3...2...1...organize! kitchen cabinet redo

A constant battle... the fridge.  (the Team Edward sticker is for my hubby Ed, hee hee hee, we are probably the only people alive that haven't seen the Twilight Sagas or that Avatar thing, now its kind of fun to say you haven't seen it, makes me feel special, anyhoo...)  While it offers ample display space of what-nots for my itty bitty house, it usually gets overrun with coupons, lists, appointment cards and my weekly To-Do list. Yes, I actually list all of my household chores by day and post it on my fridge. 

Disclaimer(s): 1. This list actually does cut down on the constant "nagging" of chores that occur when you have a house full of kids. I know that if I follow this list daily, I won't forget to take the garbage out on Tuesdays and everything that needed to be cleaned, did in fact get cleaned at some point that week, regardless of current appearances. 2. I don't use the list as much as I should. 3.  Just looking at it makes me feel productive and happy,which is strange on days when I don't do chores...

In an effort to cut down on the amount of paper ephemera (don't that just make it sound lovely, darling?), I figured I needed a bulletin board of some sort. Two vintage lovelies later, both of which became covered in the boys' artwork, I decided I needed another space so I could actually SEE my reminders.  I remembered reading a magazine that put corkboard on the door of the kitchen cabinet and I figured, wouldn't it be better to put it inside the door, where it doesn't make my kitchen look and feel that much smaller.  So, to the Lowes I went, where I bought a four pack of cork (with included adhesive tabs), all for under $5 bucks.

Here it is, a super cheap, super easy, super decluttering DIY.  Okay,  I guarantee it will force you to sort your mini-paper clutters, but technically it kind of hides it. That is a good thing, especially if you are like me and need like three different reminders of the kids dentist appointment.   I chose to use my drinking glass cabinet, because we open it repeatedly everyday. Lots of exposure = remember.  Well, that is my theory and I am stickin' to it.

1. My cabinet door inset was about 11.25" wide x 23.25" tall. First, I put up the four adhesive tabs in the four corners of the door inset.  Then, I held up a cork square and estimated the two adhesive tabs for the middle.

2. Hold up one of the cork squares, putting the bottom and right side inside the inset.  Draw a line where it over laps the door inset on the left.  Take it down and trim. I used an old Fiskars rotary cutter and board. Zoom...easy peasy.  Take the second cork square and use the first as a template for the width.  Zoom...done. Now hold the first square in place on the door, and place square #2 above it.  Mark where the cork overlaps the top.  Take it down and trim to size. 
NOTE: be sure to keep the paper on the adhesive, or the cork will stick while you are measuring.

3. Peel back adhesive protectors and stick up cork square #1.

4. Repeat for cork square #2.

5. WooHoo, do a happy dance and decorate as desired.  Lovely.  I got little pushpins especially for this from Paper Source here. So cute. 

I had extra cork squares, so I loaded up the spice cabinet, too.  Perfect for writing down those spices you still need to order... (p.s. ignore the catastrophe that is my spice cabinet, sorry)

cowboy quilt, boys room BEFORE

Weekend warrior that I am, I will finish this quilt. Ok, I just started, and well, I just really want to get the top done on one. I am redecorating/first decorating the boys' room. They have adorable matching beds and I want their quilts to match. I found this vintage sheet on eBay and loved it.

Then, I dug around my wall-o-fabric and pulled out these guys. The goal was to not buy anything, to use what I already had. So far so good.

I wanted something simple and all boy. Something kind of modern and not so kitchy. I also knew I am lazy and wanted something easy peasy. While watching Dear Genevieve on HGTV (how I actually caught a show that wasn't House Hunters I will never know- what has happened to you darling HGTV???) she was doing a playroom redo. The mom was a graphic designer and the dad was a science teacher and Gen decided to do chopped up stripes resembling a gene test. My brain switched on and I came up with broken stripes on my quilt design.

