Organizing & DIY Link Party – Week 17

Easy Craft and Organizing Ideas

 

Love that Vanessa from The Rookie Seamstress used duct tape to decorate some old boxes to make them useful storage. With all the fun and decorative duct tape that is out there now, the ideas are endless.

Great idea by Ginny from Organizing Homelife on how to label your left overs. Time flies with when you have left overs in the re-fridge. It is amazing how fast things can turn green! lol

 

Utilizing clear shoe door organizers can be used for a multitude of purposes. Margo from Joyful Homemaking shows a variety of ideas.

 

Jo-Ann from Growing in Grace made a plant hanger and address plate to decorate her her home.

 

Link up to my Linky Party! I’d love to see the ideas you create yourself or find from other inspiration online!

1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (url code under button tab )
3) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or crafts or decorating are WONDERFUL!
4) No sales pitches or web sites.
5) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.
6) By linking up to my post, I might use your pic (with link and credit to you) next week in my post!

 

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please Click here 
This party will be open until May 6, 2012 at 11:59pm est.

Fav Pin Friday Linky Party – #Pinterest Week 10

Easter Ideas from Pinterest!

There are some of the cutest ideas for Easter floating around out there!  Who doesn’t love bunnies and all the spring colors.    I saw this idea from Pinterest and thought it was SO cute!

Peep S’Mores

Make a Peep S’More.. at home!   You use your typical graham crackers and Hershey chocolate bars – but you add a Peep for the Marshmallow (after all it is marshmallow).  You put just the bottom half (1 cracker, chocolate and Peep) in the microwave for about 8-12 seconds I think. I know marshmallows really puff up huge in the microwave. I can’t wait to try this with the kids!

You can find this post at Eclectic Recipes 

Lori found the Peep S’mores on Pinterest and she put another spin on them.  What a neat idea this is! She made up Peep S’More packs for her kids parties at school.  She got the little bags and then she printed up the instructions and put on the back.  Hopefully the kids will wait until they get home to open and make them, rather than opening and just eating all the ingredients out first!  I LOVE this idea!

You can find this darling idea at My Wood Spoon

Bunny Cupcakes

Isn’t this cupcake darling?  So simple, yet looks so awesome!  I first saw just the backside shot of the bunny in the cupcake. When I went to the post I found this pic with the front of the bunny done up too.  It is a blog written in spanish, but some awesome recipe. Worth hitting the translator for.

You can find this idea at Cupcake Perfecto.

Angry Bird Easter Eggs

How cute are these?

You can find the post for these on The Tip Junkie party ideas

 

Would love for you to link something you would like pinned!

Guidelines

1) Add a link from one of your blog post you want pinned.
2) Be sure to use the picture you want pinned for the picture we see on here.
3) Would love for you to tweet this out, or stumble or pin it. (Only pin my Fav Pin Friday button, not any of the pics I put up from pinterest please – those aren’t my pictures.)
4) Be sure to pin a couple other pins you see on here too!
5) Please click on the pictures, it will take you to my pinterest boards where I pinned these pics.  Please repin these pictures, as it will help the people who originally posted the picture. Visit their posts to help them out.

If you like the pinterest parties you can go to Kim’s at Crafty Mama of 4. She has Pin it Friday 

If you need some help knowing how to link up, this link party tutorial should help.

Organizing & DIY Monday Link Party

Spring Cleaning

Are you getting ready to do your spring cleaning this year?

How To Start Spring Cleaning?

Start your cleaning much like you start your organizing.

1) Set aside a time to clean each room

2) Get cleaning supplies, bucket of cleaner or spray (I personally like Odo-ban). Rubber gloves (because it doesn’t seem so gross to clean if you have on gloves). Trash bags – black for trash, white for donate.

3) Start in one place. This is a great time to sort through the clutter. Sort quick, clear off a surface and clean it well.

4) Be sure to clean your walls, inside drawers, baseboards, etc.

5) Have your family help you. Many hands can accomplish the task much quicker than just yours.

Link up to my Linky Party! I’d love to see your spring cleaning, organizing or DIY projects!

1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (url code under button tab )
3) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or crafts or decorating are WONDERFUL!
4) No sales pitches or web sites.
5) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

I also have a Pinterest Favorite Pin Friday Linky Party! Be sure to watch for that!

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please Click here 
This party will be open until March 11, 2012 at 11:59pm

Pin It

Organizing & DIY Link party – Week 8

Link Up Your Posts or Get Some New Ideas!

I went back to the Better Homes and Gardens site and found some more neat ideas for you guys.

Make a cute bathroom set that will match perfectly. Just grab a couple of those terra cota planters that you can find at garage sales for practically nothing and decorate them. You could use these for many purposes other than in the bathroom.

