Fun and Mental Changes

***CLICK HERE TO ENTER MY FAVORITE THINGS BIRTHDAY GIVE AWAY!!!***   Ok.... so here is part two.  I actually did a quick car tour video for you guys so you can see how INCREDIBLY organized my car is now.  As I said yesterday... the "before" is just too gross, but the after is SO GREAT (click HERE to check out yesterday's post and my super organized glove box)!!!!  I actually feel like I can breathe in my car.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! After I watched that viral Florida road rage video yesterday, I had to wonder how messy that dude's truck was.  Is the timing of this incident MERELY a coincidence.... I mean, a messy car leads to stress and stress leads to road rage.  I'm just sayin, maybe there is more than meets the eye to this inexplicable spring clean of my car.  For those of you who haven't seen the video (because you are living under a rock.... but I'm not judging), here ya go.  It's titled Instant ...

***CLICK HERE TO ENTER MY FAVORITE THINGS BIRTHDAY GIVE AWAY!!!***   I have no idea WHAT has gotten into me as of late, but I have had this overwhelming feeling that I needed to get stuff in order.  My house... well, that is still a work in progress.  My car.... THAT is finished I'm proud to say.  It took me a couple of days, but I'm all done.  And I'll "show you around" my car over the next post.  The reason I'm splitting this into parts is because I don't want to make this too long and tackling a big project like this is always made easier by breaking it up into smaller bits.  That is how I took on this project, and that is how I'll present it to you.  I'll start from the front and work my way to the back. Spring cleaning is not really describing this project accurately.  While I did give my car a good scrub inside and out, the most important piece to this project really was the organization.  The inside being a mess of "stuf...

  Check out what THIS girl got for Valentine's Day!!!  The hubs wanted a coffee maker but I wanted work space!!!  It's no secret, ESPECIALLY HERE that I'm workin to get my craft space in the new house put together.  It is also no secret that the "secret" to my style of organization is to utilize vertical space, so when my friend Cindy showed me a picture of these AWESOME Stamp n' Storage ink pad organizers I was preparing myself to beg and beg HARD.  You see I already had storage for my Stampin Up ink pads.... Don't get me wrong.... this rotating color caddy from Stampin Up is a VERY good option, but my craft room reduced by half when we moved into the new house and I just don't have the work space I once did.  Anything and everything that can be put on the wall saves me precious work space.     And I didn't want my Tim Holtz Distress Ink pads in a different spot than the rest of my ink pads (that too is an orga...

You got it... ANOTHER house post.  The countdown is on for us to close on our new home.  I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED!!!  Of course I lay up at night designing and decorating my new home over and over plotting and planning every detail.  Of all the details, storage and "hiding spots" is always at the top of my list to keep my Chi flowing and my mind sane (well... as sane as it CAN be).  There is nothing that gives me greater joy in fulfilling all of that than an armoire.  This work horse does it all and wraps it in a beautiful package!!! HELLO WORK HORSE!!!  Check out ALL that storage!!!  This gorgeous armoire comes with interior drawers and one exterior drawer accented with metal knobs.  This SOOOOO appeals to the decorator in me... that is SO my style!!!  This armoire also came equipped with an electrical outlet strip attached to the inside as well as a place to install a clothing rod: And if you click on the second pic to enl...

So today is the day!!!  Today is an open house celebrating a friend's new digs.  More importantly.... her new crafting digs!!!  There is nothing more exciting than upgrading scrap space, I definitely know!!!  So for her housewarming (craft-room-warming as I'm calling it), I got her some organizational items for the new space.  You all know me.... it's all about the Chi!!!  So among some of the organizational items I got for her (and the thing I'm most excited about) was THIS little slice of awesomeness: This is the Dignitet curtain wire from IKEA.  It doesn't look like much in it's packaging, but let me share with you just how cool this unassuming wire really is!!! Use this wire with clips and hooks to store ribbon!!!  Get that ribbon OFF your work surfaces and on the wall!  It's visible, accessible and organized!!!  LOVE this idea (click on pics to go directly to the blog posts that featured each of these pics)!!! Hanging cu...

The other day I posted my rubber/clear stamp storage (click HERE for post) where I place all my stamps on cling foam (if applicable) and stored them in numbered cd cases that are then cataloged in a binder with the stamped images along side the number of the cd case they can be found and the name/maker of the stamp set..... WHEW!!!  Seems like a lot, but honestly, when your stamps are organized this way soooooooooo much time is saved and you never have to worry about not being able to find a stamp!!!  Well..... how about a similar solution for your punches.  Some crafters I know have A TON of punches, and I prefer the IKEA punch storage (click HERE to see), but if you don't have a lot of wall space, the back of a door will do in a snap!!!  Those nifty over the door shoe organizers are super affordable and will do the trick in a jiffy!!! From plastic to canvas to mesh.... there are plenty of styles to choose from!!!  Then, punch all your punches using scr...

