A Little Tipsy

Water Spigot Coat Rack

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Hello...it's Ali from House Vintage back again with another fun DIY project. This project only takes a few hours and shouldn't cost much money. By utilizing salvaged materials, you can make a coat rack.

The supplies you will need are:

Water spigot knobs are easy to find at flea markets and usually cost a few dollars. They can also be found on Etsy. My pile has been collected over time, as I would find them out thrifting. The wood board was a leftover scrap. If you don't have any scrap wood around, you can buy this already precut at the hardware store. They come in a variety of lengths. Pick the right size for your space.

Rusty knobs were painted with several thin coats of spray paint. I also added some stain to enhance the tone of the wooden board. Remember to always paint and stain in a well ventilated area.

Decide how many knobs you would like your coat rack to have. Four worked well on my board. I used a yard stick to make sure they were evenly spaced. The knobs are then screwed into the board, from the front. The thickness of the board and the knob will determine the size of screw to use. I also added a plastic spacer and/or washer to allow for space behind the knob where items can hang. Each of my knobs had a different depth, so you may have to use a different configuration on each. I also didn't pre-drill my holes, but if you are using a wood that splits easily, you may opt to do that.

Find a place that could use some extra organization or storage, and hang it up. Your salvaged coat rack is done!

-------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks Ali! I love the color and character of this coat rack! It would be great as a towel rack in a bathroom too!

Decorating with Succulents

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Attribution Statement: Brought to you by The Home Depot, click here to learn more.

I was excited to be invited by Home Depot to attend one of their Do-it Herself Workshops. This one was on succulents and they demonstrated how to plant them in containers for indoors. I was shocked at how easy it was! I collected the supplies in store, went on the hunt for the perfect out of the box containers, and created this...

I am in LOVE with it! I always say I should have lived in simpler times and this takes me back to the time of fresh cream on the farm and homemade gravy for Sunday dinners.

Now going back to the workshop, she demonstrated how to create a pot of succulents like in the picture below.

This is actually one of the ones she created, I was lucky enough to be one of the winners and got to take it home. Isn't it happy in my living room? I love the modern day terra cotta! They have some adorable pots at Home Depot.

So how to make a succulent arrangement of your own?

SUPPLIES:

Miracle Gro Cactus, Palm and Citrus Soil
Container of Your Choice
Succulent Plants
Water
Small Bristle Brush (like a paint brush)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Fill your container most of the way full packing the soil tight and leaving about an inch at the top.

2. Break up the roots of your succulents and add to container using a variety of heights and colors to add interest. Press them in firmly and add additional soil where needed.

3. Use the bristle brush to brush off any stray soil bits lodged in the succulents or around the rim of your container.

4. Water them generously as you would any newly moved plant.

5. Succulents hold water in their leaves. They rarely need to be watered, probably only once every 2-3 weeks. So ignore them for the most part and when they start to dry out a bit and that is when you should water them.

I can't wait to try out more succulent arrangements! They are so easy and low maintenance which is perfect for me!

I'm looking forward to more Do-It Herself Workshops as well! The next two on the agenda are build your own Adirondack chair and learn to install bathroom faucets and vanities. So awesome right?! And free! Love it.

Shabby Apple Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I got a fun little surprise in the mail just in time for Mother's Day. Shabby Apple (I am an affiliate) sent me their At First Sight dress. It was so fun to have something nice and new to wear to church for Mother's Day. The hubs was kind enough to do a mini photo shoot beforehand. This was the first shot he got!

I adore the rich color of the dress and the length is perfect. I love the look of the wrap dress with the ruffles and bow. It is dressed up and girly without being stuffy. My only complaint is the liner near the neck tends to unfold and peak out. Nothing that can't be easily fixed with an iron, clothing tape or simple stitching.

There are so many dresses over at Shabby Apple that I just love!

Does your closet need a new addition?

Shabby Apple is giving away a $75 gift card!

