Printables Binder

One thing that’s come from not being able to spend money right now is that I’m a lot more resourceful. There are so many blogs that share free printables that can be used for parties, gifts, decor, charts, documents, etc. I love you all and your creativity. The only problem I have is that I’m not very tech savvy and even though I save something on the computer I might not be able to find it when I really want it. So I came up with a back-up plan using these supplies, that I of course, already had on hand (borrowed from my school supply tote).

Here are some of the printables I keep in the binder. I just slipped them into page protectors for easy access.

marthastewart.com

marthastewart.com

kindovermatter.blogspot.com

doecdoe.blogspot.com

howaboutorange.blogspot.com ?

livinglocurto.com

?

eatdrinkchic.com

Clean Mama also has some free printables on her site you won’t want to miss. Just because she’s so nice! Love her!

If you know the origin of any of the printables or I have it wrong. Let me know, I’ll correct it.

To make the binder more presentable, I just cut scrapbook paper to size and slid it into the binder pocket.

Then I made a label from ribbon and a small tag for the spine of the binder. Now I can just flip through the binder to find the printable I want, cut it out and it’s ready to use. I have some other binders to show you later and some fun ways to decorate using the free printables.

I’m linking to:

Frugal Finds at It’s a Blog Party

Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple

Market Yourself Monday at Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

We’re Organized Wednesday #11 with Clean Mama Printables

Welcome to another We’re Organized Wednesday. I’m so excited to see what you’ve been organizing. September is a big organizing month for me. I want to make sure I have everything under control before the Holidays start and life gets even more crazy. Here’s a sneak peek of what I’ve been working on the last couple of days. Let’s just say, I have a son who’s anxious for me to get finished.

So, what have you been working on? It’s time to inspire and be inspired by others, so link up your projects below.

The giveaway is now closed! Good luck to all of those who entered!

But first, don’t forget to enter the giveaway this week. Clean Mama has an awesome new kit she’s just finished developing. It’s the Busy Mama Homekeeping Kit and includes 18 documents to help you in your home life. And as always, the helpful layouts are stylish with fun fonts and colors to make planning and scheduling even more fun. This is a $25 value and a much needed help for around the house. I can’t wait to start using mine.

 

1st Entry- All you have to do to enter to win this kit is visit Clean Mama Printables. Come back here and leave me a comment telling me your favorite kit in her Etsy shop.

2nd Entry- For a second chance to win, leave me a comment with your favorite printable in the offered kit.

More Entries- For more chances to win, link up your organizing projects. You can link up to 4 projects, if you haven’t linked them here at a previous party. That’s 4 extra chances to win.  

Remember, you don’t have to link to the party to be entered to win. Just leave a comment.

Don’t forget to visit the Clean Mama blog for awesome ideas everyday.

Now let’s see what you’ve been organizing! Here are the rules.

Link up using the URL code for your actual post and not your general blog. Include a description of your post, someone might be searching for something specific.

Add my button or link back to this post so everyone can join in the fun.

Visit and Comment on other blogs. I just know you’re going to get some great organizing ideas you won’t want to miss. You’ll make some new friends and have fun while you’re exploring other blogs.

The link party will run through Saturday and the winner of the giveaway will be announced on Sunday. And thank you all for sharing your awesome ideas 2 weeks ago. There were over 5,000 views and 4,200 link clicks from the last party.   

Coke Crate Centerpiece

Do you remember when I found this awesome coke crate a few weeks ago? I had many comments and e-mails saying it would look great as a  centerpiece. I thought it would too, but my table isn’t big very big and I thought it would overwhelm it.

I finally decided to try it a few days ago.

And I love it. Thank you all for suggesting I put it there.

I wanted to add some flowers to the bottles, but I didn’t have any in my garden or artificial ones that would work. So, I took a trip to the dollar store and found these. Pretty good for a buck, but when I took them apart, they weren’t long enough.

I was searching for a solution when I found this wire in my floral supplies.

I cut pieces about 7″ long, folded them in half and twisted them onto the bottom of the flower stem. 

Ta-Da! Now they’re long enough.

Such a fun centerpiece.

I’m linking to:

Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Design

Strut Your Stuff at Somewhat Simple

Look at Me Party at Fun To Craft

Show and Tell at My Romantic Home

Remodelaholics Anonymous Meeting at Remodelaholic

Decorating Your Home at It’s a Blog Party

Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Erasable Chore Chart

I know these have been done to death, but I needed to find something that would work with my kids and I think this just might be it.The paper charts we were using before would get convienently lost. Then I would hear, “what day do I do the dishes?”, ”I didn’t know I had to empty the garbage”, “no, I don’t do that on tuesday, I do it on wednesday”. Really!

My kids are older (the youngest is almost 7), so I don’t need a cutsie chart any more. I made the chart using different fonts for each child: Modern No. 20, Wingdings, Kristen, Lucida Calligraphy, Bradley Hand, Bookmark Old style, Comic Sans. And different colors for each child too: Red, Lime, Orange, Aqua, Plum, Light Blue, Black. 

