I’m straying from my usual tip-giving to share an exciting announcement: A team of awesome people have been helping me compile a WFMW ebook!

It’s called That Works For Me: Tried and True Tips from Works For Me Wednesday and it’s featuring hundreds and hundreds of the greatest tips from you.

Can I get a woot?

For the first time, the best tips from carnivals over the past several years will be organized in a searchable, categorized easy-to-use ebook!

It will be released Spring of 2012.

If you participate regularly in WFMW, please check your inbox (or comments if you don’t have an email on your blog) for a time sensitive email in case one of your tips was chosen for the ebook.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Mercy House.

[Updated] I forgot to mention that my portion of the proceeds are going towards our savings fund to bring our kids back to Africa with us this summer to do our annual staff development, skill training and develop our new community program for single moms.

I hope you’re as excited as we are!

Because that works for me.

AND—to celebrate this fun news, I’m mixing it up with a thumbnail picture linky instead of what we normally do. I’ve been thinking about trying it. Make sure you leave your preference in the comments: regular linky or picture.

I love the new site: Craftsy.

Have y’all heard of it?

It’s for knitters, sewers, quilters (people with real skill), but it’s also for people like me who are wicked with a glue gun.

Craftsy is the fastest growing online community for Crafters!

Craftsy users love:
1) Terrific online classes from amazing instructors for beginning, intermediate and advanced quilters, knitters, crocheters, seamstresses, jewelry makers, and other crafters.
2) Fantastic good deals on crafting supplies: organic yarn, lovely fabrics and high quality needles, etc..

It’s free to sign up and be inspired.  (If you sign up for online classes and tutorials, there are class fees). I like hopping on there and looking thru ideas for Mercy House and my daughter who says every other day, “Got any crafts for me to do?”

Take a look and get craftsy!

*affiliate links are in this post

My youngest is five. She is strong and independent, when she wants to be.

When she doesn’t want to be, she wants us to do things for her.

It’s just part of having a strong-willed child.

But she’s learning so much and asking questions relentlessly. It’s such a fun age!

She can get dressed by herself, even socks and shoes. But she still struggles with her left and right.

I finally figured out how to help her independently put her shoes on the right feet!

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Cut a sticker into two halves and place each half into a shoe: I told her to make a heart with her shoes and when she did she would know which shoes goes on the right foot. It works like a charm! What works for you?

“A watched pot never boils,” the saying goes.

But in our house, the saying is, “An unwatched pot always boils over.”

Ahem.

It never fails, it doesn’t matter if I’m boiling eggs (a favorite snack in our house), potatoes or noodles, the pot usually boils over. I get distracted, answer the phone, help with homework, exercise (kidding) and I forget I’ve got water on the stove.

I heard about this tip over the holidays and I put it to the test: place a wooden spoon over the pot and the water won’t boil over.

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It works!

*UPDATED* While this tip did work for me, please do not leave boiling water unattended. Apparently, there are many naysayers it has NOT worked for. Some say it works for pasta, not rice, etc. Boil carefully, people. And if you find out HOW and WHY this *sometimes* works, there’s a lot of people who want to know!

What works for you?

[Have you run out of tips to share? January's suggested theme: share an organization tip, old or new]

I don’t know about you, but I’m on a bit of a cleaning spree. There’s just something about taking down all the Christmas decor that gets me in the mood to purge. I’m out of control. I walk in a room to hang something up and end up reorganizing an entire closet and stumble out an hour later. It’s both awesome and exhausting.

Here are a few tips to get your new year organized:

• Make piles to trash, to keep, to give and then actually trash, keep and give the piles
• Repurpose old furniture for storage solutions (old dresser above without drawers serves as entryway shoe storage and old dining room hutch now stores arts and crafts supplies below).

• Organize up: use vertical space to store and organize (dining room turned home office)

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• Focus on one space at a time: it can be overwhelming to tackle the entire house, so do a little at a tim
• Once you’ve got a room organized, don’t allow anyone in it. Kidding! Be realistic and don’t let it snowball out of control again.

What works for you? 

I have a tiny laundry room.

But it’s cute, that should count for something, right?

