Tee Time

So I was chosen to do another Old Navy Sample Share as part of the Old Navy Style Council via Crowdtap.  The coupons were for 2 FREE Women's Best Tees for me and 2 FREE Women's Best Tees for a friend.

Old Navy Style Council via Crowdtap

Usually I choose who I take with me by their "need" for the item, and since this sample share was for tees it seemed like everyone was in need new tees.  So I did the "logical" thing... I decided to picked 3 people and we'd all get 1 FREE tee.  I chose my trusty side kick, the BFF Karie, my sister (still rebuilding her closet since gaining some much needed weight from when she stopped smoking) and my niece who was pregnant.  It pretty much worked out well because Karie was more available for shopping/photo time, while my sister & niece weren't.  My sister was in a pretty bad car accident (a couple weeks before the coupons were active) where she fractured a vertebrae in her back & messed up her ribs and my niece was about to give birth (she had the baby about a week prior to the coupon's expiring).  

It wasn't the best timing for a sample share ever, nor did I necessarily pick the "best" candidates to go shopping, but they all deserved a new tee and it all worked out.

Of course the day Karie and I went shopping was the day that the Old Navy we went to was PACKED.  Like a crazy, insane, madhouse of activity.  The shelves were a mess, there wasn't many choices size-wise and we waited in line to try things on for 20 - 30 minutes each the two times we dared to go to the dressing rooms.  We did the best we could with what we had and both ended up with a shirt we liked.   

Karie & I both in Women's Perfect Henleys.
Secret Cove & Bright Nite

My sister, Georgie, was set to meet me after work to get her & my nieces tees on the last day before the coupon expired but had to opt out because her back was bothering her too badly so she sent my niece to stop by & gab them instead.  Between the new baby (my great nephew Hunter... who is a complete stud!) and her husband being in town for "maternity leave" (he's in the Navy) she didn't have a lot of time but we managed to find a shirt she liked and between the two of us figured out what size, style & color to get my sister.  And as a bonus Elizabeth was kind enough to throw on her shirt (over her clothes) and let me snap a picture of her in the parking lot of her in her new shirt.

Elizabeth in her black stripped Women's Perfect Crew Tee

We got my sister a Perfect Henley, as well, but in Sea Turtle.  Although I don't have a photo of her in her's... she loves it.

I think the Perfect Henley's are my favorite Old Navy tee.  I have a lot of their Henley tanks (which I can't find on their website).  I guess there's just something about little buttons that make them stand out more.  So cute!

For the BEST Tee sample share we had the Perfect Tees and the Vintage style (no prints) tees to choose from.  The sizing on the Vintage was a bit off (at least for my...unique frame) and there wasn't a lot of the crew/v-neck Perfect tees in my size to try on.  Here are some of the tees Karie & I tried on but didn't choose...

Woman's Vintage Style V-Neck

Woman's Vintage Style V-Neck

Woman's Perfect Henley

Woman's Perfect Henley

Woman's Perfect Henley

Woman's Perfect Henley

Woman's Perfect Henley

Women's Ruffled Slub-Knit Henleys

I think it's hilarious how differen't the EXACT same shirt looks on both Karie & I.  

Thanks Old Navy Style Council & Crowdtap!!

Oh, and BONUS photo of Hunter...

STUD!!

Join Crowdtap here

Woolite Washed In-Home Boutique

Saturday I had the opportunity to host a Woolite Washed In-Home Boutique...which is really a fancy word for (clothing) swap party.  I've heard of swap parties before and always thought they sounded cool but I was always too lazy to figure out how to organize one.  At least until Crowdtap & Woolite prompted me to.  When working with Woolite on Crowdtap you are called a Wooliteer and I think it's a super adorable name.  Silly but true fact.  

Anyway, all I had to do was invite people to bring a few gently loved articles of clothing and/or accessories they were willing to swap for new to them items.  In the process have fun and pass out samples of Woolite.  Didn't sound too hard when they put it that way.  Of course, life is always different in reality than in theory.  

After a few bumps with scheduling and my party pack not arriving on time I was able to have my party.  The turn out of attendees wasn't what I had hoped for but we had a great time and we all got a couple of "new" items so it was a success.  Plus, we all got more than one sample of Woolite to use.  Bonus in my book.

The set up (back end)...

Refreshments
Highlights:
BLT Salad
Chocolate Pie (I MADE)
Fruits & Veggies
Chips & Salsa

All the ingredients came in a box but I had to hand make the crust and that's about as homemade as you get with me!
I totally screwed up my measuring when doing the whipped cream topping so I had to improvise by getting real whipping cream and hand making whipped cream.
It's not as easy as the 6'5" Irish hottie made it look.
It didn't whip like the internet said it would but it was the right(ish) consistency & tasted fine so whatever.
Whipped cream mastery: Not achieved.

I even made cucumber water.  
WHAT?!
I know.  Who am I?!

Seriously.  
I even printed FREE printables and labeled stuff...

Pinterest use at it's finest!
I would like to point out... it's all fun and games until someone goes and actually does a Pinterest inspired pin.
It stops being fun when you actively have to do it.
Don't squint at me... 
you know it's true. 

The Setup (boutique end)...

Jewelry

Shoes & whatnot

Shoes continued...
I tried to convince everyone that the cat (Remington) was part of the swap
but nobody wanted to swap for a velociraptor/cat.

