InspireMe Crafts

Organize a Craft Closet {Get Organized}

"Now that it's all over, what did you really do yesterday that's worth mentioning?" – Coleman Cox

Turning our "crap" closet back into a craft closet has been on my list of "To-Do's" for awhile now. The first day of Kindergarten for little big man seemed like the perfect opportunity to tackle my massive mess. In fact, I was so excited to get started I even forgot to get a before picture so you could see how it truly was the "crap" closet. I may not have had a picture of the before, but I do have a picture of everything that came out of the closet. Hold your breath y'all cuz it ain't pretty!.....

Oh…and the poor ribbon. It gives me a headache just looking at it.

As I cleared out, dumped, rolled, and organized everything in the closet, my little man decided to pitch in and help. And make another mess or two. But, I did not care! I was reclaiming my closet!

So let's take a peek at some of the solutions for the reclaimed craft closet. The ribbon definitely took the longest, but thanks to a friend who shared an idea she saw on the web, we found the perfect solution. You use pants hangers to place the ribbon on. Since they unhook and open it is easy to take the spools of ribbon on and off, which is a must for me. Hallelujah! I knew it was meant to be when the hubby said he had a few of them on his side of the closet that he was not using. Yay! Look at how organized my ribbon is now. Plus it freed up two drawers for me to place other craft materials in. Score!

The bottom of the hanger turned out to be the perfect spot to hang some scrap ribbon from.

I have lots of paper for my letters! I tucked them away in these accordion files up on the top shelf. They are organized by colors J.

Those were my main problem areas. Now I can share the craft closet with the hubby's work out stuff and the cleaning supplies J. Someday, I'll have one of those beautiful craft rooms instead of a closet, but until then I am determined to keep mine looking like a craft closet and not returning to the "crap" closet. Wish me luck!

If you are organizing a closet, your ribbon, or your paper hopefully you have been inspired! These organizing tips may not work for your space, but perhaps they sparked some new ideas for you.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Decorated File Folder

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." Jim Ryan

After I made my calendar on My Memories Suite I wanted to have it in a visible place for quick reference and so the hubby and I can both be on the same page with what is going on in Little Big Man's first year of school. Of course, if it is going to be in a visible place I wanted more than just a "normal" file folder. It is pretty easy math (math I can handle)… plain file folder + modern scrapbook paper + calendar = stylish organization.

Trace the file folder, cutout, and then glue it on! Really as simple as 1,2,3 J

Add a personalized calendar to the front, and stuff all those important papers inside for quick access.

I could put it in one of my many file organizers, but I really wanted it out and about. I had a couple clip magnets on the refrigerator that did just the job. After I witnessed the pile of stuff that came home in his backpack mail on the first day, I am not sure how long the magnets will hold it up. I may need to adjust my system a little and keep only immediate papers in this file.

Then there is my little man always cleaning in his diapers J….

You can get organized (and stylish organization) without spending major $$$$ just by looking around your house! If you have My Memories Suite it can help create some custom and stylish ways to get you organized…be sure to go check out my giveaway post here and leave a comment or subscribe to InspireMe Crafts for a chance to win!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

GIVEAWAY!!!!! My Memories Suite Scrapbooking Software

In all my free-time lately (you know…those 5 minutes you might get in one day) I have been experimenting with my new scrapbook software, My Memories Suite. I had new digital scrapbooking software and I needed to get myself "Back-to-School" organized so a school calendar for little big man seemed like the perfect fit for experimenting with My Memories Suite. I know, I know…I mentioned "scrapbooking" software and my Back-to-School calendar isn't quite the typical scrapbook page. Oh well. It turns out My Memories Suite has so much more to offer than just scrapbook layouts. I can't wait to experiment with making a Movie/Dvd. You can even insert videos and then share it with family and friends. Having all our family on the other side of the country, I have an inkling this new scrapbook software will get some use. I was quite impressed with the number of backgrounds and embellishments that came with the software. They have more that you can purchase in the MyMemories.com store, but everything I used to make my calendar was free and/or already included in the scrapbook software.

Here is my calendar made with My Memories Suite and then added to the front of a file folder to keep me organized…

Stay tuned for future posts with more details about my Back-To-School Calendar and using My Memories Suite. Who knows…if I am lucky enough to get 10 minutes of "down time" tomorrow I might experiment with my next project on My Memories Suite.

So onto the really fun stuff for my readers….they include the words FREE and SAVINGS from MyMemories.com. I have your attention now, don't I?!

 

Special SAVINGS for inspiremecrafts.com readers:

*Go to MyMemories.com and enter the below coupon code at checkout (I would copy & paste to make sure you get your discount)…

STMMMS97184

When you use the above coupon code you will receive $10 discount off the $39.97 price. PLUS you will receive a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store to purchase digital kits and backgrounds to use.

 

 

MyMemories Suite GIVEAWAY – FREE, FREE, FREE, FREE J

To enter do one or all of the following to increase chances of winning the MyMemories Suite Software for FREE….

1. Subscribe to inspiremecrafts.com by entering your e-mail address below (I don't give the email out to anyone.  You just get an email when I have posted something new)

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

2. Go to MyMemories.com and let me know your favorite digital paper pack or layout and leave your preference in the comments of this post.
3. Have your own blog? Share the news of the discount and giveaway with your readers by linking to this post and receive another 2 entries. Leave a link to your blog in the comments to let me know.
   ****to leave a comment, go to the bottom of this post, look for the 'Comment' link and click on it***** 

I'm so happy that MyMemories Suite has been so generous to offer this to my readers. Go take a look at their site, MyMemories.com and see the endless possibilities you can do with the software.

