When Life Gets Messy, #HugTheMess!

It's been a crazy week, with all kinds of intense happenings here in our little Florida abode. From the loss of our sweet, spunky poodle just a few short days ago to family (from all over the country) visiting us during the same week, we have all had a lot going on!

We had and still have a lot going on--I was overjoyed once we finally had a moment to relax. I knew making a mess was a must for Delainey and I, not just because she's a cute little terror that loves getting messy, but also because I knew I needed to let out some creativeness. When feelings get messy, I'm a firm believer that I should let that all out by getting my hands a little messy... and that's definitely something I want to teach Delainey! Productively expressing her feelings will be a common happening in our house and I can't wait to sculpt clay and finger paint with my sweet girl, but this time we decided tie dying was the way to go.

But first things first, prior to getting messy, I had to make sure D was out of her adorable clothes and ready to be around some serious mess. A diaper was her only attire for our fun little project and I wanted something reliable and comfortable so we could enjoy ourselves without worrying about D's bum - that's why I chose Huggies Snug & Dry. The perfect diaper for all kinds of activities, especially messy ones! With increased absorbency, I knew we wouldn't have a leaky problem mid-project and that was an absolute necessity, especially because I had a case of rainbow hands by the end of the whole ordeal.

With that said, we had a blast getting messy. Delainey talked me through it all while I dyed all the pretties! Side note: Instead of going out and buying a bunch of new onesies and tees, I used a handful of stained onesies we already had and made them adorable again. It's all about hugging the mess after all.

After our tie dye adventure was completed, I had to clean up quick because with an 8 month old, you have to do everything pretty speedy. I immediately grabbed for a One & Done wipe from Huggies and, as always, only one wipe came out - allowing me to speedily wipe off some of the dye and pick up my sweet girl quick! We all know having only one wipe come out of the package is a must when you are in a "messy situation", so I was more than pleased about this fact!

Do you have a mess you need to clean up? Maybe a little some booty wears diapers in your house? I suggest you check out the amazing deals on Huggies at Family Dollar, "clip" a few of their coupons for your next visit - like one for $2 off your diaper purchase, and then breathe easy knowing you chose a reliable diaper AND you get to save a little cash while you are at it!

Want to see our final product? I'll be sharing it on social media today! Keep your eye out for some pretty tie dye and don't forget to "snip" some Family Dollar coupons for your next visit!

Summertime Starbucks: DIY Thank You Card Upcycled K Cup Project + Coffee, Chai Tea, or Iced Tea?

Thanks to Starbucks for sending over these awesome K-cups and other beautiful items to include in my post today and a big thanks for offering a great affiliate program that I've linked below, regardless all opinions expressed below are my own.

Summer & Starbucks go together hand-in-hand, in my mind... Well Starbucks goes with every season and that's why I'm such a big fan. With so many amazing flavors and such a versatile line up of coffees and teas, I'm a bit of a Starbucks junkie... so I'm having to limit my intake while carrying Delainey and I can't wait to get back into my multi-cup routine soon.

While I'm not drinking more than a cup a day currently, I was more than overjoyed to dish out some coffee, chai tea, and iced tea goodness at my latest little get-together with our buddies so we could sample all of the delicious flavors Starbucks sent me to try out this summer.

I sipped on a glass of the Tazo Chai Vanilla Caramel Latte while I made a cup of Creme Brulee flavored coffee for my hubs, my friends each wanted to try something new so I served up a glass of the Tazo Iced Peachy Black tea and another Tazo Chai Vanilla Caramel Latte for each of them... paired with some delicious vegan, oatmeal cookies! We were all so impressed with the "homemade" beverages, I think I've officially earned the title of "Barista" at this point... Lucky for me, making delicious Starbucks coffee and tea at home is as easy as pressing a button.

While making the coffee is super easy and enjoyable, the same could be said about having great friends. Our buddies blessed us with so much adorable stuff for Delainey recently, I had to make something for them in return. I couldn't think of a thing they needed so I decided making them a little thank you card with a personal touch was the best way to thank them, with a little gift card attached to the back - I'm sure they will be more than happy with their little surprise.

