by Allison

Wash your hair with natural household ingredients

How to wash your hair with natural ingredients found in your home.  Better for you and better for your hair.

//  While I’m away in Europe (hopefully not getting knifed on commuter trains) I’m running a series of Top 10 Favorite Posts on Petit Elefant for your reading pleasure.  These 10 posts are some of the most popular posts on Petit Elefant, so enjoy!  See you soon.  //

 

DIY natural hair cleanserIt’s almost Summer in the Northern Hemisphere which means one thing: I’ll be at the pool if you need me.  The kids will be there too, which is the whole point of this post.  The hair on the heads of my two short people was horrifically dried out and tinted green, crispy as straw.  So I mixed up a concoction of kitchen ingredients to help wash the nasty chemicals out and we’ve never looked back.  Every Summer we whip this up and pour it onto our long locks (some of us) to rinse that man right outta my hair.

Name that movie, then go rinse your hair with this cleanser and marvel in the glory of you.

WASH YOUR HAIR WITH NATURAL HOUSEHOLD STUFF   <——— Click the link to … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

Roll some clothes to pack a bag for travel

//  While I’m away in Europe (hopefully not getting knifed on commuter trains) I’m running a series of Top 10 Favorite Posts on Petit Elefant for your reading pleasure.  These 10 posts are some of the most popular posts on Petit Elefant, so enjoy!  See you soon.  //

roll clothes to packI travel a lot, too much sometimes.  No that’s crazy, there’s no such thing as too much travel.  I love roaming the globe, but I hate packing.  It’s the worst thing.  It’s the most chaotic, stressful, over-involved what-am-I-supposed-to-take-what-if-I-pack-the-wrong-things events of travel.  It’s a necessary evil, the packing business, but I’ve figured out the least stressful way to make it work for me.

I roll my clothes.  I roll them on hotel beds one piece at a time until they’re so compact there’s extra room to do a little airport shopping.  I always bring a snow globe home for my little guy and now the only way to get them through airport security is to buy them on the other side of said security.

Next time you pack a bag, try it and see.  You may like it, Sam I am, you make like it on some ham.

ROLL YOUR CLOTHES TO PACK … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

Time for top 10 favorite post countdown

top 10 posts

It’s time for a top 10 countdown, of the blog post variety.  I’ve never done this, but I thought it would be a fun idea since there’s a lot of content some of you haven’t seen.  There’s a lot of good stuff in the early years, and I’d love to share it with you because, today I’m leaving on a jet plane.  Don’t know when I’ll be back again.

Just kidding, I do.  In 10 days.  But it’s always a good time to throw out some John Denver lyrics to make things sound melancholy.

top 10 favorite posts

Things are actually pretty awesome because today I’m heading to Paris!  I know, don’t hate me.  I’m jealous of myself. It wasn’t a planned thing, it just happened, and when life presents you with amazing opportunities, the thing to do, I’ve found, is grab the brass ring and get on board.  No matter what.  When my husband booked 4 tickets to Warsaw a couple of years ago I packed my bags and rearranged our whole life so we could take a month-log family trip to his home country.  It wasn’t super convenient at the time (it never is) but we did it anyway.

budapest hungary

We … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

Master bathroom remodel part II

My master bathroom is in flux.  Change.  Deep into the no-turning-back-please-kill-me-now phase.

Are you big into home renovation?  Do you love to rip out floors in a do it yourself kitchen remodel, and then lay 250 square feet of tile all in the same day?

You’re nuts.

master-bathroomI’m nuts, you’re nuts, together, collectively we are all insane.  DIY is awesome; until you have to start the actual DIY.  Or you start the DIY and run into all sorts of problems, budget increases, *COUGH, COUGH*, scope creep, and the general inundation of crap all over the house all the time.

Maybe it’s just me.  It probably is.  I’m sure you’re organized when you remodel things at your house.  I’m sure that if you were in the middle of YOUR master bathroom remodel project things would be coming along swimmingly.  But things are sketchy at my house right now.  I’ll show you photos in another post so you don’t just think I’m saying that, but just you wait until you see photographic evidence of the mess that is my life right now.  You’ll swoon on my behalf, and not in a good way.

Our master bathroom was in a sad … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Stephanie Gerber

Makeover a mom handbag

mom purse makeover

Makeover a Mom Handbag

I’m a mom who needs a makeover for my handbag. My name is Stephanie.  I’m the mom who carries everything AND the kitchen sink in her handbag.  Don’t you? Do you remember Allison’s long running ‘what’s in your purse‘ series? I loved those posts because I’m always curious how other people, (mom-people specifically) organize their stuff. Seeing what was inside all those pretty purses was fascinating!

Once or twice I thought about submitting my own (mom) purse, but then thought better of that humiliation. Because on most days I’m lugging around a purse stuffed with notebooks and magazines, a diaper bag with paraphernalia for 3 kids, and a car seat with a 19-pound kid. No matter how hard I try there’s just a lot of stuff.

