Helping The Border Crisis With Dreamy Baby Photography

I’m interrupting the regularly scheduled blog programming to share a special message. Without going into too much detail, since I’m sure all our hearts have had enough, the crisis at the border was weighing on me heavily yesterday. I can’t fathom a situation so horrible that I’d risk my life AND my child’s life so dangerously in the hopes that things would get better. That’s a privilege I am lucky to have. Others are not so lucky. We should not be punishing these people. We should be trying to find ways to help. I hope that if I was ever so desperate to save my child, that things would finally start to look up for me on the other side. 

Instead, these people are met with force and punished, their children taken away from them and not given proper care. There are young children taking care of babies. There are kids without access to nutritional food, clean clothes, a toothbrush or even soap! The list of atrocities seems to keep growing, but I think the fact that children are dying in these conditions should be setting off major alarms for people. This is not ok. None of this ok. 

There isn’t much I can currently do to help, and so I thought about ways in which I could help, even in a minor way. 

From today until July 4, I’ll be donating $20 from each sale of my Dreamy Baby Photography course to RAICES. By enrolling, you’ll not only be able to learn to take photos of your own baby, but be able to help a mother reunite with hers. That’s a donation of over 50% of the proceeds. I created this course with the dream of helping mothers. By donating, together we’ll be able to help the mothers that need it the most. 

By purchasing the course, you’ll be making a $20 donation to help the crisis at the border. To purchase the course, visit this link. If you don’t have a baby but still want to help, you can forward the link to someone that does or share it on social media. If you have the means and want to donate directly to RAICES, click here. I donated $10 last night, but I felt like I wanted to do more. Alternatively, you can donate to Together Rising, who says “Every penny we receive from your personal donation goes to people in need” by clicking here. I saw that most of their donations were only small amounts like $5 but they still managed to raise 2 million dollars!

Disclaimer: Because the donation will be made ASAP, any course refunds during this period will only be for the value of the course minus the donation. The usual donation to March of Dimes will be placed on hold until after July 4. 

Loving your child is universal. It knows no race, religion, or bounds. I’m sure many of us would risk our own lives to save our children, doing anything we could to help them. So please, imagine the torture these families are going through. Parents don’t know where their children are. Children are abandoned and alone, dirty, hungry and crying. We need to help them however we can. Please donate now to help these families in need.

DIY Washi Tape Place Card

Summer is here, and that means constant get-togethers, picnics, and BBQ's. Essentially, we're all just looking for reasons to be outside with friends, with a glass of rosé or a sangria in hand. Sometimes it's fun to go beyond the usual paper-plate-and red-solo-cup combo we're used to, and whip up something a bit more elegant for our girls. What could be better than a simple summer tablescape featuring these washi tape placecards? They're really cheap to make and hella easy. Put that glue gun away girl- you don't need it for this project!

*This post contains affiliate links.

You will need:

2.5 inch circle punch (similar here)

Colored cardstock (similar here)

Washi tape (similar here)

Glitter letters (From Michaels, similar here)

Directions:

1. Cut your circles out of your colored cardstock

2. Add washi tape to the top and bottom of your circle.

3. Fold over your excess washi tape. You can also cut it off if you want to, but it wasn't necessary. If you want the back to be neat, cut another circle from cardstock and glue it on the back.

4. Starting from the middle, add your glitter letters to spell out your friends' names. I placed them down gently, then adjusted them once all the letters were on to make sure everything was straight.

5. Press down on your glitter letters to seal them onto your place card.

That's all folks! Add them to your letter place card holders (DIY coming soon!) and place them on your summer tablescape for your friends to enjoy. They're so cute and can be put at a desk or on a cork board after the party is over! This summer I'm all about the easy crafts projects and this one is no exception! It's no mess too. Perfect!

So, what do you think about these placecards? Will you be whipping them up for your friends? Let me know how you plan to use them in the comments below!

No Cook, No Fuss Fourth Of July Party

This summer, I decided that I’m going to make every celebration as easy as I possibly can. That means less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the outdoors with a drink in hand, laughing with my friends. Usually my husband John does most of the cooking (ok, all of the cooking!) and most events leave him stuck in the kitchen most of the day. He doesn’t necessarily mind cooking, but he does get frustrated having to spend the whole day running around- back and forth to the stove, the oven, and the grill while still trying to hang out. Because this is the fate of pretty much every party host since the beginning of time, I decided that I wanted to create a no-cook Fourth of July party. I figured where better to start than Trader Joe’s! I’ve been a fan of Trader Joe’s for a while now (and this post is in no way sponsored by them) so I thought it be a great place to go and get some ready-made, delicious, fresh options for a Fourth of July party. 

