Favorite Little Princess

Ok, so this is just a small sample, but have you ever seen the prices of Origins products? I'm not paying that kind of money just to see if I like it. Free is much more my style.  If you head over to their website , they usually have something up for grabs. It changes often so keep checking. 

The best thing about this coming in the mail today was that I didn't even request it! I had signed up for one of Target's beauty bags in the spring, which was awesome by the way, but they are no longer sending those out. Bummer. However, I guess that put me on a list to send samples when they have them.  Now I get to try this John Freida shampoo and conditioner. Keep it coming, Target. This is much better than just getting bills in the mail.

It looks like I'm not the only one who liked this pin. I just love the look of this bracelet. Simple, yet so pretty. You could easily make one to go with with each outfit. The pin contains all of the instructions, so no need to click through! I've got this one on my list to make ASAP. If you make one, I'd love to see it! DIY Bracelet

Hair accessories are taking over my girls' bathroom. Now K1 has taken a particular interest in headbands, so I needed to come up with something to wrangle this mess in. I had come across several ways to organize headbands on Pinterest, but I finally went with the good ole oatmeal container because it doubles as storage for other accessories inside. Oh ok, plus it's free and I love to upcycle. 1. I took the label off the outside and glued some batting around the container. 2. After the glue dried, I cut off the excess batting. Time to grab that leftover fabric from a dress I made K2 years ago. 3.  I measured around the container as well as the height and added 1 inch to both height and width to allow for tucking the fabric under. Just because I'm not sewing it, doesn't mean I don't want a nice finished edge! 4. This particular container has a plastic rim that I decided to use to tuck the fabric under with a butter knife. You could easily...

The best thing about summer is all the fresh fruit and veggies, don't you agree? I wish I had the time to grow my own. Someday, maybe.  It gets pretty warm here in Florida during the summer, so fresh, cut up veggies are a perfect side to any dinner without adding heat from the stove. I found this little serving tray (it comes with a lid, too!) at Wal-Mart a few years ago and I still like pulling it out for finger foods.  The carrots are for my hubby because I think that's the only veggie in this bunch that he will eat.  I try to just pick up whatever is in season, such as summer squash and zucchini . This is perfect for parties, too, and super fast to put together last minute. Add a little fat-free dip and enjoy! 

What's in the mail today? Have you tried anything from the Burt's Bees product line? I love their lip balms. Well, now  they have another line called  güd .  These are all natural beauty products such as lotions, shampoos, and body wash. Plus they don't test on animals, which is always a plus. If you like them on Facebook or follow on Twitter , you'll be the first to know about future giveaways.

So, remember that pin from a week or so ago? This one is really easy, so for all you beginners this is a perfect project to sew.  I love mixing and matching different fabrics for a fresh, funky feel. This tutorial is pretty good, so I'm not even going to duplicate or change it. You should head over the the Crafty Cupboard to check it out. Note to self: Don't wait until the last minute to make your gifts or you'll leave out steps. Yeah, I forgot to sew around the edges. I didn't even notice until after I had given the gift. Guess I need to make another one. I also didn't have any fusible fleece and I think that would work better than the batting I replaced it with. Live and learn. I still think it's cute and can't wait to make more. 

I'm sure I've mentioned it a couple hundred times, but I really like winning stuff. My most recent win is a box full of full-sized Newman's Own snacks. How cool is this?!?   See how much was in there? I've tried the Chocolate Cups with Peanut Butter Centers and they were so yummy with the dark chocolate.    The pretzels are really good, but I haven't made my way through the dried fruit yet. Ok, this group about did me in. I've finished off 3 of these by myself. The chocolate creme cookies are all that's left. The vanilla creme cookie is good, but I still prefer the ones from Trader Joe's. K1 likes Golden Oreos. They are all generally the same, but slight changes. However, the Orange Chocolate Chip cookies were Ah may zing! I'm definitely going to buy those. I didn't have to do anything special to win this package. Just a simple rafflecopter submission. You can't win if you don't try! Don't forget to checkout my ...

