One Bad Mother’s interview with Little Pink Monster

by Natasha on April 26, 2013 in Uncategorized

Oh you know, yesterday was just another Thursday…I took Sam to school, did a load of lights, picked up dog poop, oh yeah, and did a radio interview!

This was so much fun you guys, if you aren’t a current listener of One Bad Mother I highly recommend you get your booty in gear & take a listen because it’s not just a show about motherhood, it’s a show about the ‘REAL’ motherhood, you know the one where you often end up in the bathroom with the door locked taking a ‘time out’? No candy coating here folks, and if you know me at all you know that’s exactly how I like it.

The show I was a guest on was about ‘Taking time for yourself’, when Biz emailed me saying that was the topic I believe my response was, “Umm, if I had that figured out there’d be no need for all this vodka in my house”

I tried my best though to give my thoughts on the topic, you guys have to take a listen, just press play on the audio below. That’s the show in it’s entertaining entirety but if you’re pressed for time my interview is at 49:50

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The not-too-princess girl’s bedroom makeover!

by Natasha on April 25, 2013 in tutorials

Do you remember, ohh several months ago, when I posted this inspiration sketch for Sam’s bedroom makeover?

Well I can’t believe it but the whole room is finally done!! It’s not exactly how I started out envisioning it but over time it’s gradually evolved into something even better. My main goal was to give Sam a room she would adore but “princess, glitter, pink, princesses, sparkles, light pink, dark pink & medium pink” were the words I believe she used to describe her ideal space. Ack!! Sam’s room is the first thing you see when you come up the stairs & there was no way I was going to look at bubblegum pink walls, a lifesize Sleeping Beauty decal & some horribly scratchy Disney princess comforter set 10 times a day. The end result I think is a great compromise, I give you the ‘Not-too-Princess Girl’s Bedroom Makeover!

Here’s the before, cute, but she had outgrown it…& the after!

Bedding before & after…

Dollhouse wall before & after… Little Pink Monster:: The Not-too-Princess Girly Girl's Bedroom Makeover

One of my favorite changes…replacing the cute but tired ‘cherry blossom art’ that Sam & I made with a fun yet modern kid’s gallery wall!

Sam loves sitting on her floor & looking up at the pictures of her with all of her little friends…I wonder if they’ll stay friends & one day look back at the pictures of them as 4 year old besties & smile. Who knows…

Another tip? There really isn’t a ton of blank wall space in Sam’s room & what was left naked were the white sliding closet doors. It felt like their starkness really drew my eye away from the other beautiful things in the room, not to mention that big block of white really broke apart the flow of the room. So I decided to paint them! They’re the same ‘Heavy Goose’ grey as the walls & although at first P thought I was crazy he now agrees that now they blend in to the room instead of being an eyesore. I also think leaving the trim detail white gives them a built in-ish look.

A few DIY projects in the room…

Remember those “S A M” letters from the circle wall art? They were originally plain white & were from the woodworking aisle at the craft store, but after a coat of mod podge & some Martha Stewart glitter they add a sparkly, pink, personal touch to the wall. Also, do you recognize those instagram pictures?? They’re from this Prinstagram post I did, I just glued 4 of them onto a canvas.

Instead of taking down the valance I had made in this post & recovering it, I just painted the entire thing while it was right up on the wall! This is one of the few times that my laziness has paid off. I rolled a sponge roller onto some globs of various pinks & white paint & then rolled it onto the polka dot fabric, the result was a completely awesome graffiti type print that gave a barely there peak at the whimsical dots beneath.

(Sam’s view 1st thing in the morning…when she sleeps in her bed that is)

And those window panels you ask? Don’t you love them?? They’re a shower curtain! I swear! I couldn’t find a nice wide graphic stripe window panel anywhere but had remembered seeing a West Elm shower curtain that was exactly what I had in mind. After a straight cut down the middle & some hem tape to seal the edges it was completely transformed into it’s new life as a window covering. Love that!

Finally, we couldn’t call this a princess room, or ahem, the not-too-princess room if it didn’t have some sort of princess touch…

I made this over the last two nights from mod podge, an overhead projector & an obscene amount of glitter that got EVERYWHERE. I do believe there were people at P’s work that assumed he spent the night in a stripclub. You can find the full Princess Silhouette Glitter Art Tutorial here!

