fashion

Flip Flops – Cute, Classy and Comfy!

When I saw that flip flops have their own day, I giggled!

Yes, June 18th is National Flip Flop Day! The article about Flip Flop Day said that their name comes from the sound they make when you walk in them. “Flip – flop. Flip flop.” I totally believe that but as a little girl we thought it was because we could flip them right off our feet at a moment’s notice. “Look out, here they come!” Of course, our moms disapproved of that maneuver as we could not guarantee exactly where they would land!

Flip Flops Are Fun

Whatever the inspiration for their name, flip flops are fun! They come in multiple colors, designs and sizes and most are very reasonably priced. There are flip flops for toddlers up to trendy fashion versions for adults. Men, women and children all wear flip flops. Do you?

This blog contains Amazon affiliate links. ❤️

Find The Best Flip Flops

Men’s Flip Flops

Women’s Flip Flops

Flip Flops Under $20

Flip Flops For Kids

Children’s Flip Flops

Dressy Flip Flops For Women

So, how many pairs of flip flops do you have?

How many flip flops do you have? Flip flops are FUN! #clothing #kids #moms #dads Share on X

Saidoteto Boys Girls Flip Flops Child Summer Slip-on Thong Sandals Beach Pool Water Shoes(Little/Big Kid)

Enjoy!

I just love my PET HAIR vacuum! It’s a Shark and I’ve had it for over 7 years. When I get a new one (hard to know when … mine is working so perfectly still… but I may just get the new one to enjoy the LED lights and powered lift away feature!) this is the one I will get:

Happiness is Homemade

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And, welcome to the Happiness is Homemade Link Party 538 “Get Ready for the 4th” Party. The 4th of July is right around the corner and our guests have been sharing some great holiday inspiration.

Mel from Décor Craft Design has been our host for the month of June. Take a look at this week’s features and think “cookouts and picnics and outdoor living.” Before we get started with this week’s event, take a look at our featured picks from last week’s party. (If you missed our party last week, click here to go over and catch up on the fun!)

This blog contains Amazon affiliate links ♥

This Week’s Features

How To Make A 4th of July Fruit Tray from Organized Island

Patriotic Salad in a Mason Jar from Walking on Sunshine Recipes

Shark NV752 Rotator Powered Lift-Away True-Pet Upright Vacuum with HEPA Filter, Large Dust Cup Capacity, LED Headlights, Upholstery Tool, Perfect Pet Power Brush & Crevice Tool, Bordeaux

DIY Patriotic Book Stack Using Dollar Tree Wooden Crate from Steph Creates Things

Easy Red, White & Blue No-Sew Felt Wreath from Darcy and Brian

Sinea’s Pick of the Week

How To Create a Kid-Friendly Independence Day Table Setting by Linda from A Labour of Life

How much you want to bet that some savvy fashionistas will buy more than one to go with different outfits?

ON TO THE PARTY!

Thank you for joining us this week whether you are a blogger sharing your latest posts OR a reader enjoying all of the inspirational shares! Don’t forget to drop by and say hello to all our hostesses, they always appreciate your visit! Here are all of our hostesses at Happiness Is Homemade!

Linda @ A Labour of Life

Sinea @ Ducks ‘n a Row

Beverly @ Eclectic Red Barn

Katie @ Love My Messy Messy Mess

Mel @ Décor Craft Design

Niki @ Life as a Leo Wife

Patriotic Plastic Tablecloths for your Independence Day Celebration – 3pack!

Fashion tape that keeps your clothes UP!!!

4 Super Easy Ways to Tie a Scarf

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Decorative scarves add so much to a wardrobe. Whether an elegant wrap for a high fashion ensemble or the finishing touch to a casual outfit of skinny jeans and cowl-neck sweater, scarves accentuate the look. Classy!

If you are new to scarves, tying them can be a real challenge. There are so many varieties of styles, dimensions and fabrics on the market, each one needing a little different technique to make it look “just right”. Where to start?

This blog contains Amazon affiliate links ♥

Personally, I received a gorgeous accordion pleated scarf for a birthday present and had absolutely no idea how to tie it. It is large and long.

Lacking a person in my home who could help me (my guys were no help at all) I took to the internet and found this easy-to-follow video (below.) She illustrates several different scarf-tying techniques.

How to Tie a Scarf

There are four basic ways to tie a rectangular scarf:

1. European Loop. As you will see in the video, this technique is a simple method that creates a very chic look. Take a long, rectangular scarf in hand and fold it in half, ends meeting. In one hand you will have a loop, in the other hand the loose ends. Lift the scarf over your head and lay it across the back of your neck. Pull the open ends of the scarf through the closed “loop” end. Pull the open ends through as you gently push the knot up to your neckline. Voila! A great new look.

