Nov. 26, 2015

Holiday Desktop Wallpaper

Holiday Desktop Wallpaper

Attention: I interrupt this extremely extended blogging break to bring you an update and freebie.

I hope everyone is having a happy Thanksgiving and enjoying time with loved ones today. Chances are pretty high that, like you, I am stuffed to the brim with deliciousness right now, so I thought I’d share something fun and give a little update while we all sink deeper and deeper into our food coma’s today.

December is almost here, and I’ve been feeling extra crafty and creative with all the hustle and bustle of decorating for the season, so I thought I would drop off something special incase you are feeling extra fancy too.  Grab this new beauty for your computer using the link below.

As for where Intention and Grace has been hiding? We’ve had a lot going on at the Robert’s household.

I promise I’m working on several new posts with some major before and after reveals. Nace and I have been working on some big things at the house these past several months, but as things go, they have proven to take up much more time and effort than we initially planned.

Cheers to more to come from Intention and Grace, and blessings for you.

xo
Courtney

button for desktop download

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Mar. 25, 2015

Dyeable Craft Eggs

The Pros and Cons of Dyeable Craft Easter Eggs  |  Intentionandgrace.com

This year I have seen dyeable craft eggs popping up all over the place (Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, etc.) and they are cheap! I snagged these from Walmart for $2 a dozen, which is about what I would spend on real eggs, but I can use these every year. I was so excited to take them home and create some beautiful things with my family, but after a bit of trial and error discovered these eggs, although pretty and fun, are definitely not an egg substitute. Since they are pretty new, I thought I’d share my pros and cons for dyeable craft eggs if anyone else wants to give them a shot.

Pros:

1. Great for toddlers and kids! We dropped several of these along the way and none of them broke! Dax just loved helping and I felt better about letting him be in control without having to worry about several cracked eggs.

2. They don’t expire. These eggs won’t start to stink up the house after a few days, and you can store them away for next year!

3. The dye is instant. Craft eggs don’t darken if they sit in the dye longer, so the dyeing process goes rather quickly. Simply dip and dry. No need to wait on an egg to get to the desired shade, you’re already there.

Cons:

1. They are super light! They float, so if you want them to be covered in dye, you have to spoon it around the egg rather than simply drop it into the dye like you would with a normal egg.

2. You can’t use water. For the colors above we could only use vinegar with the dye tablets. The problem with this was that 4tsp of vinegar is really just not deep enough to dye a whole egg. The require lots of swishing and spooning to cover an egg in dye, making it a bit more frustrating than normal egg dye which allows for 1/2 cup water to be added.

3. They don’t dry quickly. The dye seems to linger on these for a long time, not absorbing into the craft eggs like normal eggs do, so even after several minutes of “drying” I would pick an egg up to see that it was still dripping quite a bit at the base. I also found that if you overlap two colors they sometimes bleed together unless they have had significant dry time.

Techniques:

After playing with the craft eggs and the dye for quite some time this week we found four fantastic ways to use them in your home.

1. Solid coloring: Simply roll these around in the dye until completely covered and then set aside to dry. The pastels are beautiful and great for decorating with or use in an easter egg hunt.

The Pros and Cons of Dyeable Craft Easter Eggs - Solid pastel egg dying technique  |  Intentionandgrace.com

2. Dip dyeing: Since the dye is very shallow we would tilt the cup or bowl then dip the egg in and set aside for drying, after a few minutes (5-10) turn over or around and dip another side. While one egg is drying get some others started or work on a different dying technique so you don’t have to wait around. I love the shapes you can create with this technique.

The Pros and Cons of Dyeable Craft Easter Eggs - Dip dye egg dying technique  |  Intentionandgrace.com

3. Watercolor: For these we grabbed a simple watercolor set by Crayola. The eggs absorbed the paints wonderfully and Dax had such a fun time painting away. I love how they turned out!

The Pros and Cons of Dyeable Craft Easter Eggs - Watercolor painting egg dying technique  |  Intentionandgrace.com

4. Sharpie: We used sharpie brush markers (my new obsession) to create fun swirls, dots, patters and calligraphy. Don’t worry about being too fancy with these, I think they more they look hand drawn, the better. I also found a fun little set of monogram stickers to create some with our initials on them.

