a pretty cool life.

instagrammed.

2013-06-17T12:47:00.004-05:00

Here's a tiny peek into the last couple weeks through the lens of my iphone.
Lots of summer fun and party prepping!
Follow along with me on instagram if you'd like...I'm @aprettycoollife :)

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TNT's new season of Rizzoli & Isles

2013-06-14T23:00:00.000-05:00

When I was contacted recently about previewing the new season of TNT's Rizzoli and Isles, I said yes immediately and with tears in my eyes.

Stick with me here.

The truth is, at this point in my life, I watch very little tv.

A lot of days I can't find the time.

A lot of days I just need quiet in the evening after the chaos in our house during the day.

And sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by the number of recorded, unwatched shows on the DVR that I delete them all just to relieve the {silly, totally unnecessary, it's a tv show for crying out loud} pressure of having to catch up on all of them.

But that wasn't always the case.

Flash back to 2006.

I was a mom for the first time.

I was so excited...

but I had no idea what I was doing...

I'd never even held a baby before my own.

And I had this tiny human to care for!

So the little guy and I were figuring out each other together.

If he made the tiniest peep, I picked him up.

If he wanted to be held and cuddled all night, I did.

And did he ever want to be held and cuddled all night!

Now remember 2006 was the land before iphones and {for me} the land before a laptop.

The things I rely on so much to keep me awake in the wee hours with a babe now.

But back then, the little dude and I had TNT crime drama marathons.

Trust me when I tell you there isn't much decent tv on in the middle of the night.

Infomercials, poker championships, bad movies...not my style.

But TNT seemed to always be running a detective show marathon.

And those shows...they suck me in.

Everything I know about the criminal justice system came from detective shows.

Ha!

I think I can rattle off a Miranda warning thanks to crime dramas.

My sister and I still joke about what would Jack McCoy do.

So back to 2013.

My little guy is not so little any more.

I took him to his first soccer tryout the other night.

Uh, when did he get to be old enough for that??

No more pay your money...get a jersey and some tall socks...everyone on the team plays.

Me shedding more tears.

But we made it through {we don't know until next week if he made the team!}

And once he and my other littles were tucked into bed for the night, I settled myself in with my laptop, a bowl of ice cream, and an episode of TNT's Rizzoli & Isles.

There was drama...Isles' birth mother has come back into her life...

There was suspense...a parking garage collapsed with Rizzoli's brother and nephew inside...

And of course there was the crime to be solved...an actor was shot on stage with a bullet everyone thought was a blank...

I'd not seen much of the show before, but one episode, and I'm totally hooked!

I'll be working legal jargon into my everyday conversation again in no time. ;)

{And how cool that Angie Harmon stars in the show...she's Jack McCoy's former coworker, ADA Abbie Carmichael!}

So thanks, TNT, for that trip down memory lane and for getting me started on a great new show!!

xoxo

Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner  will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
 
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 6/13/2013 - 6/25/2013.

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swimsuit season. we meet again.

2013-06-13T23:00:00.000-05:00

Okay.
I'm just gonna lay it all out there.

Over the past 6 1/2 years since I became a mom I've let the pounds sneak up on me.
They've come and gone because of babies and nursing and weddings and events and such.
Mostly they've come.

I'm eating for two...
Nursing burns 500 extra calories a day...
I just want to taste test this frosting I made...
Oh and the batter too...
Just one more spoonful of frosting...
Maybe a cookie for good measure...
I'm so happy!
I'm so sad!
I'm bored...

Blah blah blah.

And now here I am.
Not so thrilled with how my clothes fit.
Not enough energy leaving me ready for a nap every afternoon.
And the scariest...I'm going to be at the pool all day, every day starting VERY soon.

You guys.
I have a 1 year old with no fear.
And two boys that somehow always end up in a sort of wrestling match.
The pool is not a time when I sit back and relax.
My life is just not in that stage right now.
I'm either refereeing or chasing a baby who wants to do whatever crazy dangerous thing the big kids are doing.

I can't hide under a beach umbrella with a drink.
I can't hide on my pool chair and read a gossipy magazine.
My days of sauntering around the pool in a cute coverup or with a towel around my waist are gone.

