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Weekend Give Away: 5 Pairs of Shoemint Shoes

It's the weekend! After the past couple of crazy weeks, I am welcoming the chance to sneak out for a date night with Michael. Plus, I've been dying to wear <a href="http://t.shoemint.com/aff_c?offer_id=34&aff_id=2244&url_id=1228&file_id=14424&aid=4%24spons%24p3005%24c3723%247616" target="_blank">these new flats</a> from <a href="http://t.shoemint.com/aff_c?offer_id=34&aff_id=2244&url_id=1160&file_id=14418&aid=4%24spons%24p3005%24c3723%247616" target="_blank">Shoemint</a> (the shoe company that Rachel Bilson works with!). I love the bows, and burgundy is totally <i>the</i> hot color for fall.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/datenight.jpg" /></div><br /><a href="http://t.shoemint.com/aff_c?offer_id=34&aff_id=2244&url_id=1160&file_id=14418&aid=4%24spons%24p3005%24c3723%247616" target="_blank">Shoemint</a> offers the most fabulous, high-quality leather or suede shoes, all for less than $80. I have a couple pairs and they are all incredibly comfortable. I could walk 40 blocks in the bow flats!<br /><br />Shoemint is very kindly offering up three shoe closets (which is 5 pairs of shoes!)! To be eligible to win, please register <a href="http://t.shoemint.com/aff_c?offer_id=34&aff_id=2244&url_id=1160&file_id=14418&aid=4%24spons%24p3005%24c3723%247616" target="_blank">here</a> and then leave a comment on this post with your favorite shoe style. The winner will be chosen randomly and emailed. So have your choices ready. The hardest part will be nailing down your picks! :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/jennyshoemint.jpg" /></div><br />Check them all out <a href="http://t.shoemint.com/aff_c?offer_id=34&aff_id=2244&url_id=1160&file_id=14418&aid=4%24spons%24p3005%24c3723%247616" target="_blank">here</a>. And lucky you, click through and receive 35% off your first purchase! Those fringe booties are calling my name...<i> </i><br /><br /><i>Contest ends Friday, October 5 at midnight. Good luck!</i><br /><br />PS The <a href="http://t.shoemint.com/aff_c?offer_id=34&aff_id=2244&url_id=1082&file_id=14420&aid=4%24spons%24p3005%24c3723%247616" target="_blank">neon yellow tote</a> above is the bag in <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/09/diy-whiteboard-calendar.html" target="_blank">these photographs</a>. It's really cute. :)<br /><br /><i>Comments are now closed. The winner will be emailed (so check your inboxes!) Thanks for playing!</i>

Weekend Give Away: 5 Pairs of Shoemint Shoes

It's the weekend! After the past couple of crazy weeks, I am welcoming the chance to sneak out for a date night with Michael. Plus, I...

