I am a pen hoarder! Yup, I will collect pens because I find that I enjoy the way they write and sometimes I have a selection of pens that I refuse to touch because I know I can no longer replace them when they run out. But, when I have a great pen that works just as well as some of my holy grail ones, know that I will stop at nothing to keep it on me at all times. I recently had the opportunity to try out the BIC Gel-ocity Quick Dry Pens and boy oh boy was I impressed. I love BIC brand but tend to gravitate to their pencils more than anything else. I love a very fine tip – usually, 0.5mm if I can find them, so when I first saw that these were 0.7mm or medium tip, I wasn’t sure that I would enjoy them. Well, well… boy was I wrong. They are comfortable to use, comfortable to hold and I am loving how great the ink is. Let’s talk about it in some detail, shall we?
The BIC Gel-ocity Quick Dry Pens range in colors and price points. The ones I have here are retractable gel pens that dry up to 3x faster than ordinary ones. There is less smearing or smudging (all of which I agree – no smearing) and they write super smooth. I love that they are comfortable to hold in your hand and like I said before, the tip (while it is not my preferred) writes exactly as I would love it to write.
While out school shopping for my boys, I’ve been seeing these pens on the end caps of the displays. I haven’t stopped raving about them since I got my hands on them about a month ago. They are lightweight and easy to control. They leave a smooth line and I absolutely love the fact that they are retractable, which means that is less caps for me to lose.
I plan to pick up the entire collection of colors (not like I need more pens) but I find that these are perfect purse pens and so easy tote around if you need a pen on the go. I also like to do brush strokes and color in my lines with these and find that the ink flows out easily, making it simple to use these. I’ve been hunting for these in a finer point but haven’t found anything yet. If you are a huge fan of G2 pens, I think you’d enjoy these as well. They dry faster so it makes a great choice for doing homework or reports.
Also, if you’re a planner girl like me, you’ll love that these write anything you want in the color you choose while still drying so swiftly that you are not smearing your pages. I tell you, these are genius.
Have you tried these pens before? If so, what do you think about it? If not, do you think this will be on your next stationery list?
Disclaimer: The products featured in this post was sent for review consideration. All opinions are my own, 100% honest & unbiased.
No matter how old my boys get, I find myself still utilizing many of the items that I had for them when they were babies. Since I’m a work from home and stay at home mom, the number one thing I find I still use is a diaper bag. Now, hold on – obviously I’m not going to be using this particular bag to hold diapers, the boys don’t use those, ha ha! But, I don’t use my old diaper bags in the traditional sense. I turn my diaper bags into work and planner bags so I can take my work on the go. About 5 months ago I was sent this very cool bag from CiPU and today I’m going to share my thoughts on this accessory as well as how I utilize it for my personal use. It may not be traditional, but it’s functional and we all know I love anything that offers function to my life.
Now, it’s no secret that I’m a laid back simpleton, basically – I’m a casual gal. So when I can find something that works for me… I’m excited. I was contacted by CiPU and asked to try out this “diaper bag” and if I enjoyed it, if I could kindly provide a review. Here’s the deal – since I was using my Coach Diaper Bag from the twins as my work bag, I thought to myself… “hmm, this will be interesting to see how it would work for me.” And, so I accepted.
CiPU is pronounced – ‘Shee’ (translated to “happiness” in Chinese) and ‘Pu’ (translated to “store” in Chinese) like “shee” in sheet and “PU” in put.
CiPU was founded in 2009 by a group of mothers and brand owner Jarrah, all of whom had one shared inspiration – an idea to gift mothers love, happiness and affection. CiPUs focus is on style by exploring colors and patterns to suit every occasion, however – each bag is full of functionality (you see that word there, it’s golden to me) and created to meet a mother’s everyday needs.
“The Bowknot in their logo represents the ribbon on a gift, meanwhile it also looks like an “infinity” symbol. Since children are such a precious gift and a parent’s devotion to their children are testimonies of “infinitive love” the bowknot symbolizes infinite love and the power of gifts in a single wish, a wish that every mother can enjoy blissful, long-lasting memories with their children – the greatest gift in life.”
Each CiPU bag is hand-crafted with lots of love and many of the bags are limited in quantity since they only make a few of each design. They are each made from environmentally friendly materials and I love that CiPU offers Free US Delivery. All CiPU bags were created with different styles and patterns to focus on women because mother’s are still women and looks matter. Perfect for function while providing lightweight carryalls to take the load off your shoulders.
Check out my video review and come chit chat about this bag with me. My video can be found here or embedded below.
Lightweight | Stylish | Easy Cleaning | Organizable | Large Compartments | Water repellent
CiPU offers a variety of bags to fit the mothers’, fathers’ and even babies’ style. From Large tote bags like the one I have here to diaper backpacks in every type of color and design. I have my eyes set on a camouflage one, a plain black bag and the Leopard next. Let’s talk a little about this awesome diaper bag shall we?
I have the CiPU Tote Diaper Bag in Heather Gray (Large). This bag retails for $158.80 and comes with 13 large compartments to hold all of my necessities. Now, as I mentioned before, I’m not using this bag as a diaper bag, but as my work bag so this is perfect to host all of my planner supplies, planners and even my laptop and tablet all fit inside perfectly.
This bag features 1 hidden compartment (which I love to put the boys wipes in or even store their dirty clothes while out and about so it doesn’t mess up any of my papers. You also get the following accessories to go with your bag:
Personal belongings pouch – this pouch comes with detachable straps and you can use this to store your diapers, wipes and changing mat. I use this particular pouch to store my tablet for safe keeping and a few notebooks.
Foldable Changing Mat – this soft and easy to clean mat is perfect for changing baby, but again – I use this bag for work – so this changing mat is used as a little sitting mat for me when at the park or in case I want to put my bag down without sitting it directly on the floor. It’s machine washable which makes it perfect for on the go.
Retractable Key Hold – probably my favorite thing now to keep my eyes on hand at any given time.
