A New Springtime

A Small Tag Sale Haul

A couple of weeks ago my husband offered to take me  to some tag sales!

My new rules for tag sales:

• practical finds
• something I can use to organize with
• can I use it to scrapbook
• will it be useful
• do I room to store it

This time I picked up:

• a picture holder( practical)
• an art or utensil caddy
• a galvanized planter ( I'm using it to hold some magazines on a chest in our living room)
• some ric-rac ( for sewing or scrapping)

I think all of this came to about $8!

Practical, useful and frugal tag sale fun!

7 Ways to Keep A Clutter Free Purse

 #1- Purse Size

I have found over the years that the size and shape of a purse do matter in keeping a neat and orderly purse does make a difference.

I find that a medium purse is best because too much room causes things to be loose and move around creating a messy purse. If  it is too small obviously it's functionality is lost.

#2-  Shape - Make sure the purse is not too deep as well, Bucket shapes can be frustrating because items tend to sink too far to the bottom. Close easy access is important to be able to access your things quickly.

 

#3- Compartments -No more than 3 sections or pockets. A cell phone pocket is a must and maybe  1 or 2 zipper pockets for keys or checkbook. too many sections can lead to unnecessary searching and rummaging needlessly.

#4- A wallet with a good amount of slots to keep bank cards, license, insurance cards, and cash etc. I also like to use my wallet slot for receipts. When I get home I like to put them in an envelope marked with the month.

#5- An extra case or pouch for overflow cards: library, gift, or reward cards.

#6- Make Up case-A small case for minimal make-up and a few hair accessories for those quick touch ups.

#7- Eye Glasses Case-  I prefer the hard cases to protect glasses from getting broken and they are easier to see and grab as well.

Having a clutter free purse can a very simple process that takes away a lot of stress in your life. Organizing and categorizing items makes it easier to find the everyday things we as women need. I hope this advice makes it easier for you to have a neat and orderly purse.

 

 

Bin Transformation

I really like the size and shape of these Dollar tree Bins but the color is just to bright for me.

I decided to use some left over chevron fabric to cover the from and sides of the bins. Using a bit of hot glue, twine and a couple of labels I was able to transform the bins.

The embellishments of twine and seashell add to that coastal look that I like so much!

I left some space on this label in case I add any other items to the bin later on.

I like to do fast, inexpensive up-cycles with things I already have to make my home a bit more updated and coordinated as well.

 

Lovely Laundry

Lately, I have been able to find joy in the "mundane" chores in my life. I remember reading a blog several years ago and the author saying that very same statement but at the time i just couldn't wrap my head around it.

I guess that is a growing process that comes with being more content with my state of life. Folding some fresh smelling laundry can be a meditative, calming activity these days!

I like to think of my children, my home and my husband and how blessed I am having my faith as well! Each piece of cloth, each towel or napkin becomes a prayer or an offering to God for the gratitude I have in my heart !

Neatness and order are important in our home especially with our large family. Everything has a specific place so the clutter is kept to a minimum.

I love wonderful scents for our home, and I am sort of a soap and candle addict. I shop at Marshall's for the higher quality hand soaps. They have wonderful  decorative bars and hand pump soaps and they are always very reasonably priced.

Making loveliness out of the mundane is a gift from above. I am glad God has given me eyes to see that now! I hope that you enjoy your laundry today and if not today maybe tomorrow or in a few years from now!

Scapbook Area Organization

Reorganizing my scrapbook area is something that takes place about three times a year.

I found these great jars and labels at the dollar tree and knew they would make my space look a lot neater.

The plastic drawers contain my 12 x 12 paper. the white bins hold current pictures I want to use, wood stamps in the middle and paper embellishments in the container on the right. Next shelf: two green bins hold older photos. Bottom shelf: two green pull out bins hold extra empty containers.

This is the entire space I use to do my scrapbooking and sewing. It is not that big but when organized, it is very efficient.

This shelf holds sewing supplies, small finished and unfinished scrapbooks, paints, and my kiddos sensory bins.

Labeling makes everything so much easier to find and return to its proper place.

A bit of pretty decor and some family photos finsh of the space and make it a pleasant place to work in!

 

 

Small Scrapbook Area Organization

Over the break, I had a chance to change and organize my scrapbook area. I moved my December Daily project over to the side and put my new Hiedi Swapp journal in the main are of my desk.

I swapped out the two Christmas buckets for some gold ones I had gotten on clearance at Michael's. I use these for my Sharpie markers.

After Christmas, I got these plastic drawer organizer. I really needed it because I had no place to sort out my 12x12 paper pads. I put about 3 pads in each drawer and labeled each drawer with the name of each collection.

Here is my small but very organized and efficient area! I also have a tall bookcase behind the chair to hold photo boxes used to organize my stickers and other embellishments.

Here is a close-up of the drawer organizers.

Here is my Dec. Daily which is halfway done I have to print off the pictures of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Christmas break. So that is on hold for now until this weekend.

On this shelf, I have some finished albums and a couple of unfinished summer vacation albums. I pick those up and work on them every now and then.

 The bottom shelf holds my profect life boxes and some paper pads I do not really use to often because the quality of the paper is not good at all.

Under my desk I have a few more drawer organizers for scraps and card stock 6x6 plain and patterened.

That is it for my little scrapbook area. It is not very big but it works!

