String Ball Ornaments

The best thing about these ornaments are that you can make them any color or size. I think it would so fun to make them in all color and add them to a rainbow tree! You could make them small and put them over the light bulbs.

I made blue, brown, and green to go wit this year;s tree color scheme. I kind of like that the thick brown string looks twig like.

Supplies:

String

Clear Glue

Bowl

Step 1:

Pour the glue into a bowl. I like to use clear glue.

Step 2:

Blow up a balloon to the size you want your string ball ornament to be and tie it off. Since it is winter, there were no water balloons available at the store. But large party balloons work as well.

Step 3:

Soak the string in the glue. Wrap it around the balloon. As the string runs through your fingers, it will remove the excess glue.

Step 4:

I set mine on paper towels to dry overnight. Once they are dry, you can pop the balloon and pull it out of one of the holes. If too much glue got on the balloon, you may have some thin glue covering where the holes are. You can simply pick it off.

Have you ever done this type of craft project before?

Day 1: Mini Letterboard Ornaments

Day 2: Clay Snowflake Ornaments

Day 3: Leather Ornaments

Day 4: Mushroom Ornaments

Day 5: Glass Etched Ornaments

Day 6: Gingerbread Ornaments

Day 7: Clay Leaf Print Ornaments

Day 8: Wood Slice Ornaments

Day 9: Snow Globe Ornaments

Day 10: Stamped Clay Ornaments

Day 11: String Ball Ornaments

Day 12: DIY Icicle Ornaments

Snow Globe Ornaments

I made a total of 12 with only a few repeats. I used some store bought miniature items from the craft store and I made a few things out of polymer clay.

Snow Globe Ornament Supplies:

Faux Snow

Drywall Mud (Joint Compound) or Plaster Of Paris

Clear Glue

Miniature Trees and Other Items

Glass Globes

Polymer Clay (Optional)

Step 1: Add Faux Snow

For the faux snow, I used 2 different things. One is obvious and one may surprise you. I ordered some shredded plastic faux snow from amazon since it was hard to find a small bag in stores. I only needed a little. The other "snow" was drywall mud! Leave it to a DIYer to think of something odd like that. If you have plaster of Pairs that would probably work as well.

I used clear glue to adhere the shredded plastic snow. I used Elmer's, but any clear glue will work.

Step 2: Add Miniature Elements

I painted the polymer clay items I made and when they were dry, I glued them into the globes that had the faux shredded plastic snow. The other items I stuck into the drywall mud. Once the drywall mud was dry, it "cemented" or glued the items in place.

Some of the ones with drywall mud, I also added the shredded faux snow to. If drywall mud is too thick, it will crack when it drys. So I covered it with the fau snow while it was still wet. But most of them stayed just drywall because I liked the look.

TIP:

If the drywall mud does dry and have little cracks, get a small paint brush and dip it into the drywall mud. Brush over the cracks and cover them in a thin layer of drywall mud.

Day 1: Mini Letterboard Ornaments

Day 2: Clay Snowflake Ornaments

Day 3: Leather Ornaments

Day 4: Mushroom Ornaments

Day 5: Glass Etched Ornaments

Day 6: Gingerbread Ornaments

Day 7: Clay Leaf Print Ornaments

Day 8: Wood Slice Ornaments

Day 9: Snow Globe Ornaments

Day 10: Stamped Clay Ornaments

Day 11: String Ball Ornaments

Day 12: DIY Icicle Ornaments

Growing A Cut Flower Garden

I had always wanted to a cut garden. I kept putting it off because I wasn't sure where I was going to put it and was worried it would cost a lot of money. I finally decided to just go for it! After researching it over the winter (my favorite winter pastime is thinking of gardening), I had a plan.

Starting From Seed Indoors

I knew if I bought seedlings from a nursery it would be too expensive so I bought supplies to start the flowers from seed. I have done this before for veggies so I had some things on hand already. I have a whole post dedicated to starting seeds indoors that you can read HERE.

What I Planted

I started off this first year with just planting a few varieties. I knew I would grow more eventually, but to start, I wanted to keep it simple. I wasn't sure I was going to like growing them in my vegetable garden or not or if they would do well. I grew zinnias, globe amaranth (gomphrena), billy ball (craspedia), sunflowers, stock, cosmos, and feverfew. The stock flowers and feverfew were planted in my secret garden.

What I Learned

I knew this first year was going to be one where I experimented and learned so I improve for future planting seasons. I like trial and error (hands on) learning. Part of why I love gardening is trying new things and seeing what works. I definitely learned a lot about growing a cut flower garden!

Staking Your Plants

I knew that flower farmers used netting and/or ropes to stake their flowers. I even bought some netting. But I ended up not using any of it because I don't like the look of it. I didn't want large stakes and netting ruining the overall look of my garden. Since this was for my personal use and enjoyment and not a business (yet), I didn't see the harm in experimenting with things a bit.

The only flowers that had a problem were the cosmos. Towards the end of the growing season they started to fall down. Some cracked when we got wind. So I will be using the netting on the cosmos next year. Everything else was great without. We do not typically get a lot of wind, so that may factor into why my zinnias did so well without.

Grow a Good Variety Of Flowers

I feel like I had a good variety of shapes and sizes but I did not have a lot of blue flowers. I have a few perennials in a regular flower bed that are blue/purple like delphiniums and salvia. But not enough for a cut garden. Those varieties also bloom heavily in the spring and don't provide a lot of blooms throughout the whole growing season. I also discovered that I did not like the magenta color of the "purple" zinnias and globe amaranth. I will be planting more blue and purple options next year.

Filler and Greenery

You can't just focus on the stars of the show (the big showy flowers like dahlias and zinnias). To have a good bouquet, you need small flowers (filler) and greenery. I only wanted to focus on planting a few varieties of things for this first year, so I knew I would have to use plants I already had in my yard for the greenery. And it worked just fine for this year, but I do want to add some things to my grow list like dusty miller and eucalyptus.

Growing a Cut Flower Garden Video

Plans for Next Year's Cut Flower Garden

I will plant annuals like zinnia, and globe amaranth in the vegetable garden again. They drew a lot more pollinators like hummingbirds and bumble bees and made working in the garden more cheerful.

