Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: Twice the Hostess Gift: Keep the Plate!

When I turned 30 (a number of years ago), my sweet hubby threw a little surprise party for me (love that man). To help him out, a lot of my friends brought a dish of food. One of my friends brought two plates of hors d' oeuvres on these adorable square plates and the plates were the gift!

Is this GENIUS or what?

I love and treasure these plates and practically use them at every party I have. They are so happy and they make me smile. I always thought this was such a great idea as a hostess gift. I have never done it but I used this plate the other day and it reminded me to do it.

I'm a-goin' plate huntin'! (I will let you know what I find!)


#2: New Home Gift: Photo Album of Homes

When my husband and I first married, we rented this adorable 1 bedroom cottage that belonged somewhere in the Carolina mountains. It was so thoughtfully done with these unique niches and shelves, storage galore, skylights, with soaring ceilings and a loft. Our landlady was a widow who lived next door and she is just precious as can be! Spunky too! And one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received was this little photo album from her. It stands up and the front says "Our Homes" on the picture of a front door. She included a picture of our house in the snow which now makes me cry because we don't see snow in sunny old Florida. Plus, that house holds memories of sweet beginnings.

I miss this sweet old house. It was our landlady's first home which her husband built. Her son and family lived in it too before they built a bigger house. I think it is so wonderful to have shared in this heritage with her!

Our little apartment when we moved to Florida.

I have yet to put a pic of our current house. I mean we have only lived in this place 6 years. I'll get around to it!
Anyway, I thought this was a lovely, thoughtful idea for someone who just moved or bought a house to give as a housewarming gift. I spotted a cute one at IKEA. Check it out here.

Happy Tuesday! :)

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: Clean Your Microwave with H2O

I have seen this a number of times with different ways to do it. The funniest account was by Angela Cottrell (Travis Cottrell's wife) here. I suppose it all depends upon your microwave but the one thing I love about this is how well it works! I never have to scrub my microwave anymore although I am ashamed to admit how infrequently I clean it.

Just pop a microwave safe bowl in your microwave for about 4-6 minutes. The steam from the boiling water will soften all the icky, hard stuff in there and you can wipe it out. No chemicals from cleaner needed. NO SCRUBBING while contorting yourself into positions not intended for the human form. I have also heard you can add vinegar but the smell from the coffee maker when I clean it with vinegar keeps me at bay. Lemon juice added to the water is also another option.

Tip #2: Cleaning Those Icky Straps on a High Chair or Booster Seat


I am kinda anti-high chair because I have a fear of all the food particles that would get under those cushy seats and into nooks and crannies that I never understood the purpose of. (I so ended that sentence on a preposition but do any of you care as much as I do? It will be growth for me just to leave it.) Instead, I started using booster seats that come with the little tray. Love them, easy to wipe down, and I can see where all the crumbs and food pieces go. But those straps. Ewwwwww!

My mom used the same kind of chair for my nephews and she would soak the straps in a bowl with bleach. I am not someone who should handle bleach around anything. My clothing, carpet, shoes, whatever would get splattered. I am just too klutzy. Plus, one not so bright moment remains in infamy around here. I forgot and left canvas chair covers for some outdoor lounge chairs soaking in bleach once and when I came back it was full of holes. Bleach and me...we ain't tight.

So instead, I use the Oxy clean powder. Smells much better. Just fill a small bowl with super hot water, put about a tablespoon or two in the water and soak the straps to get all the grime off. I use a tooth brush to scrub the straps and they end up so clean. Simple!

Happy Tuesday sweet friends!

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip#1: Zip Up Your Cereal

I am so tickled that I felt a visual was needed on this tip. But once again, I am like the last person on earth to grasp such a simplistic concept of opening a fresh box of cereal pouring it into a zip tight bag, and ensuring its freshness. But I can be rather lazy about cereal. I will rip open the inner bag with reckless abandon and tear the thing from top to bottom. Or I will carefully use scissors but make the opening huge and when I pour it, half the box goes in the bowl. You, know as I type this I realize I am illustrating myself to be a complete moron. But I really think it has more to do with impatience and a lack of breakfast fare discipline.

I also could buy a plastic, Tupperware container but then I have to clean it (lazy) and I have to go buy it (cheap). Oh, another other thing I do is leave a cereal box with the top open on the counter for like, the whole day since it is a non-perishable. However, it is not non-staleable. And I often serve my poor children, teeth chipping, tasteless, dry good gruel where its only hope is to use the softening magic of milk.

So in a nutshell...Tip: Put cereal in a sealable bag inside the box. Here is a picture in case you are like me and often miss the obvious in the midst of a chaotic, daily life...

Do you like how I artistically displayed the empty bag the cereal initially came in? Does this clarify it better for you? Since apparently I felt the need to show you that once the zip tight bag is filled the other one is empty and a photo grouping was mandatory for a simple visual.

Annnnnnnd here's the top visual to show you the bag inside the box.

You may find it easier to insert the bag inside the box first as you pour the cereal in the bag to reduce crushing the delicate nuggets of cereal...(okay, laughing my patootie off as I type). I am hoping you know I have been facetious about the "how to of bagging cereal."

Tip #2: Wallies Chalk Board

I discovered this little find at Home Goods the other week and nearly squealed with delight since it was something I was specifically looking for. I had found this same kind of thing in another store for around $50 or $60 and I thought that price was way too much for a sticky backed chalk board for Cati's room.

