7. Donate it! One of our Facebook group member suggested the charity, Brides Across America. According to their website, “Brides Across America (BAA) is a non-profit committed to loving one another by gifting weddings and wedding gowns to our military & first responders.”

6. Donate it to Angel Gowns. “NICU Helping Hands’ Angel Gown® Program began in 2013 because we recognized there was an overwhelming need for better support for families who lost a baby. [they] provide gowns free of charge to any hospital or family requesting our Angel Gown® Program garments.”

5. Wear it on your Anniversary. Plan each romantic anniversary with a dinner for just the 2 of you. It’s a great excuse to send the kids to friend’s houses or to the grandparents’ and cook your favorite meal or have a special meal delivered from one of your favorite Fort Worth eateries.

4. Preserve it for future generations. You may have a daughter who might want to wear it, or even a daughter-in-law someday that would love to carry on the tradition. Links-Gunn’s Dry Cleaning and Laundry is one local option you can use to make your dress an heirloom or keepsake.

3. If your dress isn’t in the best of shape you can still repurpose the fabric to create other items such as wraps for the flower girls, a layer or patch under your daughter’s wedding dress, lace for boutonnieres or corsages, a rehearsal dinner dress for your daughter, or even a baptismal or christening gown for your child or grandchild.

2. Have portraits made of your daughter playing dress up. The picture that was shared showed the little girl sitting on a bench in a garden. I think my own daughter would absolutely love this. A similar idea someone shared was having your wedding portraits made in your mother’s gown and in the same poses so when placed next to each other you can see the generational tradition carry on.

1.The most interesting and clever idea shared was to have it made into a Christmas tree skirt. I personally love this idea since you get to have all of those wonderful wedding day memories tied to another special holiday.

Victoria Wise publishes a magazine in Fort Worth,Texas, raises four awesome kids with her loving husband, and makes time as a board member for non-profits Lone Star Film Festival and Connected Commerce Council. Some of her accomplishments includes being a part of Facebook’s SMB Council, being a Founding Member of TCU Neeley School’s Women to the Power of 10, receiving the Legacy of Women Award, and having a successful sale of a previous business. She just completed a Kickstarter that reached 100% of their funding goals for newly launching UPPA TEA.

The post 7 Crazy Cool Things to do with your Old Wedding Dress first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

No one has ever accused me of having a green thumb so I will leave the details to you. However, I am going to let you know about something you may not have heard of yet. Silver Creek Materials, a proud Fort Worth company that has been around since 1983, has developed a new landscaping material that, if you live in Fort Worth, might intrigue you.

Purple Mulch. Yep, you heard that right. Purple mulch. It’s environmentally safe, it’s affordable, you can get it at Silver Creek Materials or other local independent garden centers, hardware and feed stores, and it’s called, appropriately, “Go Frog Go!”

You have a Horned Frog flag flying proudly at your front door. You have purple street numbers painted on your curb. You have Horned Frog decals on your back windshield, and you may even have a TCU license plate frame. But you don’t have purple mulch. Yet.

Even if you didn’t go to TCU, maybe you’re a Paschal alum. It still works. Maybe you went to Arlington Heights and The University of Texas; you’re still a Fort Worthian who supports hometown teams, right? Well, maybe not. But, if you did go to TCU, or Paschal, or James Madison University, or Northwestern, you need to show the colors, and this is definitely the coolest, most unique way to do it.

For more info and pricing, and for all of your soil, compost, mulch, and landscape needs, please call Silver Creek Materials at 817-246-2426, or visit their website at www.SilverCreekMaterials.com

The post Go Frog Go! first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

As with every beauty trend, there are things that come and go. In my personal and professional opinion, brows are back in full force, and I hope that they are here to stay! A well-enhanced brow will literally frame your face and compliment your natural beauty.  Brows can assist in making you appear more youthful and awake, and who doesn’t want that? I tell all my clients that no brow should be left untouched – even the thickest and most naturally beautiful brows need a little help. There are a ton of brow products on the market: pomades, gels, pencils – but which one is for you? If you’re a brow newbie or if the thought of adding another step into your makeup routine gives you a headache, have no fear! In just a few super simple steps, I will show you a user-friendly, quick and easy way to enhance your brows.

-eyeshadow primer (my favorite is MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in shades Painterly or Soft Ochre for fair skinned ladies and shade Layin’ Low for darker skin tones).