Oh yeah…I bet you want to know when the winner will be announced?! The winner will be announced on …September 1^st. I'll be back soon to share more projects and how-to's with MyMemories Suite.

Use Code: STMMMS97184 to get $10 discount AND $10 coupon for MyMemories.com store.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Get Organized with an Over the Door Shoe Organizer (92 Crafty Days of Summer)

"High heels were invented by a woman who had been kissed on the forehead" – Christopher Morley

Using over the door shoe organizers just for shoes was so yesterday. I mean, come on….that back of the door space is wasted if not used. Challenge yourself to see how many different ways you can use the over the door shoe organizer in your house! In our house, we are up to 4 over the door shoe organizers…organizing everything but shoes. Plus I still have some empty back of the door space that I am sure will be used soon.

Here is #1…

When you come in our front door we have a coat closet in the entry way. Perfect place for gloves, hats, umbrellas, rain slickers, etc. Our problem was that throwing them all in a basket was more problematic. I'll blame it on the 5 year old for not having matching gloves put together when they are thrown in the basket, but I have to be honest and say that I'm probably just as guilty. In comes the handy dandy over the door organizer. Gloves that match in one pocket, beanie in another, umbrella in the next and so on…. Close the door and you don't see it J.

Here is #2…

We have always had a junk drawer. But not in this house! We have a junk door. I threw the over the door shoe organizer on the inside of the pantry to hold batteries, screw drivers, mop supplies, Off! Refills, random kid stuff, old wallet, rug tape, coupons, canvas bags…just about any junk that I didn't know where to put, yet it didn't belong in the garbage. My husband calls this the "crap closet"…but at least our crap is kind of organized. Maybe on one crafty day I'll label each pocket and have a "real" home for all my different junk.

Here is #3….

Little big man is lucky enough to have 2 over the door shoe organizers in his room. This one is over the back of the door to his bedroom. It has his dress-up stuff. We have Dr. Jackets, Jailbirds, Policeman, Pirates, UVA Cavman (mascot), and then some random stuff. We don't have to dig through a bin, just look and grab.

Here is #4…

This one is over little man's closet door. Lucky me… it's a double door closet, but so far I have only taken over one. One down and one to go! This over the door shoe organizer is used to organize underwear, socks, belts, swim trunks, etc. It is usually full, but I think I took this picture on laundry day. Hehe.

Just imagine what I could do with a few more organizers…I definitely have some more doors to go! We all are trying to get, or stay, organized so definitely consider some over the door shoe organizers…especially if you have kids!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Reward Jar (Day 24 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer)

"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." – Edith Wharton

We have found a reward system that works for little big man and it sits right on our console table underneath our work-in-progress family photo wall. I was tired of looking at just jars on the table so I decided to spruce it up a bit. I found a pink wood tray at Target in the $1 section. Where is it you ask? Add some spray paint from a left over project and ribbon and you have a whole new piece of décor. Truth be told…I did that awhile ago. But what I did at that time was scotch tape it into place. Yep…I used scotch tape to secure the ribbon on the tray. I can't remember why. Whether the glue gun was broken, lost, or I was just plain lazy – I honestly can't remember. The only important thing is that I finally properly secured it with my handy dandy glue gun. While I had the glue gun out I also glued the black chalkboard star to the Mason jar because the sticker was not doing its job….shame on that sticker!

Our reward system may seem complicated, but I swear it's not! Here is what we do…

• He starts out with 5 stars a day. He gets stars taken away for back-talk, if we warn him about something and he still does it, etc.
• At the end of the day he puts a marble for each star he has remaining into a jar. Ex: He has 3 stars at the end of the day he gets to put 3 marbles in jar. Once that jar is full he gets to pick out a toy. This jar is a decent size so it does take some time before he fills it up. We believe this does help with teaching him about working toward something and delayed gratification.
• If he has a 4 or 5 star day he gets to pick out something from the "Star Jar". Things in here include little $1 toys, candy treats, or special notes saying he can rent a movie, get an ice cream treat with mom/dad, stickers, etc. This gives him some instant gratification and reward for a superb day. We keep track of the stars he has on the chalkboard star or we take a note card with us if we are out and about. There is something about him being able to see the number of stars he has that really makes a difference.
• If he does something extraordinarily kind or helpful we do award extra stars when we see appropriate.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Day 16 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer: Organize Sidewalk Chalk

"You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance" – Franklin P. Jones

I'm sticking to my project a day challenge, but I needed a quick one for today. At first I felt ashamed that I was doing something so simple, but then I remembered that if it wasn't for this challenge this project still wouldn't be getting done. It's a good reminder that all the little things add up and even though it was a simple organization method it did just that …got me organized one step at a time. So project number 16 is done in my challenge and all my sidewalk chalk is "organized".

Below is what I found all over my house – and when I say all over I mean it! The far top left sidewalk chalk was in our entry way, the Crayola box was in the garage, the broken plastic tub with chalk was on our front porch, and the pack of 4 was in our bedroom. What good the chalk would do in our bedroom or how it ended up there…I just don't know.