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

10 Creative Cash Graduation Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:53:00 +0000

With Graduation right around the corner I've had graduation gifts on the mind. I like to give cash so they can use it on whatever they need, but I like to fancy it up with a little more than a card. That led to this search and collection of creative cash graduation gifts. Who knew cash could be so cool?!

Dollar Diplomas from A Little Tipsy

Soda Bottle from Its Written on the Wall

In Case of Emergency from Create My Event

Money Badge from Just Something I Made

Graduate Bottle from Fave Crafts

Chocolate box from Life as a Mom

Graduation Cap Box from Crafts Unleashed

Your Hard Work has Paid Off from eighteen25

Money Leis from Honeysuckle on the Vine

$2 Bill Pad from Instructables

Pinwheel Chalkboard Frame

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

What? You didn't know that "chalkboard" was in? JK, I know it is all over the place. But I got some fun clear chalkboard paint and I had to try it out. Because a lime green chalkboard frame is AWESOME!! So today I am sharing how I made this bright and fun frame that is a chalkboard making it so that you can switch out your picture AND the saying surrounding it! Or even let your kiddos doodle around it to make it their own and match the picture you put inside.

Read more...
Don't stop here...read more! »

Samsung NX1000 Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I am so excited to tell you all about this incredible giveaway brought to you by an even more incredible group of bloggers! But only because we love ya! This giveaway is for not one, or two but

THREE WINNERS!

Breathing Space Blogger Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I am excited to share with you a little some thing I am looking forward to this fall, the Breathing Space blogger conference! I was able to go last year when it was held in Daybreak and it was a blast! This year it is going to be held at Solitude, a premier Utah ski resort, and it's going to be huge!!

{Read More}

Don't stop here...read more! »

SNAP Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Anyone who follows my twitter stream knows I went to the SNAP conference a couple of weeks ago. So ya, I'm a little late with this, but it took me a while to recover from my stay with roomies Stacy and Leanne. They are too fun to get any sleep. I'm sure you've seen recaps all over blogland so I'll save you from a novel with all the details and just fill in some highlights.

First off, there was a door decorating contest. We decided to do a photo booth with a bunch of magnetic creative blogger tools hanging around the door frame. We had funny sayings on chalkboard word bubbles to along like:

Nail gun - "Nailed it!"

Trowel - "I dig blogging!"

Rolling pin - "That's how I roll."

Photos from Stacy and Amy's Instagram.

At first, I was not excited about having a PJ party that first night (something about having no cute PJs), but by that night I was so ready to be in comfy clothes! I had forgotten shoes to wear with my track suit (not so cute with riding boots) I realized I had some flip flops, but then the cute Cricut girls (my awesome sponsors) surprised me with some slippers. They totally take care of me and let's be frank anyone who rocks Ninja Turtle pants is a friend of mine.

Bow Tote

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Hi there! It's me, Terra from mama says sew. I'm here today to show you how to make this Bow Tote.

I gave it to my daughter to use as a dance tote {and she was so excited she immediately dumped everything out of her old bag so she could put it in this one}, but you could use it for just about anything. It would make a great last minute Mother's Day gift as well.
Read More...

Don't stop here...read more! »

May Visiting Teaching Message Handout

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Sun, 05 May 2013 23:02:00 +0000

This May visiting teaching message is your choice from General Conference. I chose a quote from the talk from President Boyd K. Packer entitled "These Things I Know." You are welcome to use it if it you feel it would fit your sisters.

Download free May visiting teaching message handout.

It is made as a vertical 4x6. I just print them on photo cards to give to my visiting teaching sisters.

Mother's Day Gifts: Time Out for Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Hi, it's Amy from The Happy Scraps here again, sharing this fun Mother's Day Idea.

