Quick and Simple Boredom Buster for Kids

Hi friend.  It's almost August. Are you running out of ways to entertain the kids?  The Internet is full of great ideas, but I'm always looking for the ones that can be done instantly without a lot of prep work or running out to buy supplies. I saw the Ocean Salt Pictures project on the Thrifty Decorating blog and knew we had to try it.  The original idea came from Smilemonsters with very simple supplies: salt, food coloring and glue. Thanks to these two creative bloggers, we had a fun afternoon with salt art!

I pin, therefore I am.

Friend, I have to admit something: I have a pinning problem.  It started out innocently enough, a few months ago, and has escalated to a full-blown addiction.  I managed to break a new and expensive SD memory card for my camera recently.  This has seriously hampered my ability to work on and photograph blog projects for the past few days. So I've had to channel my creative energy elsewhere.  That elsewhere is Pinterest.com. Have you heard of it? Pinterest is a fabulous free website that allows you to organize and share all of the great things you find online.

When you find an inspiring photo, project, book, hairstyle, recipe-whatever- on the web you "pin it" to your virtual cork board, add a note to the pin so you can remember why in the world you pinned it and then organize it among your boards on your Pinterest page.  Bookmarking is so five minutes ago ;) and pinning is much more intuitive and user-friendly. It's such a great source for inspiration and such a nifty way to neatly organize all of your favorites.

Do you pin?  You can see what I've been pinning here. If you are not yet a pinning aficionado and you would like to try, I'm happy to send you an invitation to get you started.  Simply contact me and leave me your name and email address.


 I whipped up these little odes to Pinterest for those who share this addiction hobby.

Coffee Table Quote Book Entry No. 5 (note to self)

Happy Monday, friend!

I am staring at a pile of half-finished projects that are currently taking over my house. I have these big wild plans in my head and when my projects don't live up to that or don't seem to be taking the shape I've envisioned, I have a very bad habit of (temporarily) abandoning them before they are complete and starting something new.  I'm not sure if that makes me a perfectionist or just lazy? It's a terrible habit-right up there with nail biting and breaking crayons.

This entry in my Coffee Table Quote Book is inspired by a little motto I read somewhere and am constantly telling myself.  Feel free to print it for personal use. I think I will make multiple copies and tape them to all of my projects ;) Have a great day!

Put down the laptop and get to Nordstrom!

Friend, step away from the spray paint, put down the glue gun, leave the weeds in the garden and get yourself to Nordstrom or Nordstrom.com for the anniversary sale!

I went yesterday and it was pretty magical.  I heard a fellow shopper say as she walked into the store, "I'm so nervous, I'm sweating-I'VE WAITED SO LONG FOR THIS MOMENT!"  Whether your passionate enough to sweat over a sale, or just enjoy a good deal, you should check things out.


I have fallen in love with KUT from the Kloth jeans.  I am filing them under the category, "life-changing" (they look much better in person than online) and they are very much on sale!


Enjoy the sale. May your discoveries be many, your purchases be deeply discounted and your underarms stay dry!

Bandana Braid (simple summer Hair)

Ah summer hair styles! Aren't they fun? Braids seem to be a big deal this summer, but they've always been tops in my book.  The bandana braid is a favorite from my childhood (thanks, Mom!) that I'm doing for my daughter this summer and she loves it.  It is fast and fun and adds some color and interest without a lot of fuss- the perfect recipe for summer hair.  This style also works well using a scarf or scrap of pretty fabric!

1. Put hair in a pony tail ( a high pony tail in the back of the head makes for the most secure braid, but my little moving target wanted to try a side pony this time).

2. Roll up the bandanna/fabric into a long narrow band.

3.  Slip the end of the fabric under the top layer of your hair elastic and gently pull it

(try to leave an equal amount of fabric above and below the ponytail)

4. Split the hair into two sections

5. Braid the pony tail, using the fabric as the third section of the braid.

6.  Secure the end of the braid with hair elastic.

7.  Wrap the top end of the fabric around the elastic a few times until it is tight

8. Tuck the end of the fabric under the hair elastic and hide it.

9. Take the end of the fabric, wrap it once around the end of the braid.

10. Bringing the tail of the fabric down through the wrapped section, tie it in a knot around the braid

(It's hard to explain, but once you actually try it will make sense).

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the simplest ideas are the best!

I am linking up to Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style and these great blogs.

