Back in a Bit

Hello, my lovely readers.  I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season so far!


I am going to take a couple weeks off from blogging here so I can take something off my plate and enjoy the holidays more.  


I also want to spend some time on other computer/writing projects that always seem to get put on the back burner. 


And really enjoyed my week off for Thanksgiving.  I was able to read 5 different books (yes, I read fast and one of them was short) that week!  It made me remember what I used to do before I spent all my free time writing...it was reading!


I have some fabulous guest posts lined up and I will probably refurbish some of my old posts since the majority of you all are new!  If you would like to guest post here, please email me at mamaandbabylove@gmail.com


And I will stay active on Facebook and Pinterest throughout the holidays, because they are such a joy for me to be apart of.


I will back with fresh and new content the week of January 9th. 


I wish you all lots of love and light and Happy Holidays to you all! 



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Easy DIY Christmas Decoration Ideas

It is a Pinterest kind of Christmas around here.  I mean really, do you even remember what the world was like before Pinterest?  


Last year, I gave away an entire bin of decorations, in an effort to just have less stuff.  We live in a house with over 2000 sq feet and in a matter of 7 years, we have filled every inch and corner with stuff.  


It all started last July, when I started packing, when we were about to move to Chile.  I just gave away everything I had packed up, because I realized I didn't even need it or miss it!  I have been slowing clearing out stuff, ever since.


So this year, I reduced down again, and gave another two boxes of Christmas stuff away.  I only kept the stuff I really, really loved or that was a family heirloom.  Has anyone else gotten rid of Christmas decorations this year to simply life and have less stuff?


Of course, I also wanted to make room for a few new pieces, but overall I still have way less stuff in the house.


Ok, so the felt Christmas tree.  Took all of 20 minutes.  Cut out a big ole tree, mine is about 3 feet tall.  I got the green felt for a couple of dollars in the remnant bin at Joann's last Christmas.  I had enough to make two trees and gave one to my friend.  Miss P is not the biggest fan of it yet, but I really like it.  She likes to make Mickey Mouse's out of the ornaments.  I just did circles for the ornaments (I used some of my gorg bamboo felt) but if you get really inspired you could make fancy ones like these.

As I was cleaning out all of my decorations, I realized I had 9 boxes of red glass ornaments in one bin.  I slightly remember buying them, thinking, they are so cheap!  I could do a ton of different projects with them!  And never did.  Because there was no Pinterest back then to light a fire under my arse.  


I finally put them to use and made a wreath.  I used this tutorial, it called for more balls (hee, hee that's what she said), but I was not about to run to Micheal's just to get one more box, of balls, so I made due.   You can see that mine could have used a couple of more (can I get away with another that's what she said joke here?) to make it more full, but whatever. 

I saw this idea from the one and only Martha.  I used all of Penelope's old Christmas socks and went out and bought the rest.  You can get Christmas socks at Target for $1.  I hung it up in front of her play room.  It is not exactly functional this year, because I didn't put anything in them.  But baby steps!  I was thrilled just to get it done!

I put stickers on the socks instead of embroidering on them.  Less time and if for some reason I want to use them or repurpose them, I can just rip the stickers off.


See that little red and white stripe one with the green ball on the heel?  I bought those for Penelope her first Christmas.  Her feet were so small then!  Sigh.  

Yes, here is Miss P, at 4 weeks, in jeans.  There was no lounging around in plain onesies for her.


I also made Christmas trees with lights for the front porch.  I had both the tomato wire and the garland already.   I couldn't get a good picture of mine, but you can sort of see them in the background here.

I was also inspired by my Candy Cane board and instead of putting cranberries into my glass vases like I normally do, I put candy canes inside. I also wrapped red ribbon (that I had on hand) around the big white columns on my front porch and made them look like candy canes.


And lastly, I changed up my shelf/mantel from last year and did a couple string of lights instead of pine tree branches.   


So there you have it!  Do you have any easy, cost-effective holiday decorating ideas to share?  






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Get Rid of Back Pain with Tennis Balls!

Got back pain?  Read this!


