DIY Neon Popsicle Earrings

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cricut. All opinions are 100% mine.

As you probably know, I’ve been having a LOT of fun making faux leather earrings lately! I’ve been using my new Cricut Maker and holy cow, it’s a game changer! My Explore Air was cool and all, but the Maker can keep up with anything I throw at it. Cutting felt? Yep! Fabric! Thin balsa wood! Chipboard! It feels like the possibilities are endless. 

To share my newfound love, I decided to show you guys a fun DIY project using faux leather, and also answer your questions about cutting faux leather with the Cricut Maker! If you’ve never cut faux leather before, head down to the FAQ before beginning this project! It’s full of helpful tips so that you can get started on the right foot. I love faux leather earrings because they weigh practically nothing- perfect for making an impact without saggy ear lobes!

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You will need:

Cricut Maker
Faux Leather- Beige
Strong Grip Mat & Standard Grip Mat (or Variety Pack here)
Iron-on Vinyl- Neutrals Sampler and Neon Glow Sticks Sampler
Cricut EasyPress Mini
EasyPress Mat
Basic Tool Set
Brayer or Applicator and Remover Set
Washable Fabric Pen (optional)
Self-Healing Mat
True Control Knife
18” Cutting Ruler
High Temp Tape and Teflon Sheet
Earring Kit

Directions:

1. Gather your supplies, then open up the project in Cricut Design Space.

2. Press the “Make It” button and see what size you’ll need for your materials. I like to cut the pieces before running it through the machine to save some time. I use my cutting mat, ruler, and True Control Knife. This thing is amazing- it cut through 3 layers of vinyl at the same time!

3. First up, cut your faux leather using the Strong Grip Mat. Be sure to place your leather face-down (aka, leather down and fabric backing up). Smooth it down with your brayer to ensure it’s pressed down securely. 

4. Load your mat into your Cricut Maker. Select the material (faux leather- paper thin) and set the pressure to “MORE”. Once it’s cut, don’t peel it off yet! Test that it comes out easily and smoothly. If not- run it through again.

5. Cut your vinyl using the standard grip mat. I put all my little pieces of vinyl on the same mat, and just ran it through in order. Weed your vinyl to get it ready for ironing.

6. Place your faux leather earrings on the EasyPress Mat. Follow the directions for the Easy Press Mini which in this case is 30 seconds on the lowest setting. I used a teflon sheet to protect my faux leather while using the iron. As per the instructions, peel off the protective layer while it’s still warm. I did the brown popsicle pieces first, then the neons after. Use heat-resistant tape to keep things in place so they don’t slide!

7. Add a jump ring and then an earring hook to your faux leather. Wear them with pride!

Now, let’s get into some FAQ about cutting faux leather:

Why is the Maker better than the Explore for faux leather cutting?

This is a great question! Before I got my Maker, I did use my Explore to cut faux leather. And it worked, for the most part. But, the Explore has to go over the leather twice to cut it. This can lead to the faux leather getting tangled up, especially if certain pieces cut well and then it slides over again and dislodges it. It’s also more time consuming! We know that us crafters have limited time as it is, haha.

How do I keep my leather from moving and sliding while cutting?

There are a few tricks to keep that pesky faux leather in place! First, use a Brayer to smooth the leather down and ensure a good adherence. Then, if you really want to keep it in place, add a bit of tape. I use painter’s tape and that works perfectly.

What blade do I need to cut faux leather?

You can make perfect, precise cuts using the fine-point blade.

How do I cut faux leather?

It’s really easy! Just place your leather face down on the mat- I use the purple heavy grip mat. You want to have the fabric backing facing up and the leather on the sticky side of the mat. Don’t worry- it won’t get ruined! Then, I like to use “more” pressure setting. Do your cuts, and then check that the cuts went all the way through. If they didn’t, run it through again and it’ll go over the same cuts, allowing your shapes to break free!

Can I add vinyl to my faux leather?

