Product Review: Younique 3D Fiber Lash Mascara

Lets talk about a product that I wanted so badly to hate…NOT because I hate beautiful, long thick lashes. NOT because I’m opposed to paying a for a higher-end product. NOT because it requires an extra 3 minutes of my time to apply. I assumed, and quite honestly wanted to hate this product because it always came across as “kitchy”, and only sold by pushy and slimy sales people, and because those creepy eye pictures that you see on Instagram of the spider lashes straight up freak me out. Well folks, I tried it out for myself, and even the skeptic in me was a little wow’d!

Ready for that creepy eye picture? I’ll do you one better and add in my absolute best serial killer stare. Be afraid.

creepy lash selfie EEK!!

There is absolutely NO WAY to make that not weird. Trust me, I tried. *Face turns 18 shades of red*

On my right eye I’m wearing 1 coat of my Lash Blast waterproof mascara, and on my left eye I’m wearing 1 coat of the Younique 3D Fiber Lash mascara. (For full disclosure, I did tightline my left eye with black eyeliner) The mascara was easier to apply than I had anticipated; First you apply a thin coat of the transplanting gel, then you immediately brush on the fibers while the transplant gel is still wet, and then you seal the fibers with another thin coat of transplanting gel.

PROS: I found the mascara to be extremely effective, easy to use, a rich black color, and removed similarly to my waterproof mascaras (using Clinique Take The Day Off Balm – my everyday makeup remover)

CONS: This is not the cheapest mascara (retailing at $29), it does take slightly more effort than a traditional mascara, and because it sets similarly to a waterproof mascara it might be harder to remove if you’re used to traditional mascaras. Also, I think for many people the carrying case is an added benefit, but because I travel frequently I prefer minimal packaging and found this to be a little large and clunky. I ditched the box and just threw both tubes into my makeup bag. Camryn is currently using my box as a purse. :-)

TIPS: Do one eye at a time. To avoid getting clumpy spider lashes only apply a THIN layer of transplanting gel. If you find that you’re having fall-down of the fibers then you need to seal them better. Try applying two coats of the gel after applying your fibers. I also used a clean spooly brush to comb through my lashes at the end. If you curl your lashes, like me, you might find that as you build them up they touch your lid and transfer product. To solve this problem I busted out the good ol’ spoon and held it against my lid while applying the transplant gel (only if I was wearing eyeshadow, otherwise I just went to town applying the gel and used a makeup-remover-soaked q-tip to clean my lids after).

Here’s how the product arrives:

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Transplanting Gel

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Fibers (yes, it’s weird putting fiber-glass-looking fibers so close to your eye the first time…you get over it!)

Ready for the best part about trying this mascara? If you hate it, you can send it back. Yes, seriously. They want you to love it or get your money back. You can also receive free shipping with all orders over $100. Oh, and did I mention the mascara is meant to last 3-4 months? MONTHS!! I loved hearing that because I’m a stay-at-home-mom, and I don’t exactly need pow-pow lashes on a daily basis, so knowing it will still be in good condition 2 weeks (or months) from now when I need it is a huge bonus!

If you’re interested in trying out this mascara, you can order here. I received mine from the absolute sweetest (and not at all pushy) younique rep, Kayla. She answered tons of my questions (like, “are you sure this shit is safe? It looks like fiberglass.” And “What am I doing wrong, I got the fiberglass stuff in my eye!” Hahaha Sorry Kayla, I was a newbie!) I am not receiving any compensation for telling you about her, nor will I receive any free merchandise or compensation from your purchases through her – I just genuinely like her and have had a good experience working with her. Kayla and I actually met initially on Instagram, so you can go stalk her there if you want too. She has a super cute little boy!! ;-)

If you’re interested in becoming a Younique consultant like Kayla be sure to contact her for additional information. The setup fee is $99, and there’s no monthly fee’s.

If you try this, it’s only fair that I get to see your serial killer eye selfies, so make sure you tag me!!

XO – Samantha

Laura Dro Designs

Good Morning!

