Polka Dots

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1- Juicy Couture Scarf 2- Marc Jacobs Wallet 3- Kate Spade Loire Pump 4- Polka Dot Tee 5- Marc Jacobs Dot 6- Paige Denim Skinny Polka Dot Jeans

I am in love with polka dots lately.  The design of the bottle DOT for Marc Jacobs blows me away!  I do not like perfumes (allergies) but that bottle would like great on display!  However, I am not allergic to shoes and I want the Kate Spade pumps now!

Linked to Fashion Friday

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Thrifty Tuesday! Owl Find!

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I am very excited to announce a new weekly feature on A Bubbly Life- Thrifty Tuesday OR Thursday! (depending on blogging schedule, lol)

As you know, I am a budget DIYer and one of the ways I accomplish this is by visiting thrift stores/stalking Craigslist/yard sales and making over my finds!  

However, many of my finds do not require tutorials or labor intensive changes, so I have decided to dedicate a day on the blog to show a thrifty find or I will share a thrifty tip I have picked up along the way.  

Today is my owl from my garden post!  (P.S.- you can win a SEARS giftcard at the link, 2 days are left, good luck !!) 

I do not prime as much as I should- but sometimes I do prime so I can see how it might look white- which was the case here.  I decided to try a color after seeing him in white!

Originally the owl was purchased for Kalia's room, but he is VERY heavy and just did not seem very kid friendly.  Then, when spray painting pink, the can kind of exploded on me- this has never happened  in all my spray painting activities, so I took it as a sign.

The owl is now a bright blue and I love it!  He sits on my garden stool and will eventually be a great pop of color in my office space.

I think he needs a name- ideas anyone??  Ollie? Horace? Weedle?


Need info on spray painting?  Check out my 5 Simple Tips to Make Spray Painting Easy 

Weekend Loves & Lens- Arizona Edition

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We arrived in Arizona on Saturday for a family visit!  We, of course, had to make some urgent stops as soon as we arrived:

In N Out Burger- One of my favorite splurges- so delicious!!

Last Chance- The deep discount Nordstrom outlet ONLY in Phoenix (I will probably be heading there a few more times on this visit...)

A Bubbly Life:

Enter to win a giftcard from SEARS by commenting on my post here!  My first giveaway! I will also be posting the different shades of the owl featured in the SEARS post this week- he is SUCH a cutie!

Have you heard of The CSI project?  (Create Something Inspiring!) It is a weekly themed challenge and last week's theme was Pinterest inspired!  I submitted my dining table and color dipped chairs and was a project winner!  Thank you so much!

It was my first time participating and I love the idea of a linky party challenge! Check them out and play!!

Hope your weekend was wonderful!

Relaxing on The Patio With An Old Find & Win A $25 Sears Gift Card!!

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Contest is completed! Congrats Daniel on the win!! Remember my garden stool from my 5 Simple Tips To Make Spray Painting Easy?

It was a $22 find  that I spray painted and loved, but I had no place in the house for it.  As I said in the prior blog post, I have plans for the stool to go in my office, but I have not started my office makeover- it is months years away from happening.

With grilling season in full swing, the brilliant idea of actually using the garden stool outside came to me.  We do not have a garden, but we do have a patio with all our herbs in pots, so it is kind of like a garden.

So, while my husband grills, I sit outside and relax, and I enjoy NOT cooking.   In the summer, I love to drink a cucumber, lemon, and basil infused water.  (Let all ingredients chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.)  I also change out the basil for mint to mix it up sometimes.

I love this owl

Or maybe even some bubbly?  With added frozen raspberries... mmmm....

I can also sit on the garden stool, but it is is pottery and if you have not read my blog before, I am incredibly clutzy and sitting on a big breakable piece of pottery is not the best idea. (This is also why my husband does the grilling- fire and I do not mix)

Relaxing on the patio is a tough job, but I worked hard on the stool- time to give it some use!

See that little owl?  I love him- will share his makeovers soon! (Yes, he had a couple color changes)

I am very happy I found a place for the orphaned stool and hopefully when it is time to bring it inside, my office makeover will be complete (next winter?).

What activities do you and your family enjoy on your patio?

Answer the question below and one of you will win a $25 Sears gift card! My FIRST Giveway!! I hope you enjoy!!

Need some help figuring out your style? Sears is making it easy with their interactive quiz that helps you select your perfect style.



This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sears.
The opinions and text are all mine.  Official Sweepstakes Rules.

Paper Flowers Birthday Number DIY

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Supplies:
Cardboard or Foam Board*
Marker
Measuring Tape
Scissors
Thin galvanized wire, or floral wire
Tissue Paper
Tape or glue

*I used cardboard for my numbers as I try to reuse anything around the house for my crafts, but foam board would work great if you do not have any cardboard available.

