Easiest Diaper Cake Ever!

Now that I have made two diaper cakes I have learned a few things. Make it simple. Here is what I did...

1 - Pampers Swaddlers Sensitive Diapers - Size 2 (Box of ??)
1 - Large Ribbon - Walmart
1 - Small Ribbon - Walmart
1 - Serving Tray - The Dollar Tree
4 - Gift Filler Bags - The Dollar Tree
1 - Stuffed Animal (I chose http://www.hallmark.com/products/anytime/interactive-story-buddies/abigail-1psb2114_dk/) - Walmart


1. Roll up the diapers and wrap them with a small elastic band to keep their form. Put all back in the box they came in for now.

2. Use the serving tray as a guide to cut the ribbon. I wanted it to be smaller so the stuffing would show. Once I got the desired sized I hot glued it together.

3. Take three or four diapers and wrap an elastic band around them. Place inside the ribbon circle. Keep doing until the circle it full. Ad more single diapers in until totally full and round.

4. Repeat for the next layer - make ribbon circle a little smaller.

5. Construct. Put gift filler covering the serving tray. Add bottom layer of cake. Put gift filler covering the bottom cake layer. Add top layer of cake. Put gift filler covering the top cake layer. Add the stuffed animal on top.

6. Add bows to the top layer of the cake and to the stuffed animal.

The only thing I wish I had done in hindsight is pin the layers together to make the cake more stable. Maybe the next one....

Organization Project: Coupon Holder

Martha Stewart / Alejandra (Color-Coded) Inspired Coupon Holder. Lately I have been really into YouTube. This is one of my main sources of motivation to get organized. I figured there are oodles of organization chicks out there why reinvent the wheel so I just used their tips and applied them to my life.

I am really working at being more cost-conscious this year. My question is how do I get what I want and save some $... coupons. I stopped couponing because I was really bad at maintaining it. I need something quick and simple. I came across a v-log by Alejandra Costello where she talked about how to organize coupons all by expiration date. Genius! Thanks to a coupon I was able to get $5 off of a $10 purchase on the Martha Stewart line at Staples. Next, I labeled two months at a time with room for a no expire section. Finally, I filed all my coupons away.

Task complete! One step closer to total organization.

Mother's Day Pedi Bucket

Mother's Day... what to get... I figured it was a good time start fresh with a pedicure bucket.

• Nail Polish
• Nail Shining Pad
• Toe Separators
• Orange Stick
• Heel Cream
• Towel
• iTunes Gift Card

A Little Help...Please

I sit here wondering what I am going to write next. What should this blog be about??? I have no clue. I have so many topics that I relate to but can't seem to bring myself to talk about them all the time. What is my true passion? What area will my true voice be heard? In order to find it I decided to post about myself at least once a week to help my followers get to know me. At the end of the year I am going to pick some topics based on common themes in my blog for you to vote on. The result will become my blog. This is going to be an exciting year. I look forward to sharing my journey with you.

A little know fact about me is that I love indie films. Most people view me as a hopeless romantic who watches every chick flick under the sun... where the girl gets the guy at the end. Nothing like real life to put that notion to rest. I can't remember the first time I started liking these darker-side movies. There is just something about seeing someone's true self with out all the makeup and movie glow magic that draws me in. The most recent indie film I saw was "A Little Help" with Jenna Fischer. It's about a woman who loses her husband to a heart attack; the repercussion it has caused; and the truth about her marriage. 

Pinterest - Over 1,000 Pins

A couple of weeks ago I started pinning on Pinterst and I am proud to announce I have reached over 1,000 pins. I call it a healthy addiction. When you get a chance take a look.

The Wonders of Nature - Jellyfish

I saw this on the OWN network the other day and had to share. I never realized how soothing jellyfish can be but as you will see it can center you quickly. Enjoy!

Breathing Space: Jellies

Go inside Chicago's Shedd Aquarium to experience the hypnotic beauty of jellyfish. Fragile, translucent, ethereal—jellies gracefully drift with the rhythms of the water. Makes you contemplate where the currents of your life are taking you. Take a moment to think about how you are moving through the world.

Migraine and Headache Relief

For the past couple of years I have been getting very bad headaches and migraines. They are debilitating and frustrating. Here are a few things I do to help alleviate them.

Heating Pad and Ice - Put a heating pad on your feet and a bag full of ice covered in a towel around my neck. I was told this drives the blood downward their by helping alleviate the pain. (This doesn't always work. It depends on what type of headache or migraine you have.)

Biofreeze and Traumeel - First I rub the Traumeel on my neck area especially the places are the most painful. I wait a few minutes then do the same with the Biofreeze.

Back Walk - I lay down on the bed face down with head hanging over the edge. Then I have my significant other use his hands to apply pressure in a pitter patter motion. It's like having someone walk on your back. I never have him get near the spine. For some reason this pressure and motion seems to loose up my muscles in a way that makes me feel so good. It's the best.

Yoga - I have found yoga can stop headaches in their tracks but make migraines worse. I am not sure if it's the blood flow to the brain but I always try it when I feel I need a good stretch. I personally like yogamazing. I subscribed to it through iTunes and pick the one that best suits what I need.

Balls - I have tennis and miracle balls to help apply pressure to my "knotty areas". There are times when no one is around and you just need to work out a knot that is causing the tightness in your neck which causes the headache. I have found using tennis ball can help. Put your back up against a wall. Then allow enough space for you to place the ball between you and the wall. Kneed the ball into the tight areas of your back and neck. It can really work wonders. Best of all you can do it by yourself. The miracle balls are softer which applies less pressure.

