Progress Report

Well, we have made some slow progress on the closet since I last posted about it.  We purchased and hung shelves.... the purchasing part was no problem-o, but the hanging part was a different story... A story of overcoming diversity.  Thanks to drywall screws and a patient husband! 

After hanging the shelves I put some organization essentials atop them, along with some of Andrew's things.  The four magazine holders on the right are from Goodwill.  I paid less than a dollar for each holder, and then spray painted them and stuck labels on the outsides.
 

The "E" bookend was also from Goodwill... $1.99.  It was originally black, but I spray painted it too.  And no, no one in our family has a name that starts with an "E." 

The deer head is something that Andrew worked long and hard on, so I thought it would be a sweet gesture to include it in the space.  And he painted the Tarheel plate, so it only seemed appropriate to include that as well. 

Still to come:

• Magazine rack (I have it, but have not hung it yet)
• Curtain, rod, and hook to pull the curtain back on
• Chair (The one in the pictures actually goes at our dining room table.)
• Trash can
• Clock
• Lights
• Yellow and white photo boxes (Four boxes total)
• Pen and pencil holders
• BOOKS and LAPTOP!!!

Thoughtful Organization

I am taking away a few pieces of inspiration from this photo, and thought I would share them so you can have a piece or two also:

bhg

I really like the baskets.  Along with the matching white binders, they help give the space a cohesiveness and take the eye clutter down a notch.  I also love the magazine rack on the wall.  I saw a similar one at Marshall's yesterday, but had to sleep on it before deciding if it is worth the $12.99.

The reason I am torn is because I prefer hiding my clutter, my papers, and my projects in folders, baskets, etc... anything to keep them out of sight.  Andrew is not that way at all.  He is all about convenience and ease.  If he is going to put anything back where it belongs at all, that spot has to be easily accessible and visible.  Otherwise, the project will either be forgotten about, or he will never put the thing back where it belongs; he will leave it on the floor, on the desktop, somewhere effortless.  And the office space is technically for Andrew and not for me.  So I am thinking the magazine rack is the way to go... It is still better than having stuff piled on the floor, the desk, or the kitchen table. 

The chair is also right up my alley; however, I am leaning toward a thrifted chair topped off with a pretty cushion.

The goal this weekend is to purchase 2x4s and brackets, have them cut to the proper measurements, and then paint them.  I am leaning toward painting them white as opposed to staining them the harsh color of the desk.  While I am at Lowes, I also plan on purchasing some LED lights to hang in the office space, since there is no overhead light in that [former] closet.

Another view

Along the Same Lines

Since I am kind of on this "getting organized" kick, I thought I would share this ORGANIZED PANTRY with you, from Courtney at A Thoughtful Place. 

Here is what her kitchen looks like:

 And here is her pantry:

Let me interject here by saying that the size of this pantry is very comparable to the size of our pantry.  And Courtney has two small children, so Andrew and I have NO excuse for not being able to maintain an organized pantry, in spite of its size. 

Here is a list of things she added to help her get organized:

• hanging wire shelving system from Target {$35}
• wrapping paper to line the back of my pantry {$1} Target
• plastic drawer from Target {$8}
• chalkboard labels . . . DIY here.
• two plastic bins from Target to use as makeshift pull out shelves
• ribbon trim {already had}
• three blue tins from Target $1 section {already had}
• oxo containers {already had and LOVE} 

And here is a handy list she came up with to clear to pantry clutter:

• take everything out of your pantry. Toss what you don’t use or need.
• put things in clear containers so you can see your inventory
• label so even the hubby knows where things go when unloading groceries
• keep things in plain sight {like can goods} so you use them
• place like items together
• meal plan to cut down on the random buys that end up filling your pantry

The reason I like her pantry overhaul so much is because it is totally do-able.  She did not go out and spend an arm and a leg.  In fact, she said that the whole job cost about $45, which is pretty darn good.  

Here are some other inspirational, organized pantry ideas, to help get your organizational juices flowing!

From here

 

This one is a little over the top for my taste.

This one is one of my favorites!

I really like the calendar, grocery list, and meal planner hanging on the door... very cute and clever. (:

Piece of Progress

I did not take a picture of the closet before I painted it.  In these pictures, it is painted a light blue/turquoise color... thanks to my hours of labor on Sunday afternoon!  But before 5:00 Sunday evening, it was an off-white/brownish color...

So picture that.

And then picture me painting for a few hours, in order to produce this result:

We had a desk picked out, and we even bought it, but we had to wait a few days to put it together because, I hate to admit this.... Hold on to your britches.... We had to PAY SOMEONE to put the desk together.  How lame are we?!  It was one of those that comes in a box with all the pieces, a big bundle of screws, and horrible instructions. 

Andrew is a wonderful husband, and often does things for me that he would NEVER choose to do on his own.  But even he drew the line at putting this desk together.  Thanks a lot, Wal Mart.  I knew I should have waited until the end of the month when I could hit up the flea market. 

Lesson learned.

