Current Reading {inspiration}

My turn finally came up at the library for my current {non-fiction} reading:

I picked it up yesterday after waiting a couple of weeks for it. I must say that I really ♥ this book so far. VeRy practical & inspiring for this vintage-loving, simple-life-desiring, home-making girl … so,  happy weekend reading, y'all!

{cozy}

The reading room is coming along nicely. It's been a while since I have spent some time or $ decorating or finishing it. Of course, I am always purchasing books for the bookshelves ♥

I have 2 things to share with you:

#1 - My mom-in-law bought me these FaBuLoUs Katie Daisy prints for Christmas. I ♥ them. I adore them. I want some more of them! They make me smile. And it took me an entire 3 months to get them up on the walls. What is wrong with me? Laziness {sigh} … anyway …

I have had this one on the mantle for some time now ♥ :

but only yesterday I hung the other 3:

I really like the way this one looks in that yellow and white frame! That's a quite old frame from a thrift store and I was originally going to paint it. But doesn't it look just perfect with that print, in that room? I thought so too!

I adore her paintings. Yes, these are paintings (well, prints made from her paintings). She is quite talented! If you frequent Target these days you might have noticed the "spring is here" napkins and such near the party goods. Those are her designs. Cute!

#2 - I have been searching for a lamp for this space. It didn't matter if I needed to paint it or not, just searching for the right lamp. I spotted this little $3 treasure at a thrift store on Wednesday. And bonus - I didn't even have to paint it - the color is perfect!

So now the room is cozy. A perfect place for curling up in an old comfy chair and reading ♥

Chore "Chart" ♥

I'm finally finished with it.  It was really simple, it just took me a while to get it done.  Here is our latest (and last I tell you … LAST!) chore "chart".  I do ♥ it.

It's cute and simple.  Each girl has a block with corresponding chore sticks - Lydia's is orange and Grace's is green.  Each morning the girls' chore sticks are in their blocks on the left.  As they complete a chore they move the chore stick to the big block on the right.

I can see right away if their chores are done.  Simple, right?  ♥  I got the idea from the How Does She? blog :) and I think it turned out great!

Lunchbox Love

I'm not sure where I picked them up, but I have 4 sample packs of Lunchbox Love notes.  I ♥ them.  They have sweet affirmations on one side and "Did you know?" facts on the other.  For instance, today's note said, "Make today fun!" and on the back it said, "Ostriches' eyeballs are bigger than their brains!"  So cute.  But I am quickly running out of them because they are samples - only 4 in a pack.  So that means I have 16.  Yeah, I'm good with math like that.  Anyway, I want to buy the full packs and I found them here.  But while I was searching for them I came across this: The Official Lunchbox Survey.

How cute is that??  I ♥ ♥ ♥ it!  I think I might have to make my own that's colorful … I like color.  Well, I printed it out and stuck it in Lydia's lunch with a pencil.  I can't wait to get it back this afternoon and see what she had to say!

Weekly Menu - Free Printable!

I ♥ free stuff.  And I ♥ to organize.  And I ♥ lists.  And I ♥ to have everything spelled out right in front of me.  So for me nothing is better than a weekly menu displayed in my kitchen for me and all the world to see at a glance.  And cute, it's gotta be cute ;-)

I'm currently working on personal organizer pages for myself and I thought I would share them with you as they are complete.  The other day I posted about my daily tasks page.  You can find it here (also a free printable).

I just finished working on this matching weekly menu page.  I made 2 of them in case you need the other one that I don't use.  The first one is the one I use:

I don't know about you, but there's really no point in me planning any dinners on the weekends.
If we do cook at home then we will decide what we want on the fly.  But usually it's eating out that happens because we're out and about (these days we're on the lake).  Also there's a place for lunch ideas for the week.  I jot them down and then Lydia tells me what she would like the next day.  That works well for us :)


The second one is like it, but includes Saturday and Sunday for my friends who want that instead.   There wasn't enough room for "lunches" on this one - sorry!  It would have looked all jumbled and, well, less is more, right?

So if you like them, feel free to download them by clicking on the version that you would use above.  They are .pdf files and print great on a standard 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper.  The downloaded files will not have the One Crazy Chicken Designs watermark on them :)

Here's how to use them:

I have mine framed in an IKEA frame that *says* it is 8 ¾ x 11, but it's not … it's 8 ½ x 11.  So it works perfectly.  Of course, you can print it out and cut it down to 8 x 10 for a standard frame - there's plenty of room for trimming to that size.  You could also print it out in black onto a cute piece of scrapbooking paper!

After you have printed and framed it, simply use dry erase markers to write the day's meals and lunch ideas on the glass (or plastic if it's an IKEA frame).  Mine sits on my kitchen counter.

Another option is to print it out and laminate it.  Then you could glue a magnet onto the back and use it on the fridge.  That works too.  Or you could just print one out each week and write directly on it.  However you want to use it is up to you.  I simply ask that you do not repost it and claim it as your own.   Otherwise, enjoy!

