Love and Lion

ARI’S ANIMAL THEMED PARTY: PART 3

Last post from Ari’s animal themed birthday party! 
PARTY FAVORS
I filled these “feed buckets” with all animal themed goodies:
I found all animal/insect gummies from our local candy store Honey’s Vintage Sweets! Sharks, pigs, fish, frogs, and worms. The only kind of animals I’ll eat 🙂
I made these “farm fresh egg [shakers]” with easter eggs, rice, and hot glue. Kids go bananas for egg shakers!  
ENTERTAINING THE LITTLES
Decorate your own binoculars: cut a paper towel roll in half, staple together, and punch holes for the yarn strap.
This was my favorite game I did for the kids. I found these colorful peanuts at Joannes and then put lots of little plastic animals inside. The kids used the shovels to dig for animals, and I’m telling you, they were totally fixated on finding the animals! I left this out for Ari to play with for weeks after the party, and he was so into it every. single. time. Keep your littles busy! Though, obviously keep in mind these are choking hazards so make sure your kiddos are supervised. 
Equally as big of a hit as the animal dig was when I covered our coffee table with butcher paper and let the kids go crazy with crayons! Again, I kept this up for weeks, just changing out the paper when it was covered completely with doodles. The adults got really into it too! 
and lastly…
THE INVITATION
Designed by the talented Lauren of Rock Paper Scissors
See the rest of Ari’s animal themed party
Part 1 – All the details HERE
Part 2 – Tutorials HERE
We would LOVE to see what you come up with for your animal party! Tag #loveandlion on instagram or twitter, or you can post on our facebook page. 
-L

ARI’S ANIMAL THEMED PARTY: PART 2

I wanted to share all of my DIY’s with you from Ari’s animal themed birthday party. These ideas are pretty simple and easy, but when you put them all together, it looks sort of impressive (if I do say so myself!).
PAINTED PLASTIC ANIMALS
These little dudes were my biggest project. I collected tons of plastic animals from craft stores and dollar stores and spray painted them solid colors to make the look more cohesive and modern. The easiest way I found to paint the animals was to put packing tape sticky side up on a piece of cardboard (see below) and spray paint from every angle. They take a while to dry and require multiple coats, so plan ahead!
PARTY HATS
I LOVE how the party hats turned out! First unfold a store-bought party hat and trace it onto black paper. Cut it out a little larger than the traced line you made. Put the hat back together and tape the black paper around the hat. I cut the plastic animals in half and used a hot glue gun to secure each half to the front and back of the hat. For the pompom on top, I fringed some white crepe paper and glued it into seam of the hat.
ANIMAL CUTLERY
I have to say, the animal cutlery was the biggest hit with everyone, but these were so. time. consuming. Use fine sand paper and sand off the finish on the forks where the animal will go. Make sure there’s no spray paint on the middle of the animals, in other words, spray paint the animals first before cutting. Use Gorilla Wood Glue (super glue and hot glue does not work!) and hold on to these suckers until the glue dries. This will take about 3-5 minutes PER fork. But I mean… look how cute they turned out! 
DIY FRINGY TOPPERS
Once you get the hang of it, they’re super fast and easy. Use these for drink stirrers or cake toppers or whatever! These pretties brighten up any party.
PHOTO BOOTH
Time consuming? Yes. Easy? Ridiculously. 
All you need is a roll of butcher paper or bulletin board paper, craft paint, and a wine cork. For the photo booth backdrop, I measured neurotically so the dots would be even, but for the tablecloth below, I stamped randomly.
 More cork stamping! Paper mache letters hung on the door. 
CHALKBOARD TRAYS
I bought inexpensive silver plastic trays and spray painted the boarder with the same paint I used on the animals. When dry, paint the center with two layers of chalkboard paint. Easy!
For Part 1 of Ari’s animal themed party pictures click HERE
Part 3 HERE
Party Favors / Games for the kiddos / Details
-L

