I Feel Pretty!

I adore all vintage dresses from the 1950's. The full skirt with a petticoat is such a flattering shape and style to me. I have quite a few vintage dresses and I wear them for church and dinner and all kinds of things, but this black vintage style dress by OWIN is by far my new favorite. When I put this dress on "I feel pretty, oh so pretty!"* Almost all women understand that feeling pretty in it makes an outfit a real winner. 

There are several reasons why I love this particular dress. First, the length is perfect. It is a little shorter than my other vintage dresses and the skirt is a little bit more full looking than some. Second, the cut and fabric around the bust is very flattering. The fabric in the bust is a satiny type of fabric and provides just enough contrast to give the dress a little bit of a different style and flare. Third, this dress is well made and comfortable. The stitching is well done and the zipper works smoothly.

I ordered this dress in black in a size medium, which is my normal size. I am about 5’6.5 inches tall and weigh around 135 pounds. The medium fits perfectly. I do recommend wearing a supportive bra with this dress to give you a little hint of cleavage. The length, as I said previously, is perfect. It comes to just below the top of my knees. Most of my other 50's style dresses come down below my knees. The fabric has a little stretch to it which allows it to hide some of your more vulnerable areas. 


The neckline is a heart shaped neckline. The fabric in the bust may need some adjustments when you put it on to get to lay just right across your bust. Once you have worn it a couple of times it will require less fiddling when you put it on. 

I wear this dress with a petticoat, but it can also be worn without. The skirt looks okay without but the petticoat provides the fullness you need to get the traditional 1950's look. I love this dress. It can be worn for so many events. My husband also really likes this dress because it shows off my curves well. 

You can buy this dress by OWIN here. 

I received this product free. All opinions stated are 100% my own. 

*Lyrics from "I Feel Pretty" by Stephen Sondheim in "West Side Story"

Shacke XL Duffel Bag

This duffel bag by Shacke is huge. When I read the listing to get the size and saw how big it is I thought, “Oh, neat. That’s pretty big.” In reality, I had no idea how big it would really be until it showed up and I started filling it up. It says the bag can hold 75 pounds and I do not doubt that it can.


Be warned if you fill it that full, it will be extremely heavy and awkward. My husband used this to carry stuff when he came home from an extended overseas trip. He filled it up with tons of stuff. It was heavy and horribly awkward to carry, but it held everything he needed it to and it could have held me. Although more would have made it nearly impossible to carry around. It has a shoulder strap and handles so you have the option of hand carrying it or putting it over your shoulder.


When the bag arrived at my house, my son and I tested it to make sure it was what my husband needed. He was gone and did not have enough bags to get everything home so I had to order him a bag and ship it to him in a care package. Little Bear and I fit 3 huge pillows in it and had room left over . It is really a huge bag. You could hold more than enough stuff for one trip. Little Bear also tried it out and asked if I could mail him in it since he fit. 


One of my favorite features besides its giant size is that this bag folds up into a nice neat square for storage. The zipper goes all the way around so it does not come unfolded. When it is folded up the handles tuck in and you don’t have to worry about it hanging down or getting caught on anything.

You can buy the Shacke XL duffel bag here. 

Awesome Microwave Steamer

This silicone steamer by Zoie + Chloe is really cool. I love steaming vegetables, but often when I want to steam things I either don’t have time to steam them on the stovetop or I have pots on all the burners are full of other things. This fold-able steamer works quickly and easily in the microwave. 

Some of the cool features of this steamer are that it folds up easily and takes up very little space to store. It also makes steaming much quicker and easier than on the stovetop. The steamer is made up of three parts that are all dishwasher safe and easy to clean.

This steamer did not come with any instructions or guides for steaming things in the microwave. I love steamed squash. I put a little bit of water in the bottom of the bowl, just enough to cover the entire surface but not enough to seep into the bottom of the steamer bowl. I started with 3 minutes on the squash. Since it was not fork tender, I added it for another minute. This was a little bit too done for the thinnest slices and perfect for the slices that were a little thicker. The power of your microwave will also make a difference in how long things take. I recommend starting with less time than you think it needs so you do not end up with overcooked vegetables.

