Review | Spatty & Spatty Daddy

Spatty & Spatty Daddy 

$10.99 on thespatty.com ♥

I'm going to be talking about a nifty little gadget today. :) Actually - "two" nifty little gadgets. 

They are both tools to help you get the most out of the products (makeup etc.) that you purchase and put money back in your pocket. They are called the Spatty & the Spatty Daddy! You may have seen these featured on the Shark Tank!

Here we have a perfect example of bad packaging. I adore this concealer by NYX - it is my absolute favorite. But - sadly, I'm about to have to re-purchase it for a 3rd time. I always seem to be running out...but I can always see a bit more concealer in the container. The Spatty made it very easy to retrieve the concealer that I so desperately wanted out of the bottle, unlike the doe foot applicator that is included. 

How magnificent is that? I mean - come on. Then I just swiped the concealer off the Spatty with the normal applicator. I love that it comes in two convenient sizes. I plan on keeping the Spatty in my makeup drawer and the Spatty Daddy in our kitchen drawer. The larger tool is going to be perfect for ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, hot sauces, etc. (You could also use it for shampoo, conditioners, tanning lotions, etc) I cannot find any other word to describe the Spatty and the Spatty Daddy other than nifty...they are just stinkin' nifty.

---------->Money saving?<----------

Think about it, if you spend $20 on a bottle of fancy shampoo and you can't retrieve the 16% of the product left in the bottle. You could either throw it away...losing $3.20 in the process. Or you could use the Spatty Daddy and get to enjoy almost every penny you spent on the stuff. It's pretty much a no-brainer folks. I highly recommend it. (They dishwasher safe and food safe)

Dimensions:

Spatty: 6" long & 5/8" x 3/8" tip

Spatty Daddy: 12" long & 1 7/16" x 5/8" tip

I would like to add that the glue that is attached on the back of these is terribly hard to remove. I was told that the packaging has been changed recently...so maybe this isn't a problem anymore. 

Like The Spatty on Facebook

Follow Cheryl Rigdon - the creator of the Spatty on Twitter

Visit their YouTube channel 

and while you're at it...you can Like Silas & Miri on Facebook too. ;)

 

8 years married :)

Today I'm dedicating my post to my oh so sweet husband - Matt. 8 years ago I married a music man...

(This is one of my favorite photos from the wedding)

Instead of littering this post with a million pictures of us from over the years - I thought a collage would be better for everyone lol. I hope you guys have a good chuckle at the awkward teenage photos.

I could not have asked for a better husband/baby daddy in a million years. Everything he does - he does it for his family. He works his booty off to make sure we have everything we need. I'm not sure what we would do without him. He is so supportive of me in all of my ventures - especially this blog. (When lot's of people don't understand it) Some people think getting married at 18 years old is crazy...and that's just fine. I love you Matt! ...I look forward to many more shenanigans with you. ;)

Enough with the sappy posts! I will have a proper review up tomorrow! I hope everybody is having a pleasant Tuesday. Matt is taking me out for crepes tonight, so I'm pretty stoked about that. 

No rest for the weary

Man oh man - we did not have a very restful weekend. Matt had to go into work on Saturday - so the weekend felt much shorter than usual. We pretty much "home-improved" ourselves to death. I am sore all over and so very sleepy. We are currently renovating our bathroom floor. (It's an old house and it was not level) We ended up using a self leveling concrete. (We are changing the wall color too) Do you have any idea how terrifying it is to pour concrete inside your home? Ugh, didn't think so.

So - sorry for my lack of a fanciful review today. I am spending the day with my family today and relaxing for a spell. I hope none of you guys get a case of the Mondays. 

Oh, and check out this awesome photo I took of Silas with the Cam Newton statue on campus. :)

(He was pretty impressed by it)

Nails of the Day

(Butter London) "Tramp Stamp"

$15 at ButterLondon.com ♥

(Sigh) I love Butter London nail polish. They just seem so luxurious to me, especially the shade "Tramp Stamp." (What a glorious name lol) It's a loverly rich milk chocolate brown nail lacquer that I just adore. I think it will look great with whatever I where over the next few days. It kinda reminds me of a Hershey bar - and that makes me really want some chocolate. NOM NOM

----------> See all of their Nail Lacquers here) <----------

Butter London was founded in 2005, and all of their products are carcinogen-free. :) Isn't that fabulous? 

