HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE : 12 super-rad gifts for the small humans in your life :

happy wednesday!
i have ANOTHER gift guide for you.
this time its for the small humans in your life.
two weeks ago, i shared a few of my top 'kid gifts' here. [seriously, go see. i picked good gifts ;)]
and today, i have 12 more awesome gift ideas to share.
i am a big fan of toys that are NOT made in factories by other small children. i enjoy toys that are gender neutral, use imagination in place of batteries and can be used for a long time.

here we go :

1) a punch-out easy-to-assemble play town
this is best for ages 5 & up.
no glue or scissors needed ; just punch and play.
[and arent the bright colors awesome?!]

2) veggie chalk!
its made of high-quality ingredients ; so if swallowed, its really no big deal.
no wheat, preservatives or added sugar. also totally vegan!
[i have worked with a bunch of kids who are sensitive to wheat in products [like chalk & play doh]

3) green toys gardening kit!
when i was a kid, my family had a huge garden. i use to grow seeds in little cups on the window.
this is the same thing ; but way cooler.
the planters are made from 100% recycled milk jugs [woo hoo]. the packaging is compostable & there is no cellophane, plastic or twist ties [love this]
the seed packets contain basil, sunflower & zinnia.

4) wooden vegetable set
wooden toys are my fave.

ps : their entire shop is full of awesome wooden toys!

5) super hero doll
i am a firm believer that every child on the planet should have a doll.
these super hero dolls are adorable!
there is also a girl super-hero in the shop.
[this would also be a great gift for kids that are going through some sort of transition]

6) love the 'doll idea' but prefer to make one yourself?

here is a super-cute [seriously ; so cute!] PDF sewing pattern.

there is also a girl pattern available.

[i cant get over this doll. the 'swoosh' hair. the socks. the overalls!]

7) a wooden camera
again, wood toys are so great. this is a great 'teething' toy for a babe & can also be use for imaginative and dramatic play with toddlers and preschoolers.
also, little sapling toys plants a tree for EVERY toy sold!

8) when i was born
this really is the most beautiful, incredible childrens book i have ever seen.
the colors, the text & the message are lovely.
since blake and i have both read THOUSANDS of books in our years and years [and years] working with kids ; we are sort of 'childrens book snobs'.
books are NEVER a bad idea. and this one is awesome.

9) the sweetest pair of booties for a new babe
my friend shannon makes these! they are well made, bright & affordable

10) memory game

there are so many awesome memory games out there. i love the wooden // hand stamped versions.

alien [shown in photo] // snack time // animal tracks // transportation

this was by far my favorite game as a kid.

11) peas in a pod mancala game

look at the detail of this game!

intended for kids 8+ ; its the same as traditional mancala ; but with peas!

12) natural fruit & veggie paints

glob is doing AWESOME things in the world of eco- art supplies.

you get 6 paint packets ; each using ACTUAL fruit // veggie // spices for coloring.

they also sell brushes, paper, greeting cards & more.

pretty sweet collection if i do say so myself ;)
we have a couple of kids on our holiday list this year & we are excited to support some awesome companies.

see you tomorrow!

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE for cooks, bakers foodies & other humans that love being in the kitchen :

happy monday!
good weekend? 
we got a BUNCH of snow this weekend [15+ inches!]
so much scooping & walking & playing around. i do love winter.
[although, i am fine if we dont get any more snow for quite a while]

lets talk about gifts!
your shopping is going well?!
today i have a bunch of great gifts geared towards the people in your life that love to cook // bake // eat // spend time in the kitchen.

1) some super-awesome vegan fudge
the best thing about [most] vegan treats // desserts is that they taste AMAZING. they aren't chalky or gross. and its organic. and no animals were mistreated [winwinwin]

2) a cutting board in your favorite state [minnesota, duh!]

each and every cutting board is made from bamboo. and you have the option of adding a heart or star to your city.

3) how about a 'make your own cheese' kit?!
such a cool idea! back when i still ate dairy ; we took a class to learn to pull // make our own mozzarella. it was delish! [and easy!]

4) ceramic stacking bowls
pigeon toe ceramics is a super-cute studio in portland, oregon. these two stacking bowls would be great for the couple on your list.

5) 2013 beer & food calendar
awesome local artist alert! i saw this calendar in person a couple weekends ago & the detail and design really are beautiful!

