Are you prepared for anything life might throw your way?  Keeping calm in emergency situations depends greatly on your  preparation to deal with them.  We all know that a woman’s purse is her arsenal of tools that help her take on the world, but there are things you need in your purse that probably aren’t in there.  There are many items that might be in a typical homemaker’s purse right now, from makeup to pacifiers, but it’s probably missing some of the essentials that will make her invincible! 

“Be Prepared. That’s the motto of the Boy Scouts. “Be prepared for what?” someone once asked Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, “Why, for any old thing.” said Baden-Powell.”

                 -Excerpt from the Boy Scout Handbook

The list below of 13 Things You Need to Have in Your Purse contains not only emergency tools, but also items to make you more productive and allow you to use your time more effectively. 

13 Things You Need in Your Purse

1.  Allergy medicine.  Allergic reactions – to foods, animals, materials, or anything else – almost always come on unexpectedly and when you are not at home.  I have used the Benadryl in my purse on multiple occasions, not only for myself, but for my children also.

2.  Swiss army knife (or other multipurpose tool).  There is a pink multipurpose tool in my purse which has been used to extract a broken key from a lock, among other things.  The multitude of tools packed onto this gadget, such as tweezers, knife, bottle opener, and more, come in handy all the time.

3.  Address labels.  Never fill out this repetitive information by hand if you don’t have to!  Save the time and energy by carrying your preprinted address labels (remember the ones that come unsolicited in the mail?) in your purse.  Whenever you need to fill in mailing info (movie store, drawings/giveaways, registrations, etc.) just peel and stick an adhesive address label.

4.  Traveler’s check.  Everyone knows that carrying cash in your purse is not only a security risk, but a spending temptation as well!  Many people don’t want to carry credit cards or cash with them, and traveler’s checks are a great alternative.  If you really need money for an emergency (not a clearance sale – those are NOT emergencies!), you’ll have a traveler’s check that can be spent like cash.  An added security bonus is that traveler’s checks are refundable if lost or stolen.  If you’ve never used them before, you can learn more about traveler’s checks.

5.  Spare car key and house key.  Locking your keys in the house or car is a huge inconvenience, and can be expensive if you have to hire a locksmith.  Do yourself a favor and keep an extra set in your purse that is not attached to your keychain.  Chances are good that even if you lock your keys in the car, you’ll still have your purse on your shoulder.

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6.  Pen and paper.  You never know when you’ll need to write something down (think directions, address, phone number, insurance information).

7.  Cell phone and/or address book.  Accident, flat tire, lost… with a multitude of possible circumstances, it’s not practical to be away from home without either your cell phone or at least a mini address book with important phone numbers.

8.  Lighter or matches.  Anything can happen, and you never know when you’ll need to make fire.  If you don’t carry around flint and tinder (aside: I don’t in real life, but in World of Warcraft I do- and it takes up 2 bag slots!  Hey- you never know when you’re going to need to cook something!) then it will be nice to have matches or a lighter to make a quick fire.  Uses: Burn off a leech, create smoke signal, scare away angry bees, etc.

9.  Emergency snacks.  Stranded?  Hungry?  Having food in your purse will protect your finances and health by keeping you from hitting a drive-thru.  Having food if you are ever stranded away from businesses/people will keep you from going hungry.  Lastly, having snacks in your purse can prevent a serious toddler melt-down in public for a hungry little one!

10.  Tissues.  Nose bleeds, runny noses, crying child, liquid spills, oily skin – tissues come in handy all the time.

11.  Book, magazine, or blog posts.  How often do you spend time waiting- time that is wasted because you just sit or  stand there thinking about the fact that you’re waiting?!  You could be doing something productive with that wait-time.  Bring along a book or magazine that you haven’t had time to read.  I personally print out blog posts from my feed reader in the morning and take them in my purse to read throughout the day when I’m waiting.  The time I spend waiting at school to drop off/ pick up my daughter, in the bank drive-thru, at the doctor’s office, at the pharmacy, and in line at the post office is spent catching up on reading my favorite blogs!

12.  To do list.  You’re constantly thinking, and usually remember things you need to do while you’re away from home.  Sound familiar?  Keep your to do list with you, so you can add items to it when you think of them.

13.  Safety pins.  Buttons fall off, zippers break, seams come apart, hems fall down.  Having a spare safety pin in your purse can save you from a wardrobe malfunction when you need it the most!  

Purses come in all shapes, colors and sizes, but you can never judge a purse by it’s cover – er, outside!  If it’s going to go everywhere with you, it may as well serve you as a storage spot for useful tools.  The above list of 13 useful items that probably aren’t in your purse right now should get you started in your purse contents-makeover.  Print out this list and get your purse up to speed today! 

Originally published February 5th, 2010.  Purse photos by stock.xchng.

13 Things You Need to Have in Your Purse (but Probably Don’t) is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

Erin Phillips is a stay at home mom (SAHM), student and former makeup artist.  You can find the daily exploits as a wife, mother and student on her blog, My Vocations, as well as instant updates on her Facebook page.

