The 5 Musts of Party Planning

I love party planning.

I love the brainstorming, the crafting, the intricate attention to every detail.  All of it.

My love for party planning always leads me straight down the path to insanity.

But, I still love it.

Over the next 3 days I am going to reveal what remains of my Harry Potter party projects and on day 4 I shall unveil my masterpiece.

This is my baby.

This is the first party that I have put together that makes me think I might have lost my mind.

But, I still love it.

Are you as crazy about party planning as I am?  Or maybe you aspire to be?

1.
Time.

Start brainstorming months in advance.

If this seems crazy to you, then you aren't ready for a party like this.

Depending on the size of your gathering and the complexity of your theme, you will likely need at least one month for the crafting portion.

Plan your time wisely.

2.
Theme.

Make sure you choose carefully.  No pressure.  The right theme should have you buzzing with ideas.

You will know you have chosen wisely when you can't sleep at night because brilliant idea after even more brilliant idea keeps creeping in...

3.
Delegate.

This is something that is new to me and I'm still not very good at it.

It has to be done.

Hopefully you have a wonderful pool of friends and family that you know well enough to have some insight into their craft skill level.

Early on set aside a few party tasks that you feel comfortable handing off.  Make sure you hand out assignments in the early stages of planning.

Over time it gets easier... I promise.

4.
Sleep.

As the big day approaches you will discover a lengthy list of things that have to be done and realize you have fallen behind.

It is inevitable.

You will be tempted to stay up late, crafting until your fingers bleed.

Don't.

Get to bed at a decent hour every night.  If you start pushing it you will start to hate your precious party baby.  Once your feelings start to sour it will only get harder to get everything done.

5.
Cut.

During the final week of prep time make a list of everything that remains to be done.

Everything.

No task is too small for this list.

Evaluate all that remains and then...

...accept that you will not have time to do it all.

Stick with the projects that you can't live without.  If there is anything on the list that isn't a major component to your theme then let it go.

No one has to know.

Be sure to check out the rest of my Harry Potter party posts.  

Potter Inspired Canvas Art

Pages O' Potter Book Page Wreath

Potter Party Invites

Felt Hogwarts' Ties

Chocolate Frogs

Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans

Harry Potter Party Reveal

Linking up to these fabulous parties:

Monday: Crafts Keep Me Sane, Craftomaniac, Making the World Cuter, Skip to my Lou, Mad in Crafts, DIY Home Sweet Home, C.R.A.F.T., Cherished Bliss, Lines Across My Face, Destination Craft

Tuesday: Not Just a Housewife, Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, My World Made By Hand, Cowgirl Up!, Chef in Training

Wednesday: 733blog, Someday Crafts, Southern Lovely, Gingersnap Crafts, I Gotta Create

Thursday: The ArtsyGirl Connection, Embracing Change, Delightful Order, 52mantels, Somewhat Simple, Live Laugh Rowe, Hating Martha, Crafty Scrappy Happy

Friday: Tatertots and Jello, A Little Inspiration, Addicted 2 Decorating, Whipperberry, Naptime Crafters, Thirty Handmade Days

Saturday: Six Sister's Stuff, Family Ever After, Be Different Act Normal, Too Much Time on my Hands

Sunday: Homemaker on a Dime, DIY Show Off

Today's Menu: Cooking up a Coat Closet

**Have you entered the giveaway for Sunset Crochet's Vintage Look Sock Monkey Crochet Hat and Diaper Cover Pattern HERE?  The deadline for entries is Friday, March 2 at 11:59 p.m.  GET ENTERED!**

Did you see my awesome pantry transformation {HERE}?

I am so happy with the results that it's got me on a transforming itty bitty spaces kick.

I have found myself eyeballing closets, nooks, crannies and mouse holes {I don't actually have any of those...}.

So, what's next?

I have no real defined entry in my home.  You walk into one big dining room, living room blob.  Pinterest has me making big plans to build an entry, but those are BIG plans and right now all I can handle are the teeny tiny ones.  So what goes with entry ways like bacon and eggs?  

