Quick & Easy Halloween Decor

Annnnddd we're back. You guys, I've been so busy launching Fresh Bib, I've totally neglected my first baby and her followers. I'm so sorry. So how have things been in blog world? Anything earth shattering that I need to know about? I trust you'll tell me if so.

So what have I been up to lately, besides working my tail off for Fresh BiB? Well, decorating the house for Fall/Halloween for one. I wasn't going to do a thing, but then my boys begged with little puppy dog eyes and I couldn't resist. Oddly, I have lost most of our halloween decor so I was forced to create a few new things. Inspired by where else but Pinterest? I created a few new banners that took me less than 30 minutes for both! I had some stiff felt in black and sticky back felt in white left over from some other craft projects; both were perfect for what I wanted to create.

A Beautiful Mess created this fun "Boo" banner a while back; I've always loved it and thought I'd finally try making my own...

Y'all, it was so easy. I simply cut the banner out of the sheet of stiff felt and punched holes in the corners for my yarn. Then I traced the word "BOO" onto the sticky back white felt, cut it out, peeled off the backing and stuck my letters onto the banner. Done!  How easy is that? The pumpkin and black cat cutouts above are actually old Halloween cards that my aunt sent my boys two years ago. Old cards are such a simple way to decorate. I perched these atop vintage spools, but they also look great framed.

Since our fireplace is in the boys' playroom, I wanted their decor to be playful, not scary! I'm not big on the scary side of Halloween. Plus, my boys have been having nightmares lately and are sleeping with their bedside lights on. This pacman garland from Minieco was perfect for them! Using my stiff felt, I traced circles (using chalk so that it would show up) and ghosts. After cutting out the triangle for pacman's mouth, I added googly eyes with my hot glue gun to the ghosts. The finishing touch...hot glueing my pieces to a string of bakers twine that I had on hand, followed by hanging above the fireplace, adorned with candles, owl, pipecleaner pumpkins and egg crate spiders. Done.

So easy right? Tell me, do you do the scary decor thing for Halloween? It's good to be back. I've missed y'all! xo

Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

I'm sure many of you have noticed my major neglect of this sweet blog. And several weeks ago I told you all that I promised once I was able to share with you guys, you'd see that it was totally worth it. Well, today is the day that I finally get to share the reason for my absence. I'm excited to introduce my Pure and Noble family to my new baby... Fresh BiB.

The hubs and I have spent the past four months developing and producing Fresh BiB and mercy it has been a lot of work. But so worth it. What is Fresh BiB, you ask? Well, we're a monthly subscription to one-of-a-kind designer bibs. And you thought diapers were the only things you could get delivered monthly! ha ha ha

We're not just a bib though... Our bandana bibs are 100% cotton, reversible, made in the USA, have snap closures and come in a reusable container. Oh, and the fabric design/print is a surprise each month. You never know what you're gonna get! (We think mommies deserve a few fun surprises - mixed in with some high-fives and hugs - each month for all the hard work they do every day.)

I hope you guys will stop by and say "hi"; I'd love to hear your thoughts. I can't even begin to tell you how excited we are and how much fun this has been to just get off the ground. Thank you all for hanging out and not dropping like flies while I've been gone. To show my deepest gratitude, I'd like to offer my Pure and Noble family a 20% discount for the rest of July. Check us out and enter promo code: FRAMILY20. xo