Chest Strap – this helps to keep my strap in place to prevent slip-downs
Slip Proof Should Straps – these soft on the shoulder straps are great and comfy. It made long hours at the airport easy because my arms were not sore from carrying my bag too long.
Stroller Clips – These are great to clip to a wagon or stroller to keep your bag with you. I use it to attach to my sports cart so I am not taking up real estate of the wagon with my bag.
The material is very soft and easy to spot clean or wash should I need it. I love that this bag is water repellent (inside & out), especially since I always take it with me, that way I don’t have to worry about spills. This bag comes with a gorgeous hot pink and bright lining which makes it so easy to be able to see inside and grab everything that I need at any time. And, since this bag is made of quick dry material – it helps to prevent mold (so you don’t have to worry much about spills from milk bottles or juice causing mold if you don’t get it dried up quickly.) This bag is perfect for outdoors – whether rain or shine and I love that it’s so easy to take with you.
The CiPU Large Tote is very lightweight at just 1.2 lbs. – one of the lightest on the market. And, remember how I said CiPU offers different bags for different personalities and sizes, your littles can have their own little backpacks too.
So, now that you have a bunch of information to make an informed decision on whether or not this bag is for you… let me keep it real for you all. This bag is costly, but I am a handbag lover and most of my bags cost well over this amount already so I would spend this money in a heartbeat – especially after my great experience with this one over the last 5 months or so. When it comes to how I spend my money, I tend to look at things as an investment. These bags are an investment in not only your style and longevity of having them, but your comfort. They are easy to carry and hold, giving you various options and so easy to clean. As a busy mom, I know that the last thing we want to be doing is scrubbing a bag of strains or water spills. While I don’t currently use it strictly as a diaper bag, I know the quality of the bag will hold up in that if and when I should have another child – I’ll be able to use this. I also love that this is functional for me and allows me to use this as a “mommy bag” no matter the age of my children. I can carry all my work stuff inside while still have a ton of room for mommy stuff too – whether it be wipes, extra clothes, toys, books for reading on the go or games – whatever tickles your fancy.
We all know I am brutally honest here and I have to say – Yes, this bag is worth the cost and definitely high quality. Like I mentioned before – I have my eyes on a few others and I plan to get them.
Check out my video review:
You can check out the full range of products available at: https://www.cipu.us/
So what about you, have you heard of CiPU before and do you think you could utilize something like this? Are you a mommy looking for a little more help in the organizing and diaper bag compartment? Comment below and share your thoughts with me.
Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for review consideration. All opinions are my own, 100% honest & unbiased. I was not paid to provide my thoughts or to feature this product. Affiliate links are posted through out.
We are literally a couple of days away from the new year and ringing in 2017, so I thought this would be the perfect time to go ahead and share my thoughts on the 2017 KITLife Planner with all of you. I’m a huge lover of KITLife Planners, this particular planner being my fourth that I own. Each year I have found a new way to use the planner and I’m so overjoyed with the changes that KITLife has made to the planner that I’m excited to share it with all of you. The KITLife planner is a daily planner layout that allows you to literally grab life by the hands and make it wonderful. The KITLife planner is more than just a planner, but a community – encouraging women to be productive, grateful, healthy, giving and live a life full of intention. This Planner has made such a difference in how I do things daily and yearly and I’m going to share it with all of you.
The KITLife Planner retails for $58.00. I know, I know… many have told me in years past that that is such a hefty cost for something that you may throw out at the end of each year. But here’s what I have to say about it… “Life is an Investment and to make it fruitful, we need to invest in the proper tools to help it grow.” (Yes, I wrote that… lol) A Planner is just that, a tool to help keep you organized. The KITLife Planner is a daily planner that consists of a monthly and daily layout. I find that a daily layout is my favorite for the lister in me, I love writing out my daily to-do’s and track my progress as I complete each task.
There are three different types of planner covers available for 2017 – The Classic Edition (which is what I am sharing with you), the Crown Edition ($72.00 – the Gorgeous White with Gold Foil cover) and The Festival Edition ($65.00 a fun cover with pink, blue and purple triangles). Each Planner also offers you the opportunity to add in additional pages to customize your planner (at an additional cost). The pages include: Note Add-In, Graph Add-In, Budget Add-In, Direct Sales Add-In, Direct Sales Team Add-In and Teach Add-In. These add-ins must be ordered at the time you order your planner. Each plan is estimated to ship in 5-7 business days after placing your order.
So, let’s get into all the fun details. The 2017 KITLife Planner has a new hardcover which feels much like suede. The Team at KITLife call it the Velvet Technique in printing the cover. It has a really cool and smooth texture that make this planner feel so luxe. I absolutely love it and I LOVE that the planner cover is now a hardcover instead of their laminated cover like they have had in previous years. This new hardcover makes the planner much more durable and protects the pages within. The KITLife Planner also comes with a movable dashboard as it did last year. I really enjoyed this option last year, but sadly, my dashboard didn’t last me past the 2 month mark. I’m pretty brutal. But, KITLife made some revisions and now has a very sturdy design that’s perfect for the 2017 planner. I love that it is still easy to move and flexible without being too flimsy. It’s a great addition and I love it.
The planner is smaller in size in comparison to past years. Honestly, I LOVE this because it was a bit cumbersome to take my KIT with me on the go. While I still do not take it with me usually, I love that I have that option should I decide to do so. While it is a bit smaller in size – you still get the same amount of writing space as you did in previous years. The monthly calendar spread also offers the same amount of space for writing which is great.
As the season starts to change and the weather gets a tad bit chillier, the kiddos make their way back to school for the 2016-2017 year. I remember as a kid, going back to school was my favorite time of year because it meant that I would have the opportunity to impress a new set of teachers and meet new friends. My boys returned back to school at the beginning of August and while it has been a busy month so far, we are so excited and they have been absolutely loving school. Today I share with you a few of their favorite finds for Back to School from affordable selections that we love and a few Celebrity faves. Since back to school can be a fun time for kids or some may feel a bit uneasy, it’s the perfect time to pick up some new goods that will surely put a smile on your littles’ faces.
