Almost the New Year and New Stuff for Me :-)

Ah yes, Christmas is over. The frantic shopping, wrapping till 1 am on Xmas eve and baking those dam, I mean wonderful cookies all month long. But, at least we all have some new things to show off right?


Over this past month, I've won some blog contests, gotten a special discount code and of course gave my husband (and Secret Santa) some Indie items that I wanted. So all in all I had a nice Xmas season. Here's a little run down on some of the delightful things I got this past month.





















I received a nice 50% off discount via a blog giveaway to Nyblaque's Etsy store. Nyblaque is an Etsy jewelry store in which I found a most unique necklace that just kept getting my attention. It's call "Cornucopia" and as you can see by the picture it is such a cornucopia of things. Framed by this simple ebony wood rectangle, the simple golden circle is bursting with a variety of autumn colored gemstones.

Here's the description straight from Nyblaque's listing:



"This design was my expression of a cornucopia...filled with labradorite berries, mandarin garnet oranges, carnelian pumpkins and lemon quartz squash..bursting out of the horns' copper, brass and oxidated alumunum twisted and soldered handmade 20m "ring". Captured in a 35mm tiger ebonywood picture frame. "


It hangs from a very delicate chain and is a rather heavy pendant. I don't care how heavy it is though cause I think it's one of the best pieces I own. I can safely say, I have the only one :-) Now, this piece was originally priced at $50 but I was able to get it for $25 with my discount. I know this type of piece takes a long time to make, just look at the work that went into it, but I see this as a unique style for Nyblaque and I hope to see more of this style in the future.























I had also recently won another blog giveaway (it's been my lucky year what can I say) and in this one I received this necklace that I call my New Year's Eve ball, but it's actually called "Ice Princess" by Vandiva on Etsy. The necklace is on a very long chain, which is not usually my style, but when paired with a turtleneck sweater, it looks just right. The pendant is made of lead crystal, accented with pearls, clear crystal and opalite beads. The retail value of this piece is $49! I have actually had a piece of Vandiva's in my Etsy favorites for awhile called Rain Cloud which you can find on the first page of the shop. If you like chunkier styles, then I would recommend you take a look there.












This next Indie item, well it's not something I would've have bought for myself no matter how much I wanted one. My husband would've killed me if I bought one, so what better place to ask for one than in a Secret Santa! And, it's my Butt Freckle! Here's mine, ain't she cute lol. Butt Freckle is another wonderful Etsy store filled with, well these Butt Freckles. Tiny little friends with a lil charm (or freckle) on their backsides, as you can see in the next picture (butt freckles on Butt Freckles will vary). Butt Freckles range in price from $4 to $22 for xtra large ones. The purpose of said Butt Freckle? No purpose, you just have to have one cause they are so dam cute.








Lastly, I had this one on my Xmas list that my husband got to shop from. I had first seen these Flapper Hats on Rare Bird Finds and just thought they were gorgeous. The variety of colors, flowers and the like just made for a unique, conversation piece of a hat. You can find these Flapper Hats at Melissa Happy Stuff on Etsy. The hats cost $30 each and let me tell you, if you go and look at her sales..it's just pages and pages of these Flapper Hats. They are selling like hot cakes over there. The photo on the right is the exact one that my husband got me. The colors are perfect as they match the coat I wear.


So, lots of good stuff right? I'm very happy and very satisfied with all of these great Indie items. What did you all get for Xmas? Let me know.

Coming up soon here on Products..my list of the Best of 2008 (based on my product reviews during 2008).

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

I want to wish all of my readers a very Happy Holidays!

I will be on hiatus from today till Monday the 29th. I'll be back next week with new reviews and my all new Best of 2008 Products!

Peace be with you!

All Wrapped Up with a Pink Bow..Literally!

You all know by now that I'm a sucker for lotions, body butters and the like. The fluffier (and more moisturizing), the better. Well, with the Pink Bow Bath Boutique (also has an Etsy store) you get all that, plus a lil girly girlness.

Amy over at Pink Bow knows how to appeal to the female bath and body nut (like myself). She's got a whole bunch of fresh, feminine scents and like I state in my title, it's all wrapped up with a pink bow.

I had gotten several samples in an order I had placed for Xmas gifts, in the Lemming Central box and Amy sent me some samples to try out as well. First off, I'm very impressed with the fragrances. You know I love Pink Sugar and Amy has quite a few nice Pink Sugar Blends. Her Pink Sugar Noel is grand. But, my favorite of hers so far isn't even a Pink Sugar blend (could it be possible). The Pink Passionfruit Lemonade is really really divine. Even my oldest son, who is picky picky with everything told me it smelled good. The scents are just the right strength. They're strong but not overpowering as you know some can be. And, they last a pretty good long time. They are definitely above average in their staying power.

