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Easy Knitted Ruffled Scarf With Sashay Yarn

Monday, April 1st, 2013

I love to find fast & easy knitted projects and today I have the perfect beginner knitting project for you using a new yarn from Red Heart called Sashay Yarn. Red Heart Boutique Sashay Yarn is a unique yarn that creates a beautiful ruffled scarf with a simple six stitch cast-on. Red Heart sent me this yarn and some knitting supplies to show off just how easy it is to create a project with this inexpensive and fun yarn.

The first thing you will notice is that this yarn is very different than a traditional yarn. I will admit that I usually avoid novelty yarns except for trimming knitted projects so it is the type of yarn that I have probably walked by countless times at our local Walmart. Instead of a traditional single strand, this yarn is actually a woven yarn that features a touch of metallic for an extra edge to your ruffled projects. The yarn is made of 97 percent acrylic and 3 percent metallic polyester. One skein yields 30 yards of yarn, which can create a five foot ruffled scarf with just one ball.

Longtime readers may have remembered these amazing ruffled scarves I knitted for gifts one Christmas. As the last picture shows you, it was an insane amount of stitches that required an infinite amount of patience to cast on and to cast off. The last two rows on this scarf had over a thousand stitches each. The beauty of that ruffle made it all worthwhile, but for a beginning knitter, this process is both daunting and time-consuming. For an experienced knitter, it just takes a long time to  yield impressive results.

Knitting with Sashay Yarn creates a fast ruffle in no time and with only six stitches cast on!  As you can see from this picture, the yarn is already woven so it creates the ruffle without you needing to knit it and when knitting this scarf, you just gather this woven yarn into ruffles with simple garter stitches.

Rather than casting on with your traditional cast-on, you will simply pick up stitches off of the edge of the yarn. When knitting, you knit as you would normally, just picking up along the edge, but you skip the first loop of yarn and then slip into the second loop for the stitches. Casting off is done in the same way, with the skipping of one loop between each stitch, and then with the final loop of thread on your needle, you just weave the tail end through to finish your project. I then trimmed the edges of my scarf to make them even.

Some of my own personal recommendations when knitting this pattern (linked below)  are to choose needles that are shorter in length and to use bamboo ones (these are the ones that I use)  that will help to grip the threads better and keep your stitches in place.

The scarf is simply stunning and costs a mere $4.67 (at Walmart) to create and took about two nights of knitting to create. With simply six stitches and no pattern to follow, this is the perfect project to do while watching your favorite shows on television or to take with you while the kids are doing their extracurricular activities.

I imagine that this will make a perfect Mother’s Day gift this year and I can’t wait to show you what else I am up to with the next ball of yarn I have! What can I say? I am addicted to fast and easy projects these days!

Grab the Free Knitted Ruffled Scarf Pattern HERE.

 

Grab the Free Crocheted Ruffled Scarf Pattern HERE.

 

Let’s be friends on Ravelry (you can find my project there!) and check out my other Knitting Projects.

 
Watch my favorite You Tube tutorial I found on how to knit with this yarn below. It really helped me to get the hang of it and I think it can help you too!
 

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Posted in DIY, Gifts, Kids Crafts, Knitting, My Work | 25 Comments »

11 Fun New Ways to Decorate Eggs

Friday, March 22nd, 2013

 

Easter is just around the corner and we have you covered with 11 fun new ways to decorate your eggs this year.

Before you tackle these egg dying projects, be sure to check out the store for fun ways to display your beautifully dyed eggs.

Your favorite thrift or discount store offers a plethora of choices for beautiful glasses, jars, cake stands, baskets, and bowls in the Housewares department to showcase your handmade beauties!

Here are 11 new ways I have discovered to decorate your eggs this year!

I have a feeling you are going to LOVE these new spins on egg dying and decorating.

 

 

Trying to create a statement?

These Subway Art Eggs with Lil’ Luna are just the subway ticket!

 

 

 

 

Why should Christmas be the only advent holiday?

Tackle a countdown to Easter with a dozen eggs from A Subtle Revelry.

 

 

Do you have packets of Kool-Aid in your pantry?

Put them to work with Kool-Aid dyed eggs from MomAdvice!

 

 

Budding artists in your family?
Give them a Sharpie and let them create beautifully decorated doodled Sharpie eggs from Alisa Burke.
Watercolor prints are a hot trend right now.
Replicate that beauty by letting your kids create watercolor eggs with Nest of Posies.
Do you gravitate towards a more minimalist decor?
These minimalist Easter eggs are a sweet & simple nod to the season from Kaley Ann at Live Well Travel Often.
Do you prefer your eggs bright like a rainbow?
These rainbow dyed eggs are vivid in hue and statement from no. 2 pencil.

 

 

 

Love using more natural elements in your decor?
These naturally dyed Easter eggs are dyed with a variety of items you probably already have in your pantry & fridge from Two Men & a Little Farm.

 

 

 

Can’t choose between colors?

Try this simple marbleizing technique created from pantry items from MomAdvice.

 

 

 

 

One thing that will never go out of style is the sweetly speckled egg and you can find a tutorial for this technique over on Crafts By Amanda.

 

 

 

Should you be feeling a little more trendy, you can create beautiful ombre eggs in your favorite hues from Sugar and Charm.

 

 

 

I hope these ideas inspire you and be sure to visit your local thrift store for cute supplies to show off these beautiful eggs.
Not only will you have a fun new nod to the season, but you will be able to do it all on a budget that fits absolutely beautifully in your life. (image source: momadvice)

What is your favorite way to dye or decorate eggs?

Feel free to chime in below!

