Walmart

May 8, 2013

Mother’s Day DIY Gift: Hand-Painted Mugs

When holidays, birthdays and other gift-giving occasions approach, my first inclination is to make something. And I can always come up with a project that is both heartfelt and useful for the recipient. But this year, in advance of Mother’s Day, I was stumped. I couldn’t decide what to make for my own mother. My daughter, however, saved the day.

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Thanks to an awesome, easy-to-use Personalized Mugs kit for less than $10 at Walmart, this year’s crafting was done by my 7-year-old.

The kit included 2 ceramic mugs, a paintbrush and a set of paints in a variety of colors — everything she needed to create one-of-a-kind gifts for the moms in her life.

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The instructions required her to leave at least an inch of space at the lip of the cup for drinking, and I think she did a great job. She painted to her heart’s content and created these two beauties:

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The mugs are now ready for everyday use, like a hot cup of tea in the morning. According to mini me, she’ll be using my mug to deliver breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day.

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Now that’s what I call a gift!

DISCLOSURE: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I’ve received product samples and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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April 20, 2013

Adventures of a Makeup Newbie: Flower Cosmetics

If you’ve been reading this blog or following me on Instagram or Facebook for any amount of time, you have probably noticed that I almost never wear makeup. I can count the number of times I’ve worn a full face of makeup on one hand. Seriously. And on the rare occasions when I’ve dabbled on my own, it’s been a little eye makeup and some lipstick or gloss. That’s it.

So when Walmart offered me the opportunity to try Drew Barrymore’s new Flower Beauty cosmetics line, I was both excited and intimidated. Because truth be told, makeup intimidates me. I have never really known how to apply it well, and as a result, I never really tried.

This is the second time in as many weeks that I’ve stepped outside my comfort zone, and I’m glad I did. Because it’s really not that hard.

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I received a great selection of products to try, including liquid and powder foundation, tinted moisturizer, creme blush and creme eyeshadow, mascara, two kinds of eyeliner, lip gloss and lip butter. In other words, more than enough to get me going. The Flower tagline is “Love the Way You Look.” My immediate, snarky response to that was, “Well, I already love the way I look.” What? Call me a cynic, but I’m a firm believer that no woman NEEDS makeup to be beautiful, so it rubbed me the wrong way.

Still, I was determined to press on. First, the obligatory “before” photo:

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The liquid foundation I received felt a little too light for me, and I didn’t want to look like I was wearing a mask, so I decided instead to try a combination of tinted moisturizer and powder foundation. The tinted moisturizer felt great going on and disappeared into my skin almost immediately with only a little coverage. I was actually happy about that, because I don’t really care for the pancaked look of thick foundation. Next, I lightly applied powder foundation all over my face. This is when I began to see a difference in the evening of my skin tone. Nothing drastic, but enough to even out the darkness under my eyes a bit and reduce the stark differences around my hairline and cheekbones. These are definitely not for someone who is used to a foundation with a lot of coverage, but it worked for me, since I just wanted light coverage.

Next, I moved on to my eyes. I began with the creme eyeshadow in Awesome Blossom, and it was a dream to apply. Honestly. I used my EcoTools tapered brush, and it felt like putting velvet on my eyes. In my limited experience, it was easier than applying powder shadow. I followed with a little eyeliner and some mascara. The finished look on my eyes was subtle with a hint of glam.

Sidenote: Why have I not used mascara before now? It made my non-existent lashes actually show up for a change! Score!

Next, I applied the creme blush. This was slightly awkward for me because I wasn’t sure what brush to use for the application. I used a standard fluffy rouge brush and applied it lightly. In fact, I may have gone too light, because I could barely see it. I didn’t mind so much, though, because I wanted it to be super subtle.

Finally, I rounded out my look with Wispy Wisteria lip butter. The butter is not as pigmented as lipstick, but has more color than a gloss. It’s somewhere in the middle, and really moisturizing. I have to say I really liked it.

Are you ready for my after shot? Here you go!

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And now for a side-by-side shot so you can compare:

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Still me, with slightly more even skin and a little sparkle around the eyes and lips. I can dig it Though I really need to get my eyebrows threaded. Like yesterday. So forgive them for looking scraggly.

Overall, I really liked these products. I don’t have much makeup experience to compare it to, but as a newbie, they were easy to apply and not super intimidating once I figured out which to use in which order. On the sustainability side, all the products are made in the U.S. and none of thm contain parabens, though I still need to do some research on the ingredients they DO contain. I admit I’m still a little ignorant when it comes to makeup ingredients, but I’ll report back on what I find out.

