Let's talk lashes. I'm a total lash lover. If stranded on a desert island one of my three items would definitely be mascara. (Only half joking.) Sometimes it's hard for me to feel truly awake until my eyes have "popped". My lashes are long, but thin, and makeup free they're basically non-existent. But a swipe of YSL's Volume Effect Faux Cils Mascara and I'm ready for my close up. With a non-clumpy, voluminous and pro-vitamin formula, I'm sold.
Since becoming a mom my minutes available for personal luxury have been downsized to nearly nonexistent. Gone are the days of waiting for a moisturizing hair mask to absorb while reading a magazine and painting my toenails. Luckily, products like VO5 hot oil treatment exist. (Yes, the same one from our days of youth). It wasn't on my radar for a while but there's a reason it's been around for as long as I can remember.
Place the tube in a cup of warm water, wet hair, leave on for one minute, then rinse and shampoo. There aren't a lot things I've got time for, but I've got time for that. Try it you guys. In one minute you can be all, "I whip my hair back and forth." :)
The iconic five vitamin formula repairs and restores shine, strength and silky softness. And bonus, it's under $5 bucks. Win!
Baby gear is a whole new, overwhelming world for me. The process of researching, purchasing, and making space for all the items a little one needs can be quite daunting. I consider myself pretty minimal and strive to be simplified and organized. That's why, where I can, I try to keep a sense of self in mind when deciding on certain items. One area where that's easy to do is a diaper bag. I recently got my hands on Pacapod's Coromandel bag and was blown away. For starters, it looks nothing like a diaper bag. Beautiful leather, saddlebag styling, spacious, and a classic look - yes please. But hidden inside is Pacapod's 3-in-1 organizing system with everything baby could need all neat and tidy in one spot. The "pods" keep changing and feeding supplies separate yet easily accessible. For an everything in it's place person like me, that's just heavenly. And there is sooo much more! Head over to Sassy Moms in the City to check out my full review and few more pictures of the bag in action.
With the cooler temps that seemed to come out of nowhere, I was neither mentally nor maternity prepared. For the last few weeks I've been stretching out the dwindling pieces of my wardrobe that still fit and dreading the days of shopping for items to cover this bump. From what little I've searched, affordable maternity wear stinks. Empire waists, bows, and a sea of solid colors have to be one of the most depressing things I've ever encountered fashion-wise. My last shopping trip ended in sheer frustration at the lack of options and the feeling that everything made me look more ginormous than reality. Other than a few shorts and one pair of jeans, I was able to make it through most of summer with roomy dresses and sizing up in normal clothes. But at seven and a half months, it's high time to bite the bullet. Luckily, preggo leggings got me off to a great start and was kind enough to send me a stylish pair of their pants in chocolate brown, otherwise I'd have been freezing my patootie off after a 40 degree drop from last week! These leggings are comfy, cute and most of all, versatile, a major requirement for my maternity purchases. Perfect for pregnancy!
I call this the "yep, my toes are still there" pose.
Hat - Goorin (similar) / Leggings - c/o preggo leggings / Top - Ruby Moon / Scarf - Urban Outfitters (seen here) / Shoes - American Eagle Outfitters (similar)
Shopping for my Mom is one of the easiest (and fun) tasks I look forward
to each spring. Although having somewhat similar tastes gives me a solid starting point, the greatest enjoyment comes from the challenge of finding something
meaningful and unique that will bring a smile to her face. For Mother's Day this year, I've scoured Uncommon Goods and have fallen in love with their selection. From sentimental and sweet to kitschy and fun, there is truly something for every mom! I admire that they support artists and designers (half of what they carry is made by hand) and nearly a third of their assortment incorporates recycled or up-cycled materials. It doesn't get more unique than that! Here are a few of my favorite ideas.
P.S. Mom, your gift isn't pictured here but I couldn't be happier with it! ;)
Disclosure: I received product or compensation in return for this post, however, my opinions are my own, based on my experience and interaction with the brand or products. As always, if I don’t loveit, I don’t tell you about it. (Or I'll be brutally honest about why I didn't.) You can read my official (i.e. “wordy”) disclosure here.
Like many of you, my obsession with all things French dates back to my early teens. From my Paris themed bedroom in high school, to language classes in college, and now, Pinterest boards full of books, style and food, my devotion hasn't waned. Wedding trends have changed a lot since I tied the knot (10 years ago!) but if we had it to do over today, I like to think I'd host my own ladies lunch for maybe my maids or closets female friends. French style, of course, because we know I love a good theme party. Using the picture above as inspiration here's how I would cultivate elegant simplicity with a few items from Target.
