My 3 Monsters: April 2013

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4.30.2013

Mother's Day Gift Ideas: Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

The Honest Company - Santa Monica, CAThanks to The Honest Company for sponsoring this post. I was given some of their awesome products to try out, but all opinions are my own.


Am I the only one whose kitchen looks like this sometimes?

Honest Company Cleaning Products

{This is just the after-school snack mess.}  Allow me to point out my favorite features:  

Honest Company Cleaning Products

Need to see a little more?

Honest Company Cleaning Products
Nice, right?   I know that y'all appreciate when we keep it real around here, but can we be really HONEST today? 

Like, can I say that I honestly don't like to clean very much?  

If I could farm out one of my roles as a mom, "cleaning lady" would be the first to go.  So why am I suggesting cleaning products as a mother's day gift?  Because, honestly, very few of us can actually hire someone else to clean for us on a daily basis.  And because I'm honestly a sucker for great smelling products in pretty packaging.  Bonus points if they actually work and are eco-friendly to boot.  These products are all that and a bag of chips!  {Yeah, I went to high school in the 90's.  Word.}

Honest Company Cleaning Products


Seriously though, the Honest Company offers natural, non-toxic, eco-friendly products that really work.  And aren't they pretty?  I don't know if you can read that, but they smell like white grapefruit and citrus rosemary, not chemical lemon or pine like a lot of the stuff I have used in the past.  That little bamboo dish scrub brush is my absolute favorite.  It looks so much better than the old, grimy brush I've been using.  {For years.  Which is so gross if you think about it.}  I really want to get the Suds Up when they have it back in stock.  How perfect is that for quick cleaning pots and pans as you cook to keep the mess at bay?! Whatever makes the job easier. 

Let me tell you a little bit about the Honest Company:
  • It was founded  by a mom and a dad who, like many modern parents, were increasingly worried about products made with questionable chemical ingredients. But the alternatives they found were often expensive, inaccessible, bland, or ineffective. In response to this clear need for something better, they created The Honest Company to ensure that parents (or anyone for that matter!) could easily find natural and non-toxic eco-friendly products that are beautiful, effective, and affordable. 
  • Their products are safe and sustainable, but they also  work hard to make the packaging pretty enough so that you don't feel like you have to hide the products away.
  • Honest is a Certified B Corporation, which means they are dedicated to making a social difference and safeguarding people and the planet.
  • With every purchase you make, The Honest Company donates time, money, and product to their current charitable partner Baby2Baby.org 

Honest offers bundles that ship directly to you every month.  You can get a free trial of either the Diaper and Wipes Bundle {great if you have a baby-- their diapers are the cutest!} or the Family Essentials Bundle {which is perfect for your cleaning needs}.  Sign up for Honest Company emails here.  


Have I convinced you yet that cleaning products could be a great gift?  Even my husband, in a completely unsolicited testimonial after cleaning the bathroom counter top said, "I love this new stuff you got, honey.  I don't feel like I'm covered in chemicals."   Honestly.   {Word.}

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and The Honest Company  but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #NaturallyHonest  http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.

Check out yesterday's gift idea, Giant Fortune Cookies and join me tomorrow for a simple Sugar Hand Scrub!

4.29.2013

Mother's Day Gift Ideas: Giant Fortune Cookies

This week I wanted to share a week's worth of homemade Mother's Day gift ideas.  We're kicking it all off with my kids' favorite project -- Giant Fortune Cookies.

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I made these for my kids a few years ago as a Valentine's Day surprise and they were a huge hit so when I suggested we them again they jumped at the chance.  They are so much more delicious than the kind you get in restaurants {because they're so fresh} and they're really easy to make.

First, mix up the batter.  Here's the recipe I use:

2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract {you could use 1/2 vanilla and 1/2 almond, but my family prefers plain vanilla}
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
3-5 Tbsp. water

Whip egg whites until frothy.  Add vanilla extract and oil.  In another bowl combine the dry ingredients.  Add 3 Tbsp. water and mix until smooth.  Gradually fold in the egg and oil mixture.  Batter should be thin and smooth.  Add extra water 1 Tbsp. at a time if needed until the batter is thin enough {like the consistency of crepe batter}.

