12.9.14

{Cinnamon & Coconut Scrub} 

The other day I posted that I was trying out a homemade body scrub and needless to say it turned out AMAZING!  (in my opinion of course)  It seriously smells like you are bathing in snicker-doodle cookies!  The sugar makes for a mild scrub that gets the job done and the coconut oil leaves my skin feeling so soft and moisturized that I don't even need lotion after the shower.  I leave the jar of it in my shower and use it every other day.  Keep in mind since there is coconut oil in it it will harden in cool temps but as soon as you scoop some out with your hand it will melt into a lovely scrub due to your body temperature and shower steam.
 
Recipe:

1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon

In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar.  Melt coconut oil and pour over sugar mixture.  Stir until everything is combined.  Pour into your favorite jar.  The jar pictured is from Target.

 

Enjoy!

Love,

Katie

12.7.14

{Sunday Spotlight}

I wanted to start a series called Sunday Spotlight where each Sunday I share a handmade shop or small business with you.  I've always been an Etsy shopper but once I had a baby and joined Instagram I've found even more small businesses and I've shopped more handmade than ever before.  I have many favorites and love supporting these shops for many reasons plus most are hardworking mommas and they are just too good not to share!

This Sunday I wanted to share with you Little Big Dreamers LLC.  I found this shop on Instagram this past summer and Norah was one of their first brand reps which was so much fun!!  The owner, Keri, is an extremely hard worker all while being an awesome momma to two precious girls.  She has the most adorable head wraps, leggings & apparel.  I am blown away at how she has grown her business in such a short time and am so excited to share Little Big Dreamers with you.

Why did you open up your handmade shop?  I wanted to work from home, answer to no one and learn something new. I absolutely love creating items for mamas and littles and really wanted to challenge myself. Well I did. This has been quite the journey.

How long have you been in business?   I have been in business for 10 months

What are two random facts about yourself?   Hmmm I still watch Friends every.single.day. And not like re runs, i actually put the DVDs on while I work. I love to sing and dance. I secretly want to be in a flash dance mob (is that what they are called haha)

What would you say is your "peak and pit" of owning your own business?   I would say juggling it all is the toughest part. Being a work at home mom is tough. Something usually falls through the cracks and it's typically cleaning my house.  The best part is meeting all of the amazing, hard working, people I have met. I had no idea how much kindness was out there. I absolutely love collaborating and making new friends along the way.

 

If you could give one piece of advice to someone wanting to open a handmade shop what would it be?  Try not to compare or get caught up in the numbers and followers. Your items will speak for themselves if they are made with hard work and love.

You can shop Little Big Dreamers here and find them at the social media handles on Instagram: littlebigdreamers and Twitter/Facebook/Pinterest: littlebigdream1

Thank you for joining me for Sunday Spotlight!

Love,

Katie

12.1.14

{White Chocolate Toffee}

For the first day of December I wanted to share a recipe that I tend to make around the holidays for several reasons.  It's very easy, SO good, has minimal ingredients (4 to be exact) & it's super cute packaged up to give to friends, neighbors or coworkers. 

[Ingredients:]

• Saltine Crackers (I use the whole grain ones, it's silly I know but I think they taste better)

• 1 cup of unsalted butter

• 1 cup packed brown sugar

• one bag of white chocolate chips (I usually buy two just in case I need a little extra to cover the entire tray) 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan (baking sheet with sides) with parchment paper and then lay out crackers side by side on the pan in a single layer. 

Next, combine sugar and butter in a small pot, melt and bring to a boil.  Boil mixture for three minutes stirring occasionally.  I always watch it to make sure the sides don't burn.

It should become this caramel color.  Pour mixture over crackers and spread carefully so that all crackers are covered. 

Put the pan in the oven and bake for 5-6 minutes. It will bubble up like show in picture below.

Take pan out of the oven and pour chocolate chips over top and let it sit for about a minute and spread the chips as they are melting to cover the crackers.  Immediately add sprinkles or other toppings you are using.

Let it cool completely, about one to two hours and then break into pieces. 

I found the treat boxes at Target and used tool to tie it closed.  I hope y'all enjoy the recipe and thanks for reading!

Love,

Katie

11.24.14

{DIY plant sign} 

We live in a nice neighborhood with a very strict HOA and it's a non-soliciting community.  However, we still have solicitors.  I get at least one a week knocking on my door or ringing my doorbell.  I've had artists selling paintings to young adults selling magazines to vacuum companies & many more. I used to open the door every time without hesitation to hear the spill on what they were selling but it's just not safe to do that anymore in today's world especially if Norah and I are home by ourselves.

I wanted to put something on our front door to deter these individuals from our home but I didn't want it to look tacky.  I came up with this plant sign idea that I think is somewhat cute & I wanted to share with yall. Obviously, you can write whatever you want on yours if you don't need it for the purpose I made it for like "welcome" or even change the saying with the holidays and seasons.

 

I got the plaque & chalk marker from Target and I found this piece of scrap wood from my husbands workbench. 

