DIY Father's Day Jersey + $50 Hanes Gift Card #Giveaway and Prizes

This DIY Father's Day Jersey tutorial will show you how to create a super soft, customized gift for dad at home. This tutorial is sponsored post in partnership with Hanes.

Father's Day will be here before we know it and I want to make it uber special for my husband. He's an amazing dad and deserves to be pampered on his special day. His gifts will include things he needs and things he wants. He'll also get a gift from me and one from the kids. The one from the kids will be this DIY Father's Day Jersey. It's made using the softest tee ever. I could have gone cheap, but I really wanted my babe to feel comfy when he wears his Father's Day gift.

How to Paint a Vinyl Roller Shade Using Stencil

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ScrubMyWay #TeamDishCloth #CollectiveBias

Sometimes I love being in my kitchen and then there are times when I don't. When I go in there and things are grimy and cluttered I just want to throw the whole kitchen in the trash and start fresh. Unfortunately that's not possible so the only thing I can do is clean it so it can feel like my happy place again. This weekend was rainy and gloomy so I decided to give my kitchen a deep clean which ended with a fun project for the window over my sink. 

3 Ways to Wrap and Present your Mother's Day Gift

This post 3 Ways to Wrap and Present your Mother's Day Gift tutorial and shopping trip has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MakeHerMothersDay #CollectiveBias

I hosted my very first Mother's Day brunch the year before last for the mother's in my immediate family. There's me, my mom, my mother-in-law, daughter and sister-in-law. The brunch wasn't actually on Mother's Day but the week before.

It was such a fun event that allowed the mother's in my family to relax and enjoy a day of pampering stress free. This was actually my husbands idea and the rules, were that the women would not lift a finger. My husband cooked all of the food and the men and boys served us. After eating we had a time of recognition and gift giving. I took time to personally address each of the others in my family to tell them how amazing they were and how much they helped me become the woman I am today. After the recognition, each mom received a small gift. This year, we plan to personally deliver gifts to my mother and mother-in-law. I'm going to present each of them with flowers and a personalized gift. My goal is to make their day special. Mother's Day is about family and American Greetings is helping me celebrate the two women who have been such a blessing to me.

How to Make Your Own Graphic Tee + $50 Hanes Gift Card #Giveaway + Prize

This DIY Graphic Tee tutorial will show you how to create a customized, professional looking tee for less at home. This tutorial is sponsored post in partnership with Hanes. 

I am all in on the graphic tee trend this year. If I could wear a graphic tee every day I would. There are so many tees out there that express me that I just can't get enough of them.

On the flip side, some sellers have gotten way out of control on their prices. I mean $40 for a tee? 

Really?!? I think not. 

I wanted a some cool comfy tees but $40 a pop is a bit much. For those of you who are 'ballin on a budget' today I'll show you how I made my own professional looking tee for less.

Easy DIY Vanity Tray

This easy DIY Vanity Tray and my shopping trip have been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SoFreshSoFrench #CollectiveBias

I just love those cute vanity trays I see in the home decor store that are labeled with words like "ring" or "lotion". The ones I see are usually white with black words and didn't fit the style I wanted for my guest bath so I decided to make my own.

4 P's for prepping your living room for spring

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GladeAtmosphereCollection #CollectiveBias

To make a house a home, every room should have a story. Whether you live in an apartment, condo or house you should figure out how you can best use the space to make it inspire you. Ever since I lived on my own, I've taken the time to create a space that inspires me and makes me happy being in it.

My bedroom and living room are my favorite rooms in our home. My husband and I worked together on the feel we wanted for both spaces and they've become a mini retreat for us. We hang out mostly in our bedroom, but when we have movie night or friends over, we hang out in the living room.

This room has been a little neglected lately with it being so cold and dreary. But the recent warm weather and NEW Atmosphere Collection™ Fine Home Fragrance by Glade® scents inspired me to spruce things up.  

His and Hers Valentine's Day Mugs

These DIY His and Hers Valentines Day Mugs and shopping trip haves been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyTuesdayValentine #CollectiveBias

Germaine and I will celebrate our seventeenth Valentine's Day together this month and our sixteenth wedding anniversary in September. After all of these years, I still wake up excited to see his face every morning and excited to be his wife.

We're planning to celebrate Valentine's Day the weekend before, but I still want to have a romantic breakfast on Tuesday. 

To prep for our breakfast, I needed a few supplies so I sat down at my desk to plan before heading to the stores. 

Using the American Greetings printable shopping list, I wrote down the people I needed to buy Valentine's Day cards for besides my husband, plus the supplies I needed to make His and Her's Valentine's Day Mugs for our Tuesday morning breakfast date.

