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Home Tour – Master Bedroom

A few days ago, I gave you a tour into our home covering the main areas (kitchen, living room, family room). Just in case you missed it, you can find it by clicking this link, Home Tour – Living Room, Family Room, & Kitchen. Today, we are touring the unfinished Master Bedroom. I have been trying out this blue combo to see how I like it. I am used to decorating with darker colors such as burgundy or brown. But this summer, when the room really needed some sprucing up, I tried to brighten it up a bit with lighter colors. The paint color is as is since we moved in. Although the bedding and decorations are a lighter color, I am not sure what to make of it yet.

Once again, our home has very poor lighting so the photos are very dark.

I found the bedding at a Ross store along with some of the decorative pieces like this clock and the wall mirrors further down.

The lamps were purchased from Walmart.

Remember those painted Mason Jars I did a few months ago? I am using them as flower jars in the room.

The hubs side of the bed.

These mirror frames which I found at Ross were blue only. The specks of white came about when I decided that blue probably was not the best color for the walls since the paint is a bluish-grey. I had already removed and threw away the box and tags so I decided to keep them.

When I attempted to paint the mirror frames with white chalk paint and realized that the paint was not holding properly, I decided to wipe it off. Some of the paint was already dried in various spots and that is the look I ended up with. My mistake gave them a sort of distressed look! I thought it was cool!

And how about my large golden photo frame that I painted brown earlier this Spring? Well, it got a makeover in white and has been moved to the bedroom.

This large mirror was at the house from the previous owner. Hubby is not a big fan of it.

You can get a glimpse of the door leading to the bathroom (half bath) from next to the mirror.

I wrote a post on how to write on canvas. Here is the piece displayed in the bathroom.

Here are all the DIY pieces that make the room and bath come together.

master bedroom decor collage

As you may notice, the room does not have any huge makeover. I only changed out the color of the decorations and added a couple more items to spruce it up a little.

In reality, the room needs a full makeover with paint and furniture. But one project at a time is the way we are looking at it. Hope you enjoyed the little tour, despite the dark photos. The final part of the tour is the girls room which I hope to have up in the next post.

What do you think of the colors? Do you go with darker or lighter? I would love to know your thoughts in the comments!

Other posts in the tour:

Baby Boy’s Safari Themed Nursery

Living Room, Family Room, & Kitchen

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Characteristics of a Biblical Homemaker from Titus 2 – Soundness & Stability

I do not know of any wife who does not want to take care of her home to best of her ability. I know I want to excel in what I do at home. But we know that homemaking does not come with a store purchased manual that is carefully laid out of all we should do and how we should do them. Of course, there are helpful tips and tricks out there from various authors. But as each home and family is different, then each homemaker must find the best means to take care of her home.

In my quest to do better at home, I am starting a new series called Biblical Homemaking. This series is based upon scriptures from the Bible that will show us the characteristics of a good homemaker. It is a great way to stay focused (at least try) and to practice what the bible requires. Hopefully, we all can work on a character each week to help us be better at home.

The first set of characteristics I want to address for Biblical homemaking is laid out in Titus 2:3-5.

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed (KJV).

The verses address married women (with children) and their responsibilities at home. They are to cloth themselves with these characteristics:

being sober (self-controlled)
loving their husbands
loving their children
being discreet (modest, decent)
being chaste (pure)
being keepers at home
being good
being obedient to their own husbands

I have to say, that I have read these verses over and over and over again but these characteristics do not come easily. The list is not long and it really is not overwhelming, but the natural being wants to do things in his own way, and never God’s way. God has commanded the older and more experienced women to model good examples to younger budding wives and mothers. Older women must first live lives that are holy and reverential before God before they could come alongside and encourage, help, and support.

These first set of characteristics all seem to be dealing with mental soundness and stability which are essentials for keeping it together at home and managing home well. Why? Because there are so many outside forces that tell us otherwise. Homemaking is not valued for what it is worth. So if our hearts are and minds are not in it then we are setting up for failure. We can have houses, but that’s all they will be, houses. It does not matter if we are homemakers who stay-at-home all the time or who go out to work, it is still our responsibility to do well and thrive at our homes. Contrary to popular demand! Making our houses homes for those who live in them is no small task and that is why we need some stability. We cannot be successful if we lack that mental soundness and stability. I love this little quote from Nancy. She says,

You can’t love your husband and your children if you don’t have sound thinking. Because when they are not loveable, if you don’t have sound thinking, you’re going to respond in unloving ways (Nancy Lee DeMoss).

So true though. But to have mental soundness at home, here are a couple things we need to do:

we first need to be sound in our personal relationship with God. He is to be the center of our homemaking. I know I could never keep up with anything if I do not have God’s help. Let’s face it. Daily, I see my weakness at home with not only house work but with family.
and that is where prayer comes in. Proverbs 3:5 and 6 admonishes us to trust in God with all our hearts and to acknowledge him in all our ways. It may seem like a small thing but we truly are helpless and need all the help we can get as homemakers.

I by no means, have it all together. The daily struggle is real. But there is hope in the Lord. Whether you are a young homemaker or a seasoned one who could teach me a thing or two, the key is to focus on building good characteristics that would help us be better at what we are called to do.

What characteristics are you working on at Home today? I would love to know your thoughts in the comments!

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Decor & DIY

Home Tour – Living Room, Family Room, & Kitchen

It is a little over a year since we moved to this home. I told you about our moving problems with delay and water issues with the home. Since then, we have not done much to the home except for the changing of the carpet and painting one bedroom. But I wanted to give you a little tour of the home so you could see where I blog. What you will see will include unfinished wall art – photo frames without photos, empty walls here and there and other, couches that desire extra pillows, mis-matched colors, not so well-decorated places. With three little babies running around, we just have not had time to solely focus on decor.

Today’s tour will include three rooms, Living Room, Family Room and the Kitchen. The lighting in our home is TOTALLY terrible, so bear with the photos. I tried opening the doors to get as much light in as I can but that is what we ended up with. Also, keep in mind that many of these photos (as it has been lately) were taken with a baby in one hand and a camera in the other:=) Yep, we do what we can between naps ya’ll know how that goes! Now unto the tour. . . .

LIVING ROOM

living room 12

HT lv r12

We don’t have an office so I created a small section here. The hubs love it!