The next steps are as follows:

• More shelves for the back wall
• Accessories for the shelves (bookends, matching binders, magazine holders, boxes, bins, etc.)
• Decoupage pen and pencil holders
• Desk calander
• Curtain rod/shower rod
• Curtain 
• Lamp?
• Chair 

So, a little bit of progress was made.... And lots of still to come!  (:  

Cloffice

Yesterday I painted the closet in our spare bedroom, with the longer term goal of turning it into an closet office.  I did it almost without help... Andrew had to help me take the sliding doors off the closet. 

Here is some of my inspiration moving forward: 

I have not decided exactly which ideas to incorporate and which to do without, but at least I have a little direction!  With Andrew going back to school, we have the perfect motivation/excuse to take on this little project.  Hopefully it will help eliminate the clutter and mess that seem to appear when he walks in the door from work or school, and will give him a quiet place, free to chaos, so that he can focus! 

Images are from:  The Mustard Ceiling, Better Homes and Gardens, and Country Living.

It's a NEW YEAR!!!

I CANNOT BELIEVE how quickly 2011 passed, nor how much can change in just a year.  God is so neat that way!  Just full of surprises...

Some of the goals we set for our little family are to get more organized (and stay that way!), and to be more frugal.  I am sure both of those have been popular resolutions this New Year.  Since Andrew is going to be returning to school (he starts classes at MTSU this month), it is important for us to save every penny we can.  We do NOT want to have to take out loans for the classes that he needs to take, especially since we are still working on paying off existing school loans.  And being organized is important as well.  He will need a good, quiet place to study and to work on his online classes.  I do not know if it works this way for everyone, but I am much more able to apply myself to getting work done in a serene, clean, and organized environment. 

Here are the strides I have made so far: 

First, we had to figure out a way to organize our Christmas decorations.  One of the worst parts of Christmas is when the season comes to an end and you have to UN-decorate your house!  But doing it in an organized manner made it a little more fun, and I do not feel apprehensive about having a mess to dig through next Christmas when we are ready to decorate again. 

I did not take pictures of the packaging process, but I opted to take things out of their original boxes and bags and package them in large Zip-lock bags.  Doing this created more space and allows me to see clearly what is in each bag. 

Then, using scrapbooking paper, I created a little folder for the front of each box.  Each folder contains a card with a heading on it indicating what is in each box.  If you pull the card out of its folder, it gives a more specific breakdown of what is in each box.  This way, you do not have to unstack or dig through multiple boxes before finding what you are looking for. 

I used the same idea for Andrew's Army clothing and gear.  I am not sure if we should part with it altogether, but it is definitely going in the attic... if not the trash.

I did the same thing with two long, narrow boxes that I put under the bed.  Both boxes are labeled as "Summer."  One box contains Summer clothing and the other contains Summer shoes. 

Click here to see where I got the idea.  She also has better pictures, as well as pictures of the insides of her boxes.  I love her idea because it is SO functional and helpful, and the pretty paper makes the boxes much more pleasant to look at!  :) 

The next order of business was updating our filing system.  The one we used for 2011 was ineffective at best.  I am not an online bill payer, so we still get LOTS of bills, paper statements, etc., in the mail; thus, we have LOTS of paper to sort through after just a few months into each year. 

I purchased a simple, 19-pocket file folder from Staples (Target had some very pretty ones but they seemed expensive), and dressed it up a little with scrapbooking paper so that we can keep it displayed accessibly on a shelf without it being an eyesore:

It only seemed right that the inside of the folder would match the outside, so I dressed that up with scrapbooking paper as well. 

Here are the labels I used: 

• Automobile
• Bank Account
• Buggie (our dog... shot records, vet receipts, etc.)
• Comcast
• Dental/Medical
• Education/Loans/Bills
• Financing
• Health Benefits
• Insurance
• Licenses
• Other bills
• Prescriptions
• Personal
• Receipts
• Rent/mortgage
• Taxes
• Utilities
• Miscellaneous 

 There are a few more little projects I have done, but it is time for me to get started with the day... will post them soon! 

"May you have the courage to turn your face to the God who meets you in darkness and in daylight."  - Jan L. Richardson

HAPPY (belated) NEW YEAR!!!

Joyful

 "His life is our light-- our purpose and meaning and reason for living." -Anne Graham Lotz

During the season of Advent, we light five different candles.  Yesterday, the third Sunday of Advent, we lit the candle of joy.

Photo from here

 I am a pretty serious person, very introverted and reflective in nature, and also mellow.  But I am also happy most of the time.  And, I am a Christian whose life God has blessed IMMEASURABLY MORE than I ever could have imagined.  Thus, I have joy in my heart.  And I want this joy to overflow onto others.  I want it to radiate so that others see it immediately.  I want them to see the joy of Christ when they look at my.  Because, in my own nature, I am quiet and not typically bouncy or giddy, expressing my joy as my witness is something I have had to commit to prayer and to God.

As Christians, we are called to joy.  And we have SO MANY REASONS to be joyful!!!

The light of Christ in our hearts manifests expressions of joy in our lives.

Photo from here... And it is worth taking a few minutes to check out the rest of her house too!!!

