Starting tomorrow we’ll be doing our last giveaway for Green Month – this cute book by Greenzy’s – a great way to teach your little ones the importance green living!
Stay tuned for a product review and giveaway!
Mother's Day Buying Guide for Birmingham Moms
So, we know – why a Mother’s Day Buying Guide on a website for mothers? Well, we’ve found some of the swankiest stuff around Birmingham and beyond and thought it would send a loud and clear message if you “accidentally” left the page up on your computer for others to see…. So, here are some of our picks for a fabulous Mother’s Day (or Mothers Month as we like to see it) – because, well, lunch out with your kids is great – but so is this stuff!
Thumbprint Necklace from Do It Yourself Crafts in Homewood. This is a darling necklace that will be a keepsake forever. In fact, they’re actually a little magical. Let’s say (hypothetically) that a short person has just hurled mashed potatoes onto your rug. All you have to do is zone out – look at that little necklace and you forget all about that mess on the floor.
Artwork from Modern Bird Studios. This is a brilliantly modern and unique way to display your favorite photo. I love them, simply love them. Their motto “Your Life in Art” is spot-on. Check it out – you’ll be glad you did. And to sweeten things up a tad, Modern Bird is offering our readers 15% off through the month of May! Just mention the code “BIRMINGHAM” and they’ll get you all set up!
“The Nest” Necklace from Chrissie Larkin Design. Local jewelry designer Chrissie Larkin’s “Nest” is a mom-pleaser. I know, I gave my mom one a few months ago and she shows it off to everyone. These necklaces are customizable and upgradable – who knows, you may decide to add another egg to your nest sometime! Chrissie is offering a 15% discount on “The Nest” necklace through the month of May for all of you! Just mention “Birminghammommy” for your discount!
New family portraits. Check out Jen Cowsar photography or Abernathy Photographics. What mom wouldn’t want a super-sweet new pic of her little darlings on Mother’s Day? Take a stroll through their online galleries – you’ll see what we mean.
A day out! We love our kids. Scratch that, we live for our families – but sometimes the best thing for a mom is a few moments of peace and quiet – so why not make that a day of peace and quiet. I can attest to the healing power of a day at Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa. You can start off with a service, make your way to the steam room, then relax the rest of the day away in the quiet (hush!) pool room. It can do wonders for your mind, body and spirit. Trust me, your kids will thank you.
Updated T-shirts. Let’s face it – you *may* have received worse gifts than a t-shirt, right? So why not steer the husband in the right direction toward something you actually like? We all have a t-shirt day (heck, I have a t-shirt day almost every day), but the big, boxy, one-size-fits-all t-shirt from the “Free the Frogs Fun Run” you participated in last year is not going to cut it. It’s time to update your wardrobe in a fun (and very affordable) way! Check these out!
Want something less graphic-ky? Check out the comfortable sophistication of Nation Ltd. Yumm.
Other ideas:
A real getaway. Pack a swimsuit, some sunscreen and take off to the Beaches of South Walton. Why not?
An awesome arrangement – make it a room-full – from Dorothy McDaniel’s Flower Market
Philosophy Bubble Bath – available online or at Sephora (Summit or Galleria)
Some wonderfully fabulous stationery from Whimsical Paper. A girl’s gotta write!
Children’s Birthstone Jewelry – or, let’s say a big, fat diamond. Check out Levy’s or Barton Clay
A trip to Wildflower Wax Candles & Boutique in Helena
Dinner at Highlands Bar and Grill
A gift certificate to a mom- only spot – try anthropologie or Gloss Denim Bar at the Summit, or Lulies on Cahaba in Mountain Brook
Fingerprint Art. Fresh, modern…delish. You must see this.
On with the art! Check out Monty Stabler Galleries in Homewood for a breathtaking new addition for your home
Big thanks to all of our readers, twitter followers and facebook friends who helped us compile this list. It’s a good one!
Winners of Talladega and Fed Cup Tickets!
Again, a special thanks to Brookwood Medical Center for the generous tickets. Nothin’ says community like some free tickets! 😉
Winner of Talladega tickets: Elise!
Winner of Fed Cup tickets: Tammie F!
Please contact us ASAP for instructions on picking up your tickets at contact@birminghammommy.com
Congratulations!
Earth Day: Around the Web
Here are some great Earth Day posts and ideas we found around the web! Please comment below if you found something great to add!
- What is Earth Day?
- Recycling Made Too Easy
- Children’s DVD’s Incorporating Earth Day
- Organic Foods: Are they Safer? More Nutritious?
- Earth Day Fun for Kids
- The Birminghammommy Eco-friendly Buying Guide
- MyGreenBirmingham.com
- The AEC’s Green Tie Affair – Tonight!
