Author: The Bee Life

Nursery Closet Makeover for under $200

| The Bee Life

Oh my gosh! I’m so excited to share this fun before and after with you on a recent nursery closet makeover, I helped my mom with! Plus, I’ve included products, price details and specifics in case you want to recreate or source for your own closet makeover.  I was so happy my mom asked for my help, as this was a baby shower gift from my parents to my brother and sister in law.  Which is also such a fun idea to help get the nursery baby ready and organized!
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Starting with an empty slate and working from Kiera’s Pinterest board, my mom really figured out the solution for the space and I was pulled in to help put the finishing touches on it. The closet had a few oddities that had to be considered and worked around, but they actually ended up working out perfect for the customization we added.  There was a weird step that ran most of the length of the closet and then a lower ceiling drop down.  Here’s a side by side of the inspiration and a sneak peak of the finished space:

We sourced a cube storage unit from Target that had the perfect dimensions to fit on top of the weird permanent step. There were a few options to pick from, but the dimensions were the difference and we settled on one that was a little more money but the perfect size for the space. We ended up getting this 6-cube unit for $59.99. We also knew we wanted to add in some shelves as there were wood rails along the back and on the side area – that seemed to be made and waiting for shelves.  We bought two different pieces to fit the spaces.  The first shelf was the perfect fit for that area, which we secured this by drilling down into the wood rail that was already there. The side shelf was cut to fit in the space, this was accomplished through a little trial and error.


For the deep side of the closet, we added another shelf and then stacked clothing bars for adorable baby clothes.  This was an idea that I helped finalize for mom – because it was a little awkward where a clothing bar or two might be able to go based on the shelf space.  The stacked clothing rods are perfect for longer items and even as baby gets bigger for tee and pants.  We grabbed cute storage bins/cubes in various sizes to fit into the spaces and incorporated pinks and whimsical patterns to play off the woodland nursery theme.

Price Breakdown:
– (1) 6-cube bookshelf = $59.99
– (3) 13″ Fabric Bins = $30
– (3) Medium Bins = $18
– (1) Large Shelf = $16
– (1) Small Shelf = $13
– (2) Closet Rods = $17
TOTAL: $154
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Shop the pieces: 6-Cube Storage | Medium Weave Light Pink Baskets | 13″ Fabric Storage Bin in Green | Metal Closet Rod | Laminate Wall Mounting Shelf 

The finishing touch to get this ready for the big reveal to the parents to be was staging it with all of babies things! I had a lot of fun doing this part to get it ready, while also thinking through all the possibilities and everything that can be stored in the newly organized space. We instantly took this closet with no storage into a fully functioning closet, ready to stock all of babies things from diapers, to wipes, to books and all the adorable clothes you could think of!

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Closet inspiration link resource: ShopStyle

Latest Obsessions 08.19 – Faux Plants

| The Bee Life

I’m coming clean – I may or may not have a slight addiction with faux plants, as they’ve been my latest obsession.  Ever since our bathroom remodel and adding those finishing touches faux plants have been the answer to help spruce of the space since it’s in our basement!  So, I’ve been on the hunt, looking for great deals while also finding stuff to compliment the space. The ones that didn’t find a home for in the bathroom, have found homes in our basement living room helping give it a bit more life to this darker space.
Latest Obsessions - faux - beelifeblog(1) I haven’t really been a big fan of faux plants or flowers, just greenery around the holidays, until now and that’s because I think the faux plant industry as seriously picked up their game. There are so many more options available, that are beautiful, life like and are now available in an endless number of stores, from Marshall’s, to Target and even craft stores like Michael’s.  From succulents, to cactus or fig trees you can really create a statement in spaces were these real life creatures might not survive or if you want a low maintenance option for you living space – and all sort of styles and sizes.
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Guess what! There are end of season deals on some of these more summery faux plants – so I’ve shopped a few steals for you to keep an eye on when you’re out and about that I’ve taken advantage of our am about too!

