I’m really bad about jotting down lists on gum wrappers, junk mail and just about any other scrap of paper that crosses my path when I need it. I tried my phone’s notepad app, but there’s just such an incredible satisfaction from scratching things off a long (or not-so-long) list. Marking off that last item on a to-do list is pure accomplishment – don’t you agree? When I came across this hanging notepad project, my heart skipped a beat, I swear it did. If you’re constantly writing things down, then you’ll adore this handy and adorable little notepad that’s all DIY. And now, I can say goodbye to all those pathetic scraps of paper!

Recycle a wooden floor sample by turning it into the base of the notepad. Use reclaimed paper, like gift wrap, old road maps or past calendars, to cover the board as much or as little as you like. Attach ribbon through the middle of your receipt paper roll and tie the ends together in a bow. Be sure to leave some extra space so you can clip the loop onto the top of your board. Pull the end of the paper roll down to the end of the board and secure it in place with a rubber band. That’s all there is to it! Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions Here >>

Feel free to experiment with different materials, or use the idea for an entirely different function. Here, you can see a miniature message board with a wooden spool. (Think creative save the dates.)

What other fun and creative uses can you come up with for these notepads? Tell us in the comments below.

So, you have your heart-adorned decor, the perfect cocktails and enough lovey-dovey goodness to keep you all warm and fuzzy for a while. What more do you need this Valentine’s Day? Well, I don’t know about you, but my neck of the woods is cold, rainy and just downright blah. This fun and spring-inspired project is the perfect pick-me-up to help get rid of those winter blues. Our favorite spring elements – fresh flowers and bright hues – have come to the rescue! And the best part of all? You create the flowers’ pastel hues with a little handmade touch. It’s like magic (thanks to a little food coloring).

For the most dramatic change, use carnations or roses. The flowers will soak up the water and food coloring, which will cause the blooms to change color. And sometimes, all it takes is a few hours!

Add a few cups of water to a tall glass, and then add 20 to 30 drops of food coloring to the water (the darker the better). Use a clean jar for each new color. Drop your freshly-pruned stems into the colored water, and let them remain in their color baths for at least 24 hours. Color changes may take up to 48 hours. When you’re happy with your colored flowers, remove them from the food coloring, add water to a fresh vase and arrange your new rainbow bouquet. Lovely! Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions >>

What colors would you make your blooms? Would you stick solely to primaries or throw in some orange, purple and pink? Tell us below!

For more fun family projects each month, check out the HGTV Family Gardening Club.

One thing I love about Pinterest is how it can be your own personal Internet time machine, unearthing forgotten gems from blogs you follow that you may have missed. I hadn’t seen this twinkle board DIY on Design*Sponge at the time, but it bubbled up again on some pin boards and won me over. (Also, how perfect that it is quite literally a “delight” spelled out in lights! It called out to me.)

It would be sweet over a headboard in a kids’ room, and it’s like a sophisticated Lite-Brite placed here over a couch. And since it essentially uses Christmas lights, I think it’d make a nice holiday decoration. It’s so customizable — you could swap in different colored lights, and of course, try spelling out another word or a name. “OMG” or “Ooh la la” might be my choices. Click through for the rest of the DIY instructions if you’re feeling inspired!

What word or name would you choose for this craft?

If you can believe it, Valentine’s Day is exactly one week away. Since the start of February we’ve shared some of our favorite holiday-related finds from across the blogosphere, which has turned me into a bit of a sap this year. (Did you see Kim Stoegbauer’s brand-new red, grey and white heart decor? So adorable.) If you’re looking to add some l-o-v-e to your home, then we have the perfect projects for you. This pretty letter display and coordinating paper garland are both easy to make and will add a sweet touch to your home for Valentine’s Day.

Use chipboard letters to spell out L-O-V-E or any other special word, and then cover in patterned paper. Stamp an ink pad around the edges of the finished letters to give them an antiqued look. When finished, you can use ribbons to hang the letters as a banner, or display them on the mantel. Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions Here >>

Complement your “love letters” with a strand of colorful paper garland. Use pieces of scrapbook paper and a three-inch scallop circle paper punch to create six flat circles per rosette. Attach folded circles and thin ribbon to create a garland of your desired length. Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions Here >>

For more sweet Valentine’s Day ideas, check out these fun and simple paper crafts.

