What's in YUMMOMUMMO'S bag?

Who isn't a little bit curious when it comes to looking through another woman's handbag. I know I am! So what about YummoMummo. What does she carry in her bag? What are her essentials she just can't live without? You might have read my post earlier in the month looking into a Yummy Mummy from Orange County's handbag, if you haven't, click  HERE.
Also, this is your chance for a sneak peek at my upcoming giveaway. YummoMummo is on her way to 10K views and it's time to celebrate! If you like my wallet, you can have a chance at having your very own. What excitement!

Cheetah glasses - this reminds me to have fun with my style. I also have my super duper Coach glasses but these Cheetah ones tend to be the pair I lean towards at present.  And they go perfectly with my Cheetah Slip on Sneakers. Read my post on Slip-on Sneakers HERE.
Wet Ones - these are a staple I collect at the check out at Target. When I pick up my kids from school, their hands are filthy so this is a quick fix so they can have a snack I bought to pick up.  And I love feeling refreshed. 
York Peppermint Patty - I have quite the sweet tooth, so I find this the best alternative as it's lower in calories. And I love the taste of peppermint!
L'Occitane Hand Cream - this is the perfect size for my purse and rocks in the moisturizing department. 
iPhone - naturally I need a great phone that can take a good selfie at a moments notice! Wink Wink. I LIVE on my phone. I think I would have separation anxiety if I didn't have it at my fingertips. For reals.  YummoMummo needs to be accessible to Instagram (@yummomummo), Twitter (@Yummo_Mummo) and Facebook (YummoMummo). Come say hi!

I know you won't be surprised at all that I have four (4) lipsticks in my handbag! These are just a few of my massive collection of reds/tangerines/pinks. To read up on  my post about Lipsticks, click HERE. If I ever have a spare moment (who am I kidding), I like to get a quick coat of Sally Hansen clear nail polish on. It protects my nails and dries quickly. No need to worry about crease marks. 
I am presently wearing Narcisco Rodriguez perfume. I tend to only have one perfume on the go, so when that is done I can move onto something new. At Sephora, I purchased a small roll on size, perfect for my handbag.
And Benefit's They're Real Mascara, what more can I say, I am an addict. For my post on some of Benefit's amazing products click HERE.

NOW FOR YOUR SNEAK PEEK AT MY UPCOMING GIVEAWAY! 

TA-DA!

This awesome wallet is no longer available through Avon.com, so you will definitely have to enter my giveaway if you want this must-have arm candy. 

I have been looking for a wallet just like this my entire 38 years. Some of my favorite things:

• It holds every card on the planet/
• is super stylish/
• has brass accents (I prefer this)/
• zipper areas for cash and coins/ 
• a wrist strap/
• and is totally affordable at only $28 // Mark Avon. 

Avon are continuing to come out with some cool peices  Look for an upcoming post featuring some cool Avon products on the market. Stay tuned for how this wallet of all wallets can be yours in my YummoMummo giveaway. If you really don't want to miss my giveaway, I suggest you subscribe by email so you don't miss the notification!

My next "What's in HER bag?" will feature a sneak peek in the bag of 'An International Corporate jet-setting Australian Yummy Mummy living in Singapore'.  Wow, that's a mouthful.  I have already photographed her bag when she jetsetted into San Francisco recently, so you might find some interesting and new products in there. I surely did. So to make sure you don't miss out on that post, SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL.

Got a comment? You know where it goes, down below! Keep on Styling!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects French Mani x

You know I like to encourage myself to try something new and play, it's YummoMummo's motto - "to encourage women to have fun with style". I picked up  Sally Hansen's Salon Effects from my local CVS and waited for a good opportunity when my nails were long enough and all the same length. (This is hard to achieve when one is as rough on their hands as I am). 

So I had a busy weekend coming up, doing something I love, socializing. A perfect opportunity to bling out my nails. 