I learned about this little trick from my Aunt Michelle years ago.  I am not sure where she heard it from, I think maybe her chiropractor told her about it.


Changed. my. life.


Ya'll know I am massage therapist and a fan of getting regular massage and going to the chiropractor.  


But what about those moments when you are in PAIN and you are begging your spouse to massage your back and they either refuse or they are so horrible, you are in worse pain after the massage than you were before!  OR you need a full massage from a professional but you don't have an appointment for another week.  OR you are out of town and back got into a funk from sitting the car for 6 hours and you don't even have access to a professional.


My friends, you need tennis balls in a sock.


You could also buy a similar wooden contraption, but I do not like them.  In my opinion, tennis balls work better, and they are much, much cheaper.


So first you get on the floor and place the tennis ball sock behind you.

Then you slowly lower yourself down so that you are laying on the floor, on the tennis ball sock.


Adjust it so one tennis ball is on either side of your spine.

Then roll the tennis ball sock up and down your spine.  If you feel a knot or sore spot, just stay on it for a few deep breaths.  This is called pressure point therapy.  Basically, you just press and hold in one spot and it releases the entire muscle.  


If you feel your back crack, awesome.  You just gave yourself a DIY chiropractic adjustment.  Remember, this does not replace regular appointments with professionals, it simply is something you can do in the mean time to get you by and relieve pain immediately.


You can lift your butt off the ground and press the weight of your legs into the floor to increase the pressure of the balls on your back (insert giggle here, from my mind that is always in the gutter!)


I also like to sit on them (oh man, I am really not trying to be dirty, I swear) and massage my glutes and my hips.   My hips have always been my problem area, they get so tight, especially when I hold Penelope on my hip instead of in a carrier. 


But just a few minutes with my tennis balls in a sock and I am good to go.


Now go, make some tennis ball socks!  You can thank me later.  





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$2 Dishtowel Christmas Pillowcase Dress

Yup,  I made my daughter I dress out of dishtowels.  

It is one of those things that could go very wrong or very right.  I wasn't convinced it was right, until she tried it on and then I felt pretty damn good.  But Penelope would look cute in a potato sack, so I am not sure if I am seeing clearly. 


I have seen dishtowel skirt tutorials online and that is what planted the seed for the idea in the first place.  Apparently, people are making other types of children's clothing with dishtowels.  I am not sure about this, but mad props to this mom for being creative.


In my mind a dishtowel is thicker and a tea towel is thinner.  This dress would probably be easier to sew with a thinner tea towel, but I liked that the dish towel was thicker, because it would give her added warmth this month.  Not that we need it, the high was 80 yesterday!

Miss P was not really in the mood to be photographed this day.  She just wanted to play, can't really blame her.

I originally planned to make her a Christmas dress with some amazing, vintage inspired Christmas fabric I found, but after I paid for it, I got an email saying they were sold out.


I needed to come up with plan B and I did not want to go into Joanne's and wait in line for an hour, so I decided to tempt fate and experiment with the dish towels!

I got the towels at Target, the day after Christmas last year, and got them 50% off.  They came in a bundle of two, and with the sale cost $2.  I used one for the front and one for the back.  I had the ribbon and bias tape on hand from another project.


I think the pattern design of the towel is what is going to make or break a sewing project with a dish towel.  It has really got to be super cute. I love this modern Christmas design, I think it makes the dress pop.


You sew the towels together, along the long sides, right sides facing.  This gives you a tube of dish towel.  Then you cut out your arm holes, sew the bias tape on, and make a regular pillow case dress like here and here.

I also made this little cutie, inspired from where else, Pinterest.  I wanted to make a shirt that could be worn with her red and green skirt that Penelope wore for her birthday.  You did see the Apple Party pictures, right?!


So what do you think?  Is the dish towel, pillow case dress, a right or a wrong? 






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Coton Colors Personalized Ornaments Giveaway!

Oh, I am so excited for this giveaway, just in time for Christmas!  Coton Colors is a local company that started out teeny and is now ginourmous and sold all over the country.  


I love to support entrepreneurial moms and the woman who started Coton Colors has done such an amazing job with her company, it is truly impressive what she has accomplished.


