Spring Cleaning

I've been busy trying to organize my craft area and while I was looking for some help I found this and I thought I would post this list I found on Just A Scrappin'


Organizing Your Craft Room - Here are some tips to organize your space

1. Separate your work area

If you do not have separate room for hobby/crafts then try to partition off an area of the room with a screen or by arranging bookshelves or furniture in such a manner that it creates a physical separation to the room. This will help restrict THE MESS (as others commonly call our craft addiction) to one area.

2. Think about storage

Have a place for everything and everything in its place. This will make your work time much more fun and efficient.

Get yourself some cardboard file boxes or the more expensive see-through plastic Rubbermaid boxes and organize your embellishments, fabric, ribbon, flowers, etc. Group things with common themes.

3. Easy Access to Tools

Have your scissors, glue gun, sewing machine, etc all close at hand. Make holders for your markers, your glue gun and your scissors. Get in the habit of always replacing these valuable tools BACK where they came from. This will save valuable time and reduce your stress level.

4. Lighting

Don't forget to spend some time and give thought to proper lighting. It is essential to your health as well as your mental attitude.

5. Worktable

Purchase an old table from the second hand store and it will be well used and you won't have to worry if that paint or glue that spilled will come off. If you do spend a lot of time crafting, an investment in a higher table will result in fewer backaches. You can raise the height of a display table if you cut four pieces of PVC pipe. A display table is the kind that you can buy at your local home renovation store. Their legs fold up and lie flat on the underside of the table. The length of the pipe depends on the distance you will need to raise the table to the right height for you. Fit the table leg into the PVC and tape on.

6. Music

Place your sound system within easy reach. Select your own music, don't just get in the habit of listening to the local station. If you choose your own music you can set the tempo and really increase you output. Try it and see if it works! Take advantage of all the information now available on CD. There are many motivational books and seminars. Learn while you work. (My personal favorite is right on my laptop - Pandora.com.)

7. Use your walls for storage

Get things up off the floor and off the counter tops. Invest in some shelving units or place pegboard on your walls.

8. Be realistic

Do you have craft supplies from BC (Before Christ)? Perhaps it would be a good idea to do a thorough cleaning and donate your old and unused craft supplies to a day-care, retirement center or community arts council.

9. Put it back!

My mom taught me this one, and it's so important it's mentioned twice! Now that you’re organized, once you're finished with it – put it back.

10. Tidy up

Spend 10 to 15 minutes at the end of EVERY day cleaning up. Set a stopwatch if you have to. Leaving your workroom clean and organized for the next day will make your more motivated to start.

Now you have some tips, here's the bad news. It is impossible to simply rearrange one area of your craft room. You must organize everything. Just as you go about clearing one area you will need to have a place to put things. Before you clean one mess it will take making a bigger mess. But it will be worth it. Remember to break down the job into smaller parts. "The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time." Good Luck!

I have to thank Linda for the help. I am getting there slowing but at least I can see some progress.

Snowing Again

Can you believe it! We got 3" of snow last night. The weather has sure been crazy around here.One day we are in the high 70's and the next it's snowing. Come on Mother Nature what gives? I can't take much more of this. Are you having hot flashes one minute it's cold and the next it's hot. Poor Mother Nature I think you may need some hormone therapy LOL! Anyhooo this is what it looked like this morning. Thank goodness it is all melted now!








With Mother's Day and National Scrapbooking Day the same weekend I kind of skipped over Cinco De Mayo. Look at these Margarita Cupcakes I made the girls for dessert on Cinco De Mayo to go along with Mark's Enchilada's YUMMMMM. I have to say this was one jam packed weekend with Cinco De Mayo, National Scrapbook Day and Mother's Day all in one weekend!

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dressing

I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day and a great time on National Scrapbook Day. We had a lot fun both at the retreat and on our fan page. There where giveaways,contest and prizes!

As many of you know I am always looking for new recipes. I tried this one this past weekend and the girls loved and wanted the recipe so I thought I would share it with you too.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dressing
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Cups cherry tomatoes,halved
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 (15 1/2 oz) can chickpeas,rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove,minced
1 (7 oz) jar roasred red peppers,
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
drained and thinely sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (6 1/2 oz) jar artichoke hearts,
1/4 teaspoon pepper
drained and queartedred
1 small head romaine lettuce,
tron into bite size pieces (6 cups)
1/2 Cup crumbled feta

6 pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 medium English cucumber,peeled and diced



DIRECTIONS:

1. Whisk the lemon juice,oil,garlic,oregano,salt,and pepper together in small bowl.
2. Arrange the lettuce on a large platter; top with the diced cucumber,tomatoes,chickpeas,peppers,and artichoke hearts.

Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with the cheese and olives. Server at once, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I hope you enjoy this....let me know if you try it. I'd love to how you like it.

Happy Mother's Day

Hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day. Don't forget we are having a drawing on our fan page later today for a 3 day weekend to Scrap-N-Away.

Happy National Scrapbook Day

Happy Nationsl Scrapbook Day everyone! They are having a giveaway on the Cricut Circle Blog. You have to post a picture of you in your scrapbook room so here it is.










You can't see much of my scrapbook room but here is a picture of me in it. Happy National Scrapbook Day.

Spring has finally hit Frazier Park

Well it's finally starting to feel like Spring around here. The weather is warming up during the day, however it's still chilly at night. The buds are popping out on the Lilac trees. In fact the Lilac Festival is in a couple of weeks. Mark wants to go every year maybe we will actually make it this year!

I'm not sure what happened to the Poppies this year but we didn't have any in our yard and there where very few a long the 5. We didn't get a chance to go out to the Poppy Reserve this year. I'm really disappointed I didn't get any pictures. I love taking pictures of them especially when they cover the whole hillside.

Some of you are already having 80 and 90 degree weather so if you need a break from the heat you should come up. We have some great specials going! Speaking of Specials have you joined our Fan Page on face book? We are giving away a free 3 day weekend to Scrap-N-Away on Mother's Day! All you have to do is become a fan.

We have had some many animals this year I thought I would post a picture of the dove. They have been coming up and sitting on the rail of the deck. This is the first year I've seen so many......usually we are lucky to see one or two all Spring and Summer. Not this year I've been seeing them daily and they are even coming right up to the house.


I'm still waiting to see the baby quail. Last year we had two covey of about 18 each. They are so cute waddling across the yard.....and they grow so darn fast. If you don't see them for a few days they are almost all grown. I hope I get to see at least one covey of babies this year!

I hope you are enjoying the nice weather....have a great day!