What are you giving your mom this mother's day? I wanted to come up with a gift that could be enjoyed my mother's of any age. Those that have young kids, those that have teenage kids, or those that have grown kids that don't live at home anymore. I asked my mom and mother-in-law for ideas, and what types of things they liked, and I also thought about what I might like for mother's day and this is what I came up with.
Wouldn't any mother you know love to be pampered, or take a break when they have a few minutes? I know I would, and I know of others that would as well. I picked up a few things to put together for such an occasion.

Mother's Day Gift Ideas & Epic Mother's Day Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:00:00 +0000

I always struggle with what to get my Mom and other special women in my life for Mother's Day. I like to purchase something I know they have been wanting, but also incorporate something I put my heart in to. Here are a few handmade gift ideas that are fun for Moms, Grandmas, Visiting Teachers or Friends...

5 Handmade Mother's Day Gift Ideas

1. Sugar Shaker Bouquet

2. Stenciled Glass Vase

3. Easy Photo Magnets

4. Lemon Sugar Scrub

5. Succulents

and now for a little (or not so little) something they may have been wanting...

A gift for you and the mom of your choice!

What a great way to celebrate?!

Enter the Mother's Day giveaway with the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post.

No purchase is necessary to enter. Void where prohibited by law. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received.** This promotion is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.** To qualify to win, you must fill out the Entry. See Rafflecopter for complete rules. This giveaway is compliant with Facebook Promotions Guidelines. Must be aged 18+ to enter & win. Valid only in the United States. Void where prohibited by state or national law.

Gifts for Mom: Easy Photo Magnets #12MonthsofMartha

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Disclosure: Martha Stewart provided product for this post. All ideas and opinions are my own.

I find gifts for mom to be somewhat of a challenge. My mom is not the "crafty" type but I still like to give her something that is personal. My parents are leaving on a mission for the LDS church right before Mother's Day so I wanted something I could ship easily and would not take up a lot of space. My kids adore their Grandma so I thought it would be great to make something with their cute little faces for her to take along, but would also be useful. I thought handmade photo magnets would be the perfect gift.

Not only are they super cute, but they were unbelievably easy to put together. You can get the jest in the photo below.

Gifts for mom have never been so easy! Now if you are the type who likes a bit more detail I'll include the full tutorial below.

Reverse Applique Superman T-Shirt

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Cricut. This project and all ideas/opinions are my own.

When Cricut issued their Fashion show challenge I knew I was up for it. We were given white t-shirts and iron-on material with the assignment to make something wearable. Being the mom of superhero obsessed boys I knew just what I wanted to do, a Superman t-shirt. But, not just any t-shirt. I decided a reverse applique would be perfect to look like Clark Kent tearing open his white shirt to reveal his Superman suit.

I am pretty darn pleased with how my little hero looks and was surprised how easy the whole reverse applique process was.

SUPPLIES:

Two white t-shirts

Evening Blue Rit Dye

Washing Machine

Cricut Mini

Red Cricut Iron-On

Yellow Cricut Iron-On

Iron

Small sharp scissors

Pins

Sewing Machine

White thread

HOW-TO:

1. Wash the shirts to remove any shrinkage and dry without fabric softener. (The film it leaves can effect the wear of the iron-on.)

2. Dye one of the shirts blue using the washing machine instructions on the bottle.

3. Cut out the Superman symbol out of the red and yellow iron-on by opening the free file below in Cricut Craft Room. Don't forget to reverse the image if you aren't using my file! With a Cricut mini, cut with the iron-on's clear protective coating side down on the mat with the depth at 4. and the pressure at 2 with a speed of 3 (other machines may vary).

Download free Cricut file for kid's Superman shirts.

5. Weed your images.

6. Iron on the yellow first with the clear coating facing up. Cover with a piece of scrap fabric and iron for 15 seconds, then flip over and iron the back for 30 seconds. Flip it back over, remove the clear coating and place the red image on top. Cover with scrap fabric and iron for 30 seconds. Check to make sure both layers are secure and remove clear plastic.

