Inspired By: Industrial Revolution Design

July 8, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Just some quick eye candy for you all this morning. I was browsing (*affiliate link) One Kings Lane (always a dangerous pastime) and noticed an entire collection inspired by the Industrial Revolution.

As an Urban Studies major in college, I can tell you that the 19th and early part of the 20th century were absolutely INSANE in terms of how much technology and inventions of that time changed the course of history. We are used to rapid change these days in our digital age, but the Industrial Revolution was really the birthplace of it all. Such a fascinating time.

And look at these lovelies for the home that harken back to that period of time. I want them all. No seriously. Send it to me now, please and thank you!

1. Lock & Keys Set

2. Gear Clock

3. Wire Laundry Basket with Wheels

4. Rotating Hardware Bin

5. Folding Trunk with Mirror

Anything catching your eye? What’s inspiring you these days? I love eye candy…send me some! 🙂

BabyGanics for Summer: Insect Repellent, Sunscreen and Diapers!

July 8, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Are you familiar with the BabyGanics line of products? They have really grown in the last few years and can be found at places like Target, CVS, and Amazon, just to name a few. This company focuses on providing safe and healthy products for your baby and your home. I have loved every single item I have tried, and today I want to highlight 3 products that BabyGanics sent us to try out and that we are especially loving this summer.

BabyGanics Sunscreen

BabyGanics Cover Up Baby Pure Mineral Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 has been in frequent use for the past month in my house. While I can’t say the application method is my favorite (lotion you have to rub on is a big ask for a squirmy toddler) I will say that I love that it is a pure mineral product and I have found its effectiveness to be great. I also noticed that this formula comes in a spray on version. That would be what I, personally, would go for next time!

BabyGanics Natural Insect Repellent

Babyganics Shoo Fly Bye Deet Free Natural Insect Repellent is a total STEAL on Amazon right now…just $3.99! This stuff is AWESOME and actually works. The mosquitos think we smell disgusting when we wear this, which means they steer clear of us while we are out playing. Mosquitos are a HUGE problem here, so finding something without Deet in it that actually works is a really big deal to me. This product is a huge winner…a favorite product of mine for the summer, for sure!

BabyGanics Diapers

BabyGanics Ultra Absorbent Diapers are a brand new addition to the BabyGanics line. These are eco-friendly (woo hoo!) and they are also soft and as far as eco-friendly diapers go, quite affordable! BabyGanics has done really well with these diapers, I have to say! While I wouldn’t use them for overnight, they work perfectly fine during the day. The diapers are made free of harsh chemicals, latex, chlorine, fragrances or petroleum-based lotions. Prices for diaper packs start at just $11.99, and these can be found at Babies R Us locations. I know many of my readers are interested in disposable diapers, and you know that I’m interested in eco-friendly options. So this seemed like the perfect marriage! 🙂

Have you tried any of the BabyGanics products? What do you think about them? Any other products that you were introduced to this summer and that you are loving? Tell me all about them!!!

How Netflix Makes My Life Easier

July 7, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 7 Comments

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Netflix.

My primary aim at Stuff Parents Need is to show you ways to make your life easier as a parent of young children. Today I’m excited to share with you how Netflix does just that for me.

Our Netflix Journey

My household has been a member of Netflix since 2005. We’ve taken a few breaks along the way (which is easy to do! Gotta love that about the program!). And we’ve even drastically changed what our membership looks like over time. Before we had kids, we subscribed to the 3 DVDs at a time program through the mail, which we absolutely adored. But as soon as Darah hit the scene, we realized we didn’t have as much time to spend in front of the television, so we took it down to 1 DVD at a time.

And finally, we switched to what we currently have, which is a subscription service I refer to as “the steal of the century”. We don’t get any DVDs in the mail now, and only subscribe to Netflix instant videos. This subscription is $7.99/month. When you track that over a year, the cost of a Netflix instant membership is less than the cost of two trips to the movies for a family of 5. And that’s NOT counting any concessions you might want to buy! Here’s what we spent last night watching a movie at home (by the way, the movie cost is the $7.99 divided by 30, since we usually watch one show or movie each day in our home).