 

I did several coats of the chalk marker and letting each coat dry before doing the next.
 

Then, I hot glued the wood to the plaque and stuck it in the plant by my front door. 

 

 

I have no idea if it will work but I'm crossing my fingers!

Love,
    Katie

11.20.14

{Snow Cream}

As I was watching my YouTube subscriptions the other night I came across this fun recipe using snow to make "snow cream" which is like "ice cream".  I watched the video and immediately wished we had snow here in Texas!  Even though there's a one percent chance I will be able to make this recipe I wanted to share in case any of you are able to!  The recipe is from Carah Amelie's channel and you can watch the video here.

Let me know if any of you make it!

xo,
-Katie

11.19.14

{Fun Amazon Find}

Hi friends!  Today I wanted to share with you these sunglasses that I recently bought from Amazon.  I saw Veronika from Veronika's Blushing (her blog here) post about them on Instagram saying she ordered them because Megan from Willow Crowns (her blog here) had bought them and said nothing but good things!  When I saw the price of $5 I just couldn't pass them up and try them out for myself.

While I was ordering them I found another pair for around $10 so I went ahead and ordered them as well.  We do Amazon Prime so I got free shipping too!  I was so surprised when they came in the mail how nice they fit and how sturdy they felt. They did not feel like $5 sunglasses!  In fact, they felt way better than my Marc Jacobs sunnies I got from Nordstrom for way more.

Below are pictures of them on my face because it might help if some of you want to order them.  They are pretty large glasses, I have a round face and they still look over sized but I love that! 

Left: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008INZ466/ref=pe_385040_121528360_TE_dp_1
*these are more rounded, I ordered the tortoise color

Right:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FWBJX0A/ref=pe_385040_121528360_TE_dp_1
*these are more cat eye, they are black faded into tortoise

I hope y'all are having a great Wednesday!

xo,
-Katie

11.13.14

{Norah's Birth Story}

I'm finally sitting down to write out Norah's birth story.  It's something I've wanted to do for a while so that I can have it as a keepsake, well, really just so I will remember years and years from now... Mommy brain is serious stuff!  Also, for Norah to read one day. :) 

Norah's due date was on Sunday, September 22nd but she was very cozy and didn't enter the world until Thursday, September 26th.  I had my last OB appointment on the Wednesday before and my doctor made the decision to induce me the next day.  The plan was to call the hospital at 7am the next morning to see if they had a bed so that I could be induced.  Morning comes and I called and they told me that they didn't have a bed and to call back at 11am.  Not what I wanted to hear!  I knew those hours would creep by so slowly but not 15 minutes later my phone rings and its the nurse saying they are ready for me!  Nerves, tears, smiles, worries all came over me.  I could barely get the words out to tell my husband "it's time!"

The last belly picture I took at 39 weeks and 3 days.

Having experienced a miscarriage one year prior I never fully let my heart love this unborn child, I know that sounds harsh but not only is miscarriage a hard thing to go through, pregnancies after are too, and answering the question "is this your first?" I get asked weekly is hard too!  You just live for the next appointment where you get to hear the heartbeat or next sonogram where you can actually see it's for real, there's really a baby in there.  I lived for the next reassurance.  But the day was finally here, we made it and I just knew in my heart everything was going to be okay and we were HAVING A BABY!!

We arrived at the hospital, got a room and as the nurse began to get everything ready I started contracting on my own.  My doctor was concerned about me having a vaginal birth due to the structure of my body but she wanted me to go into labor and see how my body responds since she believed my body would know best.  After a few hours of dilating, which went unexpectedly fast, I started to push for about an hour with the nurse, who was the best!  She stayed past her shift to be in the OR with me, I'm not sure if she could tell I was nervous or what but she went above and beyond!  Finally, it was time to call my OB.  I pushed a few times with her and she said "this isn't happening!"  I'm so grateful for a doctor who is honest and I feel that I can trust completely.

So off to the OR we go!  I remember as they were wheeling me down the hallway tears started rolling down my face and the nurse in front looked back and asked if I was okay, and I said "I'm just emotional" and she smiled and responded "well, it is an emotional time."

As they prepped me for surgery, Josh waited outside.  The time flew by, or they just worked really fast.  Josh came in.  I was shaking so bad from the anesthesia that the anesthesiologist had to hold my arm down each time the blood pressure machine checked my blood pressure.  It seemed like only a few minutes until my OB said "are you ready to see your baby?"  Me: "already?!" "yes!"  As she lifted our sweet, healthy & precious Norah over the curtain I smiled, cried, and turned to Josh and said "is this for real?!" 

7lbs 2oz & 20.8 in // 9/26/13 at 7:09 pm

Finally taking our girl home!

She was finally here.  I was finally a Mom, something I had dreamed about ever since I was a little girl.  Josh was finally a Dad, and he turned out to be more than I could have ever hoped for to help me raise a daughter.  Our hearts were so full, still are, and forever will be.  I thank God often for blessing us with our sweet Norah Kate.

xo,
-Katie