{Boutique Baby Bib Tutorial and Pattern}

Making a fun and functional boutique bib can make a great gift for a friend or for your own baby! I love to to mix and match fabrics to come up with something really unique and special. You can use chenille, fleece or backing of choice. Everyone knows someone having a baby, skip the registry and make that special gift! I have included my pattern for you to use. As well as instructions to make it!

 Here is what you are going to do. First print both pieces of the pattern found here and here. Cut and trace onto fabrics you are going to use.

Place right sides together and iron then pin all the way around. I use a 1/8 and sew all the way around leaving a 2 inch hole for turning. Before turning I carefully cut all corners all the way around,

Turn inside out and carefully make each corner as crisp as you can. I use my scissors but I would not recommend this as I have on one or more occasion blown a hole right through the fabric. I find an iron is really good as I find it helps with the detail of the topstitching.

I use about a 1/8 inch top stitch all the way around, starting and ending with the turn hole. I find this is the best place to show detail, you can be creative using decorative stitching, contrasting stitch colors. Choose a great contrasting thread if you are confident in your stitch abilities.

These are super adorable and durable. I love making these for my friends and family and even my own babies.

The pattern available here is my own, use this for gifts and personal use.

{Looking for Help to Get Your Kids to Read This Summer?}

Summer is coming up fast!  If you looking for a way to encourage your kids to read this summer, go check out the free Book Adventure website.    My kids used the site last summer, and it really worked to help get them to read.  

In school, the kids have a reading goal, and they take tests on the computer to show that they have read and understood a book.  Book Adventure allows you to do that at home.

{Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickeys Great Outdoors DVD}

Mickey and the whole gang are back with a great new DVD that is packed with some great episodes. This DVD is perfect for summer to get kids outside having fun! preschoolers will enjoy the outdoors by camping, fishing and exploring nature with their favorite pals. This fun packed DVD is also available with the Mickey Mote.

{Tylenol Upcoming Product Enhancements}

  Having smaller children I have always been concerned about medications for them when they are sick. From knowing what to use and how much, it can be confusing. I have always been scared to give too much for the younger ones. There has been much confusion surrounding this type of thing. I try to always rely on what their Pediatrician recommends. But there are times when he is not available. Right now there are some new changes and improvements to Infants’ and Children’s Tylenol that I wanted to let you all know about. Also here is a link to the official Tylenol products update page.

{Marika Tek Short Sleeve Tee}

You may recall the Smart and Trendy Moms review of the Marika Magic Uplift Sports Bra from a few months ago. Marika is a great company that has fashionable comfortable active wear. They have several awesome lines of workout clothes that are comfortable, trendy, and help you look good! When you feel good about how you look, it's so much easier to workout.  But not only is their active wear attractive, it’s also functional. Yes, you CAN have it all!

{Kushyfoot Athletic Socks}

Kushyfoot offers socks, foot covers, toe covers, and tights that use the principles of reflexology to massage your feet with every step. The padded/wavy design cushions your feet in your shoes.

I got a chance to try some of their athletic styles - the Ruffle Low Cut Sock, and the Tonal Diamond Motif Quarter Sock with padded soles. I normally don’t wear low cut socks, but I have to admit, I love these! They are comfortable and stylish. The socks add padding to the bottom of your foot without feeling bulky and are awesome to workout in. They are soft and comfortable.

{bareMinerals Naturally Luminous skincare}

I recently got the opportunity to try a couple products from Bare Escentuals new bareMinerals Naturally Luminous skincare line. The bareMinerals skincare line contains "RareMinerals Active Soil Complex" which is designed to increase cell turnover, reduce pore size, and help develop softer smoother skin. They say that their formulas “combine the very best of nature with science and modern technology so you can experience extraordinary results.”

{Cardpool - Gift Card Exchange}

Ever have a gift card that you just don’t want or can’t use?   Well, instead of just having it take up space in your wallet or giving it away, there are other options.  I want to tell you guys about a site that I just heard of:  Cardpool.  You can buy gift cards at a discount and you can sell gift cards that you don’t want.  A gift card exchange - how cool is that?  You can get money for gift cards you aren’t going to use or you can buy discounted cards that you will use. Love it!

Here’s how it works:

Buying - They have cards from lots of major retailers, and you can buy the cards at a 5% to 35% discount.    Some of the cards they sell are electronic gift cards so you can use them right away, and they offer free shipping on the gift cards that they send by mail.

Selling - To sell your gift cards, you enter the retailer and the amount and they give you an offer.  If you accept the offer, you send them the card (they provide a free shipping label) or enter the code, and they will send you a check or you can choose to get an Amazon.com credit.

