Organized Chaos

Summer vacation has officially begun for most of us...and with it much-anticipated trips to the beach! Our family eagerly counts down to our week at Sunset Beach each year...it seems to take FOREVER for departure day (or D-Day as we call it) to arrive and then as soon as our toes touch the sand time goes into fast-forward and all too soon we are saying goodbye to our week of family fun. And boy do we have fun! But with that fun comes the general chaos of packing multiple families and a passel of kids all under one roof. Organization is key to a successful trip, but keeping up with what belongs to who can be a hassle.

My friend, Kristy, has come up with a fun solution to make sure her favorite beach towels return home with her each year...she has them personalized! This way there is NO confusion when sorting through the piles of towels from the 6 families (including 10 kids!) at their cottage. I just finished two towels for her sweet ladybug...and I may be stealing her idea for my own upcoming beach trip! :)

Kristy found both towels on sale at Target for $6...pretty good deal for the middle of June. After the 4th, you might get them for even less!

The flip flop towel is adorable and I relished the opportunity to break out my teal thread for the first time! :)

Since we're on the subject of organization and travel, I have to share my favorite travel organization tip. It has NOTHING to do with embroidery, but it's just too good not to share. About a year ago I quit packing with suitcases. Instead, I use laundry baskets for everything from clothes to sheets, blankets, and towels to diapers, wipes, and toiletries. My husband loves it because it is SO easy to stack the baskets in the back of the van when he packs. Once we've arrived at our destination, it is easier for me to organize and stay organized...I usually have a basket of clothes for the kids and one for me and Joey. We just leave all the clothes in the baskets in stacks and pull them out as needed. I bring a laundry bag (or two) for dirty clothes so we don't have clean and dirty items mingling...if you don't have a cloth laundry bag, you could always use a garbage bag. Anyway, laundry baskets have made travel a million times easier...give it a try and let me know how it worked for you!

On a final note, I wanted to say "thank you" to all of you that read my blog and have showed support for my Facebook page. My desire for the blog is that it continues to be a place where I share what I am doing and learning...it's fun for me to look back and see how I'm evolving! On my Facebook page, my goal is to offer design ideas for the coming season as creative inspiration for those looking for the perfect gift for a loved one or themselves! :)

Thank you again for all your support. I have really been blessed with the design opportunities I've had in the past few months and I am excited as I look to the future! :)