tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39126642611240272372024-03-13T12:17:42.413-06:00Lewisville LoveWelcome to Lewisville, my homelewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.comBlogger299125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-68458777723157903572016-02-09T08:00:00.000-07:002016-02-08T22:30:38.539-07:00Valentines Banners for you Lewisville Love started a few years ago when I decided to start sharing my journey of all things DIY. Coming up with a name for a blog is actually a difficult task. Will it stick? Will people like it? Will I want to change it after a year? <br />
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For me, I wanted a name that would reflect my love for my family, my decision to stay home, and most of all my love for Christ. How do you put all that in a name? <br />
Well, you can't, but I tried. Lewisville is my home. It's our family name and the name of our city ironically. <br />
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We move around often, but wherever we land, that's Lewisville. Wherever my family is, that's Lewisville. Wherever we're making a mess, painting a wall, eating as a family, that's Lewisville. Lewisville will always be the place my kids will find hugs and kisses, an encouraging word, and the greatest tickle fight of all time followed by a loaded nurf gun battle. It's the place my husband and I pray, hope, and dream together. That's Lewisville.<br />
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I launched Lewisville Love on Valentines Day, so to continue with the tradition of all things LOVE, here are a few more Valentine ideas you can take for your <u>(enter name here)</u> -ville Love.<br />
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The Banners! I designed these banners last year.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sN4Ns5T-9pA/VNt4oYQzYFI/AAAAAAAAJtA/xyupjmN72KE/s1600/DSC02600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sN4Ns5T-9pA/VNt4oYQzYFI/AAAAAAAAJtA/xyupjmN72KE/s1600/DSC02600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The banner words are Patient, Kind, Rejoices in Truth, Bears all things, Hopes all things, Believes all things, Endures all things, Love, and Never Fails.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kpoFMbBRhL0/VNt4qla9XvI/AAAAAAAAJtI/DiGvNIEqQLg/s1600/DSC02601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kpoFMbBRhL0/VNt4qla9XvI/AAAAAAAAJtI/DiGvNIEqQLg/s1600/DSC02601.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The words are taken from I Corinthians. 13, also known as the Love chapter.<br />
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I just printed, cut with special scissors, and taped them onto string.<br />
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Here's the banner for you to print.<br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILNXRKdWJYcnRtZFk/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">ValBanner</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILY1RHUVZhVThhRWs/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">ValBanner1</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILdXkxYUxXSEdlbEk/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">ValBanner2</a><br />
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This year, I'll be putting up these cuties.<br />
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They're a little different, but the words are the same.<br />
You can print this banner too.<br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILX2RpN3VzTG9BR2c/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Banner</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILd2g5UU9QWGtzeW8/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Banner1</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILQ1JGdWhaOGtsdW8/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Banner2</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILbGRweXpmb1plbTQ/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Banner3</a><br />
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For another quick and easy Valentine family idea, you can make<a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2012/02/happy-heart-day-to-you-and-what-makes.html#" target="_blank"> a heart shaped cake.</a> You'll need a round and square cake pan and your favorite recipe.</div>
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Want more Valentine ideas? <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2013/02/valentines-day-ideas.html" target="_blank">Go HERE</a>. There are quick and easy decorating ideas, candy/card giving ideas for school kids, and other mushy, lovey, gooey goodness.</div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Blessings,</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Lisa</b></i></span></div>
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lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-76029576238274365312016-02-08T21:35:00.001-07:002016-02-08T22:27:20.104-07:00Clean Linen ClosetThis is a rare Monday post. I was in bed last week with a lovely cold, compliments of the kiddos. So this is the post that should have been published on Saturday, declaring to the world that I indeed finished the first week of February's Monthly Challenge- Closets!<br />
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We (as in the readers of this blog) have chosen a closet or two to clean, organize, and decorate this month. How do you decorate a closet? <a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/02/tips-and-tricks-tuesday-clean-closets.html" target="_blank">Look HERE. </a><br />
The first week of February is dedicated to just cleaning out closets!<br />
Here's the much needed clean out of my Linen Closet...<br />
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A tiny closet for my tiny house, which is all the more reason I need to be organized.<br />
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I followed the steps outlined last week about cleaning out a closet. <b>Empty it out first.</b> I found doubles of cleaning supplies and items that went missing...long ago.<br />
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<b>Make a pile for donations</b>,<br />
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and make a<b> pile for those items that are trash.</b><br />
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This is just the cleaning portion of our monthly project, but I did some organizing by "shopping" my own house. I need bins and baskets for this linen closet, but because my red nose, sore throat, and constant sneezing might have scared the everyday healthy humans out there, I decided to shop at home and find "something" I wasn't using anymore.<br />
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This glass candy jar from Walmart is perfect for holding soaps in the closet. I love the look of having the soaps out of the package and visible to the eyes. It's a nice touch, having glass in the linen closet, plus I know when I'm running low on soap. The family really liked this change also!<br />
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I also needed another basket to store some overnight bags and toiletries we don't always use. <br />
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I made the rope basket using old milk boxes from Costco years ago. If you want to see this up-cycle project,<a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2012/02/what-to-do-with-your-costco-boxes.html" target="_blank"> go HERE.</a><br />
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My final bit of cleaning up this closet involves <b>using command hooks</b>. These hooks help organize just about every room and closet in your home! I always have a few spare hooks around.<br />
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I did end up splurging for these white washcloths from Costco. Hard to categorize this as cleaning or organizing, but they were needed for the family.<br />
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Now, this is a clean linen closet. I still need bigger baskets for the sheets on the top shelf, and I'd like to get a tall basket for the paper goods on the bottom. That will be my project task this month.<br />
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But for now, I love the feeling of a clean linen closet. Total time: 2 hours. (going slow remember)<br />
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<u><b>Take ACTION:</b></u> IT'sYour Turn!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><b>Blessings, </b></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><b>Lisa </b></i></span></span></span></div>
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<br />lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-83995478353943269612016-02-04T09:02:00.001-07:002016-02-08T22:09:01.538-07:00I Think I'm Doing This Mothering Thing All WRONG?<ul>
<li>I never counted to 10 to calm down enough so I wouldn't yell at my kids (more than likely, I would have counted to 10 and still yelled at them).</li>
<li>I never made baby food from scratch (unless you count mashing bananas).</li>
<li>I never fed my littles organic food or bought organic lotions that didn't exist yet. They are toxified teens.</li>
<li>I never did stroller lunges in order to stay in shape. Let's face it, if I'm pushing a stroller, shouldn't that be considered exercise?</li>
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Had I access back then to all the blogs out there talking about "how to be a good mom", "10 tricks to get your kids to listen," or advising me on" how to raise kids without raising my voice," maybe I'd be in the good mom category.<br />
<b>I'm pretty sure I did this mothering thing all wrong</b>. I had a messy house, I was exhausted, and getting a shower in before noon was considered a luxury. By 5pm my nice mommy persona turned into exhausted, cranky, and "don't make me tell you again" mommy.<br />
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My kids are teens and tweens now. When I look back at those sleepless toddler years (sleepless meaning me), I'm actually glad mommy blogs with all their <i>10 ways to be a great mom and look fabulous </i> blog posts didn't exist. We are inundated with opinions and advice on the blogosphere. A mama can read, contemplate, and walk away from a post only to confirm her worst fear, that she might in fact be ruining her children. You can read so many of these types of post and then suffer from the "I should be doing this" or "I want to implement that," or "I ought to ..." you fill in the blank.<br />
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<b>I'm pretty sure I've been doing this mothering thing all wrong</b> because when I started 16 years ago, we didn't have all these blog post to tell me what to do or what to say or not to say, what to cook, or how to prepare my toddler for college. There were no top 10 lists on creative parenting. I learned to be a mom like many of you- the experimental first child. There were mistakes, and there were big mistakes, but instead of the latest blog post, I looked up.<br />
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Literally, I would stay up at night, staring at the ceiling of my bedroom after my littles were fast asleep in their beds, silently pouring out my heart and crying to the Lord because we had another terrible day, or I should say, I had a terrible day. It was always after a day when my frustrations turned to anger, anger turned to yelling, and yelling produced broken hearts and teary-eyed chubby faces looking at me in confusion. Yup, complete failure here.<br />
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My husband held me in those times and told me I was doing a good job, a great job in fact. He'd remind me of the joyful moments in mothering- singing to my kids, praying with them, and having dance parties. But my heart kept looking at the "ugly mama" moments. I wanted to see ugly mama leave for good.<br />
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It was in those moments, in that dark room, when I was the only one awake, that the Lord met me, a crying, failing mom of three amazing toddlers.<b> It was His grace that surrounded me, not a blog post; and it was His love that re-assured me, not the next top 10 list.</b><br />
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I know you see the irony in this. I'm a blogger writing about why we should stop paying so much attention to<i> some</i> blog post. Most are fine and they give great tips for parenting, but <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>nothing replaces the counsel of God's word</b></i></span>. And that's all I can give you here. It's what works.<br />
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So this is just a portion of what I'll be sharing over time about what I learned during my season of toddlercon. This is for any of you who have littles now and want to find encouragement from a mama with teens- who I actually believe I have not ruined. There is hope for the crazy, exhausted toddler years. There's hope for the tween and teen years too, but that's another post.<br />
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Those times when I completely failed- <b>I prayed at night for myself, for my kids, and for our relationship</b>. Like Hannah, I prayed to have these babies and I dedicated them to the Lord again and again in those midnight prayers. I prayed they would be covered in His grace and love, and receive my request for forgiveness. That's right; <b>I asked my little ones to forgive me. We confess and ask for forgiveness even if the person is under 3 feet tall.</b><br />
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And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Eph.4:32</h3>
I remember one awful morning when I was getting all of us ready for an early meeting...at church (gulp). There was no lack of frustrations or "no's!" this particular morning. My oldest was about 4, little sister was 2 and our son was a crawler. My arms were full and mama "had it" on this particular morning. My oldest took the brunt. I don't know what set it off or what I said that morning, but the attitude of my heart was completely sour. As we're driving to church, the kids remained silent, probably from fear of waking the beast that took over mama. Then, the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit convicted me. I was wrong in treating my kids this way. No excuses. No trying to justify it, just wrong. I needed to confess my wrong to them just as the word says in James 5:16. <br />
When we arrived, I opened the cargo door of the van to get the kids out and my oldest was already standing there- out of her car seat, no doubt wanting to help me save time in some way. I stood there, put my arms around her little waist, and said, "Mommy is so sorry. Will you forgive me?" Tears started flowing from her eyes and she threw her arms around my neck and clung to me. We cried together and I just kept saying,"I'm sorry, I love you so much." She immediately forgave me. "It's ok, mama." Little hearts are so incredible that way. It's a lesson for all of us I think. Be quick to forgive.<br />
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We worry about so many things as moms. Will they learn their abc's, when will they learn to read, will they ever figure out that two plaid patterns don't ever match. They will. They'll get it and eventually, littles grow into bigs, and then you get to start a whole new season of prayer- this time on your knees.<br />
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I started this blog three years ago in an effort to share my DIY adventures with you, but what I've found through the years is that as women, moms, wives- we have a unique adventure. I love sharing my home with you, sharing my heart and failures isn't so easy, but I think it's needed. We need to hear home life is tough sometimes, but we are to be strong and courageous in it. We need to be reminded that kids will scream, dinners will burn, and we may forgot to put on deodorant occasionally, but God's mercies are new every single morning.<br />
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<b>I'm pretty sure I'm still doing this mothering thing all wrong,</b> but ugly mama has been tamed through mornings spent in God's word first and lots of late night prayers. Top 10 blog post come in a distant second place. For Lewisville, dance parties still happen on the spur of a moment, the singing has been taken up by my girls, and there is no lack of rooting for the Broncos or dressing up and celebrating "talk like a pirate day" or "Pi" (3.1415...) = Pie (as in chocolate) day. It's a new season in mothering and one I'll be sharing about more often- in between the cleaning, organizing and DIY post.<br />
Until then, look up... to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (and all the mothering that comes with it!) <br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Blessings, </b></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Lisa</b></span></span></span></i></div>
