I Cleaned out the 'Beer Fridge' AND.. Made my Own Day Planner!

Sneak Peak at My Planner/Journal/Sketchbook!!!

I feel a "Tada" is in order:)

There is a Huge Group of Amazing People Helping each other and Sharing their Tips and Ideas at the Facebook Page "A Documented Life Project"...it's so COOL!

Ok- so I have been so Busy Lately that I haven't been keeping up on Pics of my "In Progress". 

Today I worked really hard to get the Clients Trained, the Groceries shopped, the Laundry done and the Fridge Cleaned out before the Sun went down so I could at least get some decent pics!  The Fridge proved a Daunting Task indeed...

Here is the formally "Terrifying" Beer Fridge, now returned to it's original Immaculate-ness:)  I decided I absolutely MUST have a 'Beer Fridge' when we became 'Red Necks'.  None of us actually drink beer...but when we do use it for Nick's Mac and Cheese Recipe...it's Dos Equis...

I have two Full Grown, Large Teen-age Boys armed with Sticks and they were Hard Pressed to deal with the Left overs that had gained Sentience and begun to form a Military Revolt in our Spare Refridgerator...

But I digress....

Back to the Planner!!!

Ok- so here is the Front so far.  It's a little Wacko- a little 'Over-stimmed'...a little all over the place...It's Me!!!

Here is how it started....It's just a Mixed Media Sketch Book.  The Front and Back were heavier Cardboard than a regular Sketch book so I splurged a bit there...used my 40% off at Hobby Lobby baby!

The Exciting part is that I have given it a Trial Run these past few days and it is Working!!!  Today it went from the Gym, to the Groceries, to Coffee and Journalling and Back home to Receipt Logging/Book Keeping all in one Place!!!

The great thing about making your Own is that you can take all the Best things about the Planners you like and put them all in one place!  Here's what one of my Weekly Pages looks like:

I have my Appointments on the Left and some room for my "To Do Lists"  I also like to keep my Word of the Year/Month/Week and my Memory Verse for the Week.

On the right is my ever Evolving Grocery List...I feed an army...)  The "Go To" is the ADHD Kick in the Butt to remember that I need to drop by the Post Office...

And Here is where I keep the Master List of what we are eating that week...and I added my Exercise on the Bottom.  I think I will fill in the Exercise as I do it...

To tell you the truth- I end up Drawing these Calendar 'Shapes' into whatever Notebook I am making Lists in- so I just "Cute-r-ed" it up...Cute-r ddd it up??  Anyway- I made a bunch of copies...  It's just Glue Sticked in.  I tried Mod Podge- but too much work and too messy:)

I also REALLY needed to get my Receipts for my several Businesses stored and organized.  So far December and January Receipts have been Crumpled up in the bottom of my purse with the Gum Wrappers and empty Lip Gloss Containers...my Accountant loves me:)

SO- I added in some Envelopes...which I LOVE!!!  I just used some 5x7 ish Manilla Mailing envelopes that I scored somewhere and 'Gussied' them up a bit.  I added some 'Accounting Sheets' to them so I could track the receipt as I put it in.  These two are on the Back Page- so it's really sturdy and easy to find.

That's just Washi Tape all over to hold down the paper and 'Prettify' it:)  So far I've kept up pretty well.  Top ones for Household (Groceries, Groceries...and more Groceries...) and the bottom is for Biz.

I liked them so much I made two more:

The Book is sideways here...sorry!  And there's my Fabu new shoe in the left corner...I cut the tops off of these two.

I put them on the inside of the Heavy Front Cover.  This is just Paper Towel Left Overs that I used to blot other things in my Art Journal:)  I Mod Podged them on, then stuck only the back of the envelope down.  I use one for  Contacts/ Biz Cards and the other for 'Everything Else':)  It still needs more Decorating:)

I am having SO much fun with My new Planner that even scheduling Seven Loads of Laundry on Tuesday is Exciting!!!

Next Stop- Adding "Tabs" so I can find which Week/Month I am on:)

If this looks like Fun...go ahead and click on over to The Documented Life Project

You'll find the Class by Lorainne that I took and all the Info and Inspiration you need!

Careful....it's addicting!!!

What do you use to stay 'Organized'?  (I use the term loosely!)

Are you a Calendar Girl?  Planner Person?  Notebook addict?