Priced at $4.98-13.98, they’re affordable enough to try on my own. I do want to try some of the more pigmented lipsticks and the creme shadow in a couple of other colors, so I guess I’m sold.

I still can’t imagine wearing a full face of makeup every day, but this is progress

DISCLOSURE: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I’ve received product samples and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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April 18, 2013

Family Outfits: Spring Fashion at Walmart

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Spring has been on my mind for weeks, which means that I’ve been stocking up on warm weather clothes and layers since none of my spring and summer wardrobe from last year still fits. My daughter has a bit of the same problem, since the child is crazy tall and grows like a weed.

So when Walmart offered me a chance to shop for spring fashion for my family, I didn’t hesitate.

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She’s Wearing: Faded Glory romper from Walmart | Lei Chambray tie-front shirt from Walmart | Cherokee sandals | Disney Couture bracelet (similar) | Gifted initial necklace (similar)

He’s Wearing: Zion Rootswear t-shirt from Walmart | Akademiks shorts (similar) | Nike Air Max sneakers (similar) | Invicta watch | Handmade medallion (aff)

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With a $50 budget, I started in the women’s department, knowing that would probably take the bulk of my money. I tried on a bunch of items, including cute lace dresses in great colors and a lace peplum top, but frankly, I’m all peplum-ed out. I settled on this awesome maxi dress.

There were a LOT of maxi dresses, but I’m chesty enough to require a supportive bra, and a lot of them had cutouts or very narrow straps. I chose this one because I loved the colors and stripes, but also because the top offered solid coverage. This is the kind of dress I would wear any day of the week for almost any occasion, from running errands to going to church. The fabric is a nice weight — not too light and not too heavy — so I’ll have to see how it holds up to washing. This is definitely going to be a spring & summer staple for me, and at just $15.44, I can afford to go back and get it in a few more colors.

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I also grabbed a set of beaded bracelets to match my dress and a Faded Glory scarf to use as a headwrap, because we all have those days when we just don’t feel like doing our hair. There was actually a really great selection of lightweight scarves in both solid colors and patterns priced at just $6.97. I’ll also be going back for more of those

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My husband was easy. He chose this Bob Marley graphic tee about 2 minutes after he started looking. What can I say? You can’t go wrong with a Bob Marley tee for a reggae singer.

While I LOVE must husband when he’s on his suit and tie…ummm, stuff…this is how he dresses every day. In the spring and summer, khaki shorts and sneakers are a staple, and he can’t get enough of graphic tees.

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He’s Wearing: Zion Rootswear t-shirt from Walmart | Akademiks shorts (similar) | Nike Air Max sneakers (similar) | Invicta watch | Handmade medallion (aff)

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My daughter recently hit another growth spurt, and suddenly everything in her closet is too short and/or too tight. I decided to avoid length problems altogether with a romper designed to slouch slightly on top. And because I know she’s prone to feeling chilly if we’re in an air-conditioned car or building for more than 5 seconds, I also grabbed this chambray top. In addition to this styling, I can think of at least half a dozen other ways she can wear it, which means it’s more than worth the $11.94 we paid for it.

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She’s Wearing: Faded Glory romper from Walmart | Lei Chambray tie-front shirt from Walmart | Cherokee sandals | Disney Couture bracelet (similar) | Gifted initial necklace (similar)

Overall, I was pretty impressed with the available selection for all of us. As usual, it took a little hunting to find the gems in my store, but I still found some items that will be solid parts of our wardrobe for at least the next few months.

DISCLOSURE: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I’ve received product samples and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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March 16, 2013

Are you Watching “The Bible”?

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My family and I like to watch movies and shows based on the Bible. In part, we use it as an educational tool for our daughter, who seems to remember lessons when they are presented as entertainment. But we also like to see how the filmmakers and writers interpret the stories we know and love so well, both visually and in terms of message.

So you can imagine that we’ve been watching “The Bible” on the History Channel for the last few weeks with great interest.

If you haven’t been watching, “The Bible” is a 10-episode series produced by Mark Burnett of “Survivor” fame, along with his wife, actress Roma Downey. It began Sunday, March 3, on the history channel, and the third episode in the series will air tomorrow night at 8 p.m.

Thus far, we have been captivated by the stories. We’ve seen Noah and the ark, Exodus, Samson and Delilah, David & Goliath and more. The stories have been brief in order to get through several of them in a single episode, but they’ve been well told and, as far as I can tell, relatively accurate.

