The DIY Test

So you've been staring at your old kitchen cabinets all day dreaming of how beautiful it could look but put off by how expensive it would be to have them done, when it dawns on you, DIY, that's the answer. How could you not just do it yourself, it's so easy. All those TV shows do it, why not you! Well before you get started, we've come up with a 5 step trial run to prep yourself for living in a DIY household. Once you've completed these test runs you will be ready for anything that comes your way.

1. Visit your local grocery store and buy the largest bag of flour you can find. Place in the back of your vehicle and cut a small slit anywhere in the bag. Now drive home (take sharp turns where possible). When you get home carry the bag through your entire house with the slit facing down. After you've gone through every room, if any flour remains, shake the bag over your bed, couch, and every eating surface. Now place fans on high at every corner of the house and attempt to vacuum up all the flour. Done? Great! You are now prepared for the never ending clean up of dust that results from all remodeling projects.
   
2. Buy a pint of paint, any terrible color will do. Dump the paint into a plastic baggie and poke several holes into the bag. Now place all your favorite clothes in your washing machine and shove the paint bag in the middle. Run a spin cycle then remove clothes. Now try to clean every drop of paint off any item it got on. Done? Super! You are now ready to paint anything. Because no matter how careful you are, you will get covered in paint. And not just you, some how clothes you never wear will get paint on them, and furniture, and carpet, and pets...
   
   
   
   
   
3. Find a large rock. Now drop it on your foot, hand, knee, or head. I'll wait until you've quit crying. Get an ice pack, it's okay, I'll wait. . . . Done? Wow, you are a trooper. You're ready for some heavy lifting now. Furniture, cabinets, lumber, it's all the same when you loose your grip and it hits you on the way down.
4. Grab a knife. No, no, by the blade, grab a knife. Bleeding? Super! While you clean the wound and get stitched up, I'll tell you that DIY is a never ending world of sharp objects that slice, cut, and poke. Take on enough projects and you will eventually end up getting stitches.
5. Finally the last step. Time to head back to the grocery store. Make your regular shopping list but this time as you get to each item, grab the item right next to it instead. Break, crush, or damage a few of the items while putting them in the car. Drive all the way home and unload everything. Take inventory of items to see if you can possibly live with what you ended up with. Take back any item you didn't ruin or can't return and buy the correct item. You may only return one item per trip. You are now prepared to purchase all the wrong supplies in your attempts to DIY. No matter how careful you are you will always end up with the wrong something or too many of something else and want or need to return items which may unfortunately not all be returnable. Save those receipts, you're going to need them!

Congratulations! You are now ready to DIY (or at least as ready as anyone can be).

Treat VoxBox Review

It's time for another Influenster VoxBox review. This months box is the Treat VoxBox, full of goodies for mom! Sure I could share with someone else, but why should I?!

What's in the box
Yum-V's Probiotic

Weleda Pomegranate Hand Cream
Yogi Tea Cinnamon Vanilla Healthy Skin & Skin DeTox

Hills Bros. Cappuccino Single Serve and K cups
Country Crock (coupon)

First up Yum-V's Probiotic. These little bears are a probiotic for children in a white chocolate flavor bear. We aren't big white chocolate fans but even so these were actually pretty good. Kids ate them happily and aside from a slight chalky after taste they were fine.

Now for the Weleda Pomegranate Hand Cream. It felt really nice going on, until the smell hit me. This was really a bad scent and I had to rush to wash it off, with lots of soap and water, to kill the smell. So lotion could be good, but this scent is a definite no.

On to the Yogi Tea. These teas smell amazing. I would be content to just sit and breathe these in. Actually that's really all I'd want to do with these since they are extremely weak teas. Beautiful color and smell but not taste at all.

Next is the Hills Bros. Cappuccino. I like my coffee fairly strong, which these are not, but the flavors are so good you don't care. These are a very yummy, sit and sip, breakfast treat. Skip to the evening and these are also wonderful with dessert, or maybe as dessert, when you want just a touch of sweet.

Finally the Country Crock coupon. We discovered at the store that the coupon value was not enough to cover the cost of a regular sized tub and they did not have the sticks or small tubs at our local stores. So we paid the extra and got the bigger one. I do not bake with tub butter or margarine, since it's a mess, so we just ate this our normal way on toast and bread. Tastes good, maybe a little sweeter than other brands we get.

I received all products complimentary from Influenster.

The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.

DIY Display Blocks

We are all about the DIY in our house, but in addition to make your own, we try to do a lot of "use what's left" projects. So with all the construction going on in our basement, I had occasion to rescue several craftable lengths of 2x4s.




With a little sanding, paint, and some crazy dremel action these waste scraps get turned into cute little display blocks that can be coordinated to any design or celebration. I made this Lucky in Love block set just in time for St. Patrick's day and with all the wood scraps will be making lots more!