Homeschool Teamwork and Dedication

Homeschooling is a vocation that takes commitment and teamwork. Everyone must work hard and do their part to make the days productive and fruitful. We do have a routine each day and ways of making sure everyone is actually learning. We use some textbooks and some living books (a Charlotte Mason approach). My children are versatile and like to learn in a variety of ways:

• workbooks
• nature drawings/ field guides/ fandex
• drawings/or  pre-printed coloring pages
•  board or card games (educational)
• computer
• hands on activities
•  fieldtrips
• dictation/narration

Since I have 6 different children and each of them have their own curriculum, they have a chart to fill out each day. On the sides are the subjects and across the top the days of the week. Each day they turn this sheet in and I transfer each subject on to my chart.
( fifth grader's desk)

The kids work independently and I am at my desk ready to answer questions when they arise. I also spend my time correcting previous papers, researching options for curriculum, finding worksheets or ideas to go with the subjects they are currently working on.

(eighth grader's desk)

The children know their daily routine and they use their chart as a guide to see what assignments are next in line. Sometimes they share a science experiment or do a project together. Because some of them are close in age it is okay to combine certain activities. Sometimes it is good to let go of the whole "grade" concept.

( 10th grader's desk)

A set curriculum is always a good thing to have but I do not hesitate to be spontaneous if something is put in my path. I am always on the hunt for new learning items. I picked up this book at church last week on the give away table and it is now my son's religion assignment. He reads a set amount of pages each day and is keeping a journal about what he reads.

Nature study has been a part of our curriculum from the beginning. Usually in the spring we are more enthused about it and we set aside a day of the week to incorporate nature walks.
Gathering specimens and things we find along the way are great research starters. Reading, drawing, and writing  about nature finds are all ways to practice spelling, english, art and science.

Everything can become an opportunity to learn something new. There are so many different styles out there and no one way is the best. I am drawn to Charlotte Mason and Montessori approaches. Short doable lessons are actually better than long lengthy drawn out lessons. Children will retain more and their minds will stay fresh in each subject this way.

Homeschool learning gives kids an opportunity to direct themselves and become independant in their skills. They are able to keep track of and be responsible for their daily school routine.  They also have a vast variety of ways and techniques to be able to process the information they are obtaining from their curriculum. It takes dedication and hard work on each family members part. We all learn how to  be independent but still work and pull together as a team.

My Back Is Up Against the Wall

Today, I spent most of the day rearranging and organizing the classroom. It was a much needed change because my desk was absolutely in the wrong place.

My desk now faces the kiddos and my back faces the wall. Oh yeh, now I can see everything!! When my mother and I first set up the room my desk was near the window and I was facing outside.

I had a nice view of the road but not a view of what was going on behind my back. Most of the time the kids work independently and come to me when they have a question. For the most part they are well behaved but there is a bit of room for mischeviousness when mama can't see. them. I don't have eyes in the back of my head but my ears are quite keen. (lol)

My desk is not that big and neither is the room but it works out well when things are organized properly. Now all my paper, calendar, answer keys, printer and daily lesson binder are in the right hand corner by my desk. Before some things were on my right and some on my left making it harder to access.

This will be my new workstation, a nice cozy corner of the room. I like my calendar laid out on the fourth shelf, wide open because if I do not look at it throughout the day I will forget certain important things.

I added this bookcase because we had all of our games, activity books, atlases, dictionaries, etc all on different shelves. Now this is the central location for all of most of our weekly resourses.

Lastly, the new positon makes me closer and more available to the little ones. There desk is now directly across from theirs. I think this was a needed change and will be an all around better situation for all of our needs. Hopefully, my back being against the wall is a good thing!!

 

New Kitchen Floor Complete

The kitchen floor is finished and everything is back in its proper place.
I am so thankful and pleased with the way it turned out. It was a challenge to keep it all together in the chaos of rennovation but it is all worth it in the end.
It is a great feeling when the job is complete and order is restored. Peace and tranquility return to the home in an even stronger manner.
The cleanliness and newness of the floor adds a new sense of comfort to our home environment.

Keeping Track

  There is so much to do within our day, may household chores and many questions to be answered. I try to keep a certain order each day so things do not get out of hand. I like a neat and tidy house, of course it's not perfect but it is clean and tidy. Everything has its place.

 

 My monthly calendar is one of my most important resources. It sits on the windowsill in front of my desk where I can easily access it throughout the day. I keep track of doctors appointments, early intervention therapy, sports events and important reminders. Each child is assigned a different color highlighter, making it easier to distinguish which person has what event.

 I use a daily chart for keeping track of the kids lessons plans. They each have lesson plans fron Catholic Heritage Curricula but on this single piece of paper, I can keep track of what each child has done for that day. They have to report to me what they have done in each subject. This helps both them and myself visualize what has been done and what else needs to be completed.
 Taking pictures of the kids doing there work is also a good way to show what work they do throughout the year. As they get older though, they can tend to become a bit camera shy. Here is one of my silly geese, trying to hide her face.
Sometimes if I am lucky, I can get a shot without anybody knowing. Here  is one of my 7th grader working diligently on his school work.
 Of course, I can always get great pics of the younger ones, they are not a bit intimidated by being captured on film.
They are just too cute and irresistable and they know it, why wouldn't they want to be photographed!
I just can't get enough of this lil' guy and he keeps us smiling and laughing throughout the day!
 Keeping track of daily appointments and school can be a challenge but having a good calander and a good daily lesson plan chart helps to keep us organized and allows us to get through each week a bit easier.  Having a records of our life through pictures is also a great way to look back and see some of the many happy moments and accomplishments in our lives.