DIY Hand Crafted Valentine's Cards...

I know I've mentioned it before... but I love Valentine's Day! This year I decided to try my hand at some cheeky, hand crafted cards!

I found some adorable retro prints on Pinterest and ultimately decided to go with this one. 

I had the graphic printed at my local CVS store on 4 x 6 photo paper. 

I layered red card stock and the printed photo on top of 5 x 7 cards. I used double sided tape instead of glue, because I've discovered in the past that glue sort of warps the photos, while the tape keeps the image laying flat. 

I decorated the envelopes with heart stickers I found in the greeting card aisle of my local grocery store. 

And true to the card's message, "Got me whistling please, percolate for me," I paired my cards with little packets of coffee. The coffee I chose is 'Texas' and 'San Antonio' flavored, since I am sending them to out-of-state friends and family. You can find other little packs of coffee here. 

Have you ever made Valentine's Cards? Chime in with a comment below...

XOXO

Meg

PS: This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on these links and/or making a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission. As always, thank you for supporting this little blog!

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 -- DIY Diva

I love DIY projects -- and little kits that allow you to make, build, or grow something are perfect for the do-it-yourself diva on your gift list!

Here are some perfect little projects that are sure to make "the creative one" smile this holiday season!

1. Candle Making Kit -- pair it with some fancy matches

2. Mint Mojito Kit -- pair it with a set of collins glasses and a bottle of rum

3. Sushi Making Kit -- pair it with some cute rectangular plates 

4. Hand Dyed Yarn -- pair wit with a yarn bowl

5. Bath Bomb Kit -- pair it with this cute bathtub caddy

6. Soft Pretzel Kit -- pair it with some monogrammed beer mugs

7. Soap Making Kit -- pair it with this cheeky soap dish

8. Tea Garden Kit -- pair it with this tea kettle

Williams-Sonoma has lots of DIY kits -- use code MERRY for 20% off and free shipping! 

Do you like receiving DIY gifts? Chime in with a comment below...

XOXO

Meg

PS: This post contains affiliate links. You can support me and other bloggers this season by shopping affiliate links. By clicking on a link and/or making a purchase through a link, I may receive a small commission. 

DIY Play Dough

It has become a struggle to keep my little toddler from getting bored. We go to the park almost every day and coloring has become a fun (not too messy) activity that she now likes to do as well. I was searching on pinterest this weekend and found this quick DIY play dough recipe. It literally took us about 5 minutes to make with about 30 minute cooling time. 

She loved playing with it, only tried eating it once, and kept her entertained for almost an hour! Sounds like a win in my book :)

My cute sous chef  

DIY Play dough

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp. cream of tarter

2 TB + 2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup water

1/2 TB vegetable oil

food coloring 

Mix all of the ingredients together in a (nonstick) sauce pan over medium low heat until begins to thicken and gather around spoon. Add in desired food coloring and stir until combined. Cool on wax paper and enjoy!

How simple is that recipe! So easy to make and can be kept in a ziploc baggie to use over and over again!

-kir

Family Costumes

Dressing up is one of my most favorite things to do! I love getting to try and step out of my comfort zone and I feel like that with a "costume" (even a very basic outfit) I feel like a totally different person! I usually wait kinda till the last minute to make costumes however, so here are some quick and cheap costumes you can whip up with some friends or for your family

Here are some super simple costumes for your family (or friends) 

101 Dalmatians

What a simple costumes idea for a family!! The kids just have to wear white "clothes" with black dots all over them, along with some simple ears that can be made from extra material attached to a headband.  

 Family Farm

Kids wear whatever "farm" animal you can make or find a costume with and dad and mom can just wear some boots and flannel. 

*The picture of the large cow lady and dairy farmer is me and my hubby last year (so I was almost 8 months prego)

M&M's

So easy and so cute! Each person wear a different colored shirt along with black leggings or pants and draw/paint on an M on your shirt (can also be a Skittle instead if your into those) 

What are some easy costumes you've come up with??