I searched the house for something to use to place all the sidewalk chalk in one spot. I had a bucket that would have been really cute, but then in the winter I couldn't stack it in the garage. So I went with the always dependable plastic tub.

But I couldn't just leave it in the plastic tub and call it a "project". If I add a chalkboard sticker on the front (an extra minute) then that should suffice the project criteria ;).

And now the boys have all the sidewalk chalk at their disposal to surprise their dad with some special messages.

I hope you have some inspiration to go tackle one of those quick and small projects because it is just as important as those big ones to create an organized household and life! One project a day. If I can do it you can do it too!

Be inspired, get creative and have fun!

Day 11 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer: Organize Children’s Art & School Projects

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep" – Scott Adams

If you have a school age child you know the dilemma with all that art work that comes home every day. You treasure every single one, but you don't treasure the pile they add up to. And although we love our children dearly, we also know that each piece of art is not quite the next Picasso. What to do, what to do?! My dear friend covers her garage with the art work and another makes bookmarks out of them. I love both of those ideas, but they didn't quite work for us. My first problem is when we first come into the house entry way. I have baby on one hip, purse and diaper bag on shoulder, groceries in a hand along with art work from school. We walk in the door and plop it all goes to the ground. Little big man is rushing up the stairs to eat lunch and watch Caillou and of course little brother wants to follow. I barely get the keys out of the door before they are trying to rush upstairs. The art work that went plop onto the floor now went plop onto the chair. Every day that pile on the chair would get a little bit bigger and bigger and bigger until poor mommy here just couldn't take it anymore. I needed an organization solution for my child's artwork when we walked in the door, temporarily, and then a forever solution. Let me explain…

1. We enter the house. I needed somewhere to hang it right then and there. Solution: 3 square cork boards covered in fabric and in a 12 x12 frame. Push pins in and ready to be put to use! I walk in the door, pin it up, and chase the kiddos up the stairs.

   

2. End of the week the children's artwork bulletin board is looking pretty full. I went and looked for art folders…decided that spending $30-$60 on one was just not going to work for me. But two 50 cent poster boards taped together would work. Tape the bottom and two sides together. Leave the top open to plop that art work in. I tucked it away in a corner and filled it up every week with the art. (picture below…keep in mind I took this picture after a year of holding art…its seen better days, but it got the job done)

   

3. It's the end of the year and my poster board art organizer is just about overflowing. I want to throw it away, but that marble painting is so cute and what about that ice cube painting?! The photo book is the perfect solution. At the end of the school year, I pull my child's art work out and take pictures. Then I go to Shutterfly and create a photo book of his art. Now I have a compact 5 x 7 book of his art that we both can enjoy and tuck away when finished.

   

   

   

4. Trash. Then when he is sleeping or not looking I throw them all in a trash bag and take it out to the trash can. I feel horrible for admitting to it…it seems so cruel when I write it down. However, he's never asked about them. And, of course, you can send some to grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. and let them anguish on what to do with all the art work.

Everyone's needs for organizing their children's art work are unique, so the same idea won't work for everyone. However, I hope this sparked some inspiration for you to start prepping for the upcoming year and figure out how you will manage the load of fine Picasso art coming through your front door. The pictures of the photo book are from last year, but I just completed this year's and ordered it. So yes, ladies and gentlemen (not sure any gentlemen read this blog) I can count that as project number 11 of my 92 Crafty Days of Summer. J

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Day 2 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer: Typography Soup Can Pencil Holder

"Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability" – Sam Keen                                    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's Day 2 and I've stuck to the 92 Crafty Days of Summer Challenge. I wish I could have been lazy today, but if my 5 year old catches me trying to steal a lazy moment here or there I'd regret it! Luckily, this challenge kept me going and in 90 days or so maybe I can be lazy. I've had this tin can for a while now holding all our pencils and pens. It was so blah…it was a plain soup can after all just proudly serving its purpose, but not so pretty to look at. We have a box full of letter and number stickers so we started sticking away. Then I added a coat of Mod Podge to make sure they stay put. That's it…Project #2 Typography Soup Can Pencil Holder is crossed off the list. Nothing difficult or "oh my gosh" about it, but it counts  :)!  

Be inspired, get creative and have fun!

Get Organized: Lost Socks Organizer

I'm pretty sure we all battle with the notorious mystery of the missing socks. If you are like me, you hold onto the one sock hoping the missing one will appear any day. And then it doesn't. Then it just sits in the laundry basket as a new load of clean clothes gets dumped on top waiting to be folded. In my house they wait a while to be folded. The cycle continues until there are so many socks at the bottom of that basket that something had to be done. Enter the Lost Socks Organizer. Our laundry space is a closet so we needed small and practical. Part of my spring cleaning is trying to solve these organization problems with "stuff" I have around the house. Here is what I found…

-Jar full of clothespins leftover from a baby shower I planned
- Remnant fabric that was 50% off. I saw it the fabric store a while ago and bought it knowing I would use it on something
- Chipboard letters. Mostly black ones, but had to use 2 white 'S' because the black ones were used on some other project
- Piece of wood my mom bought on clearance after Halloween.

And this is what we will turn it into…

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut your fabric to size.
2. Apply mod podge to the wood. Place fabric over top. Smooth out. Apply Mod podge on top of the fabric.

