I don't know what has gotten into me in the last week. Spring fever? Reaching my limit? Total frustration? Don't know, but I've gone on a cleaning bender. First, it was my middle two boys' large bedroom, then on Saturday, it was the cabinet in our living room.
I wish I took "before" pics and not just "after." It was an overflowing jumble of game bits, cards, puzzle pieces and whatever the kids decided to shove in there when they were "cleaning."
While my boys were busy with their friends (the boy count here jumped from 4 to 8 on Saturday), I emptied it all out on the floor and started sorting, filling a 13-gallon kitchen garbage bag of stuff to be tossed and setting aside a stack of games that have never been played with.
There was enough room left over to put away the toddler sorting toys that tend to get lost in the bottom of his toy baskets. Once I was done, we actually put the games to use.
First it was a wild game of "Concentration" with a vintage "Go Fish" deck. I love this set, so does my kindergartener. Even though he kept helping me find matches, he won.
Later, my oldest and I snuggled under blankets, with Alice, so he could teach me "Othello." Good thing I have a healthy sense of self-esteem. He beat me too.
Even though I have yet to tackle the cupboard in the kitchen that holds art supplies, we got a bit crafty too.
We've saved empty coffee creamer and toddler snack containers for awhile now. We've used them for sorting items, dropping clothespins, even bowling, but I ultimately wanted to use them for this project.
With felted sweater and fleece scraps, buttons and beads, markers and scewers, I made snowmen with the two little boys.
I also got the opportunity to try something I read on a blog somewhere. My sister gave me these vinyl "lace" placemats years ago. I've always wanted to do something with them for Valentine's Day, just didn't know what.
Originally done on red fabrics, I chose to tape the placemats to paper and then spray them with a mixture of beach and water. Didn't work as well as I'd like, but I do like the affect. I'll cut them into small bits to use as backgrounds on Valentine cards.
I want to try it with paint next. How do you think using a dry brush like with stencils will work? I want to capture the fine details of the "lace." The water pooled too much with this try.
I wish I took "before" pics and not just "after." It was an overflowing jumble of game bits, cards, puzzle pieces and whatever the kids decided to shove in there when they were "cleaning."
While my boys were busy with their friends (the boy count here jumped from 4 to 8 on Saturday), I emptied it all out on the floor and started sorting, filling a 13-gallon kitchen garbage bag of stuff to be tossed and setting aside a stack of games that have never been played with.
There was enough room left over to put away the toddler sorting toys that tend to get lost in the bottom of his toy baskets. Once I was done, we actually put the games to use.
First it was a wild game of "Concentration" with a vintage "Go Fish" deck. I love this set, so does my kindergartener. Even though he kept helping me find matches, he won.
Later, my oldest and I snuggled under blankets, with Alice, so he could teach me "Othello." Good thing I have a healthy sense of self-esteem. He beat me too.
Even though I have yet to tackle the cupboard in the kitchen that holds art supplies, we got a bit crafty too.
We've saved empty coffee creamer and toddler snack containers for awhile now. We've used them for sorting items, dropping clothespins, even bowling, but I ultimately wanted to use them for this project.
With felted sweater and fleece scraps, buttons and beads, markers and scewers, I made snowmen with the two little boys.
I also got the opportunity to try something I read on a blog somewhere. My sister gave me these vinyl "lace" placemats years ago. I've always wanted to do something with them for Valentine's Day, just didn't know what.
Originally done on red fabrics, I chose to tape the placemats to paper and then spray them with a mixture of beach and water. Didn't work as well as I'd like, but I do like the affect. I'll cut them into small bits to use as backgrounds on Valentine cards.
I want to try it with paint next. How do you think using a dry brush like with stencils will work? I want to capture the fine details of the "lace." The water pooled too much with this try.
Well, I love the organizing of the closets! Can you come to my house next? We're afraid to open the game closet. I love Othello! The snowmen the kids made are so adorable! The plastic placement technique is beautiful. I'll have to look around to see if I have anything like that. Thanks for sharing!
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