Category: Review

Mini DIY Office Makeover [Photowall Review]

Photowall was kind enough to send me this wallpaper for my project in exchange for an honest review.  This review is 100% authentic and my full opinion.

photowall, wallpaper home office, diy office makeover, easy office makeover, affordable office makeover

My style is pretty simple and clean. I don’t love a mix of patterns or designs in any of my rooms, especially one where I have to concentrate and focus hard in.  I prefer clean lines, neutral colors, and classic styles.  So I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I decided a few months ago to do away with a separate playroom for our son and convert it (partially) into my home office.

I didn’t want anything oversized or cluttered.  It’s a small space and my home office is only taking up about 25% of the room – the rest is designated for my husband and I’s dressing room/closet and a few stray toys that didn’t fit in our son’s bedroom.  It needed to be professional, but not overwhelming.  I needed a place that I could focus in while getting a ton of work done and still have it zoom-call ready at all times.

Prior to make the transition, whenever I would schedule a call with a client I would have to scramble to hide things in the background, move pictures around so that it looked nicer and stash my papers on the floor so that I didn’t look to overwhelming and cluttered.  I hated it.  I wanted something that looked polished, professional and was ready at a moment’s notice.

I found an old desk at my office and decided it would work just fine.  It was the perfect size and it was free!  I also grabbed an old waiting room chair from the office.  It’s actually really comfortable and the style fits my personality.  I wouldn’t mind if the fabric was a different color, but only one project at a time for now.

I decided after bringing home the desk and chair that I need to start with the wall directly behind me.  I didn’t want to face the wall while I worked, but I didn’t have a big, beautiful window to face either.  So I picked a nice small corner where I could easily design a wall that worked for me.  I toyed with the idea of painting the wall, but honestly that seemed like a big job for such a small wall.  Then I thought about wallpaper and honestly, I had never hung wallpaper before.

I do remember being a little girl and my mom attempting to hang it on our home.  I don’t think it was a pleasant experience at all and then fast forward a few years when it was time for an update and I spent days taking that paper off our family room walls.  It was awful.  But I couldn’t get the idea of wallpaper out of my head.  It was such a small wall that I convinced myself it wouldn’t be that terrible to do.  Plus, I wasn’t looking for a crazy pattern so hard could it be to hang…?

That’s where Photowall came into the picture.  They have so many different designs, prints, and even photos that you can choose from to create your space just as you want.  I knew I wanted to go with a neutral gray color, but wanted something a little more interesting than just a solid color.  So I went with a watercolor version.  The ordering process was so easy – I measured the wall in inches and then headed over to site to add them in.  From there it allowed me to select which portion of the piece I wanted. I chose one that was bit lighter in the middle.

I ordered the design and within a few days the shipment arrived.  It was packaged perfectly in a long cardboard box with the glue, the pieces and directions perfectly inside.  I was shocked by how fast it came!

Now before I share just how easy this whole process was, let me share with you a cringe worthy picture of how it looked before.  It was just so boring. It lacked any creativity, any thing.  My hangings just looked and felt out of place.  And below you can see a nice after picture – the hangings are back, but with the colored background they just don’t feel out of balance any longer.

photowall, wallpaper home office, diy office makeover, easy office makeover, affordable office makeover

This project was just so easy to tackle.  It took me less than 2 hours from start to finish – it probably could have taken even less than that, but I was doing it by myself.  I’m not the tallest girl in the world, so even on the step ladder I struggled to reach the top of the wall.  Plus, every time I turned around a dog was under my feet or laying on a tool or trying to carry a tool off so that added time.

photowall, wallpaper home office, diy office makeover, easy office makeover, affordable office makeover

Photowall made the whole experience super simple.  Inside the box was the numbered sheets for the wallpaper so I knew exactly which piece was next and which direction to put it on the wall.  The glue was easy to make – they send it in powdered form, you mix with a gallon of water and let sit for 5 minutes then voila – you can get started. I didn’t even tough 1/10 of the glue that it made.  Then the directions were easy to follow and they have a video on Youtube I found that made it look really simple.

