There's somethin' about matching shirts...

You know you called your friends in elementary school and tried to align days where you wore matching shirts. Maybe they were Esprit, maybe not. I'm just saying that it was cool to wear matching Esprit shirts in my 'hood.

But ever since I heard about a birthday party where they handed out "camp shirts" to the guests, I was inspired to unashamedly copy this genius person and make matching shirts for my daughter and fellow birthday goers last weekend at her camping-themed party.

You know, it made me feel a bit powerful...creating my own legit camp, as defined by the fact that we all matched, grown-ups included. Ours said "Staff" on the backs. I mean, who has a real camp (or team or respectable business) where everyone wears whatever they want?? Matching tees mean you're serious. Seriously awesome. Just look at Target. Don't even apply for a job there unless you have a red shirt and khakis. In case you were thinking of getting a job there.

Anyway, my pal Andrea wanted to know how we made them, so here's how. It was so easy.

1. First you have to buy something like this. This kind is on the JoAnn website.

I couldn't find an image or link, but I bought Jolee's Easy Image Transfer Sheets for Colored Fabrics (by Wilton) at Michaels. I was tempted to buy the transfers for light fabrics because they were half the price...$5 for 5 sheets versus $10 for 5 sheets for the dark fabric transfers. I thought, "What's the difference?" But I'm so glad I did not cheat. A friend told me that she buys the dark fabric transfers no matter what, because the light fabric ones are paper thin and crack easily after washing. 

2. Then you need a computer file. A logo, a photo, a scan...whatever you want. Lay multiples of the design out on a single page in that program if you want more than one image per transfer sheet. My awesome husband designed ours. That's how he rolls.

3. Avoid marital discord by limiting the number of changes you'd like to have done to said design. (Wait, that may just apply to my scenario.)

4. Run a practice sheet of paper through the printer to see if the alignment and coloring is what you want.

5. Then print. I was so impressed at how vivid the colors turned out on the transfer paper. So saturated.  

(The rest is according to the directions on the package, so it may vary from brand to brand. What I had to do was the following.)

6. Cut out each image with smooth, clean cuts. Notching the transfer, or giving it a fancy edging will make it likely to tear when peeling off the backing.

6. Iron a pillowcase for under the garment, then briefly iron the garment to smooth the surface.

7. Peel backing off transfer. This part took the most time and I had to be really careful not to stretch out or tear the transfers.

8. Place transfer on the shirt facing up, place a piece of parchment on top of the transfer (included), and press the super hot iron (no steam) down for 20 seconds in each area until you've covered the whole transfer. Done.



9. Oh yeah, and try not to faint from the (probably) toxic fumes given off by the melting plastic. (That step may also be just for me, given my unfailing "super-nose.")

Cute and simple, huh?
Doesn't it just make you want to call your best friend from elementary school?? (Niki, I'll meet you at the Esprit store in the mall.)

I'm makin' waffles!

I can't help but hear Eddie Murphy's voice when I say that. "I'm makin' waffles!" (Are you feelin' the Shrek in there?)

Well, my darling girl who turned nine yesterday request breakfast for dinner for her birthday. YESSSS! And she doesn't mess around. She is lover of all things breakfasty that can be covered with whipped cream.

I am soooo thankful that you brought the Joy of Cooking into my life a few years ago, because WOW. Best. Waffles. Evah.

And how happy is it to be at the start of the strawberry season for toppings to go with that waffley goodness? (Carrots have nothing to do with this post, but look what beautiful carrots we got at the organic farm?)

I have to share the waffle recipe I made (and slightly altered, of course), just for the folks who don't have the Joy of Cooking, or just need a reminder that once you make waffles from scratch, your life with waffles will never be the same. Eggo is a four-letter word to me now. Well, I guess it was all along. You know what I mean.

Check it. I do not know what makes this batter so incredibly fluffy. It was not like any batter for pancakes or waffles that I've ever made. It seemed too thick - it would not pour, but had to be scooped - and lo. It was perfection.


Buttermilk Waffles, pg. 647

Whisk these dry ingredients in a large bowl:
1 3/4 C flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Whisk these wet ingredients in a small bowl:
1 stick melted butter, (slightly cooled)
1 1/2 C buttermilk
3 eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract (my addition!)

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour the wet into the well, and mix "with a few swift strokes of the whisk".

Scoop a heaping 1/2 cup of batter onto the hot, ungreased waffle iron. If you're using a regular waffle iron, it claims to make about 6 waffles. With my belgian waffle iron, it made nearly 5.

{And since the waffle iron can only cook one at a time, I kept the others heated in the oven at 250. I moved them directly onto the oven rack because on the plate in the oven, they were getting softish underneath from the steam. Keeping them right on the rack preserved the crispiness.}

Voila. I want it for dinner once a week.



