Hey Y'all!

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Hello everyone!

How are you on this beautiful day? Today here in Northern Ontario, Canada, the weather is cool and crisp. The sun is shining and it's a quintessential beautiful day.

Today Aubrey and I went to the most adorable birthday party for my friend Christine's son. He turned a year old a few weeks ago. The theme was "mustaches". Once she puts together a post of all of her amazing party plan skills, I'll be sure to link you to it. It's amazing what this girl can do! It was also fun to get together with a wonderful bunch of friends. Our kids are all around the same age ranging from 8 months - 3 years. We've watched everyone grow up together. It was truly a wonderful picture to see all the kids gathered around the table eating and then doing a painting project. It was such a wonderful day.

With this cooler weather, my mind is turning towards Fall. I've already began to make plans for all of the things we will do these upcoming months. I've got my Scentsy Pumpkin warmer going warming the most delicious scent - Caramel Pear Crisp. Wow, it's so unbelievably good. It has me pining away for sweaters, crunchy leaves and getting all cozy bozy.

I've taken quiet a bit of a blogging break and I'm ready for that break to be over. I'm ready to start connecting with all of you again. I've missed y'all so much! This time of year brings new beginnings and I can't wait to start a new beginning with this blog and with all of you. Yeah!

My kiddo just woke up from her nap. The party totally wore her out. I'm off to kiss her cheeks! We'll chat soon!

Giveaway: 7'x10' Print from Galaxy Eyes

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Hi everyone! I'm back for another giveaway this week, this time I'm teaming with the amazing Anna from Galaxy Eyes who offered to gift one of my readers with one of her 7'x10' 'Extraordinary I' prints! I personally love this print, I just feel like hanging it on my art corner - such an inspiring quote and image! If you want a chance to win this amazing prize, just enter the giveaway below!Olá pessoal! Estou de volta para outra giveaway esta semana, desta vez juntei-me à fantástica Anna da Galaxy Eyes que se ofereceu para presentear um dos meus leitores com um dos seus prints 7'x10' 'Extraordinary I'! Eu pessoalmente adoro este print, só me apetece pendurá-lo no meu cantinho de trabalho - que frase e imagem tão inspiradoras! Se querem ter a oportunidade de ganhar este prémio maravilhoso, participem na giveaway abaixo!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open worldwide and ends on the 16th September. Good luck!A giveaway está aberta a todo o mundo e acaba no dia 16 de Setembro. Boa sorte!
P.S. - The winner of the bunny necklace from Peggy Kang is Natalie Lee. Congratulations, I will contact you soon so you can receive your prize!P.S. - O vencedor do colar coelho da Peggy Kang é a Natalie Lee. Parabéns, vou contactar-te em breve para que possas receber o teu prémio!

Je t'aime

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♫ ♪ Emilie Simon - Jetaimejetaimejetaime







Je t'aime Je t'aime Je t'aime
Voilà les seuls mots qui me viennent


TODAY IT'S MY BIRTHDAY. Today I'm saying goodbye to my teens and welcoming the big 20s. Yes, today I'm 20. It feels a bit weird to say it out loud but I suppose I'll get used to it. I'm definitely feeling a bit nostagic now as I just want to get back to hmm let's say 15? haha 
I was born 20 years ago in France so it seemed quite appropriate to post this outfit today.
HOJE É O MEU ANIVERSÃ�RIO. Hoje digo adeus à minha adolescência e dou as boas-vindas aos 20. Sim, hoje faço 20 anos. Ainda soa um bocado estranho dizê-lo alto mas suponho que me irei habituar. Definitivamente sinto-me um pouco nostálgica já que gostava de voltar para hmmm vamos dizer os 15 anos? haha 
Nasci há 20 anos em França por isso pareceu-me apropriado publicar este outfit hoje.
Dress Vestido - c/o Magix D (available here disponível aqui)| Cardigan Casaco de Malha - c/o O'bambi (available here disponível aqui)| Trench - Stradivarius | Bag Mala - Parfois | Tights Collants - Ebay | Earrings Brincos - Claire's | Wallet Carteira - Accessorize | Shoes Sapatos - Arian

