New mamas, how many times have you heard that? My thoughts on breastfeeding before getting pregnant, at first I was a hard no, I’m not doing that. Once I was pregnant, I warmed up to the idea and as I got further along, while it was something that I wanted to do, I also wasn’t tied down to the idea in case I physically couldn’t.

While I was pregnant, I came across Dr. Schell. An OB-GYN in the local Miami area, now offering Post-Partum Care services. I loved this concept since there is SUCH a need for it! One of her services is offering breastfeeding support. While sure, I could probably have googled and consulted a whole bunch of other mamas, I wanted to go this route. I’m so happy I did! I invested in her packages and will also be working with her for sleep training in a few weeks, stay tuned! I had one virtual call with Dr. Schell prior to going into labor, so I felt prepared with the latch technique she showed me and felt comfortable knowing I had plenty of calls remaining to work with her!

As soon as Sprinkle was born they immediately placed her on my chest and we tried to get her to latch. Honestly, I can’t remember if she successfully did at this point or not, there was SO much going on and I was so overwhelmed with the moment of her finally being with us! Later on back in our post-partum room our “journey” began. I had planned to feed Sprinkle ever 1.5-2 hours day time and every 3 hours at night. Operative word being “planned”. Using Dr. Schell’s technique, my brest friend pillow in tow, Sprinkle would latch, but would suck 2-3x and call it a day. But we kept trying ALL day. Our first night was the most difficult. She refused to suck and was inconsolable. Our nurse tried helping, and finally after a few hours, Joel was able to calm her down.

At the hospital they had two different lactations consultants come meet with me. One was VERY aggressive in her approach and frankly off putting. The other was definitely less subtle in her approach and helpful, but at the end of the day, I left that hospital without being able to successfully breastfeed. The most helpful person was a nurse who kept checking on me almost every 20 minutes and offered great support. Finally we gave Sprinkle formula to ensure she was at least eating and I started pumping.

Keep in mind what you produce the first few days is colostrum, not actual milk, but I was happy to pump quite a bit and baby girl was happy to drink it all from a bottle. Was I nervous that we had introduced a bottle, ABSOLUTELY. But I remember seeing Dr. Schell post that this would be something we could work on.

Going home I knew I was going to have to pump until I was able to speak with Dr. Schell. Mistake number 1, not having a hands free pumping bra. I had literally EVERYTHING else, not sure how I missed this. It honestly almost broke me waiting for Amazon to deliver that damn bra. I was miserable holding those bottles for 20 minutes every two hours. Joel was amazing the first few days washing everything for me after I would pump, but I was exhausted.

I finally spoke with Dr. Schell who observed a feeding with Sprinkle. The latch was good, but my nipples might be the problem. My nipples are a little flat, so a little hard for Sprinkle to suck. She recommended we try a nipple shield. What I love about Dr. Schell is that her care is individualized, meaning, this was my recommendation. Had I not spoken with her directly I may have been given different suggestions or solutions. Immediately, I purchased the nipple shields. Joel was hesitant and practically believed this wouldn’t work. Let me tell you, I popped on those shields and Sprinkle DRANK. I can say it was one of the top experiences I’ve had, being able to provide from my body for my baby girl.

Dr. Schell and I had discussed that the nipple shields don’t have to be forever. With trial and error we will go fading out the nipple shields. As a BCBA, I love the term fading. Basically, we’re adding something to the environment to help us get to the end goal, but we ultimately want to fade this “help” so that it can be done independently. By chance this week Sprinkle was HUNGRY, but the nipple shields were downstairs. I gave it a go feeding her without the shields and baby girl did it! It wasn’t perfect, but after a few attempts not only was she latched and sucking, but she was drinking! Since then, we’ve been doing a lot of practicing and ultimately the goal will be to not have to use the nipple shields!

Let me tell you, breastfeeding is WORK. Might as well be a full time job. It’s hard and tiring, but also so rewarding and I feel lucky that I’ve had the success I’ve had because I am also aware that not everyone is as lucky. I’ve also been lucky to have a great support system behind me from my family and friends, to my Instagram family and most importantly Dr. Schell!

