Kiss My Face Kids **GIVEAWAY**

I've got a great giveway up and running over at Chic Critique today. It features the new Kiss My Face Kids line of bath and body care products -- all of which totally rock. Be sure to head on over and check it out! :)

Relief for Tender Tootsies

Summer is here and sandal season is in full swing.

Since moving to Georgia 10 years ago, I’ve amassed a sizable collection of adorable sandals and peep-toe shoes.

This time of year, a stroll through the shoe department at a place like Target, for example, leaves me swooning. So, many trendy, chic summer shoes at uber-affordable prices.

Problem is – some of these shoes, while I swear they were the “most comfortable shoes I’ve ever tried on” before I left the store, turn out to be not-so-comfortable once I get them home and wear them in real life. (read more at Chic Critique)

Hey, Jane Did it Again!

A few months ago I reviewed Jane Iredale’s PurePressed Base mineral foundation.

And, I pretty much fell in love with it. I still stand by that review. The PurePressed Base is foundation perfection.

As I mentioned at that time, the reason I ended up trying the PurePressed Base was because the product I was originally looking for — Jane Iredale’s Liquid Minerals Foundation — was being discontinued.

But, turns out, I was misinformed.

Shortly after my post went live, I was contacted by Jane Iredale marketing and assured that Jane has never had any intention of discontinuing her Liquid Minerals Foundation.

And, can I just say? Thank goodness.

Because y’all, I’ve been using Liquid Minerals for the past few months and I LOVE it. (read more at Chic Critique)

More Thrifty Finds

So, I fall off the face of the earth for a while and come back only to have another post about yard sales.

I'm sorry.

I just couldn't help myself.

I'm addicted.

Check out what I found this week:

I have been pining for a yellow purse for a long while now. It just seemed like such a frivolous investment. But, at $5, this Nine West purse fits the bill perfectly. I love it!

I found this little table lamp for $2. I'm on the fence about whether or not to paint it. It's perfect at night, though. It lights up a dark part of our hallway with the warmest glow.

While this bird cage isn't as elaborate as the one she found last week (which I fell in love with, btw), it's still adorable. And for $1, how could you go wrong?

This little canister set me back 50 cents. I'm using it on the counter in my revamped bathroom. Later that day I stumbled across a set of three of these canisters that retailed for $42!

But, my top find of the day was more wicker for my porch.

Y'all remember the wicker settee that I picked up and repainted for one side of the porch? Well, the other side of the porch needed some seating, as well. Imagine my delight when I walk up to this yard sale and spot this (sans cushion).

It even had a match, but another woman was laying claim to that one. So, I asked how much the seller wanted for one. When she said $5, I nearly choked. The wicker is sturdy and substantial. It was a steal at $5. I would have loved two of them, though.

So, I walked around the sale a little more and guess what comes out of the house -- another one of the wicker chairs! The seller sees me staring in disbelief and asks if I want it. Are you kidding?! $10 for the pair. The steal of the century.

I don't even think I need to paint these. I love the rustic finish.



Two matching cushions from Home Depot made them good to go.

Now, go see the treasures everyone else discovered this week over at Southern Hospitality.

Yard Sale Finds

So, I finally got around to taking a few pictures of my yard sale finds as of late -- including the famed $15 wicker settee for the front porch.


Naturally, I forgot to take a full shot of the settee before I painted it (that would have required too much advance planning), but this close-up should give you an idea of the color it was before -- kind of a light taupe:

After I cleaned it up and removed as much of the old paint as possible, I primed it and repainted it a chocolate brown. I also went ahead and added a new cushion:

And this little side table? Another yard sale find -- $7 -- which I painted to match:

Spray paint, my love for you knows no bounds.