Then I came across this at Home Goods for $16.99. Much more in my price range! So I decided to go online to the Wallies website and it is even cheaper online at $12.99 last I checked ( but probably not with shipping).

It is so perfect for Cati's room since we rent and I really don't want to paint one wall with chalkboard paint only to re-do it when we leave. I also believe if I got a hold of chalk board paint I would paint every conceivable surface with it because labeling is like an obsessive hobby for me and how cute would that be throughout my home decor? Okay, yeah. It would cease to be cute if everything became a chalkboard but I still feel like this is entirely too much of a temptation for me to overcome.

You can check out this cute Wallies chalk board here.

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Two Tips Tuesday

OK. I said I was going to do holiday, festive like tips until after Christmas. I said it. I meant it.

And I am totally reneging on it because I am just plain weary.

I have been sick since Thanksgiving, my brain is fried and I am trying to have some joy here. So in order to do that I am unable to do my tips on pretty tablescapes and other festive stuff. Maybe next year. Will you forgive me?

Fabulous. Here we go...

Tip #1: Filling a Ziplock Bag

I must say that this one may be obvious to some of you but when I discovered this, I thought I was an absolute genius! Maybe the last person on earth to grasp this concept but I felt smart.

And obviously I felt the largest photo possible was a necessity as well.

Anyway. I discovered that if I put a ziplock bag over a glass or a bowl (depending on the size bag I am using) it is easier to fill and it stands up by itself. Just put it over the glass/bowl like you would a trash bag over a wastebasket. Wa la! Easy fill. Great for:

• Icing your cupcakes or cookies
• Cutting fruits and veggies and popping them in the bag really quick
• Pouring marinades, breadcrumb mixtures, or dough recipes (like friendship bread)

Tip #2: Toy Swap

BFF and I have taken to swapping toys, DVDs, whatever. It makes sense. We really did not pay attention to our brilliance at first because we are both first and foremost...cheap. We traded DVDs and small baby toys since her oldest is 18 months older than my Cati. Ella and her youngest are 4 months apart. So we actually have cycled some stuff twice. And what makes it work is that the kids get excited to have something new and it costs us ZERO DOLLARS. NOTHING!!!

See this toy monstrosity? Which costs 80 buckaroonies in the store? Well, my kiddos thought this thing was a blast when at Aunt Kelly's house (BFF) and so we swapped. Her boys loved the toy I gave her (drawing a total blank on what it was) and my girls love this. Best part? When I am sick of looking at, hearing, tripping over, and moving this thing and I can give it back.

So this Christmas when the kids have played out all their goodies...get some mommy friends together and start swapping.

Happy Tuesday Friends!

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: Have a Cozy, Christmas Tea with a Friend

You probably don't know this about me but I love anything having to do with tea. I collect teapots though they went in boxes when children came on the scene. I was hooked when I learned all the elements that make up a tea. What hit me the most is that having tea makes you stop the busyness of life. So I am going to encourage you to try this during the Christmas season. It may not be your thing but humor me. It takes little effort and all I ask is you try it...

• Invite a special friend or two to tea. Send an invitation to make it fun.
• Dress up your table with a tablecloth. You don't need "tea" things to give attention to a table. But put a tablecloth on it, set it with cups, sugar bowl, creamer, and a little plate for goodies. Use cloth napkins if you have them and set out a teapot or carafe.
• Have flowers or some other Christmas centerpiece.
• Now here is the super cool thing...if you don't like tea, no worries! Have coffee, hot chocolate, spiced cider, etc. It is the EXPERIENCE that matters. Take your coffee pot straight from the coffeemaker and pour it into cups if you have to.
• Make or buy fresh fruit, muffins, scones, little pastries, etc. A few treats is all you need.
• Make or buy a thoughtfuil gift (like an ornament).
• Now chit chat for an hour or two. I promise you it will refresh you and make you feel truly connected with the friends or family sitting beside you.
• You can even try this alone and curl up with a good book. There is something so special about making a cup of tea or coffee an event rather than a morning ritual and when you share it with friends, it is such a lovely time.

Tip #2: Showing some Christmas Spirit

I love that this season is another opportunity to think beyond ourselves to bless someone else. Here are some ideas...

• Bake cookies and give them to neighbors you don't know very well.
• Adopt a grandparent at a local retirement home and visit them during the season and after.
• Volunteer at a shelter on Christmas day for an hour or two.
• Bring home a friend who is alone this Christmas and include them in all your festivities.
• Get a group together to go caroling. Its fun. Yes, you may feel stupid but you laugh a lot.
• Offer to wrap presents for a single mom who works full time or even get together with a group to give gift cards or monetary gifts to several single moms.
• Have your child's class at school or Sunday school make cards for soldiers overseas to send during Christmas.
• Sponsor a foster child (near and dear to my heart) with gifts this Christmas.
• Pay for the car behind you in a drive thru.
• Give blood.
• Let someone go before you in line or give someone else the closer parking spot.
• Reconnect with a friend you lost touch with over the last few years.

Happy Tuesday Sweet Friends!

Two Tips Tuesday

Ohhhhhhh...the fun of this TTT post! I love doing these tips because often I come up with them on the fly or I am inspired by ordinary, every day things. I am like crafty Macgyver...okay, that might be a stretch. But I really like coming up with creative ways of doing things. So for today I brainstormed some fun ideas for gift wrapping and ornament giving. Here we go...

