5 Minute DIY Mason Jar Make-up Brush Holder

I love my makeup brush holder.  It even made the cut to move into the new house. The sweet little patterned jelly jars are some leftovers from my mason jar chandelier and I believe at one point I got them to make homemade jelly. I still haven't made homemade jelly or jam or preserves. Someday.

I choose an antique white spray paint that I already had, oh my am I cheap.  I sprayed the inside and top first and let it dry.  Then I turned it upside down and did 2 good coats.  After that was dry I did a little touch up spray on the rim just to be safe.  That's it.  Took maybe 5 minutes of actual work, my kind of DIY! I ordered some mirror effect spray paint and I can't wait to use it...I just have to finish the whole moving thing. 

Happy Hunger Games {Free Printable PDF Banner}

Happy Hunger Games! We love the Hunger Games so much in our house that Ethan's last birthday was Hunger Game themed. You can read more about the party here. Today I am giving away the Hunger Games banner we made for his party (click on the link under the picture to download)! It is a burlap background with black letters. Simple and sweet! If you want a custom made printable burlap banner visit our Etsy shop Three Magee.















Download Here!!!

DIY: Blonde Hair to Brown {Hair Rescue!!}

I confess. I have made some really poor choices concerning my hair. But lets not reflect on the past too much. I had a bad experience with going blonde. Let's just say I could see my hair breaking off as it was being blow dried at the salon and I spent the last two months babying it, going sulfate free, doing hair masks and doing just about everything I could to save it from breaking any further. I ended up with some really awful roots. It was getting really bad. I thought about doing the ombre look and nixed it. I was terrified to go to someone new and worried that any permanent color would do hard core permanent damage. So I researched and read what I could. I watched videos and I went for a combination of all of those things. I'm going to share my knowledge with you!

So, a little hair background. Hair color is like the primary colors. Red is red, blonde is yellow and brunette is blue. So if you have blonde hair and you put a brunette color on it what would you get? Green. Yellow and blue makes green. I've had that before. It's not pretty. In order to not get green you need to add the red back into your hair first. Which is the scary part as you will see below. I also found out that using permanent hair color creates lines in your hair. So every time you dye your hair it creates a little faint line of where you dyed it before. That's not cool.Solution, use the semi-permanent. It is much easier on your hair and since it fades you aren't left with the line.

What I did, step by step:

I actually bought 4 boxes of color, but only used 3. I have a lot of hair. So I knew I would want plenty to cover with. I ended up only using 1 box of the red and then 2 of the brown. It is really important to cover your ears and around your hairline with vaseline or lotion before starting. You don't want any to get dye to get on your skin and this will help you from having brown ears. You also need either a couple of baby wipes or a washcloth that is wet and ready for any oops drips you might have. An applicator brush (about a dollar) help to give your color a more professional look and really help to get your roots covered. I also like to mix my color in a disposable bowl. Makes cleanup super easy.

I started off by putting the red back in my hair (Clairol Natural Instincts 16 Spiced Tea). I ended up only needing one box. I did not dye my roots, I only did the places that were blonde first and then anything else. Rinse and blow dry. I remained calm and didn't panic, you will want to panic. Ellie made up a song about having Fozzie Bear Hair. I took a break and put the kids to bed. Then I mixed together my 2 boxes of brown (Clairol Natural Instincts 5C). I put it around my hairline first. Next I applied it to my roots, working from front to back from my temple to crown and then the back from side to side from the top of my head down to my neck. Lastly I filled the length of my hair and piled it on top of my head in a bun. Wait, rinse, condition, blow dry, admire your handy work. Only cost me $18 bucks. I've gotten more compliments on this hair than I did going to the salon and spending upwards of $80!!

When it was looking pretty good all blonde and cute, fried but cute.

With some serious growth.

OMG. Don't Panic. DON'T PANIC that you have Fozzie Bear Hair.

Brunette Fab!!

So much better than before!

Mason Jar Makeup Brush Holder DIY

I did this project over three years ago, so I can say with conviction that it lasts. I didn't used to wear makeup consistently, especially when I was staying at home with my kiddos. Now that I have been in the workforce and I'm getting older I almost always wear something. This was one of the easiest little projects. Antique white spray paint + little jelly mason jar = fabulous makeup brush holder. You could spray it with any color and I am sure it would be just as fab. I sprayed the inside and the outside. I have since added a cute little tie.

This would make a really cute gift for a tween or teen! Makeup brushes and a cute little holder along with some new makeup. Okay maybe it would make a cute gift for an adult...I love mine.

Without the tie. I love the texture of the jelly jars.

With the tie. I like that you can change it up!

Coloring Turkeys with Oil Pastels

Ellie's favorite art supply is oil pastels. They happen to be the perfect medium for creating her disguised turkey this year. This year she had to disguise her turkey as a famous Oklahoman. Being a little gymnast she chose Shannon Miller.

