The Small Things Blog

Laundry Room. Chaos to Order

2012-05-25T08:21:00.000-04:00

I've mentioned on the blog a time or two that I'm messy. It's just my nature.

I also despise doing laundry.

So it would make sense that my laundry room was a messy and neglected place in the house.

*The clothes and tablecloths on top of the dryer have been sitting in that exact spot since before we moved. I think it's been almost 6-8 months. In fact, when packing up the laundry room at our old place, I simply added those items to the box titled "Laundry Room" since that is where they lived for so many months. Then, when I unpacked the laundry room, those exact things went right back where they belonged.

On the dryer.

But when I saw these numbered wire baskets at Home Goods a few weeks ago, I snatched them up to organize this very room.

I left the detergent out since it's the most frequently used item. The #1 basket is full of stain removers, fabric softener, and other laundry-related products.

Basket #2 has light bulbs, cords, lint rollers, and other extra stuff that was in the room previously. The small basket to the right of that one has the dryer sheets in it.

The wire basket on the very end has two rolled up tablecloths (from Target) that I'm not using. They are doubling as "art" in the laundry room for the time being!

All I really needed was storage in order to organize the laundry room. Well, storage AND the will-power to fight my natural tendencies.

Are you a Home Good's shopper? I seriously could spend hours in that store. I love the kitchen, stationary, and small home accessories sections.

New York City via the iPhone + Instagram

2012-05-24T10:42:00.000-04:00

My husband and I just returned from a really great trip to NYC. We booked this trip months ago as a way to celebrate our 3 year anniversary, his 30th birthday, his graduation & my birthday (coming soon). Since all of these major life moments were happening near each other, we poured as much as we could into the few days we were there.

An incredibly kind and generous blog reader, Crystal, saw that I posted about our trip to NYC on the blog's Facebook page when we were trying to decide where to stay. She sent me an e-mail telling me that she works at the Waldorf-Astoria and can get us a suite at a great rate if we were interested. Um, yes. Yes we are. I was so touched by her willingness to help us having never actually met. But that's the wonderful thing about blogging--you get to know a person through their blog and when you actually meet in person, it's like you are old friends.

Ironically, she and Justin could have been real life friends as children. Yes, the world even in New York City is quite small. Crystal and Justin discovered that they were born in the same town and knew the same people. In fact, there is a really good chance my sister-in-law is in Crystal's year book from elementary school. I mean seriously. What are the chances that that could happen.

Since we clearly had tons in common and wanted to spend more time with her, we set up a lunch date with Crystal for tuesday and told her to pick the place.

She picked a delicious and adorable restaurant called ABC Kitchen. It was quaint and feminine, and the food was absolutely delicious. I had the House Roasted Turkey Sandwich with applewood smoked bacon, arugula and jalapeños--and it was amazing. The fries, that came with the sandwich, were fried to perfection and topped with thyme and rosemary.

I mean, check out this restaurant:

It was delicious and I would highly recommend it if you live in, or are visiting, the area.

But, lets go back to the beginning.

(view in the room)

We arrived on Saturday, dropped off our stuff and headed straight out into the city. We just walked, sort of aimlessly + sort of heading to Times Square.

We found Bryant Park and decided to plank. I can't explain it. It just seemed like something that needed to be done.

After we were finished acting like morons, we found Mister Softee and our lives were forever changed.

Mr. Softee is the most amazing ice cream I have ever eaten. It's smooth, creamy, and absolute perfection. I know you may think I'm being dramatic here, but trust me--this ice cream will make all other ice cream seem worthless.

Mine was of course covered in sprinkles because it's who I am.

Justin and I split a Mister Softee cone on Saturday night. And from then on we bought our own. No more sharing ice cream this good. We made it a habit to end the night with a Mister Softee. So we got some Saturday night, Sunday night, but then Monday was a problem. It was pouring rain and we were pounding the pavement in desperate search for Mister Sister (we affectionately referred to Mister Softee as "mister sister" throughout the trip because Justin couldn't read the truck when we found it and thought it said "mister sister". Creepiest name for an ice cream truck ever, but I cut the man some slack since we were about a block away trying to read a truck. I knew it was Mister Softee because I saw that Rev. Run, from Run DMC, would bring it back to his kids when I used to watch the show "Run's House". I loved that show. Anyway, this is getting long. Let me get back to it.). So Monday was the only day we missed Mister Softee. I'll tell you about Tuesday Mister Softee soon.

Sunday, we got up and went to a local diner for breakfast called Morningstar Cafe. It was cheap, familiar (bacon + egg's type food) and perfect to get on the go. Afterwards, we took the subway down to Wall St. and the World Trade Center Memorial. We didn't have tickets to see the actual memorial, but we walked around the area. And by walked, I mean we were shoved and trampled because that was tourist central. I'm aware that we were tourists as well, but man--there were tons.

Afterwards, we hit up Chipotle for lunch and headed to wander around Central Park. We went in the infamous Apple Store that is underground and FAO Schwartz. Afterwards, we went to John's pizza.

I was told by many (including Crystal) that John's pizza is some of the best pizza in New York City. They were all right. I mean, I have nothing to compare it to because it's the only pizza we got while we were there--but it was delicious.

The restaurant is in an old theater, and the two brick ovens were placed up by the stage. It was a really interesting place, and the service was great as well.

Finally, we went to the Nederlander Theater to see Newsies.

It was phenomenal. The best musical I've ever seen. Don't tell anyone, but I almost cried at the opening song. I was so excited to see my favorite childhood movie come to life!

I grew up watching Newsies all.the.time. My sister and I know all the songs.

However, I noticed as I got older that not many people knew about it, so it was always a great relief to find someone that knew and loved Newsies like I did.

