A Little Pinspiration!

So we moved to California to escape the Washington gloom. But even California has gloomy rainy days (gasp! weird, I know) and every time it rains I am reminded how much I want a pallet doormat. Our doormat turns into a soggy mess. We have tons of scrap wood at camp and I am ready to turn this

our current doormat, drowning in the rain

into this

Source: howdoesshe.com via Katie on Pinterest

Source: bluecricketdesign.net via Katie on Pinterest

Source: inbetweenlaundry.blogspot.com via Katie on Pinterest

Also, I am going to attempt to make my own bedskirt. We put our bed on risers since we have a miniature house with not a single closet for storage, and under our bed stores everything. Our bedroom currently looks like this:

and I want to add more yellow. I love that soft blue but its in our living room too so I need to brighten up one to also differentiate haha.

What do you think of this fabric? I would make coordinating pillow also. Opinions?

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Yes, it's a curtain from World Market. But I like it! :)

It's a New Year & Time for a Tidier Home!

I personally love the New Year holiday.. au contraire to some other peeps. I love that although nothing really changes, it gives you a chance to think about things you'd like to improve, accomplish, or complete. So what if lots of people don't keep their resolution all year, at least they thought of one! I think its important to evaluate your life every so often and New Years is the perfect time for it :)

The New Year is also a great time to reflect on what you've been up to lately (my 2011 post is coming soon!) and I think that is also very healthy. It's easy to forget the little things; when I was writing down notes for a post about 2011 I could barely remember what I did last spring. Although, I think that is partially due to a wedding-planning induced anxiety coma. Yup, that did make sense.

Anyways, thats why I love new years. Its a simple holiday but I just love the freshness of it!

So this year, I really wanted to put some thought into my resolution. I don't do a resolution every year, only when I feel like I have the time and/or energy to keep it up. This year it was actually prodded by a lovely lady asking me to tell my resolution for a blurb about me on her blog!

So I got to thinking.. what can I resolve to do that will be meaningful, impactful [atleast in my household], and keep-able? Sure I could spare a few pounds around the love handle area ish, I certainly could wake up earlier, cook more meals for my husband.... or keep my house cleaner! Yup that sounds totally doable doesn't it?!

A tidy home is a happy home.

Yeah, I just made that up. But I totally believe it!

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So if you know me in real life, you know this is kind of a big deal and semi-unnatural for me. All my life my dad has called me a 'walking debris trail' because you can usually tell exactly where I've been in the house and which route I took too, based upon my stuffs I leave behind. 


BUT even thought I tend to be a cluttery person, I actually hate clutter. [fun fact: clutter is as a matter of fact, my favorite word to say. say it with me.. clutter. Wasn't that nice?] I really hate clutter and how it makes me feel like my life is in shambles. I like things to be neat and tidy but the problem is that I have OCD tendencies when I try to organize, and if everything doesn't have an exactly perfect spot, I just give up all together.


Which brings us here: a problem big enough to make a new year's resolution about :)


First I must organize and find a home for everything that's out. Lots of project ideas, clean folded clothes, mail, and useful crap. You know, stuff thats mine but needs to be put away! Once I have successfully gotten the place picked up I'll need to keep it that way! I have been doing this slowly so I don't get overwhelmed.

Source: elblogdedmc.blogspot.com via Katie on Pinterest

Here's how I plan to keep my resolution:

• Make our bed each morning before starting my routine.
• Wipe bathroom counter & mirror after getting ready in the morning.
• Never move from one room to another empty handed, to eliminate the debris trail build-up.
• Put away clean laundry immediately after picking it up from the dryer.
• Keep crafts/projects put away until I am ready to actually work on them.
• For things that must stay out (for instance I made bridal shower invites this weekend and didnt want to put them away each night in the middle of working) keep in organized piles, not a heap of paper.
• [this is a big one] Don't drop everything at the door and plop on the couch when returning home! Put things I am carrying away before parking my booty on the couch for the night.
• Finally, take 10-15 minutes each night to put away anything that is left after the rest of my steps!

Alright y'all, I have faith in myself that I. Can. Do. This. Please have faith in me too!! I would really love for my house to always be neat and that would make cleaning much easier too! Not to mention, Zach likes to straighten and organize things, so if I get them put away I know they will stay that way!


I'll keep y'all posted on how it goes! Maybe even show pictures of our little home!

Happy New Year! What is your new year's resolution this year?? Or do you hate them?

Simplicity

One of the things I am most excited for when we live in isolated camp world is having time to knit again. When I was in Colorado I made all sorts of fun things, and now I can barely remember how to cast on. Camp life is so simple and I really do long to have that again. No more running around after work trying to be everywhere I am expected to be.

Here are a few projects I plan on making this winter..

Super cute headband from Jenn Likes Yarn

Socks with yarn that I bought over two years ago!

And, since I recieved my much anticipated sewing machine in the mail last week, I'll probably be found trying to figure that out and making a million of these:

...and adhering them to every surface my husband allows me to..