Friday, May 27, 2011

95 May Challenge: Project "Projects" {Boy's Bedroom - Part 6}

We let our little P's live out of a box for about two weeks.  Not in a box.  Out of one.  As in their clothes.  When we sold our bunk beds we lost Peyton's dresser.  And we were left with Parker's which we removed asap since it was huge and bulky in their new space, and offered little wiggle room to get around the ends of the beds... here is a reminder of what we were dealing with:


So I threw all of the kiddos clothes into a giant box in their closet and started the closet brainstorming process...  This didn't take too long.  I had a vision when we started this project, but I really wanted to be certain...  We could have just moved the dresser into the closet.  But that would leave little to zip hanging or shelving space.  We could have purchased a dresser that wasn't so bulky and could either fit in the room or closet better... but that would have broken our little itty bitty budget, so that wasn't going to happen. 

Remembering to shop my home and use what we have, I recalled I had an Expedit bookshelf from our previous lower level office space.  Bingo!


First things first, we used anchors to secure the shelf into the wall, just in case...




Then we just used simple wood dowels, again, anchored into the wall and then screwed into the Expedit, for the new clothes rods:


The thought was to give each kiddo a side of the Expedit, and have them share the shelving unit for their socks, undies and pj's.



When we picked up the dowels, I also spied some Martha Stewart canvas bins, that I figured would be the perfect solution!


Sure, could have left well enough alone, but I have no clue how to do that.  So I didn't.  The handles and label boxes just weren't doing it for me.  To quote Despicable Me, "Lightbulb!"


Let's play with the new Silhouette!  See what this baby can do!  When I received the kit, it came with some fabric transfer in white, so I knew that would be the most fun way to quickly whip up a new label system for the canvas bins!

With the Silhouette, I cut out two moon's for the pajama bins and two socks for the sock/undies bins.


I just followed the instructions and ironed the transfers straight onto the bins!


Giving them four new "drawers" in their closet to the tune of about $20!


And those bins hold a boatload!  Ton's of room to spare for their belongings!



And they can reach their drawers which is the most important thing.  And they are light and kid proof and clothes proof.  A win win combination!

And I wanted to consider what to do with their dirty clothes when they are changing at night, so I reused an old stuffed animal bin....


Tried to use some chalk to write "Laundry" on the side, cringed at my sloppy handwriting, and revisited the Silhouette one more time to make stencil out of cardstock.


I just used some double stick tape to hold the stencil in place while I used some liquid chalk to color in the letters:



All done!


Wonderful!



I just reused some small plastic hangers we already had to hang up all of their laundry.  I ran a little low so for now, the rest of the clothes are folded and popped into a basket in the cubbie until I can snag some more from the store.


And for a quick final peek at the end result of our kid's closet install!



We used two dowels at $3 each and four dowel kit's at $1.20 for a total of almost $11, plus the four bins for another $20 making the grand total of the whole closet install $31!  I would still like to add one more shelf across the top and maybe even one across each lower dowel to add even more storage, but for now, it's working out swimmingly, and much better than a cardboard box!!

Within the last couple days, custom order doors just went on sale at our local home improvement store, so we ordered new white bi-folds {since I couldn't bring myself to paint the oak ones}.  The previous oak doors will head to our local habitat store.

And my favorite part, the before and after of the project:



So what do you guys think?  Anyone else go the canvas bin route in their kiddos closet, for their itty bitty pieces?  Did you know it's a holiday weekend?  What does that mean for you... projects?  Play?  A little of both?

UPDATE:  We added a shower curtain rod cover to enhance the wooden dowels a bit:




I decided a little challenge would be fun! This month we are getting all those projects done!  Any project big or small counts!  Wanna join?  Take photos and blog about your awesomeness as you go!  I am hoping to do a giant, "We did it!" celebratory post where we can all link up our project completing success stories at the end of the month!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

30 IHeart: My May Sponsors!

It's time to give some major love to those that keep IHeart Organizing's lights on, and I couldn't be more excited to send them each virtual hugs for all they do!



