p.s.

as part of the whole house purge, doug and i went through our dvd collection...i now have around 40 dvd's available for purchase for $1 each plus shipping! some are not opened...includes lots of chick flicks, praise baby dvd collection and lots more. if you would like to see the complete list of dvd's available email me at ricracandpompoms @ gmail.com (no spaces). :)

thanks! :) see you soon with a fun way to organize TOYS!

xoxo

How to exploit your childs cuteness...

Step One:
Have a cute kid.
Step Two:
Print in BIG BOLD LETTERS a message you would like to send out to the masses...here we used "Thank You".
Step Three:
Place in a nice chunky frame-minus the glass to eliminate glare.
Step Four:
Bribe two year old with a skittle AND an encore playing of the latest Thomas episode. (yes only ONE skittle did the trick...how long am I going to get away with that?).
Step Five:
Snap away...takes LOTS of photos so that one is bound to be good.
Step Six:
Order as postcards and send out your thank yous for all your recently received goods. :)
Step Seven:
As a bonus this uses up all those extra holiday stamps that would be a little weird to appear on your birth announcements. :)

Just for the record, Moses thought this was an acceptable photo to use as well. :)

So. It is safe to say that my brain is on it's way out the door...several events have led to this realization...the most recent is that I spent ALL day yesterday thinking and knowing that it was Wednesday...thinking ALL day long that I would have ALL day Thursday to finish up all the little projects I wanted to get done for the shop and have them ready to list on Friday (a day that was two away). Imagine my surprise when I learned, too late in the day to do anything about it, that yesterday was actually Thursday. So there are still several projects to be done for the shop...oops. I did manage to squeeze in a few things...mostly to make myself feel less crazy.
~*~
I'll be adding the barrettes above to the shop here and there...there will be limited sets available so snap them up while you can. :)

And I just LOVE the Valentines Day version of the photo holders that I came up with...there is a pink dots version...

And a red dots version. Super, Super sweet and a perfect gift for so many...especially the grandmas I think...how sweet would these be hanging off a door knob or coat hook or anywhere really. :)
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Ok, ready for my slightly crazy cleaning/organizing trick? I try to touch things as little as possible. Not really in an OCD sort of way but better...and way healthier. Say you have a cup of coffee in the morning...that cup gets left on the table...eventually moves to the counter...then the sink...and finally the dishwasher (where it should have been the whole time). I try to avoid those kinds of sequences as much as possible...in this case, just putting the cup in the dishwasher as soon as I was done. I also sort the mail by the trash can and throw out the junk immediately. I try my best to put things RIGHT back where they belong when I am done using them...because let's face it...the only person in my house who is going to put it away is me. :)

Do you have any slightly crazy cleaning tricks? Come on...you can share. :)

This photo is thanks to you in advance for sharing. ;)

Hope your household is as happy as mine today...Doug is in heaven that his Hokies won the bowl game last night. :) And if daddy is happy then Moses is happy too...that boy is following fast in his dad's love of sports...whenever he sees (what he thinks) is a touchdown being scored he yells "Touchdown Yankees!!!!". The right sentiment is there right?

Don't forget to answer the question of the day...
Do you have any slightly crazy cleaning tricks?

xoxo

A non holiday?

New Year's has always been a sort of non-holiday to me...I don't drink and I don't make New Year's resolutions and I am usually in bed by 11pm at the latest...plus it takes me 'til June to consistently write the new year down instead of the previous one...basically always been that way...I kinda figure that with Jesus...everyday is a fresh new start. Isn't that nice? :)
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This is the time of year that I start the dreaded tax process...gathering receipts from every envelope and crevice in the house...waiting patiently(or not so patiently) for the required forms to come in the mail...it's the only time of year that I kinda like numbers...to compare last year with this year...especially since I started Etsy. This year I feel especially hurried to get the taxes done...I want them done before baby comes...and there aren't so many weeks left...yikes!