1. Apply chipboard letters with glue or use stickers. I wanted my white 's's to match so I added a quick coat of black paint over them.

1. Glue clothing pins to the bottom of the wood. You can cut and glue some paper to the front to make them look pretty J
2. Add ribbon to hang.
3. You are organized! Your lost socks have a home now to help find their missing pair

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Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Pre-School Routine Charts

"The less routine the more life" -Amos Bronson Alcott

 

I've never been a big routine/schedule person, but as I navigate through this thing called mommy-hood I am quickly discovering that life without routines can often be more difficult and less fun.  When Lil Man started pre-school back in September (yes...it has taken me this long to post the pre-school routine chart) my biggest worry was getting out of the house in the morning and having his head hit the pillow at night without major arguments, meltdowns, and being on time since I HATE being late.  

I searched stores and the internet for a pre-school routine chart without much luck.  I needed a routine chart that was flexible because I wasn't sure how my first attempt at making a morning and evening schedule would work out.  My son is a dawdler so I definitely did not know if eating breakfast in 15 minutes would be realistic or not.  In addition, I wanted a chart my son could read on his own.  The solution?  Using pictures, putting them on magnets, and using digital times vs a traditional clock to keep him on track.  

We started with two magnetic dry erase boards.  One color for morning and a different color for night.  Then I had an outline of what our morning and evening times would look like.  The best part was getting Lil Man to help with the chart.  I wanted to include him as much as possible so he would hopefully buy into this new routine thing.  He LOVED going around and taking pictures of everything we needed to do in order to get ready for school and ready for bed.  I also printed out some pictures of TVs.  Some were just a picture of the TV and others were a big 'X' through the TV so he would know when the TV was not allowed to be on.  Print out some times, and you are ready to assemble your pre-school routine chart with your child. We put all the pictures on magnets so they could be moved around as we decided some things would work out at better times or in different orders.  

So....did all the work pay off?  You bet it did.  Less nagging, yelling, battles and a more independent 3 year old - who could ask for more?!  Instead of nagging at him to go do something, I would ask what was next on the chart.  He would go look and go do it.  Of course, we had a reward system if he completed the chart every morning and evening so you can do what works for your family.  

A year later, they still hang in the same place.  They don't get looked at every morning anymore, but the same basic routine is in place and has made mornings and evenings a happy time in this household.  Plus mommy and daddy are happy. And we all know that happy parents is just as important as a happy child.  

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

 

Gotta Make It: Ballerina Tutu Message Board

"Dancing can reveal all the mystery music reveals."

I just can't get enough pink lately and combine it with my love for black and white damask and you have a super cute craft project for this weekend J. This time the finished DIY project is a Ballerina Tutu Message Board. It takes a little time, however, I did finish it in one evening so it is definitely a realistic project to put on your to-do list.

MATERIALS:

1 piece of foam board
1 yard of fabric (you'll have leftovers)
3 yards of tulle
2 yards of thick ribbon (I used pink with black polka dots)
2-4 yards of thin ribbon (I used pink and black)
1 yard of 7/8 thick ribbon or elastic
Glue gun
Scissors

How-To:

1. Cut out your foam board in the shape of a leotard. I just eye-balled it with a pencil and then used an X-Acto knife. It takes a little persistence and makes a mess, but if you have a 3 year old they will enjoy it!

   

    

2. Lay your fabric upside down on a flat surface. Place your cut foam board onto the fabric. Cut the fabric around the foam board leaving a few inches all the way around.
   
   

   

    

3. Get your glue gun ready and start glueing away! Place some glue on the foam board and secure the fabric around on the back side. You may have to cut slits in the fabric going all the way to the foam board. Doing it in 1-2 inch sections will help.
4. After you have secured all the fabric, turn it over and look at the beginning of your masterpiece.
5. Next is the TuTu. This was my first time making a tutu so I referred to this YouTube video. It is very helpful and she can explain it way better than I can at the link below:

   How to Make A No Sew Tutu
   

   I did not follow her directions exactly. I used a thinner ribbon (7/8 inch) to tie my tulle to. Also I only used 3 yards worth since I was not going all the way around. I also tied ribbons around the 7/8 inch ribbon when I was done with the tulle to add some color and to provide a place to hang more things.

   

6. Once the tutu is made, tie the two ends in the back to secure it in place. I did it around the 'waist' of the foam board so there is a little foam board underneath the tutu.
7. Take your 3-4 yards of thin ribbon (I used bright pink) and wrap around the body part of your foam board. This provides some more color and places to hold pictures and notes. You can do any design you like!
8. Then take your thick ribbon and cut two pieces to the desired length for hanging. I did about 1 yard on each side. I secured one end of each piece to the back with the glue gun. Then brought the other two ends together to tie a bow. Now you can hang it!
9. Make one more bow with your thick ribbon and safety pin it to the front of your tutu.
10. Add some pictures (if you want)….it would be awfully cute just as decoration in a ballerina room or dance studio.
    
    

    

    Your ballerina will love this Tutu Message Board!

