Each month I have tried to work on a different corner of our house. It takes me ages to decide on decor items. I have had my eye on circular hanging mirrors for about a year now, but wasn’t willing to pay the price. This is a cost effective solution and a fun gift idea as well! These are now hanging in our main bathroom:)
Supplies:
Rope Cord
Circular Mirrors (Found mine at Hobby Lobby)
Hot glue
Fabric or felt patches
Instructions:
1) Measure out your cord for the length you want to hang. Place the end on the circle tab on the back of the mirror and drown in hot glue. Cover with a fabric or felt piece. Repeat on the other end.
2) Start to hot glue a second strand of rope cord around the back edge of the mirror. (Hot glue will not stick to mirror glass, but it will the back. After you have made it around the back once, continue to loop and glue a second round attaching the rope to the first layer of rope.
3) Once you have completed a full two or three loops around the mirror, but your rope and glue behind torwards the back.
We did end up making it up to the Georgia Mountains over the weekend to go apple picking. We were lucky to have a beautiful day to accompany the trip. (More pics here.) It was the very first day of fall, and I didn’t wait a day later to whip out THE boots I have been dying to wear. It made me so happy to see my little ones have such a fun time. Veronica was even brave enough to ride a pony. Made me so proud:)
I had a lot of time to think during our drive up. When you are surrounded by nature and its perfect goodness, its easy to have some deep reflections (especially we melancholics;)). I have a loved one going through some physical sufferings right now as a result of a good deal of stress. Its crazy how connected our bodies, minds, and souls are. Through her healing we are all learning new things. I started to think about how this world can glorify the BUSY life. My friend Kelli also wrote about this and admire how she is handling it.
Go go go, work and play, and do it all with a smile. I think in truth we were not meant to be so busy. Our bodies are not designed to handle loads of activity and stress. Sure, we may adapt and adjust and do just fine, but at the end of the day, the majority of us suffer as a result of putting all the BUSY in front of our own needs and our families real needs.
After you have a baby, your life naturally shifts and adjusts. You need to reassess every few months to see if every one is doing okay and if anything needs to change. After Max came along, I tried to juggle everything I was doing before he came and still give the best of me to each of my children and my husband. I am sure you can guess how that went. It resulted in a lot tears….from both my kids and I….and a breaking point which forced me to evaluate my full plate and what had to go.
I was working the same hours in my graphic design job which I loved, and was pulling in that extra income we needed. I was starting a new business, running the blog, and attempting to have the house clean and dinner made by 5:30. Every minute of every day was occupied. I didn’t take the time to rest that you should be doing after you have a new baby. Reality called.
Gabe reminded me that if I was losing my sanity in the process of “balancing it all”, than something was out of order. Our children just need love. They need the best of us….not our leftovers after serving everything else on our plate. Even if everything else on that plate are all good things, it can still consume you, and over take those things that are most important.
I since have parted ways with my graphic design jobs…even though I loved the work and the additional income was a security for us, I have to trust it will be for the benefit of my family. I have gotten back into a time of mediation and prayer in the morning, and exercise at night. These simple changes have freed my spirit and mind in drastic ways, and as a result, I am a more patient mama and a more present wife. Not perfect….far from it, but hopefully improving each day.
We all need maintenance every once in a while. A time to take a look at our lives and see what is front and center. I know if my God and my family are not the main part of my day, than something is off kilter. I am fighting. Each day I am fighting the temptation to be busy and overfill my day. I am learning to say no, learning that its okay to ignore my inbox sometimes, and learning to say yes to needing help more often. I am especially learning to just be. Hold my baby and stare at him as much as possible, have art project time with Veronica uninterrupted (she eats up the attention), ask Gabriel about his train station masterpieces he builds, sitting and listening about my Gabe’s day, etc. etc. Being PRESENT in our loved ones life is the greatest gift we can give them.
One day at at time, with as much heart as I can muster.
A lot can run through your mind when you are in the glorious mountains of the south, huh?
Once in a while its cool to team up with a bunch of fun bloggers and be able to give away something magnificent…
This time, one lucky reader will win the chance to visit a loved one or travel to a city they have always wanted to explore! This fantastic prize package includes $290 for flights (can be used towards any flight within the US), a $250 Visa Gift Card (for some extra spending money!) and $100 KiKi La’Rue Store Credit (because its always a perk to have something new to wear.)
