Shellac Nails

After 3 weeks...I didn't even think to take a picture at the beginning.

Excuse my funny shaped toes, but I wanted to show these nails. After 3 weeks, they are flawless.  The only exception being the grow out at my cuticles.

I love nice nails, but I don't love paying for pedicures. Especially on my hands, where nail polish chips with in days or even hours. But after a sweet mother's day gift from my husband, I got to go have a shellac manicure for both my hands and feet. And I have never been as impressed.

 I chose color for my toes, shown above and a french manicure for my hands. They lasted well past the 2 weeks they promised. In fact, I removed my fingers' paint only because they grew out to the point you could see the whites of my own nails coming through. And I wasn't careful with them, I just did things as usual. And things that would cause chipping immediately with normal polish didn't do anything to these.

My toes were able to last longer since they were a color.  I just made sure not to push back my cuticles...postponing the grown out look as long as possible. And, I clipped my nails as they grew, so they weren't too long...and it didn't chip polish.  It kept them looking fresh.

So...in a nutshell, I highly recommend them.
So much, in fact, that I am looking into purchasing the equipment and supplies to do it myself. I'll keep you posted.

Shirt Re-do's

Old plain shirts...in desperate need of some sprucing.

Kid's Hot & Cold Pack

So I loved the Kids Cold Pack Idea from Just Another Hang Up. It is filled with rice, so it can be kept in the freezer until needed.  Or heat it in the microwave and it can be a little warming pad.

I just know, my son wont use an ice pack when he gets hurt.  They are too cold and hard.

So this was the perfect solution.

Although the chick cold packs @ Just Another Hang Up are much cuter in my opinion.  I just simplified it.  And used the scraps from our Halloween Monkey Costumes.  So it was basically free to make.

Below is the pattern I made. 

You can enlarge or shrink it to make any size.

And I suggest using flannel...soft on the skin.

Free Template Printable & Download found here:

Monkey Template 1

Monkey Template 2

Foaming Soap Recipe

Want to refill your foam soap dispenser? And save money?

I love foaming soap, but we go through it so much faster than regular liquid soap.

And I like saving money.  Liquid soap you can buy the bulk refillable, but not foaming soap. 

But with the simple recipe to make foaming soap, you can not only refill it and save a ton of money, but it also uses about a tenth of the soap it takes to refill a regular soap bottle. So you save even more.

Foam Soap Recipe:

- Foaming Soap Dispenser

- Liquid Soap (Can be hand soap or liquid dish soap)

- Hot Water

*Optional: Soap Fragrance Oil

Directions:

Fill Foaming Soap Dispenser 1/8th full of liquid soap.  If you are using fragrance oils, add in 15-30 drops. Then slowly pour in hot water.  *Don't fill quite to the top, the pump takes up a bit of room. Stir until completely mixed. Don't shake or it foams over the top. Screw on Pump and you're done.

I bought liquid hand soap that had no fragrance and added oil and it worked great.  But I found Liquid Dish Detergent has a stronger fragrance  and color so that was easier and cheaper.

*I also like to match my choice of fragrance with the original soap from my pump. That way they match and no one knows.

Hand Sanitizer

Germ-X has a foaming hand sanitizer I love.  It is alcohol free, so it doesn't sting when your hands are cut or dry.  And less concern around children.  Also, this is one of the few alcohol free hand sanitizers that smells nice.  Just simple fresh and clean.

And when you buy it at Big Lots, it is a third of the price than at Walmart...

And even greater savings from several other stores. 

A simple trick for: Moisturized Skin

I got this trick from Kayla's amazing blog located here, and immediately tried it out.  After having a baby, I don't know about you, but I had several bottles of Baby Oil Gel around that have never been used.  So instead of throwing them away I put them to the test...and loved the results.

If you choose not to read about it on Kayla's blog, I will quickly explain how I use it. 

First of all, I am really bad with lotion.  Although I need it desperately in this dry climate, I forget to put it on and usually I am already dressed so I only get my hands. 
But instead, I keep the bottle in my shower and after I am all done, I quickly towel off. Then lather up with the Baby Oil Gel.  I use it all over.  Then I simply wrap myself in my towel and mosey around for a few minutes.  From brushing my hair, teeth, etc.  This just lets it absorb a bit before I put my clothes on.  (I take 2 or 3 min. tops!)

And no I have never had any "oil" residue or marks on clothing or furniture and it doesn't leave me feeling greasy. 

And I have found any brand works well, I am just using up whatever brands I have on hand.  And I find the GEL is important, regular baby oil leaves me feeling greasy!

Also, Kayla refers to using this while she was pregnant.  And although I am very recently classified in that group I tried this before being pregnant and found it worked wonders.  But for those of you who are pregnant or plan to be one day, this is a "safe" option and works wonders on crazy preggo skin!

Hemming with the original Hem!

I got a pair of cute Lucky Jeans from my sister.  She lost some weight and passed them my way.  The only problem...she is taller than me, so I needed to hem them and I didn't want them to look like a "homemade" hem job.  So my mom suggested the idea below.  Come to find out this brilliant idea, had been around before my mom and here is another tutorial you might find helpful.

Now for the supplies and steps:

Materials Needed:
Your Jeans
Measuring Tape
Pins
Scissors
Iron
Sewing Machine (preferably with zipper foot, but not required)
Double sided Iron-on tape/adhesive (optional: see below)
Needle and thread (optional: see below)

Step One: Very IMPORTANT!! Wash jeans!

Step Two: Measure the height of the original hem.  Save this measurement for later. (Mine was 1/2 inch)

Put on the jeans with the shoes you'd wear them with.  Then fold the bottom hem up until you reach the desired length. Pin and measure this amount. (My cuff was 2 & 1/4 inches.)  This measurement is from the bottom of the fold up to the very end of the jeans, which includes the original hem. 
Then subtract the first measurement of your original hem.  (Mine is: 2 & 1/4 - 1/2 = 1 & 3/4).

So now I pin my jeans to this length, as shown in the picture below:

Step Three: Sew! This is best done with a "zipper foot" on your machine,  but I didn't have one and it worked just fine! If you have a zipper foot, place it as close to the original hem as possible and then stitch following around the leg. 

 Be sure NOT to sew over the original hem anywhere!

If you do not use a zipper foot, like me Do notice the placement of my sewing machine's foot. Seen above. It is on the original hem, so I had to be extra careful not to veer into it!

Step Four: Measure your excess cuff.  If it is 3/4 of an inch or shorter, go to step 5.

If it is longer than 3/4 inch you have a choice...you can cut the inner excess cuff off, or you can tack it under.

A. First, if you choose to cut, measure and do not cut shorter than 1/2 inch.  This allows for future fraying.

B. Tacking it: Place double sided iron-on adhesive between the excess cuff and the leg of the jeans.  Like you are "taping" it inside.  Then Iron as directed on its package.  After ironing tack cuff, with a few hand stitches, to each of the pant leg seems.  Both the inner and outer seem. Shown below:

Step Five: Finally, Iron the outside of the pant leg.  Smoothing and flatening out the seem! 

I hope these work as well for you as they did for me!  And let me know if you have questions.  Some of the directions can be confusing!  But it was really easy and took me half an hour (following option B: tack and ironing).