 

 

Don’t Miss these other great ideas from MomAdvice.com:

 

 

Peep Martinis

 

 

Easy DIY Fabric Flower Wreath

 

 

Peep Wreath

 

 

spring-easter projects

21 Fun Easter & Spring Projects

 

 

 

Sign up for the MomAdvice newsletter

 

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Posted in Celebrations, DIY, Home, Kids Crafts, My Work | No Comments »

Homemade Whole Wheat Toasted Tarts

Tuesday, March 19th, 2013

I love, love, love breakfast tarts and today I wanted to share with you a cute homemade whole wheat toasted tart version of this delicious treat that you can make right in your own kitchen. This recipe for whole wheat toasted tarts is so delicious that you won’t believe how much yum can be packed into one little treat.

These whole wheat toasted tarts incorporate a little whole wheat flour and in lieu of a frosting topping, I have mixed raw sugar & wheat germ for a sweet and toasty combination of deliciousness that is a little bit healthier than sprinkles and frosting (although we do love sprinkles and frosting around here too!).

I had never eaten a homemade toasted tart before and can I say…holy yum?! These are flaky, sweet-but-not-too-sweet, and just the right balance of filling and crust.

I hit my local Walmart store to grab supplies for this yummy treat. They offer absolutely delicious gourmet Bonne Maman fruit preserves that have become a special treat in our house for everything from waffle topping to my kid’s peanut butter & jellies. They retail for $3.95 each and come in delicious berry combinations, strawberry, cherry, and wild blueberry. One of these days I will get the hang of canning, but for now, these are my go-to preserves and make a delicious filling for homemade toasted tarts.

Just like my all butter pie crust (you can check out a picture tutorial over there),  I employ the use of my food processor to create an easy crust without the kneading. To make sure I don’t overwork the dough, I only use the Pulse on my food processor so I can make sure that I have a very tender dough. This is really essential for a flaky crust especially since we are creating this dough with whole wheat flour incorporated in it.

You can roll your dough out on a well-floured surface or roll it between two pieces of parchment paper. I highly recommend the parchment paper since this dough is a sticky one!

Did I mention sticky? This dough is a tricky little beast for a novice chef. Refrigeration of your crust is really essential for nice crisp edges and workable dough. The experts advise chilling your dough before using it and then chilling your tarts before you bake them to retain their shape. I do the same tactic with my sugar cookies and it yields crisp results. This will be doubly important if you live somewhere with a humid climate or are working in a hot kitchen.

My advice, chill out!

Seriously, just chill out for as long as you can!

My crunchy & sweet topping is raw sugar mixed with wheat germ. A generous sprinkle of this adds another layer of deliciousness. Although the dough is chock-full of butter (as all good crusts are!), there is very little sugar in the dough itself and the raw sugar adds a crunchy texture as well as a little sweetness to this homemade delight.

These little toasty tarts were meant to be cut in perfect measurements with crisp corners.

I am no baker though, so these are imperfect…

Just like me!

The kids never noticed the difference and busy moms don’t have time for perfection when it comes to snacks.

Can I get an, “Amen?”

Toasted Tart Filling Ideas

Fruit Preserve Filling: 3/4 cup (8 ounces) jam, 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water. Mix the jam with the cornstarch/water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool. Use to fill the pastry tarts.

Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Filling: 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, & 4 teaspoons flour. Whisk together.

Chocolate Filling: 9 tablespoons mini chocolate chips or 9 tablespoons Nutella. Spread or sprinkle chocolate filling.

Homemade Whole Wheat Toasted Tarts
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Adapted from King Author Flour
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 1 hour 30 mins
Total time: 1 hour 45 mins
Serves: 9
Surprise the kids with a homemade version of this favorite breakfast treat. Be sure to visit the post for filling ideas for your homemade whole wheat toasted tarts.
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 quarter-pound sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) milk
  • 1 additional large egg (for brushing on the pastry)
  • 1 tablespoon raw sugar
  • 1 tablespoon wheat germ
Instructions
  1. Process flour, sugar, and salt together until combined.
  2. Add butter and pulse until the mixture holds together when you squeeze it, with pecan-sized lumps of butter still visible.
  3. Mix the egg and milk, and add it to the dough, mixing just until everything is cohesive.
  4. Divide the dough in half. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for up to 2 days or for 30 minutes.
  5. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable, about 15 to 30 minutes.
  6. Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8″ thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9″ x 12″. Laying a 9″ x 13″ pan atop the dough will give you an idea if you’ve rolled it large enough. Trim off the edges; place the scraps on a baking sheet, and set them aside, along with the 9″ x 12″ rectangle of dough.
  7. Roll the second piece of dough just as you did the first. Press the edge of a ruler into the dough you’ve just rolled, to gently score it in thirds lengthwise and widthwise; you’ll see nine 3″ x 4″ rectangles.
  8. Beat the egg, and brush it over the entire surface of the dough. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each marked rectangle.
  9. Place the second sheet of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around each pocket of jam, sealing the dough well on all sides.
  10. Brush the tops of the pastry with the remainder of the egg and then sprinkle the wheat germ and raw sugar topping on top of your tart.
  11. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Cut the dough evenly in between the filling mounds to make nine tarts. Press the cut edges with your fingers to seal, then press with a fork, to seal again.
  12. Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will become billowy pillows rather than flat toaster pastries. Refrigerate the tarts (they don’t need to be covered) for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.
  13. Remove the tarts form the fridge, and bake them for 25-28 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool on the pan.

Recipe Adapted from King Author Flour.

 

Afraid to tackle a homemade crust? I get it! You can find an easy DIY Pop Tart made from store-bought crust over here!

