Applying Eyelashes as a Beginner Video

Heavens no, this is NOT the eyelash tutorial you’ve been looking for. However, if you’ve been intimidated by applying eyelashes, this may ease your concern!

You’ll also want to check out:

• Laser Hair Removal
• My Favorite Makeup Products – VIDEO
• How to Get Beach Waves in Your Hair – VIDEO

Applying Eye Lashes as a Beginner

So I did it. I’ve been wanting to try applying false lashes for the first time but was super intimidated by it so I kept putting it off.

“Will I rip my real eyelashes off?”

“Will it fall off, mid-sentence, while I’m having coffee with a friend?”

Those were real thoughts I had going through my head until I decided to just grow a set of … ahem… and pull my big girl panties up and roll with it.

Eyelash Video

So in Fantabulosity fashion, I couldn’t do this alone. I knew that I had to get this on video so I could share the hot mess attempt with you, and in turn, hopefully encourage you to attempt it too if you’ve been putting it off.

After the video, you can see the list of items I used and the links of where to buy them in case you’d like to try what I used too!

Eyelashes, Glue & Tools

Now, although I had no idea what in the heck I was doing when applying them, I DID do my research on products by asking my makeup stylist what to use (You know, the one who showed me how to cover the dark circles under my eyes?) so I at least started on the right foot with that. But other than that, I was winging it!

Here’s what I used:

• Ardell Eyelashes  (I used the “wispies” but plan to use the “natural” next time to see how I like those!)
• Callas Eyelash Glue
• Ardell Eyelash Applicator
• Eyeliner
• Mascara

So Tell Me…

Are you well experienced in applying eyelashes? What are your favorite products? I’d love to hear and try them out!

Or are you a beginner too? I’d love to hear if you’re going to try it now!

Drop me a note in the comments or email me and we’ll chat about it! I love making new friends!

This post has been sitting in my drafts since July of 2017 and I never published it because it didn’t feel right. I couldn’t explain why at the time, why I didn’t put it out for the world to see… but looking back now, in 2020, I totally get it. It kind of goes hand in hand with my “God, I’m exhausted and I’m done trying to fix it” post.

It wasn’t the right time because I wasn’t the same person back then as I am now and it would have been published for the wrong reasons.

It was written with a whole different mindset than I have now and I’m so incredibly thankful to be aware of this.

However, I felt it is appropriate to publish now because although it has the same words… it has a new meaning. I’ll explain more below.

So What Was the Wrong Reason for Writing This Letter in 2017?

I wrote this originally as an apology to my friends (or who I thought were my friends – but more to come on that later) in hopes that they’d forgive me for not being the Jessica that they were used to…a redeemed chronic people pleaser here.

I even had an editor look over the blog post back in 2017 to make sure it was written “ok” and that it wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings when I published it.

Now don’t get me wrong… I’m all about doing things for your friends and being there for them and being a kind person… and not being someone to hurt others.

But that’s not what this letter was about. This post that I wrote was about making sure I still looked “good” to them and so they (hopefully) wouldn’t talk bad about me behind my back anymore… since I had supposedly “changed”.

So with that said, let’s dive in to my 2017 post and then at the end, I’ll share more about what I’ve discovered since and I’d LOVE to hear from you how you can relate.

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2017 – Post/Letter to my Friends

You could put my face on a milk carton.  When it comes to describing my current stage of life in regards to my friendships with even my closest of gal pals… you can say “I’ve gone missing.” I promise it’s not an act of being unkind. It’s a season.

This Season of Life is Full

I’m in my thirties, a mom of two littles, and my oldest is getting ready to start kindergarten.  The closer it gets to August. The pit in my stomach gets bigger and bigger, thinking about how our days are limited of when we can come and go as we please on any day of the week. I find myself spending countless hours each day, trying to diminish the pit by squeezing in as much play, and laid back activities as we can before the next stage of life hits.

For the last year or so, my husband and I have been so incredibly dedicated, focusing on reaching a level of connection that some marriages unfortunately never reach.  We attend marriage counseling once a week to set aside dedicated time to discuss important topics and to build a state of love and respect for one another that we never realized we could reach.

I’m a working momma, running my own business at home.  Emails, deadlines, hand-on creative projects for brands, and dreams of my own that I’m working towards fulfilling.

I’m a major advocate of spending time with friends.  The connections, closeness, and relatability that can come from girl time is so good for the soul.

But lately, I’ve been silent with texts and checking in. I’ve missed birthday parties. I’ve fallen short on planning that girls dinner that I’ve been saying I want to have for weeks now. I’ve slacked on planning the annual girls night party in my home. (And other ridiculous things we women tell ourselves that defines “being a good friend.” But more on that at a later date.)