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<br />lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-53860963621453395062016-02-02T08:00:00.000-07:002016-02-02T08:00:03.310-07:00Tips and Tricks Tuesday- Clean ClosetsAre you ready for this month's Room Challenge? We have a shorter month, so I chose a smaller area of our home, but we all need to give it some of our personal attention. At least I know I do. It's our closets...linen, master, toy, kids, whatever kind of closet you have, <b>pick two</b> to clean, organize, and decorate for the month of February.<br />
You're already thinking of which closets in your house need your attention, right?<br />
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<b>So here are my tips for Clean Closets!</b><br />
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<b>1. Empty the closet and start over. </b>I know this seems like extra work, but a clean slate works best. Take out the toys, or the linens, or all the clothes.<b> I'm personally working on my linen closet and master bedroom closet,</b> but I'm "strongly encouraging" the kids to get rid of clothes they don't wear anymore.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p1S8cHUl4tU/VrA-J8AnfmI/AAAAAAAAKn0/CYr0C9Zvqtc/s1600/Closet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p1S8cHUl4tU/VrA-J8AnfmI/AAAAAAAAKn0/CYr0C9Zvqtc/s400/Closet.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://justagirlandherblog.com/how-to-organize-a-small-closet/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<b>Now's also a good time to think about painting, adding shelving, or sticking up wallpaper for the decorating/project week of our challenge later in the month.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://seedtime.com/increase-your-home-value/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<b> 2. Keep it, Toss it, or donate it. </b>Now its times to divide everything into categories. If you're cleaning out toys for the littles, do this while the angels are sleeping, because we all know what happens if they see you toss a toy they haven't used in 6 months.<b> If it has anything to do with clothes or linens, here's a few questions you can ask yourself.</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cJX1_tLjHzQ/VrA_64NYCAI/AAAAAAAAKoA/womZtqzvjWg/s1600/6247d1881793281f138b0bdf878f598a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cJX1_tLjHzQ/VrA_64NYCAI/AAAAAAAAKoA/womZtqzvjWg/s640/6247d1881793281f138b0bdf878f598a.jpg" width="481" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hercampus.com/style/5-easy-steps-cleaning-out-your-closet" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<b>3. Dust, wipe, and sweep/vacuum. </b>I don't know how our closets can get so "ickie" but they do. Give it a good cleaning and it will feel 1000 times fresher.<br />
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<b>4. Put it all back, neatly. </b>We'll be organizing closets next week, but for now put all the items back in the closet in like categories. For example, in my linen closet, I'll put towels on one shelf, sheets on another. In the master closet, dresses hang together, then skirts, then blouses, then pants are placed together.<b> It doesn't matter what kind of system you use, just as long as it's in categories that make sense to you. </b>Now that everything is put back, you can <b>decide on an organizing system </b>and what you'll need to be looking out for as you shop in the next few weeks.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.onekingslane.com/live-love-home/organizing-ideas-for-closets-kitchens-bathrooms/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<b> </b>This is <a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2014/05/organize-it-thursday-linen-closet.html" target="_blank">my linen closet</a> from our last house and after a "clean out" day.<br />
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<b>5. Hang in one direction, fold your sweaters. </b>I hang everything to the right, like the picture below. It's systematic and easy when garments come out of the dryer. It took me a while to figure out that sweaters stretch over time and should be folded rather than hung.<b> Just one of those things you figure out with time...or on a blog like this.</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rtvfrd4r-gs/VrBHp6W95_I/AAAAAAAAKow/Cl2WuiT1wRU/s1600/KonMari_Closet_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rtvfrd4r-gs/VrBHp6W95_I/AAAAAAAAKow/Cl2WuiT1wRU/s400/KonMari_Closet_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.purewow.com/home/The-Best-Way-to-Clean-Out-Your-Closet" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<u><b>Take ACTION:</b></u><br />
The task is simple this week, but because most of us have more than one closet in our home, it's going to take some time. Clean as many closets you can this week without working yourself to exhaustion. I'm budgeting my time to 1 hour each closet. I wish I could do it in 30 minutes, but I'm a realist.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Blessings, </span></i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Lisa</span></i></b></span></span></div>
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<b> </b>lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-41058597485815922552016-01-30T08:00:00.000-07:002016-01-30T08:00:08.871-07:00Bathroom Challenge Complete!This month, it's been about bathrooms. Sound weird? I created a 2016 Challenge where each month, we'd take on one room in our home, clean it one week, organize it the next week, then decorate it for a final week. That leaves us with a beautiful space, and at the end of the year, we'll have a beautiful home, one room, one month at a time.<br />
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But a beautiful home isn't just about the decor or the cleaning and organizing we all search for from blog to blog. I want those things too, but a put together home doesn't matter as much as the family that lives there.<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b> Next month, Lewisville Love will begin including a Family and Home Life section! </b></span>We're moving on up, looking up, and holding dear to those whom we share our lives with-family. I'm excited to share this new section of the blog with you and hope you'll join me!</div>
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Today though, it's back to bathrooms! And my "Before" bathroom isn't pretty. It's clean and organized thanks to the challenge, but not pretty.<br />
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I know. Nothing matches, orange Spanish tile, burgundy shower curtain from the '90s I think, <br />
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and light contemporary vanity and framed mirror. There's only so much you can do when you rent, but work with what you've got and <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Be Thankful that you've got it!</b></span><br />
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If you followed<a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/01/tips-and-tricks-tuesday-bathroom-decor.html" target="_blank"> Tuesday's Tips and Tricks post about the 9 Common Elements in Every Beautiful Bathroom</a>, you'll see I tried to follow my own advice.<br />
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<b>New shower curtain</b> and plush bath mat from TJ Maxx.<br />
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<b>White towels </b>from Costco were added. Love these and they're a great deal!<br />
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I'm not a fan of towel bars, but again, work with what you have.<br />
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I did <b>add shelves</b>...a $4 thrift store find for these two white shelves. I really wanted to get everything off of the sink to make things tidy.<br />
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Here's my tip when it comes to hanging shelves straight. Use painters tape to mark your nails.<a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2012/08/bathroom-update.html" target="_blank"> Here's a tutorial</a> I put together that explains it more.<br />
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And these wire<b> baskets </b>were from the dollar spot at Target a few years ago. I like to shop in my own house before going out and spending money. They weren't in use until now.<br />
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Add <b>glass to hold accessories</b>. Recycle jars and add jute twine to the tops. Shopping at home always pays off in the end.<br />
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Notice the rolled white towels I talked about on Tuesday's post. <br />
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More glass and a <b>touch of greenery. Yes, it's fake, but it's green.</b><br />
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Salad dressing bottles make great vases, and they're another great way to upcyle.<br />
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I couldn't decide whether to use this green pottery flower vase or the glass bottles. </div>
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The other wire basket serves as my<b> Accessories tray</b> and the <b>TP basket</b> is a "roll" over element from the "before" bathroom.<br />
The bathroom is bright and beautiful. For such a small, awkward space (it has two doors) it's now clean, organized, and<b> this decorating project is officially complete!</b><br />
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So how did you do with the challenge?<br />
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<u><b>Take ACTION:</b></u><br />
You still have time to complete the monthly challenge.<br />
Clean it<br />
Organize it<br />
Decorate it<br />
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For more inspiration, check out these past post for all things bathrooms.<br />
<a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/01/bathroom-challenge-cleaning-week.html" target="_blank">Tips for cleaning</a><br />
<a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/01/monthly-challenge-1-organize-under.html" target="_blank">Tips for organizing</a><br />
<a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/01/tips-and-tricks-tuesday-bathroom-decor.html#more" target="_blank">Tips for a beautiful bathroom</a><br />
<a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2012/12/beach-theme-bathroom-reveal.html" target="_blank">Beach Theme Bathroom Reveal</a><br />
<br />
So what will the room be for February's Monthly Challenge? Come see on Tuesday!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Blessings, </span></i></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Lisa</span></i></b></span></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-54065167031540630862016-01-28T08:00:00.000-07:002016-02-09T23:25:45.166-07:00Red, Red, Entry CabinetA girl has to paint! I don't know what it is about refinishing furniture, but I love finding old pieces and giving them new life. I search for solid pieces at thrift stores, yard sales, and craigslist. When I find something I like, I'm either keeping it for Lewisville or flipping it to make some extra money- also for Lewisville! <br />
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This is what the cabinet looked like originally, for the most part. I took off the knobs and started sanding before I remembered to take a BEFORE picture.<br />
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I found her on Craigslist for $20.<br />
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Not perfect of course and she needed a good cleaning.<br />
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I sanded the gloss off with my orbital sander and 100 grit sand paper, then hand sanded with 220 grit.<br />
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After sanding, I brushed on a coat of white primer over the entire piece. </div>
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Then I made the decision to<b><span style="color: #990000;"> paint the cabinet RED</span>,</b> a color I've never used on my pieces before. I wasn't sure if I would use the color again, so I chose just to get a sample jar of <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Heirloom Red.</b></span><br />
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This was a very exciting moment, but I was a little deflated when I realized I needed a brown or red primer to help cover the piece. The white primer would need about 1,000 coats of red to fully get it covered.<br />
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So I used a brown spray primer by Rustoleum over the white brushed on primer. <b>Yes, you can do that.</b> While I waited for that to dry, I primed the hardware.<br />
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And spray painted it black.<br />
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One coat of red paint, but not quite what I wanted. Another coat of red paint, but still not ready.<br />
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So I decided to add Valspar Antique Gel to the piece. I love antiquing painted furniture with this product (and this is not a paid post).<br />
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For details on how to use and apply this antique gel, <a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2015/03/shabby-chic-beauty.html" target="_blank">go HERE</a> and <a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2013/04/my-1st-attempt-at-shabby-chic.html" target="_blank"> HERE</a> <br />
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A coat of polycrylic was applied after everything dried, the original hardware was returned, and here is the final product!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I love the results</b></span>. Black and red make a statement and they're a beautiful combo.<br />
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But I was never going to keep her. Sigh.<br />
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She went right back up on craigslist...<br />
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And flipped immediately. My entry way is tiny, so even a cabinet as small as this just wasn't really going to work after a while. I need something with less depth.<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> I'm loving the red!</span></b><br />
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I'm still searching for the perfect entry piece for this little space, until then, I'll keep painting all the cabinets in the world!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Blessings, </span></i></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Lisa</span></i></b></span></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-15982164667183918892016-01-26T08:00:00.000-07:002016-01-26T08:00:07.768-07:00Tips and Tricks Tuesday- Bathroom DecorThis is it! We are in our last week for the January project of the month- Bathroom(s)! This week, we're focusing on decorating and/or working on a project for the room. What do I mean by project? Maybe it's time to paint or work on that DIY project you've been meaning to do. We all know what that's like! <a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/01/bathroom-challenge-cleaning-week.html" target="_blank">We've cleaned</a>; <a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/01/monthly-challenge-1-organize-under.html" target="_blank">We've organized,</a> now it's time to pull it all together!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--N0hbd2tkP4/VqbzYtBF4hI/AAAAAAAAKhQ/F87WrqD7nqo/s1600/ce9ecb55213557a1f8dca1f2095c68b0.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--N0hbd2tkP4/VqbzYtBF4hI/AAAAAAAAKhQ/F87WrqD7nqo/s400/ce9ecb55213557a1f8dca1f2095c68b0.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2012/12/beach-theme-bathroom-reveal.html" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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When I look at beautiful bathrooms, I notice these 9 common design elements that create a soothing, one might say spa-like, experience. So for today's Tips and Tricks, I'll be sharing these key decor/project tips you can do to have a beautiful bathroom!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1. Paint the bathroom in a light and calm color.</b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> Look how inviting these rooms look!</span><b><br /></b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.attagirlsays.com/2014/02/28/choosing-paint-colors/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z4zrX_crgfA/VqbJpr9pElI/AAAAAAAAKdQ/HrqHHwIjy64/s1600/2104e80c66ae7e7d59f82eec7d9e7ad0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z4zrX_crgfA/VqbJpr9pElI/AAAAAAAAKdQ/HrqHHwIjy64/s400/2104e80c66ae7e7d59f82eec7d9e7ad0.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bhg.com/bathroom/color-schemes/bathroom-paint-colors/#page=11" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7xftnXtvTyI/VqbKavjkTlI/AAAAAAAAKdY/j0oLjlz-zW4/s1600/101762750.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7xftnXtvTyI/VqbKavjkTlI/AAAAAAAAKdY/j0oLjlz-zW4/s400/101762750.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bhg.com/bathroom/color-schemes/colors/bathroom-color-schemes/#page=18" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-89WvbIcHBz4/VqbK2RQs38I/AAAAAAAAKdg/ogY2DpGooBU/s1600/101946668.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-89WvbIcHBz4/VqbK2RQs38I/AAAAAAAAKdg/ogY2DpGooBU/s320/101946668.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2. DIY updates make a big difference.</span></b> Easy projects you can do in your bathroom include <b><span style="color: #134f5c;">adding <span style="color: #134f5c;">a frame around your builder-installed mirror, </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YiZPFxLOusc/VqbOIQf7skI/AAAAAAAAKds/PZBmlkMubFA/s1600/b7281e420d30d4e42d956fce1c29723d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YiZPFxLOusc/VqbOIQf7skI/AAAAAAAAKds/PZBmlkMubFA/s640/b7281e420d30d4e42d956fce1c29723d.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://howtonestforless.com/2014/03/11/how-to-frame-a-bathroom-mirror/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="color: #134f5c;">changing the lighting with spray paint,</span></b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-myCjKBykAKc/VqbYmdSmhcI/AAAAAAAAKd8/JfwbBP6qQeQ/s1600/updatelighting.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-myCjKBykAKc/VqbYmdSmhcI/AAAAAAAAKd8/JfwbBP6qQeQ/s400/updatelighting.png" width="326" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2014/09/my-new-spray-paint-love.html?utm_source=bp_recent&utm-medium=gadget&utm_campaign=bp_recent" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b> <span style="color: #134f5c;">paint or stain your vanity cabinet and add new hardware,</span> </b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kLJqV2mP6V4/VqbZz3IpPHI/AAAAAAAAKeI/T8hJW9eDJbY/s1600/fe73a3768b94a321284f6034046a4022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kLJqV2mP6V4/VqbZz3IpPHI/AAAAAAAAKeI/T8hJW9eDJbY/s400/fe73a3768b94a321284f6034046a4022.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://restylejunkie.wordpress.com/2014/10/30/dark-gel-stain-java-vs-walnut-which-one-is-rich-enough-for-you/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MVdWIpZc5Yc/VqbcesJEYgI/AAAAAAAAKeU/_Ts_0eRVw4k/s1600/181d89c30152b16c03143a2683736c61.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MVdWIpZc5Yc/VqbcesJEYgI/AAAAAAAAKeU/_Ts_0eRVw4k/s640/181d89c30152b16c03143a2683736c61.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://theturquoisehome.com/2014/03/the-average-diy-girls-guide-to-painting-cabinets/#_a5y_p=1489607" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
