From Crib to College: Upcycled Bedspread from Crib Sheets

When our youngest son graduated from a crib to a twin bed I saved a couple crib sheets which were made of sturdy fabric and were still in good shape.  Then I cut them up in strips to use for the main part of the quilt.  I added some strips of other fabric I had on hand, a large piece for the top to make the bedspread long enough, and used a blue cotton sheet we had on hand for the back.  The filling was a queen size bat of low-loft batting which I doubled (bought a few years ago for $1 still in its package at a yard sale).  He is pleased with his new blanket and I'm pleased that I could make something useful from items we already had on hand. 

bedspread made using old crib sheets

What have you upcylced lately?  I'm always looking for new ideas for old things.

Upcycled Diaper Bag or Purse {Project #3}

As I wait (impatiently) for our baby girl to arrive, I've been itching to do some projects I've had on my "to create" list for a while. We've been so blessed in recent months with lots of hand-me-downs for our older daughter and one item which came to us was this cute little reversible Gymboree skort. It was not quite long enough for her, but I loved the design so I kept it rather than passing it on. Motivation to make something out of it struck this week and in one hour it went from this... to this!
This is not a tutorial, but the basic process follows.
- With the skort fully open, I stitched the backside of the bag with our baby girl's initial with a decorative star stitch which mimics the little flowers on the front. (not shown)
- Next, I sewed some vertical seams on the overlapping part of the skort which makes a front pocket which is the perfect size for a travel wipes container or a sippy cup.
- Thirdly, with right sides together I sewed the bottom seam, then laid the bottom seam open to square off the corners to give the bag shape and give it a chance of standing up on its own rather than falling over when set down.
- To finish the bag, I sewed on a handle made of midweight white cotton canvas sewn into a tube (4 layers thick), topstitched the gingham ribbon onto the handle, attached the handle to the bag, sewed a loop of gingham ribbon onto the bag and attached a button to the front to create a simple closure.

I love the cheery, vivid green, the gingham, the flower motif, and the cute no-work lining that it has. And I love that it was free because the skort was free to us and the the other bits and pieces came from my creative stash.

Now I can't wait to use it for our little girl! And if I didn't have a need for a diaper bag right now, I would totally use this as a springtime purse.

Upcycled Pillow Cover

Start with a button-up shirt. Use your former pillow cover as a guide for how big you'll need to cut the new pieces. Cut through both layers of the shirt. An Olfa ruler and cutter makes it easy to get things nice and straight, but scissors will do. With wrong sides together, sew your pieces together. Turn, push out corners, iron. Sew around your shape again using a bigger seam allowance this time. Turn and push out your corners again and you have a nice French seam. Stuff with your pillow form.

And there you go, a pillow refreshed with a shirt saved from the Goodwill pile.

No cost + 10 minutes of work = my kind of project!
Bonus! I still have enough fabric from the sleeves for another little project.


Yep, I know it is a little too snug on the pillow form. The shirt I was working with was a tad bit small and I only had this big pillow form, but I'll take done over perfect any day.

Upcycled Bibs

Sometimes crafting out of need is a good thing. Our little one has had access to lots of great hand-me-downs from his brothers and friends, but the bibs we have left are shot. So I took an hour one night to make some to meet the need.

Materials:
old t-shirt
scraps of thin fleece
random buttons
pattern made from tracing a full coverage big

Getting to work...
One of the finished bibs
While they aren't going to win any baby style points, they are quite functional and the fleece is very stain resistant which is a bonus in my books.

Of course, use your safety common sense with buttons and babies. As they go through the wash, I ensure that the buttons are still fully secured and won't be a choking hazard.

A Little More Order in the Bathroom

Recently I had some time on my hands and thought I'd try to make some order out of the chaos in one of my bathroom drawers. It began by dumping out all the contents of the drawer and wiping it down with a cloth. Yikes!

