For some it is lipstick.

Others, it’s powder.

For me, I’m a mascara girl. No doubt about it.

The other day I came home from having my eyelashes tinted darker {it didn’t work} with no trace of mascara on and after a few minutes of chatting with the boys, No. 1 said, “what’s wrong with your face? It looks like your eyes shrunk!”.  Now if that doesn’t confirm my need for mascara, nothing will. Good grief, child. Someone needs to teach that boy what not to say to a makeup-less mommy!

To his credit, my eyes look rather lost without my non-existent eyelashes. Actually, they are there – long and thick – but they are so light they seem to disappear.

Enter lash extensions.

My friend talked me into getting lash extensions with her before our trip to Hawaii. With lots of swimming planned and wanting to avoid that gooey waterproof mascara and the inevitable dark residue it leaves under my eyes, I was glad to give it a try.

Lash extensions, if you have no idea what I’m talking about {don’t worry, I didn’t know such a thing existed until last month} are just like the individual false lashes you glue on from the beauty store, only better. They last three to four weeks and look much more natural. The lash lady glues a silk lash to each of your own lashes {about 50 per eye} while you lay with your eyes closed in pure bliss.  An hour later you open your eyes to discover you no longer need mascara.

Before

One side done

After. Without a lick of makeup.

Sort of amazing, right?

I know it is vain and unnecessary. But it simplifies my daily routine and makes me feel prettier.

Sometimes faking it is worth it.

A few notes about lash extensions:

- you can not wear mascara with them

- oil will release the bond of the glue so no moisturizer, sunscreen, oil-containing makeup products on your eyes

- you can still use eye makeup – just powders and oil-free liners and shadows

- side and face sleeping smooshes the lashes, so they recommend sleeping on your back. I find that impossible and so I sleep on my side and smoosh up my lashes and have to get them filled a little more regularly than someone who follows the sleeping recommendations.

- Lashes have a natural cycle – they fall out and grow back every 4-6 weeks. The false lashes fall out with the real lashes and you need to have them ‘filled’ to maintain the look

It’s not for everyone, but if you, too, are a mascara-girl, it may be worth a try!

{taken on our drive over to eastern washington}

Camping is a weird thing: we pack as few belongings as possible to go sleep in the dirt. In a nylon tent with only a zipper protecting us from danger. We cook food on a tiny gas stove and wash dishes in a plastic bin with cold water. We go to sleep with hair that smells of campfire and wake up bright and early when the sun comes up {and the seagulls dive bomb the campsite looking for scraps of food}.

It’s inconvenient. It’s a bit of work. It’s very dirty.

But it’s so good.

Time together outdoors with our families – without work or computers or phone service – just campfires and freeze tag and swimming in chilly lakes.  And s’mores. Don’t forget those. With peanut butter, please.

We went camping. It was inconvenient. It was a bit of work. It was very, very dirty.

But it was just what our family needed.

All in favor of camping, say ‘I’.

It’s a trend that’s all over the place – and one that I find rather pretty.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

So, so pretty.

Inspired by all this ombre-lovliness, I have created the new June collection of monthly printable paper goods for a fresh, summery, seaside feel.

My favorite part of the collection this month is the art print. It’s interactive.

I started filling in ours and I’ll have the kids help me with the rest. A few more weeks of school then we’ll start checking off those boxes!

As a member of JDC | Monthly you receive a new collection of printable paper goods each month – always with a different theme, and always something new and fresh.

Included each month is:

note cards . shopping list . houseduties chart . weekly calendar . monthly calendar . scripture memory cards . dinnertime calendar . art print . chore chart . mailing labels . grocery list . project

For the June project, we’re making beach bag tags.

Perfect for identifying bags toting beach towels towels and sand toys to the beach, goggles and sunscreen to the pool and snacks and frisbees to the park. These are a great gift idea too.

When you become a JDC | Monthly member, you will receive a new collection of printable paper goods on the 22nd of each month {so you have plenty time to get yourself organized before the new month begins}. You can print as many of each item as you need – many of the items included make great gifts, too.

