Tuesday, January 26, 2016

DIY Paper Calla Lilies inspired by Pureza y Frescura!

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



With the New Year, I started getting new ideas for home projects.
Then I stopped myself for a minute and decided to focus on simple goals, like giving my home an overall ‘feel’ of simplicity and cleanliness.
There will be a new baby in March so construction projects and home décor are not as important as making this house feel and smell fresh and clean.
The first thing I did was take the first week of January to do a deep cleaning of the house, which was done, thanks to the help of my sister Irene.
Then I turned to the home fragrances aisle at my local Target and found the Glade® Clean Linen® Wax Melts and a super cute wax melt warmer! 


To me, a clean linen scent represents frescura y pureza, (Spanish for fresh and pure)
I bought the Glade® Clean Linen® scented Wax Melts along with the Wax Melt warmer and used them in my formal living room, which is the room closest to the front entrance.
The first thing I noticed was that the products are very easy to use. 



All you have to do is plug in the Wax Melts Warmer, drop one cube on the tray, and before you know it, the house starts smelling amazing. A single wax melt keeps the house smelling fresh for up to 16 hours!




So with the house taking on a hint of cleanliness and purity, I started thinking of Calla Lilies, which are among my favorite flowers and widely used by one of my culture’s most famed Mexican muralists, Diego Rivera, in many of his most famous works.
Calla Lilies represent purity, which is precisely why I thought about them while enjoying the Glade® Clean Linen® aroma throughout my house.
According to many history notes, Diego Rivera used Calla Lilies in many of his master pieces because the flower is sensual and sculptural and it represents beauty and purity. If you’ve seen his work, you’ll notice Diego Rivera loved to tie the theme of purity with images of indigenous women.



In any case, after the third day of using the Glade® Clean Linen® Wax Melts at home, I was overcome with desire to decorate an area of my house with Calla Lilies and Diego Rivera artwork.
My paper Calla Lilies came out pretty crafty.



What’s best is that making them only requires a total of five materials.
In the spirit of feeling Frescura y Pureza at home and honoring one of Mexico’s finest muralists, here’s how to make similar paper Calla Lilies:

Materials:
1.       Crepe Paper or embossed paper that’s easy to maneuver cut into 6” squares
2.       Scissors
3.       Yellow pipe cleaner wire
4.       Floral Tape
5.       Regular adhesive tape


Instructions:



Start by folding the square paper in half



Cut the folded square until it takes the shape of a round pointy tip.


Take the yellow pipe cleaner and fold about an inch over so the tip looks round. This will be the Calla Lily’s spadix.




Hold the yellow pipe cleaner against the paper cutout and fold the bottom edges of the cutout into the pipe cleaner to form a sort of “cave” around the pipe cleaner.



Once you have the look of the Calla Lily, fold the edges outward and firmly secure them with enough tape so that the paper stays in place.


Finally, use the green floral tape to cover the tape as well as the rest of the yellow pipe cleaner. The green floral tape will give it the look of a stem.

Place in a vase or jar and use to decorate any room!


I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.
If you decide to try this yourself, I recommend you melt a Clean Linen® Wax Melt. it’s the perfect complement to make you feel fresh and pure this new year!
Don’t forget to follow Glade® on Twitter for more ideas!



