From now on though I’m one cut Laura, dorkiness and all!

So I’d love it if you’d chime in below with any video topics you’d like to see in the future.  I’m going to try to post videos more frequently, maybe.  If you tell me to stick with blogging and forget the videos well then I might do that too.  Want to see more, let me know!  Then let me know what to talk about :)  Gosh I’m bossy aren’t I?  Don’t answer that.

Bye.

PS:  If you can’t see the video in this post, click here.

PPS:  Here’s the link to the Teaching Your Kids to Organize post I referred to.

It’s Time for Another Org Junkie Video is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

But as my friendship list has grown over the years I find I just don’t have the time for them all.   Some have become too demanding, not willing to stand on the sidelines waiting for me to come around, to give them all the equal attention they so deserve.  I think it’s best I cut our ties while we are still on good terms.  I just know someone else will be able to love and nurture these beautiful friends more than I have been able to over the last year.   Oh how I’ve neglected them and they deserve so much more.  It’s only fair that I share some of my special friends with others even though I yearn to just hold them tight and never let them go.

I will be strong, I can do this.

They will be missed.

PS:  Now before you go thinking I’ve clearly jumped off the deep end (!) please know that I still have many many friends.  In fact look where they wait so patiently for me….my container for my containers.  Two shelves tucked away in my laundry room hold my friends in waiting.  Waiting for just the right moment to come out and embrace all the potential that they hold for our friendship.  You just never know when you’re going to need a good friend.  Such a beautiful thing.

PPS:  Please also know that I don’t advocate having such a friend stash for everyone.  Please only stash your friends if you have the space to do so.   Don’t let your friends become clutter :)

I can’t believe what I’m about to do is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

image credit: Rustilee Etsy Shop

You know I’m not a controversial blogger by any means.  In fact I think I’ve only posted twice on two different topics that really fired up quite the debate in both instances.  The first time was quite by accident that was for sure.  Turns out that asking guests to remove their shoes as they enter the home can be quite the hot topic depending on what part of the world you live in.

I really had no idea.

When I casually mentioned in this post that I have a guest slipper holder by my front door I didn’t think anything of it.  You see here in Canada (at least in the three provinces I’ve lived in) you would never need to ask your guests to remove their shoes.  They just do.  It’s absolutely hands down rude to just walk into someones home with your shoes on here.  You just would never do it and it’s no big deal.  It’s just the way it is.

I now know that this isn’t the case in many areas of the US.  Each to their own right?  The whole thing just fascinated me though let me tell you.  I walked right into that can of worms that is for sure LOL.

Anyway the reason I dare to even bring it up again is because I just recently saw this post over on Tip Junkie’s site and it made me laugh.  Her whole post is made up of various signs you can display in your home asking guests to remove their shoes (like the one above).  Then I read in the comments that she is from Ft. Worth and they all take their shoes off there when they enter a home.  Go figure, I can’t keep up.

I suppose if I lived in a place where it was the norm to leave your shoes on I would just follow suit.  I really don’t know how I’d handle that one.  But I’ve got to tell you I’m kind of glad I don’t only because it’s so much less clean up with shoes coming off especially on beige carpet!   Not to mention all the germs my family isn’t being exposed to.  Have I ever told you that I’m a bit of a germaphobe?  It comes with having a child with severe food allergies, you can’t help but be hyper-vigilant.

For those that leave shoes on maybe it has something to do with living in a climate where there isn’t much dirt.  Here there is so much rain and snow that we practically live in winter boots six months out of the year.   It’s mud and dirt central….gross.  I can’t imagine anywhere where it would be okay to track all THAT yuck into someone’s home, can you?

The whole thing just fascinates me to no end, it really does although I may regret bringing it up again :)

Anyway my point is…if you do live in a place where you request shoes off then be sure to check out Tip Junkie’s post for some fun sign suggestions.

Want to know what my second controversial topic was?  Yep, not sorting my laundry…gasp…can you believe it?  Hahaha….that’s about as exciting as it gets around here folks although I think I’ll have to come up with something else real soon just to keep you all on your toes….with or without your shoes on of course, you pick :)

Please Remove Your Shoes is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

First, let’s start with the invitation.