7. Cut out the images from the shirt leaving about an inch on each side.

8. Decide where you want it placed on the shirt.

9. Turn t-shirt inside out and pin the image in place.

10. With a washable marker trace around the image where you want to sew. I did my line 1/2 inch out from the iron-on all around so a good bit of blue would show.

11.. Sew around image using a straight stitch. Remove pins and trim strings.

12. Turn the t-shirt right side out and make a small slit through just the white t-shirt in front of the image. Use this to trim close to the seam to reveal the image.

Put it on your little Superman and let him fly!

I have used a lot of iron-on/heat transfer and this by far went on the easiest. I did not have to keep ironing edges over and over and hold it for a minute or more like others I've used. I can't wait to get my hand on some more!

If you want to get your hands on some, they are running a great deal!

Get the Cricut Iron-on Bundle for $199.99 (normally $319.95)!

or if you already have a craft cutter and just want to try out the iron on...

Get $15 off your Cricut Iron-on Sample Pack!

So, what do you think? Have you tried iron-on before? What about reverse applique?

Mom's Guacamole

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

With both Cinco de Mayo and Mother's Day approaching, I think it's a perfect time to share one of my favorite recipes with you!

Why is it called Mom's Guacamole? Well, the answer to that is as simple as the recipe itself. My mom taught me how to make this exact guacamole years (and years) ago, and because of the great big avocado tree I have in my front yard, I make it constantly!

Since the recipe and ingredients are so simple and easy, I just know you're going to love it too!

Here's what you need:

(Note: get this stuff together first!! Making guacamole can get a little messy, so it's best to have everything you need right at your fingertips.)

How much of each ingredient do I need, you ask? Well, in the wise words of my mom, "However much you like!" Oooohh let me tell you how much that frustrated me in the past. As a borderline perfectionist, that's not a sufficient answer! But, she's completely right. Using these ingredients, season it to taste just as you like. Start with a little and add more after a taste test. I find that a dash of the dry ingredients will do. I usually add a tablespoon of salsa and I find it to be just the right amount of spicy "kick". OH- and here's an awesome tip! The olive oil not only makes the guacamole a little creamier, it also helps prevent the leftover guacamole from turning brown!

There you have it! Mom's Guacamole is an easy recipe with simple ingredients that you most likely already have in your kitchen. Are you eager to make the guacamole but your grocery store only has unripened avocados for sale? Well, take a brown paper bag and let the avocados sit in there for a few days. The darkness helps them ripen faster!

Thank you so much for having me again here at A Little Tipsy! I'd love for you to swing by my blog Smart School House to see what other crafts and treats I've been up to lately, like this picture perfect pink treat called Frosted Ice Cream:

Thanks Kelly! I love the tip about the olive oil! DYK if you leave the big avocado seed in the guacamole until ready to serve it keeps it green?! Can't wait to try this recipe!

Ride Into Spring: Free Bike Printable

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Hi Friends, it's Aly from Entirely Eventful Day. I am so excited to share this fun bike printable with y'all. I mounted these prints in my little boy's room but they would look great anywhere really. These are so bright and fun. They get me all giddy for Summer!

I am more than happy to share these designs with you... but please remember that they are for personal use only. :)

Download the bike printables here.

For this project, I used four, $2 Ikea frames and these cute bike printables, designed by yours truly. The color palette was inspired by this Riley Blake Fabric because my son has a similar print fabric in his room.

All you need to do is print the image. I printed it on card stock and put it in the frame.

It's always a good idea to lay your grouping out on the floor first. You could arrange the bikes facing each other or going away from each other.

In the end, I decided I like them going away from each other. Don't you just love the vibrant colors? I am working on updating my son's room. He's ready for a "big boy" room and I think these prints are the perfect addition.

If you use them I would love to see what you do!

Don't forget to stop by Entirely Eventful Day and see what other fab projects I've been working on.

