Library Card Lanyard

I don't know about your family, but we LOVE our local library!  It's a great place to spend some time on a hot summer day.  My boys have become very thorough when it comes to picking out their books, so we can easily be there for an hour or more!

I have no complaints about our library trips (I really love them!), but I have become slightly frustrated with the whole "everyone keeping track of his own library card" issue.  My twins are old enough to have their own cards, and my four-year-old uses mine.  They are very particular about being in charge of their OWN cards, which I love!  I love how much they value their cards, and how it's teaching them to be responsible for their own things.  Well, they are little boys, and they are young, so needless to say, we've lost a few cards over our library-visiting years.  We also have a bit of a struggle when we get to the self check-out (a huge hit with my boys!).  They have to dig and dig to the bottom of their book-filled library bags to find the tiny little library card that can easily get lost in the pages of books.  I needed a library card solution!  

Then one day I stumbled upon my solution as I was walking down the office supply isle at Walmart.  I saw the clear plastic badge holders that are often attached to lanyards.  They were the perfect size, inexpensive, and we could stick the library cards inside them , hang them around my boys' necks, and have an easy-to-find, safe place for their cards. Happy day!

Like I said I found the clear badge holders in the office supply isle of Walmart, and they had lanyards (what I really wanted) but they were all out.  For the pictures, I ended up using one of my boy's Skylander dog tag chains.  It actually worked really well, and we do have three of them already, so we might stick with them. 

And, of course I had to make a cute label for the front of the card holder.  I made the label in PicMonkey, cut it out, then attached it to some scrapbook paper.  I then adhered it to the outside of the plastic badge holder.  I think I'll also put a layer of Mod Podge over the whole thing, so it's a bit more durable.  Then the library card can just be tucked inside the pocket, and you're good to go!  

I can't wait to put these to use next time we make a library run.  Last time we ended up at the library with only one of the three cards.  We had 48 books to check out, and only one child card, which meant 12 books could be checked out.  So, we left a big pile at the front desk, ran home to find the other two cards on the hallway floor, then returned to the library to check out the remaining books.  Hopefully our library card lanyards will help us avoid such adventures!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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$1 Rainbow Loom Band Organizer

My twins each got a Rainbow Loom for their birthday in October, and for awhile right after that there was a looming craze going on at our house.  Then, just like every toy, the newness wore off, and their looms sat untouched.

Well, I'm not sure what sparked the craze again, but it's back, in full swing!    We've always kept the bands in small white plastic ramekins from Dollar Tree, but last night as I was wandering the isles of Dollar Tree again, I found this.  What do you even call these?  Do they have an official name? Anyway, I loved the white, and all the compartments, and it just seemed perfect for all our Rainbow Loom bands so I bought one.  One tray holds 7 colors, it's light-weigh, portable, and the sections are really big, so you can fit a bag of bands in one section.  The middle section is a bit smaller, so save that one for the bands you have the least of. 

I'm thinking these would slide nicely in a flat drawer or cupboard because they are a bit big to keep on a desk or counter.  For now, ours sits on the floor in the toy room because my boys haven't quit using them for days.

We do have more than 7 colors of bands, so I need to head back to Dollar Tree and buy 2 more trays, then that should have us covered.  You can even use one of the compartments for your c-clips, s-clips, or whatever kind of clips you own.

Oh, the joy of simple, inexpensive, functional storage.  My heart sings, and I think my boys are really liking it!

How do you store/organize your Rainbow Loom supplies?

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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Printable Grocery List & Menu Planner

I did a post a few months ago on navigating your grocery store ads.  I thought I'd leave my grocery store ad soap box there, but I decided I have more to share.  So, don't be surprised if you see a few more grocery ad/shopping posts in the future.

I love grocery shopping.  I always have.  I love cooking for my family, and I love the thrill (yes, I call it a thrill!) of a good deal, so it's a win/win for me.  

I know there are plenty of you out there who don't love grocery shopping, you may even despise it.  I hope that maybe a few of the tips  I share here today will make your grocery shopping experience a bit more organized, budget- friendly, and maybe even enjoyable.

First, I use my grocery store ads (I have a navigating your grocery store ads post that you can check out).  I haven't always used them, but I've become totally dependent on them!  Like I stated in my earlier post, I feel totally lost when I enter the grocery store without knowing what's on sale.  I feel like a lost, wandering soul.  Knowing what the deals are will get you in and out of the store quickly without spending extra money!