A silver tray for the champagne, served in Reidel flutes to "guide bubbly to the part of the palate that appreciates the creamy texture" yum! A beaded tray for stacking macarons, and pretty plates for tiny bites. Plus, sweet stationery for handwritten personal "merci's" to each guest. Throw in a beautiful pastel hued bouquet et voila! a lovely fête for the ladies.
Here's something else lovely...Target was kind enough to offer a $25 gift card to one lucky Little Girl, Big World reader! In order to enter, simply visit the Target Wedding Catalog, then come back and leave a comment below with the item you would use or gift at a similar wedding festivity. Include a valid email so I can contact the winner! (And obviously, if you're planning a wedding in the near future, be sure to sign up for the Target Wedding Registry!) Entry ends Monday, November 11th at 12:00pm. Winner will be selected at random and announced on Tuesday, November 12th.
Follow all the fun from fellow bloggers at #TargetWedding on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest!
Disclosure: I received product or compensation in return for this post, however, my opinions are my own, based on my experience and interaction with the brand or products. As always, if I don’t loveit, I don’t tell you about it. Read my official (i.e. “wordy”) disclosure here. 11/12/13 - Update!
The winner of the $25 Target gift card is Lesa! Thanks to everyone who entered!
It's that time of year again when we get to utilize our entire wardrobe. Chilliy a.m.'s and p.m's with sunnier peak times means we can don anything from boots and tee's to skirts and sweaters all in the same day. In an effort to keep summer around as long as possible I've been hesitant to start wearing anything related to fall apparel, but these these peanut butter hued boots from Timberland's Earthkeeper's line are helping soothe the transition I can tell they're going to be in heavy rotation given the goes-with-everything color and comfortability; so great for the autumn city explorations I enjoy so much. The fact that they just so happen to match perfectly with the oil cloth and leather tote I picked up earlier this summer at the Randolph Street Market is just icing on the cake! The new Timberland store is opening in Chicago today and I can't wait to scope out the rest of the collection, I've got my eye on these.
Happy almost fall y'all.
Disclosure: I received product in return for this post, however, my opinions are my own, based on my experience and interaction with the brand. As always, if I don’t love it, I don’t tell you about it. Read my official (i.e. “wordy”) disclosure here.
You guys have heard of JewelMint right? The subscription jewelry line that offers new pieces of jewelry every month for $29.99 per piece?Before I go further, hang in there, this might get wordy but it'll be worth it...
(If you're really pressed for time skip down to the bullet points for the cliff notes version, I've got your back busy ladies. But otherwise, I hope you'll settle in for a minute.)
It's easy to fall into the trap of cheap accessories. And while cheap pieces aren't bad, they're often exactly that. Fading, breaking, lost stones, etc. "Ah, I'll just toss it." we say. But as I'm declaring this my year of the 'cleanse' I'm trying hard to rid myself and my home of junk. I've been debating over ordering from JewelMint for a while now - one, because when I normally pay 'the cost of lunch' for a new necklace or bracelet, $29.99 seemed pricey. And two, because I wasn't sure the quality would be worth it. (Another celebrity's name attached to a less than stellar product...) (This line is designed by actress Kate Bosworth and stylist Cher Coulter.)
But, I received my first JewelMint order over the weekend and was more than pleasantly surprised. I say pleasantly surprised because I consider myself pretty critical of products in general. After all, I get paid (in my full time job) to figuratively pick apart apparel products and analyze the details to negotiate for the best cost, quality, etc. So you can see why I might be a picky consumer. However, after my first experience with JewelMint I have nothing but great things to say. Starting from viewing the individual video's per piece (more on that below) things felt right. Then the package arrived - black and sleek and mysterious. I opened the box revealing my first awesome piece and was thrilled with the weight, sturdiness, security of clasps and overall quality. More than anything, it's so easy. I do love shopping but I rarely make enough time to do it properly. It's so nice (and thrilling) to be able to have a new showroom emailed to me each month and make a selection from high quality, on trend pieces. In fact, my favorite realization was that each piece has qualities making it unique and special, yet feel like something you've had for ages.
It's a 'jewelry of the month club' subscription service offering new pieces each month at only $29.99 per glorious piece. Yup. Pretty amazeballs.
You can skip a month if you want (though I highly doubt you will.)
The designs run the gamut, there is truly something for everyone.
Shipping is free! I don't know about you but nothing makes me happier than getting to checkout and finding out I don't have to pay for shipping. *happy dance*!