I've tried the whipped body frosting and the body frosting with shimmer. I like the shimmer body frosting..it's not full of "glitter" as I have exerienced with other "shimmer" lotions. It's got just the right amount of pearly golden goodness to give you a lil glow. The body frosting sinks into the skin nice and easy. It's good and whipped up but it's not heavy or greasy. Great all around moisturizer...plus all those yummy scents.

Amy also sent me a sample of her protein hair mist. A very nice little product that helped me smooth out my winter frizz. A little goes a long way and I recommend you stick to your ends..do not use it in your scalp....you'll end up with greasy looking head (this will happen with any hair product of this type no matter who makes it..trust me though I've tried so I know what I speak of).

Pink Bow Bath Boutique has a very very large selection and you can also get holiday gift sets right now. Gift sets range in price from $6.50 to $19. The Body Frosting will run you $6.75 for a 4 ounce jar and $4.25 for a 2 ounce jar. The prices are very reasonable (prices range from $4 to $19 depending on the product or gift set) and the quality is very good.

Amy was also kind enough to give my readers their own coupon code. So, to sav 10% on your purchase, just use the code "10%off". Time is running out to get things in time for Xmas and Amy is recommending purchase this weekend for a 12/16 shipping date so you can get it in time. If you've got a lady in your life, young or old, I can guarantee there is something here that will be enjoyed!

What's Up with My Clothes? A Don't Waste Your Money Alert

Well, I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know I've been out for awhile but I had a couple of major PTO events in November then my family came down for Thanksgiving.

Now, complaining time :-). I'm a pretty easy going person. But, when I buy stuff whether it's clothes, food, jewelry or B&B, I want good quality. Lately, clothes that used to be of decent quality had slipped up and become low on the totem pole.

I pretty much like to wear long sleeve t-shirts in the fall/winter. Nothing exciting, I know but hey they are comfy. I've always bought from Old Navy and Kohl's with nary an issue in the past. But, the shirts I've bought recently warrant my "Don't Waste Your Money Alert" and it's pretty depressing for me.

I'm kinda frugal with money spent on clothes for me unless it's for a special occassion. Old Navy usually has good deals on simple long sleeve t-shirts (usually a thinner material but still ok). I had gotten a couple of their shirts in a couple of different colors. Ok, wore this Aqua colored one once and washed it. Washed it according to the cute little tag on the inside of the shirt. Out of the dryer, the stitching around the cuff...completely gone. Like there was no thread there at all on one of the sleeves. Ok, now I can't wear this one out of the house. Lesson learned...what was good in the past has gotten cheaper in the present. What a waste.

The other shirts I have issue with are these long sleeve shirts by Sonoma from Kohls. In the past, I've always been able to count on Sonoma's quality..not anymore. I have several tshirts in a variety of colors (I think the regular price was $20 and I got them on sale for $10). After just a couple of washes (again washed according to the little tag), the stitching around the shirt hem began to unravel and come undone. Not as bad as the Old Navy T-Shirt but close enough.

So, what's happening? Was this just a fluke that I happened to buy or something more? It just goes to show that after some time when we all get comfortable with a brand, they start to change their standards and quality goes down. Times are hard for everyone and in this economy clothes are probably the one luxury/need that we all still need to buy. Quality is going to be a crucial factor in what I buy and it should be for you too. You want clothes that are going to last a long time, more than just a couple of washes.

WELCOME WELCOME

Good evening everyone! I hope you've had a nice Veteran's Day holiday....I wish I had but that's a story for another day (it involves a 3 year old)

Anyway...I just wanted to welcome some new advertisers to Products. I traded with them for some wonderful jewelry and I just wanted to tell the world :-)

Amy Peters' Studio has some wonderful Sterling Silver jewelry with cute and inspirational sayings. I really like her "Dainty Disks" which have a cute raised design on the front and a simple one word phrase on the back. I have both the "Shine" necklace with the sun on the front side and I also got the "Soar" necklace which has a shooting star on the front..as you can see from the photos.

Amy was also kind enough to donate $100 worth of her jewelry to my PTO's Bingo Night...I showed some people the "prizes" and there was some serious Bingo playing that night :-) For Bingo, I got another "Shine" necklace and this matte choker with the two charms. It came with the cute little winged heart and the charm with the "Let Your Heart Soar" message.

The "dainty disks" start at $45 (depending on the chain length you want) and the "Matte Chokers" start at $50 (again depending on the chain length). There are many other styles at Amy Peters' Studio including her "Fortune Cookie" necklaces and her "Message in a Bottle" necklaces (as seen here). They start at $100.

