STOCKING STUFFERS AND GIFT IDEAS- ALL UNDER $20!

I shared this year's Christmas Gift Guide earlier this week, but today wanted to share some additional ideas with you.  Everything I selected for this list would make a great stocking stuffer or smaller gift since all of the items I picked are less than $20!  I organized my choices into 5 different categories... For Her, For Him, For Teens, For the Home, and Books.

*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.

For Her

Acrylic and Rattan Earring Set- Each pair of these earrings is incredibly on trend, and you get 9 PAIRS for less than $18, with great reviews!  Make someone really happy with the whole set or split them up for all of the girls in your extended family.

Hallmark Socks- for the Hallmark movie lover in your family.

Shower Cap- Terry cloth lined, generously sized- I've had one for a few years and use it every day... I even pack it for trips!

Leopard Striped Scarf- leopard anything for the win, but the designer inspired stripe on the edge takes it over the top!

Maybelline Super Stay Lipcolor-  The first time I tried this was when my Mom slipped a tube in my stocking last year, and now it's become a favorite!  I wear this type of lipstick (stays on all day) almost exclusively, and I really like this brand, maybe more than the Cover Girl version I've worn for years. The colors I currently have are 005, 025, 145, 200, and 220.  I mix and match two different colors every day depending on my mood and what I'm wearing.

Burt's Bees Original Lip Balm- I've tried a lot of lip balms, but keep coming back to this one as my fave.  In fact, it's time for me to restock!

Sunless Tanning Mousse- Right here in the dead of winter, who couldn't use a little glow?  This one is my favorite and works really well with no yucky smell.

For Him

Magnetic Stud Finder- Our stud finder works well when it decides it wants to- ha!  I think a new one is in order. This one is totally magnetic so doesn't rely on any electronic parts or batteries, and will actually stay on the wall by itself while you mark your spot or drill a hole.

Grill Smoker Box- We recently got one of these have enjoyed using it on the grill.

Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Wax- My husband was telling his friends about this yesterday, he loves it and says it works really well.

Mug Warmer- Keep that beverage warm all morning! 

O'Keeffe's Working Hands Cream- On my husband's list every year, a necessity for dry winter hands.

Metal Collar Stays- A nice alternative for the flimsy plastic ones that can so easily break or get lost.  Comes in a variety of sizes to fit any dress shirt collar.

For Teens

Mechanical Pencils- Practical but a restock is necessary half way through the school year!

14K Gold Filled Initial Necklace- Under $12 with great reviews!

Extra Long Phone Charging Cables- Not sure what took me so long but we bought these a few months ago.  SO nice to plug in on the other side of my nightstand and the phone will actually reach to my bed!

Headlamp Flashlights- My guys love using these for any number of things and son has requested his own this year.

Disposable Eyebrow/Facial Razors- We've been using these for a while and love them!  They're great for a quick upper lip or stray eyebrow clean up. 

Fast Dry Nail Polish Top Coat- seriously, works so well!

Bracelet Keychain- My daughter has one very similar to this (that was almost twice the price!) and loves it. It stretches to slip on her wrist, and it's easy to keep up with since she rarely carries a purse.

Retro Handheld Electronic Football Game- A classic!  Give them something to hold in their hands besides a phone!  ;)

For the Home

Air Purifying Charcoal Bags- Works wonders!  Throw one in the car, fridge, smelly teen's room, gym bag, closet... anywhere that could use some help to get rid of the stink!

Rainbow Stripe Turkish Tea Towels- This is a set that is actually more than $20, but it's for a dozen towels. Break up the set for multiple people and each one is only around $3!  Great for hostess or teacher gifts too.

PB plaid mug- So pretty and festive, another great option for teachers or hostess gifts as well as your favorite coffee or hot tea drinker.

Label Maker- This is the updated version of my own. Easy to use... just in time for January organizing!

Clothes Shaver/Lint Remover- I have one of these that's on it's last leg.  What I love about this one is that it plugs in so you never have to rely on batteries.  Makes pilled, fuzzy sweaters look new again!

