IKEA catalog love

Last year, an IKEA opened about 30 minutes away.  We haven't bought too much but I love having the option close by.  I like the streamlined style and cheap prices (but not always the cheap quality).  The Easter Bunny was kind enough to leave this for my daughter. 

Only $10!

So when I Heart Organizing did an annual post about the new catalog, I wanted to join!  Some of the things that caught my eye are products but some are just decorating inspiration.   

 

I think we will get this cheap watering can (99 cents) so my daughter can "help" me even more with our plants.  

 

I like this white and natural color scheme in this room-- reminds me of Montessori approach to education.  I also like the 6 small bulletin boards coming together as one.  

I don't like that pink wall but I like the idea of metallic stripes (especially the cheap and easy tape version).  

I really like the family command center in the background.  I like the ever evolving photo/gallery wall.

We don't have a dedicated pantry in our kitchen (we just use a cabinet).  I like how this kitchen "creates" one in a corner.

I really like the different areas of this room.  We have a large living room but don't use it anywhere near this efficiently.  I like the quiet zone, play zone, tv zone, desk zone, etc.  all in one room. 

3 Easy "Pizza" Dishes

 I don't cook much.   When I was dating, I waited for signs of seriousness before cooking for a guy.  After cooking my now-husband Sloppy Joes and some kind of pasta dish, he presented me a recipe to cook for him.  Apparently he was also waiting for signs of seriousness before this bold move! 

The recipe is called "Breakfast Pizza" but is actually more of a casserole.  He got the recipe from a co-worker after devouring almost the entire pan at a work function.  It's been his most prized possession since (slight exaggeration).  The eggs on top look weird but are really pretty tasty!   

Last fall, I saw a What's for Dinner? post at the teaching blog Ms. Fultz's Corner.  I often wonder what's for dinner because, like I said, I don't cook much.  I saw this recipe and thought I could make it.  It is so yummy.  I'm linking to the original recipe (click on the picture) and then posting my version as I make a couple of changes.  

I know that looks like a lot of pepperoni- my husband insists because when you cut it the pepperoni gets smushed throughout the casserole.

This final recipe is one of my daughter's favorites.  She likes to "help" cook these pizza calzones.  I like how simple this recipe is but it seems to take all day to make.  I really should make extras and freeze them!  I got this recipe from a great blog I follow- The Coupon Project.  They are a deals blog but post about all kinds of fun topics. 

Hope you enjoyed these 3 yummy "pizzas".  I'm a teacher and I made this in the kitchen so I'm linking up with Not Very Fancy.  I made all three in the last 2 weeks so I'm linking up with Monday Made It from 4th Grade Frolics.

A unimpressive organizing project

IHeartOrganizing is having a 4 week Wait-No-More Organizing Challenge with giftcard prizes!  First let me ooh and ahh about IHeartOrganizing.  I found this website through Pinterest and this picture:

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Oh, you've seen it?  Oh, you've loved it and wished you were that organized?  Me too.  Yeah, I'm not either.  I mean, she has her child's Legos sorted by color.  I just am lucky if there aren't other random toys or clothes in my child's block basket. 

So my project is a little less spectacular than any others on her site but hey, I am waiting-no-more.  That's something right?

I decided to organize in my kitchen.  Yesterday, I looked at and started daydreaming about the area above my cabinets.  Today, I organized a drawer.

Yes, one drawer.  I told you my project is unimpressive.  It's in the title (I feel like a Super Why character now).

Here was my silverware drawer.  Notice that the organizer was super small so all the silverware is shoved in it. This organizer was from my first apartment.  The drawer was too narrow to fit the organizer so I cut off one end.  Or rather my dad cut off the end for me.

This is the so fancy new organizer.  It was like $10 at Wal-Mart.  I looked at Target and TJ Maxx but this is the one I liked the best.

Here is what my drawer looks like now.  I can find my long-handled spoons and my bigger spoons now.  

I am getting rid of these spoons.  They are for spoon-feeding your baby.  I don't spoon-feed my baby anymore.  Or if I do, like when she is trying to steal my ice cream, I use a regular spoon.

Since you've read (or at least scrolled through) this post, here is my tip for you.  Get mesh feeders for babies.  They make good presents.  Well, maybe not alone as they are like $5 but as part of a diaper cake or something organized people do for presents.

Source:  My Amazon affiliate link:  Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder, Colors May Vary, 2 Count 

Some things you/ a baby may like to do with these:

• Put food in them like tomatoes, watermelon, etc.  The more watery the food, the better.  The baby basically sucks on them to get the food/ juice out.  

• Put ice in them for a teething remedy.  The ice numbs the gums without being a choking hazard.  If you do this regularly it also works as a placebo.  The baby will associate them with comfort, even if they don't need the ice.  

• Put ice in them to use as an icepack.  You still should wrap a towel or whatever around it but the ice cubes won't go flying across the room.  

There you go.  A now organized drawer and a chilled baby.  Now for the rest of the room!  

Above the kitchen cabinets- brainstorming stage

 

This is current view above my kitchen cabinets.  There are lots of things that I would change about my kitchen if money was no problem.  I feel like I can improve this look fairly easily though.  Here are some things I notice about it.  

* I really like the green butterfly that is in the center.  It makes me happy.  

*I just created the other butterfly.  It has buttons.  I like that it is also green but I thought it would match better.  

*The shelf is actually very narrow, which makes it hard to find things that fit.  

*My husband collects frogs.  

*He is against putting nailholes to hang anything though.  

*My mom painted the birdhouse and I think it is pretty.  

*My daughter likes looking at and talking about all the different objects.  

*The red bird doesn't match anything else. Neither does my Strawberry Shortcake lunchbox.

So I looked on Pinterest for some ideas and found contradictory advice.  Some places said to keep everything the same color while other places said to use a variety.  Haha.  Well I guess I will try different things and see what I like.  

Here are some Pinterest inspiration ideas:  

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I like the different shapes of the vases/ pictures.  I also like how the globe creates a focal point.  

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 I like the "stacked" look.  Maybe I could incorporate some pictures?  I really like this article also.  It talks about creating a horizontal band of color.  I think maybe that's what I am going for with the repeats of green. Maybe I need to be more intentional about it and more of a solid band.  

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 Okay, this fun, whimsical look is my style!  What about a large printed word above my cabinets?  

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This is from the same page as the last image.  It's not about decorating above cabinets but I still think I should follow this 1-2-3 rule.  Basically one tall, one medium, and one short item in each area/cluster.

What do you think?  What should be above my cabinets? 

I'm linking this up to Not Very Fancy in 1st for her Teacher in the Kitchen link-up. 

Update:  Here is what I did to this space!