Mama Lisa's Tips
Welcome to Mama Lisa's Tips! That's right, this is the page of motherly wisdom. You know, it's that kind of knowledge that you can only gain with age, uh I mean, experience. :) My mother (like many mothers) can think quickly and cleverly. Her solutions are simple and creative, and we want to share them with you. Check out her tips below! Search Our Site ------------------------------------------------------------------------ As the mother of a professional organizer, I can attest to Nealey's skills! When she was about 3 years old she began her organizing career. She would separate all of the red and blue crayons and carry them in each hand! Then she began collecting all sorts of brushes and combs! The rock and key chain collection came next! Over the years, Nealey has always kept her room and belongings very neat and organized. In fact, her friend's parents would invite her over every weekend, because she definitely had a knack for keeping a room presentable. She would always offer and jump in to organize her friend's rooms to the delight of many a parent! Hmmmm...I wonder where she got her craftiness from... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DIY Holiday Accents Hello again, it's Mama Lisa here and the holidays are approaching once again! Below I've listed some easy, do-it-yourself tips on how to infuse autumn accents into your home's decor. Enjoy! Put pine cones and pomegranates in a decorative bowl together to make a nice festive centerpiece. When the pomegranates are ripe, peel and eat! Place a bowl of walnuts or pecans in the center of a table. Garnish the table with pine cones and top it off with a sprinkle of pine needles. The nuts also serve as an instant treat! Arrange cinnamon sticks on a plate patchwork-style. This serves as a great base for appetizers and also gives off a refreshing aroma! To add to the look, place anise seeds around the edges. Have fun during the holidays! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ One Man's Treasure Whenever I visit Nealey, I always come home with some great finds from her donation pile so... Keep a constant give away pile somewhere in your house. When it starts to pile up, don't forget to think about family and friends that might want your discards. Remember one man's junk is another man's treasure - or so the saying goes! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Neck Check Do It Yourself: A great use for old or no longer worn t-shirts is to make a scarf out of them. Take those "I don't want to give up my most favorite" t-shirts, cut out the important parts of each one into squares and sew them together. This way you get to keep your memories, save space in your closet and get a new, very unique scarf. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Re-Tagging Before tossing baby announcements, birthday cards, thank you notes, etc. in the recycling bin, turn them into one-of-a-kind gift tags. Tear off the front cover and cut into squares or any shape of your choice. Write your message on the back, punch a hole in it and attach it to a gift with ribbons. Save trees and money too! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Card Craziness Don't know what to do with the mass of cards you receive on your birthday or for the holidays? Repurpose the following household items for a free and easy do-it-yourself solution. Put your cards on display by tacking up pieces of twine and/or saved ribbons on some empty wall space. (Get creative - use funky or decorative tacks to match the room's color scheme.) Utilize clothes pins or binder clips to hang the cards and voila! **Transform this into a permanent wall decoration. Use it year round to display wedding invitations, baby announcements, upcoming gatherings, birthday celebrations and any other important events worth exhibiting.** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dishwasher Safe When loading the dishwasher with utensils, group like with like. In the compartments of the utensil holder put forks with forks, spoons with spoons and so on. This makes for easy sorting when it comes time to unload! Happy Washing! **Remember to put knives facing downward so as not to cut yourself.** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Baby Food I made Nealey's baby food when she was just a wee one! I would make chicken soup with the noodles, carrots etc. After the soup cooled down, I would take the carrots, chicken, etc., puree each separately and put them in ice cube trays. This made it very simple for me to have an instant meal for her. I defrosted a cube of each and presto! Dinner was ready in minutes, especially when she was HUNGRY! This avoided a cranky baby, and I had more time to spend with her rather than trying to prepare a meal in a hurry! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Clothes-Shaped Body When Nealey was going to preschool, I had her pick out her clothes the night before and lay them out in the shape of a body. This not only avoided early morning "what to wear" arguments, it also taught her where the clothes should go. Hence the socks and shoes together, shirt, pants, belt, etc. This is a good teaching tool for the little ones about dressing themselves! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