Tip #1: UNIQUE, CREATIVE, & THOUGHTFUL GIFT WRAPPING:

Book Giving: Try wrapping books like a book cover (like we did back in school with paper bags). It is not a surprise when you get a book (it's kinda obvious) so why not get playful and wrap it in newspaper (like my example) or with a paper, grocery bag? The bag would be fun because you could doodle names on it like you did in school. :)

Attach a paper bookmark as a tag or get one from me when I someday have an Etsy store and finally sell my felt bookmarks like the one in the pic! Oh, someday...focus, Jess.

Cookies In A Tin With A Little Extra: The above photo is a cookie tin but I wrapped it in a snowman towel and wrapped each side with raffia to look like a little treat itself. Attached to the left side is a cookie cutter and cookie recipe. A great way to add to some EXTRA goodies to your already yummy, holiday goodies.

Tea Stained Sheet Music Wrapping Paper: Now understand I usually stage Two Tips each week. And I, Jessica, actually tea stained sheet music for this post. Because that is how much I love you. And I am chic cheap. I just downloaded free sheet music, tea stained it and dried it in the oven for an old look. Wrapped it with a little bell to match the theme. I actually did this a few years ago as a centerpiece and I used glitter on the paper to make it sparkle. It was pretty.

Tiny Scribbles Wrap: I had my Cati color on the backside of wrapping paper to make a homemade wrap for the grandparents. Great idea throughout the year too. I bought cute little magnet frames on clearance, stocked up, and I will give them from the kids with their pics in them. This gift is wrapped in the custom decorated paper and I tied a felt pom pom I made with a pipe cleaner for some childlike playfulness.


Fabric & Measuring Tape Wrap: OK. If anyone gave me a gift like this I would heart them forever. I love, love, love anything fabric and this is one of those gifts you give when you know something about that person. Like me, I love fabric so this would be a gift within a gift because I would use the fabric too! Oh how fun. Plus, it is reusable. (That's for my green peeps). And isn't the measuring tape perfect?

Tip #2: ORNAMENT GIVING IDEAS

OK, I am weary from all that fake gift wrapping. So no more pictures. I am just too tired. But brilliance I have. Okay, no. Just ideas.

Lifetime Set of Ornaments: Obviously, a gazillion people out there do ornaments each each year for their kids. It was done for me and probably for a zillion of you. But I grew into this anal retentive woman who needs everything with a theme. It is ridiculous but it is the essence of me. So. I decided that my girls can do whatever they want with their tree but we are going to give them a silver ornament each year. It may be different but the unifying factor will be silver. There are so many other way you can do this. Some people do a hallmark ornament each year. Maybe a repetitive theme like a tree full of santas, snowmen, angels, etc. How about an annual photo ornament? I like the idea of collecting vintage numbers, cookie cutters, spelling family members names...really, the list is endless.

Ornament Set for a family: Why not buy a pretty set of ornaments and attach them to a set of gifts you are giving to a particular family or group of friends? You can use them in lieu of gift tags and in the end that family has a new set of ornaments for the tree.

Whew. This post took it out of me. I am off to bed but I promise to be a better planner next week and not wait until the last minute.

Happy Tuesday!

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: Holiday Hostess Gift

I am so excited about this tip that I doing a tiny bounce in my chair as I type! Nothing is more fun to me than giving people gifts and this is the season to give a hostess a gift of appreciation for incredible hospitality. From cookie and ornament exchanges, dessert parties to family get-togethers, there are opportunities galore to give a thoughtful gift.

This Thanksgiving we are spending it with new friends. BFF broke my heart and decided to go to NC this year to visit family that moved from our neck of the woods just last year. We don't have any family here buuuuuut...we are grateful for new traditions and making new friends!!!!

Anyway, I decided to make this...well, I have no idea what to call this. I guess a flower holder. I say this because I recycled a large coffee mate container by wrapping it in felt and spelled out BLOOM across the bottom. The problem is the canister is made to hold dry powder, not water so I plan to put an inexpensive vase inside. I love that I re-purposed this container for my very green friends who are hosting Thanksgiving. I plan to buy flowers to put in it as a gift.

And as I type I am cracking up because this friend reads my blog (especially 2 Tips) and I am being ghetto tacky as I not only post what I am giving her but put a picture of it as well. Um, so to my friend Alaina...SURPRISE!

I really think this would make for a great gift for the holiday season. Ideas to use for are flowers, Christmas cookies, candy, a gift, whatever goodies you can think of to give to someone. I personally love packages that are a gift in and of itself. Obviously, felt and fabric are my thing but you could scrapbook this thing into the cutest little package everrrrrr! Paper would be faster and so gorgeous with all the endless embellishments it can have.

I plan to make myself one that says Cookies on it. I also endeavor to someday use different size containers and make a cute play canister set for the girls for their play kitchen.

Trying to get the whole thing for ya but it was a challenge. My camera does let me stitch all these photos together to make a panoramic view but...um...I am techy challenged. So use your imagination.

I used contrasting embroidery floss with both a blanket stitch and running stitch for interest and wrapped a lighter brown, felt ribbon around the top. Not sure if I can let this one go. It is so fun and happy!! :) Plus, I did my best to make it something she can use more often if she chooses.

