Tackle it Tuesday - Glove & Hat storage


The before pic on top is shameful.  I have no excuse.  Half of that mess is a pile of mending.  I tossed almost half of it, figuring if it was there all summer and not missed, we don't really need it.  The other half is puppy supplies. From the puppies we had here this spring.  What is supposed to be there in the summer are the pool towels, kayak bags and the middle assortment of bug sprays and sunscreens.

I spent some time looking for ideas to better organize our hats and gloves, but ended up, as seen on the bottom of the photo, with a basket of Miche covers, a stack of scarves, a crate of gloves and a stack of hats.  Simple, but I think it works for us.  Anyway, it's at least clean!  And it only took me a few minutes to fix this area.

Some of the ideas I found, but couldn't use in this space:

Shoe racks are the most popular solution, and probably what I would use if I had a door to hang one on. 

I love this sooooo much!  I do not have any wall space in my laundry room unfortunately.


These buckets are really cute, and would be simple to make.

I found this on a google image search - you can buy racks like this, or maybe find something at the thrift store (a letter holder maybe?) that would work. But I know my kids would not take the time to put gloves back on here and we have so many gloves that it would take up too much space.  (We need work gloves, nice gloves, snow gloves..  x5 people)

This is such a pretty "after"!  She has before pics and her process on her site here:
I LOVE that scarf storage!


Curtains from Shower Curtains


When redoing our daughters bedroom, we were having trouble finding reasonably priced curtains.  Even material to make curtains was pricey - so we started looking at sheets.  And while in the aisle at Dollar General looking at Sheets (nothing in a good pattern there) we turned and spotted a cloth shower curtain that was perfect.  

It's super quick and easy to cut the curtain in half and add a pocket rod and some hems...  Fast and easy and reasonably priced!



We took the closet doors down to have the carpet installed, and then our daughter decided she liked the closet better without the doors.  We went back to Dollar General and got yet another fabric shower curtain, and hung it on a shower curtain rod across the door. 

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Heritage Ornaments

 24 Days Of Simple Christmas Projects
Day #8

Materials needed:
 - Family History (I like to do a photo on one side & a brief history or genealogy on the back)
 - Ceramic Ornaments
 - Modge Podge
 - Brush to Apply the Modge Podge


Genealogy is a passion of mine. While researching, I find all sorts of interesting little tidbits - like a distant relative that wrote a hymn, or our connection to a local landmark, or pictures of a flour mill once owned by relatives...  But these can be made with just a picture of your great grandmother, and a simple genealogy list on the back.  My goal is to make a new ornament each year for the family, to pass the history along from generation to generation.


  

The most time consuming part of making these is the sizing.  I found it easiest to guess at size, print, then keep adjusting my sizing until it fits the ornament.  With the square and rectangular ornaments, it is simple to measure and size the photo accordingly.  With the shapes, I ended up cutting text and piecing it on the ornament, then going into my document and changing the text to match up with what I had cut and pieced - then I reprinted.  


When you brush the modge podge on it will look like glue - very opaque.  Do not worry, it will dry clear.

These ceramic ornaments are around $1.50 this time of year, but after Christmas they are often on sale for 50 cents, or even 25 cents on clearance - I stock up for the following year when they are on sale!

The first year I did these, I did not think ahead well enough.  From now on I want to do 4 extras, one for each of our children, which I will pack away for them, and then give to them all at once when they have married and have their own trees.


To see more 
24 Days Of Simple Christmas Projects