christma diy

This weekend me and the girls w a need to do some Christmas diys. We started with these.  These are dollar tree diys. We bought foam cones and cut them to different tight. Then we took pushpins we did silver gold and one tree we did silver and gold and we push them in overlapping them to cover all the styrofoam and to hold each other and if there were ones that wouldn't stick and good I'd put a tiny dot of hot glue underneath to make sure that they were secure. I love how these came out! it took about a pack and a half of push pins for the largest tree.

 then we made a few fun little snow terrariums.

 I took old candle jars and glued flat glass marbles to them for a bit fancier candle holders. 

this was the most expensive one the jar with the phone $4.00 at Walmart.  For the little trees and animals if we didn't have them on hand we went to Menards they had the biggest selection and reasonable prices it was about $2 per package trees and $1 to $2 per animal

 just whenever already on the horse and we got a glass container and a candlestick from the Dollar Tree and glue them together with E 6000

 we already on to this container the little house was from the Dollar Tree the raccoons in the garbage cans were from Menards and we use Epsom salt for all the snow.

I got a few more foam cones from the Dollar Tree and I had these beads that I got years ago for Christmas at the Dollar Tree I took them and hot glued them around the cones just for something a little shiny

I have this little window type area between the kitchen and the living room and on one side of it I have the stockings hanging and I decided to decorate inside the little window I hung snowflakes and ornaments on a fishing line and then I put my little cone and a couple came beholder and on the other side (the living room side )is where our stockings are hanging

I hope you enjoy it and if you try any of these let me know. 

smitten adent calendar.

It is done!!  I finished knitting all 24 mittens and crocheted the cord to hold it.

I had bought yarn for the project then thought"duh what am I doing "and used scraps from the stash.

 I still need to hang numbers on them. I also don't think this is where it's going to stay but I wanted to hang it up and see how it looks.

 I will do another post when I decide what I'm going to fill them with. Hope you guys are having a great day.  Off to  figure out dinner.

current knitting project..

I had to share my new projet with you guys because I am obsessed.  I have wanted to knit a advent calendar for years.  Nicholas was digging through options online yesterday and this one won. It is just so stinking cute. 

You can find the pattern here.  It's a free bee and I am just using left over yarn and am almost done with my 6th. I started last night after dinner and its afternoon before my kids are even home...and I did my chores I have not neglected everything else (even though we all know I wanted to). These fit max just to give you a idea of the size. 

I will keep you posted on the progress. But I can't wait to use this and buy little goodes to fill it for my kiddos. I am off to try to sneak in the rest of this mitten before max wakes up. Don't for get to enter my giveaway.  The products areawesome. 

oragnizing and protecting my ornaments

 I have been taking tons of picture and have tons of ideas for posts to share with you guys but I have a high maintenance little boy on my hands.  He currently has rsv and is sick because a coworkers children kept coughing on him last week!!!  I am a FIRM  believer in teaching your kids to cough and sneeze into their elbow (no one wants your germs people) So now this is what I have beside me at the very second in my bed. 

One thing I wanted to share with you guys is how a reorganized storing my christmas ornaments. I have been doing some hard core down sizing and reorganizing around here to help streamline things.  This was one project I wanted to get done. I normally wrap them all in tissue paper and it is a hot mess to deal with.  This year I grabbed a few apple boxes from my hyvee and cut them into pieces and hot glued clear cups onto them.  I stored all the smaller breakable ones on one

 Then stacked some of the non breakable flat ones on top

 then I had two peices of box left and I used these for the taller ones that are higher then the cups.

 I then stacked the other piece on top to protect these

After that i had a few pieces from inside the apple boxes and I used them for some of the bulbs and less breakable ornaments.

 Stacked the other on top.

 I stacked the cup/ cardboard pieces first then the apple box pieces this helps protect them more. 

It worked out soo well it was prefect.  I have them all in there safe and sound.

best drugstore bold red lips.

 I was never a red lip girl until last fall.  I didn't think I could pull it off and it didn't look good on me.  Until I found one red lip I loved last year and I never looked back.  The great thing about a beautiful red lip is you can put on minimal other makeup some mascara and a eyeliner and you look chic and pulled together.  I have found some great drug store lipsticks that look great on everyone of all skin tones make your teeth look nice and white and there is one to fit in anyones budget.

Revlon lip butter in red velvet: it is shiny smooth and moisturizing slightly darker red. L'Oreal infallible in refined ruby: long lasting great not overly drying red lip with more of a satin/matte finish. Revlon color burst matte balm in stand out: This is a great matte long lasting nondrying lip it is a new fav.  But a great even cheaper alternative is elf matte lip color in rich red it is dirt cheap easier to apply and wears just about as well in my opinion and the remmil show off in big bang.  This is a liquid lipstick so it feels more like a gloss but is super pigmented and long lasting. On the end is a must for all bold lips a elf lip lock pencil you trace the outside of your lip and it helps prevent feathering or smudging also don't forget to exfoliate before applying my fav is the elf lip exfoliator.  It is awesome

In these pics I am wearing the revlon color burst matte balm.

 Now for those of you who just a not a red fan here is a few other great bold lip options I love.

Revlon fuchsia a great bright pink lip, wet and wild 908c (dupe for mac rebel) I love this but can be drying to balm before hand or after.  wet and wild black orchid not the longest wearing but nothing a good lipliner can't help and it is a great vampy color.

