A Solution for Craft Supply Organizational Chaos (My Ugly Confession)

This post brought to you by The Original Scrapbox.

Today's alternate title is "A Tale of Two Rooms." I've been biting my fingernails over writing this post. Like any of you, I hate feeling judged. But today I'm taking a risk and giving you a one hundred percent real look at two rooms in my house, in hopes that I'm not alone and some of you also struggle with keeping craft clutter (or any clutter) in check. Confession: my craft supplies are in complete chaos. Today is about showing you my problem areas and coming up with an organizing solution with The Original ScrapBox!

Have you ever seen the episode of Friends where Monica is forced to reveal her "secret closet"? The secret closet is an utter disaster and Monica is completely embarrassed when Chandler discovers her shame.

Yes, that's pretty much me today. 

This room used to be Natalie's nursery.

When Natalie moved into a larger room to share with her little sister, I had every intention of turning the old nursery into a guest room and craft area for myself. I stashed a few of my craft supplies along the wall, and even bought a few bins to store them in. 

Things went downhill from there. What started as "I'll just store a few crafty things here on the wall" turned into "Don't have a place for it? Toss it in THE ROOM." It was pure laziness; and after awhile, the craft mess became a swirling vortex of disarray. It was too overwhelming to even think about where to start getting it under control, and it took me forever to find any of the lovely supplies I'd received as part of various campaigns.

Seeing that positive pregnancy test a few months ago was a real wake-up call. I certainly couldn't let the baby sleep on a box of hot glue sticks, could I?

I've been planning my dream craft room for ages. I even started a Pinterest board dedicated to craft rooms.

In my dream craft room, things are:

• easy to find
• displayed neatly
• there are pretty pops of color for inspiration
• I have room to work!

It's so much fun to dream, but at some point you also have to embrace reality, look at your problem areas, and find a solution!

Natalie's old room needs to be a dedicated nursery for the new baby, so what could I do with all my crafty things? The answer for us was to use some space in our addition, which is currently a dedicated play space for the girls. Case in point:

Obviously, this room cleans up quickly with bins and a built-in unit for various play things (not pictured, on the other side of the room). But that photo is a pretty accurate shot of what the area looks like during the day while the kiddos are at play. It was time to find a way to combine mom's "play stuff" with kids' play stuff and create a space that all of us can enjoy together. 

With some help from The Original ScrapBox, I am excited to make this dream a reality!

If you haven't heard of ScrapBox, they make the most amazing craft storage units. The cool part is that they come in several different sizes to accommodate your space and lifestyle. My eyes were immediately drawn to the larger pieces.

The EZ View Desk has a clear top that allows you to see your supplies as you need them. It also allows for more than one configuration, making it customizable for your space. 

The SewingBox can house your sewing machine, fabric, and notions...and it provides a sturdy workspace!

The CraftBox can store your crafting supplies and keep them safely away from curious little hands. 

And, finally, the granddaddy of all craft storage units, The WorkBox. I chose this unit based upon the sheer amount of space to stockpile items. With bins and shelves, pouches and a fold-out work table, I'll be able to organize my creative supplies and have a dedicated workspace. 

I'll still need to go through my stash and scale down on things I don't need or use any more, but I can't tell you how excited I am to work with ScrapBox and finalize a solution for that chaos I created! 

To me, the beauty of The Original ScrapBox is that they offer products that can blend seamlessly into your existing decor. I needed a storage piece that wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb. Our addition can be seen plainly from the entry, so a big set of plastic shelves with baskets just wasn't going to cut it. The WorkBox comes in a variety of finishes, so I was able to choose one that would work with the room. With two growing girls and a baby on the way, I wanted to be able to craft alongside their playtime, and then close up shop without leaving a room full of paper, fabric, and glue everywhere.

As much as we'd all love a room completely dedicated to our crafting hobby, sometimes it's just not a possibility. The Original ScrapBox makes it that much easier to spend more time crafting and less time digging through piles. Keeping supplies organized in an attractive and sensible way is what sparks my creativity. I'm looking forward to having a space in which I can enjoy my hobby and my kids!

I hope you'll join me on my journey to a more organized space. My WorkBox will arrive in the next few weeks and I can't wait to show you more features!

