Black Friday Fab Finds

I'll be honest...I went out to a certain store on Thanksgiving night at 8 PM. It was against my better judgement, but because I couldn't let Santa down. He asked me to do him a favor & pick up the kid's Razor Scooters which were to be marked down to under $20 as a doorbuster. I figured it was a kind gesture so the slave elves could focus on making two less toys this year. However, I had no idea what I would be walking into. It was crazy. Not sure how crazy...this link is on point. Click here.  I don't know if it was the bulls-eye hypnotizing normal citizens into becoming crazy savages like wild hyenas attacking innocent prey or a fat kid vying for the last piece of chocolate cake, but it.was.nuts. Needless to say I may not do Santa anymore favors next year. 

Despite the entertainment of my "Grey Thursday" adventure...my favorite BF deals were of course for my big kid {hubby} and kids. The best part about it was that it was done from the comfort of my own home. No crazy mob of doorbuster drama kings and queens. No sir. Just me, my bank card and the amazing World Wide Web. It was amazing & a big sigh of relief. I scored a Madden 25 video game...you can only guess who that is for...and a street hockey set. The video game was the exact sale price {only $35; normally $59} as an in-store ad. Also, the hockey set was $39 a week ago and was only $17.99 today! Thanks to Amazon and my FAB Amazon Prime account I got this amazing deal and got 2-day FREE shipping! Can I get an AMEN to the Black Friday Gods?!?! My next writing assignment will be to Santa to let him know that he need not send his parent-helpers out into the wild when they can get the same deals right @ home.

Hope you scored some Fab Deals and happy holidays!!!!!

Thankful

I woke up this morning contemplating what to be thankful for and then I stumbled across this little gem on Pinterest. 

It really put things into perspective.

I remember in my not so distant past (circa 2005) I was a single mom. I wished to be able to finish college and find a great job to support my son Tyler on my own. To someday travel the world and own a home and to "complete" our broken family. To spend more time with him because every second together matters.

Through some rough times I graduated college with a 2.5 year old son and a 3.4 GPA. I was and still am very thankful for my amazing friends & family that helped me through it all.

Then Mr. Dave Iman came along and he fell in love with us. He even followed us around the world and met us in Italy the summer after I graduated! I had known him for 6 years prior, but this was the year that changed everything. He came along and loved us and cared for us. He completed our little family...until Miss Audrey came along in 2008. She was the icing on the cake!

In 2012 we said enough is enough and I was able to quit a job I loved to spend more time with my kids and raise them. We bought a home and here we are today. 

I am SO thankful for my broken road that lead me to where I am now <cue Rascal Flats song> I could have never imagined being where I am today because of all the trying times. So instead of being thankful for all the stuff I already am thankful for (health, friends & fam, etc.) I am thankful for my past and where it landed me on this very day. 

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

cranberry cravings

I don't know about you, but I am so excited about Thanksgiving and all the delish food that will be in my belly this time tomorrow! 

One of my favorite foods is cranberry sauce. It's not too sweet and a little bitter yet completely savory. mmm.

I hate to admit that a 30 something like me has NEVER had homemade cranberry sauce. I've only had the canned stuff. I figured this year would be my cranberry coming out party and my chance to break away from the fake stuff. I did a little online surfing and found so many easy recipes! I took a bit from all of my research and starting cooking.

I am proudly tooting my own horn because even my kids loved it...Here's my {new} favorite cranberry sauce! 

Ingredients:

2 bags fresh cranberries (24oz)

2 cinnamon sticks

2 cups water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 TBS vanilla extract

1 TBS salt

Juice from 2 Satsuma Mandarin oranges 

Directions:

Dump all ingredients into a medium pot on medium-high heat. Listen for cranberries to "pop" open. They will literally make a popping sound. Stir occasionally. Remove cinnamon sticks once all cranberries are popped & saucy. Remove from heat, put in serving dish. You can refrigerate and serve later OR serve warm right away. It's that easy and I will NEVER buy canned cranberry sauce again.  

Hope you all have a great Turkey Day! 

DIY Monogram Door Mat

I love DIY projects and am thrilled to show you my take on a monogram door mat. After searching for the perfect one for my home and being disappointed by the price tags {Pottery Barn has one for $100} I decided to make one of my own...for UNDER $10. Yeah...that's right...UNDER $10. BOOM.

When I shared my DIY savings plan mat to my older sister she {relentlessly} asked me to make her one since she had just moved in to her new home. Well...the actual project only took me about an hour and a half, but it took me over 6 months of procrastinating to make it for her. oops!

Here's how to make it...

