I am not sure whether I am more in love with the bubble gum colors and frill of Paisley & Posies designs or if it is the playfulness of the candy coated photography. Both really make me smile! I can’t help but to want my little girl to run around the house in a tu-tu. I think they are full of magic and fun!
Good morning everybody. Hope you all had a sunny filled weekend!
Here is a sweet idea that would surprise any kid on any given morning. Colorful pancakes! I fixed these this past Sunday and our son was so thrilled at the sight of them. These are perfect for sunny spring and summer mornings. Just separate your pancake batter into bowls and stir in any color you like. I used a neon green, pink, and blue! I don’t like to use food coloring often, but when I do, I must say that it’s tons of fun! Yay for pretty colors!
I have always wanted to makeover my cleaning regimen and one thing in particular that I have been meaning to do is to get rid of all the clashy boxes and bottles that the laundry detergent and cleaning supplies come in. In fact, I have done this with our cereal. I made some simple white drop cloth bags to keep our cereal in because there is nothing more irritating to me than seeing a bunch of cereal boxes lined up on top of the fridge.
This photo pretty much sums up what I envision in my head. This idea really does make a difference in how you feel when you go to do laundry or tidy up. I actually have a few of these type of bottles(mine look just like these and are french lemonade bottles in which you can find them in the soda aisle at the market). I mean for most of us cleaning is not a pretty task, so why not add a little decorative flair to such a mundane activity and make cleaning a bit more cute!
OMG I love these! How cute. This company called MIMI’Lou out of France creates some of the most cutest wall decals for the little tots. These are my favorites. I also wanted to post this because for those of us that cannot afford such a splurge for the little ones, these sort of images can work for all the artsy moms by using a stencil transfer or freehand drawing of your own designs onto a wall or nestled within a corner or two, or you could use different fabric patterns to fill in shapes such as circles, mushrooms, hearts, and flowers!
Oh how darling. Not only do I love the name of the website “Dimples & Dandelions”, but I adore these bedding collections for girls! From pretty and frilly to simple and chic, these designs are sure to make your little girl feel like the magical princess she is!
You know, I have re-arranged our little boys room so many times and have purged lots of toys that he has outgrown and even items that he has “collected” from around the house and turned into toys, but no matter what I do, he still seems to find a way to make a huge mess with random little trinkets. I do not necessarily blame him for the untidiness. My theory is that if I had a better way of keeping his room ORGANIZED, then he would have an easier time keeping it tidy.
Whenever we move to our next home (I just do not feel like re-decorating this apartment of ours) I want to design his room with lots of “cubby” holes, wide bookshelves, and plenty of organized spaces. One thing about decorating a child’s room is that we as moms can get a little bit unrealistic. Sometimes we try to make it LOOK good and we tend to forget about the practicality of it for the little ones…lol.
So while browsing the web for inspiration, I came across a cool flickr group called “Ikea Shelves”. I grew quite fond of these shelves featured in an array of kids rooms!
I have been meaning to share this little tip for quite some time now. If any of you moms are like me, then you may have kids who thinks that a happy meal or any kids meal at a fast food restaurant is super exciting. The problem on our end is that we do not eat that much fast food that would include cute boxes and trade marked toys. So, to make a long story short, I decided to make my own happy meal for the little one not too long ago. I fixed him chicken nuggets and fries and packaged it up in a brown paper bag that I glued coloring sheet and activity cut-outs to (the front is a free Phineas & Pherb coloring sheet that I trimmed, and the back is a cut-out of a free activity worksheet). He LOVED it! You can find all sorts of activity sheets for free on the web. Simply scale them down a bit to fit your bag or box. I also included a few of his crayons so that he can “play” as he ate. I also used some card stock paper and made a little box to put the chicken nuggets in and made a pouch for the fries and lined the box with tin foil.
I plan to make more of these for him with different foods and I will gather up some inexpensive toys to include in them. I loved this idea because for all of you who prefer not to give your kids fast food, who are vegans and vegetarians, or if your child has to follow a special diet, then this is a fun way to make their meal happy without the side effects of processed food from the local fast food joint! So, when you have a moment, definitely give this idea a try, your kids are sure to love it!
How adorable! I love these pieces from Fawn & Forest! Their kid products are contemporary, fun, and colorful. I especially love the mobile below & I am trying to think of a way to make one of these myself to hang over the crib for our baby girl which is due in May! I’m thinking pastel butterflies! I will keep you posted on that! Anyhow, if your kids room or nursery has a contemporary feel, then you should head on over and check them out. Even if you do not have a contemporary feel in your child’s room, they still carry some adorable pieces that would fit any style of decor!
Colorful inspiration for a cute and fun playroom for a little girl!
Every now and then I will be highlighting some of the most inspiring mamas in the blogosphere..lol. I have sent out many interview requests and cannot wait to share their motherly inspiration here on Inspiring Mama. First up in our inspiring mama collection is Amanda of Mandajuice. Enjoy…she shares some great words of motherly wisdom & advice!
Who: Amanda
Where: Mandajuice
Why: I really enjoy Amandas humorous in your face sort of writing style on her blog, I like her honesty, her love for her children, her amazing dedication to taking photos and videos of her children and family, and I am beyond inspired by her weight loss story. You can find parts 2-9 on the left rail of her blog.