Just Say No

How old do you have to be before "addictions" are a concern? Up until a few days ago, I would have told you teenager for sure. I don't know why I thought that - naivety I guess. My oldest has sucked his thumb since he was about 2 weeks old or less. I'm pretty sure thumb sucking is an addiction. It's an action that soothes my son to sleep. And though he is almost nine, he still does it sometimes when he's really tired. So I looked up the definition of "addicted"; it reads, "physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance, and unable to stop..." The synonyms? "devoted, obsessed, fixated, dedicated, passionate, a slave to." Whoa! Hold on. A slave to? Yikes. I'm pretty sure God warns us about being a slave to anything other than Him, because only He is a good and perfect Master.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. If I were just talking about thumb sucking I wouldn't be so concerned. Shoot, even with my youngest I didn't care if he sucked his paci until college because I knew that would just never happen. As our littles grow up, those childhood habits tend to fall away. But the other night my son was in the restroom for almost an hour. (To be fair, he does take an unusually long time in there, but not that long.) I finally got up from the dinner table to check on him. I opened the door after a quick knock and his eyes darted up at me while he frantically tried to hide his phone. Before you get all upset and possibly judgmental at the idea of a 9 year old having a phone, allow me to explain. It's an old, old iphone that has been disabled in every way except music and games. It was given to him as a Christmas gift one year after being wiped clean and having child friendly learning games uploaded.

As we grew more and more comfortable with the "child friendly" games, he began to request other games like Angry Bird, Minecraft and Clash of Clans. After some research, I decided these games were just glorified Lego games. He got to create, build and strategize in order to play. Harmless right? One look at his fear of being caught and desperate attempt to hide, I knew we were dealing with something much bigger than just a "child friendly" game. My oldest is a rule follower. He loves to do the right thing and has a very tender heart. He began crying and asked if there would be discipline for his being on the phone without permission. (Our boys generally get around 15 - 30 minutes each day, but on this particular day he wasn't allowed to play.)

As we discussed the whys behind his choices, he told me something that was unbelievable hard to hear and so painful... With tears streaming down his cheeks he said, "Mommy, I just can't help it. I have to play. It's like I can't stop myself." How on earth had we gotten here? The games, the iphone, they all seemed so innocent. But for my sweet boy they had become an addition. Something that he was a slave to. These games that were supposed to be fun and a source of joy were robbing my sweet son of his freedom, obedience and joy. At that very moment I knew - NOT WORTH IT.

The ease that comes from allowing my boys to play on various devices freely while I get stuff done around the house or work on the new business. It's just not worth it. I want my boys to have joy and freedom that comes with being a child - the good stuff! That rush that you get when you go down a hill really fast on your bike - good stuff. Catching lightening bugs at dusk - good stuff. Getting to talk that extra 5-10 minutes after it's "lights out" - good stuff. Those are the joys of childhood. The things that actually make memories. I don't think any child is going to be reminiscing over that really epic time they had playing video games together.

So I have decided that this summer my boys are device free. And as far as it stands right now, we are device free for a very long time. (Yes, I will limit my time as well.) My job as a parent it to protect, nurture and teach. If my son doesn't feel freedom and safety in playing those games, I don't want anything to do with them. Now I am certainly not saying that this is the choice that every parent should make. Not at all. This is the right choice for us. And as if I needed further convincing, I stumbled upon this post from a Mom who wrote a lovely letter to her boys about why they too are device free. It spoke straight to my heart. Give it a read. You will be so glad you did. Either that, or you will hate me because you might be a tad bit convicted. Whatever the case, I'm diving in and choosing to engage with my boys this summer.

Hello Summer. Goodbye iphone. I'm off to make our Summer Bucket List. Happy Weekend. xo

Motherhood

It changed everything. That pink plus sign. My heart stopped and then it started beating quickly and moving it's way up my throat! I was going to be a Mom. No, not a "Mom." I was going to be someone's Mommy. That very moment is when the adventure of my life began.
Not every moment has been a gift, but the ups and downs have changed me for the better. Yes, there were (and still are) moments when I wanted to run for the hills - like the time I sat on a plane for 2.5 hours with a screaming toddler and didn't have the presence of mind to by my fellow travelers a round of drinks. Or when my newborn would sleep for a max of 30 minutes in between feedings for the first five weeks of his life and I thought I might hurt myself or my children. By God's grace, and with the help of community, I got through the really low lows. And for every difficult season there has been a wellspring of joy. The happiness that fills my home and my heart is like no other. From that first introduction followed by sweet baby smells and cuddles to the silly milestones of losing teeth and tying their own shoes... Mommyhood is a celebration of life. Life in it's purist simplest, hardest, rawest form.

