Tori Spelling and Her Coupon Made Me Do It

I've been wanting to sign up for one of these fun subscription boxes and I've had my eye on the FabFitFun box. My daughter was approaching her sweet 16 and I thought it would be a fun gift. There are so many different companies offering these trendy little boxes but this one keeps popping up in my FB feed, taunting me with mysterious little adornments, trinkets and potions.  I almost never click on celebrity endorsement videos {unless of course, Adam Levine is promoting well, just about anything} but sometimes my curiosity gets the best of me. This day it was Tori Spelling.  Was it her expertise at home-video that got me? My obsession with The Love Boat? Let's be honest, it was the heading advertising $10 off my first order that intrigued me. Tori just closed the deal.   

I watched from the edge of my seat as Tori opened her Fall Box and described each item found inside. Can we just take a moment and appreciate this cool box? First of all, it's reversible and second, it looks like a coloring book. Both the inside and the out are covered in adorable pics by graphic designer, April Ho from FabFitFun. {APRILHO.COM} Once you get the box unsealed, you find two leaflets on top. The first is a sort of catalog that tells about each product, who makes it and how it can be used. 

This season's box is all about #womenwithambition and highlights that six of the brands have female founders {which is pretty fantastic}. 

The second is a reference card listing some of the products and includes a promo code for future discounted purchases!

Underneath this, you'll find the products wrapped pristinely in tissue paper and packed neatly inside.

And then the big reveal... I think my 16 year old squealed when she saw all her loot!

Here's the breakdown: A giant blanket scarf, toeless socks, travel coffee mug, coloring book and colored pencils, night serum, lavender body oil, eyebrow gel, eyeshadow palette, cleansing cloths, body wash infused buffer and deoderant.

A FabFitFun subscription is $49.99 per season but product values will always be much greater. This Fall Box is valued at more than $239! As I said earlier, Tori gave me a promo code that saved me $10 on my first box.  After you sign up, you'll receive emails periodically offering add-ons at an additional price. These you can select in addition to the mystery items selected for you. I didn't choose any add-ons.

You can cancel at anytime before your latest box has shipped or you'll be charged automatically. You can also opt to sign up for a year. The next box ships in December. Order early, they sell out quickly!

  

These are my girl's faves. The Created Co.'s To-Go Coffee Mug and the ModCloth Loch and Key Blanket Scarf. 

Remember I said the box looks like a coloring book? One of the items included is a box of colored pencils from their charity, Pencils of Promise. "Pencils of Promise is a global community that's focused on increasing access of quality eduction for children in developing countries. Their solution isn't just to plant buildings where it's needed. PoP is also about creating programs that will encourage progress and growth amongst children on a global scale." 

I'm crushing on this eyeshadow palette by Pure Cosmetics. I think I'll snag the promo code and order one for myself! 

Tori Spelling and her coupon made me do it.

Do you treat yourself to any subscription boxes? I'd love to hear about it! 

Send me a message,

You Can Do It!

fabfitfun.com

When You Care Enough To Send The Very Best

As I sit in my girlfriend, Jennifer's salon, donning a plastic cape, hair slathered with tingly chemicals, I'm overhearing her conversation with a client. She's admiring the single flower in a bud vase  at Jennifer's station. She's asking if it's from her garden. {Jennifer has an amazingly brilliant green thumb} Jennifer laughs and whispers, "It's artificial! It was a gift." The lady was taken aback and said it was beautiful anyway. I chuckled to myself because I brought that flower to Jennifer earlier this year. I'd heard of some sad news she got and wanted to make her smile. Not every situation requires a big pricey bouquet of filler flowers that are just going to be thrown out in a week. Usually, you just want to let someone know that you care about them and what they're going through.

There are so many alternatives to the traditional congratulatory bouquet of flowers or bereavement house plant it'll make your head spin! How many stuffed animals wearing a graduation cap does your 18 year old niece need?

Of course, every situation calls for a different type of expression of your friendship, sympathy or love. Why not make a more personal gesture? Here are some suggestions...

