I'm a wife, stay-at-home mom, crafter, and blogger living in rural New England. As seen in Martha Stewart Living, Food Network Magazine, and more! | Tutorials, DIY, crafts, parenting tips, recipes, money saving tips, product reviews, local product features, New England living, intentional living, and more! |
Typically I am such a procrastinator when it comes to ordering our Christmas cards. I always have good intentions on getting a jump start on them but things always get busier and busier as November comes along. — But not this year! This year I’m happy to say I got them done early - and perfectly - with some help from Basic Invite. | This is a sponsored post with my honest feedback of Basic Invite |
This was my first time using Basic Invite and I can honestly say that I was very impressed! Basic Invite has tons (over 500 actually) of Christmas and holiday card designs to choose from so the hardest part was picking my favorite design! I decided to go with a cute elf design for our
unique holiday photo cards
to compliment our own little elves.
But what really blew me away with Basic Invite’s designs? You can customize just about every single detail! Want to make the elves’ shoes purple? You can do that, and choose from many shades of purple to boot. The ability to change all the colors on their card designs - from the background, to the text, to the details - is just incredible with over 180 color options to choose from. This feature is incredibly useful, especially for something like wedding invitations since you can customize all the colors to your exact theme. They also offer over 40 colors of self-seal envelopes to choose from too, so even your envelopes can be on-point.
Basic Invite is also one of the few websites that gives customers the ability to order a printed sample of their actual invitation - that way you can see exactly how it will print as well as feel the paper quality before placing your final order. And when it comes time to place your final order, you can order exactly how many you need - that way you don’t get stuck purchasing card sets in wasteful large lots (a huge pet peeve of mine).
Basic Invite also offers lots of great holiday cards buisness to choose from too! Sending out cards from your business is a smart marketing move and can help boost sales and repeat business in the coming year.
Right now Basic Invite is offering 30% off with the coupon code “HOLI30” - order now and get ahead on your Holiday cards too!
Here are some great holiday card examples from Basic Invite:
Those iconic L.L. Bean Boots - everybody's wearing them and everybody wants them, but sometimes they can be hard to find! They often go through periods of being backordered so I’d recommend buying early in the season so you don't risk having to wait. But before you order, be sure to read our review because there's some things you should definitely know first! | This post contains affiliate links |
Sizing
The sizing for
L.L. Bean's "Bean Boots" is definitely kind of tricky and I'd highly recommend trying them on in-store before purchasing, even if you're going to order them online (though, L.L. Bean does have a great return/exchange policy if you do end up ordering the wrong size online). Bean Boots only come in whole sizes and run BIG. For example, I typically wear a size 8-8.5 shoe but in Bean Boots I'm a size 7 and they still feel quite roomy. Keep in mind too if you typically wear a very small women's size shoe, you may need to check out the kid's sizes if you're unable to size down anymore in women's. When trying on the boots make sure to wear what kind of socks you're planning on using them with (whether it's regular thin socks or
thick ragg socks ), to get a better idea of the fit.
Women's Bean Boots come in two different rises too - 6" rise or 8" rise. Try both on to see what's more comfortable and what style you like better. I personally prefer the 8" rise - here in New England it's a bit more practical with the deeper snow in the winter and I also feel like it's the more classic style.
During Fall and Winter when there's a big rush on Bean Boots and it may be very difficult to find the exact style and size you want in-store or even online. You may need to shop around a bit to find what you're looking for.. or wait for your backordered item to come in. L.L. Bean Outlet stores can be a great resource too! Boots and other items that were ordered online and returned often end up at the outlets - and at a discount to boot! (Ha, couldn't pass up a boot pun.) In fact, I got my Bean Boots for 40% off at the outlets - now that's a great deal!
One thing to keep in mind about outlet shopping is that they will likely have a large selection of bigger sizes of Bean Boots, and less of the smaller sizes... this is because so many people mistakenly order their normal size without realizing how big they run. When I bought my Bean Boots at the Outlets, they had tons of sizes 8, 9, and 10 - and the ones I bought were literally the very last pair of size 7's.
If you decide to purchase your Bean Boots online, keep in mind that coupons or regular L.L. Bean sales may not apply to them because they're such a popular item - you may have better luck earning some rebate money back on your purchase with a program like
Rakuten (formerly called Ebates). L.L. Bean also has a great return and exchange policy, so if you buy online and it doesn't fit quite right, you should have no trouble exchanging for another size (just make sure to keep your reciept/packing slip for proof of purchase).
