Sunday is here again, which means it’s time for another Motivational Monday! So excited to see all the new projects you have for us this week!! In case you missed it last week, Motivational Monday is a little different. We now have 7 amazing hosts; which means YOUR post, if it’s featured, will be on 7 blogs!! Woop woop! Make sure you hop around and visit the hosts – they all have amazing projects to share!
Ready to share what motivates you? Link up a recent post of yours; something that motivates you to create or just be awesome! Our goal is for this link up to focus on craft, DIY, & home posts so please try to remember that when linking up.
Limit it to three links per week and remember to link directly to your post, not your blog.
Do not link stores, giveaways, or other link parties.
Be sure to hop around some of the other posts that have been linked up to share the love and get motivated by what others have been up to…because of course, this is Motivational Monday after all.
Each week, your hosts will choose a few posts to feature from the previous week. If you want a chance at being featured, you must follow all of the hosts. By linking up, you agree to let each host share your photo and link back to your site. Link party goes live Sunday 6pm PST and ends Thursday at 5pm PST.
Don’t forget to grab a Motivational Monday button on my sidebar to put on your own blog to help spread the love, OR text link back! —–>
Christine from Little Brags has SUCH a beautiful Thanksgiving Home Tour! I just love the little fall touches here and there. And her front porch is gorgeous! I’d love to hang out on the deck in those chairs sipping something yummy.
This Give Thanks sign from Home Made Interest is just perfect! I love the rustic wood and the subway art Turkey! So cute for your Thanksgiving decor.
Don’t forget to grab a button from the sidebar if you were featured! —–>
Let’s get this party started! Please link up your craft, DIY, or home projects here and link back to this party or display our pretty button somewhere on your blog. Spread the love too, and share this party on your choice of social media!
Friends! How is it Friday again already? Not that I’m complaining. As soon as holidays start approaching, I feel like the days go by faster! And, with it now getting dark out at 5pm, my days lately just seem to fly.
I don’t know about where you are, but here in Oregon, it’s been COLD. Like single-digits-at-night- barely-making-it-to-30-degrees-during-the-day cold. We’ve also had about 5 or 6 inches of snow. It seems we’ve skipped fall and went straight to winter. I’m really not a fan, I’ve gotta say. We’ve been having a lot of soups and chili lately to help keep us warm. So, it’s only appropriate to share with you our favorite cold weather soup! It’s chalked full with veggies, cheese, and beer; you really can’t go wrong with this recipe. 🙂
This Broccoli Beer Cheese soup is hearty and filling, making it the perfect meal for your family on these sub-zero evenings! The cheddar cheese is the perfect complement to the beer, and the veggies make it a tad healthier. We love having it with warm bread and crackers; and the remaining beer. It’s only necessary.
This recipe makes about 8-10 servings, so we usually freeze the remaining half for another night when I don’t feel like cooking. I can just pull it out the night before, let it thaw, and re-heat! Or, the full amount is perfect for when you have out-of-town company coming over and you need something warm and yummy to feed them!
Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup (Adapted from a Taste of Home cookbook)
Ingredients:
3 medium carrots, finely chopped
5 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp butter
4 cans chicken broth (14.5 ounces each)
4 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped
¼ cup chopped bell pepper
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup water
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1 bottle (12 oz) beer or non-alcoholic beer
Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute the onions, celery, and carrots in the butter until almost tender.
Stir in the broth, bell pepper, broccoli, salt and pepper.
Combine the flour and water in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Stir mixture into the saucepan.
Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer uncovered, for 30-40 minutes or until thickened and all vegetables are tender.
Stir in the cheddar and cream cheese, and beer. Cook until heated through and cheese is all melted, stirring occasionally. Don’t let it boil!
Serve in bowls with optional delicious toppings: shredded cheese, crackers, sour cream, bacon, green onions, or croutons!
NOTE: I’ve tried a few different beers for this soup. Budweiser/Bud Light both are good because they’re light. I tried a Pale Ale this last time and it was also good, adding just a tad bit more bitterness. Experiment and see which you like best!
Doesn’t this just look way too good? It is. Instead of buying a single beer for the soup, I always buy a 6-pack. Might as well drink the rest while making eating this soup!
