Everybody needs a season changer. You know a little something something that lets you celebrate the different moods of the year.  My season changer for summer used to be busting out the super short dresses and bottle of self tanner, but lets be honest no one wants to see a 9 month pregnant lady trying to ‘bring the sexy’ into summer.  So I have found this years season changer and because it has gotten me as many compliments as my inappropriate summer dresses got me dates I am sharing it with the Things Your Mother Never Taught You sisterhood.

This little straw black and cream Havana hat goes with everything! I have been wearing it with jeans and tees, casual dresses, and sometimes naked while singing Michael Jackson in my bathroom but that is not really a fashion play…more of a personal thing.  Here is the real kicker… it is less than 10 bucks and available online from Forever 21.

p.s. Hats, like men, are tricky. I wore this sparkly hat for an entire evening and no one said anything. Generally I would say that this evidence negates my ability to make a valid recommendation on hats, however I am so confident in the Havana hat that it overrides my obvious previous poor headgear record. 

All White, All the Time (coincidentally also Arizona’s new state motto)!  

The guest room of most folks houses tends to be the ‘all the old shit that isn’t good enough for the rest of us to use on a daily basis’ catch all room. If you are fortunate enough to have a guest room and to have people who actually want to be a guest in your house or if your partner is a snorer and you end up spending almost every night sleeping in the guest room because he refuses to address this problem with his doctor and instead insists that you are making it up (oh yeah because you know what I like to do is make up stuff that forces me to drag my ass from our nice comfy bed at 2 in the morning into the super cold guest room with the bad mattress).**

Wait, where was I,  oh yes, I would like to give you a quick tip to making this room FABULOUS!  Make your guest room ALL WHITE.  It seems like a pretty simple concept but trust me it works wonders! Here is the simplest way to do it:

-Dedicate a Saturday morning to get this all done.  Saturday mornings are the best time to hit up a few garage sales to get some of the big pieces you’ll need, head board, side tables, benches, etc. 

-White out your all your pieces.  Use a couple different methods of painting depending on what floats your boat. I like to hand paint a few pieces and spray paint a few. If you have a question about what will work best on each piece ASK the guy/gal at the paint counter when you go to pick up your supplies. It is like asking me what you can do with a box of cake mix…it turns me on.

-Now its time to do your soft goods: sheets, curtains, rugs, ect. Here are my suggestions if you want to blow your own mind on what a budget keepin’ bee-otch you can be.

a. Sheets-Ross Dress for Less and TJ Maxx

b. Rugs and Lighting -IKEA 

c. Curtains- Target and IKEA

-Put all together! The room pictured here gives you an idea of gorgeous this look can be when done well. Granted this image is from Elle Décor but it illustrates the way white makes everything feels cohesive. 

** Get a Breath Right strip DAMMIT! You know who you are!

In life some things ARE black and white:

-Oreo’s

-Zebras

 -Arizona’s new immigration laws which are blatantly racist and hateful…. What?  Take a joke Republican Readers**!

If you are looking to fill up a big wall space in your house on the cheap try the black and white wall.  A black and white book of photography will go a LONG way. These books can be a little pricy but one of these books is usually cheaper than the least expensive piece of art you can find commercially and will fill a lot more space.  

Target now offers frames that have mats inside them. Fanfreakintastic!

If you want to avoid a lot of the headache of hanging multiple pictures and give yourself the option of rearranging and adding in pieces as you add to your collection try using shelves. 

**2 words not often found next to each other. Oh Shazam!

I’ve spent hours, probably days of my life trying to free the precious strands of jewels (read: costume jewelry) that has gotten destroyed in my jewelry box.  I am not even sure it would be possible to recreate some of intricate systems of tangles going on in these giant clumps of what was once beautiful pieces of jewelry goodness.  That all changed a couple of months ago when I came across the simple two dollar hook at the hardware store.  And Viola, we’ve created something pretty to look at for your closet, bathroom, bedroom wall while managing to keep your jewelry separate and most of all wearable!

Ahh Springtime…  A season for cute bunnies, pastels and last and totally but not least Spring Cleaning.

I am big on rewarding yourself in life.  Had a good week on your diet? Eat a candy bar!  Finally paid off your credit card? Mama needs a new dress!  Just completed a 12 step program? Have a cocktail….oh take a joke.

Here are some fun little finds to spruce up your life after you have cleaned out your abode, and by you I obviously mean the friendly folks at your neighborhood cleaning service.  That’s a joke.  Just not sure which part.  

As you’ll see, the next several posts will be dedicated to Springtime and some new ways to spruce up your digs. 

Spring find numero uno:  

Leafy Sticky Notes-  Add a little life to your bookshelves! These green grass sticky notes called Green Markers are from Japanese designer Yuruliku are a beautiful Spring alternative to bookmarks and at 700 yen (8ish dollars) these are inexpensive way bring in the green!

Everyone always says to get flowers in the house for Spring…  Well that can get a little pricey every week, so one of my must have products this Spring are these beautiful decorative branches from Saveoncrafts.  These branches give you a fresh look in place of flowers and last ALL SEASON!!!

These vinyl walls decals are fantastico for putting some punch on your walls for Spring. I found a bunch at walls need love; but they seem to be popping up everywhere.  With over 200 images of floral, greenery, and abstract decals there is something for everyone… They are great for spicing up that rental pad where you’ve been hesitant to do anything permanent. Also at $14-72 dollars a pop these puppies can be stuck up in the spring and changed in the fall!  

I love candles all year long but the weather in the Spring (look up, see rain!) can make it impossible to keep candles on the porch. These new LED candles give you great ambient light for any Spring night and never burn out or care if they get wet!  The one I found is from Kmart and at $9.95 you can buy a few!

One of the tough things about Springtime is attempting to guess what the weather is going to bring us.  You’re really letting me down Al Roker.  Enter the Fire and Ice Pit!  It rocks!  It solves all those unpredictable weather problems and at $59.95 is a big piece added to your outdoor area with only a little commitment from your wallet.   Since it is chilly today, check out my S’Mores video (filed under Videos) and go camping in your backyard!  OK, ok I make those in the microwave, but it’ll put you in the mood.  Sorry, but I dont have a video of beers in an ice bucket.  That’s for you to figure out on your own.  

NOTE: Things Your Mother Never Taught You does not condone using the firepit indoors, as “rad” as that seems dont do it.  We wont be posting quick tips to get soot out of your walls anytime soon.

Wanna spruce up your kitchen for springtime? Try Aspects Peel and Stick Metal Tiles (www.aspectideas.com).  These tiles can cover almost any old surface including old tile and give any old kitchen a fresh designer look…and at $20 for a box 8 you may find a lot of surfaces that you think need to be redone!