Do you want to tell some one "Thanks a latte" for something amazing they've done for you recently? It's as easy as making a k-cup to make this adorable little card!

For this project you'll need:

a Starbucks Keurig Coffee or Tea box
a used K-cup (rinsed and cleaned)
a hot glue gun with glue
3-4 cotton balls

scissors
a black marker or pen

First things first, to get this project started go ahead and plug in your glue gun and warm it up.

Now go ahead and cut out the Starbucks logo from the Keurig box, being sure to leave the outer side without perforation untouched.

Your next step is to hot glue the Starbucks logo to the side of the K-cup.

Following that, quickly use the top of the K-cup to measure and cut out a circle piece of cardboard from one of the side pieces of "scrap" of the Keurig box, be sure to cut it large enough to cover the entire top of the K-cup. Glue this piece to the top once it's trimmed to fit.

Next you'll want to let the glue on these pieces dry and write a cute thank you message on the untouched, un-perforated side of the box. I wrote "Thanks a latte" but you could go with something like "Words cannot espresso my thanks" or whatever punny coffee line you want!

Once your message is written, go ahead and unravel the cotton balls. The brand I bought comes apart fairly easily so they became long strands within seconds. You'll want to have enough to "swirl" on the top of your cup to mimic whipped cream. My suggestion is to start forming it before gluing to insure you get the look you want with minimal effort. Now use your glue gun and glue the cotton balls/whipped cream to the top of the cardboard covered K-cup opening.

Take a quick second and add a few dots of glue to the back of the K-cup/Starbucks mini-cup, pressing it onto the piece of cardboard that has the thank you message written.

Now hand one of these bad boys out to every Starbucks loving friend you need to thank and they may just be thanking you for the adorable card showing your gratitude!

Plus, don't miss your chance to save some money... Click here & save Up to 30% on New Summer Markdowns at Starbucks.com! 

Simplify Your Life with The Ultimate BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe, One Awesome Kitchen Cleaning Hack, & a DIY project!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ScrubDishCloth #CollectiveBias

I'll be as up front as I can possibly be with you, lately I just haven't been feeling the whole homemaker thing. Growing a tiny human is exhausting and preparing our house for her arrival has caused me to feel even more tired the past few weeks, so when it comes time to clean & organize the rest of our house and make dinner, I like to make things as easy as humanly possible. Today I want to make your life a little easier, while I don't consider myself Suzy Homemaker I suppose you could say I'm sharing a couple of "kitchen hacks" that will hopefully make your life feel a bit less stressful.

I'm excited to be sharing my ultimate BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich recipe, it's so easy to make but we all know that BBQ gets a little messy. For that reason, I think it's important that I share how easy keeping your kitchen spic & span can be with the new Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloths. Lastly, I want to share a recent DIY project and how I'm keeping my kitchen a tiny bit more organized and adorable.

We'll go ahead and address how clean my kitchen looks... While I wish I could take all of the credit, it's really thanks to Scotch-Brite Scrubbing Dish Cloths! Their scrubbing power makes cleaning easy, so I suppose you could say these convenient little dish cloths are practically an all-in-one kitchen tool. While I'm used to cleaning up our kitchen with a standard dish cloth, these beauties have totally made the task a heck of a lot easier!

Now I know what you're thinking, "How do the Scotch-Brite Scrubbing Dish Cloths make cleaning easier?" It's simple, the premium, textured dish cloth features two super helpful sides, with scrubbing technology on one side (similar to Scotch-Brite sponges but even more amazing) capable of cleaning up even the most stuck on messes (like BBQ sauce simmered in a pan for hours). While the other side provides the versatility of a dish cloth and is absolutely perfect for wiping down the dirtiest of surfaces!

The best part is these wonderful little kitchen savers won't scratch any surface, no matter how hard you scrub and they are fully washable and reusable so you get the most out of each and every dish cloth!

Do you want to take your dish cloth game to the next level with these super-charged Scotch-Brite Scrubbing Dish Cloths? They come in 2-packs and a variety of colors including the beautiful mint and gray shades I chose, as well as coral and navy and are available at everyone's favorite retailer - Target for only $4.99! Plus, NOW through July 2nd you can save on these little beauties with this Cartwheel offer!

