Stitch Fix - 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 a flop! I had that feeling that my stylist was not even looking at my feedback or my style profile, much less actually considering it before making my picks. I sent customer service an email explaining my problem with the fix and including a link to my blog post so they could have all the details. Customer service was fantastic!

So, after a great experience with their customer service I was really curious to find out what would be in this month's fix. My stylist was Kim.

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Wrenn V-Neck Jersey Top - $44.00

The material in this shirt was so soft and the shirt was so comfortable! The royal blue color was also lovely and I loved the mini-cowl neck. However, as mentioned in other reviews around the blogosphere, it did cling to areas best left unclung.

Status: Sent back

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McQue Solid Lace Sleeve Blouse - $64.00

I really liked the sleeves on this one and it was very comfortable. I would love to wear this with a pair of black jeans (if I had a pair that fit). It's a little boxier than I like, but at least it doesn't cling. I considered keeping this one ... and then I looked at the price. I don't love this enough to pay that much.

Status: Sent back

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Tabitha Embellished Cotton Shirt - $58.00

I liked the ruched sleeves and the color of this shirt. It was also another very soft and comfortable shirt. I wore my hair up for these pictures so you could better see that the embellishment was uneven. It was higher along my right shoulder than my left. The seam on the left shoulder came too far forward. The shirt was also a little clingy at the belly. It wasn't as bad as the Wrenn top, but was enough for a "no".

Status: Sent back

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Tenessy Chevron Print Maxi Dress - $78.00

WHAT? I actually got something that was on my Pinterest board??? No way! Folks, I was VERY happy to see this in my Fix. I just wish it didn't take so much effort!

Obviously, I've been obsessing over this dress since Stitch Fix posted it on Facebook. I got a different color than the neutral color and I was a little concerned I'd look like a flag when wearing it with my denim jacket. This wasn't the case.

My next concern after putting it on was the length. It seemed a bit on the short side. I'm "fashion stupid" and was getting all kinds of conflicting information on how long a maxi dress or skirt should be. So, naturally, I asked my sister and mom. They liked the length and my sister pointed out that it is the comfort that matters.

Oh, and this dress is cool and comfortable! It looked great paired with my Jaimie Eyelet Striped Cardigan, too.

Now, I just have to find a nice necklace to pair with it.

Status: Kept

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Emily Lightweight Chevron Infinity Scarf - $32.00

There have been a lot of infinity scarves on my Pinterest board and I'm surprised it took them this long to send one. This one has chevron print in a pink color. As it's description says, it's very light weight and would be perfect for the spring. It's the exact color and style I've been wanting.

However, it's a bit pricey. I've seen scarves similar to this one for under $10. As much as I love it, even cutting the price in half would still ring as on the expensive side for me.

In the end, a quick Internet search tells me these are out of stock most places and that I would regret sending it back.

Status: Kept

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Overall

I liked the style of every item they sent me this week, so I really appreciate Stitch Fix stepping it up a bit on this one.

Any problems I had in this Fix were either price issues or issues of unflattering fit. I've got to work on that gut of mine so that I can start keeping more of these shirts!


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 August 26, 2014.

See all of my Stitch Fix reviews.

BarkBox for Small Dogs - Review July 2014

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.

I have two small dogs, a Shiba Inu and a Puggle. They share just one box.

They got their second BarkBox today. The theme was "Surf's up, Pups".

Before I move on to my reviews, I have to mention that Aki, my Shiba Inu, wasn't in a great mood today. She's very skittish and had a "crisis" today involving a little girl and a water bottle.

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P.L.A.Y. Crab Toy

This cute little orange crab was a hit with Snuggles. She's not picky, though. Give her anything that has a squeaker in it and she's one happy dog.

Due to the nature of this toy, we decided to give it to Aki, though. Snuggles would probably tear it up within fifteen minutes unsupervised.

UPDATE: Snuggles takes this toy out of Aki's pin every chance she gets. She's using it as a pillow now.

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Loopies Corduroy Whale Toy

James and I really tried to get Aki to play with this one, but she just wasn't interested. Once again, though, the never picky Snuggles loved it. After all, it too, squeaked. She was very reluctant to give it back so we could put it in Aki's pin for the same reasons we mentioned on the crab toy.

My hope is once Aki settles down, she'll play with it a bit.

UPDATE: Snuggles got a hold of this toy and tore a hole in it about three days after we received it. 

