It’s Memorial Day weekend! Hurrah! This long weekend always feels like the unofficial start of summer. Last year I was 39 weeks pregnant, praying like crazy I would go into labor (no such luck). This year I’m thrilled that all I have to do is kick back and relax by the pool.

For some reason I’m more excited about summer than usual. I’m bursting with plans for big adventures. Perhaps it’s not having a newborn? Maybe I’m just ready to get out of the house? This picnic blanket was made to inspire summer outings and to capture the memories. My goal is to keep the blanket (and fabric pens) in the car so that every time it comes out we decorate a new square. Then at the end of the summer we can look back over our adventures. And it’s a lot of squares!

Summer Memory DIY Picnic Blanket

The windowpane idea was inspired by this Kate Spade Saturday beach blanket. I would go crazy trying to make tiny squares so we went big. Henry decorated the first window with a big H for Henry. Caroline – my budding artist – loves it. And I figure at the very least it might distract Sam from eating the grass.

Supplies:

• Plain blanket – mine was a 9×12 drop cloth from Home Depot
• Masking tape
• Tape measure
• Black paint
• Foam brush

The Home Depot drop cloth was so far from being square that it was comical. So I don’t have exact measurements to share because I’m sure every one is different. But my stepdad is a math whiz, and he created a grid for 24 roughly equal squares with masking tape.

We did one half of the blanket first (12 squares) so the lines would be easier to manage. First we used tape to mark the line that would be painted. Then we laid out another piece of tape on either side of that tape and pulled up the middle piece to expose the fabric. Finally we painted the middle line black and pulled up all of the tape.

Now to come up with a list of summer adventures. Strawberry picking is first on the list I think. And I love these 50 ideas from Real Simple – they ought to keep us busy!

What’s on your summer to do list?

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I am so excited about the new Martha Stewart Jewelry products. Anyone else wondering why this wasn’t done ages ago? Who needs towels or paint when you can have beads and sparkles! And the line doesn’t disappoint. Martha + jewelry = a really really good thing.

My box of goodies included some gorgeously delicate Czech beads and the cutest little bird charms. In fact, there was too much good stuff. I stared at it with major performance anxiety. Making jewelry for Martha? No pressure! Finally I decided on simple beaded bracelets for summer. Simple is a good thing too.

Simple DIY Beaded Bracelets

Supplies:

• Martha Stewart beads (the line is only available at Michaels)
• Thin jewelry wire
• Round nose pliers
• Chain – play around with different sizes and colors of chain. It’s ok to mix metals!
• Closure – lobster clasps are good for smaller chain and toggles work well if the chain is a bit thicker.
• 4 jump rings

Cut a short piece of wire and make a small loop at one end with your pliers.

String the beads in whatever pattern you like. Then cut the excess wire and make another small loop at the other end of the beads.

Cut a piece of chain long enough to fit around your wrist (don’t forget to include the beads when measuring). Then cut the chain in half. Use a jump ring to attach the beads to the chain on both sides and add your closure.

To add the bird charm, attach it with a jump ring in the middle of the bracelet. I love those little birds.

Summer feels like it’s already here! Have you made an new jewelry yet?

You can find Plaid online on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest

This post is sponsored by Blueprint Social. All opinions are my own.

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There’s one thing I never leave the house without wearing – under eye concealer. Pants are optional; eye concealer is not. I’ve tried just about every method and cream to hide my dark circles to no avail. Despite covering them with a boat load of concealer and distracting from them with bright red lipstick, my eyes always make me look old and tired.

After reading recently that parsley can work to help erase dark eye circles, I had to try it. A cure from a bunch of parsley that costs 99 cents? Really? Yep, the vitamin C, chlorophyll and vitamin K in parsley help lighten skin and reduce puffiness.

Parsley eye mask for dark circles

To make your mask, roughly chop a handful of parsley (preferably organic). In a small bowl, grind the leaves with a wooden spoon. Like muddling a drink, you want to grind the parsley until it releases the juice in the leaves.