Ya know, it is the kind of thing that I may not want to make on a Saturday morning because it takes longer than using the boxed pancake/waffle mix. But for dinner, it's actually quicker than a lot of things I would make. It feels more worth it to be a dinner meal. Just for some protein, I paired the waffley goodness with some smoked chicken and apple sausages. Those I did not make from scratch. Gross.



My birthday girl did "big eyes" when we told her that her special glass was one we used in our wedding.  This time, however, it contained apple juice, Pellegrino and berries.

I didn't whip my own whipped cream. I know it is so many light years better than the canned kind. But what's fun about whipped cream on your birthday if you can't try some straight from the can?

Yeah. I shoulda taken a picture of that. I promise it was her, not me.

a child's drinking glass tutorial: just in time for summer!

hello lady friend!
i saw this idea on pinterest and just had to figure it out for myself....
and surprise surprise, it's suuuuuper easy!
you are going to love it!

supply list:

kerr quilted crystal jelly jars (you can get these at walmart or albertons)
                    (click to buy online)
straws (the ones in the photos are from the seasonal area at CVS, but i love these too)

hole punch (just a normal one, but not to old or rickety)

***when i started this project i already had the little jelly jars for glasses (so cheap and hard to break!) but i had thrown out the lids...so i went to walmart to replace the lids and bands...i got two kinds....

optional: kerr lids with bands or better homes and gardens canning lids

all you have to do is decide where you want the hole and punch it...really hard.

really really hard.

and if it doesn't go all the way through, turn it over and try again.

                            

be careful little lady!

there may be a part of the punch that is more dull than others so you may need to stick a pencil through the half punched hole and then bend that little hanger-on-er back and forth a bit.

you can do it!

if you want to, this is the time you can trim your straws.
my star ones started at 11 inches and i trimmed them down to 9 inches.
the red stripey ones are 9 inches to begin with.

now fill you jar with a drink,
stick that lid on the jar,
and the rim on top of that and insert your straw!
soooooo cute, right!?

here is a little footage of the reed kids enjoying them...

My fear of shorts and other summer traditions

It was a big, big challenge, but I've done it.

I've found the perfect shorts for me!

But before I tell you about them (and the other things I'm into for summer at the moment), I have to give our friends some history on me and shorts: I've always hated them. Well, I guess it's not exactly the shorts I've had the problem with. More like what is extending down from the shorts' openings to the ground.

So last summer, remember how I decided that I was tossing out my self-conscious silliness over my legs and went in the exact opposite direction of shorts-hating, which is called buying lots of shorts? 

Well, one pair was these guys that I purchased for my trip to the French Riviera.

And 'member how you called me Monte Carlo Barbie when I wore them?

I get it. They are bright, they are cotton sateen, and they are SHORT.

They even have a side zipper, for goodness sakes.

 And let's also mention that they are not the best looking on my legs. Not terrible, but not "Wow, those look really good on you!" either.

So my quest for the right pair of shorts continued.

And ended at the J.Crew outlet last weekend.

Here I discovered The City Fit Chino Shorts.

These guys are my friends. They come in soooo many cute colors.

They come in lots of lengths too. 3", 5", 7", and 9" inseams. 

 My bestie is the 5", like in the pic above.

I think this length, the 3" inseam, is best for you, yeah?

This is the color I bought. (But this photo shows them in the 3" length.)

Check me out, buying a neutral and growing as a person.

Best part is the City Fit. The waist band is wide and medium low. Not too low for us mommies, but not too high either. It has a hook and bar closure and cute contrasting fabric inside the waist. You will like that the back pockets are slits with a button closure on one. These shorts are a staple every year for J.Crew. The only thing that changes are the colors. So you can get last year's colors in the sale section of the website for $34 or the latest season ones for $42.50. (But if you can find an outlet, you can score them for $25 like I did!)

J.Crew, I really really love you.

Here are some more things I'm really loving, which are totally getting me ready for sum-sum-summertime!

Korres. Favorite new all-natural brand of body products.

The Basil Lemon Body Butter is so heavenly after my showers at the gym.
Oh, aaaaand, many Korres products also come in nifty gym-bag sizes; really high quality products for a great price. Their scent-doctor-inventor person should get a medal because they have some amazing and unique smells.

OK. Check this out. I found this in my makeup bag and had forgotten I had it.

It's Illuminating SPF 20 Tinted Moisturizer by Laura Mercier.

The reason I forgot about it is because it is way too dark of a shade for my skin. Buuuuuut, when I mix it in my hand with a little moisturizer, it is PERFECT and super glowy!

Love.

I'm sure it wouldn't be too dark for you or other normal people who don't have ghostly pale skin. That must be why they only sell it in one shade - because most people ARE that shade, right??

Total discrimination against pale people, btw.

[Speaking of pale, I'm annoyed that these colorless pictures aren't showing up very well.]

My mom just got me this amazing thing from her favorite store, Origins, this past weekend.

