Some people just make life look like so much fun.  They remind you that your family is to be enjoyed, holidays are to be celebrated, and that the simple act of getting together with people you love is worthy of a party.  Have you met the girls of eighteen25?  They are those kind of people.  Their blog is really just bursting with life, and that is what makes it so addicting.  It’s filled with happy stuff, the best kind of happy stuff .

For the must read post, well, I couldn’t find it!  It was actually a guest post on taking pictures.  I have taken a whole different view of capturing events since then.  So when I find it I will share!  In the meantime, their entire list of labels is worth a click.

Now onto their list!

The Girls Of Eighteen25

Traditions are a big part of our lives. We are constantly trying out new ones to see if they are a good fit for our family. In our home growing up there was a large window in the front room where us three girls would hang our legs over the couch and wait for long periods of time for our family to arrive for gatherings. It was so exciting for us to see that first car finally pull up. We’d jump up and down and run out to them before they’d even have a chance to get out of their car. So it comes as no surprise that even up until today…. we still will look for any reason to get together. There’s no doubt in our minds that traditions can make a family stronger!

Here are some of our favorite traditions we celebrate throughout the year…

- New Years Day Donuts. Nothing like celebrating a brand new year with a family trip to the donut shop to pick up a box of your favorites.

- Valentine’s Day “fancy” Candlelit Dinner. Skip the crowded restaurants and stay home. Put a tablecloth on the table and light some candles, the kids will think it’s the best dinner ever.

- Green Breakfast on St. Patty’s Day. A little green food coloring goes a long way on the Irish holiday. Green eggs and pancakes are a little scary looking, but the kids love it just the same!

- St. Patty’s Day Scavenger Hunt. Put together some simple clues leading to a pot of gold. We like to fill our pot with green candies, gold coins and green beaded necklaces.

- Easter Egg Hunt. Fill up bags of plastic eggs with candy, small toys and maybe a few “special eggs”  with cash.  Make the kids wait inside while the eggs are hidden (and the excitement builds) and then let them go crazy!  Repeat….(well, we do).

- Corn Festival. Find a parade, fair, farmer’s market to make memories with your family.  In our case, it’s a corn festival, in a VERY small town.  Home grown corn, roasted and dipped in a pot of butter, also worth the  4 hour drive.

- Summer To-Do List. As a family make a list of all the fun things you’d like to do during the summer. Then do your best to get them all crossed off the list by the time school starts again!

- Back To School Fashion Show. Gather the family together (aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents) and the brand new school clothes.  Sit everyone down and assign an MC while the kids get ready.  One at a time, let them model their clothes for everyone.

- Enchilada Day. Don’t know about everyone else but we have an uncle that can do some serious cooking. His specialty is Mexican Food.  Our aunt and uncle sent out invites and had us over on a Saturday afternoon to eat as much as we could and enjoy each others company.  They don’t know it yet but it’s a new tradition!

- Tuesday Treat Day. Are you in a carpool?  Treat those special kids with a little something yummy on Tuesdays.  A fun snack from home or a run through a drive-thru…bet you’ll see some big smiles. (and they will NEVER let you forget it’s Tuesday!)

- Pumpkin Party. Turn one of your evenings before Halloween into a pumpkin carving party.  Invite the family or friends over for dinner and fun.  Assign someone to bring bread bowls (and spinach dip for the left-over bread), chili, broccoli cheese soup, zuppa toscana, and creamy chicken and rice soup.  After the pumpkins are carved, gather the carvers behind their masterpieces for a photo.

- Baking Day. Pull out the family favorite holiday recipes and get the girls together from the family.  Spend the day eating, laughing and making plates full of yummy goodness!

- Thanksgiving Book Of Thanks. During your next Thanksgiving gathering, ask everyone to take some time to write some things down that they are thankful for (we have a very large book).  Then make sure you get everyone together for a large family photo.  It’s amazing how much things change in a year and this book has become priceless to everyone in our family.

- Cookie Exchange. This could easily become a favorite get together.  Send out invites to all the special girls in your life and ask them to bring a couple dozen cookies or holiday treats.  Buy some large take-out containers or tins and let everyone exchange cookies.

