YW Activity- SPA Night

For the last couple of years I have been in the Young Womens Presidency in my LDS Ward. (Please visit here to learn more about my faith.) I started out as the secretary but am now serving as the First Counselor over the female youth group. I thought it would be fun to post some of our more successful mutual nights or cute activity ideas.

One of our leaders thought up this activity based on an activity that she remembered doing when she was younger. We called it a "SPA" Night. The leaders brought a bunch of beauty products from home, like nail polish, bath/foot soaking fizzies, and face masks. We induldged in a little pampering with the girls, painted each others nails and relaxed. Then, near the end of the activity we gave each girl a SPA Journal, which stands for Scriptures, Prayers, and Answers. We encourage the Young Women to keep a journal seperate from their everyday journal, using this one specifically for inspirational and favorite scriptures,  insights and revelation from reading their scriptures, daily prayers and the answers they receive.

We did this activity the week before General Conference and further encouraged them to watch General Conference after saying a prayer and to look for specific answers to questions they might have. We asked them to record thier experience in their SPA Journals. The activity would work for any time of year, but I think it works well before General Conference or Girls Camp, a time when they can start practing writing in their SPA journals right away.

I made some cute little handouts for the girls to take home as well. I got the small baskets and loufas from the dollar store and filled them with some homemade bath salts that I already had on hand. Handouts for all the girls only costs me $3, and it shouldn't be too much more if you need to buy supplies to make homemade bath salts. Heck, you can even buy bath salts at some dollar stores or in bulk at WalMart.

Overall it was a successful night. It was pretty laid back and easy but had a good spiritual punch to it as well. Here are some links to others who did similar activities with thier own spin for some more ideas, or of course, look it up on Pinterst for tons of ideas.

Some Sweet Talking Girl

 

Sugar Doodle

 

Marci Coombs

 

Walking Worthy

 

 

Black & White, what makes it work

Black and White is such classic color combination and it never really goes out of style, but for some reason I cannot get enough of the updated black and white trend that is everywhere right now. Seriously, I'm helping plan my younger sisters bridal shower and I just want to make EVERYTHING black and white. My sisters/ co-party throwers have to remind me, "Where's the color Amber?"

Oh, let's pause for a moment. Did you catch that little tid-bit in that last paragraph? Yes, My sister is getting married!!! My LITTLE sister!!! I think it is insane, I still think of her in diapers, but alas, she is an adult now and that girl is getting hitched! She was scheduled for an LDS mission last time I posted about her, but some handsome lad just swept her right off her feet and changed her plans. So excited for her happiness!

Any who, my desire for everything black and white made me stop and think for a little bit. Why am I (and lots of designers out there) loving black and white so much lately if it's really always been kickin' around? I decided to analyze myself and think about what makes black and white work and what does not? This is what I came up with.

First up, and probably the biggest part of the most recent trend I'm loving, is having crisp geometric patterns. I think this is the quickest way to make black and white feel updated and clean. It just makes my eyes happy.

Next, the BOLD factor. A small black and white strip just doesn't do it for me the same way that a big and bold black and white strip does, you know. The bolder the better! Something that really grabs your eye and calls out for attention.

And finally, I also am really loving those classic pieces that are some how being updated by our tried and true black and white combo. It feels like home and comfortable, but also new and fresh at the same time.

Lastly, as much as I love black and white trending right now, I have also seen it done badly. The most sure ways to suck the life out this duo is making it too fussy and fru-fru. If there is detailed or intricate patter, or honestly, just something very girlie, it doesn't do it for me in black and white. I like the masculine side to this color combo.

I also don't think that black and white has the magical powers it takes to revive dated patterns and shapes. Taking a 1990's floral pattern or furniture shape and pairing it up with our contrasting friends just doesn't quiet cut it. Somehow I think it just makes it more obviously dated.

Finally, if something looks really cheap it's not going to float in black and white. That will just conjure up images of the Las Vegas strip and yard long alcoholic beverages to me. Maybe that is because I live in Las Vegas, I'm not sure. But if something already look cheap from the start, then black and white again isn't going to save it. It may even make it look worse.

So that is my .02. I am trying desperately not to just buy everything black and white these days while still looking for ways to bring those crisp, clean, and bold ideals into my life. I will have to share pictures of my sisters shower and all it's black and white goodness this summer! There is some yellow and green in there as well for the shower, so I think it will look amazing.

source, source

The Blog Reno

There seems to be a lot of rules about blogging these days, how many times you need to post, how many tweets or instagrams you should post a day, how to create "your brand," and lots of classes on how it should be done. I don't think that this is that type of a blog, blogging is not my day job. I blog to try and keep myself motivated to do my odds and ends around the house. I blog so I have somewhere to talk/write about design, crafting, my day, work, or whatever (this also helps keep my DH from having to listen to hours of me talking about paint colors). I blog because I'm MUCH better about blogging than keeping a journal (although, I could still be much more of a consistent blogger). I blog for a creative outlet.

Blog-o-sphere complaining aside, I like blogging and think it's a fun hobby. I hope this blog helps give others ideas, or is a happy stop in someones day. I hope it is a good creative outlet and helps bring more beautiful things into my life, and maybe even a few others if I can help it. Recently, I don't feel like my blog is working for me. I mean, I've been at this for years, and I have tried to re-design, streamline my topics, or create a "brand," but it just isn't my jam. I think I just want to blog about whatever is going on in my life, not just design or home improvement. For example, I also am very involved in my church, I also happen to work a couple of jobs and have gained nifty skills, I'm obsessed about my dog. Things the world must need to know, right?

Okay, maybe not. But I've decided to try and give my blog yet another little renovation. Make it look better, be more organized, and just in general work better for me (and in turn, hopefully for others as well.) I read blogs a lot, and it's always fun to go to their site and BAM! Everything is different and pretty and organized. Well, like I said, I'm not that kind of a blog. And in the wise words of Sugar Brown "Ain't nobody got time for that!" So instead, I think I will take you along in my journey  of a BLOG RENO.

I don't plan on doing anything too crazy, just streamlining it all really. I also plan on writing more about what is on my mind or inspiring me at the moment and not worrying about weather it fits within a "brand." I basically will just try and make the blog work better for me and for others. I have so many projects around my house right now it's not even funny. I need to get re-energized and blogging really helps me do that, keeps me more organized as well.

Here is my beginning "to do" list:

Streamline Labels
Add "buttons" for social media and stuff
Add an Instagram Roll
I like links to blogs I like and topics instead of them cluttering up the side bar
Make "Search" field in side bar
remove the blogspot header
Make it look sleek and cleaner overall
Use my real camera for pics and rely less on my phone camera

Now, knowing me, it might take me a year to get this done. It's real life over here, but my goal is to try and do something blog-clean-up related at least once and month and share my wisdom struggles. I just put it all out there so I hope I will follow through. After all, that is why I'm blogging in the first place. Wish me luck!