DIY Metallic Painted T-Shirt

For my first project on My Magic Mess, I painted a t-shirt. I wasn't 100% happy with the project but it's easy to do and still pretty cute. So, I figured why not do a blog post about it?! This is a project that anyone can do, which I think is the best part. It's the perfect way to give an old t-shirt a new look! I think we all have a few old ones lying around that could use an update.

You will need:

T-Shirt (similar here)
Paintbrush (similar here)
Metallic Paint (here)
Cardboard
Iron or Dryer

Directions:

1. Put a piece of cardboard inside your shirt to protect it.

2. Paint the collar of your shirt using 2 coats of paint. I started in the back then moved to the front.

3. Let dry for 24 hours, then heat set it using an iron or the dryer.

This project is so easy to do that literally anyone can do it! If you find that you can't keep the edge straight, then keep going. Otherwise, you can make the line "messy" intentionally and it'll still be cute. What do you think about this easy project? Will you be making one?! Let me know in the comments below!

Rhinestone Ribbon Headband

As a mom, it seems like I’m constantly rocking that mom bun. Whether it’s because my hair is dirty, or because I throw it up in a bun to focus, it always somehow ends up on top of my head. For this week’s My Magic Mess Challenge I decided to make something easy and fun to cover up all those baby hairs I now have. You know, the joys of postpartum hair loss, hah! In addition to being very easy to make, these headbands are super affordable. Pop on a movie while you make it (I watched The First Wives Club on Netflix for the first time!) or grab a few girlfriends and get to crafting together. Either way, you’ll easily have a favorite new hair accessory!

You will need:

Beacon Gem-Tac (here)
Rhinestones (similar here and here)
Ribbon (similar here)
Scissors (similar here)

Directions:

1. Measure out enough ribbon to make a headband and tie a bow. I used 42 inches.

2. Create a fun pattern with your rhinestones. I added a main design in the middle, with a matching design on the sides for extra sparkle.

3. Glue the rhinestones on with Beacon Gem-Tac. If too much comes out, you can use a toothpick to add a small dot of glue onto your rhinestone.

To tie the headband, I recommend placing it on your head, tying it once, and placing a bobby pin at the back to hold it in place. Then you can tie a bow and remove the bobby pin!

Now you can add some extra sparkle to every outfit.

My Baby Photo Essentials

When I first started taking photos of my daughter, Hailey, I wasn’t sure where to start. The truth is, taking pictures of a baby can be difficult since they can’t sit up, pose, smile, or generally cooperate. So, while my process was a lot of trial and error, I figured not everyone needed to go that route! So, I’ve rounded up my baby photo essentials, starting from newborn all the way to their cake smash session! Although you don’t need all of these items for a successful shoot, they will be helpful. You might even find items around your house that you can use!

For newborns:

Heater- newborns get really cold, especially since a lot of their photos involve being nude or barely dressed! You should invest in a heater for the photo session, which you can also use if it’s cold. We have a Dyson heater/fan, which we keep in Hailey’s room for the winter. It’s perfect for setting to a reasonable temperature (for us, it’s 75) and it comes on when the room goes below that temp. For newborn sessions, keep the heater high and closely to ensure baby stays warm and cozy.

Butterfly Pillow- Newborn babies can be a little “mushy” so one of these pillows will help you pose baby so that they look cute!

Donut Pillow- Ditto for this one, except it’s also perfect for putting inside a basket. You can adjust all the mini pillows inside too!

Swaddles- Swaddles are perfect for keeping baby in position, staying warm, and being comfortable so they don’t wake up. You can get a set of knit wraps or a few of these swaddles for your photos so that baby looks nice and “dressy”. As an alternative, you can use lacy or patterned fabric for swaddles. Check your local fabric store for something fun! Just make sure it’s soft and pre-washed for baby’s sensitive skin.

Fur Blanket- Give your photos some fun texture with a fur blanket! This will help your photo look “warm”, even when baby’s sitting around naked.

Basket- perfect for keeping baby in position and having some visual interest in the photo! There are tons of options and I’d recommend hitting your local Target or Home Goods for affordable options!

All ages

White blanket- This is my favorite backdrop for photos! I have a large blanket that’s probably full or queen size that I use to cover my headboard, lay on the floor, etc. It’s wrinkle resistant and easy to wash, which makes it perfect for photos!

Stepstool- If you want to take photos of baby laying down, you could use a bit of height! This step stool is SUPER light but also very sturdy. Perfect for taking around the house and being super safe while you’re at it! I fell off a chair and fractured my toe, so I don’t recommend using one for pics. Get a step stool. Better safe than sorry!

Boppy- you probably have one of these pillows already for nursing or bottle feeding baby, but they make perfect photo props! You can use them for tummy time pics, to let baby lounge, or to help them sit up in photos. There are so many uses!