 

A screen door transformed into kitchen storage – I LOVE this! I don’t have a kitchen it would work for, but would be so cute in the proper place. Take an old screen door and paint it, put in plexi-glass and some screws and you have a perfect storage area that looks great.  This could also be really useful on an screened in porch.

Look carefully at this towel rack. It is the back of an old chair.  There are shower knobs at the top to hang the shower brush off of.  Really cute.

Share your DIY, crafts, decorating, organizing projects!

You can find the link for my button on my top “Buttons” Tab. (right now I only have the Organizing Mission Monday button, so it is fine to continue to grab that) 
1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (link just above underneath my button)
3) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or crafts or decorating are WONDERFUL!
4) No sales pitches or web sites.
5) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

I also have a Pinterest Favorite Pin Friday Linky Party! Be sure to watch for that!

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please Click here 
This party will be open until Feb 26, 2012 at 11:59pm

Favorite Pin Friday – #Pinterest Link Party -Week 6

What Would You Like Pinned?  Link it Up!

 

I always love the shoes! These tend to make me think a bit of Minney Mouse, but they are cute and make me think of spring!

This is an outfit I’d love to be able to wear. Isn’t is beautiful?

I also love how this old dresser was used.  They took out some of  the drawers and used that area for open storage for this craft/wrapping area.  Also love the wrapping paper solution.

 

Guidelines

1) Add a link from one of your blog post you want pinned.
2) Be sure to use the picture you want pinned for the picture we see on here.
3) Would love for you to tweet this out, or stumble or pin it. (Only pin my Fav Pin Friday button, not any of the pics I put up from pinterest please.)
4) Be sure to pin a couple other pins you see on here too!
5) Please click on the pictures, it will take you to my pinterest boards where I pinned these pics.  Please repin these pictures, as it will help the people who originally posted the picture. Visit their posts to help them out.

If you like the pinterest parties you can go to Kim’s at Crafty Mama of 4. She has Pin it Friday 

If you need some help knowing how to link up, this link party tutorial should help.

 

If you would like an invitation to join Pinterest, please let me know in the comments and I’ll invite you.

Fav Pin Friday – #Pinterest Linky Party – Week 5

Want Your Post Pinned on Pinterest?

Then link it up! Super simple.  You can also look at some other great posts and pin them to your boards too!

Valentine’s Day is coming up quick! Here are a few things I really liked that I saw on Pinterest this week.

I’m so into cupcakes – I love this one! The color is so delicate and goes perfect with the look of this cupcake.

This table arrangement I thought was really cool looking for a party, a romantic dinner or even to make a family dinner fancy.

The last thing I wanted to highlight was this fun idea to surprise your honey with.  You get a balloon for each year you are married and tie a message to the bottom of each one telling him/her why they are so special to you.  It’s also a neat idea for an anniversary.

Guidelines

1) Add a link from one of your blog post you want pinned.
2) Be sure to use the picture you want pinned for the picture we see on here.
3) Would love for you to tweet this out, or stumble or pin it. (Only pin my button, not any of the pics I put up from pinterest please)
4) Be sure to pin a couple other pins you see on here too!

If you like the pinterest parties you can go to Kim’s at Crafty Mama of 4. She has Pin it Friday 

If you need some help knowing how to link up, this link party tutorial should help.

If you click on these pictures, it will take you to my pinterest boards that I pinned these pictures to.  Please repin these pictures from my pinterest board as it will help the people who originally pinned the picture. It will benefit their posts.

If you would like an invitation to join Pinterest, please let me know in the comments and I’ll invite you.

Pin It

Fav Pin Friday – #Pinterest Link Party

Link Up A Post You Would Like Pinned

There are SO many fashions that I see on Pinterest that I wish I could wear! The shoes… the dresses and darling outfits! But I can still add them on my board as things I like!

Look at this black and white beautiful dress!! I love it!

I found this on pinterest, but it originally came from the Lace & Tea blog

I’ll add one to get things started.

Guidelines

1) Add a link from one of your blog post you want pinned.
2) Be sure to use the picture you want pinned for the picture we see on here.
3) Would love for you to tweet this out, or stumble or pin it. lol
4) Be sure to pin a couple other pins you see on here too!

If you like the pinterest parties you can go to Kim’s at Crafty Mama of 4. She has Pin it Friday 

If you need some help knowing how to link up, this link party tutorial should help.

If you would like an invitation to join Pinterest, please let me know in the comments and I’ll invite you.

 

Organizing & DIY Link Party – Week 3

Valentine’s Day Craft Projects

Valentine’s Day is coming fast!  I wanted to find a couple DIY projects that you might enjoy.