Little Bear's Favorite Broccoli

Little Bear loves to use this steamer to make broccoli with a little lemon zest. We cut up our broccoli into florets and fill the steamer. Put a little water in the bottom of the bowl and set the full steamer basket in. Put  Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the broccoli. Then zest about half of a lemon over the top. Close the steamer and microwave starting around 3-4 minutes depending on the power of your microwave. Check the broccoli for tenderness. When it is cooked squeeze your lemon over the top. This is one of Little Bear's favorite vegetable dishes. 

The inner bowl can also be used as a colander. This set is oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe. I have hard water at my house and it does show spots when it gets run through the dishwasher. It is overall easy to clean and easy to use. The parts fit well together. Do be careful when removing the lid so you do not get steam burns. I really like this set. It makes it really easy to steam vegetables.

You can buy the Zoie + Chloe silicone steamer here. 

I received this product free. All opinions expressed here are honest, unbiased, and 100% my own. 

VitalSox Compression Socks

I ordered these VitalSox compression socks because I have been having issues with low blood pressure and getting dizzy when I stand up. I ordered the pink ones because I figured if I had to wear them at least I could have colorful fun ones. 

I was not expecting to actually like these compression socks. I had tried various cheap brands from our local stores and hated them because they did nothing and were not comfortable. I expected to find them to be really tight or too loose to help, and overall uncomfortable, like other types I have tried. They are actually extremely comfortable. They are not as tight as I expected them to be, but they are tighter than normal knee socks.

These socks are a pain to put on at first. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes fairly easy. To put these socks on you turn them inside out down to the heel, pulling the upper part down over the toe of the socks. Then, you put your foot in all the way up to the heel and turn them right side out as you pull them up your leg. They are made from a pretty stretchy material. The fabric is thicker than it looks. It is also stiffer than normal socks.

I wear a women’s size 10 shoe. I ordered these socks in a medium. They fit my feet wonderfully. I am about 5’6.5” tall and weigh about 135 pounds. My legs are not skinny. These socks are tight around them, but not cut off circulation tight or leave uncomfortable marks kind of tight. They pull up to the bottoms of my knees.

These socks are fantastic. They help my legs not feel so sore after things like yard work and other physical labor. They also help me not feel dizzy so often upon standing up. I recommend these socks to anyone who needs compression socks for medical reasons or for exercise recovery. These socks are honestly more comfortable than any of my regular socks.

You can buy these compression socks here. 

I received this product free. All opinions expressed here are honest, unbiased, and 100% my own. 

Vintage World Map Canvas

I love old maps. I think they are really interesting. I think it's the history buff inside of me that brings my love for old maps. The Vintage World Map Canvas by ArtKisser is wonderful. I received the 24"x35" canvas print. This is a great size. It is not too big or too small.

This canvas print is stretched neatly over its frame. The back has two brackets for hanging it. They are mounted well and make mounting the canvas on the wall sturdy. The problem with using two hooks make it difficult to level, but you don't have to worry about it falling down once you get it hung level on the wall. 

The canvas print is beautiful. It has a vintage style map. The colors are varying shades of brown and black. The vintage map is really nice looking. The print is crisp, clean and easy to read. 

We had a large empty space on the wall in our bedroom and this canvas was the perfect thing for that space. It fits nicely in our room. We really enjoy this canvas print. 

You can buy this canvas print here. 

I received this product free. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

Luxolite Headlamp

There are so many times when I have wanted a headlamp. This Luxolite Headlamp is really great. A headlamp makes working in the dark really easy. It allows you to use both hands to work without having to hold a flashlight or ask someone else to hold the flashlight for you.