I wondered how I could compartmentalize better to keep things in order. Baby wipes tubs were at the ready (free!) and fit the drawer perfectly. One for hair stuff, one for my blowdryer, one (with the lid on to keep clean) for cotton balls, and one for everything else. The depth of those containers keeps things from getting out of place.

And the finished product, which is still orderly after a couple weeks. Success!


This project made possible by the one who looked on while he was supposed to be doing something else. Oh, if only potty training could be as easy as getting that drawer in shape!

Another Take on Wool Dryer Balls

Last fall I saw a post Monica at The Homespun Heart had done about making wool dryer balls to take the place of fabric softeners. I let the idea sit for a while, then started one ball and quickly ran out of the only wool yarn I had on hand. But a couple months ago I wondered if I could use strips of felted wool knotted together for the same effect. I started with a piece of felted wool that was originally a sweater and later sewn into a decorative pillow cover.

I started with my little ball made from the wool yarn, about 2" in diameter.

Then I cut several strips of the felted wool into a 1" x 11" size. I used my Olfa mat and cutter, but precision is not important to this project so you could easily do this by hand. I ended up using about twenty strips for two of these balls.

Then I just started tying strips snugly around the yarn ball and continued to do that in a random way until all the grey yarn was concealed, with strips overlapping and intertwining with one another, so it wouldn't be likely to unravel in the washer or dryer. I used about 10 of the strips around the grey yarn ball and it ended up like this.

With the remaining strips I just tied them together around the center and each strip ended up with more of an exposed tail. After these were made I just threw them in the wash with a regular load and then into the dryer with that load. Now I just keep them in the dryer all the time as they seem to absorb some of the moisture from the wet laundry to speed drying just a bit. They also seem to add a little more loft to some of the items you launder which can get matted and lumpy with machine laundering. And I haven't noticed any static cling since I started using them. On the first few dryer cycles I did notice more red lint in the lint screen, but that is no longer an issue.

Overall, this was a quick and easy project and I'm pleased with the results. And as an added bonus, it was all free for the doing.

Use-What-You-Have Organizing & Storage

Every year as the year begins I vow to get our house back in order and get fully organized. While most of this is wishful thinking with three young children in our home, I still gotta make the effort, right?! I could really go overboard on buying all sorts of containers to get organized, but with budgetary constraints and a desire not to waste that which is already in my hand, I've tried to repurpose some items around our home.

Baby food jars make nice containers to corral little items in the junk drawer and make good spice jars for spices purchased in bulk.

Open top apple boxes nicely hold bulky toy sets and larger items in the garage. We've picked up several of these very sturdy boxes from the warehouse club over the last year and they've been very handy.

Plastic salad containters make good dresser drawer dividers for socks and underthings. These come from the large tubs of spring mix or spinach at the warehouse club.

Divided vegetable trays have come in handy for storing things in our bathroom drawers. I found several vegetable trays a few weeks ago marked down in the produce section of the grocery store. After we finished eating the vegetables, these were washed up and put to work to keep order in one of those spots that seems to always get messy.

Clear zippered bags have been repurposed for storing children's clothing.

Colored gift boxes add a punch of color to closets and good storage for out of season clothing, shoes or accessories.

Baby wipes containers have a multitude of uses in our household. We stocked up on a wipes sale this year and now have several empty boxes to use.
- stuff with rolled up plastic grocery bags and keep by the changing table for messy diapers
- store homemade wipes
- remove lid and have drawer dividers for the kitchen, office, bathroom and closets
- remove lid and have a bin for baby socks, shoes or baby toiletries
- emergency baby kit for the car tucked under a seat – fill with a couple diapers, travel wipes, one receiving blanket, a plastic bag and an extra one-piece outfit or onesie
- refill with disposable wipes
- remove lid and store diapers upright in it on the changing table
- remove lid and use as a toy for playing in the sand or snow
- store little toys or art supplies

Buckets store kids' toiletries and make clearing the counters and cleaning the bathroom a snap.