The Living Room leads into the Kitchen, which leads into the Family Room.

KITCHEN TOUR – Just old and rustic

Hubby loves this little dinning wall decor here, too.

ht dinning

ht kitchen 5

FAMILY ROOM

Don’t you just love this MAJESTIC mantle?

Some of our kids toys are concealed in these bins. It just helps to keep the room a bit more organized.

fr play kitchen

A bit of a cluttered area, but that has changed since the photos were taken.

There you have it! Hope you enjoyed the tour. Check back later for a tour of the rooms. I hope to have the bedrooms photos up soon!

Updated with New Links:

Master Bedroom Tour

Girls Shared Bedroom

Baby’s Safari Themed Nursery

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Workbooks Resources to Teach Preschoolers At Home

It seemed like yesterday the kids were enjoying summer, now they are already back to school. At least in some districts. Where we live, there are about 3 or 4 schools in the area so I see kids already walking to and from school all the time. Whether your kids go out to school or are homeschooled, there are usually lots and lots of BACK to SCHOOL preparations at hand. There are always the registrations, the purchasing of books, clothes, and school supplies, curriculum (if your kids are homeschooled), school breakfast, snacks, and lunch meal planning, transportation, new school year orientation, pediatrician visits, meetings to attend, school tours, homeschool Co-Op, and everything else that goes into a New School Year. Our kids are not in school yet but from my experience as an educator and even as a student, I know the basics of all that goes on into a new school year.

As our kids grow, there is the decision of whether to homeschool or not. I love teaching and do like to teach our kids various skills at home. Last year, I surveyed a few preschool teachers to see what the kids learn in school. Hmmm, ABCs, coloring, tracing, scissor practice, etc. and learning to walk in lines and to follow instructions. Our kids already knew all that stuff (well maybe not the walking in line part), but I figured I’d save the money and we’d just continue to do what we do at home. We did pretty well last year (see here), but this year though, I wanted something just a bit more organized. Considering I have a preschooler at 4.5 years old, a toddler at 2 years old and baby at 7 months old, we’ll see how that goes:=)

We call it homeschool although it is not really official. Our kids are still little and need LOTS of PLAY and imaginative thinking. They love pretend play, dress-up, running around outside and just being kids. Their PRIMARY way of learning is through play. And of course, they will learn from observing and even participating from what goes on around the home. But they also love doing worksheets. While we are not really firm per say, it gives us some sort of a routine. Especially when the weather gets cooler. Right now we try to enjoy the sunshine as much as we can. But we will continue to use the same books we used in previous times. No big pricey curriculum involved here. I looked at various school curriculum and boy are they pricey. I figured the little work books we have used are sufficient and they teach the same skills that they learn in school. Although, this really is not fully about school – it is more about our kids learning the basics.

So if you have preschoolers at home and need some resources, I have put together some examples that we use. Each of them cost less than $10, some even $1.

School Zone Little Scholar Workbooks (Ages 3 to 5)

I love this little line of preschool books. We have used them for a while now and our preschooler loves them, too. We first started off with the smaller one (Zoo themed) a while ago. It is called Preschool Scholar and can be found on Amazon for less than $4. Then we moved on to the other Big one. I will use the smaller one for our 2.5 year old (to keep her occupied). It is really not necessary. But of course, little sister will want to do something while bigger sister does her thing. And she may learn a thing or two from it, too.

With this book, the kids learn the basics of ABCs, colors, tracing, numbers 0 to 10, actions, measuring, positions of items (first, next,), and they also learn same and different, big and small, etc). Here are some sample pages.

The bigger Preschool book (also found on Amazon for around $8.40) has more pages and seems to be a step up from the smaller one. It has 320 pages of work. The kids will learn pre-writing skills, colors, shapes, ABCs and basic phonics, early math, matching, seek and find, same and different, etc. We really enjoyed these two books so we will use them again. This may only last one semester or less. If your kids are anything like mine, they will want to do all the pages in one setting.

We also started using this other kind of School Zone Little Scholar book when we were done with the red ones. This Preschool Activity book is for ages 4 and up and can also be found on Amazon.

It is a bit more complicated for little kids (so it takes a bit more explaining). It has a lot of pages that deal with finding a path from one end to the next and that could be tricky for kids and adults, alike:=). It also has lots of connecting the dots and seek and find pages. I do prefer the red books over this one just because I am not a huge find of finding those path worksheets.

For supplementary materials we have been using some Pre-K workbooks from Target. Yep, they only cost a $1 in the Dollar isle. I have used them last year and just got some more again. These little books are cheap but they are great for learning the alphabet and for learning math.

Check out a few of the sample pages. They come with loads of reward stickers, too, so that is winner for the kids!

I also found these new kinds from the Dollar isle at Target, too (ages 3+). We have not used these before but it seems like the kids will learn to draw and write on the worksheets.

These will encourage them to use their imagination as they think of objects to put on each page. Some pages they will draw an animal of their choosing, other pages they will decorate cookies, and activities like that. See the following sample pages.

Another line of preschooler activity books I came across at Target the other day is the Leap Frog learning books. Amazon has them, too. I have only used one of the videos called Letter Factory for learning phonics and we love it! My kids love to watch it over and over and over again. So I may look into the big activity workbook. I think we will like it!

So these are what we use for our little learners along with some of mommy-made printables. You can find loads of them on my page here. But remember, little kids need lots of play and exploration. So as much as we would like to jump into school, we would like them to play and have fun, too! So keep that in mind as you plan your “school” days. The books I listed are to be a guide to help boost their learning if you choose to use them at home.

If you have little learners at home, what kinds of material do you use with them? I would love to know your thoughts in the comments.

This post contains affiliate links which means I receive a small compensation if a purchase is made through any of these links.

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Decor & DIY

How to Write on Canvas Tutorial

Writing on Canvas is not as difficult as I once thought. As I was decorating our baby’s room I wanted to do some DIY canvas art for his wall. I searched over the web to find some ideas of how to write on canvas and came across a post using vinyl but I do not remember the post link now. But when my search for vinyl letters failed, I set aside the idea and did some other wall art. I am guessing I should have tried Hobby Lobby or stores of that sort for the vinyl.

But I had some left over canvas sitting in storage and wanted to do something with them. And the idea of creating a sign just would not go away. Then I remembered that the kids had some craft letters that I could use instead of the vinyl. I decide to use them to create a beach sign for some decorations I was doing.

