Bella Caiden

Happy 2015 Old Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 18:45:00 +0000

Well hello there strangers. It has been too long.

I have missed this little old blog of mine for quite some time now

but life was crazy and lets face it there are just not enough hours in the day.

2014 came and went and now a NEW YEAR means new challenges, new goals, new failures and new triumphs and I am ready for it all. I'm ready to soak in 2015 and all its goodness. I'm ready for big things and I can't wait to share it all with you.

So here is to a Happy, Healthy, and Fulfilled 2015!!!

Check out some of the goodies I have coming your way really soon...

A few of my favorites from Jonny's room. Can you guess what any of them are?

And here are a few of my favorites that I've been working on in other rooms in the house.

I promise I will be back really soon with more pics and details. Until then.... What have you all been working on?

My 10 Must Haves for Your Car Survival Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 22:17:00 +0000

Special thanks to Cottonelle for sponsoring today's post.

So the Boozer Family got their first official NEW Car... LIKE EVER!

And let's just say I am more then excited. It couldn't have come at a more perfect time considering summer vacation is just getting started and we are already a bunch of busy bees.

If you know my family, you know that we practically lived out of our old car. We are always going from one sporting practice or game to the next and a million things in between. And while a new car is great, so it having all of the essentials available to you while you are out and that is why I put together a "Survival Kit" for the car.

1. Boogie Wipes are a must have because lets face it... kids get snotty.

2. Blanket... My kids are still young enough that there is the possibility that they will fall asleep in the car, which I am all for, so if a blankie will help then by all means give the kid a blankie.

3. Chapstick- Duh... because we have all had that moment where are lips are starting to get chapped and we keep licking them (because we forgot our chapstick) only to make them worse.

4. Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths On the Go Pack and Cottonelle Clean Care Toilet Paper- Simply Put because they are the BEST OF THE BEST! and you never know when you have to go.

#LetsTalkBums My kiddos love the wet+dry combo and you will too.

5. First Aid Kit- YUP! My kids are an accident waiting to happen.

6. Sunscreen- When you have a blond little peanut like me with Snow White skin you learn to be prepared.

7. Hand Sanitizer. Please refer to #1... Kids are gross.

8. Umbrella- I wouldn't want to get ~~my hair wet.~~ my precious cargo wet.

9. Headache Medicine- Yes my kids are amazing. Yes I love them more then anything in the world. And Yes they still manage to give me an almost constant headache. Don't judge me!

10. Small Flashlight... My KIDS are scared of the dark... not me!

So there you have it... My 10 MUST HAVES for your summer car trips. Whether it's a long trip or a quick ride down the street, it never hurts to be prepared! Hope you all are having a fantastic summer!

Bing in the Classroom

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 May 2014 02:24:00 +0000

Thank you to Bing for supporting today's discussion. As always the opinion is 100% my own.

Let's face it. We are living in a world that is driven by technology. Kids today are watching videos and playing games on the Internet before they are even able to talk. As a mom I am always fearful of what my little ones could accidentally click on or what might pop up during one of their videos even in the classroom. I happen to be my son's homeroom mom and spend a significant amount of time in the classroom where the kids are each given computer time. With all of those students and only a few adults you can imagine it wouldn't take long for even a 1st grader to stumble upon something they shouldn't or even get distracted by all the pop ups and ads happening on the page.

That is why Bing in the Classroom is such an amazing opportunity for schools.

"In schools, when students use search engines other than Bing, they are shown ads that can distract from their studies. With Bing in the Classroom, all advertising is removed, there are strict filters for adult content, and enhanced privacy protection.

Along with providing educational enhancements, Bing in the Classroom removes ads and blocks searches from being used for personalized advertising for all Bing searches done through the school’s network, making Bing the only major search engine to provide a search offering tailored specifically for the classroom.

Please note: As a part of the program, all searches performed with Bing in the Classroom will be ad free, however, websites discovered and visited via search will still provide ads. Students will not be served ads in the Bing experience."

Bing is offering #adfreesearch for all schools. This will include the removal of all advertising, strict filters for adult content, and also enhanced privacy protection.

Bing has made it so easy to support your school with their Bing Rewards program. It allows people to earn Surface Tablets for the school of their choice simply by signing up and searching with Bing. It is so easy. You can search for a school by zip code and even see how many people are contributing. I encourage you to sign up and make sure you spread the word to your friends and family and have them help out your local schools as well.

Here is some simple instruction for signing up!

"To begin supporting schools with Bing rewards, simply visit the campaign landing page and select “Find your school” map in the lower right corner of the page.

Next, enter your school’s zip code and select the name of your school via the dropdown menu and select “Find”.

From here, select the “Support Your School” section and click on the “Try it now, FREE!” section. You’ll be prompted to create a Microsoft account, or sign in with your Facebook account. All you have to do is stay signed in as you search with Bing to earn credits."

I am so thankful for Bing and their support of our children and their education.
Let's all work together to keep our kiddos safe and happy on the Internet.

Yoplait vs. Chobani Taste Off

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 08 May 2014 18:18:00 +0000

If I am being completely honest I have never been a fan of Greek yogurt. I had tried Chobani multiple times and just never saw what all the hype was about, but when Yoplait introduced there Greek yogurt and set out to do a Taste Off, how could I resist getting in on the action.

This taste off is between Yoplait Greek 100 Strawberry Yogurt and Chobani Simply 100 Strawberry.

This was a blind taste test so I emptied the yogurts out of the containers into glass bowls and stirred them up! You can immediately tell the difference in color. The Yoplait is much more pink and has a much sweeter smell. The Chobani doesn't have much color and the smell did nothing for me. It reminded me more of a cream cheese smell then anything else.

So I started with my Mom... She buys Chobani regularly and had already proclaimed it the winner before we even began. After trying them both, she surprised herself by choosing Yoplait as the winner!

She said it had a much smoother and a more sweet flavor to it. She is also a Weight Watchers girl and LOVED that the Yoplait had the points labeled right on the container!

