Just a BlinkProof Time Flies

This month, as many of you know, I am sorting, purging and prettying my bedroom closet. My process is super slow.

So slow in fact, that while side-tracking my cleaning efforts with a much over due ‘pouring over photos by the millions’ (on my closet floor), my heels made my butt go numb from sitting on top of my feet for so long. You, know the feeling, don’t even pretend you don’t.

Well, such a trip down memory lane & a good haulin’ out of old baby clothes scraps…inspired some simple, cheap and cute Valentine cards.

1. Cut little pockets out of worn out baby and toddler clothing. Items with stains and tears are not okay the giveaway pile. Why not turn them into crafts?

2. Find a photo. Use your kids’ photos, their little faces are sure to melt the hearts of everyone. Cut out a person outline, if desired.

Me, circa 2000

3. Glue on pockets, add stickers and fill with candy or photos.

Here are a few links I found of some cool hearty-arty, lovey-dovey Valentine’s Day stuff.

1. The Nester shares about simple ready-found decorating for this love filled holiday.

2. Marie from Make and Takes show us how to make a quick and inexpensive winter hat for the kiddos that will warm your hearts.

3. Katy from Sycamore Stirrings gives a charming tutorial on how to make a heart garland with photos of your loved-ones.

4. Delightful Home found a free-download to print of a pink heart basket.

Enjoy!

photo credit

I am tackling my bedroom closet, listening to plumb, feeling very much apart of a serious earthquake of old pay stubs, backpacks and out of dates suits. I am spending the month of February getting my closets ramped up for The Masked Mommy’s Closet Pow-Wow, March 1st. {I told you I love a good blog-land party}

Here is a quick poem I drummed up in honor of my closet earthquake.

Earthquake

cry crackle crumble

buzz shift humble

strain brace fumble

shake love mumble

breath tell rumble

hold fall tumble

Maybe I could get federal emergency funding for a tufted dressing chair, 100 pack of wooden hangers and a professional massage (wait, how does a massage help my closet? I’d be rested and relaxed enough to actually put my clothes away at the end of a long tiresome day…yeah, that’s it!).

On second thought, I’ll use my, Dave Ramsey inspired, spending money envelope, no matter how small, to buy some bins, fabric and paint. I can’t wait!

Pretty Houses Need a Foundation Too

photo credit

When life gets stressful, some people eat too much, spend too much or sleep too much. (or all three)

Me?

I scan the MLS too much.

Not because I am sad or malcontent, just because it is fun!

I could pour over house tours online with glee and imagination for hours. I look at tiny houses, out-of-state houses, big houses and local-maybe-someday houses. I do love a good realty listing. I am the worst looky-lu ever! I have been known to visit open houses for fun, even when I am not looking to buy. I am forever taking the color copy listing promos from the mailboxes on For Sale signs. {tsk, tsk}

As a kid, I read floor plan magazines, while other girlfriends drooled over Leo DiCaprio in Teen Beat. Hey, I drooled too, but I had my priorities. Plus, I don’t think I was aloud to read the “trashy” ones with articles like, 101 ways to kiss your boy toy.

I digress.

I had floor plan computer software, a subscription to House Beautiful and a weekly claim to the Sunday ‘Houses’ section of the classifieds…all before I was sixteen. In fact, during my 8th grade “shop class” business lesson, I created a company called Happy Homes. My company would color coordinate a house into pure happiness, uh…yeah. Reality happened, now what?

House Beautiful magazine circa 1990's-ish

While, I consider myself a product of a happy home, I have been searching for the secret ingredient to happiness in my own home.

What makes a house a home?

• Will a paint color really create joy?
• Can a crock-pot meal define my purpose?
• Is it pearls and aprons I am searching for? Is it high paying career with lots of benefits?
• A floor plan with a mudroom will certainly stitch together a ‘Happy Home’, right?
• How can my personality, faith, resources, dreams, children and glue gun all combine, to create my dream house/life/home/legacy?

Enter in Kimba from A Soft Place to Land. She has a knack for spray paint, family strengthening and keepin’ it real y’all.  Do-It-Yourself projects mixed with fun tips for making your home…what else? A Soft Place to Land! Are you with me? Say, Yes!

Okay, but even Kimba seems to acknowledge the struggle between cute picture frames and meaningful frames of mind. To start keepin’ really real, she has started a new series cleverly named, Building A Soft Place to Land. I am totally hooked!

Join Kimba and get hooked too, as she learns, along with us, how to build the foundation for joyful homes, spray paint and all.

See what other folks are getting hooked on over at Hooked on Houses on Friday.