Christmas Planning

I know some of my readers are reading the title of this post and thinking, "Christmas planning?! Didn't we just finish Christmas for this year?" Yes, most of my readers and I did just finish Christmas, but if you're like me than you realize the stress of planning Christmas. That stress of last minute gift planning, wrapping presents, and baking cookies is the stress I want to avoid and through planning can avoid. This year I decided to use a Christmas planner and even wrote posts about the different pages I was using, but honestly I didn't find myself wanting to use it faithfully and inevitably fell behind in planning Christmas. Between not liking the templates I used and life turning into a roller coaster for me I found it easier to fall into my old ways of planning for Christmas. However, my old ways of planning didn't keep me from experiencing massive amounts of holiday-related stress. 

This next year I am going to try to blend my old ways of planning with some of the template pages I actually enjoyed using to create a stress-free Christmas. At least that's the goal of planning ahead. My first tip, which I find is extremely helpful, is to plan a theme early. I realize that this may sound like a lot of extra work or even unnecessary to some, but picking a theme, even if it is just colors, allows you to focus your ideas in other areas. If your theme is How the Grinch Stole Christmas then you know you don't need to waste time making glittering reindeer. Thanks to Pinterest and Craftgawkers there are plenty of wonderful ideas available to look at and inspire you to try, but a theme early on keeps you from feeling overwhelmed. The theme can be as simple or as elaborate as you want or have time to do. This year my theme was How the Grinch Stole Christmas and it started out as an elaborate recreation of the scenes from the movie, but I didn't have the time so I ended up simplifying it. This is perfectly acceptable and sometimes necessary as your life changes throughout the year. There is no reason to feel bad about making changes to your theme. 

After I have a theme I like to start designing my Christmas cards. I typically use Shutterfly because I usually have a $20 off promo code or 10 free cards.

I find it helpful to have my holiday cards ordered early because it is one less thing I have to worry about throughout the year while Christmas planning. However, if you have a family with young children ordering Christmas cards early is not practical. While you wouldn't be able to order your Christmas cards in January you could still order cards before December to save yourself the headache of wondering if your Christmas cards are going to arrive in time. If you do have to wait until December, perhaps because you're expecting a change, Shutterfly gives you the option of having them addressed and sent out for you saving you time. This year I am expecting, or rather hoping for changes in my situation, but still plan on ordering my Christmas cards for next year this week because I have a $20 promo code that is expiring. Since I am anticipating changes this year I am working on a design that allows me to incorporate changes that might occur over the course of a year. I found a card template that fits my needs and allows me to leave the photo on the front of the card blank. I plan on choosing a photo that more accurately represents my life towards the end of the year and I will then use a scrapbooking technique to apply the picture to the cards I ordered. A generic greeting that leaves room for a personal update on my family allows me to create a card that can be adapted to my needs.

I also find it helpful to order labels that match my Christmas cards at this time. Again if you are anticipating changes, such as changes to your name or address, you should wait until those changes have happened before ordering labels you can't use. This last year I decided to just order labels that said to and from instead because I have a plethora of address labels. I try to order my Christmas cards and address labels together so that I can verify the sets match, although I have waited until I have received a promo code for free address labels. If you plan on waiting for a promo code or need to wait because you anticipate changes in name or address I suggest creating the labels on Shutterfly and adding the labels to your saved project list. This will make finding the address labels that match your Christmas cards a lot easier and a lot less stressful for you. Since I do have a tendency to order cards and labels in advance I find it helpful to store them in a photo box. The photo box then becomes my Christmas planning box and I know exactly where to look when I need to start writing my Christmas cards.

The odds and ends of Christmas planning have grown throughout the years and what once fit in a photo box now needs to be stored in larger bin. This tends to happen when you have a theme because not all of the pieces end up being used, however you may need them again so it is helpful to store them. For this reason I am trying to be more careful in my planning so that all of my supplies are used for the year. This is a little bit more complicated when you shop for most of your supplies in the after Christmas sale, which is honestly the best time to buy themed items for cheap. I find it helpful to take the number of boxes, gift wrap, or other supply used for the past Christmas and use that number to determine how much of an item I need. It isn't always possible to find the exact number of things you need in your theme after Christmas. If I can't find all of the things I need and something else can't substitute then I don't buy any of it because the chances are I won't be able to find more later. The after Christmas sale is the best time to buy Christmas lights, gift wrap, and cards. There is usually a good variety still and many of the items can be found at 70-80% off. This makes having a different Christmas theme each year affordable. Your gently used Christmas items can then be donated to a charity or to a family you know who could use those items.

Christmas shouldn't be stressful and planning ahead can make the season a more enjoyable time for you and your family. Plan ahead and spend the holiday sharing in the love of your family instead of stressing how you are going to get everything done. Leave a comment below telling me your biggest area of holiday stress or your own tips on beating the stress of Christmas.  

Hiatus

It has been some months now since I sat down to type a post even though I have finished projects and had my fair share of ideas. These last few months have been a roller coaster leaving me with little time to think let alone blog. I am still crafting and writing patterns while I've been gone. Hopefully in the next few months I will have a grasp on all the chaos and be able to catch up on my blog posts. 

Quick Gifts: Bath Salts

Mother's Day is around the corner and if you're like me then you want to give your mom something special on her special day. This month's quick gift is perfect for all of the women in your life, whether they are your mom, mother-in-law, or grandmother, and is easily personalized to their unique taste. 

The materials needed are Epsom bath salts, essential oil ( I used lavender), and a cute container. Spread aluminum foil or wax paper across a cutting board or cookie sheet. In a small bowl combine Epsom salt, the amount will depend on the size of your container, and essential oil. The amount of essential oil will depend on the amount of Epsom salt you used, but should be enough to spread throughout the bowl without drenching the salt. Stir the Epsom salt and essential oil mixture carefully. Then spread on the aluminum foil or wax paper and allow to dry. When the salt is dry, scoop the scented bath salts into your container. Add a label or bow and you are done.

Combine the bath salts with complimentary lotion, soft socks, and nail polish for a gift that says "you deserve pampering." For a more luxurious Mother's Day gift include a gift certificate for a massage or mani/pedi. For more beauty DIYs be sure to comment below. 

Christmas Preparation: Budget Planning

Maybe Christmas she thought doesn't have to make me poor...maybe this Christmas perhaps I should budget more. Dave Ramsey once said, "A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went." There is no denying Christmas is expensive, but it doesn't have to leave you poor this year. Creating a budget, along with saving throughout the year, is an effective way to have a wonderful Christmas without spending a fortune. Use the gift planning template, menu template, and decorations template in the Christmas Planner template posted in February. It is April so I don't blame you if you don't have a complete grasp on gifts, menu, or decorations needed for December, but take what you do know already and start filling out your templates. 