Now our next step…dairy free breastfeeding. More on this to come soon!

My first post of 2021 and I could not be more overjoyed that it’s Annabelle’s birth story. Even as I sit here writing this, as she sleeps next to me, I am still mind blown that we created this perfect little being!

My pregnancy with Annabelle was overall an easy one, even if I was nauseous everyday from about week 8 till literally the very last moment. I had heard so many horror stories of all the awful ways I could be feeling, that no matter how tired I got, how out of breath I became, or just how nauseous I felt, I knew I was lucky. Like they say, it was worth every moment in the end.

My last few weeks I was ready for this girl to make her debut. As the days kept getting closer and being the over planner I am, my anxiety was high. When would she come, would it interfere with Christmas or our schedule with Thomas? This was on my mind NON STOP the last few weeks. At my 38 week check, I was 2 cm dilated and expressed how ready I was to get this girl OUT. My doctor told me that if I wanted to be induced the following week, a few days before my due date, we could do that. This mama was THRILLED, I could plan! We set an appointment for the following Monday, December 28th, to check me out and we would go from there.

Monday the 28th came and I happily went to that doctors appointment, hoping I’d be more dilated than my last visit. My doctor did the routine cervix check and probably a little extra because WOAH. But only about 3 cm dilated. We decided that inducing was the way to go, he called the hospital right after my visit to see what was available. But woah was all we needed to get things started.

Joel had driven me to the appointment and almost immediately after I felt cramping. I had felt cramping the first time around so didn’t think too much of it. The hospital called me immediately for me to come get a Covid test prior to being admitted. We didn’t even go home, but drove straight to the hospital to get this out of the way. Next order of business, get lunch. I had said my first meal after I delivered would be a deli sandwich, but at this point Mama was giving no ef’s because these “cramps” I was feeling, were contractions. I got my deli sandwich and I ate it too. Once finally home, I started timing my “cramps”. After an hour, I look at Joel and say, we’re going back to the hospital today. But what did I have to do first? My hair of course. I did my hair, I’m talking scalp treatment and full on blow dry, got ready and Joel packed the car. I called my doctor and since his office is next to the hospital I would be delivering in, he told me to come to the office first for him to check if I was any further along compared to the morning. I was still 3 cm dilated, but more effaced, but at this point my contractions were about 4 minutes apart. I was given two choices, go walk around and then go to the hospital to have a baby, or go straight to the hospital. Mama was ready, and off to the hospital we went.

By about 5-5:30, we were already checked into a room and my contractions were getting stronger. The plan was, get an epidural and then my doctor would come break my water. Well, my body had it’s own plans because around 6:00 pm, my water broke on it’s own. Side note, out of ALL the advice and words of wisdom I was given, how was it missed that when your water breaks, it keeps drippin’. #notpleased. At 7, I got my epidural and thank goodness for that. The immediate relief I felt was a nothing short of a miracle, but not for long.

At 8:40 my doctor came to check me and to break my water completely, but at this point I was only 4 cm dilated. My body wasn’t making much progress on it’s own, so they started me on Pitocin at 9:45. At around 10:30 they gave me the peanut ball to see if that would help things moving and make me a little more comfortable. But shortly after, boy would things change. From about 11 pm on, my pain was unbearable, I felt EVERY contraction. Although we tried some more of my epidural, pump after pump, nothing would take that pain away. The only thing happening was I was no longer able to feel my legs. To the point that when switching me from side to side, it required two nurses because I could NOT move. I didn’t get feeling back in my legs till about 8 am that day.

Around 2 am is when things were cranking up! I was still in awful pain, but I was finally feeling that “urge”, that urge to push! They were hesitant to check me again so first, my nurses tried moving me from side to side to see if that would help out, but no. We then realized that baby girl had shifted, still head down, but facing up towards the world instead of my spine, which they explained was probably why I could no longer feel my epidural and instead feel all the pain I was feeling. Finally, at 2:45 my nurse checked me. I was 10 cm dilated and it was time to go! They called my doctor who was in our room by 3 am. As soon as my doctor came in we immediately did two practice pushes when all of a sudden I heard, “she has a full head of hair!” Annabelle was ready to make her debut!