This Luxolite headlamp is really comfortable. It has an adjustable strap that is stretchy. It is easy to adjust. When you get it adjusted it stays adjusted perfectly and does not slip when I wear it.

 This headlamp has Cree LED bulbs. They are really bright and light things up well. LED's last a long time and do not waste batteries. This headlamp by Luxolite has both white and red LED's. The white is really bright and works great for finding your way through the dark or working in a dark environment. The white LED's have 4 settings. They are bright, medium, dim, and flashing.


The red LED's are on the sides. I don't use the red LED's often.

This Luxolite headlamp is a really great item to have around the house. Since it gets dark really early this time of year it comes in handy more than I expected. It is also fun because it comes in lots of colors.

You can buy the Luxolite Headlamp here.

I received this product free. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Travelsafer Tire Gauge

For years we have had a traditional tire gauge in our cars. Recently one of them quit working accurately. I traded it in for a Travelsafer Tire Gauge. This digital tire gauge is really neat. It is quick and easy to use.


The digital tire gauge can measure PSI, Bar, or Kgf or KPA. It is easy to switch between each of these when checking your tire's air pressure. The gauge has a lighted display and nozzle. These make it easy to see what you are doing whether it is day or night.

Taking a reading is quick and easy. Put the nozzle over the end of the valve and press firmly. Pressing it on properly makes sure you get a tight seal. If the seal is not tight you can hear the air escaping from the tire. When pressing tightly the tire gauge will quickly give you a reading on the LCD display screen.
If you need to change the type of reading you are getting you simply press the button and it scrolls through the different units. This tire gauge will automatically turn off after about 20 seconds. You can manually turn it off by holding down the button.

This tire gauge is larger than a traditional one so it takes up more space in the glove box. It is easy to use and my readings are more accurate than with our old tire gauge. The feature I like best is the light because it makes it really easy to read even if it is slightly dark outside.

You can purchase the Travelsafer Digital Tire gauge here.


I received a discount on this item. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

Family Tree Wall Decal

This family tree wall decal by Delma is beautiful. It is also huge. It takes up an entire wall, which is great. Don't plan to put this in a small area. It really does take up an entire large wall. 

The decal comes on a long roll of paper. Each section is numbered so you know where it goes. You have to cut out the sections as you go. The leaves are not numbered. We put the leaves and the words on last. Putting it up is a long and tedious process. There are tons of parts. You will need a step stool or step ladder to put this on the wall. Even Popeye at 6'3" tall needed a step ladder to get the uppermost parts up. 

The frames are the most difficult part because they need to be level or they look awkward. We had an issue with one because we had to take it off because it was not level. We ripped one of the corners when we removed it. You cannot tell that it is ripped now. 

The smaller frames fit 4x6 photos perfectly. The larger frames are an odd size. They are too big for a 5x7 photo and too small for an 8x10 photo. Popeye has a plan for using smaller photos in them and sticking them up with some kind of sticky tack stuff. 

I really love this wall decal even without photos in it. The tree is really nice against our white walls. the contrast between the wall and the black vinyl is really nice. I have finally added photos to this piece, but it took me forever to find pictures I loved enough to put in it. It was up on my wall without pictures for about a month.

You can buy the family tree decal here.

I received this product at no cost. All opinions expressed here are 100% my own. 

Cubico Specialty Coffee

Popeye loves coffee. He drinks at least one cup every day. For years he drank plain old Maxwell House coffee or whatever K-Cups we had bought. This summer I got a coffee grinder and we started grinding his own coffee. He loved the freshly ground coffee so much more than pre-ground inexpensive coffee.

Popeye had been wanting to try something new and I stumbled upon this Cubico Specialty Coffee. We ordered their 100% Peruvian coffee. It is a medium roast coffee. This coffee is not your traditional coffee.

First off, the packaging is really nice. It comes in a nice box with the bag inside of the box. Secondly, once you open the bag you can smell the amazing scent of this Peruvian coffee. For me, all coffee smells great, but this coffee really smelled different in a great way. 

