Vanity Fair

Thoughtful Thursday

“Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” ― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

I cried, I laughed, and I cried some more. I don't know how it happened but I have a new hairstyle that isn't anything I planned or expected.

A few weeks ago, I went to the usual salon for a "tidy up". I have curly hair about down to the bottom of my shoulder blades. I was planning on a good trim and thinning because the split ends had really gotten out of hand. 

I went in, looked through some hairstyle books to pass the time, and when called back joked with Mark and the stylist about how he LOOOOOVVVEEESSS (insert sarcastic tone here) ( and major eye roll too) me with short hair and how that wasn't gonna happen! He left me to do my thing while he went to do his thing and by the time he got back I walked out looking like a mushroom head sans 4-5 inches of hair. AAAAAAHHHH!!!! When I got home I actually cried. I am so ashamed that I actually cried over my hair.

After this experience, I began to reflect on how my self-image has morfed over time. I NEVER would have cried over a haircut just a few short years ago. Somehow- without my being aware, I must have become more vain about my looks and really believed that my haistyle somehow refelected who I was as a person. Or maybe more concerned about what others thought of me because of my looks.

For a girl who shaved her head in highschool- (not to the skin, but a buzz) I can freely admit I am not who I used to be. I know people change over time, but this is one thing I never thought I'd struggle with. Vanity. 

Disgusted with myself for reacting the way I did, I went somewhere else, got a short cut like the good old days (no buzz- I'll wait till I've gone completely white for that) and remind myself that it is not what others think of me that matters- but what I think of myself. And that "Long hair does not a beautiful Chris make."

To prove my point.... I'll post that picture of myself with buzzed hair...... as soon as I track it down :)  

I'd love to hear your ideas about vanity, what it means to be beautiful, and how you feel about yourself when faced with experiences that make you feel less than your best on the outside. 

Teacher Tote Series Part III

Tools of The Trade Tuesday

Thirty-One Gifts Teacher Totes

     Okay- I've dragged this out long enough. As amazing as these bags really are- I can only repeat that fact so many times before I get tired of reading myself and I'm sure you'd just like to get it over with as well.
     If you haven't seen the first two posts in this series- you can check them out here:

Part I: Teacher Tote
Part II: Lunch Bag


     So... Here is the final post on these bags with two reviews in one. 

Large Tote Bag:

HUGE! Tote

• Large one pocket interior
• Can hold oddly shaped items easily (like sentence strips, balance scales, and frog aquariums- which I did carry in here all at once).
• Reinforced sewing and grommets on canvas straps
• Can't say it enough-Embroidery for 7 buckaroos!

Drawstring Back-Pack

Cinch Sack

• Large interior pocket
• Front zipper pocket
• Great for carrying files and contact information as well as first aid kit and tissues on field trips
• One of my friends uses it as a diaper bag when walking with her son in the park.
• This bag was only $5.00 when I ordered it with the large tote above during a special promotion

If you are interested in seeing their other products, visit the Thirty-One Gifts homepage to peruse their catalog and find a consultant near you. 

Whew--- I'll not try to tackle another series until I am a little more experienced in the blogging world. This was an unexpectedly large amount of work. 

Fancy Sneaks

Whimsical Wednesday

Fluorescent Sneakers

What could be more whimsical than a pair of Fancy Sneaks (that's short for sneakers)? I can't think of much. Can you get over these colors??

Bright Sneakers

If you know me at all, I love bright, colorful, patterned things. 

These babies are right up my ally and believe it or not I've been longing for my bright pink and green sneakers from years ago. I had to let them go because I wore them down to nothing... but have never forgotten them!

Over the past couple of years, my activity level has declined and I've gotten out of the habit of regular exercise. While it is on my mind a lot, the thought of getting fit just doesn't appeal right now. However, when I walked past these in the store- I immediately pictured myself sweatin' on the elliptical or walking down the street. If these don't motivate me to get more active... I'm a lost cause. 

The best part.... they were only $10 bucks at Kmart. While not made for serious athletes, these are perfect for a little walking, light jogging, or Zumba!

