Leah Tackles

My Random Everyday Essentials!

July 18, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Friday!!

I talk a lot about my favorite beauty items and monthly favorites, but I thought that it would be fun to talk about the random essentials that I consider must-have items every day. I got the idea for this post after having a conversation with a girl from a new company called Man Crates, but was not paid whatsoever for this post. As always, all ideas and options are my own. Man Crates is a new company who ship out gifts for men in cool wooden crates for all different occastions! I might have to try one for my husband : ) I think it’s nice that it isn’t a subscription service so it’s just a one time purchase. Please be sure to let me know what items YOU have to have or use every day by commenting (click the link by the title of this post) : ) All of my social media links are at the top of this page!!

My Random Everyday Essentials:

#1 LOTS OF WATER (ARROW H2o ON THE GO JUG)

I LOVE this water bottle! I carry this room to room throughout our house more than my cell phone, and we all know that’s saying something! I carry this in the car with me or when out and about for the day. Also, for those who struggle to drink enough water through out the day I *highly* suggest getting a jug like this so you have a better idea of how much you’ve actually drank. Is it just me who finds I drink WAY more out of a straw or sport spout than a regular cup? Let me know in the comments!

#2 PURITY FACIAL CLEANSER FROM PHILOSOPHY

Not just any facewash will do! It took me YEARS to find my perfect facewash and I buy the largest sizes possible when purchasing this. It is a little bit pricier and cannot be purchased at the drugstore, but I find that I use such a small amount that it lasts a long time. I usually use eye makeup remover and then a makeup removing wipe, but this DOES breakdown my makeup very well when I skip the remover on lazy days. I notice such a difference in my skin when I use this! My skin is clear, it doesn’t dry me out, it smells lovely, and my skin just feels extra clean after using it.

#3 MINI NOTEBOOK FROM GRAPHIC IMAGE

I am a list maker and I like to have something that fits into my bag easily so that I can write something down wherever I am! I love this mini notebook from Graphic Image and the fact that it is so pretty just makes every day a little more fancy and special, which I love : ) I love being able to jot down whatever I think of so that it actually can get crossed off the list.

#4 NATURE VALLEY SWEET & SALTY ALMOND GRONOLA BAR

I am not one to skip breakfast, so on days when I am really rushed I like to have these on hand to grab and get a little protein in to start my day. I also get what I like to call “hangry” which is that when I get really hunrgy I get angry ; ) I loose patience, and with two toddlers and a hectic schedule?! That can’t happen! So these bars help me be the best mom/wife/human possible by tiding me over until I can eat something more substantial.

#5 EOS LIPBALM

I originally bought this because the packaging is cute and I really didn’t expect it to be better than my other lipbalm or chapstick type products but I was wrong!! I use this every day before applying my lip color to help give me a nice base to work with. I love that it gives such a nice light layer of moisture and doesn’t give me a weird chapstick taste. My 3 year old also LOVES this so I sometimes have to share ; )

Okay, that’s it!! Now, what are YOUR must-have items? I want to know! Thank you for reading and have a fun weekend!!

POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX JULY 2014!

July 16, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!!

Today I am *SO* excited to be reviewing the PopSugar Must Have Box for July 2014!! The box contains full size items in all different categories:food, beauty, fashion, home, and sometimes an extra goodie too! The PopSugar box usually arrives between the 10th-15th of every month for me…it ships from California via FedEx Smart Post, which means it goes out FedEx but arrives to my P.O Box. I am LOVING this months box, so let’s get right into it!!

JULY 2014 MUST HAVE BOX:

Beach Hat from Michael Stars

$48

I LOVE Michael Stars and I was thrilled to see a fun sun hat in this months box. I have several beach hats and floppy hats now, and I really need to find more opportunities to wear them! This is a nice hat becasue it isn’t too huge and oversized (which is fabulous also!), and that makes it wearable on a more frequent basis.

Sunscreen and Lotion from Sun Bum

$20

First off, these smell AMAZING!! I love that coconut, sunscreen-y scent! I always wear sunscreen, and I am always happy to have some more on hand. Also, the packaging is so cute!!