I am also adding another flowerbed to our backyard in the spring that will house the majority of the perennials. The flower bed was going to be added regardless of if I grew cut flowers or not (It is part of a larger landscaping project) but since I am growing cut flowers, that helped determine what would be planted there. I will plant things like roses, delphinium, lupine, lavender, and more peonies.

If things go well with germinating them this winter, I should have a whole 20 foot row of eucalyptus. It could be a big fat fail, but it is worth a try! I will be growing more mint, dusty miller, and growing some bushes for their leaves.

Do you grow cut flowers? What are your favorite varieties?

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I didn't realize I needed a rest. I was plugging along like usual but realized I had lost the excitement and joy that usually comes from large projects and blogging. I pulled back from social media first. That helped, but I still felt pressure to blog regularly. I felt like if I stopped, it would be really hard to get going again. That people would stop coming to my blog and I would lose readers. That I would lose the sense of community. But something magical happened when I allowed myself to pull back from everything blog related.....

I found my excitement again! I feel like I did when I first started blogging. My head is buzzing with ideas and I have some really cool things in the works. I haven't felt this excited since I first started blogging.

I think another thing that really helped was that I got together with other bloggers in my area for a little retreat to talk about blogging. Blogging can be very isolating. You are at home working all alone. But being IN PERSON chatting with others about concerns, ideas, and hopes for the future was inspiring and filled my (very empty) bucket, so to speak.

I wasn't planning on posting about all of this, but as I looked at the list again today, I thought that someone else might benefit from seeing it. Allow yourself to choose one or two of those things. We all need a reset every now and then. Take the time to get recharged.

One of the things that I am super excited about is that I have decided to start posting to my youtube channel again. I never thought in a million years that is where I would put more focus, but it feels right. It feels exciting. I haven't posted in a long time, and even back then I was super sporadic. The goal is to post once a week at least. So if you want to follow along over there, I would love it! I have dove head first into learning all the ins and outs of how to make a channel work really well and I have my first video ready to put up later this week.

I also have my bedroom makeover that has been done since this spring that I will photograph and get posted here on the blog. I am doing a big project for my brother and his wife this month too. In fact, I will be slowly doing rooms in their whole house over the next several months. Who loves inexpensive room makeovers that can be done in a weekend? (ME!!)

Thanks for sticking around even when things get quiet. I love doing what I do because of the community of readers here. I love my little piece of the internet where I can share and hopefully inspire others to create as well.

This post is sponsored by HomeRight. All opinions and ideas are 100% my own.

Keep scrolling for a giveaway!

Getting Your Patio Summer Ready

If I were a really good blogger, I would have taken a before photo of the whole space. It was covered in pine needles, leaves, and other debris. There were no cushions on the furniture since they were stored away for the winter, and the flowerbeds needed a little weeding. But I was so excited to start working outside for the first time this year, that I jumped head first into this without a perfect before shot.

Sweep & Tidy

I weeded, emptied dead plants out of planters, and swept the patio pavers. Not very glamorous or exciting, but it did make a big difference right away. I also use a broom to sweep away and cobwebs on the windows. If you have moss or mildew growing, use a power washer or a hose attachment to wash the patio well.

Refresh Finishes

The sliding wall's stain has faded over the years and was looking a bit drab. I had grown tired of the green planters and wanted something with more contrast. If you have anything stained or painted, freshening them up gives your patio and instant facelift!

I started with the planters. I cleaned them really well since paint adheres better to a clean, dry surface. I placed a garbage sack over the juniper to protect it from the paint. Using my QuickFinish sprayer, I applied the new color of paint!

I think the blue will look better and show off the green of the foliage. The QuickFinish has such nice, even coverage and it goes on so FAST!

QuickFinish Sprayer available on Amazon (affiliate)

While the first planter was drying and I was waiting to be able to paint the second one, I used my Super FinishMax sprayer to stain the sliding wall feature. I had stuck cardboard pieces behind the slats to protect the fabric and taped up a tarp to protect the brick. After that, it was super fast and easy to spray on the new stain! I love projects that give me instant satisfaction!

Super FinishMax sprayer available on Amazon (affiliate)

While I had the sprayer full of stain, I went ahead and refreshed the cooler cover, the gates, and our front yard fence. I had everything stained in less than half and hour! I am continually impressed with this sprayer.

Decorate!

Plant some flowers, add your cushions on (complete with outdoor pillows) and you are ready to enjoy your patio!

I just need to grab a drink and a good book :)

The new stain and paint make the patio look like new!

Do you have a place in your yard that you love to spend time in? Or maybe a dreamy balcony? 

GIVEAWAY!

HomeRight has generously offered to giveaway one QuickFinish sprayer so you can work on getting your patio summer ready too! Enter below using the Rafflecopter widget. If you have any issues with entering, please email me at notjustahousewife @ yahoo . com

You must be at least 18 years old to enter. You must be a resident of the USA to enter. The giveaway will go from June 1, 2021 to June 8, 2021. A winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen. The shipping of the prize is the responsibility of the company, in this case, HomeRight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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I thought I would share some of the things that have been taking up my time instead of blog maintenance.

In the winter, I tend to buy more houseplants than at any other time. As most of you know, I struggle in the winter with S.A.D. and going to my cute, local nursery helps lift my mood. Smelling the dirt, feeling the warmth and humidity, and being surrounded by plants is THE BEST. I go at least once a week. My neighbor's own the garden shop and when I go there, sometimes the owner will say "When are you going to come work for me?" and I smile and shrug. One day this winter, when I was paying for my 5 new houseplants, she asked again and said how serious she was about it. You guys, I said YES! It just felt right. And I knew it would be good for me.

I started earlier this year and as of now, I am working every day for 4 hours while I learn everything. Eventually I will go down to just a couple of days a week so I can keep the blog up.  They have 20 something greenhouses where they grow pretty much everything. They have a floral shop and home decor items. It is literally everything I love all in one sunny spot. I wrote about it in my book, Natural Accents, and called it my Happy Place.

My favorite things I get to do are take care of the houseplants, clean flowers when they arrive & make floral arrangements, and plant the planters with pretty annuals.