The Pros and Cons of Dyeable Craft Easter Eggs - drawing on eggs with sharpie marker technique  |  Intentionandgrace.com

Have you used these dyeable craft eggs before? Share some fun techniques you used!

Dyeable craft easter eggs - fake eggs for dyeing | intentionandgrace.com

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Feb. 7, 2015

10 Valentine’s items you’ll gush over

Valentine’s day is approaching and although traditional chocolates and flowers are great, I like to spice it up and get a bit more creative with gift ideas. Here are my top ten ideas for 2015, some you’ve maybe seen before, but I bet some will surprise you. I can’t decide which of these goodies to gift in our family, but I can guarantee that any of them would be a hit in the Roberts household.

Ten Valentine's day items you'll gush over  |  Valentines Day gift guide 2015  |  intentionandgrace.com

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10

1. These coordinates bracelets are the COOLEST! You could get the coordinates of your first house, your wedding location, the birth of your children, your honeymoon spot, etc. They offer rings, bracelets, necklaces and more. This is the priciest item on the list, but so cool, minimalist and sentimental. I love these!

2. Guys, these adorable square things in that cute little box are MARSHMALLOWS! I mean, really? How cool is that? Link up your instagram or design your own, these are sure to brighten someone’s day and are so one of a kind!

3. May Designs has been a favorite of mine for some time, I carry one of their journals with me at all times. Recently they launched photo books and Valentine’s day would be the perfect opportunity to design your own. They have tons of styles and patterns to choose from and are seriously just the coolest to have in your house!

4. I mean, there isn’t a water bottle so simple and so sweet as this one. Great for a little girl, teenager or athletic mom, these keep you looking cute while hydrating.

5. I have been wanting one of these custom family portraits for some time. There is something so sweet about capturing your family in an illustration and the ones Sophia and Lili offer always have me going crazy.

6. Just charge it! Your iPhone I mean. How cute is the great little heart charger from Ban.do? Great for the girl who travels or is always running low on battery.

7. Oh Kate Spade, you did it again. This rose gold “Kiss and Tell” iPhone case is too cute. I’m always down for a little sparkle for my iPhone and love the message subtlety Kate surprises us with.

8. These watercolor gem paintings have had me captivated for a few months now. This cute little etsy shop offers them in all birthstones and even has a great little yearly calendar featuring 12 beautiful painted stones. So well done, so out of the ordinary and lovely.

9. This one falls more on the cheesy Valentine’s gift spectrum, but I think it’s still so cute and would be fun to fill out for your hubbie or loved one. Each page has a different little saying so you don’t have to worry about struggling with the right words to come up with, you can just fill it in and surprise your sweetie on Valentine’s day!

10. D.C. Cupcakes anyone? I’m guilty of watching too much TV from time to time, but baking shows are one of my guilty pleasures in life. I secretly want to drop everything and bake cakes for a living. I just think it would be so magical and fun! You can order a box of these beauties straight from the TLC stars shop for your loved one. Yum!

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Jan. 14, 2015

I Heart Downloads

Today I’m sharing some sweet downloads for Valentine’s Day. I always love coming up with something fun for Dax to take to school for his friends, but also like doing something a bit more special than the store bought cards. So this year I have four fun ideas for your little one, and a few special somethings for home and work as well!

For the office: These two backgrounds have been making me so giddy each morning. The Be Mine floral wreath and February calendar desktop wallpapers are sure to brighten your day too. Bonus! I couldn’t get over the cuteness of that lil heart, so you can download one for your phone too!

Free desktop wallpaper for valentines day. Be mine floral wreath and polka dots.  |  Intentionandgrace.com
Free desktop wallpaper digital download with  February 2015 calendar   |  Intentionandgrace.com Free digital download iphone 5, iphone 6 or iphone 6 plus wallpaper with red, pink and polka dot background  |  Intentionandgrace.com

For the Kids: All these goodies cost around $1 each. Grab a pair of socks from the dollar bin at Target or Michaels, a box of apple sauce or fruit pouches, a small box of crayons, or a cute lil bundle of Cuties for your kids to share with their friends on Valentine’s day.