I'm out there lugging towels and snacks and Crocs and goggles and someone's snorkel.
I'm chasing someone who just can't wait another second to jump in the pool with a bottle of suntan lotion.
I'm trying to keep our daredevil from climbing up the slide and going back down headfirst.

I'm out there in a bathing suit for all the world to see.
No hiding.

And I can't forget the girls home from college babysitting and nannying.
Looking all cute in their bathing suits.
Laying out.
Working on their tans.
While I'm feeling all...MOM...in my bathing suit.

And feeling like a mom is not a bad thing...
I know this is a silly insecurity...
I love being a mom...
it's my most favorite thing ever...
I'd gain every pound and then ten more for my children...
But returning to my pre-mom, college body would be pretty awesome.

I've always tried to get the thumbs up to make a come back. :)

So when Slim-Fast offered me the opportunity to try their products I jumped at the chance.
I do plenty of {silent} complaining, but haven't done too much about it.
I half heartedly run and get motivated, but I've just been stuck in a rut.

Way back when I used to love Slim-Fast bars for breakfast and lunch.
I maintained my weight and I didn't have to do any thinking...just grab a bar and be done.
I'm going to try the bars again.
So simple...just my style...and hopefully the kickstart I need...the seams on my bathing suit will thank me! ;)

Now tell me...
Do you do this? Do you have this same freak out each bathing suit season? What goes on inside YOUR head? Tell me, tell me! Every comment is an entry, which will be pooled between participating blogs and two lucky winners will be picked at random to each win a $1,000 SpaFinder gift card!

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: "#SweepstakesEntry"; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 6/13/13 – 6/30/13.

Be sure to visit the Slim-Fast brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

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pretty details.

2013-06-11T23:30:00.000-05:00

There aren't many things a doily and some baker's twine can't make prettier, no?

Lately I've found a new interest in pinning pretty packages.
The more twine, the more vintage trim, the better.

Those packages just show so much time and love to me.

Recently Baby Sister and I attended a bridal shower for my husband's niece.
Now I love shopping off registries and wandering around housewares departments as much as the next girl...
but at this point in my life, it's hard to juggle a wiggly 1 year old and a big box walking into a shower.
So I take the smaller, easier to carry route of gift cards or a check.

And rather than just a plain envelope, I dress it up a little...and with items I found by shopping my craft room.

Card in a waxed bag, sealed with a little washi tape, of course.

Doily folded over the top.

Tag and a scrap of vintage fabric over that, clipped with a tiny clothespin.

A few times around with some baker's twine.

And there you have it. Much better than an envelope!
xoxo

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peonies are my fave.

2013-06-09T02:13:00.000-05:00

I think the beginning of June has some of the prettiest weeks of the year.

My peonies are just bursting in their gorgeousness.
Those feathery petals make me swoon.

Yesterday I spent a few extra minutes admiring them with my camera.
Too many pictures?
Sorry.
But not really. ;)

xoxo

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end of the year teacher gifts: DIY ice cream sundae kits

2013-06-04T23:30:00.000-05:00

Little Brother had his last day of preschool today and Big Brother is finishing up tomorrow.
I can't believe it!
Wasn't I just putting Valentine gifts together??

Anywho, we have four teachers between the two boys, and we love them all.
I wanted to gift something thoughtful and fun, but practical and something that wouldn't break the bank.
These ice cream sundae kits fit the bill.
Nothing says summer to us like making ice cream sundaes!

For each kit I collected a rainbow of ice cream supplies and then repackaged them in a prettier way.

I included:
ice cream scoop
rainbow and chocolate sprinkles
mini marshmallows
gummy bears
mini m&ms
maraschino cherries
ice cream cones
waffle cone bowls
homemade chocolate sauce
homemade caramel sauce
{I decided to skip the wooden spoons...the box was looking too crowded to me!}

I bought everything at Target, Walmart, and the grocery store.
The glassine bags are from Michael's.

I closed the bags and jars with either washi tape or baker's twine.
I made the tags with a word processing program, printed on kraft card stock, and then punched them with scrapbook punches.

