John Wesley Jewelry

John Wesley Jewelry.  It has a ring to it, doesn’t it? With the media’s love for abbreviations, I can already imagine the variety of nicknames that will be given to this shop when it goes global.

JWJ.

John Dubbya Jewelry.

J-Dubs.

The possibilities are endless!

And now I’ll come down from my cloud.

I know. You might be tired of bloggers trying to push products. I get it. Rather than listening to our personalized ads for items that you may not need, you want to hear our interesting/funny/relatable stories.

Well…this is not one of those posts. But in my defense, I have been telling stories without any product pushing for the entire year so far, so I’m due for some sort of campaign.

But before you go away, there is a cuteness factor about this particular “product push” post. 

It’s personal.

Are you ready? Here it is.

The beneficiary of this blog campaign is my extremely talented husband, John.

Aww…isn’t that sweet? Yes.  Yes, it is. But let’s not make this into a romance movie just yet.

If you’ve read my blog before, you already know that the hubs is a creative genius. Whatever he tries, he’s good at. And his new venture is a perfect example of that.

John has been creating handcrafted wire jewelry for a few years now. With each year, he challenges himself to make more intricate pieces, and the results are breathtaking. Now, he’s finally reached a point where he is confident enough in his talent to take the show on the road. Or, at least to Etsy.

And I’ve decided to help him.  Because, aside from being my awesome husband, blogging + promotions = success for everybody.

Feel free to click on some of my favorites below. But if those don't strike your fancy, there are plenty more gorgeous pieces to choose from over at his Etsy shop, John Wesley Jewelry. Also, he is fantastically adept at figuring out new designs, so if you have something specific in mind, send him a message, and I am sure he would do a brilliant job of creating a custom piece for you.

Copper, Silver or Gold colored wire wrapped dangling earrings

Copper wire wrapped cuff

Basket weave copper earrings with red faceted bead

Wire wrapped sunburst earrings with turquoise bead

Silver plated wire wrapped hoop earrings

Steampunk gear earrings

And now, my faithful readers, this is where you come in.  Go check out my husband’s shop, John Wesley Jewelry. Share this post with your friends and family on your social media platforms. Shout it from the rooftops that John Wesley Jewelry is opened for business.

John Wesley Jewelry can be found on Facebook and Instagram, too, so make sure to click on the links below to support his shop and follow his journey!

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/johnwesleyjewelry/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/john_wesley_jewelry

Website - https://www.etsy.com/shop/JohnWesleyJewelry

And just for being the awesome readers that you are, for a limited time, you can use this code at checkout to waive shipping costs.  BALLOFWAX4JWJ

Happy shopping!

A T-Shirt Dress...for Winter

Stock photo courtesy of Rotita

For those of you who aren't familiar with my blog, you probably don't understand my obsession with summer t-shirt dresses. Let's just say that I own too many, but I wear them often. I've even passed one down to my twelve-year-old daughter, who hates all dresses, but loves t-shirts. And although she's not as psyched about the dress as I am, I've at least introduced her to the concept that dresses can be just as comfortable as her pajamas (which, by the way, are oversized t-shirts).

As I've mentioned in a previous fashion post, Florida winters are pretty much non-existent. But that doesn't necessarily stop me from purchasing some winter-ish garb for the colder days. However, when it comes to winter fashion, I am a bit more selective, simply because I have fewer days to make use out of each piece of clothing.

So, when I saw this dress, I knew I had to add it to my closet.

I have to admit that I was hesitant to order when I learned that Rotita garments ship from China. Having ordered items from China before, I've found that fit is not comparable to American sizes and shipping can take up to a month. But not to worry-this dress from Rotita is true to size, and I received my package in under two weeks!

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the fit is baggy and comfortable, just like my favorite t-shirt dress! It hangs, but in a good way. And the material of this dress is quilt-like, making me feel like I am wrapped up in a blanket. I especially love the cowl neck! And for the low price of $25.91 (plus free shipping), it's hard to pass this dress up. My only trouble now is deciding which shoe to wear with it.

Happy shopping!

Can I Still Wear a Romper?

For those of you who don't already know, I live in The Land of No Seasons...like none...ever (aka Florida). In early August, when temperatures are so incredibly hot that local weatherman warn against heat stroke, department stores flush out the summer garb to make room for the onslaught of wool sweaters imperative to every Floridian's existence. If you're familiar with my off the shoulder sweater from Urban Outfitters blog, you'll know that I: (A) love a good sweater and (B) love the two weeks every year when Florida's weather allows me to wrap myself in wool without sweating all that much.  But the truth is, no matter how much I love winter fashion, there isn't too much of a market for it in the Sunshine State. So, I've come to the conclusion that if you live in a year-round climate that even the Heat Miser would run from,  seasonal fashion trends should be treated with a "look, don't touch" policy.

