House of Smith's

Self Improvement - Working on your OWN Exterior + BeautyMint

2012-01-27T09:18:00.000-08:00

This past year as we've been making more improvements on our home I've also been making a few personal improvements myself. It's definitely something that has been in the works for a while and believe it or not, has taken almost as much time and energy as redoing our house!

The whole reason our blog started was because after I became a wife and mother, I realized that it was up to me to create a surrounding and life for our family that was beautiful, welcoming and safe. I also knew that it had to be a space that I felt 'at home', because as a stay-at-home Mom I knew that I would be IN my house, most of the day.

As Cason and I started making improvements on our space and finally found a style that worked perfectly for us, I also felt this overwhelming need to work on myself as well. I don't know if the feeling eventually came around because my kids were old enough and I finally had a few seconds to focus on ME, or if it was because I was quickly approaching the big 3-0 and I refused to feel the same at thirty, as I did at 28...

Whatever this new motivation was, it felt GREAT and after focusing all of my time for the last 4 years on 3 babies and going through the journey of finding ourselves unemployed and having to look for a new job... I was ready to take some time out for myself. Some might say that it's selfish, but I am a firm believer that if you're not happy with yourself as a Mother and wife, then you can't be the kind of caregiver and spouse your children and husband deserve and need.

Funny enough a quote I stumbled upon last year from Dr. Seuss really summed it all up for me...

Deciding to make changes to our home came a lot easier for me then I thought it would. Once we finished our first small space, felt accomplished and excited... it was almost like an addiction and we just wanted to keep going, because it was SO rewarding! The same thing can be said about how I started to feel towards my own personal makeover.

After a little list making I decided to start from the top... literally, like the top of me... more specifically, my head. I don't know if any of you have the same problem, but I'm pretty sure that I totally skipped the "awesome thick hair line" before I got sent to earth... and as a result, have had to deal with somewhat body-less, thin hair. So that being said, hair extensions were first on my list of things to try. You can read more about that here

I loved the look of having thicker hair, so I headed down a few inches on that head of mine and took the big leap of plumping up my lashes as well, with eyelash extensions. Long story short... it's been over 6 months and I'm still in love! Read more about that here and here

Moving forward, it was now time to get a full checkup from the neck-up! Either due to crazy hormones from having kids or maybe just the weird life changing experience of approaching 30, my skin needed a little help. So I jumped at the chance to try the new BeautyMint skincare product line, from the wonderful people at BeachMint.com.

After a quick survey online about how I would describe my skin type on the BeautyMint site, I was matched up with a skincare line that would best suit me. Since I'm prone to ocassional breakouts and dry skin I received the Essential Cleanser, Ultra Replenishing Serum, Sculpting Treatment and Replenishing Moisturizer for my daily skincare routine.

After about 2 weeks of using the BeautyMint product, here are my thoughts:

First, I'm actually thrilled to have a COMPLETE skincare line to use... It's been way too long.

Second, I can definitely tell a difference in the texture and tone of my skin. Since I'm naturally freckle-y and a bit fair, I'm usually pretty sensitive to new skincare, but I haven't noticed any irritation at all with the BeautyMint products. Everything is really mild and completely natural and scent free.

One thing that I did have to get used to with the products, was the feel of them on my skin. The cleanser is a little runnier then I'm used to and the sculpting treatment is a bit sticky when first applied. I felt like I needed a lot more lotion on my skin then what my recommended line called for, but really, I was surprised at how good my skin felt and how much better my makeup went on, when applied afterward! Maybe LESS moisturizer on my face is what I needed all along, because my breakouts are now virtually gone!

Below are a few photos I wanted to share. (we're in a no judgment zone, right?)

The first photo was taken makeup free and blemish rich :)

The second was taken today with no makeup, nearly blemish free and may I say a bit more glow-y!

The third one is a photo with a little Prep & Prime from Mac and foundation from Mary Kay, to cancel out a bit of my red tones.

Pretty dang good, right!? Something I've also noticed is that some of the darker spots on my face that I had around my mouth have really lightened up too!

You can take your own skincare survey on BeautyMint.com and find out what products work best for you and your skins needs. Compared to JUST the cleanser and lotion I was using before, the entire BeautyMint line is about half the price and definitely a bigger bang for my buck. Also, right now, if you use the code "SMITHS" at checkout, you can receive a $20 discount!

Taking the challenge to work on my OWN exterior has actually been quite the journey, but I'll admit... extremely rewarding. For those of you who follow us on Facebook or Instagram I've also been posting updates the past few months on my "total body renovation" as well, and will definitely have more on that, in the near future

I know that I've been a bit of a quote freak lately, but I just have to leave you with this last great one from Emerson...

What have you done for YOU lately!? Are you taking the time to work on your own interior/exterior as well as your homes!? If not, then definitely give it a try. It can REALLY make a difference in your attitude and outlook on life when you're a happier, healthier, prettier, better... you.

This conversation was sponsored on behalf of BeautyMint. I was sent samples of BeautyMint product for free.
All opinions are 100% my own.

Alt Summit 2012 Recap

2012-01-26T15:39:00.000-08:00

Yay! Time for an Alt Summit recap!

First off I have to give a huge THANK YOU to my sponsor this year, Rue la la for being such an amazing company to work with. The ladies on their team are top-notch :)

And secondly, this post would be MOST boring without all the amazing photography talents of Justin Hackworth, Brooke and Moss and Isaac.

So here we go!

Wednesday night of the conference started out with a bang. I headed to a yummy dinner at the wonderful Cucina Tuscana Restaurant with the fabulous ladies from Rue La La and a few fellow bloggers. It was delicious and I had such a good time chatting with new friends and learning about how Rue la la came to be one of the largest online fashion-forward flash sites, with over 5 million users!

(no wonder all the best stuff is always sold out so quickly!)

After dinner Jen, Megan and I headed to Ruth's Chris for a speaker cocktail party hosted by Mail Chimp. It was done beautifully and so fun to meet face to face with lots of fabulous bloggers.

Don't ask... I have no idea what I'm doing in this photo. ha!

Thursday was filled with wonderful, informative panels and a keynote speaker session to boot!

I had the opportunity to get advice from experts like Danielle from Sway, Erin from Design for Mankind, Gabrielle from Design Mom and Maxwell from Apartment Therapy.

The food and gifts were both equally as impressive and always presented so beautifully!

Thursday night was The Winter Wonderland party. I don't think I've seen so many stylish, cute ladies in one place... ever! Such beautiful clothes and accessories. I spent most of the night soaking it all in.

The round table discussion groups started bright and yearly on Friday morning. Jen and I led the discussion on "How to use Facebook as an effective tool to connect." It was the perfect laid back atmosphere for bloggers and business owners to sit around and ask questions and discuss the topics at hand.

One of the biggest highlights from Alt this year was being able to hear Ben Silbermann speak. The creator of Pinterest. He was such a humble, kind, inspiring keynote speaker and really stressed the fact that "Pinterest should inspire you to go out and do the things you love!" One of my favorite quotes from this conference came from him:

"If you don't bet on yourself, no one else will"

I truly believe in this, and after hearing how and why Pinterest came to be, I must say that I'm an even bigger fan then before... if that's at all possible.

I rounded out my Alt experience this year by helping host the oh-so-stylish Rue la la mini party on Friday night. It was perfect! Hot tomato soup and mini grill cheese, caprese skewers and pink pomegranate campaign! The environment was beautiful as well. A fun photo booth and crystals dripping from every corner.

After a night of partying I thought that my excitement had come to an end... but a quick delicious brunch on Saturday with the fabulous Anna and Dan from Big Cartel was the icing on the cake for my wonderful weekend. During a little raffle I became the VERY proud winner of a "Shop for Life" gift certificate!!! Meaning that the nice folks at Big Cartel will now host my House of Smiths Design Shop, free of charge every month! WOWZERS!

if you were wondering, no, my smile couldn't be any cheesier

As a small business owner I was already smitten with using Big Cartel for my shops site hosting needs, but now I'm completely in love after meeting Anna and Dan :)

The ability to list our products exactly how we want in a clean, customizable format has totally changed the way that we do business and at the same time has made it 10 times more successful then before.

My good friend Susan from Freshly Picked also uses Big Cartel to sell her adorable handmade leather goods. This brilliant video was shot by the Big Cartel crew, about her experiences using their site for her business, and I can't tell you how MUCH I love it. You MUST check it out!

So my final thoughts about Alt?

As a newcomer, I have to say that I had some pretty high expectations. I had been told by fellow Alt attendees from past years that Alt was quite the event and to be prepared for greatness. Now that I've experienced this fabulously-fashion-forward conference for myself... I must admit, Alt turned out to be even more then I had hoped for. I was so impressed by the sponsorship interaction, the attention to detail and the vast amount of wisdom and insight shared from the speakers. I left Alt feeling inspired, more connected and probably most of all... yearning for a far more trend-setting fashionable wardrobe... preferably one that includes some thick black framed glasses and brightly colored tights :)

All around amazing conference with pretty people, parties and priceless information. I will definitely be heading back next year.

Post and conference sponsorship were provided by Rue La La. All opinions are 100% my own.

Project Entryway Closet Makeover: Part 1 - Demo

2012-01-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

A few months back as I was frantically trying to get the kids ready for school, something happened.

...I fell.

Yup! Wanna know where?...Believe it or not, right INTO my entryway closet. Yes, you read that right. As I was shuffling through the collection of coats and backpacks on the floor (because that's where they live, duh) of my extremely cluttered entryway closet, and was simultaneously fighting with my vacuum hose and elbowing my way through random empty hangers... I lost my balance on a ziplock bag full of batteries and FELL... right onto the floor in the closet.

(aka: the dark pit of clutter-prone despair)

From the outside, this closet doesn't seem to appear as much of a threat or pit... just a regular ol' coat closet.

And even in these next pictures you can see that it doesn't look so bad (because I actually picked it up, for the photo) but let me assure you, this random, space-sucking-dumping-ground has definitely been an issue for us in this house! It never stays clean, there is virtually no storage, and the huge 36 inch door either has to be completely open or shut to allow for anyone to even pass through the already small entryway.

So, on with my story... while I was sitting on the ground in our embarrassingly messy closet and coats continued to tumble down on top of me, I realized something...
This closet was actually really HUGE!
Literally it was just a big open cavity of space that had been installed under this decorative garden shelf and it was TOTALLY being wasted! I then stood up and starting taking inventory of how deep the closet was on each side and even knocked on the walls a bit to quickly do a "is there anything really behind here" test and surprisingly, nothing seemed to be in my way from making this closet a LOT more functional!

Once I realized this fact, I pretty much did what any normal DIY girl would do, who just realized that there was an un-decorated space in her house that COULD be better organized and utilized...

I started ripping everything out, throwing it on the floor and grabbed my hammer.

Once I had most everything down in the closet, that I could do on my own without any major tools... I called in reinforcements. (aka: My Dad). Only a few hours later he pulled up with his truck full of goodies and we were elbow deep into a full closet demo in no time flat.

Welcome, my friends to a short little series on my blog that will now be referred to as:

Part one of this series will be...

How to effectively remove a door, it's molding and casing from a wall, in just 3 easy steps!

Step1: Use a utility knife and cut into any caulk or putty that has been used to gap spaces between pieces of molding on your wall or trim.

Step 2: Using a large and small crowbar, start to work your way under the trim around your door and pull back the molding to remove it.

Step 3: Once your molding is all removed, take a crowbar and wiggle free the door casing. At this point, you may also need to remove any door shims and/or use a hammer to bang the casing free out of it's tight fit.

Ta-da! Now you're door is out! Wasn't that so easy!?

I have to say that people remodel their homes everyday, but knowing simple steps to removing a door with the LEAST amount of damage is definitely some valuable information, don't you think!? When Cason and I did this for the first time, in another location in our home, we just stood there and weren't even quite sure where to start! So even though this little mini tutorial may be common knowledge for SOME of you, I have to say that I would have appreciated it about 2 years ago when we were starting in on our home remodel and were totally clueless.

Okay, so now that the door was gone, and the shelving unit was outta there, we were in business! With no plans at all, just my wild dreams of a beautifully organized, functional spaces in my head and my Dad's insanely-impressive knowledge of all things home improvement... we started in on sketching out lines for a larger space.

Since we were taking risks and goin' all "This Old House style" up in this space, I knew that we HAD to find the best way to really create a feeling of a larger overall entryway for our home. So with a little guidance from my 'handyman' telling me what I could and couldn't do... I decided to take my little hallway closet to the MAX!

Let the drywall cutting begin!

First we started by measuring out where we wanted our cuts to be with a level and pencil. Then in order for us to make sure we had the straightest lines, we used a chalk string marker.

Once everything was measured and marked correctly we got out our multipurpose tool, attached on the drywall saw blade and went to town!

Demo Tip: Be smarter then me and COVER any furniture that you don't want blanketed in a 2-inch-thick pile of fine, hard to clean-up drywall dust, BEFORE you start cutting into your walls. Bleehk!

Guess who came home from work riiiiight at this point in the demolition process?...

Welcome home honey! (blush)

So... something you have to know about me and my Dad, is that we are VERY similar. Both a bit OCD, very creatively hands-on, and quite a determined people. So once we had made up our minds that this project was happening... we may or may not have just jumped in head first with little explanation to the somewhat clueless guy on the right (in the above photo), about what was REALLY goin' down. ha!

No worries though, once he got his head wrapped around it and I frantically explained my "vision" he hopped right on that crazy train and started sketching and brainstorming along side us.

