F is for Family

Family, home, travel, life

Furniture Makeover: Toddler Bed Reading Nook

My most recent furniture makeover is a toddler bed for a reading nook. Some people cut bangs when they are stresses, I paint furniture. I also paint when I’m sad, happy, nesting…you name it. Most of the time, I paint for myself but occasionally I paint projects for others. This was a project for my Mom. She requested this a few months ago originally and then while in the midst of making decisions about what she wanted, we ended up getting the news that she had been diagnosed with cancer.

The project had already been started but it sat in the garage the last few months. The cancer got worse, she passed, my focus was everywhere but painting and then quarantine. Oh quarantine! What’s a girl to do cooped up with no other obligations and boiling over with the stress of the unknown?! Paint.

Before toddler bedbefore headboard toddler bed

 

So, I did. I painted for approximately 2 hours total, add in some dry time that spanned 2 days and voila. The makeover I never saw coming. This may be my favorite furniture makeover. I love chalk paint, I forget how much I love it sometimes until I’m working on a project and then all the butterflies come flooding back to my soul.

Before and after collage

Furniture Makeover Supplies:

In the details:

Book from Rifle Paper Co and beautiful peace lily from The Heavy in Winter Park. Sheets from Pottery Barn Kids and Pillows from Pottery Barn. 

My Amy Howard Review

The Amy Howard Spa White was a color my Mom has used in her guest room and it has some grey undertones. It turned out beautiful. I may get some eye rolls from some chalk paint purists but I don’t like chalk paint wax as a finish. ::ducks and covers::

I prefer to use Matte Poly, especially fir pieces used by kids, for it’s durability and ease of cleaning. Matte keeps that chalk paint look and esthetic. The Spa White was covering a very dark wood so it took all of 2 two full coats. The coverage of the first coat was pretty streaky as was to be expected but the 2nd coat made a world of difference and I instantly knew it was going to have great coverage. This was my first time using Amy Howard. I very impressed with the color pigment and coverage.

Final Reading Nook toddler bed makeover

Laundry Room Craft Corner

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Quarantine life has inspired some Spring cleaning and finally getting to my Laundry Room Craft Corner project I’ve been putting on the back burner. In my pre-Covid days, my happy place is crafting, home reno projects, refinishing furniture and trips to Michael’s. I’ve been itching to get the “other” side of our laundry room done.

When we first bought our house we were so excited with the extra large laundry room. But just like any room that isn’t outfitted to reach it’s ultimate potential, it became the dumping ground for anything that didn’t have permanent home. Including a desk that I planned to use in my son’s room.

Back in December, I went on a deep dive on Pinterest and planned out my laundry room craft corner. I searched small craft room, craft nook, laundry craft room, among tons of other queries. Occasionally, I’d walk in the laundry room, look at the corner and be scared away by the “immensity” of the clutter that had collected. During a big sale, I purchased my craft cart and then it sat and sat. Now that we’ve been locked in the house and among other stresses, I decided to take out my frustration on the clutter.

It was well worth the wait!

Before Craft Corner Makeover
The very scary BEFORE!

Supply List:

My Needs:

  • Cricut Storage
  • Craft Storage
  • Gift Wrap Storage
  • Esthetically Pleasing (let’s face it, if it’s not exciting to see it looking pretty…it’s not going to stay organized)

My husband needed to run to Lowe’s because we’ve been having a leak in one of the bathrooms so I begged asked him to grab me some pegboard and hooks while he was there. Happy wife, happy life so…

My plan was to get this beautiful area done with little to no intervention needed from my husband. Especially since he was working on his own project. HAHAHAHAHA! <that’s what the universe said about that!

Craft Room Progress

FAIL 1: I had measured the area twice and looked up dimensions online. The board was much bigger than anticipated. I had to ask him to cut off a few inches…oops.

FAIL 2: I ASSumed that I could just prop it up to the wall and between even weight distribution and the cart, all would be great!

IT WAS NOT GREAT! At 12:51 AM, I experienced my biggest DIY fail to date. Everything came crashing down. Busted ball jar, Cricut to the ground, cart on the ground, everything from the pegboard was everywhere.

SECURE IT TO THE WALL!!!! Please, pretty please… gravity does not care about DIY aesthetics. With it now securely fastened to the wall. It’s beautiful, it’s functional and it’s totally worth the take 2.

Finished craft area
A few hours before the EPIC fail but the Craft Corner looked great!
Before and After DIY Makeover Laundry Room
F4Family.com Laundry Craft Corner Final

Quarantine Reflections

Quarantine life!

