Weekend Links

It has been a week.  Ha!  That is a weird thing to say and that is all I have to say.  On to the links!


Totally awesome Halloween DIY.  Masked portraits!

A baked ham and green bean bake sounds right up our alley. 

A rad video showing 29 ways to stay creative.  Everyone could benefit from watching this!  Plus it is less than two minutes.  Inspiration in a tiny dose!

This print would be a modern fun piece of art for a nursery.

I am excited for clementine oranges to be back in season!  It is still a little early for them but once they are around I am going to make some candles out of them.  

MMMM jalapeno bread!

For those of us still trying to hang on to summer: lemonade inspiration!

This book may find its way into Nicco's stocking this year.  Boy loves to draw.  (Yes I know that I literally just gave a link about summer and then went straight to Christmas.  IT is coming faster than we know peeps!  I like to be prepared!)

Cute dainty DIY seed bead bracelets. 

This Meal Planning Awareness pledge is awesome!  The whole idea is to get 10k people to pledge to make 4 meals from home in September.  It means more time spent as a family, less waste, money savings and healthier meal options.  I pledged.  Will you?

I have to toss this Fall roundup from A Beautiful Mess into the mix.  Cause I love them and their ideas!

Weekend Links

Nick started a new job this week.  WOOT!  We are relieved.  Even though it seems like this job will just be a stepping stone to the next thing.  Sigh.  But we are still forever grateful for this opportunity for Nick to work during the day.  It is going to take a few weeks to get used to the new schedule.  We will be going from 5:30 in the morning until 11 at night most days.  Plus I am back to being on my own with the kids all day every day.  I keep reminding myself that this is temporary!  A minor blip in our lives.  I am also feeling amazing gratitude for my wonderful husband!  He is so willing so work hard for our family.  He blows my mind.  Nick having to work so much has also lit the fire under me to get my Etsy shop up and running.  I know that it might not make enough money for him to stay home but it will relieve some of the pressure financially.  My ultimate goal is for him to be able to be quit his day job and just do UPS at night.  I am dreaming big!  OH that would be magical.  Yes I said magical.  So anywho.... I will keep this space up to date with any shop news.

My phone is running out of space so I am doing all these links from my phone so I can erase some!  I don't even think that will really help the storage issue but I am going to do it any way!  So this is the first edition of- 

Weekend Cellphone links! 

My boy would love to wear this T-REX necklace!  It is a skeleton and a dinosuar?  And that price?  Triple threat!  

This 5 ways to update thrift store art article from Apartment Therapy is awesome.  I love the ideas.  Especially the dipped picture.  

A rope braid hairstyle is a perfectly casual up-do.  I love it!

Pretty much everything from the 2 bandits shop is awesome.  But right now I want this necklace.

This little reminder for all the creatives out there.

I want a mindful home.  Even more so I want a mindful life.  But our home is a good place to start.

These balloon wall lamps are amazeballs!  And I don't use that phrase lightly.  Ugh they are the stuff dreams are made of.

This coffee cake is on my to-do list this weekend.

Halloween is only a few- well more like 6ish- weeks away.  Needless to say I have Halloween crafts on the mind.  I really love the bat mobile from Martha Stewart!

One of my bucket list type things for my life is to learn to make cheese.  I love cheese that much.  How awesome are these cheese making kits from Urban Cheese on Etsy?  My dream is in my grasp!

I am off to enjoy my weekend!  We are seeing James Taylor play with the Mormon Tabernacle choir tonight.  Oh yeah baby! 

Happy Weekend Friends!

Weekend Links

This last week has been a pretty great one!  No complaints from me.  Except Lola throwing rocks at someones car.  That mostly blows because we are still out of a job and now have car repair bills to pay. BOO!  Lola was punished and then continued punishing herself about it.  Poor girl learned from her mistake big time.  All we did was tell her we were disappointed in her and that what she did was wrong.  No raised voices even!  I remember as a kid that the worse punishments I had was when my parents would sit me down and talk to me like an adult.  All I could think was that I would rather have the yelling and screaming.  Don't tell me you are disappointed in me!  Beat me soundly and put me in my room but please don't TALK to me!!  Haha!  It seemed to work really well with Lola.  Maybe time out is a thing of our past?  Yeah I doubt it but maybe we are moving in a great and mature direction.  We took the kids to Wheeler Farm this week.  It was fun to take them around and see the animals.  Nicco told us everything he has learned from being up on our family sheep ranch.  He has learned way more than I realized!  He loved the bunnies the most.  Lola loved the chickens.  The kids also got to go to a pool party.  That could be a post in itself.  The drama, the near deaths!  OH man but they had fun.