I want to also welcome Weekend Jewelry! Now, if you're an old timer here at Products, then you may have read a post of mine a long long long time ago in which I coveted some pieces from Weekend...well..I now own my coveted piece :-) And, here it is..the Gold Necklace with Purple Mother of Pearl and Blue Pearls! I love love love this necklace..it just is so unique. I can wear it either casually with a sweater and jeans or it could be worn for a fancy evening (but with two kids..those are hard to come by as you know lol). This is a $66 necklace and you can also find coordinating earrings and a bracelet. So you can have a complete set if you so desire. The other necklace that I was deciding between is this Lilac Chalcedony Flower necklace with the green periodot leaves/stem dangling down. This pretty will run you $64.

Some of you may remember last November, Jen Lownie of Weekend Jewelry, made me some special earrings for that Bingo Night. Jen designed them around our school logo and they were quite popular (it got a bit aggressive that night) with some of the moms.

So, please help me welcome these two wonderful stores into the Products of the Day Family. I can honestly say that their jewelry is made with care and the pieces are of high quality..somethin you know I look for in anything I buy. Christmas is coming and I'm sure someone in your familu would love something unique.

I Touch Roses, They Touch Me

There is such a myriad of handmade bath and body products out there, that it can almost drive you mad. This includes the new trend in handmade mineral makeup. I'm always up for trying new things, otherwise where would my blog go, so I tried a relatively new B&B site on etsy called I Touch Roses.


Ahna of I Touch Roses is taking a turn from her other etsy store, a jewelry shop called Art Created, and is trying her hand at cosmetics and bath & body. Ahna sent me a variety of samples from her cosmetics shop..several mineral eye shadows, mineral foundation, soap in Haunted scent, incense, a sample vial of her Soul Mate perfume and a sample of her Skin Euphoria Cream.





She sent me mineral foundation in her Rapture shade. Now, Ahna does not know me or the exact tone of my skin, however, this shade is perfect for my skin tone. It absolutely blends in and creates a really nice, smooth finish on my skin. I've tried a few other handmade mineral foundations and Ahna's ranks high on my list. It didn't cake on or create powdery spots, it created a nice smooth finish that even I can be proud of (ok, I have issues lol.) She's got 5 different foundation shades, as seen in this picture on the left, and a 40 gram jar will run you $16.50. This is actually a very good price for that much mineral foundation. Oh, and you get a puff too :-)





As far as Ahna's mineral eyeshadows...there are alot of bright and playful colors. As you can see by her color list in this photo on the right. With my fair skin and blonde hair..bright colors and really really dark colors have never worked well for me. However, I found that the purple shade she sent me, called Passion, worked really well for me as an eyeliner. I wet my brush and worked in around the powder and got a really nice dark purple shade of eyeliner. It looked even better when paired with a lighter brown shadow like the one she sent me calledContent. They eyeshadows run $7.77 for a 10 gram jar. If you like to experiment with your colors, I think you'll be in heaven with Ahna's palette.

Aside from the mineral makeup, Ahna's Skin Euphoria Cream is wonderful. There's an amazing 17 different moisturizers in this lotion, I beleive that's the most I've ever seen. Here's the list of ingredients for the unscented Euphoria cream:
distilled water
coconut butter
avocado butter
olive butter
aloe butter
evening primrose oil
shea oil
coconut oil
avocado oil
hemp oil
apricot kernel oil
sweet almond oil
olive oil
vit. e oilc
amelina oil
raspberry oil
glycerinpolysorbate 20 - from olive oilconditioning emulsifiers
soy protein
soy milk
isopropyl myristate - to reduce oily feeling





It just flows onto the skin and instantly hydrates. It did not leave any greasy or Rain X type feeling on the skin. The cost of having Skin Euphoria will be between $12-$14. The Skin Euphoria Soap (which I got in Haunted) is just as good as the lotion. I'm usually not into heavily perfume scented soaps, but this is the exception to my rule. This soap lathered up more than other soaps I've tried and the scent stayed true..you know how some scents just disappear when you lather up...and you just get a "soap" smell leftover. Not with this soap. Plus, it just left my skin feeling soft and clean. $6.75 for the soap




If you're looking for a bit of change and some really well made bath & body/mineral makeup products....try out I Touch Roses.

Scrabble Anyone?

Lately, I've been on this recycled Scrabble Tile kick. There are so many artists that are turning old Scrabble tiles (or small Scrabble Tile sized tiles) into unique, creative pendants. There are so many uniques images and artwork that you have a plethora to choose from. Of course alot of these pieces can be found at Etsy stores. Here are a few that I have gotten pieces from..some are having some good sales right now so you could get a head start on some Xmas shopping if you wanted to. :-)

Sun Petals' shop has a really good mix of Vintage, abstract and artistic images on her tiles. Right now there are over 20 different Vintage images ranging from classic Alice in Wonderland to birds and ladies. I personally like the more abstract images with just simple colors and some less abstract images like this flower that's just to be seen at a different angle. The flower can only just been seen and the focus is on the stem and leaves. I just like it and I'm going to get it.. The colors are something I don't often wear in jewelry.