This seems super easy, but it will be my first attempt on my own design/pattern. We shall see. Oh, and btw, only third quilt ever.
hee hee hee, took the funky photos with Hipstamatic with my iPhone. Lovin' it. (INSERT HUGE SMILE HERE) Woo hoo! Gives the post a new feel. I don't think I have ever LOVED an electronic device.  I think its mainly because its so much faster than the D-word.  And I just found this app that will let me post with pics to blogger.  Might just be the best $2 I have ever spent.  Better watch out D-word...

Heather Ross...how do I love thee...let me count the ways

1.  Your fabrics, are the soul (yep, hit me right there) reason I really picked up sewing.  I had always wanted to sew, but hated the basics that I find at traditional yardage shops. When I found your book, Weekend Sewing, and realized that all those gorgeous fabrics were your design.  My heart skipped.  I kept searching for every one of those patterns, thus finding a new world of new fabric designers.  Stuff I would want to use, stuff I buy 'cause I love it and will find a use for it later.

2.  Your voice on your blog makes me wish I knew you. Heck, I feel like I do already, if that makes sense.  I like you.  Please be my friend. We like the same things.  Ice cream, pretty flowers, polka dots, bicycles, horses, farmers markets, goldfish (black moors - my bug-eyed friends were named Juan and Chubby), and then the wiener dogs (Sugar)...then snails and unicorns...and now the owl and the pussycat, all in lovely vintage colorways that screams early eighties on a self-made forest trail in my backyard. I don't know how you do it. You rock.

3. You have a crazy brother. I mean crazy in a good, happy, loving sense, I, too, have a crazy brother.  Crazy as in the stories that might involve possible felonies, or strange outrageous situations meeting random people, or sheer brilliance in spite of (and against) any formal training.  I, too, like to offer "suggestions" that are usually not so successfully recieved. That's my job as big sis, right?
These boys are magical and mysterious and insanely talented. Crazy funny. Crazy bighearted. Crazy brilliant. I love mine like crazy, just like you do yours. Below one of Jonathan's pics.

4.  Your story of success is constantly evolving. Inspirational. Personal. The choices you have made are so blatently from your heart, that you have stayed  true to your self and what you love doing. I want to do that, too. You opened my eyes to "designing your own fabric" really? You can do that? HOLY CANNOLI! No way...awesome. The wave of new designers flooding the marketplace, you helped us (okay, I still have to covert my drawings to computer, make a yard, sell it by the end of the year- my 2010 resolution, but I am on my way). Thank you.

5. Every new thing you do, makes me love you more.  (See more of Heather Ross' new line Far Far Away II on her blog here.)

HAPPY EARTH DAY! I took the HANDMADE PLEDGE!

 

Happy Earth Day! Yes, its April 22. We had one heck of a windstorm last night. This morning, as I was stretching while walking down the hall, feeling a tight sting from my sunburn, sleepily noticing how bright it seemed outside for 630, low and behold, it was snowing. I kindly (yeah, uh...kindly) reminded myself I live in the desert.  I ran to my kitchen window to look at my poor tomatoes and peppers.  Poor windblown, snowed on, tomatoes and peppers.  Blast! I just changed my banner too!

Anyhoo, that is the wonder of the world.  But apparently the Reno area has recorded snowfall for every month of the year.  It makes me wonder if they are including Tahoe in this record...

Bad weather brings good things.  For example...I get to work on my projects...my super long list o'projects.  I have so many items on my to do list, I shouldn't be shopping at all. But, in reality, I can't make everything.  So, instead, I have taken the Handmade Pledge.

Buying handmade supports so many wonderful things, and Earth Day is all about making the world a better place. 

better than bunting...

Here are some lovelies I have bookmarked that are just as fabulous as the real thing.

Set of colorful plates and saucers by Ninainvorm via Etsy

Magnetic wall art by hjrdDesign via Etsy

party pennant pillowshams by katherine j lee via Etsy

Mini Happy Birthday Cards by merry blues art via Etsy