Before I could put it all together, I sprayed the whole frame black because I didn’t like the gold trim around the inside of the frame. It took 4 coats of paint to make the gold disappear. 

While the paint was drying, I cut the scrapbook paper to size, to be used as the mat. 

Then I cut the chore chart a little smaller than the scrapbook paper.

Glued the  2 pieces of paper together and then slipped it into the frame.

I used the Command strips to hang the chart where the kids would have to walk past it at least 20 times a day.

And I made sure to use the level while hanging it. The Command strips are very forgiving though. If you’re off a little, it’s easy to adjust by just realigning the hook and loop a little.

It hangs on a wall in the mudroom (nope, I haven’t finished the room yet). The dry erase marker just sits on top of the frame.

As they do their chores for the day, they mark them off the chart. You can use the dry erase marker directly on the glass. It wipes right off and is ready for the next week. Now if I get asked if they can play, I ask them if their boxes are all marked off for that day. It’s that easy! And I hope it works.

I’m linking to:

Get Your Craft On at Today’s Creative Blog

Spotlight Yourself at It’s So Very Cheri

Works For Me Wednesday at We Are That Family

Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Design

Strut Your Stuff at Somewhat Simple

Hookin’ Up With HOH at House of Hepworths

Get Your Craft On Thursday at Life As Lori

Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge

Friday Fun Finds at Kojo Designs

Weekend Wrap-Up Party at Tatertots and Jello

Craft Schooling Sunday at Creative Jewish Mom

Sunday Showcase at Under the Table and Dreaming

DIY Project Parade at The DIY Showoff

Where I Blog

Kate at Centsational Girl is having a Where Do You Blog? Party. 

So, to answer her question, I blog at my desk in the corner of my bedroom. Our bedroom is on the main level so it’s close to a snack if I need one or to answer the door if someone stops by. I’m mostly there in the early morning and when the kids are at school.

It’s surrounded by things that are important to me and I love.   

Pictures of family.

And words of inspiration.

Things that are functional but also pretty.

Amanda framed this picture for me on Mother’s Day. It’s mother and daughter 14 years ago. So sweet!

It’s definitely not ideal and I’d love a bigger place to blog, but this little corner of my room is working fine for me right now. And a lot of time in the evening, I blog in the living room. Close to hubby and any TV shows I might be catching up on.

If you want to see some awesome blogging spots head over to Centsational Girl and check them out.

Peek Through Last Week (August 22-28)

Sunday- The girls start school tomorrow. I’m glad I stock up on school supplies when they’re on sale. I usually have most of what the kids need when they go back to school. I keep this tote full of folders, binders, lined paper, composition books, pens, pencils, markers, colored pencils, glue, glue sticks, dry erase markers, etc. Why is always exciting for me and the kids to get the school supplies ready for the 1st day of school?   

Monday- Amanda started high school today and Emilee started Jr. High. Is that why I’m so weepy today? Such a big year for both of them. They were so excited and nervous at the same time. Can they open their locker? Will they have friends to sit with at lunch? Will they make it to their classes on time? Will they like their teachers? They had a great 1st day. Hopefully that will continue through the whole year. Aren’t they so cute in their new school clothes?

Tuesday- Zach and Ammon love playing “good guy, bad guy”. They take turns being the good guy then the bad guy. I love watching them play, when they’re playing well together. Sometimes they fight a little too much and I just want them to get along. Today was a good day. They played for hours.

Wednesday- I started on Zach’s bedroom today. He’ll be moving into Adam’s old room and out of the room he shares with Ammon. They’re both excited to have their own room soon. I started with his closet and he loves it so far.  

Thursday- Zach had soccer practice then Scouts right after. They had the Raingutter Regatta for pack meeting. The boys had so much fun racing their boats. Zach painted his purple, his favorite color. He put a pirate sticker and number stickers on the sail. They go by wind power so the harder you blow the better. They didn’t give awards for places. They gave creative awards. Zach got the One of a Kind award.

Friday- This is my entry. This is Amanda’s backpack and math book in my entry. I’m standing in the mudroom where her things are suppose to be. The chair is about 10 feet from her locker. Why are her things on the chair instead of in her locker? Yeah, I don’t know either. 

Saturday- Zach’s first soccer game was today. He did really well. They lost 4-3 but it was a close game. He’s never played on a team before, just at school with his friends. His coach says he’s really good and thought he had been playing a couple years. His favorite position is goalie. He looks like Mickey Mouse with the gloves on.  

I’m linking to:

Tuesdays Unwrapped at Chatting at the Sky

Shutters and Vases

I found some fun things for my home a few weeks ago that I haven’t shared yet.

I bought 2 milk glass vases for $1.50 each. I love that they’re a little different and have more of an “art deco” feel to them.