I am a Mommy. I wipe bottoms. (Not anymore thank you sweet Jesus.) I wipe tears. I prepare lunches. I don't get much sleep. I am often a pack mule. I get 2-3 hours "off" on a good day. I rarely take vacations. And I LOVE IT. It is the best job in the world. I am so grateful for my little nuggets and the way they grow me. Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms out there. You are one seriously badass breed of people! Much love and mad props. xoxo

Last Minute DIY Mother's Day Gifts

Last Minute...that's how I roll. If you're anything like me, you need a quick and simple gift that you can give to all the amazing moms in your life. Here are links to a few of my faves.

1. Printable "Mom" crown. Who doesn't look for a reason to wear a crown? Mother's Day is perfect.
2. "Mom You Rock" painted rock, in a box. Yes, please. How adorable is this?
3. Fingerprint Pendant. With a little polymer clay and a thumb, or two, this would be a great gift. I'm thinking keychain with both boys' fingerprints (making a heart) for my Mom.
4. Paper flower in a box. Come on! I die. This one is perfect for every toddler out there. Listen up husbands! (Feel free to share this with your husbands since I am quite sure none of them read blogs.)

Happy soon to be Mother's Day to all you Mommies out there. It's the hardest job in the world with the greatest return (most days). ha ha ha. Love you all to the moon and back. xo

It's Coming... And We Need Your Help

My new line is launching soon and we are trying to get some cuties lined up for a photo shoot! If you live in the Dallas-Ft.Worth area and have littles between the ages of 3 months and 3 years... this is the shoot for you. The shoot will take place at our studio in Lake Highlands from 10am - 2pm. 

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It's gonna be a party with music, balloons and snacks too because we want your littles to have fun. The best part... you get a link to all the photos via SmugMug, where you can order really inexpensive prints for your whole family if you so desire. It's the perfect Father's Day gift. Will you and your littles come party with us? Email me for the address! xo

The Buff - Part 2

One more deal for you over at Brickyard Buffalo today. As Spring nips at the heels of Winter, we're all ready to shed some layers. The infinity scarf is the perfect accessory for your littles. Throw one on with a long sleeve tee to keep the last gusts of winter at bay during their afternoon play. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy! xo

The Lego Movie... Genius

For fear of spoiling the genius behind the Lego Movie, let me just stick to the reasons why you should GO See It! I won't bore you with the obvious, "it's funny" "it's clever" "your littles will love it" answers.  Y'all I was so pleasantly surprised. It wasn't at all what I expected. This movie teaches team work, creativity out the yang, thinking outside the box (which can be hard for me sometimes) and the importance of being a kid. The bonus... when my boys and their friends came home from the movie we had a mega epic Lego build. Everyone's ideas were valued. No idea was a bad idea. And, they worked together to create something amazing. 

Now, Lego's weren't officially dead in our house, but they weren't in my boys' top 10 play list either. And they love Legos. I'm so grateful that this movie has given them Lego fever again. When they are building and playing with Legos, I get a glimpse into them. How their brains work when there is complete freedom; no one watching, no one judging, no rules. I love that and it's so telling about who they are; their unique personalities and the many facets of each. Watching them, seeing what they've created and how they play with it... really really good stuff right there. Some might say, and they should, priceless.

If you haven't taken your littles to see this movie, like the rest of the entire country - it seems, you definitely should. It is so worth the overpriced seat and overpriced popcorn that has entirely too much fake butter dripping off every kernel. And you thought I was going to talk about Valentine's again today huh? xo

Last Minute Valentine's Gifts

My poor kitchen table has been covered in perler beads and craft supplies all week. And the craft heavens have opened - my boys are making all of their own Valentine gifts. Thank you Perler!!  Just in case you are a last minute mom, like myself, here's what we've done for my boys' classmates.