The coffee describes itself as having a nutty and citrus flavor. I wondered how that could happen... well... I still don't understand how they made it have a nutty and citrus flavor but they did. It is really almost indescribable. Popeye finished this 12 oz bag of coffee off in record time and was thoroughly disappointed when it was gone. 

If you love coffee already this coffee is great. It gives a new depth of flavor to your traditional morning cup of coffee. If you don't love coffee this coffee has a different flavor that could make you learn to love coffee. 

You can purchase Cubico Specialty Coffee here. 

I received a discount on this product. All opinions expressed are 100% my own (and Popeye's).

Vintage Summer Hat

My Normal Casual Hat

A few years ago I started getting migraines and migraine-associated vertigo. They are often triggered by fluorescent lights. At home we switched over to all LED lights from fluorescent and CFL. It has helped a lot in the amount of migraines I have at home.

That still left me with the problem of migraines when we would go out places. Shopping, church, friend's houses, and other places all have fluorescent lights. I would regularly start feeling a headache or vertigo coming on when we were away from home.

My mom also has migraines that are triggered by fluorescent lights. She told me that wearing a hat helps her. This is great for her because she truly likes hats. I however have always hated wearing hats. It has been a huge adjustment for me.

I often wear baseball hats and other really casual hats. Sometimes I wear my cowboy hat. At church I always feel like I should wear a nicer hat. Especially when I am all dressed up, wearing a casual hat seems goofy.

I found this hat from IL Caldo. This vintage style hat is so cute. I wear a lot of vintage dresses so this is the perfect hat for me. I got the grey hat. It has a silvery grey satin ribbon around it with a ribbon flower on the side. There is a little accent of a black polka dotted fabric that gives it just enough black to break up the grey. The hat also comes in black, red, and coffee.

This hat is lightweight and perfect for summer. Since I live in the South a nice light hat is great for most of the year.

The hat is a little bit too big for me, but one size hats always are. I have a small head compared to many women. I use a hat tape that fits in the brim of my hat to make it fit correctly. If you have an average sized head you will probably be fine in this hat.

I love the way this hat looks and feels. When I sent my mom a picture she asked if I bought it for her. I got a bunch of compliments when I wore it to church.

You can buy the IL Caldo Vintage Hat here. You can buy hat filler tape here.

I received a discount on this product. All opinions are 100% my own.

A Book Review - "If You Were Me and Lived in... the Middle Ages"

Little Bear loves non-fiction books. Most of the time when he chooses non-fiction books at the bookstore or library he chooses science and technology type of books. He rarely chooses history. I love history, though, so I am always trying to interest him in historical stuff. The book "If You Were Me and Lived in... the Middle Ages" really sparked his interest in the Middle Ages.

The book is a paperback book with 97 pages. The book is written from the perspective of a young girl living in the Middle Ages. She talks about what her life is like and what the lives of the other people are like. I enjoy the fact that Carole P. Roman, the author, does not really shy away from some of the gorier aspects of the Middle Ages, like bloodletting and the plight of the poor peasants. She does not go into great detail about these type of things but mentions them in a way that if children are old enough and interested they can ask questions about them.

The illustrations in this book are really nice. They are not what you typically see in children’s books. They are cute, brightly colored, and fun.

Little Bear is a second grader and read this book on his own during his quiet reading time. It took him a while to read it. The information was perfectly written for his reading level. He had a few questions about things. He really loves the glossary at the back. The part of this book that grabbed his attention most was the section about the peasants. He has just started doing some more chores around the house and said he feels like a peasant working a lot.

 One of my favorite things about this book is that it sparked some really interesting discussions about history, the Middle Ages, people, cultures, and more. We had some great conversations as he read this book. Little Bear is also interested in learning about other time periods and what it would have been like then.

You can buy this book here. 

I received this book free of charge. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.  

