The brand new and fabulous 12”X24” cutting mat (only works with the CAMEO, not the SD) and both clean cut and sewable fabric interfacing  = $24.99.  GO HERE to pick it up and use code “CRAP” to take advantage of the savings.  Promo runs NOW through February 29th.

For some reason, my package from Silhouette include 2 packages of the sewable interfacing and none of the clean cut.  I think the name art I made with the clean cut last year would be pretty hard to top,

so I was OK with coming up with a project for the other stuff.

DIY Monogrammed Chevron Tote

I took a plain tote from Hobby Lobby ($9.99 without a coupon, way less with), and turned it into this:

Here’s a before shot of the tote:

Excuse the dancing assistant.  I get what I pay for around here.

I downloaded the chevron background from the Silhouette Online Store and made it big.  Really, really big.  24” wide big.  I then ungrouped it and and removed the lines of zig zag that hung off the edges.  I moved the lines of zig zag around a little bit so that the in between spaces were the same width as the lines, and then I cut.

This gave me 9 rows of chevron-y goodness.  I used 4 per side of the tote.

I ironed them in place and then stitched them down.  I’m not gonna lie…stitching them down was a GIANT pain, mostly because the bag was already assembled and fairly rigid.  And the fabric was itchy.  If I had made the tote myself, I’d have sewed the strips down before assembling the bag.

Macy wanted the bag a little more colorful, so we added a hot pink monogram.

I think a cluster of flowers would be cute, too.

I’ll be back with my Lowe’s project/bathroom reveal on Monday.  Hope your weekend is fabulous!

What was I to do?

Rip a hole in my shirt, apparently.

At least I didn’t pee my pants.

I got an email last week alerting me to the fact that it is GONE-zo.  It was a linky and I apparently did not renew my subscription (didn’t get an email alerting me that it was about to run out, so…).  It’s gone for reals.  I’m exploring other options (leave a comment if you’ve got a suggestion) and will let you know when that page is back up and functional.  In the mean time, many of my tutorials/projects can be found on my Crap I’ve Made pinboard over on Pinterest.  You can browse and click through to the pages even if you don’t have a Pinterest account.

Google Friend Connect

Google Friend Connect is going away as of March 1st for all non Blogger blogs.  I’m not sure what this means exactly.  Will it just mean that new people can’t “follow”?  Will you quit getting blog updates completely if that’s the way you’ve subscribed?  I do know this:  I am not a Blogger blog.  So, if you’ve followed or subscribed solely through GFC, you’ll need to subscribe another way.

You can find my RSS feed here.

You can have new posts emailed to you by going here.

Or, you can sit and and reload my page obsessively.

Enter eShakti.

I’ve seen them reviewed around blog land (my friend and neighbor Tam at Sew Dang Cute reviewed them recently), and wanted to know if they lived up to the hype, especially if you were paying for the product instead of getting a freebie.

It should be noted that there’s a $20 off for new customers on the eShakti homepage and that customizations are normally $7.50, but those were free for first timers, too.  So, I paid about $40 for what would normally be $67.50-ish.

We settled on the ruffle front poplin dress in coral.  (Random weird thing alert:  Macy wanted the turquoise one, which she had seen a few days before.  It was not there they day we ordered.  It has been back since, but it’s MIA again today.)  We ordered a size zero (based on the sizing chart measurements) and then had sleeves added and the neckline raised.  We also entered a bra size for custom sizing in that area.

We ordered on a Sunday afternoon and the dress arrived on the Monday the next week, so about 8 days later.

The result?

(The actual dress color is probably a combination of the two, maybe closer to the one on the left…not my best true color photography, for sure.)

Long enough, high enough, and age/school appropriate.  Plus, pockets!

Would I order from them again?  Absolutely.  I see us becoming eShakti regulars.

What didn’t I love?  The “Live Chat” wasn’t live.  I got a response about 2 days later.  I did get a response, though. 

We’ve given away some of their fabric before, and based on the number of entries, I think you loved them. 

Short version:  Riley Blake is a delightful new fabric company.  And, they’ve asked me to be a part of their Project Design Team.  (Go here to check out the rest of the delightful ladies involved.)  What does this mean for you?  It means that every Wednesday, you will find a fabulous project from one of us over on the Riley Blake Designs blog.

