Hey Girl: Ryan Gosling Gender Reveal

This just in: we are having a GIRL!!!! Holy poop you guys, I am seriously shocked. I was CONVINCED we were having a boy, but I also knew I was going to be wrong. I told John many times "I think it's a boy, but I also think they're gonna tell me it's a girl and I'm gonna be wrong." But I was so sure baby was a boy I made them double check. Hah! Nope... she's a girl! Hilarious, because I’ve had two dreams about the baby’s gender and both times it was a girl. And both times I asked the person who told me in the dream “are you sure?!” I really thought the baby was a boy! 

Now, let's talk about this quirky gender reveal! My friend at work was on vacation and wanted a fun "gender reveal" after my appointment so I searched for "girl" on my memes keyboard (my favorite add-on, by the way!) and Ryan Gosling came up. So, I thought that was pretty funny and I sent it to her. She loved it, so when it came to telling everyone at work, I made these delicious cookies (in pink, of course!), and added a picture of Ryan Gosling next to them. And that my friends is where I got this genius idea for a party!

This theme is absolutely perfect for a gender reveal where at least one person knows what the gender is (especially the mom) but I also think it would make a FANTASTIC baby shower theme!! At that point everyone knows the gender anyway, so it wouldn't ruin the element of surprise. It's definitely never been done before, so your friends won't be bored of the same old, same old!

*Note: This post contains affiliate links

Free Printables!

I created some unique printables for this party (inspired by these awesome invites!) that you can easily download and print to decorate, invite people, etc. The best part is that they're totally FREE! Not many things you can say are free these days, but this would actually be a super affordable baby shower. To get the free printables, just fill out the form below!

The Party Setup

Let's talk about this super easy setup! I gathered up alllll the pink items I had around my house to make this an affordable party. I used some leftover plates from New Year's Eve, as well as some super cheap frames I had on hand. These were from Walmart but you could honestly use any frames from around your house to save money, or buy super cheap ones and give them out as favors. I know I have Ryan Gosling's photo up in my office now! I mean, he's wearing a suit so it's super inspirational for success, right?

I bought a pack of white card stock and used it for all the printables. I made the small circles 1" and the large ones 2" so you can use paper punches to quickly and easily cut these out! I have this and this paper punch and they worked perfectly. Then, I used a paper cutter to cut out the invites and other straight-edge things so they were nice and neat. Although it may seem like a silly expense, I've used this paper cutter countless times. I guarantee that if you own it, you'll find tons of uses for it! 

For the place settings, I kept it super duper simple with black and white striped napkins and a printed postcard on top. People can tape this postcard up in their house, take pics with it at the party, or just recycle it afterwards. Easy peasy! To create the cupcake picks, all you need are those paper punches I mentioned above and a toothpick. You can either tape it on, or glue it. You can make it single-sided or double-sided. You can also arrange them in a line with skewer sticks for a cake topper, or add them to drink stirrers or straws like I did. They'd also make great embellishments for a favor box or with a tiny hole punched into them as a gift tag for favor bags!

Part of the fun of the "hey girl" quote is what comes after it. I had a little fun and created a letter board message about my sweet little daughter. Honestly can't even believe I can say that! I'm going to have a daughter. Pardon me while I go wipe away these tears... 

Affordable cupcake stands are super easy too! I had these plastic cupcake stands left over from my ornament making party and I turned them upside down to hold these tiny cupcakes. Btw- these are store-bought cupcakes. I scraped off the frosting and piped on my own tinted store-bought frosting! It took a couple of tries and they clearly aren't perfect, but honestly they did the trick. I just recommend getting some new cupcake liners to go over the old ones, because they do kinda separate off the cupcake for some reason. These mini pink "stands" are actually just paper baking cups that I've had forever and never used. They were too big for these teeny little cupcakes, but they were great as stands!

Now, let's talk about those cookies! The recipe uses cake mix, so they're super soft and fluffy. I made them for work and everyone was raving about how good and different they were. Best of all, they're super cheap and easy to make! I just used store-bought white cake mix and pink food coloring. I piled them up on top of a cake stand that, again, was left over from a blog post!