Monthly Blanket- this is a really easy way to have consistent milestone photos plus it provides a nice backdrop for your pics. There are tons of different cute options for every style!

Monthly Milestone Markers- Use these to easily distinguish how old baby is! You can get stickers, wood markers, or even blocks!

Photo Equipment

A Great Camera- You can definitely use your phone for your pictures, but I would highly recommend getting a camera if you’ve been on the fence! I personally have the older version of this Canon EOS Rebel (mine is the T6) but this newer one has such great features! Touchscreen is a newer feature, plus this set includes a remote which means super easy shooting if you want to do some family portraits on timer mode!

Lightroom/Photoshop - these are my go-to apps for photo editing! You can do so much with these apps for only $10/month. If you want a more budget friendly option, try the LR phone app! It has tons of free features.

Tripod-  Perfect for taking photos with your baby! If you want to try and take your own photos, I would highly recommend this tripod! It folds up really small, plus you can tilt the head so that you can take landscapes or portraits! It's light, compact and folds up small. It's perfect for taking on the go and storing in a closet when it's not in use. This is the exact one I use for my photos!

Phone Tripod Mount- If you want to attach your phone on this tripod, you'll need a special adapter. I use this one, which does the trick! You just swap out the head it comes with and then expand it for your phone. The great part is that it's adjustable, so you can use anyone's phone. I'd recommend checking the measurements if you have a newer iPhone though. Those things just keep getting bigger and bigger, so I'm not sure if this particular one will get big enough.

Mini Tripod- If you want a tiny tripod for a tabletop or even easier portability, try this one! I haven't used this one personally, but it had great reviews on Amazon. I'm considering getting one myself, especially since I like to take videos of Hailey doing cute stuff. She always stops when she sees me holding the camera, so with this I can go into stealth mode! If you want something more affordable, try this one instead.

Box Lights- These are a bit of an investment, but I honestly can't recommend them enough! I use them for practically all my blog photos and occasionally whip them out when the lighting isn't ideal for portraits. Another option is these umbrella lights, which aren't quite as bright. Both of them fold up super tiny and can take up just a corner of a closet! It's actually pretty remarkable how mighty yet tiny they are. Just a note that these won't make a dark room bright, but they will assist in compensating when the room just isn't bright enough for a good picture.

Ring Light- These are perfect for low light situations. Full disclosure- I’ve never used one, but I know a lot of people have great luck with them. For the love of all that is holy, don’t blind your child with flash! You should never use flash- it’s just not flattering at all.

Cake Smash

Once your baby turns a year old, you may want to do a cake smash! These are so much fun and there are so many ideas on the internet (especially Pinterest!) that will help you decide on a theme. I’ve got a blog post all about my cake smash I did with Hailey, including what I used for it! No fancy lights or even a backdrop required! You can check that out here.

Once I started taking my own photos, I realized the importance of having the right equipment to be able to take the best pictures possible. Taking these photos helped me to feel more connected to my baby, and break up the monotony of the day!

DIY Geode Trinket Box

For Christmas, I had to make my own gifts and I was pretty bummed about it at first. For starters, I was sad because it meant I was broke and no one likes to be without money! But I also felt like there was no way I could get anyone anything for Christmas and that’s a shitty feeling. So, I decided to do what I do best- get creative! I made a list of everyone that needed gifts, along with ideas of what I could make them based off what I had on hand. I loved this trinket box that I made for my sister so much that I ended up making a second one for my sister-in-law too! I use these containers to hold my hair ties, but you can use them for anything. I created this using containers I already had (look familiar?) and purchased some geodes from Michael’s on sale. I ended up making them for about $2.50 each! However, they look like they cost WAY more than that. I really want to make one for myself now too!

You will need:

Acrylic paint (similar here and here)
Geode pendant (similar here or here)
Ceramic container (similar here)
527 multi use glue (similar here)

Directions:

1. Paint your canister with your choice of colors. I used Martha steward metallic yellow gold and satin moonstone purple for one, and Martha Stewart metallic copper and craft smart light pink for the other. I did two coats. 

2. Take any hanging tools off the geode and glue it onto your lid. I just used a small dab- a little goes a long way! You don’t want a bunch seeping out. 

AND THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE. This project is so fun and best of all, EASY to make! I personally didn’t paint the bottom because I find that the paint sticks to stuff and I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s furniture. If you’d like, you can add a piece of felt to cover up the unfinished bottom and prevent scratches on your dresser, but it’s totally not necessary. I didn’t and I think it still looked great!

What would you keep in this little trinket box? Earrings, rings, loose buttons, bobby pins? Let me know in the comments below!