I have to confess this dress is now one of my favourites pieces in my closet, if not my very favourite. It is absolutely beautiful and, more than everything, I love how it fits me. One of the many reasons why I'm so happy I've been losing weight is this dress as I know it would never fit me so well with my previous weight. The structure of the dress is so beautiful and I love to twirl it (I know I always say this about dresses but it's so much true!). I'm so happy I've picked up this dress, it is simply perfect, I will definitely cherish it so much.Also, let me introduce you to my 'birthday shoes'. They were a gift from my mom last time I was home and she said they were meant to be for my birthday so they will be forever tagged as my 20th birthday shoes. I'm definitely not a high heels person but I love cute shoes so I am happily welcoming them to my not so big collection of shoes (yes, one of the things I definitely lack - unlike everyone else - is shoes).I hope you'll enjoy the little details on this outfit as the hearts on my tights and on my cardigan, the french flag on one of my earrings and a saying on the other or even the boulangerie print on the bag.
Happy Birthday to me!Tenho que confessar que este vestido é agora uma das minhas peças preferidas no meu guarda-roupa, se não a minha preferida mesmo. É absolutamente lindo e, mais que tudo, adoro como me serve. Uma das várias razões por que estou tão feliz por estar a perder peso é este vestido já que sei que nunca me ficaria tão bem com o meu peso antigo. A estrutura deste vestido é tão bonita e adoro como rodopia (eu sei que eu digo sempre isto em relação a vestidos mas é verdade!). Estou tão feliz por ter escolhido este vestido, é simplesmente perfeito, vou definitivamente acarinhá-lo muito.Além disso, deixem-me apresentar-vos os meus 'sapatos de aniversário'. Foram uma prenda da minha mãe na última vez que estive em casa e ela disse que eram para o meu aniversário por isso ficaram para sempre rotulados como os meus sapatos dos 20 anos. Definitivamente não sou uma pessoa de saltos altos mas adoro sapatos giros por isso é com alegria que os recebo para a minha não tão grande colecção de sapatos (sim, uma das coisas que realmente tenho em falta - ao contrário de toda a gente - são sapatos).Espero que gostem dos pequenos detalhes deste outfit tais como os corações nos meus collants e no meu casaco de malha, a bandeira francesa num brinco e uma frase no outro ou ainda o padrão de boulangerie na mala.
Feliz aniversário para mim!

Newman's Own Organics Giveaway

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Today's the big day for the Newman's Own Organics Giveaway!Did you miss my Review of Newman's Own Organics wonderful products yesterday? You should check it out!Thanks to the generosity of Newman's Own Organics, I'm giving away 4 yummy organic products:1. Family Recipe Chocolate Chip Cookies2. Mocha Milk Chocolate Bar3. Salted Pretzel Sticks4. Newman's Original O'sNow go get your ENTRY on.---You must be 18 years or older to enter. Open to US shipping addresses only. (1) Winner will be randomly chosen using Rafflecopter. Facebook is no way affiliated with this giveaway.a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pinterest: Happy Fall Y'all!

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Happy Fall Y'all!Well Baby Noland is still not here... and I've been avoiding blogging a little bit due to exhaustion and trying to get everything absolutely ready. I've cleaned, cleaned, cleaned, stocked up on food and so much more. Of course, at night when I lack sleep, I've been getting my Pinterest on. There are so many great Halloween ideas and since it's ALMOST October... (Wow, where did summer go?) I thought I'd share some of my favorite Halloween pins.First, let's share some favorite costume ideas... Such a cute little family costume idea...Love it.pinned hereThis one is soo funny. The Price is Right contestant... How creative.pinned here.The Flintstones costumes!pinned here...Now for other ideas...Some awesome traditions. Must check out and pin for yourself.pinned here. Great Fall Decor Ideas! pinned here.Great Kids Craft Ideas! Can't wait to try some of these.pinned here.  Don't you just love these?! I love Fall. My husband doesn't like Pumpkin and all the Pumpkin recipes but there is nothing like a nice slice of Pumpkin cheese cake or Pumpkin spiced latte. Here are a few of my fave pumpkin recipes: Pumpkin cookies.. YumPinned here.Candy Corn Cookies... My husband loves Candy Corn.Pinned hereCaramel Apple Cobbler? Um. Yes.Pinned here.And here is one that I've been dying to try! Pumpkin Dump Cake. Pinned here.Doesn't all this just put you in the mood. Before you know it, we'll be hanging Christmas decorations! The fall is such a great time of year. Welp, that's all for today. If you want, you can follow me on Pinterest here!Thanks for stoppin by! xoxo. Jen

