Hi. I'm Nikki Cleary. I want to help YOU and your family live a healthier, simplified lifestyle. Follow me on MY journey as I transform my family, resulting in a more organized, happy, home cooked, healthier home. Ultimately allowing us to spend more quality time with each other now and down the road...
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Happy Halloween!
Yesterday we had no school so went and bought some pumpkins, patterns and all the tools needed to carve. Riley chose the the spider and Brody chose the ghost and tree. We sat around the kitchen table cutting the tops off first, then cleaning the insides out...the boys thought that was lots of fun to reach into the pumpkin and dig out all the seeds and mush. Then you had to follow the pattern by poking hundreds of tiny holes into the pumpkin...then cut it out. Riley poked all the holes himself while I poked Brody's then I cut them out. They turned out great. We put a candle in them as soon as we got home and had them lit all day.
We are looking forward to getting dressed up tonight to go trick or treating... have a safe and happy Halloween.
xo
nikki
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Art Journals...how to
(a picture of my art journal cover) Have you ever wanted to create an art journal, but not know where to start...well, I was thinking about what type of class I wanted to teach the next couple of months at K2...and art journaling kept coming into my mind. So, in doing some research here are some fun and informative articles I found...
This link here is a great start with lots of articles on what art journaling is and how to get started!
How to create an art journal...click here.
How to use an art Journal...click here for great wiki article.
Fantastic art journal photos from flickr are here.
This blog Pinch me to see if you are dreaming is fantastic...her outlet is art journaling and so she has lots of inspiration! On her blog here you will find a list of basics to get you started. The great thing is...I dont necessarily have these exact items...but I DO have things I can use in their place!
Check out this site here for free ebooks on art journaling and such!
Other fun things I found:
In looking for art journaling articles and ideas...i ran across this article on how to fold a paper into a secret note...if this doesn't take you back to high school, I don't know what will! I ran and got a piece of paper and folded it up...now i am going to have to put it into my journal and write a little something, like who I used to write notes to in high school...this is what art journals are all about...what inspires you right then!
dream.design.create an art journal.
xoxo
nikki
This link here is a great start with lots of articles on what art journaling is and how to get started!
How to create an art journal...click here.
How to use an art Journal...click here for great wiki article.
Fantastic art journal photos from flickr are here.
This blog Pinch me to see if you are dreaming is fantastic...her outlet is art journaling and so she has lots of inspiration! On her blog here you will find a list of basics to get you started. The great thing is...I dont necessarily have these exact items...but I DO have things I can use in their place!
Check out this site here for free ebooks on art journaling and such!
Other fun things I found:
In looking for art journaling articles and ideas...i ran across this article on how to fold a paper into a secret note...if this doesn't take you back to high school, I don't know what will! I ran and got a piece of paper and folded it up...now i am going to have to put it into my journal and write a little something, like who I used to write notes to in high school...this is what art journals are all about...what inspires you right then!
dream.design.create an art journal.
xoxo
nikki
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Art Journals
...check out this cool video about 2800 artists who each created a moleskin journal into a work of art!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Halloween Crop
This is the FREE digi LO I created for the K2 Halloween crop on Oct 23rd...yours will be minus the three black and white adorable pictures of my kiddos though- LOL! More good news...is K2 was bought by new owners Kathy and Jessica...WooHooo!! So, I will still have my place to go crop, teach classes and buy all my scrapbook goodies!
xo
dream.design.create.
nikki
xo
dream.design.create.
nikki
Friday, October 09, 2009
Day Ten- any other areas or room you did not get to...
Today is the last day of spring cleaning our home. I tackled our laundry room and my studio.
Goal (for laundry room): To be able to functionally use our laundry tub and do the laundry with ease.
Have Fun and SIMPLIFY
xo
nikki
Goal (for laundry room): To be able to functionally use our laundry tub and do the laundry with ease.
- empty room of everything but washer/dryer
- divide into my 3 piles: keep/give/trash
- replace cabinets with books/notes that i feel I will reference to in the future (this is where I store all my SLP,PTA and continuing education books)
- empty bins/cabinets/drawers and sort into 2 piles keep and give
- re organize in a way that keeps all "like" items together and labeled
- create a functional work space for scrapbooking and one for sewing and an area where one of the kids can create with me
- donate all unwanted items to either a new scrapbooker or use them for school projects or other projects where I would otherwise need to buy supplies
Have Fun and SIMPLIFY
xo
nikki
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Day Nine- Master Bedroom and Bath
Goal: To create a calm, relaxing area for just Sean and me.
