New Spice Holders

Okay so I confess, I have a weakness for mason jars, I just love everything that they stand for. For the last 4 years I have had a counter top spice rack with all the extras stuffed into a cabinent. On the one hand this is okay because everything was always within easy reach but I was ready for some change so I made a spice drawer, then repurposed my spice rack into a medicine rack.

I didn't think to take a before picture, but this is the style of my old spice rack.

Olde Thompson 20 jar spice rack

First,I bought a case of the 4 oz jelly jars (anything else is too tall to fit in the closed drawer) and used chalk board paint to spray the lids.

When the lids were dry I filled the washed jars with my spices and used the bands to secure the lids in place. I currently have the labels on the bottom because I don't have any chalk, but here is a picture of the final product. Did I mention that I LOVE the way this turned out, not only is it pretty and of the counter but the spices are much easier to use because I can dip a TBSP in or easily pull out a pinch of what I am using. 

 I finished the project by using a sharpie marker to color the black part of my spice rack lids (to cover the spice labels). Once filled with medicine I can simply use a silver or white paint pen to label them as Advil, Tylenol, Vitamins etc. The new medicine rack has found a home in my linen closet, but I have not rounded up all the medicines to put in the jars as of today.

Homemaking Journal Part 2

As promised, here is the second half to the Homemaking Journal. As it turns out my husband had the tools I needed to complete this project with him in North Dakota so this post is significantly delayed, which I apologize for.

To make the journal itself you will need a piece of card stock cut to the size of your papers to use as a stencil, chip board (I didn't have any so I substituted foam core but determined it probably isn't going to be durable enough to last a year), a selection of scrapbook papers to decorate the cover, glue, hemp cord or other binding string, Duct Tape, Drill with small bit, Filling pages of your choice and scissors.

 1. Trace the outline of your paper on chip board 1 time (front cover).
2. Trace the outline of your paper on chip board plus 1 cm in length to create the back cover.
3. Cut the front cover along the short edge at 3/4 inch from the edge.




4. Using Duct Tape (Or masking tape, but I think the duct tape is more sturdy) tape the two pieces of the front cover back together leaving a 1 cm gap (both covers should now be the same size).



5. Decorate both covers to your liking.
6. Organize the filler pages as you would like them (mine are organized in sections with a piece of blank colored page separating them).
7. Clamp pages together using binder clips.
8. Add covers and clamp together with large binder clips or garage clamps.
9. Using your drill drill a hole in the smallest piece (where you taped) every half inch to 3/4 inch.
10. Starting with the 3rd hole from the top "sew" through the holes until you reach the bottom hole then start back up the opposite side so that all the holes have been gone through twice but there is only one length of string on each side. When you reach the top sew back down the opposite side until you reach the original hole. At this point securely tie string into a bow.

Homemaking Notebook or Journal Part 1

Part 1: Find your inspiration and evaluate your needs

In the art of becoming and staying organized I have decided to embark on the creation of a homemaking journal/notebook. I haven't quite determined yet what the final product will be, but I suspect it will be a combination of these lovely and gasp sometimes practical versions I found.

The visual journal: 

This model is a visual diary type journal, plus one giant to-do-list. I think I would like a section of mine that has things like this, but to do the entire journal this way would be too time consuming for my way of life. 

Click here for an amazing tutorial from the original blog poster

The Three-Ring-Binder:

I don't think I will use a 3 ring binder and tab dividers in my homemaking notebook (As a recent college graduate I have seen enough of these for a while). However, I LOVE how this one is organized into so many sections. It never occurred to me to include something like bills in my homemaking notebook and I will be following this guide in organizing my notebook.

Click here for the original blog

My sections will be:
1. Keeping the house
2. Food (menus and recipes)
3. Money
4. Blog ideas
5. DIY  projects
6. Contacts/birthdays
7. Dreams (dream house ideas)
8. Journal section


** I am working on making the journal now, pictures and directions will go up tomorrow with part 2**

Today's work in pictures

Okay so I managed to keep up everything I did Thursday, Friday, and yesterday. Before lunch I also managed to clean half of my bedroom and finally hang a picture I drew 5 years ago! After lunch my 11 year old cousin came over so we played the rest of the day. We decided to make aprons, which took the entire rest of the day (worthy activity if I do say so myself).

Duck Pond, pastel 2007

 Elizabeth's hostess apron

Green side of my reversible apron

Chicken side of my apron