In case you’re saying to yourself, ok Natasha, this looks lovely and all but where are all the toys?? A kid’s room can’t just be pretty, it needs to be realistic too! I just know there’s a plastic Barbie dreamhouse somewhere in there…

You know what, you’re right! Except it’s all hidden under the bed…a few easy to pull out under the bed storage tubs are my new BFFs. They not only keep everything from dress up clothes to dreaded Barbie shoes organized (for a little while at least) but they’re also located conveniently enough for little hands to pull them in & out. Mommy like them in.

Sooo, SPILL! Do you like it??? Did I pull off making a girly girl’s bedroom gray?

If you’d like to know more specifics on anything from the wall paint color to the little hot pink bunny on the bed you can check out my Houzz Ideabook here

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How to hair: retro wave

by Natasha on April 22, 2013 in Uncategorized

I decided to try out a new hairstyle for my hot anniversary date night, so hot it ended with a whiney 4 year old insisting on being in our bed right smack in between us, but the hair, the hair. was. awesome.

{Sunglasses,Lipstick}

It’s based on the iconic ‘peekaboo hair’ made famous by Veronica Lake in the 1940’s…

The best part is, of course, the fantastic retro style it evokes but it’s also surprisingly easy to do! From wet hair to completely finished in 25 minutes tops. I didn’t take any pictures while I was styling mine but just had to share the ‘how-to’ with you guys so I talked my friend Megan into coming over yesterday & letting me have my way with her hair. Keep in mind that this style worked out on both my hair which is thin & slightly wavy & Meg’s which is very thick, coarse & wavy.

First step is to part your hair with a deep side part. I tend to draw an imaginary line from the outer corner of my right eye up to determine where to place my part.
Next separate hair into 6-10 sections depending on how much hair you have.
Beginning with the front left section take the hair & wrap it around a 1″ curling iron (I just bought this curling iron on sale & love it!) towards your face, being sure to hold the barrel straight up & down. I left the last part of the tips uncurled. Gently release.
Now here’s the key to this style. You want to curl each section so the curl matches the one before it. This step sounded complicated to me but once I tried it just kind of happened naturally. If you get a wonky curl just try it again. Eventually it will {should} behave!
As you go spray each curl like a BAWSE! I’m a complete loyalist to this hairspray, it has great hold but you can still brush your hair & keep it soft to the touch. And I always get compliments on how good I smell when I use it, it’s a good little secret that it’s actually my hairspray, shhh…
Continue on the right side once again curling each section towards you face. The last picture is a great visual of what it looks like to have all the curls line up, this is what will make the beautiful wave in the final style.
The last step is to brush each curl. Yep, I said BRUSH YOUR CURLS. Start off gently, I use this hairbrush (which is also great for tangle-sensitive little heads) & starting on the left side gently brush it out from the inside. JUST KEEP BRUSHING until you start to see that iconic wave start to form. I found that I could actually use my hands to shape each section, especially the most important ‘peek-a-boo’ wave by your face. Once you get it the way you like spray, spray, spray the heck out of it.

That’s it! Sooooo, think you’ll try it?? Anyone else obsessed with rockin’ it retro style?

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How to shorten a necklace chain yourself

by Natasha on April 18, 2013 in tutorials

You know, I’ve found that sometimes some of the simplest how-to’s make the best posts. I bought this ‘Faith’ necklace while I was in Florida & I absolutely loved it but the length was just too long, I wanted to wear it with my ‘Loved’ necklace P gave me but they just kept getting tangled. I thought, simple, I know how to shorten chain & reattach the clasp, I’ll just DIY it. Then I remembered how my friend Stacy was over awhile back & I was complaining to her about my baking dish that for the life of me I could NOT get off the baked on gunk. She shrugged & said, well did you try baking soda? Huh? Baking soda for dishes? I had no idea, but guess what, it got off every bit of that nastiness & with minimal scrubbing! It made me think that it’s kind of the same thing if I share with you just how easy it is to adjust a necklace’s length. After all, that’s the perk of having girlfriends right? We get to help eachother out by sharing our own little tidbits.

Here’s my necklace ‘before’…

(Everything I use you can easily buy at your local craft store. Both JoAnn’s & Michaels have a great jewelry making section.)