As much as I like getting samples in the mail, I like getting full sized products even better. Plain water is actually what I prefer, but my family does not. Using a little MIO is the perfect way to get them to drink water and cut out the sugary drinks. My mom, bless her heart, carries around some in her purse. Actually, it's a great idea as some restaurant water is awful tasting. She usually gets the curiosity of the server and ends up talking them into getting their own glass of water so she can let them try the MIO. I think the MIO company should supply her with as many bottles as she wants since she is so good at advertising for them! So where did I come across this freebie? On Facebook. I had already liked their page and when they released this promotion, I was the first to know. If you go to the MIO website , they are still giving away free samples!

For those of you who know me personally, you know that I spend a lot of my free time either running, at the gym, or - more recently - kickboxing. Yes, I know I'm crazy and it's a little bit above insane, but it's my stress relief and I love it. What I don't love is getting into my brand new car wearing my gross, sweaty clothes. I came up with a quick, easy, and practically free solution for that. Towel Seat Cover Materials Needed: Towel Ribbon (1 yard) Sewing Machine - or just needle and thread Note: Satin ribbon is slick and will probably slide out. Stick to Grosgrain ribbon, which has little ridges. I have box of ribbon that I keep for impromptu projects like this. The ribbon used here I bought on clearance for 50 cents and the towel is um...borrowed from someplace I won't mention the name of. Instructions: 1. Find the center of your towel by folding it in half lengthwise (A). Line that center up with the center of your headrest a...

Gimme Some Oven A few weeks ago I shared a favorite pin with you with my intentions of testing it out. This was definitely a Pinterest Success! I'm not a big fan of bacon (hush all of you bacon lovers) but even I liked it in this salad. It was pretty easy to put together as well. The hubby isn't a fan of avocado, but he ate it anyway (mostly) and I like it too much to leave it out. K1 requested to use Gorgonzola cheese next time - only because she likes it better than blue cheese. Make sure you have some hungry diners, because this salad makes enough for 4-6 people. I love the fresh vinaigrette. Light and tangy. It was my first time making my own dressing and I think that I will start making my own from now own. The flavor is so much better and I really like knowing that I'm not putting unnecessary chemicals and preservatives in my food. This is one salad I will make again. Yum! I hope you will go visit Gimme Some Oven and check out what else she has ...

Look what came in the mail! Have you heard about Wen hair products? I got caught up watching an infomercial the other day and it really got my attention. Because I have a thyroid condition, my hair needs special attention and I've already been told to try to use as few chemicals as possible on it. Wen is organic and doesn't contain sulfates - which I have to avoid since they strip hair of it's natural oils.  Let's be honest here. This stuff isn't cheap. But when I saw what it is capable of, I knew I wanted to try it. I came across a link to sign up for a free trial on freeflys.com and entered my info right away. I'm all about trying before buying and I love me some free stuff. There is another organic line that I like called  JĀSÖN and Wen is similar, but I think Wen is more conditioning for my hair, albeit more expensive. The biggest difference you will see in comparison with traditional hair care is the lack of suds. This is a good thing for your ...

It's Monday again, but that doesn't mean we can't start the week off right. Let's get pinning! Favorite Pin #1 Leaping Strips and Blocks blanket This free pattern is available on Moogly , which has tons of free and paid patterns for crochet, knitting, and quilting. I'm actually right in the middle of making this one. So far, I love the pattern. It's quick and easy and something I can do without constantly referring back to a pattern. What I'm not thrilled with is the cotton yarn. Normally I like cotton yarn, but it's not cheap and it's a little heavy for a baby blanket. I'm thinking of making it into a lovey - a hugable blanket with an amigurumi friend attached. More on that later. Perhaps next time I will make with a soft, acrylic yarn. Favorite Pin #2 Sheep Cupcake How cute are these little guys? They remind me of Wallace and Gromit. No instructions with this one, but it looks simple enough. Cupcake + mini marshmallows + fondant f...