Free Download: Baby Care Chart

Are you a bleary-eyed and sleep-deprived parent of a newborn (as I soon will be, come August)? Track your baby's feeding, diapering and sleeping patterns. These are handy to take to your pediatrician appointments in the early weeks when you can't even remember what you had for dinner, let alone the 10 times your baby ate that day!

I've made these charts available in three different colors; just print off several copies and fill in.

• Pink chart
• Green chart
• Blue chart

Old Window Shutters

If you find some old plantation shutters at a rummage sale or antique store (or, in my case, if your mom has a few extra taken off the windows from her 1930s home), consider this simple project.

1) Clean with a mild bleach solution and consider repainting depending on the shutters' condition.

2) Hinge the shutters together to span the desired length for your wall hanging. I wanted my shutters to afford our queen-size bed a more substantial-looking headboard, so I had my husband attach 4 medium width panels and 2 small width panels together.

3) Drill pilot holes in wall, and using anchors, screw in all four corners. You'll need to add more screws in the middle of the wall hanging if you want it flush. Otherwise, leaving it loose in the middle will achieve a more multi-dimensional look (almost like there is a window behind the slightly ajar shutters).

Father's Day Photo Display

This photo display will be a surprise for Father's Day; it's a collection of endearing moments between daughter and daddy. It could also be adapted for a graduation display, baby shower, birthday or any other holiday. Here are the steps to this easy project:

1) Collect an assortment of clear jars (e.g., pickle, jam, olive, applesauce, etc.).
2) Thoroughly clean jars.
3) Remove the labels by soaking in vinegar and water .
4) Let jars air dry.
5) Measure the approximate height and width of each jar. Don't worry about being perfectly accurate, because you can always trim the photos to fit later.
6) Select your favorite digital photos and convert them to black and white for a gallery effect.
7) Re-size them to the custom sizes in Photoshop (or another photo editing program) to fit the jars.
8) Print out the photos on photo paper at home.
9) Slip the photos into the jars.
10) Arrange on table, shelf, window sill or mantle to display.