It is called Olson's Garden Shoppe and if you live in Utah, you should stop in and say HI :)

Last year, Shane and I cancelled our sunny beach plans we had for our 20th wedding anniversary and stayed home due to covid. We celebrated on our patio with inflatable palm trees. While most of the world is still shut down and questionable as far as travel goes, we wanted to still do something to commemorate that milestone. We decided to go to Florida!

We have never taken a (non-business) trip together without the kids aside from a weekend in SLC (which is an hour away).

We spent  2 days in Universal Studios and 4 days in Disney. We also made sure to get some beach time in.

I loved Universal! I went last year with my son as a chaperone for his choir tour but Shane has never been. My Harry Potter loving husband was in heaven drinking Butterbeer and pumpkin juice while strolling down Diagon Alley. There were not many people there so we got some great shots without others in the way (like in Gringotts Bank!). We got to ride all the rides we wanted to multiple times thanks to the reduced crowds.

My husband's favorite part was the train ride back and forth between Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. I LOVE Hagrid's Motorbike ride! It is hands down my favorite rollercoaster ever

All of Disney is awesome and fun but I was so stinkin' excited for Shane to experience the Star Wars rides and experiences. He grew up on Star Wars. I wish he didn't have to wear a mask the whole time because it made it so I couldn't really see his full reaction. But he loved it. Again, we got some cool shots without many people in them.

My son gets to call once a week for a bit to let us know how he's doing on his mission. It is so good to see his cute face! He is so happy and loves all the different service projects he is doing. It is pretty limited right now but things are slowly opening up for him to teach in person and have more opportunities to do service for others.

Isn't technology awesome! We were all able to chat even while we were away!

We have started some big outdoor projects now that things have warmed up. Operation "Stop the deer from eating all the things" and Operation "Privacy" are underway. We still need to finish the down bath as well. While it will be a challenge to get projects done, plus blog maintenance, and working, I have high hopes.

What fun things do you have planned now that it is warming up?

Let me know if there are any tutorials, gardening tips, or any other things YOU would like to see on the blog this year.

To start off, let's review last year's goals.

#1. Gardening Shed

Nope.

I stated that this was an expensive goal and probably would not happen. I was right. The one I want is large and custom and I am not willing to cave and get a cheap small one. Our garage will have to continue to double as a shed for now.

#2. Add Storage to Our Attic

Yes!

We added a pull down ladder and finished a fourth of the attic which is about 11x14 feet. It has been SO NICE to have all that extra storage. It has been one of those "Why the heck did we not do this sooner?" kind of projects. It took a long time to finish just that one corner (We had to sister 2x6's on all the ceiling joists and add blocking before we could even add OSB as a floor) so we plan to on doing one section each year until the whole thing is done.

#3. Turn the Garage Attic into a Playhouse/Fort

Yes!

This attic makeover was a favorite project this year and the boys have really loved having it. It makes me wish we would have thought of this idea when they were all littler, but at least we got it done :)

#4. Finish the Garage Curb Appeal Project

Partly...

We finally painted the back eave and did some landscaping, but there is still one more project that I didn't do. And that I haven't told you about yet.... Plus we added a project to our list for the other side of our garage. I'll add that to your list for this year.

#5. Finish Down Bathroom

Nope.

This year was weird and our focus ended up being more outside then in. But we may or may not have started this one now.... #staytuned

#6. Refresh up Bath

Yep!

It didn't take much to completely change the look of the up bath and I love it.

#7. More Room Makeovers for Others

Partly.

Well Covid really screwed this one up for me. I squeezed one in at the beginning of the year for my nephew before the world was put on pause. But hopefully this year I will get the chance to decorate some new spaces for others.

Goals for 2021

Down Bath shower

Again, we basically have most of the supplies. So this should be pretty easy to complete soon. I still am undecided on the size of the nook and what tile to add to it. Colorful? Fun pattern? More plain? Ugh. It is crazy how one little thing can hold you back from moving forward.

More Attic Storage

Like I mentioned before, we want to add a new section every year. The boys had fun helping their dad up there so I don't think getting them on board this year will be too hard. They like wearing headlamps and hammering :)

I also still need to share pics of the pull down ladder and the storage we have now. It is pretty cool!

Privacy Wall in the Backyard

This one is kind of hard to explain, but I designed a "wall" system of sorts to give us more privacy in the areas of our yard where there is a two story house next to us. Shane and I both grew up in very rural areas with few neighbors so we want our backyard to feel more private. We also want to add more trees at the back of our yard. Operation "Privacy" will commence in the spring when the ground thaws. I am SUPER excited for this one!!!

Garage Makeover (Part 3)

I have a couple more projects for the outside of the garage. I want to do some more painting (I'm keeping it a bit of a secret), and I want to fix up the south side that os currently a garbage pile. A fence, and a few other things to finish it off.

More Room Makeover for Others

Since Covid made it a bit harder to go into other's spaces for most of 2020, I am hopeful I can do more room makeovers or home projects for friends and family this year. I love doing kids spaces the most, but am open to whatever. My niece is building her first home and her little girl has already requested a rainbow unicorn room. A tad outside of my comfort zone as a boy mom, but I like a challenge!

Blog More Often

When I started this blog I posted 6 days a week. Then after a few years I went down to 4-5 and held steady at that pace for a long time. A couple of years ago, I realized my oldest would be leaving the nest soon(ish) and wanted to cut back on work and focus a lot more time on family and having adventures with my kids. I over-corrected a bit and went down to one day a week. I want to find a happy medium and post a couple days a week and slowly work up to 3 days a week. Even though I only post one day a week, it doesn't mean I don't work everyday. Between emails, social media, doing the projects, planning, etc, I still work at least part time hours daily. But I think I can push a little harder and get more content on the blog without it effecting time with kids.

Blog Makeover

This blog needs an overhaul. It needs to be redesigned so it is easier to find things and it needs a fresh look. This is the longest I have gone in-between redesigns. I am looking forward to a facelift!

The VERY Back of the Yard

Behind the planter box fence is about 25 feet of nothing. It is dirt, weeds, and firewood. It is where we park the trailer and pile up yard waste that either turns onto compost or eventually goes to the dump. Shane and I would love to clean it up a bit and put down some gravel. I also want to add better compost bins.

These pics are from two years ago when our neighbor flattened a hill back there. Imagine a billion weeds and then you know what it looks like now.

