Stitch Fix - June / July 2014 Review

Stitch Fix is a subscription service where a stylist sends you five items each month based on your profile. You pick what you'd like to keep and send back what you don't like.

My last Fix was quite a success! I was very pleased that I kept three of the five items.

This month, I saw a Facebook post from Stitch Fix about how to make a maxi dress versatile for the person who wants to travel lightly for their summer vacation. It had the Tenessy Chevron-Print Maxi and the Daria Chevron Infinity Scarf pictured in one of their examples. I usually don't wear dresses, mostly because I like keeping my legs covered. However, maxi dresses solve this problem and seem like they would be very comfortable during the summer. I was inspired. I asked that one or two maxi dresses be included in my Fix. I mentioned that I was looking for something versatile so that I could wear it to church and also casually. Maybe something I could throw my denim jacket over. Unfortunately, the dress that inspired me was not included in the shipment nor was the cute scarf they had pictured with it.

My Fix came a few days early this month, so I got it on Saturday instead of Tuesday making it a two Fix month! My stylist this month was Josh.

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Kahlo Emroidered Solid Tank - $48.00

This is a shirt I see a lot on Stitch Fix blogs and everyone seems to love it. Until I had it in hand, I didn't see what the big deal was. This shirt is very light and comfortable. It's a little fitted at the sides to keep it from looking boxy and I love the unique style at the bottom of the shirt. However, I don't like the embroidery at all. It looks like someone took a doily and slapped it on a perfectly good shirt. That alone is enough to make me send this back.

Status: Sent back

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Savannah Chevron Print Tank - $44.00

So, from the looks of it, between the time I took the last picture, and the time I took this picture, I put on about forty pounds. Well, so far this shirt isn't working for me. This tank top was a bit sheer and the colors were a bit loud. I decided to throw my denim jacket over it and that seemed to help, but the fit of the shirt just wasn't right for me. It's very boxy and, once again, unflattering.

Status: Sent back

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Carlita Multi Chevron Maxi Dress - $78.00

I finally got to one of the maxi dresses. I love the colors and the length was just right. It was very comfortable and would be easily dressed up or down.

But wait ... is that a tank top I'm wearing under it? Yes. You see, I'm very modest which is why on my style profile under "Cleavage" I have selected "Less is more, keep it covered".

Remember, too, I asked for something that was versatile enough to wear casually and to CHURCH.

FAIL!

Status: Sent back

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Bellatrix Embroidered Detail Maxi Dress - $88.00

If I look annoyed in my picture, it's because I am. Take a look at my Pinterest board. Does it look like this type of dress would be something I'd be excited about? No, no, no.

I don't know where to begin with this dress. Yes, it's modest up top, but that's the only thing I liked about it. The color is a dingy yellow, I still don't like embroidery, and it has a rope for a belt. Have I mentioned it was way too long? Oh yeh, and then there's the price.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

Status: Sent back

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Leah Straight Cuffed Jeans - $78.00

After thus far experiencing the worst Fix ever, I said to my husband, "maybe the jeans will fit."

I put the jeans on and then I put on my Hallowell Ombre Knit Sweater to remind me why I subscribed to Stitch Fix.

Remember, last month I got the Dean Ankle Zip Skinny Jean and I said, "I don't know if they were designed to be short, but I'm a girl of the 90s where "high waters" were just not acceptable and I still haven't gotten out of that mind set."

Do I need to say more? My expression in the picture says it all: grin and bear it.

Status: Sent back

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Overall

This is one of those Fixes where I feel like the stylist wasn't paying attention. I don't mind paying the $20 styling fee if I feel like they're trying, but there were at least two items sent that directly went against previous reviews or my styling profile and another item that screams "don't send that to her!". I'm pretty frustrated and will probably contact customer service.

As for the maxi dresses, neither one felt like it was inspired by the Tenessy Chevron-Print Maxi Dress. I understand that they don't take requests, but I was hoping to get something at least a little close to both the dress and the scarf. I once again feel a little denied.

Oh, well. I think I saw a similar dress at Gap. Maybe I'll give them a visit.

UPDATE: I have been in contact with Stitch Fix's customer service and they have been fantastic! I've been updating my style profile and Pinterest board and hope to see better Fixes in the future.


If you like what you see here, make sure to sign up for Stitch Fix and get your first Fix scheduled!

