Pretty Prudent Trend: Maps of the World

It’s always about this time of year that the urge to explore comes back in full force for us. It seems like yesterday that Jaime was venturing through South Africa, and Jacinda was hiking through the Black Hills of South Dakota. In the meantime, while we dream of where to jet set to next, we find all the inspiration we need from beautiful maps of the world. Whether it’s a coffee table book, scratch off map (my favorite), or even duvet cover, these glorious globes can be just the ticket for stunning home decor and surprise adventures.

See all our favorite picks for the home in our Pretty Prudent Trend: Maps of the World…

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Tasty Test: Our Favorite Way to Explore New Foods with Kids

Thank you to Marzetti for inspiring and sponsoring this post.

It can be difficult to get the smalls on board with trying new foods, their tiny taste buds seem drawn to the familiar. With 11 years of challenging picky eaters between us, Jaime and I have developed a few tricks and tips to get kids excited about adventurous eating. Here are a few of our favorites. On a wise friend’s advice, Jaime implemented the “No Thank You” bite, where tiny Scarlet was required to politely try a food before shooting it down.Tasty test

We have also both seen our kids respond well to planting, growing (and then eating) their own food. Along these same lines, my kids love to be given the chance to select their own fruits and veggies. This can mean a leisurely trip to the farmer’s market or a quick stop in the produce aisle. Basically anything that makes them feel like they have well-guided choices in their eating, typically results in wise decisions and culinary adventure.

marzetti tasty test

tasty testInspired by my kids love of power and judgment (I kid) I came up with the Tasty Test. It turns trying new foods into fun. Check out our new video (at the top of this post!) for the details on how to use our free printable tasty test to create a culinary experience for your kids. Despite their funny faces when trying Kiwano Melon and fresh figs, my kids beg to do this over and over.

Marzetti Tast Test

Inspired by Marzetti® Fruit Dips, we added a new layer of food experimenting and tried some new fruits with a touch of Caramel, Chocolate and, my favorite, Marzetti® Cream Cheese Fruit Dip which (no exaggeration) makes fruit taste like the cheese cake version of itself. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, this more indulgent version of the Tasty Test would make a lovely family dessert for all of your sweeathearts.

Marzetti Tasty Test Tracking Pixel

We have been invited to participate in a Marzetti® ambassador program. This post is sponsored by Marzetti and product has been provided by them. The opinions and ideas expressed are our own.

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Valentine’s Day Menu: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Dessert

How to Make Easy DIY Pop Hearts from Pop TartsNot sure if you heard, but today is most certainly the 12th of February. Ack! I think I still have Halloween pumpkins on my porch. With Valentine’s Day only two days away, we made sure to cook up a post that will hopefully make the day go a whole lot smoother. There are simple breakfast recipes, savory lunch and dinner meals, and sweet desserts to end the night. And about 99.9% of them are covered in hearts.  We’ve also made sure to throw in a handful of last-minute Valentine DIYs just in case you haven’t whipped some up yet.

Check out the complete menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert + last-minute valentines after the jump…

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How to Make a Head Wrap: The DIY Challenge on The Mom’s View


We have a super simple tutorial for you today on this episode of The DIY Challenge. We are going to show you how to turn a pair of tights into the cutest head wrap. This is a super inexpensive project and kind of a two-for-one deal, since you can make two head wraps from one pair of tights. If you make one of your own, don’t forget to share the photos of your finished product with us on our Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest board.

How to Make a Head Wrap: The DIY Challenge on The Mom's View

Check out more episodes of The DIY Challenge at youtube.com/themomsview.

How to Make a Head Wrap: The DIY Challenge on The Mom's View

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DIY Chunky Leather Bracelet

DIY Chunky Leather Bracelet
Today we have Anette from Lebenslustiger showing us how to make the prettiest (and super easy) leather bracelet. She made this one with rose quartz and copper beads, but you could customize it however you’d like. You can use your leftover supplies to make her Leather Arrow Bracelet for Valentine’s Day.

Make sure to head on over to her shop to see the other beauties she has made from her home in Germany. I especially love the rose gold ring.

Easy Chunky Leather Bracelet

Learn how to make the DIY Chunky Leather Bracelet after the jump…

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Pretty Prudent Home Book: Request for Submissions

Jaime's BackyardHey good looking, is your home just as lovely?