- Christmas Eve Talent Show. Let the kids (and adults too) show off their talents.  Youngest to oldest or draw names out of a hat, the kids can’t wait to be center stage.  This is easily a night we look forward to every year.

- Christmas Morning Breakfast and Favorites Baskets.  After opening presents as families, we get everyone together for breakfast (french toast, eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy).  Then we sit together and let the adults do our gift exchange while the kids play outside (at least that’s what we try to get them to do).  All the adults spend $50.00 and put together a “basket” full of their favorite things.  Then, we draw numbers and start opening. When it’s your turn, you can open a new gift or steal someone else’s. It’s so fun to see what the favorites are and even more fun to see who wants to go home with them (and who doesn’t).

Now it’s your turn, what fun traditions do you have in your family?

{image via}

We have all seen the devastation unfold in Japan. I for one can’t look at another sad picture, I found this pretty one of Japan instead.  So for today’s list I thought I would share a few ways people around the internet have come up with to help the relief effort in Japan.  Just in case you are looking for a way to help.

Fundraiser Campaigns For Japan Earthquake And Tsunami Relief

• Ez from Creature Comforts will donate all profits from prints sold in her shop until March 25th to the Red Cross.  You can help and get a pretty picture too .
• Cheri from I am Momma Hear Me Roar is giving a pattern for an adorable bag to all those that donate $8 or more to any humanitarian aid program of their choice.
• Mellisa from ISLY will send out fun stickers to those willing to help out.
• Apartment Therapy has compiled a very detailed list of ways to help, including through itunes.

I know there are so many more, so please feel free to leave a comment if you have one to share.

I am over the moon excited to have LiEr from ikat bag here today!  I first came across her blog about this time last year when my sister called me on the phone (from Hawaii…brat) to tell me about the cutest tutorial for little boys pants.  I have been hooked ever since.  She is one of the most genuine writers out there, and always generous in sharing her sewing talents with the most amazing tutorials and patterns.  Aside from sewing, she shares fun projects she enjoys with her 3 girls, including the coolest things you can make with cardboard, crafts, and her thoughtful and honest take on motherhood.  She truly is a gem.

The must read posts….hmmm, this is tough because I really should point out her skills that go beyond sewing.  But man, how can you not?  Her pocket series, sewing from scratch series, should be a staple in any sewing enthusiasts bookmarks.  But please don’t stop there, her entire sidebar is filled with pure goodness!

Now onto her list!

LiEr From Ikat Bag

Something hit me just before Christmas last year – I bet it had to do with the crazy Let Us All Make Homemade Christmas Gifts For Everyone In The Known Universe trend. I did it two years in a row and then decided I was done. I wanted Christmas back. But anyway, it got me thinking about balance. I’ve gone from working professional to stay-home-mom to immigrant-stay-home-mom to crafting stay-home-mom to crafting-and-blogging-stay-home-mom to crafting-and-blogging-and-etsy-stay-home-mom and, ahhhh… I wanted to have fun again. Blogging was and still is a great creative outlet and a means to maintain sanity, but it, too, along with the rest of my crafting, had begun to feel not very exciting in the last year. I traced it back to the time I started my etsy and pattern shop (late 2009) – that’s probably when some of the pure fun began to change to something responsible and “proper”. Not bad in itself, and now that I actually know what it was, it’s quite silly, really, that it caused me the amount of consternation and puzzlement that it did! Anyway, I thought it would make an interesting bullet list to share what I’d learned this past year from losing and finding balance – both from my own journey and from other people’s that I’ve watched evolve on the internet.

The Bullet List is back!  Hooray!  It is one of my favorite segments, as it gives me a chance to really get to know someone, and put a little spotlight on them.  And if you are a seamstress, or have access to a needle and thread for that matter, you will love today’s author.

Tricia’s blog Leafy Tree Top Spot is stuffed, and I mean stuffed to the gills with realistic sewing tips, great tutorials, and even free patterns.  Just take a stroll through her sidebar and you are bound to find all sorts if inspiration.  What I love is that she shows not only how to achieve a certain look but how easy it is to take your sewing to the next level.  Plus, she is just so down to earth, with a great writing voice.