Coat closets.

I do have a coat closet and, you guessed it, it is a miniscule one.  I don't want to go knocking down walls or anything so the size is going to have to be what it is.  I do have a paint brush and a brilliantly crafty mind so this cramped closet is getting a makeover.

Here is how we're livin' right now:

Lovely waterfall of papers and all!

Looks like your average family's coat closet.  Too much stuff, not enough room, no where else to go.  Coat closets tend to be a catch all for all things that can't just go on the dining table {God I hate that!  You don't have to set everything on the first flat surface you see upon entering the house!}.

When I first started brainstorming I was thinking, without a doubt, light, soft, shabby chic.  I had a ton of great ideas and I was feeling really great about it until I saw a picture of a living room in my old September 2011 issue of Better Homes & Gardens.  I saw the picture and knew that that was going to be my living room {my own version of course} and then I had one brilliant idea after another popping into my head about how I was going to blend it with the dining room, coat closet and kitchen.  BAM!  DONE!

{Well not done since I still have to do all of the actual work - just a minor detail.}

I have got a lot of tasty ideas and I can't wait to mix 'em up!

Here are a few tangible goodies that have the feel I'm dreaming of:

From top left: Source, Source, Source, Source, Source, Source

I am undecided on which color I want to use on the walls, but I know I want it to be happy and bright.

I want to eliminate the bar and hang coats and my purse on hooks instead {most of those coats need to go!}.

I want 2 or 3 storage containers for shoes, hats, etc.  I am thinking chicken wire and/or vintage milk boxes...

I want to remove the valiant attempt at mail organization because it is clearly not serving it's intended purpose any longer.

I want to make a pretty little cover for my vacuum.

I want to open the door to this little coat closet and know that I am home!

Step 1:  I think I will start this project with a little bit of fabric.  Pretty vacuum cover here we come!

Making Sense of the Madness that is my Child's Room

My Maia has an enormous bedroom.

With more space comes more things.

More things.  More mess.  Not cool.

I have tried time and time again to come up with a fool proof method of keeping order, but alas it never seems to last.

My most recent attempt at peace amongst the madness was about a month or so ago and 2 of my newly implemented organization ideas have held up.  TWO! {That's a good thing, although seeing it in writing makes it seem less significant somehow.}

Pantry Pride {Pretty Pantry Reveal}

Remember when I told you about my revolting pantry {HERE}?  Welllll....

Of all the things in the world to be proud of, today I am proud of my pantry.

I have never {ever} been proud of my pantry.  I suppose most of us haven't.  Even an organized pantry is still just a pantry.

Today my pantry is no longer just a pantry... it is a pretty place to store food items.

It is no longer a place I think of and groan.

It is now a place that I wish I could fit myself into.

I wish my pretty pantry was visible from all parts of the house because, frankly, it is the nicest spot in my house {that makes me so happy and also so sad - one space at a time Jennifer}.

I painted the walls Surfer by Behr and the shelves Cascade White by Behr.  I used a Home Depot gift card for the paint so it cost me $0.

I bought the lazy susan, cereal containers, dry good containers, white baskets and silver container at Ikea.  They cost me roughly $57.

I already had the bread box sitting in my basement unused.

I already had the hanging shelf holding bread in a kitchen cabinet.

I already had the black basket {won it at a baby shower} and the silver tray {wedding gift}.

I spent less than $60.

I have seen some awesome room transformations for less, but I wanted what I wanted and I didn't want to wait and search for the absolute best bargains.  $60 ain't too shabby!

But, I'm not quite done.

I have ordered a can rack from overstock.com for about $20 {will be here next week} to go on that one lonesome shelf and I need to decide on curtains or just leaving the pantry open {once I take those doors off}.  Eventually the opening will be white like the shelves, but probably not until I paint the stairway.

For now I am MORE than happy with what I've got {for now}.