Cozyna Air Fryer

Popeye has been wanting an air fryer for ages and ages. I have been holding out. Now that we got one I realize that I should have gotten one long, long ago. I LOVE this Cozyna Air Fryer. 
Having gastroparesis means I have not been able to eat fried foods for years. I always look longingly at things like French fries when Little Bear and Popeye eat them. I remember the taste of a salty and crisp fry. I have tried making fries in the oven countless times but it is not the same. I have gotten to where I make really tasty roasted potatoes with crispy edges, but they are still not fries. This air fryer has given me French fries back and for that, I am eternally grateful. Fries from here are not the same as McDonald's fries but they are pretty dang good. They are crispy and seasoned well and use very little oil. 

  

Using the fryer is easy. Dump your food into the fryer basket and add any oil or seasonings you need. Push the basket into the fryer and make sure it is closed completely. Then, make sure your fryer is plugged in and turn the knob on top to the desired temperature. It can be preheated if you need to. Turn the knob on the front to the cooking time. The fryer shuts off automatically when the timer runs out.

We have made all kinds of stuff in this. My husband and son love to make pizza rolls and fried ravioli in it. We also made the fries mentioned above. I used less than a teaspoon of oil to make 2 potatoes worth of fries. When you make fries you need to pull the basket out and stir them regularly during the cooking time. Otherwise, the ones along the outside edges cook much faster than the ones in the middle. 

I also tried to make potato chips in this. I did not have success with chips. The chips were sliced thinly with the mandolin and when I put them in the air fryer basket the fan flung them all to a pile in the back of the basket. Some of the chips leaked through the vents into the bottom of the fryer. Even stirring regularly some of the chips did not cook while others were overcooked. Because they piled up the stuck together but when they stuck together they did not get crispy. 

Fries are perfect. I am planning to make some “fried” chicken in here to see how it works. It has been years since I had any fried chicken. I wish the booklet that came with it had better recipes.

Cleaning this is really simple. The fryer basket can be put in the dishwasher which makes washing it easy. The base can get washed by hand with soapy water or can be wiped out with a rag.

You can buy the Cozyna Air Fryer here. 

I received a discount on this item. All opinions expressed here are my own.

A Comfortable Mattress Pad

I hate buying mattress pads, but I also hate not putting one on the bed. We have a day bed in our guest room that has a pop-up trundle. When company comes we can either use it as two beds or put it together to make a king sized bed. 

My in-laws are planning a visit soon so I am trying to get the guest room ready. I have been slowly acquiring sheets and a quilt and other things we need to make the room comfortable. The last thing I needed was a mattress pad, but I had put off buying one because they are expensive and because more often than not they are not comfortable. 

When I was offered this mattress pad by BaliChun to review I immediately though of our guest bedroom. Thankfully, it got here a few days before we started our remodeling project in the bathroom. My husband and I have been sleeping in the guest room while we remodel. This mattress pad is awesome. I will be ordering one for our bed also. The mattress pad is very fluffy and soft. We have 8-inch twin mattresses on the guest bed. The corner pockets could fit over a much, much deeper mattress as well but they do fine on a traditional sized mattress.

I washed this mattress pad in my washer and dryer at home. It did fine, except that it now has blue smears because my husband had accidentally dried something with a pen in his pocket and unbeknownst to me our dryer was stained. This does not affect how much I love it. It just means that my pictures have blue smears because we messed it up. It washed and dried well in our washer and dryer. Nothing else will fit when you wash it.

The mattress pad is a down alternative. It is hypoallergenic and antimicrobial. The mattress pad does not make any of the crinkling sounds you get with some mattress pads. The best thing is that it is easy to put on the bed. We have not had any issues with it coming off or slipping around. I love the plush padded feeling of this mattress pad when I am sleeping.




You can order the BaliChun mattress pad in any size you need here. 



I received this product free of charge. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Lazing Away

Until recently I only had a hammock that hangs between two trees but… we are planning on cutting down one of those trees. So I have been on the hunt for a new hammock with a stand.