Owning the Season

So if I feel so strongly about the importance of girl time, why do my friends probably think I’ve gone missing?

Because I’ve decided to take the reigns of my current season of life and control how I fill each and every day:

— I’m being intentional about spending time at home with my “babies” before sending them out the door with a backpack.

— I’m taking advantage of every moment to nurture my marriage.

— I’m wrapping my arms around every incredible opportunity coming my way, to grow and improve my business.

After being able to put my current state of mind in to words, I couldn’t help but journal my feelings about my absence, in a letter to my friends…

A Letter To My Friends:

Dear Friends,

I’m so sorry I’ve gone missing.  It’s not anything you’ve done.  It’s something I have done.  You’d be so proud of me, really. I’ve taken the reigns on items in my life that are priceless and that long for my attention.

Unscheduled days of fun with my kids before school starts; Intentional time to work on my marriage to reach a deep connection that I never knew could exist; and capturing a turning point in my business that could be something incredible for my family.

This doesn’t mean that you’re not important to me. You’re so very important to me. I cherish our friendship, deep heartfelt chats, and hilarious stories when we spend time together.  So please don’t take my absence as a hidden message of some horrible meaning or change of heart.  Please understand that this is good.  When I spend time focusing on the items that can benefit from my dedicated attention, you’ll see the love overflow in to the other areas of my life and flourish beyond measure. Know that I adore pollinating our friendship when I’m fueled on this end.

It’s a season, and I can’t wait to be there for you when you go through a season.

Signed,

Your friend that’s still here…”

Who’s There on the Flipside

So although my friends are incredibly important to me, it’s a season. It’s a season in life that I’ve chosen to be intentional about and focus on the items that are super important to me. This doesn’t mean that my friends aren’t important. This doesn’t mean that “I’m putting my friends on the back burner.”  But it does mean that it’s a time in my life that I’m going to be intentional about, that may leave my friends saying,

What in the world is going on with her?

During times like this, it’s so incredible to see who’s there after a season we have in life. Who’s there to say “Hey I’ve missed you. Tell me all about it.” And most importantly “I understand, and don’t judge you one bit.” Those are the little golden nuggets in life that can make a friendship something to cherish.

End of Letter – Now Present Day 2020

The words in the letter that I wrote are still true. I still believe them and feel like they have merit.

But you see, when I wrote that letter, those words were meant to be “excuses” in hopes that my friends would still like me, even though I chose my family over them in that moment. I’d even go so far to say that I felt “bad” that I was choosing my family over them. It’s like you could almost feel me saying,

“Please don’t forget about me and forgive me. Please still be my friend when I’m done putting my family first.”

Today, I’m ashamed I felt that way.

After going through such a difficult time these last 3 years (more to come on that later, as soon as I can figure out how to tell the long story) I’ve realized what’s important:

God, my husband, my kids, and my family.

Don’t hear what I’m not saying (my favorite quote by my favorite pastor, Bryan Mills) friends are important. In fact,

“God has created us to need people.”

Erwin Mcmanus

But real, true, genuine friends are important.

I encourage you today to really look at those you’re investing your time with… and what priorities you have set for yourself.

Now, today, I could write the same letter and send it out to my friends… but it would be to the friends that would read it and think:

“We get it. You’re going through a season and doing what’s important right now. We’ll be here on the flipside and during it if you need me.”

And you know what? I have those friends now. I’m so thankful for those friends and will NEVER ever let that go unappreciated.

It is my mission to also be that friend for them and to be understanding even when it doesn’t make sense.

Laser Hair Removal St. Louis: An inside look at the BEST place for treatments and why. Plus a sneak peek at what just ONE visit did!

This post has been sponsored by Milan Laser Hair Removal, where I have also received services in exchange for this post. HOWEVER, all thoughts and opinions are my own… as always.

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Friends, I have been anxiously waiting to tell you about a new, life-changing service that I have started and have fallen in LOVE with, and has become one of my favorite beauty treatments!

Laser hair removal.

I know that some of you have considered laser hair removal or some of you WILL consider laser hair removal after reading this. Here's an inside look at my first visit and why you'll want to hear all about it!

Plus, keep reading to find out how you (yes, YOU!) can get 60% off of your own laser hair removal services, just for being a Fantabulosity reader!

For years I have thought about and have wanted to try laser hair removal.

I even went for a consultation years ago and decided to move forward with it, but the business closed shortly after and I was never able to take advantage of it.

