byhillary

Vallytimes

2018-02-17T09:19:00.001-05:00

I made more shirts! They’re just so easy and cute on.

I love the sparkle blue on and unicorn the most. For Valentine’s Day I made Eliza a little pouch from the unicorn fabric. To match the little purse I got her.

I really just wanted to do something silly for Valentine’s and we got her a giant teddy. She loves to cuddle and snuggle and I thought she would love having it in her bed.

Dave knocked on the door and hid. It was really cute how excited she was. She drags him all around. As I write this she’s sitting on his lap on the couch.

We had a day of not winter temperatures. Eliza wanted to live it up.

And this next two weeks nails.

It’s supposed to change color but I’ve used hot and cold and I really don’t see a difference.

Our local shoe store was having a warehouse sale. I got these sandals for $28 total! And Clarks! My favorite! Now I can’t wait for the warmer temps!!!

Eliza and my niece were playing with makeup in her room. Eliza has always been great with makeup. She sticks to her face. Oy! When you get two 4 year olds you get this!!! Ahahaha it was on their arms, feet, necks! It took a ton of scrubbing to get it off. They said they were wild cats.

More shirts!

2018-02-08T19:34:00.001-05:00

I made some more shirts. Again Shirt no.1 from 100 Acts Of Sewing

The dress is Dress no.2 also from Sonya. My favorite is the grey flower one. It’s slightly cropped and rayon from

Cotton + Steel from Pintuck and Purl my favorite store.

Yesterday I made the Pearl Wallet from Swoon.

It was super confusing to me. I ended up finding a YouTube video someone made that helped me in the really sticky spots. I love the result. It’s hard to show in picture but the linen has silver sparkle in it. The cat (ugh yes upside down! I said it was confusing!) have little pink cheeks. I did hot pink stitching to try and tie it all together.

My latest nails. I wanted something Valentiney. It’s

Bubble Bath by Opi. I am in love with milky pink color.

Honestly. I don’t really know much about my serger. I’ve had it for 4 years and use it constantly. But I don’t know anything about straight lines. I finish all my seams with it. And I always make a huge mess with what it cuts off.

The other day I saw my mil had a bin on hers! Why didn’t I have a bin? This is life changing! No more thread vomit?! I looked around to find something the right size and made it all fancy with packing tape. Funny how something so simple can change everything.

If you’re cautious about why the rainbow thread. Yes I use like that. I started doing it to try and learn about the machine. I tried to match the thread colors to the colors on the machine. I love how it looks in my garments so I don’t bother changing it to match. Seams are inside anyways.

I made some shirts

2018-01-28T20:01:00.001-05:00

I got in some sewing for myself today. I used the shirt no.1 pattern from 100 acts of sewing. I signed up for the free 2 week trial of Creative Bug and took Sonya Philip’s class to make the shirt.

The first one ended up being too big but not so much as I can’t wear it. The fabric is Cotton and Steel. I’m kinda obsessed with their stuff.

For the second one I went down a size but kept the sleeves and hem the same length. It fits much better.

I also hemmed it with some bias I made!

Bias tape had always been something that I couldn’t make successfully. I don’t know why it’s always been so hard. It is a very simple concept. You cut strips and put them together. But somehow I ALWAYS forked it up. I followed this

tutorial from Colette. And suddenly I finally could do it! I made a bunch the other day.

Hadn’t posted my nails last week! Here they are.

Think that was my favorite. The chrome I had previously lasted over 2 weeks! No issue! This is right before I changed it. I could of gone longer but I had the rare opportunity of a couple kid free hours so I jumped on it.

I bought the kid some makeup to play with at her vanity she got for Christmas. She’s been giving everyone makeovers.

We went to a birthday party last week. Eliza is madly in love with the birthday girl. Between my 4 closest friends we have 10(?) kids and Eliza has always been the only girl. She’s so happy to have a “little girlie”

She’s just so snuggleable!

I introduced the kid to the amazing world of shrinky dinks!

Sew fancy

2018-01-17T09:00:00.001-05:00

Just finished this dress. It’s the Réglisse from Deer and Doe.

It was a super easy make. I really like the gathers at the shoulder. It’s a fun detail. I was supposed to turn the hem bias under but I liked how it looked like this. The pattern is from a French maker and the instructions are minimal. Extremely minimal. But they’re good enough to figure it out. I think I might prefer it. Usually pattern makers make it more complicated then it needs to be.

My issues were my fault. I accident cut the smallest size for skirt and it didn’t go over my head. I mean it was probably a 2 and I’m a 12. I had to add panels to the side to fix it because I didn’t have more of this fabric, nor could I get it. The top is a size or two too big but again that’s my fault. I just guessed at sizing.

