dress

A new dress does wonders

July 24, 2017

Three and a half is tough guys. Really Tough.

There are the moments when Autumn is a shining ball of happy of happiness and then the moments she yells at you because it took you an extra 2 seconds to get a new Shimmer and Shine or Paw Patrol on. The scowls will cut right through you too.

And God forbid she is hungry. She gets HANGRY mighty quickly.

While our brains are still in a fog we need to be prepped to get a cup of cheerios and a cup of water with ice right away once we have made it downstairs in the morning. I am constantly reminding her that we have to do one thing at the time and I can’t get the TV, get the cheerios, and water all at once. She is starting to get that since Doc McStuffins only helps 1 patient at a time. But she is not a morning person so waiting can be tough.

Now that Hunter is here, she is having to wait more for things and we have our hands full with him. Sometimes I think she really struggles with it, and him around, other times she is on board with helping for him, singing to him, or giving him kisses. She tells him she loves him so much all the time. HEART BURST!!

Thankfully, the sourpuss moments are outweighed by the incredibly sweet heart tugging moments. The ones that make you stop in your tracks and put you at piece when she is doing something kind or funny or silly.

Like when we received a beautiful dress from Dot Dot Smile recently. We opened up the package and I explained to her that it was a new dress for her and she said ‘Ohhh it’s so beautiful! Thank You Thank You Thank You Mommy!!!”. She then squirreled it away in her dresser under some pajamas and it took me 3 days to find it, tearing the house apart in the process.

I think that the 2 of us getting out of the house for a fun outing in the afternoon and then this little photoshoot was just what we needed to wind down the weekend.

We headed to the park right next to our house to run around and play before bed. It’s a great way to burn off some extra energy.

There was lots of running, twirling, and jumping in her new dress. She loved how well it twirled around her. Like a princess!

Watching her twirl, roll around, and jump while singing and telling me stories was the best. It was a great little break from the rush of getting the dishes done or getting more clothes folded. Those to do lists will always be there, but sometimes we just need to completely blow them off for 20 minutes in the park with the ones we love.

I am thankful for moments like this when we just get to take some time to reconnect and goof around together.

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Dot Dot Smile is an American made clothing company that creates adorable dresses. They are run similarly to LuLaRoe, with sales through consultants. You can join this FB group run by Samantha for print updates, flash sales to get fun twirly dresses like this for the littles in your life.

BEEHAPPY10 is a 10% off promo code valid through 9/24/2017. *These offers cannot be combined with any other promotion or sale.

Thanks Samantha for this fun dress. #ad

Autumn is wearing a size 2. She is 28 1/2 pounds, 38″ tall

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Also…

https://giphy.com/embed/f4hOL8JLNooRqvia GIPHY

Finding yourself, a dress, and a perfect fit {an eShakti dress review}

April 2, 2015

Wanna know what’s so great about losing over 60 pounds?

All the shopping you get to do!!! For real!!

Since having Autumn in November of 2013 I’ve lost over 60 pounds. Just about 65 actually. And I’m not talking baby weight either. That’s a whole other story. But the point is when you put in the hard work you need to reward yourself. Plus, nothing else fits anymore.

And I fall into the super special category of women that are short (5′-1″ish) with curves. Curves= big butts and hips. It’s the Italian genes I have. I used to have boobs but I tend to lose weight on the top first so they said ‘bye-bye’ after nursing.

Anyway, what does that mean for me? It means that I get the pleasure of struggling to find clothes that fit. Petite pants are great for length but don’t handle the curves well. And then regular pants are too damn long. Like I’ve gotten 6″ hemmed off pants before. Damn you tall ‘normal’ people!!! And dresses are a pain too!! Man, don’t even get me started on Maxi dresses! Who are these amazon women that they make these dresses for?!?!?

And tailoring is a pain. A royal pain to go to the tailor, try stuff on, get measured, wait, go back, and test it out there. Plus it’s expensive. It can be $8-12 to get pants hemmed and $15+ for dresses.

But I’ve discovered a solution to all of that! eShakti!!!

eShakti dress review-7

eShakti is an online retailer that has a large selection of dresses, pants, and tops that you can customize. For example, you can change design elements of dresses, like add pockets, change the style of the neckline or sleeves. You can take that all a step further by providing them with your measurements, which they keep on file, to get the clothes to fit your perfectly.

I really enjoyed the process of shopping for a dress as there were so many to pick from. I was on the look out for summery dresses as I don’t have many of those that fit me anymore. I cam across “Her fifties piped trim dress” ($59.85) which seemed like a great shape for me, it has great detail, and would be a great dress to wear to work or just around Boston in the summer. It would be a great summer time staple.

I had considered doing the custom measurements but I wanted to test out the ‘standard’ sizing to see how it fit me. Plus, I as doing Whole30 program at the time , which specifically says not to weigh or measure yourself during the 30 days so I was committed to sticking to that. The risk paid off as the size I ordered fit me well, especially since it has no stretch as it’s 100% cotton. I actually could have ordered a size down, but that’s basically only as a result of completing the Whole30. I will order the next size down for future orders.

