Coming out of the funky-junk…

So I have been in a funk for quite some time but I’M COMING OUT OF IT!  You know the one that makes life seem overwhelming and suffocating?  Oh, you haven’t ever felt that?  Well, I can honestly say I’m glad for you!!  It is frustrating and each day seems like a big deal!  It makes a person wonder if your chemistry is messed up, could it be hormones, or is it just a matter of my mental patterns?  Who knows but I’m working through it and will share my journey with you.  Aren’t you just jumping for joy? 

We are staying close to home today and making a home made sprinkler and I’ll tell you how it goes.  I think I’ll start my journey with a stop at Starbucks and then off to Lowe’s to gather the supplies.

I’ll share a Mandisa: Good Morning video with you that makes me and my girls dance every time we hear it. I also snap my fingers.  I just can’t help snapping!  Thanks Carrie!

Good morning!

No more silence

My dilemma has been this - I have felt that if I didn’t have a new lampwork design or couldn’t tell you something about jewelry, that I shouldn’t blog… but I have decided that I’m changing the way I blog.  Okay?  Okay!  It just makes it more fun for me and lets me stay in contact with you all more.

So much has been going on personally and professionally!  I will check back soon to let you know.  For now, I’m off to spend the night at the Zoo with a ton of other little girls from our American Heritage Girls Troop!  Can you tell how excited I am?  No?  Well, I’m just jumping out of my skin!  NOT!

Clutter Control - Idea #1

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was drowning in paper clutter.  I tamed some of it into a binder that I have in my house and drag around from here to there as needed. 

I LOVE IT!  I’ll share my idea #1 with you.

It is my Go To binder.  I’ve heard people call it a little black book, a resource book, a command binder.  I just call it my Go To binder.  I have one binder for me and the items in my home that I want to get my hands on quickly and then I have one for my daughter who is in school.  How did I do it?

#1.  I took a three ring binder that I already had in my home

#2.  Purchased two packs of tabs and personalized my tabs

#3.  Then filled it with the appropriate paperwork I had scattered about on my countertops and flat surfaces.

#4.  I printed out a binder cover and spine and slid them into place and now….

I’M HAPPY!

The Go To Binder VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Here are the tabs that I have in my binder.  I put them in order of importance to ME.

Passwords

Meal Planning

Contacts

Money Matters

Home Improvement

Blog

Recipes

Crafts

Kids Crafts

Personal

I’ll share more of the pages that are in each tab so you can see what I’m working on for 2012 to help me run my home more efficiently.  I’m trying girls, I’m trying!

What works for you and your family?

Taming the Clutter

Of all of the things going on in my home, the clutter control seems to be the most frustrating area to tame.  Paper seems to land in my kitchen and multiply.  Those pieces of paper remind me of weeds.  They only need a simple  glance and those little paper suckers multiply!  Over the years I’ve tried all kinds of ideas.  Bins for my paper, folders to categorize the paper on the countertop, a daily filing system with little slots to hold the paper, etc.  All for nothing!

I’m not one for making resolutions, and never have since I’m a perfectionist and get all flustered if I don’t meet my resolutions, but I’m feeling propelled by the clutter to make a change that will really work for me and my family. 

When I worked outside of the home (before children-lol), I never left home without my Franklin Covey planner, but I gave it away after I had my children thinking I’d never need it again…HA…and now I find myself wanting something to help me organize again.  So, I’m going to tackle a few ideas that I have to help me tame the clutter.  I’ll be sharing my strategies and ideas with you as I go along so you can be part of my torture growth.   Maybe some of you even have fabulous ideas that you want to share with me!  I’m taking baby steps tonight and I’ll update you tomorrow on how it goes!  Fair?

In 2012, this is the year I plan on taming the clutter.  Shhh…..this is just between you and me so let’s not tell everyone.  mkay?

2012…the year i….

Good bye 2011, helleeeeewwwww 2012!  You look mighty fine!

Alright everyone!  You get to give me your input.  Let’s chat it up.  Don’t just read this and move on!  SHARE!   Send me your comments and tell me how you want to finish the statement.