In this photo you can get a good feel for the variety of images that Sun Petals has. Right now she is having a Holiday sale. You can get 4 pendants of your choosing with chains and gift tins for $30. Or you can get just one pendant w/chain and gift tin for only $7.95. Or, just the tile pendant for $5. Go on, get the 4 pack..you'll kill 4 Xmas birds with one shopping trip.

Another Etsy store where you can get these tile pendants is Jesse Janes. You can also get some good deals there too. Halloween tiles are just $3 right now. All other Scrabble tiles and Bamboo tiles are Buy 2 get one Free (chains are sold separately). I recently got this cool Halloween pendant called Pumpkinhead. I'm getting alot of people telling me it's cool. I take that as a compliment. I feel I am cool with the things I get from Indie etailers

:-) Jesse Janes has all kinds of artwork from Vintage to abstract to kitchy sayings to cute animals to holiday images.

Here's an abstract piece that I really like and the other photo is a grab bag photo of various Jesse Janes tiles.

The last Etsy store that I have found that sells tile pendants (now these aren't old Scrabble tiles but they are in that nice square shape) is Bee Dazzles Pendants shop. Bee Dazzles uses her own artwork (which you can buy the original artwork, prints or stationary at her other stores). I really enjoy browsing thru Bee's work, especially the nature/tree themes..the colors just pop out at you but are so tranquil in their combination. Bee's square tile pendants range from $11-$16 and you can get them in Mini (1 inch) or Large (1.25 inches).

This gorgeous Autumn Maple Leaves pendant is the one I just got last night. This one runs for $13 and I can't wait to get it.

This other one is called Tranquility and I must say out of all of Bee Dazzle's artwork, this one is my favorite. This is the one with the colors that just pop at you but, like it's name, it is just so tranquil.

Bee also has heart shaped, bird shaped, flower shaped and fish shaped pendants that are all handpainted.

So, I just gave you an easy way to get some Xmas shopping done fast. The links are there, the rest is up to you :-)

Is There an Election Coming Up or something?

Ok, I know that there's an election coming up! I have been perusing Etsy and have come across a ton of Obama and McCain items. Sorry, but I am for Obama and most of the McCain items I'm finding are jokes on McCain. I want to be neutral on my post so I will have some items that are serious and funny on both candidates.

This first one is from One Plaid Aunt and it's a set of Michelle & Barack Obama ponytail holders. Now you can get this set or there's other sets of just Michelle and just Barack. There's also Barack & Michelle barrettes too. Whether you want the elastics or the barrettes, they will both run you $10. But, think about it, it's a unique way of making your choice clear.

Of course, there are tons of Palin jokes running amok, but I just love this button from Psychedelic Tara's Groovy Gift Emporium and it's only $2.99! The other button that is just cracking me up is this one of Barack and McCain as Mac and PC. There are tons of funny ones here for the taking.

Ok, ok...McCain supporters...don't shoot me..I did find a couple of Pro-McCain/Palin items so here they are.

Here's some cute McCain & Palin magnets made from Polymer clay by Itty Bitties for You

(You can also get Obama & Biden ones too). Itty Bitties has alot of cute things, I especially love her robots! The magnet set will run you about $18.




Then there's the Palin buttons from Button Diva. The Button Diva has plenty of Palin power buttons and McCain Victory buttons for $3 each. There's also some Palin Power earrings for $5.5o and Pendants for $5.95.

So, whatever your political preference, there seems to be a

plethora of items out there. These are just a small, and I mean small, sampling of what I found on Etsy and I'm sure there are tons of other sites out there with this kind of stuff. So, make your statement in a different way...a unique way :-)

Baubles of Mine

I know, it's been awhile..and I'm sorry. With all my PTO duties, I've been sidetracked. Plus, last week was my 10th Wedding Anniversary and hubby had a beautiful day planned last Saturday.

Anyway, I've been acquiring some new baubles for my ears lately. Be it a purchase or finding a delightful Etsy SNS Secret. I'm really enjoying finding all these wonderful pieces of jewelry and I'm getting some great sales too. Alas, some of these sales are over but if you're an Etsy shopper..you need to peruse the "Promotion" section of the forums. That's where I find out about all these wonderful sales/contests etc. Today is Saturday and starting at 5pm you'll find the SNS sale thread on the Promotions forum.

One of the awesome sales I had found was a BOGO, buy one get one free, on earrings at Lilly Queen's store on Etsy. These one's on the left are Scroll & Berry cluster earrings. Pretty scrollwork and the maroon glass pearls set off the metal nicely. The other pair I bought were these on the right side and they're called Pina Colada. It's pretty white & honey jade on brass. I'm trying to find earrings of different colors, styles etc to go with any of my outfits. Just like a girl, isn't it.

I was able to pick these two beauties for only $9 YES FOR BOTH!