Books

Magnolia Table Cookbook- Gift the original before Volume 2 comes out in the Spring.

Live in Grace, Walk in Love by Bob Goff- I just gave this at a book exchange party, but skimmed it a bit first and it looks so good!  Made up of 365 daily encouraging, inspirational readings with a scripture verse to go along with them each day.

Elements of Family Style- A follow-up to the first super popular book, Elements of Style.  Erin shares great tips for creating a practical yet stylish home for your family.

HGTV Magazine Subscription- One of my top 3 favorite magazines, a subscription is always a lovely gift that keeps on giving.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks- The New Frontier- The newest from our favorite Oklahoma accidental country girl!




Need a few more ideas? Check out this previous Stocking Stuffer post! 

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DIY HONEYCOMB BALL WREATH, FA LA LA SIGN, AND CHRISTMAS TOUR SNEAK PEEKS!

I've been a busy bee decorating for Christmas and it never fails that along with that I have a few crafty projects thrown into the mix!  This year I was inspired by a honeycomb ball wreath and DIY Christmas sign I saw in HGTV Magazine, and from a project I saw from a fellow blogger.  They got my creative juices flowing for a few key pieces to switch up my Christmas decor a little bit this year.  In the process of sharing these projects, I'll also show you a few sneak peeks of my Christmas tour.

*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.

First, I caught a peek of some colorful houses on my friend Charlotte's Instagam feed and was immediately on the hunt for some inexpensive houses  to create a colorful Christmas village of my own! I scored at one of my favorite thrift stores and found a good variety of houses- and a house cookie jar thrown in the mix- for $2-5 each.  I had also picked up two metal houses in the Fall clearance section at Hobby Lobby.

I simply sprayed them all with a coat of primer, then painted them in a rainbow of colors inspired by the colors of my bottlebrush trees.

I love how they turned out, here's a little peek of this year's mantle.  Still tweaking it a bit but this is so far!

Pom Pom and Tassel Garland   

Next, I found a few projects in this year's and last year's December issues of HGTV magazine.  You know of my love for using paper fans at Christmas, so when I saw this honeycomb ball wreath (slightly different design spotted in both issues) I knew I had to make one too!

I picked up an inexpensive 24" wreath, then found this garland with 3" balls locally at Five Below.  They also had a plain white option that I got a pack of too.

I cut it apart and hot glued the balls open, then just stuck them in the branches.  The magazine suggests wiring them in, but I didn't go to that trouble.  I did have a few fall off as I was moving it around and hanging it, but I just stuck them back in and it's been great since it's been hanging.  I had a few 6 inch balls on hand that I mixed in too.

 I would have liked to have a few more 4-6" ones but couldn't find those locally and didn't have time to order.  Here are some 3, 4, and 6 inch options online though.

I added a sting of lights to mine and I'm totally crushing on this little vignette this year!  By the way, I don't know why I've never used these before, I got some this year and they're life changing for a spot like this where the plug is behind furniture and hard to get to.  It's so easy to click those lights on and off each day!  My only suggestion is to use an extension cord with a slim profile head like this if you're using the outlet behind furniture, it really makes an inch or two difference in the amount of room you need to scoot your furniture out from the wall to accommodate the remote control outlet.

Pom Pom Trees- HL (sold out I think 😞)  ||  Striped Trees- At Home Stores  

I also spotted this sign in one of those HGTV issues- you know that red and pink caught my eye!

I had actually been looking online to download a Christmas typography print but couldn't find one I liked, so this got my wheels turning! 

Those marquee letters are pretty inexpensive here, but I had something different in mind.  I found just what I needed at Hobby Lobby- this premade sign piece and the perfect sized letters. 

The sign did not spray paint well (plus it was too cold outside), so I brushed it with red craft paint (didn't realized until I had started that I reversed the colors from the inspiration, but I like this better for my plan.).  Then, I taped off a wide strip in the middle.  Couldn't find my painter's tape so I just used masking, but first painted the original red along the inside tape line so any leaking under the tape would be red.  After that dried I proceeded with the pink paint for the stripe.  It took a few coats of each color to cover well.