First let me tell you, I found the cutest Valentine monster cards at the Dollar Tree - no mushy stuff, just straight up "you're the coolest" sayings that would actually come from a boy's mouth. One package came with 30 cards, including 2 for teachers. They are the perfect size for attaching small gifts.

For the girls: barretts and rings

We made tiny little perler bead hearts and hot glued them onto inexpensive barretts (Dollar Tree) and metal rings from the craft store. (I bought the rings 2 years ago when they were on sale, but I had never done anything with them. This is starting to be a pattern huh?) Rings were attached to the cards with pipe cleaners.

For the boys: Minecraft Steve head and creeper head keychains. What else?

As you can see, we still have some creeper heads to make. The creeper head pattern can be found on Pinterest. You can find the Steve head there too, but my oldest made his from memory so they differ a bit from others I've seen online. We are attaching the "heads"to keyrings found at the crafts stores in bulk. My youngest made a few oversize hearts that we attached to some small carabiners I found at the Dollar Tree (4 for $1.00), and those work great for this craft as well.

All in all, I think our Valentine's ended up costing about 25-50 cents each. Best part - afternoons of busy bee crafting hands and zero candy.

Happy Crafting my little Valentine's. xo

NEW In the Shop

You guys... I'm so excited to share my new holiday items with you! How about some throw pillows to add a little Christmas joy to your annual decor? You know how I like to change things up with a good throw pillow. It's like an instant makeover for under $50.00.

Also, I'm pretty sure that winter has hit almost everywhere except Texas. If you and your littles are already bundling up in layer after layer (insert jealous grimace here) then a southwestern print knit cowl for your little may be just what's needed to keep the cold at bay. I gotta tell ya, this thing is so cozy I just might make one for myself. Nothing makes me colder than a cold neck and since mine is almost equal in length to a giraffe, I've gotta keep that thing wrapped up.

Are you getting that holiday giddiness yet? Or are you already dreading it? xo

Kids Table DIY

When I stumbled upon this table in the Ikea clearance section for under $10.00, I was hoping to find some table legs at Ikea as well. No luck. All of their table legs are too high for a kids table. The search began for affordable table legs. In the end, I settled on 4 - 21" hardwood Parsons table legs from Home Depot. At $5.00 each, I thought it was a great deal. (If you're looking for more modern legs, this one is great. Sadly it's not available in the height I wanted.) 

Because Ikea's legs didn't work, I also needed brackets for the legs.  The holes didn't line up perfect, but after putting screws in where I could line up pre-existing holes, I just drilled new holes.

Do this times four. Bam. Done. Now comes the fun part. What to do with those bare legs? Paint? Washi tape? I recently found some Scotch washi tape on sale at Target for $1.28 a roll. The boys love the multi color circuit board looking one. But I tried it on the leg (see first image at top of post) and it doesn't have the look/impact I'm going for. I'm thinking the blue washi tape on the bottom 1/4 of the legs.

And because I'm so dang fickle. It has to be done in tape. I mean, you know I'm just gonna change it in 6 months or less. Right? 

What do you think? Blue washi tape for the win? xo

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Around the House: Playroom Remix

As my littles grow - and this happens all too quickly these days - I find that I need to make some decor changes along with our life changes. In our playroom we used to have a little Ikea blue "teeny table", as it was dubbed in our house. The last time I gave my littles a good hard look while at said "teeny table" I noticed that my oldest's legs no longer fit underneath it. What?  How could this be? He's eight. Eight! Not eighteen. And this is/was a "kids" table. Clearly it was time for a new table. One that could grow with us!

In a recent trip to Ikea, I found a small white table top in the discounted section for $9.00.  Perfect. Now all I needed were some legs. Sadly, Ikea didn't have the height I needed. I did find some great wooden ones at Home Depot though, for a pretty good price. (More on the table and legs tomorrow.) 

