Hello everyone! This past week we had a blast exhibiting Fix A Bra at the Nashville Southern Women’s Show. We  met some amazing vendors and customers. Before we tell you more about the show and let you in on all that,  I want to introduce you to Angelica and another awesome bra related product, The Bra Tree. You guys know, I love to support entrepreneurial women.

I found this product online during one of my many Google searches for bra products. I was immediately interested in getting my hands on one to see how well it would organize my bras. For years I have had all of my bras smashed into drawers. Not any more with the BRA TREE!

The Bra Tree is a simple hanging rack which you can use with either one level or two levels, depending on how many bras you have. It comes in several different color options and patterns and is priced under thirty dollars!

The Bra Tree is so Easy and Provides Organization

• To assemble you simply click the pieces together and you’re done.
• Next you hang the Bra Tree in your closet or laundry room (it’s great for drying bras and bathing suits too).
• Lastly, you hang your bras on to the hooks for easy access to your bras and no more bra smashing.

It’s that simple. And you know how much we love SIMPLE!

We talked to hundreds of women this weekend about bras and one issue they were constantly facing was the crinkling of their molded cup bras. The Bra Tree is the perfect solution for this issue. Why spend so much money on bras just to ruin them in a drawer?

Visit www.bratree.com to choose from the variety of colors and order one today.

You can also watch Jude’s review of the Bra Tree below. We all love it!

And just so you know the bras that smelled so good had just been washed and were hanging to dry on my Bra Tree! I hope you enjoyed another awesome organization product tested and approved by Chaotically Creative Co (and Jude of course) Let’s help support the “girls” in business, by sharing Angelica’s awesome creation. Have a great week!  Lesley

One of my first posts was the Lucky I Lived Laundry Room Reveal. It wasn’t just a reveal with a catchy title. It was a challenging room that literally almost killed me …. several times. I think that room wore me out so bad that I just threw together my storage boxes for the cabinets and never got around to posting the tutorial. And to be honest this won’t even be much of a tutorial but more of an inspirational post with links to other people tutorials. Unless I can find the ten minute long video that I made a year ago showing you how to cover a diaper box with with sticky cabinet liner.

Here is what my cabinets looked like after the big Lucky I Lived Laundry Room Reveal Post.  The shelves are not very deep therefore I needed boxes that were skinny and in various sizes. I have worked in classrooms for years and all of you teachers out there know good and well about being resourceful. As soon as I figured out that various sizes of diaper boxes fit in the cabinets perfectly I started saving them. Not only are they cheaper than baskets but they are sturdy and some even have cutouts on the sides for handles. With a little imagination these boxes can be super cute.

Then I picked out my embellishments. Ok this part happened about a year later. I covered the boxes last year and embellished them last week. See I don’t get everything done in a timely manner. It’s pure chaos here the majority of the time. You are not alone. I covered the box in laminate shelf liner that I found at TJMAX it is by Laura Ashley. They still have it even after a year. It’s so easy to use. Just wrap the box and smooth out the bubbles.

I found this really cute wide grey burlap ribbon which gave the box texture. I added the labels which I made out of small pieces of wood. You can find this wood in the craft wood section of any craft store. They come in long pieces and you cut them with a box cutter. I paint the labels the colors that coordinate with my project. I also used this labeling technique in my garage organization post as well. I love this technique because you can customize the size and style of the label you are making.

Adding the ribbon, labels and floral embellishments is easy. Just pick out what you like and go crazy or just keep it as simple as you want.  Check out the pictures below for the after results. The cabinets now hold all of my craft materials in a nice organized manner.

For more great ideas and actual step by step tutorials click on the picture below you will be re-directed to my  Diaper Storage Box Pinterest board. There you can browse through all of the links and find great tutorials on how to make fabric covered diaper storage boxes and much more.

Several of these boxes above are from Amy over at Positively Splendid she has some amazing tutorials. Head over to my Pin board and click on her pictures for her tuts. You won’t be sorry.

I know what you are thinking. What the heck kind of post is this. The title is super deep. And yes the subject matter is super deep. Last year I began to write all about the day I lost my son and then something stopped me. I was a brand new blogger, I was scared of all the judgement, the comments, the un-follows etc. But I always felt deep in my heart that this was a story that I had to share. I’ve always thought that if I could share my stories on my blog and if they helped just one person in some way then they are worth any negative repercussions that come my way. Because of all of your support from my Reflections and Confessions of 2012 I feel empowered to tell this story.

So now that I am over my insecurities, I am ready to tell you the story of the day I lost my son. When I say lost, I mean LOST, as in I could not find my 9 year old son and he could not find me for over an hour in a really super crowded, scary and enormous place.

Do you recall the post I did on our trip to San Antonio last year, the one titled: San Antonio Waterparks, Riverwalk, Tarheels and Tantrums ? It was a  generally fun and uneventful trip. It was well planned, including our trip to Sea World’s new water park Atlantis. As always we had looked at the map of the water park, pre-purchased tickets and learned all about the rides so we were all set to go the next day. That is until we got online to look up the opening hours only to discover they were closed for the rest of our trip. UNBELIEVABLE!

We promised the kids a water park and we wanted to deliver. My husband quickly found another waterpark close to San Antonio called Schlitterbahn in New Braunsfel, Texas. It is actually one of the top water parks in the world. We were all excited to have found alternative plans however it was late and we hadn’t had time to do our due diligence and research all the rides and the maps as we usually do.

The Park

Schlitterbahn waterpark was absolutely amazing. Probably the best water park I’ve ever been to. It’s actually two parks in one. An older section and a newer section.We rented a locker to store our cellphone and towels in at the old side of the park and began our day of “fun”.  After driving all the way out there and spending about an hour and a half in the old section of the park Jude was done. I mean absolutely un-interested in everything there. My husband decided to take him all the way back to the hotel and come back to get Gavin and I around 5:30 PM.

Around 3:30pm Gavin and I ate lunch and then got on the bus to get to the new side of the park. As soon as we got off the bus which is about a mile or two from the old side of the park we spotted “The Falls”. We thought this was an average, run of the mill, lazy river, boy were we wrong….Take a look

Did you see how fast that thing moved? And did you catch the part that it is the longest water ride in the world? Now take a look at this little beauty below the Aquaveyor? Yes, well this is where it all happened. The entire ride Gavin and I struggled to hold on to each other and not get separated . Several times we did and he would be several feet ahead of me. But this is when it turned bad. Gavin got sucked down a rapid to the left of this thing and I got sucked up the Aquaveyor. Yep, that’s right. At this point I was thinking ok, no big deal, I’ll get over the hill and he will be right there waiting. NOPE, No WHERE in Sight. ANYWHERE.

This photo of Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Waterpark is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Another issue with “The Falls” is that after this point in the ride there are constant exit points. When I saw that I started really getting worried. I assumed you got off where you got on. I thought that we would find each other at the end and everything would be fine but when I saw 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6 exit points my mind started racing and I started paddling. People were laughing at me. Pointing at me and making fun of me for trying to paddle out of the ride. I didn’t get off at an exit point because I was afraid he was still on the ride.

Finally, after about 15 minutes on the ride I got to the end and thought I would see him standing at the entrance/exit waiting for me. He wasn’t there. Did I pass him? Did the ride have two different paths? Did he get off at another exit point and he’s sitting somewhere there? So I waited a few minutes at the exit and then I immediately found two employees. I told them exactly what he was wearing and what happened. They didn’t seem too worried they acted like this happens all the time. But here were my worries….

At the entrance of the ride is exactly where bus loads of people are dropped off and picked up to be transported between the old and new side of the park (remember our locker was on the old side). And when I say side, I mean you are driven through a town from one park to another. Did he get on the bus thinking I went back to look for him?

The ride we were on was right there next to a huge parking lot, an easy exit for a kidnapper to swoop him up and take him.

Lastly the park was huge and he could be anywhere including on the ride still…you have the option of staying on continuously. Like as in…as long as you want. Was he still on there?

I reported to them exactly what he looked like and told them I was going to walk up the side of the ride and check all the exit points. At this point I knew I wasn’t going to find him by myself. That is not a good feeling but deep in my heart I was not freaking out.