With that in mind, on a recent shopping trip to H&M, I ignored the new arrivals and hunted for Florida-friendly outfits. Because it is October, it wasn't an easy task finding something that is wearable in 85 degree weather. But I was up for the challenge! After scouring the racks, I found a beautiful navy romper. I know what you're thinking.  Rompers are such a pain in the ass! Yes. Yes, they are. But for $14.99, I couldn't resist!

Stock photo courtesy of H&M

This romper is lightweight with a touch of feminine detail (non-obnoxious ruffles). And the color is still "fall" enough that I won't feel as though I'm completely disregarding the seasons. I tried it out with some of my own accessories (pictured below).

There aren't too many sizes left online, but I purchased my romper in-store only 2 weeks ago. So, if you're willing to push through the crowds at the mall, I'd bet there are still some of these available.  If you decide to purchase online, I would recommend ordering a size up, as it runs a bit small.

Happy shopping!

Shopping at Urban Outfitters at 40? Why Not?

Stock photo courtesy of Urban Outfitters

Gazing longingly at the smorgasbord of wintry sweaters appearing online and in stores everywhere, I find myself feeling completely ridiculous. I LOVE winter clothing, but the catch is that I live in Florida. We get roughly two weeks of “winter” temperatures, and by “winter temperatures”, I really mean fall for most everyone else.

Up until a few days ago, I owned thirteen sweaters. I figured that I should really buy just one more to account for the full two weeks of winter that will rain down upon me in January.  I thought to myself, “If I could find a truly unique piece, that would justify adding a fourteenth sweater to my already bursting-at-the-seams closet.”

Having already searched online, I’ve noticed that off-the-shoulder sweaters and sweatshirts are everywhere. And I wanted a piece of that action. But it became almost impossible to find an off shoulder sweater in a fun color. This season, the racks seem to be offering only sad gray, plain maroon and boring beige. If I really wanted color, I knew I had to do something scary. I had to go younger. So, my fingers hesitantly typed u-r-b-a-n-o-u-t-f-i-t-t-e-r-s-.-c-o-m,  and after about ten minutes, I found exactly what I was looking for.

I know what you’re thinking. The Urban Outfitters home page presents shoppers with a sea of bare midriffs and short-shorts with ass cheeks hanging out. Go on...I know you're dying to check it out for yourself.  Click on this link and come back to me when you're done. I'll wait. Go ahead...

Welcome back (kudos to you if you never left). It’s quite an intimidating page for a forty year old like me, right? But I am writing to tell you that I survived, and I am so happy that I had the courage to keep clicking!

I was lucky enough to find the Kimchi Blue Off-The-Shoulder Balloon-sleeve sweater. Despite the name, the sweater is actually a blend of colors from the pink family.  But not an obnoxious pink. I’ll call it “grown-up” pink. And those balloon sleeves make the sexy off-the-shoulder look more casual.

Although the model in the ad looks like she hasn’t gotten her period yet, I promise you, it’s wearable for the 30 and 40 something crowds. Take a look below to see a post-pubescent chick take on the same sweater.

See? Totally rocking it, right?

So, if you are in need of your fourteenth sweater for the winter season, I would give this one a try. And right now, it’s on sale at urbanoutfitters.com for $39.99! 

P.S. – The size small would have fit perfectly, but I ordered a medium because I wanted it to feel extra roomy.

P.P.S.- If you like my jeans, you can find them at the Gap factory store.

P.P.P.S.- If you like my brown Michelle D booties, you may be out of luck, as I bought them a few years ago at Dillards. However, feel free to click on the links below for some similar options.

Option A - Aerosoles

Option B - Guess

Option C - Carlos Santana

P.P.P.P.S. (is "p.p.p.p.p.s." a thing?) - This outfit (minus the shoes) is under $100!

Happy shopping!

Cleaning Products That Actually Work: My E-cloth Review

Have you ever had that feeling of dreadful wonderment after stepping on mysterious sticky red gook on your kitchen floor? Or what about finding little fingerprints emblazoned on the mirror that you just wiped ten minutes ago? Welcome to parenthood, my friends.