Do you have any favorite soup recipes? I’m always looking for new ideas!
Happy Wednesday, friends! I’m SO excited to be a part of a little Thanksgiving Blog Hop! 11 bloggers have come together to bring you some wonderful DIY Thanksgiving tablescapes, decor ideas, and recipes! Make sure you visit all the other amazing posts to get some inspiration for your upcoming Thanksgiving events!
Today I’m sharing how to make some “Thankful” tin-can luminaries. I love dimming the lights just a tad for a dinner event; it totally sets a relaxing and peaceful mood! Candles also add to the setting, but sometimes I want something a little more exciting than a traditional candlestick. So, I made something a little different to adorn my table! Since we won’t actually be having Thanksgiving dinner at my house, my luminaries are adorning my entryway table instead. But maybe I just bring them along to dinner to fancy up my parent’s table, too! 🙂
To make your own, you will need:
8 tin cans (I saved any and all sizes from any canned goods we ate!)
Hammer and long nail
Metallic gold spray paint
Sharpie
First, I started by soaking my cans in hot soapy water for about 10 minutes. This softened most of the glue and the paper around the cans just fell right off. To tackle the remaining glue on each can, I used Goo Gone. Have you used this stuff before?! Let’s just say it makes life a whole heck of a lot easier when it comes to getting off sticky stuff on anything. I put a little bit onto a paper towel and just rubbed over the dried glue. Came off SO easily. Then I gave the cans a quick wash again with soapy water.
I lined them all up in the height/order I want them to be in.
With a Sharpie, I wrote each letter on the can. Don’t mind my mistakes on a few, I was debating doing lower case letters. As soon as I started hammering my nails for the “T,” I found that lower case would be much more difficult!
After trying to get the first hole in the can with the nail, I realized it was going to be much harder to do if I didn’t have some way of holding the can steady. I found a piece of wood that fit in all cans but one, and I just held the wood down with my leg as I sat. I hammered holes with the nail in the can about half a centimeter apart, until every letter on the cans was finished.
*NOTE* I’ve read that another easy(ier?) way of doing these luminaries is to fill up the can with water and let it freeze completely, then draw on your letters and hammer the nails in. I think the ice inside holds the can steady. I was impatient and didn’t want to wait for water to freeze in the cans, so I didn’t use that method. I might try it next time! If you go that route, let me know how it worked for you!
When all the cans had their letters, I spray painted them with gold metallic spray paint. Because, everything is better with gold! Amiright?? And, I currently have just a tad bit of a gold obsession.
I had some scrap wood laying around in my garage, and it was the perfect size to house the cans on top. I gave it a couple of coats of a homemade vinegar/steel wool stain, then sanded it down a bit after it was dry. The cans still looked unfinished all neatly placed on top of the wood, so I added some twine and a leaf to each can. I also added a few leaves for the cans to rest on.
And, now you have yourself a beautiful centerpiece to your Thanksgiving table! I just added a tea-light candle inside each can.
Just be careful when you’re putting a candle in or lighting them, because the aluminum had to go somewhere each time a nail went in; meaning the inside of the can where the holes are is VERY sharp. You can easily file them down, but I just figured I’d be the only one lighting them and I’ll just be careful.
These look SO pretty lit up at night on my entryway table!!
Be sure to check out all the other amazing Thanksgiving projects below! I guarantee you will find some great inspiration from these fabulous ladies!
Good morning! Did you all have a great weekend? Today I am over at Made to be a Momma contributing a Rustic Scrabble Monogram to adorn your gallery or picture wall! I am now a craft contributor for Katie, and will be posting at her blog once a month. I couldn’t be more thrilled!
Head on over to her blog to to read how I made this cute tile, and while you’re there, you’ll definitely want to look around at some of her delicious recipes and many other fun projects!
You guys, we have SUCH exciting news today!! Welcome to our new bigger and better Motivational Monday with now 7 hosts!! We are SO thrilled to be having some fabulous ladies join our party. Please welcome Carrie from Curly Crafty Mom, Danielle from Sew Much Crafting, Melanie from Melanie Gets Married, and Beckie from The Dempster LogBook!! Make sure you visit them and leave them some love!
