My Huge Jewelry Organizer

I love chunky, junky jewelry, and I'm always looking for a way to put them out on display as they are too beautiful to be hidden away in a drawer.  I have made a smaller version of this padded jewelry display before, but since my collection has grown, I was looking for something bigger with more impact.  Luckily, I already had all the materials on hand, and it only took me 30 minutes to complete this project.

I re-purposed a mirror I made to stage my last place for sale.  The 20"x40" frame came from Goodwill for $14.99.  I bought a piece of plexi mirror for $20 and cut it down to fit the frame.  As a temporary mirror, it did the job,  but the silver behind the plexi mirror began to peel, and the mirror began to warp slightly, making it look like one of those carnival mirrors.  The batting and muslim came from my quilting stash.

I cut the fabric and muslin slightly bigger than the mirror.  You'll need this extra fabric to wrap around the mirror.

Next, I wrapped and taped the fabric to the back.  Be sure to pull the fabric taut so it doesn't sag.

Place the wrapped mirror in the frame.  I got a kick out of the original price of the frame:  $158.95.

I didn't have any brackets to hold the mirror in place, so I improvised by bending some nails in place.

Flip over and enjoy your work.

Now comes the fun part - hanging your jewelry.  I had extra T-pins I used to hold the jewelry in place.  This was a super easy project, and the best part was that I didn't have to spend any money as I already had the materials.  Now I have to figure out a place to hang this where the cats won't to swat at the jewelry.

Organizing Tip: Organize your Car

Many of  us spend more time in our cars than our homes.  Some of us have long daily commutes.  Others use their cars as mobile offices for sales call.  Moms shuttle their kids to school and numerous after school activities.  Considering all the time we spend on the road, its no surprise that clutter and trash tends to accumulate in the car, usually on the floor.  Here are some products and strategies to keep your car tidy.

Back seat organizer

This organizer comes in many variations, but they all do the same thing - provide a convenient place to stash your stuff and keep it off the floor.  This is particularly helpful with kids as they tend to have lots of stuff to distract themselves in the car.

Stash Your Trash

Talus Litter Bag

This is another variation of the back seat organizer designed specifically for trash.  As a cheap alternative, I slip a plastic grocery bag around my stick shift.  When it gets full, I slip it off, toss is in the trash and slip on a new one.

Office organizer

Auto Express Desk

This handy office organizer sits on the passenger seat and  is perfect for sales people who visit many clients during the day.  The hinged top opens up to provide a work space for a laptop.  Handy compartments hold files and office gadgets.   It's a desk on the go.

Trunk organizer

Some of us use our trunks as external storage lockers, which is perfectly acceptable if you have sales samples or weekly sports activities that require lots of gear.  To prevent your items from rolling around and getting damaged, keep them contained with a trunk organizer. 

Tidy the car when pumping gas:  It only takes a couple minutes to fill the car, so take this time to clean the car.  Toss out the trash, pick up items from the floor and put them in their proper place.  The car is actually a very small space, and you will be surprised to see how much you can accomplish by the time your tank is full.

Keep a trash can in the garage: For many families, the garage serves as the main entry and exit point of the house.  Keeping a trash can in the garage makes it easy to quickly rid the car of trash.

Don't leave the car empty handed:  Anytime anyone gets out of the car to go in the house, they need to grab something and either put it away in the house or throw it away.

Wishful Wednesday: Dream Pantry

I wish I had a pantry like this.

Design Sponge

Beautiful Labelling

I usually rely on my trusty label maker for quick labeling as I appreciate the instant gratification. The labels aren't beautiful, but they do the job.   If I had more time, I'd probably try something more decorative.

Chalk Board Paint

 Heart of Light

Make erasable labels with chalk board paint. 

Glass Etching

Martha Stewart

Customize glass storage jars with glass etching.

Free Printable Labels

There are many artists out there who have generously donated their talent to the general public with free labels.  A quick Google search on "download labels" yields some beautiful labels.  Simply download, print and afix with a glue stick or double sided tape.

Heirloom Paperie

Poppytalk

Green Originals

 

Homegrown

Just Something I Made

Domestifluff

Dual Purpose Dining Rooms

My last house had a formal dining room that we rarely used.  Our lifestyle in northern California is very laid back, and we would only use the dining room for Thanksgiving or Christmas if we happened to be hosting.  Every time I walked past my dining room, I would think to myself  "what a waste of space."  It never occurred to me that my dining room could do double duty until I came across these rooms.

