To a More Organised 2011

I don't know about you guys but I NEVER have enough space on my calendar to write up what's going on. Some days are nothing but as the saying goes 'it never rains but it pours' everything seems to fall on the same day and the teeny little squares don't cut it. I can't do diaries either because I always, ALWAYS forget to look in them. I need it up on the wall in my face. I saw this fabulous idea for a homemade whiteboard and I thought PERFECT and set to work making my very own Home made whiteboard monthly planner.



It was super easy to make and I LOVE it!!

First thing I did was find a BIG photo Frame and I mean BIG mine is 70CM x 55CM. My Grandma was about to throw it out and I nabbed it for myself. I Love my family they ALWAYS ask me if I want stuff before they throw it out, they know me all too well!!! I pulled it apart and put the glass somewhere safe and away from my kids!! The wooden frame was black so I sanded it back (with a little help!)



Once most of the black was sanded off I painted the frame an orangey cream colour.
I measured the glass and with some mathematical help from my good friend Nic, I made even squares on the glass with a black vivid. 7 Squares across and 5 down same as a calendar.

On the wooden back of the frame I Mod Podged some 12x12 papers. I used 4 papers in total, two around the edge and 2 in the middle. I used some gorgeous papers from the Fancy Pants 'On a Whimsy' range.

I used some white chipboard alphas to make the days of the week and inked them with Tim Holtz Distress Ink. I used the colour 'Spiced Marmalade'



I used my Stampin' Up Butterfly punch and co-ordinating stamps 'Butterfly Prints' plus some ADORABLE little Flowers from Sassafras Lass to embellish a little on top of my papers.



I then put the frame back together, making sure to put the side I drew the vivid lines on the inside so they are under the glass not on top. I sealed it all up.
I then embellished the outside with the same flowers and butterflies.



I made a big orange flower with felt, ribbons and a button and using a ribbon long enough to reach all around the board I attached a whiteboard marker which I also embellished with the same papers as inside the frame.



And then it was done! You can write on the glass and rub it off just like a white board. I write the calendar numbers in the squares each month and then will wipe them all off and start new each month.



I am already using it and Riley already knows what we have planned for each day!
So here's to a more organised 2011!!

School Bag Tags

Don't you hate it when your kids chooses their favourite school bag in the shop is totally stoked about it and you get to school and there are 3 more EXACTLY the same! OMGoodness how frustrating! Well I found a FANTASTIC idea as I was searching around for some really cool bag tags. I decided to make one for both Riley's school bag and Abbey's Kindy one .. because of course if I didn't make one for both someone would complain anyway!!

So first thing I did was head off to the $2 shop and bought myself a couple of those hard plastic Licence holders, I knew the $2 shop had them because Jason and I went searching through EVERY variety store in Pukekohe finding the 'right' one for his ID Tag .. particular he was!! Anyway I digress ...

I cut some patterned paper, which co-ordinated with the colour of the bags, the right size for slotting inside the tags embellished and put them in! Simple as that! I just then put a key ring onto the tags to attach them to the bags.

Both Kids LOVED them (my kids are easy to please!) and now we won't have any bag mix ups at school or Kindy!






The Paper I used for Riley was some of the Space themed paper in the DCMV All About Boys stack which I picked up at the Warehouse and for Abbey I used some Imaginisce paper from the range 'Fairest of Them All'. Now we are almost ready to return back to school!!