Thank you all for linking up with us last week! I so enjoyed seeing some amazing projects you all have been working on. Let’s get this party started, shall we? 🙂
This last week was a special week for me, as my sweet baby girl Jade turned 1! On Monday (her birthday), I got a little personal and sentimental and shared 5 Things I’ve learned my 1st “Mom-Year.” Later in the week I also shared all the pictures and details from Jade’s “She’s a Gem” themed birthday party! It was a total blast!
Ready to share what motivates you? Link up a recent post of yours; something that motivates you to create or just be awesome! Our goal is for this link up to focus on craft, DIY, & home posts so please try to remember that when linking up.
Limit it to three links per week and remember to link directly to your post, not your blog.
Do not link stores, giveaways, or other link parties.
Be sure to hop around some of the other posts that have been linked up to share the love and get motivated by what others have been up to…because of course, this is Motivational Monday after all.
Each week, your hosts will choose a few posts to feature from the previous week. If you want a chance at being featured, you must follow all of the hosts. By linking up, you agree to let each host share your photo and link back to your site. Link party goes live Sunday 6pm PST and ends Thursday at 5pm PST.
Don’t forget to grab a Motivational Monday button on my sidebar to put on your own blog to help spread the love, OR text link back! —–>
This week we have two amazing features. First off, is this gorgeous pastel blue and purple decorated nursery from The Sweetest Digs! I love all the adorable little details she added in this space. Such a pretty room!
I LOVE this beautiful Thanksgiving place setting from Brepurposed!! Bre did an amazing job, and the rustic feel is just perfect for your table decor! The lavender paired with a feather is also a perfect touch.
Don’t forget to grab a button from the sidebar if you were featured! —–>
Let’s get this party started! Please link up your craft, DIY, or home projects here and link back to this party or display our pretty button somewhere on your blog. Spread the love too, and share this party on your choice of social media!
It’s Thursday already, friends! I typically try to post on Wednesdays and Fridays, but with the whirlwind of Jade’s 1st birthday and party this past weekend, all my focus has been on her, her party, and editing all the hundreds of photos I took! No, don’t worry, I’m not sharing all the hundreds of photos with you. Only a select handful. And, of course, maybe one of Jade in her pretty party dress and crown thrown in there, too. 😉
My sweet precious Jade turned one year old this last Monday, November 3rd. I STILL can’t believe my baby is 1!! On her birthday, I shared 5 Things I’ve Learned My 1st “Mom-Year,” which was fun to finally get all my thoughts out on “paper.” I know there will be many more things I’ll learn this next year and chapter of Motherhood, and I’ll be sure to share them again one year from now!
This past Sunday, we threw Jade’s 1st birthday party. It was a BLAST!!! We loved seeing her so excited to eat her cake and open presents. She may have been more interested in the tissue paper and bows than her actual new toys, but she’s coming around now. 😉
Jade’s name means “precious gem/jewel;” thus, our “She’s a Gem” theme was born. It was perfectly fitting! For colors, I wanted to use a “jade” green. Since her birthstone is Topaz, I used yellow as well and lots of gold (of course!). I also threw in some emerald green too, just because I liked the look of them all together.
For our invites, David and I made them in Photoshop and had them printed so we could personalize them how we wanted.
My sister and brother-in-law are photographers, so I had them take a seriously cute photo for the invitation! (They also did her cake smash photos! If you want to see more, you can visit their photography blog, LoveBugPhotography!)
This wall was by far my favorite part of the party decor. I wanted to display her monthly photos I’ve taken, but wasn’t sure how to display them.
I had this large stick out behind our house that I’ve been keeping, thinking I’d figure out something to do with it. I thought painting it gold and hanging the pictures from it might look neat, so I gave it a shot! I love the outcome; totally a unique way to show off her pictures! I also found these gem printouts here, and we changed the colors on them so they’d match her color scheme. We also enlarged them, and they worked perfectly hanging next to the pictures!
I knew I wanted a tassel garland, but I didn’t realize how much work it is! Totally worth it though. I also found these gold geometrical beads on clearance at Joann’s for $.99, and put one between each tassel. They were the perfect touch!