Tip #2: Glam It Up For Your Festive Feast

I love, love, love attention to detail on a table. It is so my thing and I dig tablescapes, centerpieces, and all things different and creative. Because it all centered around eating! Food Decor! You just can't get better than that. So here are some ideas to get your minds churning. Sadly, the pics are sub par but their lack of clarity is made up for with my brilliant tip. :D

I am bummed that my photo taking skills were even more non-existent 3 years ago when I did this really cute centerpiece for Thanksgiving. This is the only photo I found and the table was not even done yet but I press on!

Anyway, I used white roses and green apples, grapes, and herbs to make a fun arrangement on the table. So pretty. I even tucked rosemary sprigs in the napkins for a simple touch. I would have made this amazing table but my mother came down for Thanksgiving that year and the woman will make a feast fit for 50 people and there was only 4 of us with Cati. No room for anything but the food. And she did alllll the cooking, God bless her.

This is a photo from my table from my Church's Christmas Tea last year. Squint and you can see it better. I loved seeing all the beautifully decorated tables. Most of us whipped out our china though I was not bringing my glasses that would break if you merely look at them so I splurged for 8 smoky grey water glasses at the dollar tree. It worked with my silver theme.

My theme was a partridge in a pear tree. I found a tree branch (no easy feat in palm tree laden, sunny, Florida), painted it kinda like a white, glittery birch, glued silver leaves on the sparse branches and hung silver pear ornaments, I even clipped on a little bird ornament which was not a partridge but people got it so who cares. The base was a white batting covered in sparkly snow with silver and gold leaves. The plates had confetti filler made nests that hubby and I made and I filled them with Ferrero Rocher hazelnut chocolates (so yummy) so they looked like 3 golden eggs inside a white nest.

I have more ideas up my sleeve but I will save them for more Tuesday Tips during the rest of this season.

In the meantime, do you have any fun or creative table ideas? Place cards? Centerpieces? Give us the scoop!

Happy Tuesday Friends!

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: A Prayer or Thankfulness Tree

Deck my blog with holiday fuuuuuuuuuuuun...fa lalalala la la laaaa
All my tips will be like this till the New Year...fa la la la la la la laaaaaaaaaaaa!

OK. Lame song. But the holidays are officially here and there are so many goodies we can do with the rest of the tips in 2009. I will challenge myself to do just that!

A prayer or thankfulness tree, you ask? This is not a new idea but I love that so many people do this each year. It is simply just a tree with leaves that say what the person is thankful for or prayers written on each leaf to pray for during the holiday season. BFF has one in her entry that is kind of like a guest book which is so nice. It is a paint drawn tree on paper and she has a bowl of leaves for each person to fill out and hang on the tree. I have always wanted to get a tree branch from outside and make it into a mini tree and hang reusable leaves on them. That has been my plan for 2 years and I still have not done it.

More inspiration...

• Set a pretty bowl on the table with several cut out leaves or buy the ones in packages at the store to write out your thankful notes.
• A unique and different idea...a girlfriend and I were designated to decorate for a baby shower for a dear friend of ours and we filled a glass vase full of brown river rocks. We had each guest sign their name and write an attribute of our friend on that rock.
• Make a large, paper tree for the fridge, cut out paper covered magnets in tree shapes, color, and write them out during the whole month of November until Thanksgiving.
• Postpone this idea until Christmas, have a tabletop tree and write out prayers or the things you consider in life to be a precious gift. Write them on ornaments to hang on the tree.

Tip #2: Photo Gift Tags for Tots

I love wrapping gifts. My mother always made them look BEAUTIFUL and about killed herself doing it each year. But one thing I have learned is to simplify this season as much as possible. I used to do fancy bows and gifts tags. The whole shebang. But the first time I saw Cati tear into a gift and not notice one thing about the nifty little bow or how I uniquely offset the ribbon on the top, I knew things would change. My efforts were utterly ignored and I realized...WHO CARES? But I still have to be me so it needs to look cute.

This year I want Cati to have lots of fun and be a Christmas helper to hand out all the gifts. I initially thought I would designate a particular wrapping paper for each of us but then I realized that might not go well with what I purchased during last years after Christmas sale. What if there is ONE, lonely gift that has random paper? It would drive me into bouts of insomnia.

So I decided to make photo gift tags. That way, Cati could look at it and know who's gift it is and feel involved. It also may help prevent her from tearing into all the other gifts. I went to Walgreen's, chose photos and had them printed in black and white, and wallet size to give me four pictures per sheet. Then I mounted them on paper, hole punched the corner and wrapped it with ribbon. Here are a few I have already wrapped for the girls...

Happy Tuesday Friends!

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: Label a Canister



I have kept this canister from a little set I had when I was single and in my first apartment. It is the only one left but I have always used it for miscellaneous things in the pantry or around the house. The latest uses were a piggy bank for Cati and now it is housing Halloween candy. I love that I can just label it with a dry erase marker and erase it when I find a new use for it. Endless possibilities and I get to indulge in my obsession with labeling any and all things.


Tip #2: Some Great Websites that Save You BIG MOOLA!