I cannot tell you how scared I was to push, especially since my epidural wasn’t working for my contractions, but much to my surprise, that epidural WORKED. Mama pushed for about 15-20 minutes and Annabelle was here! A perfect 7 lbs 7 oz and 21 inches long and at 3:23 am, our Annabelle was in my arms.

I got so lucky that while my epidural wasn’t working for my contractions, it certainly worked while pushing. I barely felt a thing and can honestly say it was the easiest part of the whole process. I definitely would not be saying the same thing a few I hours later after everything wore off!

Everything everyone tells you about that moment is true. You forget all the hard work, pain, discomfort leading up to that moment. Holding her for that first time was pure bliss!

We got about 20 minutes (maybe more maybe less, that time until we got to our post partum room is a little hazy) with our precious baby girl before they took her to the nursery so she could get cleaned up and mama could get cleaned up and taken to our post partum room. Joel went to the nursery and a nurse came back to let me know that he was just staring in awe of our baby girl, my heart melted.

Now, while I was hoping that by the time we brought Annabelle into the world, Covid would be a thing of the past. It wasn’t and isn’t. We are still in the thick of it, whether you’d like to believe it or not. Luckily, Joel was able to be with me the entire time, for the first time during my pregnancy. I also did not have to deliver with a mask on. I know this has not been the case for everyone, so for that we feel so lucky. Overall, despite the challenges Covid presented and some uncertainty about Annabelle’s future when we first got pregnant, we had such an amazing support system from all our doctors and nurses, to all our family and friends.

It is still mind blowing to me that I am sitting here writing my baby girl’s birth story. She was so wanted and is so loved by so many. Joel, Thomas and I, Cogsy not so much, are enjoying every moment we’re lucky to have with her.

WhAt a YeAr! While this year has been trying in so many different ways, it was also the year that gave our family so many things to be thankful for. Joel and I got married, our honeymoon was the trip of a lifetime, and most importantly, we are so lucky to be growing our family.

My beautiful and insanely talented friend and the only photographer I’ll ever trust, Maria Font, helped us capture not only the magic of this season, but some of our last moments as a family of 3. Despite all of the craziness, I will always treasure these photos that make me pause and realize all that we have. Such special moments in the home we’ve worked so hard to create!

What are some of the things you’re thankful for in 2020?

Many of you have followed along on what seemed to be a never ending journey. Finally, 5 pandemic and pregnant months later, it is nearly complete. I say nearly because we need to complete the finishing of our window, but I can live with that!

I want to share with you not only our kitchen and all the details I spent weeks and months planning, but also some tips! Then check out below the complete transformation! Let me know what you think!

Kitchen Remodeling Tips

1. Hire a contractor and don’t deal with it. HAHA, but really!
2. Ok, so if you’re not going to hire a contractor, go with somebody local through recommendations. They will pay much more attention to detail and the customer service will far exceed that of any big name company. I can say TRUST ME on this as we used a mix of both for this project.
3. Be prepared to wait and for things to NOT go according to plan.
4. Budget for lots of take take out. While I looked forward to this initially, it got old real quick.
5. Hold on to a microwave to be able to do some cooking! I am quite surprised at all the things I was able to make in there!
6. Bonus: this experience put me back in touch with my air fryer! Also VERY handy when you don’t have access to a major appliance.
7. Despite having a PERFECT timeline, things never go according to plan, reference #3. We held on to our old appliances in our garage until new ones came and were able to be installed. This was key!
8. BE PICKY and SPEAK UP! It’s your money and you should get EXACTLY what you want AND paid for. If you follow me on IG you know all the bumps in the road that came along with this kitchen. But as I type this, sitting in an almost complete kitchen, I’m thankful for all the hell I raised (and it was a lot) to get exactly what we wanted!

All products are linked below, but if there is something you don’t see, always reach out or if you have any questions about our personal experience, always reach out!

Before

After

Not only are we DAYS away from Christmas, but that means were DAYS away from Sprinkle! This year I’ve compiled a few gift guides that will hopefully help with everyone on your list! I’ll be keeping an eye on a lot of these items on Black Friday to make sure I’m getting the best possible deal! Happy finding my friends!

