Wednesday, February 29, 2012

33 Reader Space: A Pretty Play Food Storage Solution

How many of you have been faced with this dilemma?


I am pretty sure this is a common sight for many.  But today's reader whipped up a super adorable project to organize this play food mess, and I couldn't wait to show you!


Holly wrote:

Hi Jen!

Every since Christmas, I have been hunting for a play food storage solution.  I love play food just as much as my daughters do, so we have tons!  After Christmas it only got worse, so I knew something needed to be done.  Sadly, that before photo is not even all of it.  Most of our play food is Melissa & Doug, which I am thankful that most of the time they provide cute little wooden containers.... but, they don't stack!  So as cute as they are, they do us no good.  Also, I can hardly expect my one and two year old kiddos to put them into their respective containers each time we clean up.  So here is what we did!

We found a simple storage crate with drawers at JoAnn Fabrics, I am pretty sure I have seen similar ones at Michaels.  They are priced at $30 so with their typical 50% off coupon it can be scored for just $15!  I did some light sanding and just painted it.  Easy peasy.  You could leave it unfinished if you wished, I just took some tips from you after falling in love with your striped magazine files, and taped off the drawers with some painters tape to create the stripes!

It ended up fitting all of our play food with room to spare!  We keep it simple so that the kiddos can help clean up... so one drawer is "soft"/plush play food, and then the bottom two drawers are for their wooded play food.  It's truly the little things that make a mommy happy... because the things that make me happiest about this project is that all the play food is not STIFFED into the little fridge {to pour out each time they open it} and that it is now concealed into some cute storage!  The fact that my little ones can help clean it up also doesn't hurt a bit!

Thanks!
Holly
http://www.babysteps365.blogspot.com/

You have seen the before photo, so lets take a peek at the storage crate she snagged for a great deal:


And after it was all prettied up with some painted stripes?



Is it weird that I am sitting here all alone, grinning ear to ear as I gaze at my screen?  You all make me so happy I can't stand it!  I LOVE THIS!

  • She scored amazing storage for just $15 by using a store coupon!  Way to be thrifty!
  • It's simple.
  • The paint job instantly takes it from so drab to beyond fab!  Those stripes make my heart skip a happy beat!
  • This project does not need to be specific to play food.  It could be used in a bathroom, closet or in the playroom for any other type of toy!  Snag a couple and line them up for even more storage!  

Insanely adorable right?  Anyone else been snagging up some great unfinished wood pieces from the craft store, and giving them new life?  What other fun playroom projects do you all have going on?



ATTENTION!!  Want to be featured in a Reader Space edition?  Have an awesome organizing story to share?  I am looking for projects that have made a positive impact to your life.  Please send your story and photos to iheartorganizing@gmail.com and I would heart to feature them right here, on the blog!!  Photos should be high resolution and unedited.  Please include a description of the project, including any costs, inspiration, and how it has changed your life and routine for the better!  Oh, and no worries my friends, we will NEVER judge "before" pictures because that just wouldn't be nice!  Only love goes on at this blog!  More info HERE.

9 A Special "Thank You" to my Homies!

You all seriously make me the happiest gal in the whole wide world.  And that is an understatement!

Someone nominated me for this year's Apartment Therapy 2012 Homie Awards.  Pinch me now!



In fact, somehow I managed to be nominated in three categories!  I am blushing big!

I am in the best company over there.  Many of my absolute favorite daily reads {and some new ones that I discovered because of this fun process}, are all worth taking many moments to check out.

I sincerely appreciate each and every vote.  From the bottom of my super smiley heart, THANK YOU my fine blog friends!


Tuesday, February 28, 2012

684 IHeart Giveaway: Clever Container!


Often times, containers and organizing go hand in hand.  So to help you get started with your next organizing project, my pal Tracy, Independent Consultant with Clever Container, is sponsoring this week's fabulous giveaway!


Clever Container Company is dedicated to helping people take control of their lives {1} by providing high-quality, innovative and functional tools, along with practical techniques and useful information, for organizing the world you them and {2} by offering business opportunities to motivated individuals who share their belief that an organized environment can lead to a more productive, fulfilling life for each of us!



They have a super fab collection of products for the kitchen, crafts, closets, drawers, children, storage, offices and more!

And today you have a chance to win a $50 Clever Container Gift Certificate!


 
{enter using the new giveaway management tool below, just follow the simple steps}

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thanks everyone and good luck!

48 Our New Bookplates & a Freebie For You!

Did you know that a special someone has a birthday coming up really soon?  Any guesses as to who that might be?

No need to send me sweet notes and flowers.  It's not me.

It is Dr. Seuss!

My kids are pretty excited about this because it means they get to celebrate all week long at school this week and next.  They wear fun hats, they eat treats and read lots and lots of their favorite books.  They even get to have mom to join in the fun and read to their class.  It's quite a jolly time for the Joneses.

Peyton's teacher said he could bring in as many Dr. Suess books as he wanted.  Guess how many he picked?


I am excited that he is excited, however, not so excited at the thought of losing any of our favorite reads.  Time to get labeling!


I whipped up some book plate labels so we could just write in our names and pop them inside the cover of our books.  I created them so they weren't age specific, I would totally rock these labels in my own personal books, wouldn't you?



Well, now you can!

{click here for your FREE PDF copy of the bookplate template for Avery 18163}
{click here for your FREE Microsoft Publisher copy of the bookplate template Avery 18163}


Who else is celebrating a birthday this week?