I'm hesitant to add more to my goal list because if 2020 taught me anything, it is that it is harder to plan ahead when there's a pandemic. There are much larger projects that I am omitting due to the uncertainty of our budget. Like lots of new concrete poured... I guess if they do happen, it will be a bonus :) If not, there's always next year.

Do you set home goals? I love to hear some of the projects that YOU want to accomplish this year!

As most of you know I struggle with S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and I felt the funk settling in at the beginning of November. I mention that only because my S.A.D. is always kind of in the background (except for bad years when it is front and center) and can make other things seem more overwhelming than under normal circumstances.

Family Update

My oldest son has now left for his mission and is in Virginia. I am so proud that he has chosen to spend the next two years in the service of others. So incredibly proud. But my momma heart is breaking knowing that I won't see him for so long. And it is breaking knowing I have officially moved into a new stage of parenting.

Change is hard and I don't want to be in this stage. The stage where my kids start moving out. I want them all under my room playing games and laughing. How did the last 19 years go so fast?

I have decided I am going to give myself a month. One month to mourn the loss of this chapter in my life. Hopefully by then I can be at peace with it. If any of you mom's have any advice on how to deal with this stage, and letting go so to speak, I'd love to hear it. It is so bitter sweet being sad and proud at the same time. Such an odd mix of emotions.

I do get to talk to him on Monday though and I am so excited! He's going to give me a tour of his apartment. Man I am thankful for technology! Mondays are his P days (preparation days) where he will have a "day off" to do laundry, shopping, etc. This are the days he can email us an update and occasionally call.

My second oldest son has been building a cabin in my mom's field. If you follow my instagram stories, then you have seen a few posts about it. The high school is currently doing an alternative days schedule due to Covid so he only goes to in person school a couple of days a week. Since he gets his work done early in the day on his off days, he has been spending a lot of time out there lately and I think that helps get his mind off of missing his brother.

I don't have a current pic (he is almost done) but here some progress pictures from the past few weeks.

Other Updates

To keep myself busy, I accepted a campaign from TikTok to do 40 videos in a little over a month. I basically have to do a project/video a day. I have found pushing myself to get outside for a walk and doing lots of projects helps me stay out of a deep funk. I need sunshine and accountability :) So if you are on TikTok (its not all lip syncing  and dancing) you should follow me and see all my projects and tips before they hit the blog.

I am finishing up decorating for Christmas today and tomorrow. I am not sure why I have dragged my feet this year. But I LOVE my these I chose and so do my boys. I will have that posted on Monday!

I had hoped that we would have the garage fixed up and in a position to be my winter workspace since it is too cold to use the driveway to paint and cut wood. Because we switched gears and put all our effort and money into the garage attic this summer, I don't have a suitable space to use for projects while it's cold. So, I am pausing the basement remodel (there has been a small amount of progress this Fall) so I can do large projects inside. The unfinished floors are perfect for painting things on. I swear this basement is never going to get done! But that is okay, because right now I need the work space more than an extra bedroom.

Lots of projects will be hitting the blog soon! I'm excited to stay busy this winter :)

We had a camping trip with Shane's side of the family. We camped up Little Cottonwood canyon. Even though it is here in Utah, I had never been up that particular canyon. Utah has SO MANY mountains and canyons that I have really only explored a small portion of them. It made me want to travel more within my state and see more places.

We hiked up to Red Pine Lakes. It was 4.1 miles each way so at over 8 miles, it was the longest hike I have done since hurting my ankle. It was a beautiful hike.

It is in the Albion Basin which is famous for its wildflowers. We were there at the tail end of the "peak" so while we saw plenty of flowers, it was no where near the colorful masterpiece it usually is in mid July to the beginning of August. I want to go back next year to see even more.

My son has decided to serve a mission for our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). For those of you who may not know the process, he submits his paperwork and then waits to see where he will be called to serve. The leaders of our church pray about each missionary to know where they should go. It could have been anywhere in the world. He was called to the Richmond Virginia mission. He is so excited to go. So, so excited! His mission includes a small part of West Virginia, a large chunk of Virginia, and even about a third of the North Carolina coast. I know this experience will help him grow. He will be gone for 2 years.

So if you live in that area and see a cute blond missionary from Utah walking around, say hi and give him a hug for me! If you have yard work you need done or just want to visit on the porch, I'm sure he'd love to help :)

It's such a mixed bag of emotions as your first kid leaves the house. I know there will be moments when he will be staying here (summers in between college semesters), but things will never be exactly the same. It will be hard to get use to and the emotions are always close to the surface. If any of you mamas have advice for me or thoughts on kids leaving the nest, I'd love to hear it.

He's had a lot of self reflection since graduating and I'm so proud of the choices he has made.

My other three boys started school last week. As a family we chose to do in person learning. They have really enjoyed going back to school even if they have to wear masks. They come home happy and that makes me happy. Navigating this school year during a pandemic is definitely a new adventure!

In other news, the garage attic for IS DONE! I also have another garage project ready to share. Both will be hitting the blog soon. It feels so good to have it finished. Whew!

March 13th ended up being my kids' last day of "real" school. We did the whole at home learning thing. A couple did great, and a couple of them struggled. Patience was tested, deep breaths were taken, and life lessons were learned. It is something that I will look back on as mostly a good thing but I'm also hoping we don't ever have to do it again! The last day of school for us was on May 22nd and we all did a giant happy dance.

During the first month of all this, we tried to go on an adventure once a week. We headed down south a couple of times to warmer places and hiked. I am grateful we could social distance in such a beautiful place!

On May 20, 2020 my oldest graduated from high school. He was one that had a hard time with not being able to see friends and being in front of a computer all day. But he graduated with high honors and we are so proud!

His school did what they called a "hybrid" graduation. We all parked in the parking lot and faced a makeshift stage. They had speakers and such which was broadcast over our car radios like a drive in movie theater. Then we all one by one drove to the front of the school where the graduate got out of the car, walked the red carpet, and collected their diploma. Honestly, it was way more fun than a regular graduation! I think it will be a special memory for the class of 2020.

Shane and I celebrated 20 years of marriage in May. Since our plans got cancelled due to covid-19, we improvised and came up with plan B. We stayed the night in Salt Lake City in a nice hotel, got "to-go" food for dinner, and visited our old apartments from when we lived there as newlyweds.  We also strolled around the grounds of the temple where we were married. It was a nice walk down memory lane.