Now onto the next generation... This is my niece and her bestie.

My niece is like my mom and swears by Chobani as well but after the taste test she realized what she was missing. Both of these two beauties preferred the flavor of Yoplait over the Chobani.

They both agreed that the texture and the sweetness of the Yoplait is what set it apart.

And then it was onto the tiny tots... First up was my nephew who is basically a human garbage disposal. He will literally eat anything!! He insisted upon eating both the entire Chobani and the entire Yoplait before making a decision. :) So we all sat waiting patiently for his highness to rule over his favorite. It did not take him long. He ate the Chobani and then only a few bites into the Yoplait he started giggling and proclaimed that he "likes this one wayyyy more". After they were both finished he said he liked the Yoplait more because it tasted more like dessert.

Next was Bella's turn... She is not much of a yogurt fan unless it comes in a frozen tube so I was skeptical if she would actually go through with it.

She is like her Mommy and if it doesn't smell good... She isn't interested!

She smelled the Yoplait and the Chobani and immediately explained that she was not going to try the Chobani because it smelled yucky! She did eat about half of the Yoplait and said that it was yummy and she liked that she could see more fruit in it. Although she didn't try the Chobani, Yoplait was clearly that hands down winner for her.

So there you have it!!! Yoplait was clearly the winner in our neck of the woods.

Yoplait Greek 100 comes in 12 delicious flavors. "Try the better tasting Greek! In a national taste test, Yoplait Greek 100 Strawberry beat Chobani Simply 100 Strawberry.

So whether you swear by Chobani or if you are on Team Yoplait... I say go for it!!! Take the challenge. Join the taste off... You never know what you might be missing out on.

***This post is sponsored by Yoplait, but the opinions are 100% my own. I would never share anything with you guys if I didn't absolutely LOVE it. ***

ONE ARTSY MAMA BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 13:03:00 +0000

Happy Birthday to you!! Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday One Artsy Mama... Happy Birthday to YOU!!!

Today I have an extra special treat for you guys!

Amy from One Artsy Mama who is a bloggy friend of mine as well as a HUGE inspiration for me personally is celebrating her blogs 3rd Birthday with an extra special giveaway!

and Bella Caiden was lucky enough to get in on the fun!

Since One Artsy Mama is turning 3 years old, Amy is giving away not one but THREE PRIZES!

Each of the prizes will be a gift card to the winner's choice :

Target, Starbucks, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, or Amazon!!!

Winner #1 will receive a $150 gift card

Winner #2 will receive a $50 gift card

Winner #3 will receive a $20 gift card

How awesome is that!?!?!? AHHHHH I'm bursting with excitement!!!!

So hurry and enter for your chance to win!!!

And don't forget to stop by One Artsy Mama and wish her a

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

File This One Under SUCCESS

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 00:40:00 +0000

Who doesn't love a good up-cycle? I know I sure do.

And we can "file" this one under SUCCESS!! (I crack myself up) LoL

This week we had a few sunny days (WOOHOO) so I decided to tackle my mess of a garage and to help me get organized I turned an ordinary filing cabinet into an awesome storage solution!

Filing Cabinets are extremely inexpensive ($29 at Walmart) but can often be found at yard sales/Goodwill/etc for even cheaper and can be used in so many different ways.

I was lucky enough to have this one given to me from a good friend! (Thanks Naomi)

There is obviously no tutorial needed for this one! I just removed the drawers, added a few coats of spray paint, tipped it on its back, and stuffed it with goodies.

I am so excited about the way it turned out. It was the PERFECT solution to our hockey stick mess! (My son and hubby are a bit obsessed) and as an added bonus it also holds all of our rakes and shovels.

A little bit of work and a little bit of play :)

Now the only question that remains is how on earth with I use these leftover drawers???

Hmmm... You will have to stay tuned to find out!

(notice there is still plenty of garage mess to clean up) booooo

My name is Shannon and I am a hoarder.

xoxo

Shannon

Beauty Mark Bobbles- $20 GIVEAWAY

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 23:26:00 +0000

Today I am sharing the COOLEST Etsy Shop with you guys.

Beauty Mark Bobbles is a fabulous Etsy Shop that sells handmade crochet items for kids.

I promise one look at the shop and you will fall in love! I know I have.

Beauty Mark Bobbles does not sell your typical crochet items. Jenn is the owner and creator at the shop and she makes amazing items that really excite your kids imaginations. She was sweet enough to let our family try out her travel hockey set. If you know my son you know how OBSESSED he is with hockey so this was the perfect thing for him!

The second the hockey set arrived the kids could not wait to try it out. We wasted no time getting it set up. The set is amazing. It comes with two nets, 2 sticks, 5 pucks, and a bag to carry it all in. It is the perfect size. It fits in my purse nicely so we have been taking it with us almost everywhere we go. It has been a lifesaver in restaurants where my children seem to have the least patience.

It's so fun to watch the kids playing together. Jonny has dreams of being a hockey player but he also loves to commentate the games and he has been getting plenty of practice calling the games play by play with his sister.

The quality of the hockey set is fantastic!!! I don't know a lot about crocheting but I know about durability when it comes to kids toys. This hockey set has had plenty of hours of play. We fold up the nets and put everything into the bag when we are done playing and everytime we get it back out it is simple to set up! The set looks the same as it did the day it arrived which is amazing with my kiddos.

I couldn't be more impressed with Beauty Mark Bobbles.

The variety of the items in the shop is really what draws me in. As a hockey/gymnastics mom it isn't always easy to find toys that tailor to those sports, but Jenn doesn't disappoint.

Look at this awesome gymnast set! Bella is dying to get it.

And the kids have been eyeing up these crochet food items for their play kitchen as well!

I am adding them to their Christmas lists as we speak...

(that's right, it's March and I'm working on Christmas lists) :)

Smore Set... Perfect for the Spring/Summer nights!

And Sushi!!! LOVE it!

Jenn is so awesome she is giving one LUCKY Bella Caiden reader a $20 shop credit!

WOOHOOO!