I also mentioned that I've found some decorative accessories for my great room bookshelves. Here's a closer look:

Woven box -- 50 cents:

Cool wood tray -- $1:

Set of decorative plates -- $5:

Adorable little vase -- I love the bird detailing -- $5:

And, I bought four jars full of wine corks for 25 cents each. It probably seems like a bizarre purchase, but I saw someone do a flower arrangement with corks instead of pebbles in the vase. I might use these for that, or I might just stick them in an apothocary jar. Either way, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than buying all that wine and saving the corks myself. :) (That's my youngest playing Vanna White in the back, btw.)

Finally, one of the most unexpected finds. Now, I really had no intention of purchasing shoes at a yard sale. But y'all. These were brand new BCBG Girls ballet flats. For $3. And, I must say, I pink puffy heart them:

I know. I probably crossed the line with the shoes.

But they were so cute.

And, did I mention, they were only $3?

How to Choose a Sunscreen

I have a confession to make.

I only began applying sunscreen daily within the last couple of years.

I have olive skin, which means I tan without even trying. Burning has never been an issue for me. And, for years, I never gave sun damage a second thought.

Until I turned 30 and looked in the mirror.

Ah. There it was. All my hours of sun worship taking up residence on my face in the form of hyper-pigmentation and even a few wrinkles.

All that to say, I’ve been on a bit of a mission to preserve what’s left of my skin. Which brings me to the point of this post: not all sunscreens are created equal. (read more at Chic Critique)

Organizational Help for Moms

Organization has never been my strong suit.

In fact, I've spent most of my adult life in search of an organizational system that will allow me to manage all of the random details of daily life. I've tried everything from the Franklin Planner to the Palm Pilot. Each new system was met with only short-lived success.

When I became a mother, things on the organizational front went from bad to worse. I had trouble managing the details of one life -- now I'm faced with trying to juggle the details of four. My most recent attempt of tracking it all was a large wall calendar, but even that became cluttered and was impossible to carry around (making it difficult to schedule appointments when I was away from home).

But then I read about the momAgenda.

The momAgenda was created for moms by a mom. Creator Nina Restieri put over a year of research into creating an organizational tool for mothers everywhere.

I've been using the momAgenda for a few months now, and I can tell you it's the best format I've ever used. I keep it open on my desk to the week at a view layout.

Not only is there space to record the my own daily appointments, but there are blank spaces below for each child. So, I can track Jilly's school program, Josh's playdate and Grace's doctor appointment, without the day looking like a scribbled mess. (I even have a box left over and, if I'm feeling particularly spry, I can fill in blog post ideas for the week.) At the bottom of the page, there's room to write the dinner menu for each day.

The momAgenda also gives a month at a view, has space for addresses and phone numbers, even sections for party and vacation planning.

See? All the important info in one central place -- that I can also take with me if the need arises.

Organizational perfection. It's what works for me.

For more great ideas to make your life easier, head on over to Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family.

What I Learned This Week: How to Shop a Yard Sale

It all started with this post.

In an effort to "spruce up" my front porch entryway, I went on a mission to find some wicker seating.

But, I'm cheap.

So, inspired by the likes of her and her, I started looking for front porch wicker in other places, which eventually led me to a yard sale.

Now, I'd never really been to a yard sale. I always figured it was someone else's junk -- why would I want to buy that? But, turns out that a wicker settee was being advertised as part of a local upcoming sale.

I went. I bought the settee for $15 (which I've since repainted and re-cushioned -- it looks awesome). And my eyes were opened.

You can uncover quite a few "treasures" at yard sales.

I'm in the process of re-doing the shelves in my great room. I needed some decorative accessories, and I've found a handful for literally pennies. It's kind of like a big ol' treasure hunt.

And, it's kind of addictive.

Even though I'm a yard sale neophyte, I have learned a thing or two over the past few weeks that might be helpful for the yard sale beginner.

1. Don't drive around looking for signs. Unless you want to waste a lot of time. The best way to find out about yard sales in your area is to check out the classified section of your local paper and also Craig's list.