Going back to school after a fun summer break isn’t always easy for littles. But, finding cool Back to School gear and supplies always make for a great start. This year I wanted the boys to be able to develop their own sense of style (see the twins with their mohawks and sunglasses in the photo above? lol), but I also wanted them to select basics that would make their year fun and functional.
A quality made backpack is always an important part of back to school. My eldest Kevin has a full schedule of classes and a heavy workload and homework sometimes. It’s important that he has a backpack that can take him to and from school while still offering him the option to use for extra curricular activities and sports. His choice of gear for this year was the Mountainsmith Approach 25 backpack (retail: $89.95).
This multi-pocket backpack is perfect for on the go for work and office, school or sports, or for a hike to climb the highest summit. It features a dual-anel loader system which is idea for travel and trail), a front panel stretch-mesh pocket with daisy chain attachment loops, Anvil Airway ridged EVA back panel padding which make it comfortable on the back no matter what you carry in it, tool / trekking pole carry, side compression straps, dual side-panel mesh pockets, an internal hydration sleeve to hold 3 liters and an eleastic sternum strap and bit valve catch with a safety whistle.
This backpack is sturdy and unisex. He has it in burgundy with brick red trim and it looks stunning and manly. It’s comfortable on and Kevin can stuff this backpack with his school supplies and homework without worrying about it falling apart. It’s a great backpack to have for anyone of any age and is not only for school but anything. I plan to pick one up for myself as well since it will be great for my forest treks.
Luke opted for a fun and stylish backpack from Chooze. Chooze is a brand selected and loved by celebrities alike. Matthew McConaughey’s little girl is a huge fan of the versatile and affordable clothing and accessories Chooze offers. Luke wanted the reversible ChoozePack in Quest(retail $43.95).
These ingenious packs feature a reversible design that has two functional sides to give your kiddos the power to choose which print to display. It offers padded convertible straps (which Luke says are BOMB because they are so comfortable) and you can flip each strap from side-to-side to provide a different look.
Of course, no back to school list and gear would be complete without a way to carry your lunch and snack to and from school. Kevin opted for something he could use for school and sports and went with the Mountainsmith Takeout insulated lunch pack (retailing $17.95). It is the perfect sized carry-all for school, office and tailgating and has a look that any teen would enjoy.
To help carry his favorite mom’s delicious soups to school for lunch, he also selected the Hydro Flask Food Flasks. He has them in the 12 oz. (retails for $29.99) and the 18 oz. (retails for $34.99). These flasks are perfect to carry his favorite soups or a hot cocoa on those chilly mornings. They fit perfectly into any lunchbox and are the perfect way to give kids a balanced healthy meal. They offer improved temperature control technology and can keep hot food items made in the morning steamy until lunchtime. He also enjoys holding his milk in these and pours a small box of cereal inside for breakfast on the go.
Luke & Isaiah decided that getting a traditional lunchbox was the way they wanted to go this year. Each of them selected a Personalized Lunchbox from I See Me! (retailing for $29.99 each, currently on sale for $17.99. Isaiah chose the Kick, Score, Run Lunchbox and Luke chose the Outerspace Lunchbox. I See Me! is a brand and leader in personalized storyboks and gifts for kids, offering over 30 customizable book titles. They also offer lunch boxes, stickers, growth charts, puzzles and so much more. This fun company is a favorite of celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba and Brooke Shields.
Did I ever mention how much I enjoy Quinoa? Well, I couldn’t resist putting some of these yummy snacks in the boys lunch boxes. I Heart Keenwah snacks are perfect for any kiddo on the go or to pack with their lunch. These Grab n Go (1.5 oz) snacks are great afterschool or lunch treats that taste great and are fun and nutritious. I Heart Keenwah quinoa Clusters and Puffs are a healthy alternative to chips, crackers or sweets. They are made of organic, Non-GMO ingredients. They are a protein-rich superfood snack and gluten-free with the perfect crunch to fill and fuel your little ones bodies. I love them myself and the boys think they taste great. We find them at our local Safeway and Wholefoods at a reasonable cost.
Setton Farms International Premium Quality Snacks are also a great buy. Our favorite are the Creme Brulee Blend that has cashews and toffee peanuts. The Creme Brulee Blend incorporates all the creamy sweetness and crunch of the traditional Creme Brulee without the spoon. It combines freshly roasted cashews and toffee peanuts with creamy butterscotch and white chips for an irresistible treat. They are available in 5 oz resealable bags and available in major grocery store chains across the country – Price Chopper, Market Basket, King Kullen and more. Setton Farms sent us a variety of treats to try but the Creme Brulee Blend is our favorite. I hope we can find more of these in our local stores, so far I’ve only found them at http://www.puritan.com/ and I’ll need to be purchasing more soon.
When it comes to back to school, the boys are simple shoppers which makes my job easiest. I remember as a child wanting to have all the pretty notebooks and pens for back to school supplies. This year, when I did the boys school supply shopping, I also took advantage of some discounts for myself too. Whether it’s Crayons or Pens, Notebooks and Planners or a tablet, the options are endless and come in a variety of price points. Some of our favorites included:
Crayola Crayons 24 Pack – these are perfect on the go or to keep in the desk or at home. When shopping during the sales you can get these for about $0.25 each.
Calendar or Planners – some of my favorites are the Blue Sky Planners from Target. Of course, you can’t go wrong with an Erin Condren Life Planner, Happy Planner or your traditional binder planners like Kikki K, Filofax or Dokibook.
Pencils – Oh, how I love me some pencils. Currently my favorites at the moment are any type of Mechanical Pencil with 0.5mm lead, BIC Pencil 0.7mm (the metallic ones have won me over), Dixon Ticonderoga #2 Pencils (have you seen the beautiful metallic ones?) The Ticonderoga pencils are perfect for sketching as well as writing and erase cleanly.
Notebooks – Spiral, composition tablet… you name them and they are available in all kinds of paper style and cover design.
Folder / Filler Paper – ah, hand me a ream of college ruled please! The twins use Wide Ruled, Kevin uses College Ruled. I love that they are available from a variety of brands and price points.