Moment of truth... when the last pink coat was still wet I peeled the tape, whew!  Perfect lines!

For the letters, I spray painted them gold for a base color.  Then, I sprayed each with adhesive then glittered them.

After some careful measuring to get the letters just right and a bit of hot glue, it was done! And, here's another sneak peek of my Entry table with more painted houses. 

One final quick project- At the end of the season last year I bought this Advent Countdown Calendar.  We have one that we've always used but I never loved it and it was falling apart.  I loved the simplicity of this one but couldn't resist jazzing it up just a bit... it needed some color!  ;)

I simply added some of the multi-color pom pom trim that I had on hand to the bottom.  I actually cut the trim apart to I could space each pom pom right in the middle between the tassels, then hot glued each piece to the back.

Easy, and a little more fun!  (I tied a bow on the top corner after I took this photo, couldn't resist!)  And yes, my 16 and 18 year old children are still marking each day.  :)

What spurs your creativity to try a new project?  Tomorrow I'll share some Stocking Stuffer and under $20 gift ideas with you, and I'll be sharing the first part of my Christmas tour on Monday!

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2019 DIMPLES AND TANGLES CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE- SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!

Hello everyone!  I hope you all had a marvelous Thanksgiving holiday.  Are you shopped out yet or have you even started?  I've purchased a very few things, but lists are made and I need to get on it!  Today I'm sharing my yearly Dimples and Tangles Gift Guide with you, and hopefully you can take advantage of a few extra good Cyber Monday deals on some of these items.  Most of these are things that our family has and loves, with a few things that might be on a wish list or two or I just thought they were cool.  :)  There's bound to be something for everyone on your list!

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PERSONALIZED FAMILY PHOTO CHRISTMAS CARDS FROM MINTED

Are you gathering the family for your Christmas card photo this weekend?  We recently received our custom Christmas cards from Minted, and I'm thrilled with them!  I haven't sent cards out in several years but knew I didn't want to let one more pass without doing that.  I saved a few photos from our big family trip to Hawaii this Summer, and when I saw this black and white plaid design with gold foil accents I immediately knew it was the right one for us!  (And if you're family or a friend who receives this in the mail, will you please act surprised?  Ha!)

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JEN'S GREEN BEANS- THE PERFECT MAKE AHEAD GREEN SIDE DISH!

I can hardly believe that the holidays are upon us!  As you're planning your menu for various gatherings through the season, why not shake up the usual green bean casserole for something a little different?  Last year we had a recipe swap at church where everyone brought one of their favorite dishes and everyone else was able to sample it.  One of my friends brought this recipe and we all loved it!  I took it to a family gathering a few weeks ago and they all said how delicious it was too, so it's now on the menu for Thanksgiving as well. My friend sweetly allowed me to share Jen's Green Beans recipe with you, and although it's not named after this Jen, it still works!  ;)

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DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS WITH AMAZON PRIME!

Today I thought I'd share a few goodies I found while poking around on Amazon Prime to help you decorate for Christmas.   I grouped several items into 4 categories- general decorations, things for the tree, helpful supplies, and things for setting the table.  I selected things that interested me or are similar to things in my own home.  You might see a thing or two to add into your own Christmas decor this year! (I've listed and discussed each item, then there are photos of them below.)

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OH WHAT FUN! MERRY AND BRIGHT! TWO CHRISTMAS TREE REVEALS

Well I've been so excited about this day for months... I'm thrilled to share not one but TWO Christmas tree reveals with you today!  This year I've partnered with At Home Stores to decorate two different trees in our home, just in time to give you plenty of inspiration as you prepare to deck your halls!  And yes, it may seem a bit early, but let me tell you... I just walked the Christmas aisles a few days ago and all of the best stuff is going fast!  (Early Black Friday Decor-Buster deals are already going on!)