I hope you give a bold lip a try and find a option you love in here :)

Weekend fun:campfire movie night/beauty and the beast/practice run 4th of july nails

We have had quiet the busy weekend and end of the week.  We had family over and all kinds of fun things going on.  I thought I would share some of the goings on with you guys.

First this happened!!!  Yup the crib came.  My hubby put it up and I will share more of that later this week I will do a update on max's nursery.  

My sis and calvin came down.  (my nephew)  We had a neighborhood movie night with my fav neighbors.  My neighbors kids were in town and they set up a projector so we watched up on the side of the garage and havw a bonfire.

 Here is a pic of fire monster and calvin watching the movie.

 Here they are all lined up while Pat lights the fire pit!

Here are a few fun pics of great moments in the movie.

 Love this..

So fun.

Who wouldn't love a movie night bonfire!

Even the baby bump got in on the action.

 Next day we went swimming and had monkey butts performance of disneys beauty and the beast.  Calvin loved every minute.  She is so proud and did such a great job.

 Here they are with the stars of the show belle and the prince.  (calvin was a little bit star struck) 

 My sis left last night taking calvin and fire monster with her (I already miss my little snuggle bug no matter how much of a trouble maker can be, she can be just as sweet)  

 Monkey butt, the hubby, and I got up early.  I made french toast we did a few chores and I thought me and monkey butt could use some practice run 4th of july nails.  So we ran to get a few good blue nail polishes and saw this at walmart!

Fun new cheapo nail art.  We are going to try some out and I will give a review.  Here is our first attempt nail art for 4th of july.

mine (should have grabbed some sally hanson nail strips at the store but clearly got distracted!)

 Here is monkey butts..

 Now monkey butt is at her last performance of beauty and the beast, then is heading off with her dad and grandparents for the week.  Yes that is right I have a few days with no kids!!!  No, I don't know what to do with my self.  At the moment my hubby is at work and I am taking a minute to relax catch you guys up on the weekend fun (while watching the help on showtime ;) I hope you guys are having a great weekend.  I am going to grab some lunch.

7 cute easy 4th of july nail designs.

 Since it is mani monday and 4th of july is just around the corner I thought it would be a great time to share some cute nail ideas for festive 4th of july nails.  I have been saving these babies up for a long time!!  So here we go.

1.  This is super easy and super cute.  It just has a sparkly silver on pointer fingers, middle and ring have blue with silver polka dots, and thumb and pinky are red with white horizontal stripes.   Fun, sparkly, and patriotic.

 2.  Have you seen a cuter patriotic pedi then this??  I think not.  one foot is painted red with verticle white stripes and the other is blue with white stars.  All you need for the stars is a star hole punch you can find them in the scrap booking section of any store for like 1.00 and some painters tape.  :)  If you want to make the stripes extra perfect you can cut little strips of tape to put down and just paint over then peel off.

3.  This is super adorable too and would be great for kids nails.  It has a metallic blue with white polka dots over except for the accent nail is white with one sparkly red star.  

This one is fun and red white and blue but leans a bit on the nautical side so it is less in your face patriotic to where you could wear it more then just the 4th.  For the stripes they used sally hansons french mani stickers and cut them to size painted a heart and put a top coat over.  Easy breezy.

Now this last one is extra awesome because it is three for one and a video tutorial by the awesome jennfabulous.  They are all easy and cute as can be. 

 I forgot one and had to come back and add it.  It was too cute to skip so you get a bonus 8th ;).  This is another one that is more under stated you have red nails except the two accent nails which one is glittery and one is blue and white stripes with a red heart over easy clean and cute :)

Let me know if you try any of these I haven't decided which I will be sporting yet but I am excited for sure.

mani monday

Mani Monday and I am rocking some red holiday nails.  I put my usual orly bonder base coat then two coats of wet and wild mega last in I red a good book.  on my accent nails I did a little china glaze electrify and tapered the glitter a bit, then a quick coat of the best top coat in the world sally hanson insta dry top coat..

 

This is fun and pretty I love this shade of red.  I will probably redo them right before we leave for our Christmas with my side of the family on Friday :)  I hope everyone is having a good day.

5 ways to wrap like a boss!!!

Okay so I don't know about you guys but I love a pretty wrapped present but am sorta always at a loss as to what to do.  So I put together some great things that any of us can do.  So with out further ado here is 5 ways to wrap a present like a boss!

#1

This is super cute and by whipper berry.  It even has two ways for you guys :)  If you don't want to make pom poms (I don't know why I have a deep seeded hatred for making those things you could always hot glue some little flowers to the twig instead or tie on some mistle toe ;)

#2

For us who are bow making incompetents this is a great tutorial from Simply Julie to make curled bows from scraps of the wrapping paper (hello genius) Super cute right.

#3

This super cute tulle bow seems simple as they come and tulle is super cheap in those little rolls.  Well done Jerica @ its my blog :)

#4 

Good old Martha her self shows how to fold the wrapping paper to make a pocket for your card.  What hasn't' that women thought of?

#5

Katy at sweet verbena wrapped these and I think they are just adorable. Who doesn't love brown paper packages tied up in strings???

Hope this was helpful.  I am officially done shopping and can't wait to do some wrapping.  My monkey butt will be home shortly and I have to throw a bow in this guys soon !!  Can't wait to see her reaction.

I will try to tape it and share in next post :)