Here's How I Use My Ads

1.  I pick up my ads from the post office on Wednesdays

2.  Wednesday nights I usually go through my ads.  This honestly takes minutes, (click here to see why) and it's a bit exciting (I'm crazy, I know) to flip through the pages and see what the amazing deals are for the week.

3.  I shop three ads, so I make a list for each store (see printable below).  I use a pencil with my lists because after one store's list is complete, I may find the next store has better prices on the same items I want, so I take them off the first store's list, and move them over to the next.  Sometimes an item gets moved from one store to the next, to the last.  It pays to shop around (in your ads)!

4.  Once my lists are complete for each store, I add to my 'other' list (see below again).  Items on my 'other' list are things that I know we're out of, but weren't in the ads, or anything else I might need for a recipe that week.

5.  Then I make my menu for the week.  My menu is made based on what's on sale.  If I find a great deal on chicken, then we're going to have a few chicken dishes that week.  It's strawberry season, and there are tons of great deals on them lately, so we have a lot of strawberry dishes (in fruit salads, fresh, in desserts, in smoothies, on cereal and yogurt, etc…).

So, here's a little grocery store shopping list/menu I've made up.  I love a cute list (it makes me want to use it when it's cute) just as much as I love a good deal, so the two of them are the perfect combination.

Click to Print

The three lines in the left column are where you can write the name/s of the stores you shop.  I left the store names off so you can add your own stores, but I would put Days, Ridley's, and Smith's.  Then under each store I put the items from the ads I want to buy.  Under the 'Other' box in the right column I put a list of other grocery items I need that weren't in the ads.  Finally, under the 'Menu' box in the right column I make my menu for the week. 

This format works for me, and you can give it a try to see if it helps you.  If not, use it as a starting point, adjust it, and make up something that does work for you.

One more tip on grocery store ads.  Make sure you know the days of the store sales.  Two of my grocery stores have the same sale dates (new ads begin on Wednesdays), but the other store I shop doesn't.  Be careful not to miss a fantastic deal just because you missed the date.  I've done it before, and it's totally frustrating!

Well, I hope some of these tips help you out in your grocery shopping and menu planning endeavors.  At least maybe you have some food for thought now, and you can come up with a system that works for you.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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Engaging Activities for The Car {at OSSS}

I know Tuesdays are usually my printable days here at Blissful Roots, but I'm continuing on as a contributor at Or So She Says this year and I switched from the second Monday of each month to the second Tuesday.  So, once a month (the second week of the month) I'll do my printable on Thursday. Clear as mud?

Today, I'm sharing some of my favorite things to keep in the car for my boys to do.  We end up spending a lot of time in the car, don't we?  Between running errands, going to and from school, activities, the minutes add up!  And I don't know about your kids, but car time often equals fighting and arguing time for my boys.  To keep the tempers from flaring, I decided I needed to find some activities to keep in the car so my boys were more engaged rather than enraged.  It's actually proven to be quite successful.  My boys are much happier in the car when they have something to do/distract them, and I'm a much happier mom!

Click here to see my list of over 10 favorite items we keep in our car. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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Organizing Art Supplies By Color

Last Friday I found myself knee-deep in all sorts of little boy gadgets, toys, and supplies.  I had begun putting a few of my boys' Christmas things away, and then one thing lead to another and before I knew it I'd emptied every shelf, cupboard, and drawer in their room.  I didn't realize how bad their room looked until my boys walked in and said, "Whoa!  What did you do mom?"

Whoa may have even been an understatement.  I assured them that it always gets worse before it gets better, but I don't think my boys believed their room would ever look the same again.  It took me most of the day Friday, but I was determined to finish before bedtime, and somehow I did. 

I really don't mind a good organizing project, but I actually get excited about organizing art supplies.  That was the first area I tackled.  As I began gathering the crayons, markers, and colored pencils I realized we had multiple boxes (most of them smashed or torn) of each medium and they were here, there, and everywhere.  I don't know about you, but I LOVE getting rid of old, crumpled containers.  And what do I replace them with?  Mason jars.  If I had my way, I'd probably put everything we own in a Mason jar.  I love how classic, uniform, clean, and durable they are.  Plus, when you're storing something like art supplies in them they allow the content to double as decor.  To think I had all these gorgeous colors hidden away in cupboards, boxes, and drawers.