Tones - When I am in bed with a migraine I slip on my headphones choose a binaural app and place my imak eye mask. It applies pressure in all the right spots. When in the apps I choose the tones for migraines or headache treatment. I swear by these tones. They really seem to help. My favorite app is called Mindwave Binaural. You can purchase it through the iTunes store.

Hot Shower - When I am desperate and able to get out of bed I take a hot shower. It helps relax the muscles. For me this only helps a short time. I'll take any bit of relief I can get.

Real-Ease - When you just wish you could get some relief... your neck hurts from holding up your head. I recommend Real-Ease Neck and Shoulder Relaxer. I bought this in a desperate attempt to get some pain free moments because no matter how much I stretched or propped my pillows my neck and shoulders always ached. I knew after a period of time I would get monster headaches. This inexpensive product gave me just what I was looking for relief. When I would lie on the floor and put my head/neck in the cradled support I would feel no pressure. It was heavenly.

Vitamins - The two biggest things I take when I am in pain is Vitamin B Complex (liquid form) and Magnesium. The B vitamin supports the brain while the magnesium help relax everything. Please consult your doctor before trying a vitamin regimen.

Neti Pot - When I feel any sort of pressure in my sinuses I head straight for the neti-pot. It feels so good to wash out your nose and allow the swelling to reduce from the salt water I wished it was the only thing I needed to do. Pretty much any brand of net pots work. It really depends on the kind of pressure you like. Some people feel the traditional neti pots don't really clean out the naisal fluid. Then I would recommend the squeeze bottle type. Either way it will help with any kind of sinus pressure and allows for you to breathe more freely. SinuCleanse is the brand I use.

Pain Relievers - As a last resort I take otc drugs. My go to is always Excedrine. For the most part it works. I take it very sparingly because I don't want a rebound headache. I found that taking two in the beginning and one later seems to really help. This is what works for me... It can be very dangerous to take too much medicine. Please consult your doctor before taking more than the recommended dose.

And when I have extra cash or am severely desperate I go to an acupuncturist, massage therapist, or a chiropractor.

The Stuff Of Success: Finally warm again

An beautiful quilt for an awesome price!

The Stuff Of Success: Finally warm again: I am always cold. For years I had this nice toasty comforter and I literally slept with that comforter all year long - even in eighty degre...

31 Days of Photoshop Series: Day 1

How to Quickly Resize Your Type without Numbers

If you want to learn about something specific about Photoshop please email me and I will put it in my 31 Day Series. 

31 Days Series

For anyone who wants to learn InDesign check out 31 Days to Learn InDesign by The Stuff of Success. InDesign is an amazing program with so many features. Let the design begin.

31 Days of Photoshop - Tips, Tricks & Tutorials

A friend sent me to this website called "My 3 Boybarians" to participate in a 31 Day challenge. Basically you write for 31 days about something you know really well. Initial I though I need to get into shape so why not write about that... then I remembered it has to be something you actually know about. I thought and though then it came to me. Why not write about Photoshop. It's the one thing I know well. I am going to focus on is Tips, Tricks and Tutorials. I need your help. Please write in and tell me what you want to learn. I want these 31 days to beneficial for you. The more you suggest the more I can tailor the site to your needs. Let the blogging begin October 1st!

Farmer's Markets

Attached is a list of all the certified Farmer's Markets in CT. When I get find out what the best ones are I will let you know and post the dates on the calendar.

CT Farmer's Markets

The Anticipate iPhone 5

iPhone 5 Release - We will just have to see... is it worth upgrading. Only time will tell.

Weekly Quote

"A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination." Nelson Mandela

Downloadable Inspiration: Live-Love-Find

Download to Print

Words

CHANGE: to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of(something) different from what it is or from what it wouldbe if left alone

You know it's true love when....

you can't wait to see him when he comes back from a trip and he just left today.

he farts and says "what's that" with a smile on his face... and you do anything you can to stop the giggles that are raging inside of you.

you find his little anxiety driven qualities cute.

he can make you want to pee your pants and gasp for air.

he becomes your best friend.

after a long day of work you come home and wish the night would never end.

he does little things for you because he wants to make your life better.

Stress Busters

Stress is a killer mentally and physically. I use to be stressed all the time. It only lead to anger and frustration that was hard to get rif of. What I have learned over the years is life is too short. Since you can't get rid of stress out of your life totally their are things you can do to reframe your thinking.

Here are some things I like to do...

1) When it is really bad either get organized or exercise. Physical labor gets your heart pumping and oxygen flowing releasing endorphins to calm your body down.

2) Read. Sometimes reading a quote can change my perspective in an instant.

3) Wait one day to see if it really bothers me. Most of the time my view changes with a little bit of sleep.

4) Do something good for someone. If I am having a really bad day doing something nice for someone else lifts my spirits.

5) Make a list. Stress completely fries my brain. When I write it down I realize I get more done.

Chrome Web Store

The other day I discovered this really great thing... Chrome Web Store. I clicked on the latest version of Chrome. When creating a new tab I saw an icon called "Web Store". It's a bunch of free apps for your browser or computer. It makes life more fun.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore?hl=en-US

Moves Me Music

I feel this song best describes me. Find Out
This one gets my toes tapping and in great mood. Find Out
At the moment I am obsessed with this one. If you've seen Grey's Anatomy you would be too! Find Out