29 DAY CHALLENGE FINALE

                                                                                                                           

                    THE FINALE 


This is it, the big day, the big reveal!!!!!! I am so stinking excited that I just can't hide it. LOL ( Isn't there a song like that?)
For those of you that don't know whats going on, Laura over at http://orgjunkie.com  started this 29 day challenge.  You really need to check out her blog, pretty great stuff.
I chose my scrap booking room.  I chose this because I didn't have one, it was all in boxes packed away while we were out of the country. I had been procrastinating on starting on my room since I didn't have a clue what I was going to do.  I had a picture in my head, but that doesn't always work.  So when I came along Laura's blog and this challenge, I decided to jump on the band wagon to keep me accountable.  I never knew that I would of had so much fun.
If I knew how to direct you to my pictures from progress #1#2 and #3 I would so tell you, lol but I don't know how to do it.  But this entry will have my before and after pictures.  I so hope you enjoy my incredible room, because I stinkin' LOVE it. (And now our house might of sold, I won't have it anymore )  Maybe the gal buying my house fell in love with the room  Heck ya never know.
OK, so lets get started.

My work space before...

                            My work space after...


WOO HOO HAPPY DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




What a mess... I needed some 
organization.

So since I had bits and pieces of black, I decided to paint my peg board black.
Here is a close up. Pretty neat huh?

Here is my "inspiration board"
I put different crafts and cards up there that people have giving me.

So I have just been moving around the room with my pictures.  And for some reason my font keeps changing and I am not doing it.  We just watched the movie
"Paranormal Activity"  hmmm??????????

 This is my expidite from IKEA before I was finished organizing.

Look at this....  Never have I been so excited to have something thats been in my head come to life like this.
Now lets move over to the closet. I have a ton of little bins filled with many things, so I labeled them.  I didn't label the white drawers, but I plan to.  I have all my paper, on the shelves.  I have material and sewing projects as well.  In the colored drawers, which my daughter was not using anymore, I re purposed it for all my stamp pads.

I just realized that I missed my cricut station. Yea, I am doing a good job scanning around my room.  LOL This obviously is before

This house's alot. Everything is right at my finger tips.  I got this island off craigslist for a insane cheap amount.  And when I went to IKEA to get my expidite, there this sat for close to $500.00.  Are you screaming yet?
ANOTHER HAPPY DANCE GOES RIGHT HERE.

I didn't have really any purging, because I did that before I boxed all my stuff up. But that basket right there on the bottom shelf does have some brand new scrapping stuff that I will garage sale.

This is a super shelf from Michaels. I originally had my cute star hanging here over my desk, but I soon found that I didn't have a home for these items.  So this makes it so easy and right by where I am sitting.







The closet in this room does not have a door, so I went to look at really amazing curtains.  So I could close it off when I wanted too and it look great.  Well, way to much money for what I wanted.  So I found a shower curtain at Ross for nothing. I just love it.  So this is a shot from my cricut station looking onto my work space.

And one more shot looking into my creative space from the door.

I am just amazed that I have a room like this that is so put together.  Everything has a home.  I am not sure I would of ever got motivated enough to get this done.  Especially in 29 days.  YE HAWWWWW!!!!! Thank you Laura for doing this for all of us wanna be organizers. I had a blast!!!!
I hope everyone of you enjoyed watching my progress, and maybe I put a little creative organizational bug into you.  :-)
We were asked to answer the following questions when we were done with the challenge. So here goes...

1. What space did you decide to organize and why?  I picked my scrap booking room because it was all in boxes. My daughter moved out and that gave me a very cool room that I could call my own.

2.  What steps did you take to ensure you completed the space within the 29 day timeline? I really didn't take any steps, I just kept focused.  Because there was a timeline, I knew I had to move it.

3.  What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and how did you overcome it? The hardest part was going through old papers and pictures and trying to organize them in a proper spot.

4. What did you do with the “stuff” you were able to purge out of your newly organized space? I am going to sell at my garage sale.

5.  Tell me one of your proudest moments during this challenge? When I was taking these last pictures.  I just stood back and was simply amazed that I did it, I really did it.

6.  Explain any organizing “tools” you used to help you create additional space and to establish some limits and boundaries? It really is an amazing thing when you use baskets or bins etc. You end up with more room then if you didn't use them.