Now that we've gotten the cleaning fun out of the way, I think I need to share with you how I made the adorable utensils that helped me whip together my messy yet delicious BBQ recipe! I obviously used colors inspired by my new dish towels and since these beauties are so easy to make, I knew I had to share a DIY tutorial on how you can make them yourself!

An Easter Tradition: DIY See's Candies Snack Bar + a Giveaway!

Today's discussion is brought to you by See's Candies,
regardless all opinions expressed below are my own.

Easter is almost here and that means I've been ogling all the adorable bunny items in every store I visit... and it also means that the "Easter Bunny" will be visiting my house soon. For now, though, I decided to play the Easter Bunny in our home and set up a scrumptious little candy snack bar with See's Candies during our most recent weekend brunch.

With so many delicious candies, it's easy to see why I chose to include all See's delectable delights in my snack bar. From Sugar Coated Sour Bunnies to Dark Chocolate Raspberry filled Springtime Truffles, I've decided to incorporate See's into my Easter tradition every year from now on! I'm so excited to celebrate Easter the very same way next year, with a special new member of our family. Getting to see the joy Easter brings from a child's point of view will make this tradition that much more amazing... but I'll be honest and share that this year I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to snack on delicious candy and other brunch-time favorites!

To celebrate Easter in style our little candy snack bar had to include all of the best American-made See's Easter candies with some flair added to the table.

As I mentioned, there were Springtime Truffles and Sour Bunnies, as well as Rocky Road Eggs, Chocolate Butter Eggs with Walnuts, Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Bunnies of all sizes, Jelly Beans, and even a giant Easter Treasure egg!

Everyone was able to find something to treat their sweet tooth after brunch and it was marvelous. I decided to spruce up the table some with some colorful Easter eggs and a pretty little Easter basket, paired with a couple of cake plates to really show off the delicious candy snack bar options. The last important addition to the table was a colorful springtime plate and napkins set, now my table was ready for guests to enjoy and you can prepare your dessert table this easily too!

Whether you are looking for the perfect over-sized Chocolate Bunny to add into your little one's Easter basket or you want to surprise your sweetheart with a giant Easter Treasure Egg, See's has everything you'll need! Want to treat yourself (or someone you love) to something delicious without having to spend a dime?

Enter to win a $15 See's Candies Gift Card giveaway with the giveaway tools form below:

Entry-Form

The Cutest Little Valentine's Day Craft + A Fun, Simple Party to Celebrate!

Are you looking for a fun way to spend Valentine's Day with your little sweetheart? This super simple craft is the perfect way to show your mini that you love them and that you love spending time with them, plus the end product is so cute you can keep it around your house all year long!

I decided to make two love day crafts, one a simple painting on canvas and another a decorated pot for a new plant I picked up at Ikea. No matter what you decide to add some little love hearts to, I guarantee this craft will steal someone's heart and they'll be asking for a couple to ad to their space as well!

So how do you make these cute little crafts?

You will need:

1 toilet paper roll
1 small pink & 1 white acrylic paint
A "canvas" of sorts

Now it's time to get crafty! You'll pinch the TP roll into the shape of a heart, or you can let your little one shape the heart. Once it's the perfect bubbly little token of love, you should start to mix your paint. Just a little tip: If you're letting tiny little hands in on this project, you might want to wrap a rubber band around the TP roll to ensure the heart stays in the same shape!

With the paint, leave a bit of the edges unmixed to give your hearts a tie-dye look. Now go ahead and dip your toilet paper roll into the paint and place the paint end on the surface of your canvas (or pot, mug, vase, etc). Gently make sure all edges of the heart have made contact with the surface and remove the roll fairly quickly. Repeat until you've reached the desired amount of hearts on your craft!

With my actual canvas craft I decided to add the world love with a small paint brush at the bottom and fill in a few of the hearts with paint! I think the end result is adorable, don't you?!