Flexible to Meet Changing Needs

I really appreciate that as the digital world has so rapidly changed, and as the needs of our family have changed, Netflix has been ready to serve us. We get so much value out of having instant access to so many great viewing options available at the push of a button. I also value the reviews offered by other members. This is especially important for anything I might let Darah watch; I want to know if other parents think it is age appropriate for a preschooler!

I use Netflix Instant every single day. Seriously! Darah has video time every day at 3pm (assuming she isn’t engrossed in another activity at that time). She gets her afternoon snack and gets to select one video. She and I both appreciate that none of that time gets wasted with commercials, as everything on Netflix is commercial-free!

How We Watch Netflix

Netflix is hooked up to our television through the Wii, and we just hop on, select either something that is new to her, or one of her favorites (shout out, Tinkerbell!) and set the timer for 30 minutes. If you have a smart phone, tablet, laptop, Smart TV, Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox or like us, a Nintendo Wii, then you’ve already got the equipment you need to start watching Netflix!

Netflix Families

Netflix has pretty much thought of everything when it comes to ease of use. I am able to find videos extremely quickly for Darah, and that is largely thanks to a new curated list of options Netflix offers. Check out Netflix.com/Families. This page has great lists of movies and TV shows, and right now those lists are geared toward specific summer needs you might have. I’m especially fond of the “Are We There Yet? Great Titles to Take on Vacation” list. We can quickly browse those on the iPad or iPhone while we are on the road (oh yes, you can watch Netflix in your vehicle!). We’ve had a few trips this summer, and getting to watch a video in the middle of the trip definitely helps break it up for Darah. This list is available for both members and non-members, so even if you don’t have an account, you should check out their recommended list!

Family Movie Night

We are also developing a tradition of a weekend movie night with mom, dad and Darah after little sister goes to sleep. Truly, this is one of the highlights of the week for our oldest, and it is for us, as well. Netflix makes it easy to find great movies to watch with Darah thanks to their movie night list. Yesterday we spent part of the afternoon at the International Towing and Recovery Museum (how’s that for random?) and for that reason, decided to watch Mater’s Tall Tales, featuring Tow Mater, America’s best-loved tow truck!

Do you use Netflix? Did you know about the Netflix Families page? What are your little ones watching these days?

A message from Netflix:

Netflix.com/Families is a new destination designed to meet your family’s summertime entertainment needs. On Netflix.com/Families, parents can find lists of movies and TV shows for all kinds of special summer moments.

Visit www.Netflix.com/Families for more information on the best ways to stream as well as videos from families using Netflix.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Netflix.

What’s In My Purse? (Giveaway!)

July 6, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 167 Comments

I believe that what someone carries in their handbag says a lot about who they are and what matters to them. The same might also be said for what someone carries as their handbag. What does it say about me that I am rocking an upcycled seatbelt bag these days?

Seatbelt Bag

You read that correctly: my handbag, courtesy of Maggie Bags, is made out of upcycled seatbelts. Wanna see?

Here’s what this bag signifies to me, personally:

Reinvention: something I am also going through, professionally!
Thinking outside of the box yields awesome results
Beauty can be found in unexpected places
It feels good to support small businesses and creative thinkers

Every year, millions of yards of seatbelt material are rejected by the automakers industry due to their rigorous standards. Maggie Bags is working hard to keep that rejected product out of the landfills, and to find new uses for it. They make bags in every color of the rainbow as well as in several styles. My Cicily Tote is perfect for my day-to-day needs. It is smaller than the handbag I replaced it with, and yet I am finding that it is still big enough to hold all I need to carry.

Speaking of all that I need to carry, here’s what you’ll find in my purse these days (affiliate links below).

1. Tag from Reviewer’s Retreat. I just got back from a conference that focused on working with brands. I learned a lot!

2. Lens cap for my camera. I actually keep my camera in my bag, but needed it to take the picture, so the lens cap had to do! Here’s a link to my camera if you want to check it out.