While the cutting process was underway, my Dad and Cason yelled at me... "Okay, figure out what you want to do next, Shelley!" Gah! I honestly can't tell you what a HUGE rush this was for me. Building and designing something from scratch! Literally able to make all of the decisions on my own, so that my space turned out EXACTLY how I wanted it! So my first stop, was Pinterest... of course.

There have already been SO MANY great closet/mudroom transformations done and posted online, so I wanted to get a feel for a few of my favorites and what elements I liked BEST in them, before I did anything else.

Here were a few photos that I really loved:

1. 2. 3. 4

After a little inspiration, I shut down the computer and the next few weeks were full of hardware store trips, sketching, painting, painting and ... oh, did I mention painting!?

Stay tuned for part 2 of our Project: "Entryway Closet makeover" series.

It will be all about how we planned and implemented the perfect customizable look for our new entryway nook! (also known as... The Fun Stuff!)

Till then... Happy Tuesday!

February Photo-a-day Challenge!

2012-01-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! How was everyone's weekend!?

I had the most amazing time at Alt Summit and shared some of my adventures through Facebook, twitter and Instagram (via 'houseofsmiths')...

but have LOTS more to tell all of you about the amazing speakers I heard and classes I attended! So much learned and so many great people met!... but that's for another post.

Today I just wanted to drop in quickly to see how everyone is doing with their January photoaday challenge!? As you can see from my photos above, I've been trying to stay pretty loyal to the challenge and it's definitely paying off. I already LOVE looking back at photos from the beginning of the month, and I'm so happy to report that I'm not stopping with January... Thanks to Fat Mum Slim I will be headed into February with a brand new creative list of topics to photograph, and I want you to come with me!!!

Even if you didn't participate in the January photoaday, think about starting in February! It is so personally rewarding to be able to thumb through memories from everyday events that happen in life! It really helps you appreciate the little things.

So what do ya say... are you in!?

I'm also excited this week to share some more fun posts! As I mentioned before I'll have my Alt Summit round-up to chat about, as well as a post that has been a LONG time in the works. One of those "secrets" that I mentioned before, remember? :) Really, we've been working overtime on a few projects that ended up turning into bigger tasks then we ever thought they would.

Here's a little sneak peek!

Lots of tools, dust and trial & error...
Welcome to almost EVERY home improvement project here at The House of Smiths. ha!

Oh! And can we get a conversation started about this whole Picnik fiasco!?!? Have you heard? They are shutting down! Please don't judge me, but I actually got a lump in my throat when I heard the news!

It's really changed the whole way I edit and blog my photos. I'm so sad! I've read all the information and from what I understand, it sounds like to ME, that they are just moving their system over to Google+ (and maybe just renaming it?), so HOPEFULLY everything will stay remotely the same and we can still use their awesome, easy to navigate editing program (fingers DOUBLE crossed).

Does anyone else know more on this subject then I do? Please discuss...

Alrighty friends, I hope you have a great day and get everything accomplished that you've set out to do. Here's to an AWESOME week!

RISK: My 2012 Word of the Year

2012-01-19T20:29:00.000-08:00

How many of us play the would'a, should'a, could'a game in life... almost daily?

I'm not even talking during big life altering events, just things as simple as...

"Oh, I SHOULD have bought those sparkly high heels, instead of playing it safe with these plain black flats"...

"I totally COULD have cut my hair into that cute little bob I really wanted, if I didn't have such a round face".

Either because of insecurities, self-doubt, or just being afraid of trying something new... a lot of us do this to ourselves from time to time. I know I do.

Starting about 3 or 4 months ago I decided that enough was enough, and I was going to start taking more chances in life. So... I started small. VERY small :)

Until last year, I had never worn bright lipstick. Seems trivial I know. But whenever I tried to walk out of the house wearing it, I would stop myself and think... "What if someone thinks I look like a clown???"... "What if it's too bright? What if I get it on my teeth and don't know it!?"

I REALLY liked the look of "sassy bold lips" on others, but I could never convince myself to actually follow through, for the fear of looking ridiculous. Well... a few weeks ago (after a little coaxing from my good friend Laci, who is the QUEEN of fabulous lip color) I finally got the courage, bought myself a tube of Mac's Full Fuchsia lipstick and wore those pretty pink lips IN PUBLIC, for the very first time.

And Guess what? Besides an eyebrow raise from my husband (who thought hot-pink lips were just an ulterior motive for something else)... nobody really said anything! The lipstick police didn't pull me over, and not even one person assumed I had rode in on a unicycle.
I quickly realized that I was my own worst critic. The only person who held me back from doing things that I thought I couldn't... was ME. So I pose this questions...

My word for 2012 is:

The great thing about taking risks in life, is that there are only two possible outcomes:

1. You realize your risk was TOTALLY worth it, you forget about your feelings of inadequacy and become wildly successful and happy...
or
2. You fail and have to go through the full gamut of emotions, from embarrassed to sad, hurt or silly.

I love the quote by Fredrick Wilcox...
Progress always involves risk; you can't expect to steal second base, and still keep your foot on first.

When I started blogging I never even dreamed that it would take me to where I am today. An opportunity to experience new things, meet fabulous new people, make amazing new friends and have a full time job doing something I truly love. But in order for me to get to where I am, I've had to take some pretty big risks. Until this last year, I also realized how many of those "risks" I also shy away from for fear of failing or looking stupid. It wasn't until I found this quote about a month ago, that I really started finding the courage to change all that.

My older brother once said to me... "Nobody happy and successful got that way by playing it safe." It was like a light bulb went off in my brain, and I realized that even in the few times in my life that I HAVE taken risks and they've turned out like outcome #2, where I feel totally silly or embarrassed afterwards, I've also walked away with something else...

Life experience and the overall great feeling of knowing that I TRIED.

When I'm old, wrinkly and grey, I want to be able to look back on my life and know that I did everything that I wanted to do. And even if I didn't succeed... I sure as heck tried my hardest.

So my challenge to YOU this year, is to take some RISKS. Start small if you have to.
* Wear a trendy hair accessory or try sporting skinny jeans with a pair of killer boots, for the first time.
* Call that neighbor who you feel like you could possibly be friends with, and ask her if she wants to meet up for dinner or shopping.
* Stop looking for the 'perfect swatch color' and just paint that DAMN WALL ALREADY!

Quit being a roadblock for yourself. Get out of your own way, and start living a fuller life.
Just simply making the decision to start taking more risks...
is half the battle.

Rue La La & The Altitude Design Summit

2012-01-18T15:47:00.000-08:00

You know how December is SUPER busy, and you always say to yourself... "Self, if you just get through December, then January will be a breeze!"... Well, I'm thinking that February is the new January. ha!

I can't believe how busy and fun January has already been, and it's not stopping anytime soon! Starting tonight I'll be headed to the Altitude Design Summit, right here in my own backyard! If you haven't heard of Alt Summit, basically it's a social media conference that is centralized around lifestyle, food and amazing fashion blogs. Here's a little more about what you'll find at Alt:

We've created a place where design and lifestyle bloggers in all their forms— foodies, photographers, travelers, fashionistas, interior designers, product placers, adventurers — come together, share ideas and connect with marketers. There will be discussions on how to grow your site, how to fund your site, how to keep your site above the fray. You'll find panels on blogging etiquette and blogging ethics. People will share good advice for creative entrepreneurs. Friends will be made. Contact books will be filled. ~Alt

I have to admit that this is my very FIRST year attending Alt and I couldn't be more excited! Not only do I get to attend, but I'm also going to be leading a round-table discussion with my good friend Jen on Friday that is titled: Using Facebook as an Effective Tool to Connect. Something that we both feel very passionate about!

I also have to say that I'm beyond thrilled to finally meet some of these blogging icons in the social media industry. I mean come on, just check out this speaker line-up...VERY exiting! And just as equally exciting, are the top-notch companies and brands that will be sponsoring Alt this year. From HGTV and Sherwin Willliams to HP and Rue La La!

I've recently had the pleasure of working with the fabulous people from Rue La La and have been able to purchase some really amazing items from their site.

Definitely my favorite so far has been this yellow leather Linea Pelle bag that I've been toting around on my shoulder this past weekend. The quality is impeccable and I'm also just the kind of girl who can't say 'no' to a good zebra stripe lining :)

...okay let's get real, cute bags in bright fun colors are my personal kryptonite

Originally these totes can be super pricey, but I got mine at more then 50% off retail, when Rue la la ran their sale. The same goes for this adorable chunky bracelet and these oh-so-fabulously-dramatic chandelier earrings I ordered. (still trying to decide if I can pull them off) ha!

Only a fraction of the price from what you normally pay for high end name-brand products. I don't claim to be a fashionista or really even know THAT much about the latest trends in clothing or jewelry, but I think that's what I like about Rue la la the most. Everything they carry, from clothing fashion to home fashion products is always on trend!

So my question now is... Do you Rue!?!? If not, then here's a little more about why you should

We are the invitation-only destination for a life of style. Where Members delight in discovering private sale Boutiques that open daily – and stay open only for a short time. A community where Members shape the experience – and enhance the excitement – by inviting their friends. A place where they discover some of the most sought-after brands in fashion, accessories, footwear, home, travel, wine, gourmet food, local services, and more.

Our mission is to partner with innovative brands, offering them a powerful online sales and marketing opportunity – while creating the most engaging shopping experience in the world for our Members.. And we do it with one key mantra – we respect and maintain the core integrity of each and every brand with which we partner. ~ Rue la la

All you have to do to sign up is click on this link here:

Invite me to Rue La La

Simply enter your info and just wait for all of the amazing sales to start popping up! New products launch each morning at 11am.

You can thank me later :)

Okay folks, I'm off to Alt, whoo hoo! I'll be keeping you posted with photos and updates through lots of Facebook and Twitter feed like always, so if you want to see how things are going, (real-time) make sure to follow us there too!

Happy Wednesday!

Posts, products and conference sponsorship were provided by Rue La La. All opinions are 100% my own.

How to Add your Logo or Text to a Photo using Photoshop

2012-01-16T05:40:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Cason and I have been living it up here in Southern Florida. It's BEAUTIFUL and sunny. All of the locals are bundled up because it's only 70 degrees and a little windy, but Cas and I are sporting shorts, flip-flops and big smiles!

More on THAT later...

While I'm gone trying to soak up the last bits of sun before we come home on Tuesday, I wanted to leave you with an awesome photo tip/tutorial from our favorite girl, Emilie from Photo by Emilie!

Today Emilie is sharing her easy how-to, when it comes to putting your blog/business logo or just simply some text on each of your edited photos in Photoshop. One of the most basic, but important skills that every armature OR professional photographer should know.

Take it away Emilie!

Open your image and your logo in Photoshop. Your logo needs to be in a psd or png format
(these formats allow a translucent background).

Use the Move tool (short cut "V") to click and drag your logo onto your image.

Be sure there is a check mark in front of "Show Transform Controls". This allows you to change the size of the logo.

Use the Move tool (short cut "V") to change the size of your logo and place it where you would like it on the image.

Now let's learn another little trick...

Open an image and select the text tool (short cut "T").

Create a text box and type the text that you would like on your image. Select the font, size and color from the control panel.

Adjust the font, size and color until it's just the way you want it.

Thanks Emilie!
You can learn great tips just like these and MORE during Emilie's online Photoshop classes.

Just use the code "HOS" and receive a $20 discount.
CLICK HERE for all the information. CLICK HERE to request lesson dates.
Expires January 30th

My Colortopia by Glidden

2012-01-11T06:50:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Today I'm excited to tell you about a new blog that just launched called My Colortopia. It's a must-see site filled with a great lineup of bloggers who will be writing about their main sources of inspiration and personal experiences with all things paint and color!

Check out the talent, some of my favorite friends!

Kate, Melissa and Stephanie!

And that's not all of them. Check out the rest of the My Colortopia contributors, along with their bios, at the My Colortopia site.

I love the concept of My Colortopia. It's a site full of great ideas on how to decorate with color, and bring your house to life, with tips and tricks shared by lots of your favorite bloggers! It's a destination where people who are easily overwhelmed by interior design decisions and painting can easily get advice, guidance and inspiration.

Let's go ahead and admit... picking out the perfect paint color for a living room wall, learning new painting techniques or knowing what colors look best together is not easy! So these pros are here to help you out!

To get started, My Colortopia has created this awesome new widget (below) called My Life, My Colors, that helps you to find out what color schemes best represent YOU, based on a few multiple choice questions that you answer about your personality and lifestyle.

There are so many things that inspire me, but mostly I'm drawn to comfortable, mixes of modern, natural country and vintage elements.

Take the quick My Colortopia by Glidden paint personality test and see what colors could best suite you, for YOUR next home painting or decor project!

* I have partnered with Glidden/Akzo Nobel Paints to participate in the My Colortopia program. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Cottages and Bungalows Magazine Feature - Squeeeal!

2012-01-08T21:35:00.000-08:00

So, would you totally dislike me if I told you that 2011 has been FILLED with tons of secret keeping over here at our house? Literally I am THE WORST secret-keeper, when I'm excited about something...and I hate to say it, but I have a few 'secrets' that I've HAD to keep, and I feel like I'm about to burst!

I guess I should clarify and say that some of these so-called "secrets" really aren't secrets at all. Mostly just things that I didn't want to talk much about until they REALLY happened. (in fear of jinxing them) Does anyone else do this?