-Kir

Fondue For a Crowd

I love chocolate...I mean really who doesn't?! We are doing this new thing with our youth group and have broken up into 3 different "small groups" all focused on something different. One of our groups is focusing on current events. The second group is diving into relationships and my group (which I get to lead with my cute hubby) is all baking....just kidding, we make a treat as a group while doing a little devotional. 

This past Wednesday was our first official night and we started it off with some Chocolate Fondue. 

I wanted to keep it simple, semi healthy, and something where everyone could participate in creating.  This would be perfect to have your own little DIY fondue party! (BringYourOwnDippers)


Chocolate Fondue (for a crowd= approx. 10-12) 

12 oz chocolate chips
2/3 + 2 TB half and half

Heat the above ingredients in a small pot and pour into a serving bowl or into a fondue pot.

Serve with dippers (strawberries, bananas, pretzels, brownie bites, marshmallows, etc.) and ENJOY!!!!

The youth loved getting to help cut up the fruit and talk about their days while prepping. 


Not only is this a simple dessert that can be thrown together really quickly but I think it can be pretty fancy with the right dippers too!


ENJOY FONDUE!
-Kir

DIY Pedicure

It has been a very lazy weekend, which has been so nice! I actually found time to give myself a pedicure this morning -- a very rare occasion, indeed.

Don't get me wrong, I love going to the salon and getting my nails done, but it is way cheaper to DIY! Plus, this way I was able to soak my feet for as long as I wanted while watching last weeks episode of Hart of Dixie (if you don't watch this show, get on it!)

I started by filling my kitchen sink (no plug in my bath tub) with warm water and a spoon full of Natural Garden Soap's Fizzy Foot Soak. This soak left my feet feeling super soft and silky!

I soaked my feet for quite some time, which is a simple treat in and of itself. I made the executive decision that I am going to try and do this at least every two weeks.

Next, I used Julep's Vanish Cuticle Softener and Remover and an orange stick to remove unwanted cuticles. This was my first time using this product and I was very happy with the results. My nails look neat and trim thanks to this fancy elixir. 

I moisturized my tootsies with Julep's Mint Conditioner Pedi Creme. This stuff is amazing! The mint scent was cool and refreshing. My feet have never felt so soft!

Lastly, I swiped my nails with nail polish remover to remove any oils. I wasn't sure what color I wanted to wear, since both were birthday gifts from girlfriends. However, I ended up going with the bolder hue -- Essie's e-nuf is e-nuf.

What a fabulous way to spend my afternoon! Do y'all do your own pedi's or is the salon the only way to go? Chime in with a comment below!

XOXO

Meg

DIY Rice-A-Roni

This is a go to staple at my home. We have it at least once a week and can easily be changed with just one spice. We eat a lot of brown rice, so I like to somehow change it up from just eating plain brown rice. This recipe is simple to make and the ingredients are pantry staples that most everyone has on hand. 

Rice A Roni

3/4 cup rice (white or brown)
1/4 cup broken spaghetti or angel hair pasta I use orzo
1 Tablespoon minced onion or 1/2 Tb onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder & Italian seasoning (or poultry seasoning) 
2 cubes chicken bouillon 

2 Tb Butter

2 1/2 cups water

In saucepan mix together all ingredients.
Heat to boiling. 

Put lid on pan and reduce heat to simmer. 

Let simmer 20 minutes for white rice and up to 45 minutes for brown.  Serve hot.

My dry ingredients

Combined and bringing to a boil

My wonderfully delicious finished product

This rice is just so so delicious. I love that I know what is going into my food and I can honestly say I will never ever use another boxed rice-a-roni mix again! The original recipe can be found at http://www.thetipgarden.com/2012/03/make-your-own-rice-roni.html. 

Hubby's Rating: This is very good, I love it! It tastes just like the real thing and I love the taste of the noodles in it. 

Have a wonderful week of some good cookin'

-Kir

Valentine's Day DIY Centerpiece

Valentine's Day is one of my all time favorite holidays! Maybe it is because it is the only holiday (besides my birthday) where everything can be shades of pink! Light pink, hot pink, magenta, fuchsia! Pink! Pink! Pink! Or maybe it is because of  truffles, heart shaped cookies, chocolate covered cherries.... yum! Or maybe it is because of the romance, love poems, and -- oh who am I kidding -- it's the pink and the chocolates!