    
    

    Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: "I'm Bored" Craft Kit in a Pail

 "Be yourself, and you will rarely be bored." - Zack Aaronson

Summer is here and for many of us that means the kids won't be getting on the bus to go to school for 8 hours.  Instead, they will be home.  Of course, we all love more time with our kids, but we will inevitably hear "Mom, I'm bored" more than a handful of times even if they are signed up for every camp in town (and the surrounding areas).  So take an afternoon this week to get your pre-emptive strike ready so when you hear that pathetic "Mom, I'm bored", you go to the closet and hand them their "I'm Bored" Craft Kit in a Pail and let the creativity begin. 

All you need is a pail that you can find at your local craft store and some household items to fill it up. Of course you could use a box, jar, beach paill, etc.  I started by raiding the closets and pantry in the house.  I found and included plastic cups, popsicle sticks, buttons, scrap paper, yarn, excess fabric, feathers, ribbon, wiggly eyes, straws, and styrofoam balls.  At the DollarTree I found some pipe cleaners and colored cotton balls and at Michaels I found some $1 craft projects.  Include whatever you think would work well for that age.  Mine was made for a pre-schooler.  Then I made a list with possible ideas to see if they could make the item with the materials in the pail such as a duck, a house, a flower, a cat, etc. 

Take a peek of what is in the Lil Man's pail....

 And a peek from the top...

Another twist on this "I'm Bored" Craft Kit in a Pail is to put different ideas on pieces of paper, fold them up, and throw them in.  When they come to you saying they're bored let the 'boredster' pull a slip of paper from that pail for an idea of what to do.  You could make this a fun mix of things and even include a few chores that they could do around the house :).  Then we will all be happy (or at least us)! 

Add their names to the outside to personalize the pails and you'll be set.  You could even take them on road trips.  Hope you enjoy and I'd love to hear or see pics of your "I'm bored" Craft Kit in a Pail variations.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Get Organized: Family Recipe Notebook

"Recipe:  A series of step-by-step instructions for preparing with ingredients you forgot to buy, using utensils you don't own, to make a dish even the dog won't eat."

I'm slowly, but surely knocking things off my giant Spring Cleaning To-Do List that will probably take me well into December before I am half way through it.  But one thing at a time, right? So I am celebrating the little victories in life which was crossing that line through "Organize Recipes" on my list.  "Organize Recipes" has probably been on my To-Do list for a few Springs now, but it was definitely time to make it a priority.  The Recipe Box didn't work for us.  The 3 x 5 cards were just too small for me.  Half the time I couldn't fit the recipe on the card and then when I could, the print was so small that I spent more time deciphering what the card said than what I was doing to our dinner.  Hmmm...maybe that has been the problem with my cooking all this time.  Definitely, food for thought :). 

On top of the recipe box, I had torn out pages from magazines, scribbled down family recipes on Post-It notes, and printed pages from allrecipes.com stuffed into the recipe box or slid in between cookbooks. You get the idea...my cupboard was a disaster!  I decided to give the 3 ring binder a try with sheet protectors inside to hold the recipes to create our own cookbook.  The more I thought of this, the more excited I became.  This not only was going to be our means to organize recipes, but this was also going to be a family heirloom that could be passed down.  It would hold all of our family's favorite recipes from several generations and would share our joy for quality time with family and friends over food, dessert, and some drinks!

To start its pretty simple...3-ring binder, sheet protectors, and dividers.  I did 6 dividers for now:  Appetizers, Sides, Salads, Main Dishes, Desserts, and Take-Out.   I'm sure I will re-organize later, but this was a good starting point for us.  I added the Take-Out tab because along with the clutter of recipes were all the local Take-Out menus.  Now they are easy to find plus I have a clean cupboard. 

I found the 3-ring binder at Target, but to personalize it a little I added the ribbon along with the oval and "Recipes".  On the inside I wrote a personal note about what this Family Recipe book represents and our hopes for it. 

Well, I'm glad I was able to check one thing off the list and hopefully I got you inspired to go tackle one of the projects that has been on your list for a few springs now! 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Mod Podge Toy Tin

"Don't agonize. Organize." - Florynce Kennedy

 

Once again, the time has elapsed since I've been able to post some of the projects and ideas that cloud that little head of mine.  But with the urge for Spring Cleaning and organizing it was time to stop making the list of "what needs to be done" and actually tackle one of the projects.  As a result, I am able to cross off my first item which was turning an old Popcorn Factory tin into a toy storage bin for my son's trains and tracks. 

My husband's aunt sends us some yummy popcorn every Christmas from the Popcorn Factory...and every year the tin seems to get bigger (along with our waistline).  The tins are just too nice to throw away, but having Snow Men strutting their stuff around our house all year was just not going to fly. 

A quick trip to Wal-Mart solved that problem with some Thomas the Train fabric.  There is so much organizing to do, but it can get spendy to organize and buy storage containers for all the toys.  So my first mission is to look around the house and re-use and re-invent what we already have.  This project cost less than $10 and may even be cheaper if you use fabric and ribbon that you already have. 

