Simply Style Yourself With Studio Thirty-One

Disclaimer: I received products to review. All opinions are my own.

I've been wanting to downsize my purse for a while, but never found a smaller one I like. My purse confession: I use a diaper bag and have more stuff than I need, plus everybody else's stuff. Now that the kids are older and carry their own backpacks, I no longer need such a big purse. While I still love my big purses, I'm so happy to have a smaller one for my "everyday purse."

I am absolutely in love with these bags. I love that by making a simple change, you can change the whole look and personality of your bag and therefore your outfit. With one base, you can have endless possibilities. 

1. Pick your base: There are two sizes. I went with the small, but wish I had gotten a large as well for everyday use and use the smaller one for being in crowds or on vacation. There is a brown, navy, and pink. I chose navy because my base colors lately are navy, teal, and gold. The small is still big enough for my wonderful gold glitter Thirty-One clutch and a few more items (keys, sunglasses, emergency items, and stun gun). 

2. Pick a flap (or 2, 3, or 4): This is where t really gets fun. There are a ton of colors and designs to choose from in addition to the endless possibilities of personalization. I have a teal with gold anchor, teal with navy anchor, and navy/ white stripe. You can also make the bag all one color. I suggest a basic and a fun flap at least to get started. 

3. Pick a strap: There are two lengths- shoulder strap and cross-body strap. I wish there was also an even shorter strap, but with the short one, you can carry it on your arm as well without it being too long. There are also many designs of straps to choose from. 

In true Thirty-One tradition, these bags are made with sturdy construction and quality materials. The flaps feature a magnetic closure (easy to close on the go), the base features an inside zipper pocket, two open pockets, and an outside phone pocket. The straps have swivel hooks for comfort while you carry it.

I could not be happier with this bag, and I'm so happy I decided to downsize. Talk with your consultant for help coordinating colors and mixing it up.

Give Inspiration with #ThirtyOneGifts

Disclaimer: I received items to review. All opinions are my own. 

As I've mentioned before, our family is going through a lot and between my MIL, other family members, and friends, I have found myself giving inspirational gifts across the board. I guess since I've been surrounding myself with inspiration, I'm doing the same for others. I wanted to share some of my favorites, which are from Thirty-One Gifts.

1. Avenue Scarf: They come in a variety of prints, including Virtuous Verses, that will suit all personalities. These can be worn in a variety of ways, added to a bag, and even used as home decor. They are like a hug from a good friend. Link. Here is a closer view of the Virtuous Verses print:

2. Day By Day Case: Exclusive Celebrate You style! We’ve designed this portable cover for a planner or Bible as a way to thank you for shopping Thirty-One! Choose one for yourself, or as the perfect gift for the spiritual people in your life. It’s sized to fit a Bible or All My Life Planner, with pockets to hold pens, highlighters, tablet and the other supplies you need for Bible study, work or school. The Day by Day Case is offered in our NEW Virtuous Verses print, a design inspired by handwriting and scripture on a natural background. Link

3. Inspirational Card Set: Sometimes all it takes is an inspirational message to make someone’s day. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion to send a note to loved ones, just a moment when someone can use a kind word. Let them know you’re thinking about them with this unique, inspirational greeting card assortment. Envelopes are included in the set. Link

Snack Time With #ThirtyOneGifts (Plus, Inexpensive Snack Ideas)

Disclaimer: I received products to review. All opinions are my own. 

Spring is in full bloom (our apple tree says so) and summer is on its way. That means it is time to get the family organized and ready for adventures, both planned and spur of the moment. The thing that always throws me off is the kids' snacks and lunches for our adventures. Luckily, Thirty-One Gifts always has my back! Their new Summer Essentials list is exactly what our family needs to get organized for fun!

My first order of business for getting us organized for summer is taking care of the snack and lunch issue. They have a shelf in our pantry that is kid-specific food and dishware. It is lined with baskets for easy prep. The snack mix basket desperately needed a rejuvenation and it started with Thirty-One Cool Zip Snacker ($12.00 and comes in Watermelon, Unicorn, and Shark).