This year she had to write and essay in addition to simply coloring her turkey. She learned a lot about Shannon and I encourage you to check out her website. I especially loved that Ellie got to learn about life after gymnastics and to see a courageous woman who won the battle against cancer.

Oil pastels are a great tool for blending colors. When she brought it in to show us we were amazed at how she so many times, teaches herself by doing. My children never cease to amaze me in how they learn. Each are unique in what they are gifted at. It's really a beautiful thing to watch.

This years Thanksgiving Turkey disguised as Shannon Miller at the 1992 Olympics!

Lacy Burlap Fall Wreath

I really think that making wreaths is one of the most satisfying crafts ever. When you finish it you put it on your door and present your masterpiece. Perhaps that's a bit dramatic but I always feel accomplished putting up a great wreath. I have been using this same twig wreath for forever. I've definitely gotten my 7 bucks worth. I reused my sparkle corn cobs, feathers, leaves and beaded twigs from last year. I added some lacy burlap wire ribbon, my gold J and some gold pine cones, which I found in the Christmas section. Took about 10 minutes and I think it looks pretty fabulous.

Ellie's Brave Party

It's February and Ellie's birthday party was a few months ago.  I have found that October through March is some sort of time warp and everything seems to be moving so fast that I have a hard time keeping up with whats going on and an even harder time documenting it.  I think that I enjoy planning her parties the most...so far.  We usually have the same vision of where we want it to go.  We both knew that we wanted it to be simple and fun and most importantly special.  So here is her party in pictures...enjoy!

Bear claw cupcakes: chocolate frosting and almond slivers

Wisps: blue cellophane, balloons and a lightstick.  I had them through out the neighborhood leading people to our house!

Chocolate cake with almonds on the outside.  Green coconut grass. Marshmallow fondant stones.

I used an oval wood cutting base and got lucky that the number 8 was blue or wisp colored.

Bear paw cupcakes and a picture of the birthday girl with Merida from Disneyland!

Such a silly gal!

The girls wore their favorite dress up clothes- Ellie was Merida of course!

Fun Peacock Inspired Wreath

Making wreaths is strangely fulfilling.  I don't know why, but decorating my front door gives me such satisfaction.  I was hunting down Christmas mark down deals at Hobby Lobby and got everything (except the ribbon which was 50% off) for this wreath in the Christmas Clearance at 80% off!!  I think I maybe spent 5 bucks! Thank goodness for some non-traditional peacock sprigs, green blue and gold!  I think I'm going to try and incorporate that gold letter J in every wreath this year!  Challenge accepted self!

Super Easy Fall Wreath

I think I maybe spent $5 making this wreath and its my favorite so far.  I am still super frugal and cheap when it comes to wreaths. This is the only wreath I've ever owned, I just keep dressing and redressing it.  I think I only paid $6 for it too!  I got everything from Hobby Lobby, the corn on the cobs, glittery leaves, berry beads, feathery leaves and the letter.  I have also used the same "J" I just keep spray painting it.  No hot glue, I just stuck it in or tied it on.  I spent about 20 minutes getting all put together while the kids took a cold swim in the pool.  There was no way I was getting in there, but they had a blast filling up ziploc bags and splashing each other while I got my craft on.  Who needs toys, right?

How to Make Your Own Homemade Butter

Today is perhaps the best Monday in quite awhile.  This morning we woke up in our new house.  It is Regan's 4th birthday.  My Mom, who is continuing on her fight against cancer, doesn't have to have surgery today!  And it's my 300th post.  So I'm going to share with you just how easy it is to make your very own homemade butter because making homemade butter is one of the most satisfying things to make!

What you need:

• Heavy Whipping Cream (use as much or little as you like, I usually do about 2 cups and I don't usually measure it, I just pour in half of the carton)
• Kitchen-aid stand mixer with the whisk attachment.  You could do it with a hand held mixer but this way is a lot easier.
• Salt or seasonings to taste.  I like a garlic herb blend or even cinnamon.
• A strainer, bowl for the strainer to sit and a mason jar to hold your buttermilk.  A dish or container for your butter.
• A loaf of fresh bread.  Okay this one isn't required but you'll want it!  Try this recipe, its easy!

What you do:

Put your cream in the mixer and turn it on low so it doesn't splash out.

It will turn into whipped cream, resist the temptation to eat it!  It will still be really white in color and fluffy.

A short while after the butter will separate from the buttermilk and it will be yellow in color.  Turn your mixer off.

This is the buttermilk.  Strain it into a bowl and then transfer the milk to a jar.

Get the butter out of the whip and squeeze out any excess buttermilk.  Then wash your butter by running it under cold water and kneading it with your hands for a few minutes.

Now you can add seasoning and shape it to fit in the dish of your choice.  