Pour a tablespoon of hot water over the parsley and stir the mixture together. You can also combine the parsley with yogurt. When the water has cooled, use 2 cotton balls to soak up the juice. Lie down and keep the cotton ball under your eyes for 10 minutes.

Do this twice a week to reduce dark circles. The effects aren’t immediate though; it may take a couple of weeks to see the changes. I’ve done 4 treatments, and the parsley (or the naps I take while wearing the mask) is working! Let me know if you’ve ever used parsley before or if you give it a try!

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Last week I went to a free Home Depot Do-It-Herself workshop on making a succulent garden. I’ve always wanted to grow succulents but over the years have managed to kill several because I never really knew what I was doing. With a female teacher – who really knew her stuff! – the class was super laid back and not intimidating at all. We promptly came home and recreated the garden shown in the class.

Here are the steps if you’d like to make your own!

How to make a succulent garden

First, make sure you have a pot with drainage at the bottom. Then put in a layer of rocks and a thick layer of cactus soil on top.

Put the biggest succulent plant in the middle because it will grow the fastest. Then surround it will smaller succulents and cactus plants. Home Depot has a big selection so ask for help to get plants with similar sunlight needs. Quick tip: wear gloves to plant!

My pot is pretty big so I surrounded the middle plant with 8 other plants of varying size. These plants don’t like space between them so put them close together. After the plants are in place, add more soil and pack it down by pressing it with your hands.

Then put a layer of soil cover rocks on top. This helps lock the moisture in the soil.

The bright pink and red cacti are my favorites. Apparently those are their blooms – so pretty!

Finally give it a thorough watering until you see it start draining out the bottom. Then water it about half as often as you would regular plants. They don’t like too much water, so if you overdo it, you’ll kill ‘em like I did. But if you have a smaller pot, you’ll need to water more often as the pot will lose moisture more rapidly.

According to our teacher, succulents need 4-6 hours of sunlight a day and they like temperatures between 45-90 degrees. So if the weather gets too hot where you live, move them into the shade in the afternoon.

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

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Buying a new swimsuit is like an annual rite of humiliation. Having just had a baby, I completely avoided getting anywhere near a bathing suit or the pool last summer. This year I’ve vowed not to be so lame. (Thanks to Elsie’s recommendation, I got this one from ModCloth and love it.)

Because who cares about my tummy, really? The kids sure don’t. And I’ve decided to stop letting embarrassment keep me from having fun with them in the pool. We have epic plans for splashing and swimming next weekend and I can’t wait.

And what goes great with a new suit? A no sew beach tote of course.

No Sew DIY Beach Bag

Supplies:

• 1 yard window screening fabric – mine came from JoAnn’s in the home fabric area
• 4 yards pink trim
• Liquid Stitch
• Needle and pink embroidery thread
• Clamps

Fold the screen fabric in half and cut the width to 24 inches. You will end up with a piece of screen that’s 36 inches x 24 inches. Liberally apply Liquid Stitch to the edges of the bag and clamp. Let dry completely.

Cut two pieces of pink trim the length of the sides of bag, folding it around at the bottom. Again apply Liquid Stitch and clamp until completely dry.

Cut two 40-inch pieces of pink trim for the handles. Pin in place 7.5 inches from the outside edge of the bag on each side. The trim should extend 4 inches down onto the bag. Sew in place with running stitch using embroidery thread.

Now I am ready for summer adventures! What exciting things do you have planned for the next few months?

Every day is an adventure and with Quaker® Perfect Portions I know I am providing my family with the fuel they need for their epic adventures.

Share how you make everyday an adventure and see other stories on Everyday Health.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quaker®. The opinions and text are all mine.

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Guess who is turning one this month? It’s crazy how fast the year has gone by! And I swear he gets cuter every day. While I was planting in letters and attempting to make cement shapes it occurred to me – maybe these two should go together!

And I love how they turned out! We used wax paper to create a bit of texture on the bottom. And it helps that he has a short name – I don’t think I have it in me to do one for Caroline. :)

Supplies needed:

• Fast dry cement
• Cardboard letter shapes
• Wax paper

Step 1: Cover your work area with newspaper or cardboard. Then cut open the top of your letter shape. You want the bottom of the letter to face outward so you might have to flip it over before cutting.

