{DIY} Totally Awesome Tissue Poms

I recently attempted tissue poms for a kid-friendly Halloween party and failed miserably.  {Black probably wasn't an ideal color choice looking back on it}. Then I stumbled across these directions and decided to try again.  Here's take #2 below. 

For step-by-step directions and some humor along the way, be sure to visit Nothing But Bonfires.  I made them for my daughter's room — to help spruce up an old fan/light fixture and to add some flair.

I'm completely infatuated with them!  

I love how they complement the colors in my daughter's room...

So cute, so vibrant & so much fun!

Craftastically yours,

xx Well-to-Do

Linking up to...

Check out my other DIY projects HERE — shaving cream, facial mask and pumpkin wine, oh my!

29 Ways to Stay Creative

Weekends: the perfect time to sip coffee, wear slippers and craft. I recently saw this list on Pinterest and it made me smile. Thought I'd share... and maybe inspire!

Stay creative!
xx Well-to-Do

{DIY} Bracelet Holder

My wrists have never seen an accessory they haven't liked.  Hence my overflowing collection of them.  I decided it was time to show off their beauty so I brought up an old paper towel holder from the basement and started stacking them one by one.  DIY at its easiest!

I always receive compliments on my Stella & Dot bracelets {magnified below}. Check out my friend Jill's website if you want to window shop... or shop shop!

I also saw these other ideas for bracelet holders on Pinterest which are way more fabulous than mine.

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Cute, right?!
xx Well-to-Do

{DIY} HalloWINE

One of the coolest ways we can think of to creatively reuse our favorite fall staple — the fabulous orange squash — is to make pumpkin wine. It’s easier than you think — only requires 6 ingredients! So roll up your sleeves and prepare to get a little messy.  The delicious drink can be made dry or sweet depending on your palate and extra ingredients such as ginger and cinnamon sticks can be added for a dash of warm spiciness. 

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For step-by-step directions, head over to the Ladies with Bottle blog. This is a great use for any extra pumpkins you have lying around.

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What a unique treat to enjoy later in the month — perhaps at Thanksgiving with family and friends!

xx Well-to-Do

Top image via Pinterest

Green Your Halloween

Halloween: Ranks right up there with Christmas for hating on Mother Earth. With a little creativity, though, you can still par-tay and also reduce your carbon footprint. Here are three tips to make this year's Halloween more EEK-O-FRIENDLY! {Sorry, couldn't resist}.

MAKE YOUR OWN COSTUME

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Since you probably already have your kids costumes picked out, let's talk about you. You and your closet. Believe it or not, you probably have a costume just waiting to be put together. Click here for Audrey McLelland's genius suggestions for DIY costumes!

OPT FOR REUSABLE BAG

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Cloth or canvas shopping bags, or even pillowcases, make perfect alternatives to paper or plastic bags, or to the molded plastic jack-o-lanterns. Reusable bags are also more durable!

DECORATE NATURALLY

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Instead of buying decorations made of synthetic materials, decorate with natural materials like pumpkins, hay, straw, flowers, and leaves.

See, it's easy being green!
xx Well-to-Do

Organic Halloween Treats

Since handing out raisins in my neighborhood totally wouldn't fly, I'll assume the same thing goes for you. But I have some good news: there are plenty of organic treats you can pass out this Halloween that won't get your house egged. Here are three of my favorites...

angell organic candy bars

Crispy Cat organic candy bars

Yummy Earth organic lollipops

Here's to a "healthier" Halloween!

xx Well-to-Do

{31 days of Going Green} Day 8: Got Cornmeal?

Got cornmeal? I do: 2 pounds, in fact. I purchased it earlier in the week to make homemade dry shampoo and figured I could bake some cornbread, too. Well, a large supply remains in my kitchen so, in an effort to fuel my DIY craze, I tracked down a few easy recipes that call for cornmeal. Check them out below and let me know what you think!

Happy DIYing!

xx WelltoDo

Craving more DIY beauty goodness? Then look no further than the rest of my {31 Days of Going Green} series!

Care for some simple, free artwork? Go see Creative Kristi — she has everything you'll need to accessorize your mantelpiece, wall or gifts!

Wait, there's more? Yes, 600+ additional themes here.

{31 Days of Going Green} Day 7: DIY Bronzer

Today's post is an easy DIY bronzer/blush tutorial. All you need is an empty compact case, some cinnamon and powdered sugar, your favorite essential oil, and 2 free minutes of time. 

First, find an empty compact case {previously eye shadow, blush or powder} and wash it out. Next, mix a little bit of cinnamon and powdered sugar together. Keep in mind that the more cinnamon you put in, the darker the bronzer will be. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil – this will help bond the mixture together. And voila: homemade bronzer/blush!

Here's a video {see above} with step-by-step directions should you have any questions or if you're a visual learner {like me}!

Unfortunately the lighting in my bathroom is poor on the video so you can't really see the color of my cheeks. Here's a {slightly awkward/weird} photo of me — up close so you can see the bronzer/blush.

xx WelltoDo

For additional green and DIY goodness, visit my entire 31 Days series here!

For fun, fabulous & *free* printables from Creative Kristi, click here. Print them out for instant artwork!

And for 600+ links to additional 31 Days themes, click here!