Now that we’ve gone through what a tasteful wardrobe should consist of, and the sparkly things that go with it, now it’s on to the rest- the Fringe accents.

Shoes

My personal obsession- shoes (okay, makeup, but shoes are a VERY close 2nd). I am right there with Carrie Bradshaw and gasping “Hello Lover” whenever I see a cute pair in a window.

They are historically how people judged your lot in life. People with money could afford nicer shoes. Now, with some pretty decent ready to wear mass productions, we have some very cute options to go with our lovely classic wardrobe and tasteful jewelry.

There used to be guidelines for shoes. Kitty heels or flats for the taller girls, and no self respecting woman would dare wear 6” stilettos. Not so much the case anymore. I’m 5′7” and adore wearing heels, because they elongate my stubby legs. Your main focus should be on what makes your outfit look good, and what you’re most comfortable in.

Purses

Next is your bag. This very well may double as your diaper bag. And there are some adorable purse/tote looking diaper bags available. What you’d want to have in your “arsenal” is:

1. Small Clutch. For the times that you’re able to get out, usually with your little black dress. These are barely bigger than a typical billfold/checkbook wallet and should be used to hold your ID, cards, cash, touch up makeup (powder and lipstick) and cell. And nothing more… because, well, there’s no more room.
2. Old Standard. This fits your wallet, cell, possibly a brush- basically all you need while away from home supplies. For moms with older children, we usually find room in there for emergency toy cars or princess accoutrements, the directions to where we’re going, our cell, a small address book, etc. This could also be your diaper bag for smaller children… just remember- if you have to lug this thing around, make it work for you.
3. A Large Tote. This is usually what you’d carry with you when traveling (and is usually the first sign to a native Floridian such as myself of a tourist) But these help when flying- or cutting corners at the movie theater. There’s LOTS of room for ANYTHING you need.

So, now you have your clothing, jewelry, shoes and bag. Add your makeup (and a few hair tips I’ll get to next) and we can all emerge from the Mom Rut and start doing the Mom Strut (and look fabulous doing it!)

Accessories for Mom- The Fringe is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

Erin Phillips is a stay at home mom (SAHM), student and former makeup artist.  You can find the daily exploits as a wife, mother and student on her blog, My Vocations, as well as instant updates on her Facebook page.

Accessories and Jewelry

They can make a simple black dress breathtakingly sophisticated. Think about Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) in that beginning scene of Breakfast at Tiffany’s… what would that black dress be without those lovely pearls, the tiara barrette in her perfectly coiffed hair, or those fabulous opera gloves? Just a sheath dress in black. They can instantly take a v-neck tee and khaki capris from backyard to date night with a few lobster clasps.

Accessories. Since Cleopatra’s time women have been adorning themselves with jewels and trinkets to enhance their ensemble. And they change with the tide, but a few key pieces will translate well regardless of what’s coming out of Paris or New York this season.

1.  A simple strand of pearls. They don’t have to be real, just make sure they’re real good looking. Sometimes fake pearls are just plastic beads covered with a pearescent foil… this can chip off quite easily, sometimes with prolonged exposure to the moisture from your skin, body oils or lotions. Simulated pearls are more commonplace and last a bit longer. And good places to get quality costume jewelry is QVC.com, HSN.com, or a big box store.

2.  A nice pair of stud earrings. These don’t go below your earlobe, and you can wear them any time, with anything. The traditional choice- diamond (or nice looking CZ). Don’t take this to rap star level (extra large), it’s not ideal.

3.  A simple pair of hoops. Mayonnaise jar hoops are still gauche, but it’s your choice if you want silver or gold. (See NOTE below about how to choose silver or gold.)

4.  A nice cocktail / “right hand” ring. This is a nice looking ring that might be a tiny bit more flashy than your wedding/engagement ring(s), hence worn on the right hand. Rings are always personal choice. Some people get irritated by wearing them, and they’re not as noticeable as a necklace or earrings, so if you really don’t like them, you can skip wearing them.

5.  Statement jewelry. This is where you’d have a piece or two that states who you are or what your outfit says. For Christians that so choose, it would be their cross. Trends like the toggle style necklace that Tiffany released a couple years ago, the diamond circle pendant, etc.

6.  Trendy pieces. With the 80s making a comeback lately, this is where you’d have your thick bangle bracelets with interesting designs, piles of jelly bracelets, etc. This should be the least amount in your jewelry wardrobe, because what’s in for 2009/2010 may be completely yuck in 2011.

A general rule of thumb- don’t try to pile on your jewels just because it’s what you have. And it’s along the same lines of makeup- big and attention-getting in one area and leave the rest simple. Big earrings, keep the necklace simple.

NOTE: How to choose if you’re a Silver or Gold person- hold something silvery or gray next to your skin (face or neck is usually easiest), and with the other hand, hold something gold or yellow/orange up. Whichever side of you looks more “lit” up, that’s what you are. I look best with silver, as I feel gold makes me look a little jaundice.

Stay tuned for Erin’s new fashion and beauty column next week, Fringe- purses, scarves and shoes. 