I did some searching on the internet and found a couple things from Martha Stewart.com and also Disney Family Fun.

 Romantic Candle Garden

I must really like the idea of the candle’s in coffee beans because I showed you one the other day I liked from pinterest too.  But how simple would this be to do?  Grab a few of those pillar candles that you probably have in a drawer somewhere, find a neat bowl or basket, pour in some coffee beans, place your candles and wah-la.. you’re finished!

Candy Hearts and Flower Arrangement

I think this would be super easy. It might take a trip to a craft store, but just for the jar and flowers.  You could use either real or artificial flowers in this, but personally I would suggest artificial if you want to feel ok about eating the candy hearts.

How cute would this be sitting on your daughter’s bedside in the morning?

 

Heart finger puppets Disney

These next couple ideas came from the Disney site.  This would make a cute craft for the kids and would also make fun home made Valentine’s Cards. They could write their messages on the back of them.

Your a blast

I’ve seen a couple people who have made this project, on pinterest. They have said they use Rolo candy in the center tube to stabilize. This would also be a fun craft for the kids to make for others, or something easy to make for them.

Valentine’s Day Coupon Checks

I loved things like this when I was young.  You can print these coupons for the kids to fill out for Valentine’s day gifts.  Another idea if they planned to give them to parents, siblings and Grandparents would be, if you have your old checks from a closed checking account sitting around – let them use those. If they are going to close family members you wouldn’t have to be so concerned with getting personal information off before using.

Share your DIY, crafts, decorating or organizing projects!!

You can find the link for my button on my top “Buttons” Tab. (right now I only have the Organizing Mission Monday button, so it is fine to continue to grab that) 
1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (link just above underneath my button)
3) I’d love if you’d follow me on google and/or FB. The google is new and I’m trying to build it
4) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or crafts or decorating are WONDERFUL!
5) No sales pitches or web sites.
6) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please Click Here.
This party will be open until January 22, 2012

Pin It

Favorite Pin Friday #FavPinFriday

Love #Pinterest? Love Hot Chocolate/ Hot Chocolate?

It is cold and snow outside, I mean seriously below zero cold…. what is better than to come in and sit by a hot fire, and cozy up with a mug of hot chocolate or coffee? I want to share some of my Favorite Pins this Friday with you!

I decided that making this a linky party maybe wasn’t a great idea. I had several people tell me they had a hard time linking up their pinterest handles. So I thought I would can the linky party and invite you to leave your pinterest link in the comments!

Here are a few of my favorite pins this week. Enjoy! You can see all these pins on my pinterest boards 

 

 

Aren’t these great?  I started a Favorite Pin Friday board  that you can find just my pins for each Friday on.  Please follow my boards, and let me know your link and I’ll follow you back.  When you go to my #FavPinFriday board, if you like these pins, please repin them! It will help the original poster of the picture.

Please leave your pinterest board links in the comments so I can follow you back and others can follow you too!

OrganizerSandy Pinterest Board 

Favorite Pin Friday Link Party – Week 1

I’ll Share My Favorite Pinterest Pins with You, Please Share Yours With Me!

I have been having so much fun with Pinterest  lately and I know many of you have been too.  I wanted to be able to share some of my favorite pins with you and I wanted to be able to follow your boards, and of course have you follow mine.

I am taking screen shots of my favorite pins and linking them back to my pinterest boards I have them on.  My suggestion to you, if you like them, go to the board and grab and repin it. You will see who created the pin (these are NOT from my blog.. I found these pins on Pinterest and love them) It will benefit the person who originally posted the picture on their blog and you can credit them for their awesomeness!

You can see this pin on my “Fashions I love but Can’t Wear” board (click on picture),  but it is also on my Favorite Pin Friday Board

 

I love this idea.  How simple and useful.  She took shower curtain rings and put them on a sturdy hanger. Great way to hang your scarves!

You can find this pin on my Closet pinterest board (click on picture) but it is also on my Favorite Pin Friday Board

This is a great way to use space, keep things organized and also a cheat sheet for your measurements.

You can find this and more on my kitchen pinterest board (click on pic) but it is also on my Favorite Pin Friday Board 

 

This is such an awesome way to store the kids balls in your garage! So simple… so cheap and yet so useful!

You can find this pin on my Mud Rooms and Garages board (click pic) or you can find it on my Favorite Pin Friday Board 

Link Up!!

I would encourage you to create your own  ”favorite pins board” OR I’ll be happy to try and link you up to mine (we have to follow each other, but sometimes it still won’t let me find you (any hints I’d appreciate it)  OR make a post on your blog like I did (with a different name please) and link.