I'm always on the lookout for new ideas for reusing items, so please share storage solutions that have worked in your home.

101 Ways We Save

I still have so much to learn in the area of saving, but here are a number of ways we save money. While I do employ these tactics, I don't want anyone to get the impression I am doing all of these money-saving activities in any given week. That would be exhausting!


1. We don't eat out or order in more than once a week. Almost all restaurant visits also involve the use of coupons.
2. We eat at home for most of our meals.
3. I shop at up to 3 grocery stores and Target in one week to round up all the best deals available.
4. I clip coupons and use them.
5. I shop weekly grocery fliers.
6. I combine store sales with coupons and aim to save 50%, at minimum, on grocery store purchases.
7. We are using the envelope system for many budget categories. Not only does this not put us in a position of living one month ahead of our means with a credit card, but we spend less because spending cash hurts a little more. Dave Ramsey says people who use cash spend 12-18% less than those who use plastic. That's significant!
8. We pay whatever bills and charitable gifts we can online to simplify life and save postage.
9. I shop at Goodwill. I find good-quality clothing there for our family that I would never afford if I paid retail. Yes, I am becoming a brand snob and buy Gymboree, Children's Place, Hanna Andersson, Lands' End, L.L. Bean, Eddie Bauer, Chicos and more. We get to dress in better quality clothes this way for less than the price of Walmart clearance.
10. I list items we no longer need on Craig's List. The funds raised from these sales are used for some extras throughout the year.
11. I read several blogs that highlight great deals, coupons, freebies, special offers and using what you have.
12. We drive cars that are paid for.
13. We will not buy another vehicle until it can be paid for in cash.
14. We live with older and lower budget technology. Our last computer, which was middle of the road at purchase, lasted us 6 years. We finally had a get another one when it would freeze up daily and took about 7 restarts per day so the mouse would function.
15. We don't have cable TV. My husband was thrilled when he received a new pair of rabbit ears for our TV this Christmas!
16. I try to shop for Christmas gifts throughout the whole year.
17. We purchased a front-load washer which saves significantly on our water bill each month.
18. We keep our thermostat at 64 degrees in the daytime and 60 degrees at night in the winter, though we have been known to raise the thermostat when guests visit. :)
19. I stock up on non-perishable food items when they are on sale so I will not need to buy them until they are on a great sale again.
20. I rarely pay more than $1 for a box of cereal, and these are not generics.
21. We utilize my husband's medical spending reimbursement account to pay for services with dollars that are tax-free.
22. We are thankful for the generosity of our parents and grandparents who give our children clothing and toys that they need and want.
23. My husband brings his lunch to work every day.
24. I plan menus and then try to stay flexible so we can use up ingredients that would otherwise go bad.
25. I always look for meat and organic milk markdowns at the grocery store.
26. I use milk that has turned sour for baking.
27. We are thankful for free pork that we get from my family.
28. We've only stayed in a hotel once in the last 6 years.
29. We don't buy many convenience foods, except for cereal and...
30. Good-quality frozen pizzas, bought on sale, that save us from wanting to go out to eat on days that have been crazy and tiring.
31. I bake our bread with whole wheat that I've ground.
32. I hang clothes out on the line to dry in the summer.
33. I use a drying rack indoors to hang some clothes in the winter.
34. We have sometimes cloth diapered.
35. Other times I have seen the provision of the Lord in unbelievable diaper sales, combined with coupons.
36. When we eat out at fast-food establishments, our kids do not each get a kids meal. We buy one adult combo, one extra sandwich for the second adult and a third sandwich to split between the kids. We sometimes upsize the combo and always share the fries among the whole family. This saves us lots of money and the headache of trying to get our kids to part with those junkie toys.
37. Good or bad, we only have a date night out every 2 or 3 months.
38. We have date nights at home watching movies checked out from the library or rented with a gift card and splurging on chips and homemade guacamole.
39. I carefully buy things in bulk from a warehouse club. I find that many times I am able to find the same items more inexpensively by shopping store sales. The biggest savers for us at the warehouse club are yeast, honey, marked-down meats (go early in the day), and clothing, if it has been marked down substantially.
40. I don't shop for recreation anymore, unless you count Goodwill. :)
41. We try to make returns on items we don't need or didn't work out for us quickly so we can have our money refunded and don't forget to return something until it is too late to do so.
42. My husband and I don't give each other big gifts. While this is not the most romantic, this fits our budget a lot better.
43. We enjoy good coffee at home, not often at Starbucks.
44. My husband and I each have a monthly allowance to give us room to treat ourselves a bit with things we enjoy without the guilt and accountability of using family money. This saves us some sanity because if we are allowed a few small indulgences each month we are refreshed to carry on with the work of saving in all other areas.
45. I don't shop at Walmart anymore. The lure of low prices fills my cart up with lots of stuff I don't need right now, so I just stay away. It was easy for me to give up the big blue store, since I never enjoyed the shopping experience there anyway.
46. I buy personal care items for little or nothing using Walgreens' rebate and coupon program.
47. I cut open nearly empty bottles of lotion and tubes of toothpaste to get a few more uses out of each container.