 

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Posted in Breakfast, DIY, Drinks, Kid Eats, My Work, Sides | 8 Comments »

4 Easy Kitchen Shortcuts to Save You Time This Spring (& Spring Cleaning Giveaway Prize Pack!)

Monday, March 18th, 2013

Sorry! This contest is now closed. We would like to congratulate Nicole (#11) and Heather (#15) on winning these prize packs from Windex! Thank you all so much for entering and have a wonderful day! 

I am not ashamed to say that I take many shortcuts to save valuable time off of our busy family schedule. People are often surprised how much I am able to create and do in my kitchen, but it is because over the years I have learned some easy strategies for getting a lot done over the weekend so that I can reap the rewards all week long. Today I want to share with you five of my favorite kitchen shortcuts to save you time.

 

Prepare Your Meat in Bulk for the Week

If you know that you will be eating chicken or ground beef more than once during your week, consider preparing your meat in bulk for the week to save you time when preparing recipes. When it comes to chicken, for example, I buy the 3 pound bags of frozen chicken, cook, and dice all of it for the week – afterwards I use Windex® Touch-Up Cleaner on my counter to clean away bacteria. The chicken is then ready to go to be made into wrap sandwiches, fast paninis, a protein addition to my salads for lunch, and it helps me save a big step when creating dinners for the week.

My foolproof strategy for cooking chicken is to spread the frozen chicken breasts out over one or two cookie sheets, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and then bake for 45-50 minutes at 375 degrees. Allow the chicken to rest ten to fifteen minutes (to allow the juices to redistribute within the meat). Dice or shred for your various recipes throughout the week.

Make Your Grocery Lists as You Go

Instead of sitting down and going through the tedious process of making a grocery list, add items as you go. Making and sticking to your grocery lists has never been easier thanks to the Grocery IQ app that I have on my iPhone & iPad. As you gather your items from your list, simply check it off and the item moves to the bottom of the list. Once your whole list is complete, everything is shifted towards the bottom and then can simply be clicked to add those repeat items back on the list for your next visit.

Since I always have my phone with me, switching to an electronic grocery list has been much easier than I thought it would be. The coupon feature helps save our family money on items we were already planning to buy and the list helps keep our family budget on track. I also love that I can sync my list from my iPad to my iPhone so I can use whichever device I have handy to add items when we need them.

 

Chop Once; Enjoy the Rewards All Week Long

Designate one day a week to chopping ingredients you would like to keep on hand in your kitchen – this will inspire you to eat healthy all week long! I designate one spot in my fridge to be my very own personal salad bar. By designating just one day a week, I am assured that I can eat healthy on-the-go and be prepared no matter what life throws at me throughout the week.

 

Make Kitchen Clean-Up Simple

With all of the chopping and food prep happening in your kitchen, it will leave you very little time for clean-up. Thankfully, Windex® Touch-Up Cleaner is an easy way to clean your kitchen fast. Simply dab your favorite dishcloth or paper towel over the cleaner’s dispenser and pump it twice. You know you need to not only clean your surfaces, but also kill bacteria that may be lingering from a day of food preparation. This product not only saves you time, but is antibacterial giving you the assurance that you have a sterile environment for your family.

For product details, visit http://www.windex.com/ and check out the Windex® Facebook page at www.facebook.com/windex for information, coupons and more; additionally, don’t forget to check out the Shineboard for creative cleaning ideas!

 

GIVEAWAY: Two (2) lucky readers will receive tools to make spring cleaning a breeze as well as samples of Windex® Touch-Up in a Spring Cleaning tool-kit!

To Enter: Leave a comment below telling us why you need Windex® Touch-Up in your home!

*If you are a winner, please leave a testimonial here once you’ve tried it out!*

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT POST OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR, PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
 