Food safe and reusable, this cute thermal pouch for kids has a zipper top and is available in 3 adorable designs! Choose from our snappy Shark, sweet Unicorn or juicy Watermelon to keep foods cold or warm, and snack in style all season long. 

Get snack time organized with #thirtyonegifts cool zip snacker

A post shared by Cari | Chief This Handler💭 (@cari_on) on Apr 9, 2018 at 6:22am PDT

 In one basket, I have placed the Cool Zip Snacker, a bag of snack mix I made myself, and toppings for the snacks to sometimes add a little oomph (like marshmallows and craisins).

These are already my favorite gift item of the year. I have already gifted two. One to my MIL. I thought they would be perfect for keeping her pretzels and ginger snaps in to help ease nausea. The other is for my cousin's little girl who is about to have surgery. It will make her smile and when she gets back to eating "normal food," she can keep her snacks in it. Until then, it can keep her yogurt, pudding, and other soft snacks cold.

Snack Ideas

If your grocery bill is anything like mine, it seems like the most expensive items are snacks. Well, one tip to cut down on that bill is to buy large bags of snacks and break them up instead of buying individual snacks (see why the Cool Zip Snacker is a must-have?!) What I have started doing is making my own snack mix- I can control the sugar and dyes a lot better that way as well. 

When I first started doing this, I walked down the food aisle in the dollar store and then in Walmart to see what I could find. I ended up with a huge Ziploc bag of snack mix and 2 toppings for $5. Seriously, could you get that deal if you bought it already mixed? I don't think so. 

Here are 15 ideas to get you started:

1. Fruity loop cereal
2. Pretzels
3. Cheese Crackers (goldfish, cheese-its, etc)
4. Mini Crackers 
5. Other Cereals (walking down the cereal aisle is fun)
6. Marshmallows
7. Craisins/ Raisins
8. Nuts
9. Popcorn
10. chocolate chips
11. dried fruit
12. granola
13. small cookies
14. Animal Crackers
15. cheese puffs

You can also add sprinkles, coconut, grapes, and other items as toppings to give it more oomph!

Remember Your Blessings With This Beautiful Glass Jar

Disclaimer: I received a product to review. All opinions are my own. 

I received this beautiful jar and it could not have come at a better time for our family. With my MIL going through chemo, my health problems, and health testing with the kids, we try our best to count our blessings, but being reminded of them is always amazing!

"The More Grateful You Are, The More Present You Become, The More Joy You Bring Into Your Life". Begin each day with an open heart by recording all that you are grateful for. Creating a wonderful jar of memories that celebrate the joy of being alive. A moment of gratitude makes a serious difference in your attitude, harness this power with Gratitude Glass Jars! Buy for yourself or gift to a loved one, inspiring others to write notes of Gratitude & love towards themselves.

• Each set includes a beautiful hand blown glass jar with wooden lid
• Packaged with 365 bronze foil Gratitude Cards for you to capture your daily notes
• Each jar is 11 Inches tall (28 cm) & 6 Inches in Diameter (15cm)
• Beautifully packaged in a chic, contemporary gift box

I cannot say enough about how beautiful this jar is. Not only does it remind us to show gratitude in everyday life, to be thankful, and to look at the beauty around us, but it catches our attention and reminds us of these things throughout the day. 

Buy on Amazon

Book Review: Little Critter Little Blessings Collection

Disclaimer: I received this book for free in order to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own.

Little Critter Little Blessings Collection

Includes Four Stories!
By Mercer Mayer

Kids love Little Critter! This collection of four InspiredKids Little Critter stories—You Go First, Being Thankful, It’s True!, and We All Need Forgiveness—will help kids learn important truths about being thankful and getting along with others through Little Critter’s funny and endearing antics.

Mercer Mayer’s classic character Little Critter has a little trouble telling the truth, and forgiving his friends, and taking turns, and seeing the blessings all around him! In the charming and oh-so-funny antics, your kids will learn important life messages as they laugh with our favorite Little Critter.

You Go First! Little Critter learns that the secret to getting along is treating others the way he wants to be treated―which, in Little Critter’s case, means letting someone else be first.

