One year later.

Is anyone still out there interested in my adventures in learning new things? If you're reading this, I'll take it as a "yes" from at least YOU.

It's literally been one year since I last posted about the DIY Play Kitchen I made my 2 year old daughter (who is now 3 years old). So much has happened since then, but I've had little time to sit and type it out.

I've, of course, been trying new recipes, throwing together quick crafts I see on Pinterest, launched a passion project of making custom wood signs.. oh, and I grew a whole new baby who was born in September. NBD!

Adjusting to life with two kiddos has been an adventure, but it's so fulfilling I can't complain much. In the name of "trying new things" as I boast on this ole blog of mine, I will say it's been a huge learning experience. It's so new - having two living beings (plus a hubby) to keep happy 24/7. One thing that rings true: I'm so tired, guys. HAPPY & FULFILLED, BUT TIRED...

#LifeWithABaby #GiveMeAllTheCoffees

Anyway, when I find a few hours here and there I've been hitting the garage cutting wood, staining, paint and designing fun signage and wall art. I've got a fun hobby going and it's meshing my graphic design love/skill/passion with my eagerness to learn new things with my obsession with all things power tools with my giddy love of building things from wood.

See examples below:

I literally have a waiting list of custom jobs that I have to complete. [insert kid cheering: "They like me! They really like me!" - or at least they like my style]

This new adventure really is a perfect marriage of all my creative loves.

So, no, I haven't completely abandoned my blog. I think about it often and then the thought is gone and I'm back to feeding a baby, wiping bottoms, going for walks and making lunch. I hope you enjoy my new adventure in signs. Any ideas for a business name if this thing catches on?

Happy Spring!

10 Simple Toddler Hairstyles.

Raise your hand if you have a busy, wiggly, adorable toddler! [raising my hand]

Raise your hand if your busy, wiggly, adorable toddler refuses to sit long enough for you to style her  hair. [raising both my hands]

I have some advice. And it's what has worked for us. Here it goes:

1. Turn on cartoons.
2. Be quick.

Really. My daughter's best hair day is a day that cartoons are playing, I'm fulling prepared (spray bottle of water, comb, hair ties a plenty, etc.) and I flip, twist, part and tie like I'm racing the clock. Which I sort of am.

My daughter will be 2 next month and I started doing her hair early. Granted, she came out of the womb with a mop that made John Stamos jealous, BUT she had a headband on her head from day 2. Literally.

Also, as soon as her hair was long enough for a ponytail you bet I was using baby-safe hair ties and working that sprout. My girl is no stranger to her mama torturing her tugging on her locks every morning. So, that has a lot to do with it, I'm sure.

I've taken pics the last few months and gathered my top 10 favorite go-to hairstyles I have fashioned for Miss C. They're all quick, simple and using the rules above should produce cute "keep that hair outta your face, last all day until naptime" hairstyles for any toddler with enough hair.

Please excuse a couple that are blurry. She sits still for the styling, but I can only ask so much of her when I need to document. 

10 Simple Toddler Hairstyles

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8. 

9.

 

10. 

And... BONUS!

11. When all else fails, there's always the Alfalfa. My personal favorite during bath time. #momscanenjoybathtimetoo

Happy Styling!

Scarves Organized.

There are a lot of ways to organize scarves that I've found online. I used to keep all mine in a basket on the bottom shelf of our closet.

That was until my cat decided it was her new bed and kept sleeping in said basket. Not wanting my scarves to smell like kitty fur, I had to find a new way.

I've seen them hung on hangers.

Image Source

And I've seen them tucked in shoe organizers.

Image Source

I've also seen them folded in a drawer.

Image Source

But what's been working great for me is hooking them on a rod in an unused section of our closet. I can see all of them and I even have them color coordinated. Watch out!

It's easy to pick the right color for any outfit quickly.

And when I'm done wearing one, I just tie it right back onto the rod and it's ready for next time.