For another easy decor piece, I used my lightbox sign and added a sonogram of my tiny girl. I know some people find sonograms weird and creepy (um, ok...) but I think that when it's your child it's the most amazing thing. Like... she has the cutest up-turned nose and you can even see her teeny little heart! Pure magic.

To decorate the area above the table, I placed a bunch of paper fans I had laying around. I really thought I had more pink ones than I did, but most of them were a dark hot pink since they were for Halloween and Christmas posts. Had I realized, I probably would have ordered a set of pastel fans to have a nicely mis-matched set!

Either way, I’m so excited to finally know more about this little baby and to buy some baby clothes. Now that I know, I can’t wait to get started on the nursery and some fun DIY projects for baby! Plus endless matching “mommy and me” outfits.

Don't forget to download your printables and create your own Ryan Gosling themed gender reveal or baby shower! It felt very "teenage stalker obsessed with a celebrity" as I was creating the party setup, but it's so much fun. 

So, what do you think about this idea for a gender reveal or baby shower? Now I want to do a whole bunch of amazing, uniquely-themed baby showers. What weird theme would you do? Or is this JUST what you were looking for? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY Rainbow Alphabet Blocks

Call it a mother's intuition but I made this project before I even knew I was pregnant! I wanted them for an Instagram challenge I have since put aside, but hey... they're pretty cute and I've used them for a few blog posts already too! You probably saw them make a cameo in my Easter party post, my baby post and my Painted Notebook post. They're too awesome (and useful) to resist. Find out how to make a set for yourself!

Disclaimer: I do not have children, and therefore I do not know what age this would be for. I’m going to say 3+, but please use your discretion! Mine will be mainly for decorative purposes. I don’t want any children getting hurt with toxic paint or swallowing a loose letter. Please use caution when giving this project to children!!!

You will need:

1.5" blocks (here)
Painter’s tape 1 inch (here)
Paint in your choice of colors (similar here)*
Wood letters (from Michael’s, similar here)
Paintbrushes (similar here)
Super glue or wood glue (here)
Newspaper or similar to cover workspace

*My colors were Martha Stewart Pink Dahlia, Apple Barrel Pink Parfait, Martha Stewart Wild Salmon, Martha Stewart Yellow Jacket, Martha Stewart Diving Board, Apple Barrel Parrot Blue, Apple Barrel Bimini Blue, Craft Smart Grape Taffy

Directions:

1. Pick the colors for your paint, and decide on whether you want a pattern. I wanted to do a rainbow, so I assigned each letter a color and counted out how many of each block I needed from that.

2. Find the best side of your block to be the front, and add tape to the center as a “stripe”. I did this on two sides so that I would have the ability to add extra letters or something else to the back. Or at least, if gave me an extra option in case one side looked funky!

3. Once you’ve taped a few (or all) of your blocks, begin painting them. Each round, I painted the “front” of the block with two stripes, 2 sides full color, and the “back” with two stripes. I did the stripes first, then the sides, and went and did a second coat on the stripes before letting it dry.

4. Peel your tape off your blocks and save it for round 2. Make sure your blocks dry fully before doing round 2!

5. While your blocks dry, start painting your letters. I did the front and all the sides with a few coats.

6. Take your tape, and reposition it on the sides with the stripes, this time going the other direction to form a “border” of color around the edge. Paint the stripes on the front, back, and opposite sides. And let dry fully.

7. Glue your letters into your blocks and let dry according to directions.

Alternatives:

1. For a safer alternative, you can paint or stamp the letters onto the blocks so that there is no choking hazard

2. Instead of matching all the blocks and letters, try mixing them up or color blocking with different shades of the same color! I tested that below.

3. Add stamps to the sides of the blocks for extra learning fun!

4. Add numbers for a complete block set

Ahhh! I mean, how stinking cute are these!? They'd also be really cute as decor with just the letters of your baby or child's name. I love love love these! Are you planning to make a set for your kids? Let me know in the comments below!

