Hanging Fabric Pocket Organizer

 Homeschooling my children is a wonderful blessing that bares with it a great responsibility. With so many different roles (wife, mom, teacher, homemaker etc.) that I play around our home organization is key to keep things running smooth.
Often times the way school lessons break down in a day, one side of a worksheet is completed that day, leaving the other side for the next school day. What to do with all those papers for different children? What to do with them so they are not forgotten or overlooked? Where to put them so each child knows what they have for that day? What to do with them so they are not in the clutches of the youngest sister who wants to try her hand at her big sister's worksheet? These were the questions that inspired this.

 Individual pockets adorned with ribbon. Perfect for holding school papers to be done or to be completed, corrections to be made or homework.

Eyelets make this possible to hang over the door from metal hooks. You can purchase eyelets at any fabric store, I got mine at Hobby Lobby. I then used ribbon to hang the organizer to the height I wanted. 

Now for a peak of what is hiding under the fabric. How I made it.

I used a large Diaper box from Costco. I trimmed off the flaps or edges and this created the base for my organizer. I cut out pockets to the size I wanted, (keeping in mind they will be hemmed and turned under so that in the end it is at least big enough to fit a piece of paper) and then turned the edges in and sewed a thin hem. I then placed the pockets on my main piece of fabric. I turned under each edge excluding the top opening. I pinned the pocket to the main fabric and then pined on my ribbon wrapping it around the pocket. I sewed on each pocket and only sewed the ribbon edges to the main fabric. Once the pockets were all complete, I then used my hot glue gun to glue the main fabric to the cardboard box (only warping and gluing the edges to the back side of the cardboard). I also used the hot glue gun to glue down the middle or center part of the ribbon onto the pocket.There you have it... very simple. You could hot glue the whole thing if you did not want to sew.

 This organizer will most likely hang on the inside door to my classroom closet. The closet door remains open during school time. The top pocket for now will hold my oldest daughters books. The one she is reading for her book report and the one I am reading out loud to her. The other pockets hold school papers! Yay! A wonderful solution! You could also use this for printer paper, notebook paper, construction paper, story books, coloring books, magazines, mail, bills, school or craft supplies and anything else you can come up with! Labels or numbers on the pockets are possibly in this organizers future. If I do then I will show you the update in a later post.

Now for a bit of an update. Here is what now fills my Mason Jar by my chalk board... because I know you have just been dying for this update. :)

I am linking to these parties as well as the ones listed.
Today's Creative Blog

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Guest Post - Place Mats

 Hi all! I am super excited to introduce you to a very dear old... um let me rephrase... a very dear, long time friend. We grew up right next door to each other for many years. Life took hold of both of us, we lost contact only to be brought back in touch over a year ago. Oh glory day! As many of you know I have a three month old little boy... well my wonderful friend has a three month old little girl. Our babies are the best of friends even though we live a thousand miles away from each other oh and they have never met. Minor detail. Any how my amazing friend Diane is a mother to three beautiful kids! She blogs over at Cherishing All Our Moments and had her little ones make the place mats I shared with you awhile back. See post here. I just love that her sweet little ones had a blast making them. They turned out so darling and I just had to share them with you. Hope you enjoy. And now my friend Diane...

Thank you so much Carrie for the wonderful idea of making place mats!! Gavin and Emma really really really loved this project and they have such great conversations now about their beautiful work while they eat. It is so neat to see how something so simple can be such a huge deal in their eyes. Here are pics of the place mats they made...I included a photo of each side...they had fun picking out a few different pictures that I had in a stack for their place mats.The sequin idea was the icing on the cake. Emma put hers on in piles and Gavin was very meticulous.

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Back to School

 The summer season is almost behind us, as free summer days have now turned into school days. I am in disbelief that my youngest daughter is already in Preschool as my oldest is now in fourth grade! The years seem to be flying past leaving only memories to hold onto. As this school year approaches for some and has arrived for others, may I encourage us all to treasure these days. Treasure them as your children absorb new nuggets of knowledge. Treasure them as questions seem unending and homework or homeschool work seems increasing. Treasure these school days for they fly by so fast leaving only pictures, snapshots, mental memories of days gone so fast.

 Note: The coffee is mine not my girl's.
Here is how the first part of our school day runs so smoothly...
baby swing + LOTS of "D" batteries= productive school day!

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Alphabet Gallery Wall

Remember my previous post where I shared with you the changes to our homeschool classroom? Remember that I said I had something  fun planed for my gallery wall? Well here it is.

 Now for a closer look so you can really see what I did.

 Since this is our classroom in our family room I decided to make an alphabet gallery wall. Oh and in case you were wondering, the frame to the right of the chalkboard is a burlap flannel board see post here.  Now for an even closer look.

Did you notice how each of the photo collages went along with one of the letters of the alphabet? Okay I am kinda excited about this one can you tell? Did you sing the song while browsing through? I can't help it... most often it is in the tune to the kid T.V. show Super Why. Funny! Funny... and now annoying. :)

P.S. I made the pillows... thinking they need some snazzing up.

I am linking to these parties.

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Homeschool Classroom Makeover

It is that time again... school! As many of you may remember our homeschool classroom has changed location for the fourth time, now to our family room. You can see more of that here.  So far I have loved it... the location that is, not how it looked. I have been busy making some changes. First here is just a bit of a reminder of what it changed from.

The chairs finally got to go outside for a day of pampering! Something I have been meaning to do for awhile! Armed with a can of black spray paint I gave them a make over we are all thankful for! They look so pretty now! Well as pretty as school chairs can look.

 

Here is a look around the room. Some more before and afters of the changes made.

 

I changed the lamp and this very bare boring wall turned into this...

The basket on the wall (far right) also had a date with the spray paint.

With help from my happy helpers. The Golden Retriever is my wonder dog named Dexter and the Sheltie belongs to Mandy at Mandipidy.

Hanging right next to the chalk board on the right is this mason jar. It used to house spaghetti sauce and now will be the home to chalk... maybe flowers! Or as a good friend suggested maybe it's contents will change with the seasons. I used a curtain rod hook and picture hanging wire to hang it on the wall. I simply put it around the bottle as you would if you were going to tie a bow. Instead of a bow I just kept wrapping it around the jar and then took the ends and wrapped them tight around the hook. It was that simple. Now more of the room.

 I love having a place for my kiddos to read books! I change out the books in the basket, especially since kids tend to pick the same book over and over again... until "yes we have that one memorized honey!"

Come back for my next post... I will be showing you the fun thing I did with my gallery wall! I am  so excited and I just know you will be too! :)

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