M&Ms

I bet you thought this would be a post about the fabulous candy of the same name, didn't you?  So sorry to disappoint!  No, no … I was thinking about my obsession with the letter M.  I collect the letter M. I just ♥ M. I think it's because my last name starts with an M. No, I know … I didn't really love the letter M until my last name changed almost 13 years ago. So now I collect Ms …

I decided to move the green M (that I made) off the mantel and to the wall shelves.  And I don't really like that small black and green M below - it's the first one I made, but it needs to be replaced … soon! :) 

Here's a closeup of the green M that I made … a little Modpodge, a little sandpaper and I ♥ it :)

And below if my favorite (and first) M thus far … whimsical & fun :)

I found a few neat ones on Etsy that I'm thinking about purchasing.  I'm always in the market for a good M.  That sounds so funny!  So … if a groovy M comes across your path be sure to pick it up for me!

The Unknown

I've been thinking a lot about how the changes I am making in my home and yard and garden parallel the changes that are taking places inside my heart.  SO many things are going on inside of me right now it's almost overwhelming.  Who am I kidding?!  It's VERY overwhelming!  Sometimes I feel like it's just too much and I want to retreat back into the old me.  Truly, I really don't.  The freedom and the peace and the joy and the growth are so worth the effort.  But sometimes, for a bit I do want to give up.

It is hard work.  You just don't know (or maybe you do) how incredibly difficult it is to get me out of me!  And sometimes I think that it won't happen.  Sometimes I think that my pride and self-centeredness have such deep roots that we (the Lord and I) will never get rid of them.  I know as I sit here typing those thoughts that it IS, however, entirely possible.  I guess it just seems like such a huge mountain that needs to move!  And I guess that I feel like I don't have faith even as big as a tiny mustard seed!  But I don't want to be defeated by this, I don't want to be beat.  I want the victory that is mine through Christ over this!

I think that part of the reason I am feeling overwhelmed is that I don't know what it looks like.  It's unknown.  I don't know how to be selfless.  I don't know how to be NOT completely consumed with myself.  As long as I can remember I have always been.  So I don't know what true selflessness looks like for me.  It's a bit scary, I must admit … the unknown.  It's unknown for how it looks as I am walking it out and it's unknown for where I am going … where is this path leading me?  The unknown.  Ah, but I am reminded that it's not unknown to the Father.  He knows the future, He holds me in the palm of His hand and I have full confidence that He will show me exactly what it looks like for me.

So what does this have to do with my home?  Well, I feel the same way about my home as I do about my heart.  There are so many things swirling and whirling around inside my home and yard and garden!  No … no tornadoes here (unless you count 2 very busy girls!) … just a lot going on!  I am cleaning out and purging and decluttering like a mad woman.  My local thrift store loves (or maybe hates) to see my hubby pull up to the door!  I'm preparing my dwelling to be made over into a more inviting, comfortable, peaceful, happy, cheerful, welcoming place, both inside and out.  But there is a lot to do!  And it also seems so overwhelming!  And I don't know what the final result will look like.  It's also unknown.  Sure, I have ideas and thoughts, but the final state is unknown.

And just as I sometimes want to retreat back into the old me, I sometimes want to just forget about making this dwelling of mine what I want it to be.  I mean, sometimes I think "It's just a house, just a yard, just a garden… what's the big deal?  You have nice shelter in a nice neighborhood … what more do you want?"  But you know, it has nothing to do with discontentment or being unsatisfied.  I believe that it is something that the Father has stirred up in my heart as a picture of what is going on inside of me.  No more neglect and just surviving, both physically and spiritually … it's time to grow and thrive and shine and radiate God's love and grace and peace!

This will be a long journey, to be sure … thanks for walking it with me :)

Fresh and Happy

This is what I want to see on my mantel at all times. I ♥ fresh cut flowers displayed in glass jars of any kind. Not vases, but jars. And I ♥ soda bottles. Like these. I placed some of the flowers from the girls' recital bouquets in jars around the house and it makes me smile. It brings a freshness to the room that I love. I'm looking forward to starting my first flower garden this year. Hopefully very soon! I'd love to have a cutting garden … did you know that the best way to grow a cutting garden is just like a vegetable garden? I didn't know that. It's not supposed to be so lovely to look at as a regular garden, but it's more to be able to cut the flowers and bring them inside. I thought that was interesting. I didn't know that until last night when I was reading one of the many books I checked out from the library. I don't know if I'll grow one of those this year … I just want the loveliness of a garden in my life. Several gardens preferably. I want flowers everywhere. Flowers … growth … life. ♥

keeping inspiration ...

So I made a home inspiration notebook yesterday. It's so simple ... just a binder with sheet protectors filled with ideas from magazines.

19/365

Since I make my own household cleaners I thought I would share with you the *best* glass cleaner in the world:

Yes! It is ... trust me!