I just created the #FavPinFriday hashtag. I searched for it and there were NO results for that or #FavoritePinFriday… so coolio! So use it when you create your posts or tweet out your board.

1) Link to your specific pinterest blog post
2) Link to your Favorite Friday Pin Board
3) Or link to any of your pin boards – It’s easy!
4) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link -if you can. If you are linking just to pinterest, I would appreciate a tweet instead.
5) Please follow my pinterest page!
6) Follow the Favorite Pin Friday Pinterest Board – and I’ll do my best to add you as contributor if you leave a link below & you have followed it (if it will let me.
7) I in no way am trying to “steal” anyone or not give them credit.  I did a screenshot of pictures I have on my board, you can see the creator in the upper right corner. Their pins will get more attention, and hopefully more repins, which will benefit them greatly! Thanks for repinning them!
8)Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please click at the top of this post to go to my blog. (I end up always messing up that link, so it’s easier to click up top! lol)

This party will be open until Thursday at 11:59 January 12, 2012

Organizing & DIY Monday Link Party – Week 1

Organizing, DIY & Craft Projects

I decided to change up the Organizing Mission Monday just a bit and make it “legal and ok” to link up your DIY and Craft posts, along with your organizing posts.  

 

Organizing and doing it yourself go along together. We come up with so many good ideas to organize things .. all the time!  Crafting often ties in, but more importantly; it is just fun!

I’ve not had much time to DIY, organize or craft lately… so I want to “live through your posts!”

Here are a couple of my past favorite DIY, craft projects – My chalkboard jar labels were my most popular post last year.

I had so much fun with this project and still love them on my counter.

I loved my easy and cheap cord organizing solution

And also the organizer I made out of the toilet paper rolls & duct tape to keep all those link cords & connector cords organized.

Feel free to link up some of your old favorites from last year.

Link up to My Linky Party

Share your DIY, crafts, decorating or organizing projects!!

You can find the link for my button on my top “Buttons” Tab. (right now I only have the Organizing Mission Monday button, so it is fine to continue to grab that) 
1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (link just above underneath my button)
3) I’d love if you’d follow me on google and/or FB. The google is new and I’m trying to build it
4) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or crafts or decorating are WONDERFUL!
5) No sales pitches or web sites.
6) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please Click Here.
This party will be open until January 8, 2012

Kids Activity – Make Your Own Cards

Kids Are So Proud When They Make Cards Themselves

 

Majority of the time we have the kids make their own cards.  It is cost effective ..yes, but more than that, they get such a sense of pride when they make their own cards.

Look at Alex’s face as John (his step brother) reads his card. I think the triplets were about 6 years old here.

He was so excited for John to read his joke.

Here is Zach while John is reading his.

I absolutely LOVE this picture of John and Zach hugging. Look at Zach’s face. Then look at John’s heartfelt face. There is just so much love and a feeling of pride for Zachy there.

Here are some cards they made for Dave. The kids were 8 years old.

This is a terrible picture of Dave since I got him with his eyes half shut… but look at Elise’s face. She is so excited he is comparing himself to the picture she drew of him.

Kids have so much creativity in them.  I think we need to encourage that anyway we can.  Why go out and pay $2-5 per card at the store?  Let the kids grab some of their construction paper, crayons or markers and go to being their creative selves.  There are pennies in the supplies and you don’t have so spend hours trying to find “Just the right card” for the different occasions.

They are going to get much more satisfaction out of making a card.

Dave and I would both rather have a home made card from the kids. You never know what they are going to come up with and they certainly are something that are going to be more cherished than if they sign their name to a card that Hallmark wrote.  They are just so excited to have you look at their cards.

But here is an important clue.  Give their cards as much or more attention to the store bought gift that may or may not go with it!

 

Kids Activities – Tying Knots

How Do Kids Learn If You Don’t Teach Them?

Dave is so good at teaching his children things.  They have never been able to be in Boy or Girl Scouts because of the divorce situation and having them go when they aren’t with us. So, Dave teaches them things himself.

When we were on our vacation this year, we came back and spent a day at our farm for a night. We had planned to go fishing, but the river was too high, so we had to adjust.

Dave decided to teach the kids how to tie knots.

Dave made it fun for them once he taught them the fundamentals.

“You are caught out in the water…I’m throwing you a rope and you need to tie it around you so I can pull you in.”

 

He taught them the names of the knots and when you would use each one.

Then worked with them until they got it.

Then they practiced….

and practiced…

and practiced some more

Something as simple as tying knots was a memory that I bet these guys will have with them for the rest of their lives.  Their Dad spent a couple hours with them that day and they loved it.  He came up with all kinds of fun scenarios for them to use their knots.  Asking which ones they would use for what…  enabling them to tie their own fishing knots….  etc.