and the easiest change is<span style="color: #134f5c;"> adding a new shower curtain or two curtains to make a statement.</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hPcgp6fUm3o/VqbfArOz8wI/AAAAAAAAKeo/wREGa3B277s/s1600/4e24cb98395f3b8c931327315b7f5b42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hPcgp6fUm3o/VqbfArOz8wI/AAAAAAAAKeo/wREGa3B277s/s400/4e24cb98395f3b8c931327315b7f5b42.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.howtodecorate.com/2014/01/ask-an-expert-bathroom-renovation-trends/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n2fKIAz-XIQ/VqbfiFByacI/AAAAAAAAKew/eK7qbJ0PIWk/s1600/5653802abf9776c25273f29e9d998447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n2fKIAz-XIQ/VqbfiFByacI/AAAAAAAAKew/eK7qbJ0PIWk/s400/5653802abf9776c25273f29e9d998447.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://awelldressedhome.com/portfolio/twins-bedrooms-and-bathroom/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fejr07XnEgA/VqbghUMcjCI/AAAAAAAAKe8/5gGORpm-b0k/s1600/f7048ad3e36fa7d0a76912f5e1f2f8e2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fejr07XnEgA/VqbghUMcjCI/AAAAAAAAKe8/5gGORpm-b0k/s400/f7048ad3e36fa7d0a76912f5e1f2f8e2.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://hookedonhouses.net/2014/06/02/a-popular-bloggers-house-for-sale-in-pennsylvania/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>3. Add rolled or folded white towels and keep them out in the open. </b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Look at all the pictures in this post- white towels galore!</span><b><br /></b></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--SvVPh-7MFE/Vqbg8tu4QwI/AAAAAAAAKfE/e2N088wvh4s/s1600/f54f5b0cd7b127d863a548d5a0981c7d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--SvVPh-7MFE/Vqbg8tu4QwI/AAAAAAAAKfE/e2N088wvh4s/s400/f54f5b0cd7b127d863a548d5a0981c7d.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://the-whiterabbit.com/2013/09/09/roll-your-towel-like-a-pro/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6iYT-RtEmTM/Vqbha4KoJ0I/AAAAAAAAKfM/zdxd81ibMA0/s1600/3d5624414f67c7009247f02a07f318ea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6iYT-RtEmTM/Vqbha4KoJ0I/AAAAAAAAKfM/zdxd81ibMA0/s400/3d5624414f67c7009247f02a07f318ea.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://everydayhomeblog.com/2015/02/spa-like-guest-bath.html" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>4. Bring in the Baskets for eye view- wire and wicker-not plastic</b></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-npK-XrbuXPs/Vqbh8OwzxJI/AAAAAAAAKfU/EvpJRh75huA/s1600/a13c4a0c1bc21c4744deb6bda10e2c20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-npK-XrbuXPs/Vqbh8OwzxJI/AAAAAAAAKfU/EvpJRh75huA/s400/a13c4a0c1bc21c4744deb6bda10e2c20.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://beachcottagelove.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oNTZr5Nlu-Q/Vqbi9nN0w5I/AAAAAAAAKfg/4fs5bAi7jJM/s1600/2334233fc9bef890720fb4e82ee3a3d4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oNTZr5Nlu-Q/Vqbi9nN0w5I/AAAAAAAAKfg/4fs5bAi7jJM/s320/2334233fc9bef890720fb4e82ee3a3d4.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>5. Add shelving</b></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--4cNzgk5L5Y/VqbjrMv_sNI/AAAAAAAAKfo/VvWwSWo8rZs/s1600/31b3968ccb3cdfe53ea592bf926904f0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--4cNzgk5L5Y/VqbjrMv_sNI/AAAAAAAAKfo/VvWwSWo8rZs/s400/31b3968ccb3cdfe53ea592bf926904f0.jpg" width="253" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2014/01/easy-diy-floating-shelves.html" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kHWzAfpfn1k/VqbkIYMtW0I/AAAAAAAAKfw/zK20lvrrY1s/s1600/d293d15330348f30783f77ebea6081ab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kHWzAfpfn1k/VqbkIYMtW0I/AAAAAAAAKfw/zK20lvrrY1s/s400/d293d15330348f30783f77ebea6081ab.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.countryliving.com/home-design/a36468/shades-of-blue-interiors-country-bathroom-makeover/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fr3Mmr-RNgo/VqblEP8HwNI/AAAAAAAAKf8/r22jhU_dqGs/s1600/22af38d229cf40fcc1b8523956934a94.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fr3Mmr-RNgo/VqblEP8HwNI/AAAAAAAAKf8/r22jhU_dqGs/s400/22af38d229cf40fcc1b8523956934a94.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.320sycamoreblog.com/2012/02/master-bathroom-after.html" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>6. Glass is beautiful for accessories</b></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C-iyh7bmJBU/VqbmLqMur1I/AAAAAAAAKgI/Oe-xwCPOJGI/s1600/38c35df720fe3112a3af4d2169c9cc28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C-iyh7bmJBU/VqbmLqMur1I/AAAAAAAAKgI/Oe-xwCPOJGI/s320/38c35df720fe3112a3af4d2169c9cc28.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.crateandbarrel.com/bed-and-bath/bath-accessories/1?c=1640&f=36560&SID=skim34276X922231Xe7f9dd7eaff2f2fe543671db2dcbce0d&si=2617611&aff=cj" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TcWiMXng42c/VqbmmEcW4yI/AAAAAAAAKgQ/LmJVVv40qwU/s1600/86b06e93a9230e2a30ff2ceddfed07e5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TcWiMXng42c/VqbmmEcW4yI/AAAAAAAAKgQ/LmJVVv40qwU/s320/86b06e93a9230e2a30ff2ceddfed07e5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.collectionsetc.com/error/page-not-found?aspxerrorpath=/productdetail.aspx" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>7. An accessories tray and candles show attention to details and gives guest an extra level of comfort!</b></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c1dxnTcM3Is/Vqbm-UzmyKI/AAAAAAAAKgY/HbZjs8iEkuQ/s1600/5b978e651b5966afa6ae4f162144fdaf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c1dxnTcM3Is/Vqbm-UzmyKI/AAAAAAAAKgY/HbZjs8iEkuQ/s400/5b978e651b5966afa6ae4f162144fdaf.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://everydayhomeblog.com/2015/02/spa-like-guest-bath.html" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KgvWLD3BrCU/VqbnxRZVZrI/AAAAAAAAKgg/Tia1DFEGcTQ/s1600/bf449b76c760397cdc7d9026deabbe91.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KgvWLD3BrCU/VqbnxRZVZrI/AAAAAAAAKgg/Tia1DFEGcTQ/s400/bf449b76c760397cdc7d9026deabbe91.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hometalk.com/search/posts?filter=bathroom%20tray%20home%20staging" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>8. Be generous with the TP (as in leave it out in bulk).</b></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vaHlC2GYTUc/Vqbpz7wt9sI/AAAAAAAAKgs/1mDe21unYcs/s1600/7fa547d0ee5439261c76500252dbed4c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vaHlC2GYTUc/Vqbpz7wt9sI/AAAAAAAAKgs/1mDe21unYcs/s400/7fa547d0ee5439261c76500252dbed4c.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://diyandmag.com/15-bathroom-storage-solutions-and-organization-tips/15-bathroom-storage-solutions-and-organization-tips-11/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5CAmxMLjXNA/VqbqTBTJZ0I/AAAAAAAAKg0/ZrqoIhpqfN4/s1600/e9cf1ed89cb2d74fa7ec93830449d4f3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5CAmxMLjXNA/VqbqTBTJZ0I/AAAAAAAAKg0/ZrqoIhpqfN4/s400/e9cf1ed89cb2d74fa7ec93830449d4f3.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hometalk.com/10784290/modern-farmhouse-bathroom-makeover" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b> 9. Add greenery.</b></span> If you look through the above photos again, you'll notice all the little green plants added to bring the outdoors in a bit. Nice touch!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ENLgHnYC-g/VqbrL41I12I/AAAAAAAAKhA/HVD80wjghdQ/s1600/c555c793b699356e7d9deca2e0259ee6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ENLgHnYC-g/VqbrL41I12I/AAAAAAAAKhA/HVD80wjghdQ/s320/c555c793b699356e7d9deca2e0259ee6.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.homebunch.com/traditional-shingle-home-blue-white-interiors/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, here we go. We're coming to the end of this <a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/01/project-of-month.html" target="_blank">Monthly Project Challenge</a>! If you've been working the challenge this month, send me your pictures or post them up on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lewisville-Love-312028855515517/" target="_blank">Lewisville Love Facebook </a>page.<br />
For more inspiration, visit my<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/LewisvilleLove/" target="_blank"> Pinterest Page Here</a>. <br />
<br />
<u><b>Take ACTION:</b></u><br />
Take one or two of these design elements and implement them into your decor/project week. It's one step toward the 2016 challenge!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b>Blessings, </b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b>Lisa</b></i></span></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-39772208319051656362016-01-23T08:00:00.000-07:002016-01-23T08:00:24.479-07:00Monthly Challenge #1-Organize Under the Bathroom SinkWe are in the middle of our first monthly Challenge here in Lewisville. Each month, we're tackling a room in our home and each week we're implementing a cleaning, organizing, and decorating task for that room. The project for the month of January is Bathrooms!<br />
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Last week we cleaned!<br />
This week, it's all about getting organized!<br />
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So here's the ugly truth...<br />
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Under the bathroom sink and vanity drawers can easily become the "catch-all" for every single toiletry ever made.<br />
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<a name='more'></a> We've all been here before. We have "things" in the deep, dark crevices of our bathroom drawers and under the sink that we may or may no longer use. <br /><br />
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Time to get organized.<br />
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<b><u>The Process:</u></b><br />
<b>1. Take everything out; all of it.</b><br />
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<b> 2. Wipe everything clean and start fresh.</b><br />
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<b>3. Get your organizing bins, baskets, trays, and/or containers together.</b> Here's what I used.<br />
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I didn't want to spend money during Organizing week because I'm using my bathroom budget for the decorating, but I did find the over the door wire organizer at my local thrift store for just a few dollars. The other organizers I already had.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iOg3C1Efg8c/VqMjQ4gMnmI/AAAAAAAAKbM/1rlpxAgqDls/s1600/DSC03739.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iOg3C1Efg8c/VqMjQ4gMnmI/AAAAAAAAKbM/1rlpxAgqDls/s400/DSC03739.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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And I'm taking this container that wasn't get used much from my linen closet.<br />
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Dollar stores are great for organizing small spaces like my bathroom<span id="goog_1954806914"></span><span id="goog_1954806915"></span>, but here's where you can get creative and organize without spending money.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hi_JMpD9Iu8/VqMi3-CMBdI/AAAAAAAAKbA/nnajLXqDvWs/s1600/DSC03745.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hi_JMpD9Iu8/VqMi3-CMBdI/AAAAAAAAKbA/nnajLXqDvWs/s400/DSC03745.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Use sturdy boxes and recycle small containers to store those small items in drawers.<br />
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<b>4. Purge.</b> Throw away items that are expired, donate items you don't use but are in good condition. <i>Emphasis on <b>good</b>. </i><br />
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<i><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ufsLbWH81nE/VqMkqfmwsDI/AAAAAAAAKbY/UfWKx_qlnTA/s1600/DSC03743.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ufsLbWH81nE/VqMkqfmwsDI/AAAAAAAAKbY/UfWKx_qlnTA/s400/DSC03743.png" width="400" /></a></i></div>
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It's a messy job, but it will lead to an organized bathroom.<br />
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<b>5. Put like items together</b> in those bins and baskets you're using to get organized.<br />
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I was surprised at how much I needed to throw away and how much make-up I have. Does a girl really need this much make-up?<br />
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<b>6. Put it all back...ORGANIZED!</b><br />
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Hair dryers are just awkwardly shaped. They need their own space.<br />
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Small vanity means small bins.<br />
And here's what I did with that box from above. It's the perfect container for all things teeth.<br />
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And those plastic butter containers now hold my supply of hair bands and miscellaneous essentials a girl needs.<br />
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Boys don't have as many essential items as we do.<br />
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That's it. It took me about an hour to get it all done, but it was an hour well worth it!<br />
For more inspiration on cleaning and organizing your bathroom, check out these post.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2012/10/organizing-under-bathroom-sink.html" target="_blank">Organizing under the Kids Bathroom Sink</a><br />
<a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/01/tips-and-tricks-tuesdays-organized.html" target="_blank">25 Tips and Tricks to an Organized Bathroom </a><br />
<a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/01/tips-and-tricks-tuesday-bathroom.html" target="_blank">Tips and Tricks Tuesday-Clean Bathroom</a><br />
<u><b><br /></b></u>
<u><b>Take ACTION:</b></u><br />
If you have already joined the<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/01/project-of-month.html" target="_blank"> monthly challenge</a></b></span>, start now!<br />
We've cleaned, we've organized, next we're decorating the bathrooms. (My favorite part!)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Blessings, </span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Lisa</span></b></i></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-29662378003256402172016-01-21T08:00:00.000-07:002016-01-21T09:18:32.333-07:00One Trick to New StairsIt's a project day here in Lewisville. I'm taking a break from the cleaning and organizing challenge to work on an area of my home that has bothered me for more than two (maybe three) years.<br />