I gathered everything together and then started filling the boxes assembly line style.

The chocolate sauce recipe is what I usually make to put in the boys' milk instead of buying the ones full of HFCS at the store.
{This recipe is plenty to fill four small mason jars for gifts and a leftover jar for us.}

The caramel sauce recipe is straight from P Dub herself.
{This recipe is only enough to fill 2 1/2 small mason jars...I doubled it ~~and then ate the leftovers with a spoon~~.}

I tied the packages up with a bit of gingham ribbon and a doily.

And of course you don't have to limit this to just teachers...it would be a fun gift anytime for ice cream lovers out there! :)
Have a good day, friends.
xoxo

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instagrammed.

2013-06-02T00:11:00.004-05:00

Here's a tiny peek into the last week of our lives through filtered iphone pics.
If you'd like to follow along on instagram, I'm @aprettycoollife
Have a good week, friends!
xoxo

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spring veggie recipe: primavera pasta toss

2013-05-29T15:03:00.000-05:00

While I'm waiting for our own little veggie patch to get going, I'm a sucker for the farmer's market.

The rainbow of stands makes for such a happy place!

This past weekend I came home with beans, asparagus, tomatoes, and carrots.

The only bummer was I was too late to grab any peonies. Boo.

I'm also a sucker for warm evenings and eating outside.
All those veggies that look so pretty for sale look just as pretty as dinner on our picnic table!

this post is sponsored by Kraft

of course all opinions are my own

Recently, Kraft invited me to "get zesty" by trying their Zesty Italian Anything Dressing.

Of course I've used Kraft dressings a million times before...on salads, as a marinade for chicken, as party dips...they've been around forever and I think they're pretty much a crowd pleaser.

So when this bottle showed up on my doorstep and I thought about what I could make with it...

I looked through Kraft's huge collection of recipes and saw one for the pasta primavera toss and thought it looked yummy and full of veggies.

{Although I really like the looks of the zesty Italian chicken salad!}

Sure enough, it's great!

And so simple, too...

It comes together in about a half hour...

And the boys and the baby even asked for seconds!

That doesn't happen very often! ;)

I can't wait to try this again in the summer with our own veggies!

So just for fun, and in the spirit of "getting zesty," Kraft has offered a giveway bottle of a "zesty Italian" perfume by Versace!

To be entered to win, just leave a comment about how you add a little zest to your life.

Giveaway will end on Sunday night and the winner will be contacted next week. Good luck!

xoxo

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our summer bucket list.

2013-05-28T22:00:00.000-05:00

Making summer bucket/to-do lists is a big thing around blogland.
I'm sure you've seen them all around.

Last year we took the simple route and wrote a few ideas on our kitchen chalkboard {like Meg's...but I guess I didn't blog about it??}
We don't have any crazy hard aspirations for our summers...I think eat lunch at Ikea was the hardest thing on the list...
It works for us at this point in our life. :)
We just come up with things that we would be doing anyway.
If we don't, no big deal.

I was planning on writing this year's list on the chalkboard again, but I came across this super cute {and free!} printable from Lindsay.
So the other day while my two youngest were in bed, my oldest and I broke out the Sharpies and colored our lists {such a huge deal to him...Sharpies are like fabric scissors in this house...mom-only items :)}

His little plans are so sweet to me.
"go to the park"
"go to the pool"
I think I'm going to save it and print these every year from now on to compare...
His charmingly imperfect handwriting...
The fact that he drew lines to make it as neat as possible...
Tears.
Flowing.
I wish I could freeze time.

I can't believe just how close we are to summer!
Like maybe 4 more school days??
This year went by crazy fast {they all do...}

What are your plans for summer??
Do you write out a list??
xoxo

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Memorial Day.

2013-05-27T20:34:00.000-05:00

Photobombed patriotic s'mores.

salute the ones who've died

the ones who give their lives

so we don't have to sacrifice

all the things we love

We enjoyed our long weekend, but not without gratitude and thoughtfulness.

I hope your weekend was just as nice.

xoxo

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what to do on summer vacation.