The next day the kids helped me make a dinner that they served us out on the patio. I had ordered some inflatable palm trees (from Oriental Trading) as decorations since we couldn't go the the actual beach. This anniversary pretty much summed up our marriage and seemed fitting. Compromises, laughter, and ups and downs.

The kids were pretty sad in the beginning of the at home learning experience. To cheer them up, and to give them something to do, we started converting our garage attic into a hang out space for them. We cleaned out the garage, took down the unsecured boards and added OSB boards as the floor, changed where the opening was, secured everything, added stairs, and water proofed the very Swiss cheese looking roof. Thank goodness Home Depot does delivery!

That is about as far as we got before I sprained my ankle. Womp, womp.... It was not related to the attic project, although I was in the garage at the time. I stood on things that were not stable in order to reach something high up. I have been in a boot for 5 weeks now and I still have a few more to go with possibly some physical therapy. I really did a number on it but I'm grateful I don't need surgery. Hopefully we can get the attic project back on track now that the yard work is all done and my ankle is starting to feel better.

We had some birthdays in April and May. Shane and my second son. Since my son's birthday was right during the time when you could only be with immediate family, my extended family and his friends did a drive by birthday parade for him. Just one more unique and fun thing to come from this pandemic.

As per usual, I have three or so projects in varying stages of completion. I have one that is completed but I'm waiting on the green light from the company to share. I also got my garden in on time for a change. So in other words, there are lots of projects coming very soon!

I don't normally spend a lot of time on Facebook, but it has been fun to read people's experiences since this pandemic took over. It's nice to know others are going through similar things and feelings. I hope you all have weathered this storm okay. I hope you haven't been too negatively affected by this and have at least had some positive things come out of it. There is always good that comes out of  things like this. Always look for the good :)

Since my site is having issues and you are not able to pin images from it, I thought I would hold off on posting projects for a sec until I can get the issue resolved. I'm so sorry for the inconvenience!

I wanted to share some things our family has been up to anyway, so this works out (I'm doing my best to be a "Pollyanna" about it).

Back at the beginning of February, my oldest son had the opportunity to star in his high school's big musical. They did the play Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Photo Credit: Bryan Stinson

I have tried since Junior High to get him to audition for musicals and was so excited when he finally did. It is so fun to see your kids go outside of their comfort zones and grow because of it. You can hear a clip of him singing my favorite song in my instagram stories under "Family".

Photo Credit: Bryan Stinson

My two middle boys have birthdays the same week so we had fun celebrating them turning one year older. I sure miss when my kids were tiny and wish I could rewind time!

My third son learned the ins and out of doing tech for plays and is doing his first play this week at the junior high. Little Mermaid! He really has enjoyed being the sound tech lead.

My second son has enjoyed taking a ceramics class and a wood working class this year. He has made some amazing things! He really makes me want to get a lathe to being to make some candlesticks myself.

I had the opportunity to go with my son on his choir tour to Florida. They performed at Disney World and had some fun clinics there as well. I have never met a better group of kids. There were almost 100 kids and not one single second of drama. We got compliments everywhere we went about them being polite and respectful. I was bursting with pride.

My sister came with me which was so fun! We were in charge of 10 boys and loved getting to know them better, decorating their hotel room doors, and giving them little gifts each night. Being a chaperone was the best!

I decided since I had never had a full physical, it was high time to get the works done. I have gone to 5 doctor's appointments in the last month. Turning 40 kind of stinks! But my blood work came back and everything is awesome. My mammogram came back normal too. Whew! The allergist thinks that gluten and soy are the main reason for my stomach issues but we are still waiting for some test results. I also found out I am allergic to raw garlic and mustard seed. If you have never gone for a full physical, I really want to encourage you to. Especially if you are getting to a "certain age" ;)

We adopted a cockatiel! I had one when I was growing up and it was hands down my favorite pet (and I had a TON of pets). I have wanted to get another one for years and I'm not sure what stopped us. Maybe it just wasn't the right time. He (or she....we aren't 100% sure) is still getting use to us and his new environment. I'm trying to be patient.

Hopefully I will get the issues with my site fixed soon and I can share some projects. I hope things are going well with all of you. I love hearing from you and enjoy the emails I get. Thanks so much for being so supportive over the years. 

This post contains affiliate links.

Supplies for Terrarium Ornaments

Gravel

Clear Plastic Bulbs

Clear Craft Glue

Potting Soil

Small Funnel

Pencil or Stick

Faux Plants

How to Make Terrarium Ornaments

Step 1

Fill the bulbs with gravel. I had some pea gravel left over from an outdoor project but I think gravel for fish tanks would work better since they are smooth and pretty. Plus they come in smaller bags.

Step 2

Squirt some clear craft glue onto the gravel. Just enough to cover the top since it will seep down to the bottom.  Be careful not to add too much or it will take longer to dry.

Step 3

Put some potting soil onto a paper plate and add some clear glue. Stir it well so that the soil is damp.

Step 4

Using the funnel, add the damp potting soil to the bulbs. My funnel was really small and I had to cut the tip of it off with a box cutter. Then I used a pencil to push the dirt through.

Step 5

Cut small pieces off of some faux plants. Using tweezers, add the little plants to the bulbs. Press them into the dirt.

Allow them to dry (or at least mostly dry) before adding the tops and hanging them on your tree.

They took longer to dry than I would have thought but so worth the wait. I love how they look on my tree! I also tucked the extra faux greenery into the tree.

What do you think? Would you ever make terrarium ornaments? Do you have any other ideas of how to make these? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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This post is sponsored by Wagner Spray Tech but all ideas and opinions are 100% my own!

Clear Cast Resin Ornaments With Snowflakes

White Resin Snowflake Ornaments

Supplies for Snowflake Resin Ornaments

*Affiliate links

Snowflake Silicone Mold

Circle Silicone Mold 

Clear Resin

White Resin

Wagner HT400 Heat Gun

Snowflake Confetti

Step 1

The resin will come in two bottles. Measure equal parts into a container and mix well. If you do not mix long enough, the resin will not set up.  Don't ask me how I know :/

Step 2

Once the resin has been mixed thoroughly, you can pour the resin into the molds.

