BLACK & WHITE

I've become ever so slightly obsessed with black and white print. I find myself wanting to paint everything I own white! I love the simplicity of it and that I can add so many more accents with a beautiful black and white base. Are you smitten with b&w??

xo. mel

M A K E :: modern mousepad

I'm so excited to be over on Wonder Forest today, sharing this fun and easy modern mousepad! You can see all the photos and details here! 

xo. melisa

M A K E :: bauble necklace

I love jewelry that is simple, but makes a statement. This bauble necklace is the perfect combination of just that!

S U P P L I E S   ::  wooden beads, cord, paint/brushes

E A S Y   A S   1 ,  2 ,  3

1.) Gather your beads and paint them with their first coat. I found it easiest to get all sides, by slipping the beads onto a wooden dowel, so they wouldn't slip around and I didn't have to touch them.

2.) Continue by adding details such as patterns! I chose to do gold stars and a Dalmatian print. I'm obsessed with black and white combos right now.

3.) Once your paint has dried, set your beads out. Cut approx. 20inches of cord - varying in how low long you'd like your necklace to hang. String the cord through your beads!

4.) Take both ends and tie a double knot. You can also opt to use closures, but I like simple, and slipping the necklace over my head just makes more sense. Trim any excess cord from the ends.

I love how these turned out! This would be a really fun project to do with kids too - little girls can make their very own dress up jewelry; even make some to look like a strand of pearls! So many fun ideas! As always, share a link below if you decide to try it out!

xo. melisa

F A V O R I T E A P P S

Since getting an iPad I've discovered a whole new world of apps! Some of these are available for iPhones as well, but I enjoy using them on my iPad. So, in no particular order, these are the apps I'm digging

L E A R N I N G

Lumosity :: this is maybe my favorite app this year! I love learning (that sounded nerdy, oops) and this app makes it fun! Lumosity gives you different games which helps you work on your memory, speed and other fun stuff. You can purchase the full membership for a hefty sum, or enjoy the free games they give you! You can even play this on your desktop!

Duolingo :: I recently discovered this app and now I'm completely hooked! I think I've mentioned before that I used to live in Brazil - so Portuguese was one of my first languages. Since moving back to the states, I have quickly forgotten most of it. womps. I have loved playing with Duolingo though because it's given me a chance to freshen up on it - it's the best if you're trying to get better or learn a new language. I may try french next.

Sudoku :: ever since this became "a thing", I have been crazy for sudoku. Like, I could literally spend hours on this stuff. So naturally I'm smitten with this app.

S O C I A L

Padgram :: this app takes Instagram but lays out all the photos so it's much more appealing. I love it!

Bloglovin :: this is obviously nothing new, but I've grown especially fond of Bloglovin knowing that now I can have all of my need-to-read blogs with me wherever I go! Don't know about Bloglovin? Check it out and follow PS!

G A M E S 

Heads Up :: I have this game on my iPhone and it's a huge favorite for me and my friends. It was created by Ellen and it's so much fun - a mix of catch phrase, buzzword and charades. 

QuizUp :: you can easily waste half your day on this app. It's basically trivia games that allows you to challenge other people. The trivia ranges from everything from Disney to Lost, to Grammys to Hunger Games. You need this!

Sonic Dash :: this is a throwback because it makes me feel like I'm a kid again, sitting in front of my small box set playing sega. Sheesh. So great!

P R A C T I C A L 

Pages :: again, this app is available for your desktop and iPhone, but I especially love it for my iPad because I can have all of my documents with me. I especially love creating to do lists with this - adding photos to my docs always make them more fun!

ifontmaker :: you get to make your own fonts! It's amazing. enough said.

iBooks :: this is honestly why I wanted an iPad in the first place. I love to read, but lugging books around in my already oversized purse, just isn't practical. Now, I can carry my library with me! I'm currently reading Carry On Warrior and Jesus Calling. 

GloBible :: this is a really fun study bible that has a really cool interface. I love that it links to the aversion bible as well, so all of your bookmarks can be saved in both apps!

