review - Natalie Wise Blog

Meet Blowfish Shoes

New favorite shoes alert. But first: a story.

I once had a pair of white and cork heels that I got compliments on every.single.time I wore them. And wear them, I did, until they were completely unwearable, unrepairable, and I tearily said goodbye to them (is tearily not a word?).

Sad story, right?

Nope.

Becaaaaaauuuuussseeeee…look what I found!

I know this will be my new compliments-all-the-time can’t-stop-wearing-em shoe. The Illi Wedge in Faux Straw is just seriously amazingly beautiful, comfortable, and best of all: affordable from Blowfish Shoes.

A perfect wedge, just like the kind Duchess Kate likes to wear.

The perfect summer shoe, to go with any summer dress.

The cutest little almond toe shape with a little toe-box pleat.

A really soft interior that’s an amazing shade of blue.

And a real rubber sole to keep me from slipping during summer adventures.

Seriously, I’m in love.

I hope you all know I only ever talk about things I really am crazy about. And these shoes? Crazy about ’em.

Also lovin’ on this beautiful linen Tibi dress, but that’s playing second fiddle to these straw shoes.

{I also just like to say my straw shoes. Giggle.}

Blowfish Shoes has got it down. Great shoes, great customer service, great attention to detail.

Not to mention…they’re generous too! Giveaway time tomorrow, friends! Stay tuned 😉

Sunnies: local store//Earrings: local store//Bangles: F21 & J.Crew//Dress: Thrifted//Heels: c/o Blowfish Shoes

Purse & Travel Essentials

Kleenex~Sephora Mini Brush/Mirror~Burts Bees Gloss, Tinted Lip Balm, and Pomegranate Lip Balm

~Victoria’s Secret Little Darling lotion~Hand Sanitizer~Moleskine Notebook~Business Card Case~Altoids~Tums Freshers~Card Case for Membership/Punch/Gift Cards~Pen~LaraBar~Kate Spade Wallet

Since it is winter now, these two babies are my absolute essentials: Lotion and hand sanitizer in the cutest, most useful little tube from HumanGear. When they shared a leash for Lottie, they also sent me two of their GoToobs, the civilized travel tube. So I just have to tell you about them for a minute here because they are awesome!

{Medium and Small GoToobs}

These beautiful, silicone tubes are so intuitively designed, they are sure to make travelling a much smoother experience. When I saw they were recommended by my favorite travel expert (the adorably pregnant-with-twins Samantha Brown), I knew I had to try them out.

What makes their tubes so fantastic? To begin with, they are squeezable. If you’ve ever had cheap “travel section at big box store” plastic containers for travel, you know that they are rigid and prone to leaking. And forget about ever cleaning all of your lotion outta there! Let’s be honest, you usually end up throwing them away after a trip because they are so inconvenient, right? No longer! These GoToobs make a great gift for yourself or any intrepid traveler. They’ll love you forever, I’m pretty sure. And I do mean forever, since GoToob offers a lifetime warranty on their products.

Look how pretty they are! Love the pink, orange and clear. They also come in blue/green/clear, all in 3 sizes (Small – 1.25 fl. oz., Medium – 2.0 fl. oz., and Large – 3.0 fl. oz.). They have a no-drip valve, a wide opening so you can get in there to really clean it out and reuse it, a special built-in labeling system so you’ll never put body wash in your hair again, the medium size has a suction cup to stick to the shower (!), and they are all BPA- and PC-free and FOOD GRADE. So you could put your special barbeque sauce in one to bring it camping. You could use it for toothpaste, then conditioner, and then you could use it for spicy mustard! I mean, it’s just so cool.

The medium, filled with shampoo, easily attaches to the shower wall via the built-in suction cup.

Ready & waiting for my next trip!

What are your purse or travel must-haves?

*Thanks to Katrin at HumanGear for her awesome customer service and for providing me with these products for review. This post is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Matching My Dog

Sometimes apparently I run out of pose ideas so I start to dance like Elaine from Seinfeld. This doesn’t surprise me. Does it surprise you? Didn’t think so.