*This post contains affiliate links.

Before we get into the food, let’s talk about the table setup. For starters, I decided that I’m tired of always having crappy disposable plates and cups that are terrible for the environment and always manage to blow away. In addition, everyone always ends up losing their cup and using a whole bunch of extra ones- which makes it even worse for the environment. Because of this, I decided that I was going to use only reusable items and keep the party smaller so that I can have a nice intimate gathering with my guests where we could actually talk instead of spending the entire time trying to cater to a huge group and just spending the whole party cooking. 

Related: Use This, Not That: Eco-Friendly Party Swaps

Before I bought any party supplies, I searched my house for appropriate red, white and blue items. First, I grabbed an affordable tablecloth that I had purchased from Amazon. The table runner was from Home Goods and it was perfect for adding a pop of blue to the table. Then I added a red star table runner I had purchased years ago from H&M on top so there’s also a pop of red. On the sides of the table where the runner did not extend, I used reusable napkins as placemats. The red stripe plates were from Target as part of their Hearth & Hand collection and were ideal for adding the perfect nautical touch to the table spread. I used my regular utensils from my dinner set and added a red napkin, folded in half to keep it simple.  Then I scattered some blue tea light holders with battery operated tea lights to add a little light and romance as the sun goes down.

Now, onto the Trader Joe’s stuff that I purchased for this party that I’m so excited about! I originally went to Trader Joe’s for only a few items, including flowers and a pie. I managed to find red, white and blue flowers that were only a few dollars each and added a nice touch to the table. When I went to the bakery section, I found a pie which couldn’t be more perfect for the Fourth of July. It’s strawberry rhubarb (YUM) and it has stars on the crust (what?!). I grabbed those two items and continued about my normal shopping trip, when I realized there were so many easy and delicious options that were ready-made that would be perfect for a Fourth of July party. So, I decided that I was going to grab them and I changed this event from just a regular Fourth of July tablescape to a Trader Joe’s easy-to-do party theme. Because let’s be honest, if we can find a great shortcut, we want to do it!

I went to the drink section and grabbed some Red Stripe beers and Spiked Seltzer, both of which had a great nautical red, white and blue theme to them. I think one of the best parts about this is that you don’t even need cups, so it’s one less thing to wash, less waste if you’re using plastic cups, and everyone will know which drink is theirs because it’ll just be in front of them or in their hand. Plus, having the option of a beer or a spiked seltzer means that you’ll have something for everyone. They’ve also got great rosés and craft beers if you chose to go that route too. Or to really celebrate the 4th, you could pick an American beer!

I decided to keep the food super simple just like everything else. I made a salad with mixed greens, fresh strawberries, blueberries, and feta cheese to keep with that red white and blue theme. You can also add nuts like sliced almonds if you want to! I added Trader Joe’s vinaigrette on the side so that people could serve themselves and the salad wouldn’t get mushy.

I also decided to make a really simple cheese and charcuterie platter since we all love a good cheese! I started by using a goat cheese log covered in blueberries- again, going with the theme.  I served them with bread crisps, which ended up being really good. Usually these types of crackers end up being rock hard and not good (at all) but these were really soft and crispy, the perfect texture to hold the goat cheese and meats. They also work great for avocado toast too! 

I picked up a meat platter in the refrigerated section and everything was pre-sliced and ready to go. I personally don’t eat these types of meats (I pretty much just eat chicken and turkey!) but I figured it be great for everyone else to enjoy. Trader Joe’s also has tons of ready-made salads, sandwiches, and pasta salads so you could grab some pre-made meals for your gals. Just place them on a pretty platter and everything’s ready to go with no fuss and no cooking!

Aside from the fact that everything so simple to do, Trader Joe’s is actually very affordable and I prefer getting pre-made things from their supermarket over others. For starters, Trader Joe’s is usually smaller than most supermarkets, and I think that’s what makes it better. Instead of wandering the aisles looking at 1 million different brands and getting overwhelmed, you’re able to see everything laid out really nicely and neatly. You know where all the pre-made stuff is and you have a choice of only the best items, so you never have to worry that the things that you purchase are going to be bad for your guests. I also love that they have a great selection of craft beers and that you’re able to mix and match your own set, which is perfect for trying new ones out. 

