DIY Teacup Bee & Bird Bath♥

Hello!

It has been HOT here in Tacoma and its only May. I am not prepared for this. I am not ready for boob sweat!

I have been doing a lot of gardening recently and have been noticing that my yard is actually attracting a good amount of bees and butterflies!

I have seen this Teacup Bird Feeder floating around the internet, and it was such a cute idea I had to make one for all the thirsty critters visiting my yard!

I have a large collection of teacups and chose one I wasn’t too invested in, (but still liked obviously).

I also gathered some heavy duty super glue, white spray paint, and a round wooden stake from a banister I demolished when we remodeled our house. I’m all about recycling!

This project is super simple, It can be as easy as gluing three pieces together, or you can make it as fancy and custom as your heart desires.

I started out by painting the wooden stake, it was fine as a natural wood finish, but I really wanted it to stand out!

As that was drying, I Gorilla Glued the saucer to the teacup and let that dry for a few hours to make sure the glue was securely set. The Gorilla Glue doesn’t dry clear, so if that bothers you, you should definitely use another type of super glue. I’m probably going to put bird seed around the saucer in the future, so I was OK with the slightly yellow hue it left. The birds don’t judge!

After the paint and glue were dry, I glued the painted wooden stake to the bottom of the saucer.

I was a little overzealous with the glue when I attached the steak and saucer together, so the underside is a little ugly…but I really wanted to make sure it was on there for good!

You will have to prop this up to dry for at least 10 hours.

…and then voila!

Filled my little creation up with water and waited for some bees, butterflies, or birds to wet their whistles!

Super cute!

Till next time!

♥Shelby

Easy DIY Mini Herb Garden♥

Hey y’all!

Today I have a really easy, affordable, and 99.9% “no fail” gift option for you!

I say 99.9% “no fail” because, well… the recipient does have to water it at least once a year sometimes.

Yeah, yeah, ugh… work.

However, even though this is a “tutorial” on how to make a mini herb garden, a succulent garden will be non edible  just a awesome, but you (or your recipient), won’t have to water it nearly as often. So, if you or your recipient are prone to killing plants, this may be a better route for you.

…and seriously, how cute are those?

This herb garden was a birthday gift for my mom, because she loves to garden and cook, it was a perfect gift idea!

I started by taking a trip to Home Depot and picking my herbs and ceramic pot. I chose rosemary, mint, and oregano to put into the mix, they are some of my personal favorites. There are ten thousand a few vessels to choose from, I picked this pretty, blue pot. It matches my mom’s kitchen perfectly! Since I wanted this to go indoors, I liked how it had a lip on the bottom so there is no mess on the counter after you water. The vessels vary from $3 to over $100, so whatever your budget is, you have options. This pot was $13, a good price for a good quality, medium sized pot.

Assembly time!

Start by filling half the vessel with soil, and then carefully arrange your herbs, then top off with soil.

I wanted to label the herbs to add and extra touch. I had some wood chippings left over from the wood my husband chopped for our wood stove, so I wrote the names with Sharpie on those pieces. I like the raw-ness (yes, it’s a word), of them!

Even though I like how these signs turned out, to be fancier, you can totally buy these at Hobby Lobby and be cooler than me trendy and awesome.

I also added a few black river stones to give this gift another cute touch.

Here it is!

Water that sucker and slap on a card, you’re done!

Easy, affordable and really, really thoughtful!

Each herb was around $3, plus the pot which was $13. So, this gift was around $22!

I already had the soil and my other extra touches, making them free to me.

This mini garden now sits in a sunny spot next to my mom’s kitchen, it smells wonderful!

I hope this has inspired you to make one of your own, I definitely wanted one all to myself once I was done!

Until next time!

♥Shelby

 

Easter Tablescape 2016♥

Happy Easter!

♥

I hope you are having a beautiful day filled with chocolate family and candy loved ones!

I was blessed to host Easter dinner once again in my home. It was my daughter’s first Easter which made it extra special!

My vision for the tablescape was for it to be a mix of casual and more special, fancy items.