I'm also so happy to be joining in the My Home Style Blog Hop: Christmas Tree Edition hosted by Stephanie at Casa Watkins Living this week.  There are over 30 trees in the line-up this week, be sure to check them all out for loads more ideas and inspiration, today's tours are linked at the end of this post. 

We'll begin with the tree in our Living Room.  I'm calling this super colorful beauty our "Oh What Fun" tree, see if you can spot the reason why!

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FIVE FRIDAY FAVORITES

Happy Friday everyone!  Excited to share a few of my favorite recent purchases and finds with you today.  I hope you all enjoy your weekend, and if you follow me on Instagram be sure to check in over there for a great giveaway I'm posting today!   (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

You all know I'm all about a great deal.  I've been frustrated with the bluetooth earbuds that I've been using (the kind that has a cord that connects the two earpieces), but I was not willing to shell out the $$$ for a pair of airpods.  My sister is the savviest shopper around that does thorough research before she makes a purchase, so when she approved of a pair of Knockies for my nephew that was good enough to give me confidence to try them!  Since then, my daughter bought a pair for herself months ago and absolutely loves them.  They both won me over, so I just got my own pair of the newest model available (I've heard rumors that they're even better than airpods!) and I've been 100% pleased with them.  I also bought the silicone travel case for a few dollars more (in hot pink of course!).  There are often discount codes available, but use my tips here to install the Honey savings app on your computer and make it super easy to get the best price!  Even without a discount, they're at least half the price of airpods and have excellent reviews... great for a teen's Christmas list if not for yourself!

Knockies Wireless Earbuds  ||  Silicone Travel Case (not pictured)

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NEUTRAL (ISH) THANKSGIVING TABLE

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is 2 weeks from today?  I can't but I'm already dreaming of all the yummy treats and the family being gathered.  Today I'm sharing this year's Neutral (!) Thanksgiving Table and hope it gives you some inspiration for your own! 

(*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

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50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY PARTY IDEAS

Last month my parents celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary.  Although they told us much earlier in the year that they did not want a party or reception, thankfully they changed their minds a few months before the day and agreed to a very small party.  We were so happy to be able to mark this milestone with a celebration!

(*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

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HOLIDAY COOKING AND ENTERTAINING KITCHEN ESSENTIALS

As the holidays draw closer, I'm starting to think about one of the best parts other than the family gatherings and the decorations... the FOOD!  As I was making a dish a few days ago I used something that I wanted to share with you all, and that turned into this full blown post of things I consider holiday kitchen essentials for cooking and entertaining.

 (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

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FIVE FRIDAY FAVORITES

Thank you for your comments and feedback on yesterday's post!  We're working hard this weekend to knock all we can off of that remaining to-do list.  In the mean time, here are a few things that have landed in my cart recently...  (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

It was hard, but I waited until Halloween was officially over until I mentioned Christmas!  :)  I'm not going to be rolling out the Christmas content quite yet, but DO NOT WAIT until Christmas is closer to pick up these adorable Pom Pom Christmas Trees, I'm predicting they'll sell out quickly!  The sisal bottle brush style trees are available here as well, but you'll probably have better luck finding them in store. Both styles are 1/2 off!

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KIDS' JACK AND JILL BATHROOM MAKEOVER- WEEK 5 PROGRESS

Good Morning friends, and Happy Halloween!  Do you have big plans for the evening?  My candy bucket is full waiting on all of the little cuties that will come by to claim some!  Yes, we're still working on the kids' bathroom makeover, but it's getting really close to being finished.  We're finally getting to the fun stuff, all of the finishing touches! (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

If it's been a while and you need a refresher on what's happening, catch up here!

Before Photos and Design Plan

Week 2 Update

Week 3 Update

Week 4 Update

I've been searching for just the right bathroom rug, and honestly coming up pretty empty.  I really really wanted this rug that I used on my design board, but it wasn't available in the right size.  After much more shopping in stores and online, I finally came across this rug that I just thought might work.  I took a chance on the color (so hard to tell true colors online!) and ordered, and thankfully I think it's perfect.  It mixes well with the tile and will tie in the colors and the pattern of the shower curtain nicely.  Whew!  One big challenge checked off!