My stairs...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EUHBWwB1c8E/VqCTMe63SWI/AAAAAAAAKXY/x1bJTsYVMeo/s1600/stair%2BCollage1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EUHBWwB1c8E/VqCTMe63SWI/AAAAAAAAKXY/x1bJTsYVMeo/s400/stair%2BCollage1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
When we first moved into the house, I told myself, <i>I can fix those stairs! Just sand, stain, poly.</i><br />
But here we are, two/three years later and they still look the same<i>. </i>I just couldn't get motivated to sand the entire length of my stairs, plus the stairway to the basement which is joined to the main staircase.<br />
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There's lots of wood that just wasn't taken care of, then there's my neglect and my, <i>Someday, I'll get to it</i> promise. <b>SOMEDAY came!</b> But only because I realized there might be an easy solution to my little staircase quandry.<br />
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The other side was just as bad.<br />
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So I remembered from my <a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/01/a-little-craigslist-gem.html" target="_blank">last project, A Little Craigslist Gem</a>, the amazing success and restoration that occurred when I applied shellac to these wood drawers.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JxzaioaOXn4/VqCXsWu1XvI/AAAAAAAAKYY/utHqf0X9rbo/s1600/DSC03642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JxzaioaOXn4/VqCXsWu1XvI/AAAAAAAAKYY/utHqf0X9rbo/s400/DSC03642.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-75VefLwqGcU/VqCX6WxQifI/AAAAAAAAKYg/H_8vMtJ5bA4/s1600/finalcollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-75VefLwqGcU/VqCX6WxQifI/AAAAAAAAKYg/H_8vMtJ5bA4/s400/finalcollage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>BIG DIFFERENCE</b> with the drawer fronts. That was just sanding and shellac!<br />
These stairs were already stripped so the shellac, which is my new favorite product, should be able to bring out the natural wood brilliance. <b>And it did!</b><br />
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<b>STEP ONE:</b><br />
<b>Clean the wood. Use a natural cleaner like vinegar and water or a mild cleanser to wipe away debris and dust.</b><br />
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<b> STEP TWO:</b><br />
<b>Tape off and protect the carpet or wood flooring. </b><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4odeVHUGn-Y/VqCZTivG7lI/AAAAAAAAKY0/DEQ9wZxNnRU/s1600/DSC03720.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4odeVHUGn-Y/VqCZTivG7lI/AAAAAAAAKY0/DEQ9wZxNnRU/s320/DSC03720.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> STEP THREE:</b><br />
<b>Use a small natural bristle brush and work the shellac into the grooves and grain of the wood. </b><br />
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That's it! It didn't take me long to finish this one section of the stairs. Only three more to go!<br />
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It looks so much better and I'm really happy with these quick results.<br />
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It's not perfect and I would have chosen a darker stain over all, but my staircase is radically improved. Because there is so much wood, I have to work in sections and for now, I can live with this original stain color.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7D8ALzf04m4/VqEEgw09V3I/AAAAAAAAKZo/CgqrWXseGRw/s1600/DSC03727.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7D8ALzf04m4/VqEEgw09V3I/AAAAAAAAKZo/CgqrWXseGRw/s400/DSC03727.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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I will have to sand in other areas, but only because there was paint splatter from previous tenants. The shellac brush over is well worth it!</div>
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<u><b>Take ACTION:</b></u></div>
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Is there an area in your home that you've been meaning to tackle? That's what Lewisville Love is all about. We tackle the little things and the big things, just a little bit at a time. If you haven't joined me for the <a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.net/2016/01/project-of-month.html" target="_blank">monthly challenge</a>, now's the time to get on board!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Blessings,</span></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Lisa </span></b></i></span></div>
<br />lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-1107596513455209022016-01-19T08:00:00.000-07:002016-01-19T08:00:06.974-07:00Tips and Tricks Tuesdays- Organized BathroomThe <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2016/01/project-of-month.html" target="_blank">PROJECT for the month</a> of January has been dedicated to bathrooms. If you're just joining us, we're taking one room, one month at a time and each week we focus on a key element to improve that room. Last week we focused on <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2016/01/bathroom-challenge-cleaning-week.html" target="_blank">cleaning</a>; this week we're ORGANIZING!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t_e1MfXrQ3w/Vp3ZqzrEPYI/AAAAAAAAKTM/Ra9iDc5ER1g/s1600/Organized%2BBathroom2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t_e1MfXrQ3w/Vp3ZqzrEPYI/AAAAAAAAKTM/Ra9iDc5ER1g/s400/Organized%2BBathroom2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Today's Tips and Tricks Tuesday is dedicated to the Organized Bathroom.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Bathroom Counters</b></u></span><br />
Add a shelf over the sink to extend valuable counter top space. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IuC5JRUkSDE/Vp20iYwe9nI/AAAAAAAAKPI/RkTUkm2ptXA/s1600/31c4735d22ddbe6e86268d991d80d3c0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IuC5JRUkSDE/Vp20iYwe9nI/AAAAAAAAKPI/RkTUkm2ptXA/s640/31c4735d22ddbe6e86268d991d80d3c0.jpg" width="393" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.listotic.com/29-small-space-hacks/29/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5GCYuLpJirM/Vp20joat_gI/AAAAAAAAKPM/CDtMqp2gDFU/s1600/590b6a8bc0bcb4c97be79dd869a1f805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5GCYuLpJirM/Vp20joat_gI/AAAAAAAAKPM/CDtMqp2gDFU/s400/590b6a8bc0bcb4c97be79dd869a1f805.jpg" width="347" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/small-bathroom-storage-organization-ideas-207474" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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Use trays, baskets or crates to keep like items tidy and together on the counter tops.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BckOS0JJaTE/Vp21zP4XJhI/AAAAAAAAKPc/-M3Ta2UtLlg/s1600/19f8df6731fe14c2b5d8932406b62f17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BckOS0JJaTE/Vp21zP4XJhI/AAAAAAAAKPc/-M3Ta2UtLlg/s640/19f8df6731fe14c2b5d8932406b62f17.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://acultivatednest.com/2015/01/10-ways-to-organize-with-baskets/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--hVsMCWsZQs/Vp22dSS0UAI/AAAAAAAAKPk/FWmlSrr7vj0/s1600/bc884e87553148e1e3d3ef8e7acca1a3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--hVsMCWsZQs/Vp22dSS0UAI/AAAAAAAAKPk/FWmlSrr7vj0/s640/bc884e87553148e1e3d3ef8e7acca1a3.jpg" width="419" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blissfullydomestic.com/home-bliss/more-white-dish/1459/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VOmR7ZKM2Ic/Vp2-6J8oWuI/AAAAAAAAKP0/oiowm-PLYrc/s1600/846102969a5a4b80191564e9c4302e13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VOmR7ZKM2Ic/Vp2-6J8oWuI/AAAAAAAAKP0/oiowm-PLYrc/s640/846102969a5a4b80191564e9c4302e13.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.listotic.com/29-small-space-hacks/18/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_-zWSP52-ds/Vp3AK-ATlpI/AAAAAAAAKQA/8mHe9G1kJyw/s1600/tannamarch10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_-zWSP52-ds/Vp3AK-ATlpI/AAAAAAAAKQA/8mHe9G1kJyw/s400/tannamarch10.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mabelhood.com/clever-container-for-bathroom-counter-clutter/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xzI5Z3LZsKE/Vp3Aw7TfbtI/AAAAAAAAKQI/VGsvk5g8zhM/s1600/CounterTops3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xzI5Z3LZsKE/Vp3Aw7TfbtI/AAAAAAAAKQI/VGsvk5g8zhM/s400/CounterTops3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sunlitspaces.com/2014/07/11/cute-decor-for-bathroom-countertops/9/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Under the Sink</b></u></span><br />
Use shelving units, more baskets, crates, and bins to store under the counter/hide away items.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L-WmFTffWdU/Vp3CnKj4tcI/AAAAAAAAKQU/a5Q-vVzaBa4/s1600/3fe9ba784db85ea9ea48ccf84e1d8991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L-WmFTffWdU/Vp3CnKj4tcI/AAAAAAAAKQU/a5Q-vVzaBa4/s400/3fe9ba784db85ea9ea48ccf84e1d8991.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/small-bathroom-storage-organization-ideas-207474" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l4rbkS0Qsio/Vp3C94C3wqI/AAAAAAAAKQc/nAEIzfpHHLY/s1600/ee71ec1ae559f699dcf6e2682cc66004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l4rbkS0Qsio/Vp3C94C3wqI/AAAAAAAAKQc/nAEIzfpHHLY/s400/ee71ec1ae559f699dcf6e2682cc66004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.livinglocurto.com/2015/03/bathroom-organization-ideas/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WHIUTdWIUz0/Vp3DYA_8wjI/AAAAAAAAKQk/N9jTcXed0Sg/s1600/86826053e5420ef7fdc0679215ae5970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WHIUTdWIUz0/Vp3DYA_8wjI/AAAAAAAAKQk/N9jTcXed0Sg/s400/86826053e5420ef7fdc0679215ae5970.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oisfororganize.blogspot.com/2012/07/under-bathroom-sink.html" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cbmWZ1khE8E/Vp3G8b0oswI/AAAAAAAAKRA/iV5-DMTMR4Y/s1600/20130108-36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cbmWZ1khE8E/Vp3G8b0oswI/AAAAAAAAKRA/iV5-DMTMR4Y/s400/20130108-36.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.maryorganizes.com/2013/01/master-bathroom-organization/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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A lazy susan also makes a great organizing tool for small items.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pkIAARsE8Z8/Vp3EbMqmAzI/AAAAAAAAKQw/5JtVaADF1-0/s1600/6e34b84fa8d415e7d3c03923871332ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pkIAARsE8Z8/Vp3EbMqmAzI/AAAAAAAAKQw/5JtVaADF1-0/s400/6e34b84fa8d415e7d3c03923871332ad.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/small-bathroom-storage-organization-ideas-207474" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-paJm0PlpigU/Vp3GTQLcM6I/AAAAAAAAKQ4/q64GRx6J13Y/s1600/295ac981afd9fb85328997599ff971c1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-paJm0PlpigU/Vp3GTQLcM6I/AAAAAAAAKQ4/q64GRx6J13Y/s400/295ac981afd9fb85328997599ff971c1.jpg" width="321" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://acultivatednest.com/2014/06/11-small-bathroom-organization-ideas/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Behind the Cabinet Door</b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Don't forget about the valuable space behind the cabinet door.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gfdy82hu1Cc/Vp3IeeoP52I/AAAAAAAAKRM/Ipac77VKl_Y/s1600/ddec3bc0d02481bf5157dba88c926cbc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gfdy82hu1Cc/Vp3IeeoP52I/AAAAAAAAKRM/Ipac77VKl_Y/s400/ddec3bc0d02481bf5157dba88c926cbc.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2015/03/11-ways-to-get-organized-with-bathroom-cabinet-doors.html" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-te2fc9L_T2U/Vp3JVgqw8KI/AAAAAAAAKRU/oAd6QMCOO70/s1600/972f5f5bfdb8cc9b643fb045b1c20cf6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-te2fc9L_T2U/Vp3JVgqw8KI/AAAAAAAAKRU/oAd6QMCOO70/s400/972f5f5bfdb8cc9b643fb045b1c20cf6.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/2011/10/organizedhome-day-7-diy-pocket.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ImperfectHomemaking+%28The+Complete+Guide+to+Imperfect+Homemaking%29" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I9lahBnTp8w/Vp3KAFAmS-I/AAAAAAAAKRc/7Bm6Greavxg/s1600/313bd11e7c2a07ff1777d5a91ac2bbde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I9lahBnTp8w/Vp3KAFAmS-I/AAAAAAAAKRc/7Bm6Greavxg/s400/313bd11e7c2a07ff1777d5a91ac2bbde.jpg" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.stickonpods.com/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9pabZedFfvE/Vp3LwMpAfUI/AAAAAAAAKRo/y5vnYkkR1-Q/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9pabZedFfvE/Vp3LwMpAfUI/AAAAAAAAKRo/y5vnYkkR1-Q/s400/11.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.abowlfulloflemons.net/2011/01/day-14-getting-organized-challenge.html" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_EqjeWEK7mg/Vp3NIs46coI/AAAAAAAAKR0/HRRtEh-5YUY/s1600/8568975503_1f97b2d3f8_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_EqjeWEK7mg/Vp3NIs46coI/AAAAAAAAKR0/HRRtEh-5YUY/s400/8568975503_1f97b2d3f8_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hisugarplumsblog.com/2013/03/organized-master-bathroom-cabinet.html?_szp=443386" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<u><b> </b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cabinet Drawers</b></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">There are so many options you can use to organize drawers from dollar store items, old containers, and even decorated cardboard.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-94Tqrp4WFWc/Vp3OodXhf9I/AAAAAAAAKSA/RqPEx24m0jY/s1600/7acf988ed073374adad34a8b782d8844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-94Tqrp4WFWc/Vp3OodXhf9I/AAAAAAAAKSA/RqPEx24m0jY/s400/7acf988ed073374adad34a8b782d8844.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://littlepenelopelane.blogspot.com/2013/01/putting-my-pins-to-use.html" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRJnX0R_yPg/Vp3QtgC9g-I/AAAAAAAAKSU/58WJv4St-94/s1600/e5f916e8-06ac-4051-a1a2-1686b9932e56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRJnX0R_yPg/Vp3QtgC9g-I/AAAAAAAAKSU/58WJv4St-94/s400/e5f916e8-06ac-4051-a1a2-1686b9932e56.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_12340794_diy-desk-drawer-organizers.html?utm_source=pinterest.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=freestyle&utm_campaign=fanpage&crlt.pid=camp.pSznwOPGTlOJ" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">{Source}</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zB3OZwqj9Vk/Vp3Pez8zuDI/AAAAAAAAKSI/vWn6AqZpX0w/s1600/d1ee51e7bf8482965c86cb21d17faf2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zB3OZwqj9Vk/Vp3Pez8zuDI/AAAAAAAAKSI/vWn6AqZpX0w/s400/d1ee51e7bf8482965c86cb21d17faf2a.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thesummeryumbrella.com/2015/07/dollar-store-bathroom-drawer-organization/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><u><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b><b>Go Vertical </b></span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Add shelving</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wMg44zW8H08/Vp3R4j0AYAI/AAAAAAAAKSg/Yjf1HFI9Qug/s1600/327b857510d2a3b890d10f44feedcda9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wMg44zW8H08/Vp3R4j0AYAI/AAAAAAAAKSg/Yjf1HFI9Qug/s400/327b857510d2a3b890d10f44feedcda9.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gracefulorder.com/2014/06/28/organizing-small-bathroom-sinks/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Add multiple towel racks, even behind a door to save space.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4QudxVHE5I/Vp3T9hoospI/AAAAAAAAKSw/32AZprBlpUk/s1600/62babe4cc92c57167d8d26ad7c7306a8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4QudxVHE5I/Vp3T9hoospI/AAAAAAAAKSw/32AZprBlpUk/s400/62babe4cc92c57167d8d26ad7c7306a8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/275378/25-bathroom-organizers" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"> Need more storage? Add a shelf above the door.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2V2U6qebbhw/Vp3VZ_VGfpI/AAAAAAAAKS4/_EGNvNT28tY/s1600/59574ea423b9ca6b4047e40feaab311d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2V2U6qebbhw/Vp3VZ_VGfpI/AAAAAAAAKS4/_EGNvNT28tY/s400/59574ea423b9ca6b4047e40feaab311d.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/275378/25-bathroom-organizers#235821" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N0pMDRcnjxs/Vp3aMkPqTYI/AAAAAAAAKTU/mNAs6dSgRrk/s1600/enhanced-buzz-17999-1362938106-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N0pMDRcnjxs/Vp3aMkPqTYI/AAAAAAAAKTU/mNAs6dSgRrk/s400/enhanced-buzz-17999-1362938106-7.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://suiterevival.blogspot.com/2011/10/bathroom-tour.html" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><u><b>Take Action:</b></u><br />
Now it's your turn. Take an idea or two and implement some organization into your bathrooms. You don't have to have a big budget to organize, just get creative.<br />
