Friday Favorites

It's Friday!!!!  I'm linking up with Erika, Narci, and Andrea today to share some of my favorites!

1. Friday!  It is the end of the trimester at the high school I teach at, the end (hopefully) to a long, cold,snowy February, and the end of birthday season craziness.  Let's just say I am ready for a few weeks of downtime!  Here's to Friday :)

2. $1 deep conditioning packets from Sally Beauty Supply.  First, I didn't even know you could go into Sally Beauty Supply without being a cosmetologist.  Second, I had no idea that these inexpensive conditioners existed.  They are only about $1 a packet, but I have short enough hair that one packet is good for two uses.  That's a bargain to me!  There's a pretty decent variety, and I was impressed with how much it improved the condition of my highlighted hair.  LOVE them!

3. Jimmy Fallon videos.  I'm obsessed.  I'm not sure if it's my secret desire to be the next pop star, but I can't get enough of watching the lip sync battles.  Here's the link to my current favorite, although all of them are pretty amazing! Emma Stone rocks!

4. Those lips.  Anybody else watching the Bachelor?  It's been a great season - not because of Chris Soules, but because of the interesting ladies this season.  It's been a fun season to watch, and I bet if you've been watching you already know who I'm talking about because Britt's lips always look flawless!  I'm more of a nude lip kind of girl,  but I"m determined to get out of my comfort zone and try a bold lip.  I'm planning on a Sephora trip on Sunday - I'll let you know if I have any luck :)

5. Banana Powder.  I originally saw this online because Kim Kardashian used it as a highlighter and shockingly it's also very affordable.  I started doing some research, and although my skin is too light to use i as a highlighter it was supposed to be great for dark undereye areas and battling redness - both things I struggle with in my early morning routine.  I bought it and I LOVE it!  It is probably going to last forever too because the bottle is so big, and a little goes a long way.  This has been a purchase I've been happy with.  It isn't in beauty stores, but Amazon carries it - here's the link.

5. ..........it's almost here - 

March is currently my new favorite month because this year it means relaxation and a vacation.  We are looking forward to taking the kids to Florida in a few weeks and hopefully getting outside.  We've been dealing with subzero temperatures for WEEKS here in Indiana, and my kids are ready for some fresh air.

Link up and share your favorites!

Spring It On!

Living in northern Indiana, there is nothing more appealing than the impending arrival of spring.  We are getting so close!  Between, -30 windchill temperatures and feet of snow, I am more than ready. I have remained focused on the fact that we leave for Florida in less than 4 weeks, and that has not only helped me survive these last weeks, but also has made spring shopping quite enjoyable. In my excitement, I've decided to share some of my favorite spring items to enjoy the new season with.

First up - a new purse!  I'm a purse girl for sure.  I strayed away from my usual tote purse and went for a small crossbody.  It's compact and it has a built in wallet.  I think this is going to be more practical for active days at the park, zoo, ballpark, etc.  Plus I no longer have a baby (insert sad face) which means I don't need to carry diapers, pacifiers, puffs containers, etc.  Here's the purse I ended up going with:

Next, a spring jacket is a necessity.  The mornings and evenings are still chilly, but the last thing you'll want to do it put on some black jacket you've worn most of the fall and winter.  Bring in the spring colored fleece!  

Another spring must have is going to be wedges for me.  I'm only 5' tall, so extra height is always needed.  I wear heels and boots with heels all winter, but wedges are so much more comfortable and I love how they are available in so many different styles and patterns.  Here's a favorite I found on Pinterest.

On my must buy list right now are white jeans and a yellow skirt.  These are two pieces that can add so many options within the wardrobe you already have!  Here are some ways I plan on styling mine:

The last thing on my spring shopping list is a pair of Converse shoes.  I've heard they are incredibly comfortable and I think they'll be great on the occasions that heels and wedges are practical.  I'm still debating between mint and grey - what do you think?

I hope this post brought a little spring into your life today!  It always helps me to look ahead when the winter months seem to be dragging on.  Can you think of anything else I should add to my spring shopping list?

Favorite Things - Target Edition

Hey everyone!  I'm linking up with Andrea and Erika today, sharing some of my favorite things at Target.  I was really drawn to this topic because after all, who isn't a Target fan?  Target is starting to bring out their new spring collections, which is making my Target trips even more exciting.  Here we go!

Sandal season!  It's almost here :)  I've loved seeing the new sandals at Target that have unique details on them.  Between beading, surprise straps, ties, etc.  I've been excited to switch up my basic black/brown boots I've been rocking all winter long.

