DIY Fall Door Décor–Owl Wreath

I love making new things for my home and this is the perfect time of year to start cozying up and enjoying time home with friends and family. So in that case, I have a festive DIY project to share today.. A Fall Owl Wreath. :) What better way to welcome your Falliday guests than with an adorable owl wreath.

Enjoy!

 

The supplies are: a branch wreath, pine cones, spray paints, dried flowers, a feathered foam owl and glue.

Spray paint pine cones, attach the owl where you want it using glue. Add a combination of dry flowers and pinecones. Make a string with paper and cork feathers – it’s easy to do.  Attach it to the wreath and don’t forget to make a perch for your little feathered friend! This funny wreath will bring a piece of fall into your home and remind of the wild world.

[credits]

What are your wild plans for the upcoming holidays?

Vein of Love

Wedding and engagement rings have been worn on the fourth finger of the left hand since ancient times. The Romans believed a vein in this particular finger, called "vena amoris" (a.k.a. the "vein of love"), leads directly to the heart.

Photo: Jupiterimages

Stay tuned for more fun wedding related posts coming in November.

Weekend Note

Smile. You are beautiful <3

Just a little weekend note for all of my lovely readers.

I hope your enjoying your Saturday and smiling! :) I have a busy week in store for me.. My shop is opening on Thursday and I have loads of DIY projects planned for November so things are bound to get hectic for this already busy mama.

What’s on your November agenda?

 

Sponsor Call

Is this year seriously almost over? I have to say it was a pretty amazing first year for SewCal Mama.. when launching this blog in March, I never dreamed it would become such a huge part of my life. I love the blogging community and all of the fabulous people I’ve met along my blogging journey so far. Thank you to all of my awesome readers! I truly enjoy connecting with you people ;)

I’m excited to be offering a 50% discount on all AD spaces for the month of November, use code FALL4SCM to take advantage of this amazing opportunity while it’s still available. Take a look at my Advertise/Sponsorship for more details.

Or, If you are a fellow blogger and would like to guest post on SewCal Mama in the near future, drop me a line at sewcalmama@yahoo.com to start making things happen!

 

Fall Recipe: Apple Peanut Butter Cookies

I have a scrumptious recipe to share with you today.. Apple Peanut Butter Cookies.

Can you say YUM?

I made these over the weekend and they were gone in no time, let’s be honest, nothing sweet lasts long around this house.. Daniel and I both have a major sweet tooth and so do the little ones, well an aspiring sweet tooth anyway ;)

Using apples in the recipe is more nutritious and it really brings out the other flavors like the cinnamon and brown sugar. I could go on and on about sweets but let’s get to this mouth watering cookie recipe.

Apple Peanut Butter Cookies

• Prep: 20 min. Bake: 10 min./batch
• Yield: 15 Servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup grated peeled apple

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream the shortening, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in apple.
• Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks. Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen.

Editor's Note: Reduced-fat peanut butter is not recommended for this recipe.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving (2 each) equals 216 calories, 11 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 14 mg cholesterol, 170 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein.

What cookies are in your oven this Fall?

XO,

Tia

Music Crush [Fall Edition]

Music is one of my biggest inspirations.

I love making playlists and mix tapes to record my current music crushes. I have been obsessing over Groove Shark the last few months.. If you haven’t heard of it before, check it out. :)

For every season there is a playlist and today I am sharing my Fall playlist.

Enjoy.

XO,

Tia

It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.

“Raise your words, not voice, It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.” -Rumi

I adore this quote.

I think that people forget to be kind. One thing I try to do on a daily basis, is smile at a complete stranger; you never know what a simple smile can do for someone else’s day.

Have a great weekend friends.

And don’t forget to share the love people! You can make an impact on someone’s day; make it a positive one.

XO,

Tia

One + A Quarter [Liam’s Fall Photo Shoot]

My little guy turned 15 months old today. 

He has grown into an such an independent and curious little boy; so full of life and eager to learn. This little man is the sunshine of my life. I love my handsome little Liam Bear <3 

Happy year and a quarter, son. 

[All photo’s taken by Tia Schnell in the Kern River Valley]

Shop SewCal Mama [Update]

Jewelry and Notebooks and Tablet Cases, Oh my!

I have super exciting news to share with you guys today..

I have been working my little butt off over the last few months designing and creating new items for my shop, SewCal Mama and I am proud to announce that in two short weeks I will be reopening my Etsy Shop with brand new products and designs! 

I am celebrating this reopening by hosting a special giveaway for my lovely readers. 

Drop me a line  sewcalmama@yahoo.com to find out how you can earn an extra entry and a large AD space on SewCal Mama for 3 months!

