TIP OF THE DAY: RIBBON ORGANIZER

Hi friends! I wanted to pop in really quick today to share with you all this little tip I accidentally came up with on organizing those pesky ribbons. Roll them up, snap on some binder clips and hang them up on your bulletin board with some thumbtacks. I love how neat and accessible they are now!

How do you all organize your ribbons? I'd love to hear from you! :)

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P.S. Just FYI, I respond to each of my comments via email. Recently, I've been unable to respond back to a lot of my readers' comments because they were listed as "no reply bloggers." An easy way to fix this is to:

• Go to Blogger Profile
• Go to Edit Profile 
• Look in the Privacy section 
• Check the box that says "show my email address" 
• Go to the Identity section, and enter an email address 
• Click Save Profile

Now I totally understand if you do not want to disclose your personal email address. Trust me, I'm very paranoid about privacy issues.  So if you have a separate Blogger email, you can use that instead and have those emails forwarded to your personal account. Otherwise if you just don't really care that much about getting responses, then that's perfectly cool too. ;) Just thought you should know. 

DIY POPSICLE MOLDS + CREAMY COFFEE POPS

So our little E finally turned 2 this weekend! :D I might have mentioned this before, but our family isn't really big on "parties." We definitely treat birthdays as a special day - there's always cake, tons of pictures taken, a special meal out, but mainly just lots of family time. :) 

Because E's a HUGE fan of Elmo and crazy about strawberries and helium balloons, that's what I centered the decor around. I'm still in the process of getting pictures together, but hopefully I'll get the post ready soon.  In the meantime I wanted to share with you this neat idea for making popsicles!

I've been searching and searching for good popsicle molds for the longest time and have yet to find a set I really liked. This Tovolo Star Ice Pop Mold seemed decent but the portion size was a little too big for me. Over the weekend I decided to look around my kitchen to see if I could re-purpose something to use as molds.  

TOY STORAGE SOLUTIONS

One thing I always dreaded was having E's toys completely take over our living room. Since we don't have space for an actual playroom, this below was the best option I could come up with. In addition to having a storage ottoman and a few shelves, E also has a small space behind our couch that is all his.  So far the spaces have been kept under control, but then again he's only barely 2... Oy. 

Jen @ IHeartOrganizing, one of my absolute favorite bloggers, recently finished her boys' A-M-A-Z-I-N-G playroom. Seriously what's not to love about this space?! 

IHeartOrganizing

I also came across some other great ideas like these....

Infarrantly Creative - What a creative way to use game boards as art AND storage!

Kidcraft

Austin Simple Staging

Veetje

Houzz

How do you all hide keep your kids toys out without having it take over your space? Please share!

Be back soon with a simple DIY project and some adorable products that I can't wait to share with you all! :)

Linking up with: Thrifty Decor Chic

PART II: BRINGING UP BEBE

-back cover of book-

Wow. I'm not even sure how I can properly give you all a final recap. In case you missed it, here's Part I: Bringing Up Bebe.  This book was packed with so much common sense helpful tips that even someone without kids would greatly enjoy it! :)   Here are just a few tips that really stood out to me:    

• Speaking - At a young age, speaking is encouraged over reading. Speaking clearly is equated to thinking clearly. 

• Greeting Adults - When in the presence of adults and even other kids, children are expected to greet them ("bonjour") and make their presence known instead of hiding in the shadows.   This helps them to build confidence, as well as learn that they're not the only ones with feelings and needs. The French stress this as much as we do with our "please" and "thank you."

• Snacking - One of the reasons that French kids are such great eaters is because they typically eat only at mealtimes. They don't "snack" the way most kids here do with a bag of cheerios here and a few crackers there.  I'm super guilty of that... especially when E's about to throw a tantrum. o.O If I make it a habit for E to snack all the time between meals, then of course his stomach will always be full when it is time to eat. This will just encourage him to be picky with his food.  

