Dec 13, 2012

Moving Day!

Moving day is only a couple days away and I am putting as much in boxes as I can!  I will be without the internet for a few days, but hopefully will be back to blogging by next week.  I can't wait to share with you the before and after photos of our new home and start a lot of new DIY and craft posts relating to home decor and home improvement!  This is a new chapter in my life and one that I have been looking forward to for a very long time.  Wish us luck with the move and I'll see you on the other side!

This is what I've been staring at for months now- finally it will all come together!
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Dec 10, 2012

Brainstorming

Today I am brainstorming...trying to figure out how to decorate next week since the big move is THIS Saturday!  These are just some inspiring images I came across on Houzz that I wanted to share:
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Dec 7, 2012

During the Holidays

Words to remember during the holidays when we are bombarded by messages telling us there are all sorts of things we NEED to buy:


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Dec 3, 2012

Unexpected Winter Layers

Happy Monday!  I noticed that I hadn't done any fashion posts in a long time, so I thought I would share what I have been loving lately - LAYERS!  Anything that is loose and flowy or a fun print like flannel to poke out of big, comfy sweaters, cute jackets, or pretty winter coats.  And, the more layers the better!  Add a scarf, skinnies, and boots and you are set to brave the worst of storms or peel off the layers for warmer days like we've been having here in Salt Lake.









All image credits can be found here
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Nov 30, 2012

Pasteline Solid Perfume Giveaway!

Today I am so excited to introduce a brand new line of solid perfumes created by my friend called Pasteline.  Some of you may have never heard of solid perfume, or used it before, but let me tell you-you don't know what you are missing out on!  Pasteline perfumes are subtle enough to apply anytime you feel you need a little bit of freshening up and as inconspicuous as putting on a dab of lip gloss so you can do it anytime and anywhere.


There are six fragrances to choose from, so you really can find the perfect one just for you, if not a few that you love and can rotate through to compliment your wardrobe and mood at any given day.  They are also great gifts and Pasteline's gift finder makes it easy to choose the right one.  They come in cute packaging (always a plus and just the cherry on top when you find a great product.)


When I met with Melissa, I got to smell each one and had 4 favorites out of the six.  My very favorite, which I have been wearing a few days now and love more and more is the San Clemente Sun.  The description of this fragrance is "Charismatic and RelaxingA fresh floral mix of citrus bergamot and breezy marine notes mingled with soft powder—all inspired by the beach."  And, in the gift finder it definitely describes me the closest :)

  These fragrances are definitely a quality product and also have other great features.  Some of them include them being spill-proof and portable, along with "air-travel friendly."  They have not been tested on animals and have no alcohol, parabens, pthalates, animal ingredients or derivatives.  Since they are solid perfume you can put them on anywhere and aren't wasting any bit of them either so they will last a long time.

These would make excellent gifts and stocking stuffers and now until December 25th you get FREE SHIPPING!  Hurry and order before Dec. 14th to make sure you get them by Christmas!

 Pasteline has offered 1 Choice of Fragrance to 3 Winners!
  

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Nov 26, 2012

Moving Along

I am happy to say that the main level of our house is pretty much ready to move in.  We have finished painting the cabinets, getting the counter-tops installed, putting in the laminate flooring, baseboards, painted everything, and now just need to get the carpet installed as soon as we can finish the drywall in the basement.

I just had to share the chandelier I bought online today.  We were going to wait to get new light fixtures for the house, but this one was so perfect and such a great deal that I couldn't pass it up:

Originally $96 on sale for $43 with free shipping today only!

It will look great with the drawer pulls I bought that I am still in love with.  And, I will be incorporating more of the brass color with my gold frames.  

Things are moving along!  Wish us luck with the inspector- hopefully we can get the basement walls done soon so we can move in!
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How to Remodel your Home Successfully


The interior décor of a kitchen can easily become outdated over time. The flooring, walls, paint and more may show the true age of the home, and this can affect the overall style in your home. Remodeling your kitchen can make a huge difference to the feel of your home. However, you may simply not know how to get started with such a big project.