On to the links!  

This is a perfect birthday card for a little one! Actually I would love to get it myself.

I love when doilies are used in an unusual way. Like in this hanging lamp! It is grandma chic, no?

The dolls made by the Etsy shop Warm Sugar are so delightful. Lola may need one for Christmas. Yes I said Christmas. It is less than 6 months away peeps.

This piece of art is so so lovely.  It looks unexpected and the texture kills me. I am going to own one of these. Now to save my pennies.

My Lola would rock this dress up one side and down the other!

3 easy nail polish tutorials. When I say easy I mean that I could most likely do these. So that is crazy easy.

The temperature here has been a little too warm for my liking the last few weeks.  So I am choosing to daydream about these glowing snow flanked igloos.

Cool braided friendship bracelets.

This dress is so fraking cute.  Check out how Mandy styled it.  Love it!

Weekend Links

This week has been hot.  Like over 100 degrees hot.  I wilt in the heat.  So we have been hanging out inside a lot.  We still managed to head to the park a couple days this week and of course we hit up the library.  But other than that nada!  I have some fun things we did to post about the next few weeks and hopefully I can get my toush in gear and get it done!  We are still on the job hunt.  Which is a frustrating process at times but I am staying positive!  It has only been 2 and a half weeks so I am not too worried.  Not too mention that it has been great to have Nick home again this week.  The kids are loving it and so am I!  Little blessings.   

It is 102 degrees today!  Frick it is hot.  But I still love this unicorn sweatshirt.

Check out this photo shoot!  The colors and drama kill me.

 I am in love with these shoes!  Seychelles shoes are so lovely.

This chair should be mine.  For reals.

Got bloggers block?  Then read this!  I don't think I have bloggers block so much as I have a computer block.  If the computer is off I have no desire to turn it on.  HA!

I am thinking the coca-cola pulled pork from this 4th of July recipe round up look ridonk!  I love a good pulled pork.

I am thinking this recipe for dinner tonight!  Easy and it looks delicious.  Plus who doesn't love marinara and ricotta?

With the heat outside we are needing activities to do inside.  I love this Monogram art to do with the kids.

Weekend Links

This week has been so great!  Nick lost his job last week which has been a little stressful since we aren't even remotely prepared.  We have learned the hard way that there is a reason they say you need savings.  So goal number one when a new job is found is to start saving and build it up as quick as possible.  Savings diet anyone?  Oh and pay off debt cause debt blows.  So why do I say that the week has been great?  We have had Nick home.  We are hoping that it doesn't last long but it has been really really lovely having him home.  Like a little slice of heaven good.  The kids are loving it.  Nick and I are able to have conversations that aren't happening in the car on our way from this place to the next.  I love it!  He is my favorite person after all.  Nick is still working at UPS at night so it isn't like we are totally screwed but that doesn't pay the bills yet!  We are more lucky than some though.  So I am counting my blessings.


50 rules for Dads of Daughters.  That list makes me cry.  The end.

How would you like a recipe for a DIY hair mask?  Yeah it is only two ingredients!  You could even do organic to make it sufficiently hipster.  But I will be using costco olive oil and little bear honey.  That is just me though.

When I saw this recipe for buttermilk roast chicken my mouth watered.  For some reason it reminds me of my childhood.  

Holy amazing little boys bow ties!!

Check out this tween bedroom makeover.  Seriously so lovely! 

Easy boho Maxi Dress tutorial.  There are so many good ones around that I might have to actually try making one.

The prettiest light switch plate.

Weekend Links

We are having such a nice weekend.  It has been great- well except Nick's second bout of pink eye in two weeks.  That is no fun and it looks like it is viral so it is a wait it out and see type thing.  Yuck!  Poor guy.  We celebrated National Record Store day yesterday and picked up three new records for our collection.  Now to find a record player we love and save for it.  It rained a lot yesterday and the SLC marathon was going on.  Between those two things we stayed home most of the day.  We ordered chinese take out, played with our marble run, watched shows and fixed my sisters car.  Well Nick fixed the car actually and I just kept him company.  Ha!  It has been great.  And with Nick's pink eye it looks like we are staying home from church and having a quiet Sunday.  I can't complain!  After the events of the last week in Boston and Texas I am hugging the kids and Nick tighter.  I am enjoying the sweet everyday moments we have together.  It is sad that it takes amazing tragedy for me to really look at my life and be glad for the things I have.  We don't have a lot of money, our own home or the nicest cars but we have a sweet family and great friends.  We have each other.  And in the long run that is all that matters.  I am going to try and remember these feelings of gratitude long after these events become a part of our Nation's past.

