I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve changed up my mantel. You know I’m busy if I don’t have time to decorate my favorite area of my home. I wanted to create a Back to School mantel but didn’t feel like I had a lot of the supplies needed. I took a look around my house and in my craft room and was able to come up with enough things to fill the mantel. I’m always surprised what I’m able to find that will work. Look around, I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly what you’re able to find too.

I started with a few books I had on my book shelves. Most of these are from yard sales and thrift stores. I turned then around because I liked the uniformity of the pages. I cut some plain blocks of wood as book ends then topped them small globes. I had some metals numbers for scrap booking and used them to decorate the front of the blocks.

I have a few letterpress typeset letters I purchased from an antique store years ago. I added a ruler from my kids homework box and a bell I use for decorating.

I found an old camera a few years ago and have been using it in decorating throughout my house ever since. I’m on the look out for a couple more. The cork covered X was found at Target just a few weeks ago.

Clipboards are one of my favorite organizing and decorating supplies. It holds the printable I made for my kids for Back to School. You can print off one for yourself in this post. The little clock is one of my favorite finds from a thrift store.

I hung 2 smaller clipboards above the mantel. You can see in this post how I covered the right one in washi tape.The left one is holding a cute piece of scrapbook paper.

The banner was fun to make using flashcards and the rest of the metal numbers. I attached them to the bakers twine with itty bitty clothespins.

The kids really like the mantel and it’s been a good reminder that Back to School is right around the corner. Now I just need to come up with a table centerpiece for our Back to School dinner. I guess I’ll be looking around the house more.

You might also like:

10 Back to School Ideas

We use our bed tray a lot, when someone’s sick, working in bed, or for a work surface almost anywhere. After a quite a few years it was looking pretty beat up. There wasn’t anything wrong with it structurally but it had some cracks on the surface.

I had some chalkboard vinyl on hand so I decided to use it to cover the surface cracks. I like being able to update something and make it useful again without having to put much money into it.

Use a credit card or some kind of store card to smooth the vinyl as you’re applying it. Smooth out any bubbles and go over all the edges one last time.

I chose chalkboard vinyl but you could also use wallpaper, tile, scrapbook paper, fabric, place mat, etc. Use your imagination. I love being able to write notes on surfaces so the chalkboard vinyl was my obvious choice. Who wouldn’t love getting breakfast in bed with a little note written on the tray?

It’s a perfect surface for playing games especially if you have someone who’s too sick to leave his bed.

Or how about making a road and scenery for little cars. It’s even better when your big sister makes it for you.

Such an easy update but one that is going to let us enjoy our bed tray for many more years.

What do you have lying around that could use a quick and easy update?

I have a large stash of Washi Tape so I’ve decided to start using it instead of letting it just hang out in the jar looking pretty. I wasn’t sure how this experiment was going to turn out but I’m pretty pleased with this Washi Tape & Stamp Art.

You’ll need:
Stamps
Stamp pad
Washi Tape
White cardstock
Frame

I didn’t have to buy anything but even if you do, it won’t cost much.

Start by cutting the paper to the size of the frame or mat. Stamp the image you want onto the paper. The petals were individual stamps so I could place them however I wanted. Then I added the smile stamp at the bottom. I used a very dark ink so it would show well under the washi tape.

Randomly place the washi tape over the top of the stamped image. Cover as little or as much of it as you like. Place the tape vertical and horizontal with them overlapping. I added a piece over the word too.

The frame was originally black so I painted it this beautiful Valspar thistle field to match the washi tape I used. Here’s a little trick I use to keep the frame off the cloth while spray painting. Use thumbtacks or a toothpick broke in half to keep it up and easier to reach all the areas that need to be painted.

That was so fun and easy that I decided to make some cute little cards too.

Who wouldn’t want to receive one of these cards with a sweet little gift? Maybe you should make some this weekend.

We have lived  in Las Vegas for almost a year now. Sometimes it feels like we’ve just moved and sometimes it feels like we’ve been here forever. I think that’s how it goes for a lot of life though. Time seems to fly and stand still at almost the same moment. What’s the saying? The days are long but the years are short. That seems to fit. The kids have gone through a whole school year, hubby has been at his job for almost 2 years, and I’m starting to find my way around without getting lost every time I get in the car. So how did we get here? In a city and state I never thought I would live in, leaving a house I never thought I would move from. I will try to make this story as short as possible and at the same time I hope to give enough detail so that some of you who might be going through the same thing won’t feel the eye of judgement upon you like I have at times.