In fact, within about two weeks of meeting Justin we realized that we both knew and loved Newsies. It's one of the reasons why I married him.

Afterwards, we found Mister Softee, indulged, and headed for "Top of the Rock" (the top of the Rockefeller center).

It was so cool to see the city at night. I downloaded a panorama app and got some good photos:

Times Square (daytime)

We packed so much into Sunday and slept like babies in our king bed. The next two days were rainy and chilly so it worked out wonderfully that we did all of the "outdoor" activities on Sunday.

I set up lunch with some of the Birchbox ladies that I've corresponded with over the months about setting up giveaways, the Zoya+Birchbox nail polish collaboration, etc. It was really nice to meet them! After lunch we went to the office's so I could take a behind the scenes peek! It seemed like a really fun place to work. There was lots of pink and cosmetic samples everywhere. And everyone was super stylish.

I was planning on looking stylish that day but the weather wasn't working with me.

I think the Lord was teaching me a lesson in vanity. ;)

I mean, there are few times that I really, really want my hair to look exceptional and my makeup to look nice--and meeting the Birchbox girls was one of those times.

But, it was 63 degrees, rainy and windy that morning. So I decided in the hotel room that I wasn't going to let the weather mess up my day.

Justin and I went to SoHo that morning to shop a bit before lunch. I was wearing peep toe shoes and getting judged by every person I passed on the street.

I was going to just put up with wet feet, until the rain just came pouring down and my feet were absolutely soaked. My shoes were literally sopping wet.

So shopping in SoHo became "let's find Kate some rain boots that aren't $280.00". We tried Old Navy, Gap, even Steve Madden. I was desperate.

Finally, we returned to the store C Wonder, that we had gone in prior to the commencement of the Rain Boot Search, where I had seen some rain boots.

At this point I was preparing myself for $50, maybe even $75.00 for rain boots. I was nautious.

The employee's looked at us with pity, as we were wet and cold, and I said, "I'm here for the rain boots."

They looked at my feet, winced, and showed me my options.

Bright yellow or Polka dot.

Neither of which would I ever choose if I was leisurely shopping for rain boots.

I picked up the blue polka dot ones, turned them over to look at the price, took a deep breath and saw "$29.99".

No.Way.

Then the employee said they were 50% off of $29.99.

They were $15.00.

Sold.

Here I am, happy, dry-ish, and posing with an Elephant.

With dry feet and a smile on my face, we went to Kate Spade. I'm kind of a huge fan.

I bought a scarf that I plan on being buried in because 1. it was not the same price as a Target scarf and 2. it's the coolest scarf I've ever seen.

The spade represents where Kate Spade is located.

Monday evening we ate at Tao, a popular asian restaurant. You may have heard that a lot of celebrities go to Tao when they are in NYC.

When we sat down at the table, we looked at each other confused.

"There are like 15 people here."

"It's not as cool as I thought it was going to be."

"I assumed it would be dark, with loud music, and full of celebs."

And then we looked at our watches.

It was 5:45pm.

And we just aged by 50 years.

We ate our delicious meals, used the bathroom because they had an attendant, and headed back out into the rain.

*Have you used a bathroom with an attendant? They turn the water on for you, squeeze soap in your hand, and hand you a towel. When I was in there, another woman just washed her hands with water, shook them to dry and walked out. I thought to myself, "atLEAST use soap when someone is standing there ready to squeeze it in your hand!"

We had about 2 hours to kill before seeing another show, so we decided to search for Mister Softee.

We did not find it that night because it was raining. ~~We almost cried.~~

We saw "Rent" later. It was in a really cool theater and the show was great.

(If you are going to NYC and deciding between Newsies or Rent, see Newsies. Newsies is on broadway and Rent is off broadway and there was a noticeable difference. Don't get me wrong, it was still great--but Newsies was amazing.)

On tuesday we went to see the Statue of Liberty and, like I mentioned above, had lunch with Crystal. Afterwards we endured final quest for Mister Softee.

We had 1 hour before we needed to be back at the hotel to catch a cab to Laguardia. After searching iPhone apps for "Mister Softee truck locators", googling it, tweeting SOS messages (sos="send us softee!") even calling the main office, we were left with nothing.

We walked through Times Square looking down every street for that majestic truck.

It was apparently the same time that all the mail trucks deliver mail and they deceivingly look like Mister Softee from a distance.

After 40 minutes, we almost had given up.

Until. . .

In the distance, Justin spotted a truck with red letters that looked like Mister Sister.

We quickened our pace. As soon we we were close enough to confirm that it was, in fact, Mister Softee we cheered! We high-fived in the middle of the crosswalk and practically ran over to it.

I'm sure the people around us thought "Those two must have just won the lottery due to the way they are acting".

In a way, we had.

We savored every bit of our ice cream cones, and headed back to the hotel.

And we declared the trip a success.

Striped Dress

2012-05-23T09:22:00.003-04:00

This dress is surprisingly flattering for having horizontal stripes.

Stripes can be tough because they can inadvertently add width to certain areas of your body.

But this dress is gathered at the waist on one side, so the stripes are pulled together creating an hourglass figure. And I thought, "If the dress is in an hour glass shape on the hanger, it will be a winner on."

Dress: The Loft Outlet (Spring 2012)

Scarf: Target (Spring 2012

Earrings: Francesca's (Spring 2012)

Watch: Target (Spring 2012)

Bracelet: Sak's off 5th (outlet) (Spring 2012)

Wedges: Gap outlet (Spring 2012)

All of these items came back with me from my annual Girls Trip with my mom and sister. And they were all great deals!