Step 3

Add the snowflake confetti to the clear resin ornaments. They will sink slightly.

Step 4

Use the Wagner HT400 Heat Gun to get rid of any bubbles that formed while mixing. This is my secret weapon to getting super clear resin projects. It is so fun to watch them pop!

TIP: I opted to do two thin layers so the snowflakes were at different depths. To do this, add a thin layer (⅛"-¼") and add a snowflake or two. Wait for at least 6 hours (so the first layer has hardened) and then add another thin layer of resin with more snowflakes. The clear resin takes 24 hours to dry enough to remove from molds.

The white resin sets up much faster than the clear resin. I mixed up small batches (enough to do three at a time) to prevent it from starting to harden before it was poured.

Step 5

Once the snowflake resin ornaments have completely cured and are hard, you can drill small holes in the tops.

The clear resin ornaments almost look like they have been etched. I love the look! And even though it was hard to photograph them to show the different depths of the flakes, I am really happy with how they look in person.

In the past I have used the snowflake molds to make white chocolate snowflakes and I love that these look almost good enough to eat :)

Speaking of using heat guns to make ornaments, several years ago I made these icicles. They are easier than you might think! And they won't shatter and break if they fall. Even better :)

Do you have a tradition of making ornaments? What are some of your favorite kinds?

GIVEAWAY!

Wagner is offering to giveaway one of their HT400 Heat Guns! They are perfect for your holiday crafting. You can use them to shrink wrap gift baskets as well.

You must be at least 18 years old to enter. You must be a resident of the USA to enter. The giveaway will go from November 21, 2019 until November 28, 2019. A winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen. The shipping of the prize is the responsibility of the company, in this case, HomeRight.

Enter below using the Rafflecopter Widget:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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*Some links in this post are affiliate links

This Fall I gave my family room a little refresh and while I haven't shared the full room yet, I have given a little peek when I shared our new flooring. This black bench is a new addition to our family room and I love it!

It is available on Amazon for about $140.

Black Spindle Back Bench

This spring I did a major renovation on our side yard and created a raised bed garden. I used these expandable hooks to hang tools and my sweet new gardening hat.

Expandable Coat Rack

Three months ago I decided to go full Keto, which means no gluten and no sugar. I feel so much better! No more gut issues. The only way I have survived the whole "no sugar" thing is because of these... Choc Zero chocolates! And yes, they really do taste like regular chocolate! They have dark and milk chocolate and several flavors.

Even if you are not doing the Keto diet but just want a healthier treat, you should try it!

Choc Zero

I updated the hooks in my office. I needed sturdy hooks that could hold a lot of things. The office also acts as a mudroom so it is always full of coats and backpacks. These do the job!

Black Metal Hooks

If I could host an infomercial for a product it would be this! I am so giddy over this hose you guys! I only bought it because my mom bought one first and I saw it in real life. Otherwise, I would have thought it was a "too good to be true" or too "gimmicky".

I hate regular hoses. They crack, they are a pain in the arse to gather and roll up, they always crush my plants when my kids toss the rolled up hoses out of the way so they can mow, and they KINK. They are constantly kinking.

This hose is light weight, doesn't kink, and literally grows as you turn it on and shrinks back to a tiny little thing when you turn it off.

I bought it in the Spring and it didn't matter how many times I used it this year, I got excited like a 5 year old every time I turned the hose on.

Expandable Hose

Speaking of yard work, I loved using the battery operated cultivator in my garden! You can read my full review HERE.

Ryobi Cultivator

We re-landscaped our front yard this year and thanks to the recommendation of my  friend Donna, I bought what she called a half moon shovel. It makes edging so much easier! And my flower beds have never looked so good!

Edging Shovel

The reason we got new flooring recently was due to a leak under our kitchen sink. It was a slow leak that we didn't notice until it was too late. I ordered some of these leak detectors and put them anywhere water might be an issue...including under the kitchen sink! They are inexpensive and there are even smart versions available that will alert you via your phone in case you are not home.

Leak Detector

I first heard about these particular peel and stick tiles from my friend Beth. She used them on her kitchen floor. I ordered some for my sister's fireplace to cover up some ugly porcelain tile. I was so impressed with their quality, that I am considering them for my laundry room floor!

Peel and Stick Tiles

I live with five guys. The level of stink that comes off some of their feet is unbelievable. It literally takes my breath away some days. These sneaker balls are not only great for shoes, but I stick them in air vents too. They smell like laundry!

Sneaker Balls

Have you discovered anything fun this year? I'd love to hear about your favorite products too! Comment below :)

The other ladies that are sharing today are my good friends Rhoda from Southern Hospitality and Amy from The Idea Room.

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This post is sponsored by HomeRight.

After:

We had previously had a black bookcase in the closet as well. We had to take it out when we installed our new floors recently and I know Shane wanted to say some swear words. It was so hard to maneuver it out of the tiny 3 foot by 3 foot space since it was taller than the doorway. We (and by we I mostly mean Shane) decided not to put it back in. The bookcase has found a new home in the garage. I built some new floating shelves that matched up with the existing shelves that are on the side over the stairs. They also match the prop shelves in the office.

The Easiest Way To Paint Closet Shelves

One of the other modifications I made was I cut down the existing shelves to make them 6" shallower. The attic access is in the ceiling of this closet and the shelves stuck out a bit too far and made it a challenge to get in and out of the attic. While the boards were out, I took advantage and painted the walls! Since the closet it over the basement stairs, one wall is slanted and it very deep at the top. It makes it hard to paint unless you have a sprayer. I used my Finish Max Super (affiliate link) to go from black to white FAST! This is definitely the easiest way to paint closet shelves... and the walls!

Here's a peek at the shelves while in the process of being built. While not the prettiest thing I have built, I am proud to say that I made a dent in my scrap wood pile and only used scrap pieces for this project.

I had some primed 1x3 left over from a recent project and used that to trim out the shelves. Once they were all built, it was time to paint! Here are my tips for painting in a closet.

Tip #1

Since you will be painting in a small space, it is extra important to wear a mask. While the overspray with the Finish Max Super is minimal, there is a little and it becomes dust as it dries in the air. Since the space is small with little air circulation, you will notice it more than if you were in a large room or outside. You may want to wear a hat too. I prefer a disposable shower caps.

