A Mom in Stilettos

Ah-dorable & Ah-fordable gifts for kids!

2011-12-12T16:50:00.000-08:00

This is such a cute idea I found on Pinterest. My friends and I decided to do a big post-christmas brunch with all the kids instead of exchanging gifts. Although, I am going to cheat and give them each one of these, cause they're so damn cute!

Pop top can treats

For the boys, I knew that Littlest Pet Shop just wouldn't do... but die cast cars are always a hit and were also on sale, so that is what we picked up for them:

I have seen these pop top can tutorials pop up all over the Internets this year. They are SO adorable and I love the idea that recycling can turn into such a fantastic gift!

What you need:
Pop top cans. The smaller ones are better.

Safety can opener

Small gifts

Decorative paper

Glue gun

Ribbon

Tissue paper

1: First take off the bottom off the cans with the safety can opener. This leaves a nice little 'lid' for the bottom of your can... which, even in testing, will go back on pretty easily. Eat or otherwise use the contents and clean and dry the can thoroughly.

2: Then pack the toy in the pop top can upside-down so that it will appear right side up when opened. (I put in a couple little Christmas candies along with it to fluff up the contents.)

3: Put a piece of tissue in it to fill the rest of the tin. (I have seen these with nothing but Skittles in there or M&M's but I thought that although the cans are food safe, the hot glue may not be, so just to be safe I used individually wrapped treats instead.)

4: Glue the bottom of the can back on the can with the glue gun. You only need glue in a couple of places around the bottom for it to stay put. Press down on the bottom of the can HARD to get the bottom to sit correctly on the can and stay there.

5: Flip the can over and Decorate! We used scrapbook paper that was cut to the height and width of each can. Just in case you want to use the same cans we did, the 8 oz Dole Pineapple can paper was 1 3/4 X 11 inches and the 11 oz Mandarin Orange cans were 3 X 9 1/2 inches.

The variations we found (with mostly things we had on hand) was endless and SO cute!

Tonight is our advent 'surprise' night and so we are going to look at Christmas lights, get a spiced cider from the coffee shop, and drop off little surprises to all of our friends!

Some learning curve tips:

The larger cans can easily be used for larger gifts... think gloves, scarves, Lego sets, play mobile, wooden critters, etc... they all would fit beautifully and still give that same thrill that these smaller gifts make.
Make sure the lid that you are working with fits on the specific can you are working with BEFORE you try to glue it down. Glue guns burn. I'm just sayin'.
Place a book on the can just after gluing (use wax paper to keep the book from sticking to the hot glue) and this will help hold it down. It will also help your hand from getting a permanent impression of the bottom of a pineapple can. Again... just sayin'.

Thanks so much http://goddesshobbies.blogspot.com !!

Happy crafting :)

Xo - S

Organization Motivation

2011-12-02T22:01:00.001-08:00

I wish I could say I'm the perfect housewife, I really do. But as we speak there's a giant, erupting laundry basket in my peripheral vision that I'm refusing to look at; because, acknowledging how behind i am in laundry in this house is more terrifying to me than jumping out of a plane with a discontinued parachute.

I admire the women that so naturally float throughout the house folding and dusting while humming a tune from The Sound of Music. These women DO exist! My question is: when no one is around to see, does this same woman clean with an oversize glass of wine in hand, and curse her husband's name under her breath for being too cheap to let her hire a cleaning lady? Or is this just me?....Anyone?

As a mom, should I enjoy cleaning or just accept that it's my destiny? That is, until I get my own reality show and can pay for laundry to be folded while I avoid paparazzi and Tweet my day away...

Well, until Bravo or E get back to me, I'll have to spend an hour of my day in agony picking up dirty socks and chiseling dried food out of the seat of a highchair.

I may have found one of these happy to clean women. Her name is Jennifer and she is PASSIONATE about organizing, but she's even got ME excited about organizing! I have already bought some of her printables off Etsy, and she really is brilliant with ideas on how to keep a grip on the day to day life of your family.
Check out Jennifer's blog out here.

After reading her stuff, I'm actually so excited to move into my new house and organize my heart out!

"happy" cleaning my friends.

