Pantry Labels just for you!

Hello, Everyone!  I finally have my pantry labels ready for you to print!  I made these labels using Picmonkey, and last week a reader emailed and asked if I could give a tutorial on how to design labels.  I thought that was a great idea, so if you're interested, I'll be sharing a tutorial on how to make your own labels on Monday.

I've learned that labels make a big difference in our organizing.  Labels take our organizing to a whole new level.  I have Buzz Lightyear in my head right now yelling, "to infinity and beyond."  That's kind of how I feel about these labels!  Weird, I know.  Anyway, this is how I used my labels in my recently upcycled pantry makeover!

Tips and Tricks Tuesday

Burrrr! We are experiencing some pretty cold weather lately! Last Sunday we had blizzard-like conditions and snow falling for 24 hours.  The boys had to go out a few times to shovel the driveway.  We try to stay in when the weather is this bad, but sometimes it's just not possible.  Today, library books were due and we had dental appointments.  Then there's the inevitable stopping at the grocery store for that one thing you forgot to get on your list.  And it's snowing again!  I'm ready for spring, sunny days, and warm weather.  Then I can start painting again!

Today though, I must be content with sipping tea and keeping cozy by the fire.  Not a bad day by any means.  Oh, and of course it's Tips and Tricks Tuesday, which makes it even better.  If you're new here, welcome!  On Tuesdays we get together and review a few tips and tricks from around Pinterest and blogland.  You can visit and follow my Pinterest boards here, and I'd LOVE it you followed Lewisville  Love by email, facebook, or twitter too.  Today's tips and tricks are all about paint!  Can you tell I've had painting on my mind lately.

Vocabulary and Books

I'm a home school mom. I know I don't talk about home schooling much on my blog, but it has been part of my weekday routine for 8 years now.  In between math and English, I do some cleaning, some cooking, and some blogging.  When the kids have a day off from school, I have a day off from teaching, and lots of projects and cleaning happen on those days-not much cooking though.  I try to stay away from that as much as possible! (hehehe)

 This isn't a "home school" blog though and this post isn't really about my home school life.  To be honest, I don't think I'd be very good at blogging about home schooling.  Actually, I know I'd be pretty terrible at it.  I'm sure one day, I'll share with you all how we decided to home school, but today I just want to talk about vocabulary and books.  I read a really interesting post yesterday from Amy at Raising Mighty Arrows.  She's a home school blogger and talks about why she doesn't "teach" vocabulary!  What???  That's just rebellious talk right there- I thought! Or is it?  In her post, she talks about teaching vocabulary through  books.  Ok, though I'm not completely getting rid of our vocabulary lessons tomorrow, I understand her point and can even get on board with it to a degree.

Tips and Tricks Tuesday #41

Whoa!  I completely spaced out today and forgot about our regular Tuesday Tips and Tricks date!  It's been a normal busy day here in Lewisville- a little (not really) home schooling, some cleaning (not much), and a much needed run for myself.  Here I am watching a show with my family, surfing my favorite blogs and websites, and not remembering a single bit about this regular Tuesday post!  Tiss, tiss, on me. 

So if you're new here, welcome!  On Tuesdays we like to get together and check out the latest tips and tricks to help us around our own homes!  Most tips come from Pinterest and you can find them on my Tips and Tricks board.  Please feel free to follow along and share your comments with the rest of us.

Buying and Selling on Craigslist

Are you a craigslist shopper?  Have you ever thought about buying something, that one thing you were  looking to purchase but for a great price? Or how about making a little money and selling that "stuff" that's been sitting in the garage?  I love craigslist.  I look on the site almost daily, but only on their "free" section.  You never know what people will put up there and are willing to part with- for free!  I love buying furniture on craigslist too.  Let me show you all my latest craigslist find.

Tips and Tricks Tuesday: Valentines Day Ideas

Are you all ready for Valentines Day?  Last year, I started this little blog on Valentines Day!   I can't believe a whole year has already passed.  Lewisville Love is really my personal labor of love, for my family and my home.  I LOVE coming here a few times a week to share our home and our lives with you all.  Here's to many more blog Valentine years!
As usual, today is Tips and Tricks Tuesday!

We have Valentines day traditions here in Lewisville.   HERE'S what we did last year.  I'll show you this year's fun after Valentines day since it's always a surprise for the munchkins.

Make a heart shaped cake from a square and round cake pan.

Since Valentines day is right around the corner, I thought I'd share with you some V-day ideas.  Are you looking for some last minute Valentines Day ideas?   Here are some of my favorites. You can find these and more on my Pinterest Valentines Board.

Cream Puffs..mmmmm!

 Valentines day is just around the corner and I just have to share with you all one of our favorite desserts here in Lewisville.  We usually save baking creme puffs for New Year's eve, but they're so easy to make and so delicious, we just can't help ourselves but make more and more of these bad boys!  Here's our recipe made with home made whipped cream, which you can always add a little red dye to just in time for Valentines Day!

 Don't those look good!  They are...really, really good!

A Crafty Valentine Mantle

Last week, the kids and I were working on Valentine crafts.  We were cutting and crafting and having a great time.  Our valentines hearts came out so cute and I wanted to use them. I decided the mantle was the perfect showcase.
I wanted to decorate a Valentine mantle for them, but I've been making my pennies scream unusually louder lately, so my goal was to decorate our mantle with out spending anything.  I decided to shop completely from home!
Here's our mantle!

 

Tips & Tricks Tuesday: How to Clean Make-up Brushes

Well,  hello again, friends!  I have another cleaning tip for you today.  A few weeks ago,  I posted about all the great ways to organize your make-up.   As I looked at my make-up and brushes, I realized my own great need to organize and clean them.  Most of my cosmetics fit nicely in one little travel bag that I store underneath the sink, but the bag itself is dirty and I don't even remember when I cleaned my brushes last.   I don't wear make- up everyday, but when I do, I want it to be fresh and clean.  How can I want a fresh and clean look if my make-up brushes are dirty and gross.  They were really, really bad!   Yikes on me!  But no more!  Today, I'm going to tell you about how I cleaned them with ingredients most of us have at home.

I researched and found several different cleaning methods for make-up brushes.  I narrowed it down to what seemed best, and I'll be showing you two different methods today.  They both worked really well, but I did prefer one over the other and will most likely repeat it from here on out.

Organized Baking Supplies

Hello All!  How'd you like that Super Bowl?  Being from California, I wish the 49ers had shown up earlier.  I'm a long time 49ers fan, and though disappointed they lost, I'm very excited to see them in the playoffs again. We've been waiting! The commercials, as always, were entertaining.  And speaking of entertaining, we haven't watched the half time show in years.  We have kids, and ever since wardrobe malfunctions and an insufficient amount of wardrobe on most entertainers, we choose to pause and make more snacks instead. Yesterday it was tortilla chips and guacamole, kettle corn, and carnitas tacos- all home made.  Good food always makes the Superbowl better, unless your team looses and there's a power outage.  Oh wait...

So today, I thought I'd show you how I organized my baking supplies in the new pantry.