The "Junk Drawer" {and a Drug Problem}

We all have one, right? : the Junk Drawer.  No? OK, then you can just ignore this post. 

Organizing doesn't have to be costly or time consuming.  I spent very little time doing this (1/2 hour?) and only a few dollars.  And the results are awesome.  Why?

• Because I decluttered;
• because there is now a place for the things I kept;
• because now I can find things;
• because now the other people in my house can also find these things. 

First: the golden rule of organizing: declutter.  You have to purge and be ruthless about it.  Haven't used it in a month? Unless it's a seasonal item, toss it or donate it.  There is absolutely no point in keeping things are aren't used, are broken, pieces are missing etc.  And our drug problem? For a household of people that really are not sick that much, we had quite the stash of OTC miscellaneous drugs....hence our "drug problem".  Those were purged as ruthlessly as the other.  And a large container of vitamins reminds me of another issue: I buy the vitamins, but I don't take the vitamins.  Now, at least, I know what I should be taking, and they're all neatly contained!

Next, I group.  First to go are items that don't belong: This includes, surprisingly, trash.  Surprising to me since I am a declutterer, but yet there is always things in the junk drawer that are trash. 

After....before we could barely close it....
 

 Then, I rethink.  This desk drawer (which will be gone in my new, remodeled junk-free kitchen) has never worked for us.  As many containers and organizing that was done, it still didn't work.  I figured out that there were just too many options in there....things used daily, and things used rarely, like chargers.  So they were grouped and contained.

 How much better is this?  Organized, labeled and out of the way, and in inexpensive containers from the grocery store.  Like I said, if it's out of sight, it doesn't have to be beautiful. Just organized.

 The lettering is hard to see, so I put a piece of white paper behind the one in the top.  Simple and easier to see.  And now the lovely people I live with (they really are lovely...I love 'em) don't have to ask "where is the...." all the time.  And since I do have a tendency to re-organized a lot, I do move things around.  Hopefully this will help.

 See our drug problem?  Sadly I was in so much of a rush to clean out this cabinet that I didn't take a before shot.  These two shelves were FULL....of stuff. 

The puppy and kitties even have their own stash!

 

So get organizing!  It doesn't have to be costly or timely!  But the cost and time saved in looking for lost items will be priceless!

Remember: Purge. Group. Contain. And always rethink your systems!  If something is not working, there is a better way!

Happy weekend!

Laura G

{How to make} Adjustable Shelving

I float from project to project, depending on my mood, where C wants me in the house and other rapid day to day changes. This afternoon, we ended up upstairs, and while I listened to music he picked to play on the computer (which is very familiar if you were a child of the 80's), I went to work on my office shelves again. To make an adjustable shelf, I used two techniques I've learned over the years. The first was from a handyman we hired to build a huge built-in in our living room; the other? I have no idea. Probably dates back to some show on TV, but I don't remember. But here goes:

The first thing I did was pick out a drill bit size that would fit the adjustable pegs that came with this shelf.  This was was a little snug, but I thought it would work better than the one that was a tad loose.

This is a scrap piece of lumber that I used to ensure the holes would be the at the exact place on each side of the boards.  I drilled three holes in it, and used it as my template four times.  I sat the board against the bottom of the shelf each time, tried to keep it plumb (level on a vertical), and re-drilled each time through the same holes.  (Thanks handyman....I've waited years to be able to use this tip!)

To know how deep to drill, I sat the drill in the hole (both through the template and through the depth of the actual hole.  Then I placed the tape at the depth I needed.  When the drill went in up to the tape, I was done.  Worked like a charm!  Depth is important here: If I drill too deeply, the hole is going all the way through, and I will see the hole on the other side of the shelf.  Don't want that to happen!

This is one side of the vertical piece (which used to be a horizontal shelf...confused yet?) with the newly drilled holes on one side.  Don't they look nice and even?

 

Here is shelf #1 (of many yet to be made!) in the lowest postion in this cubby....

.......then higher.....

....and highest. 

 

So there is my explanation of how to make adjustable shelving.  This was my first attempt, and I'm surprised at how easy it was! 

 

He waved!

Air Force One

It's not every day that the President comes to town, so we drove out to the main road and waited for him and his motorcade to drive through.  A little ice cream during the wait didn't hurt!

Waiting for the motorcade

 It was fun to watch all the police and troopers go by as they cleared the road.....you won't see 29 this clear until (if) it snows this winter!

