Color.

I finally got up the nerve to hang some of my favorite art in our hallway, but it's really hard to photograph it because the lighting is hit or miss.

My favorite...painted by "Marilyn" and found at a flea market for $4.



 The colorful books have been returned to their rightful places.  Oh, rainbow-colored Trixie Beldons, how I love you so!

I'm off to make some colorful throw pillows...

Happy Pins / Happy Colors.

A few weeks ago I was ready to scream!  My house was crazy cluttered and I felt like all of the "stuff" was driving me bonkers.  I think that I announced (though maybe just in my mind) that I was taking the neutral route, removing all of the color from my living areas so that a sense of calm could prevail.

I went neutral.  I posted pictures of my new, tone on tone, china cabinet and I really liked it that way.  I still do.  But...

...cue the gray skies...

After a week without sunshine, I was ready to finger paint our walls with primary colors.  I considered painting our kitchen cabinets chartreuse.  And I started pinning things like this:

Source:  Pinterest via Melvonna Collier; originally from Better Homes & Gardens

Source:  Pinterest via Jennifer Kershner; Original source:  designsponge.com

Source:  Pinterest via Jemm; Original source:  night-onthe-run.tumblr.com

Source:  Pinterest via Jemm; Original Source:  countryliving.com

Source:  Pinterest via Danielle Dzioba; Original Source:  marthastewartweddings.com

Source:  Pinterest via Missy Harding; Original Source:  sthouzz.com

It has occurred to me that perhaps I am not a neutral and calm person.  Or perhaps I am too neutral and calm and I need some color to WAKE ME UP.  Either way, I have decided to add some color to my home.  I really am working on it and I promise that, this week, I will post some pictures to prove it.

For the first time in a long time, I feel like I have a picture of what I want to do with our home and it feels fun to put my ideas into action.  Slowly, but surely I'll get it there.

Babies & Thin Mints.

Surprise!  I'm posting more than once this week!  Can you believe it?

Do you remember, back in December when I posted the 40 things I wanted to do at age 40?  Well, one of those things is to contribute to charitable causes by either volunteering or donating crafts that I make.  Today, I donated a craft.  Connor's school is having a carnival and they are raffling off different gift baskets.  Connor's class is in charge of collecting items for a "Baby" basket.  So I made this:

Working on a baby project was a lot of fun!  It brought back memories of planning Connor's room and choosing a "theme."  We went with denim, dark red, and khaki colors for his room so this pastel giraffe may not have fit in quite right.  Still,  I tried to be very gender neutral in my color selection...

I love to stitch pretty pictures, but finishing them makes me want to scream.  This time, I tried a shadow box frame, a little rick rack, some linen-like fabric and buttons.  It worked out pretty well, I think.

In other news, I'm currently working on another of my 40 @ Forty items:  Giving up sweets for Lent.  Today is day three.  I'm doing okay, but wouldn't you know it--our Girl Scout cookies arrived last night.  With a tear in my eye, I sent my little box of Thin Mints off to work with Jason this morning.  Oh sure, I could put them in the freezer and save them until Lent is over, but let's be honest--The chances of me caving to temptation, tearing open the package of frozen cookies, and breaking a tooth while feverishly biting into one are just too high. 

I have no self-restraint!  : (

Wallet Organization 101.

Hello!  Here is a little tip that will probably seem really underwhelming and/or useless, but it's making me really happy (it doesn't take much!) so I thought that I would share...

Lately, I've been trying to use cash more and our debit card less, but I started feeling like my wallet was getting completely out of control.  Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but the dollar bills were co-mingling with the larger bills and the receipts were trying to take over so I was constantly sorting through the mess in order to pay for important purchases (e.g., coffee).

So...Here is what I came up with:

Do you see the little postcard peeking out up at the top of this picture?

I decided to use vintage postcards to keep my stuff in line.  I've got one to keep the bills separate and one to partition off the receipts and now everything stays where it belongs.  No more co-mingling!

I warned you that it was underwhelming.   Seriously, though, I can use all the help I can get when it comes to organization (and money management for that matter!) so I'm pretty content.  Give it a try (when you finish laughing) and I'm sure that it will change your life too! : )

What are your favorite little organizational tips?

Party Girl.

I know a girl, a girl called Party...Party Girl.
I know she wants more than a party...Party Girl.
And she won't tell me her name, Oh no, Not me.