Michael’s Craft Store: 6ft Dieffenbachia Tree originally $200 now $40 – style this in a fun basket and you’ve got an awesome statement.  Mini mixed cactus plant pot originally $20 now $4 or this mini succulent plant pot originally $15 now $3 (check stores for availability) I stocked up on these when I saw them severely price cut in stores and bunched them in our basement bathroom on the window sill, even one within the shower stall window! It really gives it a spa-like feel.

Target Opalhouse: 19×14″ Artificial Orbit Peacock Plant in Pot Green/White originally $24.99 now $12.48 in select stores (and other plants too!). I couldn’t pass up this 50% discount, plus it was a decent size to add a little more umph than a table top succulent.  I knew this guy would have a spot in our basement living room (pictured above).

TJMaxx: 36″ UV Proof Rubber Plant in Ceramic Pot originally $49 now $39 OR this 39″ potted cactus originally $99 now $75.  Before I settled on the stems and mini succulents for the bathroom, I REALLY wanted to get a massive cactus for that corner, but the numbers and the size I wanted to make an impact were a bit out of my budget (like this 5ft one from Target, still a hefty $129.99) – so I figured my alternate solution and maybe if I see one I like on sale I’ll go for it!
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I’ve also started to have a little fun with stems and styling those with various vases or even baskets – there are so many fun ways besides the traditional planter that faux plants (and real for that matter) can be dressed up to fit into your home – plus you can find them pretty affordable, without the worry of killing off a cool looking plant. SO! I have to know, have you been on the faux plant train for awhile? Or you a new found convert like me?

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Tips for an Easy Summer Table Setting

| The Bee Life

When we host a dinner, I always like to have a warm and inviting space for our guests to dine at whether that is inside or out.  This means, putting a little extra time into creating a unique space for that dinner.  When I set the dining room table, I like to have pieces that I can use for multiple seasons, while pulling in other elements to highlight the specific season.  This summer has been a little lighter on the dinners we’ve hosted, but we finally hosted a cookout this past week and have the most perfect summer evening. And I just have to share the simple, yet beautiful table setting that anyone could pull together the next time you’re hosting some guests!

To make it easy while also making a statement, I like to start with a neutral color palette, and then add in some color/patterns paired with a decorative centerpiece. The last piece to top off your table centerpiece and really make guests feel welcomed is a bouquet of fresh flowers.  This really made the table-setting pop with the fun colors of the limey-pink hydragengas – which I cut from our own yard!  And fresh flowers outside are a nice, unexpected touch to most.  With our outdoor dinners, I use a fun caddy to tote out silverware, salt and pepper and other condiments – this allows guests to grab what they need while make it not feel too formal. Ours is a white metal caddy with a handle so it’s supper easy to fill up and transport in and out! Easy Summer Dining - beelifeblog(3)
Shop My Pieces: Indoor/Outdoor Tweed Placemats | Similar Plain Blue Napkins, set of 4 | White Napkins with Pom Pom Trim, set of 4 | Dinner Plates from Pottery Barn |  Water Glasses from Pottery Barn | Similar Metal Flatware Caddy

The best part, is this can easily be translated inside for a great setting and paired with a different centerpiece elements to fit different seasons, weather it be spring or fall!  I think the key to keeping it simple, is working with a lot of pieces you already have, whether they’re our more neutral pieces or our a little more fun pink pieces – this is one of the things I love to do, and helps make the evening feel effortless while still putting a little thought and personal touch on the space!

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Fitness Friday 08.19

| The Bee Life

Hi beeutiful people! I’ve got a confession to make. And… I tend to keep the confessions somewhat limited on here, but I also feel that sharing and being honest with my bee readers may help one of you as I often find for myself.  SO! Here it goes… I’m scared… I’m scared to workout again, and I’m scared to go back to my bootcamp classes. I am scared I’m going to mess my back up again. So, I haven’t gone. I’ve continued to make excuses and let my busy August get in the way of pushing back my start date another month.
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But I have also know that if I don’t face my fears and do things that may be a little scary I won’t grow, I won’t try and I won’t succeed. So I need to face my fears, stick those excuses in a box and say good-bye.  I’m a bit mad that I’ve continued to let this back problem persist longer, but also trying to understand that some things take time.  I did get past some of the workout fears by running a bit, but I need more structure to get back into something and I love my bootcamp classes.