ARI’S ANIMAL THEMED PARTY: PART 1

Today’s #TBT party series features Ari’s 2nd birthday. At two, Ari was obsessed with going to the zoo, so I went with a “Party Animal” theme and made it modern with solid, bright colors. Everything I did was DIY– you can totally pull this off if you have the time and plan ahead!
My talented twin sister, Ellie, of Aunt Ellie’s Sweet Treats, made her famous gourmet rice krispie treats Campfire Crispies and cut them out in animal shapes. These. Are. Amazing. If you’ve never tried, you’re missin’ out on life, my friend. Order HERE. You deserve it.
DIY chalkboard trays tutorial HERE / Spoons by Shop Sweet Lulu
DIY fringy toppers tutorial HERE / Baking cups by Shop Sweet Lulu
Remember those yummy frosted animal cookies you ate as a kid? I made them out of sugar cookies, tinted frosting, and sprinkles. 
Not gonna lie… these bad boys took me a loooong time. But worth it right? Tutorial HERE.
’cause it’s a camel.. get it?
Nana Lou’s famous punch (for adults!). This zookeeper needed three one after all this DIY-ing!
Yep, that’s me enjoying zookeeper punch. 
I made teeny little party hats for these fellas.
Animal canister DIY – fill with animal food: goldfish, teddy grahams, and animal crackers
I took a picture of Ari every month – well worth torture! See all three years HERE.
PHOTO BOOTH
Photo booth backdrop and party hat tutorial HERE. 
I absolutely adore this picture! Lauren and Piper, Ari and me, Amara and Jenni. Obviously our kids are super photogenic.
Homemade funfetti cake! Mmmm… Topped with spray-painted animals of course.
Part 2 of Ari’s Animal Theme Birthday Party click HERE: DIY’s
Part 3 click HERE: Party favors, games for the kiddos, details
-L

WHAT I WORE

Today, I got out and had lunch with a dear friend and did a little prep shopping before we leave this week to fly out to see my husbaaaaaaaand!!!! I am a little excited as it has been two weeks! Miss that guy.

jeans / t-shirt / jacket (sold out, but similar here ) / necklace (sold out, but loving this and this) / booties
Spring seems to be nudging its way in around here, which I gladly welcome. However, I am going to miss wearing my (faux) leather jacket a little bit. It is just a winter piece for me (mind games), but I may need to find a pretty tan or pale pink one to sport in the springtime. I paired it with a simple T and my new Joe’s jeans that I am absolutely in. love. with. They feel like leggings….truly. I haven’t splurged on a pair of jeans since being preggers with Amara. I guess I just kept waiting for my body to get “back to normal”…HA! It is as back to normal as its going to get, so my hubby let me indulge a little. I needed a pair that give this flat butt a little oomph (Lord help it), stay up when I am on the go, and don’t cut into my gut hips. 
This is a great day OR night look. I threw on one of my favorite tassel necklaces for a little sparkle along with my absolute favorite pair of ankle boots ( from Target ya’ll!!!). I feel like I could walk all day in them. Super comfy look, but still put together. 

lip color: I am wearing Flower Beauty’s coral floret
Photo cred: Mardi Wallace 
Hope you all are enjoying your Tuesday! 
xoxo
-Jenni

FAV PLAYROOMS

It would be SO nice to be in just one room in the house without seeing play doh and books and balls and puzzles and trucks and cars everywhere. Chaos. I’m dreaming about a playroom where I can hide the boys junk and have an adult space. But wouldn’t it be icing on the cake (mmm…cake) to have said playroom be aesthetically pleasing AND functional? Here are my playroom inspirations- designed by some super creative mommies and some of my favorite bloggers:
1. Pencil Shavings Studio
Genius: color color color, gallery wall, chic storage
2. Lay Baby Lay
Genius: play stations, comfy seating for mommies, creative artwork
3. 6th Street Design School
Genius: dress up station, chalkboard wall, teepee
Genius: color coordinated storage, play table, happy colors
Genius: modern colors, hidden storage, magnetic art wall!
Maybe one day… sigh
-L