Monday, February 27, 2012

421 Thirteen82 Chronicles: Bed & Bath Intro & a Vote

Welcome to the first edition of the Thirteen82 Chronicles!  I am very excited to announce that my new lovely assistant, Emily, is letting me partner up with her on a couple of projects in her super beautiful home!  And then I get to share those projects with you.  And even better, we thought it would be fun to have you help us out with some of the decision making! 

Why Thirteen82?  Her house number is 1382.  Isn't it fab?

When I asked Emily to describe her personal style, this is what she said, "Comfy... Lake Cottage Wanna Be"  She doesn't want her home to look like it came out of a catalog.  She likes to mix and match unique, re-purposed pieces.  She also wants people to be comfortable when they come over, and not worry about taking off their shoes or spilling on furniture.  It's all about kicking back with a glass of wine and snuggling in for good conversation.

That's what will make this series SO much fun!  We get to get creative, paint, thrift and work on a boatload of new DIY projects!  And of course, we will be tossing organizing ideas into the mix as well! 

We decided to start on her guest bedroom/bathroom combination space.


And get this.  We are going to attempt to tackle both spaces on a total budget of $300!  Talk about design on a dime stuff here!






We have a great blank slate to play with!

We hope to address everything from lighting to textiles and accessories.  Even a headboard!  It's not going to be easy, but we are up for the $300 challenge!

First round of business, selecting some new lights in the bathroom to replace these:


Here are a couple of styles I had in mind:


This is where you come in!  Leave a comment on this post with which number you would love to see in her new space!

Voting goes from now through this Thursday, 3/1.

We will be sure to share before and after pictures, project updates, cost breakdowns and sources as we begin working on the two rooms, so stay tuned!


Friday, February 24, 2012

83 Basement Progress: Studio Pendant Switch

About two years ago, we found a great drum pendant on eBay and gave it a little face lift with some vinyl decals...



As you can see, the pendant is fab, and what I really loved is that it had three bulbs vs. one.

Now, one of my deep dark secrets.  In my studio space, I have been living with a light like this....


It was a boob light.  I took the cover off since I zero natural light in that space.  Anything I could do to maximize my lighting situation.  But it wasn't all that pretty.... and I was sick of it!

UPDATE!  It seems as though not everyone has heard of a boob light.  I feel it is my duty to educate.  This, my friends, is a boob light.  I will let the picture be enough of an explanation:


So, I talked the hubs into switching it out with our kitchen drum pendant {since it has three bulbs which meant a little extra light for me}, and updating the light fixture in the kitchen to a chandelier with five bulbs, which meant extra light in the kitchen.  Win win!

The decals weren't going to mesh with my vision for the studio, so I sat and watched four DVR'd designed shows and picked away each and every decal petal...


So, I was left with a blank slate white drum pendant again...


The plan was to follow one of the bajillion tutorials on the www to recover the shade with a pretty green fabric {this one specifically}

I started by very carefully removing the white trim at the top and bottom.  I wanted the fabric to cover smoothly.


Then we measured the drum shade...


And measured the fabric, leaving a one inch margin on each side and using a piece of trim to draw straight lines with a pencil.


As far as knowing the length of fabric that we would need, we just used the ribbon trim that we had removed, as a guide.

The next step was to iron over a nice edge...


And use a small amount of hot glue to affix it right at the seem of the drum pendant.


The next step was easier than I thought it would be.  A little spray adhesive, roll, smooth, more spray adhesive, roll some more, smooth it out and keep going...


Once I got all the way around, I ironed over a nice edge again and hot glued it down.

Now with the one inch extra on each side of the drum pendant, I just pressed it down over the lip of the pendant frame.  It still had spray adhesive, so it stuck down nicely.

I used an exacto knife to very carefully slice my fabric right under the lip of the frame.  I stress very carefully so that I didn't puncture through the shade itself.


Once the excess fabric was cut out, I used some hot glue to make sure it was secure.  Leaving a nice and clean edge inside.




It looked GREAT, but after looking at it for awhile, I thought I should probably hot glue that white trim I pulled off, back on.


Yes, much better!

I know I am a broken record when I say, "forgive me for the lighting in these photos", but now I am attempting to take pictures of a pretty drum pendant in a dungeon of zero light....




I love it!  Here is a look at it from below, nice and finished!


It gives off much more light than than the two bulb boob light, even with the diffuser... super fab for me!

The lack of natural light in my workspace has been a little bit of an issue for me.  Talk about depressing.  I love light.  Outside light.  So I got my Mr. on board with taking out another wall in the lower level {in-between the under-stairs storage area and playroom}.  It won't 100% solve the problem, but it will give a more open layout to the lower level {like a giant circle around the stairs}, and it will hopefully let the natural light coming in through the one playroom window, to circulate the entire lower level better.  I can't wait.  That actually didn't express my excitement well.  I CAN'T WAIT to get started on that!

I have also been evaluating the use of space. I decided my choice to install a rail of knobs and book ledges may not have been as genius as I originally thought. I adore it all, but it really restricts me in using that area of the room at effectively. Especially since I am dreaming of creating a craft space that I can spread out and work at... and that corner is the perfect spot to build!

Wanna see a glimpse of my vision?

{found on my pinterest boards here}

The paint for the dresser has been purchased, as well as the knobs!  The corner desk planning is in the works and I finally have a defined color scheme.  Something I should have done long ago.  So exciting!

So there you have it.  An easy pendant update and a plan! 

Anyone else make over a pendant or lamp shade recently? Or build in a corner desk? Or tear down a wall? I would heart to hear your stories!