The must read posts.  First up is the first project of hers I want to tackle.  Then the super cute new pattern she just released.  And because I am dying to make one of these for my kids for church, the whole series!  That will link to the book, the tutorials and patterns are in her sidebar.

Now onto her list!  I love it!

Tricia From Leafy Tree Top Spot

Sewing Room Tips On Achieving The “Handmade not Homemade Look”

Growing up I never imagined that I would spend most of my free time sewing.  Even harder to imagine, would be the idea of sewing clothing for myself and my family.  I had this misconception that if clothes were handmade, that they looked homemade.  I love Destri’s comment in this post, about how she wants her clothing to have the “Yes, I am handmade, not homemade” look.  My bullet list is inspired by that comment, and includes a few little lessons that I’ve learned along the way.  Hopefully you can gain some confidence in your abilities to make clothing that even you will want to wear.

• Organize It – Having a clean and organized workspace will make the sewing process more enjoyable.  Organize fabrics by type, patterns by size and style, and my notions by type. Color code your sewing machine needles by adding a dot of nail polish to the shaft of the needle.  Ball points: red, Leather: orange, Universal: pink, Heavy Duty: yellow, you get the picture.

• When In Doubt Unpick – I have a love/hate relationship with my unpicker.  I hate it when I make a mistake and have to sit down to unpick it.  On more than one occasion I’ve tried to weigh the options of whether or not I should sit down and unpick a seam.  From my experience, I have never regretted unpicking some stitches.  On the other hand, I almost always regret not unpicking a poorly stitched seam.

• Love your fabric – There is nothing more frustrating than spending days working on a dress, only to decide that you don’t love the print or texture of the finished product.  Fabric consideration is key.  Spend some time, and extra money if necessary,  finding a fabric that you not only love, but that is appropriate for the project. Not everything should be made out of quilter’s cotton. If you love your fabric, you will be more likely to wear it.

• Know what your working with and sew accordingly – You’ve probably all heard horror stories about sewing with minky, or knits, but from my experience, all materials are manageable.  Researching the materials that you are sewing with, and using the proper techniques, and tools (sewing machine needle, and sewing machine stitch) will make the sewing process much easier. Use ball point needles for sewing knits, leather needles for sewing with leather, and smaller needles when sewing with lightweight fabrics.

• Don’t forget the details – Details can really make a project.  So take the time to sew a fly, add some buttons, ruffles, trim, or pin tucks.  They will give your project a more polished look.

• Don’t Take Short Cuts – Some steps that just shouldn’t be eliminated.  Pre-washing, pressing, and marking patterns will always result in a better end project.  Basting and stay stitching have their purposes as well, don’t skip these steps when following a pattern.

• Learn from a pattern – I have learned many new techniques and procedural skills from following purchased patterns.  If you are just learning to sew, take the time to work through a few purchased patterns to learn new skills like pleats, darts, and setting in sleeves.

• Create your own patterns – An ill fitting article of clothing screams “Homemade”. Use a roll of wide craft paper, or wrapping paper to create a pattern for shirts, shorts, or skirts using existing articles of clothing that fit you well. I’ve had greater success at getting a proper fit by creating my own patterns, than using prepared patterns.  You can find a great tutorial on making your own patterns here.  Record important information such as size, style, and seam allowances on the pattern itself.

• Top Stitch and Edge Stitch – Adding top stitching and edge stitching to collars, and pocket flaps, is a great way to polish off your projects.  Anything that is lined deserves to be edge stitched.  It will anchor the fabric together, and make it feel complete.

• Finish It Off Right – You don’t have to have an overcast serger to finish your raw edges.  Use  a set of pinking shears to prevent fraying on most materials, and press the seam open. If you don’t have pinking shears, trim the seam  and finish up with an overcast zig zag stitch on your standard sewing machine.  Press the seam to the side.

• Know your machine(s) – Get to know your sewing machine. Find out what stitches are available, and suitable for your projects.  Read your sewing machine manual, it  will provide information on which stitches work best for specific materials and projects. Practice your button hole stitch, and figure out your zipper and blind hem foot. Your sewing projects will go much smoother, and it will show in the quality of the finished product.