And I found these shutters for only $5. I stuck them in my bathroom window to see if they’d fit. Of course, they need some adjustments and need to be painted, but I think I can make them work. I hope to show you the finished project by next week.

That’s it. A grand total of $8 well spent.

Edited: I forgot to mention I found these things at Savers.

I’m linking to:

Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality

Twice Owned Tuesday at House of Grace

Thrifty Thursday at Bloggeritaville

Frugal Finds at It’s A Blog Party

Garage Salen at Debbiedoos

Framed After School Routine

The first thing Ammon wants to do when he comes home from school is have a snack. He’ll walk right through the mudroom and drop his backpack on the living room floor and head for the kitchen. I’m always reminding him to put his shoes in his cubby, get his papers out of his backpack and then put his backpack in his locker. Then I saw this awesome printable at Living Locurto that totally spoke to me and my after school problem. Oh my gosh, how cute is this!

I just printed it off. Framed it with one of my many frames from the basement.

And hung it in his still not finished locker. (I promise I will get around to finishing the lockers one day and they will be awesome when I do). And that backpack will be hanging on a hook then. Anyway he’s excited about his sign and reads it everyday. For now, this is really working. Thanks Amy! And she has many other fun printables you should go check out too.

By the way, hubby built these awesome lockers and when they’re all painted I will be proud to show them to you.

I’m linking to:

Make It 4 Monday at Cottage Instincts

Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts

Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous

Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest

Lego Wall Art

I’m trying to decorate 4 kids rooms spending little or no money while doing it. Hubby says I have a craft and thrift store in the basement. Well, I guess that’s a good thing now.

I had these 3 frames down stairs in my stash, but 2 were the wrong color. So, of course,I spray painted them all black.  

Ammon loves Legos. He plays with them everyday and comes up with many different and pretty impressive creations. These Lego cards are from an old game that I thought would be perfect hanging on his wall.

I cut blue card stock to fit inside the frame.  

And used double sided tape to secure the card to the card stock.

Then I placed them in the frames.

And lined them up on the wall.

Ammon’s room is road signs, subway art and maps in black, brown and blue.

I wanted to be able to incorporate the Legos too, so I chose the cards with vehicles on them. They’re a little brighter than the rest of the room, but I think they still fit in well and I love the pop of red.

Ammon loves them on the wall and he’s already made all of them.

Please ignore the really beat up wall. His walls need to be spackled and painted, but I’m painting Zach’s room right now, so Ammon’s will have to wait.

Have a Beautiful Weekend!  (we start soccer games again tomorrow)

I’m linking to:

Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tatertots and Jello

Saturday Nite Special Funky Junk Interiors

Craft Schooling Sunday at Creative Jewish Mom

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Make It 4 Monday at Cottage Instincts

DIY Project Parade at The DIY Show Off

Topsy Turvy Tuesday at I’m Topsy Turvy

Get Your Craft On at Today’s Creative Blog

Whatever Goes Wednesday Someday Crafts

Penny Pinching Party at The Thrifty Home

Strut Your Stuff at Somewhat Simple

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage

Frugalicious Friday at FInding Fabulous

Mouse Pad Makeover

I like being surrounded by pretty things while I’m at my desk. This mouse pad is not one of those things. Hubby brought it home from work. And while it serves it’s purpose well, it’s not pretty to look at.

So I found some pretty fabric in my craft room to cover it. I cut the fabric about 1 1/2″ bigger than the pad all the way around. 

Then I ironed heat-n-bond to the back of it, to make the fabric easier to work with and so the mod podge doesn’t soak through. 

I rounded the sharp corners. 

Then cut slits at the corners to make it easier to cover the pad.

I used mod podge to glue all 4 corners down. And let it dry for about 10 minutes.

Then I folded the corners in on each side and glued all 4 sides to the back using mod podge.

This is how the bottom or (back) looked. Not very finished, huh!

So I slathered the mod podge on the back and added a piece of felt I cut to fit. This project does use more mod podge than normal. It  really soaks into the pad.

That looks so much better covered. Not that anyone is probably going to pick up my mouse pad and look at the bottom though.

During drying time which was about 10 minutes for each step. I placed the book Lan Tu gave us,to add some weight to the top and prevent bubbles or wrinkling. This book is beautiful!

Ta-Da! Now it’s functional, pretty and fits in with my bedroom decor (that’s where my desk is).

It even has green in it, which I apparently can’t decorate without. And this project cost me $0 since I had already had everything.

I will be trying to spend as little money as possible crafting, decorating and organizing my home. We have resently taken a substantial cut in income so I’ll have to see what I can do with what I have. I hope you’ll join me as I put on my thinking cap to be more creative and frugal while still making a beautiful home.

I’m linkng to:

Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest

Look At Me Party at Fun To Craft

Frriday Fun Finds at Kojo Designs

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

It’s So Very Creative at It’s So Very Cheri

Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative

Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

Show Me How Party at It’s a Blog Party

Tutorial Tuesday at Hope Studios

Before and After Party at Debbiedoos

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage