Archives for August 2016

Increasing Tanner’s Sleep + Nested Bean Giveaway

August 24, 2016 by Drafts & Crafts

I think the most commonly asked question to any new mama is, “how is your baby sleeping?” We have been blessed that Tanner is a good sleeper, but I wanted to share some ideas that I believe helped us.

{Zen Sleep Sack: Nested Bean c/0}

Babies are the biggest blessing and are exhausting at the same time, am I right?? Getting them on a good sleep schedule (to the best of our ability) is important for a new mama’s sanity. All babies are different and it is important to remember that there is not a one size fits all category. However, I do think there are some tips that can promote a better sleep schedule. After all, new moms are suppose to sleep when their baby sleeps. ONLY KIDDING! I don’t now why people say that, it is easier said than done. The only time I can get things done is when Tanner is sleeping!

The first month is tough because a baby is adjusting to life outside of the womb. A baby is not born knowing the difference between daytime and nighttime. Eating and sleeping go hand-in-hand for babies. At first, eating and sleeping is the only thing a newborn really does. Tanner is now 3 months old, he goes to bed at 10pm and sleeps until 5:30am, which is when my husband wakes up for work. Here are some ways that we promoted sleep in our home:

Start a newborn on a strict feeding schedule. Tanner ate every 3 hours for the first month. I believe his body learned the feeding schedule and he slept around his feedings. After about a month, his sleep increased by a few hours until he eventually started sleeping through the night.
Once it is dark outside, do not have bright lights on in your home. The doctor told me this will help babies learn the difference between day and night. So during the day we go for walks and open blinds so that Tanner will see plenty of sun light. And when the suns goes down, we keep the lights dim.
Keep your baby warm at night. A covered baby will tend to sleep longer since they are cozy and comfortable.
Invest in a weighted sleep sack. We use the Nested Bean Zen Sack which helps increase sleep by mimicking touch. I was eager to try this product because Tanner loves to sleep when is being held, cuddled, or touched. The Zen Sack is lightly weighted in the center to feel like they are still being embraced by a parent. I also love that Tanner’s arms are free. He always broke loose in his swaddle so that he could put his arms above his head. Tanner had slept through the night a handful of times before we began using the sack, but not consecutively. Since using the Nested Bean Zen Sack in the past month, he has only woken up for a middle of the night feedings probably 3 times. Head to my Instagram @dccold to enter for a chance to win a Zen Sack from Nested Bean! Giveaway begins 8/24 at 6pm and will close 8/28 at 6pm. The giveaway is open to US and Canada residents.

I would like to begin transitioning Tanner to an earlier bedtime soon. When it comes to developing your little one’s sleep schedule, you have to do what works best for your family. Again, these are just tips that worked well for our family. My hope is that I can help one parent increase their child’s sleep! If you have any other suggestions, please do share! I would love to hear what worked for your baby and what did not. Don’t forget to enter the Instagram Giveaway so you can gain a few more hours of sleep!

Keep in touch,
Dani

Wooden Plant Hanger

Craft Box

August 22, 2016 by Drafts & Crafts

I wanted to purchase plant hangers for a blank wall in my living room and then it came to me, why not coerce my husband into making some for me! Here are the steps to create these DIY wooden plant hangers.

In designing the hanging wall planter, we first created a test model using scrap wood. This way we could get an idea of what the proportions would look like in real life. And I’m glad we did, because the first model did not look so hot. We had used a stock 1″x 4″ set up in a equilateral triangle, which looked bulky and fat. That meant that we now needed to find a thinner wood stock, or make our own! So Jason broke out the table saw…

Step 1. Set the fence to your desired thickness and rip your entire board. We went with 1/2″. We also wanted the planter to be about 2″ tall, so step two is to set reset the fence and rip the board to the proper width. Using a table saw with a locking fence is the safest and easiest way to cut boards to a uniform size. It also helps to make sure you have a blade designed for finer cuts, not for rough cuts. And remember to keep your fingers away from that blade!

Step 2. Cut the two identical front sides of the triangle. Attach a piece of wood to your miter gauge to help you push the wood for the next cuts. Since these pieces are going to be small, you don’t want your fingers near the blade. And because they will be miter cuts, precision is key. Set the table saw blade to 45 degrees, and make a few test cust with scrap wood to make sure your liners match up. The entire project depends on these cuts! Cut your first piece, and use it to mark your second piece so that they match. Remember, if your piece is cut too big you can always take some more off, but you can’t put any back on! After the front two sides are cut, line them up and mark your cuts for the back piece. It is still a 45 degree cut so you won’t have to change the saw blade.

Step 3. LIGHTLY sand any splinters on your corners, but only use very fine sandpaper. Too much sanding will cause gaps in your miter joints. Dry fit everything to make sure you are satisfied with your joints. If so, make sure the sides of the wood are sanded and clean, and then stain the wood! Because we used pine, we first conditioned the wood with a stain pre-treatment to help even absorption, then applied about 4 coats of Jacobean wood stain.