Amazon Fire Tablet – for less than $50, you can get your hands on a Tablet that acts as a Reader or Internet hub. The Amazon Fire Tablet is affordable but gives your student (or you) the option to get online, use amazing apps or just play games. It’s definitely a great tool to have for the student or the mentor.
Now – you don’t need to pick up these particular items. Honestly, I just wanted to include some of my favorite school supplies (or mommy supplies) because I was feeling a bit left out. lol
Last but certainly not least in our Back to School finds are some great threads. Each child is an individual and I really love seeing them shop and select their own clothing, accessories and shoes – even their own hair cuts. All three of my boys are simple guys but they do enjoy fun pops of color to their outfits and clothing selections. Whether it be plaid shorts with a solid color shirt or fun hats and accessories, the boys take pride in finding something to wear that is not only comfortable and functional – but reveals their style. Isaiah is absolutely enjoying his Rocket in Listen modern sneaker boot style shoes from Chooze ($54.95) and he wanted to show them to our readers today.
This modern sneaker boot style shoe comes with a side elastic gore added for comfort. It has a signature dual design with easy access side zipper entry making the shoe easy to take off and put on. It has padded throat for extra comfort and soft canvas uppers. The flexible support offers comfort while the removable, padded, anti-stink insoles make these the perfect footwear for an active little guy. They wipe clean easily with a damp cloth or can be washed in cold water and air dried. Chooze offers a variety of footwear designs for both girls and boys and they are stylish and fun to allow your child to make a statement all their own.
Luke likes a shoe that can allow him to run and play with a little swagger and Kevin, well – if he’s not in his Nike Basketball shoes most of the time, you can find him in a pair of flip flops (rubbah slippahs as we call them here in Hawaii) and a cool pair of shades to finish off his look. The boys were quite ecstatic to return back to school because the new school year meant that they were all beginning their football season for Pop Warner but most importantly, they got to go back to school and learn… I mean, hang out with their friends, just kidding lol. The boys love school and love learning new things so shopping for new gear for back to school is always a huge highlight.
No matter what you decide to get for your child (or yourself) this Back to School season, make it fun and colorful and let it represent your own individual style. Have your kiddos gone back to school yet? If so, do they sport a relaxed and casual style or do they really like to dress up and have some fun? Wishing all the students a wonderful 2016-2017 school year filled with lots of fun, friendships and learning. From our house to yours… Aloha!
Disclaimer: Some of the products mentioned in this post were sent for review and feature consideration. All opinions are my own, 100% honest and unbiased and I was not paid to feature these products. Some products were also purchased with my own money. Affiliate links are posted through out.
I love getting flowers for Anniversaries, Birthdays, Mother’s Day or “Just Because”, but I’m always open to fun ideas and little things that make these occasions fun, exciting and sentimental. While flowers are nice, I love finding products that are practical and will have a purpose. This year, I wanted to share a few items that I have been loving lately that would make GREAT Mother’s Day gifts. Whether you are buying this as a treat for yourself or making the day of that special mommy in your life, these gifts are definitely some that will make any woman happy. Read on if you want to check out this round up of Mother’s Day Gift Ideas.
I have had my fair share of great Mother’s Day gifts. My husband and I are so in-tune with one another that we usually know exactly the gift we want to get for one another or something that is practical and we’ll get a lot of use out of. My goal for this list is to offer a variety of goodies for any woman, whether the stay-at-home or work-from-home mom, busy business woman or the granny with style, these gifts will surely please.
Let’s start with a little makeup – shall we? I recently was introduced to Youngblood Cosmetics, a beautiful line of mineral cosmetics created by Pauline Youngblood. From Foundation to lipstick and everything in between, Youngblood Cosmetics offers a wide range of color cosmetics that is made with quality ingredients and great black and chic packaging. I have been using a few of the products from the line and look forward to trying more. Anything from Youngblood is gorgeous, but two of my favorites is the Pressed Mineral Eye Shadow Quad in Shanghai Nights ($43 USD) and Mineral Radiance Compact (pictured) in Splendor ($43 USD). Each or any of the products are perfect for the sophisticated woman that is looking to add a little color to their life or the makeup and beauty loving mom that wants to try something new.
A great cleansing oil and a fantastic mud mask is perfect for that mother in your life. One of my favorite gifts to give to my favorite gals is the Borghese Fango Active Mud Mask for Face and Body so I just had to include the Fango Active Duo Set as a gift option. This two piece set retails for $60 USD but the Fango Active Radiance Facial Oil retails for $60 on it’s own, so it’s like you get a free product or gift with purchase. This set is gorgeous and I love how Borghese products display on the vanity. The Radiance Facial Oil has a blend of botanical oils that help to transform the skin’s texture, soothe dull and dry skin and nourish and restore lipid loss due to aging and environmental damage. The Fango Active Mud for Face and Body is one of my holy grail masks, offering a detoxifying mineral-rich mask that hydrates and firms the skin while reducing fine lines and providing you with smooth and toned skin. Paired together, this not only makes a wonderful gift – but a great treat for anyone.
Can we just talk about the design of this unit for a second? My gosh, it’s so pretty and girly and would make the most wonderful Mother’s Day gift for any mom. The Michael Todd Soniclear Petite is one of my favorite skin cleansing tools. I have raved about it time and time again here on my site and would recommend ANY of these units for a gift. This cleansing tool is the petite version, smaller than the original and the elite but perfect for travel and comes with a universal USB enabled charger which makes this great for those on the go. It’s a waterproof unit with 3 speeds to help tailor to your cleansing needs and is antimicrobial. What makes it so great is not only the design (and the pattern) but that this product is reasonably priced at just $109.00. I seriously wouldn’t mind unwrapping one of these as a gift and I know it would make a fabulous present for anyone.