MATERIALS:

Tin
Mod Podge & Foam Brushes
1 yard of fabric (s) - Add or subtract some depending on the size of your tin
Ribbon
Scissors
Glue Gun

TO DO:

1.  Measure the fabric to fit accordingly on the tin.  Leave enough excess on the bottom and top so it can be glued down underneath and on the top inside. 
2.  Use the glue gun to secure down one end of your fabric.  I drew a line with the glue gun from the bottom of the tin to the top and laid the end of the fabric there.  This secures it in place to help with the Mod Podge.
3.  Once one end of the fabric is glued, it will now stay in place while you add the Mod Podge.  Using the foam brushes, generously apply the Mod Podge to the tin.  Then lay the fabric over.  Smooth out bubbles.  Do one section at  time and repeat all the way around.  Follow the directions on the Mod Podge container for using it as a glue.
4.  Once the Mod Podge has dried underneath, apply a coat to the top of the fabric for the finish and protectant.  Let Dry.  Refer to directions on container. 
5.  I used the glue gun to attach the excess underneath the tin and on the inside of the tin for the top. 
6.  Add ribbon with glue gun if you desire.  You can also use different prints, etc. 

Enjoy rummaging through your house for old items to "makeover"!  And please do share :).

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Hanging Birthday Organizer

"Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional" - Chili Davis

If judging the importance of one's friendship meant remembering birthdays, I'd be the world's worst friend.  Luckily, my friends don't hold it against me.  Every year, come January, I make that New Year's resolution to get organized and remember everyone's birthdays and anniversaries BEFORE they happen.  I'm the queen of getting the card in the mail the day after the special event (if I'm that lucky).  It's not something I'm proud of, but now its a running joke between my closest friends.  I really am trying.  I've tried calendars, which don't work because then I switch planners and the info doesn't make it to the new one.  When I worked in an office, I used our Outlook Calendar which was great, but now that I'm a stay-at-home mommy I don't use a digital planner.  I could ...but I just can't let go of my paper planner. 

So here we are to square one again.  I saw this idea in a craft store and had to take a snapshot because I knew I wouldn't get to the project for another couple of months.  The reason I love this idea is because its in plain site (depending where you hang it) and can you get any more organized? It's easy to add new names with the special day on the back, rearrange in to the date order, and you don't have to change it (like a calendar) depending on the year. 

This particular hanging birthday organizer, started with just a plain piece of wood that was painted.  Craft Warehouse sells vinyl lettering in this layout so you can easily transfer it to the wood.  Add some hooks and chipboard, put the info on, and you are set!  Take a look at it the beginning of the month, get your cards and presents ready and you'll be a changed person!

I'll be sure to share my finished version...whenever that day comes!  Hopefully before next January :). 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Travel Magnetic Checkers & Tic-Tac-Toe Game

When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money.  Then take half the clothes and twice the money.  ~Susan Heller

I never thought traveling in our family van would be one of my fond memories of childhood when I grew up.  Being stuck in a car with four siblings for 4+ hours isn't exactly a day at the beach.  Between the bickering and the every 5-minute check of "are we there yet?", I'm not sure how my parents didn't pull their hair out or pull over and let us hop on out and walk the rest of the way.  However, I do remember all the popular car games we would play or even the ones we would make up.  Do you remember I Spy, The License Plate game,  Slug Bug,  20 Questions, Rock-Paper-Scissors, and all the others games to make time pass?  Now the biggest bickering is between what video to put in the travel DVD player.  I'm not ready to toss out the travel DVD player yet, but I am ready for some variety for the car rides. 

My son isn't quite old enough for this one yet, but plenty of others will benefit from this Travel Magnetic Checkers & Tic-Tac-Toe game made from a Baking Pan!!!  The best part is yet to come. If your kids are always in your hair while you're trying to get the family ready, have them make this themselves.  It'll keep them occupied before and during your car trip!  Plus, because of its magnetic playing pieces you'll be sure not to lose any pieces when you make that sharp turn. You probably thought I was done with the good news, but there's still more!  You can create this magnetic game board from materials (mostly) purchased at the DollarTree! 

MATERIALS:

8X8 Baking Pan
24 Magnetic Pieces
Paint
Ribbon
Photo Paper
Glue
Spray Finish
Circle stencil
Mesh or ziploc bag
Scissors, Ruler, Pencil

HOW-TO:

1.  Turn your 8x8 baking pan upside down.  Measure 1-inch squares vertically and horizantally so you have 64 1-inch squares.  Pencil in the grid.
2.  Paint every other square and then alternate the next row.  Refer to a picture of a checkerboard if confused.  Let dry.
3.  While the game board is drying,  size 12 pictures of each player to match the size of the magnet game pieces.  Have game pieces for each player of the family or use different colors.  Then choose 2 different types of crowns from clip art.  Size 12 of each crown design to fit the magnet pieces.  I was able to get them all onto one page.  Print the paper and let dry. 
4. Using your circle stencil that corresponds with the size of your magnetic game pieces, trace the circle around each picture and crown.  Cut out all the pieces. You should have 12 Player 1, 12 Player 2, 12 Crown 1, and 12 Crown 2. 
5.  Using the glue apply the pictures of Player 1 to the first 12 magnetic pieces.  Let dry.  On the other side, apply the pictures of Crown 1.  Repeat with the other 12 magnets for Player 2 and Crown 2.  Let dry.
6. If your paint is dry apply a spray finish.  Let dry. 
7.  Add any ribbon or embellishments to the outside of the baking pan.
8.  Flip the baking pan right side up.  Cut 4 equal pieces of ribbon.  Glue on the ribbon in a Tic-Tac-Toe pattern.  Use your picture pieces as game pieces for tic-tac-toe. 
9. Glue on a mesh bag or ziploc bag to the inside side to store the pieces for safe keeping while not using.

