Indoor "Garden" Party

Little Man invited some of his friends over for a play date today. Unfortunately, it is simply too hot here in South Florida for outdoor play right now, and it can be a bit boring for toddlers to play inside. So, I decided to have a little fun with it. The guests were asked to wear party attire (out of respect for their privacy the guests aren't in the pictures or their faces are hidden), I moved all the furniture out of the way and set up a kid-friendly Indoor "Garden" Party.

I don't think Little Man knew what to do with himself. He has never seen his house so topsy-turvy., but he liked it.

Here he is the morning of (in his mismatched jammies) enjoying the chaos. 

Just because the heat or rain or maybe even snow keeps you inside, it doesn't mean you have to settle for ordinary. I did my best to make a little play Utopia for them with what I had on hand...and at my parent's house. I set up a picnic table, reading area with books and a puzzle, a pillow pool, car mat area, crawl through bus and tunnel, teeter totter, tea set (one of the guests brought this for the party and it was a huge hit! It was a Leap Frog product, and if I had a girl, we would be getting one).  Fun was all around. 

The first guest was Skinny Latte Mommy's little Miss Cupcake. She and my Little Man are very good little friends. 

(Little Man really liked the tea set:)) 

Then we had to break for snack time. Skinny Latte Mommy brought a healthy, homemade snack for the kiddos...only four ingredients. Check out the recipe here. They are beautiful and I requested she leave a few behind for Little Man's snacking pleasure. 

Too bad these mommies never stop blogging and feed their kids, right? Haha! 

It was a lot of fun to do something different and unexpected. I think/hope everyone had a lovely time. I certainly did. 

Do you have any indoor play date ideas that you would like to share? I'd love to hear them! 

Yard Sales: Chic or Cheap?

I have lived my entire life mere miles from the sea and the richest island in the world. I live in southeast Florida, home to billionaires and beach bums alike. Let me tell you what SoFlo isn't really known for, but should be...yard sales. We have them every Saturday (weather permitting). It is such common practice that most of the people I know occasionally or regularly go out on Saturday mornings looking for a good buy. I have seen people that I know live like millionaires (I think they were but who really knows what's in someone else's bank account) at a yard sale. It's not really looked down on in my town. In fact, if someone tells you about the great deal they scored last weekend you should congratulate them (although secretly you grit your teeth because they got it and you chose to sleep in).

Here's the thing you should be aware of before you embark at 7:15AM on a Saturday: it's feast or famine. Seriously, I think I've gone out before without finding one thing, and then the next time I'm trying to cram it all into the back of my SUV. So, if at first you don't succeed....you know.

This past weekend was a feast:

Teeter Totter & Pop-up bus = 7.00 (But he didn't have the right change, so it ended up being 6.50)

Amazing Shoe Organizer = 15.00

Elmo (Little man loves Elmo) Potty training DVD .50

Total Cost $22.00

My shoes have never been so organized! (The heels didn't fit:( I have to go and buy three new pairs now, so I won't have empty spaces, right?)

 I decided to go around the house and snap a few pictures of some of my previous yard sale finds. The prices may be a little off, because I've had some of these things for years:

This little rocking chair just needed a fresh coat of paint. 

 

This huge (probably close to 3ft. wide), decorative bird cage had a little damage. Nothing a wreath couldn't hide:)

(We used this as a prop in Little Man's newborn pictures)

Also, I have had really great luck on Craigslist and local Facebook yard sale sites.

I like to buy toys this way because I never know what my little guy will play with and I hate wasting money on a toy that sits in the bin. My standard way of cleaning (sterilizing) these toys is with rubbing alcohol. I also you hot, soapy water, but almost always rubbing alcohol.

Cheap or Chic depends on your point of view, but I think they can be economically chic. Enjoy the treasure hunting, folks! 

DIY Bench Upcycle

I found this little forsaken bench in the trash (I am not a dumpster diver, but it was right there beside my car). I stuck it in the garage and forgot about it for a while. At long last, I finally started redecorating the master bedroom (that post will be coming along in a while) and this little bench got a new lease on life.

First, I sanded the sad little skeleton of the bench.





Then I used RUST-OLEUM's Flat White Spray Paint Primer. I hate painting, and if I can cheat by using a spray paint primer, I will! Unfortunately, I forgot to take picture of the primed and later painted bench. Since I didn't need very much paint, I cheaped out and bought a sample size of Valspar's Sparkling Sage 5005-3B paint. I had plenty left over.

I went to Lowe's with the exact measurements of the piece and they cut plywood to fit perfectly for me. Next, I needed fabric and foam....a trip to JoAnns. Yay! I placed the board over the foam and traced my outline with a Sharpie.

The best/easiest/exactest (that is a word) way to cut foam is with an electric knife. You get the nicest lines. 

Then I hot glued my foam and board together...just in case.

 I covered the board with my freshly ironed fabric and flipped the whole thing over. I had to take a lot of time to make sure everything was lined up perfectly since (silly me) I used a striped pattern. I hot glued the fabric down at first and then stapled over, but after a while I skipped the glue and just used the staple gun for everything. And, no, it's not very pretty, but hopefully nobody will ever come into the house and turn my furniture upside down. 

The corners were rather tricky, and I don't have any perfect way of doing it. I just tried folding and refolding until I got the look I wanted. 

After I was done with the fabric, I put the bottom part back on by drilling pilot holes with a drill and using wood screws to attach the two pieces.

Viola! I couldn't have been happier with the fabric I chose. It coordinates perfectly with the floral bedding I have, and I am already planning on acquiring more of the fabric for throw pillows.

What's In My Bag?