I will make it again. I will make the top a little smaller and shorten the arm holes. I will also add pockets!!!

Made Eliza and I matching infinity scarves this weekend too. It’s one of the new knits from

Cotton + Steel that I picked up at Pintuck and Purl this weekend.

What’s it like where you are? We have a snow day today!

Let there be light

2018-01-13T20:29:00.001-05:00

Took an instructional class for my sewing machine today. It was super helpful. I have never taken any sort of sewing class. I’m a wicked hack and wing it as I go. I learned a ton and was super excited to get home and try it.

I made a super simple little skirt for my daughter. With unicorns. Because everything has to have unicorns you know. Everything.

I hadn’t sewn a garment in a couple weeks and I felt rusty. I love sewing. My little itty bitty sewing space is my favorite spot ever. Especially with my new lamp dave made me on the 3D printer. All Eliza all the time.

She always sticking toys in strange places. She’s done it since she was tiny. You’d be at the grocery store and find some random thing in your pocket. She thinks it’s funny. Well today I found the little monkey in my purse. I thought I would play along for when she comes looking for him. I gave him a lipstick.

Don’t buy one for you kid unless you like high pitched giggles, burps and farts. Grandma got her a sloth and monkey for Christmas and they chat with one another. I’ll admit it’s adorable but there is a point where you want to rip their little heads off and fling it out of a moving car.

Icy

2018-01-12T09:19:00.001-05:00

Just did the morning drop off. It’s going to rain so I did my wet hair technique. It has taken me years but it will dry into a nice messy wave. I’ll blog at some point on those products.

Right in front of the school I slipped on ice on the sidewalk and slid INTO THE STREET. Thank goodness no car was there because there is no cross walk there or anything.

I fell on my knees and my right wrist. I can tell I’m gonna feel my wrist later.

Jeans are Mossimo High Rise Skinny. I got these a couple months ago. They’re my absolute favorite. I hear they’re flattering too. Ask Dave. :p

It’s wicked dark out and it’s 9am. So you get two!

Shirt is another I made. This is another Tilly and the Buttons pattern. The Mimi blouse I think. It has princess sleeves which are my favorite ever.

So I used to be known for loving an accessory. This is my favorite accessory.

That’s my attempt at duck lips. Haaaaaa.

It just looks like I’m gonna sneeze!

When I came home I sat on a yogurt tube my daughter left on the couch. I’m telling you the glamour never stops!

I wear clothes I swear!

2018-01-11T12:08:00.001-05:00

I had a (not so) polite request for an outfit photo. Ah! First I am not cool. I’m a stay at home mom now. And dave used to take all my pictures before work. Well I finagled something today. Hope your happy. Ha.

Shirt is one I made. It’s Tilly and the Buttons Matilde pattern.

Jeans Target

Boots Art. My sis in law gave these to me last week. I am madly in love with them. I mean I feel bad they were too small and rubbed her toe but I’m so happy I got kickass new boots. I posted on Instagram asking how you are supposed to wear your pants with this kinda boot. I think I like this way best so far.

I have a root canal today. Like I told you yesterday my life is 24/7 GLAMOUR. I just did eye makeup being as people will be shoving hands in my face. I lost my ability to do an eye wing and I’ve been trying to relearn and I used that Revlon rollerball and dude that’s the trick!!

Glamour

2018-01-10T16:40:00.001-05:00

I lead such a glamorous life now. Yesterday I spent an hour staring at my grandmothers washing machine trying to figure out what was wrong with it. She said it was broken but wasn’t too clear on the reason. I stood there and felt pipes while talking to my dad trying to guess what was wrong. We decided neither of us are washing machine repair people.

Yup literally standing in front of it. I probably should of found a chair.

And we hung out and took selfies. Eliza loves to take a selfie. I constantly find random ones on my phone.

And Eliza played with Gram. Watching an 88 year old ansb5 year old play is hilarious. They’re both impatient and easily bored.

My memory from yesterday. She wasn’t even quite two there. She’s still exactly the same. I do it MYSELF. She was the only infant trying to dress herself I swear. The child is determined.

Shine bright like a diamond

2018-01-09T12:34:00.001-05:00

Living in New Hampshire is like a cruel joke to my skin. Ridiculously hot and long summer and “colder than mars” temperature last week. (Well technically that was on top of Mt.Washington but same state so it counts.) I have all kind of new skin challenges since having my kid as well.

I finally was feeling kinda good about it but one area I have never been able to fix is blackheads. So I follow Kreayshawn on Instagram (yeah I dunno) and she was raving about this Korean skin toner on Amazon (affiliate link. not sure my account is still open...).

It came in 24 hours! I got it this morning and I am so excited to use it! It’s $10 for 8 oz.

