I am a big scrapbooker and have been working feverishly to get this year's scrapbook of family photos completed! Since scrapbook paper is so pretty, I always save my paper scraps in case I can use them for something someday. Well, while watching the finale of The Voice with my daughters last night on TV, I figured out how to use all those scraps -- I converted some of them into pretty scrapbook gift tags for all the gifts I have yet to wrap! (LOL) With only three days of school left before the winter holiday, I decided to let my kids bring in their teacher gifts today -- but we needed Continue reading...
Winterize Your Home – #LearnandConserve
Cold weather has hit New Jersey early this year. In my area, we’ve already have had snow (and one school snow day!), and the temps have been dipping way below freezing at night. I think we are going to have a cold winter this year! So, I am excited to be participating in the NRG Residential Solutions Learn & ConserveSM Blogger Challenge. Through the program, I will be learning how to conserve and reduce energy use in my home, and will be competing against local bloggers to see who can conserve the most amount of energy through January. I've always been interested in reducing my home's Continue reading...
Kitchen Organization Tips for Busy Moms
It’s often said that the kitchen is the heart of the home, but unfortunately for many moms, the kitchen is often the central point for something unwanted – piles of clutter. So, I am always searching for new tips on kitchen organization! My kitchen tends to accumulate a lot of clutter, too. My kids like to do their homework on the kitchen table (even though there’s a desk for them upstairs), so we often have to take the time before dinner to clear off homework, pencils, books, etc. The kitchen table is also where I tend to leave the mail for my spouse to see when he comes home, so junk Continue reading...
Kitchen Wine Glass Rack
The cabinet space in my kitchen is limited, so I recently added some extra storage to my kitchen with a wine glass rack to hang some of my more decorative wine glasses. My husband isn't a wine drinker, so it isn't often that we drink wine together, but I do like to serve wine occasionally when my dad stops by for dinner, or when I have friends over from the block for a ladies' night. The wine glass rack that I chose -- the Oenophilia Under Cabinet Stemware Rack -- was just under $13 and can hold six wine glasses, plus my two margarita glasses. The wine glass rack was really simple Continue reading...
Moonlight & Mason Jars Link Party #22
Welcome to week #22 of the Moonlight & Mason Jars Link Party! Party with us every week on Wednesday at 5:00 CST. You can read more about our party and our party rules here. First & foremost let's announce our FIVE featured blogs who linked up last week. Here's our five party picks from bloggers who linked up last week: Whole Wheat Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins {TriedAndTasty} Beeswax Candle & Wood Burned Bowl {Eat.Sleep.Make.} Put A Bow On It {Falafel and the Bee} Framed & Stenciled Cork Board {uncommon designs} Pumpkin Spice Popcorn {A Blossoming Life} We have Continue reading...
Chain Link Fence Privacy Solutions
For homeowners whose backyard backs to a chain link fence, lack of privacy can be an issue. Finding ways to create privacy for a chain link fence can be difficult. Such is the case with my home's backyard, which has a schoolyard behind it. The school's chain link fence separates the school playground from my home's backyard. The playground is filled during the day and some afternoons with children who are very curious about my activities should I venture into the backyard when the schoolyard is filled. (Luckily, the schoolyard is quiet and empty most weekends.) So, if I'd Continue reading...
How to Make a Burlap Table Runner
Editor's Note: This project, which I made earlier this year, is very popular on Mom Home Guide and would be a great fall craft! So I am reposting this post on how to make a burlap table runner. Maybe I will make a new fall-themed burlap table runner soon! I will share it on the blog if I do! I am so excited -- today I am guest posting for the mom blog, 5MinutesforMom! This Canadian mom blog is a great place for moms and features everything from DIY and craft tutorials, to giveaways to recipes. For 5MinutesforMom, I wrote about a very fun DIY craft I did for my home's dining table. I've Continue reading...
DIY Bird Bath from a Clay Pot
It's been a few weeks since I planted my flower garden. Now that my garden is complete, I have been loving it! While the garden has been a haven for me, I've been hoping that the garden would also be a welcome place for birds as well. My kids and I love to bird watch! The garden has lots of phlox, which I've heard can attract hummingbirds. I would love that! Sunflowers are also said to attract birds. But although my sunflower plant is big, it hasn't flowered yet! I am hoping to get a sunflower or two soon! DIY Bird Bath for the Garden I Continue reading...
Striped Chalkboard Paint Wall
This past spring, I created a fun hangout / study space / playroom for my kids in an upstairs hallway. The hallway used to have a big desk in it that nobody in my family was using and bare, white walls. So I decided to make the large hallway into a cool space my kids could use. A new feature of the wall is our a striped chalkboard paint wall. I painted a green accent wall, added a fun wall decal and added some beanbag chairs and a TV. Now, my daughters like to play and read on their Kindles and watch TV in the new hangout space / playroom. I also moved their Calico Continue reading...
Easy DIY: Install New Door Hardware
Guest Post by Doug Harris Some projects in your home can wait for the perfect time – lots of outdoor projects, for example, are best done on a beautiful summer day. But changing your old door lock isn't one of those projects. Whether it's a lost key or a broken lock, replacing your door lock is an essential piece of home maintenance that needs to be done right away. But how do you change a lock? How do you install new door hardware? Which kind of door locks are the safest? Let’s take a look at some answers. Most "home entry" door locks, i.e. front and back door, are deadbolts. Continue reading...