Week 10 Meal Plan

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Welcome to Week #10 of my meal planning experiment!
Last week involved a lot of things to do and celebrating so we didn't get to eat all of the planned meals - I didn't even make it to the grocery store until Friday!  My husband made some of his fabulous pasta sauce & turkey meatballs over the weekend so that gives us a good supply in the freezer as well as to enjoy during the week.

Here's the plan for this week :

{old favorites}

Mostly Veggie with some Chicken Fajitas (No recipe here - I just poach the chicken and steam the veggies)
Pasta & Turkey Meatballs Leftover from the Weekend Cooking Spree!

{new recipes} 

Chicken Cacciatore
Maple Mustard Pork Tenderloin
Lemon Chicken Stir FryMini Greek Lamb Burgers with Roasted Potatoes

{baking project - if I have time!}
Black Bean Brownies as suggested by An Organic Wife - You may have noticed that I haven't baked since the beginning weeks of this experiment!  It is still on my to-do list and someday I will find the time.

View my other meal planning blog entries at this link.  They are all packed with good recipes so enjoy!



* Images & text copyright 2012 Brooke Photo Studio

Loving Life's Details

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I often write about appreciating the little things in life, but it is a topic that I think bears repeating.  One thing that I really enjoy about the area where I live is the abundance of old trees.  In the midst of new developments, I am still able to find areas where ancient trees have stood the test of time.  Sometimes they are hidden in strange places throughout the city.  I consider these the lucky trees that were somehow chosen to remain standing while others fell.  Most of the time they are off in parks or countryside and beg for me to pull over and admire their detail.  Spring is the perfect time to admire natures beauty, and I often find myself wondering what each tree has bore witness to over its lifetime.  Mysterious, luxurious, and beautiful each tree inspires me to appreciate the little things in my life.