Plus the packaging is hilarious. I have no idea what is happening on the left in the image instructions.

I am not going to do a super close up before and after because no one wants to see that. Me included. But I’m starting it today and I will report back on how it’s working. I will say this. I do have visible blackheads on my nose currently. I would like that to GO AWAY. According to those drawings they are going to happily bounce away never to be seen again!

Sew

2018-01-09T07:57:00.001-05:00

This year for Christmas I made a lot of my gifts I gave out.

I forgot to take a picture of a couple of things.

Is this thing on?

2018-01-08T21:21:00.001-05:00

Been thinking about my old blog a lot lately. I really just wanted to start over with a facelift. But I live such a different life then I did back then I don’t even own a proper computer anymore! This will be done almost exclusively from my phone.

What’s changed?
We left Boston
I’m going to be 40 this year!
I have a soon to be 5 year old little girl.
I now know how to drive.
Dave is an architect!
I sew. Pretty well and often!
Besides that things are pretty much the same. Or not. My memory isn’t what it used to be!

Treat yo self!

2018-01-08T21:08:00.001-05:00

Right before Christmas I hopped into my hot tub time machine and got acrylic nails. I love them so much. My own nails are so ugly lately. I am pretty hard on them between the sewing and crafting. I got a fill this weekend and went with “chrome” which is a huge upcharge so I have high hopes for it. I picked the powder blue my daughter picked the one red nail. A friend of mine had it done and it didn’t last. But I didn’t know that when I got it done. I pray it lasts. I doubt I will do it again because of the cost but I wanted unicorn nails at least once.
This was the first set I got.

How to choose the best air mattress

2016-07-19T08:02:00.000-05:00

Buying the best air mattress for camping or home use might’ve been a walk in the park some years ago, while they were still a “novelty”.

Today, though, we have a market saturated with mind-boggling amount of different models to pick from.

It’s a real jungle if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing, so let’s try and make some sense out of that mess.

Shall we?

How far can we go with the price for a blow up mattress?

The first step is a biggy - let’s talk budget.

We all want as “painless” shopping as possible, right?

Although the “bang for the buck” rule applies here, there are some corners to be cut as well. We won’t let ourselves be seduced by clever marketing strategies, rigged reviews and shiny features that prove only prove the 80-20 principle. So, let us dive right in and look at some of the basic ins and outs of choosing, interpreting the existing reviews of the air beds and choosing the best air mattress for your need.

If we want to save some cash, let’s look beyond the (for the most part) unnecessary additions that jack up the price, and focus on the basics.

Basics?

Is NeverFlat pump a necessity?

I don’t think so…

Do we really need those gimmicky cup holders and/or cheap “free” pillows?

Nope!

Do we absolutely have to have a suede layer on the sides?

Absolutely not!

You see where I’m going with this, right?

If finances are a concern, there’s a very simple rule of thumb we need to follow.

We’ll separate “must-haves” from “nice-to-haves”.

We’ll talk both categories, of course, but this is just a simple money-saving rule to start us off on the right path.

Best air mattress must-haves (with a side dish of some extra features)

We’ve split a good air bed performance factors into several categories:

Comfort
Durability
Air retention
Pump

Comfort

Beds should be comfortable; it’s as simple as that.

So, let’s see all the cogs and tiny bits under the hood of a comfortable inflatable.

Construction

The overall comfort mostly depends on the innerworks of the model.

We can choose between:

Air chambers
Air beams

Air chambers are small air-storing pockets for air storage. Needless to say, we prefer chambered designs.

Here’s why:

They give a much better support than air beams, especially if there’s 30+ of them. The more air chambers, the better
They are all individual units, so we still have a mattress if one (or 3, or 4) pop a leak
They maintain a flat sleeping surface even after prolonged use. This means your bed won’t develop bulges or holes…

Flocked top, yes or no?

Flocked top feels much nicer to the touch than plain rubber, and it will keep your sheets riveted.

On the other hand, it’s just a pain to clean. Plush surface seems almost dust-magnetic, so you can expect it to get dirty quite often. Once you start cleaning it with a wet cloth, you just seem to group the dust into big clusters, so you’ll really have to give it a proper go.

So, it’s up to you.

Pillowtops?

Most people didn’t share positive experiences in their air bed reviews.

The main problem is the fact that you’re used to a certain height when it comes to pillows.

Ergo, if your pillowtop is too high, there’s nothing you can do about it except putting your head on the “leg side” of the bed.

If it’s too low, however, you can try to add an extra pillow, but that’s quite a tricky setup if you ask us.

Durability

Materials are the breaking point here.

Let’s talk PVC

Polyvinyl chloride is the most commonly used material when it comes to air mattresses.