As many of you fellow bloggers know, blogging can be {and is for this gal} a second job.  But it's the best job.  It's a job that brings me new friends, inspiration and daily excitement.  I look forward to blogging in all my spare moments.  IHEART this job and only wish to do it full time some day!  And to be able to dedicate more time to making it even bigger and better.  That's where my sponsors come in.  Right now, I am definitely dedicating as much time as I can above and beyond my first job as a daycare mommy and then as a wife and mom in the evenings.  That means providing daily posts and a drive to try and respond to each and every comment and email {although, sometimes it can be crazy challenging to keep  up!}.  I have also been working to expand my Etsy shop and provide design services via Style Tiles.

Again, THANK YOU SPONSORS!

They really have kept this blog up and running!  They support my time writing posts and  responding to emails and editing photos, my equipment and the costs that are associated with running a full time blog.  They continue to make this blog possible and for that, I am forever grateful.  So please stick around and take a moment to read about the folks that keep this blog afloat from month to month!

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What can I say, I have a special place in my heart for my sponsor, Jane, from The Borrowed Abode!  She was my very first sponsor and continues to support me on a monthly basis!  I am so spoiled!

Jane runs an incredible blog, The Borrowed Abode, in which she shares all sorts of goodness dedicated to the pursuit of fabulous decor for rental homes and providing rental decor advice to others.  Looking for the lowdown on rental decorating?  Check out her informational post here!

This girl totally has it going on, she has provided so many inspiring and great tips for both renters and home owners alike!  I like to check back frequently for great reads filled with inspiration and humor, along with oodles of eye candy and through home decor and ORGANIZING projects!  Like this lovely closet she installed and recently shared on her blog!




And this girl is SO creative.  And talented!  She even made herself three new skirts by "Re-Fashioning" what she already had!




She has also been sharing her adventures in getting ready for a giant craft fair this weekend in which she will be selling some of her genius designs, so please please please give her a virtual "best of luck" high five!





Oh how I adore her blog!  And the rest of her house tour is sure to leave you impressed as well!!

Endless thanks to my friend Jane for her continued support of IHeart Organizing!

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Heather, who run's Blondie's Shop on Etsy, is giving me some love again this month, and I couldn't be happier to have her on board!

Heather works full-time, so in her spare time she makes note cards and knits.  Several years ago Heather taught herself to knit for the sole purpose of stress relief.  And she found something out while relieving her stress, she really liked doing it and her scarves became great fashion accessories {for herself} and then she began receiving several requests and started making gifts!  So hence, a few months ago she started Blondie's Shop!  A key element of my scarves and cowls is the combination of colors and textures to create a very unique and fabulous look.  Each one of my knitted items is individually unique.


Because Heather truly enjoyed sending and receiving handwritten note cards, she also realized a love and passion for creating them.  It's an extra special treat to open up the mail and receive a handwritten, heartfelt, short and sweet note, don't you agree?  And because she enjoys scrapbooking so much, she decided to do something with all that leftover paper!  Thank goodness for us she did, her cards are absolutely divine!



{Vintage Cards, Baby Shower Invites, A Little Hello, Vintage Cards}

There really is something for everyone, and her designs are so pretty and unique!  Oh, and she runs a fun blog too, you can check that out here!

Thanks so much to Heather with Blondie's Shop for continuing to be apart of the IHeart Organizing Sponsorship team! 


And this fabulous month of May, Blondies Shop is offering a free $15 credit to one lucky iHeart Organizing reader!  Just leave a comment on this post stating "IHeart Blondies Shop", and one lucky individual will be drawn this Sunday {5/29} and notified of their credit!  Good luck my blog peeps!!

 
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Christine with Simple Starfish Jewelry is another talent that I am gushing over!   Once you pop over to her website or her facebook page, you will know why I adore her work!  Well, and I gave you another glimpse as to why here:



The shop is filled with beautiful hand stamped pieces, that include everything from necklaces to bracelets... and the customization possibilities are endless!

She is always adding new custom pieces, I love there is always a variety!


{Key to Your Heart, Apple for Teacher, Baseball Mom Necklace, Love Circle Mommy Necklace}


Personalized gifts such as these really let someone you know, just how much you care about them {Father's day is just around the corner!!}  I have gotten lots of happy tears by giving gifts such as these!  And many compliments on the pendant that I wear on a daily basis.  Seriously, what mom wouldn't be proud to sport her munchkins initials or names?  Love.

And right now Simple Starfish is nearing 1,500 fans on Facebook and is hosting a giveaway to celebrate!  Just "Like" the Simple Starfish page and head over to the "Discussions Tab" to enter your name into the 1,500 fans giveaway!  It's for a $50 credit to the incredible shop, so you definitely don't want to miss this incredible opportunity!