Shall we get past the heavy stuff and get into some fun?!  Links!    


Do you remember the Can't Touch This Hallmark commercial?  Well feast your eyes on its glory!

You know how cats are like the hip thing right now?  Well I am not a fan but check out these DIY cat toe shoes!   They are making me a believer. 

I have no immediate use for this fabric but I want it!  OH and this oil cloth too.  I am trying to not buy things I don't need.  Which is hard!  I feel like some things just belong in my life.

Cute messy bun tutorial.  This is my hair style everyday bit it isn't nearly this cute!

Since starting WW I have eaten a ton of eggs.  They are low in points and high in filling protein. Win win!  Which is why I want to make this egg sandwich.  Nothing ground breaking but it looks beyond delicious. 

I am stalking a lot of home decor websites lately.  And I want these fabric wraps!  Ugh they are so lovely!  I can just imagine wrapping a loaf of bread in one and giving it as a gift for a new neighbor.

Dirty brown rice with shrimp?  I say yes, please!

This post is for anyone who is trying to get a business off the ground.  Truly inspirational!

 I love this idea from A Beautiful Mess about making 4 seasonal goals.  A little more realistic than the 28 before 29 type posts.  Now to figure out my spring goals!

Weekend Links

picture taken by my husband

This week and weekend has been great.  We spent a lot of time with family and friends. I went to the most amazing little bakery in downtown SLC.  It is called Eva's Bakery and everyone in and out of the area should check it out.  It is a french inspired bakery and the food was phenomenal!  It was also Bunco night this week.  FUN!  I really enjoy the group of ladies we have.  Lola and I got a chance to go spend some time with my sister and her daughter this week.  That is something that needs to happen a lot more!  The whole family were able to spend some time with some of our favorite friends yesterday evening.  Good food and good company.  It was great!  

Spring is a fickle time in Utah.  It is warm one second then snowing and raining the next.  Which is rough!  We start getting excited for warm spring days and then we get slapped with craptastic weather.  I can't really complain because all too soon it will be over 100 degrees and I will be wishing for a cold day.  Back to the point!  The blossoms are starting to bloom on the trees.  This is my second favorite season.  I love the feeling of excitement that I feel in spring!  I feel very creative and happy right now.  Here's to the good times ahead!  

ON to the links!   

It is sweatshirt weather here in Utah and I love the look of this DIY sweatshirt revamp.  Easy and cute. Love it!  I pretty much love anything from Cotton & Curls. 

I have been searching for some graphic art for my room/home.  I love this art inspired by one of my favorite songs.

The story of a guy finding an original Picasso painting in a thrift store is an old one but it still blows my mind!  I would have fainted!

I am in need of some cute flats.  I love these in the mint!  and these in the dark tan.

We have one too many naked Barbies around.  Even when they are dressed they are a little immodest- to the point of being trampy.  Not anymore!  Barbie clothes that are super cute, simple and a great scrap busting project.

Anyone have 8 hundred bucks lying around that they want to use to but me a ring?  Cause it is pretty and I want it!

Check out these wedge shoes.  Oh yes!  Love them!  Platform and ties?  Best!

The kids are moving into a new room that has a great big window and I am thinking of using these curtains as inspiration for their room.  I love that they are hand painted. And the tutorial is easy to follow.

I love beverage dispensers.  They are great for parties.  But more importantly great for the hibiscus tea I make all summer long.  The design of this one from Crate and Barrel 2 is awesome.  So modern and unique.

Weekend Links

It has been a wonderful week this week!  We were able to celebrate my niece's birthday with her.  It was great for the kids to get to play with their cousins.  And I always love seeing my sister and her husband.  The weather has been pretty decent in our neck of the woods so we have been outside riding bikes a lot!  The kids got bikes from Santa for Christmas and then it promptly snowed so flipping much that they couldn't ride them.  Sometimes Santa doesn't have the smartest ideas- idiot!  The kids are loving it now.  Watching them get better and better has been so fun.  They get so excited when they are finally able to do something that they couldn't do before.  Their grins are worth sitting out on the cold!

On to the links shall we?