See, that craft was beyond easy and the perfect way to spend some time with a little one today! Next time I see my niece, I actually might make something similar with her... it's so easy and she'll love getting to help me make something so "pretty"!

After your finished with your craft, set up a pretty little strawberries & white chocolate mocha party for you and your loves and enjoy some fun!

I just laid out my pretty new creations, simple mini pink mason jars, and a little strawberry dessert set up with whipped cream and delicious little decorative chocolate pearls!

I also added in delicious Starbucks Instant White Chocolate Mocha Latte singles for each little mason jar! This little setup is the perfect way for you and your little sweetie to treat yourselves and some friends this Valentine's Day!

So tell me, what are your plans for Valentine's Day other than crafting up something adorable? I can't wait to hear all about your plans in the comments below!

DIY Beach Kits for Guys: The Perfect Simple Little Gift for Him + a Great Way to Drop a Vacation Hint!

I know I say this often, but I love where I live... Florida is amazing. It's "winter" in the rest of the United States, but here in Florida we are basically living the islander lifestyle with our own separate climate! The sun is still shining and we're soaking up the UV rays all day long, with the temperature steadily sitting at a super comfortable 80+ degrees. I'm not going to lie, it's pretty much paradise here the last few weeks and I'm feeling super blessed.

I'm really trying not to rub it in though, I've lived through brutal winter weather (and even a few blizzards) before moving to paradise and I know how beautiful snow can be... But let's get real, I completely prefer a white sandy beach over a snow covered landscape any day! If you're anything like me and you don't already live here, you're likely plotting your next escape from the cold and I don't blame you one bit! Dreaming of warmer places and eventually getting to stick my toes in the sand are the only things that kept me sane while wearing snow boots and ear muffs back when I lived in the Midwest!

Whether you want a fun way to hint to your hubby that you're ready for a vacay or if you're planning a sunny stay over the holidays, I have a super fun gift idea to share! These little "dude friendly" beach kits are the perfect way to treat a man and his friends to everything guys love!

While I could have included a little bit of anything and most guys would have been happy, I think the items I decided to include are the perfect little gift items for any dude - everything a guy could want while chilling on the beach! You can gift this to your dad, your brother, or your lover and they'll all appreciate what's inside!

Speaking of what's inside, I suppose I should give you all the details on how you can make this super simple little beach kit for all the gentlemen in your life. You'll want to grab a few packs of Cubero Cigars from the convenience store, these are the most unqiue way to make sure the guys have a good time! Cubero's are natural leaf cigarillos with the perfect fusion of flavors (especially for those with sophisticated palettes) and quality satisfaction without breaking the bank!

With a variety of flavors to choose from, I decided to go with the Wine flavor, blend No. 7. Although 7 is a lucky number, what really enticed me about the Cubero Wine Cigar was the description! With naturally sweet tobacco, a distinct grape flavor, and an oak-like nuance - I'm pretty sure I chose the perfect cigar! While I won't be partaking in any cigar smoking, I love that I was able to stock up on these, so when hubby has friends in town & they need a boy's day at the beach they're all set. Do you want to sign up for free coupons and find a retailer near you that carries these special little treats? You'll want to visit Cubero Cigars website here!

After your cigar situation is taken care of, you'll want to shop for a handful of mini bar size nips at the liquor store... I think the reasoning behind this is obvious. I also suggest grabbing some soda to pair with the shots!

After your trip to the liquor store, you'll need to make a quick stop and grab a handful of koozies to keep the guys' drinks cool while lounging on the beach! You'll also want to grab little travel size deodorants and mints because we all know how stinky boys can get! Lastly, you'll want to supply him with protection - errr, not that kind of protection though... I'm talking sunglasses and a little travel size sunscreen, the two main things a dude really needs while at the beach and the two things they probably forget the most!

Now I've got a stack of these waiting for our guy friends that come visit us...

While these little beach kits are mostly intended for our house guests, I think they'll make awesome "stocking stuffer gifts" as well... I'm actually giving one to hubby instead of filling his stocking this year and I think he's most excited to get his hands on the Cubero cigars!