I am all about a deal and I am discovering that I have gone far too long in not taking advantage of deals that are floating around out there in cyberland because I have just been too lazy to go look for them. But over the last year I have had delightfully frugal friends who have clued me in on some of these websites that help us out in saving a little money. So here are some I find VERY useful and I hope you will too...especially as the holiday season of ridiculous spending is upon us.

couponheaven.com
retailmenot.com
currentcodes.com

Coupons and codes for a gazillion stores! Savings include things like free shipping or codes for certain percentages off. Great to check out if you do holiday shopping online.

southernsavers.com

A great grocery store site that does all the work for you to find the deals at your local grocery store, Walgreen's, CVS, etc. If you are willing to do the work, this pays off in crazy ways. BFF went to Walgreen's and got over $60 worth of stuff for $11. Worth a shot!

slickdeals.net

Limited time deals that expire but are scouted and submitted to this website. You can really find some drastically reduced prices of higher dollar items.

I would love for any of you to comment about some great websites you have found that save some change or have great deals.

Happy Tuesday!

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: Name Basket

This one may be super obvious to most of you but it took me some time to grasp this one. I have seen it on those organization shows, magazine articles, blah, blah. But I never really saw a need to use a basket to contain clutter. If it has a place to go, put it there. And lookey there...no need for the basket. Ah, but my arrogance turned to humility when...yes...

Kids.

They are not the organized little robots I thought I would train them to be. No, no they are mini cyclones of chaos that disturb my peaceful order. If there is order, I feel peace. I so need help.

But for now I came up with designated baskets to contain the clutter. I still have a specific place for EVERYTHING so the basket helps contain it before it gets there. As I try to clean up around here, I take Cati's basket and grab her shoes, dress up clothes, books, stuffed animals, odds and ends and throw it all together in the basket. Usually I do this at nap time when they won't undo what I just cleaned. Then, when they wake up, I put it all back. Cati is getting great at doing this herself so that helps too. She puts away her laundry and toys from the basket and gets excited she helped Mommy. Everyone wins.

Tip #2: Inspiration Notebook

Yes, another organization tip. I have to confess I like magazines. A lot. If they had bible verses throughout them, I think I would retain scripture in a miraculous way. I also think magazine ads would be cleaner too but perhaps that can wait for another "post on my soapbox."

Magazines could very possibly take over my house if I am not careful. So I try to purge of them every once and awhile. I go through them and take out the articles I love. Stuff like web sites, home decorating, tips, recipes, you name it. Then I put them in page protectors and stick them in a binder categorized by topic.

OK. After typing that I realized I am a geek. I am a bona fide, organizational, freak, geek.

But I reap so many benefits so I shall pass on this tip to you so you can do the same. Come and find your inner geek with me. It'll be fun.

Enjoy your Tuesday.

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: Spill Proof Your Dining Room Chairs

I had no idea that kids would be this messy. I mean, REALLY messy. Ella loves to just take her food and squeeze it until it oozes out both ends of her chubby fists and then will shake her hands until she has flung it all over the walls. Ugh. For a neat freak like me, it is a daily surrender to trust that this too shall pass. Meanwhile, my chairs have taken a beating with two kids. A few years ago I got a crazy steal on this cute dining table that I negotiated down to $60! I planned on distressing it but that plan is still in the works. And I grabbed these chairs at a yard sale for a steal and yep...you guessed it...still waiting for me to work my magic. When I found the chairs, I got green fabric in different patterns to cover the six chairs. Did I think ahead to the future? NO! I had 3 month old Cati at the time and did not foresee the destructiveness that they can descend upon cute, non-stain resistant fabric. I was not in practicality mode. Practicality does not factor in with fabulous style for me. Until now.

So I am at Joann Fabrics, my Beacon of Creative Light. Love the place. My crafty self could spend all day there and still not have spent enough time there. Anyway. They had a great sale going and they had reams of vinyl marked down 50% after already being on clearance. Does this scare you about my choice of material? Now hang on. I had asked around and got opinions on putting vinyl on my chairs. All were very credible but I decided to go for it. (Yes, most were negative). I found it in the luscious chocolaty brown (I love when people describe things with words like that and I love even more that this moment called for it) and I got 2 yards of it for $6.

It even kinda looks like leather right? Well, that is what BFF Kelly said and again, BFF Kelly always says the right thing. Especially when I have to admit to putting vinyl on my dining chairs. Love her.

The chairs turned out pretty cute and cleaning them is a dream now. You just wipe it and go. I am so much happier even though they are not as pretty anymore. The only negative? When you sit down on them they sound like the soft toilet seat my grandparents had when I was younger. As I kid, I kinda like it. Always soft. Never cold. And it makes that satisfying little FSSSHHHHHHHHHH noise. And there is something just funny about that. And I have no problem having hilarious but easy to clean chairs.

Tip #2: Pretty Bookmark

Well, it was not my wisest choice but I bought these cute little hair clips for Cati at the $1 Tree. I know. But they were cute! And that is about all they are...cute. They hold no hair at all. But look at this? They make an adorable little bookmark! See? I am always thinking even though hair accessories on the cheap may not be the best way to use my noggin. I am a work in progress, friends.

Happy Tuesday!

Two Tips Tuesday

TIP #1 Lamp Enhancements

First off, cleaning lampshades can be a pain. Use a lint roller to remove dust, pet hair, and other fuzzy things to clean it up. It works great and does not damage your shade. Just be careful with shades made of natural fibers because you don't want it to pill.

Try putting a few drops of essential oil or fragrance oil to your light bulb. The heat will help emit the fragrance.

