It snowed again!

This was one big baby receiving blanket I had made when my kids were little. I had so many I took one for each child and sewed them together for one big quilt we can all cuddle in together now on the couch. This is one leftover, how cute for a pillow to match my craft room that I covered an existing pillow I didn't like and made the other half into a baby sleeping bag for my neice for Christmas for her doll.  I made a matching pillow with scraps I had.

Like my friend Angela says, fabric can really add coziness to a room, I just wish I had enough for curtains.



I added a matching ribbon on the bottom so she can roll it up and store the pillow with it just like a real one.



Pen or Pencil?

Now you are probably wondering what to do with all those cute Christmas cards you are getting.
There is a ton of cute little stands to clip these on or some sort of hanging device.  But why not make

your own?!?  So I challenge all of you to come up with your own new card holder this week.  I repurposed an old french horn my mom gave me years ago that was looking sort of sad. I basically stripped it down, kept the ribbon for her present and scrapped the rest (garbage).  The red rope is from the original and I liked the rustic look of the horn.  So now I just use red and green clips to clip on the cards as they come.

Now you're probably wondering what this has to do with a pen or pencil.  As those cards come in, update the return addresses in your address book. Pen or Pencil? I prefer pencil, people move around waaaay to much to be scribbling in my book or getting a new one.

Snowy Saturdays!

I love snowy Saturdays with nothing on the calendar!

This is a little baby quilt my grandma made for my dolls,
 I repurposed it by using it as a table runner.

This is the backside so I can reverse it if I like.

I simply turned the plate upside down and hot glued 1 goblet to the bottom.

Viola! I beautiful centerpiece for a candle with a mini wreath or....

a fancy setting for Santa's cookies,
 or just a couple to enjoy with some eggnog or some other festive drink,
or for a mini cake or cupcakes.

You could clean out that closet you've been meaning to get to for a couple hours, play a game with a kiddo, and then still have time later to curl up with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa, and of course check out your favorite websites and pass them on. HINT, HINT. OR... you could repurpose something old. This was my latest favorite I was obsessed with buying, but didn't want to spend $ on myself right now, a cake stand.  So I started rumaging through my cabinets and came across these 3 goblets and 1 plate leftover from my husband's childhood and decided to make it my own.

IT"S FINALLY FRIDAY!!

Take a day off, you deserve it! Not that you really get a day off from being you, a wife, a mother, a nurturer, and all those other hats we put on. But other than that, take a few hours to yourself and go to lunch, go shopping, or start a project you've been putting off (come on, everyone has one, and no I don't mean mending).  Or put up the Christmas Tree and enjoy the season and embrace the cold by wrapping up with a fuzzy blanket, a good book, and a cup of hot cocoa. ENJOY!!

Thursday

Thursday is catch-up day! The day to do whatever didn't get done so far. Yes, this happens to the best of us, because you know those homework projects are really just bonding tactics the teachers come up with, like the one this week of inventions of a 2nd grader, and coming up with an obituary of an already dead president your daughter has never heard of, and the dr appts in between, and unwanted illnesses.  Anyhoo, so yes I will be vacuuming after piano tomorrow.  But that is why this chore solution works so great for me, it's flexible, so I can be.  And yes, my kids and their projects come before any housework.  Many of you may not also know that I'm a SAHM who doesn't really stay-home. I help teach/babysit my  toddler nephew while at preschool 3 days a week, and get to watch another cutie patooty 5 month old nephew the other 2 days, and sell Mary Kay on the side. Which side?  I don't know.  So on any other THURSDAY, I would probably be catching up on visits, ironing (only if absolutely needed), or organizing another room/closet for me or someone else.  Also, wash the towels (especially the ones you used to clean with all week) and bathroom rugs.

Wednesday

 Wednesday is Water Day!  That's how I remember to deep clean the bathrooms (in between the daily wipe downs by the kids with lysol wipes), and water all those plants!


I start with top to bottom.  Counters and sinks first, then tub, and toilets, followed by mirrors to finish it off.  I use my favorite oldie, AJAX for inside the toilets and sinks and just an all-purpose cleaner for counters.




To real freshen up, wash the week-old towels everyone uses to dry hands and hang back up. (No folding, yeah!)  Also take out the garbages (this is where we use the plastic shopping bags from the grocery stores, nice size for bathrooms), and make sure the t.p. is replenished, no less than 2 rolls per bahtroom so you don't run out.



Tuesday....

Tuesday I usually vacuum and sweep and mop the whole house.  It used to be Thursday, but piano lessons became the priority this year so I switched it up.  I seem to like it better actually earlier in the week because I feel like it stays cleaner longer and the weekend dirt gets picked up faster.  But whatever day works best for you, I'm merely suggesting a weekly routine with just 1 big job a day.  Then you can keep up on the clutter and other daily messes.  And no I don't just sweep my kitchen once a week. :) That is one of the kids chores/daily (sometimes twice, sometimes thrice).

Let them help.  Just being consistent with a weekly cleaning routine helps them to know what is expected.
Then someday it will lead into them doing it themselves which saves you alot of time.




This little guy loves to help mop bathrooms.  Sometimes I think he is better at it than I am.




So whether you have big helpers or little helpers, everyone can help vacuum.  Even if it's just their own room.