Step 2: Roughly line the bottom of the letter with wax paper. This gives it a nice texture and also slows down the dry time so you have more time to smooth the top.

Step 3: Mix cement in a bucket and fill the letters to overflowing. Then, using a trowel, smooth the top. If you don’t have one then just use a knife or other tool to smooth.

Step 4: Lay wax paper on top and let the cement dry.

Step 5: Peel off the cardboard and wax paper and you’re good to go!

I’m still trying to decide if I should paint them. But I kind of like their rough look.

Now I just have to get started on planning a birthday party. This may be heresy, but I don’t really believe in elaborate parties for one-year-olds. But that’s a whole other post! Have a great weekend! And let me know if you try working with cement!

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Have you noticed Henry’s little hand appearing more and more on the blog? I have my very own photo bomber! It’s amazing how fast he shows up when the camera comes out. Well, and the food. This time he was my little helper in making cookies for his teachers. Because summer officially starts in the Gerber house today (Mom is a little nervous). Ok, back to the cookies!

How many times have you made chocolate chip cookies? Dozens? Hundreds? So I’m sure you’re thinking, there’s nothing new about chocolate chip cookies. The Toll House cookie recipe is the gold standard in my family so why mess with a good thing?

BUT. The original Toll House recipe recommended you make the dough at least one day before you bake the cookies. That piece of info isn’t printed on the Toll House chocolate chip package!

I learned this tidbit from the The Mom 100 Cookbook because, of course, the first recipe I tried was for Big Fat Chocolate Chunk Cookies. (Baby weight? What baby weight?)

And after letting my dough sit overnight in the fridge, I’m convinced that this is the secret to awesome chocolate chip cookies.

Sure, the cookies will probably be amazing however you make them, but this trick gives the cookies a richer, more caramel-like flavor. Seriously. I ate about 8 of them just to make sure.

Why? The dough is drier after sitting in the fridge (you can make it up to four days ahead) which produces a better flavor and consistency. I also think it makes the cookies bake faster so check them a few minutes early.

Big Fat Chocolate Chunk Cookies

From The Mom 100 Cookbook

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse salt.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks or hand-chopped chocolate bars. You can stick with chocolate chips too and be just fine.

1. Preheat the oven to 375F if you are planning to bake right away.

2. Whisk together the flour, salt, and backing soda in a large bowl.

3. In another large bowl, put the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar. Beat on medium until creamy and well blended, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Blend in the vanilla.

4. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing in each addition until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chunks or chips. If you’re not planning to bake immediately, press plastic wrap directly onto the dough in the bowl and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

5. Roll pieces of dough into small 1 1/2-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 14-16 minutes. Maybe it was my oven, but mine got brown much faster than normal so check them a few minutes early.

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Making pom poms is one of those essential crafting skills. And I am late to the party! After learning to make tassels I figured pom poms should be next. And it turns out you use pretty much the same technique for both. Check another one off the blogger to do list!

These fun colorful pom poms make the perfect summer embellishment. Attach them to a hat, flip flops or even put several on a straw tote. Go nuts people because pom poms are awesome.

Supplies needed:

• Raffia (available at the Dollar Store in the floral section)
• Flip flops or sun hat (both are available at the Dollar Store)
• Thin wire (optional)

These instructions are for the small flip flop pom poms. If you want bigger ones for a sun hat, then just use something wider – I used a big mod podge bottle – to wrap it around.

Step 1. Place end of raffia between your middle and ring fingers. Wrap it around your four fingers between 20-25 times depending on how large you want your pom pom.

Step 2. Cut the raffia tale and carefully remove the wrapped portion from your hand.

Step 3. Pinch the center of the raffia and wrap thin wire tightly around until secure. You can also use a piece of raffia or other thread to tie the middle. Just remember to leave extra length on your center piece to attach to hat or flip flops.

Step 4. Use small tipped scissors to snip the loops of the raffia and trim the ends.

Step 5. Fan out the pieces until you get the pom pom effect.