Being Thankful On a trip to the farm, Grandma helps Little Critter understand what gratitude is and why we should be thankful for all the blessings God has given us.

It’s True! Little Critter learns quickly that lying has consequences and that telling the truth, no matter how hard, is always the right thing to do.

We All Need Forgiveness Little Critter learns why forgiveness helps heal the one who does the forgiving just as much as the one who needs forgiveness.

Young or old, fans around the world have loved Little Critter since he first came on the scene more than 40 years ago. Little Critter Little Blessings is a great collection and a great value.

When I was a little girl, Little Critter books were my absolute favorite. I just loved bringing that book to mom and getting her to read it to me. As I got older, I loved reading them to my little brothers. Now, I'm so happy to finally be able to share my love of Little Critter with my very own little critters. 

I love the lessons found in the Little Critter books. They are written the same way that kids learn these valuable lessons- through what happens to them in everyday life. It is also helpful to be able to send the kids to get that book when they are doing something wrong, but it isn't always easy to explain why they shouldn't do it. Mercer Meyer has a way with telling a story to kids and them being able to bring the lesson from it. 

Beautiful Journals From Fox Chapel Publishing

I hope you are enjoying this change from The Palmetto Queen to Cari On Living. We change throughout the course of our lives and I and this blog have changed so much over the past 6 years that a new name and look were just what we needed. I've been wanting to do this for a while, but with my MIL's breast cancer diagnosis, I've been doing more of what I want to do, spending more time with my kids, and spending more time reflecting on life.

Just in time, Fox Chapel Publishing was so nice to send me some journals to review and I am absolutely loving them. I split them up with my mother-in-law and she has really been enjoying them as well. I haven't journaled since I kept a diary in middle school, but this is really helping me to see the world around me in a new way and it is also renewing my faith because I am being reminded of the blessings around me. Thank you, Fox Chapel. These journals are exclusively from Quite Fox Designs.

Woodstock Unlined Journal Freedom

$12.99

The Official WOODSTOCK® Journal celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the greatest music festival of all time. Embellished with inspiring quotations, this journal features plenty of space for readers to fill with thoughts and memories. Made with archival quality, acid-free 200-year paper, perfect for pen or pencil.

Woodstock Dot Journal Peace, Love, Music

$7.99

The Official WOODSTOCK® Journal celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the music festival. This dot journal combines a planner, diary, and to-do list all in one. Made with archival-quality, acid-free 200-year paper, perfect for pen or pencil.

God All Around Me

$7.99

This uplifting guided journal will help readers savor the ordinary miracles that fill our lives every day, with thoughtful prompts, beautiful color illustrations, and plenty of space for reflective writing.

Bless This Home

$7.99

This heartwarming guided journal will help readers celebrate life’s greatest treasures—faith and family—with thoughtful prompts, beautiful color illustrations, and plenty of space for reflective writing.

TangleEasy Guided Journal Dragonfly

$7.99

Filled with exquisite animal illustrations by visionary artist Ben Kwok, a.k.a. BioWorkZ, this guided journal offers thoughtful prompts on every page to stimulate your ideas, inspirations, hopes, and dreams.

Hello Angel Lined Journal Skates

$7.99

Use this beautiful lined journal to skate past all your journal writing doubts and fears. Illustrated by bestselling coloring book artist Hello Angel, it offers intricate illustrations to stimulate your ideas, inspirations, hopes, and dreams.

Like I mentioned before, I gave a few of these to my MIL to help her through her journey with chemo and recovery. I'm not sure how exactly she is using them, but I know she loves them. I use the Bless this Home journal with my daily bible study- it helps me to be reminded of the blessings around me and I am currently using the Woodstock Dot Journal: Peace, Love, Music as a type of smash book. It has flowers the kids have picked, little notes from them, reminders of wonderful things, and so much more. I keep it on my desk so that I am always adding to it. The others will probably take the place of this one as it gets full. 

These are wonderful, beautiful, and craftfully made. They would be a great gift for yourself or a loved one- they also make a great addition to a gift basket.