Monday, January 28, 2013

{easy waves hair tutorial}


Happy Monday friends!

I thought I would start out the week with a fun and super simple hair tutorial...in video form!

Be sure to watch until the end because Landon makes an appearance and does something very typical {and hysterical} of 4-year-olds.

And I make quite the stink face at the 5:40 mark. Doing your hair is tough friends. ;)


Here is the tutorial I learned this technique from...



Happy hair do-ing!

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Sunday, January 27, 2013

{around the house}


It has been a really good week for my little blog. Lots of new followers and lots of views thanks to some really great press. I'm beyond thankful. It is really humbling, and can I admit, kind of scary{?!}, to see that almost 2,000 people looked at my blog in one day. 

It creates a bit of panic for me to be honest. 

Like..."O my goodness...what can I come up with next that will be JUST as popular as the last thing?" 

As I was having one of those mini panic attacks last night, trying to think about what I should post next, a little voice told me to chill out. 

"Just share something that makes you happy," it told me.

So here you go...lots and lots of things in our home that are making me happy today...




The last three photos are from some much-needed decorating I did in our bedroom yesterday. Why is it that the room that is supposed to be your sanctuary always gets helped last? It put a huge smile on my face to go to bed last night and have a prettier view. 

What are your favorite things to look at in your home today?

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Thursday, January 24, 2013

{instagram friday}


My friend Brin over at Bold Butter Baby is doing a new link up called "Pit and Peak", where you share the highest and lowest points from your week. I thought it would be fun to blend that with my Instagram Friday post this week.

My Pit

Worrying about my hubby...he has been having some stomach issues and he's going to the doctor tomorrow to try to get it figured out. If you have some spare prayers laying around I would greatly appreciate them coming our way. And I know...worry is like a rocking chair...

My Peak

Several times this week the boys have told me "I love you" without me saying it to them first. That is the best thing ever. EVER.

Here are a few photos from this past week...

Snuggling with my niece Aubrey during our belated Christmas celebration...


Ben and his breakfast partner...Batman of course...


I have a ridiculous sweet tooth...


The painting bug bit me and I threw a fun shade of turquoise into a little nook in the boys' playroom...can't wait to show you what I have in store for this space...


I had a little Tim Gun "make it work" moment with my thrifted lampshade and an IKEA cord kit...


 And after fighting it for about an hour I finally got it to hang straight...


 It has been a little bit cold here in Indiana this week...


And I have been super tired {apparently my eyes look two different sizes when I'm tired}...


My Facebook page hit 500 fans! Woot!!


What was your pit and peak from the past week?

Linking up with...

life rearranged
Hello Hue Little Things 


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Monday, January 21, 2013

{5 rules for scoring big at Goodwill}


One of my newest loves is thrift shopping, and I've really been enjoying the thrill of hunting for treasure at Goodwill. I used to think that it was pointless to look at Goodwill for clothing, and that the home section was just about as useless. But recently I started shopping there with a new perspective and a new list of rules, and I've been so excited with what I've found.

I thought it would be fun to put together my 5 rules for scoring big at Goodwill to help you get the best out of your thrifting adventures as well!


 
1. Have an open mind + a mental list

Of course I always go thrift shopping with an open mind, but there is usually at least one item of clothing or accessory for our home that I've been looking for. So I always look with those things in mind. If you don't have a lot of time to shop, this helps you to speed through the racks a bit quicker.

For example, the last time I went to Goodwill I remembered that I really wanted to find a tan corduroy skirt, so when I got to the skirt aisle I headed straight for the tans/browns {#2 talks about taking advantage of Goodwill's color coding} and immediately my eyes zeroed in on a tan corduroy number. It was a size 10 from the Gap. Sometimes a 10 is too tight on me but I tried it on anyway and it was a perfect fit!


{I also found this great Kohl's top}

One thing I've learned from trying on thrifted clothes is that you really can't discount something because it isn't the size your normally wear. Most things have been washed/dried so they might have shrunk. Also...a piece might be juniors which means you'll need a larger size, and different brands all run differently. If it looks like it might even possibly fit, try it on!

2. Take advantage of color coding


I really love how Goodwill has their clothing color coded. This helps tremendously, especially when you have a certain item/color in mind. Lately I've been searching for a mustard colored top so every time I go in, I make sure to check that section. I almost always skip over the bright reds because I just don't look good in that color. You can save SO much time by skipping the color sections you have no interest in and focusing on your favorites.

3. Zone in on quality + pattern

One of my best tips for zooming through the clothing racks at Goodwill is skipping over things that are too worn. At our Goodwill, probably 75% of the clothes are faded, pilly, and overall just old and too worn to be worth taking a second look. So when I'm looking through the clothing racks, I quickly scan over each piece, passing over anything that looks worn, faded, stretched out, or just isn't a color/pattern that appeals to me.

