Is it any surprise that I almost did cartwheels after finding the new Serena & Lily catalog in my mailbox today? I am crazy in love with EVERY thing they do.
Bedrooms? LOVE
Playrooms? LOVE
Nursery? LOVE
Outdoor Spaces? LOVE
I haven't yet had time to fully digest this issue yet and already I found something to work on for Fiona's big girl room.
Seriously how sweet and easy and inexpensive is this??? Varying sizes of embroidery hoops with mix n match fabric!
I saw this amazing post on a friend and business partner's blog and just had to share.... it rings so true to me as I spent today with my littles, organizing a Mommy & Me Arts and Crafts Co-op at our church, still trying to master my Master bedroom, a quick trip to Target and the gym, and doing a little bit of 'work' in the 30 minutes that the kids actually napped today. And now as I sit here in the silence (it is 7:40 and the kids have been asleep for 30+ minutes and hubby is still at work) I realize just how lucky I am. I did not wake up today and dread another week of work - I can finally say that I am right where I need to be and loving every minute of it :)
xo - from this blog writin, craft lovin, fabric obsessin, young lookin, shopaholic, biz ownin, wifey and mommy of 2 :)
I must be the last person on the planet to never have tried the Starbucks Pumpkin SPice Latte that all of my friends are so very excited about this time of year.... So after much thought I decided yesterday that I was going to try one! Only problem? The close Starbucks is about 20 minutes away and I had a little one ready for a nap. What to do but DIY one! A quick google search lead me to this super easy recipe here. Don't worry though - of course I made some changes to it!
And here is my version:
1 cup Milk
1 cup Almond Milk
3 tbsp Canned Pumpkin 3 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp vanilla 1/2 tsp cinnamon Dash nutmeg 1 cup coffee Whipped Cream
In a saucepan, whisk together milk, pumpkin, and sugar on medium heat. Stir until steaming. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spices. Whisk really well for about 1 minute. Pour into a large mug. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon.
I drank one yummy cup and popped the remaining 2 cups into the frig and warmed one up today and it was just as good!
And I used my leftover pumpkin to make these amazing pumpkin bars that are a fall staple around my house! I <3 PUMPKIN and long 3 day weekends!!!!
It's been a busy summer and I am so excited to be back at it with a little bit of down time while Little Man enjoys some time at school! So I thought I would kick off the holiday weekend with a fun and easy DIY that I procrastinated on for the WHOLE summer! I am linking up at Serenity Now :)
You might remember this entertainment center from our old house. It got replaced by the coral dresser because we cut cable and had nothing to fill up all the nooks (and because it was pretty bulky!)
It lived in our new play room for a bit as an entertainment center (aka - toy storage unit) but I hated that it was open and you could see all the clutter. So I was about to put it on Craig's List when I had a better idea... why not hack it and make the Parson's desk/table that I was stalking the internet for? But time got away from me and I decided that a quick fix was a better option so I flipped it over and made it into a window seat using the top portion of an ottoman that was in storage.
Well, I finally decided to work on the hack and wouldn't you know it took me all of 5 minutes to finish it? I was so kicking myself that I waited all this time to do it! And look at how cute it is! There are no pictures because all I did was unscrew everything but the top and three sides. So let this be a lesson to you that - A. Just do it! I spent longer thinking about this than it actually took to finish it and B. Keep your eye out for pieces that you might be able to hack into something you really love!
PS - More info on some of the other changes coming next week!
I know it's not Skincare Saturday but wanted to pass along this amazing deal!!! It's Christmas in July FREEBIE time! Click the link below and complete the quick survey (easy questions... like your name, address, etc!) Then wait for your mini facial kit to arrive in your mailbox! It's that easy! Mini facial kits include 1-2 uses of Microdermabrasion Paste, Night Renewing Serum, and Lip Renewing Serum. I'm also going to include a special treat for anyone who chooses to order after using the mini facial kit items. You have until midnight on Wednesday, July 24th to fill out the survey and get your FREE items! Ready, set, GO!
And if you are wondering if Rodan + Fields might be for you.... Here is some more info on the 4 regimens. As a Christmas in July special if you join as a Preferred Customer TODAY you will receive a week's worth of our miracle Night Renewing Serum FREE (and of course 10% off and free shipping!) It's totally risk free with our 60 day money back guarantee! Click here to enroll as a Preferred Customer and to get started on the best skin of your life!
I pinned this super yummy looking parmesan crusted chicken recipe over the weekend and was so excited to try it out! But when it came time to cook dinner last night, I could not find the recipe! So I turned to my good friend google and ran across this one pictured below.