Looking for ideas for your own craft space? The Original ScrapBox has a page full of inspiration. You can also connect with them on Facebook and Twitter. 

What does YOUR ideal craft space look like?

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, I hope you'll click your "Pin It" button to add this post to Pinterest, or a +1 for Google+. And I always appreciate kind comments.



Disclosure: This is not a paid post, but I will receive product from The Original ScrapBox in exchange for an honest review.

Featured Project Ideas {Link Party Features}

Happy Monday! How's your week starting out? As promised, I'm back with some Features from the weekend link party. There was a fantastic line-up of creative posts: Home Decor, DIY, Crafts, Recipes, Party Ideas, Tips and Tricks, and more. It's an awesome spot to find stuff to add to your Pinterest boards! Without further ado, here are some that I spotted this weekend:

~Family Room Redesign via soul style

~Sweet and Salty Summer Pie via The Love Nerds

~DIY Painted Champagne Glasses via Circus Berry

One More Day to Link Up-- Showcase YOUR Project!

Just one more day to link up to this week's Weekend Bloggy Reading link party before I choose Features for tomorrow. I'd love to see you there! I've been running this party for several years now, and I'd like to see it grow a little more. I'm also busy enjoying some summer fun, so this gives me an extra day. I'll have a post with lots of Featured Project Ideas up tomorrow morning.

If you haven't joined the fun yet, please hop over to the party and add your best post of the week. We have Home Decor, Crafts, DIY, Recipes, Tips and Tricks, Party Ideas, and so much more! Lots of fun ideas to Pin and tuck away for future use.

If you've already linked up, be sure to browse some of the other projects. If you haven't added a link back to me within your post, please take a minute to do that if you'd like your project considered for a feature. It's good for both of our SEO, guys!

Hope you've had a fantastic weekend.

::Weekend Bloggy Reading:: Link Up!

First of all, big thanks to everyone who took the time to read and comment on yesterday's post. I was so nervous to share it, but your encouragement made it worthwhile! Welcome to my Weekend Bloggy Reading link party. This is the day of the week where other bloggers stop by to link up their best post of the week, and readers get to browse tons of fun project ideas. If you're new here, don't forget to "Follow" or subscribe so you don't miss future parties and projects! Please be sure to read my guidelines before you add a link.

This party is a great place to showcase your very best post of the week (home decor, crafts, party ideas, recipes, DIY, tips and tricks, etc.) and to see what else is out there.

Here are a few of my faves I spotted around the web this week:

sources listed below

~Library Wall from IKEA Bookcases via Bliss at Home

~Camera Strap from Man's Shirt via Cleverly Inspired

~Custom Back Tab Panels via View Along the Way

~Decorating Tip: Painted Mat via Maison de Pax

~And Me? I'd love it if you have a moment to click over. This week featured:

• Recipes for Ice Cream Without a Machine
• Tossing it Out
• What's Going On...with Me. And the Blog
• Featured Project Ideas

Time to link up your best post of the week!

What's Going On...with Me. And the Blog.

I hesitated to write this post. I started to write it a few times, and then put it aside. But then I realized that some of you have probably wondered why the blog slowed down with creative posts this Spring, and some of you were curious when I mentioned in the pregnancy announcement that this time hasn't been an easy ride.

So I decided to start typing. Not because I feel like I owe anyone an explanation...I have, after all, had a post up every single day since I can't remember when. But mostly because I imagine that some of you have been through similar circumstances, or are currently experiencing it...or will down the road. This is more personal than I typically like to get and I apologize for the length, but here goes nothing....

I took "the test" a whole week earlier than I did with either of my girls. My sister convinced me to, even though things were only a day late. I was a little surprised to see a "positive," but also excited. I made my first appointment at my OBGYN's office, marked it on my calendar, and started the waiting game.

I ended up having to take Michaela Byrd with me to the appointment. I didn't worry too much about it. She's only five and (going for complete honesty here) not the most observant child. She brought a book and a stuffed toy, and I knew we'd be good. I told T not to worry about coming. It's my third time, after all. I knew the drill.

Natalie, on the other hand, would have been on it. "Why are we here? We haven't been here before. Why are there pictures of babies everywhere? Are you sick? Who is that doctor? What is she doing? Why are you wearing that gown?" and so on. Needless to say, I was happy it was a school morning so I didn't have to field questions from Sherlock Holmes Jr.