2. Loose Neck Wrap. This technique creates a loose, billowy look. Take your scarf and place it around the back of your neck so that the ends fall down your front, one side longer than the other. Using the longer side, wrap the scarf loosely around your neck and, coming around front, bring that same end up and through the scarf near your neckline. Adjust the fabric so that the long parts of the scarf are covering you in front. Nice, cozy and warm!

3. Double Wrap. Similar to #2, take your scarf and loop it not once but twice around your neck and then bring it up and through the scarf near your neckline.

4. Ascot Knot: as you will see in the second video, using a long rectangular scarf, first find the middle of the scarf. Place the middle across the front of your neck, allowing the ends to drape behind your shoulders on either side. Reaching around, pull the ends across the back of your neck, around front and then cross the left side over the right. Pull the left up through the “hole”, lightly tying it. Gently fluff the long ends out to make it look great!

How to tie a square scarf:

Triangle Scarf Wrap. This can be done with a triangular scarf but it can also be done with a large square scarf, folded in half to create a triangle. Holding two opposite ends of the triangle, one in each hand, bring them around your neck much like a bib. Pull the ends around you to the front and secure underneath the “bib”.

The Infinity Scarf
This scarf eliminates tying and meets the need!

This scarf comes in 36 styles and patterns!

Lightweight Scarves and Wraps

Scarf Storage

Now that you know how to tie them, you will probably want to add more scarves to your wardrobe for every occasion! But where do you keep them? In a ball in a drawer? Not recommended!

The best way to store scarves is by hanging them in your closet. Simply fold each scarf in half and wrap them around the lower rung of a sturdy hanger, using the same method as the European Loop. There are also scarf hangers made just for this purpose.

They will stay neat and will be ready for you, any time you need one.

This winter scarf is offered in 26 patterns and colors.

Scarf Accessories

You can also use accessories to help you tie your scarves, such as this scarf ring clip (pictured below.)

Available in gold or silver tones.

How to tie a decorative scarf! #accessories #fashion #scarves #tips Share on X

Enjoy!

Sinea signature

Velvet covered SCARF ORGANIZER hanger!

Psssst. Got PET HAIR PROBLEMS at home? I get it. You love your little furbabies but why can’t their fur STAY ON THEM!?!?!

I was so frustrated with the endless battle of dog fur (cats shed, too, I hear.) So, when I found this vacuum cleaner, I almost cried for joy. Shark vacuums are the BEST!

How To Tie a Scarf -- 5 ways to tie a scarf w short video, too! Ducks 'n a Row

Scarf Photo Credits:

Alex and Marin on freedigital photos

LittleWoolie.co.uk on flickr creative commons

Trendy Winter Accessories for Women

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Are you looking for a great gift that women love? Adults or teens, fashionable winter-wear and accessories are an excellent gift-giving choice.

Can I tell you a secret? This year I decided to buy a couple of little gifts for myself! I desperately need tops & sweaters to wear to work or when we go “out on the town.” My wardrobe has been screaming for an upgrade. So I ordered some really cute tops. Strategically,I did not buy any women’s fashion accessories in the collection above thinking MAYBE a loved one with no idea what to get for me will see it! LOL

This blog contains affiliate links. ♥

Pictured above:

White Faux Fur Trimmed Jacket [4 colors]

Reversible Long Tassle Necklaces[18 color combinations to choose from]

White stocking caps with poms

White fingerless furry hand warmer gloves

Short Warm Outdoor Boots [5 colors]

Ivory Outdoor Infinity Scarf [5 colors]

Women’s Casual Long Sleeved Turtleneck Sweaters [6 colors]

Shopping? Best women's fashion accessories here! #giftideas Share on X

Enjoy!

Great T-Shirts For Kids

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Hey parents, are you as glad as I am for t-shirts for kids? Great t-shirts for kids increase your child’s wardrobe giving them lots of variety at minimal expense. They will love the fashion choices and you will love that it didn’t cost you a fortune!

Brief History Of T-Shirts:

T-shirts or “tees” undoubtedly got their name for their resemblance to the letter T [when they are laid out on a flat surface.] They originally were designed by the US Navy sometime around the time of the Spanish American War (1898.) T-shirts were issued to the sailors as undershirts.

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T-shirts have come a long way since then, haven’t they. Dads wear them. Moms wear them. Teens wear them. Young children, and even infants, wear them. They serve as the tops of sports uniforms as well as the best part of many types of outfits.

T-shirts say a lot about our personalities – our likes and dislikes. Some people wear them like a billboard! Yes, T-shirts have a lot to say.

In a hurry? Here is a direct link >>> The very ☑️ BEST Kids T-shirts on Amazon! Be sure to scroll to see the pages, there are a LOT of them!

Kids’ wardrobes would be so incomplete if they didn’t have a nice selection of t-shirts. T-shirts are so essential to daily life. They are comfortable,easy to care for and perfect for a quick-change of clothes. Choose them right and they can even be dressed up for more special occasion – just add the right accessories!

But picking out tees can be a lot like selecting a movie for kids. Many of them are A-OK and others do not pass the “parental guidance” test. Screening kids clothes for appropriateness sure can take the fun out of clothes shopping.

So, we went looking for GREAT t-shirts for kids. We looked for the nicest selection of popular kids t-shirts on Amazon that kids love and will pass the “parent approval” test. See how we did!

Adorable Little Girls’ T-Shirts

Pictured above…

Big Sister Floral T-Shirt

Cute Girls’ Dinosaur T-Shirt

Little Girl T-Shirt Dress With Appliqué

Little Girl Ice Cream Cone Shirt Set

Big Sister / Little Sister T-shirt Outfits

Pink Bird T-Shirt

Girls’ T-Shirts

Adorable Little Boys’ T-Shirts

Pictured above …

Dinosaur Party 2^nd Birthday Raglan T-Shirt

Disney Boys’ Mickey Mouse “Color Me Cute” T-Shirt

Types of Sharks Marine Biology T-Shirt

Star Wars Glow in the Dark T-Shirt

Daniel’s Tiger Neighborhood Toddler T-Shirt 3 pack

Trust Us, We’re Ninjas T-Shirt

Boys’ T-Shirts

Great t-shirts for boys and girls! #deals #kidsclothes Share on X

Enjoy!

10 Easy To Make Hair Accessories For Girls

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10 cute DIY hair accessories for girls #hairstyling

Give your girls a new look by making cute, stylish hair accessories for them. They will love having something new to wear every day and you can have the fun of making them together!

This blog contains Amazon affiliate links. ♥

Melted beads make the prettiest #DIY hair accessories for #kids

DIY Melted Beads Accessories – The 36th Avenue

Ever had a melted bead set? Well, your girls will love making these adorable handmade hair accessories and jewelry using ☑️ MELTED BEADS!

…

1 Minute Flower Hair Barrette – Domestically Speaking

This sweet little barrette takes just a minute to make!

Colorful Hanging Seed Bead Hair Clips – Love Maegan

Big girls, little girls, ALL girls love the look of these ☑️ hanging bead hair decorations!

…

Colorfully combined hair ropes make lovely hair decorations!

Desire Deluxe Hair Chalk for Girls Makeup Kit of 10 Temporary Color Pens Gifts, Great Toy for Kids Age 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Years Old Blue – Green – Grey – Pink – Purple …

DIY Button Hair Clips – Bead and Cord

Pretty buttons make excellent hair bling!

Chains make pretty hair decorations #DIY

Hanging Chains DIY Headband – Love Maegan

You won’t believe how easy this hanging chains headband is to make!

Little girls and preteens love making friendship bracelets together!

Repurposing T-Shirts Into 5 Strand Braided Headbands – Make It Love It

Love it! This pretty headband is made from a t-shirt!

Ribbon headbands for little girls #crafts

How To Make Ribbon Braided Headbands For Girls – Pandhall Learning Center

Butterfly Hair Clip Tutorial – Kurlicues

How to make a ponytail streamer #hair #accessories

Ponytail Streamer Tutorial– Mama Momtourage

10 cute #DIY hair accessories for girls #hairstyling #kids Share on X

Enjoy!

This vacuum is great for pet hair clean up (and people hair, too! 🙂

This is my story — after getting a new vacuum cleaner and having it CATCH ON FIRE (yep!) I was ready to give up on actually finding a great pet hair vacuum cleaner that I could afford … then my sister-in-law told me about hers! DREAM COME TRUE!

It is the best pet hair vacuum cleaner I have ever used and I love it.

How To Draw Everything: 300 Drawings of Cute Stuff, Animals, Food, Gifts, and other Amazing Things | Book For Kids

Getting Up Close and Personal With Hosiery Care

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Learn how to take excellent care of your hosiery items so that you don’t have to go through more pairs of tights for women than absolutely necessary. You might not think too much about proper hosiery care with some of the more inexpensive pairs of tights and stockings, but if you plan on buying high quality and more expensive hosiery items, you’ll want to learn how to handle, clean and store them so that money doesn’t drain away like water through a sheer pair of stockings.