I went back to the employees and asked the hardest question I’ve ever had to ask, “Where do you report lost children?’  They directed me to the locker rooms at this side of the park. I then had to fill out a piece of paper which was really weird, kind of like if I lost my wallet of purse. I was thinking this is my kid send out the police squad, stop the rides, the buses, close the gates. Everyone else didn’t seem to think the same way as I did.

Now although I had a sense of urgency because all I wanted was to be back with my son, I still had that feeling of peace that he was ok. Within seconds of filling out the paper of his description a police officer that works at the park walked up to me and said are you missing you child and I confirmed that I was. He said “We have him.”  You’ll have to ride with me because he’s at the top of the park.

I asked him if he was ok and he said he was fine but a little upset. He has been at the lifeguard stand for about an hour. I asked him how he got there and this is when I finally broke down. The officer said that when he got off  ”The Falls” he waited for a few minutes and when he couldn’t find me he found a lifeguard stand and told them he was separated from him Mom. They immediately took him to a safe place and kept him there. As soon as he told me this, tears just started pouring. I told the police officer, “You know you try to teach and prepare your kids for moments like these, not thinking they will ever happen, and when they do you never know if your child will actually do what they have been taught, and he did!”

After about a 2 minute ride to the top of the park (and yes we were still on the same side) we got to the locker room. As soon as I saw him he started crying, he was very upset, of course. I told him how proud I was of him and he did everything right!

He asked if we could ride just one more ride. I said yes but as long as it’s one where we are sitting on the same raft. We then got back on the bus and raced back to our locker, got our stuff and met Jude and my husband at the front gate. That is a day Gavin and I will never forget.

How I Prepared for the Day I Lost MY Child

Gavin knew exactly what to do when he was separated from me but it was not out of instinct and not out of luck. He knew because I have prepared him for this day since age 3. I’ve prepared him for other situations as well but for now I’ll talk about kidnapping/getting lost.

Some may disagree with me but I have always felt that appropriate information given at the right age is extremely important to keep children safe. I have never just put everything out there at once but I slowly educate my children as they are able to handle the information. My goal is not to scare them or make them overly anxious but instead prepared.

• From a young age always teach your children to stay within a safe distance of you when you are out in public places including the park. Start explaining to them why. They need to know that not everyone in the world is nice nor do they have good intentions. Don’t sugar coat it but only tell your children as much as they can handle and in small doses. As they get older you can explain in more detail. 
• Teach them to start trusting that inner voice. If they tell you “Mommy/Daddy that  Man/Woman made me feel weird by the way they looked at me.” Address It. Talk to them about it. This has happened to Gavin before. We both got an awful feeling by a person who was scoping Gavin in public. Gavin talked to me about and I think his instinct was right on.
• Teach them what to do if someone tries to grab them. Get on the ground kick, spin, roll and scream. Have you ever tried to pick up a toddler throwing a temper tantrum? Try picking up a ten year old throwing one? It works.
• Prepare them for the day you get separated. It may happen like it did to us when you least expect it, when your cell phones are locked in a locker a mile away. Teach them to go tell an adult that works at the facility you are at …immediately! Don’t wait, don’t look around for Mom or Dad. Don’t go to another ride or hide in the bathroom. Make sure they know… I can’t find Mom/Dad, I’m worried, I need to tell someone NOW! Remember it only takes a second for someone to kidnap a child.
• Don’t just go over this information once. This information needs to be a constant reminder and adjusted with age and developmental appropriateness. You defiantly wouldn’t go in to the same detail with a 3 year old as with a 10 year old.

Please remember losing your child can happen to anyone at anytime. Keep calm and level headed but act fast. About 6 months after  my incident with Gavin we were at an extremely busy park and a woman  and her older son were yelling for her young child  and searching for him in a panic. To my surprise no one was helping her or asking her if she needed help. I gave my two kids to my husband and approached her. I immediately asked her details of what he was wearing, what his name was, what he looked like and started searching with her. Luckily we found him pretty quickly. But this is what I am talking about, be proactive and act fast. If someone needs help looking for a lost child, act immediately, don’t let that child become a statistic.