While I was mixing the batter, my boys were writing messages onto thin strips of paper.  {I told them that we were doing this for the blog, not for me, so just write generic messages, but they were actually really sweet!  Have fun and be safe -- ha, I always say that to my kids when they go out.}

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Next, heat a griddle to 300 degrees and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.  For giant cookies, drop about 1/4 cup of batter on the hot griddle with a ladle and swirl around with the back of the ladle to form a very thin circle about 4-5 inches in diameter.

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Let sit untouched for about 5 minutes then flip over when the underside is a nice golden color.  When it is flipped, let it sit for about 5 minutes more.  When the circle appears dry, take it off the griddle.  This is where you will wish you had asbestos fingers because you have to work fast while the cookie is still hot.  You only have about 30 seconds to shape the cookie before it becomes too hard and begins to crack.

Put the prettier side down and lay one of your prepared fortunes in the center.  Fold the cookie in half leaving a flat bottom.  Hold the edges together as you bend the the outside points together to get that cute fortune cookie shape.  You can fold it over the edge of a cup if that helps.}  Place bent, warm cookie in a muffin tin or cup to hold its shape as it finishes cooling.

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We decided to add a little extra girliness to ours with some melted white chocolate.  They are for mom after all, right?  I put my melted white chocolate in a small squeeze bottle with a thin tip so it was easier to control.  You can be as fancy or as simple as you like.  I did the cute loopy design and my boys just drizzled it back and forth.  Both look equally great!  You can see the fortune down inside there:

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I always see old cookie tins at thrift stores for less than a dollar.  They're usually really ugly, with Christmas designs on them, but you can give them a coat of spray paint {with the lid still on so the inside stays clean} and they become pretty gift boxes.  Package 4 or 5 giant cookies inside a pretty tin and give it as a gift.

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 My kids couldn't wait for me to finish taking pictures so they could crack into the crispy yumminess.  The white chocolate on there really took the flavor to the next level!

Come back tomorrow for some earth-friendly cleaning products that smell like a dream.  Throughout the week I'll be sharing printable note cards, my fave brunch recipes, something to pamper mom's hardworking hands, and the secret to making your own edible arrangements.  I hope you'll join me!

I'll be linking this project up here:
Lil\'LunaThe 36th AVENUE

4.27.2013

Sugar-Free Treats that Taste
as Good as the Original?! Yep!


Our son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was in kindergarten.  We were completely thrown for a loop with that diagnosis.  As with so many things, we just didn't know that much about it until we had to.  I feared that I had caused it by feeding him too much sugar.  {Not true!} I feared that we were going to have to give up sugar as a family completely.  {Also not true} As a baker {by hobby}, that made me really sad.  We weren't sure how we were going to fit his new condition into our family life -- how we would find a new "normal" or what "normal" even was with a diabetic child. 

Now, 7 years later, we are still trying to figure that all out, but were in a better place.  Riley enjoys sweets in moderation as long as he is doing a good job regulating his blood sugars.  I still get to bake {hallelujah} and diabetes is nothing more than a tiny blip on our radar.  While we don't avoid sugar completely, we get super excited whenever we find sugar-free, lower carb options that taste as good as regular.  We found just such a treat this week and I HAD to share it with you guys.

Werther's Original Sugar-Free Candy

Werther's Original Sugar Free Candy is so good, y'all.  I had every intention of saving it all for Riley, but I have been stealing pieces all week.  I love Werther's Original hard candies and these taste just the same -- only better because they're pretty much guilt-free.  And they come in 4 flavors - Classic Caramel, Caramel Apple, Caramel Coffee, and Caramel Cinnamon.  Aren't they pretty?

Werther's Original Sugar-Free Candy

Oooooooooohhhhhhh, the cinnamon.  Those are my favorite.  I know there are lots of reasons aside from diabetes that cause people to try and stay away from sugar.  Whatever your reason is, I urge you to give these Werther's Original Sugar-Free Candies a try.  I was really pleasantly surprised at how delicious they are.  My only complaint is that I have been finding little gold wrappers all over my house since we got them, but that is hardly Werther's fault, is it?  Apparently I am not the only one who can't stop sneaking pieces.