I had the opportunity to check out their warehouse and their offices on Friday…I want to move in.

And I’m feeling inspired, for the first time in ages.

Pom pom trim can do that to a girl.

Now if I could just settle on a paint color…

I’ve had this word selected for quite a while, even before I posted a few weeks back about quitting the business of blogging.  In fact, this word may have been what drove me to it….

mend

1.  to make (something broken, worn, torn, or otherwise damaged) whole, sound, or usable by repairing.

2.  to remove or correct defects or errors in.

3.  to set right; make better;

Mend also has a sew-y connotation for me, which I love (I’m a sewing dork at heart).  I like the idea that mending is not “replacing with bigger and better and flashier”, it’s fixing what you’ve got and making it whole, sound, and usable again.  It’s admitting that what you have and who you are is good enough.  It’s a process of improvement and correction.

And so, I’m beginning to mend.

I’m beginning to mend relationships.

I’m beginning to mend habits.

I’m beginning to mend life.

If we’re keeping it real (‘cause that’s the only way I know how to be), we ALL have something that needs mending…something we want to “make better”, right?  Maybe you handled something badly with your kids or your spouse.  Maybe you haven’t called a friend you really should have.  Maybe you said something unkind.  Maybe you thought about doing a good deed and didn’t.

Now’s your chance.

Mend something.

OK OK OK!  This one doesn’t really fit, but I’m totally handing it out to my friends who share my affinity for Danny, Donnie, Joey, Jonathan and Jordan.

Unfortunately there’s no printable…don’t want to get in trouble for that.

Which New Kid was your favorite?  Are you too young for that?  More of an N*SYNC fan?  Backstreet Boys?

Here’s where I confess that I dated a Joey look alike in high school. 

And, because someone asked and I have no shame:

Hope your Thursday is fabulous!

Click on the image below to access the printable:

Click on the image below to access the printable:

Click on the image below to access the printable:

Click on the image below to access the printable:

Click on the image below to access the printable:

We’ve had some great shelving in there since we finished our basement 5 or 6 years ago…

Super old crappy picture alert:

but the fabric bins were just not working out for us.  I had little kids when I bought them, and only one boy old enough to play with toys.  Since that time I’ve discovered something:  Those cloth bins do not hold up to little boys…at least not mine.  We had an incident with scissors where some of the handles were snipped  Several others were missing bottoms.  Pretty much all of them were bent in weird places.  And, there was no way to label them.

So, here’s my industrial boy friendly organization solution:

PAINT BUCKETS!

I found these buckets at Lowe’s in the paint department.  They’re $6.57 each, so not a whole lot more expensive than the cloth bins.  They fit perfectly in my shelving (Pottery Barn Kids) and would also fit in ClosetMaid or IKEA stuff as well…anything where the holes are 12” X 12” or larger.

I also wanted my buckets labeled, and I wanted them labeled in a way that could be changed, because in a year or two we’ll be out of the Little People phase and have 5 buckets of Legos.  I thought about vinyl, but I wanted it to be easier to change than that.  My solution?

Chalkboard paint.

I traced an oval onto some contact paper and then cut it out, leaving the edges in tact.

Here’s my oval template, but really…it’s just an oval.  Find something and trace it.

I applied the contact paper to the buckets as a stencil.  It’s a little bit tricky because of the slope of the bucket, but go slowly and make sure to seal the edges tightly.

DO NOT SKIP THIS NEXT STEP:

Prime the bucket with primer for metal.  If you don’t, the paint will peel right off.

Apply 2 or 3 thin coats of chalkboard paint.  I like to alternate between vertical and horizontal coats to minimize brush lines.

Carefully remove your stencil and then label your buckets as desired.

Easy and customizable!

Random questions I always get asked when I post pictures of my playroom:

What color is your paint?

It’s called Apple 2 and I got it at Lowe’s.  It’s pretty much my favorite light green ever.  I used Apple 1 in another room in the house, even.

Are those rain gutters?

