Purse Organization

Finally! A post about one of my all time favorite topics.... ORGANIZATION! =)

Where do you keep all your precious bags and purses? Mine were definitely being neglected in this chest...

That's a sad sight! :'-(

So they got upgraded to a luxury suite...

• Shower Hooks: $1 Dollar Store (Mine are mismatched because I already had a few laying around from moving)
• Extra Closet Space: Priceless!

CLUTTER TIP: When you run out of shower hooks, it may be a wise idea to donate a few of those bags. (Ok.. I may have doubled up on a couple hooks... Shhh!)

I'd love to see where you keep your purses Odds & End'ers!

Heidi

Chalk Vase

Hi Everyone! Happy Monday! It was quite a long one for me.. but I'm glad I can come here and take my mind off things =)

I'd like to share a small craft I did over the weekend. It's a Valentine's day gift for my mom and sister.

I've been wanting to try out chalk paint for a while, but I couldn't find any spot in my house to try it out. So I thought I'd try it out on a glass vase! The idea behind it, you can personalize it for whatever the occasion. 

Here's what you need...

•  A Glass Vase, Pitcher, Wine Bottle or whatever you like to put flowers in (I picked up 2 for $1 each at the dollar store)
• A small foam roller and tray (under $5 bucks any hardware store)
• A stir stick (free!)
• Painters tape (unless you are planning on painting the whole vase)
• White or color chalk
• Chalkboard paint (this is the pricey part - I paid $16 for a quart - but it will last me a while just doing small projects like this)

Make sure the surface you are going to paint is clean. Tape off the areas you don't want to paint.

Shake or stir the paint well. Pour into tray. Roll in foam roller and fill with paint. Roll onto vase.

Let your first coat dry for four hours, then apply a second coat. Make sure you clean your tray and roller in between!

Let dry overnight. Fill with fresh of fake flowers and whatever else you'd like!

It's really hard to write with a brand new piece of chalk! 

Have fun with this - there's endless possibilities! I'd love to hear what you do with it =)

Happy Valentine's Day Odds & End-ers!

Heidi

What's Valentine's Day really about?

Valentine's Day is coming up! Lately, it's been getting a bad rep.

"It's just a hallmark holiday" 

"It's just another way for businesses to make money"

Who says? 

Valentine's Day is about love. Love doesn't have to mean spending money. It doesn't mean you have to be fake. Everybody loves something, it could be your significant other, your family, a friend, even your dog or activity you love doing!

My boyfriend is one of those people that goes out of his way to bad mouth V-Day. So for the past four years that we've been together, I've been trying to change his mind about it.

For our first Valentine's day, after recently finding out about his negativity towards the wonderful day, I made him a card with the dictionary definition of Valentine's Day:

• noun; a day for the exchange of tokens of affection

Well, what's a token? It could be many different things...

• something serving to represent or indicate some fact, event, feeling, etc.
• a characteristic indication or mark of something; evidence or proof
• a memento; souvenir; keepsake 

 And affection?

• fond attachment; devotion; feeling; emotion; love

No where in any of these definitions do I see "You must go to the store and buy your significant other a lavish and expensive gift of jewelry, chocolate, flowers, food..."

Let's just celebrate love!

Have a significant other? Do something for them that you know they would enjoy, maybe something they don't have the means or time to do them self? Cook them their favorite dinner; bake them their favorite dessert; spend time with them doing something they enjoy.. the possibilities are endless (and don't have to cost a thing!)

For our first Valentine's Day, along with my homemade card, I bought my boyfriend his favorite ice cream - Superman! This was a big deal since we were roughing it in North Carolina, sharing a trailer with a couple of his fire dept buddies, and scraping by to buy milk and bread!

Another Valentine's Day, I set up a candle light dinner for us, complete with non - alcoholic champagne and a heart-shaped pizza from Papa Romano's, and homemade heart shaped brownies! Then we snuggled and watched one of our favorite movies at home.

This year? I have something in mind... but I can't share here in case he reads this post! =)

Don't have boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife? No problem! Spend this day doing something thoughtful for a family member or a friend. A card in the mail; a phone call; drop off some yummy baked goods; just spend the day together! Want to show your dog/cat you love them? Bake them some homemade treats; take them for a long walk; play a game of fetch (or w/e cats like? sorry I'm allergic so I don't know what they like!)

When my sister and I were little, my dad would ALWAYS get us and my mom something special for this day. Sometimes we would wake up to some candy on our dresser, or our pb&j would be cut in the shape of a heart in our lunches, or he would bring us home a bouquet of carnations after work. None of these things cost a ton of money, but it is something I will remember for the rest of my life and pass on to my kids someday =)

I have something in mind for my sister and mom this year that I will post in a couple days!

Maybe spreading love to others is just not your thing. Then show yourself a lil love! Take some time to do something YOU love. Go to your favorite workout class; do a craft you been waiting to try; cook yourself your favorite dinner or dessert.

Now that you have a better understanding of the meaning of Valentine's Day, don't boycott, don't bad mouth, celebrate! However you please, just have fun with it!

I'd like to end this post by sharing my festive nails for the week of Valentine's Day... =)

Thanks for reading Odds & End-ers!

Heidi