Last month I posted the two ideas I have for handmade gifts, but I don't really have specific ideas for everyone else on my list. Yes I know sizes, favorite colors, sports teams, scents, etc., but I have yet to see how it will all fit together. This indecision can lead to an abundance in gifts for one person and none for another, but I have two tips for combating the gift and spending overload. Tip #1: Set a number of gifts per person. A few years ago my church put forth a 3 gift rule. The 3 gifts are representative of the gold, frankincense, and myrrh given to Jesus as a baby. One gift was to be the gift the person really wanted, another gift was something that would benefit the person spiritually, and the last gift was something the person would wear. Obviously you could tweak this a bit to fit your needs better, but the idea is great for keeping track of gift giving. Tip #2: Set an overall budget for gift giving and then divide the total into smaller increments for individual gift budgets. If your total budget is $500 then allot $300 for immediate family, $90 for relatives, $90 for friends, and $20 for emergency gifts or work parties. Stick to the budget your set and keep your receipts to keep track of your total spending. 

Tip #2 should be implemented for menu and decoration planning too. These are more easily planned in advance and more easily budgeted for. Ingredients like canned food can be bought and stored in advance. Shop sales in advance. This also means knowing the best sale price for a product. Save money on decorations by recycling old Christmas decorations. If you want gold Christmas ball ornaments then take gold spray paint to last year's red ornaments. Consider making your own decorations from recycled materials you already have at home before rushing out to buy more.

52 Week Money Challenge

Even budgeting and recycling materials will leave you broke if you don't start saving now. You can set a certain amount of money aside each week or month for Christmas or a certain percentage of your paycheck. We are already 12 weeks into this year, but the 52 week money saving challenge is a great way to put away money throughout the year. If you would rather do a percentage of your check then I recommend saving 10% of your first week's check for gifts and next paycheck 5% for menu and 5% for decorations. Obviously, adjust the percentages as needed.

Have your own tips for saving money this Christmas? Be sure to leave your tips in the comments below and stay tuned for next month's Christmas preparation post. 

Home Organization and Design: Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning is an essential to Spring, but one of those things that most people hate doing. Spring cleaning is by definition a chore, but it doesn't have to be a complete torture. This month start spring cleaning with making your own lavender linen spray and a massive closet clean out then spend the next 30 days doing the quick cleaning tips listed here. 30 days might sound like a long spring cleaning, but each tip is only 10-15 minutes and can easily be accommodated into your busy schedule.

Start spring cleaning off right with lavender linen spray. Linens will smell like spring and you will be motivated to clear out your winter clutter. To make your lavender linen spray you will need: 1)lavender essential oil, 2)water, and 3)a spray bottle. Fill your spray bottle with water and mix 2 teaspoons of the lavender essential oil with the water. Your lavender linen spray is now ready to use. Using a tiny amount of the essential oil gives you a fragrant smell without staining your lines. This linen spray also makes a great gift for housewarming parties. Lavender linen spray is a complimentary amenity in all the finest hotels so spray your linens and imagine you're about to set sail on a spring vacation. 

Finish your transition to spring by cleaning out your closet of all of your winter clothes. Start folding and storing away your sweaters and long sleeves. I recommend leaving out a few light jackets and/or cardigans for chilly spring mornings. Unpack and hang up the short sleeve tops and capris. For those readers who don't have enough clothes to store spring, winter, and summer clothes separately consider reorganizing your closet so your spring wardrobe is the most easily accessed. This simple task will save you lots of time each morning.

Spring cleaning doesn't have to be an awful experience. Do these simple tasks everyday and you will find yourself enjoying spring cleaning and the daily stress of life melting away. Spring cleaning DIYs you want to see? Comment below and I will feature your spring cleaning DIYs in future posts. 

Organizational Tips: Scrapbook Part 3

If you're like me then you have a lot of scrapbooking projects going on at the same time and these projects can begin to take up more than their fair share of space. Scrapbooking can quickly take over your work space between the papers, pictures, stickers, and embellishments for each project. Due to the delicate nature of scrapbook supplies I am overly zealous in organizing my current projects. I only have 2 tips for organizing current projects, but feel free to post your ideas in the comments below.

Tip #1: Invest in page protectors (the size that fits your scrapbook) or 12 x 12 Ziploc storage bags. I personally prefer the page protectors because the pages fit easily into your scrapbook and can be used when your page is finished, but the page protectors can become pricey. Put your scrapbook paper, pictures, stickers, etc. for each project into a page protector or storage bag. The protectors can be put back into your scrapbook while the storage bags can be stored in a 12 x 12 scrapbook box.

Tip #2: Label your projects for easy recognition. If you tend to accumulate a lot of pieces for each scrapbook project then I suggest labeling the bags and/or page protectors for each project for easy access. The label you use should probably be temporary if you are using page protectors.

Scrapbook project storage is fairly easy if you are willing to invest the time and money into the necessary materials. If you invest in the page protectors and/or storage bags ahead of time then you will save yourself chaos while scrapbooking and protect your supplies at the same time. 

Organizational Tips: Scrapbook Part 2

Week 2 of this month's organization tips is all about storing scrapbook paper, stickers, and embellishments. Like most of my craft supplies I tend to accumulate lots of papers and stickers along with various other "souvenirs" from trips. I don't tend to use embellishments, such as brads or flowers, but many people do and so I will include tips for storing embellishments. Before we begin organizing and storing your stickers, papers, and embellishments, gather all of the materials and begin sorting. 

Tip #1: Sort your papers, stickers, and embellishments by theme and/or color. Grouping your supplies by theme makes it easier to find when you want to scrapbook. Depending on how many types of paper you have you might have many piles right now. The paper, stickers, and embellishments you are going to use on projects soon should be pulled now. Like the pictures last week you can set these aside and next week's organization will address these items. 

Tip #2: Decide if you want to store your scrapbook papers and stickers together or separately. I like to store all of my scrapbook papers by theme in a spare scrapbook. Stickers that match the theme are then stored in pockets or page protectors in front of the themed paper. Paper is sorted by color and then theme. I have seen some people sort the paper alphabetically: blue, Christmas, Easter, green, etc. There are various ways to store scrapbook paper and stickers. Scrapbook paper can be stored in folders or in trays while stickers can be stored in a binder in page protectors. There are many DIYs for making your own scrapbook paper storage instead of buying the pre-made paper storage. 

Tip #3: Store embellishments, like you would store buttons or beads, in small clear containers. I love these storage bins, that are divided, from the Home Depot. I use these bins to store buttons, appliqué pieces, and embellishments for crochet/knit/sewing projects, but these bins would work great for scrapbook embellishments. Oriental Trading actually sales their embellishments packs in similar bins for storage. If you don't have many embellishments consider a smaller bin or if you have a lot of one embellishment consider larger clear jars. 

