Mini-Martha Stewart lives here...

I am not talking about me...but my daughter!!

It all started while my daughter was visiting her grandparents without mom and dad (for the first time). I decided while she was gone to do some serious cleaning out in her room. Her room use to be the guest room and I still had 1/2 of her closet as storage, I had not rotated clothes out of her room, and just stuff EVERYWHERE!

This is a BEFORE picture of her closet...see our clothes take up half of the space...


I do not have any AFTER pictures...because I am not a good organizer and it did not look like Martha Stewart had dropped by...why bother.

We arrived home on Sunday from picking up my daughter and by Monday after "Quiet Time" Her room was even MORE organized and beautiful...

This shelf use to have books on it but on Monday it is for displaying...


The books from the shelf moved to her closet on a shoe shelf (that was sitting in a Garage Sale basket)

FINALLY...

She rolled all of her clothes in her draws...

Even her underwear was rolled...

I have a Mini-Martha Stewart living in my home and I had no idea. She kept her room so organized for about a week....

Then 2 nights ago my Mini-Martha Stewart went Manic...

At 12AM this is what I found... I was in such shock, I did not care if I woke her up (as any good mother would) I took pictures...what in the world happened????

The shelf was back to the way is was before...

And her drawers were empty...

I asked her the next morning what happened...her response?????

"It wasn't quite right, but then I got tired...I will work on it again today"

Are you kidding me??? I have created a monster...

A Luxury that Does Not cost a Dime...

Just a little bit of time!

I have always said if I was a multi-millionaire I would have someone change my sheets every day so I could sleep in clean, crisp sheets EVERYDAY!! That would be like heaven to me!!

Realizing that is most likely never going to happen, I needed to alter my expectations.

THINK, THINK, THINK!

It was when I was on the phone with my sister (and changing my sheets) I said to her for the millionth time my dream wish. She said "Why don't you iron your pillowcases for starters?"

BRILLIANT!!! (it is those baby hormones that make her so smart)

I got out the good ole iron and ironed my pillowcases. It took me 10 minutes.

To say I was excited to go to bed that night was an understatement. I laid in the bed with my hubby and said "do you notice anything new?" Stupid me for asking a man. He looked me over realizing I was wearing nothing new and of course said no. I pointed to the sheets and he said "oh you washed the sheets, thanks" Still nothing...I said "I ironed the pillowcases, isn't it nice?" My hubby's response "Really???" Again, stupid me for asking...

Men just don't get it, as for me, I slept like a QUEEN!!! There is something to be said about clean crisp sheets!!

Seriously, Iron your pillowcases!!! You won't regret it!!

Now, I just need to work on getting matching pillowcases and I will be set. Somehow over the years I have lost matching pillowcases just like socks...go figure!

The Show Must Go On...

Dealing with the loss of my dear dog, Chewy, has been a challenge. Chewy was apart of our family for 10.5 years you don't get over a loss overnight! Then a week and a day after his death our house was indirectly hit by lightening, which caused a power surge and we lost our A/C upstairs, our Internet/phone and a few outlets. It has been a mess to get everything fixed. Fortunately for me, I missed the hottest weekend in NC by going up to Philly for my cousin's wedding. It was my family and in-laws that had to camp downstairs for 3 nights. Can't say I am sorry I missed that one!!

This is me with my expecting Sister (It was really hard to find a picture of me without a beer)

Me with my cousin, the groom!

I think my husband secretly hates me because I was partying while he was miserably hot...can't say I blame him. Oh Well, life goes on, he will get over it one day!

One week later we are sitting pretty, we have Internet/phone, A/C and, working circuits and we are better off then we were a week ago (in some ways, less the $$$ we have spent). Like my mom says "If all your problems can be fixed with money, you really don't have any problems" Mom really does know best!!!

Then as they say in Show business "The show must go on." I am working on this little project for upcoming football season. I live in a college town and there is one thing about the South we love College Football!! I am working on selling these...

Romper Dresses and Pillowcase Dresses

Boy Rompers

And because not everyone in NC is a State Fan, I will make some with these colors too!!!

That is it from here!! Have a great week!!

Dealing with a Family Loss

I have been MIA due to the loss of our beloved dog, Chewy.

Last Tuesday should of been a day of celebration, it was our 8 year wedding anniversary. We didn't have anything planned just a nice evening with the people we love most our kids and our dog. Well... that was not meant to be. Monday Mr Chew was just fine, his happy normal self. Tuesday he woke up and would not eat, wouldn't walk and his breathing was labored. The kids and I took Chewy to the vet and he had a tumor on his spleen that had ruptured. He was bleeding internally and there was nothing we could do to save him.

Our hearts are broken. I feel like my heart has been ripped out of my chest. He was like a kid to me and our family just loved him. (Sorry for repeating this story for those of you who read my family blog)

In dealing with our loss and the emptiness of our home hubby and I have different ways of coping. My husband doesn't talk much about Chewy except in quick references. Then I have talked about Chewy (probably too much) and have reached out to my family and friends for support. That is how we differ...but we are the same in wanting to keep ourselves busy.

Here is my husbands newest project...this was on the forecast of projects "to do" but it suddenly took top priority this weekend..

Here is Hubby and his little helper.

First piece going up


This is a MAJOR improvement and I am so proud that my hubby can do stuff like this!!

I have been fiddling with my college that I got on Mother's Day, but never finished it...Go Figure! I thought there was no better time then now to finish my college, and make sure I added pictures of ALL of our family. Including Mr Chew.

I have a tendency to be a negative person, but I really try hard to always find the positive in every situation even if it's the smallest streak. If there is anything positive about our loss we are trying to move on in a constructive manner. I did complete #10 on my Getting Back on Track List. See that is positive!?!? Plus, I have a wonderful frame hanging in my hallway up stairs. I know I will enjoy looking at all of these pictures for years to come.

We Love you, Mr Chew!! You will always be in our hearts and thank you for 10.5 wonderful years!