- Time – For Kids : Earth Day
- Earth Day – by kids, for kids
- Earth Day – Kids in Action
The Ultimate Recycling Project – Making Something New Out of Something Old
We asked our Birmingham mom readers on Facebook for their ideas on new uses for old things. We got some great ideas and are happy to share them here with you!
- Trish uses old lunchboxes to store toys with small parts and pieces
- Jamie had some great ideas. She said “I used an old frame I bought at a yard sale to make a wipe off board for my pantry. Cleaned it, painted it, and had Home Depot cut wipe off board (which is surprisingly cheap) to size for me.” – great idea! She also said she wanted to try another project soon, “I saw a picture recently of herbs growing in tin cans. It was pretty cute. I’m thinking of saving some and letting my kids paint them for me.” She also said “I’ve also used scrapbook paper behind pictures in a frame that is too big for the picture. I have a ton of scrapbook papers that I’ve accumulated, so it is cheaper for me than buying matting. Cute prints, too. In a pinch I’ve even used the kids construction paper. No one can tell unless they look at it up close.” And she had some great ideas for taking care of ornaments as well as ideas for the garden, “I use ratty old towels to wrap around my Christmas decorations instead of buying bubble wrap. We also sometimes use old newspapers instead of landscaping fabric to keep down weeds in our flower beds.”
- Rendi said “I used the old antique window with 6 differnt panes as picture frames! So cute and you have 6 8×10 frames in one!”
- Kimberly had this to share, “Host a Clothes Swap. It is a great way to refresh your wardrobe and a wonderful excuse to catch up with the girls.” She also had some great ideas for the sports-minded family, “Cover outdated throw pillows with old jerseys that no longer fit and you can’t quite bring yourself to throw away. This would look great in a little boys bedroom or even a man cave. Total cost: FREE.” We love it!
But our favorite idea that Kimberly shared was this one – “My favorite was my son’s old twin bed that we transformed into a modern sofa for our outdoor living room. Total cost was less that $40.00 for fabric and paint.”
We are so impressed with all of your suggestions. But we are floored by Kimberly’s sofa redesign and she was gracious enough to share instructions and photos. Enjoy!
Twin Bed to Modern Sofa:
1. I used a simple twin bed and removed one of the siderails to create a daybed.
2. We painted the bed with 2 coats of outdoor paint (Black Raisin by Olympic).
1. I used a simple twin bed and removed one of the siderails to create a daybed.
2. We painted the bed with 2 coats of outdoor paint (Black Raisin by Olympic).
3. We then recycled an old, scratchy blanket and wrapped the mattress and bunkie board with it and secured to the bottom of the wood with a staple gun.
4. The entire wrapped mattress/board was then covered with fabric and stapled. Easy breezy!!
4. The entire wrapped mattress/board was then covered with fabric and stapled. Easy breezy!!
I purchased the outdoor fabric from a local internet company www.fabricguru.com for $4.99/yard. If you have never used them, they are highly suggested in this mommy’s book! We were lucky that we also had a bed length bolster pillow laying around also. I am pretty sure that one could be made easily by someone with sewing skills
Winner of the June 15 "Sweet" Bag Giveaway Is…
Can Can!
I’ll email you! Congratulations and thanks everyone for entering!
Talladega tickets and Fed Cup tickets GIVEAWAY
Our friends at Brookwood Medical Center know that it’s important to de-stress and have a little fun. That’s why they gave us some tickets to offer to a couple of our lucky readers!
Both events are the weekend of April 24/25th. We will randomly select 2 winners, 1 for each set of tickets.
Talladega: 2 tickets, value $240. (Good for entry on Saturday OR Sunday)
Fed Cup: 2 tickets, value $300. (Good for entry on Saturday AND Sunday)
The ways to get entered (you MUST comment separately if you choose to enter both ways):
- Comment below that you want to win one of the set of tickets we’re giving away today!
- Tweet this: “@hello_life Brookwood gave @BirminghamMommy free tix to Talladega and Fed cup! http://tinyurl.com/27kgsmy Enter to win them” Come back here and comment that you did.
This giveaway will end at 11:59pm on 4/21/2010. Winners will be announced Thursday morning. Winners MUST contact us by 11 a.m. on Thursday to arrange ticket pick up or overnight fedex-ing.
Natural Beauty Recipes
Times change. One day we want all the high-tech products then the next we want to keep it simple. The most basic natural products will always be the backbone of any beauty regime. Each has it’s positives and negatives, but the convenience and price factors weigh in heavily when you’re a mom. Here are a few ways to feel gorgeous that are natural, use everyday items, and are inexpensive.