3. My iPhone. With a custom cover in my 2 favorite colors: purple and green.

4. Fiber One brownie. That’s an on-the-go snack for mommy!

5. Sunscreen in stick form. This is the most travel-friendly way of carrying sun protection. No judgement that my sunscreen has SpongeBob on it, ok?

6. Earth’s Best snack bar. I’ve pretty much always got at least one Earth’s Best item in my purse at all times.

7. Pearl earrings. Always be prepared to get dressed up at a moment’s notice, ladies!

8. Business cards. If you are promoting a business, you need to be ready at all times to make a new connection. I handed out dozens of these at my recent conference, but I also hand them out from time to time when I’m just out and about and meet someone!

9. Ear plugs (which, for some strange reason, I call “beans”). I CANNOT sleep without ear plugs. So they need to go with me everywhere. Just in case an opportunity for a cat nap presents itself! These ear plugs are my favorites.

10. Liz Claiborne wallet. I bought this wallet at Filene’s Basement in Boston in 2003. I have used it every day for the past 10 years. It is still going strong!

11. Wendy’s frosty coupon. I paid $1 for this (.80 of which went back to the Dave Thomas Foundation). Every time from now through December 31st of this year when I show this card, I get a free small purchase with any purchase at Wendy’s. That thing rocks!

12. Lipstick. Of course! For the summer, my go-to shade is Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick, Iced Amethyst.

What are you carrying in your purse these days? Would you like to be carrying those things in a Maggie Bag? Use coupon code SPN15 to save 15% (now through 07/31!).

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Cicily Tote just like the one I reviewed (your choice of color!) from Maggie Bags!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

Chuck E. Cheese Coupons: Where to Find Them

July 5, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 14 Comments

We are in the thick of summer now, friends! Are you starting to run a little low on fun ideas for keeping the kiddos entertained? Me, too! Ok, well, let me rephrase: I’m not out of great ideas, but I AM out of energy to implement them!

That tells me that it’s time for a visit to Chuck E. Cheese! Some of you are likely planning a trip in the near future, yourself, so I want to make sure you save some money, because it can get really pricey to go have an afternoon of fun there!

There are two main ways to get Chuck E. Cheese coupons. The very best coupons are offered to Chuck E. Cheese email subscribers. They will send coupons straight to your inbox. I subscribe, myself, and they really don’t send a ton of email. In fact, I kind of wish they would send more, because most every email they send has great coupons! 🙂

The other way to find coupons is just to go to the Chuck E. Cheese website and look under the “coupons” tab for the coupons link. Then enter your state and the establishment you want to visit and you’ll be presented with several great coupon offers. It is just that easy!

If you are working on ways to save money on birthday parties, definitely check out my post on Chuck E. Cheese birthday party discounts.

Hope this information about Chuck E. Cheese coupons helps you save a little money and get a little downtime while your kids have fun. The booths at Chuck E. Cheese are quite comfy, so if your kids are old enough, bring a book for yourself to enjoy! 🙂 And if they are still in the mood to play games when you get home you can always hook them up with Chuck E Cheese’s Party Games on DS or Wii. Then you can take your book up to your own room to read! 🙂 I’m actually thinking about buying it…anyone else out there own it and like it? Or should I pass?

Why I Pay for Amazon Prime (And How You Can Get It for Free!)

July 3, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 8 Comments

Amazon Prime Review

Affiliate links are included. I only recommend what I use and love, as always.

I’ve been a member of Amazon Prime since January. If you aren’t familiar with Amazon, then you aren’t reading this, because the internet must not exist in your mind.

But if you aren’t familiar with Amazon Prime, that’s a bit more understandable. It is a yearly subscription service that allows LOTS of perks, which I will detail in a minute. It costs $79/year. Which is not chump change in my world. I weighed the pros and cons for about a year before I decided that I just needed to try it out.