I had so many questions about the floral print I featured on my Instagram a few weeks ago, and I’m so excited to finally be sharing about it, and the gorgeous lady who made it, with all of you! Meet Laura, the artist behind Laura Dro Designs. Laura’s art is very bright, fun, and energetic, and she clearly does not shy away from colors (a girl after my own heart!) All of her art is easily transitioned from room to room, and can be layered with other art to create the perfect gallery wall, or stand alone as the spotlight of that space. Laura also designs an amazing collection of lucite trays that have me swooning big time! You’re gonna wanna add one to your christmas list, trust me.

I met Laura through Lindsay from Hattan Home, and she graciously offered to send me one of her prints, and I immediately jumped at the opportunity to style (literally ANY of) her art! I decided on her 8×10 “Peony In Coral” print because it played well with the colors in Harper’s nursery where I was hoping to use it. It ended up being exactly what the room needed. I had geometric fabrics, “word art”, and quirky animal prints, and the florals really added the touch of feminine to the space that was missing.

Again, you all know how much I love beautiful packages, so when this arrived I was so stinkin’ excited!

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You may remember seeing this gorgeous print paired alongside the darling glass piggy from Hattan Home, but this is not its final home. I updated Harper’s nursery board for you to get a sneaky peek at where this print will live, but you’re gonna have to wait until the room is finished before seeing it in its entirety. :-)

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Art always seems to be the hardest thing for people to choose when decorating their homes, so I also designed a chic bedroom board as inspiration. Just because you’re using florals doesn’t mean the entire room has to scream “girly”. Pair the prints with blacks, whites, greys, and golds for a masculine touch, and cheeky pillows are always a fun touch! The best thing about this print is the vast color palette it allows you to design around. The print also comes in 2 sizes, so play with scale and decide which would be most fitting for your space – I would use the larger size over nightstands (you’ll typically have lamps on your nightstand, so consider their height when choosing), but smaller when pairing it with another piece of art, like in the nursery. The best thing about Laura’s prints are their affordability. You don’t have to break the bank to get the wow factor!
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Thank you again to Laura Dro Designs!!

XO – Samantha

Pumpkin Patch & Catching Up!

Hello Friends!! I’m sure you’ve noticed that as I get closer and closer to my due date, my presence here is slowly getting more spaced out. I have absolutely no intentions of abandoning my fun little corner of the blogosphere, I’m just becoming more focused on the present and spending quality time with my big girl before my little girl breaks up the party. :-) You can continue to expect 2-3 posts weekly instead of the daily posts that I used to do. You can also always catch me on Instagram – I find it far easier to keep you all in the loop on my daily chaos over there! In the coming month I’ll be introducing you to some amazing bloggers who have so graciously volunteered to be contributors. They are quite literally a few of my favorite bloggers, and they write some of the only blogs that I manage to keep up with on a daily basis anymore. Ok, enough shop talk, lets look at pictures of my cute kid, shall we..and maybe a few bumps?! Oh, and my husband (who just finished a lemon-lime sno-cone and has a sickly looking tongue. Mine was dragons blood flavor…what flavor is that even?!) pumpkin patch 3 pumpkin patch pumpkin patch2 pumpkin patch4

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This last picture kills me!! She saw a teeny tiny dragon fly land next to her and she freaked out, and threw her pumpkin at it. I’ve ruined this child with my fear of spiders and creepy crawlers. Camryn is wearing her Cray Cray tee from Little Big Dreamers, skinny jeans from good ol’ Target, and Hunter wellies.

I went in on Friday & again yesterday for baby appointments and everything with little miss Harper is great! Other than the fact that I’m still getting sick on an almost daily basis, my pregnancy is progressing as it should. She currently weighs 3 pounds 15 oz. and is measuring at 32 weeks today (a few days behind my actual date), but her legs are measuring over 2 weeks ahead! I grow babies with long legs, chunky cheeks, and no hair! Ha! I had lost about 5 pounds, but gained all 5 back in the last week, so that’s a really good sign. The new nausea med I’m taking has been really helping reduce how often I’m getting sick. HOORAY!! Just 7 more weeks, or less.

Yesterday I took Camryn to the park to enjoy the amazing weather we’ve been having here in Austin, and we picnicked and played for awhile.

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I love the back shoulder detailing on all of Kate & James apparel! kateandjames2

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She is lucky enough to get to be a brand rep for our sweet friend (and blog sponsor) Jayme, who owns Kate & James! She’s wearing her Ello Love Pullover, Susie’s custom shorts, and Freshly Picked Moccs. I’m so jealous of her wardrobe, it hurts. ;-)

Hope you’ve all been having a great week! Come visit me on IG today and enter the awesome loop giveaway I’m in! $25 Paypal cash is up for grabs!!

