15: Jewelry hanger

I got tired of trying to untangle my necklaces all the time, so I decided to try a basic version of the cute jewelry hangers that I've seen. Super easy! Added nails to a frame, with a fun scrapbook background.

Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jfwithee/4470862441/

14: Oatmeal breakfast muffins

Working in the weight loss field, I know how important a good breakfast is, and how well oatmeal qualifies as a healthy start to the day. But I've found it tough to make time to make oatmeal in the morning (plus I hate having to clean out the bowl afterwards). So I was excited to try this recipe, which was really easy and super yummy! I left out the flax seed because I didn't have it on hand, and I'm pleased with the first batch. Less thinking needed in the morning now!

Credit: http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/personal-sized-baked-oatmeal-with-individual-toppings-gluten-free-diabetic-friendly/

13: Paper bag to paper basket

Straightforward but fun activity- turn your brown grocery bag into a fruit basket! Fairly sturdy too. Highly recommend the clothespins (or something like it) to keep things in place as you're putting things together.

Credit: www.ellinee.com/blog/DIY-up cycled-fruit-basket/

12: Basic crayon melt art

I had seen the crayon melting art projects but wasn't sure I was ready to commit yet, so I decided to try a basic attempt with cheap materials. I used three freebie crayons from a restaurant, taped to paper covered cardboard, then went wild with the hair dryer (pretty fun). Then I drew in a picture to make it more interesting. Might commit to the full project next time!

Credit: http://m.instructables.com/id/Melted-Crayon-Art/

11: Snack bags

I bring snacks with me to work most days to munch on over the course of the day. Over time, the number of plastic bags I use add up, so I was excited to try this project. It turned out fairly well. My main tip is to recognize that the plastic shrinks up as you melt it, so be sure to get big enough bags for the size snack bag you want.

Credit: http://www.happyhourprojects.com/2012/07/reusable-lined-snack-baggies.html

10: Shoebox makeover

My end table seems to gather random items that end up making it look cluttered, so when I saw this simple yet pretty shoebox upscale, I thought I'd try it. I ended up using scrapbook paper, and basically just wrapped the shoebox to make it look nice, then threw my random items in it. A quick and easy decluttering!

Credit: http://www.wannabebalanced.com/home-making/shoebox-cuteness/shoebox-cuteness.html

9: Stove burner breakthrough

I've been trying to pretend that our dirty burners don't bother me for years. But they do! They just won't get clean. So when I saw the pin describing this stove cleaning magic with ammonia, I had to try it. And I was pleasantly surprised. Though a warning that the smell was really strong, and it still takes a good amount of elbow grease to get the burner clean even after sitting in the fumes for many hours. Let's see how long it stays clean now!

Credit: http://www.dopaminejunkie.org/stovetop-grills-with-ammonia-2/

8: The Martha Stewart challenge

I have some special ladies coming to visit next weekend, so I wanted to spiff up the house before my mom, sister, aunt, and cousin get to town Thursday. I had seen a pin for Martha Stewart's cleaning guide, so I decided to tackle one of her lists. I read the "spring cleaning" list first, got intimidated, then read the "monthly chores" list next, and realized my condo may not need all the same chores as a Martha mansion. So I stuck with the "weekly goals" list, adding a few extras (e.g. wiping down the shutters, cleaning the baseboards, shampooing certain rugs, "sweeping" the walls- how does dog hair stick to walls anyway?). I didn't take many before and after pics, but here is one from mid-vaccuuming the lampshade (genius! And eek!) Bye bye dust!

Credit: http://www.marthastewart.com/276998/organizing-checklists?tab=index

7: Cork succulents

I thought this idea was adorable as soon as I saw it. Unfortunately, I have a poor history in terms of plant growing. But having just bought succulents for the house (those are easier to keep alive, right?) and having been on a cork kick (see project #1), I thought I'd try it. Turned out pretty cute! I'd recommend champagne corks, since they are a little wider and therefore a little easier to carve out.

Extra cork use- as a safety stopper for our sharp tools.