{New Baby}

LL Bean offers Boat and Tote bags that can be personalized. Any seasoned parent knows that new Moms carry lots of stuff everywhere they go. As soon as the baby has been named, I place my order and include the child's name embroidered beautifully on the front. {using my LL Bean card to receive free monogramming and shipping, of course!} The bags come in tons of colors. Depending on how much I want to spend on this gift, I'll pick up a bathingsuit and towel that match the color scheme and place them inside the bag and wrap it up prettily {or handsomely}. Who doesn't love baby bathing suits? They are quite possibly the cutest thing next to the new born baby itself!

http://www.llbean.com

{Graduation}

Money is always a big hit with recent graduates. But why not make it more interesting? If they're going away to college or moving, go on line and check out the area where they'll be spending the next few years. Chances are, it's a new place they aren't familiar with. Print up a list of local {cheap} coffee shops, eateries and markets. Put cash, gift cards or checks inside a wallet or decorative envelope and place them in a gift bag. 

{Sympathy}

We can all agree on one thing, funeral flowers are incredibly pricey. Once the funeral is over, the family usually doesn't see your gift again. While this isn't the purpose of the gesture, here's an idea I use every time in place of bereavement flowers. 

There's a fantastic company called The Trees Remember. They plant a tree in designated U.S. National Forests in honor of your loved one. "The trees are planted where they are needed most to once again create a verdant and balanced environment."

The family is sent a beautiful certificate and a tree pendant as a keepsake.

http://thetreesremember.com

{Wedding}

Each and every wedding is different as is every couple. Some are young and just starting out and they need everything. Maybe they registered for all the items they would like to have in their new home, maybe they could use cash for their honeymoon, or maybe they have been together for what seems like forever and already have a home filled with all of their favorite things. You know your friends and family better than anyone and can decide how best to honer the bride and groom. If you're stumped, here's idea I have yet to use but I think it's so fun!

This company, Artificer Woodworks, creates a beautiful engraved wooden box that holds three bottles of wine. Each of the three compartments are labeled with "Open on Your 1st, 5th and 10th Anniversary".  The inside of each lid can be personalized and filled with wines you provide. This allows you to chose wines that mean something to the happy couple. Maybe you will select wines that you know they enjoy, those from a region that is special to them or local varieties. I love this idea because it is completely personalized. The couple will know how much care you put into this special gift.

https://artificerwoodworks.com/wineforawedding/classic-trio

No matter what the occasion is, there are tons of alternatives out there. All that really matters is that you are thinking about the recipient.And that realistic looking single flower in the bud vase, I got that at Marshall's!

You Can Do It!

"DO NOT EAT"

You know those mysterious little packets you find in the pockets of new jeans or at the bottom of shoe boxes, clearly printed with the instructions: THROW AWAY "DO NOT EAT"?

Ignore these instructions {at least the first one}.  Never throw them out! These little treasures are actually quite useful. They're filled with silica gel beads and their purpose is to keep goods dry during shipping and storage. Instead of tossing them out, I store them in a sealed ziplock bag and use as needed.

Currently, my 13 year-old is attending soccer camp. This week happens to be a balmy 98 degrees on average and super humid. On day 2 she opened her soccer bag to reveal a ripe smell. We tossed in a couple of packets and one packet in each of her cleats. On day 3, no more smell!

Here are a few more handy dandy uses...

• Toss a packet or two in your tool box to prevent rusty tools.
• Place in a jewelry box to prevent silver tarnish.
• Store photos in a box with one packet to absorb harmful moisture.
• Place around the inside of your damp basement or cellar.
• Keep luggage moisture free by placing packets inside.
• Add to the pockets of stored clothing such as suits, jackets and dresses.
• Tape a packet to the inside lid of stored flour, sugar or rice.
• Keep Christmas Ornaments from getting musty by placing a packet in each storage container.
• Scrap booking supplies will stay dry when stored with silica gel beads.
• Makeup kits can become damp from steamy bathrooms. Add a packet to keep makeup fresh.
• Swim or sports bags take on foul smells. Toss in a couple of packets to freshen them up.