I've recently discovered that I'm a bit obsessed with monochromatic color schemes.  I love seeing varying shades of the same color grouped together.  So, it didn't take me long at all to decide I wanted to try organizing my boys' art supplies by color.  I knew it would not only look beautiful, but I was also hoping it would spark a bit of new creativity in them.  They've always just had a box of crayons, or a pack of markers in front of them.  One or two of each color, that's about it.  I think they'll have a lot of fun experimenting with the variety of hues of each individual color.  I know I can't wait to try them out!

I used pint jars and half pint jars for this project because the markers, crayons, and pencils we had were basically in two different size groups. I wanted it to be easy for my boys to access every size, and not have the tiny little crayons lost below the towering markers or colored pencils.

Once the jars were filled, I typed up my color names in iPiccy.  I used iPiccy because you can get the Sketch Block font for free, and I knew that was the font I wanted.  You could also type your color names in a word processing program.  You can get Sketch Block for free to use in there as well.  After I had my color names printed and cut out, I attached them to the jars with a single piece of clear Scotch tape. (Sorry, I COULD NOT get this paragraph to center.)

Viola!  Instantly better!!  I tell you, there's magic in a Mason jar with a cute label.  

Pardon the overload of pictures.  These colorful jars were just too much fun to photograph!  I hope the pictures give you an idea of just how amazing all of the colors look, and maybe inspire you to do your own art supply organization project.

Now I just need to convince my husband to make me some type of caddy to keep these in.  I put them on a cookie tray to transport them for the photos, and it worked really well.  It just wasn't big enough for all the colors.  I would need something like that, but bigger.  I'm also thinking some type of Lazy Susan would be fantastic.  I'll let you know what I come up with.  And FYI, I am planning to keep one or two packs of crayons in a drawer for quick and easy use or for using on-the-go.  These jars are for more of a permanent set up, like an art station or table.

You might also like these posts.

The Magic of Mason Jars and Labels

Shades of Green 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

Organization Pinterest Board

It was Swiss Days here in Midway, this past weekend, and we were a little bit busy, so I just have a short post for today.  

Today, I'm sharing my  Organization Pinterest Board.  I really do LOVE organizing!  It can be a bit daunting at times, but when you can make it look like these pins, who wouldn't love it?  Hopefully this will inspire you to go and organize something.  

Happy Labor Day!  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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Current Project Box

This  kind of  project is a direct result of being a teacher for five years. Getting a handle on all the paperwork involved with teaching was a bit overwhelming for me in the beginning.   Lucky for me, I had a wonderful teacher in second grade who introduced me to some card board boxes (which were more like a lid than a box) that were perfect for storing papers.  I used those card board boxes/lids for everything!  They were the perfect way to keep all my papers organized, easy to access, and carry around when needed.

I must have a thing for paper because even though I don't teach anymore, I still have a paper problem.  No more copies of word families or reading strategies, but now it's decorative paper.  I do have my scrapbook papers somewhat organized in a big Tupperware, but when I'm working on a project, I like to have my papers out and handy.  I hate having to put everything away and getting it back out again the next time I need it.

So, in steps my 'Current Project' box.  It's just a lid from a box of 12 x 12 sheet protectors.  It's the perfect size for keeping all my papers that I need for my current project.  Right now, I'm working on dressing up my memory board that's next to my nightstand, so I have a lot of papers-like items that need a place to stay while I work on putting everything together. 

 I could have just left the box plain, but as always, I couldn't leave well enough alone.  I put a cute piece of paper in the bottom and then printed out the 'Current Project' label to attach to the paper.  This is what it looks like when it's empty.  The box hasn't actually ever been empty since I made it, but it's nice knowing it's cute under all the papers piled on top.

This is what the box looks like when it's not empty.  You can see I have papers, cutouts, book pages, a bit of baker's twine, just lots of little odds and ends (oh, my word wall stuff is in there too) that I want to incorporate into my memory board, but are hard to keep track of.  Well, hard to keep track of unless you have a handy dandy 'Current Project' box. :)

This picture gives you and idea of how deep the lid is.  It's not very deep at all, but since I need it mainly for papers it doesn't need to be deep.  It's the perfect size for what I need.  I have carried this box everywhere over the past few days.  I love that I can just pick it up and take it outside when my boys are playing and work on what's in my box. This probably sounds strange, but I can't tell you how much I love this little box and how much it's changed my creative life!  No more digging and scrounging for what I need, when I need and then having to put it back every night.  The easy access really helps me stay motivated to work on my project.  I LOVE it!  It's simple, I'm organized (two of my favorite things).

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.