Batman Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Our 5 year old is little Mr. Superhero. He has been obsessed with superheros for more than a year. You can see proof here with his Super Hero Squad Party from last year. He loved it so much he wanted a super hero party again this year, but since many of the guests would be the same, we switched it up a bit and thanks to the Cricut and the Target Dollar Spot we decided on a Batman Birthday Party.

I made a fun Batman Birthday Banner with my Cricut (I'm a Cricut affiliate), tied it together with ribbon, and hung it to look like it was held up by bats.

Download the free Batman Birthday Banner Cricut file.

I got the bat banner on clearance after Halloween, but you could easily create one yourself.

We covered the wall with this amazing printable personalized skyline from Ander's Ruff and had the kids color it while we waited for all the guests to arrive. We had cutouts of skylines and bat symbols spread around tables to add to the theme.

We had lots of fun Batman themed activities for the boys:

Vaporize the Villains - Attach a spray paint gun to silly string to create a goo gun and let them shoot at a plastic tablecloth adorned with Villain coloring pages.
Batcave - Create a cave by putting black plastic tablecloths over a table. Hang strips of crepe paper down from the ceiling of the cave along with glow bracelets. Scatter plastic bats around the floor. Have each guests climb through and retrieve a "power bracelet" and a "batarang" for the next game.
Batarang Blast - Stack colorful cups with pictures of villians on them. Give each guests a few tries to knock the cups down with their batarang (aka plastic bat).
Battle the Balloons - Have several helium balloons at varying heights for the kids to shoot at using foam disc shooters. (I got mine 2 for $5 at Wal-Mart though more expensive ones may work better.)
Batplane - Give each guest a piece of black cardstock and a lesson on how to make a paper airplane. (I was surprised how many had no idea how) Line them all up to see who's Batplane flies the furthest.

I went easy with treats this year and just did a Batman Cupcake Cake from Wal-Mart and Invisibility Serum (aka water bottle dressed up with Batman symbol).

Download the free Batman symbols for drinks cricut file.

I like to make my boys matching shirts for their parties so of course this time they were Batman shirts made with iron-on.

Download the free Batman shirt cricut file.

Get the Cricut Iron-on Bundle for $199.99 (normally $319.95)

We sent each guest home with pack of goodies (Many of which were from the Target dollar spot 50% off making them 50 cents!):

Batman play pack - coloring book, stickers, markers
Batman hologram stickers and superhero "pow" stickers
Batman temporary tattoos
Batman stamp markers
Silver Airheads
Blue and yellow Zots candies
Batman bucket

The winners of the Batplane contest took home Batman Pez Dispensers.

The kids had a fabulous time and wore me out completely. This post is getting a little long, so stay tuned for the DIY Batman Birthday Party Invitations coming soon!

Disclosure: I am a Cricut Affiliate. All the ideas and opinions are my own.

Goodbye Death Trap, Hello Beauty {A Ceiling Fan Story}

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

This post is sponsored by Overstock.com who provided the ceiling fan for review. The thoughts and near death experiences are all my own. ;)

It started out with what I thought was upgrading my "quite the sight" 1980's ceiling fan and turned out to be saving ourselves from an untimely death. We traded in our non-classy brassy for a sleek little espresso number only to find the old ceiling fan was held on by one measly screw directly above my side of the bed. I was one moderate earthquake away from a news headline, "Local Blogger Impaled by Ceiling Fan."

Granted it was not the poor fan's fault. I blame the careless previous owners/builders who thought it too much work to make sure both anchor screws actually connected with something remotely solid. Maybe they were looking for a quick way out while still collecting life insurance? See the suspect fan below.

The difference is grand. Thank heavens for the hubs who climbed up in the attic to install an extra board to anchor the fan safely. I guess he wants to keep me around. I smile every morning when I see our new fan and know I will live to see another day. It is my daily dose of espresso. (hardy har)

Wanna know what else is super cool about our new fan? The other side of the blades is a lighter shade of brown so if I decide to change my color scheme or espresso rolls out with the trendwinds I can just flip them over and give the fan a mini face lift.