• Be Inspired – Take the time to closely examine articles of clothing in the stores.  See what it is that you are drawn to, and try to repeat it on your next project.  Take note of your favorite patterns, materials, and details.  If you are drawn to chunky buttons and asymmetrical necklines, then look for patterns and notions that will help you recreate it in your next project.

Awesome list, I personally am going to start with number one.  I spent more time looking for things yesterday than actual sewing .  How about you, any tips to add to her list?  Do share!

I have a soft spot for today’s author.  I found her blog about a year ago, by way of a comment she left here on TMH.  She has become an email buddy, a source of inspiration, and a good friend.  All made possible by this wonderful world of blogland.  At first I thought it was the most unlikely of friendships,  but the more I learn about her the more I find we have in common.  Plus she quotes Steel Magnolias to make me laugh, that in itself makes her a keeper.

You will find her here on TMH monthly with the Power Of Play posts, teaching us why it important to play with our kids, at least a little .  She can also be seen on a great new blog From The Monkey Bars sharing her wisdom gained from being a child and family therapist as well as a play therapist.  But if you are really looking to get to know her, you will need to stop by Bull In A China Shop.  Where she shares music, laughs, stories and anything else that suits her fancy.

The must read post? Well I had an entirely different one picked out, but this one from yesterday pretty much sums up why I love her.  She sees a need and is using her skills and knowledge to do something about it. “We invest in our future when we help each other be the best parents we can be”, so true.

I was thrilled when her list displayed her funny side!   She has a post explaining how she fell victim to the Twilight saga, and I had to laugh because it is the same exact way I did!  Onto her list!

Tina From Bull In A China Shop

I have asked myself on many occassions what makes the Twilight series so loved.  And if you are Team Jacob, I really have no answers for you.    Because for me, it’s all about Edward.  (Sigh) I sometimes jokingly refer to my husband as “Not Edward”.  I should tell you, my husband is AWESOME. I adore him.  I love him to the moon and back.  He is the absolute best partner a gal could ask for.  He is also the very polar opposite of Edward.  I just think that even in the most loving relationships, things can start to feel a little….routine?  Like, you start doing things in front of each other you NEVER thought you’d do in front of that handsome hunk who asked you to be his bride.  And when you spend your days planning and running a household, there’s a little something to be said about the guy who dives in and swoops you off your feet and makes you feel all girly and woozy.  Even if you haven’t showered and have coffee breath.  So this list is a rationale for all the reasons the REAL ladies who love Edward.  Ode to Edward.  (sigh).

Why REAL ladies love Edward

• He doesn’t need sleep- There’s the lovey-dovey idea of my Edward singing my lullaby until I go to dreamyland and dream only of him.  But after I am asleep?  He can do all the housework, pay the bills, do the laundry, go to the all-night grocery store.  And forget about night-time feedings with the baby.  Edward’s got it covered.

• He can dress himself- Don’t get me wrong.  I’ve never gravitated toward the metro-sexual type.  I never want to worry that my husband will out-dress me. But am I the only one who wishes I didn’t have to help the Hubby pick out clothes all the time like I do with my tot?  “No, dear, you can’t wear those socks with shorts and crocs.”  I actually hide and/or throw away some of my husband’s t-shirts behind his back because if I have to see him wear them one more time I might just go nuts.  Not only can Edward dress like an Italian male model, but his awesome sister would keep me in check with her sparkly vampire fashion skills.

• He doesn’t eat- Well, not human food anyway.  No worries with Edward about whether he will be able to stomach parsnips or tolerate curry.  No complaints from me about the dozen or so extra spicy hot wings he just devoured.  Edward eats mountain lion….with his own bare hands.  Then he takes me to eat wherever I want to my heart’s content.  I might be able to try out the new Ethiopian place without any whining and wisecracks.

• The “butt grab” is not on his romantic gesture menu- Let’s be honest….no man on the planet talks to his girl the way Edward talks to Bella.  (Proof that a woman really did write these books).  I know my Hubby is feeling sweet on me if he grabs my tush in the morning.  Or he tells me I “look nice”.  Or he washes my car. Edward’s ability to wax poetic could make any gal swoon.  “You are my life now”. Really?  Sigh…..