2012, the year I…

• (example) learned to play tennis
• (example) went on a mission trip
• (example) learned to live on less (and be satisfied)

Let me have it!  Let’s get it going.

Cleaning {my oven} the safe way

I want to share something great with you!  Seriously!  I’m going with healthy and green cleaners in my home.  This is something that is VERY important to me for many reasons which I’ll share another day.  For now though, I’ll share that in the past I have used the cleaning cycle on my oven to clean the inside of it.  NO MORE!  ha! ha!  I couldn’t stand the smell in the house that lingered for hours, it made our dog cough (no lie),  and then it always made me think about what exactly I was smelling.   Hmmmm…awful smell! 

This time I used this product. 

Scour Off™ Heavy Duty Paste

I’ll show you the pictures so you can see for yourself what it did.   Even after I used the cleaning option on my oven last time, this stuff was still left on the inside of my oven door.  That is not right!  ICK! 

     

All I did was smear (that is an official cleaning term) it on, wait for about ten minutes, and then gently scrub with a wet rag and a toothbrush to get into the letters.

Wiped it off with a clean rag and….

I love it that I’m not using harsh chemicals, my house doesn’t smell at all, and this is safe for me, my family, and the environment!  How great is that?

If you are interested in cleaning your home in a new and safer way, I recommend this line of products whole heartedly!

Here is the product I used - Scour Off™ Heavy Duty Paste

There are also a few kits that are great to start with.

• Get Clean® Healthy Home Pack

• Get Clean® Household Mini Kit

Don’t forget to become a member because you will receive a 15% discount for a lifetime.

You might also like these posts to learn more.

 

Shaklee has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If for any reason a Shaklee Product is not satisfactory, return it to your Shaklee Independent Distributor or Shaklee Corporation for exchange or full refund.

A few Christmas decorations

Here are just a few simple Christmas decorations from our home.

My version of a Capiz Light

My master bedroom had one of these ….

in the middle of my ceiling and it drove me nuts!  I stared at it waaaay to much ruing the day that I decided to drag that thing home and put it up.  I kept thinking I could do something with that light (barf and no offense if you have one), but I just couldn’t handle it anymore!

I saw this light on the west elm website and had seen a few ideas floating around on the internet so…

I did it! 

I made my own light fixture, cover, hangy-down-thingy, and now I’m happy. 

I used the frame of an old lampshade, wrapped some additional wire around the middle so that I could hang more strands of um….wax paper {cough, cough} from and went to work. 

I melted layers and layers and layers of wax paper together, used a hole punch to cut out the circles, and then sewed for a few hours, off and on, till I felt the strands were spaced evenly and then I attached it to the previous light base. 

Ahhhhhhhh……now this is much better!.  You have to see it (well you really won’t be able to, now will you?), but it is be.a.utiful and now I smile when I look up from my bed, or randomly pass by my bedroom, or just pop in to peak at it.  giggle

What do you think?

Cleaning {my kitchen}

I have had so much fun trying Basic H out and making things squeaky clean.  I’ll not keep you in suspense any longer.  I mentioned that I was cleaning in my kitchen and that I used it EVERYWHERE!  In the refrigerator, on the appliances, on my windows, on the floor, and yes, even on my wooden cabinets.  I didn’t realize how much stuff had accumulated on my cabinets.  That just means they are being used often, doesn’t it?  Why, yes it does!  I’m not fond of showing dirt around my home but I have to show you before and after pictures.  I’ve used other products before and haven’t really liked the results but check this out!  As I started cleaning everything near me (it became a challenge almost), I noticed this grime on my kitchen cabinet door.  I don’t even want to know what it all was or how long it had been lurking there.  Anyway…

there is my dirt BEFORE I cleaned it.  Here is…

No tricks here.  I did not play with the pictures or edit them.  Just plan old pictures of this product at work in my kitchen.  See, I told you it is great!

Since it is a concentrated product, here are some ideas of how you can use Basic H: 

For all-purpose cleaning:  Add 1/4 tsp. to 16 oz. of water.

