favorite things Archives - Page 4 of 4

christmas, fashion, favorite things, Lifestyle

:: gift guide : for the traveler ::

December 6, 2016

Today I am sharing another gift guide for the holidays,

this time focusing on gifts for the traveler!

In the past couple years, I feel like I have traveled a crazy amount. For someone who doesn’t travel for work, I am always at the airport + on an airplace. First it was weddings and bachelor/bachelorette parties, and then I was flying back and forth from Chicago to Atlanta to see family, and now friends are scattered across the country from me and I’m lucky enough to use any excuse to hop on a plane.

Having a Companion Pass and traveling for free with my husband has also added to the increase in traveling.

Thank you Southwest 🙂 I heart you.

I’m on airplanes far too often and I did extensive planning for our long flight for Italy, so take a look at some great gifts below for the frequent flier or for anyone who just wants to pack a little smarter for a vacation!

a lot of these are the perfect stocking stuffer size and price!

:: GIFT GUIDE FOR THE TRAVELER ::

MASON TRAVEL BAG : you know I am obsessed with this thing. and I will never stop recommending it. ANDDD I was just watching The Big Bang Theory and it is Bernadette’s Hospital Bag! She has the burgandy/ox-blood color 🙂 It seriously would be a perfect hospital bag….. the characters and the writer’s of that show are obviously geniuses, so if you don’t believe me, believe them.

MINI STRAIGHTENER : trust me when I say that having small hair products is a life saver. this travel straightener is only $30 which makes it a complete steal, and it’s so much less space in your travel bag. hotels always have hair dryers that you can use, but they are usually straight out of 1980. this lightweight and COLLAPSIBLE HAIRDRYER would be a great thing to have too.

PORTABLE PHONE BATTERY : because let’s face it, they come in so many cute prints, but this FLORAL CHARGER and PINEAPPLE CHARGER are my favorites.

PINCH PROVISIONS AIRPLANE KIT : trust me. you’ll need something, if not tons of things, from this when you are on a flight. plus it takes up zero space! this makes such a great inexpensive gift for anyone and everyone – and is the perfect stocking stuffer size.

CASHMERE SCARF : it starts out hot, then gets freezing, then hot again. Pick a nice scarf that will last you, in a lightweight but warm material, and ideally in a neutral that will match as much of your clothing for the trip as possible.

SPANX LEGGINGS : I prefer to wear maxi dresses in the warm months, but basically anything but shorts (ew…. bare thighs and skin touching the airport seats and airplane seats…. nay nay fluffy) but if I can’t get away with a dress I wear leggings. and if you’re like me it’s something you would be packing to wear at some point on your trip anyway.

FOLDABLE TRAVEL FLATS : pick a pair of flats you’ll wear on your trip, or stow these foldable beauties in your carry on to change in to when needed. I love these TORTOISE SHELL FLATS but a great SOLID FOLDABLE FLAT in cream, black, or navy would be perfect too.

LUGGAGE SCALE : just do it. don’t act like you haven’t needed one in the past.

TAKE CHARGE CHARGING ORGANIZER : keep all of your necessities for your phone/computer/ear-buds all in one easy to access, super-cute spot. another perfect stocking stuffer!!

COMPRESSION PACKING CUBES : some people may only use these for bigger trips, but Kip and I use them for every trip, even a short weekend. It is a great way to fit as much as you can into your suitcase but also to pack in an organized manner.

a few more specific items, especially perfect for longer flights :
MOTION SICKNESS WRISTBAND : if you are one of those people that could even possibly get neaseous, have some on hand. people swear by them. I’m getting some for my sister for our flight to the Caymans for Christmas because she had a rough time this past weekend on our flight to Boston.

COLLAPSIBLE WATER BOTTLE : I’m insane and drink more water than anyone I know. Especially for long flights or for big trips, this is a necessity. It was a lifesaver for our Italy trip.

MOLDED EYE MASK : a necessity for long flights. this one will keep from messing up any eye make-up (or from smooshing your eyelashes for you lucky ladies I envy with super long lashes)

UNIVERSAL MINI ADAPTER : again, if going abroad, gotta have it and this one will work for any trip to any other countries you take in the future. plus, it’s mini and has cute colors!

I’ve been e-mailing with a few readers about our Italy trip a year or so ago answering some questions.

I realized I never did a Rome recap …. oops…. so unlike me right? 🙂

I’m adding that to my list!

