Headboard Benches: 4 Tips and Tricks

It’s about time for another DIY post, don’t you think? How about one about DIY Headboard Benches?

I’ve made 5 headboard benches in the last couple of years, and each one was a learning experience.
There are a lot of tutorials out there, but each headboard is different, which means that the tutorials aren’t really one-size fits all.  I generally build a strong frame and then cover it with the “pretty” parts.   It’s really an “add another support here” and “put in an extra screw there” sort of process.
So instead of a tutorial, I’m going to give you a few tips I’ve learned.



1. Use bigger boards for your supports.  2x4s or 1x6s.  Don’t try to skimp and use 1x2s.  They aren’t strong enough and your bench will sag.

(For the bench below, I didn’t want a big support showing across the front.  I wanted to be able to put baskets under the bench.  But yeah, it was wobbly.)




2. Use long screws.  And plenty of them.  I don’t care if woodworkers make fun of me because there’s 5 lbs of screws in the bench.  The darn thing is going to stay together!

(Another wobbly bench because the front support wasn’t strong enough.  You’d think I’d have learned the first time…)






3. Predrill your holes to keep the wood from splitting.  And to keep yourself from going crazy switching out your drill bits, get one of these .  You’ll thank me later.

(Now this bench was sturdy!  My friend helped me build the 2x4 frame, and I could do jumping jacks on it if I wanted to.)







4. The seat height and depth should be about 18 inches. No one wants an uncomfortable bench, no matter how cute it is!







One more for your viewing pleasure…(This one took a few extra screws, but it sure is pretty!)


Have you ever made a headboard and footboard bench? If so, share your tips or favorite tutorial!

Shared at: The Creative Circle

How to Protect Your Backyard Flock from Bird Flu

Bird flu (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) is making it’s way across the United States.  And while there is no threat to human health or food safety, this is scary for anyone with poultry because:

1. There is no vaccine.
2. There is no treatment.
3. It is extremely contagious.
4. It is fatal.  Chickens and turkeys die within days of contracting the virus.

Obviously, as turkey farmers, we do NOT want our birds to get this disease.  Not only is the farm our livelihood, but we care deeply about animal welfare, and it breaks our hearts to see our birds suffering and dying.

And I know many of you with “backyard flocks” of chickens feel the same way.  You’d be devastated if your flock died from HPAI. But unfortunately, your flock is also at risk.



Let’s back up.  HPAI was first detected in the United States in December in Washington state in wild birds (gyrfalcon and wild duck.) Then, a flock of 100 chickens and guinea fowl in Oregon came down with the disease.  There was a turkey farm in California infected, and “several incidences” of the infection in wild ducks in Idaho.

Last week, HPAI was found in one turkey barn in Minnesota and on two separate farms in Missouri (SW MO and Central MO.)

Edited 4/13/15: There have now been more than 35 confirmed cases of Avian Influenza in the United States, affecting Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.  There is also a confirmed case in Ontario (right between New York and Michigan.)  Stay up to date with this map.

Obviously, the disease spreads quickly, especially during the spring migratory season.  Wild birds (ducks and geese, mainly) carry the disease, but do not have many obvious symptoms.  From there, it can be spread to chickens and turkeys, who generally die within 48 hours of infection.

Preventing the Spread of HPAI

So, what can you do to prevent your flock from getting HPAI?

- Prevent contact between your birds and wild birds.
- Restrict visitor access to your property and flock.
- Keep a separate pair of shoes/boots to wear around your birds, and wash clothing after handling your birds.
- Do not borrow supplies from another poultry owner.
- Don’t haul disease home.  If you’ve been around other birds or bird owners, clean and disinfect poultry cages and equipment before going home. (Same goes for you - shower before and after visiting other birds/bird owners and wash your clothing as well.)
- Do not hunt wild ducks or feed ducks or geese. (In fact, any clothing and footwear that is worn in a wild bird environment should be removed and not brought in contact with your poultry at all.)
- Report dead birds to your state vet (wild water fowl or poultry.) Do NOT touch them.

