Chalkboard clip magnets everywhere!!

I have finally managed to list more Chalkboard Clip Magnets!

Day of the Week Chalkboard Clip Magnets

I've been selling these with the days of the week stamped on them for a while, and everyone seems to love them!  I do too!!

Blank Chalkboard Clip Magnets

Blank Chalkboard Clip Magnets

Save the Date Chalkboard Clip Magnets

However, I have gotten asked several times if I can leave them plain and not stamped, so now those are in my shop too!

I had fun writing on them with my chalkboard pen!  I recommend the chalk pens, but regular chalk will work too!





















And, for all of the brides looking for clever save the dates, you can send these Clip Magnets that your guests can use over and over again!

The ink used to stamp them is permanent and won't wash off!  I have quantities of 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 pieces listed.

I love them all!!

Yay! New Fabrics!

Whew!  I finally got these new fabrics photoed and the listings updated in my create your own section!

I LOVE them!!

Making time for it all

Perhaps you could tell by my last post, that I was a wee bit stressed out! 

No one has commented, but I see lots of visits ... sometimes it sure feels lonely out there in the blogging world!

Alas, I'm moving forward.  I did manage to get things in check .. Now I am working on making shorter to do lists.  I feel like I actually get more accomplished when the list is shorter ... when the list seems more doable, and less overwhelming.

It is Sunday, and part of me feels like it should be a day of rest.  The realistic part of me knows that I can't just veg on the couch under a blanket ... so I've battled the overgrown parsley (I had no idea how HUGE the roots get on parsley!) ... tidied up the flower bed, fixed lunch, cleaned the kitchen, caught up on laundry, and now I vacuum ... After that, I shall prepare for a week of work.

I am actually looking forward to a week of work.  Seems like I haven't had much of that since Christmas ... and here we are a month past Christmas! 

Hopefully my next entry will be about fabric, magnets, and all of those wonderful things!  Housework is pretty boring!

Oh goodness ... I think I am ADD ...

I have to tell you all ... that I am beginning to think that I am ADD ... Things seem like they are spiraling out of control this week and I need to reign it all in!

Well ... to give you a heads up ... The weekend warrior project has turned out great, but has completely taken away my attention from the house.  I have done a pretty good job of keeping things at bay, but at this point ... I feel CRAZY! 

There are tools, and paint, and pictures ... all over my dining room table ... this morning there was also work stuff, but I did manage to get that put away.  And pictures, plates, uncovered magnet boards and all sorts of other stuff in my living room ... my bathtub has foot prints in it ... and the bathroom floor is beginning to look like a mud room! 

Time to STOP ... and clean it up ... and get the laundry caught up too ... Must stay focused.  I have discovered that when I am feeling really unfocused because I have too many projects going on, that the best way for me to combat it is to do a few simple (ok maybe not simple in execution but stay with me) things.

First, make a list of all of the undone projects.  It is easier for me to do this when everything is out in the open and not put away.  Seeing some of the supplies left out also may spark my mind of an undone project that I have been meaning to finish.

Second, put it all away.  When I have too many things left out, I have a hard time focusing on and finishing one project.  I need a clean work area, and only one thing out at a time.  I also keep the list handy so that I can make sure I don't forget anything that I need to work on.

Third, take a breather and enjoy the peaceful clean space.  This helps to empty my brain, and sometimes I even do a brain dump in my journal or list of undone projects. 

Finally, focus on taking one project out at a time and finish that project.

Now ... off to do all of my steps ... I need peace and serenity ... and sanity!!

Are you a weekend warrior?

Hubby and I are about to embark on our latest weekend project - putting up chair rail and painting our dining area! 

I'm excited, and I promise I will take pictures and post about it next week!

We are fairly ambitious part-time weekend warriors.  I say part-time, because we don't do a project every weekend ... actually we can be quite lazy some weekends, but ambitious because we usually take on some fairly big projects!