BEAUTY ESSENTIALS

{click on numbers below for links}
Hey friends!! I have been wanting to do a “beauty bag” post for a couple of weeks now. Something that some of you may not know about me is that I am a licensed esthetician in addition to my full-time mommy and part-time blogger duties. I don’t work in a spa or anything, but I love to take freelance jobs  doing make-up, waxing and talking to women about their skincare concerns. 
My little heartfelt testimony starts here….
I have struggled with my skin as long as I can remember. I have never been able to look in the mirror and see clear skin…..EVER! I am not being sarcastic or dramatic. This is all just real talk. I have just learned to deal with the fact that I don’t have a “poreless” face that tans and can go without make-up….even to the grocery store. It is THE. REASON I went into esthetics. Not only to help others, but to educate myself. { I am actually getting a little teary-eyed….what? } I have always said that working in the food/service industry makes you a better person on the other side. I feel the same way about acne as a teenager (or an adult). There was just nothing worse for me. 
 I have still not conquered my skin issues, but they are better than they used to be. I can’t drink a soda or use a dirty make-up brush without my skin letting you know that I did so. I can put on make-up and take a picture with the best of them. You would never know that I have acne scars, leftover pregnancy spots, or cyst like acne hiding underneath my makeup. My daughter is very good at picking out all of the “owies” on my face. It is always a highlight of my day 😉 This is not meant to be a downer post, however, with all of this information, you will understand how picky I am about my makeup products and exactly how important it is for me to achieve a NATURAL look without the clumpy mascara or cakey foundation. With that being said…. my make-up bag is full of products I believe it 100%. I would NEVER tell someone to use something that I would not use myself.
Lastly, most of my beauty buys are from the drugstore/Target. There are certain things that are worth the splurge, and then there are the inexpensive products that I believe are BETTER than the splurge. Quality is far more important than the cute label that you take pics of and post on your IG account. Yeah…..you know what I am talking about. 😉 Ok, I am done! Thanks for reading if you made it this far without skipping. 
Why I love these products so much:
1.  I love the anti-aging benefits of this concealer. It gives AMAZING coverage (reminiscent of the Laura Mercier concealer pot), but with a smooth, soft texture. It looks so incredibly natural I think.
2. LOVE. THIS. STUFF. BB creams have been extremely hard for me, because they either don’t cover enough, look too orangey, or wipe off on my husband’s shirt when I hug him. This so SO lightweight, but still evens out my skin tone. It smells lovely too. The BEST thing about this product is the fact that it DOES NOT sit in your wrinkles! YAY!!!!
3. Loving these colors for Spring! Turkish delight and Schiap. If you don’t wear bold lipstick, just try it. I PROMISE, it is not as bold to others as it looks to you. And for the love of Pete….don’t ask your husband. They just don’t seem to get the bright lip trend. Or maybe that is just mine!
4. Beauty balm is the way to go when removing eye make-up. This leaves your skin feeling sooooo soft without the oily feel. LOVE!!!
5. I just love this blush. I used it, left it, went back to it. It is just a beautiful color, and so natural looking. They have labels on the top to help you identify what shade works best for you. Cool or warm skin tone? LO’REAL has kind of taken over my make up bag. I use their face concealer as well.
6. Ok, I think this is my favorite product right now. I am obsessed with the twisting wand. I use one position for my top lashes, then click to another position for my bottom lashes. It. is. awesome!
7. This is my go-to powder. I am not a foundation kind of gal, but if it comes in powder form, yes please! There is also a new touch up veil broad spectrum pot that would be great for the summer if you don’t want as heavy of coverage.
-Jenni