Valentine's Day Card & Candy Collection Box Tutorial

 

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and I don't want you to feel like you have to go out buy a cute v-day storage box for the craft store. I want to inspire you to either make one for your child or supply your little one with some supplies so they can make their own.

Making a Valentine's Day Card and Candy Collection Box is really super easy. (Tweet This) If you can wrap a present, you can make a Valentine's Day Card and Candy Collection Box. 

How to Organize Your Coffee Bar

I absolutely love being a homemaker and working from home because it's like getting to play house every day as a grown up. This week I wanted to create a dedicated space for my coffee and supplies. It needed to be an organized, cheery and a fun space to make my hot beverages in the mornings. I broke the process down into several easy steps.

DIY Elastic Headbands

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

#Sponsored #WhatMonthlyPain #CollectiveBias

Earlier this week my daughter was supposed to attend the National Senior Beta Club induction ceremony because of outstanding qualities in academic achievement, character, leadership and service.

She's been working so hard this year and I'm so proud of her. Monday after school we picked her outfit and decided on a hairstyle. Tuesday morning I was excited about styling her hair after school, but when she got home plans changed. As soon as she came in the door from school she asked if I had anything for cramps. Her back, tummy and legs were hurting all day she said.

Big Chop Haircut Reveal: How I Style My TWA + 4C Texture Shots

I "big chopped" on October 23 and I can't even tell you how excited I am.

My goal was to transition as long as possible, but that was for my husband. He prefers I trim the relaxed ends periodically instead of all at once. I prefer to get it over with and start fresh with all unrelaxed hair. On the 23rd he said he wouldn't mind if I big chopped and so I did.

Of course after chopping I was shocked at how short my hair was, but once I washed and styled it I was in love.  

I have been using very little products on my hair and it's made being natural this time so much easier. When I big chopped three years ago, I bought so many products and tried so many styles.

This time, I want to be super easy going with my hair as it grows out. I don't care much about super defined curls this time around and won't be spending hours in the mirror trying to achieve them.

I plan on embracing my texture and curl pattern pretty much as it grows. 

The first week of November I washed and finger coiled a few spots of my hair and let it dry and got the look in the picture above.

The next week I blew it out so my afro didn't feel so short. That also gave me a chance to trim some leftover relaxed hair.

Teen Friendly Road Trip Travel Pack

Today's super simple Teen Friendly Road Trip Travel Pack and shopping trip has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RitzFilledNotHangry #CollectiveBias

We are family who loves to travel. Anytime we get a chance we get a chance, we hit the road for a change of scenery. Since my kids were little, I'd plan fun thing to keep them occupied on road trips. Doing this has helped pass the time and make the ride more enjoyable for everyone. Even though my kids are teens, I still like to plan fun things for them to do in the car. 

Of course I could give them a mobile device and let them veg out the entire road trip, but sometimes I want them to be more productive with their time. Today I'm sharing a simple blueprint for a Teen Friendly Road Trip Travel Pack. This one is inspired by my youngest daughter who loves to craft and draw. If I were making this for my boys, I'd fill the pack with things they like. 

How to Slick Your Baby Hair or 4C Edges

Do you struggle with trying to Slick Your Baby Hair or 4C Edges down? Today I'm going to tell you the two steps I use for neat edges every time.

Since sharing my protective up-do, I've big chopped. I was about 16 weeks post relaxer and decided to cut off the relaxed ends of my hair. 

Since cutting my hair, I've switched to a crochet braid protective style. I love this style because it requires no manipulation of my hair. The only thing I do a few times a week is slick my baby hair. 

When my hair was relaxed this was easy to do, but once I began trying it on my coils 4C hair, it was much harder. The hair would lay flat, but would coil back up until one day I tried something different. 

DIY Football Inspired Checker Board + Game piece pouch

This super simple Football Inspired Checker Board tutorial and shopping trip has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, MARS. All opinions are mine alone. #CallAnEatible #SkittlesHomegating #CollectiveBias

Today I'll show you a fun craft I made especially for my daughter who loves Skittles®, but not football. My Football Inspired DIY Checker Board is unique because it's played with candy. Incorporating candy is a fun way to get non football fans involved at game time.

To create the board I used a few simple crafts items and all of the orange and green colored candies from a bag of Sweets & Sours Skittles.

How to Have a Clutter-free Bathroom Stockpile + DIY Tasseled Bath Tissue Basket

 Tips on how to have a clutter free bathroom stockpile, my DIY tasseled bath tissue basket and  shopping trip has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MegaPrepped #CollectiveBias

When I go into my master or guest bath I have a normal expectation that everything I need to manage and use that space is in there.

From the products I use for personal hygiene to the products I need to clean the bathrooms, I need it all to fit into that space.