6: Stairway painting solution

A little background here: a few years ago our lower level was flooded, which was a huge pain (and very expensive). New drywall throughout meant we got to pick new paint colors for all 4 rooms. As much as we had liked the old owners' paint choices, we were frustrated that the one paint sample they didn't leave behind was the color for the main room and stairway. Color matching at the hardware store didn't work. So we picked a new color, which was great until we realized that we couldn't come close to reaching the top of the stairway walls (even with a ladder, which was tricky enough on stairs). So we came up with this fun horizontal stripe solution, which I think actually looks nice!

In (finally) finishing this painting project, I realized how many random paint cans we have with old and current paint colors. So I also made this sample chart and labeled each can so I know which room it goes to for the future.

5: Filing makeover

As a slightly obsessive organizer, keeping all of our important papers and such in order has been a goal of mine, but until now I hadn't gotten around to moving beyond my old (ugly) accordion files from grad school. Plus, our papers were kept in the office/"man cave", so I tried to leave that space to my husband. Now that he's gone for a year, let the organizing in there begin!

My first goal was to look through all of our papers- which turned into a two day job itself. I was inspired by a post that upcycled an old filing cabinet. But in looking for cabinets to replace the accordion files, I found these cute filing boxes (which I filled with hanging files), which work perfectly on our office bookshelf (and fit my first step in prettifying our office). One thing to note is that the filing boxes take up a lot more space than our old method, but I'm sure it will be worth it for the ease of future filing.

Credit for inspiring idea:
http://www.designsponge.com/2011/07/diy-best-of-office.html

4: Chevron Stripes

I had been wanting to try chevron stripes in some way for a while, so when I ran across this post I thought I'd try it out. I tried a few different stripe making techniques, one is posted. Final result was not perfect (cardboard and household paint not a perfect match), but it was fun!

Credit: http://spunkyjunky.blogspot.com/2011/03/tutorial-tuesday-chevron-shoebox-wall.html

Credit: http://akitchentablefortwo.blogspot.com/2011/07/lazy-susan-makeover-chevron-stipe.html

3: Crafty snacking

I have been a huge fan of the granola and yogurt combo since college, when I ate it pretty much every day. To make it "crafty" here, I combined a homemade granola recipe (peanut butter, delish!) and a fun frozen yogurt dots recipe. Verdict: Yummy! (and healthy!)

(Sorry about this picture quality. I'll be moving away from phone pics very soon.)

Credit: (granola)
http://m.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/10-healthy-peanut-butter-recipes?page=2

Credit: (yogurt dots)
http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/03/frozen-yogurt-dots.html

2: Washer ribbon necklace

I don't have much experience with jewelry making (yet!), but I thought
this was a basic but pretty idea that even I could manage. 18 washers
and a ribbon I had hanging around (might try with a solid color ribbon
next). Turned out pretty well. Might work with a plain tee?

Credit: http://nestledblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/diy-washer-ribbon-necklace.html

1: Cork message board

I loved this idea when I first saw it on Pinterest, because our messy fridge was driving me crazy. Found a cheap ($1.50) strip of wood at Home Depot, a bunch of wine corks we had saved up, and some nails, then got crafty!

Credit: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPXgDZMmsf1VlyKw2HSdbauyMH1DNrbMaqJxwAWPetLB8L7yucnnmPPrhFnN4hjZLmLm2yAYv5bytj8tTptEQO-pJkbQjFVaqqidPus2IId-DEvCZxHl3yUA4QuvSXonTdsBU2CWbxfDq/s1600/H13-1.JPG

The Plan

On 8.5.12, I dropped my husband off at the airport in Chicago, beginning our year of being apart as he completes a one-year fellowship in Houston. Having dated long distance early in our relationship, I had the advantage of knowing that keeping myself busy is my best coping mechanism for a situation like this. Being a frequent Pinterest reader, I decided to dedicate myself to completing a pinterest project per day (or nearly each day). So thank you in advance to Pinterest for making this year go by quickly!