-a firm bristled angled brush (bonus if theres a spoolie (mascara wand) on the other end! this will come in handy for any errors.)
My brush of choice is the Brow Tamer from LimeLight by Alcone (www.limelightbyalcone.com/karidoesmakeup)

-brow powder or natural toned eyeshadow in your color of choice (I’m using Anastasia Beverly Hills brow powder duo in shade Soft Brown).
-Optional: clear or tinted brow gel

Apply the eye shadow primer directly onto your eyebrow hair. This will give the brow powder something to stick to! When I’m doing makeup on clients I always use a brush to apply the primer but at home I simply use my fingers.
Pro Tip: try using your ring finger (your weakest finger pressure-wise for the delicate eye area!) and gently pat on some of the Painterly Paint Pot.
I usually begin at the base of my eyelashes and work upwards, patting product through the brow hair. Any shadow primer will work, but my favorite thing about the Paint Pots is that they will neutralize any unevenness in tone on your eyelids, adding to the overall fabulous look we’re going for. Veins or splotchy tones on those eyelids are gone and you’re left with a clean canvas for your brows to be the star! Some brow powders will come with a wax that you can use as primer but frankly they aren’t my favorite. To each their own — use what YOU like!

If you position your brush as I have mine, it makes enhancing that arch easy!

On to brow #2! Notice the positioning of the brush, I’m once again working with the angle of the bristles and the angle of my arch!

Pro Tip: if you feel like you’ve gotten too heavy handed, hold the spoolie (mascara wand end of the brow brush!) horizontally and move it left to right a few times. The back and forth motion will grab some of the brow powder and instantly soften any harsh lines or dark spots. You can also graze the area lightly with a cotton swab, but I swear by the spoolie as an ‘eraser’ tip!

Step 3 (Optional): An optional extra step is to top off your completed brows with a clear or tinted brow gel. I use the clear brow gel from Anastasia Beverly Hills and it simply helps keep any stray brow hairs in place and can further lock on the powder you’ve used.

Pro Tip:You could also lightly spray hairspray on a clean mascara wand and lightly run it through your brows for the same effect.

Finished!
A quick, naturally enhanced perfect brow!

Follow me on my Facebook Page for more beauty tips!

Kari Ann Shuler was born in Maryland and relocated to Texas in 1999 during her freshman year of high school. She’s called Fort Worth home since 2004, when she attended TCU and fell in love with makeup while taking a stage makeup course through the theatre department. Kari graduated in 2007 with a degree in Radio TV Film. She has applied her knowledge of lighting and the way things are perceived on camera as an integral part of her approach to makeup. She specializes in Bridal and makeup for special occasions but also offers makeup lessons and applications for all occasions. She has been featured in print and television including an episode of “My Fair Wedding with David Tutera.” She’s previously served as Lead Makeup artist at Fort Worth Blow Dry Bar and Primp Beauty Bar. She has a 16 year old cat named Bear and will marry her fiance David in December of this year.

The post Beautiful Brows Made Easy! first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Shaving Cream Art:  What kid doesn’t like to get messy (cringe)? I promise it’s not that bad, all you need is a can of shaving cream.  My kids work on their own little table, but if you want to keep the mess more contained, dollar store plastic trays or cookie sheets are perfect work spaces.  With their fingers they can draw pictures or practice letters and numbers. The sky’s the limit.

Marble Painting:  This is another very contained mess that the kids are sure to enjoy.  All you need is a shallow box or tray, washable paint, a marble or small rubber ball, and paper.  This is a great activity for teaching smaller children how mix new colors.  Place the paper in the box, squirt some paint, and roll away!

Nature Scavenger Hunt:  We all know how important it is for the kids to get outside.  Provide your kids with a list of items that can be found in your yard or in a park and set them free.  It’s sure to give them a good time and run off some of that pent-up energy from sitting in class all day.  They can point out items, collect them, or snap photos of them.

Plastic Cup Challenge:  Pick up a package of cups at the store today and challenge the kids to make a structure using all of them.

Reading:  You’d like to see your kids do more reading, but are you having trouble finding ways to encourage it?  Kids love to have a dedicated space that’s cozy and just for them, no parents allowed.  Set a timer for thirty minutes and have them log their own time every day on a calendar for a prize at the end of the week/month.

Pom Pom Soccer:  For this game you need pom poms or cotton balls, straws, and painter’s tape.  On a table or the floor, tape down at opposite ends of the “field” a strip for each goal.  The kids have to race to blow their pom poms across their opponent’s goal line.

Sidewalk Chalk Games:  Perhaps this one is overdone, but I know you have a box of chalk in the garage. There are a hundred different games to be found on Pinterest that involve chalk.  My kids love lying down and tracing each other.  Tic Tac Toe, Four Square, Four Corners, Hop Scotch, Connect-the-Dots, and Chalk Darts are a few more traditional games.  Get more creative by drawing a hopping obstacle course, a maze, or a map of the city.