Prices for earrings at Lilly Queen are from $15 to $23. I actually like the simplicity of the designs. The colors and styles are simple, yet classic in design. Nothing too outlandish but just right.

This next pair of earrings I got are from Strands of Light on Etsy. These were a SNS Secret item. For those of you unfamiliar with the SNS secret...you can get one secret item per week and they generally are free or just the cost of shipping. You have to search through the store's listings to find the phrase "SNS Secret" or "Secret" somewhere in the listing. These I really like. The vintage glass beads hang from a copper ring on sterling silver. The glass beads are white with flecks of painted color. They are smaller in person (I was actually concerned they might be too big from the picture) but they are sweet and dainty. These earrings cost $23 normally. Earrings at Strands of Light range from $20-$30. If you like this style that I got, there are a few there right now that are very similar..just different beads.

These dainty lil gold ones come from Amanda Mackay's Etsy Store (she does have her own website with more jewerly). We've got glass pearls, crystal beads and freshwater pearls and gold-plated ear hooks. As you can see the pearls/beads are in varying shades of blue. These are very dainty and very feminine. They are very light on the ears (which I like cause my ears hate me if I wear anything too heavy) and easy to wear. Amanda's Etsy earrings run from $8 to $30 and there are some there now, similar in style (different colors, metals) to these that I have. These were another SNS secret I had found but originally cost only $6.

There are just so many options on Etsy! I spend hours just "window" shopping there. You can always find something new on Etsy.

Pretty "Remark"able

Make a statement without saying a word...I remember this was a quote from some product line a long long time ago (maybe not that long ago). What about in today's world? Is there anything out there that you can buy that will have you making a statement without saying a word? Not much huh? Well, lucky for you, someone who makes such a product found me!

Rebecca, who runs BananaSaurus Rex, on etsy is the creator of the Remark Cuff. Rebecca uses all kinds of vintage fabrics to create all of her pieces, but she takes some of these vintage fabrics and creates these cuffs (fabric bracelets for those of you who may not know) and puts various quotes right on the fabric. Most of her Cuffs have quotes about love on them from Shakespeare to Virgil.

Here's a picture of the one she made for me. It's made with denim, white fabric (which has the "remark" on it) and this pretty piece of floral fabric. Nice, bright red snaps finish it off. The quote is by Mr. Rogers. I gotta tell you I felt like a little bad ass when I put it on :-). It kinda reminded me of those cuff bracelets from the 1980s but this one being much more feminine than those that Joan Jett wore. Plus I think having the wonderful quote on there is much nicer than spikes!

Here's a little info from Rebecca's site about the Remark Cuff's and so you know..part of the proceeds from sales are going to charity:

"On May 15, 2008, the California Supreme Court ruled that all Californians have the freedom to marry. The landmark decision ends the state ban on marriage for same-gender couples. But, Proposition 8 - which would amend the California Constitution limiting marriage to a union between a man and a woman - has qualified for the November 2008 ballot.Surrender to love, people! BananaSaurus Rex sends half the purchase price of each Remark Cuff to Equality California, a non-profit organization that works to achieve equality and secure legal protections for LGBT Californians. For more information, go to www.eqca.org."

You can get a Remark Cuff in the denim like mine or other fabrics, like the ones pictured here. Make sure to measure your wrist so you know what size you need. If there's not one in your size, you can get a custom sized one. All of the Remark Cuffs are $15.

The Remark Cuffs are not the only work Rebecca does. A couple of my favorites are her Market Bags ($25-$45) and her Power Flowers ($12). My favorite Power Flower is the one in her store's Avatar with was made into a choker necklace. You can find much more in her Etsy store. So, if you like Vintage, like upcycling, like pretty things...check out BananaSaurus Rex!

Pleasant Under Glass

Ok, so I've been on a jewelry kick lately...sorry so sue me :-)

My most recent acquisition is from Under Glass on etsy. And, let me tell you this is one of the most unique jewelry stores I've come across. The necklace I got was this beautiful Snowflake on a blue background. It looks large in the picture but it is actually very dainty. Carol-Ann, the artist of Under Glass, placed the digital image of the snowflake under a thick, glossy coat of resin. The result, naturally, makes it look like it's (sorry bad pun here) Under Glass. The pendant has these black and white stripes around the sides and as simple as they are, they add depth to the pendant. It hangs on a silver plated chain...(I usually prefer Sterling Silver but the silver plated chain is actually much brighter than most of my Sterling. ) There are many other snowflake pendants on Carol-Ann's site that are just as or more intriguing than mine. They run $24 and are really little pieces of art.

And, there aren't just the snowflake necklaces at Under Glass. Carol-Ann makes another kind of series of necklaces called Reliquary Pendants. They are basically glass tubes in which she will place an inscription on and some sort of design on it. Inside there are coordinating glass beads that will roll freely inside. Some hang horizontally on the chain or vertically with some added glitz like the one I have shown here called Garden Girl. The Reliquaries go for $29.