Develop a Plan
To create a beautifully remodeled space, it is important to fully plan out your remodeling project. This will include carefully choosing all of the materials and supplies that will be used in your project. You can most easily develop a plan by visiting several home improvement stores and touring showrooms. Take note of which styles you like, what their estimated cost is and how significant the installation process is. Then, sit down and pull your thoughts together into a plan, noting the cost, the design elements and the installation processes involved. This step will help you to determine what your finished project may look like as well as what the total project may cost. If you believe your project is too costly, you can simply revise your plan using different materials to save money.



Fund Your Project
Some people will have the funds necessary to renovate their kitchen on hand in a savings account and ready to use immediately. Others, however, will need to try getting a renovation loan to cover the expenses for the meantime. This may be a home equity loan or line of credit, or it may be an unsecured personal loan or a new credit card account. Consider choosing an option that will provide you with the funds necessary to complete your project according to the plan you have developed while still yielding affordable payments that you can easily manage with your budget. 


Seek Assistance When Needed
With the funds necessary to pay for your kitchen renovation, you can then get started with your project.  There are many aspects of a kitchen renovation project that a skilled homeowner with a do-it-yourself mentality can accomplish. However, there are certain stages of a project that may need to be outsourced. For example, if you are relocating pipes, electricity outlets and more, you may consider using the services of a licensed plumber or electrician. It is far better to have these important tasks completed correctly the first time than to contend with issues like leaky pipes, faulty wiring and more later on. 


The fact is that renovating your kitchen is a major project, and it can be a costly project too. However, by following these steps, you can most easily install the kitchen of your dreams into your home in an affordable way.
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Nov 23, 2012

Girl's Holiday Dresses & Giveaway!

Now that Thanksgiving is over we can totally focus on Christmas- my favorite holiday!!!  How about a giveaway and feature of a great place to buy kids holiday attire?  The Happy Seal Boutique has the cutest girls dresses you have ever seen - all in one place!  I had a ton of favorites, but I ended up going with this one for Allie:



It fits adorably and looks just as pretty, if not prettier in person as on the website.  I also love the attached crinoline and all the fullness to the skirt it adds.  This is the first dress I have been really careful with because of how nice it is- I won't let Allie wear it anywhere but to church and special occasions!

"The Happy Seal Baby and Kids' Boutique prides itself on offering high quality, stylish, unique, trendy and chic products which will make shopping a great experience for our customers. We offer a great selection of unique products such as hand knit baby clothesbaby diaper cakesnewborn gift basketsunique baby giftsorganic baby clothingnewborn baby girls' clothesnewborn baby boys' clothesbaby gift ideasgirls formal wearboys formal wearholiday outfits and organic hand knit toys. "

There really are so many pretty holiday dresses and also cute boys attire- go take a look for yourself!





Now is a great time to get your kids' holiday attire at the Happy Seal Boutique, as they are currently offering free shipping to orders over $50!

Also, if you are expecting or know someone who is, when moms register for their baby shower with Happy Seal Boutique, after 3 sales are made she will receive a $30.00 gift certificate!
The Happy Seal Boutique has offered a $30 Gift Certificate to one lucky person!
Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Nov 19, 2012

Free Christmas Cards!!!

Right now you can score an amazing deal on Christmas cards at Minted.com- if you have read before, you know I love this company and their products!

Here is what you do: 

1) Sign up for Minted.com and get  $25 sign up credit.
2) Add $50 or more in Holiday Cards to your cart -promo code only works on holiday cards.
3) Use promo code HOL25SHIP at checkout to save $25 PLUS get FREE Shipping on your holiday card order.
4) The $25 credit should come off automatically when you checkout.




 Go get it!!
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Nov 16, 2012

Burt's Bees Baby Holiday Line

You may remember the review I did for the Burt's Bees new baby clothing line recently.  Well, I was super excited to be able to review one of their pieces from their new Holiday Line!  