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PetSafe Indigo Triple Chews

These chews claim to have antioxidants, probiotics, and are teeth cleaning. Well, if that's all true, very well done.

Snuggles LOVED these. She ran into the other room as soon as I gave it to her. She likes to eat long lasting chews in places where she thinks no one will take it from her.

Aki, on the other hand, let it sit on her pillow. See that bone shaped item in the red circle on the picture to the left? Yep, that's it.

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Mr. Barksmith's Pina Colada Smoothie

We got a carrot cake smoothie last month that I still hadn't given to either of the dogs, so I gave Aki the carrot cake and Snuggles the pina colada once they were frozen.

Snuggles was very excited about this smoothie as I prepped them. Notice the blur of a tail wag in the picture. She LOVES doggie ice cream, so I thought she'd love these smoothies as well. However, Snuggles left this in her bowl unfinished. This was shocking, because, in my six years of having Snuggles, I have never seen her walk away from any kind of food.

See what Aki thought of the carrot cake flavor.

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Think! Dog Louisiana Crab Jerky

These treats are soft and are shaped like little paw prints. Both dogs love them, even the "I'm in a bad mood and don't like anything" Aki.

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Overall

This BarkBox made Snuggles a very happy dog! I'm not sure if Aki just wasn't interested in anything or if she's really that nervous from her adventures outside. I'm not going to read too much into it, though.

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 August 15, 2014.

See all of my BarkBox reviews.

Nadine West Review - July 2014

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.

I've been getting Nadine West shipments about once every other month, so I wasn't really expecting another until August. I was pleasantly surprised when my husband walked in the door with a little pink envelope after checking the mail.

Last month's shipment was a bit of a bust, but I forgot to send in my feedback when I shipped everything back. That means they're flying a bit blind this month.

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Diamond Daisy Light Blue Top - $14.89

This shirt is a very pale blue with white lace along the neck line and at the cuffs. The material is very light and comfortable, however, the style reminds me a bit of something my late Grandma would have worn. As much as I love her, I don't share her fashion sense. The shirt is very boxy and not flattering.

On the plus side, it gave me the opportunity to teach my ten year-old son that it isn't appropriate to tell a girl a shirt makes her look fat, even if it is true. ;)

Status: Sent back

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Evergreen Leaf Pendant on Gold - $24.99

This pendant looked more like a feather than a leaf to me and therefore reminded me of the owl pendant I received in my first Nadine West shipment. Too much bling for my taste and very heavy.

A price tag was left on this (and I doubt by mistake) that displayed a price of $46.99. Take from that what you will.

Status: Sent back

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J. Crew Whimsical Weekly Earring Set in Pearl and Diamond - $21.99

I love it when Nadine West calls their jewelry what it clearly isn't; in this case diamond and pearl.

This set is ... cute, but I just don't see me wearing them and I chuckled a little at the idea of assigning earrings to a particular day of the week.

Besides, what would I wear on Saturday and Sunday? ;)

Status: Sent back

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Overall

I can't really blame Nadine West on this one. I forgot to send in my feedback from the last shipment and kept everything in the one before that, so they didn't get any feedback then, either. My plan is to print out copies of the last three reviews and send them in. Maybe I'll see some improvement in August!

See all my Nadine West reviews >>

Wildfire - Trap Master Skylander

By Peter

Wildfire is a Trap Master Skylander that looks like a golden lion. I can't wait for Wildfire to come out in October! When I first saw how big Wildfire was, I thought he was a giant. Wildfire can breathe fire from his mouth and shoot lightning from his paws. It is really cool! His shield smashes bad guys! His eyes glow. It is amazing.

An Eight Year-Old's Review of Harry Potter.

By Peter

Harry Potter is an awesome book. There is a lot of magic and bad guys in it. There are also creatures. There are seven books. I only got to read two of them. I liked "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" better than "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", but they were both awesome.

Harry Potter is the main character. I like three other characters, but I don't want to say their names because some of you haven't read it yet.

Whenever my mom stops reading, I want her to read more because it is so interesting with all of these characters. Even now, I'm not old enough for the third book. I still want to read it. My mom says it's really scary, but I don't believe her.

Eating Plant Guy

By Peter

Today, a real meanie came and took nectar from my sunflower plant. I am so, so, so angry at the bee because he didn't even ask me to do that. Once again, I am angry at him and he was a stranger, too. It was the first plant I ever had and I put a lot of effort into it.

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.