Laser Hair Removal in St. Louis

Well if you’ve been around here for a while, you may know that I live in Missouri and close to the St. Louis area. I tend to find myself going to St. Louis for my hair appointments, shopping at the mall, and having a date night with my husband.

So when it came time to consider a company that specializes in laser hair removal, St. Louis was a no-brainer.

Milan Laser Hair Removal

Let me introduce you to my new friend… Milan Laser Hair Removal. I’m dead serious when I say “friend”. I have fallen in love with their team, their services and most importantly… their values.

Milan Laser Hair Removal has (at the time of this post) over 70 locations in the United States. So even if you’re not in the St. Louis area, odds are you may have one near you (or worth the trip) and they’re STILL growing and expanding into new markets.

Why do I love them so much already?

Because from the moment I talked to Stacey, at the Town and Country location here in Missouri, I felt so welcome and heard.

I told Stacey about my areas of interest, and she communicated with me in such a way that I was counting down the days until my consultation and first appointment.

Fast forward to the day of my first visit and I was greeted with the friendliest staff.

I was the only one in the foyer/lobby at the time (which I later found out that they try to do this on purpose… how cool is that?) and I immediately felt like I was home.

No nervousness and no awkward feelings like I didn’t belong. I felt like family.

First Laser Hair Removal Treatment

I mentioned earlier that I spoke with Stacey on the phone about my areas of interest for laser hair removal when setting up my first appointment.

Those areas of interest were the following:

• legs (half or full)
• Brazillian
• Bikini
• Armpits

They do offer more body areas, but those were the top picks for me on the day of my visit, I told the staff that I had decided to get the Brazillian treatment and let me tell you… if anyone would be anxious about getting laser hair removal, let alone a BRAZILLIAN… it would have been me.

But I never once felt awkward, scared, or out of place with Milan.

What to Expect at Milan Laser Hair Removal on Your First Visit

Upon walking in the door, Milan was CLEAN, bright and super welcoming.

Stacey took me on a tour of the clinic, explained the process and welcomed me into the consultation room where we chatted about how laser hair removal works, why it works, Milan’s background and payment options.

After the consultation, it was time for my first treatment!

Before and After Photos of Laser Hair Removal Treatment

I REALLY REALLY REALLY wish I could show you the before and after of my first treatment of the Brazillian, but let’s get real… anyone and everyone can come visit me here on Fantabulosity and showing that area off to anyone and everyone really isn’t my cup of tea.

HOWEVER, Stacey is a genius and she asked if I’d be willing to do a treatment on one armpit so I could see just how well it works for those, even after one visit.

I’m so glad she did this because now I can show you a before and after of my armpits.

Now, do know that Stacey said the armpits tend to show bigger results after the first treatment, more so than the Brazillian does.

So what are you looking at below?

I had my treatment on January 7, 2020. I did not shave either armpit until after I took these photos on January 24th, 2020. (Yes, my husband kept asking me when I was going to shave it, but I had to keep watching it because it amazed me with how much different it was than the other, haha!)

Honestly, in the armpit with less hair… was what my armpit used to look like a day or two after shaving, not 17 days after shaving.

What about the Brazillian area?

Well I can tell you that I do already notice a difference down there. It’s a little spotty, (some areas not growing back as much/as fast) and the hair that has regrown is MUCH softer. I can’t wait for the next treatment, so I can see how much more of a difference it has.

Does Laser Hair Removal Hurt?

I’ll admit… I was totally afraid that it was going to hurt like crazy, but I told myself,

"Jessica, you’ve had two babies… one being without an epidural. You can do this."

But you know what? My first treatment wasn’t bad at ALL! And it didn’t last long enough to even complain about it! Here’s more about “Does laser hair removal hurt?”

What does it feel like?

The Milan staff told me before we started that it would feel like the snap of a rubber band. I agree with that, and I’d even go to say that it feels like a “small” rubber band snap.

But you know what else? Before we started, I thought it would feel like a rubber band snap on each little hair follicle at a time. This is probably why I thought it would take so much longer than it did, and I thought I’d be pretty tired of that feeling after getting each individual pore treated down there. BUT THAT’S NOT HOW IT WORKS!

The tool that they use covers an area about the size of a quarter, so it gets multiple hair follicles at one time! I was so excited about this, and it made such a difference.

How Often and How Many Treatments are Needed?

They told me at Milan to expect 7-10 treatments, and that each treatment would be about 5 weeks apart.

After the initial visit with the consultation, the appointments don’t take very long at all!