And in typical me style - I was missing half of the 4 needed ingredients... namely the parmesan and the bread crumbs! Never one to let little issues slow me down I moved forward with my own version!
Cheesy Ranch Crusted Chicken
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup Mexican Cheese
1 TBSP Ranch Seasoning
1/4 cup Ground Flax Seeds
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix together the mayo, cheese, and ranch seasoning in a bowl.
Place the chicken on a baking sheet and cover evenly with the ranch mixture.
Sprinkle the flax evenly on the top of the ranch mixture.
Bake for ~20 minutes. Finish with 2 minutes on broil.
Voila! The most tasty and juicy chicken I have had in ages!!!!
So last week I touched on how damaging the skin can be to our skin and how to remedy the damage you have inflicted. But I didn't get a chance to touch on the most important aspect of summer... Sun Protection! Its the best way to prevent skin cancer, wrinkles, acne, and more! Don't forget to see your dermatologist for regular skin cancer checks too!
I was shocked to read some of these skin friendly tips! Seriously a shot glass of sunscreen??? I should be going thru a bottle of sunscreen a month :)
So do your skin a favor this summer (and all year round) and wear a broad spectrum sunscreen whenever you are outside. Look for a sunscreen that exceeds the FDA's criteria and that has been awarded the Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation. And if you are looking for a great sunscreen for your whole family look no further than the R+F Essentials Body Sunscreen. It is non whitening, non sticky, water resistant and broad spectrum SPF 30.
I am so excited that it's almost the 4th! And love that I get to start off this holiday week with a fun stroll thru Pinterest to gain some outfit inspiration and a link up at Pinterest Told Me To! And since I love my new Old Navy purchases so much - I decided to use my new coral tee as the base for all 3 outfits! It's kinda fun to see multiple options for one piece right? So this is my base piece... and I just might have gone to the store and gotten every single color they have... just saying - it's that good! And in stores it was marked as $10 vs $12 online. If you are curious on sizing I got a small and its still got a decent bit of room to move in without a wardrobe malfunction while chasing the kids!
And although this is not Pinspired... I had to throw this in b/c my hubby is a HUGE Florida Gator fan! So anytime I see orange and blue together that's all I think of!
It's summertime and the #1 thing that makes me think of the summer is the beach... the sun... the pool! But the last few summers something else for has been front of my mind when it comes to this season - sunscreen! I will admit I was a sun worshipper when I was younger. I frequented the tanning bed in high school and college. And I rarely wore sunscreen. I did not feel pretty (or skinny) without a tan. Its no wonder why when I just recently noticed this while reading my kids a bedtime story...
I am thankful that I have repented and that there is a way to not only protect my skin now but also reverse the years of pain I inflicted on my skin (and even look nice and golden safely!)
Did you know that the biggest culprit in aging is sun exposure???? Yikes! And is certainly doesn't help with acne, wrinkles, skin discoloration, and texture changes. And even if you can't see it yet - changes are that you have sun damage and it just hasn't reared it's ugly head yet. Look at this UV camera shot of the sun damage that is not visible. This underlying sun damage is often the cause for loss of clarity, increased dullness, and uneven skin tone even for people without the telltale age spots.
The Reverse regimen is a simple solution to remedy the damage of year's of sun damage. It exfoliates, lightens, improves skin tone, brightens, AND defends against future damage! In an 8 week clinical trial, 98% saw improved brightness, smoothness, and skin texture and 90% saw an improvement in spots and more even skin tone. This stuff is no joke!
Knocking out those sun spots...
And melasma discolorations too...
And it's working wonders for freckles...
And it's not just for women....
or only for your face...
It's pretty crazy to see these incredible results across a variety of different types of sun damage (or hormonal spot damage too!) I actually JUST realized that I have quite a bit of discoloration on my skin in the last several weeks. So stay tuned for some before and afters!
But in the meantime - enjoy the summer, keep protected, and if you need to be tan, faking it is the way to go! Love our Foaming Sunless Tanner - totally natural and no risk of skin cancer!
Next week in keeping with the summer trend - it's time to talk sunscreen!
Apologies on my absence... It has been a crazy summer and I imagine that's not gonna change! I've decided to take some of the stress off of myself and only do 3 posts a week. One DIY, one recipe, and one 'other' post such as a fashion find like I am doing today!
So I was lucky enough to have some totally free mommy time and I decided to pop into Old Navy among some other errands I completed. Since I was kid free it was the perfect time to actually try on some clothes! And look at these ADORABLE shorts I found... For $10 but originally $22.94!!! And don't get me started on their perfect v neck tees for $5... And the best dressy tee I've found in ages for $10 too! So if you need to refresh your summer wardrobe on the cheap go check Old Navy out!