Step 4. After the stain has fully dried the pieces can be glued. Dry fit everything one more time before you apply any glue. Once you know everything will fit, apply a thin coat of glue to both pieces and firmly press together. You may choose to use masking tape to hold the joints together, however we glued three of ours with no tape and they held together just fine. Wipe up any excess glue with a wet rag and allow to dry overnight.

Step 5. Use the triangles to mark the wood for the bottoms. Each triangle may be slightly different, so it is important to number each triangle and match it with its bottom. This time you will use the miter gauge on a 45 degree and set the blade straight, again using the pusher to keep your hands clear. Sand any rough edges and stain the bottoms. After the stain dries, glue the bottom into the triangles. They should fit pretty snuggly. Turn the triangles on their sides to dry so that they don’t glue themselves to your table.

Step 6. Use a wood sealer on the inside to make sure that water from the soil does not absorb into the planters. One or two coats should be fine. After it has dried, use a waterproof caulk to seal up the bottom joints inside the triangle. The only thing left is to find some succulents and a place to hang your new

Step 7. Finally, to hang your planters, install gold eyelets from a picture hanging kit on the rear arms of the triangles. I found it helpful to use a hammer to lightly tap the eyelets into the wood to get the screws started. Then use your pliers to unbend a link of your chain, and attach it to the eyelets. We used 28″ of chain. The only thing left now is to pick out a pair of succulents to put in your new triangle planters!

A HUGE thank you to my sweet husband for making my vision come to life and creating these little planters for our living room! If more hours get added to a day, I thought about having Jason help me make some more hangers to sell in my Etsy shop. A girl can dream… have you made any good home projects lately?

Keep in touch,
Dani and Jason

Navy Jumper & Baby Style

Closet

August 20, 2016 by Drafts & Crafts

I have been thinking about fall style and picked up some new additions that will transition into the coming season. Up first, this navy jumper.

{Jumper: Target} {Tee: Target}
{Hat: Forever 21} {Sunnies: Illesteva}

{Tanner’s Onesie: The Perfectly Peared}
{Leggings: Second Stitch to the Right}

My search for the right jumper has been fulfilled! I have been on the hunt for a jumper for just about the whole summer. And of course, Target comes through for the win once again! I am digging this playful, throwback look. I wanted to be sure to purchase a darker color jumper so it would transition effortlessly into fall. I am picturing it now with some booties and a long cardigan when the weather starts to get chilly… if the weather ever cools off. By the end of summer, I am soooo over the heat and just ready to welcome fall with open arms. Who else is with me?!?

If you follow me on instagram, than you may have noticed that Tanner has been wearing lots of cute onesies from our friends over at The Perfectly Peared Etsy shop. I love simple, clean, and trendy onesies. I paired the little man’s ‘baby bear’ onesie with his bear leggings from our other favorite Etsy shop, 2nd Stitch to the Right. The 2nd Stitch to the Right makes blankets, leggings, tops, and beanies with the most adorable prints for babies. If you are a mama friend or looking for a baby gift, be sure to check out both Etsy shops, The Perfectly Peared and 2nd Stitch to the Right. What style trends are you excited for this fall?

Be sure to follow me on IG @dccold because I have a few more giveaways coming up that I am realllly excited about!!

Keep in touch,
Dani

Back to School (or daycare) with Name Bubbles Lables

Mommy & Misc

August 6, 2016 by Drafts & Crafts

Today I am talking about where to get the best personalized labels for your children. We love using labels on Tanner bottles to keep track of the date and time it was filled.

Tanner’s Onesie: Old Navy
Bottles: Medela
Labels: Name Bubbles (c/0)

I hope everyone is enjoying their last bit of summer! For us here in Florida, school begins in 2 days! While I do not have school aged children yet, I am glad that my friend referred me to a wonderful company where you can create labels for kids. Name Bubbles specializes in personalized labels for all ages. Tanner is not going to daycare for a little while, but we wanted to essentially do the same thing with his bottles that a daycare would require. My husband and I wanted to label each bottle with the day, time, and if we added rice formula (for reflux) so that we would know when it needed to be used/discarded.

The reason we love these labels is because they are permanent. They can be put in the dishwasher and written on over and over again. You are NOT having to use a new label each time. After placing the label on the item, you let it sit for 24 hours before running it through the wash or dishwasher. If you are label crazy like me, be sure to check out the hundreds of different styles. They also have a handy checklist for new mamas that are going to be sending their children to daycare. To kick off back to school, some mama friends and I are going to be hosting a giveaway with Name Bubbles on Instagram soon! You can follow me @dccold to check out when that giveaway will begin. This is one you do not want to miss since there will be more than 1 winner! If your a mama, are you ready to send your kiddos back to school?? Summer went by so fast guys, I can not believe it!

Keep in touch,
Dani