Kiwi Crate Numba' 2 + Koala Crate Numba' 1!

Shaylen received her 2nd Kiwi Crate a couple of weeks ago...and Landry also got her very own Koala Crate, geared more towards her age of 2!

Opening them up!

Shock! It's a Treasure Hunt! She was so happy :-) And Landry's was Starry Night. We ran out of time to complete Landry's Koala Crate, but I'm sure she loved it! She might be a *tad* young yet. She kind of just wanted to open it all up - she eventually got bored of watching Shaylen, so she ran to the toy room to play...hehe!

The excellent magazines that are included with every crate - packed with tons of extra activities. They are an extension of the Highlights magazine for kids! Very educational!

Shaylen was really excited to get creating. Here she is with the 1st activity: to build your own treasure chest! It came with all the supplies needed - high quality and easy to use. The photo on the right shows the "grownup involvement" level, which was medium. It did require my help to make sure the chest was constructed properly.

Completed! Took about 5 minutes. The only thing holding the chest together is a few stickers, so it was a little wonky, but she didn't care! Over to the left you can see her coloring her treasure chest. Again, we didn't have to scrounge around for any supplies - all included!

And finally, she got to use her newly built treasure chest in a fun activity. The 2nd activity included several sheets of paper and colored pencils, and you create your own treasure hunt maps throughout your house. Then you hide the chest and have someone find it, using the map you created! So much fun - and educational! (You can see Landry was the "guinea pig" treasure hunter :-)

I have got to honestly say that Kiwi Crate is so much fun for her age of 5. She loves receiving her crate every month, and I can't imagine stopping them anytime soon! 

Want to try it out?!
Click here!


Until next time,

Allison <3

Stitch Fix Numba' 4!

Here goes Stitch Fix Numba' 4!

The 1st item I tried on was this dark hunter green top, called the "Laila Jayde Busby Cowl Neck Zipper Detail Knit Top"

It would've been great, but the cowl neck didn't work for me. The zipper hung heavy and wouldn't adjust right. So it's a return.

The 2nd and 3rd items were this gorgeous scarf and the navy blue cardigan. The scarf is called "Look by M Alzora Zig Zag Infinity Scarf"

It's so cute! Love the sort of patriotic mix of burgundy and navy blue. However, it's expensive - $34. Ouch. And plus - I can find a similar scarf locally for much less. Return.

The navy blue cardigan is called "41Hawthorn Abrianna Longsleeve Knit Cardigan"

It's ok. Nothing spectacular. Plain - and for that I'd expect the price to be plain too. Nope - $48. Nothing unique about it for that price. Return.

The 4th item was this vest, called "Pixley Dalila Faux Leather Lapel French Terry Vest"

So, it's kinda cute. I just didn't LOVE it. The bottom was a touch too snug for my comfort. It didn't do anything for my figure. It was very good quality for $68. But I don't want to buy something I'm not 100% excited about. Return.

The 5th and final piece is the "Just Black Dean Skinny Jean" in this cute teal color.

So stinkin' cute! I don't own any colored jeans, and these were in petite so I didn't have to worry about hemming...which I couldn't anyway with that cute gold zipper detail. I wanted to like these, but honestly, I don't think I'd wear them too often. For $78, I can find something similar and cheaper at Glik's. Return.

So, that was a 0/5. But I don't think it was a terrible Fix. It just didn't sparkle any joy in my world. 

And I'm beginning to get a little less giddy about Stitch Fix, honestly. I went into Glik's a couple of weeks ago and found very similar stuff (and even the exact same stuff) that Stitch Fix sends out. And Glik's sends coupons occasionally, so I can get it for a touch cheaper! 

Either way, I still love Stitch Fix, but I will be extending the frequency to every 3 months. So my next Fix is scheduled for February.

Want to try it for yourself?

Click here!

See you back here in February! Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Allison <3

Stitch Fix Numba' 3!!

I had the day off Friday, October 2nd...so I had the front door open, waiting on Stitch Fix #3! And it was delivered around noon. I had a busy day that day - prepping for a yard sale. Yippee! So I didn't get to open it until Saturday afternoon, after the yard sale. My mom and sister were there to help me open it! They even tried on a few pieces!

Obligatory front door photo.

If you've read this far and have no clue what Stitch Fix is, you can read my previous posts, or head over to their website. Basically, you complete a personal style profile & a stylist will select 5 fashion pieces (clothes, purses, or accessories) that she thinks will suit you. Stitch Fix suggests creating a Pinterest board with all your favorite seasonal trends. It just helps them envision what styles you like.

Anyway, here's my 3rd experience with Stitch Fix. As usual the box is adorned with their well-known teal blue stitched dot. Just adorable! And when you open the box, they lay out the instructions - so incredibly simple!

Katy styled my Fix this time again. In case you forgot, I kept all 5 items last time! I really only liked 4 of the pieces, but kept the 5th shirt to get the 25% discount. That's the tough part about this service...you get 25% off all 5 pieces IF you choose to keep all 5.

