Stitch Fix #27 Review

My 27th box from Stitch Fix was a pretty good one.  I really liked everything, but I only LOVED a couple of things.  I almost kept the entire box, so I was completely surprised and perplexed about my Instagram Poll, because those gals didn't seem to be thrilled with anything in my box.  I still loved what I loved, no matter what the pollsters thought, so I kept those items, but everything else I decided to send back since I wasn't 100% sure about them anyway.  So, now I will first share with you the last item in my 27th box, and then you will find out what items I kept along with the results of my Instagram Poll.  

Marilyn Schiff "Delilah Round Crystal Earrings"

Status:  Kept!

I thought these earrings were so pretty!  I loved that they are round drop earrings.  I don't think I own any round earrings.  They also have a pretty sparkle in real life.  They are a good size too.  Below I left my thumb in the picture so you could see the scale.  They are large enough to actually notice with my long hair, but not too large that I feel uncomfortable wearing them.

For whatever reason, they only received a 50/50 vote on Instagram;  although they were the 2nd most popular item in my Fix.  I have no idea why anyone would not like these earrings, because I thought they were beautiful.

Collective Concepts "Rebell Maxi Dress"

Status:  Kept!

Original Post

This dress was my most favorite item in the box.  I loved the color and the style, and as one reader noticed,  I felt confident and beautiful wearing it.  It was definitely a keeper for me!  It was the most popular item on my Instagram Poll coming in at 58% Keep and 42% Return, but I thought those "Keep" Numbers were still pretty low for such a gorgeous dress.  Again, I have no idea what my readers didn't like about this dress, unless they don't like maxi's in general or the color.  Green florals are so in this season!  If you can only buy one new item this summer, buy a green floral dress!

Kut From The Kloth "Benter Mixed Material Top"

Status:  Returned!

Original Post

Ugh!  I really liked this top.  I still wonder if I made a mistake returning it.  It was so comfy and I liked the print.   I think my mind is just looking forward to the spring/summer months, and I really didn't want to add any new long sleeve top in my closet right now.  My Instagram Pollsters didn't like it all.  Only 17% said to Keep it, and 83% said to Return it.  Again, I have no idea why, cause I think it's pretty cute!

Sweet Grey "Rojallio Bell Sleeve Knit Top"

Status:  Returned!

Original Post

This was another cute top that was hard for me to return.  I liked the mustard color and the small white floral, but I didn't like how I could see the white inside of the bell sleeve.  I wish the bell portion of the sleeve was lined.  I also felt that I am getting too many bell sleeve tops in my closet.  I already kept THIS ONE from an earlier box of Stitch Fix that has the exact same cut, but a different pattern.  Also,  for the same reason I returned the Mixed Material Top above, my mind is focused on more summery tops, and I couldn't see wearing this often when the temperatures rise.

My Instagram readers didn't care for this top at all, rating it 18% Keep and 82% Return.

Daniel Rainn "Caleena Pleated Shoulder Crochet Detail Knit Top"

Status:  Returned!

Original Post

This last top I agonized over the most whether to keep it or not.  It was a good summer top, which I was looking for.  It was a very soft knit, and super comfortable to wear.  I really liked the flow of the fabric and the crochet detail.  But in the end, I returned it because I couldn't get past the weird pattern and the patterns also didn't line up properly in the seam line.  In addition, it wasn't the best sleeve style for my arms.  The top did come in at Number 3 on my Instagram Poll with 42% Keep and 58% Return, but it was still kinda low.  Those low poll numbers influenced me to return the top.  I do listen to you gals if I'm on the fence about an item!  I really value your opinion!

In summary, I received three tops, one dress, and one pair of earrings in this Fix.  I kept two items:  the dress and the earrings.  Overall, I really liked everything in this Fix, but I returned the tops because I'm moving on to warm weather clothes and I also had some structural issues with a couple of the tops.

If you've never tried Stitch Fix before, use my REFERRAL CODE to receive $25.00 off your first box!

Have A Great Day!  Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!

Breakfast At Buttermilk And A Visit ToThe DuPage Children’s Museum

  Do you ever feel there are a lot more fun things for little kids today than there when you were a kid?  I sure do!  Other than public parks, we didn't have all the activities kids have today.  Growing up, our McDonalds didn't even have indoor seating, now they have that plus a play land!  I remember having to walk or bike miles to go to the public pool, now splash pads are popping up everywhere.  It isn't fair!  But, I guess I can enjoy these fun, new activities now through the eyes of my grandchild.   Look how happy she is in the photo below!  She is learning about wind at the DuPage Children's Museum.  She loved putting a scarf in the wind tube and watching it blow out the top.

The DuPage Children's Museum is located in the city of Naperville.  It is a place where children can come to play, but learn about art, math, and science too;  although they are usually having so much fun, they don't even know they are learning!

