DIY Easter Wreath

I had the most fun with this quick and easy project.  This wreath turned out so spunky and fun and really looks great on my front door.

Supplies Needed:

metal wreath framework 

deco mesh

pipe cleaners

wire cutters/needle nose pliers

easter eggs

easter decor

The really great thing about deco mesh is that you can not screw it up.  It's not always the most easy material to handle (my hands always feel like I've fluffed 50 fake Christmas trees after) but it is easy to shape and adds fullness and fluff very easily.

To prepare I first cut my, color coordinated, pipe cleaners in half using wire cutters.  The pipe cleaners are a simple way of binding the deco mesh onto the framework.

 Start creating loops, whatever size you prefer, and attach by twisting the pipe cleaner around the mesh and framework

 I added a second color to give the wreath a little more volume and great contrast.

 Tippy loves to crawl in the wreaths!  After adding the purple mesh she gladly hopped in the center and posed for a few ton of pictures.

 I added a green bow for a great pop of color and used some string to dangle the three eggs at different lengths inside the bow.  A project is NEVER complete without a bow.... I like big bows and I can not lie.

 Easter door hanger from Hobby Lobby (40% off).  I used floral wire to mount it to the framework.

The glitter eggs I found at Target.  I used colored pipe cleaner and some super glue to create these precious little egg fringles.

 B photo bombed

Oh Monday Monday

Monday again....Just like a bad STD it keeps coming back.  Monday's are not my favorite but honestly I can not complain too much.  I do not work on Mondays so I plan to do my house cleaning and laundry today.  Laundry... enough said! That's enough to dread a Monday.

I'm a Lily

A few months ago I discovered a little gem that has made my life complete.  Okay, I am being a bit dramatic... but seriously I have a literal, probably unhealthy, obsession with How I Met Your Mother.  Watching season after season I have discovered many things about myself.  It's true T.V. is both educational and insightful.  

1.  I do not get out enough.  I wish I had a hangout like Maclaren's where my friends and I would go to meet up, sit, and chat over our day.  Challenge excepted!

2.  Even though I have the MOST amazing friends in the world, read about the girls here, I want friends like Marshall, Lily, Robin, Ted, and Barney.

Lastly

3.  I am the Lily Aldrin in this sitcom that is my life!

Oh secrets... For those of you who do not know me, personally, I truly have the best of intentions with this one.  However, when I am asked to keep a secret it's like pulling the pin on an old hand grenade just to see what it will do.

I'm not afraid to get a little physical.  Sometimes a good ole fashioned wallop is just what it takes to get your point across.

I'm very easily overly excited.  Emotions are not something that I am good at containing or if I'm really being honest I typically don't contain.  

Darn my completely adorable face! Over the years I've "attempted" to master the art of filtering.  My mouth has partially embraced this concept however, my face is a bit remedial.  I am incapable of hiding my thoughts or emotions because my face is a dead giveaway.  I have the most vast array of facial expressions.

I've never met a sweet that I didn't like and that didn't like me.  Enough said.

So this one isn't fully true.  I'm rarely never the smartest person in the room but oh dear heart, I sure feel this way sometimes.

In my world my birthday is a national holiday complete with parade and a full brigade of birthday festivities.  Yes I do wear a tiara and I'm not afraid to call someone out for not wishing me a happy birthday.  You have been warned.

Food can fix any problem.  Cookie dough is the perfect mortar to fix hurt feelings.  Remember I said I wasn't very good at hiding my emotions?  Yea well, my feelings get hurt easily and when they do my world crumbles and I require an ugly cry session in the floor of my closet.  Good news... I have about a two second rebound rate.

Lastly, I'm not afraid to toot my own horn.  Bad quality? Nah, I think a little self confidence and vanity is good for the soul.

I absolutely love being a hygienist.  I love developing friendships with my patients and being the one they see every six months.  I'm not gonna lie though, everyday it is inevitable that someone will say one of the following.  These are the serious fun suckers of my job.

1.  I hate the dentist.
WOW!!  If I only had a dime for every time I've heard this I'd be saying Sallie Mae who?  I understand that some people have a genuine fear but unfortunately, growing up a dentist daughter, I can not relate to this fear.  When I hear this it knocks the air out of me every time.  I shouldn't take it personally but I do.  Let's not be rude okay guys.

