Chocolate Covered Baseballs: A Sweet Gift Idea

I spend a LOT of time researching ideas for centerpieces. Sometimes it is for work and other times it is for personal parties. I think Pinterest is a great way to source ideas because it can introduce you to new websites or blogs that you many have never heard of. One such site is Flowers on 1st in Vancouver BC.
Visit the Flowers on 1st Website

Their website says: We deliver flowers, balloons, gift baskets, birthday cakes and Belgian chocolates to all areas of the city including Vancouver General Hospital, the University of British Columbia and all cruise ship at the Vancouver ports.

But what I found on their Facebook page is so much more than what they describe! Check our these chocolate covered apples, for example. Aren't they adorable? Even though I am not that talented in the kitchen, I decided to give them a try.

My company recently signed a really exciting sports-focused client that is launching a new concept this fall. Our team spent weeks researching, preparing (sweating, whining, laughing, crying) and then presenting all of our ideas to our client in Jupiter, Florida. I know, I know, its a tough life but somebody's got to do it. Needless to say, our client loved our ideas which made all of our hard work so, so worth it. As a treat to our team, I made them all chocolate covered baseballs. 

Thanks to Flowers on 1st for their inspiration. If you are in their area, give them a try the next time you need to send flowers....or a sweet treat. And tell me, where does your inspiration come from?

Let's Make Jellyfish!

I recently got to spend some time with two of my nephews in Atlantic Beach where my dad rented a house for the month. Granted, kids really only need their imagination to have fun but I love doing crafts so I brought along one that I thought would be easy & fun. 

Let's Make Jellyfish!

Start with paper plates, bags, string, washable paint, paint brushes and two cute little kiddos.

Paint both sides of the bags & plates

After an adult makes slits at the bottom of the bags for "tentacles", 

have a little one crinkle the bag for some movement

After an adult cuts a small slit in the top of the bag & plate, 

have little one pull the string through both holes & tie in a knot.

OK, let's face it, I hung 98% of these but they did enjoy the painting aspect. Aren't they cute?

Our fun morning of crafting was followed by playing on the beach where we found an actual sea creature; a starfish. What a perfect summer day!

You're Simply Glowing!

I am a HUGE proponent of wearing sunscreen every single day, even in the winter. But, that doesn't mean that you all should have to experience the blinding paleness that is my legs when I decide to wear a skirt!

Last year, I demonstrated a few ways to achieve a golden tan without exposing your skin to the sun’s harmful rays. I focused on my favorite body bronzer and a custom spray tan service that comes to your home, both of which I still love!

A Memorial Feaux Glow

The body bronzer, Jiffy Tan, is no longer widely available so I decided to try a similar product, TANtalizer by Lorac. Sephora sells the travel size of this product for $9 so it is a perfect way to try it. I really love the smell and the light coverage. I have been using this like a body makeup on my legs. No gloves needed to apply!

Buy Lorac at Sephora

I have always heard great things about the TanTowel by Look Good Naked but had never tried it. I also purchased them Sephora for $15.

Buy Tan Towel at Sephora

Before:

After Using TANtalizer 

I think the Lorac product gives my legs a natural, subtle glow. 

Don't use too much or you will look orange. 

After Using TanTowel 

I liked the ease of use of the TanTowel and the color started to develop after about 2 hours. I honestly did expect it to be a bit deeper but, overall I was satisfied.

Here's hoping that you enjoy all that summer has to offer; sun, fun, relaxation and late evenings on a porch somewhere fabulous!

Father's Day Gift Ideas For All Dads!

Do you know what's harder than trying to shop for a Father's Day gift? That's a trick question because the answer is: nothing! Am I right? As ladies, we tend to chat about our likes and dislikes and just hope that our loved ones hear us loud & clear. Men don't really do that as much so there is a lot of guess-work involved. Jewelry stores even have wish lists that we can fill to help out our husbands. No such thing exists for men, that I am aware of.  Sometime you just have to throw something out there & see if it sticks. With that in mind, here are some cool ideas that your dad or husband may enjoy for their special day.

FOR THE DAD THAT HAS EVERYTHING

Metal and Lights: Custom metal letters, signs, logos, and lights

Visit Metal and Lights on Etsy
Metal and Lights Website

These metal & lights signs are so popular right now & are popping up everywhere from wedding to events, even on Andy Cohen's show "Watch What Happens Live" on Bravo. My husband & I recently purchased ones of these signs for a friend that was retiring & plans to spend his retirement working on old cars. The sign we had made said "Ed's Garage". Needless to say he LOVED it!

FOR THE DAD THAT LOVES TOOLS

Shop-Vac: Wet/Dry Vacuum

Buy a Shop-Vac on Amazon

If your dad doesn't have one of these, you can stop right here. This is your father's day gift. My husband uses ours to clean all sorts of things from the inside of the car to the dogs house (inside & out). It will suck up anything & is so easy to use.  It even came in handy in our former house when we got water in the basement. This one is a slam dunk!