We were't alone during the wait, and we met a mom and daughter from our neighborhood.  We finally pieced together that her and Car were in the same preschool class 6 years ago!

Aren't they driving the wrong way?



Here he comes!and then I stopped taking pictures....
 

I told Carter that we wouldn't actually see the man himself since the windows of the car would be darkened....but call me wrong already!  We actually saw him in the back seat and he waved! 

We can now saw we have seen a sitting US President now.  All in all, a fun little experience.  I'm glad we went.

Our prayers go out to all those in the path of Hurricane Isaac.  Stay safe.

Oh gee whiz.....how old are we?

I read Young House Love every morning, and have for years now.  This morning Sherry answered the question: "How do you decide what to post about every day?", and I loved it!  So along the lines of 'post your life and don't-overthink-it kind of way, here's what's happening, up to the moment, as it happens in the momwithnails household:

We're sitting on the front porch in our rockers talking about the weather. And the dog.  Yep, really, we are.

In our defense, what little there is of it, we are waiting for the school bus.  And we have walked, done laundry, gone on a job interview, checked emails, cleaned out a kitchen cabinet, been to Lowe's for lumber, bought dog food.  Does that help? No? Didn't think so. 

So here comes the bus, three hours early today.  The President (yes, that one) is coming to town, so roads will be closed near the school, so they get a get-out-of-school-early pass today. 

We're headed to get ice cream later and watch the motorcade go by, so hopefully we'll have more interesting stuff to share later..... including what the lumber is for! 

But yes, for now, we sit and rock.

The weather is nice, by the way.

Camping roundup: The worst?

  My standard question I always ask before taking on a new venture, big or small, is: "What's the worst that can happen?"  Sometimes your questions get answered.

So. We planned to leave as soon as the bus arrived with darling son.  Darling husband and I had a few bumps in our day (meetings and work that hadn't been anticipated etc).  Our packing and shopping was behind, but we were still only about an hour behind schedule. 

I was wrapping up the upstairs; turning off lights, making sure the kitties were fed and accounted for.  Darling son shouted from the basement that I needed to come.  I thought, as was true, that he was just so anxious to go.  He was, but he said this was an emergency, and that dad needed me.  But he wasn't stressed, just that I was to come.  I said I'd be right there.....until he said "Dad has a fish hook stuck in him!"

OK...I moved a bit faster.  And yes, said fish hook was embedded in his arm, and good.  I tried to move it, but it was in deep. 

So we were really packed and ready, and the ER was on the way, so off we went.  An hour and a half later, he was bandaged and drugged and we thought, OK, this was not in the plan, but now our fun weekend can start.

How bad can it be??  What could possibly happen to top this?  HAH!

Tents. Rain. Rivers where rivers are not supposed to be. Standing water in sleeping areas. And when you thought it couldn't rain more, it rained harder. And harder.  Then even harder after that.  And it kept coming down.

All I can say is this: I love these people.  Seriously, if you can spend 24 hours in conditions like this, and still laugh at the end of the day, that says something.  That says something huge about the people you are with....all 38 of them. 

 S'mores over an open propane flame.  Laughter and hugs amid the unbelievable conditions that were not forecast.  That people planning on just coming for the day still drove an hour each way in the pouring rain to bring the food that they intended to bring, so you wouldn't be left without lunch.  That you can pack 5 extra people and an extra dog in a tent when necessary.  ((And sleep well, and still like those people (and the dog!)). 

Do you have friends like this? I hope so.  Everyone needs people like this.

They are keepers.



(ps: If you desire a grotesque picture of a triple fish hook embedded in an arm, just email me.)
(pps: The puppy got wet, was shivering, and spent the rest of the day swaddled in towels in someone's arms.  She is fine today, exhausted, still wondering what that was all about, and catching up on her sleep. And she's more spoiled that ever.)

Packin' the pup-ee tent

We're packing up to go on our 3rd annual tent camping weekend with 35 others friends and kids....

No....we're not big tent campers.

The last time we did this we splurged on a cabin.  The first time our tent almost was washing away and we slept in water.  All weekend.  Wet. Things were still drying out the next week.

This time  we've borrowed a better tent and the Eagle Scout that goes along with it to set it up. 

Along with the pup tent, we're also packing..... the pup-ee.  Yep, Nichole is tagging along. 

So my motto is "What's the worst that can happen, right?"