GOLD, WHITE, AND BURLAP INSPIRATION BOARD

My dear friend, Beth, is turning the ripe old age of 31 only 29 this week and is throwing a fabulous dinner party for friends. She wanted a party with a gold, white, and burlap color story. Elegant but a touch rustic. Jenni and I put together an inspiration board for decor. See our Pinterest board for even more ideas, many of them inexpensive and DIY which of course we love! 
wine glasses / mason jar / feathers / gold glasses / rose / burlap candles / straws / garland / 
21 candles / burlap bunting banner / balloon
Happy Birthday, Beth! You are simply stunning- inside and out- and deserve only the BEST. Love you!!
-L
P.S. We love to put together boards like this if any of you have parties you’re throwing- let us know!

CANDY PILLOW BOXES: ANOTHER VALENTINE DIY

Hope everyone’s week is going well! Just wanted to share what we did for Amara’s Valentines this year for her sweet little friends. She wasn’t allowed to actually help, unfortunately, because she is a little under the weather. Germs! So, I assembled these little candy boxes during 45 minutes of her calling my name from her room nap time.
It is no secret that we are in love with the Target dollar section. It served me so well for this holiday! I picked up a few chipboard letters, heart pillow boxes and some sprinkle tape. 
^^ Things you need: candies of your choice, foam mounting tape, chipboard letters, pillow boxes, sprinkle tape… ^^
^^ and some FABULOUS chocolates (from Olive Sinclair) – check! ^^
^^ For the non-kid chocolate lover, I just wrapped a few chocolate pieces in wax paper and tied it with twine. Perfect small treat! ^^
 ^^ Can we just talk about this sprinkle tape?! ^^
 ^^ I cut a few tiny pieces of the ‘foam tape’ for the back of the chipboard letters just to give it a “lifted” look on the pillow box. ^^

Hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day…
xoxo!
-J

NEXT LEVEL OREO RICE KRISPIE TREAT COOKIES

We’ll explain…
Have you seen these little babies?
We saw these and thought… what can we do to make these even more fat-tastic? Hmmm let’s scrape the good stuff out, mix it with rice krispie treats, slap it back in between the cookie parts, dip it in chocolate, and drench it in sprinkles. OKAY!
 Here’s the hardest part… try not to eat the oreo middles with your hands a spoon.
 Cut circles out *while rice krispie treats are still warm and pliable* and smoosh in between oreo cookie halves
 Dip in melting chocolate
Add sprinkles while chocolate is still soft if you want to make them festive!
Package these yummies up and spread the love!
YUM
RECIPE
NEXT LEVEL OREO RICE KRISPIE TREAT COOKIES
6 C Rice Krispie cereal
5 C mini marshmallows
3 TBSP unsalted butter
1 package Marshmallow Crispy Oreos
1 package candy making chocolate – we used Ghiradelli White Melting Wafers
Sprinkles
1. Scrape the cream centers out of the Oreos and set aside- they peel right out! Save the cookie halves.
2. Make rice krispie treats: melt butter and marshmallows. Stir in cereal and Oreo cream centers.
3. Press mixture evenly into greased baking tray with greased spatula or parchment paper. 
4. While treats are still a little warm and pliable, cut circle shapes out and set aside. We used an empty sprinkle container.
5. Smoosh rice krispie treat circles in between the Oreo cookie halves.
6. Melt chocolate in a double broiler/microwave and dip oreos. The cookies really don’t stay together well without the chocolate part! Dip the cookie in sprinkles while the chocolate is still warm and let cool completely. 
7. Devour.

AMARA’S FIRST BIRTHDAY

For our “throw back thursday” series, we are revisiting my daughter’s first birthday party. I had ideas and color schemes running through my head since before her birth. The party was held in September, which makes for such lovely weather here in TN….usually. It is also my birthday month, so it is just an all around happy time of celebration for us. I knew I wanted to hand make the invite rather than get something printed, create a pinwheel photo booth backdrop, and use peach and mint in my color scheme. Thats it! 

