Breaking my heart to let you grow.. my road to preschool

Breaking my heart to let you grow.. my road to preschool

I know many parents have experienced the emotional rollercoaster of having your child start school. To put it nicely- the experience is like crushing your own heart, while feeling like you are breaking your child’s heart, and then walking away pretending it is all just okay.

As many of you know, my son recently started preschool. I swore up and down that I would not cry. I told myself that he’d been to daycare before, and that this was just another necessary milestone- and that the only emotion I would feel would be pride. I have been wrong many times in my life- and this time is no exception.

For a couple weeks leading up to the “big day of big boy school” I kept talking about how exciting big boy school would be, how many new friends he would make, and all the fun he would have. I was pretty sure we were both drinking the koolaid, and that there was nothing to fear. The night before the “big day of big boy school” I ironed my son’s clothes, packed his lunch, and made sure he went to bed plenty early. The next morning I had his favorite breakfast waiting for him in front of the tv when I got him out of bed. I talked excitedly as we got ready, and we skipped out the door happily.

I pulled in the parking lot and still, the only emotion that I was feeling was that of excitement, and maybe some nervousness too. Carter’s eyes were darting around anxiously, but I reassured him that it would all be okay- and that I would walk him inside. We held hands and side by side we walked through the double doors, where kids and teachers are hugging and enthusiastically greeting each other. Every parent has a high pitched giddy voice that mirrors my own- because we all know if the kids know we are nervous, then they will be too! Some kids even take their teacher's hand with ease and wave goodbye to their parents with no tears.

…. This was NOT my experience. The moment someone other than “mommy” said hello, Carter looked up at me wide eyes full of fear. Tears start rolling in, and he asks the dreaded question, “Are you going to leave me?” OH. MY. GOSH. I must have read 10 articles on the “best ways to help your child adapt to preschool”, and not one of those dang articles prepared me for this question. Between the fear in his eyes, and the shakiness of his voice- I barely kept my cool. But I did what I was supposed to. I hugged him gently and told him that I didn’t want to get in the way of all the fun he was going to have with Ms. (Teacher) and all of his new friends he would be playing with.

At this point my son completely loses it. I’m still holding down the fort on my end, I’m proud to say. The teachers gave me ‘the nod’, and reassured me it would all be okay and they carried my sobbing child into the classroom as he continued to scream “MOMMY- DON’T LEAVE ME!!!!”

Somehow, I made it to the parking lot before completely breaking down.  

Now, that was my experience. Every child is different and so is every parent. I honestly do not know what is worse- having your child scream bloody murder as you walk away from them, or having your child walk away from you as if to say “thanks for all the good times, mom & dad- but it’s time to move on now.” Either way, sending our beloved children off to school and onward to their independence is a heart wrenching experience.

As I drove towards our house, wondering why I was forcing my child to feel abandoned and afraid, I think God took a little control over the radio. A very familiar tune filled my head and a soft voice filled the radio. Mariah Carey was singing “And I will always love you” right to me, and oh boy, the water works didn’t stand a chance after that.

As I sang, and cried like I’d just watched the Notebook for the first time in my life, I started listening to the words. Although the song was meant to be about breaking up, the lyrics began to unfold, and they described perfectly how I was feeling and why I was doing this in the first place- Why we as parents do things that may break our hearts just a little, in order to benefit our kids a whole lot more.

“If I should stay, I'll only be in your way

So I'll go, but I know I'll

Think of you every step of the way”

As parents, our one true goal from day to day is to do EXACTLY what is best for our children. They are our heart and soul- and while it may hurt us to do so- we have to get out of their way of growing into their independence and into becoming their own little selves. This isn’t easy, and we are literally thinking of them and their needs every. step. we. take. out the door.

“And I will always love you

I will always love you

You, my darling you, hmmm,

Bittersweet memories

That is all I'm taking with me”

This milestone is a huge one- and we don’t take it lightly. We will keep this memory in our hearts, because this is exactly what it is- a “bittersweet memory”. We take it with us, hug our child, and walk out that door.