• Exposure to Foods - At restaurants, kids are expected to order from the regular menu and eat the same variety of food that adults do. It's not that that the French kids all adore their vegetables. Of course most of them all have their preferred foods. However, they don't get to exclude whole categories of textures, colors and nutrients just because they want to. "They [parents] believe that just as they must teach the child how to sleep, how to wait, and how to say "bonjour," they must teach him/her how to eat." p. 202

• Praise - "Excessive praise... distorts children's motivations; they begin doing things merely to hear the praise, losing sight of the intrinsic enjoyment." - p. 252

• Education vs. Discipline and Punishment

• Being Authoritative vs. being an Authoritarian - "The more spoiled a child is, the more unhappy he is." - p. 232

Overall I felt that the book did a very good job of opening our eyes to see that everything we do with our kids now will affect they way they are in the future.  There was so much more that I didn't even get to cover, but I hope that the little bit that I did get to share was enough to motivate you to check out the book for yourself! :) 

If you have any thoughts, comments, and/or questions, please feel free to share! 

FRIDAY TREATS

A friend of mine came over yesterday to hang out and work on a little project. It turned out so cute that I thought I'd share it with you all! :)

She had originally gotten this idea from Pinterest and decided to take on the project after seeing my stenciled cups from last week. My favorite part of this cup has to be the "tea bag string" that she painted on. Seriously, how cute is that?! [Her actual cup didn't have the black outline around the heart. I only added it to help it show up better in the picture.]



And now on to my favorite finds for this week...

HOMEMADE AIR FRESHENER

Happy Monday everyone! Sorry for this very late post. Today got a lot busier than I expected, but the night ended well. We had two couples over for dinner and had a very sweet time with them. We read and prayed over a verse together in Matthew 6 and enjoyed seeing that as children of God, we must live a sanctified life, a daily life separated from being common, a life that expresses God in our living.  This is not something we work out on our own, but it's by being nourished and supplied by the Word everyday and pursuing Christ with "those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Tim. 2:22)

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Like I promised, here's my DIY for today. :)

With E still in diapers, his room gets kind of smelly sometimes. We never bought one of those fancy disposal pails and have just been using a regular trash can. I open the windows a lot to air out the room, but sometimes there's still a lingering smell. I don't really like air freshening sprays because of all the toxins.

We've been using baking soda instead to help absorb the smells. I like to store them in to-go containers that I get from restaurants, especially the ones below because they're small, sturdy, and have air-tight lids. These were from Torchy's and La Madeleine's.

Normally we use the baking soda by itself. However last week, I decided to experiment and added a few drops of the scented oils I had from Bath & Body Works. Although they're synthetic and not as good as the essential oils, I feel OK using them since I use so little and am not burning them. It ended up working out very well and has kept his room smelling fresh. About every 3 or 4 days, I'd gently shake it up to activate the scent again.

I use the BBW's stress relief eucalyptus spearmint oil for E's room and the frosted cranberry oil in our bathroom.

Supplies: to-go container with lid, baking soda, scented oils, hammer & nail

Directions: 

• gently tap some holes into the plastic lid with a nail and hammer
• fill  1/3 of the container with baking soda
• add 3-5 drops of your preferred scented oil
• gently shake the container to activate the scent

Super easy right?! Have any of you tried making this before? Or do you have other ways of getting rid of unpleasant odors? Please share! :)

SHE LOVES ME, SHE LOVES ME NOT

Today I am joining Michaela's 3rd She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not Link Up! Happy reading everyone! :) 

1) Grilled vegetables - My favorite thing to eat these days! 

via

2) Takeya Drink Pitcher - We've been looking forever to replace our glass pitchers 

because they dripped like crazy o.O. So glad when we found these at Costco! 

3) Sanuk's Yoga Mat Flip Flops - I cannot say enough great things about them! 

Seriously. The. Most. Comfortable. Flip Flops. 

I already have it in black, but totally eyeing this one in slate too!

4) Turquoise - I think I've found my color! How beautiful is this table 

setting created by Courtney @ A Thoughtful Place?!

Moldy fruit - I will save you all from having to look at pictures, but yes... 

I guess I've been buying too much and not eating them quick enough =/.

DEAR CAST IRON PAN

Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this post, but just wanted to share this in case some of you also experienced the same frustrations that I had with cast iron. 



Dear cast iron pan,

You use to really scare me. You were super heavy, rusted easily and left black specks all over my food. I seasoned you over and over again, but food still stuck to you. You frustrated me so much that I quickly ended our relationship and put you away to never be seen again. For a while, Neoflam and I became great friends. I loved how light he was, his ceramic-based Ecolon non-stick coating and his super good looks.  He was really great in every way. 

Until last month...