2013-05-25T20:33:00.000-05:00

It's Memorial Day weekend.
Unofficial start of summer.
{The weather is free to cooperate with the calendar any time....hint hint.}
I bought our pool pass.
I have a fresh pedicure and new flip flops.
Only 5 school days left.
End of the year activities are in full swing...

Now I know some moms dread the end of school and their littles being home for three months.
I don't dread it...I like it.
Our biggest decisions are if we should go to the pool before lunch or after.
If we should have popsicles or watermelon for dessert.

But as much as I love the laziness of summer and the boys being home, we do get to the point when we all need something structured.
And then there are those days that rain.
Or when I just need a few minutes to get dinner together.

We've made some fun projects in the past that would make for great summer activities...

Rainbow wind catchers
Bird houses
Kites
Sidewalk paint
Marshmallow shooters
{and more if you click on the "craft" button up above!}

Another idea that I was recently introduced to is BabbaBox.
And we've all seen how popular services that deliver boxes full of goodies to your door have become lately...

Instead of resorting to tv {again} or iphone/ipad games {again} these boxes full of activities will keep littles entertained and busy in a good way.

Their Summer Survival kits deliver a box with a new theme for each month of summer...

June is "deep sea" theme...
July is "camouflage animals" theme...
August is "pirate treasure" theme...

all of them sound like things my boys would love!

BabbaBox has a lot to say about what makes them different from all the other kids' products and subscription services.

1) Solutions built to fit your life…
The BabbaBox is designed by parents who understand that different situations call for different solutions. While sitting down and spending an hour doing a project with your kids is fun, the reality is sometimes you are juggling dinner and need something they can do relatively independently.

Each BabbaBox includes solutions specifically designed for four different occasions that are part of all parents’ routines: TV Free Mornings, Sanity Saving Weeknight Activities, Purposeful Weekend Plan, and Story time.

2) Have fun while building critical thinking skills…
The BabbaBox is about so much more than just arts & crafts. Each month includes a different combination of hands on projects, books, games, sensory activities, kid-friendly science, imaginative play and more. And everything included is designed by BabbaCo’s early childhood experts to develop important critical thinking skills – of course while having a ton of fun in the process.

If you like what you hear, go check them out!

BabbaCo has generously offered a 10% discount on their summer survival packs...
and if you sign up for their newsletter you receive a 15% discount.

Enjoy!
xoxo

This post was sponsored by BabbaCo by Jessica Kim, but all opinions are my own.

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instagrammed.

2013-05-21T01:08:00.000-05:00

Here's a tiny peek into what we've been up to over the past week through filtered iphone pics.
If you'd like to follow along on instagram, I'm @aprettycoollife
xoxo

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a little online shopping

2013-05-20T01:56:00.002-05:00

I've always loved online shopping.
No pressure.
No crowds.
No one to see me pick up the same item and put it back and then put it in my cart and then put it back....over and over. ;)

But since I've become a mom, it's become almost a necessity.
No matter how prepared I think we are to go to the store...
someone has to pee.
someone is hungry.
someone is thirsty.
someone doesn't like sitting in the cart.
someone doesn't like walking next to the cart.
someone wants to look in this aisle...
or that one...

And if we somehow manage to get through the store in spite of all that...
I usually forget something.
Ha!

Seriously. Online shopping is so perfect for me!

Enter Walmart's new Spark Studio.
I thought I knew everything there is to know about shopping online, but this is a whole new experience.
It's Pinterest and online shopping all in one!

Now I know sometimes Walmart and their shoppers get a bad wrap...
so not the case with Spark Studio.
Since it's set up like Pinterest, you browse items that are the best of the best.
You can even see how many times an item has been pinned.

I love this set up!
I really think {hope??} it's the direction other websites will go in the future.

I set up a Pinterest board of many of my favorite finds...

An aqua cruiser? I'm so in love.

I would looove an instax camera!

This red bistro set is calling my name.

And in addition to the fun dreamy items, I also pinned the practical.

My fave cookie gifting jars.

We use these cracker jars for everything, especially for parties!

This is our beloved green smoothie blender.