“So, goodbye

Please, don't cry

We both know I'm not what you, you need”

We have been there for them since the moment they took their first precious little breath. We’ve made sure that they have everything they need since that very moment, and even before. They will always need us in many ways- but in this instance, they need to grow and expand their world. By putting aside our own selfish wants and needs, we are giving them what they really need at this time in their lives.

 

“And I will always love you

I will always love you

I hope life treats you kind

And I hope you have all you've dreamed of

And I wish to you, joy and happiness

But above all this, I wish you love”

No matter what age each parent decides to start school, or daycare, or preschool, or whatever you choose- we don’t do so just because we have to. We do so with the intention of letting our children expand their social skills, and open their minds to the world more than we ourselves can do. It is not easy for us, and it is not easy for them. But we know deep down, that it is for the best- and we have to keep reminding ourselves of this over, and over, and over- until it does become easier.

“And I will always love you

I will always love you

I will always love you

I will always love you

I will always love you

I, I will always love you

You, darling, I love you

Oh, I'll always, I'll always love you”

Because it really can’t be said enough. These little people will always be our babies- we still look at them the way we did when they first came into this world, and that doesn’t make this any easier. We may walk away, thinking we are letting our children believe we have left them in a strange and scary place- but we remind them a million times that we love them more than anything in this world.

This milestone will not be the only one in our children's lives that hurt our hearts just a little- I can't imagine the day I watch my son drive away for the first time without his dad or me beside him- or the day I watch him wait for his bride at the end of the aisle. But no matter the circumstance, if we know it is going to what is best for them- we do our best to hide the tears, and encourage our children to move forward.

If you've ever had to let your child do anything that made your heart ache a little inside, but you knew you had to in order to let them grow- I hope you are able to relate. Trust me, I know how you feel- and I am right there with you! :)

"My Facebook is full of babies." Why we don't have kids yet

"My Facebook is full of babies." 
Why we don't have kids...yet

    When my husband and I got married four years ago, we became part of a small, but growing group of our peers that were a part of that "club." Though we certainly did not get married at an extraordinarily young age, we seemed to be toward the front end of the wave of weddings that soon inundated our Facebook news feeds. Logging on to check out other couple's wedding photos and updates to see who else had found the happiness that we had was a lot of fun. We attended and were involved in beautiful weddings of our friends and family members. Sharing stories of honeymoons, anniversary trips, and the hilarious woes of adjusting to living together was a norm at functions with friends. Then, almost so slowly that it went undetected at first, our social media front pages started to evolve. Wedding updates became less frequent, replaced by chalkboards brandished with "We're expecting!," gender reveal party announcements, and posts asking for breastfeeding pump recommendations. Within just a few years, the majority of our friend's focuses had shifted from wedded bliss to parental bliss, and Tony and I hadn't even considered having children yet. How and why had things changed in other marriages and not in our own? Were we getting left behind?

     Let's back up a bit to help you get a better sense of how things work between my husband and me. Our relationship goes back 13 years when we met and became high school sweethearts.

We had a pretty typical teenage relationship; we went to prom together, spent as much time with each other as possible on the afternoons and on weekends, had dinners with each of our families on alternating nights, knew we were in love and said we would one day get married, and promptly broke up when high school ended. Attending different colleges, other relationships came and went from both of our lives without much consequence. And yet, I could never fully shake the memory of how much fun we had together and how close we had become in such a short period of time, to have it all given up in a typically high school I'll-never-speak-to-you-again breakup. One particularly quiet summer, Tony and I both found ourselves single and decided to put the past behind us and catch up as old friends.