HURRY HURRY HURRY and enter for a chance to win!

and make sure you check out Beauty Mark Bobbles and send Jenn some LOVE!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sugar Plum by Rachael $50 GIVEAWAY

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 21:30:00 +0000

Ok I have the coolest Etsy shop and GIVEAWAY to share with you guys today. I have been excited about this for weeks and I just know you all are going to love it. Sugar Plum by Rachael is an Etsy shop that makes "handmade gifts for kids and their fabulous moms." They sell everything from birthday hats and diaper covers, to diaper clutches, tutu dresses, and my personal favorite, Fort Kits.

Rachael is the owner and creator at Sugar Plum by Rachael and she is amazing. She gave our family a chance to try out one of her Personalized Fort Kits and with all this snow and being trapped inside for days it has definitely been well used.

I couldn't say more about the Fort Kit. It is everything I expected and then some. It comes in a gorgeous personalized draw string bag that stores everything you need for your fort building experience... It comes with 2 sheets with loops and strings attached so that it can be easily attached to almost anything. It also comes with a flash light, some clothes pins, some heavy duty clips, some bungee cables, a light stick necklace, and a rope. Everything is neatly packaged and makes for easy storage. The stitching is perfect and everything is reinforced so there was no worry about the ribbons and loops getting ripped off with my rowdy kids.

This fort kit is definitely going to be something we enjoy for years to come! In a time when kids spend more time watching TV and their faces buried in electronics nothing makes me smile more then watching their imaginations grow and this toy does just that. Bella loves putting up the tent in all different rooms of the house and I love that she takes her time and works so hard at setting it up. It is so exciting to see how her mind works and to see all the different ways she finds to attach the sheets to different things.

Now you want one too!!! Don't you?

Rachael is so fantastic she is offering Bella Caiden readers a chance to win a $50 shop credit!

How awesome is that? The winner can use it on whatever they would like, and trust me there are so many cool things to choose from!

Here are some of my favs....
(source for all photos below)

So hurry and enter for a chance to win!!!!!
and make sure you check out Sugar Plum by Rachael on Facebook...
Show her some LOVE and tell her Bella Caiden sent you!!!!!
The giveaway will be closing on Thursday 3/6/14 @ midnight EST.
HURRY HURRY HURRY... Go enter and share it with all of your friends.

xoxo
Shannon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Simple & Affordable Earring Storage

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 22:01:00 +0000

Hi, my name is Shannon and I have a jewelry addiction.

It's sad, but it's true. In a previous life I was one of those "jewelry ladies" that annoyed my friends and family to hold parties and buy overpriced costume jewelry.
Now it's years later and all I have to show for it is a ton of jewelry that never seems to get worn.

(it just seems a bit to dressy for my everyday sweat pant and t-shirt attire)

Apparently putting a necklace on with your pajamas does NOT count as getting dressed...
or at least that is what my husband tells me.

So I recently decided to conquer the chaos and find some affordable solutions to my jewelry organization needs. I decided to conquer the earrings first since when I do want to wear a pair I can never find a match. There is no tutorial needed for this quick solution. It is simply an embroidery hoop and some gorgeous lace or any beautiful fabric for that matter.

I will give you this suggestion though.... If you use lace it is usually a bit thin and tends to slip out of the embroidery hoop even when it is extremely tight. I just cut the fabric large enough that I could use a bit of hot glue to attach it to the back side of the hoop. It worked like a charm!

I just love how the earrings look and how incredibly easy they are to find. Plus it can be personalized for any space. I could totally see using different size hoops and different color fabrics to help organize earrings by color or style.
So many options depending on how many pairs you have and what your style is.
I can't wait to hang mine inside of my closet and load it up with more earrings. I promise I will share those pictures with you when it happens! :)

What do you think? How do you store your jewelry?

I will be back soon with some more easy and affordable storage solutions for all those necklaces and bracelets you have all knotted up and tangled in your jewelry box!

xoxo

Shannon

Vintage Desk Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 18:42:00 +0000

Around Christmas I mentioned I was refinishing a Vintage School Desk for my sweet little Bella.

Bella absolutely loves coloring, drawing, and writing notes. She is for sure my mini me. She could spend an entire day crafting up some amazing goodies. Hence the reason for the Arts & Crafts Birthday Party. (You can read all about that here) Since another similarity between us both is that we aren't the best at sharing, I figured it was about time she had her own craft desk.

I found this awesome "old school" desk on Craigslist for a steal, only $30.

It was a little different then all of the others I had seen because not only does the top open to store stuff but it can also tilt up like an easel, which is perfect for Bella.

The first thing we did was pick a paint for the metal finish. We decided to go with a Hammered finish because of some minor rusting and to help cover the imperfections on the metal. I let Bella pick and she went with the blueish color on the left. I love it!

After we had the metal spray painted the pretty blue we got to work on the wooden top and seat. I used my absolute favorite Howard Citrus Shield Paste Wax in Dark Oak to get a beautiful finish on the wood. If you hate using stains like I do, then this is a must have. When we were sanding we were careful to get off all of the writing (not all of it was the nicest words) but I wanted to leave some of the imperfections to show the age of the piece. I know most people would have sanded deeper for a more "perfect" finish but I really love it just the way it is.

(don't you just love my "glove")

After I finished up waxing the wood I stenciled the top for a more personal touch.

Again I wanted didn't want it to be too "perfect" so I did a little finish sanding over top of the stenciled paint and then applied another coat of the citrus shield wax to give the painted area a little aged look.

I love how the desk turned out. To me the imperfections are what make it perfect!

Bella could not be more excited that she has her very own desk. She wasted no time filling it with markers, crayons, paper, scissors, and tons of other crafting goodies.

I really love how the wax settled in the wood grain over the paint.

I can imagine this being a special piece passed down for generations to come.

