Another Stylish Jewelry Storage Solution

I found this beautiful little birbath at Michael's craft store on Monday. It was only $5.09 + tax. It looks adorable on the counter in my bathroom. Even my husband likes it. (If his watch or ring end up in it...I will have to smile.)

Always be on the lookout for items that you like that you can re-purpose in your home. Think outside the box.

Buy things you like & that make you smile.

That is the one piece of shopping advice from my mom that I always think of before I buy, "Does this make me smile??"

Well, this birdbath is still making me smile!

A space to create

It's important to carve out a little room in life for quiet contemplation, concentration and creation. Working from home can provide great flexibility, comfort and an opportunity to inject personal touches that wouldn't be welcome in a corporate office environment. Even if you don't work from home professionally, it can be beneficial to find a little corner in your house conducive to reading, journaling, pouring over magazines and photos, writing birthday cards or working on craft projects.

A place like this should have a positive effect on you and your life, whether it helps you to feel stimulated, relaxed, inspired or organized. The space doesn't need to be large. In fact, you could take over a little corner in a hallway, a guest room or even a closet if you don't have an extra room. Find a comfy chair, scented candle, soft throw, and a large coffee or tea cup and surround yourself with colors that make you feel good.

Design ideas:

Use a cabinet to create a contained, organized desk area or find a quiet corner to place an L-shaped desk

Use a dining room or guest room to double as an office when they're not being used

Office organization:

Fabric French memory boards

Buy similar ones online at http://www.target.com/ or create your own using an easel, fabric of your choice, push pins and ribbon.

Ballard Designs
2 pocket embossed organizer; $49.00

http://www.ballarddesigns.com/


Drop lid secretary desk and carved drop front secretary desk both from Comfort House

http://www.comforthouse.com/

silver raffia desk accessories from Williams Sonoma Home

http://www.wshome.com/

Ballard Designs cafe shelving

Diamond ring paperweight available at http://www.daisy-days.com/

HGTV.com offers the following tips for setting up an efficient home office:

Organize Office Materials

Do you need to combine a workspace in your family or living room? Professional organizer Vicki Norris shares her tips to help you get the job done.

1. Invest in adequate furniture.

Offices need a clear work area, and that means providing adequate space for computer hardware and peripheral equipment, a spot for reference materials, file space and a location for frequently referenced supplies and paper. Make sure your office furniture provides ample space for work and storage.

2. Establish activity centers.The efficient office should be zoned into activity areas:

The Work Center, which includes a clear workspace, the computer and frequently-used office products.
The Reference Center, which includes binders, manuals, dictionary and professional books and materials.
The Supply Center, which contains office and paper supplies.

3. Properly place the hardware and peripherals.
Position your equipment by frequency of use. If the printer is used daily, it should be within easy reach. If the CPU is only accessed for troubleshooting, it can be placed under or next to the desk. If a scanner is rarely used, it can be placed outside the work area.
When setting up hardware, be conscious of access to drives, trays and cords. Don't block access to drawers or take up leg room with tangled cords.

4. Establish a paper processing area.
Create an area within your Work Center for papers that need immediate action.
Store paper associated with clients or ongoing projects in an area that is easily accessible and within your view.
Establish a permanent filing system for papers you will reference, but not on a regular basis.

Conceal Cables and Wires

A life full of laughter

"Life abounds in comedy, if you look around you" Mel Brooks

So I was thinking today how much fun it is to laugh and how we often don't take time to just be silly. We take life too seriously, going about our daily routine and crossing things off our TO DO list. But laughing can be productive! It burns calories, releases endorphins and bonds us with friends and family. I think it's the secret ingredient in any successful marriage, lasting friendship or happy home.

"You cannot be mad at somebody who makes you laugh - it's as simple as that" Jay Leno


"Fun" can come in a lot of different forms but try laughing almost anywhere, any time, with anyone and you'll realize that experiencing pure happiness is much simpler than we often make it. Laughter is contagious, addictive and freeing. You may need some inspiration but often you'll find that once you start, you won't be able to stop.

"Never be too busy to laugh or too quick to criticize" Gerry Hopman

Certain things always make me smile...

Babies smiling or babies pointing at other babies and saying, "Baby"

Any movie with Will Ferrell, especially Wedding Crashers and ELF

Looking at highschool photos of old friends and outdated fashions

Crazy dancing and air guitar

The muppets

What is it that makes you smile?