Men’s Gift Guide

• Yeti Cooler– We have this cooler and not only does it keep things cool for literally over 24 hours, but it stores SO much! We have gotten so much use out of this and have even traveled with it!
• Google Home– We have one in our kitchen and mini’s all over the house, we get so much use out of this! I imagine there will be some sales on this for Black Friday.
• UE Boom Speakers– We have 2 of these, which you can actually sync together for even MORE sound! They also float in the pool, so fun!
• Ridge Wallet– I got this wallet for Joel when we first started dating and he still uses it. It has some cool features and very sleek.
• Personalized Decanter– I love the decanters from Crate and Barrel, we have a similar one on our bar cart.
• Electric Wine Opener– I love that this set also comes with a foil cutter, makes opening a bottle so much easier!
• Hydro Flask– I love this water bottle, but this was actually a Joel find! A larger one is also on my wish list this year!
• Google TV– I’ll be getting this for Joel this year since it was on his wish list! Can you tell we’re a google house?
• Knife Sharpener– Over the last year and a half we’ve invested in a few really great quality knives for our kitchen, this sharpening block has been great at keeping them like new!
• Sony Ear Buds– I got these noise cancelling ear buds for Joel last year and he uses them daily! They’re currently on sale for a great price, so keep an eye on these!

Mom’s Gift Guide

• Square Wine Glasses– These glasses are V on trend right now! I think I’ll be adding some to my own wish list!
• Mackenzie Child’s Vase– This vase would pair great with the dried floral arrangement idea I’m linking below!
• Slip Pillowcase– I own this pillowcase and besides being so soft, it’s great for your hair!
• Silhouette Print– I gifted this to my mom last Christmas and included all her kiddo’s on one print! Vana at Le Papier Studios does such a beautiful job with these custom silhouettes and has so many varieties of what she can do on her websitez1
• Eberjey PJ’s– I think you’ll probably always see something Eberjey related on a gift guide! All of the Eberjey products are so soft and cozy and always make a perfect gift!
• Olaplex Hair Fix– I’m recently a huge Olaplex fan and this holiday gift kit is the perfect way to introduce someone to the world of Olaplex!
• Dried Floral Arrangement– I’m linking here a local florist who makes STUNNING dried and fresh arrangements. I recently purchased two dried arrangements for our home from Sam’s Blooms and could not be happier! I love that you can customize the arrangements to your decor and they require no maintenance! If you’re not in Miami, I encourage you to reach out to your local florists!
• Instant Pot/Air Fryer-Joel may kill me if I add one more appliance to our kitchen, but this combo instant pot/air fryer is a total game changer!
• Packing Cubes– While travelling may be at a standstill, packing cubes really changed my travelling game last year. There are so many different options to choose from and make a great gift!
• Revlon Blow Dryer Brush– This brush has changed my haircare routine! My mom also got one as well and loves it!

Kid’s Gift Guide

• Batcave– I can’t say I know all the details around this, but it’s on Thomas’s wishlist!
• Play kitchen– I love that this isn’t your traditional kitchen and incorporates farm to table, so cute!
• Taco & Tortilla Play Set– I’m a sucker for all Melissa & Doug toys, but this taco set is the CUTEST!
• Tamagotchi– I’m so happy these are still around in 2020! Have not played with this one, but looks like they’ve gotten a major upgrade!
• Vtech Phone– We got Thomas this “phone” for his birthday and it was one of his favorite presents! It was a little hard to keep up with since he goes back and forth between houses, but it does have so many fun features! I do love that we were able to text him when he wasn’t with us!
• Skates– Since we’re all at home a little bit more these days, skates would be such a fun gift idea to get everyone a little more active!
• Jewelry Organizer– I got this organizer for my niece last year and hand painted it to customize with her name! It’s a great size and you could even include some fun jewelry when you gift it!
• Instax Fujifilm Gift Set– I got this camera for all our wedding related acitivites last year and love it, but could be super fun for kids too! Love that it comes already as a gift set!
• Stunt Drone– Another item I don’t know much about, but will probably be under our tree this year for a certain someone! He circled it for his wish list!
• Nintendo Gift Card– For older kiddos, this makes a great gift so they can pick out the games they’d like! You can also purchase for xbox, roblox, play station, etc.