Or maybe I’m just excited because Lottie got a new collar, leash, and sweater! Lottie is my family dog, the sweetest of sweetie pies. A real darlin’, that girl is. This Christmas she got a new red collar and my grandma knit her this adorable sweater. Lottie has never lived where there are major snowstorms, so she absolutely loves her cozy new outerwear. She also got this fancy new leash.

{which matches my outfit}

This leash is the real deal. Made by PAWW, a sister company of HumanGear, it is high-tech and human-savvy. The workmanship is stellar, and the leash is made out of double rip-stop nylon (often used in mountaineering equipment), which means if you were lost in the wilderness and needed to go all Bear Grills for some reason, you’d want this leash with you. It’s that tough.

Obviously, I’m not recommending you use this leash in any sort of mountaineering, other than taking your dog on a nice long walk in the woods.

Dogs dig that sort of thing.

And with the Paww Pick Pocket Leash, you will too. This intuitive, “civilized” leash keeps your doggie necessities right at hand. There is a built-in bag dispenser for doggy bags, and a zippered pocket for cash, a key, or better yet, a treat for your pup. The top clips around a post if you need to leave your pooch outside for a quick run to the store. There is a handy “utility loop” on the top that can be used to attach a flashlight, a used doggie bag, a toy, or whatever else you need to bring to the dog park or on that walk in the woods.

Lottie loves this leash.

My only complaint with this leash is that we were taught in our dog’s fancy training classes to always hold the leash with two hands, one wrapped around the leash and one farther down (that’s hard to describe in words). The high pocket placement makes it a bit hard to hold the leash in this manner. I think it might be nice to have the pocket closer to the collar, or perhaps adjustable. But we haven’t stopped using this leash on account of that….no way!

It’s clear with one look at this leash that it is the gear of choice for dogs and their owners who appreciate style and practicality. This leash means business.

It also means “extra long walks for Lottie.”

So it’s pretty win-win.

Many thanks to Katrin from Paww/HumanGear for letting me review their great products! This is my honest opinion in my own words.

Bootights & Stripes

Oh stripes, how I adore you. Oh cupcake hair, how I adore you (see, cause my bun looks like a swirl of frosting?). Oh giant sunglasses, how I adore you.

Also adoring these new lace-up boots that were a bit of a steal from the consignment store. I bought a bunch of clothes to the consignment store the night before my move. My car was already packed to the hilt, and I was entirely exhausted, but I had one bag of “good” clothes that wasn’t coming with me. I used the credit I earned for these boots, knowing full well I had absolutely no room in my car for them. In desperation, I managed to cram them under the front passenger seat. I think it was worth the effort, because of their shearling lining, lace-up front, and Chukka-boot styling. What do you think?

{pink fingernails}

Ok, now I’m excited to share the best part of this post!

I think you all know my penchant for wearing skirts and dresses in winter, since the “how-to” it is my most popular post. Well, I am just so excited to have something totally new to add to my winter wardrobe: Bootights.

You guys, it’s a tight with a sock, too!

I’m really just thrilled to have found this company. Their thick, premium-quality, made in USA tights combine a sock into the tights so that you don’t have to ruin your tights in boots, have your feet be slipping inside boots, or layer thick or unsightly socks over your own tights. You know exactly what I’m talking about, right?! It can get ugly when you have a gorgeous outfit on and then throw on cheesy off-season holiday socks over your tights in your boots because it’s all you could find….only to show up for a fancy dinner party and be asked to take off your shoes.

Oops.

These are the Flannel Pinstripe tights. They are really thick and luxurious, with a very thick and cozy calf-length sock attached to the tights. I was worried that the seam attaching the two would be flimsy and cause them to rip, but that doesn’t seem to be the case at all. The sock makes these tights especially warm inside boots, and I felt cozy and comfy all day, even in my ‘dressier’ boots. The tights definitely have a control top, so be aware for those holiday food-laden parties 😉 They have many patterened tights that will be perfect for the upcoming festive party season (click on the title of the tight for more info)!

