2013
Coloring Revisited
I just bought a new rug. The photos on the Pottery Barn website made it look bright but I knew from the comments to expect more taupe than white.
This was the untouched reality (though without much natural light)
I’m totally into my new rug and how well it goes with my other art in my dining room but the taupe background fooled all my usual sites for extracting a color palette. They just kept pulling out the brown even though I wanted to see the greens, golds, pinks and blues. I even tried a site listed in the comments, Dominant Colors, but just ended up with more mud.
I finally found success over on Colourlovers. If you join the site you can upload a color and use a selector to choose which 5 colors you want until you have the perfect palette.
Knowing I have plenty of neutrals in my room already, I was searching for an accent color pulled from the rug that I can use to paint a piece of furniture I bought around Christmastime. The palette came out a little rainbowy but I think I have 5 really gorgeous colors to choose from.
Just from seeing each color, I know I already have a color much like the far right one in the room. I’m leaning towards the sienna shade or the more aqua one. What do you think would look best in the room?
Take 5: Month 1- The Kitchen
Last year, each month I posted a to-do list for 2012 from Get Organized Now. I still love them and highly recommend checking them out. This year I want to swap out how I plan my household to-do lists. I want to give each room in my house equal amounts of love and opportunities for improvement. Each month I plan to write out 5 ways to improve each room in the 28/30/31 days.
For this month, I’m starting with the kitchen. This is the most complete room in my house and only needs some finishing touches. Here are 5 things I want to tackle:
1. Paint the ceiling
I repainted the room but some paint hit the ceiling. A good new coat should make the room look more complete.
2. Seal the grout
When I did all my tile I had to let the grout rest before sealing it. I think 6 months is plenty.
3. Clean out the fridge
Time to check those expiration dates and use up some condiments with some creative recipes.
4. Create a dog station
My dog Nova has a little corner of the room with a dog bowl but I think something that says she has her own little spot would be more than welcome
5. Un-Christmas the Kitchen
I still haven’t taken down my Christmas decorations from my ladder bookcase. In fact, the whole room has little touches of Christmas all around. It’s time to pack it all up and give my bookcase a new look.
What room of your house will get updated first in 2013?
2012
December Task List
We’re down to the last Get Organized Now calendar of the year. Next year I’ll have new way to tackle household projects. For now, here’s the last few tasks to try to get in before the year’s end.
Source: Hello, Cuteness
November was a busy month for me. I’ve successfully transitioned into my new job, I ran a 5K, I started on my fireplace and I managed to survive Thanksgiving. In December I’ve got one last 5K, some shopping to do (don’t we all!?), and I want to make a bigger dent in that fireplace. Plus I’ve got these items I want to get in too:
- December 9: Shop local. Window shopping is okay, just make sure to do it with those you care about.
- December 11: Start planning your Christmas menu and turn it into a Christmas grocery list.
- December 18: Clean out the fridge. Eat all those leftovers and wipe down those shelves. Make sure you have plenty of space for all that food.
- December 19: Write down what tasks need to be done before Christmas (like charging batteries or cleaning) and assign each task a day. Remember to embrace the fine art of delegation and don’t do it all yourself.
- December 25: Enjoy your Christmas celebrations!
- December 28: Find a place for all your new items. This is a great time to decide if you need to keep an older item you upgraded. Start prepping for your 2013 donations by rounding up all the excess.
- December 31: Imagine what you want out of the next year. Don’t just make resolutions, make a plan that you can stick to.
2012
November Task List
November already! This last month flew by. October was hot and cold, windy and sunny, and busy busy busy! This month I’ll be shopping for Christmas gifts (I hate the post-Thanksgiving crowds), stocking up my freezer, and transitioning to a new position at work. I’m not sure I’ll have time for too many projects but I will try my hardest to do what I can.
Source: Pickle Lady Farm
Last month I managed to tackle my closet, finish sorting through my clothing, do some restocking, and I’m working on eating the last of my frozen summer goods. The month ahead theoretically will also have a day trip and my first 5K race. I can’t wait to share some details! Here are this month’s Get Organized Now checklist items designed to keep me on track.
- November 1: Have a fall cleanup day. Rake and sweep up all that debris. This is especially helpful considering the superstorm that some people are getting. You might want to bump this item down the list till all the wind in your area has passed.
- November 4: Falling back means changing clocks and batteries. I also suggest using that extra hour for more sleep but if you insist on waking early, make yourself a warm breakfast.
- November 6: Go vote! Do it! I highly suggest between 10 AM and noon or from 2-4 PM if you can. You’ll make my life easier if you do since I’ll be fixing voting equipment that day.
