Redecorating Inspiration from Toddler to Tween

No more little girl mural. 
See the LOVE?

Everyone said it would happen.  I just didn't think it would happen to MY little girl.  But she is growing up and I don't know how to control (er I mean stop) it.  The first part of this transition came when we went clothes shopping.  Her eyes would roll every time I showed her the matchy-match outfits off the racks. 

But then she wanted me to redo her room.  The room I did when she was 4 1/2 years old with the painted horse and rainbow mural she loved,  along with the poorly painted ceramic class projects, stuffed animals and pictures of her in cute costumes hanging on all her walls.  "Mom, these are so babyish.  I don't want them in my room anymore!"  (A tear just dropped as I typed that comment.) 

Hesitantly I agreed to change her room.  When I asked her what she wanted she exclaimed, "ZEBRA and turquoise!" ...then my eyes rolled to the back of my head.    The inspiration came from the zebra sheet set in the Pottery Barn Teen Catalog. However, I ended getting the bedding at HomeGoods for a third of the cost.  Here is the new bedding. 

We did over thirty things to upgrade her room from a toddler to a tween's room.  You can view the transformation and some ideas in the 30daysof facebook fan page album.  

I did manage to paint over the horse mural above.  It was the last thing I did and I cried like a baby.  Luckily I remembered to take a picture and incorporated it into the new room as a screen saver on her computer. 

Here's how you can get started with your room transformation

1. Find the inspiration from a magazine
2. Pack up all baby things in boxes 

3. Choose your bedding (this will set the tone for the room) Be prepared to be BOLD and stick with the color.
4. Choose paint swatches and samples.  Test out on walls to make sure it looks good in light.

5. Prepare the room for painting.  Use Blue Tape for the edges and ceilings and plastic for floors.

6. Paint walls with the first coat.
7. Build new furniture.  We added a board in the nook of her corner for a desk.  ($60 vs. $300 for something we didn't really like)
8. Add painting textures - We painted a chalkboard tree and zebra stripes using different sheens of paint. She can write whatever she wants on the branches as she grows. (see album with ideas)

9. Add decals - we used Owl Mirrored Decals from Target
10. Find new furniture - Be patient with this one and use the Craigs List app for great deals. We found an armoire, side table and giant mirror for under $200.

11. Find Posters of their favorite celebrities, shows, causes, bands, etc.

12. Get Pillows, Blankets, Rugs
13. Make custom artwork - Blow up big pics, make collages, or jewel some wooden letters to spell out their name.

14, 15, 16  Reorganize Collections - Repainted the keychain holder and displayed the trophies above on a shelf in a graphic design shape. Also redid the shadow box of all her baby stuff and replaced it with her favorite shells instead. (cried)

17. Organize the desk area - get bookshelves, storage containers, filing cabinets

18. Lighting - choose a desk lamp and or ceiling lamp.  I say keep these neutral at the base to go with any decor.

19. Electronics - alarm clocks, computer, keyboard, stereo (NO TV though)

20. Paint Old Furniture or replace hardware to make more modern

21. Organize a Clothing System 

22. Mirror - Every girl needs a full length mirror.  

23. Retreat Area - Find a corner of the room to place a chair so she can read and relax.

24. Jewelry Station - I used a bulletin board to hang her necklaces and found a cute jewelry box for everything else.

25. Calendars - have some kind of calendar scheduler in the room.  These MTWTHF dots are adorable.

26. Drapery - Hang blinds, drapes, or beads to accentuate the windows

27. Ceilings - Don't forget to look up.  Write messages in invisible glow in the dark ink for when she goes to sleep at night. 

28. Add a Pet - Birds, Lizards, Hamsters, Snakes are a way to add life to any bedroom.  

30. Floral Arrangements - plants, trees and flowers look great in any room.  Real is always best but you can also get creative with artificial manazanita branches and eliminate #24 - jewelry station.

This will be a room she will be in until she graduates from school.  I believe every child deserves his/her own space and it should be a reflection as to who they are and inspire them to dream about who they want to become.   

Did this inspire you?  How many times do you redo your kids rooms.  Don't forget to check out the album for the details and inspiration.

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A Perfect 10 Pasta Salad Recipe

My cousin makes the BEST pasta salad consisting of lots of vegetables and seasonings.  I created this pasta version based on her ingredients and kept the measurements to a total of 1.  Does that make sense?  Read the recipe and then it will.

1 16 oz bag of spiral pasta (cooked per package)

1 cup of Cherry Tomatoes (cut in half)

1 cup of Pepperocinis (sliced)

1 cup of Red Onion (diced)

1 Green Bell Pepper (diced)
1 Yellow Bell Pepper (diced)

1 can of Black Olives (sliced) 

1 bunch of fresh chopped basil
1 packet of Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing (prepare as directed.  Need red wine vinegar and olive oil)

And last but NOT least - 

10 pinches of McCormicks Perfect Pinch Salad Supreme Seasoning.

