So Much To Do

Anyone else wake up at 3:00am and suddenly remember all of the things they forgot to do? Why can I never remember during the day? I decided that I needed a cute little place to jot down my to do list and came up with this:



I have been working on re-organizing my kitchen this month and it's amazing how many items I have found for crafting! I did my cutting board menu holder last week and still have a few more projects in the works. Here's what the cuttlery organizer looked like before:



SUPPLIES:
Wooden cutlery organizer
Wine corks. I used 6o for my board. Drink up that wine! (or head to your local U-brew)
Paint
Paper for the flower and backboard (mine is from Echo Park).
Buttons
Tacks - the cheap, flat kind.
Glue - I always use Quick Grip.
Letter Stickers or Vinyl


HOW TO:
Sorry I don't have any pictures as I go. I kind of get into crafty mode and my fingers are all covered in glue and paint. Not so good for taking pictures!

I started off by removing the 3 vertical dividers. With a little wiggling back and forth they just popped out. Make sure you keep one of them as it will be used later!

Paint the organizer and one of the vertical dividers black. I started with the black spray paint but I just can't seem to get a nice even coat. (Anyone have any spray painting tips??) I ended up just painting it with a sponge brush. Sand the edges.

Take the vertical divider and cut it down so it fits horizontally in along the bottom edge of the organizer. Glue in place. This makes a nice little storage area to store pens and extra tacks. I put some paper on the back of the bottom storage area to add a little color. Add your title with letter stickers (I was hoping that I could use my Silhouette to do this but I am STILL wating for it to arrive. It's been 6 weeks!!!)

Get out your corks and glue them down for the cork board.

For the flower, I cut a 12"x1" strip of paper. Fold it accordian style and glue the ends together so you end up with a circle. Once the glue is dry, you just kind of pop the center down and spread out the paper. Glue the center (I had to hold this for a few minutes). I then cut a smaller circle, crinkled it up, inked the edges and sewed a button in the middle.



For the tacks, I just glued buttons on to the front of those flat tacks. I put the button on "backwards" so the curve of the button matched the curve of the tack. You'll have to hold the button on for a few minutes or clamp so you get a nice solid hold.



Done. Too bad it wasn't as much fun completing the to do list as it was to make the board!

I am linking up with these fabulous sites: I Heart Organizing, Funky Junk Interiors, Fingerprints on the Fridge, The Shabby Nest, The Shabby Chic Cottage, House of Hepworths, Tidy Mom , Paisley Passions , Tatertots and Jello, Me Making Do , Young and Crafty , Scrappy Gifts, Under the Table and Dreaming, Along for the Ride, I Heart Naptime, Craft-O-Maniac, So Very Cheri, and The Girl Creative.












Happy October!!

Rag Wreath

We have a really nice quilting store around here that happens to be about 5 minutes from my work. I love going in there and looking at all of the fabrics and cute projects that they have on display. The problem? I can't sew. The last time I sewed was my grade 8 sewing class. I came out with a great big C (my lowest mark EVER!) and a crummy pair of shorts. I've kind of stayed clear of the sewing machine since then.

I am always on the hunt for fabric crafting projects that require no sewing (check out my letter organizer) So, I was very happy when I came across a Rag Wreath at the quilting store a couple of months ago. Finally a reason to buy some fabric!



SUPPLIES:
Wire hanger
Fabric cut into strips. My strips were approximately 11" by 2" but I did vary the sizes slightly. I used about 1 yard of fabric in total.

HOW TO:
Bend the wire hanger into a circle. The hook on top can be handy to hang your wreath.
Cut all of the fabric into strips. Then tie, tie, tie until your wreath is as full as you would like it. I fluffed mine up at first but then decided I liked it a little more structured.
I have been playing around with what to add to the wreath. I didn't want to add too much but thought it needed something. What do you think of the wooden Welcome sign?