Despite a few imperfections, I truly think it turned out really well for first time. If you do not know how to write on canvas, let me show you.

First, decide what you want to create. What theme do you want? What words do you want to write? How large do you want the letters? What color do you want the words in? What color do you want the rest of the canvas in? (Pick your colors around your theme) How large do you want the piece? Once you have these things in mind, you can then gather the materials:

A piece of canvas
Vinyl, foam, or even scrapbook letters (letters that stick but could easily peel off)
Paint colors (at least two or more)
Paint brushes (various sizes)
Paint pallet or small bowls or something to hold paint
A ruler and a pencil

I wanted a beach team so I chose blue and white colors (see them down below).

The piece of white canvas I had was sized to 8 x 10. I had painted it brown for an attempted art and wrote a word on it (you can see the word if you look closely). I decided to trash that project and repaint the canvas white for this new project.

First: PAINT – Paint your canvas the color you want your words to show up in. Let it dry fully.

Note: If you are going to do white, you may not need to paint if you buy white canvas. Most of them are white but I have seen some black ones, too.

Second: MEASURE – Measure your letters. How far down do you want them from the top and bottom of the canvas. I wanted my letters in the middle so I measured about 4 inches from the top and bottom to the point where I wanted to write the letters. Then measure the space from the sides. How far in do you want the first and last letters? Keep that in mind. Also, measure the space in between the letters. You want it to be nice and sort of even, as much as you can.

Note: I only wanted one word so I measured 4 inches both top and bottom to where I wanted the words. If you are doing many words, just be sure to measure evenly between lines and from top and bottom spacing. It does not have to be 4 inches down or up it could be 1 inch.

Third: ADD LETTERS – Once measuring is done, place the letters on the canvas. My letters claim to be sticky but I find the opposite. For whatever reason, they came with a glue that seemed all dried out to me. But I lightly added some other glue to the back of them to get them to stick (very lightly so they would not adhere firmly and that they would not leave any reside).

Note: If you use vinyl or scrapbook letters glue would not be necessary.

Fourth: PAINT – Paint the canvas. I mixed two colors here to get my look.

Paint over the letters, too.

Add more paint until you get the desired look.

Fifth: REMOVE LETTERS – Slowly and carefully remove the letters. I did not let the paint dry before removing the letters. Don’t worry about the imperfections; they are an easy fix.

Sixth: REFINE – This is where you need a smaller size brush (one of mine was a 1/4 inch). My blue paint smeared some into white letters so I used a very small thin brush to fix. I carefully added white paint to the blue areas on the words. It took me a couple small coats to get rid of the blue on the letters.

Tip: I found it easier to add a first coat of white (no smoothing out yet or else it will create an even greater problem and the blue will go all over the letters). After the first coat on the spot was dried, I repeated the steps until the blue was no longer visible. At the last coat it can be smoothed out to look even. Allow it to dry fully.

Keep smoothing things out until you are satisfied.

Although mine this has a couple rough patches, I decided to leave it this way. Like they say, “it does not have to be perfect to be beautiful!”

It made a lovely piece of beach decor that could be used anywhere in the home. So RELAXING!

What do you think of this tutorial? Have you ever tried writing on canvas before? I would love to know your thoughts in the comments!

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Decor & DIY

DIY Painted Mason Jars

You have probably seen MILLIONS of painted Mason jar posts floating around. And yes, I am going to add another one to the party.

You see, I absolutely love Mason jars and can find many uses for them. I am in the process of redecorating our Master bedroom (well, the one that never got decorated in the first place) and thought I would add some Mason jar as flower vases.

In the past, I have gone from a blue room to a burgundy to a brown and now to add a brighter color shade of blue and aqua. I love how the jars turned out. So we will see how they work in the room.

What I used for this project:

Two 24 ounce Mason Jars (any size would work)

Cascade (color) chalk finish paint

Black chalkboard paint

Paint brush(s) and tray
Sand paper (tiny piece)

To paint the jars, I first gave them two coats of black chalkboard paint (with a few minutes drying between each coat). The only requirement before painting them is to make sure they are clean. I had two “never been” used ones.

When the jars were dried, I went ahead and painted them with a coat of cascade chalk paint. Cascade seems close to the color “aqua”. I love this color!

And then another coat of cascade.

Let them dry fully. Then using sand paper, gently sand the wording and any other area you would like to have a slightly rustic look. This is the reason for the black chalkboard paint.

If you accidentally sand another small area, no worries. Just do the same on the other jar so they both look even (if that is the look your are going for).

I added some fake flowers I had on hand and I think the contrasting colors look wonderful and quite summery! I have had them in our room about two months now even though the room is still progressing. We’ll see if I keep them in there or move them someplace else!

Are you into Mason Jars? Have you tried painting them before? I would love to know in the comments!

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10 Practical Ways to Use Huggies Simply Clean Wipes from Walmart!

Before I had kids, I used to think that Baby wipes were for wiping babies only. But throughout the space of three kids and all the wipes we use (still using), I have discovered many more practical ways to use wipes around the home and on-the-go!

I have tried many brands of wipes but one of my newest favorite types of wipes is the Huggies Simply Clean. It is New & Improved with Triple Clean Layers. Not only do they clean very well but they are soft yet strong enough NOT to fall apart during cleaning. In addition, they come in pretty packs of various prints and even designer tubs for your convenience. We love using them! Did I mention how soft they are and how well they clean? Huggies Wipes are a great way to clean up family’s messes, not just baby’s!

I went ahead a grabbed a big box of 6 individual pack from Walmart so we could use them in many places around our home and for when we are out.

Here are 10 general practical ways to put these wipes to use:

1. To clean Our Bodies:

These wipes can be used for quick personal hygiene purposes – for those times when you need a quick refresh
For make-up removing – I have seen many make up removing wipes in the stores but Huggies wipes are just so mild for the skin
Just think about it.Wipes are known for cleaning up baby messes right? And we know how good they work. So why not try these tripple clean wipes on our own selves?

Are your toddlers still wearing pull-ups? Make changing between pull-ups easy by using Huggies wipes.
After Meals: Ever had a kid whose face and hands were covered with pasta sauce? Yep, these Huggies Tripple Clean Layers come in handy for these times!
Hello Restaurants! We love using wipes to clean our kids messy bodies after eating out at Restaurants!
Our 4 year old just can’t seem to use enough wipes – she is always asking for one for cleaning up!

