Friday Favorites

Welcome to one week closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas, friends! I am full-on Christmas music'ing it all day long, every day now so for those coming to visit the Clark household over the next few weeks, you are warned!

My sister, brother-in-law (he loves when I mention him in my blog, being the faithful reader that he is - so 'Hi Sam! Thanks for keeping our streets safe from flapping license plates!'), niece and nephew are coming Monday through Thursday. My best friend Jenna comes the following week, Sunday through Wednesday and my parents fly in Tuesday while Jenna is here for Thanksgiving!

I love visitors and am so happy to have everyone here! I might be most excited for Thursday evening when my mom and I get all of my Christmas stuff out to decorate. It's best to do it when she is here because we usually have the same 'eye' for decor so she's quite helpful!

So if my posts are more limited over the next few weeks, my excuse this time is visitors. Lots of visitors I must host! :)

Friday Faves, here we go!

Do you have a pair of shoes that are your go-to's during the warmer months and then during the chilly months? 

My black Madrid Birkenstocks are literally worn every day in the warmer months. I LOVE them for the comfort and ease! 

When it gets colder, these babies become my toss-on-and-go shoes! The LL Bean Wool Slipper Clog are shoes you will have forever! Why do I say that? Because I have had them forever! 

They are super warm - warm enough to wear out in very cold temperatures - and comfortable! 

I own the black, but love this gray color. For $69, these are lifetime winter shoes. 

I have followed The Thrifty Pineapple blogger (also known as Angela) for a few years now. She had lived in Texas, and then when I contacted her to work on something for Two Dots, she had since moved to Fayetteville, Ark. I mean... small friggin' world, right?! 

Anyway, she had posted this on her InstaStories from the same salon I had went to in Fayetteville... and she was in love with it! 

It's a mitt that removes all of your makeup (even mascara - and we know the issues I've had there), then you rinse it with some soap and you're good to go! 

Sounded too good to be true. But I ordered it. And I actually really like it! I still use my makeup wipes (which I don't need to do, but it's habit) and my eye makeup remover (testing out Neutrogena's Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover). But I have this in the shower and do a once-over before I get out on my face and eyes because it never fails, I always have mascara under my eyes! 

I have really liked it for this use and until I find another new invention to try, I will keep this up! 

Does anyone ever have those moments when they are watching an InstaStory and someone has something on and you are like "CRAP! I need to snap shot that as fast as I can before the story goes away..." And then you either get the picture or you hit the power button without hitting the home button, too? Or is that just me?!

Well, either way, I was able to snap a pic of this in time. Honey We're Home blogger Megan had it on and said it was the softest sweatshirt ever.

Don't have to tell me twice since I'm an official sweatshirt-loving wearer!

It's from Nordstrom and is the burnout knit, so not your typical Hanes sweatshirt, but one that is actually cute with booties for a more dressed up look or Uggs for an errand look.

Comes in lots of great colors - I opted for the pink and olive!

Facebook has been showing me lots of ads from American Eagle lately. And I haven't shopped at American Eagle since 2005 (it was the only cute store in the Manhattan mall when I was in college). 

But I have definitely been clicking on the ads when they come up because they are showing me some cute shoes! These booties definitely have intrigued me and then yesterday, these velvet loafers were screaming my name! 

Perfect with denim or black skinnies... and velvet is the 'ish right now. I told my mom I hope she saved my freshman year homecoming dress because velvet is back, baby! :) 

And because you guys are my favorites... here's a sneak peek at a new top that Two Dots will be showing off this weekend at the Gift Gallery. We got it in the red/navy gingham and black/white gingham. It's seriously the cutest top -- and am certain it will sell quickly. 

BUT we will reorder for those of you that know you need it in your closet! It's perfect for winter and the upcoming holidays! 

Who wants one?! :) 

And that's all she wrote today, folks... have a wonderful weekend! I will be traveling back from KC on Sunday after a weekend selling Two Dots with my mom and sister! Excited for a fun trip.

And... as always...

Go Cats! Beat the Mountaineers!!! 

XXOO,

Allyson

Friday Favorites

First off, I'd like to wish a very special someone a Happy Birthday today...

It's my birthday and nothing can possibly go wrong on this day (knock on wood repeatedly 10,000 times)!

This day will be spent dropping kids off at school, working out, hanging out with my Tess-a-roo, spoiling myself with a LARGE coke at McDonald's today, picking kids up from school, and a high school football game where Sloane is performing a dance at halftime.

Take that, 34! :)

CONGRATULATIONS to my first Etsy Gift Card Giveaway winner (insert drumroll........ ) .............

BECCA SWEANEY!

Thank you all for entering the giveaway and I'll make sure to keep up with these - everyone deserves a chance to try and win something.

Since I never do.

Ever. 

I never win these things! 

Anyway -- Becca, email me at allyson.hills@gmail.com and I'll get you your gift card details! 

I have been hunting for the perfect non-running/workout sneaker for awhile now. I have had my eyes set on these bad boys for awhile ....

New Balance for JCrew 620 Sneakers

Then I tried them on and was so-so on them. I love the look of them - that's what I'm wanting - but they weren't super comfy. And for $80, I expected a little comfort.

Saucony Women's Bullet

I tried on these Saucony's at DSW and didn't hate them. But don't necessarily like the bottom of the shoe as much as the New Balance. But they were around $40-45 at DSW.