I also noticed that both boys use our fireplace stoop as a table and seating. No. No. No. That just won't work. And PS - I think the main reason for this poor usage is the nearby power outlet. That's generally where their iphone charges. (Before y'all start thinking I've lost my mind, let me just share that the iphone is an old 3-series that belonged to the hubs. It is filled with children's games and nothing more.) It has become quite clear that we need a comfy lounging chair by the fireplace. Luckily, they had one in their bedroom that was used to pile up dirty clothes. And I'm pretty sure that is a poor use of a stunning mid-century modern chair. Not to mention that the actual clothes hamper is a mere 5-10 steps away.

Here's the beauty of all the changes that were made... They are using the table. They are - hold onto your seats - coloring and crafting! And the goodness doesn't stop there. They actually sit in the chair to play on their phone and to READ. Be still my heart. Wonders truly never cease. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you know you've made some good design/decor changes when the room actually gets used more. Hallelujah. Now that makes for a happy weekend and a very happy home. 

Have you made any changes lately to accommodate your ever growing family? xo

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Rainbow Loom DIY

Two words... Rainbow Loom. At our elementary school they are all the rage. When I was little it was shrinky-dinks and friendship pins along with a whole host of others that I'm quite sure killed my parents each time a new fad rolled through. My oldest is all of 8 years old and we've gone through a ton of fads. But as far as crafty fads go, this is new. My son loves, I mean loves, these bracelets. The colors, patterns and limitless creations. Oh my. It's almost too much to bear - without a loom that is. But these precious (plastic) loom kits cost $17.00. And I know that as most toys go, that's pretty cheap, but we are on a tight budget and I have zero idea how long he will actually like these things. Once the trend is over or if the loom breaks, do I just toss it? No thanks.

So after much begging, pleading and a few tears, I thought - "we can make this." We did and it works! If you'd like to try your hand at making your own loom and saving a few dollars, here are the materials you will need...

Materials:

1 wood board/scrap 15" x 4"

ruler

marker

nails (we used carpet tacks)

hammer

Step 1 - mark three lines of dots 1" apart each (dots 1" apart and lines 1" apart)

Step 2 - hammer nails (tacks) in board on each dot

That's it. You're done. You've just made a loom. So easy right? (the "J" and "L" markings are for the different sizes for each of my boys)

Materials needed to make bracelets:
1 crochet hook
1 pack of rubber bands (buy the bands made specifically for the bracelets - it matters, plus they'll want all the colors. we got ours at Joann craft store with a 40% off coupon.)
1 pack of "O" rings - (we used chain mail links because they're thicker than most jump rings)
1 pair of needle nose pliers

We watched videos on youtube to learn how to make them. And to be honest, it was a little rough going at first. But once he got the hang of working with a crochet hook he made over 12 bracelets in 1.5 hours. Uh-huh, it kept his attention that long. I love it! He even learned little tricks to make it easier for him to loom the rubber bands.

You guys, I've gotta say it - I love this craft. He's using his imagination, creativity, math, hand coordination/dexterity. And, he's making them for his friends at school that love them but don't have a loom. Come on! What's not to love here?

What crafty fad did you fall in love with when you were little? xo

Good Friends, Good Finds

I got an email from my bestie the other day with a link and a quick little note saying, "I just read about this store, thought of you. xxc" Simple. And yet so special... My girls know me. They know my love languages. And they know when I need something as simple as a quick email that will assuredly deliver a smile to my face and heart. An email. A text. A goody bag. A cup of coffee. A hug. Prayer. How good is that? 

My home girl was right too... the shop she sent me, I love. Atomic Garden has so many cute things and something for everyone. I mean, wooden swords, original tree swings and slingshots? My boys would die. D.I.E. And then there's the cute kitchen and craft items as well as goodies for the bod, like hair powder (because how many of us have time to wash and dry our mops on a daily basis?) that is said to, "give volume to your tired tresses." Yes please. They have no idea how tired my tresses and the rest of me truly are these days. ha ha ha

I can't even begin to tell you how badly those gold scissors want to be in my craft room. Hello good-lookin'! 

How do your friends turn your frowns upside down? xo