It's especially challenging to get what you need in there without making it feel cluttered. While it's a challenge, it's definitely possible.

Today I'm going to show you three things you should keep stocked in your bathroom and ways to group, display and store those them. At the very end of this post, I'll show you a fun way to personalize a bath tissue basket. 

After School Homework Station | Before & After

My DIY after school homework station has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BTSwithHP #CollectiveBias

I've been all kinds of excited about sharing our after school homework station with you. You know how much I like for things to be organized so having this space for my kids was a must. Over the past two school years, the kids have been plopping down wherever to do homework on the laptops and tablets, but my son was having an issue when it ca time to type up essays and such. His screen was way to small for him to be typing and staring at while trying to complete longer project...hence the after school homework station.

The jewel of our home work station is the new HP Snow White All-in-One Touch Screen Desk Top. Did she just say, "touch screen?". Yes I did. This is one of the newest HP computers so if you look for it stores this week and don't see it, you can order it online and have it shipped to your home. The new HP has been redesigned and is ready to use straight from the box....no kidding! I thought for sure they hadn't sent everything I needed when I didn't see a processor, but the processor is built into the computer screen. The alone is a huge space saver. Not having to store that bulky machinery leaves more space at our home work station for my kids school supplies. This computer meets all of our needs in the amount of storage it provides for their school and gaming activities. Plus it's great quality, stylish and super affordable.

Before we jump into the details of our home work station, be warned...there are tons of yummy pictures. I want to give you all of the details you need to create a space like this for your home.

To start our space we used this random wall in our family room. It's in a crazy location and really serves no purpose in the space. Until now, this is what it looked like and the space was never used.

The first thing I knew I wanted at our homework station was a board where we could place notes for one another. I used a black poster board, washi tape, sticky notes and a calendar to create one for our homework station. Each of the kids have space on there where we can leave sticky note messages for one another. 

   

Super Soft Crochet Washcloth Tutorial + Skin Care Tips for Babies with Allergies

This super soft crochet washcloth tutorial, new mom tips, and shopping trip has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FreeToBe #CollectiveBias

Having children who suffers from Eczema is enough to make a new momma cry. I know because I was that mom. It took a lot of trial and error to figure out the best ways to care for my babies sensitive skin, but once I did, I was able to make better decisions about the products and fabrics I put on them.


If you're a new mom with a baby who suffers from any type of allergies, you'll want to print these tips to refer back to them. Having a child with any kind of allergy can be scary. From the allergy testing to everyday allergic reactions, you can begin feeling like the symptoms are holding you hostage. The tips I'm going to share are from my experience and my heart as a mom who knows the struggle.

4 Habits that make cleaning the kitchen after a meal easier!

Disclosure: My tutorial to make cleaning the kitchen after a meal easier, dessert recipe and shopping trip has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ScrubCloth #CollectiveBias

A homemaking strategy I learned quickly after becoming a stay at home wife and mom was how to make cleanup after meal prep easier.

When I gave up a full-time job to be at home full-time, I began cooking three meals from scratch every day. Cooking and eating at home, produces a dirty kitchen and dirty dishes.

Being sick of ending a meal with a sink full of dishes, I got smarter and came up with a strategy.

How to set up a summer snack tray

Today's summer snack tray inspiration and shopping trip has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DipintoMeze #CollectiveBias

Memorial Day is right around the corner and while we don't have anything spectacular planned, I do want to be prepared if guest drop by.

My plan to just relax in our backyard for the day, but if we happen to get a call from family member who wants to drop by, I want to have a few things on hand for flavorful simple snack.

5 Tummy Flattening Exercise Tutorials

These 5 tummy flattening exercises, protein shake recipes and shopping trip have been compensated by EAS Sports Nutrition. #easbrand #PowerinProtein

Being a wife and momma is the most challenging work I do. It takes a lot of sacrifice that I willingly give even to my own detriment. 

Sometimes I've given so much, that I didn't leave enough for myself. My husband saw that, which he admired, but he felt it wasn't healthy to give everything to the family and not take care of myself. I wasn't eating like I should, dressing up or exercising. 

We sat down and made some changes so that I could take care of my health and well being. This included planning meals I liked and exercising. When I started eating better and exercising, I began feeling better mentally and physically.

If you're struggling in they area, I want to help you just like my husband helped me. First, I'm going to show you how to prepare a simple protein packed workout shake using EAS® 100% Whey Protein. Then I'll show you my favorite tummy flattening exercises. After having four children, it's one of the areas that's hardest to keep toned. I used to wear girdles to hide my bulge, but I got tired of that real quick. Instead, I decided to find a routine that targeted my stomach and fit into my busy schedule.