Winter Ideas

January seemed to fly by and although we are always busy it wasn't really because of that. It's just that I finally got my head settled enough to take some things in and enjoy life! In case you are amidst a winter womderland right now let me introduce you to Texas where 3/4 of January was in the 70's. Yes the 70's, that was not a typo. So we barbequed, because we could, the kids were out on their bikes as I baked cookies for all the neighbor kids out playing together and I even scrapbooked and did some Spring cleaning. I know Spring is a long ways off but shoot if it's 70 degrees out you feel good and get some things done!

However even if it's 50 below there will be something on here that might inspire you! I'm working on my laptop so I don't have all my wonderfully artistic photos (sarcasm, NOT pride) to go along with the ideas but I just thought I'd post some things I've gotten done and also plan on doing this week! Hope you feel inspired!

1. Tried a new recipe! This always makes a blah winter day fun! I've tried a couple: one was a new smoothie recipe from my daughter's cookbook she got at Chrismas, one was Italian Meatballs that I added to our everyday spaghetti (which made it amazing may I add), and I searched for a new green bean casserole recipe because if it's not something I LOVE LOVE LOVE, then I'm not stuck to the same ole recipe. And found I like my new recipe for it more than my old one. If you want to try the green bean casserole recipe too it's from Paula Deen (I suppose I felt especially Texan that day) - just click here for her recipe.

2. Painted an old dresser to repurpose: So we have passed this dresser around a bit because it's a nicely made wooden dresser that was a beautiful red color. It started in my son's room and when we put the house up for sale put it in our room because we had to pair down our dresser space. This one was tall versus wide so it gave the bedroom more space. However when my parents recently moved we inherited their bedroom set (what a blessing) and so the dresser ended up in the garage. I told my husband not to get rid of it though because our daughter needs a new dresser. Hers is probably 15 years old (it used to be mine!!) and was starting to fall apart. However red would not do for my baby girl's purple, pink and torquise room. So a $13 quart of paint and a few hours of work and viola! A white dresser was made. I let my daughter go to the hardware store with me to pick her own drawer pulls so she could be included in the remake! It wasn't that hard and here's a quick tip - for a quick color change buy "deglosser". It's a liquid that you wipe over the old paint and it takes away the gloss so your new paint will adhere better. No sweat lost over traditional sanding!! Worked great! (Just make sure you paint it within a couple hours of applying the deglosser otherwise the gloss will come back)

3. Organized my kids closets! This was my early spring cleaning. I usually save my daunting closet organizing for then but it felt great to get them all cleaned up, decluttered and organized and right on time for the in-laws! They had room to put some shoes and hang some shirts and what-not and saved us the embarrasment of showing them what their closets "used" to look like. Don't pretend like you don't know what I mean!

4. Making handmade Valentine's: This one will be done this week! I saw the cutest idea in a magazine and can't wait to set up my kids and I at the table to knock some out! You take regular cardstock and cut them to desired size. Then round the corners with a corner rounder or scissors. Take a small roller craft brush and paint the middle of the card leaving a one inch border on each side. Once dry, take cookie cutters (preferably heart shaped) and dip into paint and then stamp onto the card. One idea is to stamp white hearts cascading down the side of the card or paint several hearts putting the point of the hearts at the same spot so it makes a flower!! Use your creativity and see what you can create! I loved the thin stamped outline of hearts on the cards though! So you all know what I'll be doing Tuesday night!


I could add several things but my daughter is beckoning me to play horses with her so alas I must sign off and go feed her horses some plastic carrots. Farewell and don't let winter blues get to you!