:: a few how-to's & an essay on boredom ::

:: zigzag shorts ::

 {from the etsy blog}

:: tshirt bracelets ::

{from family chic}

:: tshirt tote bag ::

{from instructables}

of these three ideas,
i have made the tshirt tote bags
{they are super easy & eco-friendly}
and i can't wait to make the tshirt bracelets
{searching for bangles at thrift stores next week}.
not sure if i will attempt the shorts,
but they are so darn cool.
{please let me know if you give any of these a try}

the following essay about summer boredom
was in our last school newsletter.
written by charles faye,
from the book parenting with love and logic, 2006 {loveandlogic.com}
Ah, the sounds of summer!  Birds chirping, the sound of the ice cream truck, and kids moaning, "I'm bored! There's nothing to do."  Despite popular kid opinion, boredom is essential for the development of healthy problem-solving skills and creativity.  Can you imagine the world today if Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford had never experienced it?  Some parents make the mistake of spending the entire summer making sure that their children are always entertained.  In the process, they steal wonderful opportunities for their kids to learn creative ways to entertain themselves.  They also create kids who selfishly believe that everything should be entertaining all of the time.  Wiser parents hand the boredom problem right back to their kids by responding, "That's a bummer, what do you think you are going to do?"  When their children answer, "I don't know," they simply give some suggestions and allow responsibility for solving the problem to rest on their youngsters' shoulders: "Some kids decide to draw pictures. How will that work?  Other kids decide to build something out of wood.  Others decide that they are going to do some reading.  Good luck."  If their children continue to complain, they pat them on the back and say, "When kids keep complaining that they are bored, it means that their parents aren't giving them enough chores.  There's a broom right over there."

my somewhat-related two cents:

this summer, in addition to fun stuff & boring stuff & duck stuff, 

ned & marian & i are cleaning bathrooms every day.

flylady style: swish & swipe

3 people in 3 bathrooms ~ it takes 5 minutes.

everyone feels like they've accomplished something worthwhile

and the bathrooms sparkle

{and smell like mrs. meyer's geranium, which smells like roses}.

♥

the daily rosa