I love the color, I love the quality and I love that I ordered it from the comfort of my own home without paying an arm and a leg. We love having four lights so it's nice and bright when we need it. It is a total lifesaver during these spring months when it gets warm, but you don't want to turn on the A/C just yet because it might be 70 one day and snow the next.

I knew Overstock had great deals on bedding, rugs, and clothing, but I was surprised to find such a great ceiling fan selection. You can order my ceiling fan here or see their collection of ceiling fans to choose a style all your own.

Do you have a light fixture you are dying to upgrade?

Do you have any funny discoveries while doing home improvements?

April Visiting Teaching Message: Temple Covenants

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

The April Visiting Teaching message is on the importance of Temple Covenants. All of the sisters I visit have been to the temple so I chose a quote from President Monson that reflected such. There a other good quotes for those preparing to attend the temple if those would fit your sisters better.

Download the April Visiting Teaching Handout.

Feel free to print out the message and share with your sisters!

I used the Just My Type Free Digital Kit from Everyday Mom Ideas for the background.

Minnie Mouse Hooded Towel

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Hello A Little Tipsy Readers! This is Amber from Crazy Little Projects here to teach you to make a hooded towel-and I think you Disney fans are going to love this one. I make a new hooded towel every month-check them out here! But this one's a little different from the ones I've made in the past. This one's Minnie Mouse (or Mickey Mouse-take your pick). I'm thinking some kiddos would love these. They'd be
great to take on a trip to Disney!

Mickey and Minnie Hooded Towel Tutorial:

Supplies Needed: 1 Red Towel 1 Black hand towel Red polkadot fabric or ribbon for Minnie Towel Instructions: In this post I am teaching you to make the head part of this towel. If you would like to see how I finish off my hooded towels and attach the hoods, see my basic hooded towel post. To start off, cut your hand towel in half horizontally. Fold the selvage edge under about 3-4 inches and stitch it in place. (Sorry, forgot to take pictures of this, but here it is on another towel):

Now, flip that over and you will work on the underside, the side without the seam. With the extra piece of hand towel cut out your ears. You will need 4 ear pieces. Just cut a large circle but make it slightly oval shaped so that you can sew it in place easier (see image below). Grab 2 ear pieces and sew them together leaving an opening in the bottom.

Turn them right side out:

On your hand towel decide where you want the ears and cut small slits. Pull the ear through so that it looks like this on the underside:

Do that with both ears and snip off any excess on the bottom. For Minnie-to make the bow either use red polka dot ribbon and tie it, or, use red polka dot fabric. Cut the fabric to be about 14 inches by 5 inches (it's up to you how big or small you want the bow). Fold it so that right sides are together and stitch around it leaving a small opening to turn it.

Turn it right side out, press it and then sew the opening closed. The pinch your bow like this:

And stitch it in the middle to hold it. Hand stitch the bow to the towel where you want it. Now, fold your hood part in half so that the ears are on the inside and zig zag up the back along the raw edges. Then, fold it

like this:

And sew a straight line across the top about 1-2 inches from the top and snip that off. (This rounds out the hood so it's not so pointy.)

And you're done! Just sew the hood to your towel and you've got yourself a little Mickey or Minnie Hooded Towel! Here's a few more of my hooded towels:

Come find me on facebook, pinterest and twitter!

------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh my heavens Amber, this is adorable! I wish I had these for our Disney trip last fall. These would be perfect to take to the pool in the summer too! Thanks for such a great tutorial.

12 Tips for Making the Most of a Blog Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:57:00 +0000

This post is sponsored by Vistaprint. The text and recommendations are all my own.

Sit by someone new at each class or meal. This will ensure you meet lots of new people. People are feeling just as nervous/shy as you are. Don't be afraid to introduce yourself.
Bring lots of business cards. The upcoming SNAP conference is going to have around 350 people.