Besides being cheap, there are some other factors that made it so:

It’s waterproof, which is especially useful if you have a home patient
It’s very easy to clean. Washcloth and water should be more than enough
A bit of chemistry magic made PVC into a full-proof fire-retardant material

On the other hand:

PVC is much too hard to sleep on in its “natural” state. This calls for addition of substances called “plasticizers” to soften it up. This is where the whole phthalate controversy stems from. Phthalates were very dangerous, but they’re not used anymore (at least not by reputable manufacturers). Their molecules didn’t get bound to the surface, so they could fly off at any given moment and end up in our lungs. As I said, they’re not used anymore

Some other options:

Rubber
Textile-enhanced urethane
TPU – This is the one we need to say a couple of words about. Thermoplastic urethane is considerably lighter than PVC. It’s a very strong material, elastic and resistant to abrasion. This is by far the best choice when durability pops to mind, albeit, a bit heavier on the pocket

Pump and air retention

The ability to hold air is something we can’t do without when it comes to air beds.

Best air bed is the one that doesn’t leak air, period.

We’re not talking piercing and puncturing accidents here. First, we’re expecting the inflatable mattress to hold its air “in a vacuum”, without any outside influence. Second, we need it to do the same with one or two people sleeping on it (even if they’re what we like to call “restless sleepers”).

The key feature here are the seams and connections. They have to be glued perfectly to a fault and if they are, they can provide as good a sleeping surface as any mattress.

We also need a reliable valve that won’t let any air outside, and that’s glued to the material perfectly.

So, take a look at the mattress and the quality of the seams.

Are they glued properly?

Is there any glue sticking out?

Are there any visible “soft spots?

The pumps come in all shapes and forms, but we don’t need to go overboard here. We want a good integrated pump that can both inflate and deflate the air bed. That’s it.

If you have some money to spare, a NeverFlat pump is a great idea. We don’t really need it, but it’s definitely convenient.

It monitors the air level within the mattress and activates automatically to bring it back to your desired setting. It’s so silent you can’t even hear it activate.

What different types of material can mattress toppers be made from?

2016-02-24T08:05:00.002-05:00

What different types of material can mattress toppers be made from?

If you want to add some extra comfort to your mattress then investing in a mattress topper can be a great way of doing it. You do not have to spend huge amounts of money on a mattress topper; they come in many different varieties and can be made of several different materials. The type of mattress topper you choose will depend on the result you want to achieve.

Often it’s a good idea to look out for the best mattress toppers online, if you want to get up to date help with your choice. You will usually be able to choose from a selection of mattress toppers, and select the one that is best for you. Of course, the cost of a mattress topper can vary, based on the material it is made from.

Memory foam mattress toppers

Memory foam mattresses can be very expensive; memory foam mattress toppers offer a more affordable solution. They provide a high level of support during a night’s sleep. This can be especially useful if you suffer from any type of joint pain. This type of mattress topper can also alleviate some of the sensitivity to any night time movement of a bed partner. Some users of memory foam mattress toppers comment that they overheat during the night due to the absorption of body heat by the material. This problem can be avoided by purchasing a breathable memory foam mattress topper.

Mattress toppers made from wool

Wool mattress toppers are generally very soft and have a high level of durability. This durability makes up for the often high cost of purchase, in comparison with some other mattress toppers. This type of mattress topper is also ideal for people who suffer with allergies as it is made from natural and not synthetic materials. You should always check the labels on wool mattress toppers as they often need to be dry or steam cleaned, depending on what type of wool they are made from.

Mattress toppers made from down feathers

A down feather mattress topper is ideal for anyone who is looking to add a layer of softness to their bed; it is not the best choice if you are aiming to get some support from a mattress topper. This type of mattress topper is made from the down feathers of ducks or geese and tends to be fairly long lasting. This is also the ideal type of mattress topper to reduce the amount of unwanted movement in the night; so if you share a bed with someone who is restless, a down feather mattress topper may help you get a good night’s sleep.

Traditional egg crate mattress toppers

Egg create mattress toppers are generally the most common and the most reasonably priced. They tend to provide a decent level of comfort while also being fairly firm. One of the best things about this type of mattress topper is that it’s usually thin enough to roll up and take with you if you are staying over at a friend’s house or going on vacation.

All of these mattress topper materials can be a popular choice, depending on what you want from a mattress topper; memory foam provides support, wool is long lasting and natural, down feather is soft and egg crate is affordable and provides a decent level of comfort and support. The choice is yours.

My daughter has an egg crate on her bed. She loves it! I also find it gives an added bonus of keeping her from sliding around as she is still a toddler.

Happy New Year!

