by Allison

Sweet potato mashed potato recipe

mashed sweet potatoIt’s recipe time.  I haven’t been cooking much lately, which is lame, but this master bathroom remodel is pretty much ruining my life.  I know! First, FIRST world problems.  I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have a new master bathroom, I really can’t.  I’m just saying, my house is a mess.  Like crazy, hoarders episode, staple guns and concrete buckets hanging out in the kitchen, messy.  No room for a girl trying new recipes.  Whatever.  Sometimes you don’t cook either, right?

Right?

Anyway.  *ahem*

I did find it in myself to whip up some mashed sweet potatoes, because my kids need to be fed once in awhile.  Not very often, but sometimes.  So I was in the kitchen a few weeks ago, making sweet potato rolls (it was a whim, don’t ask) and the recipe called for mashed sweet potatoes from a can.  Nasty.  If you have sweet potatoes (yams) within reach, even if that means a trip to the store so you can try a new recipe, do it.  Fresh sweet potatoes (yams) are heaven.  Mashed sweet potatoes?  Holy-have-mercy, come-to-mama.

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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

Body care giveaway packages

80 acres giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED AND

CONGRATS TO JAMIE M., comment #28, OUR WINNER

Please contact us right away Jamie!

Bath + body products.  You don’t even want to know how many different lotions and oils and sugar scrubs I have crowding my bathroom shelves.  Well, maybe you do.  I always want to know what my girlfriends are wearing that makes them smell so good.  The brand of that fabulous new lotion my mom recently discovered at a random boutique in Ohio while visiting the grandkids.  So I thought you might want to know what I’ve been obsessing over the last few months, and offer a little Mother’s Day giveaway while we’re at it.

Who’s in?

Me!

olive oil sugar scrub

80 Acres Body Care.  That’s the name I whisper to anyone who tells me I smell good.  It’s my secret weapon.  I truly can’t get enough of 80 Acres and everything in their tasty, delicious body care line.  In fact, I’ve already burned through an entire tub of their Verde Olive Oil Salt Scrub and an entire bottle of Blood Orange body oil.  It only took me 4 months to completely deplete my stores of … >> 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

Make your own customized cards

customized cards

You can make your own customized cards for the people in your life, did you know this? At cardstore.com  I knew it was a thing, back in the day.  You could go to a kiosk in the mall and make your own card, throw in some MS paint graphics and print it up one beepy line at a time.  I know this because two of my friends surprised me one summer day in the early 90′s with a treat and a special customized card.  There was a random picture and the text ran somewhere along the lines of,

“You need to get better.  Those peaches won’t can themselves.”

customized mother's day cardsI remember thinking it was awesome because it’s not like any card company out there knew I was spending my summer(s) in a steamy kitchen working as (unpaid) slave labor for my parents, canning bottles and bottles, and bottles of peaches.

That’s pretty cool, right?  The card, not the picking, washing, and canning of peaches all the summers of my youth. That part made me resent my mother and her home-making-ness until I got old enough to appreciate the skills she taught me as a kid.

In fact, … >> 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 Hayward

Easy knit bracelet DIY

how to knit bracelet

My easy craft technique of choice is knitting. I love that it is portable, quiet, and easy to work on while relaxing for the night. However, now that the warm weather is finally starting to come, (knock on wood) I lose all motivation to make any sort of scarf, blanket or any other cold weather necessity.

What’s a girl to do?

Make easy knitted jewelry, of course!

diy easy knit bracelet

Don’t be intimidated by the small stitches, even if you are a total novice on the needles, this project is super easy, and is definitely something you can try to start mastering your knitting skills.

knit bracelet supplies

 

Materials for Easy Knit Bracelet DIY:

  • Scrap yarn – mine is leftover from this yarn ornament project from the holidays
  • 1″x4″ piece of leather (vinyl will work fine, too)
  • snap and tools needed to attach (I used these)
  • 2 double pointed needles (I used size 8, but it will depend on the weight of your yarn)
  • tapestry needle

Each of the knit loops are made by knitting an I-cord, a very simple knitting technique:

how to knit i-cord

  • Cast on 5 stitches and knit 1 row.
  • Instead of switching hands and knitting the next row, slide the stitches down to

    • … >> 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

Earth Day and some cool recycled crafts

earth day

It’s Earth Day!  Did you celebrate by planting a tree or clearing a trail or heading out for a nice hike with your loved ones?  In middle school and high school we celebrated Earth Day every year by planting a tree next to a commemorative plaque, and more than once we headed into the mountains for a celebratory hike followed by a picnic.  I love Earth Day!  I really do.  This earth is a pretty fantastic place, and I’d love to help keep it around awhile longer by recycling and getting by with less.  It’s hard sometimes, but I believe in us, you and me and we.  We’re good like that.