To further the motivation of facing my fears, I stepped on a scale yesterday *screams* … I know it’s not always about numbers. But I also know what numbers are not good for me and I know where I need to be.  It’s been a struggle and rollercoaster this year, coming off a few strong years cranking into wedding mode, it seems about fitting.

And I’m ready to get back into beast mode and I’ve set the goal to keep running for the rest of the month and come September 2, I’m going to demolish those fears.

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Weekend Roundup – August

| The Bee Life

The month of August has been a constant whirlwind and we still have almost two weeks left! The weekends have been packed from weekend trips, to birthday parties and girls meet ups.  On top of the weekends, the week nights have also been jammed packed, back to back, leading right into the weekends – I’m honestly exhausted! But, as exhausting as it’s all been, it’s been a lot of fun, with great moments, so here’s a quick round-up so far.
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The first weekend in August was spent back home celebrating my brother and sister-in-laws baby shower!  It was a busy weekend, as I was helping mom with a lot of the party details as I was in charge of the woodland themed decor, while also making sure the shower went off without a hitch.  Family and friends traveled in from near and far to celebrate and spoil the parents to be and future baby girl.  After the shower, the little bit of the weekend left was spent with extended and immediate family during this quick 36-hour trip.
Weekend Recap(3)-beelifeblogWeekend #2 was a little less busy? We hosted dear friends on Friday night, grilled out and enjoyed a beautiful evening on the patio, we even had s’mores! It is always great catching up with those two and we’re always thankful for the time we get to spend with them especially now that they have a little one!  Saturday, I got together with the girls, we went for a hike through the park and got our monthly catch-up in. Again, the time with these girls is so precious as we’re all in different stages of our life, Beks has two beautiful little kiddos, A is expecting her first and I am just living life.
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The rest of Saturday, B and I were able to actually relax, take a nap, grab a bite to eat and watch our shows.  Our Sunday was crazy, as we were double booked with bday parties, that weren’t so close geographically.  Our nieces’ 4th bday (unfortunately I can only post photos of the delicious sweets due to political reasons) was earlier in the day and then we went to a surprise 60th to a dear family friend.  Both parties were fun, we got lots of time in with the 4th birthday princess and then helped pull off a successful surprise party and laughed the night away.
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Weekend #3 – We headed back home again this time on Thursday night so that I could get my wisdom teeth out Friday morning!  It was something I wasn’t looking forward to doing, but was told it should and needed to be done. I opted for no gas, so after the procedure was done, mom and I ran a few errands before heading back to the house to ‘rest.’ Saturday the guys went golfing, while Mom and I did a few more errands for a project she asked for my help out – a closet makeover for my brother’s baby nursery (which turned out amazing.)  The rest of the weekend was fairly low key, as I tried to eat soft food, iced my face and did salt water rinses for my wisdom teeth post op care.
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In between all of these weekends there has been week night dinners, after work functions, work summer outings, hair cuts, running errands, a few runs, walks with Moz and reality TV.  The rest of August is still jammed packed, but more of that will be shared with you all soon! xox

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National Prosecco Day – Easy Recipe

| The Bee Life

It’s National Prosecco Day! This day might be just as exciting as my birthday or being able to eat cake – I mean cake and Prosecco? Yes, please! And although I tend to drink Prosecco like the next Prohibition is coming – I finally tried drinking my Prosecco with a twist that always seemed a little trendy but always peaked my curiosity.  What is it you ask? A popsicle in my Prosecco!
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What You’ll Need:
– A bottle of your favorite Prosecco – I love Ruffino or Freixenet
– Popsicles of Choice – I used Outshine Fruit Bars Mango & Pomegranate

I felt the flavor choice was a big part of my decision, because I wanted it to pair well with the bubbles, so just think of potential mimosas juice flavors; Strawberry, Raspberry, Mango, Pomegranate, or Pineapple. Once you have your Prosecco and popsicle it’s time to pop that bottle! Pro-Tip: Don’t fill your glass up with the bubbles, when you add in the popsicle it’ll fizz more and takes up some room – I recommend filling a little more than half way with the bubbles, if not get ready to take a quick sip to save the overflow!
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The Final Verdict: The addition of the popsicle was actually refreshing and had great taste, I especially liked it with the Mango flavor! I was actually surprised at how good it tasted – because I’m of course a fan of Prosecco on it’s own. And let’s be honest, it’s just a nice summery treat!