How do you organize your scarves?

Happy Organizing!

Become a Maven.

I like new stuff.

I like free stuff.

I also like cheap stuff.

I also like new, really good quality stuff at cheap prices.

Enter . . . Julep's Become a Maven program.

A couple weeks ago, I became a Maven. So, yes, please address me as Maven Angela from now on, thank you.

But I digress (as I often do). . .

Are you familiar with Julep? No?

The gist of Julep's Maven program is this: You are given exclusive access to new color! Each month they hand-pick trendsetting new nail colors, cult faves and cutting-edge beauty products that are just right for you and send them to you in a set. These are full-sized products at a discounted price. Commitment shy? No problem. You decide how often to receive your Julep Maven box, and you can cancel at any time. It's fun to get new FULL SIZE products in the mail, no? And when the products are quality, that's even better!

PLUS! Right now if you join the Julep Beauty Maven subscription program like I did, you can get your first box free (plus $3.99 s/h) if you use the code: FREEBOX at checkout! (expires 12/13/13). It works, that's what I did!

PLUS PLUS! If you're interested in receiving an additional 4% cash back on that box through Ebates click here.

I'm really excited to get a box each month with new things to try! And if I ever decide I don't want to do it, I can cancel. How great!

So about a week after becoming a Maven I received my first Maven box - complete with black confetti! . . . it's the small things that make me happy!

Here's what all was inside:
• Mint Condition Pedi Creme
• Nail Moisture Mask
• Julep nail polish ("Courtney - Boho Glam")
• Julep nail polish ("Marion - It Girl")

So far, I've used the pedi creme and the Marion nail polish. This polish is legit, yo. Here's a picture of my nails TODAY, nails I painted on Monday! No chips, even after 2 pool visits on vacation this week.

Why am I telling you about this, you ask? Well it's because a few days after I'd signed up to be a Maven, I got an email telling me that they accidentally sent me TWO of these Maven boxes. So, I've decided to share the extra one with one of my readers!


Hey, that's you!

One of my lucky readers will received the extra Maven box - unopened, with the four items listed above - in their mailbox from me. 

Here's how to enter:
Each reader can enter 4 ways. It's really very simple. Leave a comment here on this post according to the options below and receive an entry each time!

***EACH COMMENT is an entry, so be sure to comment separately for each task you complete! ***

1. Go here to the Julep site, take the style profile (it's really quick). Come back and leave a comment here telling me what style Maven you are. (Like: I'm "Boho Glam").  - RECEIVE ONE ENTRY!

Additional entries: 
2. Click here to "like" Don't Worry. Be Happy. Keep Learning. on Facebook, then comment here telling me you LIKE DWBHKL on Facebook - RECEIVE ANOTHER ENTRY!

3. Once you've "liked" my page on Facebook, SHARE my status about this giveaway on Facebook (I just love it when people share) then comment here telling me you shared my status. - RECEIVE ANOTHER ENTRY!

4. Click here to "like" Julep on Facebook then comment here telling you like them on Facebook. - RECEIVE ANOTHER ENTRY!

Be sure to read the rules below to be completely eligible. It's not too complicated, I promise.


I can't wait to send this gift set off to one of you! Now, go like, share and comment to be entered to win! You've got a week to get it done! But I'd recommend doing it today!

-------------------------- the fine print & very important schtuff --------------------------

1. All blog comments MUST include your email address in the comment, so I can contact you if you win. If you don't provide an email address, you're not eligible.

2. You must provide at least a first name (no anonymous commenters, please)

3. I will use a random draw generator to choose the winner on November 1, 2013. If you are the winner, I will email you to get your address for mailing this box of awesome to you.

4. There is no cost to enter.

5. There is no obligation to purchase anything from Julep to enter.

6. I am not being paid by Julep in any way to offer this giveaway. I'm just being nice with my extra box they sent me.

7. Thank you for being a reader. I value your visit.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Happy Styling!

Petals Into Bangles.