2. The early bird gets the worm. The old adage holds true. While it doesn't leave you a lot of room for price negotiation, it does guarantee the best selection.

3. Yard sale shopping is NOT like mall shopping. When you see something at the mall that you're not completely sure you're going to buy, you can walk away and think about it. I learned the hard way that that is not the approach you want to take at a yard sale.

I saw two beautiful decorative wall accessories, but I wasn't sure where I would put them. I walked away to "think about it." And, you guessed it. When I came back five minutes later they were gone. Since then, I've thought of, oh, 50 million places I could have hung those.

If you see an item that you may be interested in, pick it up and hold onto it until you make your final decision.

4. Bring small bills. Particularly if you're into price negotiation (which, honestly, I'm not). But, if you're going to negotiate someone down from $10 to $6, don't go ahead and pay the $6 with a $10 bill. That's just tacky.

I'm sure there are some more experienced yard sale shoppers out there. What are your best tips?

And, to find out what other people have learned this week, be sure to head over to Musings of a Housewife!

Lacura Skincare: Fountain of Youth at a Bargain Price

I always figured I’d be the kind of woman who would happily embrace the aging process.

You know, the type who insists “age is just a number” and who celebrates every single laugh line as the sign of a life well lived.

But then, I hit my 30s.

That was when Father Time began marching across my face in the form of age spots, fine lines and laugh lines that stick around long after I stop smiling.

And I’ve got to admit, it kind of freaked me out. (read more at Chic Critique)

Spring Wardrobe Essential: The White Button-Down Shirt

Read any list of the “must-have” pieces every woman should have in her wardrobe and you’ll always find the white button-down shirt near the top.

But until recently, I never owned one.

The reason for this is two-fold.

First, I have young children. Wearing a crisp, white shirt is akin to wearing a sandwich board that screams, “Please, use me as your human hand towel for the day.”

Secondly, I’ve always considered buying a white shirt (and wearing one, for that matter), well…kind of boring. It’s so much more fun to buy a trendy peasant top or a spring sweater in a candy-colored hue. White shirt? Dull in comparison.

But a couple weeks ago, I finally picked one up. (read more at Chic Critique)

WFMW Backwards Edition: Laundry Staining

I was so excited to learn that this week's edition of Works for Me Wednesday is the "backwards edition," where I ask y'all for help with a problem.

Because I desperately need help with this little laundry issue I'm having.

Every now and then, I'll pull some clothes out of the wash only to discover they have blue stains on them.

The stains are impossible to remove. Nothing I've tried (even my beloved Carbona Color Run Remover) has touched them. I'm pretty confident the stains are not the result of another piece of clothing "running" because I don't think a color run would spot stain like that.

At first, I thought it was the laundry detergent. So, I switched to a clear-colored liquid detergent and made a point to add the detergent only after all the clothing was completely submerged in water (so the detergent wouldn't hit dry clothing and spot stain). But, that hasn't fixed the problem.

I'm completely stumped -- and a little irritated. It always seems my favorite items of clothing -- or even worse, my daughter's school uniform -- fall victim to the blue spots.

Does anyone know what is going on here and how I can stop it from happening?

Thanks in advance for trying to help a sista out.

And, after you solve my little issue -- be sure and head over to We are THAT Family and check out the dilemmas other people are having this Wednesday. They need some input from smart peeps like you! :)

The Dogwood Tree

Hard to believe just a few short weeks ago a freak storm system blanketed our backyard in white fluffy snow:



Now, the tree branches are covered in white again.



Only this time, the white is of the springtime variety:





There's nothing quite as beautiful as when the dogwoods bloom in Georgia. They bloom around Easter each year, which always makes me think of the following story. It's a great visual reminder of all we celebrate this time of year.

The Legend Of The Dogwood Tree

As a child I heard this tale.

Long ago during the days that Jesus

was here on earth in the form of man

there were many dogwood trees.