Saucony Shadow Original Running Shoe

I saw these at Nordstrom Rack and again, I don't hat ethem! I like the bottom of this a little more than the Saucony, but not as much as the New Balance. I know most people can't see a difference between this pair and the NB pair.

But I also have a chemical imbalance that allows me to see the difference and be THAT picky.

Athleta Exclusive DXN Trainer by Saucony

Lastly, I got my Athleta catalog in the mail yesterday and was flipping through and saw a gal in what appeared to me to my magical sneakers, a light tanish beige color with cream soles. I hopped on the site and can't find them except in black. 

I want so badly to be one of those people that can pull of black sneakers.

But I tried it in seventh grade when it was a trend back then and believe me, it didn't look good on me. Yes, they might have been high tops for basketball. Or skater girl Sketchers. But either way, they didn't look good.

I can't imagine much has changed in 20 years!  

So this is where I'm at. Still hunting. Still going back to the New Balances. Maybe I need to try them on with some good socks and things will change?

Anyone have some cute sneaker options I don't know about?!

Totally switching gears on you because we are going to talk about our new highchair! 

When we had Sloane, we had registered and received the Chicco Polly Highchair, something similar to the below picture:

Chicco Polly Highchair

I think everyone was getting this highchair and for good reason. It folds up, it's semi-cute (why are highchairs so atrocious looking? Nothing in my house blends in with a pale yellow covered in animals!) and just seemed like a good/only option! 

After Reece got his turn in it and it made a move to Arkansas, I stared at it and told Matt that if we had another baby, I could not, with good conscience, put it in it without knowing the child would end up with a deadly disease. This highchair was DISGUSTING! There was food in places I can't figure out how it even got there! 

So... we tossed it (thanks for the memories, Chicco Polly) and waited a year and half to have another baby and some months until we needed a highchair again.

I didn't want to spend tons of money, wanted it to be easy to clean, wanted wheels and something that had seat adjustment (up and down and to lean back).

I randomly came across the OXO Seedling Highchair at HomeGoods one day and was so mad I didn't just snatch it up then because it was $70! But we found it on Amazon for $98 and with Prime, had it in a few days with free shipping!

Oxo Seedling Highchair

People - I'm SO happy with this option! If you are hunting for a highchair definitely check this one out. The seat moves all the way to the ground, it rolls around (and all over our house as Sloane drags Tess in it), the tray pulls out easily and also comes off for easy washing, the seat cushion just got its first wash and it was super easy to take off (which was part of the problem with the Chicco version). 

The only con is that it doesn't fold up to put away, but so far, I'm OK with it. For one reason: this thing isn't hideous! The seat cushion comes in a variety of colors and I chose... mocha. Mocha goes with my stuff. 

Thank you Mocha! Thank you OXO! So happy with this highchair purchase! 

Tess loves it, too!

I am not a makeup connoisseur, but I wish I was. It would make things so much easier and my face look so much better! It's just not my thing... I love it, but am not good at it!

But thankfully for other bloggers and their blogs about their favorite things, they were able to point me the direction of what is now one of my favorite makeup tools.

The beautyblender.

the original beautyblender

I always would blend my foundation in with my fingers. And yes, I had been told not to do that. But I didn't listen, it was what I was used to and it was easy.

Then Sheaffer Told Me To blogged about discovering this and how it was a game-changer. So I went to Sephora in search of new foundation... and this game-changing sponge.

And she was right! Game-changer! You get it wet, then squeeze out the water, give it a good squeeze into a hand towel, then apply your foundation to it then to your face. The water is suppose to help keep the foundation on your face longer.

And I love it!

There are lots of other replicas out there - I see them at Marshall's and TJ Maxx all the time. And I do swipe them up from time to time because they are $4 compared to $20. But you can tell a difference.

So if you're wanting to splurge on something fun, test this puppy out (I got mine at Sephora)!

I'm not sure if it's just me, but I'm always on the hunt for a good bootie. The only pair I own are from Old Navy. And though they've done the trick for when I've needed them, you can start to tell they are Old Navy quality.

I LOVE Sole Society. I love everything about it. The shoes, the bags, how when you click on a shoe, they show it to you on a model dressed in normal clothes.

And I'm pretty much love ALL of their bootie options. Including this one.

Natasha Slip-On Bootie

They look really cute and comfy, so they are an option.

But then another blogger, Megan from Honey We're Home, showed these Caslon Addison Wedge Booties on her Instagram the other day and the key word was COMFORTABLE. I want a cute bootie that is comfy, which is hard to come by!

Addison Wedge Bootie

That's definitely one I'd have to try on -- I don't absolutely love the look at first glance (because I'm insane), but I feel like it might look different on (like it does on Megan) and like she said, they're comfortable, which is key.


So, there you have it friends! My Friday Favorites -- or my Friday "I have alot of Favorites but can't make a decision, so help me!" Favorites.


Everyone have a great Friday (because it's my birthday) and have an even better weekend! Hope the weather stays cool on you!


XXOO,
Allyson

PS. Two Dots is having a nice sale going on through Sunday -- everything in the sale section is an extra 20% off. And there are some items in there you can wear NOW! Use code FALL20 at checkout to get the deal!