Sunday Blog Love Favorites

I'm way overdo in showcasing my favorites from Sunday Blog Love but I do want to thank everyone who has ever linked up and shared a project or two.
 

 

As I shared last week, I will no longer be doing the weekly linky party,

I will still continue to blog but I due to time constraints have decided
to not do the weekly party anymore.
 

I've made some wonderful people and have been inspired each week with

all of your creativity. So again, I want to thank each and every one of
you for linking up or leaving a comment - it has meant so much to me.

 

Let me show my favorites from last weeks party.

 

Sarah from Aderberry Hill shares wonderful weekly projects and I have highlighted her so many times. This time I fell in love with this  window looking chalkboard that she got at Goodwill and you might be suprised what it orginally was.

 

 



Lynda shared how she took a childs chalkboard desk and turned the
top into a vintage looking bulletin board complete with buttons turned into magnets.
 

Many bloggers are sharing their fall wreath and they are very pretty but I fell in love with this fall rake wreath. I would never think of using a rake, would you?  Isn't it just gorgeous?

 

How many people have bucket lists? I Have you ever thought about making a  bucket list for the fall? The weather is typically so beautiful and this would make such wonderful family memories.

Now for the most viewed

 

How to Clean a Refrigerator
Great tips if you really want to deep clean your refrigerator and not just the surface cleaning.

 

If you were featured, feel free grab the featured button to add to your blog.

 

 

Did you know that I have a board on pinterest that highlights the favorites each week?

Click here and I guarantee you will be inspired.

 

Thanks again!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

Designing an Entryway Closet

One of my home improvement projects is to redo the entryway closet. One of the great things about blogging is that we are constantly inspired by other bloggers and the projects that they share. Well today, I have a guest post to share with you that has reinspired me to get going on my entryway closet and I hope it also will inspire you in some way to rethink that space that can sometimes be overlooked.


Designing an Entryway Closet By Tom Coan, owner, Case Design/Remodeling Birmingham.

Whether your home lacks an entryway closet or the existing one is begging for a new design, every home needs organization just inside the main entryway.

While not every living space is blessed with a mudroom, adding or improving an entryway closet with a little custom remodeling can help contain the mess that comes home with each family member at the end of the day.

Working with an existing closet.

If your home already has a coat closet right inside the front door, you’re in luck. Even if it’s too small or has a poor design, the benefit of a closet over cubbyholes and other open storage solutions is that everything goes away as soon as you shut the doors.

 

If you’re dealing with a messy or disorganized  closet, a new design can help. Sometimes simply adding a few organizational features is all an old entryway closet needs to make it new again. Multiple items don’t fit inside small closets very well without a storage solution. Some simple shelving and storage baskets can help a lot.

Image courtesy of Houzz http://www.houzz.com/photos/67481/Maillardville-Manor-Mudroom-modern-entry-vancouver
.

A larger entryway closet can hold enough outdoor items for the entire family with the right design. Custom shelving and shoe racks are easy to add to any existing closet. Clothing rods of varying heights use space wisely and keep coats and jackets accessible for children.

Image courtesy of ClosetMaid http://www.houzz.com/photos/414890/Organized-Entryway-traditional-entry

Adding a closet.

You don’t have to add walls to create a closet in your entryway, although you certainly can. But it’s as easy as finding the right set of shelves or piece of furniture to inspire a custom closet space. This open closet was added just down the hall from the front door by adding custom cubbies with hooks, shelves, and drawers.

Image courtesy of Case Design http://www.houzz.com/photos/87603/Case-Design-Remodeling--Inc--traditional-entry-dc-metro.

A bench with compartments and an attached open hutch can be an attractive way to contain the mess. A unit like this one can be moved to a new location if the entryway ever needs a different design.

Image courtesy of Two Ellie http://www.houzz.com/photos/172601/Two-Ellie-hall-birmingham.

A makeshift closet can be a big bonus if you don’t want to commit to anything permanent, or if you rent a home with no entryway closet.

An antique wardrobe becomes the hallway closet in this cottage-style entryway. Image courtesy of Dreamy Whites http://www.houzz.com/photos/46800/Dreamy-Whites-eclectic-family-room-other-metros.

