My girlfriends, particularly the “playgroup” who still meets weekly even though the youngest kid is almost nine, are a wealth of information. We share things we’ve found and loved: clothing, beauty products, recipes, television shows, books, home decor, and so many other things.
I love sharing information that I think may be helpful to my friends and family, and I love to do the legwork when I’m planning a project. That was actually my original intention for this blog, but I got sidetracked by the unexpected joy of writing for writing’s sake.
So I’ve decided to start a series on Kiss my List that will allow me to share the things I’m loving, with the hope that you may be able to come away with at least one useful piece of information, or at least something you may love too.
My Love List
I plan on sharing My Love List on the first Monday of each month. Here are five things to love this first Monday in February (and no, more snow is NOT one of them!).
(Disclosure: The Amazon links below are affiliate links, which make no difference to you but I’ll earn a few cents if you purchase through Amazon. Most items can be found locally, though.)
1. Gel manicures and silvery gray nail polish
I keep my nails short, and in the winter I like deep, dark nail polish. But this time I opted for more of a neutral, yet still with a wintery feel; it is a medium gray with a little sparkle. The manicure in the photo is nine days old. It’s a gel manicure that will last at least two weeks – best invention for the hands ever. Try OPI’s “Brand New Skates”color if you paint your own nails; it would look great on toes too.
2. Deodorant sponge
This chunk of red foam will wipe off those icky white deodorant marks that I always seem to get on my shirts. Seriously. It’s like magic for your pits. I personally vouch for their effectiveness. It’s actually called the Rescue Sponge, but I think that name is a bit of an oversell. Really, it removes white deodorant marks, not the national debt.
3. Quiddler
My friend Sue introduced our family to this card game years ago and we’ve been playing it ever since. Quiddler is like Rummy with letters; you have to form words using the cards in your hand. James was eight years old when we started playing and we helped him a little for year or two. Why I love it: it has a definite end (eight rounds), it’s a combination of luck of the draw and word knowledge, and it’s fun for kids and adults.
4. Travel Stevia
I use stevia in my coffee, but restaurants and coffee shops rarely have it in packets. Shoving a bunch of packets in my purse makes me feel like a grandma taking the free rolls from the buffet, but this little gizmo is much hipper. Just hold it over your coffee, press the button, and a little tablet of stevia plops into your beverage. I found it at Wegman’s, but I haven’t seen it at other grocery stores yet.
5. Ghirardelli brownie mix
Once I made the Barefoot Contessa’s from-scratch brownie recipe. They were great, but these brownies are better. And so easy. Why mess with perfection? I have no photo of actual brownies because they don’t last long enough, but this is the box in my pantry. I promise they look just like the picture on the box. I get the huge box at Costco; there are six pouches in there. Culinary perfection.
And a bonus love: The Kindle edition of The Mother of All Meltdowns (the book I’m in) is on sale at Amazon for $0.99! The paperback is only $9.99. Pair it with a batch of Ghirardelli brownies and the promise of an hour to herself, and you have the perfect Valentine’s gift for the harried mom.
What are you loving lately? I’d like to include some of your favorites in future lists, so share your loves!
Can’t wait to read the book, and that deodorant sponge sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Christie
My pleasure, Christie!
Dana, this is such a great list! I love gel manicures. When we can, I definitely would love to go back to those. They definitely last for 2 full weeks! Brownies sound good right about now! I think I’ve seen that stevia on a commercial or something. LOL at your analogy of what it looks like when you used to take the stevia packets in your bag with you 🙂
Brittnei – that gray manicure is now on day 17. It’s amazing!
Fun post!
I like stevia too but I really prefer the liquid form. Not sure it will travel well.
I haven’t tried the liquid form, but you’re right – I’d be worried about carrying a little bottle in my purse.
I love this list! I need to get that Stevia in the Raw. I DO feel like a grandma carting around the packets. I discovered the Ghirardelli brownies on New Years and I’ve been making them ever since. You are right. Chocolate perfection. 🙂
They are. I have a batch baking in the oven as I type this. If only I were satisfied with just smelling them, instead of inhaling them. But I balance them out by using Stevia, right?
I totally have to get those deodorant sponges. Even with clear deodorant my teenage daughter cannot get dressed without having deodorant all over her shirt. I don’t get it! And the brownies…drool!
