We spent the Christmas holiday in New York City. It was the best trip of our lives (so far)! If you’d like to read about our experience and see photos, that post will be linked here when I have it ready. For some reason, writing about the logistics of travel flowed out of me before stories from the trip did! We learned A LOT of traveling hacks along the way and I wanted to share them here in case they could be useful to anyone planning a trip to New York City (especially if you’re on a budget).

I’m just going to dive right in covering the resources we used from the beginning of our trip to the end.

• Park, Sleep, Fly – Paying for parking at the airport can be brutal. Especially if you’re away for a week or more. The night before our flight we stayed at a hotel in Des Moines a mile from the airport that allowed us to park our car there while we were gone and provided a shuttle to and from the airport. Total cost was $145. A good deal because we were getting three for one, technically, with the hotel, parking, and shuttle.
• MTA Metro Card – Disclaimer before I begin: We only needed to use the subways in Manhattan, not the buses. According to a very nice woman who could tell I “wasn’t from around there,” if you take an MTA bus in Manhattan, you are required to have some sort of receipt to accompany your Metro Card. As we were exiting the airport, we bought 7-day, unlimited ride Metro Cards for $33 each. Metro Cards get you on any subway or bus on the island of Manhattan. This is the cheapest way to go if you’re comfortable with public transportation. We ended up LOVING the subway and it was one of the things we mourned when we took our last ride.
• NYC Transit App – How did we figure out how to operate the subway on our first day in NYC? The NYC Transit App. This was a LIFESAVER for us. We depended on it every single day. You put in your destination and it gives you several different route options including subway only, bus only, or a mix. It shows you on the map how to get to the terminal from wherever you are AND THEN shows you what stops to wait through so you know when to get off. There is even an alarm feature that will go off at your stop if you aren’t paying attention. Full disclosure – I have not deleted this app from my phone. I often get alerts of delays on the subway. It makes me both sad and happy. Sad I’m too poor to live there. Happy I got to visit.
• NJ Transit App – From the NYC Transit App – we hopped over to the NJ Transit App since we were staying in New Jersey. From the airport, we rode a bus (not tied to MTA – it was an airport shuttle type deal) to the subway which took us to the Times Square/42nd St. bus depot. Before we boarded the bus for our Airbnb, we purchased 10 NJ Transit tickets. Buying in bulk was much cheaper. They do accept cash on some of the buses if you don’t have a ticket – we never risked it – we always made sure we had enough. The app allowed us to see when the buses we could ride were arriving both at the depot and at our Airbnb. Very helpful in the morning so we knew when we had to be ready to leave our apartment. The route we needed had three different line numbers, so we had more bus options to ride = less wait time.
• Airbnb – I’m a HUGE Airbnb fan. It’s where I look first when I am planning a trip. It normally saves us money and we always end up charmed by wherever we stay. We found a place in North Bergen, New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. Three of the biggest perks were:

1. The cost was significantly cheaper than staying in the city.
2. The NJ Transit bus line that takes you to the Times Square/42nd St. bus depot in Manhattan had pick-up/drop-off terminals literally just outside our door.
3. The view of the NYC skyline in both the day and nighttime were STUNNING!