Does anyone else out there remember Party Girl by U2?
Did I just date myself?
Okay, so yes.  I'll admit it.
I spent the last part of the 80s and a good deal of the 90s adoring this band.
Is that uncool?  I would hate to be uncool.

Back in the day, Bono didn't have time to meet with the UN or various heads of state.
He and The Edge were busy coming up with awesome lyrics like...

I know a boy, a boy called Trash, Trash can.
I know he does all that he can, wham bam
And she won't tell me his name, oh no, not me...

And so now, at the ripe old age of 40, I find myself humming their little tune as I think about the fact that I have--not one, but two--parties to attend in the next four days. 

That's right.  I'm a party girl.
So what if the parties I'm talking about are actually a kindergarten Valentine's Party (delayed because of snow) and a little girl's birthday party?

I'll be there.  Holding Connor's juice box while he plays, maybe, but I'll be there.

Humming...

When I was three, I thought the world revolved around me. 
I was wrong and so I sing along.
And if you dance, then dance with me...

Oh yeah.  I'm cool.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I'll be honest.  I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day.  It's nice in theory, but for some reason I have a hard time finding ways to celebrate it. 
Maybe it's because, after Jason's birthday in November & Christmas and our anniversary in December, I'm fresh out of gift-giving ideas...

Maybe I'm just making excuses...

Anyway, this year I decided to make valentines for my boys.

For Connor:

...accompanied by a little candy...

For Jason:

...accompanied by what I hope will be a yummy dinner and dessert when he finally gets home from work tonight.

Do you love all of the red and pink goodness of Valentine's day or do you find it hard, too?

Once-Weekly-Random-Ramblings.

In the words of Oprah Winfrey, "Here's what I know for sure..."*

1. I should not be allowed to microwave popcorn.  I've made it twice in the last 12 hours and burned it both times.
2. My house smells really nice.
3. I enjoy being sarcastic.
4. Nearly a year after painting my hallway, I finally got around to hanging pictures.
5. I'm not sure I like it.
6. I'm convinced that the big picture that I put in the center is going to fall down at any moment.
7. If it does, it will probably stay there for another 6 months.
8. It's almost Valentine's Day and I haven't purchased a gift for Jason.
9. Or for Connor.
10. I'm unclear on the rules for purchasing valentine's gifts for one's child.
11. Connor is clear:  I'd better get one for him and it had better be attached to candy. 
12. I haven't seen sunshine in at least three days and it's making me morose.
13. Max the Dog is making me mental.
14. Morose + Mental = Hungry.
15. Perhaps it's time for lunch and/or a nap?
16. I'm in a creative slump.  It seems like nothing is working out quite the way I had imagined it.  Does that ever happen to you?
17. I'm not sure whether to keep trying or to sit back and wait...
18. I'm tired of sitting.
19. My hands smell like burned popcorn.
20. I'm in desperate need of some type of hair intervention.

*I kindof miss Oprah.  I never really watched her show, but I liked knowing it was out there. : )

Where are you Oprah?  Hope you're living your best life, girl.

Just a Minute...

I have just a minute, today, to note that another week is almost over.  Can you believe it?  Where have I been?  What have I been doing? 

• I've been daydreaming about new houses and/or remodeling after going to a "home builder's show" last Saturday.  Mind you, daydreaming is as far as it will go right now.
• I've visited the family entertainment capital of Missouri (aka Branson) only to find that Yakov, the Oak Ridge Boys, and Andy Williams are all on vacation throughout the month of January (darn).
• I've watched my kiddo swim with the fishes (and one cheetah) at a well-chlorinated resort pool.
• I've acquired my 4th cold since September and have decided that this is definitely a sign that I need more fruits and vegetables in my diet.
• It's February and that means that I have already fallen behind in my "Change-My-House-One-Room-At-A-Time" goals and me thinks it's time to get back to work!!!
• But first I have to find space in the guest room for actual guests, get through this cold, volunteer tomorrow, take Connor to a birthday party tomorrow night, sign up for Cub Scouts on Saturday, watch the Super Bowl, work, work, work, do laundry, clean house, find another job, get busy on my 40 at Forty list...

I must become better organized. 
I must become more productive. 
I must fight the urge to go back to bed...