Organizational Tips: Scrapbook Part 1

This month I am focusing each week's organizational tips on scrapbooking. Each week will focus on a different aspect of scrapbooking from photo and project storage to scheduling time to scrapbook. I am not an avid photographer, but many of my friends, family, coworkers, and fellow crafters are with hundreds of pictures being taken every couple of month. While not all photos being taken on their cameras are worth printing and scrapbooking, many are and like them I have these photos stored on various devices. Photos, whether they are worthy or not, end up taking a lot of space on cameras, phones, tablets, computers, and various other locations in print form. Arguably, photos like anything else, can feel overwhelming when they begin to accumulate. Photos, unlike other items we tend to accumulate, can exist in two forms print and digital. Digital photos can then exist on memory cards, USB drives, CDs, DVDs, phones, tablets, and computers. 

There are many ways to organize photos so these are a few of my favorite organizational tips for photos, print and digital. Tip #1: Gather all of your printed pictures and organize your pictures according to theme and year. Pictures you intend to scrapbook soon should be pulled out and grouped according to your scrapbook page. I will post tips for organizing these photos in week 3. There are a few ways to organize the rest of the photos. The first is a photo box with dividers for years and themes. The second is an accordion style photo folder that is predivided. I use the photo folder for photos likely to be scrapbooked first. This photo storage works ok for me, but I am looking for storage that is resistant to fire and weather damage. This concern over fire and weather damage is why many of my photos are also loaded onto my computer and occasionally on CDs as well. 

Tip #2: Organize digital photos into folders on your computer by year and theme. Pictures on my computer are organized under a large folder labeled Pictures with several other folders labeled inside there. These pictures aren't perfectly organized, but I am happy with the progress being made. The sub folders in the Pictures folder have titles such as Christmas 2008, Easter 2013, and SF Anniversary Trip 2011. I can then organize all of the Christmas sub folders into a larger folder along with other folders for anniversary trips, holidays, and special events. At one point I had organized my photos by the people in the pictures, but this wasn't an efficient means of organization. Bonus Tip: Upload your photos to an online website, like Shutterfly or Photobucket, or load on a USB Drive to protect your pictures from human error and computer crashes.

Tip #3: Organize your USB drives, CDs, and DVDs that contain photos with your print photos. This will save you time when you're looking for a specific print. There are great DIYs for organizing your USB Drives, if you want to see tutorial for one of these DIYs comment below. 

Charity of the Month: Beautiful and Bald Movement

It is April 7th, which means it is time for this month's charity, Beautiful and Bald Movement. This charity is a personal favorite of mine because of the support they offer to women and children with hair loss due to cancer treatments, alopecia, or trichotillomania. This nonprofit organization was founded by a few women, who were personally responsible for spearheading a social media campaign with the goal of creating a bald Barbie doll for little girls. Since the start of their campaign, Mattel has made 10,000 bald Barbies, which were donated to children's hospitals, MGA made a collection of 6 True Hope dolls in their Bratz and Moxie doll lines, which were available for purchase through ToysRUs, and American Girl started offering their custom dolls without hair along with allowing girls to send their dolls to the American Girl hospital to have their hair removed. Besides spearheading the social media campaign these women have also created and sent out thousands of Dome Decorating packages.

Each Dome Decorating package contains headbands, scarves, stickers, and temporary tattoos for decorating the recipient's newly bald head. The women are constantly in need of donations for these packages and ask crafters for fun headbands, headwraps, etc. to be made for these packages. Last year I donated several handmade headbands, crocheted from my own original pattern, to the Beautiful and Bald Movement. However, I cannot find the photo collage I made using the pictures of these headbands. I am actively looking for the picture and will upload the photo as soon as I can locate it. This year I have made a headband, using another original pattern, that better fits current trends and this pattern is the pattern I am sharing below.

Crochet Ribbed Headband

Materials:
Red Heart Super Saver yarn, color of choice
Crochet Hook Size G
3 Buttons, for closure
Flower embellishment, optional

Directions:
Row 1 - Cast on 8, single crochet all stitches, turn
Row 2 - Single crochet in back loop only, this is the start of the rib stitch, turn
Row 3-4, Repeat row 2, turn
Row 5 - Increase in first and last stitch of row, turn
Row 6-8 - Repeat row 5, turn
Row 9-53 - Continue rib stitch, no increase, turn
Row 54 - Decrease in first and last stitch of row, turn
Row 55-57 - Repeat row 54, turn
Row 58-63 - Continue in rib stitch, creating button loops over 5 rows
Cast off

Finishing:
Cut off remaining yarn and weave in loose ends. Attach buttons to cast on edge so they line up with button loops on cast off edge. Attach a  flower embellishment.


These headbands are quick and easy to make, which makes the headbands a perfect donation for the Beautiful and Bald Movement. Information about requesting a Dome Decorating package or donating your headbands can be found on the Beautiful and Bald Movement's website, which is linked above. At the time of writing this post the website was down, but hopefully will be working again at time of post.

Quick Gifts: Tag Blankets

This year's April showers seem to be more baby than rain with several babies being born this year. I want to make each baby in my life a special gift, but sometimes I find out about the shower last minute or run out of time before the shower. When this happens my go to handmade gift is a tag blanket. I always pair these blankets with something else, whether another handmade gift or something off of their registry. These blankets are easily customized to match the nursery theme or colors, while also being a great gift for baby. I have taken pictures of the most common mistakes people make to illustrate what not to do so your tag blanket will be the best blanket ever.

Mistake #1: Use pins!

Materials needed are fabric in color of choice (fat quarters work great for this project, you'll need 2), matching ribbon, and a sewing machine or needle and thread. An optional material is crinkle paper/fabric (the material in baby toys that make the crinkle sound).

Cut out two pieces of fabric to desired size; 12 x 12 is a good size for baby. 

If using a crinkle paper/fabric cut the material 1/2 inch smaller than your fabric so 11.5 x 11.5. 

Decide how many pieces of ribbon you want on all sides. 

Cut ribbon 3-4 inches in length. 

Create a loop in the ribbon, right side out, and pin the ends together. For easiest assembly, this step is totally optional, adhere the ends of the ribbon together with fabric glue. 

Mistake #2: Ribbon should
Be right side out

Fabric should be right sides together, pin a square in the middle, but away from the edges.

Insert the ribbon in between fabric pieces and pin all pieces together. Remove pin in ribbon before inserting in fabric.

Continue in this method until all ribbon has been pinned into place. 

Using larger or different colored pins, pin a start and stop sew point on the top layer of fabric. Start at the first pin and sew around the squares of fabric until you reach the end pin. Be sure to back stitch at the beginning and end. 

Mistake #3: Sew through all layers!