1. Eligibility: Mom Advice’s Windex® Touch-Up Product Giveaway (“Sweepstakes”) is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) who are at least eighteen (18) years of age.  Employees of Mom Advice (“Sponsor”), Daniel J. Edelman, Inc., and SC Johnson & Son, Inc. and any of their parents, subsidiaries. affiliated companies and their advertising and promotion agencies, as well as the immediate family (spouses, parents, siblings and children and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and household members, whether or not related of each such employee are not eligible to enter or win. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
2. Agreement to Official Rules: By participating in the Sweepstakes, entrant fully and unconditionally agrees to and accepts these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor which are final and binding in all matters related to the Sweepstakes. Whether an entrant receives a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.
3. Timing: The Sweepstakes begins on March 18, 2013 at 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”) and ends on March 25, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. PT (“Promotion Period”).
4. How to Enter: During the Promotion Period, there is one way to earn an entry: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post answering the question, “Why do you need Windex® Touch-Up Cleaner in your house?”
All online entries must be received (comments posted) by 5:00 p.m. PT on March 18, 2013 to be eligible.  Limit one (1) entry per person, per email address and per household, regardless of method of entry. Entries received from any person, email address or household in excess of the stated limitation will be void. Entries generated by script, macro or other automated means and entries by any means which subvert the entry process are void. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned. In the event of a dispute over the identity of an online entrant, entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the blog post and he/she must comply with these Official Rules. Authorized account subscriber is the natural person who is assigned the e-mail address by the Internet Service Provider (ISP), on-line service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses.
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Blog posting must (i) be entrant’s own original work and reflect the true opinions and experiences of the applicable entrant,  (ii) be in English, (iii) cannot be previously published or submitted in connection with any other promotion, (iv) be in keeping with the Sponsor’s image and (v) not be offensive or inappropriate, as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion, nor can it defame or invade publicity rights or privacy of any person, living or deceased, or otherwise infringe upon any person’s personal or property rights or any other  third party rights. Sponsor reserves the right to remove any blog post and void the associated entry that it determines, in its sole discretion, is offensive or inappropriate, not in keeping with Sponsor’s image or that is otherwise not in compliance with these Official Rules.
By posting a blog post, each entrant acknowledges and agrees that Sponsor may obtain blog posts under this Sweepstakes or have developed on its own or through other third parties’ ideas and material and blog posts that may be similar or identical in theme, idea, format or other respects to others submitted under this Sweepstakes and/or other promotions sponsored by the Sponsor or submitted for other reasons on the website, and entrant waives any and all claims he/she may have had, may have, and/or may have in the future, that any other blog post accepted, reviewed and/or used by Sponsor may be similar to his/her blog post.
5. Winner Determination: Potential winners of prizes will be chosen from all eligible entries received in a random drawing to be held within five (5) business days after the close of entries by Sponsor whose decision is final and binding in all matters. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
6. Winner Requirements: Potential winners will be notified by email on or about twelve (12) days from March 18, 2013. The inability to contact the potential winner within a reasonable time period, the return of the prize or prize notification as undeliverable or non-compliance with these Official Rules will result in forfeiture of prize.
Winner, by acceptance of prize, except where legally prohibited, grants permission for Sponsor and its designees to use his/her name, address (city and state), photograph, voice and/or other likeness and prize information for promotional purposes without further compensation, in all media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide in perpetuity, without notice or review or approval.
Winner, by acceptance of prize, agrees to review the product received in the prize package and post a product testimonial on Windex.com (click on the link to be directed to the review webpage).
 7. Prizes: A Spring Cleaning Prize Package including a cleaning bucket, decorative cleaning gloves, sponges, one bathroom Windex® Touch-Up Cleaner and one kitchen Windex® Touch-Up Cleaner. Approximate Retail Value of prize is $75.00 USD and will be given to two (2) selected winners. Prize is non-transferable and no substitution or cash-redemption is permitted except by Sponsor, in its sole discretion, which reserves the right to substitute the prize (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value. Winner is responsible for all federal, state and local taxes (including income and withholding taxes) and any other costs and expenses associated with prize receipt and/or use not specified herein as being provided.  Prize is awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied by Sponsor. All prize details are at Sponsor’s sole discretion.
 8. Release: Entrants agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor,  Daniel J. Edelman, Inc., S.C. Johnson & Son  and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, distributors, advertising/promotion agencies, and prize suppliers, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliate companies and advertising and promotion agencies and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action, including, but not limited to, personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of property, arising directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, out of participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use or misuse of the prize.
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12. Winner’s Name: Winner will be available after twelve (12) days from March 18, 2013 at http://momadvice.com/. The winner’s name will be available until on or about March 29, 2013.
13. Sponsor: Amy Clark

 

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Posted in Giveaways, My Work | 31 Comments »

Catch Me on Heart Filled Holidays Radio

Monday, March 18th, 2013

 

You can catch me live today on Heart Filled Holidays Radio dishing up our family traditions and sharing about my book at noon ET (11 CT, 10 MT, 9 PT) today! Here is a little about what we will be talking about! I hope you can listen in today!

The Good Life, it’s what we all want and we have different thoughts about why we don’t have it or when we can have it. Amy Clark is defying those thoughts and showing us how we can have it right now, regardless of circumstances. She’ll be challenging our thinking and showing us how we can love our life right here, right now, and even do it on a budget. From delicious meals to a clean home to fabulous family celebrations, she has it all covered. We’ll hear her story and pick her brain for terrific ideas we can use in our families.

While we’re enjoying our life we’ll share a few tips for enjoying the month of March and our Easter celebrations plus we’ll hop on over to Christmas Corner and peek at an old Christmas tradition.

 

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How to Make Embroidery Thread Eggs

Thursday, March 14th, 2013

Easter is another fun season for family, food, and crafts that you can do together as a family. Embroidery thread eggs are an easy craft that yield impressive results that can be used as an Easter table centerpiece or can be strung with yarn to adorn a mantle or decorate a window. I want to show you how to create your own Embroidery Thread Easter Eggs for a fun decoration in your home.

To grab this EASY Easter Embroidery Thread Egg Tutorial, head on over to the Kenmore Genius Blog to learn how I made these with cute eggs with my kids!

I hope you love this tutorial half as much as I love our new decorations in our house!

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Posted in Celebrations, DIY, Home, Kids Crafts, My Work | 3 Comments »

Site Sponsor Spotlight: Spring Finds at Flourish Boutique

Saturday, March 9th, 2013

As soon as the sunshine peeks out in Indiana, I start dreaming of Spring and finding new ways to freshen up my wardrobe for Spring. This week I headed into our fantastic site sponsor’s boutique, Flourish Boutique, to check out some of their Spring offerings and I was not disappointed in the least! Pictured above is just a sampling that the store offers. Basically, it is my very own Pinterest fashion board come to life.

Here are a few of the spring trends I am embracing right now!

Chevron Fun

I love chevron print anything and Flourish has you covered with chevron print dresses, tunics, and scarves. While I love the bold chevron prints on the dresses, with my petite frame, I look for smaller nods to chevron like this Infinite Chevron Scarf ($29) or this Bold & Beautiful Dress ($59.50) that is edged in a bold chevron pattern to embrace the trend while still adding some neutral balance with my accessories and other pieces in my wardrobe.

