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Does That Really Work?: Sharpie Mug Edition

By Dacia On April 25, 2013 · 4 Comments

It’s time for another installment of “Does That Really Work?” Basically, I put some of those Pinterest urban legends to the test and see if they really hold up! You can see my first go-round here.

So, what am I trying out this time? The ever popular Sharpie mug.

The Claim

You can design your own mug by simply drawing on it with a Sharpie. It makes for an adorable personalized gift!

The Deets

There are about a thousand different pins on Pinterest for this one, but the basics are this: draw on your design, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, and enjoy! Sounds simple enough, right? But the question is, will it hold up to being hand washed? Even more than that, is it dishwasher safe??

The Experiment

I pulled out a white mug that I picked up at Target last year for $1 (woot!) and a regular ol’ black Sharpie. I drew on an ikat-ish inspired design and let it bake for 30 min at 350 degrees. Then it was time to see how it held up to being washed. I started out by hand-washing it. And I instantly started to see some chinks in the armor.

But I went ahead and put it through the dishwasher as well. I’ll admit, I was expecting it to come out of the dishwasher completely white again, but it held up better than expected. Don’t get me wrong, some of the Sharpie still washed off and I think after a few washes, it would all be gone.

So, I think I’m gonna call this one busted.

But the story doesn’t totally end there. After looking at few other blog posts on the subject, it seems if you use the oil-based Sharpie paint pens, that your design will be permanent AND dishwasher safe!

Another happy ending for this edition of ‘Does That Really Work?’.

{NOTE: This series is totally just for fun and not meant to dispute anything anyone else has done. I’m just sharing MY experience!}

Tree Huggin’

By Dacia On April 23, 2013 · Add Comment

Yesterday marked 1 month since we welcomed Lil’ Dude to our world. Cue the tears. From me, not him. Oh no, our mister is allll smiles!

And on top of that, it was Earth Day! So to celebrate both occasions, we got our tree-plant on.

I love the idea of taking a picture of Roarke next to the tree every year on his birthday to see how they both grow. I chose a Dogwood tree for sentimental reasons. My grandfather was the developer of the neighborhood I grew up in, Dogwood Estates so they’ve always held a special place in my heart! Plus, they’re gorgeous!!

Now, I’m definitely not a gardening expert so I won’t even try to offer up any tips. I’m just praying our tree doesn’t die.

Did you guys do anything special to celebrate Earth Day?

Best In Show

By Dacia On April 21, 2013 · Add Comment

Every week, I like to round up some of my favorite posts and projects from around the blogosphere. Enjoy the inspiration!

This faux malachite paint treatment from Jenny at the Little Green Notebook is absolutely FABULOUS! I’m dying to try it for myself!!

Allison over at Little Lovelies shared a quick and fantastic furniture update. Would you believe that’s just contact paper on the drawers? It looks awesome!

I adore this mason jar butterfly terrarium from Kirsten at 6th Street Design School. I think it would be fun to do a bunch of them for a table centerpiece!

That’s all for this week..hope you guys enjoyed!

DIY Yarn Wall

By Dacia On April 18, 2013 · 3 Comments

Whoop! I’ve officially completed by first project post-baby and, I must say, it felt awesome! Granted, it took me about 3x longer than it should have since I had to stop for feedings/diaper changes/cuddle time, but that’s beside the point. I’m just happy to be getting back in the swing of things!

When I gave you guys the House Tour (here, here, and here), I mentioned that I wanted to add some personality and fun to our entryway, and what’s more fun than yarn?!? Puppies, maybe, but those are harder to decorate with. This is such a simple update that ti doesn’t even really need a tutorial, but I’ll give you the quick rundown anyway.

All you need is yarn, small nails (you could also use pushpins or even tape), and scissors.

I started off by tying the yarn around the nail.

I snipped off the extra near the top, and then I nailed it into the wall, right up underneath the trim.

After I put the first one in, I decided to go ahead and partially nail in the rest of my nails in a random pattern along the wall. Then I went back and tied yarn on each nail.

In order to secure the yarn at the bottom, I simply used tape. It was much easier than doing nails along the bottom, and since it’s hidden, no one will know! Except for all of you, of course.

This is such an easy (not to mention cheap) wall treatment, and it would be great temporary idea for anyone that’s renting! So, what do you guys think?

Linking up at Home Stories A to Z

New Mom Baby Essentials

By Dacia On April 16, 2013 · 4 Comments

I’m slowly coming out of my new mommy coma, and I’m ready to get back to getting some projects done around here! But first, I thought I’d share with you guys a few of the baby-related things that I’m loving so far. And, no, this isn’t going to turn into an all-baby-all-the-time blog, but I love sharing my life with you guys and he’s definitely a huge part of it now!

So here’s some of the things I’ve been getting the most use out of during this past month:

1. The Boppy Pillow - It’s great for resting the baby on during feedings, and Roarke loves laying in it on his own. Not to mention it’s great to throw a pretty blanket over and use to prop him up during little photo sessions.

2. Chicco KeyFit Stroller/Car seat Combo - Honestly, the idea of car seats and strollers kind of intimidated me. I’ve seen some that are so complex they should come with an accompanying text book. But this combo system is so easy. The car seat base is a breeze to install and the car seat just snaps right in. And it also fits easily into the stroller. So simple!

3. Graco Glider - Roarke loves swinging in this glider…it has 6 different speed settings (!), plays music, and vibrates. I know…seems like a lot of options for a newborn, but he loves it!

4. Scratch Mittens - The only thing Roarke has been insistent on since the beginning is having his hands up by his face. He HATED being swaddled because it restricted his arms. So, for us, scratch mittens were an absolute must. We can’t have him scratching up his face. That’s the moneymaker.

5. Zip-Up Sleepers - OK, so when it’s 3 am and your baby is ready to eat right NOW, you don’t want to be messing with a zillion snaps to get his diaper changed. Trust me: the zip-up sleepers are heaven sent.

6. Bottle Drying Rack - I have this drying rack right next to the sink and it’s super convenient to have all the bottles/parts in the same, easy access location. And as far as baby accessories go, this is one that isn’t actually an eyesore to have out. Bonus!

7. Photo Stream – I’m sure all of you are way ahead of me on this, but I had never used the Photo Stream function on my iPhone before having a baby. I have found this to be the absolute easiest way to share daily photos with my family. I shared the photo stream with them (all you need to have is their e-mail address listed with their contact info), and then I simply add photos and they all get a notification on their phone and can view them easily. They can also leave comments as well. We all love it!

So those are just a few of the things that I’ve gotten the most use out of these first few weeks. And of course every baby is different, so I would love to hear some of your most useful baby items!