Ah-dorable & Ah-fordable gifts for kids!

This is such a cute idea I found on Pinterest. My friends and I decided to do a big post-christmas brunch with all the kids instead of exchanging gifts. Although, I am going to cheat and give them each one of these, cause they're so damn cute!

 Pop top can treats

For the boys, I knew that Littlest Pet Shop just wouldn't do... but die cast cars are always a hit and were also on sale, so that is what we picked up for them:

I have seen these pop top can tutorials pop up all over the Internets this year. They are SO adorable and I love the idea that recycling can turn into such a fantastic gift!

What you need:
Pop top cans. The smaller ones are better.

Safety can opener

Small gifts

Decorative paper

Glue gun

Ribbon

Tissue paper

1: First take off the bottom off the cans with the safety can opener. This leaves a nice little 'lid' for the bottom of your can... which, even in testing, will go back on pretty easily. Eat or otherwise use the contents and clean and dry the can thoroughly.

2: Then pack the toy in the pop top can upside-down so that it will appear right side up when opened. (I put in a couple little Christmas candies along with it to fluff up the contents.)

3: Put a piece of tissue in it to fill the rest of the tin. (I have seen these with nothing but Skittles in there or M&M's but I thought that although the cans are food safe, the hot glue may not be, so just to be safe I used individually wrapped treats instead.)

4: Glue the bottom of the can back on the can with the glue gun. You only need glue in a couple of places around the bottom for it to stay put. Press down on the bottom of the can HARD to get the bottom to sit correctly on the can and stay there.

5: Flip the can over and Decorate! We used scrapbook paper that was cut to the height and width of each can. Just in case you want to use the same cans we did, the 8 oz Dole Pineapple can paper was 1 3/4 X 11 inches and the 11 oz Mandarin Orange cans were 3 X 9 1/2 inches.

The variations we found (with mostly things we had on hand) was endless and SO cute!

Tonight is our advent 'surprise' night and so we are going to look at Christmas lights, get a spiced cider from the coffee shop, and drop off little surprises to all of our friends!

Some learning curve tips:

1. The larger cans can easily be used for larger gifts... think gloves, scarves, Lego sets, play mobile, wooden critters, etc... they all would fit beautifully and still give that same thrill that these smaller gifts make.
2. Make sure the lid that you are working with fits on the specific can you are working with BEFORE you try to glue it down. Glue guns burn. I'm just sayin'.
3. Place a book on the can just after gluing (use wax paper to keep the book from sticking to the hot glue) and this will help hold it down. It will also help your hand from getting a permanent impression of the bottom of a pineapple can. Again... just sayin'.
   Thanks so much http://goddesshobbies.blogspot.com !! 
   Happy crafting :)
   Xo - S

Organization Motivation

I wish I could say I'm the perfect housewife, I really do. But as we speak there's a giant, erupting laundry basket in my peripheral vision that I'm refusing to look at; because, acknowledging how behind i am in laundry in this house is more terrifying to me than jumping out of a plane with a discontinued parachute.

I admire the women that so naturally float throughout the house folding and dusting while humming a tune from The Sound of Music. These women DO exist! My question is: when no one is around to see, does this same woman clean with an oversize glass of wine in hand, and curse her husband's name under her breath for being too cheap to let her hire a cleaning lady? Or is this just me?....Anyone?

As a mom, should I enjoy cleaning or just accept that it's my destiny? That is, until I get my own reality show and can pay for laundry to be folded while I avoid paparazzi and Tweet my day away...

Well, until Bravo or E get back to me, I'll have to spend an hour of my day in agony picking up dirty socks and chiseling dried food out of the seat of a highchair.

I may have found one of these happy to clean women. Her name is Jennifer and she is PASSIONATE about organizing, but she's even got ME excited about organizing! I have already bought some of her printables off Etsy, and she really is brilliant with ideas on how to keep a grip on the day to day life of your family.
 Check out Jennifer's blog out here.

 After reading her stuff, I'm actually so excited to move into my new house and organize my heart out!

"happy" cleaning my friends.

Xo - S