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Still need a last-minute gift for that special mom in your life? Lots of people steer away from gift cards because they think they are impersonal, but those people probably have never received an Etsy gift card. Etsy gift cards can be printed or emailed directly to the recipient, which will open up a magical world of endless possibilities for her. Not only can she shop for just about anything handmade or vintage on Etsy, she can have something custom made just for her. I'm totally going to use myself as an example . . .
I shop on Etsy A LOT. The sellers are always wonderful, and a lot of them will customize items to fit your needs and your tastes. One of my favorite Etsy sellers is Trish, the owner of CaliCatBoutique. She sells handmade handbags, totes, clutches, backpacks, wallets, and more. Everything you see pictured here, Trish has made just for me. How awesome is that?!!
These are coordinating mother-daughter Mabel tote bags. My daughter and I could not agree on a fabric, so we decided that having coordinating bags is just as good as having matching ones. Trish also created matching accessories according to our specific needs. I cannot wait for the weather to warm up, so we can start carrying these babies!
Both of the bags above and the ones shown below were not bags the CaliCatBoutique offered in its shop. Do not assume what you see in any Etsy shop is all there is to offer. Many sellers will create something just for you. That is something you cannot get at the mall or your local department store. I should also add that these custom bags cost a fraction of what designer bags cost.
The two bags shown above are mother-daughter Disney Princess-inspired Marianne clutches. I fell in love with this fabric, but thought it would suit a smaller bag because it was so colorful. My daughter wanted glitter on her bag and I wanted something purple. I love how these turned out, and they are perfect for when we want to travel lightly.
Above you'll find a larger version of the Denver Backpack and custom Clematis Clutch. Both accompanied me to Utah last year, where my oldest competed at the USA Taekwondo National Championships in Salt Lake City.
These two are the very first custom handbags I ordered from the CaliCatBoutique. Above is a custom Star Wars Rey-Inspired Sublime Bag. Below is a custom Disney Princess-inspired Everyday Tote Bag.
Am I stopping there? NO WAY!!! I currently have a Disney Mulan-inspired bag and clutch in the works with the CaliCatBoutique. As you can see, the possibilities are endless on Etsy. Give mom what she wants, which we all know is to have things her way. Am I right?
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If you follow me on Instagram, then you probably saw this post below, sharing my very first experience with Color Street nail polish strips. My friend had asked me to try them a few months before that, but I wasn't very interested. My nails were strong and healthy, and I was used to painting them every 6 or 7 days myself. What changed my mind about trying them months later was a nailfie (nail selfie) she shared of some really cool looking nail art. I LOVE nail art, but was never able to apply professional looking nail art to my own nails without going to a salon. So, I picked out a set that caught my eye, and the rest is history . . .
1. Color Street strips are 95% dry real nail polish in an easy-to-use peel and apply format. 2. There is ZERO dry time. 3. There are no tools required for applying these nail strips. Watch this video to see how easy the application process is. 4. Color Street says one manicure can last up to 10 days without chipping. Personally, both my 12 year old daughter and I have gone up to and past 10 days without seeing one chip. 5. Color Street sets are affordable! Each set ranges in price from $11 to $14 per set, not including any current promotions. Also, the strips are double-tipped, so I can do both my nails and my daughter's nails with just one set. 6. There are over 130 expressive colors and designs to choose from, and the selection is updated every fall/winter and spring/summer season. Check out all the colors here. 7. Color Street products are made in the U.S.A.
Color Street nail polish strips in Bordeaux Glitz and Lisbon Nights
After about 6 weeks of loving Color Street, I decided to become an Independent Color Street Stylist. I am not really a direct sales kind of person, but I really love this product, so I figured I would share it with my friends and family. Some of my readers have followed my blog for over 10 years, and know that I am genuine in my feelings about the products I share. I sincerely believe that most everyone who tries this product will love it. Once you try Color Street, you'll never go back to using nail polish from a bottle.