Xo - S

Happy 1st Birthday M :)

2011-11-29T21:22:00.000-08:00

Lauren Joan Photography - Vancouver BC based photographer: Happy 1st Birthday - Langley BC - Vancouver BC Bas...: A first birthday is a huge deal in a new families life. It means you survived the first year in one piece and are maybe a little less stress...

Baby it's cold outside

2011-11-27T21:57:00.001-08:00

Ahhh, my favorite part about the cold weather - cold weather accessories. When my bf took me to paris a few years ago, I came back with a few extra suitcases; one of which, was just to house the serious amount of scarves I purchased!

Think you're a know it all in the art of tie'n a scarf? Think again my friend. Check out this superb vid I found. Don't even tell me you won't walk out the door sporting a scarf after watching this!

Yourrrr welcome my fashionistas!

Xo - S

Up to my ankles in style

2011-11-25T08:11:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure if you could classify me as some one who is a show problem. Every season I buy a couple staples and then the odd extra pair to match a new outfit. So perhaps the collection is adding up to look a bit rediculous but it's just that I have a hard time parting with shoes...Do I really have to justify this to you? No, I'm sure I don't. But I felt the need to when my mother commented on my new knee high grey boots as if I had just purchased a baggy of cocaine to support a nasty addiction. NO narcotics my friends! Just more boots!

Anyway, thanks to the Kardashians everyone and their poodle have a pair of thigh highs right now. I however believe everyone and their poodle should own a pair of ankle boots. If you live in skinnies and leggings in this cold weather like myself, you will be able to rock these on the daily.

For the classy & chic:


Charlotte Ronson - Gretchen lace up bootie		GILT - $99

For the casual & cool:


Mcdavis Ankle Boot - ALDO on sale $69

For the in betweeners:

KORS Michael Kors Byford High Heel Booties - SHOPBOP $430

If I had the legs for these right now I would love, love, lovvvve:

Maytorena - ALDO $80

Xo - S

Is this for real? It's truly heartbreaking.

2011-11-20T10:15:00.001-08:00

I feel so sad for the girls that are proud to promote their body looking this ill. I all of a sudden feel guilty for always saying how much I love how high fashion hangs off thin girls. But, this is just so sad.

I came across this "advice" on pinterest. This is a girl who is seriously suggesting these things to other girls who want to be disgustingly skinny. I've been ultra thin before and dealt with my friends & fam accusing me of having an eating disorder. It was sad & frustrating to have people think I was striving for this image, when I was just going through some serious stress as a 20 year old that caused me to lose too much weight. This isn't that, these poor girls have a genuine problem.

