Cleaning Out the Closet

I went on a cleaning spree this week.  I cleaned under the beds, behind my bed (there is a large space back there) and I cleaned the closets in our bedroom and the guestroom.

Before I cleaned this closet I could not even close the door.  One day hubby came to me and asked if we could keep the closet door shut because it is near his side of the bed.  But I had to tell him "no" because I could not even close the door.  It was at that moment I realized I had to do something about this.

Now, my closet is not that big.  I cannot fit all my clothes in it, so I share the one in the guest room with Hubby.

The problem was that I had too many scarves and shoes.  So I took all the scarves and put them in the baskets you can see on the left.

I like them this way because now I can find just the right scarf, and they are not taking over my whole closet.

The shoes were another story.  I had a problem with flying squirrels in our attic space, so I had to take all the shoes out of the attic space.  I finally realized I can put the shoe holder in the guest room.

I really like this holder for my heels.  It works really well.  I have had this thing since college.  It just works for me.  One day I will have a really great closet with spots for shoes, but for now this will work.

These are my wedding shoes (I have yet to wear them again, but plan to).

I also cleaned the bottom of the guest room closet while I was on the cleaning job.

                                          Before                                                   After

     

I have to work with the top, the hats and sweaters have to go.  Overall I'm happy.  I installed some shelves for the shoes and it looks much better.

Just for fun here is the before and after of the first closet.

                                                Before                                              After

I'm happy with the result.  I guess I don't "spring clean" I "clean when ever I want."

When do you clean?  Spring, or - like me - just when the feeling hits you?

My Weight Loss Plan

 

This is me.  This is me before I lose weight.  I am posting this picture with the desire that it inspires me to be accountable.  I want to lose the pudgy look.   

I know I am quite close to a good weight, but I am not happy with my weight and I want to change it. I am over the suggested weight for my height.  I will feel much better about myself if I am at my desired weight.  Hubby is doing it with me, so there might be some hope for us both.  I also hope to feel better if I exercise more.  I joined a gym, and have grand plans to meet hubby there after his work.

Weight Watchers

This is my plan.  Join Weight Watchers and see what I can do about my eating habits.  In the one week since  I started I have lost 1.8 lbs.  That is a good number for healthy weight loss.     

I have joined WW before and it really helped.  

This was our engagement photos, see no arm fat.

Before my wedding I joined Weight Watchers and lost so much weight.  But I gave up right after my wedding and literally popped a button on my jeans on the way home from my honeymoon.  Now I want to do it right.  

I will post photos of myself as I progress.  I plan to post pictures of my body at the big milestones (5%, 10% and goal).  We'll see how I do.   If you have any words of advice or want to take this journey with me that is great.  I need all the help I can get.  (I just can't stop eating that cheese!)

I have some other posts planned so I hope to be back to my regular posting soon.  Summer is almost over.  I can't wait to get back to a real schedule.  

DIY Jewelry Display Frame

I have been dragging my feet on this one, and it was so easy.  Now I'm happy it is done.  My jewelry looks great.

Here's how I did it.

1) Gather supplies

You will need:
1 sheet of metal with holes (I love this quatrefoil design)
1 wire clipper
1 frame
1 piece of chalk to mark the metal (the pen did not work, I used fabric chalk instead)

2) Cut the metal to fit the frame

3) Take the glass out of the frame and put the metal in.

4) I liked the look of some white in the background so I used the back of the picture that came in the frame.

5) Put the backing to the frame back in to hold everything in place.

6) Insert jewelry.  I added hooks for my necklaces, and just screwed them into the backing of the frame.  For the earrings I just hooked them through the metal (there is room).

7) Hang and enjoy!

I love being able to see all my favorite earrings and necklaces.

Those gold ones up there are my favorite.  I have quite a few long ones I must admit.

Alright, I have to look at the first shot again.  Just for me.

So what do you think?  How do you organize your jewelry?

P.S. My good jewelry is stashed away out of sight.  Only for special occasions.

 

Failed Shoe DIY

I found the perfect pair of shoes at Marshall's a couple of weeks ago.  But, alas, they did not come in my size.  I needed a 6 1/2 or 7 and could only find a 6.  So I bought them anyway hoping I could stretch them out and MAKE them fit.