Children definitely find creative and unique ways to make housecleaning...well...interesting. But whether you have children or not, household chores are generally not pleasurable. So, when I find valuable tools that help to clean these unfortunate messes, I like to share them with the masses. Enter e-cloth.

I recently tried e-cloth's deep clean mop, as well as the e-cloth glass and polishing cloth. And I am thrilled with the results!

As some of you may know from my last review, my beloved steam mop is petering out, and I have been looking to replace it.  So, finding the e-cloth mop was quite timely.

First off, I love chemical-free mopping, so even though the e-cloth mop isn't a steam mop, it uses the same "just-add-water" concept. In addition, one of my favorite features about this lightweight mop is the adjustable handle. I can't even begin to describe the backaches that have resulted from using mops that are not appropriate for my height (and I'm only 5'1''). 

But the e-cloth deep clean mop adjusts from 33" to 63", so it can be a perfect fit for just about anyone. Add that to the fact that you can use the same mophead for 300 machine washes, and you have yourself the perfect cordless mop!

Yeah, but does it work? Quite impressively! Remember that syrupy red gook I referred to earlier? Completely gone in seconds with the e-cloth mop! Take a look at the video below!

 And e-cloth doesn't only make a great mop. The company also offers a wide selection of cleaning products, like pet care, baby care, eyeglass and electronics cleaning cloths, car products, and glass and polishing cloths. Although I am partial to my recent discovery of Pella window cleaner, I am also a huge fan of the e-cloth polishing cloths. After simply removing the cloth from its packaging, all I had to do was wipe my mirror. And the smudges were instantly gone. No product to spray and no paper towels to continue to purchase! See my video below!

So, if you are interested in a chemical-free product that is proven to remove over 99% of bacteria, I would highly recommend e-cloth!

Want to learn more about e-cloth? Here are the many ways you can check out the e-cloth brand!

Join the e-cloth email list at www.ecloth.com.

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/eclothUSA

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/eclothUSA

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/eclothCleaning

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free product in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own and not influenced by the developing company or any of its affiliates.

Glassesshop.com

Living in the relaxing, low maintenance “Sunshine State” has drastically reduced my need for “stuff”.  However, there are some Floridian essentials, such as a favorite pair of flip-flips, a great fitting bathing suit and the perfect pair of sunglasses.

Normally, I am the type of person who can spend up to an hour in a store trying on numerous pairs of glasses before making a purchase.  Are they the right fit, the right shape, the right weight?  And most importantly, do they make me feel like a rock star?

I currently have an awesome pair of black Prada’s that I love.  But I was looking for a neutral, lighter pair of shades for the summer. So, I decided to try shopping for my new pair of glasses online. Admittedly, I was skeptical about making a purchase without being able to see them on my face in person. Enter GlassesShop.

GlassesShop.com offers an impressive selection of frames with both prescription and non-prescription lenses.  To make the selection easier, I was able to narrow down my search by choosing the color, prescription type and price.

After finding the perfect pair of glasses, I was able to virtually try them on, which was my favorite part of the GlassesShop web site.  Snapping a quick picture with my webcam gave me a pretty good idea of what the glasses would look like on my face, and allayed my fear of being stuck with a pair of shades that I didn’t really like.

In addition, ordering was a cinch.  I simply picked out the frames (I chose Lena-Oval in tortoise), the lens type (distance, computer, reading, bi-focal, progressive, sunglasses), the tint (I chose the brown tint) and that was it.  For those of you who wear prescription sunglasses, there is an option to enter your prescription information before checkout.

Now, I get really excited when I know there is a package coming for me in the mail (yet another benefit of ordering glasses online). Who doesn’t, right?  So when I saw the glasses-shaped box in the mail, I couldn’t wait to tear it open! 

As I slipped my new specs onto my face, two words came to mind.  Rock. Star.

With the glasses on my face, I fell into a dreamlike state, enticing paparazzi with a smile while showing off my new shades.  I was mentally trying on all of my clothes, finding the perfect outfits to complement my new sunglasses. In other words, I was thrilled!

After spending some time in the hot Florida sun with my new glasses, I found that they are perfectly lightweight, but sturdy and well-fitting at the same time.  Who knew that spending half the time and half the money would result in such a great pair of glasses? 

And thanks to GlassesShop, my inner rock star is now always on display.

If you want to find your inner rock star, go check out glassesshop.com and use my discount code for 50% your purchase!

Code: GSHOT50

Thanks for reading! 

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free product in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own and not influenced by the developing company or any of its affiliates.