Periodically make sure you're sewing through all layers of fabric and ribbon. At end point, remove any pins left in fabric, cut thread, and turn inside out. Finish sewing the square, folding ends of fabric into gap between fabrics, and cut thread. 

These tag blankets are so easy to make and take almost no time to create. From start to finish I was able to make 2 of these blankets in 5 minutes. The second blanket I decided to add a corner ring for attaching baby toys. Adding this ring in the corner was tricky, but turned out really cute and will be a great gift for baby. Since these blankets are so easy to make advanced and intermediate sewers can experiment with additional designs. The shape of the blanket can be changed or embellishments can be sewn on to the front of the blanket. A quilted front would take longer, but would have a strong impact on the baby's parents.

If you decide to make these tag blankets, be sure to leave pictures in the comments below. And if you want me to make these blankets in another shape or with a quilted front, comment below.

Organizational Tips: Kid's Art Work

Children are wonderful, for so many reasons, but especially for their love of gifts. Children love to create art and pickup little "gifts", which they then eagerly share with the adults in their life. You have probably accumulated numerous pieces of artwork and/or little gifts whether you have kids of your own, have little ones in your family or life in general, or are a teacher of young children. These organization tips are mainly for parents, but can be useful for anyone with young children in their lives. 

Tip#1: Choose your child's favorite artwork or your favorite piece of their artwork and put the pictures in frames that match your decor. Depending on preference you can create an art gallery or hang the artwork in your office. Don't want to display the artwork in frames? Display the pictures in magnetic frames on your refrigerator.

Tip#2: Create files for each of your children. Throughout the year put their artwork in the files. Try your best to record the date, the child's age, and the child's description of their artwork.

Tip#3: Once a year have the child go through their artwork and purge the unwanted art. Choose a number to keep ahead of time. Make a scrapbook of your child's kept artwork. The description of the artwork will be a great keepsake in the future. An alternative to this is photos of the artwork and then creating a photo book on Shutterfly or Snapfish.

Bonus Tip: Photos of your child's artwork can be made into cards or photo gifts for family. Custom thank you cards can be made for each child using their favorite artwork. Parents of young children can type or hand write a standard thank you message and have the child practice "signing" their name. Relatives would love receiving this thank you card.

If you have more ideas of how to store children's mementos or artwork please share your ideas below. Areas of organization you want to see more of in the future? Comment below and I will include tips for those areas in a future post. 

Etsy Update and Viewer Poll

I have been fairly busy lately with many projects and more hours at work that I have been neglecting my Etsy shop. It has been almost two months since I added anything to my shop, patterns or products, and I have been contemplating updating my shop. I have a few ideas in mind for spring, but would love my readers' input for what to includei in my Etsy shop.

Which hat or hats, pictured below, would you like to see in my Etsy shop? Leave your comment below.

Christmas Preparation: Handmade Gift Planning

The little bear elves are busy at work on Christmas gifts in BooBear's Workshop. Wouldn't that be nice if elves, bear or otherwise, took over making handmade gifts for you? Well until then it is just me and my busy fingers working away on gifts for Christmas. Every year I make at least one handmade gift, usually it is at least 5 homemade gifts, but poor planning leads to a chaotic December. Working well into Christmas Eve just trying to finish your handmade gifts while your family wonders where you have wandered off to or why there are no gifts under the tree from you is not how anyone wants to spend Christmas. 

Last month I posted templates for a Christmas planner with the promise I would show how to use the templates throughout the year. This month I am showing you how to use the homemade gift planning templates. If you haven't done so already download the template and print it out. Take your favorite colored pen and get ready to brainstorm. I have been brainstorming for awhile and this year I am planning on making a zebra 3pc pajama set and a men's crochet sweater. I will likely add to this list, but these gifts are going to take the most time.

Handmade Gifts

Now that you know what you want to make, it is time to start planning. How long will it take you to make each item? Error on the side of caution when deciding the length of time. If you usually make blankets in a month then plan for two months, giving yourself plenty of time for errors and life to get in the way. Once you know how much time it will take plan out time to work on the project using the monthly calendars. Depending on your level of interest in the project you might want to start and finish the project right away or you might want to procrastinate and finish the project later in the year. Whether you decide now or later make a plan and stick to the time. If you need to reschedule time to work on the project then reschedule, but stick to the new scheduled time.

Know your project and the materials needed to complete the project. Record the materials needed using the template provided in the Christmas planner. If you don't want to purchase all of the materials now then make sure to record what materials you have already purchased. Depending on the materials used I recommend purchasing the materials now when you know where they are and how much you need. Certain materials are seasonal or temporary features at the craft store. These materials should be purchased as soon as you know you need them because they will not be available all year long.

The best thing you can do in homemade gift planning is making a plan and sticking to your plan all year long. As the year progresses I will post pictures of my progress on my own homemade gifts. The pictures will most likely be shown on my Instagram account @BooBearDesigns. Be sure to follow me on Instagram for the latest pictures of my designs and inspiration.

Comment below with your ideas for homemade gifts this Christmas, your favorite homemade gifts that have been given to you, or the homemade gift you made that was the best received by your recipient. 

Home Organization and Design: Seasonal Decor

Opening Day for the Oakland Athletics is right around the corner, March 31st, and I am so excited to write this month's home organization post on my new A's room decor. If you haven't notices I am a huge sport's fan and each season I try to incorporate my favorite teams into my home decor. One day I will have my own Sports Cave and won't have to incorporate my sports memorabilia into my living space.

The first project is a Stomper pillow pet. For those who don't know Stomper is the A's mascot and an elephant, which makes him easily the best mascot in the MLB. I originally made the elephant pillow pet pattern for my niece, but then altered the pattern to fit my needs, Stomper pillow pet. I love how the pillow pet turned out and know my family will be asking me to make many more Stomper pillow pets in the future. 

The second project is "jersey" pillows, well pillow covers that look like jerseys. While I have many A's jerseys I don't have any that I'm willing to cut up to make into pillow covers. Of course there is always eBay and thrift stores, but I haven't had the time to search for jerseys. Besides I like the idea of make my own "jerseys" to use because then I can personalize each cover using my favorite players or using my own last name with my favorite number. I found fabric that most closely resembled jersey material and then ironed on letter and number appliques. I considered painting on the "jersey", but I thought the appliques looked more like a jersey. I might make a painted pillow in the future to compare the two techniques.

Baseball Field Cork Board

The final project I made was a baseball field cork board for organizing. The green felt pieces I used to make the field are adhered to the cork board using a temporary adhesive so I can redecorate the cork board at a different time. As you can see the design is simple, but the outcome is really cute. This cork board design is a really great gift for the sports lovers in your life, especially for keeping little ones organized. Be sure to comment below if you want me to post a tutorial for this cork board design.

I am really happy with how these projects turned out and am excited to share more baseball DIYs in the future. If there are any projects you want to see, baseball or otherwise, be sure to leave a comment below. I love hearing from my readers and am always up for trying new projects.