Etsy really came to my aid for this party.  The invitation printable above was purchased from Lora Lang Designs for $12.50.  All I had to do was supply my information and then print out the number I needed.  So easy!  Here’s a picture of the Etsy sample.

Next I had to think about decorations.  The invitation helped me decide on my pink/black color theme and I continued with these colors throughout the decor.

I also purchased this adorable banner printable below from M. Bradley Designs on Etsy.  Again all I had to do was print, cut and tie them all together with some black ribbon.  Anyone can do it!

I hung the banner above my food station.

I also made these easy tissue paper pom-poms from Martha Stewart that really added some fun to the tables and countertops.  Believe me, if I can do it, anyone can!!

The second banner you see in the above picture was a FREE printable I found online from a site called Catch My Party.  So cute!

For food you can see the adorable Pink Lemonade Cupcakes my daughter made for me.  They were so good.  I purchased the sweet dress printable cupcake toppers and matching printable floral cupcake wrappers from Etsy as well.  Gotta love Etsy!!

My food station was a small second table set up in my dining room.  I made a few things but also asked each guest to bring a small appetizer to share.

As you can see no party is complete without my favorite ketchup chips :)

A sign for the table made for me by my daughter:

My mini crockpot (seriously how cute is that!) was perfect for yummy Hot Crab Dip.

Beside the food station, I set up a beverage station so guests could help themselves.  Easier all around.  I purchased my beverage server from Costco for $17.00…sweet!

The Strawberry Spritzer I made was absolutely delicious and was only three ingredients!!  I also had a few other things on hand for variety.

After everyone got to the party I started with a game of Spoons.  This is one of my very favorite games to play and I knew it would be a great ice breaker.  It definitely was!  We played six people at a time and the “loser” of each round was replaced by someone new until we were down to two.  Such fun!

Those that weren’t playing spoons entertained themselves by trying to guess the year on some old pictures of me.  Feel free to have a good laugh at my expense :)  For friends that haven’t known me that long in my new town, I was very impressed with the winner getting 7 out of 12!

My daughter made up cute cards for everyone to mark their guesses.

Here is a FREE printable for you to use if you’d like.

Download free printable Guess the Year Voting Cards

My daughter also made cards for everyone to vote for who they thought came in the ugliest dress.

Another free printable for you:

Download free printable Ugly Dress Party Voting Cards

Now for the ugly dresses!

Here I am in all my ugly dress glory. Seriously you had to feel the polyester awesomeness of this dress to really appreciate the ugliness of this dress. I was HOT and NOT in an ooh la la kind of way if you know what I mean.

There were some really ugly dresses at this party.  Here is just a quick peek:

Old shiny bridesmaid dress:

A lovely floral ensemble.  Again you had to feel this material to appreciate it.

A chilly pepper dress with a giant matching bow.   Yikes!  I thought she’d win for sure.

However the Ugliest Dress Award for 2011 went to this “beautiful” dress below complete with chicken buttons.

Don’t you think every dress needs some chicken buttons…hahaha!

I had made up gift baskets for both the Can You Guess the Year and Ugliest Dress winners.  Both baskets included my book which I thought was a nice touch (ha!) with a whole other slew of fun goodies!  You can see the gift baskets on the table behind me in this picture but unfortunately I forgot to take close up shots.

Everyone had such a great time and many laughs were shared.  A big shout out to my awesome daughter who was such an amazing help to me!!

Let me know if you decide to host your own ugly dress party, I’d love to hear about it!  Have fun!!

40th Birthday Ugly Dress Party!! is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

I just can’t believe I didn’t think of it myself!

Another thing that amused me this past week was this video clip with Carrie Underwood (who I just love..my word did you see the video of her singing How Great Thou Art?) on Ellen talking about her husband’s stuff.  I love that no one is immune from stuff troubles and compromise :)  Too funny!

Now it’s your turn.  Anything tickle your funny bone lately?

I’m so easily amused is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

Truth was it was huge, I just didn’t realize it at the time.  I had gotten so use to traveling with this toiletry suitcase bag that when it came time to pack for a trip I just grabbed it and went.  I don’t even think it was because I had a whole pile of stuff in there, it was just one of those really awkwardly sized jumbo things.  Well let me tell you, nothing makes you sit up and take notice though like hearing the words “what the heck is that?” in reference to my massive bag.  Oops!

