January 30, 2012

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:

January 27, 2012

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!

January 11, 2012

Button Magnets and Thumb Tacks {and an inside smile}

This has been a rough week for me {and when I say rough what I mean is that I have been a rolling dumpster fire - yes - that serious}.  I am physically {we started working out with a trainer and I think he is trying to kill me} and mentally {when don't children and spouses try to push every last button?} beaten down.  I have had zero patience {probably closer to a negative 5} so little things that I can normally tolerate are quite literally, intolerable.  And then, to top the week off with a big ol' cherry...

THE INTERNET STOPPED WORKING!

That right there pushed this on edge, ready to start swinging, about to start shrieking at the top of her lungs, eyes just about bulging out of her head, jaw so tense she can't smile mama... right... off... the cliff.

This is a new day.  This is a better day.  This is a day where the internet connection is at full capacity {hallelujah}.  The next 7 days are going to be better than the last because, quite frankly, they have to be or someone is going to get it.

I am - of course - already off schedule on my blogging calendar, but that is okay {Let it go Jennifer.  Let it go.}.

I am working on a magnetic spice board for my husband.  I bought the board and the tins at Ikea and gave them to my handsome for Christmas and now I am just sprucing it up a bit and labeling those suckers.  Realistically this should be posted next week.

I am also working on a family life organization board.  This will also, realistically, be posted next week.  Today I am going to share the precious little magnets and tacks I made for the family board.


We have made a habit of tossing bottle caps and wine corks into a glass vase on our windowsill.  While my intention was not to create an artistic piece, it actually does look kind of cool.  Too bad I didn't think to take a picture during the bit o' sunshine we had earlier {Again, I am letting it go}.  This is the first time I have actually used any of the bottle caps.



I thought about painting the caps first, but then I decided that (1) it looked fine without paint, and (2) I just didn't want to do the work.


The sweet smell of accomplishment. Simple. Quick. Cheap.


Love this staged picture, but wouldn't ya know I didn't take a picture of what they looked like when they were done {*cringe* letting... it... go}.  Close your eyes and imagine a little button glued to a thumb tack {I know it sounds complicated} and that is exactly what they look like.  Adorable.  I know.

So in my dreams I get the spice board finished tomorrow and the family board done Saturday.  We'll see how I sleep {so to speak}.  I will say that even posting this itty bitty accomplishment makes me feel a little smiley inside.

Phew.  

January 5, 2012

Dreaming on a Cloud

Martin Luther King, Jr had a dream.  A dream we all know and admire.

What are we dreaming of?


Dream Clouds

I found some pre-cut, pre-painted clouds at Michael's for $0.59 a pop.  They weren't exactly what I was envisioning, but I figured they would do the trick.

After I cut out 10 clouds using my Silhouette, I realized that the wooden clouds from Michael's were definitely out.  I LOVE THIS MACHINE!

To get started, Maia and I made a list of the dreams we have for our family, our friends and the world.

Since Maia needs more practice writing than I do, I handed my Sharpies over to her and let her write the words from our list onto the clouds.


January 4, 2012

Unity Hand Wreath

Onward and upward with our lessons in togetherness and equality!

Yesterday Maia's January Countdown activity was to make a Unity Hand Wreath.  We didn't do it - BOO!  HISS!!

I was physically and mentally DONE yesterday.  I worked out with the ol' ball and chain Monday afternoon and then I went to a fabulous Bachelor premier party that night {woot woot} and when I got home I couldn't sleep {Why did I drink a Coke?  AND it wasn't even diet... ugh.}.  By the time I finally dozed off I had only a few hours of rest before I had to get Maia moving for her first day back to school.  This was exceptionally hard for BOTH of us since we had grown accustomed to waking up late {Goodbye sweet freedom!}.  So come Tuesday, my shoulders, biceps and chest were screaming and my brain was half asleep.  There was no family crafting anywhere to be found in this mama.  Please forgive me...

To make up for my lameness {and to catch up on countdown activities}, today Maia and I had to do TWO super fun crafts.  Lord help me.

Unity Hand Wreath


Uno.  Maia traced her precious lil hand 12 times and then tried to cut them out.  She was becoming very frustrated so we pulled out the Cameo and cut out 8 bigger hands.

Dos.  I wanted Maia to paint the hands so we hand flesh toned hands, Maia disagreed.  We left them as is.

Tres.  Maia made a circle out of three pipe cleaners and made a tiny pipe cleaner loop at the top {for hanging}.

Cuatro.  Mommy applied some hot glue and Maia glued the hands to the pipe cleaner "wreath" form.

Cinco.  Maia drew a heart on red paper and cut it out.

Seis.  Maia punched two holes in the top of the heart and ran yarn threw it.

Siete.  Mommy applied some hot glue and Maia glued the yarn to the back of the pipe cleaner "wreath."

Ocho.  Mommy hung the wreath.

Nueve.  Maia had a last minute "AHA!" moment and asked me to add our one left over hand to the yarn that was hanging the wreath.

Diez.  We smiled.