- November 8: Time to plan your Thanksgiving meal. Call any hosts for meals you’ll be attending to confirm what to bring and how many to serve. Write down your ingredients, how long your dish will take to prepare and shop your sale ads. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite dishes that week in case you need any ideas.
- November 18: Clean out any purses or bags. Include envelopes for receipts and coupons. Cut any coupons you need to get ready for Thanksgiving meal shopping or some fun on Black Friday.
- November 22: Write down 10 things you are thankful for. You don’t need to share it but use the day to reflect.
Thinking of Fall
It’s been a busy fall at my house. I’ve been finishing the final weeks on my work’s big project and soon I’ll be moving on to a new office and new responsibilities. My husband and I took a big trip to Europe. I finally finished the Couch to 5K program and I have 2 races lined up.
That hasn’t stopped me from having some fun either. I went with some friends and family to my old high school’s Homecoming football game. My littlest brother still goes to school there and it was a big anniversary for me as well. I was most excited to see the marching band. I’m a former member and my little brother (that’s him on the 45 yard line playing the sax) has won several championships at competitions this year. I’m a proud big sister. As a bonus, the football team pulled out a win as well.
I’ve been dressing the house up for fall too. Some pumpkins and some coleus plants add a nice seasonal look with purples and oranges. I have a yellow wreath I use each year. This year I paired it with an owl hanging I found at Michaels. I love the bottlecap eyes…and the fact that it was on clearance.
Here’s a glance at the garden as of 2 weeks ago. Since then we had a tornado warning that knocked down leaves and now a frost warning that froze everything up. The garden barely survived the horrible summer. Remember how gorgeous it looked back in May? I had a hydrangea die, one just barely survived. All the dwarf rhododendron died before the end of June. We planned to replace them with more boxwoods but after a boxelder bug invasion I’m not so sure now. The regular rhododendron made it till July but then they died too. The azalea survived. My husband had bought some geraniums and added them and they thrived as did our coleus plants. We’ll definitely be trying to makeover this garden again next year. I’d like to imagine this year was just a freaky year of drought but I need a low-maintenance plan that can survive drought, massive rains, hail, winds, and me.
For my October table, I wanted to use complementary colors. I know a blue and orange table isn’t traditional for October but I loved how rustic it felt. I was able to shop my house for this project, using my blue willow china and blue cobalt glasses. The matching cobalt wine bottles are from some riesling I drank and the pumpkin votive holders are from Pier1. They match last month’s design. The flowers in the basket were actually a gift holder my husband gave me years back that comes in handy every year.
The only new item I bought for the table were the mini pumpkins. I wanted to buy some napkins but I had the hardest time finding some matching blue napkins. Has anyone seen some deep blue napkins that might match my blue willow or blue cobalt? I’d love to find some before the next time I use them all on the table again.
How was your month of October?
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October Task List
I’m back from my crazy long vacation and I hope to post some info on that as soon as I sort through my 1400 photos. Oh yeah, It was an awesome one. I’m quite a bit behind on chores but coming home to a clean house made it easier. I definitely miss having meals prepared for me and turndown service at night.
Source: Anything But Perfect- available for download
We’re into the last quarter of the year which means prepping for Christmas, winterproofing my house, and for my work to get crazy one last time. My real goal for the month is to lock up the last of my summer clothes and finish up all those 90% projects- you know, the ones that need just one last go to be fully completed. Just remember, slow and steady wins the race so choose a few items to tackle from this month’s Get Organized Now checklist and you’ll feel ahead of the game.
- October 5: After a long week, enjoy your family with a fun family dinner. After heading back to work after 2 weeks of together time, it’ll be nice to relax together instead of giving into the jetlag.
- October 13: Clear out those coats and accessories. Make sure all gloves have a match, toss anything you haven’t worn in a while (look for a winter clothing drive in your area!) and have all the next week’s items in a convenient grab-and-go spot.
- October 16: If you haven’t already decorated for fall (I never do before October 1 but I’m slacking this year!) then put out some decor. Pumpkins are always a safe bet and will last you through Thanksgiving.
- October 20: Outdoor cleanup time! Empty planters, trim back any plants that get a fall trimming and put away any lawn furniture before the winter snow and salt damages it.
- October 22: Stock up on Halloween candy for those trick-or-treaters. I live in a neighborhood without many kids so I don’t see many besides some cute relatives but I’m always glad to have the leftovers.
- October 24: Spend your entire evening offline and if you’re really daring, turn off all technology. Hang out with family and resist the urge to be introverted by reading. Play board games, talk about your day or just relax in silence.
