency to sometimes, though not always, fail to ding when it got to the end of the measuring. Like, even if you were in the kitchen right next to it, you wouldn’t hear a noise.

  2. Cara D says

    Thanks for the timer idea. I am building a play kitchen right now and wanting to put in all the little “extras”.

    Reply

  3. Stefanie says

    Love all the little projects! Especially the bar cart. Do you know the name of the paint color you used? Thanks! :)

    Reply

  4. Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says

    Do you know how many times I’ve picked up the same timer and almost bought it. I think I tell myself they will put it on sale but we all know they rarely put the popular stuff on sale there. I need to hit the lottery…no “tweaks” in our home future unless you consider cleaning out closets and such a “tweak.”

    Reply

    • Sara says

      I have this same timer, but from Amazon. It’s probably cheaper there than Anthropologie. Sometimes I don’t here it ding, but I love the way it looks!

    • Heather says

      Hey Katelyn! Love your rug project! How clever! Is it cleaning up ok – i mean is the sharpie pen staying on?
      also- Maybe it’s the iPhone, but your subject titles on the right of your blog are really blurry? The font isn’t readable on my iPhone. Just FYI :).

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Isn’t that cool!? We were totally caught off guard by it in the best possible way! Such a cool thing to get to keep. I guess they have a few (maybe 4 since it’s a 4-color printing process?) and we got the “cyan” one. Love it!

      xo
      s

  7. Crystal @ 29 Rue Hosue says

    Love the updates! I don’t have too many little things going on but I will be painting our daughter’s bedroom this weekend!! It is going to be 50 here so maybe I’ll break out the spray paint too (worst thing about winter is not being able to use it…and not wearing flip flops) and do a couple of little things.

    P.s. Check out this rug update I did last week! It looks like a relatively small amount of work but it did take me a few hours.
    http://29ruehouse.blogspot.com/2013/03/diy-beni-ouarain-moroccan-rug.html

    Happy Easter to you all!

    Reply

    • Madeline says

      Thanks guys! It was definitely funny the way it happened- we thought we were going to be doing major renos, but we already feel at home here & can’t wait to make it our own!

    • heather says

      I totally tried posting a comment on your page, Jess, but for some reason if there isn’t a url/name option to choose from my shiz doesn’t link properly *bummer* so I’ll just tell you here that your house is GORGEOUS. I absolutely adore it. Also, you have an adorable blog! #yayforyounghouselovecommunitybuilding

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hahah! Not yet… you never know with that girl yet. Yesterday she put jelly beans all over a wooden dragon toy and said “look mommy I decorated the dragon!” – hilarious!

      xo
      s

  12. angel says

    Do you know you can tattoo wood with any picture you print on regular paper?And modge podge if you want it to stay.

    Reply

  13. Megan says

    That printing plate is so cool! What a unique piece to add to your gallery wall. It’s not a small tweak but I’m planning on fixing up the gallery wall in my husband’s man cave. Also need to rehang his display shelves. And about a million other things. Luckily/unluckily (depending on how you see it) the big government budget cuts affected my job some so I have to take a week of upaid leave each month till September. Plus side is so many things will finally get crossed off my House To Do list!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw, I hope you get lots done during those weeks Megan! I bet you will and you’ll say what we always end up saying “why the heck didn’t I do this sooner?!” (the answer is: because we didn’t have time, haha!).

      xo
      s

  15. Janet Lopes says

    They actually have those timers at West Elm too… I know because I bought mine at your Boston West Elm book signing!!

    Reply

  16. Erica Blackburn says

    Would it be possible to put a clear coat over the temporary tattoos on the wood blocks to ensure that they don’t wipe off? I’m a worry wart, and things like that get to me! Haha!

    Reply

  20. Amy says

    I like the tapas posts. I’m not so good with power tools (yet), so the big projects are more just eye candy for me. I like the tapas because they are something that I can actually do. Yay!

    Reply

  21. Emily says

    The printing plate is so cool!! I love so much of your wall art. Which actually leads me to a question…what’s the piece of art above the book-project tray?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw thanks Heather! Sometimes it’s fun to share all the little things after a big project like the fireplace. There’s definitely a mix of things that seem to happen all the time :)

      xo
      s

    • YoungHouseLove says

      If you coated it with Mod Podge or spray sealer, it would be even more protected, but I did this project back when the kitchen was grellow (a few weeks ago) and even without any sealer it’s stuck to the wood just like a printed image on a canvas (I can rub my hand over it a bunch of times and it doesn’t rub or flake off).

      xo
      s

  28. Kim says

    I love snacks for dinner and tapas posts. It was nice to get a tiny bit of everything without getting too full :)

    Reply

  29. Pam the Goatherd says

    Cute! Cute! Cute! I love the “tapas” post! Great ideas for some added zing!
    The little thing I am working on right now is building some crates to go under the stainless steel work table in my kitchen. I’m going to use them to store the homemade canned goods that I put up from my garden. They’ll have chalkboard paint on the ends so I can list what’s in each crate and change the list as I use up the food.