^^ The invites were my FAVORITE part of the celebration. I ordered mini chalkboards, painted and cut each envelope out of watercolor paper and did a peach ombre water color, and sweet Leah did beautiful hand lettering on every. single. invite! Then, we finished it off with a photo envelope liner. I believe we did that for 28 or so. Then, I attached a chalkboard tag with some gold and cream yarn. The most special part, for me, was that they were each hand delivered. I just feel like your invite sets the tone for the entire party, and I wanted it to be special, and for each of our guests to know just how much it meant for them to be there, and how much time was taken to make their invitation a beautiful one. ^^
^^ I found doilies in the dollar section at a local craft store, and folded them over a piece of yarn, and voila. I didn’t want to take them down after the party because they made my yard look so pretty! ^^
^^ My sweet friend, Lori, covered an “A” in moss. I just wanted a little something to set outside of the door. ^^
^^ Yarn wrapped letters are a favorite of mine. I set out some of Amara’s favorite books with a pair of her baby shoes to add some sweet touches. I finished off the mantle with a ribbon – esque garland. Mine were just strips of fabric from Wal-Mart. Believe it or not….it was the only place where I could find the perfect shades of peach and mint. ^^
^^ This pinwheel backdrop was such a labor of love for me. It was a LOT of work, but I absolutely loved how all of the photo booth shots turned out. I think I cried when I was forced to break it down and throw it out. I need a studio so I can hoard all of my labors of love, right? haha! ^^

^^ My husband put together a one year video to show at the party, and to hand out as party favors. We took our cake outside and sat around some hay bales that we bought for the party ( which stayed in our yard for a good two months after the party). It was perfect. We just hung a white sheet off the side of our pergola, and borrowed a projector from our neighbor. ^^
^^Leah and I with our littles!^^

R&R… VILLA STYLE

Last week, my husband and I had the amazing opportunity to go on a vacation with some of our favorite people at Rivendell Villa in Jamaica. For amazing photos of this place, click here. It was truly a time of rest, relaxation and pure restoration. I have never experienced anything like it. I had an incredible amount of anxiety ( over flying and leaving my daughter) before leaving, and it felt insanely good to feel that weight lift off of me as soon as I pulled into the gates of heaven. Yep, I like to call it heaven on earth. 
^^ Welcome goodies are always a good sign, right? ^^
^^ We spent many of the evenings playing croquet at sunset ( fancy, right?) as we sipped tea and ate pastries…. like a lot of pastries…..well, maybe that was just me. ^^
^^ I am actually quite scared of the ocean and everything underneath the surface, but this trip managed to host a lot of “firsts” for me. It helps to have friends cheering you on shoving you into the water. I had been snorkeling once before, but it had been so long that this might as well have been my first time. ^^ 
^^ A couple of our guy friends went about 12 miles out into the ocean with this fisherman and his wife, and caught some amazing tuna ( SO proud of them) that we were later served during a game of croquet while sipping wine…. I know….not real life. ^^
 ^^ There was truly nothing more peaceful on this trip than paddling out into the ocean and just sitting.^^
^^ We went on a Black River Safari where we saw crocs, devoured fresh crab and white wine at a REAL crab shack, jumped off of a bridge into a “croc free” part of the river ( I was skeptical and felt the urge to throw up several times as I don’t like heights or the possibility of rubbing elbows with a crocodile), and listened to Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” more than once. The tour guide seemed to like that song.
^^ An amazing tablescape for our last night’s dinner.^^
This house was staffed, and I felt like I was leaving family by the end of the trip. They were SO serving, humble, gracious and amazing at their jobs. I am so grateful to them for taking this experience to the ultimate level for us. I must admit…it was a wake up call for me on my first morning back home. No fresh fruit for breakfast, anyone to make my bed, a toddler tugging at my pant leg…. oh how quickly we adjust to luxury, huh?  
What is your dream vacation that you had the chance to go on or still dream of going on?
-Jenni

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