Bubble Painting:  Take this one outside because it’s quite messy.  You’ll need bubble solution, paint, disposable bowls, and paper or cardstock.  Mix the bubble solution with different colored paints (more solution than paint in the mixture), and blow bubbles onto the paper to create interesting designs.  Have a bowl with water to rinse the bubble wand in between colors.

Freeze Dance Party:  Turn the music up and have the kids freeze every time you pause the song (or put a child in charge of the music).

Acts of Kindness:  Have your kids think of ways to do things for others.  Keep boxed brownie mix or pre-made cookie dough on hand to bake for family or friends.  Send them to rake leaves for an elderly neighbor.  Sit them down to write a thank you note for their teachers or community workers.  Ask them to collect three unwanted toys or articles of clothing to donate.  For older kids who drive, send them to the store with a short grocery list to take to a person in need.

You can help your kids be more independent by providing a list of these (and other) activities that they can reference on their own when they’re feeling bored.  If you’re more creative, keep a cute jar with games and art projects written on popsicle sticks.  Whether you’re looking for some quiet time for yourself or bonding time with your children, we hope your family enjoys these easy stress free activities.

Christy Ortiz is a Fort Worth native and is proud to say so.   She earned her bachelor’s degree from UT Arlington in Interdisciplinary Studies.  She taught for FWISD for eight busy years before switching gears and staying home with her two small children.  Her hobbies are interior decorating for friends, photography, and flying kites with her kids.  Her South American roots and love for the Spanish language and Latin cultures add to the diverse voices of our group.

The post Easy After School Fun first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Grapevine Wreath

1. Remove flowers and foliage from their stems or shorten stems. Some flower stems are easily woven in the grapevine wreath; some are better completely cut off.
2. Arrange and secure with hot glue the larger flowers, then fill in smaller flowers. Weave the stems into the grapevine if you kept them longer.
3. Add foliage and embellishments such as ribbon or monograms.
4. Always hang the wreath and then hot glue down any edges that look insecure.

Moss Wreath

1. One bag of moss will be needed for an 18” craft ring. Add bits of moss to the craft ring with hot glue. (You can also use a spray adhesive.) Work in small portions.  Leave the area you will attach flowers bare.
2. Remove flowers from their stems and hot glue them down to the craft ring. Begin with larger blooms and fill in smaller flowers and foliage.
3. Hang and secure down any loose edges with hot glue.

Ribbon Wreath

1. Wrap and hot glue ribbon around a hay wreath, pulling tight as you wrap. For an 18” wreath you will need four 3-yard spools.
2. Remove flowers from stems and secure them to the wreath with hot glue. Start with the larger flowers then fill in with smaller flowers and foliage.
3. Stop there or add embellishments like bows or monograms.
4. Hang and secure down any loose edges.

With a few supplies easily obtained from a local craft store and with a little bit of imagination, you can create a beautiful and lasting personalized wreath to decorate your front door and welcome your guests!

Christy Ortiz is a Fort Worth native, and proud to say so.   She earned her bachelor’s degree from UT Arlington in Interdisciplinary Studies.  She taught for FWISD for eight busy years before switching gears and staying home with her two small children.  Her hobbies are interior decorating for friends, photography, and flying kites with her kids.  Her South American roots and love for the Spanish language and Latin cultures add to the diverse voices of our group.

The post Front Door Décor: 3 Super Easy DIY Wreaths first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

The DIY/maker movement is sweeping the country, especially in North Texas.  Few pieces of home décor are as eye-catching or as long lasting as something custom, something you built with your own hands. But what if you need help completing that project, or you lack the tools and space to make it happen? That’s where BUILD Member’s Workshop comes in. BUILD is a membership-based workshop located in Southlake that features 8,500 square feet of working space and all the tools and equipment you need to make your dream project a reality.

But we’re more than just a workshop for experienced craftsmen and woodworkers. BUILD is for the hobbyist, the dabbler, and the newcomer alike. We offer a wide range of classes featuring projects from notable designers and teachers to guide your work. Whether you’re looking to complete a Pinterest project, recreate something from HGTV, or design a piece all your own, BUILD’s team of experienced personnel can show you exactly how to create anything you have in mind. From the place setting atop your kitchen table to the table itself, no project is too big or too small. In addition to our class offerings, membership options range from single day passes to year-long plans and start at just $59. Check out our website for a look at some of the custom work we’ve helped our members create, or swing by the shop to see what we can offer you.

You can BUILD it. Let us show you how.

Justin graduated from Texas Tech University in 2006 with a degree in Architecture and has long had a passion for woodworking.  In 2013, after completing one of countless projects made more difficult by the small space in his one-car garage, he wondered if there was a place-a community-that has all the space and tools he could ever need. When he could find no such place, he decided to create it. Justin’s vision finally came to fruition with the opening of Build Workshop. A place where hobbyists, artisans, dabblers and weekend warriors could come together for one common goal-to BUILD!

The post You Can BUILD It first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

You know who you are. You’re the woman who decides Tuesday morning after dropping the kids off at school that EVERYTHING needs to be organized. Immediately. It starts with the back seat of the car and before you know it, it’s the car, the garage, the table in the entryway, the pantry, the kitchen, every closet in the house, every single thing of your husband’s, and basically everything you’ve ever owned or will own in the future. DON’T try to organize everything. Even in your head. You know where that gets you? A nap 11 minutes in. Start with one small and easily definable space. One drawer. One box. The pantry. No more.    

2. Don’t Zigzag

You know that thing where you take the thing from the room you’re currently working in, walk into the other room, realize you need to organize all the things in there, and then you completely abandon Room #1? Yeah, don’t do that. “Zigzagging” is only good if you’re running from a predator. Never when organizing.

 “But Elizabeth, it goes in another room,” I can hear you saying.

 Great…make a pile of things that go in another room. And when you are completely finished {yes, it’s possible} organizing the first space, you can set them in their respective places to be organized another time. Preferably after you’ve had a refreshing beverage and a celebratory spa service.   

3. Pull Everything Out

And I mean EVERYTHING. Rearranging is not organizing. And even the most seasoned professional organizer would go crazy trying to rearrange things. ONLY when you pull everything out of a space, clean said space, and start putting things back in – one by one – can your brain reboot and think clearly about what goes where.

4. Touch and Make a Deliberate Decision About Everything

 It’s been said that clutter is nothing more than unmade decisions. The National Association of Professional Organizers also estimates that the average home has 300,000 things in it. That’s a lot of unmade decisions. This is your chance. Take that one space and be its boss. Reclaim your amazing decision-making superpowers. Make a pile for things you definitely want to keep and a pile for things you definitely want to get rid of. Then make yourself a “maybe” pile. Come back to that after your rock solid decisions have been made. It’s ok if that maybe pile takes a few days to go through. But don’t move on to another space until you’ve made a final decision about each and every thing.  

5. Group Like Things With Like Things

Remember that Sesame Street song…”One of These Things Is Not Like the Others”? It’s the same with organizing. Paper does not get to live with scissors. Hair products don’t cohabitate with face products. And spaghetti sauce doesn’t go with cereal. Unless you have a recipe I’ve never heard of. And then, please don’t invite me over for dinner.

Whether you’re sorting or storing, group like things with like things.

  6. Purge

If you don’t love it or use it, let it go. You’ll never be able to reach for something new while you’re holding onto something old. And no space should be more than 75% full. {That means 25% empty.} At any time. 

7. Containerize

And you thought running out to Container Store was the first thing on the list. Nope! You have to know what you’ve got to work with after sorting and purging before investing in containers. I recommend that you get containers in multiples of three {sometimes two} for a more visually stunning and symmetrical look. PS…it’s ok to get a few more than you need and keep them empty on the shelf…to grow into.

8. Label

Not only does labeling ensure you {and by you, I mean your husband and children} put things back in their perfect place, but beautiful labels mean that every time you open a door or drawer, you’ll love your space. And your life. So labels save lives, people.

9. Think Outside the Box

Here’s the good news: If there’s an organizing need out there, there’s a creative solution that EXACTLY meets that need. Think outside the box.

For example, use pool noodles to make your boots stand up:

Or towel bars to hang scarves:

Or acrylic shoe drawers to create a snack zone for your kids:

10. Louvre the Things You Love

 Whether you have a sentimental item from a family member who has passed away, a mint condition collection you’ve had since you were a kid, or a treasure that brings you joy every time you look at it, there is a perfect way to showcase it. During the purging stage, get rid of everything that you don’t use or love. But your most sacred and sentimental things should be treated like they’re on exhibit at The Louvre in Paris. Louvre the things you love.

Elizabeth Jones gets paid to rifle through people’s things. Not in a creepy way. She is a professional residential organizer, as well as speaker and writer on the transformative power of being organized. Elizabeth has a master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Texas Tech University. She worked for 12 years in education and educational philanthropy before leaving it all to start her own organizing business, Nest & Transformation, four years ago. Having been in love with Fort Worth and its residents since the first time she visited over a decade ago, she can’t wait to go to work with her clients every day. Elizabeth specializes in organizing solutions that are both visually stunning and highly efficient, as well as showcasing the sentimental pieces her clients love to collect. Elizabeth shows clients how they can transform EVERY facet of their lives – one drawer at a time.

The post 10 Ways to Get Organized Without Wanting to Torch the Place or Take a Nap first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Making sugar cookies is one of those things that just comes with motherhood. It’s the quintessential hands on activity between mother and child that makes memories of a lifetime. My kids love going to the local Fort Worth bakeries, but it’s so nice when you can replicate that delectable goodness at home. I tend to make these cookies once the fall hits, but it’s been awhile since I’ve made them and thought I lost the recipe. But a call to my ever helpful mother-in-law did the trick, we were able to remember the recipe and so happy to share it with you.

Ingredients

4 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
AND the secret ingredients…
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup of sour cream

Step by step

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Don’t skip the sifting, it’s an important part! In a separate bowl mix the butter and sugar until it’s smooth. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract and your secret ingredients the sour cream and almond extract until it’s all very well blended. Start adding in the dry sifted ingredients about a 1/4 at a time until it’s all mixed. The next step involves chilling the dough overnight, but “ain’t nobody got time for that”. Instead, I roll the dough between two layers of wax paper.

You’ll want to roll the dough THICK, a little thicker than a 1/4 inch. It’s important to not add any additional flour at this point, because the wax paper will keep the rolling pin from getting sticky and because of the baking time that extra flour gets in the way of the awesome taste this recipe makes.

Then here’s the fun part. Allow your sous chefs to pick out their favorite cookie cutters and go to town! Since it’s Christmas we naturally chose all the Christmasy ones, but of course this recipe is for anytime of the year and you can decorate with different color sugar, icings, or candy. If you don’t plan on adding icing, now is the time to add your sugar and candy only toppings.

Place cookies about an inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. If you are only adding sugar, then add it on a separate plate before placing them on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven. Wait to remove the cookies from the baking sheet for 5 more minutes. If you chose to decorate the cookies after they are baked, then prepare your favorite icing and decorate with style!

I don’t have an icing recipe that I love, so if you have one to share please comment in the section below or share a link with your favorite icing recipe and technique.

Happy baking! Be sure to tag @tanglewoodmoms in Instagram if you make this recipe. I’d love to see how it turns out and some smiling little faces.

Please take a moment to check out our sponsor for this post.

The post Sugar Cookie Recipe by Victoria Wise first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

The post Healthy Chocolate Almond Smoothie by Bree Perez first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

I arrived at her house with cupcakes I had already baked, and we then added store bought frosting to the tops. To prepare the decoration, we started with plain white fondant and separated into handfuls to begin adding color. I bought the Wilton brand fondant you can find in the craft stores or online. But here is a recipe for marshmallow fondant that looks great too! And here’s a video tutorial in case you are  a visual learner like me.

I read that gel color works better, but I used regular ol’ food coloring and it worked just fine. Start with a few drops, knead for a couple of minutes and keep adding more drops until you reach your desired hue. Some basic knowledge of color mixing is useful, but the good thing is these materials aren’t terribly expensive and you can just grab another handful if you are not happy with the color you made. I’m not speaking from experience at all here.

Next step is to roll it out. I had made fondant cupcakes for my daughter’s 1st birthday and happened to have this rolling pin. But your regular rolling pin should also work just fine. Note there’s a 5 year gap from the last time I used this roller, so do not feel the need to go out and buy all the specific supplies.

I used a glass to cut out the round shape, just ever so slightly larger than the size of the cupcake. The tutorial I found most helpful in getting the rounded top effect I wanted is here. She’s awfully cheerful, I know. I think you have to be to have the patience to create fondant covered cupcakes.

The best way to get fondant to stick to fondant is by using a brush to slightly wet the area. Some features were rolled out and some features we molded by hand, but we did have a handy dandy edible pen to make the dots on the eyes.

Before I start any project, any party, any creative endeavor…I start with Pinterest. I quickly searched fondant Angry Bird cupcakes and knew the colors would be right for the party, my son would love them, and it gave me future ideas of what else I’d like to make using fondant.

So happy baking and decorating. I’m sure there are a TON of great Halloween ideas out there in Martha and Pinterest-world. Please tag me in pictures on Instagram if you’d like to share your creations! My IG handle is @tanglewoodmoms. I’d love to see them!!

xo, Victoria

The post Fantastic Fondant first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.