I did purchase a wallpaper kit off amazon, but Photowall does sell them.  I had this for another project that I didn’t end up doing so I just used what I had.

photowall, wallpaper home office, diy office makeover, easy office makeover, affordable office makeover

I even added an art piece I had ordered from GraceLaced and a knit creation I made with some yarn I ordered from Hobby Lobby and this gold circle off Amazon.  I was tired of having piles of paper on my desk from current projects, upcoming projects, and just endless to do lists (you know what it’s like) so I found this great fabric drawer chest from Amazon for under $30!  I also have one more piece to add, but it is still at the framers and I could not wait to share my final space with you.  So I’ll do an update once that gets in.

For someone who has never hung wallpaper before, I have to say it turned out great.  You can’t even see the lines between two pieces. Every speck and piece of watercolor art lined up perfectly.  It was easy to trim off the excess and the quality is outstanding.  I have to give a huge thumbs up to Photowall. Not only was the ordering process super simple, but the customer care has been fantastic.  I highly recommend working with them on your next project! I’m already planning my next wall (hint hint – the master bedroom), too!

They even were kind enough to send me a discount code for you, too!  You can use merelynne25 for 25%off your order until July 31, 2020.  So as you’re staying home these days, now is the perfect time to work on some DIY makeovers to those tired rooms you’ve been staring at.

Let me know in the comments which room you’re going to makeover first!

photowall, wallpaper home office, diy office makeover, easy office makeover, affordable office makeover

photowall, wallpaper home office, diy office makeover, easy office makeover, affordable office makeover

My Secret Grocery Hack Weapon | The Mommy Hook

Affiliate Disclosure: Please note when you click links and purchase items, in most (not all) cases I will receive a referral commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link. 

my secret weapon, the mommy hook, mommy hook, grocery tips, grocery hack, meredith rines, merelynne

Here I am pulling into the garage after what feels like the longest day. I’m tired. More like beyond tired. But of course we need groceries.  We like to go to the store once every two weeks and we had waited way too long this time around. We had no food, no snacks and very little milk and with a toddler that can’t happen.  I barely had pulled into the garage, put the car in parked and turned it off when our son decided to start screaming.  He was tired and hungry. I had a back full of groceries, a kid begging to get out of his car seat and three dogs barking to greet their boy on the other side of the door.  Usually we go grocery shopping as a family, but it still seems like we need an extra set of hands. J helps carry in the heavy stuff – water, sods, dog food and then he takes the dogs outside so they don’t run over Dent when he walks in.  

I try to grab as many bags as I could while wrestling our son to get him out of the seat.  And of course he’s taken off his shoes and socks so walking barefoot across the cold garage floor was out of the question. It took everything I had to not drop him or drop the bags or fall walking up those steps to get inside. 

Then after unloading I had to go back out for another load.  This time the crying kid and barking dogs were on the same side of the closed door and I just wanted the day to be done. 

my secret weapon, the mommy hook, mommy hook, grocery tips, grocery hack, meredith rines, merelynne, grocery hack

What’s one thing as a Mom you wish you could have?  For me, it’s an extra hand to help me carry all the grocery bags, diaper bags, work bags, and every other type of bag that you can think of.  

A few weeks ago while I was traveling for work, I was sent an email from the makers of The Mommy Hook.  They wanted to send me one to try out.  So I did a little research and quickly typed back – yes, please! I need one of these in my life.  Here’s the low down on The Mommy Hook – it’s a clip you can use to carry grocery bags, diaper bags, and store bags all with one hand. Plus, it can even clip on your stroller to help carry all of those shopping bags. Our stroller doesn’t have a big under area for storage. I can’t even fit our new diaper bag under there.

