Looking for virtual clothing advice? Visit Shoutfit! It's the next best thing to taking your girlfriends shopping with you! Their website lets users post pictures of outfits, solicit advice, keep up with trends and find the hottest places to shop for great looks. Members can browse clothing items that have been uploaded to the site and meet stylish people.
Membership is free so check Shoutfit out today!
Are you a busy mom and looking for ways to treat yourself? Suave and four moms has compiled a list of tips for women like us to sneak some pampering - beauty, exercise, relaxation, etc. - back in our busy schedules.
Enjoy!
Beauty Tips
I use a foundation that is also a moisturizer and sunscreen all-in-one; much easier to apply one item to my face! - Michelle
I use pre-moistened facial wipes to cleanse my face before bed - the wipes are the perfect thing to wash away makeup and so easy to use. - Michelle
Need a little break, schedule a time once a week for Daddy or a relative to play with the kids while you sneak off for a relaxing bubble bath, remember to lock the door. Add some music or read a book. - Barbara
Rub a thick lotion (such as Suave Exhale Calming Lavender Vanilla Lotion ) on your feet and hands, cover with gloves and socks. Kick back and watch a movie or go to sleep. When you wake up your feet and hands will be touchably soft!
While standing at the sink brushing your teeth, do leg lifts (side and back) for a butt and thigh firming work out.
Exercise Tips
I like to rent some exercise videos and get my kids in on the act. Okay, so maybe you won't get through the whole routine, but kids genuinely like to imitate what they see, especially when it involves, jumping, hopping or jogging. We've actually added it to our rainy day routine activity repertoire. – Liz
Stick with it, and, eventually, they will accept it as just part of the household routine. - Elizabeth
Invest in some indoor exercise equipment, or, research ways to get fit at home, if you really can't get out of the house. - Elizabeth
Walking is a wonderful way to stay fit and relax and clear your head. Dad can watch the kids, or have a neighborhood teenager come over for an hour and play with the kids while you take a walk. Have small children, load them in the stroller and take them with you and all enjoy the fresh air together. – Barbara
Hair Care Tips
It will never seem like the right time to spend money on your hair. Do it anyway, you'll be glad you did, and, it can do wonders for your outlook on everything. There are a variety of salons in different price ranges out there, ask friends for a recommendation. - Elizabeth
I take the time that she's in school to try and schedule any appointments like hair cut/style, doctor appointments, and do errands then. It's a lot faster to get done without a 3 yr old tagging along! - Michelle
Child Care Tips
Time for mom does not have to be away from the kids, it is sometimes difficult to get away. Take those moments when playing outside with the kids or taking a walk and listen to a mom podcast (an internet radio show that can be downloaded to a computer), just load up your mp3 player or iPod and enjoy some mom entertainment on the go. - Barbara
Enlist older children to help with the younger ones while you take a few minutes alone, even if you just look at a magazine in the guest room. - Elizabeth
Take advantage of their pride in being a "big brother" or "big sister", and, ask them to "be in charge" of a simple craft project with their younger sibling, or, to start a DVD and feed them a snack. – Elizabeth
Relaxation Tips
Most people don't realize how physically demanding it is to be a mom. That being said, don't wait for someone to pat you on the back or buy you a gift certificate for a spa day. Instead, take matters into your own hands and book yourself a massage. Choose a day/time when your little one can either be dropped off at daycare or call on your mother-in-law. You'll see, she'll be thrilled to have some extra time with the kids and you'll enjoy a well-deserved break. Also, a few of the larger spas or spas connected to health clubs often offer onsite daycare for a small fee. Consider booking your treatment at one of these types of locations. – Liz
My daughter still takes an afternoon nap - I use that as "me" time (which usually means no chores!) to respond to email, read blogs, read a book/magazine, and sometimes just to catch up on a nap myself! – Michelle
To get some "time away" with other moms I joined my local MOPS, International group which meets every other week. It's a welcomed break! I also have a group of ladies that I play Bunco with once a month. - Michelle
In the Kitchen Tips
If I have a busy day, or evening planned, I'll usually plan for dinner in the slow cooker. I get everything ready to go in the morning and don't have to worry about cooking the rest of the day - it's so nice to come home and dinner is done! - Michelle
Why not make a quick, nutritious breakfast for the family and a facemask out of the same ingredients? To exfoliate and deep clean your skin, mix oatmeal (1cup), blueberries (1 cup), honey (1tbsp) and almonds (5-6) in a blender. Spread on your face, set for 10-15 minutes until dry, rinse with warm water and follow with a toner. Breakfast should be easy with these same four ingredients! Prepare the oatmeal for your family, top generously with blueberries, almonds and a drizzle of honey!
