DIY Dominoes Project

Image: Patent Pending Projects

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Of course we all know that Ferris Bueller quote but lets just take a look at the first part of the sentence.
Life moves pretty fast.

When I started this blog in 2011, I wrote 70 posts. In 2012, I wrote 54. Last year there was a meager 13 and so far, in 2014, if I manage to finish this one...it'll be a grand total of 3 and March is almost over.
Yes, life is moving pretty fast, with not much time for personal projects anymore like this blog - and even more so now, with a 3 and a half year old and a 10 week old puppy, who can be both found running around my ankles on a daily basis.

There's also that game we all have to play each day called 'Earning Money and Paying Bills'. A game we must unpack every morning, check that all the pieces are there, explain the rules to existing and new players before rolling the dice and either winning everything or losing it all. At the end of each day, we must pack every little card and token back into the box and put it away for the next morning when we get to play it all over again. Yipee!

Nuts & Bolts Chess Project

Image: Cub Scout Ideas

The other night I watched a fantastic documentary called Brooklyn Castle, which told the story of five members of a chess team from a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school in Brooklyn, that has won more national championships than any other in the US.

                "The film follows the challenges these kids face in their personal lives as well as on the 
                chessboard, and is as much about the sting of their losses as it is about the anticipation 
                of their victories."

It was a compelling, engaging and moving documentary that put forth a powerful and positive message about how to succeed, no matter what your circumstances are.

DIY Wall Sculpture Project

Image: poppy haus

It seems that BBQ season is well and truly over.

You could be forgiven for thinking last week that we were getting a second chance to enjoy some sunshine and warmth before the winter finally set in and we started pulling those big woolly jumpers out from the back of the bedroom cupboard.

The heating went on and in our case a new boiler went in. Any outdoor furniture you have was packed away in the shed along with the BBQ, which went into forced hibernation, much like we will do in a week or two.

If you watch Curb Your Enthusiasm, then you'll be familiar with Larry David's issues with skewers and having to look like an idiot, not knowing what to do with one, when you're finished eating the food from it.

Now I'm sure Larry couldn't care less, or at the very least, probably wouldn't have a huge problem with recycling the used kebab skewers, but until I find another (cleaner) use, you'll have to make do with this post, which relates to what you can do with 'unused' skewers that aren't going to get the hibernation treatment along with the BBQ.

Flameless Fire Pit Project

Image: Free People BLDG 25 Blog

Camping in this country can be really hit or miss.

I say that, being very much a non-camper and extremely hesitant to relinquish any comforts I've acquired through the years. The idea of sleeping on the ground, surrounded by, what can only be described as a large brightly coloured bag held in place by folding metal poles, does not appeal to me in the slightest.

I know there are many of you who love the outdoors - whether there's wind, rain, sleet or snow (and on the rare occasion - shine) and if I'm really being honest, so do I.
The outdoors can be spectacular and beautiful - especially when looking at it from the coziness of indoors.

Instagram Photo Cube Project

Image: Well It's Okay

I've mentioned before that my mother seems to be the only person I know who still prints out photos. What I find even more amazing is, she prints them all from her phone. I haven't printed a photo from my own camera in about 2 years, let alone one from my phone.

All I seem to do now is back them up on to a hard drive whilst foolishly muttering something to myself about 'needing to sort them out.' As Travis Bickle would say, "One of these days I'm gonna get organizized"

DIY Puzzle Block Project

Image: 101 Woonideeën

About a year ago, we bought a 4 in 1 jigsaw puzzle (of a famous toy train character) in the vain hope that our 18 month old would show signs of being 'just as clever' as all the other amazing, in your face 18 month olds.

There was a 12 piece, 16 piece, 20 and 24 piece jigsaw.

Just taking the 12 piece jigsaw first and packing away the other 3 for a much later date, we were in for a big shock. Not the kind of shock that entails finding the next Garry Kasparov. Having become bored and unchallenged by a 12 piece jigsaw, our genius offspring would now attempt all 4 jigsaws at once whilst twirling his dummy on a chain in a counter clockwise motion, all the time singing the alphabet...backwards.
Next stop, Mensa.