Linking up to these fabulous parties:

Monday: Crafts Keep Me Sane, Craftomaniac, Making the World Cuter, Skip to my Lou, Dittle Dattle, Mad in Crafts, DIY Home Sweet Home

Tuesday: Not Just a Housewife, Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, My World Made By Hand

Wednesday: 733blog, Someday Crafts, Southern Lovely, Gingersnap Crafts, I Gotta Create

Thursday: The ArtsyGirl Connection

Friday: Tatertots and Jello, A Little Inspiration, Addicted 2 Decorating

Saturday: Six Sister's Stuff, Family Ever After, Be Different Act Normal, Too Much Time on my Hands
Sunday: Homemaker on a Dime, DIY Show Off

Spice Storage {organizing your spices has no business being bland}

My husband loves to cook {gotta love that right?}.

For ages he has wanted a better way to store his spices than all crammed into a freezer bag in the cabinet.

I'm not sure why...

For Christmas I bought him a magnetic board and magnetic tins from Ikea.  Super handy, but nothing special to look at.

Little bit of fabric, hot glue, kraft paper, my Cameo, glue dots and a few Sharpies later...

This now hangs proudly on the wall in our kitchen.  It adds a great pop of color in a room seriously lacking in excitement... our kitchen is lame {totally '50s, but in an uncool, nonvintagey way}.

I am also creating a family command center using another magnetic board from Ikea.  I heart Ikea.

Linking up to these fabulous parties:

Monday: Crafts Keep Me Sane, Craftomaniac, Making the World Cuter, Skip to my Lou, Dittle Dattle, Mad in Crafts, DIY Home Sweet Home

Tuesday: Not Just a Housewife, Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, My World Made By Hand

Wednesday: 733blog, Someday Crafts, Southern Lovely, Gingersnap Crafts, I Gotta Create

Thursday: The ArtsyGirl Connection

Friday: Tatertots and Jello, A Little Inspiration

Saturday: Six Sister's Stuff, Family Ever After, Be Different Act Normal, Too Much Time on my Hands

Pantry Pipe Dreams

My pantry {it is really just a big cupboard} sucks.

It is ugly, unorganized and infuriating.

It is so bad that now I have a pile of pantry items accumulating on my kitchen floor because I don't even want to try to squeeze anything else in the pantry.  The problem with that {other than the obvious - you shouldn't be piling things on the floor} is that my kitchen is now becoming even more ugly, unorganized and infuriating than it already was on it's own.

And now, I am going to do something about it.  Well, at least the pantry.  One thing at a time.

Here is what my pantry looks like right now.

I wasn't joking about ugly and unorganized {sadly}.

A lot of the crap in there just needs to be thrown out.  I need jars or plastic containers to store dry goods.  I need some sort of can rack.  I need... help.

The bottom cupboard is completely random.  A horrible waste of valuable space.  The laundry basket was a failed attempt at a place to store recycling... I forgot it was even in there {I wouldn't tell you how long it had been sitting there even if I could remember}!  So that gives you an idea of how often I open that door...

I think you get the point.

Since the deadline for complaints was yesterday, now is the time for action!

I have compiled some of my ideas here and today I am emptying the pit that we call a "pantry" and getting started!

These hanging baskets are gettin' it done in this linen closet.  In my pantry the shelves don't reach all the way to the front so there is space on the wall for hanging things.  The previous owner installed some {uh} decorative nails... so that's nice.  I would much prefer hanging some baskets.  Maybe a little basket for garlic... one for onions... tea... crystal light packets... {Are you getting excited?  I am getting excited!}

Better Homes & Gardens really knows their stuff.  Look at this jam packed space!  Are you thinking, "Oh my god there is too much stuff in there.  Yuck.  Get organized!"  Nope.  You are in awe of the beautiful labels and clean, crisp organization.  Love the stackable bins.  Is it complicated?  No.  Simple.  Beautiful. 

Jen from Tatertots & Jello always blows me away with DIY awesomeness.  Look at this pennant pantry she created late at night while fighting a sinus infection!  Get out!  I like the Ikea containers, I have looked at them several times myself.  I also love, love, love baskets anywhere I can put them. Goodwill always has a jam packed aisle of baskets upon baskets.  How can you beat baskets for a buck?