It's summertime and what is more summer friendly then a dip for barbecues, pool parties, and outside gatherings. It's easy, can be prepared in advance, it's great for sharing, and it's down right yummy! But this dip really knocked my socks off!
I was immediately intrigued when I saw it here on Mix and Match Mama. I have never been led astray by her recipes and I was waiting for just the right occasion to this a try (in reality - you don't need an occasion... other than being hungry!)
Loaded Baked Potato Dip:
8 ounces sour cream
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temp
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup snipped chives
1 tablespoon powdered ranch dressing mix
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 bag of potato chips (I used a kettle chip!)
Combine sour cream, cream cheese and cheddar until thoroughly mixed. Fold in bacon, chives, ranch dressing mix and Worcestershire Sauce. Chill at least two hours before serving (the longer you chill, the better).
Serve with your favorite chips.
PS - I may or may not have eaten this as lunch and dinner....
I haven't always had the best skin care routines... I never really washed my face or cared what type of face wash or moisturizer I used. Cetaphil was always a safe bet. But one thing that I have always love is a good exfoliating scrub.
I must admit that up until recently, this was my go to. It was super gritty and gave me the feeling of really removing some of that yucky dead skin. I have just recently realized what I had been missing out on!
On the day that my big blue box arrived I could not wait to rip it open and start trying the products! The very first thing that I wanted to get my hands on was the Macro E. I had heard urban legend style tales of results on the first use and I couldn't wait to see if the hype was true!
But before I talk about this nifty little gadget let me take a few steps back. Did you know that humans shed a million dead skin cells every 40 minutes? Pretty nasty right? And dead skin cells make up a majority of the dust in our houses!
So in a roundabout way if I use the Macro E I can dust less and glow more???
Anything for less dusting... and better looking skin!
Let me just say that the Macro E exceeded all of my expectations! It did take me a a few minutes to get the hang of it using it but then I was in LOVE!!! I used the Doc Smart setting and it directs you which area to use it on, the direction, intensity, etc. It's basically exfoliation for dummies! Check out this video if you don't believe me.
And as for the results... it's no joke. Noticeable results in just one use! I saw an immediate improvement in my skin's feel, texture, smoothness, and general appearance. I looked totally refreshed and glowing (even with a still not sleeping thru the night 14 month old!) The best way that I would describe the results are fresh, clear, and young looking skin! And paired with a regimen - the results are even better. I am using the ReDefine and I literally look forward to washing my face in the am and pm. Its the one thing I know that I am doing for MYSELF every day :)
And want to know a crazy secret??? The Macro E also works for stretch marks! I have seen the pictures of a close friend and in just 4 weeks she saw diminishment of lines and skin tightening just with using the Macro E weekly and the Night Renewing Serum nightly. I will gladly share these images... but here is one that I found just from googling.
Yesterday pretty much sums up my week... Morning playdate, Fia naps for 10 minutes in the car while we drive there. Awesome time at festival in the park with new friends and a jump house, petting farm, sno cones, popcorn, and balloon animals! Poop on the my shoe to leave us all with a super smelly ride home. Dinner prepared (just need to pop it in the over), heading out to the local Farmer's Market, Little Man has to pee... and apparently so does the tube of sunscreen he flushed down the toilet :( TGIF!!!
So I found this adorable outfit on Pinterest... that I could not wait to link up for Get Pinspired
And why was I so excited about this outfit??? Because just this week, I FINALLY bought a chambray shirt!!! But back to this adorable outfit... I dug thru my closet trying to find some funky boho looking shorts to no avail. I was super bummed and was just about to give up when I remembered these.
I grabbed these for less than $20 at a Loft final sale last summer and have worn them once! Looking at the pic they look cute but in real life it was ALOT of pattern. So what did I do?
Yes... I cut these beautiful pants! Anyone that knew me in college knows that just about every day I was cutting or piecing stuff together :) Not much has changed!
I cuffed them and threw them on. And here is my outfit!
I really like it and I got this little bonus for my daring DIY...
I literally just stuffed a pillow filler inside one of the legs! So cute right?
And some other news to report.... As you saw previously I recently became a consultant with Rodan & Fields here. I am so excited about all of these products that I have decided to add a special Skin Care Saturday post. Tune in if you want or just check me out during the week for my usual DIY and Design posts.
And this week I just hit my first promotion with R+F and to celebrate I am running some crazy specials! Want to get a FREE Mini Facial, Multi Function Eye Cream, 10% off, and free shipping? These are real results from one of my friends!!! Check out my website or email me at nikkimorley.rf@gmail.com for more info!