One of my favorite spots is the front lip of the desk top. I thought for a second about using wood filler on the holes but just couldn't do it. I can remember being a kid and poking my pencil into the front of my desk during class... mainly from boredom. I'm sure we have all done it and I'm sure Bella will do the same someday too. I'm sure the number of holes will only increase in the future:)

So what do you think? Did you use a desk like this when you were in school?

xoxo

Shannon

The Tangled Path/ Just Animal Pillows

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 14:36:00 +0000

Today I have a special treat for everyone. I am sharing not one but TWO amazing Etsy shops.

The Tangled Path and Just Animal Pillows are owned by the very talented, Natalie and have quickly become some of my favorite Etsy shops.

If you are looking for some gorgeous and high quality pillows these are the shops for you.

I recently had the opportunity to receive one of the Elephant Pillows from Natalie and it is AMAZING!
As a pillow hoarder myself I can honestly say I haven't seen a pillow more perfectly stitched. You can definitely tell that Natalie puts her time and love into these pillows.

Seriously...Have you ever seen a straighter stitch?!? I think not!

The elephant itself is bright and colorful and a thick durable fabric.

I have no doubt that this pillow will last for years.

At 12x12" these pillow covers are the perfect size and a great accent for any space.
The backs have the envelope style closure and come in some unbelievably gorgeous fabrics. I went with this pink one and absolutely love it, but there are so many to chose from.
Check out Just Animal Pillows to see all of the bright and fun choices available.
I honestly can't say enough about the style and quality of these pillow covers!

Both of Natalie's shops are filled with gorgeous goodies!

So I thought I would share a few of my personal favs with you all.

I have been stalking this beautiful set of pillow covers for days.

Love the color! Love the pattern!

This gorgeous yellow pillow would be perfect in my living room!! (hint hint)

But pillow covers aren't the only thing for sale at The Tangled Path!

They have everything from pillow covers, to scarfs, bags, totes, tableware, and so much more.

You definitely want to go check out their site to see all the goodies that are available.

I am in LOVE with this Messenger Bag!

It has officially been added to my MUST HAVE list!

So if you are like me, and you LOVE a good deal....

Natalie is so AWESOME she is offering all Bella Caiden readers $5.00 off their purchase at

BOTH of her shops! WOOHOOO!!!!

Just enter code BellaCaiden at checkout before March 3rd for the savings!

So hurry.... LEAVE NOW and go check out The Tangled Path and Just Animal Pillows.

and while you are at it you can follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Make sure you leave Natalie some LOVE and tell her Bella Caiden sent you!

xoxo

Shannon

woMAN Cave!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:19:00 +0000

Okay, the time has come... This mama needs a woMAN cave!!!

I have a LOT of stuff and no space in my house that's really "mine" to store it.

(and to be honest I think everyone is sick and tired of my stuff being ALL OVER THE PLACE! )

So the decision was made, I am officially taking over our

~~junk room~~ formal living room as my "craft room/office"

As you can see this room wasn't getting much use besides storing all of junk and leftover furniture that doesn't have a home. It happens to be the first room you see when you walk into our home, yet the room itself was messy, uninviting and really had no purpose

So first things first... We needed to lose the big bulky couch so we had some room to work.

Looking better already... but then I moved my "craft cabinet" down and decided to CLEAN it out:)

That was a whole new disaster! :(

I knew right away that the entertainment center that I was using to house all of my crafting goodies was not going to cut it. So after searching online for weeks I finally decided I wanted to take the 1.5 hour trip IKEA to see what sort of options they had and to check out the quality in person.

So my mom and I, and two kiddos loaded up and were on our way!!!

We had the BEST TIME!!! IKEA is seriously like Disney World for grownups:)

We left with LOTS of goodies!!!

So everyone knows I have absolutely NO patience so the second I got home I ripped into my boxes and got busy assembling. (right on top of all of the junk that was already in the floor:)

I decided to go with the Ikea Expedit Shelving and the attached work desk. The work desk was out of stock but Bella and I assembled the shelving in less then an hour and my hunky hubby got to work anchoring it to the wall. This thing is SUPER SUPER heavy so anchoring it was definitely a necessity with our little monkeys running around.

I couldn't be more impressed with the quality for the price. This piece is a bit more modern then my usual furniture choices but I LOVE all the storage it provides and I can't wait to add all of my stuff and make it more my "ME".

My mom ran back to IKEA a few days later and was able to pick up the desk top for me!!!

Isn't she the best??!?

All of my "junk" got moved to the dining room for the time being! I can't wait to show you all the finished craft room/ office!!!! Soon, very soon.... I hope:)

Look at that... After 6 years in this house I finally managed to hang not 1 but 2 pictures on the wall!!

WOOHOOO!!!!

So what do you guys think?

I know there is still a lot of work to do, but I am in LOVE with the progress!!!!

Have you ever been to IKEA? Own any IKEA furniture? Do you LOVE it???

xoxo

Shannon

DIY Plate Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 18:09:00 +0000

Hello there Bloggy World! Hope everyone is doing well!

I know I have been a little MIA lately but I am back and have some super fun projects to share with you guys. So lets get started with my new (and super inexpensive) DIY Plate Wall.

So my dining room is kind of small... ok it's actually REALLY small, but to be honest it just works for us! We don't use it very often but we wanted to make it a beautiful space for when we do.

Here is the space before... ( so sad )

And you can read all about my gorgeous new mirror here...

That still left me with this small wall directly across from the mirror and beside the entryway into the kitchen. I played around with several ideas for the wall including my giant spoon and fork, some framed photos, and even a hanging herb garden (but since I seem to kill every plant I get I quickly decided against that)! and eventually decided on a plate wall.

It took me a few months to shop around for plates that I liked. The plates came from local thrift shops, the Goodwill, and even Walmart and Target and ranged in price from .10 cents to $3.50 a plate but I absolutely LOVE each of them. After I had all the plates that I liked it was time to hang them and since my cheapness would not allow me to spend $2.00+ a piece for the Invisible Disc hangers I decided to DIY it and couldn't be happier with how they turned out.

The supplies were simple and cheap and I had them on hand which was perfect.

You'll need a paperclip, hot glue, some felt, and scissors.