So cheers to all my fellow Prosecco lovers who celebrate National Prosecco Day any day!

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Rodan+Fields Product Sample Review

| The Bee Life

Let’s talk skincare for a minute.  In my daily essentials post – I made the disclaimer that I am in no way, shape or form a big make-up, beauty or skincare expert and I say that again. Because I am super low maintenance when it comes to my make-up, skincare routine and everyday maintenance, but I was super excited to try these Rodan+Fields skincare products – because I know I should give my skin a little more love than it gets.  After discussing with my consultant my skin type, and how I like to keep it simple she sent me the a few samples to give a try and tell you all about!
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Redefine Regimen. This is one of the four regimens R+F offers – and this one specifically helps minimize appearance of fine lines and pores, while protecting your skin from harsh environmental elements that accelerate visible signs of aging – which nobody wants any part of that.

  1. Daily Cleansing Mask – This Kaolin Clay-based mask was a quick and easy way to exfoliate the skin and clean out pores.  After massaging the mask onto my face I waited to recommended 2-minutes which was just enough time for the mask to feel like it was drying before rinsing it all away. My skin felt soft and clean afterwards.
  2. Lip Renewing Serum – The Redefine lip serum had conditioning peptides and vitamins to help your lips stay full and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.
  3. Intensive Renewing Serum – I felt like I was rubbing silk on my face with this final step of the regimen and it was so lovely.  The serum is to be applied after cleaning and toning and to be applied over the entire face (watch the eyes!) – with the overall goal of reducing wrinkles and making your skin firmer and fuller.

R+F Review-beelifeblog(4)Radiant Defense – Liquid Perfection. I was super excited to give this foundation a try, because it also happens to be SPF30 on top of giving you flawless coverage. I used three of the colors, since typically I would probably be the lightest one on the chain – but given my summer glow and abundance of freckles, I thought the two second lightest colors might work well on my skin too.  I think the Beige was the perfect shade for me, not to light and not to dark – also the coverage of this sample was the perfect amount and gave a good base.  It covered up imperfections like my little color patch in the top of my forehead, plus it was light and airy and I didn’t feel like I had a pound of make-up on – which I feel like is just as important as everything else.  I felt flawless and effortless all in one and that feeling carried on into the day.

Micro-Dermabrasion Paste. This was a refreshing way to get ready for bed and end a long day with a little self-care and pampering. This product is not recommended for sensitive skin – I wouldn’t say I have super sensitive skin, but it can be sensitive – so I dampened my face before applying for a gentler exfoliation.  I kept this on my face for 60-seconds before wiping away.  The paste was gritty and had a very nice light smell to it so it was very refreshing – after wiping away the paste my skin felt super smooth and soft!
RFProductReview - beelifeblog(2)Overall all the products had super light or no scents, which is important to me with a routine, so it was very refreshing using each of the different products.  The Radiant Defense is a product I would definitely love using especially for special occasions or those days I need a little extra umph to get me going – I did feel super beautiful using it. I think it’s also important finding a good cleanser to exfoliate the face every now and again and R+F definitely offers a variety of options for all skin types and ages!

Learn more about Rodan + Fields and their life changing skincare.

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*Disclosure: I was asked by my Rodan+Fields Consultant to share these products and promote Rodan+Fields. In exchange, I received complimentary samples of product . All opinions are my own.