• Airbnb cont'd: North Bergen has a safe, small town feel. There were many things we needed within walking distance including restaurants, shops, and laundromats (because we’re freaks and love to do our laundry before we leave). Highly recommend that area. Our host was wonderful and was responsive around the clock. Even when we were checking out to head to the airport at 5:30 a.m. for a mid-morning flight because I’m a complete psycho.
• Knopf Mapguides: New York: The City in Section-by-Section Maps – This is a book we purchased weeks before our trip so we could start thinking about the places we really wanted to go. We said we’d get a day-by-day itinerary nailed down before we left, but that didn’t happen. And you know what, that was totally OK. Going with the flow was better. That way if a certain attraction didn’t work out one day, we flexed to another. If we were tired, we chose a more relaxed plan. It allowed for a more pleasant experience all around. The best part about this book is that it includes two really important things: 1) complete maps of each major Manhattan neighborhood; 2) complete maps of both the MTA bus and subway routes. Searching for things online is fine, but there’s something really nice about being able to look at a guide like this. It fits perfectly in a small purse. It was small enough it could even fit in Joel’s back pocket. You can also go through the guide and mark all of the places you go so you have a little memory book. They make these books for a lot of other destinations, I plan to purchase for future trips we take.
• CityPass – We obviously wanted to visit landmarks on our trip. The costs can add up super quick if you want to go to several in one trip. I read a lot of really good reviews about CityPass online (and I actually learned about the NYC Transit app in the comments of their Facebook page) so felt super comfortable purchasing. Seemed too good to be true, but this is one thing that was truly a good resource! We purchased the “C3” which got us into three major attractions from their list (which is a really good list). We chose the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met). Our tickets were digital – a QR Code that was scanned at each attraction. They each knew just what it was, no issues. There are extra perks that come with purchasing through CityPass. Make sure you read the fine print so you get your audio tour supplies, etc. You may also have to check-in at a different place than everyone else, but they’re very clear about where to go.
• Statue of Liberty disclaimer: This is so sad, but it’s real…DO NOT BUY TICKETS FROM PEOPLE ON THE SIDEWALKS/STREETS AS YOU APPROACH THE STATUE OF LIBERTY. We got swooped off to the side by someone who looked official and said he could help us bypass the line if we gave him X amount of dollars. It was tempting because the line was extremely long (we ended up coming back early the next day). We said, “No,” because we’re suspicious of everything and it didn’t feel right. Trust your gut. Websites, signage, everything will say, “PURCHASE TICKETS AT THE CASTLE CLINTON NATIONAL MONUMENT.” Follow this instruction. Even if you get the CityPass – you still have to go to the monument ticketing windows.
• Uber, Uber Eats – Amazingly, because we figured out public transportation, we only used Uber once to get to the airport for our flight out of NYC. I wanted reliable transportation to the airport because as I mentioned before I’m a psycho about arriving early so we don’t miss our flight. We had never used Uber Eats before and are so glad we live in the country where Uber Eats doesn’t come (I hope – I refuse to check) because we used it WAY TOO MUCH. We didn’t have a car and were normally home by dinner, so ordered in several nights. Highly recommend – but don’t abuse it. Our waistlines would be f*cked if we continued down the path we were on!

I hope this little guide helps you on your trip to New York City! I wish something like this had existed before we went on our trip. This is just a tiny glimpse into the hacks out there, but I feel that these are tips that will definitely help save you money if, like us, you are a budget traveler. Enjoy your trip and let me know if you use any of these ideas or if you have more NYC travel tips I should share (or could use in the future).

So here’s the thing. Since I was a little girl, I’ve always wanted to be FOX! Where did this obsession start? I know the exact moment. It’s when I fell in love with Disney’s fox version of Robin Hood and wished so hard I was Maid Marian. It literally made my heart ache knowing that wasn’t possible. He was my first love!

Over the years, I’ve wanted to dress up as a fox multiple times, but just never did. It’s the last minute planner in me – I didn’t have enough time to pull the details together. But this year was different. Joel and I visited a Halloween store just for fun, and I ended up finding some fox accessories that I could easily combine with items I already had to make a cute costume. I left without them because I couldn’t justify the purchase. When I found out I had some Halloween events to dress up for, I went back and got them.

Luckily, I had a couple of opportunities to wear my costume this year! Once for a Trunk or Treat event Joel and I went to on behalf of the clinic I work for, and a second time at work the next day. They take Halloween very seriously and it’s actually really fun to get dressed up in a professional setting. Lightens everything up. I had a leadership meeting that day and it was fun to see superheroes, animals, and other characters sitting around the room.
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To create my “Modern Day Maid Marian” costume, I wore the following:

• Fox ears, paws, and tail
• Long orange dress
• Fall plaid scarf
• Quilted vest belted around the waist with a thin, camel colored belt (I clipped my tail to it)
• Brown boots

To “paint my face,” I used the following:

