By women, for women
I’m in a big nail painting phase right now and was craving some variety in place of my usual pinks. I found this beautiful shade of blue at Rite-Aid.
Today I was in Walgreen’s and spotted these little cuties:
These colors have a thin tiny brush perfect for adding decorative accents to your nails. Like this:
Cute or what?
They had a huge variety of colors, I wish I’d thought to snap a pic of the display.
I picked this up at Rite Aid today. LOVE the color.
Note: you will need a top coat to make it look shiny like mine.
I couldn’t find this color on Amazon but they do have several others: Sinful Colors
We were given an opportunity to select and review a product offered via Pro Home Stores and I selected this beautiful brass and enamel birdbath. I knew it would look fantastic in my sister’s front garden area – and it does!
I’m hesitant about ordering some things online and wondered if this birdbath would be ‘flimsy’. Turns out it’s solidly built and really gorgeous in person. There is an ‘L’ shape welded on at the ground that keeps the birdbath from twisting around and tipping over.
This is what my sis had to say: “It was easy to put together – just two items to thread together and then just stick it in the ground. The color red is excellent for butterflies also – and it is shallow enough for them too!”
Now that I’ve experienced the quality of Pro Home Store products, I would not hesitate to order from them again.
Curbing your impulse buying when you are shopping with kids isn’t always easy. Â In fact, many people buy on impulse with out even realizing it is happening. Â It’s when they get home that they wonder what happened to all that careful preparation that was supposed to help balance their income and bills.
The most common place to impulse buy is the grocery store and I find when I am shopping with kids it’s even easier than when I am alone. Â I’ve learned two very helpful things about food shopping. Â The first is, don’t go hungry and the second is make a list and stick to it. Â When you are hungry it is easy to stray from your shopping list. Â All those specials and display products look so good when you are hungry. Â Don’t give into those cravings, eat first and shop second.
When you are going shopping with kids let everyone add a favorite snack to the list. Â Try and find coupons for those snack items to save some extra money. Â It pays in the long run to add a few treats and snacks to your weekly food list because financial budgets are very similar to dieting for calories. Â If you keep denying yourself the good stuff, sooner or later you are going to breakdown and go overboard by spending too much or gorging yourself.
Another helpful trick is to ask yourself if you really need this item. Â A simple yes or no answer will usually do the trick, don’t argue with yourself, just answer the question. Â When you can’t say yes right away, you don’t need it. Â It’s also a very good question to ask when you are shopping with kids. Â Teach your children how to curb impulse buying and it will help them learn to use self control and it will save your family’s shopping budget as well.
This Quinny Zapp X-tra in the bold Q-Design has many elements of today's trends.
We’re proud to have another great guest post from Stroller Expert Amy Tanathorn.
If you haven’t needed to look at strollers until recently, you’re in for a big surprise. Lots of newly pregnant moms I know still think that the big bulky, frilly stroller is their only option.
Well have I got news! Strollers over the last few years have grown increasingly sophisticated with more options, features and functionality. Not to mention better colors and style!
Revealed are the top stroller trends today competing for your attention.
Technology has given way to lighter aluminum that is just as strong as steel. Joovy is a brand that uses aircraft-grade aluminum for their frame. UPPAbaby and Maclaren strollers are super lightweight yet balanced enough to hang your purse on the handle.
Moms are tired of lugging around a heavy stroller in and out of the car trunk or off and on public transportation. Double strollers already carry up to 90 pounds of child plus gear. Add to that the weight of the stroller itself and you’ve got a tank!
Nowadays though, you regularly see full-featured strollers weighing under 20 pounds and umbrella strollers as light as 7 pounds.
This aluminum withstands a heavy weight, too. Many of these incredibly light strollers have an astonishing weight capacity. For example, the Mountain Buggy Urban Jungle is an all terrain stroller that weighs only 24 pounds, yet can carry up to 77 pounds! Yes, that’s a single stroller, not a double!
A few years ago when Bugaboo came onto the scene and was setting trends left and right, one of the looks most copied is the single wheel. Look at most of your traditional Graco/Evenflo/Combi strollers and they have double wheels in front and back for better stability and suspension.
