Duck® the Halls with Holiday Tape | Sponsored

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Duck Brand® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Well then.
I had a really witty post composed for you
on all of the awesomeness that is Holiday Duck Tape®

That cyber goodness was not to be.

So instead, I bring you eyecandy.

Some many moons ago, I was in Fred Myer with my better half
gawking at the awesomeness that was colored Duck® brand tape.

Last year, I was buying my very first roll of patterned Duck Tape®

This year, I was beyond delighted when I caught site of the wonderfulness
That is holiday Duck Tape® 

which you should totally become a fan of their page.

There are just so many projects you can do with this stuff.
I might actually have to do a few nursery projects on budget with it.

But in the meantime, here are some absolutely lovely Holiday projects
I would totally whip together with a few rolls of awesome in my bag.

I LOVE this poinsettia.
I mean, seriously.

I buy real ones each year on Black Friday and by the time Christmas rolls around,
they are long gone.
Never mind that I have wanted some non-fabric, but also not real ones
for my outside porch for a while.

Using the red and white candy striped version
with some red thrown in,
I would totally throw down on this project

From the Ducktivities site

Or, since we all know that me and the sewing machine
are becoming BFFs (not)
how about these stockings?

image via Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts

Or for the patient,
how about these amazing wreaths?

AMAZING photo and tutorial can be found at The Pixel Mom

As much as I love the reindeer print,
I think the simple red and white candy stripe
is my absolute fave.

If you are totally NOT in to crafting anything else this year
(it is the 4th and I'm tapping out)
then even simple ideas for using this would be awesome.

You can use it as a decorative "ribbon loop" to hand a wreath.
You can use it in small quantities to tape up a collage of holiday cards.
You can use it to tape your tree stand to the floor and ensure it doesn't go anywhere.

Okay. Maybe not.
But of course, most obviously, you can use it to wrap that gift
that you really DON'T want someone to get in to.

Whatever you do with it, I bet it will be awesome.
Have fun with Duck® Brand Holiday tape this season!

Working Mama Realities | Mary Mary Season 2!

You know, there is a whole lot out there about working mamas.

What there is NOT a lot out there about,
is being a working soon to be mama.

coming home May 2013

I might have a slight addiction to reality tv.
Most of it is really just not good for you.
So it was like a message from heaven
when I caught wind of Mary Mary's show.

image via here

Erica and Tina Campbell are the sister power duo
behind Gospel legends Mary Mary.

They have an awesome reality show
that is truly channeling a lot of my reality right now.

As an expectant first time mama,
I'm totally drawn into this season because the sisters
are on the road promoting their new album.

This is all happening 2 months (!!)
after Erica gave birth to her newest mini
and Tina is out there working it
in heels under hot lights
while expecting her newest.

image via here

Now.
SHE is working it.

I'ma be real with you for a hot second.
Watching these two work it like they do
pre and post babies as they are
makes me a little queasy to my gut.

Not at all jealous or trying to hate on the sisters
but really.

I can barely make it out of bed most mornings.
I have not worn a pair of heels in a year of Sundays.
I can barely get up to take a walk,
much less joyously give it to ya on stage.

These girls are DOING it.
And it makes me feel a bit inferior that I cannot
(or maybe it is more that I won't)
do the same.

During the first episode,
the sisters really struggle with career and family balance.
I am not joking when I say that just about every situation
is one that makes me squeamish about being a mama who works.

I am blessed beyond blessed
to have options in my life.

If I don't want to work after having my kid, I don't have to work.
If I need to take time off to rest before the mini us gets here,
I can do that.

But just like for the Marys, I often get this twinge
where I worry about what my identity will be
if I can't keep on being fabulous
with or without a kid.

In any event, I am so hooked on this show now.
Beyond the usual silliness of faked reality shows,
this show seems to hit closest to home for me.

They struggle with being away from home, hubby and kids.
So do I.

They struggle with wanting to give everything 100% PLUS.

So do I.

They have a mama who has their back and makes this all possible.

So do I.

And they struggle with being fabulous and regular all at once.
Well...maybe not the fabulous part,

but still trying to maintain on my front.

To that, maybe I'll have some divine intervention
as to how to really balance career and family and
when it all comes down to it
find a way to have it all.