I started by using my scissors to widen the end of the paperclip. I did this so the plate would easily slide over the screws in the wall.

Here is what the widened paperclips looked liked for me.

They may not be pretty but they definitely get the job done!

Then I put some hot glue ( a decent amount) onto the plate and pushed the paperclip down into it.

Make sure you put the glue and paperclip on the plate in the spot you would like to be at the top, especially if you are using plates with a scene or photo so they do not hang upside down.

While that was drying I cut some circles out of felt by tracing a glass and cutting it out.

I then put a generous amount of glue onto the felt circle and pressed it down onto the plate right over the bottom of the paperclip. You can see from the photo above that I put the paperclip on the inner ring on the plate. This made is so much easier when hanging them.

Once I had all of the plates ready to hang I decided to "wing it" when hanging them. I started with the square plate in the middle. I held it up where I wanted it and put a screw into the wall and hung the plate. Then I went from there and continued to hang them one by one. The plates range in size and weight but I have NO DOUBT that the paperclip hangers will last forever! They have been hanging for over a month now and are absolutely perfect!

This entire project including the plates cost less then $20 and

I love how it livens up the room with its bright colors and patterns.

I love that this project isn't really "finished" I can always add or rearrange plates in the future!

What do you all think?

EASY and AFFORDABLE Christmas Gift/ FREE PRINTABLE

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 02:56:00 +0000

You all LOVE your neighbors, right?

In all honesty I have lived in my house for 6 years and barely know any of mine.

But this year I really wanted to do something for them...

Something EASY and AFFORDABLE that they could all enjoy.

So here is what I came up with...

Who can't use a little extra gift wrap?

I started by getting some inexpensive wrapping paper from our local Dollar General. I paid about $8.00 for 8 rolls. I also purchased a bag of 40 gift wrap bows for $3.00 and a few packs of present labels ( I purchased 3 packs with 3 sheets of labels in each pack and split them up) You may want to also buy some baggies or favor/treat bags to use to separate everything and attach to the rolls of paper. The whole project cost me around $14 and I was able to make 8 gifts which is a total WIN for me!!!

I knew I wanted to add a sweet little tag to each roll that would be a precious reminder of the true meaning of Christmas... and a cute little pun always helps so here is what I came up with.

"May you be "wrapped up" in the JOY OF THE LORD this holiday season. Merry Christmas"

PDF Printable Found HERE

I printed out my little tags and cut them apart.

(You can grab the FREE PRINTABLE above if you would like.)

Then we all signed the back for a little personal touch.

I used a star shaped hole punch to make a hole for the ribbon and added a little extra for decoration then tied the bag of goodies with the card to each roll of wrapping paper.

I honestly couldn't be more happy with how they turned out!

And my little delivery people had a blast leaving them on every one's doorsteps!

Aren't they the CUTEST delivery people EVER?

I hope my neighbors will really enjoy them!

I think these would make a great gift for neighbors, teachers, bus drivers, or even to hand out as a Random Act of Kindness!

Do you all give gifts to your neighbors?

What do you usually give them?

xoxo

Shannon

Arts & Crafts Birthday Party

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 03:25:00 +0000

Every once in a while one of my children does something that makes my heart feel all warm and fuzzy.

It happened just last month when my beautiful little princess told me that she wanted to have an Arts & Crafts Birthday Party... oh, be still my heart!

Isn't she just amazing!?!??!

Ok let's get down to business... I made some quick and simple invitations using paint sample cards from the local hardware store. It was easy enough. I just added a strip of hot glue to both sides and along the bottom and put the back sides of two cards together to create an "envelope" or pocket. I embellished the front a little and added a piece of paper inside the pocket with all the party details! We handed them out at school and all the kids thought they were great! (Most importantly...so did Bella) and they didn't cost me a thing.

When the kids arrived at the party they were each given an apron to decorate. We had fabric markers, glitter, stickers, and everything in between for the kids to use to create.

The aprons were super affordable and a decent quality for the price. You can find them here!

Once the aprons were finished the kids got to work on there "paper" dolls. ( They are not really paper, more like thin cardboard) These were GREAT!!! I purchased them from Michael's. They came in packs of 10 for just a few dollars so I got a boy pack and a girl pack. The kids ALL LOVED them. They colored them and painted them. They added googly eyes and pom poms, stickers, and glitter.

After the dollies the kids started getting hungry so we took a break to dive into some yummy food!

and then we were back to the crafting!

The next project on the list was some DIY puzzles!!!! Boy were these a hit! The girls loved coloring the puzzles and creating fun patterns with the pieces. The puzzles I purchased can be found here! They were amazing quality! We have purchased similar ones before but had issues with the pieces ripping when you took them apart. That was NOT the case with these at all.

I bought these great bags for the kids to put there puzzle pieces in!

The kids had a fun time decorating the bags:) and they were the perfect size for the puzzles.

After the puzzles we took another break to enjoy some cake and open up presents. This was Bella's 5th birthday and while crafting is definitely her "thing" it was not for all of the girls so it worked out well taking breaks to enjoy other things in between the arts and crafts.

We finished up the celebration with some water color paintings!

I bought each little there very own water color tray found here! and everyone got a canvas (10 pack found at Michael's) to create whatever they wanted! They had such a good time painting and it was so fun to see all of there different personalities in there pictures.

Some could sit and paint for hours and some were done in just minutes!

But I am certain they all had a great time!

I forgot to mention the fun "Paintbrushes" we made for the party. I found these on Pinterest a while ago with a detailed recipe for making the rice krispy treats and the icing but that didn't happen around here. I used some individually wrapped Kellogg's brand rice krispy treats and pushed them onto some popsicle sticks I found at the Dollar Tree. I also used some good old Betty Crocker icing. :) I scooped a few tablespoons into separate bowls and stirred in my food coloring. Then microwaved each bowl for about 5-8 seconds just to make it a little more runny. (I put the first one in for 10 seconds and it was way to runny: you have been warned) Then I simply dipped the "Paintbrushes" into the "paint" and laid them onto a place to cool! The kiddos LOVED LOVED LOVED these!!! Especially Jonathon... Can you tell? :)

My kiddos and their cousins!

