Loving Lately...

As I get in the habit of routinely blogging again, I thought I'd start with a post about what I've been loving lately.  There are a lot of beautiful things being created right now, brilliant products being perfected by science, and a lot of great creative inspiration out there.

First on the list:  

I'm a girl who likes to wear her hair down and parted on the same side.  I also have fine hair that can tend to curl, which means that the early morning hair decisions that I make will set the stage for the day.   I can't wear a hat unless the plan is to wear it all day or I'll have hat-hair.  You know what I mean.

I tend to get sunburned on the top of my head a lot which eventually leads to peeling, which is just gross, so I am always on the hunt for sunscreen that won't grease my scalp and look icky.  My friend told me about this sunscreen powder and I checked it out.  It works so well I had to give a little shoutout.  It's called Colorescience, it looks like makeup, goes on without a trace, and works really well!  I have been using it all summer on my hairline and my face.  I use it on the girl's faces too.

The initial purchase is a wee bit spendy but it has refills.  I've been told one applicator will last for a few months, which is perfect!  Skincare and sunscreens are a top priority for me lately, so I had to pass on a great product.  You can purchase a water resistant version, and there's even eyescreen!  I've never heard  of an eyescreen before.  That's new to me.  

Next on my list makes my Iphone very happy:

Orla Kiely for Target

I'm obsessed with this designer.  I smile every time I wash my hands in the sink, lol.  She's just come out with Ipad covers and Iphone cases, and I have to have this one I think:

Okay, now that we have our faces and our phones happy.... The next thing I wanted to share are the Spring chinos from Boden.  

I wouldn't begin to describe myself as fashionable or trendy.  I prefer to shop via the internet which means a lot of Gap, Old Navy, and some Banana Republic or maybe a touch of Ann Taylor Loft.  That said, the Boden catalog is one of my favorite pieces of mail.  I'd love to order one of each.  One of my staples this Spring has been these chinos.  I've been wearing them rolled up with flip flops or wedges and I just love them.  My favorites are the gray pinstripe pair.  I bought mine on sale and was just checking the site to order more colors and found them on clearance so had to share.  Maybe they are on clearance because they are called a "Spring" chino.  I don't know and I don't care.  I love them and ordered more.  True, they are running out of various sizes, but my favorite color seems to be in good supply so check them out.  $39 is a great price and it doesn't take much to get free shipping!  I was really excited to see these pants on Clearance.  I just added 4 pairs to my cart including Terracotta for $23.40!  Who doesn't need a little terracotta in their life?  Am I right?  

And with summer soon over and a new school year about to start, of course I need a good planner.  I found Emily Ley and I really like her take.

With August only a few days away it's time to get organized.  School, soccer practice, and maybe a little hip hop or hula dancing for the girls (we are still trying to decide), my kids certainly have a busy schedule coming up.  Steve is always trading shifts and working overtime so it's important for me to keep track of his schedule too.  And then there's me.  If I don't get my own classroom this year, I'm already on the sub list for three districts, so keeping track of my personal schedule is going to be crucial, because my crafty schedule needs to fit in there too.  It looks like the year ahead will be exciting!  I hope to keep all the squares filled.  

I have heard great things about these planners so of course I had to try one for myself.  If you follow Emily Ley on Facebook there's even a discount offer for the Date Book above.  Check it out!  The planners looks heavenly as well.  If I can do a good job with my date book, and don't lose it anywhere, lol, I am going to look into one of those for next year.  I love all the supplemental pages you can add.  There's even a recipe book that looks tempting too.  Maybe that'll be put on my Christmas list.  ;)  

Lastly, of course I want to add something crafty to the list of favorite things.  I have a few things in mind but for this post it has to be the August kit from Gossamer Blue.  You can check out the August Lookbook here with a a peek at the colors, some of the products, and the guest designer.  

Here is a sneak of one of my projects from this kit:

There are a lot of fun travel products in this kit which are just gorgeous.  I don't go anywhere, but I had a lot of fun with this kit taking it into different directions, and used current photos too.   The designers who are creating papers for this kit are beyond talented.  I loved cutting into their work.  :)

I guess that's it!  Back soon.

Davinie