7:44 PM

The Playhouse

One of the homes we lived in when I was a kid had an awesome tree house in the yard. I played there with my brothers and sisters and friends for hours and hours every day. I have some seriously fond memories of that tree house and I've always dreamed of giving my girls a similar place to create memories. One of the reasons we moved to Brooklyn was because the girls could finally have some easily-accessible outdoor space (it's tough to get to the park every day!). And now that we're here, I want to enjoy this yard as much as possible. For us, it was so worth the investment to buy and built our new play house.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0167.jpg" /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Remember what it looked like before? Cute, but meh. I thought it had potential though...  <br /><a name='more'></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/album%202/PLAYHOUSEPLANS.jpg" /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We bought <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=savannah+playhouse+big+backyard&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a" target="_blank">the playhouse</a> on sale for $450 plus shipping. I know - not so cheap. I did so much looking around on this one though - I looked at all sorts of playhouses, even sheds suitable for using as a playhouse. And I priced out the materials for just building our own. For us, it was going to cost almost $500 in materials and transportation costs and I'm sure the end result would have been questionable! I don't really trust my carpentry skills. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0142.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The house comes (very) disassembled and in a giant, heavy box. If putting together IKEA products makes your head spin, you might want to hire this out to a handyman! Luckily, Michael came to my rescue and put the house together on the lower deck with my very helpful brother in law, Matt. I forgot to paint the shingles and door before Michael and Matt put the house together, which was a bit of a pain, but not that big of a deal to paint with a roller after the fact. (I used Rustoleum's black enamel in flat finish for the roof and shutters.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/photo-10.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The girls helped me paint the door (it's not a perfect paint job, but I wouldn't have it any other way). We used the mint paint from <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/05/mint-green-step-stool.html" target="_blank">this post</a>. Isn't that dutch door the cutest?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0155.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One sort of tricky thing about this playhouse is it doesn't come with a floor, so we bought some plywood to finish off the bottom. To prevent sinking or water damage, I dug the ground out a little and laid out nine cinder blocks and sort of half-buried them. It was really important to get all the cinder blocks level.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/photo-13.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then I filled in the gaps with mulch which is supposed to help with bugs, weeds, and moisture issues.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/photo-12.jpg" /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I put down the plywood, cut to fit the bottom of the playhouse, and painted it with a gray primer. I'm planning to do something else on the floor later, but I wanted to get the primer down before putting the house up.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/photo-15.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/photo-16.jpg" /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once the paint had fully dried, we hefted the (VERY HEAVY) finished house on top of the platform. There is a lip on the inside of the house, so we just ran some screws down into the plywood base and everything feels super secure.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0147.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Some fun things I like about this playhouse: the funny little weathervane, the working shutters, the doorbell, the flower boxes under the windows, and the fact that I can just *barely* stand up inside the house. I feel like it's the perfect size.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0154.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0182.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0144.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We moved our trusty <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70129801/" target="_blank">play kitchen</a> inside and it fits perfectly. I was happy to free up the floor space in the girls bedroom, too, so win-win.</div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0151.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I got sick before I had much of a chance to really do anything with the inside of the playhouse, so it's pretty bare bones for now. I always want it to be on the unfussy side though, so the kids can really play without worrying.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/1photo-7.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0175.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So while not being my least expensive project that I've shared on LGN, I feel like we're going to get a lot of really great use here. Zero buyer's regret.</div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0160.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Some of you asked if my yard's all done now. Not even close! But it might just be good for this year. I feel like I can pick things up again next spring (though the upper deck will hopefully get done this fall). We've come a <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/05/yard-advice-please.html" target="_blank">long</a> <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/09/major-yard-progress-pavers-and-planting.html" target="_blank">way</a> baby.</div>

The Playhouse

One of the homes we lived in when I was a kid had an awesome tree house in the yard. I played there with my brothers and sisters and friends...

10:33 PM

Fig trees, Mums and Boxwoods

I thought it would be hard to find plants that I like this time of year, but I'm learning there are all sorts of pretty plants available right now. And so many great prices!<br /><br />I've always appreciated big bouquets of carnations and huge orbs of mums. They are not particularly impressive flowers on their own, but they can make a big statement in large quantities. I bought two of these huge purple mums bushes from Home Depot a couple weeks ago and they are making my <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-balcony-floor.html" target="_blank">not-yet-touched back deck</a> so much prettier. I love seeing the bursts of lilac while sitting in my living room. (the astroturf - not so much!) :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_7797.jpg" /> </div><br />Target is having a huge sale on all their outdoor items. I bought a ton of stuff like hoses, a sprinkler, gardening gloves, and two of these giant black planters for 75% off. I love their modern shape and matte finish.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_7558.jpg" /></div><br />I also cleaned out their string lights section. These were only about $8 a box! Such a steal.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_7537.jpg" /> </div><br />Also, if you've been trying to secure yourself a fiddle leaf fig tree and don't want to drop $250 on a mature tree (like the flower shop on 28th St is asking!), why not buy a small seedling from IKEA for only $13?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/ikeaficus.jpg" /> </div><br />I bought two (along with a pair of their pretty, large terracotta pots) to also sit on my back deck. They'll stay out there for another couple weeks until it gets too cold and then I'll bring them in.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/ikeafig.jpg" /></div><br />Tomorrow, if I'm feeling well enough, I'll be planting some some dwarf boxwoods I picked up at Home Depot for $12 each. They're so pretty and I get such a kick out of keeping them all trimmed up. :) I bought a pair of full size boxwoods for the front stoop as well. I'm thinking of trying to shape them into squares? You have no idea how much joy all these silly things bring me. :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/photo.png" /> </div><br />What are you up to in your yard these days? Is there anything I should be doing now to prep for the winter? Help this first-timer out!

Fig trees, Mums and Boxwoods

I thought it would be hard to find plants that I like this time of year, but I'm learning there are all sorts of pretty plants available...

