Dawned On Me

May 24, 2019 / Friday Favorites, Lifestyle

Friday Favorites – 10 Things I Love On The Internet This Week

Happy Friday! I’m on my way home today from Italy! We had a fabulous time in Venice and Milan! I hope to blog about our experience in both cities soon!

Since it’s Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start to summer and a busy time for travel, I’ve assembled a lot of favorite travel goodies in today’s Friday Favorites – keep reading!

My Top 10 Friday Favorites:

I’m probably the worlds worst traveler because I can’t pack light no matter how hard I try. And I try REALLY hard! I discovered these no vacuum needed compression bags and I really liked them! They created a lot more space in my suitcase and they also helped with organization. I pack my boys in the same suitcase so these were nice to easily separate their clothes as well.

Another strategy I use to lighten my packing load are these SUPER lightweight suitcases! They are nothing fancy to look at, but they roll nicely and are as about light as you can get. I think the largest one weighs only about 5 pounds! (That gives me up to 45 pounds to pack! he he!) We’ve been using these suitcases for a couple of years and they are holding up well! Little tip: Tjmaxx often carries the IT brand suitcases so you might want to check your local store.

I picked up the book: An Unwanted Guest, at the airport last week. We were so busy touring, that I’m still reading it. So far, it’s a good read and keeping my attention. Some reviewers loved the ending, others hated it. Excited to see what I think of the ending.

If you depend on little reader glasses, I just ordered these reading glasses that hang from your neck when you’re not using them. I ordered this pair and can’t wait to get them. Two things I love about this site: 1. I only need .75 strength on the occasion I need them and it’s HARD to find low power readers! 2. I always misplacing my readers! If they easily hang from my neck it will be so easy to keep track of them!

Don’t forget a nice hat if you’re heading to the beach or pool this weekend! We went to see Duomo in Milan and there was shopping galore nearby! I hit a huge H & M – I love H & M and the affordable styles but don’t have one near me! I bought this straw hat (got the large). I also bought this straw hat – (love the fringe rim) also in large. (I equally adored this one but had to draw the line! lol! Great prices and so cute on!

Going camping this Memorial Day weekend? Have a long flight coming up? These body wipes are the answer when you don’t have access to a shower! Gets great reviews!

Until getting this portable make-up brush holder, I packed my brushes in a zip lock. Not only does this nifty case store your brushes, it also transforms into a cup to hold your brushes upright when you open it! So convenient for travel!

I just discovered this perfect nude pink highlighter and luminizer! After finishing my make up, I brush this on my cheeks and it gives you the freshest, prettiest glow! You can find it in the mini size here.

Speaking of glow, I am hearing these self tanning drops are so good nobody can find them in stock online! If they are sold out, pop in to Sephora and try to snag a bottle. That’s my plan.

May is melanoma awareness month! Sunscreen is SO important! I am going to try this sunscreen. You can never be too prepared for the sunshine!

What about you? What’s tickled your interest this week? Let me know in a comment below!

Thanks for stopping by! I Hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

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May 17, 2019 / Friday Favorites, Lifestyle

Friday Favorites – 10 Things I Love On The Internet This Week

Happy Friday friends! Tonight, I’ll be on my way to Italy for a trip to Venice and Milan. As some of you know, my husband is an airline pilot and we try to squeeze in an international trip here and there between our nutty schedules.

This week I put together another awesome lineup of my Friday Favorites – 10 Things I love on the internet this week!

My Top 10 Friday Favorites:

I go crazy over these one day beauty steals! From now until the end of the month get awesome hair care products at great deals! You can take advantage of them in store or online! You can click here and scroll down to see the entire beauty steal sale calendar! If you’re a diamond or platinum member you get free ship with $10 minimum.

Speaking of haircare, I just got this straightening heated brush! It is AMAZING!!! I was unsure whether I’d like it and I was thrilled to discover that it got the job done! It made my hair smooth and shiny! It’s as easy to use as a hairbrush. If you struggle with a flat iron, try this brush for a similar result.

If you’re looking for a helping hand, I’ve got one for you! I ordered this and can’t wait to get it! I’m always misplacing my phone and this might help. It gets great reviews and you can also hold your rings on the fingers too. It would make an awesome gift for the person who has everything! What a great conversation piece!

You know that annoying space between the center console of your car and the seat – better known as the great abyss LOL! That place where you drop your credit card, change or cell phone! Get these seat gap fillers and problem solved! I just cleaned out my car the other day. When I do, I just throw these right into the washer and dryer. They launder beautifully and are like new again. I’ve had them for years and am ever so grateful to the person who thought of this! Too bad it wasn’t me.