2016-01-01T22:09:00.001-05:00

*dusts off keyboard*

Another year. No resolutions exactly. More like promises to myself and my daughter because really everything I do is being seen by her.

She's super fun. She's too smart and keeps me on my toes. She doesn't miss a beat. Even when you think she isn't paying attention... She's paying attention.

Christmas was awesome. She got it this year. She understood what a present was and buying them for others and that they were surprises. When you asked her what to buy for a certain person for awhile the answer was always socks. She would name different colors or characters, but always socks.

If I had to describe 2015 in one word it would be friends. We made a rad group of friends and had a lot of fabulous times! I'm curious what 2016's word will be!

How was your Christmas and New Years?

What are the benefits of different types of tile?

2015-06-29T20:17:00.000-05:00

What are the benefits of different types of tile?

If you’re thinking about tiling your bathroom, your main considerations will be the kind of design you want to mimic and the type of tile you want to use. These decisions will be greatly influenced by both your own personal tastes and the budget you have available.

You may know what look you are hoping to achieve, and the end result you want; but it’s still a good idea to take a look at some bathroom tiling ideas. Looking at others work may spark your imagination and give you some great ideas you hadn’t thought of. Here are some of the different types of tile you may want to consider using.

Ceramic tiles

The title of ceramic tile actually refers to both porcelain and non-porcelain tiles that are made from clay, or a clay mixture. Although the term is more often used as a reference to non-porcelain tiles. This type of tile is easier to cut than a porcelain tile, and is generally cheaper to purchase, which can make it a good option if you have a restricted budget. It’s important to note that this type of tile is often not as hardwearing as a porcelain tile, so may need replacing more often.

Porcelain tiles

Although they are still made of clay, porcelain tiles tend to be made by pressing porcelain clay so they are denser in their make-up. Glazed porcelain tiles tend to be much harder wearing than ceramic tiles, so they are suitable for bathrooms that are heavily used.

Slate Tiles

Slate is a dense natural stone that is very tough and is perfect for use on floors. Slate is often known for its cleft pattern, unless it has been smoothed.

As well as using them for flooring, slate tiles can help you create a great feature wall in your bathroom. Although they are usually available in black, green and grey, there are some other shades of slate tile available, such as blue, brown and gold.

Granite tiles

Granite can be expensive but it is incredibly durable and retains its sheen easily when it’s cleaned. This natural stone, which is created over millions of years, contains distinctive veins and specks of minerals which give it a unique character.

Marble tiles

Granite tiles are possibly more often found in kitchens, due to their durability. Marble tiles are a very popular choice in bathrooms, as marble is a softer material. Like granite, marble is formed naturally over long periods of time. As it forms, marble is affected by geographical events, and infused with mineral deposits, which give each piece of marble its own distinctive design.

If you have a limited budget available to tile your bathroom, then you may be restricted in the type of tile you can use. This doesn’t mean you can’t still achieve a beautiful look. Bathroom tiling isn’t all about the type of tile you use, it’s about how effectively the tiles are used too.

Our favorite baby beauty products

2015-05-12T08:20:00.000-05:00

Baby beauty product reviews! Babies don't need beauty products they are already perfect. I just thought it was a fun idea and I know it took lots of bad products before we discovered the best and most affordable products for ourselves. We like many received some stuff at our baby shower. We got a Burts Bees and a California Baby set.
We LOVE both. But lets be real California Baby is wicked expensive. As we ran out of that stuff we started getting Burts Bees. Because they are natural, gentle, Eliza doesn't react to them and they work great with her eczema. CVS often has Burts Bees on great sales. I always peek when we are there getting prescriptions to see if any are on sale. We had the big pump bottle of the Calming Shampoo and Body wash for an entire year.

You need so little and babies are small! We also use their Calming lotion but lately we have been using Aveeno Calming lotion.
I like that its super moisturizing but doesn't leave you sticky and soaks in lickity split. The Burts Bees is a bit thicker and takes a bit longer to soak in. Which is a good thing but Eliza is going through a "lotion" phase. She is constantly asking to put it on her hands and she loves to rub her hands together and put it on her cheeks and mom or dads cheeks. She also loves slathering in on her feet. It is seriously so cute and shes the softest thing ever. Her gymnastics teacher every week high fives them and every time she says how Eliza is the softest hand she ever touched. Always makes me smile. Also she smells wonderful.

