gimmeakiss*

Baking: Course 2

Last night was the final class of Wilton Course 2. We have been preparing for this cake for 3 weeks. We made royal icing flowers and color flow birds, which were allowed to dry for 2 weeks. Last night we learned the basket weave technique and arranged our pre-made flowers on the cake.

Living: Grocery Bags

I don't want to sound like the people being mocked on this blog, but it makes me feel good to inspire positive changes in others. I always carry a canvas shopping bag in my purse, and I whip it out anytime I have to pick up a few odds and ends. What's important here is everytime I do it someone always says "You know, I really should do that too." If we want to change the way people view disposable products, we should lead by example and not by preaching.

Laughing: Stapler Suicide

These "Stapler Suicide" notecards, made by dreadsky, are perfect for anybody with a case of the Mondays... or in my case, the Thursdays. Send one to a friend in a cubicle for a pick-me-up!

Organizing: Craft Station

This rainy afternoon I found myself with two household dilemmas. 1- I needed a way of organizing my craft station (otherwise known as the half of the desk my husband has forfeited to me) and 2- I had some mismatched items in my china cupboard that weren't getting enough love. Put the two together, and voila, problem solved. I pulled these three pieces to store and display frequently used findings.
First I pulled a milk glass teacup I found in Biloxi, MS while I was volunteering post-Katrina in 2006. My second choice was a cut crystal serving bowl, a family heirloom, now holding my found button collection. It doesn't go with my serving pieces but it was too lovely to sit behind closed doors. Last, I picked a sterling silver Jefferson cup, given to my (now divorced) parents on their wedding day.
Not only do I have my tools and supplies within easy reach, but I have some beauty and sophistication to inspire me while I do my crafting. What could be better than that?

Organizing: Closets

Some tips for easy, and cheap, organization.

As a somewhat OCD individual, I love finding new methods for organization. When we moved I had a hanging shoe rack that was no longer needed so I repurposed it. I cut it in half and hung one piece in the linen closet and the other piece in the laundry room. It is wonderful for holding odds and ends: clothespins, lingerie bags, extra headphones, stray camera cords, the list goes on. Yes I realize this idea was featured in Real Simple Living several months ago, but I promise I did this before that. I am just slack on my blogging.

My second tip is for wrangling loose rolls of wrapping paper, and this idea is all mine. They make heavy plastic containers for that, but they cost at least $10, are bulky to store and are oddly shaped, therefore hard to re-use. My solution was to take a bunjee chord (standard issue for most households) and create a loop by hooking both ends to the metal wire shelving in the linen closet. If your shelves are solid, simply install a small peg or hook - it works just the same. Voila! Problem solved!