On one of our recent grocery trips I put The Mommy Hook to the test. Because of course I went close to nap time when our little guy was already tired, it was close to lunch and we were both getting hungry. So after stopping at Walmart for a few household items and then going to Aldi for the rest of our meal planning stuff it was time to haul everything inside.

my secret weapon, the mommy hook, mommy hook, grocery tips, grocery hack, meredith rines, merelynne

J was there to help, so he carried some bags in and then went back to get Dent.  Here I was trying to carry in the rest of the bags (because Moms like to make only one trip to get the job done) and here comes Dent. He wants me to pick him up since he’s just so tired.  I pulled out the Mommy Hook and grabbed the rest of the bags, the diaper bag and then picked him up. It was a breeze getting everything inside.

I think it’s safe to say that I am a fan! This might be my new favorite grocery hack!

You can get The Mommy Hook on Amazon and they come in different colors, too.  They are under $8.00 so they make the perfect gift for any Mom (or Dad)!

 

I did receive The Mommy  Hook at no cost, but have not been paid otherwise for this review. All the opinions are my own.

My Thoughts on ShadowSense and MakeSense | Are They Worth the Price?

shadowsense, trying shadowsense, lipsense makeup, meredith rines, merelynne, makeup review

Now don’t get too excited – it’s not everyday you get two posts from me in such a short time period. I was just too eager to share my latest reviews with you and didn’t want to wait until after the weekend.  Earlier today, I shared my review of LipSense that my friend Heather let me try out.

Well, the good news is she also let me try ShadowSense and MakeSense foundation, too.  Yep! I got to try it all.  In all transparency, I did receive a tester of each product to try; however, I gave the testers back to Heather since she uses those in demos and at parties.  I did not receive compensation for this review or even free product.  I was simply asked to try it, which is what I have done.

Let’s start off with ShadowSense.

It’s a liquid cream to powder eyeshadow from SeneGence (the makers of LipSense).  It claims to be long lasting and their site talks about how you can blend with other colors before it sets.  I was given the Pink Opal Shimmer to try out.  

You can watch my application and review online or down below:

Have you tried ShadowSense?  What did you think?  I really liked it.  I typically use drugstore and Morphe products, which I love.  The last time I used a cream shadow, it dried and started to look flaky.  ShadowSense wasn’t like that at all.  Once it was dried, it felt nice and my eyelids didn’t feel tight – if that makes sense.  The cost is $22.00 for one tube and I could see a tube lasting quite awhile.  I barely applied any and my lids were covered. 

shadowsense, lipsense makeup, long lasting eye shadow, meredith rines, merelynne

Do I think it’s worth the investment? 

This is a tough one.  Back in the day before kids, before marriage and before budgeting I would have easily spent the money.  I would have totally thought it was worth it too.  Nowadays when bills are more expensive and money is more tight it would be hard to justify the cost.  However, if I could catch a good sale from Heather then I may jump at the chance to buy one.  

Next, let’s talk about MakeSense their foundation.

Again, I was given a tester to try (not even a full-sized bottle) and give my thoughts on it.  Since it was a tester, I was a little lighter on my application.  Basically I had a bare spot on my side and chin to try it on.  My chin and nose always seems to be a little more red tinted than the rest of my face so I thought it would be a good place to try.  I was given the tester in Fawn, which ended up being perfect for me.  

I was a little nervous since it looked darker in the tube and I am so, so pale, but it worked out great.  I will say that $50.00 for one foundation is a little steep for me.  Again, back in the day I wouldn’t have blinked an eye at the cost, but these days I have to be more careful.  I liked the coverage and to me it was more of a medium-coverage than full.  I prefer full coverage like my Covergirl and Maybelline are; however, this one went on so much smoother than my everyday foundation.  

You can watch my review of MakeSense online or down below:

What foundation do you use? Would you be willing to try MakeSense?

 

My First Attempt At LipSense and My Honest Review

lipsense, trying lipsense, lipsense review, lipsense makeup, meredith rines, merelynne, makeup review

Lipstick hasn’t always been a huge part of my everyday makeup routine until recently. I found some great nude colors that I have fallen in love with. The only problem is how it just doesn’t last very long. I put it on at 7 in the morning and by my first appointment at 9 I’m already having to reapply. It’s kind of a hassle.