Remember everything you teach your child is preparing them for what life throws at them and you never know what that may be….or when that may happen. Although I hate this happened to Gavin I know he’s stronger and a more confident young man. He’s growing wiser everyday  and one day he will brave this big world without me, with great confidence and strength.

Please feel free to share any of your experiences in the comments below.

I love anything that has the possibility of making my life easier and more organized. Doesn’t everybody? Ok maybe not the people from the show “Hoarders”. But they aren’t here and they weren’t asked to review this product. I was, thank goodness.

Seriously, I think that the MOS company either implanted spy cameras in my house or is completely psychic because I seriously was just complaining about the very problem that this product solves.

I was getting so annoyed every single time I un-plugged my cell phone, I pad, or Laptop and this is what happened. (picture above) The cords would drop off my desk or bedside table and on to the floor. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to do the super stretch from my bed to the floor to try to reach my computer cable. Well stretch, NO MORE! Because the MOS,  Magnetic Organization System solves this problem.

All you have to do is peel the plastic backing off of the MOS and stick it to your desk or other surface. Then simply place your cord on to the MOS. That’s it.

If your cord doesn’t have enough magnetic power, don’t worry. The MOS comes with 3 magnetic ties. Attach one around the cord and then place the cord on the MOS.

You can even use two and store things like earbuds on your MOS. No more searching for those either.

I absolutely love this product! I’ve tested it out now for over a week and it does everything it claims to. It is made well, it keeps your cords on your desk, it’s sleek and solves a problem!

Watch my video for even more information about this product. You’ll want to see how you can stick and re-stick the MOS simply by washing the bottom with water.

Visit

http://www.mosorganizer.com

for more information

Disclosure: I have no affiliation with the product or company, I have reviewed however I did receive compensation in the form of the product itself. I did not receive monetary compensation in any form to review this product. I only review products that I feel are of interest to my readers and fit the niche of this blog. (in this case organization)  All of the opinions and words in this post are written and held by me (Lesley Warren C.).  If you have any questions about the integrity of this post or video please contact me through email.

If you’re a FB follower, you may have heard me gripping about being sick. Wah! Now, that I am feeling better, let’s get back to the “Help My House” Series. We last left Amanda’s house by giving her some gentle critiques and homework assignments. You guys saw the post at the same time she did. She absolutely loved all of the tips and said that we were right on. She even told me that the “Lone Ranger” was indeed extremely sentimental. It has an amazing story behind it, a one of a kind momentum. How did I know??? She also is diligently working on her homework but, keep in mind this is all happening in real time.  In life with 3 young children everything takes longer than we ever expect it to.

As Amanda is cleaning out her desk area, relocating the “Lone Ranger” and re-organizing, I decided to work on a mood board for her to get inspired. Amanda can also use this board so that while she is out shopping she can keep an eye out for some of these items and snag some deals.

The majority of these items are from World Market, one of my favorite stores, however Home Goods, TJMax and Target are always packed with similar items and great finds as well.

 Organization Tools for Amanda’s Grand Central Station

To view where all of these Items can be purchased and their prices simply click on the inspiration board.             

I’ve had an advantage of being able to take a peek at the rest of Amanda’s kitchen. She has also shared with me that the style she likes is French Country with fabrics that are casual and durable. Bringing this misted green color onto her chairs, frames, memo boards and then using it in a burlap as her window coverings will bring a large amount of color and texture to her room with very little effort. Meaning no huge paint job for now.

Each Item Serves A Purpose

Baskets:  To use inside of cabinets to organize all items, small baskets for inside cubby. 

Labels: For labeling baskets, this helps everyone know where to put things back and where to find them

Mail Organizer: Used to place mail or children’s art

Chair Cushion: softens the chair, brings color to the chair and desk area, provides comfort for long work periods

Desk Cubby: organize bills, important notes, memos etc. 

Memo Boards: hang above desk, use for pictures, memos, etc.

Calendar: 2013 yearly calendar keeps track of one year of events, makes planning ahead easy

Magnetic Board: not only can you mount your calendar to your board but magnetic pens, notes etc. 

Small Organizer: mount inside of the cabinet to organize pens, tape, misc. objects. 