My first thought when I heard about it was to wonder  if they are reputable (I’m suspicious that way), but as it turns out they have gotten good reviews from CNN, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, many of the major network news stations, and many other places.  They also offer a purchase guarantee.

Another thing I like about the site is that you buy and sell directly from them.  They verify the balance on each card that they purchase from someone and make sure it’s valid.    Their site is very easy to use.  Stop by their site and check out all of the awesome gift cards at discount prices.

 

 I hope you enjoyed this post! Never miss a post-Subscribe by Reader or Email!This is a sponsored post.  Smart and Trendy Moms finds products, ideas, projects, recipes, and other information that we have personally found helpful or interesting.  As always, it is up to you to determine what is appropriate for you, your children, and your situation.  See our Disclosure

{The Wild Thornberrys: Season 1 on DVD}

The Wild Thornberrys: Season 1 on DVD is available to purchase now and was released May 17th. We have had a lot of fun watching this series on DVD. Following along with this family's adventures has taught my kids more about animals. This crazy family travels around filming animals with tons of other things all in one. My kids love that one of the characters Eliza can communicate with the animals. If you are a long time fan of the Wild Thornberrys then this is a must have DVD! Kids and parents will both love the show. Check out the clip below and do let me know, do your kids love The Wild Thornberrys?

Finding Sports Bras on Sale

I absolutely love shopping. It is one of my favorite things to do. But as a mom of three I am most often shopping for my husband or one of the three kids. But I have decided to try and start shopping more for myself. For me getting myself something new always feels great and is something I totally deserve. Most of my shopping is here in town but their are some things I really would rather purchase online. I do not find much fun in shopping for bras, underwear and lingerie with three sets of eyes next to me. So I try and find deals on womens bras online.

I recently decided that I am going to start a walking/jogging routine. I got myself a treadmill, a positive attitude and will be starting next Monday. I am really excited for this new change in my life. I have started to think about what types of bras and clothes that I could wear while working out. I am all about comfy and think a sports bra would my best bet. I am no stranger to them and always have my eye out for sports bras on sale.

I have always loved wearing sports bras but I am very particular about the ones I get. I always look for ones with thick straps that look durable. I think this will be really important with exercising to keep everything in place. I just really want them to be comfy, easy to wear and look decent on me. I often try to find ones with cute colors so I can pair it with a tank and still look great. I'm starting the new exercise routine on Monday. I'll keep you guys updated on how it goes. Wish me luck!

I hope you enjoyed this post! Never miss a post-Subscribe by Reader or Email! Smart and Trendy Moms finds products, ideas, projects, recipes, and other information that we have personally found helpful or interesting.  As always, it is up to you to determine what is appropriate for you, your children, and your situation.  See our Disclosure

{Enjoy Lighting Flameless Candles}

One thing I love to do is decorate my house. I have a love for candles and you can tell that from every room is my home. However 90% of my candles go unburned due to safety and where they are located in the house. There are so many areas in my home that I use candles that would not be safe to light without moving. This becomes a total bummer because who doesn't love the look of a burning candle or two on the mantel. But what if you had a way to have beautiful candle light anywhere at anytime without having to worry about it?

{Barbar Hair Tools Giveaway}

I love doing my hair in different ways and have my fair share of styling tools. I find the ones I love not only work well but are functional and save me time. One of my newest must have items is the BARBAR 1900 Tourmaline Cordless Combo. This is exactly what I needed all in one. I curl my hair as often as I straighten it making this item totally perfect for me. I love it!

{Chuggington Interactive Wash & Fuel Starter Set}

Do your kids love Chuggington? My kids sure do. They can watch episode over and over if I let them. The have so much fun watching and playing along. Now my son is really into the Chuggington toys. His newest toy is the Chuggington Interactive Wash & Fuel Starter Set. My son is able to play with Brewster on the figure eight track, he has a blast fueling up and washing off. I love that we can get him some of the other engines and they can interact with each other.

{bodycology}

I have always really enjoyed pampering products. I am a huge junkie of anything that smells good and finding great products that make you feel good is just as important. I have tried so many different really great products but one of my favorite brands is bodycology! From one wonderful uplifting scent to another I always love the products I get from them. My absolute favorites are their body mists and lotions. I am always impressed with the selection and love the way I feel using bodycology products.

A few of the newest things I have tried are the bodycology®’s Warm & Cozy Sock Set
in Sunshine Daisy, and their Clean Waters Anti-Bacterial Foaming Hand Soap. I must say that I love the sock set and the scent of Daisy Sunshine is amazing. The foaming soap smells so good and leaves my hands really soft! All of their products are great and are very affordable!

You can find them in Facebook and Twitter!