I broke out the fine china that was passed down to me by my great-grandmother, but kept the drink-ware simple by using the mason jar cups I use daily.

I also kept the flowers fuss free by putting them in random bottles and mason jars from around the house.

I was able to go outside and pick most of the flowers from my garden, including the camellias, dusty miller and other greens.

Then, I added some colorful tulips that I bought from the local Metropolitan Market here in Tacoma.

I added some “pop” to the table by scattering metallic chocolate eggs under the flowers and placing one in the center of each place setting.

All the linens are all vintage finds that I bought a few years ago at a tag sale.

The banner was made from some pretty peach ribbon and triangles of old fabric scraps.

After I assembled the ribbon and fabric triangles together, I used a sharpie to spell out Happy Easter.

Simple, beautiful & memorable!

Enjoy the day!

Shelby♥

Fabulous 5 Under $5♥

Are you ready for spring?!

It is my absolute favorite season. Around this time of year I get an itch to try bunch of new things and reinvent myself. Maybe it’s because I can feel the renewing of the earth, a bunch of flowers blooming, blades of green grass peeking through sheets of ice and dew, and every creature slowly coming out of their cozy homes to say hello once more.

I also get the urge to shop.

…and I mean shop.

Alas, I do not have Blair Waldorf cash disposable income, so a few cheap thrills are perfect for me!

1.Wet and Wild Blush in Pearlescent Pink $2.99

Love, Love, Love this color!

I was able to swipe the very last one at my local drug store! Score!

This blush is very similar to NARS “Orgasm” but for 90% less.

It is very nicely milled, very smooth application, very bendable, highly pigmented, and I have had no issues with it fading or patching throughout day. It is a pinky-coral with subtle shimmer, and it gives a very nice glow to the cheeks.

Here is a swatch:

This was just a quick swipe with my finger over the blush, and as you can see, the color is very pigmented!

For only $2.99?! It’s a keeper!

2.e.l.f Zit Zapper $2.00

This product is the definition of “bang for your buck,” (two bucks to be exact!)

I think this may actually be one of my best holy grail products of all time.

I have used it without fail when one of those evil “time of the month” flair up’s erupt onto my face. The blend of  salicylic acid, tea tree oil, and witch hazel kicks out the unwanted blemishes overnight. The roller ball gives super easy, no fuss application and is perfect for travel.

A total steal for only $2!

3.NYX Lip Pencil in Rose $3.49

This was a recent purchase for me while I was on the market for a fun, springy, pink lip pencil.

It is a really complimentary shade for me, and I can definitely see this shade working for an array of skin colors, (which may make for a great universal gift option!)

I am quite fair skinned, and this is how I have been rocking this color recently:

Loving it!

This NYX pencil has given me no trouble so far. I sipped coffee while wearing it and didn’t see much transfer onto the cup. I do think this pencil formula is a smidge on the dry side (This pencil favors a matte finish), without a little chapstick underneath, so a swipe or two of some hydrating lip product will probably keep your lips less pruney more comfortable. I also like a little bit of pale pink gloss over this color for some shine. Super pretty!

4.Wet&Wild Setting Spray $4.99

It holds up your makeup even in the rain, steam, sweat, inevitable meltdowns, zombie apocalypse , and other makeup hazard zones.

I have been wanting to try this since it came out onto the market, and it did not disappoint!

I knew it was going to be good because I drove to two drug stores and both were sold out!

I really enjoyed using this setting spray on one of my most recent cleaning days when I was coming in and out of the rain, accidentally splashing myself with water, was working around steam, and was working up a sweat!  I did have a little dewiness in my T-zone, but other than that, I would say this setting spray works better than almost any high-end type I have ever used. For less than half the price of a department store brand, I would choose this every time. I have heard a couple complaints about some people saying this gave them a few zit flair up’s, but I have not had that experience. If you use it, one good spray on the face in a “Z” formation is all you need. I went a little crazy the first day and spritzed four times before coming to the realization that one spray was plenty.