You would think clear deodorant wouldn’t leave a mark, wouldn’t you? The sponges come in two-packs so you and your daughter can each have your own. But you’ll have to share the brownies.
I have one of those deodorant sponges and it is awesome! Absolutely genius!
I know – why didn’t we think of it?
i love this series already! i love word games, so i am all over the quiddler!
We love it Catherine – and it’s fun with two people or a big group.
Dana! This is an awesome idea! You are like the super-savvy girlfriend that all of us wish we had… and thanks to you, we do! Great products here!
Thank so much Stephanie. I do have some super savvy girlfriends, so I’m happy to share our collective knowledge – that’s what friends are for, right?
I got my first manicure done yesterday since I got married (15 years!) Fun! And the game sounds fun too! Thanks for linking up with the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party. I have pinned your post to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Board!
Thanks, Tammy – I don’t use Pinterest as much as I should, so I appreciate the opportunity to get a little more exposure.
I’ve not painted my nails a whole lot lately, but that polish totally looks like my style! And could definitely use that deodorant sponge. Genius!
Just another one of those inventions that I wish I had thought of first!
I’m loving your list and loving the concept behind it. And everyone could use a little MOAM 😉
Thanks, Melissa. Yes, a little MOAM goes a long way, especially when you pair it with chocolate!
i can’t believe you left off the “emergency kit.” that’s iconic dana…
I know – I’ll have to share that next month. I never use it, but I know the second I toss it I will need something that’s in it.
This is such a cool idea, Dana! I am loving silvery-grey polish right now, too. It’s very simple, but bad-ass as the same time. And OPI has the best names for their colors! I have a deep DEEP purple, like the color of a dark merlot, called “bite my neck”. haha awesome.
They do have the best names – I’d love to work for them and come up with names for new colors. I wonder how you get that gig?
I love the nail polish color! That’s my default color, but I took a break from it this time around and did a very soft light green, which has already chipped. I’m a little leery of the gels due to the ingredients, but for someone whose polish chips on the second day… sigh!
I think Quiddler must be beaucoup fun. I’m writing it down so that I can look for it for when next I host games night for my Meetup group.
And the stevia… love it! I will have to look for that, too, on my next trip to Wegmans. I have stevia packets, but not that brand.
I’m pretty sure you can get Quiddler at Target, Alison. And I know what you mean about the gels, but I only get them once every few months and I slather sunscreen on my hands to protect them from the UV light. Soft light green sounds cool – I’ll have to look at that next time!
great idea to do a monthly list. I tried a weekly thing but it kind of fell off the radar. I am going to try and get it going again soon.
I was going to do every other Monday, but I wasn’t sure I’d have enough material. The monthly series is less pressure, and I can always do a bonus edition if I want to mid-month.
I think I might have to try that deodorant sponge. Those brownies are yummy:)
Bet you never thought you’d leave a comment with both the word “deodorant” and the word “brownies,” did you? 🙂
I love that grey nail polish! I was feeling wintery last time I got my nails done, but didn’t want to go with the deep dark colors that I usually go with. So I opted for bright pink to get ahead of Valentines Day! But I think i’ll go with grey with sparkles next time 🙂 Oh and those brownies are awesome! And thank you costco for putting 6 packages in that one box!
I did a hot pink the last time, so the gray was a nice switch. It also looks less noticeable as my nails grow out than a bright or really dark color would.
I need one of those deodorant things! I love that brownie mix too!
Isn’t it the best? And the deodorant sponge is really amazing, even though it looks like a piece of foam.
I’ve never tried any of these except the brownie mix, and you are so right! I love the idea of nicely polished nails but my hands always look so rough and weathered that I hate to draw more attention to them. This is a great idea for a monthly post.
Thanks, Sarah. I’ve started slathering a really creamy lotion on my hands before I go to bed every night – that helps a little with the roughness.
I love the idea of the deodorant (and I don’t know how to spell deodorant apparently) sponge. I hate washing a perfectly clean shirt that I wore for one hour because I got a white pit smear on it. And OOOH to Quiddler game. I rock at gin rummy so obviously, I’m big-time intrigued by it (as am I by anything that I might win…as in anything besides Trivial Pursuit which I suck at). Love the new series, Dana. You rock. And also that you still have your playgroup?? So super inspiring!!