First, I used some wire clippers (worth buying a pair if you don’t have any, it’s a handy little tool to have around) to snip off the clasp. Make sure you cut the chain, not the actual loop that is attached to your clasp.

The next step depends on how big the links in your chain are…I’ll show you both ways so you’ll know how to fix all sorts of chains.

1- If your chain has big enough links for a jump ring (jump rings are small metal circles that can either be open or closed, you want open ones but if you only can find closed just use your clippers to snip them open) to fit through one of the links then you’re in luck because this is going to be super easy. Simply clip the chain to your desired length (I usually hold mine around my neck while looking in the mirror so I can see exactly how much I need to cut off, I mark the spot with my fingers & then clip the chain) & then insert a jump ring into the last link. Next slide the loop on your clasp onto the same jump ring your chain is now sitting on & then using a pair of needlenose pliers (another jewelry tool that has never ending usefulness) close the jump ring. Make sure the ring is completely closed so there’s no chance of the chain slipping out, sometimes I even squeeze my jump rings into a bit of an oval when I’m closing them just to be extra certain it’s shut nice & snug. That’s it, you’re done!

2- If the step above does not work because the chain links are too tiny to fit a jump ring into then you’ll need to use an eyepin to reattach your clasp. No worries though, even though this step will take a smidge more skill it’s still completely beginner! First open the eye on your pin (that’s the loop at the end) enough to slide the chain onto, then press it closed. Next you’re going to hold the eye pin with your needlenose pliers & use the curve of the tip of the pliers as a guide to bend the wire into a second loop that’s closely behind the original eye. (I didn’t show this in the pics below because, well, I forgot, but after #2 below you need to slide the loop that’s attached to your clasp onto the new eye you just made. This way once you’ve finished wrapping the wire around you’ll have secured your clasp!) After you form the loop continue to wrap the wire around itself 2 or 3 times & then clip off the excess. If the cut edge is sharp just press it down with your pliers.

Tada! Now admire your handiwork & pat yourself on the back for pulling off a simple yet handy DIY project.

If you ever think of a simple DIY task that you’ve always wanted to know how to do please leave it in the comments below & maybe I can show you the step by step in a future post!

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tiaras in the bathtub

by Natasha on April 17, 2013 in Uncategorized

nat mirror

I’ve been wanting to have some pictures taken of the girls & I for a long time now, I have a bazillion great shots of them but as you probably know when you’re the one behind the lens you usually don’t end up in too many shots. When P told me he was going to use our good friend Nate to take the morning show’s headshots I decided to scoop him up to do a fun photoshoot at our house as well. If you’re in the DC/MD/VA area & need a photographer go check out Nate’s website. He’s a teacher during the day but this guy’s got some major photography talent & I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up taking pictures full time in the very near future. Oh, and see that super cute brunette in the picture with me a few photos up? That’s his girlfriend Megan who happens to be my BFF, tell Nate you want her there too because she’ll think to adjust your hair if it looks a little wonky. She’s kind of great like that.

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A Month in Instagram

by Natasha on April 12, 2013 in Uncategorized

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done one of these posts so let’s catch up…

monthininstagram1

(From left to right)

Sophie graduating ‘nastics like a BAWSE.
With the way these sandals sparkle I’m telling Sam they’re summer glass slippers.
We graduated everything bagels, now we’re indulging in fresh blueberry ones with this recipe.
Last minute dinner idea: Spinach Quesadillas Rub a raw garlic clove on the outside of the tortillas & then fill with spinach & monterery jack cheese, melt in a skillet with bit of butter. Top with sour cream & serve with mandarin oranges for a sweet twist.
Sophie Monster’s first haircut, my worst fear did NOT come true, her curls came right back.
Sam was over the moon that she finally saw her first fox in our yard (we’re oddly infatuated with telling stories about ‘the fox’ in our house, he’s like a legend) She was so happy she chose to capture the moment in a drawing.
Loving this side braid tutorial for days when I don’t have time to wash my hair.
Abuela stayed with us for 2 weeks, it was so great to have the girls’ great grandmother with them in the morning & last thing at night. I miss generations growing up close together.
Dip-dyed white jeans at the mall, anyone else’s DIY wheels turning??
My favorite new addition for Spring, this Splendid skirt.
Sam at her first day of horseback riding lessons, she was like the pony whisperer.
If you’re ever in DC add the Ford Theater & Peterson House to your tourist duties, I took my Grandmother & it was awesome, just blows my mind that I was sitting in the theater watching a show where Lincoln was shot.
Leaving Daddy at the airport. It’s amazing how you can live with someone day in & day out & still miss them terribly as soon you get on a plane. I guess that’s what keeps up from killing eachother.
Nana’s signature pb&j sandwiches cut with a cookie cutter.
A random lady cuddling her chihuahua that she had swaddled in a blanket. Oh yea, it was also wearing a princess leotard.