We love Honest products. When budget allows we get a monthly bundle of products. They are now available or Target which is SO RAD, but its cheaper to get the monthly bundle. You also can postpone your next one for 6 months at a time. Then again. The bundle is $35 for 5 products. They have everything you can imagine. All natural and safe to use around babies. Their wipes are hands down my favorite on the market. They are amazing. We use them for everything and anything when we were getting the diaper bundles. They are super durable and very gentle. You can actually wipe up yogurt, rinse it and use it to wipe up more. Another thing I like about them, no smell and they are safe to use on faces and to clean off pacis and toys that go in the mouth. Something I had not considered until I had a kid. Then I stood in the aisle target and read EVERY SINGLE WIPE THEY CARRIED. Shockingly few said safe for faces. I won't link to it but there have been kids having reactions on their faces from wipes. Safe for butt doesn't mean safe for face OR in the mouth! I know there were wipes that bothered Eliza (pampers which sucks because their diapers are great) But the Honest ones? Honestly, expensive. We settled on Huggies Natural Care. Well to be specific 3 cases were delivered to our house by my mom and they are fabulous and we use them on everything with no issues. Highly recommend. Eliza loves wiping her face and these are great for her furious wiping. Never irritate her.

Honest sunscreen is great. Its thick, Shes always stayed pale so win win? But it is very thick and takes forever to soak in. We had the same tube for a year. It doesn't take a lot to cover her. No scent either and gentle enough on her face.

California Baby Overtired and Cranky bubble bath. Did you know bubble baths are really bad for girls? I didn't until I had an issue. Read a bottle of bubble bath! There are warnings right on them about it. Can you imagine a baby with a bladder infection? Heart breaking! But California Baby is one of the few good ones out there that claim to cause no issues and they don't! We got it in a sample pack but rebought it when we ran out. We only do bubble baths once in a blue moon when she asks for it or shes,... cranky. (Epsom too! That stuff is the bomb) It also comes with a bubble wand. Most expensive bubbles every but it works a treat on the rare occasion of tears at bath time!

Baby bums. Oh baby bums. So cute, so soft.. until they aren't when we have had BAD BAD diaper rashes we got Bordeaux Butt Paste and it knocks it out of there in one day. But I feel like it is not something to use all the time. Like its for when you need it.

When bums are raw, red, Honest healing balm is amazing. We got a sample of it and when we ran out of Bordeaux we added the Honest to a monthly order. It is a staple in the house. We used it on chapped wind burned face cheeks and red raw bum cheeks. It is great from cheek to cheek! I used it on on burns and raw patches on myself. It really is a multiple purpose ointment. Seriously it will heal whatever you throw at it!

Burts Bees Multipurpose Ointment. I use this to keep her bum protected when she is having issues. I use it more as a preventative in that case. I also use it on her really dry patches in winter. It too works on just about anything. It also never caused issues with our cloth diapers.

Piggy paint. My kid loves nail polish. I can't imagine why *cough* We use Piggy Paint on her. Mostly because she still sticks her hands in her mouth on occasion. It dries quickly and is water based. We bought a little package at Walmart but she got this bigger set for her birthday. She loves to have her nails painted. LOVES.

Eos Lipbalm if she could talk, (well like talk as an adult can) she would tell you this is her FAVORITE THING IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. Omg this kid and lip balm. I highly suggest you get one for your kid. Girl or Boy don't matter. Comes in lots of flavors. Naturalish. OK IF eaten (when). I leave one next to the changing table. When I need to distract her to change her diaper this works every time, (BAG OF CATS) Whenever shes upset in public I offer it to her. Its a fun shape, fun to apply and she can open and close it. Plus soft coconut scented kisses. Need I say more?

If you are interested in trying Honest products you can get a deluxe free samples and diapers to try them out before you commit. Here is my referral link We got the diaper bundle with 7 diapers and 10 wipes and the essentials which had a ton of stuff in it! like big travel size.

I was not asked to review any of these products from any company. All opinions are my families but I have supplied affiliated links to hope to earn a small amount to help raising that cute kid :)

Too Faced Bronzer Wardrobe Collection

2015-05-11T22:04:00.000-05:00

I got this fun little Too Faced Bronzer Collection for Mother's Day. It retails for $22 at Ulta.
I can't find it on the Too Faced site but here is all their bronzers. Might be an Ulta exclusive.

First impression is I can not BELIEVE the quality of the little brush. It is "teddy bear hair" meaning synthetic or vegan, but it's handle is metal! It is crazy good quality. I mean seriously it is almost worth buying for the brush. I don't know what their brushes retail for but I don't imagine its cheap.

It comes with 4 clam shell cases with a total of 5 colors. The milk and chocolate soleil ones have actual cocoa powder in them and smell like chocolate. Not annoyingly or fake. You might not notice it if you weren't aware. (well what do I know, I KNEW it was going to smell so I can only guess.)