2. For Bathroom cleaning:

While I love having all-purpose cleaner and a cleaning rag or paper towel handy, these wipes are definitely a “go-to” when I need something real quick, easy, and effective.
They are great for wiping down tubs, sinks, and toilet seats.

3. For Potty Training :

To much easier with these wipes by using them for quick potty cleaning. Even the kids can help clean their little potties.
These are great for potty-training on-the-go.You know, the times when you are out where there is no restrooms and the little ones need to use the potty. Use Huggies wipes to clean them up!

4. Car rides

They are great for cleaning car messes such as cup holders and other car seat spills.

Not to mention, they make dashboards and other parts of car clean-up even faster.
With little kids in the car, ~~they~~ we tend to snack a lot and mess is just inevitable.
I even use them to clean up crumbs that may have fallen in the car
I used to keep a tube of all-purpose cleaning wipes in the car but these Huggies Simply Clean wipes really do the job. And what better wipes to use around the kids than something that is gently and baby-friendly?

Eek…sorry! Just wanted to show you proof that it actually works! And yes, I clean my van but it gets dirty again.

5. In the un-avioidable diaper/storage bag:

Seriously, I thought I would be done with diaper bags once the kids get to be around a year old or two. So not the case. There is always the possibility of a toddler spilling something on their clothes and needing a change or with our crazy weather here – one day it may be hot and the next, very cold. So keeping a bag in the car helps for when we are on the go and of course, we always need wipes handy for those times when we are out and someone needs a quick clean up.

6. Play-time clean-up:

Keeping kids toys clean is a must! Why not use these wipes to make cleaning toys easier? Keep a pack in the playroom or in the kids play area to clean toys.

Going to play outside or at the park: Huggies wipes make hand and face cleaning easy at the park. When kids are outside, they like to explore. We want to make sure they come up clean after all that exploring and finding who knows what!
Quick story: The other day, we were at the park and one of our daughters found something (pom pom, I believe) and brought it to her daddy. He told her that he did not know where it had been so it was not the best to wave it around. I was happy to pull out a Huggies triple clean wipe and wipe of her hands after we told her to throw it away.
Also, We like to take snacks to the park. Keep those little hands germ free from playing on the rides and so forth when it is time to eat or use them to clean up after eating.

7. For electronic care:

Want to quickly wipe down electronics – I am guilty of using wipes for this, especially my phone
Or how about those computer screens – I have used wipes for cleaning them, too

8. For clothing care:

Did you know that these Huggies Wipes could be used to clean up spills on clothing, too?
Quick story: My hubby was packing for a business trip and realized that one of his pants he wanted to pack had a little spill. I immediately looked across the room and saw a pack of these wipes on the dresser and encouraged him to use one to clean his pants. And what do you know, it sure worked! No more trying to wash and dry pants while packing in the middle of the night!

9. For Shoe cleaning:

Yes! I have used wipes for this, too.
Sometimes, it is the quickest cleaning product to find and use for shoes!

10. And for general all-purpose cleaning:

Got a spill on the kitchen table or floor? These Huggies wipes are good for that, too
Want to wipe down counters and appliances without having to reach for your cleaning basket? Have no fear, because you can surely use Huggies Wipes for these, too

So these are some of our favorite ways to use diaper wipes, especially the Huggies Simply Clean wipes with triple layers. Remember, these wipes can be used whether or not you have little ones at home. And if you are sensitive to all the other kinds of cleaning wipes on the market, you may want to try using something mild – like these wipes!

So what are you waiting for? Hopefully, I have convinced you enough to head over to Walmart to learn more about these awesome wipes and to grab a few packs for your easy effective cleaning needs! And while you are there, check out these four short videos of how these wipes are used.

• 101: HUGGIES® Wipes, the ONLY wipes with TripleClean* layers. Because Kids Outgrow Diapers, Not Messes.* #tripleclean
• Explorers: Don’t let a little mess get in the way of a lot of fun! HUGGIES® Wipes helps ALL explorers stay in the adventure. #bestfriend
• Pasta Baby: Question: What happens when babies and pasta collide? Answer: HUGGIES® Wipes with TripleClean* layers.
• Playtime: Playtime can be a dirty job. HUGGIES® Wipes. Keep the play. Not the dirty.

What uses have you found for Huggies Diaper Wipes?

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Decor & DIY

Guest Post: 5 Tips for Decluttering Your Home

It’s being a while since I have had a guest post on here but I am honored to welcome Olivia to the blog today. She offers some great decluttering tips that I am sure you would love. I intend to use these tips as I am constantly decluttering our home. Thanks Olivia and Welcome!

Hi! My name is Olivia and I’m the voice behind the blog Simply Liv, where I write about living simply and authentically with bits and pieces of my family’s day to day thrown in. I’m a young wife and mama to 18-month-old Evie with our second girl due any day!

Be sure to check out Olivia’s blog to find more inspiration about living simply!

I’m so excited to share a few of my tips to simplify your home with you today! Decluttering is something I love and goes perfectly with living a more simple and intentional life- unfortunately, I’m not that great at it naturally. Because of that, I’ve had to be very intentional with taking care of clutter around our house, or I know our “stuff” would just lie there and accumulate.

I’ve never really thought of myself as a minimalist, but since buying our first home a few months ago, I’m realizing how much I appreciate it when everything has a place, and how much I hate cramped, cluttered spaces. So, today I wanted to share a little bit of what I’ve learned with you!

The great thing about these tips, is that no matter what kind of home you have- tiny apartment, or spacious house, rented or owned- these tips can still apply to you!

1// Inventory: This can be a mental or physical step. Before any organizing can happen, you must first know what you already have. More often than not, we will find things hidden deep in closets that we forgot about completely.

2// Decide what you want to keep and what you should donate/toss/sell. Don’t let the things with just a little bit of sentimental value take up extra space in your home. Put things in storage if you absolutely can’t part with them. Decide what you need and get rid of the rest.

3// Give everything a home. Pens, paperclips, tubberware, extra blankets…all of the small things add up, so it’s important that they all have a designated spot. Even if that home is a junk drawer with some bins for sorting. If it doesn’t have a place, it will just sit in the middle of your home, creating an eyesore.