9:45 PM

Limiting Your Medium

<i>I started the draft for this post a while ago and never got around to posting it. Before I got sick we pumped out a lot of yard projects (photos to come!), and I had this post in the back of my mind when I made some of the plant choices. Here's the old post...</i><br /><br />Someone commented <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/05/yard-advice-please.html" target="_blank">here</a> to remind me about Julianne Moore's lovely new landscaping of her West Village brownstone. And then I was chatting with the lovely <a href="http://www.simplelovelyblog.com/" target="_blank">Joslyn</a> (who was on the SF trip last weekend) about how awesome her yard is. Simple. Artsy. Pretty easy-care. This might be the right approach for us busy ladies.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/julianne-moore-garden-new-york-05.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/julianne-moore-garden-new-york-04-lg.jpg" /> </div><br />So I pulled up the <a href="http://www.architecturaldigest.com/celebrity-homes/2012/julianne-moore-home-garden-new-york-article" target="_blank">article from Arch Digest</a> on my flight home Saturday night. The photos really are cool <i>(Her whole house has a great vibe - I've included photos from other shoots here, too)</i>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/item6renditionslideshowWideHorizontaljulianne-moore-garden-new-york-07.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>I was super fascinated with this part of the article where Julianne mentions that she only wears and decorates with a handful of colors. She won't buy it or bring it into her home unless it's white, black, gray, green or purple. At first I was like...huh. But the idea has stayed with me all weekend.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/cn_imagesizejulianne-moore-garden-new-york-01-portrait.jpg" /> </div><br />Wasn't it was Matisse who talked about how the beauty of art comes from the struggle of an artist and his limited medium? I think the idea works in designing a home.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/juliannemooreLR.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/juliannemooremade_014_l_v.jpg" /></div><br />As a decorator who usually uses a lot of color, I think I'm making my life harder by not limited my color palette a little. When there are infinite choices, it's easier to make a misstep. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/julianne-moore-townhouse-1.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/juliannemoorekitchen.jpg" /></div><br />Although, let the record show, I am not usually in favor of matchy-matchy rooms and I think what we're talking about is a very different approach. The key here is to vary the shades and tones of similar colors.  Use peach and tangerine colors rather than the same bright orange on every accessory. Try mixing sky blue with cobalt. I doubt Julianne's house is filled with the exact same shade of plum over and over again. It looks like she mixes plum with dusky gray lavender and deep burgundy, which feels lovely and warm.<br /><br />What are your thoughts about limiting the color palette in your home? Do you love for things to match in your home?

Limiting Your Medium

I started the draft for this post a while ago and never got around to posting it. Before I got sick we pumped out a lot of yard projects (ph...

7:39 PM

More Pattern Play (and $100 L&S Give Away!)

<a href="http://lsfabrics.com/?utm_campaign=blog&utm_source=littlegn&utm_medium=100-giveaway2&utm_content=promo" target="_blank">L&S Fabrics</a> is giving away another $100 gift certificate! (Also - did you hear they are running a sale through the end of the month? 20% off with the coupon code LSFABRICS FIRST) They have some really awesome new fabric patterns, most ranging from $10-$35 per yard. It was easy to pull together fabrics for a whole imaginary house (I used my <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/03/giveaway-100-to-l-fabrics-also-some.html" target="_blank">pattern-mixing formula</a>).<br /><br />I like more neutral fabrics for this imaginary living room. Maybe a colorful rug, or some fun accent pillows? With neutral base fabrics, anything goes. <i>PS I will always love a buffalo check!</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/livingroom_zps66bd7b2c.jpg" /></div><br />I thought these colors would be fun for a dining room. They seem so cheerful. And if you haven't seen the full repeat of the coral floral in the upper right, check it out <a href="http://www.cocokelley.com/2012/07/elizas-garden/robert-allen-2/" target="_blank">here</a>. Gorgeous.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/diningroom_zps2b354d72.jpg" /></div><br />The family room in this house would also be pretty neutral. I love toile for curtains, because the pattern is less intense and obvious. I like the gray variations in this one - it looks like an expensive Schumacher pattern. And wouldn't that faux bois pattern be great on a pair of arm chairs? It's a like a modern take on the traditional lodge/man den look.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/familyroom_zpsaf6eb584.jpg" /></div><br />For a sweet, feminine nursery, I would mix some large and small-scale stylized florals with some fun check and dots patterns.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/girlsroom_zpsb1c99d20.jpg" /></div><br />For a little boy's room, how awesome are the anchors? The hits of dark charcoal keep things from going too sweet.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/boysroom_zpse2aa8da6.jpg" /></div><br />Oh man. I just ordered some of this abstract-like fabric for pillows, and I'm hoping it's just as amazing in person. I love it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/teensroom_zps13a21aa3.jpg" /></div><br />All fabrics, and so, so many more, <a href="http://lsfabrics.com/?utm_campaign=blog&utm_source=littlegn&utm_medium=100-giveaway2&utm_content=promo" target="_blank">here on L&S</a>.<br /><br />For a chance to win $100 gift certificate (new drapes? pillows? an upholstery project!?), please leave a comment on this post and share what you would purchase with the $100. The contest closes this Friday at midnight and the winner will be chosen at random and emailed. Good luck!<br /><br />And don't forget the 20% off coupon code, good through the 30th! LSFABRICS FIRST<br /><br /><i>Contest is closed and the winner will be emailed (so check your inbox!) Thanks for playing!</i>

