Style Lush

Stuff I Love (Because I Am Old): My Electric Blanket

by Elizabeth

I know. I KNOW.  

But here's the deal. I am always always ALWAYS cold.  Like freezing cold.  Especially at night.  I have no idea what my deal is (I should probably make an appointment to have my thyroid checked but the thought of taking two kids to a doctor's appointment makes me shake all over) but like I said, always cold.  I asked everyone I knew for an electric blanket for years, but finally last year I found a great deal on one at Target around Christmas time and I snatched it up and wrapped it and stuck it under the tree, and while I am well aware that it makes me SUCH A VERY OLD PERSON, I do not care, because truly is is one of my very favorite things of all time.  I have a large collection of fleece blankets and slankets and down comforters but truly there are no words for how wonderful it feels to be chilled down the bone with icy feet and then to be able to wrap yourself up in a super hot blanket. OH MY GOD YOU GUYS.  This thing is just so awesome. 

It is honestly one of the best things I have ever bought myself, and way less weird and sketchy than the electric blankets my grandparents owned back in the day.  The one I have is a twin, and is plenty big to wrap yourself up in on the couch or to go on your side of the bed. It's made of some soft almost shaggy fleece material, like a regular chenille blanket or bathrobe or something would be made of.  You can definitely feel the wires in it, but not in like a weird stiff "am I going to be electrocuted by this blanket" kind of way.  I've unplugged it and washed it numerous times at this point and it's going strong.  And now everyone who comes to visit goes home and buys their own, because truly, it's just that tremendous.  And if you're sitting at home freezing your kiester off as you read this, I highly recommend the purchase.  

{Photo credit:  target.com}

Professor Kobre's Lightscoop

By Sara

There are two kinds of people who take photos: professional photographers with high quality equipment and...me, aka your average woman with an entry level DSLR. I love my Nikon D60 with the power of a thousand suns and I actually have taken the time to read the manual and learn how to operate it from an amateur perspective. However, I was having such a hard time getting my indoor photos to look decent when there wasn't full daylight streaming through my windows let alone warm enough weather to get outside. Enter the Lightscoop:

Image: www.lightscoop.com

The Lightscoop is the small mirrored piece that slides OVER your pop-up flash and bounces the flash off the ceiling or wall. From the Lightscoop website: The Lightscoop redirects the light from your pop-up flash to a ceiling or wall, which creates a broader light source and causes it to come from a more natural direction. Voilà — a professional’s solution in an inexpensive gadget anyone can use. 

Image: www.lightscoop.com

The Lightscoop has come in handy so many times when I've wanted to get a quick photo of one of my kids being extra cute or silly but the lighting wasn't that great. It's an easy and CHEAP alternative to an external flash like you might see a professional photographer using. Why compromise your photos with ugly flash when you can kick it up a notch with the Lightscoop? I highly recommend. 

My Favorite Fitness Tracker: The Fitbit

By Tara

I am slightly Type-A when it comes to most things in my life. I need organization and analytics and details around me more often than not, or I start to get a little jumpy. And when it comes to diet and fitness, there's really no exception.

So, when my husband gave me a Fitbit for my birthday a couple of years ago, I kind of loved it. (And I guess getting excited over the gifting of a glorified pedometer by your husband is how you know you've either been together for too long, or you're just getting old.) The Fitbit itself monitors my steps and activity levels, as well as my sleep patterns, while the corresponding website includes a weight tracker and food journal. And now that they've added a mobile website and an iPhone app to the list, it's even easier for me to track what I've done through the day.

Not that I always do, sadly, because those holiday Double Stuff Oreos tend to multiply as they are going into my mouth, and I lose count from time to time, but, still, I like the app when I get around to using it.

{photo credit: fitbit.com}

At least it will help me work off those Oreos when the holidays are over ... right?

USB Heated Blanket

By Leah

Do you live in a hundred-year-old uninsulated house, where you spend 8+ hours freezing at your computer desk every weekday? Do you know someone who does? Have I got a gift for you/that other person!

Have you seen the electric blankets powered by your computer via USB connector? Use one plug for "warm" and both plugs for "hot."

{Image from Think Geek}

When I tweeted my amazement at this brilliant marriage of survival and science, Laura replied that she had pair of USB-heated gloves, "so I can blog without chilly fingers."

{Image from Amazon}

So I guess this is a thing. Did you know this was a thing? I did not know this was a thing.