I've linked up to these fabulous blogs:
The DIY Show Off
Sugar Bee - Craft Edition

Cutting Board Menu Board

On one of my kitchen purging missions, I came across a little bread board that I had not used for years. I first tossed it into my donate bin but then decided I could put it to use myself.

I am not very good with weekly menu planning. Translation: no menu planning. This leads to some very rushed (and probably not the healthiest!) dinners. So I came up with this menu board to help with my planning and organize my shopping list.



One of the clothes pegs holds the menu for the week and the other peg holds any specific groceries that I need (I have a "basic" shopping list that I use every week). All I need to do is unclip the list and off to the store I go.

HOW TO: This was a really easy project to complete and I already had all of the supplies on hand. First, paint the cutting board and clothes pegs. The edges can be distressed with some sand paper if you would like.

Using Mod Podge, glue the paper over the cutting board and embelish as you would like. All of my paper is Echo Park including the little butterflies that I cut out. I also cut a small paper strip to place on the front of each of the clothes pegs.

Punch out (or cut!) 1 inch circles for the clothes peg titles. I labelled one "Menu" and one "List" using Making Memories letter stickers. Glue the clothes pegs onto your cutting board. I used quick grip.

I cut out 2 rectangles to use as a mat with the clothes pegs. I then cut a bunch of slightly smaller rectangles on white paper to use as my weekly lists. This could also be done and printed on the computer. I tend to stay away from the computer as much as possible.

And there you have it! A cute little menu board. I will let you know if I actually stick to this plan!



I am linked up with I Heart Organizing, Along for the Ride , Tattertots and Jello, Young and Crafty, Under the Table and Dreaming , I Heart Naptime , Scrappy Gifts, Craft-O-Maniac, Sugar Bee Craft Edition, Skip to My Lou, The DIY Show Off , All Thingz Related , Organize and Decorate Everything, It's So Very Cheri, The Shabby Nest.

Pumpkin Pizazz

Happy First Day of Fall! Really, it seems like as soon as school goes back fall has arrived. But now it is official. And what a beautiful day to start the season off! Of course it is now supposed to rain for the next 4 days...

What better way to signal fall than to bring out my pumpkins! I LOVE pumpkins. Not so much when they are all carved up...just a good ol' pumpkin for me! I thought I would do a little pumpkin parade around my house to celebrate the season.

I have to start out with my toilet paper pumpkins. I first saw these over at The Sweet Life and new it was the project for me - cute and easy with no sewing required!



Here's all you need:
material (roughly 22"x22")
newspaper (optional)
ribbon (roughly about 14")
rafia
stick (a real pumpkin stem would look awesome!)
toilet paper

I like nice fat pumpkins so I started by wrapping the toilet paper with 2 sheets of newspaper. Tuck the ends of the newspaper into the toilet roll (you don't have to be neat with this part).

Next place the toilet paper roll in the center of your material. Start tucking the edges of the material into the center of the toilet paper roll and work your way around the fabric.

Once it was all tucked in, I spent a fair amount of time playing with the fabirc and smushing the top of the toilet paper roll down until I got the shape and style that I wanted.

Cut your stick to around 4 inches (I liked the look of the thicker sticks best). Push the stick down into the center of the roll and twist it a little to secure everything in place (I found this made the material sit better too).

Then all you have to do is add the rafia (I curled mine around a pencil) and the ribbon. And there you have a toilet paper pumpkin!



Now on to the rest of the parade. We have some ceramic pumpkins on my buffet:


And my sparkly pumpkins on the window ledge (guess that window could do with a cleaning!):


My favorite fabric pumpkin:


Baby pumpkins (and my owl that I love!):


My mystery pumpkin. I'm not really sure what this one is made out of but I like it anyways. (By the way, the wooden letters actually say "Give Thanks" not just "Give"!)