These are one swipe swatches. I first got into Too Faced when Dave got me a couple items from them for some holiday in the past few years. I hadn't really paid attention to them before that. Now I am a total convert. These bronzers are so incredibly smooth. They aren't chalky or weird. They ARE LIKE BUTTAH
The bottom two colors are Sun Bunny and Endless Summer both have a subtle shimmer. Not glitter but microsized shimmer. I plan to mix it up and try these not only as bronzers but as eyeshadows and brows. I also think the sunbunny would make a great highlighter. I think the two cocoa colors would work for contouring too instead of "bronzing" I am just trying to teach myself about contouring and I am loving it. That is a future post. I must admit I am not even remotely good at it now.

Would I suggest buying this? Absolutely. It is a great way to try multiple colors to see which one works best for you. They sell full sized of all of these. They are really decently sized. 5 total items for $22 or $4.4 a piece. I dare cheaper or on par with drugstore. And again to repeat myself the brush is amazing! I can't wait to play more with it. I currently have to apply makeup at nap time because my kid is obsessed with grabbing and applying anything she can manically get her hands on!

Some things I love from Too Faced or are on my wish list. (want more reviews of Too Faced?)

Garden Variety

2015-05-10T14:16:00.001-05:00

One of my new favorite colors for these warmer temps is Garden Variety from Essie Spring 2015 line. Many of the theme polishes are a limited time unless they become super popular. I suggest nabbing this now.

Eliza is a big fan. I am still unsure about using regular polish on her so we stick to piggy paint for now.

This is the exact set she got for her birthday.

What color are you loving for spring/summer?

Hard Candy Sky

2015-05-06T10:02:00.001-05:00

Hard Candy has a line at Walmart which is not even remotely the quality it was when I was a teen. BUT they released a 20th anniversary collection and rereleased Sky the powder blue of my junior in high school years. I was obsessed with it and spent 20 years trying to find one just like it. Only select Walmarts got it and I haven't found it. Can anyone check theirs for me?!?!

I want the powder blue!!!

S(m)oochie boochies

2015-04-30T10:21:00.000-05:00

I wrote this elaborate long review and it disappeared. I'm so annoyed.

Take two.

Recently I gave Baby Lips a second chance after not liking previously and I was pleasantly surprised. See review here. Yesterday I had run in to CVS to pick up a prescription and on my way I did my quick glance over to where they keep the Eos lip balms. This is another product I didn't like initially. Well I still don't like the standard ones. I am wild about the two striped ones though. We are big fans of them in this house. So much so Eliza gives it as gifts to friends. I didn't see any new Eos but something colorful caught my eye!

Lipslicks Smoochies by Cover Girl. I grabbed one of each they had. I don't go to CVS often anymore and we use lipbalm like water in this house. It also had SPF15 which is gonna be great now the sun decided to start to shine on this part of the world again. Normally I hate all balms with SPF because I can taste it. I didn't in these. But I will get into more detail below. When I got home I tried looking them up, even on the Cover Girl site. But I couldn't find anything about them beyond some blog posts and instagram sightings. It appeared they are a CVS exclusive but I can not confirm that. When you look up Lipslicks Smoochies you actually get the stick ones they sell. The balm lipstick ones. You know the ones most of us used as our first lipsticks in their previous incarnation in the 90's

On with the show!

#MidnightMelon

First impression was nice soft and slick. Not thick and waxy at all. But there is a strong smell. I am not a huge fruity smell person but it honestly didn't bother me. I thought it smelled kinda like watermelon but was on the fence so I asked Dave to take a sniff. He said it smelled like strawberry watermelon. Then it hit me. It smells exactly like that watermelon fribble? at Friendlys. Like exactly.

#PinkPunch

Dave's instant reaction was strawberry bubblicious with a slight fruit punch. I totally agree. I had him try this one on. He said it was nice, smooth and not at all sticky. He said if you like fruity smells you would like this one. It reminded me of a bit of junior high and bubble gum and lipgloss.

#FloralReflection

Yeah I can not for the life of me adequately describe this one. And since I can't find much info on them I can't tell you what exactly it is SUPPOSED to smell like. Dave said vanilla berry light on the vanilla. He agreed it was a hard one to describe.

And finally the swatches. In order from left to right.

What you can't see them? Yeah me neither and I put them there! I even went back and forth with them a few times trying to build color.

They all three appear to have a slight pearl sheen and two have a pinkish color but they absolutely look invisible on.

Many will like them because of that and dislike it because of them. I think its a plus because Eliza is obsessed with lip balms and I don't really want her wearing color. Not because I am a hardass that is no makeup before you are 14, but because she never uses a mirror and this way she won't look like a kid who drank kool-aid. People give you looks when that happens. Ha. Not that its happened. Ok so it totally happened. This was her just yesterday.