About the Author: Tom Coan has owned Case Design/Remodeling Birmingham for over 7 years. As a licensed home-builder and Certified Graduate Remodeler, he leads a design and remodeling team that delivers professionalism and client satisfaction with every project.

Disclaimer: I am not being compensated for this post but rather inspired to rethink the closets in my home and hope that this might inspired you also.

Crate Paper Little Bo Peep Mini Album

It's been awhile since I've done any paper crafting since I've been busy with the

20 Days to Organise and Clean Your Home.

 

Just before the organizing challenge started, I made a mini album using the

Crate Paper Little Bo Peep paper line and realized I never showed it.

 

 

The pages are made from a 12 X 12 double sided paper that was folded into a pocket page.

You Tube tutorial here

 

 

I added lace and various embellishments either from the line or from my stash.

 

 

 

Each page has a pull out page perfect for adding pictures

which I'll be adding and putting this in the mail!

 

 

The pages were very easy to make and best of all, no cutting - just folding and tacking down.

 

 

I would recommend anyone try this method of making a mini album as it was so easy to put together.

 

 

And it's even more fun when you use pattern paper that you really love,

 

 

 

And that's my latest mini album!

 

Linking to these parties.

Do You Like Homemade Items?

 

It's been awhile since I bragged about my wonderful friend, Barbara and her wonderful Etsy store. I've shared her wonderful rag quilt projects  several times. Barbara creates the most beautiful rag quilts, bags, kitchen towels and potholders, Christmas stockings.
If you love the rag quilt projects, you'll love her store!

While checking out her store, I noticed that she has some new things that are
so cute and I have to share!

I adore rag quilts and Barbara outdid herself with this cute rag quilt with these patchwork chicks.

There are several other rag quilts for sale too!

 

 

 

It's never too early to start thinking of Christmas decorating and

 a rag quilt stocking would be a great way to update your home for the upcoming holiday season.

 

 

Or perhaps you have a special person who would love to receive this stocking.

Don't you just love this pink flower? I can't imagine anyone not loving this, can you?

 

 

Do you like to make gifts for the Christmas season?  You could make rag rugs to give or maybe give the insruction book and tool to that crafty person who would love to learn a new craft.

 

 

I have a set of potholders in my home, and now you can buy the instructions to make your own  pot holders. This would be a great Christmas or shower gift and hand made by you! 

 

 

 

I'm loving all the items that are now offered as  patterns.

This is such a pretty little pin cushion that you could make and put in a basket with some thread, tape measure and other sewing things for a wonderful gift for any time of the year.

 

If you haven't checked out, Snip It Up,

this might be a great time to check out all the new items.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

My Last Sunday Blog Love Linky Party

Hi everybody!

After much thought, I have decided that this will be my last

Sunday Blog Love linky party.

 

 

My priorites have somewhat changed and time spent at the computer

has become less and less. I am so appreciative of all the

bloggers who have linked up week after week.
I do plan on blogging just like always, just the linky party will no longer continue.

 

It's just become almost impossible to find time to check out each and every link up each week

and to me, that should be manatory for whoever has a linky party - meaning that they

read each link and leave a comment.

 

 

So let's end this linky party with a SMASH!

 

Let me show you my favorites from last week.

 



JAQS Studios sewed this beautiful chevron quilt.

 

 

This would be a great project for the kids....Crafty Journal shares how to make autumn angels.

 

 

Helen shares her Top 10 Projects for Frames. You might just want to stop by your local Goodwill after reading this!

 

 

Thanks so much for sharing your projects!

 

If you were featured, feel free grab the featured button to add to your blog.

 

 

 

 

Now it's your time to start this weekends party!

All kinds of posts are welcome--whether it's about your family, a craft project,

thrifty find, a favorite recipe or maybe it's decorating your home or a giveaway....

The only requirement is..you must link back to my party...

(besides it's blogger ettiquette to link back...)

Not required but if you become a follower - then you'll know if you've been featured....

and will also be added to my Sunday Blog Love board on Pinterest.