The kit comes with everything needed - nail file, cuticle stick, 18 nail tips and strips, and detailed instructions. If YummoMummo can do it, so can you.  

Sally Hansen Salon Effects. French Mani. It retails for about $10 depending where you buy it from.

The preparation steps involved in the detailed instructions are to use polish remover to remove any old color, file and shape the nails, buff the nails, then to again use polish remover and wash hands. It's important to prep nails properly so the strips stick well. Also, warm hands/fingers are best. I used my naturally warm thumb to help "hold" down the strip once applied, for about a minute, to help adhere the strip.

Feeling inspired to try something new? I'd love you to send me a photo of your version to www.yummomummomelissa@gmail.com.

Got a comment? You know where it goes, down below!

*Disclosure: I am not a trained photographer nor trained in how to pose for photos, I am just a Mum trying to share some insights and inspiration with you. In being truly authentic to my cause, I have used my own clothes and used myself in the photos whole-heartily. Enjoy!

Spring/Summer 2015 Trend Alert - Joggers and Printed Pants x

Now that we are heading towards Spring (insert happy dance here), it's time to start to take a look at some trends coming our way for Spring 2015. Depending on what the trend is, if I like it or can try to make it work, then I shall. Here I will show you just two of the many trends for this Spring -  Printed Pants and Jogger Pants, worn YummoMummo style. As always, I am giving you some inspiration from my own wardrobe.  

First up, the Printed Pants.  With my body type (a delicious juicy pear), printed pants can really accentuate my largest parts which is not a good idea. UNLESS I pair them with some high heels to add length to my legs, elongate and hopefully slim. Also another trick idea is to wear a cross body bag that will help detract and refocus the eye. I have kept it very clean with a basic black shirt, no more print. This shirt is a dolman sleeve (bat wing sleeves) with a fitted waist,  which again helps balance out the outfit.  I could also wear these pants with a black wedge sandal and perhaps switch out the top for a white, or even a solid red or pink for a pop of color! 

Printed pants from Portmans Australia // $80

Next up I have black colored Jogger Pants.  Looser fitting with fun pockets and an elastic waist.  Again, I have paired it with a fitted waist top to balance out my bottom half for my body type. This time, since they fit a little looser, I have paired with my super fun cheetah pony hair slip on sneakers. I have gotten SO much wear out of these slip on sneakers since their Fall purchase. If you haven't read my post on Slip-On Sneakers, click HERE. A few accessories such as pearl earrings, a gold chain necklace and a gold cuff bracelet and I'm ready to go out for some casual fun! 

NYDJ Jogger pants. I got these on sale for $50, reduced from $90 at Nordstrom.

A fitted waist dolman style crisp white cotton top. A true staple piece in any wardrobe. 

Showing you the fitted ankle, this is what makes it a 'jogger' style pant.

If you have any style questions you want answered, send them my way in the comments below and I am happy to answer.

Keep an eye out for another post coming your way on more trends for Spring/Summer 2015.

Got a comment? You know where it goes, down below! Keep on Styling!

*Disclosure: I am not a trained photographer nor trained in how to pose for photos, I am just a Mum trying to share some insights and inspiration with you. In being truly authentic to my cause, I have used my own clothes and used myself in the photos whole-heartily. Enjoy!

7-day Nail Polish Challenge x

I had heard some great things about new nail polish technologies that were gel like without having to expose your nails to the UV light. I LOVE the look of Gel polish and I love how it stays on so well, BUT I hate what it does to my nails. I feel it takes twice as long to repair my nails than I it did the time I got to enjoy the Gel manicure. So I set out to see if I could still achieve the look, but without the damage.  I applied 3 coats and over 7 days just watched and waited, and took some pictures for you along they way so you could see for yourself. As a Mum of three little ones, my feet hit the ground running each morning and my hands are constantly cleaning, washing, sorting & holding all day long. It's obvious to me I am just the person to see if this nail polish can stand up to some heat from this busy YummoMummo.  Some important points I kept my eye out for while on my nail challenge watchdog was: 

• Would  it need touching up?
• Would it keep it's shine?
• Would it handle my pan hands lifestyle?
• Would it chip? Oh lordy, I hope not!