I can't remember the price of the dress, but I think it was around or under $30.00. The scarf was $14.99 at Target AND the watch (which is a knock-off and almost completely identical to a Fossil watch) was $14.99.

The bangle came from Sak's off 5th. We walked in there randomly while we were perusing the outlets and my sister and I both snagged a bangle for ourselves. It's gold, but pairs well with the rose gold watch.

*sidenote: My sister just taught me that you can mix metals and wear rose gold + regular gold. ::epiphany!::

And the wedges came from the Gap Outlet. More often than not, Gap and Gap outlet are a complete waste to shop at for me. I feel like the quality of their clothes has gone down. Shirts don't feel as nice as they used to, and don't survive in the washing machine.

But just like Target came out of no where a few years ago and became one of my favorite stores, Gap may turn around as well.

Mary Kay Giveaway

2012-05-22T07:51:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I was sent some samples of Mary Kay makeup from a lovely consultant.

I absolutely adored the eyeshadows, they went on like a dream. Very pigmented and matched the color in the package (which is always important).
The blushes and powders were great too. They applied evenly and blended really well.

I was impressed with the quality of makeup for the great prices too. I know Mary Kay has been around for awhile but somehow I never managed to try their products. I'm sure once I'm out of the current eye shadows that I'm wearing, I'll look into purchasing others through Mary Kay.

Makeup: Mary Kay

(will update with exact products used shortly)

Have you tried Mary Kay?

Would you like to win a $40 gift certificate to Sara's Mary Kay website!?

Use the giveaway tool below to enter!

Be sure to LIKE Sara's Facebook Page too!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

She's also currently offering 20% off your purchase on her website through May 25^th. Also, when you are shopping around, keep in mind that shipping is free on orders over $50.00 AND flat rate shipping of $5 on orders under $50!

The way the website works is that you’ll need to register as a customer, do your shopping here and then when you check out you’ll get an estimated total. Sara will be notified of the order and she'll have to check out the total, calculate tax, and take off 20%. Then she will send an email back to you with your actual total. Don’t freak out when you see an estimated total that is full price! She will have to go in after to take off the 20% and add tax. Enjoy shopping with your 20% off and please email her at sarabsorensen@marykay.com if you have any questions!

Pinned Half Up

2012-05-21T09:28:00.000-04:00

This hairstyle tutorial will show you a simple way to wear your hair half up. I actually wore my hair like this for my wedding 3 years ago. We had a small and intimate ceremony so I wanted to have soft and natural hair instead of something overly fancy.
If you have very thick hair, you'll need more bobby pins (and probably the strong hold type that can be found at Sally Beauty Supply), however medium or thin hair is a great texture to work with on this style!

Top: Loft

Jeans: Banana Republic Outlet

Shoes: Target

Necklace: Francesca's

Earrings: Francesca's

***

Update: some wedding photos so you can see this style on short straight, and short curled hair!

Wedding Day:

(straight hair)

Since our wedding was a small destination wedding in South Carolina, we had a reception a few weeks afterwards in my hometown for friends and family.

Photos from Reception:

(gently curled hair)

Gold Dipped Manicure

2012-05-18T08:15:00.001-04:00

The other night I was polishing my nails with OPI's So Many Clowns Too Little Time and I had an idea. I was thinking about swiping one coat of Sonia Kashuk's Golden Ticket on my pinkies to add a little something', but I didn't want it to be too much gold.

So I decided to swipe just the tips of all my nails with a bit of the gold polish.

And I loved the effect.

Here is what I did:
1. Apply 1 coat of Essie's 3-way glaze to clean nails.
2. Apply 2-3 coats of OPI's So Many Clowns Too Little Time (or another neutral) depending on the coverage you prefer. I like 3 coats.
3. Let dry completely.
4. Take gold nail polish, run the brush against the bottle so it doesn't ball up on the end of the brush, and swipe the tips of your nails with gold by holding the brush perpendicular to the nail. I just did it free-hand, but if you want a very crisp and perfect line, you can use the stickers provided in French Manicure sets.
5. Finish with a coat of Essie 3-way glaze.

Gold Jewels

2012-05-17T07:12:00.002-04:00

Today is the last day of vacation with my mom and sister.

We've spend the week down in South Carolina, near Hilton Head Island. The weather has been nice, but not as warm as we'd like it to be to lay by the pool.

But one of the things we gals do best is shop. Especially at an outlet mall. And the outlet mall here is phenomenal.

We've all picked up some new jewels and I thought I would share mine.

from the top:

1.Charming Charlie

2. Sak's Off 5th (on sale)

3. Francesca's Collections

4. Francesca's Collections

5. Francesca's Collections (with a new chain, the original chain was awful)

6. Francesca's Collections

7. Target

I love statement necklaces (obviously). They can really change up the look of an outfit. And I love the prices from Target and Francesca's. Since I don't wear statement necklaces all-the-time, it's nice to know I didn't spend a ton of money on them--kinda like what I did with this necklace.

Are you a statement necklace, or a long and delicate necklace fan? I enjoy a variety, but am definitely more drawn to statement necklaces these days.

May Birchbox

2012-05-16T08:14:00.002-04:00

My May Birchbox arrived last week!

This month, similar to a few months ago when Teen Vogue curated a box, the box was inspired by the show Gossip Girl on the CW. I don't watch it, but I was curious to see what was in the box anyway.