FOR THE DAD THAT MAKES A MESS

Tilman Leather Bib Apron for Men (aka: Mapron)

Purchase a Mapron

My sister-in-law recently purchased this for her husband & I just fell in love with it. I cannot tell you the number of times that I have had to throw away a shirt that my husband was wearing because he spontaneously decided to do some sort of work in the garage. This is manly, sturdy and just awesome. 

         FOR THE DAD THAT IS A SUPERHERO

                        Act Tactical: Firearms, Fighting and Tactical Driving 
                                                           Contact Act Tactical

Let's face it, women watch romantic comedies because they want to be the leading lady, swept off her feet & whisked away to some fabulous life. Men are no different except that they lean more towards James Bond or John Wayne for their role models. They want "The Last of the Mohicans", "Top Gun" and "Legends of the Fall" type hero status. You know I'm right :) So, what better way to make them feel like a bad-a** than by treating them to a tactical training class? The one I have listed above is in Georgia but I am certain you can find one in your area. I have also been told that many Sheriff departments hold similar classes that focus on safety and regulations. Let dad play hero for the day or, at the very least, let him say, "I can do that," and mean it, the next time "Mission Impossible" comes on.

                                MY DAD 

Goodness, what can I tell you about my dad? Well, he is the dad to two daughters that didn't hesitate to talk about boys or clothes or nail polish growing up. He attended more beauty pageants, cheerleading tryouts and at-home fashion shows than he can probably count. He absolutely did not understand why I wanted to head out to California as soon as I graduated from college but, when I returned at the end of the summer, admitted he thought it was pretty cool and brave. Today, he is the person I can call anytime day or night. If we are talking on the phone while I am driving and I suddenly need to hang up, I can simply say, "gotta run" & hang up & he is totally cool with that. He loves surprising people, fine wine and Alabama football.  He is never, EVER late, so I can say that I get that gene honestly. Not all women can say that they have a great relationship with their dad so I feel very lucky to call mine one of my best friends. Happy (early) Father's Day!

Your Trash is My Treasure: A Unique Hostess Gift

Some sweet friends of ours host an annual Kentucky Derby viewing party complete with great food, auction-style bidding and, of course, mint julips. They do such a nice job hosting all of us in their home that I wanted to give them a thoughtful hostess gift. I recently saw a set of adorable antique, hard-backed placemats on *Buckhead Exchange. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with them but, I was sure I could figure something out. Once I picked them up,  it became apparent that I should just use one & make it a welcome sign, of sorts. I then reached out to a lovely & talented young lady in my office to do the lettering, (my handwriting will put most doctors to shame). We came up with the best wording & sampled various paints on one of the mats that I wasn't going to use. Paint pens were the clear winner so I ordered a pack of 5 colors from Amazon.

The set of placemats

Testing various paint options

Testing various font styles

Before:

After: Take a look at the finished product. How cute is this? 

My tip for you is to always be on the lookout for a great find and, more importantly, designate a gift drawer somewhere in your house to store all of your great gifts that you aren't quite sure what to do with just yet.

P.S. My horse "I'll Have Another" won the Derby last year. Wish me luck this year!

*Buckhead Exchange: I am sure that many of your cities have a localized Craigslist, (I have seen several on Facebook). The one I belong to is called Buckhead Exchange. The beauty of these trading sites is that you know that when you purchase an item, you won't have to drive very far to pick it up. Also, someone buying from you is likely one of your neighbors since they only allow people in your neighborhood to join. For me, this mostly removes the safety concern of using something similar like Craigslist, which I never use.

Chevron Painter's Tape

I was shopping at Lowe's one day when I came across chevron painter's tape. It immediately struck me as something I should buy but, for some reason, I decided to wait until I knew what I wanted to paint. When I went back to make my purchase, they told me that they didn't carry such a thing. I thought maybe I confused them with Home Depot or Ace Hardware so I stopped by both places & got the same answer. Three trips later I started to think that this idea came to me in a dream so I went to the dreamiest shopping place on earth, Amazon, and sure enough, they had it.

I picked the bulletin board in my home office because it desperately needed a makeover. I spend a lot of time in there so I think it should be fun, whimsical and invoke a sense of creative chaos. For all of my creative friends, you know what I mean. It is kind of the equivalent of letting your freak flag fly in the sense that all of my weird decor resides in this room....and I LOVE it!

Here is the "before":

Another "before":

The dreamy chevron painter's tape

I highly recommend that you layout out the entire project before removing the backing

Remove the backing very slowly

Then use regular painter's tape to cover the border

At this point I realized that painter's tape doesn't stick that well to cork. I was able to smooth it all down in sections though & it held up long enough for me to spray. I only mention this so you don't think that you can put down your painter's tape then come back to paint later on. 

I am certain it would have all popped up if I had waited.

I applied three medium/heavy coats of white spray paint

Since the edges where a bit finicky, I used a q-tip to lean the edges after I painted.
This worked surprisingly well.

