the puzzle solution

My kids love puzzles. They also love to stand and sit on the puzzle boxes. After I had re-taped the boxes for the umpteenth time I had had enough!

The puzzles before.

After- each puzzle in it's own canvas drawstring bag.

Using a box cutter I cut the picture off each box (If you do this, be smarter than me. Don't cut the cardboard box on your lap while watching 30Rock. You'll be really mad at yourself when you cut a 1" gash in your brand new jeans. MOM: don't worry I barely scratched my leg- hardly any blood at all!). I cut a piece of vinyl a few inches larger than the picture. I sewed the vinyl to the front piece of the bag (before the bag was sewn together) with the picture sandwiched between the canvas and vinyl. Then I trimmed the vinyl close to the stitching. I made the bags with boxed bottom and button holes for the drawstring.

A little tip: when sewing vinyl the presser foot drags and gets stuck on the vinyl. Cut a narrow strip of paper (the tissue paper that comes with the vinyl works well) and place it under the presser foot near the needle.

After I had made almost all of the bags Tammy at she wears flowers posted a drawstring bag tutorial. I made the last six bags using her method and it was so much easier and quicker! Thanks Tammy for being smarter than me!

All of those puzzles from the first picture (plus a few more I found scattered around the house) all fit perfectly in this bucket that I picked up for $1.82. Look at how much space I am saving!! The puzzle bin sits nicely at the bottom of my lovely new closet.

closet renovation

My sweet husband finally finished the closet he has been promising me for two years.

Before:
This closet used to house the HVAC system but we put a new unit in the crawl space. (I didn't have a real before picture but this is pretty much what it looked like. This picture is from here.)

During: Sheetrocked closet.


Upper portion of the closet.


Lower portion of the closet.


I have seldom used appliances, CD's and DVD's, the DVD player, toys, art supplies, vacuum, broom and mop, and so much more tucked away in the closet. I love being organized!

bobbin storage

Previously I was storing my bobbins in a box like this but I hated it. The thread would unwind and since the bobbins were stacked four or five deep I would have to rearrange and dig to find to find the color thread I wanted. Basically it was a constant mess.

Remember those plastic things that we used in High School to bind our reports? They are called plastic binding combs and they are perfect for storing bobbins! They provide easy access to each bobbin and the ring keeps the thread from unwinding.

I have mine tacked to my inspiration board but they would also fit well in a drawer or sewing box.

Now, I can't accept credit for this brilliant idea my friend Nellie told me about it (She doesn't have a blog but check out the Etsy shop she runs with another friend: Hucklebaby). She even gave me the four combs I am using!

The only way this storage system could be better would to use clear binding combs (to more easily see the thread color). I didn't think they existed but I did a little search and found these. A 100 pack of clear binding combs for $1.70? Can that even be right???Do yourself a favor and buy a box. Share it with your friends. Be organized. Be happy!

It was too good to be true. Thanks Joella for pointing out my size mistake! 1/2" is the right size. $8.07 still isn't bad. Especially if you split it with some friends. That breaks down to $.08 a comb. Dirt cheap and effective!