Creative Wedding Gift: Upcycled Invitation

http://christyrobbins.blogspot.com/2011/07/wedding-invitation-ornament.html 

I always feel so bad throwing out wedding invites after the big day has passed.  I know how much time and effort the bride & groom invest in choosing, addressing, and mailing them.  I knew it would make a wonderful keepsake for the happy couple, I just didn't know what to do with it (besides framing it).  So, I searched Pinterest and found a wonderful idea: using the invite to make an ornament for the Christmas tree!  It was super simple & I think the bride & groom really appreciated it.  I am currently on a hunt for one of our wedding invitations from  9 years ago in hopes that I can do the same for my hubby & I.  We love Christmas and we love reminiscing over each ornament, remembering who gave it to us, what year, and why it's so special.

The link to the original pin is below the picture.  I did upload my pics (not great, so definitely look at the link) and directions under the Gift Idea tab.

Thanks for stopping by!
M.M.

It's Been Too Long...

OMGoodness!  Where has the time gone?!  I've wanted to share so many wonderful projects with you, but life has been crazy (a good crazy).  Thought I would take the time to say hello again and let you know what's on deck for the remainder of this month.  

* Part of our bathroom makeover

* Wedding gift ideas (great one for those Christmas-time weddings)

* Fall crafts with the kiddos

* Gift/craft for that furry friend of yours (I'm talking about your dog or cat!)

Before the holidays are in full swing there will be a pantry makeover  & a great idea for that holiday wreath your front door is yearning for. :)  Please continue to check back.  My goal is to begin posting (with pics)  these projects next week.  Can't wait to share!  Looking forward to your feedback and the wonderful ideas you have too!

Thanks for stopping by!

M.M.

What Lies Beneath?!

 It's officially been a year since the big move into our "dream" home (in the making :).  We've had so many things on our to-do list with the interior of the house that we really didn't worry about the exterior.  Our lot is paradise and really does take care of itself when it comes to the landscaping.  One of our favorite features is the ginormous flagstone patio that wraps around the entire house.  The more time we spent outside the more we noticed that it was very "dirty".  We tried scrubbing it with a broom and saw a little bit of a difference.  Then, my hubby & I put our heads together and decided to power-wash the patio and brick walls.  We also used Oxy-Clean to help us out.  YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE!!  Take a look at the before and after pics below.

Before on the left. After on the right.  Patio not done yet.

Pat power-washed Wyatt's name on top of the brick wall!

Our pineapples.  Before & after!

So bright & clean!

Patio not done here, but great view of brick wall!

SPOTLIGHT: Sarah's Summer Wreath

I'm excited that Sarah is back to share!  LOVE her summer wreath idea and it is SO simple.  It looks festive (and oh, so creative!) on the front door.  Makes me want to listen to a little Jimmy Buffett with a fruity beverage in my hand (hmmm...maybe while I make one?:)  Enjoy this "pintastic" project!  

Drink umbrella wreath

Another HUGE thank you to Sarah for sharing her wonderful creation with us!  Click on the Projects 4 Fun tab to see step by step directions.  

Closet Clutter GONE! (at least in one closet:)

I am back!  What a wonderful vacation with the family.  Completely unplugged for a week (no choice, no internet;).  I'm so excited to get back in the swing of things and share all of the wonderful projects we've been up to in the Murray household.  I really think the hubs is going to scream if I bring one more thing home for a project without completing what I've started.  Anyone else guilty of this?  I just get so excited, but nothing beats the feeling of completion, especially when it comes to organizing!

Right now, like most of you fellow vacationers, my house looks like a tornado.  Clothes everywhere (I can finally see the floor in the laundry room thanks to my awesome hubby!).  Speaking of clothes, it was such a great feeling (& yes, fun...I know I must be sick) putting Wyatt's clothes away.  I finally put the finishing touches (at least for now) on Wyatt's closet.  He has the largest closet in the house (yes, jealous) and it's been so difficult to find a way to organize it so we can easily find everything.  Trust me, anyone who enters Wy's room will be able to find what they need (sigh...happy face).  The dreaded question, "Do you know where __________ is?", has been eliminated when it comes to Wyatt's stuff.  WOOHOO!  Ok, here goes...