Toasted Coconut Chips from Dang Foods

These are so tasty! I shared a few with Stephan because we are both huge coconut fans, but now I am going to have to get some more of these! I love that the only ingredients are coconut, sugar cane, and salt.

Jump Rope With Soft Grip Handles from TKO

$13

I have been wanting an athletic jump rope for awhile now, and I am really excited to try this out. And I’m not sure how fast you’d have to jump to burn 170 calories in 15 minutes…but it claims that it is possible, so SIGN ME UP!

Chevron Paper Straws from ACME Party Box Company

I love paper straws and these ones are so cute!

Ziggy Salad Servers from French Bull

$12

These are so cute! I love that PopSugar includes so many fun kitchen gadgets because they are all things that I typically wouldn’t buy myself, but absolutely adore! Summer is the perfect time to show off such fun serveware!!

Bold Lacquer Length & Volume Mascara from Revlon

This is the special extra this month and I am glad that it’s an extra. As you all know, I love makeup! But I would prefer and eye shadow, a lip product, or maybe a blush. Ohh or nail polish…but that’s not quite makeup ; ) I know mascara is easy because there isn’t a color-match issue, and I will definitely try this one out!

This box has a total value of just over $110 and I am VERY happy with it!! Do you subscribe to PopSugar or any other subscription boxes? As always, I would love to hear about them!! I hope that you have a WONDERFUL rest of your week! And don’t forget to enter my Ell and Emm bracelet giveaway!!

How To Organize and Store 1,500 DVDS in a Small Space!!!

July 14, 2014 & 4 Comments

Hi There!! Happy Monday!

When my husband and I first moved in together we were fresh out of college living in a small apartment. We stored our now huge combined collection of DVDs on a floor to ceiling bookcase and that worked fine….for awhile! Fast-forward to living in our first house with two toddlers…the DVDs on a bookcase wasn’t going to cut it! For one, I don’t like the way it looks in a room that is a central focus in our home. But even more importantly, DVDs left out where the kiddos could reach isn’t an option! At first we just had all of our DVDs in a giant bin in our basement, but we ended up never watching any of them or when we wanted to we had to dig through all of the unorganized DVDs. Finally, I decided to tackle the DVD project. I knew that we had close to 1,500 DVDs ( I know, I know….craaazy!) to store and that I wanted it to be organized….so today I share what I did to organize a LOT of DVDs.

HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR DVDS:

1) I bought 3 cases off of eBay that were very similar to this although I can not find the exact case anymore. I do know that sometimes eBay stores/sellers will give you the option to “make an offer” and TOTALLY take advantage of that!! Obviously you don’t want to make a super low-ball offer, but especially if you’re buying 2 or 3 cases, it is worth seeing if you can get a little bit knocked off.

2) I seperated all of our DVDs by genre (you can do as many or as few categories as you want) and then alphabetized the DVDs. Alphabetizing them is optional, but I love the way it turned out and it didn’t take too much extra time.

3) I put the DVDs into the cases by genre and in alphabetical order.

4) I typed up all of the movies, printed out the sheets, and put them in clear page protectors to have at the front of the cases for quick reference. This step is totally optional!! I do realize that as we buy more DVDs there won’t be spaces to put them into and that they won’t be on the list, but for now my plan is to just add them (overlap the DVDs where needed) and write the title in pen wherever it would alphabetically be on the list. I don’t think it will be too big of a problem since we hardly ever buy DVDs anymore. We are BIG into Netflix and Hulu Plus, so we rarely add to our hardcopy collection. If you have any better ideas for what to do when I add more DVDs, please let me know! I would love ideas!! : )

5) Enjoy your perfectly organized DVDs!! I know this project make seem super time consuming, but I did it all over a couple of evenings while watching TV with my husband, Stephan. I *love* the way that this turned out and it is so nice to be able to easily find a movie or show on DVD to watch!!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! How do you store your DVDs? I would love to hear what other people do! I hope that you have a fabulous start to your week : )

DON’T FORGET TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY FOR A BEAUTIFUL BRACELET FROM ELL AND EMM!! A $42 VALUE!!