I’m going to update my “How to Wear Skirts & Tights in the Winter” post this year, and I will be SURE to include this amazing new find. If you live where it’s cold, these are an incredibly valuable addition to your winter wardrobe. They are a little pricey, but they are made in USA and definitely high-quality. When it comes to tights, I’ve noticed that you really get what you pay for. And there’s always Santa!

Seriously, these would be great (and punny) stocking-stuffers.

I crack myself up.

Now, I just need to get their other cute ones. I’m thinking Herringbone and Clark Cable (ha).

*These tights are c/o Bootights in exchange for the words, images, and opinions in this post, which are my own, honest and unbiased. Thank you, Bootights!

Tiny Stories: Volume 2

You all know Joseph Gordon-Levitt, right? Pretty face who plays beside Zooey Deschanel in 500 Days of Summer? Played Robert Todd Lincoln in the currently-box-office-hot Lincoln? Rumored to be playing Batman in a new comic-inspired movie? Yeah that guy.

Well, turns out he’s also the pretty face behind the online collaboration production company, HitRecord, that allows artists to post, compile, collaborate, and remix to create even better art, film, writing, and other projects. They travel, they publish, they produce CDs, sharing the collaborative art (and then sharing the profits with the collaborators). Pretty cool, right?

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories Volume 1 debuted last year, filled with small stories and art created by HitRecord collaborators. They’re quirky. They’re different. Some of them are a little bit strange, a little bit funny, a little bit sentimental. Some of them make you cringe, make you wonder, make your heart swell, or make you shake your head and giggle a little.

Volume 2 is hot off the presses from It Books, an imprint of Harper Collins. It makes a wonderful stocking stuffer for a friend. Tuck a little bookmark or Starbucks gift card inside, wrap it in craft paper, tie it up with some twine, maybe add some washi tape. They’ll think you’re super cool. (which is true)

Here are a few of my favorites:

See artists worked together on the story and illustration. They hit record, they remixed it, they turned it into something unique. I adore this one.

Truth be told: These two volumes are lovely. They are a pleasant reminder of the tactile beauty of the printed book, with their textured, imprinted book jackets and their quirky, artsy vibe.

And I love that, being a quirky, artsy story-teller myself.

YOU can join, too! I scoped out the collaborative scene, and I think I just might jump in myself and contribute some writing to be remixed. Let’s fill some pages for Volume 3, yeah?

I have always identified with the quotation, “The universe is not made of atoms; it is made of stories.” ~Muriel Rukeyser

HitRecord adds one important word to that: tiny.

“The universe is not made of atoms; it is made of tiny stories.” ~Muriel Rukeyser and wirrow

Many thanks to it! books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. These words and opinions are my own.

Beauty with a Purpose {Part 2}

I can’t stop smiling. I tried. But it’s really, really hard because I’m wearing this amazing hot pink lipstick. And it not only feels good, it does good. As I said yesterday, this beautiful makeup from Radiant Cosmetics helps fight human trafficking by raising awareness and donating funds.

I also can’t stop wearing this lipstick. I wore it to church. I wore it to work. I wore it on the weekend with a white tee shirt and jeans. I wore it to the polls to vote.

It is just so much fun. I can’t get over it. And how fun is it with a polka dot (that are actually tiny hearts) peplum top and bright pink Swedish clogs? Swoon.

{Radiant Cosmetics Daphne lipstick}

So let me just gush about this lipstick a little bit more. Look at it! It’s gorgeous! The tube is lovely, shiny, and heavy…you can tell this isn’t your drugstore lipstick. I also adore the Radiant logo. Nicole sent me a personal, handwritten note with those beautiful cards in the background…I loved the personal touches and great customer service. They really do care.

Here I tried not to smile for a moment, so you could see the lipstick.

It went on very smoothly, very pigmented, and lasted forever. I put this lipstick on in the morning and proceeded to: eat celery and lunch, drink from a water bottle all day, drink coffee from a to-go cup, eat dinner…and at the end of the day?

Still as bright pink as can be. I didn’t even layer it. I just put it on my bare lips. That’s staying power.

I also used the beautiful Pirouette (shimmery light beige-pink) and Ahoy (matte navy) eyeshadows. Above I used just the Pirouette with a silver gel eyeliner.