So, whether you and your man are both trying to quench your thirst for travel or actually booking your ticket, these little reminders of the beach will be an amazing gift for the surfer dude in your life!

Now that I've shared a fun, beachy gift idea for him. I'd love to hear where your next sunny vacation destination will be? Do you want to build a little beach kit for your man to enjoy while you are there? Don't forget to stock up on all the essentials!

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Scandinavian Tobacco Group, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #masteryourblend  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”

Make Things Easier with Staples Holiday Cards & Custom Photo Gifts!

Christmas is almost here and I'm going to share a little secret, I'm just now sending my holiday cards out to my family! I'm a total procrastinator with most things in life, so it comes as no surprise to the recipients of these cards to see them rolling in last minute, but what my family isn't expecting is the super cute and unique card I was able to design quickly and easily with Staples!

I'm totally in love with how our cards turned out! They are the most dreamy design we've sent out ever and I can't wait to share it, so I'm giving you guys a peek at it today!

Staples Copy & Print made it so easy for me to make these cards, I literally grabbed a picture from our holiday photo shoot and added it into their template... and here's the end result! My cards were printed off within a day or two and when I walked in to our local Staples to pick up my order, the guy behind the counter recognized us from our photo and had our order waiting for us when we approached him!

Our Christmas cards are on thick, high quality paper and they're bound to be a hit with our family. With a little bit of a love and a wish for peace - these cards are truly the sweetest! I'm excited to design our cards for next year, so maybe I won't procrastinate so much and they'll actually make it out on time... That's the goal anyways!

Are you looking for a last minute solution for Christmas cards as well? Maybe you want to send out a batch of New Years Eve cards or a holiday update to your nearest and dearest? I've got some awesome news - you can save 20% off your order of holiday cards, invitations, calendars and more by using the code HOLIDAY20 by 12/26!

While I'm obviously a huge fan of the cards I designed with Staples, I also ordered some personalized gifts... because well, I just can't help myself when I find out I can add pictures to everyday objects!

The first personalized gift I designed with Staples Copy & Print were these customized coffee mugs! I made these little cuties for some of our favorite coffee drinkers! I love the high quality, thick mugs that these are printed on and the quality of the images is superb. As my husband said when he saw these sitting on the counter after their arrival, "those could be sold in a boutique somewhere..." and I must say I totally agree with him! I'm so excited about these mugs and the adorable designs!

Plus I made an extra mug with my favorite holiday picture printed on it, because a girl has to reward herself with cute, picture covered items sometimes as well! I love the template I used to make this mug, the print is so colorful and using the Staples Copy & Print system to insert my picture was effortless... that's why Staples Copy & Print is so awesome, it's so easy to use!

I guess it's obvious, I'm super excited about the mugs I made... but have I mentioned I'm also really excited about the adorable personalized ornaments I crafted up to help add some "spice" to the mugs!

The Staples Copy & Print service did a great job with all of my custom photo gifts, but I really think the ornaments may be my favorite part of my entire order! They turned out so incredibly perfect, it's going to be hard to let them go... I think I may even order an additional set or two, actually!

I think these ornaments are going to be like gold coins in my family, with a precious picture of my niece in her ballet outfit on a set of them... and of course, a picture of me and the hubs on the other - I can think of a few family members that would smile to see these waiting for them under the tree!

Are you wanting to make some custom photo gifts for your family? Stock up now while they're on sale, use the code JOLLY20 by 12/26 and you'll save 20% off your custom photo gifts order!

So now that I've shared my little procrastination secret and how I decided to creatively make some adorable gifts with Staples Copy & Print this year, I'd love to hear what you would make with their services? Are you wanting to stock up on coffee mugs with your dogs face printed on the side or maybe you want to add a few new personalized t-shirts to your collection? Head on over to Staples and tell me all about it!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

A Simple Guide to Wooing a Woman: 12 Romantic Gestures for Her

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #KYTrySomethingNew #CollectiveBias

It's true, hubby and I have been rocking this romance for a while now (9 years to be exact), so I guess you could say things are getting pretty serious... and pretty comfortable, as I'm sure most other married couples understand.