Another nifty and handy gadget for your car (and even your computer) are these cool gummy cleaner thingy-ma-jingys! It’s supposed to really get to all that hard to reach dust!

I struggle with earring backings. Those round metal discs always seem too loose and I risk my earrings falling off. These rubber earring backings are a lifesaver! They provide a more secure fit plus they’re very comfortable to wear.

I love to pick up fresh flowers whenever I can. We have a field to vase farm nearby and in a couple of weeks their peonies will be ready! I can’t wait!! This honeycomb vase is so pretty! If you haven’t noticed, I pay close attention to reviews. This vase gets 5 stars!

Don’t laugh! This toilet plunger was seriously one of the best housewarming gifts I have ever received! My bestie since second grade bought this for us when we moved into our home a few years ago! It looks nice enough to keep next to the toilet and with 2 boys, let me tell you, it gets a workout and also gets the job done!

I saw a blogger bragging about how awesome these skinny jeans are but I didn’t want to pay the $278 price tag! I found them in gray here for $69.99 – SCORE! Just ordered them!

And speaking of bargains,I

And finally, speaking of deals, I’m going to order these bargain priced square sunglasses! They are a great designer dupe and only 10.99!

What about you? What’s tickled your interest this week? Let me know in a comment below!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend friends!

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May 14, 2019 / Lifestyle

5 Essential Tips on Planting Flowers That Will Bloom All Season Long

5 Essential Tips on Planting Flowers featured by top US life and style blogger, Dawned on Me: image of beautiful blooming flowers — Bright Pink Geraniums & Bubble gum pink Proven Winners Supertunia Vista Bubble Gum Petunia

Welcome and have a seat. This post is jam packed with lots of great gardening ideas including my 5 essential tips on planting flowers that will bloom all season long!

Before I go too far, if my outdoor seating group pictured above tickles your fancy, you can still get it here and the round wicker chairs can be found here. This will be the third season we’ve had this grouping. It’s a stunner and the cushions hold up fabulously to the elements. They can zip off for the wash but I we’ve never taken them off!

Last week on my Instagram stories, I was at my local greenhouse and talking about all the different flowers I buy and plant around the house each season. I had a lot of questions about the type of flowers I buy to how I care for them once they’re all planted. I thought a blog post would be a good way to give you tips on how to easily plant and grow beautiful flowers all summer long! I should say off the bat, I’m no expert. I simply have enjoyed gardening for 2 decades and through trial and error, I have found what works for me and I am happy to share what I have learned over the years.

Here is a look at past seasons when my gardens were in full bloom.

I’ve always had a love for gardening and for growing beautiful flowers. I’ve come up with an easy formula that keeps my flowers thriving all season. If you follow these 5 essential tips, I’m confident that you too, can have abundant and beautiful blooms in your garden this summer!

Essentials to Start Planting Flowers:

+ Garden Gloves

+ Cultivating Tool

+ Cutting Pliers

+ Potting Mix ( This is important. I always use and have had the best luck with Miracle Grow Moisture Control potting mix) Sam’s Club often has the best price on the huge bag.

+ Time release plant food and/or water soluble plant food (I swear by this one) or you can use the liquid version here. I use both depending on where I’m watering. I’ll explain in more detail below.

+ Natural Wood Chips or mulch (try to avoid any of the colored mulch – I found out the hard way and it can stain the area in and around your planters after you water.) The wood chips are used for fill at the bottom of your planters and provides adequate drainage of the soil.

+ Decorative Planters – You can find these anywhere. The home improvement stores have a nice selection. My personal favorite place to shop planters is at Homegoods. I also love planters by Pottery barn and Frontgate. We have these from Crate and Barrel and LOVE them! They are so solid and we are going on our third year and they still look new. (I even keep them out uncovered during the winter.)

Tips on Planting Flowers #1: Picking the right flowers

+Finding the right variety of flower for the sunlight conditions of your garden is super important! A flower like a sun loving petunia is not going to flourish in shade and vice versa. It’s imperative to read the the little tags that are stuck inside the pots of the flowers you’re buying.

My favorite sun loving flowers include:

+Proven Winners Supertunia Vista Petunia Bubble Gum

+Sunpatiens – A brand of impatiens that tolerate all day sun (impatiens in general, are shade loving flowers but this variety is bred for sun and produce blankets of blooms that don’t wilt in the heat).

+Geraniums – What’s more charming than a big pot of geraniums? Geraniums require a bit more care as they need to be deadheaded. Their blooms die off and to promote more blooms you have to continuously snap off the dry, dead flower at the stem. When watering a geranium, make sure to water the soil and NOT the flower and plant. Geraniums don’t like wet heads. You’ll notice the flower will droop and get mushy quickly when there is a lot of rain.