29 Goals For This Year

Exactly three weeks ago, I turned 29 years old. That’s one year away from 30! Despite the fact that I feel like I accomplished a lot of the things I’ve wanted to do so far (mostly through stubbornness and perseverance) I feel like I could have done more in my life. One thing I’ve never been good at is making goals for myself. I have lots of ideas but never really plan it out so that anything actually happens. That means a lot of wishing, and not so much achieving. Since we’re throwing a baby into the mix this year, and technically that makes me a real adult now, I figured it was time for some goal setting and accountability! 

Back in 2016, I created a list of 27 wishes for my 27th birthday. I went back and checked out how many I achieved, but it wasn’t great! My goals weren't quantifiable, so it's hard to determine what was "done" and what was not.

I made a list of things I hope to achieve this year, separated out by category. I’ll update this as the year goes on and tasks get completed. And, hopefully by this time next year I’ll have 30 brand spankin’ new goals. 

Home

• De clutter the whole house (and actually keep it that way)

• Finish fully decorating at least 3 rooms (initial thoughts- nursery, kitchen, attic)

• Make the most of what we have- diy instead of buy

• Make the bed every day

• Make the craft room/attic a place I actually want to work in

Business 

• Grow the blog into a lifestyle resource (DONE)

• Launch an e-course by June 30 (DONE- but it launched in August!)

• Launch a (successful) shop (I shut mine down since it wasn’t producing- sad but it’s ok! Bigger and better things ahead)

• Make over $25k income with the blog (HAH. I wish! Hoping 2019 will be my year!)

• Donate to more causes I believe in

• Get published in a magazine

• Attend Alt Summit

Family

• Be the best mom I can be (DONE- a work in progress!)

• Spend more time with my family without a phone or screen

• Take a monthly drive to a new place

• Take our first official family vacation (DONE- while I was pregnant we went to Colorado, Bermuda, and the Hamptons!)

Life

• Go on more adventures

• Finish what I start (DONE- goal setting has become a priority and really helps)

• Do crafts or paint “just because” at least once a month

• Make more of an effort on personal fitness (2x week)

Finances

• Pay off our credit cards (DONE-ish. Mine are paid off, still woking on the joint cc!)

• Spend less, save more- at least $2k this year (DONE but then I had to pay my cc so it’s gone now! Seeing as how I’m currently unemployed, seems unlikely it’ll go back up)

• Create a budget and stick to it

Self

• Spend more time on my appearance (DONE- I’ve been straightening my hair and it helps!)

• Make an effort to dress better (at least 3 days/week) (HAH- with being pregnant and then having a baby, this was a bit silly :P)

• Practice mindfulness and yoga (at least once a week) (DONE-ISH. I don’t do yoga but I’m thankful every day.

• Remember to take a break and not be a workaholic (DONE! Pregnancy + a baby helped)

• Stop procrastinating (DONE! Working so hard on this too)

• Don’t let fear stand in my way & step outside my comfort zone (Work in Progress)

Some of these might be hard to achieve but I’m hoping that if I work hard at it, I can at least come close to achieving these goals. I’m also hoping that all these goals are kinda cumulative. That working out will make me take the time to dress well. That dressing well will give me confidence to achieve my financial goals. That achieving my financial goals will lead to working on my home and family goals. So on and so forth :) 

What’s on your goals list for this year? How do you actually achieve these things in your life? What’s the best way to plan? I need some help! Let me know in the comments below.

Introducing Gret-Chin: My Double Chin

Ok guys, things are about to get very silly, and very real over here. Despite the fact that I’m fairly thin, I have some things about my body I’m insecure about: my belly, my underboob, and my double chin. I generally have a very round face, a baby face if you will. But it’s the double chin that makes its debut when I least desire it that kinda drives me crazy. It’s the one thing I can’t really hide, because it’s literally my face (or, well... right under it). 

After my sister lovingly teased me about it several times, I decided if this double chin really wanted to come around, I’d better name her. She’s like a stray cat you can’t help but love, or at the very least accept. So, I decided to name her Gretchen. Or as I like to call her, Gret-Chin. Aside from being an amazingly hilarious play on words (if I do say so myself), it’s also a Mean Girls reference. And we all know I love those. 