I also wore the Ahoy and the Pirouette with blue eyeliner:

Subtle, but still very fun.

Beauty with a purpose in products that I love and would purchase anyway?

That’s something I can stand behind.

Next time you need a pick-me-up and are tempted to buy a standard-issue Sephora lipstick, think Radiant instead. I know you’ll love it. I can’t wait to add more Radiant Cosmetics to my makeup bag. And speaking of makeup bags, they have cool ones handmade by ladies in Uganda. Even more awesome.

Thank you Nicole and Radiant Cosmetics!

These products were given to me in exchange for my honest review in the words and images in the two posts I created. Since they were given to me, there were no profits to be donated to fighting human trafficking. To counteract that, I happily donated to one of the organizations that Radiant partners with, Love146. Maybe you’ll be inspired, too!

Something We Can All Agree On: Beauty with a Purpose

The country is bitterly divided, as we just saw on Election Day. But let me share something we can all agree on: ending human trafficking. While I was further researching the dark world of human trafficking, tears of frustration, pain, and empathy were streaming from my eyes. This happens in our own country, friends. People are being bought and sold. People with families; people with futures, with big eyes and beautiful faces that deserve to smile. But I was also filled with tears of compassion as I read the stories of beautiful children, teenagers, women, and men who were rescued. Whose lives were taken back and whose spirits are being rejuvenated. Beautiful stories of hope. Stories of beauty with a purpose. Radiant Cosmetics is a company striving to create more of those stories. As they like to say, “Fighting human trafficking one lipstick at a time.”

What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is a crime of modern-day slavery. Men, women, and children are bought and sold into various forms of human exploitation, including sex slavery and being sold for organs.This is a violent trade of human beings; it is a dehumanizing crime against men, women and children the world over, including the United States. Human trade generates $32 billion (did you catch that? billion) worldwide each year from the approximately 2 million people sold. That’s 2 children every minute.

Radiant Cosmetics
The cosmetics industry generates $170 billion worldwide each year, and Radiant Cosmetics founder Nicole is passionate about getting some of those funds on the front-lines of fighting human trafficking. Radiant Cosmetics is a company founded on the belief that we can make a difference. Indeed, we must make a difference, because our brothers and sisters are depending on us.

While travelling for missions work in Thailand, Nicole formed friendships with women who had been trafficked or worked in the commercial sex trade industry. Their stories cried out to her. Their faces awoke within her spirit a cry to help and a call to action. And that call to action included, you guessed it: lipstick.

Fighting for Change and Creating Hope
Now, she partners with other organizations such as Love146, fighting the tide of slavery, and her company donates a minimum of 20% of the profits from every product sold. Nicole and her team create amazing, gorgeous cosmetics. They are showing the world that a cosmetics company can be a generous force for good. That a lipstick purchase can mean something. That beautiful redemption is possible amidst the horrific scene of human trafficking.

I love it when God gives people a passion. I love it when He gives people a purpose in an otherwise ‘normal’ profession or situation. Selling lipsticks? No one used to think it could change the world. But Nicole? When Nicole looked at a tube of lipstick, she saw hope and the beauty of smiling faces freed from slavery.

***I am so excited to partner with Radiant Cosmetics. Tomorrow I’ll be sharing the products Nicole so graciously shared with me. Stay tuned!*** Edit: You can now read my review and see the products HERE in Part 2!

Reserach from Radiant Cosmetics, love146, UNODC, and the FBI

Ugglebo Clogs for Autumn

What says Autumn more than….

Tights! Sweaters!

Mustard yellow!

Burgundy! Tights!

Hmmm…what else?

Vintage tote bags with a bird pattern?

Yes.

Am I missing something?

OH! YES! Clogs!

These beautiful handmade-in-Sweden clogs are beautiful heirloom pieces. The quality is outstanding. The leather is gorgeous and soft, the wood is solid, the construction is old-fashioned, handmade, generations-worthy, well-done work. They have been made the same way in the same little Swedish factory since 1965. I love the way these “rock” when I walk. See that pretty cut of the wood where it meets the sole? Gorgeous. Ugglebo means “Owls Nest” in Swedish, hence their adorable owl logo.