Drugstore Makeup Options for Beginners!!

July 11, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there!! Happy Friiiiidayy!!

Recenetly someone asked me for some suggestions for their younger sibling who is a young teenager who is just beginning to use makeup, so today I am sharing some suggestions for anyone just starting out. All of these suggestions are awesome products for anyone, I use them myself and love them, but I think they’re budget friendly and user friendly for those just beginning to dip their toes into the HUGE pool (seriously it’s more like an ocean!) of makeup.

Please feel free to chime in with your favorite makeup products and please share this post if you find it helpful! I think these items would be great for high school teens, whether just starting out with makeup or not, because they’re fast and inexpensive.

I also have a Luvocracy collection for more information or to purchase online, and all titles as always our links!

*Note: As you will see, I didn’t include ALL makeup products (I left out mascara! *gasp*!!!) but I plan to do a similar post in the near future if people enjoy this one : ) No worries!

FACE:

Revlon Colorstay Concealer in 01 Fair

This concealer is creamy and very easy to blend. It works double duty for inperfections like zits or age spots, but also blends nicely under the eyes.

L’Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream in Fair

I have talked about this a lot but that is because it is SO good! I have oily/combination skin and on days when I want a lighter coverage I love grabbing this. It is buildable, so you can get a decent amount of coverage, and it stays on my skin a really long time without needing touching up.

E.l.f Blush in Candid Coral

This gives a very natural flush to the cheeks and can blended out very easily with a blush brush. A great inexpensive blush for anyone!

Physicians Formula Pearls of Perfection Multi-Colored Light Bronzer

I have been a fan of this bronzer for years and years! The color is buildable, and it never looks orange even on my very fair skin. You can use the sponge it comes with to appy it or swirl a brush in it and apply that way. In college I was known to skip all makeup except this and mascara unless I was going out. I feel like this doesn’t get talked about enough! It’s a great one to have in your collection.

EYES:

Maybelline Color Tattoo in 55 Inked in Pink

This is beautiful on it’s own, especially if you’re in a big hurry! But I love these under eye shadows as a base especially!

Wet n’ Wild Eye Shadow Trio in 380B Walking on Eggshells

The quality of these little Wet n’ Wild trios is SO good! I have several but this is my go-to! The pigmentation is incredible and you get such a great color payoff on your eyes!! I always wear a primer under these eye shadows, and the Maybelline Eye Tattoo listed above works great under eye shadows. If you get one thing off this list, grab this! It’s only $3 at most drugstores and is well worth it.

Revlon Brow Fantasy in Light Brown

I really like this brow pencil because it allows you to get a defined but still natural look, and finishing it off with the tinted brow gel helps soften the look and help keep your brows in place.

LIPS:

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in 06 Cranberry Crush

Jumbo lip crayons and balm stains are EVERYWHERE right now but for good reason! They are so easy to use and not nearly as fussy as a lipstick. I love this color and find the the stain it turns in to is very close to the color you originally apply onto your lips (unfortunately, some balm stains change to a very different color once the stain part appears). You can’t beat the price on this and while I don’t like all the colors in the Jodana line of balm stains, this one is a winner!

Maybelline Color Whisper in 90 Oh La Lilac

This is a very blue toned pink that is slightly purple or lilac like the name. It is easy to put on in a hurry which I LOVE! And the color is beautiful and glossy.

Thank you so much for reading this and I hope that you found it helpful! Some *quick* housekeeping really quickly:

1) Don’t forget to enter my giveaway to win a bracelet from Ell and Emm!!

2) Check out my post for today on my column Leah’s Friday Five on the Pearls and Pastries Blog! I talk about the 5 shorts I have been wearing the most this summer!!

I hope that you have a WONDERFUL weekend!!!

ELLANDEMM BRACELET GIVEAWAY!!

July 9, 2014 & 29 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!!