6) the global vegetarian cookbook
this book looks great. so many recipes from all over the world.
also awesome? your purchase helps eradicate poverty around the globe.

7) family heirloom dishtowels
this one makes me cry! its a little more work ; but i would imagine its SO worth it.
the link will take you to a blog & walk you through the steps of scanning & printing old family recipes onto dishtowels.
i am SO doing this.

8) how about some eswatini jams?
tons of flavors. no preservatives. and each purchases gives money to youth programs for children that were orphaned by AIDS.

9) pyrex baking dish

you can never go wrong with a beautiful vintage pyrex pan // dish. ive been looking for months around town for my dream pyrex bread pan. im still looking ; but this one is a close 2nd ;)

10) you can never have too many [cute] floursack dishtowels!
we have the blueberry dishtowel. the packaging is great [and reusable]. the link is for a set of four. you can always give a few away & keep one for yourself ;)

what do you think? anything catch your eye?
see you tomorrow!

holiday gift DIY #3 : how to make your own bubble bath :

easy. easy. easy.
i love making gifts for friends and family. its affordable. from the heart & fun to do.

on monday, i shared how to make your own naan bread. [which you could wrap up with some hummus, lentils, pizza sauce or eggplant spread]
and yesterday, i shared how to make your own sunflower butter [which you could give with homemade jam & bread, or as a housewarming gift with some other snack-y treats]

today is for relaxation!
one of my favorite things to do before bed is to take magazines from the library. fill the tub up to my ears with bubbles & lay & read for an HOUR.
i love it.
making bubble bath is surprisingly easy & affordable.

the castille soap isnt pictured. daphne ate the wrapper..

what you need : 
*storage container [something with a lid], a large bowl, cheese grater
*few drops of essential oil ; optional [i used citrus scent]
*a bar of castille soap [i used dr. bronners & found it at the co-op. most grocery stores should carry it. i know that our targets do]
*2 ounces vegetable glycerin [i found a 4oz bottle at whole foods for $6]

how to do it :
1) heat 4 cups of water until warm to the touch ; not boiling, but not lukewarm
2) grate the bar of soap & stir into the water. stir until it melts ; should take 3-5 minutes, depending on the temp of your water
3) add in the glycerin & your oil. i added about 6-7 drops of oil
4) once everything has completely cooled, transfer to a resealable jar.

*the consistency is a bit of a tapioca//jelly-type ; its not a smooth liquid like traditional bubble bath. adding a cute little spoon would be a great gift idea ;)

this project took very little time & is super affordable. 

if you use 1/2 cup in each bath ; you will be able to get 8 baths from this recipe.

the materials cost me less than $8 [i already had the essential oil] ; so you are paying about $1 a bath.

would make a great hostess // teacher // new friend gift.

: i totally want to make that : easy painted wooden spoons :

hey everybody!
how is everything?
i have been feeling super busy. i am not working from home anymore. i am now working THREE jobs outside of home. and walking a 50+ pound puppy 1-3 hours a day. and volunteering once a week. and eating faux oreos for dessert every night.

the minnesota weather has been feeling pretty 'september-ish' & i love it. hoodies in the morning & sleeping with the windows open at night!

today, i want to share a fun & way easy project ; painted wooden kitchen tools!
i love adding new colors to our apartment as the seasons change.

we have a bunch of wooden kitchen utensils & i thought 'lets give 'em some color!'
i used this super easy tutorial.
you need a little tape, paint, a brush & some wooden spoons!
the whole project took less than 20 minutes & its a fun way to dress up our kitchen!

easy, right?!
what colors are in YOUR kitchen?

how to boost creativity & time management : an indie biz post

happy saturday!
as you are reading this, i am hanging out with some of my favorite folks, hunting bargains, riding my bike & taking photos.
[i have a lot to do today ;)]

todays indie biz post is about boosting creativity.
working from home can be tricky. its hard to find inspiration when you are home in your underwear yoga pants all day, every day.

below are 5 tips that help me be a better & more productive business owner

1) go away

running out of ideas // inspiration // motivation?
go somewhere else. sit outside & blog. head to the coffee shop to work on your to-do list. bring a blanket & sit outside to work. sometimes a simple change a scenery makes all the difference. i definitely find that sitting at a table, windows open, music off has made me much more productive.