Ever since baby Hailey came around, I find that I want to keep my events as simple as possible. In the end, it’s all about spending time with friends- having fun and getting to hear about each other’s day. We’ve all become busy and have our own full lives, so we need to take a break from all that to relax and unwind. The opposite of relaxing is spending the whole day cooking for everyone! So, run out to your local Trader Joe’s and grab some pre-made meals for your friends. Then kick back and relax- it’s all been taken care of!

What are your favorite pre-made Trader Joe’s products to serve your guests? Will you be skipping the cooking at your next summer event? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY Snow Cone Earrings

Now that I’ve officially switched over to my summer wardrobe, I’m looking for some fun accessories that can spice up my outfits. I find that a lot of times I wear the same outfit over and over, but I love to switch out my accessories in between. Since we all know I love to DIY anything I can get my hands on, I decided to make these snow cone earrings out of just printer paper and styrofoam balls! They’re great because they can be made in any color of your choosing. They can even be made for Fourth of July in red, white, and blue. They’re so fun and are sure to get the attention of everyone around you. The full DIY is over on the Giggles Galore blog so head on over there now to see it! 

Let me give you a quick overview of the steps, because it’s extremely simple. All you’re doing is painting the Styrofoam balls, tracing the snow cone wrapper template, adding the earring pieces and gluing it all together. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

This project would be so fun to make with older kids or teens, or even by gathering up your girlfriends. Grab some rosé and get to crafting! These are now some my favorite earrings that I own and I can’t wait to wear them all summer long. They’re sure to cool off a hot summer day!

The Easiest Way To Get A Salon Blowout At Home

If you're following me on Instagram, you know that I started straightening my hair after I had postpartum hair loss. My hair is pretty thick and curly, so I was ending up with HUGE knots that took about ten minutes to brush out in the shower. Plus, my hair was getting tangled within a day of being washed. It looked horrible and felt even worse, so I decided this was as good a time as any to start straightening my hair. I've always wanted to be the type of girl that does her hair and tries to look nice, so this sort of gave me the excuse I needed to just get it done. So, I decided to try the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer and holy cow. I’m a convert!

*This post contains affiliate links.

I always hated the process of straightening my hair- it left my hair feeling really damaged and brittle, with a lovely fried smell on top of it. Overall it wasn't really worth the effort. That is, until I found the magic wand of hair tools. Seriously, this thing is a godsend and it totally changed the game for me! It works quickly, it's super easy to use, and it leaves my hair full of body. Most of all, my hair looks, feels, and SMELLS healthy. No more fried smell for this gal!

I've told several friends about this magic tool and they all went and got it (seriously... all of them!) so I thought it might be helpful to write a blog post about it for anyone who's either on the fence, or doesn't know about this tool at all. I imagine it's a sad life to be living, smashing your hair in a flat iron or trying to juggle a round brush and a blow dryer. I mean, I know because I lived that life haha so this way is much easier.

The process is really simple. For starters, I add a small amount of heat protecting spray in my hair. This helps to (duh) protect my hair but I also think it keeps it from getting too frizzy.

After that, the process is simple. I separate my hair into sections using a jaw clip and sectioning clips. Then, I take a small section and run the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer through several times, making sure to get the roots and ends, which both seem to be the most troublesome. The roots always seen to stay curly, and with a flat iron this is where I end up burning myself. However, with this tool I don't have to worry!

I want to talk a minute about how this tool works, because it was slightly different than I originally thought. It’s literally a hair dryer within a round brush. So, it sounds like a blow dryer and has 3 temperature settings- high, low and cool. It doesn’t get hot like an iron or twirl like other tools. So, to get it to work you twist your wrist like you would with a round brush. Except your other hand is free, which makes it much easier than trying to juggle both a brush and a blow dryer.

Since the ends of my hair are always the most damaged, I pay them special attention. After I blow dry each section, I twirl it so that it ends up with a little bit of a curl. I like doing this so that it’s not just straight, and it also prevents me from having to use a curling wand afterwards. I think it also helps that my hair naturally has a curl.

The Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer is honestly my favorite straightening tool, and I have plenty of them! It's the only one that's sustainable for keeping my hair straight, week after week. It only takes me about 20 minutes and I can do it fresh out of the shower, which really helps. The results speak for themselves- look at this amazing shine and body! I don't even need to use a finishing oil after, because it just looks so good. Even without the curl, my ends still look good. I could never say that about flat ironing it! The ends were always dead and scraggly looking.

If you're looking to straighten or style your hair regularly, you owe it to yourself to get this Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer! It's not the cheapest tool, but at around $60 it also isn't the most expensive (looking at you, Dyson). In my opinion, it is a very worthwhile investment and it’s a total necessity for me now!