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Celebrate Summer Swim Goals + DIY Swim Kit #CelebrateEveryGoal

We had only one goal that we wanted to celebrate this year, to get through the season without crying. This is Year 3 of our summer swim classes. If you have been following our family’s journey, you know that this is a BIG deal.

I have a shy and timid son, and he’s slow to change and fears new challenges. We also live in Florida. Surrounded by water, I knew how important it was to make sure that he knew how to swim. The teacher warned me the first year, “This is new to most kids. They probably won’t like me.” This was followed by 2 straight weeks of crying…for both mom and son. Year 2 also brought on tears.

The year 2014 was going to be OUR year. I want to help my son celebrate his third year of swimming and encourage him as much as possible. After brainstorming, I came up with this Upcycled Swim Kit to tell my son that “You Can Do It!” So I headed to Walgreens, where I knew I could find great swim essentials items at a great price. Right now, Walgreens has a great promotion to help your family celebrate summer goals. Balance Reward Members can earn 3,000 points for every $15 spent on select Johnson & Johnson products. So I grabbed spray Neutrogena Sunscreen, Waterproof Band-Aids, Neosporin and Children’s Zyrtec to place in our kit.

Here’s how to make your own DIY Swim Kit:

[Read more…]

I call them the “Tea & Sympathy” sessions. Before I even thought about coffee, there was tea. Sitting on the back porch, watching the sunset, and my mom and I chatting about life. My latest heartbreak or dramatic teenage catastrophe to college dreams, marriage and kids. We’ve had quite a few chats, and many of them with warm, comforting cups of tea in our hands. She would steep her tea bag for what seemed like hours, while I indulged in a few hurried/impatient dunks.

It seemed only fitting this year that I turned to Bigelow Tea for the Perfect Mother’s Day Gift Basket. This basket represents so much more than a gift; one to celebrate all of the big changes in her life, the nostalgia of our relationship and the hope of a wonderful future.

So I headed to Walmart to find the perfect cup of tea for my mom. I love that family-owned Bigelow Tea has such a large variety for the exceptional tea lover. While I tend to steer towards herbal fruit teas, my mom adores green tea. Each packet is perfectly wrapped and sealed to lock in the flavor and freshness, so you know you’re getting the best recipe possible brewed in your cup. I picked up the Bigelow Green Tea with Mint for a fresh Spring pick-me-up to add to my mom’s perfect Mother’s Day Basket.

What else went into the basket? I added her favorite candy (black licorice), a beautifully scented candle (Japanese water lily – roots in her Japanese heritage), tea mug (of course!), new gardening tools (for her new retirement venture), and the beginnings of her new herb garden.

But that wasn’t enough. I felt my basket needed a personal touch. So I made my mom a beautiful DIY Tea Stained Picture Frame to go with.

DIY Tea Stained Picture Frame

Here’s what you need:

• 1 simple wood picture frame – I grabbed one for under $1
• 1-2 bags of Bigelow Black Tea
• Clear Packing Tape
• Vinegar
• Steel Wool Sponge (or nails, staples, etc.)
• Paint Brush

Directions:

1. Mix together vinegar and steel. Soak for at least 5 hours.
2. Steep tea in hot water for a few seconds (only to get the tea bag wet). Remove and squeeze out excess water.
3. Use tea bag to gently sweep tea water across your frame. Notice the dark stain. Allow to dry.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 if darker stain desired.
5. Using the clear packing tape, tape your design onto the frame, paying special attention to press hard against the edges of the tape.
6. With a paint brush, paint your vinegar solution onto the frame. The vinegar solution will add an even darker stain to your tea, for a beautiful finish. Dab with a towel if desired to keep the solution from entering into the taped off areas.

Your design lines will not be perfect, but I think this adds to the DIY charm of this piece. What do you think?

While certainly with less “Sympathy” now, I enjoy my special Tea & Sympathy moments with my mom. Hopefully this basket full of my special selected and handcrafted goodies will represent all of the good things in my mom’s life, past, present and future.

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What would be included in your Perfect Mother’s Day Basket?

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