This came via http://theskinnylittlediary.tumblr.com/

Sounds like great advice: 1. Drink one glass of water every hour. It will make you feel full. 2. Drink ice cold water. Your body will burn calories just getting the water to a normal temperature to digest. Also it is great for your complexion. 3. Drink 3 cups of green tea daily. It will help boost your metabolism, plus its anti-oxidants make your skin look great. 4. Take vitamins daily. Do not take vitamins on an empty stomache, otherwise they have nothing to catalyze with. 5. Eat ice or gum when hungry. This will make your body think it had food without the calories. 6. Do aerobics until you want to faint. 7. Eat spicy foods. They raise your metabolism. 8. Take cold showers because your body will burn calories to heat you back up. 9. DON’T take laxatives. They don’t help you to lose weight. 10. DON’T use diruretics. They only dehydrate you. 11. Brush your teeth constantly so you won’t be tempted to eat afterwards. 12. Weat a rubberband around your wrist. Snap it when you want to eat. 13. Clean something gross (toilet, litter box, boyfriend’s closet) when you want to eat. You will not want to eat after cleaning a litter box. 14. Keep your hair in good condition so no one will suspect anything. 15. Get a job so you’ll have to work through meal times. 16. Exercise twice the amount of calories eaten. 17. Use smaller plates and utensils so it seems like you ate more. 18. Chew eat bite of food thoroughly and then take a sip of water between bites. You will feel full quicker and will not eat as much. 19. Say you are going to eat at a friend’s house and instead go for a walk. You will be burning calories instead of taking them in. 20. Buy clothes that you can’t fit into and hang them wear you can see them. This will motivate you to lose weight to fit into them. 21. Sleep at least six hours a day. If you get less than six this can lower your metabolism by 15%. 22. If you start to feel hungry do situps or punch yourself in the stomach. You will not feel hungry anymore. 23. Pamper yourself! Give yourself a facial, paint your nails, anything to make you feel pretty. 24. Make yourself a snack, but instead of eating it throw it away. Leave the dirty dishes where your parents can find them. They will think you ate. 25. Prepare a list of excuses as to why you can’t eat - You’re sick, you’re a vegetarian, allergic, etc. You’d be amazed at how many good excuses there are. 26. Get out of your house! If you’re not sitting around then people can’t start shit with you about not eating. 27. Join a pro-ana group or start your own website. Anything that will keep you motivated. 28. Make an ANA scrapbook with pics of skinny models. Right down all the reasons you want to lose weight. Keep track of everything you eat. Look at it daily for thinsperation. 29. Keep good posture, burns 10% more calories when you sit up straight. 30. Instead of food, buy something else, a new shirt, flowers, jewelrey etc. 31. Make a list of all the “bad” foods that you crave and tend to binge on. Each day, pick one to take out of your diet that you absolutely, no matter what, cannot eat again. Take one off the list each day until there are no more bad foods you can have. 32. Avoid alcohol! A shot of liquor has 100-120 calories, a glass of wine has 80 calories, a lite beer has 110-120 calories, and a regular beer has 140-170 calories. 33. Never eat anything bigger than about a cup, your stomach will expand and then you’ll get hungry more. 34. Eat in front of a mirror naked. See how much you can eat then! 35. The smell of coffee is suppose to supress appetite. 36. Wear perfectly applied lip gloss. It makes you more aware of what’s going in your mouth. Also, flavored ones help with cravings. 37. Have 6 small meals a day. Take 2 apples, and split them so you can make 6 meals out of them. That way your body will be tricked into thinking it’s eating more. 38. Low calorie hot chocolate curbs chocolate cravings, and makes you feel full. 39. Take anti-heartburn pills if you’re really hungry. They nuetralize the acid that builds and makes you hungry. 40. Take a picture of yourself wearing a bathing suit or something equally revealing, look at it when you want to eat. 41. It takes 20 minutes for the brain to realize the stomach is full. 42. When you get hunger pains curl into a ball, it makes them go away. 43. If you’re a smoker and hungry, light up a cigarette. It curbs your appetite. 44. Eat lots of fiber. It makes you feel full and takes fat with it out of your body. The natural cleansing helps improve both your energy level and overall feeling of wellness. 45. Before you dig into that cake, bag of chips, candy, or whatever, take a deep breath and count to 100. Usually by the time you get to 100 you will have coninced yourself that you don’t really want it. 46. When you’re hungry chug 2 glasses (or how many you need) of straight water. It’ll make you so full and nauseous you will have completely lost your appetite. 47. Celery actually burns calories. Every hour eat a stalk of it. Not only will it fill you up, but it will also get your metabolism kickin’. 48. Weigh yourslef before and after every time you eat. Not only will it eliminate unnecessary eating, but it will make you want to eat less when you see the numbers creep up. 49. Read the nutritional information. Remember, fat-free does not mean calorie-free. Also keep an eye on fiber content. Get as much fiber into your diet as you can, while cutting fat and calories. 50. Don’t eat a lot at once. Spread your food throughout the day. This will help to avoid binging and keep your metabolism going. 51. If you like to drink alcohol, you’ll like this. Make a rule: You can only drink every time you lose 2lbs. So, if you lose 4lbs a week, you can drink Friday and Saturday night. However, if you only lose 2lbs a week, you only get to drink one night. 52. Do not eat in front of the computer or TV. This distracts you from recognizing you’re full. 53. Save the money you would have spent on that meal in a jar. Save it in a bottle instead and watch it grow. 54. Stay away from Slim-fast and other so-called “healthy” candy bars and shakes… one look at the nutition facts will tell you why. With all the carbs and excess calories you may as well go eat a freakin pie or something. Not to mention the rediculous prices… save yourself the money, and the calories. 55. Instead of buying food, buy yourself flowers. Food is depressing, but flowers make you happy. 56. When having cravings drink a couple glasses of water with slices of lemons and count to 100 and it should go away. 57. Eating 100 cals 4 times a day is better than eating a 400 cal meal. 58. An occasional binge doesn’t hurt, in fact it’s quite beneficial if you have reached a plateau (stopped losing weight). Your body will think you have stopped starving yourself, and you will drop at least a pound overnight! Just don’t binge too regularly! 59. Someone told me that if you take a pure cold bath for 15-30 min and lower your body temp, your body burns around 200 cals for every degree it has to raise itself to reach a normal body temperture. This person tried it, a 30 min bath lowered their temp about 3-4 degrees

I'm speechless. This is too sad for words.