I found these gorgeous spider mums in similar theme colors, and added some sparkly gold washi tape to the mason jars to pretty them up a tad.
This little chalkboard was perfect to write “she’s a gem” on, and I added a few gems to glam it up some more.
I found this glittery gold “J” at Joann’s too, and used some pretty Jade ribbon and a gem to attach it to a frame I already had.
I made a cute “Eat cake” banner for over her high chair for the much anticipated cake smash. I also added some pom pom trim I found to the tray, to make it a little bit cuter.
Okay, had to throw a cake-eating action shot in there! 🙂
I had lots of baby pictures of Jade’s year set out for people to see. I made more work for myself than I probably needed to, but for the banner, I just drew and used a green Sharpie to color in the letters. I need myself one of those fancy cutting machines soon!
These were round honeycomb tissue balls that I found at Target. I cut them to look more like gems. The gold one was white, and I used my handy dandy gold metallic spray paint to give it more life! I also used these as props in Jade’s cake smash photo shoot.
(A window is not the best place to put a table for pictures!)
Like the “ONE” banner, I also just free-handed this one. Apparently I like to think I have unlimited time on my hands. 😉
I LOVED these hanging 3D gems I made to hang in the window! I got the tutorial and printout here. They can also be mini pinatas, but I decided just to use pretty “gemstone” colored paper instead of using tissue paper. Also time consuming; but SO cute!
I had seen a lot of 1st birthday “About me” type of chalkboards on Etsy you can have printed, but I already had this huge chalkboard I made Jade that I wanted to incorporate. It’s already the right color! So, I bought a chalk pen and made one myself. I love how it displays everything about her in one place.
My mother-in-law is an amazing cupcake baker, and made these beautiful and delicious cupcakes! I also made these pretty gold cake plates, which you can get the tutorial for here. Don’t they look pretty holding the cupcakes?
Seriously the BEST cupcakes ever. I used the same template for the gems as I did for the photo wall, but just made them a lot smaller to be cupcake toppers.
I thought it’d be fun to make her a little crown headband, and it turned out WAY adorable!! Don’t mind the cake all over it, of course she remembered it was on her head during her cake smash. I now know to take a picture of it BEFORE she wears it!
I loved every little detail of her party and how it all came together. I know that she could care less and didn’t even notice, but I will always have those pictures of everything to remember it by! Jim Gaffigan, a hilarious comedian, describes a 1st birthday party perfectly in one of his books: “Except for the photos, it really doesn’t matter if a baby is even at their first birthday party. They wouldn’t even notice if you didn’t throw them a party at all. You are the one that needs the party. The baby obviously has no friends yet, so the guest list is all your friends you haven’t seen for a year. And since your friends are the guests, they will obviously need good food, good drinks, and music, and suddenly you have the recipe for a raging bash and you take the pictures of your baby in front of the cake, put them to bed, and carry on like, well, like you don’t have a baby” (from Jim Gaffigan’s book Dad is Fat).
So, it didn’t exactly happen like that, but he sure does have a point!
I just love my sweet little girl! And, of course, I have to add in a few more of Jade’s cake smash photo shoot. 🙂
Well friends, the day is finally here. The day all moms anticipate with each passing monthly milestone. The day their sweet little baby is no longer a certain “month” old, but actually a YEAR! This isn’t just a special day for the baby, it’s also a celebration of motherhood for us; a day that we realize just how crazy this ride is, but that we wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the entire world. A day we remember looking into our child’s eyes for the very first time, and feeling our hearts bursting with more love than ever thought possible. A day our lives changed forever. I often think back on the day Jade was born, and wonder what our life was even like before her. I don’t want to remember!
A child is such a beautiful gift from God. It amazes me that He gives us these gifts, and trusts us to raise them in the way they should go. US! He gives us a precious little life; and we are to sustain, nourish, support, protect, and love them with all we have to give.
Photo by LoveBug Photography
With every passing month this past year, I’ve learned SO much about being a momma. This isn’t stuff you can learn in a book; it’s trial and error, and praying you’re doing everything right. So, I share with you 5 things I’ve learned in my first “mom-year.” (And, some seriously cute pictures of Jade over this past year!)