Only $10

I would love to know if there is something that motivates you to get more active- whether it is an accessory, a certain type of music, or whatever. Please comment below to share your ideas.

Teacher Tote Series: Part II

Tools of the Trade Tuesday

Thirty-One Gifts Teacher Totes

The next 31 Bag I want to share with you is the lunch tote. 

Lunch Bag

This company has a few different designs for lunch boxes, picnic totes, or cooler bags. 

Front Pocket

The one I chose has a large zipper interior pocket as well as a smaller front pocket. It is roomy enough for a water bottle, sandwich, and plenty of sides or snacks. 

The one thing I have to say I'm not thrilled about, is that the interior is too narrow to hold a large flat tupperware container for salads and leftovers. If I put my salad or leftovers in a mason jar though- it would fit perfectly. 

And of course, just like most of their products- the embroidery is only $7 dollars. 

If you are interested in checking out my previous post in this series- I share my thoughts and some photos on the pocket tote bag. 

Also, if you are interested in perusing their catalog or finding a consultant near your area just check it out at Thirty-One Gifts. 

Hope you find some things you really enjoy!

Closet Organizing

Management Monday

Skirt Hanger

One area of housekeeping I am constantly working on is organization. My closets tend to get out of control on a regular basis whether they are for linens, clothing, or just storage. Even our front coat closet has  jackets hanging in it that are for summer and here it is the middle of January. 

Knowing this about myself, I am constantly on the lookout for items and tools that will help me become and stay more organized. 

This in mind, I was out running errands today and went down the isle at our local Dollar General that contains laundry and cleaning items. I've gone down this isle a ba-zillion times before, but this was the first time I considered some specialized hangers for the closet. 

They had two types, one that had multiple swing arms for slacks and one that had multiple clips for skirts. They are both chrome and both had rubberized coatings on the areas that would actually come in contact with the fabric. 

I decided to try out the skirt rack- and see how I liked them. 

Chrome Skirt Rack

•  Chrome and rubber elements
• 4 hangers attached to rack
• Only 3$ each!

Rubber Coated Clips

One of the best elements of this product is that the metal clips are thickly coated with rubber. I usually have hanger imprints from the ones you get from the store- so that issue should be eliminated. 

Skirts Hanging Individually

Here are the skirts hanging in my closet with the hangers that come with them in the store. As you can see- they take up a lot of space. 

Space Saver

And now...... Takes up half the space!

Skirt Rack

I might have to pick up one or maybe two more 'cause I have quite a few skirts. I'm thinking these might be great for capris in the summer too.

I've seen so many pricy tools for organizing closets and love that I only spent 3$ each on these. 

Do you have an organizing tool you found for a reasonable price and would like to share- just comment below!

Teacher Tote Series

Tools of The Trade Tuesday

Teacher Tote Series

31 Bags make the best teacher totes around! In the next few posts, I will review the 31 Bags products I currently use. 

As many of my friends and colleagues know, 31 bags are a new trend in the world of teaching and the sales parties modeled after Mary Kay, Avon, and Tupperware offer opportunities for socializing and shopping.

Teachers are always toting items back and forth from home to school and while there are many products available for just that purpose, what could be better than stylish, durable, and affordable totes teachers can customize to fit their needs? 

This past summer one of my good friends invited me to her house for a 31 Bags party. She explained that it was something new that she had seen a few teachers carrying around and had a friend that sold them. So-always interested in hanging out with friends and finding good deals on pretty things- I went and was immediately blown away by what I discovered. 

31 bags are perfect for teachers! They have so many styles and products to choose from and the most important part- they are so well made. After looking at the samples, going through the catalog and listening to the representative's sales pitch, I was pretty impressed.

Another great aspect of this line is the opportunity to get customized embroidery done for only $7 bucks! They have a huge selection of prints and embroidery thread colors so everyone can get something that suits them perfectly.  