• He’s got mad skillz- Unbelievable strength to carry me racing through the forest and keep cars from crushing me.  Gazing at me like I’m the purrrrrtiest thing on the planet while driving and never hitting a tree.  Fixing the body damage on my car with one hand.  Reading the minds of everyone around me.  Hubby’s mad skill is to make me laugh.  Which is one of the reasons I love him best.  I’m just sayin’ I wouldn’t mind being carried through the forest like I weigh 2 ounces and making kissey faces while driving.

When all is said and done?  Edward is a fantasy.  He’s the guy we pictured when we were little girls playing with Ken and Barbie. My reality is pretty fantastic.  I’m lucky enough to be with a guy who loves me and takes equal responsibility for our life together and supports me in my endeavors.  (Plus, he’s pretty cute!) But every once in awhile, I like to open the pages and get lost in the fantasy of the sprakly, hot vampire world.  Where it’s all romance and magic.  And I am always happy when gals want to join me….unless you’re Team Jacob.  In that case, you can go run with the wolves….
Best,
Tina

You know I have to ask, how is the love of your life “not Edward”?  It’s okay, we totally know you still love the hubbs more, but there has to be something…

I am so excited to have today’s author here on TMH today.  Anne has always felt like a bit of a cheerleader for me, as she was the first to ever link to one of my sewing tutorials.  She made me feel a little bit legit, and I’ve had a soft spot for her ever since.  You’ll find her on Craft Gossip everyday, finding the best there is in sewing, and serving as the the resident cheerleader in the sewing blog world.

One thing that I have loved about The Bullet List is the chance to hear from some of my favorite “imaginary” friends in a way I wouldn’t normally get to.  We always here from Anne singing praises of others and I was excited to see what her two cents would bring in the form of a list.  She didn’t disappoint, of course she would have good advice when it came to sewing.  And that picture, you know she would be a riot to hang out with!  Enjoy!

Anne Weaver

Here are my favorite nontraditional sewing tools, my must-haves that you can’t find at a sewing store.

• Ponytail holders. Some people call them hair elastics. I originally bought them as closures for little notebooks folios, and then a friend showed me how she uses them to attach a bobbin to its matching spool of thread. It keeps them paired, but it also keeps the thread from unwinding from either spool. My friend is a smart woman.
• Glue stick. Oh, sweet Elmer’s glue stick, where would I be without you? I use a glue stick to hold fabrics together when using a straight pin is not practical. Like when stitching down the back facing over a gathered seam. Usually you have to press under the seam allowance, pin it in place, and then stitch in the ditch from the topside hoping that you catch that facing. It never works out that way for me. Turns out that the pins actually buckle the fabric you’re trying to keep straight. Use a little gluestick instead, and it’ll all stay flat and happy while you’re topstitching. Perfect seams, yay! (Just be sure that the glue is dried before you stitch through with your machine… Sticky glue in your machine workings would be baaaad.) Glue stick is also helpful for keeping bias tape in place when you’re topstiching it down around tight curves.
• Water sprayer. So this one isn’t all THAT nontraditional, but you won’t typically find it at the sewing store. I use it when I need a little steam to press my fabrics. Instead of pouring water into my iron and spilling it all over my ironing board in the process, I just spritz my fabric with the water. Much easier, and you don’t have to empty the water out when you need iron with a dry heat. It’s also helpful when removing erasable marker.
• Erasable fabric marker. This one really shouldn’t make the list of nontraditional sewing items, but I rely on it sooo much that I couldn’t leave it off. I use an erasable fabric marker for temporary marking on my fabric. It’s GREAT for teaching a child to sew – just draw the stitch lines on the fabric with the marker. It’s easier for a child to line up the stitch line with the center of the presser foot than to keep the fabric straight and align the edge with the seam guide on the side of the face plate. I also use an erasable fabric marker when measuring elastic for an elastic waistband.
• Sharpie. Sometimes you need to make a mark that’s permanent, and for that I keep a Sharpie handy. For example, I use them to write on the top of my bias tape makers the size of the finished tape that it will make and the size of the strip to cut. This keeps that information where I can see it easily.
• Thin craft stick. This is basically a popsicle stick, but a thin one. I use this to help poke out corners and curves when turning something right-side out.
• Scrapbooking bone folder. Same use as above, but has a slightly sharper point. I only use this when I need my corners sharper than what the craft stick can do for me.
• Old TV antenna. I stumbled across this “tool” several years ago when having to turn some long fabric tubes. I didn’t have any fance tube turners, so my sweet husband rummaged around in the basement and brought me the antenna. It telescopes out for longer tubes, but pushes together smaller for easy storage.
• Packing paper. I got mine from an IKEA bookcase system we bought last year. Besta bookcase, I love you for organizing my living room and making it look like grown-ups live at house… And the packing paper wrapped around each extra shelf or door makes AWESOME pattern-drafting paper. I’ve also heard of people using discounted wrapping paper. Grab some rolls after Christmas when they’re on deep discount.
• Misprints from our printer. You know, those extra sheets of paper that get printed by accident when you print out a website or a recipe? The ones with all the comments after the post? Or just the tags and endmatter? I save them and put them in my studio as scrap paper. They’re also good for drafting smaller patterns, like for doll clothes.
• Large mailing envelopes. I store my self-drafted patterns in large mailing envelopes, the ones that are 6″ x 8″. You can usually find them inexpensively at the dollar store. They’re large enough for my clothing and purse patterns, but still organize neatly with my purchased patterns.
• Baggies. For my smaller patterns, I often use baggies. The smaller pieces are easier to see and retrieve from the smaller baggies, as opposed to the larger mailing envelopes. I use my Sharpie to label them.