Going strong and on a pretty good schedule. The new “normal” still feels odd. We wrapped up one holiday (Easter) where we weren’t surrounded by both sides of the family. We kept the most important traditions and still made it special for the kids. And we are entering another holiday, Mother’s Day. Some things have opened back up, others haven’t.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say that part of me enjoys this new normal. The pace is slower. The introvert from my introverted-extrovert is happy to nest in place. I miss the ease of running errands and seeing my PTA Mamas, friends and family we haven’t seen for a while but I enjoy having everyone important to me close and within arms reach. 💗 (and when we feel on top of each other, a 30 min run helps bring me back around!)

Long Term Change?

There are times I sit and wonder what long term affects will all of this have on our every day lives and on our children. Will they look back fondly at the time at home? Will this spur a new generation of germophobes? Will we keep a slower pace or rush back to filling our times and days with as much as possible? I hope the last one is a permanent change towards a slower pace. I hope my children remember this as a time where we spent more time together, happily! I also know that this is a very privileged view of time at home. This isn’t the environment that all children in our community are facing and that is definitely still in the back of my mind often.

For the families struggling, I know that each day drags on and adds more stress to this situation. For them I hope they are finding their moments of peace and happy. For those household that NEED to get back to “normal”, I diligently stay home and remind myself that this sacrifice is nothing compared to what others are sacrificing during this time. My husband and I have donated and raised money for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida during this time because it’s the little that we can safely do for our community. If you have the option, please find ways to reach out to your community in any way that is safe. Spread kindness, not germs.

2019 Gift Guide: Best Outdoor Toys for Kids

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Welcome to the 2019 Gift Guide for Best Outdoor toys! My goal for this year is to get my kids great toys that can keep them entertained outdoors. We have a play set in the backyard but we may be hitting the age where it isn’t quite keeping their attention like it used to. So these are the things I have my eye on for the holidays.

1) Kidz Xplore 20 Pack

2) Hokilands 45ft Ninja Slackline Monkey Bars Kit

 

3) Bikes

4) Roller Skates

5) Tree Swing

2019 Gift Guide: Top Toys for 3-6 Year Olds

This post contains affiliate links. While I may make small commissions from purchases you make, you are NOT charged any extra for items purchased. These links and commissions help my small blog stay afloat and hopefully grow! Thank you for the support.

By mid October my kids were already in “Santa List” mode and putting together their top holiday toy wish list. After sifting through their list (and the list I made *for* them), I’ve put together a list of toys that I have my on eye on for this 2019 Holiday Season. As a single fixed income household, good deals are key. That means, Mama is on the hunt!

This list is geared toward kids ages 3 and over. Mine are 5 and 8 years old. I will add that my 5 year old is still all about some little kid toys. His list falls to a “young 5” crowd.

 

Toys for kids ages 3-6

Paw Patrol, Marshall’s Ride and Rescue

 

Paw Patrol, Mighty Pups Super Paws Lookout Tower

Lego, Toy Story 4 Roller Coaster

Hot Wheels Criss Cross Crash Track Set

 

Disney Frozen 2 Elsa Musical Doll

 

Disney Toy Story 4 Forky Creativity Set

Adding Clean to Your Beauty Routine

Clean living isn’t just about the kitchen and it doesn’t mean you have to trash your current beauty collection in one go. In the past, I’ve made clean living decision in my kitchen but making the move to clean beauty was a little more stressful. A lot of research and some purchases that I regretted lead to finally finding a few brands I trusted at prices that didn’t totally break the bank but also didn’t compromise quality. My current go-to brands are Beautycounter and Tarte, and I’ll give you my break down on how to introduce clean beauty into your current beauty regimen.

Why Clean Beauty?

Clean beauty is tricky because some brands just can’t hold a candle to the performance/pigment and quality of the standard Sephora or Ulta line-up. That’s where my research prowess came in. My search criteria were quality 1st and price 2nd. I tried a few Whole Foods beauty products and the price points were ok but the quality of the products just didn’t make me want to make a permanent switch. This all came at a time where I was almost out of my tinted BB Cream and had already collected some samples from Sephora and Neiman Marcus.

Incorporating Clean Beauty

Beauty products are chock full of harmful ingredients and little regulation in the industry has allowed this to fly under the radar. Your skin absorbs these toxins and can cause a number of health issues and have been linked to cancers. Finding brands that avoid these ingredients is another small way to avoid exposure to harmful chemicals.

My biggest beauty issues are dry, dehydrated skin and the start of fine line (ahhh for over 35 skin!). Quality comes into play big time with dehydrated skins as it can become a highlighter for lines and set into every crevice. Finding a way to balance my skin with natural products was a struggle.