You remember last week when I shared the DIY t-shirt necklaces with beads?  And the cool DIY projects from my friends Dana, Marie, Jacinda + Jaime?  They were all made with recycled materials and supplies Consumer Crafts, and you probably have most of the supplies in your house already.  If you don’t, Consumer Crafts has free shipping! all day! today! so you probably want to go order some craft supplies.  It’s for mother earth.

earth day craft

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

Good advice from my favorite grandma

advice from grandmaGood news is something we’re all searching for today, high and low.  Yesterday was a rough day in the news, and as usually happens when something tragic and horrible takes place, the tragic bombing yesterday at the Boston Marathon got me thinking about my life in a philosophical way.  As I tucked my little son Charming into bed last night, I tried to refrain from weeping as I repeated to him the words another mother, Mister Fred Rogers’ told him when he was fearful,

“Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

Charming in turn thought about all the good and helpful things people had done in Boston, and all over the globe during the tragedy of the day, repeating them to me one at a time as he drifted off to sleep.  In the end his little worried mind was too much to handle and he found himself tossing and turning, restlessly fighting for slumber.  We bantered quietly across the hallway separating our bedrooms as I tried to comfort him for the better part of an hour when finally I called out for him to come tuck himself in bed next to me, to find … >> 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

DIY t-shirt necklaces with beads

earth dayDIY tshirt necklaces with beads

Today: 4 DIY crafts in celebration of Earth Day.  You might want to put your seat-belts on because things are about to get all glittery up in here.  Today’s post is pretty great; some recycled accessories in the form of DIY t-shirt necklaces with beads AAAAAND 3 bonus crafts from three other amazing bloggers.  All the crafts you’re about to witness (they are a thing to behold I tell you, 4 DIY crafts in one post) were created using only a few craft supplies from Consumer Crafts (the sponsor of this post) and re-cycled, up-cycled, and re-purposed materials.  That’s a lot of DIY cycling folks, and I knew you’d be excited, that’s why you’re wearing your seat-belts! 

I slay myself.

P.S.s.s.s.ssss. There’s a surprise at the bottom of this post.  Be a very patient person and wait until the end to see what fun is up my sleeve!  Ssshh!

Without further adieu, here’s a whole smorgasbord of DIY, starting with the recycled t-shirt necklace.

DIY T-shirt Necklaces

I know you’ve been searching your closets (or your hubby’s) for old t-shirts to make fun DIY polka dot scarves, right? And if you’re anything like me, as soon as you decide to start … >> 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

DIY make a thread wrapped belt

Time to make your own DIY thread wrapped belt, guys.  Check out the cute refashion DIY Steph has cooked up today.  -Allison

how to make a thread wrapped belt

Hi friends! You know when you’re flipping through catalogs or surfing the web checking out the latest fashions, and you see something that is just sooo DIY doable you say to yourself, “why would I pay that much money when I could just make it myself!?”

Well, guess what. That totally happened to me a few weeks ago when I came across this belt on the J Crew website. I couldn’t pass it up! For one thing it is simply a scaled up version of these bracelets I made last summer. I have to say, I think I hit the nail on the head on this knock off version of the Spring accessory; plus it’s so easy, you’ll want to make these in every color!

thread-wrapped-belt-supplies

 Materials for Thread Wrapped Belt

  • embroidery floss in the colors of your choice
  • brown leather belt
  • hot glue

Check out Target, Forever 21, H&M, or wherever you shop–I know you guys are savvy shoppers and know how to find a good deal! Or maybe you already have a spare brown belt in … >> 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

Master bathroom remodel design ideas

A master bathroom remodel is way less fun than you think it would be, and I know you think it would be fun.  The most fun in all the land, ripping apart your personal space and tearing out your closet.  So much fun they should have entire TV shows dedicated to remodeling people’s master bath … oh wait.

bathroom remodel
I mentioned a few weeks ago that we’re in the middle of our master bathroom remodel part I aka ripping up moldy sub-flooring and sledge-hammering our carefully selected (not by me) semi-turquoise counter top and vinyl flooring.  It wasn’t as bad as … No, yes it was, it was awful.

Right now we’re ripped down to the studs and framing out the steam shower (oh have mercy it’s going to be beautiful) and I’ll show you pictures of that, but first I wanted to show you the look and feel of the future gorgeous Czarnecki master bathroom.  If it ever gets finished.

My inspiration for this master bath remodel is all oceanic, naturally.  I may have mentioned a time or ten I was misplaced in my birthplace.  I *should* have been born in California.  Or Hawaii.  Or maybe even, … >> 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.