While stirring a pot on the stove, grab a heavy kitchen object such as a can or rolling pin. With your free hand, do bicep curls, overhead lifts (from the shoulder to overhead) and tricep curls bend your arm back behind your head and straighten your arm, so the weight moves from behind your neck, past your ear to up in the air and back again).
Extras!
When moms do take care of themselves, an overwhelming 93 percent say it makes them feel good. Moms who take care of themselves report they feel happier (76 percent), more attractive (76 percent) and more self-confident (72 percent). Furthermore, taking care of themselves made 60 percent feel more feminine and just over half feel like they are setting a good example for their children.
It's taken me a while to realize it, but, in order to care for yourself, you sometimes have to just do it, even when it feels like there are other, more important tasks at hand. You have to take care of yourself in order to take care of your family, and, you are the only one that can make it happen. Sure, there are clothes that need folding, but, there's always clothes that need folding, they'll wait. - Elizabeth
Love designer bags, but don't love the price tag? Try the new wave of designer products - just borrow them!
Bag Borrow or Steal is similar to the video rental services because it lets you pay a monthly fee (as low as $20 per month) for the use of the bag of your choice. When you are tired of that one, simply send it back and they will mail you the next one on your list. Choose from Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Fendi, Louis Vuitton and many more.
There is also a jewelry option for those Vera Wang fans out there :) 
Want a multi-dimensional workout while spending time with your kids? Learn the slimming secrets of a former Miss Bikini America in the new Fabulously Fit Moms DVD series!
In just 15 months, Jennifer Nicole Lee went from a 200-lb. mom to a slim, confident pageant contestant through an exercise program of her own devising. The first two DVDs are the New Mom Workout and Total Body Workout and feature cardiovascular exercises mixed with strength training. Each DVD is available at Amazon and currently retails new for $12.99. Order online today!
Whether its a parade, fireworks, barbecue, shopping, or relaxing at home, enjoy this special holiday with your family & loved ones!
As an extra bonus, here are some fun food ideas to celebrate with the kids:
-Vanilla ice cream with red & blue sprinkles.
-Sugar cookies with white icing and red & blue sprinkles.
-Mix blueberries, strawberries and raspberries in yogurt.
-Make a cake of your choice and use whipped cream for icing. Make a flag out of berries to decorate the top.
Imagine having the time to prepare delicious healthy meals for your family without spending your days (or nights) in the kitchen!
My Girlfriend's Kitchen & The Dinner A'Fare gives you a gourmet studio kitchen with meal prep stations complete with recipes, fresh ingredients, spices, and measuring cups and spoons.
In less than 2 hours, you can have 12 amazing meals to take home to your family. Both companies pre-slice, dice, and chop everything you will need. You just take the meals home, put them in your freezer, and cook (following provided instructions) the dishes according to your schedule.
See below a few menu selections from each site:
-Feta Tomato Basil Tilapia
-Linguine with Walnut Pesto
-Crusted Chicken with Jalapeno Corn Salsa
-Roasted Red Pepper Steak Kabobs
-Love Me Tender Ribs
-Sage Seasoned Pork Chops
Pickup & Delivery is available - but visit their websites to see which one is near you!
My Girlfriend's Kitchen
The Dinner A'Fare
Here are a few more hot picks for the summer!
Crayola Sidewalk Paint Sprayer lets your kids create cool art that the whole neighborhood can enjoy! The sprayer is easy to carry for kids 6 and up and allows them to paint two colors at once. When your child is finished (or you are tired of it) - simply wash it away with the water hose or wait for the next rain day. The sprayer comes with two 10-ounce bottles of washable sidewalk paint, an adjustable nozzle, carry handle and belt clip. It is available for purchase at the Crayola Store, Target and Toys-R-Us. ($14.99)
Remember the Snoopy Sno Cone Maker? This nostalgic toy lets children create cool treats to help them beat the heat. The Sno Cone maker comes with a metal ice shaver, one syrup bottle (the jolly snowman) one package of unsweetened soft drink mix, paper cups, scoop and instructions. It is recommended for children ages 4 and up and can be found at Toys-R-Us. ($14.99)
Have you heard of Floam®? It is a non-toxic material that is used to create arts & crafts. Your daughter can create some summer art with the Floam® Picture Frame Kit. The kit contains Floam®, picture frame components, and one floaming tool. ($9.99)
If you have a son, then Floam® Floambot Kit may be more his style. It is includes everything he needs to create a posable robot. The kit comes with non-toxic Floam®, a stand, and an idea booklet. ($9.99)
Does your toddler love bubbles? Brianna enjoys being outside playing with bubbles on the weekend. Our favorite is Gymboree's Bubble Ooodles. It has five bubble ports and makes oodles of bubbles with one easy blow. This set includes one easy-grip wand, a non-spill tray and four ounces of oodles bubble formula. Gymboree explains that Bubble Ooodles helps to develop your child's fine motor skills and cause and effect cognitive skills - which is always a wonderful thing! ($6)
Give your child (or loved one) the opportunity to name a star! The International Star Registry's new Shining Stars program is designed especially for children. Your child will receive a teddy bear (either in brown, blue or pink) and the ability to name his or her very own star - a tradition that begun in 1979. 