+Mandevillas – Mandevillas are flowering vines that grow beautifully on trellises. It’s so interesting to watch them grow and wrap around a trellis. The mandevilla’s flowers are a brilliant pink or red.

My favorite shade loving flowers:

+Impatiens – a regular or new guinea impatiens do well with less sun exposure and heat.

+Dragon Wing Begonia – This is my go to flower! It prefers shade to direct sunlight but can tolerate some daytime sun. It’s the no fail flower. I find the dragon wing flourishes with very little maintenance so if you’re new to gardening, this is the perfect choice!

+Rieger and Tubular Begonias – These Begonias come in a variety of bright colors and thrive in shaded areas.

Tips on Planting Flowers #2: Preparing The Planters:

+One method I found for prolonging the life of the plants I buy is to re-pot them in my own planter! Hanging baskets are beautiful but I find that the the roots can get choked out in the smaller containers they are sold in. By re-potting a hanging basket for example, the flower has more room to grow and spread. This is information based specifically on what has worked for me through trial and error.

+I first start filling the planters with wood chips or mulch. For larger planters I fill it to about half. The reason I use the wood chips is because filling the entire planter with potting soil can make it quite heavy. Furthermore, Potting soil is expensive and you don’t need the entire planter filled with soil. The wood chips also provide nice drainage to the flower which is very important.

Next, the potting soil just gets poured in, right on top of the chips.

We have several huge bowls we set high atop our brick posts at the edge of our driveways. We also have irrigation tubes that run up the columns and drip water directly into the planter when we are watering the lawn. Because I can’t fertilize these bowl by hand each week, I add a slow release plant food into the soil. They are small granules that I shake and mix into the soil. Using this fertilizer, I’m able to fix it and forget it all season. (Later, I’ll show you how I fertilize the flowers that are within reach)

Tips on Planting Flowers #3 – Transplanting the Flowers into Planters:

+As I touched on already, by transplanting flowers into larger planters, I have found that the plant is able to have more room to continue to grow throughout the season.

+All you have to do is use your cutting pliers to snip the hanger off the basket. Carefully and gently use one hand to support the inside of the plant and turn it upside down and it should ease right out.

+Just set it inside your prepared planter and using your hand or a small cup fill in the open areas with more potting soil until the plant is resting entirely in soil.

Tips on Planting Flowers #4 Fertilize:

+Fertilizer is a VERY important step in maintaining your flowers and making them flourish! The slow release fertilizer is good when mixed into the soil. My preference however, is the Miracle grow bloom booster plant food. You can get it in several forms. I like the singles for my watering cans and I also love this feeder that attaches to my hose.

+I pick one day a week and make it a point to fertilize all my planters. In the heat of the summer when temperatures are in the 90’s I will sometimes fertilize twice in one week. I believe this is what produces such prolific blooms through the heart of the summer!

Tips on Planting Flowers #5 – Water, Water, Water

^^You can find this round planter here ^^

+While watering might seem like a no brainer, so many times I have seen people just let their flowers dry up due to forgetting to water or just not feeling like it.

As with everything, it takes a lot of time and dedication to growing beautiful flowers and watering on a daily basis is essential!

It certainly can be time consuming. I like to do it in the morning and if it’s super super hot out, again in the evening. Due to the sheer amount of flowers we have, watering can take me about 30 minutes a day. So, as you might imagine, it’s a commitment but one that is well worth it!

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by today! If you still have any questions about growing or plating flowers this summer season, I’m happy to answer them the best I can. Just leave them in the comment section below or contact me here.

If you enjoyed these tips on planting flowers, remember to sign up. Whenever a new post is published, you’ll be notified via email.

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May 10, 2019 / Friday Favorites, Lifestyle

Friday Favorites – 10 Things I Love On The Internet This Week

I can’t believe this is the 10th week of my Friday Favorites! It’s a fun post to put together and your response has been huge! I’m so glad you enjoy it!

So let’s get right to it!

Here are my Friday Favorites: 10 Things I Love On The Internet This Week:

I marvel at this fabulous ice mold wine bottle chiller every time I see it! What an impressive and beautiful presentation this is for guests! I love the lemons and rosemary frozen into the mold. I saw a cranberry one for Christmas too! This would make a wonderful housewarming gift!

OMG, I have this thing about writing instruments. I am always in search of a great pen and RARELY do I ever find a pen that is totally perfect..until now! These pens are the best! They write so smooth and don’t smear! I first bought the teal color (it’s such a pretty color ink) at Walgreens! After trying it I was hooked at got this multi pack!