For some fun decorations I used plastic table clothes from the Dollar Tree and attached them to the ceiling. Then made some colored pom poms to hang from the center. So simple and so AFFORDABLE!!!

Even after everyone had left she was STILLLLL crafting!!!!!!!!!!!

I am one proud mama!!!!

I could not be happier with Bella's Arts and Crafts Birthday Party! We all had a fantastic time and most importantly so did Bella :) I still can't believe she is five... boy does time fly!

xoxo

Shannon

Artsy Kid Paintings Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 02:34:00 +0000

Last month I should you all our kiddos' bathroom reveal and I got so many emails about the Artsy Kid Paintings that we used to decorate! They are by far my favorite thing in the entire bathroom. They make a huge statement on a muted wall and are so inexpensive and easy to make.

I started with two 12x12" canvases and I used my Silhouette to cute this super cute image of a boy and girl smooching out of some vinyl! <3 I know not everyone has a Silhouette but don't let that discourage you. You can get some adorable stickers at your local craft store and apply those to the canvas. You could use letters to spell out a fun phrase or verse and you could even print an image, cut it out, and apply it to the canvas with some double sided tape! The possibilities are endless :)

Once I applied the vinyl I gave each of my kids a plate full of paint and let them have at it.

I was careful to only give them paint colors that I chose. It was colors that I thought coordinated well with the shower curtain we purchased for the bathroom.

Bella loves to paint so she had a blast!!!

Kids are great... they don't need any directions just give them an easy direction and see where they take it.

Here is Bella's painting when she was all finished! I just adore her imagination. According to the princess herself, that blue "blob" on the left side is a bird and she is trying to talk the girl out of kissing that silly boy! <3

Jonathon had a much different painting technique. He had no cute story to go with his painting. He told me he just wanted to hurry up and cover up all the white so I would let him go outside and play hockey!

I still think his painting turned out great!

Once the paint was dry I used a pair of tweezers to get a hold of the sticker and pull it off to reveal the white underneath! I couldn't be any happier with how they turned out.

While they might not be a master piece to everyone who enters my house, they mean so much to me.

I will always remember the day they painted them. The stories they told and just how badly Jonathon wanted to finish to go out and play. I think they are the perfect piece of artwork for any space.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

xoxo

Shannon

Dear Santa... $150 Amazon Gift Card

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Nov 2013 23:07:00 +0000

Oh my word.... Did you know there is only 39 days left until Christmas??!? AHHHHHH
I have teamed up with some of my AMAZING blogger friends to bring you all an extra special Dear Santa Giveaway!!! We are giving one lucky winner a $150 AMAZON GIFT CARD!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rainbow Loom Bands Giveaway!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Nov 2013 05:55:00 +0000

Rainbow Loom bracelets are all the rage this holiday season! Funky Loomz has everything you need to get started with this fun hobby and replenish your supply of bands and clips. Check out this Funky Loomz Kit review from Pandora's Deals and see how much they love their products!

Funky Loomz is offering our readers an exclusive 20% discount with code PANDORA2013 through January 1, 2014 and all orders always ship for free. This is a great time to grab some holiday gifts and stocking stuffers! Shop around while you can get a discount.

I've teamed up with Pandora's Deals and a great group of bloggers to offer this awesome giveaway!

Funky Loomz is generously offering 10 readers their own Funky Loomz Kit #1!

This kit includes:

6600 Total Rubber Bands + 275 C-Clips
600 Of Each Color
11 Fantastic Colors
Convenient Carrying Case

Note that there's no loom or hook in this kit but you can pick those up on the site if you don't already have them. Don't forget to use the 20% off code above! This giveaway will end at 11:59pm ET on December 2, 2013. It's open to US residents ages 18+. Please read additional terms and conditions in the Giveaway Tools widget below. Bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Good luck!

Entry -Form

Rose Art Magic Fun Dough Party

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 21:18:00 +0000

I have finally found the PERFECT gift for your toddler this holiday season!

Rose Art Magic Fun Dough Kits are a fun way to bring your child's imagination to life!

We recently had the amazing opportunity to try out the Fairy Tea Party and the Volcano Valley kit

and they did NOT disappoint.

While the kiddos were at school I set up both of the kits which was surprisingly easy. It took me less then 10 minutes to have everything ready to go!

Bella was so excited to get dressed in her princess dress and get started!

And the boys absolutely LOVED making the volcano erupt! They could not stop laughing.

Bella of course loved squishing out the tea!

and "drinking" it!!! She says it is delicious:)

These kits are great! They even come with transfer images that can be applied to the dough... a sort of "temporary tattoo" for the dough! All the kids had a blast applying the images. It was simple enough they could do it themselves (which made them happy).

The steps are so easy.

1. You roll the dough out with the roller which IS INCLUDED in the kit!

2. Then you remove the plastic from the image and lay it face down on the dough

3. Then you use the tube with the sponge tip and apply water to the image

4. You use the sponge and hold it on the image for about 45 seconds

5. You pull of the paper and reveal the image :) This was the kiddos favorite part!

6. You use the "cookie cutters" that are provided to cut out the image

Once you have all of that done you can put your dough with the image onto one of the stands to display!

Rose Art also has a video you can check out with instructions for doing the image transfers.

The Magic Fun Dough kits are honestly so much fun!

The kids played for hours and kept finding new things to create.

There is no better feeling then when you are watching children using their imaginations to create and make believe. In a time when everything is electronic it is nice to find a toy that entertains and allows children to imagine a world all their own.

Rose Art Magic Fun Dough Kits would be an amazing gift for any child this holiday season.

They can be found at Walmart, Target, or on Amazon and are extremely affordable. The kits range from $9.99 - $19.99 (NO BATTERIES NEEDED) and can be found in the craft aisle.

Rose Art is also celebrating 90 years of fun with a Facebook giveaway for $1000.