• Two layers of my regular foundation make-up to look a little more “orange” than usual all over my face
• Rose colored blush on my cheeks to make the contrast between my upper/lower face more defined
• Several layers of translucent loose powder on my jawline, upper/lower lip, chin, and neck
• Black eyeliner to line my eyes, nose, and lips
• Black mascara to get those perfect Maid Marian fluttering, come hither eyelashes
• Deep burgundy lipstick

I’m not a make-up artist at all…so it turned out looking a little cat-like vs. fox-like, but the accessories helped tell the story. The kids at trunk or treat and patients at the clinic guessed what I was right away for the most part.
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I hope you get playful during Halloween and give creating a costume a try! Become what you’ve always wanted to be. I’m in my 30’s and had so much fun dressing up. You’re never too old to let loose and channel your inner child!

Spending time with our nieces and nephews is one of our favorite things! We have chosen not to have kids of our own, which gives us a wonderful opportunity to spoil our siblings’ children every chance we get.

Our oldest nephew, Max, is six. We have been on a few fun adventures with him over the years. He is a special little guy who is a joy to be around. We try to do one big activity with him every year, and hope to eventually do this with all of our crew when they are each old enough. We really enjoy this one-on-one time to create special memories just between us.

This year, we did a sleepover at our place. It wasn’t just ANY sleepover. It was a HARRY POTTER themed sleepover! I wanted to share a few of the things we did to give you some ideas about how to create a magical experience for your kids or other loved children in your life. You don’t have to take a big trip or spend a lot of money to wow them – get creative with what you have! Imagination is key.

I didn’t get home from work until after Max got to our house, so Joel kept him busy with a BB gun. I still have the Red Ryder BB gun my grandpa purchased for me as a kid. He said he had one like it and it was the best one you could get. I burned the buns of a lot of squirrels back in the day. When I got home, watching Max enjoy this activity brought back a lot of good memories and I was surprised to find out my shot is still pretty good!
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SAFETY FIRST! We made sure we had safety goggles and kept him a safe distance away from the targets.

While Joel stayed outside with Max, I ran inside to prepare the Harry Potter sleepover kick-off. A visit from the man himself, Albus Dumbledore!
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I was a Harry Potter fanatic as a teenager. The collection of memorabilia I have is quite large. The thing is, it’s all just sitting in my parents’ basement gathering dust. I want to start sharing the collection with the kids if they show interest so the items are enjoyed. I selected a lunchbox, cup, and broom to give to Max during his stay. I sat a little note next to the treasures for him to find.

When he came inside, the excitement on his face was priceless. After we read the note together, he dug in. The lunchbox blew his mind, we filled the cup up right away, and he hopped right on the broom – zipping around the living room! He immediately wanted to play Quidditch, so we found ourselves a Snitch and Bludgers before making our way to the backyard after supper.
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The Qudditch match was action packed! We made wands out of sticks and took on the roles of our Max-assigned characters. I dipped out early, claiming an injury, to get the next part of the Harry Potter weekend set-up.

I’m a Pinterest fanatic and had a few things I’d always wanted to try, so took advantage of the opportunity. Outdoor movie night was on. We had bought an outdoor projector and screen awhile back. After I got that set-up and tested, I started inflating a little pool that would act as our cozy movie viewing nook for the evening. A few bed pillows and warm blankets later, and we had the movie viewing nook of my dreams!

Before we knew it, the sky was dark enough for us to get things rolling. Max selected Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (one of our very favorites as well). The evening was just perfect. I curled up next to Max and he snuggled right in.

What surprised me the most about Max during his time with us is how much interest he took in the garden! He LOVED helping me. He liked watering, whispering encouragement to the plants, and even kissing some of the flowers. The green beans pictured below were his favorite and he ate them ALL!

DISCLAIMER – Don’t mind all the weeds in my photos. I was waiting for our rototiller to make its way back to me…it looks much better now!
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One hoop is used for the top, one hoop is used for the bottom of the trellis. I started by attaching the hula hoops to the garden stakes. I wrapped twine tightly around both items, for the most part using a figure 8 pattern. On the bottom, leave about six inches so you can sink the stakes into the dirt to keep it in place. On the top, make sure while you are wrapping some twine crosses over the top of the stake to keep the hoop from slipping down

I placed the structure where I wanted it in the garden. I then took the twine, tied the end to the bottom hoop, and started looping it around the hula hoops - running it from the top hoop, to the bottom hoop in a zig zag pattern. After I got all the way around, I tied off the end of the twine.