    There was no turning back after that. We picked up right where we had left off, as if the previous four years had never happened. We found out that all the cliches about the first love never completely going away were true and were married 3 years later. I found that what set us apart from other couples was the fact that, without setting out to do so, we had sincerely become best friends. We rarely went anywhere without the other person in tow, made sure that we were friends with each other's friends, took an interest in the other's hobbies, found comfort and support in each other at the end of a long day, and made sure to put the other one first as often as possible. Our fear of missing out on the other's fun had created in us a bond that was completely fulfilling, a bond that made us a self-sufficient unit, and a bond that made moving away to two different states where we had no connections to lean on feasible. 

    We lived together in Kentucky for two and a half years, just a few hours from our closest friends and family, then just as soon as we had settled in and made a life for ourselves it seemed, we packed up what we could fit in a tiny U-Haul and moved 9 hours away from all we had known. Scared and unsure what the world had in store for us, we still remained each other's rocks and our friendship only grew stronger. We had each other, and that was all we needed. 

     But why had other couples decided, or been blessed with the realization, that something was missing? Was it because we hadn't purchased a house until three years into our marriage? Was it the changes in location and careers? Were we just not ready or not equipped to become parents? There were several days that I closed my Facebook or Instagram apps in a disgusted huff because the overwhelming amount of babies I scrolled through were making me feel like there was something wrong with us. "Why does everyone have kids already?" I asked Tony one day. He replied that he had noticed the same thing, "I guess everyone is just in a different place than we are right now." 

     'What place are we in?' I wondered. We're crazy about each other, we're closer than ever, we're happy with our careers, we're financially stable, we have everything going for us. Maybe we had it all wrong. Maybe there was no 'OK, we're ready now' feeling that we said in the past that we would wait for. Maybe deep down we weren't mentally mature enough to have kids yet. Maybe there was something physically wrong with us that we hadn't been blessed with a surprise without trying for one, because that happens to couples every day. What was going on here was a mystery to me. 

     Then a few months later, Tony and I woke up early on a Saturday morning. Faced with a few extra hours than we wouldn't normally have, had we been able to sleep in that day, we decided to head to the mountains just an hour or so away. We loaded our dog, Rusty, in the Subaru and took off for a morning hike. Our morning hike got us pretty hungry, and as we enjoyed a nice lunch outside at a quaint mountain restaurant, everything felt just right. Tony reached down to pet Rusty's head and casually asked what I wanted to do with the rest of our day. "How far is Gatlinburg from where we live?" I asked him. With a twinkle in his eye he replied, "Three hours or so, why?" "Let's go there; it's been years since we've gone." And off we went.

     We decided to make the trip the old fashioned way, and stopped to purchase a map, called a hotel on the way (rather than booking a reservation online), and arrived a few hours later with just the clothes on our backs; just two buds and their dog, ready for a spontaneous weekend getaway full of pal-ing around. As we drove back the next day it hit me: we weren't done building "just us" memories. Our time being best buddies has been so fulfilling that we haven't felt any stereotypical pull to have a baby yet. When we got Rusty a puppy friend this summer, I began to realize that the phrase "starting a family" wasn't one that ever applied to Tony and me. We were a family from the get-go, an infallible unit that expanded to include two wonderful dogs under its umbrella, and would one day swell even more with the addition of human kids. 

   

     I do understand that every couple is different and no two couples have the same reasons for or circumstances going in to having children. I have also been told by many wonderful parents that marriage is so much more full with children in it and that their lives didn't fully begin until they had their amazing kids. I've seen couples become stronger once children entered their lives, and I can certainly look forward into the future and see how ecstatically happy Tony and I will be with little ones in our home. Yes, Brittany, we really do want children, I promise. ;-) For at least this moment, however, we're just so stinkin' crazy about each other that it's not our time quite yet. For now, we've got our doggies, we've got four amazing nephews and a sweet niece, we've got wonderful parents and siblings, and most importantly we have each other. That's enough. 

    I no longer wonder if there is something wrong with our decision to have a home that at this moment has a bar instead of a dining room and an office instead of a nursery. One day I know those things will change. I no longer feel like the only one not plastering baby posts across social media, and instead scroll through them with a smile because... well,... you guys have some freaking adorable kids. 