Photo by Alisa Hayes Photography
1. Live in the moment; enjoy it ALL while it lasts.
After Jade was born, I had a real problem of saying, “I can’t wait until Jade is __ old so she can do __!” I kept looking forward to all the things she’d be doing or able to do when she was older, instead of just being in the moment. I just wished she was older so we could play together, and she could sit up on her own, and laugh and giggle. But, those first few months go by SO. FAST. I know it sounds horrible, but I really don’t remember much about those days because we were exhausted. I wish I had savored every single moment with Jade when she was that little even more because she will never be that little again! So, it only took me a year, but I won’t ever again be wishing Jade was older. Every moment and stage is precious, no matter how tired you are. So momma’s, live in the NOW with your kiddos. Remember and cherish these days now, even the hard ones; they will be gone before you know it, and another year will have come and gone.
2. Everything is a phase.
Babies change. A lot. They grow and mature and develop their own little personalities. I remember being told in the beginning, “just when you think you’ve got it figured out; they’ll change it up.” And boy, that is so true. I’ve learned not to get TOO comfortable with things, because they don’t last. For example, I really don’t miss the phase Jade went through around 3-4 months when she decided she hated getting out of the bathtub. I’m pretty sure if people were over during bathtime, they would have thought my child was being tortured. She loved the bath part, but as soon as we took her out , dried her off, and got her dressed; she screamed bloody murder. We tried everything, but we never could figure out why she’d get so upset. I would literally dread bath night all day long, because I hated seeing my baby cry so hard. But, after about a month, she just stopped and was totally fine. It was just a phase! We have nap phases too, where she’ll nap great for a few weeks, and then decide she hates naps and hardly sleep. So, if you’re baby is struggling with something, just remember it’s a phase and won’t be that way forever!
Photo by Ariel Dawn Photography
3. I’m still “me,” but not the same “me.”
One thing I’ve definitely learned this past year is that while I’m still “me,” I’m not the same “me” that I was 1 year ago. My personality hasn’t changed at all but my attitude on life has. I’m not sure why, but I’m so much more confident in myself than I used to be. I don’t really care what people think of me if I run to the store in my sweats and no makeup. Guess what? That’s totally not my priority anymore! My life has changed having Jade in it, and I can no longer be selfish. I’m now a momma, and my number one priority is my daughter.
4. Parenting takes a lot of prayer and common sense.
Being a parent isn’t rocket science. You don’t have to go to school and get a degree in “parenting” (although maybe some should!). But it does take prayer. A LOT of prayer. I can’t tell you how many times this past year I’ve just broken down and lifted everything up in prayer. There are times as a parent that you feel completely helpless, and there’s nothing you can do BUT pray. Those are the hardest moments to go through, but God always comes through for us. God always has a reason and a purpose for everything, and that’s what helps get me through some days. Common sense is also needed; often. There are SO many how-to parenting books out there. I’ve read several of them myself, but in the end, only YOU really know your baby, and only YOU can decide what they need and what’s best for them. Sometimes we don’t need these books telling us how we should parent, because not only is every child different, but most of the time we just need to use our head. I’m not knocking how-to books, I’m just saying you are their parent; YOU know what they need. God gives us instincts for a reason! So, use your head, and pray. Often!
5. God loves us SO MUCH!
We all know that God loves us. We are told as babies and as we grow older. It’s pretty common knowledge, even if you’re not a believer. So, no, I haven’t just learned that God loves us. I’ve learned just how MUCH God loves us! I love David so incredibly much; but after having Jade, I never knew I could love someone THAT much. This little itty bitty person. When I look at her, all I can think of is how much I want to give her everything. I also think of how I will protect her with my life. There is nothing I won’t do for her, and no matter what she does or who she becomes later on in life, there is nothing she can do that will make me stop loving her. She has my unconditional love forever. THAT. THAT is how much God loves us!! How much He loves ME! He wants to protect us, and give us the desires of our hearts. He loves us unconditionally. Even though we sin, there is NOTHING we can do that will make Him love us any less. I truly never understood how deep His love is for us until Jade came into my life. It leaves me in awe of our God; and all that He is.