XO – Samantha

Hillshire Snacks

As a wife and mom I often find myself so busy with the day-to-day needs of running my household, caring for my daughter, and putting healthy meal options on the table for her and my husband that I neglect to care for myself in the same high standard that I care for them. In a rush to get out the door in the morning, I’m lucky if I grab more than a handful of dry cereal. Lunch looks a lot like leftover cold pizza (or nothing!), and my snacking options are usually similar to what my toddlers eating…we’ve all fallen victim to those little orange fish crackers, haven’t we?! I’ve spent hours online researching the best organic squeeze pouches, and pinned hundreds of “quick and healthy snacks” to make for my daughter, but MY snacks always seem to either pack a punch of sugars in exchange for protein, or they lack protein all together and leave me hungry and grabbing for another gut busting bag of goodies.

Why is meat, which is typically synonymous with protein, missing from the snack aisle? Why are all the most common protein snacks resembling something more like a candy bar? Why are snacks always dehydrated, a carb, and never found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket?Thanks to Hillshire, that’s no longer the case.

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I’m so excited to be sharing this new, unique snack that I was recently introduced to. Hillshire has created snacking options that are both convenient, affordable, and delicious! Both of the snacks I tried offered more than 15g of protein and were less than $2.79. I grabbed both of these at my local Super Target, and chose between 8 available varieties, all offering at least 15g of protein per serving. They are all perfectly portioned, and great for at-home or on-the-go.

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The peppered salami “small plate” was the standout for me, and if it came in a “large plate” size I’d be calling it dinner 3 out of every 7 nights. Y’all, it was so good. The crackers were thick cut, and the salami was perfectly peppered and offered a nice heat. My husband and I opened both snacks and taste tested together, and literally found ourselves trying to speed eat before the other person hogged it all. :-)

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The chicken snack felt like much more of a snack to me. The portion size felt significantly smaller and is something I would grab if I wasn’t feeling overly hungry but needed a quick boost of energy to keep me going for the day. I would however pack this along with some bib lettuce, shredded carrots, and other veggies and make lettuce wraps for a healthy and easy lunch option. The mango habanero sauce was mmmhmmmm, and took me completely by surprise. It’s slightly sweet, leaves a good heat on the back of your tongue, and left me wanting to dip anything else I could find in it. My 3 year old would eat these every single day, and you moms know that’s really saying something!

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These snacks don’t make me feel guilty, break the bank, or require any of my precious time in prep or clean up, and the “cherry on top” is how delicious they are and how much protein they offer. They’ve become a staple in my home, and I absolutely give them my stamp of approval and recommend you give them a whirl if you’ve been searching for a better snack too!

Hillshire is hosting a huge giveaway and all you have to do to enter is tweet them @hillshiresnacks using hashtag #UNIQUEWAY and share something you do like no one else. There’s over 70 weekly prizes, some of which are vouchers for these snacks!

XO – Samantha

*As always, my opinions are my own, and I would honestly tell you if these snacks tasted horrible – they don’t, they’re the bomb – but I’m required to disclose a relationship between myself and Hillshire. This could include Hillshire providing me w/content, product, access or other forms of payment. *

Small Shop Love: Love Is Free

Good Morning! Thank you all for your kind words yesterday, and support while my husband underwent a minor procedure. Many of you have been asking what it was for, and although I’m not yet ready to answer questions, I will in a few weeks. To be quite honest, I can’t answer many questions because we still don’t know ourselves what’s going on, and yesterdays procedure was to hopefully clear up some of those unknowns for us. We live a very honest, open-book lifestyle, so you can bet that this won’t be the last time you hear me talk about it all…within his comfort level, of course. :-)

On with todays fun! I want to introduce you to my newest sponsor, Love Is Free! Shannon, the owner and creative mind behind the company, is a mom to her beautiful daughter Angelina who inspires her to create unique and modern children’s wear. Shannon is working to bring a childrens moccasin line to her shop in the coming weeks as well!

Many of you have already spied a few of these outfits over on my Instagram, as well as on @shoploveisfree and have been asking where you can score these awesome items – now you know!