There have been a few times in my life that I've gabbed about something that COULD happen and get really excited... just to find out that it's not going to really work out that way in the end. (makes you feel quite silly, especially if you've told almost everyone you know) So... I've learned my lesson, and even though it's EXTREMELY hard for me, I've tried to foster the talent of just being patient and waiting for the "right" time to reveal things. (which usually means when they're ACTUALLY in motion, or have already happened)

Have I lost you yet?

No? Good...

So on with my story.

A few months back I was contacted by the cute editor at Cottages and Bungalows magazine. She asked if I'd be interested in submitting my pantry for a feature in their January organizing issue.

Um... someone pinch me.

When I got the email I ran straight upstairs to where Cason was and almost burst into tears out of pure excitement! (okay, I actually did). Being featured in a magazine has been on my "bucket-list" since we started getting a little bit more exposure for our projects. And for me, Cottages and Bungalows was one of my top 5 "Oh my gosh I'd totally freak out and be massively flattered if they ever featured anything I've done" magazines. It's such a great publication, and really speaks to my style as a DIY'er and self-proclaimed 'designer'. (I use that term for myself loosely)

As January rolled around I waited anxiously for my copy to come in the mail, and nothing! So I searched high and low for one in our local stores, but had no luck :(

Finally a fabulous reader and fellow twitter-er-er (?) did me the ultimate favor and mailed me a copy herself.

(LOVE MY READERS! Thank you Gloria @ Potentially Beautiful!)

Only a few days later C&B sent me a couple of copies to have... yes, I was THAT impatient

I really wasn't sure what to expect from the feature, but even if a teeny photo at the bottom of a page was included of one of our projects, I would be ecstatic! So you can imagine my excitement when I opened to about page 68 and gasped over this ridiculously awesome 2-page spread!!!

I'm about to get dramatic... but, you know those moments in life when you feel so happy that your stomach turns, your heart feels like it's going to burst and you do that weird subconscious 'cup-your-hands-over-your-mouth, squeal-like-a-baby-pig and dance-from-side-to-side-like-you-have-to-pee...jig' ???...

Yeah...That happened.

I know, I know. It's probably old news to most of you... "bloggers and their projects being featured in magazines"... but for me, it was a first. A freakin' awesome, I couldn't be more surprised, thrilled and amazed...first! It really made me stop and think about just how far that our little hobby, blog and family have truly come in the past two years. From jobless and directionless, to being published in one of our favorite magazines.

Blogging has changed our lives. It's given us ambition, drive, income, passion and (for me)... purpose. It's been such an amazing journey for us and even through those 'face-plant-to-the-palm' moments, while learning through trial and error how to manage and cultivate our talents and blog ... we still feel like it's one of the best decisions/risks we've ever made.

Thank you for the endless amounts of support. We are beyond thrilled and anxious to share all of our latest adventures with you in this new year... sticking strictly to our original 'game-plan'of keeping our blog authentic, real, personal and as easily relateable to the everyday DIY'er and decorator, as possible.

Catch more H of S goodness now on the Homes.com blog!

2012-01-06T11:48:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday everyone! I can't believe how FAST this week went by... crazy!

I just wanted to drop in to let you know about something exciting and new for us, here at The House of Smiths. A few months back we were contacted by the great people at Homes.com. to see if we would be interested in writing some Home DIY and decorating idea articles for a weekly slot on their blogroll!

Of course, my first thought was... "Heck yes!"

So now, one day each week you'll see a new post from us over on the Homes.com blog, as well! So make sure you head on over and subscribe or follow along, so you don't miss all the fun :)
This month I'm going to be focusing specifically on organization, since it's such a hot topic during the first of the year.
I'm so excited to have a place to share all the fun, inspiration ideas that all of my fellow bloggers and creative peeps come up with! And I'm even happier that we get the opportunity to work with such a great name in the "online home" industry!
Check out our first article, Closet Organization Ideas!

1. 2. 3
I was literally drooling over all the creative ways that people have found to "prett-ify" those cluttered spaces.

Documenting 2012 Through Photography: Project Life by Becky Higgins & Photo-a-Day Challenge

2012-01-03T21:48:00.000-08:00

We all know that I'm obsessed with beautiful photos... no surprise. But in this new year I have put a challenge on myself to really try and capture those special daily moments through photography. My talented, cute friend Becky Higgins lit a fire to this little spark-of-an-idea when I had a chat with her at the Creative Connection Event.

Becky is the creator of a little something you may have heard of called... The Project Life kit.

photos via The TomKat Studio

A hands on and/or digital experience that gives you all the tools you need to archive your photos into an easy, back-to-basics approach that solely focuses on the pictures and stories of your everyday life.

Literally EVERYTHING is provided for you to create something amazing. You can go as simple or as 'bananas' as you want with project life, and that's what I love about it.

I'm not sure about how all of you other creative women feel, but having an easy, think-free way to journal my stories/memories is something that I honestly feel so grateful to Becky for... especially after a long day.
A lot of the time I would find myself getting completely overwhelmed by scrapbooking... wondering which pretty paper to choose, how to layer it, what to cut it with, should I add a brad, a button, a flower, some glitter.... AHHH!
It was all too much, so I would quit.
The Project Life kit gives me a no excuse, sure-fire way to make certain that no matter HOW I assemble my albums pages, it will turn out stunning every time. Literally an answer to my prayers. And because Becky is a trend-setting designer, blogger, Mother and entrepreneur, you can bet your bottom dollar that all of the products included are high quality, timeless in style... but right on trend.
You can view and purchase all of Becky's products on the Project Life site, get inspired through daily posts on Becky's Blog and even follower her on Facebook and twitter, to receive inspirational quotes and photo ideas for unique ways to capture all of those special moments you won't want to miss.

The reason I wanted to share this with you is (mainly because I love it, and knew you would too) but also, because I've had a bunch of readers wondering what is going on with all of my Instagram feed and Facebook updates lately. More specifically, the "photo-a-day" challenge images.

So here's the low-down...
I know that not everyone has phones compatible to take part in this little venture, but nonetheless, I wanted to share with you what I've been up to and how I've been documenting MY daily photos "on-the-go", so far. Just recently I did a post on the Instagram and Picframe apps so you can check that out as a resource, as to how I get the specific look to my images.
However, I've only touched on this a bit... but you can now print your Instagram'd photos into magnets,

canvases, cards, posters, and even mini books.

Perfect for sliding right into some of those Project Life pocket pages!

I've also recently discovered a great new app (to me) called 'My365'.

An easy way for me to keep all of my daily phone photos in order, so I know what days and months I took them. Genius!

So are you overwhelmed yet? ha! Don't be... because here's the thing, once you have everything downloaded and ready to go on your phone, you're basically done. All you need to do now is take pictures of those cute kids, love-able pets, amazing projects and funny moments. Stylize them to your liking... and then post them for friends, ~~creepy stalker bloggers like me~~ and family to see!

I got started by playing along in a little Instagram photo-a-day in January challenge made by Chantelle from Fat Mum Slim. Here is the list I've been using that she created...

Currently I'm on day 3!...and a little worried about tomorrows day 4 topic.

Is 'letterbox' a fancy-shamncy way to say mail box???

Basically it's just a fun way to have some direction, photograph things you maybe hadn't thought of and really... just a great way to GET STARTED!

You can follow our 365 photo-a-day journey on Instagram at username 'houseofsmiths'.

I will also be updating images on the House of Smiths Facebook page as well.

Again, you don't have to have a phone to play along, you can use ANY camera to document daily life, and then just post it to your Facebook page, blog or twitter feed to share! Or if 'sharing' isn't your thing... then just simply start a folder on your desktop and drop your "photo-a-day" picture in there every night.

All this being said, I do still VERY STRONGLY believe in the amazing-once-in-a-while-beautifully-staged photograph. Whether it's with a professional or just with your own SLR camera. There's just a magic that happens within those types of high-quality stunning images, during the really memorable moments in life that make my heart sing.

Even if it feels impossible, make it a goal to remember the BEST parts of your life this year, cherishing the sweet and simple moments, through photography... however you can. I promise that if you do, you will be blown away by the happiness that comes from reflecting upon those precious images in the future.

2011: The House of Smiths - A Year in Review

2011-12-30T22:27:00.001-08:00

Can you even believe that 2012 is almost here!? I feel like this past year has been a whirlwind of crazy-awesomeness! We've had so much going on around our house, with the blog and Cason's new job, that I feel like time has just flown right by! How is it that some days seem to NEVER end, but then when you look back on an entire year... you can't believe that 365 of them have passed so quickly?

I wanted to do a little recap of some of our favorite and YOUR favorite posts from 2012! We went through our posts from this past year, and along with a little breakdown for you of what we were up to, we gathered our most popular projects and listed them here for any of you who may have missed them!

We started off our year with one of our most popular posts, believe it or not...

Are you a noreply-commenter!?

A simple quick tutorial on how to change your blogger.com settings so that I can respond to your comments that I love so much! Because let's get real... asking a question about a project or specific decoration in a comment and then having NO WAY for me to respond back... is just plain ol' silly.

February flew in and love was in the air! We decorated and crafted up some new Valentines Decorating Ideas and shared them with everyone!

March was an EXTRA exciting month around the Smith house! I was contacted to see if my girls wanted to attend a little tea party at the Plaza Hotel in New York with Miss Kelly and Electrolux, to support an amazing cause.

One of our favorite blogging related experiences, to date. SUCH a fun opportunity. I quickly started realizing how much of an impact blogging and social media have in the world!

After arriving home, we didn't waste anytime getting back to work. We started the next month off with an easy, inexpensive Painted Chevron Rug Tutorial. Thanks to one of my best-bloggin'-friends Jen from Tatertots and Jello, and her obsession with all things chevron... our rugs turned out fabulously!

We were so happy with our new aqua rug, that we decided to scatter the happy color throughout, with a massive Gallery wall using IKEA picture frames and some easy tips and tricks. Shortly after, our personalized Address Subway art was born...

Our next project, to complete our living room ensemble was our Console Table Makeover with bright yellow lamps to boot!...

For the month following, we shifted gears and got started on our master bathroom renovation...

who knew THIS project would go straight into 2012!? LOL. Probably because we spent too much time messing around with the camera taking silly pictures then actually WORKING... oh well. ha!

In true House of Smiths fashion, we got sidetracked and wandered out into the kitchen to do a little summer decorating...

...but in the end, it was just way too nice to work inside, so we headed outdoors to spruce up the yard!

With the Summer months in full swing, blogging conferences started up, and I was a traveling fool!

Having WAY too much fun at EVO with tons of inspiring women...

then off to meet and hang out with new friends in San Diego at the Blogher conference, all while honing in on blogging skills, networking and finding out the best ways to survive the fast-paced world of social media.

Quickly after returning home we were approached by a local production studio here in Utah about shooting some fun new shows. All dealing with projects, tips, tricks and topics frequently seen on our blog! We loved the idea of being able to present our readers with another great option to connect with us, so the plans for shooting 12 episodes in the fall were announced!

Whew! At this point, we were feeling a bit overwhelmed... but incredibly blessed. Crafting and creating new things always helps me regain a bit of perspective, so I whipped up a little Stenciled Cake Stand as I prepared for Aubrielle's 4yr old birthday party...

A need for a stylish way to store coats, gloves, hats and other random winter-type items came to head as the days got chillier, so we constructed a few DIY vintage wood crates...

(that will also be incorporated into a big new project in 2012!)

In September I was jet setting to Minnesota to join in on all the fun at The Creative Connection Event, as a social media corespondent. Learned a TON and had the chance to rub shoulders with some truly talented people.

October started out with a re-purposed little aqua striped table for that 'awkward space' between our kitchen and living room...

and with gobs of sleepless nights and massive amounts of help and support from Cason and my brother... we officially launched our new House of Smiths vinyl design shop!!!

But October couldn't leave without a bang! Aubrielle turned 4, and we found ourselves knee deep in tulle, pink, and all things girly, as we threw an epic Fairy Ballerina Party for that sweet, spunky kiddo.

After an even MORE epic "after-party-clean-up"... we did a quick switcha-roo from pinks and polka dots, to pumpkins and turkeys! Thanksgiving decorating was in full swing!

But as we all know, it doesn't last long... December approached rapidly as we geared up for the holidays, with a little Christmas crafting and present wrapping.

YEOW!

Do you see what I mean now!? We wouldn't have changed a THING... but needless to say, things were QUITE busy around here in 2011. We have currently been getting a bit more organized for the new year with our latest Magnetic Organizational board tutorial...

the great toy purge, and yet AGAIN... the good ol' garage organization and clean up routine.

(so we can actually FIND our tools again, for the next set of upcoming projects)

Thank you SO MUCH for all of the support that you've given our blog and for coming along on our family's DIY adventures! We sincerely consider all of our readers some of our closest friends, and hope that all of YOU have a productive, happy and safe New Year!

If you haven't been around 'the house' for very long, you can also check out our 2010, year in review post! Lots of room makeovers in the beginning stages and additional projects too!

DIY Magnetic Organizational Board from a Thrifted Frame

2011-12-28T08:44:00.000-08:00

DIY Magnetic Organizational Board

I don't know about your house, but ours is filled with lists, coupons and receipts floating around here all the time. It's almost enough to drive me nuts, so I wanted to come up with an easy, accessible, stylish way to keep track of all of those little papers.

We don't have a ton of wall space in our kitchen to add much of an organizing system, so I decided to makeover a thrifted large frame into a functional magnetic organizational board that we could hang on the inside of our pantry door. Here's how it turned out!

