a cute clipboard + a candle! {back to school teacher gift}

Today I have another easy back to school teacher gift idea for you! 

Target has these cute clipboards and yummy smelling candles in stock right now! Every teacher can use a cute clipboard and after the first week, de-stressing with a candle and bubble bath will probably be on every teacher's list!

Add a cute (free) inspirational printable (hello, Pinterest!) to the clipboard and you're all set!

Clipboard: $4.79 
"Juicy Gossip" Candle: $12.99 
Free printable by brepurposed can be found {here}! 

Spread a little love everywhere you go! 
It's the best mood lifter in the world!!

Dr. Seuss Book {back to school teacher gift}

I don't know about you, but every Summer increases my appreciation for everything teachers do day in and day out to nurture little ones, so any chance I get, I want to let them know I appreciate what they do!

So today I have for you an inexpensive grab-n-go gift that doesn't require any making, just in case that's not your thing!!  Do you have a little one starting preschool / kinder / first grade??  How about picking up a copy of this brand new, just released Dr. Seuss book as a classroom gift for the teacher!  Add a cute nameplate dedicating the book to your teacher and include your child's name and the school year and you have a fun {and useful!} keepsake!

I'm in love with the story behind it!!  You can read more about it {here}, but in a nutshell...Audrey Geisel, Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss)'s widow, found in her attic a box of papers she'd stashed away after his death.  In it was this and several other manuscripts he had finished and illustrated!

There's nothing like a Dr. Seuss book in my opinion, especially for those beginner readers!  I picked up a copy for Hudson's first grade homeroom teacher, along with a jar of my homemade {vanilla sugar hand scrub} and a cute beehive cookie cutter because they are the "Honeybees".

Giving doesn't have to break the bank!  A little heartfelt gesture goes a long way.

Do you love Dr. Seuss?  Find more party inspiration {here}, {here} and {here}!

vanilla sugar hand scrub {back to school teacher gift}

A couple of weeks ago during our family vacay to Tybee Island {pics coming soon!}, I fell in love with the hand scrub at one of the local restaurants. But it was pricey and I knew it wouldn't work with my budget for back to school gifts. So as soon as we got home, I started experimenting with different recipes and ingredients and finally came up with a winner!

Even better, it's made with all wholesome ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry!! So what are you waiting for??! Put on a cute apron and let's get started!

Vanilla Sugar Hand Scrub

{fills 3 half-pint (8 oz.) mason jars with a little to spare!} 

 

1   1/2 cups light brown sugar

8 tablespoons coconut oil

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon juice

 

1. Mix all ingredients together until smooth and
    coconut oil has dissolved completely.

2. Resist the urge to taste it because it smells so
    good!

3. Store in an airtight container.

Now go treat yourself for all your hard work {Shhhh...no one has to know how easy it really was!} by using the little extra on yourself! I like to scoop out a little dollop, scrub for 1 minute, rinse with water and pat dry. Your hands will smell soooo good and feel soooo soft!

And if you're feeling fancy, spray paint the metal rings like I did and use a little fabric scrap or pretty paper to cover the circle lid. Add a little ribbon or baker's twine, a cute tag, and if you have it, a little wooden spoon for scooping and voila! You just made a perfect little gift for teachers, neighbors, girlfriends, hostesses or whoever needs a little extra I'm-thinking-of-you.

Now excuse me while I go back to being in denial that the littles start school in 1 week! *sob*

catching up

I had dinner with my mom two days ago and she said "you haven't posted anything on the blog in a loooong time" and maybe that was just the push I needed to get back to this little space. 

We've been busy doing what families with littles do best...living and shuffling activities and pouring love into those little blessings every chance we get...and yes, crashing every night. It's exhausting y'all but so, so, so, SO worth it!

So here's our last month in random pictures... I can't get enough of these scents. I'm obsessed in the best possible way.

But I haven't hogged them all {the thought did cross my mind}!!! We've been sprinkling a little bit of cheer here and there and everywhere. Starting with our teachers, who we love more than words can say.

Gallery wall in progress! I still need to get a couple of frames for those prints and add one of our family beach pics to the white frame, but it's coming along!

This sweet girl was soooo excited for her debut as Director of the Readers' Theatre that she insisted on wearing something "fancy" that day...she looks so pretty...and so GROWN UP. *tear*

A special after school treat becase a little someone was on PURPLE!!! Purple is super outstanding, exemplary behavior! First thing he said was "that was kind of awkward." hahahaha Followed by "at first I thought it was a mistake but nope, it was me! Mama, did you know that purple is sooooo much harder to get than green???" For this bursting-with-energy little fella this is a BIG accomplishment! We're so proud of you, Hudson! Knew you could do it!!

And that same week he became a member of the .Red Plate Club. for knowing all of the kindergarten sight words. Way to go, Hudson!!

This sweet little pumpkin was so excited to get cast as a Snowflake in The Nutcracker!! Yay, Grace!!! Between the Nutcracker and Grinched rehearsals, regular ballet/tap/jazz and tumbling classes, art lessons, and Hudson's soccer, I feel like a taxi most days!! We couldn't do it without our tribe, that's for sure. Thank you Mimi & Noonie for helping us so much!!

Art Saturdays are EAAAARRRRLY but just seeing how happy she is makes it all worthwhile. Plus I love spending the extra time just the two of us. I love going on "dates" one-on-one with the littles. There's something to be said about having undivided attention.