Mommy Style – Accessories and Jewelry is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

Erin Phillips is a stay at home mom (SAHM), student and former makeup artist.  You can find the daily exploits as a wife, mother and student on her blog, My Vocations, as well as instant updates on her Facebook page.

Eyebrow Threading

From Marlene Dietrich pencil-thins to Brook Shields’ Au Naturales (and back again), we all have personal preferences as to how we want our brows “done”. The newest way (to the local mall nail shop in your area, at least) to do that is through eyebrow threading.

The way a particular esthetician will set up their threads depends on the method they learned. Some are very ornate and theatrical while the service is being rendered. But the idea is the same.

Regular, cotton (in most cases) thread is made into a rounded rectangle shape, twisted into itself three or four times (forming two triangles), and depending on what your particular hand-dominance, is placed before each hair to be removed, the fingers in one loop opened, causing the wrapped part to literally tangle the hairs into the wraps, pulling them out.

Confused? I used the video below to figure it out for myself, instead of paying $7 or better to have them done by someone else (subscribers will have to click through to this article to watch the video).  Especially if it was supposed to be a particularly painful experience.

How to Thread Eyebrows Video

Personally, the jury is still out for me if I’d use threading or trusty ol’ razor stick from Sally’s. Threading is a cleaner technique… It’s must easier to plot out the shape of your brow, and less margin of error. However- the pain factor is great (more so than tweezers, in my opinion), especially if you accidentally catch some skin in the thread, as I did my first attempt.

A razor stick (most drug stores and Sally Beauty stores carry them) is economical, and to me, the least painful way to do brows. But you have to be much more careful with razors than tweezers or threading, or else you end up with brows a la Vanilla Ice.

The most important part is to do SOMETHING to your brows. If you wear not a smudge of makeup, your eyebrows being properly groomed is a very quick way to look better, and a little more put together. 

How to Thread Eyebrows with Video is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

Erin Phillips is a stay at home mom (SAHM), student and former makeup artist.  You can find the daily exploits as a wife, mother and student on her blog, My Vocations, as well as instant updates on her Facebook page.

Summer Makeup for Moms

Summer’s started, and pretty much anywhere you live, you’re dealing with heat… put on top of that the collective thirty seconds you have to yourself as a mom (hello- two preschoolers!), and summer seems like the season you do without, put your hair in a ponytail (or claw clip) and away you go.

It doesn’t have to be that blah just because you’re a mom. I have five of my favorite, go-to products to keep you looking fresh, revived and with-it, and all within 5 minutes. I do have to say- you will notice I’m a big fan of mark. cosmetics. (I am not a representative, I just like the product). But I’ve given you some drug store alternatives for a get-it-right-now purchase.

5 Must Have Summer Makeup Products

1- mark. Get a Tint (appx $8.00). Truly beautiful for a quick pick me up for your skin without going crazy with coverage! I’d definitely put this on before any concealer you need. (I’ll explain later!)

Option- CG Smoothers. Always a favorite on my mecca website- makeupalley.com. I’d go a shade darker than you think you need on this one… it can make you look ashy if it’s too light.

1 ½ – mark. Good Riddance Hookup Concealer (appx $6.00 meetmark.com). If you have a non-sleeping 2 year old like I do, “Say haloh to my little frien’”. LOVE this stuff. And it’s a pencil that I have “hooked up” to my lip gloss. Can’t go wrong- they wedge right in that skinny little pocket in the diaper bag.

Application tip: if you need a LOT of coverage, ‘draw’ right on your areas and tap/smudge until it disappears into your skin. If you just need a little, draw a little bit on your RING finger and apply that way. The ring finger is the most seldom used finger on the hand, therefore the best for applying to the face- it’s less callused, and tends to be the cleanest.

The drug store favorite for me- Revlon New Complexion concealer.

2- mark. Good Glowing powder blush (appx $6.00 meetmark.com). Golden Glo and After Glo are the ones I use the most… and does well across the board with skin tones. Option- Jane mineral blush- I’ve used this on photoshoots. Colors do well across skin tones too. Also apply blush/bronzer in the crease of your eyelid. Instant eye shadow!

3- Physician’s Formula Lash in a Tube. Has been and always will be my favorite. Bad Gal Lash by Benefit was my favorite until I couldn’t afford it anymore. This product does the SAME thing, without the huge-gantic brush gimmick (yes, Benefit was the first!)… for summer, stick with the waterproof. Sweat or jumping into a pool will have you all Tammy-Fayed out. Not pretty!

4- Lip Gloss. No real recommendation on this one. I wouldn’t go too frosty on it, or you look too 60’s B-Movie Sci-Fi queen… just a little sheen, and stick to whatever looks closest to your bare lips… so you can do your lip gloss without looking in a mirror (especially in traffic!)

Next week- I get my eyebrows Threaded for the first time! It’s supposed to be less painful and longer lasting than plucking. We shall see!

5 Must Have Summer Makeup Products For Moms is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

Erin Phillips is a stay at home mom (SAHM), student and former makeup artist.  You can find the daily exploits as a wife, mother and student on her blog, My Vocations, as well as instant updates on her Facebook page.

