2 Random Tidbits

1:  I learned over the weekend that yes, it is possible to hem curtains while they are still hanging.  I don't exactly recommend it, but now the curtains in my master bedroom are an appropriate length, and it also means I can cross of #69 on my 101 in 1001 list! 

2:  Remember this yard sale find?  (You can see the original post here).

Well, I was looking through the latest Pottery Barn Teen catalog, and lookee here what I found....

See it?  On the left?  2nd "drawer" down?  Clearly, someone from Pottery Barn must have seen my blog and was immediately inspired.  I'm expecting a big fat bonus check any day now.

Ok, obviously kidding.  But it was pretty cool to see my lucky $3 yard sale find in a Pottery Barn catalog :)

One last random tidbit....have you entered my Uprinting.com giveaway yet?  Free letterhead up for grabs!  Ends tomorrow!

101 in 1001 Update

Back in February, I posted my 101 in 1001 list ~ 101 things I hope to accomplish in the next 1001 days. It's been awhile since my last update and I've made a little more progress....I will just give you the most recent updates on this post, but if you want to see the whole list, you can click here.

#5:  Paint the shutters ~ yep, no more country blue!!  I'll hopefully be posting about this soon, after we finish power washing the gunk off the siding.

#8:  Complete 5 more sewing projects ~ I now have 2 projects finished, the latest being these pillows...

#21:  Have 10,000 visits to my blog ~ I hadn't checked this in a long time, so I clicked on Google Analytics, which I first installed on 2/1/11, and almost fell out of my chair when I saw I've had over 26,000 visits!!! Holla!

#26:  Make or get a growth chart ~ we made one (here) and I looooove it!

#35:  Make at least 40 recipes from The Pioneer Woman's Cookbook ~ I'm up to 10 or 12 now and they have all been delish!

#85:  Paint the porch swing, or determine if we just need to give in and get a new one ~ we decided that yes, it was good enough to keep and turned it in to this sweet thang....

Yay for progress!
And one more to announce....
#18:  Host a giveaway on my blog!!!!!  Yep, check back later this week for my very first giveaway!!!!

March Recap

March was a great month here at The Cellar Door Stories!  I thought I'd recap some of the great things that have happened here on my blog in the past month....

I reached 100 followers (and have even surpassed it)!  Thanks so much to everyone who has followed or left comments ~ each new comment or follower truly does bring a smile to my face :)  Reaching 100 followers was a goal on my 101 in 1001 list, and it's been great to see some progress happening!  Seriously, you have no idea how excited I am about this!!!

I've also had the honor of being featured a few times this month ~ totally exciting and also helped me reach a goal on my list!!  My Elmo Cupcakes were featured by The Frugal Girls,

the Cloche Spring Makeover by Someday Crafts,

and the Light Saber Pretzel Rods by Rosy Red Buttons, Bubbly Nature Creations and Thrifty Decorating! 

Another super fun thing was winning a giveaway!!  Jenna over at SAS Interiors hosted a giveaway for $25 credit to the Mable Mae Etsy Shop, and I won!  I chose a set of Numbered Push Pins,

the same set in magnets (I'll post another picture because they are just too cute),

and a set of Bunting Joy magnets (and these are big ~ 2.25 inches in diameter!)

I was seriously amazed at how fast my order arrived, and it all came wrapped so cute...even with an extra little gift!  Everything at Mable Mae would make a great little hostess or thank you gift, and the prices are great.  Thanks again to Jenna and Lenesha!

March was such a great month here in blogland ~ and in our family too ~ we celebrated our son's 5th birthday and hosted a Japanese exchange student for 2 1/2 weeks ~ can't wait to see what April brings!



PS ~ Notice any changes around here?  Please pardon the dust for the next few days as I'm trying out some new looks for the blog!!

PW Scones & 101 Progress

If I lived in England, I think I would eat scones every day.  Not that I think all English people eat scones daily, but isn't that the picture you have of tea time?  A nice teacup (not a mug like I use) with some Earl Grey, pinkies up, and talk of how smashing the scones are today....and then a visit from Mary Poppins.  Ok, so maybe my idea of life in England isn't exactly realistic, but my love for scones sure is.

I made the Pioneer Woman's Maple Pecan Scones in an effort to satisfy my scone-craving and also help me out a little with my 101 in 1001 list (a list of 101 things I hope to accomplish within 1001 days).  They were delish.  Just try not to think about the 2 sticks of butter that go into 8 scones.  Don't do the math.  It's a lot of butter per slice and you are much better off just not thinking about it!