Stay tuned. I will give more details about the giveaway on November 7th.

XO,

Tia

The Traveling Masterpiece

Today was a great day. I have been feeling so inspired and blessed lately. I came across this huge traveling masterpiece after painting class this afternoon and thought I would share it’s fabulousness. I’ve never seen a more awesome bus in my life!

Hope you guys are all having a great week so far.

Oh, and don’t forget to enter my first giveaway. It ends next week!

XO, Tia

Sponsor Spotlight + Giveaway

Happy Friday my lovely readers! Today I have a special guest.. Kelly Michelle from Art by Kelly Michelle. She is an amazingly talented lady. Please take a moment to read a little more about Kelly and check out  her awesome work. I am also hosting my first giveaway with Kelly, continue reading for more details. :)

I will let Kelly take the lead now. I am sure you are all dying to learn more about her!

Hi SewCal Mama readers! I’m Kelly Michelle.

I create a variety of colorful handmade paper goods, including gift tags, greeting cards, bookmarks, and so much more. I also just recently added handmade and commercial crafting supplies. I love creating every handmade item in my shop. I have always loved arts and crafts, but making things for Etsy is even better. Overall, I have a lot of different choices in my shop, so I am sure you will find something you will love. I hope that you can stop by and check it out!

Here are some pictures of some of my items:

Please follow the links below to enjoy more of me and my creations.    

SHOP | BLOG | FACEBOOK

For your chance to win a $10 gift certificate for Kelly’s shop + 3 free months of advertising on SewCal Mama, read and follow the following instructions:

To enter this giveaway:Mandatory Entry1. Leave a comment telling me which item from Kelly Michelle’s Shop is YOUR favorite.
Extra entries
1. Follow Kelly’s Blog.
2. Follow SewCal Mama on either GFC, Bloglovin or Hellocotton.
3. Tweeting about the giveaway. Leave a link in the comments.
4. Blogging about the giveaway. Leave a link in the comments.
5. Share this giveaway on Facebook.  Leave a link in the comments.

Contestants must have a USA shipping address to be eligible for entry.
Winner will be selected next Friday using random.org.

Winner will be notified by email & have 48 hours to respond. 
Make sure I have a way to contact you!

Thanks for stopping by!

XO, Tia

Nestling into Fall

 

Last week my painting teacher and I were talking about how beautiful abandoned or broke down buildings are. We both know of this old building near both our homes and school campus. She asked me to snap some photographs of it if I had some time and bring them in for painting inspiration.

Here is the one that I like best. I thought it was more than appropriate to share with Halloween a few weeks away. I know I wouldn’t want to be any closer to that thing than I had to be, especially on a spooky Fall night! ;)

Hope you are all nestling into Fall nicely. I know I am!

XO,

Tia

Do you find old or abandoned buildings to be interesting??

If you have photographs you would like to share on SewCal Mama email me at sewcalmama@yahoo.com

DIY Kitsch Inspired Hair Ties

Are we really four days into October already? It feels like the seasons have changed over night at my house. I’m doing good this year, I’ve already got Liam’s costume and even a few spooky decorations hung. Yay me!

Anyway. I’ve been seeing these awesome elastic hair ties all over the place, they supposedly are the BEST an never pull or tug on your hair. I even browsed around for them but they ended up being over $20 per pack. Then, last month’s Birch Box came and it had one in it so I couldn’t be happier to try it out… I haven’t stopped using them since! I remembered a big bunch of pretty color elastic that I have stashed away in my craft stuff, once I finally found it, I spent about 10 minutes making this bright and colorful set. This is a totally easy a fun project, you could even grab the kiddos and have them help out.

Supplies: Pretty Elastic + Scissors. I also used a cutting mat for cutting and for measuring.

1. Cut elastic into 9 or 10 inch pieces

2. Fold elastic so one end is looped

3. Knot the loose ends and pull tight.

4. Wear your new OUCHLESS hair ties!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

P.S. If you haven’t noticed.. things are picking up quite a bit here on SewCal Mama.

I want to thank all of my amazing and inspiring readers! I truly enjoy the blogging community and all of the awesome people that I’ve connected with so far!

<3 Tia

DIY Instant Oatmeal

With the kiddos back to school and the seasons a changin’, noting is easier and more heart warming than a nice bowl of oatmeal on a crisp Fall morning, especially homemade variations like ones I’m about to show you. Enjoy this money and time saving recipe for DIY Instant Oatmeal. You can even whip up a special batch for everyone in your home! 

My favorite is the apple and cinnamon blend, Mmmm. 