Basic Skin Care: Prep Your Canvas!

The biggest thing about makeup isn’t the actual cosmetic itself- it’s what’s under it. You can put the best foundation on, but if your skin is bad, your makeup will look bad too.

But you don’t have to go to the spa weekly for beautiful skin- a few simple steps twice a day will help keep that canvas ready.

Skin Cleansers

First- get a good cleanser. Good doesn’t always mean strongest. Truly oily skin is not just oily through the t-zone (forehead, nose, sides of nose and chin), but the entire facial surface. Sometimes with foundation, your makeup will take on an orange-y tint or seem to disappear by midday. For this, you need good astringent properties. Proactiv is a popular choice, but I hear good things with Clean and Clear’s new line also. Problem with Proactiv- it dries your skin out the minute you stop taking it.

For Normal/Combo Skin - (shiny/oily in the t-zone, but no real “issues” through the cheeks), this is when things get easy. You pretty much have pick of the litter as far as what you can use.

For Sensitive Skin- things get tricky. It seems like everything you put on yours skin burns or itches. A favorite (of mine and dermatologists alike) is Cetaphyl. It’s a gentle, non-detergent cleanser that I also use at photoshoots to remove makeup between looks. Great at removing waterproof mascara as well.

Exfoliating

No real need to buy an exfoliator – your regular cleanser and a soft washcloth does the trick. Once or twice a week, use the cloth in circles around the face, paying attention to the creases in the nose, along the brow, and on the chin line.

Skin Toner

The jury is still out about toner. Some people, especially with oilier skin will need additional astringent, but the majority of us don’t need it… clean skin is clean skin- why add a step?

Skin Moisturizer

Please please please- if you have any intention of wearing makeup- moisturize! It’s the biggest thing I ask my brides to do when they want makeup on their special day… especially if the bachelorette party entailed many a cosmo!  Makeup will change color, cake and “glop” together if the skin is flaky and dry. You can even put a few drops of your regular foundation into your moisturizer to make your own tinted moisturizer. And a note: night/day creams are a myth. I just wouldn’t recommend wearing an spf moisturizer to bed. But it won’t melt your face off either… so use your own judgment.

Lip and Eye Treatments

And last, but just as important- don’t forget your lips! A good (and cheap) treatment for exfoliation- a dime-sized dollop of Vaseline with 1/8 tsp sugar. Mix together, and apply to the lips in a circular motion. Remove with a damp cloth.

For your eyes, if you don’t have wrinkles unless you’re squinting, a small little dab of Vaseline at the outside corners of your eyes takes care of that. For more pronounced lines, I really like Lacura in the pink tube… or Hope In A Tube by Philosophy (a bit pricey, but SO worth it!). If you have dark, pronounced circles (some of the East Indian heritage, pregnant darker skintones, etc), anything with vitamin K. I like Jason Naturals K Crème Plus. There are also a lot of off-brands at your local health food store… look in the beauty section.

Taking care of your skin will pay for itself in about 8 weeks. It’s where you should invest the most money- drug store makeup will (for the most part) look just as good as the most expensive, if the skin is right.

Next week, Summer Makeup! My favorite time of year (for makeup anyway), because it’s the one that I use the least product…

Guide to Basic Skin Care is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

Moms – do you feel you are good enough?  As wives, mothers, women, and human beings on this Earth, we are not born with a full set of instructions.  We do not know the right way to do everything from the outset of our life, and we shouldn’t expect more from ourselves than to do the best with what we are given.  The only way any of us learn how to be a mother, a wife, or just a person making their way in the world, is to live. 

Some women are lucky enough to be taught all the necessary life skills from their parents.  If I dare to ask all the readers to chime in on that point, I’m going to guess that most of us weren’t in that lucky small group! 

Many of us mothers have to learn how to be a homemaker, parent and a wife from reading books, reading magazines, watching other people, and gaining our own experience that only comes with time.

It gave me great pain to hear the voice of “every woman” and “every mother” coming out through fellow blogger GrudgeMom today.  Here is a snippet of what I read:

“Am I a good enough mom, parent, wife? I’m constantly wondering and in my mind, I’m not.  You know when you were a JR in (highschool) and think the SRs are so smart and cool? That’s how I feel about some moms. I read what these moms have to say, and I feel like I can’t even begin to approach the league they are in.  I feel like I am playing pretend at being a parent when you put me beside one of them. They just know everything, and I can’t hope to have the knowledge even after 50 years of being a mother.”

-Read the rest of Never Good Enough

I feel sad that anyone should ever have to feel this way!  This is not the first blog post I’ve come across voicing these same painful concerns of women doubting their own worthiness to be mothers and wives.  If you read the rest of GrudgeMom’s article, you’ll find her concerns also about being a new mom with relatives that don’t support her parenting choices.  

One good thing about being a parent is that our kids know even less than we do!  They don’t know if we’re doing anything wrong, or if there’s a better or more efficient way to do something.  They only know that we are there for them, take care of them, and make everything okay.  We are their heroes and their role models, their monster-in-the-closet checkers and their boo-boo kissers. 