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DIY DYED PINK LAMP SHADE TUTORIAL

There's nothing I like better than a quick DIY project, especially if it's improving a good thrifted find!  I recently bought an old blue and white lamp from Facebook Marketplace.  When I looked at the listing I fully intended to replace the shade, but upon getting it home it was a nice silk shade and the shape really grew on me!  I shared a photo on my Instagram stories and my super colorful friend Camila suggested that I dye the shade pink... brilliant!  So, I've never done that before but I gave it a try and here's my dyed pink lamp shade tutorial.

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FIVE FRIDAY FAVORITES

 I hope you all are kicking off a great start to your weekend!  Both of our kids are on Fall Break, thankfully at the same time so we slipped away for a few days at our family's favorite spot to relax and do nothing.  I hope you caught yesterday's Jack and Jill bathroom makeover update, we're getting close to being finished!  Here are five of my recent favorite things that I wanted to share with you today.  (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

These blue and white crisscross plates have been favorites for years, and I just noticed they're on sale!  I recently had a reader inquire about them, so I thought I'd pass along the good deal to you as well.

(Full tablescape shown here)

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KIDS' JACK AND JILL BATHROOM MAKEOVER- WEEK 4 PROGRESS

Are you ready for another kids' Jack and Jill bathroom makeover update?  We are plodding along getting one thing finished at a time.  The progress seems slow but at least there's forward movement!  In the last update the major thing checked off the list was getting all of the tile work finished.  Now we've checked a few more larger to-do projects off of the list!

(If you're just joining in, go back here to see the before photos and design plan, then this is the week 2 update,  then here's the latest update for week 3.)  (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

We've been slinging tons of white paint around!  The cabinetry painting had already been completed in previous weeks, but now we've painted the ceiling, walls, and almost all of the trim.

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25 STYLISH AND AFFORDABLE BATHROOM VANITY LIGHTS

I wanted to title this post "25 Bathroom Lights That Aren't Terrible"...  Why are stylish over the mirror vanity lights so hard to find?  Especially affordable ones?  As we're working to remodel both of the full bathrooms in our house, I've looked at plenty of light fixtures.  A friend was over the other day looking at the progress in the kids' bath and we both agreed that finding pretty vanity light fixtures is such a challenge!  So, I thought some of you might be in the same boat and would appreciate seeing some bathroom vanity lights that are attractive and won't break the bank in case yours are in need of an update.

This pic is from their bathroom before the remodel- I didn't have a new pretty photo to post here yet! ;)

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FALL EVENT TABLE DECORATIONS AND DIY METAL RING CENTERPIECE TUTORIAL

Most of you know that I occasionally decorate for large church events and I've been doing a few others for some church business meetings this year as well.  The goal is always to create stylish tables on a budget!  I'm usually working with anywhere from 15 to up to 50 tables, so I try to gather what I have, borrow when I can, and use simple, inexpensive supplies.  Last month I decorated 15 tables at an event center at our state's camp (Falls Creek if you're familiar with OK!).  Since it was the Fall meeting in a rustic setting, I carried those elements inside for some Fall table decorations.  I adapted an idea that I had seen and made some DIY metal ring centerpieces as well, I'll show you how easy they were!   (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

But first, here's a look at the finished tables.  The edges are still a little bare since I photographed before the caterers finished putting all of the place settings out, but let's just focus on the centerpieces!

