Party Time: Four Steps To Easy Entertaining
Shhh! Don't look now, but the holidays are right around the corner. Will you be ready to offer hospitality in your home?
Busy home managers have many reasons to dread entertaining, whether it's drop-in visitors or a large party. Entertaining can be costly, in time and in money. Our homes may not measure up to the standard touted in glossy furniture store ads. Often, we're unsure of ourselves in the role of hostess. Many of us didn't learn the knack at Mother's knee-yet we still measure ourselves against her yardstick.
Take heart! Changing times have brought changing ideas and standards. Entertaining doesn't need to be stressful. With an attitude adjustment and some advance planning, even the busiest home manager can entertain with ease. More »
Sew Organized: Declutter The Sewing Room
The verdict is in: a big house is not the answer to the clutter problem.
Biggest culprit: CEO's sewing area. One small room. Two large closets face one another in the hall outside with facing mirrors. Perfect for storing fabric and supplies, and just the thing for checking fit and marking hems!
Except that who can pin a hem in the middle of this? Check out this unretouched photo to see the bitter, bitter truth!
Time to kick some clutter butt! Experts like Michelle Passoff recommend beginning with your biggest clutter challenge. I'm game! Spring is here and the wardrobe is empty. Let's get started! More »
Sew Organized: Storage Solutions for Sewing and Crafts
Sewing, quilting, stamping and crafts! Add them all together, and you've got the storage challenge of a lifetime!
The fabric stash reproduces stealthily, outside the light of day, until closets, containers and cupboards overflow. Craft supplies multiply like a population of rabbits. Add the tools and gizmos required by each activity, and it's enough to overwhelm even the most organized.
How do you manage the myriad tools and supplies required by sewing and crafts? Check out these pointers to maximize storage in your sewing area: More »
Sew Organized: Designing Sewing And Craft Areas
Do you sew, quilt, stamp or craft? You know the problem! Seldom do so many create so much in such little space--and the stuff!
Without proper design and organization, sewing and crafts areas quickly become clogged and unusable.
Save time, energy and frustration by designing an efficient sewing or crafts area for your special hobby.
Whether it's a corner, a closet, or the luxury of a whole room, use these concepts to organize your favorite sewing spot: More »
It's a Puzzler: Sew A Jigsaw Puzzle Mat
Every parent knows the story: jigsaw puzzles are fun to work, but tough to work around. What's the solution to tying up table tops or floor space with a puzzle work in progress?
Its a Puzzler! This one-seam easy-sew puzzle allows puzzles to be worked at will, then rolled up and stowed away between play sessions. It's crafted from a short length of craft felt and a recycled gift wrap roller.
Make them in multiples for the holidays. The Puzzler puzzle mat is perfect for teacher gifts. Paired with a new puzzle, the Puzzler makes a special family gift. More »
Tour of Tours: Bren's Home Management Binder
Posted by Cynthia Ewer on December 4, 2008
So you really want to go under the hood of a working household notebook? Quilting blogger Bren, of Pieces From Me, hosts a binder tour of all binder tours!
Including scans of working planner pages, Bren's binder tour gives a great overview of the "how" of using a home management binder. She's sharing lots of photographs, so be patient while this page loads; it will be worth the wait!