While I was making honey buttercream, I turned on the wrong burner and accidentally melted a plastic spatula on top of him which quickly led to his demise...

I had just purchased him too...='(

Unwilling to spend another $30 and being that this was not the first pan I've ruined, I decided to give you another chance.  This time I researched more carefully on how to use you and how to take care of you.  

And now...

Now I'm your biggest fan! :) I totally don't know how I cooked without you all these years! I will never again have to worry about sending you to the trash can... plus I hear you just get better with age!

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Hi friends! I know I'm late on jumping on the cast iron bandwagon, but I'm so glad I finally did. I bought my first pre-seasoned Lodge pan 5 years ago and was extremely frustrated when I saw black specks coming off onto my scrambled eggs. I researched about it online and found out that it was actually normal and safe to eat. But that just didn't seem "normal" to me.

I ended up putting it away until recently. After spending a little more time researching, it turned out that others solved the problem by scrubbing their pans bare (with a steel scrubber and soap) and then re-seasoning them again themselves.

Well I tried it and guess what? It worked out beautifully! No more black flecks and my eggs slid right off! Fried rice tasted so much better and pancakes came out perfect every time!

How's the maintenance? Well after every use, I immediately wash it in hot water with a soft sponge and a TINY drop of dish soap. I sometimes use coarse salt for the tougher stains. (Never soak the pan in water!) Then I dry it thoroughly with a paper towel and then put it back on the stove and heat it for about 3 minutes on medium heat. Once the pan is completely dry and the pores are open, I turn off the heat and then VERY thinly coat the inside of the pan with a 1/4 tsp of grapeseed oil (or any regular vegetable oil) on a paper towel.

I know that may sound like a lot of work, but it's really not that bad once you get the hang of it. And if you're still not convinced, here's some more reasons why cast iron's a great choice:

Pros:

Inexpensive

Offers a chemical free non-stick surface (if seasoned properly)

Conducts heat evenly

Can go from the stove to the oven

Increases iron consumption

Indestructible

Cons: 

Heavy

For more information, check out the links below:

How to properly season your pan

A video about seasoning and washing your pan

How to clean and refurbish cast Iron

Do any of you already own a cast iron pan or are thinking about it? Please feel free to share any thoughts or tips! :)

FRIDAY TREATS

Calendar of the month

There are no words to describe this kind of cuteness!

Sweet surprise wedding story

Make your own nail polish

Tissue paper candle holders

Want to try this!

E would LOVE this!

Have a wonderful weekend and a lovely Mother's Day everyone!  

FB ANNOUNCEMENT

Hi friends! It's official. "Enjoyer of Grace" can now be found on Facebook! :) I've also created a link in the blog's sidebar that will take you straight there.

I've actually been debating for a while whether to take this step or not. My little blog is still quite young and only in its beginning stages. I'm still learning new things everyday and getting a feel for how I'd like my blog to be represented.

But....

Even though it's early, I've already made friends with so many of you and have really been enjoying this blogging community! FB just seems a little less formal and can help serve as a more relaxed platform for all of us to get to know one another better. :)

If you get a chance to pop in, please "LIKE" the page to help me spread the word! Thanks again for all your support these last few months. I really appreciate it!

Be back later today with my pasta salad recipe and Day 3 photo of "Something I wore today." 

REFLECTIONS + BLOGGING TIPS/RESOURCES

via

I have a special post for you today about my experiences thus far with blogging. I know this may sound surprising, but before last fall I was kind of oblivious to this world of blogs. I knew "about" them... just never really got into them. Then I started watching the Nate Berkus Show and was instantly hooked. (By the way... am I the only person who didn't know his show got canceled? I just found out a little while ago. So sad.) It was during these afternoons when I was introduced to the most amazing bloggers like John and Sherry @ Young House Love. Their blog was the very first one I started reading/following and then from there Kate @ Centsational Girl, Jen's @ IHeartOrganizing, Kate @ The Small Things and Christine @ Just Bella... just to name a few. ;)

All these blogs inspired me to create my own this January and that's when "Enjoyer of Grace" first got started. To be honest, I didn't think it'd be too hard and didn't realize just how much time really went into keeping a blog. From the time spent on projects, to taking all the pictures, to editing the pictures and then writing up the posts and then editing those before hitting that "PUBLISH" button... yes those hours can really add up.