The time it takes to go from cream to whipped cream to butter will vary depending on how much cream you use and how cold your mixer bowl, whip and cream are.  I'm usually done in 15 minutes, start to finish.  To make butter faster, put your mixing bowl and whip in the freezer for about 10 minutes prior to starting.  That was easy wasn't it?  And now your hands are soft and you have buttermilk for pancakes.  People are always amazed when I tell them I make it myself.  I suppose it's because they are picturing me milking a cow and churning butter on the porch, not this girl!

Happy Monday!  Thanks for sharing this journey with me for 300 posts...here's to 300 more!

Thanksgiving Turkey Family Hands Craft

Last year we made a family turkey hand print.  It was such an easy craft to make!  I used ROY G. BIV to decide colors so there wouldn't be any squabbles.  No more babies in this house, so there won't be indigo or violet! I also wanted to use the same colors each year so that we can see the kids hand size progression.  I can't wait to get started on this years!  My husband was the exception.  He was brown for the base of the turkey and ol Roy doesn't have an appreciation for turkey color.  After it dried I drew a face on him, the turkey not my husband, and we put each persons name, color and what they were thankful for on the back.  So much fun and I love looking back at how little everyone's hand was and what they were thankful for.  In just a few years we are going to have one fat turkey!

Join me over the next three weeks for my yearly Thankful Thursdays in November.  I am really grateful for so many people this year and I love the time for reflection.

Halloween 2012-The most original title ever.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and it also happens to be Dale and Ellie's birthday so the house is always hopping on October 31st.  This year I am back at work so I bought (gasp, this was really hard for me for some reason) Ethan and Jack's Spiderman costumes.  Although if you can make a homemade Spiderman you are one bad ass Momma!  Regan was going to be a pumpkin and I had plans of making one of those super cute orange tutus that are floating around Pinterest.  However a few weeks ago she did a 180 and wanted demanded to be a ballerina AND she wanted to wear stuff we already had...super bonus.  Regan is the winner.  Ellie wanted to be Barbie originally, until I brought up being a zombie and she was begging to be a "walker".  I watched a lot of YouTube stuff on The Walking Dead make-up, which was pretty awesome and I probably would have watched them all anyways because I'm slightly obsessed with the show.  The fake blood was super fun and I did her make-up in about 10 minutes.  We practiced doing it last week which really helped and if you are going to do makeup I highly suggest doing a practice run.  Oh and it was fun to boot.  I got her dress at Goodwill so that we could tear it up, dirty it up and blood it up and then toss it.

I think I'm going to start taking blog pictures with my phone from now on so excuse the lack of quality.  They go straight to my Picasa Web Album and at this point I'm too lazy to put that memory stick into my computer at home, when I'm there.  And I miss you guys, I miss writing and that web connection to the rest of the world, so from here on out its phone quality okay?  So take a look at my cutie pies.  Oh my how I love them!

This was their stash.

Spiderman plays with Barbie.  Love it.

Jack flexing his muscles.  He does it to the front and not to the sides!

I didn't even have to tell her to put her feet that way!

Oh my how I love that this is what they did when I told them to pose together.

Cheese for Mommy!  Ethan's muscles are adorable.

Mom lets go the candy is out there!

Ellie post blood.  Nevermind the mess in the back.  Yes that is a beer can, I'm pretty sure  you need one before and at least one after taking 4 kids trick or treating.

I used tattoos, fake blood and make-up.

This head wound was my favorite.

We did some claw marks on her back too.

Ellie was the only one that went through the haunted house in our neighborhood.  It was pretty scary.  She got really scared by the zombie at the end, but he was a cool teenager and said "oh we're bro's lets go eat them together!" and she laughed and told him how great his makeup was.  Oh my do I love her and how brave she is, my little Halloween baby!

Football Wreath

It's Friday and in Oklahoma a Fall Friday night means one thing, Football.  Tonight is the big Game against Union and while there is no way I'm venturing out anywhere near where the game is (no way I'm messing with that traffic) here is my team spirit, wreath style.  Ellie is a cheerleader this year (ugh, I am really trying to embrace it) so we are going to lots of little football games.  So I decided to make a fun tiger football wreath with some stuff I already had on hand.

By now you may have figured out that I'm cheap thrifty.  I've been using the same twig wreath from Hobby Lobby since last year and I've re-spray painted the letter to match at least 3 times.  Why not right?  So this $6 wreath, that I got with a coupon too, has served me really well.

Let's Make It!

I took leftover golden yellow tulle from a game day tutu I made for Regan and wrapped it around the wreath.  I made a bow from tulle and wide black satin ribbon.  Next I cut 6 inch (approximately) strips of yellow and black ric-rac and tied the pieces on.  I attached a stuffed beanie baby tiger I had (from high school) with ribbon.  I picked up a stuffed football from the dollar store and hot glued a pipe cleaner to the back to attach it to the wreath.  I spray painted my trusty letter J gold and hung it in the middle of the wreath with a gold ribbon. Took me about 10 minutes from start to finish!  Happy Friday everyone!