4// Utilize all of your space. This one can feel challenging, especially in a small home. Trust me, I’ve lived in some tiny spaces. But one of the biggest things I learned was how to take advantage of unused space and turn it into storage. That open space above your fridge? Use it to store bottles or vases or grab some wire bins and throw your fruit up there.
Installing open shelving can be a huge lifesaver as well. If you have even half of a wall, you can hang two or three shelves up in any room. It will be a game changer, I promise.

5// Remember that life is messy. In our quest for organization it’s easy to forget that there is no such thing as the perfect home. Give yourself grace daily and remember that organization won’t happen overnight!

Good luck, friends! And be sure to stop by my blog for more inspiration on simplifying your life.

Simply,

Liv

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That Day When You Get to Imitate a Disney Princess!

It’s being a while since I have done a weekend review post where I share our family events. But have you ever dreamed of being one of those Disney princesses or any other kind of princess? My girls are always playing dress-up and princesses. Who is to say, we are not princess in our own way. Well, according to man’s definition, I guess there are certain qualifications. But when the whole pretend princess play at our house becomes a little too much, I try to teach my girls that they are princesses in their own way. And that they do not have to always dress up or pretend to be a Disney princess to actually be a princess. Really mom?! At two and four – nope we totally do not understand that concept! After all, I probably did not get it until I was well into my teenage years. You know – that person we so dearly admired and wanted to be “just like them!” Anyone with me? Think back for a moment; I am sure someone will come to mind.

In any event, some of the ladies of our church wanted to host a Princess party for little girls from age four up to fourth grade. I was asked to be Princess Tiana. That one from the movie “The Princess and the Frog.” Thankfully, no real frog for the party! Not that there was not anyone else to ask, but each person who acted as a Princess was special in each own way. I knew my little girls, especially the 4 year old, would be ecstatic to see mommy play a princess:)

The main reason for the party was to point little girls to Christ. We wanted them to know that they could become daughters and princesses of the KING (Christ). Yes, we think creatively like that. Actually, Michelle (who played Ariel) is so very creative in that area. She is super talented when it comes to acting and speaking. Both she and our Senior Pastor’s wife did amazing by putting this together!

The party was only about 3 hours long but it was a lot of fun for everyone! Some of the activities of the day included:

listening to a short presentation of the Word of God from someone who played the queen
making tiaras – people bow to Kings and queens and every person will one day bow to Christ
nail painting – princesses love to look beautiful and Christ can make our hearts beautiful
light snack (pink popcorn, cookies, grapes) – When we eat we get hungry again but Christ can fill us up
singing – the Princesses sang “A Dream is a Wish” from Cinderella and a few of the other Princesses sang songs relating to their movies
Autographing (fake, of course) – Mine was something like Tia (no Disney copyright violation)
and taking lots of photos and having fun

It was such a fun party and so very tiring. All of the little princesses who came were a little over two hundred. Not mention, their mommies and daddies, aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas, guardians, dogs, cats, and everyone else they brought with them as escorts! They were all dressed in a princess gown of their choice! They had so much fun! Many of the parents told us that they were thankful for such an activity. It was very well coordinated.

So if you are a person who loves to watch other people’s photos, you’ll probably enjoy this post.

Note: I couldn’t snap the photos because I was part of the act. So while they may not be all the best, I am thankful for the bits and pieces I gathered from others and from the one who had my camera. There is someone else who took many photos for me but I have not yet collected them. So for now, I hope you enjoy these!

So unto the photos. . .

The ladies in our church are pretty TALENTED! Our costumes were made by 12 different ladies from our church. Each one made a costume. Mine was made by a young lady (barely 30 years old). The white under the costume is her wedding gown redone! Then she added the green parts of the costume. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Kudos to these talented seamstresses!

I did my girls hair pretty!

Getting ready at church. My youngest daughter (2 years old) got to be at the party but the activities were not geared for her age. So she walked around with a babysitter. The baby was with a babysitter there, too, but he was not very happy:=( Hubby had a graduation event at his job all day so he couldn’t help. But we made it through:)

This little girl in the Rapunzel costume – her sister played Princess Elsa (you’ll see her in the photos below).

Brianna (just finished her Freshman year in college) is my assistant. Actually she is Tammy from Creative K Kids niece. Each princess had a helper. Here we are standing in one part of the church’s lobby waiting for the little princesses (kids) to arrive. We greeted and did autographs. Again, NOT the real autographs, of course. Don’t want to violate Disney’s copyright laws.

People every where! And this is just a sample. The church’s auditorium was packed!

Making an entrance on stage. The costume was too long so I had to hold it up so I would not trip down the stairs.

Me, being goofy to one of my friends down below (I know – a goofy princess). I was leading a group of girls up to a classroom to make tiaras. Each princess (and their assistant) had a group of girls they were responsible for during the activities. The church has a large school, over 1,000 kids from 3 years old all the way up to high school. So some of the classrooms are also used as Sunday school or other activity rooms.

Met some of your other princesses!

Princess Belle! Played by Andrea (you can catch a glimpse of her hubby and little son in the corner there). She also works at the school. Isn’t she stunning?! That dress!

Belle with my daughter.

And other little princesses.

Signing Autographs.

Princess Aurora! Played by Tina – a good friend of ours! Tina works at the school, too.

Princess Jasmine from Aladdin! Played by Karina. She was home on vacation from college. Her dad did some amazing photographs. See the link below to view them if you wish! Such a pretty and very sweet young lady.

Snow White, Mulan, and Pocahontas! Snow White was played by Cindy, a very talented young nurse. Mulan was played by Megan; a young college student who plays the piano exceptionally well and sometimes helps to coordinate the church’s Christmas music programs. She was just too cute with that little fan “thingie”. And Pocahontas was played by Leng. She is actually a deaf young lady who attends the Deaf ministry at church.

Ariel with Snow White! Ariel was played by Michelle. Remember Michelle in the opening of this post? Yep, the one who coordinated this party. She is the children’s pastor’s wife and is just a spectacular woman!

Ariel singing “Under the Sea” and another song! Sorry about the blurry shots here, too.

This is Katie VanderKooi – one of our super talented pianist! And I guess musician all around! She also teaches music at the school. I mean, just by her last name you can tell how talented she is.