My next Fix is scheduled on July 29, 2014.

See all of my Stitch Fix reviews.

A Personalized Birthday Gift for Kids

I'm always looking for interesting gifts for the boys. They love items that are personalized like the book "Lost My Name" (thanks to Alyssa at MyWhitePaperPackages for the review) where they join a boy in search of his name, find amazing creatures, and discover the boy's name is the same as theirs.

So, I got them a personalized song for their birthdays. My siblings and I grew up with the tradition of hearing the song back when they came on 45 records. It's Captain Zoom and in the song he's trying to find the perfect birthday gift for your child.

I have to tell you, the dubbing is AWFUL. To me, the differences in the voices when Captain Zoom is singing and when he actually uses the child's name are obvious. It actually made me laugh a bit the first time I heard the song as an adult. However, as a child, I remember this song was a fascinating part of my day and added to the joy and excitement of a day where all the attention was on me. It's for that reason, the memory, that I would recommend this song for your kids.

Don't worry, the song doesn't come on 45 records anymore. For some reason, they've switched over to a downloadable MP3. ;)

Just go to Captain Zoom's website and use the dropdown box to select the name.

Fighting Sinusitis - Day 23

I feel like I must start every post about health in the same manner. Everyone is different and I am not a health professional. Please see your doctor if you have any health concerns.

With that out of the way, I can now, with confidence, say that I managed to avoid a sinus infection! It's the first time in fifteen years that I have managed to just have a cold, so I'm pretty excited about it.

There were quite a few things that were different from my last cold, both in my environment and the in the at-home treatments I tried.

1. There was no cat in the house. Unfortunately, our cat went AWOL back in April just before Easter. He managed to get out of the house while my husband was grilling some fish on Good Friday. He was spotted a week and a half later, but ran off. We haven't seen him since. We've had at least one cat in the house ever since I started getting these sinus issues and I believe that may have been a factor in my issues. We didn't want to get rid of them, but we've also concluded that we shouldn't bring home any more.

2. I used a sinus rinse twice a day. This was an uncomfortable process, especially at first, but I stuck with it because I've heard how great they are and I ran into a WebMD slideshow that did a great job of explaining to me how they work.  I just had to make sure I was using the Neti Pot in a safe way as they can cause more problems if used incorrectly. I'm sold on the process and will continue using it on a daily basis now that I'm feeling better.

3. I slept with my head raised. The Sleep Number bed we purchased a few months ago came in really handy here. During my first and worst week of the cold when I was feeling a lot of fatigue, I slept better than I have in months.

4. I changed my allergy medication. I've been using Zyrtec for years now on my doctor's recommendation. It's my understanding, though, that different products work differently for each person. If my allergies are so out of control that I'm getting sick three times a year, I figured it was time to switch. I made the switch to Clariton.

5. My resolution had been made. I hadn't been doing a great job with it, but something is better than nothing. I was exercising more and eating healthier prior to getting sick and I think that really helped boost my immune system.

These are the steps I took along with the usual plenty of rest and water. I took a pain reliever only once and that was during the first week when the sinus pressure had given me a massive headache.

I'll take these steps again the next time I start to see cold symptoms. My hope is that I've figured a way to reduce both the severity and duration of my symptoms and that it wasn't just a fluke!

BarkBox for Small Dogs - June 2014 Review

BarkBox is a subscription service that sends treats and toys that are safe for your dog based on their size. They also donate to rescued dogs.

Ever since I subscribed to Stitch Fix, BarkBox ads have been popping up all over my Facebook news feed. I bit (pun intended) and ordered a BarkBox for a small dog. I have two small dogs, a Shiba Inu and a Puggle, but I figured they could share.

They got their first BarkBox today and could smell the treats right away. They were very excited!

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JW Pet

This toy is meant to hold little treats for the dog to enthusiastically figure out how to extract them. I decided to give it to my Shiba Inu Aki first because she loves to chew and she doesn't have the power jaws my Puggle Snuggles has. Aki lost interest in getting to the treats pretty quickly, but she is still chewing on the white ends.

UPDATE: Snuggles started carrying this toy around the house and Aki immediately wanted it back.

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Etta Says

Etta Says Duck Meat Treats are shaped like little bones. Both dogs loved them.

