Saturday Sip + Shop

Sip:

Apple & Pear White Sangria
Recipe from Love Grows Wild
This is a sweet sangria -- it uses a moscato as the base wine.

Shop:



Sea Glass Bib
Currently on sale here
I love the coastal colors in this necklace!

Five On Friday: SAHM Life, Melon Baller, Crochet Shorts

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join along!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

O N E
Can I just say that my first "official" week of being a stay-at-home mom has been awesome?! And not because I've been able to catch up on Sex & The City reruns, sip mimosas, and nibble on bon-bons. I've definitely been busier in the past five days than I can say I was in a typical workweek (I'm serious, you want fast-paced? MEET MY CAMILLE). But, hard work aside, it has seriously been wonderful. She is so happy and silly during the day, and I love soaking that up. We have attended two library storytimes, we had my clankety car diagnosed with a $491 "illness" (ouch -- nice timing), we saw the pediatrician for the baby's 18mo checkup, we attended a luncheon/playdate, we have a park playdate at 10:15 today.....

..... and most importantly, we GIGGLED. We smelled flowers in the yard. We pointed at the busses going by. We colored. We sang "Itsy Bitsy Spider" a gazillion times. We read this, this, this, and this, and a dozen more from her bookshelf. We danced.

  

T W O
Speaking of that luncheon, my wonderful girlfriend Sarah hosted a beautiful lunch and playdate for me and some friends to celebrate this new little role I've taken on. She planned the menu perfectly and had the most beautiful flower arrangement on the table, which she gave to me at the end of the afternoon. I'm fairly positive that I went to bed dreaming of the delicious fresh strawberry cake she had for dessert, while Camille was in the next bedroom over dreaming of the little lemon petit fours that my friend Classic Annie brought. It was a great way to spend the afternoon, and the true highlight was just being upstairs in the playroom and watching all of the little girls having the time of their lives playing together.

T H R E E
Check. This. Out.
I NEED to make this heaven-sent dish before the weather turns cooler (recipe here).
Hmm... I guess I also need a melon baller.
Anyone have experience here? Can I go with this cheapie, or do I need this nicer one?

F O U R
On Wednesday night I was able to scoot over to a cute little sale going on at a girlfriend's house. I did leave with a little something for me ... this necklace from Teal House Collection in white (in fact, if you look really hard, you can see it below). I figured it was easier to put it right on rather than getting a bag for it. Plus, it coordinated well with my mother of pearl earrings. My ivory crochet shorts are from Target (here), if you can believe it, and looks like they are currently running a sale on them.

F I V E
Lastly, thank you all so much for the love yesterday on The Tipsy Bunny. We can't wait to get more items loaded to the shop. It would mean so much if you'd keep us in mind the next time you are gift-giving! We LOVED hearing all of your ideas for prints ... tartan plaids, pink and green, university colors, and some boy items. Got it! We love it!

And the winner of the $10 shop credit is ...

Lindsey WilliamsAugust 20, 2015 at 8:45 AM

Ivory shantung silk!! Would be stunning for a Christening or Easter...or Christmas! And what a Great shop name!!

Lindsey, please email me! Congratulations! (And ivory shantung silk ... YES.)

TGIF y'all, and hope you will join in on Five on Friday this week! Cheers to the weekend!

The Tipsy Bunny Bonnets (Our Shop is LIVE!)

(giveaway at bottom of post)

You may have seen a sneak peek on Instagram last week (@alizadventures), but if not, I have some exciting news! My mother and I are working together on an Etsy shop, The Tipsy Bunny, which will feature children's bonnets as well as some other accessories, like fabric bibs and some baby necklaces from my sister's line, Laura Cox Designs. 

The shop has a few items listed already (with more pieces in the works) and is open now HERE. 

So, where did that silly name come from? Well, my mom is definitely not your typical "Granny" or "Grandma," so she chose Bunny as the name my daughter Camille calls her (her mother's pet name from her father was also Bunny). Tipsy is the name of our family dog, a Jack Russell. And if you want to believe that The Tipsy Bunny has a double meaning, then that is fine, too. :)

Mom, Camille, and me.

And yes, she made Camille's Lilly Pulitzer tunic ...

... out of a women's size 8 skirt that we cut up!

We are working together to select the bonnet designs and fabrics, but the majority of the actual labor is being done specifically by my mother. She is a sewing rockstar. You may have seen some of the beautiful items she's made for Camille. I'm handling the rest of the selling process -- shop upkeep, photography, listings, shipping, and marketing.

Here is a preview of some of the items in the shop. We are so excited and I hope you will keep us in mind for your own little ones or any upcoming events like baby showers, christenings, holidays, or birthdays!

Cooler weather will bring thicker fabrics to keep little ears warm. 

GIVEAWAY TIME! We'd also love to hear from you ... what color or design would you like to see in The Tipsy Bunny? Please let us know any fun ideas or color/trim combos you may have in the comments section below. We are all ears! One commenter will be chosen randomly to receive a $10 shop credit to keep for yourself or give to a friend to use. The winner will be announced Friday!

A Post About Diapers

A little love for the diaper changing station favorites today.

Because, why not. :)

I've split up our must-haves into three categories: changing station basics, treat, and swim time (plus my #1 favorite at the end of the post). Shopping links are from my two favorite shopping sites, Target and Amazon!