I always like to stock up on flour sack towels for gifting and other rainbowy projects!

And saving my best find for last...

A Jenny Lind bed!

From Walmart!

I love it.

Big Brother has a Jenny Lind bed like this, and as much fun as the hunt was for that one...having this pinned for when I need to upgrade beds for my two youngest is going to be so helpful.

So...
head on over and check out Spark Studio for yourself!
Tell me what you think...what are some of your favorite items??
And if you're interested, you can check out all of my pins right here. :)

xoxo

This post is sponsored by Walmart, but all opinions and references to uncooperative children in shopping carts are my own.

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recipe: our favorite chocolate chip cookies

2013-05-15T23:00:00.000-05:00

I feel a little silly even posting this recipe since I'm sure everyone already has their favorite cookie recipes, but whenever I post a picture of chocolate chip cookie making here or on instagram, someone usually asks what recipe I use. :)

I'm happy to share...and it's never let me down...so here you go!

2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 sticks butter, softened to room temp
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
as many chocolate chips as your heart desires

Preheat oven to 375* and line baking sheets with parchment.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl and set aside.

In your stand mixer, beat butter, sugars, and vanilla until creamy.

Beat in eggs one at a time.

Gradually add in flour mixture.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Using a cookie scoop or big spoon, drop dough onto cookie sheet and bake 9-10ish minutes.

Let cool and dunk in milk!
xoxo

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instagrammed.

2013-05-14T00:14:00.000-05:00

A tiny peek into our week before Mother's Day {I'll share more deets from the weekend soon} through filtered iphone pics.
If you'd like to follow along with me on instagram, I'm @aprettycoollife
xoxo

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Happy Mother's Day!

2013-05-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there! I'm so grateful for my mom, my mother in law, and the three little monkeys that call me mom. :)

Hope everyone gets a chance to sleep in and enjoy the day!!

xoxo

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the bright side.

2013-05-09T23:55:00.001-05:00

I mentioned yesterday how we've been working hard to get our yard prettied up and in summer shape.
We were due for fresh sand in our sandbox too, so on one of our trips out for mulch I picked up a few bags of play sand.

Sister couldn't wait to get right in, so we dumped the sand into our turtle the second we got home.
And just like dumping out the cereal box and finding the toy, we found rock after rock.
So it really wasn't like a prize in the cereal box.
It was more like finding a whole bunch of rocks in bags of sand.
Grumble, grumble, grumble.
I wanted sand, not rocks.
Grumble, grumble, grumble.

The two younger ones went inside for naps and my 6 year old and I sat and sifted through the sand like a couple of miners panning for gold.
He thought it was pretty much the coolest thing ever.
He had a mission to get them out and he took his job seriously.
No grumbling.
Just fun.
Just looking at the bright side.

Another lesson in mothering {and life} learned.

And to make things even sweeter, we found three new heart rocks to add to my collection. :)
xoxo

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the return of yardwork

2013-05-08T23:56:00.001-05:00

I'm finally feeling like our spring weather is here to stay.
Maybe?
Please?
I hope so.

So for the past few days I've been hauling mulch and gravel and building tomato cages and trellises {trelli??} around our yard.
I've managed to get my gardens simplified into almost all perennials over the years, but I can't help just a few flower pots filled with pretty flowers.
Plus, I love having a vegetable patch.
So today I ventured to the nursery with all three of my littles in tow to pick up our last plants.

They all behaved so nicely.
I think they were a little amazed by the overflowing greenhouse after greenhouse?
Maybe because the boys have been learning about seeds and plants at school?
I don't know, but I didn't expect it to go so smoothly and left my camera at home.

Here are the photos from my {solo} trip last year...I promise everything was just as beautiful today as it was then. :)
xoxo

All photos taken with my very favorite 50mm lens.

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gifting: a brand new baby boy

2013-05-07T01:19:00.001-05:00

Good friends of ours welcomed their second little boy into the family a few weeks ago.

We gifted them with a little handmade, a little homemade, and a little store bought.