Took me a minute to figure out what she had done. I think she sucked on a piece of chalk. I found a wet chalk stub on her drawing board. Or she was trying to put "lipstick" on which is something she does OFTEN. I have to be careful. ha.

While writing this she stole the pink one and wiped it furiously across her lips. I am happy to report it looked like nothing. No hint of color or shimmer.

These retail for $3.99 but CVS always has sales and deals on makeup. If you are looking for fun fruity SPF lipbalm then these are for you. Or if you have a kid! perfect. I kinda used to hate fruity smells (still do like bath and body works. GAG) and I love all these. I think because I have a little girl and she constantly smells like strawberries. Which to me is the best smell in the world.

Braided

2015-04-27T22:02:00.001-05:00

With the changing of seasons I always start looking up images and ideas to give myself some fresh inspiration. Since I stopped working out of the house when I had my daughter, I stopped taking time for myself to feel pretty. So I am doing something different this season. I am going to use me to inspire me! How narassistic of me. Before I chopped my hair off in a post party's frenzy I've regretted it. I always had short hair but I finally after 30 years let it grow out and did some fun stuff with it. I don't have many tricks or magic techniques. I think that's why I cut it. I felt like I didn't know how to do good hair. But I know how to braid! I am loving braids right now. They instantly make me feel more pulled together and people notice. When I go out with a braid someone says something to me. Which helps. Makes me want to improve my routine for my daughter most of all. Today she asked me to "do hairs" so I did hers. (I looked slightly hobo ish)

Some older photos of me with various length hair. Saving these to nudge myself into putting myself second at least! No more last!

Hillary redux

2015-04-14T09:47:00.001-05:00

For Easter we went to my grandmothers house. We had a frilly over the top Easter dress a friend had handed down to us but she's refused to wear it. She agreed to this because mommy had leopard on too. When we got to grams I ran around and hid 9 eggs for Miss E. She didn't quite get it at first but when she did she had a blast.

I didn't even put candy in them! We put yogurt covered blueberries.

Since she's 2 she decided she doesn't "do" high chairs. She insisted on sitting at the head of the table in pop's old chair. Well she is named after him (poppy).

She does it when we go out too. This day she pointed to high chair and said "that babies". We haven't ever even said the "baby" vs "big girl" she came up with that on her own!

In her Easter bag we did put a little candy. 4 or 5 malted robins eggs and 2 Hershey kisses. She didn't like the Robin's eggs but she loved the kisses. And she jewelry for her. She's always making me take off mine and giving to her. Now we can both wear some ;)

I got a basket too. I wasn't expecting that.

The polish is the BEST color. Garden Variety from the Essie Spring 2015 line.

Little miss loves having her nails painted too. She got some baby Polish for her birthday from her cousin Jameson.

No joke she asks for the one different nail. So my kid.

Baby Lips? Don't mind if I do!

2015-04-10T09:10:00.001-05:00

When I was a teen I was obsessed with these Kissing Koolers by Maybelline.

I can still smell it in my memory. I can't even describe it. But it's a good memory. I was feeling all nostalgic and looked them up the other day and apparently I'm not the only one who missed them. A few said while not the same Baby Lips by Maybelline was the modern thing that fits the bill. I had tried Baby Lips and actually hated it. I can taste SPF. But I saw these new limited edition ones called Baby Lips Buds. The formula isn't like the one I tried previously. They're silky smooth rose petal feeling no sticky at all.

I picked them up in

Oh!Orchid! (Left) and Petal Rebel (Right)

They're very sheer with a tiny swish of color.

They're the perfect thing to throw in your purse. You can apply without a mirror and it just gives you a nice sheer color. MLBB territory (my lips but better)

They have a soft sweet scent. I can't place what it is though.

My daughter is obsessed with lipstick and being 2 we don't let her wear it. But whenever mommy puts on some she wants it. I used to put Chapstick and she was satisfied she caught on though. So these look like lipstick to her ;)

Seriously the kid squeals when she sees Sephora. I should be nervous huh?

Now just to find the modern version of kissing potion!

Inspiration.

2015-04-08T08:41:00.001-05:00

I'm Periodically I go on an inspiration binge and save photos for things I want to try. They always have been in a similar vein, red lips, stripes, bangs. Almost always someone older or an old photo. Vintage vibes.

Liza has been on a dancing kick so we pull up music videos and dance the evening away. I have a new found love for Taylor Swift. I know I'm like a decade behind the rest of the world. I just never paid much attention to her before. I'm paying attention now! And red lips, bangs, vintage. Check check check!

I need to do some research on how to do her eye makeup looks. I have small eyes as well so I am excited this will be a good fit for me.

Who or what are you looking to for inspiration. The change of the seasons always feels like a good time to try something new!