And this is where Beautycounter made it’s debut. I was a fan of the products overall but had used them mostly for my kids. Once I found the Beautycounter Overnight Resurfacing Peel, it was a game changer! It helped to exfoliate gently and allow my skin to finally let in moisture. THANK YOU! This is my personal hero product and my biggest recommendation. It’s like a facial without the price tag.

Next, I found my foundation. I was having a hard time considering this purchase because I fell in love with one of my Sephora samples. I was originally looking at a tinted moisturizer but once I got my hands on the Beautycounter Hydrating Foundation, I was sold. It went on smooth, not too heavy (which I prefer) and it’s build-able for when you need more coverage. It was forgiving for my fine lines and what more can you ask for?

Lastly, one of my favorite pallete’s is Tartelette Toasted. The colors scream fall. The pigment is fantastic, tons of colors for different looks. It’s a nice way to round out the start toward clean beauty.

Tips for Creating Better Content

*This post has been sponsored by Ketsum Bilt, please see my disclosure for further info.*

I’ve recently taken a step back from my content creation to “study” just how my favorite content creators use in Social Media and Blogs for creating better content. In this fast paced, media centric industry, it’s easy to get bogged down with just spitting out content and not necessarily taking the time it needs to curate well rounded, professional posts. As I’ve looked to diversify the media and content that I share, I’ve realized that photos and video are just as impactful as the written words that accompany them. While diving down the rabbit hole that is the interwebs, I came across Kestum Bilt who’s experience, and expertise resonated with everything I had been uncovering.

Create an Authentic Story

A recent podcast I stumbled upon mentioned the importance of story telling in content creation. Of course I know this, it’s what I’ve done hundreds of times, especially as a Knowledge Manager/Content Creator. My job was merge the Knowledge, factual information from subject matter experts and create the story that helps this information make sense to clients. Telling a story is what helps readers and people connect to content. It was easier to do with other people content. But wasn’t really a practice I’d brought to my personally created content.

But that doesn’t stop with written or graphical content. It’s just as important for videos and photography to tell a story as the words we put into our posts. Peter Guzzo, an award winning Director, Executive Producer and Creative, has proven this over and over in his work. His heart wrenching PSA on Human Trafficking in Tampa shows just how powerful creativity and story telling can be.

Peter Guzzo, Director of Kestum Bilt.
Photo courtesy of KestumBilt.com

Creating your own authentic story, creates better content. Find the moments in your life or the images and videos you take, that make you think and feel. In the end, those are the moments that will connect you to your followers.

Create a Calendar

If you don’t already, plan out a monthly calendar. This will help you put together a solid strategy for creating better content, keep you on track with editing and create a cohesive story. Providing an overview picture of your Social Media and Blog helps take off the pressure that can trigger creative block. This is one of the areas that I didn’t follow as much in the past but have been putting into practice to help guide keep me on track and organize the zillion ideas floating in my head. Strategy and planning are key!

Focus on Quality

What do you love about your favorite content? What makes this content better, stand out? Take an honest look at the things that make you pause for a second when you scroll on through your Social Media feed. What do they have in common? Most likely, it’s a well-lit video or photograph, it’s showing or telling you something that’s easy to understand and it feels genuine. This what you should strive for in your own content. Maybe it’s time to invest in that ring light or a better camera.

Bring in a Professional

Don’t be afraid to collaborate with an expert! One of our fatal flaws as content creators is avoiding collaboration. Not wanting to let go of our work and put it in the hands of someone else can keep us from moving our content from good to great. It could be fear of not having our vision come together, not being heard. But with the right partnership, you can find collaborators who listen and understand you vision. It can save you time and stress.

However, not everyone can take the ideas they have and execute a winning strategy. Experts like, Kestum Bilt, bring years of experience (25+ if you are a numbers person) to their clients. They not only help with production and editing, they work with you to develop a creative strategy that fits your brand and share their passion and craftsmanship to elevate your content. Don’t be afraid of letting other help you in creating better content.

With locations in Tampa, Atlanta, Miami and Nashville they have worked with many recognizable brands such as Napa Auto Parts, Cooper Tires, HSN, Margaritaville and more. Kestum Bilt’s experience and execution speaks for itself. They are the experts to take your production content to the next level!

Don’t forget to Pin for later!

To Amazon Prime or Not to Prime Days….

Amazon Prime Days are here!

(DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, WHICH MEANS WE MAY RECEIVE A COMMISSION TO IF YOU CLICK A LINK AND PURCHASE SOMETHING. PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR DISCLOSURE POLICY FOR MORE DETAILS.)