Polka Dot Delights

I am a sucker for anything polka dot and the red dress that I pictured above, could not be snatched up fast enough for my wardrobe. The Party Time Dress ($59.50)  is a great dress that could be dressed up for a night out, or paired with a cute blazer, long sleeve t-shirt, or a pair of leggings for cooler Spring nights.

Statement Necklaces

Statement necklaces are one of my new favorite things to add to my Spring shopping to-do list because they can change everything in your wardrobe into a completely different outfit. Even an inexpensive white t-shirt suddenly looks different with the addition of a great statement necklace. This Mint Medallion Necklace ($49.50) is a great example of embracing both the statement necklace and the mint trend! You can find statement necklaces for very cheap, but I have found that they don’t hold up very well and I have started investing in one or two good pieces of costume jewelry for the year instead of buying necklaces that break on me before the season ends.

Nautical Knits

I love trends that never seem to go out of style and nautical is something I am always adding to my closet because it lasts from year to year. Each year I try to get one knit dress that I can dress up or down for the summer. This Nautical Knit Dress ($49.50) is the perfect example of a dress that can be accessorized with a bright belt, a big statement necklace, or thrown on for a day at the beach. Ironically, I spotted almost the same dress in my own Pinterest board that I had pinned ages ago. I already knew that this would be the perfect dress for me!

Coral & Mint Hues

I am loving all things coral and mint for Spring. This Shades of Perfection Top ($49.50)  is so cute and could transition out of these colder days with the long sleeve t-shirt and easily put on sleeveless for Spring. Flourish also offers tons and tons of mint this year in jeans, tops, and dresses. This Timeless Engraving Tunic ($54.50) is just one example that they offer.

I am always so proud to wear Flourish Boutique and am so thankful to them for their sponsorship of MomAdvice! I am a real mom that takes a lot of pride in what I wear. I am no fashion expert, by any means at all, but I truly love taking great care in looking nice for myself (and let’s face it, I like to wow my hubby!). These are just a few of the outfits I have worn in the last month that show off how real and approachable their pieces are.

Boutique shopping may seem out of the budget, but what I think makes Flourish special is their  great sales they offer. Like them on Facebook and you will see a daily deal/sale they are running. Check out their Overstock room upstairs (locally) or Overstock online where you can score many great deals for a fraction of the price.

The store offers online shopping so if you don’t live around here, you can still partake of all of the amazing deals and steals that the store offers on their website. MomAdvice customers receive a 25% discount code. Just enter WEB25 when you checkout!

Thank you again to Flourish for being a valued supporter of MomAdvice.

 

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DIY Peep Wreath With Rolled Ribbon Rosette

Tuesday, March 5th, 2013

Easter is just around the corner and today’s DIY Easter Wreath is an adorable Peep Wreath created with that infamous Easter candy and adorned with a simple rolled ribbon rosette. Peep wreaths are easy to create for the Easter season and are inexpensive Easter decoration to add to adorn a wall or interior door of your home.

Here is a picture of the supplies you will need for this craft and all of the supplies for this tutorial can be found at your local Walmart store. You will need one 14″ straw wreath (leave this covered in the plastic wrap), 12 packages of Peeps in whatever color your heart desires, 1 yard of rosette ribbon (this will need to be cut in the fabric department), 1 piece of white felt, toothpicks, hot glue gun, and glue sticks. 

As an aside, if you haven’t visited the craft section of the store in awhile, you will be amazed at the new ribbon & trim offerings they are carrying. If making a flower isn’t your thing, they also have a variety of pre-made flowers by the hair and new baby accessories line that you could use in lieu of making the flower I am going to show you today.  It had been awhile since my last visit, and I was a little overwhelmed with the new choices available!

Assembling the wreath is easy and can be done one of two ways.  Poke your toothpick through your Peep almost until the toothpick pokes out of the top and then push your toothpick through your straw wreath OR you can just poke the toothpick directly in to your wreath and then stick your Peep on top of it.

My only aside to this is that I do think that if you are planning to keep the wreath, I would add a dab of hot glue to each of the Peeps. The idea of just skewering with a toothpick just didn’t work for my wreath due to the depth of how I positioned all of these. They really needed a little extra hold especially the Peeps that were on the bottom and inverted upside down. 

Find a design that makes sense for you. I did three rows of Peeps with them all uniform and in a row.  My Type-A personality does not allow me to be whimsical with design. I want them all in a row, the right way, all in a line. If you know me, this would not surprise you at all.  To add depth, I also did a few in between rows of two Peeps (as pictured above).

Once again, I would recommend hot gluing a bit as you go to add a little extra security, otherwise, you will hear those sad little plops of Peeps committing suicide and jumping ship from the wreath. It is heartbreaking, but can you blame them?

If you do your wreath right, you will end up with six Peeps to spare and Peep dust all over your table. I can only give you an estimate on the number though (give or take a few) since I find Peeps (and Peep dust) awfully delicious!

You may remember this Rolled Rosette tutorial from this adorable Easter bow I made my daughter last year to go with her Easter outfit.

To start your rolled ribbon rosette,  you will want to start with one of the roses on the ribbon to create the center of your pretty flower. Now all you need to do is start twisting your ribbon in between each of the little roses (find those spot where there is only tulle like I have pictured above)  add a dab of hot glue, and then twist again, glue again, and repeat. If you twist the ribbon tightly, you will have a tighter and flatter flower. If you twist a little looser, you will get more of the petal effect with the frayed edges working their way out more on the ribbon. Either way, it will be beautiful. Keep twisting until you reach almost the end of the ribbon. Add a dab of glue and tuck it into the back of your bow.