Although if you stop by, it won’t look like that. [hint: piles]

My big kids are in charge of their own laundry (which is a fancy way of me saying, once a week, I ask them to bring down their basket, put it in the washer, oversee their soap-usage, remind them how to start the washer, tell them when it’s time to move to the dryer, add in the dryer sheet they forgot and tell them to now fold and hang up. It’s a work-in-progess).

I’m always trying to look for ways to tidy up the laundry room (since I’m only caught up about 45 seconds a week-FREEZE, everything is clean. Ok, moment over).

I love this idea:

What’s your best laundry tip for the New Year?

edited repost

These quick, easy and delicious Rolo Pretzel Turtle Cookies are the perfect last minute gift.

Three ingredients: pretzels, Rolos, pecan halves:

We made over 100 of these in less than a half an hour for five amazing neighbors…

1. preheat oven to 250 degrees and unwrap the Rolos (you can only eat one)

2. spread out the pretzels on a cookie sheet and add one Rolo to each pretzel:

3. bake at 250 just until chocolate gets soft (less than 5 minutes) and press pecan half into melted Rolo. Let cool.

4. share on a fun plate (these awesome silver trays are only $3.74!):

5. to give away!

These are seriously good.

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* Jesus Is The Gift – Metal Tray

Just a quick tip! (Thanks to a reader for letting me know) Friday, December 16th is known as “free shipping day” for thousands of online stores…It’s the last chance to get many items mailed in time for Christmas. You can check out ALL the many participating retail stores here in case you aren’t done.

Are you finished Christmas shopping?? I am. Wrapping– that’s another story.

Lately, I’ve been feeling super guilty about breakfast.

Yes, you heard me right.

I’d gotten in a bad habit of handing my kids a granola bar or filling up their cereal bowl. I mean, sure, sometimes that’s an okay breakfast, but Eggo waffles were becoming the norm.

Y’all know dinner is a big deal to me.

And I decided I was missing out on a great chance to help my kids get the best start to their day via breakfast. So, for the last two weeks, Momma has brought breakfast back. It’s not fancy, but it’s hot and fresh and (mostly) healthy and all three of my kids have separately and quietly thanked me.

We’ve done bagel egg sandwiches, pancakes, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs and toast, all kinds of muffins, etc…

But by far, this breakfast has been the biggest hit (we’ve made it for dinner too!) and even changed it up a bit.

You can click to get specific instructions, but here’s my version: I cut a circle out of a piece of wheat bread (I used a glass cup). I sprayed the muffin tin, placed the bread in the bottom, cracked an egg over it and added salt and pepper. I didn’t have bacon the first time, so I added a mini sausage (YUM) and baked it at 375 for about 20 minutes.

Mine:

Y’all, it’s a winner!

Here’s a fun, quicker variation that my hubby came up with. Cut the hole in the bread, spray a skillet with Pam, crack an egg in the center of the bread and cook on low until the egg is done.

P.S. We sometimes do paper plates at breakfast. Baby steps.

Yummy, hot breakfast works for them, which works for me!

I’m finding as my kids get older, our lives are getting busier.

I’m the keeper of the family calendar. I’m the one who says “No, you can’t miss dinner” or “Yes, you can go to that birthday party.” I have a central calendar where it gets written down, but I’ve found I need a place to hang important papers, reminders and invitations.

I give you: The Family Message Board-

Mine if from Blessings Unlimited. I love how big it is!

Here are a couple of magnetic DIY ones from Pinterest:

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Family message boards work for me!

I’m so excited to try this for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow!

Write down tiny notes, wrap in foil, place inside rolls, bake….

Be thankful.

Thanksgiving Challenge: Day 23

I am thankful for my kids. They fill my life and bring me joy. They make me laugh every day. Every.Day.

My tips to an intentional Thanksgiving:

• Prepare as much as you can beforehand.
• Don’t get caught up in the pressure and fuss of creating a perfect day.
• Enjoy the people you share it with. Let them know why you’re thankful for them.
• Make your life about thanksliving, don’t reserve thankfulness for just one day.

What works for you?

If you’re not quite ready to turn your kitchen table into a giant chalkboard, this idea might be for you. Although I may do this too!

I read this idea in the latest edition of Thriving Family, a wonderful FREE magazine offered by Focus on the Family.