Tip# 2

Because of the overspray dust, you will want to cover not only the floor of the closet, but the floor outside of the closet. It makes for easier clean up.

Tip #3

Start painting at the top of the closet and work your way down. Go back and forth in even strokes. Make sure you adjust the paint output so you don't have too much paint coming out or you will get drips. Don't get too close to the walls and shelf ot you might have the same problem. A couple thin coats are always better than one thick coat. After the first coat of paint, grab a foam brush and look for any drips and fix them before they dry.

Tip #4

If you are painting new wood that hasn't been painted before (like my plywood shelves) you will need to lightly sand after the first coat. When wood get wet, the grain raises. It dries that way and will feel rough. Once you lightly sand it and then paint it again, it will be smooth as can be!

The Organization

One of the problems I fixed with this new design had to do with spray paint and small paint jars. Before they were all mixed in on the slanted side with the gallons  and quarts of paint. They always fell behind and it was hard to find the color I needed. I built 3.5" shelves along the side that easily fit all my spray paint and sample jars. No more digging!

I used to have pegboard where the shallow spray paint shelves are now and while I loved the look of them, I didn't really have a ton of things that needed to be hung up. I added a few hooks on the top and a few on the bottom and I am good to go. A much better use of space!

There are baskets and bins for everything! And they are labeled. No excuses for my kids not to put things back where they go.

Because the one side is slanted, the top shelf is super deep, the middle shelf is pretty deep and the bottom shelf is about as deep as the other shelves. The top shelf houses the gallons and quarts with larger miscellaneous things behind. Things we rarely use. We also hide Christmas gifts up there...shhhh!

As a DIYer I obviously have more power tools and supplies than this, but these are the things that I deemed necessary to have in the house. Everything else is in the garage. I love having the things we use most right here where we can easily get it. And it doesn't look half bad!

Now for the giveaway!!!

GIVEAWAY

HomeRight has offered to give one lucky ready a Finish Max Super paint sprayer!

You must be at least 18 years old to enter. You must be a resident of the USA to enter. The giveaway will go from October 29, 2019 until November 4, 2019. A winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen. The shipping of the prize is the responsibility of the company, in this case, HomeRight.

Enter below using the Rafflecopter Widget:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Why I Re-landscaped the Front Yard

Our house is orange. There, I said it. Terracotta if you want to get fancy. Having such colorful flowers against the orangey brick only accentuated it. I tried to like it. Heck, I kept it that way for 12 years! I wanted so badly for it to look like a wildflower cottage. But when I knew that I was going to be changing things up in my secret garden and that those flowers would need to be re-homed, it kind of spurred this project along too.

A More Neutral Palette

I decided that having greenery and white flowers was the best move. My secret garden was all white flowers and I loved the look. I hoped that by having a more neutral color palette that it would downplay the orange tone of the brick.

I kept it simple. I planted some white peonies, boxwoods, and snowdrop anemone. The peonies and boxwoods will get taller than they are now. The snowdrops are as big as they will get and form the perfect border. They, like the peonies, will bloom in the spring and will even give a bonus bloom in the Fall.

I transplanted my white bleeding hearts (that were in my old secret garden) to the north side of the house. You can't see them all, but they line the whole side of the house.

I also wanted some more dramatic height and more texture. I planted two junipers. One on either side of the porch. They will get quite a bit taller and I am really excited!

Mulch and Edging

I decided to use mulch for the first time. Before, the flower spread and were so close that using mulch didn't make as much sense, but since these plants won't spread and are spaced out, I wanted to do something to help with weeds. I added a layer of Preen before putting it down.

I followed my friend Donna's tutorial for edging. It turned out so well! I used a half moon shovel to get nice clean lines and then made a trench all around the border.

Sorry for the poor quality cell phone pic.

Then the trench got filled in with much but not as much as the flowerbeds. It creates a bit of a mound effect and is suppose to help the grass from growing into the flowerbed.

This is the shovel I ordered. I love it! (affiliate link)

Rounded Edging Shovel

The Finishing Touches

I also added little boxwoods along the path to our door. They are the variety that stay small. I am going to try and clip them to be more round once they get a bit bigger.

The ivy I planted 3 years ago is finally getting tall enough to cover most of the mailbox. I have always hated out mailbox so I am so excited to have the swirly metal things covered. Next year it should be completely covered!

The window boxes that I painted blue last year, are filled with annuals like petunias, lobelia, and asparagus ferns.

Last year when we got our new roof, Shane painted the eaves of the house tan to match the tan brick and the foundation. It also helped tone down the orange. In fact, since then, I have had a few people come up and ask me what we did to our brick. They wanted to know if we sandblasted or put some kind of a wash on it because it looked lighter. They may not have realized it, but that was a huge compliment (for lack of a better word).

Once I have our garage made over (coming soon!) I will finally have the front of our house exactly how I want it. It only took me 12 years :)

Do you like the curb appeal of your home ? Do you have any projects that you want to do to improve it? I'd love to hear about your front yard and exterior projects!

After the fire, they closed the canyon down. We were not able to go up in the Fall to see the damage up close. This winter we got more snow than usual which meant that the canyon remained closed longer this spring. A couple weeks ago they finally opened one of the gates. We still can no get all the way up, but we were able to go and check on a couple of our special places. They look like this now.

These first two pictures are of the trail leading to our meadow.

This is a before and after of our meadow we would hang out in as a family after hiking.

I am kind of glad that we were not able to go up right after. I think seeing some green grass growing here and there helped make it seem not so bleak.

A bit lower, there places that have burned spots among the green but are in pretty good condition. And there are even areas that look the same.

We are looking forward to when they open the whole Nebo loop so we can see our favorite camping places. We know one is completely gone but hope that some are okay. I'm also curious to see what the lake looks like.

This fire has taught me some things. Or at least reinforced what I already knew. One, our community rocks. They banded together and served their little guts out. I'm proud to live here. Second, things are never as bad in the morning, or in this case, in the spring. Having time to process things and come to terms with the change, really helped.

Fingers crossed the upper part of the canyon opens soon!

I thought I would give you an update on all the projects I've been working on while I was MIA on the blog.