Anyway, I decided to get a jump start with my Valentine's Day decorations because I totally sucked at life with my Christmas decor. (The tree went up on the 12th and we left on the 22nd for Hubby's parents house... and I equally sucked at life with taking down the tree... is January 10th inappropriate?) 

I decided to create a centerpiece for my entryway table using a very inexpensive filler - Conversations Hearts! :)

I used a giant glass vase and placed an old tin candle at the bottom of it and placed the candle I'm planning on burning on top of that. I did so I didn't have to buy as many bags of candy. 

 I bought three 8 ounce bags of Conversation Hearts and filled up the vase! It turned out so cute and adds a festive note to my apartment! Okay okay -- I did eat a few hearts in the process! Call me! Luv me! U R Cute!

 Anyone else decorating for Valentine's Day? I'd love to hear from ya! 

XOXO
Meg

DIY All-Purpose Cleaner

I enjoy having a clean house. I hate clutter and love the smell of "clean." My husband often makes fun of me because I clean so much. I enjoy it, it calms me! You might be wondering what I clean with and I have to admit that I have used multiple cleaning products found at stores like Target, however, I don't like to use harsh chemicals (they make me cough and I often am afraid when spraying them around the kitchen). Which is why...wait for it...I decided to finally make my own All-Purpose Cleaner. I saved an empty cleaning bottle, and the rest of the items I had on hand (which I love!!!). Another great thing about this DIY All Purpose Cleaner is that it costs very little and you don't have to worry about using it around the kitchen or if you have little kiddies. 

Here is what you need:

Spray bottle (I used the basic size cleaning bottle)

4 cups water

1/8 cup baking soda

1/4 cup vinegar

Combine baking soda and vinegar in bottle and fill the rest with the water (I believe I used about 3 3/4 cups water). Shake and use! 

Don't spend money on those chemical cleaners when you have all the key cleaning ingredients already in your home! Now go clean something!

Enjoy!

Kir

"Let's Stay In" Date Night Ideas

This colder weather just makes me want to grab a blanket and cuddle up with a book...or movie...or my husband, but basically just stay in! Let me be clear that  although going out is nice (and often expensive), there are plenty of ways to have a date night during these colder months that don't cost you a thing (well they do, but not much). 

Dinner and a Movie
  I'm not talking about going out to dinner and then to a movie theatre!!! Why not make your own pizza (or you can even get a frozen one or any takeout that you want) and grab a Redbox movie. This is one my favorite things to do with my hubby! We have so much fun eating in our living room and watching movies together! 
    Homemade Pizza - $10ish
    Movie - $1.09


Board Game Night
 Although this might not be for everyone; I was lucky enough to marry someone who loved board games as much as I do!!! Why not grab a board game (or one of our favorites...UNO!!!) and have a little friendly competition. Sometimes we raise the stakes a little and the loser has to either give the winner a massage, or do dishes (I usually lose so Mark doesn't mind this one) or, my personal favorite, when we play UNO, loser counts their cards and gives that many kisses to the winner! It's silly, we know but we both get to relax during this time, have fun, and spend quality time together.
    Board game - FREE (unless you don't have any, then can range from $15-$30, depending on type)


Cook Dinner Together...or something
  Lucky for us, our  kitchen is big enough where we both can prep and cook dinner together! I love love love cooking with my hubby, although he often gets distracted and either ends up dancing with me in the kitchen, or trying to kiss me, I don't mind :) Next time you want to have a date night, why not pick out a fancy meal you both can test your culinary skills on, turn on some music and get cookin! If you don't have time to make a meal together or are just too busy with the holidays, why not start with something a little shorter in time and easier and try making a dessert together! 
  Dinner In - (depends on what you make)


These are just three ideas for staying inside and making sure you and your man spend some quality time together! I would love to hear all about your inexpensive, cold weather date night ideas!!!

Merry Christmas!
-Kir

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas- Stove Top Potpourri

Christmas is slowly creeping its way into our little apartment. Although I don't have any Christmas decorations out yet (we're still in Thanskgiving/Fall mode) my hubby has been asking for a while now to make some stove top potpourri. 