Library 

Architectural Digest

This is a room completed by Mica Ertegun of MAC II published in Architectural Digest. Not only is it a lovely dining room but it doubles as a library.  There's something about walls of beautifully bound books that create a warm, cozy feeling.  Also, books are a great conversation starter during dinner. Though this dining room has 3 walls of built in bookcases, all you need is a couple of bookcase to mimic this look.

Decorpad

 Here's a modern variation of the library dining room.  Love the pop of yellow against the dark walls.


Game Room

 Fusion Table

Convert your dining room into a billiard room by lifting off the top of this table. You can even use it as a poker table with the addition of a poker felt top.  Full disclosure - my husband and I bought this table for our dining room a couple of months ago. Yes, it is stupidly expensive, but it is exquisitely designed, very beautiful and highly functional as both a dining and game table.  We find ourselves spending more quality time with our friends at home playing pool and hanging out.  This table has really changed the dynamics of the room and how we interact with friends.  Costco sells much a more affordable versions of this table, tough not as good looking.


Dining Room Office

If space is at a premium, use your dining room as an office. The dining table becomes a generous work surface.  File cabinets can double as a buffet.  Office furniture has come a long way, and you can find beautiful file cabinets that look like high end furniture.  Pottery Barn has some great examples. If you're crafty and on a budget, you can customize generic file cabinets with beautiful wrapping paper.  There's also office organizers pretty enough to be left out on display.  Container Store has a great assortment to choose from.

Organizing Tip: Archiving your Children's Artwork

If you have young children, chances are you are flooded with their artwork.  There's only so much you can display, but you feel too guiltly to throw it all away.

I have a client who was struggling with the same problem.  She is extremely sentimental and kept almost every piece of her children's artwork.  Imagine all the papers she has been collecting with 3 kids.  She was quickly running out of space and wanted a more efficient way of archiving all her kid's artwork, so I suggested scanning the art and making a photo book.

First, we took inventory of all the art.  As much as we love our kids, not every piece of art they create is a masterpiece, so we worked closely with her daughter to select the best art that had the most sentimental  meaning.  Next, we sent them into ScanCafe to have them scanned into jpegs.  If you have a scanner, you can do this yourself, but given the quantity and the large size of some of the artwork, it was easier to have a professional do it.  Once we received the DVD, we uploaded them to Mixbook and made a 12x12 photo book.  There are many other photo book sites, but I prefer Mixbook because you can add, resize, move and delete pictures and text boxes very easily.

I chose a simple white background for the photo book because I didn't want anything to compete with the artwork, but there are many background and embellishments you can add to jazz it up.  Take a look at the finished photo book.  It's arranged chronologically, and it's interesting to see how her daughter has grown and matured over time.   At the end of the project, we were able to condense two large boxes of artwork into one slim photo book.

Style your Bookcases

I always strive to combine beauty with form and function.  If a room is gorgeous and pleasing to the eye, my clients are more inclined to keep things neat and tidy.  When it comes to bookcases, most of my clients treat them as  functional pieces of  furniture and unimaginatively align their books upright across the shelf.  Bookcases consume a significant amount of visual space, and in some cases, they are the focal point of the room.  Below are some easy examples to add decorative style to your bookcases.

Carrie Miller Kerwin

Stack books on their sides to create lifts that highlight personal treasures.  The different levels across the shelves create a dynamic flow.  Note the use of empty, negative space.  This helps the bookcase feel light and airy.  Simple boxes on the bottom are a great solution for additional storage.

MD House

Mirror backs lighten and brighten large bookcases that would otherwise take up too much visual space.  I love how mirrors add a touch of glam to these modern bookcases.

Apartment Therapy

Unexpected wallpaper on the bottom of floating shelves draws the eyes up to amazing ceilings in this loft.

In this room, books serve as a background for art.  I see this look in magazines all the but question the practicality of it.  This set up only makes sense if you don't access your books frequently.

 Paint the back of your bookcase to add a splash of contrasting color.

Wallpaper backs adds a touch of wimsy.  The large scale of the pattern suites the large bookcases.  Usually, all it takes is one roll of wallpaper.


One of my favorite bloggers, I Suwanee, has a weekly feature called Bookcase of the Day that highlights mouthwatering bookcases.  Lots of beautiful inspirations.