You probably won't meet all of them (unless you are an introduction ninja) but there are also sponsors etc. so don't short your self. I ordered mine from Vistaprint and they are good quality and super affordable especially when you use Vistaprint coupon codes. I ordered 500 2-sided color cards with premium matte cardstock for $31.47! Last year I added a little something to make them stand out.
Have a way to corral others business cards. Last year at SNAP they gave us a hole punch and a ring to keep business cards in order. This is not always the case and you don't want to lose them.
Find the sponsors you are interested in working with and introduce yourself. They are getting inundated with intros so don't wait for them to talk to you. Leave them with a card and follow up after the conference.
If possible, stay at the conference hotel. Who doesn't love spending time with like minded people?! You will get to know your roommates really well, but also meet people at breakfast and walking to/from the hotel. Plus, it is really convenient if you forget something, need to change shoes, etc. Also, if you are staying, see if your roomates are planning to do roomie gifts.
Get to class early. Seats fill up fast and some rooms only hold so many. If you are set on a certain class get there early. It's also hard to hear in the back sometimes so try to get forward if possible.
Bring a notebook for notes. There is going to be a ton of info thrown at you so bring something to write down what sticks out to you to take action on later.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you have them chances are someone else does too. On the flip side of this, don't dominate the class with a barrage of questions. If you have a ton of questions they might answer them as the class goes on or you could try to corner the speaker after the presentation.
Wear comfortable shoes or bring band-aids for blisters. Trust me, now is not the time to break in 4 inch heels. You will do a lot of walking. Choose some cute flats or heels you can comfortably wear all day.
Have a water bottle on hand. Like I said earlier, lots of walking and classes. It's nice to have a beverage on hand whether your choice is H20 or Diet Coke.
Bring a smartphone or tablet to tweet/instagram and follow others on the hashtag. That's half the fun isn't it? I swear a blogger conference is the only place where it isn't totally rude to be typing away tweeting during a speaker or conversation.
Take pictures with friends everyday. I always forget until the last day and go running around trying to get pics with my girls. Get ahead of the game and take a few everyday.

Kaboo Tablet Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

This review and giveaway is sponsored by Kaboo. The content is all my own.

With a new Kindle Fire HD, I decided I needed a safe place to tote it around with me. It didn't take me long to decide I needed a Kaboo bag. They are the cutest tablet bags I've seen, plus they are a local company which I love. I ordered up the Riley Pearl. Isn't she pretty?

I am totally loving it so far. I took it on a weekend getaway and loved how it fit my electronics perfectly! There are so many pockets. Seriously, an organized place for everything. You can see how I packed everything with the labels below.

Though the Riley Pearl is meant to be a tablet bag, not a camera bag, I figured with the padded lining on one side my camera was safer in there than in any other bag I carry. I am excited to take it to the SNAP conference to keep all my tech gear close at hand.

The Kaboo bag is kind of like a mullet. Wait for it...business in the front and party in the middle. I love how the lining is such a fun colorful print.

With seven pockets on the outside there is no shortage of storage. I love these pockets for my phone, wallet, keys, and other items I need to get to often. There's also a pocket the perfect size for my camera charger. Love!

So, I am really excited about my bag. Can you tell? Wanna be twinsees with me?

Kaboo is giving a Riley Pearl Kaboo Bag to one of my lucky readers!

Enter using the rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Succulents: A How-To Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I in no way claim to be a green thumb. Luckily there are those who excel in this area to help the rest of us along. I had been coveting the beautiful succulent arrangements popping up around the web for a while now and decided to bit the bullet and try my hand at it. I couldn't be more thrilled with how mine turned out!

I am attending the SNAP! Conference in a couple weeks and as a fun way to prepare and get to know other bloggers participated in a SNAP Swap. We were given a budget of $15 and told to thrift store shop and raid our stashes to come up with some items for our partner to makeover. My partner Amber from Crazy Little Projects lives here in Utah so we were able to meet up and swap in person which was fun! Here's the goods I came home with.