I have been slowly progressing with my 101 in 1001 list since starting it on February 15.  Here's some of the progress I've made - first the fully completed goals:

#15:  Grow blog to 50 followers.  Thanks everyone who has followed!

#19:  Have blog visitors from all 50 states.

#20:  Have blog visitors from 50 countries.  (Jackson loves to look at the map to see where all these visitors are coming from!)

#46:  Purge my clothes.

#50:  Move linens to underbed box.

#56:  Get back on track with couponing.  (You can read about my couponing method here).

And now for the partially completed goals:

#30:  Watch the complete Star Wars series with Jackson - I have watched 1/6 - this one is a real labor of love for me, folks!  I know soooo many people love Star Wars, but I just cannot get into it!

#35:  Make at least 40 of the recipes from the Pioneer Woman's Cookbook - I have made 7/40.

#41:  Read 10 acclaimed books I haven't already read - I have read 1/10:  Schindler's List.

#89:  Have 2 more of my projects featured on other blogs - 1/2 - my Changeable Wreath was featured on The Frugal Girls!

There are other goals I am working on, but they are the more ongoing ones that will be continual throughout the 1001 days - like making sure the leftovers get eaten, exercising on a more regular basis, and making my daily devotions with the Lord a priority. 

What goals are you working on?



101 in 1001

I first saw this idea over at Sunshine & Chaucer and thought it would be fun to try - make a list of 101 things you would like to accomplish in 1001 days.  Thanks for the idea, Jennifer!  S&C is also the first blog to feature one of my projects - my JOY frame, back in December before I changed my blog title and address.  It was sooo exciting to have someone out in the blogosphere liking my stuff - and now I'm addicted :)  I am happy to pass on a little blog love to Jennifer - make sure you check out her 101 in 1001 list!

So anyway, back to my list.  I thought it would be super easy to think of 101 things, but it was soooo not.  I tried to pick things that would be somewhat attainable and measurable.  I also tried to pick things that wouldn't just happen due to the amount of time that will pass (for example, Carly being potty trained).  With some big events still being undecided (like when to remodel the kitchen and when to start the adoption process) it was difficult to include things relating to those topics.  In reality, if we would begin the adoption process soon, our family could be larger by November 13, 2013, the date my 1001 days come to an end (use timeanddate.com for an easy way to figure this out).  But we still don't know that will be happening, and I don't want to set myself up for failure, so I tried to just stick with basics.  Hopefully within those 2.75 years, we'll at the very least have picked an agency to work with and some of the other beginning steps. 

Enough rambling!  On to the list!  (I'll be editing this as the goals are met by changing the text color and adding the date completed!)