I love the pop of happy yellow, and how all of those random little papers now have a specific place!

Here's how we did it:

First we started off with a large thrifted frame, in the size that we wanted the organizational board to be.

Then we bought a large piece of magnetic metal from Lowe's, and cut it to fit the inside of the frame.

The metal was so large that in the end it made two organizational boards.

Then we bought a piece of decorative radiator covering (that, FYI, is not magnetic) and cut it to fit the inside of the frame as well. Mostly this was just for visual interest. I love the texture that the metal has to offer, and they come in different styles too! Home Depot doesn't carry these, they are only at Lowe's.

We used a piece of cardboard for a template and drew out exactly how big each piece of metal needed to be, to fit each frame.

To cut the metal we used some heavy duty tin snips.

After everything was all cut, the painting started!

I used this Krylon Farm & Implement yellow spray paint for the metal backing. I chose this kind of spray paint because it works really well on metal, and I wanted the paint to be as durable as possible, since our organizational board would be getting a lot of use.

After a few coats of yellow on the metal, I spray painted our thrifted frame white and sanded it down a bit, to give it a distressed look.

I left the decorative metal just the way it came, and then layered the pieces inside the frame, like so!

I added a few small wooden plaques with decorative paper and vinyl labels on them to the board as well. I just adhered those with command picture hanging strips, so they would stay in place well, and the magnets were bought from Hobby Lobby.

We have our board hung on the back of our pantry door, with a bunch of picture hanging strips. It's the perfect place, because it's where everything and everyONE tend to gather :)

Also next to my coupons I have a little i-Slice cutting tool that's magnetic from Pampered Chef that I use to "clip coupons". It's a lifesaver!

I'm excited to get organized for the new year, and having creative, cute ways to STAY organized is the key for me... because it just makes it more fun.

Have you started de-cluttering your space for 2012 yet!? What are some of your favorite ways to get organized?

Oreck Magnesium Vacuum & Ultimate handheld vac Review and Giveaway

2011-12-27T10:17:00.000-08:00

Who's ready for some serious giveaway goodness today!?

Cason and I have teamed up with the ever-fabulous Oreck vacuum cleaner company to share with you one of our newest favorite things!

The Oreck Magnesium Vacuum!

It may sound silly, but I'm a bit of a vacuum snob, (heaven knows we've had enough in our married lifetime) and very rarely do new vacuums actually 'fit the bill'. Here are a few things that are MUSTS when it comes to the perfect vacuum for our family.

* Long cord

* Super-sucking power

* No crumb-kick-back when vacuuming hardwood floors

* Lightweight (so kids can vacuum the basement, which is one of their chores)

* Compact enough to go under furniture (so I don't have to move it)

* High and low speed

* No hose attachment system (they always break, slow down suction and just get gross)

At this point you're either thinking... "AMEN! I want the same things!" or...
"Oookay, this family is way too picky about their vacuum's"

Well... being a self confessed OCD clean freak, I have to admit that our vacuum comes out at LEAST 3 times a week. To me, there is something about a freshly vacuumed house that screams "STRESS RELIEF". I have a really hard time functioning or focusing on much else when my house is a disaster, and knowing that everything is clean enough to actually accommodate a good vacuum job is probably more of the reason that I feel that 'stress' lift off my shoulders.

Is anyone with me here? (I'm starting to feel exposed) ha!

So now that you know all about me and my 'crazy ways', you can imagine how excited I was to actually try out this new Oreck Magnesium vacuum for myself...

Two words. TOTALLY AWESOME!

Really... I never thought I would say this about a vacuum, but I'm completely smitten by how well this little guy works, and he literally passed my "check-list" with flying colors.

Extra long 30ft. cord, to reach almost every corner of my house from just ONE outlet?...

Check!

Super-sucking power, to pick up crumbs, pine-needles and Christmas packaging aftermath, but gentle enough to use on even my nicest rug? And also still have the ability to knock down it's power to a lower speed, with it's Quickswitch two speed function, so that there is no crumb-kick-back on hardwood floors?...

Check, Check!

Yes, I vacuum in bare feet :) And if you understand or know about "crumb-kick-back" on hardwood floors with vacuums, then you will TOTALLY appreciate this feature.

Lightweight, compact, and able to reach those tricky places?

Triple Check!

At only about 7 pounds this baby is by far the lightest vacuum we've ever had. Definitely a whole lot easier to bring up and down the stairs then our last vacuum. And I love that my kids can use it too.

Oh! and remember how I hate the hose attachment ON my vacuum, but I still need one? Well, Oreck has this awesome Ultimate Handheld Vac that is perfect for corners, baseboards, blinds and all those other small jobs around the house.

We have used ours a TON for our latest master bathroom DIY projects. It's super light, at a measly 5lbs and slings right on your shoulder for easy use.

Especially great for sawdust cleanup, when installing new hardware on bathroom cabinets

Alright, so now that I've gushed about how fab these new Oreck products are, and how much WE love them... are YOU ready to win a set for yourself!?

Oreck has generously offered their new Magnesium upright vacuum and Ultimate Handheld Vac combo, as giveaway items to one lucky House of Smiths reader!

That's a $600 + value!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Here's how to enter:

Visit Oreck.com and then come back and leave me a comment letting me know which specific feature you love the MOST about the newest Oreck Magnesium vacuum, and something you learned about it.

Additional entries:

* Follow @Oreck on twitter

* Like Oreck on Facebook

* Tweet about this giveaway, mentioning @Oreck in your post.

Example: I'm entering to win an @Oreck Magnesium vacuum and Ultimate handheld vac combo @houseofsmiths http://bit.ly/slMtpz

...

Also, through 12/31, if you enter the code KPGIVING at checkout, you can get 15% off your entire order on Oreck.com

When entering giveaways please make sure to leave your email/contact information so that I can get back to you if you're the winner! Please also take a quick minute to subscribe to The House of Smiths blog for lots of inspirational ideas, tutorials and projects! Having awesome readers like YOU is what make all of our great giveaways possible!

Giveaway Rules: This giveaway is open to US {48 contiguous states} RESIDENTS ONLY. You must be 18 years and older to enter. There will be one winner of the Oreck Magnesium Vacuum & Ultimate Hand Vac package. Facebook does not sponsor or endorse this giveaway. Winner will be determined via drawing on random.org. Odds of winning will be dependent upon total number of entries.

Disclosure – I was given the Oreck Magnesium Vacuum with Ultimate Hand Vac to review from Oreck. All opinions stated in this post are entirely my own opinion. Oreck Corporation provided the prize for the sweepstakes but is not the sponsor of the sweepstakes.

GOOD LUCK everyone!

Merry Christmas from our Family to yours!

2011-12-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

We just wanted to drop our amazing readers and friends a little virtual note to say, MERRY CHRISTMAS and happy holidays, from our family to yours!

We hope that all of you have had an amazing day so far, and want you to know that this year (and especially today) Cason and I have reflected often on how thankful we are for all of the love and support that each and every one of our readers have given us over this past 2+ years. We truly couldn't have asked for a better present this year. We can say it over and over again, but no words can express how much we enjoy sharing our home projects, family and adventures with you, through our blog.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for allowing us to be part of your daily reads. We have such fun, exciting, new projects and experiences planned for 2012, and we can't wait to share them all.

We love you SO much! Happy Christmas!

Group Albums by KODAK Gallery

2011-12-21T07:55:00.000-08:00

So we've all been there... Christmas day, or holiday get-togethers, where everyone is snapping pictures, but when you get home, you realize you don't have even ONE good one of the actual event. grrr.

Even being the pathological picture taker that I am, I've been found guilty of this on occasion. I get SO caught up in the social moment of things, that I count on someone else to capture those fun, exciting memorable moments, and then it takes FOREVER for me to find out who actually took pictures!

Well, KODAK Gallery has come up with a great solution. It's called Group Albums. A place where multiple people can now upload, comment and share photos all in one place, for free! So even if you're not there with YOUR camera to capture those special moments, you can still be part of them, once your friends or family upload THEIR images to your KODAK Gallery Group Album!

One of my favorite memories that took me FOREVER to track down was one that a sister-in-law took of Aubrielle and I on her first Christmas. I had bought her this over-the-top leopard print coat and I wanted a photo to remember it! Luckily I finally got it in my possession, and now I have it forever... but I'll admit, it was kind of a pain to track it down.

Yes... I still think it was a fabulous look for her. ha!

KODAK's Gallery Group Albums would be PERFECT for my family. Seeing that we are all huge photographers, but seldom remember to actually share the photos with each other!

To get started on your own KODAK Gallery group album, just visit this link here.

KODAK also wants to hear some of YOUR most memorable holiday moments. So they've kindly offered up $100 prize to Kodak Gallery to a lucky House of Smiths reader!
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Here's how to enter:

Simply leave a comment with one of your all-time favorite holiday memories. Heartwarming, hysterical, embarrassing... whatever you want!

Easy as that!

I'll pick a winner at random next week!

Also right now, KODAK is running an awesome giveaway, to promote their new Group Album feature over on the KODAK Facebook page, by giving away a Hawaiian vacation package worth more than $2,500! So head on over there and enter for a chance to win that awesome prize too!

Good luck, and Happy Memory Sharing!

SNAP! Conference ticket giveaway - 3 Day Pass ($250 value)

2011-12-19T21:08:00.000-08:00

This weeks giveaway is a really fun one. Something that I hope ALL of you take advantage of!

A 3 day FULL pass to SNAP! The creative conference held here in SLC Utah, April 19-21st 2012. (a $250 value)

SNAP will be a weekend full of fabulous events, parties, classes and workshops like Modern Handmade Crafting, Photography, Home DIY'ing and Party Planning! Basically, if you have a creative bone in your body (yes, even if it's just a pinkie toe) you MUST come this next year, to SNAP! And don't worry... you DON'T have to be a blogger to attend. While we WILL be touching on blogger type subjects in some classes, there will be something for everyone, and tons of new like-minded friends to mingle with!

I've given lots of details about the SNAP! conference in the past, but here's the quick rundown, in case you've missed out, or have just joined us here at "the House" :)

The SNAP! creative conference will be held at the beautiful Thanksgiving Point Venue, during the amazing tulip festival. The grounds, shopping and food... are one of a kind.

Like I said before, SNAP will be filled with wonderful, educational classes and workshops the whole weekend. In fact, Mandie and I are positively just giddy with excitement over the teachers and classes that we have secured for the Home DIY portion of SNAP so far!

Oh... and PS. Did I mention that Mandie and I are also in charge of the "EPIC dance party" that will be taking place at SNAP? ... If you know us at all, you REALLY won't want to miss this :)

To check out the first round of talented speakers, that have been announced for SNAP! 2012, head on over to the SNAP conference blog!

So I pose the same question from my last post, about this incredible conference...

Are you getting as excited as we are!? Are you gearing up for a weekend full of creativeness new friendships and networking?

Well... then here's how to enter to win a free full conference pass!:

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Become a subscriber to the SNAP! blog. This will be the best way to stay updated on new speaker line-ups, parties and info about the conference.

Also on the blog you'll find guest posts from some of your favorite bloggers!

Additional entries:

* Like SNAP! the conference on Facebook

* Tweet about this giveaway, using the hashtag #SNAPconf

You can use one of these examples:

Ex: I'm entering to win a full pass ticket to the #SNAPconf over @houseofsmiths blog! Will you be going!?

Ex: Have you heard about the creative conference #SNAPconf in Utah 2012? I'm entering to win a full pass ticket over @houseofsmiths today!

* Like @SNAPconf on twitter

Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry, for a better chance to win, along with your email address so we can contact you if you're our winner!

I'm so excited to find out who the winner will be for this giveaway, because I actually get to meet them, if I don't know them already. yay!

Good luck everyone, and happy entering!

Groopdealz 12 days of Christmas Giveaways & Adorable Wall Art

2011-12-15T18:24:00.000-08:00

Great Things Alert!

I just had to pop in to let you know about a few VERY good things that I've found out this past week!

First, you MUST head on over to the Groopdealz Facebook page and check out their 12 days of Christmas giveaways going on. Everyday there is a $50 gift card up for grabs to some of the BEST places for shopping this holiday. Old Navy, Walmart, Toys R Us, Target and more!

All you have to do is like their Facebook page to stay updated each day on which gift they are offering! Totally worth entering for a chance to win $50 bucks to buy more cute kid clothes at Old Navy!

Go check it out!

Next, I wanted to introduce you to my friends, Amelia's fab Etsy shop...

Adorable wall art, and other great designs for "RAD" people. ha! I love it!

Check out her super cute items you can purchase!...

Aren't you dying over how simply perfect these designs are? Not cheesy, or over the top.

Juuuust right :)

You've GOT to go visit Amelia at Brightside Designs to get a few prints of your own.

Alrighty... that's pretty much it. Just wanted to keep you informed on great things as I see/hear them... cuz I just love you guys.

Have a great weekend!

Creamy, Easy Artichoke Dip in Bread Bowl & Recipe Printable

2011-12-15T14:14:00.001-08:00

creamy artichoke dip recipe and free recipe card printable

Hey everyone! Happy Thursday :) It's almost Friday. Woo hoo!

Last month I shared one of my favorite holiday snacks on the SNAP blog, but I thought I'd post it here too, in case anyone missed the recipe and printable for my Creamy Artichoke Dip. It's quick, fool proof, and sure to be a hit at your next gathering.