For more inspiration, you can visit my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/LewisvilleLove/organized-bathroom/" target="_blank">Organized Bathroom PINTEREST</a> page.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Blessings, </span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Lisa</span></i></b></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-32873312487696371822016-01-16T08:00:00.000-07:002016-01-16T08:00:01.054-07:00Bathroom Challenge-Cleaning WeekAre you taking the<a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2016/01/project-of-month.html" target="_blank"> Monthly Challenge for 2016</a>? We're picking just one room a month to clean, organize, and decorate. One room-one month at a time. This month, it's <b>the BATHROOM</b>(s), and each week, we're working on just one area of the room as our project. This week we're <b>Cleaning</b>! <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MpiNdoNto3Q/VpnM36bHcrI/AAAAAAAAKNI/TtlcbRZc2ls/s1600/januaryclean.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MpiNdoNto3Q/VpnM36bHcrI/AAAAAAAAKNI/TtlcbRZc2ls/s400/januaryclean.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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There's really nothing to get excited about when it comes to cleaning, except when it's all over! That's my favorite part. My bathrooms got a deep cleaning, which they needed (confession). There's a bit of a sparkle in them now. I just love that feeling when I walk into a super clean room. You know what I'm talking about, right?<span style="font-size: large;"><b> Cleaning a room, transforms a room.</b></span><br />
There are bathroom cleaning chores we should tackle daily, weekly, and monthly. I go in depth with each room in this <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2016/01/project-of-month.html" target="_blank">cleaning chart </a>I created. This week's cleaning challenge included the following:<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<ul>
<li><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">clean sink<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>scrub bathtub/tile</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>hang new hand towels<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">put away hair & make-up products </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>clean toilet (in & out)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>clean shower doors/ wash curtain<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>clean mirrors/ wipe fixtures<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>wash rugs</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>dust shelves<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>wipe baseboards</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> throw away trash<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>clean blinds/curtains /windows </span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> wipe light switches</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> But as I spent some time scrubbing away the past few months of deep cleaning neglect, I realized I needed to add a few chore items to the above list. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">1. Wipe the cabinets. You might be surprised how much toothpaste ends up here. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sZ_4MQAhIMw/VpnU1eUMDzI/AAAAAAAAKNw/y389z5bvkqY/s1600/DSC03701.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sZ_4MQAhIMw/VpnU1eUMDzI/AAAAAAAAKNw/y389z5bvkqY/s400/DSC03701.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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2. If you don't have a bathroom fan for ventilation, make sure you clean the ceilings (let's say once a month) to keep mildew away. I found using a swiffer the easiest way to clean those ceilings.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N6KyobUJ0mY/VpnUbiv56bI/AAAAAAAAKNg/-KnY6Ip5INM/s1600/DSC03688.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N6KyobUJ0mY/VpnUbiv56bI/AAAAAAAAKNg/-KnY6Ip5INM/s400/DSC03688.png" width="400" /></a></div>
3. Clean the neglected (a.k.a. never touched) bathroom fan.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t3-bFNAx5Dc/VpnUqQP42rI/AAAAAAAAKNo/RZ_fs3Pt9N4/s1600/DSC03699.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t3-bFNAx5Dc/VpnUqQP42rI/AAAAAAAAKNo/RZ_fs3Pt9N4/s400/DSC03699.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> This one can be a little scary, but it's possible. If I can do it, I know you can do it.</span><br />
<span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> Here's a before picture. I never noticed how dirty this was until I purposely looked around my bathroom for what I could clean. Cue my life motto: <b>Look Up!</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mRz9g68nkR8/VpnXBoprQXI/AAAAAAAAKN8/3FsocLv2GEQ/s1600/DSC03664.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mRz9g68nkR8/VpnXBoprQXI/AAAAAAAAKN8/3FsocLv2GEQ/s400/DSC03664.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Take step by step pictures with your phone camera so you can put everything back together. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RlUS0e25nkI/VpnXNSwNFsI/AAAAAAAAKOE/nKOIGJ5flo0/s1600/DSC03669.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RlUS0e25nkI/VpnXNSwNFsI/AAAAAAAAKOE/nKOIGJ5flo0/s400/DSC03669.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Be sure to unplug everything before you get started cleaning. Goal- no ER visits while cleaning.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uBeYMjumEdI/VpnXQ0dz1DI/AAAAAAAAKOM/LKINDpqP-G0/s1600/DSC03672.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uBeYMjumEdI/VpnXQ0dz1DI/AAAAAAAAKOM/LKINDpqP-G0/s400/DSC03672.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Vacuum the loose dust and use special high-tech cleaning tools like q-tips to get into those tight spots. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J3vKfzh8y44/VpnXVZTAtPI/AAAAAAAAKOU/-4baIPJ67kk/s1600/DSC03671.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J3vKfzh8y44/VpnXVZTAtPI/AAAAAAAAKOU/-4baIPJ67kk/s400/DSC03671.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="color: black;"> For more inspiration, check out my past Bathroom cleaning post.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="color: black;"> <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2012/05/tips-and-tricks-tuesday-6-clean-your.html" target="_blank">Clean Your Shower for Less</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-5-minute-powder-room-clean-up.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">5 Minute Powder Room Clean Up </span></a></span></span><br />
<a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2016/01/tips-and-tricks-tuesday-bathroom.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="color: black;">Tips and Tricks to Bathroom Cleaning </span></span></span></a><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="color: black;">It's not to late to join the challenge!</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Take ACTION</b></u></span></span></span></span><br />
Join the challenge <br />
Take an hour to Clean that bathroom.<br />
<br />
This next week we'll be ORGANIZING. I'll be back on Tuesday with Tips and Tricks for Bathroom Organizing.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Blessings,</span></b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Lisa</span></b></i></span></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-33488044954429031092016-01-14T08:00:00.000-07:002016-01-14T08:00:00.175-07:00Password TrackerToday, it's common to give your email, set up a username, and create a password with each site you land on in the wonderful world known as the web. Everyone tells you to use the same password, but some sites want caps, others- no caps, and yet others must have at least one number, a special symbol and the promise of your first born child.<br />
I use a variation of the same password and usually write down that password...somewhere???<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6aginStWrqs/Vpbt4NO7hLI/AAAAAAAAKM4/u3KEPGcvwa8/s1600/passwordpublication.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6aginStWrqs/Vpbt4NO7hLI/AAAAAAAAKM4/u3KEPGcvwa8/s400/passwordpublication.png" width="307" /></a></div>
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But before long, that paper is lost in the abyss of Lewisville, aka, my home. I don't like having my inbox full of useless emails, so I'm careful when it comes to signing my life away. Everyone, and I mean every website wants to have your email and set you up with a personal login. Good idea for business, bad idea for busy people- who can't remember every variation of their password.<br />
<br />
So I created this handy dandy password tracker and you can print yours below.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
I don't put my bank info in here of course, just those passwords for non-consequential but interesting sites.<br />
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Print as many as you'd like and tuck away in your desk drawer. I've been using this tracker for 2 months now and it's so helpful.<br />
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<b><u>Take ACTION:</u></b><br />
Print as many<b> <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILVzRJeUMxMEhNTXM/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">password trackers</a></b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILVzRJeUMxMEhNTXM/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"> as needed HERE</a>! Get your passwords organized and stay organized.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Blessings, </span></i></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Lisa</span></i></b></span></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-45047204859962159802016-01-12T08:00:00.000-07:002016-01-12T08:00:02.069-07:00Tips and Tricks Tuesday- Bathroom CleaningWe're back with Tips and Tricks Tuesday. This week, we'll talk about easy ways to clean the bathroom. Remember, <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2016/01/project-of-month.html">this month's room makeover challenge</a> is the bathroom, and this week we're starting off our project with some deep cleaning. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bn2-2i5WJnY/VpSNnlpHEkI/AAAAAAAAKMo/_YYPTVh5cqI/s1600/cleanbathroom.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bn2-2i5WJnY/VpSNnlpHEkI/AAAAAAAAKMo/_YYPTVh5cqI/s400/cleanbathroom.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
How to<span style="font-size: large;"><b> clean a shower door- use a magic eraser</b></span>!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ynBqMBpV5c0/VpRiaAydHbI/AAAAAAAAKLE/ts4rtvS3jRs/s1600/How-to-remove-soap-scum-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ynBqMBpV5c0/VpRiaAydHbI/AAAAAAAAKLE/ts4rtvS3jRs/s400/How-to-remove-soap-scum-4.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://askannamoseley.com/2014/08/how-to-clean-glass-shower-doors/">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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But if you don't have shower doors like me, did you know you can<span style="font-size: large;"><b> wash your shower curtains and shower liner </b></span>in the washing machine? I actually didn't know this until I was about 30ish. Spray your liner with stain remover, especially those yucky spots at the bottom, then wash in cold and hang them back up to dry.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Evm8JqrlK1o/VpSJjaGaoJI/AAAAAAAAKMc/UnBIgaREmVE/s1600/showercurtain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Evm8JqrlK1o/VpSJjaGaoJI/AAAAAAAAKMc/UnBIgaREmVE/s400/showercurtain.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
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I'm all about home made cleaners. They clean better than store bought, chemical filled cleaners and cost pennies in comparison.<span style="font-size: large;"><b> <span style="font-size: small;">I just finished cleaning my tile with this trick.</span></b></span> 1/2 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide, and just a squirt of dish soap. Mix and clean tile grout with an old toothbrush. Works great!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ra6ciybez2A/VpR0vfI0bxI/AAAAAAAAKLw/8nJD4EPsYlM/s1600/homemade-grout-cleaner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ra6ciybez2A/VpR0vfI0bxI/AAAAAAAAKLw/8nJD4EPsYlM/s640/homemade-grout-cleaner.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.atthepicketfence.com/">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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After cleaning the toilet (I use baking soda),<b> leave the brush in between the seat </b>to drip dry. Brilliant.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2nUlODf6zvg/VpRifmdEQ-I/AAAAAAAAKLM/PoitSuYZSUI/s1600/toilet-brush-tip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2nUlODf6zvg/VpRifmdEQ-I/AAAAAAAAKLM/PoitSuYZSUI/s320/toilet-brush-tip.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mrshinesclass.com/2013/01/14/this-is-the-way-we-clean-the-bathroom/">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This is clever. <b>Add a drop of cleaner</b> to your toilet brush to keep it clean in between uses.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m1iHVHFPd0U/VpRw2kHIGcI/AAAAAAAAKLk/oV9jmYBFwUk/s1600/clean-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m1iHVHFPd0U/VpRw2kHIGcI/AAAAAAAAKLk/oV9jmYBFwUk/s400/clean-2.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.homedepot.com/cleaning-tips-smarter-not-harder/">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You all know about the<b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2012/05/tips-and-tricks-tuesday-6-clean-your.html"><span style="font-size: large;">best shower cleaner</span> right</a>!</b> I've used this for years and won't go back to regular commercial cleaners that don't work. EVAH!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W7Z7S9993FE/VpSDdFRNbgI/AAAAAAAAKMM/n724xkdHiCo/s1600/bathandshowercleaner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W7Z7S9993FE/VpSDdFRNbgI/AAAAAAAAKMM/n724xkdHiCo/s400/bathandshowercleaner.JPG" width="272" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
A great way to keep the tub and shower door clean after each use, is to <b>use a dishwand</b> filled with that awesome cleaner! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0V18D6dkJS4/VpRihpAoFEI/AAAAAAAAKLU/bo1rjVQEfe8/s1600/tub-and-shower-cleaner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0V18D6dkJS4/VpRihpAoFEI/AAAAAAAAKLU/bo1rjVQEfe8/s320/tub-and-shower-cleaner.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://acultivatednest.com/2015/03/bathroom-cleaning-tips/">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Fill a plastic bag with vinegar and secure it around your shower head or faucet with a rubber band. Leave it overnight and <b>hard water spots are gone</b> without any scrubbing. LOVE it!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zzcZioKSji0/VpSA8U_nx5I/AAAAAAAAKMA/9ncVjjxH13I/s1600/15-Bathroom-Cleaning-Hacks-That-Will-Change-Your-Life2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zzcZioKSji0/VpSA8U_nx5I/AAAAAAAAKMA/9ncVjjxH13I/s320/15-Bathroom-Cleaning-Hacks-That-Will-Change-Your-Life2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amittenfullofsavings.com/bathroom-cleaning-hacks/#_a5y_p=4474385">{Source}</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><u>Take ACTION:</u></b><br />
This week- clean those bathrooms. It's easy to get overwhelmed with cleaning, organizing and decorating all the rooms in our home. That's why this is the perfect challenge for us. We're taking one room, one month at a time. This month we're working on bathrooms, and this week we're deep cleaning them! Here's a list to follow or you can <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2016/01/project-of-month.html"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>print my cleaning chart</b></span></a> which includes <b>daily, weekly, and monthly chores for every room </b>in the home.<br />
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<ul>
<li><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: #cc0000;">clean sink<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>scrub bathtub/tile</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>hang new hand towels<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">put away hair & make-up products </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>clean toilet (in & out)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>clean shower doors/ wash curtain<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>clean mirrors/ wipe fixtures<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>wash rugs</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>dust shelves<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>wipe baseboards</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> throw away trash<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>clean blinds/curtains /windows </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> wipe light switches</span></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.0pt; language: en-US; line-height: 119%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