Where to buy?

Any Portlandia fans out there? ;)

Official Butter London Website

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Photograph Friday | Hickory Dickory Park

We went to the park yesterday - it was so stinking hot! (See sweaty Silas lol) I brought along the Olympus E-410 since it was so nice and sunny outside. I ended up having to bribe Silas with a drink from McDonald's (he calls it old McDonald's haha) to get him to leave. Poor Miri was perspiring-up-a-storm by the time we got to the car! Bless her heart - she is just like her daddy.

Review | OneCoffee Organic Single Serve Coffee

A lot of my friends and family own Keurig coffee makers. They are a convenient way to grab a decent cup of coffee in the morning and dash out the front door. 

These one-cup coffee makers are in tons of peoples homes - but have you ever thought about how wasteful they are? One plastic cup gets wasted for every cup brewed. (It's kinda disturbing) I don't think people even realize the environmental ramifications. This is why I'm really impressed with Canterbury Coffee's OneCoffee 90% Biodegradable Organic single serve pods! (Canterbury is Canada's second largest coffee chain) Standard K-Cups contain a plastic coffee filter, grounds, and a foil top with no easy way to separate everything for recycling. :/

Seriously...look at it...how cool is that? Both of my parents were shocked when I unwrapped this decaf pod. The pods are individually wrapped for freshness and safety. (Does that fit the Keurig?) Why, yes - it totally fits the Keurig...and it was delicious to boot! You can find them in the following blends: French Roast, Breakfast Blend, Decaf Dark, Colombian, Peruvian, Sumatran, Ethiopian, and Variety pack.

OneCoffee is also suitable for people who are Vegan, Halal, Kosher, and they are BPA free. :) Currently - I believe they are only sold over in Canada. Hopefully we will be able to enjoy them in the US soon!

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Canterbury Coffee began in 1981 as a micro-roaster in Richmond, BC. When the company opened it's doors, they roasted only 100% Arabica coffees - a decision that still stands today. :)

Review | Hot Tools Salon Marcel Curling Iron & KQC Thermal Shine Spray

Hot Tools Salon Marcel Curling Iron (1-1/2")

$45.95 on Flat Iron Experts ♥

I'm going to be honest with you - this hair styling tool was very intimidating when I first took it out of the box. I found it pretty difficult to use. I really wanted to do this review using my own hair, but alas...it was too short! (That had a lot to do with my difficulty) So - I asked my sister India if she would help me out! (She was happy to)

(Hmmm, am I doing it right?)

My little sister just so happens to have super-long-gorgeous-Taylor-Swift-hair that was perfect for this Marcel curling iron. It took us several minutes (and a few YouTube videos) to get the hang of it. (Our grandmother also helped us out a bit) ^_^ Here is some helpful information about the product...it's a very snazzy styling tool.

Pulse Technology - for gets hot...stays hot performance. Fast heat-up and instant heat recovery. Maintains constant, even heat while you style. (This thing gets hella-hot people, I recommend removing all children from the vicinity when it's in use)

24k Gold Styling Surface - Distributes heat evenly, produces perfect heat for beautiful, long-lasting, durable curls, and a smooth surface for frizz-free styling. 

Professional Features:

-Rheostat control with variable heat settings up to 430 degrees fahrenheit

-Power indicator light

-Locking/rotating main and Marcel handles 

-Separate on / off switch

-Foldaway safety stand

-8ft. professional cord

-One-year warranty!

YouTube is a very helpful resource when you are trying to learn how to correctly use a Marcel curling iron. (Or any hair styling tool for that matter) I'm going to link a video here to give you a better demonstration than we could provide. If you watch the video - it is probably pretty clear that mastering this tool is all in the hand technique. (Finger placement  - people...it's important!)

 India and I used a thermal shine spray by KQC when styling her hair. It is also available on the Flat Iron Experts website. :)

KQC Thermal Shine Spray

$13.99 on Flat Iron Experts ♥

I highly recommend this spray, unlike other brands...it doesn't have that weird glue smell. It can be used with all of your favorite styling tools, and it's perfect for all hair types. The spray prevents infrared heat damage that results in those nasty split-ends. (Gasp! Nobody wants nasty split-ends!)