You don't have to fight stores, research trends or even put forth much effort. Each month, just pick a fabulous piece from your personalized showroom.
In addition to the monthly video to excite you, each piece features an individual video telling you about the design inspiration, how to wear it and other fun facts. This little discovery put me over the edge. I think I've watched each one in my showroom at least 3 times. So much thought and detail over each piece, don't you love it?! It's so helpful in getting a feel for scale and how it looks on.
Curious yet? Check out the February video. Can you spot my manicure inspiration?
So guess what? JewelMint is being so kind and offering 50% off your first purchase when you use the code: BIG. Oh, snap! That translates to $14.99 a piece. This is major folks. Use this code and make it work! Offer is valid until 2/29/12 (First time users only.) Grab the code and go!
I wanna know... have you ordered from JewelMint? What was your experience like? Please do share!
Disclosure: I received product in return for this post, however, my opinions are my own, based on my experience and interaction with the brand. As always, if I don’t love it, I don’t tell you about it. Read my official (i.e. “wordy”) disclosure here.
P.S. Thank you soooo much to everyone that voted in the H.Bloom 'Give Love That Lasts' contest... WE WON the grand prize for Chicago! And it still hasn't sunk in yet :) (More deets here) Mwah!
It's nearly the end of January and that means 2 things: we're one step closer to spring and Valentine's Day is right around the corner! As discussed last year (here and here), in my opinion, February 14th isn't just for lovers. On this proclaimed day of love I enjoy giving happy surprises to all the sweethearts in my life - Mom's, Dad's, Brothers, Aunts, BFF's... This year I'm going with personalized Classroom Cards from Minted, I mean just look how cute!
Can you guess which one I'm choosing? Hint: it's in my New Year's Resolutions. And if I can get my act together my friends are lucky, they'll receive a real version of the sweet treat along with it.
Minted is being a sweetheart and offering 15 free classroom cards (one set) to one of you! Classroom Valentine's Day cards are the perfect size (2.5" x 3.5") for desk drops, sneaking into your friend's bag, hiding in a lunchbox or the obvious - handing out in a classroom.
How to enter:
Simply leave a comment below. Feel free to mention who your Valentine will be this year... hubby, your baby, grandpa or maybe your favorite barista? (Be sure to leave an email address if you're not a follower.)
Minted also has an assortment of adorable valentine notebooks and full-sized cards, perfect for those folks that were just too busy around the holidays to send out greetings. (In addition to beautiful stationery, invitations, announcements, etc.) I had the opportunity to preview some of the collection at Blogher last summer. The quality is fabulous and I just loved the designs - selected from independent graphic designers and design challenges, which I think is way cool. Plus, I'm a sucker for a good story.
Good luck!! Contest ends Tuesday, January 31 at 7:00pm EST. (This is a quickie! Gotta give you time to make your selection and personalize...) Winner will be announced on Wednesday morning!
I received product in return for this post, however, my opinions are my own, based on my experience and interaction with the brand. As always, if I don’t love it, I don’t tell you about it. There are no affiliate links, only direct ones so you can see for yourself! Read my official (i.e. “wordy”) disclosure here.
By the end of last week I was "reeeadaaay to paaaartaaay". Good thing there was a Bridesmaids Movie Viewing Event scheduled for Friday night. To celebrate the DVD release of the adorable film Bridesmaids, my buds and I donned bridal apparel and gathered for refreshments, adult beverages and a little movie viewing madness. (Read more about the pre-planning here.) Everyone loved the film (like there was any reason to assume that they wouldn't) and we achieved 100% participation on the proper attire. I might be biased but I'd give this theme party four stars. (Seriously, my buds are the best.)
The DVD releases today and I suggest running out and buying it as soon as you finish reading this post. No, really. It's a sweet, funny, feel good film and couldn't we all use a bit of that? Here are some photo's if you'd like to peek into our party. (I shared the inspiration board here.)
Thanks again to Universal Studios Home Entertainment for providing the DVD, party supplies (which we did photograph but mysteriously got deleted during upload. True story.) and funding for the goodies. Let's just be honest, what's a Bridesmaids party without obligatory pictures, munchies and cocktails? Here's how I broke down the budget of $100:
And this chart represents the remaining cake at the end of the party:
, then come back and leave a comment below with the item you would use or gift at a similar wedding festivity. Include a valid email so I can contact the winner! (And obviously, if you're planning a wedding in the near future, be sure to sign up for the 
) Entry ends Monday, November 11th at 12:00pm. Winner will be selected at random and announced on Tuesday, November 12th.