     I also have grown to notice that we're not the only ones who have taken these first years of our marriage for ourselves. We're not the only pair that listens in amazement at a couples baby showers instead of giving advice from experience. So for those of you out there that are like us, you're not alone. We've felt the same way and understand what it's like to make the mistake of saying that you "have an announcement" at a family gathering, and getting mixed emotions when it's not the announcement that they naturally expected. We've said it too... baby pictures really do get more likes than that deliciously cold beer silhouetted by the sunset that you posted, and we don't get it either. Don't worry. You've made a great decision for the two of you. Everyone is different, and no one knows you guys as well as you know each other. You'll get there one day, and so will we. Maybe this year, maybe next year, maybe 5 years from now. For now, stay close, have fun, and take care of each other.

To the woman who just offered my child a cookie

To the woman who just offered my child a cookie.

A reflective moment on strangers trying to fix my child’s tantrums for me.

If you are a mom, nanny, aunt, grandmother, babysitter- you have experienced this. There you are, efficiently making your way down the aisle of your local grocery store- and it happens. Your child spots that toy hanging down in front of the food- expertly placed there by marketing professionals for your own shopping nightmare.

I am not perfect in these situations, so I am not going to claim to be. On the same note, while my son, who is going on 4 years old soon, is really well behaved for the most part- he has his moments. Usually these moments start when he catches sight of one of these well-displayed toys, asks for it, and gets the dreaded “No” as a response.

Sometimes, we are both lucky. He gives me his “I’m not happy about this mom” look, and we move on. However, if I have timed the shopping trip at the wrong time, and he is in any way grumpy.. then bless us both, because things are NOT going to go well from here.

So, what do I do in these situations? Most of the time I kneel in front of him, and gently explain to him how we cannot get a toy every time we see one, and how the tantrum will not get him any closer to getting the toy in question. I tell him I love him, and that I don’t want him to be upset- but that I will not tolerate the tantrum- and that if he has to continue it- then we will get up and leave immediately, without all the good snacks he’d already picked out. This is what works best for my child. This is what always worked best for me, and this is what I do for him. My son is not used to being yelled at- and the couple times I have been so upset that I did raise my voice to a yell only broke his heart and I was miserable afterwards (I am not saying I don't raise my voice to firmly get my voice across when he isn't listening- I don't YELL at him). My parents did not “spank” me, and while I do think it is effective with a lot of parents- I don’t do more than a “pop”- and it’s never effective because it’s not even hard enough to make a difference. At home, we always do time out and that works well for us too.

I want to explain how I discipline my son, because I want to make it clear that I do not let him run rampant, but I am not going to force disciplinary action on my son that other people in the world believe is the RIGHT way. This can come in many forms. I also want to make it very clear that while I have my own choice in discipline, I in no way judge others for how they discipline their children. I know that every child is different and I see nothing wrong with other ways of discipline, it just doesn’t work best for my own child. I respect other parents and I believe we should all have a mutual respect for letting us raise our own children our own way- as long as it is in a productive, healthy, safe way for the child. It still baffles me, but people seem to always want to give their two cents in some of the worst moments for a parent. I know parents all over have experienced this time and time again- and we some of us are way too polite to say what we really want to to these strangers.

As parents, we have the right to determine what works best for our children. I am open to my family or friends giving advice, as most parents would be. But in today’s society, strangers seem to think it is their right to step in and force their beliefs on us when our children are acting below what they believe to be acceptable.

When my son was two years old, we were at the river with some friends. My friend and I made a quick trip to the store with my son, and her two children. Immediately upon entering the store, he spots a giant red sucker. However, he hadn’t been listening all morning, and I was not about to reward his behavior with this giant red sucker. Boy, was he pissed. Less than two minutes after he starts huffing and puffing- a complete stranger walks up to him (not even looking at me kneeling in front of him)- and offers him a cookie. A COOKIE. She witnessed what had just happened, and chose to ignore what I was doing completely. What did she expect me to do? Say sure, no sucker- but a cookie will be just fine! So of course, his tantrum increased tenfold because I also denied him this cookie. Best shopping trip ever. Thanks, lady.

