I *heart* organizing's project paper challenge

I'm so embarrassed to admit that my paper filing system was horrendous. Really, it was so embarrassing I wouldn't even let the hubby inside those bins. He would ask me where an important document was and I would jump up immediately to try to find it for him. A good 10 minutes later and I would have it in hand. Oh and there were times when I swore I knew where it was, but just couldn't find it. I had all the little cute white matching bins, yet they were just filled with an unorganized mess. They may have looked cute on the outside but if you were ever to take the tops off those bins you would have seen it... pure madness!

My filing system usually changed a few times a year. I would start by filing all our bills by the month and then the other important documents would be split into their own categories. Within a short period of time I was no longer filing our bills by the month and they had their own file. I never seemed to have enough file folders for all of my documents so instead of buying more, my important documents just shared their home with one another. Oh and labeling, nothing was labeled, it was a guessing game on where to put things. I always had good intentions of getting it all organized, really I did. I just never took the time to do it.

So when I read about Jen and her month of organizing paper project I jumped on board without hesitating. Thankfully I didn't have to buy a thing other then more file folders. I can't believe how easy it was to do and how drastically it has changed the way I pay my bills and file them. My little command center is definitely not as cute as her but it is completely organized and functioning. There will be no more lost papers, late bills, or accidentally thrown out documents.

That little Dollar Store basket keeps all of my billing paying tools in one little spot.

Does this little coupon shopping list organizer look familiar? I use it all the time. I actually put a little monthly planner in there and use it for more then just shopping now. I love having everything in one place. Go here for the tutorial if you haven't made one yet. It is the handiest thing ever!

There it is...complete organization!

Thank you Jen for helping me gain control of my paper madness. I cannot wait for next months challenge...project photography! This is definitely going to take me a whole month to complete. My pictures are a mess and in all honesty I do not have an organization system for them, and don't even know where to start.

Destashing time again!

Look at what arrived in the mail the other day... some new fabric! Oh they are scrumptious! I don't know about you, but there is nothing that makes this girl happier then a bunch of new brightly colored fabrics.

Unfortunatley, there was no more room in my drawers for them. So I had to organize that messy scrap drawer of mine and say good-bye to lots of fabric scraps that I love. So if any of you are in need of some scraps they are for sale in my etsy shop right now. I'm asking only $4 or $6 per bag, shipping included. I'm not looking to make any money off them, just looking for a good home for them.

One of the bags is full of little ovals that measure about 4" by 3 1/2" each. They are actually the little ovals that are cut out when I making my bibs. I have been saving them for weeks now with the intention of making some fabric bunting, but as you can see, I'm having to say good-bye to them.

Need some fabric scraps?

Head on over to my etsy shop if your interested.

fat quarter friday {closet clothes divider tutorial}

I'm still on my organizing frenzy. This week I am working on the kids room. We have very limited space for all of their clothes as we only have one armoire and one dresser that they all share. I needed a way to keep all of their clothes separated by child. Their clothes used to be all together and so unorganized, which caused complete madness! I wanted something that could be reusable and quick to make. I also wanted to use up all of those plastic bags that I had in the closet. I had been wondering for awhile now if I could cut up sew those plastic blags, so I decided to give it a shot and well, it works great. The best part about the dividers is that when you want to change seasons or the child's size, all you have to do is reprint and insert it into the little pocket. So I hope these cute little clothes dividers help you in your organizing frenzies, they sure are helping me!

Closet Clothes Dividers Tutorial

Materials Needed:

* one fat quarter (which will make two dividers)

*plastic bags (the ones you get when you buy sheet sets)
*kid sized coat hangers

*card stock for templets

Start by cutting up the plastic bags. Cut off the zipper and cut up all the seams so that they lie flat.

Change your foot to the teflon foot if you have one. If not, grab a plastic foot, hopefully you have one of those. It just makes sewing over the plastic much easier.

Tape two pieces of card stock together and make the following shape. The templet is 13 1/4" long and 8" to the highest point and then 5 1/2" on the sides. If you are not using kids coat hangers measure like so.

Measure about 2 1/2" all around the coat hanger except leave about 3/4" on the sides of coat hanger to the edge of the paper.

Cut a 4" square out of card stock.

Take your 4" square templet and cut out one piece of plastic. It is easiest if you use your rotary cutter to cut out the pieces. If your pieces of plastic are wrinkled you can iron them by sandwiching them in between some pieces of fabric. I did it and it worked great, but don't hold me liable for any mess-ups.