We were there on President's Day and it was so crowded!  We had difficulty even finding a parking space.  I highly recommend not going on a holiday when everyone is off of work and school.  

Of course when Alethea saw a set of stairs, she had to climb them.  She got a kick out seeing her dad's hand through the plexiglass.

There were several structures for kids to climb onto like a wooden boat and this train.

Because of the crowd,  little Alethea had to squeeze in some of the play stations to participate.

Ashley, Alethea's mom, said that the water exploration area was Alethea's favorite part of the museum.  But of course she had to get covered with a vinyl apron before being allowed to play, or she would have gotten her clothes soaking wet.

Alethea had so much fun playing all the water activities!

The DuPage Children's Museum is guided by three core beliefs:  1) Respect for all children and their ability to learn,  2) The power of play as a basis for constructing knowledge, and 3) The importance of child-adult learning partnership.

 Here Alethea is learning how much energy it takes to create power.  Of course, she is a little young to understand pedaling, but she enjoyed getting up on the bike and trying.

Alethea really loved walking on this wavy bridge.

The DuPage Children's Museum focuses their exhibits on science, math, art, and where they intersect.
According to their website, "These areas are ideal vehicles to encourage critical thinking because they are process oriented, relate to everyday life, and naturally interest children."

This is an overview shot of the 'Awesome Energy' part of the museum.   Here is where children explore the forces that power our world:  Air, water, and electricity.

The "Creative Connection" provides art centered exhibits that "draw inspiration from the science and math principles of light, shadow, color and positive and negative space."  As an art lover, I really enjoyed this exhibit!

Here Alethea is learning basic physics in the "Make It Move" exhibit.  In this exhibit children "roll, bounce, slide, and spin objects to discover the energy of motion and find out what factors create change."

Of course, it was President's Day so we had to do our annual tradition of "Breakfast At Buttermilk"!  Buttermilk is my FAVORITE restaurant.  Every time I visit my kids, we go have to go there!  We learned from our experience last year, to get there earlier to beat the crowds, and we were so happy we did!  There was no wait for a table at all, but they sure were lining up when we were done eating!

The food is so fresh and delicious! Every time I go I try something different.  Ashley on the other hand orders the same thing every time:  her favorite omelet "The Frenchie" and gluten free pancakes.



I decided to try this beauty for a change and I am so glad I did, cause it was delicious!  It was also very huge.  I ended up taking it home and getting three meals out of one plate.  It's called "Stuffed Breakfast Biscuit".  It is a freshly made buttermilk biscuit stuffed with cherry wood smoked bacon, scrambled eggs, sausage gravy, cheddar jack cheese, topped with more sausage gravy, cheddar, and crumbled bacon.  It has farmhouse potatoes on the side with sautéed peppers and onions.  IT WAS SO GOOD!  I liked it so much, I may have to be like Ashley and order this every time I visit Buttermilk.



The one item I ALWAYS order is a Toasted Almond Latte!  Yum, it is so good!  Best latte I've ever had anywhere!



So what about you?  Do they have Children's Museums where you live?  Do you take your children/grandchildren to Children's Museums?  I'd love to hear from you!

Have A Great Day!  Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!

More Easter Cards

I am back with more Easter cards for this week's craft post.  Last week I showed you three simple "cute" cards, but this week I have to show that are more inspirational or adult-like along with a more complicated shaker card.

This inspirational Easter card looks simple, but involved a little bit of tedious work.  The cross was cut out of kraft paper with a Spellbinder die and mounted up on dimensionals.  The white leafy die behind the cross is a old Sizzix die.

I know most paper-crafters today use water colors to create their backgrounds, but I prefer gelatos.  They are so much easier to work with and create a very similar water color look.  If you don't know what a gelato is, it's basically a gel crayon.  To create this look I just rubbed the gelato onto the white card stock and then smudged it a bit with a blending sponge.  I used two different gelato colors to create this look.  

The sentiment came from an old Stampin' Up! set.  I added a few sequins for embellishment.

My next two cards are what paper crafters call "Catty Cases".  It means, I just saw the design in the Stampin' Up catalog and copied it using my own papers and supplies.

All the images in these cards come from the retired Stamp set "Glorious Gift" from Stampin' Up.  The flower images also came from that set.  I stamped them and fussy cut them out.

The yellow embossed part of the card was done with a Cuttlebug Embossing folder.  

Using just the flower images from the same "Glorious Gift" set,  I created this "Catty Case" card.  The outside sentiment is a stamp from another set.

I stamped and fussy cut out a few of the flowers and mounted them up on dimensionals.  Stickles were placed in the center of the other flower images.  

I tied the ribbon to a piece of Stampin' Up! hardware just like the "Catty Case".