Space heaters rack up power bills like crazy, and don't get me wrong, I love my Snuggie, but listen: there's no law that says I can't use all four of these modern miracles at the same time. Cheers to working warm this winter!

Casetagram: Custom iPhone Cases Featuring Your Instagram Photos

By Hillary

We all agree that Instagram rocks, right? Snap a photo with your iPhone, apply a filter, and share it with your followers all in a few quick steps. 

I am an avid Instagram user. I didn't know what to do with all of my excellent Instagram shots (not excellent in a "talented photographer" sense but in more of a "sentimental" kind of way) until Elisabeth showed me how to print Instagram shots straight from my phone. Except that the service isn't available outside of the USA (seriously, guys. Canada is attached to you. I should be able to get my Instagram photos printed and delivered to me. Just sayin'.)

Then I discovered Casetagram. Just sign in with your Instagram account and all of your photos are there, ready for you to slap onto an iPhone 4 case. How cool is that? Plus they deliver worldwide for free. Now I can display photos of my adorable baby literally on my phone. 

 

{Photo credit: casetagram.com, but I take full credit for the adorable baby}

Stylish iPhone Covers

By Blythe

I am one of those people who spent the last year speculating about the date of the new iPhone release.  I do have an excuse;  my current phone is working at dial-up speed and I have resorted to the Fonzie method of getting it to load my e-mail.  So you can imagine my excitement when Apple finally announced that I can get a new phone tomorrow.  (I know, it's not a NEW new version but I really don't care.  I just want a phone that I can actually answer when it rings.)  And of course I've already picked out the cover for it, because that's just as important as the phone itself, right?

Tech Candy cases include two different inner grippy cases and a cool textured cover.  I love them.  But I do have a problem.  I can't seem to choose which design to get.

Do I go for the sophisticated look?

New York Case Set

 

Or am I more of a rock star?

Rock Star Case Set

 

Tech Candy offers a bunch more pretty designs and iPad covers too.  Now, how do I choose?

{photo credits: techcandycovers.com}

There's an app for that: Tracking your period with FemCal Lite

By Manda

I cannot believe that I'm about to write this. But! It's for the greater good! My embarrassment be darned ... I hope this will be helpful to someone as it took me YEARS to finally figure out I could use my iPhone for this purpose!

I would like to share one of my favorite apps with you, ladies: The FemCal Lite Period Tracker.

{image via iTunes.com}

I don't know about you, but during my pregnancies with both of my children (and during the time we were trying to conceive) I kept track of EVERYTHING in my planner with pencil. That's right ... I had an iPhone the whole time and I STILL hand-wrote it. So when I dragged myself to the doctor for prenatal visits (and most post-natal!) I also dragged my trusty BusyBodyBook and made the intake nurse wait as I flipped through to find the answers to whatever questions she was asking for my chart. I even lost my calendar once and it was devastating! All that pertinent info ... just GONE!

No more! Thanks to this app (which I discovered after my son was born) I know exactly when old Aunt Flo is making her monthly visit, how long she stayed, when I'm ovulating, etc. It's a free app and it has helped me so much. It's easy to navigate and it's always with me (as is my iPhone!).

Do you track your cycles religiously? If so, with good old pen and paper or digitally?

Things My Husband Doesn't Know He Wants

By Megan

Next month is my sixth wedding anniversary and my husband's 35th birthday. He's notoriously difficult to shop for, but I've been taking some mental notes and think I have come up with a few great gifts that he won't see coming.

Gift #1: A Watch Winder

Diplomat Single Black Watch Winder

My husband has a watch that runs on kinetic energy, so when you don't wear it for a few days, it stops running and needs to be reset. This makes him INSANE. This baby rotates the watch occasionally, keeping it wound and ready for wear. The beauty of this is that it's something that he would never, EVER buy for himself, but definitely needs, and will enjoy.

Gift Idea #2: CD Player

NAXA CD Player with iPod Dock.

What, you don't use CDs anymore? My husband thinks converting to an iPod is blasphemy. He actually continues to burn CDs to play in his car. I KNOW. And, our current solution to listenting to music while we're playing outside is to blast the music from in the house. Which is fine, until you walk inside and blow our your eardrums. This will sit perfectly in our recently completed backyard.

