Pages

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Denim Vest Love & Easy Tutorial

Today I am co-hosting a link-up with two LOVELY girls--Jill at Doused in Pink and Carrie at Curly Crafty Mom. Jill is super crafty so hopefully she approves of this post! HA! Link up with us below!!!

Girls--as you  know I am participating in the Summer Style Challenge. The thing about these challenges are they are truly CHALLENGES. They often put you outside of your comfort zone to try things you might not ever dream of wearing! A few past things I never thought to wear before the challenges...

~ Stripes and florals


~ Denim on Denim

~  Palazzo/Track pants


All of these things were outside my comfort zone at first but now I LOVE them!!!

I have to say, the Summer Challenge is definitely "challenging" me more than others! One HUGE "I will never wear that!" item on the list this challenge is a denim vest. Is it just me, a child of the 80's and 90's, that just makes you think of Billy Ray Cyrus, Achey Breaky Heart, when you think about about a denim vest??!! I know vests are mainstream now, but still. This isn't Billy Ray, but you get the idea....

But darn it, I was going to try to and step outside my comfort zone. So I went onto Pinterest and found these outfits....(better, right?)

Denim Vest OUtfits

Hmmmm...that looked  promising!!! So I started looking for some vest options...here are some GREAT ONES!
Then, in a short, rare, flash of genius, I remembered my huge "donate" pile that was ready for Goodwill and low and behold I found a denim jacket. Hmmmm......dare I just cut the sleeves off??! I am NOT, repeat, NOT a seamstress and the farthest thing from a DIYer! But I dared. This is how it turned out ~

Denim Vest Tutorial

Denim Vest Tutorial

 I think it turned out great!! I'm still feeling a tad Achey Breaky but I'm warming up to it!

Girls, you can do this, too in 3 easy steps. If I can do it, ANYONE can. I swear! I found ANOTHER denim jacket in my donate pile to show you how it's done.

Denim Vest Tutorial

Needed: Denim Jacket, Sharp Scissors (I used a pair of sharp scrapbooking scissors). I preferred the smaller scrapbook scissors so I could be more precise when cutting around the arms.

Step 1: Locate a denim jacket, preferably thrifted and INEXPENSIVE. I would not pay over $10. See fit guidelines below. Fit is VERY important!!!

Denim Vest Tutorial

Step 2: With your scissors, make a small cut right near the seam where the jacket's arms are sewn. This will allow you to easily get your scissors into where they need to be.

Denim Vest Tutorial

Step 3: Cut all the way around the jacket sleeve, cutting as close to the seam as you can to minimize fraying. In the first pic, you can see how close to the seam I'm cutting. Repeat steps 2 & 3 for the other sleeve.


Voila! A denim vest is born!!!

Denim Vest Tutorial

A few notes ~

~ Fraying: When you wash your jacket, it will fray just a tiny bit. If you cut close to the seam, it's hardly noticeable. If it bothers you, you can easily just trim it off with your sharp scissors or apply Fray Check, a seam sealer right at the edge where you cut it.

~ Denim jacket fit guidelines: When looking for a jacket to make into a vest, SIZE DOWN! A vest is meant to be fitted to avoid lots of extra bulk. When I put my vest on, it barely buttons. I would even look for one that is too tight to button (but still fits everywhere else), so you get a nice "open" look in the front (please don't ever think about buttoning your vest!). If you look at the pics of the girls at the top, their vests are all very open in the front.

There you have it! Are you brave enough to try a homemade vest??!

Don't forget the enter to win the $200 from Gap Brands!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

I'm on Instagram now! Yippeee! Follow me HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE 

 photo http___signaturesmylivesignaturecom_54493_88_9CE8AA3F49A05E87EC0C8AFE42F0194E_zps6da736d6.png
Welcome to Thursday Fashion Files!

Welcome to Thursday Fashion Files with Jill at Doused in Pink and Carrie at Curly Crafty Mom! We are excited to have you here and would love to have you link up one of your latest outfits with us.

We are always looking for Co-Hosts for Thursday Fashion Files. If you haven't signed up to Co-Host, but are interested, sign up by clicking HERE. 





Thursday-Fashion-Files-650x650_2
Follow Jill:

Follow Carrie:

Link Up Guidelines:
1. Feel free to grab our button to display on your blog sidebar. Help spread the word and share about our link up community.

2. Follow your hosts. Leave a comment letting us know you are a new follower and we will be sure to follow back.

3. Share the love by visiting and commenting to at least three other blogs in the link up. 

Don't miss out, sign up for an email reminder about our party:
 



Thursday-Fashion-Files-Side-Bar-250x250







Guest Co-Host:
IMG_0851
Casey from A Little Bit of Cheer is our co-host this week. Casey has been blogging since 2008 and it started as a digital scrapbook to document memories of her kids childhood. Now her blog shares outfits, but easy recipes and her family life. Casey wants to bring a little bit of cheer to anyone that stops by... be sure to stop by and say hello to her today!