On the complete other end of the spectrum- I once had a stranger come up to me and proceed to tell me how I needed to handle my child. It was around Easter last year, and I made the rookie move of entering Wal-Mart on the wrong end of the store. Low and Behold, an aisle full of baskets filled with his favorite superheroes were displayed beautifully right in front of us. I took a deep breath, and tried to quickly correct my mistake. Too late. He wanted a basket. However, it was not Easter YET, and I was not about to spend 30.00 on the Easter basket that he was running 90 mph towards. I quickly went after him, and had to pry the fingers from those strong little fingers of his. I explained to him that we only needed a couple things, that I would tell the Easter bunny that this was the basket he wanted for Easter, and that if he could be really good, that we could pick out a special snack or sucker before we left. I was in a rush, and I did not properly calculate the severity of his disappointment. Usually, he would accept my response, and we will move on. But I seriously underestimated his love for this basket. As we moved further away from the aisle, his tantrum increased more and more and more. I should have taken him outside, because my anxiety was increasing all the people around us was not a good environment in which to calm an extremely upset toddler. I turned into the clothing aisle, and stopped the basket in the most isolated area I could find (not that it mattered, he was yelling by this point). I started to try to talk him down- but I knew it was too late. At this moment, I began to reach for him so we could get outside and talk it through and go from there.

Another thing happened at this moment. Another mother (I assume she is a mother, maybe not) came bee-bopping over to me, her three friends following behind her. She proceeded to look at my child angrily, look me up and down and say “you need to whoop your kids ***”.

I don’t think I have ever felt so many different emotions run through me at one time. My face flushed, jaw dropped, and tears filled my eyes. Thank God my son was too busy yelling to pay attention to what this woman had said.

You’re probably wondering what I did. Well, I picked him up, and walked out. I couldn’t even respond. I’m overly polite- and I was not about to let him see his mom behave in a way that I try to teach him not to. There were so many responses that could have come out of my mouth in that moment, but none of them would have been productive.

These are just my two really bad experiences, and two tantrums that I myself will never forget of my sons. However, in smaller tantrums I have dealt with the judgemental stares, sly comments (you know the ones people try to pretend they don’t want you to hear), and many more passive aggressive ways in which complete strangers respond to a toddlers and a tantrum.

As parents, we have all witnessed moments like this. If you are like me, you may be too polite to step up and tell them to step back. But, it is upsetting- and it is NOT okay, and it should not be treated as such.

So, to the stranger in the store that is witnessing my child behaving in a way that you yourself believe isn’t up to your expectations, please don’t offer them a sucker, offer me advice, or use any form of passive aggressive behavior towards me and my child that will in no way be productive towards the situation. As a parent, I know my child better than anyone- and he knows me. I do not want to teach my child that it is okay to jump in to other people’s business, and I would appreciate it if you would respect my choice in the matter. Yes, my child may be upset- but he is upset because he is learning a lesson- and it is not that if he cries I will give him what he wants, or “whoop” him because you said so. I may look upset- but it’s not because I am unable to handle the situation. It is because I am trying to calculate the best approach to teach the right lesson in this particular situation. To each their own. I’ve got this under control, I promise. So, thank you, but no thank you.

Home Is Where the Heart Is: How to DIY a little state pride

Home Is Where the Heart Is:

How to DIY a Little State Pride

About 2 years ago, my husband Tony and I picked up and moved ten hours away from everything we’ve ever known. Though we absolutely love where we live now, we both miss home and our families every day. My hubby and I have Tennessee state flag stickers on our cars, Vols t-shirts, and TN croakies, koozies, and keychains, but as our anniversary approached, I wanted to surprise Tony with a piece of home that would be a focal point in our home together.