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COLORFUL FALL MANTEL

Hello everyone, I'm so excited to share my undeniably colorful Fall Mantel with you today as part of Project Design: Fall Mantels!  Honestly, we are knee neck deep in a bathroom remodel and busy with making plans for a second bathroom remodel that will immediately follow, so I hadn't done one bit of Fall decorating until I started this project two days ago.  It felt good to do something a little different than demo and agonize about tubs and faucets and sand and prime and paint, though!  (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

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KIDS' JACK AND JILL BATHROOM MAKEOVER- WEEK 3 PROGRESS

Things are moving right along in the kid's bathroom makeover, and I need to catch you up on the progress!  I have to remind myself to take a break from the work and projects and actually blog about what's happening, I feel like we have a hundred irons in the fire right now and I'm jumping back and forth between thing to thing.  I always feel strange about saying something like that, because really... who doesn't have a hundred things going at once?  Especially you Moms, right?  At any rate, here's how things are coming along!  (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

(If you're just joining in, go back here to see the before photos and design plan, then this post will show you the progress this far.)

The tile in the shower started going up.  So excited about the shampoo niche, we've been lining the edge of the tub with bath products for far too long!

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HOT PINK VELVET CLUB CHAIRS- A NEW LOOK IN THE LIVING ROOM

Out with the old, in with the new!  A while back I mentioned in this post that I had found a pair of club chairs to take the place of our leather recliners that we were ready to switch out.  Well, they're back from the upholsterer and have made quite a difference in the look of our living room!  Without further adieu... take a look at my new hot pink velvet club chairs!  (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

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FIVE FRIDAY FAVORITES

Happy Friday everyone!  It's toilet and shower day here... woo hoo!  The plumber is coming to install the shower fixtures and a new toilet in the kids' bath, Emily is so excited to not be sharing with us anymore!  :)  Then, we're spending the weekend painting all the things in there- ceiling, walls, trim, doors... everything.  I got it started last night and finished enough behind the toilet so we wouldn't have to work around that, and we're loving the fresh bright white on the walls.  The new countertop and faucets will be our last big piece, but after all the painting I can start on the fun stuff- accessories!  Hope you all have a fabulous weekend full of doing fun things (and maybe knocking off some things from your to-do list!), I've got some good things to share with you today.   (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

I shared this new Williams Sonoma + Schumacher collection with you a while back, but the Chiang Mai Dragon Glasses just went on sale.   They're still expensive and impractical (hand wash) but oh so special and beautiful!  I'm certain my morning orange juice would taste better in one of these!  ;)

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KIDS' JACK AND JILL BATHROOM MAKEOVER- WEEK 2 PROGRESS

Work in the kids' Jack and Jill bathroom is moving along well!  It's been nice that we're kind of doing this at our own pace, plugging along as we're able and don't have to work furiously to meet a  deadline like I have on several of our other makeovers.  That being said, a deadline does help me get it done, so I'm trying to stay on it and not let this drag on and on.  I've been finalizing lots of selections and still shopping for a few things, but here's where we are so far.  (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

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MY BRIGHT AND PLAYFUL PINK, BLACK AND WHITE HALLOWEEN DECORATING IDEAS

I normally don’t do much for Halloween but it’s a big, kid friendly, fun night in our neighborhood where my kids always enjoyed being out with their friends and neighbors to see who could come home with the most candy.  ;)  At Home Stores invited me to partner with them to feature their vast selection of Halloween decor. Since a big part of my job is to share decorating ideas, that often centers around various holidays. I thought even though we don't really "celebrate" Halloween to the extent that others might, this would be a good opportunity to stretch my creative muscles with something different than I normally do and focus on decorating for the holiday in a kid-friendly, bright, playful style for those who were looking for some fresh ideas. Because I have a feeling that a lot of you also just celebrate it as an opportunity for your kids to wear cute costumes, get candy, and walk the neighborhood with their friends like we do!  So, here's my spin on bright, preppy, fun, maybe even classy (is "classy" Halloween a thing? Ha!) pink, black and white Halloween decor Dimples and Tangles style! 

I chose a few key areas to focus on adding some festive Halloween touches to the house.  Of course, the most important spot to focus on for the big night is the Front Porch, right?  It definitely needs to be decked out to welcome all of those darling little trick or treaters!  