For windows and mirrors:  Add 1-2 drops to 16 oz. of water.

For degreasing:  Add 1 1/2 tsp. to 16 oz. of water. For bigger jobs, add 2 oz. to 1 gallon of water.

Making my home cleaner {and safer}

For a few weeks now I’ve been cleaning, purging and organizing here and there.  Every now and then, I feel like I just lose control over the stuff here and I get all weird and have to clean like a mad woman (whatever that looks like). 

I had been hearing about a company that sold cleaning products that were safe for the home and environment so I purchased a bottle and started using it right away.  I had been looking for healthier and greener cleaning products so I thought I should try it.  I was completely AMAZED by how very little of the concentrated product I needed to use to clean and also what a great job it does.  The BEST part about the product is that it doesn’t smell noxious.  My daughter and I have mild asthma, so cleaning is something that I dread for all of us.  I don’t have to cover my nose and mouth when I use this to clean.  Isn’t that great?  Seriously!  No fumes to burn my throat and nose.  You know that feeling when you run to another part of the house to get fresh air.  I don’t even get a tight chest.  That is awesome to me!!  What is this product?  Well…..tada…..

Basic H

Have you heard of it?  If not, let me introduce you to the cleaning product that has replaced the other ones in my home.  It is a concentrated product and so you only have to use a few drops in a spray bottle for cleaning windows and 1/4 of a teaspoon in another spray bottle to clean all of the other surfaces.  I LOVE IT!  I have used it on nearly every surface of our home because it is safe for us.  Phew…

I’ll show you tomorrow one of the things that I cleaned with some of this safe cleaning alternative.  I’ll just give you a clue.  It is something in the kitchen that opens and closes.

If you would like to know more about this and how to get it for your home, go here.  I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have also.

Tugging at my heart strings

Does anyone want a stray cat that lives in Cincinnati?  It is a long story but there is this adorable cat that I know NOTHING about that has come to our home and likes to come in and out and needs a home.  Here is a picture of her.

She is very loving and loves to be petted.  As you can see she doesn’t have a tail so I believe that makes her a Manx.  If you are interested, let me know as soon as possible.

Merry Christmas To ALL

We have enjoyed our Christmas so much this year.  Not filled with tons of crazy days.  We’ve enjoyed our family and our festivities will end tomorrow.  I think this has been the best Christmas I’ve ever had. 

I’m just so grateful for every little thing in our lives.  

 

Thank you family and friends for sharing Christmas with us!

Winds of Change

I feel it.  The winds of change are blowing and I’m ready to start changing things again.  I’m starting with little things.  To you it may seem little (well it IS), but I just wish I had thought of this sooner.  I’ve had “toddler” bowls and cups for a long time now and I’m retiring them for MANY reasons.  Mostly I’m tired of the color fights in the morning.  They fight over who gets which color for a bowl or cup.  DONE!  DONE!  DONE! 

I went to a store to find cheaper bowls and brought these cream colored ones home.  Ran them through the dishwasher and found they are Ikea bowls under the tag.  That was a surprise!  Now we don’t fight over bowls and I have a big glass for the big girl, and a little glass for the little girl so they know which one is theirs.  AHHHHHH……peace.

Next I’m going to tackle my website and blog and things related to my business.  I’ll tackle that at the beginning of the new year though.  I don’t have the time now but I feel the wind blowing.  It could also be the wind from outside.  It is 28 degrees outside right now and snowing.  No, it is just me getting ready for changes.  oh joy!

The Open House or whatever I’m going to name it will be up this week.  Working on it!

Doesn’t anyone have names to submit?  Sparkle Sale?  Cyber Christmas?  Shop till you drop?  Throw them out there gals.

Enjoy the ride, eh?

So, I’ve been busy and so have all of you.  What else is new, right?  Right.  I just thought I’d share with you what I thought was humorous tonight.  I tucked the children into bed and came down to work on my orders and this…

is the sight I came upon when I walked into the room!

Now who could have possibly done this?  Not me???  NO WAY!  I leave things nice and tidy and ready for me to work when I return.  Can I tell you that this just made me chuckle.  Really?  Now I have to clean up before I can work.