Love these affordable container options from Ikea.  When I walk around Ikea I feel like my eyes are bugging out of my head at all times {Ooh I love that!  Oh gosh that is exactly what I need in my living room!  If I had that my life would be complete!  If I don't have that I might die! - These thoughts just play on on endless loop in my head.}.  I am thinking the one with the flip lid would be perfect for cereal, nuts, small crackers, etc.  I'm not sure which of the others I like better... I will have to go take a look... again.  This time I am leaving with a cart full of stuff {not a jumble of ideas crowding my brain that I want to "think about" for awhile}!

I am also a huge fan of The Container Store.  I bought some drawer dividers for our bedroom and a couple of shoe racks from there.  The drawer dividers are amazing!  Kind of silly that a piece of plastic that you pop into your drawer feels life changing... but, it does!

I love these containers, but I don't know how I feel about spending that kind of money just yet...

These would be a wise investment since the quality is probably greater than Ikea, but for at least $15 a pop vs. like $5?  Tough pill to swallow...

And finally, what about color?

The pantry is at the top of the stairs into our basement.  Mmmm... the dark, dreary abyss that smells like our dog {ahhh take it in}.  Someday {hopefully soon... very soon} our basement will be a wonderful place with my craft room, an office, a family room and Clinton's "man room."  Today though it is more like a hole.  Just a hole.

What I am trying to say is that the basement sucks and so do the stairs leading to it at this point.  If I brighten up the pantry it will lead to me brightening the stairway and if I brighten the stairway it will lead to... the hole.  One must start somewhere.

I want a happy, "I love my pantry" color.

I am all about aqua these days {who isn't?} but everything cannot be aqua {or can it?}.

Here are a few colors I like:

And now here I am.  I've got the ideas now I have to do as much as I can while Ella is still napping.

Step 1 - Empty the pit!

Ask and You Shall Receive {Children's Shelves}

Over the weekend, as my husband sat watching football and monitoring his fantasy football team on the Mac simultaneously for the second day in a row {same story every weekend}, I told him he has a problem.  His response - I watch football as much as you "internet."  I'm not really sure that I what I do is called "internetting" {I will be sure to google it as soon as I'm done here}, but I suppose I know what he is referring to.  I, on occasion, have found myself opening up the laptop to pay a bill and 45 minutes later realize that I have yet to pay the bill and have somehow ended up engrossed in iheartorganizing or tatertotsandjello or etsy or pinterest or {as is the case the majority of the time} all of the above.  Don't worry, I do snap out of it and pay the bill eventually.

Alright, so Jennifer, what do shelves have to do with your husband's football obsession or your internet addiction?  Well... you see I was asked by a fellow crafter to work my internet magic to find some unique children's shelving ideas for DIY Christmas gifts.  As an "internetter" {starting to push it here} I love me some google image search and, of course, pinterest!

I have had enough with the anecdote now.  Look at all these super cute ideas I found!

This image is all over the place.  I found this one in particular at Lyring.com.

Original Photo and Design by Kidtropolis.

Photo from apolkadotmoonblog.com

From Countryliving.com.  This could easily be adapted to fit into a kiddy's room.

Image from Bookshelff.blogspot.com. Use some classic children's stories and WA-LA!

Classic Shelving from Pottery Barn Kids.  Simple goes well anywhere.

DIY Log Shelves via DesignSponge.

Cloud Shelf from Great Green Ltd.

Fleur-De-Lis from Bedfordgiftshop.com.

Tube shelving DailyCandy.com.  Different!  Could do some fun colors.

These may or may not be exactly what you are looking for, other people's creations most often are not.  But when you are looking for the perfect idea, waiting for the little light in your head to suddenly spark {or at least when I am}, I find myself most successful when I have an exhaustive list of what I like and what I would do differently in other designs.  So hopefully these ideas get the wheels turning and the ball rolling on it's way towards your own unique masterpiece!