Drugstore Favorites

We're friends, right? So clearly, we should be swapping beauty secrets. I love drugstore prices on beauty products almost as much as I LOVE department store quality- but who doesn't?   I am a firm believer that for some things, you have to cough up the cash get quality, but am so happy when I find exceptions to my own rule.  Here are a few of my favorite drugstore finds that yield department store quality results.


Aveeno Active Naturals Smart Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer

A girl can search her whole life for the perfect moisturizer.  I know I have.  I am always looking for a product with SPF 30 but most irritate my skin and when I put make-up on top of said irritating moisturizer, there is this horrendous chemical reaction and wow, does it burn! In summary, I think I've tried almost every brand of moisturizer in the known universe.  Here is my true love:

• SPF 30
• Non-irritating ( do you understand the miracle of this?!)
• Skin is noticeably softer without being too oily
• Make-up even goes on smoother with this, friends!
• Smells d.i.v.i.n.e.  (Never before have I asked people to smell my face, but trust me you will too)
• $16 for a pretty big bottle (2+ oz)

Suave Professionals Volumizing Root Boost Spray

• It works. Really well.
• It's $3.49
• It's $3.49, ladies!

John Freida Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Creme

I need to tame my tresses as much as the next girl, but my hair is fine. So two drops of an oil-based shine serum and I go from frizzy to looking like I've fallen into a vat of Vaseline. This John Freida product is my new secret weapon ( pun intended).

-Tames frizz and fly-aways
-Adds no oil (and very little shine) to your hair
-Works well on kids' hair
-Great for achieving sleek pony tails and up-dos
-Smells great

Do you have any drugstore favorites to share?  Do tell!

A Real "Up" House

  

Are you in love?

(image from ksl.com)

Home builders in Herriman, Utah, built this house based on the home in the movie "Up" (they even put balloons on it on the weekend!) It will be part of the upcoming Salt Lake Parade of Homes and will be filled with Ellie and Carl-esque decor and furnishings! This just makes me giddy!

Click here for more details, photos and a video clip from KSL.

Moms By Heart

A coupon clipper and deal shopper I am not.  I aspire to be, but my approach is  a bit different at present.  I generally stumble upon a handful of coupons, tuck them in my purse, take them everywhere with me and completely and entirely forget about them until they have expired and endured so long in the bottom of my purse, they have broken down into their basic components.  The art of coordinating coupons with sales is completely beyond me.  You may as well ask me to split an atom.

Enter Moms By Heart. Have you visited this site? It is loaded with great information, but what I like best is that is so well organized, easy to read and easy to navigate. You can find exactly what you are looking for and all of the work is done for you. Lori tells you of upcoming sales and promotions, many of which I would have never known about, and she tells you where to get the corresponding coupons. She often features online deals with the coupon codes generously given to you in the post or printable coupons.  She makes saving money easy. I love her list of printable mall coupons!  I get downright giddy when I see the deals Lori finds.  In addition, she has amazing homemaking features.  I was lucky enough to be included her Summer Staycation series.  Every Thursday she features a great summer project to keep kids busy.

In short, you must visit Moms by Heart and start saving today!

Quick and Colorful Kids' Garden

Necessity is the mother invention and I am the mother of a compulsive flower-picker.  So what started as a bit of a problem, turned into a great summer project for our family.

This is my daughter, then three years old and passionately caressing our spring blooms. To say that my girl loves flowers would be a big, tulip-hugging understatement. While it's pastel tulips she loves in the Spring, she favors pink Martha Washingtons in the Summer and adamantly insists on orange pansies in the Fall.  While I've been happy to oblige and plant her favorites, I soon learned that the favorites didn't last long. She would secretly and lovingly pick each bloom.  In an effort to cultivate her love of flowers and still protect my peonies, our solution was to make her very own garden where she could plant, dig and pick to her flowery little heart's content.  We loved this project so much, it has become a summer tradition.

By helping your kids make a small space in the yard specifically for them, you can keep them entertained this summer, teach them responsibility, increase their confidence and keep your plants intact. This project is very simple and completely customizable to your budget and your space ( you could even do it in a pot or planter box if you don't have a yard).

As I mentioned, this is a project we've done before.  

                            

Last year we started with a big kids' garden full of marigolds, petunias, tomatoes, pumpkins and zucchini all enclosed in a perfectly pink picket fence.  My mom, a true gardener, even helped out. It was a lot of fun, but since we are in the midst of landscaping this year, we've down-sized the kids' garden and relegated it to a small, dusty, yet-to-be-addressed, corner of the yard.  Kids don't seem to mind where the garden is or how big it is, as long as it's theirs.