Provide a clean, write sheet or tablecloth and fabric markers….have your kids, family, guests, each write something they are thankful for or draw a picture. Make sure they date it. Each year add to it…

[I love this version I found on Pinterest where the hostess went back and embroidered over the names. I would never have the time to do that, but it doesn't mean I can't dream]

Don’t you love it?

Easy, affordable and inspirational!

What works for you?

*updated* corrected link below!

This year I’m doing Thanksgiving.

I’ve never cooked a turkey.

I’m tempted to program 1-800-BUTTERBALL on my phone.

Because, y’all: that’s a big bird.

I also like phone numbers that start with butter….

I was so excited to see that my friend, Erin of $5 Dinners just released a new e-book called Holiday Entertaining Guide. I love her cookbooks!

There are some fabulous, frugal ideas from centerpieces to 30 recipes!

And by using this code: THANKS, it’s only $1.99!

Get yours here.

Are you hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas this year? What’s your entertaining secret?

Having trouble thinking of a tip this week? Share one for entertaining…

*affiliate link in this post

Yesterday, we got a Final Letter from one of our Compassion kids. Precious graduated from the program. Yes, this special girl.

It was bittersweet. My kids begged for another child, but we still have ten and honestly, we have to pay the sweet college student giving my kids piano lessons, something.

We logged on to Compassion’s site since we’ve heard great things about their new letter writing options. Let me just say: AWESOME. You can choose from a variety of fun templates, upload pictures of your family (!) and even duplicate the letter for multiple sponsored kids. Within 15 minutes, all of our kids got a Christmas letter with pictures.

But we did send Precious one last letter and my youngest drew her a picture, that was well, precious.

What? You haven’t changed a life in a third world country and given your children a global perspective by sponsoring a child?

It’s the single most significant thing we’ve done to ignite compassion in our children.

Click here to do so.

I’m not a foodie. You know one of those people who’s really amazing in the kitchen. I get the job done and every once in awhile, I wow myself.

So, even though I wouldn’t consider this “my gift” I find that I’m taking a dessert or fixing a meal for someone on a regular basis. And sometimes it’s take-out (don’t judge me). Because we all know free food you don’t have to prepare is good food. Can I get an Amen?

My dear and amazing friend, Meg, shared a most-wonderful African tradition with me. [Her family of four are in the middle of adopting an older sibling group from Ethiopia. Her two kids just happen to be very close friends to my older kids and our hubbies are great friends. We just LOVE them ].

Back to the tradition. It goes something like this: I shared a dish with Meg when she had surgery this summer. She returned my platter filled with fruit for my family.

I was having a bad week a few weeks ago, she sent over a delicious salad. I returned her glass bowl filled with strawberry shortcake.

Tip: Return plates, dishes, bowls to friends and family filled with delicious food! And if you don’t currently have a dish loaned out, then maybe you should whip something up and take it someone sick or in need of cheering up.

It works for me!

Well. I’ve gone and done it.

I’ve did something I said I would NEVER DO. Don’t you just love it when you have to eat your words.

(They taste like chicken).

I have said for years that I would never ever get my kids a cell phone before they were driving.

I just think it’s crazy how young kids are with phones and nice phones at that.

But then I got a sixth grader  and within 12 hours of being in “middle school” it dawned on me that my daughter was going to be in situations where she needed me. And more importantly, where I needed to connect with her (band practices, lessons, etc).

But since we still feel like she’s too young for her own phone and don’t want all the headaches that come with that much freedom, we opted for a family cell phone.

Our family cell phones stays at home and is only used when we drop off our daughter for an extracurricular school or church event. Or if she is a mother’s helper across the street, or I run and get a sweet tea and leave her in charge for 7.5 minutes, etc.

We were able to just add a line to our existing contract for $10 a month, so it was a cheap solution.

It gives her a small amount of freedom she craves and keeps me from worrying.

It works for us!

{Hard time coming up with tips? Try today’s suggested theme: share a fall tip}

Two-thirds of my children have a hard time picking out the clothes every morning. The other third picks out my clothes. Because she thinks I need help and she’s pretty good at it.

I was at my friend Amy’s house (who happens to live across the street [fun!], and she clued me on her morning salvation:

Beautiful, isn’t it? Okay, not really. But work with me here. I bought two off Amazon (one in pink with a different princess of the day since my 4 year old is still not reading big words yet).