The Miss Dior perfume smelled good, although I tend to prefer fruity perfumes. The Dior Extase mascara was great. It darkened and thickened up my lashes with only a few swipes! It may be a little heavy for daily use, but it's great for impact.
I'm excited to give that Shu Uemura Cleasning Oil Shampoo a try. I'm sure my hair would feel wonderful after using it--since it would be so soft and moisturized. It would especially be great to use after a day in the sun!
I also managed to get a slight sun-burn yesterday at the pool (I'm on vacation this week!) regardless of the fact that I'm super strict about covering my body in a high SPF. I blame it on Kelle Hampton's book Bloom. I was completely sucked in and could not stop reading. So, I probably stayed out too long. Anyway, I'm looking forward to trying the Miracle Skin Transformer after my sun burn goes away. It comes either un-tinted or tinted. The tinted version would be great for applying to your décolleté when wearing a strapless dress. It will even out your skin tone and add a little moisture as well.
Lastly, they included little notecards that were based on Gossip Girl's ever-present phrase "xoxo" at the beginning of the episodes. Cute for a little gift for a girlfriend.

I always enjoy seeing what comes in my Birchbox each month! If you are interested in learning more, click here!

Stripes

2012-05-15T08:39:00.000-04:00

I've learned something about myself.

When I'm shopping, I am drawn to any/everything striped.

I can't help it. I love them.

Top: Marshall's (2012) {similar}

Skirt: J.Crew Outlet (2011) {similar}

Wedges: Old Navy (2012)

Necklace: Nordstrom (2012) {similar}

Have you jumped on the stripes bandwagon? If you haven't, you should. It's a great way to add a little pattern into your wardrobe without being too busy.

Reviving Slept on Locks

2012-05-14T07:15:00.000-04:00

For those of you who can go a day or two in between shampooing--you have probably already learned that dry shampoo is a great way to "refresh" your roots. The concept of dry shampoo is to absorb oil and and add a little lift to day old hair. Oftentimes there is a "baby powder type" of powder that is mixed in with the aerosol dry shampoo that helps absorb oil even more, however if it's overused your roots can look grey. Probably not the look you are going for.

Some of my favorite dry shampoos are:

Redken Powder Refresh

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

KMS Makeover Spray

*this is what I use in the tutorial

If you aren't able to go a day in between shampooing, sometimes a dry shampoo can add some bulk to your hair even if its clean. It won't be nearly as effective as a volume spray or a root lifter, but nevertheless it will add a little product and texture to your roots.

How to Revive your Hair on Day Two!

High Five for Friday!

2012-05-11T07:31:00.000-04:00

It's Friday (yay!) and I have had a very busy week!

We just moved into our new place and got mostly everything put away. My parents arrived a week later in order to be here for Justin's graduation dinner!

They arrived last Friday, unloaded their stuff at my sister's place, and then my mom and I spend the rest of the evening putting finishing touches on the living room/dining room/kitchen in order for the place to look "finished" for the dinner! My mom is a fantastic interior designer, so I wanted her help with hanging art and mirrors. We also create a gallery wall above my kitchen table that I am SO excited about.

The next day was Justin's dinner. His parents and sister came down, so it was great to have both families together!

This past week has been painting, projects, accessorizing, and basically working my mom to the bone. My sister and I took FULL advantage of having her here to help decorate. I cannot wait to take you on a home tour. We're planning a "mtv cribs" video tour--which could very well be hilarious.

Here are my top 5 things of the week!

1. My husband finished undergrad! I'm officially married to a rocket scientist. and HE surprised ME with the sweetest gift at his graduation dinner. He snuck away for a moment and returned with a gift bag. I was confused and thought maybe he was giving his mom a very early mother's day gift? Then he walked right over to me and said the sweetest things about putting up with late study nights, crazy schedules, and lots of dinners alone. He bought me a new lens for my camera, a 50mm. I was so surprised and so touched. What a man.

2. Eating a delicious dinner on my back patio. The weather has been delightful.

3. Looking forward to my trip to New York City with my husband. We are celebrating his graduation, 30th birthday, our 3 year anniversary all in one trip. It will be great.

4. Set up my bird feeder and love seeing my cats just stare out the window. I figure they get the same enjoyment from that that I do when watching New Girl.

5. Going on the annual girls trip with my mom and sister next week! After the craziness of the move + working long days at the salon, the escape to South Carolina is much, much needed.

Do you link up with From My Grey Desk for High Five for Friday?

What's in Katy's Purse?

2012-05-11T07:22:00.002-04:00

Hello, everyone! I'm Katy and I blog over at Katy Loves. When Kate first asked me if I'd like to participate in the purse posts, I jumped at the chance. Then I realized that my main purse contents were swimming in a sea of receipts, business cards and the like. Still, I absolutely adore getting a glimpse into the bags of bloggers I love or new bloggers I had yet to meet. So, here I am! But don't worry, I cleared away the messy seas and made way for only the good stuff. It's not the most glamorous of purse content posts, but it's definitely me.

I absolutely love my purse! I purchased it last summer from Forever 21 and is a dark chocolate brown, which makes it very easy to wear with everything. I needed one that wasn't huge, but definitely bigger than what I had at the moment. I like a purse that, if needed, I can fit my DSLR in when I need to have it with me. It also has a ton of pockets and a few different adjustable/removable straps that help it to become a shoulder bag or crossbody bag.

{1} My wallet was a Christmas gift from Adam, my husband. It's from Anthropologie and I love it! I love the vintage style of it and that it was tons of room for anything I need to store.

{2} I always have to have a journal near me. I carry this one with me in my purse and I keep one next to me on my bed stand. I love to write songs/poetry and the best lines usually pop into my head at the most random times and places. Having a journal always nearby makes it quite convenient. No more lost lyrics!

{3} I just purchased this planner from Target the other day. It took my a while to find one that worked for what I needed, but this one is small with just enough room to keep track of what I need to get done. I'm a social media strategist, so there's always something to tweet/post about. I like having things at my fingertips electronically and use TeuxDeux on my phone, but there's something about writing it down that helps it stick with me.