Yep! Cricut Iron-Ons work perfectly for this. You just want to take some precautions. Remember, faux leather is artificial- aka plastic and melts easily. So, you want to protect it as much as possible before adding your vinyl. Use a teflon sheet to avoid directly touching the leather with your heat source. Second, be efficient. I love to use my Easypress Mini because I know the exact settings. This means I can go quick and avoid unnecessary heat on my faux-leather. It’s also the PERFECT size for earrings! Cricut recommends using their EasyPress Mat which is the perfect size for laying out a few earrings and getting all that iron-on vinyl secured!

My faux leather just won’t cut- now what?

This is what’s great about the Cricut- it has a drawing feature! Switch your designs to DRAW, then load the fabric pen. This amazing pen has disappearing ink, so after you’re done trimming, use some water and the marks are gone! Allow the Cricut to do it’s thing, and you’ll have a precise template that you can now hand-cut.

Oh and PS- this GORGEOUS set of Cricut Pens is the Fine Point Pen Set- Sorbet. What dreams are made of!

I hope this post inspired you to make some faux-leather earrings too! I am LOVING my new Cricut Maker, so if you have any questions or if you’re on the fence about getting one, let me know! I can help you decide if it’s the right move for you :) I think one of the best things about the Cricut Maker is that you can create projects that you can sell, which helps you earn your money back that you spent on it! It’s really an investment piece, and a total necessity for any crafter out there!

In case that wasn’t enough, here are 5 things I love about my Cricut:

1. I can cut faux leather with ease to make gorgeous earrings.

2. The Cricut design space has thousands of amazing graphics, images and fonts that I can use to customize my projects. It’s SO easy to do, and I love that I can design then cut, all in one place!

3. I can cut a variety of materials, including paper, vinyl, leather, felt even balsa wood!

4. The Cricut is perfect for tiny details. I can draw or cut something and it’s precisely like it looked on my screen.

5. It’s really easy to go from an idea to a finished project. Everything comes out perfectly!

Stay at Home Date Ideas

My husband and I have never really been the “go out on Valentine’s Day” type of people. Between the crowds, the increased fees, and now the inability to get a babysitter, staying in looks better than ever! Although we can just be lazy and watch Netflix like any other night, I decided to brainstorm some ideas to make staying in on Valentine’s Day special. And then, I figured lots of others couples and families probably stay home too- so, why not write a post with some ideas for everyone?! These are easy ideas you can whip up in a few hours or less- so, pick one you like and get to planning!

The best part is that these ideas can be used ALL YEAR LONG! So, pin this blog post to your Pinterest and reference it any time you want to add a little more fun to your date nights at home!

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Stay at Home Date Ideas for Adults

-Pick a country and "vacation" there (ex: watch an Italian movie while eating Italian food, drinking Italian wine, and an outfit you would wear to vacation in Italy!)

-Wine and cheese night (brie, bread, wine, various cheeses and crackers). Listen to romantic music, make a fire, or watch a movie.

- Order your fave takeout, watch your fave movie, and fave dessert

-Take a "cooking class" by making a new dish following a recipe you find online together. Bonus points for adding a dessert!

- Do a wine tasting or beer tasting. Get different wines or beers. One of you places them in random bags, the other one adds numbers and pours them into glasses. The surprise won't be ruined!

-Watch a video on Youtube and learn a new dance together!

-Have a picnic in your yard (if it's warm where you live) or on your living room floor.

-Give each other massages or some other spa treatment

-Learn a new skill (like juggling) together

Stay at Home Date Ideas for Families & Kids

-make a love fort & fill it with pink, red, white or purple sheets and pillows, or just all the items they love.

-Do a craft day together

-Hide valentines around the house for kids to collect (write what you love about kids and hide them or spell out an activity to do together another day)

-Create games at home- bowling with half-empty bottles, ball toss with buckets, etc. Pinterest has about a billion ideas for this!

-Do a photo scavenger hunt. Come up with items they need to find, and watch as they peruse the house for the items. Give them a kid's camera to take some pics of their treasures! (Also, this helps avoid a broken iPhone screen!)

Stay at Home Date Ideas for Friends

-have a spa/pamper day (each friend picks a treatment, like face masks, nail polish, etc). Or, pick up a few of these kits!

-Rom-com marathon. Get some popcorn and add gourmet flavoring for a special twist!