What you'll need:

- 2 packages of softened cream cheese

- 1 cup of mayonnaise

- 2 cans of quartered artichokes (drained and roughly chopped)

- 1 can of diced green chilies

- 1 cup of graded sharp cheddar cheese

- 1/4 cup graded Parmesan cheese

- 1/2 tsp lemon or lime juice

- 1tsp. Worcestershire sauce

- Dash of garlic powder

- 2 sourdough bread rounds

Drain your artichoke hearts and roughly chop them. Combine all ingredients into bowl.

Cut one of your sourdough bread rounds into squares for dipping. With the other, cut a medium sized opening in the top (much like a bread bowl for soup). Remove the lid and set aside. Scoop out remaining bread from round and cut into pieces for dipping. Make sure not to scrape off bread too close to edges or the bowl will become too thin and tear.

Set your bowl on a large piece of tinfoil and fill with creamy artichoke mixture. Top with lid, wrap tinfoil around bread round, (to keep from burning the bread) place on cookie sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes on 400 degrees, until the dip is warmed through.

Then remove lid, sprinkle top of dip with extra Parmesan cheese and bake with tinfoil pulled back, and bread bowl uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is crisp and brown.

Place extra bread pieces alongside the creamy artichoke dip, and enjoy!

A few reasons why we love this recipe:

* It's quick, and uses mostly things you already have on hand

* It LOOKS fancy, but in reality only takes about 20 minutes to prepare

* If you work it right, you can bring JUST your bread bowl, with hot dip inside (wrapped in foil to keep warm) and extra bread pieces to your next party, borrow a platter from your hostess and not have to worry about any dishes to take home.

and lastly...

* Everyone LOVES it and will want the recipe, because it is THAT delicious :)

So that being said, I thought I'd help you out and include a cute printable for all of you to enjoy, for either your own recipe book, or to share with a friend!

I know that with lots of different events coming up, I'm always looking for a quick, 'sure-to-impress' treat to take with me wherever I go... and sometimes I get burnt out on sweets. I hope you'll try this out for YOUR next party... I promise, you'll be glad you did!

Gingerbread House Making

2011-12-13T18:33:00.000-08:00

Amazing gingerbread houses

A few weeks back the girls made gingerbread houses with Cason's brother and his girlfriend while we worked on our Master Bathroom with my Dad. The girls LOVED getting in on all the decorating action and I think they spent over 3 hours actually constructing their houses. ha!

No judging on the photography... it was dark.

Oh, and don't mind that awesome hair-do either.

They are SO proud of their "gingerbread cottages" that they made me clear a space by the font door, on our entryway table to display them. Every once in a while we get in a fight because Aubrielle will sneak candy from the roof tops, but other then that, the houses have stayed pretty much intact!

instagram photos

All of this hard work got me thinking about gingerbread houses in general and all of the ones I've seen lately on pinterest and on blogs. These little babies aren't as easy as they look. They take TONS of time, patience... and candy! Check out some of my favorites...

Trendy Tree

Not Martha, Ginger Bread House Heaven, ABC, Sugar Craft

With Love and Confection, Martha

Ya, I pretty much want to live in these two houses. Especially that blue one with the stone. Can you say AWESOME and super pretty!?

Never thought I would say that about a gingerbread house...

Sugar Craft

Have you made gingerbread houses this year? Do you take lots of time making them detailed and perfect, or do you give up after the first hour and just start ~~eating~~ throwing candy wherever?

I'm thinking next year I want to have a Gingerbread-Crafters event, where all the crafty ladies I know get together for a night of gingerbread house crafting! Wouldn't that be awesome!?

(do I sound like a crazy person, because I want to decorate candy houses with adults instead of children???)

Well... at least I'm not THIS crazy...

With Love and Confection

Yikes! Wonder what the graphic car-wrap company thought of THIS design...

And where do you think one might find peppermint and spearmint hubcaps?

Oh... probably Walmart...duh.

Happy Gingerbread Wednesday!

Secret Santa and H of S Design Shop Info

2011-12-12T17:46:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how FAST December is flying by! It's almost not fair! I LOVE this month, and I wish it could last just a liiiiittle bit longer. One of the things keeping me on my toes these past few weeks has been the constant knocks on my door from USPS, UPS and FedEx, delivering all of the online goodness that I've ordered. Gosh, I'm a total online shopper... are you?

Something else that came last week to my doorstep was a fun little package from a Secret Santa! At the beginning of this month Stefanie from Brooklyn Limestone gathered a few bloggers together to do a secret Santa gift exchange. Do you do this with your close friends or family!? I love the "secret" behind it all... so fun!

I was really excited to get my first gift! Here's what I got.

Love the bright red and green frames! That red ruffle one is so fun! And the little baking dish is really adorable :) There were also some yummy (or so I was told) toffee bars, but those didn't make it more then about 5 minutes with Cason and the kids around. ha!

So, help a girl out. I just can't resist to know who sent me the cute goodies! Which one of these ladies do you think it is?

4 men 1 lady
bryn alexandra
emily a clark
the inspired room
isabella and max rooms
la dolce vita
lovely little details
making it lovely
mustard seed interiors
pure style home
save the date 4 cupcakes
ten june
thrifty decor chick
you stir me
young house love

In other news I wanted to let everyone know that our H of S Design Shop will be stopping production on the 19th of December - 26th, to take a much-needed vacay and spend some time off with our family during the holidays!

We're also going to be taking the time to add a few NEW products to our store!

You can still order through the month, but production for vinyl products will not start again until the 26th, and so orders placed after the 19th of December will probably not be shipped out until about the 2nd of January.

Just a little heads up!

Also, just a little FIY... orders placed last week were the last batch that will make it before Christmas.

Also, here's a peek at a fun project that I'll be posting this week.

I'm on a mission to get things organized around here for the new year. (yes, it's already starting. ha!). Today I wen through all of my girls' clothes and pulled out everything that was stained, too small or just trashed. Sometimes it's so sad for me to get rid of basically new clothes that my girls just grow out of! Although we do have another kid and a bunch of friends and family who really can use them, so that makes things a bit easier ... knowing that they are going to a good home.

(ya, I'm weird about clothes. LOL)

Speaking of clothes... the girls got new outfits the other day thanks to Zulily, Old Navy and Shopko. You would have thought that it WAS Christmas morning. They were so excited to tell everyone, and show off their new threads.

What am I going to do with them? haha! Heaven help us when they want those fancy sparkly butt jeans that cost a hundred dollars. gah!

Hope everyone's trying to take a minute to slow down and enjoy this beautiful month!

What To Look for when Buying a New DSLR Camera - Photo by Emilie Tips

2011-12-07T16:31:00.001-08:00

What to look for when buying a DSLR camera

Okay everyone... I've heard you loud and clear! After the 47th email with the subject title...

"What kind of Camera do you recommend..." I decided to contact my camera know-how expert and mentor Emilie from Photo by Emilie and ask her to do a detailed write-up giving us the skinny on all of the beginner AND advanced consumer cameras and lenses that you should/need to know about... along with price ranges.

Honestly, this couldn't come at a better time, if you've been searching for a great camera for Christmas, or just simply want to take your blogging/personal photographs to the next level.

There is a lot of really great information from Emilie here, so make sure you take notes, and don't end up purchasing more or less camera then you need.

Take it away Emilie!...

You absolutely get what you pay for when purchasing a camera and lens. Sometimes you can find a good sale but for the most part the more you spend the better your images. The lens is just as important if not more important to the look of your image as your camera. Here are some recommendations for both Camera bodies & lenses. These recommendations are for people who are serious about shooting in manual mode.

I would suggest purchasing a camera body separately from your lens, not in a kit. The kit lenses are not good if you'd like pro looking images and want to shoot in manual mode.

Nikon & Canon are the 2 leaders in the industry and both make killer equipment. I don't necessarily recommend one over the other.

I'll list them most to least expensive.

Nikon D5100 sells for around $696. This is the most expensive of the Entry level cameras. This camera produces super sharp crisp images. A really fun feature that sets this camera apart is it's 3 inch vari-angle LCD monitor opens horizontally up to 180˚ and flips up and down. Really handy for capturing self portraits or video. Only compatible with the AF-I and AF-S series lenses which are a bit more expensive than the AF-D and G series.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i sells for around $669. This camera is super sharp and has the highest resolution of any of the entry level camera at 18 megapixels. It also has the 3 inch vari-angle flip monitor.

Nikon D3100 sells for around $596. This is the only entry level camera that you can not buy as a body only. It comes with a 18-55mm 3.5-5.6f lens. It's not a lens I recommend for portraits. It has a large sensor for the price (which translates to sharper images). Only compatible with the AF-I and AF-S series lenses which are a bit more expensive than the AF-D and G series.

Canon EOS Rebel T2i is the least expensive camera I recommend. It sells for around $579. It is comparable to the T3i but does not include the vari-angle flip screen.

Click Here to compare the beginner cameras

For the advanced user or someone who have a little more to invest these are the 4 cameras I recommend:

(These are not considered professional cameras, rather high-end consumer camera. You are welcome to contact me with questions about professional equipment.)

I get asked all the time do I need to spend a lot of money in order to get a great photo? My answer is no, but your images sure will look better if you do spend the extra money. The major difference in your images as you spend more money is the quality of the crispness, sharpness, color, contrast, white balance... well okay everything about your images will look better! However, the biggest aspect that will determine the quality of your images is... YOU! That's why I highly recommend educating yourself.

Canon EOS 7D. Sells for about $1,400

Nikon D7000. Sells for about $1,300

Canon EOS 60D. Sells for about $1,000

Nikon D90. Sells about about $850

**These Nikon bodies are compatible with the "D" series lenses which is an advantage because "D" series are less expense than "G" series lenses.

Click Here to compare the advanced cameras

Now let's talk lenses. Like I mentioned, I would discourage you from purchasing a kit that includes a camera & lens. I would recommend purchasing the camera and lens separately. Here are my favorite 4 lens for Canon and Nikon. These lenses complement each other and would make the perfect combination for the ultimate complete set.

(These are not considered professional lenses, rather high-end consumer quality. You are welcome to contact me with questions about professional equipment.)

50mm 1.8F for Canon. Sells for about $99

50mm 1.8F for Nikon D7000 & D90. Sells for about $99

50mm 1.8F for Nikon D3100 & D5100. Sells for about $214

This is the best bang for your buck of any camera equipment. Everyone, beginner & professional alike should own this lens. It's often referred to as the Nifty Fifty. Perfect for everyday situations and particularly good for low light inside shots. Ideal if you take detail shots of products or crafts.

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 for Canon. Sells for around $449Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 for Nikon. Sells for around $449

Tamron is an after market brand. The comparable lens in the Canon & Nikon brands are between $1500-$2000, the Tamron version only $449!!! It's received good reviews, the only complaint has been that it's a bit sluggish to focus, but for a $1500 saving I'd take a bit sluggish all day long. This is your go-to lens when photographing children.

Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 for Canon. Sells for around $699

Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 for Nikon. Sells for around $699

This is the sister lens to the Tamron lens shown above. Again, it's a huge savings over the Canon/Nikon brand lens. This is your go to lens when photographing older children & families. Typically this lens is used outside. The focal length is a little too long to be used in small spaces. You'll melt when you see the images that come out of this lens.

Tamron AF18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 for Canon. Sells for around $625

Tamron AF18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 for Nikon. Sells for around $625

This is the perfect everyday lens. It's perfect for birthday parties, vacations, family reunions, kids playing at the park. The large range of the focal length makes this lens very versatile. I would not recommend this lens for portraits.

For detailed information about how to actually USE your new camera, be sure to put my workshops on your Christmas list!

Just a few of the things you'll learn:

-Shooting in Manual Mode

-Perfect Lighting Every time

-My Favorite Poses

-The Magic of Photoshop

Photo By Emilie Workshops:

ONLINE WORKSHOPS

SALT LAKE WORKSHOPS

A LOT of My Favorite Things 2011 - Must Have Christmas Items!

2011-12-06T13:37:00.001-08:00

One of my least favorite questions asked around the holiday time is...
"What do you want for Christmas?"
Don't get me wrong, I'm a girl who LOVES gifts, but it's always hard for me to know what to tell people. Mostly because I'm usually not even aware of what I SHOULD be asking for, and my gifts always seem "too practical"... or at least that's what Cason says. ha! Does this ever happen to you?
On the flip side...I see people getting all of these cool things, and I say... "I want that!", but when it actually comes down to listing things I want/need, I always draw a blank.
So for the last few months I have been compiling a Favorite Things list JUST FOR YOU! Items or products that I personally use and love, that I want to share with everyone. I did a post last year of my favorite things, and so I thought I would carry on the tradition. I know that not all of these items will pertain to each and every one of you, but it's always nice to have suggestions for great products, don'tcha think?
And yes, just so you're aware, I would totally ask for all of these things from Santa. Even wood floor cleaner. haha!
:)

Can't get enough of these little gems. They are light, colorful, and you can pick from TONS of styles to go with any outfit! From small to really large... there is a perfect set for every girl!!! GREAT stocking stuffers for teenagers or as a small gift for the trendy friend in your life :)

BUY Hoop-La Earrings

Addicted. Our favorite. Exquisite.

All words to describe how I feel about these amazing hair and clip-on accessories. There is just something about the look that these unique pieces give, that set them apart from all other "hair bows."

I always try to throw a WhippyCake in my girls' hair when I photograph them. It accentuates their beauty and makes our little chicks look so glam and special.