I wrote about these two products from LATHER on my blog a few weeks back and they continue to be favorites of mine so I know they would make any mom or mom to be happy. The LATHER coconut creme body whip ($22 USD) is one of my favorite body butter / lotions to date. I have used MANY, trust me, and I find that it not only smells yummy – it moisturizes my skin wonderfully and leaves a light fragrance that is so delish. This body creme is silky and whipped to perfection and my skin is left soft and hydrated for hours. This is the perfect creme for any mom or mom to be. I highly suggest this as a gift to that “mom to be” because this would make a great body creme to lather on the body while pregnant too. The Vanilla & Argan Lip Scrub ($10 USD) is a must have for anyone. It is moisturizing and tastes delicious and sloths away any dry skin on your lips leaving them plump and soft for your favorite lip product or for kiss… teehee. What’s great about these products is that they come from a great brand and are made with quality products.
With the summer months just around the bend, nothing says beachy and ready for some sun like a great tote. This gorgeous striped Sportswear Tote by Helly Hansen ($50 USD) is lightweight and the perfect bag to store your everyday essentials for all your summer fun activities. It’s available in three different colors: Navy, Aquamarine and Sorbet and has a shoulder strap and carry handles. Marine stripe fabric and detailing give this tote the perfect look for sporting and toting around this summer. As a handbag lover, I know that I would love to get this quality made bag as a gift this Mother’s Day.
The next gift is one of my favorites… for moms like me who like to take their hair ties and rubber bands and turn them into an unsightly fashion statement as we wear them on our wrists. The Bittersweet Hair Tie Bracelet ($45 USD) was created by Maria Shireen – a functional fashion accessories company. It was a gift from her husband as he had it designed and created so that she could eliminate the pressure on her wrist from the elastic bands but also make her hair tie look like a stylish bracelet, by creating a channel that holds the hair tie in place. Hello – total genius, simple, unique but functional. This bracelet has literally changed my fashion game up hugely. If you have seen any of my outfit posts here on the blog – then you know that I have turned my many hair ties into the ugliest thing to grace my wrist, but I NEED them at a moments notice so I keep them handy that way. Now with the Bittersweet bangle I can literally look fashion forward without being a fashion faux pas. This literally makes a great gift for any mom and I know they will make use of this bangle as much as I do. I love it so much – I have my eyes on the gold and rose gold too.
You can’t go wrong with buying your favorite mom a perfume for Mother’s Day and Pacifica Beauty offers a set of three for just $19 USD. The Daydreamer Roll-On Trio offers three delectable scents that would make any mother happy. Tuscan Blood Orange, Tahitian Gardenia and Indian Coconut Nectar (one of my favorites) this set offers a roll-on perfume for everyone. Pick up the whole set and gift it together or break up the set and make three mother’s happy this Mother’s Day. Pacifica offers cruelty free products and are available on their website: Pacificabeauty.com, Target and Ulta stores.
Now, of course – I know there are moms out there that may be stationery, planner, pen or paper addicts… like me. So, I wanted to make sure that I included something that would satisfy those moms too. I LOVE pens and some of my favorites come from PenGems and from their signature collection. I probably have 8 or 10 of them and I love them not only because of the way they write, but because they are beautiful, stylish and just a great statement to any planner, purse or notebook. Pens, pencils and notebooks can be great gifts for mom from children or grandchildren. I love searching through Target’s One Spot Dollar Spot section for cute notebooks, pens and pencils as well to give as gifts. You can get a great selection for about $1 to $3 and you’re bound to find something you will enjoy as well as the favorite mother(s) in your life. These kinds of gifts are easy to personalize and make great little presents to open.
Of course, we can’t leave out the techie gadgets and nothing says awesome like the gift of a camera. The Sony RX100 iv ($950.00) is the perfect gift to give that will help that special mom capture every moment that her family has. It’s compact and powerful. With the ability to capture images in 21MP at up to 16 frames per second and record videos in 4K or HD – this is the perfect camera for a beginner or camera enthusiast, offering an impressive compact camera for every day use or for special occasions.
Whatever gift you decide to get that mom or moms in your life, I’m sure it will be wonderful. These are just a little suggestions of products and goodies I’ve been loving lately. Of course, as I mentioned previously – I love flowers and welcome them with open arms (especially my favorites) but when you want to think a little outside of the box, some of these presents would be perfect gifts for your loved one. I look forward to Mother’s Day each year because it reminds me that being a Mommy is so much more than presents – it’s love and happiness year round. I look forward to my sons making me beautiful handmade cards that take them hours to complete and while Mother’s Day is everyday in my house, I think it’s a day worth celebrating. Besides, I wouldn’t be a mother myself without the help from my mom and those that have come before me… right?
xo
Disclaimer: Most of the products discussed, mentioned and featured in this post were sent to me for review and editorial consideration. All opinions are my own, 100% honest and unbiased and I was not paid to feature these products. Affiliate links are posted through out.
Hello! I’m so excited to be able to share with all of you some of my planners that I’ll be using for 2016 and those that I have moved into already and I’m loving. Today I’m sharing with you the planners I have selected to be my main tools for organization this year (besides my phone of course) and how I’m enjoying them so far. The video embedded below (or click here to watch directly on YouTube) will walk you though the three planners I have selected and why. I will be posting a full video on each one with a break down on how I use each as well as reviews on each one so stay tuned for that coming in the near future. So watch the video below for a look at my 2016 planners.
What planner are you using this year and if you are not a planner person, then how are you staying organized?
The planners mentioned in the video include: Kate Spade Wellesley in Black (2016 edition), Erin Condren Life Planner and Keeping It Together (KIT) Life Planner.
My love for planners has been quite obvious over the last two years and if you have seen my planner collection, there’s no denying it. But, my love for organization, staying on tasks and functionality is what keeps my planner addiction growing. For a few months now, I have had my eyes set on a planner that not only had a zip closure, but that I could use to function as a wallet. I’m sure after peaking into my wallet collection, you would probably ask me “why?” but I just felt like a small planner that I could use to organize my wallet essentials would work and let me tell you, it has definitely served its purpose. A few weeks ago I placed an order with Dokibook.com – a planner company that is overseas. I knew I wanted to get a planner that would be small enough for me tote around as a wallet and decided this would be a great opportunity for me to compare the Dokibook / Love Doki with my Kikki K. Boy, to say I was very impressed and quite taken with the product would be an understatement. Today I share with you my Dokibook Personal Size Planner as a wallet and my experiences with the brand and product.