Occupation: Writer! Aspiring novelist.
Hometown: Vancouver, WA
Number of Children: 2
Her Perfect “Me Time”: Couch, coffee, Kindle.
Inspiring Mama: What do you enjoy the most about motherhood & what do you least like about it that you wish you could change?
Amanda: The answer to both questions is the same: the decibel level. I love having a chaotic house filled with noise. But sometimes I wish they’d all shut up so I could read.
Inspiring Mama: Since becoming a mother, what have you learned from your kids about yourself and or life?
Amanda: I’ve learned that we’re all born into our personalities. When you have one kid, you get this God complex where you actually believe that you have a say in who they become. By the time you have two, you realize you have NOTHING to do with it. We are all born to be the people we become. I should have known this before having kids because I come from a big family. All four of my brothers and sisters and I are so totally different that it’s impossible to imagine we share any DNA. But we do. I love watching old home videos because I was just as bossy and independent at six as I am now. I try to take a lot of videos of my kids because I’m sure some day they’ll look back and see that they were always themselves. I’ll never try to change them.
Her Recipes: Cashew Chicken,Simple Pizza Crust, Mushroom Orzo Pasta, Tasty Roasted Cauliflower.
Inspiring Mama: What do you hope your child(ren) will learn from you and carry with them through life?
Amanda: Optimism. Enthusiasm. Logic. I mostly just want them to embrace those personalities they were born into. And read. I hope my children love words as much as I do.
Inspiring Mama: Considering you were a financial planner before becoming a stay at home mom, do you have any tips or advice for managing the family finances?
Amanda: I think my biggest piece of advice is the simplest one: HAVE A PLAN. I repeat: HAVE. A. PLAN. Nothing breaks my heart more than to see families living paycheck to paycheck, never achieving any goals because they never SET any. It doesn’t matter how much money you make, you still need to be the captain of your own ship, even if the winds aren’t blowing in the right direction.
Inspiring Mama: Just for fun, describe the perfect meal for your son, and the perfect ,meal for your daughter?
Amanda: Both kids love macaroni and cheese (Annie’s organic white cheddar shells) with chocolate milk.
So our little one has been begging me day after day to make some popsicles for him. Although they are probably the easiest dessert to make, I just kept putting it off. Anyhow last night we made what we call mini pops. They are quite yummy and a perfect size for a little treat or snack.
For the strawberry pops we used fresh strawberries, added some sugar. The sugar helps your pops freeze better, otherwise you will end up with ice pops..LOL, but be careful not to add too much sugar as it will make your pops too soft and will not mold properly. I would say we added about a Tbsp. We also added just a little bit of lemonade to it..just a little and blended it into a puree. For the pineapple-lemonade we blended fresh pineapple, and lemonade together, added a bit of sugar and poured them into the ice tray.
Once you have poured your puree and juice into the molds, place a piece of foil on top. Gently press your palm along the ice tray ridges so that you will be able to tell where the center of each mold is. Using a sharp kitchen knife, gently poke hole/lines in the center of each ice mold. Place your popsicles in the holes and carefully place your tray in the freezer. Straighten any sticks that may have moved while moving.
Motherhood Is Art…Balancing the art of motherhood and creativity can sometimes come easy but many times it is quite a task to master. I appreciate this documentary entitled “Who Does She Think She Is” regarding being a mother and an artist collectively. I have always wanted to be an artist and a stay at home mother. In fact while I was still in high school I told my mother that these were my life goals. She did not discourage me with words like “well, you can be a career woman”, but she nodded her head, gave me a smile, and said “That’s A Good Thing”, and I forever appreciate her for that response. I think that if she had shown any dis-agreement about it, it could have reshaped my thoughts and values. Nevertheless, while attending the Savannah College of Art & Design, I feel that I started out on the right path towards becoming an artist, yet with the interventions of life and motherhood, I must say that my creative spirit took a back seat for quite some time.
Now I feel have a bit more clarity when it comes to my creative time and goals, which is why I started my craft blog: Crafty Hues. I truly feel that creativity and motherhood goes hand in hand. I tell everyone that “A Mothers Creativity Can Save The World.” As corny as it may sound, I truly believe this! Imagine a world where our mothers used ALL of their forms of creative expression and love to raise their children..imagine the level of confidence this world could have! I hear a lot of moms say that they are not creative, but I beg to differ…we create life, therefore, we can develop creativity within any shape and form.
So, as I grow up and as each day sets and rises, I hope to become an artist, but not just the kind of artist that creates beautiful paintings and decadent designs, but the kind of artist that also creates a masterpiece within my family..and with the help of my husband…sculpting each of my kids as you would on a potters wheel..with gentleness, creativity, and thought. We as mothers are all artists…as we bring out the art of life with each creative moment that we offer up to our families.
I am in love with these pieces from the Zid Zid Kids line! I absolutely love the poofs and the plush toys are simply adorable. I can imagine a childs room decorated with these up against a simple white/beige wall. A very simple room, with lots of fabulous accents such as these…perfect! And if you cannot afford their designer prices, I am sure it would be a breeze to make your own versions, especially for all of you crafty ladies!
I very much hope to have the opportunity to make my own baby food for baby girl when she arrives, even if it is not for every meal. It would be nice to know that I am taking out a bit of time to concoct some gourmet mash for her liking..LOL.