Teacher Tote:

 Tote Bag

• Seven outer pockets

• Two in front  and three in back

• Two net pockets on each side of bag (great for holding an umbrella)

• One large interior space

3 Back Pockets

Net Side Pockets on both Sides

Plenty of Interior Space

Straps

• Heavyweight straps and reinforced sewing helps keep it strong for heavy loads
• The interior is plenty roomy for multiple binders, files, and all the other little teacher junk I end up carrying around. 
• Really cute embroidery- like dot writing. I chose my initials in a great turquoise color that complements the fabric perfectly. 
• Oh Yeah- the inside of the fabric is pretty smooth and easy to wipe out with a damp cloth in case of ink markings or spills- another plus!

I have been using this bag for about 6 months now and there is no visible wear and tear. 

Check back next Tuesday and I'll review another of 31's great bags. 

I would love to know if you own any 31 bags and if so what your opinion is. Go ahead and comment below if you have some thoughts to share. 

Cat Food Container

Management Monday

Cat Food

We are lucky enough to have two adorable cats which have been with us for going on 9 years. We got them at the same time, from the same pet store, the year we bought our house. The pet store owners say they are siblings…. but I don’t know if I believe that. They really aren’t at all alike- in looks or personality.

Gus is the buff colored and Ellie Mae is the grey

Our male cat’s name is Gus, short for Augustus McCray- from Lonesome Dove. Our female is named Ellie Mae. It just seemed to suite her. Sometimes I call her Elzie Mazer when she is acting like a cookoo bird.

While they are wonderful companions and complete members of our family, our little guy Gus has some – well, I like to call them “sensitivities”- but really he’s just a neurotic nervous wreck. Basically he has a bladder disorder that doesn’t allow him to eat regular cat food. After multiple trips to the vet, accidents around the house, and a yowling cat at all hours of the day (and night), we finally pinpointed his problem and got him on track with a prescription diet.

Luckily, this treated his bladder problem- but it did nothing for his “sensitivities” like crying when Mark is at work, crying when we sit down to eat, and of course there are his allergies- but that’s for another post.

Back to the cat food.

It is quite expensive between the dry and wet food and rather than try to feed the two separately, we just feed them both with the same prescription food. We get their food about once every two months from the vet and the bag it comes in isn’t very attractive. So- I found a way to store their food that is both pretty and practical. Kind of my motto.

Prescription Cat Food Storage

I searched many stores for an affordable, yet attractive canister and was shocked by the prices. Even TJ Maxx was pretty expensive for one that would be large enough. Finally I bit the bullet and bought this one from Target for 19.99.

It was a bit more than I wanted to pay, but was the only one that had a rubber gasket in the lid to keep it air tight. It was also the perfect size and all the others I scoped out were a bit too small to hold all their food.

Air tight seal!

This is what it looks like after being emptied and ready for a good cleaning with my homemade cleaning solution.

Cat food residue on inside

It comes out so clean and sparkling with a little wash and dry and is ready to be filled again. 

Full Jar

I think it’s prettier than a rubber bin or container and cute enough to keep right in the kitchen along with the other decorative dishes and stuff. 

Best of all- it fits perfectly on the bottom shelf of our wire rack.

What are your thoughts? I’d love to know how you manage your pet foods. Leave a comment below to share your ideas on this post or any suggestions you may have.

Finger-less Gloves

Fashion Friday

One of the things I love to do is find accessories that are pretty as well as practical.

I saw these beauties at our local TJ Maxx and stopped dead in my tracks.

Fingerless Gloves... with sequins!

Beautifully Cozy

I was Christmas shopping with Mark and had to call attention to how cool I thought they were. Of course, he brushed me off and I couldn’t buy them for myself right before the holidays. So I reluctantly hung them back up while imagining them as an accessory to my modern-cut ¾ sleeve wool coat.

My husband, being the man he is, totally had me fooled and I found them tucked in my stocking on Christmas morning. YAY!

Beautiful: Hello?? Sequins, Designer Brand… Must I say more??

Calvin Klein

Practical: Kindergarten teachers must tie at least 4 shoes on average a day and usually as we are walking out the door, not to mention zipping up to 38 coats twice a day for recess and dismissal. (Here's to hoping these skills are mastered ASAP!) Not too easy to accomplish when fingers are trapped in cumbersome gloves. Mittens- forget it!