Be sure to run over and see what I sent her home with and what she came up with!

Now, how can you pot some succulents of your very own? Here's the low down using tips I learned from this Outside Inside post from Ms. Green Thumb herself Cynthis Bee.

SUPPLIES:

Bowl or pot
Activated Carbon (found in the aquarium section)
Aquarium Gravel
Mirable Grow Moisture Control Potting Mix
Succulents (I found mine at Home Depot)

Layer your ingredients as follows: carbon, gravel, potting mix, succulents, gravel. You can keep the potting mix just in the middle and have only gravel around the edges if you want. The carbon and gravel are what make this bowl work with no drainage.

I love how it adds life, color, and texture to my front room!

I wasn't sure about the blue gravel at first, but I had it on hand from when we used to have African swimming frogs and decided to give it a whirl. I am so glad because I am in love with it!

Come to find out, potting soil is not the best for succulents. Read all about it at the end of this succulent post from Cynthia. I am hoping the moisture control feature of the Miracle Grow combats this. Luckily, I am just keeping them indoors for a couple more weeks until it warms up in these parts and then they can move outside and re-pot if needed.

Industrial Light {DIY Style}

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Hello A Little Tipsy readers! It is quite exciting to be here as a contributor. You can usually find me at my blog House Vintage where I share DIY projects, vintage finds and ways to fill your home with what you really love. Industrial chic is everywhere right now, and I must admit I have a little design crush on this look. It is such a perfect mix of new and old, rustic and modern. Today I am turning a salvaged metal cage into an industrial style pendant light. Let me show you how.

This project began when I found an old and very dirty metal cage at a flea market. I brought it home for $1 and knew it was the perfect starting point for a new light, after some cleaning of course! Also necessary to this project is a light cord (I usually buy mine from IKEA) and a vintage style light bulb. The bulb was the most expensive supply. You can typically find them at any hardware store for around $10.

This particular cage opened to accommodate changing the light bulb, but I did need to find a way to keep it closed the rest of the time. I used a simple fine gauge wire and threaded it through the two openings. You will want to use a wire that is easy to bend.

Next, screw the light bulb into the cord, and insert the light cord and light bulb into the cage. Use the wire to tighten the cage around the threaded end of the cord. Once it is secure, cut off the excess wire. Be sure to turn the pointy end of the wire under, so there are no sharp edges exposed.

And there you have it....a great vintage looking industrial pendant light.

The only thing left to do, is to find the perfect spot to hang it in your home. I think I could cuddle up with a good book right here!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Oooh, I have a design crush on it too! It is beyond perfect with that brick! Thanks for sharing your fantastic find turned industrial light with us Ali.

I'm on Fire!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Barneck) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Let's talk tablets. I love having a portable information giant that can fit
in my handbag. For Valentine's Day we decided to get a tablet and we began shopping around.

Want to know the highlights of what I found when comparing the Ipad and the Kindle Fire HD?

Ipad has a better front/back camera, bigger screen, more apps, and is trendy.

Kindle Fire is thinner, comes with "Free Time" where you can set daily time limits and add favorite for your kids to enjoy safely, Amazon Prime members (which I am) can borrow over 180,000 books and multiple movies and tv series at no cost, and it costs over $200 less.

This was a no brainer for me. Bring on the Fire!

Guess what else? When I was shopping around, and here comes the shocker, the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch was $30 cheaper at Staples. I know right?! Who knew they even sold them at Staples?!

I ordered it and have been loving it ever since! I love watching free tv (Parenthood and Downton Abbey being my most recent) in bed or when the flat screen is otherwise occupied. The kids love all the new game options. And the hubs is pleased to be able to see and edit the kindle version of his soon to be completed novel. Win, win, win.

Just call me a pyromaniac, cause I love my Fire.

Disclosure: Staples provided the product for review, but the opinions and info are all my own.