There's<b> another clever trick I'll share on Saturday</b> when we get together again discussing our bathrooms and the plans for our monthly project. I hope you'll join me.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Blessings, </b></i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Lisa</b></i></span></span></span></div>
<br />lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-20717852872201619492016-01-09T08:00:00.000-07:002016-01-09T08:00:13.009-07:00Project of the Month<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CHeiHnq9_WM/Vo9Fn4Rcr4I/AAAAAAAAKJs/pLRQiveGM-U/s1600/homechallenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CHeiHnq9_WM/Vo9Fn4Rcr4I/AAAAAAAAKJs/pLRQiveGM-U/s400/homechallenge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This last week, I asked my dear readers on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lewisville-Love-312028855515517/?fref=ts" target="_blank"> facebook</a>, "Do you make resolutions each year?" Most of us, of course, make some kind of resolutions or goals list; but no matter how sincere our efforts, we know that new year's resolutions don't work.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CSQTBYxe8XU/VpA2pLjlC8I/AAAAAAAAKKU/FN94Rc44-lw/s1600/resolutions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CSQTBYxe8XU/VpA2pLjlC8I/AAAAAAAAKKU/FN94Rc44-lw/s400/resolutions.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
So why do our good intention-ed resolutions fail? Most "experts" agree that people can only focus on a few items at a time, so when we write out a list of goals, we write our eventual failure.<br />
That led me to think about my projects this year. My mind is spinning through all the projects I'd like to accomplish, right now if I could; but that would just lead to disaster I'm sure. That's why I came up with these <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2016/01/your-2016-calendars-and-project-planner.html" target="_blank">Monthly Goals Calendar which you can print HERE.</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PGlUqpUmAPk/Vo9GCYXwEbI/AAAAAAAAKJ0/aFb_uWQPnFY/s1600/monthlygoals.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PGlUqpUmAPk/Vo9GCYXwEbI/AAAAAAAAKJ0/aFb_uWQPnFY/s640/monthlygoals.png" width="492" /></a></div>
It helps me focus on ONE project at a time. ONE. That may be hard for some of us who like to be busy, but we will see greater achievement with that ONE area of focus. So will you join me in focusing our efforts towards ONE home challenge a month? We'll take one room, one month at a time and make it what we want and bless our families in the mean time!<br />
It's time to get started. This month's HOME Challenge is<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b> Bathrooms</b></i></span>! Why bathrooms? Simply, I like to start easy and small. We'll work our way through the rooms of our homes and focus on these three thing:<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cleaning</b></span></li>
<span style="color: #cc0000;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Organizing</b></span></li>
<span style="color: #cc0000;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Decorating</b></span></li>
</ol>
So here's what we're going to do this week- <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>CLEAN</b></span>! And if you're unsure where to get started in this area, I totally understand. Through my years at home, cleaning has been a learning process. It's something I have to schedule and make time for because <i><b>I'm not a natural</b></i>.<br />
Here's a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILWkJnc1JWWlAzemc/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">cleaning schedule I made last year. </a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5-k7X0xzdME/VpA_t1tV1II/AAAAAAAAKKw/GlQfaj3oIO0/s1600/filledcleaningchartreef.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5-k7X0xzdME/VpA_t1tV1II/AAAAAAAAKKw/GlQfaj3oIO0/s400/filledcleaningchartreef.png" width="347" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
If you want to match your Green 2016 Calendar and Monthly Goals Planner, you can print the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILdlNUMTd6SzBoV3M/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">GREEN Cleaning Chart HERE.</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QCp8qG5Plaw/VpA7cp_zmOI/AAAAAAAAKKk/R40A6hz7C-4/s1600/filledcleaningchartgreen.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QCp8qG5Plaw/VpA7cp_zmOI/AAAAAAAAKKk/R40A6hz7C-4/s400/filledcleaningchartgreen.png" width="310" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Here's a links to my favorite, make at home, cleaning solution.<br />
<a href="http://www.lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2012/05/tips-and-tricks-tuesday-6-clean-your.html"> Best Bath and Shower Cleaner EVER</a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><u>Take ACTION:</u></span><br />
Your assignment this week is simply to start with your weekly and monthly cleaning list for the bathroom, then work on the daily routine. We'll meet back here on Saturday mornings with updates and the next area we'll be working on for the room the following week.. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Blessings, </span></b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Lisa</span></b></i></span></span></div>
<br />lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-12847601480529354472016-01-07T08:00:00.000-07:002016-01-07T08:00:30.240-07:00Your 2016 Calendars and Project PlannerIt's 2016! I know. I know. It's been 2016 for a few days now, but getting through the shock and craziness of a new year has taken up precious time here in Lewisville. A few days ago, Mr. Lewisville and I were planning out our family events for the next couple of months and I realized, we didn't have a 2016 calendar up yet. So I finally got my act together and created<b> our family calendar</b>. And<b> I like to share!</b><br />
<br />
So here you are, your very own<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILOVpCdHpfOVplcGc/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"> 2016 family Calendars</a> from Lewisville Love Prints! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YKYvCFpjoqM/VotTdQmOf8I/AAAAAAAAKIg/MdwmVWxHhsA/s1600/jan2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YKYvCFpjoqM/VotTdQmOf8I/AAAAAAAAKIg/MdwmVWxHhsA/s400/jan2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Or if you like more muted tones, how about the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILS3cxaENDR3VGMzQ/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">2016 family Calendar in green</a>. <br />
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And since every new year begins with lots of planning and organizing, I think this monthly goals calendar will be helpful too.<br />
This<b> ONE page</b> will help you organize these areas of your home life each month:<br />
<ul>
<li>Save</li>
<li>Give</li>
<li>Clean out</li>
<li>Organize</li>
<li>Project</li>
<li>Other</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILRlJxSThjTm1YZ1U/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Print the "bluish one" HERE.</a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JCzz_BaZ9BY/Vo1XRL0pabI/AAAAAAAAKJM/SYPoXYjkVYI/s1600/monthlygoals.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JCzz_BaZ9BY/Vo1XRL0pabI/AAAAAAAAKJM/SYPoXYjkVYI/s400/monthlygoals.png" width="308" /></a></div>
Or you can print the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILZHd6YTlOcEg1WWc/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">green monthly goals calendar HERE</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sBBKcUlKQX8/Vo1YrUylBjI/AAAAAAAAKJY/biuMzS1KHtE/s1600/monthlygoalsgreen.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sBBKcUlKQX8/Vo1YrUylBjI/AAAAAAAAKJY/biuMzS1KHtE/s400/monthlygoalsgreen.png" width="307" /></a></div>
This helps give us a little direction in our homes.<br />
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<b>ACTION: </b><br />
Now print out your calendars and monthly goals calendar, and let get started.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Blessings, </span></i></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Lisa</span></i></b></span></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-5792868712358525132016-01-05T08:00:00.000-07:002016-02-09T23:26:55.215-07:00A Little Craigslist GemCraigslist. Some love it. Some love it...not. I personally find some gems on craigslist every once in a while.<br />
Here's what I found recently for $20.<br />
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(Excuse the dirt background. We're in the process of adding sod.)<br />
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I know this dresser isn't much to look at, but when you're a DIYer, you look beyond the exterior. Sure, there are lots of scratches, but that means <b>real wood</b>. The <b>dovetail drawer</b>s and curves at the bottom sold me, smelly drawers, nail polish spill and all.<br />
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<b><u>The Process:</u></b><br />
<b>Sand</b>. I used my orbital sander with 100 grit sand paper first, then moved to 220 for a finer/smoother finish. This was only to get the scratches out, NOT sand to the bare wood.<br />
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<b>Paint</b>. For this dresser, I decided to use chalk paint. You can find this chalk paint at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Home Depot, and other craft and home stores. It's about $9 for a small jar, but don't forget to use a 40% off coupon if you shop at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. I know <b>everyone loves Annie Sloan chalk paint, but</b> very few stores carry it, and those that do are in a galaxy far, far away. Plus, it's expensive.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Chalk paint has the added <b>benefit of skipping the primer step</b>. That skipping using primer before painting really appealed to me.<br />
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The drawers were also sanded and little gaps of chipped veneer were filled with wood filler.<br />
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After one coat of chalk paint, I noticed <b>yellow spots coming through the paint</b>. Bummer. I researched why this was happening and all I <span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">could</span></span></span> find was that it happens with old pieces painted with chalk paint. Informative. <b>There is a solution!</b><br />
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The paint looks dirty, but it's those yellow spots coming through.<br />
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<b>Use Shellac for stain blocking after your first coat of chalk paint.</b><br />
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<b> </b>I actually <b>used two coats,</b> right over the chalk paint. Wait for the first coat to dry (maybe an hour) then brush on your second coat.<br />
This is the first time I've used <b>shellac and I LOVE it</b>!<br />
It's a resin from a bug found in India or Thailand, dried, then dissolved into what we now use to finish wood. Because it has an organic/natural base, the price can vary from season to season based on availability. Interesting, right? I got the full class lesson from my local Home Depot associate.<br />
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<b>Paint a second coat. And a third if needed.</b><br />
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Instead of staining the drawers, I decided to...you guessed it, shellac them. <br />
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<b> Now go back</b> and look at the drawers after they were sanded. Big diff! And this is Shellac, not stain then poly, <b>just shellac! I love the natural color of the drawers.</b><br />
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<b>Lastly- Wax finish. </b><br />
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There are tons of tutorials out there on how to use wax, but essentially I <b>used a sponge paint brush to cover a section of the piece</b>, then went back with a white <b>cheesecloth to rub and buff </b>it out. It doesn't sound like enough to protect a piece, but indeed it works.<br />
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<u><b>The Results</b></u><br />
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Just Beautiful...<br />
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Not perfect, but still GOR-GEE-OUS! See those wood filler spots below, hardly noticeable unless I point them out to you...like I just did.<br />
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Most of the old knobs were missing, so I chose these plain white ones from Home Depot to make the whole piece pop. I think it works. <br />
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She's already been sold, and I have to admit, I was a little sad to see her go. But we'll always have shellac.<br />
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It was a process, but I'm so happy with the results!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SXa_wKOr76M/VotO2B-dZnI/AAAAAAAAKIU/sfGuw1mrDpk/s1600/finalcollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SXa_wKOr76M/VotO2B-dZnI/AAAAAAAAKIU/sfGuw1mrDpk/s400/finalcollage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
So you see, you can find some gems off craigslist. If you're uneasy about craigslist shopping, you can read my post about <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2013/02/buying-and-selling-on-craigslist.html" target="_blank">Buying and Selling on Craigslist HERE. </a><br />
Lots of good advice there.<br />
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Find your piece and get to work!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Blessings, </span></b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Lisa</span></b></i></span></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-60257268324008081942016-01-02T08:00:00.000-07:002016-01-02T08:00:04.544-07:00Christmas PrintablesAs you pack up all your Christmas decorations and clean up the holiday mess, now's a great time to print these Christmas planners for next year.<br />
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As part of my last post, <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2015/12/3-steps-to-take-now-for-christmasnext.html?utm_source=bp_recent&utm-medium=gadget&utm_campaign=bp_recent" target="_blank">3 Steps you can take now to prepare for next Christmas</a>, these printables are made available to help us all better prepare, because as we all know, the holidays always come before we know it!<br />
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Here's what you'll get:<br />
<b>Two different Gift list and Budget planners</b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BzKMN5ROydI/Vodjs8bxeuI/AAAAAAAAKEE/xoBeaYaDAVY/s1600/Christmaspack5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BzKMN5ROydI/Vodjs8bxeuI/AAAAAAAAKEE/xoBeaYaDAVY/s400/Christmaspack5.png" width="310" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uSEQyJkn7A8/VodkDgUyk4I/AAAAAAAAKEM/wBu7-ItwzfM/s1600/Christmaspack4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uSEQyJkn7A8/VodkDgUyk4I/AAAAAAAAKEM/wBu7-ItwzfM/s400/Christmaspack4.png" width="307" /></a></div>
<b>A Christmas Budget Organizer</b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MBlI2E2FAvs/VodkRQ-AMzI/AAAAAAAAKEU/r6s30yIQ9BA/s1600/Christmaspack3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MBlI2E2FAvs/VodkRQ-AMzI/AAAAAAAAKEU/r6s30yIQ9BA/s400/Christmaspack3.png" width="306" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Christmas Bin Organizers (For those totes/bins in your garage)<br />
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And a <b>Christmas Card & Address List</b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wpzbI-NEOmc/Vodkzn3be9I/AAAAAAAAKEk/buQXtujllZc/s1600/Christmaspack1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wpzbI-NEOmc/Vodkzn3be9I/AAAAAAAAKEk/buQXtujllZc/s400/Christmaspack1.png" width="325" /></a></div>
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Get your <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILc3RZWFJibHBUTkE/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Christmas Pack Printables Here</a></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Blessings, </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Lisa</b></i></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-83567148873614984662015-12-31T08:00:00.000-07:002015-12-31T08:00:14.929-07:003 Steps to take now for Christmas...Next Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">1. Pack and Purge</span></u></b><br />
*Evaluate all your Christmas items and décor. If some are looking to old and you know you're not going to use it again as part of next year's festivities and decorations, it's time to give or throw it away. Cut the cord!<br />
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*Get bins to pack all your Christmas items and <b>label each bin</b>.<br />