Christine and I have also been working together to come up with a great design specifically for iHeart Organizing readers, which we will be partnering up to debut and giveaway in June!  Can. Not. Wait!

Again, Christine's awesome work can be found on her website and on her facebook page, be prepared to stay awhile and gaze at her skills!


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For someone who is a tad obsessed with cleaning and organizing, imagine the match made in heaven that was discovered when I found Toni, from a Bowl Full of Lemons!  She currently runs a blog that gives me my daily fix of all things IHeart, she is quite impressive in her ALL of her many skills!




It's funny because we often joke about how we could be long lost sisters with how much we have in common!  It's so much fun having such a good blog buddy!  And I LOVE her weekly project link up parties.  So much inspiration to be found! 

Not only does the multi-talented Toni run an awesome blog, she also sells Shaklee, which are awesome products!


In fact, I have been using the Basic H2 since reviewing it here, and I LUUUURVE it!

When you pick Shaklee, you will know three things to be true. It is always safe. It always works. And it is always green.  Win win and win right?!

Here is a fact that knocked my socks off, "Through the sale of Shaklee Get Clean® Basic H2® in the last year alone, Shaklee has eliminated 2.7 billion bottles of conventional, ready-to-use 26-ounce window cleaner — if placed end-to-end, these bottles would wrap around the earth more than 18 times!"

Interested?  Check out Toni's Shaklee website here, or visit her blog here to find out more!!



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Carolyn, an independent consultant with Thirty-One gifts joins us this month as a supportive sponsor as well!  Please give her a huge welcome to thank you for hopping on board!

The products you will find when you pop over to Carolyn's Thirty-One Gifts website, are exclusive to Thirty-One and provide style and convenience at an amazingly affordable price. From their key product line, to their “direction” line for teens, or their uniquely crafted “31kid” line for children and moms, you will find so many options to fit every personality type and every situation. They continue to develop new products built on the idea that their products must be stylish, functional, affordable and easy to give as gifts to encourage someone special.


June Customer Special
For every $31 a customer spends on regularly priced items, she can get a Large Utility Tote for only $9 {$30 retail}. Enter the required $31 in retail purchases, then enter #3121 and choose from Pink Circle Spirals, Black, Paparazzi Dot, St. Andrews Garden, Boho Patchwork Paisley, Pin Dots, Garden Bloom, Floral Celebration, Circle Spirals or Black Tailored Stripe. Shipping and tax is calculated on the discounted price for the sale item. Personalization is an additional $6. Note: Pink Circle Spirals print is available this month only!



June Hostess Special
When a Hostess holds a $450 or higher online or catalog party, she can get our $71 Travel Collection for just $10. The Cosmetic Bag can be personalized for only $6. Choose from two print collections: Free Spirit Floral or Onyx Medallion. Free Spirit Floral Travel Collection includes: Free Spirit Ditzy Flat Iron Case, Garden Bloom Mirror Compact, Free Spirit Floral Cosmetic Bag, Free Spirit Ditzy Manicure Kit. Onyx Medallion Travel Collection includes: Onyx Blossom Flat Iron Case, Onyx Medallion Cosmetic Bag, Onyx Blossom Mirror Compact, Onyx Blossom Manicure Kit. To set up an online or catalog party, contact Carolyn at carolyn31Gifts@gmail.com.

You can view a digital catalog or shop on Carolyn's website here and you can also find Carolyn on Facebook here.

Thank you again to Carolyn IHeart Organizing to place sponsorship!!

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I shared my love of the shoes over at Report Footwear {a.k.a.  drooled and gushed over the adorable footwear!}, when I was able to offer up some freebies for you fabulous ladies!

Ready to be in awe?


{Cobb, Ebben, Guston, Grover}



Report is continuing to show their love towards IHeart Organizing and my readers by sponsoring me this month!

If you haven't stopped over to browse their beautiful shoes, you won't be disappointed when you do.  In fact, choosing a pair is the hardest part!  And it's only going to get better as they now carry exclusive shoe styles on their official website {not available anywhere else except their website & retail store in Bellevue, WA}. A number of the new, exclusive styles are Italian designs and are kept at a low price point to make them both stylish and affordable!!