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Bistro Bites

Bistro Bites Chicken Liver treats are shaped like little hearts. Again, both dogs love them. Snuggles scarfs down anything put in front of her face. Aki does, too, but she really seems to love these treats. She'll sit a lot quicker when I have one of these in my hands than with any other treat.

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Mr. Barksmith's

This is a carrot cake flavored slushie for dogs. Sounds like the perfect treat for a hot, summer day. When it arrived, I put it in the freezer.

When I gave her the slushie after a walk on a hot July day, Aki seemed dismissive of it at first. However, once she realized she wasn't getting anything else, she licked away and seemed to like it.

See what Snuggles thought of the pina colada flavor.

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Barkworthies

This stick, made out of beef bladder, was given to Snuggles. She has some powerful jaws and usually goes through these types of sticks within a few minutes. It seemed pretty strong and the description said they were "both long-lasting and delicious". Three minutes after this picture was taken, it was gone. Delicious, yes. Long-lasting, not for Snuggles. Maybe next time I'll give it to Aki.

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Overall

Both Aki and Snuggles were very pleased with what was in the box. All of the treats seem to be made with healthy ingredients. If my doggies are pleased, so am I.

If you like what you see here, make sure to sign up for BarkBox and get your first shipment scheduled!

Our next BarkBox is scheduled to be shipped on July 15, 2014.

See all of my BarkBox reviews.

My Friend Snow

by Peter

The first time I met Snow was when my Grandma gave him to me. James got a really cool polar bear named Teddy on the same day.

Whenever I have to go to the doctor's, I bring Snow. I also bring him to many, many, many places.

Nadine West - June 2014 Review

Nadine West is a subscription box service that is a little like Stitch Fix. They ship out a few fashion items and you keep what you want and send back what you don't. A couple of differences are that Nadine West has no styling fee and sends three items instead of five.

My last Nadine West review was in April. No, I didn't skip a month. It seems they did. So far, I've received boxes from them every other month despite their advertising which says they ship every month.

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Pale Pink Sleeveless Top with Button Shoulder Details - $14.89

Sleeveless? No, I don't think so. This shirt had wide sleeves and looked almost heathered. If you saw my review of the Aleah V-Neck Heathered Dolman Sleeve Shirt, you know what I think of the style. Once again, I know this 80s look is trending, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

I did like the little details like the slightly ruched sides and the buttons on the sleeves, but I just don't care for wings on my shirts.

Status: Sent back

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Dark Pink Pave Dangles - $9.99

I think I just saw a pair of earrings like these at Target, except they were in the little girls section. These are very sparkly and I'm sure if I were nine years old I'd be thrilled to see them, but I'm a grown woman now and something this sparkly just doesn't fit my style.

Status: Sent back

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Tears of Amber Statement Necklace - $21.99

I loved the color of this necklace. The problem I had with it is that it sat awkwardly on my collarbone so that when ever I moved, a section of the necklace would point strangely forward.

Status: Sent back

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Overall

It's always a shame when I send everything back and this is the second time out of three shipments that I've done so. Since there is no styling fee, however, it costs me nothing and I'll continue to look forward to shipments from the company. I won't hold my breath to get one in July, though.

My Gotcha Day

By Peter

When my mom and dad adopted me and James, they loved that day and called it "Gotcha Day".

My mom had to agree to the judge that she would take care of me.  We all clapped at the end and then, James and I got a stuffed animal from the court. James picked a green dog and I picked a baby German Shepherd. I wish I picked the wolf.

After that, we went to JumpStreet. We had much, much, much fun and I want to go back because it was awesome!

After that, we went home and got ice cream and presents. We were very excited!

It was a happy Gotcha Day!

If Pokémon Were Real

by James

My mom, my brother Peter, and I like to collect Pokémon trading cards. Those collections made me think. What kind of Pokémon would I want if Pokémon were real?

First of all, I would want a Pokémon that was very rare. I also would want a dragon type. I felt like it was up to Zekrom, who wields electricity, Reshiram, who wields fire, and Kyurem, who wields ice. I decided on Zekrom because he could use his electricity to power our house.

I would love to have one of these Pokemon so that I can train him to be awesome like me.

New Bloggers

The biggest fans of my blog are probably my two sons. On this very public website, I refer to them as James and Peter.