Her most recent masterpiece... 
{that ice cream looks so good right about now!! I'm in the middle of a 14 day sugar detox - send prayers!}

While she was at her art lesson, I had a quiet {that never happens!} breakfast by myself at Cracker Barrel near where she takes lessons. 1. It was soooo good! 2. It doesn't take very much to bless someone. I love the message my sweet waitress L left on the back of the receipt. It was pouring down raining that morning and yet L had the brightest smile on her face. She sure made me smile and I hope she had a great day too.

Later that day we snuggled up on the couch and I introduced Grace to Annie for the first time!!!! One of my faves and she LOVED it!!! Tomorrow...tomorrow...

Hudson had his very own cheering squad at his most recent game! Mimi + Pop and Aunt Marilyn were coming to watch him but his other two games got rained out - boo! 
{he didn't complain about how LOUD we were - ha! {see here} if you need to know more about that!!}

We had a crazy hail storm one morning on the way to school and I was trapped in the Starbucks drive-thru. Couldn't go anywhere!! It was SO LOUD and all I kept thinking was "my poor car!!" but I did manage to take this one picture which turned out pretty cool - I guess because of how dark it was outside and how close the phone was to the car window. Every one of those balls was hail. CRaZy!!

In the middle of our crazy September-October, I had a chance to meet John Walsh {America's Most Wanted} while raising some serious $$$ for abused children - winning!  He was inspirational - a true hero to missing + exploited children and crime victims everywhere.

I love happy mail and this most recent package did not disappoint...thank you Angel & Amy for sharing your creativity!!  Check out their cute halloween buntings in their re-opened etsy shop!!

This year I've been wanting to spread cheer when least expected.  Enter happy mail.  Everyone loves to get something other than bills, right??  Hopefully it brought an unexpected smile to their day.  That's what it's all about.

Boots! Matching mama + me boots. Doesn't get much better than that! We wore them for some fun Christmas pictures...yep, in October!

Noonie was the emcee for a local multicultural event and we rushed there from art lessons to see her - we missed a lot of the program, but at least we caught the very end and were able to see the exhibits. I love for the littles to learn about other cultures.

Every so often, I catch them doing something nice like this and it makes me think that maybe, just maybe, some of the important things we try so hard to teach them are actually sinking in, because in the day-to-day of raising littles it is so easy to get discouraged!!

So that's a wrap-up on our recent weeks. I love that it's finally starting to feel a little like Fall in the South...

Happy Fall, Y'all!

Spread a little love everywhere you go...you never know when someone might need it the most.

two yummy recipes + a happy little planter/tub

With 4th of July weekend right around the corner, I'm thinking of all the fun stuff I want to make. I love holidays! I made {this} yummy no-egg chocolate chip cookie bar recipe twice in one week! Once for Pop's birthday and then to share with a sweet friend. It's soooo good and super easy too! 

Kimberlee has some really yummy recipes archived on her {blog}. Be sure to check them out.  And while you're at it, why not bake a batch of these and surprise a friend with them. Spreading joy is what it's all about!

I also plan to make my favorite trifle and add some of the blueberries {we just picked} along with strawberries. It's so super easy and so yummy! Here's {my recipe}.

Look what I recently found at a local antiques store!!  I'm so super excited about my new planter that moonlights as a beverage tub for parties.  It was already painted the perfect color and I love how it coordinates with the fun wreath I made at {Craft Weekend}!  I love a good find!!

So back to recipes...what are your favorite 4th of July recipes? I'm always up for trying new ones!

Happy Bins!

You may remember a while back when I shared about {these} tags. Well, they have become part of something beautiful!  Introducing Happy Bins...our little way of sharing love and joy with boys and girls who might not otherwise have a birthday celebration.

When I was 9 or 10 my mom had me help her put together a Thanksgiving basket and on Thanksgiving Day we drove to a very poor area where we saw two little boys digging in a dumpster.  She called them over and gave them the basket and told them to run home and give it to their mama.  I'll never forget their beautiful, beaming smiles.  I sure hope these Happy Bins bring smiles to some local families, both to the little ones and to the parents who might not be in a position to spend money on birthday stuff right now.  

The littles had fun drawing sweet pictures and we prayed over our baskets for several nights...that they would reach the little boy and little girl that needed the reminder the most...to let them know that God loves them and that they are special and loved and worth celebrating.

Our first two - a girl basket and a boy basket - took flight in their journey of love this morning!! We took them to a local shelter that has a transitional program for families with children. Hudson made sure to tell Ms. Kristy, the Volunteer Coordinator, to give his basket to a BOY - ha! He must have wanted to really make sure since he told her a couple of times!!  And seriously, it took all my willpower not to keep that superhero drawing for myself!!! Looooove!

I love that the littles were excited to do this. They're already coming up with new ways to earn money to add things to our next two baskets.

Our love for parties has beautifully collided with our love for others and I couldn't be happier! 

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:7

happy little things...

The other night I decided I needed to get back in my "studio"...also known as my formal dining room...and make something. It's been a while since I've started any creative projects. 

{My etsy shop remains on vacation - I just needed a break and then after my dear grandma passed away, my heart was just not into making hats. My apologies to anyone who has emailed me directly outside of etsy - I'm trying to make my way through the emails, but it's going slow.} 

Out of that little creative pocket of energy came these fun little tags...

Just simple little tags put together with bits and pieces of scrap fabric and trim.

But there sure is a lot of love behind them.

And they will soon take on an even more purposeful existence.

They are part of a special project the littles and I are collaborating on. Something that makes me smile from ear to ear.

I'm excited. The littles are excited. It's going to be great.

More soon. 

XOXO,
Jessica