 "Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth;

burst into song, O mountains! 

For the Lord comforts His people

and will have compassion on his afflicted ones." 

-Isaiah 48:13

This photo also from here

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." 

-Luke 2:8-14

One Day Closer

Today was the first truly COLD, WINTRY day we have had this year.  It was the kind of day when the sun never seemed to actually come out.  It was dark and overcast all day, and this weird not-quite-rain was in the air all day long.

It would have been a perfect day for cuddling in front of the fire with a good book... or just for sleeping in!  Except that it is a Tuesday... when people go to work.  And I am SO THANKFUL to have work to go to!!!  But I did miss that fireplace and book periodically throughout the day.

Aside from the weather, it was an absolutely crazy day at work.  There is no way that I could fully describe some of the things that happened or the people we saw today.  I do not even want to try because I could not do it justice.  All day I just wondered where the candid camera was.  It is like something you would watch on a sitcom... But it isn't quite so funny in the heat of the moment and in real life.

So, in the midst of the craziness, I longed for a little corner of the world that was my peaceful and quiet place.  And that is Jesus.  The peaceful and calm in the midst of a crazy world.

"In peace I will lie down and sleep; for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety."

-Psalm 4:8

Image from here

“The LORD bless you
   and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you
   and be gracious to you;
 the LORD turn his face toward you
   and give you PEACE.”
-Numbers 6:24-26 

Image from here

^"Rejoice always,  pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."
-Thelssalonians 5:19,23

One Day Closer

Yesterday was a lazy Saturday, and it is looking like today is going to be a lazy Sunday... and those are often the best kind!  Andrew has drill this weekend so I have the house to myself today.  And other than a few loads of laundry, I have not done much of anything!  (:

The first thing I did after waking up this morning (AFTER having my first cup of coffee) was flip the page on our new advent calender.  I made this Christmas Countdown last week, and am very pleased with the result!

We started, obviously, with 25 days, and now we are working our way down to 1!  And then to CHRISTMAS!!!

Each day has a little snippet of the Christmas story on it.... The versions from the books of Luke and Matthew, and some of the prophesies from Isaiah.

I painted a wooden clipboard, and hot glued the big bow to the front to disguise the ugly clip. I had the Christmas-themed scrapbook paper left over from last year.  The bow was also a left over scrap.  I cut the numbers out with a Cricut.  The clipboard cost only a dollar.  The whole project was very easy and cheap, and hopefully we will get a few years out of it! 

For our coffee table, I set out both last year's and this year's December editions of REAL SIMPLE magazine.  And then I filled a glass vase (originally used for our wedding) with plastic, gold ornaments and pine cones.  I snagged the pine cones from our neighbor's yard and then sprayed some canned snow on them. 

For practicality and pizazz, I made some Christmas-themed coasters, which I also put on the coffee table.

I did not invest much into our tree this year, since I have just a hodge-podge of ornaments that do not really go together.  We put black and white photos on the tree to spice it up some... some of Andrew and me, some of my family, some of his, etc.  I would love to perfect this idea, and start putting pictures of Christmases past on it each year.

This is the message of Christmas:  We are never alone.  ~Taylor Caldwell

3rd Day of Christmas Countdown

I am a sucker for pretty home decor... plain and simple. 

And that's just my style... plain and simple.

And cheap.

Or better yet... free!!!

Here is a great idea (via Martha Stewart) for using what you already have to Christmas-ify your space:

All you would need to buy is garland, but you could also use twine or ribbon if you have either of those on hand already.  It is also a great way to display Christmas cards. 

I absolutely LOVE the idea of hanging pine cones on the front door.  It would also be pretty to spray some canned snow (HA!) on the cones:

This photo came from here.

There is so much I like about this tree. The whole set-up is so homey and cozy looking. I love that the tree is sitting in the big tin.  That is a great way to hide the legs of an artificial tree.  And I LOVE the pictures hanging on the tree.  We kind of used a spin-off of this idea on our tree, which I will show you tomorrow!  

Countdown to Christmas

Okay.... let the countdown begin!  (: 

24 days. 

I love this time of year:  The anticipation, the preparation, the excitement, the hubbub, the lights, the wrapping paper, and what ALL of it represents.... the glorious arrival of the Savior of our World!  

 

 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

-John 1:14

Eat

As you may know, I have been in house mode lately.  Particularly with Andrew being gone, the house has given me something to focus my mind and energies on (though I need to be switching these thoughts and efforts toward things like SCHOOL very soon... as in... should have done that yesterday, soon).

After finding this lovely idea, along with step-by-step instructions, thanks to the beautiful blogger at Sugar and Charm, I could not help but try making the letters myself.  And it was SO easy!

Here is her version of the concept:

And here is mine (my photo is sorely lacking in comparison to hers, so please be gracious!)  

I am pleased with the way they turned out!

Just for fun, here is more lovely inspiration you will find over at Sugar and Charm...

Infused sugar with quick "how to" instructions.

 Beautiful photos that get your creative juices flowing.

Sweet recipes like this one!

And this one (I am a sucker for peanut butter frosting!)