Yep, here is my entire rubber and clear stamp collection... about 300 stamp sets in all.  None of my stamps are on wood.  If I purchase a stamp that is attached to a wood block with foam, I am quick to remove the rubber from the foam, adhere the rubber to a piece of EZ Mount cling foam,trim and place in a cd case.  Luckily many of my favorite stamps are already mounted on cling foam so there is no wood/foam removal.  The stamps shown in the cd case below were all ready to place in a cd case!!!  Shown is Graphic 45/Hampton Art's Magic of Oz II set with Stampendous' Count Jack and Mumpkin.  How do I know what's there so quickly you ask? Well, once my stamps are in a case, I assign a number to the case (if you click on the top pic, it will enlarge and you should be able to make out the numbers that are labelled on each case).  I then stamp the images on a page in my stamp catalog which, along with the stamped images, includes the name of the stamp s...

Ok... so it has been A LONG time since I first posted my amazing and wonderful Scrap Closet Conversion .  A lot has changed as well.  Since I first converted a tiny closet into a craft space, my family has moved and I NOW have an entire room devoted to this wonderful hobby.  Furniture has been added and I've been able to expand quite a bit (check out my new craft table... thanx Cindy).  Sometimes that serves me, sometimes it doesn't.  I find that I need to be WAY MORE DILIGENT to keep my spaces clean and organized, more than I ever did in my beloved craft closet.  Unfortunately, when you spread out, so does the mess!!!  But I'm doing well with it and still employ a lot of the storage solutions I discovered way back when. Recently, my new friend from Idaho, Donna ,  asked me about MY storage solution ideas, so I thought I would share my favorites!!!  I'll start with the one that I'm personally challenged the most with... let...

I have a little babble this morning: You know... this new adventure to fit into the perfect wedding dress has me perusing my Facebook page daily for bits of motivation, inspiration and laughter.  But I'm BLOWN AWAY by how great Facebook really is!!!  In a span of about an hour I'm fed in every one of the above listed areas.... it's INCREDIBLE!!!!  But that hour brings me even MORE from my news feed.  From it, in the same amount of time, I also get world news, trending topics, educational articles and connections with my friends, family and business contacts.  Honestly, I've discovered a certain Feng Shui beauty to Facebook that, until recently, I took for granted.  What does Facebook do for you?

 Wow... it has been a while since I sat down and colored.  I started this beauty some time ago and FINALLY finished her while hangin out with my fellow Paste Eaters (a little girl-power-scrapper group I LOVE attending and miss far too often).  Its nice to have a little inspiration.  It's also nice to sit and color again.  It appears that applying a little Feng Shui to my 'spaces' is just the thing the doctor ordered to get the old juices flowing!!! This one's just a simple card, but coloring ANY Make It Crafty image will take something from simple to smashing in no time.  This beauty is Pipi and I altered her a bit by removing her pigtails using Photoshop Elements.  I like the "pixie" look of her without them.  I'm gonna have to give coloring the full image a try.  To get your hands on this GORGEOUS image, click HERE . Now for those of your who read my last post and responded about my wedding dress.  STAY TUNED!!!  While I can't...

Ok gang... it's finally here.  My Twilighty Goody Bag to give away (click on pic to enlarge)!!!  This goody bag is LOADED with fun Twilight themed goodies from patterned paper to chipboard designs (an album too!) to bling and buttons!!!  There's even FitterTwit Original artwork in there!!!  So sorry that this took me so long to post.  I've literally been buried in my craft room which is COMPLETELY not like me.  I'm talking this was borderline hoarders-disorder-intervention-buried!!!  But with a little application of Feng Shui to clear the clutter, and a little marriage proposal from my husband, I spent the last two weeks cleaning house.... EVERYWHERE!!! So let me get back to the big announcement.... YES!  On New Year's 2012, my husband of 15 years proposed.  On February 14, 2013 I will be getting remarried and this has inspired me like nothing before because for the first time ever I'm wearing a wedding dress!!!  I am so excited, you w...

*** Please scroll down to view Simply Betty Stamps Funky Potters Sneak Peek****                                                                                       WOO HOO!!!  IT CAME TODAY!  That means NO WAITING and I can announce the give away today!!!  YAY!  What you are looking at doesn't seem like much in the pic to the left, but I assure you it is A LOT.... and it could be all yours!!!!  The good folks at Nantucket Bagg donated this AWESOME lime green and pink "diddy" to one lucky winner here at Fun And Mental Changes!!!  WAIT till you see what this thing is!!!  You'll see very quickly that you've been missing it all along.   Ok, so first off, what are we looking at?  What you see in the picture is a b...