Having family members that constantly criticize your parenting methods or family choices does not help when you’re already struggling to adjust to your new role in life (as someone’s partner and someone’s parent).  We can NOT control what our extended families do, say, or think about us.  All we can do is realize that what they think is not our problem.

You and your husband are the ones that shape your family life.  You two make decisions together and learn together as you go along. 

It’s okay to ask others for advice when you want information.  As my friend Crystal Paine says, you can always turn to godly older women for advice on parenting and life.  This isn’t because they are better than us younger ladies, or smarter, or cooler, but because they learned in exactly the same way WE will learn – by years of experiencing it for themselves!

Keep in mind that when family members (even in-laws) are criticizing your parenting, they probably feel like they’re being helpful and that their way is the best way.  However, they’re really showing disrespect to both you and your husband, essentially saying that they don’t feel he can make good decisions for your family.  This simply isn’t true.  As a father, husband, and the head of your house, he has to learn as he goes along too. 

It’s normal to have questioning feelings every once in a while, but don’t let them stick around.  Fill your brain with these positive statements enough times that you start to believe them:

• I am a good parent who is learning more every day.
• I am a loving wife who is married to a wonderful man.
• My husband and I make good decisions for our family.
• My children love me and I love them.
• I am the best parent I can be.
• What I think and say is important.
• I am good enough!

Moms – You ARE Good Enough is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

Life Tips for Women from Mary Kay Ash has great advice every week for moms, working moms, single moms, married women, and more. The book I’m quoting from is called Mary Kay by Mary Kay Ash, the founder of the legendary cosmetics company.  You can read more about the Life Tips for Women from Mary Kay Ash series.

Plan Your Days & Make Each One Count

“Have you ever had one of those Saturdays  when you got up in the morning and didn’t have a single thing planned for the day?  You drift from one thing to another, and by the end of the day you realize that you haven’t accomplished a thing.  You feel empty and depressed and frustrated; you’ve wasted a day you’ll never get a a chance to relive. 

Well, just as you drifted through an entire day, some people drift through a week, a month, a year – and even a lifetime.”

                                       -Mary Kay, p. 93

Can you relate? I certainly can.  How frustrating to feel like we trudge through our days and look back only to realize that we haven’t accomplished anything.  Even worse- do you feel like you didn’t accomplish anything that mattered? 

Make Your Top Priorities of the Day List

First thing in the morning, I find that making a list of your few most important things to do for the day can keep this from happening.  This list is like your map for the day, and no matter how many unexpected things pop up at the last minute, you can find a way to get your 3 or 4 items done and checked off.

The top priorities list isn’t only about productivity; it’s about accomplishment.  Looking at this list at the end of the day, you can see how you spent your time and feel good about doing what you set out to do. 

Keep the top priorities list short and sweet, and make sure that there aren’t only mundane tasks on the list.

Projects That Matter to Your Life

How many days do you spend any time working on a project that matters to your life?  Dishes and cooking may be everyday necessities, but are these tasks that change and shape the overall course of your life?  Probably not. 

Identify a project right now that is important to you and matters to the bigger picture in your life.  Are you an aspiring author? If so, add a task each day to spend just 10 minutes writing.  Are you a scrapbook lover who longs to preserve your family memories, but never has time to do the huge project of sorting all your photos from the last decade?  Start small and add a task to your priorities list to do one small part of your memory book each day.  Spend 10 short minutes printing out pictures from this week, or find a template to create 1 page for photos from yesterday. 

These small tasks don’t seem like much work and won’t take much time from your day, but planning your days with projects that matter to your life will make a huge difference to your life’s path in the big picture.

Love Your Life Challenge:  

• Identify a project that matters to your life.  Big or small, only choose one project to focus on for now.
• Find a small task you can do several times a week to work on this project.  10 minutes, 1 page, 1 chapter… however it is measured, start small.
• When you look back on your week, appreciate the time you planned and accomplished, and look at how it will change your life over time, week by week.
• Let us know in the comments below if you’re taking this challenge, and what your project is. 

Subscribe to our free updates now so that you don’t miss Life Tips from Mary Kay Ash next week!

For more Works for Me Wednesday, visit We are That Family and Homemaker Mondays.

Life Tips from Mary Kay: Plan Your Days and Make Each One Count is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

Life Tips for Women from Mary Kay Ash

I read a very profound book when I was just a teenager that formed my thoughts on most of my business practices today.  It’s called Mary Kay by Mary Kay Ash, the founder of the legendary cosmetics company. 

Our new series is called Life Tips for Women from Mary Kay Ash, and will be a weekly ongoing series with great advice for moms, working moms, single moms, married women, you name it.

Throughout my adult life and my career, Mary Kay has been an inspiration to me because of her fierce determination, commitment to putting her family before work, and still being a successful leader who helped women the world over to change their lives for the better.  She’s in my top 5 list of mentors for my life, and has helped shape many of the policies at IS World Media.