The front yard got a makeover. I transplanted a lot of the flowers to the backyard and gave away the rest. It created a blank slate in the front. Since all the flowers were perennial, it was the first time we have had empty flowerbeds since we moved in 12 year ago.

I dug up the plants in the secret garden and transplanted them in the front. I did it even thought late spring is the worst time to transplant things. My peonies were about to bloom and my bleeding hearts were already blooming.

I tilled it up and gave it an epic makeover! I can not wait to share it with you!

Peonies are notoriously bad at being transplanted. They do not like change (I get you Peonies, I get you). I prayed for, worried about, and babied those plants and they seem to be doing alright. I cut off most of the flower buds. I figured if I cut off the flowers, all the energy would go to the roots. I should have cut them all off but I didn't have the heart.

Back in the secret garden, the vines had started to grow on the house so I trimmed them back. those little suction feet that vines have are a beast to get off. Power washing, soaking then scrubbing, and wire brushing didn't work.

The only thing that worked was sanding with a heavy grit sandpaper. I put my child laborers, I mean kids, to work. It even worked on the brick with out damaging the brick. I was surprised. It didn't get it 100% clean, but it was way less noticeable. I painted the foundation after.

My sister and niece came into town for a week and while they were here we helped clean out my mom's barn. She has stored all our "treasures" from growing up and it was time to sort through them to see what we wanted to keep. I found a box of unsent thank you cards from my wedding....Whoops! We also cleaned everything else and filled the giant trailer more than once.

It is a nice barn and if I had the money, I would fix it up to be a space to entertain since she no longer has horses. One day...

I do not have my whole garden in yet. It is all tilled and prepped, but mostly empty. Last year I was in panic mode because I didn't have my garden planted until the middle of June and it ended up being the best producing garden we have ever had. This spring, especially May, was NUTS weather wise. Rain, rain, rain, hail, rain, and more hail. I have more than one friend who had their garden destroyed from the crazy spring weather this year. So I waited in part because of the weather and in part due to other projects taking precedence. But my perennial plants like my strawberries, raspberries, and artichokes are doing great :)

I've done a ton of painting. Mostly for other people. But some projects for me too. I still need to share the bedroom/office makeover. I can't seem to keep it clean long enough to do a proper photo shoot. Having a space that functions as so many things is hard.

So to recap, I have the following projects that will be popping up on the blog soon:

The front yard makeover

The secret garden makeover

The office/bedroom makeover

New yard tools review

Paint sprayer project and giveaway

Garage makeover

Has your summer been busy? I hope you have had time for some fun and some projects :)

Hooks, check! Baskets in cubicles, check! Lots of light and a place to sit, check! Seems pretty perfect to me :)

Source: Design Vibes

I know the little shower area is meant for dogs, and as a dog mom I appreciate that. BUT I have been known to hose off a muddy little boy or two in the past and I think I would use it just as much if not more for little kids and their muddy hands and feet!

Source: Hawkes Landing

This darling mudroom proves you don't need a huge space to have a functional space.

Source: Nina Hendrick

I am crushing on the brick floor. I think I would have add a herringbone brick floor in my own space. I love all this storage too!

Source: Remedy Design

This room has a very European flare and if you have seen my own kitchen, you know that I love the black and white checkerboard patterns. The wood tone and the large window are amazing as well.

Source: The Fox Group

I love the simplicity of this space. Very modern and sleek. I wonder what it would look like covered in backpacks?

Source: Unknown

This was styled to sell the sweet bench, but if it was in a home with kids, I am sure the shelves would be filled with bigger bins for things. I love the colors and the flooring too.

Source: Sarah Virginia Home

Another cute brick floor! Can you imagine coming in from outside and being able to sit on that cute window seat to remove your shoes? I'm jealous of all the cabinets!

Source: House Beautiful

Hooks, baskets, cubbies, and shelves. This little spot has everything you need!

Source: Emily Henderson

I'm obsessed with the styling of this space. The tile floor, rug, and color of the shelves.

Source: Realm Interiors

My favorite thing about this space is the large pantry type cabinets. I like the idea of being able to hide backpacks and coats.

Source: Petite Haus

I think the little shelf below the bench is so clever. This is such a cheery space!

Source: Lela Burris

I feel like this one, out of them all, is the most functional and most realistic for a family with kids. All that show storage is glorious!

Source: Sue De Chiara

I am a big fan of mudrooms being shared with laundry spaces. My kids come in covered in dirt (and me too after gardening!) and it would be so nice to immediately put dirty clothes and shoes in the wash.

Source: Design Storms

This small space is so sweet! And I love the pocket door that could hide it when it was less than clean.

Source: Magnolia

This space makes good use of every last little space. Lots of storage and seems very kid friendly :)

Source: Z Plus Interiors

Since our kitchen door is the door we use 90% of the time, I like this organized mudroom right off of the kitchen complete with a command center.

Source: Unknown

This one is so pretty! I think it would still be pretty even with backpacks and dog toys everywhere :)

Source: Unknown

If you don't have a dedicated space where you can build built-ins, adding a bench and some hooks is a great idea! That is what I have done in my office.

Source: Unknown

Here's the area in my office we use as our "mudroom".

Do you have a mudroom in your house? I'd love to hear about yours and how it functions!

We tend to spoil our cute little mutt. He gets daily paw massages, treats, lots of play time, and has more dog beds, toys and bow ties than one dog really needs. But just because you spoil your pet doesn't mean you should let your pet spoil your house. When our pillows, chair, and rug start smelling like corn chips I pull out the Febreze Fabric. And when Kevin smells like he ate some bad Mexican food, I spray a little Febreze Air. I have always used Febreze and I love the new Febreze pet product line!

Febreze is offering one lucky winner a prize package including: Febreze AIR Heavy Duty Pet Odor Eliminator and Febreze Fabric Pet Odor Eliminator  plus a $50 gift card to Walmart so you can spoil your pet and keep your house from being spoiled ;)

To enter, comment below and tell me about the pet in your life that you would spoil if you won!

You must be at least 18 years old to enter. You must be a resident of the USA. The giveaway will go from May 6, 2019 until May 13, 2019. A winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen. The shipping of the prize is the responsibility of the company, in this case, Febreze.

This post is sponsored by Febreze. All opinions are 100% my own!