So what did I do? I opened up my computer and went straight to Pinterest. I shudder to think about the crappy gifts we all sent before Pinterest. (I’m kidding, of course, but seriously, how did we have creative thoughts before Pinterest?!) I searched home state decor and finally ran across a “state yarn art” pin. I loved it. As I looked more into this project I found that there was more than one way to create these works of art:

So I read several how-to’s, made a list, and headed to Lowe’s. The whole process took me about a day and a half, and the result has gotten me some of the most wonderful compliments of any decor in our home. If you’ve seen similar projects before and wondered how to pull them off, I’ve outlined here the steps I took to create a large-scale version of a Tennessee state yarn portrait that could easily be translated into whichever state or shape you’d like to create.

Buying the supplies you’ll need

First, I visited my local Lowe’s for some supplies. I headed to the lumber section and found an associate to grab me some 2x6’s. If you want to create a 4 foot long, 1.5 foot tall plaque like I did (great for long shapes like the state of Tennessee), Lowe’s sells 2x6’s in 12 foot lengths that you can ask them to cut into three pieces of equal length. If you would like a plaque of a different size, they have all kinds of different options for you to choose from, but what I recommend is getting a few pieces of wood that can be cut and put together like mine, not just a piece of plywood cut to size. I have seen projects done with plywood, either stained or painted a certain color, and they just do not have the “wow factor” that stained wood planks have. Smaller projects can use 2x4’s or 1x6’s, just as long as they are untreated lumber. You will be putting a stain (or paint, if that’s what you’re in to) on them, so there is no need for them to be treated.

Also, lots of posts on wood DIY’s advise you to ask Lowe’s associates to cut your lumber for you. Yes, they can do this. What I have found, however, is that depending on the quality of the Lowe’s (or any other home improvement store) you visit, not every set of employees will volunteer to cut your lumber for you, or be “so helpful” about it, as I found that many pinners say. Sometimes, especially on a busy Saturday, you will have to wait around on an associate to come over and help you get the lumber down from the rack, and then you may even get an eye roll when you ask if they can cut it to a specific size for you. These guys are used to working with contractors, and when see someone who is very obvious a “DIYer” standing in their lumber aisle, they assume that us silly women most likely have no idea what we’re looking at, talking about, or needing to purchase, so just be prepared for that.

After purchasing your lumber, head over to the painting section and pick up a stain. For my project, I used Rustoleum Ultimate Wood Stain in dark walnut (Here's the link!). You can choose whichever color best suits your decor, but for me the walnut created a nice, rich finish, while still allowing the wood grain to pop. The smallest size, 32 oz, I believe, was more than enough even for a large project like mine.

Then, you’ll need some glue to hold the boards of wood together. I used Gorilla Wood Glue (Here's the link!) and it has held up wonderfully! No nailing needed whatsoever. This really helped me to achieve the seamless look I was going for, with no nails sticking out all over the place.

Next, you’ll need to head over to the hardware section to grab some tacks. These will serve as the outline that you’ll attach the yarn to on your project. The ones I purchased are ¾ inch escutcheon pins in brass. They had a few different colors (silver, gold, brass) and sizes. Just make sure the pins are an appropriate size for your project (ie: don’t buy 6 inch tacks for a 1 foot by 1 foot plaque, silly!) (Here's the link!)

Finally, you’ll need a medium-sized paintbrush if you don’t have an extra one at home, just big enough to fit inside the can of stain, and a plastic drop cloth to avoid staining your floors in the process (the cheapest one will do).

Now load up your car and head home, but stop by a craft store on the way. You’ll need some yarn to fill in your state. I headed to the sewing/crochet department and bought off-white yarn that is not too fuzzy, more like string. Choose any color you’d like. I only bought one skein, or bundle, of yarn at first and had to go back for another. Go ahead and buy two or even three just in case. Extra yarn always comes in handy around a DIYer’s house!