And the piece(s) you don't particularly like you get to send back in an already-paid-for USPS envelope! You have 3 business days to return your items.

You will receive 2 envelopes: one that includes the price sheet & another that includes the style card.

Stitch Fix is so personal - I just LOVE it! You can see a better photo of Katy's note to me here:

Now, onto the actual style show, right?!

First off, we have this darling burgundy-colored Moda Luxe "Broadway Convertible Satchel." 

Love the color for Fall! Love the size - not too big and bulky. Definitely KEEP!

Second is the Papermoon "Salen Knit Top" in light grey.

Nah. Nothing special about it. Colors are drab for Fall. I can go to Target and find something more worth my money.

Return.

Next up is the Mystree "Adeline Scoop Neck Cable Knit Sweater" in the color grey.

First of all - hole in neckline. Not appealing. Must've snagged on something during shipping. Even so, I don't like this sweater. Drab color, baggy fit. Nothing to write home about. Return.

To see more pics of the satchel, I paired this sweater with a Fall scarf. Looks cute, but not cute enough to keep :-)

Next is the 19 Cooper "Clemency Split Neck Tunic" in the color white.

Nope. Way too long, almost dress-like. Snug around the top. Awful pattern for Fall. Just doesn't appeal to me.
Return.

Also pictured are the Lysse "Whitley Sueded Leggings" in black. They are SO soft! Great quality - thick, sturdy - not see thru like most leggings. I did request a nice pair this time. However, price point is WAAAAY over what I would pay for leggings. So these are a Return. 

As you can see, I am returning 4/5 items. This is a bummer. But I knew it was bound to happen at some point. It's all good, though. It's all for fun, anyway, right?! I had $30 credit, so the satchel will be discounted.

I'll be dropping those other 4 items off in the mail tomorrow, also leaving all my feedback on Stitch Fix's site. What's cool about the process is that you can review what was sent, the fit, style, & price. That way your stylist will (hopefully) listen to your advice for future Fixes.

Stay tuned for next month's Fix! If you'd like to try, use this link >> Refer Allison When you sign up, you receive your very own referral link. When your friends schedule their 1st Fix, you get $25 credit to use towards your purchases! (It's not a pyramid scheme where you have to keep that friend under you...it's a one-time referral!)

Facebook me with your questions! I'd love to help you receive your 1st Stitch Fix!

See you next round,

Allison

Kiwi Crate Numba' ONE!

It arrived 2 days early! My sister, Cassie, said they were all eating breakfast early this morning and the mail lady walked across the porch and placed a box on the bench. Shaylen immediately said, "What was that?!" She knew.

Her 1st Kiwi Crate!

Shaylen turned 5 years old on September 7th. As a special gift, I thought it'd be neat to try out Kiwi Crate. This is how the company describes it...

Our Story

Kiwi Crate was built out of a passion for hands-on fun that encourages creativity and curiosity in children. I had a deep appreciation for these projects, but often found that my greatest intentions fell short. It was tough to find the time to come up with engaging hands-on activities, let alone get the materials.

So, as I started to develop creative projects with my kids, I thought, “why not share them with friends, who are also busy?” At playdates, the kids had a bunch of fun, and the parents appreciated having all of the materials and inspiration for the projects provided. Several parents mentioned, "I wish I could do this at home with my kids!"

Kiwi Crate was created to fulfill that wish and to celebrate kids’ natural creativity and curiosity. We want to make it fun, easy, and delightful to spend time building, exploring and creating together. Since its inception, the Kiwi Crate team has grown. We've added creative parents who dream up the projects, valued experts who review them, and a community of kid testers who keeps us on our toes and ensures the projects are fun and engaging.

We love working on Kiwi Crate and cherish the involvement that our kids and friends have in bringing the product to life. We're excited about the opportunity to help provide these types of experiences for your family to share too.

Here's Shaylen excited to open it up!

Voila!

As you can tell, Kiwi Crate's mascot is a little bird, named Kiwi.

Let's get started on our 1st Kiwi Crate review! It is recommended for children ages 4-8.

Every Kiwi Crate includes two age-appropriate fun activities. Here you can see that a nice pair of scissors was included. It's the little details that are important!

Here is the 1st activity, called "Marble Run." The card to the left has simple instructions for the kids to follow. Great way to teach sequential order (and to follow instructions to get a successful result!).

Here is Shaylen completing the activity. 

And the final results! You can see the little marble at the bottom of the board. It travels the path of the brown logs down the river. Neat!

By the way, Shaylen has a 2-year-old sister who loves to "help" too. In case you didn't know, this company also creates a toddler box, called Koala Crate (ages 3-4). They also create Tinker Crate and Doodle Crate for kids aged 9-16+.

Anyway, here is Shaylen digging in to the 2nd project, called "My Forest Friends." 

"That's not all folks!" In my opinion, the sparkling gem in all Kiwi Crates are the magazines they include. This Crate, Shaylen received a 17-page-long magazine, which is a mini-version of the Highlights magazine for kids.