{4} This is a bit silly, but Nola's tags broke off a few weeks ago and I just haven't gotten around to finagling them back on her collar. This is sort of a reminder for me to get that done.

{5} My business cards live in a side-pocket of my purse. I'm always meeting people and it's a great tool to have on me to spread the word about my freelancing business.

{6} My phone. My camera. My iPod. My GPS system. My mailbox. My computer. My right arm? My phone.

{7} For when I wear my glasses and they get a bit smudgy, this cloth removes those blinding clouds from my lenses. This is a must have.

{8} Headphones. Another must have. I actually usually have two pairs of these on me. My main pair and an emergency pair. Music is my passion and I love being able to listen to it whenever I get the chance, so I keep these on me as well as the emergency pair in case I lose the main ones.

{9} Larabar. I love having a snack on me, for those moments when hunger strikes. It prevents me from spending money I don't need to spend and holds me over until I get home or to my next meal. This usually helps me stave off potential grumpiness as well. I'll keep a bar on hand or some almonds and it's definitely a good thing to have!

{10} Shout wipes, because I'm clumsy sometimes. True story.

{11} Quench mints. The gentleman who started this company spoke to us at Blissdom and I will always buy their products when I see them on the shelves. Definitely check out the website, Project 7.

{12} Orbit gum. Pretty much self-explanatory. I'm not a huge gum chewer, but I usually keep some on me for Adam(the husband).

{13} Shea Butter from L'Occitane. I love this little tin. It lasts forever and is great for moisturizing lips, cuticles, dry patches on skin, keeps eyebrows in place, it's great do-it-all trick to have on hand, especially in the dry winter air.

{14} Bobby pins & hair ties because my hair and humid air do not mix.

{15} Revlon shade #651 "Porcelain Pink". My favorite shade of Revlon lipstick right now.

{16} Sonia Kashuk lip pencil in China Red for when my lips need a bit more color.

{17} Bliss roll-on perfume . My sister bought this for me for Christmas and I LOVE it! Great scent and perfect for when I want a little extra fragrance that day. It's small and a little dab is all you need!

First time trying Benefit foundation

2012-05-10T08:53:00.001-04:00

The packaging got me.

I really thought it was cute, and I had never tried Benefit foundation products before.

I was looking for a lighter foundation for summer so I gave this a shot.

Turns out, I need a little bit more coverage, and less shine. I also think I had better stick with "mattifying" foundations instead of "natural finish" foundations. The natural finishing looks tend to get too shiny on my face.

But, if you are looking for a clean and lightweight foundation, try it. It's also great for relatively clear skin that doesn't need a lot of coverage.

Have you tried the Hello Flawless? What do you think?

What's in Maggie's Purse?

2012-05-10T08:05:00.000-04:00

Hello, Small Things Blog friends! This is Gussy of Gussy Sews and I'm here to share with you a few necessities to WHAT'S IN MY BAG.

My husband and I live in Minneapolis, and even though it's May it's still a little chilly in the mornings. I walk our dog every day, usually in the morning but sometimes in the afternoon ~ so having a cowl handy is key! I crocheted this oatmeal-colored one one wintery evening, and while I suppose I should be surprised I'm still wearing it on occasion, I'm not :) We're in Minneapolis, remember?! I also have essentials like my keys + wallet with me at all times, along with my iPhone and a small Bible. When I'm out + about working I'll have my MacBook with me {shown with our Gray Rose Macbook case}. I can get over three hours of battery life so having my computer with me makes it super easy to work because I don't need much else. OK -- maybe also a caramel latte... Next up in my bag? Two medium zip pouches. One holds pens + my large collection of lip gloss, lipstick and chap stick. The other holds two pairs of sunglasses {both from Forever 21}. I LOVE SUNGLASSES and have trained my blue eyes to need them at all times when outside since I wear them so much. Since I can fit two pairs of sunglasses in one medium zip pouch I just carry both. ♥ And lastly, everything fits inside one my Gussy tote bag {bag shown is the tote/diaper bag style}. We have a few different sizes of bags -- tote/diaper [largest], glam tote [medium] + market tote [smallest]. All are super lightweight and very in how much they can hold, all show off a Gussy ruffle! Not shown is my secret stash of chocolate or sweet/sour candy! I loooove sweets, thank goodness my husband knows this so I no longer have to keep it a secret from him. Just from everyone else. Except now YOU know... tee hehe...

P.S. Every week the shop is updated with new products. Thanks to the sweet + wonderful Kate for letting me share WHAT'S IN MY BAG!

What's in Hayley's Purse?

2012-05-09T07:39:00.000-04:00

Today's purse peek comes from Hayley over at The Tiny Twig.

My purse if fairly fuss-free. Most of the time, if I'm honest, I really just stick that cute little pouch (with credit cards and ID) and my iPhone (my portable office!!) in my back pockets and go. When I have my big purse, I have:

my small, decoupaged, from Junior year of High School Bible and Jesus Calling devotional...great for quick moments in the car.
Burt's Bee's lipbalm in Rose--the most amazing light red color, beautiful on EVERYONE!
my business cards, never know who you'll run into!
post-it notes because I'm obsessed!
my whole-life-and-all-ideas-are-in-it notebook.
a bold necklace, in case I need to fancy up a casual outfit on the fly.
my iPhone...my portable office, my love, my addiction.
a great, simple ballpoint pen. nothing better. I write with blue ink, never black.
my cute wallet that holds just enough cash or credit and my ID.

Hayley wrote a wonderful e-book titled "The No-Brainer Waredrobe" which teaches you how to get dressed with less fuss. Use coupon code "small50" to get a discount on "The No-Brainer Waredrobe"!