Ingredients

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup light-brown sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup dried + diced apple ( I soaked mine in apple juice and cinnamon for 30 minutes prior to drying)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread oats on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until lightly toasted but not browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Pulse in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Mix in 1 cup of a combination of add-ins (see more suggestions below), and stir in sugar, salt, and cinnamon, or more to taste, before storing in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
   
2. To Serve, stir in boiling water until desired consistency is reached. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes.

Variations

Toasted almonds + Dried apricots + Flaxseeds
Coconut Flakes + Diced Mango + Pepitas
Walnuts + Dried Cranberries + Sunflower Seeds

 

What are some of your favorite Autumn time breakfasts? 

DIY Healthy + Shiny Hair Remedies

Did you know that you can use eggs, beer, vinegar, avocados and honey to make your hair super shiny (not all together, though. Yuck). Use these amahhhhzing DIY treatments tonight to make people stare tomorrow.

Feeling creative in the kitchen? This avocado and honey recipe will get your kitchen messy and your hair gorge. The combination of avocado, which contains unsaturated oils to moisturize, and honey, a moisture retainer will definitely make your locks love you. Mix one medium avocado with two tablespoons of honey until completely combined. Then work the mix through your hair from root to tip. Rinse out and shampoo and condition as normal.

Olive oil is a perfect replacement for a treatment you would spend extra cash on at the drugstore. Use what you have by microwaving a half cup of olive oil and working it through your hair from root to tip. Wrap your hair in a towel and let it sit for 30 minutes. Since the oil is extremely moisturizing, it will make your hair healthy and glowing.

Since huevos they're packed with protein (something your hair is made out of), this refrigerator staple will make your hair both shiny and strong. Pre-shower, whisk an egg together and work the goo through your hair. Warning: this is not pretty. Wrap your hair in a warm towel and stay as an egg head for 10 minutes. Then shampoo and condition as normal.

If you have the unfortunate experience of dandruff, you'll love this pantry beauty trick. The next time you shower, pour apple cider vinegar over your head, then shampoo as usual. The acidity of the vinegar rises away the buildup of product on your hair and (BONUS) vinegar's fungus fighting power prevents dandruff.

Like apple cider vinegar, Beer's acidity removes the buildup from products that make your hair dull. Also, the yeast and hops in brew pumps up the volume of your hair's cuticle. Now you have another reason to cheer for beer.

[ www.theblush.com]

 

Do you have any DIY Remedies you’d like to share? email me at sewcalmama@yahoo.com to let me in on your secrets and I may feature you in my next DIY Remedy post!

DIY Racer Back Workout Shirt

Now that I have another human being’s heath to worry about, I try to be as fit as possible for me and my entire family. My sister-in-law and I have always talked about getting fit together and we’ve spent numerous hours sprawled out in my mom’s living room trying to do all of the silly yoga poses we could (mostly) maneuver. Well, last week we decided to make DIY Racer Back Workout Shirts from $2 shirts we bought at out local discount store. They took under an hour to make and ended up being really cute! Here are the results as well as a 6 step tutorial so you can make one or two. ;) Enjoy!

1. Supplies: Washed T-Shirt and scissors. 2.Cut off the sleeves, neckline and bottom stitching (save this, you will use it later). 3.Decide how you want your neckline to look and cut it however you see fit. 4. Turn your shirt over and cut the back into a somewhat racer back design. 5. Using your leftover bottom stitching, wrap the back up and down until you have no left over fabric and tie off. 6. Adjust or pin the back section of your shirt for a better personal fit.

What kind of clothes do you like to wear when working out?

{UPCYCLED} Craft Center Reveal

I have been on a total cleaning and organizing frenzy this week. I think I’m more of a fall nester than a spring cleaner. I enjoy the Fall and Winter so much that I just can’t help but to tidy up the house and make it all warm and cozy. This is our second Falliday season in our home and I feel like since Liam is a toddler now, I need to make it extra special, not only for us, but for him as well. So before I get too far into my craft making messiness, I decided I would designate a space specifically for my sewing and craft stuff.

We had this old TV stand in the garage... It was just sitting there collecting dust and being neglected, I decided it was PERFECT to use for my craft space idea and it definitely had potential.

With a little light blue spray paint and a homemade lace curtain it looked like a different piece of furniture all together and is now past its days of a being a dusty old black TV stand! I love to upcycle old furniture into functioning and delightful staple furniture pieces.

What have you lovely people been up to lately? Do you enjoy repurposing furniture as much as I do?

If you have an upcycled piece of furniture or home décor that you would like to share on SewCal Mama email me at sewcalmama@yahoo.com