I have many critters this year, so I also have cages around both pea plants that have acted as trellises in addition to the one I created.​

The structure has been solid and all has stayed in place, even in the bad storms/high winds we’ve had. The peas have been growing nicely, wrapping themselves around the twine.

See, I told you I got rid of the weeds! Here is what the trellis looks like in our garden.  ​

It has been a minute since I have attended a Do It Herself Workshop at Home Depot! I’ve enjoyed the past classes I’ve been to - creating this two-drawer nightstand, vertical herb garden, and vertical succulent garden.
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Their latest project, the DIY Pegboard Shelf, caught my eye. These types of shelves are very trendy right now. What I especially like is you can change up the shelves really easily to meet different needs you might have, or if you simply want to restyle it to give a room a different look, you can do it in minutes.

When I arrived, they had everything ready! The plywood, shelves, and dowels were already cut. All we had to do was screw the two plywood pieces together and insert the dowels where we wanted the shelves. I was kind of (really) bummed I didn’t get to use the hole saw to create the holes for the pegs, but I can’t complain. I got a free shelf out of the deal!

In my last DIY post, I shared how (with the help of my parents) I reupholstered our dining room table benches. This next project I’m sharing was inspired by our dining nook makeover.

I believe I made it very clear that I loved the fabric I found on sale to use on the benches. I’m a paisley princess, can’t get enough of it. And the yellow/grey combo has always appealed to me. To have all of these details come together in a fabric was dreamy. Anyway, I wanted to use the leftover fabric to make throw pillow covers for our mudroom so that when you enter our mudroom and walk up the stairs to our dining nook, the spaces felt tied together.
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This time with the help of my grandma, together we made throw pillow covers for two pillows I already had and wasn’t crazy about.

Once I had the pillows ready, I decided I was going to give the mudroom a mini makeover by changing the paint color as well. It was a fine mudroom, but it was missing impact. A good punch in the face when you walked in. In a creative impact sense, not a physical one! It needed a little something extra. My mom helped me pick out the perfect gold color that matched a deep yellow tone in the pillow cover fabric. Butterscotch Ripple. Yummy.

Instead of painting an accent wall or the entire room, I ended up creating a faux wainscoting effect around the mudroom and up the stairs leading to the dining nook.

To create the effect, all I needed was:

• Table and/or Circular Saw
• Wood Moulding (There are a lot of options – so choose what you like. I used basic, squared off wood strips with no frills to match one piece that was already in place when we moved in.)
• Nail Gun
• Tape Measurer
• Pencil
• Stud Finder
• Level
• Wood Filler
• Paint (I used semi-gloss.)

Obviously, measure your space first. I used the measuring feature on my iPhone for the first time and it was AWESOME! It allowed me to measure and take a screenshot so I knew the exact measurements of each wall without having to write anything down. It came in really handy when I was at the store ready to buy the wood.
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I made my wood cuts one wall at a time, just to see how things fit and if it would affect my next run of wood. I measured up from the floor to the height I liked, leveled the strip, made marks with my pencil where the bottom of the wood strip would be, and then used the stud finder to mark where the studs were. I used the nail gun to secure the strips, being sure to check that they were level along the way.

In total, this project took me an evening and part of the next morning to complete. For such a quick project, I couldn’t be more pleased with the impact it has when you walk in our back door (which is our main door)! People will be leaving with black eyes from the punch in the face they’ll get now (LOL). What are you working on lately? Tell me in the comments!

Our dining room has always lacked a little something. It’s nice, but it’s “meh.” It’s typically a catch-all room – a dumping ground for when we are coming and going. I haven’t been inspired enough to add a unique style to it. Until…I ran across my dream fabric. That changed the game!