For your chance to win, simply enter using the Rafflecopter below!
I have a whole list of places to go one day….but right now, it might just be to go visit each of my sisters and brothers in the five different states they are scattered across! I miss them that much! So tell me… where would you go???
After the last color play post, I went out to pick up that perfect navy polish. Its been fun having a new color to wear that goes with everything I put on. After scouting out all the navy polishes Ulta had to offer, I went with Incognito in Sausalito by OPI… has a nice ring to it, eh? It really hits a good balance between the black navy’s and the too blue navy’s. So that’s that friends.
What are your weekend plans?? We are hoping to head up to the Georgia mountains to go apple picking this weekend while the weather is a perfect 70 degrees. Here’s hoping!
This post facebook free life resulted in me “cutting down on mental clutter” and logging into my personal FB page less. Good food for thought!
P.S. I am doing some research for our upcoming Brand Market workshop and made an 8 questions survey on the topic of social media. Would love your help if you have a minute!
Every year on approximately Oct. 28th I am scrambling to put together costumes for the little ones. (Last year I took an easy route.) Thanks to a little nudge and encouragement from Pottery Barn Kids, I am a whole 6 weeks early this year;)
Their entire line of costumes for kids is outstanding. I mean really, who can compete with this? I am so glad they included Captain America in their treat bag section because he happens to be my son’s favorite super hero. Gabriel has been asking me for a Captain America shield so when this opportunity arose to do a little DIY action for PBKids, I knew exactly what I would attempt. I got a little carried away and made the whole costume.
Materials:
Frisbee (We had a few of these from parades we had collected.)
Sticky back foam sheets
Regular foam sheets
Red and White Duck Tape or
Duck Tape sheets
Elastic trim
Sticky back velcro
Blue T-shirt
Instructions: Shield: Cut out a white ring, white star, and blue circle out of the sticky foam sheets,(You will need red too if you can’t find a red frisbee) and attach to the front of the frisbee. Turn over, attach sticky back velcro circles in two rows. Hot glue elastic or fabric strips to the top sides of the velcro dots.
Shirt: Using duck tape rolls or sheets, cut strips and place vertically along the bottom half of the shirt. Cut out a second white star out of a duck tape sheet to place at the center of the shirt.
Mask: Trace a mask shape on blue foam and cut out. Draw an A and two small wings on the scraps of your white duck tape sheet to attach on the front of the mask. Staple an elastic trim piece on either side of the mask. (Pre-measure.)
PB Kids is offering 20% off all their treat bags (+ Free Shipping!) which means we will be getting that Captain America one for Mr. Superhero…;)
*Thank you to Pottery Barn kids for sponsoring today’s post.
Sometimes the ordinary can become extraordinary if you look at it from a new perspective. Can you guess what I used to create these art pieces?? Head on over to Style Me Pretty Living to see this month’s DIY. Its an easy way to make some modern art. Get your friends together to make some gifts for friends or family! Use the hashtag #SMPLivingGildedArt so we can see what you are up to!
These beautiful pillows by Goods by Grinn were my pattern inspiration for these art pieces. Also a thank you to By Luciana shop for the Non, Je ne Regrette Rien print which completes the trio:)
I have to admit one of the best baby gifts I received was just this last week. My friend Natasha brought over some sweet treats…..a valued and appreciated gift for any girl who just had a baby, right?? She introduced me to the wonderful world of Talenti Gelato. Less than a day later, the entire pint of Salted Caramel was gone. Consider yourself warned – this stuff is dangerous.
I found myself slowly walking down the Publix frozen section a day later in case I would happen to cross paths with Talenti. Once I spotted it between the Ben & Gerry’s and the Häagen-Dazs, our eyes locked. Before I knew it, I was at the checkout line with Sicilian Pistachio and Caramel Cookie Crunch.
I told Gabe this can now be my birthday, anniversary, and just because surprise gifts should he feel so inclined. I will just pretend to be surprised.
Let me know if you give it a try. I have about eight other flavors I need to test out so I’d love to hear suggestions on which to try next!