First off ... we built my workshop - you can see a picture of it in this post kind of half finished ... I now have siding and stairs and power!  Although I can't seem to find a picture of it with all of those things
Workshop: http://mooremagnets.blogspot.com/2009/01/make-over.html
Siding and Wiring:  http://mooremagnets.blogspot.com/2009/09/labor-day-is-for-laboring.html

We also have a fairly extensive garden each year ... this is last year's prepped to plant ... and compost bins that we made from pallets
Garden:  http://mooremagnets.blogspot.com/2012/03/progress-in-shop-and-progress-in-garden.html

We also poured a concrete patio at the front of our house.  This is one of those projects that took forever!  Started in May and not finished until December!  ... We poured concrete at our old house and I seriously have NO plans on ever doing it again ... the preparation is backbreaking work!
Patio: 
clearing out plants:  http://mooremagnets.blogspot.com/2011/05/diy-new-patio-well-maybe-mud-pit.html
Prep after digging and tamping and filling, and leveling and measuring (the back breaking parts!) http://mooremagnets.blogspot.com/2011/12/patio-aka-mud-pit-update.html
Finally finished!  I LOVE my patio!
http://mooremagnets.blogspot.com/2012/01/yay-patio-is-finished.html

I really wish I had taken pictures of before and after of installing the cabinets for my work area in the house ... but you can see the finished ones here ... and yes, I still need to paint the darn things!  One day, one day ...
http://mooremagnets.blogspot.com/2011/02/organized-desk-and-what-i-want-it-to.html

So, now, time to start on the newest weekend warrior project!  I would love if you would leave comments and links to some of your projects!!

Note to Self - You are not Super Woman!

Ahhhh it is Friday!  That is supposed to be a good thing, right??!! 

Last night, Friday eve, I was up late doing a load of laundry, so that my little one would have pants for school today, loading the dishwasher, putting away the sewing machine and various other supplies from a pinterest project that I got sucked into ... feeling really bad about myself because I hadn't got lots of the chores done on my list this week.  I needed a reality check!

I am not super woman ... I get accused of being this super organized person sometimes that gets so much done ... It makes me laugh because up until a couple weeks ago, I would be getting all of these comments while sitting in my home that was in shambles.  I was getting plenty of work done ... but not so much housework. 

Last night, after putting away all of my crafty stuff and putting the few dirty dishes in the sink, I realized that the house really wasn't in shambles.  If a friend walked through the door at that moment I wouldn't hang my head in shame at the craziness. 

Yes, the bedroom didn't get vacuumed, the shelves didn't get dusted, the windows and mirrors aren't spotless ... but that's ok ... it will get done ... Sleep is more important than any of those things.

It's Friday now, and I have another list of things that need to be done.  The important things have already been done before I write this post ... everything else is a bonus!

Have a great weekend! 

New in the Shop! Valentine Magnet Sets

I have always adored the little heart candies with the sayings on them that come out every Valentine's Day.  However, I really don't like the candies themselves!  So, I decided to make some little magnet sets with the same cute candy feel without the yucky taste!  (Sorry to those of you who like them!)

 Each set comes in a cute little magnet tin with a clear top!

I think they would be lovely to put up little notes for your loves!  ... Just don't eat them!!

The good, the bad, the ugly ... the sad ...

My resolution for 2013 ... To be a better me ... some days I think it is a tall order ... but I am so inspired by friends.

I have to confess ... there are things that I really hate about facebook ... although, I have to remember that it isn't really facebook's fault.  There are certain things that I learn through facebook that makes it seems such a cold way of sharing information, but then there are times like today that I must remember that I probably wouldn't know some pieces of news at all if it wasn't for facebook.

Death ... I hate learning about someone's death on facebook ... I sincerely hope that people don't forgo picking up a telephone and having an actual conversation with someone to tell this sort of news.  Learning about the death of a family member via facebook should not be the norm ... and yes, this has happened to me.  But today I have to remind myself that I probably wouldn't know about the death of the little girl named Lillie if it wasn't for facebook.

You see, I only met her and her mother once ... at a craft show.  Lillie was born with a heart condition and the number of surgeries that her parents and her had to go through was astonishing.  Her mother, Liz, embraced motherhood and her daughter with an amazing appreciation that I am having a hard time putting into words.  Packing so much joy, fun, laughter, and love into as much time as they are given ... a span of time that seems so short ... too short.  I became friends with Liz on facebook, and I have read and watched this amazing little life.  The way that they lived life should be taught, treasured, aspired to, and celebrated ... today it is mourned.

I am sad, and grateful, and inspired ... This is why my resolution is what it is ... I want to be the best me that I can be every single day ... and I don't want it to take a tragic event in my immediate life and family to make that happen.

Liz ... if you ever read this ... Thank you ... and I am so dearly sorry for the loss of Lillie.  You have both inspired me to be a better person and mother.

One Week In ... How are your Resolutions going? Have you started to Tweak them?

So, We are one week into 2013!  How are your resolutions going?  What have you tweaked?  What have you let go?  Are you still on track?