Sometimes you just need to see someone really crazy to remind you how normal you actually are.

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Leftovers Egg Cups

by Natasha on April 10, 2013 in dinner 101

The concept is all over Pinterest, pour eggs or egg whites over various veggies, meats & cheeses to make convenient & tasty individual breakfast cups that you can grab & eat all week long. I’m terrible about eating breakfast. Absolutely terrible. So the idea that I could premake some yummy breakfast-in-a-cup meals sounded great. Even better though, use your leftovers from the night before! Stash a little tupperware with some sauteed onions here, maybe a handful of roasted veggies there & then on Sunday night gather them all & bake up your egg cups for the week to come. Why didn’t I think of this sooner??

Leftovers Breakfast Cups

9 eggs or egg whites from a carton
Leftover veggies, meats &/or cheese chopped up small

Preheat the oven to 350 & then coat your muffin tin with a good dose of cooking spray. Add a handful of the toppings to each cup & then pour some whisked egg/egg whites into each cup until 3/4 of the way full. Top with additional cheese (optional) Bake for 30 minutes. Use a butter knife to loosen the edge of the cups & then allow to cool thoroughly before storing in a tupperware in the fridge.

Some egg cup ideas…

Huevos Ranchero: eggs, sausage, cilantro, chives, sauteed onions, queso fresco & peppers

Greek: eggs, feta crumbles, black olives, cherry tomatoes

Savory Veggie: eggs, roasted onions, tomatoes, asparagus & goat cheese

California: eggs, avocado, shredded monterey jack cheese, tomatoes

Ham & Cheese: eggs, diced ham, minced onion & shredded chedder

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Big Bow Dress

by Natasha on April 8, 2013 in tutorials

Ugh, couldn’t you just die?

A few weeks ago you might have heard me mention that I was taking a sewing class & you guys should totally come take it with me, well now that you see how darn cute the dress is that we made aren’t you mad at yourself for not coming? I thought so.

Lucky for you the pattern for the ‘Big Bow Dress’ seen above is available for purchase. It’s by the absolutely lovely Miranda from One Little Minute, she’s also the one who taught the class. I could never be a teacher. Ever. Especially to adults. I swear Miranda would take us through a step, most of the time even showing us twice, & still just about every single one of us would need her to repeat the whole thing again with each of us individually. I was watching her explain the invisible zipper for 10th time & I was just floored by how sweet & graciously she repeated the steps over & over & over. I would’ve been like, “Seriously?! What, did I stutter??” ::cue the crowds demanding refunds::

This dress made me feel like a sewing superstar. Lining with hidden seams? No way. An invisible zipper? I could never. Well guess what, I DID IT! If you’re an intermediate sewer who wants to make a wonderfully sweet yet professional looking dress that will last a lifetime this is the pattern for you. You can purchase it here. Oh! I forgot, since the print I chose (Michael Miller’s China Doll) is a bit busy I wanted to have the option to leave the bow off at times. I love it both ways & luckily with the way Miranda wrote the pattern the bow easily slips on & off through a button hole hidden under the pleat. Fabulous!

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the paci revival

by Natasha on April 4, 2013 in mommy blog

There are a few things I’ve learned over my 4 years of blogging…

Always keep your surroundings in mind when taking pictures. For instance, any pictures taken in your front yard need to be checked for you or your neighbors’ address on the house. Hellooo, creepers!
Pictures of your kid’s butts are cute…for you. They don’t go on the internet. Because of creepers. (ok, except for this one of Soph, but come on, that rump makes the world a happier place.)
If you ask a question, any question, you will get some advice you don’t want to hear.
A picture of your child, at any age, with a pacifier in it’s mouth will warrant a minimum of two opinionated people telling you to get that darn paci out of YOUR kid’s mouth!