So....I grabbed one of our pots that I don't use all that often (so I won't miss it while we use it for about a week or so), took out some simple ingredients and made my house smell heavenly.

In order to make this Christmas-y smelling aroma in your own house, all you need are a few everyday ordinary (things you should already have in your pantry) ingredients! Okay now let's get started assembling our "Christmas on the Stove" as my husband calls it.

First thing you need a pot, add an orange peel, 2 cinnamon sticks, about a Tablespoon of cloves and a dash of vanilla. Now fill your pot up with water and heat until boiling and then turn to simmer (and anytime you want to heat your pot up again just turn stove to simmer/low heat). That's it! Just a few simple ingredients that can last you a week, maybe even longer!  Just keep adding water when needed and enjoy! 


-Kir

DIY Fall Decor -- Candy Corn Center Piece

Fall is such a fun time of year! It is cool enough for spiced apple cider, jeans, and scarfs and yet not cold enough to warrant coats, jackets, and ski masks! 

The past few days it has finally felt like autumn (Caveat . . . Fall in San Antonio still allows me to wear light weight slacks and a short sleeve blouse to the office, but the air is crisp and I'm not sweating my eyeballs out when I leave the comfort of an air conditioned building.)

I decided to take advantage of the changing seasons by adding some fall decor to my and Hubby's little apartment. We have a table in our entryway that I like to use for seasonal decorations. 

I gathered some easy to find and inexpensive items and let my creative juices flow!

Supplies:

Pillar Candle

Glass Candle Holder

Large Glass Vase/Huricane

20 ounce bag of candy corn 

Mini pumpkins

Various glass vases and candle holders to display pumpkins

How cute are those little metallic pumpkins! I found them at Target in the dollar bin! Also while I was at Target, I picked up a pumpkin spice pillar candle! It smells so good!

I placed the pillar candle into the glass cylinder candle holder and placed inside the large vase/hurricane. 

Then I poured the entire bag of candy corn into the large vase, so it filled the space between the candle holder and the large vase. 

Lastly, place the centerpiece where you plan on displaying it and add the mini pumpkins. I placed the pumpkins on upside down candle holders and vases to vary the height. 

Happy Fall Y'all!

Meg

DIY Taco Seasoning

Let's face it, we've all went to make tacos before and have stopped the process because we didn't have the little red store bought packet in our cupboard. Well stop looking for that stupid thing and just make your own already. I'll admit I use to buy the taco seasoning packet at the store but I just can't do it anymore. Not only does it cost way to much for that little amount of seasoning and, it is way to salty for my taste. This is why I made my own and put the stuff that me and my husband like, of course, you can change the amounts of certain spices to you and your families preference. This is why making your own everything is AWESOME!!! Shall we start? Okay let's do this:

What you will need:
-Tupperware container of some sort
-2 tablespoons Chili powder
-1 teaspoon Garlic powder
-1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano
-1 teaspoon Paprika
-2 teaspoons Cumin (we like the taste of cumin a lot!)
-1 teaspoon Salt (to taste)
-1 teaspoon Pepper (to taste)

Mix all spices together in container and there ya go! You have your very own taco seasoning. Next time you are browning your beef or chicken (or whatever type of meat you use) sprinkle however much you want of your seasoning just like you would with your red packet from the store (I would use about 2 tablespoons). Now go enjoy your tacos!!!!

Enjoy!

-Kir

Clean It Girl

It is essential to clean your makeup brushes. Otherwise they just get plain nasty, let's be honest here. I found that using my foundation brush and powder brush everyday, it is best to clean them about every week (if I remember). It is quick to do and essential to applying flawless makeup.

I have tried a few different types of cleaners for my brushes and of course I like the kind where I make it myself with normal ingredients I always have on hand.

For my cleaner I use:
  1 cup warm water
  1/8 cup white vinegar
  1 tsp. dish soap

             Mix ingredients together in a bowl and swirl brushes until clean. Rinse with water and dry on a towel. Remember that it does take time for your brushes to dry after you've cleaned them, so clean them after you've put on your makeup for the day in order for you to use them again the next day.