    Reply

  30. lindsey says

    They have that timer at Bed Bath and Beyond for $15 (and you can use the 20% off coupon). I can’t find it on the anthropologie site, but I would assume BBB is cheaper.

    Reply

  32. Christina @ Homemade Ocean says

    I am so amazed at the tattoos on wood! I looked on Tattly thanks to your boy John and fell in love with some of the tats but hated that they would only last a short time. Ohhhh buddy, my mouse better be ready to do some ordering now!!!

    Little updates are the best.

    Reply

  35. Heidi says

    So many likes for this post! Those tattoos are goreouse, that timer is adorable (and such a great idea!) and that newspaper plate is such a wonderful momento!

    Reply

  36. Gabriella @ Our Life In Action says

    All are very cool.

    I love the tattoo block idea. I have a ton of Batman, Spiderman, etc. tattoos that would be so cute on little blocks sitting on the window ledge in my little guys superhero bedroom. :-D

    “Super cute, Super quick, Superhero blocks”, sounds like a catch blog post to me. ;-)

    Reply

  37. rachael says

    I love the little tweaks posts after such a big reveal earlier this week. Sometimes, its those little things that REALLY make a house a home.

    Reply

  38. Laura says

    FYI, although I am sure you already know, but I was reading my April issue of Real Simple magazine and you guys are listed as a “blog to bookmark” on page 44! Way cool!

    Reply

  39. Kami says

    You have inspired me to do some “tapas” projects! I have a couple of temp tattoos chilling in a drawer and I have a pretty frame that’s 3×3. You see where there is going, right? I am going to use the temp tattoo on a white piece of paper and then put it in the 3×3 frame! Also your sunroom pic with the not centered window has inspired me to do the same type of gallery wall for my not centered window in the living room. Awesomeness!

    Reply

  41. Lauren says

    Wonderful ideas, as always! I have been searching high and low for a bar cart to spruce up for our dining room but I’ve had no luck! I hope that one of my local thrift haunts gets one in soon…yours is positively adorable and just what I am hoping to find! :)

    Reply

  43. Lesley says

    Tattoos on eggs – BRILLIANT!!! Now I have my Easter craft to do with the kids on Good Friday (it’s the only day that everything is closed here, so we spend it preparing for EB).

    Reply

  46. Megan says

    So many!! Baby #3 is coming April 16 at noon and I have extreme nesting. Rearranged furniture, added a pop of color to the back of our new bookshelf, painted the bathroom…the list goes on and on :).

    Reply

  47. Candace says

    I know it’s not what your post is about, but I LOVE that rocking moped! So Awesome.

    Let me describe my house: you enter and you are immediately greeted by 2 sets of shutters, a pink toilet, 2 huge boxes (making sure we don’t need to package anything up before recycling them), a pink sink in a box, strips of molding stashed on the floor, a pedestal sink TOP, a faucet, and leftover packaging material. Both guest rooms are in a state of disaster, and there’s a rug, disposal, and kitchen sink in the dining room… along with a rubbermaid of kitchen stuff “hidden” under the dining table. (We’re waiting on parts to finish the bathroom before starting on kitchen backsplash.)

    And yet, I am focusing on organizing the junk drawer and office filing system. Yes, this makes sense.

    http://candyskitchen.blogspot.com/2013/03/weekend-update-bathroom-and-kitchen.html

    Reply

  48. Jeanna Walton says

    Hi, just wanted to say that the photos of Clara and Will on Bower Power today were awesome :) The one where Clara has her hand on your cheek and she’s looking at you so intenty is precious! Sweet photos of the kids holding hands, and I just love the expression on Claras face when the kids are twirling on the grass………… she looks so happy :)

    Reply

  49. Millay says

    I have an odd question. How many pictures do you have on the wall of extended family members? For example, Jon with just his siblings or Jon with just his parents? We’re getting ready to buy our first home. In our apartment there is a “shrine” of extended family photos like the examples I previously mentioned. How did you find a balance between extended family photos and more personal things for your family of 3 (or 4 with Burger)…. like your keys framed.

    Reply

  50. Angela says

    This is so neat! I love that artist and I just got a couple things through her Etsy shop for my friend’s birthday. Thank you for sharing her awesomeness. :)

    I love the updates. That newspaper was the coolest.

    Reply

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