Decor and the Dog Gets Around

Nate, Ike and I are currently vacationing in Wisconsin with the family.  It’s quite lovely.  Even with the family.  ;)

While we are getting around the Midwest, Decor and the Dog is getting around the blogosphere.  Thanks to all that have shared our projects!  Let me return the blog love today.  Stop by these lovely blogs to check out other fantastic projects!

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The lovely folks at Pfister Faucets recently interviewed me. You can read the interview here! I answer fun stuff like why I started blogging and my love for Ike and DIY projects.

pfister interview

NewlyWoodwards shared our vertical garden.  Kim’s You-Must series is always full of fun ideas! (Follow up on the vertical garden on Friday!)

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Michelle over at Ten June has a new series called Tuesdays at Ten June.  She shared our vintage washboard collection.  Check out her post for more info on how to enter your projects!

Ten June

Amanda at Serenity Now shared our Instagram crib frame display.  Her post is full of lots of Instagram inspiration!

Serenity Now

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Don’t forget to enter the fun giveaway from Hello! Enter here!

Did you find any new blogs or great projects?  Did you learn anything from my Pfister interview?

Craft Night-Pottery

I have a tip for you all today.

I highly recommend you get yourself a craft night group.  My craft night group is super fun.  I wouldn’t say any of us are extraordinary crafters.  (We just like to think we are.)  Crafting is something that we all enjoy.  My craft night group just happens to be extra adorable.  (Not a requirement. Just a bonus.)

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My favorite part of craft night is trying crafts that I wouldn’t do on my own.  For instance, the Thursday before last I used a pottery wheel for the first time.  This is definitely something I would not have attempted without the support/pushing/shoving of craft night.

We headed to the Family Museum in Bettendorf for adults only time in the pottery studio. 

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Pottery was the idea of one of the craft night members that couldn’t attend.  Super sad.  We all enjoyed it so I’m sure we’ll go back again!

We started by making pots without the wheel. Boring.  It totally brought back memories from middle school art.

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And then we each got a turn on the wheel.  Super scary and exciting all at the same time.

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Our instructor was filling in that evening.  I bet he was totally regretting covering that shift.  I kid.  (Sort of.)  He was amazingly patient with us.

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Using a pottery wheel is no joke.  I was pretty horrible at it but it was still fun.

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Kim, however, was a pro at making a shot glass.  The size was totally on purpose.  Wink, wink. It turned out quite adorable.

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Here’s my finished pot.  Such skill.  It reminds me of a Fiestaware bowl.

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Oh wait.  That was the bowl of a talented lady that was working while we were there.  She made the wheel look easy. 

Here’s my actual pot.  He’s cute.

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I think I’m going to open my own studio.  What do you think?

Do you have a craft night group?  Have you tried your hand at a pottery wheel?  Any awesome crafts we should try at our next craft night?

Hello to Hello Products + Giveaway

This article is sponsored by hello™.  All opinions are my own.  They’re a hip company and allow me to write whatever I want (which you all know can be dangerous).

Let’s play a game.  There will be prizes.  Pretty prizes.

hello breath spray

How about two truths and a lie?  Always a fun one.  (For those of you that haven’t played before.  I will list two truths and one lie.  You need to determine which is which.)

a: I am the world’s messiest neat person.
b: I love birds.
c: I once had an emergency root canal on my front tooth.

What’s your guess?  Think hard.  I told you there would be prizes, right?

B is a total lie.  I hate birds.  You can’t trust anything with pointy beaks.  Seriously.  Someday people will listen to me. When birds attack.  It’s bound to happen.

That leaves A and C as being truths.  And they both relate to today’s post.  Amazing how that works, right?

Let’s start with A.  I am the world’s messiest neat person.  My living room must be spotless.  My kitchen counters must shine.  The fridge must be free of finger smudges.

But my hair gel.  All over the place.  Caps are never put on any product.  My toothpaste is a total hot mess.  There is crusty toothpaste on the cap so there is no possible way to close it.  The tube is always wrinkled.  Who squeezes from the bottom?  Weirdos.

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Nate refuses to share anything with me because he gets so irritated at me destroying tubes and not closing caps.  (This coming from the dude that will hop over a laundry basket in a doorway.)
We have a vacation coming up and we are trying not to double up on packing items that we can share (like toothpaste and mouthwash). 

hello products offered us some products to test out.  Not only are they good for your teeth but they also come in pretty packaging.  (Pretty is always important with me.  Usually over function.)

hello dental products

How fun are those packages??? hello isn’t just a pretty face.  They are the first line of seriously friendly oral care. The products debuted in March. hello promises a friendly mouth!  The products do not contain artificial sweeteners, dyes or alcohol. The products were designed by BMW DesignworksUSA, which explains their fancy appearance.

All of the products are made in the USA using naturally derived ingredients wherever possible. The products are never tested on animals. Flavors include supermint, pink grapefruit mint, mojito mint, and sweet cinnamint."

I tried (and am still using) the supermint toothpaste, the pink grapefruit mint mouthwash and the mojito mint breath spray

I was super skeptical about a grapefruit mint mouthwash. It’s crazy.  It’s like this delicious grapefruit taste at first and then a nice mint once you spit.  My mind is blown.  Seriously. I’m still trying to figure it out.

The breath sprays are quite tasty.  Perfect for us non gum chewers.  The package is cute and fits nicely in my purse (also a mess hole). 

The toothpaste has a strong mint flavor.  It was a little strong for me at first but I am a big fan after using it a few times.  My mouth has never felt cleaner. The extra bonus is the awesome packaging, which has proven hard for me to ruin. Impressive work, BMW DesignworksUSA.  I give hello a gold star for that one.

hello toothpaste

Now onto C.  I am super particular about what dental products I use.  About 4 years ago, I was out in the yard with Ike.  I bent down to pet him and he jumped up into my face.  He ended up moving one of my front teeth.  I called the dentist and he popped the tooth back into place and he thought I would be fine. I followed up a week later and my tooth was dying.  I needed an emergency root canal that day or I would lose my front tooth. The tooth was saved but it is still sensitive so I have to be careful with the dental products that I use.  No issues with hello!  It’s also a good thing that dog of mine is cute!

Hello Ike

Side note: hello is not for dogs.  Ike has his own toothpaste.  He was just jealous of the awesome packaging of my toothpaste.  He also has a thing for pretty new things.  Just like his mother.

Want to try hello products out yourself?

Currently you can purchase hello products at Walgreens and in select Targets. More retailers are coming soon! You can also purchase hello products online at  soap[dot]com, vine[dot]com or drugstore[dot]com.

Want a coupon?  Who doesn’t love coupons?  Take $1.00 off any hello toothpaste, mouthwash or breath spray. To access the coupon, “like” hello on Facebook and then click on the “coupons” box under the “like” button. Coupons are limited to one per person.

You can also enter a little giveaway (via rafflecopter) for a free breath spray.  It’s a cute, free breath spray.  Can you go wrong?

a Rafflecopter giveaway


What hello products are you excited to try?  Are you a sucker for pretty packaging?  Did you win the two truths and a lie game?