Is that even really possible?

It's situations like these that the three-time Grammy® award-winning gospel duo
Erica and Tina Campbell face in Season 2 of WE tv’s hit series Mary Mary as they balance
being recording artists, mothers, and wives.
MARY MARY premieres Thursday, December 6 at 10|9c
and moves to its regular timeslot on Thursdays at 9|8c, beginning December 13.
Watch a sneak peek here!

Does your life feel like a reality TV show sometimes? Tell us about it!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of WE tv.
The opinions and text are all mine.

Easy Forced Amaryllis Bulbs | DIY for Busy Gals

"perhaps, had we chilled them,
they would have bloomed in time. "

 Paper Whites are so dang easy.
Especially given that last year's attempt
at growing Amaryllis, was an utter fail.


We (and by "we" I mean "I")
thought to myself
if these are bulbs that require
a chilling period, I am doomed.


And, I also thought I would start a lot earlier this year.

Negative.

On both fronts.

There was no chill/deep freeze this year.

And I started these less than 4 weeks before Christmas last year.

Even the strongest grow light in the world can't help that procrastination.

Guess I'll be enjoying the holidays

long after they are over.

And this time, I won't do it with 

a fire hazard Christmas tree.

Just. Saying.

Another super easy project.

Especially if you buy a kit.

I did alter my kit supplies with my own clay pots
AND

I don't know WHAT kind of moist peat they are trying to pull,

but my ONE peat pellet in one of three kits

was enough growing medium for three gigantic bulbs.

Really now.

Enjoy!

***

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Week 103 Random Pinehurst

The Countdown begins.

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How to Decorate for Christmas 101 - The Details

Sometimes,

it can be overwhelming.

You want your house to look perfect.

But as you look through the YEARS

of holiday decor packratted away in your

garage/attic/closet

you wonder how to pull it all together.

As contrary as this may seem,

if you start with the details, it really can be tamed.

For me, it starts with three questions:

1. What color(s)?

2. What theme(s)?

3. How much?

My theme:

Last Year, it was Naturally Beautiful.

I wanted to incorporate nature, sparkle and I wanted it to be lovely.

My color(s):

Primarily red to play off all the green.

Also wanted the oppulence of gold.

And then I used different layers of green and brown to enhance the nature theme.

And bits of white here and there to make it all pop.

How Much:

Mid range. 

For me, that means multiple trees (three)

Some banister and tabletop decor.

But every surface doesn't have to ooze Christmas.

Matter of fact, I didn't decorate my mantels.

So let's see what I mean:

In these details, I used a homemade pinecone tree (tutorial here)

and placed it on my windowsill next to a sparkly Dollar Store tree find.

I love to use tall cylinder vases filled with randomness.

In this case, red and white bulbs,

some greenery

silver peace sign vase filler from @PotteryBarn.

I lucked up on all of the holiday colored dice at the Dollar Store.

A wider shot of the window sill

shows the faux kissing balls

and the supersized gold star that I picked up at the Dollar Store.

And of course, I like to sprinkle a bit of us throughout.

The white clay ornament is a paw print by Merry.

In this photo, even farther out from the sill,

you can see the mini trees in the glass hurricanes on the table.

It's okay that they overgrow the top.

I like to leave my tree with nothing but lights on it

when we first get it up.

The simplicity and sparkle is calming.

Keeping with our theme and colors,

the golden apple is geographically significant

(we live in WA state)

And one last unexpected detail on the dining room table

a pair of vintage white ice skates.

To dress up the chandelier

and keep with our theme

I just threaded some live greenery through the pendants.

Though I didn't decorate our mantel,

I did make sure that we had our white candles out

to keep with our color scheme.

On the banisters,

I used faux greenery, burlap garland, red wood bead garland and gold wired ribbon.

I also clustered a bunch of red bulbs midway up the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs, on the posts,

I hung natural and faux greenery wreaths.

They were decorated pine cones and gold glittered birds.

Like with the first picture in this post and the last one,

if you think in details,

the rest will really start to come easily.

First photo: Domino | Scrabble tray purpetual December calendar

Last photo: Pottery Barn Advent Calendars, pine cones, glitter tree, greenery.

Happy decorating!

***

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