Now let's get linking!

Summer Challenge ~ Week 1 + Giveaway + Linkup!!

The Summer Style Challenge is here and my good style blogging friends, (read about us HERE) are launching it with a bang! Enter to win $200 gift card from Gap Brands below!! I, for one, know that I could spend this in a hot second!

If you are new to this blog (yay! welcome!!), I have been participating in Style Challenges with Alison from Get Your Pretty On for nearly a year. I just started recapping my outfits on the blog during the Spring Challenge, click HERE to see my spring recap. The Challenges run 21 days and each Wednesday, I will give you a recap of the outfit formulas plus my interpretation of it. On Wednesdays, you can also check out all the other bloggers outfits as well (all linked below)! Talk about some outfit inspiration, girls!!! Feel free to link up your outfits, too!! Are you ready?!!

The first outfits of the Summer Style Challenge were released this past Sunday, so today you will get 3 outfits/outfit formulas. Next week will be a full week (7 days!) of outfits ~

Outfit Formula 1: Patterned Shorts + Bright Tee + Chambray/Denim Vest + Sandals

 I really like how this outfit turned out. I played around with different color combos and I finally decided pink, chambray and pearls were a winning combo! I could have also worn my new DIY'ed denim vest (details tomorrow on the blog!!) but I thought the chambray looked more relaxed :)

Summer OUtfits for Moms
Floral Shorts: Old Navy (option, option)
Chambray Shirt: H&M (similar, similar)
Pink Tee: Target (exact)
Necklace: Ann Taylor (similar)
Sandals: Target (exact)

Outfit Formula 2: Graphic Tee + Bright Shorts + Sparkly Sandals

I ordered this awesome graphic tee from Alison's blog, Get Your Pretty On. All profits help support the Pretty Strong Foundation to help women undergoing cancer treatment. Score! There are a million different styles and color combos. I love a simple tee paired with colored shorts...and of course, you need a little BLING and sparkle when you Get Your Pretty On!!

Summer OUtfits for Moms

Graphic Tee: Get Your Pretty On (exact, lots of options!)
Shorts: J. Crew Factory (similar, similar)
Necklace: similar, similar
Sandals: Target (exact)

Outfit Formula 3: Summer Dress + Hair Wrap/Headband + Wedges

The "real"outfit formula called for a white dress and a denim vest--a look I ADORE! But I just couldn't find a cute, casual white dress that I love. I did find this cute chambray dress at Target, though and I do LOVE it. I also bought it because it kind of had that "romper" feel without the difficulty of being a romper and undressing every time you use the bathroom :) It can be dressed up or down and it's perfectly casual for me and my lifestyle! I tried a headband too, also suggested by the challenge...not sure it works, but at least I tried something new with my hair!!!

Summer OUtfits for Moms

Dress: Target (exact, similar)
Belt: Option, Option
Wedges: Nordstrom/Toms (very similar, similar)

Since I don't have a white dress, I'll leave you with some white dress looks that I love. It's such a great summer look!

Summer OUtfits for Moms

That's a wrap, girls! Don't forget to enter the $200 Gap Brands raffle below AND link up!!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Seven on Sunday ~ Week 24

Day 1: Sunday ~ Today was our 12 year anniversary!!! We had a great dinner at home, but we're really celebrating in Napa in a few weeks! I feel so blessed to be married to my best friend, my rock and a truly amazing daddy to our kids!

Day 2: Monday ~ End of the year baseball party with these clowns! We all live on the same street and we are so fortunate to have good kids in out 'hood! I really love these boys! (it was also 100 degrees here...unheard of! What??!)


Day 3: Tuesday ~ Another Tuesday, another day of this one freaking out over the Warriors. This game didn't end so well :(

Day 4: Wednesday ~ I don't sew and I am a farthest from a DIY'er, but today I "made" a denim vest from an old jean jacket I had in my Goodwill pile! I'm hoping it looks cute! I'll post a little tutorial on the blog this week! It was so easy!

Day 5: Thursday ~ My last day a work...i always get a little teary eyed..especially about the kids who have "graduated" from my program :(


Day 6: Friday ~ Think she's happy about the last day of school??!!!!



Day 7: Saturday ~ Yep.



Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

I'm on Instagram now! Yippeee! Follow me HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE 

 photo http___signaturesmylivesignaturecom_54493_88_9CE8AA3F49A05E87EC0C8AFE42F0194E_zps6da736d6.png

Friday, June 12, 2015

Foodie Friday ~ End of the School Year "Recipe"

Well, folks--this week has been cray, cray!! Today marks the end of the school year for my kiddos and although we may have been limping to the finish line with dirty uniform shirts and less-than-balanced lunches, WE MADE IT!