5.St. Ives Body Wash Oatmeal and Shea Butter $3.97

I have always really enjoyed St. Ives body wash. In fact, I have reviewed their body wash in the past. Here is another review of their Tripple Butters Creamy Coconut formula here if you are interested.  I just have not found very many other body washes that leave me feeling as moisturized as these St. Ives formulas. I LOVE to use this oat and shea scent in the bathtub, It creates pretty good bubbles as It should since I pour half the bottle into the tub and feels wonderfully silky! I also love how it is hypoallergenic, sodium lauryl sulfate-free, and has no parabens. I have been using this since November and am on my third bottle of this particular scent. I had the option to pick up one of the others scents, but I keep being drawn to this scent and formula. Hey, if it works, it works!

So there you have it! A list of 5 truly great beauty products all under $5!

Until we meet again, stay your beautiful self!

♥ Shelby

About the Name Change♥

Hello All ♥

You may have noticed that Shelby&Glitter has been changed to Shelby&Blush.

Well, yes, actually.

A little back round:

I was on YouTube a few months back and was watching a few thousand drugstore makeup haul videos. It was then I started to realize that  literally every female YouTube personality  a lot of YouTubers have the word “glitter” as part of their brand name. Which is great for them, but I wanted to be different. Also, I feel like glitter is something I haven’t grown out of, but I also don’t necessarily think of it as part of my identity anymore. Does that make sense?

Anyway, I have been playing with adding the word “blush” into my blog name since last year, and after seeing the popularity of “glitter” online, it totally cemented the decision.  Blush is my second favorite color, (gold being my first favorite. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah I know it’s not technically a color, but whatever), blush is my favorite makeup product, and I love that it is a flirty, little word with lots of different meanings. It also always reminds me of that part in Steel Magnolias when Shelby is talking about her wedding colors being all pink:

 My colors are blush and bashful, Mama. 

Fun Fact: That is the movie and character who I was named after!

So there you have it! A fresh name and a fresh start for this blog! I have a few blog posts in the works, and I do apologize that posts have not been consistent. Dahlia is STILL teething and my busy time of the year (Spring Cleaning), is taking up a lot of my time.

I hope you like the new name!

See y’all soon!

♥Shelby

Cranberry Maple Granola♥

Happy Holidays!

Are you surviving the insane  crippling credit card debt inducing busy season?

I feel like I made Christmas this year less stressful by buying most of my gifts online… and in October. Yes, I am one of those people. I am not a mall person, nor am I a Black Friday person. I HATE crowds.

That. Is. My. Nightmare.

Unless that store was having a sale where you buy one Unicorn and get a solid diamond iphone for free, I can not condone the type of behavior that goes on after Thanksgiving.

This is a super quick, yummy, healthy and easy gift you can whip up in just an hour in the privacy of your own kitchen! This granola is a hit with people, let me tell ya. I made this last year as an appreciation/Christmas gift for some co-workers and by the next day a few of them referred to it as “crack.”

That good, eh?

I have decided to gift more of it this year and encourage you to try it!

Eat responsibly! 😉

Cranberry Maple Granola 

1/2 Cup  (good quality) Maple Syrup

1/2 cup Olive Oil

3 Cup Oats

1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries

1/4 Cup  Chopped Walnuts

2-3 TBSP Raw Sunflower Seeds (whatever you prefer)

Dash of Salt

1 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (or Cinnamon)

2-3 TBSP Brown Sugar (depending how sweet you want it)

(Optional: 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips or Golden Raisins)

Assembly:

Preheat over to 300 Degrees

Add all ingredients into a large bowl and stir until combined.

Pour into rimmed baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 40 min.

Stir around granola every 10-15 min. for even baking

Remove when oats feel a bit crunchy and have a caramel brown color to them

Let cool for 30 min.

Store in airtight container and sprinkle on yogurt or eat as cereal with milk of your choice!

My granola is all decorated for gifts of course!

Happy gifting!

Uhhh… hopefully it goes better than that!

If I don’t see your sweet face before Christmas, I hope it is fabulous! 

♥Shelby

Deliciously Easy Crock-Pot Apple Butter♥

Fall is upon us!

Each year in Washington it gets progressively unbearable muggy and hot during the summer months, which makes Autumn a gift from God welcome change!