It is called Underwear for Lashes and dude. It is perfect for people like me who have very stubby, short, and sparse eyelashes.

You brush it on like mascara, except it goes on white in color. It basically builds a stronger base for the real thing to go on top of. It makes my lashes look way longer and fuller after I let it dry for a sec and then brush on my mascara. I was skeptical, and resistant to add another step to my makeup routine, but now that I've used it a few times, I'm super into it. Thanks mom!

So what have we learned?

Shorts can be your friend.

New smelly lotions will make you feel happy. 

Faces should be glowy and protected from the sun.

Eyelashes should wear underwear.

The end.

 

{Linking up with Kristy today @ Paisley Jade}

Mini-me and Mini-you

Know what?

We are so blessed to have these lovely ladies in our lives.

I know this post is not really cake & cottony.

But these girls are us.

Little, strong, miniature versions of us, in so many ways. 

And then they are not us, in so many ways.

So many beautiful ways.

The other day, as we left the optometrist's office, I overheard this conversation from the back seat:

little guy:  I want to be an eye doctor when I grow up.

big girl:  Well, I'm gonna be Ella's babysitter.

And yeah, I'm not having to wrangle my big girl into a car seat anymore, or chase after her as she bolts into the street. But I am instead entering a new phase of mommyhood, and this mom/daughter class we're taking will launch us into it, I'm sure:

For Mother and Daughter (ages 8-10)

An engaging 2 1/2 hour course which covers the basic physical and emotional changes that are associated with the onset of puberty. Our course helps young girls feel more confident and prepared for menstruation.

"Puber-Tea" creates a bond between mothers and daughters, making the transition into adolescence much easier for both. Mothers feel more comfortable and prepared for future conversations. The benefits of this course include but are not limited to:

• Thoroughly preparing both mothers & daughters for the onset of menstruation
• Preparation for the physical changes which occur during puberty (development of breasts, growth of body/pubic hair, acne, perspiration, and many other topics)
• Preparation for the emotional changes which occur during puberty (emotional roller coaster, self – esteem, body image, peer pressure, feelings of isolation)
• Learning about the roles hormones play in the changes of the body
• Helping moms to cope with the transition and seeing their daughter in a different light
• A safe place to ask questions
• A strong connection is both established and nurtured between mother and daughter

Wowza! I guess I'm ready for it. I know I can handle the new season, just like I've handled all the others.

But I'm a tad nervous. And just a tad - a tiny, tiny tad - wishing I was dealing with hearing too many choruses of the "Kitties are Awesome!" song for a little longer.

{if you would like information about classes like this for you and your kids, a friend told me about this one which is offered by www.birdsnbeesconnection.com. i think they may just be in the southern calif. area)

hmmmmmm pinteresting....

did you know that i have become way too interested in pinterest?

yep.
my eyes hurt from looking at the screen right now.

it is like looking at blogs with out having to read any words.

now, i know that this may appeal to me more than you, but guess what!?
if you come look at my pin boards you will see that i have made you one.
yep.
whenever i see things you would like i pin it on there for you!
like this...

yay!
i am so nice.
there isn't too many things on there yet...but there will be,
since apparently it is my full time job to look on that site now....
how could i resist pinning this?

or this?

or, come ON! what about these!?

oh well, i know that is just part of being Shauna Reed.
obsessive creativity or inspiration or reading or antique shopping or organizing or sewing or chattering.....
and then it's over.

this too shall pass.
but until then, check out my boards!

This post will make you happy

This is NOT what I'm supposed to be doing. Blogging, that is.

I should be folding and packing and sewing.

OH AND keeping my eye on your daughter, who is upstairs galavanting around with my little dude. I promise I'll go up if I hear any shrieks.

But for now, this is way more important. Look at this!

I saw it on Ellen's blog!

It is FREE to download & print HERE.

I am totally printing this like yesterday in the greens and blues, but it comes in two other combos. Click above and when you roll over the files, you can preview the colors. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE.

 

Also, check this pretty little ditty out. My favorite Mumford song by the pretty little Taylor Swift.

Our friend Jules sent me the link. WHY does she expose me to things that make me so happy I almost swear. Last week it was her recipe for Salted Carmel Cupcakes. Everyone who has an oven and a mouth should make these. Especially if you use the recipe she includes for homemade buttercream frosting. I almost said something I shouldn't say when I first tasted it. And I'm not someone who usually likes frosting.


Are you so so so so so jealous of Cherish, who gets to go to the Mumford and Sons show on Tuesday? I so am. Cherish, I may not be able to look at you for a while. The Mumford glow about your face may be too strong, and I'll have to hide my eyes. (Wait, I may be thinking of what happens when someone sees God, not Mumford and Sons.)

Ok, I better get off my computer.

Shhhh. Don't tell anyone I was here.

{Now go check out the happiness on Thursdays at Paisley Jade with Kristy}