Now, if you have taken part in the Planner Community either on Facebook or YouTube, you may have heard of the Doki Book or Love Doki book before. It’s an affordable alternative to the Kikki K planners and have a similar look, though they do not come with such a hefty price tag. The Dokibook could only be purchased via Spree Now at one time or through various planner enthusiasts and purchasing from Spree Now was a lengthy process as well as a hassle. Recently Dokibook opened up their own website, offering their planners for sale, shipping Worldwide and no problems with calculating Customs fees, shipping from China and other things as the site will do it for you at transaction. What I love is that they also accept Paypal which makes the process smooth and the check out much more secure than when doing so from Spree Now. What I love the most is that I ordered on a Thursday and my box was delivered the following Wednesday – hello, Honey loves quick shipping especially when from over seas.
The Dokibook comes in a variety of colors available on their site and two sizes – Large and Small. I opted for the Small Dokibook in Lilac with Zip Closure which costs $26.50. The size equivalent would be that to a personal size Filofax or Kikki K. With shipping ($9.99) and a discount they were offering at the time – I paid about $32.00 for the book (shipping included) and I also ordered a few credit card inserts so that I could truly turn this into a wallet. The package arrived in a soft mailer but the Dokibook was packaged very nicely in a box and wrapped in tissue paper. I was very impressed on how it arrived.
The little details always make a difference for me and I really liked the fact that they took the time to wrap the package so nicely. Inside my planner – zipped up tight, were the sleeves I ordered (credit card sleeves, top loading pocket and zip pockets) as well a set of purple dividers (complimentary), a page marker and a page lifter. No inserts are included with the planners, but Dokibook.com also sells some so you can get them there at an affordable cost. Since I am using this more as a wallet, I figured I wouldn’t need one at this time.
The actual planner is well stitched and well made. I was very impressed with how it feels and looks. A little different then my Kikki K – it has gold dots on it instead of gold diamonds like my Large Kikki K Time Planner has. It is also faux leather though I’m still impressed with how it feels and the quality in the craftsmanship is great. I am thinking about picking up one in White and Gold as well, though I would love if they created a black & gold one because I would be all over that in a heartbeat. I love the zip around closure which makes it ideal to use as a wallet. The only thing that I was a bit disappointed in was that the rings are silver, not gold – but it really doesn’t bother me all that much anymore. The rings were tight and remain tight and I have moved in to this planner as a wallet now for a few weeks and enjoy it. Heads turn in the store at check out and I always get asked about it.
I am able to fit all of my most used credit cards and cards as well as my driver’s license in the front pockets. Behind the front is an open area where I hold my cash and I also have credit card sheets that I use to hold my cards. Everything is tucked into its own little place. Be sure to watch the video here for a full breakdown and showcase of how I set my wallet up. I took a piece of velum that I had in my craft drawer and cut it to size to use as a dashboard and created a file pocket folder out of a file folder to hold my receipts. I do have two months of calendar inserts inside from my Punctuate Planner just to help as reference and a few note pages for jotting down any information at hand. Since I already had a large wallet prior to moving into the Dokibook, the size is really just a little bit larger than what I already had. It fits everything I need, even my insurance cards, a book of postage stamps and a note book and if I wanted to I could zip my Note 4 into it so that it is all in one place. I really like it a lot.
Well – do I love it? While I still have the Kate Spade Zip Around Wellesley on my mind and wishlist, this one will definitely do until I can fill that void and pick one up. I’m really loving the functionality of my wallet now, the fact that everything I need is right at my finger tips and knowing I won’t be forgetting a card or piece of paper at home because I have it all organized in my planner wallet. What about you? What kind of wallet do you use and does it keep everything you need in place for when you need it?
Disclaimer: The products discussed or featured in this post were purchased by me with my own money. All opinions are my own, 100% honest and unbiased and I was not paid to provide my thoughts or feature this product. Affiliate links posted through out.
As a mother of three boys, I’m always looking for fun and interesting items to add to our mix of adventures. Laser Pointers are fun for us to play with and we especially love to play with them and at night against a dark wall to create fun and interesting designs. Recently I was sent the Kyasi 3-in-1 Laser Pointer Touch Pen Ball Pen and I was quite impressed with the quality of the product and what it does.
This interesting gadget retails $24.95 (original price – $39.95) and is the perfect gift for your graduate or a dad in your life. It’s perfect for everyday use and I love that the Pen/Stylus and Laser comes with batteries so you can easily use your product right out of the box. This device is build from 100% brass and the pen itself writes nicely, smoothly and has a great feel in your hands, weighted – but not heavy, sturdy!
The laser pointer is bright and has great power behind it. You can easily see it lit well through out any room and the range is great – offering amazing visibility. The microfiber mesh tipped stylus works well on any capacitive touch screen – like Apple devices, Samsung, Kindles and tablets. I use the touch screen on my Note 4 as well as on my Samsung Tablet without any issue. As I mentioned earlier, the pen also comes with batteries right in the box so you are able to use this product right after you open the box.
Laser pointers can be a distraction for some and are dangerous to be pointed directly into the eyes, so please be careful with use. My sons and I love to shine the pointer on the ground for our dog to chase the light around or we shine it at our wall at night to create fun light show displays. I love that this pen is both functional and an interesting “toy” and offers hours of use. The laser pointer (CE under 1.0mw and FDA under 5mw) is easy to use as well, just depress the little button on the pen and the ball point pen can be refilled with standard D1 German ink refills.
Stop by Kyasi.com to check out all the colors available as well as other products they offer.
Disclaimer: The following product was sent to me for review as a part of a Tomoson Campaign. All opinions are my own and 100% honest and unbiased. I was not compensated monetarily to provide this review.