All seasons in Washington are glorious (except maybe the tail end of winter…dirty slush and icy rain anyone?) Spring is hands down my absolute favorite season. However, every year when Fall rolls around it is painted beautifully by Washington with it’s ruby and golden leaves, crisp air, and annual comfort drinks, the season does rival my favoritism for Spring just a little.

I was out taking a walk when I stumbled upon a house not too far from mine with two HUGE apple trees in the front yard! Since I am shameless my outgoing, mother’s daughter, I have no problem waltzing up to a stranger’s door and asking if I can pick some apples off their tree! The homeowner was super nice and told me he didn’t eat them and that I could have as many as I wanted! Score! I collected about 20-25 large apples and went on home to decide what fun project I could do with them. I settled on making Apple Cobbler and Apple Butter, how could it go wrong?

It did go wrong.

As I began peeling and cutting the apples, I noticed that most of them were totally infested with DISGUSTING worms.

I have a strong stomach and not much grosses me out, but honestly, I hate worms, centipedes, and grubs. There is something about them that just makes me want to dry heave, run away, and cry all at once.

So, as you can imagine that project ended rather abruptly.

Couple weeks went by, and I decided to give apple butter making another go, this time I just bought some apples from the local store and decided to just leave my neighbors trees alone. Maybe next year the apple-worm infestation wont be so bad? Oh well, onto better things!

Here is the recipe for my Crock Pot Apple Butter!

You Will Need: 

Crock Pot

Stirring Utensil 

 5 lbs Apples (Variety is best! I used Granny Smith, Gala, and Golden Delicious) 

1/2 Cup White Sugar 

1/2 Cup Truvia (or White Sugar)

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1 Cup Water 

2 1/2 Tbsp Lemon Juice 

3 Tsp Cinnamon 

1 Tsp Nutmeg (If you don’t have Nutmeg, add one extra Tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice)

2 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 

Canning Jars (or air tight tupperware for freezing)

Assembly:

Peel, core and cut all apples into medium sized chunks and place all of them into the crock pot.

Pour water and lemon juice on top of apples, then add in the sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice. Stir with spatula or wooden spoon until well combined.

Cover apples with lid and put crock pot on high for one hour. 

After the one hour is up, take off high heat, give the apples another stir, and place on low heat for 8-10 hours. 

Then, sit back and let the apples do their thing! I like to make this in the late afternoon or early evening so it can cook down while I sleep. I love waking up to the whole house smelling like pure apple heaven!

When it is finished, the apple butter will be reduced by a little more than half and will be a very deep amber-brown color. You can freeze this mixture if you don’t want to can it like I did. I did a simple hot water bath canning technique with Kerr Mason Jars. If you want to learn how to can (it’s easy!) you can click here for a great resource from FrugalLivingNW!

Now eat it by the spoonful make some pancakes or biscuits and smother them in this delicious autumn concoction!

Enjoy!

♥Shelby

A Pie Social♥

I love pie.

No, wait, let me rephrase that.

Pie is one of my favorite things in the entire universe.

I love everything about it. It can be warm, cold, or Al a Mode, I will gobble it up with not a flaky crumb remaining.

I love that every one has a favorite flavor, I love that it is an American classic, and yet a universal comfort food.

I love that each of our grandmothers have a special, unique pie recipe, and some of us were lucky enough to learn and master it.

 Most importantly, I love that pie never fails to bring people together.

♥

For my 24th birthday, I had the pleasure of hosting a Pie Social at my house with my wonderful family and friends. It was simple and perfect, the twenty some guests that were invited had one job: To bring a pie to share with the rest of us! The pie could be store bought or homemade, regular or gluten free, sweet or savory, any kind you wanted! The party was a hit, and we all got to taste new and creative flavors, (Marionberry-Pecan anyone?) I also included a savory section for pallet cleansing between each pie. In my platter I included sausage, various cheeses, crackers, nuts, grapes, and a hummus option. I also provided lots of whipped cream and gallons of delicious vanilla bean ice cream. Go big or go home! Oh, and don’t forget the beverages! Something simple like lemon water is always perfect to cut sweetness and refresh the pallet. I provided a mildly sweet, home brewed, Mango Iced Tea and Unsweetened Raspberry Sparking Water (with lemon).