But many of the higher-end lines like Inglesina and Peg Perego strollers began using sealed ball bearings in their single wheel models to smooth out the ride. A glide is more how it is described by moms who swoon over this style. (I swoon, too; they look beautiful!)
This trend has caught on with mass producer Graco who has the new UrbanLite, a single wheel lightweight model that has that high-end look for far less.
I was always disappointed in the sun canopies in most strollers. The sun would always shine at just that angle that would always get right into my child’s eyes.
Luxury strollers first offered enormous sun canopies, creating paneled or ratcheting hoods that extend over your child down to the snack tray or over the lap area. This feature became an instant favorite and now many brands have a stroller with this feature. Often times the panel zips up to stay tidy and compact until needed. Others types simply ratchet into place, like BOB strollers. You’ll also see pop-out sun visors, a-la UPPAbaby or Phil and Ted.
Another trend I’ve noticed on sun canopies is the peek-a-boo window getting larger. Many of them are no longer clear vinyl windows but mesh netting. I like this because it allows better air flow and it won’t crack, split or discolor after a few years.
The flaps covering these peek a boo windows have magnetic closures in higher-end brands. Magnetic closures are nice because there’s no Velcro rip sound to wake your baby when you check in.
This is perhaps the biggest stroller trend over the last couple of years. Also called a convertible stroller, the reversing, removable seat allows for greater seating flexibility. You can:
A convertible stroller is the solution for parents who want a travel system without the bulk and with a lot more style.
A fashionable, sleek look is in, and that oftentimes means no snack tray for your child. Padded bumper bars are used instead. Sometimes your child has little pockets within the seating “cabin” to hold little toys or snacks. Other brands offer a snack tray separately.
The same sleek look can also mean no parent console or cup holder, which is a huge bummer to moms and dads who like to have a cup of coffee during their outings. So this trend is getting mixed feedback and some brands have re-introduced a cup holder.
Ah, that sleek look again. Black stroller frames are very much in fashion right now. Quinny has their models in black or the traditional silver and their new Moodd even has a white frame with some color choices. It’s all about making a statement with bright bold fabric colors coupled with a frame in anything but silver.
So what do YOU think about these new trends?
Amy Tanathorn researches the best baby strollers at Stroller Envy, where you can read in-depth reviews for UPPAbaby, Baby Jogger, Phil & Teds, Quinny and more. Reviews include video demonstrations, product specs, photos and detailed descriptions.
Coupons are a great way to save money, but not if you don’t know how to use them. You may be thinking, how hard can it be to use a coupon? Sure, you may have a couple of them lying around; you plan to use them the next time you visit a store. However, without proper planning and preparation, those couple of coupons aren’t going to do you much good except make you believe that couponing isn’t worth the time and effort.
To help you fully understand how to save money with coupons, consider these tips.
Organize
This is the most common tip you’ll receive on the Internet, because it is the most important tip. Professional coupon users have multiple binders with tabs to categorize and sub-categorize their coupons. For example, some coupon users have a tab for meats and sub-categories for ham, chicken, turkey and other meats. This helps shoppers know exactly where their coupons are when they need them quickly.
Gather From Various Sources
While the Sunday paper is a great way to gain coupons, there are other sources, such as magazines and websites, which offer coupons as well. Additionally, higher priced papers and magazines usually contain coupons with greater value. Still, there is no guarantee that these coupons will be for products that you would normally buy.
Be careful about signing up for coupons through websites. Most of them will require your email and telephone number. You may start receiving solicited calls and emails from other companies. If this happens, simply ask to be removed from their database. They are required by law to do so if asked.
Sites like Groupon and Retailmenot are great for finding special deals, both online and in-store.
Use For Things Other Than Groceries
When people hear the word “coupon,” they usually think about groceries and saving a few pennies. However, there are coupons for literally everything — haircuts, oil changes, manicures and more. Always file these coupons under a miscellaneous tab. You never know when you’ll need a coupon the next time you need your oil changed.