The clothes & scarves

Jewelry/Photo prop table

Mirror

Woolite table & "shopping" bags

Some of the items we chose... 

Nicole & her new shirt.  Possibly to use for her family's pictures (colors are black & white).
Score!

Karie in her new skirt (I swear it never looked that good on me!) and Debi with  her new scarf.

Me & my new "muumuu" dress.
Nicole brought it & described it as muu muuish, she wasn't wrong.
I added a belt I had to it.
Fixed!
Neither the dress nor I photo'd well here but I think I'd be remiss if I didn't show
one of my items...
I mean, it was my party.  

We were a small swap gang
but we were a fun & successful swap gang

Woolite samples

THANK YOU, WOOLITE & CROWDTAP!

 Photo boothing...

Me & Karie
Not gonna lie...
we were super excited to bust out
our "Laughlin" hats for the occasion.

Karie

Debi & Rylee

Me, Nicole & Rylee

The Gang

Karie, Debi, Nicole & me.

2 things:
1) Prop placement is hard.
2) I made these.  Printed, cut & taped them to straws.
Pinterest achievement level: Leveled Up

Me & Nicole
Her necklace is also an item she grabbed.

Debi & I

Miss Rylee...
Our group photographer for the evening
Besides asking for photo participation
she received a
bracelet & tiara as payment

 

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Update Dump

There are so many things I feel like I've been kicking ass at lately.  Unfortunately, keeping up with things on here isn't one of them.  I still have a few hang ups I need to get over when it comes to journaling... or blogging... All I can say is it's still a work in progress.

1) I guess I should start with an update on how donating all my Crowdtap points to TWLOHA is going.  Since my last update on the subject I've earned some 96,000+ points doing stuff on/for Crowdtap.  I've been able to donate 80,000 pts ($40).  That's double what I was hoping/thinking.  I've almost got enough to donate another 20,000 ($20) but we'll see if I make it there before things change or not.  The ebb and flow of things to do on Crowdtap lately has been a bit wonky, at least with what I "qualify" for.

I'm pretty happy that since learning about TWLOHA I've been able to donate (if my calculations are correct) 210,000 points ($105).  It doesn't seem like nearly enough, considering why and who I'm doing it for, but when you think about what I've done to get these points (and I only had to click a button to spend them on a monetary donation) it really is a little insane that I've been able to donate that much.

Through a bloggy "friend" I've come across a charity event that I will be donating to once I get paid on the 1st (it won't be much but it will be something).  It's the Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk (put on by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention or AFSP) and will be taking place June 1-2 in Washington, DC.  I'll be helping a walker named Janice, who is walking in honor of her brother who committed suicide, reach her goal... which is to raise $700.  To hear it in her words (from my bloggy "friends" post) you can go here.

I've been extremely lucky that I have not lost a brother to suicide but Nathan was, at times, like a brother...was definitely like family and he was (is) a brother to people I care deeply about.  He was my friend and donating in his memory is the least I can do, especially if it helps other people, people like Janice, raise money and awareness for the prevention of suicide.

I'm not trying to be all "Hey, look at how great I am...I'm donating!" and I hope it doesn't come off that way.  I'm just trying to get the word out there and talking about who and what I'm donating to is one of the small things I can do to help this cause.

2) I received my last exchange package from Shabby Apple... and the third time was the charm. Not only do I love the belt & shoes I picked but they fit!

RipRap 

I've yet to wear either of them but I hope to soon and I hope to get some sort of documentation.  Because they are THAT cute!

3) It's been a month since I opened my Kitsy Lane boutique, KittyKerri's Jewelry Box (yes, I changed the name to match my email & blog [I, guess])... thankfully, you get a grace period to make changes like that.  Anyway, I'm definitely not rolling in the money yet but I do feel like I'm making some progress on getting my name out there to customers.  I've made 2 sales that are not from myself.  I've got 18 customers signed up and as of right now my KKJB FB page,  has 48 "Like's",  and it's only 2 weeks old.  

So far I really love being a boutique owner (you can become one too here).  I like that there are several new items every day and that there is always a new sale or deal going on.  

I'm still waiting for a shipment to come in of stuff I've purchased.  I'm not sure exactly if I'll be keeping all of what I bought for myself (selfish, I know) or if I'll be using some as giveaway prizes. I guess it all depends on how hard I fall in love with the pieces once I get my hands on them.

I purchased the Ariel ring for the simple pleasure of I LOVED it. Thank God I had no intention of giving it away because it would have never happened.  I've worn it every day for the past 16 days. It's so pretty, delicate, and easily stackable with my other everyday favorite rings.

I love the packaging!

I mean, come on!  Seriously!!

She's so pretty, isn't she?!

4) And just because this actually happened TODAY and I would be a horrible aunt if I didn't post about this... My great nephew, Hunter Austin, was born this morning.  Healthy, happy, 6 lbs 12 oz 19 3/4 inches and soooo cute!!

Posted to Instagram this morning:

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride...

*blah, blah, blah 

(*had real words here but they are redundant at this point)

He's my 9th great nephew/niece, I have 8 nieces/nephews and yes, babies still scare me.  LOL.

So that's it for now.  Until next time... where I will probably update dump about Andrew McMahon, dieting, and dating...or lack there of.  Oh, and bras.  I know, ya'll can't wait!