Visit Werther's Original Sugar-Free on Facebook for product information and promotions.  I have some coupons that I would love to share with anyone who wants to try these delicious sugar-free treats.  The first 5 people who comment that they want them will get 2 coupons for 75 cents off.  {Make sure to leave an email address so I can get your mailing info!}  Ready . . . . Go!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

4.26.2013

Kitchen Cabinet Facelift
{Part 1}


I've had an idea for a while now to breathe some new life into my kitchen cabinets, but I kept pushing it to the back of my mind because I didn't know if it was a good idea or not.  It had the potential to be fabulous, but it seemed almost equally likely to be completely hideous.  I had almost all the supplies on hand so it wouldn't cost more than about $10, but if I hated it . . . the cabinets would be ruined and there was no going back.    I had recently painted all my cabinets with chalk paint so I kept telling myself to leave well enough alone.  The cabinets were fine.

But what if my idea was a good one . . .

I couldn't let it go so last weekend I finally took the plunge.  I decided to remove the inset panels of my upper cabinets and replace them with chicken wire.  Here is what my kitchen looked like before:

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And here's what it looks like today:

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I LOVE them so much!!  Of course they're not finished.  I still need to paint the inside of the cabinets white, caulk and paint the trim, put the hardware back on, and arrange the dishes neatly now that they show.  It has been a pretty easy {though time-consuming} project.  Here's the run-down:

1.  The first challenge was removing the recessed panels of the doors.  This was one of many times that I wished we lived closer to our families.  I would have just run over to my parents' house and had my dad router them out.  {Rout them out?  Use his router to remove them.  That's what I mean.}  But Houston is a long way to go for a project like this so we did the next best thing and gave our 75-year-old carpenter friend Bob a call. He was more than happy to help even though I'm convinced he thinks I'm half-crazy for "ruining" perfectly good cabinet doors like this.  He asked us several times if we were absolutely sure this is what we wanted before he started cutting.  His lack of confidence didn't do much to bolster mine, but we plowed ahead. 

I should have taken pictures of this process, but we were too busy listening to Bob's stories.  He's a fun guy to talk to and he was telling us about how he recently almost cut off three of his fingers with a chain saw.  Good stuff.  Basically, he drilled a hole in each corner of the panel with a forstner bit {the kind that makes a bigger hole than a regular drill bit} then ran his router along each edge to cut the panel out.  It takes a pretty steady hand to remove the panel without gouging the existing molding.  I'm so glad Bob was doing it and not me.  Finally he chiseled out the little bits of wood left in the corners to square them out and sanded everything smooth.  

2.  We brought the doors home and I gave them a fresh coat of chalk paint to cover up the raw edges where we cut the panel out and cover all the scratches that occurred in the shop.  Then it was the moment of truth -- adding the chicken wire.  I cut the chicken wire to size using wire cutters and stapled it in place with a staple gun.  At this point I was feeling pretty good about my decision to go ahead with this project.  Things were looking preeeeety sweeeeeet.

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3.  The next challenge was covering the rough edges on the back side of the cabinet doors so they looked finished.  At Lowe's we found some 6-foot-long pieces of screen molding for about $2 each.  Screen molding is about 1/2 inch wide flat molding that worked perfectly to nail in on the back side of the doors to cover up all the cut edges of the chicken wire.  {We just used our hand saw and a $5 miter box to cut those mitered  corners so don't be intimidated if you don't have big, fancy tools.}


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This is the point we are at right now.  I need to go and fill all the gaps and nail holes with wood filler and touch up the paint and then paint the inside of the cabinets white.  I also need to weed through all my old dishes and organize everything.  That might be the biggest job of all.


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I'm super thrilled with the way it looks now!  I have plans to eventually paint all those yellow walls white and paint the lower cabinets navy blue.  That will come in time.  I'd also like to put some subway tile on the back splash and change the counter tops, but that, too, will come later.  One thing at a time. 

I'm hoping to have Part 2 of this post done by next weekend to show you what it looks like with everything finished and painted.  In fact, I'm excited to see what everything looks like all finished and painted myself.  I'm always amazed by the big difference that you can make with a few bucks and a little bit of creativity.  I'd love too hear about your favorite creative home projects.  Leave a comment and give me some more great ideas!

