Craft Cart

Today went by so quickly.  I went to see Harry Potter in 3D.  I saw it on the first night regular style but really wanted to check it out in 3D.  And since it's been so hot here I figured a cool theatre would be a good way to spend a few hours.  And after I got home from that I didn't do much else except lay in front of the air conditioner and did laundry.  I'm exciting, what can I say.

I did finish up a project that I started this week.  Last weekend I went to a few yard sales with my yard sale pals, Angie & Sabrina. We found a random treasure and after a little discussion Sabrina and I took home the below AV cart (there were two).  Now why would we need an AV cart?  No, it's not 1985 and we don't have overhead projectors to speak of.   But yes, we had a vision for it.

Doesn't this remind you of elementary school? 

 I spray painted mine a bright blue. 

 And turned it into a craft utility cart.  It's great because of the power outlet on the side.  Perfect for hot glue guns, irons, etc.  I have a craft closet but it's small and it's kind of annoying to always have to be digging out the basics for every time I want to be crafty.  And I hate messing up my tables and counters with messy projects. 

The bottom shelf has a big basket with things like an iron, a bow maker, paper cutter, rulers, etc.

The middle shelf has paint, ribbon and glue guns. 

The top houses a bucket of paint brushes and a little tote that has scissors, tape, glue, hole punch, etc.  All the essentials.  (I love this because it is portable so I can take this anywhere.  I even brought it to Jill's wedding in case we needed supplies.)

 And Sabrina and I found these great magnetic curtain rods to use for ribbon on the side.  I think I need a few more but I put my basic ribbons on these two. 

I'm still not sure where it will live but for now it's in the office (the "weird" room) in a corner.  I have a thing about having stuff like this visible but I don't think it's that much of an eye sore.  I really like that it's on wheels so I can move it around. 

I think it's a pretty good use of an old AV cart.  And it was only $8.  You gotta love a bargain like that.  And please go check out Sabrina's version.  She did a great job on hers and since she organized hers first, you'll see some of mine looks amazingly similar to hers.  :)  You know what they say about imitation...

What do you think?

And Happy Birthday to one of my favorite girls, Cristina!  xoxo

Basket--O-- Supplies

Once summer starts and the students leave campus, I always find myself spending a lot of time organizing things in my life.  Well, okay, that's not completely true.  I like to organize ANYTIME. But it's been especially true in the last few weeks. 

Today's inspiration was this basket.  I think I got it at a yard sale last year.  I was going to use it in my bathroom for brushes and other bathroom trinkets but I found something better at some point.  I was pulling it out to get rid of it when I realized a great way to use it.  I think I did use it for a party once to put the napkins and utensils in...but that seems so ordinary. 

I brought it in the office and decided I was going to use it as an office supply caddy.  I have a lot of student leaders that work with me on various programs and often "borrow" my stapler, scissors, tape, etc.  Sadly, I might not see some of these items again.  This is frustrating to my office supply budget and my "control issues" over my office supplies.  ha ha.  I'm not THAT bad but I really like my stapler and my tape dispenser.  Anyway, I figured I'd make a basket of goodies that are portable for the students and for me.  And it has everything I might need when I leave the office for a program or event. (tape, stapler, extra staples, scissors, highlighters, markers, ruler, paper clips, blue tape, post it notes, etc)

And it all fits so nice and neatly in the caddy.  And it sits on a shelf ready to go.  If I had kids, I'd do a home addition too.  :)

And YES, I know posting about this makes me a little bit of a nerd.  I 'm okay with that.  We all are nerds about something.  And I think being an organized nerd has a certain charm to it...

Happy Wednesday! 

The Nail File

 Anyone who knows me knows my adoration for nail polish.  But sometimes this can be problematic.  Not because it's a bad addiction but because I simply have so much.  I refuse to count how many bottles I have because I fear that the answer.  And well, another problem is the storage issue.  I've had it stored in a 2 drawer stand in my bedroom but it's difficult to look through.  I recently decided to part with any polish that isn't OPI or Essie.  I didn't open the "other" drawer in over a year, so I put all of those in a basket to bring in to my office.  The college students were very happy to go through the basket and take some bottles off my hands.

Anyway, I have often thought of a new creative way to store the polish, but haven't figured out a way that isn't completely ridiculous.  So the polish lives in the drawers.  Then the other night, a friend  posted the most brilliant idea on Facebook.  A fabric jewelry organizer.  I had purchased one in January and it holds all of my jewelry perfectly and it's hidden away in my closet.  I never thought of using it for polish.  But my friend's picture inspired me to go out the next day to get the new organizer.  This morning I tested it out.  And by that I mean I should have been getting ready for work, but found myself putting all of my polish in the pockets. 

 Look at that!  This organizer hold about 70 bottles (on both sides).



I have to categorize by color still, but I think this is an excellent way to organize. I think it'll hand on my closet door.   Oh, and for the record, I still have a few spots open on the back so I don't have 70 bottles of nail polish....yet.  haha. 

Happy Thursday!