Directions:

Number Cutting-
- Take your piece of cardboard and mark off 12 inches
- Outline your desired letter or number in the 12 inch space
- The flowers are 4-5 inches wide, so the number can be anywhere from 2-4 inches wide
- Carefully cut out the cardboard number
- Set Aside

Tissue Paper Pom Pom Flowers- - *Adapted from Martha Stewart

- Take 6 sheets of tissue paper
- Apply an accordion fold in approximately 1 inch increments
- Once completed, cut tissue in three segments
- Pick up one accordion folded segment, wrap wire around middle & twist closed
- Cut end of tips in a rounded shape if desired
- Separate layers and pull one at a time
- Only pull and bring out to ONE side

- Flower will be flat one one side
- Repeat until all flowers are complete, depending upon your number/letter the amount you will need varies
- I used 8 flowers for the Number 3, 11 flowers for Number 2, 9 flowers Number 1

*If you have done the Martha Stewart pom poms, please note the differences in bold italics and the pictures.

Before attaching flowers, arrange appearance on number, variations may occur in the flower sizes and the numbers are different sizes, so you will have to carefully place BEFORE gluing or taping.

Attach flowers using tape or glue to the cardboard letter- and you are Complete!!

The numbers are great for birthday parties and although I used it for Kalia's First Birthday party, they would make a great backdrop for any adult party.  Maybe 30 done in black, lol?  Write out I Do! for your wedding!

Oh, look, it is my age! backwards

Would make a darling photo prop at a birthday, wedding, you name it!

This DIY is very budget friendly, I did not have to purchase anything (I entertain often and have LOTS of tissue paper) But even if you have to purchase tissue paper and/or floral wire, you can do so under $5, the rest most anyone would have at home!

Most of my DIYs are simple and easy, the actual steps of the DIY are easy, however, depending upon how many numbers/letters you need- making a bunch of those little flowers is time consuming.

Grab yourself some wine and a couple hours of your favorite show or playlist- I jammed to my acoustic playlist on Spotify for most of it.

If it is for your wedding- grab some bridesmaids! I personally enlisted my husband to cut the numbers out because cutting a straight line is a class I failed in kindergarten and I just never got over the shame.

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Any suggestions for my acoustic playlist?  I kind of played out mine doing all these numbers!

As usual, please pin and share if you like the DIY- thank you!

Weekend Loves & Lens- Work & Wine Edition

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Lovely weekend, but mostly work and errands with wine mixed in (of course!)

Loves-

Kalia is starting to walk and we were able to capture the first time on camera! She clumsily got up while holding an Ironman coffee mug-  trying to follow in Daddy's footsteps!

A Bubbly Life was on Anderson Cooper's blog and papernstitch ! I am so thankful for the inclusions!!
Check out the links for a collection of DIYs!

Next weekend, I am heading to Phoenix.  Heading to Phoenix in August is not the best idea ever, but I am crossing my fingers for a cool down?  

Glitter DIY- Balloons, Letters, Mod Podge, Oh My!

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Glitter was the inspiration for Kalia's first birthday party, so I tried to incorporate it throughout the entire party!  Check out more pictures of her party!

I wanted to add her name in "lights" and Kalia loves balloons.  And why not replace boring balloon weights with glitter!? 

A very simple DIY, but the results are beautiful.  I would love to use it around Halloween with a dark black glitter to spell Boo and Christmas time to spell Joy or Peace.  I cannot wait to use it around the holidays!

Here is how you can make this simple DIY and spell whatever you like! 

Supplies:

- Foam Brush

- Wooden Letters

- Mod Podge (the sparkle version of course!)

- Glitter

- Balloons (not shown)

Directions:

- Brush Mod Podge onto letters

- Sprinkle glitter on one side

- Let Dry

- Flip sides and repeat!

To Hang:

Using the ribbon from the balloons, tie around your letter.  You can also staple gun the ribbon on, but tying led to a more "floaty effect" which is what I wanted.

Happy Friday!

I hope you enjoy this simple DIY that takes minutes! I will update holiday versions as the season comes!

Follow A Bubbly Life on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest!

Please pin if you like the DIY! Pins are my favorite! Well... besides comments- comments are my real favorite (and wine, wine is my favorite.  Ok, I am done... )


*All links to Amazon are referral links

Pink Girly Budget DIY First Birthday!

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Update: Kalia's Party was chosen as Party of the Week, then Fan Favorite and then won Party of the month for September over at the amazing Project Nursery, thank you!!! 

I LOVED planning, crafting, thrifting and executing Kalia's 1st birthday party.  Since Kalia is only one, she is not really into much; besides chewing anything that is not food- and I had trouble creating a party theme around that...

