What seems like a million years ago I was asked to share how to make these shirts. 

I'm a jerk and I didn't have time to get around to it until now.......10 years later. 

I suck..

Anyway, this is honestly super simple! 

 I used iron on transfer sheets. I got them at Michaels and they were 14.99 but I had a 50% off coupon , whoo!

This pack comes 10 transfer sheets for light fabric and 10 sheets for dark fabric. The dark transfer sheets leave a white background so I didn't use them, I only used the light transfer sheets for this project.

This brand of transfer sheets comes with a free design website that you can use to create your images. 

You can choose to use the free images provided or you can upload your own. 

Once you upload your image you can choose what type of item you are working on and what size. This helps you get a visual of how big the image will be once printed.

Once you are satisfied with your design you can print.

MAKE SURE BEFORE YOU PRINT THAT YOUR IMAGE IS MIRRORED, or flipped in reverse. It needs to be printed in reverse in order to show up correctly on the shirt. 

When you load the transfer paper into your printer, you want to make sure you only load one sheet at a time. Make sure that you load it with the matte side facing upward. The glossy side with the yellow line should be facing toward the back. 

( this only applies to this particular brand, i'm not sure how it works with other brands of transfer paper.)

Once your image is printed, cut around the border so that you don't have very much edge. 

Now is the time to play with placement. Figure out where you want your images to be. If you're printing one large image, this will be easier. 

Place your shirt on a hard surface, set your iron to the highest setting and DO NOT use steam. Iron over your transfers for about 90 seconds total. Let it cool before peeling the backing off. 

Thats it! You're all done!!

so cute right? And super simple. 

The transfers are permanent and machine and hand washable. 

I hope this helps! Let me know if you make any items for your little ones. I would love to see!

Xo, Jeanice.

Toy ransom box

My child seems to think that I am her personal maid.

She's been doing great with chores lately, as we've just recently implemented a more structured approach to them. I will blog about it in the coming weeks as its just in the beginning phases and I want to make sure I stick to it. I'm a big softy sometimes and let things slide when it comes to chores. 

I'm holding out though. 

Recently however, i've become more and more annoyed with having to constantly remind the kid to put her toys back in her room when she's done. 

While browsing on Pinterest I came across this post HERE 

what a brilliant idea, a toy ransom box. 

I decided to create my own. I created my own personalized label with an app on my phone. I wish I knew how to create printables for you guys, I totally would have done it. Work in progress. Don't worry. I'll figure it out. 

I printed the label out on normal paper and then used a Scotch self-sealing laminating pouch to laminate it. 

I used jumbo popsicle sticks and wrote different chores on each one. Here are some examples of the chores I used:

clean under bed

20 push-ups

30 jumping jacks

dust living room.

wipe down kitchen counters.

clean under couches.

read a book.

5 math problems

scoop poop.

etc..

Of course you want to do chores that fit your household. You also want to give a time length that you know will work for you.

This is such a fun and easy way to get kids to pick up after themselves. Even now, Jordyn is begging me to let her do a chore so she can get her toys out. 

How do you get your children to pick up after themselves? 

Xo, Jeanice.

Meditation for kids.

Jordyn is a very active child. She likes to move.....a lot.......too much. there is rarely a moment where she will sit still. She bounces off the walls and never really calms herself.

I like to help her calm herself with yoga and meditation. 

Meditation is said to help bring mindfulness to the child. Mindfulness is said to help children focus, make better decision, calm themselves, and deal with their emotions better. 

It might not be easy to convince a child to try sitting still and clearing their mind, but, I meditate daily so it was easy to convince Jordyn to give it a try. She wants to do everything I do, so this was a treat for her. I believe for a better meditation practice, it is helpful if the parent meditates as well. 

We meditate morning and night.

Morning meditation lasts about 5 minutes. 

We simply sit for 5 minutes together before we leave for school and speak positive affirmations into our day. 

Our favorite words to speak to ourselves in the morning are as follows:

I love and approve of myself.

I have amazing potential.

I can do hard things.

I know who I am.

I am of great worth.

I am happy.

I am unique.

I am special.

I am ME.

Our night time meditation usually follows our yoga practice and lasts about 10 minutes. 

We pretty much do the same thing as our morning routine but we switch up our affirmation.

I have done my best for the day.

I have earned my rest for the night.

I have put my love into all my deeds.

I have used kindness in all my thoughts.

I close this day with pure joy and now drift into a sound sleep.

