I was inspired by my story in my last post about my girlfriend who Mom-gyvered a diaper into a hotpack to soothe her mastitis on a long flight. It got me thinking about how creative folks are (and no, you don’t really have to be a MOM to be a MOMgyver, you just have to be an innovative person who thinks creatively – I just thought the term Mom-gyver was cute). Necessity is the mother of invention, after all, and how many times have you found yourself in a spot where you needed something different than you had, and had no time to get out and get the proper thing?
Here’s my example: I Mom-gyvered a dress once. Yup. I had just had my son (who is now almost four), and I was feeling less than thrilled with the way I fit into all the stuff in my closet. A month after his birth, we were going to my company holiday party, and I needed to make a maternity dress (from Target – which is how I roll) look… not-so-maternity. So, I raided my craft drawer, and found some embellishments in the form of ribbons and the like, and I pinned, basted, and stitch witchery-ed to my little hearts content. What came out of the deal was a not so bad, and in fact, kinda cute dress that I got at least one and a half compliments on (I had planned on zero). I wish I had a picture to show you, but I was not in the picture posing mood at that time post-partum, but you’ll have to take my word for it.
I’ll take your word for it… all you have to do is share your Mom-gyver story with me here to enter for YOUR chance to win some awesome goodies that my arty Mom-gyver friend Liv from Choosing Beauty sells in her etsy shop, and she magic-ed this up, just for you. Here’s what you’re Mom-gyvering for:
Set of 10 itty bitty thank you cards
Be sure to include your email address or a link to your contact info in your main entry. Enter by Tuesday (10/19) at midnight CDT. One winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday (10/20) at 8:00 CDT. Once you’ve shared your story – up your chances of winning this awesome art by:
(leave an additional comment to let me know if you do any of the following for each bonus opportunity)
following @coachcolleen on twitter = 1 entry
"like" Keeping Her Cool on facebook = 1 entry
link to this contest on twitter or facebook = 1 entry each
follow this blog (see followers in side bar) = 1 entry
Good luck and happy Mom-gyvering!
My older son made his first communion last April. I wanted my younger son to look nice too but did not want to buy him dress clothes. The hand me down dress pants were still too big so I cut off one of my husbands belts and nailed a hole in the strap to make it buckle!
ReplyDeleteChristie
Christie421@hotmail.com
I like Keeping Her Cool on Facebook
ReplyDeleteChristie
christie421@hotmail.com
I linked this post on Facebook!
ReplyDeleteChristie
christie421@hotmail.com
My son has cerebral palsy, so he needs a lot of support when he plays. Instead of buying him one of those special swings for thousands of dollars, we drilled holes in an old car seat and hung it from the playroom ceiling. Works great!
ReplyDeleteI follow this blog, as well.
ReplyDeleteI've also liked Keeping Her Cool on Facebook, and I follow you on Twitter. (email address is krodlund@hotmail.com, in case link isn't working.)
ReplyDeleteI follow you on Twitter and on your blog. I don't have a good momgyver story... but I do love the necklace! ;)
ReplyDeleteWhen my oldest was just about at walking stage, I worked at an apartment complex as their cleaning/maintenance person. We did not have a lot of money and went to Once Upon a Child and bought one of those things that the kids can sit in and move around. Now, I think the standard size is much bigger than the one we had as it could easily slip through doorways. Now they have exersaucers. I don't even know the name of those things anymore. Well, we used that thing for everything. It was her high-chair, her play center, etc. However, what made it perfect for me was we put one of those metal hooks in the front of it and tied a rope to it. I would have one child in a front-pack, be vacumning up and down the halls, and pulling the oldest in her contraption. She only knew how to go backwards, so often I would tie her to me and she'd be pulling backwards and I'd be pulling forward. I remember one time, I tied her to a balcony pole on the second floor so that she wouldn't pull against me. Soon, I realized that the rope was too long and she would go down the stairs. So, I adjusted the length and she could move in a radius that did not put her in arms way. I used it everywhere. She would play with her toys (which I was constantly picking up) and I'd tote her around. So, yeah... I totally Momgyvered that thing. I think it was illegal to sell it because it was so small... but it worked great for me!
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I follow your blog, I linked/shared your contest/blog on facebook, and I'm just really awesome... that gets me another entry, right? lol
ReplyDeleteand I "like" your blog on facebook
ReplyDeleteI don't think this counts as Momgyvering but I did cut out a Bumbo chair so that my daughter could sit in it while in her Pavlik hip harness. Ghetto but useful.
ReplyDeleteWill put a carabiner(fake mountaineering metal key clip)on Jameson's nerf gun.Since our 5year olds hands are not big enough or strong enough to not cock the gun in one hand. Now he holds it between his legs and pulls the carabiner and can shoot as fast as the older backyard neighbors.
ReplyDeleteAfter I had my second son I not only had hemmorhoids I felt like I had ridden a horse for several days. My whole "down there" was in a bad way to say the least. My greatest relief came from pouring witch hazel on a maxi pad, freezing it, and then sitting on it for hours. Its similar to your friends diaper idea, but a cool version. This is what I bring to my friends in lieu of flowers.
ReplyDeleteJulie Wright
When E was a baby he slept in a sling to keep him more upright while he slept. We did a lot of Mom-gvyering whenever we traveled as the sling didn't work in the pack n' play. There were some creative solutions but ultimately the baby got to sleep so we did too!
ReplyDeleteAnd I follow you on twitter!
ReplyDeleteAnd on facebook!
ReplyDeleteand over on the side of the blog!
ReplyDeleteAfter being stranded with the hopes of getting my car fixed in under a week I decided to take the greyhound back to the cities.
ReplyDeleteNow if you have ever ridden on one you know they stop only for emergency's or scheduled stops.
I have a 3 week old baby with me and when I notice she needs to be changed you can imagine my horror when I discover there are no diapers in my bag. Just a couple outfits, her binky, a bottle of watter and her can of formula. Im thinking I cant leave her in this mess for almost 2 hours till our destination.
After rummaging through all the pockets have a couple kotex with wings and some band aids....Diaper changed...baby fed and sleeping and a remaining bus ride quiet and smell free. It is amazing. Just fasioning the wings on the kotex and getting her centered the band aids held pretty well as closures...She is 24 and a mom of 3 now and she laughs when I tell her this.
Barb Raval