And you may be wondering if they are as amazing in person as they look online...  I can honestly tell you, YES!  My Burnas and they are my new favorite fashion accessory!!! 



They are so cozy and cute and can be worn with anything all spring, summer and fall!

L O V E!


You can also stay up to date with Report Shoes by visiting them on Facebook!


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Another sponsor back again this month is Katie, who sells the amazing Scentsy warmers and scents!  You already know from this post, how much I adore these Scentsy products, but if you are looking for more information, you can checkout the website for all sorts of products and background on what makes Scentsy products such a good choice for filling your home with amazing aromas! 

The cool part about Scentsy, is that you can choose from oodles of scents, to pair with tons of stylish warmers, and through a flame-less light bulb, fill your home with incredible scents!!  They also have boatloads of additional great smelling accessories and products!



I love that any time I open the front door, for myself or a guest, I am greeting with the most amazing aromas.  And it's all thanks to Scentsy!

Thank you Katie for your support of the blog!

Pop over an email to Katie @ thescentchick@gmail.com anytime, to see what specials she is currently running!



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Tracy from Creme de la Gems Boutique Jewelry has continued to show IHeart Organizing some love!  You just have to pop over to her website and her facebook page to check out all that she has to offer.  Her work is beyond gorgeous, I could just "oooh and ah" over it all day!  In fact, I do often....

As a mom, I am especially in love with the idea of sporting personalized jewelry that contain the names of your little ones!


The attention to detail in Tracy's shop is flawless!  Her selection is incredible!  It's perfect for any lady of any age in your life! 

Tracy also recently added the most adorable clay designs!

{Statement Ring, Charm NecklaceSnap Hair Clips}

{Woodland Locket, Hair Cookie, Vintage Pendant Necklace}

Hurry over to the Creme de la Gems page and order soon, because Tracy will be closing shop for the Summer {June 1st - July 14th}.

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Michelle runs an time and money saving blog that is sure to make all of your lives easier!  Michelle's title says it all.  It's quite amazing really!  But you CAN cook 5 dinners in just ONE hour too!!

Here's how:

Michelle has created a plan to cook all 5 dinners for the week in just ONE hour. All the menu plans have family friendly meals that feed 4-6 people and no, they are not all casseroles. :)

The meals are fresh, not frozen. They keep in your refrigerator until ready to heat and eat!

You could spend one hour on a Saturday or Sunday preparing 5 meals for your busy week!!  Yep, it only costs you the cost of the groceries and the one hour time investment, and you have meals for the whole week!  Done!

Not only does the fact that you can make 5 dinners in one hour sound incredible, but nothing is better than coming home from work and having your dinner already prepared before you run off to that kiddo's sporting event or music lesson.  It saves money on eating out and causes so much less stress in trying to find time to feed your family on a busy work/school night!  This is such music to this mom's ears I tell you!!!

Michelle was also kind enough to share a special promotion, just for you IHeart Organizing readers!  Subscribe here and get a $5.00 discount off the regular price of $15.00 for your first 3 months! Making your first 3 month subscription only $10.00! 
 
You can find all the rest of the details right here on Michelle's blog.  And while you are there, give her some extra virtual hugs to thank her for her support of IHeart Organizing!


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My blogging buddy Amanda who writes the blog Our Humble A{Bowe}d,  is continuing to support me as well!  My smiles are plastered!

We have another gal full of incredible talents, and lucky for us, she shares those talents with us through her Etsy shop!


She offers custom cut-outs, I can't begin to figure out how she creates something so amazing, but she does!  She can whip up some playful artwork for your little ones haven!    Or for your haven, in the form of some personalized art!  She also can turn a photograph into incredible wall art!



And seriously, how cute is this... ugh, talk about melting of the happy heart!!

{Bee Happy Print}

Thank you Amanda for sharing your home renovations and crafts with us on your inspiring blog, and for offering up your awesomeness through your Etsy shop, and most importantly, for supporting IHeart Organizing!


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It's so important for me to extend my gratefulness to these sponsors, for all they do for me and this blog.  I hope that you all take a moment to check out their fabulousness, whether via their blogs, their shops or their facebook pages.  And you can always find their links by clicking on their banners on the sidebar of this blog at any time.  There is so much talent to be found!  Such a lucky girl I am to have the sponsor family I do!