Supplies:

- Ikea Sindal Door Mat $4.99 purchase here

- Acrylic Black paint $3.47 purchase here

- Scissors

- Monogram {I used my google machine to find an image}

- foam paint brushes {you can get these @ any craft store}

- q-tips 

- painters tape

- small bowl

- circle to trace (I used a plate)

- measuring tape

Step 1: 

This is probably the most tedious step of them all, but I assure you...once it's done it is smooth sailing from there on out! It also doesn't help that my monogram was all fancy, curly and twisty.

Step 2:

Measure the mat from side to side & top to bottom to find the center. Lay down your plate to trace the circle.

Step 3:

Place your cut out monogram in the center of the circle and trace. Okay...so I may have fibbed to you during step one. Tracing the monogram might be a tad tricky...but I promise this is the last of my shenanigans! Don't forget to keep the monogram aside...you're gonna need it again.

{yes this is the same mat, but I've put my professional photography skills aside to help you make this}

Step 4:

We are almost done! Now it's time to paint. Break out your small bowl and pour the acrylic paint into it. Dab the paint brush into the paint and fill in the lines that you traced on your mat. Be sure to keep the monogram close by so you can reference which lines to fill in. It can be difficult to remember which lines to fill in when looking at the mat. After you fill in the monogram trace the circle with paint.

* I used the bigger sponge brush for the bigger lines and  a q-tip for the smaller ones. 

** Push down into the mat to make sure you really get the paint into the fibers. This will make the paint hold up better since people will probably be walking all over it!

Step 5: 

Hooray! You're in the home stretch. You have your letters and circle outline painted. Now you have to do the border. I measured 1" around all sides and used my blue painter's tape as an edge. You can make it smaller or larger if you choose. This one's all personal preference.

Step 6:

Let it dry for a few hours and ta-da...you just saved $90 + shipping and have a custom {gorgeous} doormat that will be the envy of all your neighbors. 

  {top right: my original doormat bottom right: today's project}

Plaid is Rad.

If you follow me on Instagram you may have noticed that I'm partaking in the KikiLa'Rue photo a day contest. If you post pictures according to the list {see list here for the entire month of November you are entered to win a $100 gift card! My competitive nature just wouldn't let me NOT participate. It's actually the first "photo" contest I've done and it's been a lot of fun! Today's photo requirement was to post a picture of your "style inspiration". I just had to choose one of my fave people Jillian Harris {from ABC's The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and HGTV}. I religiously follow her blog and on social media. Ever since I saw her post {here}for these amazing plaid leggings I just had to snag a pair of my own!

My Jillian inspired #OOTD

Here is where you can snag a pair too! I included a good, better and best price selection for all of you recessionistas (aka: ladies on a budget). ;)

Happy shopping!

{from left to right}

1. Forever 21 Standout leggings

2. Asos leggings

3. TOPSHOP red & green check treggings

wine & friends

I always come across great wine quotes. A few of my faves:

"wine is win with an 'e' on the end"

"friends don't let friends wine alone"

"every empty bottle is filled with memories"

Now, if you've ever been to my home or come across my Pinterest boards you would notice my obsession with chalk. In fact, I have an entire board dedicated to chalk boards. LOL

Anyway...you can imagine my excitement when a great friend made these lovely chalk wine bottles for me! They are so fun  and I can wipe off the quotes whenever I feel a new one is needed. ;) 

Cheers to good wine, great friends and crafty ideas.

the little coffee table that could

There's nothing like a fresh coat of paint to make something fresh, new and fabulous. Take this old drab leather topped coffee table. Oh yeah...I said leather topped. Think of 1970's wood paneling on walls, but instead it's leather...on a coffee table. I bought this little gem off of craigslist for a whopping $15. I saw the potential and with a little (and by little I actually mean A LOT) of love it has a new found purpose in life. After months of procrastinating and frustration trying to peel, strip, cut and yank off the leather top...it was ready to be sanded and painted. Here's my labor of love which brings a lot of sunshine into my sitting room.

bling on the holidays!

I'm back and what perfect timing...the holiday season has miraculously come once again! I'm not sure about you, but I've been fully immersed in red holiday coffee cups, jingle bells rocking the halls of my local Target and every single store for the past month or three decking the halls (aisles) in seasonal decor. I truly love this time of year, but cannot believe how it snuck up on me so darn fast! 

Along with all the festiveness surrounding me are the amazing catalogs I receive (thanks a lot pottery barn). I came across page 75. That sparkly letter 'M' on the right side of the page just spoke to me. Who WOULD'T it speak to? It was my inspiration for my blingy Thanksgiving banner...and all ten of my letters cost the same amount as the one letter in the magazine (not to discredit PB, but I like a good deal if I can find and make one). 

Happy holidays!