Spring Cleaning and Streak Free Windows

It’s that time of year when hordes of women charge their way up the grocery store cleaning aisles with purpose and determination, in an attempt to create a seasonally sparkling home.  I’m not sure who came up with the idea that spring cleaning should be a thing, but here we are, buying into the hype.

Now, I’m no cleaning expert, but over the years, I have had some unfortunate reactions to products that just weren’t up to snuff, one of which included me screaming at a broken spray handle.   For whatever reason, most of my springtime frustrations come from window or mirror cleaning. 

Have you ever walked away from your clean bathroom mirror, only to come back and notice an enormous smudge?  Or after cleaning, have you ever looked at your glass from a different angle, only to find that there are streaks in the shape of the motion you used to clean the glass in the first place?  

Yeah…this is my life story.

Being that I’m almost forty, you would think I would have found a tried and true window product before now.  But up until about a month ago, this was not the case.  I tried everything from Windex to Method to Invisible Glass and just about everything in between, and was disappointed when none of the “streak free” products seemed to work on the glass in my home.  I started to think it had something to do with the way I was cleaning.  Have I been doing it wrong all of these years?

The answer is no, and I know this because I finally found Pella Glass and Window Cleaner.  After years of searching, discovering a glass cleaner that doesn’t allow me to waste four paper towels on one small mirror makes me want to burst out into song.  

In addition, I don’t have to scrub my glass so hard that the veins in my muscles start exploding.  I simply spray, swipe and move onto my next cleaning adventure without the fear of seeing a random smudge out of the corner of my eye.

Cleaning with the Pella product has made spring cleaning more tolerable and less time-consuming.  And I am proud to say that since the Pella Glass and Window cleaner has been a part of my cleaning routine, I have transferred my shouting matches with bottles to my aging steam mop.  

And so the quest begins…

Love is Art

After last week’s Naughty Mommy blog, it seems as though my readers are more intrigued by the topic of sex than I gave you all credit for.  So in keeping with that theme, I thought I’d share something my husband and I tried a few years ago. 

As you probably guessed, I am always on the lookout for unique experiences to bring into our bedroom.  For me, buying another “been there, done that” outfit from Fredericks of Hollywood is a bit boring. So, when I came across the Love is Art kit from Uncommon Goods, I excitedly placed my order.

When the kit arrived, it came neatly packaged in a tube, which contained a 54” x 41” canvas, plastic drop cloth, non-toxic paint, body scrubbers and disposable slippers.  (As silly as the slippers sound, they were much appreciated when our paint covered bodies had to slink from the canvas to the shower.)

For roughly the same price as a dinner for two, you can instead buy this kit and spend time with your partner romping around on a canvas, making love and art at the same time.  All you need is paint and passion.  

From our experience, I would recommend pouring some paint both on the canvas and on your bodies, as this covers more area.  But once the canvas is out and the paint is on, your only job is to simply go at it.

Just some quick notes:

• The paint is a bit cold, but it’s nothing the heat between you and your partner can’t fix.  
• The paint dries quickly, so I would say that a drawn out seduction scene is probably not meant for this product.
• The paint easily washes off with soap and water.
• This is a FUN experience.  If you are one of those people who, in the back of your mind, is going to worry about paint getting on your furniture, you are NOT going to appreciate this.  So, just let go and enjoy!

As for the cost, there is a choice between the regular kit ($60), which comes with either red or black paint, or the custom kit ($70), which gives you four paint colors of your choice.  There is also a canvas stretcher kit available for an extra $36, but my husband and I were able to suffice without it.

The finished product is now hanging in our bedroom.  It is fun to look at our canvas with the secret (or not so secret anymore) knowledge of how it was created.  So, if you are looking for a unique way to spice up your life in the bedroom, I strongly recommend giving this fun activity kit a try. 

The Love is Art kit can be found at uncommongoods.com

Keep and Share Calendar

I’m a mom…who works...who writes…who cooks…who cleans…who sings in an acoustic duo…who reads about thirty-five books per year…who has to make time for everything in between.

You get the picture.  I’m busy.  And I will bet that your plate is just as full (so thank you for taking a few minutes out of your day to read this).

For busy bees like us, it is essential to keep our days somewhat structured, right? But what is the best way to do that?  For me, it’s using an efficient online calendar. I know, I know. This is not earth-shattering news, nor am I reinventing the wheel.  But when I find something that works for me, I like to share it.  Enter KeepandShare.com.