Now cut out two pieces of fabric using the coat hanger templet.

Fold the top tip on the piece of fabric down a 1/2" and iron. Fold over again another 1/2" and iron. You are doing this to conceal the raw edges. Now stitch. Repeat with the other piece of fabric.

Now it is time to sew the plastic square onto one piece of fabric. Find the center of the fabric and measure up 2" from the bottom. That is where your piece of plastic should be sewn on. Make sure the plastic piece is centered and place a little piece of masking tape on top of the plastic piece to hold it in place. It will making sewing it on easier.

Sew all three sides of the plastic piece. Make sure you do not sew the top of the plastic.

Should look like this now. This was the best shot I could get. It was really hard to photograph the plastic piece.

Pin both pieces of fabric together, right sides facing. Sew sides. Make sure you do not sew the top or bottom.

Zig-zag or searge raw edges.

Fold over raw edges on the bottom of fabric by folding up 1/2" and ironing. Fold over another 1/2" and iron again. Sew bottom edge.

Turn right sides out and iron flat. Just be careful not to iron the plastic piece.

Insert coat hanger in from the bottom.

Print or hand write your child's name, size, season or whatever else you want to help you stay organized. As you can see from my initials I'm not so creative when it comes to using print shop. I had envisioned their initials in the middle with some polka dots around the initial but as you can see, all they got was a plain ole initial. That's alright, I still love the way they look and the best part is the armoire is now completely organized! I will be making some more to put into the larger closet and separating the kids clothes by season and size.

**Please feel free to use this tutorial for your personal sewing projects. You may link this to your blog and use any photo's. Please be kind and give credit where credit is due.**

Any questions or comments please do not hesitate to contact me. If you make one using this tutorial, please add it to my flickr group. I would love to see it and just may see it featured one day!

fat quarter friday {fabric luggage tag tutorial}

Fabric Luggage Tag Tutorial

(allow 30 minutes from start to finish)

Materials Needed:

*fabric scraps

*batting or stabilizer

*heavy plastic bags (the ones that sheet sets come in)

**Before you get started change, change the foot on your machine to a tephlon or plastic foot. This foot will glide smoother over the plastic when top stitching over the plastic.**

Start by cutting off a 4 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece of plastic from the plastic bag. If the plastic is really wrinkled you can iron them by sandwiching the plastic in between two pieces of fabric. It worked great for me, just don't hold me liable for any mishaps.

Cut fabric to the following sizes:

* one piece 2" x 19" (contrasting fabric will be used for the strap)

* cut 2 pieces of main fabric: 5 1/2" x 3 1/2"

* cut one piece of batting or stabilizer: 5 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Take the 2" x 19" piece of fabric and make a bias strip out of it. Now cut 3 1/2" off from the bias strip you just made. Now you should have a piece that is 3 1/2" long and one that is 15 1/2" long.
Take the 3 1/3" piece of bias tape and sew it onto the top of the plastic.

Top stitch down the middle of the bias tape to make a strap.

Time to assemble the tag. Layer with the batting or stabilizer on the bottom. Then fabric right side up. Place the plastic piece on top, right side up and finish with fabric piece right side down.

Pin in place. Just do not pin through plastic piece. If you need to, you can use masking tape to keep the plastic piece in place, but I was fine without having to tape it down. Stitch around sides while leaving a 1 1/2" opening at the top of the tag for turning right side out.

Trim very close to the stitches and square off the corners. Do not trim the fabric at the opening. Turn right side out.

Push sides out and use a pointy object to push out the corners. Fold in the opening and iron flat. Be careful not to iron the plastic.

Take the strap and insert it into the opening.

Make sure handle is centered. Pin in place and top stitch all around the tag.

Now insert your address and info on a card or insert your business card. To attach luggage tag, just pull strap through luggage handle, open up strap and push tag through the loop. Now pull tag and make it snug.

Now if I only had a place to go! That's alright, I actually made these will someone else in mind. But they do look super cute on my little girls Dante Beatrix backpack, don't they?!

**Please feel free to use this tutorial for your personal sewing projects. You may link this to your blog and use any photo's. Please be kind and give credit where credit is due.**

Any questions or comments please do not hesitate to contact me. If you make one using this tutorial, please add it to my flickr group. I would love to see it!