Although Mary Kay Ash has written many books, this is the one which has stuck with me, which I’ve read over and over, which has upwards of 100 sticky notes hanging off the edges of the pages!  She built her company out of the sheer desire to give women homemakers the opportunities that didn’t exist in society at that time.  Her ideals of putting God and family first were sometimes laughed at by the business world, but developed into one of the most financially successful companies in the world (run by Mary Kay and her 2 sons!).

Her insights towards life as a mom – a working mom at that – and a single mom can teach us all a little something about how to make the little improvements in our own lives that will really bring us more time for our families, more victories, and more power to be able to accomplish our dreams.

I’m starting a new series here at Home Ever After to showcase some of the best points from Mary Kay’s 1981 book, which is just as helpful today as it was then.    Since it’s an old book, Mary Kay by Mary Kay Ash is available at Amazon for only a few dollars.  You can probably even find it at a bookstore in your town for the list price of $3.95!  If you’ll take my word on this book’s importance in my life, and if you’d like to follow along with this series by reading the book first, I strongly recommend that you spend the $4 and buy this book.

Introducing Life Tips for Women From Mary Kay Ash is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

The following article is a guest post by Renee Martinez, a marketing consultant and sassy mother of four boys (ages 8, 5, 3 and 9 months) who tells it like it is.  You can find her blogging at Mothers Raising Boys about how to raise responsible and respectful children, and at her invitation company Ruby Printcess. 

The other day I was going for a walk with my boys and I noticed a woman, about my age, chatting with a friend in her front yard. At 37, I’m no spring chicken, but when I digested what it was she was wearing and how she looked, I thought, gosh, I hope I never let myself look like that! Is that mean?

Listen, I’m not a fashionista, I like a bargain, but I appreciate style too. There is no reason why someone needs to let themselves go to the point of looking frumpy, dirty, dated and older than they should.

Hey, I’m not a size 4 anymore, and I accept this. It’s easy to let yourself fall into a slump when your trying to get into that ideal size again. It’s understandable why someone wouldn’t want to make an effort to update their wardrobe if they know they are losing weight…but you need to have enough respect for yourself to take care of yourself.

Here’s my theory. It’s a vicious circle. You feel fat, so you don’t buy new clothes. Then you look bad, so you feel miserable. Then you decide to have a snack to make yourself feel better. Oh and by the way, you skip working out because you’re too bummed because it’s not having any effect…so you still feel fat.

Break the cycle.

Go to Target or some store that offers trendier apparel at discount prices. Buy a few staples for the new season. A few tops, a couple of pants/shorts, and a dress or skirt. Definitely buy some shoes (no need to go cheap on these…feet don’t lose weight) and maybe a new purse too. H & M is a great place for what I call “disposable” clothes. After a season, they usually are ruined by stains or wear – so you can just get rid of them without the guilt associated with overspending.

Most importantly…buy your size. Buy clothes that fit, because even if they’re a size 14, you will always look better in your real size than if you try to squeeze your size 14 buns into a size 8. You’ll look like a muffin top/sausage…and that’s just not attractive no matter what.

Here’s the deal, you’ll feel better if you try my suggestions above. The funny thing is that when you feel better about yourself, you take better care of yourself. So, you might actually watch what you eat with a little ease and lose a few pounds to boot. Also, people will notice and give you positive reinforcement that in turn which make you feel even better.

One note, get rid of any granny panties and buy something cute as well as a proper fitting cute bra. You need to feel good about yourself all over. Good luck.  Renee

Sweatpants sign by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com. Fashion don’t models photo by I See Modern Britain.

Dump the Frump & Get Your Style Back is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

We found a great article at TipNut with tips for natural beauty tips and remedies using foods and other household materials.  Among them are beauty tips for olive oil, sesame oil, strawberries, apples, tea, egg whites, honey, yogurt, lemon juice, and even avocado!

How to look beautiful is a fun subject for moms, especially when you can vamp up your looks without using lots of chemical filled beauty products on your hair and skin.

I’ve been on the lookout for a new natural hair conditioner treatment to try for some time, so I’m anxious to try a honey rinse recipe that they describe in the beauty tips article.

Here is one of the coolest natural beauty tips from the list- a natural way to whiten your teeth:

“Brighten your smile with strawberries & baking soda. First mash a fresh strawberry and add a tsp of baking soda. Spread on toothbrush & rub strawberry mash onto teeth. Leave for a couple minutes then brush teeth clean. Because the fruit is naturally acidic, don’t use this method more than once a week to protect your teeth from damage.” 

Read the rest of the article here: 12 Simple Beauty Hacks From The Kitchen    [Mommy Style]

Photo by BdwayDiva1.

12 Natural Beauty Tips From The Kitchen is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

For frugal minded fashion, we have a contest to share with you today that could win you a $250 wardrobe from Mandee!  I know a shopping spree is every parent’s dream when it comes to back to school clothes shopping and – let’s face it – August is not that far away, moms!

Mandee is holding their StyleStar contest, perfect for your teens (or yourself).  The winner not only gets a $250 shopping spree, but also wins a modeling photo shoot at Mandee this June. 