-Do a craft together (like making your own candles!) with wine and a cheese platter

-Do a paint nite together by following a Youtube video or letting each person pick their own idea. Grab a set of canvases and some paints!

Stay at Home Date Ideas for All Ages

-Karaoke! Get a cheap microphone on Amazon or fake one using a hairbrush. Watch videos on Youtube or get a fancy machine. The choice is yours!

-Make fondue! I think this would also be great for kids.

-Host a game night!

-Make smores and sing campfire songs! Bonus points if someone knows how to play guitar.

-Make breakfast for dinner! Switch it up and make homemade waffles.

There are TONS of ways that you can make staying at home feel special. You just need to be creative! Do you have any other great date night ideas? Or, is one of these your fave? Let me know in the comments below!

Perfect Valentine's Day Gifts for Moms

Ah, moms. The women who give their all to raise amazing little humans. They’re also notorious for never doing anything for themselves! This Valentine’s Day, how about giving a little gift to the special mom in your life? Whether she’s your sister, wife or friend, I bet she would appreciate a small gift for herself! Here are some ideas for gifts that a mom will love- no matter your budget! Oh and also- TOTALLY perfect to buy them for yourself as well!

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Under $25

Box of Teas - Moms can definitely use something to relax! This box of teas is SO cute and looks fancy. As a bonus, add in some fancy honey and you’ve got the perfect gift.

Blackhead Remover Pore Vacuum - This is perfect for getting a facial without actually leaving the house! Give it as a gift with Tea Tree Essential Oil for a perfectly pampering experience.

Silk pillowcase - These pillowcases are great for your skin and hair! They also feel super luxurious, so there’s that!

Travel Coffee Mug - Since mom’s coffee never stays warm, give her this insulated travel mug so she can take it on the go! For the mom with more than one kid, go for the bigger option. She needs all the coffee she can get!

Headbands - All moms love to throw their hair up in a mom bun! Or maybe not love to.. but it happens. Give them a nice set of headbands to add a little flair to every outfit, and add a headband holder to help them stay organized and nicely displayed!

Makeup Brush Holder - mostly just so that she can store them nicely and feel like a rockstar while she does her makeup!

Dry Erase Calendar - As a bonus, add a set of dry erase markers to go with it!

Reversible Tote Bag - It’s a fact. Moms have a lot of stuff that they need to carry. This way, she can do it in style!

Best Mom Ever Candle - Perfect for the rare moment that mom gets some time alone- like, maybe a bath?! A girl can dream, right?

Sexy-ish PJ’s - I think these are fun to give as a reminder that although she is “mom” most of the day, she can still be her sexy self in the evening.

Under $50

7-Piece Pajama Set - This set is so fun for all the moods! Sexy mom, check. Lazy mom, check. It also means that she’ll be bale to mix and match the pieces while still looking put together!

Wine Glass - Add in a bottle of her fave wine and you’ve got a winner!

Gift Card for Date Night - Every mom needs to get out once in a while! Throw in an offer to babysit, and this is probably the best gift ever.

External Hard Drive - Moms love to take pictures. Get her an external hard drive to hold all those precious photos and keep them safe!

Heart Necklace - Jewelry is fun. As a bonus, this one can be engraved!

Wine Bottle Holder - There’s a reason that pretty much every mom mug and t-shirt mentions wine. Get her this cute bottle holder to store that wine in a pretty way!

Cozy Blanket - This is perfect for time spent on the couch with the kids, or watching a movie in peace after they’ve gone to bed!

Picture Frame -So many pictures end up buried on our phone forever. With a pretty frame like this one, she’ll have a great reason to display them! To be the best friend ever, offer to take a family photo so that she can be in it.

French Press Coffee Maker - Moms need coffee, and this set is SO PRETTY.

Essential Oils Diffuser - Help her to relax and feel like she’s at the spa, even if she’s just watching Frozen for the 700th time. This one is really pretty and fits in with anyone’s decor! As a bonus, add a set of essential oils.

Around $100

Dreamy Baby Photography - Moms take lots of pictures. With this course, she can take amazing photos of her baby no matter the device. By enrolling her in this course, she’s getting a new skill plus all the memories of her child. It’s a win-win.