Wearing Your Hosiery

Tights and stockings are undeniably delicate, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t wear your hosiery every day; it simply means that you’ve got to be careful of how you handle your items. One great habit to adopt is wearing gloves while you’re slipping your stockings and other hosiery items on and off. You might forget that you’ve got a ring or a broken nail until you pull on your stockings.

Cotton, satin and other soft materials will work best when wearing gloves.

When putting on hosiery, try not to pull on the fabric as best you can since doing so can stretch them out of their natural shape. Instead, you’ll want to bunch them up until you get to the toe and slip them on and make sure the seam is in line before slowly pulling them up your legs. If you want to adjust them when you have them on, unroll them down to your knees before adjusting them.

As you’re taking your stockings off, roll them down at the tops without pulling at them unnecessarily. Since your hosiery will more than likely start to wear and tear at the undersides of your feet, you’ll want to start wearing slippers while you’re inside rather than shoes that might rub away at the underside of your foot. You’ll also want to make sure that your toenails are well trimmed so that they don’t snag on your stockings.

Washing Your Hosiery

You can handle your hosiery with the utmost care and still ruin them with one improper washing. Don’t think that your stockings are cheap because they’re full of pulls, it could be that you just aren’t washing them correctly.

It’s best that you wash tights by hand rather than toss them in the washing machine and start the delicate cycle. If you do decide to put hosiery in the washer, make sure that you put your items in a special lingerie bag to keep the buttons, zippers and hooks on your other clothing items from snagging.

Once you’ve washed your hosiery, don’t wring them out to dry them. Doing so will stress the fabric. You’ll want to gently squeeze them instead and let the air do the rest. The fabric is so sheer that they’ll be dry in no time. You should also avoid tumble drying hosiery at all costs to keep from damaging the elastic or silicone top hold-ups.

Even the least expensive hosiery can last you for a while as long as you know how to take care of it. Take good care of your hosiery items and they’re sure to take good care of you!

Photos courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Brunette in Gray Sweater by fervent adept de la mode
Beautiful Asian Woman by ph angel
Blonde Fashion Model from love Maegan

7 Beautiful Plus Sized Models

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While it’s no secret that the body issues surrounding modeling can be detrimental to young women everywhere, that doesn’t necessarily mean that beauty is defined solely by what these marketers consider attractive. As proof of this point, plus sized models have been quickly making a name for themselves over the years, celebrating their beauty and helping to dismantle these old stigmas one step at a time.

Chloe Marshall

While we could fill an entire list with some of the gorgeous women that have fallen under the moniker of “plus sized,” we thought we’d pick seven of the biggest names out there to share with you. With that in mind, and without further ado, here are just seven of some of the most beautiful plus sized models out there.

1. Barbara Brickner

While originally offended at the notion of straight modeling, Barbara Brickner has since caved to the alluring world of plus sized modeling. Since her first big break, she has since moved on to new pursuits, including aspirations of becoming a country music star. As she continues to make strides in her career, it’s obvious that this plus sized model won’t be disappearing from the limelight anytime soon.

2. Maggie Brown
After being crowned the winner of the horribly titled “Thick and Sexy Search” by Tyra Banks, Maggie Brown has since gone on to work with a number of big names ranging from Macy’s to Mervyns. In fact, Maggie Brown recently appeared on “How to Look Good Naked.” Clearly, this plus sized model doesn’t have any problems doing that. If there’s anything to be learned from this native Hawaiian’s story, it’s that an exotic and voluptuous body is nothing if not in high demand.

3. Tara Lynn
Tara Lynn’s successes as a plus sized model practically speak for themselves. In fact, just a year ago, Elle France’s cover listed Tara Lynn as possessing one of the most realistic expectations of a body that women could aspire to attain. As modeling should be inspirational, not disparaging, there are few compliments that are more deserving for a woman as beautiful as Tara Lynn.

4. Crystal Renne
As a former “straight” model that has since made the transition to plus sized modeling, Crystal Renne serves as a symbol to young women out there that being healthy and beautiful are far more important than trying to craft your body into what others deem attractive. In fact, the pressure that Crystal’s early straight modeling career put on her is what eventually drove her to become an outspoken critic of the modeling industry as a whole. As recently as February, Crystal called out to the industry to make sweeping changes that would not only make the lives of models easier, but give impressionable young women more realistic expectations as well.