If you'd like to try Color Street for yourself, visit www.LoveNailMail.com or join my 'Love Nail Mail' VIP Facebook group to request a free sample and to enjoy VIP member perks. I came up with that name because I always get so excited when I'm expecting nail mail!
Check out some of my recent nailfies below . . .
One of my favorite Color Street shades is Bordeaux Glitz.
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Squeezed many times after two coats of Soft'n Slo paint markers completely dried over two days.
My 11 year old daughter has been on the crazy-for-squishies train for a couple of years now. She may even consider herself somewhat of a squishy expert. That being said, she and her twin brother own several Soft'n Slo squishies, and have been very pleased with them. They have held up for months before beginning to show signs of being lovingly squeezed over and over again daily. Since this brand of squishies has been pretty dependable overall, I was excited to see DIY Soft'n Slo squishies and paint markers at our local craft store. I purchased one of every style of blank squishy I could find, plus both packs of paint markers (regular colors and brights) as a gift for my daughter. Our daughter is a crafter at heart, and was so excited to receive this gift bag full of DIY squishies supplies.
Did the Soft'n Slo DIY Squishies & Paint Markers Meet Our Expectations? . . .
The blank squishies felt like the same great quality my children have come to expect from Soft'n Slo. Unfortunately, the paint markers did not perform as well as we would have liked. The freshly painted squishies looked amazing with very good coverage. After we allowed the paint to dry for a few days, however, there appeared to be spots where the paint did not adhere to the surface of the squishy.
Squeezed twice after single coat of Soft'n Slo paint markers dried for 4 days.
I suggested to my daughter that she try adding a second coat of paint. After allowing the second coat to dry for two days, we found that there were still spots where the white showed through.
Unsqueezed after two coats of Soft'n Slo paint markers dried over course of two days.
Next came the squeeze test. When we squeezed the squishy several times, the paint began to crackle and flake off. What would have been a beautiful one-of-a-kind squishy, did not end up being the masterpiece my daughter had hoped for.
What will we do with the remaining blank squishies?
We still love Soft'n Slo squishies, but the markers were just not the same quality we have come to expect from this brand. The blank squishies are great though, so what we will likely do is to try painting them with puffy fabric paint. This type of paint comes in a wide variety of colors and is made to be flexible. If that goes well, maybe my daughter can try to salvage her cake squishy or perhaps repaint other squishies to give them a makeover.
Two Soft'n Slo squishies our children received as stocking stuffers.
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Our children are now 11, 11, and 14. If you have older kids like us, that means you might be running out of ideas for ways to make the annual tradition of an advent calendar a fresh and fun experience. We have done everything from puzzle pieces to Lego minifigure parts, from Christmas books to dollar scratch tickets.
Since all 3 of our children are gamers, I thought it would be fun this year to give them a way to earn in-game currency. Usually, I am not a huge fan of spending real life money on virtual items, so I think this will be a real treat for them. Since we have three children, I'll give each child one guess at the answer to one 'game show' question each day. Only one child needs to answer correctly for all three to win the prize, which I have decided to be one dollar per child to go towards in-game currency or a gaming membership. DIY Game Show Advent Calendar Activity . . .
Step 1. Download the PDF below. Then either print out four copies of the blank cards or digitally add text and save four versions with six different game cards on each version. Do not include the answers to the game show questions on the card, but rather keep a list of them in a safe place.
TIP 1:I found age-appropriate Christmas-themed riddles online and used one riddle per card. Other ideas would be trivia questions, math problems, brain twisters, tongue twisters they'd need to say 3 times quickly, etc . . . If this activity is a hit this year, next year I might try Star Wars trivia questions.
TIP #2:If you don't have the dexterity (or the desire) to roll and secure 24 tiny scrolls, other options would be to merely fold the cards in half or into thirds, or to put them in business card sized envelopes.
Step 3. Put one scroll into each day of your advent calendar. I also always include one small piece of candy for each child, but that is certainly not required.
What ideas do you have for making an advent calendar more fun and interesting?