Robot Vacuum - Kids make messes and we hate to clean the. This vacuum does the work for her.

Handheld Massager - Raising kids is stressful and we don’t get to move and stretch as much as we should. Things get stiff! This massager helps to loosen things up.

Custom Initial Necklace- Perfect for her initials, her husband’s, or her children!

Amazon Echo Show - I have one of these and love it. I can play music, write down a grocery list, set a timer, hear the weather…. all without touching my phone that I can’t find because it’s been hidden by a child or the dog is sitting on it.

Ninja Countertop Blender - Perfect for morning smoothies! I have the Ninja and love it. It’s probably been at least 6 years that we’ve had it!

Keurig Coffee Maker - Because again, momma needs her coffee. This one comes in so many pretty colors!

Towel Warmer - This is a fun gift that really will make her feel pampered. Nothing better than a warm towel!

Fitbit Versa 2 Smartwatch - This connects with Amazon Alexa which is awesome! It also syncs up notifications with your phone and can control your spotify app. All of that in addition to the heath tracking benefits like tracking your heart rate, steps, etc.

Toddler Valentine Basket Ideas (On A Budget!)

While I was browsing the Valentine section at Target, I got the bright idea to make a Valentine’s day basket for my daughter, Hailey. I know that a Valentine basket technically isn’t a thing, but I love holidays and will take any excuse to celebrate. I started to ponder what I would put in my basket, and I was pretty bummed that I thought of the idea as we were essentially leaving the store. So, I made a list and decided to go back and grab what I needed another time (you know… before the inevitable meltdown began). I knew that I wanted my basket to be Valentine-themed, but I didn’t want to waste money on cheap crap or novelty items that she would only use for a day. This momma is on a budget and every purchase counts. So, I filled up Hailey’s basket with a few items that were fun, but could be used year round. Pretty much everything came from either Dollar Tree or Target!

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Here’s what I put in my Toddler Valentine Basket:

Red and pink snacks- Since Hailey is only 16 months old, I didn’t want to fill her basket with chocolates or candy. So, I grabbed some of her fave snacks and some new ones for her to try. She loved it and wanted her pouches and yogurt bites right away!

One stuffed animal- She’s not big on stuffed toys, so I grabbed this monkey from the dollar tree. She’s having a monkey moment since she knows how to make the sounds!

Bubbles- Hailey LOVES bubbles, so this big pack from the dollar store was perfect for her basket!

Toddler paint and paint brushes- I love to paint, so I decided to get a wooden heart from the Dollar Tree and some paints to go along with it. I can’t wait to paint with her again- we haven’t done it since she was a tiny baby!

Hershey Kisses- I had to give her some kind of chocolate! It’s a Valentine’s Day tradition. And what’s sweeter than a kiss?

Crayola Bath Items- I found these paint soaps at the dollar tree and I thought they would be a fun addition. At first she was very confused and even got mad at us for putting the paint soap on her! After a few tries, she realized she loved them and kept asking for more paint.

Valentine Book- Hailey loves the Halloween version of this book, so I decided to get her the Valentine version too! We’ve been reading it at night and she seems to like it.

Valentine Basket- This was actually something I had laying around the house if you can believe it! I was going to buy a basket but I figured I’d save the money. I have plenty at home I can use! Maybe next year (or for an older child) it would make sense to get a basket just for this- especially for a kid that likes to play with them.

Well, that’s all there is to it! There are so many items that you can add to a basket for your kids. You just need to be creative and think about what they like! Pick 2-3 colors for your basket that you’d like to stick to and it’ll be perfectly pretty. Or, just grab their favorite items and make it a “love” basket- you know, full of things they LOVE!

What would you put in your child’s basket? Let me know in the comments below!

Hailey's Faves: Best Books for a One-Year Old

Ok mommas, you know the drill- babies need bedtime stories and you need something that doesn’t bore you to tears after reading it 3,645 times. A lot of books you end up getting at your baby shower are way too long to keep baby’s attention. Or, maybe you’re just looking for something new that your toddler will love and hopefully won’t make YOU fall asleep while reading. Either way, I’ve got you covered! After 16 months of books, I’ve found a few that Hailey loves to read over and over again- and, I think your little guy or girl will love it too!