And, it's not just the jewelry that caught my attention. When I got my package in the mail, the presentation Carol Ann makes is just as unique and pretty as the necklace inside the box. Just take a look at how my necklace was packaged. It's this kind of attention to detail, not just in the main body of work, but how the customer receives their merchandise..is truly something you don't normally find in this day and age.

Of course, I'm only cruising by the tip of the iceberg here. There are many many unique works of art at Under Glass. There are several other types of necklaces and of course, earrings and bracelets. I'm sure you'll find something just as unique as you are.

Back from the House of Mouse

Sorry to have been absent for so long but I was on vacation and really had to recoup for a few days. But yes, I survived Disney World! Last week (17th-23rd) we went to Disney. Yes, to answer your question, we were rained on by that lovely Tropical Storm Fay. It just circled over Orlando from Tuesday thru Friday Night. We ended up buying 2 sets of ponchos (that's 4 adult and 4 kids) because we destroyed the first set. Nothing like seeing Disney wearing an $8 plastic sheet over yourself. If you can't ever figure out how to goto the bathroom in one of those things, call me..I'm an expert now :-)

Just a few tips now about going to Disney World

1. Do Not go with a 3 year old or younger child. Not only are they a pain in the butt (my three year old was just driving us nuts so I'm just speaking from experience..this may not apply to your child lol), they can't keep up with everything you do.

2. Get the Dining Plan. I planned our trip thru AAA and they told us about the dining plan. On the basic plan...you get one table service meal, one quick service meal and one snack per person per day. Our table service meals averaged $85 for the 4 of us. Quick Service about $25-$30 and snacks..well (by the way, drinks are counted as one snack) they range from $2 for bottled water to $5 for a fancy pastry in France in Epcot. The dining plan cost us $600 but we basically got that back from the table service meals and a couple of quick service. Well worth the money!
With the meals...adults get non-alcoholic drinks, entree and dessert :-) kids get an appetizer (don't get excited it's like a tiny salad, apples or grapes) , entree, dessert and drink. Kids menus have fewer choices than the adult menu, but Disney really makes them healthier with the choices. I was impressed with that. There are websites out there that list all the menus for all of the restaurants and snack stands so you can plan ahead.

3. Make reservations for any table service meal. Or else you will find you can't eat till 9pm. Make sure you do this in advance!!! Months in advance!!!

4. Pick your hotel wisely. Some of the resorts are listed as "value" and end up kinda low on the totem pole. We paid a bit more for the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It was a great place. The lobby is just full of all kinds of African Art, TV w/Disney cartoons for the kids, a fire pit and more. There are daily activities for the kids from decorating cookies to an evening parade. The rooms were good but just being able to walk out on your balcony and see giraffes, zebras and other savannah animals is amazing.

5. Try not to go during Hurricane Season. Ok, it's the only time the kids are out of school besides Christmas. We planned for August and ended up in the rain from Fay for 4 days. Next time we go, it will be as soon as school lets out in June.

6. Use the Fast Pass system! Major attractions have what's called Fast Pass. It's basically scheduling you for the ride. You get your pass and it has a time on it for you to come back. Then you get in the fast pass line and the wait is less than 10 minutes on average. Some of the "biggest" attractions, you will need to get your Fast Pass upon park opening as they get taken up fast.

7. If you have your young and short child with you (alot of rides have a 40" height requirement), take advantage of the "Parent Swap". One parent goes on the ride and the other is given a Parent Swap ticket. It's the same as a Fast Pass but you get to take 2 more people with you on the ride. Once the first parent gets off the second one can go on with literally no wait.

8. Beware the end of the ride! Most of them exit you off into a gift shop.

9. Try not to look to much at the price tags in the shops. It's going to be expensive no matter what but it's not like you're going there every day. There are some really neat products that you can only get down there..not online and not in the Mall stores.

10. There are no calories in Disney Food. I know it's not true but trust me it's better if you keep repeating that over and over and over.

11. Take breaks. Especially if you've got young kids. Don't spend 8am-9 pm at one park with no breaks. First, you will end up killing yourself with exhaustion. Second, you will never see all the Disney stuff there is in one week if you do that. Make sure you go back to your hotel like at 3pm and relax for awhile before heading out for dinner at another park.

12. Buses! Every resort and every park has bus transportation. They run every 20 minutes.

13. The Disney Magical Express is not Magical and it's not an Express. When we arrived in Orlando they sat us on a bus for 30 minutes before it left for the hotel..then it stopped at two other hotels before ours. It tooks us over an hour and a half to get from the airport to the hotel. The only thing that is a big plus is when you arrive they take your luggage to the hotel so you don't have to stop at baggage claim. When you leave the resort checks your luggage and gives you your boarding passes.