Yep, I’m so lucky to still have that fabulous group of friends. Hopefully we’ll still be having playgroup when we’re wearing dentures!
OoooooH! What a fun series!!! Love the nail polish! Brownies? YUM. And I have never heard of that game… totally gonna find it and buy it!
I’m pretty sure it’s at Target or Walmart in the games and toys section – it would be fun to play with your family. While eating brownies.
I need that sponge – you would think that after 44 years (well at least 30+ as a deodorant wearer) I could put on a shirt/dress…without making a mess!!!
And, I need to check out Quiddler – we love games and word games are one of my favorites!!
Love your list of things you are loving – thanks for sharing!
My pleasure, Kim – I love to share my finds. And we never outgrow the deodorant mess!
This is obviously a great idea! I am at least five years behind on the coolest OPI color and I feel motivated to get a gel manicure knowing that it won’t chip five hours after I leave the salon.
And they dry instantly – so as soon as you get out of the chair you can use your hands. That really sold me – I have no patience to sit there and literally watch paint dry.
Brownies. Just pass me the brownies and I’ll be fine. Mmmmm chocolate. LOL
You’ll have to fight me for them, Kim. 😉
Totally agree with 1,2 and 5. I believe I have that color on my nails right now or something very similar. Love reading your lists and hope to see you soon! I cannot paint my own nails for the life of me either:)
Hi Amy! I love when my in-person friends visit me here. Most non-bloggers don’t leave comments. You have the deodorant sponge too? Why didn’t we think of that?
Quiddler sounds fun.
We love Dixit (I think you’d like it too) – you get some random arty-cartoony cards and have to create a story to go with one, then everyone tries to find one of theirs which kinda-fits with that story, then everyone places them face-down, shuffles and turns them over, and the idea is to guess which is the original person’s card.
I just found it on Amazon – that does look cool. Never heard of it – thanks for the recommendation 🙂
Love this idea! Can’t wait to follow along with your new picks every month. Totally craving brownies now. 🙂
You’re not the only one, Kerry. Maybe I’ll stay away from food next month!
Good one D.
Thanks, Ellen. You guys are my primary source for this list, so I may have to call on you if I come up short one month.
I haven’t painted my nails in a long time! That color looks fun. I would also like to try out that card game. No one in my family will play games with me, but two of them aren’t really old enough anyway. Maybe as they get older I can train them!
Yes – you have to train them early! You could also play in teams – have a younger child help you form the words. We are a big game family, but high school homework gets in the way of game nights now.
I love that nail color. I also agree that MOAM and some brownies would make a great combo!!
As long as you don’t get chocolate smudges on the pages…which I have been known to do.
This is a GREAT idea and I love it already. I actually have a very similar nail color on my toes. I have no clue what the name is but I love the color! I also made Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate brownies for the big game yesterday and served them with vanilla ice cream and strawberries. Delish!!!
That does sound delish. The only time I will ever eat vanilla ice cream is with a brownie – it’s the perfect combo.
I love a game that involves both luck and word knowledge. Just might have to add that to my list. Oh – and I’m the Stevia Gramma. I take it everywhere. My husband laughs because half the time I pull anything from the abyss I call a purse, a Stevia packet falls out, too. I think I might need this little stevia droppy thing. Thanks for the suggestion.
Yes I think you do Mandi. You will look much less Gramma-ish.
I love gel manicures so much, I bought all the equipment I needed to do them at home. It was an expensive investment, but paid for itself after about 3 uses.
And it works well, Ashley? I just cannot paint my own nails – I’m like a toddler coloring out of the lines.
I love that color of nail polish, I haven’t been able to find it in forever though (at least not in Croatia any more). And now, you have me craving brownies.
I seem to be doing that to a lot of people today – I’m sorry, Ana Lynn!
Oh don’t worry too much about it, I had brownies last week! But you see, my husband always lurks over my shoulder when I comment (since we run a blog together) and I was hoping it would trick him into making me some more brownies! 🙂
I am definitely going to love this new series!!! That deodorant sponge is now on my wish list- and I’ll be making the brownies very, very soon.