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These are all the books I practically have memorized but still love to read anyway. I’ve also shared more about them, including why I like them so much! They're in color order, because we all know I love a good rainbow to organize things.

1. Mommies are Amazing This book is filled with cats and their kittens and talks about all the amazing things mom can do! We are a cat-loving family, so this is one of our faves. There’s also a dad version that features dogs, if you prefer!

2. My Mom is Magical Another fave! Personally, I love all the amazing drawings in this book. The words are different than the typical book, featuring phrases like my mom is “sillier than a band of bananas” with matching drawings that are equally as silly and elaborate. Again, there’s also a dad version called My Dad Is Amazing which is equally adorable and funny, but Hailey prefers the mom version.

3. Toes, Ears & Nose! A Lift the Flap Book This is a newer book that we purchased using a gift card from Hailey’s first bday party, but it’s quickly become a favorite for her. She loves moving the flaps to see what’s behind! There is a whole collection of books in this series, so try the affordable box set to get more bang for your buck- and fun for your baby!

4. Where’s Boo? Although this is a Halloween book, it’s one of Hailey’s faves. She loves to “knock” on the door to reveal the final page. I just got her the Valentine version too, so hopefully we can keep the fun going year round! I like that this book is a quick read, but also love seeing her “knock” for Boo at the end.

5. Feminist Baby We got this book as a gift for my baby shower, and it’s really fun! Hailey loves the baby in the book, since she’s on most of the pages. Personally I find the words and phrases funny and I like the message behind them. Hailey also loves the sequel Feminist Baby Finds Her Voice. Her favorite page is “Feminist Baby says ‘ba’ for her bottle” and she always says “ba” as soon as she sees it! There’s also a boy version, but I think the other two are fairly gender neutral even though feminist baby is a girl.

6. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? This story itself isn’t the most interesting for me. However, the sliders make it really fun for baby. I remember when Hailey was really small, she figured it out and it made me want to cry with pride. It makes up for the fact that the story itself is insanely repetitive. Also, she likes to kiss the teacher and students sometimes which is pretty cute. Plus, it’s a classic!

7. The Wonderful Things You’ll Be I love the amazing pictures in this book. The message is really sweet and it has a foldout that Hailey loves to look at! Plus, it’ll grow with your baby as they get older.

8. A Parade of Animals This was one of Hailey’s favorite books, although she seems to have outgrown it a bit at this point. But, it covers a bunch of animals plus counting so I figure she’ll get back into it soon!

9. Alphaprints ABC This book is pretty cool because it has textured animals made with fingerprints! I like to feel the textured book (I can’t be the only one!) and Hailey likes to point at all the misc materials that are used to make the animals.

10. Disney Bunnies All Ears This book isn’t particularly interesting, but it has moveable ears. The best part is that Hailey figured out how to move the ears and was able to match the story on her own! She likes it because it’s interactive and essentially a stuffed animal.

11. Good Night, Little One This book is short and sweet, and teaches your baby all their various body parts (and animals) through good night kisses. I like to touch the parts of her that the book references (good night nose, good night head) and I also teach her about the animals. She now makes monkey noises when we get to the monkey and gorilla pages! There are some other similar books by the same author, like this one and this one.

12. My First Book of Things To Learn Although Hailey doesn't actually interact with the book the way it’s meant to (it’s kind of a matching game in a book) she does enjoy all the pictures. There’s different sections, like matching animals to their sounds and baby animals to their parents. It’s definitely something that will grow with her, although right now it’s more of just a picture book!

I don’t know when my little baby became a big girl, but here we are. These pictures almost look like picture day pictures! The kind you’d get in school with a fake background of books, haha. She loves to pull them out and read them, so I’m glad she has so many that she can grab and look at! You can find more details about her room and how I organized her nursery here.

These are some of my favorite books (and Hailey’s!) but I’m always looking for new suggestions! What books are a favorite in your household? Let me know in the comments below!