So, I created a simple feminine look for her first birthday party.  Lots of pink, glitter and flowers for my little girl!

1- Yard Sale Frame-  $5.00 (the frame contained Kalia's 1-11 monthly pictures & were hung with ribbon and glittered clothespins)
2 & 8- DIY Cake Stands- Thrifted Plates & Candleholders $6.49 Click here for the DIY!
3- Thrifted Vases- $1.82
4- Glass wine bottles 2 on table and 2 glass jars- FREE from personal use! (Glitter DIY)
5- Thrifted Floral Foam to stick straws in- $0.50
6- Thrifted White Frame- - $0.50
7- Keep Calm Print & Frame (already owned) Keep Calm and Eat A Cupcake- FREE Created at home
9- DIY Tablecloth- Thrifted twin sheet $1.99 No sewing of course! (See my other no sew ruffled tabelcloth)

(Any serveware/dishware was already previously owned by me, if you have specific questions, Please ask!)

Close up frame shot Added 8-18 due to emails & comments= Thank you =)

As you can see, most of the items were thrifted and then I worked a little DIY magic.  The most expensive part was purchasing the pink spray paint; I needed about four bottles for the frame and the high chair (below).

Balloon name glitter- Kalia's name in glitter!  DIY is here!
Pink Highchair- thrifted for $7 and spray painted pink (this was my happiest find, it was on my FIRST thrift trip out to begin planning Kalia's party)  The bunting with her initials in glitter was leftover thrifted fabric from her nursery.
Number one paper flower- Tutorial is here!
Beautiful crown- purchased via Etsy Prop Shop Boutique

The food!

I did a Greek Fest! The Greek food I chose to cook is very easy to prepare the night before and even better to do so because it allows the food to marinate longer.
Since everything is already made, I am free to decorate and bake the next day (Nick had to grill the chicken, but that was all the food prep the next day)
Entire menu (not all pictured): chicken souvalaki, hummus, tzatziki, feta and artichoke dip and Greek village salad.  

For dessert, I made a chocolate cake, cupcakes and these adorable marshmallows I found on Pinterest via MommyGaga.  I have NEVER baked cake or really much of anything, so it was quite a feat.  I will get better over time, so I am happy Kalia is only one and did not notice!  Kalia did not enjoy the cake, but she loved my homemade hummus!


Thank you for checking out Kalia's 1st Birthday! Please let me know if there are any DIYs you would like to see on A Bubbly Life from the party!  

Did you have a themed first birthday party? Let me know in the comments!


Most of the photos were done by Xolexo Photo (some shown are mine)  Check her out on Facebook!
Thank you Lexi for the beautiful photos!

Weekend Loves & Lens

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My favorite loves AND lens from the weekend was this picture I snapped of Nick & Kalia holding hands- she is Daddy's little girl!

We fell upon a place to have tea this weekend!  While Kalia enjoyed her first scone, I had a delicious heirloom tomato salad.  I am loving tomato season, I had caprese salad 3 times last week.

Wild Salmon was on sale for $7.99 a pound! I picked it up without any idea of what I would cook and it turned out so delicious that I will re-test a couple times and put the recipe up soon!  

A Bubbly Life-

I redid my Pinterest boards! I had a blue motif for about two months and switched to pink while drinking my coffee Saturday morning.

Pink was an easy switch-  apparently, I pin a lot of pink!

If you hate pink, do not worry, I have lots of variety in my boards! (and many, many more boards than the ones shown above)

Do you have a theme on your Pinterest boards  Let me know, I love to see what people do!

I participated in my first review for Mom Central and reviewed a Hoover Steam Mop, you can check out my review on Amazon.  Thank you Mom Central for the great opportunity and thank you Hoover for the awesome steam mop!

I am almost to 200 likes on Facebook! Thank you so much!! If you read and enjoy A Bubbly Life, come on over to Facebook!  I am SO thankful for all the love, support, comments, emails and tweets I get from everyone- thank you!!

Photo A Day July Challenge Instagram

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July is the first month I completed every single day of the photo a day challenge!! 

I participated in May and June, but missed days here and there- I am so happy to have completed one month. 

The photo a day challenge is updated monthly by FatMumSlim, join me on the August Photo A Day Challenge!  (I missed a week already...  so, the glory days of July will have to stay with me ;)

Follow me along on Twitter and Instagram (abubblylife) for all my photos!

Weekend Loves & Lens- BlogHer '12 Edition

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My Weekend Loves & Lens is late as I was at BlogHer '12!

I returned home late Monday and had to hit the ground running with my day job and of course snuggling with little Miss Kalia who I missed so much!

BlogHer 12

I am a HUGE fan of Martha Stewart (if you could not tell from here and here) I also have a new found interest in Katie Couric.  Both these speakers blew me away, I truly felt blessed to have the opportunity to "eat lunch" with them!