 

mom diaper bag

And this is my not-so-stylish diaper bag. OK, it’s not even a diaper bag – it’s what I call the purse side car. You know, the old, ugly, tired canvas bag that you fill with all the stuff that you don’t want in your purse.

what to put in diaper bag

In it you will find, diapers and wipes for the 10-month-old. Two complete spare outfits for the potty training 3-year-old. … >> find out more…

Stephanie Gerber

Stephanie Gerber is a mother of 3 who writes for pretty mommies on a budget. She shares stylish and crafty adventures on her blog Henry Happened.

by Stephanie Hayward

How to geometric earrings

Today, how to geometric earrings, a DIY involving clay and and Xacto knives.   Get excited, this is a how to DIY you want to pay close attention to so you can whip up some earrings this weekend.  Check out the how to details.

geometric earrings craft

Have you guys noticed this geo trend going on? There’s been geometric shaped everything lately, from how to jewelry to candles to how to geometric planters; even holiday decorations are getting geodified. Yes, geodified. Well, now it’s time to add some geometric flair to your ears with these simple earrings you can make in just an hour (and that even includes bake time)!

materials for geometric earrings

Materials for How To Geometric Earrings DIY:

  • Polymer Clay in the color(s) of your choice
  • Blank Earring Posts – available at most craft stores
  • Razor blade, Xacto knife or clay knife – something to carve and slice the clay.

how to make geometric earrings

  • Step 1: Cut off a ½” x ½” cube and then slice a tiny sliver off of the cube
  • Step 2: Place the post on the back of cube
  • Step 3: Stack the sliver on top and smooth together with your fingers
  • Step 4: With your cutting instrument start slicing different angles until

    • … >> find out more…

Stephanie Hayward

A designer, maker, crafter, and blogger, Stephanie Hayward spends her days designing buildings in Columbus, Ohio and nights blogging about design, DIY, and (attempts at making) good food at Stuff Steph Does. She lives with her partner in crime, Brandon, and their spunky little dog, Lucy.

by Allison

Enter to win a Canon camera big give

It’s a big, huge, epic, GIVE-AWAY, for YOU!  And you, and you, and you!

12 amazing bloggers teamed up to bring you the most blowout giveaway of the year. One lucky winner will win a big fat brand new Canon Rebel DSLR t4i camera (boom goes the dynamite) along with a gorgeous chevron purse camera bag from Epiphanie in which to carry your new precious.

DSLR camera giveaway

Are you dying yet?  I’m dying a little for you.

I love Epiphanie camera bags a lot, and not just because Maile (the brilliant girl behind the bags) is one of the best humans on earth, but the new chevron camera bag is a big, big, fat, cute win.  Winning at life.

Here’s how this whole Epic May Giveaway thing goes down:

Canon Camera Big Giveaway

  • To enter to win the Canon Camera + Epiphanie Bag you MUST enter using the widget on the blog post.  No other entries will be counted.
  • The giveaway runs May 10th through May 24th.
  • One winner will be chosen at random and notified by email once the big give is over.  If you are said winner (winner winner, chicken dinner) you will have 48

    • … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

How to make a travel laundry kit

How to make a travel laundry kit; it’s what’s on the agenda today.

DIY travel kit

I travel a fair amount in my life, mostly with kids, plenty without.  Regardless, there’s always, ALWAYS some sort of laundry emergency when I travel.  I tend to spill when I eat, all over the front of whatever it is I’m wearing.  It’s kind of an epidemic, but whatever, no need to alert the authorities or anything, it’s just part of the treasure of being me.  And at some point of all this regular travel (it was pretty early on), it occurred to me I needed to bring a travel laundry kit with me wherever I go.  Goest.  Goeth.  Trip, trippity, travel.  That way I’m presentable for at least a portion of my trip, wherever in the world I happen to be.

It’s pretty simple really, how to make a travel laundry kit.  The trick is remembering to replenish it every time you unpack your gear.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on the road only to realize I have no quarters, or you know the important stuff like, oh, laundry detergent. 

laundry travel kit

Here’s how it all comes together:

How to Make a Travel Laundry … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

5 top summer movies to see

the sandlotI love movies.  I mean I really, really love movies.  I spent my childhood watching offbeat comedies with my siblings, all the John Wayne classics with my dad, Masterpiece Theater productions and every Doris Day movie ever with my mom.  Movies, I’m all about that business.  Summer movies especially.  There’s nothing like sitting inside a freezing air-conditioned movie theater with good friends, all hopped up on sugary candy and buttery over-salted popcorn sipping a cold bubbly drink while being transported by the latest Summer blockbuster.  I’m not the only one with a lifetime of those blissful summer memories, am I?

the endless summer originalOkay, so maybe I am.

I want my kids to have their own Summer movie memories so I’m currently compiling a huge list of movies for my children to see before I leave the nest (*SOB*).  It’s unbelievable to me sometimes the stuff they haven’t seen (shut up, I know they’re still little).  I’ve got an arsenal of amazing movies up my sleeve for them, and while this list isn’t for kids, it is for you.  (Unless you’re a kid, in which case ask your parents before you go getting me in trouble.)  Now that it’s almost Summer I want … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.