Wow, that was surprisingly painless! I tend to get nervous when having to talk (or write) about myself, but talking about sewing stuff is always sooo easy! If you’d like to read more interesting sewing tidbits, check out my posts over at Craft Gossip where I share tidbits and tutorials going on in the sewing world.

Have you met Molly?  I have only recently met her , and she is fabulous in all sorts of ways.  Only, Molly isn’t an individual you see.  I know it took me a minute to understand as well.  “Molly was created as a symbol of “everywoman” who is trying to do the best for her family and home in today’s challenging economy.”  and is the voice behind Econobusters, written by a team of three woman.

Econobusters is a resource with really too may features to list here, but I can tell you that the Freebie Friday feature has been a favorite.  Also if you sign up for their free newsletter you are given a free menu planning ebook, love that.  They have ebooks that you can purchase as well, a members community…oh really just too much to list, you will just have to go check them out!  If this paragraph resenates in any way with you, then you will love them!

“Molly is not an expert—she represents a friend who researches and shares the answers her readers are looking for. Molly’s team interacts daily with experts in different fields, as well as with real women with real families sharing real solutions. The goal of Molly Green and Econobusters is to underscore the importance of home and family, and to offer continual evidence that frugality does not mean drudgery . . . it can be fun, creative, and immensely fulfilling.”

Now onto their list!  I love it, I am always looking for ways to take our breakfast beyond a bowl of cereal and toast.

Molly Green

Back-to-School is always a crazy time of year so I put together some Fast & Frugal Busy Morning Breakfasts to help get you quickly and healthfully on your way. Linked items can be found in my free Molly FRESH! ebook. Enjoy!

Fast & Frugal Busy Morning Breakfasts

Crock Pot Granola

Breakfast Burritos

Muffin Tin Omelets

Hard-Boiled Eggs & Toast

Yogurt & Fruit Parfait

Fruit Smoothies

Pre-Made Frozen Pancakes

Breakfast Pizzas

Muffins

Sliced Apples or Bananas with Peanut Butter

Cottage or Ricotta Cheese with Fruit or Berries

Banana Bread with Cream Cheese and Sliced Strawberries

I am so excited about the subject today’s author chose, it just goes to show you the kind of woman she is.  Michelle is genuinely nice, thoughtful and super humble.  I say humble because when I had a chance to meet her recently she didn’t give herself nearly enough credit.  Just reading the about page and this list make me want to get to know her better, and be her neighbor .  She is just amazing.