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Love Is Free Arrow Leggings (similar), Kate & James “Ello Love” Raglan, Carly Megan Shop Scarf, Old Navy Vest, Target Boots

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Love is Free Black & Gold Arrow Headband, Carly Megan Bloomers, Little Big Dreamers Leg Warmers
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Grey Ham NYC “Milk De La Milk” Tee, Leiroux Knit Shoes

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Love Is Free Wild One Tee, Aruba Freshly Picked Moccs, Little Hip Squeaks Headband, Little Adi Co Harem Pants, Candy Kirby “Preppy Girl” Scarf
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Love Is Free Curly Hair Tee, Love Is Free Grey/White Stripe Headband, Candy Kirby Leggings

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Vonbon Scarf & Headband, Little Peeps Closet Skirt (detached from kitty cat “blouse”) SLIF7

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And this cutie loves her Love Is Free gear, and if you ask me, makes it look really stinkin’ cute!! She’s wearing the arrow leggings below, and the “Wild One” tee in the last photo.

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SLIF14 Phew! I spent hours and hours pulling clothes, styling, and photographing all those outfits so you could see these rad pieces in action. Nothing’s worse than seeing clothes without any outfit inspiration, amiright?! Totally worth it if you enjoyed, and I hope you’ll go check out Love Is Free and support Shannon and her growing store.

XO – Samantha

Holding My Breathe

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Please excuse my absence and lack of an actual post today…

My husband is undergoing a minor procedure and my little heart can’t hardly take it. I’m far more nervous and anxious than he is. He is just so much to us; Dad, Husband, bread-winner, jungle gym, fajita maker, photographer (hey, I can’t snap pics of my own outfits!), shoulder to cry on, cheerleader for everything Camryn & I do, cute baby maker (my favorite of his traits), do-er of dishes (this is quite possibly my 2nd favorite trait), and so so so much more! When it comes to my favorites, these two are tied.

So if you could, send him good thoughts today, and maybe a few my way too!! Tomorrow, when I’ve stopped holding my breathe, I’ll be back with a fun post for you. :-)

XO – Samantha

Bitty Bows

Happy Hump Day, Friends!

My daughter knocked us out with a flu-like bug this weekend, but I’m finally turning a corner and feeling human again, and I have a really fun shop (and maybe a giveaway ;-) ) to share with you today!

Welcome, Bitty Bow Shop!

Here’s what Alexis, the owner and creative mama behind Bitty Bows, had to say about Bitty Bow Shop:

“Bitty Bow Shop started when my baby girl was 2 months old. I had so much fun making headbands to match her outfits, that I decided to take the plunge on Etsy. I am so happy that I took a chance! It is so rewarding to see Bitty Bow Shops headbands and clips on precious little ladies all over the world. I was so excited when I sold my first headband on Etsy. A year later, I still get just as excited when someone purchases something that I create. All of my bows are handmade and because of that, each one is unique. I love using shabby flowers, fold over elastic, bright colors, and classic/whimsy color combinations. I’m a Behavior Analyst by day, Mama to Sophie, Wife, Crafting Addict and Instagram Lover. I would love for you to follow along @bittybowshop! I’m so thankful for this little shop!”

You guys know me, I love supporting creative, hardworking mamas, especially when their business was born out of their love for their baby! When I met Alexis, it was a no-brainer that I wanted to share her and her awesome shop with all of you. Here are a few of my favorite headbands that she offers:

How darling are all of those? Bitty Bow Shop offers a huge variety of headbands, bows, & clips, and they are all incredible priced ($6.50 or less for any of the above featured headbands). These would be especially beautiful for newborn photos. Alexis hadn’t opened Bitty Bows when my little lady was a baby, but I remember loving putting her in bows and playing dressup, and if Bitty Bows had existed at that time you can bet I would have been a customer sooner!

Just for fun, here’s Camryn rocking some bows as a baby…

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Gahhhhhh!! Have some babies, and buy some bows people. The cuteness factor just goes off the charts!!

Alexis is generously offering a $50 shop credit to one of you, so head on over to my Instagram to enter. No reposting necessary – entry is VERY easy.

A very special thank you to you, Alexis, for teaming up with me to put this post together and allowing me to host such an awesome giveaway!!