But for them it was just time with their Dad.  Time learning things he was teaching them and knowing that he loved them enough to take that time to teach them.

He would be an awesome home schooling Dad. Not that it is an option for us.  It is something I know I couldn’t do…. but I envy his patience with his kids and his drive to teach them everything he can.

He is actually in the back yard as I write this… teaching them how to shoot the bow he got them.  Yes… I went out and got pictures…. future post for sure. lol

Jewelry Organizing

Do You Still have a Jewelry Box?

I do!!  Actually I have two of them.  I call it the double stack!  Why do I have two?  Because one was my mine and one was my mothers. When she passed away I kept it.I do not have a lot of “mom” memorabilia, but I do enjoy having this on my dresser.

Because I didn’t want to take up my dresser space with having both of them separate, and I do not get in them very often, it just made sense to stack them.  Does it look good… no, and that is part of the reason I wanted to take care of it.

What a mess huh?

Here is my other jewelry box, the one that used to be Mom’s.

Step One:  Sort

The hard part is going through and deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. You decide jewelry just like any other item you have to sort through.  Ask yourself these questions:

1) Do you love it?
2) Have you worn it in the last year?
3) Is it broken or un-usable in some way?
4) Is it valuable or costume jewelry?

Sort into piles:

1) Keep (You wear it frequently, or at least once a year)
2) Sell, ebay or give to family – Jewelry that you don’t want, but is valuable
3) Donate – things you don’t like, wear
4) Trash, recycle – broken, not worth fixing or selling for gold etc.

Once you have sorted out what you will actually wear (I bet there is MUCH less than you thought) you need to put it back into the jewelry box (or whatever means you have to organize your jewelry)

I decided to give this jewelry box (which was mine) to my step daughter.  I didn’t need two and even though I like how this one is laid out a bit better than Mom’s, it wasn’t a big deal.  I wanted to continue enjoying seeing my Mom’s jewelry box on my dresser.

I put back in the items that I knew I would wear. This is really just my nicer jewelry.

I keep most of my costume wearable jewelry in the bathroom on my twirly hook and other Belles Dangle jewelry shelf.

This is the Belle’s Dangle shelf.

I now have just one jewelry box on my dresser that is sorted through. I am going to sell a couple things on ebay (hopefully), I gave a few appropriate things to my step daughter and I will donate the rest that is in good shape.

It looks better, feels better and I have a very happy step daughter.

When was the last time you went through your jewelry?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wall Care

How To Clean A Chalkboard Painted  Wall

Chalkboard walls are tons of fun!!

But they are also  messy!  Something I didn’t really think about when I painted two different walls with chalkboard paint.

The kitchen

The Entryway

I was getting ready for my son’s graduation party and had just finished painting the chalkboard walls two days before. I knew I had to do something to “cure” them.

Preparing the Chalkboard

1) Painting – 3 coats.  Make sure to measure the area you are going to paint to make sure you have plenty of chalkboard paint. The quart went pretty far, I still have some left after all I did.  Follow the directions on the can.

2) Cure – After it has completely dried.  Chalk up the entire board.  It is easiest to use the side of the chalk.

3) Erase and Use

How To Clean Your Chalkboard.

I’m sure you have lovely drawings all over your chalkboard

1) Erase using a chalkboard eraser. (Actually I grabbed a wipe board eraser at the store instead, so I still have to buy one)

I wish you could have seen the chalkboard dust flying while this process was going on.

Guess what you have now?  You have a lot of chalk dust all over your baseboard and floor.

Then of course if it isn’t cleaned right away you have the kids and dogs walking through and tracking the chalkboard dust.  (not that I would know)

Now that you have erased everything, it is going to look something like this.

I am guessing it would have come a little cleaner with an actual blackboard eraser rather than the dry erase eraser that we used, but you will still have chalk residue either way.

2) Use a rag and wet it, but be sure to wring it out good.

Wipe the wall down and let it dry.  It will still have a film on it when it dries.

3) Use a little bit of mild dish detergent or liquid soap and wipe it down again.

4) Rinse it with clean water again.

It should look much better.  Mine wasn’t quite dry when I took the picture, so there are a few streaks.

 

Suggestions if you decide to have a chalkboard wall in your home:

1) Have a dust buster near by
2) Realize it will get messy, so plan where you put your chalkboard wall
3) Use chalkboard markers only. Although I found them to be much harder to use on a vertical wall. I had to go over the wording several times when I was writing the Congrats Tim on the front wall.
4) If you have children with allergies, consider the chalk dust first.
5) Plan ahead and it will still be fun.
6) If you can’t stand dust or mess…really consider your options before you paint a chalkboard wall in your home.