So now I’m a full 6 months in, and at this point, I believe that I’ll renew next year! Let me tell you why:

1. The number one reason, for me, is the complimentary 2 day shipping. It isn’t offered on everything, but it is offered on LOTS AND LOTS of things. I have used it 3 separate times in the last week. My goal is not to see how many boxes I can get from Amazon, and I’m happy to buy more than one item at a time. The trouble is that I rarely remember multiple things that I need at once. Before I had prime, I was always scrambling to try to fill that $25 minimum. This is a non-issue now. And anything I order gets here faster, too! Last-minute gift needed? No problem! Running out of diapers? Why go to the store when you can just click a few buttons and be done?!

2. Amazon instant videos. The selection is not stellar, and for a while, I didn’t really use it much at all. But they had the latest season of Downton Abbey (when Netflix instant, which I also subscribe to, did not). I enjoyed that so much that I declared my $79 to be well-spent. They also have some Nickelodeon cartoons that Netflix doesn’t have, which is a plus for Darah. They have over 40,000 titles just waiting for you. Totally FREE!

3. I don’t have a Kindle, so this is one perk I cannot use. But many people do. And if you do, you get to borrow books from the Kindle Owners Lender’s Library FOR FREE. Yes…FREE!

photo credit: sⓘndy° via photopin cc

Free Amazon Prime?

I hear you…what’s this about the FREE Amazon Prime option, Tiffany? Well, right now they are offering a 30 day free trial. No obligation. No strings attached. FREE! Get yourself signed up. Order a few packages. Watch a few movies. Read a few books. Amazon is so confident that you’ll want to stick around that they are offering up a one month free trial for you. Nothing to lose, and LOTS of perks to gain!

I’m a member, myself. My recommendation is based strictly on my experience. Amazon didn’t gift me a subscription. Nor did they ask me to write this. Just sharing something that makes my life a little bit easier, and that I have determined to be worth the money!

Craft Subscription Box I Love the Most: Kiwi Crate

July 3, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 7 Comments

Best Craft Subscription Box

I have reviewed quite a few craft subscription boxes over the last year. Every box I have posted, I have loved, and the ones I haven’t loved, I didn’t even highlight here (yes, there have been craft subscription boxes that I thought were just ok…”ok” is not worth sharing, in my opinion). But of all the boxes I have tried out, the one I was sent from Kiwi Crate has been my very favorite.

We made a pom pom creature with our latest box. It came with VERY detailed instructions. This has been the biggest issue for me with some of the subscription boxes I have seen: they assume you have a basic level of craftiness and don’t need to be told every little step. This is simply not true for me, and that’s why I order craft subscription boxes: I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS STUFF ON MY OWN!!!! I rely on the instructions to hold my hand and guide me through the process. Kiwi Crate knocked this element out of the park!

Kiwi Crate also had the most creative craft projects I have yet to see. Not only did we make a little creature (which was adorable) but we also got to make a play area for our little creature. This extra activity helped bring the little pom pom to life even more.

As I said before, if you have seen a craft subscription box on my site, I have loved it. You cannot go wrong with any one I have featured. But if I was forced to pick just one to recommend, based on my experience, it would have to be Kiwi Crate. We’ll be ordering another box, for sure. Right now Kiwi Crate is offering a Summer Discovery Series that focuses on nature and getting outdoors. July’s box has all sorts of water based activities. It looks SO fun!!! Subscriptions start as low as $16.95/month. If you’ve been on the fence about trying out a craft subscription box, let me offer a little nudge. This is the one to get! 🙂

What craft subscription boxes have you tried at this point? Any hits or misses for you? Have you tried Kiwi Crate? Don’t miss that 10% off coupon they are offering (use code fireworks).

I received a complimentary box for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Best Bok Choy Recipes: Try This Farmer’s Market Slaw

July 2, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

We are really enjoying all the amazing vegetables that come home with us each week as part of our Community Supported Agriculture share that we have purchased for the season. I love the challenge of having to think outside of the box and use vegetables in new and exciting ways.

And if I’m being completely honest with you, I also hate having to think outside of the box and come up with different ways to prepare vegetables, many of which I’ve never even purchased on my own, so I have no idea what to do with them!

It definitely takes some research and some creativity to make sure we eat all the vegetables we are given every week. But on the bright side, I do think my cooking skills are improving a bit, as is my ability to think about what flavors might pair well together.

