The 20 Minute Miracle

No, I'm not trying to sell you some miracle beauty cream or body scultping treatment!  I just wanted to share a little something I like to call the 20 minute miracle that works for our family.  Easier demonstrated with pictures then with words...

Kitchen Before

Set a timer for 20 minutes (a very crucial element for everyone to work fast)  Watch the magic begin...

 3 of the girls jump on the load of towels and rags (Little Biggs 4- is not happy I'm posting this!)

 Little Biggs 3 starts wiping and putting away.

I take on hand washing and Mr. Right dries. (Yes, we have a dishwasher- a super great really expensive ASKO dishwasher that quit working 5 years after we bought it- and now, 4 years later,  we actually have become accustomed to handwashing everything!  Someday I will call a repair man and get it fixed)

20 minutes later...

It's a miracle... (excuse the bad lighting- my only camera is an iPhone 6 and I forgot to turn on all the lights)

 Something once messy and disorganized...

Is now clean and put together.  That my friends,  is the 20 minute miracle.  On a perfect week when we don't have dance recitals, orchestra or choir concerts, band or church activities we do this every night Monday thru Thursday.  On crazy weeks we substitute our 20 minute miracles for a long grueling 1 hour Saturday chores.  The little Biggs' hate Saturday chores.  I'm not sure they've figured out that the 20 minute miracle actually takes 80 minutes of their time each week- as opposed to the 60 minute Saturday chore- but somehow it just sounds better!  Sometimes we split up into different rooms if the whole house is a wreck- Little Biggs 3 has mastered cleaning a bathroom from top to bottom in 20 minutes all by herself!  One key element is that everyone that's home has to participate- you will have mass rebellion if you as the parent aren't actively participating.  It's great family bonding time, it's the 20 minute miracle.  See you next time!

Kelly

P.S.:  Did anyone notice my little Halo- trying to escape my after photo of the island?  I just now saw her!

A Little Room Redo

Months ago, Little Biggs 5 asked if I could redo her room for Christmas.  My first thought was, "didn't we just do that?"  Evidently, it had been a whole 3 years since the room had been done.  This room is shared with Little Biggs 6 and so I was a little hesitant.  How can I please an 11 year old and a 5 year old?  And more importantly, did I even have a budget for a room redo.  We briefly discussed colors the girls like and a yellow and gray scheme seemed to be a favorite.  I told them I probably couldn't do it for Christmas, but maybe sometime next year.  

I'm sure it's some type of disease or disorder I have, but it's nearly impossible for me to not buy my girls what they want for Christmas.  I've been known to have last minute garage sales just to earn the money for a gift they've requested.  Now, they only get 3 gifts a piece, but I try to make each one count.  So of course, I immediately went online to see if I could find reasonable bedding in a yellow and gray color scheme (bedding is always my starting point when redoing a bedroom)  Walmart came through with complete bed in a bag for $45 (included the sheets and everything).  I knew I wasn't going to paint the room because I'm a tan walls kind of girl (and I know my girls like their bedroom redone every few years)  

My next obstacle was how do you redo a little girls bedroom without them knowing about it?  Grandma and Grandpa Biggs to the rescue.  They took the girls to their house in the mountains the Saturday before Christmas and planned to bring them back Christmas Eve.  Now that the plan was in place it was time to get busy!  

I know my blog is new and you may not know me very well, so I hesitate to show you the befores... However, I promised myself I would keep this blog real and show the good, the bad and the ugly... Here's the ugly... really, really ugly...

I know, it's bad.  I want to be the mother who tucks in her kids each night, picking up the few clothes and toys that have been misplaced during the day- but unfortunately that doesn't happen often enough and then their room becomes a pit!  But that's what New Years is for,  right?  All kinds of goals being set here, I promise.  

So let's get to the reveal.  When the Little Biggs returned on Christmas Eve, they discoverd their door had been wrapped and on it a tag which read, "Don't open until Dec. 25"  They were excited to camp out in the T.V. room, but come morning they were ready...

 Here's an overview of the room.

 We replaced their fan with a fancy crystal chandelier (this was an auction find from 6 months ago that got broken while we transported it to sell at a flea market- lucky for me, Mr. Right got it all fixed up for the room redo)

I intentionally left the shelves and dresser bare (trust me Little Biggs 5 loves to collect things and will have them looking decorated in no time at all)

The dresser was a garage sale find from a few months back that I had also tried to sell at flea market- with a coat of gray it worked perfectly in the space.  I guess it was meant to be for us. Here's the other side of the room...

I had to invest a little in hiring a seamstress to make the window seat cushion (I do not sew) She did a fantastic job and included a zipper, so it can be washed.  The frames all came from my garage sale stash and the accessories are all hobby lobby 50% off (some I had to paint to match the room)  Overall, it was a pretty simple make-over that the girls love.  I will be selling their old black french style dresser (it needs a little work on the drawers $50)  and black and hot pink bedding (twin size $20 each)  to recoup some of the expenses- let me know if you're interested.

The best part of the room make-over... It has inspired my New Years resolution for 2015.  Can anybody guess?  I don't think I'll ever really become the Carol Brady that picks up each night after her kids, I will spare myself the disappointment of saying that's my resolution, but having one room completely done and clean has given me the motivation to... get organized.  Watch for some upcoming posts journaling my progress as I organize my home this year.  My biggest Goliath... the studio!  It's just a fancy word for a 600 square foot room where I throw all my Shiz, so the rest of the house doesn't look like I'm a hoarder.  Don't believe it's that bad?  Trust me, when I get the guts up to post a before pic, you may never read my blog again... it's that bad.  See you next time!

Kelly

The Creation of A Little Biggs of Everything

As a child, growing up in Escondido, California, my father would frequently take our family to the local swap meet. There, we would watch as my father bought golf clubs and hub caps for a few dollars. He would bring them home, shine them up, and resale them for profit. These early experiences led to a passion for turning trash to treasure.

As a teenager, with a low GPA, I was desperate for an easy A... so I signed up for theatre arts. I soon discovered I had a talent for speech and debate but that getting an A wasn't that easy. This eventually led to a 16 year career teaching theatre at the Junior High level, where I developed a passion for set design and decoration.  

After the birth of our sixth daughter I realized I needed to spend more time at home.   However, with a large family, two cars, multiple pets and a 5,000 square foot home, having only one income was not an option. I needed to take the talents I'd learned through out my life and create my own business. 

Over the past six years we've breed white Labradors, refinished furniture, resold clothes on Ebay, managed estate sales, planned events and sold at flea markets- specializing in home decor.  I guess you could say I've done A Little BIGGS of Everything.  Ultimately, I've learned the importance of balance in all things.  This blog is an attempt to keep me organized and accountable as I continue to embark on my goal of providing for my family. I will share the successes and failures of my projects, my latest business ventures, as well as the blessings and trials of raising a family.  I hope you will join me on my journey as we explore A Little Biggs of Everything.