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As people of color, we’re also always interested to see how Biblical figures are represented in terms of race and culture. Suffice it to say that we usually don’t see faces that look like us, nor like the people native to the regions where the true Biblical stories actually happened, on the big or small screens. While there is definitely some room for improvement, we were pleased to see that some major characters, including Samson and his mother, were people of color, along with several of God’s angels and others throughout the stories.

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We’re intrigued enough to sit in front of the TV each Sunday night until the conclusion of the series, and we will absolutely use it as a teaching tool and a reminder of why Biblical study is important to believers.

If you’ve already missed the first couple of episodes, don’t miss the rest. You can also pre-order the series from Walmart and get a digital HD copy, which will be available only to Walmart pre-sell customers, along with exclusive VUDU content: a “First Look” at all 10 episodes.

DISCLOSURE: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I’ve received compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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March 15, 2013

DIY Rhinestone Easter Bunny T-Shirt (with tail!)

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Easter is one among the holidays I really enjoy celebrating with my family. Aside from the religious significance of the day, I really enjoy doing a special craft project for my daughter. Two years ago, I made her an eco-friendly Easter basket, and last year, I made her a DIY reversible Easter dress. This year, I wanted to do something fun and lighthearted. I think even the Easter Bunny himself would approve of this idea.

Thanks to Pinterest, I found a photo of a baby wearing a rhinestone bunny onesie. And of course, serial crafter that I am, I thought, “I could do that.” So armed with a few supplies from Walmart and an idea for how to make it extra special, I did. Here’s how you can do it too.

Rhinestone Easter Bunny T-Shirt

You’ll Need:

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Blank t-shirt
Glue gun and glue sticks
Rhinestones
FREE Easter bunny t-shirt template
White pom poms
Needle and white thread

This is honestly one of the cutest and easiest projects I’ve done in a while.

I didn’t want my bunny to look exactly like the one in the photo, so I created my own bunny face design. Print out the free Easter bunny t-shirt template, preferably on card stock. For an adult t-shirt, scale up the size of the design when you print it. For a baby or toddler, scale down.

Once the ink is fully dry, put the printed template under the front of the shirt with the template centered and facing up. You can use any color shirt you want, but you should be able to see the thick lines from the template through the shirt.

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Next, simply use your hot glue gun to attach rhinestones along the outline until it is completely covered.

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Part one, done! Of course, I wanted not just a face, but a whole Easter bunny look, because I’m an overachiever. I wanted a tail This is where the pom poms come in.

Thread your needle with a long piece of white thread. Begin stringing pom poms together.

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By the time you have about 5-6 in a row, fold them together to create a circle shape. Push the needle through the poms at various angles to pull them tight. Keep adding pom poms and threading them together until you have a ball of fluff in whatever size you’d like.

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Finally, sew the pom pom ball onto the back of the t-shirt a few inches above the hem.

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TaDa! An Easter Bunny-inspired outfit your kid can wear to go to an Easter egg hunt, the grocery store, school, or anywhere else without being too over the top.

My daughter had some stray bunny ears laying around, so she added them to complete the look And now, some photos of her playing the role of Easter Bunny to perfection.

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And she hops away…

DISCLOSURE: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I’ve received product and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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March 15, 2013

Bissell DeepClean Premier Carpet Cleaner Review

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The biggest bane of my existence as a renter is carpet. As in wall-to-wall carpet in nearly every room. We got lucky in this apartment because there is some hard floor in the entryway, kitchen and dining room, but everything else has carpet, including the living room. We went for months using a weak vacuum that didn’t do a very good job of picking up anything, but we finally invested in a quality vacuum a few months back. Things were better, but sometimes, vacuuming alone just isn’t enough. Sometimes, you just need something more powerful.

Enter the Bissell DeepClean Premier Carpet Cleaner, provided by Walmart, much to my and my husband’s glee (aff). Because if you’re going to have wall-to-wall carpet, there’s nothing better than being able to deep clean it whenever you want, without having to hire a professional or rent a machine that has been used to clean countless other dirty carpets. Here’s what our living room looked like before using the DeepClean:

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My hubby went the extra mile by moving all the furniture so we could get every corner and crevice. Also, I think he actually took pleasure in cleaning the carpet with this machine:

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The verdict? This thing is awesome!

As a family, we take off our shoes at the door to avoid tracking extra dirt and Lord knows what else through the house. But here’s the thing: Sometimes we forget. We also have a dog who occasionally will get excited and tinkle on the carpet. No amount of spot cleaning could make me feel like the carpet was truly clean after one of his accidents.