They have a great website and you can order from anywhere. They also have a super inspiring and fun blog.


I have bought personalized ornaments from them before and been really pleased with my purchase.  I gave some to my flower girls at my wedding and I bought a baby's first Christmas one for Penelope in 09. 


Now if I can get Santa to buy me this...I have been pinning over their Happy Everything plate for years, it is so cute and such a great idea.


I am giving away all five of these ornaments!   I am giving them away on Facebook all week, one each day, so check back there to enter.  All you have to do is comment under the picture to enter.  You can enter all 5 if you like!


Merry Christmas!



DISCLAIMER: I was not paid for this post.  Thank you Coton Colors for allowing me to review your products and for the awesome giveaway. If you are interested in having me do a review and giveaway for your business or product, or about my affordable advertising pricing, send me an email at mamaandbabylove@gmail.com

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Christmas Bucket List!

                                                Free printable here.

Oh, I am so excited it is December!  Last year, I wrote down a list of everything holiday themed we did, and the things we didn't get to, so I could remember for this year. 


I am big on traditions and consistency.  I think kids thrive best when they can depend on not only a daily rhythm but a yearly one (a little flexibility is good of course). 


I want to give her memories and traditions that I never got, or didn't get consistently.


I want to try and do a Christmas themed thing every day, even if it is something super simple.


I am so excited that she is 2 now and can really start to participate and experience the joy of Christmas and that my husband and I will get to relive that magic through her.


Ok, so here is my list.  Please let me know if I am forgetting anything, like I said a lot of these traditions are new to me!

• Open some new christmas jammies on Christmas eve.
• Make and advent calendar (did this already, I will show you soon!)
• Put up lights outside this year.  Papa, this is all you.   And you better do it soon.
• Put up a second Christmas tree in the kitchen for our salt dough ornaments.
• Make salt dough ornaments 
• I would love to take Penelope to disney to see all the decorations and lights.
• Some sort of volunteering that is age appropriate.  I need some ideas! Maybe go to an assisted living home?  Shop for toys for underprivileged kids?
• Go see the Christmas lights in our neighborhood.
• Go see the Christmas lights at Dorothy B. Oven park
• Go to Thomasville's Victorian Christmas (Dec 8 & 9).  We went to Tallahassee's last year and it was meh.
• Get our Christmas tree at Tallahassee Nurseries.  We have gotten our tree there since 2005.  Peter likes the stands they sell because they are really sturdy and that they put the tree on the stand for you.
• Bake Cookies!  I am going to try and make ginger cookies this year, from a recipe from Peter's great-grandmother, wish me luck!
• Go get our turkey from the farm for Christmas Eve dinner
• Christmas Eve Mass
• Take Penelope to see Santa.  Last year the restaurant in our neighborhood golf course did a Santa brunch.  It was a really relaxing way to see Santa, so I hope they do it again.
• Watch holiday movies, last year Polar Express was her favorite.
• Get a special ornament for Penelope (this is done too, I will show you on Monday!)
• Get a wood or plastic nativity scene so Penelope can play with them.  Teach her the story. 
• Make cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning.  Usually I buy store bought, but I would love to figure out an easy recipe to make them from scratch.  Anyone have any easy ones?
• Eat pan dulce on Christmas day.  This is an Italian tradition from Peter's family in Argentina.  His family is of German and Lativan descent, even though they are Argentian.  There are so many Italian-Argentians, that the tradition has stuck.
• Handprints on the tree skirt.  The year Penelope was born I bought a tree skirt from Red Envelope and you make hand prints each year and then in twenty years its full.
• Crafts!  I have several all ready planned out, but still looking for a few more ideas
• Make a gingerbread house.  We did this last year, well Papa took it over and we watched, it was really fun.
• Make Penelope a Christmas outfit.
• Make one of her gifts.
• Put cookies and milk out for Santa on a special plate, I bought one last year, so cute!
• Sing Happy Birthday to Jesus on Christmas day.

So there you have it!  What am I missing?  What is your favorite Christmas tradition?



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