Become a fan of facebook for new contests, recipes and inspiration for creators, writers, designers and moms.

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Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza

Here is a great dessert to serve at a summer bbq.  I brought this one over for a memorial party in the color scheme of red, white, and blue.  It was gone within 5 minutes. 

Here's how to make:
SUGAR COOKIE FRUIT PIZZA

3/4 cup of butter, softened (must be softened, not melted in the microwave)
1 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I USE Pure Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste from SurLaTable)
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Roll out dough evenly on a clay cookie stone.
 

Bake 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.  Trim the uneven edges with a pizza tool after the cookie has cooled.

Mix 1 pack of cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar (white or powdered) until creamy. Spread on the cooled cookie. 

Use your favorite seasonal fruits on top.

slice with the pizza cutter of a large knife as pizza slices.

The above sugar cookie recipe can be used for Shamrocking, egging, booing your neighbors and friends.  Learn how to here:

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Asian Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Inspired by Craig Strong's Asian Pulled Pork Sandwich - see his recipe
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/recipe?id=12500875

The month of April, I am inspired to think ASIAN, mostly because I am deeply affected by the situation in Japan.  I can not imagine what they are going through. 
So while doing research "of all things Japanese,"  I have learned what a beautiful culture they have.  The food, decor and traditions.  A post will soon follow with 30 of my favorite Japanese - (Asian) inspired items but until then,  here is the first - Asian Pulled Pork Sandwiches.  I served these at a New Years Eve party and they were a big hit!

INGREDIENTS

For the Pork
1 pork shoulder (Costco sells two, freeze one for later)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup pineapple juice
2 cups Soy Vay veri veri teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

For the Slaw
2 cups julienned red or green cabbage
¼ cup julienned carrot
¼ cup julienned red onion
½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
¼ cup red bell pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 dashes Tabasco
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

For the Bread
8 Hawaiian rolls, cut in half
and toasted

HOW TO MAKE

Season pork shoulder with salt and pepper. In a medium saucepan add oil, place on medium-high heat, and brown pork shoulder on all sides. Remove and place in pan with all other ingredients of the pork mixture. Cover and bake in pre-heated 300˚ F oven for 3 hours the 250˚ for 1. Remove pork from liquid. Allow to cool enough to handle and pull into shreds and removing and fat. 
Simmer liquid and reduce by 50%. Strain liquid and mix ½ cup with pork.

In separate bowl, mix all slaw ingredients.
Serve Buffet style so guests can layer themselves.

Please like this post if you think you will ever make these.  Or become a fan of the blog on facebook. 

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You've been Egg'd with a Lunchi

This Easter, egg your neighbors to show them you care.  Make them these delicious sugar cookies and decorate them however you like. Then print up our new holiday lunchi's from Lunchi.org and surprise your neighbors, teachers, or friends with a sweet surprise at their door.  

Each Lunchi sheet comes with three sayings to choose from.  Two of them are written by me...You've been blessed and You've been egg'd.  100% of your $2 donation will benefit a children's charity listed on the site.  Here is how to make the cookies. Or fill plastic eggs with some goodies to make them smile.

EASTER EGG SUGAR COOKIE

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups butter, softened (must be softened, not melted in the microwave)
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I USE Pure Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste from SurLaTable)
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour. This is MANDATORY (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with the easter egg cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on parchment paper or a clay cookie stone.
 

Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.  

Decorate with your favorite vanilla frosting and green sugar sprinkles.  

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Bite-sized goodies

Traditions

Home Away Poem

Looking for love

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Shamrock Sugar Cookies

Cut out the shenanigans! Stop talking blarney and be sweet on St. Patrick's Day.  For it was the Irish who originally wanted us all to GO GREEN...and how can you not like tiny leprechauns?  Or are they now called little "green" people?    

So to honor all little "green" people we started a new tradition this St. Patrick's Day...we "shamrocked" the neighbors and the teacher. 

I baked the same sugar cookie recipe I do every month (great to freeze and cut up when the kids come over). I bought a shamrock cookie cutter and got my green on!  I was literally covered in green sparkle by the time it was over.  

While baking and cooling, I printed out my notecards with the You've Been Shamrocked poem written on it - written by ME.  These are available for a $2 donation at the website lunchi.org. All of the money raised at Lunchi.org is donated to charity...so your support is appreciated.  

Ready for the recipe?  Here is it!  

In the meantime, may the GOOD LORD take a liking to you...but not too soon!

I FOUND LOVE in the cookie dough! See it?

SHAMROCK SUGAR COOKIES 

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups butter, softened (must be softened, not melted in the microwave)
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I USE Pure Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste from SurLaTable)
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour. This is MANDATORY (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with the shamrock cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on parchment paper or a clay cookie stone.
 

Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.  

Decorate with your favorite vanilla frosting and green sugar sprinkles.  

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE 30daysof...

Bite-sized goodies

Traditions

Home Away Poem

Looking for love

And if you like this can you please share!  Or become a fan...Thanks.

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A "sweet" 40th Birthday Party Theme

If you have a friend who is turning 40 but doesn't want to make it a BIG DEAL...this party theme is a "sweet" idea. 

The "sweet" theme was inspired AFTER the invitations were sent and the rsvp's started coming in.  Over 10 people regretted they couldn't celebrate our friends 40th because they had other plans.  The adjective "sweet" preceded the birthday girls name in every one of these regrets.

So the party became an intimate gathering.  We booked a "suite" at the Waterfront Hilton in Huntington Beach (suite 1125 offer the following views.)  

In the hotel room I decorated a manzanita branch with the birthday girls favorite flower and used it as the centerpiece.  Sprinkles Cupcakes and Gelsons Market supplied her favorite sweets - cupcakes and french macaroons along with assorted platters of gourmet cheeses, meats, fruit, and crackers.  The cocktail of the evening, a Chief Lapu Lapu geared us up to dance the night away to the 80's tribute band FlashBack Heart Attack at the Royal Hawaiian in Laguna Beach.  Get an Imix of the songs here.

The birthday girl went home with a beautiful box of birthday wishes I typed on custom designed notecards as well as a set of beautiful bracelets from Brighton. Set up your wishlist for your party today!

This event turned out to be a great night in honor of a truly special and SWEET friend.

And if you have a friend who frets turning 40, here are 10 reasons why it is really NOT that bad! 

1. 40 is the new 30!!!

2. You're not 40, you are 18 with 22 yrs. experience!!

3. Enjoy the moment because when you are 50 or 60 you will wish you were 40.

4. Just think of all the wisdom you have, pass it on and make a difference in the world!

5. Turning 40 is better than the alternative.   

6. Look for balance in everyday of your life. Don't sign up to do things that will overwhelm you.

7. Like fine wine we get better with age! 

8. Best birthday ever, really! Life starts at 40!

9. It only gets better. What you have learned the first 40 years seems almost irrelevant as you develop into your new and spiritual self. You love deeper, appreciate life more and divine great pleasure in the little things and the world around you.

10. Depends are cheaper at Stater's   

Do you have a great 40th party theme to share? Please share below. 

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New Year's Bowling Bunko Party Theme

How do you plan a party in January for twelve of your girlfriends when you're home (and hubby) has had it with entertaining? You serve them a Seagram's Sweet Tea Palmetto along with Thai Chicken Wraps and take them to a bowling alley.

On the way to the bowling alley we played CASH CAB.  The twelve girls were split into two teams of 6.  I drove the first team down to the bowling alley giving them a chance to win money for their team.   They got three strikes before we got there.  The second team answered the same questions and won!  I got the questions from the CASH CAB app (2.99) BEWARE it is addicting!

There is a game you can play at the bowling alley called ALLEY HOLDEM however I didn't order it in time.  I would love to try this in the future.  Prize money went to Most Strikes, Highest Score, Most Spares, Lucky Draw and Lowest Score.

DECORATING IDEAS
The combination of turquoise, silver and black is a classic for new years parties.  I simply reused our New Years Eve Decorations.  Then I served a phenomenally,  fabulous Dessert in champagne flutes.

Do you like what you see?  Then become a fan of the 30days of blog on facebook or share it with others via the link below.  I get inspired when I can help others!

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SCRABBLE ART

Looking for a great gift to make for a special family?  Personalize a SCRABBLE BOARD with words that symbolize who they are.

1. For the UNDERWOOD family I wrote a list of memories we've shared together. 

Frank Sinatra

Beer

Balboa saloon

Beach

Golf

Traditions

Music

Love

BBQ's, etc.

2. Cut the board so it can be framed as shown above.  Take it to your local framers and measure the size of frame and mat you would like. They should be able to cut the heavy chip board for you. 

3. Starting with their last name UNDERWOOD, I used the list to fill the board while trying to use as many tiles as possible as well as covering the majority of the board.  

Tip - if you buy two games you can share letters and make two at a time.   OR each scrabble game comes with an order form to order extra tiles. If you need an extra s, simply order ahead of time.

4. After the majority of the tiles were used, I glued them down with MOD PODGE glue. 

5. Get it matted and framed at least two weeks in advance.  If you would like to make it a table piece, put a piece of acrylic on top of it and attach it to a lazy susan. 

OR you can include a gift certificate with the completed art so they can customize it for their home.

SCRABBLE art fun craft to make and great piece of art to give to friends or family.

In the meantime, if you are a WORDS with FRIENDS player, find me...I'm BEOBI.

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