Xo - S

Wow! Stunning jewelery by Carrera y Carerra Mediterraneo Collection

2011-11-19T12:09:00.001-08:00

Olivia Palermo is a 25 year old NYC socialite. I first got to know her on MTV's The City, where she was the vilan of the show and most hated of the girls. I however, happen to love her snobby attitude and confidence. I found her hilarious and as a fellow outspoken chiqa, appreciated her saying whatever the heck she felt like.

After the show ended I began seeing her more and more, modeling some incredible lines and sporting the latest trends on the streets. This girl seems to be able to pull off any look on the block. Why? She has the confidence and an incredible eye for putting pieces together.

This photoshoot she did for Carrera y Carrera Medditerraneo Collection in Ibiza, is simply breathtaking. The setting is to die for and these dresses are stunning. If you want to know more about Carrera y Carrera I'll post the link below. Simply gorgeous jewelery!

My favorite. The necklace is elegant but fun, & this dress looks amazing on her.

Carrera y Carrera

Xo - S

Move on over Oprah, here are some of MY favorite things

2011-11-18T11:25:00.001-08:00

So, I can't have all of you in my living room as my audience while I show you these items and give them all to you for free in the end.. BUT I can share with you the things that keep me going each week. Every Friday I'll share a few things that are my favs. Don't expect any free cars or trips to Hawaii though. Anywho, here are some of my faaavorite things:

Live Clean Baby Shampoo & Wash - If you catch a whiff of this, you won't need to know any more. It smells SO damn good and is gentle for your baby's skin. PLUS it's mega green for our planet! I Just picked up the jumbo size bottle of shampoo & moisturizer at Winners for $20! Which is great because I use the moisturizer on my own skin as well. Find a store that sells these products near you here --> Live Clean Baby Products

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha & Cranberry Bliss Bars - HELLO! I live on these. My chequing account and my love handles can prove it. I found you the bliss bars recipe, your welcome! --> Cranberry Bliss Bar

Big Rich Texas - If you are a rich chick reality show junkie like myself, you need to watch this series. I'm obsessed with all the Real Housewives shows, and when I started going through withdrawals while no new seasons were on, my lovely aunt shared with me this substitute! Watch it online at this super duper stream tv website! --> http://www.tv-links.eu/

H&M Accessories - H&M is my one stop shop if I need to throw an outfit together. It's also the BEST place to grab some trendy accessories to bring an outfit up to speed. If I've recently chopped up my credit card but need some retail therapy or a facelift for an outfit, i race to H&M. PLUS it's so damn cheap!

Happy Friday mamas,
Xo - S

For my fellow Twihards!

2011-11-17T22:29:00.000-08:00

Thank you Hostess with the Mostess!

Woops, should my baby be throwing up baby gang signs by now?

2011-11-17T11:51:00.001-08:00

Yikes, I think I may have missed the boat for baby sign language. To be honest, I thought it was a bit creepy before I had kids. I remember my friend's kid aggressively running up to me banging his fists together. When I asked his mom what the heck he was doing, she said "oh, Timmy is asking for more milk."...K, what?! I also didn't want it to postpone my daughter from using real words...until today, when my dear new friend at M's gymnastics class enlightened me.

I asked her if her daughter (who's a month younger than M), started violently throwing food at her when she was done eating. "Oh, never!" she answered, "Navaya just signs that she is done, and I take her out of her high chair". I responded quickly, "OH, right, of course! Same here..." Meanwhile I'm sure I still had the rest of M's breakfast stuck to the back of my shirt from her telling me she was done her earlier meal. Damnit.