THE FINISHED PRODUCT!!

After I finished it, I decided that I liked it so much that I wanted a double-decker so I ordered a second board!

I can't wait to fill it with all sorts of inspirational things...and pictures of my nieces & nephews :)

P.S. I think this chevron painter's tape would make for a very fun girl's night activity re-purposing picture frames or making beverage tub. Have fun! :)

A Mother's Day Idea for Every Mom!

It is so hard to come up with a unique gift for Mother's Day. I would like to offer you some inspiration while at the same time showcasing some of my crafty friend's businesses. Thanks for helping support small businesses...and for giving my friends some play money so they can meet me for lunch or cocktails often :)

FOR THE TRADITIONAL MOM

BURLAP MAMAS by my friend: Stacy H.

Burlap Mamas on Facebook

or

Burlap Mamas on Etsy

You may remember from an earlier post that I don't  exactly have a knack for making wreaths. OOPS! So, when a friend of mine started making these adorable burlap wreaths, I had to pick one up for my mother-in-law. It turned out SO cute and was very affordable. I can't wait to give it to her! 

PRICING:   $55 for 24"   $45 for 20"   $35 for 16" ($12 shipping)

FOR THE PREPPY MOM

PREPPY & CO. by my friend Shannon C.

Preppy & Co. Website

If your mom loves all things monogrammed, then this is the place for her. I bought an adorable monogrammed, straw clutch for the summer that I love! They have some great gifts ideas; yoga mats, jewelry, stationery, etc. 

PRICING:  $36

FOR THE SENTIMENTAL MOM

CUSTOM HEADBANDS FOR FASHIONABLE GIRLS 

by my friend Ann W.

Custom Headbands for Fashionable Girls on Facebook

A sweet lady that I have known for many years has a really neat tradition in that she buys her daughters a gift on Mother's Day to thank them for giving her the gift of motherhood. I find this especially touching so, if you have a sweet little girl that blesses your life beyond measure, consider giving her an adorable custom-made headband this Mother's Day.

PRICING: $20 for 2"     $15 for 1"     (monogram included)

FOR THE HIP & FASHIONABLE MOM

TEODORA B. by my friend Teodora B.

Teodora B. Website

She's beautiful. She's Bulgarian. She has great style. What more could you ask for? I met Teodora when I was looking to hire a fashion blogger for a client. As it turned out, we had two mutual friends from two different circles so, I suppose we were destined to be friends. I absolutely LOVE wearing blazers but, in my career (public relations), the stuffy Ann Taylor version just doesn't cut it, (no offense to Ms. Taylor). I think a blazer can really pull together a casual outfit or, for those of us that aren't super-young anymore, can help us pull off a trendy look without looking like we're trying too hard. 

PRICING: $58.75

FOR THE NEW AGE MOM

YOUNG LIVING ESSENTIAL OILS by my friend Kelli W

About Essential Oils

Sign Up for Young Living Essential Oils

A friend from my home state of Alabama started using essential oils to help her daughter with asthma & had amazing results. The results were so dramatic that she started sharing her story and selling these great products. I haven't given them a try just yet but they are on my list!

PRICING:  See website

FOR THE GIVING MOM

STEPHANIE QUINLAN DESIGNS by my friend Wendy's friend :)

Stephanie Quinlan Designs Website

For many years, I worked in the non-profit sector, specifically the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. During my time there, I met so many wonderful families that were making strides to find a cure for this life-threatening disease. My friend Wendy, (who has CF), has a friend, (Stephanie), that makes jewelry. She designed a few pieces that are inspired by Wendy's struggle with cystic fibrosis. All profits benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation...and they are so pretty all stacked together! (She also has an adorable one that benefits the Southern Animal Rescue). Stephanie, we have never met but, thank you for all that you are doing to fund and find a cure for CF!

PRICING: $35

FOR MY MOM

What can I tell you about my mom? She's a retired drama teacher, horticulturist, animal activist, actress, theater buff, turtle researcher, writer, lover of all things purple and recent world traveler. She let me wear makeup when I was really young which, I swear, is why I feel comfortable without it now. She taught me that personality comes before beauty & that being kind to others is important, especially animals. Lord knows we had a lot of animals around us growing up; dogs, cats, goats, cattle and an occasional turtle or tiny bird or whatever was floating around in our pool! She embraces her inner wild woman and now, in her retirement phase, is gaining so many stamps on her passport that we should all be jealous. Travelling to different cultures changes people. It helps them to understand others, relate to decidedly uncommon causes and embrace people that are different than them. What the world doesn't know, however, is that my mom already know these things & lives life loving others every day. So, Mom, you get out there & show them what a sweet lady from Bama has to offer!

Oh, and sorry to disappoint you but, your Mother's Day gift isn't being shown here since I KNOW you read all of my blogs! But I think it is something that will make you smile. Thanks for always thinking that I am great, even when, and especially because, I am not. Happy early Mother's Day!