Difficult Decisions / Biscotti & Kate Mack Dress Feature :)

Ok folks - I'm going to break it down for you. Firstly, I'm going to apologize for my lack of posts. (Sorry y'all!) There...that's over and done with. Secondly, I'm going to get really serious for a minute. And...go... I've been thinking a lot lately about my portraits. I think it is high time for me to make a very difficult decision in regards to my business. Now that I have an (awesome) full-time job...I no longer feel the need to bust my tail drawing all of the time. (16+ hours for $25-35 free shipping) I've reached the point that drawing has become more of a chore than a time that I enjoy. When I get home at 5 o'clock I shouldn't have to worry about getting a drawing finished within a time frame that I promised. (etc) I should be able to throw some pajamas on and play with my children. Then I can leisurely write my blog after I get them tucked in bed at night. I should "want" to paint Miri a (My Little Pony) painting for her room. I shouldn't want to purchase it off Etsy because I'm sick of painting. (Sigh) So...I have decided to stop selling my art for the time being. I am working on the last portrait right now. I want to sincerely thank everybody that has purchased my work. You helped keep this former stay at home mom (financially) going. You helped fund many family dinners and other necessities. For all of this...I am grateful. I hope everybody understands.  Thirdly - on a much lighter note...I want to talk about Miri's new dress lol! 

Urban Garden Long Sleeve Baby Dress in Pink

by Baby Biscotti & Kate Mack $72 ♥

It's simply precious right? Words cannot even describe! I wish you guys could reach through the computer screen and feel how nice this little dress really is. It does not feel like your typical poorly made infant dress from Walmart. This little beauty has some weight to it and you can really see what kind of care Biscotti & Kate Mack puts into making these outfits. This particular dress is available in 12, 18, and 24 months. Miri is modeling the 12 month size...she will be 9 months on the 18th...so I personally feel like they run a tad small.

This particular dress is perfect for Fall. When it gets a little colder I plan on pairing some plain white leggings with it. :) Maybe some little grey shoes? 

Now there's a happy face! ;)

You can rest assured that your baby is stylin' and profilin' when she is wearing clothing by Biscotti & Kate Mack. Many of their styles have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Women's Wear Daily, Vogue Bambini, US Weekly, and Child Magazine - just to name a few. Oh - and this brand is a favorite among stars like Katie Holmes, Victoria Beckham, and Heidi Klum. Malia Obama actually wore a red Biscotti dress on her father's election night! How crazy awesome is that? I actually remember seeing it! 

(Strike a post vogue...vogue...vogue)

Do yourself a favor...

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Review | Mommy-Baby Bonding Blanket

Mommy-Baby Bonding Banket

$29.99 on mommy-babybondingblanket.com  ♥

I was so excited to show Miri her new blanket that arrived in the mail on 9/20. It was waiting for me in the mailbox on my birthday when I got home from work. :) How stinkin' awesome is that? Miri loves all things soft and fluffy - so I knew it would be a big hit. I was right!

We had pizza with my parents that night - so I took the blanket with me over to their apartment in Auburn. Miri's initial reaction was absolutely hysterical. She seemed to think that the blanket was some sort of snuggly dessert? LOL She tried to eat it and was immediately disgusted by the minky texture against her tongue. This "taste testing" went on several minutes (much to our delight) before she decided that is was indeed a blanket haha. 

...And what an adorable blanket it is! (Let the snuggling commence!) It was handmade by the talented folks over at mommy-babybondingblanket.com - and I would not have been able to find something of equal quality unless my grandmother made it. (She is hardcore about sewing nice stuff) I especially like the size of this bonding blanket - (16x16) it's perfect for the wee baby on the go! (Miri doesn't like to stay in one place long!) We enjoy tossing it on my shoulder during our mama/baby snuggle times. She likes to rub her face back and forth on it. I would highly recommend it for newborn baby/mama bonding sessions. They come in several different prints for baby girls or boys. Definitely go check out their selection of high quality products. I plan on snatching one up for the next baby shower I get invited to! ;)

Would you like to sponsor a blanket for a baby in need? You can do so here!

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Crafty Mama Monday | Fancy Photo Collage

I adore collages - my husband can attest to this. (He made fun of me just yesterday lol) Over the past year I have been consolidating all of the photos that were scattered about the house into several nice collages. It really has made the house look a lot tidier. I love vintage frames...but when you have 123 of them - things can look kinda messy. (Just kidding...it was probably more like 85 lol)  A couple of weekends ago my mother-in-law offered me a giant old painting in a fanciful frame that she had in their garage. Naturally, I took it off her hands with a collage in mind haha.  One of my favorite services on the Walgreens app is the quick Instagram prints. Adorable 4x4 prints available to me in 1 hour? Yes please! -----> Read more about the app here <---- I believe they are around 40 cents per picture? I usually find pretty great coupons on RetailMeNot.com - I absolutely love that site. I suggest that you never again make an online purchase before you browse through their coupons. S-a-v-i-n-g-s! ;)
This project was pretty darn simple folks. I only had to trim up the photos on the bottom row and on the left side to make everything fit. You can't even really tell...

