Organize with Reused Boxes

My blogging friend, Mare Ball, over at Adventures in the Ballpark posted about reusing plastic veggie trays to organize her kitchen drawers (post: Veggie Tray Do Over). I left a comment telling her that I use cardboard snack boxes in mine. She wanted to see pictures, so I thought I'd do a post.

Photos by Dawn Hamsher, 2013

Reused Boxes Organize Junk Drawers

Problems with junk drawers:
*Stuff slides around
*Drawer gets too full to close
*You can get cut from sharp objects (you never know what is hiding in there).

Solution:
Cut the tops off snack food boxes and reinforced corners with duct tape. Then arrange them in the drawer and taped each box together to keep them from sliding. Then, organized the junk into sections.  


Reused Boxes Organize Cabinets

Here is my baking cabinet and my medicine cabinet. All I have to do is pull out the box to find what I need. If you want to get even more organized, label the boxes. To make them pretty, cover with wrapping paper or shelving paper.

Here are some of boxes I used:
child shoe boxes
cupcake boxes
powdered milk boxes

And don't forget, Mare Ball suggests using veggie trays to organize. 
    

A Song for Sunday - Call on Jesus

Ever since I saw Nicole C. Mullen at a Women of Faith conference, I've been hooked! I love her heart and energy for Jesus. Here is "Call on Jesus".

You Tube video posted by WordLabelGroup

Book Review -- No Small Change

I've been reading books like crazy lately and I was so happy to find BookCrash! Here's how it works: You pick one free Christian book at a time (they mail it to you or you download it), you read it, and then post a review of it on your blog. Then you can pick another book.  Cool, huh?!

My first review for Bookcrash is "No Small Change" by Charles E. Johns. Mr. Johns is a minister and author of "Faith Matters", a monthly annual conference column.

Overview:
We often act as if God hides so well that signs of the divine presence are reserved for Hallejujah moments. Here are tales of people, places, and things that can either pass unnoticed or can become elemental moments to change the way we experience God. Each of the stories illustrates a way in which the ordinary can open the door to an engagement with the divine. No Small Change is an invitation to pay attention to the grace that envelops us, God's persistent presence which longs to be embraced. (taken from back of book)

Dawn's Recommendation: 2.5 of 5 Stars

What I liked: 
I really enjoyed the stories that shared concrete, specific examples and reflections from the author's life like in FLYING LESSON (about who you put your trust in). There is truth and wisdom in the author's words and he takes the time to meditate on ordinary happenings in his life. I liked the humor that is sprinkled in (like in UNNATURAL ACTS), the sweet memories of friends who have passed (like in JIMMY), and the author's vulnerability (like in UNWILLING). With each story, you get to know a little more about the author. Some of the author's reflections evoke rich images from his life like in TRUE COMPASS where he gets a compass for a gift and it is compared to the one true guide for his life. Some of the stories reminded me of devotionals.

What I didn't like:
I didn't like the layout of the book. It was laid out in the following categories: Advent/Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Ordinary Time.
--There were a few stories that felt like they tried too hard to tie into the their category.
--The book opens with Advent/Christmas. I prefer to read Christmas stories at Christmas time, so that was an immediate turn off. Also, this section confused me. I couldn't get the stories' points as they related to glimpses of God...or perhaps it was just my frame of mind at not wanting to read Christmas when it was 70 degrees outside.

Some of the stories were more general thoughts on a topic and that came across as preachy and vague to me. I much rather enjoyed the stories that gave concrete, specific examples from the author's life.

Also, the back cover blurb is a little misleading.
--Based on the back cover blurb's last sentence, I thought the book would show me how I could better pay attention to God's grace. The author shares his reflections, but it doesn't tell readers how to do this for themselves.
--The blurb says, "Here are tales of people, places, and things" - I took this to mean stories from and about different people, but the stories are all from the author.

Even though there were some things I didn't like about the book, I still enjoyed many of the stories. There are some sweet gems in this book and I'm glad I stuck to it to find them (one of my favorites was GROWING MEDIUM)!  

Once I began to see the stories as "devotionals", I was able to enjoy them and understood the book's purpose -- to share the author's glimpses of God through his experiences and reflections.  I think the book's format would have worked so much better marketed as a book of devotionals! 

Disclosure - The publisher provided me with a complimentary copy of the book 

through BookCrash in exchange for a review of the book.

Book Review: Splendors and Glooms

I just love Middle Grade books! Here’s one that I read recently.

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

Dawn’s Recommendation: 5 out of 5 Stars

Click for Amazon.com

Overview (taken from Amazon): WINNER OF A 2013 NEWBERY HONOR!
The master puppeteer, Grisini, is so expert at manipulating his stringed puppets that they appear alive. Clara Wintermute, the only child of a wealthy doctor, is spellbound by Grisini’s act and invites him to entertain at her birthday party. Seeing his chance to make a fortune, Grisini accepts and makes a splendidly gaudy entrance with caravan, puppets, and his two orphaned assistants. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are dazzled by the Wintermute home. Clara seems to have everything they lack — adoring parents, warmth, and plenty to eat. In fact, Clara’s life is shadowed by grief, guilt, and secrets. When Clara vanishes that night, suspicion of kidnapping falls upon the puppeteer and, by association, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall. 

As they seek to puzzle out Clara’s whereabouts, Lizzie and Parse uncover Grisini’s criminal past and wake up to his evil intentions. Fleeing London, they find themselves caught in a trap set by Grisini’s ancient rival, a witch. Newbery Medal winner Laura Amy Schlitz’s Victorian gothic is a rich banquet of dark comedy, scorching magic, and the brilliant and bewitching storytelling that is her trademark.

Why I liked it: I like books set in Victorian England, but it was the characters and intrigue that drew me in. Sorrow and secrets weave through out the story. You grow to love and feel for Lizzie, Parsefal and Clara. Ms. Schlitz describes the puppets and the running of the puppet show so well that you feel you are watching it in person and perhaps even working the puppet strings. 

I couldn't put the book down! I don’t want to give any of the story away, but know that you’ll be on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. Great ending too! Perfectly tied together.

This book was so good, I checked out another one of her books, "A Drowned Maiden’s Hair". I’ll review that one in a couple of weeks.

A to Z 2013 Survivor

 

I'm a survivor. 
Yep, another A to Z under my belt.


 

What I did the same this year:

• Pre-scheduled posts

• Visited other blogs almost every day

• Commented on ones that were interesting

What I did differently this year:

• Did NOT try to visit EVERY blog 

• Followed only a few blogs that I liked 

• Did NOT stress

Result = Had a happy A to Z!

To read other A to Z survivor stories go to Blogging from A to Z.