Tip: Make your own chalk paint using equal parts paint and joint compound. Paint lightly to keep the wood grain visible.


Stencil, trace, or freehand your pattern and then carefully carve out to your desired depth with your favorite wood dremel bit. It will take a bit of practice to get a smooth surface but the exposed wood grain looks so neat you just have to give it a try!

"Be Mine" Valentine's Day Giveaway

We are very excited to share with you an awesome "Be Mine" Valentine's Day Giveaway sponsored by Mommy Scene and filled with lots of amazing natural products and fun stuff for families!

Be Mine Gift Set

Bun Maternity Classic Black Cozy Nursing Hoodie + Cozy Nursing Tee
Wythe and Berry Organic Vegan Creams - Lavender & Chamomile + Lemon & Eucalyptus
La Magie Nail Polish - 1 peel off pink polish + 2 pink wash offs + 1 color lock top coat
Sudsy Dough Moldable Soap - 12 oz. fragrance of choice
Pure Hazelwood necklaces, 1 adult size and 1 child size
Jack N' Jill Bunny Gift Kit
Baby Bump Bundle - Lollacup Straw Sippy Cup
GroVia Hybrid Trial Kit - 1 Hybrid Shell with Hook & Loop Closure + 1 No-Prep Cloth Soaker Pad + 3 Disposable BioSoakers
Revelae Kids Discovery Box style of choice



This giveaway is sponsored by Mommy Scene and is open to US entries. One winner will be chosen and displayed on the giveaway widget after the giveaway ends on Feb. 14th, 2016. Mommy Scene and participating blogs are not responsible for fulfilling brand-sponsored prizes. Prizes will be shipped directly from each brand.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Super January Reviews

Kicking 2016 off with a review mega post. We received two PinchMe boxes and the Influenster Jingle VoxBox all filled with great samples to test and share. Lots of good stuff, so lets dive in.

Inside the Influenster Jingle VoxBox:

Cetaphil® Moisturizing Cream

Hallmark itty bittys®

Pure Ice nail polish

KISS lashes

NYC New York Color eye liner

Ore-Ida® coupon

Biscoff cookies

Inside the PINCHme boxes:

Beyond® Grain-Free White Meat Chicken & Egg Recipe Dry Cat Food

Beyond® Grain Free Wild Salmon Recipe Wet Cat Food

Align® Probiotic Supplement

Breathe Right® Nasal Strips

Purina Pro Plan Savor Shredded Blend Chicken and Rice Formula

Secret Clinical Strength Invisible Solid Completely Clean

Nexcare™ Tegaderm™ Waterproof Transparent Dressings

Will do these reviews quick and dirty since there is a lot to cover.

Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream (#Cheerphil). What's not to love. This is just one of these best moisturizers out there. It goes on smooth, heals dry skin, and leaves skin feeling hydrated.

Hallmark itty bittys (#ittybittys). We received the Olaf itty bitty and he is the cutest thing ever. Soft and squeezable but also well made and durable. The entire line of itty bittys are darling!

Pure Ice nail polish. As much as I loved this color it just wasn't the best nail polish. I need polish that is pretty forgiving and easy to apply and this left streaks. If I can figure out how to apply in fewer swipes this may be a favorite color.

KISS false lashes and glue. The adhesive is good, not too runny, and the lashes look nice on.

NYC New York Color waterproof eye pencil. Love the idea of waterproof eye liner pencil. You have to wear liquid to get that sort of staying power normally. It goes on like a pencil but wears like liquid.

Ore-Ida tatter tots. We love us some tots and these were tasty!

Biscoff cookies. I did not share, these were mine. I enjoyed every last one with my morning coffee. Mmmmmm! Need I say more?

Beyond Grain-Free White Meat Chicken & Egg Recipe dry cat food and Wild Salmon Recipe wet cat food and Purina Pro Plan Savor Shredded Blend Chicken and Rice Formula dry cat food. I have to interpret our in house reviewers opinion, but considering he scarfed all of these down as fast as he could, I would dare say he enjoyed them all.

Align Probiotic Supplement. This was not a pleasant sample the first two days of use, but after the unfortunate bout of "bubbles", things appeared to be working well. 

Breathe Right Nasal Strips. I get to review the person they were used on as the person trying to sleep next to him. These do not help snoring but at least they aren't painful to take off and they stay in place all night. 

Secret Clinical Strength Invisible Solid Completely Clean. This is a very strong scent, clean, but strong. Protects very well, no marks on clothes, and it lasts all day.

Nexcare Tegaderm Waterproof Transparent Dressings. We always have the unfortunate need for first aid so these came in handy. They go on well, stay on, and cover wounds nicely so they can heal.

I received all products complimentary from Influenster and PINCHme.

The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.