Styling
What doesn't go with Bean Boots? Seriously - just about anything goes with them (I've even seen people wear them to their wedding!). But really you can't go wrong with some fitted jeans, ragg socks, and a cozy pullover. I've linked to some of my favorite L.L. Bean looks below and all would look great paired with Bean Boots.
We’ve been huge fans of Momo for years (in fact he’s my celebrity crush! haha). If you’re on Instagram you likely know exactly who Momo is - he’s a sweet border collie who’s always playfully hiding while out on adventures with owner Andrew Knapp. | This post contains affiliate links |
“Find Momo” became an incredibly successful series on Andrew's Instagram that turned into three, and soon to be four, books. These books are great for grown ups and kids alike; our girls LOVE Momo, especially our 4 year old. She really enjoys looking through the pictures, trying to find Momo. It’s just like Where’s Waldo, but a whole lot cuter! When she was just learning to talk, she got a great sense of accomplishment finding him, pointing him out, and declaring "MOMO!" We’re really looking forward to the fourth book, "Find Momo Across Europe" coming out later this winter and can't wait to see all the cool places Momo and Andrew have adventured to.
I'm a born and raised New Hampshire-ite. I love this state and everything it has to offer - from the mountains, to the ocean, to the historical cities and villages - I feel like NH is just the perfect mix of everything and I'm honored to wear my NH pride. | This post contains affiliate links and features product provided by The Home T |
Sugar Hill Lupines - by Adrian Pelletier
This weekend I was excited to wear my new New Hampshire Home T t-shirt to our annual pilgrimage to the Lupine Festival in sleepy little Sugar Hill, NH. The whole town is sprawling with the colorful blooms and getting up early to drive around and see the flowers (and of course grab some breakfast at the famous Polly's Pancake Parlor) before heading home was a must. I was excited to sport my new shirt to one of our state's fun annual events.
My Home T t-shirt is probably the softest shirt I have by far. It's super comfortable and perfect for everyday adventures in-state and afar. The Home T offers shirts, other apparel, and home goods for every US state and some international locations, as well as fun novelty shirts for Disney, regions of the US, sports, and more - and they're made in the USA.
My favorite part about The Home T? They donate 10% of profits to Multiple Sclerosis research. I love any company that makes it a priority to give back and the Home T does just that.
I got plenty of compliments on my NH Home T shirt on our Lupine Festival adventure and I know this super-comfy shirt will be on regular rotation for my day-to-day wardrobe from now on.
Amazon Influencers now have categories which makes browsing my Favorite Finds so much easier! Check out my lists and let me know if you have any questions on the products - I have different lists for Home, Kitchen Favorites, DIY Supplies + Tools, Fashion + Beauty, Outdoors, and Baby + Kid Items. | This post contains affiliate links |
Introducing a bottle can be difficult at first, especially if your baby had been exclusively breastfed. Here are a few quick tips on ways to make bottle feeding easier. | This post contains affiliate links and an honest review on products provided by Nuby |
When our little one was about 3.5 months old we had no choice but to make the switch from exclusively breastfed to formula fed because she was unable to digest my breastmilk (if you'd like, you can read more about that HERE). Going cold turkey from breast to bottle was hard on everyone and I definitely learned some lessons along the way.
Bottle Feeding Tips
Use a "natural-shaped" bottle
In the beginning we tried a lot of different kinds of bottles to see what our baby would take. It was a lot of trial-and-error at first but we quickly found that she took best to bottles in a natural shape that mimics the shape of a breast, like Nuby's Natural Touch Bottles - rather than the traditionally-shaped narrow bottles. For her, latching on to a natural bottle was easier and more instinctive.
Use bottles with fewer pieces to clean
One of the first bottles we had tried was a specialty bottle that literally had 7 pieces to it that had to be taken apart and cleaned every time you used it. It was such a daunting and tedious process and ain't nobody got time for that! Thankfully using a simpler bottle system (like Nuby's Natural Touch Bottles), was a lot easier since they only have three easy-to-clean pieces - the bottle, the nipple, and the collar.
Find a comfortable and consistent place to feed in the beginning
When we first introduced the bottle, our baby just wouldn't have it. I initially tried bottle feeding her in the rocking chair I always nursed in but it just made her so mad because she was reminded of nursing. I quickly realized that in our case she needed somewhere new and comfortable to be her new feeding spot so we switched to a little bouncy chair on the floor which really helped. She sits in the chair at a comfortable, somewhat upright angle that's perfect for her and I sit on the floor facing her to feed her.