They are sooo good Kate. Just don’t yell at me if you end up eating the whole batch!
Mm..brownie mix!
And nail polish that lasts two weeks or more! And rescue sponges! Yes to all of the above.
I’m loving that my husband left his full cup of sweetened, creamy, organic coffee on the counter. So I get to enjoy it! (I’m horrible)
I’m loving Des standing at the window and yelling, “Snow!” However, I’m not loving the snow. And I’m loving IKEA milk chocolate bars. I have a secret stash.
Ikea chocolate bars – how am I not familiar with them? I just checked the website – you can only get them in the stores. I’m thinking I need this. When it stops snowing again.
I need that deodorant sponge. Big time. And I love metallic gray polish! I can’t wait to read about your loves. I have a feeling they will become my loves too!
I hope so, Ilene. I’d like to provide some useful info sometimes, although random writing is fun too!
What a fantastical idea in every way! I am definitely going to get Quiddler…sounds like the PERFECT family game! :)-Ashley
It is, Ashley. And the goal is to use all your cards, so it doesn’t matter if you make three tiny words or one big one.
I’m definitely going to check out Quiddler – sounds like a game my family would love! Looking forward to future Love Lists posts!
I’m glad you found something on the list to try, Katie. Quiddler is really a great game – it’s one of the few that all four of us always agree to play. We like playing on the bedroom floor in our pj’s before bed 🙂
That Ghirardelli brownie mix is in my pantry at all times, I own the paperback edition of Mother of all Meltdowns (won it on Nicole’s blog) and love it, keep my nails short and wear dark shimmery taupe polish in the winter, have a white deodorant removing sponge… What’s not to like about your list? 🙂
It’s like we’re sisters, Debbie! Except you run and I don’t. Dark shimmery taupe polish – that would be a cool color to try. Maybe next manicure!
I’m going to have to give stevia another try. I used it when I went on my lower carb diet but found that it was giving me headaches. I think maybe I was using too much of it. Will have to have a look for that Ghirardelli brownie mix, how can it not be good if it’s Ghirardelli. Thanks for doing this post on Mondays, I love hearing about products and things that other people like and recommend.
Nothing but LOVE for your love list. What a great idea! I need magic for my pits too. Can’t wait to check out that sponge! And who doesn’t love boxed brownies that taste homemade? Mmmm, I kinda want brownies for breakfast now!
I want brownies for lunch, Nicole. And probably dinner too. Glad you like my list!
Great idea for a post. I’ll look forward to the monthly edition. I’m going to look up Quiddler right now on Amazon – it would have come in handy last week 😉
With all the snow? Yes it would have. I love that a game lasts about 30-40 minutes when four of us play (less if it’s 2 or 3). And I see my kids brains working as they try to use all of their letters to make words. I’ll take Quiddler over a game of Uno anyday!
Yep – with the snow in little ‘ole North Carolina. Christopher only had school last Monday and then was out for the rest of the week. Anyhoo – I have ordered Quiddler 😉 and Uno gets on my nerves. Christopher play Monopoly very well but sometimes I don’t feel like having a long game.
I know what you mean – that’s why Quiddler is great. You can even just play half the rounds and pick up again later, without having to leave an entire board and pieces on the kitchen table.
So going to try that nail polish color, because I have been totally experimenting with my nails and polishes lately and looks like a fun color. I also like my nails short, too. Oh and Ghirardelli Brownies are the absolute best. Seriously, love them and you cannot go wrong with them ever!! 🙂
They are pretty much the perfect food, aren’t they, Janine? I’m resisting whipping up a batch right now because I’m the only one home and well, I’d eat them all.
I love that color of nail polish! I love to paint my nails, but my hands are in dishwater so much that it hardly seems worth it. And right now time and money are two things I lack, so no gel manicures for me.
The thing I’m loving most right now is a book by Emily Freeman called A Million Little Ways. It has inspired my craft and my faith in ways I never knew was possible.
My mom taught me to always wear rubber gloves when I do the dishes, so that does help. But I’m a horrible self-manicurist, so I only do the gels and not very regularly.
That book sounds interesting – just read the summary on Amazon. Isn’t it amazing when a book can inspire you? I’m glad it’s done that for you, NJ – thanks for sharing!