These days, everyone is searching for something that makes them chuckle. Believe it or not, you can try something called Laughter Yoga. http://www.laughteryoga.org/
Just the idea of that makes me laugh.

"Through humor you can soften some of the blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it" Bill Cosby

Wordle

This Wordle is captured from the feed from our blog.  Beautiful, isn't it? 

My girlfriends have helped shape me into the woman that I am today.  When I think about them, I am inspired & challenged to make myself AND my world better. 

Take time today... 

To encourage a friend, 

To remember a fun time,

To inspire someone, 

To be a good friend, 

To show someone you care, 

To love someone, 

To create, 

To celebrate, 

To share your life!    

Stylish Jewelry Storage

I made this jewelry board that now hangs in my guest room. It doubles as art work.













How I did it: Purchased a bulletin board from TJ Maxx that had a nice thick frame. ($20)

• Found a piece of fabric that I liked from JoAnn Fabrics and purchased enough fabric to cover the board.
  
• Unscrewed the back of the frame.
  
• Removed the cork board.
• Placed the fabric around the cork board, pulling the fabric snug on every side.
  
• Taped the fabric to the back of the cork board.
  
• Placed the covered cork board back inside the frame.
• Screwed the back of the frame back into place.
  
• Used quilting pins to hang my jewelry from.

My guests enjoy this option for displaying & storing their jewelry during their stay at my home. It is nice to feel organized even at another person's home.

Here is another picture of a Jewelry Board.  My mom and I made this one & used cloth napkins instead of traditional fabric. 

I found the following idea on Martha Stewart.com.  

So maybe you aren't into statues...think of objects that you already have in your home that would keep your pearls, chains and costume jewelry from tangling! Get creative. Look around your home and try unconventional pieces to display all your pretty things.


It is important to have a functional home, but who says you can't have beauty & function?? Whenever I buy anything for my home, I always try to find something that is pretty as well as useful.

Go After Your Dreams

"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams,

and endeavors to live the life which he imagined,

he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."

-Henry David Thoreau

What are your dreams?  Where do you see yourself next week, next month, a year from now or 5 years from now?  

Sometimes, the daily, crazy, mundane life gets in the way of reaching the life you always wanted.   I know as a married woman and a mom, that sometimes I lose sight of the REST of me.  I am a friend, a sister, a daughter.  I am creative, fun, spontaneous, inspired.  Unless you consciously remind yourself of your talents, abilities & accomplishments, you can forget what have done or who you are.   

I recently talked to my friend who said, "The life I always wanted is actually happening to me.  It is almost overwhelming."  So how did she get there?  She stopped waiting for good things to just come to her.  She decided that she would create the life that she always wanted.  

So, what do YOU want from your life?  Dream big.  Is it a beach house?  Is it the ability to stay home with your kids & not work?  Is it to start your own business?  Is it to have weekly dates with your husband?  Is it to run a marathon?  Is it to lose weight?  Is it to be the hostess with the most-ess?  

Write down your dreams.  Put them somewhere that you look at often.  Then start making small decisions daily that will move you in the direction of those dreams.  

Preserving memories

We all have moments we wish could last forever—whether it’s a family celebration, a beautiful scenic view, or just a really good hair day! Although it’s impossible to completely capture the moment in its entirety, we can preserve pieces of it that will remind us of how wonderful the experience was to live through. And we can help ourselves to replay the memory again and again in our minds for years ahead. Here are some of my favorite ways to document the defining moments in life:

Kodak offers an online gallery to store and share personal photos, as well as create gifts to showcase your favorites. Photos can be chosen to decorate a set of mugs, compose a special album, or crop, matte and frame.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/

Scrapbooking is a craze for many who enjoy being creative, yet productive. Women (and I'm sure some rare men) can spend hours poured over scissors, papers, stickers and souvenirs, personalizing pages to showcase their memories and document the big events in their lives.Over the last few years, specialty scrapbooking stores have popped up everywhere and accessories can be found at almost any major store--from Target to even the grocery store! And although you can buy some great scrapbook- specific things, I tend to think personalized cards, postcards from trips, pretty museum admission ticket stubs, favorite ribbon or unique beads, free hand sketches etc. make the best scrapbook adornments. Use these sorts of little personal touches to avoid creating a “cookie cutter” scrapbook.

Amanda Blu scrapbook albums available at www.joannfabrics.com; $13.99

Additional scrapbook accessories such as the travel paper book and labels also available at Joann's.

