Pure Organization Project #11: Make the Switch

We ended up not going anywhere for our Spring Break & just hung at home & enjoyed the sights our area has to offer.  We got so much JUNK cleared out of the house (even after only a year we have way too much!!!) and started a few more organizational projects. 

I might be a little late on this, but this week's project is to make the "Switch" from Winter clothes to Spring clothes.  Hit your closet,  your kids closets {if you have them}, and the coat closet. 

 It's such a great feeling... Spring clothes & coats take up so much less room thanWinter ones!

We still haven't made our bedroom closet "pretty."  (It's more than not "pretty"...  things accumulate in it because I have yet to find a place for everything.  It actually kind of stresses me out, but not nearly as much as it did when we first moved in.) 

...so the closet's on my list...

...as soon as we get the chance!

xoxo,

lauren

ps- i wish these were my clothes!  (imaginary wardrobe from anthropologie)

Metamorphosis Monday: Tray Makeover

I am joining Susan for Metamorphosis Monday at her site Between Naps on the Porch.  I will also add this to Make It For Monday at Cottage Instincts.  And, I will also add this to the Before and After Party at Thrifty Decor Chic.  I had a cutlery tray that went with my old pattern of dishes I used for everyday.  The pattern was Yorketown by Pfaltzgraff.  I don't use the pattern anymore and I thought I could remake this  and get a really cute tray out of it that I could use more.

 Here is what I started with.

I removed the decoration on the tray.

 

I sanded it first and then I prepared to spray paint it white.

I then spray painted it white.

While the multiple coats of spray paint were drying.  I came up with a design to put on the tray where I had taken the ceramic decoration off.  I used the old decoration to trace the shape on the design of my choice so it would fit nicely on the tray.  Now, I will tell you more about where I got these images from later this week. 

 

 I sanded some edges of the tray to age it a little.  Then I used Mod Podge to apply the shell design to the tray.

Luckily I earned a merit badge in knot tying with the skill of a sailor.  So, to give my tray a little coastal flair I tied some rope on and used a tacky craft glue to finish it off.  I am really looking forward to using it for summer.  Please go over to Susan's, Cindy's, and Sarah's sites and see all the makeovers.

Getting Ready for the Easter Bunny...

...And we thought he might enjoy some carrots!

I've had this yellow carrot silk (below) for ages (7-8 years?) and have been meaning to do something with it ever since I purchased it.  It's now finally made its way into a special-occasion pillow.  (Special occasion because on most days we're not fit for silk on the sofa ;)

When I was figuring out the color scheme for our living room, it was really important to me that I go with something neutral enough to handle almost any other color.  The crazy green does the trick & I'm loving it with yellow.  Below, we prepared a little snack for the East Bunny in the beautiful antique "Baby" mug that Eddie & Jaithan gave us when Justin was born:   

One of our (ok my ;) favorite illustrators is Lisa McCue.  Her animals look so soft & fuzzy that  you almost want to touch them.  (TOOO  CUTE!!!)  We set out Bunny's Noisy Book under the carrots in case the Easter Bunny wants to stay a while...

At 2 and a half, my older son, Christian, is really getting into holidays & it's just so much fun.  This morning we went to an Easter Egg Hunt at our local high school where my husband teaches and it was crazy.  They roped off an area filled with Easter eggs and then all of the kids (our age bracket was walking- to 3 yr olds) started at the same time & raced in to get as many eggs in their baskets as they could.  (No parents allowed in the roped off hunting grounds.)  Christian was getting quite the stockpile of eggs going and I noticed that some of the newer walkers had no idea what was going on... so I called to Christian to pick up an egg and give it to a nearby little toddling girl.  (All of the parents were shouting & cheering at this point- about 15 seconds into it)   He picked up the egg and put it in his bag.  I thought maybe he had misunderstood me.  Her parents were next to me and cheering her on.  I tried again.  He picked up the egg and again snapped it up in his bag for himself.  This probably would've been a good place to stop but I didn't...   But as I directed him again and he again stole another egg from this little girl's reaching distance,  I got it:  My kid wasn't going to be sharing any eggs today.  This was a contest!   A couple of seconds later, a bunch of parents stormed the hunting grounds and pretty much ended everything.  Parents rushed around other kids to ensure their own toddlers got eggs.  I waited back behind the ropes and overheard a guy next to me say, "Well, at least the kids behaved." ha! It was crazy mob mentality and Christian just looked at me wide-eyed like "what is going on??!!"  (The whole "hunt" lasted less than a minute.)  He came out of the ring and we went off to take a picture with the Easter "Dog"-- don't ask 'cause I don't know why:

And this little guy below (3 month old Justin) has no idea what's going on, but I thought I'd include a new pic anyway since he's getting so big:

So I hope you have a Happy Easter and/ or Happy Passover!!  --From our family to yours.

xoxo,

lauren

ps- Dying eggs tonight- shoud be interesting;) ;)

Happy Easter!

Have a wonderful Easter!

From: The Charm of Home

My Favorite Things: Spring

I will be joining Laurie for My Favorite Things at her site Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie.  My favorite thing for spring is flowers!!  One of my favorite flowers is the daffodil.

You just can't go wrong with flowers!  Happy Spring!

April Food Day 2010

I just wanted to drop-in to let anyone know {who hasn't already heard} about April Food Day & how they can help & donate to Feeding America.  As bloggers & readers we are a huge group with the potential to really make an impact on people's lives.

Here are some facts: 
-One in eight Americans now rely on Feeding America for food and groceries.
-Thirty-six percent of the households served have at least one person working.

-More than one-third of client households report having to choose between food and other basic necessities, such as rent, utilities and medical care.
-Feeding America food banks provide food and groceries to 33,500 food pantries, 4,500 soup kitchens and 3,600 emergency shelters.


Our family will be celebrating Easter with a big meal this weekend, and the Feeding America iniative was an important reminder/ wake-up call for me that there are others who need our help & who don't get to just sit down to a huge family dinner when they want to.  If we all donated even just a little bit, we can help so many people. 

To donate go here. 

Feeding America's website
 
For more information check out the The April Food Day Blog.  
April Food Day is organized by the generous & well-loved blogger Meg Fairfax Fielding of Pigtown Design(email: mfairfaxf@juno.com) and Chris Cox the editor of Easy and Elegant Life  (email: editor@easyandelegantlife.com )
 
Have a safe & happy weekend everyone!!
xoxo,
lauren

Foodie Friday: Praline Peach Cobbler

I am joining Michael today for Foodie Friday at her site Designs by Gollum.  Please join her and view all the great recipes.  Here is a great Easter dessert that will feed a crowd and it is easy to make without a lot of expense. 

Praline Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

1	cup graham cracker crumbs
1	cup finely chopped pecans
1/2	cup packed brown sugar
1/2	cup butter or margarine, melted
2	cans (29 oz each) sliced peaches, drained
2	teaspoons prepared cinnamon-sugar
1	cup Original Bisquick® mix
1	cup granulated sugar
1	cup milk

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1.	Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, pecans, brown sugar and butter. Press evenly in bottom of pan.
2.	Arrange peaches on crust. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. In medium bowl, mix Bisquick mix, granulated sugar and milk; pour over peaches.
3.	Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Decrease butter to 1/4 cup. Bake 55 to 60 minutes.