Let me know!!

Love to all!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!!

I hope you all had a Fantastic New Year's Eve!  We had a great time just Hanging out, watching old "Eureka" Episodes on Net Flix and playing Board Games:)  My boys all made it to Midnight...me?  Not so much!

But I did manage to Wake Up just in time to watch the Rose Parade! 

 Ok- so you may not know..... but I am a total Rose Parade 

Geek-a-Saurous!  

Seriously...I grew up in Duarte which is about 20 minutes East of Pasadena. AND my Dad was a Civil Engineer for the City of Pasadena- so it was a BIG deal in my Family.  Christmas...then Rose Parade- that's how it goes in the Holiday Food Chain...

I'm also a Total All-Around Band Geek... Ya- that's me in front there..

I was THE Band Geek Baby...Co-Drum Major Duarte High School Marching Band Band!  All 22 of us!

Every year we visited the Floats being made in Giant tents in Pasadena  by thousands of  Lucky 'Petal Pushing' Volunteers. I've submitted many  'sketch ideas' for the "City of Duarte" Float...because it always stunk...seriously...it always stunk. 

 And we even went to see the floats on display after the Parade...well, the Cool ones...not Duarte's because it always had to be towed...

I even auditioned for the the 'Rose Parade Honor Band' a few times:) I rocked the Flute, the Piccalo and Occasionally the Base Drum when Sergio couldn't learn his part...

If I was able to actually Freeze my Butt off and sleep on the sidewalk, we'd see the Parade in person.  But we would Never miss it at Home.  We would wake up early...6:00 am- because you CAN'T miss the "Pre-show".. and we watched in our Jammies:) 

My Mom would make 'Scotch Eggs'...which are basically Hard Boiled Eggs wrapped in Sausage:)  Here is a very Bad...but Non-Copyrighted Photo:)  My Mom's are MUCH better...although they Do look mysteriously like Dinosaur Eggs..

I have no idea if anything Scottish is actually involved...  Needless to say- they are great memories.  My Mom made them this year for our Annual Christmas Breakfast Feast and I sat in the Corner Hoarding mine...like Gollum...

Ssssscotch Eggsssesssssss....

 This year  I was thrilled to stumble upon the Property Brothers who were hosting a "We-promise-not-to-talk-or-run-commercials-over-the-band-music" Broadcast- I was IN!!! Go HGTV!

Normally I am a staunch Bob Eubanks and Stephanie Edwards die hard...but come on Bob, the Bands aren't just a fill in between the floats!  And the Property Boys had Great Sound...ok, let's admit it- they are Fun to look at...am I right?  OH- and there was some other girl on there too...:)

Ok- so that was my Awesome New Years day!

  What greater Love has a bunch of Teenage Boys and their Dad than to sit through an entire Rose Parade listening to their Mom add Live Commentary every time a Band went around the Corner of Colorado Boulevard?! 

 (Did you see the Marines do it this year??? OOO-rah baby...)

 

Ok!  Geeking out aside...I feel like getting through Christmas- although Lovely and Wonderful- was a bit stressful.  So I really hadn't even had time to take a breath and really Plan for the New Year.

As Moms- we are Constantly Planning, Scheduling, Listing etc...and it's not like I don't have a plan...I just don't have it all Dolled up in a Fantastic Artsy Planner!!!   

Which is what the "New Years Fantasy in my Head" said I should already have had Built, Decorated and Ready to Use promptly at 6:00 am this New Year's Morning.

BUT!  Progress has been Made!!!

I was Obsessing  following my Fave Artsy Friends throughout the Holidays and stumbled upon The Documented Life Project!  You Guessed it!!! A bunch of Artsy, Art Journaling, List making, Schedule Junkies just like me all Making their Very Own Customized Planners!!!  AND I get to join ANOTHER Facebook Group!!!

 (Cue Happy Dance...Disco..Party on the Dance Floor style...)

So Join me over the Next Week as I learn How to put together The "One Planner to Rule Them All"...yes, my Precious...A Planner/Calendar/Sketch Book/Journal/List Storing Masterpiece!  Bwah ha ha ha!!!

Here's a Sneak Peak!

Are you A Planner Junkie?  List Lover?  School Supply Addict?  

What are your Plans for "Planning" this year?  

What Scheduling Devices do you Absolutely have to have on your person at all times???