Do you read US Weekly Magazine? It's my favorite celebrity magazine. Although, since my little guy came along, I rarely see one. They have a section where a celebrity shows What's In My Bag, and they artistically "dump" the contents of their purse. Well, this is sort of like that, except I would have to go and buy pretty, perfect new versions of my favorite things, and artfully arrange everything, and get the proper lighting, etc.. It seems like a lot of work when I'm not fooling you or anyone else for that matter. My purse looks like a war zone. So, I'll simply list the things that help this mommy keep her sanity.

1.  Shredded Cheese - Seems weird right? My little man loves cheese, and has from early on. I worried about him choking on cheese, until one day I put a pile of shredded cheese on his tray. We haven't looked back since. 
2.   Multiple "Lovies" - My dear friend brought a little Sock Monkey "Lovie" to the hospital when Little Man was born. When we realized this would be his little companion throughout babyhood, I went to the store and bought three more: one for home, one for the car, one for nana & papaw's house and one for just in case. It has made life so much easier!
3.  Organic Lollipops - Now that Little Man is old enough to eat one the without sticky drool draining down his chin to his arm to his hand to everything nice I own, they are a life saver. Examples: Long lines, waiting rooms, lengthy car rides, etc.
4.  Disposable, Adhesive Place Mats - You can find them all over, but Walmart has them. There are 10 to a pack. I put one down when we go to restaurants and I don't have to worry about him licking the table where another germ infested toddler has just done the exact same thing in the exact same spot.
5.  NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer - this one's for you! Recently my friend let me try her eye brightener (just once) and I was hooked. Goodbye haggard dark circles and bags brought on from being awake all hours with your bundle of joy. Hello bright eyes! This is by far the most expensive thing on my single item, and by far the most expensive make-up I've ever owned, but oh so worth it. 
6.  Antibacterial Wipes - You already know this, but being a germaphobe, they help me stay sane. I use them everywhere! Literally! 
7.  Count 1 to 10 App - Little man went from jabbering random numbers here and there at 22 months to counting one through 10 all by himself at 23 months! There are two particular games: the Number Pop Game and the Count Along Game. Seriously, it's great!
8.  Emerald Cocoa Roasted Almonds - another one for you! A guilt free, quick snack (because going out for a leisurely lunch with your girlfriends isn't an option anymore) you can grab on the go. They taste like candy. Even my hubby likes them, and he does NOT like almonds. 
9. Aquaphor - Use this for lots of things: diaper rash, chapped lips, dry skin... (Soapbox Alert) As a former wound care nurse, I hate Neopsorin. Almost everyone knows that you shouldn't use Peroxide anymore (unless it's a really dirty wound) because it is so caustic it kills the good cells along with the bad. Well, Neopsorin does the same thing, plus it dries out the wound. Letting something "dry out" and scab over is not the best way to heal anything. Studies show that scabbing leaves more scars and takes longer to heal. So, if Little Man gets a boo-boo (and it looks clean) I put Aquaphor on it to keep it moist and cover with a Band-aid. Viola! It is magic on my dry hands too.
10. Date Night - Now I know this doesn't fit in a bag, and not everyone is blessed by having grandparents close by, but if you can manage it, it is so important. I was whining to my BFF a while ago about never getting/making time with my hubby since we were always with our son, and she said basically this, "You and he will always love your son, but you may not always love each other. You have to make the time." She is wise beyond her years (you know who you are). There are two things that must be done with great advice. First, you listen to it (we are going to dinner and the new TMNT movie this weekend), and you must pass it on (I just did). 

So, now I want to know, what's in your bag?

William's Nautical Bathroom, Part 2

The process for redecorating our little guy's bathroom from shabby chic (before he was a member of the household) to a more masculine motif has been a fun, if somewhat long, process. A big thanks to everyone who voted for their favorite decal to finish up William's bathroom. (To see Part 1 of the redo click here ) The majority of you voted for "A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor." You can see the results below.

 Option A from https://www.etsy.com/shop/OldBarnRescueCompany?ref=l2-shopheader-name
Option B fromhttps://www.etsy.com/shop/openheartcreations?ref=l2-shopheader-name
Option C from  https://www.etsy.com/shop/WelcomingWalls?ref=l2-shopheader-name
While C was my favorite option too, I just didn't care for the design style as much as I did for A. So, I contacted Adonna over at OldBarnRescueCompany, and explained that I loved their style, but they didn't have the phrase I wanted. She was so helpful, and sent me three different customized options to choose from right away. Seriously, I cannot say enough good things about her or her Etsy shop (click here to visit).

I eagerly awaited my decal, and when it arrived, I could not have been happier! It was perfect! It came with detailed instructions, and a free "smile" sample for practice.

The first thing to do is measure the decal (mine was 51in.) and center it on the wall. Painter's tape is very helpful for that part. Since my decal was so big and going up so high, this was easier said than done. Thankfully, OldBarnRescueCompany included those detailed how-to instructions, and they also have an online video tutorial. 

Once you have it in place, run a piece of painter's tape down the middle section of your decal. 

Pull one side towards you and peel the backing off...carefully. Once you have a big enough section, cut the backing off, and place the decal back on the wall. 

Then repeat the process on the opposite side. 

Rub the entire decal with a credit card to get it to adhere, and then slowly start to peel away the top layer...I found diagonally worked best for me. Since my decal was so long, after I peeled off a large section, I cut the paper away to make things easier to handle. 

TaDa! These decals are so beautifully made and there are so many color options to choose from, that they make the perfect personalizing touch for any room.

I am in love with my decal! It is exactly what I wanted. I  recommend you hop on over to look at OldBarnRescueCompany. They have so many wonderful products to choose from, and, as I found out, they are wonderful at creating beautiful custom pieces. And as if that isn't enough, they have graciously provided a 10% discount code for Family, Faith and DIY's followers. The code is SUMMER14, and it is valid through September 21st. Happy decaling!