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It's that time of year again. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we are all reminded to think long and hard about what we are thankful for this year. Topped only by our family road trip to Walt Disney World, one of the things I am most grateful for is the opportunity to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah to cheer my 14 year old son on as he competed and placed 3rd in poomsae at the 2018 USA Taekwondo National Championships. In addition to that amazing moment, our family spent almost an entire week with the other Baystate Taekwondo Competition Team families, who are like extended family to us. So many wonderful memories were made, and for that I am also grateful.
During the week of July 2nd, seven Baystate Taekwondo Competition Team athletes and their families traveled across the country to Salt Lake City along with their coaches, Master John Alves and Mr. Christopher Alves, to compete in the 2018 USA Taekwondo National Championships. Ranging from ages 9 to 17, each of these young athletes train alongside their teammates at Baystate Taekwondo Academy in Massachusetts year-round to compete on a state and national level with only a 7-week hiatus during the summer.
From continuing on after sustaining injuries to exhibiting great sportsmanship no matter the outcome, these young athletes are an inspiration to us all. The results were as follows for each competitor in their age, rank, and weight divisions:
(From left to right) Sumeet Nijjar, Danveer Nijjar, Victoria Lewis, Abhaya Sundar, Keira Macauley, Elizabeth Levin, and Jake Coutu
• Keira Macauley, age 9, placed 5th in poomsae and 3rd in sparring, taking home her first USAT bronze medal.
• Four-time Nationals medalist, Victoria Lewis, age 12, placed 3rd in poomsae and 2nd in sparring, earning her 3rd bronze and 1st USAT silver medal.
• Three-time Nationals medalist, Elizabeth Levin, now age 13, placed 5th in poomsae and 1st in sparring, earning her first USAT gold medal, and making her the 2018 National Champion in her sparring division.
• First time competitor, Abhaya Sundar, age 12, placed 5th in poomsae and 2nd in sparring, earning her 1st USAT silver medal.
• First time competitor, Danveer Nijjar, age 13, placed 9th in poomsae and 5th in sparring.
• Two-time Nationals medalist, Jake Coutu, age 14, placed 3rd in poomsae, taking home his 2nd USAT bronze medal.
• Sumeet Nijjar, age 17, placed 1st in sparring, earning him his first USAT gold medal, and making him the 2018 National Champion in his sparring division.
Looking back on this year’s trip to Nationals, the owner of Baystate Taekwondo Academy, Master John Alves, says, “Work hard, train hard, stay focused, and last; commit to your art 100% to achieve your ultimate GOAL.”
Proud families of the Baystate Taekwondo 2018 USA Taekwondo National Championships competitors.
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Visiting King Richard's Faire in Carver, Massachusetts is a fall tradition for our family, like picking apples, except with far more fun, excitement, and laughter. This year, our children are a bit older, with our oldest being just a few months shy of 15. For the first time in 7 years, our children did not ask to go through M'Lady's Shady Maze. It was the dawn of a new era.
For all you Renaissance faire goers who have older children, I've put together a few tips to help ensure a fun time is had by all. Aside from common sense tips, like telling your teens to stay together, to keep their phones on and with them at all times, to not leave the faire, to stay away from axe and knife throwing, and to not take candy from strangers, these are some things we found to be helpful during our family's visit to King Richard's Faire this year . . .
5 Tips for Visiting King Richard's Faire with Teens:
1.Renfaire t-shirts - If your children are getting older and are reluctant to dress-up in costumes, Renaissance faire-themed t-shirts are a great option. They are fun, festive, and comfortable to wear, especially if you plan to stay all day. I purchased custom renfaire t-shirts from The Paisley Hanger Boutique because I couldn't find exactly what I wanted online. It was super-easy to order once I decided what I wanted. The three shirts below were created for me, my husband, and our daughter. My husband received many thumbs ups throughout the day for his shirt.
I really love the way the 'warrior princess' t-shirt came out for my son's girlfriend. The design was perfect for a teenage girl.