If your feeling crafty, create a sachet from lightweight fabric.  Cut open as many packets as you desire, pour inside and sew closed. This will help prevent someone from throwing them away. They're reusable! If your packets seem to have lost their magic powers, place on a cookie sheet and put in a 200 degree oven for two hours. This will bring them back to life. And did I mention they're free?

You Can Do It!

You Gotta Leave So You Can Come Back...

Ahhh...Summer. There's nothing like it. Thoughts of summer conjure up images of sleeping late, cute sundresses, trips to the beach, catching up with good friends and of course, food. 

Recently, we spent a week at the beach in a little cottage by the shore.  A friend of ours grew up spending summers there with his parents and six siblings. Now that they're all grown, they each have their own places where they spend a lot of time with their own children but still come together as one. We feel very blessed to be invited each summer to spend a week as honorary members of this amazing family.

As you can imagine, there's lots of traditions but one of my favorites is the nightly dinner ritual. The cottages are situated as such that they create a circle around a common yard where a makeshift table of saw horses, plywood and table cloths is assembled each evening. There always seems to be the right number of chairs for everyone and just the right amount of food {with leftovers for the beach the next day of course}. The older kids keep an eye on the younger ones, blowing bubbles, playing Hide and Seek, or sharing their sea shell collections. The grownup kids light the grill. Everyone contributes appetizers, salads and entrees-usually whatever their specialties are and everyone raves and reminisces about the recipe or how they came about making that special dish. 

My favorite dish from the week is called Chili Lime Shrimp with Avocado and Coriander. Debbie, one of the sisters-in-law, made this fantastic recipe. {I was told in confidence that Debbie is the best cook in the family, she is, it was divine.} I'm already a big fan of shrimp but this was the most delicious thing I ate all week, including ice cream 6 out of 7 nights {on night #4, Debbie made a Blueberry Crisp that was to die for!}. Come to find out, Deb found the recipe on Epicurious.com so I've added the link below. BTW, coriander is cilantro!

At the end of the meal, the dining table is dismantled and everything is put in it's place. It's the last night of our vacation and the mood is light. The kids are milking every last minute together and the grown ups are making plans for next summer.

My Beach BFF, Karen and I are making coffee and one of my girls says, "I don't want to go home tomorrow." My heart is full because that tells me she had a great vacation. Karen puts her arm around her and says, "You gotta leave so you can come back".  And that makes me smile. Part of the fun of vacation is the year-long anticipation.

Just 365 days until we're back...

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chili-lime-shrimp-with-avocado-and-coriander-14582

You Can Do It!

Pop Secret!

                                         

 

I love to create treats that look like something they're not, especially sweets that look like savory snacks. So when I saw this idea on Pinterest, naturally I had to try it. This is my rendition of  Popcorn Cupcakes, or as I like to call them, Pop Secret!

It's quite simple, actually. These are confetti cake cupcakes baked in red polka-dot cups and frosted white. The popcorn topping is mini marshmallows and yellow food color spray. {I used Wilton's color mist}

Using a pair of kitchen scissors, snip part way through the marshmallows one or two times which creates the kernel shape. {try to make each one a little different so they look random} Cover the tops of the cupcakes with prepared marshmallows and lightly spray with the color mist. That's IT!

I knew these would be a huge hit with my daughter's 5th grade class. Her teacher has a great sense of humor. On April Fool's Day, she brought in what she told them was grilled cheese sandwiches for them to share. Turns out, they were made with pound cake and orange frosting. So clever!

So, if you try your hand at these Pop Secrets, let me know how they turn out and share any ideas or tweaks to the recipe. If you want to make them just like mine, here's what you'll need:

The Bare Necessities:

Your choice of prepared cupcakes 

Red and White Paper Cupcake Wrappers

White Frosting

1 pkg. Mini Marshmallows

1 can Food Color Spray, Yellow

Kitchen Scissors

               You Can Do It!