Voila!   You have a fun project and game for those car -rides that will keep your kids occupied and hopefully make a more enjoyable and carefree car ride.  To test your older kids math skills, ask them how many squares are on a checkerboard....don't be too quick to answer! 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun! 

Craft Room Envy

" Envy is the art of counting the other fellow's blessings instead of our own" - Harold Coffin

In the Databazaar article done on Inspire Me Crafts, Kara Soos mentioned that "Some crafts enthusiasts dedicate an entire room to their projects, filled to the brim with all sorts of supplies and tools. Imagine how much money they spend on all those provisions!".  Well.....I have a closet.  Nothing to compare to these amazing and beautiful rooms that I came across at hgtv.com.  I'll have to admit...I felt a little envy.  Can you imagine walking into any of these rooms and getting to sit down and start creating?!?  I'd lock myself in ANY of these rooms for days with a "Do Not Disturb" sign.  But come on, its time to have a reality check.  I'm all about full disclosure so to bring most of us back to reality I thought I would give you a peek into my little craft corner.  Let's take a look at my craft closet part of a closet. 

Well, here it is.  Not much...some wire racks, some hand me down white shelves and a plastic drawer for my paper.  But I do love my inspiration board!  I used the wine cork board that I featured a while ago to pin my inspirations and ideas to.  However, I am extremely happy because I just got those hand me down white shelves about a week ago and they have made a world of a difference in keeping my closet organized.  So, although, I have a little craft closet envy this morning, I am also thankful that I do have my portion of a closet for my crafts...even if I share it with the garbage, blender, crock pot, chargers, and serving dishes!

If you want to create...don't make excuses because you don't have the new and improved tools or the fancy room.  A nice kitchen table will do the trick :)

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Wedding Card Box

"For two people in a marriage to live together day after day is unquestionably the one miracle the Vatican has overlooked." - Bill Cosby

Organized chaos.  We all know wedding days are often full of organized chaos along with any other entertaining function.  However, a little creative trick here and there will be sure to keep your guests "aww-ing" at how beautiful and effortless everything seems.  Going into my our wedding, I knew from experience that keeping cards with the gifts and having a place for just cards was essential to make sure everyone received their thank-you note.  Have some tape handy for your gift transporters so they can be sure to tape that card down to the present quickly and easily.  Secondly, make your own wedding card box!  But come on...we've got to be creative here.  Don't think that placing a plain box on the table is going to do the trick.  After all, this is your wedding day and you don't want any detail to go unlooked. 

I had a blast making my wedding card box.  In fact, the deep brown paper and the green ribbon were my original inspiration for my wedding colors.  And of course, I had to add my favorite color - red.  Whenever people asked my wedding colors, they thought I was crazy, but once they saw the three together they totally understood.  I wish there were more pictures to share with you, but this is it.  Which actually ends up being perfect, since this site is meant for inspiration.  I used a wedding cake-slash-gift type theme for mine.  I'm not really sure if its suppose to be a wedding cake or a wedding present....but it worked for me and that's all that mattered on my our wedding day.Hopefully this idea will inspire you for your wedding and you'll run with it!

MATERIALS

2 different sized boxes - tops and bottoms.  Thin, light weight boxes work best
Wrapping paper
Scissors
Double sided tape
Ribbon, pearls, embellishments

HOW-TO

1.  Put the top and bottom together on the larger box. Place the top of the little box on top of the larger box. 
2.  Trace where the little box meets the big box.  Cut just inside of the lines on the larger box.  This will allow the cards to fall all the way to the bottom of the box. 
3.  Wrap your boxes with the paper separately, being sure to leave the openings so the cards can fall to the bottom. Use double sided tape and try to avoid visible lines.
4.  On the top of the small box, cut a long opening where the cards can be slid into. 
5.  Connect the boxes together using tape or glue. 
6.  Add your embellishments.  I used small craft roses along the top of the opening so any imperfections could not be seen. 

At the end of the day...I mean the next day, I knew exactly where all the cards were and did not have to worry if any were lost.  So go find some beautiful paper and ribbon in your wedding colors and get to it!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Soda Box Plastic Bag Holder

"Reduce, Re-use, Recycle"

If you haven't heard about the three R's (reduce, re-use, & recycle) then you haven't been turning on your t.v., computer, or opening a newspaper.  Shoot...even in People and US Weekly they talk about "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle"!  So what's stopping you from following those simple guidelines?  Sometimes its just a little lack of creativity and organization.  When I finally had my ah-ha moment with this I couldn't believe it took me this long to figure it out. 

Before I go on lets get something straight.  I'm not the recycling queen...in fact, I probably could do way more than I do, but I am trying.  For example, I know cloth diapers for little man would be better for the environment, but it would not be better for my sanity.  Disposable diapers are here to stay in our family.  Although..... I do let little man run around naked a lot so that cuts back on diapers because he'll use the "potty" if he has no diaper on.  See...I'm doing more than I am giving myself credit for :).

Now that we know I am not the recycling queen and still get my groceries in plastic bags... lets move on to your quick and simple solution for those plastic bags.  If you drink soda (a.ka. pop, coke) and get these fridge boxes DON'T THROW YOUR NEXT ONE OUT!  Instead of going out to buy a $10 plastic bag organizer for under your sink or pantry just use your soda box.  It has a convenient opening to put the bags in and get them out and they won't crowd under your sink like they use to do in my house.  Every time I opened the cupboard they would come falling out....nightmare!  You could even attach it to the pantry door with a quick little nail so its not on the ground. 

