Keeping Up with the Joneses

Do any of you ever feel like you're stuck in the phrase..."keeping up with the Joneses" when it comes to blogging? I know I do. Blogging feels like a competition sometimes, and if you don't keep making the newest and trendiest crafts to show all of blogland then you somehow feel like you're unworthy to blog at all...well, maybe not totally unworthy, but still, it's hard to keep up with all that's going on out there in the world of blogging...especially if blogging is more of a leisure activity and not something you do to bring in the bacon.

I am, obviously, speaking from my own point of view. I love to blog, but for me it gets in the way of me living my life at times...a life that right now is charging ahead, full steam, with plenty of beautiful everyday activities that pertain to being the mommy of a {very} active 2 year old with another beautiful boy's appearance coming closer as each day goes by. It's a lovely life, but it's not always conducive to blogging, and that's okay. When writing about my life gets in the way of me living my life that's not a good thing. So I know my boundaries, but oh, how I miss being here more often! Haha! I miss all my bloggy friends, I do, I do!

Recently I have been working on some totally cutesy favors for the baby shower that I am having. Just imagine a sweet little twig nest filled with blue chocolate eggs and all wrapped up with some tulle and twine with a pretty little nest-stamped label attached! I'll show pics when I'm done making them. They are going to be too precious!

Shoe & Scarf Organizer...A {Sister} Project!

A few weeks ago my sweet sister, Gloria, came to visit for Spring Break. We had a great time together, and during our visit we decided to work on a project that would help her to keep all of her shoes/scarves/belts/etc. organized and neat! College dorm rooms can be rather cramped and crowded, so the more space saving and organization you can do the better! We made a trip to HL and picked out the materials for our project. We sort of made it on the fly, figuring out what to do as we went, and it turned out really great I think!


Here is our finished project! Too cute, right?!! A sturdy dowel rod wrapped with jute upholstery webbing provides support to hold up all the shoes that will be hanging here.

There is space for 16 (or more) pairs of shoes in the cute little shoe pockets that we made. Burlap (of course!), doubled-up, provides the backing for the shoe slots. And sweet little bows attach the dowel rod to just a regular hanger.


I am pretty sure that we used a yard of burlap and 2 yards of the Americana fabric...like I said, we sort of did it on the fly, so I can't remember exactly!


For extra storage, you can put shoes in the slots and also hang them from the outside too! A better hanger might be in order to do that though...I can see that plastic one snapping from too much weight!


At first I questioned the lighter blue bows...but I think that they help to lighten and brighten this little shoe hanger, and I like them much better on the finished project.


Okay, now, for one of my favorite parts...we attached 6 wooden bangles to the back with ribbon...sewed onto the burlap...and it is perfect for hanging scarves or belts or necklaces. Isn't this just perfect for a college dorm closet! Pretty & Practical = Perfection!!!


The bangles were so easy to attach...and by far the most unique touch on this little craft project.


Along the bottom of the side, opposite of the shoe pockets, is one large sleeve, open at both ends, to hold a pair of boots.

I really had a fun time working on this with my sister, and I am tempted to make one for myself too! It probably took about 3 hours or so with both us working together...and that was with some interruptions from my little toddler. You could do this yourself easily in an afternoon.



Linking up to:
Toot Your Horn Tuesday @ A Silly Little Sparrow
Talented Tuesday @ My Frugal Family

Quiet on the Homefront...

I know that I've been a bit quiet here on my blog, not that things here at my home have been the same...in fact we've been quite busy here...and all because this little guy turned 2 yesterday!!!


So as soon as things settle down here...and as soon as I clean all the cake crumbs off the floor and dispose of all the wrapping paper & find places for new toys I will be back! I have a fun project to show off that my sister and I made together about a week ago. It's super cute and will help her out a lot to keep things organized at college! Stay tuned!!!