Amazon Prime Days are back! Now the decision to Prime shop or not to Prime shop. I was warned ahead of time, by my husband, to try and not go overboard. (Ha!) I’ve done my best. I went ahead and bought a Firestick 4k because our Roku is about to bite the dust any day now and since we are cable free…this is a must. I also found a great deal on a pair of shoes for back to school. It’s been quite a while since my previous shopping review and we’ve moved from work apparel to back to school shopping. Life is funny that way. I was hoping to find some more back to school supply items but those deals may need to wait for another day.

But these gems are still taunting me!

If you haven’t heard about the magic of the Revlon Volumizing Hot Air Brush, let me fill you in. According to the interwebs, it’s magic and will turn any bad hair day around. Some of my favorite Instagram bloggers have been talking about this gem for some time, landing it on my radar. I’m just not sure I’m ready to pull the trigger just yet…but that price!!!! The struggle is real.

 

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer Hot Air Brush, Black

Another FOMO inducing product is the Ring Doorbell. I was team “need it now” up until some recent reviews and now I’ve been going back and forth on grabbing the OG camera/doorbell or going with a different off-brand brand with better camera quality.

Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell in Satin Nickel, Works with Alexa

Drop me a comment with the “must haves” you scored already or did you skip the shopping frenzy all together?

Fitness & Fun Fridays: How to Stick to a Fitness Plan

It’s almost February…FEBRUARY! The first month of 2016 has whizzed by in a blink. Now is the time to look at those resolutions and assess the situation. Are you still on track? Have you fallen off the bandwagon? How can you get re-motivated? If you have completely fallen off track and need to get back on the wagon, these are my tips for getting back into high gear.

 

1)    What are your obstacles? The hardest part of making a big life change is keeping up the motivation. January is the big month to “start new things”, it’s also the peak of cold and flu season and the kick off to new work projects, the weather is dreary and cold. If you think about it, it’s a huge recipe for nope-I-will-stay-lazy! You may have started out with a bang and already fizzled. Identify all the things in your way. The only way to solve for those issues is to acknowledge they exist.


2)    Bust out that new planner! It was so fun filling in those first few dates in January. The planner was all sparkly and new. If you were like me, you carried that thing with everyday those first few weeks. It’s now probably collecting dust in your office or the back of your car. Go find it! Mark on the calendar your fitness plan and your meal plan. Schedule your health like you do important appointments. This is just as important. Planners aren’t your thing? Put it on your work calendar. Write it in code with outlook reminders. Don’t let “time” get the best of you. A 30 minute workout, which is all that a program like, 21 Day Fix calls for daily is 2% of your day. Find a program that works for you. You spend more time checkingSocial Media trust me.

3)    Make it fun! Do you kind of dread going to gym or are you dripping with kiddos and can’t seem to find the “time”? Make it a game. Take your kids bikes out, take the dog out for a walk or start out solo and turn it into interval training. Use an app that times intervals or a playlist that you love and make a goal to jog for half a song, walk half a song or do lunges from one mailbox to the next. If you have kids, they will love it and they may be begging you to for a “workout walk”. Don’t underestimate the impact new inspiration can have on you! I’ve personally been stalkingJill Conyers health and fitness blog and love all her tips and recipes.

4)    Make it convenient. Hi pot, I’m kettle! This is me, writing myself advice. I love sleep. I hate cold. These are two amazing January excuses for me to hit the snooze button. And boy have I taken full advantage of this in the last two weeks. It’s a good thing I live in Florida or I may be in full on hibernation mode by this point. This is what is on my list of things to incorporate into my routine to get me motivated. Layout everything the night before. Get your water bottle together, clothes and even your gym bag set and ready to go. Take away as much excuse as you can. If you workout at home, like me, set up your weight, towel and everything so that all you have to do is get dressed and hit play. Shoot, go to bed in your workout gear…we won’t judge!


5)    Don’t give up and don’t judge yourself. So, you blew the last week. You didn’t work out; you ate 3 days worth of cheat meals, whatever it is, give yourself a break. Making a huge change is tough and taking a few steps back is part of the process. Don’t look at it as a failure or that you have to start from scratch. You just have worry about today, yesterday already happened. Get back into the swing and move forward.

I’m on round, I’ve lost count, with 21 Day Fix and I still have to keep working at staying on track. If I slack on workouts, I tighten up my diet. I can honestly say the program has taught me to maintain and I haven’t put on any weight even though I haven’t followed everything perfectly this past month. I have goals I’d still like to reach and I’m trying to keep in mind that this is a journey and a personal one. I’m “training” to feel better about myself, not to win an Olympic medal so, perfection isn’t needed but determination is.

 

If you want more info on joining my next 21 Day Fix accountability group, email me! I love adding new challengers to keep me motivated. If you have tips that keep you moving, let me know I love getting new fitness inspiration!

 

Michael’s AD