7.  What is ONE piece of advice you’d give to someone else to encourage them on their organizational journey? Stay focused. You don't need to work on it everyday, but a little bit often.  This is what I learned.  So I hope it helps you.

I would love to hear your comments.  Have a Blessed day

3rd. progress for the challenge

Sorry to say I have no pictures today..... For my readers that don't know what this 29 day challenge is, I wish I knew how to link up to my old posts so you could go back and look, but I just don't know it all yet.  LOL  Any hoo I have taken on this challenge to keep me motivated and accountable all at the same time.  And I got to tell you it has been fun fun fun. You will love this blog check it out...
http://orgjunkie.com 
The big reveal is on the 29th. So that will be an exciting day I tell ya.  I WILL have all my pictures up.
But this week I didn't get to do anything on my scrap booking room.  You see we put our house up on the market on Wednesday, so I think you can guess what I have been doing.  LOL And then right off the bat we got a call for someone to come and look today as a matter of fact.  And we are on the top of their list. So heck my scrap book room might need to be all boxed up.
:-( That is a sad face because I have NEVER had a scrap book room so  C    U     T    E   in all my life, I really went to town on this.  I can only hope that my next scrap room can be the same.  Although over on another girls blog from the challenge, she put up pink peg board and I painted mine black,  well well well her pink is just toooooo cute.  lol
When I started this challenge, we were not planning on selling.  Heck everything was boxed.  But that is ok, I have a ball doing this and reading all the ladies updates.  I have tried to comment on a lot of them, just so they know they are not alone.
So my friends that have never thought of doing a challenge, DO IT!!!!!!!!!!
See you all on the final day
Blessings

Well, we did it...

Tonight we listed our house.  At a huge loss I might add.  However, it's all good.  I have no regrets what so ever. When God called us to Jamaica, we listened and went.  When God called us to adopt Dontae, we listened and brought him home here to Bellingham, Washington.  We struggled financially over there for the last bit,  and making our house payments were not a priority any longer.  Staying in Jamaica till the adoption was finished was now our priority.  We couldn't come home and leave him with strangers until it was final.  So now we can't catch ourselves up, so we are selling.  And whatever  or whenever God wants us to do or go, we are listening.
I have to say my scrapbook room Rocks!!!!! LOL  But I am kinda excited for our next adventure with Markie and Dontae.
Blessings

Not Sleeping

Our little Dontae has not been sleeping, he goes to bed at 7 but then wakes up at midnight and is crying and clingy.  Can't keep him in his bed or he is hysterical.  So he goes to sleep in our bed but that lasts maybe two minutes and then it starts all over again.  He is not eating very well and its been going on for a week now. Three days ago I found a little sore on his privates, so we put meds on it and he started to get a little better, but it is completely healed now and his sleeping is terrible.  Not really sure whats going on with him, he started coughing today and his nose started running, maybe that was the beginning of this????  Heck I don't know.  All I know is I am exhausted for not getting enough sleep.  But now look at my Boo, he doesn't look exhausted, he looks adorable.

                                                                           Blessings

29 Day Challenge Update

If any of you want to go to a good blog, you need to go here. http://orgjunkie.com/blog

This is how and where I got started doing the 29 day challenge. Of which I chose my scrapbook room.

Posting pictures every week on our accomplishments sure does force you to stay on tract.  And if 

your behind a little bit, you make yourself get in there and catch up.  Well that's how it has been

working for me at least. So lets get started on my Progress.  A week ago I posted the picture on the left

showing that my lovin husby put me up some peg board. Well now I have my peg board all done up

with my embellishments, I love it.  And I don't know if you remember from last week but my star

was on a different wall.  I had to move it here because I needed the other wall for more storage.

I am not sure if you can tell by the picture , but I have this little rod iron stand that has a heart on top,

Its right in front of the green drawers, well I am using this to hang embellishments off as well.  So Cute!

Ok, so now my closet, Its not completely done, but I think its looking better and on its way. Don't you think? I have all my bins labeled.  Still have to organize top shelf and left bottom shelf.  Then I am going to hang curtains, so when I want to close off the closet I can.  