You definitely want to head over and enter for a chance to win!

A special thank you to Rose Art Fun Dough for sponsoring today's discussion!

Bathroom Reveal... Ta Da!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 18:36:00 +0000

Well the BIG Bathroom Makeover is finally complete!!!!

And I have to say I am in LOVE with how in turned out. <3

I love that we were able to make such a tiny space feel so light and spacious!

What do you think?

Check out all of the before pics HERE and some pics along the way HERE!

Such a huge difference the floors alone made. The faux wood ceramic tiles are AMAZING!

Special thanks to our friend, Kevin, who came over with his wet saw and

helped my hubby lay this beautiful flooring! You rock!

New vanity and mirror with PLENTY of storage!

Remember these lovely holes we had in the wall from my son attempting to do pull ups from the towel bar?

After dry wall and a fresh coat of paint the wall looks as good as new:)

This time we were sure to go with some towel hooks so there would be no mistaking the

bathroom for the gym! :)

If you follow me on Facebook, you might have seen a sneak peek of my FAVORITE thing in the kids' bathroom... I just adore these fun paintings that my kiddos made all by themselves.

After some ~~whining~~ convincing my hubby finally saw it my way and agreed to remove the closet door for a more open look. I am so happy with this decision. The handle of the bathroom door and the closet door were constantly banging into each other and the doors were getting all scratched up. After removing the door and adding new trim to the opening and the remaining bathroom door I love how they tie together now and really change the look of the bathroom.

There are so many fun little touches in this bathroom that make it so personal and fun. From the paintings on the wall to the birds on the ceiling and everything in between. We bought this house when Jonathon was only 10 months old and so both of my kiddos have grown up here. Since they were babies I would always put them in the bathtub and when it was time to wash their hair I would always say... "Where do birdies fly?" "Do you see birdies up there?" Then they would always look up! As they got older they realized the reason I was saying it, but they never admit it... they always act silly and look up. Sometimes they tell me they see birdies or maybe even an elephant hiding behind the light :) They were sooooo excited to finally have a few birdies flying around in their bathroom!

I don't think I could be more happy with how the bathroom turned out!

It is by far my favorite room in the entire house :) Let me know what you think!

Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" Giveaway WINNER!!! and NEW GIVEAWAY $100 Paypal CASH

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 17:37:00 +0000

I have had the BEST time doing the Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" Series,

but sadly it has come to an end.

Special THANK YOU to each of the shops in the series for providing us with some fantastic items to review and to GIVEAWAY!

I encourage all of you to read through posts about each shop, visit their stores, and check out their Facebook pages. Each of these ladies are incredibly sweet.

Without further ado... the winner of the Back 2 School " Made with LOVE" Giveaway is.....

Lindsay B.

Congratulations Lindsay!!

Each of the wonderful shops included in the giveaway will be in touch with you shortly!!!!

Ok, that was exciting!!!! and now I have some more EXCITING news for all of you fabulous Bella Caiden readers. Remember this post where I interviewed my babies about what they thought "love" meant? and I told you all how I stole the idea from the "Way to Cute" Lena B. I absolutely LOVE her... she is funky and

so super cute! and her little ones are absolutely adorable.

Well getting to the point... I am helping Lena B. Actually celebrate getting 2,000 GFC with an AWESOME $100 Paypal Cash Giveaway!!! Yup, you read that correctly !!!! $100 Paypal CASH!!!

WOOHOOO.... There are only 5 DAYS LEFT to enter for a chance to win so PLEASE PLEASE hurry over and enter now!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

xoxo

Shannon

Stamp Blanks- Back 2 School "Made with LOVE"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 03:00:00 +0000

Only one more day to enter our AMAZING Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" Giveaway!

You definitely want to hurry over and enter for a chance to win.

I am wrapping the series by sharing one last handmade shop with all of you fabulous Bella Caiden Readers!

I am absolutely LOVING Stamp Blanks.
The owner, Kayce, is absolutely awesome. She creates the very best personalized hand stamped jewelry.

Her designs are one of a kind and she seriously has something for everyone!

These super cute bracelets are perfect for the kiddos and are a steal at $4.75.

These stick figure family necklaces would be an awesome gift for any mom.

Think Christmas:)

And we can't forget about dear old dad:) How cute is this?

And that is not it... Stamp Blanks sells so many other amazing items from bottle openers to Christmas Ornaments. Kayce is so great she gave us the opportunity to check out one of her hand stamped allergy bracelets for ourselves. My little man happens to have a milk allergy and just started 1st grade this year which meant that this would be his first year having lunch in the cafeteria. While his allergy is not a severe or deadly allergy it is still one that we like to address with his teachers and the school.

So when his allergy bracelet arrived I couldn't be more excited. The stamping is absolutely PERFECT and is done on aluminum so it will not tarnish or cause allergies which is awesome. The silicone bracelet is great as well. Jonathon loved that it was a bright color and looked "cool", plus it is easy for him to take on and off all by himself which he loves.

I love that I don't have to fight with him to wear it and I it gives me some relief when I send him off to school I don't have to worry about anyone giving him milk.

You definitely want to head over to Stamp Blanks and check out all of the amazing things Kayce has available. And be sure to "Like" Stamp Blanks on Facebook and receive 10% off of your order using the code GROUP at checkout.

Kayce is so great she is including one of her Allergy Bracelets in our Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" Giveaway so be sure to head over and enter for a chance to win. The Giveaway ends tomorrow at midnight so hurry hurry hurry and enter!

XOXO

Meow Kapow- Back 2 School "Made with LOVE"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 02:31:00 +0000

I hope you have all entered for a chance to win our Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" Giveaway by now!!

Only a few days left and you do NOT want to miss this chance to win!

I'm really excited to bring you another fantastic shop today to help finish up our series.

Meow Kapow is an awesome retro shop that sells a variety of one of a kind goodies!

I seriously just can NOT get enough of this shop!

It's like a blast from the past every time I flip through there items.

Melissa is the owner of Meow Kapow and she is the sweetest gal.