There's a TON of apps out there and sometimes it's a bit overwhelming to search for the good ones. So tell me, what's your favorite app??

xo. mel

R E C I P E :: tres colores salsa

It's sort of an unspoken rule in our family, that everyone should know how to make salsa. So early on, my mom taught me her recipe and it was actually one of the first things I ever "cooked" on my own. While I've deemed that salsa a family recipe, I am excited to share a different salsa recipe with you today! Elisha loves him some spicy salsa - like pretty stinkin hot! So I created the Tres Colores Salsa which features four types of peppers. Yes, tres means three, but two of the peppers are the same color, so it works. I'll share some tips on how to make it mild - if hot just isn't your thing. So lets get started!

T R E S   C O L O R E S   S  A L S A

3    habanero peppers

3    serrano peppers

2    fresno peppers

5    jalapeño peppers

1    bushel of cilantro

1    tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp salt

1    tomato

1    can of tomato sauce

1.) wash all of your produce. cut the stems off all of your peppers. for less heat, you can pick out some of the seeds. (*make sure not to touch your eyes or face during this part). then cut up your bushel of cilantro - I love cilantro so I usually use all of it, but add as you see fit. cut your tomato in half. 

2.) gather all of your ingredients and pour them into your blender. once all of the solids are in, pour in your tomato sauce. then hit blend. the consistency of this salsa is naturally a little thicker, which we like. if you'd like it less thick, turn your blender to a higher setting or just blend longer. add salt to taste. *if it's still too hot, you can add another can of tomato sauce.

 3.) grab a bag of chips, invite your friends over, turn on your favorite show and enjoy!

Salsa in the Garcia household is an absolute staple! We are constantly stocked. I usually make this salsa when we go over to a friend's house for dinner, or if we're throwing a party. With Superbowl right around the corner, this would make a great side to bring! 

I'm excited to start sharing more recipes with you as I begin to try new ones out myself. Is there any dish you're dying to learn how to make??

xo. melisa

Frankie Daily Journal

I ordered my Frankie Daily Journal about three weeks ago and was so pleased to find it in the mail yesterday. The illustrations are absolute perfection, which will make planning my days, weeks, and months, all the more exciting. If you haven't checked out Frankie Magazine, I highly suggest you do! I'm just smitten. 

I'm feeling a bit under the weather today. My allergies are basically going berzerk. I'm using the little joys and small victories to keep me motivated.  

happy wednesday. melisa

M A K E :: mini notebooks

I don't know about you, but I love toting around little notebooks in my purse. I always have ideas or inspiration at the most random times, so having a notebook handy is crucial. With it being a new year, I wanted to have a fresh batch of mini notebooks ready to go! I decided to whip these little beauties up!

S U P P L I E S   ::  watercolor paper, paint/brushes, scissors, (tracing) paper, pen, sewing machine

E A S Y   A S    1 ,   2 ,   3   ::

1.) Gather your paint supplies and brush away! You can be as meticulous or random as you'd like. I just wanted brush strokes and I didn't want mine to look too perfect. You can always paint flowers, or words… just have fun with it!

 2.) Once your paper has dried, use your scissors to cut each sheet in half. If you have a paper cutter available, that's always helpful to make your edges nice and straight.

3. ) Once your sheets are cut, you can begin to decorate your "covers" using your pen/marker. Another alternative is gluing photos to the front, or using magazine pages like this diy.

4.) Cut the paper you'll be using as your "pages", slightly smaller then your "cover" sheet. I decided to use tracing paper, because I'm obsessed with how fun it is to write on. Seriously, try it. Tracing paper is also pretty sturdy, so you don't have to worry about pages tearing easily when you sew. Use a binder clip, or anything else you may have, to bind the pages together. This will make sewing SO much easier.

5.) Mark where the fold will be and begin to sew from top to bottom! Fold your notebook in half and lay something heavy on it for a few minutes so it stays closed. You're done!!

I'm in love with how these turned out and I promise it's so so easy to do! I can't wait to see how yours turn out - and again, there are SO many different variations you can do! I'd love to see how yours turn out; leave a link!

xo. melisa