Let me know!!! We Love Commentssessss.....:)

See you Tomorrow for More 2014 Dreaming!

Here's Sophie enjoying the Post Christmas Art Binge...

Love to all!

Christmas Fab on a Budget- Garlands!

So, as you know, I was able to Steal "Aquire" some Really Nice Garlands from my Sis-in-law's December Wedding:)  Woohoo!!!  

Here's one of them...it has Pine Cones and Berries wired in, White Lights and a variety of different 'Greens'.  It is much Nicer than the ones I've had in the past that looked really Artificial no matter what I did to it.

I actually have Five of them!!! I know! - Lucky Me!!!

So my Advice is...wait til the "After Christmas Sale" at Hobby Lobby/Micheals/Jo Ann's,  or the European Version:) for all my Over Seas Gals and get yourself One or Two Nice Ones per Year at 66% off.  It really does make a difference.

Now- if you have Young Kids- Honey, just grab sometime Long, Green and Cheap- because it's going to be Pulled on, Yanked down and Ridden like a Snake:)  Seriously- until my kids were 12 and 10, we had the Flashiest, Brightest, Most-Plasticy Decorations we could find.  It wasn't until they stopped using them as Weapons that I started "upgrading":)

This image is from Sodahead.com

The last few years in the Interest of Simplicity, we have just hung them "As Is" on the Mantle and on the Curtain Rods above our Big Windows.

This Year....I decided it was Time for Color!!!

So Here are the Supplies:)

I splurged this year and bought some Decorations before Christmas...I only Dressed up two of them and I'm going to wait for the "Season of the Fabulous After Sale' for Supplies for the other Three.  

All told...the two Big Tubs from Walmart were about $5.00 each and the Silver ones were a Buck a Tube.....so I'm saying around $12.00. I added some Burlap- about 1/2 a roll- so around  $2.00....so just under $15.00.

I used the "Rule of Threes" that I learned from my Stint of being the Helper for 4 Interior Designors who Decorated our Large Church Building.  

I also used some Green Wire and that little Cutty Thingee there...

I just grabbed Three different Ornaments...aiming for one of Each Color and tried to Vary the Sparkley and different Shaped ones.

Then I just wired the three tops together and Voila!

Here they are all Piled up and ready to be Wired into the Garland...This time to Several Season 3 Psych Episodes:)

So Here it is with the Color and the Glitter Balls wired in....Just needed to add the 6 inch wide Burlap Ribbon. 

Here's the Final Product....this one is up on our Mantle and the Second one will be Over our Big Window in the Living Room.  

There's there's the 'Naked One' Peeking in there in the Upper Right...

I'll hit that one soon and get Y-all a Pic:)

Tomorrow I am going to Brave the Terrifying, yet Exhilerating "After Christmas Sales" in search of a few Decorations to add to our Sparkly, Bedazzled Hoard:)

I'll be the one with the Helmet and Elbow Pads....I've seen the You-Tube Videos People!!!

Love to All!

Christmas Fab on a Budget- Little Things

Christmas Fab on a Budget- Little Things:)

This Year- we actually had Time for some Fun Little Things!!!  

Such as a long time Dream of mine...A Second Tree!!!   Ok- it's only 18 inches high....but it Counts right?

I think He's Adorable!!!  His name is Melvin....  Is it weird that I named a tree?

Ok- so I got Mel for a Buck a Buck a Buck!!!

I had the Fabulous Hot Pink Star already...

That's one of my  45 Cent Glittery Word Ornaments...

The Sparkly Balls fell off another Wreath I bought....score!

And those Blue Snowflakes were 25 for a buck....so ya,, not much:)

  

I felt like it was a little 'dorky' looking on the bottom- so I grabbed one of the Wooden Wreaths that I stole from my Sister-in-Law's Now Famous Wedding Decorations....

So Melvin joined our family for 'bout- a- buck- fiddy'... as we say here in the Country.

We re-purposed some Wee Little Snowmen Hats for Chicken-Winter-Wear.

We Be-decked a White Topiary that Summers as a Plant Holder with shiny 45 Cent Ornaments...

The Photo Bomb Elf says that the Blue Sparkly Star at the top is "Toads Amay-May"

You may have to Google that one...

We added in an Adorable Polar Bear Family that we Scored at Nick's Last Radiation Treatment...Keep your Eyes out for Little Christmas Hats...they are great for everything from Polar to Poultry!