Hello Cinderella! Played by Kaitlin. Such a very sweet young girl.

Telling her story.

My daughter wanted to be dressed like Cinderella so I bought her this pretty dress. Here she is with her little friend Sophia and her sister and of course, Cinderella.

Rapunzel and Flynn! Rapunzel was played by Angela who is a music and voice teacher at the school. Such a voice I tell you! She also made the crown I am wearing. And Flynn is played by Jason from our church who recently graduated from College. Both of his parents work at the school – his dad being the Administrative Assistance.

Singing!

Princess Anna! Yea – what girl doesn’t want to see Princess Anna?! Played by Courtney – she is our senior pastor’s daughter. She is in 11th grade, I believe. Her costume couldn’t be more exact! My daughter loves her because she babysits her from time to time.

And let’s not forget her famous sister, the Ice Princess! Elsa was played by Paetyn – I think she is in 11th grade, too. Doesn’t she look like Elsa? I have always thought that she sort of looks like Elsa since the movie came out. All her sisters (in real life) are beautiful! Remember her little sister in one of the opening photos with my kids? Yep, beautiful!

Tiana, Mulan, and Jasmine!

And some more randomness!

More Autographs. We did them both at the beginning and at the ending of the party.

Your mob of people again!

Just a few after shots with my kid.

We are looking up at the balcony on the top floor at the professional photographer.

And here are all twelve of us – I wrote our names by each of us. About five of us are married and three of us with kids. The others are either in high school or college. It was fun and the gospel went out but it was also very tiring!

And now to ruin all the fun happy princess photos – let’s get back to reality here! We were all so tired from that day, the girls passed out on the couch for hours of nap-time. Of course, little baby J was awake so I had to keep awake, too.

Are you awake and refreshed now, kiddo?

I hope you enjoyed the photos. And even don’t ask what I did because I have no idea. Basically, I was just walking around smiling, taking photos with little girls and pretending like I knew what I was doing! Ha!

What do you think? Doesn’t every princess sort of had the appearance of the real princess? Have you ever played a princess in something like this event before? I would love to know your thoughts in the comments!

To see the real crisp shots and everything from the party taken from the professional photographer (Princess Jasmine’s dad) visit this link. . . Princess Party, 2015! You got to check out the queen in her purple costume!

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness (Proverbs 31:27, KJV).

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7 All-Natural Ways to Help a Gassy Baby

This post on 7 all-natural ways to help a gassy baby contains affiliate links for your convenience. Read my disclosure here.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor neither do I work in the medical field. All opinions in this post are based on my very own experience with our children. These 7 All-Natural Ways to Help a Gassy Baby that I am going to share are what worked for our kids. If you have concerns, always check with your child’s pediatrician before trying them.

7 All-Natural Ways to Help a Gassy Baby

So we bring home our precious little bundles and try our best to make them feel comfortable as best as we know how considering they are now getting used to this “outside” life thing. We give them warm comfy clothing and beautiful bedding; we feed them constantly; and we SNUGGLE. But sometimes our little ones tend to be so uncomfortable despite all our good attempts to make them comfortable and it just breaks mommy and daddy’s hearts. This could be a result of various reasons: one of them being having a gassy little stomach.

If you are breastfeeding and your newborn baby or young child seems to be fussy and uncomfortable all the time it might be that they are filled with gassiness and they need some relief. Keep in mind that relief may come out in one of three different ways: spitting up, passing gas, or going number two. Would love to know some better (proper) names for these phrases but in any event, if your baby is experiencing gassiness, be encouraged. There are some all-natural steps you can take to help your baby feel better. And help mommy and daddy feel better, too:) These steps have been tried and true with all three of our babies including our new baby (now 5 months old).

But before we move unto the steps, let’s first take a look at reasons why your baby may experience gassiness, then will discuss the symptoms.

3 main reasons why a baby may experience gassiness

1) As a Result of Mom’s Diet: Some babies who are breastfed may be gassy from what their moms eat. Foods such as caffeine, dairy, broccoli, onions, citrus, & spicy foods tend to produce gassiness in babies. Let’s take a specific look into these kinds of foods:

Caffeine: Includes foods such as coffee, chocolate, soda pops, caffeinated teas and other caffeinated type beverages.
Dairy: Some babies tend to get very gassy from dairy based foods such as milk, yogurt, & cheese.
Certain vegetables: Watch out for veges such as broccoli and onions. My babies had high resistance and massive gassiness from foods of the like.
Other foods may include citrus type fruits such as oranges. I found that my babies were very fussy whenever I drank orange juice.
And let us not forget the spicy foods that contain pepper or other strong ingredients.

2) As a Result of Too Much Ingested Air: Some babies take in too much air as they nurse or are feed from a bottle. All that air build up needs to escape or else, the baby will be gassy and fussy.

3) As a Result of Natural Reasons: Sometimes a baby’s digestive tract just has to get used to feeding outside of the womb and to figure out its way of operation. If this is the case, it is tough to find methods of relief. It seems like no matter what you try, the baby will continue to be fussy. Eventually though, this will go away on its own.

How can I tell if my baby is gassy?

Here are some of the Symptoms I have noticed:

baby is curling the legs
grunting
fussing
kicking as if trying to relieve something from the stomach
baby’s nap is interrupted because it seems like something is bothering him/her
his navel looks puffy
crying hysterically

Note: If you ate or drank any of the food and drinks listed above check your baby’s reaction 3 to 6 hours after. If any of the symptoms are present, then maybe you ate something that did not agree with him/her. Always remember though, that the baby could be reacting from taking in too much air or his tiny stomach may be trying to adjust to eating outside of the womb.

7 Methods to Try if Your Baby Has Gassiness Symptoms

These methods have worked for us with all three babies. My hubby loves to try these to help our kids.

1. Burping Baby – First, I know you probably already do this one but try burping the baby over your shoulders or resting him/her downward on your knees. Sometimes, babies just need to burp and even spit up to help them feel better. This has worked for us many times.

2. Pushing Baby’s Leg – Gently hold on to baby’s ankles and push them toward his stomach. Hold for 2 -3 seconds then release by stretching out baby’s legs. Repeat this step a couple times.