There is even a little Christmas berry on my desk that I have no idea how it got there.  Hmmmmm?????

Apparently my workspace isn’t the ONLY thing that looks crazy like it needs some attention.  My daughter gave me this picture she drew today and told me this is me! Great!  I think she meant it as a compliment. : )

Even a 5 year old knows when I look a mess.  giggle.  What am I holding?  An ice cream cone?  I run around with those ALL of the time.  ha!  Isn’t it precious though?

What am I doing though, really.  I’m busy working on custom orders  and the open house is um….well…happening eventually ladies.  My ducks aren’t in a row this year.  As a matter of fact, there is not even a duck in sight!!!  Darn ducks!

Fluffing Things Around My Home

I have been repurposing, repainting, and reinventing for months.  Here are just a few of the pictures of things I have done with paper, paint, glitter, and stuff around the house.  If it doesn’t move, it has a good chance of being modified in some way.  Don’t laugh.  I’m serious!  Just ask my husband.  He moves just so I won’t paint HIM.  I’m in a sewing phase now.  Yeah…dangerous.

What is in this collage?  Well, let me tell you. 

A repurposed book that I tore apart to make a wreath for my wall. 

A pillow I painted with black fabric paint to go on the bench I painted black. {sense a color theme here?}

A design that I put silver glitter on and put in a frame.  It is so MUCH prettier in person.  {You can’t see it sparkle}.

A fabric wreath I made for my front door that hung on a black canvas.

I repurposed book pages on my (home-made) tissue box cove.  I also covered styrofoam balls with ribbon, string and book pages. 

I’m onto making Christmas stuff now.  I find glitter EVERYWHERE!  I guess that is the price I pay for beauty around the house.  giggle

Two shades of pink

I was happily picking flowers one day to bring into my home when I saw this little lovely flower.  My roses are either light pink or dark pink but this little one ended up being both.  Isn’t it cute?

I have a new bracelet that I will put up later and a picture of a bracelet I made over the weekend while my friend was here visiting from out of town.  I let her rummage through my “wonky beads” {those are beads that I think have a flaw} box and she came up with “Life is a Circus” and I’ll share it later after I edit the photos.

Happy Thursday!

Boxwood is da BOMB

Boxwood isn’t just for landscaping (in my opinion).  I LOVE it outside and have it for a border in my front yard landscaping, but I wanted to put my loverly container to use so…I purchased two bunches of plastic boxwood and plucked them all apart and make this arrangement for the house.  It makes me smile!  Isn’t that silly?  I finally found a use for this container.  I purchased it many years (like 12) ago and have used it for this and that but I think this will last a long time with its new use…a home to boxwood sprigs.
 

It is currently on my kitchen table but I’m sure it will migrate every few months to a new home.

I won’t bore you with the step by step tutorial because you all can see how it is done below.  You’re welcome.  : )

Piece by piece

“Really?      Puzzles?       NOW?”  I ask.  “Sure, let’s get them out and let Mama make some coffee and I’ll help.”  I stagger towards the kitchen and notice the early hour and that she is totally ready to start her day.  Me?  Not so much at 7:10.  Not THIS ready.  Recently she has become fascinated with puzzles.  Ashley wants to do them all day long.  She is very independent and gets frustrated but sticks with it and I admire her diligence to complete the puzzle.   She is only 2 1/2 and I’m surprised by her determination to complete them by herself.  Her little face gets so serious while she puts it together.  I love these phases.  Soon we will be on another kick but for now, puzzles are IT!

Something new from something old

I’m tired of using shoes as a door stopper so I made this yesterday to put at my back door.  I wanted something that wouldn’t break but could function as a decorative element. 

A what?

I COMPLETELY forgot to follow up and tell you what this is.  It looks scary doesn’t it?  Well, it is called a frog.  Yes, a frog.  It is used in the bottom of a flower vase or container to help the stems stay in place when creating a flower arrangement.  I use it all of the time and it keeps the difficult flower arrangements together when the stems want to flip out.   Now you know.