Gift Idea #3 Return Address Stamp

Custom Address Stamp from Tickled Pink Paper Ink

We just moved and my husband is constantly complaining that we don't have return address labels in the house. Well here you go, darling!  Rebecca posted a list of winners a while back, and now I just have to decide on one. Let's go ahead and ignore the fact that this is a gift that we will both enjoy.

Do you have any other winning gift ideas?

{Photo Credit: amazon.com, Tickled Pink Paper Ink on etsy.com}

Talking Caller ID

By Beth

We recently had to replace all of our house phones -- yes we still have house phones -- because every last one had stopped working.  Since all of our phone jacks are located in deeply inconvenient places, we get the kind of phones with one base that has to be plugged into a jack and then several other handsets that just need chargers.  This allows us to hide the big ugly base under the guest room bed and have just phones and chargers wherever we need them. 

My husband chose these phones mostly at random at Target.

They are made by AT&T and you can click this link if you really want the model number and stuff.  I was a little ticked at my husband for choosing these phones since they cost $90 and I consider that too expensive for new phones.  But then we hooked them up and got our first call and I realized something.

These phones tell you who is calling.  I don't mean they list the name and number on a little screen, which they do, I mean that after the second ring the phone actually speaks the name of the caller.  No more dashing up from the laundry room or bolting out of the shower just in case it is the elementary school calling only to discover it is some politician's autobot.  You just wait two rings, hear who is calling, and then make your mad dash for the phone only if it is actually warranted.

Worth $90?  Maybe, maybe not.  But for me, home a lot of the time with a shifting number of small children, it makes the phone a lot less annoying.

(Obviously, you have to subscribe to Caller ID for this to work, but even my in-laws finally got Caller ID, so I'm thinking it is pretty universal.)

(Photo credit: att.factoryoutletstore.com)

My potty training silver bullet: The 2-in-1 Potette Plus Travel Potty

By Manda

Last Saturday evening I changed my daughter's LAST poopie diaper. Sydney (aka The Blonde Tornado) is almost three. Months ago I made an attempt at potty training her and failed because she wasn't quite ready yet. As she flailed and thrashed at me on the floor and screamed so loudly that I'm pretty sure the neighbors were Googling CPS' phone number I set my jaw and decided that NO MORE. I was seriously about to lose my freaking mind. 

So on Sunday I got the potty chair out and I took away her pull-ups. I filled the reward jars with M&Ms. I explained to her that big girls use the potty. When she asked for a diaper because it was certain to BOTH of us that it was Time To Poop I braced myself for the worst and refused. 

By Monday? She was using the pot LIKE A BOSS. We only had one or two little accidents in the house.

By Tuesday? Still doing awesome but I was going stir crazy. Mama needed out of the house BADLY. But I also needed to stick to my guns and take her out in her underpants instead of a pull-up. If that doesn't test a person's mettle I don't know what does! 

Thankfully I had this little friend to tote along: 

{photo via Amazon.com}

The Kalencom 2-in-1 Potette Plus Travel Potty.

Guys? This thing is a lifesaver. I'll admit when I first saw someone using it IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLAYGROUND I thought it was a good idea but for serious lady? Give your kid a little dignity! Take him behind a bush or SOMETHING. I turned my nose right up. There was no way I would ever make my kid drop trou in public. If she had to pee ... well? We would simply load up and go home! Yes! 

(OH HA HA HAAA was I dumb or what?)

Fast forward a year or so and it's my turn to potty train. The world is a big scary place full of dirty toilets, yo! When your kid finally tells you "Mama! I gotta go pee pee!" it usually means "I gotta go pee pee RIGHT NOW MAMA I'VE BEEN HOLDING IT 30 MINUTES WITHOUT TELLING YOU!" ... well frankly you gotta MOVE. This little potty folds up flat and comes with a little plastic bag to tote it around. You can pop it open at the park (but at least set the kid up behind a bench or something for the love), put in a plastic bag (they make specific bags for it but they're pricey. I just bought a little roll of small garbage bags and we use those) and you're good to go. It also folds out flat so you can use it as a potty ring on a public toilet. Such a good idea that helps you continue to potty train your child and still leave the house. We are planning on taking it on our upcoming road trip vacation. It sets my mind at ease to know that my kid will have a place to go ... even if there's no place to, er, go.

Now if someone could just teach me how to convince my child to TELL ME she's gotta go so I don't have to remember to ask her every 30 minutes. That would have saved me a LOT of laundry today. 

What was your potty training silver bullet? M&Ms? A talking potty? Peer pressure?