Imagine the Impossibilities Challenge ~ Take 2

This project may turn me into an over-caffeinated, chocolate crazed, DIY disaster. 

via http://chicagogirlgonemild.blogspot.com/2011/01/stress-and-chocolate.html via http://www.etsy.com/listing/63973889/11x14-poster-stress-out-and-eat?ref=sr_list_8&ga_search_query=stress%2Bprint&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=2

Don't worry about me though...Scott is here keeping me sane.  Right now he is working at making the laundry room an eclectic mix of frugality, functionality and organization.  He is straining his brain trying to make this work without spending any money.  And just to be fair, he is very encouraging each time I throw another item into our "purge" pile.   Positive reinforcement.  That's right, Baby!

*SIGH* 

Here's what We've done:

Removed all pantry items from the laundry room and put them on the dining table.  WOW.  This is just one small portion!

Scott moved all the other items that were hanging out in the laundry room to various surfaces in our home.

Discussed space planning, purging, and organization plans.  (That didn't go so well.)

I took a chocolate, wine and hot tub break, while Scott did his homework and watched sci-fi.

Started putting pantry items into the new pantry area under the stairs... 
Realized we were already running out of space.  Yikes...that's no good.

Created a WELL STOCKED PANTRY LIST, in order to make sure that we are allowing enough space for all of the items we would like to keep on hand regularly.  Click here if you want to check it out...maybe create your own.

Determined that the shelving that Scott originally built under the stairs would not be sufficient for all of our pantry storage needs.  You can see his original built in shelves here.  Scott jumped in and added a couple more shelves to the closet.

Gathered up all of our canisters, bins, baskets and other storage items that we might utelize in our spaces.

Overwhelmed with the magnitude of this project, I went on "strike" for a day. 

Unable to sit for long, I went back to other projects:  We did some finishing details on a chalkboard.  I painted my little blue shelf a pale green color.  I made a HUGE chocolate kiss.  I baked a triple-chocolate loaf cake.  More about these later!  Scott did more homework and watched more sci-fi.

Finally, back to the project at hand, I mixed up some chalkboard paint with my hand mixer and applied it to the walls behind the pantry shelving. 

(We've discovered that mixing our own chalkboard paint is pretty easy, but it tends to be lumpy - no matter how much you stir.  Using the hand mixer works great!  I may need a new mixer though.  Maybe one of those big KitchenAid stand mixers?  That would be very nice...I think I will plan a spot for it.)

Here's the closet with the chalkboard paint:

While I worked on painting and organizing the pantry space, Scott was busy planning and building the laundry room storage:

Just a peak!  More on this later...

That purple-blue color has got to go.  We will get to that.  Hopefully before the challenge deadline, but it's low on the list.  It isn't really going to break us if we don't get the painting done.  It's the purging and organizing that are the priority! 

Things are coming along.  We still have tons of work to do.  Don't ask about the garage.  I'm kind of wishing I'd left it off the list.  I'm confident that I can get it purged.  Not so confident that it will look real pretty.  We'll just have to see how it goes...

 xoxo,
Sherry

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Imagine the Impossibilities Challenge

When I sat down at my computer this morning I had a nice message from Karah @ The Space Between Blog.  She was inviting me to take part in the "Imagine the Impossibilities Challenge" that several Bloggers have started.  I was reluctant when I read the note asking me to take part in this challenge.   My mind immediately went to all of the things that I would like to do ~ but just cannot afford. 

But that's not what this is about, right? 

It's about challenging ourselves to give it a go, even if we are afraid; and hopefully accomplishing something that we always thought was unattainable.  Maybe it requires a skill we do not possess.  Maybe it requires time we do not feel we have.  Maybe it requires thinking outside of the box and being more creative with how we make it happen;  as in, not taking the usual route (or the route where you just go down and buy a solution at the hardware store).

So, when I thought about it this way ~ it became something appealing. 

You know...a CHALLENGE!

All I need to do is convince my Partner In Crime that this is necessary.  See, we may not have the money or the time ~ but what we do have is the inspiration, the passion and the sheer stubbornness to make the impossible happen. 

With that said we are committing to give our utmost to:

The Great Purge and Organization of 2012...Clarke Edition

This will include:

1. The garage storage space.
2. The dual laundry room and "pantry" (pantry is used lightly here ~ as it's just a big, inexpensive Home Depot cabinet pushed into the room to store our food and extra kitchen items.)
3. The closet under the stairs.  We have already started with some added shelving in this area.

I was avoiding putting this out there, as a goal or resolution, because it just seems so unbelievably daunting when I stand and look at all the collected "mess" and what we have to do.  We need to purge years of possessions.  Some will be hard to let go.  Gulp.  And we need to devise a new and more organized way of storing what we cannot purge...giving everything it's own designated place so that it is easy to maintain and also attractive. 

Before pictures to follow.  You totally will understand why this feels impossible when you see them!

Wish Us Luck!

And don't forget to check out the ladies who are hosting this challenge:

• Kari – Thistlewood Farm. Cooking is not her thing, but homemade bread is her challenge.
• Kelly – Eclectically Vintage. For all of you with basements that become black holes filled who knows what, she is going to be purging and organizing 16 years stuff. 

• Linda – It All Started With Paint. Painting a vaulted ceiling.

• Stacey – A Sort of Fairy Tale. For someone who has hovered at the pillow case stage of sewing she will be attempting to sew a purse. 

• Andrea – The Cottage Market. She is going to be organizing her craft room. 

• Khara from The Space Between - Hang a gallery wall while putting only one hole in the wall (she's a renter and can't mutilate her walls)

Thanks for stopping by, and please think about taking part in this challenge with me and all of the others involved!  It will be fun if we do it together!!!

Sherry

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"Good Day 2012, nice to finally make your acquaintance!"

We started off the day with a good breakfast and some much needed coffee.

I made "Hootenanny" (or oven pancake) and some "cupcake omelets"  with eggs, leftover ham, cream and some cheddar cheese for our first breakfast of the year.

The Hootenanny was really quite easy....I combined 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 1/4 tsp salt and poured it into a greased pan, drizzled it with 1/2 a stick of melted butter and cooked it in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.  Serve with maple syrup. 

 

While I was whipping up breakfast, the Motivated Mister had taken himself into the closet to play with his tools and some scrap wood he'd scored on a Craigslist run. 

This is our under-the-stairs closet.  (Try not to notice how bad the carpet looks, please...).
We really need to maximize this space for our storage needs.  We are short on storage space since we renovated our garage into a classroom for my day job with preschoolers.

This is what happens...everything get's shoved into the little angle area under the stairs and it's almost impossible to get anything out when you need it.  Check it out...we've got some good projects in this space, waiting their turn for a new life!

Sadie, staring out the window and wondering when someone's going to get tired of all the DIY and take her for a walk.  Don't worry Sadie.  Momma got a new Nike running watch for her birthday so there are many jogs in your future...and mine.  And that's as close as you all will get to a New Years resolution from me.  :)

So, my husband was in the closet with his tools...

We went to a party on Friday night and when someone asked him what he does for fun he said, "Whatever keeps my wife happy!"  Hahaha.  He's so funny, isn't he!?

These shelves are really starting to make me happy though! 

Mister Motivated took a picture of all of his tools for you to see. 
(I think maybe he's showing off now.)

Look at him in there making them pretty for me!!! 
(Whatever makes me happy, right?)

He really is so sweet.

I'm going to make sure I do whatever it is that makes him happy too!!!

Happy New Year Friends!

May your New Year be filled with love, generosity and whatever makes you happy!

All the Best,

Scott & Sherry

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