I regret not taking more photos (I was having too much fun stuffing my face), but I thought I would share with you a couple snaps of my big day and maybe inspire you to throw your own Pie Social! Fall is upon us, what better way to try out that new Maple Pumpkin Pie recipe and bring your loved ones together!?

Thank God swimsuit season is over, right?

WORTH IT!

I hope you all have had a wonderful start to September, and I highly encourage you to host your own Pie Social, (sweatpants optional).

Till next time,

Shelby♥

Extreme China Hutch Makeover♥

Are you ready for this?!

I am so excited to share this transformation with you today! This was such a rewarding project and an AWESOME birthday gift!

For my birthday last week, my husband went to OfferUp.com and started looking for some buffets and hutches/china cabinets that were in need of some serious lovin’. I have been looking for a china hutch since we moved into our home. I was getting anxious to finally unpack my tea cup collection and my great grandmothers china that I inherited! I was just tickled that my husband thought of getting me a hutch for my birthday! The good ‘ol boy that he is, he forwarded me some pictures of the contenders he thought would be fitting for our space and my personal style. We went back and fourth sending each other links of possible hutches and landed on this beauty (yikes) from the 80’s! The lady selling it originally wanted $250 and we scored her for a whopping…wait for it…$50!

I know, right!?

A total steal!

Once it got plopped onto the front porch I wasted no time getting it cleaned, lightly sanded and primed! However, my sweet, infant daughter had other ideas, so the priming part took about 8,000 a couple more hours than it should of. I was so excited to finally have a new project in my life that I contemplated pulling an all-nighter just to see the finished project!

Yeah, right.

My daughter, Dahlia, pulled a huge cranky show before bedtime that squashed all those crazy aspirations. I went to bed and decided it would be better to actually get some sleep, (wait, what is that again?) and wake up refreshed less exhausted Saturday morning.

Alright, let’s finish this baby!

The morning was sluggish and it was hard to make progress (life with an infant), but I started gaining momentum after the first coat of Antique White was finished. Before I was able to feel really accomplished, I had to stop a few hundred times to nurse and rescue my husband from Miss Gassy Cranky Face.  Doesn’t she realize mommy is trying to create a masterpiece!?

PLEASE JUST LET ME HAVE THIS ONE THING!

I was thrilled (and totally relieved), to be able to take out the HIDEOUS yellow glass panels and replace them with some french country inspired chicken wire screens!

I just LOVE the result! It fits my personal decor style completely!

In the home stretch now! Just added a second coat of paint and starting seeing my project finally come together beautifully! Before I knew it, I was standing back looking at this beauty:

It feels at home now in my formal dining room! It fits perfectly! I am utterly obsessed with it and so thrilled with how it turned out! Night and day from that dingy and dated piece that it was!

Time to add all my Great Grandmother’s china as well as my own personal china collections!

Let’s get decorating!

I just am so beyond thankful that I was able to take a small break from mommy duties (as much as I love them), and really get back to my creative roots!

Till next time my darlings!

♥Shelby

What I Wish I Would Have Known: One Month Postpartum ♥

Hello♥

June and July have been a whirlwind! This parenting stuff ain’t for sissy’s!

With all the joy and fun it has been, there have been a million  few challenges I have faced and thought it may be beneficial for all the soon to be mommies to have some warning before the inevitable changes! Everyone is different, and your baby may be perfect, sleep through the night, never ever get colic, and never cry!  If that is the case, don’t tell us, because you will ensue a riot and possibly receive hate mail. 

Here are a few things I wish past me could have told future me!