OH man this chevron quilt slays me!  It is so beautiful and unique.  I am going to start one for Lola ASAP!

The kiddies have been begging for their own treasure boxes and while I will probably end up buying treasure chests from Michael's and painting them- I love these hollow book boxes from Dos Family!  An easy DIY!

Spring is right around the corner so it is time to start feeding the birds.  These little bird feeders are cute and perfect to do with kids!

Am I as busy as I think?  Probably not.  But I sure think I am the busiest little buzzing bee ever.

I am going to make time this weekend to make some homemade flour tortillas.  MMMM yummmy!

Cute Easter Bunnies!  I think the kids would love to help me with these.  And oh my gosh can you believe that Easter is like 3 weeks away?!

April Fools is coming too!  Check out this gallery of food pranks.  I am a little excited!  The kids are old enough to really appreciate some good natured pranking.

I am wanting to teach the kids how to paper mache.  These Easter eggs would be awesome to pull out every year and even possibly add new ones to our collection!

Weekend Links

It has been a week.  What else can I say?  We had a bit of a health scare with my dad this week.  That is never good.  He is fine though!  Luckily!  And having codeine dreams which he says are crazy. HA!  It has been a little wake up call too.  I need to get healthy for me and my family.  I want to look good naked and all but really I need to start eating better and exercising regularly so that I can live a life full of vitality and happiness.  I don't want my children to watch me slowly die because of stupid choices I made early in life.  On that same note- I also don't want to slowly die because of choices I have made.  That is an experience I could do without.  I know that life will throw you curve balls and health is not a guarantee.  But I want to know that I made every effort to fight against that.  I also want to make changes in a healthy way.  NO crash diets or crazy workouts.  With that being said all the help and advice that is given lovingly and kindly is greatly appreciated!  Shall we link it up?


I am starting to think that winter is never going to end.  I may have to make this cowl to get me through!  It is snowing as I type this.

I want to make this top!!  It would be great for spring and summer in a nice floral print.  Plus so freaking easy.

Have you seen the blog/site another lunch?  It is a great source when you are running out of ideas to feed the kiddies (or adults).  Also Totoro bento boxes.  Um flip yeah.

I am on the look out for new slow cooker meals since our nights are so crazy.  And Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken looks awesome. OH the spicy goodness!

"This is Bowie to Bowie!  Can you hear me out there man?!".  Do you know what program that line is from?  I like the David Bowie!  And this kids t-shirt.

I so needed to read this post from Mandey at Mama Mandolin.  It really struck home.  I need to love myself now.  Not sometime down the road when I get to my "after".  What are we saying to ourselves?  The after never comes.  There is always something else that we don't think is good enough.  On to the next project!  I am going to work on being content right now with myself.

Cute hand warmers!  My mom made large rice bags for us growing up.  They were great on a cold night!  This tiny version is genius!  

Weekend Links

I wish I had something interesting to say about our week.  We celebrated Nick's birthday!  That was wonderful!  He ended up having the evening off so we had cupcakes and presents and catching up on some shows.  He is 30 this year!  Exciting!  We also got to celebrate my nieces birthday with her.  That was great too.  So I guess our week was much more interesting than I thought.  The weather is lovely today so I am off to spend some time outside with the family while we can!  ON to the links shall we?

A sweet lacy DIY cardigan.  Love it and it looks simple enough that anyone can do it! 

Valentines is over but love should be celebrated all year long yo!  Look at this amazing customizable heart carving print!  OH how I want one!

Super fun round up of Easter projects from Purl Bee.  I am afraid that Easter will sneak up on me faster than I think.  So I am planning ahead!  The bunny finger puppets would be a big hit with my kids for church.

Spinach, artichoke and feta stuffed shells.  Need I say more?  Warm food makes for warm bellies.  

Lets all be honest we look forward to Friday like well pretty much everyone looks forward to a new episode of Downton.  How cute to celebrate with cards! And they are free. Can I get an amen?!

Pretty and incredibly romantic twisty ponytail. 

Again Valentines is over but this smash cake is a fantastic idea for any holiday or like a Thursday maybe.  My kids would love this.   

Weekend Links a bit late....