                                             

Quick Tip Tuesday!

I'm excited to share my latest find! While packing for a week at the beach, I came across these clear, plastic, zippered bags that a set of sheets had come in. I knew I'd find a great use for them.

I loaded up this one with my iPad, phone, ear buds and a good book. It slides nicely into the pouch on the back of my beach chair and holds all my goodies within reach. It isn't water proof but certainly will protect your items from splashes and sand. And I love that they are transparent so you don't have to open them to see what's inside. 

                       

I have a few of these handy little bags. Another holds three different sunscreens and my Chapstick, while a large one I filled with toiletries.

                       

Don't toss out these great bags. The possibilities are endless! 

You Can Do It!

See Jane Bake {Banana Bread}

If you like to bake, chances are you've tried your hand at making banana bread at least once. Growing up in my house, the red and white checkered Better Homes and Gardens loose-leaf cookbook was considered food gospel. I'm pretty sure all of our meals were either TV dinners or products of this culinary scripture. We had no internet with recipe sites or Food Network programs teaching us creative ways to prepare foods. Banana bread recipes consisted of the basic ingredients of a sweet bread plus mashed, over-ripe bananas.

Recently, we attended my daughters first regatta. Each family is responsible for bringing food to share in the crew food tent. This is the most genius idea. It's like tailgating breakfast, lunch and dinner {sans the keg}. It was here that I discovered the most delicious banana bread.

After tracking down the responsible party, I was pleased to discover the recipe came from one of my favorite websites. I'm sharing so you can make your own. It's called Janet's Rich Banana Bread. Whoever Janet is, she's a revolutionary, slicing the bananas instead of mashing and adding sour cream to the mix. Simply divine. 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/17066/janets-rich-banana-bread/

This is my finished product. You can see the thick slices of warm gooey banana through the glass pan and the sour cream makes it super moist!

Try this recipe and let me know how it turns out. I'm planning on making Janet's Rich Banana Bread again and perhaps adding crushed pineapple and toasted coconut!

You Can Do It!

A Spoonful Of Sugar...

One of my favorite movies of all times is Mary Poppins. Her can-do attitude, strong will and ability to solve any problem with show tunes and a spoonful of sugar makes her my role model. So when I got the news that a young family friend was having an emergency appendectomy, I thought, she needs a spoonful of sugar to help that medicine go down. 

I don't like to send flowers, they're so expensive and only last a week. Instead I prefer to put together a personalized gift and include something sweet so I set off to the local bakery and Home Goods for provisions. Admittedly, I have a sweet tooth and I get a little sugar rush just walking through the bakery doors, practically breaking into song in true Mary Poppins form. I was thrilled to discover they offered 4 flavors of mini whoopee pies! I grabbed a box with 3 of each flavor and headed out for more supplies.

Donning a bakery box of yummy goodness, I made a bee-line for the stationary section at Home Goods and selected a fun storage container making sure the whoopee pie box would fit inside. 

Once I found one that was pretty and matched our little friend's personality, I searched for some treasures to place inside.  Note cards come in handy, there's a lot of downtime after surgery and thank you's to write {for all those flowers people send}.  I think Tweens like journals and I love this sassy little white leather number. A pretty pen just finishes it off.

Placing a sheet of pink tissue paper over all the goodies, keeps the suspense a little longer once she opens it. 

On goes the lid and a simple bow tied from a length of tulle.

So, the next time someone special in your life needs a little pick-me-up, think outside of the boring cardboard box. Pick up a pretty one and fill it with treasures that lets them know you made it special for them. And of course, include something sweet!

You Can Do It!

Rockin' Robin

Have you ever met someone in an unexpected place and became fast friends? Some call it kismet. When you encounter something, or someone by chance that seems like it was meant to be. Once you start getting to know that person, you think, "How have I not met you until now?" As I've gone through life, I've stumbled upon these hidden gems every once in a while. My most recent find is named Robin.