Free printable kids valentines tags and cards for kids and toddlers.  |  Intentionandgrace.com Free printable kids valentines tags and cards for kids and toddlers.  |  Intentionandgrace.com Free printable kids valentines tags and cards for kids and toddlers.  |  Intentionandgrace.com Free printable kids valentines tags and cards for kids and toddlers.  |  Intentionandgrace.com Free printable kids valentines tags and cards for kids and toddlers.  |  Intentionandgrace.com

For the home: This cute bunting banner is great for your home mantel, above the bed to add some spice in your room, or strung in an office or classroom. Simply print, cut, and string it together for some easy Valentine’s decor. I used these mini clothes pins for mine.

Valentines Day Bunting Banner for the mantel or office  |  Intentionandgrace.com Printable Valentines banner   |  Intentionandgrace.com Valentines Day flag Banner   |  Intentionandgrace.com Valentines-downloads-12

Banner and Gift Tags

Be Mine Desktop  |  Calendar Desktop

iPhone 5  |  iPhone 6  |  iPhone 6 Plus

 

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Dec. 17, 2014

2014 Christmas Home Tour

2014 Holiday home tour One of my most cherished childhood memories was decking the halls in our home each year. I still get giddy when the lights come out and the trees go up, it literally brings tears to my eyes on some occasions. To me, it is has grown into a beautiful form of worship to my God. I light up my house as a symbol for his light in my life and I sometimes just find myself overwhelmed by his love and mercy throughout the Holiday season more than any other time of year.

My love for all things Christmas has continued to grow as I have and I feel so honored to have the chance to decorate our home now. I am filled with so much joy each time Maddax turns the Christmas tree on and his eyes light up with the tree. So much so, that I have slowly been adding trees and decor to our collection hoping no matter what room I am in for the month of December that I can feel some sort of holiday cheer. So, today I am sharing our holiday home tour with you. Enjoy!

Christmas Holiday Wreath, front door decor  |  Intentionandgrace.com My front door is one of my favorite places to decorate during the season. Guests come and go more frequently and I always want them to feel welcome. We love to get a fresh green wreathe to welcome our guests with. This beauty is from SAMS and it smells amazing each time guests come and go. Simply mist it with a spray water bottle throughout the season and it stays crisp and fresh for all to enjoy. 2014 holiday dining room decor and table setting  |  intentionandgrace.com Our dining room is just inside our front door and I love to add bright pops of color in this space. These adorable Christmas trees are available at Walmart for $.50-2 depending on the size. They are so festive and fun. 2014 holiday dining room decor and table setting  |  intentionandgrace.com Our centerpiece is a simple glass vase filled with fresh cranberries and water. This keeps them fresh for weeks and gives some height to the center of the table. 2014 holiday dining room decor and table setting  |  intentionandgrace.com I added some sweet glittery deer ornaments from Target to each place setting this year. Although they are blank for now, the antlers make great place card holders for holiday dinners or parties. 2014 holiday dining room decor and table setting  |  intentionandgrace.com The Roberts Christmas Tree  |  intentionandgrace.com The Roberts Christmas Tree Decor |  intentionandgrace.com I love coordinating our gift wrap each year. This year I went with basic white paper and added pops of red and green to match our tree. Simple but sweet. IMG_9817 DIY Holiday Stockings This year I purchased some initial ornaments to mark our stockings more clearly. See post from last year to see how these wonderful DIY stockings were made. IMG_9816 IMG_9815 IMG_9811 IMG_9808 Christmas tree and a teepee for a kids room holiday decor Maddax room even has a small silver tree. He jumps out of bed asking to turn it on each morning as we count together “One, two, three” and it lights up. I just love it! 2014 Bedroom Christmas Decor  | Blue, white, silver, black holiday tree  |  Intentionandgrace.com Perhaps my favorite little corner in our house during the decorating season is our bedroom. This cozy reading nook fits in our bedroom perfectly with the bright pops of blue over timeless black and white. I just love it!

What is your favorite spot in your home? Share it using #intentionandgraceholiday today!

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