Teacher’s Gift Guide

• Personalized Bracelets– These bracelets are not only made by Thomas’s mom, (check out her Etsy Shop, she has tons of goodies!), but can be totally customized! Bonus: Use code Alanasgifts15 and get 15% off your order!
• Personalized Stamp– This is SO cute and such a fun idea! I would have loved this when I was a teacher to put on my student’s work!
• Teacher Fuel Tumbler– What teacher is not running on coffee! Love This teacher fuel tumbler with the cute personalized name addition!
• Grow Garland– This would make such a cute addition to any teacher’s classroom!
• Coffee Coaster– This would go perfectly with the personalized tumbler! A cute personalized coaster for your teacher’s desk. You can also add a personalized message on the back!
• Google Home– I would have loved having one of these in my classroom back in the day! Quickly put on timers, music, and search for info!
• Erin Condren Planner-I love Erin Condren’s planners! This teacher one would be so helpful for any teacher and added bonus that the covers are interchangeable!
• Notepad– This is such a cute notepad that can be customized with your teacher’s name!
• Planter– I love the idea of gifting a planter with a cute succulent or even dried arrangement!
• Amazon Gift Card– And if all else fails, who doesn’t love an Amazon gift card?!

Boss’s Gift Guide

• Wine & Cheese Basket– This gift could really apply to anyone because who doesn’t love wine and cheese?! We have a local liquor shop that does this for us, Sunset Corners (ask for Kamille), but if you’re not local, check the stores around you!
• Candle– Jo Malone candles always make a great classic & timeless gift! They always come beautifully
• Pura Home Scents– If you follow me on IG you know I love my pura! This would make a great gift for any office space! Plus I have a discount code for you! Bonus: Use code LLF15 for 15% off your entire order!
• Personalized Ornament– Shameless plug here, for the holidays I’ll be making these custom ornaments! Something personalized is always a special treat! Bonus: Use code LLFBLOG when checking out you can save 10% on your entire order!
• Amazon Gift Card– You’ll probably see this pop up a lot, while it’s not the most creative or out of the box, a gift card is always a safe idea!
• Custom Coasters– Another shameless plug! I’ve made a few of these marble coasters and love how they’ve come out! I can make them in sets or individual and can be customized however you’d like! Bonus: Use code LLFBLOG when checking out you can save 10% on your entire order!
• Cheese Board Set– Have a boss that loves to entertain? This cheese board set is PERFECT! Comes with knives and expands for all your hosting needs!
• Coravin– This is a pricey gift, but the Coravin system is great for wine lovers! Coravin let’s you open the bottle of wine, but only pour what you’re going to drink so that the entire bottle doesn’t go to waste!
• Grazing Board– Who doesn’t love being gifted food and snacks?! A beautifully presented grazing board is a wonderful idea for a boss who may be tricky to shop for! Here I’m linking a local favorite, Blissful Boards, owned by Melissa and has already done some boards for me! If you’re not in Miami, chances are someone in your area has jumped on the grazing board bandwagon! Bonus: When ordering with Melissa, let her know you were referred by LiveLoveFinds blog for a 15% discount on your order!
• Phenomenal Women Mug– 2020 was quite a year, but women have made quite an impact! Have a kick ass girl boss, this mug would make a great gift!