So while the water wasn’t nearly as dirty as I expected when my husband was done cleaning the living room carpet, it carpet looked and felt worlds better. And it confirmed that leaving our shoes at the door is a good habit, because the water wasn’t as gross as I anticipated it would be. Here’s what the water looked like right at the end of the job:

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Honestly, not that bad. But it certainly got out a lot of dirt that we couldn’t see with the naked eye or pick up with just the suction of a vacuum.

We’re actually looking forward to putting the DeepClean to work in our bedroom and on the area rug in the dining room. My only complaint is that the ingredients aren’t listed on the cleaning solution. It is labeled as having an “Earth friendly formula” with no heavy metals, phosphates or dyes, but that still doesn’t tell me what IS in the formula. It did have a nice fragrance and my sensitive nose didn’t detect any powerful chemical odors, so that’s a good thing.

Honestly, we love the DeepClean Premier, and it will go a long way toward making our home feel a lot cleaner. It is priced at $188.92 and you can get it at Walmart.

DISCLOSURE: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I’ve received product and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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March 8, 2013

Empowering Women Together: A Reason to Shop

Every once in while, a cause comes along that makes you want to shop, and today, on International Women’s Day, I have a great one. Yesterday, Walmart launched Empowering Women Together, a section that offers goods from small businesses owned by women around the world. In other words, each purchase you make helps a woman somewhere in the world feed herself and her family, which in turn helps to uplift her community and empowers her to do everything of which she is capable.

These are women who have faced challenges like poverty, lack of education, domestic abuse and physical limitations. These women come from countries like Rwanda, where economic opportunities are scarce, and who would otherwise never be able to reach American shoppers.

I can get behind that 100%.

Of course, it helps that the products are beautiful, and more than worth buying. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Women’s Tiered Convertible Dress / 2. African Patterned Wristlet / 3. Recycled Rice Bag Quilted iPad Case / 4. Paper Mache 10″ Vase / 5. 18 x 18 Reversible Decorative Pillow / 6. 3-Piece Woven Chevron Bangles Bracelet Set / 7. Fair Trade & Organic Coffee and Chocolate Gift Set / 8. Handpainted Card and Beaded Earring Set (aff)

At the moment, you can purchase more than 200 items from 19 businesses in 9 countries. However, this will eventually be part of a larger project, Store for Good, which will help connect shoppers with products that do good for others, themselves or the environment.

Would you look at me strange if I jump up and say Hallelujah? These are the types of projects I want to see big businesses take on more often. Bringing products like these to consumers who otherwise might never consider buying them is the only way, in my opinion, to demonstrate why these products matter.

DISCLOSURE: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I’ve received compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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February 8, 2013

Valentine’s Idea: Give Baked Goodies

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I don’t need extraordinary, over-the-top romantic gestures to make me feel loved on Valentine’s Day. Seriously, I’m the type of woman who is completely down for a bouquet of grocery store flowers, a handmade card, or breakfast in bed. Those things make my heart beat a little faster just as much as a more expensive present would. If you’re the same way, here are two awesome baked gifts you can give (or receive) this Valentine’s Day:

Cookie-Brownie Delight

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Walmart sent me a box of Nestle’s Cookie Brownie Delight to try. Two of my favorite things in one recipe? Count me in!

The instructions on the box were super easy to follow, and my daughter got in on the action.

She mixed the brownie batter and the cookie dough, separately, according to the instructions on the package.

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Then, with a little help from me, she spooned the brownie and cookie mixes into a muffin pan, with the cookie dough on top.

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The result? Deliciously gooey, chocolatey treats that both she and I couldn’t wait to try. So yes…I forgot about me weight loss for a night and enjoyed the treat — though I won’t share the number of calories in each one!

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We’re going to buy another box so my daughter can make some more to deliver to her dad on Valentine’s morning. They were seriously that good. I’m sure noone would object to this gift.

Decorate Your Own Cookies

We sampled yet another sweet Valentine’s treat: the Decorate Your Own Cookie kit, to be found in the Walmart bakery. Also known as the shortcut cookie kit for lazy bakers like me.

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As you can see, the kit comes with pre-made cookies and all the toppings you could want to decorate them to your heart’s content, including icing and sprinkles.

My daughter and I actually made a challenge of this one to see who could decorate the coolest cookie.

Here’s her cookie:

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Here’s my cookie:

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And the unofficial result according to my husband? It was a tie. But I’ll personally give the win to my daughter

I’m saving the other cookies so I can give her a treat on Valentine’s Day when she comes home from school. Paired with a new stuffed animal friend, and maybe some sparkling apple cider, this will be the perfect gift for my sweet little girl. And I didn’t have to do any actual baking. Winning!

DISCLOSURE: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I’ve received product and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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