My fantastic friend who has a love for all things old and/or Mid Century Modern (the office of the business he owns is right out of Mad Men) gifted me with a table set when I told him what I wanted for our dining room. It couldn’t have been more perfect. He needed to get rid of it, I wanted it, so it worked out for both of us.
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I’m terrible at remembering to take before photos…so here are the benches that I reupholstered and the old fabric next to the new (perfect) fabric:

This is what you’ll need for this type of project:

• Flathead Screwdriver
• Hammer
• Pliers
• Fabric – Use the fabric you remove as your template for measuring. Make sure to “measure over” if needed, taking into consideration any cushioning you might be adding and how much fabric you want to fold over the back/bottom of the piece for secure stapling. If you are doing a seat, like these benches, look for a thicker, more durable fabric.
• Iron
• Fabric Tape
• Padding (if needed/desired) – We used quilt batting for the back and approx. two inch thick soft support foam for the seat.
• Electric Knife – Needed only if you purchase foam.
• Upholstery Staple Gun and Staples

The worst part for me was deconstruction and reconstruction. There were a lot of little, old screws to remove and put back. It was also difficult getting the old staples out and painful using the staple gun to put new ones in after a while of doing it. Take detailed photos of how everything goes together, especially if you are dealing with hinges…my dad and I learned the hard way with hinges…but that’s a story I won’t bore you with. Just learn from our mistakes!
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So as I mentioned, deconstruction comes first. I had to take these benches completely apart to do this project. I used the flathead screwdriver and pliers to pull out the staples, utilizing the hammer as needed to get the screwdriver under the tough staples.

Then it was show time! As my mom held everything together securely (bench back/seat, batting/foam, fabric), I came in with the staple gun to secure the fabric to the back/bottom of each piece. That was by far the easiest and fastest part of the project!
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After we stopped to admire our work, my dad jumped in to help me reassemble. It was tense, we had to get creative (because I didn’t take very good photos ahead of time…surprise, surprise), but we did it! Also could not have done this without my dad because he has the patients and tools to help get the job done. He helped me put better screws in the outsides of the benches as well so they feel completely solid when you sit down.

Here they are in our dining room, back with the table they came with! I’m. In. Love. The fabric was everything I needed to move forward with creating a specific feel for that space. It also inspired me to revamp our mudroom around the corner, which I’ll share in my next DIY post!

Check out my past DIY project to see the mattress spring frame light fixture I made to go above our dining room table. It goes together great with the new fabric and is just another piece that is helping me achieve a cohesive look in this room.

Looking for an adorable DIY project for Easter? I’ve got just what you’re looking for! While browsing Dollar Tree for a few Easter/Spring décor items to freshen up what I currently have, I ran across inspiration for a project. One item led to another and I had a full vision for the vignette we have placed just as you pull in our driveway.
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I knew I wanted to put sticks with plastic eggs hanging from them in the wash bin. But then I found a felt bunny head that I thought would be cute peeking out from the bin as well! Here is my vision brought to life:

I mean, come on. That face! Here is what I used to create the bunny:

• Felt Bunny Head (to trace)
• Pencil (for tracing)
• 24” by 48” Piece of ¼” Thick Plywood (I got it larger than I needed just in case I messed up!)
• Handheld Jigsaw
• Power Sander
• Paint in Colors You Want Your Bunny
• 2” x 4” Piece of Lumber (cut down to the size you need)
• 2 Long Screws
• Power Drill

Start by tracing the shape of the bunny head on the piece of plywood. Once that is done, dive in with the jigsaw. Slowly follow the shape you traced with the saw until complete. If you’ve never used a jigsaw before, there is nothing to fear! It was my first time and I had zero issues. It did just what I needed it to do. You’ll learn how to hold it to get the best cut very quickly. Or at least I hope you do!