To attach the pom poms to flip flops, wrap the wire (or whatever you used for the center tie) around the strap. Make sure the wire ends are on the top of the flip flop so it doesn’t poke your foot. I may be late to the party but now I’m bringing it everywhere I go!

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You know what gets me out of bed most mornings? Coffee.

I love my morning coffee. Yes, love. I know, it seems like an everyday ordinary activity. But there’s joy and meaning in the routine and ritual of that cup. I wake up bleary eyed, thinking, ‘Sam slept through the night, it’s gonna be a good day.’ Hit a few buttons on the Keurig and the stolen moments of that cup turn it into a great day. Because I am all about instant gratification.

The weather is warmer, the sun is up earlier and my goal is to get outside for a walk. My first, small step is getting up for that cup before the house awakes. I treasure that time. The house is quiet. This moment is all mine. The day is full of promise.

Green Mountain Coffee sent me some samples, and I really liked the smooth, full bodied flavor of the Colombian Fair Trade Select. And their French vanilla might just be the push I need to transform myself into a morning person! Because right now, coffee is just about the only thing that keeps me from hitting the snooze button one more time.

Before I even finish the cup, someone – usually Henry – is up. Full of the crazy energy that never diminishes until his head hits the pillow again at night. Did someone give him coffee? Why can’t I have energy like that? Time for another cup!

Sugar bowl |  Scoops | Jug | Towels | Cups

Good coffee deserves a good cup. Here are a few coffee finds – in my favorite black & white – that would make my day just a little bit greater. I’m pretty sure that’s a word, right?

Homemade Almond Milk Coffee Creamer

Recently I started making my own coffee creamer. After looking up homemade creamer recipes I found lots using condensed milk or half and half, which are no go’s since I can’t do lactose. Others went heavy on coconut milk, which has a crazy amount of calories, or intimidating ingredients like date paste. So I found a simple solution from items I already have in my cupboard.

For almond milk creamer you will need:

1 cup vanilla almond milk

2 tablespoons full fat coconut milk

Mix one cup almond milk with two tablespoons of full fat coconut milk. Pour as needed into coffee and store in the refrigerator. Give it a stir to mix together before pouring.

I’ll warn you, sometimes the milk curdles in the coffee and I’m not sure what causes it. Anyone know why this is?

Are you a coffee nut too? What morning rituals start your day?

Thank you to Green Mountain Coffee and Technorati for being sponsors of this article. All opinions expressed here are my own.

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Have you seen The Great Gatsby movie yet? Everyone seems to have different opinions but I can’t wait. I’m all about the fashions from that era – the more scarves and head pieces the better. Carey Mulligan wore a gorgeous scarf in the publicity pictures, and today I’m going to show you how to style it. Scarves are the perfect compliment for summer!

Because don’t we all want to take a break from elaborate hair and complicated make-up this time of year? My summer beauty routine pretty much involves a good (fake) tan, lip gloss and a rotation of colorful scarves. To add some color I’ve been using Jergens Natural Glow and have to say, I love it. Using it every day as moisturizer makes it easy for me to remember to apply it. And the face moisturizer is awesome because it has SPF 30 and is oil free. It gradually builds color that looks amazingly natural – seriously. Just don’t forget to exfoliate once a week.

Now that my face has some natural glow (I hope!), I’m going to show you two of my favorite ways to show it off by wearing a fun scarf. And yes, this is my first (and probably last!) video for the blog so please be kind.

It helps a lot to tie it in front of a mirror! But I love that this works great for gals with medium/short hair. And despite what I said, definitely keep the knot covering your ear.

How to style a turban scarf

My other favorite way to wear a scarf is this turban like style. It’s another great way to show off your glowing face!

I wear this all the time in the summer when I need to hide my roots or the fact that I haven’t managed a shower yet. And it works really well with just about any scarf. Here’s another short video showing how to tie it.

One tip I didn’t mention – you can anchor the scarf with a couple of bobby pins because it does tend to slide back. But maybe that’s just the shape of my head?

Summer beauty with jergens

All you need for summer is Jergens and a scarf! Did I just save you a ton of money? :) Now go get your glow on!

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jergens. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules

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