The dogwood was comparable in

size to the oak tree and other

monarchs of the forest. Because of its

firmness and strength it was

selected as the timber for the cross,

but to be put to such a cruel use

greatly distressed the tree.

Sensing this, the crucified Jesus in his gentle

pity for the sorrow and suffering of all said to it:

"Because of your sorrow and pity for My sufferings,

never again will the dogwood tree grow large enough

to be used as a cross. Henceforth it will be slender,

bent and twisted and its blossoms will be in the

form of a cross two long and two short petals.

In the center of the outer edge of each petal

there will be nail prints brown with rust and stained with red

and in the center of the flower will be a crown of thorns,

and all who see this will remember."

~ Author Unknown

Designer Duds for a Song

Every year my husband and I attend a black tie charity gala. And every year I find myself asking the same agonizing question:

“What am I going to wear?”

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned it before — I’m cheap. It causes me great physical pain and emotional anguish to drop $200 on a cocktail dress I’ll only wear — at best — a handful of times. And, with the economic situation being what it is, it was pretty much a given I’d spend zippo on a new frock this year.

But, turns out, I did snag a new dress for the gala. It was a black, long-sleeved number that hit right about the knee and had a great plunging neckline. I love its versatility — I easily dressed it up for this event, but can also wear it more casually on a day-to-day basis.

Here, see for yourself. This is my husband and I before heading to the gala:



So…wanna know where I got it? Wanna know how much I spent?

Okay. Lean in a little.

Closer.

Seriously — this is top secret. (read more at Chic Critique)

$200 Bathroom Makeover

It's the big reveal.

I mentioned last week that I've been hard at work redecorating my master bathroom on a shoestring -- $200 to be exact. So, it's time to share some before and afters. Here's the view before I started the redo:



And after:



One of the main components of the "redo" involved adding some fabric to the room. Normally, I'd try to find some remnant fabric, but I absolutely fell in love with a fabric shower curtain from Kohl's. I managed to get it on sale and proceeded to get the most mileage out of it that I could.

First, I made a "skirt" for under the vanity. I ended up sewing it, as it involved the kind of sewing I tend to be fairly decent at -- straight lines.

Here's what it looked like before:



And after:

Isn't that candle centerpiece on top cool? I picked that up on sale at Kohl's, too.

Next, I took part of the shower curtain and did a "mistreatment" on the window:

The weird thing about our house is that we have a ton of switches and outlets. A ton. There are some light switches that I still have no clue what they turn on. Anyway, we had a very odd grouping of outlets on the facing wall when you walked into the bathroom. I'm not sure if you can see so well in this picture. They're above the obnoxious looking radio and half camouflaged by the calendar my husband stuck up there.



My mom had the great idea of taking some shower curtain and making a hanging tapestry to hide the outlets. (Again, just my kind of project -- straight sewing lines.) I also got rid of the super-cheap shelving unit and moved in a wicker piece that I had in my daughter's room. And, remember those cheap pictures I made? You can see them in the next couple shots, as well:





I also made some other "cheap" artwork by taking a Japanese fan that my father-in-law acquired on a trip around the world years ago. The fan was sitting on a shelf in my great room, but was kind of lost up there. I got a shadowbox frame for 50% off at Hobby Lobby ($17) and pinned the fan open inside:



Here is a picture of the unfinished bathroom shelving unit:



And, a few shelves later:

The great thing about these shelves is that I managed to fill them by pretty much "shopping the house." I bought the bamboo boxes on the bottom shelf (clearance $8.99 each). Other than that, everything else was something I already had. The shelves aren't perfect -- but they'll do for now.

On the opposite side of the tub, I had this odd little alcove. Here's what it looked like before:

(That's the baby tub sitting inside the big garden tub, btw. Klassy, no?)

I shopped the house for a few accessories to replace the weird towel basket below and replaced the flowers in the hanging basket with some faux foilage I also had laying around:



Three supa-fab new bathroom rugs finished it off.