Instead of a real recipe, I will leave you will my recipe for a wonderful summer!


A Wonderful Summer with Kids
1 cup of sunshine
1 giant handful of pool days
3-4 bottles of sunscreen
20-30 Popsicles
67 days without an alarm clock
2-3 fun weekend trips
3-4 beach days
50-60 evening bike rides
10 containers of bubbles
1 large pack of sidewalk chalk
1 trip to the zoo
1 day of pajamas, movies and popcorn

1 HUGE, GIANT, GYNORMOUS dose of patience

Directions
~ Mix first 12 ingredients together. Fold in patience and enjoy an AWESOME SUMMER!!!!!

This recipe works, too ~



Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

I'm on Instagram now! Yippeee! Follow me HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE 

 photo http___signaturesmylivesignaturecom_54493_88_9CE8AA3F49A05E87EC0C8AFE42F0194E_zps6da736d6.png

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Seven on Sunday ~ Week 23

Day 1: Sunday ~ It was such a lazy, relaxing Sunday I did no picture taking...so here's my quote:

Day 2: Monday ~ Baking muffins with my best helper!

Day 3: Tuesday ~ Selfie with pretty much the only kid who likes when I take pictures...which is why I have more pics of her than anyone else! HA!


Day 4: Wednesday ~ I dunno...i got nothing for this day, either! But I have an "extra" one for Thursday. Sooooo our house is not an "NBA-watching" house. We have never, ever had an NBA game on at our house....AND Will does not get excited about too many things (maybe a Pepsi or when I make homemade chicken tenders), but he's pretty even-Steven. Well, something or someone lit a fire under his butt about the Golden State Warriors because we have never seen this kid SOOOOO into a basketball game...or so into ANYTHING for that matter! Ha! He was having the time of his life watching Steph Curry and Lebron in this AWESOME game! He was soo into it! I had to take a pic of him freaking out when the Warriors were down...it was hilarious!



Day 5: Thursday ~ The last day with my preschool group. I love those kids and they brighten my day! Before I left, a girl gave me this picture.."IT'S YOU!!" She was so proud :) I guess I could look worse :)

Day 6: Friday ~ Got nothing....I was just so happy it was FRIDAY!!

Day 7: Saturday ~ Another baseball season come and gone. It went by SOOOOOOO fast.. All 20 games or however many there were! Will had the hit of his life--all the way to the outfield AND they played on the real big-boy field! His coach even sent me an email saying how far he's come and how well he's doing. We're so proud of him!



I forgot to post on Facebook, but if you missed by recipe on Friday, it's a good one! Get the recipe HERE.

Have a great week!

 photo http___signaturesmylivesignaturecom_54493_88_9CE8AA3F49A05E87EC0C8AFE42F0194E_zps6da736d6.png


Friday, June 5, 2015

Semi-Homemade

One of my favorite ways to save time in the kitchen is taking store-bought ingredients and doctoring them up a bit to create a delicious semi-homemade dish. My Perfectly Easy Gourmet Pizza and Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake  are two examples of how I like to kick store-bought ingredients up a notch.

Today we're taking a store-bought "burger" and combining it with my homemade Corn & Avocado Salsa to make an awesome summertime meal!

Black Bean Burgers with Corn and Avocado Salsa
Now, unless you are a vegetarian (or cook for one), you've probably never ventured to the "Morning Star" part of the freezer section. The only reason I know about these is because I bought them for my sister-in-law, who is a vegetarian. She left a few at my house and one day I decided I didn't want to waste them, so I tried cooking one up--expecting a gross, tasteless, cardboard-like substance...


To my surprise, the bean burgesr were DELICIOUS!!!! After that, we started buying them all the time--despite the fact that I am FAR from a vegetarian! You can eat them on a bun like a regular burger, but this is our favorite way to eat them--just topped with a little Corn & Avocado Salsa. Find the recipe for the Corn Salsa HERE.

Black Bean Burgers with Corn & Avocado Salsa
(serves 2)

1 package Morning Star Spicy Black Bean Burgers (4 patties)
1 recipe Corn & Avocado Salsa

1. Thaw bean burgers according to package directions.

2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet (i like using a grill pan) to medium heat. Fry burgers about 3 minutes per side or until heated through. You can also grill the burgers on a outside grill.

3. Top with corn salsa and enjoy! It's also perfect with a side of chips and The Best Salsa Ever :)

Seriously easy and seriously delicious and healthy!


Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

I'm on Instagram now! Yippeee! Follow me HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE 

 photo http___signaturesmylivesignaturecom_54493_88_9CE8AA3F49A05E87EC0C8AFE42F0194E_zps6da736d6.png

Quick and Easy Meal Prep for Breakfast + Lunch + Snacks!

Ready for a SUPER quick and easy meal prep?! No joke, it took me longer to find all the lids to these containers than it did it prep my b...