We are possibly going back to Italy for a wedding in July….. not completely finalized yet if we can make it, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that we make it to Lake Como!

In the meantime while I get my act together and finish the final recaps,

check out my travel necessities for long international trips with this

PACKING FOR 2 WEEKS IN ITALY POST

and also my recap of the following cities

VENICE RECAP

SIENA RECAP

FLORENCE RECAP

POSITANO RECAP PART I

POSITANO RECAP PART II

fashion, favorite things, Lifestyle

:: Holiday Weekend Favorites ::

August 31, 2016

My husband surprised me and took me along with him on his business trip to Vegas, so I’m lucky enough to be writing this with a view of the strip after coming up from some time poolside!

We’ll be here until Thursday, and then are heading to Michigan for time with Kip’s family and some Chicago friends!

I’m a lucky, lucky lady for this last week of August and won’t be forgetting it!

Instead of a wish list, I’m going to share some favorites with you.

Today I’m sharing some favorite tops lately, all at great prices, and all perfect for the upcoming holiday weekend.

I tend to wear a lot of blue + white, with a fair amount of red, so it works out well for summer holidays 🙂

I love this Lush top with the criss-cross front. It also has a longer back and has a little peek-aboo so its interesting from the front AND the back.

It is super, super soft, comes in several colors, and is under $40!

I wore this on the 4 hour flight to Vegas and it was just as comfy as I had hoped.

I’ll likely be ordering it in more colors since it’s such an easy piece to throw on and go.

// LUSH CROSS FRONT TOP //

I love the peplum detail at the bottom of this top and also at the sleeve

It has a good it of stretch, so you can go down a size

// NAVY + WHITE PEPLUM TOP //

This striped tee with the lace detailing is a new favorite.

// RED + WHITE LACE DETAIL TOP //

And this chambray top is on sale for $12 right now!

It’s already been on heavy rotation.

// CHAMBRAY TOP //

as always, I am wearing these white jeans basically every day and in every photo 🙂

And there are way too many images of my face in this post for me to handle, so I tried to crop my head out as much as possible 🙂

Happy Hump Day! One day closer to Holiday Weekend time!

beauty products, favorite things, Lifestyle

:: Beautycounter ::

January 26, 2016

I am the first one to admit that I sometimes can be of the mindset that ‘ignorance is bliss’.

Sure, I like educating myself and learning new things, but when it comes to things that affect my daily habits, I always felt that what you don’t know can’t hurt you.

Do I want to watch documentaries about why fast food is bad for you?

Hell to the No…. because I love fast food and want to be able to enjoy it on the occasions when I do eat it! I’m not a moron, I know it’s bad for you, but I WANT IT.

Do I want to watch a documentary about meat and animal products?

ummmmmmmm NO.

Of course I am 100% not for animal cruelty and want to eat organic meats

(I wish I could shop at HASHTAG WHOLE PAYCHECK all the time, but I can’t. TJ’s is my jam),

but I’m realistic and I eat crap all the time — and I will never be vegetarian, I like cheeseburgers too much so I don’t think I need those visuals in my head!

HOWEVER, I’ve been taking steps to make smarter and more informed decisions when it comes to my health and my body.

Unfortunately, I’m no longer a so called spring chicken (woof) so it’s time to start thinking of the future!

When I first heard about Beautycounter, I was shocked to realize that so many toxins linked to cancer, reproductive issues, and hormone problems can come from simple products such as face wash and make-up! It’s mind boggling, and it was a big eye opener because I had always been focused on me needing to be more aware of the food I consume and whats in it but never about my beauty products.

I was so happy when my friend Amanda reached out to tell me more about Beautycounter and give me the opportunity to try their daily cleanser and moisturizer.

Step one in moving in the right direction and cleaning up my routine to make it safe and healthy!!

I have sensitive skin that is kind-of combination dry/oily…. especially in this dry chilly weather, it can be all over the place and temperamental!

The face wash was super gentle (and smelled amazing! so refreshing!) but I could tell that it still did an amazing job cleansing without making my skin feel stripped or dry.

I especially loved the every day hydrating cream.

I mix my moisturizer with BB cream in the morning and this was perfect for that because it is lightweight but hydrating enough to last all day, and then I also used it at bedtime after washing my face.

I asked Amanda to share some more about Beautycounter since she is the expert!!

