Changable monthly calendar

"How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives"
Looking for a new way to get organized with all the schedules you have to keep? I love this calendar since I can use it any way I want. If I happen to have a full month on it at once or have half of one month and the next half of the other. It's perfect to change since you can use dry erase markers and it just wipes off.

and yes this was another creation by my sister in law Shannon........love how talented she is!
If you'd like to order something from her please place a comment below and I will get you in contact with her directly. THANKS!

Hanging File Folder

I have been working on this for a while and it took me some time to understand how to make it... but I REALLY love it!

My HANGING FILE HOLDER
I'm using it for my children homework and school papers

This was a BIG project so it may take a few reads to understand how to make it...if anyone has questions please let me know. (I tried to make this post reader friendly, hope you'll understand)

HOW TO:

Start with 1 yard of fabric
iron on interfacing to the back of the fabric (this will give it the thickness you will need to hold papers/folders/etc)

***I hope this will make since, I'm going to color code the description to better help.***

cut into 3 equal strips - long rectangles (3 - 13 X 42)
first strip will be color coded RED
second strip will be color coded BLUE
third strip will be color coded GREEN1 of the large strips set aside (this will be the back)

the second cut into 4 equal parts 4 - 13 X 9 (this will be used for the pockets of the folders)

the third cut into 4 parts (1 - 13 x 15 ) & (3 - 13 x 9 )

Take the 4 folder pockets (13 x 9) and sew edge down on one of the long sides of each rectangle, see below (this will be the top of the pocket)

OK, bear with me this is where it will get a little tricky.

take the large square (13 x 15 )
one pocket folder (13 X 9)
and 1 small rectangle (13 X 9 )

Place the pocket folder on top of the large rectangle matching up the edges (make sure the finished edge is in the middle (remember this will be made into a pocket)

Then take the small rectangle and place it upside down (showing the interfacing) on top of the folder pocket again match up the edges, pin and sew straight line, remove pins.

NOW read carefully - unfold the small rectangle to show the fabric (see below)

Take a folder pocket (that has a finished edge) and place it on top of fabric, showing the fabric. Make sure to place the sewn edge on the middle of the creation. Match up edges of the small rectangle that is attached to the rest of the fabric.

picture shows: 2nd pocket folder on top of sewed fabric. you can start to see how it will turn out.

* *

(* look at the picture above to see where the pockets are)

take a small rectangle and place it upside down (showing interfacing) on the pocket folder, pin and sew straight edge, remove pins.

unfold small rectangle and repeat same steps above for 3rd & 4th pocket
3rd pocket folder place on top of small rectangle, fabric showing, then take a small rectangle and place it upside down (showing the interfacing) now pin and sew straight edge, remove pins.
unfold small rectangle and place 4th pocket folder place on top of it showing fabric.
DO NOT Sew....yet

Take the long rectangle (remember you placed one of the first strips aside.)
Place the long rectangle upside down on top of the creation you have been working on match up the bottom edge and sides (this will be a little longer than the creation you have just sewn together, it's ok it will be cut off at a point soon). Now pin the bottom together ** remember to be careful you still have a pocket folder that was not attached yet so make sure you match up those edges too.

Are you up to this point? Everything should be attached together if not go back and re-read the instructions to find out where something was missed.

now to attach 2 more sides. When you pin the edges together make sure you have the fabric laying flat and that you attach a pin to each area where there is a pocket to make sure it lays down right when the creation is complete.

From here remove the pins, cut off the extra edge of fabric. Take the creation and turn it inside out (which will make it the right way, now showing the fabric and the pocket of the hanging file folder. Fold in top edge to complete the finished look and pin down to sew the edge, repeat all the way around the entire hanging folder.
Doesn't it look CUTE! I love it already and it's now finished. At the top corners use ribbon for it to hang on hooks. Now your are finished! Hang on hooks......I can't wait to use it. I hate clutter from backpacks and projects so now there is a place for it all to be (and OFF my counters, YES!!)

coffee table to kids toy treasure

You might recognize this table if you are a Ikea shopper. I love there "as is" section and found a table just like this but in off white and turned it in to this.....Cost: under $100 ~~ $42 for the table, $5 each for the Lego mats (8*5= $45)
Time to make: 15 minutes (gluing down the Lego mats to the table) table was already assembled since it was in the "as is" section.