 

 

 

 

 

Chalkboard Paint

Chalkboard Walls, Chalkboard Mini Chest of Drawers, Chalkboard Picture

I got a quart of chalkboard paint and went to town!

Chalkboard Drawers

I showed you in the other post how I painted the front of these little drawers with chalkboard paint. I love how it came out.  If you hadn’t seen my dining room makeover post, then you might want to check it out. But I hung this on the wall in my dining room.

Chalkboard Picture

I also took the chore board (the bottom one)  and turned it into a chalkboard.

Here it is during the process

This is where I used it when I finished with it. It is hanging in my dining room.  I found this saying on a sign at the store and revised it for our blended family.

The first Chalkboard Wall in my house.

Then I took the whole wall that the job board used to hang on….  and chalkboarded that!!

I hung the new chore board up.  I had planned to use it in my dining room, but was advised not to.

The kids are loving this wall.

You can see some of their lovely artwork.

Plus it looks nice in the kitchen

But I wasn’t finished yet!

I created a second Chalkboard Wall in my house!

This wall is in the entryway.  Dave walked in while I was in the process and he just saw…. black wall. He thought I was losing it.

Our front door is just to the right in this picture.  So this is in the entryway.

This came in really useful for my son’s recent graduation.

We used the wall as a giant card for everyone to sign as they came in for his graduation party.  I got pictures of all of the messages and he will have this and not have to worry about keeping some big poster or card.

 

 

 

 

 

It also made a fun backdrop for pictures.

What have you made with chalkboard paint?   It is So fun!

I’m posting this on these lovely blogs

Handy man, Crafty Woman – Wicked Awesome Wednesday
Organize & Decorate Everything - Home Decor & Organizing Party
Blue Cricket Design – Show & Tell
Creating a House of Grace – Twice Owned Party
Tip Junkie – Tip Me Tuesday
A Bowl Full of Lemons – One Project at a Time
I’m an Organizing Junkie – 52 Weeks

 

 

 

Outdoor Lights – DIY Makeover

Low Cost Makeover

Our outdoor house lights were in need of a replacement or makeover real bad. They looked terrible. The brass on the light fixtures was all wearing off.  I actually thought one of the lights had caught on fire at some point because it was so black looking.

Enter the terrible house lights.  Two of the four. These two were by the garage, and there are two more by the front door.

We went to Home Depot to look for new lights. Hubby picked out some gosh awful ugly ones that were only $30 for two. (No wonder they were so cheap, no one liked them).  Of course the ones I liked were all over $50 a piece. We certainly weren’t in the mood to spend over $200 on the outdoor lights.

So I thought, if I am redoing other items in the house with spray paint, why can’t I redo these lights too? So Dave took them all down for me and I disassemble them.

I first used primer and primed everything.

I gave them 2 coats each.

Dave wanted me to get the spray paint that gave the stone appearance.  Why not?

It was so strange going on. I felt like I was spraying a thick sand on the lights.  This was the first coat.

I painted all the little screws that would show and the backs etc.

Notice this picture?  It was one of the ones in the guessing game post.

The pieces of glass were so dirty.

Each light had five panels of glass.  I used ammonia and water to clean them.

I sprayed on two coats.

Putting these suckers back together was not real easy.  I’m sure there was probably an easier way, but I didn’t know of it. I used two of the triplets to hold and the third to grab the pieces.

Each one was a little easier than the first though.

I then used a Stone Sealer spray that was recommended.

Here is the finished products.

I think it came out great.  I never minded the shape of the light, just the worn off brass finish.

Now to get them hung back up.

I was a little concerned because up close it didn’t really seem to match that great. But from a distance it blends in just fine.

I was really happy how they turned out.  Instead of spending $75 on lights that I thought were really ugly, or spending well over $200 on lights that I liked – we spend about $24  (the primer, paint and sealer were all around $8 each)

Don’t forget to link up to my Organizing Mission Link Party this week if you have any organizing, cleaning or DIY posts!

 

 

 

 

 

Organizing Girls Headbands

Organizing Headbands

 

 

 

 

Planning Board

DIY Chalkboard & Dry Erase Scheduling Planning Board

Creating your own schedule board that is geared towards your children/ family doesn’t have to be hard. It can be a family communication board, weekly calendar, chore board for the kids, or combination board, or planning board like I created.

I made karate calendar / job board for the triplets.  Their karate schedule is different most every night. It also changes a couple times a year.

I started off with finding a frame. I had one that I really liked, was the right size, but the color wasn’t right. So… I spray painted it.

Step one  – Prime and paint the frame.

