What to Do with Christmas Cards?

Look for instructions how to make the above display at http://www.bhg.com/holidays/

Change is good, right?

Last night, Adrianna and I had a [long, caffeinated] conversation about where we want this blog/website to go. We are bursting with ideas (or maybe the sodas we were drinking?) and ready to kick off the new year in style. Stay tuned for some great new features on this site.

Until then, the picture above is the project I am working on. It makes for a great holiday decoration AND way to display Christmas cards.

Also--in the spirit of handmade for the holidays--I made my sister-in-law's present tonight. Can't wait to show you what it is ... later.

Spicy eggnog anyone?

Not in Kansas Any More

Photo submitted by a reader; used by permission

After I wrote the post (dated 10/19/2010) a reader submitted this photo.

Amazing! Who'd have ever thought?--You can organize your books by color scheme? It's like a perfect closet ... only better! So many ways to organize, so little time.

I love it. And I might just try it.

Happy Friday!

Lightbulb Moment

Photo by Joelk75

I've got an idea!

Since today is our day to clean/organize/improve the kitchen, I thought I'd share a simple concept that has made a big impact in my thinking today:

Pillows.

That's right. Why not add pillows to your dining room chairs? Pillows really are a fast/simple way to add a burst of color or spot of energy to the room. They don't have to be big, fancy, or expensive. And who says they must be limited to the rest of the house? Consider adding seasonal pillows or pillows that highlight a subtle color used elsewhere in the room.

Pillows will warm up the space and make it more inviting--just in time for the cooler weather outdoors.

Really, pillows are pretty much magical.

When Loves Collide

Photo by refeia

I found a gift I'd like to give my son.

I know. I'm a journal fanatic. But what better way to journal?


Buy a Journible here

From the website:

The Journible series of books are hard-backed with gold foil and a bookmark ribbon. As you open the book, you will see chapter and verse numbers on the right-hand pages. These are conveniently spaced according to the length of each verse. However, these pre-formatted lines are left blank for you to hand-write your Journible book of yourself.

The idea for this comes from Deuteronomy 17:18, where God commands the kings of Israel to hand-write their own copy of the Torah, or book of the law. The purpose of this was so that they would carry it with them always, read it, learn from it, and lead the people accordingly. It’s interesting to note that 3400 years later, educators have been discovering that most people learn kinesthetically, by doing or writing things out for themselves.

From these two ideas together then, comes the conception of this series of books: The 17:18 Series. As you look at the left-hand pages, the lines are left blank for personal notes and comments on the text. There are also some questions scattered in light print throughout these pages. These questions are meant to guide you in thought as you study the book of Proverbs and to help you understand the types of questions you should be asking of the text.

Maybe I could fill it out now and give it to him later.

A journal and a Bible ... what could be better than that?

Change Clothes

Photo by Editor B

It's that time of year again.

The left side of my closet is full of bright, summer, lightweights, while the right side of my closet is slowly filling with sweaters, jackets, and sweatshirts. Admittedly, this is my favorite time of year. But I hate one aspect of it:

Switching out my clothes.

It is nearly time for me to pack up and move out those items I won't be wearing until next year.

Here are some "switchover" ideas I've culled from readers and research:

1. Eliminate what you don't wear. (Research shows that we wear 20 percent of our clothes 80 percent of the time.) If you're not wearing it now, why would you wear it a year from now? Unless you suffer severe memory loss or plan on undergoing a total personality makeover, you'll still hate it.

2. Keep only what fits. Truly, the closet is not supposed to be a scrapbook of memories. Unless you're King Tut, your closet isn't big enough to hold onto the items you can't even wear.

3. Wash your clothing before packing it up. This seems like an obvious tip, but it's such a pain that it doesn't always happen. Why add more laundry to the pile?! (I typed and re-typed an answer, but they were both unkind.) Remember to empty all pockets and mend all rips or missing buttons.

4. Give it away. Whether taking out the old or bringing in the new, consider giving out-grown items to someone who could use them. Who among us hasn't received a bag of clothing and marveled over it? (Likewise, if the items are stained, don't give them away. Rip them up and use them as cleaning rags!)

5. Only keep out what you will wear this season. As you unpack last year's boxes, keep in mind that you don't have to hold on to what you will not wear. Just because it comes out of the box doesn't mean it needs to go into the closet.

One reader passed along this helpful hint. When switching over her seasonal wardrobe, she places the boxes in a spare room and pulls out items to wear on a daily basis. Once she has worn the item, she places it in her closet. What doesn't get worn by a certain deadline, she eliminates as something she is no longer using.

Happy switchover!

Falling Ahead

Photo by miller vintage

Fall is my favorite time of year.

It's cool enough to heat up the oven for homemade pumpkin bread, yet warm enough not to chip ice cycles off the end of my nose. (Which I utterly appreciate.) I am planning to enjoy the pending fall season to its fullest.

The key--as always--is thinking ahead.

Here is what I am doing this week to prepare for Fall:

1. Inspecting the air sealing around the windows and doors to make sure there aren't gaps or cracks where cool air can sneak in and raise my energy bill.

2. Power washing the exterior of my home. (Good idea to do this BEFORE the water freezes on the outside of my house.)

3. Cleaning out the gutters. (Making way for more!)

4. Scheduling a fall furnace inspection. (Sounds about as fun as clipping Fluffy's toenails.)

This week promises to be busy, but I want to enjoy the winter without worrying about what should have been done back on a mild day in early September.

Are you with me?