Although I'm forever his, any good man knows a woman never wants a man to stop wooing her and he's definitely a good man. While he tries to woo me, he's a guy and well, let's face it, dude logic isn't always the most romantic way of thinking.

I know I enjoy romantic gestures a little bit more than he does, but he tries and that's what counts. He knows my "love language" and he does his very best to make sure I'm happy... and in return, I do the same. That's what's made our relationship last, we both try and that's the one HUGE piece of advice I can give to any couple - always keep trying!

Enough of the chatter though, let's get down to business - Today, I'm sharing a post that'll help any guy woo a woman! So ladies in need of some wooing, just casually leave this post open on your laptop when you leave for the day... and for the men that found this on their own, get ready to figure out what us lady-folk really want and need when it comes to romance!

1. Surprise her with a date night. Leave a new dress and some new jewelry hanging from a light fixture in a room she'll walk into soon after you've left for the day. Leave a little note or send her a text letting her know when to be ready by and then whisk her away to dinner at her favorite spot or a live production of one of her favorite shows.

2. Try something new together! Go out to a new place that she's mentioned recently or bring her to a new place to spin pottery, no matter what - keep exploring the world together.

3. Come home with her favorite flowers for no reason other than to say "I love you". Girls love flowers and feeling like their partner really cares, this is a simple gesture that means a lot to us gals.

4. Keep her comfortable during a massage and afterward with K-Y® TOUCH®. With K-Y® your massages will be elevated to the next level and so will your intimate moments! Here's a bonus, I found this coupon for $2 off at Walmart - snag your coupon here and score big time on date night!

5. Regarding touch, use it to your advantage! Remember that touching can help diminish stress and increase confidence - so always be holding her hand, touching her knee, rubbing her neck, etc. Oh and always kiss her goodbye and goodnight! Even if you're just leaving for a minute to run down the street, make sure to lay a smooch on your darling wife.

6. Make her a mixed CD or a new playlist on her phone without her knowing, strategically have it playing the next time she has to make a drive alone. Something so little can be such a huge gesture and if you include songs that you know she loves AND songs that remind you of her, then she's bound to come home full of love!

7. Randomly send her "little sweet nothings", from silly facebook stickers to texts reminding her you love her - be sure to send her a daily reminder of how much you love and adore her.

8. Pay attention to what she says she likes when you guys are browsing the aisles at her favorite place to shop. If she says she likes a hat from Walmart as you are casually walking by but she doesn't grab it for herself, keep a mental note of it, and surprise her with it on a day you want her to feel extra special. If she points out a pair of undergarments in her favorite fashion magazine, maybe order them without her knowing... letting her know you were listening, even to such a silly little passing thought, will go a long way!

9. Always have a joke on hand. I know this one can be tough for the guys who aren't naturally comedians, but I guarantee your wife loves laughing at you! Be sure to have a few little funnies up your sleeve in case she's having a really bad day.

10. Ask her for a dance. Even if it's in an inappropriate spot while you're walking around downtown or visiting her parents, if you hear your song then ask her to dance with you. Have a little slow dance in the kitchen if it plays over Pandora even, remind her of the night she married you with your sick dance moves and she'll fall in love with you all over again.

11. Leave her little love notes in the pocket of her favorite hoodie or her favorite jeans. The random little reminder of love is such a heartwarming gesture and it takes hardly any effort!

12. Turn off your phone and cuddle up with a rom-com. Watching a movie together is always fun, but choose something that you know she wants to see, something light-hearted and sweet is your best bet! Bring home some of her favorite candy, the movie, and a new blanket to cuddle up under and I'm certain you'll have the best date night ever, in her opinion.

Now those 12 simple romantic gestures aren't too complicated, I think most men could pull them off without much effort at all! If you want to ignite the spark in your romantic life again, I suggest you give these little gestures a try! Don't forget your coupon on your way to Walmart for  K-Y® TOUCH® and other supplies!

I'd love to know, what's the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for you or what is the most romantic thing you've ever done for your honey? I love hearing about romantic couples so gush about all the adorable little details in the comments below!