DIY zebra print rug

This mommy is in the process of re-doing her living room.  We decided that we wanted black and white accents for the room, and what better accent then a great rug?!  Black and white of course!  The daddy and I looked everywhere for a rug and this mommy fell in love with a zebra print rug, it would be perfect, but looking at the price tag this mommy sadly had to walk away.  Looking everywhere for a rug that would be great this mommy couldn't get that zebra rug out of her head!  I could just see it fitting perfectly in the room and everytime this mommy walked into that room she pictured it in her head sitting there happily on the floor....... Sigh.  This mommy was about to give up when a trip to wal-mart brought this mommy to a plain low pile black rug, pretty boring but the $20 price tag was a perfect price, so this mommy decided to take it home and rework it to make it into that perfect zebra print rug! 
Almost frolicking back home this mommy had a plan!  The daddy helped lay it out flat for a while so that I had a nice flat work space, and guess what?  It was a perfect fit in the floor space we wanted to cover!  After this mommy let the rug flatten out from its rolled up state for a couple hours she was ready to get started! 
This mommy started with some masking tape and a picture from the internet (gotta love searches!).  Taping around the edge of the rug to form a border for the print and then taping a straight line down the center of the rug for guidance this mommy got to work!  Looking at the picture this mommy taped off some stripes on the rug, making sure to work both sides to make it somewhat symmetrical (not perfect but all zebra stripes are different so its ok!).  After about an hour of taping, this is what this mommy had........

Curving the stripes with masking tape ended up being harder than this mommy had anticipated, but after a while you get the hang of it!






This mommy was tired at this point, an hour of taping and only half way taped!  Time for a soda and cookie break!.......
After the much needed break this mommy came back and went back to work!  And about another hour later this is what she had......

Ah the finished taped project!  Oh if only masking tape were permanent, then this mommy could have been done!  But alas, this mommy continued.....






Going to the storage closet this mommy pulled out some leftover white house paint that she had left from another project, poured some in a pan and got her paint roller out and got to work!  This mommy is telling you though that those carpet fibers sure soak up the paint! (plus I'm sure that painting white on black was the harder choice than painting black on white but the black rug was cheaper!)  This mommy slowly rolled on the paint in each section making sure not to catch and pull up the masking tape.  Once the first coat was done this mommy started again with the second coat...... and the third....... it took 4 coats to get it as bright as I wanted it to be but it finally got there (you could stop after a couple coats if you wanted it to look a little more faded and not as bold but that's not the look this mommy was going for).  4 coats of paint done!  Now was the hardest part for this mommy, waiting for it to dry!  This is what I saw for several hours while I waited........

Oh, the torture! 







Finally it was time!  The paint was dry!  This mommy giggled with anticipation!  Excitedly this mommy grabbed at the tape!  The daddy helped pull off all the tape, and as we pulled the finished look started appearing and this mommy was so happy that the paint didn't bleed through at all! We kept pulling and pulling and pulling (my couple hours of taping gone in just a few minutes!)  This mommy smiled from ear to ear!  It was perfect!!  We put it in a different room for the night to make sure it was completely set before we had it where we would be walking all the time!  And this is the finished look........

Perfect zebra stripes!  It was just as pretty as any of the expensive ones in the store!  This mommy was so excited!







Well that's how this mommy made her own zebra print rug!  Feel free to try it yourself!  Its really rewarding when you get to the finished product!  This may be the start of an addicting hobby for this mommy...... hmmm..... well here's what it looks like in our half-done living room (complete with the princess playing around on it! Don't mind the mismatched pillows, the power wheels in the back, and the random stuff sitting on the chairs, like I said the room is only half done and those things will be fixed before its all done!)........

Can't complain one bit!  :)  For $20, some paint and some time you can have a one-of-a-kind rug!  This mommy loves it!

25 Things I want my son to know as he grows!

This mommy has seen many a post about things people want their daughters to know but not so much about what their sons should know, and while this mommy will probably make a post like this for the princess as well there are definate things this mommy would like her son to know.  Thinking about life, even though the boy is not even 3 yet, and how I want the boy to grow up and the type of man I hope he becomes makes this mommy write this, you never know what life will throw at you and hopefully I'll always be around to watch as the boy grows, but no matter what these are things I want my son to know!

1. You are more loved than you could ever imagine.

                - I never knew what real love was (no matter how much I thought I knew) until you were born.  The day I looked at you, my beautiful son, was the day that I felt what true love really was.  There are times that you drive me crazy and times when I get mad, and sometimes even disappointed, but through it all no matter what, you are my first true love and I will love you forever!  One day when you have children of your own I hope you will realize how much my love is for you. 

2. It is ok to cry.

                 - No matter what anyone else tells you, it is not "girly" or "inappropriate" for a boy to cry!  Crying shows feelings and everyone has feelings.  Even the toughest of men cry!  Never, ever, be afraid to show your feelings and cry if you need to!