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KIDS' JACK AND JILL BATHROOM MAKEOVER- BEFORE PHOTOS AND DESIGN PLAN

I have a big house project that's been on my "to-do" list every year for as long as I can remember... the Master Bathroom.  We're finally tackling that this Fall, but we decided to squeeze in a "quick" kids' bathroom makeover too!  And I quote "quick", because what I thought would be just a quick and simple refresh turned into pretty much a full fledged bathroom makeover!  We didn't go down to the studs or move anything around, but short of that everything is getting freshened up.  Our kids share a Jack and Jill bathroom between their bedrooms, which is the only other tub/shower in the house, so we decided to knock out their makeover while finishing up the planning for the Master. We're all sharing the Master/Powder Bath in the process, so soon it will be our turn to share their nice, fresh, pretty bathroom when it's finished and demo on the Master Bath starts!  But let's back up and today I want to share our starting point- the before photos- and where this bathroom is headed- the design plan and inspiration!

We actually did some updating to this bathroom when we moved into the house 12 years ago. I wish I could find a photo of how it looked when we bought the house, but picture dark navy wallpaper with small flowers (if I remember correctly), shiny brass vanity lights with the glass tulip shades, shiny brass fixtures, and a carpeted floor!

Here's a pretty, styled photo that I did for a project last year...

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FIVE FRIDAY FAVORITES

Happy Friday!  Here are some things I've purchased lately and liked enough to pass along to you, or things that are on my wish list right now.  I hope you all enjoy your holiday weekend!  (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

I'll grab a dress 95% of the time over shorts and a t-shirt in the Summer.  They're just so easy and cool!  I've found some good ones lately.  You won't believe this under $10 t-shirt dress.  The french terry fabric is thick but not heavy and it has pockets!! I like the fabric so much better than some other jersey knit swing dresses I have.  Actually, it's clearanced out and very limited online, but I wanted to share it with you anyway because you can probably still find it in store.  (If you're in store, just be sure you're getting the french terry fabric- there's another of the same style usually on the same rack and the fabric is awful and clingy).  But yay, I just looked and it seems they have a Fall version with 3/4 length sleeves out now. The commenters say it has pockets too!

Tassel Earrings  ||  Leopard Sandals

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BOYS DORM ROOM DECOR AND ORGANIZING ESSENTIALS

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, our lives had a huge change recently when we moved Caleb to college!  He chose to attend Oklahoma Baptist University (our Alma Mater) and is majoring in Nursing with hopes to work somehow with Trauma Medicine, First Response, possibly Mediflight (that would combine all of his interests perfectly!), something along those lines.  We were so busy all Summer we didn't spend much time getting ready for his room until the week or so before we moved in him, but I think it all came together well.  "Boys Dorm Room" and "Decor" don't seem to really go together right?  Ha!  But I am his Mother after all so we had to add a little spice!  We worked to give him a comfortable space though for his home-away-from-home and tried to use some thoughtful organizing solutions to maximize the tiny space.  Take a look!  (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)

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A FEW THINGS- LET'S CATCH UP!

Alright friends...  I know my posting has been sooooo sporadic, but Summer is over and a "normal" routine is returning, so I'm committing to more regular posting again!  The past 4 months have been abnormally busy for us and we were gone a good deal of the Summer.  I'm no good at balancing "real life" and the blog when things get really busy.  I tried to keep everyone in the loop on what was happening over on Instagram, but I know I'm desperately behind here for those of you who might not follow there.  So, I do have lots of things that happened over the Summer that I plan to share with you, but for now I'll just catch you up on big things from the past few weeks, and we'll go from there!

First up, I stopped by a local close-out store and stumbled across this awesome cane patterned garden stool.  It was a bargain so I couldn't pass it up, and if you can look past the worst-ever color, isn't it cute?  I'll use my process for painting ceramics and it should be quite a transformation.  Sadly, I've had it for a month and it still looks just like this.  I can't decide what color I want to paint it!  Hopefully I'll have an after picture to show you soon.

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