She takes old comics, books, and other items and re purposes them into things like notebooks and coasters.

She also sells some AMAZING vintage art!

I am totally LOVING these old school Dennis the Menace coasters she made out of some old comics!

These vintage grocery stamp magnets are calling my name every time I look at them.

I am an 80's baby (1985 to be exact) and the second I saw these I knew what they were.

I instantly flashed back to being a kid and begging my mom to let me stick the stamps in the little books:)

I would always be soooo excited when we would fill a page!

As if that didn't take me back enough, Melissa was awesome enough to send me one of her Library Card Notebooks to check out and I have to tell you... I was giddy with excitement when it arrived!

Remember going to library and having to take your books to the librarian to fill out the library cards inside the cover???!? Talk about a throwback!

Now a days all the books have bar codes and are scanned into the computer!

As incredibly old as this makes me feel we didn't have all those fancy luxuries when I was a kid!

And this little notebook is such a cute reminder!!!

I absolutely LOVE it! It's a small notebook and fits PERFECTLY into your purse or book bag for those on the go notes you need to jot down! It is neatly made and the pages and binding are sturdy and carefully aligned. I couldn't be happier with it. And you get to choose from a variety of colors which is awesome!

Melissa is so awesome she is including one of her SUPER COOL Library Card Notebooks in our Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" Giveaway so don't forget to enter for a chance to win!

She is also offering all of you FABULOUS Bella Caiden readers 15% off any purchase in her shop.

So, head over to Meow Kapow to check out all of the amazing goodies they have to offer.

Just enter code BELLACAIDEN15 at checkout!

And make sure you check out Meow Kapow on Facebook and show Melissa some LOVE:)

Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" GIVEAWAY!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 15:08:00 +0000

Who is ready for our Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" GIVEAWAY???

Each of the amazing shops featured in our Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" Series have contributed something special to the giveaway! (including 2 fun shops that will be featured this week!)

I hope you all have enjoyed learning more about some of the awesome hand made items you can find for your back to school needs. It means something when you order from a small business for both the seller and the person ordering. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with all of these lovely ladies and I encourage you to check out their stores and to take full advantage of the discounts they have offered you!

Without further ado... let's get to the PRIZES!!!!

Valued at approximately $150 !!!!!

Upa-lala is offering a $25 Gift Card

(read all about them here)

Tiny Trinket Shop is giving away (1) Bag Tag PLUS any item 1/2 OFF

(read about them here)

Max & Ozzie's is giving one lucky reader a SET OF 2 Reusable Lunch Bags

(read about them here)

Go Hobo is offering a set of PERSONALIZED Pencils!

(read all about them here)

Meow Kapow is giving away a Library Card Notebook

which I will be sharing with all you later today!! :)

Brooki Ellen Designs is offering a Custom Insulated Lunch Bag!

(read all about them here)

Stamp Blanks is including one of their Amazing Silicone Allergy Bracelets!

(I will be back tomorrow to tell you all about them)

From the Heart Creations is giving away a $15 Shop Credit!

(read all about them here)

The Dandelion is giving away a Custom Headband!

(read all about them here)

Moonlight Monogram

Moonlight Monogram is offering a $20 Shop Credit!

(read all about them here)

Thank you so much for following along with our Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" Series!

Please share these shops with your friends, share the discount codes that were offered, and make sure you tell everyone you know to enter our Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" Giveaway!

xoxo

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Upa-lala - Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" Series

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 31 Aug 2013 02:45:00 +0000

I'm back... Sorry I didn't get this posted sooner, I have been having some technical difficulties!

But I think we are back in business now! :)

So anyway, my kiddos just finished their first week of school yesterday!!!! and I have to admit, I am EXHAUSTED!!! Probably more exhausted then they are!

Let's get busy finishing up our Back 2 School "Made with LOVE" Series!

I have officially fallen in LOVE with this next shop!!!

Upa-lala makes high quality water-proof bags.

Everything from waterproof drawstring bags to reusable snack bags for your kiddos lunch.

We were given the AMAZING opportunity to try out some of these bags for ourselves and I have to tell you.... they blew me away! I could NOT be more impressed!

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, but I was provided with waterproof bags for review.

All opinions are my own

Upa-lala's bags come in a variety of sizes and some gorgeous patterns.

We tried out the Small and Extra Small Eco-bags and could not be happier with them..

We have honestly used them EVERY single day since they arrived.

The bags are made with the most amazing quality. I have tried a few different kinds of reusable bags before and have always ended up throwing them out because they would get stained, or the zippers would break, or the fabric or liner would tare. Upa-lala's bags are made with a liner that is certified food safe. They are also lead-free, bpa free, and phthalate free. The bags comply with FDA and CPSIA requirements.

How great is that? I couldn't feel more comfortable putting my son's lunch in these bags everyday!

Jonathon LOVES taking them to school in his lunch bag and using them around the house when he wants a snack. The bags are the perfect size and are so easy to clean. I simply flip the bag inside out and wipe clean the liner with a warm soapy cloth. After using the bags everyday for about 2 weeks (several times a day) with a variety of food, including blueberries, the bags still look as great as the day they came!

Brittan is the owner and the creator at Upa-lala and she is such a sweetheart.

I was amazed at how quickly the bags came and how perfect they were!

It is obvious that she makes each and every bag with love!

Here are some of my absolute favorites!

Look at those fabrics... Aren't they gorgeous?

I'm totally crushing on these cute little lovey whales!!! :)

You definitely want to head over to Upa-lala and check out of the amazing bags and styles she has available. I promise you will NOT be disappointed!

Brittan is so sweet she has decided to offer all of you awesome Bella Caiden readers 15% off your entire purchase! Just use code bellacaiden at checkout (expire 9/15/13)

Also head over and check out Upa-lala on Facebook and Twitter and leave Brittan some LOVE!

Make sure you tell her I sent you:)

I'll be back tomorrow with an "old school" favorite to share!

and Monday we will be officially opening up the GIVEAWAY!

xoxo