14. If you're using airline miles you will be on the late flight out and the earliest flight when you leave. The complete opposite of what you want. Our flight left at 1pm and arrived after 3. Going home...8:42am and we had to be in the checkout area in the lobby at 5am.

15. Remember, it's the happiest place on Earth!

And, that's my advice for going to Disney World. It was our first trip with the kids and I haven't been to Disney since 1992. Alot changed and luckily I was prepared for it. Feel free to share your tips!

Beauty Around the Neck of the Beholder

You all probably don't know this, but I was an Art History major in college..yes and now I'm a stay at home mom with a blog. But, I still have my love of Art and when I find something that deals with Art, it tugs on my heart strings.

That's how I felt when I found Heart Works by Lori on Etsy. Lori makes these "Art Pendants" and they are just beautiful. She creates these wonderful works of art by incorporating her love of jewelry with her love of Art. Each pendant makes me feel like I'm in a museum. The miniaturized artworks are surrounded by intricate little "frames" that look just like the painting (of course only smaller). Completely sealed with glass to keep the lil masterpiece safe.

What really got me interested in Lori's shop is that she mentions on her Etsy store that she's done a collection of jewelry for the Boston Art Museum (they still have them up for sale on the museum's website and if you click on the link, it will take you to them). She made them for a special exhibition on the Spanish Masters. You can see how really well done the pieces are by the pictures I have here. These two pictures (Madonna by Cotan and Plate of Pears) are pieces that are being sold at the museum's store. Lori's been making Art Jewelry since 2007 and with this Boston Art Museum gig, I trust her work.

Lori makes plenty of other pieces as well. Like the one that I got called The Bird Has Flown. The artwork is a photograph done by an award-winning Etsy photographer named Irene Suchocki (she was featured on Extreme Makeover Home Edition, very impressive). This is perfect for me..it's a little melancholy yet liberating with the bird flying away from it's cage. The necklace is priced at $30 or you can go with it as an A La Carte pendant (although the "frame" is not as intricate) for $20.

And, there are still more Art pendants..by some of the Masters...available on her Etsy store. Like this famous Klimt work, The Kiss and Starry Night by Van Gogh.

The Art Jewelry prices range from $26 to $75 and Lori has other pieces on her site that ranges from $12-$60. For me though, I just love these Art Works! Lori has a regular jewelry site that I've taken a peek at and even her non Art jewelry pieces are works of Art. I just love when I find a really unique jeweler. I have several "personal jewelers" now and Lori is one of them. I you trust me, then you'll be sure to find yourself a wonderful little piece of Art!

Lovely Rita..Not the Meter Maid

Ok, I know, bad Beatles reference there lol, but I like my catchy post titles!

It's Lovely Rita Wilcox! Or Aunt Rita as she's know to the owners of Rita Wilcox Jewelry and Accessories. There's all kinds of things that you can shop for on their site from their well known bags to clothing to jewelry. Most things can be personalized (embroidered personalization) such as the handbags and clothing.

I had the honor to try out one of their Quilted Tote bags. One of their more simpler styled bags but a very good bag indeed. The one I tried out is this one with the Pink stitching but there is also black w/black stitching and brown with orange stitching. I like the black with the Pink stitching, to me it's more classic. Now, I'm usually more of a "small purse" person. I have my messenger bag and I use that one mainly when I'm out w/the kids so I can bring extra Pull Ups and such (I just love potty training). So, back to the topic here...this is a bit bigger than what I usually use for a handbag. It's got on zippered pocket inside and is has a zippered closure. Surprisingly, even with all my crap, it carried very lightly. Whether on the shoulder or just handling it by its handles, it almost seemed like I had nothing in it at all. Usually I get weighed down by all my crap but not with this bag. Very easy to handle! The only thing I would have liked to have in this bag is a couple more pockets. Like one for my cell phone etc. Not on the outside because it would take away from the look, but on this inside. That's just my personal preference...it may not be yours. This bag sells for $38 and you have the option of personalization (initials) for $10 more. There is also a larger version of this bag that sells for $50 and is wider than this one.

Here's some examples of other handbags on the site. Like these messenger bags...hands free since you can sling them over the shoulder (which is what I do with mine). Normally $45, they are on sale for $20..hey ladies that's over 50% off! And, my mother in law would probably like this one, this Nautical straw tote ($49). It just screams take me to the beach.

There's plenty of nice handbags (and other things) on the Rita Wilcox site. You can even become a consultant and host a Rita Party!

Saints N Sinners

I want to welcome a new advertiser to Products of the Day...Barbe Saint John and her Saints & Sinners store. Barbe makes fantastic jewelry from vintage items..she also makes homespun yarn and mixed media art.