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*Pack smart with out door items in one bin, indoor in another, gift wrapping in another and so on. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILNDUxRGZrUUZCLUU/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Print these Christmas Bin labels</a> to get you started. Write down your contents and securely tape the label to the outside of your bin.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0zYi58K1TA/VoTSzpZ4NhI/AAAAAAAAKDk/AyVw5Jg99FE/s1600/Christmasbin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0zYi58K1TA/VoTSzpZ4NhI/AAAAAAAAKDk/AyVw5Jg99FE/s320/Christmasbin.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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*Packing ideas:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--UJBsDx_Bvo/VoTOCL1IQUI/AAAAAAAAKDQ/uyd4Ql-OZ68/s1600/DSC_8993-web-300x201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--UJBsDx_Bvo/VoTOCL1IQUI/AAAAAAAAKDQ/uyd4Ql-OZ68/s1600/DSC_8993-web-300x201.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://askannamoseley.com/2012/12/holiday-decorating-storage-ideas/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KT-RwkkYeVw/VoTOMLOd3hI/AAAAAAAAKDY/R5ldJe47gag/s1600/OrganizedOrnaments-300x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KT-RwkkYeVw/VoTOMLOd3hI/AAAAAAAAKDY/R5ldJe47gag/s320/OrganizedOrnaments-300x400.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.decoradventures.com/2014/01/organize-christmas-ornaments.html" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ql_rEKGIiv4/VoTVrsFRoQI/AAAAAAAAKDw/J0y01FRQAN4/s1600/giftwrap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ql_rEKGIiv4/VoTVrsFRoQI/AAAAAAAAKDw/J0y01FRQAN4/s640/giftwrap.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thechicsite.com/2014/09/11/wrapping-paper-storage/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2. Be Purposeful and Purchase now</span></u></b><br />
*Make a list of what needs to be replaced for next year. If you can, hit the after Christmas sales and stock up. I always buy Christmas cards, bows, and wrapping paper after Christmas.<br />
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*Make your Christmas card list now, while you can see the ones you have. Get your calendar out and set a date to send cards out next December.<br />
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*Think about where you spent your time and money this year for Christmas. There are endless parties, plays, and Christmas "events" that take up precious time. Decide what's necessary and important enough to keep. Mark them in your calendar now so you don't get overwhelmed next year.<br />
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*The same goes for your Christmas budget. Who's on your Christmas list? How much did you spend for each person? Make a Christmas budget and don't forget to add the small things- Christmas tree, gas, Black Friday, Christmas food (dinner, baking, party goods) etc.. to your budget. Take a look at my <i><span style="color: #cc0000;">Christmas Budget printable that I'm making available Saturday morning.</span></i><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">3. Put Away</span></u></b><br />
*You have to save! Once you put your budget together, even if it's in the ball park, divide that amount by 10 and save for the next 10 months. For example, lets say my Christmas budget is $1000 for next year. When I divide that amount by 10, I know I need to save $100 each month in order to be ready by November.<br />
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*Another way to save- Buy gift cards with each paycheck. I know I will always purchase items at certain stores during the holidays (like Target and my local grocery chain), so I can buy gift cards throughout the year to be better prepared for the holidays.<br />
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Be sure to come back on Saturday to print out your Christmas Printables. You'll get a budget planner, gift list, labels and much more!<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Blessings, </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Lisa</b></i></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-65053179435724469352015-12-29T07:00:00.000-07:002015-12-29T09:18:28.702-07:00Time to Write Again! It's been eight months. Eight long months since I posted anything on Lewisville Love. I have contemplated over and over again how to make a comeback while trying to explain my long absence. I love writing and sharing my home with you all, but life became more than just a little complicated eight months ago. Lately I've been seeing how everyone is posting their 2015 year in review on facebook. Not me! I am so glad to see 2015 end! It has been a tough, tough year. If there was ever a year in my life where I could just erase it, 2015 would be that year.<br />
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We are in, what I call, "recovery mode." Life is starting to go back to "normal" and we are working through those challenges still lingering. Through it all, our faith has sustained us. And I'm not just saying that like some over stated Christian cliche. My walk with Jesus and love for His word kept me, us, going these last eight months. But life in Lewisville is real and not picture perfect. There were definite moments where it was really difficult to <b>TRUST</b> the Lord. There were moments when all I could do was cry out in prayer. When, Lord? Why, Lord? Where are you, Lord? Have you ever been there?<br />
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2015 started out fine, but then there were job changes, and not for the better. I can work with tight budgets. That's exactly how Lewisville Love got its start. These changes, however, brought tight times like no other. <b>TRUST</b>. I have to say, we never went hungry, we always got the bills paid, and though it may have been last minute, there were in fact gifts under our tree. I'm ashamed to say how much I longed for a better situation. The "if only" phrase kept coming to mind and that's never a healthy exercise. Last week on my personal facebook feed, I was reminded by a candid picture of a poverty stricken child just how awesome my life really is, now, at this moment, tight budget, lingering challenges, health scares and all.<br />
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So what about that health scare? Here's another part of our 2015 story. In April, after months of seeing a doctor and watching our daughter's
health rapidly decline, we were assured she would be admitted to a
program at our local children's hospital, and when I say local, I mean an hour's drive. She was diagnosed with celiac
disease two years ago and it has been a very difficult journey. The pain
associated with eating turned into fear of eating, which turned into
rapid weight loss and a heart condition that was struggling to keep up with her frail frame.
Some of you know how difficult it is to see your kids dealing with pain
and illness. Seeing them scared to eat...heartbreaking. Our insurance
denied treatment, and we were left in shock; we just couldn't believe it. Our doctors couldn't believe
it either, but even after filing a grievance and spending endless hours on the
phone with insurance representatives, we were back at square one. <b>TRUST</b>. Our
summer was spent trying to make the most of our situations and doing our
best to help our child. There were endless visits to children's
hospital at this point, vitals were taken, weight checks, general health
check-ups, and out-patient therapy at the insistence of our insurance
company. We had ups and downs, but the pain and discomfort from food,
vital food, proved to be greater than our hope to get her strong at
home. Finally, after months of struggling, her tiny frame just under
80lbs now, and a slower heart rate than before was enough for the insurance company to approve much needed medical treatment.
She was admitted late in October and after 5 weeks, she walked out of Children's Hospital a
stronger, healthier, energized 15 year old who couldn't be happier to
gain nearly 15 pounds! We're just a few pounds away from her target weight, and though she will always be petite, she will at least be petite and healthy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our home for 5 weeks</td></tr>
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These last few months were challenging and I have to admit, rather depressing. I was walking through a dark valley and in those times, very few things mattered. Though I love writing about all things home, <i><b>my heart just wasn't into blogging</b></i>. That's why I took a break for 8 months. I knew things would get better. They always do. When you <b>TRUST</b> in the creator of the universe, even in the face of crazy trials, it produces perseverance which produces character which produces hope; and<b> HOPE never disappoints</b>. That's what I would cling to during these days. We walk through those valleys of the shadow of death; we don't stand still and die there! <br />
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We spent those shadowy days reminding ourselves of the hope and promises we have in the Lord. We had to remind ourselves and keep speaking truth and hope to each other so that those dark moments wouldn't overwhelm us. That's how we got through it...that's how we're getting through it!<br />
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We are all going to face challenges in life. It's how we choose to deal with those challenges that define us. At times, I recognized I had lost my joy, and I knew I had to snap out of the drudgery. It wasn't easy, but I chose to <b>TRUST</b> and worship Jesus in spite of my circumstances. We're thankful these 2015 trials are coming to an end, but we will always have difficult times and the more personal ones will always linger. </div>
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Trials...just today, we got the news a leak in the basement is in fact from a frozen pipe that burst. I'm taking heart right now.</div>
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<b>Overall, I'm thankful I took time away from blogging to focus on what was before me. </b>I know it cost me in terms of losing readers, but I'm renewed to share once again on Lewisville Love and all things home.</div>
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I hope you can look back on 2015 with a smile, but if not, you're in good company. I look forward to a wonderful 2016; and if it proves to be just as difficult as this year, I will continue to keep my eyes on HIM. </div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Blessings to you all,</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Lisa</span></i></b></div>
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<br />lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-21112088505466584122015-12-22T07:59:00.000-07:002015-12-24T08:53:38.596-07:00Merry Christmas LewisvilleLove ReadersIt's time to get back to writing and posting again on Lewisville Love! I'll be posting about my long absence this week, but for now, cheers to the first of many more post!<br />
To celebrate this happy occasion and come back, I wanted to give you all these Christmas dinner place cards I just finished designing! They are free through Tuesday only. Tomorrow, they'll be up on Etsy.<br />
<u><b>Update: Because the email went out so late, these lovelies will be free Wednesday also! </b></u><br />
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These are my favorite of all my dinner place card designs, but these others are available now <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LewisvilleLovePrints?ref=hdr_shop_menu" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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Merry Christmas Lewisville Love Readers!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Blessings, </span></i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Lisa </span></i></b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILd2ZMdmI5UnpIR3c/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<br />lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-24436902497457660032015-04-09T22:04:00.001-06:002016-02-10T00:28:30.068-07:00Dresser A few weeks ago, I showed you a Basset dresser I found at the thrift store and spruced up a bit. I liked this dresser and the original shabby chic paint with dark walnut drawers, but there was something about it that just didn't make me fall in love with it. When I love my paint projects, I know they will sell quickly. When I don't love them, they hang out in storage longer.<br />
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So here is the re-design of my re-design.<br />
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It changed a bit from just a week ago. Here's what I did originally and <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2015/03/shabby-chic-beauty.html" target="_blank">you can read about the how I did them here</a>. The wood drawer fronts look a lot darker in the pictures. They're nice, different, but a little on the masculine side. I liked it, but not loved it. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mzgBq95L2ik/VSdF5Nyc2-I/AAAAAAAAJ9U/rMOVInwLJ7I/s1600/bassett2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mzgBq95L2ik/VSdF5Nyc2-I/AAAAAAAAJ9U/rMOVInwLJ7I/s1600/bassett2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Here's the dresser when I brought it home. Not pretty at all.<br />
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Drastic change right? But it just wasn't enough. The dresser stayed in my living room for a few days. Sometimes, I just have to get used to a color or tones. I kept thinking it would grow on me. I love wood pieces and usually keep any part of wood exposed.<br />
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But after some time, I decided this dark walnut stain was to harsh of a match for the rest of the dresser. So I decided to change it.<br />
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And...I'm so glad I did! It took me literally 30 minutes with a method of shabbing that's new to me. I usually<br />
sand,<br />
prime,<br />
paint-wait for it to dry,<br />
sand the edges,<br />
use antique gel,<br />
then finally put on a coat of poly.<br />
Whew! <br />
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This time, I lightly sanded the drawers and just painted right over them, lightly with a brush that barely had paint on it. I took a wet hot rag and wiped off some paint to show the wood underneath. I like this method better than waiting for the paint to dry then sanding. This is so much easier and better!<br />
I antiqued the piece just as before and applied a coat of poly. <br />
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Now, I LOVE the piece!<br />
Sometimes, we just need a fresh start!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Blessings,</i></span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Lisa</i></span></b></span></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-32631657045188270272015-04-02T11:50:00.000-06:002016-02-10T00:55:43.576-07:001912 Antique Dress- Slightly updatedI. LOVE. THIS. DRESSER!<br />
Every once in a blue moon, there's a piece that catches my eye and my gaze fails to look away. Such is the case with this c.1912 dresser I found at the thrift store a few weeks ago. Observe. <br />
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This is a usually the kind piece only found at estate sales. I'm so thankful its former owner decided to send it to my local thrift store instead. After paying full price, a whopping $25, this dresser came home with me looking like this. My gaze was still fixed upon the possibility of what it might become.<br />
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<a name='more'></a> The dresser is solid wood with dovetail joints, curvy legs, original pulls and ornate details. It has all the features that DIYers like me go gaga over. The wood on top has seen better days though.<br />
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And though I love that striped wood drawer and two tone stain, that brownish-orange stain just wasn't doing it for me. <br />
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She even came with the original "wood" casters on each leg, but one of the wheels is long gone. I'm still trying to get an original caster for this period piece, but so far it won't be rolling any time soon.<br />
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First things first. Sanding. I used my power sander with 150 grit sandpaper then moved to 220. Those hard to reach places, I had to sand by hand. Smooth, smooth, smooth is what I wanted, but with all the ornate details not all the old stain would be coming off.<br />
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The dresser was in really good shape, but there were small areas where wood filler was needed. This is my fave wood filler to use on projects.<br />