You can now see the finished project in Post 2 HERE!



UPDATE:  Come see what the kitchen looks like today after changing the color of the lower cabinets and countertops!!

4.25.2013

Drive It Home: My Thoughts on Teen Driving Safety


I have a beautiful daughter named Sydney.  In my mind she will forever be eight years old -- innocent, sheltered, and dependent on me.


But the truth is, she'll be 15 in a couple of months.  That's a mere 14 months away from dating {we're pretty strict} and -GASP!- driving.  She reminds me almost daily that she can get her learner's permit in 8 months.  8 MONTHS, people!  Where has the time gone?

I mean, I know kids grow up.  I have worked with the teenage girls at church for 7 years now.  I've seen lots of sweet little girls turn into beautiful, independent young ladies who -GASP!- drive themselves places.  It never gets less shocking to see one of "my girls" behind the wheel of a car.  I never, EVER considered the possibility of it happening to my Sydney.  And yet here we are.

The prospect of having a teen driver in the house is equal parts exciting and terrifying.  Having someone to run to the store for me or do other little errands?  Awesome.  Not having to chauffeur my children absolutely everywhere?  Awesome.  My kid -- that little girl in the pretty white dress -- out on the road operating a motor vehicle in traffic? Almost too scary to think about.

I attended a Drive It Home event sponsored by the Allstate Foundation and the National Safety Council last week with a few friends of mine to learn what we can do better to keep our teen drivers safe.  Besides being super fun . . .


. . . it was really informative.  Did you know:
  • The first year after getting their license is one of the most dangerous years of your child's life.
  • Inexperience is the #1 cause of all teen driving accidents, not risk-taking or distractions. {Though those are both contributing factors, too.}
  • The odds of getting into an accident increase exponentially for every young passenger in the car. {Kids are about 40% more likely to get in an accident with one teen passenger, 200% more likely with 2 teen passengers, and 400% more likely with 3 teen passengers.}
  • As parents we need to model better driving behavior for our children, such as turning off our cell phones when we get behind the wheel and always wearing seat belts.
  • The state minimum requirements to get a driver's license are simply not enough.  We need to spend more time in the car with our teen drivers coaching them, especially in higher risk situations like nighttime driving and driving with passengers. {According to a study done by the Allstate Foundation, 52% of teen drivers here in Arizona wish their parents had spent more time teaching them to drive in demanding situations.}
  • Parents should spend at least 30 minutes a week driving with their teen AFTER they get their license to continue training and monitor their progress.
I don't know why it had never occurred to me before that I should also talk with the parents of my kids' friends to make sure we were all on the same page about our expectations for our teen drivers.  We will have the rule that Sydney cannot drive with teen passengers for however long we decide after she gets her license, but her friends and their parents need to also know that we don't want Sydney riding with their kids either for that time.  Just for a while.  Just until we really feel like they are a little more skilled.

I know that's not a guarantee that my kid will be safe.  There's no guarantee that my kid will be safe, but I can do my part help out and so can you.  These Drive It Home events are happening in 14 cities across the US, but don't worry if you can't make it out to a live show.  On the Drive It Home website you will find lots of really great information and videos to share with your teen driver, like this one:



While I'm still wary about my baby girl getting behind the wheel of a car, I feel more confident after attending the Drive It Home show.  I feel like I am more knowledgeable about what I need to do as a parent to help my kids become successful drivers in the next few years.  Do you have kids who drive?  What did you do to prepare them? Leave a comment and share your wisdom!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

4.24.2013

DIY Cloth Napkins and Napkin Rings
{How to Sew Perfect Mitered Corners!}



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I know I'm not the only person in the world who likes a well-set table, but I'm certainly the only person in my family.  For years my husband has tried to train me out of my "fanciness".  To be fair, I'm a pretty simple girl.  I like matching plates and cups.  White serving platters and bowls.  A tablecloth and cloth napkins on Sundays and special occasions.  He would prefer that we eat off of paper plates every night and serve food from the pan it was cooked in.  That's because I do almost all the cooking and he and the kids almost always do the dishes.  The more I dirty up, the more there is to clean afterward.  Soup looks really nice in a white ceramic tureen, but it tastes exactly the same so why dirty up a whole 'nother dish when you could just put the soup pot on the table?! 