2.  I am flossing
Attention all!  If you floss the day or week before having your cleaning it does not count.  Do not even bother fibbing because we can tell.  We may look like sweet naive little lambs but we do prevent disease every day so give a little credit.  Shameless plug: flossing once a day is ideal.  Watch this video to learn the correct way to floss.

3.  Do you have to scrape my teeth?

If brushing and flossing correctly, this portion of the cleaning will not be as long but it is necessary.  So brush and floss... Plaque is wack yo.  

4. I don't floss because it makes my gums bleed.

Insert exaggerated eye roll. Geeze louise have mercy on my simple soul.  Your gums are bleeding, folks, due to inflammation from not being properly cared for.  Brushing lightly on your gums and DAILY flossing will reduce the inflammation, thus nixing out the bleeding.  Hence consistency is the key here.  

5.  I don't have to have bitewing x-rays.

Oh you don't?  Yes patients can decline them but y'all we seriously do not do anything in the office that is not for the patients benefit.  Of course theres always a couple of screwballs in every profession but thats a story for another day.  These x-rays show us between your teeth (an area we can not see, clinically, when we look into the mouth) and help us to detect early signs of decay.  The radiation from these are very low so do not try to use that as an excuse on me.  No they aren't comfy (I understand... I have them taken too) but buck up, it seriously takes 1 minute.

Thanks for sitting through my little rant and don't forget... brush 2 minutes twice a day and floss!

Hello Spring

Happy first day of spring y'all!!  I so so so hope all the cold weather is over and warm is on the way. 

I say this about every season but... Spring is my favorite.  Okay, maybe it's not my absolute favorite but it's definitely in my top four.  See what I did there? 

Serendipity is truly the only word that I could think of to summarize all of my current feelings about this new season.  Spring simply fills my soul with hope.  A hope for new life, warm weather, beautiful sunshine, new wardrobe (check it out here) and let's face it even the air smells better.   It's no longer dark when I make it home from work and I get to watch the sunrise every morning.  Random daffodils are sprouting up all over the place and my heart grows two sizes.... or something Dr. Suessy like that.

  God's blessings become ever so more apparent in spring.

Spring also brings pre-season baseball and tax returns.  Okay taxes aren't that fun but the potential money that you get back sure can be.  B and I are hoping to use a portion of ours to take a weekend trip for our anniversary in June.  Maybe we'll get to catch a game.  

Oh dear spring thank you for finally arriving!

Entry Way Table Redo

For months B and I have been looking for a little table for our entry way.  After not being able to find anything that really knocked my socks off, one of my parents very talented friends made us this sweet little thing.

It's literally sat underneath this cross stitch picture in the entry way of our home, in all it's raw wood glory, for much longer than I care to admit.  But this past week I finally found a little spark of inspiration and decided to paint it.

I chose the Amy Howard at home one step paint in "Nottaway".  A light blue that resembles a robin's egg blue color.  Quick word of advice... When using chalk paint stir very well.  It tends to settle and clump at the bottom.  I painted two coats and after drying I used an old t-shirt to apply a paste finishing wax to seal and protect the paint on the table.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Anniversary Gifts for Moi

So in just three months B and I will be celebrating our second wedding anniversary.  Wow!  two years has seriously flown by but in a amazing way.  The first two years of our marriage have been and are still wonderful.  We learn something new about each other everyday.  Sometimes they are good things and sometimes they are things that we have to learn to live with but I am truly married to an amazing man.  The saying goes "Behind every great man is a great woman" so, to make sure that he stays as amazing as ever I've compiled some ideas for anniversary gifts.  Feel free to treat this list simply as suggestions and an idea board, B.

Happy shopping babe!

gift ideas by molly-johnson-kucginski featuring a round purse

It's A Shame

It's really a shame when those "baby hairs" around your face stand straight up immediately after straightening.

It's a shame that I can't live life in a sitcom.

It's a shame that visible crew socks are making a come back.  I was just made aware of this news the other day.  Word on the street is that this favorite 90's style is taking over and making appearances on college campuses.  Just as blown away as you are.

It's a shame that on snow days I turn into a bum.

It's a shame that I can't be a bum everyday.

It's a shame that a bag of chips is only half full.  Am I being a pessimistic by seeing it only half full?  Hmm, I don't really care.  If I pay money for it then it should be full.