If you suspect that a wild or domestic bird has HPAI or has died from HPAI, contact your state vet immediately!

It is so important for backyard enthusiasts, hunters, and farmers to work together to prevent the spread of HPAI.  Please share these tips with anyone you know who comes in contact with wild birds or poultry!



(By the way, that beautiful backyard chicken enthusiast pictured is my friend Kristin from Local Farm Mom.)

How (and WHY) to Move your Feedburner Subscribers to Mailchimp

Okay, bloggers.  For years, we’ve been cruising along, letting Feedburner take care of our email subscribers for us.  Like a fix-it-and-forget-it crock pot meal, we set it all up once and let it do its thing, while we happily ignored it.

I’m sorry to say that those days are over.  Google is no longer going to support Feedburner and bloggers I know are having trouble – losing subscribers, emails not working, etc. etc.  It’s a nightmare.

So, what’s a blogger to do?  Move your feedburner subscribers over to another service ASAP.

Mailchimp is a free service with a lot more options – pretty newsletters, stylish RSS blasts, and easy-to-understand stats. I’ve been using it for a year now, and love it.  And, although the prep time is a bit longer for this recipe, it’s almost as fix-it-and-forget it as Feedburner.

Need more convincing?  This is from the Mailchimp website:

Just like FeedBurner, we offer a Forever Free plan and you can link your Google Analytics to your MailChimp account.

Unlike FeedBurner, we offer live human chat and email support, as well as educational materials to help answer any questions you may have. We also have incredibly detailed tracking and reports, where we show you who opened, who clicked, what country your readers are from, and more.

So let’s get started.

How to Move your Feedburner Subscribers to Mailchimp

Here is the tutorial without pictures.  The tutorial WITH screenshots is also included below.

1. First, log in to Feedburner using your Google account.

2. Click on the name of the Feedburner list you are working with.

3. Click See More About Your Subscribers beneath the graph and stats.

4. Click Feedburner Email Subscriptions then Manage Your Subscription List.

5. The second bullet point says Export: CSV.  Click CSV and save the file.

 

6. Now, log in to Mailchimp (or create a free account, if you haven’t done so.)

7. Click Lists in the upper left corner.

8. Click Create List.

9. Click Create List again in the gray box.

10. Fill in the List Details and save.

11. A new screen will come up saying you have no subscribers.  Click Import Subscribers.

12. Click Import from a CSV or TXT file.

13. Browse for your file (Mine was in my Downloads folder) and click Upload List.

Optional: Match the columns.  Click on Make a Selection, click Custom,  and type the column title from Feedburner (Subscribed is the blue column, Status is the red one.)

Ta da! It will take a few minutes for your list to upload (depending on how long it is) but when you click on Lists in the upper left corner again, you will see that you have successfully updated your list!

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And now, for you visual learners, step-by-step screenshots.  (Special thanks to Heather from The Heathered Nest. I was helping her out with some of this and she agreed to let me use screenshots from her accounts for this tutorial.)

1. First, log in to Feedburner using your Google account.

 

2. Click on the name of the feed you are working with.

3. Click See More About Your Subscribers beneath the graph and stats.

4. Click Feedburner Email Subscriptions

then Manage Your Subscription List.

5. The second bullet point says Export: CSV.  Click CSV and save the file.

 

 

6. Now, log in to Mailchimp (or create a free account, if you haven’t done so.)

7. Click Lists in the upper left corner.

 

8. Click Create List.

 

9. Click Create List again in the gray box.

 

10. Fill in the List Details and save.

11. A new screen will come up saying you have no subscribers.  Click Import Subscribers.

12. Click Import from a CSV or TXT file.

 

13. Browse for your file (Mine was in my Downloads folder) and click Upload List.

Optional: Match the columns.  Click on Make a Selection, click Custom,  and type the column title from Feedburner (Subscribed is the blue column, Status is the red one.)