We focus our meditation on building the image of self. I teach her to speak to and of herself in positive ways, raising her up to be a confident strong young lady is my goal so I focus my practice on that, however, your meditation practice will be yours. Meditation is not one size fits all and for it to work of you and your child, you should figure out what works best for you and your lifestyle. 

Below are a few different techniques that you could try with your child. I cannot elaborate on them because we don't personally practice any of these ways. 

Meditation Technique How to Perform
Walking Meditation
This is the simplest technique that you can start out with. Take the child on a walk in nature. Choose something that has a trail and is interesting. Being out in nature amidst the natural surroundings is in itself a very relaxing feeling, but to heighten and enhance that feeling, ask the child to concentrate on his breathing. Ask him to breathe evenly and concentrate on his breathing style. It should go with breathing in and breathing out either 1 or 2 breaths. To channelize the breathing, ask them to swing their arms with an alternate arm and leg movement (right arm-left leg and vice versa). This is a simple exercise which will not only help them relax, but also allow them to enjoy the calming effects of nature.
Deep Breathing
Sit with your child on the floor and maintain an erect position. Instruct the child to breathe in and out using very deep breaths. Tell him to inhale all the way from the stomach and not just the chest region, such that when he takes a breath in, the stomach should expand. Once he inhales, ask him to hold the breath for 2-3 seconds and release. Exhale very slowly and feel the air leave the stomach, then the chest and finally through the nostrils. When the child concentrates on his breathing, it will automatically prevent him from thinking of any other thing and improve concentration as well. Start out with 5 minutes, then slowly increase the time.
Focusing on Objects
This technique can be used on slightly older kids. This is a great method to calm the mind and improve focus. Place an object in front of the child at a distance of 2 feet. Then ask him to sit in front of it and simply observe the object. Let's say that you've kept a toy car for the child to observe. Ask him to make a mental note of the physical attributes of the car - what it looks like, the shape and color etc. This seemingly simple exercise improves concentration and helps one meditate deeply.
Corpse Pose (Shavasana)
This is one of the most popular meditation poses. Ask the kid to lie down and simply 'shut off' each body part starting from the toes and moving up to the head. They have to make do as though each body part is slowly sleeping off and the waves of relaxation are sweeping through the entire body. The breathing has to be kept at an even pace during this time. Get them to do this pose for at least 5-8 minutes.
Guided Meditation
Guided meditation is one of the most popular techniques because of the high level of interaction between the guide and child. Ask the child to lie down and try to relax by taking in some deep breaths. Then give the child mental images to think of. Feed the child with sentences like 'Imagine that you're at the beach...you're wading through the water. The waves are splashing against your leg...You can hear the chirping of the seagulls...You can smell the salt in the air.' It has been found that this technique helps the child relax much better because he does not have to draw inward to concentrate but has to listen and follow. Another variation to this technique is that of using visualization in which a person draws a mental image of his happy place, much like guided meditation and helps himself relax. This technique can be best used by slightly older children.

Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/meditation-techniques-for-kids.html

Most importantly, do not make meditation a punishment. " you threw a tantrum, go meditate and think about it." You don't want to turn it into something negative. You also don't want to force it. 

If you don't know where to start, start with bedtime. When they are already wound down for the day.

Have fun and keep it simple. 

Xo, Jeanice.

Fried Doughnuts.

In our house.....donuts are our thing.

They are THE thing.

While I like to think that I maintain a pretty decent diet, we make donuts to celebrate special occasions......sometimes, making it thru Monday, is a special occasion that requires donuts....you know, since they are our thing and all. 

Anyhoo, i've been asked a few times to share the recipe I use for our donuts and i've just never gotten around to it. So here it is folks. Enjoy. 

I found the original recipe on Pinterest and had to track down the owner.

Wannabe Famous Donuts

Original recipe from all recipes.com

adapted by From FromCupboardtoCupboard

2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast (or 2 Tablespoons)

1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/3 cup shortening 

5 cups all-purpose flour

1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Now, I substitute the shortening for butter but, you do whatever you prefer.

I also make a very simple glaze with powdered sugar and water, nothing fancy. 

What you do:

1. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, and let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy. 
2. In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix for a few minutes at low speed, or stirring with a wooden spoon. Beat in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a greased bowl, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise until double. Dough is ready if you touch it, and the indention remains. 
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and gently roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Let doughnuts sit out to rise again until double. Cover loosely with a cloth. 
4. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in hot water one tablespoon at a time until the icing is somewhat thin, but not watery. Set aside. 
5. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large heavy skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slide doughnuts into the hot oil using a wide spatula. Turn doughnuts over as they rise to the surface. Fry doughnuts on each side until golden brown. Remove from hot oil, to drain on a wire rack. Dip doughnuts into the glaze while still hot, and set onto wire racks to drain off excess. Keep a cookie sheet or tray under racks for easier clean up.