During the weekend, when my kids do their laundry, (Yes, when you turn 8 in THAT family, you get your very own laundry basket! Lucky! and some lessons in the laundry room) I or more honestly, my oldest child who likes people in our family to actually match their clothes, fills up the organizer with outfits.

Y’all. I could cry. Because it works!! It has saved me so much time in the morning and my kids are happy since they helped pick out their clothes on the weekend.

Get your own for less than $10. Or better yet, use what you have and create something that works just as well!

Organized mornings work for me!

This is one of those practical e-books that’s worth it’s weight in gold.

Simply put, I believe it can revolutionize your life and help you regain control over the often-chaotic stress of running a family!

I’m sure most of you have heard of Simple Mom.. Tsh, the author of the blog and this e-book (among other things) offers 52 projects that range from “Making a debt-free plan” to “Organizing your photo collection” to “Creating a family chore system” to “Learning to say no.”

It’s practical, helpful and doable—My kind of e-book with note-taking pages and creative ideas that actually work.

I especially love that it’s set up to tackle one project a week, for 52 weeks. In one year, you can make significant progress in having a simpler life.

In this hectic, fast-pace world, I crave simplicity. Don’t you?

Plus, my friend Tsh, has included a beautiful section on Compassion International. Purchase the e-book for only $5 and a portion goes to Compassion!

—

Disclaimer: I’m sharing this because I just figured if I love it, you might to. The links are affiliates.

Click here to visit Simple Mom.

One Bite At A Time works for me!

Orange candles in my Giving Thanks Hurricanes, letters that spell g-r-a-t-i-t-u-d-e

Mantle with a  fall garland (my sister made for me):

• Giving Thanks Hurricanes
• Everyday Faith Handmade Cross
• G-r-a-t-i-t-u-d-e blocks (you can make more than a dozen words!)
• Great is Your Faithfulness Mantle clock
• Candle holders
• It is Well Sign-Etsy one-of-a-kind (with a Heartsy credit!)

My favorite store [DaySpring] is having an awesome sale. Save 20% with Code:PREV20

Get ready for Christmas (I know, I know):

these items are on sale, plus with 20% off–look how cheap!

only $4.39

only $10

Disclaimer: I’m not getting paid to share this today, I truly love DaySpring. My links are affiliates.

Works for me!

How about you?

Well, I’ve gone and done it. Even though I said I wouldn’t.

I’ve fallen down the Pinterest hole and I can’t get out.

I’m really new. But I’m in love.

It’s basically an online bulletin board…you can search for subjects like ‘recycled magazines’ and find the most fabulous ideas! For awhile, I just searched, but I went ahead and started my own boards and I’m a “pinning” fool:

Want to follow me?

I’ve already found so many fabulous ideas for Mercy House products and fair trade shows we’re starting to do, so it’s a good addiction right??

Like this amazing paper bowl:

Did you know the shape was created by blowing up a balloon and once the pieces were glued into place and dry, the balloon is popped. Our girls are trying to make them this week!

Do you pin? tell me your address in the comments and I’ll follow back!

I haven’t had time for many DIY projects lately. But during our leisurely Labor Day weekend, I found this cute burlap wreath idea. (Great tutorial using a coat hanger!)

My hubby just brought home a couple of burlap feed sacks he found for a $1 and I had wire in the garage. I grabbed an old wreath and took off the greenery.

Within 20 minutes, this cute burlap wreath was hanging on my door!

It was so easy and cheap, too.

I cut the burlap sack into 4-5 inch strips, nearly the entire sack–probably 10 strips.

I twisted a loop at the end of the wire and weaved the wire (about 24″ or so) in and out, and gathered the strips, one after another:

Once the wire is covered in burlap, I twisted a loop to hold the burlap. Then I just used several pieces of small wire to attach it to the wire wreath frame:

And, that’s it!

Cute, huh?

I’ve tried it. I really have.

For a year, I’ve used a virtual calendar on my laptop and my phone. I’ve missed appointments because I put it on one and not the other, forgetting to sync the two. Or worse, I can’t read what I’m supposed to do because of that darn autocorrect thing where technology inserts what it thinks I’m trying to say! Plus sometimes is uses bad words. Oops.