The first part of the visit went really well. The test they had me retake showed I was definitely pregnant, and we talked about my history of c-sections, etc. Then my doc said I could go ahead and get an internal ultrasound (never fun) to check things out and see the heartbeat, since it was way too early to hear it. 

This began the awkward part. I explained to Michaela Byrd that the lady would be taking pictures of "my tummy" and that she should turn towards the wall and DO NOT TURN AROUND. Sorry, but I didn't think my five year old needed a visual of my internal ultrasound seared into her brain. She happily agreed and faced the wall, asking every couple of minutes if I was doing okay. It was really sweet and probably what got me through the next part.

This ain't my first rodeo.

I knew what things were supposed to look like. I also knew that ultrasound techs are typically smiling and cheerful, pointing out exciting things like placenta and yolk sac and heartbeats.

Mine stared stony faced at the screen and would. not. look. at. my. face.

She didn't say a word when Byrdie asked, "How did Mommy do?"

We were ushered back into an exam room and told to wait. When my doctor came in, she was very sweet and encouraging and questioned my dates, which I was sure of. Then she showed me the ultrasound pic on her laptop and kindly said, in so many words, that they just weren't seeing what they should be seeing for someone at my stage of pregnancy (I think I was about 7 and 1/2 weeks or so along). There wasn't anything in the yolk sac.

I got blood work done twice to check my hormone levels, and spent a week feeling pretty much empty.

I didn't want to talk. To anyone. I did. not. feel. like. blogging. But I had an article due and I also didn't want to have to go explaining things to readers. So I plugged along for a week, feeling angry that I was so sick and tired but had nothing to show for it. They had told me to be hopeful before my next ultrasound, but the underlying warning was that I should be prepared.

I felt awful that I couldn't tell my girls why Mommy was so tired and cranky. I felt bad that I snapped at T so often. But I was also ticked that he didn't understand what I was going through. Couldn't understand. This was something I couldn't control. Couldn't fix. I had two friends I trusted enough to talk to, and they helped me calm down.

I drove to the next appointment alone. Someone needed to take Byrdie to preschool, so I made T do it, and I didn't want our parents to know what was going on. I also wanted to be angry and sullen and bitter by myself.

I sat in the car before heading in to the office and fiercely told God that I was ready to go in and take a pill or get a procedure done or whatever it is they do when your baby stops growing inside you. I clenched my fists and told Him that if He decided to change things up, then I would know it was all Him. I couldn't make it happen. It would be on Him. But I didn't really mean it. I was just ready to go in and take care of things.

Imagine my huge surprise a half an hour later when the (same) ultrasound tech beamed and said, "Look! There's your baby!" and flipped the switch so I could hear the heartbeat.

I'm pretty sure they could hear me in the waiting room when I yelled, "What?!"

I was floored. The ultrasound tech said something about the other ultrasound having been possibly too early to detect anything and something about a tilted uterus, blah blah blah. I wasn't really listening.

Inside, despite the hard, crusty wall I'd slapped together around my heart, I felt very much like the girls did when we finally told them about their new sibling.

And that's where the whole blog thing comes in. If you've been pregnant before, you'll know what I'm talking about. If not, consider this your intro. I don't know if it's because it's the third baby or because I'm not 24 anymore, but I have never been so exhausted before in my entire life.

For weeks, it took everything I had to get the girls to school and dance, take the dogs out, and maybe cook some dinner. Blogging was a necessary evil for a time there. I wanted to keep the site updated and keep my traffic up, but I could barely come up with a round-up post, much less a new recipe or fun creative project.

So the blog just sort of coasted along for awhile.

Now that I'm feeling better (I'll be 18 weeks tomorrow!), I can tackle some projects again. I shared about cleaning out stuff earlier this week, and I'm planning some more home projects. I miss being creative, so I'm hoping to do some crafts soon too. I have a huge home project coming up, so I hope you'll stay tuned.

You may have noticed weekends are different here. I used to share Features from the link party on Saturdays and Sundays, but I had to call it quits. Those posts take an hour or more each to put together, and  were just plain stressing me out. I moved all the Features to Monday, and while it takes away from a regular day of posting, I'm not feeling guilty for spending weekend time on the computer instead of with the fam.