Finish by cutting a circle out of felt. You can use a drinking glass to trace your circle on the felt or just freehand it. This felt circle will hold all of that ribbon secure and together underneath your Rolled Ribbon Rosette Hair Bow. Hot glue your felt circle to the back of your flower. Hold this for a couple of seconds to secure it.

Once you have secured your felt circle, add more glue and attach it wherever you want on your Peep wreath. Feel free to add other rolled rosettes like these or cute felted loopy bows or just add a fun fabric bow. As you can see, the possibilities for adorning your wreath are endless.

This wreath makes me so happy and is a fun nod to the season. The best part? It will cost you about $20 in supplies (assuming you have a glue gun, glue sticks, & some scissors in your craft supplies like me!)

Be sure to check back in the next couple of weeks for more fabulous Easter projects! In the meantime, try some Kool-Aid dyed eggs, bake a batch of Bunny Bread in your bread machine, make a cute hair accessory to go with your daughter’s Easter outfit this year, or try your hand at marbleizing some eggs. These are just a few of my favorite projects you will find for the Easter season on the blog. 

Be sure to also check out all of the fun Easter offerings this year that are offered at your local Walmart store for all of your Easter needs!

 

 

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Cleaning Up the Toothpaste Mess: Windex Touch-Up Cleaner (Prize Pack Giveaway Worth $100)

Wednesday, February 27th, 2013

Sorry this giveaway is now closed! We would like to congratulate RACHEL & BRANDY (Comment #7 and #11) on winning these prize packs! Congratulations, ladies! 

I recently announced that I am partnering up with Windex to share (and giveaway) a fun new product that they just launched called the Windex® Touch-Up Cleaner.

In our house, there are a lot of messes that happen daily and one of those messes is the toothpaste mess that seems to cover every surface in our little bathroom. Tell me that I am not the only parent who struggles with the stuck on toothpaste mess please? I am often astounded at how my children manage to get one tube of toothpaste on every conceivable surface, fixture, and walls. If you are struggling with this mess in your bathrooms too, here are a few ideas to help you get your bathroom back to clean again.

If you find toothpaste stuck on your walls or surfaces, simply spritz some of the Windex® Touch-Up cleaner onto a tissue or paper towel and gently rub away until toothpaste is entirely removed.

Once you have removed all of the stuck on toothpaste from your surfaces and fixtures, finish off any additional small messes such as make-up or soap residue with another dab of the new Windex® Touch-Up Bathroom Cleaner. Get your sinks, toilets, sealed marble, glass, glazed porcelain, chrome, glazed ceramic tile, and finished wood gleaming again with just a little of this solution. Not only will your bathroom be gleaming (and toothpaste free), you will also be killing 99.9% of common household germs.

Be sure to look for Windex® Touch-Up Cleaner on your store shelves as well as check out the Windex® Shineboard on Facebook for more tips to help simplify your cleaning experience!. Be sure to share your favorite tips and images from Shineboard on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

You can check out my video sharing a few ways that I deal with the messes from the night before with my kids so that we can have a good and organized morning together as a family.


Best of all, to kick things off I am giving two lucky readers a sample of both varieties!

Please leave a comment below by March 16, 2013, answering the question, “”Who is the mess maker in your house?”

Two winners will receive a prize package including a flip camera, one bathroom Windex Touch-Up Cleaner and one kitchen Windex® Touch-Up Cleaner. Approximate Retail Value of prize is $100.00 USD and will be given to two (2) selected winners.

*If you are a winner, please leave a testimonial here once you’ve tried it out!*

Visit the official Windex® Facebook Page at www.Facebook.com/Windex or visit www.Windex.com to learn more about the Windex® Touch-Up Cleaner.

You can also save 75 cents on the new Windex Touch-Up Cleaner or, share with 3 friends for $1.50 off with this handy coupon!

Disclosure: I have partnered with Windex® and am being compensated for my posts. However, my opinions are my own.