Perfect Length for 3/4 Sleeves

I have seen finger-less gloves with those little mitten fold- overs, but I don't really like my fingers enclosed at all. I don't like to wear socks to bed either -no matter how cold my feet are I've always told Mark it feels like I'm suffocating if I do have them on. I feel the same way when I have my hands covered. 

If my fingers get too cold, I just tuck them in my pockets. These little beauties  are absolutely pretty and practical for this kindergarten teacher!

I would love to hear what accessories or fashion finds you have that might be pretty and practical. Post a comment to share your ideas!

Electric Pencil Sharpener

Tools of the Trade Tuesday

For my first Tools of the Trade Post I thought I would tell you all about one of the best things I have found that makes my life as a teacher so much easier!

An electric pencil sharpener.

As I’m sure every teach is aware- pencil sharpeners are loud, obnoxious, distracting, and annoying when used during teaching time.

When I first began teaching, I moved into a retired teacher’s room and had to eliminate 35 years of accumulated junk teaching materials. She had 3, yes 3!, electric pencil sharpeners that must have been manufactured during the stone-age. One broke during the first try, one would sharpen for two seconds and then freeze up, and one would sharpen but overheat after about 4 colored pencils.

I didn’t initially throw them all away and go buy a brand spankin’ new one, even though that’s what I really wanted to do. Because I believe in reusing items to save $$$ as much as possible, I packed these babies up and brought them home to Mark to take a look at. He loves a little mechanical project here and there and he was so cute with his reading glasses, tools, and cup of coffee surrounded by little pencil sharpener parts.

Luckily, he was able to fix one of them and I took it back to my room and it lasted me about 3 years. While I knew I was making a good decision by reusing something that didn’t cost me a dime- I still hated the little thing because it was sooooo loud and the shavings tray was so small I could only sharpen about 7 or 8 pencils before needing to empty the thing. Also, it only had one sized hole so I couldn't use it to sharpen my kindergarten pencils. I just cringed grinned and bore it until it froze up and stopped working all together. I was so excited sad to lose such a handy tool, but decided it was time for a new and improved model.

I did my homework, shopped around at all the stores that sold office supplies, searched online for an affordable one and came up empty handed. Finally, after weeks of using the mechanical pencil sharpener attached to the wall in my room- I landed on this pencil sharpener:

 the Bostitch Quiet Sharp 6. 

THE BEST Electric Pencil Sharpener

Here is a list of my favorite aspects of this sharpener:

Price: $23.00-which is a steal, because all of the others I looked for cost about 40 bucks. You can find it at Amazon here: Bostitch Electric Pencil Sharpener

Hole Sizes: 6- and even fits the large kindergarten pencils I use in my classroom. That is a feature that isn’t always easy to find in sharpeners on the store shelves.

Pencil Sizes

Pencil Shavings Tray: Huge! I only have to empty it once a week or so. 

Large Shavings Tray

Quality of Sharpen: Perfect- if I make sure to switch to the correct sized hole.

Stability: Suction cups underneath to keep it in place!

Suction Cups Add Stability

The best feature of all you ask??? 

Volume: Quiet- I don’t let my students use it, but my paraprofessional will sharpen on occasion while I am teaching and I can barely register that it is running in the background. 

Placement in room: Long Cord-when I feel the need to reorganize or rearrange my classroom- I can always find a spot for it.

Extra Long Cord

Overall this electric pencil sharpener was well worth the money, has withstood two years in my classroom, and meets all my needs as a kindergarten teacher. I would recommend it for anyone!

Household Management Binder

Management Monday

I figured I would start my management section with a post about my system for managing all the things related to our home. I have read a lot of information on organizing websites and blogs about different techniques for keeping thing organized including tray systems, folders, and binders. I have always used binders as a way or organize my study materials for college classes as well as lesson plans and curriculum materials for my classroom.

So… I decided to make a household management binder to keep organized at home.

Binder Management: Household, Blog, & Christmas

I found many ideas on how to categorize and create a binder on websites and personal blogs, but my favorite has to be found on Organized Home.