Is everyone ready for the big game tonight? It’s the Giants vs. Patriots, and I’m rooting for the football. Ha!  Let’s face it, for many of us the best part about Super Bowl Sunday is the food and drink that comes with such an occasion. Did you see all the nifty bowls Briana delighted the other day? They’re perfect to fill with your favorite munchies for casual, at-home gatherings like tonight. And since Briana found the perfect party bowls, I’ve been on a quest to find the most amazing football-themed, Super Bowl party decor. My findings may have turned me onto the sport even more just so I can incorporate football-shaped food into my shindigs come fall. Adorable.

Hostess with the Mostess

Hostess with the Mostess

Pizzazzerie

theKitchn :: Scrappin’ Memories 4 U

Wants & Wishes

Mini Baker

Kara’s Party Ideas

OK, is anyone else feeling hungry? I definitely wouldn’t mind eating chili from a mason jar (being from the South and all). Our friends at FoodNetwork.com have plenty of game-day recipes to keep you satisfied while the Giants and Patriots battle it out.

So tell us, how will you be watching the Super Bowl? Are you hosting a big-game bash?

Today marks the last day of Get Organized Month – how did everyone fare? I managed to clean out the pantry and guest bedroom/catch-all closet, and you’ll be happy to know that both areas still look surprisingly top-notch. If you’re looking to conquer another room today, then you’re in luck because we’re heading to the bathroom. So, to finish off GO Month and help you get organized in one of the smallest rooms in the house, we have a simple project that will transform your bathroom walls in no time.

Get Organized: Fast and Easy Crate Shelving

For most of us, our bathrooms are fairly small and offer little storage. And, of course, we have more perfumes, lotions and soaps than we could ever possibly need. Here’s where vertical wall storage comes into play. Put your favorite and most-used bathroom items on display in a convenient way. Here’s how:

Take wooden crates that are less than 6 inches deep and paint with spray paint. Decide where you want to put them on the wall. (We suggest staggering them a bit so you can use the tops of the crates for storage space, too.) Apply large picture-hanging strips to the backs of each crate (each strip can hold up to 4 pounds), and hang them on the wall in desired placement. Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions Here >>

Check out all of our how-to projects from January that focused on decluttering some of the most cluttered rooms in the house:

• Declutter Your Post-Holiday Kitchen
• Declutter Your Closet
• Make a Space-Saving Floating Desk
• Create Magnetic Kitchen Boards and Shelves

Did you attain some level of organization this month? Conquer the catch-all drawer in the kitchen? Clean out your closet’s unworn clothes? Recycle all the magazines you’ve been stashing for five years? Tell us in the comments, and share your tips, too!

Yesterday was National Pie Day, so as you can imagine I had baking on the brain like crazy. I had to involve the kitchen somehow in today’s how-to, so I decided to keep the focus on beginning-of-the-year organization and pull in these functional and super-handy magnetic shelves and boards. It’s safe to say we’re all about convenience these days, and there’s nothing more suitable than the grab-and-go convenience of these magnetic accessories right within reach. They’re the perfect solution to a disheveled kitchen and empty, white wall space. I’d definitely use my magnetic boards just like designer Ana White by posting recipes, hanging often-used kitchen utensils and displaying/storing my favorite tea. What about you?

HGTV How-To: Declutter Your Post-Holiday Kitchen

These functional boards are easy to make; simply cut particle board to the desired length and add an extra two inches to this length for the flashing. Cut the corners of the flashing and bend it around the particle board. On the back side, hammer flashing down and bend to make flush with the board. Attach a picture-hanging kit to the back of each board in the center. Once complete, the possibilities are endless — you can hang your boards vertically (like in the picture above) or create a two-by-two box, for example.

Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions Here >>

After making the magnetic boards, you can create ledges, shelves and backsplashes with ease. Ana dresses up hers with steel canisters, clear clothespins and metal hooks. She says the easiest way to make a non-magnetic accessory magnetic is to simply glue magnetic tape to the back. So, go crazy and get organized in the process. Put your favorite kitchen food and accessories on display.

Need some inspiration to get started? Check out some kitchen design ideas you’ll love to look at.

Which type of kitchen accessories would you keep stored on your shelves? Corkscrew? Spices? Potholder? Tell us in the comments below.