The new Drew Barrymore collection at Walmart has been a hit! I see why! She has some really cute things! I thought this asymmetrical mirror was so fun! As a side note, I love watching the beauty Youtuber, Tati! Drew came to Tati’s house to shoot a with her. It’s a fun one to watch here.

There seems to be a gadget for just about anything. How about a mini vacuum for your countertops! Who knew? In my cart!

So my brother told me about this tip! There is a website you can buy discounted gift cards for nearly everything! The savings ad up! I signed up and got an automatic $5.00 in my account. You can sign up here and you will too!

I’ll be going on vacation soon and I’m in search of a good book! Heard about Then She Was Gone and it gets good reviews! On my list!

Camping and travel season is upon us and these look like a real good idea if you need to wash up! These wipes take the place of a shower and reviewers say it does a stellar job in a pinch! Speaking of staying fresh, do you notice when you bathe your dog there is a strong odor as they’re drying? My boys hate it! Not sure why it is. I’m getting this pet perfume! Supposed to really help!

While on a cleanliness roll here this little cleaning set is the bomb! I found it at Homegoods but you can get it here too! I love it for my stoves. I have some grooves where crumbs get caught. Does a great job getting them out! So many uses!

I am a big fan of the beauty line Colourpop found at Ulta. It’s a less expensive line of cosmetics that really delivers! The shadows are nicely pigmented and this plumping gloss is my new favorite! I have it in QT and love wearing it over my lipsticks. For 7 bucks it’s a great deal!

I already featured this foaming bath salt and it still tops my faves list. I found these bath salts recently and I’m going to try it out simply based on all the great reviews! We’ll see how it compares!

Hope you got some good ideas from this week’s Friday favorites! If you have anything to add to my Friday Favorites – 10 things I love on the internet this week, please let me know so I can share them with here with everyone!

What about you? What’s tickled your interest this week? Let me know in a comment below!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend friends!

xoxo

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May 8, 2019 / Fashion, Lifestyle

Top 10 Last Minute Mothers Day Gifts She’ll Love

Hey friends!

If you’re super busy and can’t believe Mother’s Day is already this week, I’m here to help!!

Today, I put together 10 last minute Mothers Day gifts from Amazon Prime. Check out these great ideas and have them just in time to celebrate mom this Sunday, May 12th!

TOP 10 LAST MINUTE MOTHERS DAY GIFTS SHE’LL LOVE:

1. Candle –

I have owned a gazillion candles in my lifetime and this one is by far one of the best! I was visiting a friend who had it burning and the entire room smelled so nice. It has a fabulous scent and the jar is so pretty.

2. Hanging Jewelry Organizer –

I have all my necklaces hanging from this organizer! It’s so handy for necklaces of different lengths. They don’t tangle and it’s super handy to grab what you need and go. Mom can also hang her bracelets from it!

3. Wine Glass–

Small pour, large pour, mom pour! Need I say more? 🙂

4. Swimsuit Coverup –

This pretty crochet swim cover up is perfect for mom. It comes in a variety of colors (I love the white) At ONLY $17.99 – looks far more expensive than it is!

5. Slippers –

These are so soft and comfy. I am a size 8 and ordered the 7-8. One size up would have been better. I think they run a tad small for reference. Your mom will love these!

6. Lighted Compact Mirror –

Your mom can take this mirror anywhere she goes! It’s small, lights up and even has a 10x magnification side. She won’t leave home without it!

7. Make-up Organizer –

This is a great lazy susan to help clear all her clutter from her vanity table. She can store so much – Make up, brushes, perfume etc. And it’s so easy to find things with a simple spin.

8. Yeti Mug –

You’ve heard me go on and on about this mug! Once my coffee goes warm, I’m done! This mug keeps her coffee hot and fresh for a good hour! I take mine everywhere.

9. Foot Massager –

This is the best way for mom to relax after a long day on her feet. We keep this under our desk in the office! Whenever I’m on the computer I slip my feet into it! Sometimes we fight for the seat at the desk. It’s so good!

10. Funny Socks –

If your mom has a great sense of humor, this gift is for her! Grab a bottle of wine at the store and throw these socks in the gift bag and you have a fun, cute Mother’s Day gift!

So If you’ve been stumped on what to get mom this year, I hope these 1o last minute Mothers Day Gifts help you get on the top of her favorites list!

Thanks for stopping by as always and let me know what you end up getting in a comment below!