If you make any mistakes, that’s what the sander is for. I sanded the edges, smoothing out any unintended mis-cuts and bumps. I then sanded the flat sides of the wood, wiping them down with a cloth afterwards, so I had a good surface for the paint.
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I chose to connect the bunny head to the 2x4 before painting. I attached them together with two long screws through the face of the bunny. I did this because there are normally high winds where I put this piece of décor and I didn’t want it to fall apart. If you will be putting this on a porch or indoors, you could easily use wood glue or construction adhesive.
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​Once attached, I started to paint. I used white outdoor paint as the base and applied spray paint with a brush for the facial features (I work with what I’ve got at home!). I finished it off with a coat of clear poly spray paint to seal it up. I chose to paint both the back and front white because the back is visible from the road. I utilized the facial features on the felt bunny head to paint in the ears, eyes, nose, and mouth. I have to give credit to my husband for that idea!

I'll just start like this. Poster frames are EXPENSIVE. If you've been following along with my blog, you know that's not my style. I either get it cheap or make it myself!

We have a lot of posters. Being huge music fans, we have quite the collection. We also love vintage posters featuring interesting illustrations. The palmistry guide poster I created this DIY magnetic poster holder for has been in the back of a cabinet, just waiting for its debut. Well folks, today is the day!

To make this project, you'll need the following:

• Four Strips of Wood - I used weathered Cedar Shims which measured out to 21 in. long x 1 5/8 in. wide x 1/4 in. thick to hold the poster I had
• Circular Saw - If your wood needs to be cut to size
• Sander - If you want to smooth and stain/paint/seal the wood, I chose not to for a raw wood look
• Strong Disc or Strip Magnets
• Hot Glue Gun - If your magnets are not self adhesive
• Twine
• Poster

This project is really as short and sweet as you'd imagine. Measure the width of your poster and cut your wood strips to size. You can either size them to the exact width of your poster or leave a little extra wood on the ends. I left about a 1/2 inch on each side of the poster with my strips.

Choose which side of the wood you want to face out and place that side face down. Start attaching the magnets to the back side so they will line up with each other when it's time to hang the poster.

Snap two of the wood strips to the top of the poster and make a hanger with the twine. I tied my twine to the outside edges of the poster on the wood strips, one of the benefits of letting the wood extend out from the poster just a bit. If you cut the wood to fit the exact width of the poster, you could attach two small screw-in eye hooks to the wood strip that will be flush to the wall, tying twine through the hooks.

After the Christmas and New Year holidays pass, I like to transition our décor to a winter theme. Normally, this simply means keeping everything out except for the Christmas tree, stockings, Santa figurines, and most of the sparkly items. Not too much work!

I realized last year I didn’t have a good winter wreath to hang, so thought ahead and made one this year! Using old clothing in my DIY projects is something I really enjoy and want to do more of, so I chose to get creative with some Goodwill sweaters in colors matching some of the exterior features of our home.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your very own cozy winter wreath:

• Wire Wreath Frame
• Three Sweaters
• Round Ornaments (small, medium, and large sizes would be ideal; number will vary depending on the circumference of your frame)
• Artificial Greenery (optional, you could do ornaments all the way around)
• Scissors
• Twist Ties
• Safety Pins
• Jute
• Hot Glue Gun

​I started by attaching the greenery to the frame. The greenery I used was a little unconventional. I found five felt placemats at Goodwill that worked great. I poked the greenery through the frame and attached each one to the wire of the frame with a twist tie, reinforcing the tie with some hot glue.

Then I planned out the placement of the ornaments. I only had small and large ornaments to use (I was trying my best to use leftover supplies from the basement), but I’d encourage you to use a medium size ornament as well. I think it would give the wreath more balance, transitioning from large to small a little less drastically!
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Once I had a good idea of how many ornaments I would need, I began attaching the sweaters to the ornaments. I did this by simply gathering the sweater around the ornament, placing a twist tie around the top, twisting it tightly, and cutting away what I gathered from the sweater. Not very technical…but it worked really well without needing to measure and I had more than enough material to work with. Once the ornament was cut away from the sweater, I reinforced the twist tie all the way around the top of the ornament with hot glue.

I’m a perfectionist that loves good balance, but there is something about the off balance look of this particular wreath that I really enjoy. Like I said earlier, if you have medium sized ornaments to incorporate, I think that would help with balancing this type of wreath out. Or you could use the same size ornament all the way around! Use what you have and get creative.