They have me mostly converted, but guess what's right around the corner . . . MOTHER'S DAY!  My family usually makes me a really nice breakfast on Mother's Day and they do it up right -- just like I like it.  With that in mind, I decided to take some pretty fabric and sew up a new set of napkins and napkin rings for them.

Side story -- I had to order some supplies and stuff online for girls camp and Etsy orders and I figured out that I was about 1 yard of fabric away from qualifying for free shipping on the website.  Since the total cost was going to be the same either way, I was all like, "Hey, free fabric", and I added this awesome Amy Butler laurel dots to my cart.  I love it when that happens!

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Anyway -- making cloth napkins isn't a super exciting project.  You just cut a square of fabric {mine was 18" on each side} and make a narrow hem all the way around to finish the edges.  BUT!  I have learned the EASIEST way to sew PERFECT MITERED CORNERS every time, and this is just the project to practice on.  You'll have 4 mitered corners per napkin and, what, like 4-8 napkins per set?  You'll be a pro by the time you're done.

First things first, you'll be able to get 4 18-inch napkins per yard of fabric so decide how many you want before you go buy fabric.  I wanted a set of 8 so I made four out of one print and 4 more out of a coordinating print.  Cut the fabric into 18" squares.

STEP 1: Begin by placing the fabric wrong-side up on your ironing board and press down  1/4 – 1/2 inch of all four sides. Double it to fold those edges in on themselves again and press another 1/4 – 1/2 inch on top of each.
Unfold the folds you just pressed and this is what you'll have:

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Pretend those blue lines are your pressed fold lines.  {I'm a lazy sew-er so I hardly ever press even though my mom taught me better than that.  Love ya' mom!}Fold the corner in at a 45-degree angle right at the spot where line 2 intersects at the corner and press in place.  Trim off the extra little corner of fabric, just like in the photo.

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STEP 2:  Refold the folds you pressed in step 1 along one edge and pin in place. Do the same thing for the adjacent edge:

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Step 3:  Repeat for all four corners.  Stitch all the way around the edge of your square with your sewing machine using a 1/4 seam allowance.

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Voila!  A perfect mitered corner!  Since I already had my sewing machine out, I decided to whip up some coordinating napkin rings out of grosgrain ribbon.  I used about 7" of ribbon and one ribbon slide for each.

 
Feed one end of your ribbon through the ribbon slide.  Fold it over about 1-1/4" and pin in place.

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Sew straight down the edge of the ribbon to hold it in place.

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I cut the opposite end of the ribbon at an angle and used a q-tip to dab a tiny bit of Mod Podge along the cut edge to seal it.  You could use fray check or any kind of glue that dries clear.  You just don't want your ribbon to unravel with use.   Wrap the ribbon around your cloth napkin, feed the loose end through the ribbon slide and pull it tight.

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I really like the fun pop of color and the little extra prettiness it gives the place setting.  So tell me -- are you a "fancy", cloth napkins kind of girl or are you a the-simpler-the-better type?  I'm curious who I'm talking to out there. . .

For other easy sewing project ideas check out my Favorite Projects!

I'll be linking up here:

4.23.2013

A Week's Worth of Amazing Casseroles
{with Country Crock!}

 

What is your family's take on casseroles?  I find that you either love 'em or you hate 'em.  A friend of mine told me once that she served a casserole to her family and they looked at her dumbfounded, waiting for the rest of their meal.  She had to explain to them that the meat and the vegetables and the bread-y stuff were all mixed together in one dish and assure them that it would taste delicious, even if it didn't look like it.

I was raised on casseroles so I love them!  Now they're my go-to family dinner favorites -- the recipes that I know will be easy and make my whole family happy.  When I think of comfort food, I'm usually thinking of casseroles with all their warm, cheesy, yumminess.  When I was growing up, my mom used to make what we called "Dump Casserole".  An unfortunate name, but such a delightful food.  It was basically chicken and rice in a creamy sauce with any leftover veggies from previous nights' dinners dumped in and cooked on up.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it!  She also regularly made Tamale Casserole, which was another family favorite.  It had chunks of cut-up tamales, elbow macaroni and cubes of cheese melted in a yummy tomato sauce.  We ate it with slices of white bread and butter. 