Ever since Graphic 45 came out with their Steampunk Debutante Line last year, I've been CRAZY for the whole Steampunk theme, and STOCKED up on everything steampunk I could get my hands on.... that includes the AWESOME Victorian Steampunk Lilith from Tickled Pink Stamps you see here! AND NOW I see that there is a DT Call over at Tickled Pink Stamps, so isn't this just the perfect time to pull out all my new favies (and old favies) and give it a go!!! Seen here are a couple of merged stamps and some word art.  The scroll is one of my favorite stamps from Make It Crafty .  I actually used this scroll for a candle that I personalized with my sister and her husband's wedding date.  To see that project, click HERE .  I popped Lilith on top and added some word art.  I thought about just making it say "REWARD", but adding the "Wanted Dead or Alive" kind of gave me a chuckle so I went with that.... especially since I added the "Missing You" sentimen...

Ok... WOW! That was harder than I expected! Not doing the "No Embellishment" creation for The Town Scrapper's weekly challenge (pictured above)... this one sort of made itself cuz the image rocks... no, I'm talking about posting my final, farewell blog post for The Town Scrapper . HUH! I teared a little while writing that post. Those incredible ladies have given me SO MUCH in the six months that I've designed with them and been their blog manager! So I hope you all head over there and show them some love. Oh, and while you're there, enter the "No Embellishment" challenge. The winner will receive the image that I featured in this project. It's a Victoria Case Design called Big Dreams Evan.... one of my favorite Victoria Case stamps!!! So, on to new and exciting adventures. I'M IN HOT PURSUIT! I have recently been doing Copic marker instruction and am about to embark on teaching Cricut and Gypsy classes! AND......I am also going after a really ...

OOOOO... feelin the Feng Shui? I know I am while trying to REorganize all my stuff in the new place! You'd think expanding a craft space from a closet to an entire room would be easy... HAHAHAHAHAHA! But then again, I've always been a little horizontally challenged, so of course I went vertical.... AGAIN!!! A while back I posted an amazing storage solution for my Copic markers in a carrying case that allowed them to be visible AND mobile. Since that post I've talked to a couple of fellow Copic lovers like myself who were also looking for storage that allowed them to see the tips of their markers at a glance, but would still be mobile, organized and not take up precious work space. I'VE GOT IT!!! I found THE CUTEST little metal silverware/drink caddy (even monogrammed with my initial and just so happened to match my Cricut green... HELLLLOOOO!) with nifty carrying handles on the side. I used some large "S" hooks that I got from IKEA and hung it on my magnetic p...

I haven't even had these a week and I've already outgrown the cup I was holding these in... HAHAHAHAHA! So I hopped online to see everyone else's storage solutions; you know I'm all about the Feng Shui!!! :) I saw Copic storage ranging from buckets to acrylic pamphlet holders to simple acrylic boxes that are stacked (there were many more storage ideas I saw and EVERY ONE OF THEM WERE BRILLIANT), but I still came back to the same issues: 1. Convertibility - If I'm anything in my craft closet, it's convertible. Everything in there has to serve multi functions... organized while I'm crafting at home and the ability to be whisked away for a crop at a moment's notice... it MUST be mobile. 2. Visibility - Keeping all of my pens in a box is not practical when one is not patient. I am not patient. If I have to dig around to find colors, you can probably bet that I just won't. I really need to be able to see what I want at a glance. 3. Organization - I wan...

Yesterday was my final day for the Nail Aid's Ultra Rapid Growth nail treatment that is available at Walmart (STILL NOT AT MINE THOUGH... UGH)! Yep... this one gets many, many high fives!!! This product not only worked as a nail treatment, I will continue to use this product as a base coat. You guys can judge for yourselves as far as the growth goes. Below are the day 0 and day 5 pics.... but that "rubbery" base layer is the "GETCHA" for me! I haven't used anything like this product. My nails feel stronger and the polish goes on sooooo smoothly. As far as using this product as a topcoat... well, if I'm trying to grow my nails out quickly, then ABSOLUTELY I will use it as a topcoat as the directions tell you to do. I couldn't master the top coat application so that I didn't get ANY bubbles though, so as soon as I get my desired length (which for me is NOW) I will be switching back to my beloved Seche Vite (which I did today). The pic at the top s...

A while back I completed a closet conversion for my scrapbook addiction. I was so proud of the workability in such a small space that I wrote a blog post on it (you can see it here ). Well, since then I was honored to be asked to do it for someone else. So again, with the same sense of awe with what you can really do in such a small space... here is MY SECOND closet conversion done for Ms. Betty! And while my own closet was strictly for scrapbooking (yes, I installed lighting and even a table top), this new closet conversion was for general craft storage. I also want to say, and I've said it before, IKEA rocks! Most everything came from IKEA. It took me three days to complete and cost about $300 start to finish, INCLUDING the mobile, expandable sewing cart (look familiar?), shelving and storage tubs. The sewing cart runs about $125. The only storage items that were pre-existing were the black four drawer chest and a couple of tubs that you see on the upper shelves. Because of...