Search online for a local scrapbooking group or class to help inspire and encourage you to take time to create works of art with your memories. Visit Joann Fabrics, Michaels or Hobby Lobby for all kinds of embellishments to adorn your scrapbook.

Journals

For years I've kept journals to document the different stages in my life: hopes, goals, frustrations, amazing experiences...Each time I randomly select one and flip through the pages, the memories come back to me so vividly that I really feel as I'm re-living the experience all over again. I can reflect on how my thoughts and perspectives have changed, friendships have evolved or faded away, and certain events have impacted me forever. I admit, sometimes I've read through things, torn out pages and thrown them away just to ensure no one ever gets their hands on it--but most of the words on those pages are invaluable for me when I feel like I want to reminisce.

As Oscar Wilde once said, "I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train."

Polka dots, stripes and cowboys...oh my!

I love designers who can take a few colors and patterns, a small selection of items and create an IMAGE that makes an impression. Polka dots, stripes and cowboys added together in an array of candy-coated colors take on an entirely new look in Cath Kidston's cute boutiques.

Buying umbrellas and "wellies" for rainy London days never seemed so appealing!



For those of you who have ever thought you would have been better suited to live in a different decade, Cath Kidston, the UK designer, appeals to those who miss the traditional roles of the '50s. At her stores you will find adorable ironing board covers in sweet patterns, cowboy printed lampshades, polka dotted coffee mugs, and cotton candy colored stripes on everything from journals to table linens. And if you're looking for a cute apron to wear the next time you're baking muffins, well, look no further. Feminists, don't take it too seriously--it's all in good fun. And it's a bit ironic that now that we don't have to buy ironing board covers, the notion of doing just that doesn't sound so bad!



A US website is currently in development but until then you can check out her UK site at: http://www.cathkidston.co.uk/

Must Have Magazine

Finding my InStyle Magazine in my mailbox is one of the highlights of my month!! The August 2008 issue showed up at my house on Friday. I seriously skipped into my house holding it in my arms.
There are many great articles this month. 

There is a spot on Issac Mizrahi, if any of you shop at Target, you know who I am talking about. He give his Best Shopping Tip--

 "No matter what you are buying, don't bring your man." 

(InStyle, August 2008, p. 241)

Also, check out the DEALS & STEALS article.  InStyle gives affordable finds that "real" people can afford from places like Target, Old Navy, Victoria's Secret, Simply Vera Vera Wang from Kohl's, Club Monaco, Chinese Laundry, etc. 

This bag can be purchase Target for $40. (in stores or online.)

It is Faux-python "Hobo" bag.  

Or you can spend $1550 and by this Prada Python "Hobo" bag.

 

Check out magazines.  Look for things that you like, then see if you can find a store, in your price range, that sells a similar look.  OR, better yet, go to your closet & use the items you ALREADY have to put a NEW look together.  

Looking great & trendy doesn't have to cost a lot.  

Visit stores like H&M, Charlotte Russe, Target, Kohl's, Macy's and buy "trendy" pieces for low prices.  

Only spend money on classic items that won't be out of style in a week.  

Gorgeous "Green" Grocery Bags

Shopping for groceries is either something you love or hate.  Personally, I love to grocery shop.  Especially when I find a good, organic, healthy, pretty place to do so.  Sprouts (found only in California, Arizona, Colorado & Texas) is my newest love.  It is similar to Whole Foods or (for those of you in the Northeast...) Wegmans.  

It is such a treat to walk around the produce section, choosing fresh herbs, crisp vegetables and ripe fruit.  My favorite aisle might be the dairy...milk, heavy cream, gourmet coffee creamer...yum.  I love to see what fancy cheese or pasta I can purchase.  I feel inspired to come home & try something new.  

Maybe I am crazy, but it feels good to walk out of the store with my food in reusable shopping bags, rather than a cart full of plastic bags.  Even my husband commented how nice our food seems coming out of those bags.  Silly how the small things in life can make such a difference in the quality of our homes and our life experience.  

Now, almost every grocery store that you go to offers reusable shopping bags at a low cost.  (Sprouts charges $.99 a bag.)  I have a few bags from Sprouts, but I was thinking that I need a cuter one, so I went online to check things out.  I found some great bags:  

These bags are all from reusablebags.com.   They are called Happybags and are made of durable upholstery weight cotton in the USA.  They are "available in colorful patters and prints sure to turn heads."  Order 1 for $19.95 or order 2 for $18.95/each.