Introduce the bottle when baby is well rested and not starving
When you first start introducing a bottle to your baby, it can be very overwhelming to them so it's best to set yourself up for the highest chance of success! Your baby will likely get easily frustrated because it's something new, so try not to push the matter when they're overtired or starving. A calm baby will be more likely to try to figure out the bottle rather than just melt down at the first sign of frustration.
Be Consistent
Consistency is key. Even if your baby hates bottle feeding, keep trying and keep offering it regularly until they get the hang of it. It can be so hard in the beginning but hang in there!
- I received this item for review from Nûby but all opinions expressed are my own. Please read our full Disclosure Policy for more information -
Nûby's Natural Touch Infant Bottle with Easy Latch Nipple can be found at Wal-Mart, Babies 'R Us, and Amazon.
As a mom, I'm always looking for ways to make the everyday must-dos a little easier and more fun. So I was so excited when Nûby offered to let us try out some of their bath time staples - and give away a set to a lucky follower too! | This post contains affiliate links as well as an honest review of Nûby products |
With both a toddler and a baby, I feel like we're constantly doing baths or trimming nails and any way we can make these chores easier is a huge help. Our toddler really loves Nûby's Foam Bath Letters and Numbers set - she's really into spelling and loves putting random letters together and asking "what does that spell?", even when it doesn't make a real word. She's really starting to get the hang of it though, and can spell several short words all on her own!
The Tear-Free Rinse Pail has also been a huge help at bath time, for both our toddler and our baby. No one likes getting soap or water in their eyes - especially little ones. So it's great that we can easily rinse the shampoo away without any tears. The rinse pail is BPA-free and features a soft rubber edge so you can comfortably fit it against your little one's forehead. It also holds a generous amount of water for quick rinsing!
Finally nail cutting... ugh. Probably one of the most nerve wracking tasks a parent has to do for their baby! Thankfully Nûby's 6-Piece Nail Care Set has everything you need including scissors, nail clippers, and four emery boards sized for taking care of baby and toddler nails. Their perfect size helps make taking care of your wiggly baby's nails a little less intimidating.
*Giveaway!*
Make sure to enter our Giveaway over on Instagram for the chance to win this great Bath Bundle from Nûby! The winner will receive Nûby’s Tear-Free Rinse Pail, Nail Care Set, and Foam Bath Letters and Numbers Set. Just look for this photo in my Instagram feed and follow the directions to enter! Good luck!
- I received this item for review from Nûby but all opinions expressed are my own. Please see our full Disclosure Policy for more information -
Nûby's Foam Bath Letters & Numbers, Nail Care Set, and Tear-Free Rinse Pail can be found at many retailers including Amazon, Buy Baby Direct, and Babies 'R Us.
Having a baby really changes your hair, and after having two babies my hair is nothing like it used to be. Hormones have totally changed the color and texture of my hair... in the past few years it's gone from bright blonde and wavy to ten shades darker and stick straight. After our second baby my hair definitely needed some recharging and I was excited to try something new. | This post shares an honest review of products provided by Maple Holistics |
Recharging Postpartum Hair
Give your Hormones a Chance to Settle Down
Those first two months after baby, your hormones are raging and just about anything goes. Don't be surprised if your hair suddenly gets super dry or super greasy, or starts shedding like crazy. As frustrating as those first two months can be (and for so many reasons - dealing with a new baby and a healing body isn't easy!), try to roll with these hair hiccups and know that a lot of it will improve or get more predictable once your hormones settle down.
Get a Haircut
Getting a new haircut or even just a trim can really help refresh your hair and give you a boost of confidence. Getting rid of those split ends will give you a fresh start to learn about your new post-baby hair.
Try a New Shampoo/Conditioner
With all the new things going on with your hair, your old shampoo routine just might not cut it anymore. Now's a great time to switch it up and try something new! My hair really needed some perking up so I was super excited when Maple Holistics reached out to me and asked if I wanted to try their Tea Tree Shampoo and Conditioner.
Maple Holistics uses all-natural ingredients, and is both chemical free and cruelty free, which I love. Using their tea tree shampoo gives you a cool, tingling sensation on your scalp that really helps you and your hair feel more refreshed and awake. Afterwards my hair felt clean and lighter - I loved that the conditioner didn't leave it feeling heavy!
If you want to try Maple Holitics' Tea Tree Shampoo or another one of their products, make sure to check out their Free Samples Program.
- I received this item for review from Maple Holistics but all opinions expressed are my own. Please read our full Disclosure Policy for more information -