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone! Not only is today Valentine’s day it’s our one year anniversary otherwise known as our Blogiversary!  I purposely published my very first post on this day last year because I fell in love with blogging and to this day I still love blogging and all that has come from it.

Mom and I want to say two things from the bottom of our hearts to day. Thank you and we love you!!!

To show our love and thanks. We want to do a giveaway. The giveaway is for one of our new favorite things! Our Mari Robeson Pouches. I love the Kiss Me pouch, I carry mine everywhere. The Kiss Me collection is so awesome, it’s even been featured on the Today Show. If you don’t win you can always purchase one in our shop.

I made this easy….

To Enter

use the Rafflecopter widget below to like these pages on Facebook

Chaotically Creative

Mari Robeson Home Decor

Fix A Bra

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It’s really funny how life works out. As I mentioned the other day we’ve been on a blogging hiatus. We’ve been working really hard on growing our business and investing a lot of time and money in it.  Therefore, we haven’t had a lot of  funds for blogging projects but,  low and behold one fell in our lap.  It’s fun and the cost is FREE…. well for me, at least.

A Chaotically Creative reader was so kind to let us know how much she loved the blog and the organizing tips. Not only did she love the tips,  she really liked how we tied in decorating as well. She asked if we could please help her and I agreed with one condition, that I could blog about it.

Amanda said with several pets and 3 small children she is in need of an organization station much like what I have in my house.

I am going to give our reader tips in the order of how I would go about organizing and decorating a space. I will show you as well as her, problem areas and all the things that I would add or take away. To be honest I don’t fully have a plan, because I’ve never done this so it should be quite entertaining!

First things First. I asked Amanda to send pictures of her most chaotic area of her house. Here is what she sent, it is her “Grand Central Station”.

What I do and what I am really good at doing is dissecting other people’s spaces. But. most of the time I tend to ignore spaces in my own space, so please no one take offense. You could come to my house and rip it apart. I still have sheets on my master bedroom windows (shhh)

Let’s get to dissecting this area and see what we can start doing to make this area organized, functional and more eye appealing.

The first thing I noticed when I looked at Amanda’s picture was the pug, I’m not gonna lie. My family has been begging for a pug. Sorry guys, 3 cats are enough. Then I noticed that the only color in the whole picture is that pink sticky on the folder to the left and that red thing up on that shelf there. Can you say BLAH BEIGE. I mean if you move the pug up a little he would disappear into the wall.

But not to fear Amanda is so super lucky. Although everything is some sort of beige, she has amazing bones in her kitchen. If you don’t know what bones are, I’ll tell you.  It’s the basics; such as flooring, cabinetry, counters, paint and hardware.  Having good bones means that you don’t have to invest a lot in making changes. Amanda will be able to get this area looking amazing with organization systems, accessories,  and colored frames.

Raise your hand if you have a lone ranger…. you know you do

This picture or framed piece of print is what I call a “lone ranger”. It may be extremely sentimental to Amanda and her family but it almost makes it un-special because of where it is placed. It is too small for the wall and it’s so lonely. This is the wall Amanda wants to use for her calendar wall. Mr. Lone Ranger will be moving. But if he is something special, I suggest a re-frame and pair it up with two smaller framed photographs underneath that relate to the event.

Check around your house for lone rangers. Are they proportional to the size of the wall? If there not, take them down or use them to create a gallery. I have a whole pinboard showing several types of galleries you can view to get ideas.

Amanda’s Homework

• go through every single drawer, folder, basket and get rid of EVERYTHING that you do not need or use. This includes, small toys, gadgets, screws, anything that equals clutter
• sort all items you are keeping in to categories, (pens, markers, blank paper, etc.)
• find new homes for items that do not belong in this area but you need to keep
• get a cardboard box and pack up all of your frames and decor, set aside for possible DIY
• move “Lone Ranger”
• Fill in hole, sand, touch up with paint

Hi Ladies and Gents,  it has been a long time since we have blogged. Surprisingly, the last post I wrote,  Reflections and Confessions of 2012 ,which revealed my struggles with anxiety, really hit home with a lot of people. I want to say, thank you all for your kind words and support. It’s always a little nerve racking when you write something so personal.