* Images & text copyright 2012 Brooke Photo Studio

$550 It's Raining Cash Giveaway

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 Welcome to the $550 It's Raining Cash Giveaway hosted by Giveaway Promote. We've joined a fantastic group of bloggers to give away $550 in cash via PayPal to one lucky person. Just complete the tasks below to earn entries into this giveaway. One winner will be chosen at random from all valid entries. Bloggers, join us in an upcoming giveaway event! Sign up and we'll keep you posted about future group events, like this one, hosted by Giveaway Promote. If you'd also like to hear about all other events currently open for blogger sign-ups, subscribe to Giveaway Promote's weekly group giveaway events and hops newsletter. 
This giveaway is open worldwide.It will end at 11:59pm EST on April 29th, 2012.a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is brought to you by:Giveaway Promote - U.S. Coupons and Deals - Review and Giveaway - My Kids Review It - Baby Feeding Shop - SwagSaver - Colleen's Book Nook - The Ladies Lounge - Miki's Hope - The Mystic Kitchen - Shopper Strategy - Coupons and Freebies Mom - Girls with Coupons - All Those Things I Love! - ShopaholicMommy - Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo - Cheapskate Cafe - OC Deal Mama - Bake Sew Write - Mommies with Cents - Mary's Cup of Tea - Building Carpenters - 31 Days Early I Rise - Life: Full of Unexpected happiness - From Tracie - Frugal Fanatic - Krazy Couponing with Trish - Show Me The Savings - Made.By.Jess - Skylar Magazine - Tales of Mommyhood - Miki's Hope - Sweet Pea Saving - couponing4you - BeautySecrets-Reviewed - Di Doodlings - MakeUp Fun - Cupcakes & Cucumbers - Central Bargains and Giveaways - Ohayo Okasan - Canadian Dad - Beck Valley Books - JustFindIt4U - Frazzled Five - Camera Mum - Katie's Krazy Savings - A Little Inspiration - LoseInchesWrapping - Emptynester Reviews & Giveaways - Life's Cheap Thrills - Wrapping to feel better - Acadiana's Thrifty Mom - CountryLife4Me - Tracers Coupon Affair - Giveaways & Glitter - My Frugal Mom - Angie's Wraps - Cute-Ecakes - Mommy's Memorandum - adventures of frugal mom - $uper $avin' Momma - Inside My Head - TheFrugalFreeGal - Mom Blogger Buzz - Mompreneur Mogul - Coupon Savvy Sarah - Plum Crazy About Coupons - Disney Contests and Sweepstakes - Mom-ology - Keep the Tail Wagging - voiceBoks - Frugal Experiments - Kat Collins - Ideal Couponing - Frugal Gals - Love 2 Encourage You - Nicki's Coupon Blog - Beyond Beauty Lounge - Book Absorption - In The Kitchen With KP - Adventures of a Maui Mompreneur - Frugal-shopping - Momologues - Average Moms Wear Capes - The Penny Hoarder - Simple Pero Rock - Moms & Munchkins - Linda's Angels - Prolific Shopping - Tatum's Family Reviews - Momanthology - Home Ec @ Home - Mom of 3 Boys - Slap Dash Mom - this mama loves her bargains - Scented Flutterby - Pretty Opinionated - aubut family - Green Baby Goods - Dirty Truth Reviews - A Fixer Upper - Freebie Spot - Bargain Hound - Life With Levi - Alpha Wife Adventures - The Centsible Family - Zoes Printable Coupons - Bubbles Bath Boutique - happy Home and Family - Couponing In PA - Cori's Coupon Corner - Capri's Coupons - Dealy Os - Sweepstakes Mama - IceHuggy - My Little House of Treasures - The Crafty Home - Know My Body - Best Medical Careers - Free is for Me - Book Cover Justice - My Side Of Life - The Content Proverbs 31 Woman - Military Wives Saving - Reviewed by Mom - That's the Caffeine Talking - A BIG bit of Everything - Indiana Savings & Reviews - Cool Chic Reviews - MinaSlater.com - Fabulous Awesomeness - Making Time For You - Stacy's Savings & Other Stuff - A Moms Rantings - At the Water Cooler - This Mom Loves - Fabulous Classroom - Simple Savings For ATL Moms - Griffin's Honey...A Frugal Mom - GetFitWrap - My Frugal Wife - CoupaneerMomma - Viva Pinay - Once Upon A Book

WE'RE MOVING!

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DIRECT YOUR BROWSER TO THE NEW LOCATION OF {cupcakes & cucumbers}

Big News ... We're Moving!  Not me personally, but the blog.

I have been writing at {cupcakes & cucumbers} as a side project to my main website at Brooke Photo Studio for almost a year now.  It has been sort of an experiment, and creative outlet for me to share some of the ideas behind my imagery.

What I have found is that moving the blog away from the main website has resulted in a "prettier" format, but has some drawbacks.  First it is more convenient to visit one website for business, blog and combination visitors, and second having the blog in its own home has allowed me to stray from my original intentions.

So I am moving the blog back to Brooke Photo Studio.  The topics, and stories you enjoy will continue, just in a different spot.  I hope you will visit me over there and say hello!  If you are a fan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Linky Followers your connection will remain the same.  If you follow via Networked Blogs, RSS, or email please update your subscription.