This is what I used for primer.  I also got the Krylon paint.

I used an Dover white gloss spray paint and it took several coats.

Step 2: Gathered your other supplies

I had the frame, Chalkboard Contact Paper, 18″ x 6′ and the  Liquid Chalk – Works like a Marker Dries like Chalk – Set of 8 Earthy Colors ,a glue gun, an x-acto knife and cutting board and a ruler. I also purchased a long narrow magnetic dry erase board that fit half of the frame.

But I also needed a few other things.  I had purchased this Elmer’s Tri-Fold Foam Display board from Walmart for another organizing project I am planning in the future. I knew I wouldn’t use it all for that project, so this would work perfect. It is light weight and thick enough.

I also bought some small self laminating sheets.

I had magnets that you can adhere your business card to.

Then I found those cute small clothes pins when I was in Walmart too. They were just too cute. I also bought 3 yards (I didn’t need all of that) of a thicker ribbon and some thinner robe like ribbon (for the name cards) along with white hooks.

Step 3: Measure the space that the Elmer’s foam board needs to be cut to fit.

First position the dry erase board where it will fit. Then measure to cut the foam board.
I used the X-acto knife to cut the foam display board. It made it easier than scissors to cut and you get a cleaner line.

Step 4: Cut the chalkboard contact paper to cover the Elmer’s foam board.

You don’t have to cover the back of the board too. Just bring around the edges and make sure you have a smooth surface on the front without wrinkles or air bubbles.

Wrap the edges under and then on the ends I did trim off some of the excess contact paper with the x-acto knife. I didn’t want to take off both layers, I just wanted to thin it down when I folded it over.

Step 5: Position the two boards into place.

I first cut a piece of ribbon that would cover up where the two surfaces meet and hot glued to the dry erase board.  I positioned it so that it was half off the dry erase board.

I put hot glue around the inside ridge edge of the frame where the boards would lay.

I then placed the dry erase board with ribbon attached into the frame (good side down).  I then put the chalkboard covered foam board into place. I first hot glued the edge of the chalkboard foam piece that would meet up against the dry erase board. Once they were in place I held it up without turning it over to make sure the ribbon was in place and then pushed on it to make sure it would adhere to the chalkboard piece.  This is what the back side now looks like.

I also gave a squirt of some hot glue in between the crack where the two pieces meet.

Turn it over carefully once it has dried and this is what it looks like at this stage. From here you can customize it.  You may want to leave the top blank for hand written notes or magnets. (See the ribbon across the middle?

Step 6: Put the screws in place.

I just purchased the small hook screws. I didn’t need to pre-drill them, I just positioned them and screwed three of them in the bottom, one for each of the triplets.  Then two across the top for the ribbon to tie onto to hang it.

Step 7: Make the Name Cards

I got out some of my old business cards and used those.  I put two of them together for a little thicker base.  Then I covered those in the chalkboard contact paper.

Once I covered three of those I cut the thinner ribbon to the length I wanted. I did bring it down the side of the business card to fully measure.

I then wrote each of the kids names on the chalkboard covered name card in the chalkboard markers. Be sure to let them dry completely before you complete the next step.

I then opened up one of the laminating cards and placed the name card upside down on. I placed the string down along the edge of it and then covered the laminating sheet. Be sure to tuck the other side of the string down.

Step 8: Make the clothes pin magnets

I again took one of magnets for the  business cards.  I covered the sticky side with a piece of the chalkboard contact paper.  I then cut it into two strips length wise. I then used the hot glue gun and glued the clothes pin onto the chalkboard contact paper covered side.

I made one for each day of the week.  I only used Monday – Saturday on my board though. The kids don’t have karate on Sundays, so I didn’t want to crowd them.

Step 9: Make the small cards with the time on them.

I then cut up some of my old business cards in half. Covered those with the chalkboard contact paper and wrote the times on those.

Step 10: Write the jobs on the chore board.

I put a number 1, 2 and 3 on there, because the triplets change seats at the dinner table.  They will have their seat assignment, and chore for a week at a time.

Remember if you mess up, you can use a wet cloth and erase .. and start over.

Step 11: Put it all together

The weekly karate schedule

The top bow. It hides the hook that it is hanging from.

The weekly chore board and seat assignment for the triplets.

The final project

Isn’t it cute?  I am really excited about using it.  It is going to go against a periwinkle wall when my dining room is finished.

 

I Love Your Comments!

I’m linking this post up to these lovely blogs:

Cherished Bliss - Craft and Tell Tuesdays
Bella Before and After – Amaze me August
Tip Junkie – Handmade Projects
A Bowl Full of Lemons – One Project at  Time

This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #collectivebias. The pictures, project and thoughts are my own.