Combine Offers
This is a great money-saving tip. Most stores will let you combine your coupons with other coupons or in-store special deals to help you save even more money. Before shopping, do some research for stores in your area that are having special deals. Stores like Publix, Winn-Dixie and Kroger usually have new deals every week.
Additionally, consider visiting pharmacies. They also have deals for various items, mostly beauty products. Pharmacies also usually have a loyalty card program, which will allow you to save even more money on your purchases.
You must also learn to be patient with your coupons. Wait for certain items to go on sale and combine your coupons. The best shoppers are patient and understand the value of an extra 50 cents off of an item.
Don’t Collect Coupons for Brands You Don’t Like
This is just common sense. Don’t use coupons to buy items you normally don’t use. Many people let their impulsive side take over when they have coupons. Perhaps you may have a friend or family member that would like the coupon instead.
Amazon UK online coupons on Coupon Croc, one of the best resources for coupons in the UK. Tom Blanchard shares his advice with couponers in the UK on how to find the best deals and save the most money on their daily purchases.
This is a guest post!
Sometimes you feel like you need eight hands. The kids are craving for your attention and you have to take care about the house at the same time. The dinner is also waiting you to prepare it. Sounds familiar?
I can’t promise you wonders but at least some of this burden can be reduced. There are software apps and tools, browser extensions and mobile apps that can free up a bit of your time. Some will help you organize and not forget important things about your kids, other will help you prevent them from the risks online, and other tools will help you educate or entertain them.
I have collected 10 such apps, tools, and browser extensions for you. These are the ones I like most. And they are all free. So here you go:
CraftFinder connects you to FamilyFun’s library to find ideas for crafts. The crafts can be searched by appropriate kids age, time that each task takes, and occasions (like Easter, Mother day and so on). The app is good although it definitely needs more craft ideas to be added.
Out of Milk Shopping List for Android devices. If trying to remember everything you have to shop for your kids is hard, install this free app on your Android phone and take it with you when going to the store. It also has a pantry list and to-do list all inside.
Due Date Calculator. Planning for another child? This little web-based tool will help you figure out the best dates for conception. And if you are also a mom-blogger, you may want to add the free WordPress plugin to your blog so other moms can check their due dates right there.
Zefty: are your kids going into teen-age soon? It’s time to help them learn more about money and its management. This free web application lets you set up virtual accounts for them, deposit allowances, set limits. This is really unique app built by a single developer, a father of four. I’m sure the need of this app came from his personal experience!
Child Growth Chart Calculator is a little tool showing you how your kids grow compared to others on their age. Don’t get obsessed if your child doesn’t match the averages. If you think the kid growth is very much out of range, consult your doctor.
Cozi goes even further than Out of The Milk app in organizing your family life. In addition to shopping and to-do lists, it has shared family calendar and journal. The app is web based which means you access it through a regular browser from anywhere. There are also free mobile apps for Iphone, Android and BlackBerry.
Name Culture! for Android Devices is a little app that helps you choosing the name of your future baby. Yes, I know your parents want to use their names but this app gives you search by meaning and origin which sometimes can be better way to choose a name than listening to your dad. And this way you may just avoid having arguments with your mother in law too.
Simple Profanity Filter for Google Chrome. Hopefully you know, the emerging Google’s browser allows you to install extensions and apps which enhance the way you surf the web. If your kids already surf themselves this little extension will take care to reduce the profanity that can be found so easily online. You can configure yourself which words to be filtered and replaced with stars.
MinorMonitor is in the same category of “protecting” apps. It goes into deeper waters – protecting your children on Facebook. MinorMonitor will help you monitor possible drug use, bullying, photos and videos, over-age friends and so on. It’s kind of a spying, I know, but your really need to take care for these things – at least at some reasonable level.
BabyConnect is a large applications tracking a lot of things about your baby. You can keep track of feeding, nursing, diapers, sleep, activities… The web based application (accessible through a browser) is free while the mobile apps for iPhone, iPad and Android devices costs $4.99 each. There’s a tremendous work put into it, it’s no surprise BabyConnect got quite a few web awards.