I picked up a new (for me) nail polish by a company called NailsInc that advertise they have "Placticiser Technology" and "No UV Needed". NailsInc is from the UK and is apparently  a top seller there, but this was the first time I had seen them in the USA . They have a new Spring/Summer 2015 collection in collaboration with Victoria Beckham coming. The polish has Placticiser technology which is a whole lot of science but basically it is a plastic additive that the polish has so that when it dries it has a finished look of shine and thickness like most gel manicures and is long lasting, up to 2 weeks.

Day 1. The challenge is on like donkey kong!
Nailsinc Gel Effect in 'New Oxford Street'. $14.
www.sephora.com  

Day 2. Sunday. A day of rest, but still never enough time to just sit down and file my nails. 

Day 3. Monday. Crazy busy morning doing Monday morning errands, these hands sure got a work out. Day ended with four loads of laundry to fold.

Day 4. Tuesday. Did a bit of pot scrubbing and cleaning out the fridge. Got a workout at the gym that evening. 

Day 5. Wednesday. Today was an exceptionally rough day for the nails and they held their own (sort of). Volunteer day at pre-school so I was making 24 Christmas tree candy cones, digging in the sand and cleaning toilets. I live a luxurious life as you can see! 

Day 6. Thursday. As usual, a busy day. These hands folded three loads of laundry, scrubbed a few more pots, read countless books to my sick little man, zoomed around the supermarket and then worked out at the gym. A few little chips here and there but still good in my opinion for Day 6. One day to go, will they stand the test? 

Day 7. Last day for the challenge. They survived. 

The verdict - I think if I could of done touch ups throughout the challenge, they would of lasted even better as I did start to see some chipping about Day 6.  The polish did start to lose it's shine about Day4/5, but that didn't surprise me. But all in all, this nail polish stood up to the day to day challenges of a busy Mum of three little ones. Bravo!

And another great thing is.... it came off super easy and with no UV damage. Hooray!

Got a comment? You know where it goes, down below! Keep on Styling!

*Disclosure: I am not a trained photographer nor trained in how to pose for photos, I am just a Mum trying to share some insights and inspiration with you. In being truly authentic to my cause, I have used my own clothes and used myself in the photos whole-heartily. Enjoy!

If you would like to request me to honestly review any products, contact me at yummomummomelissa@gmail.com

YummoMummo meets Sonnet James 'Playdresses' x

I recently met up with the Founder of Sonnet James www.sonnetjames.com, Whitney Lundeen. And my oh my, what a beautiful soul she is. Its was clear to me that the most important things to her are her two boys and the importance of getting down with her kids to play and be present. But, it's so much easier to do, and so much more stylishly done,  if you are wearing a super cute, versatile, play dress that just screams comfort. When she came up with the idea of Sonnet James her thoughts were "I wanted a dress to feel like I was in yoga pants, and to even be able to do yoga in it. I wanted to bring youthlfullness back into my life and to feel beautiful". So well said and how so many of us feel when it comes to comfortable and stylish fashion.

She has two collections that come out a year, the Spring Collection is available on pre-order now and will start shipping March 16th. The dress I am wearing for this blogpost  is "The Marni" and costs $98 plus tax. The style will be available in the upcoming collection. I know you can't feel the dress I am wearing for yourself, but the stretchy cotton fabric of this dress is the epitome of fantastically fabulous quality. It is thick but breathable, robust but so tangible. I love it!

The Marni Dress. I am wearing a Medium.

A lovely handwritten note, such a nice touch!

Here is our discussion so you can hear the words right out of Whitney's mouth. I honestly could of spent the whole morning talking to her. She also couldn't help but win my affection when she told me that Australian Vogue, and Australians in general, are the most fashionable, in her opinion.