We actually did a trade :-) I was able to get this fabulous necklace..and let me tell you it took me 2 days to decide on what I wanted to get. It's called "Birds Sing Sweeter in Summertime." This is a mixed media piece with the cute sparrow bead, the resin birds in a tree piece, vintage beads and a wonderful quartz stone. How Barbe was able to find all these different things in the same blue color is amazing lol. One thing I just love about it is that each side of the necklace is a different chain. I just love this necklace. Chunkier necklaces are not usually my style but I ended up loving it when I got it.


Here are some of the other pieces that I was trying to choose from.














This cute little piece with Cardinals sitting on a branch (and you all know I love Cardinals) is called Lisa & Ethel Gossip Time. The birds are lampwork figures and they sit in little wired nests. Their "tree branch" is actually a piece of black coral. Lucy & Ethel are $45.

















Then there's these Paris at Night earrings. They are made with vintage French brass charms, antique brass chain and antique beads. What's unique about these earrings is that they each have their own image on the focal part. I just thought these were cool and I love the blue color. Paris at Night will run you $34




















Barbe also has this collection of necklaces called Wunderlust. Each piece has an etched disk with a vintage piece of map (protected by resin). The one I loved was the Paris piece in Sterling Silver. This line is just simple yet so unique. If Barbe ever makes on of Rome (hint hint hint), then I will probably have to buy it :-) The Wanderlust necklaces range in price from $43 to $60. This one of Paris is $60



You will find much more at Saints & Sinners. Feel free to click any link here in the post or scroll down to the Shop Shop Shop section and click on Barbe's banner. Just let me know what you bought wink wink.

I Don't Mind Falling in This Crater

A couple of weeks ago, I got an email from Sharonn over at Crater Lake Company. She has lovely bath and body products and wanted to know if I'd try them out. You know me, I love bath and body stuff :-)

I perused the site (and the scents) and told her what I would love to try. So, Sharonn sent me her Flutter Butter, Triple Action Body Buffer and True Luster Conditioner. Sharonn has some really good Pink Sugar blends (I have Dark Pink & Bright Pink) and they smell as good as they sound. If you read my blog, then you know I'm pretty much addicted to Pink Sugar so this made me very very happy :-)

The Flutter Butter, I must say, is one of the best lotions I have ever tried. Now, when I try any lotion product for review here on Products..I always test it on my feet first. I have the worst feet, and lately my skin down there has been dry dry dry..so dry that even my beloved PedEgg can't get it all. I put the Flutter Butter on before bed and the next morning there was a very noticeable difference in the condition of my feet. This is very good stuff and there's good stuff in it. The Flutter Butter has alot of natural ingredients and yet still has a nice smooth..easy to apply consistency. It sinks into the skin without leaving any greasy feeling. The scent I got is Sugar Cookie..to me it smells more like an almond cookie than sugar cookie..but it smells good all the same. A 4 ounce jar will run you $9.95 but a little goes a long way. Plus, it's just a dam good lotion!

The Triple Action Body Buffer caught my eye because it's got European Sea Salts, White sugar and ground Apricot Seed. And, as the website description says, it feels like wet sand. It's very scoopable and I did not lose alot to the shower floor. Normally, I have problems w/salt scrubs because I always have a hangnail, but this one did not sting me at all. It has a great scrubbiness (you know I like my grit) and leaves your skin nice and moisturized. It does not leave you greasy or looking like you applied Rain X to yourself but it left my skin moisturized enough that I did not need lotion at all. The only thing that gave me trouble was trying to get the ground apricot seeds rinsed out of the tub. But, you live with little things if the big picture is great. It will leave your tub a bit slippery, but alot less than other scrubs that I've used. A 5 ounce jar is priced at $7.95 which is pretty average for 5 ounces of any scrub.

Now, I'm always skeptical about trying out handmade hair conditioner. I color my hair and I'm very particular about slathering the conditioner on so my hair doesn't get dried out. I usually like it thick and when I apply it to my wet hair I like it to feel nice and soft. So, when I tried the Triple Luster Conditioner, I was very surprised. It isn't thick that the type of conditioner I usually use, yet it really left my hair soft and manageable. I was impressed when I got out of the shower and brushed my hair that I needed NO DETANGLER! It really did a great job on my hair. The first ingredient is Aloe Vera..no water, no alcohol..and that really impresses me. I wish more mainstream brands would realize that all that crap isn't always necessary. And, you don't need to use too much. I have long hair and I realized after a couple of uses that I didn't need as much as I thought I did. You can get this in 2 ounce, 4 ounce or 8 ounce bottles. The 2 ounce is $5.45, the 4 ounce is $7.95 and the 8 ounce is $11.95. Plus, you can get it in any scent...so your hair smells the way you want it.

I know that I try out alot of Bath & Body products, but Crater Lake really impressed me. They use good ingredients and the products really exceeded my expectations. I know that some etailer products are more expensive than what you find in the store, but from my experience brand names don't always make quality products. To me, quality is always the most important thing and Crater Lake really has that quality.