I love to journal and keep my thoughts in one place so I’m always looking for ways to keep all of my journal and sketch books together. I have always been intrigued by a Midori Traveler’s Notebook style system and just didn’t want to splurge on it so I decided that I would try out a fauxdori (faux midori) and see if it was something I would like. Last year I created my own DIY Fauxdori and have been using that up until I picked this one up from Cake Paperie. The concept of a Midori style Traveler’s Notebook is that you can insert various printables, inserts or books and it makes it easy for you to update and remove your inserts with ease. This system is especially great for those who use journal books or diaries as they can remove each book and replace with a new one while storing, keeping or archiving their filled books. I have searched the internet for an affordable alternative to the Midori and decided I would keep with a fabric styled one until I found a leather one I loved. After months of combing the internet, I came across the Cake Paperie store on Etsy. I wanted to share with you details and my thoughts on the CakeDori FauxDori in case this is something you may be interested in picking up for yourself.
Cake Paperie is an Etsy shop that offers many designs in different fabrics for you to choose from. The owner – Gretchen, is not only personable but she answers questions quickly and working with her was great.
My Cake Paperie CakeDori retails for $28.00 and is completely handmade. This fabric dori was a perfect choice for me as it sports gold and black which are colors I truly love. It’s only missing purple! 🙂 I ordered the Large Dori which is 8.5″ x 5.5″ and will fit the large sized Moleskin Cahier Journal. Without additional inserts, I can fit a total of 6 books comfortably in this notebook and they will stay in place without any overhang. The traveler’s notebook is adorned with a gold elastic closure and a cute gold heart charm.
Each Cakedori comes in three sizes (upon availability) – Pocket, Regular and Large. The pocket size is similar to that of the passport that you can get for Midori and the Regular would be that of the regular sized Midori Traveler’s notebook. These notebooks are made of double sided fabric and are sturdy to hold your notebooks and inserts easily. Each notebook is double edge stitched and has an inner stabilizer to keep your notebook sturdy so it will last a long time. There are a variety of fabrics available in different prints so you are bound to find one that will fit your style and need. The edges of the fabric will fray over time and continue to do so a bit – but it provides you the “lived in” look that traveler’s notebooks usually have.
Each notebook has a closure adorned with a cute charm. The charms will vary slightly depending on what Gretchen has available but she does her best to provide equal or better than what is pictured. On the inside of each notebook are two elastics. Since they are stitched side by side instead of up and down like a normal notebook, you can easily hold six notebooks easily. While each notebook only comes with two elastics, you can certainly request to add more.
Dimensions for the notebooks available:
Pocket size will hold up (6) 5.5×3.5 inch notebooks. $24.00
Regular size will hold up to (6) 8.5×4.5 inch notebooks. $26.00
Large size will hold up to (6) 8.5×5.5 inch notebooks. $28.00 (Large size fits large Moleskine, Studio O and May Designs notebooks)
Note – the traveler’s notebooks do not come with inserts or books on the inside. I use Moleskine journals in mine and they fit perfectly
Shipping was fast and reasonably priced. I didn’t get a chance to capture a photo of the bubble mailer, but it was a padded bubble mailer (a really pretty gold one) and packaged neatly and nice. Inside the padded envelope was a cute paper package wrapped with twine. My notebook was sent via USPS Priority mail and came with tracking and insurance for security purposes. After it shipped, it took approximately 3 days to get to me. If you are purchasing from another country, it will ship International First Class and in a padded mailer.
If you are looking to get into traveler’s notebooks or just want something cute to hold all your small notebooks or journals together, I think this would be a great find for you. At the moment, my cakedori houses my brain dump notebook which is where I hold lists and ideas: wishlists, video and blog ideas, quick notes, etc., my mini/travel sketch and watercolor book and quotes, etc. This book is something I carry with me which makes accessing things on the fly easy. Many of my friends use their fauxdoris or traveler’s notebooks as their daily planners as well – so the options are endless. When I get my leather traveler’s notebook (I’ll be sure to post when it arrives), I may be using it more as a daily planner – we shall see.
Do you like to journal or are you a notebook addict like myself? Do you think this is something you could make use of? Stop on by the Cake Paperie and check out what Gretchen has for traveler’s notebooks and she releases new designs and prints Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
“I’m addicted to all things planner, paper, stationary!” There, I admitted it – so commit me to planner paper anonymous… teehee! I think planning and paper are fun things to help keep organized and even relieve stress, so I enjoy it tremendously. While I use many different things to keep me on task and my planner pretty, I think it’s an individual choice for many. I want to share with you a starter kit or list of planner essentials and supplies to get you on your way. Whether it be for pretty planning or just to have some supplies on hand, I hope this post helps you on your journey.
Like a person is an individual, so is ones taste, preference and needs. While I prefer a binder style planner, I can appreciate those who like coil bound ones or prefer electronic styles. Here is a list of planners that you can look into and possibly select from.
Kikki K Time Planners or Personal Planners: These are binder style planners that allow you to customize by being able to remove, replace or add inserts to your heart’s content.
Filofax: A favorite of many, Filofax is a brand name most planner lovers alike are familiar with. Known for their quality and well made binders, you can expect a planner that will last for years with proper care. Similar in size to the Kikki K’s,
Erin Condren Life Planners: (ECLP) A popular planner among the Planner Community. The ECLP’s are great for those that love pretty planning but that also want to have something easy to use. It’s a coil bound planner and while you can tear out pages or use coil clips to put things in, it is different from a binder planner when it comes to reuse and customization. Interested in the ECLP? Click here to get a $10 off coupon.
KIT – Keeping It Together Planner: I discussed this planner in a post and video last year and it is a coil bound planner similar to that from ECLP. I enjoy this planner though it is a bit more bulky than an Erin Condren planner and costs about the same. These planners are made from a small company who sells on Etsy and they offer lots of writing room, quotes each day and everything a blogger or planner lover would need.
Punctuate Planner – Barnes & Noble: These handy little planners come in all kinds of styles, sizes and price. The small sized ones that I use usually cost about $5.00 and include inserts. They are binder style and you can reuse them. Punctuate also offers paper planners or a variety of calendars for your needs. At an affordable cost, this would be great for students or someone starting off with planning.
