Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: T-shirt Bib

Pointing fingers isn't really my jam. So I'll skip the pointing and just say... there are knit bibs retailing for upwards of $25.00! Choke. Choke. Gasp. Gasp. Yes, they're organic, super soft and have great prints, but if you're anything like me, you can't afford that. Why not make your own knit bandana bibs? It's really easy and will take you less than 30 minutes to make two!

Here's what you'll need:

1 old t-shirt

scissors

marker or pencil

ruler

sewing machine

Serge your raw edges or finish with a zigzag stitch.

This is where it gets fun... feel free to embellish your bibs with fun stitches. I used a neon green thread to create a graphic element on one of the bibs I made.

Here's my proverbial beef with selling bibs that have serge finishes - they fray! Easily. For this very reason, I went back over my ends with a straight stitch, as seen below.

 Bam! you're done. Easy huh? And look at how cute...

Y'all, that's two bibs for 66 cents and about 30 minutes of my time. You just can't beat that kind of return. And if you're wondering what I'm doing with the rest of the t-shirt - think dust cloths and bathroom cloths to clean up my counters every couple of days. (So much better than using a towel or washcloth every time.) Waste not, want not. xo

Happy Fringe-day!

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My inner hippie is dying over Spring's fringed edges. Leather, suede, raffia, cotton... I don't care. I love it all. It seems to be the perfect accent for accessories this season. And just the slightest bit of quirkiness to be paired with simple spring dresses and denim cut-offs. Am I alone in my fringe love-fest? Who's with me?

Happy Fringe-day! Enjoy your weekend. xo

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Sweater Weather

Let's all breathe a collective sigh of relief... Spring is here and warmer temps are nipping at Winter's booted heels. Here are a few things that I'm looking forward to as the weather warms up.

silky, flowy dresses - easy on. no thought required. boots or sandals. A good dress can take you a million miles.

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simple classics and sandles - yes. i am a huge berk fan. and i love this look. It couldn't be easier to duplicate and add your own twist.

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(sources unknown)

gold bangles - they're a staple for me. in the winter, they're hindered by by sleeves and layers. They add just the right amount of sparkle day or night.

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calf-length skirts - a great pick for mommies. especially one like me with a little more cheese on my thighs than i'd like. And I love that you can sit on the floor without fear of flashing anyone.

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Ladies, get out your razors and self-tanners... xo

top image via aleyncomprendio

More Amour

Valentine's is just around the corner and I thought I'd give us all a little jumpstart with a Friday DIY! You down? Ok then... grab your fabric paints and let get this party started.

I have loved the Creme de la Creme sweatshirt ever since I saw Miss Atlantic-Pacific rock it a year or so ago. It's so fun and basic all at the same time. And that's pretty much how I like all of my clothes - fun and basic. But no matter how much I love this sweatshirt, I'm not paying almost $200 for it. Sorry.

I came across a basic Hanes sweatshirt in grey at the thrift store not long ago and I was thinking it needed a little pick me up. Inspired by the upcoming holiday celebrating love, I thought "More Amour" would be the perfect phrase to give my sweatshirt that certain extra something - je ne sais quoi.

Materials Needed:

fabric paint

letters/stamps (I'm using foam letters from the Dollar Tree)

brayer

flat surface (I use the glass from an old picture frame)

ruler

disappearing ink

small paint brush

step 1: mark your lines for your words

step 2: roll out your paint onto your flat surface with your brayer

step 3: paint each letter with the brayer and stamp it onto your sweatshirt

step 4: with a paintbrush, fill in any areas within your applied letters that didn't get enough paint

step 5: heat set your paint by ironing

So easy right? I can't wait to rock this over the weekend with some ripped jeans or cargo pants. And since it's the weekend, I'll have to pair it with some cute trainers or chucks too. Maybe I'll add a little sparkle the closer it get's to Valentine's Day.

Happy Weekend Homies. How would you rock this sweatshirt? xo

New Year's Eve Party Style

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How will you ring in the New Year? Bold touches of gold? Understated gold? Or with a touch of Gatsby glamour? (I've got a mad crush on that little gold leaf semi-crown.)

For me, there must be touches of bling somewhere. Even if I'm running after littles with champagne glass in hand. Bring on the bounce house and glow sticks baby! We're gonna bounce like it's 1999. xo

Ice Ice Baby

Apparently it's so cold and icy in Dallas that everyone needs to stock up on enough bread to last them a lifetime because all the local stores are sold out. There's an ice storm strollin' thru Dallas and people have lost their ever lovin' minds. Me? I'm gonna stay inside with my boys (because school is cancelled) and craft the day away while drinking hot cocoa and donning marshmallow mustaches. If I were to get out... I'd rock one of these warm and fuzzy frocks...

Oh yeah, I like fur and I ain't scared. Sorry PETA. Stay warm homies and have a cozy weekend. xo

red nails via design love fest

nicole richie via they all hate us

hoodie and fur via whaleboat

Beautiful Nails... In Minutes.

As the holidays quickly approach - hello Thursday! - and we rush about to get things cooked, cleaned and make ourselves presentable, the nails usually get the shaft. Well, they do for this Momma. Who has time to wait for polish to dry? Ain't nobody got time for that... I honestly think that's what keeps me from painting them most of the time - well, that and the chipping from loads of dish washing and laundry. But lately I've been so compelled to add a little color to my tips, especially after seeing these inspiring images over at A Cup of Jo...

oxblood red... i die.

