Disposable Clothes and a Home Tour

The Pitch...

Surely there must be at least 1 fashionista Mother out there who wants to start a highly lucrative cloting business..... Good thing I thought of one!!   PLEASE!!!  I, the mother of 6, am begging one of you to invent disposable clothing!  Disposable diapers were a hit!  Why not disposable clothing?  I will never have a day in my life when that laundry is really finished unless we have disposable clothes or designated naked days... which would be very scary.  Today was one such day when I wished for such an invention.  There.  So now you all have my royalty free idea to make you millions, the bulk of business coming from overworked moms of 4+ kids who never see the end of their laundry pile!  End of Speach. When I'm brave, I'll take a picture of my laundry and give you the routine... I'm major simplified.

HOME TOUR!!  

Where People Stash their "Stuff" Part 2!

 Love this satee!

I have a friend who I will call "Mrs. Whimsical"  She is exactly that. AND she is classy and a great artist and designer.  One of those moms who makes a t-shirt and jeans look like dress-up wear and can find a compliment for everyone out there. I visited her Palace and this is where she stashes her stuff... 

The downstairs activity center.  Before....

After......Mom with 4 kids.  2 under the age of 3.  Not unfamiliar with a mess but you'll rarely catch her house out of place... only few in her very secret circles get to see the food on the counter or an occassional speck of dust on the basebaords (I know her weakness... feed her chocolate and a Diet Coke and she'll talk... Now I'm in that circle. Lucky me!)

The Game room.  Love the stacked storage.   I always am looking for a unique way to go verticle with storage.

The front room... oooo, it looks like my Pretty Organizers decided to go on vacation!  They love their new spot on Mrs. Whimsicals table.

Oh, and look there are a few next to this chaise... very frenchy!

Show stopper bed.   LOVE the textures.  

Goodbye clutter... hello, tall dark and handsome!

Bedside chest.   Yep! holds the candy stash... this girl has her priorities in order.  Chocolate first.  THAT- my friends, is how you never get out of bed grumpy!!

Not ever sure if anyone reads this stuff but, I must say that to have dear Kimba sign on to follow my blog sent me into shock.  Kimba is on the list of Rock Star Bloggers... with Nester, and Melissa at the Inspired Room.  I've had their posters on my wall!  I can't wait to go to their concert and get the T-shirt!  I've memorized every blog entry they ever made!!  Ouch!  I think my nose just grew.  Now, I'm working on a tri-fecta:)    

Okay, off to finish more organizers and get ready for Saturdays boutique.  If you're in the Phoenix area, I'll be doing a boutique off of Sossaman and Queen Creek Roads in Remington Heights neigborhood.  Any questions or need for directions... just leave a comment.

I hope these ideas are useful!

A Few Pretty Organizers: Coming to your Home Soon!

Here are a couple of favorites I'll have up on my etsy store today! Hope you like them.

I Love Paisley! Oo La La! Isn't this an eye catcher? I love this hat box. It's 14"s in diameter and will be up on etsy soon! May want to jump quick. This one's going to go fast!



This red fringe beauty will dress up any room. It's 8" in diameter and 8" high. This fancy lady will hold plenty of your odds and ends... sure to spruce up any space.


Here's another beauty.  She's mine forever! I love this sweetheart.  She's the inspiration behind Pretty Organized. We're working toward paying off the adoption of our two beauties- picture of our 18 month old is on a different computer... I'll show her later.  All sales go toward that end.

Here are a few more boxes that will be on etsy.

 

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Oh, by the way... Nester invited me to sit down at her table! (see past posts)  She really is as dear as her blogging voice leads you to believe.  I'm so grateful to her for her help and friendship. Thank you to all of you Nestingplace Faithfuls who have given me a chance and checked me out.

Please come back tomorrow.. I'll be posting Part two of Where real people stash their stuff!

Also, 2 more giveaways coming soon!

Pretty Storage- Part 1

Not all homes look like Model Homes.  That's because people (WITH children) live in them.

Can't tell you how many times I look at a new house and think, "Why can't my house look like that?"  Uuhh... because we eat and produce laundry piles and our kids have papers that come home... we also receive mail.   Pretty Empty Organized Palaces are pretty but meaningless.  Model homes don't have to look for a place to hide acne cream, tampons or Preparation H.

This is a real house with pretty real people inside (8 of them!  Yes I fit 8 people in this house AND their stuff!-  I can fit 12 in that car.... Oooo I know you're all getting Van envy:).  Storage challenge is my life!

Here's just a few of the ideas I found this weekend... more to come in Part 2 this week.

Stereo Equipment- Most guys have no clue how ugly it is.  Do I hear a few, "Amen, sister Amens" out there?  Check out this idea!

A teenagers room?

 

Trust me, this space gets used!

Jack up the bed on those Home Depot cinder blogs... super cheap.  Ta-da!  Extra storage!

Pretty furniture.