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So people ask all the time how do I pick paint colors and how do I know what to stain, what to paint, what to change? Sometimes I know right away what to do; other times I'm not so sure. That's where pinterest and etsy help. I always look on those sights to get some ideas and inspiration. With this piece, I painted it a navy blue first but it just didn't look right. So I re-sanded and started over. <b><i>I always reserve the right to change my mind.</i></b><br />
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The wood on top and striped drawer was lightly stained in walnut. The rest got two coats of classic black paint I had on hand. <br />
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The pulls and legs got a few coats of gold spray paint. Love this stuff. I want to spray everything gold right now! <br />
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I taped off the legs and covered the rest of the piece with a towel to get that "dipped" look. <br />
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And to add to the gold loving going on, I used Liquid Leaf to fill in the drawer details. You can find this for a few dollars at places like Hobby Lobby. A steady hand is needed so take your time and drink less coffee when you do this. <br />
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It turned out prettier and better than I ever imagined!<br />
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The entire piece also got two coats of polycrylic. The wood just looks beautiful.<br />
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I brushed a little bit of that gold leaf onto the 2nd drawer detail. Love. Love. Love.<br />
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Tell me again how we should never paint wood. <br />
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Tell me what you think.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Blessings,</span></i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Lisa</span></i></b></span></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-70709255170405687752015-03-26T18:31:00.003-06:002015-03-26T18:31:38.850-06:00Do you have a Cleaning Schedule? Me either!A cleaning schedule? I can't stand them, but that's not to say the house doesn't get cleaned. It does and my Cleaning Chart has a helpful hand in that. In order to continue on with my theme of getting it together this year (meaning myself and my home), I wanted to get myself into a routine of cleaning my home. I have a routine for some things, but others cleaning chores get left in the the dust... :).<br />
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We've talked about getting organized as far as time, so I put together a yearly calendar along with a weekly schedule you can fill in. To visit that post and download our beautiful calendars for 2015, <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2015/01/2015-calendar-and-weekly-schedule-free.html" target="_blank">visit here.</a><br />
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Then we talked about our budgets. Not always the fun topic to discuss, but it's needed if we're going to get and stay organized this year. If you'd like to read the post and download my easy budget forms, <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2015/02/free-basic-budget-forms.html" target="_blank">visit this post.</a><br />
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So I decided a cleaning chart (not a schedule) was the next thing for Lewisville to tackle. My home is tidy most days, and lets just say "busy" other days. We really "live, eat, work, and play" here. I must preface here also that I am not, nor do I ever claim to be a cleaning expert in any way, but we all like a clean home right? A cleaning chart just seems like a good idea, but I hate assuming that you can clean the rooms I clean on the same days I clean them. Annoying.<br />
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Most cleaning schedules out there assume I have the same days and rooms and time they have. Nope, nope, nope. A cleaning schedule is personal to you, to your home, and to your family. I have a ceiling fan in some rooms. Do you? I have two bathrooms but you may have one or three. I have a glass shelf in my kitchen that needs to be cleaned weekly in order for me to remain sane. You may not have the same <strike>problem</strike> privilege.<span style="color: #e06666;"><i> <span style="color: #cc0000;">Each of our homes are unique and so this cleaning chart will be unique to you also</span>.</i></span> Schedule your cleaning with the time that works for you, and clean the rooms as you see fit.<br />
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You can download and print an empty cleaning schedule that you can fill out on your own. You know best what needs to happen in your home and what needs to be cleaned on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. That's how I've arranged this cleaning chart. But if you want to peek into my world and see what I've decided for Lewisville, I'll include my personal chart also...for you to have as a template of course.<br />
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Some of you like to clean a little each day- the kitchen on one day, the bathrooms on another, and so on. I personally like to do my laundry and bathrooms on Mondays, but the rest of the house gets cleaned on Saturday or Thursday or whatever day works best with our schedule for the week. Some of you like to clean the entire house on one day. I used to do that too when the kids were younger. We each have seasons where some things works, then recognize later on that those things need to change.<br />
This cleaning chart is designed to help you in whatever season you are in. If you're a once in a while cleaner or an everyday cleaner, this chart can help you out.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><u>Ok, with that said, here are a few things we do everyday in Lewisville.</u></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;">- Make my bed. Kids- not so much. </span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">- Dishes and clean the kitchen every night.</span> This is my one thing I like to have clean every night and <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-nightly-routine-for-smooth-mornings.html" target="_blank">here's a post about my routine</a> explaining why?<br />
<span style="color: #e69138;">- Kids must pick up their stuff in the family room and around the house before bed</span>. My kids are older and if we find any of their things out in the morning, we have consequences like no computer or phone for the day. Trust me. <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><i>This has been the BEST thing</i></b></span> we've done to keep the clutter down. <br />
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That's about it. Work what you can every day with the time you have, but make a routine out of it. That's how it started with making my bed. Though I wanted a clean room with the bed made, I never had the time. Then I realized I just had to do it everyday until it was second nature for me. The bed is the biggest piece of furniture in your room, so making it will at least make your room look clean. It's the first thing I do in the morning.<br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILZ29IZmY0TXNNWVU/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Cleaning Chart</a><br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDjmX62HFILSjhrTkpLZUU1SFk/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Filled Cleaning Chart </a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>Blessings,</b></i></span></span></span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Lisa</span></span></span></b></i></div>
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lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-64179164330647257232015-03-04T13:39:00.000-07:002015-03-04T13:39:52.665-07:00Shabby Chic BeautyOh me, Oh my! I am having so much fun re-doing, re-vitalizing, re-purposing, re-designing ... etc ... these "vintage/antique" furniture pieces.<br />
This time, I found a Bassett dresser at my local thrift store. For $20 I picked up this all wood, dovetail drawer treasure.<br />
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But lets be honest. It didn't look so chic when I first saw it. Here's the before.<br />
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It was scratched and dinged and I'm not exactly sure what you would call this color or wood tone? Let's just call it "not pretty" for now. <br />
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But I have learned to look past the lack of aesthetic properties and prefer to visualize the potential beauty deep beneath the surface. I further envision a world where all old wood furniture will make its way into the loving hands of those of us who love the "re-do" challenge. Ahhh, to dream!<br />
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These pieces do take work. I sanded it down with my nifty orbital sander. If I had to sand the whole piece by hand, I'd be checking out the local sales for tools. Craigslist is always good for tools too. There were a few curvy spots where I had to sand by hand, but that was minimal.<br />
FYI- I use 80 grit then 150 grit then finally 220 grit sand paper. You want the wood soft and smooth.<br />
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The top had this really thick piece of veneer, so I decided to leave this in place and stain just the drawers.<br />
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There were a few places I needed to fix. This drawer needed a little wood filler. Make sure you get wood filler that can be stained or painted.<br />
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Next, Prime. Prime, Prime.<br />
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I used two coats of Grenadier Pond by Benjamin Moore. It was left over from <a href="http://lewisvillelove.blogspot.com/2013/04/my-1st-attempt-at-shabby-chic.html" target="_blank">my last shabby chic </a>dresser which I just sold, so I was thinking, why not do it again.<br />
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I shab just the edges of the dresser. I'm not a major shabby girl, but a little goes a long way for me.<br />
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Then I used the antique glaze from Lowes. I love this stuff and it's so easy to use. It can be scary the first time, but trust me, it's worth using.<br />
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This is what it looks like when you "brush paint" the gel on.<br />
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Just wipe off the excess with a (hot) wet rag. I do this process to few times, taking off most of the glaze and doing it again until I get the antique look I want to achieve.<br />
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Of course, I couldn't decide on the handles. I wasn't sure if I should keep the original brass pulls or paint them antique bronze. I asked my friends on facebook and most said the gold side. Gold side it is! Thanks, friends!<br />
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Finally, a coat of polycrylic and she was done! <br />
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Love. Love. Love. What do you think?<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Blessings,</i></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Lisa</i></b></span></span></span></div>
lewisvillelovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07426670043719783748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3912664261124027237.post-62796051650362834382015-02-18T21:14:00.000-07:002016-02-10T00:29:08.718-07:00How to clean a Butcher Block and make it look AMAZING Again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm really, really thankful for my awesome kitchen island. It was a process to get it looking amazing again, but wow, so worth the time and effort! Just look at the before and afters!<br />
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The wood cutting board on top was well used. With large families, everyone had (literally) left their mark. So I researched and found out there was indeed a way to make her shine again. Here we go.<br />
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<i><b>First- Let's do some deep cleaning</b></i>. Most of you know I don't like harsh chemicals and toxic this and that. I truly believe we can clean just like our grandmothers did years ago and their methods will work just as well or better than anything you'll find at the store.<br />
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To deep clean this piece of butcher block wood, I poured sea salt and squeezed lemon over it to make a paste. <br />
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You can use a scouring pad or sponge to scrub the board, but I literally used the lemon itself as a sponge.<br />
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I left it on for 3-4 hours. It dries to a course texture like below. I saw that all the stains didn't come up, so I wiped off the salt/lemon with my 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water and let it dry completely. My<i><b> step two</b></i> was to start over with the lemon and salt mixture and leave it on overnight this time.<br />
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I rinsed it in the morning and dried it with paper towels. Stains- gone. It worked!<br />
(Make sure your butcher block is completely dried before moving onto each step.)<br />
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<i><b>Second- remove residual odors and stains.</b></i> Make a paste using baking soda and water. I use this very paste mixture to clean my laminate counters that easily stain. Baking soda is your friend. You should have a Costco size bag in your home that's used frequently.<br />
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Scrub ... and scrub some more. The baking soda on the wood doesn't smell great, but trust me, it's working.<br />
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After a good scrub, start wiping off the paste with water and wipe with paper towels.<br />
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Let the board dry completely, over night even if you can keep your family from using it before the last few steps. <br />
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<i><b> Third- Kill the bacteria!</b></i> Some people will say to use a mixture of bleach and water for this next step, but vinegar and water or hydrogen peroxided and water will work just as well. I used my 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water, and sprayed it generously onto my butcher block. I always have a spray bottle readily available of half water/half vinegar as my all purpose cleaner. We use it on just about everything here in Lewisville.<br />
If you are going to use bleach, use 1 tsp bleach with 4 cups of water. 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and water if that's your choice.<br />
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Leave the mixture on for a few minutes and wipe it off with paper towels. Again, let the block dry completely before moving on to the next step.<br />
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<i><b> Fourth and Final step- condition, protect, and beautify the block!</b></i> As a DIYer, I'm used to working with protective coatings for wood, but you can't use any kind of poly on this wood and allow your food to come into contact with it. So, butcher blocks simply require a $2 bottle of mineral oil. Make sure it is food grade mineral oil; it must say USP. I found my bottle at the grocery store with other laxative items ... because, you know. <br />
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Slather the oil on with a paper towel or rag and let it sit over night. If there is an area where the wood didn't drink in the the oil, wipe it it up in the morning.<br />
It will look shiny and beautiful again, but wipe it clean one last time with water and paper towels. <br />
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I'm amazed at the results. <br />
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Love, love, love it! <br />
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I wanted my block to look nice, but to be honest with you, I doubt I'll be directly cutting and prepping food directly on my block. I know I could now, but that's not how we do things here. Cutting boards on top of my butcher block will be used. Weird, I know.<br />
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Your butcher block should be cleaned daily with hot soapy water if you're using it as a true food prep area, but don't soak your wood in water. I use my 50/50 solution on it each night even though we don't cut food directly on it.<br />
If you happen to cut meat on your block, make sure you are using the bleach or hydrogen peroxide solution right after use to prevent bacteria growth.<br />
As far as oiling goes, do it once a month to keep it looking fabulous.<br />
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Hope this helps!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Blessings,</span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Lisa </span></b></i></span></div>
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