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This injury is wearing me down.

I’m pretty sure that somewhere there is a secret unwritten law stating that Mothers aren’t allowed to be sick or hurt. Ever. I have broken this law, and if I don’t fix it soon, there will be an uprising of epic proportions. Mutiny is constantly simmering right below the surface in this house, and it ain’t pretty.

I have slowly felt myself slip down into a dark little pit. The Pity Pit. My husband is tired, my kids are frustrated, the flu bug is going around, and my ADD is making us all crazy! Needless to say, it’s been somewhat of a battle to slap on a happy face. It’s pretty easy to find yourself in that pit when you are in pain, isn’t it?

I feel this overwhelming need inside me to be ME again. Yes, obviously, that is going to take patience and a whole lot of time. I keep having to remind myself that even when this brace is off I’m not going to totally be me. It’s going to take a lot of effort, exercise, and determination to get my strength back for flying kids around the room, sanding DIY projects, doing handstands, or even getting my shirt over my head without crying for that matter!

Patience has never been my strong suit. That totally shocks you, right? {Sarcasm}
I need a lift. I need to DO something. Anything.

Enter…the memory card.

I don’t know if you are like me, but I like to take pictures and then I forget about the awesomeness that just occurred and those pics sit on my camera for ages. I think I may have over a 1,000 photos sitting on my iPhone as I type this. Oopsies? I started going through the photos on my memory card and I was seriously shocked at what was there! Not only were there hundreds of precious forgotten memories, but SEVERAL projects I’d photographed and never posted, too. Where has my mind been! {Oh yeah, I remember…holidays… accident…rocking concussion…pain…feeling sorry for myself… yada yada yada, yep, that about sums it up.} So, even though it takes me centuries to edit pictures and type a post, I’m going to get those projects off my camera and on the blog. Most of them are simple little projects that I originally didn’t feel were really blog worthy, but maybe someone will find them useful. It will give me something to mentally do for the next little while and help me ignore all the things I physically need to do {Like mopping the floor and folding piles of laundry. Side note: have you ever tried to sweep & mop an entire wood floor one handed? Yeah, blisters. It’s fantastic.} instead. Besides, you can only play on Pinterest and read your toddler Spookley the Square Pumpkin for so long before your head explodes. We don’t want that.

Anyhow, if you are in need of a simple and super speedy project, this one is just for you!

How to Make a Simple Burlap Photo Mat:

Do you have an old frame that you like but is an odd size or lacks character?
Grab some leftover burlap and give it a quick shot of texture!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Burlap (or any other fabric/paper of your choice)
Scissors or rotary cutter and self healing mat
Double sided tape
Piece of cardboard the size of your frame
Pen or pencil to trace with

*Time needed: 10 minutes

Take the glass out of your frame and lay in on your cardboard. Trace around the glass and then cut that out. This will be the backing for your fabric.

Next, use your cardboard as your pattern for cutting your burlap. Trace around it and cut out the burlap.

Now take double sided tape and affix your burlap to the cardboard, then your photo to the burlap. At this point you may need to trim down your edges a little bit so it fits in the frame.
Clean your glass and place your cardboard/burlap/photo sandwich in your frame.

Instant texture!

I told you it was easy and quick, didn’t I?

Here is another one just because it’s too dang cute not to post! When I look at that girl, I see joy.
Just the little reminder I needed.

Here is all of them. Someday there WILL be a hutch there. Mark my words. But, for now this works.
Oh, and see that lovely dark spot on the wall above the frames?

That my friends, is the reason that you should NEVER trust what is labeled on the top of a paint can. Never. Especially if YOU didn’t label the top of said paint can. Good glory. There is your little word of wisdom for the day.

Now while I continue healing this silly arm, go give your plain old frames some texture!

P.S. What do you do to pull yourself out of the Pity Hole?