One of my favorite things about casseroles is that I can usually throw them together earlier in the day and save them in the fridge.  Then, when dinner time comes around and we're still up to our eyeballs in homework, I just have to stick it in the oven and dinner finishes preparing itself.  They're also super budget-friendly.  Don't tell my family, but I usually use half as much meat as the recipe calls for and just double the veggies to make up the difference.  They won't ever know and they leave the table perfectly satisfied.

So!  Are you a casserole-making super star?!  Country Crock would like to reward your domestic-diva-tude.  All you have to do is enter the Country Crock Stars contest by sharing a photo of you with your favorite casserole and explaining in 100 words or less how you demonstrate creativity and resourcefulness in the kitchen.  Easy cheesy!  You could win some really great prizes . . . you know you want to check it out .

To get your casserole-creativity flowing, here's a round-up of some of my favorite casserole recipes from all over the internet.  {Remember, you can replace the butter in any of these recipes with Country Crock!}

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casseroles, casserole recipes

Meatball Sub Casserole from Dishing with Leslie -- These are the most highly sought after leftovers in our house.  If you snooze, you lose!

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 Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole from Six Sisters' Stuff   -- we don't really care for tuna so this is how we choose to enjoy noodle casserole.

For more delicious dinner recipes {and tons more casseroles} follow my Yummy Things to Eat -- Dinner Edition board on Pinterest!


I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

4.22.2013

New Chalkboard Quote

My poor little chalkboard wall has been neglected since December.  Once I started decorating for Christmas I erased my Thanksgiving gratitude quote and hung a framed picture up there with a big chalk frame drawn around it.  You didn't see that here on the blog because it was kinda' blah-looking.  You FOR SURE didn't see how I took the framed picture down after Christmas and left the empty space up there for nearly four months.  It's shameful, really.  Today I am repenting and sharing another design to inspire the chalk artist in all of you. 
 

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I'm sure most of you are better than me, but I need a little nudge sometimes to remember to be grateful for what I do have on those days when it seems like all the world is conspiring against me.   Do you have those days or is it just me?  Maybe it's just in my nature to be grumpy.  Sometimes {lately} it's easy to find a million and one things to complain about, but much harder to recognize the blessings that surround me.  That's why I love this saying.  There is ALWAYS something to be grateful for.  Always, always!

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Every morning that I wake up in a cozy house and get my three healthy children off to a great school in a safe neighborhood and settle into my computer to make a little bit of money doing what I love to do is a miracle.  A MIRACLE!  Every day that my husband wakes up and still likes me and still wants to be married to me after 17 years of "me" is another miracle.  I'm surrounded by blessings -- every single day -- even in the midst of some of the most challenging circumstances I have ever been asked to endure.  Sometimes I just need a little kick in the pants to remember that.

Chalk art is the most fun, least stressful creative project in the world to me.  If I make a mistake it can be gone in 2 seconds.  If I hate it when it's finished I can just erase it and start over again and all I've lost is 20 cents worth of chalk.  I usually start by sketching out a design in my notebook as a jumping off point . . .

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. . . and letting the design take shape from there.  I've tried more structured ways of doing it, trying to design something up on the computer and then transfer it exactly to the wall, but that's not nearly as much fun.   And it usually doesn't turn out as well.  If you're looking for a way to de-stress and unwind at 1:00 in the morning when you can't sleep, I recommend getting yourself a chalkboard!

I'm so excited about the projects I have to share with you this week -- a delicious casserole recipe, a super-easy sewing project that will get you ready for mother's day brunch, my fears about having a soon-to-be-teen-driver in the house, and a {free!}kitchen cabinet mini-makeover.


That's not a picture of the finished makeover, I promise. I hope you'll come back to see the real deal!!  ALSO, mark your calendars for next week because I will be sharing a week's worth of projects to get you all ready for mother's day. 
 

Have a great day, friends.

I'll be linking up here:

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