Chalkboard Labels

Chalkboard Contact Paper for Labels

I have seen some of the cutest chalkboard labels on the large jars in kitchens from other creative blogs. It inspired me to go out and find the large jars for my kitchen counters.

Most of the chalkboard labels that I have seen made was by using the chalkboard paint.  Although that is a great method and more than likely over all less expensive, I did see someone who used chalkboard contact paper and I decided I wanted to try that.

I searched local stores and called all around but did not find any stores that carried the blackboard or chalkboard contact paper.  I ended up finding it online and purchased it there.  I then went through the same thing with the chalkboard markers.  I also ended up purchasing them online.

Here are the link for the chalkboard contact paper Chalkboard Contact Paper, 18″ x 6′ and here are the markers I used Liquid Chalk – Works like a Marker Dries like Chalk – Set of 8 Earthy Colors .  Since these were hard for me to find, I thought I’d make it easier for you.  But just so you know I did go ahead and set them up as affiliate links with amazon – I keep no secrets from you guys.   I also went ahead and posted the widgets on my sidebar for you if you want to come back to them later or send a friend to find them.

I bought my jars at Walmart for the 1 gallon jar which I paid $6.97 for and the 1/2 gallon jar which was $4.87.  But the 3 gallon cookie jar which I’m going to also show you I got at The Container Store and I paid $19.99 for that!  I know… crazy difference, but I wanted the larger size and Walmart didn’t have it. (I have since seen the 2 gallon jar at Walmart and it was I think only $9.99 – ugh)

I also got out my x-acto cutting mat and knife so it made a nice clean cut. (I won these in a prize pack from an Elmers Challenge and they are awesome!)

I decided on the shape for my labels. That came down to which stencil I had! lol
So I went to work.  I made sure not to waste any of my chalkboard contact paper, so I cut as close to the edge as I could.

Then used my x-acto knife to cut along the edge.

Once I had cut out the pattern I decided on which marker I was going to use. I picked the yellow because it showed up nice and bright. These markers are pretty cool. You shake them up and then you have to hold them down for a little bit (longer than I expected, I thought at first they weren’t working – but like a minute or two before the tip fills with ink)

I also decided to put the little dots on the edges of my labels. DaNita from Delightful Order always does that on her printed labels and I think they look so cute.  (of course I messed up a couple, so practice spacing!)

Then I just peeled off the back and placed them on the jars. I started from the center and pressed down and wiped out with my finger to make sure all the air was out and it was pressed firmly down.

I did this for all of the jars. Here are the three smaller jars.

For the cookie jar I wanted the label to be a little larger since it was twice as big, but I didn’t have a larger stencil with the same design.

It was nice that there was a grid on the back of the contact paper, as I just free handed outside the line where I did the stencil to make it larger.

You may think that it seems strange that I did not do the traditional Flour & Sugar canisters.

The flour and sugar are not things that I use everyday in this house.  I actually don’t use the flour very often at all… (can you say box mix?).

But…. my husband makes his bowl of oatmeal every morning and puts brown sugar and raisins in it. So it only makes sense to put this in the jars.

I considered getting a smaller jar for the raisins too… but I thought it might end up looking too crowded in this space on my counter.  The refrigerator is directly on the left and the stove is just on the other side of the coffee maker.  So his raisins are in the cupboard above.

On the other side of the counter is the 2 gallon cookie jar.

Can you believe there are four different bags of cookies in there?  Well…. there are actually two of the four that only had part of them left. But there is still more room in this for more!!

My only concern for these darling jars is that there is no rubber seal.  So I am hoping the cookies don’t get stale this summer. Sometimes looks out weigh the practicality right?

If you have already made some kind of labels for your canisters I’d love to see them!
I’d love for you to link it up to my Organizing Mission Monday Link Party
It will be open until April 9, 2011, but don’t worry, if you finish your kitchen, pantry or label projects after that… my link party is always open to any of your organizing projects!

I love your comments!

I linked this post to these wonderful blogs:

Handy Man, Crafty Woman – Wicked Awesome Wednesday
Creations by Kara – Look What I Made
A Bowl Full of Lemons – One Project at a Time
Blue Cricket Design – Show and Tell
The Thrifty Home -  Penny Pinching
Someday Crafts – Whatever Goes Wednesday
Night Owl Crafting – Hoo’s Got Talent
I’m an Organizing Junkie – 52 Weeks
Thrifty Decor Chick – Before and After
Tip Junkie – Tip Me Tuesday
Organize and Decorate Everything – We’re Organized Wednesday
Sweet Peas and Bumblebees – What I Made Wednesday

This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #collectivebias

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