I really like that they created downloadable forms for free. I love anything for free of course and the fact that hers are color coordinated and kinda cute really grabbed my interest. When I first saw how many categories and lists and forms they had created I was a little overwhelmed, but just had to remind myself that I didn’t have to use them all if they didn’t work for me. SO that’s what I did. I selected a few categories and downloaded the forms that I needed and created my own for any that were not available.

The categories I use are as follows:

Address Book: Includes birthdays and anniversaries as well as addresses

Cleaning: A weekly cleaning schedule and detailed cleaning list for each area of the home

Weekly Cleaning Schedule

Finances:

Calendar of when bills are due
Login information for bill     payment websites

Balance book-I found mine at Staples, just took the cover and binding off since it was already three hole punched and ready for this section of my binder

Keeping Track of Finances

Menu:

                Weekly Menu Planner

                Monthly Menu Planner

                Recipes

Vehicles:             

                Car Insurance Information

                Maintenance record

Websites:

                Login information for all the websites I subscribe to ( not bill related)

Medical:

                Order forms for mail order prescriptions

                Contact information for our doctors

Miscellaneous:

Right now- this section only has the list of books my book club selected for the month, as well as the list of books I own/want to own. (The titles highlighted in orange I already have).

Book Inventory

I am working on a section that will be used to organize my photographs. As soon as I got a digital camera I ended up with tons of files on my computer, and very few printed out. I want to print all my photos and put them in boxes to view, as well as put them on an external hard drive so I can store it in my “Emergency Box” (which I have yet to create) to grab in case of a fire or other disaster.

Future Project: Photo Checklist

This is a system that has really worked for me. I created this binder over a year ago and it has really streamlined how I manage my finances, paperwork, and other tidbits that go along with keeping house. What system do you use and how has it helped you become more organized?

Blog Focus

This blog will be focused on sharing ideas about teaching, housekeeping, crafting, and everything related. I plan on creating posts under specific categories. I am still working out the details but am leaning toward the following plan:

• Schedule posts for 4-5 days of the week
• Have a focused topic for specific days:
• Management Monday- topics discussing managing household tasks, organizing, daily schedules, school stuff, etc.
• Tools of the Trade Tuesday- I will present you with items I believe have made my life better and easier whether it is in the area of teaching, home, relationships, crafting, whatever. I will share my opinions and get the word out there in hopes that my discoveries (or discoveries others have shared with me) will help someone else.
• Whimsical Wednesday- Not quite sure what this category is going to focus on, but I can't have a blog with the word enchantment in the title without having a little whimsy. We'll see.
• Thoughtful Thursday- This is a place to share my thoughts and ideas on topics that come up each week at work or home that might be of interest to others. My goal here is to focus on ways to improve myself as a person, wife, woman, and friend. I think making a tangible effort to be a better person is something we don't talk enough about anymore- but was more of a focus for generations gone by.
• Fashion Friday- I am really excited about this category- I love all things beauty and fashion related and while my sense of style is by no means cutting edge- I love my clothes, wear what makes me happy and makes me feel good as a woman and professional. I plan on sharing some of my favorite outfits, accessories, and tips for looking professional while maintaining a sense of personality. I will also share the ways I organize and maintain my fashion related items.

This plan is by no means set in stone, and as I develop ideas and get comments from others, things will definitely change along the way. Let me know if you have any suggestions for Whimsical Wednesday... I have some sparks but nothing concrete.

Why Blog?

The main reasons I have decided to create a blog include:

• Hone my skills in online communication (I am working towards a degree in online teaching)
• Practice writing- something I love almost as much as reading
• Focus my time, energy, and thoughts on the positive elements in my life- there have been many moments when it seems as if almost everywhere I turn- the news, my co-workers, my family- I see and hear things that cause me to stress and worry
• Share the things that bring delight and enchantment to my life in hopes of encouraging those things in someone else's life
• Reclaim a sense of joy and wonderment that has dwindled as the years have passed
• Get ideas, advice, and inspiration from others who are interested in the same things as me
• Make an effort to spend more time being creative, crafty, and generally just making messes
• Find ways to be much less serious and not be so hard on myself

Hopefully by sharing these with others, working through some of these goals and purposes, I might just accomplish what I have set out to do.

It should be an interesting and maybe even an enchanting ride!