Well you know what I have to say about that?

BLAM!

Ok, you’re probably wondering why the sudden paci attitude. Let me explain…

Sophie still has a paci. She’s 2 and 1/2 & uses it to sleep & once in awhile during the day if she’s really upset or sick. It’s a comfort for her, it’s a tool for me, it’s a savior. I love the paci.

In our house the paci fairy comes when you turn three. With Sam I stressed about whether or not I should take it away sooner, was I ruining her teeth, were people judging me? This time with kid number 2, I have one answer to that. I DON’T CARE. Having something that your child loves & that will soothe them so you can actually get some sleep is an awesome awesome thing. Let me rephrase part of that, I do care about my kid’s teeth but after talking to a dentist I’m no longer worried about using it until 3.

Here’s the thing. Apparently not everyone agrees because lately whenever I post a picture where Soph has her paci somebody HAS to make a negative comment about it. Instagram, Facebook, Twit pics…doesn’t matter. That paci ALWAYS drives someone to say something.

Why is this? Why are people so darn concerned about a plastic nipple? Sometimes they sound almost offended. It’s not like she’s parading around with a thong on. Come on people, is it really worth getting on a soapbox for? Can’t we find you a better cause? Perhaps Orangutang rescue. I hear they’re having a rough year.

However, it is because of these recent attacks that I’ve decided to use this platform to come out & show my full support of the pacifier, paci, binky, bobby, dummy, fussplug, nini, mimmy, mr chewy, popper, soothie, woo woo, wubbanub & zookie. I don’t discriminate.

So in honor of what I am now deeming National Paci Awareness Month (and yes, I can totally do that) I’ve decided to bring back ‘The Paci Pouch’

The Paci Pouch, also know as ‘The Everything Pouch’, was first created in 2009 as a solution for young Samster, who’s pacis always seemed to be escaping from her toddler bed. Especially at 3 am. The Paci Pouch gives our beloved binkys a warm, safe place to congregate while always being within arm’s reach for your little one to self soothe.

And as you can see that tough little felt pouch has held up pretty darn well throughout the years.

And yes, Sophie sleeps dressed as Minnie Mouse, but that’s an entirely different issue.

If you’d like to help support the Paci Revolution then you can either make your own paci pouch using this tutorial or just leave a comment below saying:

Do or Did your kid(s) ever use a pacifier? Were you freaked out about when to take it away? Has someone ever felt the need to comment about your child’s dirty little secret? Do you ever wish, when life gets too hard, that you could just pop in a paci & make it all better?

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Daddy Scary Bunny

by Natasha on April 2, 2013 in Uncategorized

Did everyone have a good Easter? Ours turned out to be really wonderful, we decided to have an Easter brunch & egg hunt with lots of friends, kids in Sunday best, eggs with yummy treats inside…it was great. Perhaps you’d like to take a peek at our Easter album??

This is Abuela dyeing eggs with the girls before the party, don’t they look sweet?

Here are the ‘peeps in a nest’ that Mommy made for the party. The nest are rice krispy treats, isn’t that neat?

Oh, & look at these beautiful little bunnies hunting for eggs with all of their friends! How lovely.

Look! The Easter Bunny dropped by!

Oh dear, look at that. Yep, I do believe that’s SHEER TERROR.

Here’s the real kicker, Sophie knew that Daddy was in the bunny costume. Heck, she was with me when we bought the costume! Something happened when the bunny came to life though, she lost. her. mind.

When we tried to take a picture together she screamed, “NO DADDY SCARY BUNNY! NOOO!”

Of course everyone was watching this & it was hard not to chuckle but it really did freak that kid out. She was so upset my neighbor had to take her to her house so she could have some quiet time to settle down. Apparently when they were walking back to our house Soph told her “I like bunnies but not Daddy Bunny, Daddy Bunny SCARY, I don’t want Daddy Bunny.”

So yes our Easter could be construed as picture perfect but as is true to real life, or at least our life, there is always somebody having a meltdown about something. This holiday I guess it was Soph’s turn.

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