Upon signing up, you will have instant access to all of the pdf files. Download and print, or save them to your computer for a rainy day.

JDC | monthly members will also receive 50% off all printables in the shop.

JDC | Monthly details:

$7.99 per month {first month is free!}

When you join JDC | Monthly, you will receive the link to the monthly collection immediately after signing up. Billing is done on a 30 day cycle {so if you join on the 15th, you will be billed the following month on the 15th}. On the 22nd of each month, you will receive an email with the link to download the collection of pdfs, as well as the project tutorial.

If you decide JDC | monthly is not for you, you are free to cancel at any time.

Questions? Please feel free to email me at emily@jonesdesigncompany.com

I’ve noticed an influx of gift bags lately at parties and showers and I understand why … it takes extra time and the right supplies to wrap a gift the traditional way with paper and ribbon.  A gift bag makes it so easy.

But I can assure you, this wrapping method is just as easy as those gift bags and costs just a few dollars.

It is my favorite way to wrap clothes, stuffed animals, a small stack of books – anything smallish and odd shaped.

Here’s what you’ll need:

:: gift

:: tissue paper {two large sheets}

:: roll of cellophane

:: scissors, tape

:: ribbon, stickers or gift tag for embellishing

STEP ONE: layer two pieces of tissue paper {this will make it less see-through} on top of cellophane. Cut cellophane slightly larger than tissue.

STEP TWO: roll up gift

STEP THREE: place gift upside down on the center of the tissue/cellophane and wrap up both sides, securing with tape.

STEP FOUR: tie ends with a pretty ribbon {see my favorites sources of ribbon here}

STEP FIVE: embellish

Grab a little helper to add a name with glittery alphabet stickers {found at the craft store}.

Simple, personal, and oh so cute.

And just in case you are curious about where the adorable swim suit and towel are from, here you go:

swim suit: janie & jack       |       mermaid towel: target

Happy wrapping.

I have had my iphone for just about two months now and I’m pretty much in love. Mostly because the camera is so. darn. good. And super easy.  It is fun to snap photos in an instant of things that catch my eye.

What catches my eye the most lately is the amazing show that the springtime in the pacific northwest is putting on for us.  I suppose this happens every year, but as I get older, I appreciate the beauty of nature so much more.

Here are some of my favorites taken this week:

{amazingly ruffled tulip}

{euphorbia – one of my favorite perenials}

{pansy}

{lupin}

{cherry blossoms}

{pretty purple flowers – not sure what they are}

{gorgeous peony in k.c.’s yard}

{lilac. I could breath in the scent of lilac all day long}

{ladies mantle – another favorite. How amazing are those water droplets?}

Around here, perhaps the most breathtaking sight is this:

On a clear day, there is nothing more majestic than our Mt. Rainier.

What the NW lacks in awesome weather, it sure makes up for in natural beauty.

Want to see more?

I promise I post more than just nature shots.

The first time I remember seeing chalk paint was a few years ago when Martha Stewart and her team shared how to make your own custom mix {latex paint + tile grout}.

Since then, the trend has caught on and it seems like it only continues to grow.

Do you remember this oldie but goodie from cottage living? One of my favorites. Love that barn door, too.

Layla at The Lettered Cottage used chalkboard paint to cover a wall in her kitchen, then hung stainless steel shelves over top – such a charming restaurant look.

Have you seen Holly Mathis’ redesign of her boys’ bedroom? She is amazing.

She did the custom chalk paint method and covered a wall with it.

Such a great playful/classic boy room.

Janelle at House of Fifty added a dark chalkboard wall in her husband’s office, then created a gallery wall on top. She even left some empty frames to write in notes. So clever.

Her entire house is pretty amazing and worth taking a peek at to get some great DIY ideas.

A few years ago I painted one wall in my office with chalkboard paint.

{more of my office here and here}

I like the moodiness of the dark wall and the contrast with the subtle but busy pattern on the other walls.