How can you not paint your nails after seeing these inspiring images? Stunning right? I set out to find some polish that fit my personal criteria - inexpensive, good color and dries fast. The trifecta. Y'all, I found it. For just two bucks a bottle, NYC (New York Color) delivers. Big time.

My favorite colors for Fall and Winter are Manhattan (oxblood red - above) and Sidewalkers (grey). Park Ave is pretty amazing too. And they dry in quite literally a New York minute. I can paint my nails, type a quick email and before you know it, I'm back to saving the world one banged-up knee or challenging math problem at a time. [Mommy Problems]

Do you paint your nails? If so, what's your go to color? xo

Can I Call BS?

I'm not the best when it comes to styling hair, but I do know my way around a curler, flat iron and blow dryer. So when I see pins or blog post titles that read, "Easy Pony" or "5 Easy Weekend Hairstyles" and I can't master them to save my life... it's time to call BS. Like the style above, what about it is easy? That it's somewhat messy? That it's a ponytail versus a grand blowout or updo? Is "easy" classified as doable in just 30-45 minutes? Can someone please help me define "easy" because I'm pretty sure the only "easy" style for me these days is a hat.

via they all hate us

 via love, blair

via habotai

I think I need detachable arms, like this girl, to pull any of these off. Clearly I've got hair issues and love a good messy updo. xo

ps - i need a personal hair stylist

pps - why does my hair always look like i've gone through a wind tunnel? (fly-aways for days)

Texas Forever

We're Texans, not by birth, but by claim. A friend of ours recently had an official Texas ho-down complete with bar-b-q, hay bales, barn dancin' and sawdust covered floors. There was also a sea of boots, denim and pearl snaps. Texas Forever! xo

A Little Can Go A Long Way

Let's talk labels. It's not something I do very often because quite frankly, I could give a rat's. But when it comes to thrift shopping, labels matter. Why? Because if it's a good label, you know it's well made. If you're under 30, chances are you may not know some of these labels... bare with me. Adrienne Vittadini. Brooks Brothers. Department Store Brands like Gianni Bini and Antonio Melani. Or the basics like Banana Republic. When an item is made well, it generally last for a long time. And when it comes to tailored items, I'm always willing to spend a bit more if the label is good.

My girlfriend Rachel and I went shopping for Fall goodies a few weeks back and she hit the mother load. Four pairs of shoes, one tote bag, two shirts, three sweaters, one pair of shorts, one skirt, one dress and three jackets. She almost walked away from two of the jackets, but I convinced her to do otherwise. (I think my exact words were something along the lines of, "if you don't get these jackets, you're crazy!") It all came down to price. Doesn't it always? And here's where you have to think it through, if the item is well made and a classic then you should put back a few trendy items instead of the classic. Trust me on this. A jacket or a pair of shoes that can be worn several times and spiced up a million different ways will always get you more milage than a trendy tee or skirt. Always!

(y'all, I almost cried when these boots weren't my size. they don't look like much here, but they are amazing on.)

You want to try and guess her total for all this? Go ahead. I dare you... A whopping $75.00. That's right. She basically got her Fall wardrobe for under 100 bucks. You guys, there are deals to be had out there. Check out your local Salvation Army or Goodwill stores. Check out resale shops of all kinds - I love Buffalo Exchange, but there are also some really great jackets and shoes at some of the "older lady" shops to be had for a steal. Give it a try and if your first few attempts are failures, don't give up. They get in new stuff daily. xo

(Side note - it's always good to go thrifting with a friend who wears different sizes or has a slightly different aesthetic than you. This prevents garment hiding and hanger beatings in the stores. It also preserves the friendship. You can actually shop for your friend and yourself at the same time - teamwork.)

Thrifty Fall Finds

Let me ask you... Did you know that thrift stores have sales and markdowns? I know. It's like having cake and ice cream. Some thrift stores offer certain colored tags at a percentage off. Meaning, each item with that particular color tag is 30, 40, or 50% off that day. Some, like my favorite, mark down items that don't sell quickly. The other day my girlfriend and I went shopping for Fall. You guys, we totally scored! I spent $25.00 and got 2 jeans, 2 pants, 1 shirt, 1 bag and 1 pair of boots. My girlfriend spent $75.00 and got her entire Fall wardrobe. (I'll show you her amazing finds later.)

This vintage tote was $1.41. It can be a tote or snap up to be more like a clutch.

Jeans were marked down, half-price. And this was a first, after washing the gray boyfriend jeans I found a dollar shoved deep in the front pocket. What? Now that's a deal! Paisley pants were marked down to $1.01 and those amazing fully lined tweed pants that fit like a glove... $3.43.

These amazing boots were just $6.76. This may sound ridiculous but I almost put them back because I thought they were $9.79. I know. But my capper on clothing is $7.00 at the thrift stores unless it's just insanely amazing.

The deals are out there to be had, that's for sure. Y'all there is no reason to spend beyond your budget or pay $75.00 for a pair of pants or jeans. This is recycling at it's best. Think outside the box and don't be afraid to get elbow deep in those racks. 

What's the best deal you've ever gotten? xo