Her blog Someday Crafts is easy enough to describe, I will just tell you what I overheard someone say about it recently at a conference.  “Instead of looking at a thousand craft blogs, I just go to Someday Crafts, she always finds the best ones.”  What started out as a place to document crafts she would like to do “someday”, is now a source people turn to when they need inspiration.  Michelle and her team filter through tons of posts a day, only to bring you the best and most unique ideas they have seen.  She also has a fun Giveaway directory, and weekly link ups that everyone can join in on.

Her list is something I want to work on so I was thrilled when I saw it.  I was reading a blog that directed me to an article that talks about how “we’ve lost our sense of community…no one just drops by anyone’s house for tea, or cookies, and then sits and chats away the afternoon talking about ‘nothing and everything’.  We’re all too busy for real life and the living, breathing person next to us.”  This rang so true to me.  And Michelle’s list is a fabulous place to start!

Michelle Johnnie

Ways To Unify a Neighborhood

• When a new neighbor moves in, take them a “Welcome” basket (or at least some cookies). I love this “Welcome” by Just A Girl.
• Organize a babysitting co-op so the adult couples can have a date night. If there are six couples who want to participate, each couple watches all the kids one Friday night while the other five go on a date (not necessarily as a group.) Rotate who watches the kids and who gets the dates. Five free date nights, one babysitting night! Sounds great!
• A potluck can be planned for any occasion. Rotate a monthly potluck. During the summer, have “open BBQ” night where people bring their meat or veggies to grill.
• Have themed parties and celebrate less popular holidays together. The favorite party our family hosted was this Redneck party! We’ve also had Chinese New Year, Cinco DeMayo, Cajun Night and St. Patty’s Cabbage and Corned Beef. Dance parties are a blast!!!
• Hold a kids’ parade. Have the kids decorate their bikes, big wheels, wagons and scooters! Let them ride up and down the street around the Fourth of July while the adults watch! If you live on a busy street, find a nearby church or school parking lot in which to hold the parade.
• Organize a neighborhood watch. If you know all your neighbors, you can recognize suspicious activity much more easily!
• During the summer, buy popsicles on sale and hand them out to all the kids that ride their bikes past your house! Offer them to adults/families that walk past!
• Organize service projects. You can either work on big projects in the neighborhood (like re-roofing a house, lanscaping, or cleaning up leaves) or serve somewhere in the community together! You can also do neighborhood garage sales to attract more buyers and get rid of junk!
• Share the responsibilities of teaching a pre-school. Depending on the age of the kids in the group, hold a mini pre-school at each others’ houses once or twice a week for the school year. Teach letters and numbers, do arts and craft projects and play! Rotate and save money!
• Put a bench, porch swing or chairs on your front porch or in your front yard. Spend time talking to people as they pass. Wave to cars as they pass. Spend time outside in your front yard (not just your backyard.)
• Invite a neighborhood family over for Sunday dinner. Play a board game or share a spiritual activity.
• If you live where it snows, shovel each others’ walks and driveways! Neighbors love that!
• Combine your leaf piles into one giant leaf pile and go crazy!
• Before school starts, organize a back-to-school fashion show. Each kid brings one or two new outfits to model to the rest of the neighborhood kids!
• Share your tools and expensive items with each other. If you have spray gun, share it with the people who are painting. Or offer to share your chainsaw with the neighbor who just had a tree die!

There are hundreds of activities and fun things neighborhoods can do to be unified. The most important activity of all is JUST TO TALK TO EACH OTHER! If there is someone you don’t know, go knock on their door! Remember to invite to them the activities whether they come or not!

The other point I want to make is that most people don’t care if you do NOT have the nicest, biggest, cleanest, most elaborately decorated house. Our house is 95 years old, in the midst of remodeling and NEVER spotless, but neighbors are often over visiting and having fun. During some of our parties, we have had sheetrock in our dining room. People love to feel important and included. Most people don’t care about appearance of others (only themselves).

I don’t know about you, but I am so having a redneck party!  It takes all the pressure off!  Now it is your turn, have you done anything fun to bring your neighborhood together?

It has been two weeks without this segment, and I have missed it dearly, it’s a favorite of mine.  It has been such a great way for me to meet some amazing women, dig into their blogs and find out what makes them tick.  After digging through the archives of today’s author, whom I adore, I am left with serious envy.  The girl has skills – the mad, can do anything, really well, with a smile on my face kind of skills. Some people just ooze talent I tell ya.