While we’re still on the topic of confessions, let’s just go ahead with a few more.

So first confession…. we want to let you know that although we haven’t been blogging a lot, we haven’t forgotten you.

Second confession, we have been super busy during these winter months growing Chaotically Creative Co. and the Fix A Bra product line. It is so funny how this whole blog thing worked out.  Our journey has taken us on the route to start our own business. Without this blog and your continued support, we would have never known that there was a need for our product. We want to thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts.

Third confession, with all of the focus and money dedicated to the company, our budget for home decor projects has dwindled a little and the time for the projects has too. But, don’t worry we have found other ways to blog about home decor and very shortly I will announce a new series that fell in my lap by one of our readers that reached out to us for help.

Lastly, I want you all to notice one thing changing over in the side bar. There is now a section called “Supporting the Girls”. My husband came up with the awesome idea to give away ad spots to any women in business that supports our Fix A Bra product. The owner of the Origami Owl shop has been extremely supportive in many ways. Her retail shop closed and she was nice enough to donate some fixtures to me, as well as refer me to some stores for prospective sales. Serendipity’s Skincare and Cosmetics is located at 405 Main street in Franklin, TN. Kay, the owner gladly purchased a Fix A Bra fixture for  her store front  and is proud to support made in the USA products and local products as well.

One of our goals is to help support women in business as they support us.  We offer them free  advertising because of their support and excitement and we want to thank them. We are also offering other “perks” for the top sellers.  They get a monthly article here on the blog. We have some other exciting news, we are going to be at the Nashville Southern Women’s Show and anyone supporting us will be highlighted in our booth. If you are in business for yourself,  think of what you can do to support the others that support you. Create a campaign like we did that translates into your business. I have  listed a few of the girls supporting us right now but, there are many, many more. I just haven’t placed their buttons yet. So, that’s all in all what we’ve been up to. We are super busy but we are still here and will be decorating and blogging very shortly. Stay tuned. And thanks again for all your support. Lesley and Denise

If you or any of your friends own a boutique, spa or salon and are interested in placing a Fix A Bra fixture in your store and becoming a part of the “Support The Girls” movement please contact us a fixabra.com.

I am not one to make resolutions…. at all. Why? Because I never follow through with them, so why bother.  Instead I think that I am going to use this post to reflect upon the past year and instead of making resolutions, I want to make some confessions. They’re almost the same thing except I’m telling you something about myself, but I’m not promising to change anything. Prepare yourself this is a long read.

Next month will be our one year blog anniversary. However, I started writing posts before we went ” live”. Reflecting back on the year it is amazing how much we have grown and accomplished. We went from maybe a few visitors a day to thousands. I’ve told myself from the beginning that I didn’t know what the purpose of this blogging journey would be.  I knew that I really enjoyed doing it and as long as I enjoyed it, I would keep doing it.

I never would have thought that starting a blog would lead us down the road to developing our own product and opening our own S-Corporation otherwise known as Chaotically Creative Co. Owning my own business has always been my dream. Offering  a useful product that helps women was an even bigger dream. Who would have imagined that just because I didn’t want to go shopping for a new bra, I would search for a solution that would lead to my product development.

Here Comes the Confession.

If you remember the article Underwire Bra Repair in 10 Seconds or Less I stated that I didn’t want to take the kids shopping. But the truth really is more than that. The main reasons I did not want to go out that day was because it is extremely hard for me to go to many stores and or places and it’s not  just because of the kids. I have anxiety that is aggravated by going to the majority of public places. I also believe, but have not been diagnosed, that I may have a type of sensory processing disorder.

Basically, for me one of my senses in particular gets overloaded with stimuli and I get so stressed out and upset that I start displaying other symptoms.  Some range from dizziness, nausea, blurry vision, hot flashes, breathlessness, headaches, and confusion. However the main feeling I get is the one of needing to flee. I would say it’s probably similar to what it feels like to be claustrophobic.

I feel like I am pretty lucky when it comes to SPD and anxiety because I have learned exactly what my triggers are. I mainly am triggered by sounds. Especially noises that repeat themselves like a broken record. Registers that beep, overhead speakers and loud music send my senses into overload. Bright fluorescent lights and certain smells (good or bad) will also send me into a panic.

