DIY Oatmeal and Lavender Bath Soak

DIY Oatmeal and Lavender Bath Soak simplyhappenstance.com #DIY #bath #moms #oatmeal #lavenderDIY // Oatmeal and Lavender Bath Soak

Yay… It’s mid-week! All I’m dreaming of is a little rest, relaxation, and a warm bath {alone} tonight! If you’re a mom, you’ll especially appreciate the “alone” part! Am I right? It seems that every time I draw a bath for myself, I have at least a couple of my kids come in, splash their hands in the water, and ask if they can take a bath. It’s far from relaxing! So tonight, my plan is to take a secret bath {when everyone falls asleep}, immersing my body in this simple DIY bath soak! 

I love a good bath soak, but they can be expensive to buy… and sometimes there are unwanted added ingredients. I first made this Oatmeal and Lavender mixture for my littlest guy, Finn, over Christmas. He had pneumonia and ended up with an itchy rash all over his body from an allergic reaction to the antibiotics. On Christmas morning, my heart was broken looking at his sweet face and little body. He was literally covered in an uncomfortable rash from head-to-toe. I decided to make my own bath soak to help soothe his skin and lift his spirits. It definitely did help, which is partly why I’m sharing it with you today! 

DIY Oatmeal and Lavender Bath Soak simplyhappenstance.com

I have since made this recipe a few times. I have used locally grown dried lavender, as well as, {kid-safe} lavender essential oil, from Plant Therapy. The bath soak has turned out great, regardless of which kind of lavender I have used. So my advice to you, is to use whatever you have on hand, or can find easily! [Read more…]

DIY Jewelry Organizer and Giveaway

Do It Yourself Jewelry Orgaznizer

:: DIY Jewelry Organizer and Giveaway ::

I love the New Year!  It’s a chance to refresh and revisit what needs to be prioritized and organized.  This DIY Jewelry Organizer is a fantastic way to keep your jewelry at bay! We hope you are inspired to create your own!

Before we get to the tutorial… Sara and I are excited to offer you a chance to win a pretty baubled bracelet from Stella and Dot’s Spring Collection.  We love GIVEAWAYS!  The lucky winner can add this Amelie Sparkle Bracelet in Peach to their arm candy!  {I think I might need this bracelet too, and a few others from their Spring Collection!} 

Read ahead for your chance to win… but first we need to get our jewelry organized!  Not a small feat, as before this project I had three old dusty jewelry boxes that were becoming more of a place to play for Madeline, than for me to actually use and see what was in them!  My dear friend, Erica, inspired this jewelry organizer.  If you visit her closet, she has her jewelry organized in a similar fashion.  She made me see the light… that unless you have your jewelry displayed, you tend to wear the same pieces over… and over again.  I decided it was high time to cut back and organize my jewelry so that I could enjoy my seasonal and special pieces more often. So first thing is first, before my run to Home Depot, I went through my boxes and made a giveaway, keep, and play pile. 

 Do It Yourself Jewelry Organizer [Read more…]

DIY Hair Mask + Body Scrub

 

DIY Hair Mask and Body Scrub Recipes via Simply Happenstance Blog

:: DIY Hair Mask + Body Scrub ::

The harsh coldness of winter brings about DRY hair and skin! I for one, have grown weary of my flaky skin and brittle ends! How about you? Do you happen to have a jar of organic coconut oil in your home? There are so many uses for coconut oil… in fact, you can cruise on over to Wellness Mama to view 101 uses for the magical stuff! One of my favorite ways to apply coconut oil is to my hair and skin. Nightly, I actually smooth it all over my face. {It helps to moisturize and has natural anti-bacterial properties that help fight against acne and dreaded breakouts.}  

Since coconut oil is so versatile and healing, I came up with two simple DIY beauty recipes you can make on a whim, to help nourish your lovely locks and moisturize your thirsty skin. {I used all Trader Joe’s ingredients for my mixtures.} Enjoy, and please let me know how else you use coconut oil! 

The Hair Mask:

Avocado, Coconut Oil, and Honey Hair Mask {via Simply Happenstance}

Avocado Hair Mask Recipe {via Simply Happenstance}

Nourishing Avocado Hair Mask {via Simply Happenstance}

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Birchbox Beauty Favorites

 

 :: BIRCHBOX FAVORITES ::

 

I love products…. but I certainly don’t go to beauty supply stores and shop for myself often. With four kids, it seems like all shopping these days is for them…. not mama! Birchbox is perfect for someone like me! At only ten dollars a month, I don’t feel bad with the small purchase. The added bonus is that you don’t pay additional shipping and it comes in the mail… so it’s like opening up a little present once a month! I had every intention of doing a monthly review of its contents… but that hasn’t happened… In fact, I’ve only done this one {which you can view here}. In lieu of the monthly review, I decided to share with you several of my favorite products that I have received over the past five months. All of my favorites are on the Birchbox Best Sellers list, which means I am not alone in my opinions! These products are of great quality and ones I will purchase for myself once my samples run out. 

 

theBalm // Put A Lid On It

A little goes a long way with this amazing eyelid primer! I have used several other brands. This one happens to be less money, while still producing the same lasting, creaseless effect! Your shadows and eyeliner will stay on all day long! At times, I hesitate when about to wash off my eye makeup {at the end of the day} because it still looks perfect! I’m not one to sleep in my makeup, but I almost wonder if you could! You would probably wake up with your eyes looking flawless, assuming you’re a back sleeper! This product retails for $18. 

 

[Read more…]

Boho Summer

 

:: Boho Summer ~ Style Inspiration ::

 

We love our Polyvore site! It allows us to be creative in piecing styles, products, and brands together. Have you tried it yet? You can use one of their fun templates, or just randomly put your favorite images together like I did below. Either way… it’s fun, and you can even pin your finished sets as we’ve done in our “Dream Closet” Pinterest Board so you can share with others! I’m loving the easy, flowing, Boho style … perfect for summer! Click on the image below to view the product details! Have a wonderful day! 

 

Boho Summer

 
                    
 

 

 

 

 

 

{weekend} lovelies

Weekend Lovelies is here… and it’s all about  l o v e {which I guess is what it’s usually about}! Love & support for Boston, love for yourself, a little fashion, parenting advice for raising well-rounded kids, and a few sweet treats you can make in a single-serving {less guilt that way}! 

Hope you all have some fun plans over the weekend! What are you up to? Husby and I are off on a little roadtrip with the littles… in our quest for the simple life! Wish us luck! God willing… big changes ahead {wink, wink}!

Have a lovely weekend! {xo}

 

{Behind the Cover // Boston Magazine}

The cover of the May issue of the Boston Magazine features 120 running shoes, all worn in the recent Boston Marathon. It is shaped in a heart and the headline reads, “We Will Finish the Race.” John Wolfson, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, said that the idea behind the photo was to honor the bombing victims and the entire city for its response to the tragedy. He stated that “Every single shoe contributed a tiny bit to the overall effect, but collectively, you have something powerful.”

We happen to love the spirit of this photo. We are all standing behind Boston…

Visit The One Fund Boston to make a donation to help the victims {and their families} affected by the tragic events that occurred at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. 

 

 

 

{Real Beauty Sketches // Dove}

This has been floating around the web all week… and we really do love it. We all need to focus on loving ourselves… and perhaps seeing ourselves from other people’s perspectives. I, for one, am guilty of this… I thought it was beautifully portrayed and a real eye-opener.  

 

 

 

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