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT POST OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR, PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
 1. Eligibility: Mom Advice’s Windex® Touch-Up Product Giveaway (“Sweepstakes”) is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) who are at least eighteen (18) years of age.  Employees of Mom Advice (“Sponsor”), Daniel J. Edelman, Inc., and SC Johnson & Son, Inc. and any of their parents, subsidiaries. affiliated companies and their advertising and promotion agencies, as well as the immediate family (spouses, parents, siblings and children and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and household members, whether or not related of each such employee are not eligible to enter or win. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations
2. Agreement to Official Rules: By participating in the Sweepstakes, entrant fully and unconditionally agrees to and accepts these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor which are final and binding in all matters related to the Sweepstakes. Whether an entrant receives a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.
3. Timing: The Sweepstakes begins on February 27, 2013 at 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”) and ends on March 16 2013 at 5:00 p.m. PT (“Promotion Period”).
 4. How to Enter: During the Promotion Period, there is one way to earn an entry: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post answering the question, “Who is the mess maker in your house?”
 All online entries must be received (comments posted) by 5:00 p.m. PT on March 16, 2013 to be eligible.  Limit one (1) entry per person, per email address and per household, regardless of method of entry. Entries received from any person, email address or household in excess of the stated limitation will be void. Entries generated by script, macro or other automated means and entries by any means which subvert the entry process are void. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned. In the event of a dispute over the identity of an online entrant, entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the blog post and he/she must comply with these Official Rules. Authorized account subscriber is the natural person who is assigned the e-mail address by the Internet Service Provider (ISP), on-line service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses.
 Entrants must comply with guidelines provided by Sponsor. An entrant’s failure to comply with the terms and conditions and/or guidelines, as determined by Sponsor, may result in disqualification and all associated entries will be void. By submitting your name and email address, you agree to receive relevant promotional emails and contest follow up communications from Sponsor.
Blog posting must (i) be entrant’s own original work and reflect the true opinions and experiences of the applicable entrant,  (ii) be in English, (iii) cannot be previously published or submitted in connection with any other promotion, (iv) be in keeping with the Sponsor’s image and (v) not be offensive or inappropriate, as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion, nor can it defame or invade publicity rights or privacy of any person, living or deceased, or otherwise infringe upon any person’s personal or property rights or any other  third party rights. Sponsor reserves the right to remove any blog post and void the associated entry that it determines, in its sole discretion, is offensive or inappropriate, not in keeping with Sponsor’s image or that is otherwise not in compliance with these Official Rules.
 By posting a blog post, each entrant acknowledges and agrees that Sponsor may obtain blog posts under this Sweepstakes or have developed on its own or through other third parties’ ideas and material and blog posts that may be similar or identical in theme, idea, format or other respects to others submitted under this Sweepstakes and/or other promotions sponsored by the Sponsor or submitted for other reasons on the website, and entrant waives any and all claims he/she may have had, may have, and/or may have in the future, that any other blog post accepted, reviewed and/or used by Sponsor may be similar to his/her blog post.
5. Winner Determination: Potential winners of prizes will be chosen from all eligible entries received in a random drawing to be held within five (5) business days after the close of entries by Sponsor whose decision is final and binding in all matters. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
6. Winner Requirements: Potential winners will be notified by email on or about twelve (12) days from March 16, 2013. The inability to contact the potential winner within a reasonable time period, the return of the prize or prize notification as undeliverable or non-compliance with these Official Rules will result in forfeiture of prize.
Winner, by acceptance of prize, except where legally prohibited, grants permission for Sponsor and its designees to use his/her name, address (city and state), photograph, voice and/or other likeness and prize information for promotional purposes without further compensation, in all media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide in perpetuity, without notice or review or approval.
Winner, by acceptance of prize, agrees to review the product received in the prize package and post a product testimonial on Windex.com (click on the link to be directed to the review webpage).
7. Prizes: A prize package including a flip camera, one bathroom Windex Touch-Up Cleaner and one kitchen Windex® Touch-Up Cleaner. Approximate Retail Value of prize is $100.00 USD and will be given to two (2) selected winners. Prize is non-transferable and no substitution or cash-redemption is permitted except by Sponsor, in its sole discretion, which reserves the right to substitute the prize (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value. Winner is responsible for all federal, state and local taxes (including income and withholding taxes) and any other costs and expenses associated with prize receipt and/or use not specified herein as being provided.  Prize is awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied by Sponsor. All prize details are at Sponsor’s sole discretion.
8. Release: Entrants agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor,  Daniel J. Edelman, Inc., S.C. Johnson & Son  and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, distributors, advertising/promotion agencies, and prize suppliers, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliate companies and advertising and promotion agencies and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action, including, but not limited to, personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of property, arising directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, out of participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use or misuse of the prize.
9. Ownership/Use of Blog Posts: By submitting a blog post, each entrant agrees Sponsor shall own the blog post submitted (including all rights embodied therein) and that it and its designees (including S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.) may exploit, edit, modify, and distribute the blog post and all elements of such blog post, including, without limitation, the names and likenesses of any persons or locations mentioned therein (including the use of the blog post for promotional purposes in connection with this Sweepstakes and for the promotion of Windex® products, except where prohibited by law), in any and all media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity without compensation, permission or notification to entrant or any third party.
10. General Conditions: Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Sweepstakes, or any part of it for any reason, including if virus, bugs, worms, unauthorized intervention, or any fraud, technical failures or any other factor impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Sweepstakes, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion.  In the event of cancellation, Sponsor reserves the right to select the winner from among all remaining non-suspect entries received as of time as such cancellation. Sponsor, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or those of any other promotion or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner and all associated entries will be void.  Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages and other remedies (including attorneys’ fees) from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law.  Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.  Twitter and Facebook are not affiliated in any way with the Sweepstakes.
11. Limitations of Liability: The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information in any Sweepstakes-related materials, whether caused by entrant, printing or typographical errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes; (2) lost, interrupted or unavailable network, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), website, or other connections, technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines, or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cable, or network/computer hardware or software, or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Sweepstakes; (4) technical, mechanical, network , electronic, computer, human or other errors which may occur, including any errors that may occur in connection with the administration of the Sweepstakes, the processing of entries or blog posts, the announcement of the winner or in any other Sweepstakes-related materials; or (5) late, lost, incomplete, misdirected, delayed, garbled, illegible, postage-due, undeliverable, damaged or stolen entries or blog posts or mail.  Released Parties are not responsible for damage to any computer system resulting from participation in, accessing or downloading information in connection with this Sweepstakes. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes.
12. Winner’s Name: Winner will be available after twelve (12) days from February 8, 2013 at http://momadvice.com/. The winner’s name will be available until on or about March 21, 2013.
13. Sponsor: Amy Clark
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5 Ideas for Offsetting The 2% Tax Increase

Thursday, February 21st, 2013

 

With the new year in full swing, you may be noticing that your paychecks are a little smaller than they were last year.  Social Security taxes were raised by 2% which may not sound like a lot, but this can truly impact families who are already financially strained or striving to build their savings & retirement. Today I want to share with you 5 ways to offset that 2% tax increase so that your family can prepare for this adjustment to your budget.

Let’s break down what a 2% tax increase might look like:

If you earn $30,000 per year, you will pay $50 more per month in taxes.

If you earn the national average of $41,000 per year, you will pay $64 more per month in taxes.