I even tried a few extra steps to help make it last longer, but to no avail. You know the extra steps – liner, concealer around the lips, powder over the lips, and gloss. It just didn’t help. It just added more time to my morning, time that I didn’t really need to be spending in the bathroom.  But I love the look of lipstick.  

Have you tried LipSense before? It’s a two-step long lasting lip color. It’s supposedly waterproof, kiss-proof and smudge proof.

I have wanted to try it SOOOOO bad! My friend Heather of Mermaid Kisses is an avid fan of LipSense and asked if I would be willing to give it a try. Of course I said yes. I have been eyeing this supposedly smudge-proof, long lasting lipstick for awhile. I’m going to be honest though the price tag kind of threw me off a bit. But I kept thinking about it, wondering how well it worked and if it was actually worth the price.  

So when Heather asked me if I would be willing to give it a try – I jumped!  You can watch the video of my first attempt at LipSense and my review of what I think of it.  

Watch online or down below:

If you would like to give LipSense a try – feel free to check out Heather’s Facebook page.  She runs some great deals.

What is LipSense?

It’s a liquid lipstick from SeneGence, which is a multi-level marketing company.  It boasts long wear capability – 18 hours through drinking, eating, kissing, etc.

The cost is $25 for color, $20 for a gloss (which you need to make it long lasting), and $10 remover.  Most of the consultants run specials and deals on a regular basis, so you can probably shop around for a pretty good price.

The company also sells a line of other makeup products – like eyeshadows, blushes and more.  They also have skincare items, too.

Does it last all day?

Not really.  It did last close to 10 hours with eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, kissing our little boy (a lot), talking to clients, and running errands. I wasn’t even disappointed that it didn’t last 18 hours like they said it would.  If I think about my average day, I don’t need my makeup to last 18 hours. My typical day is about 10 hours from the time I’m out the door until I get back home, so by the end of the day my lips have lost some of the color. If I would have religiously applied the gloss then I might have gotten longer wear out of it, but after dinner out I was ready to go home and put on sweats.

How did it make my lips feel?

It actually made my lips feel amazing. This time of year is the worst for dry, cracked lips that seem to last until Spring. After wearing LipSense, my lips started feeling smoother. 

Is LipSense worth the price tag?

… This one I’m torn on. I am someone who doesn’t shy away from makeup and love a simple routine that lasts all day. I would love to have maybe 2 or 3 more colors for those long days of meetings and needing to look more put together. Since they seem to last for quite awhile, I don’t think I would need more than that to switch up my look from day-to-day.  I’m pretty sure one of these tubes will last me a long time. 

Sure there are other long lasting lipsticks out there and I’ve tried a lot of them. Some are great and some … not so much. Maybe I’ll work on a post reviewing my favorite ones and the ones that didn’t make the cut.  So if the price tag scares you, wait around for some good deals from a local distributor like Heather.

I took pictures from the day to show you how it lasted:

7am – put it on about 30 minutes earlier.

lipsense review, trying lipsesne, thoughts on lipsense, lipsense worth it, how to demo lipsense, selling lipsense

9am – getting ready to go into my first meeting and I have not re-applied the gloss.

lipsense review, trying lipsesne, thoughts on lipsense, lipsense worth it, how to demo lipsense, selling lipsense

11am – Finishing up some reports and I re-applied the gloss about 30 minutes earlier.

lipsense review, trying lipsesne, thoughts on lipsense, lipsense worth it, how to demo lipsense, selling lipsense

1pm – Just finished lunch and re-applied after eating.  The color is still staying strong!

lipsense review, trying lipsesne, thoughts on lipsense, lipsense worth it, how to demo lipsense, selling lipsense

5pm – Re-applied the gloss again before meeting people for dinner.  After dinner I headed home so I no longer cared what it looked like.

lipsense review, trying lipsesne, thoughts on lipsense, lipsense worth it, how to demo lipsense, selling lipsense

I was also able to try out their ShadowSense and MakeSense foundation, too.  Read my review on those two products to see if I think they are worth the investment.

I received a LipSense color and gloss free to try, but did not keep the testers. This post is 100% my own opinion.