You’ve never seen a happier girl than the day I brought home my white, vintage desk with red pulls. After a few fresh coats of paint, it became one of my favorite pieces of furniture. (It doesn’t hurt that I found it for $20 on Craigslist, either.) I love it so, but it never gets used. Not once have I sat down at my beautiful desk to work or read. I head straight to the sofa and never look back. I thought I would just have to continue in my productivity struggles on the sofa until I saw this space-saving floating workspace. It’s still a desk, but it doesn’t feel so desk-like. Plus, you can tuck it in ANYWHERE (under the stairs, in a closet, by the kitchen, etc.). And when you’re not using it, it disguises as a floating shelf. Genius!

Design Happens featured blogger Brian Patrick Flynn created this flexible workstation as the perfect solution to small-space dilemmas. Floating-style furniture can be found in many rooms of the house to create the illusion of more space or keep everyday items nearby. “By applying this same principle to a workspace, the same light, airy, space-saving illusion can be achieved to support multiple functions, including working from home,” Brian says. We like that idea. Because who has extra space to spare these days?

We love that this built-in has a flip-down door front to store laptops, books and other desk accessories. But when it’s not in work-mode, the door can be closed to turn it right back into a functional wall shelf. Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions >>

For more small-space solutions, from hiding clutter to finding the perfect furniture, check out our Small Space Design Guide.

It’s true. I have fashion, design and cooking obsessions. I’m sure many of you do, too. So, whenever I need to get my daily fix of beautiful clothes, eclectic designs and scrumptious recipes, I head over to A Beautiful Mess. Elsie Larson created her five-year-old blog to “promote an inspired lifestyle through fashion, handmade and pretty things.” On top of being a blog editor, she’s also a designer and the co-founder of Red Velvet, a shop that specializes in vintage and independent designer fashion and accessories. (She is a thrifting queen; see her closet for yourself!)

I love to be inspired by other people’s handiwork on a daily basis, but there’s just a certain satisfaction I get from embarking on a handmade project of my own. If you head over to the projects page, Elsie and her team have compiled an endless amount of original tutorials. I’ve already added at least 10 to my winter to-do list, including some garland ideas for spring, vibrant paint chip art and painted leather bracelets that will be perfect for my summer wardrobe.

Elsie has definitely set her blog apart by integrating creative how-tos and fun tutorials into her weekly posts, as well as tours of her home and her own decorating ventures. She treats her blog as a learning space, and each topic, whether it’s photography, beauty, decorating or baking, teaches me something new every time I stop by. In the photography section, you can learn how to take better self-portraits, or see how Elsie displays photos in her home and steal the look for yourself.

And I want to steal the look. I can’t get enough of her vintage style. Just look at her living room, bedroom and kitchen:

When you’re not making fabric necklaces or glitter shoes, be sure to check out “10 Things I Love” every Sunday, which features Elsie’s current design and fashion obsessions. Isn’t that just the perfect way to end the weekend?

I find Elsie’s most recent online venture incredibly cool. Not sure how to sew a simple bow? (That would be me.) Or looking for information on developing your new blog? Elsie and her team have created several e-courses that are now up and running. Based on their experiences with running a business and a blog, they have compiled lessons they feel will be helpful for those looking into starting a small business, creating a blog, learning how to sew or styling a home, to name a few. You can check out the course introductions and sign up if you’re interested.

A Beautiful Mess is one of my favorite blogs for DIY and handmade project ideas. What is your go-to blog for DIY inspiration? Tell us in the comments!

Can you believe we’re almost at the start of another year? It feels like only yesterday I was wearing giant New Year’s glasses emblazoned with “2-0-0-0.” Several years have passed, but I still turn to classic party poppers when I need a fun and chic favor idea. What I love most about them is that they’re easy to make and are just as festive on the outside as they are on the inside. (Bonus: We also have an amazing cocktail recipe perfect for that classic midnight toast.)

New Year’s Eve Party Poppers

Use recycled gift-wrap tubing and fill with cellophane-wrapped chocolates, homemade treats or small gifts. Decorate with ribbon and colored paper. You can also turn the poppers into a game by numbering each one and then have guests trade the packages Yankee Swap-style.

Liam’s Midnight Toast Cocktail

This colorful and flavorful cocktail is the perfect drink for toasting at New Year’s Eve. Get the Recipe for Liam’s Midnight Toast >>

It’s a little early, but Happy New Year!