No, it was not that kind of shock.

Security Envelope Project(s)

Image: Eco_Monster

Security envelopes hold our lives in the balance.

When the post arrives, we are greeted with one envelope giving us money, or at least telling us that in theory we have money, but not for long - because the next envelope will take it away from us in the form of a bill or bank charge.

It's ebb and flow. It's yin and yang. It's Russian roulette with window pane envelopes.

More importantly, it's a total waste of paper.

Build Your Own Office Organizer* Project

*As much as I would love to begin this post by leaping into the world of science and lay out plans, schematics and diagrams for building your own robot to aid you with the organization of your office and life, this task, much like having to 'build your own' robot, effectively rest with your very own capable hands. 

Also, it's just made from a cereal box. So there's that!

Image: A Little Hut

With shops like Staples, Ikea, Tiger and what appears to be the Daddy of them all The Container Store, being disorganized looks to be a thing of the past. 

Piggy Bank Project

Image: the little red house

Is 1985's chart topping hit,  "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)", a frighteningly accurate prophesy of the economic climate, or is it simply just an obvious reminder that all this has happened before and all this will happen again*.

Either way, it's time to save our pennies and this little projects, from the little red house, which utilizes recycled newspapers and discarded egg cartons, will help you do just that.

DIY Jet Pack Project

Image: Doodle Craft

The three greatest words any child needs to hear should be - 'I love you', but I'm pretty sure most of them (well mostly boys, probably) would easily swap them for  - 'homemade jet pack.'

If you have a young kid in your family, plus a few recycled soda bottles, then this incredibly creative idea from Doodle Craft will propel your once measly status of older brother, sister, mother, father, aunt, uncle, or grandparent into & beyond the stratospheric position of  'coolest older brother, sister, mother, father, aunt, uncle or grandparent ever'.

Homemade Art Supplies Project

Images: Chalk - minieco, Watercolour - Oh My!, Glue - minieco, Clay - Etsy{New York} Street Team

The kids are back in school.

That means your child will need to get pens and pencils and pencil sharpeners and rulers and erasers and pencil cases and folders and copy books and school books and a school bag and a lunch box and a school uniform plus a hundred and one other things, adorned with either Spiderman, Batman, Peppa Pig, Thomas the Tank, The Hulk, Dora the Explorer or Hello Kitty that magically, will somehow make your kid, in their own mind at least, amazingly cool to all of their other classmates, and for you, there is the added bonus of a headache in trying to achieve that impossible task.

Fire Lighter Project

Image: The Telegraph

You might think it's a bit strange for me to suggest a project that involves having to light a fire in July. Then again, it is summer, so obviously I'm thinking about barbeque's. Now you are thinking it's a bit strange because if you were to only look out the window, you're first thought would be - soggy burgers.

It's almost mid July and it's still raining. Not only is it still raining but I'm sure our house is not the only one to have had the "Will we give the heating a quick blast" conversation. The idea of summer is this. You use the money put aside for heating bills and spend it on holidays and ice cream. Simple. We shouldn't have to do both but it looks like this weather is here to stay.

Starburst Clock Project

So today is the longest day of the year.
And it's raining...again.

They say this is the longest day of the year but I think you'll find it's pretty much exactly the same length of time as every other day in the year. The only difference is - from tomorrow, we start the countdown to winter, which judging by this weather should hit around the middle of next week.

If you had wonderful plans for today, maybe heading out to the beach, or possibly a picnic in the park and now you find yourself stuck in doors staring at the clock or staring at a place where there should be a clock, fear not. I can solve those two problems. Right here. Right now.

Starburst Clocks are enjoying a bit of a comeback in the world of Interior Design.

Image: Patent Pending Projects

Now you can design and make your own version.

Personalised Mug Project

Why does tea and coffee always taste better out of your favourite mug?