Pretty Storage... we need this because maniquins in model homes don't get cold or read.

Pretty Bed. (Notice the lack of headboard... haven't had one for 13 years of marriage.  This mistreatment has been up for 5 years- works great!)

Pretty storage.  Hand-me-down 70's cedar chest. Timeless and FREE.

Give me a desk with a ton of drawers... I'll fill them.

Furniture leave a space in the corner?  I use the corner.

Yes, I inherrited an organ (it's a well known muscicians law that you never give away musical instruments.. you collect them- this is Mr. Organized's collection.)  There's a giant space back there... I use it.  Remember 8 people stash their stuff in this house.

More up soon.  Check out my etsy store and be looking for my ad button on Nestingplace.  I'll have Christian based letters from Santa coming soon!  

Frantically at Work

Even the Pretty Organizer has her days...

Here's the kitchen table taken over by Halloween Costumes and Boxes... It's hard to achieve a Pretty Palace on a Saturday with 6 kids running around the house.

A few of my "in the works" creations- nowhere near finished.

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Look! Pretty Organized next to the Nester!...

Ooo we look SOO good together!  I wonder if she'll be my friend.. I feel a little like the new kid at school looking for a place to sit for lunch.. she's part of the cool crowd... hope she asks me to sit down with her!!  Okay, Okay I know you perfectionists and home decor buffs noticed my bird cage flaunting it's 1980's toll painted floral design... I got it for free and have the supplies to cover that "crafty era" eye soar. .. I'll post it soon.  Hmmm... that finial on top would be a great place for a tassel?  Better visit the Nesters store after pay day.

MONDAY MONDAY MONDAY...

We're going to find out, "Where real people stash their stuff."  We all have a hiding spot.  I'll be looking for creative hiding places in a few including my own over the weekend and I'll have pictures of flashy places to "stash" even if you're low on cash.

Let me know you're favorite stashing place.  Best place wins a hand decorated Pretty Organized bookmark!

Finally- Look for my button on Nesters blog.  I'll be getting a Mom Ad for Moms Unite!

I am working very hard on paying off our adoptions... they essentially were my forfieted luxury car or bigger house AND worth every penny!  We are working to be debt free- Dave Ramsey style and so.... (here's the pitch in my very best announcers voice)

 Along with my fabulous Pretty Organizers, I'm offering Letters from Santa sent from the North Pole!  When you order these letters they will have a place for inputing your childs name, toy wish, siblings name, achievement and a pets name... so the letter will be written specifically for your child.  My letters are unique beacuse each of them contain a message from Santa about the True Meaning and reason for Christmas.. our Savior.  Santa also encourages him/her to give service during this season.  This is a great way to make this Christmas memorable for your child.  Keep visiting my blog... and watch for our website to come up online: www.NorthPoleSecretary.com (hopefully Mr. Organized will have it up before next weekend!

Okay, organized blogging time over. Back to painting.  I have 3 shows and an etsy store I'm supplying.  My hands are covered in paint and my grass is no longer green... Ooops! Sorry honey.  Thanks to all you great moms... and not yet moms:)

AND THE WINNER IS........

A GIANORMOUS thank you to the Mother Bird

"Nester" for her inspiration and encouragement to let some of her best loved flock migrate to my warm south west Palace for a day.... please know dear birdies that you are welcome back any time and I'd love to have a few winter over a little longer.

Of note: This little Home-made Holiday booked me 3 boutiques in 1 day, allowed me to offer my services for a much needed charity silent auction to be held this weekend (see info below), and I'm trying to get quotes to a hat maker in Santa Monica to be their "hat box designer" who knew the market was so ready for
PrettyOrganized boxes? Thank you for your feedback! I am so grateful.

The proceeds I make are going directly to pay off the adoptions of 2 of our beautiful girls. Your interest has really been encouraging to me. Thank you.

So, without further ado, adeiu, a deu??? The winner of the 3 custom nesting hatboxes is.... DRUM ROLL............................................

Sarah & Crew

Congratulations. If you go to my Etsy store and click on the contact me button (to the right) you can let me know your colors, contact info and where to send them!

To everyone else... I'm trying to visit all your blogs. There is so much talent out there. I need pointers from all of you html visually gifted bloggers on how in the world to make my heading look like a real banner and not just an imported family pic..

By the way...the Etsy store is going to have a few more items soon.. my hands are covered in spray paint (wedding ring needs a good scrub!) and I have red spray paint boogers.... can I say that on the web? Some boxes even have fringe.... Oooooo.....and finials.... AHhhhhhhh.... and toile....Ohhhhh!


I will be offering a large 14" hatbox in the Silent Auction being held for a very ill sweetheart named Zoe. There are tons of things to bid on and I encourage you to check out my box as well as the other offerings. Proceeds will go directly to Zoe's parents to help cover living and medical expenses.