Organizational Tips: Gifts

The last few months I have talked a lot about gift giving planning as well as gift ideas that are quick and easy to make ahead of time for last minute emergency gifts, but I haven't talked about how to store/organize these gifts. This week's tips are are devoted to organizing and storing gifts. I have gifts for specific people in my life, birthdays or other celebrations, as well as emergency gifts for unexpected events. These gifts are stored together while gifts for Christmas are stored separately. I store Christmas gifts separately because the gifts only really need to be accessed once a year while other gifts are constantly being used throughout the year. If you have a large family consider storing each person's gifts separately.

Tip #1: Store gifts in storage bins, boxes, and baskets. Choose your storage so that it matches other storage in your craft area. If you have snoopers then blending it with your storage is great, but also consider not labeling the boxes or bins. I chose photo boxes that matched my craft storage. Currently I have 4 photo boxes devoted to gift storage: family gifts that are small, emergency gifts for unexpected celebrations or events, charity donations, and Etsy sales. Granted charity donations and Etsy sales are not traditionally gifts, but I have stored them with my gifts because I access these boxes the same amount and they are typically the same type of things stored. 

Optional Tip: Large gifts can be stored in larger bins or baskets, but don't go overboard. The majority of my gift storage is meant for smaller gifts because that is the majority of the gifts I ended up storing for long periods of time. However, frequently some aspect of the gift is usually larger than what will fit in my photo box. I don't really have storage set aside for large gifts and store the gifts as I accumulate them, mainly because I usually purchase large gifts closer to the birthday or celebration. That said, if you have the space and the need, then store larger gifts in bins or baskets, but don't purchase too many boxes.

Tip #2: Create an inventory of your gifts or items. Depending on your needs or preferences, type or write a simple inventory of items in each boxes. Include who the gift is for if you think you might forget. Finally include an envelope for gift receipts. This may not be necessary for you, but it is helpful if you have lots of store bought gifts. If you tend to purchase gifts in advance then be aware that gift receipts are only good for a set amount of days before items can only be returned for store credit. 

Optional, but helpful tip: Have many different gifts saved as emergency gifts. This isn't really an organization tip, but will help save you stress throughout the year. Personally, I never had the budget to just go out and shop for emergency gifts, but I have also never had a shortage of gifts. I keep my emergency gift box stocked through reward programs and choice shopping during annual sales events. If you have extra time on your hands, or even 5 minutes once a week, online surveys are great for accumulating gift cards or small cash rewards that can be stored away or used to purchase gifts. My favorite online survey, shopping rewards, and participation points website is MyPoints. I have been using MyPoints for the last few years and have been rewarded with many many gift cards, including Starbucks, Macy's, Red Lobster, and the Rainforest Cafe. The total amount claimed, between all of the gift cards, is something close to $100.

With MyPoints I am rewarded through online shopping, survey taking, and general participation in clubs. 

The other online shopping reward company I love is eBates. eBates gives you cash back for shopping online through their website. Unlike MyPoints, eBates gives rewards in the form of a check or PayPal. 

I am really bad about just cashing the check and spending the money, but if you can resist the temptation then eBates checks are great for spending on emergency gifts. 

I know there are people reading this and wondering what gifts I have in my emergency gift box and what gifts make great last minute gifts so hopefully I can help answer those questions. The gifts in my box are headphones with bag (I have about 6 pairs), iTunes gift card ($10), Victoria's Secret Fantasy lotion and perfume set, bath salts, and an assortment of beanies. The headphones were actually free gifts that I received when I ordered off of  the Greater Good Network's websites: Animal Rescue Site, Breast Cancer Site, The Hunger Site, The Literacy Site, Autism Site, and The Veteran's Site. These websites frequently offer promotions with purchase that would make great gifts. I have received the headphones, socks, coin purses, bracelets, necklaces, ornaments, and a purse as free promotional items. The Victoria's Secret Fantasy lotion and perfume set were left over from a larger set of perfumes and lotions, which I used as gifts at Christmas. Emergency gifts are any small gifts that you would like to be gifted as well as small gifts associated with specific interests. The iTunes gift card and headphones will make a great gift for someone who loves music while the bath salts, lotion, and perfume are a great gift for someone who likes to be pampered (pair with a gift certificate for a spa service, massage, or manicure for a more luxurious gift). 

I like keeping beanies, booties, and receiving blankets as emergency gifts as well because you never know when you will need a baby gift. For instance my coworker, who I met when she was already 7 months pregnant, had her baby early, which meant that I wouldn't have had enough time to make a nice baby gift had it not been for the baby gifts in my emergency gift box. These gifts also work great for the baby shower you forgot about or the unexpected invitation to a baby shower you weren't planning on attending. If you don't have a lot of babies in your life, but do have many young children or soon-to-be recent graduates, then something similar will work for you too. For young children, accumulate a lot of party favor type gifts, such as crayons, coloring books, and games, as well as dolls, Legos, and cars. Obviously for a child you knew well you would find more personalized gifts, but small toys work great for that child you weren't planning on gifting to. For graduates I suggest gift cards and small items that are either functional for college or sentimental. Young adults are very adamant about picking out their own items, especially for college, so I wouldn't suggest too many functional items, but you could always purchase laundry bags with silly sayings and a roll of quarters. Great sentimental gifts include Dr. Seuss' "Oh the Places You'll Go" with an encouraging note written to them inside or a collection of your own favorite recipes you made in college. 

When I graduated high school, and actually college too, most of my gifts were impersonal in the form of cash or gift cards with more personal sentiments expressed in the form of cards, but I did receive one sentimental gift, which was a College Humor book of college experiences, and would have enjoyed receiving similar gifts. Everyone has their own preferences though so don't feel bad if you just want to stock up on various cards and gift cards as emergency gifts for graduation, or any other event you may have to attend. 

Organizational Tips: Lunch Planning

Last week I posted my tips for a more efficient work week, which included meal planning and snack organization. This week I thought I would expand upon these tips with some ideas on how to organize lunches. I work full time and don't have a lot of time available to eat lunch. When you don't have a lot of time to eat lunch it is especially important to plan ahead and pack your lunch. I have spent plenty of lunches eating food I had found leftover in my fridge or pantry, food that was mismatched, and not really a nutritional lunch. If you're like me and have eaten more than one hurried lunch then you could continue to live this way or you could get organized and start eating nutritional lunches. 