Hair-
Summer is almost here, and the chlorine is going to be eating away at your swimsuit, reddening your eyes, and damaging your hair. Try this little mixture to keep chlorine damage under control.
Hair Mask:
1 egg
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 quarter of a peeled cucumber
Blend the egg, olive oil, and peeled cucumber. Spread evenly throughout your hair. Let it remain on your hair for 10-15 minutes, then thoroughly rinse. Do this monthly for great hair all year.
Skin-
A gentle and soothing face mask will do wonders to invigorate your skin and your mood. Try this for a nice glow.
Honey-yogurt mask
1 Tbsp Yogurt
1 Tbsp Honey
Mix the honey and yogurt, and pat the mask onto your face for a moisturizing, hydrating, soothing sensation that will also help to clear up skin problems.
For the rest of your body (but can be used on your face as well), try this rub. Nothing refreshes like some citrus!
Orange Body Rub
An orange
7 Tbsp Cornmeal
Squeeze orange juice and pulp into a bowl and add the cornmeal. Mix into a paste and apply onto clean skin. Gently scrub for 2-3 minutes. Rinse.
We found these recipes at All Natural Beauty, there were tons more… get over there and try some!
McWane Science Center: No Longer Just For the Kiddos
You may have noticed that McWane has taken on a few after-hour events lately that are drawing great crowds and even celebrity chefs! Science Uncorked! is a super-cool new series for the after-dark crowd. To check out the next installment – call for your reservation.
SCIENCE UNCORKED
FIRE & ICE
April 22
6:00 – 8:00 PM
$15 Members, $20 Non-Members
Celebrate Earth Day with an after hours party at McWane. We will celebrate with cool cocktails and sizzling food. Ticket includes IMAX film, food tastings, one drink ticket and after hours admission to the museum.
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED. MUST BE 21 & UP TO ATTEND.
Call (205) 714-8414 to buy tickets.
Natural Cleaning!
It’s April! It’s that month where we get our green bearings about us and remember that we can take care of Earth and take care of our homes at the same time! We’ve put together a few natural cleaning methods below from here or there. We’d also love your input – share with your community!
Lemons
- a natural deodorizer, slice up a few and place them around the room. It will be lemon-fresh in no time! (This works best for smaller spaces.
- Use lemon halves to refresh your cutting boards and wooden spoons!
- Toss lemon peels or sections into your garbage disposal to freshen it up!
- Sink & tub cleaner! – sprinkle baking soda on area to be cleaned and use half a lemon as the scrubbing surface (cut side)!
Salt
- You can use salt to remove baked on food from pans or plates. For pans and plates – sprinkle salt on the baked-on mess prior to washing. Dampen and allow to sit. Wash away a little bit later!
- Clean your glass coffee pot with some ice cubes, salt and vinegar – swish it around to help loosen those stains.
- Try to open a semi-clogged drain with the following: 1 cup of salt, 1 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes then rinse with hot water.
- Quickie drink cooler. Ok, not cleaning, but oh so important, and I can thank Mythbusters for this one. Add a generous amount of salt to a bucket of ice and submerge your tasty beverage in the ice/salt mixture – it will cool much quicker.
Baking Soda
- Clean your fruits and veggies with a few tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in water
- Deodorize your dishwasher by sprinkling in 1/2 cup of baking soda between loads
- Apply a paste of equal parts baking soda to water, to help breakdown grease and absorb odors of mild stains
- Make cleaning your microwave a breeze by putting a solution of 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 cup of water in the microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes. Follow up by wiping down the interior with a damp cloth.
- Rub down stainless steel with a sprinkling of baking soda and a damp sponge or cloth for a nice shine!
- No magic eraser around? Grab a damp rag and dip in baking soda – then rub the crayon marks right off the walls!
- Deodorize rugs and carpets – sprinkle a little baking soda onto your rug or carpet. Allow to sit for a few minutes, then vacuum it up!
Vinegar
- Use 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water for a versatile household cleaning solution! I use this on counter tops, sinks, stove tops, refrigerators, blinds – even floors! Use it full-strength for ultra-cleaning.
- Use diluted vinegar (see above) to remove mildew stains. For tough stains, use undiluted.
- Use diluted vinegar to remove stickers, decals and price tags
- An alternative to the baking soda method of cleaning your microwave, consider this – mix 1/4 cup of vinegar to 1 cup of water, place container in microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes. Once mixture cools, use it to wipe down the interior of the microwave.
- Another way to clean up cutting boards – wipe down with full-strength vinegar!
- Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener and to help whiten whites in the laundry.
*photo courtesy of http://www.sxc.hu / Photo credit: Chris Greer www.chrisgreer.com
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