1. You will cry, you will cry a lot

My baby blues were horrendous. I did not have full post postpartum depression, but I was so weepy that it really robbed the joy out of the first two weeks postpartum. Now, I’m not saying that I had no moments of happiness with my daughter, because I did, (how could I not, do you see that little, sweet face)?! However, the really bad moments were outweighing the happy ones. I also suffered from a huge a punch to the stomach emotionally following Dahlia’s birth. My husband’s friend and co-worker tragically lost her 5 month old daughter one hour after Dahlia was born. My husband and I found out on Facebook while we were sharing our joy. It was absolutely devastating to know that while my baby was coming into the world, someone close to home was loosing theirs. I was inconsolable for the first day after hearing the news. All I could do was hold my daughter tell her how much I loved her. Plus, with all my hormones crashing after the birth, it did not make for a easy first day as a parent. I would weep whenever I thought about their daughter, and even as I write this, I can tell I am very much still saddened and effected by it. For about one week I had serious issues sleeping, I was terrified something was going to happen to my daughter. I was paranoid about SIDS and had nightmares about her dying when I slept. Some nights I would just stare at her while she slept and keep my hand on her chest so I could feel her breathing. It was an awful, paranoid time for me. Through prayer, communication with family and friends, and a much needed doctor visit, I was finally feeling more myself by the end of the second week. It’s really important to ask for help when you’re feeling depressed as a new mom. Soon your hormones will level out (if they don’t and you have thoughts about harming yourself or your baby, talk to a doctor right away), and it will get so much better.

2. You bleed for what seems like FOREVER 

I was somewhat prepared for the after birth from the other blogs I read before my delivery day, but honestly I was still shocked by the volume of nasty stuff that comes out after the baby! It’s like the worst period you ever had times a hundred. There is also no controlling it, it just falls out of you! It is a little scary when you see the big blood clots, but rest assured, it’s normal (as long as they are not bigger than a golf ball). The hospital will supply you with these WONDERFUL giant pads and disposable mesh underwear that will last you a few days. I sent my husband to get the extra thick pads (which always remind me of middle school), from Target our first day home. I also recommend getting some granny panties so you don’t soil your nice Victoria’s Secret ones! I bled for about 3 and a half weeks, even though the hospital told me the average is 14 days! I’m just special I guess! The first week is the absolute worst and then it gradually gets lighter and lighter until its barely noticeable.

3. Infant growth spurts are rough

Dahlia went through a ravenous growth spurt between the second and third week. If you’re breastfeeding, just be prepared to do nothing but sit on the sofa with the remote in your hand, a snack in the other, and an infant on your boob. Dahlia nursed every 30-45 minuets all day until her scheduled night time. It is exhausting. Your nipples may be sore and your back will hurt from leaning over to ensure the baby to gets a good latch. I recommend sneaking a pacifier in when you can, sometimes they just need a little somethin’ somethin’ to keep their munchers occupied! The good news is that the week ends, (until the 5th/6th week growth spurt starts, which is where I am now)! Since we are talking about breastfeeding, I will tell you it takes some getting used to! It was very strange having this little human sucking on my nipple the first few times! It gets more normal the more you do it, but if you are freaked out the first few times, it’s okay, it’s gets less weird the more you do it.

4. Colic is no flipping joke

Colic sucks. Dahlia is a very happy baby, but by the fifth week the poor thing had terrible gas and some Infant Reflux, (like acid reflux). Babies will cry like they are being tortured and it’s very, very hard to listen to. After the second day of Dahlia being in pain, I cried myself! I felt like there was nothing I could do for her, and it was heartbreaking.

Its true, you’re not. It’s just your baby having bad day (or week).

I recommend purchasing Little Remedy’s Gas Relief Drops here. Literally, within minuets I had my delightful, sweet daughter back! Success!

5. You will love this child more than you ever thought possible

Granted, this hasn’t been a challenge, but it is something I learned about myself! I was never very maternal with other people’s children, so I was very nervous about what I would be like when I had my own. Let me tell you, there is no need to worry, you will love your child and the maternal instincts will come. Also, you should know that your baby loves you from the start! Nothing beats the feeling you get the first time your child looks at you and smiles that big, silly, toothless smile. Dahlia is a smiley baby, so I am lucky to get those often!

I hope this was helpful to all the new mothers out there! Remember to not be hard on yourself, it’s a huge adjustment, and you’re doing the best you can.

♥Shelby