9.24.2013

10 Office Nooks to Make You Want to Work

A special thank you to Krista @ While He Was Napping for sharing my post on her most awesome blog!! Please stop by and give her some love!!

Some of us are lucky enough to have a separate room for an office. Others carve out space in a closet or the kitchen. I, have neither! However, I was once blessed with an entire room for my office when I ran my business from my home. But if I had to do it all over again, I'd go with the "nook" option. Either in a kitchen, hallway landing, or perhaps a closet (which is nice since "out of sight, out of mind" rings true when company is coming!!)

Here are just a few of my favorite "nook" offices that are way more than just a spot to get down to business...they are oh so fabulous!


A nice corner carved out of a kitchen...makes me want to re-do my kitchen again to incorporate this!
So versatile...kid work station, office, craft post...what I couldn't do with this in my house!
Wow. Organized. Clean. Perfect.
Better Homes and Gardens


And of course, blue and white...my fav! Just the right amount of cabinetry to hold all the supplies!

Better Homes and Gardens


Small can be mighty when it's efficiently arranged. This is so perfect!
Curious Leigh



A little bigger than just a "nook" but I'm loving the neutrals and the homey touch with the pictures!



I LOVE the vibrant colors, chair covers and the shade! Again, a bit bigger than a nook, but wow!
Tobi Fairley


The shelves and cubbies are great for those small items and the mail slot...I so want one!
Better Homes and Gardens


A window with a view! This could fit in a back porch or a hallway! Those shelves...to die for!!
My Design Chic via Fieldstone Hill Home


I'm a fan of shelving, and this certainly provides enough! The bright colors...makes you want to work!
A Thoughtful Place


A blogger DIY...she made the desktop to fit the desk! 
Pretty Handy Girl



So...which are your favorites? Don't these make you want to get to tackling those bills rather than run from them!!
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9.18.2013

How to Make the BEST Darn Chili in Town...and Low Carb too!!

I've been making my chili for at least 9 years now, and every time I fall in love all over again! There are easy ways to make chili, and then there is this way to make chili! It's easy to make and oh-so-good! And the added bonus, it's low carb!!


My secret...simmering all day to infuse flavor into every morsel! All you need are a few ingredients!

Ingredient List:

  • Ground beef
  • Chili seasoning packet
  • Cumin
  • Chili powder
  • Paprika
  • Pampered Chef Chipolte Rub (optional)
  • Garlic powder
  • Meat Tenderizer
  • Onion (optional)
  • Green Pepper (optional)
  • Diced tomatoes (canned)
  • Canned beans (kidney, chili, white kidney - all optional)



And here comes the instructions on how to make the easiest, best tasting chili ever!!

Step One
Brown the ground beef. Make sure to thoroughly drain the grease. Use one or two packets of the pre-made chili seasoning (depending on how much ground beef used. For this go-round, I used 2 lbs of beef and two packets of seasoning.) Add additional seasonings to taste. It will still taste mostly like plain ground beef, but that is where the magic of the crock pot comes in! You can leave it on low on the burner to have some more grease, which will help to marry the seasonings.


Step Two
Add your diced tomatoes to the crock pot and turn on high. You can do this while browning the meat.

Step Three
Chop your onions and green peppers if you choose to add them. Make sure they are chopped small enough to "melt" into the chili. Too large and you'll be chomping on bits of pepper and onion instead!


Step Four
Put the peppers, onions, and beef into the tomatoes, keep the heat at high, and stir so that all blend together. Take a quick taste, and if you need more of any spice keep adding to taste! There is no method of measurement here...if you like spicy, go crazy with the chili powder! Or add crushed red pepper!


And that's it! Seriously! How easy was that!! Now, all you have to do is patiently wait while your mouth waters because the smell literally permeates the entire house!!

Be sure to keep stirring throughout the day, and after about 3-4 hours on high, switch to low. If you are leaving for the day, you can keep the heat on low all day. The longer you let the chili "merge" its flavors together, the better it tastes!! Once it's done, you'll salivate over the deep, rich color of the chili!


Serve it up and garnish with some shredded cheese, some sour cream, and a slice of avocado (which unfortunately, I didn't have on hand this time.) I promise, you won't be disappointed!! And if you aren't on a low carb diet like me, add those beans! Ever BETTER!

I'd love to hear your stories if you decide to give this a try!! Or, do you have a favorite chili recipe? Let me know!!!
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9.13.2013

DIY Write Wipe Workbook

A few months ago, as I was perusing Pinterest (seemingly my most favorite thing to do) I came across the most amazing idea for my preschool-aged daughter. A write wipe workbook filled with practical pages to help her learn her acb's!

At the time, she was having some difficulty recognizing her numbers and letters, and her handwriting looked more like scribble than anything (and this was after an entire year of preschool too!) We were soon to be heading out on a 10+ hour trip to South Carolina, so I decided to light the fire under my rear and get this together for her so she could use it while on the road. Oh my, and I so very glad I did!!


We take it everywhere with us...to the doctors office, the store, anywhere there will be a wait and we need to keep busy! Thank you so much to One Hot Crafty Mama for her ingenious idea!! I will be forever grateful and indebted to her awesomeness!! Please check out her site, as she has a great link to some free worksheets!



HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN WRITE WIPE PRESCHOOL (or anything) WORKBOOK:

 Supply list:
1. Sheet protectors
2. 3 ring binder (size depending on how much you plan to "stuff it"!!)
3. Workbook sheets
4. Dry erase markers (preferably the ones with the erasers on the caps!!)

My luck, I just happened to have purchased a huge workbook for her a month before, so I got down and dirty with pulling out all the relevant pages, and gathered together the sheet protectors and binders I've had lying around now for nearly 14 years (from my college days)...



I'd wished that I had a presentation binder so that I could have made it more "pretty" like I did with my other binders. One day I'll upgrade! Maybe even make a new binder as my she progresses through the grades and hand this one down to my son! But, with working with what I had, here is the finished binder...





Simple, easy and CHEAP!! Especially if you already have the binder and protectors lying around the house!! You could even throw in a pencil pouch to keep the markers handy. I love the ones with the erasers already built in...reminds them to erase when they're finished. But, kids will be kids and forget to erase so all you have to do it wet a paper towel and you're good.

Again, I can't say it enough how completely useful this project is, especially if you have preschoolers! It's so adaptable that you can update the worksheet based on the age of the child, or even for your household needs! I've also made a menu planner and recipe binder!

Are you going to make one for your kids? Or how about for your household? If you do, send me your pictures! I always love to see what you all have made!!

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9.08.2013

Raising Imperfection Link Party

Thank you so much to Lanaya @ Raising Reagan and Leslie @ Violet Imperfection for choosing me to be one of the co-hosts for the Raising Imperfection link party!! Please join me in linking up your best posts! I can't wait to see all the talent!

It’s Sunday! ~ Welcome to Week #35 of Raising Imperfection!

It's your favorite post Sunday link party!

We hope you all enjoyed having last Sunday off but we are back to see what you've been up to! Please view our very short introduction video for some link party rules and announcements.

Be sure to come back for Feature Fridays! Leslie and I choose our favorite links from the link up and feature them!If you missed the last features, you can see them HERE.

Please grab our link party button!

Say HELLO to your Co-Hosts for this week:

Kate– Uniquely Undone
Dawn – Dawn’s Disaster

Please also visit your co-hostess for the month of September:

Angel - Sew Crafty Angel

Be sure to visit Leslie and I for Feature Fridays to see if your post was picked to be featured!

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Want to be the next co-hosts? Enter the Rafflecopter below and you could win!

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9.04.2013

This Pin It Party Link Up

Thank you everyone for joining The Pin It party!! I'm so excited that I am able to be a co-host of this amazing party!! Please be sure to comment if you've followed and I'll return the favor! And a special thanks to Creative Geekery!!


Welcome to THE 21st edition of THE Pin It Party! 

Are you interested in co-hosting THE Pin It Party? It is a WHOLE lot of fun and a great way to grow your Pinterest following. Go here to get more information and to secure your spot now! 

Grab button for Creative Geekery
Grab the code for our button here!
<div class="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a618/CreativeGeekery/PinItParty_zps8d39e394.jpg" style="width: 150px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://creativegeekery.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow"> <img src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a618/CreativeGeekery/PinItParty_zps8d39e394.jpg" alt="Creative Geekery" width="150" height="150" /> </a> </div>

  Completely Unfinished - Summer Lovey Dovey Road Trip Playlist One Organic Mama - A Robot Party What's Up with the Wilhelms - Anywhere Workout
1. Please follow the host and co-hosts on Pinterest.

2. Send out a tweet about the party! Just click here: 

3. "Like" THE Pin It Party on Facebook by clicking on the button below. 

4. Grab the party button above and add it to your blog's sidebar or link up party list.

5. Post 1-3 links to your blog's most "pin-able" posts from the last few weeks. (Please, no links to other parties, giveaways or shops please. If you are an ETSY shop owner, come back this weekend and link up at the Weekend Blog Block Party!)

6. Mingle! Reach out to somebody new and pin their stuff. You never know when you will meet your blogging bestie!

7. Have a FABulous day and come back next week for more Pinterest fun. XO 



Host: Ellie @ Creative Geekery
Co-Hosts:
Mama Lola @ Bear & Lion
Krystal @ Krystal's Kitsch & Sunny Soirees
Kate @ Uniquely Undone
Karlie @ Mama Whimsy 

We will each choose our three favorite posts from the party and pin them to this party's collaborative Pinterest board: THE Pin It Party - The Best of the Best! Woot woot! 



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9.03.2013

Fluster's Creative Muster Link Party!!

I'm totally amazed right now! Not only am I getting a feature on Fluster Buster, but I'm co-hosting Fluster's Creative Muster today! Thank you so much Robin!!! And thank all of you for making my link from last week's link up the most viewed!!! You can see it here if you missed it!!





 Whether you blog for fun or as a business it's always nice to make a little money doing it. Kate from Uniquely Undone shared a special promotion for 4 week online course that'll teach you different ways that you can make money blogging. The course offers a step-by-step guide to increasing your revenue, plus a lot more. Stop by Uniquely Undone for more details and while your there check out Kate's blog it's really cute!
Party #36
(begins every Tuesday at 6pm EST and ends Sunday at 11:55pm EST)
By linking to this party, you're giving Fluster Buster permission to use your photos in featured posts and on social media.

Host

Co-Host
Fluster Buster


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