You can download the free superhero brother printable right here.

sources:

bunting: made by me

turtle pull toy: toy store

Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton: Target

outfit: Old Navy

printable: made by me, printed on glossy heavyweight paper at the office store

And since I've brought home a new baby a few times before, I've learned that I love and appreciate the itty bitty newborn outfits and baby gifts, but practical is really, really nice too.

So I made a quick little dinner for the family.

on the menu:
cheater cheater baked ziti from Julie
salad
garlic bread
chocolate chip cookies

Welcome to the world, baby Charlie!
xoxo

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instagrammed.

2013-05-05T22:23:00.000-05:00

A teeny peek {blame the beautiful weather for my lack of picture taking! :)} into our life over the past week, all through filtered iphone photos.
Follow along on instagram! I'm @aprettycoollife
xoxo

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May the 4th...

2013-05-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

be with you.

Haha.
I crack myself up!
Happy weekend, friends.

xoxo

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HGTV fabric at JoAnn's, coupons, and indecision

2013-05-03T00:27:00.000-05:00

So I've confessed before how I overwhelm myself with projects and things I want to make...
and instead of making something...

anything...

I do nothing and take a nap on the couch.

So a few weeks ago JoAnn's sent a couple of yards of their new HGTV home dec fabrics and some trim for me to try.
They said I could make anything I wanted with it.
Anything.
Just try it out.

And I did what I did every time one of my professors gave an open ended writing assignment...
immediately had a million ideas...
and at the same time had no ideas...
because I didn't want to waste my new fabric.

So after looking at it for this long...
and getting over my nervousness of wasting it on a "bad" project...
I took my indecisiveness and decided to change up our family room pillows that I made so long ago {3 years?! Seriously??}

Totally taking the safe route...
But I hate to waste pretty fabric!

And now I can finally update the pictures in my 10 minute envelope pillow tute!
Updated pics and tutorial coming soon. :)

If you'd like to check out the HGTV line of fabrics {or anything else in the store!}, here are some JoAnn's coupons to use this weekend...

...coupons have expired...

And here is a whole bunch of ideas...because maybe you make decisions easier than me! ;)

Happy shopping and happy sewing!
xoxo

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gifting: a DIY gardening kit for kids

2013-04-30T00:35:00.000-05:00

We celebrated our niece's 3rd birthday over the weekend.

Knowing just how much my own children love digging in the dirt and watching plants grow, I put together a little gardening set for the birthday girl.

Everything I included can easily be found in stores this time of year.

I labeled the potting soil bag by running a brown lunch bag through my printer.
Directions for how I did that can be found here.
The template for the potting soil bag can be downloaded here.

I separated the flower seeds from the veggie seeds and tied them up with twine.

And then I started loading up the box with gardening goodies, starting with a layer of tissue and grassy paper shreds.

It was snug, but everything fit!

sources:
rake and shovel: JoAnn's
garden gnome: Walmart
plant markers {tongue depressors because I forgot to order actual plant markers!} and pencil: JoAnn's
seed packets: Walmart
potting soil: Walmart
seed starting pots: Walmart
garden gloves: Target
The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle: Amazon
crinkle paper "grass": Party City {left from this project!}

Happy birthday Violet! Happy gardening!
xoxo

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instagrammed.

2013-04-28T20:50:00.000-05:00

Little bits and pieces of our life through filtered iphone pics.
You can find me on instagram as @aprettycoollife
xoxo

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Earth Day craft: a kite from packaging materials

2013-04-26T15:13:00.001-05:00

thredUP recently asked me to participate in an Earth Day craft challenge using their polka dot packaging.
Of course I said yes to polka dots!

I thought and thought about what would be a good way to re-use the packaging...and of course thought of something I knew the boys would love.
A kite!

If you'd like see how you can craft one {in only 10 minutes!} too...visit the thredUP blog for the full how to.

And...if you're feeling really awesome...
go on over to their facebook page vote for your favorite project! {I hope it's mine!!}

If I win, I get a $200 gift card to my fave craft store! Yay!
Plus, readers of my blog will get a coupon code to thredUP to use themselves and two random voters will get a $25 gift card to thredUP! Double yay!

High fives for voting, friends! Happy Friday!
xoxo

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