2.Enjoy some shows together as a family - Before you let your teens go off on their own, try to catch a few shows together. We made a list of what acts everyone wanted to see and tried to time it so we could see as many as possible. Believe it or not, being organized enough to get to each stage early enough to get good seats is not an easy feat. For example, we missed The Great Cats of the World Show this year because we had to squeeze in a bathroom break. By the time we got there, the audience was packed and we couldn't get near it. Luckily, we were able to get great seats for some very fun, laugh-out-loud shows. Part of what makes these shows great is they always ask for volunteers from the audience.
Our Teens' 3 Favorite Shows at King Richard's Faire 2018 . . . #1:Kevin Armour was new to King Richard's Faire this year with his 'Up in Arms' act. Our usually not-easily-impressed teenage son declared this act to be his new favorite.
Yes, he does put his whole body through a tennis racket. 😮
#2: Although the Washing Well Wenches are a King Richard's Faire classic, it was our first time watching their show. I have to say that I have never laughed so hard in my entire life, and tears ran down my face more than once during the show. Although there was no profanity, the humor is very suggestive and over-the-top. You will need to decide when your children are mature enough for the Washing Well Wenches.
Gerty (pictured above) and Sprout (pictured below) were such animated, charismatic characters. The entire family enjoyed the show immensely.
#3:Jacques Ze Whipper has always been a favorite of the whole family. We always watch his show at least once per visit to King Richard's Faire. My husband secretly wishes to be chosen as a volunteer from the audience every year. Maybe next year . . .
3.Set aside some free time - Be sure to set aside time when your teens can explore King Richard's Faire freely. There is so much to discover between acts they've never seen and the many artisan shops. This year, I feel like we did not leave enough time for exploration because we had to leave an hour before the faire closed for the day. If possible, I recommend allowing two hours for your teens to walk around without being rushed.
4.Make sure your teen has cash - Although most shops take credit or debit cards, some shops only take cash, and some only take cards with a minimum purchase. In addition, all food vendors only take food tickets, which can only be purchased with cash. All games and rides only accept cash, as well.
A new treat at King Richard's Faire this year are the 'unicorn donuts'. They are delicious plain, but can be drizzled with maple glaze or the very special pink and blue unicorn glaze topped with edible glitter.
Some of the rides our teens chose this year, were the Pirate Ship Ride and the Pony Ride.
5.Set a time and place to meet up - Set a time 10 or 15 minutes before you actually need to leave to all reconvene. This builds in a buffer in case your teens lose track of time. Also, set a meeting place that's easy to find, such as at the Remembrance Shoppe or at the SKY Chairs. They can likely ask anyone at the faire how to get to either of these locations.
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Since we adopted this pair of kittens in July, life has been interesting (and lots of fun). These are not our first kittens by any means, but they are the most mischievous kittens we've ever welcomed to our family. If you follow me on Instagram, then you already know that Yoda is the one with the big ears, and Kenobi is the one with the smudge of black on his nose.
Although we had purchased some basic ID tags at our local pet supply store on the way to picking up these 9-week old brothers, we later decided we needed tags more fitting of their personalities. That's when my online search led me to stumble upon the TagNTrail shop on Etsy. This shop sells handmade pet ID tags, waterproof collars, and more. There were several Star Wars-themed pet tags to choose from, but I ended up with the Obi-wan pet tag for Kenobi because he's so lovable, and the Jedi pet tag for Yoda because he can jump so high that you'd swear he could fly. I had a great experience buying from this Etsy shop. I was able to choose the font color for our pets' names and contact info located on the back of the tags. The shop owner was even nice enough to change the lightsabers on Yoda's tag from red to green for me (because you know, Yoda's lightsaber is green).
At first I thought the tags, which are about 1.25" in diameter, would be too big for our little kittens, but they were very lightweight and didn't seem to get in the way of their daily mischief at all. You have the option to ask for smaller jumprings if you have smaller pets. I forgot to do that (oops), but it worked out well for us to simply put the tags on the ring that came with the kitten collars. I'm pretty happy with these tags, and I'd definitely return to this Etsy shop next time I need dog or cat ID tags.