I did make the dress shorter as it was designed to sit “below knee-length”. I think $7.50 charge is well worth it because you can get something that fits and looks great on you. I decided to go with “knee-length”, which I think works well for me.

I am so happy with this dress as it fits me well, looks flattering, and is made really well. It made me feel great wearing it. And I think that is pretty important.

The construction of the dress is really good with neat seams and piping. The ‘piping’ actually is made from a serger with the stitching pretty tight. From afar it looks like piping but in reality it is not, this might annoy someone but I have no problem with it. Plus, it’s cotton. I love cotton dresses. It’s breathable and wears well.

I’m actually ordering a Maxi dress next. Those are the toughest for me to shop for as, I said before, I am just a smidgen taller than 5′-1″ so they are generally way too long for me as things are designed for woman 5′-4″ to 5′-7″ (according to eShakti’s site). By giving eShakti my measurements I will get to avoid all that. Super excited.

Now it’s your turn to get SUPER EXCITED!

Here is a coupon code ‘iamahoneybee’- exclusively created for you guys to get 10% OFF when they shop at eShakti – valid from 04/01/2015 – 05/01/2015!!!!

Please note:

Code has to be entered in the ‘promotional code’ box. It is not case-sensitive.

Code can be used any number of times until the validity period.

It can be clubbed with any other promotional offer, gift coupon or gift card in the same order unless explicitly specified otherwise in the offer conditions.

This discount code is not applicable on clearance / sale, gift cards & overstock categories.

Not applicable on previous purchases.

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I received this dress from eShakti free of charge in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.

Stitch Fix- March

March 23, 2013

Have you heard of Stitch Fix?

It’s a personalized styling service. You tell the stylists about what you like to wear and all your sizing info and they send you 5 items in every shipment. You get to try on the items in the box at your own pace and get to pair them with elements already in your wardrobe. Keep what you like and just send the rest back in prepaid envelopes. Super simple.

I learned about Stitch Fix from a post from the incredible talented scrapbooker (and mom to 4 adorable girls) Stephanie Howell. It looked like so much fun so I signed up. I had a bit of a wait time as it’s invite only at this point, similar to when Pinterest first started. Just be patient and you’ll get through quick enough.

My first Stitch Fix arrived last Friday so I had all last weekend to try on the stuff. It was a fun process because I got to do it when I was ready and look through my wardrobe to figure out what I could pair things with.

So here we go… don’t mind the super embarrassing pictures…

Item 1… Luii- Macey 3/4 Cleeve Jersey Blazer $78

I loved this item right when I saw it. I don’t have any blazers so I was really excited to open up the package and see this right on top. It fit well and I knew that I could wear it with several different outfits because of the style and the color. It could be great for work or great for a casual night out. So I decided to keep it. Totally love it.

Item 2… Colourworks- Rose Jersey Crossfront Top $58

It’s a shame that the photo doesn’t really show the detail of this top. It has a V-neck that doesn’t go too low but from there the front drapes down with extra fabric. It’s flattering and I like that it doesn’t actually scoop down very low. I decided to keep this and I’ve already worn it twice. I even paired it with the blazer one day.

Item 3… 41 Hawthorn- Calafia Jersey Wrap Dress $58

Well… OBVIOUSLY I will have to wear a tank under this. I basically knew that prior to putting it on but I tried it this way just for shits and giggles. These DD ladies don’t work well with a lot of things because they just get in the way. Seriously. So with all wrap dresses I wear a tank underneath so I don’t show my bra and boobs off. Kinda important. Aside from that I loved this dress. I loved the color and the fit so I decided to keep it.

Item 4… 41Hawthorn- Layra 3/4 Sleeve Jersey Tunic Dress $58

I could tell even before I put it on that it would not work out. I didn’t like the pattern nor the material. I put it on anyway and ugh. Way too small in the boob area. The ladies just stretched out the front and that was not gonna work. Plus I didn’t like the length so it was getting sent back.

Item 5… Angie- Filbert Elbow Sleep Popover Top $58

I had doubts when I saw this in the box because of the buttons. I generally have issues with button-downs so I figured this would be really iffy. Plus I didn’t love the color since I spill a lot. There is also a detail at the elbow that I didn’t like that much because it make it puffy there. All of my doubts were confirmed when I put it on… pass.

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So I decided to get the first 3 items listed above. I logged into the Stitch Fix site to give my feedback on every time and then I sent back the 2 other items in the postage paid priority envelope. Simple and done! I have already worn everything and I love them. No regrets.

I can’t wait for the next box to arrive mid April. I gave pretty thorough feedback on every item and overall comments to help them figure out what to put into my next Stitch Fix box. I discussed colors, patterns, material, and pricing. I commented on how I really would like to avoid getting so much jersey knit things in 1 box as 4 out of 5 items were jersey. Also, emphasized the boob situation and how I really hope not to get any button downs. But overall I was really happy with the first Stitch Fix box I got.

So if this sounds like a fun way to try on some clothes then sign up, fill out some surveys, and then you are on your way to scheduling your first Stitch Fix box right to your door. My referral code is 3059041. Pretty, pretty please use it if you sign up. Thanks 🙂

Have fun!