2) rank your list
i have a huge fan of lists [you already knew that, right?] i always have a 'master to-do list' going at all times, but i also have a list of things i need to get done right now ; today. making a list the night before of things i need to do at certain times helps move me along.
if i dont have a deadline, i become a professional time-waster.

3) just quit, already!

when i first started :dianapantz: ; that is ALL i did. i would get up at 6:30am and work til 11pm. working working working. i didnt take care of myself. my apartment. my partner. none of it.
i have learned to set a 'stop time.' when you have a 'real job', there is a stop time. the line is much blurrier when you are working from home, but you owe it to yourself [and the other people in your life!] to step away at a certain time each night. plus, its hard to be objective about your work // projects when you arent taking care of the rest of your life.

4) simplify your phone
i have an iphone. and with the iphone comes HUNDREDS of apps. i can do anything at anytime on my phone. cool, right? not cool.
there was a time when blake would be telling me about his day, but instead of listening, i was checking in with my 500 twitter followers. not fair.
so what did i do?
i deleted both facebook & twitter off of my phone. and i do not miss them!
i spend SO much of my time on the computer being :dianapantz: ; it is also so important to step back & be diana. spend time with my friends & family. bike without wondering if people are 'liking' my statuses. live my 'real' life & be so thankful for all the beautiful things around me!

5) sick day!

take an afternoon // day // weekend off.
i know that when you are just starting a business // blog, you want to make it the very best you can. BUT [i have said it before] if i am not taking care of my brain, then i can not take care of my business.
taking a day off will fill you with inspiration & creativity. go for a walk [or a BIKE RIDE!], visit a lake or farmers market. sit outside & read a book. leave your phone, ipod & kindle inside. enjoy the sounds, smells & colors around you.
i find i am more productive once i take an hour or two to enjoy the things around me.

what tips do you have?!

my other indie biz posts : how to stay organized & why you should be measuring your influence

home DIY : sew your own curtains

happy thursday!!
this week month has been blurring by.
i have been feeling 'meh' & slightly uninspired lately ; more on that later [maybe].

today, i have vanessa here sharing a super simple project.

here we go :
__________________________________________________________________________________

A set of curtains is a great first-project for beginners on the sewing machine. This is the second set of curtains I've sewn for my home, and I can't wait to make a third.

The quantity of fabric can be overwhelming for some people, but if you take this step by step and follow the instructions, it's a breeze.

[I originally found this sewing guide in 2009 here. ]

How to sew easy curtains:

1. Measure the window. Multiply the width x2 for the length of the fabric. Add 8" to the height.
2. Cut your fabric to desired length. You should have two panels.
3. Fold each side and the bottom 1", then 1" again and sew 1/2" from the edges. (Basically down the middle.)
4. Fold the top down 1", then another 1" (like the sides and bottom). Pin this fabric, then fold down an additional 3" and transfer all pins to capture all three layers.
5. Sew right down the middle.
6. Sew 1" from the top to form the rod pocket. (I like to leave a little extra room and sew 1.25" - 1.5" depending on the look I'm going for.)

Voila! You have curtains!

nice!

one of the things i am looking forward to once we own a home is all the decorating and diy projects i can do!!

have you ever sewn curtains before?! 

top 10 tutorials using items you already have laying around!

hey!

you've been here before, right?

then you know how much i love to reuse/repurpose/recycle items around the house.

most of the crafts/diys i do, involves items that i already have handy.

i scoured the interwebz to find my top 10 tutorials that require items that you [probably] have sitting around the house.

all of them take very little time, make great gifts and help save the planet!

here we go : 

1) coasters made from fabric scraps and old cds!! 

2) plant seedlings in toilet paper rolls! 

3) super easy sunshine sugar scrub [this is a great gift for a new mama or a co-worker/neighbor/friend]

4) make leg warmers//boot socks from old sweater sleeves

5) paint-dipped silverware [these would be *so cute* displayed in a shadow box in the kitchen!!]

 6) terrarium made from small jars [i would LOVE to make this!!]

 7) sewn banner made from paint chips!

 8) easy candle upcycle [for all those 3/4 melted candles]

 9) make a wreath from a VHS tape!!! [this is soo clever!]

 10) make a stocking from an old sweater [this is on my list for next christmas!]

people are so creative, i love it.
any of these you plan to try out?
what projects are you working on?

thanks for reading, everybody. i appreciate you!