Mother’s Day Giveaway: New T3 Single Pass Ceramic Straightener

Posted in Gift Ideas, Liz's List by Liz

Well it’s day 53 of quarantine in Ohio and after living exclusively in leggings, t-shirts and no personal grooming, I’m officially sick of being a slob!

So far my hair routine in quarantine has consisted of washing and air drying. MAYBE I’ll dry my roots a bit. So basically I’ve looked like a hot mess most days. This weekend I had had enough and actually blew my hair dry completely. I contemplated curling or straightening it, but decided baby steps was enough. lol

Thankfully Costco reached out and hooked me up with some styling products from T3 just in time to clean my act up for Mother’s Day. They sent me the T3 Featherweight 3i hairdryer and the Single Pass Ceramic Straightener.

I have a ton of hair and it takes forever to dry and style. Usually it just air dries and gets put in a bun. The Featherweight hairdryer is so light that even drying all my hair didn’t tire out my arm. Plus it has in-infused airstream that gave me a smooth, shiny finish. The dryer on it’s own was enough to make my hair feel soft and styled.

I followed it up with the T3 SinglePass Flat Iron. I have always used T3 brand for my straighteners, so I was excited to try this one out. It has even, consistent heat so you truly only need one pass through your hair. I was able to straighten all my hair, even the wavy, textured part underneath, in five minutes. The result was frizz-free and shiny. Plus I liked that there was NO pulling or tugging aka no breakage.

The Costco price on both these styling products are crazy right now for Mother’s Day. The pricing ends May 17.

– T3 Featherweight 3i hairdryer :

MSRP: $250
Costco Price: $99
Mother’s Day Promo: $79.99

– SinglePass Ceramic Flat Iron

MSRP: $180
Costco Price: $69.99
Mother’s Day Promo: $54.99

T3 and Costco have been nice enough to give me an extra T3 SinglePass Flat Iron to giveaway to one of you to perfect your “stay at home hair.”

To enter to win, comment below with what your go-to quarantine hairstyle has been. I’ll choose one winner at random on May 15. Good luck ladies!

15Dec2015

Five Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas for Her

Posted in Gift Ideas, Liz's Life, Liz's List by Liz

Christmas is around the corner and we all know that sometimes us wives, mothers and adult women are not the easiest to shop for. I have had a bad habit of putting things on my Christmas list that aren’t really for just me, like baby carriers, cooking supplies or memberships to local kid museums.

This year that stops! I am asking for only things that pamper me, make me feel pretty or just something I plain want for myself. That’s my inspiration for this gift guide.

Five Last Minute Christmas Gifts for Her

1. Beauty Counter Makeup.

If your girl is the crunchy sort like me, it’s likely she’s cleaned all the chemicals from her lifestyle. One area I’ve found this to be really hard to do is with my makeup. That’s why I love Beauty Counter! All their products are rated by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) for their safety and have only safe, natural ingredients.

From left to right in the picture above, I have my eye on the Rose Neroli Body Oil, Skin Tint Foundation, Matte Bronzer and Color Pinch Cream Blush.

2. T3 SinglePass Straightening & Styling Iron (only at Costco)
I have long coarse hair, yet somehow over the years I got out of my habit of using a straightening iron. Maybe before kids I had time to do a blow out with each wash, but now it’s air dry baby! That’s why I was excited when T3 and Costco asked if I wanted to try out the SinglePass iron. This baby heats up quickly and made my hair soft, straight and manageable in five minutes flat. You can buy this iron in Costco stores or on their website starting Dec. 18.

Before (coarse)

After (sleek!)

3. Egyptian Magic Skin Cream (at Costco)

This is another Costco beauty product I recently fell in love with. Apparently this cream is a favorite among celebrities and I understand why. It includes only the following natural ingredients – olive oil, beeswax, honey, propolis, bee pollen and royal jelly – and has been used to nourish and protect the skin allegedly since Cleopatra’s day.

This lotion is rich, creamy and makes my dry winter skin sing. As an added bonus, it’s also great for sensitive baby and kid skin (but remember, this list is NOT about the kids!! lol).