Drinking tea or coffee is often a very ritualistic exercise and people become quiet addicted to the way they make it. Black, no sugar. Weak, lots of milk. Honey instead of sugar. Herbal, decaf and never instant - only filter. Whichever way you make it, you genuinely think it tastes better out of a particular cup.

So why not have the perfect cup?

Image: Lemonade Makin' Mamma

Father's Day Crafts Project

Image: gettyimages

Father's Day rolls around again this Sunday and personally, I find it hard to define what that actually means.
But I'll try.

Growing up, one of my favourite TV shows was MASH and even as I type that sentence, I feel the need to restrain myself from parroting out a long list one liners and favourite scenes. I will share one scene that might help with my definition.

It's A Wonderful Project

This is my 100th post.

That sentence sounds a lot like self congratulatory back slapping and in a way, it is. When I started this blog I never thought it would last more than a few months and now, just over a year later and 5,000+ views a month, I feel ready for another 100 posts.

So for #100 I wanted to pick something special.

In trying to figure out what this post should be about, I created a mosaic image of some previous posts, to see what I had done in the last year. I used Flipcard, which allows you to view any site powered by Blogger in one of five different ways: Flipcard, Mosaic, Sidebar, Snapshot, or Timeslide. Click Here to test it out on Patent Pending Projects. You can see what other blogs look like too, all you have to do is go to the address bar and replace the "patentpendingprojects.blogspot.ie" with another URL.

Image: Patent Pending Projects

This image got me thinking about when I was a teenager and I'd covered my bedroom wall, as so many of us did, with images of singers and movie stars, film posters and art work. I'd rip pages from magazines and arrange them into a massive collage on the wall. Spending hours piecing them together like a giant jigsaw and in doing so, subconsciously try to paint a picture of who I was.

Trashy Wallet Project

Here is a fun project that turns an old paperback into a wallet.

I don't usually suggest ideas that involve tearing up books but in this case, it seems the cheaper the book, the better the look. Try a bargain bin somewhere or local charity shop for a trashy novel with an interesting cover.

Also, it seems to be easily transferable to other paper media like magazines or prints so it doesn't have to be books, that's if you feel the way I do about ripping them up.

Trashy Novel Wallets

Image: ReFabulous

Make Your Own Board Game Project

It's another cold and dreary day in cold and dreary Ireland but hopefully, with today being the 30th of April, that's the end of the infamous April showers. If not, here's fun idea to help keep the kids entertained indoors on  rainy day #120.

Check out these websites for ideas and inspirations when making your own board game.

Try alphamom
Use Lego pieces, recycled colour paint chips and add instructions like 'make a funny face' or 'do a silly dance'.

Image: alphamom

Or how about... One Crafty Mumma
Make your way to the fabulous farm house, picking up treats along the way.

Cardboard Shape Sorter Project

This project, found over at play and grow, appeals to 3 of my ongoing obsessions.

Image: play and grow

To start with, Evengy Kudryavtsev recycles cardboard, mostly Pampers boxes which I have in abundance, into educational toys for toddlers. That's two out of three obsessions right there. Thirdly, he's Russian, which you may or may not have guessed from his name.

When I first saw this I just felt so stupid that I had not thought of it sooner for my own son. I've looked at different wooden shape sorting toys and made plans for making one myself but this is such a wonderful idea that has just been staring me in the face. I guess that's the thing with the best ideas, they're just so simple.

Cereal Box Notebook Project

I'm constantly finding little scraps of paper in my back pocket with hastily scribbled notes on them.
Anything from shopping lists, phone numbers and silly ideas that pop into my head.

The worst part about this is not really the finding them in my pocket but my more my filing system for them.

Normally, at the end of each day, these scraps end up in a haphazard pile on my bedside locker where my son can, and usually does, find them the following morning and then spends the day depositing them around the house only for my wife to find them stuffed behind pillows, under seats, inside the washing machine and once surprisingly, inside a sandwich.

So, this project manages to achieve 2 of the favourite pastimes in this house. My wife's love of organising and my obsession with reusing cereal boxes.

Image: SCJohnson