Not to bad for a kids Legoland creation station!

Cart Caddy plus more....tutorial

I forgot to take picture while I was making it so I drew steps.

What you need:
2 - 18 x 18 inch squares of fabric. Your choice if you want the same or different.
1 pkg of binding (which matches fabric)
2 buttons
1- 18 x 18 inch square of interfacing

I decided to shop the quilters sections since they already have 18 x 18 squares already cut. It was a little bit more expensive but I happened to hit a sales day so it didn't cost me very much.

• Start with 1 - 18 x 18 square adhered the interfacing to the back side. (this will make the fabric a little stronger)
  
• Pin both fabrics together right side facing out
• At the top of the fabric measure 3 inches in from each sides and marked it (this will create the handles)
  
• At the spot you just marked (3 inches in) go down into the fabric 7 inches on both sides.
  
• Cut across to the other side, this will cut out a 12 x 7 inch rectangle (hold on to and check out the bottom of the posting to see what I did with it.)
• Add a strip of binding to the bottom to the fabric, pin and sew to fabric.

• Where you just added the binding fold bottom of fabric up 4 1/2 inches, it will create a large pocket.
  
• from the left side mark over 7 1/2 inches to create two pockets.
• at that marked spot stitch up to create the pockets. Start at bottom a stitch up to binding (top of pocket) but don't go onto or over the binding, doesn't turn out so cute. NOTE: If you want to change the size of the pocket or add more it's up to you. I made my based on the size of my coupon pouch organizer and the other side will be used for my list/coupons that I've used that trip to hand over at the register.
• Add binding around the unfinished edges. Pin and sew to unfinished fabric.
  

You are almost done.... YEAH! Create handles to attach to shopping cart.

• Fold down the top edges and match edges with center binding
• mark where to place buttons on each handle
• create button hole to accommodate the size of your buttons on each handle
  
• sew buttons on NOTE: if you are not handy with the button hole on your machine you can add velcro instead.

I made this cute little purse with the leftover fabric (remember the 12 x 7 inch rectangle that was cut out of the top...well here it is! Also used the leftover binding too.

I think I'm going to use this for the odd coupons - hair cutting places, fast food, etc. I like to keep those types of coupons separate from the grocery store coupons.

Cost: less than $7 - 18 x 18 squares $1.39 on sale, binding $2, interfacing $1 (already had the buttons)
Time to make: 2-3 hours (time interrupted by kids, often)

Call me CrAzY or Organized!

Anytime I've got leftover scrap pieces of paper I organize them. In the past I kept them all in a box and it was a big mess but I knew I didn't want to get rid of these scraps. Then a thought came to me organize them by color and in an accordion folder. He's how it turned out....

..now I don't worry about my kids getting into my scrapbooking supplies because they know they can always check my scrap folder for anything they'd like to use.

Book Page Markers

This little pouch holds my new book page markers I made the mini bookmarks to hold place of things I wanted to create in books I've gotten from the library. I decided to use numbers to be able to mark the order of things I'd want to make.They work out perfect instead of the torn pieces of paper I've been using in the past.

and this cute little pouch to hold them all is perfect and adorable.

So simple - Left over scraps of paper and the use of my Cricut. Hardly no time at all, 10-15 minutes

A solution for puzzle boxes

My children and there friends love to do puzzles but we have a problem with some of the boxes. Which I can not stand puzzle boxes that the kids have torn into. We have taped and taped and taped and I can't do it any more. Now you have to understand they are 2-5 year old opening boxes and yes some of the boxes are hard but please kids stop ruining the boxes.

So here's my solution.....take a sandwich size container and change it to this....

I decided to cut up the original box and use packing tape to attach the puzzle picture to the top of the box.

Then added the side picture to the inside of the container so I could see what puzzle it was on the shelf. Then since there was two puzzle pictures I added another picture on the inside of the container. Just in case....two kids where working on the puzzle and both needed to see the picture or possibly just in case if we lost the lid we still had the picture inside.
My kids really liked the idea. I'm curious how long they will last, hopefully no kids thinks to step on the container. Man I would be sad =(

Cost was the containers - they came in a 4 pack for $2.33 @ Wal-Mart, packing tape had on hand. Time to create 15-25 minutes (had children helping)