I like to keep things as simple as possible. I was never one to carry a fussy diaper bag with me when my kids were infants. I realized I never used 3/4 of the stuff in there--and hated lugging around a bag that was bigger than the baby. I carry that same philosophy over into my purse as well. Simple is the best way to handle purses!

The Tiny Shop, where the necklace featured on the photo is from, is only open a few times a year for a short period of time until the items sell out. Unfortunately, they sold out yesterday! I'll be sure to let you know when the Tiny Shop opens again!

What's in Lauren's purse?

2012-05-08T07:30:00.000-04:00

hello, lovelies.

i'm lauren and i blog over @ from my grey desk. i also just so happen to be kate's sister.

i'm excited to be part of this series and, quite frankly, wish i would have thought of it first ;)

but really, i usually have a ton of useless stuff in my purse, including 7 lipsticks/chapsticks, 28 advil capsules, and tissues i never use. but, hey, you never know when an entire neighborhood is going to have a headache and you can offer them all relief.

below you will see an itemized list of what's in my big ole' bag. lucky for you, i just cleaned out my purse a few days ago. i'm pretty sure i lost about 2 pounds of stuff. it's bad.

kate also asked that we answer a few questions. so, here goes.

what must you always have in your bag?

chapstick. no doubt. i'm addicted.

what is the most random thing you carry in your bag?

i used to carry a mini flashlight that my dad gave me back in high school. he always said "you never know when you might need it". turns out, i never needed it. so i took it out.

do you prefer a small or large purse?

large. for all my crap.

do you change your purse with your outfit or wear one for a season?

usually, a season. i actually don't like for my purse to match my outfit because it's too matchy-matchy to me. i typically use the same purse for 3-4 months and then change it up.

does your wallet have to match the bag?

no. again, i'm not really into the matching thing.

the bag i'm currently using

Studio Elle Giveaway

2012-05-08T07:24:00.000-04:00

Today's giveaway comes from Studio Elle.

The shop is filled with brightly colored, and patterned, items that I'm sure you'll love. And her iPhone covers are some of the best I've seen!

She sent me a lovely mousepad that goes perfectly in my new office (photos to come soon)!

Be sure to stop by her shop on Etsy to see her other great items for sale!

Would you like to win a custom mousepad from Studio Elle?

Use this giveaway tool to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What's in Carrie's Purse?

2012-05-07T08:58:00.000-04:00

Hi, my name is Carrie.

I blog over at Chasing Big Dreams and I sell handmade accessories over at Caroline G. I recently changed the direction of my blog this year when I felt a tugging on my heart to use my voice to encourage and inspire others around me. And I started my handmade business two years ago while teaching preschool.

1. purse: longchamp. 2. wallet/wristlet: coach 3. wrislet: gussysews 4. sharpies + notepad: target 5. journal: michaels 6. lipgloss: clinque 7. car keys 8. bandaids: target 9: iphone + case: kate spade 10. iphone case pouch: gussysews 11. thank you notes: target 12. scripture cards 13. sunglasses and croakies: target and lilly pulitzer 14. tissues (dang allergies): target. 15. water bottle

1. The one thing that I always carry around inside my purse is my little gussysews' bags. I use one to protect my phone from all the miscellaneous things in my bag. And I often carry a wristlet within my purse so that I when I'm out and about I don't have to carry around a large bag throughout the many aisles of stores such as target because apparently I shop there a lot.

2. I tend to switch purses out based on outfits. My longchamp bag tends to be my go to bag since it goes with most of my outfits being that its a light shade of green and I am usually found wearing pink and green 90% of the time. However, I usually alternate between that bag and other bright colored bags such as a large tote from GussySews or Vera Bradley since both brands carry bright bold colors and patterns.

3. I always, alway, always prefer a large bag over a small one. I tend to carry around way more than necessary, but I find a bigger bag easier to manage for shopping trips where I can slip a purchase into my bag and have have to worry about carrying around an additional bag. And because I carry smaller wristlets within my bag, I can always ditch the bigger bags when I'm tired of carrying it around.

*Carrie is very excited to announce her dress line launch! Click here to shop!
Also, she's offering a free extra bow to people who order today!

Voluminous Waves

2012-05-07T07:33:00.000-04:00

I've found a new, and semi-quick, way to give your hair lots of body and loose waves. The key with this style is taking really large sections, and clipping them with duckbill clips to cool. It's not very different than my Setting Curls tutorial, except the finished look is looser and softer!

*I'm using a 1 1/4 inch barrel curling iron by Hot Tools

Purple shirt: Target, Sweater: Gap

Mother's Day Gift Guide

2012-05-06T07:20:00.001-04:00

Mother's day is around the corner, and if you are still looking for the perfect gift for your mom, here is a gift guide that should spark some inspiration.

You know I love handmade, so all of these items are from Etsy!

A zipper pouch from Allisa Jacobs. I have several of her items and absolutely love them.

A unique card from Monkeymindesign. There are a lot of other great options in their shop as well.

For the cook, a salt cellar + spoon is perfect to leave right by the stove. By VesselsandWares.

These garden markers are so unique, and perfect for the mom who loves to garden. By noJOisaverage.

Beautiful earrings from The Dotted Poppy, who happens to be my mom!

Beautiful and personalized notecards from NaomiLynn.

**be sure to check the shipping/turnover time with these items to see if you can receive them by mother's day!

What's in Jessica's Purse?