En Español


Con el nuevo año, empecé con nuevas ideas de proyectos en el hogar.
Pero luego me detuve por un momento y decidí centrarme en objetivos simples, como darle a mi casa un ambiente de frescura y pureza.
Habrá nuevo bebé en marzo así que por ahora concluí que los proyectos de construcción y decoración del hogar no son tan importantes como hacer que la casa se sienta fresca y limpia.
Lo primero que hice entonces fue tomar la primera semana de enero para hacer una limpieza completa de la casa, que pude realizar gracias a la ayuda de mi hermana Irene.
Luego fui a Target y en el pasillo de las fragancias para el hogar encontré Glade® Clean Linen® Wax Melts, que son unos cubitos de cera perfumada que se derriten sobre un platillo lindo!
Para mí, un aroma de lino limpio verdaderamente representa frescura y pureza.
Compré los cubitos de cera de aroma Glade® Clean Linen® junto con el Glade® Wax Melt Warmer y los usé en mi sala formal, que es la habitación más cercana a la entrada principal de la casa.
Lo primero que noté fue que los productos son muy fáciles de usar. Solo se tiene que conectar el warmer, luego se coloca el cubito de cera sobre el platillo, y en menos de lo que imaginas, la casa comienza a oler increíble. Un solo cubito de cera mantiene la casa oliendo fresca hasta 16 horas!
Así que con la casa tomando un olor a frescura y pureza, comencé a pensar de los alcatraces, que se encuentran entre mis flores preferidas y que fueron ampliamente utilizadas por Diego Rivera, uno de los más famosos muralistas de México.
Los alcatraces representan pureza, que es precisamente la razón por la cual pensé en ellos mientras disfrutaba del aroma de Glade® Clean Linen® en mi casa.
De acuerdo con muchas notas de historia, Diego Rivera utilizó los alcatraces en muchas de sus obras maestras porque la flor es sensual y escultural y representa la belleza y la pureza. Si han visto su trabajo, se darán cuenta que Diego Rivera amaba vincular el tema de la pureza con imágenes de mujeres indígenas.
En cualquier caso, a partir del tercer día de usar los productos de Glade® Clean Linen® en casa, se apoderó de mí, el deseo de decorar un área de mi casa con alcatraces y obras de arte de Diego Rivera.
Mis alcatraces me salieron bastante bien..
Y lo mejor de todo es que hacerlas sólo requiere un total de cinco materiales.
En el espíritu de sentir Frescura y Pureza en por toda mi casa y en honor a uno de los más famosos muralistas de México, aquí les muestro cómo hacer alcatraces de papel:



Materiales:
1. Papel crepe o papel en relieve que es fácil de maniobrar cortado en cuadros de 6 pulgadas
2. Tijeras
3, Alambre amarillo, limpiador de tubos
4. Cinta floral
5. cinta adhesiva regular

Instrucciones:
Comienza por doblar el papel cuadrado por la mitad
Corta el cuadrado doblado hasta que tome la forma de una punta  puntiaguda.
Toma el limpiador de pipa amarilla y dobla aproximadamente dos pulgadas para hacer que la punta se vea redonda.  Esta será la espádice del alcatraz.
Sujeta el limpiador de pipa amarilla contra el recorte de papel y dobla los bordes inferiores de la corte en el limpiador de tuberías para formar una especie de "cueva" alrededor del alambre amarillo, limpiador de tubos.
Una vez que tengas el aspecto del alcatraz, dobla los bordes hacia adentro y firmemente asegura con suficiente cinta adhesiva para que el papel se quede en su lugar haciendo un tipo de cuevita alrededor del alambre amarillo.
Por último, utiliza la cinta floral verde para cubrir la cinta, así como el resto del alambre amarillo. La cinta floral verde le dará el aspecto de un tallo.
Coloca en una jarra y utiliza para decorar cualquier habitación!
Espero que hayan disrutado de este tutorial.
Si deciden intentarlo en casa, les recomiendo que derritan un cubo de cera, aroma Clean Linen® ya que es el complemento perfecto para que se sientan frescos y puros, tal como lo son los alcatraces!
No se olviden  de seguir a Glade® en Twitter para más ideas!



Friday, January 8, 2016

Six Fun Gift Ideas for Moms-To-Be


Every now and then, I come across a cool, fab and quirky pregnancy-related item, and I decide to treat myself to it.
I thought it would be a good idea to compile a list of maternity items I'm currently crushing on because I know how hard it could be to shop for a loved one who's expecting.

The following products were purchased by me (no compensated promotions here). I love them each and totally recommend them for mommies and mommies-to-be!