I got to review these pieces from their Holiday line, along with some of their baby bath products:




Just like the blanket I reviewed before, their clothing is super soft and thick, perfect for baby in all seasons.  The Burt's Bees print is super cute and this set can be used for a baby girl OR boy!

"Burt’s Bees Baby is the evolution of the iconic, parent brand and trusted name of Burt’s Bees. All of Burt’s Bees Baby’s newborn essentials (including apparel, accessories, bath linens and gift sets) are 100% ORGANIC, super-soft and VERY affordable."

   Burt's Bees Baby’s Holiday Collection is available at www.burtsbeesbaby.com and www.target.com

Go take a look and get some great Holiday gift ideas!
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Nov 15, 2012

Excuses, Excuses

Please excuse me for a couple weeks as I try to clean up this mess we have made:


I am so excited to show you the before and afters when it is all done!
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Winners Announced!

Please check the giveaways that just ended to see if you are the winner!  Contact me at jessicahills22@gmail.com to claim your prize within 48 hours or a new winner will be drawn!  Thanks!
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Nov 1, 2012

KeriAnn Designs Jewelry Giveaway!

November is birthday month for my family (me and my sisters were all born in Nov. along with my close cousin, grandpa, and Macsen is now a November birthday boy too!)  So, I thought why not do a review/giveaway that represents that?!


I found KerriAnn Designs when I was looking for a rings to represent my kids (whether it would be birthstone or significant numbers, etc.)  I have one for Allie but it is a little thick and I wanted to stack them on the same finger.  

Her Etsy shop was just full of pretty, perfectly-sized stack-able rings to represent all kinds of significant life events, family, etc.  You can mix and match pretty much everything in her shop- there are so many possibilities!

Kerri had this to say about what she does:

"I love when jewelry has a special meaning to the person wearing it. I love hearing the stories behind the pieces I am creating and I get excited when I finish a piece and know it is going to bring a little bit of joy to who ever is receiving it."


Kerri sent me a birthstone ring for April and one for November (April for Allie and Trey's birthdays and November for me and Macsen's!)  I absolutely LOVE them- I have worn them almost EVERY SINGLE day since I got them and I will definitely be buying more to stack when more kids come along :)


KeriAnn has offered to give away $35 of credit to her Etsy store!

To enter, use the Rafflecopter below:
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Oct 27, 2012

Hair Straighteners

It seems like everyone and their dog uses a hair straightener these days to do all sorts of things to their hair- straighten, curl, wave, etc.  I absolutely LOVE using a straightener to curl my hair and do that every other day- you can watch how here.   I have found that not all hair straighteners are equal, and you can get very different results from different straighteners.

As you can see in my video, I am using this Conair straightener I got at Costco and I have been very pleased with it.  I have had it about 3 years now and its still going strong...knock on wood.  But, I was getting a little bored of the same hairstyle every day and was excited to be able to try a different straightener.

The HANA Pro 1" FlatIron was definitely different than my Conair.  The HANA is more rounded- which makes the waves/curls a little different.  It also gets hotter (450 degrees) and the plates are self-adjusting to your hair's texture- which makes it glide more (makes it easier for beginners to curl with a straightener)



With any new hairstyle, you should give yourself at least a week or two to master the technique.  Even with experience of curling my hair with a straightener for going on 3+ years it still took me about a week to really get it down with the HANA Pro.

But, after a few runs at it I love the way my hair curls with the HANA as you can see here.  It is a pretty curl that is looser and more wavy and I love it!


You can read more reviews on the HANA Pro website- and see how many people absolutely love it. 
 
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Oct 24, 2012

Personalized Birthstone Necklace Giveaway!


I fell in love with the designs of Masha from Delzhen right off the bat.  Every single piece is stunning:





I was so lucky to be able to review these pretty pink (October birthstone) earrings:


I have been wearing them with skinny jeans and a big comfy sweater and they totally complete the outfit and make it look so much more put-together.  I LOVE them.

Masha has generously offered to give away this beautiful necklace you can customize with your own birthstone, initials, and chain!  


To enter please use the rafflecopter below:

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