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!

-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 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!

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.