  1. Lulu Lemon Perfume by Beehive Cosmetics.
I’m a perfume lover and I collect perfume bottles but there hasn’t been a more appropriate scent during this pregnancy than my Lulu Lemondrop perfume, an exclusive item from popular Manhattan Beach shop, Beehive. It’s a fresh, delicious, honey-vanillaish, citrus scent that seriously cheers me up. Even though I have yet to experience nausea or queazy feelings, this scent just balances everything out for me. I like to spray it in the morning and before bed! It's not too strong and even Benny approves, frequently stating: 'Mama, you smell good". The bottle is $35 and you can purchase it at the Manhattan Beach shop or on the shop’s website.



    2. Gold Fetus Necklace.
As soon as I became pregnant, I wanted to buy a piece of jewelry that represented this stage of my life. I found the most adorable jewelry shop on Etsy and purchased this lovely necklace created by Israeli jewelry designer Meytal Bar-now. Her shop “Jools” is too cute with unique and dainty items like balloon earrings and gold ice cream cone pendants. I wear my necklace frequently and it’s a great conversation starter.



    3. Book— Oh Baby, the places you’ll Go!
When I was pregnant with Benny, I used to do all kinds of things like play music from all different genres, have my husband talk to his son in the womb and read out loud. During this second pregnancy, the reading out loud part is no longer awkward because I read to Benny regularly.  Still, somewhere along the way, I discovered Oh Baby, the places you’ll Go!, which is a take on the famous book by Dr. Seuss, Oh! The Places You’ll Go. This little book though is meant for expectant moms to read to their unborn child. It’s really fun because you get to tell your unborn baby (in Dr. Seuss style, with sing-songy rhymes and plenty of whimsy) about the many Dr. Seuss characters and funny stories that await. $10 Barnes & Noble.



    4. The BEBAND
After giving birth to Benny, I saved ALL my maternity clothes, put them inside a large box and stored it in the Attic. Well, with our move, it took me forever to retrieve my pregnancy wear because the unmarked maternity clothing box went from an attic in our old house to the garage in our new house along with about 200 other similar boxes! Luckily for me, I was able (and still can) wear my regular pants…but that’s only because I discovered the “Beband” by Ingrid and Isabel at Target during my 1st trimester. It’s a simple, but genius idea. You put on your pants, which in my case, definitely don't zip up anymore and the Beband goes over your unzipped jeans. Then you wear a regular pregnancy top and nobody can tell your pants are being held together by a comfortable elastic band.  It’s wide enough to cover the entire belly area so you don’t have to worry about people finding out your fly is unzipped!



     5. Knocked Up Nails 
I know many women who continue with their regular mani-pedi appointments at nail salons throughout their pregnancy. Heck, even I did it during my first trimester! But something about the baby being the size of an eggplant with lungs in the middle of development makes me feel like there is no need to continue inhaling chemicals that may not be pleasant for little Tobi. I’m a nail polish lover so fortunately, I discovered “Knocked Up Nails,” a special nail polish intended for pregnant mommies who love their nails “did” but don’t want to visit the nail salon! The polish itself is not cheap (about $10 a bottle) but it leaves nails looking great and it’s made with all natural ingredients. Best of all, the nail polish colors are total mommy material! There’s ‘Preggers in Pink”; “Oh-Blue-GYN” and “Mum in Plum,” among others…Too Cute  http://www.knockedupnails.com/



     6. House of Leyton.
I’m so excited about discovering this online pregnancy dress boutique, based out of Los Angeles (woo-hoo)! When I first saw their gowns, I honestly couldn’t decide which one I wanted first.  They’re all so simple and gorgeous, I went nuts. Now I’m just waiting for a special occasion (maybe Valentine's Day!?) to buy my next dress, which is exciting because I love their formal gown varieties.
$150. House of Leyton


There are other pregnancy items I’m currently loving (like my body pillow, maternity teas, stretch mark cream, a stylish top that zips down for breastfeeding, a great book on cesarean birth.) I’ll try to put together a second list of recommendations soon.