Whether you live in an urban apartment, a tiny cottage, a stunning beach house, a trailer, or a split-level ranch on a cul-de-sac, we want to see your beautiful family home. We are looking for submissions of well-designed, creative interiors which exemplify different ways to style and live in a family dwelling for our upcoming book, Pretty Prudent Home which will lead the Abrams Spring Catalog 2015.

Please submit low resolution versions (800dpi) of your existing professional-quality home photography to: submissions[at]prettyprudent[dot]com

In your email, also include:

1.  A paragraph about your home and family, where you live and how your lifestyle influences the way you style your home.

2.  Information regarding previous publication of home in books, magazines, or high-profile blogs & websites. Never before published is best.

3.  Designer, decorator, photographer and/or architect credits as appropriate. By submitting photos for consideration, you acknowledge that you own all rights to images/photography or have obtained approval from all parties.

4.  Photographic examples of the following decorating concepts if they apply, with explanation:

  • Investment pieces: Investing in one high-end or vintage item that sets the mood/scene for the whole room (the rest of which is more affordable)
  • Working with what you have: Re-arranging or re-imagining a piece of furniture or artwork that you are stuck with to make it work.
  • Budget pieces : Using low-price-point items to decorate (I.e. metal folding chairs at the dining table with stunning results)
  • Repurposing/moving pieces around to refresh space create interest: Pulling unexpected items from other rooms to create a bold new look.
  • Something for everyone: Combining two different needs/styles to create a cohesive space. For example, His & Hers, Parents & kids.
  • Comfort and Durability: A space in which you made comfort the most important factor, a cozy, warm space that is still visually lovely.
  • Ready for any occasion: A dining, outdoor, or living space that is primed for parties/holidays/etc and easily changes for any occasion.
row of houses

We can’t wait to see the beautiful space that you and your family call home. Please feel free to pass this request along to all of your fabulous creative friends and share on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and via carrier pigeon. Professional submissions from decorators, designers, photographers, stylists and architects are also welcome! Please submit as soon as possible for consideration. Deadline 2.21.13

Any questions? Feel free to email us or leave them in the comments here.

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Pretty Prudent Trend: Anatomical Hearts

This Valentine’s Day learn the anatomy of love with anatomical hearts!  You can find these lovelies on cards, cookies, bedspreads, and in absolutely gorgeous art prints. I have this one from The Black Apple hanging in our home. It’s one of my absolute favorites.

Use an anatomical heart as a way to turn Valentine’s Day into an educational lesson. Learn fun facts about your heart like your heart pumps 100 gallons of blood through your body every hour (the equivalent to filling up 1600 drinking glasses). Yum…

When Jaime and Carleton were first dating she bought him an anatomical heart puzzle and wrote something special for Carleton on each piece (totally want to steal that idea).

See more of our favorite Anatomical Heart finds after the jump…

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Pop Hearts!

This post is sponsored by Kellogg’s. Thank you for inspiring us!

Pop Tarts Pop Hearts Valentine's Day Treat IdeaOMG, I have talked about my deep love of pop-tarts many times over the years on this here site. And this was way before Kellogg’s ever sent us things and asked us if we liked them. My love of pop-tarts goes way back (we are talking way-way back, I am old) to childhood, right after my parents’ divorce, I talk about it here.

pop hearts 12
Anyhoo, to be clear, I don’t feed my child pop-tarts everyday, despite my deep and abiding love for them, I get that they are a special treat. But what better time for a treat than Valentine’s Day? Last week when we were brainstorming fun things to make for a Valentine’s Day party at our house with her friends, we were sort of thinking something along the lines of a tea party (5 year olds LOVE tea parties, do they not?), and of course Scarlet went into my (very well organized) cookie cutter collection and pulled out all the heart shapes. While she was at it she grabbed the cherry and strawberry pop tarts that Kellogg’s had sent us and basically came up with a plan that I thought was awesome, which was that we should cut the pop tarts with the heart-shaped cookie cutters then put them on a stick. Yes, you are right, my child is a genius and should be at MIT getting her PHD right now.

Pop Hearts _1
I was obsessed with this idea and so excited to do it, but it did take some trial-and-error to figure out how to cut a pop-tart with a cookie cutter without it crumbling. Let me tell you the secret (it is a two-step process) after the jump… (more…)

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