More Pattern Play (and $100 L&S Give Away!)

L&S Fabrics is giving away another $100 gift certificate! (Also - did you hear they are running a sale through the end of the month? 20...

8:45 PM

Simple Hints On New Innovative Business Ideas

More often than not, most business ideas have already been tried and tested by other individuals. Thinking outside the box can have great rewards for entrepreneurs. A lot of big businesses today grew from small beginnings because they use new innovative business ideas. A few examples of these are Google, and Microsoft. Everyone knows these business giants once existed in the garages of their respective owners.<br /><br />The economy is one giant river of money and there are many ways to tap into that river. There are basically two legal ways of accessing that river of money. You can either work for a company or have your own business and be your own boss. Luckily one doesn't have to be a genius or a scientist to have new innovative business ideas. There are simple ways on how to tap into the cashflow. You can easily find a business opportunity that is right for your skills and expertise.<br /><br />One way of finding ideas for your business is by observing the people and environment around you. You have to look for things that are missing from the scene. For example, if you notice a lack of refreshments in a particular area and people are always thirsty and looking for a nice establishment, you invest on a vending machine or put up a nice restaurant. New innovative business ideas can either be simple or complex but the important thing is that you are able to provide a valuable service or product to the market.<br /><br />Another easy way of capitalizing on business opportunities is by utilizing the resources you already have. You may have a piece of land that you can rent out or some possessions that can be useful to people. If you own a boat, for example, that you rarely use, you can have that rented by your friends and have your friends recommend your boat to other people. Instead of the boat sitting idle in the garage, it is out there making money. Taking advantage of the resources you already have is a good way of earning money. You won't have to worry about a huge capital because you already have what you need to start with.<br /><br />New innovative business ideas sometimes comes as random thoughts in your head. Do not be discouraged if your initial business idea doesn't take off. Try not to put all your eggs in one basket as failure of your only venture will be financially devastating.<br /><br />

Simple Hints On New Innovative Business Ideas

More often than not, most business ideas have already been tried and tested by other individuals. Thinking outside the box can have great re...

4:00 AM

Thank You

Hi friends,<br /><br />Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for all the well-wishes, comments, tweets, texts, emails and phone calls. I feel surrounded by your love and support.<br /><br />I am home now, kissing and holding my little ones, feeling so thankful things didn't turn out worse then they did. I'm hoping once I'm recovered I can just forget about this whole experience! Not fun. I will say this though - Please, please, please check and see that you are up to date on your Tdap vaccination. I thought I was close to current, so didn't worry about it when I was scraped by a rusty fence recently. Take my word for it that you never want to experience Tetanus, and of course we want to protect little ones from Pertussis, which is also covered by the vaccination.<br /><br />I've got a back log of projects I haven't posted about yet that I'll be sharing next week while I'm recovering, so please come back Monday for regularly scheduled posting.<br /><br />Thank you again. Big hugs to you all.<br />xoxo<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_7804_zps570be03a.jpg" /></div>

Thank You

Hi friends, Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for all the well-wishes, comments, tweets, texts, emails and phone calls. I feel sur...

1:07 PM

Update on Jenny

Update on Jenny

Hi, guys. On Saturday Jenny was admitted to the ICU for tetanus poisoning. She is hanging in there and getting a little better each day but ...