Here's the final cost breakdown:

(3) Bathroom rugs @ $20 each
(1) Bathroom centerpiece @ $30
(1) Shower curtain @ $35.90
(2) Bamboo boxes @ $8.99 each
(1) Shadowbox frame @ $17
(2) Framed art prints @ $3.50 each
(1) Wooden dowel for hanging tapestry @ $1
(1) Pressure rod for vanity skirt @ $10
(4) New shelves for unit $32
(1) piece of faux greenery @ $2.50
(1) Turquoise vase @ $10.49

GRAND TOTAL: $223.87

Even though I went a little over budget, I realized I could totally transform a room for a lot less than I would have thought possible. Which really, is quite a revelation for me.

So that's what I learned this week (actually, what I learned over the last few weeks). To see what everyone else learned, head on over to Jo-Lynne's place for the What I Learned This Week carnival!

TLC for Dry Winter Hands

I don’t know about you, but at this point in the winter season, my hands have pretty much had it.

Cooler temperatures, windy conditions, indoor heating and a lot of contact with dishwater is the perfect recipe for dry, cracked and inflamed hands. So today, I’m sharing two of my all-time favorite products for giving those weary winter hands a little TLC. (read more at Chic Critique)

What I Learned This Week: You Can Make Artwork on the Cheap

I've been watching too much HGTV.

That happens every now and then.

I can always tell when my watching gets a little out of hand because that's when I start dreaming up all sorts of "home decorating" projects -- as if I'm some sort of female David Bromstad. All of a sudden I'll walk into a room and the fact that we don't have say, window treatments, will really start to bug me. So, I begin figuring out how I can get the job done with minimal money spent.

The latest victim of my unbridled creativity: our master bathroom. It's pitiful. It has looked pretty much the same way it has looked since we moved in eight years ago. There's no decor theme -- it's pretty much a mish mash of whatever I happened to throw in there. It's bland and pretty boring.

But, over the last week, I have worked diligently to transform it! I'm thrilled with the results, which I promise to share later in the week (I just need to finish a few last minute things before I post the after pictures). Long story made short: I gave myself a budget of $200.

Now, that might seem like a lot, but the bathroom had a shelving project that had been incomplete for eight years, so I knew a fair portion of my budget would go toward finishing that.

Once I got the major things done, I found I had little left over for finishing touches like artwork. So, I figured out how to make some artwork on the cheap. It's not rocket science (I'm no Nester), but here's what I did -- and I bet it's something you could do, too!

I chose an Asian-inspired theme for the master bath. The color palate was going to include a lot of earth tones and neutrals, with some green and turquoise mixed in. So, I was thrilled when I stumbled upon this set of six notecards in the Target $1 section:

I loved the design and started to think about how I could use the notecard as the basis for some artwork. I went to Walmart and bought two 8x10" frames for $3 each.

Next, I opened the card and cut the front from the back. I made sure to keep the dark brown piece close by -- I was going to use that later.

Then, I cut the front of the card into two pieces. I liked the gold bird better, so that was the part I wanted to use.

Then I grabbed some scrapbook paper that featured the colors I was using in the bathroom. Because I was making two pictures, I used two 12x12" sheets of paper, which cost a whopping 33 cents each at Hobby Lobby.

I cut the paper to fit the frame. I then used the dark brown part of the card to frame the gold bird piece:

Then, I just stuck it in the frame. Piece of cake.

I actually made two of these pictures, one for each side of our bathroom counter. They work perfectly.

Oh, and one last thing. If you do decide to do a similar project, be sure and remove the picture stand from the back of the frame. This will make it lay flatter when you hang it on the wall. All you need to do is wiggle a flat-head screwdriver under the hinge that attaches the stand. It pops right off:

So, that's what I learned this week. How to create great looking artwork for a song. These pictures cost me about $3.50 each.

Now, go visit Musings of a Housewife to see what everyone else learned this week!