DIY Fancy Photo Collage

- Vintage giant framed painting (Used to be trees lol) - A gaggle of 4x4 Instagram prints - Mod Podge - Paintbrush  - Ruler - Scissors - Pen I thought this project turned out really pretty. The collage is hanging in the hallway that connects our bedroom to the bathroom. We just moved the kids into our old room this past weekend. The house is looking better and better! I will post some photos when everything is in it's place.  How was your Monday? :) 

Review | Butter than Love Hair Whipped by Wonder Curl

Butter than Love Hair Whipped by Wonder Curl

$12.00 ♥

When I was a teenager I had beautiful spiral curls. I did not appreciate them at all. In fact, I did everything in my power to get rid of them lol. I wanted straight hair so badly...

Well, I finally got my wish. After I had Silas - my hair slowly began to lose it's curl. Since Miri arrived...it only has a slight bit of wave to it. :/ I like this and all...it's just that I don't exactly know what to do with such straight hair. I'm finding it very challenging to style it. Ponytails are nice...but I can't wait for it to get a little longer so it doesn't look so darn stupid. I think braids will eventually be my friend too. ;)

With all of this said...I still hold out hope that some miracle product will come along and raise my curls from the dead. (Zombie curls) Unfortunately, today's product worked no miracles for me. :( It did curl my sisters hair quite nicely though! So there lol! The model in the photo (above) is my little sister India. India seemed to really enjoy using the Butter than Love Hair Whipped. It's very nourishing. Her only complaint is that she found the smell a bit unpleasant. This only means that the formula doesn't include harsh perfumes though. After further research - unless I am misunderstanding something...this hair line is more geared towards African American ladies. Maybe that's why it didn't do anything particularly special for my sister's locks? ;) The "Hair Whipped" has a nice thick consistency that I'm sure would tame coarser hair beautifully. I really believe that it just depends on the person's hair type. In our case...it's not the best product for curl enhancement. But hey...it may be great for your hair? Wonder Curl makes quality products that I definitely want people to check out. 

----> See their entire product line here <----

Photo credit: wondercurl.com

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Update 9/23/13 Response from Wonder Curl

Wonder Curl Thanks for your review. I think you probably would have loved the Get Set Hair Jelly and/or the Butter than Love Pudding. These products are my best sellers and work great together or on their own for any hair texture. You are correct, the Whipped is thicker for coarse, dry hair.

NOTD - Birthday Week Edition

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

"The Bold Rush"

$8.50 at Walmart.com

Please excuse my crap-tastic quality photo again - it's another iPhone kinda night. (I'm being hella lazy over here) I really should be in bed right now but blogging doesn't require me to get off the sofa just yet lol. In honor of my birthday (on Friday)...I decided I should have fancy nails this week. I ended up picking out peel and stick Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips. These babies last forever on my nails! Plus - they are super easy to apply and remove. You just really can't go wrong. They are cheaper than a manicure and I have found them to last longer. I have tried several of the designs in this line but I think this is my favorite so far. (The Bold Rush) It's a fun ombre' glitter set that doesn't have that nasty glitter texture. Am I the only one who hates the feeling of sparkle chunks? Removing real glitter polish is such a hassle too! With these - you get all the pros and zero cons. If you have not tried them out yet...you really should. 

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Birchbox Un-boxing | September 2013

My September Birchbox was in the mailbox when we got home from Montgomery last night. After a long day with the kids - I was excited to plop down/relax and open up my package. In my opinion, this box is pretty lame.  :( Let's chat about it's contents...

amika 

Blow Up Spray | Full-size, $23

Racinne

Ultimate Youth Power Eye Serum | Full-size, $36

RUFFIAN

Nail Lacquer - Fox Hunt | Full-size, $10

Yes To

Blueberries Cleansing Facial Towelettes | Full-size, $7.99

Yes To

Grapefruit CC Cream | Full-size, $15.99

My favorite item in the box is probably the nail polish. I just finished "quickly" painting my toes - they look alright. Fox Hunt is a nice burnt orange shade with a bit of shimmer. I have tried several "Yes To" products before and I feel kinda (meh) about their stuff. The cleansing facial towelettes are always on clearance at Target. I think I got a couple packs for like .88 cents a piece one time. (I have never tried the CC cream before) The eye serum is pretty interesting...maybe I will end up enjoying it? A girl can never have too many serums lol. Oh - and the "Blow Up Spray" is a surprisingly good size bottle. I know I have seemed like I'm groaning about this month's box - but don't let this particular post be a turn-off to Birchbox...all beauty boxes have their ups and downs. Birchbox is pretty good at redeeming themselves. 