Now this is usually where I’d show you a picture of said bag but I was so completely traumatized worked up about getting rid of this thing as fast as I could that off it went to the thrift store as soon as I got home.  I was a changed woman!  Except of course for the fact that I had no bag to replace it with.  Who knew a great toiletry bag was so hard to come by!

I searched and then searched some more and finally found one at Rexall drugstore.  I wanted small, I wanted some compartments to keep my stuff sorted, a handle and of course I needed it to stand on it’s own two feet.  I hate a wobbly bag, don’t you?

So anyway after my long “I’m going to show those girls” search, I did finally come up with something suitable that will hopefully keep the “still can’t get them out of my head” GASPS down to a bare minimum.

So here you have it…my new and improved, not so big, toiletry bag that measures 8″ x 4″ x 6″:

Top zippered section holds my UNII Palette and brush:

The inside section (below) has a smaller zippered section to contain the little stuff (mending kit, hair elastics, bandaids, etc):

I keep my toiletry bag packed and ready to go underneath my bathroom sink.

And to Tanna and Margarita, don’t worry about me.  I’m sure after a couple of more therapy sessions I’ll be totally fine!! :)

How big is your toiletry bag?  Come on, tell me there are others hauling big bad bags around.  Are you in need of a toiletry bag intervention?

Toiletry Bag Makeover is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

Oh I so enjoyed all the comments on my silly post the other day.  Who knew that all of you in the US were missing out on so much deliciousness in the junk food department hahaha :)

For instance, how can it be that you don’t have ketchup chips there?  It’s so wrong!  They are my absolute favorite, yum, yum, YUMMY!  Here try a few, trust me you won’t be able to just eat one.

And now they make a baked version that is actually pretty good.  Yeehaw!

Someone else said that you also don’t have dill pickle chips in the US, is this true?  Wowzers.  What is your favorite potato chip flavor?  Maybe there are some kinds we don’t have here in Canada.

And here’s another treat that I have to have at Christmas that I know is popular everywhere.  It’s just not Christmas without Caramel Popcorn!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Merry Christmas!!

Many blessings to you and your family as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior!

Ketchup chips, caramel popcorn & a Merry Christmas! is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

What does a title like that have to do with organizing you ask?  Well absolutely nothing :)  I’m busy, you’re busy so the last thing you need from me is another how to do this or that post.  Blech.  So what I’m showing you today has nothing to do with nothing.  How do you like that?

My kids love Rockets, but it fascinates me that in the US you call Rockets Smarties.  But Smarties here in Canada are like M&M’s with the chocolate inside.  It’s all so confusing.  When I met up with my US friend Tanna in October she brought me some US Smarties just to show me because it tickles me so (don’t ask me why, just know that I’m a freak and these little things amuse me) and I brought some Canadian Smarties for her kids.

Are you still with me?  Let’s break it down.

Here we have some Canadian Rockets:

Which look and taste just like US Smarties:

But are nothing like Canadian Smarties:

Okay now that I’ve wasted precious minutes of your life got that all cleared up I feel so much better now, don’t you?  Hahaha.

Hey that was fun, I think I’ll post about nothing again tomorrow :)

Rockets and Smarties is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

Enjoy today my friends, got any big plans?

Happy Independence Day from this Canadian girl! is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie

When Amy Twittered me her yummy recipe for Pizza Braid, I took one look at all her lovely pictures and decided oh ya baby I can do that.

I’m mean really, how hard can it be to criss cross some dough?

No sweat right?

When will I ever learn.

For full effect, Amy was kind enough to let me share HER pizza braid picture with you.   I think it’s important that you see what perfection looks like:

in order to fully appreciate this:

Good grief, that’s just WRONG!  Seriously, what is it!?

Wow, I really outdid myself this time didn’t I.  Sheesh!

I do want to point out though that as long as you closed your eyes while eating it, it really didn’t taste too badly :)

I so need help.

Cooking lessons anyone?

Anyone?

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Apparently Braiding 101 lessons are in order is a post from: I'm an Organizing Junkie