Homemade Necklace Display

I’ve been trying to work out how to store my necklaces for the longest time. I’ve tried a few different things but was never happy – too many would get tangled up. I’d seen some great necklace displays around and finally decided to try making my own. Talk about an easy project. I found an unused pin board, covered it with some spare material (just using pins to hold it in place), added some clear pin and ta-da…. all done.

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Looking at the photos I’m thinking maybe I should have ironed the material before I used it – but I don’t notice it in real life.

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When I originally thought of doing something like this I was going to mount it on the wall (somewhere) but it works really well here and can just slide in and out as needed.

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My earrings and bracelets are still in the clear drawers (sorted by colour) and work well enough … unless I come up with a better idea.

How do you store your jewellery?

Keeping Organised with Notebooks

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I think it’s safe to say I have a bit of a notebook obsession. The above stack is my unused pile. Even with so much being done on my computer these days I still resort to pen and paper for a lot of organisation and note taking. And while I love filofaxes and paper diaries, I haven’t used one in years. These days I make do with a wall calender and my google calender.

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Above is the current pile of notebooks I’m using. The main one I use every day is my food diary. I find it good for health and weight reasons to know what I’m eating. That way if my arthritis flares up or I gain weight I can see what I might be doing wrong…. and fix it.

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The other one I use every day is my to-do notebook. I love being able to cross things off when they’re done. I’ve tried using the computer and phone for the job but I find paper that much easier and quicker. Plus I love that I can keep a record of what I’ve accomplished. And sometimes it’s handy to look back and see when something was done.

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Then there is my trip planning notebook… where I make notes related to our trip…

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It’s a little on the small side and I was thinking of switching to a bigger notebook when I spotted this one. Doesn’t it just scream “Disney”?

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Before discovering evernote I used to have a book for online recipes… of course, some are still in here….

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The last big notebook I’ve had for a few years now and use it for anything I want to keep a record off – menu plans, packing lists, bookings, etc.

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Lastly I have a few small notebooks on hand – one is kept in my handbag for notetaking on the go, another resides in our coffee table and we make notes about movies and TV shows we have to watch.

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What about you? Do you still use notebooks for planning and organisation?

Nail Polish Organisation

I have painted my nails ever since I was a teenager but it’s only been in the last 18 months that I have REALLY gotten into nail polish. I think it’s part of my mid-life crises (the other parts being make-up and handbags) :-). I have gone from having about 10 nail polishes to…… ahh, best we don’t count I think. I can help justify it by saying I share with the girls.

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I got these great stands awhile back (need to order another 1…or 2) but found it took me forever to chose a colour. My solution to buy some nails wheels.

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Each one got a letter and then the “nails” were numbered.

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We wrote the name of each polish on a sheet of paper so it’s easy to find the one we want. The girls wanted to help – this is the result mid-project.

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And all done. I have to confess this did take a few hours over the space of a week.

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Don’t they look so yummy? Looks like I don’t need any more pink polishes :-).

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I still have to type up the corresponding list, which I will print out and place with the wheels and polishes. This will also give me a list I can access on my phone when I’m out. As you can imagine with all these polishes I sometimes forgot which ones I have.

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I’m so happy with how this turned out and it has indeed made choosing a polish easier – oh, the problems I have :-). Anyway, I thought I’d share since it might help some of you with similar addictions to mine.

 

Onboard Toiletries

Nelbe wanted to know how I deal on toiletries for onboard a flight. Since nearly all international flights from Australia are some duration – often 15 to 24 hours – you’ll definitely want to take some supplies with you. Now I really just take the basics. Things I know I’ll definitely be using. I don’t tend to wear makeup on long flights and usually am too tired to be bothered at the end of a flight. If I needed to make an impression I’d pack a bit of makeup and apply before getting off. But really you don’t want to spend any more time than necessary in the restrooms. Plus they get pretty busy just before landing.

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Travel packs like the one below are ideal. I actually bought this just for the containers (for my main travel bag) then realized the clear bag would be perfect for going through security and also ease of access on the plane – which is exactly what it’s designed for.

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Now what do I take on board?

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Deodorant, face spray, a solid perfume, a lip balm, face moisturizer (little pot or tube), hand cream, cuticle cream and an eye mask.

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I’d also put in a mini toothpaste/toothbrush we’ve got on previous flights just in case we don’t get them (not all airlines provide them). But funnily enough I came across this little toothbrush and paste set at the chemist just this afternoon so I’ll be adding that to the bag. That has to be the cutest little toothpaste I ever did see.

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I have heard of people packing clear face masks to use on a flight but I haven’t gone to that level yet – I guess if you do loads of travelling you might. I think the key is to just take what you know you will need – you really don’t want to be bothering digging through lots of supplies, or carting them around the airport. Also be sure to pack some socks (again some airlines provide them) and I always buy some water (after security) and some snacks. Even though you get fed, when you’re travelling across the international date line you end up missing some meals, and we always end up hungry.