Say what you will about the Kardashians, but you can't deny they have amazing hair!  This is why I'm excited Target has decided to carry the new Kardashian hair products.  I haven't seen them in the store yet, but they are available online.

Outdoor items have arrived!!  Once these subzero temperatures disappear, you will have a hard time finding me indoors.  I've already explained to my husband that we all need to be prepared to eat outside, play outside, clean outside, maybe even sleep outside occasionally!  Seriously though, we've been stuck indoors practically since October, so all of these outdoor items are bringing me so much joy.

Lastly - these two wardrobe additions that I am planning an entire blog on by themselves.  They are so versatile and can be styled for summer, winter, and every season in between.  Keep up with my blog to see how I style each of these pieces as well as additional details about each item.

Thanks for checking out some of my favorites at Target!

Faux Metal Letters How To

Have you seen those amazing metal letters at Hobby Lobby?  Even with the 50% off they tend to run close to $20 A LETTER!  I don't know about you, but that's way over my budget.  I knew that was the look I wanted, so I started looking for alternatives.

I found these cardboard letters for 1/2 off at Hobby Lobby (big surprise huh?).  They were only $5 a letter.

Next, I purchased some spray paint.  I found a silver kind that has a rough finish that I think helps the cardboard to look like metal.  It was $9 originally, but I used my 40% coupon (always available on their website) and I was satisfied with that price.

The great thing about these letters is they look heavy duty, but they are actually super light.  I was able to hang them with a Command Strip.  I ended up using them next to the bookshelves in the playroom.

I plan on purchasing more to use around the house.  Happy decorating!

$4 Bookshelf How To

I'm not sure about you, but I've recently found myself buried in children's books.  As a teacher and dedicated parent, I'm a big advocate for reading, but the amount of shelf space they take up is frustrating.  I didn't want to spend 100's of dollars on fancy shelves, but I also didn't want to look at stacks of books everywhere.

These shelves are actually just gutters from Menards. They were less than $4 a gutter. To put them on the wall, simply screw them in.  My husband identified where the studs were to add security as well. I'd love to write more, but that's really all there is to it!

Chalkboard Wall

House projects!  That's been my new focus during this cold, snowy winter.  We recently moved into our new home in October, so my initial focus was unpacking.  Once the boxes were unpacked, Christmas season began and I was busy wrapping, baking, and shopping like everyone else.  House decor took a back seat for sure!  Now that the holidays have passed, I've enjoyed making our house into a home.  It's the details and the personality that you put into your house that make it your own and make it special.  I've been lucky to be starting with neutral colors and essentially a blank slate.  It's been fun adding personal touches!  I'm hoping that soon everyone will begin feeling like this is home.

The first big project we completed was our chalkboard wall.  I bought a small container of black chalkboard paint from Menards, however you can have chalkboard tinted in many colors!  I liked the traditional black look.  When we first started painting, it looks SO dark.  I was nervous.  Once it dried to its matte finish though, it didn't look so ominous.

The next step was to personalize it.  I chose to purchase chalk board markers at Hobby Lobby to complete the writing.  The reason I chose these was because they couldn't be so easily smudged.  They are a little more expensive, but just make sure you use the 40% coupon!  I made sure I left a small area down low for the kids to draw and color.  I also found some stencils at Hobby Lobby to add artistic elements.

This idea for the coffee center, I found on Pinterest of course.  Who doesn't love a little old school humor?  

My favorite part about this wall is that it's not permanent.  I can change the drawings, quotes, etc.  I'm excited to enjoy this new feature to our home.  What personal touches have you added to your house to make it a home?

No Sew Kitchen Curtains

This lady can't even sew on a button, so when I needed curtains for my kitchen window I knew I needed a no sew option.  I didn't want anything fancy, but I also didn't want 80's lace curtains, which was all I could find at the stores.  I set out to Hobby Lobby and found this beautiful grey fabric that I knew would complement the living room drapes perfectly.  Here's my helper with the fabric I picked out.

 Next, measure how big you need both pieces.  I chose to make cafe curtains, so I needed two pieces the same size.

Now it's time to get the hems ready.  Iron the edges at the length and width you need for your window.  Having a crisp hem will help when adding the adhesive tape later.

Now to solve that whole I don't sew thing.  I went to the sewing section and found some iron-on hem tape - jackpot! 

Once all of your hems are made, it's time to hang your curtains!  I got my tension rod and hooks at Target for about $10 for all of it.

Here is my final project!  The little touch has helped make our new house feel more like home.  It's amazing what a little window treatment can do!