Lunch Planning Template

My motivation, beyond eating a decent lunch, is my desire to eat healthy to correspond with my workouts, which I just recently started actively doing again. Tip #1: Plan out your lunches for the week. Whether your goal is to eat healthy or not, the first step is to plan out your lunches for the week or weeks, depending on how regularly you shop. I attempt to shop at least once a week, but I know some individuals and family who shop every two weeks. I know that lunch planning isn't always easy, but I have made a monthly lunch planning template. The template, shown left, can be downloaded and printed at your convenience. There are spaces for a lunch everyday each week for a month. Use the pre-made boxes to plan out your lunch and the shopping list underneath for recording everything you will need to pick up the next time you go grocery shopping. If there is a lunch that worked great for you, or a meal you particularly enjoyed, remember to highlight the corresponding box on your monthly planning page for future reference. 

Tip #2: Make as many lunches as will fit in your fridge ahead of time. Just like with meal planning last week the best method is to make as many of your lunches as you can ahead of time. This will save you time in the morning before you leave for work and ensure that your lunches are nutritional as well as fulfilling. If you plan on packing leftovers from dinner as your lunch then I recommend packing the leftovers the night before. This step takes only a few minutes, but will save you a headache in the morning. I recommend investing in a set of lunch containers and a sturdy lunch bag for optimal organization. I have tried out many Bento-style boxes, but haven't found any boxes that I absolutely love and/or are completely functional to my needs. I have, however, found some plastic containers that work great for my lunch at the Dollar Tree. My favorite is a square plastic container with separate compartment for sauce or dip. The separate compartment has its own lid so the contents do not leak into the larger container. 

The 3 compartment plastic containers, shown left and also found at Dollar Tree, are great for making your lunches ahead of time and storing in your fridge. The containers stack on top of each other nicely while providing compartments for dividing food. My only problem with this style container is that you can't separate the compartments if you only want to heat some of the food. You could put your main meal on a separate plate and heat it, but I have found this isn't always possible or efficient.

3 Compartment Plastic Containers

Stackable Plastic Containers

I love the stackable plastic containers, shown right, but  have found the containers are pricey. Since I like the concept, but not the price, I have taken it upon myself to make my own version, at a fraction of the price. I am still shopping around for the right containers to use. My idea, though, is to use containers like those pictured on the left and stack smaller containers on top. I will post pictures and information on my containers when I finish finding the perfect set.

Tip #3: Be realistic. It is important to be realistic with your time, means, and level of hunger. Do not waste time planning or packing a large lunch if you don't have the time to actually enjoy your meal. Do not plan a lunch that requires additional cook time, beyond simply reheating it, unless you truly have the time and space to do this. Do not underestimate your level of hunger throughout your work day. Don't starve yourself at lunch even if your goal is to eat healthy or even to lose weight. Starving yourself will only lead to over indulging later on in your day. If you get hungry frequently or have low blood sugar then pack snacks. Eating small meals throughout the day has been proven to be an effective method for losing weight. 

Now on Instagram

After years I have finally caved and decided to create an Instagram account for my business. You can now find me @BooBearDesigns on Instagram. Be sure to follow me for the latest pictures on projects I am working on or inspiration in my daily life. If there is anything you would like to see from me in the future be sure to comment below. I love hearing from my readers and am always ready to try a new crafting project. 

As a reminder you can find me on:

Facebook www.facebook.com/boobear.designs.42
Etsy www.etsy.com/shop/BooBearDesigns?ref=search_shop_redirect
Instagram www.instagram.com/boobeardesigns

Organizational Tips: A More Efficient Work Week

I have been so busy at work these last few weeks that I haven't had much time to think let alone work on craft projects. Being busy translates into more stress and less time to eat healthy or eat at all. I know there are people out there who have it all together and can work 40 hours a week without losing time to eat healthy, but that is not me. I wrote this week's organizational tips with this in mind. So for all the busy individuals, moms, and families, these tips are for you. 

Tip #1: Plan a week's worth of meals. Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, whatever you need for your week. Make a list of everything you need, but don't forget to double check your pantry before you leave, don't assume. Once you've bought your groceries, start cooking. Everything you can make ahead is time saved during the week when tired. Freeze or refrigerate until needed. A crock pot is a busy person's best friend and I highly suggest all of my readers to own one. Even in college, as broke as I was, I had a crock pot. My crock pot wasn't fancy and it wasn't expensive. I bought the 2 qt crock pot for under $10 at Walmart. This crock pot served me well throughout my college years and kept me eating healthy. 

If  you don't like the idea of cooking a week's worth of meals in a day then I suggest at least prepping for all of your meals at the start of the week. If you have the containers then chop, dice, and prepare all of the ingredients for your meals. Depending on the preparation needed for each meal this will save you an hour at the end of your week. If you don't have the containers then use Ziploc sandwich bags to contain each ingredient and then put all of the ingredients in a Ziploc gallon size bag. The Ziploc bag is not a cost effective solution, but it will save you time this week. I recommend investing in a container set if you don't want to cook all your meals in a day. Preparing or cooking your meals ahead of time saves you time during your week. If you cook all of your meals on a single day then your meals only need to be reheated not cooked. This is perfect for busy families. If cooking all at once seems overwhelming then look ahead to your week and identify your busiest days and just cook ahead for those meals.

Tip #2: Use Ziploc bags to pre-bag all snacks. Ziploc snack bags are a great time saving solution for lunch preparation. Whether you make your own lunches or your children's lunches this solution is for you. Dry snacks like crackers or cookies can be stored in a clear box in your pantry. Fresh snacks like fruit and vegetables can be stored in a clear box in your refrigerator. This is personally one of my favorite time saving tips. During the week I can grab whatever snack(s) I want to take to work that day and head out the door. Even if I am in a rush in the morning I still have time to reach in the pantry or the fridge and grab a snack because the snacks are already bagged. I plan on implementing this tip when I have my own children and need to make their lunches.

Command Center

Home Hub

Tip #3: Make a launch station. I think Fly Lady first introduced the concept of a launch station, but the basic premise is a place to store keys, bags, lunches, coats, and calendars, etc. This can be a memo board with hooks underneath the board. Use the memo board to store a family calendar and important events while utilizing the hooks below to store keys, bags, and coats. There are many fancy tutorials on how to create memo board launch stations. 

These are some of my favorite versions of launch stations, command centers, or home hubs. The command center, shown left, is featured on OrgJunkie  and is perfect for single individuals or couples. The whiteboard is perfect for writing down important dates while the cubbies are great for storing mail, etc. and the hooks are perfect for keys and bags. The home hub shown right is featured on ivillage and is designed for families. This family's entry way features a magnetic board for invitations and flyers and a white board calendar for event planning. Underneath these boards is a cubby shelf with hooks underneath. I love the cubby idea because it can be personalized for each child and is great for teaching little ones how to organize their things. The hooks underneath are great for their coats and backpacks. Pick a design that fits in with your needs and install it in your entry way or wherever is most convenient for you.