11:52 AM

DIY Whiteboard Calendar

<script src="http://thirdparty.fmpub.net/placement/514277?fleur_de_sel=[timestamp]" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: white; color: grey; font-family: Trebuchet, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 22.240741729736328px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: white; color: grey; font-family: Trebuchet, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 22.240741729736328px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">This content series is in partnership with smartwater. </span>smartwater, simplicity is delicious. <a href="http://r1.fmpub.net/?r=http%3A%2F%2Fad.doubleclick.net%2Fclk%3B259835188%3B83380430%3Br%3Bpc%3D%5BTPAS_ID%5D&k4=4853&k5=514277" target="_blank">Click here</a> to learn more.</span></i></div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/2DSC_0068.jpg" /></div><br />I always think it's a good idea to go out of your way to do or buy things that help you stay more organized and on top of your life. We've been chugging right along with these home projects, but for the past couple of weeks, the office has been a bit neglected. It's frustrating that we finally have a dedicated, more private space to use as a home office, and we weren't really enjoying it! Earlier this week I took a stand and started decorating without any forethought. It was actually really fun to just work with what I had on hand.<br /><br />One thing that I decided I really needed and wanted this go-round was a calendar whiteboard, but just for my blog posting scheduling. It's so helpful for me to plan out posts this way - it helps keep me on top of projects.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/22DSC_0076.jpg" /></div><br />I looked around for some simple pre-printed calendar whiteboards and there's not much of anything I liked, so I decided to make my own. I used <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000V9SZUM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000V9SZUM&linkCode=as2&tag=littgreenote-20">this whiteboard</a> and it is really good and incredibly cheap. I also used two rolls of this tiny <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001Q4HX36/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001Q4HX36&linkCode=as2&tag=littgreenote-20">chart tape</a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_7881.jpg" /></div><br />It's 1/8" wide and it's super easy and really fun, actually, to work with. I had grand plans to mark everything out and use leveling tools, etc. But the tape sort of took over before I had a chance to be responsible about the thing! It's just so easy to use, I ended up eyeballing it all! Cutting small strips of tape to help mark out the spacing first helped a lot.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_7883.jpg" /></div><br />It's not perfect but I don't mind. The tape is totally repositionable, so I can fix it later if I want to.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="478" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_7888.jpg" width="640" /></div><br />I like the way the tape turned out (I wanted the design there to be very simple), but the frame was sooo boring. I had my miter saw and my brad gun handy from all the moulding we've been adding in other parts of the house, so it was easy to add trim to the existing whiteboard frame. If you don't have either of these tools, a <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2011/06/progress-on-yellow-door.html" target="_blank">hand saw</a> and some finishing nails <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2011/06/b-n-n-s.html" target="_blank">work just fine</a>! I used the pretty rope moulding I've always loved.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_7889.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_7892.jpg" /></div><br />Once the moulding was cut and nailed, I filled the nail holes and corner gaps with this amazing, new-to-me <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008PPE4WM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008PPE4WM&linkCode=as2&tag=littgreenote-20">wood filler</a>. It is thicker, and just plain awesome. Recommend!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_7897.jpg" /></div><br />I sanded down all the trim once the filler dried, papered and taped the whiteboard, and then sprayed the frame with one of my favorite spray paint colors - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ES43EO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003ES43EO&linkCode=as2&tag=littgreenote-20">Night Tide from Rustoleum</a>. I'm sad it keeps looking black in all these photos. In real life, the color is a moody, deep forest/peacock blue color. I love it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_7899.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0092.jpg" /></div><br />I let it dry and off-gas for about a day and then hung it up in my newly spruced office. I'm feeling 100% more organized already.<br /><br />Going forward, all I have to do each month is fill in the date numbers, and then brainstorm what posts will go live when. It's so helpful to have the reminder up on the wall where I will see it every day. I'm such a visual person that writing to-dos and seeing lists in front of me is pretty much a necessity. I'm thinking of making one for the girls room, too. I know they'd get a kick out of keeping track of soccer games and ballet practices.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0100.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0110.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>What do you do to keep your family or your business organized?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0068.jpg" /></div>

DIY Whiteboard Calendar

This content series is in partnership with smartwater. smartwater, simplicity is delicious. Click here to learn more. I always think it&...

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