Ta da! It will take a few minutes for your list to upload (depending on how long it is)

but when you click Lists in the upper left corner again, you will see that you have successfully updated your list!

Ag Round Table with Lieutenant Governor: #kimtours99

I’ve only been involved in agriculture for a few years, but I’ve had some really neat opportunities since then. Traveling to NYC to talk with media about my farm, representing family farmers in a Food Dialogues panel discussion, and speaking to a group of national ag leaders at their conference in Orlando come to mind as some of the most amazing “If you’d have told me 5 years ago that I’d be here…” moments I’ve experienced.

Yesterday’s round table discussion with Iowa’s lieutenant governor was another one of those moments.  If you’d have told me 5 years ago that someday I’d sit at a table with north central Iowa’s female ag leaders and discuss the issues facing Iowa’s farmers with the state’s second in command, a fellow female leader, I’d have laughed at you.

But there I was, surrounded by women I look up to, as we chatted with the Lt. Gov. like we were old friends.  She visited Webster City as part of her #kimtours99, an initiative to meet with women leaders throughout Iowa’s 99 counties. We talked about our favorite programs for farmers (Annie’s Project was discussed at length) the importance of high speed internet in rural areas, and programs to help young farmers.

Lt. Gov. Reynolds said, “I know just enough to be dangerous.”  But I was impressed by her knowledge of farming.  In a state where 1 in 5 is employed in agriculture, it’s important that our elected officials have a good understanding of our industry. It’s important that we share the concerns we have and the issues we face.

Although we focused mostly on economic issues that affect our farm businesses, the underlying thread throughout the conversation was our farm values.  All of the women who were there yesterday work hard to carry on their family’s farm and improve agriculture as a whole.  We all come from (or married into) a family that has been farming for generations.  And more than anything else, we want our farms to be successful for the next generation.  What the government does or doesn’t do can have an impact on our family’s future, so it’s important that we let them get to know us, get to know our farms, and get to know our problems.

And I appreciate that the lieutenant governor gave us the opportunity to do just that.

The full group, including some of my fellow bloggers, Kellie and Val. 

My Favorite Condos in The Roosevelt

I promise, this is the last blog post about The Roosevelt.  (Go ahead and check out #1 and #2 if you haven’t already…I’ll wait.)

But this is my favorite post, because it showcases my favorite units.

If you’re just tuning in, The Roosevelt is a 90 year old school, renovated into 20 condos.  There are 10 two bedroom units, 7 three bedroom units, and 3 one bedroom units.  Each unit has laundry, gorgeous windows, architectural salvage, plenty of storage and loads of charm. I toured the building once, when work was almost complete on the final set of condos.  Then, I toured again and took a bazillion pictures.  (I shared many of them here.)

I saved these two units for last, because they are my favorite.  I think, if I ever write a novel, the heroine will live in one of these condos, and probably have the most glamorous job in Central Iowa (not that I know what that is, but that’s a detail I can figure out later.)

Anyway, without further ado, the condo(s) of my dreams.












This unit had three bedrooms, two of which were up stairs.  Maybe I’ve been living under a rock (or just in regular apartments and houses) but I was so surprised when I walked in and saw that there was a 2nd story within this condo, making it more like a townhouse than apartment.



The reclaimed fireplace, with chippy sage paint (matching the exposed concrete pillars in the kitchen) called my name. 



And the antique built-in cabinet at the unit’s entrance was amazing. (Apparently, I was in so much awe that I failed to get a great picture of the cabinet.  You can see it on the left side of the photo below.  And take note of the greenish concrete pillars.)



The bedrooms in this unit didn’t have any exterior windows, but they had skylight type windows that let in natural light, and GORGEOUS closet doors.  Plus, in the landing (not shown) was a little nook perfect for an office, crafting space, or, yes, a play room for kids.



Now, this was the unit that made my friend Sarah and I gasp and giggle like school girls.  It was, quite possibly, the most amazing home I’ve ever been in, even if it was a condo in an old school!
Starting in the kitchen, the cabinets were painted an antique green, and the kitchen included a kegerator and reclaimed wood bar.