We’ve lived in several states as a family and moved because we wanted to and thought of it as an adventure, but the last time we moved was back to Utah and while I thought we were probably going to stay put, I wasn’t sure of it until we moved into our last house. It felt permanent. Oh boy, was I wrong! Never say never, right?!

Hubby is a computer programmer and because of that we have been blessed with enough money to raise our large family. No, not a little large, very large. We have 8 kids. In Maryland we only had 3 and we were on the large side, in Florida we had 4 and that was pretty large, then we moved back to Utah and had a total of 8. Even for Utah that was large. Even with his profession and me working probably half of our married life we had years of struggles, but nothing compared to the last few years. Hubby lost his job many years ago, so we sold a lot of stuff, even our house and rented for a couple years. We even almost moved out of state again. He got another job after several months, it was close to our rental home and pretty perfect. After being at that job for a little over a year we were back on our feet and bought our “permanent home”.

I won’t go into the details of the house. It wasn’t extravagant, but large enough to house my large family and we were very happy there. It was close to hubby’s work and in an area we wanted to live. The schools were good and my kids had a lot of friends. Heck, I had a lot of friends. I started this blog there. It felt good and where we were going to continue raising our family. And then that changed. Hubby was laid off of his perfect job. There were more months of unemployment. He had a side job and I was bringing in some money, but we were zooming through our savings fast. This is where you kind of learn who your friends are, there are awkward avoidances, pity looks, and even rumors. Hmmm, that was a weird time. Oh, don’t get me wrong there were also great friends and many blessings. But at times I felt like we had done some horrible thing by losing our job.

So, yeah the money part. That was pretty much gone and we were sinking. We had food storage, so that was good, but there was no money for extras and kids cost money. There were school supplies, shoes, clothes, everyday necessities and such that needed to be bought and it was hard. We didn’t want to see this affect the kids but after so many months there was no getting around it. The lessons and extracurricular activities had to stop. That was probably the hardest for me… I cried (a lot). And then there was more gossip and pity and friendship and kindness. And sometimes kindness comes from the most unexpected places. People who don’t personally know you but whom you’ve actually had a relationship with for years. Like, hi how are you? Or thank you for your deposit is there anything else we can help you with? Or here’s some smarties for your little one, have a nice day! We had been members of America First Credit Union for years and were recognized when we walked in our local branch. Even when I was only there with change jar in hand trying to get it converted to “real money” from the change machine in the lobby, they were kind.

Then came the time when we were at the “how are we even going to buy milk and bread” phase. Not a good phase! We made an appointment to go in and talk to a finance counselor at the Credit Union. Okay, this is where I have to put in, if you’re in trouble talk to people. Yeah, I know it’s hard and yeah, there might even be some judgements, but do those people really matter to you. No, not to me anymore. But we found some relief through the Credit Union and it gave me hope that we just might make it through this terrible time. Hubby found a job at 30 hours a week, not full time but it was such a relief to have a little money coming in. Within 3 months he was full time and we were in heaven. He was getting paid less but we were determined to cut back and make it work. The Credit Union continued to work with us to get caught up on our payments and we were finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

Then hubby lost his job again. I won’t name names but this company wanted him to get them up to date and current on a particular project then they planned on laying him off. This was the plan all along and the only ones left out of the loop was us. At least during that time I had gotten the kids caught up on dentist and doctors appointments while we had insurance. It was a short lived joy and the blow was even harder this time. Hubby immediately started looking for work with no luck in our area. I had a sinking feeling and a pit in my stomach that things were only going to get worse. Luckily hubby found a job the next day but not close to home, not even in the same state. He continued looking for work in the area while also preparing to move on his own. I still don’t know if that was the right or wrong thing to do at the time but we were doing our best.