2012-05-04T07:43:00.000-04:00

hello! it's jessica here from allora handmade. i am the author of the blog allorahandmade.com where i share about my life as a crazy handmade business owner and mom of 2 wild boys. i spend my days balancing scraped knees and dumptrucks with rosies and pretty fabric for my shop. and life is good!

i'm excited to be here and feel a little nervous that here we just met and i'm about to expose my innermost secrets... the contents of my purse!

i used to be the type that didn't believe in carrying a purse. if it didn't fit in my back pocket, i didn't carry it. since becoming a mom, i have learned the error of my ways and am never without a giant bag - for the "just in case."

you caught me on a lucky day - i had mostly emptied my purse of mom paraphernalia when i went to SNAP! the conference last week, so i don't even have any little boy undies in there. bummer.

once again, everything in my purse (even the little boy undies), i carry around "just in case." i'll show you what i mean:

1. just in case it's sunny, i always carry my sunglasses (in their adorable sunnies case), an extra necklace (just in case of a fashion emergency???) and extra business cards in case someone asks about my accessories.
** enter code SMALLTHINGS for 15% off in my shop!

2. in case my boys get restless running errands, TWO hot wheels cars (because having just 1 is worse than having none at all!) and the name tag? well - that's just leftover from a conference. i can't even pretend that might be useful anywhere else ;)

3. my wallet is also a wristlet that even has a removable shoulder strap - which is very convenient in case i decide to ditch the big bag and just want the very essentials. i love that i can carry it like a little purse, but it fits my phone, lipgloss and all forms of $$ (plastic and paper) easily. and i am totally ok with the fact that it doesn't match my purse exactly, but "goes." i never have been a big fan of matching anyhow.

4. this may as well be called my just in case pouch - full of things i may never need, but want to have on hand: my fave lipgloss (pink mint from C.O. Bigelow- bath and body works), my fave gum (orbitz sweet mint) and a credit card swiper from intuit. you know, just in case someone wants to pay me ;)

5. water and a little snack - just in case i get hungry/thirsty. i learned when i was pregnant the first time to always keep food with me for fear of getting sick, and i've never gotten out of the habit!

6. a pen and some colored pencils for the boys in case we need a little boredom buster or i need to make a list on the go. and of course the iphone, my favorite friend. but the best part is my phone case - it may be my favorite thing in my purse! just in case my precious phone gets dropped in the toilet, ocean or bath, or just in case it gets run over by a bike or dropped from the top of the stairs (not that any of that has EVER happened...) my lifeproof case has saved my phone from dying many deaths and is worth every penny.

purse: target (mossimo supply) this winter, wristlet: urban outfitters, water bottle: contigo, phone case: lifeproof, sunglasses: target, sunnies case: the pleated poppy, rosette necklace: allora handmade, zipped pouch: gussy sews, card reader: intuit, lipgloss: c.o. bigelow for bath and body works, key fob: knitty bitties.

with all this on hand, i'm pretty much ready for anything. don't ya think?

so i'm curious- what do you carry "just in case?"

What's in Allyson's Purse?

2012-05-03T07:52:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! I’m Allyson from Allyson, Recipe Ranger, a blog about yummy recipes I’ve been cooking and various musings I’ve been pondering. Kate had a pretty nifty idea with this purse series, so when she asked me to join the fun, I gladly obliged. I can’t think of a better way to get to know a gal than to rifle through her purse, so let’s rifle, shall we?

A little Q & A:

1. What must you always, always have in your bag (besides the obvious)?

My lips could not live without some sort of lip balm. That “eos” egg is my new favorite.

2. What is the most random thing you carry in your bag?

I’d say the most random item in there would be not one but two pairs of earbuds. Why do I have two pairs in my purse? I have no idea. It’s just that random.

3. Do you prefer a small purse, or a large one?

I’m more a medium purse kind of gal. If the bag is too big, I lose things in a mysterious fashion rivaling the Bermuda Triangle. I also can’t handle a double strap purse because one or both straps always seem to be falling off my shoulder. This one is perfect for me because it’s a cross body style which I find quite comfortable.

4. Do you change your purse with your outfit, or wear one for a "season"?

I am such an atypical girl in this arena because I wear one purse PERIOD. I think a purse is a wonderful, stylish accessory, but I just can’t fathom changing the stuff in and out of it every time I wear a different outfit or the season changes. I keep it simple and go neutral so that my purse works with anything I wear. And this gray shade is perfect to do just that. Doc (my boyfriend who gave me the purse) has great taste, doesn’t he?

5. Does your wallet have to match the bag?

Not at all. I’m of the philosophy that black goes with absolutely everything!

It’s been a treat to spend some time here on The Small Things Blog and share all the ins and outs of my purse with you. You’re always welcome to stop by Allyson, Recipe Ranger. Enjoy the rest of your day, and whatever purse you wear, may you always find your keys, your favorite lip balm, and your ringing cell phone.

What's in Lindsey's Purse?

2012-05-02T07:56:00.001-04:00

Lindsey from The Pleated Poppy

hey all! i'm lindsey from the pleated poppy! thanks so much kate for including me in this series!

while my main job is being a wife to my husband and mom to my 3 kids, i also have a shop full of handmade goodness and a blog featuring new products, tutorials, home decorating, and "what i wore wednesdays". come visit me over there sometime!

this is the bag i've been carrying nearly every day lately - my new messenger bag. i love the long strap to carry across my body and the roominess of the purse. if i'm working at a coffee shop, i can even fit my laptop in there!

i have a lot in here, but its actually pretty organized - everything in its own space!

there are a couple pockets in here - one fitting my iphone perfectly, another for a pen (which is always floating around the bottom of my other purses), and another to catch smaller things (like my tape measure and business cards).

my favorite part of my bag is this little loop for my keys! i always keep my keys on a caribeaner, to clip onto my belt loop if i'm running out to pick up the kids at school. so i designed a loop in this bag so my keys are always at the ready and i never have to search for them!

here's the dump!

yes, there's a lot there, but its all pretty organized. and pretty! i love having pretty things in my bag that are also super functional.