           Mix ingredients together in a bowl and swirl brushes until clean. Rinse with water and dry on a towel. Remember that it does take time for your brushes to dry after you've cleaned them, so clean them after you've put on your makeup for the day in order for you to use them again the next day.

Here are two of my makeup must haves:

DIY Decorative Matchbook

I love candles! The second I walk through the door after a long day in the office I light one. Right now I'm obsessed with a soy candle named Bali Sunrise. It smells like a fun drink on the beach! Yummm!

One of my roommates in college hated having matchboxes out on the counter, so she decided to collage the box. I'm not one for decoupage, but I did love the way a fancy matchbox looked, as opposed to the one with the labels printed on it.

Below is my solution to the ugly matchbox problem! Follow these easy to follow steps and you'll have yourself a pretty little matchbox in under 10 minutes flat!

What You Need:

Magazines with fun prints

4.75 x 2.5 inch book of matches

glue

scissors

Start my choosing some fun pages from a magazine. 

I chose a neat looking tree scene from a Fendi ad and an industrial fire escape print from a Chanel ad.  

Cut a 3.25 x 5.25 rectangle from each print. Pull out the drawer of matches so you're only holding the outside of the box. Glue the pieces of paper to the box, folding some over each side 

edge and tucking in the excess on the shorter sides of the box. 

After you've completed one side. Flip the box over and repeat. 

All done! You've just gone from drab to fab in only a few minutes!

These match boxes make great gifts when paired with a candle 

and packaged in a clear cello bag tied with a colorful bow! 

Perfect for hostess gifts or the holidays!

Ciao!

Meg

365 Reasons Why I Love You

My husband and I are always trying to save money, whether it be DIY home cleaners or trying to make our own taco seasoning. We LOVE to save money and I actually think it's kinda fun! I've learned with my husband it is best to set a budget for things, even special occasion gifts (or else he might go a  little overboard...out of love of course). We decided to try and DIY our anniversary gifts for each other, which is how I came out with this little jar of affirmation!

I gave him this gift for our 1 year anniversary (hence the 365 reasons). We were still doing the whole long distance thing and I wanted to make it special for him not just a one time thing. My husbands "love language" is Quality Time and then Words of Affirmation, which is how I came to this project.

365 Reasons Why I Love You!

YOU WILL NEED:
-Med. sized jar
-strips of paper (colored)

On each little strip of paper I wrote a reason why I love him. This could be any little thing (I love his laugh, or I love his good morning texts). Believe me, 365 seems like a lot, but it actually is so much fun to really think about everything little thing about your partner and how that makes you happy.

So I wrote each of those up in a Word Doc, printed it out on assorted colored (card-stock) paper. You can just use regular paper if you want. Next I cut each strip out and then used a pencil and curled it up and stuffed my jar.

It really is one of the most cutest gifts I've seen, let alone made. The bright colored paper I used really made it POP and he absolutley loved getting to read a paper each night. It was our nightly ritual when we skyped! So don't be afraid of trying to make your own gift, whether it be for an anniversary, holiday, or even just a countdown to a special date. It's exciting to get to read a reason why your partner loves you each day (especially the quirky reasons which you sometimes forget about).  ;)

Enjoy!
Kir

DIY Vanilla Brown Sugar Scrub

I hate wearing lotion! Hate it! Hate it! Hate it! But I equally hate having dry skin and I highly doubt that my hubby likes to snuggle with crocodile skin... just a hunch! Here is a fabulous recipe for a DIY body scrub featuring ingredients you probably have in your pantry!

Ingredients

1/3 cup + 2 tbsp white granulated sugar

2 tbsp packed brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 ounce container

Start by combining the sugars.

 Mix the sugars together. I used a fork because my brown sugar was lumpy. 

 

Add in the vanilla and oil. Stir until all of the ingredients are combined. Spoon the mixture into a container. 

I recycled a container that once housed a 4 ounce candle, 

by removing the excess candle and washing the glass container. 

Now lather up and prepared to be super soft! Be careful exiting the tub or shower. 

The oil can cause bathroom surfaces to become slick!

Cheers!

Megs