James loves my article Happy Kids vs. Disciplined Kids - Is There a Difference? (proving the point that disciplined kids can be happy kids) and wanted to know if he could write an article for me to post. I'm always looking for ways to get the boys interested in reading and writing, so how could I say no?

Of course, what one kid does, the other must do. Therefore, please welcome two new bloggers, James and Peter, to "What on Earth am I Doing?". Look for their contributions soon!

Happy Kids vs. Disciplined Kids - Is There a Difference?

Parenting isn't easy. We're not just mothers and fathers. We're teachers, preachers, taxi drivers, nurturers, providers, and disciplinarians. Well, that last one seems to be up for debate.

My children were placed in our home over two years ago and we adopted them last year. For the sake of their privacy, we'll call my nine year-old son (soon to be ten!) James and my eight year-old son Peter. My kids have been through a lot and have had some serious behavioral issues to overcome. We've worked very hard together to learn about making good choices. I am very proud of how much they've achieved.

With that said, when I see these kids running around, bossing their parents, and making demands, I shake my head and say a quick prayer for them.

A parent's main job is to safely raise a good adult. There are some parents who believe their job is to make their kids happy. To those parents, I say:

While your child asked twelve times if he could have that toy because he knew your answer would change to 'yes' eventually, my child was using the skills he's learned to calculate whether or not the toy was worth buying with his own money.

While your child demanded fifteen more minutes in the McDonald's play room when you said it was time to go, my child was learning respect and responsibility by helping me clean the table before we left.

While your child wouldn't stop jumping on the couch at a friend's birthday party and you couldn't be bothered to ask how your child did when you picked him up, my child was bowing his head in sincere apology for his misbehavior. 

While your child's team wasn't keeping score to spare his/her feelings, my child was learning to persevere in the face of failure.

While your child was walking away from you as you were giving him/her instructions, my child was learning about active listening and using his eye contact to hear what I was saying.

While you may think your child is happy now, when he/she grows up, the real world won't care about his/her feelings and your child won't know how to deal with disappointment and peers who won't bend to his/her every desire. 

Despite the discipline I dish out to teach my kids, or, more accurately, because of it, my kids are happy and they will know how to be happy when they become teenagers and adults.

Kids can be both happy and disciplined, however, if you focus on the happiness and never on the discipline, in the long run, your child won't be happy. He/she will eventually be slapped with reality and won't know how to handle it.

My kids are not perfect nor am I the perfect parent, but I do hold them and/or myself accountable when needed. That is how we learn from our mistakes.

I didn't write this article to offend, but I think it's an important lesson. Many parents are just too lazy to discipline their children. It's so much easier to give them what they want when they want it than to have to stand your ground. Standing your ground, after all, is exhausting! Trust me, I know! However, it's worth all the hard work. My children are my joy and I love watching them grow both physically and maturely.

I am so grateful to my parents for raising me and my siblings using a combination of love and discipline. It has made me the God loving, happy person I am today.

Fighting Sinusitis - Day Eleven

It's officially day eleven of my sinusitis which means I'm out of the 7 - 10 day range of "just a cold". However, and I hope I don't jinx it, compared to other colds and bouts of sinusitis I've had, this one has been mild.

My sinusitis issues usually come with an up and down effect. I'll have a good day and then, according to my husband, overdo it. The next day I can hardly move due to an inability to breathe. Yesterday, I ran errands for most of the day despite my better judgement. This morning, I'm feeling the usual sinus pressure I've been getting every morning for the last eleven days, but nothing severe.

I'm still hoping that I've found a way to keep my sinusitis from affecting my schedule.

Fighting Sinusitis - Day Six

It's day six of my sinusitis and by now the sinus pressure and congestion are making me miserable. I've decided to keep a log to track progress of the inevitable infection to bring to my doctor once this is over, or if I decide to go in for treatment.

I end up with sinusitis about three times a year. There's not a pattern as there always seems to be some allergen in the air. For me, it does not discriminate between winter, summer, fall, or spring.

When I get sinusitis, it hangs on for about four weeks. Some days are better than others and the last week usually is residual coughing and congestion, but it's still there.

So, with all that said, I did the math. If I get sinusitis three times a year for about four weeks, that means I'm sick for almost a quarter of the year. This, to me folks, is unacceptable. Something has to improve. Of course, you knew that already. It's the entire reason I started this blog (believe it or not, it wasn't about Stitch Fix). I want to be held accountable and stay motivated to live a healthier life.