I’m so thankful for Jade, and that I get to be her momma. Everything she does brings me joy (okay, maybe not when she’s having a screaming fit!), and I love her with my whole heart. This year went by so fast and I imagine every year from here on out gets exponentially faster. I want to treasure every moment with her, and give her the life I know she deserves. Jade, I love you more than words can say. You are our world! Happy 1st birthday, my sweet baby girl!
Photo by LoveBug PhotographyPhoto by LoveBug Photography
Welcome, friends!! I hope you are having a fabulous weekend! Did you have a fun Halloween? Did you go trick-or-treating with your kiddos? Since Jade is only 1, we decided we’ll go out next year and dress her up. We had a relaxing and low-key Halloween this year. 🙂 And I’m SO EXCITED for today, as it’s my sweet Jade’s 1st birthday party!! I can’t believe tomorrow she will officially be a one year old. No more “infant,” hello “toddler!” Does time always fly this fast when you have kids?! I can’t wait to share pictures with you next week!
Anyway, back to business. So thrilled for Motivational Monday this week! I know I’m starting to slowly see Christmas posts around Blogland, so I’m looking forward to seeing more of your winter holiday projects soon! We have some exciting changes coming your way for the next M.M!
Last week I FINALLY posted my Liebster award; even though I was nominated by my cohost Amanda from Burlap and Babies a couple months ago, and also Kristina from My Own Home Blog! It was fun answering some questions to share more about myself. I also shared a tutorial on some super easy DIY Gold Cake Plates. I’m currently using these today for Jade’s 1st birthday party!
Ready to share what motivates you? Link up a recent post of yours; something that motivates you to create or just be awesome! Our goal is for this link up to focus on craft, DIY, & home posts so please try to remember that when linking up. Please limit it to three links per week and remember to link directly to your post. Do not link stores, giveaways, or other link parties. Also, hop around some of the other posts that have been linked up to share the love and get motivated by what others have been up to, because of course, this is Motivational Monday!
Every week, each hostess will feature their favorite post from the previous week. In order to be featured, please make sure you follow your hosts on at least one form of social media. By linking up, you agree to let each host share your photo and link back to your site. Link party goes live Monday and ends at 5:00pm PST on Friday.
Don’t forget to grab a Motivational Monday button on my sidebar to put on your own blog to help spread the love, OR text link back! —–>
Isn’t this Pottery Barn Style Headboard just beautiful?! Shelly at The Domestic Heart built this amazing piece of furniture for only around $50!! She gives you plans and all the instructions on how to make your own. I seriously wish I had more tools because I’d be building this next weekend if I could!! Great job, Shelly!
Don’t forget to grab a button from the sidebar if you were featured! —–>
Let’s get this party started! Please link up your craft, DIY, or home projects here and link back to this party or display our pretty button somewhere on your blog. Spread the love too, and share this party on your choice of social media!
It’s FRIDAY, friends!! And, I’m just a little excited for the weekend, as we are throwing Jade’s 1st birthday party!! I’ve been so busy aaaaall week trying to make and finish up a bunch of little decorations, and it’s coming together beautifully! I’m also excited to share this super quick and easy project with you that will take you only an hour tops, and be the perfect addition to ANY party!
So, I’m not gonna lie, there may be some gold at this 1st birthday party. Or, maybe a lot. BUT, it’s going to be awesome! My mother-in-law is amazing and makes the most DELICIOUS. cupcakes. ever. She made 200+ for our wedding a few years ago, and I don’t think there were any left; and we only had under 100 guests! The picture shows only half of them! But aren’t they gorgeous?! Anyway, these beautiful and delicious cupcakes of hers needed an equally beautiful place to perch until devoured. Sadly, I don’t have any cupcake stands or pretty plates, and nothing that really matched my color scheme. I didn’t want to buy a bunch of expensive cake plates either; so of course, I made my own!
I’ve seen a lot of pictures on Pinterest of just gluing a candlestick and a plate together for a stand. So, off to the Dollar Store I went, and found 2 red square-ish plastic plates, and two glass candlesticks. I also went to the Goodwill and found a large charger and a taller candlestick, to make the plates more visually interesting when placed together. Only $7 for all the materials! (Minus the spray paint!)