As some of you know I started back on my card system to keep me on track with time management and keeping my house in order.  I actually started a bit before the first of the year because I wanted to have my brain ready and my system in place.  I have started to tweak and change some things though.

I haven't changed much with my weekly, monthly, or quarterly cards yet.  Although after scrubbing tubs and showers last week I thought that weekly might be too often for that job ... I think this is more due to that I don't like doing that and I would much rather put it off and not do it as frequently.  For now, I am leaving it as a weekly task as I do think that it will be much less of a time consuming (and less work) if I do actually get it done every week.  I will be making some changes to my daily cards though.  For instance ... I need to change wiping counters and tables - I currently have them on my morning list and I thought they were on my afternoon and nightly list too ... but they are not.  I will probably take them off the morning and move them to nightly.  I also have sweep kitchen/dining on both afternoon and nightly and I will be moving that to only nightly.   

I have also been thinking about the things that I need to do that are not already in the system.  Thinks like vacuuming my car, washing the car, and outside chores ... like hubby and I were just talking about trimming our fruit trees and both decided that we needed to remind each other in late February to do this ... probably something I could make a card for and increase the likelihood that I will remember!  The car chores certainly need to be done ... and I am seriously considering treating myself to the local car wash once a month ... especially if I am getting all of this other stuff done.  It would be a nice treat not to have to do that!

I need to give more thought to my work chores and how I would like to add them in.  I certainly have things that need to be done on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis ... but I need to give more thought about how I want to get myself on track.  There are several things that I do for work that need to be done when the weather is cooperating ... and I need to get organized so that when the weather is nice, I am able to do them without being buried in other things that have to be done immediately.

Unfortunately I haven't figured out how to get the weather to cooperate with my schedule ... so until then, I need to be ready when the weather is cooperating!

So, tell me about your resolutions!!  Leave me a comment!

Eastern North Carolina BBQ Recipe

This post has been moved to my new blog!

http://mooremagnets.com/2013/04/13/eastern-north-carolina-barbeque/

The Card System for time management - You expect me to do what, when, how??!!

If you read my first post and are thinking about starting the card system to help you get organized and better manage your time:

http://mooremagnets.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-card-system-to-stay-organized-and.html

You might be feeling a little overwhelmed ... asking me - You expect me to do what?  Exactly When?  How am I going to get this done?

I will admit that when you are first setting this system up, it is a bit of work.  Thinking of all of the things you need to do, and having a hard time getting it all done now.  Honestly, this is my favorite part of the card system, because I don't have to think about it all anymore.  I know that all I have to do is pull cards out, check things off, work a little each day, and it will all get done.  I also know that it isn't going to involve me rushing around and feeling overwhelmed that things have gotten out of control.

Today, I am going to take a closer look at my daily cards for you.  These are things that I do everyday to help me stay on top of things.  Your daily cards may look different as your problem areas may look different than mine.

The purpose of the daily cards is to maintain and to control your problem areas, and also to make the hard to keep clean areas easier when the day to clean them comes around. 

You may notice that I have a bit of overlap on my daily cards.  Like wiping counters, sweeping the kitchen and dining area, laundry and dishes.  The reason for this overlap isn't to make me do these things if they don't need to be done, but more to make me look at these areas and to be proactive in keeping them cleaned up.  About half the days of the week, I don't have laundry to do, but this way I am doing laundry one load at a time instead of 5 loads one day of the week.  In the past, I have set up my cards to only do laundry one day a week, but then I had to fold 5 loads of laundry in one day, and I hate folding laundry.  By breaking it up over several days, laundry doesn't pile up and I find it less daunting to fold them one load at a time.

Wiping the counters is also an overlapping task.  Keeping the counters cleaned off is one of the areas that my husband and I tend to bicker over.  He likes the counters clean and tidy, and I tend to pile things up there.  So, I try to focus on those as a favor to him.  It just makes the household more harmonious, and I know he appreciates my efforts. 

I have also made daily cards for my children.  Their cards contain their daily chores and we go over them each night.  At the end of each week we review and I hand out allowances.  There are other cards for them that they can do to earn extra money, but the condition is that all of their daily chores have to be met before they earn money for the extras ... if not there are deductions to their extra chores.  They know that they can't just skip picking up their dirty clothes and dishes to earn money from washing cars ... They also know that they can't just was the cars every day.

Since I made my cards, I have also found that I have some other tasks that need to be done less frequently, more frequently, and things I have forgotten about too.  So I will be adding those in.

Next time I will talk about some ideas that you might want to put as weekly tasks.