My favorite project from 2012

One way I keep my spending on decorating and crafting in check is by taking what I have already and using it in a way that helps me stay organized.  I have an old china cabinet that is kind of shabby chic-ish, and in our old house I had dishes in it, including our everyday dishes because we had a limited amount of cupboard space in our kitchen.  And it made setting the table easy because the plates (and cloth napkins in a drawer) were right there by the table.

The house we live in now is smaller but has a bigger kitchen with more cupboards, so I don't need the extra storage.  I kept my great-grandmother's china packed up and decided to use the china hutch for scrapbooking supplies storage.

The hutch is sitting on the only wall-papered wall in the dining area, and I have to say that I love this wallpaper!  I'm pretty certain that it's original to this 1960's house, and it's in perfect shape.  Not a tear or smudge.  When I unpacked I just threw everything onto the shelves, so this was half-empty (or half-full for you optimistic folk). 

So this is BEFORE:

The back wall of the hutch was painted a lovely light pink (it was previously a blue and a dark red) and I wanted to brighten it up a bit so  white it is!  Just a couple of quick coats did the trick.

And here is AFTER:

I already had the canvas totes on top and they're holding larger supplies and alterable wood.  Most of my containers were aqua blue and green, which go just fine with the yellow and greens in the wallpaper and china hutch. 

This cute couple holds some paintbrushes, and my art journals are behind just begging to be taken out to be used!  The tins hold tags and some pictures.

The large green buckets are planters I got at an awesome yard sale for a quarter apiece.  The small buckets are from Target's dollar spot. These are holding small embellishments sorted by color.

Love these cigar boxes, they're the perfect size for metal embellishments like eyelets, grommets and brads. One of them holds old clothespins, and another has some tape runner refills. 

Jars are my other favorite go-to holder; makes everything visible. 

Old music books I use in my projects and some paint in an old wooden box that I picked up at a yard sale, too. It was already painted that awesome blue!

This isn't everything, but I wanted to keep some of my favorite and often used things in the cabinet.  I have ribbons and tools and all kinds of other things in the cupboards and drawers.  And the coat closet in the entry way holds even more supplies. 

Hope this inspires you to use something in your home in an unconventional way!  It's not the prettiest thing in the house, but it is functional and useful for me.

This is a revamp of the post from last August, one of my favorite projects I've tackled this past year, and I'm sharing here:

Staying Healthy this Fall

It never fails. As soon as school starts the kids get sick.  I realize the classroom is full of walking petri dishes, sharing scissors, crayons, and bacteria.  Here are some things we do to try to combat those days of sniffles, snot, and sicknesses:

• Wash hands FREQUENTLY!  Before and after eating is the best way to do it if possible.  Washing before eating will obviously clean off the germs before they get on our food and in our mouths, but washing afterward will keep from spreading our germs to others.
• Get enough rest.  If our bodies are run down we are more susceptible to all of those germs around us.  A good night's sleep will recharge our battery and help us stay healthy.
• Take vitamins.  I'm a firm believer in taking vitamins, especially plenty of  vitamins D and C to fight off the colds and the flu.  If we
• Eat plenty of fruits and veggies.  If that's hard to do, make them into smoothies.  We drink smoothies every day, and include:  Spinach or Kale, and an Orange or Apple, a Carrot, Frozen Bananas, Frozen Berries, and some Flax Seed Meal.  My kids drink them up without a problem, and I'm happy that they're getting fruits AND veggies - in the raw.
• Drink plenty of water.  It will help keep you hydrated, especially if you feel something coming on.   It's good to drink other fluids, but water is so important, so make sure to keep sipping on it all day long if possible.
• Keep things clean.  Especially the frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs, faucets, remote controls, telephones, and the computer mouse.  A cleaning wipe like Lysol brand cleaning wipes makes this easy as can be.
• If and when the kids do get sick, we usually have a garbage can, box of kleenex or roll of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, their blanket or pillow and stuffed animal, and their own glass to drink from.  Switch out the glass every time there's a refill and run the old glass through the dishwasher or wash with hot soapy water to thoroughly sanitize it.  Then make sure the blanket, pillow, stuffed animal and get a good washing in the washer and dryer. 

Staying healthy is can be a struggle when we come in contact with so many people every day, but being proactive and having a plan when members of our family get sick really helps in dealing with it. 

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Lysol blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.