To make your own, here’s what you need:
1. 3 plates (any size, shape, material)
2. 3 candlesticks (I tried to find some that were flatter on top, and wide at the bottom)
3. Hot glue gun + glue sticks
4. Gold Metallic spray paint
5. Fine grit sand paper
First, use the sandpaper and just roughen up the top and bottom of each plate lightly, just so the spray paint will have something to stick to. Wipe down each plate with a wet towel and let dry. Then spray paint both sides of the plates allowing each side to dry first, and spray the candlesticks as well. Once everything is dry, use a hot glue gun and put a line of glue around the top of the candlestick. You can also use any kind of super glue as well.
Position the candlestick glue side down in the middle of the back of the plate, and press firmly for a few seconds.
You’re done! Seriously the easiest little project ever, and the gold is just so pretty!
CAUTION: this spray paint is obviously NOT food safe, so DON’T put any food directly onto the plate. Use a doily or some sort of food-safe paper to put food on! The cupcakes will have wrappers so they will be fine.
I am SO excited to use these at Jade’s party! The cupcakes will look just PERFECT on them!
You don’t have to use these for food, either. They’d look gorgeous on top of a dresser with jewelry, or in your kitchen with soap and lotion on top, or in your guest bathroom holding rolled up hand towels!
I can’t wait for this weekend, AND to share all the party details with you next week! Have a GREAT weekend!
Hi, friends! Okay, I’ll admit it; I’m totally a slacker. My friend Amanda from Burlap and Babies nominated me for the Liebster award 2 months ago. I’ve had it on my calendar to post, but somehow it kept getting pushed back. I had totally forgotten about it until Kristina from My Own Home Blog e-mailed me and also nominated me! I’m so honored to have been given the award by these two lovely ladies, and I’m FINALLY sitting down and sharing it with you all!
“Amanda, what the heck is a Liebster Award,” you ask? Well, it is an award given by new bloggers to other new bloggers who have less than 200ish followers. It’s basically a great way of everyone getting to know more about you, and a way to connect with other new bloggers! I may have had to Google it, but that’s the gist! There have been lots of different rules circulating around, but here are the rules of the award that both Amanda and Kristin sent me:
You have to link back to the person that nominated you.
You must answer 11 questions given to you by the person that nominated you.
After completing these questions you must nominate 11 bloggers with under 200 followers and give them 11 questions of your choice.
You must not nominate the person who nominated you.
You must let your nominees know that they have been nominated and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it.
So, since I was nominated by two sweet ladies and they both gave me questions, I’m going to choose 5 or 6 from each of them to answer.
And now, here are some more random facts about the girl behind Dwelling in Happiness!
1. What keeps you motivated to keep blogging?
Getting to connect with new amazing people, bloggers or not, is what motivates me. I also love when something I make inspires others to do something creative too. Blogging has also given me something that is “mine” that is fun for me to do, and helps me keep my sanity from being at home in “mommy brain” all day long. 🙂
2. Do you have any fur babies- or real babies? 😉 Tell me about them and share some photos!
I have both! My sweet baby Jade will be 1 year old in just a few days. Where is the time going?! She’s as sweet as can be, and is quite the energetic active girl. We’ve already had several bumps and bruises from trying to explore EVERYTHING! She’s crawling all over, and ALMOST walking. Here’s our recent family photo at the pumpkin patch:
We have two fur-babies as well, Luna and Weezer. We’ve had Weezer for about 3 years almost, and Luna for 2.
3. What category on Pinterest do you get absolutely lost in for hours?
ONE catergory?! I could get lost in ALL of them!! I love searching the Home Decor, DIY and Crafts, and Kids categories the most. SO much to see! I also just search under “Popular” to see what other stuff is going around! I just wish I HAD the time (I used to!) to get lost in Pinterest for hours!
