
// My Favorite Novelty iPhone Cases

// Things I Love Thursday v.247
















// Cranberry + Mint






// Tap Into Wonder

Managing screen time was a big consideration for Mike and I when we first got custody of Toby. I remember when we were driving to the courthouse to see the judge, we were talking about all of our hopes and dreams for him. We were kicked into parent-mode just like that. We discussed diet, entertainment, activities and experiences. Of course we had absolutely no idea what life with a 3 year old looked like, but we had thought about what we were hoping to provide him with. Screen time was something we wanted to limit, but not restrict. But of course most parents can agree with me here: sometimes it's easier said than done. Sometimes when you're hustling around trying to get dinner, laundry and work done all at once, it's easy to hand your kid the iPad and say "Have at it!" Still, even a few days shy of 7 years old, Toby's screen time is monitored, though we do allow him to engage more often as he ages. One way we've managed to feel better about his screen time is by letting him play interactive (but educational!) games. Toby loved learning to write his ABC's on our iPad, and his excitement for technology definitely helps make it feel more like a game as opposed to just learning. Every child learns differently, but it's certainly easier to facilitate if you make it fun.


// The Present of Presence + Holiday Experiences
// Dear Santa: KB's Christmas Wishlist

// Things I Love Thursday v.246












// 98 year old couple recreate their wedding day after 70 years.
// Why I'm done asking my husband to help me out.
// Did you know Erika Badu is a doula?!
// I am a former Planned Parenthood employee and this is my experience with terrorism. Read this!
"I bring all this up because I want to change the way we think and talk about terrorism. Terrorism is already close to home. But we have to start actually caring about the people affected by it."
// I will 110% admit to going a little wild in the Stocking Stuffer section over here. Is it bad that I kind of want all if it, too?!
"That means caring about Muslims whose centers of worship are vandalized. It means we can't dehumanize Black Lives Matter protesters as just a bunch of rabble-rousers. It means calling domestic terrorism by its name when it happens, even though it will probably mean condemning people who look and think like you."
// Japan Railways build turtle tunnels! This is so cute!
// A life-changing challenge: Add one compliment.
// 5 holiday movies that pass the Bechdel test.
// Can we please stop gaslighting our kids?
// 7 things I wish I had known before sleeping with my college professor.
// Sale alert: Eshakti is having a Buy 2, Get 1 Free (or Buy 3, Get 2 Free!) sale. It ends today, so act fast! (If you've never ordered from Eshakti before, here's a free code for $40 off your first order!)
// Photographer captures soulful portraits of dogs in Austrian wilderness.
// Did you know Forever 21 sold brands like Ankit and Ban.do?! Because I totally didn't until now!
// Wishlist Wears: i really need to replace my honey cardigan // this stunning dress // this chunky buffalo check cardigan // i love the shape of this dress so much // minnie leggings (!!!) // the gold dress of my dreams // this dress is perfect in every way //
// Pirellis' 2016 calendar replaces sexy stars with influential women.
// Three (EASY!) Last Minute DIY Christmas Gifts


Latitude / Longitude Wooden Sign
You can see a full-frame shot of this sign in context at the very top of the post. I wanted to create something fun and rustic for our living room, but I also wanted it to be sentimental. I opted to look up the coordinates for the farm where Mike and I got married in 2012, and then this sign was born! I picked up this wooden pallet plank sign at Michaels and then I loaded up on some vinyl for my Cricut Explore. I picked up some white acrylic paint and a big paintbrush, too. That's literally all that is needed for this sign!Create your own: Create your design in Cricut Design Space. Cut out the design on the vinyl. Use Cricut Transfer Tape to transfer the design from the vinyl backing to the sign. Once the vinyl is adhered to the sign, do a quick coat of white paint over the entire sign. (We were very willy nilly with it because we wanted to retain that rustic look) Let the sign dry for about 30 minutes before pulling up the vinyl pieces. Voila! A new sign to hang in your home!

Do Not Disturb Door Signs
Do you know someone who just brought home a new baby (or is about to)? These signs will be the perfect addition to their doors! I used to think that putting a sign like this on my door would make me look... eh... unfriendly? But then I had a baby and I cursed many'a mailmen. In fact, the very day I put a sign on our door, it saved me from three separate solicitors. In fact, you don't even need a baby to utilize these! Maybe you're like me and you also just hate answering the door. Whatever the case may be, some cute "handmade" signs may just be the perfect gift for someone you know!Create your own: I grabbed two of these little chalkboard signs from Michaels and then painted some stain on the framed edges (I used Dark Walnut). Then I used a paint pen to doodle some verbiage. (You can use chalk markers, but they're notoriously watery and thin. I like the opaque look of the paint!) Be sure to create a set so they can have one on the front and back door!


Silly Graphic Tees
I am obsessed with making shirts, y'all! Obsessed! I've been making some for Toby and Linden like crazy. We're basically Chipotle fiends in this house so a guac shirt was necessary! I made these matching shirts for the boys to wear and holy moly they look cute in them. These shirts took less than 10 minutes to make, start to finish! I utilized my trusty Cricut yet again for these. (Seriously, if you've been thinking about getting a Cricut, just do it! I love mine! I can't get enough!)Create your own: Grab a plain tee at the store (Michaels has a great selection of youth and adult tees. If you want something for a toddler or infant, you'll have to pick it up elsewhere!) and pick out your favorite iron-on vinyl for your diecutting machine. Cut the design out in Cricut Design Space (be sure to flip it since it's an iron on!) and then weed the excess vinyl off of the transfer plastic. Once you've got your design ready, heat up your iron and get busy! You'll be amazed at how quickly the vinyl adheres to your shirt. And just like that you have a new, fun tee!