 Thanks for reading!

Sunday, January 3, 2016

A Wild & Fabulous Zebra-Themed Holiday Season!



I like to give holidays a theme every so often.
I do this to keep my brain thinking of creative ways to come up with crafts and projects. 
Sometimes I do it to stick to a certain look or color palette or concept.
This year I went with zebra theme because 2015 was a wild year (full of blessings, of course) but I thought a zebra would really encompass a little wild flair, a unique feel to something traditional and not to mention, I had quite a bit of zebra paper and other trinkets that would flow with my theme...LOL
So as I did last year, with our "Beary" Merry Christmas theme, here's a rundown of how our wild and fabulous holidays played out.
I will mention, the house is still under construction, we skipped on all big family parties and we didn't even send out Christmas cards this year... but that's what made it fabulous...no pressures, no hurries, just Paul, Benny and I, at home alone, without a worry, extremely grateful and with plenty of zebra decor to go around!
Cheers to a wild and fabulous 2016!

I bought us zebra sweaters to keep warm...LOL!

I made many of our tree ornaments.. 

I added touches of gold and rose gold to give my tree a little bit of glam...The rose gold snowflake looking ornaments were made with small wooden ice cream spoons.

Our gingerbread house had a zebra pattern on the rooftop, of course!

And the Christmas Tree topper was a family adventure. Benny and I made it and Paul was in charge of securing to the top of our tree.

The best we could do to get a family Christmas portrait. Don't you love my antler crown and all the zebras looking down at us!?




I made a zebra pancake breakfast for the boys on Christmas Eve. I used black dye for some of the pancake batter and just drew the zebras freehand, on the griddle with squeeze bottles.

The chimney mantle even had the picture of a pin-up doll in a zebra frame...ha!



En español

De vez en cuando me gusta darle a los días festivos un tema.
Lo hago para mantener la creatividad y darme ideas sobre posibles artesanías y proyectos.
A veces lo hago para seguir un cierto ‘look’ o patrón de colores o un concepto.
Este año fui con el tema de cebra, porque el 2015 fue un año loco (lleno de bendiciones , por supuesto) , pero me pareció que una cebra realmente abarca la idea de algo único dentro de una fecha muy tradicional. Además, me di cuenta que tenía bastante papel impreso de cebra y otras cositas que fluían muy bien con mi tema ...
Así como lo hice el año pasado, con nuestro tema de Un Día de Navidad muy Curiosito, aquí está un resumen de cómo decoré  y lleve a cabo la temática de cebra durante esta navidad del 2015. Voy a mencionar  que la casa aún está bajo construcción, no fuimos a ninguna de las fiestas de la familia y ni siquiera envíe tarjetas de Navidad este año ... pero eso es lo que hizo nuestra Navidad fabulosa ... una experiencia sin presiones, sin prisas , solo Paul, Benny y yo en casa, sin ninguna preocupación y rodeados de cebras (y con un nacimiento claro) y agradecidos con Dios.

Saludos a todos y les deseo un año 2016 loco (en el buen sentido de la palabra) y fabuloso!



Saturday, January 2, 2016

DIY Mini Sour Cream Donuts (with sprinkles on top)



Donuts are always an easy sweet tooth fix, aren't they?
Well, when you're comfy at home and don't feel like making a donut shop run, you bring out the Babycakes donut maker!
I bought this awesome little donut maker online a while back and used it for the first time yesterday, on January 1, 2016!
I loved it because the mini donuts came out looking like actual donuts the recipe was very easy to make.
So here it is so you can make some at home!
Have a great weekend!

Babycakes donut maker retails for about $25.00.

 The donuts I made are "Sour Cream Donuts". The recipe was actually included in the donut maker box but I made a few adjustments.

Since I didn't want to complicate things by making a glaze from scratch, I simply glazed them with Nutella and added Sprinkles.

Ingredients:
  • 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Baking with Benny always makes for laughs and a very big mess!