                    So now you can see the star is gone from here and I went to Michaels and bought this shelf.  I had a gift card from Christmas so it didn't really cost me anything.  I have a big box of stamps and stuff that I will also be putting on this shelf.  My husby told me from the beginning to put one

there and I said
 Oh no, I don't want to spend the money.   LOL  Well look who was right.  The picture of my desk is beginning to look better.  I will get there.

Last week I posted a picture of the floor that my son came in and dumped stuff everywhere. Well here it is I will post it again. 

Well YIPPEE look at it now

I can't tell you how good it feels to have carpet that I can see.

Things I have to do yet.

1. Get curtains and put them up on closet

 2. Fill up shelf with stamps and ribbon etc.

3. Put things up on my inspiration board..

4. Finish organizing my desk.......................

      5. Organize top shelf in closet and lower one.

           6. Get top of cricut work station put all together.

I think that would be it. Whew!!!!!!!  This has been so fun.  I love that others from this challenge have been coming around and checking out what I am doing.  Because I have sure enjoyed looking at all of yours.  Come on ladies we are on the last stretch, we can DO IT!!!!!

Blessings.

Good Times with old friends and new friends

Today was a super day, it would of been perfect if the sun was out and I was in shorts, but not here in Washington at this time of the year.  :-)
So this morning Dontae and I met up with my friend from church and we drove to Lynden to the MOPS there.  I had a ball, met some wonderful women.  Lots of fellowship and the guest speaker was on marriage.  Decorations were all done up with heart for Valentines day.  Oh and a iced coffee for a buck.  WoooHooo.  Now that's a splurge I can make.  So I really enjoyed myself.  They loved Dontae and he had a ball with ALL the kids.  Yes there were many many children. They all wanted to touch his hair.  No big deal that he only has two fingers, lolol they just want to touch his hair.  I was just so happy.
When we were done at MOPS, we headed over to my friends house Linda.  A year ago, Linda came to stay with us in Jamaica for a week remember? Well she invited Dontae and I over since we were in Lynden for MOPS.  It was so nice to see her again and visit.  Got to meet her husband, who for some reason Dontae was in awe of.  When he said hello to Dontae, Dontae had this HUGE smile on his face, I don't think I have ever saw him smile like that before, and then they instantly became buddies.  Weird I tell ya.  But a good weird.  We left there at about 2:00, and my little man had still not had a nap, so two minutes in the car and he was out.  When we got home I carried him in and laid him on the couch and covered him up.  I started working on something, and looked over at my little guy and my heart just melted.  How come I was chosen to be his mom? But thanking God that I was.  Blessings

Challenge check in

Ok it is time for me to share with all of you my progress in my scrapbook room.  You all will probably say to yourself, what the heck has she been doing. LOL  But if you remember ALL the HUGE boxes??????  I did get those all un packed.  I didn't say I found a home for all of it, :-) but it is un packed.  I probably won't have any purging of stuff, because I did that before I packed it all up to move into this room.

This is the before picture that I posted before, but I want to show you a couple things that I did to the room that aren't in this picture now and you will see in the picture below. You can see some long thing in the back there leaning up against the wall. That is what I call my inspiration board that I made.  I use it to show case cards and other little things that I would like to incorporate into my scrap booking.  You will see below that I hung it. And also where its leaning my DH hung me some peg board, and I brought in this very cool green set of drawers that I got at a garage sale.

 Kind of a tricky girl I am not showing you the ground huh?  LOL Well there is a reason why I didn't do that but I will get to that later. So lets move on.

These are all the boxes I was talking about, there is even more around the corner that you can't see. My daughter gave me money for Christmas and check out what I went and bought.

      

a  white expidite from IKEA..... and it is now holding a lot from ALL those boxes, well and also     the closet is holding a lot too.   I never did take before pics of the closet just because there was way to much crap. lol  But here it is now kinda on its way to being organized.

Another thing I got at IKEA from my daughter.  (I had money left over since I found my expidite in the scratch and dent section.) The cool rod that I can hang things on and I got a little bucket with it. I Love it.  Check out my cool star.  I stole it  lolol well I stole it from my daughter, she made it, and I had

to have it in my room cause it matched.  And hey she just moved out and didn't take it with her

so really thats not considered stealing right?  Right below all that is my desk which doesn't look much different from before so I didn't take another picture. 