                                                     

                            

Kids' Garden Supplies

• 1-2 packages of garden fencing, available at gardening stores, Home Depot, Lowe's, and Wal-Mart ( the amount you will need depends on how big you plan to make your garden).
• 1-2 cans of spray paint ( let your kid choose the color, of course)
• Flowers, plants and/or vegetable plants of your child's choosing
• Gardening supplies: little shovels, gloves, watering cans, etc.
• Optional: a personalized garden sign, garden ornaments (finally, a home for the lawn gnomes that didn't sell in last summer's yard sale).

Instructions to Make Your Kids' Garden

1. Parents spray paint the fencing on a drop cloth or scrap of cardboard and let it dry.  Two or three coats on each side should do the trick (we left our fence out in the elements last winter, so it's looking a bit rough and definitely in need of new paint). 

2. Mark out the spot where your fencing will go and set it aside.
3. Help your kid(s) plant their plants within the marked area.
4. Together, put up the fence around the plants and secure it ( you can attach the fence sections to each other with plastic zip ties if they won't stay together).

5. Kids can add a sign, a garden ornament or stepping stones and decorate it-this is their space!

6. Enjoy a summer full of adventure, ooh and ahh at each day's new blooms and maybe even sample some summer vegetables!

Kids' Garden Tips:

• Remember the kids are calling the shots on this one.  Let them make as many of the choices about the garden as possible.  This gives them a feeling of ownership over their garden and confidence by allowing them to make the decisions.

• Have the kids do a little research before buying their plants.  Using the Internet or books, and your guidance, they can learn which plants are compatible in your zone, which prefer sun or shade, etc. (they'll be learning without even knowing it).

• Let the kids add some vegetable plants. It's much simpler than a full-blown vegetable garden, but with the benefits of learning about growing your own food ( this also makes for more fun summer activities like finding recipes that will use up the 10 lbs of zucchini you've surprisingly grown in that little kid garden).

• If you've got a flower-picker on your hands, consider a cutting garden made up flowers that bloom frequently.

• Resist the urge to water their plants for them, unless they are really little. A garden is a great way to teach responsibility and help them understand the consequences of their actions: bright, beautiful blooms or burned up begonias. 

I am linking up to Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style and these great blogs.

Coffee Table Quote Book Entry No. 4

Summer is finally here and we are more than ready at our house!  In honor of my favorite season, I'm adding a new entry to my Coffee Table Quote Book.  This one is from the Nat King Cole song, Those Lazy Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer, that my grandma used to play for me on a 45 record, if you can believe it.  It's the song that is old, not me ;)  This seemed like a perfect addition to the book and the perfect printable to welcome summer!  You can print it for personal use if you like, but please, indulge me and listen to the song on i-tunes if you have a minute.  It will make you smile.

I am linking up to Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style and these great blogs.

Dollar store milk glass

 

 Hello, friends! I hope your weekend was great.   I have had plans to display a collection of milk glass above my kitchen cabinets for ages, but collecting milk glass takes time, so that project is a work in progress. Meanwhile, I have seen a few projects in the blogosphere where people have simply painted regular glass vases, containers, dishes etc, with white spray paint to get the look. Brilliant! I have plans to try this too. In the meantime, these glamorous plastic items from Dollar Tree caught my eye and I decided to paint them just for the fun of it, just to see what would happen.  

 

I bought a serving platter and vase.  I sprayed the vase on the inside only.  I found that keeping the spray paint can a good distance from the vase, prevented drips.  Short puffs of spray paint will eventually coat the inside completely.  Whenever I got inpatient or tried to angle the can to cover a specific part, the paint dripped. Drips aside, I think the result was pretty fabulous (I also think it's time to try colored spray paint on plastic vases next).

 I did make some colossal mistakes that are equally important to share. I started with the platter and did it all wrong.  First, I grabbed my satin finish spray paint by mistake.  The finish is awful!  Milk glass is supposed to be glossy.  Use high gloss or semi-gloss spray paint. The satin white finish just seemed to mock my cheap, tawdry platter.  Next, I painted the wrong side. In my opinion, it looks more realistic if you paint only the smooth side of the object, not the intricate cut side.  This is an opinion I formed after having painted the detailed side of the platter.  Live and learn.

So short puffs of glossy paint on the smooth side of your plastic will give you a milk glass look faster than you can raid your grandmother's china cabinet!

 


I am linking up to Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style and these great blogs.