When I was offered this hammock to review I was thrilled. It is the coolest thing since sliced bread, well maybe not the coolest, but it is pretty darn cool. I could spend all day and night laying in it. 

The box it comes in is pretty big and fairly heavy. It weighs over 40 pounds according to the on the box. I drug it from the door where the delivery man left it through the house and out to the back yard. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened it and read the instructions that you don’t need any tools to put it together. The pieces have holes and little metal locking pins on them that lock the parts into place. The instructions came ripped, almost in half, but thankfully, I did not really need them. It is all fairly simple to assemble. I put the entire thing together by myself in about 10 minutes.

As I started putting the hammock together I thought that it didn’t look very big. Once you get all the steps done for the stand you realize how big the hammock really is. The hammock itself comes in a few pieces. The first is the rope hammock with spreader bars. This part is huge. When you unroll it make sure it is all straightened out and not twisted. Then you hang the chain on each end over the hooks on the frame. The rope will look really tight when you first hang it, but after a few days and a few uses it stretches out and settles into a more normal looking hammock. 

After the hammock is hung you can attach the pad. There are strings to tie the pad to the rope hammock. I really wish there were more strings, 'especially on the long sides. The pad kind of bunches up because it is only attached in the corners and the middle on the long sides. The last step is to tie the pillow on. I do wish the pillow was longer for times when there are two people in the hammock.

I recommend bringing the pad and pillow inside when you have rain forecast or finding a really good water resistant spray for fabric. When the pad gets wet it can take more than 24 hours to dry out. The worst part about it is you can brush your hand over it and think it is dry but then when you lay down your rear or your back will find the one spot that is still wet and you will end up with a huge wet spot on your clothes. 

I love laying in this hammock. I have laid in it for naps, for phone conversations, to read, to get away from my family, and just to relax. My husband, Popeye, is not a fan of hammocks due to an unfortunate incident when he fell out as a child but even he likes this hammock. One of our favorite things about this hammock is that Popeye and I both fit comfortably in the hammock. Little Bear loves it because there is room for him to pile on, too, for a quick break before running off to play again. 

Since this hammock arrived I have spent part of every non-rainy afternoon in it. If my family cannot find me they know to go look in the hammock. It is my quiet place, my place to relax and think. If you are on the market for a hammock with a stand this one is great.

You can buy this Lazy Daze hammock here. 


I received a discount on this product. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.  

Lemon Gingermint Tea

I have been a fan of herbal teas since I was a kid. Back then I only drank them because I like them. Now, as an adult, I have some stomach issues and I drink herbal teas with ginger and mint because they help with those symptoms. I typically drink a ginger peppermint tea but was looking for a change. I didn’t know what to expect with this tea since I had never had lemon balm, lemon grass, or black pepper in a tea. My first order of business when I opened the bag was to smell it. This loose leaf tea has a wonderfully fresh aroma. The citrus scents from the lemon grass, lemon balm, and lemon peel combined with the spicy of the mint, ginger, and pepper are a heavenly combination.

I have been drinking at least one cup of this tea a night. It helps with my stomach symptoms. It smells and tastes nice. It also has a huge benefit that my previous tea does not. This tea is wonderful cold as well as hot. The lemon flavors give it an amazing taste that works well at all temperatures. If you like a sweeter tea you can add a little bit of honey to this tea. The honey mixed with the herbs is wonderful when you have sinus issues or a cold. The combination really helps when I have a sore or scratchy throat.

When I make this tea, I put just over one teaspoon of the loose leaf tea into my tea ball and pour hot water from the tea kettle over it. I usually let it steep ten minutes more or less, usually more because I regularly forget about my tea while I do other stuff. The tea is a nice golden color and like I said earlier the flavor is pleasant hot or cold so even when I forget about it for an hour or more I can happily drink it when I remember.

You can buy this lemon gingermint tea here. 

I received a discount on this item. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.