Have a great weekend!

Loving Candy Corn

One of my favorite things about the fall season are the colors. From the trees changing
colors to the cooler temps, I still come back to the fun color combination in candy corn.
I'm not much of a fan of eating candy corn, which might possibly be due to
eating too much of it in my younger days.

Today I wanted to share some of my favorite candy corn finds from  Etsy.
 

Etsy

 Banners are always a sure winner in decorating no matter what the season is.

 

 

Etsy
Wouldn't this be a great way to warm up a bedroom or living room?

 

 

Etsy
This is such a cute outfit for a Halloween party or out trick or treating.

 

Etsy
OMG! Is this so cute or what? I love  this hat, it might just be bigger than the baby but super cute!

 

 

Etsy
Candles are always a winner in my house, always available in a wide variety of colors and scents.

 

 

Etsy

I have yet to try to make flowers like these from felt and I love how full and colorful they are with the banner.

Etsy
I recently purchased this banner and can't wait to get it so I can show it off very soon.

What colors do you lean toward in the fall?

Thanks for stopping by today.
Linking to these parties

What's On My Desk - Baby Cards!

  In my quest to make cards for certain occasions and have them ready before they're needed, I decided to make some baby cards.  

 

For some wonderful reason, when I make cards, I don't have a workspace that looks like a bomb went off - which makes me happy that everything gets put back where it belongs right away.

 

I mad a mini album using the Crate Paper Little Bo Peep girl collection and when I finished it up
I thought it would be a great time to make some baby cards.

 





 

I wanted to try to make the cards that could be used for a boy or a girl and out of four of the cards,

but I think these pretty much ended up being very girly.

 

 

Do you make cards ahead of time or do you wait until you need them?

Or maybe you don't make cards, do you have a stash of cards on hand?

 

 

This card is very simple but I think it turned out really nice.

 

 

 This paper line had so many cute embellishments that made making these cards so easy.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

Next week I'll share the mini album that I made from this paper line.

I want to get it mailed out before I show it as they read my blog and I don't want to ruin the surprise.

 

Linking to these parties.

The Pantry - Day 5

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm now on Day 5 of the 20 Days to Organise and Clean Your Home Challenge.

Today we tackle the pantry.

One of my most popular posts from last year was when I showed my pantry makeover.

 

This was an area that I had attempted many times to organize and couldn't figure out how

to get it set up so things would stay in place and also be functional.

 



 

As you can see, this was a diaster zone and one Sunday afternoon about 3:00, I decided to tackle it.

For some reason, last year - I tackled projects like this on Sunday afternoons instead of relaxing or watching some TV. (Hubby so loves that I don't do this anymore.)

 

 

I purchased some wrapping paper at Hobby Lobby and some clear contact paper at WalMart and lined all the shelves and really redid the pantry.

 

Best of all, it looks the same as it did then and the space really works for us.

 

Back to this challenge, we were to go through and check for expiration dates.

I mostly ended up tossing jello and pudding mixes so it wasn't that bad.

Let me show you how my pantry looks today.

 

 

Not much of a change, I put our extra Keurings in a canister I got at Goodwill which makes it easy to move when I need to get to the flour or sugar cansisters behind it.

Third shelf still holds our cereal, a few months ago I purchased some Lock n Lock slim cereal containers from QVC.  With all the organizing I've done, the space behind the cereal containers has remained empty for the past year.

 

 

I've got two pull out trays in the pantry and this is the one that gets the most use.

It holds snacks, baking thing, boxed items and in the front left is the snacks for Macie when she comes to stay with us. (We want it to be as easy as possible for her Mom, meaning less things for her to have to pack when they come to visit!)

 

 

The bottom still holds the toaster and onions but also the pastas and dehydrated hash browns (those are so yummy!)

 



 

My latest addition to our pantry is the menu board. I use to plan the menu for the week

when the kids were still at home and then once they were gone, I stopped doing it.

I think it's a great idea and as you can see, I've got this week all figured out.

I've also got additional print outs as well as a shopping list page right behind

the menu page.

 

Next up - Day 6 - The Bathroom

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Linking to these parties