I have such a long way to go, I sure hope I can do this in the amount of time we have left.  Two in half weeks I think.  Remember up above when I said I was not taking a picture of the ground?  Well it was looking pretty darn clean and I had baskets filled with things all organized and this little guy came in.

And before you knew what happened, he did this.

It looks like a bomb went off.  Kind of a bit discouraging. So I need to pull up my boot straps and hop on this big old horse again.  Hopefully next time I check in  with all of you I will have inspired you in some way.  My plans for now, just keep putting away and organizing, I don't really have a set plan. And remember to check out Org.Junkie.com   http://orgjunkie.com/2012/02/29-day-organizing-challenge-1st-progress-link-up.html

Blessings

Super Bowl

This is my first Super Bowl party ever,  and I didn't have a clue who to vote for, so Nate introduced me to Tom Brady.  LOL Need I say more? LOL  Ok that was it... I wanted The Patriots to win.
 Our good friends invited some friends over for the game and Calie (my daughter) and her boyfriend Nate decided they wanted to dress up for the big event.  Talk about "Jealous"  lol that was me, but they surprised Mark and I with shirts to decorate.  I then found out that I was the only one of us four rooting for The Patriots. Oh well at least I knew  who Tom Brady was now!!!!!!!!  :-)

Mark and I on our way to the party. Nate and Calie sitting on the couch. And last but not least, the
best lookin'
of all...
Mr. Donate Lau

LOLOLOL

Blessings

Now we're Cookin'

Remember I told you that I was going to tell you who's recipes I use and what program.  Well here they are.

This series was written by Deanna Buxton from 30 Meals in one day.  http://www.30mealsinoneday.com/
She had to of worked a zillion hours on this, because every single meal I have prepared has rated anywhere from a 7 to a 10.  That just doesn't happen.  In emailing with her husband, he told me that they tried every dinner, lunch  and side dish, and if it didn't taste as good out of the freezer as it did fresh then it didn't make the cut.  Like I said a zillion hours.  They are such a wonderful family, that when I told them I was asked to do a class for a MOPS group, they sent me two cookbooks and the software to match.  Now how cool????  Way cool to me!!!!!!!!!!  So remember if you need a cook??????????
Today Mark and I cooked away again for February, well only a week worth since Marks unemployment ran out and he started his new job a couple of days ago.  Its not like we have the money just rolling in.  LOL  But  it will hold us till pay day.  He was doing dishes again,  lol and said he so wished we could do this all the time.  Did I say he missed us when he went off to work? He has been with us 24 hours a day for a year and a half.  Although he is enjoying his work.  Ok back to today.  Tonight we are eating Apricot pork sandwich's.  It has been in the crock pot for almost 10 hours.  WooYaaaaaa!!!!!  :-)
I will let you know what we score this dinner, because of course Calie and Nate are here to test it.  They are loving all this free food that just tastes amazing.  LOL  And we are loving having them.
Now I need to go eat this pulled pork sandwich  hmhmhmmmmmmmmmmm.
Blessings

29 Day challenge

Hi friends, 

Do you remember me telling you that I was going to organize my scrapbook room?  Well I didn't do it, I started to, but didn't do it.  I was going to take a challenge from "A bowl full of Lemons" but the challenge was actually over and I was just going to do it on my own.  Well I guess since I wasn't accountable to anyone I didn't do it.  So this wonderful blog I follow, sent me this challenge in my email today.  HEY HEY HEY now I am going to be accountable to A LOT of people.   Oh no!!!!!!  lol
This challenge is a month long, and there will be before and after pictures.  I hope you follow along with me, throw me an encouraging word every so often.  LOL.  If you have a room in your house that needs an overhaul, lets do it together, check out http://orgjunkie.com/2012/02/org-junkies-29-day-organizational-challenge-begins-sponsors.html  and link up with them.

Ok since moving back home from Jamaica, and locating all my scrap booking stuff, and my girls moving out, that left me with the perfect craft room.  But all my stuff is in boxes, and I have way to much stuff.  I just love the tools. My daughter Matty, she loves the paper, well I wish that's all I loved. LOL  I just happen to like the tools.  So like I said, I have tons of stuff.  So welcome to my huge mess, but as time goes on, I hope you will get inspired and want to go and organize a room.  Heck I hope it helps me to want to go and organize a room.  Enjoy the mess,
Blessings