Getting your supplies together

Once you’ve got everything home, start by spreading that dropcloth out and laying out all your supplies on top:

• Boards of whichever size you chose
• Wood glue
• Tacks
• Hammer
• Wood stain
• Paintbrush
• Yarn

You’ll also need:

• Hammer
• Measuring tape
• Computer with a printer
• Scotch tape
• A little patience

Putting together your beautiful work of art

1. Your first task is to glue your boards together. Decide what sides of the boards are prettiest and should face out. I like for the knots and intricate swirls in the wood grain to be on display, but if you would like to have a more uniform look, then make the more irregular sides face down. Check to make sure that each of the boards line up with each other along their sides. You may have to switch around the order of the boards to do this.

2. Now, take your gorilla glue and squeeze a line along each edge that needs to be bonded in a zigzag pattern. Push the boards together and wipe away any glue that squeezes out with a paper towel. If you have giant clamps, clamp the boards together while they dry. If you are a normal person, like me, without a fancy woodshop, then push these boards (still on the drop cloth) against a wall and stack some heavy textbooks or anything extra-heavy against them to hold them there nice and tight. Let the glue dry for 6-24 hours; 6 hours if you need to have this gift done to surprise your husband who lives in the same house as you, and you only have this one day off before your anniversary, and you know that there’s no where in the house that you can hide a 4-foot block of wood in your house; 24 hours if you are under less constraints.  

3. Give your can of stain a good shake for a few minutes. Once it’s good and mixed, open it up begin spreading the stain in an even coat with your paintbrush.

4. Stain the front, sides, and top and bottom of the plaque. It’s up to you if you want to stain the back. I did not because I knew I was going to have it against a wall, so the back would not be seen. As you stain each board, wipe any excess stain gently with a paper towel. This will ensure that you have a nice even coat and that the wood grain shows through. Give the stain time to dry, according to the directions on the can.

5. Now you need to search for the image you’d like to put on your plaque. Use google images, and select one that is a high number of pixels (ex: 2700 x 600). This is the number that pops up on google images when you hover your mouse over the image, or when you click on it to show a bigger version. If you want to use a Tennessee image, this is the one I used.

6. Print the image out on multiple sheets of paper, using Microsoft Publisher’s banner creation settings. Cut out the image and tape the sheets together. Lay your image out on your plaque and secure it with a rolled piece of tape on the underside of your cutout. Use a tape measure to center your image juuuuust right.

7. Hammer the tacks around the outside of the image, leaving the width of one nailhead between each tack. I’ll be honest with you, this part is the longest step, especially if you are doing a large project like mine. But trust me, the work will pay off. I’ve seen similar versions of this project that leave wider gaps between each nail, and therefore use less nails which takes less time, and the result is less detailed, more elementary looking, and just doesn’t have the custom appearance that it will with more tacks.

8. When you have completed the outline, remove the printout. Make note of where you would like the heart in the middle of your image. You can position it anywhere. I positioned ours over our hometown. (If you are doing an image other than a state, you can leave out the heart and simply zigzag the yarn from one side of the image to the other.) Use a pencil to freehand the outline of your heart on the wood.

9. Nail tacks into the outline of the heart that you drew and get ready to start stringing that yarn!

10. Tie one end of your yarn to one of the nails on the main outline. Take that string and pull it to one of the nails that make up the heart. Wrap the string once around that nail, then return it back to the next nail on the main outline. Continue this pattern of once around an outer nail, followed by once around a heart nail. There are many less heart nails than there are main outline nails. This means that you will have to loop around each heart nail several times, but each main outline nail only once. If you run out of yarn, simply tie on a new piece to the end of the first skein of yarn.

11. Enjoy your gorgeous work of art!

I hope you have enjoyed this DIY. I’m certainly not the one of this duo that is generally considered the creative or decorator-savvy one, but as I have gotten so many wonderful compliments on this piece, as well as questions on how I made it, I thought I’d share it with you guys. This plaque is a beautiful reminder to me every day that it pays off to not just pin good ideas you see on Pinterest, but to make them! If you have any questions on making your own, please leave a comment.