{31 Days of Going Green} Day 4: DIY Dry Shampoo

Want an easy, low-maintance way to keep your hair fresh and fabulous in between washings? Then try this DIY dry shampoo recipe! It's not only fun, but you can also feel good about cutting back on water and saving energy.

Here's what my hair looked like immediately after brushing out the shampoo. Though a little greasy, I loved how shiny and soft the shampoo made my hair feel. 

So there you have my first DIY project documented on camera. More to come this week!

xx WelltoDo

For the entire collection of posts in our {31 Days of Going Green} series, click here!

For some fun, fabulous & *free* printables from Creative Kristi, click here. Print them out for instant, simple artwork!

And for 600+ links to additional 31 Days themes, click here!

{31 Days of Going Green} Day 2: DIY Pumpkin Face

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It's officially Autumn and we're in a pumpkin state of mind. Pumpkin patches, pumpkin carving, pumpkin crafts, pumpkin coffee, and even pumpkin beer.  Sure, pumpkin is a staple of the season, but did you know it is also rich in Vitamin A which is great for your skin?


Beauty expert Erika Katz {author of Bonding Over Beauty} uses pumpkin in her DIY beauty regime because "{Vitamin A} is very healing and is essential to maintain and repair skin." Here are two of her DIY recipes {courtesy of allyou} below.

{Pumpkin face mask}
2 tsp canned pumpkin pureed
1/2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp heavy whipping cream
Mix all ingredients and apply to face
Leave on for 10 min and rinse

{Pumpkin scrub}
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey

Care to take it up a notch by adding another ingredient to the mix? Check out brunch at saks' fabulous recipe for a Pumpkin and Papaya face mask.

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Enjoy, green beauties!

xx WelltoDo

For the rest of the series, click here!

For Creative Kristi's free printables, click here!

{DIY} Potholder Clutch

Have an especially cute potholder hanging around your kitchen? Turn it into a clutch!

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So fabulous!  For step-by-step directions, please visit Tidy Mom here.


xx WelltoDo

{DIY} Chic Burlap Frames

Love this idea from nannygoat blog. Such a great way to display momentos or kid art work! 

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All you need is a frame {painted or not}, clip holder, some burlap and... voila!


xx WelltoDo

{DIY} Garden Rake Necklace Holder

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Got an extra garden rake head? Then we've got a project for you: a necklace holder! 

What do you think?

xx WelltoDo

{FITNESS} One Move Workout

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Let's face it: some days there aren't enough hours in the day to find time to exercise. And for Suz, those days have turned into years. But she's taking the "new season, new you" approach to working out and is starting with this one move full body workout courtesy of Real Beauty. Check it out and let us know what you think!

xx Well to Do

LIFEHACKER

A friend recently told me about a website called Lifehacker. At first I thought he was just being a wise-ass... because he's sassy like that. But once at the website, I soon realized I could find a gazillion clever uses for things as well as time-saving tips.

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For example: Vinegar is a foolproof cure for hiccups!

Lifehacker—tips and downloads for getting things done.  Check it out!  xx

CLASSIC WITH A SIDE OF TRENDY

If you're like us, Spring Fever has us cleansing our closets like it's nobody's business. We recently discovered this "Classics Checklist" of go-to closet classics via the uber fabulous Matchbook Magazine. We LOVE and wanted to share with you. ENJOY!



Click here for larger viewing.

Cheers to a classic closet with a side of trendy!

xx S+S

SHED HAPPENS

Welcome new friends... and old! We recently made some fabulous "green" radio with Deb Neuman on her Back to Business show along side Zeth from Central Street Farmhouse and Michael from Maple Landmark Woodcraft. Three cheers for Earth Day!

We've been busy getting ready for Spring—cleaning everything from our windows to our garages to our closets—so we thought we'd leave you with one of our most favorite posts, Shed Happens. Read on for more, and we hope you'll continually stop back in for our fun and fabulous tips, tricks, and giveaways!

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We tend to hoard—particularly when it comes to our clothes—although it's something Suz's gotten much better at now that she and her husband share a closet. A 2010 House Beautiful article about clearing out the clutter deeply inspired us. Julie Morgenstern asserts that personal change starts with your closet since it holds the clues to your past and future self. She also warns that the whole process can take a good four hours... so plan accordingly.

Here are five of our favorite tips:

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1. Begin by thinking on paper, which will help speed up and simplify the process: what do you love? When tossing items, refer to your list. When debating about an item, ask yourself: which is more valuable? The item or the cleared space?

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2. No one lets go of something without reaching for something else. Think of the overarching theme, of what sort of feeling in your life you want next (i.e. serenity, creativity, space, new fall fashions) so you can create the space for it. 

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3. Ask yourself these questions: Do I love it? Is it flattering? Is it the image I want to project? If it's a "yes" to all three, then it's a keeper. For the keepers: invest in matching wooden or padded hangers and quality containers.

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4. When you're 3/4 of the way through clearing your closet, you may begin to get overwhelmed by the space (What am I going to do without my stuff?) Remind yourself that you are who you are, not what you own. Get through the panic, and you'll experience calm and relief.

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5. Practice SHED. Separate the treasures, Heave the trash, Embrace your identity and connect to who you are without your stuff, and Drive forward.

By getting rid of outdated items, Julie Morgenstern says, you open yourself up to possibilities for the future. Remember: paring down your stuff is an important part of life, living green and going small, and will contribute to your overall happiness.

Go on and SHED. It happens!

xx S+S