Pumpkins in a basket:



I saw these ones on line and thought they would make the perfect addition. But then I saw the price. $195! For one! I think I might try to make it instead:


Now after all of that, I still haven't got my real pumpkins yet. So much more pumpkin fun to come!

I'm linking up with House of Hepworths, Blue Cricket Design , I Heart Naptime , Craft-O-Maniac, and Katie's Nesting Spot. Head on over!

September Magnetic Calendar

Okay, I know it is the 19th of September already. And my intention was to post my calendar at the beginning of each month. But here it is...better late than never!

For the magnetic board, these galvanzied metal sheets can be bought from Home Depot (make sure they are the magnetic ones!).  Treasury of Memories in Bellingham carries the plain sheets and also has one with a calendar on it if you don't have access to a vinyl cutter.  The store is no longer open but they still have an online site.  The paper for the magnets this month is all from the Appleton Collection from Scenic Route. I also used some chipboard stars and a Making Memories clip (for the clipboard). Here's the list of the basic magnet supplies (all purchased from Michaels if not specified):

• bottle caps ( I had these in my scrapbook supplies from years ago)
• chipboard cut into squares and one longer rectangle for the month
• glass marbles (make sure they are the ones that are flat on the back!)
• circle tags (you can get these at any office supply stores - they generally come with a string attached at the top)
• glue (I always use Quick Grip). I use this glue to adhere my paper to the back of the glass stones too but you could also use Mod Podge. Silicon Glue or Jewel It (a jewlery glue also works)
• magnets (really??). I used the 1/2 inch diameter ones.
• vinyl numbers and letters (cut from the Silhouette) or stickers
• black ink (I always like to ink my edges!)
• note book paper punch (used at the top of the September title). I got mine from Stampin' Up.

Now the fun part. Just cover the chipboard, bottle caps or circle tags with the paper of your choice (ink if you would like) and add any embelishments. I always like cutting out designs from the paper I am already using to keep it simple and coordinated. I also made the apple, checkmark, and clipboard to add some more interest. For the glass marbles, cut out a round circle from your paper (a 1 inch circle punch can come in handy but I just traced the circle from the top of a glue stick), spread a thin layer of glue on the paper(you can use a toothpick, and place the marble over top. Now add your numbers (I didn't end up putting numbers on all of them) and magnets to the back and you're done!

Hope that helps. I would love to see what you create. I am already working on my Halloween calander for next month and promise I will get it posted at the beginning of the month!

I linked up with I Heart Naptime,Under the Table and Dreaming, Paisley Passions, Blue Cricket Design, and Making the World Cuter. Check them out!

Dirty Dozen

A trip to the grocery store these days seems to require us all to have a degree in food science. Locally grown? Organic or not? High Fructose Corn Syrup? Too much sodium? Too much salt? And then, to top it all off, you have to remember to bring your bags. Why can't I remember my bags???

When it comes to fruits and veggies, I am sure we would all like to buy organic, home grown products. But, it is sometimes hard to pay 2 or 3 times more money for those products compared to the good ol' imports. I always try to keep in mind the "dirty dozen" when purchasing produce. These are the 12 worst fruits and veggies from the pesticide perspective. The list can vary slightly from report to report but this is the most consistent order that I can find:

1. Celery (this can contain up to 67 different pesticides alone!)
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Domestic Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Spinach, Kale and Collard Greens
9. Cherries
10. Potatoes
11. Imported Grapes
12. Lettuce

We are told by the government that consuming pesticides in low amounts doesn't harm you. Some studies, however, show an association between pesticides and numerous health problems such as cancer, ADHD and nervous system disorders and say that exposure can lead to a weakened immune system. Kids developing brains can be the most vulnerable to these pesticides.

So, what to do with the dirty dozen? If you can, buy organic. And, organic or not, make sure your produce gets a good wash. Norwex has a couple of great products to help you get your produce as clean and healthy as possible: the Norwex Fresh Wash and the "back by popular demand" veggie cloth.