When I see a piece that looks like a high quality fabric, a trendy/modern pattern, an appealing color, or if I notice a name brand tag that appeals to me, those are the pieces I pull off of the rack to give them a once over. One great example of this rule is this cardigan I snagged a few months ago...


One of my best Goodwill finds to date.

It fits in with the tribal print pattern that is so trendy right now, but instead of spending $50+ on a cardigan, I only handed over $4 and some change.

Two things that made this cardigan stand out to me on the rack were: 1. the high quality of the knit {no pills/snags}, and 2. the tribal print. It did have dated buttons, but I knew that was something I could easily switch out, which I did right away for just a few dollars...



4. Look for multiples

source
Most Goodwill stores carry clearances items from stores like Target, and they usually have multiples of the same items. One quick way to find these brand new with tags pieces in the clothing section is to look for more than one of the same piece together on the rack. Since almost all Goodwill clothing pieces are one of a kind, you know when you see multiples of the same top or pants that they are probably brand new.

The same goes for the housewares section. The last time I visited our Goodwill I noticed a shelf full of the same trendy looking vase. Sure enough...they were brand new pieces from Target. So keep your eyes open for multiples!

5. Search high and low


In the housewares section, things can get a bit messy. I know in our Goodwill, there is no rhyme or reason for how things are displayed in some of the aisles. The Target plates that I recently found above were shoved on the top and bottom shelves and buried under a bunch of other random things. I gasped out loud when I found them...I had been coveting this stuff at Target but hadn't purchased anything so these were a really fun find. So when it comes to the housewares, It can really pay off to look through everything. 

So if you haven't shopped at Goodwill before, I hope these rules and my experiences have motivated you to give it a shot.

Or, are you a veteran thrift shopper? What is your best thrifting tip? Please share in the comments!

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Saturday, January 19, 2013

{DIY "one little word" pendant}


Have you chosen your one little word for 2013?

My word is grow {you can read about why I chose it here}. I love the one little word concept...it is an easy way to make a New Year's resolution. A word that you will focus on in all areas of your life for an entire year.

A few weeks ago I wore the pendant I made with my one little word for WIWW, and I thought it would be fun to share a tutorial for how I made it, and also a fun little giveaway.

Pin It


This is a really simple and affordable project. Here are the items you'll need...

  1. small letter stickers {these are Making Memories brand}
  2. a blank pendant {I purchased mine at Hobby Lobby}
  3. length of necklace chain {I purchased mine at JoAnn}
  4. acrylic paint in the color of your choice
  5. Clear glass finish medium {similar product}
Not pictured:
  1. paint brush
  2. necklace clasp
  3. jewelry making tools
First I painted the inside of my pendant with my blue acrylic paint...


I left the paint a bit messy on purpose...it looks a bit rustic/handmade after you apply the clear glass finish.

Once that was dry, I applied my letter stickers and then the clear glass medium on top...


The medium I used looks a bit hazy until it dries.

Once it was dry I attached the chain and I had my necklace!


Would you like to wear this lovely thing around your neck?

Well...I'm giving it away to one lucky reader! You all bring me so much joy that I wanted to give a little something back.

I think whether your word for 2013 is joy or not, we could all use a little bit more, right?


Enter below via the Rafflecopter widget to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Linking up with...


Home Stories A to Z Tutorials & Tips Link Party!


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Friday, January 18, 2013

{instagram friday}


I know I say this every week, but seriously, HOW is it Friday already?!

Not that I'm complaining....we have a fun weekend ahead! Tonight is our weekly movie night with the boys and tomorrow we are finally celebrating Christmas with the hubby's extended family. I might have to break out my reindeer scarf again.

And of course because it is Friday I'm linking up with Life Rearranged for Insta-Friday...


life rearranged

Here is a peek into my week through my Instagram photos!

{you can follow me here}

I snapped this cute pic of Landon picking out his movie for last week's movie night...his hair is cracking.me.up...


On Saturday I got to spend half the day crafting with some of the most fun ladies I know...and under a really big and fancy chandelier...


I didn't finish my December Daily but I made quite a dent in it...


Played a little {quite literally} bowling before bed...no yucky shoes required!


Hit the jackpot at Goodwill with some awesome Target finds and vintage pieces. I also snagged a Gap corduroy skirt and a Kohl's blouse!


On Monday I got my wedding rings back from being replated and they look SO beautiful! I can't even remember them being this shiny. :)


 I always try to match my candy to my accessories... ;)


 My favorite moment of the week was watching Ben paint...


 And a close runner up would be our trip to this place on Wednesday...


And here are a few of the treasures we came home with...


Whew! It was quite a great week for our little family. :) What did your week look like?

Also linking up with...

Hello Hue Little Things 



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