So there is my idea for re-using.  We re-use our plastic bags, and I needed a creative solution to organize that chaos.  Who knew a soda pop box could provide that solution!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!!!

Gotta Make It: Cereal Box Magazine Holder

"The brightest light I can hope to see is the one you give to me when you smile" - Maya Angelou

If you are like my family, you go through tons of cereal boxes and as hard as you try to stay organized, there just always seems to be another organization project to tackle.  Currently, I am trying to organize my little computer nook and its been a slow process.  But I finally stole  a few moments today to make my space a little more beautiful and functional. 

I cut these magazine holders out of cereal boxes about 2 months ago, but never got around to making them look pretty.  So today with a little paper and ribbon, you can't even tell that they use to be Honey Nut Cheerios and a Popsicle Box. 

As you can see, I've conveniently only shown you the top shelf of my computer nook.  I took a picture of my 'before', but am not going to reveal that disaster until I can show you the completed 'after' picture.  A little at a time...

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Cookie Pan Chalkboard

"If you don't like the food...have more wine"

I've always been a believer that money can't buy you happiness. In accordance with that belief, I obviously believe you can be a great entertainer, gift giver, and house decorator without spending the mucho bucks.  I've started to notice that a lot of my projects are stemming from places like the DollarTree and the $1 section at Target to help make sure I stay within our family's "spending plan".  To help organize these 'dollar ideas' I've created a new category that is accessible on the side bar called "Dollar Diva".  You'll find all the ideas I've done in the past and the future DollarTree/$1 Target ideas located there.  To get us on a roll, here is another one to add on...the Cookie Pan Chalkboard project.

As you can see, I chose to make a "Menu" board out of this.  Planning our meals during the week helps me alleviate unnecessary trips to the grocery store and helps us stay within our grocery budget.  If we are having guests, I can remove the wine cork magnets and put that evening's 'menu' onto the board.  Since I am a wine lover, and if my kitchen really has a theme I guess it would be sort of Italian-ish, I went in that direction for the decor.  Other ideas besides a menu board or meal planner would be a calendar, chore responsibilities, etc.  Lets get started...

MATERIALS:

Cookie Pan ($1 at the DollarTree)
Chalkboard Paint (at craft store near spray paint or at home improvement stores)
Wine corks
Paper
Ribbon
Embellishments
Painter's Tape, glue, scissors

TO DO:

1.  Tape the edges of the cookie pan with painter's tape.
2.  Outside or in very well ventilated area (this stuff stinks) spray the chalkboard paint onto the Cookie pan sheet.  Let dry
3.  Decorate with paper, ribbon, embellishments. 
4.  DAY OF THE WEEK CORK MAGNETS:  Take a wine cork, cut it in half length wise and then cut it to size for the width.  Use stickers or rub-on letters to create your desired word or letters.  Then take magnet and glue to the back of the cork.  Voila!  Unique wine magnets for your menu board. 

There you go...its that easy!  I love chalkboard paint and one can will last you a long time. I have so many more ideas for the chalkboard paint...it just needs to warm up so I can go outside to spray the stuff!  I hope you enjoy this and let me know if you give it a whirl!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: "To Do" Clipboard

" The longest journey begins with a single step."

Remember those days when you played "school" with your siblings or friends?   I use to love it!  Teachers seemed to have so much power and in my young mind it was all because of the clipboard!  Who would have thought such a simple prop could symbolize so much power in a young child's mind?  To this day, I've thought about teaching as a career.  But as I've come to learn, I don't think I could handle it.  God bless our teachers because I am quickly learning they must have the world's most patience.  It's a struggle for me just to have patience for my one toddler let alone a room full of other people's children!  So my solution to having that "power" and getting myself organized was to create this "To Do" Clipboard. 

SUPPLIES:

Clipboard (find them at your office supply store)
Paper
Ribbon
Cork Squares (find at office supply or craft store.  Came in a pack of 4.)
Glue (Spray Adhesive, glue gun, glue pen)
Embellishments
Ink Pad

TO DO:

1) Trace clipboard onto a piece of paper.  Cut paper.  Ink edges with InkPad.

2) Use spray adhesive to attach paper to clipboard. 

3) Cut paper to size of cork square.  Use glue gun to attach.

4) Attach cork to Clipboard with glue gun

5) Embellish, embellish, embellish!  I used my Cricut machine to do the "To Do" letters, but you could use stickers or your computer as well.  I glued a metal flower embellishment to a mini clothespin and then glued the clothespin to the cork square.  I also cut out some flowers from my paper and attached those.  On the metal part of the clipboard it said "Staples" so I used the round quote to cover that up.

There are really no limits to what you can do with this.  You can make it as simple or as fancy as you want.  Customize it to your needs!  If you need more cork space then consider cutting your own cork to your own size.  Need a place for a pen?  Tie a piece of ribbon to the pen and attach it to the metal part.  The best part about this is that I have it hanging on the wall by my computer, but if I need to take it to the kitchen it comes right off the hook.  My family is going to think I am so organized!  Maybe I can actually keep my multitude of "To Do" lists in one place now. 

Take care and ...

Be Inspired, get creative, and have fun!