I always love seeing how people embellish a lampshade! There are too many possibilities to consider!

• Glue pretty flowers all over and girl it up!
• Add ribbon trim to the top and bottom. (You can even add beads to hang down and secure it with the ribbon. Ya know...bling up your shade).
• Monogram a set of lampshades in your bedroom by purchasing or making fabric letters and adhering them with spray adhesive.
• You can actually paint a basic paper lampshade.

What are your ideas?

TIP #2 Protect Recipe Cards

It took me forever to figure this one out. I have many a stain on my favorite recipes and they start to tear or fade over time. This preserves them and if something spills you can just wipe it off.
Buy some contact paper and place all those recipe cards you have written down, cut out of magazines, or printed from the Internet between two sheets of the contact paper. Leave about a 1/2 inch around the edge. This is also a nice way to give a copy of a recipe when requested.

Happy Tuesday Friends!

Two Tips Tuesday

TIP #1 Seasonal Picture Frames

Officially, I am in full fledged, Fall decorating mode. Even in this crazy 91 degree weather. So I am inspired. These picture frames have had my engagement pictures in them and it is time they came down. They have been in there so long that we look like nerds and now we have aged a bit. They will be the pictures our children will cover their mouths, giggle, point, and say, "Daddy, what is up with your hair?"

As I was removing the pictures, I glanced over at my latest craft project (a felt leaf garland that is a pain in my tookus) and thought, "Who says only pictures have to go in picture frames?" So I put some of the leaves in the squares. It looked so cute! I propped it up on one of the two little wall shelves that flank the picture over my couch and made it Fall festive.

I did the same thing with this picture frame too. I also think it is fun to use large picture frames for other purposes like a tray or even a cute centerpiece on a dining room or coffee table.

This one inspired me to add some Autumn flair for a fake little coffee chat with a friend. Yes, I so staged this for this post. Anything on my coffee table would be smashed to smithereens by my 1 and 3 year olds. If you have a frame with a back that is really tight you can loop ribbon around both ends for handles and make it into a little tray.

TIP #2 Beyond Baking...

I love this tip! Hang a cookie sheet vertically in your kitchen like a magnetic memo board. Maybe try 2 or 3 in a row. I have a shopping list, recipe cards, and photos of my girls baking in aprons. I actually don't have this up in my kitchen. I just did this to provide a visual for this post but it really turned out too cute.

This is also a cookie sheet vertically leaning against my server in the dining room. I thought it kind of different to use one as a chalk board for the evening menu. Maybe for a dinner party? Note: That would not be a menu for a dinner party. But it was a fun idea.

Happy Tuesday and Happy Fall!

Two Tips Tuesday

TIP #1: A Bookcase Gets a New Job

So I have been re-decorating. I would actually call it post nesting. Specifically, for Cati's room. Ever since she came home to us, her room has been the one we initially did when we became foster parents. It was gender neutral in a happy yellow and I stenciled happy words all over the place. Obviously, it was happy.

But we never changed it until now. And I have wanted to change that room and make it all Cati's own with her personality. So last week we changed it. This all started when Ella kept climbing on Cati's toddler bed and then falling off of it. The kid knows no fear. So last Thursday I called hubby and said we need a bed TONIGHT! We got it and started the transformation. Hubby had already painted the room pink the weekend we were in Disney. I am so excited to do a before and after reveal in a future post but my anal retentive self has to be sure it is COMPLETELY done before I do that. But these pics will give you a sneak peek.

In a very momentary stroke of creativity, I realized I could reuse this bookcase my dad and I built together when I first lived alone in my own apartment. I always kept it because it was a nifty little shelf in a kitchen or bathroom or other small area.

Excuse the mess. We had just hauled out the toddler bed to put her twin bed in. Anyway, this is the shelf which had her books on it. And every day my Ella would pull every one she could reach out and on the floor.

See it tucked in that corner? Well that is where we put her bed now.

So I flipped the bookcase on its side and took those bins out of the wire cubes (see above pic again), put them in those slots and put it here in front of the bed as a bench. I plan on making a little custom, flat pillow but we shall see how creative Jess will swing that with her schedule. Turned out pretty cute, right? I figure lots of people could do this with a shelf at home. And IKEA probably already has come up with this on some furniture but mine was totally off the cuff. So there.

TIP #2: Reuse for Zipper Packages

I hate throwing things away that may have a possible use in the future. And I must confess that it is not because I am green. I just love containers. If all things were contained I think I would feel peace like a river. (If you know it, I bet you are singing' it. Tee hee. I dare you to write out the whole song in a comment). Wow. Am I brilliant at going on and on completely off topic or what?

So. Since I am in the organizational mood, I see a theme occurring on today's tips. Those pouches came from other products and I saved them. The yellow one is from a kids dinner set and I loved the packaging. I ended up putting Mr. Potato (I so just spelled that with an E and deleted it. Call me Mrs. Quayle) Head and parts in there because Ella will eat one of those things if I am not watching. No, not choke. Eat it. The other bag has puzzles. And again, Ella is known to take a piece and chew it beyond recognition. And yes, she has been cleared for vitamin deficiencies and pica. She is just weird but I am her mom so go figure. The other bag is what Cati's pillow sham came in. I LOVE THOSE BAGS. Glory be, they have zippers!!!!! Not only are things contained but they stay that way. Gotta love that. So here are other ways I use them...