Last week we got bok choy. This is a very easy thing to throw into a stir fry. But that’s what I did with the bok choy we received the week before, and I wasn’t interested in repeating the same dish.

So I put my thinking cap and suddenly realized that the bok choy would be a great addition to a coleslaw recipe. Which, of course, would go wonderfully well with barbecue, which is one of my favorite dishes!

easy bok choy recipes farmer's market slaw

Farmer’s Market Slaw with Bok Choy

Ok, so here’s what I used to make my slaw:

One of the delightful and disgusting things about organic produce is that they are not as immune to little bugs who like to taste test. This year the bok choy was one of their very favorites. So…a little less for me to eat, but still plenty to work with! You’ll see here that in addition to the bok choy, I have an onion (the only thing not grown locally) and some beautiful carrots, a small head of red cabbage (I only used half of it), and a few green onions.

First, I shredded the cabbage using a grater. Next time I’ll just throw it in the food processor (I’ve used the same model for 10 years and it’s still going strong!)!

Next, I cut up some green onions. I actually used my beloved Kitchenaid Shears to do the chopping here. So easy! Those are a major workhorse in my kitchen, so if you don’t have a pair, strongly consider adding them to your wish list!

Now it was time to chop up the bok choy. I should add here that everything you are preparing needs to be washed thoroughly before you chop it up. Bok choy tends to be really dirty around the bottom, so give it extra care. Gritty slaw is not so tasty. Be sure to cut off the very tough bottoms of your bok choy, and then chop them a few times before putting them in the food processor, just to help it out a bit. The above picture shows what mine looked like after just a few pulses.

Now let’s deal with these gorgeous carrots, shall we? Cut off the very bottoms as well as the very tops, then chop each carrot 3 or 4 times, depending on its size. And chop ’em up really good in the food processor until they look like this:

Aren’t these colors just awesome? I was SO excited as I was putting it all together! It just looks like summer!

Next I chopped up half an onion. The next time I do this, I’d just go with 1/4 of an onion. It wasn’t bad with 1/2 an onion, but for me, less is more when it comes to this particular vegetable. You may feel differently!

This is the sauce I made for the slaw. It is 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 2 tsp sugar and 2 tsp apple cider vinegar. That’s it! It is yummy!!!!

When you combine all these great elements, this is your reward for your hard work:

Definitely give bok choy a try the next time you make coleslaw. It is absolutely delicious and is now my go-to for when it comes in my weekly basket. After all, it means barbecue is on the menu! 🙂

How do you use bok choy?

This post contains an affiliate link. As always, I only recommend what I already love.

PediaOne: A Medicine Cabinet Necessity

June 30, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

About a month ago, both of my girls came down with a nasty stomach virus, causing them both to vomit. Little Layah seemed to have it the worst, and I became quite concerned about dehydration for her. I needed a quick solution. I scurried down to our neighborhood grocery store to pick up an oral rehydration product.

They didn’t carry it! Argh! I was so frustrated at them for not having it, and even more so, I was frustrated at myself for not replenishing my supply when I used up the last of it when one of the girls was sick a few months prior.

pediaone oral rehydration for kids

Now I’m fully restocked and ready to rehydrate my kids when it is needed, and with a great new product, too! Check out PediaOne. I’m loving it for several reasons:

no artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners

comes in a variety of sizes (check out the packets you add to water! So convenient!)
tastes great (I took a sip, myself, just to make sure!)
higher levels of important vitamins and minerals than competing brands (zinc, vitamin c, vitamin b, calcium)

This is a great new product, with a variety of serving methods to meet different needs (larger families, travel, etc.). Don’t make the mistake I did and be out of stock when illness strikes. PediaOne will be a key factor in keeping my kids hydrated the next time they experience vomiting or diarrhea. And you know as well as I do that when the kiddos are sick with either one of those things, it is NOT a convenient time to make a trip to the store! You can purchase PediaOne at any of the brick and mortar or online store locations listed here.

I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions listed here are strictly my own.