48. I add a little water to nearly empty condiment bottles, shake and use as a marinade for meats or vegetables.
49. I reuse cereal bags for storing homemade bread and other baked goods.
50. I take a chance on marked-down plants at the garden center in spring and summer. They usually return to vitality after a week or two planted in the ground and well-watered. This really stretched our budget for our xeriscape project last summer.
51. When taking meals to ill friends or new moms, I try to avoid going and out and spending a couple bucks on disposable containers and reuse containers we already have on hand.
52. I bring my own bags to the grocery store and save 5 cents per bag off my grocery order.
53. We use the library instead of buying all the books we'd like to read.
54. But we also use Amazon and get low prices and free shipping.
55. We use up liquid soap and shampoo that didn't work for us for cleaning.
56. I try to grow a few vegetables in the summer. Conditions are not ideal in our climate, but even a few fresh from the garden vegetables for several weeks in the summer save a little on the grocery budget and feel like a real treat.
57. We have one credit card with no annual fee which we pay off every month and that includes a rewards program. We cash in our points for cash for things we'd like to purchase or gift cards to buy stuff we don't like spending money on, like ink cartridges for our printer.
58. We started composting last summer and hope for some good organic matter for our planters and garden this summer instead of buying expensive soil from the garden center.
59. I'm learning to ask for discounts on items that are near their expiration date, in damaged packaging or that have some flaw or defect. You win some, you lose some, but it never hurts to ask. If they say no, I usually just don't buy the item.
60. I always check the clearance section at the back of the supermarket. Though this is hit and miss, I've found enough good things at amazing prices, I keep going back.
61. I do online searches for coupons for stores I plan to visit.
62. We enjoy the company of like-minded people, which encourages us in our pursuits of saving and living within our means.
63. I try to shop without my kids. Not only is this less stressful for me, but I am able to focus more on the sales and pick out coupons for unexpected items that I have found at a good price.
64. We open wide our blinds in the winter to benefit from some solar heating.
65. We pack meals and snacks to eat on trips.
66. While are kids are young, they are home with us, not in preschool or involved with teams or lessons, with the exception of swimming lessons at the Y.
67. We eat leftovers.
68. We stop our dishwasher as it gets to the drying cycle and open the door and allow the dishes to air dry. This works great in Colorado!
69. I use online recipe sites to use up ingredients I have on hand.
70. We keep track of our finances with personal financial software so we're always aware of where things stand.
71. We generally wait 3 days before taking our kids to the doctor if their symptoms are not severe or rapidly worsening. No, we're not neglecting our kids, just letting them build their immunities a little and we end up saving many trips to the doctor since many times they have shown good signs of improvement by the third day.
72. We enjoy camping and look forward to many such vacations in the years to come.
73. We are currently working through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University Online, which is challenging our spending habits and attitudes toward money.
74. Our kids' birthday parties are frugal affairs hosted at home or a park with minimal cost for decorations, homemade food and cakes, and homemade invitations.
75. We look over the free listings on Craig's List from time to time and have some gotten some free items there which we could use, including stepping stones for our yard and trash bins for our composting system.
76. We use paper towels sparingly and usually opt for regular towels to clean up messes.
77. I am able to do simple sewing to repair clothing, make curtains and children's blankets.
78. We take photographs of our children at home, instead of Sears.
79. I enter some sweepstakes and giveaways and occasionally win. 2007 wins included two pairs of Robeez slipper shoes, a book and a chair booster for our children.
80. I find great deals on Target clearance for household goods, food and clothing.
81. We gladly accept hand-me-downs from family and friends.
82. We don't go to movies in theaters.
83. I keep a box of gifts which I find on sale.
84. I make simple greeting cards instead of buying them.
85. When we have determined a larger item we would like to buy, we keep an eye on Craig's List.
86. I keep a running wish list for my second-hand shopping.
87. I shop some garage sales.
88. I am not brand loyal on most grocery or personal care items, which allows me to maximize sales.
89. We do our best to consolidate our outings to save gas.
90. We stock up on school supplies when they are on extreme sales for use by our kids or as additions to gifts.
91. I buy deeply discounted wrapping paper and ribbons after Christmas and choose some in solid colors that will be appropriate for any occasion throughout the year.
92. I kindly decline invitations to home sales parties.
93. We patronize businesses that provide good products and great service.
94. We are in the process of switching all our lights over to CFL bulbs for savings on our electric bill.
95. Our xeriscaped front yard saves on our water bill throughout the summer.
96. We open blinds and curtains to rely mostly on natural lighting throughout the day.
97. We clean our own carpets. Our carpet cleaner has paid for itself many times over.
98. For limited use items, we try to borrow instead of buying.
99. We buy mostly fruits and vegetables in season. In the summer I buy lots of inexpensive berries and freeze for use throughout the year.
100. I pray before entering stores that God will direct my shopping and give me discernment as to what to purchase.
101. We ask God to make our hearts content with the abundant provisions He gives.