I decided a few weeks ago as I was trying to juggle a new school year, writing deadlines, Mercy House, and life in general that I’m a writer. I’m an old fashioned list-maker. I need paper and pen. I need to write down my dates on real paper.

So, I did it, I bought an old fashioned calendar.

Makes me want to sit in the school supply aisle and sniff glue, I mean, pencils. I’m coming home.

Watch out organization! Here I come.

How about you?

Online calendars don’t work for me.

I thought this was such a great idea. With three kids, I can’t keep up with how fast they are growing–daily it seems! I’ve asked OutGrowingIn.com to share about their [affordable] solution:

Kids grow and as much as we might try, we just can’t stop it. They get bigger and go from crawling to walking to running in a heartbeat. It’s a part of life and as parents, it’s both our privilege and our pride to watch them grow.

Sometimes that growth comes at a cost when they go from a size 5 to a size 7 overnight. Clothes aren’t cheap! Purchasing new clothes and figuring out what to do with the outgrown clothes is just a part of life when you are a parent.

Christine Korkin, the founder of OutGrowingIn.com, knows this first hand. One day she opened her son’s closet and was overwhelmed with all of the clothes she saw there. She knew that many of them no longer fit and she searched for a way to easily and affordably undertake the out-with-the-old and in-with-the-new process. When Christine realized that what she sought did not exist, she brainstormed with her programmer husband and OutGrowingIn was born.

On the OutGrowingIn website, parents can swap boxes of their children’s gently-used outgrown clothes for a box in another size. The average box listed on the site contains 12 items and the cost for each swapped box purchase is just $3, plus shipping and handling. This means the price of each article is much less than retail and even significantly less than you’d find at a thrift shop. The site is free to all, although there is also a premium membership option that offers several additional features for users.

In addition to clothes swapping, OutGrowingIn also offers a Marketplace where parenting items, toys and baby items can be listed. This service acts similarly to eBay but with a commission rate of only 6%. This is a great alternative for families looking to make a little extra money or to find a great deal on any needed items.

In honor of the great work being done by Kristen and her family, OutGrowingIn will be donating 50% of all premium membership purchases through the end of September to The Mercy House Kenya. It’s just a small way for us to show our support!

Thank you! I hope you guys will give OutGrowingIn.com a try. I know I will!

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[Please note: these are the suggested themes for the first Wed. of each month for the rest of 2011. These themed WFMW are optional ideas for those who might be running out of tips!]

[Sept. 7: Share something that DOESN'T work for you]

[Oct. 5: Share a great FALL tip]

[Nov. 9: Share your best entertaining tip]

[Dec. 7: Share your favorite store for shopping with purpose]

I don’t know about you, but I am NOT ready for school to start. Our summer has sped by and I just need 47 more pool days.

Not to mention, I am really good at sleeping in. A fine art, I’ve heard.

But since we are on the school-will-start-soon countdown, I’m trying to get my kids back on track.

In order to be ready this year, I’m getting my kids in bed every night at the same time. They will be making their own lunches the night before school starts (it’s called empowerment) and we’ll have a “hot file” in the kitchen for important notes from teachers and info about school projects.

Delegating to my kids works for me.

What works for you getting your kids in the back-to-school routine?

The last couple of years, I’ve subscribed to several magazine subscriptions because of great Amazon alerts, Swabucks and dirt-cheap deals. I got in the habit of saving a few of my favorite issues, but tossing the rest.

In the last few months, I’ve found many uses for my old magazines and wanted to share them with you:

• Cool recyclable kid crafts-like this DIY dollhouse
• Make gift wrapping bows
• Create Jewelry
• Design a very cool gift
• Donate them to libraries or non-profits like Mercy House (we’re collecting them right now!)

Used magazines work for me!

I’ve been a long-time lover of vinyl word art. I have little sayings all over my house.

Have you seen the really big vinyl subway wall art? like this:

Love.

I wanted our family room to inspire and so I bought this exact one on Etsy here.

It came in three parts and completely intimidated me, so it sat for weeks because I was afraid to apply it.  I finally got up the nerve using these easy instructions and videos to help me.

My tip for applying large vinyl art: Take your time and make sure it’s centered before you removed the backing. Use masking tape to keep it in place.

Here’s how mine looks:

*my fun colorful blocks were a gift from Dayspring and my vase is inspiration from our Mercy House girls