Instructions:
  1. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  2. In separate bowl whisk together remaining ingredients.  Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix or blend until smooth.
  3. Grease the donut cavities with butter or baking spray (I used Pam).
  4. Use a pastry bag to fill each donut cavity with about 2 tablespoons of batter.
  5. Bake about 3 to 4 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into donut comes out clean.
  6. Glaze with Nutella and sprinkles, as desired!







 Enjoy!


Friday, January 1, 2016

January 2016: Feeling 'Large and In Charge'

New Year's Eve 2016!
I am feeling happy and excited about 2016 and Baby Tobias arriving in early March.
I'm also feeling huge!
I've gotten the "are you having twins?" question plenty of times...LOL!
I've gained nearly 30 pounds but it all seems to be concentrated in my belly area.
My new OB-GYN says that although my belly seems big, my uterus is the right size for 29 weeks.
Since I also carried a very large belly when I was expecting Benny, I'm not going crazy over this issue. Still, I couldn't help but do a quick Google search on other mommies who have carried extra large bellies for a single child.
I found one mom in the UK, Lara Carpenter, whose baby belly measured 55 inches!
Her baby was a healthy, beautiful 9 lb. bundle of joy.
Lara also returned to her pre-pregnancy weight within a year after giving birth (#goals).
So there is definitely no shame in getting bigger (and BIGGER) by the minute so long as the child and mommy are healthy and happy.
My glucose test results came back normal and I'm trying to eat as healthy as possible, with quite a few craving exceptions but I make sure to walk on a daily basis.
I'm feeling quite large and in charge with my big bump but I'm enjoying it and I'm actually going to do something I had never considered before-- a pregnancy photo shoot with Paul and Benny!
Here are some pictures of other mommies' bumps who grew significantly during pregnancy but who look amazing now (and whose children are thriving)!
Cheers to big bumps and happy mommies!



Busy Phillips keeps is cool and casual with her super round (and cute) baby bump.

Jessica Simpson carried a sizable baby belly but I always thought she was pretty fab!


How gorgeous is Milla Jovovich?

Certainly Mrs. Kim Kardashian West has put on some belly inches each time she has gotten pregnant but I still think she's gorgeous.

En español

Me siento feliz y emocionada por el nuevo año 2016 y porque Tobías llegará a principios de marzo.
¡Pero también me siento enorme!
Ya ni sé cuántas veces me han preguntado "estás esperando gemelos?"
He aumentado casi 30 libras, pero todo el peso parece estar concentrado en mi abdomen.
Mi nuevo ginecólogo dice que a pesar de mi enorme vientre, mi útero está del tamaño adecuado para las 29 semanas.
Como también fui de embarazo enorme con Benny, no me está quitando el sueño este tema. Sin embargo, mi curiosidad me venció y tuve que hacer una búsqueda rápida en Google para ver otras mamás que han lucido grandes vientres durante el embarazo de solo un bebé.
Encontré una madre en el Reino Unido, Lara Carpenter, cuyo vientre midió 55 pulgadas!
Su bebé fue un hermoso bomboncito y muy saludable que pesó 9 libras.
Lara también regresó a su peso normal después de un año de dar a luz (mi meta).
Así que definitivamente no hay que tener vergüenza. Entre más grande vaya creciendo la pancita, no hay problema siempre que el niño y la mamá están sanos y felices.
Los resultados de la prueba de glucosa fueron normales y estoy tratando de comer lo más sano posible, con algunas excepciones pero hago lo posible por caminar diariamente.
Me siento bastante grande pero estoy disfrutando del embarazo plenamente y de hecho voy a hacer algo que nunca había considerado antes-- una sesión de fotos de embarazo con Paul y Benny!
Aquí hay algunas fotos de otras mamás cuyas pancitas crecieron mucho durante el embarazo, pero que lucen muy bien hoy en día (y cuyos hijos están muy sanitos)
Aquí lo que importa es estar contentas y agradecidas de la vida y la oportunidad de cargar un hijo.

Saludos