Related: Polly Pocket Iron-On DIY

This means that if there’s a pic of me with a double chin, she gets a shout out. If anyone teases me about it (lovingly or otherwise) I won’t care, because I’ll simply tell them “that’s Gretchen”. And seeing my double chin in pics doesn’t make me feel bleh anymore, because it makes me laugh. Oh, that Gretchen... 

She’s like that one friend that always makes a silly face and ruins an otherwise nice photo. She’s also like that friend that occasionally shows up even though she wasn’t really invited, but you accept her anyway. She’s the Pillsbury Doughboy, Phoebe’s Smelly Cat and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man all in one. 

If you’re looking to name your double chin, I have some suggestions. 

-Felicia (as in, Bye Felicia) 

-Vin-Chin-Zo (like Vincenzo)

-Neck-ole (like Nicole)

-Flab-ulous (because it’s fat and fabulous)

-Cather-Chin (like the amazing name Catherine- I’m not biased at all) 

When it comes to the things that bother us, we can either dwell on them or we can accept them. I’ve chosen to accept my flaws, and to also work to improve them. Hatred never really helped anyone, and I think that by acknowledging my flaws, I’m able to move on from them. Because at the end of the day, I have much more important things to worry about than the occasional double chin. And you do too!

So, what do you think about this idea? Am I straight up crazy, or will you be giving your flaws funny names to accept them? Let me know in the comments below!

Cinco de Mama- Mexican Celebration for Mother's Day

Looking for a way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, or celebrate a mom-to-be? Look no further! This Cinco de Mama Party is a Mexican fiesta without the alcohol. It’s all about food, decor, and crafts! As a pregnant woman, being awkwardly excluded from holidays where everyone around you gets drunk is kinda weird. I know Cinco de Mayo may not be a drinking holiday in every country, but in the USA it’s a celebration of Mexican culture, food, and drinks. As a holiday lover, I hate to pass on any opportunity to celebrate. So, I made my own party that celebrates moms-to-be. 

This party can really easily be converted into a birthday party, baby shower, or even a regular ol’ alcoholic party if you wanted to. The choice is yours! 

*This post contains affiliate links

Since I’m a little tight on cash these days (ya know... saving for a baby) I decided to keep it simple by using all supplies I had at home. That’s right- I only bought two things for this blog post! The papel picado banners from Amazon and the serape wooden tray from Michaels. Well, 3 if you count a box of churros that never made it into the setup but I’ll eat those later- don’t you worry! 

I kept the table extra laid-back and skipped a tablecloth. Instead, I put a table runner down, which had a little fringe- so fun! I added papel picado along the edge of the table and as the backdrop, plus added some paper fans I had saved from a Cinco de Mayo party years ago. Hoarding has it’s good points too sometimes! 

For my tableware, I used some gold plastic plates I had left over from Thanksgiving topped with an aqua blue plate. Each place setting was topped with a mini piñata filled with candy plus a bright pink fork and knife. I foresee lots of eating at this party, so each person got 2 napkins, a cute striped one and a fiesta one filled with piñatas, limes, and cacti. 

Speaking of cacti... I put them everywhere! I have some wire cactus plants that I made along with succulents from around my house (fake as well, because I kill everything) and a cute felt cactus.

For decor, I added my fancy new tray from Michaels (half off!), my marquee light, and some colorful candles. I had to grab my painted skull I got in Mexico, and I added some fake flowers left over from my flower gift box  to add a delicate romantic touch to the table. Overall, I’m in LOVE with this setup. 

Now, let’s talk about food. I’d serve this chicken taco recipe for a crowd because it’s so easy to make and so so SO good! I’ve made it for parties and everyone loves it. Then, add some mexican street corn dip on the side. Mexican street corn is my absolute favorite thing and I’m practically drooling just thinking about it right now. Then, add some easy chips and dip, homemade guac, and churros for dessert. For drinks, I recommend your favorite mocktail or some infused water or sparking water for a healthier choice! I went with strawberries and pineapples for my water. Delish!

And there you have it! A simple Mother’s Day/ Cinco de Mayo party for the women you love. What would you serve at your Cinco de Mama party? Let me know in the comments below!