BUY WhippyCake Accessories

I just tried these fun nail shields a few weeks ago, for the first time. I was totally impressed with how LONG they stayed on! Through showers, dishes and tapping away on my computer :)

Jamberry nail shields come in solid colors, as well as TONS of other amazing designs. They cause no damage to you nails and are easy to apply. Again, awesome gift for pre-teens and friends!

BUY Jamberry Nails

A question I get asked frequently (when not sporting cute nail shields) is... "What is that dark color on your nails in your photos!?" Well, here it is! OPI's Eiffel for this Color. (ya, it's a long name. ha!) I'm addicted to dark polish, but it has to be the PERFECT shade of warm, purple-y goodness. Not black, not red, not brown. Eiffel for this Color totally fits the bill. LOVE!

BUY OPI's Eiffel for this Color Polish

I've posted about these adorable, unique products before, but I just had to give another mention to how fun and happy these ruffly creations make me. The days of the week dish towels have been some of my personal favorites, and I also adore the Mollies for kids that Jillie Willie now sells! Check out their one-of-a-kind aprons too. You'll die over how CUTE all of their products are!

BUY Jillie Willie products

I know, I know. It's like I'm a broken record. But that's how much I love these Jo Totes camera bags. If you're going to be getting a camera this year from Santa. Just round it out with one of these stylish, fashion forward bags...mmkay? :)

BUY Jo Totes Camera Bags

I'm a huge fan of MAC products. They don't always agree with my budget, but here are 2 of my MUST haves, for everyday.

MAC's Prep + Prime: This product is what you apply to your skin after your lotion, but before your foundation. It's like Spackle for your skin. It makes it smooth and fills in your pores and fine lines, to help your foundation look flawless.

MAC's Strobe Cream: I actually combine my foundation and a dab of this on my sponge applicator, when applying my base. It's gives your skin a glow, and makes it look a little dewy and fresh. Awesome for winter time when skin is extra dry and flat.

BUY MAC products

My go-to Shampoo and Conditioner for my thin, dry hair. Enjoy Luxury shampoo is sulfate free, lathers like a dream and is paired with the most KILLER conditioner! I first got turned onto it because my girls' hair was getting so hard to comb through after baths, that my hair stylist friend recommended it to me. The conditioner is better then ANYTHING else I've tried for tangles. It makes hair silky smooth and easy to work with. PLUS it smells yummy :)

This is a professional hair care product, so it's a bit pricey, but totally worth it. You'll have to get it from your stylist, or find someone who has a hair license to buy it for you, if you want it locally. Or you can buy it here:

BUY Enjoy Shampoo and Conditioner

Age spots, dark circles, zits...oh my! Yes... I have all three. Ugh. I wasn't blessed with the best skin in the world, but I can sure make it look like I was, with this magical little tube.

Clinique's ADVANCED concealer is thick, concentrated and works like a charm! You have to ask for it specifically, or they'll just give you the regular ol' concealer. I get the lightest version and one little tube lasts me for about 5 months.

BUY Clinique Advance Concealer

I've been wearing Ed Hardy for years! Don't let the scary, trendy, weird skulls from 2009 scare you. hee hee. This fragrance is SO yummy. Not flower-y at all, but more fresh, slightly sweet and citrus-like. It has a clean smell and I always get compliments when I wear it.

BUY Ed Hardy Purfume

Before ANY products go on my face, this hits my skin first. I was going to wait till Christmas to "let" Cason buy for me, but I just couldn't hold out any longer. My skin NEEDED it! Again, the Clarisonic Mia is a bit pricey, but worth every penny. It has totally changed my skin. It has made it softer and brighter.

Can you tell that I'm on a healthy skin kick lately? ha!

Seriously, all the products in the world won't do any good, if you don't start off with a nice clean pallet first. And this Clarisonic has been the key for me to be able to even out my red spots, minimize breakouts and shrink my pours.

BUY Clarisonic Mia

If you live in a dry climate like I do, then you're constantly battling the war with dry, itchy skin. Cason picked up some of this crazy cow cream at Walmart a few weeks back and I was a little hesitant at first... mostly because it looks like it came from a farm. LOL. But I tried it, and surprisingly it works AWESOME! Cason REALLY likes it because it's not greasy at all but still penetrates the skin well, to hydrate it.

I think I would recommend this product for guys or boys especially who have cracked or really dry hands or skin. I found out that my brother uses it too, and he says that it's his "non-chick cream". HA!

There is no scent and a little goes a long way.

BUY Udderly Smooth Cream

Here I am again, sounding like a broken record, but I just wanted to throw it out there for any of you ladies who forgot to put it on your list for Christmas. Natural-looking eyelash extensions... beautiful face requirement!

(unless of course you have amazing eyelashes already, and if that's the case, I kind of hate you)

I've had my extensions on for about 8 months. I am thankful for them EVERY day. I get them filled about every 3 weeks, and Heather always does an amazing job.

Book Appointment for Extensions in Utah

Are you dieting during the holidays, or just trying to "watch it" this year? Then you HAVE to try these sugar-free York Peppermint Patties. No lie, I actually think that they are better then the real thing. I swear the chocolate is darker, and the filling isn't so sweet and artificial tasting.

I have one everyday. Usually on my way home after dropping the kids off to school... yes, that's when ME-time starts :) Ask Santa for sugar-free candy in your stocking this year. The taste is seriously really good, and way better for you.

Love. Love. Love. LOVE!

I'm an Instagram freak! I'm on my iPhone all day, so taking photos of everyday moments and documenting them, straight from my phone is PERFECT for me! I've talked about the Instagram app for the iPhone before, but now you can print your cute everyday memories with StickyGram and they turn them into magnets! Awwwesome!

BUY StickyGram Magnets

You know I'm a Scentsy ~~lover~~ freak already, but just in case you haven't caught on, I thought I'd mention them again :) Seriously, these warmers are fabulous, and I'm currently dying over the plug-in warmers latey. I have one in the girls' bathroom and ours. They permeate the whole room, without leaving strong chemical smells like an air freshener.

My ALL TIME favorite scent by FAR, is the Sunkissed Citrus. It's clean, fresh, and oddly enough, when I smell it, it makes me feel SO happy and relaxed. I melt it all year long, especially in the summer.

My other favorite scent for the holiday is Sentimental Cider. Yum!

BUY Scentsy Products

I just received some Oreck products this week to review for the blog (more on that later), and immediately fell in love with this Oreck handheld vac. It is the PERFECT size and literally sucks up anything! (even screws from your last DIY project. oops!) My girls like to tote it around the kitchen looking for crumbs, because it's so light and small. I think they think it's a toy. LOL. Whatever!? I'll take help wherever I can get it :) I recommend this little guy to the everyday crafter or home DIY'er because it's perfect for small messes, like sawdust from a drill, giltter and tiny papers.

BUY Oreck Handheld Vac

BEST WOOD FLOOR CLEANER EVER!

That's pretty much all I have to say. I buy it at Walmart, it lasts a long time because it's concentrated.

The smell is AMAZING! Shiny, supple, soft floors. Just try it. You'll see what I mean.

BUY Murphy Oil Soap

Wouldn't have granite without it. I buy it at Target, but you can also find it online. Again, the smell is yummy, and it makes my granite shine WAY better then any other product I've tried.

BUY Method Daily Granite Cleaner

If you have a flattop stove, you've probably already tried this magical little product, but if not... run, don't walk to your local grocery store and pick it up. It's the BEST!

BUY Scotch Brite Cook Top Cleaner

The DIY tool sent straight from Heaven.

No. I'm not being dramatic.

Sanding in corners, cutting holes for outlets in beadboard, sawing through plastic pipe and taking out small pieces of drywall... this Oscillating tool can do it all!!! We usually use it for the straight blade cutting feature, but I'm tellin' ya what, this tool has come to our rescue more then a handful of times when in the middle of Home DIY projects. And it's TOTALLY affordable too!

I consider it a Gotta-have Christmas gift.

BUY Multipurpose Oscillating Tool

This is Cason's pick for any DIY man or woman around the house :)

I remember the first time he picked this up at Lowe's. I rolled my eyes mumbled something like... "Oh gosh, do we really need that?" under my breath. But now that we've had it for a little over 6 months, I have to tell you, it's a LIFE SAVER when doing molding or cutting anything with tricky angles. This tool literally has it's OWN storage space in our mess of tools, so that Cason can always be sure to find it. ha!

Just be sure that you're smarter then the actual tool, or else you won't have any idea what those little lines and numbers mean. LOL. (remember, I said this was CASON'S pick) ha!

Shelley = Failed almost every math class.

BUY Multipurpose Angle Finder Tool

Whew! Are you still with me!? ha!

I know that was a lot of items to take in, but I've really wanted to share these things with you for a long time. I'm always a big fan of learning what products other people recommend, because then I'm not so scared to spend my money on trying them out!

I hope that some of these things work for you too, and that you find yourself loving them as much as I do!

*** I was not paid to talk about any of the items for this post. I truly and honestly use and love each of these things. Also, links to buy items are only suggestions for places to purchase, or where I found the lowest prices. You can also purchase lots of these items locally, if you just look for them ***

Chevron Wrapping Paper from Fifth and Hazel & Collected - Giveaway

2011-12-04T19:47:00.001-08:00

Hoping to change and impact people through art, Fifth and Hazel is an amazing design company founded by Melanie Burk, who along with Bri from the Collected blog have pretty much designed the MUST HAVE wrapping paper for Christmas 2011.

yes... I went there :)

These two design geniuses have known each other for years, and just recently realized that there wasn't any great chevron wrapping paper out there for the upcoming holiday season (shock!)... so they worked together, to come up with these fabulously cute designs for all of US to enjoy! (whew!)

Honestly, I don't have to say much else. I'll let you fall in love with the pictures like I did...

Each wrapping paper package includes 3 sheets of silvery grey chevron paper, measuring 24 x 36 inches, and a single sheet of whatever patterned paper you choose, that measures 12 x 18 inches.

From polka dots to ombre stripes and dots... these girls thought of it all, and were spot on with today's trends. They've also created the most adorable digital downloadable gift tags as well!

Melanie was kind enough to let me play with some of her fun paper and tags and I must say... they are beyond fabulous. There are so many different ways to dress up this fun trendy paper, that I was in heaven!

Here's what I did with MY trendy new wrapping paper and tags!...

Who doesn't love perfectly pretty coordinated presents under the tree!? I can't wait to take another picture when they are ALL out. (couldn't make it look like Santa came quite yet).

A sea of chevron and polka dots? Yes please! I keep thinking how fun it will be to look back on pictures 10 years from now and see what fun "trends were in" at that time with Christmas decorating

Okay, so now that I've shared this amazing wrapping paper with you, thanks to Melanie and Bri, I know you want some for yourself, right!? Well, Fifth and Hazel is kindly giving away

FOUR rolls of wrapping paper, of your choice, to one lucky winner!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Here's how to enter:

* Head on over to Fifth and Hazel and let me know which paper with insert you would love to wrap with this year! Then come back and let me know.

Extra entries:

* Like Fifth and Hazel on Facebook, to stay updated on all the latest design products that Melanie has to offer.

* Follow Fifth and Hazel OR the Collected Blog on twitter.

Also, this week only, Fifth and Hazel is offering 20% off of everything in their shop with the code "merrychristmas"

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

All winners are chosen at random, using random.org. When entering giveaways please make sure to leave your email/contact information so that I can get back to you if you're the winner! Please also take a quick minute to subscribe to The House of Smiths blog for lots of inspirational ideas, tutorials and projects! Having awesome readers like YOU is what make all of our great giveaways possible!

A Tower of Packages & Love

2011-12-04T13:08:00.001-08:00

Chances are, if you ordered something from our Design Shop in the past few days... You'll see it very soon.

We're feeling very festive around here, if you can't tell.... hee hee

Feeling incredibly thankful for the support that all of our readers and customers give us.

And equally as thankful for a fabulous team of extremely talented, ridiculously business savvy, smart, hard working people who help me make my visions/dreams come true. You know who you are.

Feeling loved from so many today.

Thank you.

Happy Sunday!

Raising Emotionally Healthy Children - Million Moms Challenge

2011-12-02T15:22:00.001-08:00

...Turn off the radio, put down the cell phone and ask your kids questions! Open communication, even at age 5 is like a window of opportunity to shape and mold a child's character and emotional health. When they understand better why things are the way they are, they're less likely to question them later on. And in return, they tend to act more logically, rather then emotionally about certain situations.

Read my full article on tips I've learned during motherhood about raising emotionally healthy children, over at the Million Mom's Challenge site. Just for joining in on the conversation you have a chance to win an exclusive Million Moms Challenge Gift Pack, which includes an iPad2, a custom-made Million Moms Challenge pendant and a $50 donation in your name to Global Giving!

DIY Christmas Garland - Factory Direct Craft

2011-12-02T07:16:00.001-08:00

Today I'm excited to tell you about a place that I know a LOT of you will love! Factory Direct Craft!

I've gotten a few emails already from people asking me about where I got all of my little accessories for my Christmas decorating post, and sometimes I just have to snag stuff locally, but in this case Factory Direct Craft is a place where ANYONE can get great craft supplies for Christmas and Crafting.

I was thrilled when I found Factory Direct Craft, because they have so many cute, affordable items to choose from! For both crafting AND home decor. Lots of things that I use already, and for sometimes an even better price then I can find locally!