Here's what Cassie had to say about the magazine:

"We also have a small magazine that has a story, draw-it-yourself section, info about hibernation, DIY build-your-own burrow, a picture that has animals at the bottom and you have to find where they belong, woodland hunt where you find hidden items, build-your-own binocular instructions, a diagram of a beaver lodge, maze, how to make wild animal trail mix, and at the end, you can make an animal mask! 17 pages long - very neat!"

As if you can't tell already, Shaylen LOVED it! Cassie said everything was so very simple, age-appropriate, and the materials were all high quality. She said that Kiwi Crate thought out every detail and made sure the children (and parents) weren't overwhelmed with frustration.

How cool?! It's an awesome treat to give your kids, nieces, nephews, and/or grandchildren a way to spend their days inside completing brain-stimulating projects.

To try it out, go to Kiwi Crate's website.

Any other questions, please feel free to contact me on Facebook!

Allison

Stitch Fix Numba' 2!!

Waiting for the postman to deliver my Stitch Fix #2 was painful this morning. Considering today was the day after Labor Day, I knew the mail would arrive slightly later than normal. After obsessively watching for the mailman to arrive, I shut my front door (in sadness) and took a quick trip to Staples to pick a couple of things... Low and behold, when I returned home 1/2 hour later, it was sittin' pretty on my front porch!

Box was a little bigger this time!

Picked it up, took it to my kitchen table, and ripped it open...gently, of course. As usual, Stitch Fix doesn't disappoint when it comes to the little details.

Inside every box - simple instructions.

Ta-da! Every item is folded neatly, wrapped up in white tissue paper, sealed with the Stitch Fix logo. Makes my joy sparkle extra bright!!

My stylist's name was Katy this round. Thanks, Katy! You rocked it!

By the way, here's the link that Katy suggested for me to learn how to do the half-tuck. 

Half-Tuck

I failed to mention in Stitch Fix #1 that with every shipment, they include a prepaid USPS return envelope for you to return any disliked items. How convenient is that?! They give you 3 full days to return your unwanted items. Just pack it up, seal it, and drop it off at any USPS site - either your local post office, or you can even use the stand-alone drop-off sites.

 

At this point, I already knew I'd love it all. Yikes. We'll see.

You're dying to see them on, right?! Ain't no fun in seeing them deflated.

Market & Spruce "Bernadette Lace Overlay Raglan Top" in blue
This top is just OK. Fits fine, but doesn't "wow" me. Quality of material is great - so so soft.  KEEP (more-so to just keep my 25% discount)

Also, the jeans - LOVE! Just Black "Paislee Distressed Straight Leg Jean" in blue
Serisouly - so SO soft. Fits like a glove. Love the distressed patches - don't own anything like this. They are a tad long, but Katy suggested cuffing them...or I could hem them. KEEP!

41Hawthorn "Queensland Dolman Jersey Top" in dark purple
One of my favorite colors for Fall. Fits nicely. I love the dolman cut. KEEP!

Kut From the Kloth "Maisha Ponte Drape Front Jacket" in brown
Guys. Seriously. How can you NOT like this?! Fits nicely - love the draped front. Made of pleather/rayon/polyester. Back sits right above the hips. Cute button detail on the wrist. Absolutely KEEP!

4 ways I styled it. Pulled a comfy pair of brown fleece-lined leggings, the dark purple dolman top, some boots, and 4 different scarves. Hello, Fall!

Pixley "Kindley Henley Blouse" in off-white
When I first put this top on, I didn't care for the drape...It was a little boxy on me.
However, I paired it with a black mini pencil skirt and heels, did the half-tuck, and voila! Cute!
Perfect for church or a meeting somewhere.
KEEP (my mom and I are sharing this shirt)

Stitch Fix also does the work for you. Each Fix includes a style card that suggests ways to wear your item. This really helps me envision an outfit!

In preparation for this Fix, I had 3 requests: a Fall jacket, something plaid, and distressed jeans. The jeans and jacket fit the bill! The blue lace top and the plaid off-white top weren't my faves, but I can make them work. And the dark purple dolman was a nice staple for the Fall, so I kept! This Fix would be called a 5/5.

Stitch Fix.

• $20 styling fee with every shipment
• Ships every 2-3 weeks, every month, every other month, or every 3 months - YOU decide.
• Fill out a personal style survey - sizes, style preference, what colors/patterns to avoid, etc.
• Select a ship date
• Wait for delivery!    <the tough part

That $20 fee is applied toward your cost IF you choose to buy anything.

Oh, and you get a 25% discount if you choose to purchase all 5 pieces!

And because I had 3 friends sign up using my link last Fix, I was credited $75! ($25 per referral) They deducted $20 for my styling fee - that left me with $55 to use toward my purchase this Fix! So cool!

To try Stitch Fix for yourself, use this link > Stitch Fix Me!

See you next Fix!

Blessings,

Allison