Well, I will let you know on Monday. 

A Scone a day....well....

OK, well all that butter will not keep the doctor away, but the blueberries inside make up for it, right?
When I'm stressed or distracted, I bake. Ripe bananas became cake the night before. Tonight I had a half container of blueberries just begging to be baked into something. My previous muffin recipes have not been to my liking, so I pulled out some cookbooks and settled on scones. 

 The basic start is mostly flour, with a few tablespoons of sugar and a bit of salt and baking powder. Cut in 1 cup of butter with a pastry cutter.

I did not have buttermilk, but if it's called for, you really need it, but there is a simple substitution.  Add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of milk; let sit for 5 minutes before using.

 Add milk all at once, and stir together with a fork.  I stirred very gently so I didn't break up the blueberries too much.  Stir until just mixed.

 Before I had this beautiful ball of dough, I realized I had used the whole cup of milk (that I made for the buttermilk) but the recipe only called for 3/4 cup.  The dough was very wet, so I added a bit more flour as I kneaded and a tad more sugar.

 I formed it into a long shape to get the triangles I wanted.....

 ....and then used my pizza wheel to cut sharp lines.  I find that the pizza wheel is very handy for cutting in situations like this!

 Bake for a quick 15 minutes at 425.....and.....

 .....partway through remember you were supposed to egg wash the top and sprinkle sugar on....

 ......and done!

 

And yes, they were very yummy!  I was happy with my first scone attempt, and can't wait to try new flavors and varieties!  These were different than traditional scones I've had, but still yummy, especially right out of the oven!

If you want to try some real scones without the fuss and mess, check out this local baker: The Queen of Puddings.  Lisa sells scones mixes that are the very best I've ever tasted...the real deal!  She was sweet enough to bring samples and fix an English tea last year to our MOPS group.  Her scones are amazing! 

Really, What's the worst that can happen?

Did you notice? I changed my blog header and my byline!  (all 20 of you, I expect comments!)

What is the worst that can happen?  I'm talking home projects, life projects, new projects, new ideas here.... This is the question I always pose before I take on a project: If I start this, what's the worst case outcome?  Is it so bad I can't change it? If I can't change it, will that be so bad?  Can I live with it? 

Usually, the answer to the "worst" is really not that bad. 

If I have to call a repairman, and I can't make it worse, I'll try first.  I've found with some issues, I either don't have the right tools (plumbing) or the worst is more than I'm willing to wager (falling off the roof, per se).  So I leave roofing to the pros.

Underway!

Ripping carpet up?  It was so bad on the steps, anything would be an improvement, so bare steps are better than dirty carpet, so I went for it.  I still don't like the paint effect I have, but it still easier to keep clean.  And one day, I will love it.

Putting new floors down in the basement? OK, that took a bit longer to ponder, as there was a large cost involved in buying the floor.  But if I couldn't pull it off?  I had a handyman waiting that would help me out.  For the most part I didn't need it, and pulled it off.  When I did need help with the doorjambs, I called.  And when I did smash my thumb and had to go to the ER? Well, ok, that wasn't great, but it healed.  Be careful!

horrible aweful night picture!

Making wood headers in the dining room? Check.  Do I love them? Nope, and I already have a replacement in mind.  Cost: a few wood scraps and some fabric I'll re-purpose. 

Experience: I'll use this idea again....so for having to patch a few holes in the wall, it was all worth it.   As decorating is something I have no built-in knack for, it's a try-as-you-go thing and then try something else until it works. 




Tree house?  Again, the biggest issue here was cost: I decided to buy as I went along, so I didn't expense the entire cost up front.  If I got stuck, I'd either quit, or again, find help.  Piece by piece, sleepless nights trying to figure out the next steps, and many more trips to Lowe's than I would have had otherwise,  we had a tree house!

What else?  Paint can be repainted....wood can be (mostly) recut....fabric reused and furniture moved around. 

As long as the "worst case"  isn't more than you're willing to wager, I say...go for it! 

The best? You get a cool project, a great finish, and at the least, experience for next time. 

So, what's on your list? What's holding you back?  Go ahead and jump on in. 

Because hey...what's the worst that can happen?

Wallpaper? Really? (How to remove it!)

I love following numerous blogs and love seeing decorating trends come and go.  Some I like, some just aren't my personal cup of tea.  Like distressed furniture: I'm sure there is something in my past that makes me like this, but I want a piece of furniture that looks new, even if it's old.  I won't take something that is new and make it look old.  I love seeing all the techniques to distressing furniture and appreciate how it looks in someone else's house. 