4. RevitaBrow Eyebrow Conditioner

So you know how thick eyebrows are all the craze with supermodels and celebrities? This product lets normal Janes like us grow amazing eyebrows quickly. I noticed this summer my brows were getting seriously over-plucked, so I bought Revitabrow, put away my tweezers and let those babies grow out. Within a month and a half I had a lot of brow to get shaped and was left with nice thick, Cara Delevigne-esque brows. Only downside it that once you stop using Revitabrow, that new growth will fall out. :(

Before Revitabrow

After Revitabrow

5. Stitchfix

By now, I’m sure most of you have heard of Stitchfix. If not, here’s the skinny: you pay $20 and a personal stylist sends you five items (clothes, purses, accessories) based on your personal taste. The $20 counts towards whatever you decide to purchase. The rest gets sent back.

I love Stitchfix for so many reasons. You get unique clothes sent right to your door, which is great if you don’t have time to go shop. Your stylist gets to know your personal fashion sense based on a questionnaire, pinterest boards and over time learns what you keep and don’t keep in each fix. The clothes fit my budget perfectly. You can set your budget limit, like “I don’t want to spend more than $50 per item.”

Stitchfix can style women of all ages and even has recently added maternity clothes. I have asked for a Stitchfix gift certificate from my in-laws this year so I can add to my wardrobe.

Stitch fix top and pants I recently kept

That wraps it up for what’s on my “only for me!” Christmas list. I hope whatever you get this year makes you feel special, loved and beautiful. Let me know if you have any pampering gifts on your list I should check out.

Happy holidays!

XO – Liz

Disclosure: I was provided the T3 SinglePass iron and Egyptian Magic Skin Cream for free to try. This post contains referral links to Stitchfix and Amazon products. I only recommend products I personally love!

25Apr2014

Etsy Mother’s Day Gifts + Earring Giveaway!

Posted in Gift Ideas, Liz's List by Liz

Mother’s Day is coming up! I love this holiday. A whole day dedicated to the love, commitment and compassion we mother’s put into our families. Now that’s something to celebrate!

Since it’s just a few weeks away and you need some lead time when you’re buying something handmade and totally fabulous off Etsy, I decided to but together my list of Mother’s Day gift ideas a bit early. The theme this year? Anything wanted but not needed. IE shiny, pretty, thoughtful gifts that say “I thought you’d enjoy this, mom.”

PLUS – you have a chance to win a pair of earrings for yourself or your mom below.

1. Pretty handmade jewelry (Giveaway!)

Jenn, a mom friend of mine, recently shared with me her Etsy shop link and I fell in love! She has the coolest style and it definitely comes through in her creations. Nothing says “you’re special” like some pretty jewelry.

GIVEAWAY!! Jenn has agreed to give away a pair of her super-cute fabric covered stud earrings to one of my readers. To enter to win these earrings, just leave a comment on this post telling us why you love your mom. Entries close Friday, May 2 at 10:00 am PST.

Here’s a lot at more of the super-cute jewelry Jenn has available in her shop. I’m pretty sure your mom would love any of this.

2. Handmade ceramic jewelry holder

This is my go-to gift for my recently engaged friends – a pretty place to put their new bling. However, I also love the idea of a ring holder or jewelry dish for mom. This Etsy shop makes a ton of beautiful ceramic dishes and ring holders in a variety of colors.

3. Epsom Bath Salts

I am a big bath person. There’s just nothing more relaxing than a hot soak with a glass of wine after a long day of toddler-wrangling. Epsom bath salts are my favorite because they also pack a lot of health benefits like promoting stress relief, easing sore muscles and joints and removing toxins from the body. Click on either photo below to buy the epsom salt shown in the photo.

4. A Mom-Approved Wedding Band

When you’re chasing after sticky toddlers with food smeared on your hands and twenty things in your arms, the last thing you want is your diamond getting snagged on your clothes or worse, on little skin. Luke got me a simple gold band like this last year to wear on my “mommy days” and I love it. I actually probably wear this ring more than I wear my diamond. It’s so dainty, simple and elegant. Plus – buying gold is a good investment!

5. Waxed Canvas Tote Bag

This is another present Luke has gotten me (he has great taste) and I adore it. Waxed canvas it super durable, so no worries if little hands touch it. The leather straps, metal finishing and simple interior make me so happy when I carry this bag and NOT my diaper bag. Here’s the listing on Etsy.