With a multitude of online calendars to choose from, it took me quite a bit of time to find the one that best tames the circus that is my life.  The feature that sealed the deal for me is the free-form writing that is available for every calendar date.

Maybe it’s the writer in me, but I’m not a fan of calendars that make you choose a time to set up a meeting/appointment (but Keep and Share also offers this type of set up if needed).  Outside of my full-time job, my life doesn’t run that way. I don’t hold meetings with my kids.  I don’t make appointments to visit the grocery store.  Keep and Share has enabled me to sort out my day at my own pace. As a mom, having a calendar that simply allows me to write my to-do list without those annoying meeting reminders is valuable for both my organizational management and my sanity.

 Another great feature is that Keep and Share makes it simple to share your calendar with others who have Keep and Share accounts.  Need your husband to get some milk after work?  Add it to your family calendar where you both have access to the tasks that need to be completed for the day!  Need a document ready for work?  Add it to your work calendar so your colleagues can see it!  You can even share the document with your team in the "Files" section!

In addition to my favorite features, Keep and Share calendars can be imported or exported, and are also available on your smartphones with the Keep and Share app.  And as far as costs go, there are several paid calendar options to choose from, but I opted for the Keep and Share free package, which allows up to 5 separate calendars and 500 calendar entries. This is more than enough, even for this busy mom!

Keepandshare.com is the secret weapon I use to make juggling life look easy.  So, go ahead and give it a try!  

When Your Signature Scent Dies

I remember the first time I read about Stella McCartney Body Milk. While leisurely browsing through my favorite Lucky magazine, I came across a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” article directed towards people like me, who prefer body lotion to perfume. Apparently, we are a small tribe, as suggested by the multitude of perfume ads in the magazine.

Because I am a lotion gal, always favoring a light breeze of a scent rather than a thick perfume cloud, my choices have been limited. So, when the article touted that Stella’s Body Milk was light, yet lasted throughout the entire day, I couldn’t wait to try it. Having faith in my trusted Lucky beauty editor, I determinedly headed off to Sephora and made my purchase. Once home, I felt like a child on Christmas morning as I opened the pristine white box. Within a few seconds of applying the creamy body milk, I was in love.

I decided to give Stella her test run at a family function, because I can always count on my family to tell me if I reek. Surprisingly, Stella passed the family test and I was ready to try her out in the real world. Depending on my mood, where I was going or who I was seeing, I would experiment with different lotions, but every time I chose Stella, I received numerous compliments. After a few weeks, it was a done deal. Stella was my signature scent.

I’m not sure if any of you are like me, but once I found my signature scent, I tried my hardest to keep it a secret. Consistently evading the, “You smell so good.  What perfume is that?” question became somewhat of a sport. Knowing what I know now, I doubt that I would have been so clandestine, as I’ve learning that popularity is what keeps a scent on the shelves. And my friends, Stella has left the building.

Though I doubt I was her only buyer, Stella McCartney Body Milk didn’t pick up as much steam as her Stella perfume counterpart did, so now it sleeps with the fishes. While she sells a body lotion with some of the same notes as her old body milk, something is amiss in the scent department. As a result, I am stuck with two options, both of which I have attempted, somewhat successfully.

Option A-Buy it on Ebay.

Ebay still sells my Stella body milk, but it’s extremely rare and triple the price I used to pay. Sometimes, I can’t help but to splurge. But most of the time, I look at the old white bottle on my laptop’s screen and daydream about the days of wandering into Sephora to get my fix. 

Option B-Set sail on a new scent adventure.

I am loyal to my scent, and after years of trying to find it, the idea of gathering the energy to unearth a new one is daunting. Perfumed lotions are just not as popular as perfume, so I will always run the risk of lotion extinction. 

In addition, I’ve found that when shopping for a new fragrance, I can only handle so much before my nose tricks my brain into thinking that everything smells exactly the same. Sephora simply can’t offer enough coffee beans to alleviate the “I’ve-smelled-too-many-perfumes-within-the-last-ten-minutes” dilemma. Not to mention, when picking a scent, I like to let some time pass before making the purchase.  What if it smells great initially, but then a few hours later, I find that it doesn’t mix well with my body chemistry?

Despite the obstacles, I am happy to say that I have found a replacement that competes bravely with my beloved Stella. And this time, I am going to shout it from the rooftops to avoid an untimely lotion death.

So, to my tribe of lotion gals, you might want to stock up on my new “secret” scent - Elie Saab Le Parfum Scented Body Lotion. I promise you, it was worth the hunt.