Changing Station Basics

Diaper Genie Elite: We love this thing. Easy to change out bags, too. (Target // Amazon)

Diaper Genie refill bags: We use two different kinds of refills. The first is the Diaper Genie brand which we order as part of the Subscribe and Save program through Amazon Prime (Target // Amazon) and also Diaper Pail brand which is a little less expensive and available in 4-packs on Amazon. I like them both easily, and the only major difference I've noticed (besides price) is that my diaper pail lid closes easier with the Diaper Genie brand. Sometimes I have to manually close it if I'm using the Diaper Pail brand. Not a deal breaker for me!

Pampers Swaddlers: Camille wore these diapers home from the hospital, and while we've tried out others (Honest Company, Huggies, Pampers Baby Dry, Pampers Cruisers), I still prefer the Swaddlers. They have a nice mesh liner and I like that they are mainly white, which works best with her white bloomers and light-colored outfits. They feature the line down the front that shows when it's wet. (Target)

Pampers Sensitive Wipes: We've been using these since day one. Love 'em. (Target)

Fresh Wave Odor Removing Packs: As Camille has grown older, her diapers have become a little more, ahem, powerful. I drop one of these pearl packs (safe around humans and pets) at the bottom of the Diaper Genie and it removes any bad smells that may be lingering in the pail. These are now being carried in-store at Target.

Treat

Triple Paste: This came highly recommended to me by Christina at Carolina Charm. We went Camille's whole first year without ever needing this, and then BAM, she got diaper rash so bad one day that her daycare teacher called me to come pick her up from school. This Triple Paste went on like thick, creamy icing and is what I fully attribute her quick healing to. Every mama should have some. (Target // Amazon)

A+D Ointment: This ointment is transparent rather than paste-like, and I use it for times when she may just have a hint of irritation, or if I want to use something preventatively. (Target // Amazon)

All Natural Boudreaux's Butt Paste: The daycare teachers' favorite diaper rash cream. (Target // Amazon)

Burt's Bees Diaper Ointment: This one takes the award for BEST SMELLING diaper rash ointment! This was part of a gift pack I was given, and I fell in love with it. Seriously smells like a spa. (Target // Amazon)

Swim Time

Pampers Splashers: These disposable swim diapers pull right on like Pull-Ups and then you just tear the sides to remove them. Insider tip (which I had to Google one day): the Dora design goes on the front, and the Pampers logo will be on the backside. I don't know if it even really matters, but not knowing was driving me crazy one day. (Target // Amazon)

iPlay Cloth Swim Diaper: This is a reusable diaper which means that you will wash it out each time. We have this one in plain white which is great for wearing under all different swimsuit patterns. (Target // Amazon)

Bonus: My #1 Must-Have

Mustela Physiobebe! (Target // Amazon)

The most divine-smelling rinseless cleanser,

perfect for a yummy smelling baby bottom!

I'd love to hear about your diaper station must-haves!

Books For A New Big Brother And Baby Sister

One of our best friends just recently added to their family in the form of the sweetest little baby girl!

We went over to visit and brought a book from Camille to the new baby, as well as a gift to her older brother.

Here are the books we went with:

Baby Faces, one of Camille's very favorite books! She started loving it as a wee baby during tummy time and still pulls it off of her bookshelf for me to read to her.

Best-Ever Big Brother, which is a really cute story about what babies do and what special things older siblings can do as well. (For example, "the baby drinks from a bottle, but I can drink from a cup.")

(The links above take you to Amazon ... 
my favorite way to shop for books.) 

I hope this helps you if you are in need of some gifts for babies!

My Long Beach Coverup

I've never had as many compliments on a beach coverup as I get on this long chiffon one. It is semi-sheer with a black and white tye-dye print, and it cinches around the waist with a tie. And the best part is, I bought it off-season last year at Old Navy, and it was a STEAL. 

Even though swimsuit season is wrapping up here, this is my favorite time of year to make a new purchase. I grab a few items on sale, tuck them away in my bathing suit drawer, and then when warm weather comes around again, I'm not scrambling to buy a new suit and settling for one that is too expensive and not very flattering. I've already got an exciting new piece to pop the tags off.

If you are like me, today is a great day to pounce on a new long cover-up from Old Navy, because they have some beautiful options, all swim is 60% off, and through today you can score an additional 40% off. (Discount code below.)

Old Navy

Currently on sale HERE: $17.97

Use code TREAT for an additional 40% off online (through today, 8/17)

Available in XS, S, M

Old Navy

Currently on sale HERE: $14.97

Use code TREAT for an additional 40% off online (through today, 8/17)

Available in XS, S, M in black and XS, S, M, L in blue

You can see the side slits in the photo of the blue version above. I love these -- not only are they practical for a long cover-up, but they also look really feminine and pretty. 

Shipping on orders over $50 is free with free returns. I like to stack up my cart with items in various sizes so that I can try on in the comfort of my own home, and then I just return what doesn't work to the store. This way I get free shipping and a few sizing options, as well. 

To see ALL of the items in the swim category -- bikinis, one-pieces, rash guards, coverups, and some items as low as $6 -- click here. 

(Oh, and I did verify that the TREAT 40% off code can be combined with the 60% off swim sale. For example, this black halter suit rings up at only $7.20.)

If you score any great deals, please let me know in the comments section! I love hearing about great deals!

Saturday Sip + Shop: Pineapple Time

Sip:

Spiced Pineapple Cocktail
Recipe HERE from Martha Stewart

Shop:





Pineapple Decanter ... too cute on a bar cart!
Available HERE from Pier 1 Imports

Five On Friday!

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join along!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

I am returning today from a week at the beach, so I will be skipping out on my five today but I can't wait to read yours!

TGIF y'all, and hope you will join in on Five on Friday this week! Cheers to the weekend!