SHOP THESE LAST MINUTE MOTHERS DAY GIFTS:

May 5, 2019 / Fashion

5 Cute Spring Outfit Ideas Under $50

One of my favorite places to shop is ASOS! Right now ASOS is offering 20 percent off your purchase. Just use the promo code: ITSMAY20 for 20% off your entire order.

The promo ends at 3 am EDT May 7th! You can get free ship and free returns too!

I recently opted for the express shipping for a year for only $19.00! It was a great move! My orders come in just 2 days for an entire year! I think it’s money well spent!

Today, I’m sharing from ASOS,

5 Cute Spring outfit ideas under $50!

You can’t beat a cute look at these prices!

Ombre eyelet top:

This top has the prettiest puff sleeves and who doesn’t love a feminine eyelet top? I love the blue ombre tie dye coloring on this top with white pants or denim! Fits true to size and I’m wearing a medium for reference.

Striped Maxi Dress

This ribbed, striped maxi dress is not only versatile, but figure flattering as well. The cut really is slenderizing and it’s the perfect short sleeved dress to wear in the Spring and Summer and you can throw a jacket over it like I did, for cooler temperatures. At $15 dollars, you can’t beat it!

Bamboo Beaded Handle Bag

This triangular bamboo beaded handle bag is the perfect Spring accessory! I get SO many compliments every time I wear it. I love that it also comes with a strap so that you can wear it as a handbag, shoulder bag and crossbody too! The big beaded handle makes it so fun and unique!

Green Stripe Smock Dress

With your 20 percent promo discount, this green striped smock dress is only $40! It’s very light and comfortable! It’s perfect for a springtime patio party and casual enough for meeting the girls for lunch! I’m wearing a size 8 for reference.

Neon Chevron Striped Sweater

I know it’s a sweater, but look at these beautiful colors! This bold chevron striped sweater is one of my favorites! In our climate, there are so many chilly Spring days that a sweater is in order. The bright colors make it a great choice to throw on when mother nature can’t make up her mind!

Now, here are a few new things I am ordering from the ASOS sale:

Mix and match print dress

I ordered this a few weeks ago but it was WAY small! (ASOS is a UK company and I find things generally run small. I’m normally a size 6 and almost always size up to an 8 at ASOS. I am now ordering this in a 10. I really loved the mix match print. It was very flattering on. On a side note, they have a fit predictor. It’s worth filling it out to get an idea of your size. I find it works pretty well.)

Thanks for stopping by and let me know in a comment below what you end up getting from the ASOS Sale!

SHOP THESE CUTE SPRING OUTFIT IDEAS:

**This spring outfit ideas post contains affiliate links**

My Top 10 Friday Favorites:

SHOP THESE FRIDAY FAVORITES:

** This Friday Favorites Post Contains Affiliate Links **

This week I put together another awesome lineup of my Friday Favorites – 10 Things I love on the internet this week!

My Top 10 Friday Favorites:

SHOP THESE FRIDAY FAVORITES:

** This Friday Favorites Post Contains Affiliate Links **

Welcome and have a seat. This post is jam packed with lots of great gardening ideas including my 5 essential tips on planting flowers that will bloom all season long!

Essentials to Start Planting Flowers:

Tips on Planting Flowers #1: Picking the right flowers

Tips on Planting Flowers #2: Preparing The Planters:

Tips on Planting Flowers #3 – Transplanting the Flowers into Planters:

Tips on Planting Flowers #4 Fertilize:

Tips on Planting Flowers #5 – Water, Water, Water

Shop these Essentials for Planting Flowers here:

**This Tips on Planting Flowers Post Contains Affiliate Links**

Here are my Friday Favorites: 10 Things I Love On The Internet This Week:

SHOP THESE FRIDAY FAVORITES:

** This Friday Favorites Post Contains Affiliate Links **

TOP 10 LAST MINUTE MOTHERS DAY GIFTS SHE’LL LOVE:

1. Candle –

2. Hanging Jewelry Organizer –

3. Wine Glass–

4. Swimsuit Coverup –

5. Slippers –

6. Lighted Compact Mirror –

7. Make-up Organizer –

8. Yeti Mug –

9. Foot Massager –

10. Funny Socks –

SHOP THESE LAST MINUTE MOTHERS DAY GIFTS:

5 Cute Spring outfit ideas under $50!

Now, here are a few new things I am ordering from the ASOS sale:

Mix and match print dress

SHOP THESE CUTE SPRING OUTFIT IDEAS:

This Friday Favorites Post Contains Affiliate Links

This Friday Favorites Post Contains Affiliate Links

This Tips on Planting Flowers Post Contains Affiliate Links

This Friday Favorites Post Contains Affiliate Links