The Fresh Wash has been specifically formulated as a safe and effective alternative for cleaning fruit and vegetables. It can extend the shelf life of fruit and veggies by 2 to 3 times! It breaks down bio film and removes all contaminants including dirt, pesticides, and wax. The Fresh Wash is NSF-approved bio-based, all natural, and biodegradable. Oh, and it is easy to use! You just need to use 10 ml of the Fresh Wash with 2 cups of water and soak your fruit (or veggies)for 3-5 minutes. There is no rinsing required but you do want to dry it off (here's where that veggie cloth would come in handy!). The Fresh Wash will kill the bacteria and break down the waxes and other residues but they then need to be wiped away. The bottle is 500mL so you get a lot of use out of one bottle and you can store the diluted fresh wash in the fridge for up to one week.

For those of you who have followed Norwex for a while, our veggie cloth is back by popular demand! The cloth has a rough side for scrubbing and a smooth side for polishing (produce likes to be pampered too!). It is highly effective for removing all that dirt and debris (if you are not using the wash) and is a great final step for the Fresh Wash.

So guess what the Norwex special is this week? Buy the Norwex Fresh Wash and Veggie Cloth together for just $38.00. Regular price for the Wash is $28.99 and the Veggie Cloth is $13.99. As always, please let me know if you have any questions. Down with the Dirty Dozen!

Scentsy Saturday

It has been a crazy couple of weeks! Back to school for the boys + fall activities + increased work demands = no blogging time! Well, today is my catch-up day. I generally do Scentsy Sundays but who knows what craziness tomorrow will bring!

The Scentsy Holiday catelog is out! There are some great warmers for both fall and Chistmas. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Gingerbread. How cute is this one? I have a little gingerbread collection that I have slowly been collecting over the past couple of Christmas seasons and this will fit in nicely!


Okay, maybe it is a bit early to be talking Christmas. Here's Fright Night. This one is definitely on my order list. I always love decorating for Halloween (I've got some really cute Halloween projects that I am working on right now too!) The light shining through it will give it a nice spooky glow.



If you would like a look at the holiday collection, you can always check out my website here. If you prefer a flyer, just let me know!

There. Now that's one thing checked off my "To Do" list for today. Too bad there are at least another 20 items to go!

Connor's Turn

Connor had his first day of preschool today. (sniff..sniff...) He has been sooooo excited to go. This morning he was full of smiles when he was told that today was the big day. Here is my cute little guy all ready to go, cheesy smiles and all!





The smiles didn't last for too long, however, when Connor found out that Mommies and Daddies do not actually attend school. Did I forget to mention that?

It is always on these milestone days that you really think how fast time goes. How can my baby be heading off to preschool? Didn't Matthew just start preschool?





Somehow the years between 1 and 3 have disappeared and I am left with a preschooler. A cute, funny, quirky preschooler. Really, I think this is actually one of my favorite ages so I am hoping that time will somehow slow down for a bit and I can enjoy it just a little bit longer. Can you do that for me Mr. Time?

Crayon Day

Well, the first week of school is coming to a close. The chaos has started to subside and Matthew is settling into his new class. Matthew and I decided to make a little treat for his friends at school and made these crayon pretzels.



All you need to do is take a bag of pretzel sticks (the nice thick ones) and dip each end into coloured chocolate. Place on wax paper to dry and then cover in coordinating paper. I got the download off the internet from here. Make sure you just use the cheap, thin coloured paper rather than good cardstock as it rolls up much easier! I just used tape to secure the paper so I didn't get glue in the food. ;)

My original plan was to do a couple of different colours but things never seem to go as planned. I bought some red chocolate melts but was going to use some white chocolate chips and food colouring for the other colours. Turns out the chocolate melts were MUCH smoother and worked much better than the chocolate chips so I ended up just sticking with red. I then just packaged them up in a plastic pencil box and off to school they went!

Have a great weekend!