Tell me about the birth of Sonnet James?

There are only so many years that our kids want to stay and play on the ground, and that they want to engage and play with us in pure fun. I wanted to design a dress that could help me achieve this without compromising on comfort, style and practicality. I'm totally self taught, I taught myself to sew and to design (Side note from YummoMummo - isn't that truly amazing and inspirational?)

Where do you get your design inspiration?

I love reading Vogue and I found my basic silhouette inspiration there. I want to keep the dresses very simple as I want to keep costs low. The fabric is made in New York and then manufactured in  San Francisco. The price point is higher because the dresses are made here in the USA and it's 4 x more expensive to make in the USA than offshore. The more seams, the more expensive. I look at street style and  fashion shows to also get inspiration.  When design time comes, I pull together all my inspirations throughout the year. 

What is your best piece of style advice?

Comfort is very important. I am very sensory so I need soft fabrics. If you are comfortable, that will shine from the inside out.

Tell me three fun facts about yourself?

1.  I am a firecracker, I really like to debate & discuss.  I love to talk to lots of different people, have challenging conversations. My brother says I am a force to be reckoned with and I believe you have to be stubborn to be true to yourself, so it works well for me to be this way.

2. I am an introvert and would stay indoors all day if I could.

3. I LOVE TV, something I am trying to stop in 2015. I love The Mindy Project as it makes me laugh the hardest, Law and Order, Seinfeld, The Office, The Americans, Homeland & Heart of Dixie.

Do you have any plans to cater to larger than a 14? 

The hard thing in business is that you have to make sizes that sell. I find the XL is what is always left in inventory. Since we are still a start up in the  early stage, will be able to grow and expand.

The Florence dress says Breastfeeding friendly? 

We are working hard to be breastfeeding friendly. I don't usually like the design of breastfeeding friendly dresses and it's complex to add buttons etc so with Sonnet James dresses, the fabric is such good quality and so stretchy that the Mum can just pull it down to feed.


So check out Sonnet James' Playdresses for yourself, they have so many gorgeous colors and styles that can be pre-ordered now for Spring. www.sonnetjames.com

Got a comment? You know where it goes, down below! Keep on Styling!

*Disclosure: I am not a trained photographer nor trained in how to pose for photos, I am just a Mum trying to share some insights and inspiration with you. In being truly authentic to my cause, I have used my own clothes and used myself in the photos whole-heartily. Enjoy!

Benefit's Push-up Gel Liner creates the classic cat eye & red lippy x

I have been a fan of Benefit Cosmetics for a LONG time. And you know I am a loyal girl when it comes to something making my favs list. I became a fan of their 'They're Real Mascara' about 2 years ago and was immediately a convert. I have also been a lover of their 'Hello Flawless' pump foundation, as it's got an oil free SPF25 and is a staple in my makeup collection. I have a winter shade and a summer shade (shade darker than winter shade).
Last summer, they came out with their latest development. A gel eye liner that was supposed to revolutionize the eyeliner market. Can you imagine? If anyone could do it, I was confident Benefit could.
I purchased the 'They're Real Push Up Liner' a couple of weekends ago, and have been having a lot of fun using it and learning to perfect my cat eye. I am no make-up artist and I have no training, BUT what I am is the average woman, just like you. A Mum that is just having fun with style, and that means trying new products and not being intimidated. Thats what they invented eye make up remover for.
I looked at a bunch of You Tube tutorials and read numerous reviews.  Everyone seemed impressed. I had heard it was hard to get off, but I tested it out on my hand with my 'Make Up Forever Sens' Eyes' remover in store at Sephora and it came off very easily. Now to test it out for reals.
What goes so well with a classic cat eye? A classic red lipstick, of course. Naturally, it's better to Vlog this sort of thing so you can see its application in the making, enjoy the show!