{same wall, just rearranged. Its a sickness.}

The only problem with it is that our walls are slightly textured and so the surface does not allow for easy chalk writing. So pretty much the wall goes unused. That would be my only tip when it comes to painting a wall with chalkboard paint – smooth off the texture first.

I’m still a fan of chalkboard walls. I think they are whimsical and classic all at once and I’ll be keeping mine for a bit longer. And maybe adding another to my boys’ room.

What about you?

Are you still a fan or over the trend?

On a different note, I’m glad to say that my weariness has subsided {but my kids still wear me out!}. Thank you for your kind words, your prayers and most of all for being so relateable. Isn’t it great to know we are not alone?

Many of you asked if the SOAR print from the previous post was available in my shop.

Nope.

But you can download the free printable pdf below.

Please open using Adobe Reader and be sure to share one with a friend!

I’m in that place.

This gnawing exhaustion crept up on me yesterday afternoon and continued into the evening.  I went through the regular motions … made dinner, picked up the house, oversaw piano practice, jammied the kids. Audrey was particularly playful and distracted during pj time and while she ran off, I laid my head down on her floor and had a conversation in my heart that went a little like this:

What is going on with me? Why do I feel so … hmmm … how do I feel?

Tired? Not exactly. I mean, I’m always up for a nap, but I’m not sure that would solve it.

Spent? Sort of. It has been a busy day, but that’s not quite it either. Hmmm…

Then a word was spoken to my heart:

Weary.

The exhaustion I was feeling wasn’t just a physical tiredness. It is a heaviness of my soul.

I feel weary.

Weary because No 2 is in a back-talking phase and I don’t like it.

Weary because my two-year-old is an embarrassing disaster on errands.

Weary because she and her brother have eczema that keeps getting worse.

Weary because those few gained pounds from Maui aren’t coming off.

Weary because minutes after mopping the floors, they are dirty again.

Weary because the boys have cavities.

Weary because this great project we’re working on is taking forever to finish.

Weary because I’m a total failure when it comes to menu planning.

I hate to even admit these things because they are so insignificant in the scheme of things. A five-year-old in our community just had a brain tumor removed and here I am feeling exhausted because my floors are dirty. I am well aware that there are more pressing issues in this world to be weary about.

But I think that is precisely my problem.

There are bigger things to worry about and more important issues to talk to God about and so all of these pesky little worries just sit on my shoulders – waiting for me to fix them. They are insignificant, but when piled up, they get heavy. And burdensome. So when I just go about my days carrying these burdens, no wonder I’m feeling worn out.

I realize with all of these little problems, that when it comes down to it, I don’t have a solution for them. They are beyond my abilities, my understanding, my determination.

And I like solving things. Fixing things. Having everything smooth and fresh and peaceful.

A few days ago I popped in an old Psalty cd we haven’t listed to in a while. It’s one of my childhood favorites.

Ironically, these are the lyrics to one of the songs:

I will cast all my cares upon You.

I’ll lay all of my burdens down at your feet.

And anytime I don’t know what to do

I will cast all my cares upon You.

It is one of those elementary truths that somehow I have forgotten.

The Lord says we can and should share all of our burdens with him {which means tell him about them! Talk them through. Humble ourselves enough to recognize that we can not solve them all on our own}.

Not just the big stuff {financial pressure, brain tumors, infertility}

but the little stuff too {cavities, potty training, meal planning}.

Why He offers to take all of these burdens I will never fully understand. But I am so grateful that He gives us this promise:

The whole chapter of Isaiah 40 is great. Here is my favorite part:

We can get so busy in our day-to-day activities and there are lots of little hiccups throughout our days. Most resolve themselves, but sometimes they don’t.

Let my momentary weariness be a reminder to you to talk to God about your hiccups.

If you have worries {big or small} that you can’t handle the burden of any longer, I’m right there with you.

Don’t carry them alone.

You may not have instant answers or disappearing troubles, but I can assure you, you will have peace.

Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.

It’s truly the easiest form of weight-loss.