This year I actually used some of their bell garland to complete our garland above our stockings! We just bought an inexpensive $15 piece of green pre-lit garland from Walmart, added some red wooden beads, this cute string of bells from Factory Direct Crafts, and ta-da! Easy, super affordable...yet custom garland, for about half the price that I would have had to buy it for in a store. PLUS, let's be honest... you know I never would have found this perfect combination ready-to-buy.

So if you're looking for those special little items to fill decorative jars...

or some cute buckets and unique tins ...

Factory Direct Craft has got them!

You MUST check this site out, especially if you're in a town that tends not to carry small specialty crafting and decor items like these. You'll be SO happy with their selection of crafting essentials!

Decorating with Poinsettias for the Holidays

2011-12-01T09:00:00.001-08:00

Christmas Decorating with Poinsettias

Ah... the classy, traditional poinsettia. This years must-have plant/flower for decorating. Don't you think!? I've seen them everywhere lately! Even in craft form, and I love it!

Pillow, Ornaments In a Jar, Felt Craft, Wreath, on Stockings

We had the chance to work with a few of these beauties this year, and I'm so glad, because once I saw how lovely the poinsettias really were at our Western Garden Center, it really helped shape out the rest of our red Christmas, and bring it all together.

The thing I love about these plants is that there are a bunch of different vibrant colors and shapes of leaves to choose from, when picking your perfect poinsettia to decorate with. From a small clustered poinsettia, to the huge, over-sized floor pants. And you know me... I love variety :)

I originally thought that I might go with the pretty white and green poinsettias this year for decorating, (definitely screams House of Smiths style...) but as I was standing in a sea of red poinsettias, I just couldn't help to feel that the red was too pretty and Christmas-y to NOT have in our home this year. So classic red it was! I snagged two small poinsettias for our Christmas shelf vignette, and a huge leafy large poinsettia for living room to display.

I think a lot of the time poinsettias turn me off because they tend to come packaged in that crunchy, shiny, cheap cellophane, and it's not really my than'g... so I simply bought a few inexpensive galvanized buckets from a local craft store, transported my poinsettias into them, tied a piece of burlap ribbon around the middle... and instantly I feel in love. Talk about a statement! These plants really are so beautiful. And presented in a sort of rustic-casual, yet stylish way, with the bucket and burlap ribbon... made them that much better :)

I don't know how much simpler our large flowering poinsettia for our living room could get. Literally I just plopped him on a plastic sheet inside of this $2.00 crate that I found from Salvation Army, and well... he looks like he's been there all along! I love how the fullness of the plant fills the entire crate, yet it's only ONE potted plant!

There's just something about having LIVE, lush, vibrant flowering plants in your home that kicks your decor up a notch, don't you think!? I talked a bit about this when we displayed live flowers for Aubrielle's fairy birthday party, and I must stick to my guns on this subject for Christmas too.
Poinsettias = Something Special.

PLUS, they are easy to take care of and last forever! What do ya think!? Will poinsettias be making their way into YOUR home decor this Holiday season?

Disclosure: Poinsettia greenhouse owners in Vancouver, BC, Canada who grow 180,000 poinsettias yearly have commissioned me to create this post and share my original decorating ideas with you. All pictures, thoughts, and opinions within this post are my own.

Brightside Prints Christmas Card Giveaway

2011-11-28T20:08:00.001-08:00

Brightside Prints Custom Prints Giveaway

Whew! Cyber Monday was a whirlwind of awesomeness! I hope that everyone stocked up on everything they ever wanted and needed online. ha!

Thank you SO MUCH to all of you who placed orders in our Design Shop yesterday, we are working like busy little bee's to get everything printed, packaged and shipped as soon as possible!

This week our fabulous giveaway is sponsored by Brightside Prints!

I'm sure you've heard me gushing about them in the past with Aubrielle's adorable birthday invitations and labels. But alas, I must gush some more :)

Brightside Prints has over 100 holiday designs to choose from. They print all of their cards with a state-of-the-art Indigo Press on thick 130lb.recycled or 110lb. matte paper. Brightside Prints also provides complimentary printing on the back of every card, and each order is prepared by a real human graphic design, to make every detail perfect! Here are some of the amazing designs that you'll see when you visit their shop this year...

Here are some of my other faves!

Also, right now, if you become a Facbook fan of Brightside Prints you get 40 FREE LABELS with your next order! I love that, because those little personalized labels really make the whole card/envelope that much more special.

Brightside Prints is giving away

THREE $50 credits to their shop to spend on any invitation, announcement or Christmas card design you choose!

Here's how to enter:

Head on over to Brightside Prints and tell me which card design(s) you love, come back here and leave me a comment letting me know!

Additional entry:

Visit Brightside Prints on Facebook, and "LIKE" them to stay updated on all of the great sales, promotions and new designs that Brightside Prints has to offer.

PLUS, if you place an order, you'll get those 40 free labels that we talked about, just by doing this :)

So many fun styles to choose from!

Have fun browsing around, I can't wait to see which cards are YOUR favorites!

Christmas Decorating - Classic Reds with Modern Patterns & Splashes of Color

2011-11-26T18:39:00.001-08:00

Christmas Decorating with Modern Patterns and splashes of Color

Merry (almost) Christmas Everyone!!! Can you tell I'm just a liiiittle excited for the month of December!?

Christmas is absolutely my most favorite holiday, and each year I get so anxious for December to creep closer and closer so that I can start decorating! Last year I started in October (yes, that was a little on the crazy side)... so this year I waited till mid November. That's good enough, right? ha!

Also last year we were out of town for the holidays so we didn't have the opportunity to put up a tree or really decorate all that much, except for our ever-changing kitchen shelf vignette area.

We also didn't use any red color in our decorating. Not because we didn't like it... but because I wanted to try something a bit different! I really liked stepping outside the box, but this year... I was itching to use reds ALL OVER my home! I also had a goal in mind, to work in some trendy patters and colors that we already loved, to make this years Christmas... traditional, with a twist of modern. Perfect for our home!

Here are some photos below and info on how we did it!

Originally I had thought I might make stockings this year, but then I found these simple natural colored ones at Tai Pan for only a few dollars each! So instead, I just bought these little glittery initial tag hangers from Pottery Barn and then attached some small snow-dusted pine cones to them, to give the stockings a simple, classy touch.

One of my favorite DIY pieces is this chunky square frame that I made. I love the bold statement it makes in the room.

I started out with one of the DIY Frames, (that we now sell in our shop) painted it white, added this red trend vinyl decal over the top, used an exacto knife to cut out the vinyl where the non-glare plexiglass goes. Then I adhered the 25, dark grey decal to the plexi, and that was it!

You can purchase this whole kit or just parts of it, in our Design Shop HERE.

So you know me and pillows right? I'm a lot obsessed with great pillows. ha!

Normally I try to make or find all of my pillows on sale, but when I saw this Celebrate pillow from Pottery Barn I knew I HAD to have it! And the large yellow bird pillow was on sale at Bijou Market this past Saturday at The Sewing Nerd's booth for a fabulous price, so I snagged that too. And I'm SO glad I did, because it really ties in all the other yellow in the room that we have going on!

The cute red pillows I DID make though. I looked everywhere for the PERFECT red pillows, but couldn't find them. Until I went to Pottery Barn and found these adorable red and white polka dot dinner napkins! They were only $7.50 each and so I just used some inexpensive white cotton fabric to sew up an envelope backing on each napkin, and wa-la! You have the perfect red pillows!

You gotta love gettin' "the Pottery Barn look" for more then half off the normal price of a regular pillow cover :)

Like I said, touches of red are everywhere this year. From the wooden beads strung on our tree, to the pretty red poinsettias that we used. I love the warmth that red brings to a room, it just screams Christmas!

You can purchase the Dove/Peace decal and Jingle Bell lettering in our Design Shop.

Of course we had to do another Christmas vignette in the kitchen too!

Berry wreath, Ornament bucket, Ornaments, Bells and Greenery, Burlap - Tai Pan Trading

Poinsettias - Western Gardens

Metal Buckets - Joann's Fabrics

White doily plates - Pier 1 Imports

Vinyl lettering and White Vinyl Design on Window - The House of Smiths Designs

Trees - Bijou Market

And because you can't do a Christmas tree any justice in the day time... here is a shot of our simple, classy beauty at night, all lit up.

Red scribe ribbon: Pottery Barn, Ornaments: Hobby Lobby, Star topper, red beads, white snowflakes and burlap ribbon: Tai Pan.

So what do you think? Do the reds and traditional touches, like the poinsettias, resonate Christmas memories to you, like they do to me!? I guess the thing I love about decorating the most (especially for the holidays) is that, if you start out with a great canvas, you can work in any type of style, color and pattern into your space and just tweak it to make it your own! Plus, you can kind of go crazy and over-the-top if you want, because it's just for the holidays!

Now for my last question...something I posed on Facebook the other day...

(said in my best English accent, since for some reason I feel like I look like a proper english-woman, via this ornament photo I took...maybe even the Super Nanny?)...

hee hee

...and are YOU ready for Santa?

If you're looking for a little help with your Christmas decor this year, then head on over to

The House of Smiths Design Shop and stock up on everything you'll need!

Yahoo! So stock up on gifts or goodies for yourself!

...But only If you've been "nice", of course

Happy Cyber Monday!

A Beautiful Blessed Day

2011-11-26T15:07:00.001-08:00

Today has been amazing. The weather is beyond beautiful, and it's all around a productive wonderful day. Since sickness plagued our home on Thanksgiving (and much of the week before) We didn't get a proper chance to say how thankful we are for such an extremely blessed life. Filled with the best things that any couple could ask for. Health. Love. Family. Faith, and all of YOU!

Honestly, our family would love to give every one of our readers out there a big virtual hug, for inspiring our lives each day with your wonderful encouraging words and support. And also, Cason and I can't even start to say enough thank-you's to ALL of you, for following us along on our DIY journey and making it possible for us to keep doing what we love so much.

THANK YOU!

Ultimate Gift Guide and Handmade Holiday Decor Ideas

2011-11-23T10:28:00.001-08:00

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving! Today is a good day...finally! haha

After a rough few nights of trying to sleep with only one working nostril and a swollen throat... I'm actually starting to feel a little bit better, and like myself again... thank goodness!

Cason and I started putting up our Christmas decorations last night and it got me REALLY excited for all the fun things I have planned for some new vinyl designs :)

I'm also going to be heading out to Western Gardens today to pick up a few pretty lil' poinsettias to decorate with! I'm totally looking forward to using REAL flowering plants this year and...

drum roll please..........

Believe it or not, I'm decorating with LOTS of Christmas-y RED! yay!

Last year in my Christmas decorations my goal was to not use any red at all, and it was challenging, but fun :) This year I wanted to warm up our space a bit, so the reds, silvers and natural tones are making a huge statement in our space this time around. I can't wait to show you!

Okay, so while I'm working today on Christmas crafts, sewing and putting finishing touches on my decor, I wanted to leave you with some AWESOME eye-candy that my cute friend Kim from The TomKat studio has put together!

It's the ULTIMATE gift guide for 2011, and it is TO DIE for!

There are ALL SORTS of fabulous gift ideas in here, from teens, to dads, to even those pet-lovin' peeps!

I was so incredibly honored to participate in the gift guide as well, sharing what some of my MUST have gifts for the Home this season were! Check it out...

It's definitely the "crème de la crème" of gift guides out there this season

Also, for your viewing pleasure... Myra from My Blessed Life has put together a Handmade Holiday Decor Ebook with over 30 great holiday crafts inside! There are TONS of great craft ideas to flip through, especially if you're trying to stay on budget for your decorating projects this year!

So grab some hot chocolate, get cozy and have fun reading!

Happy Wednesday!

Plum District Giveaway - 3 Chances to Win!

2011-11-21T17:51:00.001-08:00

Happy Tuesday everyone! Sorry I've been a little MIA the past few days. Our family has been sicker then sick, with ER visits and all :( Let me just say that strep AND a croup cough are probably the WORST illnesses to have together. gah! Thankfully just the kids and I have it, and Cason is able to nurse us back to health. ( I love that guy )

Right now, I'm just trying to take it easy until I can actually swallow again. LOL.

Thanks for hangin' in there. I'm sure everything will look better in a few days ... but for NOW, here is our weekly giveaway!

This weeks giveaway is brought to you by Plum District, the Mom based deal-a-day site! I've talked about Plum District before, and about how much I love their deals, especially the local ones, because they are always geared directly towards me or my kiddos!

This week Plum District is offering up THREE vouchers for the awesome deal that is going on right now, which is $20 for $40 worth of baby accessories from 500babies.com!

So for three lucky winners, you will get the full $40 to spend at 500Babies.com! No need to spend anything!

SUCH cute baby accessories!

You can get this great deal NOW, just by going to Plum District, signing up and dropping the deal into your cart (yes it's that easy!) ... But if you want to try your luck at this fun giveaway, to be one of the three $40 shopping spree winners, then here are a few ways to enter!

1. Head on over to Plum District, check out all the great deals going on now (both nationally and locally in your area) and then come back and tell me which deal(s) are your faves!

2. Jump over to Plum District on Facebook and like YOUR local Plum District Facebook page, to stay updated on all of the latest news for new sales promotions and discount codes!

(yes Plum District occasionally gives discounts ON TOP of discounts! Love that!)

In fact, if you use the code "FABULOUS", you can get an additional 10% off your next purchase!

Happy Entering Everyone!

