Cherishing Every Moment: What to Buy and DIY for a New Mom

This post is sponsored by Target. The adventure begins here: Discover all Target has to offer for your baby registry and throughout your motherhood journey.
Memory Box -

When Clare, Quinn, and Gordon were born it was top priority for me that they felt immediately nurtured and loved through hugs, kisses, and being wrapped in the softest baby essentials. I can still remember spending a good few hours in the newborn section at Target picking out the coziest baby blankets and outfits to bring them home in. Now when my friends have their babies, I try to focus my gifts to have that same element of love to them whether I buy or make them.

This gemstone memory box is a great way to add a handmade touch to any gift basket for a new mom.  My mother had made one for me, and filled it with memories she wanted to cherish as I grew up. She gave it to me when I went away to college and told me that each day (or whenever I was feeling homesick) I should pull out a memory to make me feel better.

Having a new baby is one of the most important moments to cherish for a new mom, so it’s important she has the support and comfort from those around her. Consider surprising her with a thoughtful gift basket filled with the most nurturing gifts to help her along the way…

New baby bundle

Find out how to make your own DIY Gemstone Memory Box, and see more of my favorite gift ideas after the jump…

(more…)

by

Modern Monochromatic Cornucopia

Modern Momochromatic Cornucopia

You know that we love a can of spray paint around here. We’ve spray painted everything from Fall wreaths, to paper maché end tables,  from Goodwill play kitchens, to bat-mobiles over the years. And now we’ve painted the Autumn staple, the cornucopia. Too far?

I love the symbolism of the horn of plenty but it’s traditional styling has always steered me away from incorporating one in my holiday decor. By painting the classic elements, a woven horn and plastic fruit, all one color, the cornucopia becomes down-right stylish. I went with white but I’d love to see one in pale pink, cream, or butter yellow.

Here’s how we made ours… (more…)

by

Flower Friday: Decorate Lunch Bags with Blooms

Flower Friday: Decorate Lunch Bags with Blooms
Last week I went on a flower shopping spree to pick up blooms for the Day of the Dead flower skull tutorial. When you buy flowers at the LA Flower Mart you get a ton of them at a fantastic price, so for the past week my house has been covered in fresh flowers (it’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it). I couldn’t of course let them go to waste, so I used them to decorate lunch bags. This is a great way to put to use all the flowers you and the kids pick on your walks. I’d love to make a bunch more with fall leaves next time.

Flower Friday: Decorate Lunch Bags with Blooms

Find out how to decorate lunch bags with blooms after the jump…

(more…)

by

Spice Up Halloween with an Autumn Tea Party

This post is sponsored by Teavana and inspired by their tasty Autumn teas.
Pretty_Prudent_Teavana-0051


Pin It!

Fall has always been my favorite season. Besides football and cozy cuddles, it’s the time of year that we spend afternoons outside in the neighborhood reconnecting with our friends and enjoying the fresh air. Inspired by the flavors of Autumn, like Teavana’s Spiced Apple Cider and Pumpkin Spice Bruleé teas, we hosted a Halloween pre-party. A place for the kids to gather before hitting up the neighbors, and a place for the grown-ups to catch their breath, reconnect, and have something warm (or refreshing!) to drink.

Halloween Teavana Tea Party

Why not throw together some tasty bites and beverages, send out a few of our free printable invites, pull together a no-fuss craft project and spend some time making memories with your favorite friends and neighbors? You can even get a sweet discount on all the beautiful and delicious teas and accessories featured here with the code: Prudent10off30 at Teavana.com

teavana coupon Pretty_Prudent_Teavana-0435 IMG_9035

These ideas and recipes are so effortless that you will even be able to enjoy your own party. Cheers! (more…)

by

Inspired by Indigo

Now that the weather is cooling down a bit, we are inspired to decorate with moody indigo tones. This rich hue can be pretty much paired with a variety of colors, from warm fall tones, to cool winter palettes. Right now I’m especially loving it alongside shiny copper and gold. Today we’ve pulled together some of our favorite inspiration, products, and DIYs for bringing indigo into your home and style.

See all our favorite Inspired by Indigo finds after the jump…

(more…)

by

Geography for Geniuses: Make a Game of Learning About the States [Free Printable]

This content was created in partnership with Ford to help make creativity a part of every drive.
Geography printableI rolled through childhood in the car begging my mom to play my Whitney Houston cassette on repeat, battling my brother for the front seat, and generally laughing like crazy with my amazing family. Meanwhile, my husband was in New Mexico spending quality time with his parents and siblings, using precious car and home time to, wait for it, learn.

Geography printableThe man can name the capital of every state. I will not lie, it’s an attractive quality in a husband. So while I am not willing to completely abandon my heritage of belly laughs and pop music, I am out to make learning every day, outside of school, the norm. And if I happen to learn the capital of every state along with my kids, it’s an added bonus of brilliance.

This week we created this fact sheet featuring the name of each state in the US, along with the state capital, state flower, and state bird. Click on the image below for a printable full-size version. Clare is especially excited and suggested that we keep our sheet in the car to practice every day. Of course she is brainstorming how this can become a contest because that’s what we competitive oldest children do. For now, one person is in charge of the chart and quizzes the rest of us.

Read on for the free printable and more geography fun for the car… (more…)

by

I Spy: A New Twist on an Easy Car Game

This content was created in partnership with Ford to help make creativity a part of every drive.

Paper Towel Telescope | Pretty Prudent
Stash our paper towel roll telescope, some string and a sticker sheet in the car for an easy, last minute activity. This is perfect for those quick trips to the grocery store or home from ballet practice, when the little ones are jumpy and you need a quick solution to entertain their active minds.

This is how we roll…Paper Towel Telescope I Spy 3

Play this fun version of “I Spy” any time you need a quick distraction from the “are we there yet?” blues. Take turns guessing based on a color clue.
Paper Towel Telescope | Pretty Prudent

Is it a car, a cow or a crayon? The winner gets dibs on the telescope, adds a sticker, and makes the next pick!

Paper Towel Telescope | Pretty Prudent

Find out how to make our paper towel roll telescopes to play “I Spy” after the jump… (more…)

by

Flower Friday: Day of the Dead Flower Skull

Flower Friday: Day of the Dead Flower Skull
This was one of those projects that turned out a bit different better than I expected. I started out making this with the idea of a sweet looking calavera in mind. Then, I made something that Jaime and Jacinda both agreed was “pretty and terrifying.” Bingo!

Flower Friday: Day of the Dead Flower Skull

Grab yourself a handful of fresh blooms and let’s get to work making this amazingly spooky centerpiece/Halloween wedding bouquet (maybe?).

Check out the tutorial after the jump…

(more…)

by