Those are just a few planners you can find through out your planner search. I have a few others like Macaron Planners which comes from China, LoveDoki Books (also from China and various sellers) as well as ones from Hello Kitty, Franklin Covey and Day Timer. Each one can be used for various things and offer you a plethora of uses for years to come. If you decide to opt for a binder style planner, remember – if you take care of it, you can get years of use out of it. I have a Franklin Covey that I use that is over 10 years old. Not huge on leather or the style and just need something basic? See if you can find a binder that will work for you size and ring wise. The clear binder (pictured below) is one that I love to store stickers and unused inserts, it was reasonably priced and works well as a planner too should I decide to use it as such.
Choosing the planner is just the beginning but making sure you have all the proper accessories, that’s the fun part. Of course you need things like pens and other items to keep you on your planning discovery. Here is a list of a few things I like to have on hand when planning or things I make sure to purchase if I’m out.
Pens – Of course you need some writing equipment. I use a variety of pens in my planners but since I color code much of what I write, I’m constantly using pens that have a similar color range. My favorites include:
Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pens (I love the 20 pack)
Paper Mate Flair Pens (these are affordable, easily found in stores and great for color coding – though they can bleed through some paper types)
Japanese or Korean Style Fine Pens – 0.38mm (again, I love fine tipped pens)
Expo Wet Erase Vis-a-Vis Markers (since I use a lot of laminated lists in my binders – these pens allow me to erase the writing with water)
Sharpie Markers (again, since I have laminated lists, I use these and erase them with an eraser once I’m done to reuse again).
There are a number of pens available for use, it all depends on your preference, what you like and how you’ll use them. I hear Frixon pens are great too, but I don’t yet own one.
Sticky Notes, Page Tabs – You can get a variety of sticky notes and page tabs in all sizes, colors and designs now a days. Use your imagination with this one and look for what will work for you, your budget and your style.
Page Markers, Bookmarks, Paperclips (anything to mark your pages or your place) – This is fun in that you can create your own as well as find awesome and fun designs through out the web and in stores. I love to make my own paperclips, page markers and paper clips, but I also find awesome Etsy shops that do great ones as well. Search on Etsy for Page Markers or Planner paper clips and see what is available.
Journaling Cards, Stationary, Quote Cards or Project Life Cards – These are not a necessity, but if you are looking to add some inspiration or a little pretty to your planning, see if you can find these cheap and try it out. I found a book of Phrase Cards at Walmart for under $6.00 and I also like to take scrapbook paper and write in my own quotes (or stamp them) and insert into my planner. The options are endless, so use this opportunity to unwind your creative side.
Washi Tape & Stickers– I am addicted to Washi Tape and have a pretty large selection to choose from. I think Washi Tape is my lazy way of decorating, because I can always add pretty to my planner with a bit of washi without going too in detail and feel like I’ve decorated it. Washi has been my favorite go-to for pretty planning and it’s versatile in many ways. You can find Washi in all sizes, widths and even now – shapes, since many are showing up die cut and not just regular tape shaped. You can use them for a variety of purposes, including decorating your planner. Find them at your local dollar store or anywhere that sells them and have fun. Stickers, well you can get those everywhere and for everything. Find a sticker sheet or two, or three that makes you smile and use it to decorate your planner till your heart’s content. You can find “Planner stickers” and washi on sites like Etsy, Amazon and Ebay. I make and print a lot of my own planner stickers, but some of my favorite Etsy shops for stickers are:
There are a few extra goodies you can have on hand – but like everything I discussed here, they are certainly not required or needed. Here are a few and what I use them for:
Scrapbook Paper – I love to create my own dashboards and dividers as well as my own journaling cards. Scrapbook paper is fun to allow you to customize what you want and make use of your binder in your own way.
Birthday, thank you or note cards – while not required in any way, these are fun to use to input sweet designs in your planner. I also love using the envelopes. I punch holes in them and use them to keep stickers or receipts.
Laminating machine and/or paper cutter – you can certainly use scissors (oops – I didn’t mention that one above) and you can find laminating sheets like those from Scotch or 1M, but I find both useful and I use them often. Search around and see what works best for you and your budget.
Tape Adhesive – you can find these at any store in the scrapbook or arts and craft sections. It’s an easy to roll out adhesive that allows you to bond or attach things inside your planner. I love using these for everything I would tape down – they are permanent and secure.
Gift bags, gift wrap, etc. – You obviously don’t need these, but should you have one with a design you like, save it and turn it into a decoration in your planner. My current dashboard (the roses) is a gift bag I got at Target that I laminated to protect. You never know what you can find.
Stamps and Stamp Ink Pads – My main planner stamps come from StudioL2E and if you are a planner lover like I am, you will love their Plan-It Stamps and List It stamps as well as the rest they offer. They are reasonably priced and pretty awesome. You can find a variety of traditional wooden block stamps or clear stamps from a variety of stores as well as the ink pads. Again, this is optional but the options are endless.
Remember, getting organized with a planner or even pretty planning is all about creativity and making products and tools work for you and your needs. Everything I listed and discussed here is not in any way required or needed to get the job done. A basic planner with basic necessities like a pen will get the job done just as well. I love pretty planning, though I find that some days I don’t have enough time to do so. Pretty planning allows me to get creative and it also inspires me to keep up with my planner, look at it daily and get in my groove. If you find that you want to get started with planning, but even with a nice planner and some fun pens – you just can’t get in the habit of looking at it everyday… try pretty planning and see if that will work. Take a sticker or some washi tape and have a little fun. The options are endless and the end result is something you created.
Are you a basic planner, a planner nerd or a pretty planner? What works for you? I hope this post and video helped you on your planning journey. Have fun and plan away!
Disclaimer: Through out this post there may be affiliate links or referral links. Some of the products discussed or mentioned in this post were sent to me for feature or consideration while others were purchased by me with my own money. While that may be the case, all opinions are 100% unbiased and honest.