I met a Top Chef, I tried soy sauce ice cream, fell in love with Stella & Dot arm candy and I WON AN iPAD from Reader's Digest!

I did not even know I was entering a contest!  Thank you SO much, I just wish I had taken pictures, I was so shocked I forgot, hope to see the pics they took soon, the only one I have is one off Twitter!

Back to the conference-  Voices of the Year was by far my favorite event.  Lori Volkman had me holding back tears when she discussed PTSD and Neil Kramer  had me holding back snorts from my laughter with his bad love poem.  Everyone was absolutely amazing and I now have a LONGGgg list of blogs to read!

Connections:

A Fancy Girl Must Girls! I was honored to be asked to be a contributer last month to A Fancy Girl Must's Facebook page (Like It!) and after a day of various events, I met them for some dinner and drinks!  It was so great to meet the ladies in person!  I seriously only have a picture of a dirty martini from our wonderful dinner of sushi... (and drinks) 

YeahWrite Community-  I met some lovely ladies from the Yeah Write community & we danced the night away.  The Yeah Write community is a wonderful group of bloggers who support each other, encourage bloggers and compete for Yeah Write stardom.  They are also awesome because they let me submit to the group even though I am mostly a DIY blogger who occasionally writes about baby farts and proving my husband wrong.  Loved meeting some of them in person!

The Eclectic-ness that is BlogHer- The last night was spent with- Extreme Couponer Chrystie Corns, Orange Dragonfly Blog, Nathan O'Leary and Stephanie Quilao and many others not pictured.  One of the best parts about BlogHer was meeting bloggers from every area and niche of the blogosphere.

As a new blogger and one unfamiliar with the land of personal blogging, I was in awe of the abilities, interests and passions of all the women I met.

The most important takeway from BlogHer were all the connections I made- I talked to everyone I could- standing in line at the bathroom, in the elevators, saying Hello at the cocktail parties.  I barely have made a dent in the business cards I received. I am slowly, but surely contacting and/or adding on Twitter...  I cannot wait to read all the wonderful blogs.

I think BlogHer is what YOU make of it.  It can be an overblown experience of swag and private parties,  money-brand talk, or an experience where you listen, talk story, and share your passion for blogging in whatever niche that may be.  It can be all three!  However, for the love of pete- relax with the swag, everyone will get a resuable bag and a pen, there is no reason to turn into a pushy swag vulture!

New York, New York

BlogHer 12 was in New York City!! I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, but our family moved when I was 14.  It has been about 5 years since my last visit to the city and I enjoyed the brief moments I got to walk around the city (and eat!) I am very thankful my friend made the trip to the Hilton to meet me for one drink between the events, we have known each since we were 5!

Needless to say, BlogHer 12 was an amazing experience and I look forward to reconnecting online with many of the people I met.  I just now would like a babysitter for a week so I can catch up on sleep!

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DIY Color Block Your Knife Block!

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My knife block has always bugged me-  sticking out like a boring brown sore thumb in my kitchen.  So, I decided to test out some colors to go along with my counter decor.

Color Blocking your Knife Block Supplies:

Spray Paint Primer (not required)

Paint tape
Spray Paint color of your choice

Knife Block A Procedure:

Step 1- Prime
Apply a layer of primer - I actually used a white paint primer combination* I got at the mismatch bin* at Lowe's (for $5!)

* Tidbit for budget DIYers- check the mismatch paint bin at every trip to the store- you never know when you will get lucky!

* Prime/Paint mixes usually do not have as strong as a grip for priming but for small projects I do not mind!

Step 2-  Tape
For the white knife block, I wanted a striped look.  I grabbed the tape and created my design.

You can also add pieces of tape into the individual knife slots, in Block A mine was mostly covered, so I just used caution around the slots. (Block B, I did add tape to the slits)
*Please note, spray paint is not food safe, so use caution!

Step 3- Spray paint  Lightly coat when spray painting, allowing each layer to dry and repeat a layer until you get your desired color.  (For more spray paint tips, check out my blog post on 5 Simple Tips To Make Spray Painting Easy)

Rip off tape and reveal your masterpiece!

Knife Block B Procedure

I wanted to keep the natural wood and add a modern look.  I did no priming on this block and just had fun taping it up.  As stated before, I did add tape to the knife slots as they were exposed.  I forgot to take a picture of the taped knife black B (ahh!)

I bought the knife blocks for $.90 at the thrift store to test out the look and am having trouble choosing my favorite for my kitchen!   I know I want blue, but not sure which look!

Which one is your favorite- shabby chic blue striped or pink modern natural wood?

Let me know in the comments!

If you enjoy this DIY please pin and share it!