Sunburst Mirrors - Really?

Another trend I discovered was creating DIY sunburst mirrors. At first I kind of liked them, pictured one in my house above the couch, and then pictured one of my children impaling themselves while jumping on the couch on one of the hand-sharpened wooden dowels or other deathly objects it might be made out of. So you see, sunburst mirrors are just not for me. Some really and truly are beautiful, like these:

And some of the materials these are made out of make me take a step back and say, "really?"

 I have to admit, clothespins are handy. But I picture this little beauty lasting about 10 minutes before my kids have completely taken it apart and there are clothespins everywhere.

 Now this is a manly sunburst mirror. I picture it in the garage, right next to the bouquet of tools and chalkboard labeled tool chest. Add a candle of man smell and you'll have the most stylish shop on the block.

 Yeah, I can't even caption this one very well.

 This is how I picture the conversation between husband and wife after this piece was made:

"Hey honey, guess what I did with your great grandmother's antique silver?"

"What, sweetie?"

"I got out my hot glue gun and put them all in a circle around a mirror! Now she can be a part of every meal we eat forever."

 This one is similar, but instead of grandma's antique silverware it's made of leftover spoons from Kentucky Fried Chicken.

This one will make your kid super trendy and cool. At least to the moms who read blogs. The rest of the world (including their friends) will probably wonder what the heck their mom was thinking...

 This one is made out of toilet paper rolls. I'm sorry, but I don't think using materials that used to house toilet paper seems very sanitary.

(PS - the silverware mirror - the more I look at it, the more it's kinda cool....)

Chalkboard Projects - Really?

I love reading blogs as much as the next person. I'm totally addicted to Pinterest. There are so many great ideas out there! And yet, I can't help but wonder if sometimes we take repurposing/trends/the latest "fads" and go a little too far with them. My own personal belief is that just because something is on a blog or has a great picture of it does not mean that it is a very good idea. For today's feature, I thought I would share some projects I found using chalkboard. You know, that stuff we used in school for math. (Okay, I used a dry erase board, but I remember visiting the ancient school in my hometown and there was a chalkboard in there). Nowadays you can buy special paint that can turn anything, and I mean anything, into a chalkboard "masterpiece." I do like the idea of maybe one chalkboard framed with a pretty frame in my house, but honestly I don't know if I would use it. I hate the tingly sensation I get from writing on chalkboard, and the stuff rubs off making a mess everywhere. It also makes half of the projects you see out there pretty much useless, since people are trying to permanently label things with a temporary solution. Just weird. Here are a few projects I have come across that just made  me say, "really?"

 Because nothing says love like writing on your kids' stomach.

Oooooh, the texture issue gets me here. 

Again, really? 

This one really gets me. Have you ever had a baby scratch you? Those tiny little finger nails can draw blood. And picturing them scratching this wall gives me the willies. Plus, the stuff rubs off! Your baby will wake up one morning looking like she was playing in the flour canister (which I'm sure is also labeled on chalkboard vinyl.) 

This one's my fav. It makes me think "sweetie, let's go upstairs, pour a glass of wine, and write sweet nothings to each other and erase them all night." Seriously, I can think of about 10 better things to do with a headboard...