These tips have drastically impacted my work week and dramatically decreased my stress while saving me time all week long for activities I actually want to spend my time doing. Hopefully these tips save you just as much time and allow you a more relaxed week at work, home, or wherever you spend your time. Comment below with areas in your life or home that need organization help.

Charity of the Month: March of Dimes

This month's charity is March of Dimes, a wonderful organization that raises awareness about premature babies through annual walks. While I have always been fond of March of Dimes I never had any personal ties to premature infants until this last month when my friend's baby was born early.  Her baby is doing much better, but I know the outcome may have been different if it hadn't been for the research funded by March of Dimes. I have identified two ways in which people can help premature babies: 1) Crochet, knit, or sew hats for premature babies or 2) Donate or walk for March of Dimes. 

Knit Preemie Hat

My favorite way to help premature babies and their families, or anyone for that matter, is through crafting. While I have many hat patterns for newborns and infants I currently do not have any of my own patterns for premature babies. However, I have found my favorite knit and sewn hat patterns on other blogs and posted the links here. The knit hat shown on the left is from Knitting Up A Storm's blog. I love how easily the hat could be customized with a person's favorite sporting teams.

Sewn Preemie Hat

The sewn hat shown on the right is from Extraordinary Ordinary Life. The tutorial has a lot of pictures and is really easy to follow.

The finished hats can be donated to your local hospital, but read your hospital's donation policy for making hats to donate. Some hospitals require you make a specific pattern. More knit and crochet preemie hat patterns can be found at LionBrand and RedHeart's websites. If you have never checked out these yarn companies' websites I recommend checking them out now because both companies offer tons of free patterns.

If you can't crochet, knit, or sew well enough to make these hats then you can always join a team and walk for March of Dimes. Every year this is my sister's preferred choice of donation. Her and her friends fund raise and walk to raise awareness and money for March of Dimes. This is a great way to give back and a really fun experience with your teammates. There are many ways to use your crafting skills at the walk, including team t-shirts or costumes if you like. This year I am contemplating making team shirts for my sister's team. Comment below if you would like to see a tutorial for a team shirt.

This month you can crochet, knit, sew, or walk for premature babies. Your time and dedication can greatly benefit the lives of these babies and their families. If you don't have the time to make your own hats or to participate in a walk you can always donate to March of Dimes directly.

Is there a charity you want to see featured? Comment below and let me know. 

Quick Gifts: Baby Blanket Play Mat

Today is March 3rd, which means it is time for another quick gift idea. This month's gift idea and tutorial is for  Pastel Baby Blanket Play Mat. In a previous post I showed pictures of my sketch for this blanket, the yarn used, and the progress made on this blanket. The blanket is now finished and I am happy to be able to share this pattern with my readers. I love how quickly this blanket worked up and it is definitely a quick project for a lazy weekend at home. I designed the pattern as a baby play mat, but when the play mat was finished it ended up doubling as a blanket too. I used chunky yarn so the blanket play mat would be thick to provide maxim comfort for a little one playing on the floor. 

Pastel Baby Blanket Play Mat

The materials needed are: 

5 skeins of Bernat Softee Chunky Yarn in Baby Pink,

2 skeins of Bernat Softee Chunky Yarn in Sleepytime

1 skeins of Bernat Softee Chunky Yarn in Baby Blue

Crochet Hook Size N

Project instructions:

With crochet hook Size N and Bernat Softee Chunky Baby Pink, cast on 60 stitches. Cast on 1, single crochet in each stitch across. Continue for 14 rows or until skein of yarn is used up.

Switch to Bernat Softee Chunky Baby Blue and crochet in each stitch across for 3 rows.

Switch to Bernat Softee Chunky Baby Pink and continue to crochet in each stitch across for 42 rows or until you have finished 3 skeins of Bernat Softee Chunky Baby Pink Yarn.

Switch to Bernat Softee Chunky Baby Blue and crochet in each stitch across for 3 rows.

Switch to Bernat Softee Chunky Baby Pink and continue to crochet in each stitch across for 14 rows or until skein of yarn is used up.

Switch to Bernat Softee Chunky Sleepytime and crochet a border around the edge of the blanket. The amount of rows depends on border preference.

Organizational Tips: Paper Clutter

Good afternoon readers! I am currently bedridden with the flu and haven't had much time for crafting or home organization, but I have had a lot of time to think about my projects and what still needs to be organized. With this is mind, I have decided to post a new weekly series with organizational tips that can easily be completed during the week or a few hours over the weekend. I will try to keep each week's tips focused on a different area in your home or craft space. This week I am focusing on paper cutter, this can be papers in your office or your catch all table in the entryway. 

I don't know about you, but my family and I get a large amount of magazines, some we are subscribed to and others just seem to appear without asking, as well as catalogues, especially around the holidays and seasonal changes. I am not interested enough in each magazine or catalogue, nor do I have the time, to look through each magazine thoroughly, which means that the magazines end up stacking up places for a time when I do want to look at them. This wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have a constant stream of magazines and catalogues coming into my house, which is where tip #1 comes in: Choose a date each month and sort through all of your magazines and catalogues. Keep the pages you want, these can be organized in a binder, and recycle the rest. If you like to keep images for craft projects then take the time to cut images out of the magazines and store these images with your stickers and other embellishments. As for catalogues, if there is an item you wish to purchase or a style you like then I once again suggest clipping these images or pages and storing them away. For items you wish to purchase,  but do not intend to purchase immediately, I suggest storing these pages or images in a dream book, again this can be binder, which you can reference later when you have the funds or space to purchase the item. I recommend recording the exact name, product number or ID, the catalogue, price, and date of publication for the ad for easier referencing later. For styles that you admire or might want to replicate organize these images in a look book, once again this can be a binder, that you can easily go back to and reference later. My only exception to this rule is pattern magazines, magazines where the entire magazine is necessary to keep. For these magazines I suggest storing separately, either with your printed patterns or in a magazine holder on your bookshelf. 

Magazines and catalogues seem to be the most problematic source of paper clutter for me, but there are many other sources including junk mail, bills, account statements, and charity newsletters. Tip #2: Open and sort your mail every day. If you don't have the time then make a commitment to sort your mail once a week. For many people this is obvious, but for other people this is a daily challenge they face. I personally open my mail everyday, but I can relate to coming home and not wanting to open, let alone look at, my mail, especially when the mail is mainly bills or junk. I open my junk mail first, take out any paper with my information for the shred bag, and then toss the rest. Of course, I always recommend recycling unwanted paper. I open any bills next and file the papers in a desktop organizer, where I can easily access the information when it comes time for me to pay my bills. The same is done for account statements, except that I file these papers in a more permanent organizational system. I usually enjoy reading, or at least browsing, newsletters sent me by charities and so I have the option of reading the newsletters etc. then or I can choose to recycle the papers. If there is a donation I want to make then I file it away in the same desktop organizer where I filed my bills. Now, my greatest piece of advice is to switch to paperless options wherever you can. This has tremendously cut down the amount of papers I receive each day. 

