Gratitude

I have been exploring the new ipad that my husband bought me for Christmas. Wow - so much on this little machine. After downloading app after app, I began to actually look at the items I had downloaded....and this is what brought me to Oprah.

While I am not an Oprah follower, I immensely respect her graciousness and gratitude..

In my little preview of her magazine I came across an article that talked about the way she focused on gratitude in her daily life. A gratitude journal.

So, among other things, I will use this blog to record those big and little things that I am grateful for, in hopes that I dwell on the blessing in my life than get caught up in the challenges.

Today I am grateful for...

1. A quiet morning of coffee and reading.
2. My daughter's sweet face this morning when she was sleeping - she has been under the weather.
3. The words "goodnight mama" uttered by my son just before bed.
4. Free shipping and free monogramming on towels that I want for the bathroom.
5. Mark arriving home today after being away at a conference.

Xo

Pinterest inspiration

So....continuing to get organized and fulfill my resolution to actually COMPLETE pintrest projects, I endeavored to organize my pantry.

While my pantry was somewhat o.k. to begin with, it certainly needed some work.

My main problem to solve was the top shelf of my pantry where I knew there was wasted space. While wandering around the Container Store with my son Andrew, looking for shelving, he asked "Mommy are you going to make shelves?" Ah Ha! Brilliant idea. So, we left The Container Store and were on our way to Lowes.

Since I love the look of brick I decided that I would use stacked brick to hold the wooden shelves. I bought 16 bricks and one piece of wood - that I had them cut for me into the dimensions that I needed. (I had already measured the dimensions since I was planning to buy shelving.)

I painted the wood and added some age to it with stain. This took a good day since it was cool outside so the paint took some time to dry.

Once it was all dry, I enlisted my kids to help me clear out the entire pantry.

I put the shelves up then began the erroneous task of organizing all of the items and throwing TONS of old items away.

I put items in realistic groupings based on how I used them. For example: vanilla, baking soda, baking powder and a flour sifter were all placed in a basket that I can remove from the pantry all at one time. This way, I have those 'go to' baking items all in one place.

Once I had it all organized into groups and then into containers, I began to consider who utilized the items and when. This helped me figure out which shelf items should go on (stuff lower for the kids, etc...).


THEN it was label time. I had some items that were 'extras' or seldom used in baskets that were not clear so those items HAD to be labelled or I would forget they were there. I used chalkboard tags from www.saveoncrafts.com  and  created vinyl labels for each bin that needed a label.




I am sure that aspects of the new design will be tweaked as needed, but the overall result is functional and fairly easy on the eyes!



One more thing.....I used a shoe rack, adhered to the wall, to store spices, etc.... I could not get a good photo but you get the gist!


Another task complete!!
xo

Pinterest idea #1 - DONE!

So.....in my organizing frenzy I have spent many hours on Pinterest. One of my New Year's Resolutions was to actually MAKE/CREATE all of those ideas that I have found on Pinterest.

Here is an easy first one (you have to start somewhere).  This was 'pinned' as a good way to store bobby pins....great re-purposing!!

Instead of leaving the box plain, I used some zebra vinyl and hot pink vinyl to make the box look a little more sassy :).

I had all items on hand so this was FREE and, if I don't say so myself - it turned out super cute!
My next project is my pantry. I should have the photos of that up tomorrow. It was a 2-3 day project, but only because I had to wait for paint to dry. I love the results and I can't wait to share it!

xo,

Happy 2013

So I made it to 2013. Not that there was any concern that I wouldn't but I have planned for this year to be different, (haven't we all). I scoured the web last night for a new year's resolution worksheet, to satisfy my 'list making OCD'. Of course I could not find one that I loved so I had to spend the following 2 hours making one.
Here it is. I have a PDF format but I can't get it to upload. Oh well....a learning curve.

Of course most of my goals revolve around learning to be a better mom....since this is my full time job. But they will also center around filling myself up spiritually, physically, and mentally. I have yet to figure out what all of that will look like but at least I am putting it out there. I hear that is the first step :)

Part of my organizing focus is on finishing projects. If I spend less time on Pinterest finding new projects and more time finishing the projects that I have pinned then I will have one hell of an organized house :)

So, off I move into 2013 with various new aspirations but most which center around my family, my community and my home. That's what it's all about isn't it???

Still Thrifty

So as I continue to try to save money I have become a crafting demon.....Here are a couple ideas. both of them I stole either from my great friend (Tracey ;) or from my other great friend Pinterest... both are inexpensive and easy to make.

The base is an inexpensive candle stick from the dollar store. On top, I have glued another inexpensive find from the dollar store - a vase. I used glass glue and within 24 hours they were good to go. I filled them with candy for valentines and now I have jars I can use year round. (I put the E on with my vinyl lettering. I have some vinyl that looks like etched glass....such fun!)

Here is a teacher gift idea. The details are on my "Teacher Gift Page"

I have noticed that there is a level of satisfaction as a stay-at-home mom with these craft projects. When I was working, I worked toward goals and accomplished them. I might not have accomplished each goal daily (I was a teacher....it takes time) but inevitably I would find some sort of success and accomplishment on most days. As a stay-at-home mom I do not get that same level of accomplishment. Of course, one could argue, that I am making such a great difference by staying at home.....yada...yada...yada....and certainly I believe that I am doing something beneficial BUT it is not the same as someone actually telling you "Hey, you're doing a great job!"OR "Wow, now I get it!" Needless to say.... seeing a craft on Pinterest and doing it....gives me that sense of accomplishment. Now these accomplishments might be small but it is something....and I am proud!! :) At least it is a finished product because my "mom" job is always a work in progress.... :)

Thrifty Mom

In my first year as a stay at home mom I spent WAY too much time in and out of stores. Once my house was clean and laundry was caught up I would gather my wallet and rush to the stores. While I was not heading to "top of the line" boutiques (Marshall's, Target and Hobby Lobby were my daily haunts), I found that I was doing too much spending. SO...in 2012 I have decided to repurpose and reuse. Here is an old ladder that I found in a barn in Pennsylvania (when I lived there). I have used it in several different ways in various houses. For a long time it was a towel rack. I loved it as a towel rack but in our house in Texas there was not a place to put it so now it holds magazines in our kitchen. I love the way it looks and how it adds 'ease' to one of my favorite spots in my home.

Homework....

Unfortunately, I am afraid that this will be a common subject at this time of night as I reflect on the past 3 hours. Seriously. (And today was a pretty good day). I had both of my kids in tears by 7 p.m. Now please, I promise that is not my goal...but here is the info...
My daughter wanted to argue that she should subtract 750 from 534 when it was actually the other way around (she is in 3rd grade....no negative numbers here). I tried to explain, ad nauseum, that if she wanted to find out "how many more boxes of cookies did Natalie need to sell to meet her goal of 750 boxes of cookies when she had already sold 534 boxes of cookies?" - she needed to SUBTRACT 534 from 750!!!! My daughter wanted to first subtract 750 from 534....somehow she got 33. THEN she wanted to add who-knows-what together. By the end of it she was in tears and I was pouring my second glass of wine......THEN...
My son....after completing his homework...did not understand why he had to work on his pinecar derby car instead of playing Skylanders. "Isn't that Daddy's car anyway????" Poor child doesn't understand that it is HIS car that Daddy makes....but he is SUPPOSED to be interested in it!!
O.K. I am on my third glass of wine.....really??????