You're all invited back now ya' hear? We're going on an eye candy adventure of Pretty Organized and decorated homes in the south west... follow me, subscribe to me, Mr. Linky me, tell your friends because you don't want to miss it! Monday is the big Day!

Easy to Store Halloween Decor- and Toy Furniture

This is the last day to leave comments for the Free PrettyOrganized Giveaway.  In honor of NestingPlace's Handmade Holidays.  See yesterdays post and don't forget to visit my etsy store!  Stay tuned- I'll be stocking the store shelves with a splash of red and a little toile!

Alright ladies,

First off, I love Fall- but I'm not too "into" Halloween.  I also have a family of 8 and as you can imagine, storage space is a constant issue.  This is the decore that currently adorns my Palace. (please ignore the uncut grass,  for you lucky 4 season climates it's overseeding time in Arizona- that means we scalp our summer lawn and plant another winter lawn over the top... and we do it every year! Crazy.)  I made these out of the left over chinese lanters (they lay flat when stored) from my brothers wedding.  Just spray painted them then decorated faces.... 

Next up!  Anyone have Lego's, Imaginext, K'nex, or Barbies?  We have a few budding architects in the house and an entire Imanginext system.  It's so huge that my kids can't construct their proper "universe" in their own rooms.  So, I turned over the theatre room (which also doubles as the game room, music conservatory, library, and family room) for storage.  

This chest came to us for free.  I think it had been painted 5 times before I got it.  It was beyond another paint job so I wallpapered it with craft paper... Modpodge.  

Too lazy to paint the sides so I brushed on black then attacked it with a clean decorating stamp.  Walla!

Now the building supplies are PrettyOrganized.  

Here's a view from the top.  I embellished the top with music motif (both me and the hubby hold degrees in music... and now the kids have taken up instruments), paint, printwork.... 

The piece screams attention.  I thought I might not be able to pass it off as furniture but so far the guests all rave about what a neat chest I have.

So, if you have those yucky pretend wood wrapped K-Mart special assemble yourselves and end up with a few extra pieces kind of drawers or shelves laying around... even if they've been retired to your closet- they can still be used!  Just buy a few gallons of Mod-Podge and get to work!  A cool piece of furniture sure beats those RubberMaid boxes.  You can be Pretty Organized too! 

Don't forget to visit tomorrow to se who won the Free Hat Box Giveaway!!!  

Freebie for the Nester!

Okay,

Since I'm totally an apprentice blogger I'm attempting to exercise the advice of my tutor The Nester.  (I don't think she even knows she's my tutor)  Anyway, being a blogging genius and the Queen of Crafy, The Nester has earned the Pretty Organized Palatial Blogspot award.  Head on over to her site for some real southern home decor tips that will having you reaching for your glue gun holster and turning up the heat!

DRUM ROLLL.........

My Free give away!! 

Here's what you get!  I'll hand paint 3 nesting hat boxes  similar to these just for you in colors that will coordinate with wherever you hang The Nesters Tassels  Or, if you want to use mine in the bathroom and can't hang a tassel over your toilet, I'll create them for whatever room, person, lamp, animal... (you get the idea).  Your choice of rounds or rectangulars!

Leave a comment on my very empty comment page and I'll let you know who the winner is on my page by Friday!  Sound fun?

Let's keep this capitalistic creativity flowing and help those great moms make a little extra dough for Christmas!  Time to get PrettyOrganized for the holidays. Visit My etsy Shop and don't forget to check back with my blog for more ideas on how to multi-task and keep your nose above the water while you're swimming in to-do's for the Holiday Season! ... humble thanks Nester.

A First Time For Everything

Anyone who knows me will laugh at the title of my blog.  They know that I leave my milk glass in my room next to my bed, that I shove the days papers into my roll-top desk before company comes and that much of my mornings are spent looking for the missing shoe of any of my 6 kids... don't get me started on missing or not matching socks! 

Still, I love it when things look pretty and when they're organized... however enept I am at keeping them that way.  I'm constantly in search of "a better way" to manage lifes little messes- which at my house are daily and often!  So, from  a not so perfect (who would need all those pretty boxes and a roll top desk if they were perfect?)  organizing crafty mother of 6 I share with you my Palace... from the perspective of the maid... who also happens to be the Queen... ME!

First up... Pretty Storage.  Yes, a shameless plug for selling my creations.  You can check items out at my store. http://PrettyOrganized.etsy.com  So, what do I use hat boxes for?

 

Well, for starters: Weddings. This set was one of many used to decorate my brothers wedding. Great decorations... but that's not all NO, Thats Not All!

They go great in the bathroom to hide those "unsightlies" TP, Feminine supplies, make up, hair dryers, first aid, and if you're trying to keep the kids out of it... fingernail polish. (I had a long cleaning session with my carpet a few months back because Mr. Nobody who frequents our house often spilled it in my bedroom.)





Aren't they great! Okay.. enough said. Shameless plug over.

Off to take care of kiddos and figure out how to make this blog look a little more Palatial than it does now:)