And then there's the blog design... I didn't know a thing about html codes when I first got started. Who knew that creating a clean and user-friendly blog would require so much work behind the scenes?? But now I know (and knowing's half the battle... my husband loves this quote from G.I. Joe and it somehow stuck with me hehe) and after spending hours upon hours of researching and editing, I decided to share my findings to spare you all the frustration that I went through. I put together a few tutorials that really helped me when I first got started. For my dear fellow bloggers or aspiring bloggers, this is for you!

HOW TO:

Create a blog header/banner using Picasa 3

Memories on Clover Lane

Create a thumbnail gallery 

How Sweet It Is

Create a grab button and add it to your blog 

Paper Heart Camera

Center your post and date titles 

Cinsarah

Center your navigation bar/page links 

Cinsarah

Center Blogger Adsense in sidebar

Southern Speakers

Remove space between blog posts 

Southern Speakers

Remove frames from your pictures and signature 

Cinsarah

Add a "Pin It" button to posts 

Kevin and Amanda

Add the Facebook "Like" button to posts 

The Mommy Chronicles

Mad Tomato

Create and add social media buttons 

Sweet Verbana

If there's anything else you have questions about, please feel free to leave a comment or email me @ enjoyerofgrace@gmail.com... whichever way is most comfortable for you. :)

Yes, blogging is a lot of work and I'm still learning everyday how to find balance and not let it consume all my time. However I still love it and appreciate all the friendships that I've formed with many of you! :) Thank you again for all your sweet comments, emails and helpful tips along the way. 

Have a great Monday!

FRIDAY TREATS

Hey friends! :) How was your week? I've been trying to spend more time with E on learning his alphabets since he's been calling every letter an "O." Sometimes I think he says that just to mess with me though. Yes, my 22 month old already knows how to mess with his mommy...

Anyhow! I'm so excited to share with you some of my favorite finds/links this week! For my blogging friends, make sure you check out PicMonkey if you haven't already... it's awesome! :)



1) Love this simple and delicate sterling silver curved bar necklace by Junghwa.

2) Check out this super creative sunburst mirror by MeiJo's Joy using cardboard and sequins!

3) Calming Jar by Robyn... something that maybe I E needs during his time-outs...
4) What a cool diy baby shower gift by Valerie @ Boogaboo!
5) Personalized Wall Decor by Petit Collage... another adorable baby gift to give!
6) PicMonkey.com is currently one of my favorite online editing tools. Just drag your picture in and have fun exploring all the possibilities!

Next week, I'll be sharing recipes of some of my favorite spicy dishes with you all! Here's one of the ingredients that I made myself:

Have a lovely weekend! :)

DIY VEGGIE RINSE

Before I had E, I would've never noticed or even given this sentence a second thought.  Now I'm picking up on everything and noticing how almost all produce are sprayed with some kind of pesticide these days. Unless you grow your own produce or have been buying everything organic, you and I have already consumed a ton of pesticide already.  This article by Global Health Healing made my stomach turn.

Which is why I wanted to share this post with you.  Agricultural pesticide does not come off easily with water or otherwise farmers wouldn't use it.  According to some comparative testing done by Cook's Illustrated, washing produce in a solution of diluted vinegar and then rinsing it under water removed 98% of the bacteria and pesticide residue.  

There is no need to go out and buy expensive veggie rinses.  Everything you need is already in your pantry.  After doing some research online, here's the best mix I found:

Ingredients:

1 T organic lemon juice

2 T baking powder

3/4 C distilled vinegar

1 C water

Directions:

Mix all these ingredients in a spray bottle and shake each time before use. Spray your produce and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse with water before consuming.  

* For harder to clean vegetables like spinach, broccoli and lettuce, soaking is recommended.

* Avoid spraying or soaking mushrooms since they absorb water.  

* A good scrub brush is also effective in removing bacteria.  

Also for a list of the "dirty dozen" check out this article from CNN. 

Eating healthy shouldn't put a hole in our wallet. I'm so glad that there are simple and budget-friendly ways in which we can all take better care of ourselves and our family. :)

ATTN: All INSTAGRAM LOVERS

Check out this clever and super affordable wall art that Michelle @ Ten June created with using Instagram + Picnik (free online editing tool) + Ookimage (online print shop)! 

What an awesome way to display your travels, important life events, or simply a creative way to gift memories for a loved one! :)

{photo credit}