6. Something Pretty for the Home

We women like to surround ourselves with pretty things, but we can’t always internally justify spending money on them. Hello! Perfect gift category. Here is a collection of pretty home things I think your mother would like looking at. Click on the image to go to the Etsy listing.

Go with one of these “you don’t need it, but you might want it” Mother’s Day gift ideas and I’m pretty sure your mom will call you her favorite. Or if you’re a mom yourself, maybe leave this post open on your husband’s computer. :)

Don’t forget to leave a comment telling me why you love your mom for a chance to win a pair of Jenn’s pretty fabric covered earrings! Entries close Friday, May 2 at 10:00 am PST.

15Dec2013

Liz’s List: Christmas Gift Ideas for a Toddler

Posted in Gift Ideas, Liz's List by Liz

Since Lila’s birthday is so close to Christmas, I have to do double duty on looking for things to add to her Christmas list. Between the things she’s gotten for her birthday and what is on her list for the holidays, I think she’s getting some fun toys.

In general, we try to get her things that are open-ended and encourage active play. Things she can manipulate many different ways and discover in her own way. I also try to think about the future. Yes, she’s 1 now, but in six months, she might need some things that are a bit more advanced.

With that in mind, here are some ideas for Christmas gifts for a one year old. (click on any photos or title to buy these toys)

1. Bilibo Chair: We first discovered these rocking, swirling, stacking chairs at the Discovery Museum here in Reno. Lila loved rocking side to side in it and also using it as a bucket to carry other toys around in – a perfect open-ended toy for our active girl. This is going to be her present from Luke and me this year. :)

2. Pound & Tap Bench: I found this one at Barnes & Noble’s toy section and decided to get it for Lila’s birthday. Little did I know this toy has been on several “toy of the season” lists. I am not surprised – Lila plays with it first thing when she wakes up and in many different ways – she throws the balls, hammers the wood and plays the xylophone.

3. Tiggly Shapes: I know a lot of parents try to be screen free, but with my working in social media and Luke’s love for Apple, that wasn’t going to work for our family. So when Lila does see a screen, we try to make sure she’s using it actively vs passively. That’s why Tiggly is so cool. The different shapes work on the iPad screen and the game invites the toddler to interact using the shapes.

Lila is still a little too young for it, but this is one I think she’ll love when she’s closer to 18 months. Tiggly just came out with a super cute new Christmas game to play with the shapes – you can download it here.

4. Push Around Buggy: Lila got this for her birthday from my sister’s family and it’s been a big hit. Lila loves to sit in it and pretend she’s driving. The other kids at the park are all enthralled with it too. We’ve had several try to climb in it and take off!

5. Learning Tower: I love the idea of these learning towers. Little ones can climb up and stand next to you at counter level to get in on all the kitchen action. I like to cook and Lila is always interested in what I’m doing in the kitchen, so this toy is a great fit for us. You can also get a chalkboard accessory for the back that turns the tower into an easel.

6. Keepsake ornament: I am all about starting Christmas traditions and one that we are starting this year is to get a special ornament for Lila that embodies the previous year. My goal is to have special ornaments that represent each year of all our kids lives on our tree. This year, Lila is getting a ladybug since we call her our Lilabug or just “buggy” for short.

7. Radio Flyer Scooter: After seeing my nearly-two-year-old niece Mabel zipping around on her scooter during a recent visit, I knew we had to get one for Lila. Again, this is one that is a bit advanced for a one year old, but within the next year she will be scooting all around, I’m sure.

We’ve had so much fun watching Lila explore all her new presents and every day she finds new ways to have fun with them. I’m curious, what toys do your little ones love?

Disclosure: I use Amazon affiliate links on Amazon products. I was also sent Tiggly Shapes to try and to review on my blog, but I only give favorable reviews to products I enjoy.

A Batty Life

Finding My Way Through this Crazy World

Category Archives: Gift Ideas

Mother’s Day Giveaway: New T3 Single Pass Ceramic Straightener

Five Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas for Her

Etsy Mother’s Day Gifts + Earring Giveaway!

Liz’s List: Christmas Gift Ideas for a Toddler