I know this post has reached an epic length, so I'll draw to a close. I just wanted you to know that while creativity slowed down here for awhile, I plan on revving it back up. I appreciate your understanding. I've always enjoyed sharing about my family and home life here, so I'll keep that up without driving you all nuts with weekly pregnancy updates and constant belly shots (blech).

More than anything, I try to keep it real with my readers...which is why you should tune in next Tuesday for a supremely embarrassing house post that I'm sharing as part of a new campaign, but hope some of you can relate to.

Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, I hope you'll click your "Pin It" button to add this post to Pinterest, or a +1 for Google+. And I always appreciate kind comments.

Recipes for Ice Cream without a Machine

I bought an ice cream maker on clearance once. I made chocolate first (duh), but it was gritty and not at all appetizing. With every acknowledgment that this post makes me the cliched pregnant girl eating ice cream (no, I do not mix mine with pickles!), I thought it would be fun to do a round up of ice cream recipes that don't use an ice cream maker. 

2 Ingredient Ice Cream via Something Swanky

~Chocolate Chip Ice Cream via An Oregon Cottage

~Pistachio and Berry Ice Cream via Inside Cuisine

~Hazelnut Mocha Fudge Swirl Ice Cream via Kevin and Amanda

~Reese's Fluffernutter Ice Cream via Inside BruCrew Life

~Blackberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream via Against all Grain

~Strawberry Peach Ice Cream via Poor Girl Eats Well

~Peanut Butter Cheesecake Ice Cream via Crazy for Crust

~Chocolate Dream Ice Cream Cups via The Yummy Life

~Strawberry Cheesecake Sherbert via An Uneducated Palate

Anyone else feel like dishing up some of these tasty recipes right away?

What's your favorite ice cream flavor?

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, I hope you'll click your "Pin It" button to add this post to Pinterest, or a +1 for Google+. And I always appreciate kind comments.

Tossing It Out

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you probably saw me share a photo of a bunch of clothes on the floor yesterday.

With baby #3 on the way during the upcoming holiday season, T has been laying on the pressure for me to take the time to really gut the upstairs, particularly the room of every organizer's worst nightmare Natalie's old nursery. 

I may have groaned a bit when T announced that he would have Monday off and wanted to begin the Great Purge of 2013. After I ran a couple of quick errands and a very quick stop at Starbucks , I couldn't avoid it any longer and made the trek upstairs. 

We started in our bedroom, where (admittedly) most of the problem was of my own doing. I hold on to clothes for way too long. As in, I still had some size 6 dresses in the back of the closet, and I have not been a size 6 in a very very very long time. I had managed to fit a surprisingly large amount of clothes in our long, skinny 1977 master bedroom closet. And that was after a purge a year or two ago. I had also "accidentally" forgotten to clear out the storage bins under our bed because it's dark under there and I just didn't feel like it.

Once I pulled a few things out and began tossing them on the floor in categories for donation (dresses, t-shirts, pjs, skirts, etc.), it occurred to me how silly it was to hold on to that pink wrap top that I could only hope to squeeze myself into with the help of some baby oil and a very large shoehorn. 

It started to feel really, really good to see the stuff pile up. Stuff I haven't worn and don't plan to wear. Stuff that will benefit other, skinnier people if I donate it.

We ended up with 4 jumbo sized trash bags full of just my clothes, as well as two baskets with odds and ends. All that from my closet and my bureau. Wow. And I didn't even start on the under the bed stuff until the euphoria of the significantly cleared out closet kicked in and it was too late to send more donations on to the Salvation Army. Once I finished that, I had cleared every single item of clothing from those under-the-bed storage totes and marked them for donation.

I still need to go through my vast, Imelda Marcos-sized shoe collection, but the girls' room and Natalie's old nursery (the new baby's room!) are also on the list. The nursery is gonna hurt because I've agreed to post some "Before" photos as part of an upcoming campaign. So, stay tuned if you want to commiserate, encourage, or silently judge me. 

Have you done any household purging lately? What was hard for you to let go of?

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, I hope you'll click your "Pin It" button to add this post to Pinterest, or a +1 for Google+. And I always appreciate kind comments.