To Enter:

You simply model your favorite Mandee outfit, and have someone snap a few photos of you.  Submit your photo by email at stylestar(at)Mandee.com, along with a description of how much your outfit cost and why you think it’s the best. 

Hurry to enter, because this contest ends tomorrow, 5/15/09.  Get more details at Mandee.com.

Frugal Moms -Win Your Child a $250 Back to School Wardrobe! is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

Keeping up with the latest fashion and maintaining yourself can be a big challenge when you are mom. You spend most of your time with activities related to your children and home, so much that you might forget how to look beautiful and take care of your own needs.

You need to know how to look beautiful without a lot of fuss and without spending a lot of time or money.  These simple tips will help you keep up with the current trends and look beautiful as a mom, without actually spending much time as you expect.

9 Tips for How to Look Beautiful as a Mom

1.  Take up simple and natural ways of beautifying your skin at home. Some home beauty remedies are:

• Use grapefruit before applying moisturizer to your skin.
• Mix honey, egg white and lemon juice and apply to you skin as a mask.  Allow to sit for a while, before washing it off.
• Use jojoba oil to soften and moisturize your skin.

2.  Choose the right clothes.  If you have just finished a pregnancy, you will still need to wait until you are back in shape to wear your pre-pregnancy clothes.

Until then, wear clothes which suit your body structure, and avoid the body hugging ones. Learn to cover up the unshapely parts of your body with flowing and longer tops over pants.  Make sure to include structured clothes to give your body the shape you want.  For help making good choices on mom clothes, read 8 Quick Rules to Grow Up Your Wardrobe.

3.  Take time to shop once in a while. Don’t shop in a hurry, like in your earlier days. Carefully pick and try on outfits which fit well.  If possible, go clothes shopping without the kids so you can focus and make good clothing decisions without being distracted.

4.  Get your nails and hair done from time to time. If these aspects are taken care of, you will automatically look groomed.  Both of these tasks are easy beauty DIYs you can do yourself at home without spending much at all.

5.  Rethink your hair length and stop cutting it short.  Many moms cut their hair short to make maintenance easier.  However, if your face has become round and full due to previous pregnancies and weight gain, then avoid short hair dos.  These will only emphasize the extra weight you’re still carrying. 

Instead, go for long or shoulder length hair. (You can still pull it back into a ponytail or hairclip when you need to.) Also use a side parting of the hair, rather than middle parts, so that your face looks long and slim.

6.  Buy stylish yet comfortable shoes. No matter how much you may have loved them before having children, you will not be able to wear high heels during most of or immediately after your pregnancy. So go for flat or shoes with comfortable heels, which have attractive designs.  You can find stylish shoes that will also be comfortable for walking or spending lots of time on your feet.

7.  Add dresses to your wardrobe. Dresses are great for the warmer months, and also will look good on you, even if you on the plumper side now.  They can camouflage a lot of what you don’t want seen as you work on your trouble spots.  Dresses are easy wardrobe additions that always let you look put together.

8.  Team up your outfits with complementary jewelry. Jewelry gives a completely different and stylish look to your outfit on the whole. You can consider using bracelets, long earrings and stylish pendants.

9.  If you work demands you to wear professional clothes, avoid suits. Try mixing and matching using jackets and skirts or pants in different combinations to add variety and break out of the boring “suit” look.

These 9 tips about how to look beautiful as a mom will help you get your fashion and upkeep back in check, even if you’ve been slipping since having children.  The more thought you put into how you look, the better you’ll feel, leaving you a happier mommy and wife.  Are you tired in the mornings, but still want to look great?  Learn how to look beautiful even on little sleep in Don’t Look Like a Tired Mom: 13 Quick Mini Makeovers.

Photos by nathalielaure (top) and spaceodissey (bottom).

9 Tips for How to Look Beautiful as a Mom is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

Spring is in the air, and the warmer weather can definitely bring on cravings for a spring wardrobe update. We want to pack away the heavy, bulky fabrics from winter and dark, jewel tone colors. It’s time to give your closet a little makeover by filling it with lightweight fabrics, tender prints, and bright, spring colors.  Ready to update your wardrobe for spring?

Since we know budgets are on all of our minds right now, we’re bringing you 7 thrifty tips to spruce up your wardrobe for the change of season without spending a fortune. Our tips will have your daily outfits looking like you got a whole new wardrobe, even though you’ll really only be spending money on key pieces to pull this off.

7 Thrifty Tips to Update Your Wardrobe for Spring

1. Add in spring accessories to create the illusion of a bigger wardrobe. You’ll spend much less on accessories than on all new clothes, but the brighter colors will let you create new outfits. Choose bright colored headbands, purses, cell phone/ Blackberry/iPhone covers, bracelets, necklaces and earrings. Having bright punches of color coordinated together will make an existing outfit look new and springy. Make sure the color is balanced and evenly spread, such as a headband with a matching purse, or a necklace with splashy bracelets.