Baby & New Mom Gift Guide

• Dr. Schell– If your a Miami mom, chances are you’ve heard of Dr. Schell! OB-GYN turned postpartum concierge miracle worker, Dr. Schell offers a new kind of service for mom that is invaluable! I’ll be working with Dr. Schell myself when Sprinkle arrives, but her packages make an amazing New Mom gift!
• Eberjey Nightie– Told you you’d be seeing Eberjey all over my guides! This nightie is not only so unbelievably soft, but perfect for nursing!
• Personalized Ornament– What a cute way to remember baby’s first Christmas! Yet again, another shameless plug, but this has to be one of my favorite ornaments to make! Bonus: Use code LLFBLOG when checking out you can save 10% on your entire order!
• Temperature Control Mug– How many moms are notorious for not being able to get through one cup of coffee without it getting cold!? This temperature control mug solves that problem!
• Personalized Mommy & Me Jacket– I love making custom jackets and a mommy and me one is no different! Bonus: Use code LLFBLOG when checking out you can save 10% on your entire order!
• Lamaze Octopus– You probably saw this on my gift guides last year if you’ve been around for a while! Lamaze makes great baby toys, but this Octopus has always been one of my favorites since it was gifted to my brothers 18 years ago!
• Mommy & Me Hospital Set– I recently made a purchase through Little Miss Dessa and learned that part of their proceeds goes towards prematurity awareness and medical research. Tiffany of LMD has a beautiful story and all her pieces are just as gorgeous!
• Lovevery Play Kits– The lovevery play kits are subscription based play kits delivered to your home and based on babies developmental stages! This would make a great gift for a new mama and it’s a gift that keeps on giving!
• Necklace Charm– I discovered Le Papier Studio through one of my favorite bloggers, Lovely Lucky Life, last year. Vana makes a range of custom pieces, everything from charms, to ornaments, to prints! Her custom work makes a perfect gift!
• Personalized Pillow– Stitching around is a local monogramming company here Miami that offers so many different gift items! Sprinkle was gifted this sweet pillow along with a matching lovey!

Adult Stocking Stuffers

• Custom Coasters– You can gift a solo custom coaster or a cute custom set! Bonus: Use code LLFBLOG when checking out you can save 10% on your entire order!
• Google Home Mini– The google home mini makes a great stocking stuffer!
• Reusable Portable Straws– Not only are these eco friendly since they’re reusable, but they are portable! Great to always have on you on the go!
• Floating Wine Glass– I have gifted these numerous times and they are always a hit! These glasses will float in the water so you never have to worry about spilling a sip!
• Le Labo Discovery Set– If you’ve smelled anything Le Labo, you know how heavenly their scents are. This little discovery set lets you sample a bunch of their unique scents!
• Cord organizer– With so many devices and cords, it’s easy to make a mess of them all. These little personalized organizer solves that problem!
• Car diffuser– I got one of these a few years ago and love it! Plugs right into your car and gives you all the aromatherapy you need to deal with the road!
• Nail polish holder– Girls, it’s already struggle enough doing your own nails, but this little holder helps eliminate some of that struggle! Wear this as a ring and it will hold the polish bottle for you!
• Amazon Gift Card– Still can’t decide?! Let your loved one pick something they have their eye on with a gift card!

Kid Stocking Stuffers

• Reindeer Farts Cotton Candy– This is such a funny little gag gift, so clever!
• Learn to Draw Animals Book– I love this idea that it acts as a guide instead of just a traditional coloring book!
• Banagrams– This game is such a classic! Great introduction to scrabble and a fun way to practice spelling!
• UNO– Uno is such a hit in our house and I love that it gets the whole family involved!
• Super Stars– I always had these on my ceiling growing up and LOVED looking at them as I went to sleep! Glad they’re still around
• Mad Libs– Now that Thomas is getting a little older and more familiar with parts of speech, Mad Libs will be such a fun activity for us to do!
• Hair Clips– This is such a fun set for girls! There are so many options!
• Twistable Crayons– For some reason, Thomas is OBSESSED with twistable crayons I have from when I was little. This will be a great replacement for when he finally goes through them all!
• Dont Laugh Joke Book– I loved stumbling across this because we used to play a game with Thomas were we would say “don’t laugh” and of course he’d start cracking up! Can’t wait to see his face when he sees this in his stocking this year!
• Jigsaw Puzzles– I love gifting puzzles! Not only do they provide endless entertainment, but there are so many options that you’re sure to find one your kiddo will love!

I feel like I ALWAYS struggled to find hair products that worked for me! When I decided to start investing in some quality products, thats when I noticed such a big difference! Below, I’m sharing the products I love and use daily!

Living Proof Shampoo and Conditioner: I try to only wash my hair 2x a week, but when I do I swear by Living Proof and their perfect day collection!

