today’s list is one that i mentioned a while ago about readying your house for drop-in guests. but first, i want to share a couple of other things. surprise, right?
my friend becca is hosting her annual crop for a cause on saturday april 17! not only do ALL of the proceeds go to jdrf, but it’s a great time with lots and lots of perks for everyone who attends. even if you aren’t a scrapbooker, you can bring your knitting, your quilting projects, stamps, whatever! it’s a good opportunity to spend the day with a friend/friends and maybe accomplish a little something that you’ve not made the time for! plus your dollars could make the difference in finding a cure! it’s become increasing obvious to me that when you invest in others, the benefit comes back. i believe it’s because you reap what you sow. so go sign up for the crop for a cure! i’ll be there!
remember the “secret” photography project that i mentioned i was working on? not the wedding magazine cover, but the other one? tomorrow before i leave for wppi, i will link you to an article i wrote, sharing tips on buying or upgrading your camera equipment. that is the one thing that i think i receive more emails about than anything else. folks asking advice on what to buy when they are ready to upgrade. i think the article will give you some great basic info. the link and an announcement that i’m super excited about - tomorrow!
this little collection of vintage stamps and paint sets are some of my favorites. the stamps were in a throwout pile and the paint tins were each $1 at an estate sale a few years ago. i love the sentiment on the tin-*happiness on every page*. love it.
my lunch yesterday was so yummy. i had to snap a pic-
i drizzled a touch of market fresh asian sesame ginger dressing over this and gobbled up every bite. the beauty of this dressing is that a touch of it is LOADED with flavor, so you don’t need to use much. so good. i am already wanting to share an updated list of adult lunch ideas. i’ve been making lots of fun yummy stuff lately and i’ve seen some great ideas in blogland too.
speaking of blogland. a couple of weeks ago, i challenged a group of my oldest friends to each start a blog. really, it was more than a challenge. i sort of forced the issue and dared them. i even had ideas for each of them. i told them even if they were “a one post wonder”, they needed to do this! i even gave them a deadline. ballsy, huh? so friends, if you’re reading, you have 4 weeks until the big reveal! i’ll be linking 7 brand spanking new, never before read blogs. some will be funny, some will be inspirational, some will be practical….but i love these girls so much, they will all be amazing! i can’t wait to share my friends and all they have to offer with you!
ten minute spruce up *b* list
- keep one area tidy most of the time. duh. but honestly, this was a huge revelation to me. if you have the luxury of having a larger home, i would suggest keeping your front room tidy. my house is set up perfectly for this. my family room can be a disaster (and often is!) but since it’s in the back of the house, i can have drop-ins come into my living room and not be mortified. here’s something that i really feel strongly about: don’t make the mistake of being so into what others think, that you don’t even start or ever do anything creative, because you don’t want to deal with the mess. especially if you have children at home. let your house be messy. it’s so worth it. it makes me sad when appearances matter more than experiencing creativity or life in general. i find some messes to be beautiful. for example, a kitchen alive with activity in the midst of baking or cooking something fabulous!
- clutter collection room. another luxury. if i’m in the middle of a messy project and someone calls, i grab my laundry basket, throw things in the basket and put it in my laundry room. i shut the door and deal with it later. awww. freeing.
- stack it. i’m a book and paper person, so instead of throwing all my paper treasures in the laundry basket, i simply make as tidy a pile as i’m able. when my guests leave, i’m usually motivated to deal with my stacks.
- make your bed. just get in the habit. so simple. words of wisdom from my gram. one thing that makes all the difference in how your bedroom looks.
- get rid of overflowing trash. when i’m cooking, i have the habit of throwing all the trash in a small bag hanging in front of the sink. when i’m done cooking, i take that one small bag out. but, it does look pretty gross if it’s not dealt with pronto.
- spray your sinks with bleach or vinegar mix. this is so simple, but makes a huge difference. i learned this little tip from the same lady who i learned the dusting trick (spraying a damp rag with dusting spray, rather than spraying every piece of furniture…the best cleaning tip ever!). when i was in the cleaning business, i would arrive at her back door, and walk into her kitchen to a clean smelling sink that was freshly sprayed. it saves on actual scrubbing time too.
- disinfecting wipes. i don’t use these on a regular basis, but they are handy if you need to quickly spruce up a bathroom or kitchen.
- deal with mail immediately. this has been life changing for me. when tom brings the mail in, i immediately throw out the trash mail. i file everything else right then. it takes seconds and i don’t have to handle it again.
- vacuum or swiffer. i only have one room of carpet on the main floor, so i can vacuum that room in about a minute if i have to. if you have wood floors and you don’t have a swiffer, go out and buy one today. huge time saver.
- be real. accept that perfection is very unrealistic. unless you choose to live a very superficial life. if appearances outweigh living, then i guess i’m wrong! most of my close friends know me, and most likely i wouldn’t even bother to do this quick spruce up if they were stopping by. since i run a business from my home, i do need to try to keep things somewhat orderly, but i think i’ve found a balance that i’m comfortable with….at least for the moment!
thank you so much for reading. i am feeling very grateful right now. knowing that i’ve basically been able to build a photography business because of all of you. i just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart!
God bless you!
by admin
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