My final tip for cutting down paper clutter has to do with your shredding. Tip #3: Ditch the shred bag or pile and instead shred your papers as needed. Doing this everyday, assuming it is needed everyday, prevents unnecessary paper clutter and prevents unnecessary stress over a massive shred pile. It might take you time to get caught up on your shredding, but I promise you it is worth it. Not to mention spending a few minutes a day shredding is so much better for your health than hoarding the papers until you're overwhelmed. Bonus tip: If you have the resources then I suggest a mail station with storage on top for sorting and storage underneath for a shredder. 

I hope these tips have proved helpful to you and if you want to see any pictures of my organization leave a comment below. 

Christmas Preparation: Christmas Planner

She's making a list and checking it twice. She is going to find out what's been done and what is still left on her list. Not a detail will she miss in her Christmas planning. Yes, it is February 25th, which means it is once again time for a Christmas preparation post. This month I decided to make a Christmas planner with templates for my readers. I intended on posting a tutorial of my Christmas planner as well, but I have not had time to get all of the necessary materials. As soon as I am able to finish my Christmas planner I will post a tutorial as well.

This planner is a lot of fun and could save you a lot of work in the coming months. There are many templates, but you don't have to use all of the pages I used. While I filled out many of my pages you don't have to as I will showcase various pages throughout the year. There are various tutorials out there including turning your Christmas planner into a journal for a treasured family heirloom, but these templates and this method is what works best for my needs.

Christmas Planner 

Materials needed are a binder or notebook, printer, ink, printer paper, templates, scrapbook paper, and other embellishments. Also envelopes in various sizes.
Look through the templates provided and print the pages you need. You may need multiple copies of some pages like gift ideas and menu planning.
The page with the calendar should be printed 12 times for each month in the year.

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When I was printing out the template pages to make my own Christmas planner I accidentally printed the templates 2 sided, which is fine for some of the pages, but not all. Since I was unwilling to reprint the entire planner I put the pages in sheet protectors and am using a white board pen to write in the various items. This makes the planner reusable for next year, which is an added bonus to my mistake.

Baking and Holiday Bucket List

As you can see I have started filling out the pages of the planner that are the same every year. Every year I bake the same sweets with only the quantity changing so I wrote in the things I was planning on making, the quantity, and the shopping list. Then I filled out the holiday bucket list on the next page with the things I want to do every year like make a snowman and drink hot coco. If there is something you want to do every year and want to make it a family tradition then make sure to record it on the family tradition page.

Handmade Gifts

The final page I filled out was the homemade gift page. Next month's Christmas Preparation post will be about filling out the handmade gifts template. As you can see I started filling out the page with the two gifts I know I am making: a crochet sweater and a zebra pajama set. I have an idea of the materials I need to complete the gifts and have most of the materials I need already purchased, which is what I recommend doing, as well as a time estimate of how long it will take to complete each gift.

There are 22 pages in the Christmas Planner template and you may need multiple copies of one or more of the pages. Print as many pages as you need. Glue the pages into a notebook, embellish with scrapbook paper and stickers, or put into sheet protectors in a binder. Take pictures of your Christmas planner and be sure to upload the pictures below or share on Instagram using #BooBear'sChristmasPlanner.

Gift Planning Tutorial

February is almost over, which means it is almost the start of my gift giving season. Between my family and friends I have many birthdays from March through November, which usually leaves me feeling a bit frazzled thinking of gift planning. I have never implemented an organizational system for gift planning throughout the year, but as I was working on the next Christmas Preparation post I thought it would be a good idea. Of course I immediately sat down at my computer and started typing a template for monthly gift organization and another template for gift ideas, both of which are crucial for gift planning organization. The link to view and download these templates will be posted under the pictures below.

Gift Planning Template

Monthly Gift Template

I designed the Gift Planning Template to organize your gift recipients' favorite colors, scents, and activities as well as their shoe, pant, and shirt sizes. Depending on the person this gift planning page can be used over and over again. I have only printed 2 of these gift planning pages for use with my immediate family. Eventually I will be using more of these pages, but for this tutorial only 1 page is needed. I designed the Monthly Gift Template to record all of the birthdays for a given month, the gift you plan on giving, whether it is completed if you are making the gift, and whether you wrapped the present. If I ever create my own personal planner I will definitely be incorporating this template page every month and of course I will be sure to post the templates and pictures here.

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As a reminder the promo code FOOTBALL50, to be used in my Etsy store BooBear Designs, expires in 4 days on February 28th, so be sure to check out the football team hats before then. There are ONLY 3 team hats left: San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, and Seattle Seahawks. Be sure to enter the promo code shown above for 50% off these hats.

Happy President's Day!

Busy...Busy...Busy. This is my life Monday through Sunday, which is why I love 4 day weekends. Even on 4 day weekends I am busy, but I have much more time to get things done. This weekend, besides the usual errand running, I finished projects and made significant progress on organizing my craft space. I spent most of last week finishing up projects, including an A's baseball cap, an A's beanie, and a Liverpool soccer diaper cover. I also spent the week working on an A's cowl that just needs to be lined, a pink blanket, a blue scarf, and another diaper cover. Below are the pictures of my latest finished projects. 

A's Baseball Cap

Liverpool Diaper Cover

A's Baseball Beanie

Then this weekend I spent most of my time organizing my craft supplies and projects. I used a technique I learned from a post on Craftgawker to rewind my scrapped balls of yarn with an end coming out of the middle. I will post a review of the post and a tutorial of my own on this method in a future post. The rest of the time I emptied out boxes left over from Christmas and organized my craft supplies using the 27 compartment boxes I purchased at Home Depot. I also spent some time organizing all of my Christmas decorations, baked good containers, and other assorted Christmas items into a single red plastic bin. While the bin isn't that attractive it is highly functional and will serve my needs perfectly this year as I work on a post each month for Christmas. 

My favorite part of organizing, besides being able to find my things, is discovering the supplies I had forgot about or thought I had used. Saturday I found photos I had planned on using as business cards, but had put away and truthfully forgotten about. Since ordering these photos I have made different business cards, but now I have more cards to choose from. After organizing all of my current projects I realize I have a lot of projects in various stages of completion, more than I realized, and a lot of yarn. I spent half of the day creating an inventory for my projects and the other half spinning the yarn into neat balls. I had hoped to get through more this weekend, but apparently organizing old projects is slower than I had anticipated. 

I am going to continue organizing my craft space and hopefully I will be finished by the end of this month. I am already starting to take pictures of my craft organization and am excited to show my readers the transformation. 

Comment below with your favorite activities for long weekends and how many projects you currently have in progress. I would love to know I am not the only one with a box of unfinished projects. :)