Let's get Organized! Ideas {From the Archives}

How about a little round-up of past ideas I have shared on organizing around the home?

In the kids room:

Use vintage suitcases to keep all that fun dress-up organized.

Organize your kids Lego manuals.

In the craftroom:

Empty toilet paper rolls, perfect to organize lace and trims

Make an inspirational cork board using an old frame.

Keep those precious vintage laces and trims tidy in a vintage travel case.

In the office:

Make a weekly color-coded family calendar!

In the bathroom:

Use empty candle jars to organize your make-up.

I'll admit, since we are in this temporary apartment,  I haven't been doing any major organizing, but I do find myself constantly organizing bits and pieces here and there.  

Have fun organizing!

From Art Frame to Ispirational Cork Board (DIY)

I recently helped my super crafty friend Noelle to rearrange her craft space.  Above her work table she has this huge amazing framed cork board, where she pins crafts she's finished and other inspirational bits and pieces.  I love it!  

Unfortunately in our craft room at home (a rather large one) most walls are slanted and those available have already been covered with wall to wall shelving (yes admit I'm a fabric addict and craft supply junkie.) So finding a space to hang a large size framed cork board isn't going to happen.  That being said, I accidentally  came up with a solution. 

You see I've been searching for the perfect frame to frame wonderful handmade art piece I bought from an artist up in the Appalachian mountains.  Eddie Spagetti.  His work is amazing.  The particular art piece I bought he had it framed with frames he made out of re-purposed wood.  Gorgeous.  At the time though I didn't have enough mula to purchase both his art piece and frame.  Bummer!  I didn't think I would have much trouble finding a frame that fit.  Wrong!

Anyway, back to the framed cork board for my craft room.  I happen to have a smaller long framed piece of artwork I purchased at my local Goodwill store in hopes that it would work on Eddie Spagetti's art piece.  (No, I didn't have the measurements with me at the time.)  Needless to say, it did not.  Then I thought to myself, well hey, why not use it to make a mini framed cork board (10 1/2" x 22") that will fit in my limited space under a window.  Perfect.

You will need:

♥ and old frame with backing.

♥ Thin cork sheet or tiles.  I used 6 x 6 cork boards I had around the house. (Use and re-use, right?)  But the ideal thing would be to use cork board sheets, so you can cut it to the exact size you need.   

How to make it:

To make it, I began by carefully removing the glass and original print.  I then put back the backing plus and extra piece of cardboard of the same size, to make the backing stronger.  I then flipped the frame back to the front and began to slowly glue each cork tile.  I also cut other pieces to fit.  I then let it dry for about 24 hours.  

I added a linen flower (I made previously) to hide the little bits of cork I had to connect in that corner.  Remember I used the cork tiles I had on hand?  I like the way it looked at the end, connecting lines and all. 

And it fit perfect between my window and sewing table.

A little side note:  DO NOT DROP IT!  Yea, I did that when I was showing it to my friend Noelle who happened to be here the day I made it.  Yup, dropped it and the frame broke!  So there you had both of us gluing it back together. I wanted to cry, laugh, a bit of both.  I didn't.  What you see up there is after we glued it together.  Not bad.  It adds to it's distressed charm. Right? Right.

Happy Crafting!

Garden Fairy

There's a little fairy in this garden of ours...

She comes when least expected.

She plays, and laughs, and dreams,

And sprinkles love everywhere.

And when she's done,

She leaves,

But not before leaving us little presents.

I love our garden fairy.

(tutu-torial here)

It's Crazy Around Here!

Oh yes indeed!  The full time crafting craze has begun.  Last year my friend Noelle and I decided to give it a try and sell our creations at local craft shows.  We liked it, it went well.  So this year we signed up for many, many more. 

My original plan was to craft through out the year, that way come fall I would have a nice selection of items to sell.  A stress free life, no worries about getting everything done weeks before the show.  REALITY CHECK!  Though I did craft a bit here and there, there is no way near enough merchandise ready for my firs craft show of the year (which just so happens to be in two weeks!)  Yes, so here I am crafting away.  Cutting, sewing, cutting and sewing some more.  Gluing and labeling.  All fun, but definitely keeping me busier than busy. 

My life.

Always running around,

Always doing.

I wouldn't change  it one bit.

That is just who I am.

And I embrace it just the same.

Me.

While keeping myself busy so has my super fairy chiquita.  Now that her brother is in back in school  you will often find her in the craft room by my side working on her own little projects.  I don't guide her, I let her be.  She never seizes to amaze me.  I love seeing what she'll come up with. 

My chiquito too.  Look at all those wool felt scraps, I mean, pasta in the making? 

May your week be filled with fun busy days.

Now I better get back to work!

Monday Randomness

Isn't funny when you are looking forward to something and can't wait to do it, but then when it is there in front of you, for what ever reason you don't?  That's the story of my life (for the most part.)  Lots of wants, lots of plans and not much time to do them.  So this morning, a beautiful cloudy morning, I decided to step out to the front porch with coffee on hand and sit on my not so new bistro set.  Something I had been planning for years!  You see, since the first day I saw our house I fell in love with its lovely front porch.  I totally pictured myself sitting there enjoying my coffee.  Forward 9 years later and a constant search for the perfect bistro set, I finally found one.  Mid summer.  The perfect one, just like I had envisioned it.  Only problem?  I've only sat on the lovely cushioned chair- once! 

So this morning while the kids were watching some t.v. I escaped for a few minutes and walked out to my front porch with coffee and sat there...just watching...and listening...to the birds chirping, the squirrels running up and down the trees, and the light drip drop of the scattered rain.  Still for a moment. A simple little moment of enjoyment. A moment for me.  

Then I came in and the doing began once more...