Isn't it lovely!? I cannot wait till my hair is longer so I can try out this Marcel curling iron. If you do decide to purchase one - please don't get frustrated! (I'm afraid that I've made it sound super scary) Eventually you will figure it out! :) It is basically like a traditional curling iron...just without the spring loaded mechanism. It also requires the user to keep a constant pressure on the handle when styling. The end result is beautiful - so I definitely think it's worth the extra effort. 

Are you interested in either of the products that I have mentioned today? Please go check out Flat Iron Experts for all of your styling tool needs.  They are very knowledgable and have great customer service. 

 

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Hotel Review | Rite4us Inn & Suites - Smyrna, GA

Matt and I recently booked a hotel room at Rite4us Inn & Suites in Smyrna, GA. This particular hotel was located pretty close to many places that we wanted to visit (Atlanta) that weekend. (July 12th 2013) We had an interesting stay here, (lol - seriously interesting) so I thought it appropriate to do a blog review about it. 

Photo credit - Booking.com (Standard Queen room)

Right when we first walked inside the building I had a bad feeling about my choice to stay this hotel. It had an interesting odor. (We were given two free Rite4us Inn & Suites t-shirts though?) I booked our stay through the website Booking.com - $44.99 + 15% tax was the advertised price. Booking.com listed one other place that was a bit cheaper but it didn't have continental breakfast, so Rite4us won. 

If you live in the South you are probably aware of how humid it can get around here. Let me just say that the humidity level inside this establishment is probably double what it is outside. (I kid you not son) All we can figure is that they turn off the air conditioners after you check out of your room - and that has somehow affected the moisture level in the building? (Can you imagine the mold?) When we walked into our room all I could do is laugh. The room was literally just a bed and a tiny bathroom! (The lights took 2-3 minutes to turn on in the bathroom) The floor showed signs of bad moisture damage and it was dewey...sticky even. (So gross to walk on without shoes) Our air conditioner was frozen up and it was probably about 89 degrees in the room. The large flatscreen television on the wall was the only positive note. (That and no bedbugs lol) We laid our bags down and sprawled out on the bed and began to watch Family Guy for a bit before I decided it best to ask Matt to go request a room with working air. 

The man at the desk was extremely apologetic when he heard about the humid room and the broken air conditioner and moved us to a room similar to this one...

5300 South Cobb Drive, Smyrna, GA 30080

Photo credit - Booking.com (Queen Suite) 

The next room was considerably larger - but the air conditioner was still off. (This room is listed at $54.99 a night + 15% tax) Matt fiddled with it for a minute and had it blasting cool air within a few minutes. (Thank Jeebus!) So eventually, we got cooled off. The floors in this room were still slick with moisture and the ceiling had a few water spots here and there. It had the same large flatscreen television that the previous room had - so we resumed watching Adult Swim. The rest of the night was pretty peaceful, besides people coming home at all hours of the night and being a bit noisy. (Maybe even fiddling with our doorknob) I'm not sure why - but I didn't realize that this hotel was also an extended stay place...so quite a few people actually lived there. 0_0 (Bless their hearts) I'm thinking everybody had been out enjoying adult beverages...

Matt set an alarm for 8:30 AM so we could enjoy some continental breakfast the next morning...that ended up being laughable! He went down to the front office to check it out and quickly returned only to tell me that they had a pathetic excuse for a breakfast set out. (Two containers of frosted flakes, and one mini bagel?) Matt ended up having a brilliant idea though! We went to IKEA and ate a fantastic breakfast for only $5.16! :)

The rest of our trip was actually very pleasant and we had a wonderful time. Lots of IKEA-goodness and various shopping malls. The trip was an overall success. Rite4us taught us a valuable lesson though - less is not always more...and the term "free continental breakfast" can be used very loosely. ;) I cannot recommend this hotel.

Silas Sunday

I took these yesterday at my parent's house with the Olympus E-410 camera. :) Not too shabby! These were taken shortly after we had a failed attempt to visit the Montgomery Zoo. (They were closed) We wanted to go see the new baby rhino named Ethan. Silas got very upset and cried when they wouldn't let us in. (It was a total mom fail lol) I should have called before we drove all the way over there. Oh well - we will see Ethan some other time. I hope everybody is having a nice weekend!

