Monday, December 26, 2011

Bex Loves...Spending Time With Family

...and therefore, posts will resume later this week!

I hope you all have wonderful and safe holidays!

Much love!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Bex Loves...Me Two You

If you are anything like me, it seems like EVERYONE you know either has a baby, is pregnant, or BOTH!  And hopefully you are like me and all these babies you know are born to absolutely wonderful parents and need very little.

Unfortunately, not all babies are born in such circumstances.  A newly developed company, Me Two You, aims to help those babies and children in need, while also offering you a luxurious gift for the babies in your life.

According to their website, Me Two You was founded on a simple idea:  for every baby blanket purchased, they will give a blanket to an orphaned child.  How amazing is that?  The blankets look so soft and snugly, I kind of want one for myself!

Everyone knows a baby who has everything, why not start showing them at a (very) young age how wonderful it is to give back to those who have less?  I have a few new babies in my life and a few more on the way, and plan on purchasing each one a Me Two You blanket.  I also think this would make a wonderful and thoughtful Christening gift.

Me Two You blankets are made in the USA and are available in pink, blue or yellow.  Plus, as the company was founded and is run by three moms, the blankets are created with child safety standards in mind.  The blankets are formaldehyde safe and are in full compliance with the regulations for childcare articles.

Everything about Me Two You warms my heart, from supporting a local (Massachusetts) small business run by women (and moms!) to helping orphaned children get a little bit of comfort to giving the children in my life a gift that will also teach them a meaningful life lesson.  This may be my new go to baby shower gift!


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Disclaimer:
I have no affiliation with Me Two You.
All opinions are completely mine.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Bex Loves...Lollipops by Mihow

A few weeks ago I went on a bit of an etsy shopping spree and bought a few things I have had my eye on for quite a while.  No real reason, most likely I was having a bad day and needed a few pick-me-ups.  One of my purchases included some Lollipops by Mihow.

I have been reading Michele's blog for years now, I think I started reading while she was pregnant with her oldest son, Emory, so that would make it around 2007-ish?  I think what first struck a chord with me was the animal lover in Michele, and how, over the years, and two kids later, her cats are just as loved and cared for as her children.  I also very much appreciate Michele's raw honesty on various topics, from postpartum depression, to infertility, to aging.  (And hey, Tuesdays with Murray only make her blog eleventy billion times more fun!)

But!  This post is about her LOLLIPOPS!  I mean, how can you not want to try lollipops with a tag line of "corn syrup-free, handmade and awesome?"  My order included 6 red wine pops and then a sampler box, which consisted of Tingled Pink, Chai, Zesty Fennel, First Snow, First Trimester and Pepper Pop.

Guys.  These lollipops don't lie -- they really are awesome.  I shared the red wine pops with some coworkers and they all went insane and wanted to know where I got them and how to order them.  I kept all the sampler box ones for myself, and gave myself a treat each day while studying for finals.  I can't pick a favorite.  They were all so amazing and the flavors, while odd, were so perfectly blended I wondered why these weren't mainstream lollipop flavors. 

I could have so much fun planning parties around these lollipops as favors, too.  Having an 80s themed party?  Order up The Double Dog Dare, cola flavored with Pop Rocks!  Hosting a baby shower for your best girlfriend?  Do her a steady and buy her (and the guests!) some of the First Trimester (lemonade and ginger flavored) or better yet, The Due Date (wintergreen and fennel) to pack in her hospital bag.  Invited to a hip and fun brunch?  Why not bring some of the Rise and Shine (maple syrup and bacon flavored), and don't worry if your host or hostess are vegetarian...the "bacon" in these pops are "guilt free according to Peta!"  Michele also does custom orders and flavors, so if you have a weird combo you think would taste great wrapped in all natural sugar, give her a shout.

The best news?  If you act fast (as in by noon today) you can get 5 lollipops for 5 bucks as a special "stocking stuffer" deal Michele is holding.  Similar to the sampler box, the 5 you get will be of Michele's choosing, but you'll definitely get one or more of The Double Dog Dare, Sweet Tea and/or Rise and Shine.  Check them out -- I promise you won't be disappointed.


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Disclaimer:
I paid full-price for the lollipops I purchased from Lollipops by Mihow.
All opinions are completely mine.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Bex Loves...Little Leaf Photography & Design

The very first "Bex Loves..." has to go to the wonderful woman who designed this blog, Ashley at Little Leaf Photography & Design

I have been reading Ashley's blog, Our Little Apartment, for over a year now and, at the risk of sounding a tad scary and stalker-ish, feel like we should be great friends.  Ashley has a refreshingly realistic outlook on motherhood, marriage and life in general.  Plus, her adorable son, Gabriel, makes my heart smile.

When I decided to actually go ahead and start this blog, I immediately knew that I wanted Ashley to be the designer.  While I knew I would really like whatever she created, I never expected how incredibly easy it would be to work with her or how she would just "get" my vision.  I started by creating a Pinterest board of colors I loved, patterns that caught my eye and designs I have used in that past (for wedding invitations, etc.).  Ashley took a look at my ideas and came back with several header ideas, and while I loved them all, the one you see atop this page was exactly what I was looking for.  From there we worked out the general layout of the website, tweaked a few sidebar issues and we were done.  So easy!

I couldn't be happier with the outcome.  The design feels clean, fresh, modern and...well, me.

My only regret?  That Ashley doesn't live closer so I could utilize her photography skills as well -- seriously, check out her portfolio if you are in the Northeast Ohio area.

From the price, to the service, to the quality, to Ashley's overall friendliness and eagerness, I can't recommend Little Leaf Photography & Design enough.


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Disclaimer: 
I paid full-price for the services from Little Leaf Photography & Design.
All opinions are completely mine.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Bex Loves...Blogging

Hello, hello, hello!  Welcome to What Bex Loves!

The idea for this blog has been growing in my brain for quite a while.  There are so many things I just absolutely love, from nail polish to websites to restaurants to books to experiences to...well, check back frequently and you'll see! (Or, better yet, subscribe to my RSS feed or like this page on Facebook!)  I have blogged in the past and often felt at times it got a little too personal for me (and probably those who know and love me), so you probably won't read about every little thing about my husband that annoys me, but you may read about any magic tricks I found to stop his snoring.  

My general philosophy about this blog is basically this:  because there is so much negativity out there on the interwebs, you will never read a bad review or negative thought here.  (Feel free to email me to see if I have an opinion on something not seen here though!)  You may hear me bitch and moan sometimes on twitter...but I promise I try to keep that to a minimum.

I have a huge list of things that I already love to blog about, and can't wait to share them with you all.  Want a sneak peak?  Check out my boards on Pinterest.  (Not a member yet? Need an invite?  Let me know!)

Enough social media schilling...I hope you enjoy what you see here, and if you have thoughts, opinions or ideas for me, please let me know.