Sprucing up my son's art shirt/smock for school.  I used the same technique as the wearable art shirts (tutorial here).  On this shirt though, I also added some puffy paint.  When done I'll write his name below the scary (not!) alien to help my son find his art shirt in class with ease. 

Other randomness:

I'm in love with the sweet lemony flavor of this herbal honey with a hint of thyme.  Perfect in our tea.

Cutting more herbs to dry and freeze.  Yea, that is the fist time I'll be freezing basil.  A couple of days ago while at Trader Joe's I came across basil in the frozen isle.  Well, I can totally do that!  Can't believe I never thought of it before.  All you need to do is puree the basil and put it in tiny ice cube trays.  Pop them out after frozen and place them in a container to use later.  

While cutting around my herb garden I also came across these lovely little flowers.  Can you guess what plant they are from?

 

Chives!  I know, pretty right?  I had never let my chives bloom.  This year I decided to let them and I love them.  I made sure to cut them all before they drop their seed though, I don't need more chives growing than what we already get (and that is a lot!)

I got the kids a game of Gobblet Gobblers, it is so much fun to play! We've spent hours playing the other day.  Imagine tic-tack-toe but with a twist:  You get to gobble up pieces! 

She's good!

The other night my chiquita came in to the kitchen and announced she had made lots of headbands.  One for me and her friends.

How do I look?

Wishing you a great start to your week!

Friday Favoritas: Life

I love this photo I took the other morning.  It was early, the kids had just finished up breakfast and were playing a game.  The dog was just relaxing, watching them carefully.  A simple beautiful moment in our lives that I want to remember.

♥♥♥

Friday Favoritas (favorite)  is a place where I share with you photos new and old.  Photos that inspire me, photos that make me smile or cry, photos that bring out memories, photos that I LOVE!

If you would like to share some of your favorite photos with me and everyone else to see, you can join my Flickr group FRIDAY FAVORITAS, post your favorite photo on your blog or on your Facebook page and link it to this blog.  I would love to see what you love.

Friday (Viernes) Favoritas es un lugar donde comparto contigo mis fotos favoritas nuevas y viejitas.  Fotografías que me inspiran, me hacen reír o llorar, fotografías que me traen recuerdos, fotos que ¡ME ENCANTAN!

Si te gustaria compartir tus fotos favoritas conmigo y los demás, puedes ser parte de mi grupo Flickr FRIDAY FAVORITAS, compartirlas en tu blog o pagina de Facebook y hacerlas link a este blog.  Me encantaría ver tus fotos.

Have a lovely weekend,

a recipe and tutorial

Hello there!

Just a quick stop to let you know I have a tutorial...

 Super easy to make!  And it will help you keep track of those dishes.  Are they clean or dirty?  Now you'll know! (click on photo to take you to the tutorial)

And a recipe...

Sopa de fideos, my to-go-to soup of the season.  Perfect for cold days, runny noses or just because!  Enjoy. (click on photo to take you to the recipe)

 Just for you!  Visit New Latina to read more.
 

Happy Monday!

organizing with jars

I love jars!  It is always hard for me to toss them because I know there's always some way I can use them.  Realistically I can't keep them all, so many do end up in the recycling bin, but then there are those lucky ones that get tucked into a closet waiting to be used.

My friend Noelle just gave me the lovely blue ones you see on the photo above.  I love them! And they look perfect on my kitchen windowsill. I can totally picture them full of wild flower clippings come Spring.

The other day I opened mentioned closet, that holds my stash of jars and well, I was overwhelmed by what I found.  At the same time, my mind got into creative mode and started to think of different ways I could make use of them.  Most of the jars once use to hold candles.  Those are the ones I'm the laziest to use because it requires a bit more work to clean them out.  This time though, in the organization/decluttering mode I am in, I challenged myself and got working. 

I began by placing the jars in warm water to allow for all the left over wax to melt.  I then tossed the wax and peeled the labels off.  Before the remaining film of wax  cooled off, I washed each jar with warm water.   

Once cleaned and dry  they were ready to be used.  Hum.  Where to use this lovely jars? One of the shelves in the toiletries/linen closet needed some reorganizing, the perfect place to make use of my newly clean jars!

Can you guess what kind of candle the large jar below held?

Yankee!  Yup, I need to start collecting more of these.  I love the size and the nice tight lid.  It would also be perfect for organizing bits in the craft room or spices in the kitchen. 

Other inspiration around the web to get me going:

In the craft room:  These are all great ways to use jars around the craft room. I especially like the small mason jars and sugar dispenser holding yarn and twine.  Perfect to keep the kid's yarn in place, instead of seeing the ball of yarn rolling all around the craft room, and getting tangled, and knotted, and...well, you get the picture. 

Clockwise from top: Yarn in mason jars homemade simple; jars on shelf inspire co; sugar dispenser real simple; under a shelf country living; sewing kit in a jar martha stewart; attached to the wall homemade simple;  on the table inspire co.

In the office/kids work area: How cute are those farm animal lids!!! 

 Clockwise from top left: animal lids apartment therapy; stack then sideways homemade simple; collection of  collections collection a day 2010; pencil organizer kootut murut.

In the kitchen or in the bathroom:  I'm in love with those shelves made out of old drawers.  I know not exactly jars, but you can display your lovely jars on them. 

Clockwise from left: Displayed in old drawers nest full of eggs; tooth brush/ flower holder etsy; on three tier stand zsa zsa bellagio.

In the garage or tool shed:

baby jar tool organizer homemade simple

Why stop there!  You can spruce up those jars by painting them with bold colors or use some chalk board paint to label them. 

Clockwise from top: blue jars a pumpkin & a princess; white jars and rope too much time on my hands (I WISH!) ; chalk lids wit & whistle; chalk labels apartment therapy .

The possibilities are endless.

Now let's get organized!