I’m sure being a mother is great but I’m also sure it’s not easy. Fortunately there are developers and companies who put a lot of work into creating great apps that can help you with this. Use them – very often you don’t even need to pay a penny for that. And we, the developers, are happy when we can help.
Bob develops various free software like the due date calculator listed above. You may want to try more of his free calculators here.
This is a guest product review post from Amy Tanathorn over at Stroller Envy. Thanks for sharing these great peeks into the new year Amy!
To stay competitive in the mid- to higher-end stroller market, baby stroller brands must change and grow every year. Designers add exciting new colors, marketers stay on top of trends and engineers add more features for an overall delightful product interaction.
Today we’re going to look at four manufacturers to see what they have in store for us next year. Put your seat belt on because you’re going to be blown away. I’m really excited for 2012. Let’s read on…
Cruz
Some parents find that they don’t want or need a bassinet, but still like the reversing seat of convertible strollers. The UPPAbaby Cruz is a simpler version of the Vista that does not come with a bassinet and is a bit of a smaller stroller weighing only 19 pounds. The Cruz is very easy to fold and has a large storage basket.
Available in red, blue, yellow and black, the Cruz can use the same accessories as the Vista like the parent cup holder.
Two new Baby Jogger strollers are geared up to hit the stores early next year
City Mini GT
Introducing the City Mini GT available March 2012! The City Mini GT has better, more enhanced features than the City Mini like a bigger seat with more depth and more firm padding for proper posture and support. Bigger kids will feel comfy in this stroller and it can carry up to 65 pounds, 15 pounds more than the City Mini .
Next the wheels have been redesigned to be more rugged and are 1/2″ larger. The “Ever-Air” wheels have the feel of an air filled tire, but you don’t have to worry about punctures or leaks and they don’t weigh as much as air-filled.
Another improvement is easier access to the basket with a u-shaped H-bar, which addresses previous consumer complaints. Previous models blocked the storage basket with the frame’s bar above the rear axle, but with it dipped down now, access is easy. Nice going, Baby Jogger!
I like the automatic frame lock that holds the stroller together once it is folded. More features include an adjustable handlebar and a handle bar brake instead of foot pedal brake. I’ve used the hand brakes on Baby Jogger strollers before and they are easy to use, though you have to get used to not using your foot!
The City Mini GT comes in the doubles version, replacing the City Elite Double next year, and will come in yellow, green, orange and black.
Versa
This is a new lightweight 4-wheeled stroller with a reversing seat and large storage basket. It is like a scaled down version of the City Select, except it is a single only and does not convert to a double.
The Versa has a multi-position reclining seat and a unique fold where you don’t take out the seat – you fold the seat in half first, then fold down the frame. Nice and compact, fold with the seat facing inward or outward.
Promenade
Comparable with the Baby jogger City Select, the Promenade is the most premium product in the Phil and Teds line to date. Available by January 2012, the Promenade features a reversing seat that can fold into a bassinet-like bed and can take a car seat. Add a second seat with the bassinet/bed function.
Each seat holds 33 lbs. and is a great stroller for twins. The Promenade has an easy, compact fold with frame latch and unfolding is automatic and effortless.
Moodd
I’m really excited about this unique looking stroller new from Quinny. Available in February 2012, the Moodd is a lightweight stroller with a reversing seat and adjustable footrest. It has a remarkable T-bar-shaped removable bumper bar that kind of reminds me of a kid’s carnival ride and that says FUN.
Another fun design aspect of the Quinny Moodd is all the available seat and frame color combinations. This three-wheeled stroller has a front rubber tire and rear foam tires for easy maintenance.
Unlike many reversing seat strollers, this one has a reclining seatback only. And the Moodd has an easy fold with auto-lock and like the Quinny Buzz, it unfolds itself. Nice!
It looks like 2012 is gearing up to be an exciting time to be in the market for a new stroller! Which one interests you?
Amy Tanathorn researches the best baby strollers at Stroller Envy, where you can read in-depth reviews for UPPAbaby, Baby Jogger, Phil & Teds, Quinny and more. Reviews include video demonstrations, product specs, photos and detailed descriptions.