After compiling that list, I know why I often feel like saving money is a part-time job for me. But these measures are worth it for us to allow me to remain home with our kids.

Photo Board

We are delighted each Christmas to receive cards and photos from friends and family and like to display those photos throughout the year on a place other than our fridge. We have had a fancy memo board hanging in our kitchen to hold these photos. It was a MOPS craft a few years ago where we used a picture frame and then inserted a piece of corkboard which I painted and backed it with cardboard. That board was getting too small for all the photos we receive so this year I came up with this. It is simply a painted memo boad (the same one as the advent calendar) hung by a pretty ribbon that was on a package I received this Christmas.

A Box for This, A Box for That

Over the last couple of weeks I've been getting the inspiration to get a bit more organized around here, especially in the little areas. You know, the areas that tend to annoy you because they are always a bit out of order or where you can't quickly find what you are looking for when you need it.

My accordion check file coupon organizer just wasn't working for me anymore. I needed more categories and more space to store the coupons, but didn't want to spend money on something that was supposed to be saving me money. We had a few spare baby wipes containers around the house so I gave it a shot. I took an empty clean container, drilled a hole on each end, strung a ribbon through the holes and knotted them on the inside of the box. For the dividers I typed up all the categories on the computer and spaced them according to how tall I wanted the dividers to stand in the box, printed them off on colored cardstock, cut them up and folded clear packing tape over the top edge to reinforce the card. So far it has been very handy and I've been able to locate coupons so much more quickly this way. Here is what it looks like.

Another area that needed to work better for me was my ribbon box. This is obvious from the "before" shot, ribbons thrown in there in a jumbled mess.

With the idea from this free magazine I put together a much more orderly box using a 6-quart plastic bin and a 3/8" dowel, cut to the appropriate length. I did not have the bin or dowel on hand, but in total this project was still under $2.50. And that's a small price to pay for so much order.
A business professor from my university days once made the statement, "Order creates energy." This idea has really stuck with me and I do believe it holds true, especially in regard to our home. When everything has a place and is in its place I do have more energy and am more enthusiastic about starting and completing whatever task is at hand.

Closet Redo

I've been getting a bit restless with our home lately. I guess I'm just ready for some changes so today on a whim I organized and revamped the boys' closet. I used what I had on hand and it worked out pretty well.

Here is how it started out. The double sliding doors have not been handy at all since we've had the both of the boys' clothes in the closet together.

After I removed the doors. It's not terribly messy, but I also don't want to see it this way all the time. And the "after" shot, with red gingham curtains hung from a spare shower curtain rod. Thanks for the fabric, Mom! I only spent about an hour sewing the curtains so that was a pretty quick fix. I also moved the changing table into the closet from another room. This arrangement will work better with clothes right by the changing station. Now I'm on the lookout for some stylish and/or functional tie-backs for when the curtains are open. The space for clothing has been reduced, but this will force us to keep their wardrobes a bit simpler and rotate clothes in and out for the seasons.

Simple Pocket Organizer

The other day I came across this at Goodwill. It was a canvas square measuring about 12" x 12" with 4 double ties on one end. I wasn't sure what it was but the price was right so I bought it. Even though I went to the maker's website, I couldn't figure out what its intended use was, but by that point I had an idea for a quick project.

I turned up about the bottom 3/8ths of the canvas and sewed up the sides, then sewed two other rows of stiching in the middle to make three pockets. Since the edges were already neatly finished, that was all I had to do except hang it up. I tried it out in the kids' bathroom where it hung on a towel rod. Although that was a good spot, I thought it might get more use on the changing table to hold lotion, diaper cream and other baby necessities.


This was a fun, quick project and I think I may like to make more of these with fabrics and embellishments to suit the place in which they will be used.

Total Cost: $.08.

Total Time: 8 minutes - most of that was uncovering the sewing machine from the pile of junk that had accumulated around it.

Fun Little Pillow

The little project of the week was to make a new little pillow for Sister's room. I have been trying to decorate her space but it has been very slow. Here is one little step in the right direction.

I took a striped seersucker adult sized pajama top destined for the discard bin and cut to the approximate size of the pillow I was going to use. The pillow I had was 14" x 20" so I added a few inches on every side for seam allowances and sewed it together with french seams. I love the button detail, that I didn't have to invest any time into because it was already part of the shirt. This will be a fun accent pillow for her and coordinate with her comforter when we get to that point. Total cost: $0. Total time spent: about 20 minutes.

Organizational Challenge: the Basement

About 30 days ago I undertook the challenge of getting our basement organized, being motivated by the 30 Day Organizational Challenge. My goals were pretty simple, though I didn't have a real vision for what this space could become. My goals were:
- make it more aesthetically pleasing, orderly and easy to maintain
- define spaces for specific activities
- use organizational tools I already have whenever possible - my budget is under $40
- create storage systems that are easily maintained by all family members.

Here are my answers to the questions that are part of the challenge.
1. What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and were you able to overcome it?
The most difficult part of the challenge for me was organizing the kids' play areas with SO many toys. I think I've made a good start in the right direction, though I'm sure we will need to tweak this as time goes on. Also, it was very difficult to purge many toys because they do all get played with on a regular basis and with three kids in such a close age range I know they will be good for another kid or two even if our firstborn has already outgrown them. I'm not sure how much to involve them in this process or if this should just be done without their input. I also could have used a bigger budget to get a better wall system for toy storage.