3. Don't be afraid to stand out and be you!
                 - You are an idividual, not a clone of other people, please act as such.  Stand up for what you believe in, follow your own dreams no matter what others try to say, find your own passions, like what YOU like, and most of all don't let others define you!  True strong men are ones who lived their own life and never let anyone tell them who to be!  Never follow the crowd just to be "one of the guys".  Whether you are popular, or the "nerd", or whatever anyone else says about you, you are YOU and that is the greatest gift of all!

4. In a relationship you are only as strong as your other half!
                 - Your partner is your best friend, your equal.  You should always treat them as that.  Never put them down, never underestimate them, never take them for granted.  Hold them up when they are falling, believe in them and their dreams, be their strength, and most of all love them with all your heart!  Being compassionate and loving to them makes you a better man!

5. Accept others.
                 - There will always be people different than you.  Hopefully throughout life I have taught you that there is nothing wrong with different.  No matter who the person is, accept them, know that they too are creations of God and never judge them.  This can be hard, but know that you will live life more fully if you accept the differences!

6. Be creative!
                  - As long as you are respecting others and their possessions feel free to create art of your choosing!  Following your creativity will lead you to great places in life and will ever expand your mind.  You are never too old for creativity!

7.  Enjoy nature.
                  - Go outside!  You live in a beautiful world, take the time to see it!  The small things make the world beautiful, never overlook the small pebbles, or the ripples it makes when you toss it in the water.  Sit and watch the clouds go by, or go crazy and rock climb or go rafting!  Just do it safely and enjoy the time!

8.  Be a kid!
                 - Run, jump, play, get dirty, explore, even dig a hole to try to find China!  Have fun and enjoy your youth!

9.  Be a good brother, friend, and protector.
                 - There are people who depend on you and who love you.  Your sister will always be your sister, and there will be times she needs you, be there for her.  Family is the most important thing, they will be there for you when the world has turned its back on you, please never forget about them, and always protect them when you can!  You are a superhero to some!

10.  Please wear your clothing appropriately.
               - They say clothes make the man, so dress for who you want to be!  Please never wear your pants around your knees, and please don't wear vulgar sayings on shirts.  Its not attractive, or "cool".  Feel free to express yourself but do so appropriately.

11.  Take care of the Earth.
               - Its not just a trend to be "green", we should all do our part.  This is the only planet we have and you live here, take care of it.

12.  You are a genious.
              - Never quit learning, your potential is limitless, and you can do anything you set your mind to.

13. Know that some rules were not made to be broken!
              - There are times when its ok to follow your own rules, but some rules should always be followed!  There are rules you may not like but they were put in place to protect you and others, please think carefully before you act.

14.  You will always be my son!
              - No matter where you go or who you are with you are my son and I will always be there for you!  I will always love you even if you make wrong choices.  I'll be there to offer support and advice and to be a shoulder to cry on.  I will always believe in you!  I will always want the best for you.  I will drive you crazy at times, but i hurt when you hurt and cry when you cry, and no matter what you will always have someone who loves you, and I hope our bond grows stronger and stronger!

15.  Its ok to make mistakes.
               - Its how we learn.  Don't be afraid of mistakes just make sure you learn from them.

16.  Be a man of God.
              - You are a miracle, sent to us from God.  Always praise him and live your life for him.  If you live for Him life becomes more clear. 

17.  Be careful of what you put out there.
              - In this technology filled age its easy to get in trouble.  Be careful of anything you send to people, unless you want the world to see it don't send it.  Its easy to be careful if you take the time to think, and please please please never get involved in "sexting".

18.  There are no jobs that should be left as "woman's work"
              - Yes you are a boy, but that doesn't mean you don't need to do laundry, dishes, vaccuum, cook, clean, grocery shop, sew, or take care of the kids (when one day you have them).  You are capable of doing these for yourself, and its ok to do them.  There is nothing un-manly about it, in fact you will be greatly appreciated for it, and I'm sure your future wife thanks me already for teaching you this!

19.  Tattoos are ok, but think!
             - Tattoos are permanent, think long and hard about it before you get one!  I don't want you waking up one day with a name or picture that haunts you forever. 

20.  There is no shame in asking for help.
             - We all need a helping hand sometimes, don't be afraid to ask if you need it.  This includes asking for directions before you get entirely lost!

21.  Your penis is not a toy.
             -Use it responsibly.  I do want grandkids one day but please do it under planned circumstances.  You are responsible for your actions.

22.  Keep moving forward.
            - Sometimes in life you may feel like you are in a rut and are going nowhere, but know it is your choice to keep moving.  Keep pushing and you will go far! 

23.  Travel.
            - You want to take a summer road trip to see the country?  by all means, take the car and explore, but do so responsibly!  Soar through the world and enjoy it!  But just know, I do not want to have to come see you in the hospital!

24.  Always say thank you.
            - Others will help and guide you throughout your life.  Teachers included.  Always say thank you to those who help you!  And forgive those who do you wrong.

25.  You can always come home, no matter where you are in life.
            - I will be here, always.  I love you!