Tag: Tamara Sharpe

DIY Bench and Cushion

Hi everybody! Sorry for my lack of posts lately. Nico is teething (even though there are no teeth yet) so the past week and a half has been a little tough, leaving me with no time to add to my blog. Anyways, I’m back now and wanted to show you a little DIY project that I finished a few days ago. I’m not a super crafty person, however I’ve been getting more and more into do-it-yourself projects, and I am so proud and impressed with how my DIY bench and cushion turned out! Andrew and I had this old little brown bench that we bought from Ikea quite a few years ago, and were planning to give away of it because it didn’t match with any of our home decor. We eventually changed our minds and decided to freshen it up with some white spray paint and a custom cushion. Andrew did all of the spray painting (and did an amazing job at that) and I was in charge of making the cushion to sit on top of the bench. I couldn’t believe how easy it was and loved the final result! All I needed to make the cushion was a piece of plywood measured and cut to fit the bench from Home Depot, the fabric of my choice and foam from Fabricland (I was surprised at how expensive the foam was), and a staple gun. I followed this tutorial and I was literally finished within 5 minutes! The last thing that we did was added screws from underneath the bench into the plywood to make sure that the cushion would stay in place. This project was so easy and the bench looks so beautiful! It definitely makes me so excited to get crafty and try new DIY ideas!

This bench used to be brown and dingy looking, and now it looks amazing!
This bench used to be brown and dingy looking, and now it looks so beautiful! It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint will do!
Photo 2014-10-03, 2 46 37 PM
I chose this pretty damasque fabric and I am so in love with it! Black and white is just so elegant and classic!

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Nico Loves Avocado!

Seriously, how cute is he? I just can’t get enough of this little muffin!!!

Photo 2014-09-22, 9 19 01 AM
Yum! The avocado is so good he even got some in his eyebrows! And he loves chewing on his bowl when he’s finished eating.

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A Few of my Fall Favorites

I know that I’ve already said it, but I am so in love with the Fall! I love when the weather gets a little more fresh, crisp and cool, I love watching the leaves change colors, and I love dressing in warm and cozy, yet stylish clothes! Also, my birthday is in October so I’m sure that’s another reason why I just love the season so much! To express my excitement for this time of year, I thought it would be fun to write a blog post dedicated to some of my favorite Fall pieces. Let me know in the comment section below what some of your Fall must haves are. I would love to hear from you!

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A Mama Must Have: The Pyttig Support Pillow and Cover

When it came time to purchase a highchair for our little man, Andrew and I didn’t want to go overboard and spend a ridiculous amount of money, so after some research, we decided to go with the Blames Highchair from Ikea. This highchair is very simple, affordable, space efficient, easy to clean, and sleek looking, and it had some really great reviews. Furthermore, as a bonus for me, it matches my kitchen and dining rom which is a detail that I loved! In addition to purchasing the Blames highchair, we also bought the Pyttig Support Pillow and Cover to insert into the highchair to provide support and comfort for Nico while he is sitting in his chair. The inside piece is inflatable so all you have to do is blow it up with air to the desired firmness, insert the piece into the fabric cover, zip it up, and it’s ready to use! I absolutely love this product! Nico is so comfortable when sitting in his high chair and the pillow provides him with extra stability. I also love this pillow because it protects his head if he were to hit it on the back of his chair. I especially find this product to be useful when we go out to eat. Most restaurant highchairs are super simple with no type of cushion, so Andrew and I always make sure to bring Nico’s pillow when we dine out (we keep an extra pillow in the car so that we always have one with us). It just makes things so much easier and it’s so nice to know that Nico is comfortable sitting in a chair that is not his. I really love how something so simple can be so convenient and useful!

Blames Highchair with the Pyttig Support Pillow and Cover
Blames Highchair with the Pyttig Support Pillow and Cover
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Close up look
One side is navy striped...
One side is navy striped…
The other side is red striped
The other side is red striped

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Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish

If you know me, then you know that I am a girly girl who always has nail polish on my fingers and my toes! I have loved nail polish since I was a little girl and it is very rare that you will catch me not wearing any color on my nails. So you can imagine how excited I was when I discovered that Sally Hansen had come out with Miracle Gel – a nail polish that acts similar to a shellac polish but without the need for a lamp. I am a huge fan of shellac polish (a formula that can last on your nails for 2-3 weeks without chipping or peeling), however I don’t always have the time to get my nails done at the salon, so I was super excited to learn that I could get a shellac looking manicure without actually having to go to the salon! Although I do love pampering myself with a professional mani and pedi every once in a while, it’s so great to know that I can actually get great results doing it myself at home for a fraction of the time and cost of a salon manicure. Sally Hansen offers a variety of Miracle Gel colors, and it is super easy to use – apply two coats of the Miracle Gel color of your choice, followed by one coat of the top coat and let dry! I have done shellac on my nails at home using a lamp and I love the fact that Miracle Gel does not require a lamp. It definitely saves so much time and patience! I can already say that this nail polish is my current favorite (and I have tried pretty much every polish out there), so it gets a a huge thumbs up from me!

These are the three colors (and top coat) that I have purchased. From left to right: Top Coat, Wine Stock, Red Eye, and Throwing Shade.
These are the three colors (and top coat) that I have purchased. From left to right: Top Coat, Wine Stock, Red Eye, and Shock Wave.
In this photo I am wearing Wine Stock (my favorite color so far - especially for the Fall), and this picture was taken five days after I had applied the polish!
In this photo I am wearing Wine Stock (my favorite color so far – especially for the Fall), and this picture was taken five days after I had applied the polish! I am so impressed with the long lasting effects of this nail polish!

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My Fall Tablescape

Fall is my absolute favorite season and I am so happy and excited that it’s almost here! In Calgary, the Fall doesn’t seem to last too long (sadly, it usually starts to snow quite early) so I definitely take what I can get by enjoying my favorites from boots and scarves to pumpkin spice everything! As the seasons change, so does some of the decor in my house. I thought that it would be fun to share with you the current look of my living room coffee table. I like the simplicity of it all and I’m really happy with how the table turned out! I love themes so as we approach new seasons, holidays, and occasions, I always make sure to give my house a few extra special touches in order to match. I hope you like what I’ve done!

Photo 2014-09-13, 8 40 06 AM (HDR)

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Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes Mascara

I came across the Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes Mascara a few months ago but was hesitant to try it only because it was quite expensive ($45 after taxes and shipping). I have always purchased mascaras from the drug store and have found quite a few that I love, so I didn’t see a need for me to get this specific one. However, after seeing several before and after pictures of the mascara on Instagram, I decided that it looked way too good to pass up, so I went ahead and ordered it. I received the product within the week and couldn’t wait to give it a try! Today was the first day that I got to test it out, and after having used this mascara, I have to say that I absolutely LOVE it!!! Although it does take some time to apply this product onto my lashes (it takes at least four steps to achieve the desired look), the results definitely make it worth it! I think that the bigger the lashes are, the better, and I couldn’t believe how much longer and more voluminous my lashes were after applying this mascara. I definitely recommend this product to anyone who loves long, full, and sexy lashes!

My lashes before applying the mascara
My lashes before applying the mascara
My lashes after applying the mascara
My lashes after applying the mascara
Look at that length!
Look at that length!
Super cute packaging!
Super cute packaging!
Intense
Intense

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Nico’s First Taste of Cereal

Today was a very big day for my little man! Nico had his first experience with solid food, specifically rice cereal. As recommended, we waited until he was 6 months old before we introduced solids, and he was so ready to give it a try. The whole eating solid food for the first time experience was so amazing to watch. Nico made the funniest faces while tasting the cereal, and wasn’t quite sure what to make of it all. It was hard to tell whether or not he actually liked the taste, but it was obvious that he was definitely interested in what was happening. In addition to Nico tasting (and spitting out the cereal), we also let him play with his food to get familiar with it. He loved holding the spoon and bowl by himself and touching the cereal with his hands. He was so messy by the end of his meal and I am so excited to do it all over again tomorrow! Can’t wait to see the faces he will make!

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Happy 6 Months to my Little Ghostbuster

I can’t believe that our baby is already 6 months old! These six months have flown by but they have without a doubt been the best months of our lives. Nico brings so much love, joy, and happiness to Andrew and me and we could not imagine what life would be like without him! He makes our hearts smile everyday and we are so looking forward to all of the new adventures and memories to come! We love you so much baby!

01 6 Months Ghost

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Tamara

♥ Andrew’s Wifey ♥ Nico’s Mama ♥ Elementary School Teacher ♥
♥ Fashion & Beauty Addict ♥ Loves to Travel ♥ Pop Culture Obsessed ♥

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