MLP:FiM Fangirl Ramblings & Review | Princess Cadance Toy

(Miri's first trip to the barn - she loved it & didn't want to leave!)

The apple has not fallen far from the tree folks! Miss Miri Mouse is just as obsessed with MLP as I was when I was little. Anytime she is crying - we just turn on "the ponys" and everything is suddenly right in the world lol. 

(Fizzy - Generation One)

Pretty much anybody that is female (or even sometimes male) and born in the 80s has been obsessed with MLP at one point or another in their lives. I never really stopped loving them. (Special case haha) I have a vintage Fizzy that sits on display in my bathroom - she was always my favorite pony. (I ended up having a Ferret named after her lol) I was completely unaware that Hasbro had reintroduced the franchise (for the 4th time/Generation 4) until after Miri arrived. When I first laid eyes on the show on Netflix, I was initially very irritated by it. (Who do these new ponies think they are? They don't have 80s hair - complaints hiss hiss etc.) We finally decided to give them a chance in the Cherry house, and we are all very happy that we did. I'm almost 27 years old and I will proudly say that I think it is a fantastic show. It's entertaining for both children and adults, and I find it to have very sophisticated writing and nuanced characters. So - if you have not heard of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic by now...you must be living under a rock, because it is a huge success. (Point and laugh at me all you want) I will always have mad love for the ponys. :) No shame.

Ok...

---------- Let's chat about the FiM toy line ----------

I'm not going to lie, the single packaged G4 pony toys have left me a little disappointed. I think the price is great ($4.99-ish) but they are tad too small in my opinion. But - then again I will always think G1 ponys are superior. ;)

(See G1 verses G4?)

I will say - that Hasbro has introduced some larger toys recently that I am pretty impressed/pleased with.

MLP:FiM Princess Cadance Pony Figure

$19.99 at Target ♥

Miri and I are loving our new Princess Cadance! Yes, I am aware it is for ages 3 and up. (I always stay near while she is playing with it.) Silas asked me where Shining Armor was when I showed it to him lol. Cadance stands about 8.5 inches tall with a 7.5 inch wingspan. She comes with a a styling comb and her crown/dress are removable. She requires 2 AAA batteries (included) and she plays 8 phrases/songs when you push the blue button on her cutie mark. It's made of hard plastic which seems very sturdy, and her wings move/light up when you push said button. I only have two minor complaints with this pony. She has a cutie mark on only one side of her body. (I know I am not the first person to complain about this) The bigger problem I have is with the quality of her hair. It tangles horribly - I had it knotted all on my own within 2 minutes of taking her out of the packaging. I was being extra careful too! (My Fizzy is over 20 years old and her hair is fine!) Whatever - I plan on trying to take extra good care of it so Miri can enjoy it for years to come. I think it is totally worth the $19.99 price tag. (Not saying that $14.99 wouldn't have been better lol) We actually purchased another one tonight for Silas and Miri's cousin's birthday. I feel that with supervision Princess Cadance would be great for all ages. :)

Hasbro.com

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Review | HIClips

HIClips 

$19.99 for a 2 pack

I recently got to try HIClips and I thought it would be fun to share my experience with you guys. :) Prepare yourself for some ridiculous photos lol...

The general idea is that these clips natural lift your roots. (Blow drying or air-drying)

I didn't feel like dragging the kids out of the house today - so I had enough time to sit around and let my hair air-dry. On the pamphlet that was inside the box it shows the model with the clips placed in her bangs. I could not get my hair to cooperate for this exact method. I've been parting my hair (aka it's been parting itself) in the middle, so I tried clipping the hair on either side. (See above photo)

After I removed the clips, I ended up with this hot mess lol. The clips achieved the voluminous look that they promised alright! I think these things have a lot of potential if you play around with them. Next time I may use a blow dryer and try placing them differently. (The pamphlet says to add hairspray for added hold) I think these could really help thin hair appear not so limp. (I may lend them to my mom for her to try) 

Voila! My bangs are looking super-duper-fly. For what "HIClips" are - I personally think the price is a little steep. (I'm a bit cheap lol) BUT if you are in desperate need of some volume, and you don't won't to put harsh products on your hair - then these clips are for you my friend. 

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