One day, this quirky mother of two showed up at the Kick Boxing Class I take at my gym. She was friendly and outgoing and I was drawn to her kind spirit. We started chatting and found that we have a lot of the same interests, both personally and creatively. Not a lot of my friends share my crafty desire to create {and recreate} things. Eventually, we exchanged contact info and became Face Book friends. It was then that I knew Robin and I were meant to have met. Where has she been all my life? 

I started poking around on her page and discovered that she is incredibly talented and creative. I found out that she hosted a Shakespearian themed book club and prepared foods from that time period and took a woodworking class and built a little table from scratch! What??? We've been sharing ideas like wildfire and she gave me permission to share the following, one of her latest projects, with all of you!

With the arrival of Spring, many of us are putting out bird feeders. Does it drive you crazy when the squirrels eat all the birdseed you put out before you can even close the lid? Here's a fun alternative, something else you can do for our feathered friends. Pick up a decorative grapevine orb at the craft store and fill it with bits of yarn scraps and pillow stuffing. {The more colorful, the better} The yarn should be cut short so the birds can't get tangled up in them.  Fill with the stuffing allowing it to stick out enough for the birds to grab it. Hang from a nearby tree or you could use a shepherd's hook like in the photo.

The birds will collect what they like and use it in their nests. Apparently, this bird likes a neutral color scheme.

Whether you have bluejays, cardinals or even robins, you'll be able to admire their beautiful works of art in your own yard! I just love this idea. I'll share pictures of mine as soon as I put it out.

You Can Do It!

Toss Out Those Paint Cans...{Quick Tip Tuesday!}

How many partially used cans of paint are you hoarding? Do you plan on using them? Probably not, but you can't toss them out because you need that precious information found on the lid. Chances are pretty good, you'll have to repaint a wall or touch up a door in the future. By the time you get around to it though, the paint will be spoiled, you won't be able to find it or your husband will have purged the garage and its long gone.

I started snapping quick pics of the labels and saving them in a folder on my phone. Not on my computer because when I go into the paint store I won't have it with me. I'm sure to have my phone! It's a good idea to also write on the label what room it's for before taking your pic. {I only have one grey room so I didn't do that here.}

You Can Do It!

April Showers Bring May Flowers...On My Gym Pants

With the arrival of Spring, and Summer on the horizon, it seems as though everyone is flocking to the gym again in anticipation of bathing suit season. It's the first influx since the New Year's Day rush. All resolutions have long been forgotten and their plan for a fresh start for the new year has been foiled by February Vacations spent at Disney eating their way through the World Showcase, being cooped up in the house due to early Spring Nor'easters or binging at Easter dinners. Finally, they come to the conclusion, they must get back to the gym. Meanwhile, we regulars are trying to stay motivated.

Everyone has good intentions of living a healthy lifestyle, but sometimes it's just too damn hard planning healthy {edible} meals and getting to the gym. Especially when it's -10 degrees outside! As a stay-at-home Mom, my husband and I joke about my going to the gym every day as one of my many jobs.  If I miss a day, he asks if I called in sick. Yes, it's foolish but it helps me to think of it as my responsibility to be there every day. And isn't it my responsibility to be healthy and set a good example for the young women I'm raising? 

There are three things that get me to the gym:

1. Guilt.

2. A kick-ass group of women who encourage and empower me.

3. Floral workout pants.

Generally, I select my workout wear in various shades of black. After all, black is more slimming, right? I like to blend in at the gym hoping my neutrality will mask the fact that I'm incredibly clumsy and self-conscious. Recently though, I stepped outside my comfort zone and bought a pair of floral lycra pants.  I found myself visiting them on the regular at Kohl's and finally bit the bullet and bought them. On Monday, I showed up like usual for cardio kickboxing donning my new duds. Somehow, instead of feeling clumsier or more self-conscious, I had a little hop in my step. The numerous compliments may have helped a little but whatever the reason, I enjoyed wearing my new snazzy pants. I even let my friend take a picture of me!