I read online that you can use water and your freezer to stretch out your shoes.  So try I did.  I put some water in some plastic baggies and put them in the shoes.  I then put my beloved shoes in the freezer overnight, twice.

But, it did not work.  My feet hurt just trying to get them on.  I felt like Cinderella's step-sisters.  I was almost ready to cut my toe off (but I already have a prince thankfully for my toe).

In the end I had to return them.  Good bye my lovelies.  I will miss you.

Moral of the story: go to Marshall's more often.

Pluck Your Eyebrows at Home

I have pretty much given up on going to a salon to have my eyebrows done.  Up here in the sticks of upstate NY I have two choices: 1) go to NYC and have them done well for $75 a pop, or 2) have shady person in the mall to do them.

My mall lady got fired so I'm on my own, and I just don't have the money to get them done in NYC anymore.

Your eyebrows are very important.  

If you have not heard this, believe me, it is true.  I have a friend who fixed her eyebrows and made her whole face look better.  The eyebrows frame your face and highlight your eyes.  Please, don't make the mistake of over-plucking them to be these little tiny lines, that is really not good.  You want some substance up there.


I had my eyebrows done right before my wedding and they were amazing.  They made me look amazing, and made me feel amazing.  I wish I could go back to that guy but it is just too expensive.  

Look at that...amazing.
Photo by JT Sander

So I bit the bullet and tried to do them at home.  I have never been very good at that.  They always come out slightly different.  I think it has to do with my astigmatism.

Here's what I did.  I googled "pluck your eyebrows" and found some great tutorials on YouTube.  Then I tried it myself.

This is my eyebrows before (I'm not good with plucking I tend to just leave them tot their own devices and they get WAY grown in).

Then, following one of those tutorials, I penciled in where I wanted them to be. (sorry I couldn't find my sharpener.)

Then I plucked all around the edges.  Just so you know, they say never to wax your eyebrows.  I think it causes wrinkles but am not sure.  I just don't do it.  I can't imagine all that pulling on your face is much good anyway.

My face gets all red when I pluck, please excuse the blotches.    This si the cleaned up version of my eyebrows (in process).
 
I removed the pencil marks, and tried to fix anything that did not look right.

You can see they are not perfect, but getting better.

This is where the fun part comes in.  I turned to another, outside point of view.  I ran downstairs and asked my hubby for his advice.  He was actually very good.  He told me to thin out one side and raise the other.  I kept having to run upstairs to the mirror and then back done for his opinion.  Now, I realize not all husbands are as observant as mine (or as willing, thanks hun), but mine was great.

I'm not sure if I got a final shot, but here is what I do have.

Not bad, and a whole lot cleaner.  If only I could keep up with the maintenance.

Date Jar

Hubby and I celebrated our three year anniversary last week.  Because it seems a little silly to go all crazy for three years (even though we have been together for 8) we kept the whole event low key.  We did, however, exchange gifts.  I got a two person tent.  That was Hubby's way of saying he would try camping with me (yay, I love camping).  We have yet to get the sleeping bag, but all in good time.

My gift to him was much more personal.  I made a DATE JAR.  We never know what to do when we want to go on a date.  We end up sitting there saying "What do you want to do?"  "No, what do you want to do?"  it goes on forever until we just settle for dinner and a movie.  We ARE already an old married couple.

So to solve this issue I made a jar full of date ideas.  

It was super simple.  I started with a long list of date ideas that I actually made with Hubby's input.  I then categorized them from most expensive to least.

I printed each selection of dates on different colored paper.  Cut them out.  Folded them up ... and put them in the jar all mixed up.

I labeled the jar (so hubby would know what this jar full of paper was.

On the back of the label I have the code to the price range of each date.

Tie a cute ribbon on it, and I am done.  I picked a more "manly" ribbon with Hubby in mind.  (I didn't think he would appreciate a pink ribbon, but did throw in some pink paper for style.  I like pink.)

Now, when we don't know what to do for our dates we can just pick a card from the jar.

What do you think?  Do you have a similar problem with dating your hubby or significant other?  What is your "go-to" date?