This is the easiest way to spruce up your mason jars to display candy (or anything really) for every holiday and season. You just need cheap cupcake liners that fit the season you're decorating for.
Closet Solution
With six people in our family a good closet space is necessary. I dream of the day when I have a huge mudroom with endless hooks, shelves, & cupboards. But for now i have a large hall closet & I will have to make due with that. My children aren't old or tall enough to hang coats. Trying to get them to organize their shoes & line them up nicely in a closet has been a battle that I finally surrendered to. Since there are four little ones running around this house there are always toys, books, random sweatshirts, & art projects floating around. These items need to be put back, but running up & down stairs each time I find one is not in my schedule... I would get nothing else done all day. Plus, I believe children need to learn to take care of their belongings & work as a team to keep the house clean- if you left it out, you put it away. So this is my closet solution.
When we bought our house our hall closet had a typical hanging rod running down the middle. I pulled that out, because we all know my children & hubby are not going to be hanging their gear up using hangers. Instead I ran a 1"x4" along the top & then one about half way down the wall. I put a bunch of hooks on both 1"x4"s & now there is more than enough hanging space & adults & kids alike can reach the hooks. It also freed up valuable floor space.
With my extra floor space I made a cubbie for each kiddo using an old fruit box. Now when they kick their shoes off they just need to throw them into their cubbie. And when I find random toys, clothing & projects throughout the day I just throw them into the appropriate cubbie. It keeps things organized in a very simple way. This project was so cheap & simple to do & it saves a lot of time & arguments. So, rethink your closet space & get out of the box. How can you make it work better for your household.
Carseat Trick
Foolproof Gardening
Even if you don't have a green thumb you can make your yard look as though you do. You simply need to use plants that are hardy, good for your zone, & cheap (that way if you do kill them you don't feel so terrible).
One plant that I would suggest for any level of gardener is Irises. These flowers are the most hardy you can find & they will grow anywhere. Bonus, they are cheap. Bonus bonus they are a bulb plant that spreads. That means at the end of each summer (best to separate irises in late August) you can separate the bulbs & plant the extras elsewhere in your yard or pass them on to a friend. Simply separate bulbs my using a shovel & actually cutting the bulb off. You can easily see the natural sections of bulbs making it foolproof.
There are a ton of colors of irises to suite your fancy. I have them growing in full sun (what they prefer), partial sun, & mostly shady areas around my house- seriously they will grow anywhere! I've had these irises for 15 years & they are still going strong & have outlasted years of neglect while my Dad was responsible for the yard. So if you need an easy, beautiful & full plant for your garden get some irises ASAP.
Forcing
One never fail Spring tradition of mine is forcing. It is one of my many small attempts to bring Spring around faster. Although this never works I do trick myself into feeling a little more Springy by bringing the outside in & making it also think that warm weather has arrived.
Fore those who may be confused on what I'm blabbering about, forcing is when you make a plant flower before it's natural season. I generally start with Pussy Willows in February & move on to flowering trees & shrubs in March.
Here are some tips to forcing. First, find a branch with buds on it. If you want a flowering branch make sure it has flowering buds, these buds will be a bit bigger than the leaf buds. Cut the branches at an angle. Then splinter the bottom of the branch by pulling it apart or use a hammer (this helps the branch suck up water). Set branches in a container with a good amount of tepid water. If you are doing this a few months before the natural flowering season you will need to put the branches in a cool place out of direct sunlight for a few weeks to get the Spring juices flowing. If branches are fairly close to blooming season just set them out in your home to enjoy, but still avoid direct sunlight. Soon you will have blossoms & little green leaves & you can enjoy Spring inside.
Fresh Kitchen Design
About once a month I flip through Country Living's 500 Kitchen Ideas book. It's full of great kitchens to give you inspiration for you own. Plus good storage & color ideas. I'm constantly looking for ways to put my stamp on my living quarters. This book has wonderful design ideas, and of course is all done in charming country style. If your kitchen needs a little pick me up or personality you really should check out this book for inspiration. Easy Bathroom Decor
Done with items you'll most likely already have this decor is clean & simple.Thrifty Decor
Need some inspiration for decorating your abode? Don't got a lot of cash on hand (who does)? Visit my friend Jami's blog Scrappy Chic, she always has affordable, clever, & cute ideas for decorating. Here are some of my recent favorite posts:
Getting Ready for Fall
Bed Making 101: How to Fold a Fitted Sheet
Check out my easy steps on folding a fitted sheet so when you go to make the bed it is not all wrinkly.