4. How did you pick your blog’s name and theme?
Picking the theme was easy, I knew I wanted to do primarily a DIY/craft blog, with some few other things thrown in there. David had a great point when he said, “well, you’re going to be doing all these craft projects anyway, why NOT blog about them?” And, he’s right! My blog’s name though was a different story. You guys, Jade didn’t even have a name until about a week or so before she was born. We just couldn’t decide!! I’m SO indecisive. I’d find a name I’d like, but then I’d think, “wait, what if I find another name I like better later on!?” Yeah, I know, crazy right? Anyway, this blog was sadly no different. I had lists of blog names I liked, but it took me a couple months (yes, MONTHS) to actually decide on one! I really liked that “dwelling” could have a double meaning, and I’m a happy person so “happiness” just seemed to fit. And, the domain wasn’t taken either, another deciding factor! 😉
5. Do you have any fun weekend routines? (Waffles on Sunday? Thrifting on Saturday?)
We don’t have any set routines, but we do love making a big breakfast together on one of those days. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, the works! We also try to do some sort of family outing, whether it be a little shopping, taking a long walk around the park, or having a picnic/going out to lunch. Other than that, weekends are for trying to get stuff done around the house!
6. What fall shows are you addicted to?
Well, sadly we don’t have many channels, so we usually just stick to Netflix. Since Netflix doesn’t have shows in their current season, we’re usually a season behind. We are really into The Walking Dead however, which I still question WHY I watch it every time we watch an episode. It’s just addicting! To counterbalance the depressing-morbid-vibe of the show, we usually watch a funny short show after. Right now, we’re re-watching The Office from season 1. Such a classic! We also started watching The Blacklist and have been really enjoying that, too!
7. What is your favorite season of the year?
I’m such a summer person! I just love the warm early mornings, the long days, and all of the summer outdoor activities! I don’t mind fall as much, but only the first week or two when it’s still warm. Because I’m such a summer fan, I used to despise fall. Like, I’d actually get a little depressed thinking about summer ending and the cold/snow coming soon. I would even REFUSE to decorate anything until the first official day of fall. I’m getting better, and now that I’m blogging and am seeing so many amazing holiday ideas so early on, I’m actually already getting a little excited for Christmas even! But only just a little. 🙂
8. Where is your happy place when you just need to get away and have some time to yourself?
This is a new concept now that I’m a momma, and I haven’t really been able to just “get away” and have time to myself. But, I do like getting together with friends on those rare occasions when we do “girl nights” after Jade’s in bed. If I WAS able to get away just me, I’d probably get a big coffee and head to do some shopping!
9. What was your most favorite vacation?
My most favorite vacation was David’s and my honeymoon a few years ago. Because I was subbing long-term at the time, I wasn’t able to take time off to go on a Honeymoon in May after our wedding. So, we opted to go 6 months later in November. We went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and it was SO nice!! We stayed at an all-inclusive (which is totally the way to go in Mexico!) resort, and literally never left the resort grounds. We had no reason to! We ate all day, drank margarita’s on the beach, and took like 3 naps a day in the sunshine next to the pool. On these busy (and cold) days lately, I find myself wishing we could just escape life and go back!
10. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hm, that’s a great question! In 5 years I see Jade being almost 6, and she’ll have a little brother or sister by then. I hope I’ll still be able to be at home with them and still be blogging away at Dwelling in Happiness! I see us in a bigger house that I can customize a little easier, too!
11. You randomly have 4 hours of free time to do what you want, what do you do?
Ha! I wish! But IF I did, I’d be shopping right now. With a coffee. Or, I’d call some friends up and go get pampered with some pedicures!
12. What is your favorite project that you have made since blogging or what is your favorite blog post?
Okay, so that was 12 questions. You got a bonus! I’m now supposed to nominate 11 other new bloggers (or as many as I can find), but I’m going to break the rules. I know, I’m totally a rebel. Instead of nominating, I’m going to send you to visit 11 other newer bloggers who have also been given the Liebster award. These ladies are all FABULOUS, and amaze me with their creative projects! They all have WELL over 200 followers by now. I have loved following and getting to know them, so go visit their Liebster award page and leave some love; you won’t regret it!
Christine from Little Brags has SUCH a beautiful Thanksgiving Home Tour! I just love the little fall touches here and there. And her front porch is gorgeous! I’d love to hang out on the deck in those chairs sipping something yummy.
This Give Thanks sign from Home Made Interest is just perfect! I love the rustic wood and the subway art Turkey! So cute for your Thanksgiving decor.