• Baby items I want to save but do not need like new bibs, infant toys, shoes in good shape, crib sheets, etc.
• Linens to store like seasonal tablecloths, towels, napkins.
• Store party supplies, bathroom odds and ends and even seasonal accessories like scarves, gloves and knit hats.
• Craft supplies
• Extra toiletries for guests or just in spare supply
• Beach toys, art supplies, play doh
• Great little see through container for baking supplies like sprinkles, cookie cutters, icing bags, etc.

Things that come in sturdy, vinyl, plastic bags are sheets, pillowcases, shams, crib bedding, comforters, curtains, and toys. I also sometimes will flip the label over to the white side to label them because I tend to forget. And my geeky self will label them from the computer too.

What would you use those bags for?

Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: Fun Web Sites & Goodies to Check Out

Kid in a candy store. Giddy. Like finding out a surprise or fun secret.

That is me when I stumble on a blog or website that is just so me. When I learn about new stuff to purchase with money I do not have. Or waste time coveting...er...admiring. To buy a gift. Or a treat for me. Or just have lots of fun. So I want to share the wealth. Now understand you may have heard of some if not all of these sites or stuff. But this is also a window into me, what I like and maybe you will like it too!

I hope I can do this more often. Maybe some of you can share the wealth and tell me about some fun stuff you think I might like too. I recently had a good friend email me a website for ideas to get creative with food. Oh, yes. That is a mighty good friend who knows what I would like.

Here we go...

Jackson Pollock

I love Jackson Pollock though I have been smug enough to think I can paint just like this but I can never pull it off. This site is fun because it is like a stress reliever. Kids love it too. You just move the mouse after you enter the site and you are an artist! Each click is like a dip into another color of paint.

Spoonflower

This little gem of a web site is near and dear to my heart because it is located in NC where hubby and I moved from. Hubby is a good ole boy but I grew up in MD though NC is home to me. I went to college there. Anyway. This site is awesome because you can make your own fabric downloading your own designs or ones from the web. Or you can pick from theirs. It is so cool and worth checking out!

Bla Bla Kids

This web site has the happiest stuff for kids. My faves are the dolls and little knit hats for girls. Most of their stuff is hand knitted and just adorable. Great gifts or just some cute patootie stuff for your own kiddos.

Trapp Private Candles

OK. These candles are to die for. I discovered them in this little shop in the downtown area where I live. This shop is no longer there but it sold great shabby and coastal cottage type furniture which I love. But in this little corner of the place they had these candles and they usually had one burning. The scent was heavenly! My favorite is Sexy Cinnamon. I know, risque name but who cares. And by the way, it does NOT smell like cinnamon. It was unlike anything I ever smelled and it is just wonderful. Pricey but worth it...soooooooo worth it.

Smilebox

This is a fun little tool where you can down load their program to your computer and then send invitations, photo albums, recipes, cards, etc online. It is like having your own personal e-card store on your computer. You can pay for the card or send it for free which will just have ads attached and be a bit smaller. Look at my post titled Happy Birthday to my girls to see the invitation I used from Smilebox for their party.

Polka Dot Design Invitations and Cards

I love this site because they have beautiful announcements and invitations that you can have them do or you can do from home on your printer. They also have other goodies like party stuff. It is a lot of fun to just browse.

Tip #2: Kid Designed Mailing and Return Address Labels

I truly love this because it adds such a whimsical touch to your mail. Plus, it is from your children which makes it just plain sweet. It is guaranteed to elicit a smile from the receiver. The other bonus is that older kids can do this too. Here is what you do...

Grab some address, shipping and return address labels. Use colored pencils or crayons (since they are light) and have them go to town scribbling, drawing, or even going for a themed look for older kids. Drawing houses, holiday or seasonal drawings, favorite things...whatever. When they are done, you just print them out on your computer. All your Christmas addresses, birthday party invitations, or just return addresses from you or just your children.

Other ideas...

• The labels can become homemade stickers
• They can be names to put on tags for gifts
• Labeling cups and belongings at school or church
• Labels for organizational purposes in bedrooms or playrooms
• Teaching about mail and giving them some fun sending letters

BONUS TIP!!! (I owe you from last week): Handy Trash Bags

I think having children can either make you less or more organized. Depends upon the circumstances or situation. I think I have improved in some areas but fall way short of the mark in others. But I have mastered a new kind of art...being more organized in anticipation of being un-organized. For example...as I have mentioned before, timeliness is not high on my list of organizational togetherness. So sometimes I am organized enough to have food already thrown together in a bag for inevitable tardiness. So the girls can have lunch in the car on the way to swim lessons, church, AWANA cubbies or whatever we are doing. While being late.

But every single time I don't have a trash bag. Makes me crazy. And I don't want to have bags everywhere in the car. So my idea for this is to find a nifty, zip closure bag to stuff a bunch of grocery or trash bags in and leave it in your car door or glove compartment. That way, you won't be without one. Now I just have to be organized enough to remember to refill it.

I fit 8 trash bags in this 5 x 8 inch bag. Love, love simple conveniences.

Have a fabulous Tuesday friends!

Two Tips Tuesday

Tips #1: 3 Household Items I Could Never Live Without

And neither should you. The reasons are simple and hopefully you are already discovered them to make your life a little simpler.