I am SOOOO excited to announce my first giveaway!! I have been a huge fan of Ell and Emm jewlery for well over a year now! I remember getting my hands on my first necklace and wearing it whenever possible. Jenn, the owner and creator of Ell and Emm (named for her daughters, how cute is that?!), is super personable and helpful! Her instagram is gorgeous….get ready to drool!

WHAT I AM GIVING AWAY:

The bracelet I am going to give away is the Giant Koko Cuff, which I have and adore! It is a gold plated thin cuff with two giant pearls, one slightly larger than the other, on each side. *Note: When I first got this it was SO tight on my wrists, which I consider to be pretty small already, but I was afraid it would snap if I pulled it to be slightly bigger…it didn’t ; ) Just do so carefully! I noticed that she had this noted on the page for it as well.

PICTURES OF THE GIANT KOKO CUFF:

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

1) Comment on this post telling me what your favorite summer accessory is. Commenting is *easy* promise! Just click the link by the title of this post and you enter your first name, email, and comment : )

2) You *MUST* be subscribed to my blog! To subscribe enter your email into the subscription box on the right side of the page! You will then get an email that asks you to confirm that you subscribed and that’s it! You’ll just get emails when I post something new.

That’s it!!

EXTRA ENTRY OPPORTUNITY:

If you’d like to gain extra enteries you can 1) Share this post on your Facebook, 2) Share this post on your Twitter, or 3) Follow me on a social media platform you are not yet following me on and you will get an entry for each new like or follow (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Luvocracy, Pinterest).

RULES:

1) This giveaway is limited to those in the United States but eventually giveaways will be opening up to subscribers everywhere!

2) If you are under 18 years old you must have permission from your parents to enter the giveaway!

3) A random selection website will determine the winner to keep things fair.

4) Once the winner is contacted they will have 48 hours to respond and after that I will select another winner.

5) This giveaway will end in two weeks!!

See?! SUPER easy!! Get excited!! I have been wanting to do a giveaway for my supporters for awhile now and am thrilled to be doing so! The more subscribers I get, the more giveaways I can do : ) Have a fabulous day!!

Our 4th of July Weekend in Pictures!

July 7, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! Lately I have been enjoying posting more pictures of my family, and if you’d like to see my recent posts you can see them under the “Family” tab at the top of this page. My most recent family post, Our Trip to Mackinac Island, has some of my favorite summer pictures so far : )

Captain America, an eagle, and a mom : )

Captain America was a *HUGE* hit at the parade!

Our Hailey doll won queen : )

She said “Just like Elsa” (from Disney’s Frozen) ; )

Happy Birthday U.S.A!

Getting creative and using a dresser drawer for nap time for Connor!!

Hailey found a sled in one of her Gigi’s garages and decided it was a perfect carriage ; )

Thank you for reading and be on the lookout on Wednesday for a GIVEAWAY!!! If you have any questions or comments, comment by clicking the link by the title of this post : )

Creative S’more Ideas!

July 4, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Friday! And Happy 4th of July!!

I want to keep today’s post super quick since it is a holiday and I’m sure you all have fabulous plans! But if you’re looking for some last minute ideas for a 4th of July treat, try one (or all!) of these easy s’more ideas : ) You can get creative with it, I made up all of these (with a little help from my daughter on the gummi worm one! hehe), but I am sure there are lots of yummy creations you could make. If you enjoy this post, please post in to Pinterest!

1) Almond Joy S’more

For this I used Almond Joy Frosting, coconut flakes, and of course, a marshmallow! My husband ate this one and said it was amazing!! I think I will have to make one for myself soon ; )

2) Reeses S’more

I used a piece of a Reese’s bar, but I am sure a classic Reese’s cup would work just as well! I loved the Reese’s with the marshmallow…. nom nom nom!

3) Gummi Worm S’more

The gummi worm genius was thanks to my sweet Hailey doll : ) She is so creative and a foodie at three! I love it. Try it out, it’s delicious!

4) Chocolate Oreo S’more

Hershey’s chocolate and an Oreo cookie…what is not to love?! This was very sweet and delicious!!

5) Oreo Nutella S’more

Nutella Hazelnut Spread with an open faced Oreo….mmmmm!