XO – Samantha

Small Shop Love: Hattan Home

I am so excited to introduce you all to a new shop that I’m loving – Hattan Home, an online boutique selling “treats for your home”. Let me let Lindsay, the owner, introduce herself (because I cannot possibly introduce her in a cuter way)!

Lindsay and I met on Instagram (I meet all the coolest people on IG) and she (very kindly!!) offered to send me a gift for my daughters room. Umm…yes, please!!

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I can’t possibly be the only person who appreciates really beautiful packaging. Getting mail is always exciting, but when a big white box arrives full of crinkled confetti paper, a black & white spotted wrapped box inside, and the cutest cards, a girl gets a little more excited!! I feel like it’s those details and level of customer care that make me purchase from a store over and over again.

When I opened the box I found this darling Piggy Bank in Glass. There was absolutely no question that this piggy would never see pennies; a pig this cute needed a filling much more deserving, like jelly beans. :-) Camryn and I decided that every good little sisters room contained a big sister treat jar. All those diaper changes, lullabies, and tip toeing around while little sister naps should earn a big sister something good, amiright?!

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How cute is his little snout plug? You can also see the slot on top for inserting coins…I dunno why you’d ever use him for coins though when he looks this cute filled with candy!!

He was so cute that as I continued moving things around, and re-styled Harpers nursery 100 times, he kept coming along for the ride. He is perfectly whimsical, and airy, and a great layering piece on shelves, coffee tables, or sitting perched atop a stack of books.

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I think I especially love him in front of this “Love Each Other” print! It’s the perfect reminder to Camryn to be a good big sister, and earn those jelly beans! If you’re eyeballing that gorgeous floral print, there will be more on that very soon!! ;-)

You can purchase your own (hand blown – whaaaat?!) glass piggy bank for just $24 at Hattan Home, along with tons and tons of other amazing home decor.

Thank you Lindsay!

XO – Samantha

Puddle Jumper

We had a little rain the last few days, and Camryn and I decided to put all those puddles in our yard to good use. What fun is being 3 if you’re not getting dirty? :-)

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Puddle Jumper

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puddlejumper7 I love making these sweet memories with her, especially when I think of all the quality time that I won’t have just one-on-one with her in the coming months.

Her darling floral leggings are from Little Big Dreamers (available soon), and her boots are Hunter’s.

I hope your weekend was as full of fun and giggles as mine!!

XO – Samantha

Small Shop Love: FiFi Ruffles

I’m back with another small shop review for you – FiFi Riffles, a handmade boutique that was born after the birth of Kim’s first daughter Sophia (FiFi). After falling in love with designs by companies like Mud Pie, Kim decided to pursue her passion of owning her own retail space and creating a handmade line of girls clothing. In June 2013, Kim closed her brick and mortar store to focus her attention solely on raising FiFi and making her own line of clothing, as well as selling those items online on her website. Even in the few months that I’ve had the pleasure of working with Kim her designs and esthetics are changing, and it’s been so fun to watch her clothing evolve into what I consider more modern kid and less “ruffles”. She’s currently working on layering pieces for the fall/winter seasons, and separates, as you’ll see in my pictures.

My favorite item from her current collection is the black & white “paper bag skirt”, which you’ve probably already spotted all over my instagram feed. It literally goes with everything, and is so easy for Camryn to put on and off herself. It’s a staple, and did I mention it’s only TWELVE DOLLARS!! Run, don’t walk.

New Customers enjoy 20% off with coupon “Welcome20″

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We are also loving this rusty orange scalloped infinity scarf (long enough for mama or layered on littles) for fall, priced at just $14. fifiruffles6

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fifiruffles8 Kim also sent us this darling asymmetrical dress, which is so fun for transitioning from summer to fall by layering a simple sweater, belts, and boots.

fifidress I hope you’ll all go check out more of what Kim has to offer, and give her some love on Instagram. :-)

I’ve had a ton of interest in the brown boots Camryn is wearing – they are from Target, and I bought them during a back to school BOGO sale for $12. Craziness, I know. I wish I had bought them in every size because they are amazing!!

Hope you’re all having a great week! We’ve almost survived to see the weekend – Hallelujah! Camryn has skipped naps all week…I think she’s trying to torture me. Send tranquilizers!!!

XO – Samantha

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