Baby Wipes: Yes, baby wipes. I use pampers wipes but I like the huggies box. I am high maintenance, I guess. But baby wipes seem to be the best cleaner upper ever for me. I have wiped ball point pen off of my upholstered rocker, cleaned juice spots out s out of my carpet, got stains off clothes, you name it, these suckers are not just for diaper changes and I get panicked when we get low because they do more than double duty on a daily basis.

Corn Starch: But not for cooking. I kid you not, I use it on the days I have not washed my hair but I am too oily to show my face to return those library books. I do not have the time or moola to be schlepping to the store for dry shampoo. Here is the trick if you don't want to look like a costume version of Grandma with powder grey hair. Take a small amount in your hands, rub them together like it was gel to evenly coat your hands and flip your head upside down. Kind of get to the root and rub it in where you are the most oily and just keep rubbing your hands through while upside down. It gives a bit of volume and really works.

Shark Sweeper Vac: Not sure if that is the official name of it but I use this at least 3 times of day to pick up all of Ella's food off the floor, crumbs and whatever else the girls have put on the floor. It is fast, has about 30 minutes worth of juice before you need to recharge and light as a feather. It comes with a short handle to use it on furniture too. You just empty out the little slide-in reservoir there on the side and that's it. Completely helps me out in between vacuuming with the big vacuum.

Tip #2: Don't Start Your Weekly Blog Post the Night Before

Sorry Folks. My computer has been hit with some nasty little bug which is why I have not posted much for the last week. Still trying to figure all this out. This post has taken me one hour to write because it keeps freezing up on me. And sadly, I never scheduled this post last week due to my crazy life and now a sick child. So I owe you for next week. Until then, pray this computer and I make up and become friends again.

Happy Tuesday!

Two Tips Tuesday

TIP #1 Easy Decor on the Cheap!

Some of you may not be crafty but I really think these projects are verrrry easy. And they are not expensive to do. Gotta love that. As you may already know, I rent. So I have to live with a lot of things I do not like about my house. We try not to paint walls though I wish we could. We have lived here 5 1/2 years...you would think I would update a bit. But I always think we are 30 days away from moving...or so I hope.

Here is one idea with letters...In Ella's room I had to get really creative because there is no closet and there is also a door in there to the patio. I had to get storage baskets for the built in shelf that takes up the whole wall and the tiny room has two windows. So there is hardly any wall space. I wanted Ella's name in letters in there although I cringe because that seems to be in every child's room everywhere. Nothing wrong with that but I strive to be different. So what I did was buy letters in different font types and then covered them in scrap book paper that coordinated with the bedding. It ended up really cute. I painted the sides for contrast and placed them on top of the bookcase leaning against the wall.

This is the light switch in Ella's room. It is the ugly taupe color like the switches. Again, I rent and why should I replace these? I know. Because they are ugly and old. Anyway, I decoupaged tissue paper on the switch plate. That's it. You can do a zillion things with a switch plate. But that can be for another day.

This project cost me $5. The trick is to plan and know what you are looking for. I bought the frames at the place where everything is a dollar. I think if I write dollar tree one more time, my entire blog will spontaneously delete itself. The key was to find 8 x 10 frames with mattes already in them which I did. So each frame was $1. They are not high quality but I could care less because they were going on a wall.

So here is what you need:

5 frames with mats (I think these were frames for certificates or awards)

4 x 6 scrapbooking matte size papers in coordinating patterns (or other decorative paper)

Faux botanicals (I had an arrangement in a vase and I just snipped tiny blooms off with scissors)

Hot glue gun

All I did was create a uniform arrangement of pictures for my guest room. Which is now Ella's room. I was inspired by something I saw in a catalog. Some company that rhymes with Lottery Yarn.

TIP #2 Menu Planner & Cleaning Schedule

Do you ever have weeks where hubby comes home and you have no idea what to make for dinner? Maybe due to an empty fridge? Because this is me at least 3 days a week. So this is what I try to do and when I stay on it...it works.

First, I plan a weekly menu and I use this little handy pad on the side of my fridge...

I write what I want to make in each weekday slot and then put in the memo section the food I need to pick up at the grocery to be able to make the meals for that week. This helps me stay focused when I go grocery shopping and not over buy and ensure I have all the ingredients for my weekly meals.
I made this list years ago and I love it because it helps me stay on track. And I love lists because I love to scratch off the things I get done. I think I love it too much. I laminated it (I know...total loser)and use a dry erase marker to check off the things I cleaned for that day. I broke it down into categories that were easy for me. Do you like the title too? Just in case I momentarily forgot who's cleaning checklist it was I felt the need to title it with my name.

Another way to do it is do a room a day. Bedrooms on Monday, Kitchen Tuesday, Bathrooms Wednesday, etc. Organization Day is for cleaning out the fridge or closets, washing curtains, going behind the fridge or washing machine. That kind of thing. Big jobs...for hubby to help with...okay, for him to do.

Now. I am going to wish you a Happy Tuesday like I always do. But you have to understand the sadness I feel when no one comments on Two Tips Tuesday. Could ya just leave a comment just once? Please? I mean, I think these are good tips but I get no love on Tuesdays. Yet, I will hear amazing things later by email or in person. So what gives? Just be anonymous. Lie to me. Tell me you hate it. But show me something. I am begging you. Shamelessly.

Happy Tuesday. Just click right there below where it says 0 comments. Be number 1. It feels good.