Spring break is a great time to go on a family trip or vacation. But with so many families having that same idea, making spring break plans can prove difficult. With only a week to work with, getting everyone out the door in a timely manner can be tricky as well. Here are some tips that will help make your spring break less stressful and more fun.
Plan Ahead
Waiting until the last minute to make spring break plans can blow up in your face if you aren’t flexible with your dates and location. While you might find a great last-minute deal on your travel or accommodations, it’s also possible that you will only find prices climbing. If your family has its heart set on going to a particular place, it’s much better to make plans in advance. Research well ahead and be prepared to jump on great deals. If you have specific places you want to go, say Disneyland, then sign up for their newsletter so you’ll get an email with specials that come up.
Consider Less Popular Destinations
Thinking of spring break brings up visions of the beach. But, the beach can be extremely crowded (and rowdy) with teens. Other destinations might be a better choice for families. Amusement parks are popular among kids, and while there will probably be more people there than most other parts of spring, they still shouldn’t be terribly crowded.
Nature activities are also great for spring break. Spring is a beautiful time of year to go hiking or boating. Road trips are also nice in the Spring when it’s not as hot. You’ll take out one negative aspect of road trips by having a lower temperature. Just remember you’ll need to make frequent stops if you have younger children.
Search for Discounts and Reviews
By planning ahead, you give yourself more time to find good deals. Just because you’re not snatching up cancellations doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get a good price. Doing some searching online and off could get you a great price on your trip. If you aren’t finding the deals to be as low as you’d like, don’t be afraid to call. Many times if you call a hotel they can work extra specials for you or put together unadvertised vacation packages.
When you do find a great deal, it’s wise to look up reviews on the carrier or hotel if you’re not familiar with it. Sometimes it’s true that you get what you pay for. Travel websites have reviews of lots of hotels and transportation providers that you can learn from.
Again, make sure and sign up for newsletters for different towns, parks, hotels and even airlines that you are interested in. I get incredible deals sent to me from some past hotels in Reno and Santa Monica.
Pack Smart
Instead of waiting until the night before you leave to pack, start a few days ahead of time. Clothes can be packed a few days ahead of time without causing any shortages. Then when it gets closer to time to leave, all you’ll have left to pack is toiletries and personal supplies.
Making a list of the things you need to take ahead of time will help ensure that no essentials get left behind. It will also come in handy when it’s time to gather things up and come back home. Encouraging the kids to make their own lists will take some of the burden off of you. Nothing is more frustrating than getting to our destination and having to go buy something important the kids forgot. Ok, it’s not “kids”, it’s ALWAYS our youngest. He forgets little things like socks, underwear, you know things you can’t do without! Lists have saved pulling all my hair out on trips now.
Spring break is a great time for families to take trips together. Be prepared and save time, money and headaches.
Heather Pilz knows all about graphic design. She earned a BFA in graphic design and received a diploma in illustration from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. With that kind of background it only seems natural that she brought those talents and expertise online, offering her services to the work at home mom community.
Why the WAHM community?
Heather didn’t start out working from home. It wasn’t until eight years ago when she gave birth to her daughter that her Virginia Beach Website Design company was born out of her desire to put her talents to use but at the same time be home with her baby and bring in an income.
As she began working from home she felt she would connect easily with the WAHM community because she understands the pressure of running a business and a home at the same time. Even more than that understanding, she likes the ‘vibe’ the work at home mom community gives compared to corporate companies.
What kind of services?
Heather offers both Blogger and WordPress designs/customizations. Along with blog customization she’s a talented website and graphic designer providing custom websites, logos, business cards, blog banners, and signatures. She’s worked with several clients, her favorites being in the wedding industry, one of her long standing clients (for five years now) is ClaudiaLutmanEvents.com.
What’s Heather do when she’s not designing?
When running her own business and a family hasn’t taken all her time, she enjoys paper crafts such as designing hand stamped wedding invitations for the DIY (do it yourself) brides as well as creating birth announcements, baby shower announcements and custom scrapbooks.
It’s not surprising that these leisure activities revolve around design work because she loves what she does! You can check out her scrapbooking/stamping stuff at scrapingandstamping.blogspot.com