Hello! My name is Amanda and I am a Consultant for Beautycounter! I am so thrilled that Taylor has asked me to chat a little bit about Beautycounter, its mission and awesome products!

Beautycounter is a line of skincare, cosmetic, and hair products that are made with all natural, safe ingredients. They are devoted to progress and their mission is to get safe products in the hands of everyone.

Their ingredient selection is the strictest in the industry, banning 1,500 ingredients as a company. So here’s a fun fact, there are currently only 11 ingredients banned in the U.S. Even more shocking, the United States has not passed a federal law to regulate the ingredients used in personal care products since 1938.

Beautycounter believes in truth and transparency and lists every single ingredient in their products. The ingredients are safe, functional, and work together to create a high performing product. They have a “Never List” which includes ingredients that they vow to never use. These ingredients are known toxins, which are linked to cancer, reproductive issues, and hormone disruption.

Interested in learning more about Beautycounter’s products? Email me (amandawootenbeautycounter@gmail.com) or visit my site and peruse the gorgeous product line! In the meantime, I highly recommend scanning the bar codes of your current products using the EWG (Environmental Working Group) Skin Deep Phone App that assigns risk ratings based on the chemicals each product contains (0-2) Low Hazard, (3-6) Moderate Hazard, (7-10) High Hazard. You can also visit: http://www.ewg.org/consumer-guides to search products in their extensive database. You’ll be amazed and once you know, you’ll never go back!

Y’all should definitely check out the website above and look at the scores for the products you are currently using!!

I was shocked !

Luckily, the thing I use the most (Aquaphor) is A-OK — but it’s a big eye opener to see big name brands and big hazardous scores!!

Also, definitely go check out Amanda’s page – there are so many incredible products to choose from

{and I just saw they have a Valentine’s Day special going on while I was clicking around!}

now, I just need to take this positive step for skincare and keep it going with my weekend food choices…….

…… that one may be harder…… one step at a time!

but like…. organic pizza from whole foods and stuff…..

disclaimer :

I was provided these products for free to try for an honest review.

I was not compensated and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you for supporting the brands that support It’s The Little Things!

favorite things, Lifestyle

:: artifact uprising ::

April 14, 2015

just call me martha stewart, because I actually made myself a scrapbook.

not by hand (which I used to do and they were ah-mazing but I spent a freaking fortune on them and so much damn time. ~~but then I got a life too. I jest. still no life.)~~

there are so many online options for making photo albums and I didn’t know what to try.

my friend told me about Artifact Uprising and it was a great choice.

none of this is sponsored I just had such a great experience I wanted to share!

images via Artifact Uprising

they make it so easy to add your photos, add any text or borders to the images, edit, and everything else.

I wanted to make a book of honeymoon photos for Kip (and me… I mean, he was happy when I gave it to him as gift but lets guess how many times he looked at it since the first go through…….)

but didn’t want to spend a ton of money or time.

They have options for hardcover or softcover, and I chose the softcover option since it was my first time trying the whole process out (I knew if I didn’t like it I wouldn’t be out a whole lot of dough because they start at $18 — ours had a ton of pages and still only came out to about $35!!)

also, I knew no one would be going through it since the photos are super boring to anyone but us 🙂

I apologize for my awful iPhone pics of the album.

my photos do none of this justice….. its hard to photograph a photo album

I tried really hard to hide my man hands. look at those beautifully manicured nails! sorry mom. at least I took off the chipped pink polish?

It was so easy to print and order, but the better part was their customer service.

FedEx lost my package, and after waiting a few days and FedEx being unable to locate it, I contacted Artifact Uprising to order another.

When you call, they have an actual voicemail with one of the people talking. You don’t realize that his does not happen anymore until you hear an actual persons voice instead of an automated one.

THey have you leave a voicemail and they call you back.

my voicemail “Hi my names Taylor…..oh my gosh a voicemail?! this is so cool. (I ramble for 5 minutes)…..”

The girl that called me back (very quickly) was SO sweet and within minutes was sending me another album (despite it not being their fault at all that it went missing) and apologizing as if they had something to do with it. The customer service was truly incredible.

For my next alum, I’ll be trying out the hardcover option so it can sit out on the coffee table.

I cannot recommend Artifact Uprising enough!!

Are there any online retailers you love for photo albums?

I need to start doing something with all my pics instead of just storing them on my phone!

Oh! and they have instagram albums too – I know people love those!