1. Paint craft room.
2. Organize craft room.
3. Paint trim and doors in laundry room.
4. Paint trim on the staircase.
5. Paint shutters - going from a country blue to black! (May 2011)
6. Paint the front door, or maybe get a new one - red front door here I come!!
7. Finish sewing the apron I started back in October or November.
8. Complete 5 more sewing projects. (aka - sewing projects with the machine, not hand stitching!) (2/5 - burlap pillow shams, pillows for porch swing)
9. Make a photo book of Carly's 1st year.
10. Make a photo book of 2010.
11. Make a photo book of 2009 (yep, I'm a little behind).
12. Choose an adoption agency.  *6/24/11*
13. Complete the home study.
14. Get a passport.
15. Grow blog to 50 followers (I'm talking public followers here, on my sidebar).... *2/21/11*
16. 100 followers?!?! *3/25/11*
17. Ok, I'm cheating and erasing one - this used to be 150 followers, but I remembered how much I really want to go to an auction - I've never been to one!  So I'm redoing #17 and it's now:  Go to an auction.
18. Host a giveaway on my blog!
19. Have blog visitors from all 50 states.  (I'm almost there, but Vermont is proving very elusive).  *3/1/11* - yay, Vermont!
20. Have blog visitors from 50 countries.  (since installing Google Analytics 2/2/11, I'm already up to 37!)  *2/26/11*
21. Have 10,000 visits to my blog. *As of 6/14/11, had over 25000 visits!*
22. Sell the juicer I found at a yard sale and thought we would use all the time.
23. Sell the Nintendos we bought at yard sales to resell and haven't yet.
24. Sell 15 more items from my stockpile of eBay stuff.
25. Make a pie crust that looks pretty.
26. Make or get a growth chart. *May 2011*
27. Get some kitchen storage so I can...
28. Paint my great-grandma's cabinet and move it to the laundry room.
29. Can something.
30. Watch the entire Star Wars series with Jackson.  (have watched 1/6)
31. Spraypaint all our old hardware on the doors with the lovely oil rubbed bronze.
32. Send at least 2 cards or letters each month via snail mail.
33. Have a weekend (3 days, 2 nights) away, just me and the hubby!
34. Try at least 2 new recipes a month for 6 months, and
35. Make at least 40 recipes from the Pioneer Woman's cookbook (originally planned to cook through it, but there's just some things I plain old don't want.....like grits and mushrooms).  (have made 10/40)
36. Lose 10 lbs and keep it off.  (Which could be difficult if I do #35)
37. Print off pictures instead of keeping them on my computer indefinitely and then
38. put them in photo albums.
39. Figure out a better way to digitally store my pictures.
40. Crack open the wall safe, even if it means calling a locksmith.
41. Read 10 of the books I haven't already read from one of these lists, or these, or pretty much any list of great books.  (currently have read 1/10:  Schindler's List)
42. Purge magazines,
43. books,
44. craft supplies,
45. kids clothes,
46. my clothes, *2/22/11*
47. toys,
48. and pantry items,
49. and sell/donate/recycle/toss them.
50. Move linens to underbed boxes, making more room in my tiny bathroom cabinet.  *2/26/11*
51. Come up with a better system for organizing paid bills & other important paperwork.
52. Create a daily chore list and
53. Stick to it for at least a month!
54. Exercise 3x/week for 2 months - hoping to ingrain this one.
55. Take a daily vitamin for one month, hoping to ingrain this habit too!
56. Get back on track with couponing! *2/19/11*
57. Make sure the leftovers get eaten.
58. Get a clothesline.
59. Successfully grow some tomatoes and herbs....thinking of trying a container garden....and
60. use more fresh ingredients in cooking.  *Summer 2011*
61. Make it a habit to get up early.  ugh.
62. Eat breakfast more days than not.
63. Make daily devotions and time with the Lord a priority.
64. Be less frustrated.  Let things roll off my back.
65. Make my bed at least during the week for one month (another habit to ingrain) - it looks so nice made, it just gives me incentive to clean!
66. Try 5 new restaurants instead of going to the same ones all the time.
67. Finish changing all the lightswitches and outlet covers to white instead of the cream/tan/ugly color they were.
68. Keep all our most important papers together in the fireproof box.
69. Hem bedroom curtains.  *8/28/11*
70. Mount the TV in our bedroom on the wall.
71. Have one couple or family over each month for dinner or a game night.
72. Waste less time (ironic because it's crazy how much time I spent coming up with this list...)
73. Get the kids more involved with chores.
74. Play with the kids more, instead of just giving them ideas of things to do.
75. Encourage others through notes, emails, phone calls, etc.
76. Make artichokes.
77. Take down the wallpaper in the kids' bathroom (the only room in the house that still has wallpaper),
78. and paint it!
79. Figure out a color scheme for the master bathroom,
80. paint it,
81. and get towels that actually match.
82. Get the wireless printer to work again.
83. Put pavers around the firepit.
84. Get a new light for the entryway, or at least give it some ORB treatment.
85. Paint the porch swing, or determine if we need to just give in and get a new one. *May 2011*
86. Host at least 2 more international students. *1/2 - Taisei Kimura of Japan - March '11*
87. Go to a Penguins or Steelers game.  (I'd like to do both many times over, but I'm being realistic here!)
88. Make homemade donuts.
89. Have 2 more of my projects featured on other blogs. *3/14/11 - Changeable wreath featured on The Frugal Girls and Elmo cupcakes also featured on The Frugal Girls!*
90. Paint the ceiling in the dining room
91. and in the toy room.
92. Buy a great find on Craigslist.
93. Sell something on Craigslist.
94. Improve my photography - take more time and experiment.
95. Finally complete the final white coat of paint in the dining room and
96. master bedroom.
97. Paint the 1/2 bath.
98. Reinstate soup/salad/sandwich night at least twice a month for 6 months.
99. Care less about what people think of me and more about what God thinks.
100. Clean out the built-in shelves in the living room.
101. Tell my husband and kids I love them way too much, every day for the next 1001 days!

So there it is, my list.  I'll hopefully be keeping you updated by labeling my posts with the "101 in 1001" tag and also editing this post.  I'd love for you to join me in the 101 in 1001 project!!  If you make a list of your own, please leave a link in the comments so I can visit!