Odds & Evans

Tag Archives: holiday

Three New Year Wishes for YOU (and me)

Posted on Posted in Holidays, Personal .
Three New Year Wishes for Me and You - Resolution

I’ve said it before, how New Year’s Eve is my least favorite holiday. I suppose it is the vibe where folks feel obligated to look back on their year and also make new promises to themselves for the new year as if it’s some magical day of the year. I get the impression that people fake happiness for this day more than any other. Have you ever seen those countdown programs on TV?! Those smiling, dancing people freak me out. If this holiday DOES work for you, that’s wonderful! Absolutely keep on loving it, reflect and resolve away! It IS fun to dance and celebrate, I get that. I just feel too forced to do it on New Year’s personally, but respect that other people absolutely resonate with this time of new starts. I mean no offense to New Year connoisseurs; different strokes are a beautiful thing! But if you

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Winter Diffuser Blends This Christmas Season

Posted on Posted in Essential Oils, Holidays, Homemade Recipes .
Christmas Winter Diffuser Blends - Essential Oils for the Holidays

It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas! Here are seven aromatic recipes to add in your essential oils diffuser this winter season. Note: Depending on the size of your room and the type of diffuser you have, amounts may vary.  It is fun to play around with finding your signature scent blends though!  If I find it too strong, I add water to my Young Living diffuser.  Not strong enough? Drop more oils!  I find diffusing 30 minutes at a time, a few times a day is a good way to not over-do it with therapeutic aromas, which I only trust one brand. Hibernate 2-3 drops Lemon 2-3 drops Peppermint 2-3 drops Lavender Candy Cane 4 drops Stress Away 2 drops Peppermint Cider 3 drops Orange or Citrus Fresh 2-3 drops Nutmeg 1 drop Cinnamon or Clove or Thieves, optional (Guess it’s all optional though technically!) Gingerbread 4 drops Ginger 2

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Lucky Bath Fun with Craft Foam (Shamrocks and Rainbows)

Posted on Posted in Crafts, Holidays, Toddler/ Kid Stuff .
Lucky Bath with Craft Foam Shamrocks and Rainbows

Mothers hold their children’s hands for just a little while…  And their hearts forever. -Irish Proverb I don’t know about you, but bath/bedtime around here is the time of the day when we most need the luck of the Irish with us in this house.  The time between dinner and bedtime is often when mommy, daddy, and toddler are all tired and not sure what to do with ourselves. We prepare a lovely dinner which our almost 2.5 year old may or may not touch.  While I’m still trying to finish eating or clean up dinner, he says, “Ready, set, boo, go run!”.  Every night.  My husband and I bust out our last bit of energy reserve to let Reece use up the rest of his, in anticipation of bath, books, and bed to follow. We always have fun together, but evening routines can get pretty monotonous.  Nobody seems to

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Christmas Storage Organization Tips

Posted on Posted in Holidays .
Decorations Storage Holidays Tips Organization Christmas Lights

Putting away the holiday decorations after Christmas can always seem bittersweet; I get a little sad that it is over and wish I could keep enjoying the decor, but I also yearn for a clean, fresh start to the New Year.  Here are four ways we stay organized to make the tearing down/storage process a whole lot easier…and best of all, more efficient when setting up again next year, too!   1.  Wrap a string of lights around a hanger It takes less than a minute to wrap one complete strand of lights around a hanger that is bent into a star-like shape.  Just hold an empty metal hanger hook in your hand and pull out on the long straight side with your other hand to make it into a diamond.  Then, squeeze the middles in a little to make some room that the lights wouldn’t slip off.  I just start by

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Christmas Vases – DIY Decorations for the Holidays

Posted on Posted in Crafts, Holidays .
Christmas Decorations Vases Holiday Easy

One simple way to create some new decorations for the holidays is by filling clear glass containers with various items.  From basic jars to large vases, there are so many possibilities to this easy decor. Imagine a large jar of herbs and pinecones.  Picture a vase full of bells and bows.  Or here is what I made seven years ago. These three vases were left over from our wedding centerpieces.  We had a different size/shape clear vase in the middle of every guest table and filled them full of pretty fruit combinations.  We are proud of our beautiful, intimate, and wonderful wedding…and mostly how frugal and homemade the whole bash was.  Plus folks were kind of excited to take home free fruit! So the Christmas after we got married, back when I was feeling particularly giddy to start being a little homemaker (may I have that energy and excitement back now, please?!).  I stuffed a

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Magical Christmas Bath with Craft Foam

Posted on Posted in Crafts, Holidays, Toddler/ Kid Stuff .
Magic Christmas Bath Fun craft foam kids craft christmas

Did you know that craft foam sticks like magic to surfaces when wet? Learning this simple, little fact has made evenings a bit smoother around the Evans household! Try it out with this fun Christmas craft for kids. When my toddler starts to get bored with his usual tub toys, I break out a new set of craft foam shapes to play with together.  It all started with decorating jack ‘o’ lantern faces in our bathtub pumpkin patch.  Then we made turkeys with colorful feathers and features.  Next to celebrate the holidays, we wash in a winter wonderland of Christmas trees, snowmen, presents, and more. The best thing about this “craft” is how easy and inexpensive it is to make.  Just buy some thin craft foam at a craft store (or order a pack here or here to have on hand) and cut out your desired shapes.  Nothing intricate is required, because it will still

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