And because I whipped up the easiest little note board for our kitchen, I figured it's worth sharing here, too. I mean, we are talking about last minute DIYs right?! This menu board is just a wooden plank from Michaels with a bulldog clip attached with E-6000! It sometimes holds our weekly menu, and sometimes it holds photos, drawings Toby has made, or important notes that I'm destined to forget! I know, it's so simple it shouldn't even be considered a DIY. (But I did do it myself so there!)
Overall I love all four projects. They're fun and easy and totally awesome in their own way. I'd be stoked to receive any of them! Hopefully you'll find something to inspire you! If you're still on the prowl for the perfect DIY gift, or you need help with another holiday hack, check out the other Michaels Makers on The Glue String. You can also check out some holiday project ideas and instructions on Michaels.com (including gift wrapping, home decor, hostess gifts, etc!)
Let me know if you see anything you like! Or if you have any fun DIY gifts planned!
// Scents and Seasonal Decorating (+ Giveaway!)




Turning Your Sleep Space into the Ultimate Nest
Your bedroom is so much more than just the place that you unwind in or sleep in at the end of the day. This is the space that you'll spend between 6 and 10 hours in every single evening because this is where you sleep. It's the place where you wake up every morning, and it's the room that you go to to unwind at night time. You may have dimmed lights or muted colours.You may have made it comfortable with piles of pillows and blankets. And why have you done that? For the ultimate comfort so that your body can get the rest and the relaxation it needs.
Your bedroom is your nest. It's the place that you feather so that you can be most at ease and most relaxed. It's the part of your home that you frequent the most, even if you don't feel like it sometimes. This means that it needs to be comfortable, it should be stylish and it should be a sanctuary like - ie, a nest. It needs to have the right balance between functionality and beauty, and it should be absolutely as comfortable as you need it to be.If you're considering giving your sleep space an overhaul, take a look at our top tips to turn your sleep space into the ultimate nest.
Start with the bed. Your bed is the one place that you'll spend a lot of time in your bedroom, which is why it's such a central figure to the room. The right headboard on your bed is a must when you're transforming it into a relaxation zone because it provides that added stability that you need. It also shields your head from the wall and adds some visual appeal to the space. When you pair a headboard and a beautiful bed base with a mattress by Wolf Mattress, you are choosing to put together one of the most comfortable bed spaces you could have. The bed is your starting point because it's the focal point of the room. Once you've got that nailed down in terms of structure and functionality and size, that's when you can move on to the rest of the space.
Add some texture. What nest would be nesting without its feathers? Your bedroom is supposed to feel inviting and comfortable, so you have to play around with the plush soft textures. You can do this with cushion covers, fabrics, or even a rug, and this can help to amplify the feeling that the bedroom is going to nail the texture briefly for you. You can combine carpeted floors with rugs, and once you've got your sheets and your blankets on the bed, you can add layers of pillows and other blankets for you to relax underneath. Of course, you don't have to sleep under every single blanket or on top of every single pillow, but it's supposed to look inviting.
Add some bedside tables. A practical but stylish bedside table is an absolute must for your bedroom. You should have one either side of the bed if your bed is centered in the room, or you can just have one if it's against the wall. It gives everywhere a home in terms of bedroom essentials. Glass cases, a spare bottle of water, chargers, batteries, a book, a pen, tissues, all of these things can be on your bedside table and with an easy reach so that you don't have to get out of bed to find things. There are plenty of options for bedside tables too, so you're not going to be without choice.
You can get some more window treatments. A big part of feathering the nest in your bedroom is to make sure that your windows are covered enough so that your room is dark at night time for you to sleep and open enough for the light to flood in through the day. You want to make sure that you can adjust easily to natural lighting during the mornings and keep the room at a comfortable temperature. You should think about the size of the window and the colour palette of the river before you choose any window coverings. You might choose both blinds and curtains, or you may just go for one option, but either way, window treatments are just as important as any other effort you make.
Don't forget to adjust your lighting. A lot of people choose not to use the ceiling light in their bedrooms because the light in the ceiling can be harsher than smaller lamps. Keeping the ceiling lights for the bathrooms where you might get ready or the closet where you might get ready is important. Using a blend of natural accent and ambient lighting is how you're going to be able to play with that spatial ambience you've been looking for. Make sure that you've got lamps, especially corner lamps, that light up the darker corners and keep the room at a nice level.
Choose your blankets wisely. There's nothing more luxurious than a bed that is piled with blankets and pillows and looks so inviting for you to jump in. The whole idea of your bedroom is for you to be able to curl up and feel comfortable, so adding the right quilt and pillows to the space is important. You want to choose something that is breathable and preferably suited for both summer and winter. However, you can have different sets of bedding for different levels of cold in the year.
Maximise your bedroom storage. Whether you have too many shoes or too many clothes, that's not an issue in your bedroom. As long as you have the right storage, you can keep the sanctuary that you've created, neat and organised. Your modern bedroom will likely have an inbuilt wardrobe, but if you need extra space, look at vertical storage like tall boys or shelving that reaches floor to ceiling.