How to Take Better Photos - Photo Tips by Emilie

2011-11-16T14:01:00.001-08:00

How to adjust shutter speed and ISO to create a non blurry image when taking pictures

I'm so happy to welcome Emilie from Photo by Emilie back on the blog today! If you've been reading our blog in this past year or so, then you know that I credit almost all of my photo-taking-skills to Miss Emilie and her amazing photography classes that she hosts both online, and here in Utah.

One technique that I was having issues with learning, was how to get those great action moments to be captured in a still, clear, focused image. Every time I tried to take a photo (no matter how much adjusting I would do) I ended up with fuzzy moving images for the end result.

So I reached out to Emilie and she schooled me in a little advanced lesson on how to capture a great quality image with a moving subject.

I was so happy to FINALLY have a better understanding of how to photograph movement better, that I asked Emilie if she'd be willing to share with you what she taught me, and happily she said yes!

So read closely and pay attention! This will TOTALLY save your pictures on Christmas morning when kids are ripping open presents, running around with big smiles on their faces and playing with toys. Because I promise you, they are NOT going to stop what they're doing to stand still for a picture. ha!

Take it away Emilie!

The most common reason for blurry images isa slow shutter speed. If you shoot in automatic mode or aperturepriority then your camera will often select a shutter speed that is tooslow, hence a blurry image.

Shutter speed is the speed that the shutteropens, lets in the image and then closes. Shutter speed manages twoelements of your photo: the amount of light in your image and the amount ofmotion captured in your image.

When the shutter speed is on a lower/slowersetting the shutter is open a longeramount of time letting in more light. The slower the shutter speed thelonger the shutter is open and the more light that is let in to create yourimage. When the shutter speedis on a higher/faster setting theshutter is open less time letting in less light. The faster theshutter speed the less time the shutter is open and the darker yourimage.

When the shutter speed is on a lower/slowersetting the shutter is open a longeramount of time capturing all the motion found in your scene. Theslower the shutter speed the longer the shutter is open and the more motionthat is captured in your image. The lower/slower the shutter theblurrier the image. When theshutter speed is on a higher/faster setting the shutter is open less time capturing a smaller amountof "time" in our scene, stopping any motion that is happening. Thefaster the shutter speed the less time the shutter is open and the lessmotion is captures. The higher/faster the shutter the sharper yourimage.

I never shoot a portrait of a person less than a 250 shutterspeed. However, as you can see from the example above 250 is fast& doesn't allow a ton of light. An image shot inside at 250shutter speed tends to be a bit dark. So what do youdo???

After pulling up my blinds and turning on all my lights I set my camera to800 ISO, 250 Shutter Speed and 2.8 F-Stop and this is my finalimage....

Learn more in my photographyworkshops:

-Shooting in Manual Mode

-Perfect Lighting Every time

-My Favorite Poses

-The Magic of Photoshop

Photo By Emilie Workshops:

ONLINE WORKSHOPS

SALT LAKEWORKSHOPS

Oh my goodness, could her new little girl be ANY cuter! gah! Not only do I love Emilie's incredible capability to explain photo jargon to me, but I also DIE over her fresh, eclectic, colorful style. It just makes me happy :)

Here are some photos I shot yesterday for "crazy sock day" using Emilie's tips.

Keep in mind, these are UNEDITED images.

I'm showing you the pictures that I took without any changes, other then my Shutter and ISO speed.

Crazy right!? (hee, hee) I think I've finally got it!

Honestly, I'm so happy to have Emilie to reference back to, when it's time to take fun photos like these. Don't you think that the jumping just really makes the moment? And it definitely wouldn't have been as cool, if these happy kiddos and their "crazy socks" would have been all blurry.

I know I've said it a million times before, but I can't stress to you ENOUGH how important capturing these fun, everyday moments with your loved ones really is.

*Invest in a GREAT camera.

*Take classes to learn how to use it.

*Practice.

*And then marvel at how amazing your life is through simple photos... because we forget too easily.

If you already have a DSLR camera and just need to hone in on your skills before the party-crazy holiday season fully sets in, you can contact Emilie at

Photos by Emilie Workshops.

From now, until Christmas you can use the code "TAKEOFF25" to get $25.00 off any class!

If you know you're asking for a DSLR camera for Christmas and may get one... then put Emilie's class on your list, right next to it. I promise, you'll be SO happy that you did

Happy Thursday Everyone!

Mercedes White Macarons & Classes - Available at Bijou Market 2011

2011-11-13T21:48:00.001-08:00

How to make macarons class by Mercedes White

If you follow me on twitter or Instagram, then you are probably well aware that this past Saturday night I got together with some good friends for an AMAZING hands-on Macaron cookie baking class by Mercedes White from Mercedes Macarons.

Mercedes White & me. Thank you Elizabeth for the great photos.

Jen, Lara, Elizabeth, me, Amy, Amelia, Emily, Mercedes

Now, before someone emails me to tell me that I spelled "macaroons" wrong, let it be known that American macaroons are spelled with two "o's"... but FRENCH Macarons only have ONE "o".
(Ohgh, hogh, HOGH!) please picture me say this in a french accent with one hand flying in the air
:)

I can't tell you what a TREAT that this Macaron baking class was! Honestly, I have always LOVED the look of these adorable, colorful, delicate cookies for party set ups or weddings...

images via bronmarshall.com, ilovedessert.tumblr.com, dustjacketattic.blogspot.com

but they always seemed so intimidating ... until now :)
Mercedes not only sells her already made cookies at markets all over UT, but she now offers her amazing, fail-proof almond-flour macaron mix to the public too!
And want to know the icing... on the macaron?
She's currently offering classes as well! If you ever wanted to master the art of the macaron, Mercedes is your girl. She has adapted her gluten-free macaron recipe to accommodate Utah's high altitude, which makes HER cookies cake-like and well... absolutely exquisite.

During our class I was lucky enough to not only be surrounded by some of my most favorite people, but also have this amazing video made, to help me remember the fun memories and moments of the night.
A BIG thank you to Collin from Collin Kartchner Studios for your mad camera skills :)

He has such an amazing gift for capturing those meaningful moments in his work. Collin does couple, baby, sibling and family videos that are the sweetest ever! View some of his other videos here.

adorable paper cut cards by Alexis Mattox Designs

Thank you again Mercedes, for making this such a fun and unique night for me and my friends.

Mercedes will be selling her must-try macarons and all-ready-to-go cookie mix at this weekends Bijou Market. I'll be heading out to visit her and the rest of the amazing vendors on Friday night.

I hope to see you there!

$75.00 WUSLU Giveaway - 1 Home Decor Deal a Day

2011-11-13T21:06:00.001-08:00

A few months ago we introduced one of our awesome sponsors WUSLU to The House of Smiths blog! For those of you who are new readers, WUSLU is a 1 Decor Deal a Day site that has some really fabulous, on-trend deals EACH day, for items that are perfect for decorating your home.

All of the decor that sells on WUSLU is not only stunning... but at fabulous price points too, with some items being up to 85% off of retail cost. Although, you have to be quick to buy, because some of the REALLY good deals sell out fast!

We're happy to share that WUSLU will be hosting our giveaway this week and there is a

$75.00 WUSLU store credit up for grabs for a lucky House of Smiths reader! yay!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Here are a few ways to enter:

Make sure to leave a comment after each entry, if you want a better chance of winning.

1. Check out WUSLU.com, visit their history tab and let me know what kinds of products strike your fancy!

2. Head on over and "LIKE" WUSLU on Facebook to stay updated on new sales and give THEM feedback on products you'd love to see on the site!

3. Subscribe to the WUSLU email list. This will keep you notified on all of the new sales each day, so you'll be sure not to miss out on any great decor.

I'm so excited for this giveaway because home decor is so close to my heart. HAHA! Yes, I know, it sounds strange. But honestly, I am ALWAYS looking for affordable decor to change up our kitchen shelves or add onto a cute table. And more often then not, WUSLU has usually got it :)

Happy Entering!

How to Paint Molding and Trim Work

2011-11-13T18:50:00.001-08:00

How to paint molding and trim work in your home.

More then anything, we probably get the MOST emails about our paint. Everything from what colors we use, to how we actually approach painting a space. So today I thought I'd share with you how to get the BEST results when painting detailed trim work. (or how we've discovered works best for us, anyway)

First, let's talk paint brushes. I know you've heard it a billion times, so I'll just say it once.

Invest in GREAT paintbrushes, and take care of them.

Believe me, we found this out the hard way. We would literally buy a new paint brush EVERY time we started a different painting project. Not only was it expensive, but it was unnecessary. If you invest in an awesome paintbrush the FIRST time, you shouldn't have to buy a new one for a while! Cason and I have used lots of different painting products and one of our personal favorites has been the Purdy brand. They're hand crafted and constructed amazingly. Never any stray brush hairs or 'fuzzies' to worry about.

Let's be honest and say that good quality paintbrushes are NOT cheap. They cost quite a bit, and after you drop $30 + for paint, the last thing you want to do is spend about that much for a pack of paintbrushes too, right? Ya, I'm with ya.

So the hard truth and my advice is... make sure you work them into your budget from the beginning. (because they ARE that important) We all spend weeks... even MONTHS trying to find the perfect paint color, but then we don't plan into our painting budget getting the best tools to help us achieve that amazing end product. There are LOTS of different tools that I could recommend for painting a whole room, but I'm going to focus mainly in on paintbrushes and painting trim.

Mostly because we LOVE us some molding and trim work, here at the House of Smiths :)

Okay, so tip #1 when painting trim:

Get some great paint brushes.

I recommend a small angled brush and a medium angled brush. Usually trim is detailed and will have different 'levels'. An angled brush is great for being able to get into those little grooves. Unlike a flat top paintbrush an angled brush has a fine overall tip at the end and will allow you to have lots of control during your trim painting process.

Tip #2:

Start with a Clean, Dust Free surface.

Especially for trim you want to make sure that your surface is free of all dust or sanding and putty residue. I love a glossy finish on my trim, so doing a once-over with a damp rag on my trim work BEFORE I start painting, is key!

Tip #3:

Use a Semi-gloss or High-gloss finish for your trim.

I'm a Semi-gloss kinda girl, but I've used high gloss in the past. We love ultra white trim, so for us, we just pull a can of interior semi-gloss paint right off the shelf, have our paint department give it a good shake and go to town! You can pick up specialty trim and door paint as well, but we find that semi-gloss works good enough for us! :)

Tip #4:

Load up your brush.

Don't be bashful! Get a really good amount of paint on the end of your brush, when you're painting trim. The reason, is because when you're working with a glossy finish, it tends to dry quickly and will become tacky/sticky. If you don't have enough paint on your brush to push around, you're going to have to refill more often, leaving you with uneven brush marks in the end.

Tip #5:

Paint it and Walk away.

Once you've loaded up your brush and have an even coat of paint on your trim... LEAVE IT ALONE!

Most people are tempted to run back over their trim work 3 or 4 times, to get the "perfect" flawless look we all love, but the secret is to just let it be.

Like I said before, glossy paint finishes tend to get tacky quickly, but they also have enough "sheen" in them, that they will 'melt' and smooth out fabulously too. So the trick, is to use that loaded brush in nice long strokes QUICKLY, to avoid brush marks and then walk away and let everything settle and dry, before you determine whether or not you'll need a second coat.

(most likely, if you're using a nice thick paint and quality paint brush... second coats will be a thing of the past!)

I promise that if you follow these simple steps, you'll get fabulously-flawless, glossy finished trim EVERY time! And if you're "into white, pretty trim" as much as we are, then it will save you a TON of work, if you use the RIGHT painting technique the first time around.

Happy Monday!

linking to Beth's (Home Stories AtoZ) Tutorials and Tips Tuesday

Bijou Market

2011-11-09T17:16:00.000-08:00

Bijou Market - Handmade event Utah

One thing I love about living in Utah (besides the great home decor & thrift shopping) is the crazy amount of talented people that I'm so blessed to be surrounded by. There are so many fabulous ways to socialize with like-minded women here in this wonderful state and the Bijou Market is no exception. If you live in Utah and you haven't had a chance to experience the Bijou Market, then you've been missing out.

The Bijou Market was founded by three young mothers (7 boys and no girls between them!) in 2009.

The Bijou Market has quickly risen from a small two hour party of 15 vendors to a weekend long semi-annual handmade event with 60+ amazing crafters. Thousands gather to buy handmade and vintage wares at each Bijou event, and if you plan on attending Bijou's holiday markets, then you'll want to leave a few hours of your day open to have enough time to soak up all the amazing products that the Bijou Markets' vendors have to offer.
The Bijou Market has found a permanent home in Provo at Historic Southworth Hall, but due to popular demand a market day will also be set up for just one day, on November 26th in Taylorsville at Aspen Landing!

One of the cute founders, Emily of Bijou Market also had this to say about shopping their vendors during the holidays...

Our Holiday markets are especially exciting because shoppers have the opportunity to find one of a kind gifts for everyone on their shopping lists. Many items you'll find at Bijou Market are upcycled - or made from vintage or existing supplies, so you can feel good about consuming less this holiday. Also, vendors hail from Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada and California and supporting the local arts and craft community is not only great for the local economy, but good for the soul too!

You can become a member of Bijou's newly launched Facebook Group, check out their blog or follow along on Twitter to stay updated on all of the latest about Bijou Market handmade events! Also, you can RSVP for the events on Facebook to show your support!

Provo RSVP

SLC RSVP

I just love everything that this Market, it's founders and vendors stand for and have to offer. I'm thrilled to share them with you, and I will definitely be heading out these next few weekends to do a bit of Christmas shopping for those unique one-of-a-kind gifts for the people on my list.

See You There!