The design of the soft felt tip serves as an awesome guide to help you really perfect your eyeliner application, as well as using it to 'stamp' a cat eye if your feeling a little more bold that day. It is Allure's Best of Beauty Award Winner 2014. $24. www.sephora.com

This is one of the best mascara's on the market, in my opinion. I love the ball design on the end of the wand, as it really can assist in separating the lashes for a polished and full coverage look. $23. www.sephora.com

If you are on a mobile device, try this link for the You Tube tutorial -http://youtu.be/RoZ3XWYCZGk

Got a comment? You know where it goes, down below! Keep on Styling!

*Disclosure: I am not a trained photographer nor trained in how to pose for photos, I am just a Mum trying to share some insights and inspiration with you. In being truly authentic to my cause, I have used my own clothes and used myself in the photos whole-heartily. Enjoy!

What's in HER handbag? An Orange County Yummy Mummy x

I recently sat down with Los Angeles based Gabby Rodriguez of Everfitwgabby www.everfitwgabby.com. Gabby started EverfitwGabby as a platform to help women with their weight loss goals but in a healthy way. No guilt and no restrictions. On her site, she also shares her plant based diet lifestyle. She is also quite a fashionista herself and loves to play with fashion and style much like YummoMummo, so we have a lot in common.  You can learn more about Gabby on her website www.everfitwgabby.com and her YouTube channel Everfitwgabby www.youtube.com where she shares her recipe and lifestyle inspirations.
I sat down with Gabby for a Vegan based meal, and far out Brussell sprout, she makes Vegan food incredibly enticing and delicious. 

So what does EverfitwGabby keep in her bag to keep her eating healthy as well as looking fabulous? Well, lets take a look.......

This is what Gabby carries around on a daily basis. Her wallet is from Avon, it extends out as shown and holds a multitude of credit/loyalty  cards, something every woman can appreciate. Bananas! I can imagine you are wondering why she carries bananas? She eats between 10-15 bananas a day! If you want to hear all about it, check out Gabby's website www.everfitgabby.com

This book has given her a lot of insight into how food can effect her performance  in exercising and running. She recommends this book for anyone that is in a high performance career or that wants to function at their maximum potential in life. The Podcast is a bunch of different interviews from athletes, doctors, poets etc that are professionals in their fields and have incredible insight into how to live an amazing life. The Clif Bar is her snack of choice on the run. Yummy.                                           

Her bag was a gift from her mother-in-law last Christmas. Being a Vegan, she totally appreciates that it's made of Vegan leather, which means she can still have the leather look without compromising her beliefs.

                      

She loves Mark's Moon Chill Berry hand cream from Avon. It is very hydrating and smells very berry delicious. And what's in her makeup bag? She has a collection of on the go beauty products that she just adores such as Pacifica Enlightened Gloss in Nude which is a Vegan brand & is cruelty free. And she just can't live without her Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia Perfume which is made of essential oils and is chemical free. If you want to get in touch with Gabby and are inspired by her lifestyle, she can be contacted at:: 

www.everfitgabby.com

Email : goldgab@yahoo.com

Facebook: Everfitwgabby Page

Instagram : @everfitwgabby

Twitter: @goldgabyahoo

Tumblr: Everfitwgabby

You Tube Channel: EverfitwGabby

Mixing patterns x

Mixing patterns can seem a bit daunting, and I agree, as it took me some time to feel comfortable to start dabbling. 
Mixing different textures and patterns is a fabulous way to create more variety in your outfits, giving your outfit an interesting depth which is definitely a must if you want to take a more individualistic and personal approach to dressing.  Yes, mixing patterns and textures can be tricky which often result in wrong combinations that don't look that good. This is why most people say they'd never do it. But seriously, it can look amazing if done correctly!

Here are some inspirations from my own wardrobe. Enjoy the show!

Mixing cheetah sunglasses with a burberry print scarf. They are sitting right on top of each other. I think wearing a nice red lipstick helps put some balance between the two and picks up the red in the burberry print. They are similar color tones with the brown and the black so that's where they compliment and tie in together. 