The living room featured a gorgeous tile fireplace with custom built in bookshelves on either side.


The kitchen, and an exposed brick wall opposite the entryway, divided the living room from the rest of the space.



Upstairs, there was a small office nook, and if I remember right, there were two bedrooms and two baths in this unit.



A couple more pictures from the building…the exposed brick in the stairways was gorgeous, and I love the original water fountain.  The natural light and salvaged details in this renovated school were so cool!

Check out my other blog posts about The Roosevelt:
The Ultimate Repurpose: Behind the Scenes of a 90 Year Old School Remodel
Tour The Roosevelt: Tour several NEW condos in an OLD school

Shared at Blue i Style, Funky Junk Interiors

I wish someone told me…

I’m struggling to put into words my interpretation of this quote.  So instead, I’ll leave it here for you to interpret yourself.



(This printable is free for my newsletter subscribers.  Sign up below and after you confirm your subscription, you will receive an email with a link to download this free printable – without the watermark - and more than two dozen others.)

Shared at: Blue i Style

Blogger Book Club: The Tipping Point, The Domestic Diva Mystery Series, Small Blessings, The Secret Life of Book Club, I’m Having So Much Fun Here Without You

 

Amazing, I read a lot last month!  And my house was a mess most of the time.  I wonder if there’s a correlation. Surely not.

Anyway…here are this month’s book reviews (The Blogger Book Club book is at the end of this post.)

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference 

Very interesting, not very helpful.

This non-fiction book appealed to the psychology and sociology lover in me.  In it, Gladwell outlines several examples of epidemics and what led them to become so.  I listened to the audio book, and was pleased that it was relatively short.  However, the book did not include much in the way of actionable suggestions for anyone trying to create an epidemic.  (Like, say, for example, how to push my blog over the tipping point so that I can be the next Pioneer Woman or Young House Love.)

 

The Diva Runs Out of Thyme (A Domestic Diva Mystery)

Nancy Drew for Martha Stewart Wanna-be’s

This book was not life-altering or thought provoking, but I loved it.  It was a fun mystery (as in, not gruesome or really scary) and I loved the setting.  The main character is a “domestic diva” and she reminded me of all my DIY blogger and food blogger friends.  I’m definitely planning on reading more in the series.

 

 

Small Blessings: A Novel

Title didn’t fit, but the book was great.

This was an interesting book, full of interesting, almost unbelievable twists.  But somehow, the characters were  believable, and really made the story come alive.  It was, in essence, a story about how we’re all crazy in way or another (or maybe 3 or 4 ways) and that we all have obstacles to overcome.  Happily, all the characters came out okay in the end.

 

 

*I received a copy of this book from the author, a fellow blogger, to review.  All opinions are my own.

The Secret Life of Book Club

Slow start, but worth the read

After a slow, sort of confusing start (I had trouble keeping the four main characters straight) I loved this book.  As each chapter went on, we learned more about the characters and their problems. My favorite plotline at the beginning was Kate’s, as it was a bit romantic.  But Paula’s story really surprised me, and Iove the way it worked out!  I was really impressed by the depth and breadth of knowledge that the author must have, because there were so many unique experiences in the story!

Official Blogger Book Club Pick:

I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You: A Novel

Sort of depressing.  Wonderful setting.

So…I sort of missed that this book was a novel.  And thought that it was a memoir.  An odd memoir.  Once I figured out it was a novel, it was much more digestible, and a lot less depressing.  And I came in to it expecting chick lit, which this was not.  It’s sort of like the time I took my cousin to see Rent and she thought it was about a big, happy Italian family.  When your expectations are so far off base, it’s hard to reconcile it all.  But, I do LOVE Paris.  And all of France, really.  And I’m not going to lie…I totally pictured the Parisian townhouse as one of the condos I shared last week.

 

Be sure to check out the reviews from Kirby, Carmen, Cassie and Jessica!