Now, when I make these they are delicious but i'm not going to lie, sometimes you need a quick donut fix.

In come the pillsbury biscuit donuts to the rescue. 

These are honestly my favorite things to make. They take like, 5 minutes and are super delicious. If i'm being completely honest, I can hardly taste a difference between the homemade donuts and the biscuit donuts.

Ingredients:

1 Can Pillsbury original or flaky biscuits.

1 quart vegetable oil.

For the glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar.

1tsp vanilla extract.

2 tsps water ( or more if it is too thick.)

Here is what you do.

Now, this one is super complicated so listen up:

heat your oil. 200-400 degrees should be fine. 

Fry a few minutes on each side, until golden brown 

take them out, cool slightly on a paper towel. 

Make glaze while cooling.

If you are doing a glaze, use a wire rack with a paper towel under to catch the excess glaze. 

Dip your donuts in your glaze while still warm, I like to double glaze mine. I dip them and then let them set for a minute, then dip again. 

Enjoy!

Xo, Jeanice.

Review: Miss Jessies Baby Buttermilk.

I feel like its been forever since i've had the time to write a legitimate, long blog post. I recently went back to work so my free time went from minimal to non existent. I realized that I actually really love writing this blog so, i've promised myself that I will make the time to do it.  So, first things first. I've received a ton of emails and DMs on instagram with a bunch of questions and I pinky promise I will write posts about all of the questions i've been asked. Pinky promises are a pretty big deal in our home.....just so you understand my level of dedication. 

Anyway, on to the review. It was requested (times 3) that I give more information on the new Miss Jessies Baby Buttermilk. I don't have all the answers but I can tell you how it has worked for me so far. 

The Baby Buttermilk is a lighter version of the Miss Jessies Baby Buttercreme ( which is one of my all time favorite moisturizers/ stylers.) Perfect for Spring/ Summer.

It does a great job moisturizing as well as bringing out curl definition.  The buttermilk is very light weight, very similar to the Pillow Soft Curls. 

I've only used the Baby Buttermilk a handful of times but I really like it so far and Jordyns hair seems to soak it right up. 

Its important to note that it also plays very well with other products. I've been having some problems with products not mixing well in either mine or Jordyns hair and leaving white flakes which is gross. 

WHAT THE PACKAGE SAYS TO DO: 

To moisturize and refresh your hair daily, squeeze a dab of Baby ButterMilkTM into the palm of your hand, rub hands together, and coat your hair section by section or apply all over hair shaft at once. Baby ButterMilkTM is a great daily maintenance moisturizer. Excellent for refreshing natural styling daily used in connection with any Miss Jessie’s styler(s), including Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls®, Quick Curls®, Jelly Soft CurlsTM, Multicultural CurlsTM Curly PuddingTM or Baby Buttercreme.

Ingredients:

Water (Aqua, EAU), Glycerin, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Acetylated Lanolin, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, PEG-­‐ 100 Stearate, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Fragrance, Ceteareth-­‐20, PEG-­‐8 Dilaurate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dmdm Hydantoin, Panthenol, Cetyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Butane, Potassium Sorbate, Butane, Sodium Chloride

Obviously its no secret that Miss jessies products contain some ingredients that bother people. I'm not here to argue whether or not to use a specific ingredient or to steer you in one direction or another, i'm just here to give you my opinion. If the ingredients bother you, then of course, I would suggest steering clear from it. 

I used the Baby Buttermilk here, on wet hair with an old wash and go. 

and here with dry hair on a flat twist out.

And here on dry hair for a banded twist out. 

Miss Jessies Baby Buttermilk is great to use on wet and dry hair. 

I would suggest not to use too much. A little goes a long way with this product. My first time using it I used way too much and it made Jordyns hair feel sticky. I washed her hair out and re-used it, using just a little and it made a great difference.  There was no greasy/sticky feeling when I used the product correctly and it hasn't created much build up after re applying for about a week and a half now.

This product is a pricey, as are most Miss Jessies products, it runs $21.49  for 8.5 fl oz. 

I'm almost positive that the Baby Buttermilk is only available at Sallys beauty supply. Don't quote me on that but I think I remember seeing something on the Miss Jessies instagram page. 

Anyway, you can purchase it HERE

If you've tried this product let me know what you think!!

Xo, Jeanice :)