 Stripes and Polka Dots. My Polka Dot sweater with a longer striped top peeking out at the waist. Finished with a long black skirt to add length. White round bauble necklace to tie in with the polka dot circles and my white enamel brass bangle bracelet to boot.

This is more on the daring side for me. Camo pants and a striped top.  With all the print, I have tried to balance it out with some super chunky pearls.  And the knee high brown boots help to take up some of that camo print on the pants. The pants are quite fitted alone and are a skinny pant,  so it helps balance out my body type by adding the boots.

Black and white striped body-con skirt with black heels. The cheetah print is subtle enough to add a little pizzaz.  I love this fun combination and it's another excuse for me to wear my much loved recent purchase of leopard heel pump. 

So much fun, I just had to add another photo!

A cheetah headband helps create a chignon. Mixed with my favorite pink toned plaid shirt! For a tutorial on this, stay tuned for an upcoming Vlog.

Very casual outfit. Pairing my leopard print slip on with a plaid shirt.  Rolled up the pants to help it stay casual and added my cheetah print sunglasses to tie in with the shoes. Basic brown wood beads pull in the brown tones of the outfit.

Some more food for thought is to give your outfit some rest by breaking it up with a basic, solid color. This makes your outfit look more balanced and modern. Basic wide belts, jackets and hosiery are great for this. Also, note that mixing two similar scaled prints is fine as long as you break it up with a  basic solid.

Got a comment? You know where it goes, down below! Keep on Styling!

*Disclosure: I am not a trained photographer nor trained in how to pose for photos, I am just a Mum trying to share some insights and inspiration with you. In being truly authentic to my cause, I have used my own clothes and used myself in the photos whole-heartily. Enjoy!

Birchbox Vlog - Happiness in a box! x

Wow! What an exciting blog post this was to work on this month! I recently signed up for Birchbox and was sent a box of 5 items, trial size, for me to try to see how I liked the products. Birchbox is an awesome way to trial new products, become aware of new products you may of not heard of before, or ‘try before you buy’ by using the trial size before you decide if you want to purchase the fuller size. Why didn’t I try this sooner?Makes me shudder to think of all the full size products I have brought before and not liked after just one use. Money in the garbage bin!

For those of you that haven’t heard of Birchbox, here is the rundown. I signed up online for their $10/month subscription. They send me a box once a month based on my questions answered in an extensive online questionnaire when I signed up. The questionnaire asked such things as my skin type, hair type, likes/dislikes in products, favorite type of beauty product, my level of daring etc. Based on this, my stylist put together a box just for me. So how was it, well watch the Vlog below to see for yourself what I really thought, but for now, I can’t wait till next month’s box. Leave me a comment which two products you thought were especially my favorites! Let me see if you're correct:)

If you want to subscribe to Birchbox, and see just how amazing it is for yourself, use this link to sign up. https://www.birchbox.com/invite/fkmtk as you'll help me get some Birchbox points to use towards purchases. Share the love with me and someone will share it with you down the line.

Rusk Texture Spray - I could do cartwheels over this product! Just a few short spray bursts onto roots, and you are ready to rock some manageable volume.  And smells divine!

Lipstick + YummoMummo. You know it! I am thrilled they put me onto this product, it rocks in the lipstick department.

Following is the You Tube Vlog, where you will find the full and fabulous unboxing of my Birchbox. If you are on mobile, click this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD6MTBwbUUA

This is comparable to other great quality high end hand creams I have used. I really liked this hand cream, it smells like Grapefruits too!

This is in my gym bag eagerly waiting a trip to the steam room to work it's magic in my hair. My foil treated hair certainly needs it. 

Honestly, not thrilled with this product BUT certainly grateful Birchbox gave me the opportunity to try it.  Best for someone who likes more subtle makeup.

Disclosure: I purchased the Birchbox subscription myself and all opinions are totally my own and not influenced in anyway.