New Jewelry From My Beautiful Mess

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It’s May!  It’s May!  It’s May! I love this time of year.  Spring is so hopeful and bright and fun!  There are flowers and green grass and it’s the perfect weather for mid-morning walks.  The sun makes me so happy and Mother’s Day is just around the corner.  What a great season! It’s also the time for new clothes, new sandals and…new accessories! I have been working so hard in the past few weeks to create a new line of accessories, and I’m so excited to finally show you!  One line is inspired by my love of painting and color … Continue reading 

Hometown Traveler – The Portland Flea

Tales of a Hometown Traveler

    One of my favorite places to visit on a Sunday in Portland is the Portland Flea.  My thrift shopping heart flutters at the thought!     The Flea is a monthly antique and vintage market that is absolutely packed full of amazing finds.  It is held every third Sunday at UNION/PINE, 525 SE Pine St. from 10am -4pm. During the summer months you can browse and shop outside along the sidewalk and street, and during the winter months they move it all inside.     PDX Flea features more than 20 vendors selling antique and repurposed furniture, vintage … Continue reading 

Life of Pi at World Market

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  World Market gave me an amazing opportunity to share with you their new Life of Pi line {you know, like the movie and the book…}.  The items are all handcrafted in India and absolutely gorgeous.  I was so very excited. I love World Market – the company and the store – and I love any chance I get to share with you how amazing their people and products are.   Then last Friday happened and suddenly everything seemed so very meaningless.  I took yesterday off to show my respects to the families and victims and to pray.  And I … Continue reading 

I Need Some “Me Time”

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I’ve been working my tail off lately trying to purge, cleanse and organize our house before the holidays and I…need…a…break!!!   Just a few minutes {or hours} to myself.   Really, is that asking too much?   I guess not, because I have the best mom ever and she’s taking my boy to spend the day with his cousins.  That means, while he’s gone and the other ones are at school…I get some mommy time!!  With coffee and magazines.  No books or emails or Facebook updates.  Just magazines.   The great thing about magazines is that they are completely and … Continue reading 

Crazy Sports Freaks

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    Is it just me or does this time of year tend to bring the sports freaks out of hiding?  It’s nearing the end of regular season NFL and College Football and they are starting to get a little crazy.  Actually, a lot crazy.  And they live in my house.   Yes, I’m Heidi and I live with crazy sports freaks.   My hubby is a Seahawks fan to the core.  Growing up in Seattle, there was really no other possibility.  Every year he truly believes that the Seahawks are going to be undefeated.  His August mantra is “16-0″.  … Continue reading 

My Lamp Crush

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Two weeks ago {has it really been that long?} I posted a Napkin Pillow tutorial featuring World Market cloth napkins.  In it I told you all about an amazing blessing I received from Cost Plus World Market.  I did an InstaShopping post featuring their store {earlier in October} and they loved it so much they offered a gift card to me and a gift card to one of my readers. Congrats Linda G. on winning the reader gift card!  The card is in the mail so you’ll get to start your shopping soon! And I grabbed my gift card and … Continue reading 

The Next Generation of Back To School Shopping

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When I was a kid every August there was one glorious day.  I looked forward to it every year.  Back To School Shopping! This was a big deal in my house. My mom would take her three girls to K-Mart {when we were little} or the mall {when we were older} and get us each an entirely new wardrobe.  All new pants, shirts, sweaters, shoes…everything.  Brand spankin’ new.  We each had a $200 budget to stick to {$200…can you believe it???} and we had to make sure we got everything. Unreal.  It was like finding money.  We did nothing to … Continue reading 

Pony Royale – Ellie’s Toy Test

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This post is sponsored by Pony Royale. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.   Earlier this month I was selected to participate in a new toy trial.  Well, Ellie was selected to participate.  There was a new pony/princess toy coming out and they were looking for girls to try it out and give their opinion. My girl loves ponies.  And princesses.  And telling people her opinion.  And I am vigilant about making sure her toys are appropriate, educational and exercise her imagination.  … Continue reading 

Little Victories

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Thank you to P&G and Kroger stores for celebrating “Team Mom’s Everyday Victories”! Please visit the P&G’s event page to play games, win money off your next Kroger trip and more fun! ************************************************************************* Sometimes it’s the little victories that keep us going.  P&G and Kroger are partnering to celebrate what they call “Team Mom’s Everyday Victories”. At the end of an exhausting and overwhelming day {or week}, many of us wouldn’t look back and see victories.  But I love what this campaign suggests.  That every day there are things to celebrate.  Every day there are things that shine.  Every day … Continue reading 

#EclosBeauty Products Review & Giveaway!

This post brought to you by éclos Skin Care. All opinions are 100% mine.

A few weeks ago I was asked to try a new beauty line by éclos Skin Care.  Their products feature apple stem cells that have been shown to encourage your current skin cells to behave like younger skin.  They mix the apple stem cells with vitamins, anti-oxidants, plant extracts, and what I assume to be magic, to create their new formula.  éclos Skin Care is the first of its kind to include these ingredients in products available at your local drug store (for a fraction of the price of the other high end stem cell products). 

When I heard about this new line I was intrigued.  Any product that is plant based gets bonus points from me.  And if it makes my skin look younger…extra bonus points and a standing ovation.  So I thought I'd give it a try. 

My kit included:

• Facial Cleanser Skin Prep
• Cellular Activator Face Serum
• Moisture Therapy Regenerative Cream
• Restorative Eye Cream
• Instant Radiance Facial Scrub
• Skin Renewal Clay Mask
• éclos Terry Cloth Head Band

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The skin prep, facial scrub and mask are all cleansing products.  The serum, regenerative cream and eye cream are moisturizing products. 

They asked me to take a before and after picture.  Now, I don't like putting pictures of myself on my blog because I generally don't like pictures of myself at all.  But before and afters are something different.  Usually befores are hideous and afters are airbrushed.  That, I can do!  So here is my before and after picture.  Look at how smooth my skin is in the after picture! 

Ok, MAYBE I don't usually look like that before picture.  And MAYBE that's not me in the after picture.  But it is a Heidi, so that has to count for something.

Here is my real before and after.  The products are supposed to reduce the look of fine lines, wrinkles and tired skin. 

I think it did a good job of getting rid of my tired skin.  It helped reduce the redness I was experiencing (and I get a lot of redness so that's a huge benefit).  It slightly reduced the fine lines around my eyes and mouth.  All around, a good thing. 

I do, however, have to be honest about my experience.  I have very {VERY} sensitive skin, especially around my eyes.  The mask and eye cream were too harsh for my skin.  However, to be fair, every mask and eye cream I've ever used {in my whole life} have been too harsh.  So, I kind of expected that. 

I really liked the skin prep cleanser and the regenerative cream.  The cleanser smelled wonderful and made my skin feel fresh.  It did not produce the tightness I usually get after washing my face.  The regenerative cream was like silk and made my skin feel so soft. 

The great news is that they sent me an extra sample pack to giveaway to one of my lucky readers! 

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Now that's just plain awesome.  If you want to win {and who doesn't want to win stuff??} just leave a comment telling me which product you'd like to try most. 

Contest will be open until Friday at noon PST.  Winner will be announced on the My Beautiful Mess Facebook page {make sure you "like" My Beautiful Mess so you don't miss the announcement!}. 

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