I hope you enjoyed this post! Never miss a post-Subscribe by Reader or Email!Smart and Trendy Moms finds products, ideas, projects, recipes, and other information that we have personally found helpful or interesting.  As always, it is up to you to determine what is appropriate for you, your children, and your situation.  See our Disclosure

{ My Love for Email}

Thank you to Yahoo! Mail for sponsoring this post about staying connected. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.


Checking my email is one of those things I do daily. I cannot recall the very first email I sent or received but it was about 12 years ago or so. My dad helped me get my first email account and that is how we stay connected now. I did not use my email as much as a teen but things have sure changed since then. Now I couldn't live without it. Email helps keeps me stay connected to friends and family. I use it to send all those great photos of the kids to family out of state and always look forward to receiving photos in return. I love getting my kids involved and we often scan the kids artwork to be sent via email. Really I am not sure how I would do without my email. I love that it makes my life more convenient while also keeping me connected. My husband and I often trade emails throughout the day, often something really simple but that really makes my day.

{Pampers Little Miracle Missions $50 AMEX Giveaway}

I have always been someone that enjoys doing little things to help people out. I have been so blessed in my life and I often look for ways to pay it forward. Its not always huge things but just little things that I can get involved in. One of the most important things for me is to teach my kids to give. I always teach them that not everyone is as fortunate as us and how a little kindness can go a long way.  I recently just learned that Pampers is celebrating their 50th Anniversary . I am helping them celebrate and was challenged to do something great with $50 thanks to Pampers. I started to think of ways that I could make the most out of the money. But there is one place here in my town that I know could use a little kindness. It is a local Women's and Children's Shelter. I know how hard it can be to be a mother and couldn't imagine being homeless so my hearts really go out to these moms and their babies. My kids and I chose to spend the $50 on a package of diapers, some wipes and baby lotion. We were very excited to help someone else out and look forward to doing more.

Steps I (Try) to Take to Live Healthier

It’s almost that time of year again - summer! I find that nothing makes me think more about getting fit and healthy than bathing suit season. Here‘s some things that I try to do to maintain a healthy lifestyle:

Drink Lots of Water
Water is important to keep you healthy, and it helps keep your skin and hair looking great too. I always try to drink the recommended amount of water each day.  I have my pretty Reduce water bottles and using then helps me keep track of how much water I'm drinking.

Watch Portion Sizes
My daughter has been studying food labels and was shocked to discover the portion sizes listed on packages. A bag of chips that she was thinking of as one serving was actually three. That adds up to a ton of extra calories that you don‘t even realize that you are taking in.

Here’s my favorite tip for watching portion size: For a couple of meals, use a measuring cup to measure out the serving sizes to be able to see what an actual serving sizes look like on your plate. (You can find serving sizes online) I think restaurant portions have really changed our view of what we think a serving size is. And for me just knowing what a ½ cup serving of something looks like on a plate helps when filling my plate.

Never Eat Directly From the Bag/Box
Another thing I do related to portion sizes is when snacking, I never eat from the bag/box; it’s way to easy to eat way more than you intended. The rule at our house is that if you are snacking, you always get a bowl. That way you eat the amount you meant to, and getting more requires the conscious decision and the effort of getting up to refill your bowl.

{Coupon Chief}

I love using coupons and in general before making an online purchase I always search for coupons that may be available. Until now I haven't had that much success with finding coupons that match the place I am shopping. With Coupon Chief I am able to do a search for my favorite stores even before I start shopping. This makes it so much more convenient than searching around. And you do not have to be a coupon pro to get the fullest out of their site. They offer a very user friendly search engine that you are able to search 50k coupons for over 15000 stores. I found their "How it Works" section to be very helpful and love navigating the site. And another thing that is great is that you can upload coupons and actually get paid with their Pay-2-Share option. I did a search for one of my favorite shoe stores and had 40 coupons available to use.  I think if you love saving then make sure to stop by their site to find your next savings. You can also find them on Facebook!

I hope you enjoyed this post! Never miss a post-Subscribe by Reader or Email!Smart and Trendy Moms finds products, ideas, projects, recipes, and other information that we have personally found helpful or interesting.  As always, it is up to you to determine what is appropriate for you, your children, and your situation.  See our Disclosure

{Jenulence Makeup Giveaway}

I am one of those girls that cannot live without their makeup. I have many reasons for my love of makeup but I mostly love the way I look wearing it and most importantly how I feel when I wear it. I feel more confident and put together. I am a makeup junkie and love finding new places to buy my makeup. And with being a busy mom I often make my purchases online. Finding quality makeup that is affordable is always my goal when making a purchase. Recently I had the chance to try some new makeup from a company that I had never tried before.