The other thing I can't get over is the new trend in wallpaper!  In our first house, I put up my share of wallpaper in many rooms.  I loved it.  Our second house had wallpaper in so many rooms....and I hated it.  Greens vines and red berries in the kitchen couldn't go fast enough: it was like Christmas Day 24/7/365 (oh to have taken more pictures!).   Don't like your paint color? Easy enough to change. Wallpaper....way more permanent.  You better know what you like before you commit!
I'm no decorator, I'll admit that, but there will be no more wallpaper in my house.  Stencils? That fascinates me, and I'm just waiting to see the perfect spot to try that new improved trend. 

For now, I'll concentrate on how to get rid of wallpaper.  Even if you love the trend and want to try it, you still may need to removed some old wallpaper in the meantime.

Amanda from ourhumbleabowed is working in just this project today, so she got me in the mood to finally write this post.  So here goes, my wallpaper removal experience, for what it's worth.

1) Prepare for mess.    Wallpaper comes off sometimes in bits and pieces, and the bottom layer is sticky with adhesive.  Cover up or remove any items you want to spare the mess.

2) Peel a corner.  Start in a little corner or a seam and test the waters: see how easily it comes off.  Even if you remove the top layer and not the adhesive backing underneath, that's OK.  Just make sure you aren't removing wall with your paper. 

3) Easiest Tool: A spray water bottle has always been the best tool for removal for me.  I tried gels but they were really messy, and the fumes bothersome.  I tried a scoring tool: be careful, and tread lightly: they will leave little marks that you will have to fill in later.

4) Peel and Scrape:  If you can get the top layer off easily, great!  What's left is the adhesive layer which is both paper and glue.  Spray with water and wait, then scrap gently (remember you want to leave the wall underneath smooth!). 

5) Wash! Wash again!  Take heed and learn from my mistakes.  Wash the walls with water and detergent until you get all the glue completely off.  Test by scraping with a paint scraper, and make sure it is completely clean.  If you try to paint and glue is left, the paint will not stick and you will have a mess....trust me on this one. 

And I think that's it!  That is what has worked for me on countless paper-removal projects.  They are time consuming, but it's sort of fun in a way too! 

And if you try some of the "new papers", I'd love to see them!  I'll probably admire them from afar, but want to spare the hours of scraping when I'm done with the design. 

So...have you ever removed wallpaper?  What has worked?

 

Free office art {use what you have}

The theme of my new "office" is going to be using what you have, and doing it for as low or no-cost as possible.

 First up is the conversion of the vertical bookcase to a horizontal hutch; the saw still needs to come out, and we're not yet unpacked from this week. That will have to wait! But my thoughts today are going to "artwork". I like to decorate with one of two things: original pieces or personal items. Original pieces are few and far between: I drooled over a watercolor of a Chesapeake bay blue crab this week, but no, for $300 it did not come home with me. Second is personal items, like a collection of photos or the shadowbox I made at Christmas which houses memories of my son's birth and his late grandfather. As I was cleaning out the stuff in the office, I came across this:

 This is a shadow box made by my grandfather.  It used to house a variety of things, but in the move (sadly, 8.5 years ago!) it never came back out.  I thought this was a great way to start my collection of personal, free art for my new space.

I started with my collection of random beads and ended up with not one, but two empty containers! That's a perfect start!
Empty!!

I added some jewelry bags for color, but his did not work!

No!

So I kept searching, and found a seed packet, paint chips and the hopefully new fabric for my curtains.

Better!

Then I came across a bag from our June vacation to Costa Rica.  I was obsessed with collecting shells on the beach.  I can visualize them being included in some jewelry design down the road, but in the meantime, I have them somewhere I can enjoy them and know where to find them.

Best!

I had forgotten also about the awesome pieces of coral I collected, and pulled them out for a future, also yet unknown, project.

Another piece I'm working on today includes this favorite mugshot:

I just copied it on my printer and kept enlarging it until it was big enough. The first frame is a thrift store find from a few weeks ago.  I like the texture of the second one better, although not the darker goldish color.  It's downstairs now undergoing transformation with some paint....

So for $zero cost, I have two pieces of "art" that are personal, memorable, and enjoyable for me to have around. 

Now to get back to construction!