Yes. Yes they are.  I put them up in 2006 when we finished the basement and they’ve held up beautifully.  I saw the idea originally in Family Fun (see here).  They’re a great way to have the books visible and accessible to my kids and they made great use of an awkward spot behind the door.

And now for the good stuff:

LOWE’S IS GIVING ONE LUCKY CRAP I’VE MADE READER A $100 GIFT CARD!

To enter:

Leave a comment ON THIS POST (on the blog, not on Facebook or in response to your email subscription) saying which room in your home needs some Lowe’s organization help.

Optional bonus entry:

Like Lowe’s Creative Ideas on Facebook.  Leave a separate comment saying you did.

Giveaway is open to US residents age 18 and over only and closes Friday, January 27th at noon MST.  Winner will be chosen at random using a WordPress Plugin (And The Winner Is…) and notified by email.  Winner has 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen…I need the winner’s info before the end of the month!

And while you’re waiting to see if you won, head on over for your FREE Subscription to Lowe’s Creative Ideas Magazine:

Disclosure:  Lowe’s provided me with a gift card to organize my playroom.  The paint and rain gutter projects happened many, many years before I started working with them…I’m a Lowe’s fan from way back.

I’m over on Less Cake {more frosting} today as part of Lara’s One Word series.  Go here, if you want to see what my word is and why I chose it.

And, I appreciate all the comments and emails and texts and phone calls re: my post yesterday.  You guys really are the best.

One thing I did not anticipate?

15 or 20 emails asking me how to get into the business of blogging.

I’m not going to answer them all individually (on account of that kind of making me do the exact thing I’m trying to get away from…spending hours on emails).  I do, however, want to direct you to a couple of posts that might answer those questions for those who want to know.

Mandi from Vintage Revivals talks about how to make money blogging here.

The Crafterminds girls talk about it here.  (I also love this article about why readers hate it when you make money.)

And, if anyone else has any great resources, feel free to leave them in the comments…I’ve gotta get back to my chalkboard paint.

XOXOXO

Not being able to get off the couch for most of a week gives you a lot of time for reflecting…you know, once you’re all caught up on Toddler’s & Tiaras and stuff.   

I thought about how much TIME blogging takes.

Reality:  I spend 1-2 hours/day dealing with emails, sponsors, giveaways (many of which never go anywhere)…that doesn’t include projects, pictures, writing posts, etc.

Then I had the thought:

What if I spent 1-2 hours/day strengthening my marriage?  What if I spent that time helping someone?  What if I spent that time playing trains with my 3 year old?  What if I spent that time on a walk?  What if I spent that time doing service?

And then I knew.

I play a lot of different roles:
Wife
Mother
Daughter
Sister
Friend
Neighbor
Blogger

#7 on the role list can’t be #1 on the time list.

I used to find so much joy in blogging and creating, but over the last year, something’s changed.  I listened to too many people who were not myself.  I worried about numbers.  I worried about pitches.  I got caught up in pushing/promoting projects.  I did projects I didn’t love for the money/freebies.  I cried when my Google AdSense ads got cancelled (WHAT THE CRAP???).  I listened too much to what a blogger “should” do instead of what my heart wants to do.  My heart doesn’t want to be a professional blogger.  My heart wants to be a mom…a mom who is present.

I’m not quitting my blog, I’m quitting the BUSINESS of blogging.

If I don’t want to post for a month, I won’t.  If I want to post every day, I will.  I’m not creating stuff just to have content.  I’m going back to what I love and who I am.  If we’ve already talked, don’t worry.  I’ll continue to fulfill my obligations.  I will no longer be taking sidebar sponsors.  The string of emails/invoicing/calendaring/giveaways/post writing/etc. is a time suck.  I want you and your Etsy shops to be successful, truly I do…just not more than I want my family to be successful.  You can respect that, right?

I’ve met people through blogging that I NEEDED to know.  I’m forever grateful for and changed by the experiences I’ve had.  I’ve learned SO MUCH.

And really…I’ll still be here.  I’ve got a bunch of printable Valentines on tap over the next week or so.  Plus, an organizing project and a $100 gift card giveaway from Lowe’s.  Nice, right?

XOXOXO

$30 for $50 to Silhouette.  Click HERE to head on over to Plum District to take advantage of the deal.