Olaplex Holiday Fix: I’m just recently playing around with Olaplex and I love it! This holiday fix not only makes a great gift, but it’s a great way to sample their products!.

Revlon Dryer Brush: If you follow me on Instagram, you know I’ve been using this brush for the past few months and LOVE it! Hopefully you snagged one on Prime Day, but if not, you can still shop!

Biolage Scalp Treatment: My amazing hairdresser recommended this for me at the beginning of my pregnancy when I was getting tons of build up. I use this once a week to give my scalp a good refresh!

It’s a 10 Leave in Conditioner: I’ve been using this product for years now and have converted Joel into a fan as well! I use this right after my shower, not only to moisturize, but to also protect!

Amika, the Shield: I love this product not only because it smells amazing, but it’s a super lightweight heat protectant!

Living Proof Dry Shampoo: I’ve tried so many different dry shampoos and this has been the absolute BEST! Does not leave that white cast like some others do and smells so great!

Comb/Paddle Brush: I love this comb to go through my hair after I’ve curled it and this paddle brush is the best detangler for after the shower!

Straightener: I had no idea how much damage my old straightener was causing my hair! I finally invested in a great straightener and have noticed such a difference! I use this for straightening and curling!

Do you use any of these products? What are some of your hair must haves! Share with me!

This year Amazon Prime Day will be October 13 and 14. Below I’ll be sharing some tips, some deals that have already started, and what I’ll be keeping an eye out for! Let me know if there’s something you’d like to have me watch for!

Tips

• Shop on any small business shop on Amazon from now until 10/12 and you’ll receive a $10 credit to use towards Prime Day! Check out the info here!
• Your Amazon App has a Prime Day section where you can manage notifications for deals! Check out the info here!

Items You May Be Interested In

Clothing

Home

What I have my eye on

It’s my favorite time of year and with the way 2020 has played out, I will gladly welcome any distraction. Holiday decorating is doing just that! Thomas absolutely loved how soft these were and at one point, before I had finished making them, I caught him cuddling with them, haha! Today I’m sharing a little tutorial on how I made this fun little ghost garland! Also, be sure to check out how else we’ve decorated for Fall this year, below!

Ghost Garland Tutorial

Supplies needed:

• Preferred yarn
• Hot glue gun
• Foam balls (the smallest you can find, this will vary from store to store, but mine were a little smaller than an inch)
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Black paint & brush
• Ribbon to hang ghosts on

Steps:

1. Wrap your yarn around some type of surface measuring 12 inches (I used a piece of cardboard) 30 times.
2. Carefully slide yarn off surface and cut a small string separate from to wrap around your loops in the center. Approximately at the 6 inch mark you will wrap the small string and tie a TIGHT knot.
3. Take your scissors and cut the loops, so that none of the yarn is connected, but hangs free.
4. Spread out all the yarn, like you see in the pictures below and glue foam ball in the center.
5. Gather yarn around the foam ball to create the ghost’s “head”, cut another small string to match your ghost’s yarn color and tie directly underneath foam ball and tightly secure.
6. Paint with on ghosts eyes and mouth.
7. String ghosts on preferred string.

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See below how I incorporated these ghosts into my Fall decor!

Not sure I’ve ever been so excited for a 3 day weekend, maybe it’s the quarantine or the cinnamon rolls I just stuffed my face with, BUT I’m rounding up for you some of my favorites that are on sale this weekend! Check it out below!

Other Sales

Old Navy– 60% storewide

Gap– 50% on summer sale styles, 40% on everything else

Target– 20% select clothing and shoes with Target Circle, 20% of one furniture item (online only), 30% off bedding (online only)

Pottery Barn– 25% $1,500 or more, 20% $500 or more, 15% off $250 or more, 10% off $100 or more

Pottery Barn Kids– 20-60% off

Crate and Barrel– 20% off upholstery, 70% off clearance, 20-40% off select kitchen items

Crate and Barrel Kids– 15% off on select items

Bed Bath and Beyond– up to 50% off

Williams Sonoma– Extra 20% off all clearance, 20% off tabletop, bar and wine

Happy finding my friends!