You Can Do It!

A Rainbow Of Fruit Flavors...{Quick Tip Tuesday!}

This is a super simple tip that will make your finished product spot-on. 

For some reason, people {myself included} are so impressed with a hollowed out watermelon full of fruit. Perhaps it's all the pretty colorful fruit or because watermelons are indicative of hot summer days and good times. Whatever the reason, when I'm asked to bring fruit to an outing I like to start with a watermelon. Since its early in the season, the selection was limited and I could only find half and quarter melons. 

Previously, I blogged about a watermelon baby bassinet I made for a baby shower. {Booties and Blankies and Binkies, Oh My!} For this occassion, I decided to do rows of fruits lined up inside the watermelon "bowl". 

                                 

This is where my OCD takes over and I have no choice but to place them in rainbow order. I am a product of the 80's after all, surrounded by Rainbow Brite dolls and My Pretty  Ponies, Care Bares and Strawberry Shortcake...all manufactured in perfect rainbow order {and scents?}

This was incredibly simple. I hollowed out the melon with a melon baller, sliced cantaloupe and used a small cookie cutter to make stars, cubed honey dew and cut wedges of pineapple. 

                               

                         

                         Different shapes makes it more fun! 

Then I placed 4 small side plates in the "bowl" and added the fruit in between them. Once all sections were full, I slid the plates out and voilà! A rainbow of fruit flavors. I finished it off with a few pieces of greenery saved from the pineapple top for a little pizzaz.

You Can Do It!

A Tisket, A Tasket, Toss It In A Basket..... {Quick Tip Tuesday}

With all the lids, caps and gadgets we have in our kitchens, don't you find it tedious work washing them all by hand? You can't just put them in your dish washer because they'll end up lodged in the bottom, filled with soapy water or melted onto the heating element! I'm sure many of you are already using this handy tip...

Pick up a basket in the baby department of any big box or grocery store.  They're made to wash bottle tops and nipples. I put anything in it that will fit. I keep it in my dish washer all the time, it can be filled with all sorts of washable items! 

You Can Do It!

I'm All About That Baste....{Quick Tip Tuesday}

This week's Quick Tip Tuesday is pretty simple. For 20+ years, I've been roasting chickens and turkeys. I can't tell you how many times the baster has ended up in the sink, on the floor or rolled across the counter dripping slippery, greasy deliciousness in it's path. The struggle was real.  Recently, I cooked a traditional turkey dinner with all the fixings including everyone's favorite side dishes.  In the midst of a well rehearsed culinary dance, I was faced with the daunting  task of what to do with the darn baster in between uses.  And let's face it, it's all about the baste. Basting is an art that is perfected over time. You don't just bast your bird once and you're done. The baster is used, rests, and is used again. As I was retrieving my gravy boat from the cabinet where I store seldom used items, I spotted a corn on the cob tray and realized it just might be the perfect fit for my turkey baster...

I was right! 

You Can Do It!

All We Are Is Dust In The Wind...{Quick Tip Tuesday}

Have you ever heard this one before, "Dust is primarily composed of human skin"? Well, that's just gross!  So I did a little research and I can get on board with what I found here:

http://www.livescience.com/32337-is-house-dust-mostly-dead-skin.html

I still don't like dust. Here's a Quick Tip....

I hate to spend money on something that just gets thrown away. I used to dust with paper towels or those cute fluffy mitts you buy specifically for the job.  One day while doing laundry, I had an epiphany! Used dryer sheets get thrown out anyway, so why not get another use out of them first? I started hoarding them and stuffing them all over the place. I have some in the side door pocket of my car, under the couch cushions, in my dresser drawers and sometimes we find them in places I forgot that I stashed them. 

I keep a few in my car door
underneath my umbrella.

One of the main functions of a dryer sheet is to prevent static in your clothes. This quality is great for dusting because the dust sticks to the fibers. After they've been used to dust with, you can feel good about throwing them away. Happy Dusting!



                                      You Can Do It!