Hannah is the creative voice behind Sherbet Blossom, a blog which offers a medley of subjects from just about everything anybody would ever want to read about.  Seriously, all good stuff.  I can’t even type everything she offers here, I started to, then the sentence just became gigantic with like fifty commas.  Just hit her side bar, it’s all there in a pretty little package.  Her latest feature is Project Organize with great ideas from herself and others on how to conquer chaos in the home.  Her latest idea for ribbon storage will be implemented in my home shortly.  Did I mention how genuinely nice she is?  Pure sweetness.  Am hoping she will offer up a dinner invite again (shameless hint)!

The must read post….honestly why did I begin this?  It is an impossible decision.  So many here people, but for the sake of the ruffle craze I will have to say this one.  I am working on a little project using her technique and it has made all the difference!

Onto her list!

Hannah Craner

15 Handy Household Tips

• Vinegar is an alternative to an all-purpose cleaner, and is nontoxic and cheap. Run your empty dishwasher for a full cycle with a couple cups of vinegar to prevent those unappetizing water spots on your dishes.
• Store all your silver jewelry in an airtight baggie. It will prevent tarnishing.
• Admit it. Some of your shoes stink. Place a dryer sheet in your shoes at night and the smell will be gone by morning. It’s like magic.
• Save money by making your own window cleaner. Add 3 Tbsp Ammonia and 1 Tbsp vinegar to a spray bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle with water and use just like Windex. Use old newspaper to wipe off the cleaner for a streak free finish.
• Lots of sticky/dirty fingers living in your house? Spray your walls and doors with starch to resist fingerprints.
• Use a post-it note between the keys on your keyboard to clean up the crumbs and dust that have collected.
• Color code the top of your key collection with thick coats of of nail polish in different shades to differentiate between them.
• Limp celery? Cut off the bottoms and place the stalks in a vase with cold water. Place it in the fridge and they will be nice and crisp tomorrow.
• Keep insects out of your flour and sugar by placing a bay leaf in the sack.
• Keep an open box of baking soda in your fridge at all times to ward off stinky smells.
• Check your fridge’s temperature. Refrigerators should be kept between 35-38°F, freezers at 0°F. Also, freezers work best when they are three-quarters full. If you have an almost-empty freezer, fill empty milk cartons with water and store them in the freezer.
• Keep your butter from sliding around the dish by heating the dish, placing the stick of butter on the hot dish to melt it a little and then putting it back into the fridge. This will cause the butter to stick to the butter dish.
• Use a paint brush to dust the corners of your baseboard, windowsills and bookshelves. (My kids fight over this job. I should buy another paintbrush…)
• Forgot about your wet clothes in the washer? Get rid of that mildew-smell by rewashing them with baking soda.
• Get that yucky onion smell off your hands by washing them with dry mustard.

You have me for one more week on The Bullet List, and next week it will be back with an awesome line-up, I promise….pinky swear even.

I thought since I had the pleasure of writing another list I would share a few of my favorite posts from my rss reader in the last 24 hours.  Fun right?  Since we are on the subject, do you use rss to read blogs?  Just curious.  Do you even know what it is?  If you read more than five blogs a day I highly recommend it.  Would you like a post on it, the why, the how, and with who?  Let me know!

Now onto my list!

Favorites From My RSS In The Last 24 Hours

• I want to make this breakfast for dinner, like tonight {pictured above}
• Loving this post on Autism, great insight
• This series Project Organize is going to be fabulous…I loved loved this post , now I just need to implement it
• So this was from a few days ago, but I just can’t get it out of my head…cutest mis-matched outfit ever
• If I knew how to knit or crochet I would be all over this event, maybe one of you could make one for me?
• First, I just love this gal and her skin, gorgeous (that’s not too creepy is it?).  And since I plan on starting to make some of my own clothes I loved her post on the right way to cut out patterns
• I really really want this bathroom, like really
• This shoot along with advice for taking better pictures has been great. Loved this post on lighting, easy to read and makes sense

So how about you, any favorites in the last 24 hours?

ps,  I have a new monthly series coming up tomorrow, so excited about it!  Just about have it finished up…