5. Kate Dillon
Yet another former straight model that has since transitioned into plus sized modeling, Kate Dillon’s story is not too dissimilar from Crystal Renne’s. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until she was hospitalized for gastroenteritis that she realized her modeling career was doing more harm to her body than good. Thankfully, she has since made a full recovery and made a name for herself in plus sized modeling where she can be proud of her body and not have to live off of cigarettes and coffee ever again. As further proof of her amazing recovery, People Magazine recently named her one of the top 50 most beautiful people.

6. Toccara Jones
As a contestant on “America’s Next Top Model,” Toccara Jones quickly made a name for herself by showing off a body that was in stark contrast to the starving models that otherwise filled that show’s roster. While she did have some success on that show before ultimately being voted off, Toccara Jones has since moved on to much greener pastures, where she continues to show off the beautiful and healthy body that she has worked hard to maintain.

7. Chloe Marshall
Not content to simply break barriers in the modeling world, Chloe Marshall has also set her sights on beauty pageants. In fact, back in 2008 this vivacious plus sized model competed against other women in pursuit of the Miss England title. While she may have come just shy of first place, she has since moved on to a successful career with Models Plus agency. As a part of her career, Chloe has modeled for Ford, Macy’s, and a host of other well known outlets. Perhaps one of the biggest highlights of Chloe’s career would be her appearance at the Lane Bryant runway show in Las Vegas in 2011. If there’s anything to be learned from her story, it’s that beauty most certainly comes in all shapes and sizes.

Of course, this list is less of a “top” list and more of a general collection of beautiful plus sized models. Any of these women could just as easily fill the number one spot for their amazing contributions to the modeling world. As beautiful as these women may be, it’s important to remember to be comfortable in your own skin too. Ultimately, as these women have proven time and time again, beauty is about more than what other people consider to be attractive. As long as you have confidence in yourself and the way you look, you’ll find that you’re as beautiful as any of the seven women listed.

Janet Faye is a freelance writer who has been contributing to the Luca Bella team for a number of years, and has a wealth of experience within the fashion industry.

Photo credit: Chloe Marsall from Wikipedia

Tips to Help You Save Money on Clothes and Still Look Great

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American spends upwards of $2000 per year on clothing. That’s more than $160 a month. Any way you look at it, that’s a sizable amount of anyone’s income. Still, as Mark Twain once said “Naked people have little or no influence on society”, and we can’t walk around without any clothes.

So the question becomes, “How do we buy the clothes we want and need, without breaking the bank”? Well, it’s easier than you may think. Payday loans could offer the finances you need to replace those worn items and bulk up your wardrobe. All it takes is some creative shopping, and a commitment to keep the clothing budget under control. Here are a few simple tips to help you save money on clothes, and look great while you count your money.

Treat Your Old Clothes With Care

The first step to saving money on clothes, is to take care of the clothes you have. Most people do the majority of their clothes shopping when they need to replace old or worn out clothing. Washing your clothes on the gentle cycle, and hanging them to dry on a line, will reduce the wear and tear and make them last longer. Delicate items should be washed by hand to reduce wear and possible shrinkage. Simply taking care of the clothes you have will reduce the need to buy more.

Shop Seasonal Clearance Sales

Clearance sales, both online and in the real world, offer great money saving opportunities for the watchful shopper. Of course, you have to learn to plan your clothes shopping accordingly. For instance, when department stores put out their spring fashions, they typically slash the prices on their winter stock. This is the time to stock up on the winter clothes you need. While they may sit in the closet until next year, you will be able to get all of your winter fashions at a significant discount.

Buy Generic Brands

Most department stores have at least one or two house labels that they offer as money saving alternatives to the national designer brands. These are usually significantly less expensive than the name brands, and typically of comparable quality. While you may not want to shop generic for all of your clothing needs, you should consider the house labels when buying common items like t-shirts, tank tops, sweat pants and pajamas.

Hit the Thrift Stores

People are often surprised by what they can find in thrift stores. Gently used clothing can be found at ridiculous savings, and most thrift stores have items to suit the whole family. You may not find the trendiest vintage items at thrift stores anymore (those days are sadly long gone), but you can still find perfectly good designer clothes at prices that will keep your wallet and closet happy.

Don’t Buy What You Don’t Need

This tip is obvious but it bears repeating, especially since most of us are not tracking personal finances meticulously. Just because something is on sale, that doesn’t mean it is a great deal. If it is a coat that you never end up wearing, you have just wasted a lot of money. If you are looking at a pair of designer jeans as a reward for when you finish your diet, don’t buy them. By the time you can fit into them you may well have changed your mind, or simply hate they way they look. If you want a new dress for a party or special occasion, but you are likely to only wear it once, don’t buy it. Find something suitable that you can borrow from a friend, or re-purpose an old dress that has been languishing in your closet.