If you earn $50,000 per year, you will pay $83 more per month in taxes.

For the families that are already struggling, $50-64 a month is a huge chunk out of their budget that could go towards food, utilities, and housing.

Here are five easy ways to offset that 2% tax increase. These are all relatively painless, but yield an incredible amount of savings over the course of your year. 

 

Ditch Your Cable Bill

Last year our family gave up cable television and it is has truly been one of the most financially rewarding and best things I have ever done for our family. We now rely upon Hulu & Netflix for our television watching, reducing our bill from almost $100 a month to under $20 monthly. We are still able to watch all of the shows we want, but we don’t find ourselves wasting hours and hours of our day consumed with the television. The other financial bonus is that we are not exposed to endless commercials, which can send you running to the stores to pick up the latest and greatest things. To learn more about alternative options to cable, be sure to read my article on ditching your cable bill.

(Monthly Savings: $80 or more)

 

Calculate Your Personal Latte Factor

David Bach, author of Debt-Free for Life coined the term “Latte Factor,” to describe the way small indulgences and expenses add up to a lot of money down the drain. Consider the example of a three-day-a-week Starbucks habit. At $3.80 a latte you will spend $11.40 a week, $45.60 a month, $547.20 a year, and $5, 472 over a ten-year period on JUST take out coffee.

You may think, “I don’t buy takeout coffee,” BUT we all have small drains on our budget that can add up over time. That dinner that you pick up at the drive-through each week because your kids have sports activities, the trip to the store for one item that turns into a cart full of junk, even our thrifty endeavors (like thrift and garage sale shopping) can cost us $10 or more a week.

Figure out what that drain is on your budget and stop the leak. One little change like whipping up your latte at home, setting your slow cooker in the morning on busy days, or allocating time towards organizing items you already have instead of buying more can easily save you $10 or more weekly!

Be sure to visit my article on 7 apps to get your family organized to help get your finances back on track this year!

(Monthly Savings: $45 or more)

Get Savvy About Grocery Shopping

When families ask me how to save their family money, the first thing I talk to them about is rethinking their grocery shopping. We all get in habits and ruts when it comes to grocery shopping. Do you buy the same box of cornflakes you grew up on? Do you refuse to try a generic ketchup because you truly believe a certain company is the only one who can make ketchup? Do you have a habit of shopping without a list? Do you find yourself making multiple trips because you didn’t execute your menu plan well for the week?

I highly recommend downloading the free Grocery IQ app for your phone to effortlessly make a grocery list for your family. It pulls the coupon savings for you and you can use your lists from week to week instead of starting a fresh list each time.

Instead of shopping multiple stores, search fliers from all of the grocery stores and jot down the best deals of the week. Take this list with you to Walmart, for example, and have them price match the items for you. You will not only be able to cherry pick the best of the best, but you also will experience the savings of not spending on gas to shop at multiple stores.

To make effortless menu plans to go along with the savings, be sure to visit our Take Five Fridays each Friday on the Facebook group to get 5 budget-friendly meals to create in your kitchen!

(Monthly Savings: $40 or more)

Declutter Your Way to Savings

Clutter not only weighs us down physically, but clutter causes us to spend money when we don’t need to. One look at a cluttered pantry or bathroom closet and you know exactly what I am talking about. Duplicate purchases occur when we don’t have a strong grasp on our inventory in our home and clutter hides us from the real treasures that are in our lives.

Think of clutter not only as the items that fill our home, but also the items that fill our fridges. Do you constantly throw food out because you have “too much” food in your fridge or pantry? Is your freezer full, but you still run to the store because you have, “nothing to eat.” I can raise my hand to these scenarios too and there is a sickening feeling in my stomach when I know that I haven’t done a good job managing this aspect of managing the family finances.

Accountability of our items brings enormous savings and satisfaction. Being a good steward of the stuff that fills your life forces you to edit your belongings and keeps you from  buying as much. I try to live my life by the infamous quote from William Morris, “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful and believe to be beautiful.” If it is not bringing beauty or usefulness to my space, then I can feel good about passing those items on to someone else in need.

I often hear that people think their home is “too small,” but I also often wonder if the excess from their lives was removed if that space wouldn’t feel spacious once again.  When my home is decluttered, suddenly, my kitchen counters feel spacious, the basement really does have a spot for everything in storage, and the house really does have enough space for us all.

I honestly consider cutting the clutter as, not only a way to decrease buying duplicate purchases, but as a project to devote my time to rather than spending it out in the stores spending money. When that boredom spending starts to hit me, I focus on a spot in our home that needs to be reclaimed. Even in a smaller home, there are MANY corners to devote my efforts to.

To learn more about our commitment to our smaller home, read this article on the power of living small.

(Monthly Savings: $30 or more)

Get the Good Life For Less

The entire focus of my first book, “The Good Life for Less,” is truly about achieving good times and a happy home on a budget. The book is filled with make-your-own recipes for commonly purchased items like food mixes and cleaners, as well as outlining simple ways any family can save money on their family budget each week.

In it, I outline how our family paid over $13,000 in credit card debt from unemployment and are on the road to financial freedom.  Our family is living proof that any family can pay down their debt with small switches.

The switches I outlined above, are switches that we worked towards and have freed our family of credit card usage and have allowed us to have a beautiful life that is well within our means.  You can find my book on the shelves of your local Walmart store or purchase it online!

Check out our Debt-Free party we threw for our family when we paid off our $13,000 in credit card debt and how we are living our version of the American dream.

(Monthly Savings: $50 or more)

 

What are some small switches you have made to be able to offset the 2% Social Security tax increase this year?

 

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