My [2nd] cousin Christina is amazing. No, really. Not only is she gorgeous and sweet, but she is so talented! She owns a company with her husband, Greg, called Petals Into Bangles. 

Let me back up . . . When we get married, we brides spend crap loads of money on our lovely bouquets of flowers. After the wedding, however, those flowers dry up or get tossed. But what if there was a way to preserve those flowers sans the outdated "put them in a book and flatten them" or "hang them til they dry out" method? Well! The long and short of Greg & Christina's business is this: You, the bride, send your wedding bouquet to Greg & Christina, and they'll turn said bouquet into a unique, one-of-a-kind bangle. This way, your flowers are preserved forever and you can wear your bangle as jewelry. It's a win-win!

Here is Greg & Christina's story from their website:

"When we married in 2006, I wanted to preserve the memories of our special occasion by preserving my floral arrangement. The floral shop we used did not have freeze drying equipment, and neither did anyone else in town. We were told the equipment was too expensive and even more costly to maintain. 

I was forced to pack my bouquet in a cooler and haul it back to the east coast where we were living at the time. I then spent 2 days trying to find a floral preservation shop. Once I finally did, I had to drive 40 miles out of town. Really?

At the end of it, I was flabbergasted by the whole process. Aren’t other brides trying to preserve their flowers too? I started asking some of my married friends and they agreed.

So, with that in mind, I decided I was going to do something about it. I did what any American does and I started a small business to offer high-quality handcrafted bangle bracelets designed for in-press floral preservation. Our bangles are a fashionable, modern alternative to the traditional wall mounted floral bouquet.

I am giving brides a unique way of preserving wedding flowers while providing a simple approach to ensure your favorite flowers are preserved in a timely manner!"

Of course, I was interested in this after we got married 2 years ago, so I contacted my beautiful cousin to see what she could do for me. The catchy thing was that she'd never worked with synthetic flowers before (yea, I'm cheap and went to Hobby Lobby, what?) but she was up to the challenge!
This was my bouquet before I sent it off to her!

She asked me to size my wrist, what embellishments I wanted and whether I wanted dark or light wood. AND . . . this is what she sent me back!

So I opened it!!

I have to say that I'm over-joyed at the final product! It captures the colors of our wedding and is a keepsake for my wonderful day!

I genuinely recommend this to any bride (who may still have her bouquet cuz she is frugal like me) or is getting ready to get married and will want to send her fresh flowers to Greg & Christina.

Visit their website http://www.petalsintobangles.com/ and like them on Facebook (Click here)! And for clarification, I'm not being paid to tell you how awesome my cousin and her husband are or anything like that. I just think it's a great business and want everyone to know about it! 

Happy wedding planning!

Organize jewelry.

If you've been reading my blog long, you might remember my awesome [to me] idea for hanging my necklaces. If not, click here.

Since we moved from our old house into our new one, I haven't reinstalled my necklace rack, even though we've lived here for 2 months already. Oops.

Last night I decided to just do it. Get it assembled and get my newest idea added to it. What's my newest idea? Well, storing my necklaces on a rod is great, but what do you do with your earrings? Many moons ago I was wandering through our local Habitat for Humanity Restore and saw an acordian-like metal thingy that I figured was used as a vent cover or Barbie gate or something. If you know, tell me. Either way, a light bulb went on over my head (about 3" up). This would be great for hanging my earrings! So I bought it - because it cost about 30 cents and I spray painted it black and VOILA!

Behold . . . . my new arrangement in my closet!

I can now house both necklaces AND earrings! I fixed the accordian-like metal thingy to my wall using picture hanging hooks and a nail. This allows it to stick out from the wall a little bit so my earring hooks can get in and around to hang.

I just love having this done. It makes me feel so organized.

And though my husband won't say it out loud, he's probably so glad to have my jewelry off our dresser and finally where it belongs!

Happy organizing!