3. Rubbing Baby’s Tummy – Gently rub babies stomach in a clockwise motion. This follows the path of the large intestines and could help release some gas. Tip: I usually use some baby lotion to rub or massage the area.

4. Pushing Baby’s Navel – Gently push on baby’s navel. If you hear a bubbly sound, then most likely some gas has gathered up in there. Pushing on the navel helps release that gas. Be ready, it may come out in one of two ways!

5. Use of Thermometer – Using a thermometer, gently insert it into the baby’s bottom area. Maybe he needs to release some (you know what). I like to add just a tad bit of Vaseline to make the process easier.

6. Abstain from Your Favorite Foods – And here is a great tip that works like a champ, ABSTAIN from eating all your favorite gassy foods for a while. I know, it is so difficult! Especially when you think of that yummy yogurt parfait you desire for breakfast. Or you smell that coffee that your hubby is brewing and you know you need a cup because you were up late with the baby during the night and you just need something to keep your eyes open. Hello! Please tell me I am not alone here! Albeit, I have had to give up certain foods for more than a year during breastfeeding. Yep I said more than a year. I nurse until about 18 months! But it is all for the good of these babies!

7. Mommy’s Bliss Natural Gripe Water – If you have tried the above methods and still need help, try using some Mommy’s Bliss All-Natural Gripe Water (affiliate link). We began using this with our second daughter when we couldn’t figure out what in the world was going on with her at times. We found it to be very helpful in relieving her gassiness. Follow the dosage instructions on the bottle before giving it to your baby.

So these are the things to try at home to help a gassy baby. If you have tried every one (even abstaining) and nothing works, then you may want to check with your baby’s pediatrician to see what is going on in there.

Note: Remember, I am not a doctor by any means but I have had three children (one is still very new). Over the years of experiencing gassy babies and talking to the pediatrician, I have learned these tips and tricks. Again, if you have concerns, always check with your child’s pediatrician.

If you have a newborn or a young baby, do you find him/her gassy? If your kids are older, were they gassy babies? What are some natural home methods you’ve tried? Would love to know in the comments!

This post contains affiliate links which means I will receive a small compensation if a purchase is made through any of these links.

She looketh well to the ways of here household, and eateth not the bread of idleness (Proverbs 31:27, KJV).

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Decor & DIY

Adorable Safari Themed Baby Boy’s Room Reveal

Well, it’s about time! The baby turned 5 months old and I am just now getting to show you his room. My, where has the time gone! Seems like yesterday I was holding this tiny little boy in my arms. Now he is a hefty 17-1/2 pounds bouncing baby boy!!

At the time of his birth at the end of December, his room was not yet completed. So we had to work on it between naps and any other little bit of time we could put into it. Getting the room done was one thing. Taking the photos, editing them, and typing the post is another story. But we finally got it all together! The photos were taken at different times of day and on different days (whenever I could squeeze them in) so bear with the lighting.

Back in March, I showed you the progress we made by adding new paint and carpet. And then I added some wall decals and kept on adding bits and pieces to put the room together. So today, I bring you the full reveal!

There are so many cute ways to decorate a baby’s room. Initially, I thought of doing something with cars or boats, or balls. But I decided to go with a Safari/Jungle theme instead because animals are cute for little babies. I figured we will see what he likes as he gets older and then we can decide on changing the theme. But for now, here is the Safari Themed Nursery I put together for him.

I started off by purchasing a Jungle Buddies Bedtime Originals crib bedding set which included a crib sheet, a quilt, and a dust ruffle. Then I added coordinating pieces such as the lamp, wall decals, extra blankets, window valance (not sure what I did with it now so I am using another curtain), and a forbidden crib bumper which I already removed once the baby began to roll.

And these pieces.

And if you think to yourself as you view the photos that it looks like a jungle – that’s the point. Actually, it really is not cluttered at all. It is a very spacious room and it stays pretty neat all the time.

This honey-colored crib (from K-Mart) with built in changing station and storage was passed down from daughter number one to the other two kids.

The storage areas of the crib are so helpful.

Above the crib I added some wall decals from Amazon and a photo frame with a picture of the baby. I found the frame from Hobby Lobby.

The hand and food prints are just part of the paper from the frame. I still need to do something more with the collage.

This crib mobile was also our first daughter’s. It plays soft lullaby music, rain forest sounds, and heart beat sounds. It also lights up and spins the animals around. We found it at Target 4 years ago. As the kid grows older the top part of the mobile could be removed and the bottom part could be used as a music box.

On the floor, there is this 4ft standing giraffe I purchased from Amazon. The girls like to ride on it and play pretend “feed the giraffe”.

And here is a little natural wood train I bought from Hobby Lobby and painted it blue.

On another side of the room sits this large six drawer dresser that hubby found at IKEA.

It is very large and the drawers are wide and deep. It holds plenty of clothing.

So, what’s on the dresser?

This white basket was filled with gifts from one of Hubby’s co-worker. I am using it to hold a few baby essentials. The doggie was also filled with baby gifts from one of our friends from church.

The elephant in the following photo is ceramic from Target’s craft isle. It came white but I repainted it grey. I like it white though. But for my preschooler’s sake who tells me Elephants are grey, I guess we’ll keep it that way.

The wooden tissue box was found at Target. I decided to leave the box color as is rather than painting it. I bought the little froggie from Walmart (craft isle) for .47 cents and glued it onto the box. You’ll notice I did the same thing with some photo frames and a piece of canvas wall art.

And you can see that I did the same thing with the photo frames as I did with the Tissue box. The frames are from IKEA.

Both the yellow vase and the plant are from Hobby Lobby.

Above the dresser you can see this monkey. This little monkey is from the Dollar Tree. Yep, went from places like IKEA and Hobby Lobby and back down to the Dollar Tree!

And let us not forget this DIY Canvas Letter that I posted on a few weeks ago. The giraffe was done in the same fashion.

This room has no light bulbs installed. After trying to find a good standing lamp with the perfect blue lamp shade, I gave up and went with a cheap clear one from Walmart. The frog is part of the wall decals I mentioned above.

This other part of the room is next to the closet.

The closet is not totally put together but look at all that clothes he has thanks to a lovely lady from church and gifts we received from others. The clothes are organized in bins and a diaper box from newborn all the way up to age 4 years old. These clothes plus the the ones in the large IKEA dresser I should you above and also those in the crib drawers. I know!