Also included is a star chart, star certificate and a letter from the Star Registry that will put the universe at your child's fingertips for only $29.95. Your child can create a birthday for their Shining Star friend plus learn about constellations and play games here.
Visit Star Registry for more information and to purchase a star!
Here are some stylish must-haves for the Summer:
Wet Bikini Bag - Slip your wet bikini into this hand embroidered 100% cotton bag with waterproof lining. Your swimsuit will stay dry, changing will be a snap and your suit will have a chance to breathe even as it's packed away ($18).
Compressed Beach Towel - Lightload has the perfect sized beach towel for your summer vacation. Its dries quickly, very soft on the skin, extremely durable and machine washable ($7). 
Beach Ball Sprinkler - Your kids will love this fun sprinkler from Pottery Barn Kids ($24).
Rocket Ship Freezer Pop Molds - Give your kids a cool & tasty treat this summer with these fun pop molds from Prarie Moon ($10.95).
bitty braille is a new modern & unique children's tee collection. The concept is to introduce Braille to the young and offer a hip and trendy collection of tees. They are custom handcrafted by the owner/designer in her central NY home studio on 100% cotton American Apparel tees.
bitty braille tees feature simple "kid-friendly" words set in braille type in either sparkly swarovski crystals for the girls or metal studs for the boys. The translation is hand-embroidered underneath in a simple print or cursive. 
Brianna's bitty braille "laugh" tee arrived in very cute packaging (see above) complete with an explanation of braille & the braille characters. Once opened, she and I touched the swarovski crystals as I explained to her that it was braille for the word "laugh" and is used by people with vision loss for reading and writing. I loved the awareness that this collection brings and how children are able to closely interact with braille.
I was really impressed with the quality of the shirt and the cursive stitching (amazing work Julie)! In addition to the "kid-friendly" words, you can also get your bitty braille tee personalized with your child's name. The sizes range from 3 months to size 4 with great colors to select from and they make wonderful gifts for showers, birthdays or whenever a unique gift is needed! 
A portion of every sale is donated to the American Foundation for the Blind. The AFB is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1921 to provide research, representation, information and discussion regarding the possibilities for people with vision loss.
Visit bitty braille to get your child's tee today!
Looking for beautiful, custom-made dresses at affordable prices that YOU design? Visit CocoMyles because they know that today’s young women are savvy when it comes to both fashion and technology and are more than capable of designing their own stunning dresses for any occasion.
Too many stores offer similar dresses in the same colors. How many times have you gone to a store – or another website – only to see dresses that you think may work for you but, for one reason or another, don’t quite cut it? Maybe the color isn’t right, maybe your size isn’t in stock, maybe the sizing is too generic with only “small”, “medium” and “large” dresses available? At Coco Myles, nothing is ever out of stock and they cater to sizes 2 to 32! Finally, you do not have to compromise. Instead, you pick the tops, the bottoms, the beading patterns, and the colors. And their precise sizing specifications ensure a fit better than you will receive by buying a pre-made, off the rack, dress!
CocoMyles dresses are custom-made to YOUR specifications and are cut and sewn by their professional dressmakers. Their talented tailors and seamstresses will hand make and hand bead your dress to your satisfaction. At Coco Myles, you get to make your dress, your way.
They also have an amazing Celebrity Inspired section, offering some of the most talked about styles making their way down the Red Carpet. Most of these celebrity-inspired dresses are available not only the in color originally seen, but in any color in our wide-ranging palettes. Try getting that kind of selection at a retail store - impossible!
The next time you are in the market for a stylish dress - try CocoMyles for a unique shopping experience!
I had the opportunity this week to try the NEW Bounty One Sheet! It worked wonders on those tough spills that either Brianna or I created. The one sheet did not fall apart quickly like other paper towels when faced with liquid messes either. It was thick, durable and kept working. I could rinse, wring and continue cleaning up - very impressive!
I certainly recommend moms trying the NEW Bounty One Sheet for all your household messes. The best part is after trying it, you can share your cleanup story by taking the Bounty One Sheet Challenge where you can enter to win a $30,000 kitchen makeover!
Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Put one sheet of the new best-ever Bounty to the test on a tough household mess.
Step 2: Share the dirty details — the more descriptive, the better — by telling Bounty how one sheet cleaned up when put through the wringer. Click Here
Step 3: Be one of the first 50,000 to submit a story, and you will receive a $1-off coupon for new and improved Bounty.
What can you win?
Grand Prize (1): The Ultimate Kitchen Makeover (ARV, $30,000)
First Prize (2): Complete Kitchen Appliance Makeover (ARV, $8,000)
Second Prize (10): Year's Supply of Best-Ever Bounty (ARV, $65)
While visiting the Bounty site for the One Sheet Challenge, let Katie Brown tell you the Top 10 Tips To Maximize Your Time and Get That Hour Back This Spring!
Need some online organization? Cozi Central offers a shared family calendar, shopping lists, quick messages, and even a photo collage screen saver. It is a FREE service that is easy to use and accessible wherever you are!
Organize your family's schedule through a color-coded-by-person
calendar that syncs with Outlook, a shopping list feature that can be
text'd to your cell phone or read to you on cell while you're standing
in the freezer section at the grocery store, and enables you to send
notes and reminders via SMS to tell your spouse that Johnny is at
baseball practice and needs to be picked up.
And a final added bonus of the PC version is that it creates a Photo Collage of all the photos on your hard drive that then serves as a screensaver, complete with a clock and notations on appointments for the day.
Join thousands of happy families by using Cozi Central today!
Where are the new posts for Stylish Moms?
I know this is the question on your minds because I have received some emails about it :) I have been so busy with a friend's wedding, events, work, etc. Lucky for you - I did find the time to do several product reviews, website reviews and secure some new contests. Starting today and over the weekend expect an abundance of reviews. Thanks for letting me know you love this site!
The award winning SaraBear Diaper Caddy is the perfect solution for storing those baby care essentials like the baby wipes container, diapers, creams, ointments, burp clothes, swabs and more!
The Diaper Caddy is a smart alternative to the changing table and combines style & function. It features five easy to reach compartments (with the center one fitted to hold the baby wipes container in place), four easy to reach pockets, comfortable matching handle gripper, shaker style real wood basket and stylish fabric choices in boy, girl or unisex.
Choose from a number of stylish fabrics:
Lipton Tea has started a new campaign that calls attention to the healthy benefits of tea. Visit their official Indooritis site to view some fun videos, fun messages you can send to friends and family, and a rebate for up to $15 savings on Lipton. You know Moms love their tea!
Searching for that perfect swimsuit for the summer? Well, Poppi Swimwear offers retro-inspired women's bathing suits that flatters all body types. Their swimsuits are easy to move around in, covers up the right stuff and still have a great sense of style!
They believe you don't have to "show it all" to be sexy and you may want to do more than just lay around the pool in your swimsuit.
I love their best seller - the Tankini because it has "meet and greet" sizing at the waist - which means the "bottom of the top" hits the "top of the bottom" to have the look of a one piece swimsuit. 
Another popular item is their swim skirt! The skirt is made of swimwear fabric so it can be worn in the pool or used as a fun summer skirt. Either way it is a stylish must-have for the summer! 
You can choose from different top/bottom fabric designs to create the style that fits you. Visit their site to order online or if you happen to live near Portland, Oregon - stop by the Poppi Swim & Sport Boutique!
Poppi Swim and Sport
4831 Northeast 42nd Avenue
Portland, OR 97218
503.282.5159
Carol's Daughter
Inspired by nature, Carol's Daughter's unique line includes over 300 products for face, hair, body and home - allowing for product combinations and possibilities that are endless for every man, woman and child regardless of skin type, tone, or need!
All of their products are presented with an abundance of love and quality ingredients. The concentrations in their moisturizers are among the highest you’ll find tested on people, not animals and do not contain harmful additives or cheap fillers. From head to toe to home, Carol's Daughter strive to enhance your life by providing the best, the sweetest and the most luxurious products their hearts can offer!
Try popular favorites: the Almond Cookie gift sets and the Ocean Bar Soap.
KLEAN Bath & Body
KLEAN’s Scent-sual Sugar Body Polishes are formulated to clean, exfoliate, soothe and moisturize! The quality and luxury of the products are comparable to those found in high-end spas, but come with a much friendlier price tag with 5.4 ounce sizes of the scrubs starting at $12.
All of their polishes are made with pure cane sugar from Mexico. They mix each batch by hand, to ensure the quality of each product. Their sugar body polishes comes in a variety of "flavors" which includes German Chocolate Cake, Pink Martini, Mango Mandarin, Apple Body, Tangy Watermelon, Toasted Coconut, or Just Peachy to name a few!