Hubby moved to Las Vegas and I stayed in Utah with the kids. I was basically a single mom most days and we saw hubby (and dad) for 2-3 days about every 3 weeks. It was hard and I hated it! We all did! The kids finished the school year while hubby continued looking for work back home. It just wasn’t happening. Sometimes things are out of our control. We don’t know why, we do our best, we try to make good decisions and things just happen. I tried not to complain, I tried to stay upbeat, I tried to put on a good face but I was drowning. And hubby wasn’t fairing much better, he was lonely and missed his family. None the less, we had decided to continue living apart and searching for work then 3 weeks before school was going to start, things changed. We needed to move, it was the right thing to do. There was so much to do in 3 short weeks: put the house up for sale, pack, clean, transfer schools (we had one in high school, one in middle school, and one in elementary school), shots, cancel utilities, find a new place to live, pick new classes at school, have 2 yard sales, and on and on and on. It seemed like a never ending list and I really don’t remember sleeping much. I think hubby came home once during that time. There was so much to do that I didn’t have time to think. That was probably a good thing. I just did what needed to be done.

One of the other things we were really worried about was finances. It takes money to move. We did it as cheaply as possible and it was still in the thousands. We sold about half our house so we could fit everything in one truck and it still didn’t fit. We still had to go back a few weeks later with a smaller truck to get the remainder of our things. Hubby was making more money now but we had also been supporting 2 households so we were still really strapped. There was so much to do and so many adjustments to make. Those few weeks are such a blur. I worried about everything even things out of my control. Not a good place to be. At least the only thing we had to do at the Credit Union was go on line and change our address. I wish everything had been that simple.

So where are we now? Things are getting better. We’re back on track and feeling more secure. I don’t feel like I’m under the eye of judgement anymore except for a few people that don’t really matter. It takes time to adjust and we’ve been through that time and are starting to feel like we’re home. The kids all had their best year in school, they’ve made good friends, and are in extra curricular activities. We love the area of Las Vegas we live in, the schools, and our church. There is so much to do here and we’ve loved exploring the area. As with anything else familiarity makes any adjustment easier. I’m happy to have most of the stores I’m used to shopping at close by, even familiar restaurants are a comfort, but one of the biggest comforts was being able to still be a member of America First Credit Union. They were there for us when we needed it, they made our life and situation easier, they understood that sometimes things are out of your control and it’s not your fault. They made us feel like they cared about us and genuinely wanted to help us get back to where we needed to be. Having someone in your corner when things are looking bleak makes all the difference in the world.

I’m always looking for ways to help my kids stay on track and accomplish their goals. The beginning of the school year is the perfect time to try new things for the new year. The kids all have reading time each day and have book reports that have to be given throughout the year, so we decided to try Reading Log Books to help them keep track of all their reading this year.

Since my kids are always borrowing my Sharpie products I bought them some of their own. My favorite are the Sharpie Fine and Ultra Fine and I love the amazing color selection. Staples has all Sharpie Fine and Ultra Fine markers and highlighters on sale starting August 10th, while supplies last. I think things always work better for kids if they have a hand in making and creating it so they made their own Reading Log Books using a composition book and Sharpie products.

I love watching their creativity. They were able to show their personalities and likes through their reading log book covers.

Sharpie fine tip markers were perfect to illustrate the covers. The colors are still bright and clear even on the colored book covers.

And one of them was even determined to use every color in the package. I love the vibrant colors!

I love that the kids all created some thing they love and that they’re proud of. Now it’s time to start logging their reading.

The first page of the reading log is filled out like the one above. Title of book, # of pages, date started, date finished, and rating. The other kids filled theirs out but I made Ammon’s so he would know how to fill out the next one, once he finishes the book he’s reading now.

The Sharpie Ultra Fine are perfect for documenting their reading. Each time the kids read they write the page numbers and a sentence or 2 about what they read. Each page can hold a weeks worth of reading.

Once they are finished with the book they are reading there is still plenty of room in the reading log to add more books. This makes it so much easier for them to write a book report or give a presentation when the time comes.

It’s always a challenge at the beginning of the school year to find a place for all the kids school supplies. We live in a much smaller home now so I will be working on where to store everything. The reading log books are on my craft room table right now, since the kids like to gather in there anyway. I made the Sharpie bucket to hold all their markers close to their Reading Logs. The kids are happy to have their own markers and so am I.

I was asked to bring a salad to a potluck dinner and wanted to come up with something a little different. This Blackberry Peach Slaw with Citrus Vinaigrette seemed to be the perfect salad for the occasion. Living in such a hot place has made me want to eat a lot more salads but they can get a little boring. Coming up with new salads seem to be my favorite recipes to work on lately. The plus side is that most salads are naturally gluten free.

Ingredients:
1 bag shredded cabbage
2 small cartons of blackberries
2 peaches
1 1/2 apples
1/2 cup pecans

Vinaigrette:
4 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together dressing. Pour over slaw ingredients and toss well. Chill and serve. This salad was gone in a flash at the potluck. You need to make it. I think you’ll love it!