- October 29: Surprise your coworkers by bringing in a treat. Bagels, doughnuts, or flavored creamers for a coffee bar are always nice. You can add a fall twist by throwing some apple cider in a crockpot and serving with a cinnamon stick.
2012
September Centerpiece
I’m actually on time with this month’s centerpiece! I know some people love to jump on fall themes in September but in Missouri it is often so warm that I’m not thinking about fall. This week has been quite crisp so I broke out some apples and had fun with a fall themed centerpiece.
I used a basket (previously seen in my June centerpiece) and stacked some books in the center to give it some height. Then I added in a candleholder from Pier 1 and some apples. I’ll have some apple recipes coming soon as a bonus. They’re perfect for some fall freezing.
I also dressed up the table with some new napkins from Home Goods and what else- more apples. The room sure smells very fresh and crisp, just like the weather outside.
What’s on your table this fall?
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July Centerpiece
I have some catching up to do! My job was crazy all summer so I missed posting my July centerpiece on time so here’s a quick view at what my patriotic centerpiece looked like.
For my July birthday, my mom gifted me a margarita set I’d had my eye on. When I vacationed in Mexico last year I drank out of a similar set and I really wanted to bring the fiesta home with me. So I threw some daisies in it and called it a patriotic display. Sorry Mexico, don’t hate me!
The best part of the centerpiece was having the brilliant idea to throw some sour cherry candies into the margarita glasses. The glasses worked as an easy handheld candy dish. They did not sit on the table very long. I must have looked like a crazy lady to my husband with me walking around with a margarita glass in my hand for a week (lies- a couple days) but it was just candy! Where’s the harm in that?
2012
September Task List
I’m freaking out that it is already September. I lost a whole week in August when I got sick and I’m still moving very slowly as I recover. To top it all off, I have a huge trip coming up that I feel woefully unprepared for. I saw September 1 on my calendar and I started making list after list. I’m hoping I can at least tackle a few tasks from this month’s Get Organized Now checklist before I go too crazy.
Source: Anything But Perfect- available for download
This month I already tackled Day 1′s task of looking ahead at my calendar. I think that’s part of the problem. I think my best plan to prepare is to just try to think rationally. Easier said than done, right? Here’s what I’m looking at for my calendar.
- September 2: Prepare a special dessert to be served for the Labor Day holiday. -This one is easy, I already bought supplies to make a peach cake I spotted over on Glori of Food.
- September 5: Make DO/GO/CALL list. Perfect timing! Listing out the tasks in little pieces will not only keep me calm but it’ll be a great way for my husband to see where he can help out too.
- September 9: Call the grandparents for Grandparents Day. I will be doing this though I hesitate to think what advice my grandma will tell me based on what she hears on Dr. Oz. I swear, Dr. Oz should be banned in that household because my grandma is always telling me the weirdest things.
- September 15: Time swap sandals for boots. Do an inventory on all those Old Navy flip flops and toss the gross ones. Give your boots a shine before breaking them out.
- September 20: Organize your baking supplies. This is a great time to restock before making Christmas cookies or to organize your baking tools.
- September 23: Are you making enough time for you? If you don’t have a hobby (and TV watching isn’t going to count) then work on one. If you find yourself with too many hobbies, try to focus on just one for maximum relaxation. I sent my sewing machine upstairs so I can start focusing on Christmas crafting.
- September 28: It’s apple season! Plan an apple picking trip or start setting aside your favorite apple recipes.
Organizing My Baking Nook
When I got my KitchenAid Mixer the first thing I did was buy a beater blade
As part of my kitchen makeover, I’d built a little baker’s nook to hold all my extra baking supplies. That might sound a little silly but I have a lot of supplies. The baker’s nook was actually built to accommodate our lower window and give me a surface to roll out cookie dough (or bread dough or pizza dough) on easily. The nook was made by substituting vanity cabinets for kitchen cabinets and then just using a separate piece of countertop.
One side holds all my baking sheets and cake pans while my drawers hold things like cake piping tubes and tips, food coloring, sprinkles, and just general odds and ends. I had one lower cabinet left to fill. I added in my cake and cupcake stands, my hand mixer, and my double set of springform pans. The whole thing felt a bit empty still.
Enter those pesky Kitchenaid mixer attachments. There was plenty of space in there for them but I didn’t want them to get lost in medium springform pan #2 (heaven forbid!) so I came up with a solution that seems so obvious I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner: 3M hooks
And a closeup
For under $5 I’ve got an easy storage solution that my college self would be proud of.
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