There are a couple of limitations (i.e. you can’t use it to buy a Cameo or gift/download cards).  The details on that are all spelled out over at Plum District.  You CAN, however, buy 2 for yourself and up to 5 as gifts.  Nice way to try whatever product you’ve been eyeing for 40% off, ey?

$30 for $50 at Silhouette deal HERE, if you missed it the first time.

So, in conclusion, it looks like I’m not going to die.  Sorry to those of you who had dibs on my personal possessions. 

I went to my nearest office supply store and picked up a binder and some business card pages.  The business card pages were $3.59 for a pack of 10.  Each page has 10 card slots, so if you put 2 cards per slot (one visible from the front, one visible from the back), you could get 20 addresses per page.

I grabbed some white cardstock and gave Macy the assignment of cutting it into business card sized pieces (2” X 3.5”).  I assume you can buy blank business cards somewhere, but I already had the cardstock, so we went with that.

And then I transferred addresses…until kid stuff happened (not unlike this situation, which I posted about on the Crap I’ve Made Facebook page) and I had to stop.  I stashed the rest of the addresses I’d clipped from Christmas cards in an envelope in the back pocket of the binder.  I know exactly where they are when I’m ready to finish the job.

I’ll keep the binder in the cabinet above the computer desk in my kitchen, next to our Family Binder.  (Duuuuuuuuuude…my pictures were BAD 2 years ago!)

I like that I can easily replace a card when someone’s info changes, or even slip the new address in with the card if I’m pressed for time.  I also love that I can store business cards in there, like for the pediatrician’s office or my kids’ teachers.

How’d you do with getting your paper clutter under control?  Any lessons learned/tips you want to share with the rest of us?

If you’re a regular ‘round these parts, you probably remember me talking about PartyLite a few weeks back.  You can find that post here, if you need a refresher.

So, last Wednesday night I had a bunch of friends (who protested loudly about having their pictures taken) over to experience a PartyLite party first hand.

The chocolate fountain was flowing,

 
(Mmmmm…strawberries!)

Yvonne, my PartyLite consultant, was all set up,

the kids and BC were off on an adventure, and I was ready to sniff.

The first thing I noticed were the cute little logos on each scent.  They separated the scents into categories, so you didn’t waste time smelling stuff you were totally going to hate.  I don’t like flowery smells and they were easy to avoid with the logo system.  I could spend all my time sniffing stuff like Vanilla Citron (possibly my favorite), Apple Orchard, and Honeydew.

Friends started to arrive, some I haven’t seen in years, and we chatted and ate.

After a bit, Yvonne introduced us to the PartyLite products.  I liked that the candles are pure/free from fillers and that they burn away completely.  However, I don’t generally burn candles in my home on account of the little boys that live here and their potential to do very bad things with lighters/open flames.  (PartyLite also carries melts and warmers, if you have similar issues.  )

Many of the PartyLite holders allow for customization.  You can use them on table tops or with a floor stand.  The catalogs show them used as vases in addition to candle holders.  Some of the clear glass holders can be filled with flowers, confetti, garland, stones…the sky’s the limit.  (See the one all decked out for Valentine’s Day in the bottom right hand corner of the pictures above.)  After the initial investment in the piece, you could change the look seasonally very affordably.

So, would I do it again?  I honestly don’t know.  I love having people over and I love eating (ha!), but I get weird about them feeling like they need to buy stuff.  I’m also not sure this was really my style/their style.  I was impressed by PartyLite as a company and found the quality of their products to be to notch, I just like stuff a little more funky and unique, I think.  If you like hosting home parties, PartyLite would be a great one to check out.

To stay on top of the latest and greatest from PartyLite, be sure to check out the PartyLite Facebook  page or the Winter/Spring 2012 catalog (which came out December 15th).

PartyLite Simple Pleasures Holiday Sweepstakes

I’m working on a few things today, including my new address book system (thanks to suggestions from some of you), which I will share soon.  I wanted to pop in for a second and mention that my Valentine’s Day mantel is featured over on BHG.com and it pretty much made my life.  The entire Valentine’s Day mantel slideshow is here.