1 - pen, mini tape measure, random note from lily (telling me she had a good day - makes me happy every time i see it!)

2 - checkbook cover holding 3 checkbooks: 1 for personal, 1 for business, 1 for the stitch market

3 - stitch market fliers for our boutique next week

4 - 2 zippered pouches: 1 for receipts, 1 for the daily essentials (see below)

5 - sunnies case - i cannot live without my sunglasses! my light eyes are way too sensitive to go out without them.

6 - my gift card wallet (old, by fossil). yes, i know its silly to carry 2 wallets, but when its this pretty it makes sense, right?

7 - tiny pouch holding business cards. sometimes i use it to hold change. sometimes i grab just this pouch, throw in my id, a credit card, and a little cash, and ditch the bag altogether!

8 - my wallet (from target - i think they still have it). love the happy mustard color and the easy access of the credit cards. i've never had to match my wallet to my purse, but it does always have to be 2 things: pretty and functional.

9 - travel tissue case. 3 kids, cold season and allergies. 'nuf said. also my coffee cuff, made by knitty bitties. and my phone.

10 - covered notebook - i use this to keep random notes, to draw new product designs, to write blog and business ideas.

these 2 pouches keep my bag more organized than anything else! what makes my bag the messiest is receipts and all the little essentials rolling around the bottom of the bag, but these 2 pouches keep them all corralled.

my zippered pouch holds my essentials:

tweezers, burt's bees, cover girl lash blast volume mascara, mirror, hair elastic and bobbies, altoids cinnamon smalls (bigs are too strong!), cottonelle wipe (kid emergencies), lip pencils: cork by mac, radiant rosy by sephora, bandaid (again, kid emergencies), eye drops, and a tiny tin for aspirin.

how pretty is this wallet?! i just wish it were more functional (its too tiny to hold everything i need). but it holds my random club cards, coupons, and gift cards.

my absolute necessities: sunglasses, burt's bees chapstick, lip pencils, and iphone. can't. live. without.

most random thing i carry: everything i carry has a function, except my note from lily. that just makes me happy!

small purse or large: once the weather gets warmer, i tend to go for a lighter, smaller bag. in the summer, i carry a wristlet clutch and just toss in my wallet, zippered pouch, keys and sunnies!

change purse with outfit?: i don't really switch out my bags much, unless it really really clashes with my outfit.

wallet matching bag?: nope. as long as its pretty, i like it!

well, there you have it! thanks so much for allowing me to share this space with you all, and hopefully i'll see you over at my blog soon!

What's in My Purse Series

2012-05-01T07:52:00.001-04:00

I think you can tell a lot about a woman by what she carries in her purse. So, in order to introduce you to some of my favorite bloggers, I thought we would peek into their purses and see what they carry around with them all day.

I'll start.

Here's the truth:

This is what my purse really looks like. Total mess, all the time. But for the sake of blogging and clarity, I divided out my items to showcase each one. And it gave me a perfectly good reason to clean out my purse too.

Lately I've been carrying my creamy white Kate Spade outlet (plus it was on sale) bag. My mom bought this for me last winter and I love it.

The wallet was purchased at the same time as the bag. And so was the card case.

The yellow card case is from Allisa Jacobs. Basically, I love everything she makes. The other card case is an old Vera Bradley.

The pill pouch is originally a contact lens case. I just took out the plastic insert and it was perfect for carrying around advil. The checkbook cover is from Allisa Jacbos. The sunglasses case is from H&M recently and was about $3.00. And that's my work phone down at the bottom.

I always have a little bit of powder on me in case I need a touch up. And I usually have a variety of gum as well. The adorable tissues are from the Michaels dollar section. My personal phone is the iPhone. That notepad is from Target, bought for me by my sister. And the Jonathon Adler pen is from Home Goods!

I always have band-aids do to random blisters or nicking myself at work. The lipstick/gloss pouch is from The Pleated Poppy*. It's perfect for keeping all the lip products together so they don't sink to the bottom of the bag. The hand cream came in a Birchbox a few months ago and smells delicious. I always have bobby pins and hairspray. I mean, do I need to explain why? ;)

*would you like 15% off at The Pleated Poppy shop? Enter code "SMALLTHINGS" at checkout!

I hope you enjoyed peeking into my purse! Be sure to check back this week to see what these bloggers carry with them:
Lauren -- From My Grey Desk
Katy -- KatyLoves
Hayley -- The Tiny Twig
Lindsey -- The Pleated Poppy
Jess -- AlloraHandmade
Carrie -- Chasing Big Dreams
Maggie -- Gussy Sews
Allyson -- Allyson Recipe Ranger

Three Bird Nest Giveaway

2012-05-01T07:44:00.002-04:00

Today's giveaway comes from Three Bird Nest!

"I love to design & create pretty much anything. Three bird nest is a collection of all things I love. I create for the woman that wants to make a statement without saying a word. One that is sophisticated, yet fun. One that loves fashion, but not being trendy. She’s a mom, a student, a daughter, a bride, a woman going on a first date. She’s you.

On a personal note I'm a mom to three, married to my love for almost 12 years and am just truly grateful for all of the support from my amazing customers!"

Alicia just sent me these beautiful felt flower hair pins that I featured in yesterday's tutorial:

Be sure to "like" the Three Bird Nest Facebook page to stay up to date on all the new items available!

Enter to win your very own set of felt flower hair pins, or another hair accessory from Three Bird Nest!

Use the giveaway tool below to enter.

The winner has been announced!

For everyone:

Use code "small things" to get 20% off your order through Sunday May 13th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway