Mom Life in the PNW

Cricut electronic cutting machine: the best DIY crafting tool

Cricut electronic cutting machine: the best DIY crafting tool

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. 

Want the ability to easily make a personalized wedding gift or perhaps some unique home décor? Then you might find Cricut electronic cutting machines to be the best DIY crafting tool since the sewing machine. 

There are two machines that Cricut currently offers on their site:

Cricut Explore One™ 

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Cricut Explore One™ is a simple design-and-cut system. It’s versatile, easy to use, cuts very precisely, and is also incredibly affordable. With its irresistibly low price and limitless cutting potential, the Explore One is perfect for a new or beginning crafter. Here are a few notable features of the Explore One: 

Materials – All Cricut machines can cut an unbelievable variety of materials, for example:

  • Paper
  • Vinyl
  • Iron-on
  • Craft materials
  • Upcycled materials
  • Fabric
  • Plastic
  • Thick materials

Precision – Features Cut Smart™ technology, which allows you to cut a wide range of shapes and sizes with exceptional precision, from ¼” tall up to 11½” wide x 23½” tall. 

Smart Set® Dial – Each machine features a Smart Set® dial, which sets your settings (e.g. speed, pressure, etc.) for you so you don’t have to keep track of them. You just select the material that you’re using on the Smart Set® dial and the machine’s Cut Smart® technology will deliver a clean, professional cut. 

Images and Fonts – You can upload your own images and fonts for free on all three Cricut cutting machines. 

Cartridges – Both machines work with any Cricut cartridge and have the capability to hold all of your cartridges “virtually” in the cloud within your Cricut Design Space online software. So once you’ve loaded a cartridge, you’ll have it everywhere you go. 

Cricut’s Design Space™ and iPad® app – All Cricut Explore machines work hand-in-hand with Cricut’s Design Space™ (for PC, Mac®, iPad®, and iPhone®) that you get access to for free. 

Cricut Explore Air™

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The Explore Air is the whole kit ‘n caboodle. It offers all the impressive features mentioned for the Explore One, but two key things set it apart:

  1. It has a dual carriage for cutting and writing or cutting and scoring in one step. If you do a lot of paper crafting, this is the machine for you!
  2. It has built-in Bluetooth® capability. You just use Cricut’s free iPad app and design anything you want from your iPad, just like you would on your home computer, but with the convenience of being able to take your projects with you anywhere. Then, you can just wirelessly send your project from your iPad to your Explore Air to bring it to life.

Now that you know a lot more about how Cricut Explore® machines work, I’ll focus next week’s post on how you can design here, there and everywhere with Cricut Design Space. You’ll be blown away by how easy it is.

Until then … Happy crafting! 

Benefits of Outdoor Play: Get Out This Summer!

Benefits of Outdoor Play: Get Out This Summer!

With summer officially here, schools out and that means kids need some sort of stimulation; they crave to learn and explore. We love going to the community park with the nieces. They can run, jump, climb, explore, learn and be social all in one place.  A couple of my nieces don’t really have a yard at home and with it raining almost 9 months out of the year here in the PNW, they don’t get too much play time activity outside so they really enjoy it and so do we!

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Nowadays kids just want to stay inside and play video games; my nieces included. We as adults need to set time limits and make them go outside and enjoy the outdoors. I remember always being outside playing with friends from school or neighbor kids and having a complete ball. I didn’t need electronics to entertain me. My friends and I would put on shows like singing and dancing and whatnot. Being outside allowed our imaginations to flow.

So what will you be doing this summer with the kiddos?

Check out the Benefits of Play at IPEMA’s Voice of Play Movement.

Taking a Little Trip to Oahu

Taking a Little Trip to Oahu

A few months ago, my husband mentioned taking a trip to Hawaii at the end of the year before our little one starts walking so we wouldn’t be too stressed out from having to chase her around. I immediately started saving as much as I could from blogging income at that point because I knew that my husband would probably back out of it when the time comes because of funds being limited. He started this massive backyard project that’s going to take like 5k to finish, and we just got done with our master bathroom remodel in February which cost us 10k. A lot of money, but in the end worth it because it’ll help out with our resell value. I knew with all of those limitations, his mentioning of Hawaii wouldn’t actually happen unless I helped out. I’ve never been there and would love to go of course, so I am all on board!

We decided that early November or early December would probably be the best time to make this trip happen since it’s the cheapest overall for package deals. Just don’t plan to save money around the holidays when people are traveling during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I think we’re going to stay on Oahu since it’s somehow the cheapest. Maybe more touristy? They want to get you there so you’ll spend more money on what they have to offer? At least that’s my guess considering the capital is on that island.

I also liked Oahu because it has some of the most beautiful beaches and adventurous excursions; we’ll definitely need to be packing our comfy Reef attire and shoes/sandals for exploring the island. My Reef Braided Cushion sandals are a must for this trip. You wouldn’t think a sandal would be that comfortable, but it has support and is cushion-y; feels like you’re walking on air!

I can’t wait for this trip, it’s going to be amazing, that is if I end up saving enough at the end of the year. Hopefully I’ll get to see some pretty blue waters in Oahu that I didn’t get to see while in Mazatlan, Mexico. That’s always been one of my things to see in life, but I may just have to go to the Caribbean some time for that. Beaches around here are mucky, dirty and cold. Definitely not a pleasant experience.

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Have you been to Hawaii? Did you love it or was it overrated?

Urinary Pain Relief with Uricalm OTC Medicine

Urinary Pain Relief with Uricalm OTC Medicine

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Uricalm. All opinions are 100% mine.

I don’t know how many times in my life I’ve gotten random bladder infections, either from drinking too much soda (I know, bad bad) or having forgotten to go potty after doing the deed. Unfortunately, 20% of us will have recurring UTI’s with as much as 3 per year. It’s definitely not fun dealing with which is why I highly recommend Uricalm MAX Pain Tablets and Uricalm Cranberry with D-Mannose. Every time I feel that slight pressure coming on or the urgency to urinate frequently, I start taking the Uricalm Cranberry with D-Mannose and the Uricalm MAX Pain Tablets. They seem to help tremendously before it kicks into a full blown UTI, and the best part is, it can be bought over the counter.

URICALM® MAX:
  • Uricalm® Max is powerful medicine that works fast to stop the excruciating pain, burning, and sensation of urgency that comes with a UTI
  • Phenazopyridine Hydrochloride – the active ingredient in URICALM® MAX – is the #1 UTI pain relief ingredient preferred by women and by doctors
  • URICALM® MAX works directly at the site of the pain with 99.5 mg of clinically proven phenazopyridine hydrochloride — the highest dose you can buy over-the-counter. No other OTC UTI pain medicine has more!
  • The only stronger UTI pain medicine available is a prescription
  • Uricalm® MAX also has cranberry – used extensively by those concerned about urinary tract health.
  • Gluten free
  • Available nationwide at most major retailers
URICALM® CRANBERRY:
  • New Uricalm® Cranberry features a powerful combination of ingredients in every delicious, berry-flavored chewable tablet:
  • CRANBERRY: Scientific studies have shown a link between consuming cranberry and maintaining a healthy urinary tract*
  • D-MANNOSE: Helps prevent the adherence of certain microorganisms to the walls of the urinary tract – allowing your body’s natural defenses to help keep your urinary tract healthy*
  • Uricalm® Cranberry can be taken every day to help maintain your urinary tract health*.
  • Gluten free.
  • Available at Rite Aid, Kroger, and HEB and in select Walmart and CVS Pharmacies nationwide

After seeing all of the great benefits listed above, which one is your favorite? FYI, if you leave a comment, you will be entered into a contest in which 1 lucky reader will win a Uricalm care package.

And if you’d like to try either products, head on over to the Uricalm.com website and print off a $3.00 coupon.

Like with everything in your medicine cabinet, please make sure to read and follow all label instructions before using.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Out on the Town: 5 Best Date Night Cities

Time to woo your special someone? Wherever you live, you’re bound to be able to plan a great night out, but some cities are more suited for romance than others. Where can you go when you want an unforgettable date in an unforgettable setting?

5 best date night cities

Honolulu, Hawaii

The very word “Hawaii” sparks ideas of picturesque sunsets and breathtaking landscapes, but Hawaii’s capital has even more to offer to couples looking for that perfect evening. If you’re downtown, you can head to the First Hawaiian Center and take in some beautiful art before you hop in the glass elevator and get a whole new perspective on the city.

If you’re in the mood for some entertainment, head to one of Oahu’s flavorful local theaters and watch a live show.

Seattle, Washington

For a fantastic date in Seattle, head to the waterfront. There, not only will you catch gorgeous views of the bay and the distant mountains, you’ll also have plenty to do. Browse through Pike Place Market and get something delicious and cheap to eat. Or spend a little more money and enjoy a romantic meal at a place like IL Bistro. After dinner, go for a ride on the Great Wheel, a Ferris wheel that is 175 feet tall.

New York, New York

New York has something for every kind of couple. If art is your thing, catch a Broadway show or take in the wonders of a museum. Like nature? Head to Central Park or the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Even in midtown Manhattan, you can find a couple of beautiful manmade waterfalls where you can enjoy the relaxing music of moving water. In the mood for some excitement? Head to a nightclub like the wild Finale, or get with the Bulgarian vibe at Mehanata.

Atlanta, Georgia

Go to Atlanta to experience the warm glow of Southern hospitality. The Atlanta Botanical Garden comprises more than 30 acres of outdoor beauty and contains gorgeous plant life and artful sculptures. You’ll even find a canopy walk that lets you get an overhead view of the garden.

After your stroll in the garden, go to the Four Seasons Atlanta, a five-diamond, five-star hotel with a fabulous restaurant. Sure, it might cost you some money, but it will make for an evening of romantic luxury that neither you nor your date will soon forget.

Boulder, Colorado

Not only is Boulder one of the best places to live, it is also one of the most romantic. Go to Rocky Mountain National Park, where the mountain lakes and wildlife will have both of you reaching for your cameras. Go hiking and engage in fascinating conversations as you enjoy all that nature has to offer. If you would rather stay indoors, go dine on a fine meal at Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, an ornate restaurant where they serve mouth-watering Persian dishes.

Whether you are fresh on the dating scene or you just like to take your loved one out for a special evening once in a while, planning an ideal evening out is often challenging. It is easier, however, if you live in a city that is suited for great dates.