After living here for 10 months I thought it was about time I worked on Organizing the Laundry Room. It’s such a small room but it makes such a huge difference when it’s neat and organized. Since we’re just renting I’m not able to make any permanent changes. I’m not even allowed to put a nail in the wall. Luckily there was already a large cabinet in the room with lots of storage space. Let me show you around and hopefully give you a few ideas on organizing your space.

The first thing I did was add a shower rod under the whole length of the cabinet. It’s a spring tension rod so I just had to make sure it fit tightly against the walls. I added the octopus hanger for clothes that need to be air dried.

The rod is 7 feet long so there’s plenty of space to store hangers and hang up clothes right as they come out of the dryer. I usually leave the clothes there until I’m done doing laundry for the day then take them to the bedrooms all at once.

I store the small ironing board at the other end of the rod. The rod can hold quite a bit of weight as long as it is as tight against the supporting walls as possible.

The bottom shelf of one side of the cabinet holds the laundry supplies I need to get to often. A basket holds the small supplies to keep them contained.

This side of the cabinet had a shelf missing so it was perfect to hold a few laundry baskets. The mesh one is Emilee’s, she does her own laundry. The kids rooms are really small and don’t have a place for laundry baskets so it made more sense to have them in the laundry room that’s across from their bedrooms. The other basket is for towels.

Above the laundry supplies are storage totes. I added colored chalkboard labels to the totes so the whole family would know where to find things. Most of the time we know where things are stored but by labeling them it makes it easy for the whole family to help out and be responsible.

I added two more totes above the laundry baskets to store rags and hubby’s electronic cords. If this were my home I would also be painting the cabinets but at least they’re in good shape.

The boys don’t have enough room in their bedroom for a laundry basket either so they use this awesome rolling basket/cart just inside the laundry room.

The sock bucket sits on top of the washing machine. I don’t mind doing laundry but I get hives thinking about having to match socks. I just toss all the socks in the bucket from the dryer and my 10 year old sorts and puts socks away twice a week. It’s like I have a little sock fairy.

I store laundry soap, fabric softener sheets, and clothespins in a basket on top of the dryer. I like to save money so I have a little trick I do with the dryer sheets. I cut the whole box in half then store them in a jar until use.

I needed a little garbage can but didn’t have enough room anywhere on the floor. I cut down a cereal box, covered it in fabric, then added magnets to the back and attached it to the side of the dryer. It’s the perfect size for lint and emptying pockets.

What do you need to do to get your Laundry Room organized and functioning the way you want? What ideas have worked for you?

Sine I had everything except the chalkboard labels for this project, the total cost was only $2.25.
Watch for another post in a few days about how I decorated the laundry room.

Here’s another laundry room you might enjoy: Organized Laundry Room

I’ve been working on our laundry room and decided I needed to add a printable to it. There’s a basket for the boys dirty clothes and they’re really good at putting them in there but not so good at checking everything before they do. I made this Laundry Printable as a reminder of a few things they need to do before they dump their clothes. I’ll show you where I hung it when I reveal the laundry room.

Laundry Printable

If you would like to use this printable for yourself, just click the link below the print. Printables are for personal use ONLY and are available to subscribers of Organize & Decorate Everything. SUBSCRIBE NOW to get full access to all printables.

For more free printables check out these Pinterest boards: Printables, Printables Party, Free Printables, or you can follow all my boards here.

Since I’m not able to eat dessert out often I enjoy trying new gluten-free desserts at home. And since no one else in my family needs to eat gluten-free I try to make them not realize it’s gluten-free, until I eat it of course. The only complaint I’ve gotten is that they can’t eat as much, which isn’t a bad thing. Gluten-free desserts are very dense.

Starting with a box brownie mix makes these Gluten-Free German Chocolate Brownies faster and easier to the table.

Brownies:
16 oz. box gluten-free brownie mix
1/2 cup oil
1 large egg
1/4 cup water

Topping:
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp melted margarine or butter
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together brownie mix, water, oil, and egg. Pour into a lightly greased 8″ x 8″ square pan.

In a separate bowl, combine shredded coconut, pecans, brown sugar, and butter. Crumble evenly oven brownie mixture and lightly press down. Bake brownies on middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack and cut into squares.

Enjoy!