Tomorrow is Monday folks - are you as bummed about that as I am? It is my birthday week though! :)

Would you like to subscribe to Birchbox?

You can do so...

----->HERE<-----

"Thrifty" Mini Bath & Body Works Haul

I did something fun on my lunch break today. I skipped on over to my local Bath & Body Works with two fancy coupons! You heard me right - two! ;) One coupon was for 20% off your entire purchase, and the other was good for one free mini candle of my choice. They actually let me use both. 

Amber Blush Preview Perfume - $3

1.3 oz Pumpkin Pecan Waffles Mini Candle - $0

Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Candle/Jar (So adorable) - $6

Grand total - $7.85 after taxes/discounts

Fabulous right? This is my second preview bottle I have purchased of the "Amber Blush" scent. The large bottle is being released tomorrow. I think next payday I will have to go snatch one up. It smells of heavenly things. I think I had been in the store 5 seconds when the associate told me about the "Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin candle" deal. It was only six dollars - with no minimum purchase! I love pumpkin scented/Fall oriented things...so I was all over this deal. (They had one burning in the store...divine) The free candle was an easy choice. Pumpkins + pecans + waffles? I mean how can you go wrong with this combination? The mini candle is the perfect size for my bathroom...it looks cute next to the sink. I think my trip was pretty successful - don't you? Yay for tomorrow being Friday! This week has worn me out...I'm ready to get my hair done on Saturday! I will make sure to post photos. :)

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Finally - the Mumford & Sons Post!

This past Monday...Matt and I (and our friend Rachel) were absolutely blown away by Mumford & Sons at the concert in Pelham. It was one of my (early) birthday presents. It just may be the best birthday present that I have ever gotten lol. I could go on and on for hours about how suave Marcus Mumford is...and how they sounded spot on like their albums...but I will just post a couple photos and some videos instead. ;) I have been meaning to get this post up sooner but I have been experiencing some chronic pain lately. I was miserable at work today - so I ended up taking a 1/4 of a muscle relaxer. (Bad decision) I was like a fast moving zombie for the remainder of the day. (Bad news bears) My vitamin D was really low recently...so maybe this is possibly causing the pain? The doctor may be in my near future if the pain doesn't subside soon. Onto the good stuff...

Haha Matt's forehead disappeared. ;) Rachel and I went to a Spice Girls concert together 16 years ago...we had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that it had indeed been 16 years lol. (Feeling old)

My $35 shirt, haha. (At least it wasn't $50 like the Elton shirt)

We got there quite early if you can't tell. Maybe we were a little too excited? We didn't have to wait in line for t-shirts or margaritas though!

Our iPhones took total crap pictures. If I knew they weren't checking for cameras I would have brought the Canon. Is that a thing anymore? Do they check for things like that in the age of smartphones? I'm such a granny. 

----------> See them perform "I'm On Fire" here <---------

----------> See the "Mumford Karaoke" here <----------

----------> See them perform "Come Together" with The Vaccines here <----------

Towards the end of the show (second link above) the band ended up playing "Sweet Home Alabama." (Why - not?) They pulled a random guy out of the audience to sing it. (It was pretty darn epic) The guy didn't actually do so bad! The whole concert was just amaze-balls. 

I will have additional videos up on my new YouTube channel ;) later this week. 

September's Lust-worthy Items | Birthday Edition!

.50 ct Vintage Style Sterling Silver Ring

$54.99 on Amazon.com

MLP Pinkie Pie Ceramic Mug

$11.94 on Amazon.com

Feather Alex and Ani Bracelet

$28 at alexandani.com

Blanket Crossbody Handbag

$22.99 at Target

Katy Perry "Killer Queen" Perfume

1.7 oz $49 at ULTA

Starbucks Giftcard

Any amount! at Starbucks.com

I'm turning 27 on the 20th of this month. :) Matt is taking me to see Mumford & Sons on Monday - I am so excited that I may pee my pants, just sayin'. I will try to get some photos while we are at the concert. I will certainly post a picture of the concert t-shirt that I pick out. (I'm sure it will be like $50 lol) I hope everybody is having a nice weekend!

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Review | Flower Color Play Creme Eyeshadow

$7.98 at select Walmart's

Available in 12 fabulous shades!