My last card is a shaker card that I made for my granddaughter.  I think she will get a kick out of it, but hopefully she won't pull it apart to try to get to the stuff inside.  Knowing her curious nature, she probably will!

Shaker cards are a lot easier to make than they look.  There are a ton of tutorial videos to google if you want to give one a try.  I had to watch one myself to refresh my memory! You basically just need a piece of acetate (or hard plastic) and anything small to put inside to create the shaking effect.  I used sequins and tiny beads.

I stamped the egg background first on pink card stock.  Then I cut an egg shape out of white card stock, mounted it up on dimensionals, and put it over the egg background after placed the sequins and beads inside.

The cute bunny was stamped, fussy cut, and glued on to the shaker card.  I lightly stamped a flower image over the white card stock to create a background.

A sentiment and more sequins with Liquid Pearls finished the card.

Well, after all the work I put into these cards,  I don't know if I will even send them now.  I planned to mail them last week, then we got hammered with a winter storm making me housebound for two days.  Now I won't be able to get to the Post Office till late Thursday afternoon, which might be too late to mail Easter cards.  Oh, spring in Wisconsin...non existent!

Have A Great Day!  Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!

Collective Concepts Maxi Dress

Although I've never been a fan of maxi skirts,  last year I fell in love with maxi dresses.  They are so comfortable to wear, and they make anyone look tall and lean.  

When this beautiful green and white floral maxi dress arrived in my April box from Stitch Fix, I pretty much knew it would be a keeper no matter what my Instagram Poll results were.  I suffered a bad burn on my leg Thanksgiving Day and I still have a scar.  Although I know I won't be able to hide my legs all summer long, it's nice to know I can always wear a maxi dress if I want to look especially nice and not be self-conscious of my scar.

The maxi is by Collective Concepts and is called "Rebell Maxi Dress".  It is a halter style maxi with a white floral print.

I love halter style tops, for I find them very flattering for my body type.  Halter styles are great for women with larger busts.

The back of this dress is just as pretty as the front.  I love the gathered neckline and the keyhole opening.

My stylist suggested wearing the dress with my white denim jacket.  I think it's OK, but it's a little bulky with this style of dress.  I think next time I will try a white shrug or cardigan.

White Denim Jacket - Kohls (old)

Sandals - Liz Claiborne (old)

Bag - Wilson's Leather (old),  Bracelet - Ten Thousand Villages (old)

White Hoop Earrings - Charming Charlies (old)

On Friday I will reveal the last item I received in this box plus do a review of the entire box and my Instagram Poll results!

If you've never tried Stitch Fix before, use my REFERRAL CODE to receive $25.00 off your first box.

Have A Great Day!  Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!

Crochet Detail Knit Top By Daniel Rainn

I'm always looking for comfortable casual wear with unique details so I was thrilled to see this Daniel Rainn Cleena Pleated Shoulder Detail Knit Top in my April box from Stitch Fix.  It is a very soft knit and feels wonderful to wear.  The crochet detail in the sleeves is so pretty.

I was also pleased to see a short sleeve top in my box as I'm starting to think of newer warmer weather pieces I might need.  The other two tops they sent me were long sleeves.  However,  this top is not the best cut for someone with heavy arms like myself.  I found a great post on Pinterest on what tops to avoid if you have heavy arms, and this top is one of them.  Short, capped sleeves should be avoided because "they cut right at the place where the thickness begins and draw attention to that area as well.".  This article recommended 3/4 or elbow length sleeves (not really practical for hot summer days!) or wearing flutter or crochet sleeves.  The article had lots of other ideas, so if minimizing your arms is something you want to do, you might want to check this article out.

Other than the softness of the fabric and how nicely it draped, I really did love the crochet detail on the shoulders.

I played off the blue colors by wearing a blue pendant necklace.

In addition to the sleeve issue, I also wasn't thrilled with the pattern.  The back especially looked pretty weird.  I didn't care for the mishmash of shapes going every direction on this top.  Plus the side seams didn't add up...something my wonderful readers taught me to look for in printed clothing!  Thanks Gals!

I wore a purple and silver bracelet and carried a white back pack purse.

For shoes, I chose these mustard yellow suede shoes by Steve Madden (also from an old Stitch Fix box).  I thought the shoes pulled out the yellow color from the top very nicely.  The released hem frayed jeans are from Charlotte Russe (old).

For earrings, I went with a black and silver drop earring.

I really did like many aspects of this top:  the fit in the bust and bodice, the crochet detail, the neckline, and the soft comfortable fabric.  But I did not like the crazy pattern, the mismatched seams, and where the sleeves stopped on my arms.

I will let you know if I kept or returned this top on my Stitch Fix Review Post next Friday!

If you've never tried Stitch Fix before, use my REFERRAL CODE to get $25.00 off your first box!

Have A Great Day!  Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!