Like I said...numbers are not my favorite...pretty new crafts, however...after I did my share of tax prep last night, I treated myself to making some of these...I have seen them around the web here and there in various forms and textures...most of them seemed too frilly for me...so I switched it up a bit and came up with these Funky versions...at the moment they are just pretty to look at...not sure what to do with them now. I thought about attaching a ponytail holder...what do you think? Any ideas?

Also been working on some pretty new towels...among other little projects here and there. I am basically slow as a snail these days and the couch is my favorite...I love any craft I can do from there. Today, while Doug is off I hope to get all the baby things OUT of the attic, get the Christmas things back IN the attic and get to working on a room for this baby that will be here before I know it! In the meantime I have have little house projects going on...the house purge continues and I love it. :)
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Another one of my "tricks" is actually a motivational tool. Our family motto is "Do what you have to, so you can what you want to". I had it printed on a sign that hangs where we can see it often. I can't tell you how many times seeing that sign that has gotten me in gear to tackle the laundry or empty the dishwasher or some other mundane NON-fun task. Then, when I get to sit and do something for fun or crafty sake...I feel a lot less guilty. :) More tricks later...but 'til then...

Is there some trick you use to motivate yourself?

On the Moses front...he has been as enjoyable as ever...I swear some days I could just eat him up he is SO sweet! One of my favorite things to do is to listen in on him and Doug playing together...to hear my two best boys having fun together just makes the whole house warm and cozy. Last night was beat box lessons...complete with Moses learning the sounds to pretend he is scratching a record...only the cutest thing you have ever heard a two year old do. He also loves to play drums on the couch pillows while he dances...with probably more rhythm than his dad and I combined. :)

Hope that this year you face EACH day with a fresh new start! :)

Don't forget the question of the day:
Is there some trick you use to motivate yourself?

xoxo

Bit by bit...

We are getting back into the swing of normal...seems we haven't seen much of that since summer...while I do love all of my Fall and Christmas decorating, baking, entertaining, etc...there is just something about getting back to the normal...you know? I have been working at resetting the house back to normal mode...all of the Christmas goodies are tucked away for next year...I have been purging the house of "extra"...admittedly one of my favorite things to do...Oh, and thinking about getting ready for a new baby...
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I am often asked how I manage to keep such an organized home...I have many tricks up my sleeve you know? :) One is that I go through the house regularly...monthly and get rid of things we don't need or use. The less stuff you have the less time it takes to care for it. "Things" that live in our house must meet one of two criteria...1) Do I LOVE it? 2) Is it useful? If it doesn't meet one of those two I usually get rid of it(hello Goodwill)...I have not given up something that I regret to date. I don't often keep things because I might need it someday...an obvious exception are all of the baby things stored up in our attic...but those will be useful soon, won't they?
~*~
I'll share more of my tricks in later posts but for now, how about you? What do you do to keep organized?

I have also been crafty...as least as crafty as one can be sitting on their bottom...I have had a cold since Christmas Eve and have lots of extra aches and pains to go along with my "normal" pregnancy ailments. :) I swear this pregnancy is twice as hard on my body as the last one...the sweet little birds above are one of my favorite new things to hit the shop soon...

I am also smitten with my latest bunch of scraps from Lassie Girl...LOVE all of the yummy dots and new fabrics...and love that I can get my hands on some fabrics that I love without having to buy a yard of it.

Oh, and one more thing...if you are anything like me you will love this...want 1200 FREE prints? Go HERE and sign up for an account and you can get 50 free 4 by 6's and 50 free 5 by 7's per month!! :) Start the new year ahead of the game with already having your Christmas photos ordered! :) I had a friend who recently started using them and has no complaints. :)
P.S. If you sign up...use this link so I will get some additional free credits...you will too.
http://www.artscow.com/?Ref=520662

Don't forget my question of the day: What do you do to keep organized?
~*~

xoxo