Cozy Coupe Ferrari

I found an amazing tutorial on Pinterest remaking a Cozy Coupe car a few months ago.  I loved it and immediately thought it would be a great birthday present for Jack.  Molly at Just a little Creativity created the cutest blue and green little tykes car and I was smitten when I found it and even more smitten when I found one on Craigslist for $10.


We happen to be Formula1 fans.  I love Ferrari and Fernando Alonso, the big boys however are Red Bull fans and happen to like Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.  So what did I propose to make for my little guy?  That's right, a little red Ferrari.  When we watch the races I make sure to teach the little ones how to say Ferrari or Alonso...more fans for my team!


I followed Molly's directions to take the cozy coupe apart and clean it and tape off the areas I didn't want to spray paint.  I however did not remove the door. Once it was clean and dry I spray painted it red (2 good coats using 2 cans) and then placed my Ferrari stickers on.  I had Dale print off Ferrari logos onto sticker paper.  I would highly recommend buying stickers specifically meant for cars if you want them to be super durable otherwise you may have some stickers come off if you don't use a ton of clear spray paint to coat them, or you have a Regan, or you leave it outside in direct contact with weather.  


The sticker areas have all done really well except for the cut out Ferrari lettering it says something more like Fe  ra  i.  Regan attempted to wash it with soap and a scrubber and of course her brute strength.  The Ferrari logos on the front, back and seat are all going strong and have been through rain, mud, sun and a two and three year old.  Jack could care less about the lettering and really so could I.  He just drives his Ferrari car.   

He was so excited!  My car car!!!!

Later he put his new Elmo in the back part and drove him around.

Who needs to be dressed if you are driving in the house?

I'm sure Alonso won the European Grand Prix last weekend because
Jack was driving his Ferrari too.   

So go rescue a sad looking old Cozy Coupe and make it look really awesome!  I really want to do a fabulous, sparkly pink one for the girls now!

Elmo Birthday Party

This year I whipped out the Elmo cake pan.  Ethan and Ellie both had Elmo parties for their second birthday, and I know that Regan will either be grateful or resentful that hers wasn't.  I was Elmo'd out at that point.  I probably could have done any boy theme and Jack would have loved it.  If it moves he likes it!  When they are little I keep it really low key and just family.  It's easier on me and they don't really know anyways.  There were a few things I knew I wanted and I just went from there.

For decorations I wanted things to be simple and easy to clean up.  For the birthday banner I printed off flag templates at Martha Stewart and decorated them like Elmo's World with loops, yellow scribbles and blue letters.  I let go of my perfection and let Ellie color the yellow background and cut them out.  I did the loops at the top and wrote the letters.  We tried having her do the loops, but hers ended up crooked and after 3 or 4 tries and we both wanted them straight across so she let me do that part.  She was really just looking forward to the cutting part.  I used orange curling ribbon to hang it.  I went to the pet store and got a plastic (yay for plastic!) round fish bowl, rocks and "Dorothy" for the table.  I put a glitter covered "2" in her bowl, just like on Elmo's World.  Jack loved Dorothy.  It was less than $15 which is pretty cheap for a center piece!  I printed out Elmo coloring pages and out those out with a jar full of new crayons.  I also had goldfish crackers in a round bowl to snack on.  I found an Elmo shirt on clearance at Wal-Mart (I know I caved) for $5 in the junior section and  used it on the birthday chair.  I had intended to turn it into a pillow but I have been finding it harder to sew lately.  I used a red tablecloth, balloons and cups with orange plates as big "Elmo noses".

Since it was also Father's Day we made a lunch out of it with hot dogs and bratwurst.  I know I won't be able to combine the celebrations forever so I figure I better do it while I can.  Sorry for the poor picture quality, these were not my best!

Dorothy seemed really interested in Elmo.  The 2 candle will float if you try to
just stick it in, so my husband shoved some wire into the bottom of it in the
shape of an "s" so it would stay down and be covered by the rocks.

Printables, crayons and goldfish- the kids loved it!

I watched A LOT of Elmo's World to get those colors right, LOL!

His new Ferrari, here is the tutorial!

Fire Ellie! 

They had to hold him back so he wouldn't blow it out until after the song, he
had already blown it out once!

That's all!  Simple, fun and the kids had so much fun making his day special.  The big kids had made gifts for him and took such pride in giving.  Jack lighted up with his "surprise" face with every gift and each grandparent.  Love my not so little family and watching them grow!


This week:
Cozy Coupe Ferrari Tutorial
Summer Fun and the Outdoor Pirate Ship
Things I learned at The Color Run