2. Tell us what kind of changes/habits you have put into place in order for your area/room to maintain its new order.
Every item now has a designated home. We no longer have a large random toy bin. I think this will be especially helpful when it is time for us to clean up from playtime. The play area has been clearly defined with storage towers and rugs, so hopefully toys will remain in this area or at least return to this area when playtime is over. We hope to implement a system of only getting out one bin or type of toy per child at a time and have our children put them away before getting out something new to play with. This will be a matter of discipline not only for them, but for us as we supervise this.

3. What did you do with the "stuff" you were able to purge out of your newly organized space?
About three bags of garbage were pitched and an equal volume of cardboard from boxes we had saved were put out to recycling. The toys and crafting supplies which were eliminated went to an annual MOPS fundraiser garage sale at our church. A few loads of stuff were also taken to the garage where they will be more easily used.

4. What is the biggest lesson you have learned from this experience?
The biggest realization I'm having right now is that it is much easier not to acquire an excessive amount of stuff in the first place than it is to get rid of things, especially after the children have grown attached to it. Also, when things are not organized it is hard to keep track of supplies and use them up before buying more. I consolidated all the gift wrapping supplies in one area and all the gifts for later giving in another area so I'll easily be able to see what I have. Knowing what you have on hand helps with avoiding the temptation to buy more.

5. Now that you have completed the PROCESS, do you think having and keeping your space organized will make a difference in your life?
Absolutely! I am already looking forward to getting down to my crafting table, knowing that I won't have to clean it off just to work on a project.

Before Pictures

First thing you saw when entering the basement.
Toys, toys, everywhere....and this was not on a particularly messy day.
More toys, overcrowded bookshelf with stuff stacked high on the top, books near my husband's desk in no particular order.
The guest quarters....not too inviting.
Mom's craft area and gift wrapping area. Our file cabinet had no business being in that space.
After Pictures

I'm feeling sooooo much better about this area and look forward to enjoying it together as a family.

Here is the new first impression of the basement. The toys are now mostly stored in bins on two tower shelves joined together with a board. While it may still not look especially neat, everything now has a home and there is no longer a catch-all bin. The chrome shelving was purchased on a clearance for a total of $16 and the wood board was about $8, taxes included. The space underneath the wooden shelf is designated for parking of all riding and push toys. The chrome shelving could have been configured differently, but I put the top shelf low so as not to encourage dangerous climbing by children.

Room around the table to move freely and a clear table ready for coloring, writing and real or pretend meals.
A small bookshelf was freed up from the toy area for my husband's books to be stored at hand near his desk.
The guest quarters are now more hospitable and include the blue table to hold suitcases and other guest items.And finally the crafting and gift wrapping area. I tacked fabric I had on hand to the wall studs to eliminate some of the visual clutter from items stored underneath the stairs. The cabinet at left holds all crafting supplies inside and gift items on top. One caddy of papercrafting supplies and one other bin for projects on the go or to be put away was left out for easy access. A nail on the end of the wall holds gift bags looped on a luggage strap. Rolls of wrapping paper are hung in the white fabric drawstring bag.

It is refreshing to have this project complete. Now maybe I'll be able to catch up on a two year backlog of scrapbooking and photo organization with room to work.

Thanks to Laura for hosting this motivational event!

Next up: the garage.

Drawstring Bag

We've been working at improving some of our window coverings so in the process we've had some discards, including a curtain used for our entry window. Since it had a top and bottom casing I thought it would be great to turn it into a simple drawstring bag. I sewed up the sides, threaded a piece of twill tape through the casing, and sewed the ends of the tape together. Excuse the wrinkles, ironing is not my priority. I love to reuse good items otherwise destined for the garbage. I think I'll use this as a dirty laundry bag when we are traveling.

Total project time: 10 minutes.

Total cost: $0.