Oh my lanta. I have been dying to get my hands on one of the products from Drew Barrymore's (I LOVE HER) new cosmetic line for about a year now. When I first heard about it - I was under the impression that it would be available at every Walmart. My assumptions were incorrect my friends! The closest Walmart that carries Flower Beauty is in Montgomery. (The Chantilly location to be exact) I've been in the store several times this year. I'm still not sure why it didn't occur to me sooner to look for it. Whatever, darn Mama-brain. 

All of the products were arranged very strangely on an end cap and the display was half covered by this wire rack? It was ridiculous. Matt basically picked up the entire display and moved it so I could have a good look at everything. There were several other ones that were set up the same way. (Shame on you Wally World) I ended up picking up this "Flower Color Play Creme Eyeshadow." Initially - I thought it was going to be too similar to the Maybelline Color Tattoo shadows. Thankfully - I was wrong again! :) Not that I don't love my "bad to the bronze" shadow...I have been wearing it pretty much everyday. 

This creme is incredibly smooth, and yet totally build-able. I have worn it to work 3 days in a row this week. It gets crazy hot at the printshop, and this stuff stays right where I put it. The only tiny bit of creasing that I have noticed shows up towards the very end of the night. It is convenient that I can apply it with a fluffy shadow brush. You have to use your finger with the Maybelline shadow. (Ugh, messy hand towels) In my opinion, "Flirty Floret" is much more pigmented than "bad to the bronze." This shade is very versatile and reminds me of hot cocoa. It creates a loverly smokey look.  The packaging is gorgeous too. My only complaint is that the sticker left gross residue on the cap...and kinda spoiled it for me. (Sigh) I would have provided some example shots of me sporting the product...but I am terribly terribly sick right now. I caught Silas and Miri's cold. -_- (Boo hiss boo) I do believe after I get this post up and running I am going to head towards the bed. I need some good sleep desperately! 

Happy almost Friday to you!

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Holiday Feature | Circle of Friends - Rosa's Raspberry Shampoo & Conditioner

Rosa's Raspberry Shampoo $11.40 for 10oz ♥

Rosa's Raspberry Conditioner  $11.40 for 10oz ♥

Both are available at cofbath.com and at these retail locations

(Silas's foot not included)

Comes in several different scents: Pineapple, Banana, and Boy-mix Fragrances! 

The set (above) is a limited-time only holiday gift set that comes with a free pairs of antlers for your child! :)

(The set has a $24.20 SRP)

As crazy as it sounds - Christmas is right around the corner. Seriously, where did 2013 go y'all? It has been kinda a crappy year (w/ the exception of baby Miri being born) for my family...so I say good riddance. 0_0 November is quickly approaching, and this means...(dun-dun-dun) holiday shopping. (Don't most people start Christmas shopping in November?) Any-who...if you have lots of friends with kiddos. (Like we do) I have a pretty stinkin' cute holiday feature to share with you tonight. It's made by people over at "Circle of Friends." 

Circle of Friends was founded by Moms! How awesome is that? :) They have made it their personal mission to create a professional hair-care, bath, and body line for children. All while introducing them to different styles and cultures. (Ooo educational!) Each product in the hair line is represented by a cute character from a different part of the world. (This set introduced us to Rosa! She lives in Spain) So your child can shampoo and learn something new at the same time! (Huzzahh!) 

Silas and I absolutely love this stuff. I was a bit worried when I read that the formula is "low sudsing." I didn't find that to be to case at all. It actually foamed up quite nicely! Silas really likes that the shampoo and conditioner are both "tearless." No kid likes soap that stings the eyes - these details are important! Personally - my favorite thing about this line is the raspberry scent, it's simply amazing. (The whole bathroom smells nice after we use it)  The raspberry reminds me of a shampoo that I used to use when I was little. (Oh-so-fond memories) I can't remember what is was called though? Hmmm.

I'm sure many of you are aware that Silas has flaming red hair lol. It's really gorgeous...but it's also very dry. This shampoo/conditioner set makes it much more manageable to deal with! It seems to be significantly improving the amount of frizz that I have to deal with each morning. (Johnson & Johnson products tend to be very drying) We have to try and tame his wild hair or Ya-Ya get's very fussy with me when I drop him off. (Haha) Both of these products are safe and gentle, packed full of vitamins and proteins, and they are never tested on animals. A detangler is also available in this scent! :)

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A cute photo from Silas' birthday party on this past Sunday. :)

Snapshot | Monday

Snapshot | Sunday

We don't play around when it comes to making homemade guacamole. We went to two different grocery stores just to pick out the avocados lol. Massive quantities are where it's at folks. ;)