As I said, I feel pretty lucky because I know my triggers, so therefore I have learned to work around them. For instance I don’t shop at certain stores. I only shop at Target and Publix. Why? Three reasons, they have no music playing, no overhead speaker calls, and no beeping machines. If you haven’t noticed, you may now. Mall stores are hard for me because they often have strong smells like perfumes but more than anything they normally have really loud music playing. I only try to go shopping at the mall when needed. I am best at stores where I know the people, layout and feel of the store.

Strange huh? Well strange or not. It’s real. In fact, I was speaking with a Mom at the park the other day and we got in to a conversation about one of her children and how she would take hours getting ready because her clothes felt bad. The more she describe her daughters symptoms, the more it sounded like she had a sensory issue, not a behavior issue. I also suggested that she seek a referral for occupational therapy to get to the bottom of things. And here’s why. When something gets to the point where you can’t carrying on with your daily functions it typical means that you are dealing with something more than just a behavior. Taking two hours to get ready and changing clothes 25 times because a thread falls the wrong way is not being stubborn, it’s more and it’s real. The mom admitted to me that I was the second person this week that had mentioned the “Sensory” subject and she was more relieved than ever to explore this for her daughter. It really hurt and frustrated her to see her daughter so helpless and she was not able to help or understand her. I told her my story and related it back to her daughter. She was so thankful and hopeful.

There, you have it. The honest truth.  My confession.

When I named this blog Chaotically Creative there was a lot that I put into this name. First, chaos is something I am all to familiar with. I feel a sense of chaos when I am dealing with my anxiety and sensory issues. Secondly, I have a need to organize, clean and control the chaos around me so that I feel relaxed and less stressed. I sometimes perceive disorganization as a stressor. I tend to need a tidy, organized environment to feel less anxious. Lastly, I feel my calmest when I am creating and in the middle of my own creative chaos. I make huge messes when I create, but that doesn’t stress me out. It is a form of relaxation for me, I am in a moment of zen, a place of comfort and piece, I am me,  I am Chaotically Creative.

Another article about Anxiety and Sensory Processing http://imaginationsoup.net/2012/09/our-daughters-anxiety-connected-to-sensory-processing-disorder/

As promised I am sharing my vintage finds that have been brought together to create some awesome, one of a kind Christmas gifts, that don’t break the bank. Shown above is a vintage silver sugar server. I just love the little silver scoop that has it’s own little place inside the server itself. To make this gift even more special I found a unique vintage handkerchief and a rhinestone scarf ring to add some bling.

Here we have some more rhinestones with this beautiful new snowflake pin attached to a vintage aluminum tray which can be used for jewelry, soaps or numerous things.

Here we have another beauty, my most favorite of them all. Another sugar server that is a little more elaborate.  It has a little scoop attached to the handle with ribbon and the tear drop rhinestone vintage pin just makes it irresistible.

This fun little snowy owl was purchased at K’mart along with the ribbon that has a “chicken wire” pattern and edged in silver beads. The ribbon was formed into a bow and flattened to make a nest.  The greenery and glittered leaves were added and all this rest on another vintage aluminum tray.

It thrilled me to find this vintage little girls rhinestone barrette! It is the perfect    touch to the vintage Avon white hand and embroidered handkerchief.  I have just the right little red head in mind for this gift!

I don’t think anyone would objected to receiving this lump of coal.  These sweet praying hands are made from coal.

And last but not least for today is another one of my favorites. This vintage rhinestone pin is just simply lovely. It has layers of silver petals that are curved and shaped just perfectly. The rhinestone in the center is surrounded by smaller rhinestones. It just sparkles in the light.  This sets  on another vintage aluminum tray that can be used for multiple purposes.

Well, that’s about it for today. Yes, I have more!  And I am even thinking I might be able to find something vintage for my grandsons? Humm, maybe more thrifting tomorrow…

So tell me, what is your favorite? Would you be delighted to receive any of these thrifty, nifty finds?  Thanks for viewing this post and have a wonderful day!