My one sadness when it comes to Ugglebo clogs is that they run extremely narrow. I had originally picked out these stunning babies:

You can see the beautiful that eggplant color of the “Berry” Lisbon clogs. I very dearly wanted to keep them but they were simply too narrow. I just had to send them back in favor of the Etnas you see above, and I sized up. Unfortunately, that means my Etnas are about 1/2 size too big to fit the width of my (pretty-average) foot. The super wonderful customer service representative assured me they were working hard to get their sizing appropriate so we can all wear all of their beautiful clogs. Until then, I figure I’ll be wearing socks inside them soon enough 🙂

Above image courtesy Ugglebo clogs

Friends, if you need some great-looking, comfortable, beautiful clogs for fall and winter, I highly recommend Ugglebo! I have several pairs of Swedish clogs, and these are incredibly beautiful and feel more “solid” that my others. Not only that, but the customer service is unparalleled (especially compared with a more well-known Swedish company based in Sweden with a rather distasteful slogan).

Thank you, Ugglebo!

Disclaimer: Ugglebo sent me these clogs free of charge for review, and the words, pictures & opinions are my own. The links are not affiliate links. Thanks, Ugglebo!

Encourage & Redeem

Today is National Day of Encouragement. I’m a bit late, and it’s more like Night of Encouragement over here, but hey, if you had a rough day, I want you to know that the day hasn’t run out of encouragement for you 😉

I’ve been meaning to start a new series for a LONG time: Mail Call. It’s like at summer camp, you know? And it’s an embarrassing ritual to get your name called at lunch time if you have a letter, because someone back home loves you? It’s like that, only less embarrassing.

When inCourage by Dayspring offered a package of their encouraging, uplifting greeting cards, it seemed like the perfect time to share Mail Call. Mail Call is the giving and receiving of happy little notes…sentiments exchanged through the mail, sent with love from a friend or family member, prayed over, written in someone’s own handwriting, with a stamp they chose and maybe some fun extras. I absolutely adore writing notes. In college, I was known for sticking random encouraging notes in everyone’s mailboxes. I have a collection of stationary, but, to be honest, I live in a small town with no access to a local Christian store. I’m always having to write in my own inspirational messages in blank cards, so receiving these cards was such a spot of sunshine. These cards just exude joy and encouragement.

Redeemed All Occasions - 10 Premium Card Assortment

{click image to see the collection}

I cannot tell you how BEAUTIFUL and LUXURIOUS Dayspring’s Redeemed All Occasions – 10 Premium Card Assortment line of cards is; they mean it when they say PREMIUM cards, ladies. They are thick, stunning, with embellishments (embroidery, tiny pins, tags, etc.) galore, and so uplifting. And guess what? They arrived on a day when *I* needed encouragement myself. Reading through them in awe of their beauty was food for my own soul. These are cards that will stay on the bulletin board or refrigerator for a looooooooooong time. In fact, I’m tempted to keep them up on MY refrigerator, and get another pack to share! Nah, I cannot wait to write them out with love and send them to new homes.

Thank you, Dayspring, for making beautiful, Scripture-affirming cards, and for letting me share them.

*Disclosure: These are my true and honest opinions and my own words, but Dayspring provided the product for review. All Dayspring links are affiliate links, but only because I love them so much 🙂

In Other “Mail Call” news…
There was a notebook, wrapped in vintage wrapping paper (on left), and then again in Kraft paper, and sent to mom.

Not just any notebook, though….a leopard print (wonderfully indulgent) Kate Spade notebook found on uber-clearance…

and embellished with love & washi tape 🙂

There was also a late wedding present sent, and a birthday card for a dear friend, all wrapped up with hot pink tissue paper and (more) washi tape.

That’s all for the Mail Call today! I can’t wait to show you more ideas for notes, projects, and happy things to send in the mail! Bringing a stack of pretty mail to the post office (or finding one in your own post box!) is definitely one of life’s little pleasures, don’t you think?