It's a shame that the weather in Arkansas is so gung ho on beating every weather record in the books that we keep having temperatures in the teens and freezing rain and sleet.  I need warmer weather super bad.

It's a shame that I can't be propped out on some beach with a big hat and bright umbrella.

It's a shame that I picked the worst time to be abstinent from purchasing clothing.  All these new springs styles hitting stores is driving me nuts but I am officially two months clean! lol  Okay, I don't have any addiction to shopping or anything but I am trying to save money and focus more on paying off my student debt.  Dang me for being responsible.

It's a shame that you always get strange looks when you "bust a move" in public.

It's a shame that your thighs squish out to twice their actual size when you sit down.  Now that's a true and utter shame.

Hits and Misses

Today I get to keep B home with me all day!  He seriously is stuck in the house at my complete mercy... SCORE!  Just a little background here, the majority of Arkansas was pummeled with freezing rain and sleet last night.  So to celebrate the Oscars we drug a mattress into our living room and had a camp out.

So what did y'all think about the Oscars?  Pretty sure I'm way behind and have a ton of movies to watch, beginning with Gravity.  I'm finally gonna man up and watch it.  Emergency paper bag in pocket just in case I hyperventilate.

On to the red carpet.

 Lupita Nyong'o was completely flattering and sheer elegance in light blue Prada.  The lines of this gown could not have complimented her figure any better and her acceptance speech was of the utmost class.

Charlize Theron was so classy in her black Christian Dior Couture.  The neckline on this gown is so incredibly dramatic and stunning.  I am a sucker for black but this was one of my favorite gowns of the evening.

Cate Blanchett in Armani Prive was one of my favorite looks of the night.  This nude ensemble is completely classic. 

J Law and I should be best friends and I think the rest of America feels the same way.  She was, yet again, flawless in her red Christian Dior Couture and the way she displayed her necklace was so flattering with the neckline of the gown.  Overall she did not disappoint... she reportedly tripped over an orange traffic cone prior to walking the red carpet.  Bless her heart.  

Oh my, Kate, you never disappoint!  This Versace gown is so completely incredible and the cape is removable.  Super class act.

Amy Adams was the definition of simple elegance in her sleek navy Gucci Premiere.  This understated gown was one of my big show stoppers for the night.  Now I just need to see American Hustle.

Angelina in Elie Saab Couture was a complete miss for me.  I think it's a stretch to say that she looks unflattering but the gown looks a little matronly for her.

Reese made an appearance at the Oscar after party.  The length of her dress is the only feature of her ensemble that I liked.  Oh sweet Reese this was a miss.

Um... Pharell Williams in Lanvin.  Enough said, except, what the heck was he thinking?!  Completely a missed opportunity.  HELLOOO  you are at THE OSARS!

If you did not retweet this photo last night then you missed a great opportunity.  What were your favorite moments of the night?

Nailed It

If you asked B about my past "friendships" he would tell you the I am a "terrible judge of character".  Am I? Have I been?  Well, let's just say that I discovered and decided to embrace this fact a few years ago.  But about the same time I was discovering this simple flaw in my life I was also making some of the best friends of my life.

So what that it took me 23 years to find those girls who know that I'm an idiot and embrace it right along with me.  The ones who we can say/tell anything to and know there is no judgement.

This time I "nailed it"!  I can hear my friend, Jessie's, tone right now as she says this famous punch line.

For the past 10 months I have lived 160.28, 171.35, and 540.76 miles away from my best friends.  June 22 was the last time that all three of us were together.  After two years of being inseparable and each others, much needed, comic relief through hygiene school it has officially been 9 months since we have seen each other.

Does this make us any less close?  Literally... yes we are physically further apart but we are those friends who obsessively group text everyday.  It's not unusual for me to pick up my phone at lunch and have anywhere from 3 to 35 text messages.  I love this about them.

These ladies are the best girl friends I have ever been blessed with.  We quote Mean Girls WAY too much and still laugh hysterically over old stories and scenarios.  We are a functionally dysfunctional group filled with cackles, drama, and too much copacabana.

I really do have the greatest group of friends.  I mean... who else would I have these such weird
conversations with?!

           

              

             

B is my ultimate best friend but every girl needs that core group of girls to perfectly balance out the best friend category.  Two blondes and two brunettes... Perfectly balanced.  

Y'all this time, with these ladies, I NAILED IT!!