Ha! Ok for reals though, I'm going to start this early with my next one because as much as I find it highly aggravating that food is thrown accross my kitchen every few hours, I'm sure my daughter is just as frustrated that she can't get her point across in a more effecianet manner. I found a site that's pretty helpful, as well as I know they offer baby sign classes in most cities! Good luck mamas.

Xo - S

www.babysignlanguage.com


This is the sign my lovely food throwing baby would have found useful :)

Now that you're a mama, how sexy is too sexy for a party?

2011-11-16T19:04:00.001-08:00

As I've mentioned, I'm a bit younger than my bf and his crowd of friends. Some of them have somewhat of a puppy mill happening at their home, and have been pushing babies out every year since we've been together (5ish years). Until we started building a soccer team of our own, I felt a tad out of place when it came time for the wives and husbands to go to their sides of the room and socialize. It wasn't just conversation that showed our age gap, but also our choice of outfits.

As a mother I now realize that you're lucky we leave the house with a bra on some days. But I've always been one to put mucho thought into my outfits for weddings, holiday parties etc. Some mothers, perhaps with less interest in fashion, find it quite OK to wear black slacks and a blouse that's been in their closet since their first job interview. Meanwhile, I went to Marciano a week before the event and tried on a dozen dresses before finding the right balance between classy, trendy and a tad sexy.

NOW, on the other hand I've also witnessed some mothers go a bit to far on the sexy (trashy) side. Now that I'm a mom I do not want to be mistaken for an escort. Mothers that leave the house in shirts where if a strong wind hit you'd see nipple, just seem icky to me.

So ladies, where is the balance? Below are some dresses I see fit for a confident, trendy mama at any event this fall or winter. As a fellow woman of team A-cup, I prefer to show a little extra leg and less chesticles. Let me know what you think!

I would wear any of these four to a party this holiday season if I wasn't carrying extra cargo like a kangaroo.
You can get any of these dresses at shopbop.com

Stocking stuffers for the fam - all under 40$?! Score.

2011-11-15T22:23:00.001-08:00

So, I'm sure I'm not the only one that has a family full of men impossible to shop for. Fortunately they're all outdoorsy men who appreciate crafty tools...Well, at least they pretend to when they open my gifts...Anywho, as a lover of Pottery Barn & Restoration Hardware I flip through the catalogs every year and love their x-mas gift ideas! Most items are under $40US. Check out their stocking stuffers for the manly men of your home!

Survival kit in a water bottle

...or in a sardine can!

10-in-1 adventure tool

A real nature man's flask - get his name engraved on it for a thoughtful touch <3

See them all @:
http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/category/products.jsp?categoryId=cat1710046

-Now, for random family members or coworkers that have a great sense of humor like yourself...you must check this fab site out! I got the 'thank you for scooping my poop' hand sanitizer for my bf because he complains hourly about scooping Mr Captain Kitty's dung while I'm prego.

If your hubby is obsessed with bacon as much as mine, he'll get a kick out of this candle!

See them all @:
http://www.perpetualkid.com/stocking-stuffers.aspx

Happy shopping,
Xo - S

Baby's 1st birthday = party mama gone mad

2011-11-14T13:18:00.001-08:00

So my daughter's first birthday is coming up...and I've been planning her party since she was removed from my belly. WAHOO! The party planner in me is back in full force. She's absolutely obsessed with swimming and being in the water, so we (her and i), decided to go with an under the sea theme. Oh, i am oh-so-excited to share the details and pictures with you.

I've spent a good 6 months on pinterest and google image finding ideas from other mad party mama's who used the same theme. I came across an amazing site - Chickabug. If you love personalizing decor as much as i, you will love this! You can either have her print and send you the items or she'll send you printables and you can do it from your computer or send to kinkos. She's so creative and doesn't mind customizing fonts and colors. Not to mention her blog has fabulous pictures and ideas for parties. Take a gander mamas!

How adorable is this little girls party?

She has the BEST ideas to add thoughtful extras to your little one's party. (She even posts some free DIY printables from time to time!)

Loving these Christmas printables...

Chickabug

Xo - S

Maternity nightmares: When do we embrace the belly & booty sexy, & leave skinny sexy on the shelf for the rest of the haul?