On that side next to the closet sits a small nightstand with a lamp, books including a Baby Memory book, and some other items. The night stand is from Target. There is also a rocking chair and toy storage bin (more explanation on those below).

I created this scriptural sign in Picmonkey and framed it to 8 x 10.

I found the lamp from Ebay. They came from a retail store (not a person). I found them just a tad cheaper than they were on Amazon. It is a coordinating part of the crib bedding set.

At the bottom of the stand I placed the Baby Memory book, a small soft ball from IKEA and a tall vase. I also got it white from the craft isle at Target then repainted it aqua.

This rocking chair was also bought for our first daughter. The blue personalized blanket on the chair was bought from Walmart Online. I personalized it by adding the baby’s name and date of birth. I found one for our first daughter 4 years ago around Valentine and figured I’d get one for our other two kids, too. And of course, as you can see, a nursing pillow sits on the chair. I hardly even use the chair and the pillow anymore. I still breastfeed but the couch is more comfi!

Ha ha – yep, toy monkeys turned curtain tie-backs! They are also from the Dollar Tree and have Velcro on the hands. So I figured why not. Just doubled their hands tight enough and stuck them together.

I love how the trees and the neighbor’s house were captured in this photo.

This “Hello” sign was found on clearance at Target. Hence my inspiration to frame the letter “J” and the Zebra above.

Here are all of the wall art pieces. The elephant and zebra on the right were part of the crib bedding collection.

And here are all of the personalized pieces.

Other items in the room.

I love this little money fabric storage bin that I found at Big Lots. It was the last one they had.

These are some Safari and Jungle themed baby gears that are not in the room but go along with the theme.

So what do you think of this Safari room? I hope you at least enjoyed the photos!

This post contains affiliate links which means I would receive a small compensation if a purchase is made through any of these links.

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness (Proverbs 31:27, KJV).

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Decor & DIY

Decorating with Dollar Tree Art Paintings in Upscaled Photo Frames

About 2 months ago, I started doing a small gallery wall. And boy is this taking a while to complete. Although it is a small gallery with only about 5 pieces, getting the correct frames and photos and time to just finish it is truly a process. Maybe it is because I did not have everything I needed on hand when I started. But I think we are almost there. Photos on the gallery wall to appear on the blog later.

Anyway, these art-work you see in this post are going up on the wall. So I am going to explain how I got them (as if it’s not already clear in the title of the post)! Let’s just pretend you had not seen the title:)

After sorting through a range of photo frames I had on hand for the gallery wall, I finally gave in and bought two new 8 x 10 ones from Kohls. I needed a white and a black but the frames I had just were not working right for the look I was trying to achieve. I love the weathered look of these new frames. They sort of go along with some other ones I bought from Home Goods a few years ago.

They were originally $21.99 a piece. I don’t know about you, but I never buy regular frames for that amount, especially 8 x 10 frames. I want my frames to look good and not fall apart as soon as I bring them home. It has happened to me a lot in the past. So now I look for great sturdy frames from good stores at sale prices.

But the good news about these frames? They were on sale for half off making them $10.99 a piece. Even better, I had a free $10 Kohl’s coupon so I only paid for the price of one at $10.99 or $5.99 each. I love a good deal from a good store! We frequently get those coupons in the mail so you know I would be putting them to good use for other stuff at Kohl’s!!

Choosing photos to use on the gallery wall is another story. As I was going back on forth on what art or photo pieces I wanted to include in the gallery, I thought that I would put two art pieces on the wall instead of family photos (I have elsewhere). Originally, I decided on making two printables for the frames: one that reads Home Sweet Home with a small picture in the middle or something to that extent and another with a beautiful still life flower in a vase. But it seemed like I just could not find the time to create them.

BTW: I do have a little painting skills – I have taken a class in the past but I just do not have the time to paint pieces right now.

So while I was at the Dollar Tree shopping for a few things one day and was checking the photo isle, I spotted art paintings and immediately got the bright idea to use Dollar Tree paintings instead of creating some (at least for right now). I did not get them that same day, though, because I had already kept the kids out long enough and we still had to swing by Walmart. In addition, I did not want to just get any random paintings that did not go well with our home decor so I figured I would go back another day and carefully seek through the paintings. And I did! I am very much pleased with the pieces I picked out.

Note: I only buy selected items from the Dollar tree because of the quality. My hubby always teases me that I get stuff from the Dollar Tree and two months later, I seem to not like them anymore. But I think that is different with these paintings. I love them so!

I was about to pick something blue-ish (painted branches) that I had seen previously but could not find the one. So while digging through the stack with a baby in one hand and a toddler and a preschooler at my feet, I spotted these two pieces. I knew immediately that they would work perfectly for the wall!!

Six things I love about the paintings:

They are beautiful and are in line with my home decor. Well maybe not the pink so much but I love the rustic, yet girly look from that painting.
I needed both a horizontal and a vertical 8 x 10 frame. I found them both.
Each piece of painting matches each color of frame so perfectly.
The rustic look of the paintings go so well with the weathered look of the frames.
They do not look cheap and Dollar Tree-ish at all in these upscaled frames!
I couldn’t have spotted any more perfect paintings!

This is how the back of the paintings look in a thin frame. They were glued but I totally reaped them apart to remove the paintings.

Then I removed the paper from the good frames and put in the painting from the Dollar tree.

Look at that and how beautiful it turned out!

And here is the rustic one with some pretty flowers and lovely decor. So beautiful!!!!

All in all, I think this little project was such a success and I did not have to spend a lot of money to do it!!

Although my intent is to use them for a small gallery wall, they can also be used on tables or mantles because they have that standing support at the back.

This cute little red flower in the cute vase was given to the moms who dedicated their little babies during our morning worship service on Mother’s Day.

I am so very pleased with how well they turned out! Now to put them on the wall and I think we are good to go!!

What do you think of these? Am I the only one who thinks they are beautiful!! Have you done something like this before with stuff from the Dollar Tree? I would love to know your thoughts in the comments below!

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness (Proverbs 31:27, KJV).

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7 All-Natural Ways to Help a Gassy Baby

3 main reasons why a baby may experience gassiness

How can I tell if my baby is gassy?

Here are some of the Symptoms I have noticed:

7 Methods to Try if Your Baby Has Gassiness Symptoms

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