- empty dressers, nightstands and armoire and sort into 3 piles: keep/give/throw
- empty closet and bathroom cupboard and sort into 3 piles: keep/throw/give
- create a nice reading area
- create a unique storage for towels and extra tp in bathroom
- give a local women's charity all my excess clothes and toiletries etc, and donate all Sean's excess to a men's shelter
xo
nikki
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Day Eight- Kids Room (charlotte's room)
Goal: To create a safe, clean and organized place for Charlotte to sleep and play.
Have Fun and Simplify
xo
nikki
- empty out armoire, changing table and closet and sort into three piles: keep/give/throw
- replace only toys that are age appropriate
- refill armoire and closet with clothes that fit and keep only one bin of clothes that are clothes she will grow into (we have quite a few people who give us their clothes...and as much of a blessing as it is, it can also be very overwhelming when we get too much)
- re evaluate all baby items and determine if we really need them or if they are just cluttering up her already small bedroom (really think if I already have something that could fulfill that same purpose) ie: a sling and a baby carrier
- gather toys/clothes that are not age appropriate and find another family(s) that could really use them
Have Fun and Simplify
xo
nikki
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Day Seven- Kids Bedroom (my boys bedroom)
Goal: For the boys to be able to find all their toys/books quickly and easily and to create an organized way for them to store their stuff. For them to enjoy playing in their room.
- take all their toys and sort them into three piles: keep/give/throw (I did this when they were not home, so I did not meet any resistance) :)
- organize all toys we are going to keep into like areas and keep only what fits into the organizational bin you are going to use. This I did WITH the boys, so they felt a vested interest in their room/toys.
- gather all toys and give to a shelter or another organization that deals directly with children in need
xo
nikki
Monday, October 05, 2009
Day Six- Bathrooms/Linen Closet(s)
So with half our house behind us, we start our second and final week of cleaning!
Today we will be tackling our bathroom(s) (minus the master bathroom, which we will address the day we clean our master bedroom) and our linen closet(s).
Goal: To keep towels and other essentials in the cabinets... nothing else! To have the bathrooms decorated with only my fav items displayed.
Steps:
- empty out each cupboard
- declutter (make 3 piles: trash/keep and give)
- go through kids tub toys and get rid of anything broken or moldy
- keep only a small basket of hotel freebies
- keep only 2 bathroom towels in good condition for each person in our family. Keep a pool/beach towel for each person in our family...we are in Florida for goodness sake! Take the towels with stains and holes and cut them up for rags, and when i get a full bag, Stop!
- re inspect all my linens for the beds and keep only 2-3 sets in good condition
- take all my extra towels, linens and toiletries to a local shelter
- organize and place only what is needed back into cupboards, find items around the house to use as organizational bins
Have Fun and Simplify!!!
xo
nikki
Friday, October 02, 2009
Day Five- Foyer/Entry area
My foyer closet...before
My foyer closet... afterMy pile of things to donate... It feels great to get rid of all this stuff. Seriously, I had a leather jacket from high school, an extra vacuum (that was broken), sweaters and jackets I never wore...why I felt like i needed to hang onto this stuff is beyond me...but now its GONE!! (with NO regrets)Goal: For my guests to immediately feel welcome in my home.
a. entry/closet
xoxo
nikki
My foyer closet... afterMy pile of things to donate... It feels great to get rid of all this stuff. Seriously, I had a leather jacket from high school, an extra vacuum (that was broken), sweaters and jackets I never wore...why I felt like i needed to hang onto this stuff is beyond me...but now its GONE!! (with NO regrets)Goal: For my guests to immediately feel welcome in my home.
a. entry/closet
- create my 3 piles: purge/give/keep
- organize and replace only what is needed
xoxo
nikki
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Day Four- Kitchen
The first three pictures are of my kitchen (and little desk/computer area) all cleaned and organized.
My small appliance drawer...before.
My small appliance drawer after purging ALOT!!!
Above the cabinet display of all my favorite "white" antique bowls.
I love old printer's type... and so I use them to display different words on my backsplash.
Goal: To keep only my essentials/display what i love in a beautiful way and to get rid of any "appliance" or item that I already have that does the same function.
a. empty out each cupboard
b. declutter (make 3 piles: purge (anything that is broken), keep and give away)
c. organize only your essentials and place back into cupboards
Have Fun
xoxo
nikki
a. empty out each cupboard
b. declutter (make 3 piles: purge (anything that is broken), keep and give away)
c. organize only your essentials and place back into cupboards
Have Fun
xoxo
nikki
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