Best,
Brooke


* Images & text copyright 2012 Brooke Photo Studio

Let's get real

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I'm tired of being fake, of pretending life is just a bowl of cherries and everything is wonderful. But let's not take it to the other extreme either, lets not complain about anything and everything.
Yes, life is not wonderful all 86400 seconds of the day, but life is not terrible all of that time either.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! 
Psalm 150:6
Ya know what? That's me. That's you. That's everyone. THAT is what we should be doing. Not complaining, arguing, being bitter, fake, trying to hide our fears or sorrows. We should be praising God. There is always something to praise Him about. Always.
I signed up for the Loves & Envelopes birthday club over at Marine Parents earlier this year. I've always sent off my cards with sweet notes to help someone have a great day. I got my first card the other day. I was astonished how outspoken a 16 year old girl was about her faith in Christ. I've read over her blog, and just amazed how everything she talks about on her blog shows God's love. I was convicted that I didn't share God's love with all of the girls I've sent cards to. That I  missed all of those opportunities to point others to God.

I don't want to be like that any more. I don't want other peoples opinions to alter the way that I act. I no longer want to be caught up in what others think and care about me to control me. I've done it far too long. I'm sure there are many many opportunities that I have missed because I didn't speak up when I should have. I didn't say what God was telling me to pass on.

This past month my husband and I read through the entire book of Psalms. We sat each night and read 5 chapters for 30 days. It was eye opening. It was wonderful. It was something that in our 8 years of marriage we've never done, but now I look forward to each night sitting and reading together. It's amazing what transformation that can come when we give our attention to God. When we sit and read His word, and listen to what he has to tell us.

It started little by little at the beginning of the summer. I dumped all of my social media, I quit wasting time on the computer. I sat down to do work and went on my merry way. I started managing my time around the house better, my sewing time as well. Things started to fall into place, but something was still missing. My quiet time with God, my individual Bible reading. I started to keep up better spending alone time with God daily, and then reading with my husband as well. Yes it seems like a lot, but the comparison of what He has given me, I'm barely giving Him an hour a day. I should be giving Him more.

Things are definitely changing around here, God is moving. Things I held resistance towards I'm slowly letting go. I'm giving up the control. I've always told my husband that I will submit to him in what he wants our family to do and where to go, but I've always given resistance of some sort. I've never given full control. I need to. When I do I see how blessed we are as a family, I see what God does for us. I see the rewards.

Please stay around, see where God takes us and prepares us for over this next year. I don't know what it will be. I just know that He is preparing us for something. To go somewhere.

But You, O, the Lord, deal kindly with me for Your name’s sake; Because Your lovingkindness is good, deliver me. Psalm 109:21 

Review: Itay Liquid Foundation

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A while ago I was asked by Itay Mineral Cosmetics if I'd like to try their foundations. Being a make-up addict, of course I said yes. As I prefer liquid foundations over powder ones, I decided to pick one for me in the colour Ivory.
Há uns tempos a Itay Mineral Cosmetics perguntou-me se gostava de experimentar uma das suas bases. Sendo viciada em maquilhagem, é claro que disse que sim. Como prefiro bases líquidas às em pó, decidi escolher uma para mim na cor Ivory .


 

Itay's liquid foundation is an oil-free liquid foundation which restores your skin to its natural flawless finish, controling shine while it nourishes facial skin and evens out skin tone. 
A base líquida da Itay é uma base líquida sem óleos que restaura o acabamento natural sem imperfeições da tua pele, controlando o brilho enquanto nutrifica a pele facial e equilibra o tom de pele.



This foundation costs 59.95$ and comes in a bottle of 1oz/30ml. As many of you may know, foundations are usual quite expensive so this price didn't surprise me. However, I can tell you the bottle is quite big and really contains a lot of foundation. I've been testing this foundation for a while and the truth is you don't need a very big quantity of it to distribute on your face as it as a fantastic coverage. 
Esta base custa 59.95$ e vem num frasco de 1oz/30ml. Como muitos de vocês devem saber, as bases são normalmente caras por isso este preço não me surpreendeu. Ainda assim, posso vos dizer que o frasco é bem grande e tem muita base. Já tenho andado a testar esta base há algum tempo e a verdade é que não é precisa uma grande quandidade para distribuir por toda a cara já que tem uma cobertura fantástica.



