RSU Activity

A few weeks ago I shared my DIY Vintage Pennants and now you can see them in action!  I created them to go along with a University theme for a women's activity for my church.  The decorations were on the dessert table as you can see (pre-dessert placement).

I was so happy with how everything turned out.  I also created hanging banners for each of the 5 classes 

 And because I physically CANNOT help myself, I took it a step further by borrowing graduation gowns for a few of us to wear during the activity!  We loved this activity and we got a great response from it because we had a wide variety of mini-classes everyone could learn something from.

Snack Without Compromise

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

The end of summer this year, felt like I was suddenly playing Frogger...jumping from thing to thing without stopping.  We are suddenly busy, trying to find rhythm in a schedule and I find myself struggling to take care of myself.  As a mother I constantly find myself putting my family, work, and other duties before myself.  I realized I felt tired and less active amidst everything else, and I knew I had to change somethings.  I had to start scheduling in time to exercise, but most important, eat right.  If I'm not giving my body the right fuel, how can I expect it to keep moving?  So I made some easy swaps that still save time but still give me the energy I need.

 

After heading to Fry's Food Store,  I started stocking my fridge and pantry with Kellogg’s® Special K items I could grab and go, rather than skipping a meal or eating fast food. It also keeps from from getting grumpy when I get hungry...I can't be the only one this happens to, right?!

 I love throwing snacks in my bag to help tide me over until my next meal. Like Kellogg’s® Special K® Bars in any of their delicious flavors. There are even Kellogg’s® Special K® Protein Shake that you can grab and go in the morning to drink on the way to work while you're waiting in traffic or headed to school drop-off. 

I am always reaching for Kellogg’s® Special K® Chips.  I take them from my pantry when I'm home, or throw them in my purse when I know I have errands to run and that way I still stay on track.  I love the Sour Cream & Onion, and when I get the BBQ my son is always trying to steal some! Convenience does't mean compromising on my goal to maintain a healthy lifestyle & Kellog's understands that.  I can still feel full and keep my eyes on whatever my goal may be & fortify for what's next.

Be sure to stay sane and treat yourself to something sweet while finally relaxing in your pj's at the end of the day. There's so many options, that can take you throughout your day, from breakfast to lunch to dinner to dessert & every snack in between! So get back on track or stay on track, whatever your goal is, make your life easier and stock your kitchen up! 

Visit SpecialKFortify.com to find these items near you. Get more ideas & inspiration on how to fortify for what ahead HERE  

#NourishWhatsNext Special K at Kroger

FALL Pallet Sign

 I'm in that stage of being sad Summer is ending, but also being 99% ready for Fall to bring it's cooler temperatures. So in an effort to welcome it in, I make a fresh new sign! In case you're not aware, Walmart (at least mine) has some pretty legit craft supplies that are an awesome price. This 

is not at all spsonsored, I just thought you should know that that is where I got this pallet board for under $5. Oh you betcha! Grab some paint while you're there to & let's get started.

You'll need paint in a medium grey, white & either black or a darker grey. I used black and my medium grey mixed to get what I was looking for.

 I wanted a little bit of dimension when I sanded the finished product, so I started with a coat of the medium grey.  Just one coat will suffice for the purpose.

 Then two-coat the white paint after the grey has dried completely. Then let that dry completely.

 I used my Cricut to cut out my letters, but you could use stencils or free hand or vinyl like me.

 This is where that darker grey comes in.  I wanted something dark, but not exactly black.  So I mixed the grey I used earlier with a bit of black to get the color I wanted.

 Let it dry, peel off your stencil & touch anything up that you need to.  For a final touch, use fine grit sand paper to rough it up a bit and show some of that grey & wood underneath.

It's just the thing my pumpkins needed to finish off a little fall decor.  I was struggling with what to add, since I realized a lot of my decorations that aren't Halloween are technically "Thanksgiving", and I'm not welcoming in Fall THAT quickly!

Fall Flower Crown

Just because summer is ending, doesn't mean the ever popular flower crown has to die with it.  So I present to you, the fall flower crown to fulfill your seasonal desire for flower crowns!

I grabbed a bouquet of flowers that had various flowers, leaves, berries, greenery, but you can pick yours out and mix and match as you please.  When disassembling whatever bouquets you purchase, be sure you're keeping at least one or two inches of the wired stem on the flowers.

After making my circle with wire & floral tape, I created the "center" of the crown by attaching a few of the large flowers, one at a time, securing them with floral tape.

Then you can add in smaller flowers and leaves on either side. You can use berries and branches to fill in empty places tapering to the back of the crown.

 Use it in a festive outfit, Halloween costume, or dress up your living room deer!  Anyway you use it, it'll be festive and gorgeous!

Faux Wood Stain

I love the look of stained wood, but sometimes it gets pricey to buy every color stain you want.  So when I'm looking for a certain color for a small project, I use this trick to fake a wood stain. And it's also nice because I can make it as thick/covering or as thin/slightly tinted as I want.

 Start by mixing equal parts water & paint.  You want it to be runny.  For this grey stain, I used a paint darker than the color I wanted to show up on the wood.

 Using a paper towel, rub into the wood. Just a little stain at a time, working it into the wood so that it can absorb it to get that stain-like effect.

  

 Use a paintbrush if your piece has ridges on the edge, like mine, to get the stain in there. 

 Be sure to use a clean paper towel to wipe off the excess.  Use wet one if you want to take more of the stain off or a dry on to just smooth away leftover color.

 To finish off this sign, I used a piece of vinyl & my favorite gold pen to color on the number 3.

Of course, just be sure whatever you do to finish up your own sign, you let the stain dry completely!

  I've done this trick with different shades of brown and black, but like I said before, if you're doing a big project or sign, it's best to stick with real wood stain.