3 Party Planning Hacks – Baby Shower Ed.

| The Bee Life

This past weekend was my sister-in-law’s baby shower and I was lucky to help with the planning and was in charge of the decor.  I love a good party, and I love a good party with a theme.  The theme for K’s shower was Woodland, and as I worked through the decor it quickly morphed to a Woodland Glam theme especially once we learned the baby is a girl. So instead of breaking everything down, I wanted to share a few hacks I did for this baby shower that made a statement and helped pull everything together.
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Framed Art: One easy way to help decorate and pull the theme through was with framed art of little Woodland animals with flower crowns. Since Woodland was also K’s baby room theme, I wanted to get prints framed that could work for the shower and that could then be hung in the nursery for room decor! It was a fun conversation piece during the shower as party guests spotted them throughout the house – plus I think N&K really liked them. I purchased 6 Baby Animals with Flowers Crowns and these 11×17 frames from Michaels Craft Store.
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DIY Floral Letter: This was another piece that was used as decor at the shower and will now find a home in the nursery as well. The muted colors that were picked out play into that glam, Woodland and romantic feel.  Not to mention this was super easy and an affordable DIY that made a huge statement as part of the main centerpiece in the opening room as guests came into the baby shower. Read the full Floral Letter DIY how-to by click here.
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Dessert Table:  A dessert table has been my must-have staple for all the parties that I plan.  This is an easy way to make a great statement, while having a lot of yummy treats, lots of options and it’s another way to help pull in a theme.  There are a few pieces to mix and match for your dessert table, my go-to’s are at least one cake, maybe two depending on the size, cake pops and chocolate covered pretzels. Designed sugar cookies are another great addition to a dessert table too! Displaying everything at various levels helps give another wow factor to your sweet treats and finishing off with greens and a table runner pull it all together.
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A few other must-haves at parties are balloons and the way we pull this off is by buying those personal sized helium tanks – these make it so easy and transportation a breeze. Depending the occasion, fresh flowers are always a nice touch especially if it’s a baby or bridal shower.  I also love making sure napkins, plates and glassware are on theme and compliments to the entire party.  I love how everything came together for K’s special day, it was exhausting pulling it all together, but definitely worth it!

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DIY – $25 Floral Letter

| The Bee Life

This is a DIY I have had my eyes on for a long time and I finally got around to grabbing the supplies and giving it a try!  A floral letter can be perfect for hanging on your door in the spring with you’re families last name initial, hanging in a living space, bedroom or for nursery decor.  My initial inspiration for baby shower decor, with it doubling as nursery decor after the shower! The theme of the baby shower was Woodland glam, so I went with a bit more muted colors for my floral color palette.
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What You’ll Need:
– Hot Glue Gun & Glue // Mod Podge would probably work well too
– Letter of Your Choice – I grabbed this 13″ B from Michael’s for $4.99
– A mix of florals – grab smaller filler flowers & larger florals
– Shop my Florals: Hydrangea & Rose Bundle ($6) | Green Wild Mum Stem ($5) | Toast Strawflower Bush ($6) 
– Ribbon for hanging or clip
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Step-by-Step:
1. When shopping for your florals, grab a good mix of size, color accents and potential filler pieces, you’ll definitely want more than not enough! I bought 5-different stems/bunches.
2. Start by de-heading your faux flowers from their stems and start playing around with placement on your letter.
3. I put larger/heavier flowers in the bottom corner to help anchor the piece and also did this in the top of the B to help add some equal weight.
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4. From there I filled in with smaller flowers and use my smallest flowers to really fill in smaller spots and make it feel lush and full – while still holding to the shape of the B.
5. As you work in sections and get areas figured out, cut underneath of flower stems as low to the flower as you can in order to keep it somewhat flush to the letter. Then, begin gluing your determined sections into place – I was very generous with the hot glue around the stem area, and even onto the underneath of the leaves to help secure in place.
6. Continue adding florals until the top part of your letter is completely filled! Let dry a bit to ensure florals are completely secure. Then you’re ready for decorating/hanging!

Don’t forget to have fun, get creative and use other pieces of your flowers like some of the leaves to help fill in the space – I was nervous I wouldn’t have enough flowers to fill the space and this helped even everything out.

Since I was making this as a gift, I’ll definitely be making one for us next to keep and use on the front door.  I can see this being a new go-to gift for a people this upcoming holiday season or would be an awesome housewarming present! A few other ideas for your floral letters would be spelling out smaller words like MOM for Mother’s Day or just using the same flower and color to really create a bold statement – this could also be done with numbers for a milestone birthday.  I also love how this completed a centerpiece statement at shower and can’t wait to see if in the finished nursery!

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