Problems & Solutions:
Problem: Large closet with single bar for hanging clothes.
Solution:  Rubbermaid (adjustable) closet organizer. LOVE!

Problem:  No dresser in room so EVERYTHING goes in closet.  Difficult to organize little clothes all on hangers.
Solution:  $ Store bins (I know, I can't help myself.  I LOVE the $Store.).

Problem:  Locating specific pieces of clothing. (No label maker or printer...both on Christmas list)

Wyatt loves the lights!

Solution:  DIY picture labels for each bin.  (How-to posted under Project Organize tab)

Problem:  No closet lighting!
Solution:  Click lights from $ Store. Wyatt LOVES them! These are temporary for now, but do the trick.  

This is only half of his closet!

(I apologize for the shadows in all of the pictures.  Wy's room is so dark.  This was with all the lights on in the room and shades up.)

 I can't wait to get my hands on Weston's closet!  The Rubbermaid organizer is installed so it's like a wonderful blank canvas staring at me every time I open the doors. :)  Hoping to finish it and post pictures in the next few weeks.

Happy Organizing,
MM

Toy Clutter

With all of the beautiful weather we've been having in NY I decided it was time to organize the garage (which by the way is only half done).  To start, I wanted to find a solution to Wyatt's outdoor toy chaos.  It was important to make whatever system I created easily accessible to Wyatt.  I wanted him to independently take his toys out & maybe, by some miracle, put them away too!  I decided that bins were the easiest way to store the small toys and I moved the shelves so that Wy's big trucks could fit in the cabinet too.

Repurposed File Cabinet

Everything has a place!

 Believe it or not, Wyatt absolutely loves this system!  He is able to open the cabinet on his own & easily take out the toys he wants to play with.  Since taking this picture, one of the white bins is now solely dedicated to his garden tools. :)  This cabinet is a huge timesaver and definitely helps keep the toy clutter in one place.  To top it all off...Wyatt puts away his toys & closes the doors of the cabinet!

It was really difficult for me to not make the cabinet "pretty".  It was more important to put a system in place and use it.  Maybe the "prettying" of the cabinet will happen at a later date. :)

Happy Organizing,
MM

"Tie" Raid

Alrighty, I am back in business!  I finally purchased a new memory card for the camera today which means lots of new DIY and organizing project pics.  Woohoo!

To kick it off let's talk ties. :) So, as part of the hubby's Daddy's Day gift (& my obsession with organizing) I took it upon myself to find another way to organize all of his ties.  In hindsight, I wish I would have taken a before picture of the ties.  I did take a picture of the "tie hanger" they've been on for years. Looks like this. 

Old system = tie hanger

 It looks like a fantastic idea and definitely kept the ties in one place.  However, there are fifteen spots on each side which totals thirty ties.  The hubs has 50+! I know it seems like a ridiculous amount, but he wears one every day.  When the ties were on the hanger he was only circulating through a handful because they were doubled up or on the floor.  There's no way he even knew what he had.  You should have seen his face after I organized the ties...there are some he hadn't seen in years!  I will definitely repurpose this hanger.  The wheels are already turning.  

Okay, time to share my $ Store solution!  I posted about their "compartment bins" a few weeks ago.  I use them to store the cords for the electronics. Well, turns out they're perfect for organizing ties too!

Yes, I color coordinated each bin!

Q:  What do I love about this?  

A:  EVERYTHING!  

It allows my hubby to see each tie (he purged a few ties so he now has 48).  ALL of the bins fit in a dresser drawer (6, that is 6 bins not 6 drawers!).  It is easy to rotate the bins so there are new ones on top each week!  And yes, it was so nice to color coordinate the ties in each bin (especially for a color-blind hubby).  Bonus, according to the hubs...he has more room in his second closet ( I know, not typical, but his suits, dress shirts, and ties take up an entire closet).  Taking on the second closet is going to be like an Olympic sport.  Not ready to do it yet,  but will in the near future. 

$ Store bins were the perfect solution!  

Turns out organizing the ties was a gift my husband appreciated and one that made me happy too! Thanks for stopping by!