2011-11-13T20:24:00.000-08:00

I'd love some feedback on this one...I think.

Whether it's my faux fur or thigh high boots this fall, I'm getting more and more prego looking every day and wondering if it looks like I'm trying too hard, or still looking chiq? Please, I embrace pregnancy with all its got. Bring on the hormones and jowls, but do I have to leave behind sequence and my burnt colored leather jacket for the rest of this season?! Some of my favorite trends this fall are:

-Fur
-Plunging necklines
-Pleats
-Sheer
-Men inspired tuxedo touches
-Wide leg & bell bottoms
-Sheer maxi dresses
-Statement jackets
-Structured bags

From left: Michael Kors, Salvatore Ferragamo. Photo Credit: Sean Cunningham.

http://www.fashionodor.com

I love that the 70's are so present this year. This era is worn well for boho chiq gals and 70's glamor queens. I especially love the bold colors for you fearless fashionistas.

So again, which of these looks are OK for us preggers, and which make us look like a disco ball with feet swelling over Manolo pumps? Doesn't everyone like toe cleavage? No?

Xo -S

Oh baby baby! 1 + 1 = double stroller?! Yikes.

2011-11-13T16:13:00.000-08:00

So apparently we don't waste any time...I have an 11 month old and am 5 months preggers! YIKES. I'm terribly excited and terrified at the same time. The news of being pregnant wasn't so life altering as the last.

The first time wasn't so...planned. OK well we weren't on the pill so we knew it could happen. But at that time, I was serving overpriced drinks and appies at a restaurant, partying my fanny off and my bf and I spent our weekends drinking beer and snowboarding. I came home one night, pee'd on a stick and threw it at my bfs head while sobbing. He's 11 years older to he was less terrified than I. ANYWAY jump to 3(ish) months ago when I pee'd on that damn stick again. We were both so excited to have have another little baybay. My daughter is the best thing that's ever happened to us and we had a hard time grasping that we're getting that gift again. So what did I do once I found out the second time? Tossed the stick in the garbage, yelled the result across the house and grabbed my laptop to start...shopping! Derrr.

SO obvy we need a double stroller as my little crawling machine is not yet sontering through the mall beside me. I have a Mountain Buggy Urban right now, I love it for trails - hate it for shopping. I'm going to keep it, but need something for both little monkeys. So after doing much momma research and googling. I've found this: the Baby Jogger City Select is the cats ass. I saw a mom with the double at the mall the other day, when I stopped her to ask if she liked it, her face lit up as if she was so glad someone asked. She loved it, everyone else loves it, if you're looking for the ultimate tandem double stroller, you may love it too. Check er out mamas...

http://www.babyjogger.com/city_select_lp.aspx

If you want further comments on my Mountain Buggy, feel free to ask. It's the best jogging stroller out there, hands down. I'm sad that the runway collection wasn't out when i bought mine, they're purdy!

http://mountainbuggy.com/buggies/single/urban-jungle

Xo -S

Momenergy

2011-11-13T15:51:00.000-08:00

SO, I almost didn't want to share this with any of you, because it's a secret-freaking-weapon. I picked up this book in the airport last week, and haven't been able to put it down. Between time management and health & fitness, these chicks know it all. Many celebrities use them as life coaches to master the art (if possible) of running a household, business and staying sane.

Before parenthood, my bf and I read 7 habits of highly effective people, and the 4 hour work week (& loved them). These ladies have managed to momify these books and put them into one fabulous chapter. They also kick your ass about eating badly. Are you girls as exhausted as I WAS on a daily basis? Check it out women!!! Xo - S

Welcome, my fellow mothers in stilettos

2011-11-13T15:45:00.000-08:00

OK, So this won't be the first blog about a mom who is trying to keep her head afloat while juggling what seems to be an impossible amount of tasks. But hey, I feel at least one mom out there could learn from my daily mistakes. I'm a young mom attempting to hold on to my beauty and youth, while also attempting to learn the ropes as a housewife role. So please, stay tuned and learn about the lessons I learn in fashion, motherhood, pregnancy, business and health. If you comment (please do), be gentle, I'm a virgin to blogging and I'm sure my opinions will trigger some mad-momma-bloggers to rip me apart. Xo -S