I'm not a doctor, I'm just a mom who has a lot on her plate and doesn't have time to be sick for a quarter of the year. I'm simply passing on my own experiences.

Always talk to your doctor if you have concerns about your health.

Stitch Fix - June 2014 Review

Stitch Fix is a subscription service where a stylist sends you five items each month based on your profile. You pick what you'd like to keep and send back what you don't like.

My first Fix was great, but my second and third made me start to wonder if they even look at the styling profiles and Pinterest boards. As the fourth Fix was shipped, I was really hoping that they would get a bit better as Stitch Fix learned my style.

Allison, my stylist for this month, didn't disappoint! Her note even mentioned that she had looked at my blog and that it helped. So, with sinusitis still kicking, I put on my Stitch Fix fashion show.

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Blake Side Ruched V-Neck Knit Shirt - $48.00

I'm always a bit concerned with v-neck shirts. Many of them dip too low for me and my modesty. This one didn't do that, though. It does fit a little tighter than I'd like at the belly, but hey, black is slimming, right?

The price is also a bit steep for what's a fairly basic shirt, but I do love the ruched sides. After some debate in my head, I decided to keep this one.

Status: Kept

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Drake Snake Print Cross-Front Blouse - $68.00

First, I have to say that the silly pose in this picture was the creation of my 8 year-old son.

My first impression here after seeing the description was, "snake print?" At this time in my life, I have exactly ZERO items in my closet that have any kind of animal print, especially snake! I didn't check it off as patterns to avoid in my profile because I wanted to keep an open mind about it.

However, it wasn't the print that deterred me from this blouse. I actually was surprised to like the print! It was the fit of the blouse. It was big, boxy, and too low cut. It was unflattering and made me look bigger than I actually am. The cross-front portion of the blouse was also difficult to see as it was camouflaged.

Ah, so this is what I'd look like if I were pregnant.

Status: Sent back

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Abrianna Longsleeve Knit Cardigan - $48.00

I love this type of cardigan! I love this color! I love the length! I love the price.  With that many loves, this one was a no-brainer.

The cardigan is also light enough that I can wear it to church, especially now that our church's air conditioning is working.

Status: Kept

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Dean Ankle Zip Skinny Jean - $78.00

These were really cute jeans. The zipper at the ankle gave them a cute little twist and the price is the cheapest price I've seen for jeans from Stitch Fix. The problem with these jeans is they were too short.

I don't know if they were designed to be short, but I'm a girl of the 90s where "high waters" were just not acceptable and I still haven't gotten out of that mind set. The inseam was also a bit on the short side.

Status: Sent back

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Kacie Half Flap Crossbody Bag - $48.00

I used to carry around small crossbody purses before I became a mom. When I adopted my two boys, I switched over to what I called a "mom purse". However, I could never find a bag big enough for my needs that was also crossbody, so I ended up with a handbag.

My Pinterest board is plastered with bags like this one, so, although this is the first time Stitch Fix has sent me a bag, I can't really say I'm surprised to see it. I am quite happy, though!

It's a little smaller than my everyday handbag, but I like it too much to send it back.

Status: Kept

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Overall

With three items kept, this is the most successful Stitch Fix I've received. If the jeans had fit, I would have had a real conundrum regarding the blouse as it would have been cheaper to keep it since you get 25% off if you keep all five items. Who knows, though, I may have been swayed to send back the ruched shirt in that case.


If you like what you see here, make sure to sign up for Stitch Fix and get your first Fix scheduled!

My next Fix is scheduled on July 1, 2014.

See all of my Stitch Fix reviews.

Fighting Sinusitis - Day One

It's been a little over four months since I felt fully recovered from my last sinus infection, so, naturally, I started showing signs of a cold this morning.  My husband recently had a cold and my youngest son is currently dealing with one.

It's too late for me to prevent the cold. The first symptom I usually get is laryngitis and it set in shortly after church this morning. However, my hope is that it isn't too late to prevent sinusitis. I'll be taking the usual steps of plenty of water and as much rest as I can get, but this time, I'm going to try a Neti pot to clean out my sinuses twice a day with saline solution. I'll be using NeilMed's NasaFlo and will update the blog with my review once I know if it helped or not.

Here's to defeating recurrent acute sinusitis!