2. Switch out 2 black or dark long-sleeved tops for bright vibrantly colored tops. These new tops should be in lightweight fabrics and saturated colors- think fuschia, teal, and coral. Stick with solid colors so they can be accessorized to add variety. These stand-alone shirts shouldn’t set you back too much, just look for inexpensive tops that can be worn alone or in layers.

3. Scarves. Scarves are the ultimate budget fashion accessory that can play many different roles in a modern wardrobe. They can be tied through belt loops to add a spring look to jeans, pants or capris. Scarves can also be worn on your head for the ultimate vacation look. Here’s a tutorial on how to tie a scarf in 3 different ways.

4. Get a few pairs of springy fashion shoes at budget stores, like Payless or Walmart. These inexpensive shoes will add an update to any existing outfit and are usually modeled after the season’s hottest styles. You’ll be trendy without spending a fortune while switching out old winter shoes and boots for spring sandals and hot heels in juicy colors.

5. Buy 2-3 tanks in summer colors to replace shells under jackets and sweaters. Thrift stores and vintage stores are great places to find awesome tanks at a budget price. Rich spring colors and must-have patterns are the key here. The perfect tanks will be able to be worn under jackets for professional daywear or on weekends with shorts, jeans or skirts in casual outfits.

6. Find 1-2 designer pieces at a rack store, outlet store, or department store sale that are high quality and marked down. Not all your wardrobe update pieces have to come from second hand or discount stores. If you’re dying for designer pieces, don’t deny yourself, but don’t go overboard. Choose only 1 or 2 pieces that are very versatile and have high quality construction (meaning they’ll last more than one season). Only add pieces that are not too trendy so they can be used again next year. Check rack stores and eBay first to see if you can score your favorite designer brands at a better price.

7. Opt for skirts in lightweight fabrics instead of shorts. Shorts are cute and can be tempting, but buy skirts instead. Skirts will be able to transition to fall/winter by dressing up with a denim jacket or turtleneck sweater and tights, getting you more wardrobe mileage for your money.

By using these strategies and looking for key pieces to transition your look, you can update your closet for spring without breaking the bank on a whole new wardrobe! Find more beauty and fashion tips and tricks, including 8 Quick Rules to Grow Up Your Wardrobe  and Don’t Look Like a Tired Mom: 13 Quick Mini Makeovers.

Neck scarf photo by Mickael Casol.  Headband photo by yarnovermovement.

7 Thrifty Tips to Update Your Wardrobe for Spring is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

Mom, do you make time for yourself?  Once you have become a mom, it’s difficult to find mom time to do non-child-related activities. We all get busy with the challenges of motherhood while managing household chores.

Finding time for mom is challenging, but with good time management tactics you will be able to manage it. We all need some mommy time away from the kids to do grown-up activities, relax and recharge.  Here are some tips to find time for mom.

6 Ways to Make Time for Mom

1.  Use the baby naptime effectively: Baby’s naptime is the perfect time to spend time your way. If you like reading, writing or painting, this is a good time to pick up a book or brush without having your baby in one arm. Try to avoid using this time to cleaning up the house or do other chores. You can enjoy a bubble bath or shower during this time or even take a short nap.

2.  Have a different sleeping time than your baby: If your baby sleeps until late mornings, then make it a habit to wake up early. You get more time for yourself and also for your spouse. If you baby sleeps early in the evenings, you can be awake until later to enjoy some parents-only time.

3.  Plan your grocery shopping to save time: Plan your grocery shopping well. Make a list of needed items for at least one week and purchase them all in one visit to the grocery store. This way you will not have to worry about having things for your cooking and household chores and will save you the time which you can have for yourself.

4.  Hunt for child-friendly shops: Many stores now offer supervised playrooms for children while you go about your shopping, ticking off items on your shopping list. You will love this concept so much that you will look for opportunities to visit such stores! Your child is in safe hands while you enjoy your shopping time, looking for great deals.

5.  Team up with other moms: You are not the only one who has to face these challenges of motherhood. Team up with other moms, plan outings together, and share the responsibility of the children while you find mommy time for all of you! You can pick dates for each of you to look after the children, while the others get time off to spend doing whatever they like.

6.  Try multitasking:  Try multitasking to finish your scheduled work faster and get the free time to yourself. Once your baby has an established feeding routine, you can read a book or prepare your grocery list while feeding. If you have started feeding your baby with baby food, then complete the cooking for the baby and the rest of the family together.

You can also mix childcare and mommy time at the same time: take your baby out for a walk in the pram or stroller, while listening to an audio book on your iPod or MP3 player. You get your exercise and listen to something non-Sesame Street-related in the process!

Spending time with your baby is surely a pleasant part of motherhood, but it is also important to spend some time relaxing and de-stressing yourself from time to time.  For those unavoidable tired mom mornings, read our article Don’t Look Like a Tired Mom: 13 Quick Mini Makeovers.

How do you make mommy time, and what activities do you do during your mom time?  Do you exercise, have a cup of coffee, or read blogs?   Let us know in the comments below!  Photo by Flickr’s eme06.

Mom Time – 6 Ways to Make Time For Yourself is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.