 And Last but not Least- a Christmas 'Epic Fail'...

I've 'Toads' seen this done before- and it was really Cute.

I even picked out some Cute Paper- but HERE is where my Cheapness bit me in the Boo-tocks...

I got the Paper at the Dollar Store, so it was really thin...I also got the Ribbon for a Buck and This Time, it just didn't hold it's shape:(

I think that a Big Beautiful Bow would have saved them.  If I knew someone that could make a Big Beautiful Bow...

Ya, six U-tube videos and an Hour on Pinterest later and it was just Me, Sophie, 9 empty Cans of Diet Pepsi and 12 yards of Crumpled Ribbon...

 I just couldn't pull these off!  I think the Trick is Really Nice Thick Paper and Bows...I'll watch for those in the 'After' Sales:)

I was just about to 'Unwrap' them when my Husband walked out of Bedroom, past Melvin the Tree, past the Well-Dressed Chickens, Past the Sparkly Topiary...straight to the Wrapping Paper Pictures and....He loved them:)   So here they are!  Bowless, Imperfect and Beautiful:)

So those are our 'Little Touches' and they have been so much fun.  Even though I have a House full of Boys- they really enjoy the 'Festiveness':)

What Little Touches do you add that Make all the Difference?

I'd love to hear about them!

Love to All!

Christmas Fab on a Budget- Christmas Cards & Mailing Envelopes!

Well, I have to say that in my head, my 5 x 7, Professionally Printed, High Quality Christmas Cards have already been sent out to Everyone I know:)  

In Reality- Ya...it didn't happen...obviously or you'd be reading one Right Now!:)

I Did Manage to get a few done so that in my Heart I felt like I accomplished 'The Dream'...  But I have to tell you that the Main reason I did ANY of them is because I was told by a Local Printing Guy that it was "Basically Impossible".... or at least so "Difficult" and "Time Consuming" that he basically couldn't "even think of doing it right now."

What did I ask him to do?  To slap an 8 x 10 canvas on his Scanner and make into a 5 x 7.  I know- Nothing like this has ever been done in the History of Mankind...

So, I came home- slapped that puppy on my HP Printer...set it to 76% and pressed Copy.  Ya- it worked just fine.  Needless to say this guy missed out on a Lot of Biz and Referrals.  So if you're in the Prescott Valley Area, please contact me before you go 'a-huntin' for a Printer Guy...

Ok....so here is the Canvas.  It was from Last year and I didn't give them away because I realized after looking at them that they all looked like the Kids on the Unit with us....barefoot- in Hospital Gowns...:)

Here's another one...:)

Ya...see what I mean?

But, Time was of the essence, so I tried to choose the "Least Hospitally and Most Angel-y" one and did the Impossible...printed it in a 5 by 7...ya...amazing:)

I had bought some really Ugly, Late 80's, Mauve and Forest Green Cards and Envelopes at the Thrift Shop a while back.  Fortunately they were only ugly on the Very Front,  so I just Mod Podged my Angel right over the top, we'll call it 'Upcycling'. And then I made a full size one and slapped it on a Mail Envelope.  Tada!

I will admit they are NOT professional Grade and Definitely not Etsy or Pinterest worthy:)  But I think the people I love that I sent them to were ok with that:)  And a Little Love, and Mod Podge, goes a long way...

So here they are...  Just some Christmas Fun without the Big Christmas Commitment:)

So...the Cards were like 10 cents....for all of them:)  
The Mailing Envelope...25 cents, same Thrift Shop...
4 Color Copies  I'm going for 50 Cents- but I'm not real sure- there's probably an App for that...

So, like, under a Dollar....Yay!  Postage on the Big Guy was $1.75 and I filled it with the other little ones and Gift Cards so it was all going to the Same Place:)  Under $5.00!

AND-  these were all Accomplished while D.O.L. (Dog on lap)

Sophie was  just about done with Crafts for the night...

Next year I definitely want to go with something more 'Thought Out' and Professional looking- but it's nice to know that in a bind...you can Make it happen:)

So grab some Mod Podge, an Ugly Greeting Card, Several Assorted Beverages and a Print of one of your Favorite Pics.  You've got all you need for some Holiday Magic....

All you need...except Popcorn...you do need Popcorn:)

Love to All!