Oy vey.  Nick is having to do some serious overtime the next few weeks so we are basically going to miss seeing each other for two weeks at the very least.  BOO!  Which also means that not only am I single parenting during the week but now I am also alone on Saturday too. Whine whine.  Oh and did I mention that Valentines day is in two days which also happens to be Nick's birthday?  Fun celibate celebrations!  Again whine whine.  I am grateful that Nick is employed and we are blessed that he can have not just one but two good jobs.  I know that we are very blessed!  But man sometimes it sucks.  He is my favorite person in the wide world.  So I miss him.  We will just have to plan something fun to do with the  extra money that he will be earning when this is all over!  Silver linings people.
  

I think a wedding band would ease my pain.  I could look at it when I am desperately missing him!  I know it isn't a need but I don't have one and I want one.  How about a simple and lovely wedding band.  And affordable!  This one too.  And this one.  Or these rose gold stacked ones.  But really the first one is perfect!

I love studs.  The metal kind (the man kind too).  I totally love them on shoes!!  OH yes boy howdy.  Check these boots out.  Love!

Anyone else been sick the last bit?  My ears feel like they might pop any second with all this pressure built up.  Earache relief the au naturale way.  I have used the garlic way and it works like a charm for me.

This picture makes me want to get a hedgehog!!  That whole website kills me.  It is aptly named attack of the cute.  OH MY FRACK!

This antler drawing/print is so lovely!  It is the perfect mix of masculine and feminine.

This heart stamped shirt DIY is awesome!  I think that Lola and I both need on and right in time for Valentines day!

Sorry for being a sad sack!  I am glad that Nick is able to work so that I can be home with our kids.  We are lucky to be healthy and happy.  I am also glad that we love and like each other enough to miss one another!   

Weekend Links

Picture taken by Nick.  He is so talented!

We have been sick at our house this week.  Nicco missed the entire week of school!  No good.  But it has actually been pretty great having him home.  He is funny and freaking cute.  Lola has been a huge helper.  As per usual.  She is so so rad!  Even being sick she is always willing to help me.  Nick and I are working to get out of some debt and we set up some auto bill pays this week to get our finances under control.  It is a simple thing but I am so proud of us!  One step of many.  It is one of our new years resolutions and we are really working on it.  Any advice anyone can give us would be fantastic!  We aren't going about it totally blind but we are always open to other ideas.  

Lets move on shall we?

This pendulum lamp is totally cool.  I love the look of the twirled yarn.  Plus the tutorial looks simple.  My favorite type of tutorial!

Between the freezing temps and horrible inversion we have been spending a lot of time inside.  We are all going a little nuts!  Time for some kids crafts.  This link has a couple for different age groups.  Every one of those crafts were created by Merilee who is the lady behind MerMag blog.  One of my all time favorites!

I love Valentines Day!  All things Valentines Day!  Which is totally weird because I usually hate hearts.  But I want these sweet heart gloves!

Sweet heart bookmarks.  Perfect for someone who loves to read.  HA!  Pun totally intended.

Tulle skirts are so great!  I have always wanted one but wonder if I can really pull off a super puffy skirt.  No need to worry anymore!  Tulle skirt that is sleek.  Woot!

Ever wonder what the mystery flavor of Dum-Dums actually is?  You will never know for sure!  Which I basically love.

Best Pesto.  Need I say more?

Saturday Links

I am going to have to do a full post about the State Fair!  It was so fun.  It was my second time going my whole life.  I went the first time when Nick and I were dating.  Now it will be a yearly tradition.  I don't want to get too into all of it because I could go on forever.  I will say that it was one of those days that makes all the other days of the thankless work that often comes with parenting totally worth it!  The reward I guess.  That makes it sound like every other day sucks and that is not true.  We have good moments and bad every day actually.  But this was a particularly fabulous one!  It seemed like the kick off to Autumn for us too.  Speaking of Autumn- today is the first day of fall!  Are you going to celebrate?  I am trying to think of something to do to kick it off right.  Maybe some spiced apple cider?  Who knows.  Here are some Fall inspired links to get the juices flowing!  

Caramel Apples seem like a fall treat to me.  Yay apple season!

Comfort food like Mac and Cheese is the perfect way to end a cool day.

A loverly DIY wool poncho to stay warm on an Autumn day.

Pumpkin bars sounds perfect.  I have actually had these bars and they are so good!  You can't really go wrong with Paula Deen though.

Fall is the beginning of boot season!  I have a hard time finding boots to fit over my massive calves but I want some for the cold seasons.  I think maybe some short boots are in order.  And I think this DIY boot accessory would be great to change them up!

How fabulous are these hanging leaves?!  So fall!  

Cute little fox plush in a cardigan?  Yeah that looks like fall to me!