6) Classic S’more

Chocolate, marshmallow, and grahmn crackers…but you knew that ; )

Okay, that’s it! I hope that you have a fantastic holiday weekend with your family! Please stay safe and thank you for reading this on such a busy day!! XO

EASY 4th of July Cake!!

July 2, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I have been making the recipe that I am sharing today for YEARS! I remember sitting on my parents deck reading one of my mom’s magazines (Good Housekeeping, maybe?!), finding this recipe, and asking my mom if we could make it for the 4th. This recipe is great because you can make it in 15 minutes and it’s a light, summery cake that everybody loves.

4th of July Cake:

Ingredients:

1 frozen pound cake (I used Sara Lee brand)

1 tub of Cool Whip

1 cup of strawberries

1 cup of blueberries

Directions:

Thaw the pound cake and the Cool Whip. ( TIP: If you want to make this fast, put the Cool Whip into the fridge when you get home instead of the freezer and thaw the pound cake in the microwave : ) Directions for quick thawing is on the packaging. ) Wash the strawberries, cut the top off, and then cut lengthwise. Wash the blueberries. Cut the pound cake into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices depending on the size of your baking dish (I used a 13 inch by 9 inch pan) and lay the slices into your pan. You may need to cut some of the pound cake slices in half to fill the pan. Use a rubber spatula to spread the Cool Whip generously over the pound cake. Then put your berries on top!! I usually make this into an American flag, but this year I let my 3 year old have at it and decorate it herself. That’s it!! Easiest cake ever! And then just be sure to refrigerate the cake. Enjoy!!

I hope that you liked this recipe! I like making this cake all summer long : ) If there are any recipes you would like to see on Leah Tackles, be sure to let me know in the comments! Thank you for reading!

Our Trip to Mackinac Island 2014!

June 30, 2014 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

My husband and I were lucky enough to get married on Mackinac Island (if you live anywhere in the midwest…or anywhere really, I *highly* suggest trying to visit!) and now we go back every year with our kiddos. Today I want to share some pictures from our trip…so fair warning this will be a PIC HEAVY post! If you enjoy pictures like this, please comment and let me know : )

LINKS TO OUR MACKINAC ISLAND FAVORITES:

Shepler’s Ferry

Chippewa Hotel

Butterfly House and Insect World

The Pink Pony Bar and Grill

Horn’s Bar

Nephew’s of Mackinac Island

This was a LONG picture post…but I hope that you enjoyed it!! Have a wonderful day and thank you for reading!!!

5 Great Summer Hostess Gift Ideas!!

June 27, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Friday!!

Whenever you are invited into someones home for a party or over to dinner it is kind to bring a gift to show your appreciation.Today I want to share 5 ideas for hostess (or host!) gifts that will make sure you’re always on the invite list! My column, Leah’s Friday Five, on The Pearls and Pastries Blog today will also be featuring 5 more ideas for hostess gifts!

#1 Pie or Other Dessert

A pie is such a nice gesture, and something that can be shared at the dinner or party. It would be so sweet to include the recipe, or to bake it in a pretty pie plate! My favorite pie plates are the ones with the recipe written on the plate…so retro and cute!

#2 Serving Plate

A decorative serving plate that can be displayed or used is also such a nice gift! The one shown was a gift and I adore it! Along with that, I think everyone likes pretty much anything that has their schools mascot or logo on it…I know I do!

#3 King Cube Tray or Other Cocktail Trinket

I have talked about the King Cube Tray before, and that is because I love this thing! It can be used for cocktails, but it’s also great for lemonade and iced tea!

#4 Go Vino Go Anywhere Flutes

These are SO awesome! I think anyone would appreciate these because they are so unique and would be perfect for a picnic or out on the boat.

#5 A Candle

I am a big fan of the 3-Wick candles from Bath and Body Works, but I finally got a Diamond Candle from a sweet sweet friend which I’ve been wanting to try for a loooong time now.

What do you like to take to parties to thank your host or hostess? I would love to hear your ideas! You can click the link by the title of this post to leave a comment : ) Have a wonderful day!!

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