Cutest DIY Stocking Stuffer. Ever.

I like DIY projects as much as the next girl. Unless that girl is my friend Lisa who takes DIY to a whole new level. Lisa once renovated an entire bathroom. With the skill of a real plumber!

I also once renovated a bathroom – just the floor part. But instead of lifting the toilet up so I could tile under it, I simply cemented those suckers in place around the toilet’s base.

Clearly, I enjoy the idea of DIY, but in practice -- if it's to be successful --  the project had better be easy. And immediate gratification. And include no complicated plumbing.

Today I have just the thing: Gumball jars! These are stocking stuffers that are cute, easy and fun to make. The trifecta of great, and all for under $5.

For the kiddos in your life, personalize the jars with a flower or sports figurine on top. For the adults, think of their passion or an inside joke and personalize with an action figure (a la Star Wars), tiara or any plastic doo-dad you can find at Party City. 

You could even swap out the gumballs for gummy bears or coffee beans, according to your friend’s personal taste &/or addiction.

You can procure all the items you need, most inexpensively, at Walmart (or online at Walmart.com). Here’s the list:

-         Mason jars (usually sold in pack of 8 or 12)

-         Gumballs

-         Silk flowers

-         Sports gear toppers (sold in party favor packs of 12)

-         Labels

-         Washi tape

-         Rubber Cement

I think festive labels make the project so I added ones that said “cheers” and “score”. I typed these up on the computer since my handwriting’s atrocious, and I’m all about cute labeling.

This is also why I added the washi tape around the lid. (Washi tape is usually used for scrapbooking. It comes in many a fabulous pattern and makes the gumball jars extra cute. Totally worth the extra step.)

This is a great project to do alone or with kids. In fact, next weekend I’m going to do it with kids. 154 of them. At the elementary school’s craft fair. 

What could go wrong? Guru girl, a glue gun and gumballs. So, so many gumballs. Wish me luck!

Happy crafting, guru girls & guys! 

The 1 Thing That Ages You Immediately*

The 1 Thing That Ages You Immediately *And How To Get Rid Of It

Note the perfectly plucked eyebrows in this picture. They too are possible with the handy tip described below. 

Weird hair.

We’re not talking 1980s-hairstyle-weird. Though I’ve done that too.

We’re talking a specific hair. One that is weirdly long. And springs from the side of one’s face, or chin, seemingly overnight.

WTF?

You never see these weird hairs on cute 20somethings. And though I don’t wish to revisit my cute 20something years – and their accompanying drama – neither do I wish to appear downright elderly. Which is what these wayward hairs do. They make you look like Angela Lansbury!

We’ve got to get them pronto, ladies. But these hairs hide.

Some mornings you truly need Angela Lansbury sleuthing skill to find the little buggers. So you go about your day, zipping around town, when it happens. You randomly smooth the side of your face, and you feel it. The weird hair that has magically sprung, like Medusa’s snakes, from the side of your head!

It’s no good. But here’s a tip that is: Stash a tweezer in your purse. 

Instead of conducting the “search and destroy” mission in your bathroom, conduct it in your car!

Preferably in your driveway. But any parking lot will do. As long as you’re sitting in broad daylight and the unforgiving glare of your rearview mirror.

This process outs the weird hair immediately. Which then allows you to go out and about, secure in the knowledge that the only bouncing hair on your head is on your head and not your chin.

Happy tweezing, guru girls!

1 Design Rule All Of Us Break

Don’t you hate it when there’s conflicting expert advice? Today we’re covering the thorny topic of photographs on display.

I’m already bracing myself for the hate mail I know I’m going to receive on this.

But I’m going to go ahead and make a pronouncement: Masses of photographs on display have got to go.

Your home should not be a photographic shrine to every fun event you’ve experienced. It shouldn’t have a framed pic of every stage of your kiddo’s development.

This is bad design, say interior designers. And it’s bad for household maintenance because girl, you’ve gotta dust those frames. Or they start to resemble the dusty relics of a bygone age that, in essence, they are.

Here’s what designers say is okay: you can have one photographic shrine in your home.

One.

The frames should all be the same style. And it will look more cohesive if the photos are black and white instead of in color. 

But then I went and read The Secret Of Happy Families where the author says we should have masses of photographs in our homes. These images of the happy places and people in our lives increase our – say it with me now – happiness.

What is a happiness-seeking, clutter-busting girl to do?!

Here is the answer: observe the “one shrine in public” rule but add a second one on the sly. In your closet! 

I did this myself and am so pleased with the result. In fact, my closet shrine is my favorite because I look at the pictures every day, while dilly-dallying over clothing selection.

I actually think having a closet bulletin board would be even better. You could pin your favorite pics here. 

Easy to put them up, easy to swap them out. Like Beyonce and hair extensions!

Now you see them, now you don’t. This should be your mantra for both hair extensions and photograph displays.

Now enough with the reading, go take all the photos off your fridge and put them up in your closet instead!

Happy Wednesday, guru girls & guys!

Style In A Snap: Stitch Fix

Stitch Fix gets my thumbs up!

Sometimes I am late to the party. Not often. As I am Dutch and thus very punctual. And if punctuality isn’t a Dutch trait, I don’t know what is!

But I fear today’s recommendation may be late to the party. In the sense that everyone, except me, is doing it, has been doing it and can’t remember a time when they didn’t do it. Like Uber or hot yoga.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: Stitch Fix. 2 of my most stylish girlfriends use it, and I am hot to give it a try. The concept is simple and it is genius: A personal stylist sends you clothes.

It’s style in a snap, and you know how I love shortcuts (and also getting anything in the mail that’s not tax related). You keep the clothes you like and send back the ones you don’t.

They source from funky boutiques so you won’t see your same outfit on the soccer mom next to you. And you don’t have to spend time scouring the boutiques for that perfect eclectic look. Stitch Fix does that for you!

You fill out a profile that specifies your style, size and price point. Most items are in the $50 range, but you can go higher or lower. You tell them how often you want to receive a package (for instance, every other month). And you pay them a $20 styling fee each time you receive a package.

A package includes 5 items. If you keep even one item your $20 styling fee is credited towards your purchase price. Last month my friend got a killer pair of jeans that fit perfectly, and it was a brand she’d never thought to try.

Indulge your inner celebrity, and give Stitch Fix a go. (Click this link to visit the Stitch Fix site.) Bonus points if you throw back some bubbly in your closet when your first package arrives and you have a try-on party!

Happy shopping, guru girls & guys!