As I'm quite pale, I decided to pick this liquid foundation in the colour Ivory. In advance, let me just tell you I have a huge problem both with foundations and bb creams due to my skin colour. I haven't yet found a foundation that exactly matches my fair skin. I always end up buying the lightest colour available even if ends up turning out a little bit darker than my skin. This being said, I never had high expectations for this foundation when it comes to its colour. I know cosmetics companies produce light colours probably for people who aren't just as pale as I am so, no matter how much I'd love to have a foundation matching my colour skin, I try not to be too picky with it. You can see the swatch on the colour Ivory above and how it looks on my skin. On the left part of my hand, you may see how the foundation looks originally and on the right how it will look after I blend it. I found out that, after a lot of blending, it somehow gets mixed with my skin colour. Not a perfect match but, still, I'd say this foundation is a winner comparing to all the foundations I've tried so far.Como sou pálida, decidi escolher esta base na cor Ivory. Desde já, deixem-me dizer-vos que tenho um enorme problema tanto com bases como com bb creams devido à minha cor de pele. Ainda não encontrei uma base que corresponda exactamente à minha pele clara. Acabo sempre por comprar a cor mais clara de entre as disponíveis ainda que acabe por ser mais escura que a minha pele. Dito isto, nunca tive altas expectativas quanto à cor desta base. Sei que as empresas de cosmética fabricam cores claras provavelmente para pessoas que não são tão pálidas como eu por isso, não importa o quanto eu gostasse de ter uma base que combinasse com o meu tom de pele, tento não ser muito esquisita nesse aspecto.Podem ver acima a amostra da cor Ivory e como fica na minha pele. Na parte esquerda da minha mão, podem ver como a base fica originalmente e na parte direita como fica depois de a matizar. Descobri que, depois de misturar bem, fica um pouco harmonizada com o meu tom de pele. Não é uma correspondência exacta, mas, ainda assim, diria que esta base é uma vencedora comparada com as bases que experimentei até hoje.

- This liquid foundation is enriched with vitamins A, C and E, nourishing your face while covering it for a radiant and flawless skin!- Esta base é enriquecida com vitaminas A, C e E, nutrindo a nossa cara enquanto a cobre para uma pele radiante e sem imperfeições!
- The bottle is quite big and this foundation will last a long time before you'll need to buy a new one! Plus, it's perfect to carry everywhere in your bag so you can wear it on an unexpected moment!- O frasco é bem grande e esta base vai durar muito tempo antes que seja preciso comprar uma nova! Além disso, é perfeita para levar para todo o lado na mala e usar num imprevisto!
         
- The price may be a bit too high if you're not planning on spending too much on your foundation. Yet, it definitely pays off the investment.- O preço talvez seja um pouco elevado se não estiveres a planear gastar muito numa base. Ainda assim, definitivamente vale a pena o investimento.
- I'd suggest producing a colour slightly lighter than Ivory for really pale people like me. Still, this is probably the fairest foundation I've ever tried it!- Eu sugeria que se fabricasse uma cor ligeiramente mais clara que a Ivory para pessoas mesmo pa´lidas como eu. Ainda assim, esta é provavelmente a base mais clara que já experimentei!

♥


Disclosure: This product has been sent to me for review purposes only. I have not received any compensation, everything stated is my own opinion.Divulgação: Este produto foi-me enviado para propósitos de review apenas. Não recebi qualquer compensação, tudo o que aqui é afirmado é a minha opinião pessoal.

Vintage {Shiny Brite} Christmas Ornaments

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One of my favorite things to look for in antique shops whether at home or traveling is vintage Christmas ornaments. When buying them individually, they are a small purchase, easy enough to tote home and add to my collection. Several times, I've been lucky enough to find a whole box of ornaments in the original box at a great price. These cherry-red Shiny Brite ornaments are one of those

18 Tips for Sorting & Storing Your Fabric Stash

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TweetPin ItIf you are like me, you have LOTS of fabric that isn't organized and can't remember what you actually have. This is another great tips list from www.AllPeopleQuilt.com.  With these 18 tips for getting your fabric stash organized and looking pretty you'll be able to get your space under control in no time.
CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE WHAT TIPS WORK FOR YOUR SPACE