As a matter of fact, if I know I’m going to be in the St. Louis area, I could easily call and see if they have an opening for a treatment, and I could pop-in and go about my day, running my other errands.

It’s definitely not something that you have to plan your whole day around, and you could feel free to run errands before/after, or like me… do some shopping since there’s a HomeGoods and Target right next door to my location! Hallelujah!

Lifetime Guarantee + Unlimited Package

So if you’ve heard or have been to other laser hair removal companies, you may be familiar with the “packages” that some offer. For instance, you buy per session or say, buy a package of three treatments at a time.

Well, not with Milan.

With Milan, you pay one price for the body area that you want, and it’s an unlimited, lifetime guarantee on that body area.

So say a few years from now, your body goes through some changes (hormones, etc.) and you notice one little hair grow back where you had a treatment.

You can call Milan, let them know and they’ll be glad to bring you back in, (at any location) at NO additional charge, and treat the area again! (Opposed to other companies where you may pay for 3 treatments in one area, and have to pay AGAIN and again to be treated.)

60% OFF for YOU! Yes… YOU!!!

Friends, I don’t know HOW this is possible, and I honestly didn’t expect this kind of discount for you when I first started talking to them, but you may want to take advantage NOW in case they change their mind! Haha!

Milan has offered to give you 60% off of your laser hair removal service, for any body area of your choice…. at any Milan Laser Hair Removal location. So when you call to schedule your consultation, just make sure to give them the code: FANTABULOSITY60 so they know to put it in the system for you!

Stop Putting Yourself on the Backburner. I did, and it Feels Amazing Already.

I’m not sure I’ve ever been THIS excited to share something with you. You know when I believe in, or fall in love with something, I don’t want to keep it from you. Well, Milan is no exception, and I can’t WAIT for you to do laser hair removal along with me. With 60% off, I’m hoping it either gives you the push to finally do this for yourself if you’ve been kicking it around, or I hope it’s something new that you’ve found that you can do for YOURSELF.

I know what it’s like to put yourself on the backburner, saving the time and money for your kids and husband.

But I can’t tell you how refreshed and GOOD I felt even after my first treatment. It wasn’t just because of the thought that I’ll never have to shave again… but because I finally did something for myself again. I want this for you too.

Brain Dump: How a brain dump works and a free template worksheet to help gather those loose thoughts and how to take action.

Brain Dump

Whether it’s in my blogging business or in my personal life, creating a brain dump can SAVE me. It saves my sanity and helps out so much with organizing and launching new projects.

What is a Brain Dump?

Well if you’re like me and can relate to the saying,

If you ever want to know what a woman’s mind is like, imagine a browser with 3,241 tabs open. All.The.Time.

Someecards

then you know that you can have a gazillion thoughts going through your head every minute.

The kids. The House. Your marriage.
Work. His work. Bills. The list goes on.

So when a “brain dump” comes in to the picture, it means we take all of those swirling thoughts in our heads and jot them down on paper!

Suddenly, we can feel relief because we aren’t trying to remember all of the things currently rolling through our minds. Plus, it allows us a place to look back on to be reminded of the things that we need to do or become aware of.

How do you Create a Brain Dump?

A brain dump can be created in different ways. Here are my favorite ways to create them:

• pen and paper (in a notebook, on a post it, in a planner, etc.)
• template or worksheet (see below for your free printable!)
• On the “notes” app or similar app on a cell phone
• On a computer using a Word doc, Google docs, etc.
• On a “mind map” website or something like Trello!

How do you Use a Brain Dump?

Of course you can do a brain dump of anything and everything you want (jot down all of the thoughts you currently have) and leave it at that. That in itself can be incredibly helpful to ease stress, and take a little off of our plate.

But managing or pinpointing what kind of brain dump you want to do, can add a whole other level of satisfaction. I like to divide them in to two different categories; “Feelings” brain dumps and “actionable” brain dumps.

Feelings:

A brain dump can actually be really helpful when it comes to feeling overwhelmed with thoughts.

For instance, if your mind is swarming with negative thoughts, depression, and anxiety, jotting down all of these thoughts can make us feel SO much better!

Somehow, being able to release those thoughts on paper can help release our ties to those feelings in some incredible way.

Actionable:

I like to take all of the items on my brain dump and organize them even more. Some of these “actionable” items can look like this:

Personal Life: School Activities, Doctor Appointments, Date Nights, Birthday Parties, etc.

Our lives can get so busy, between managing school activities, practices, date nights, dinner with friends, paying bills, cleaning the house, family gatherings and so much more… it can be easy to feel overwhelmed with everything we have to do.

Listing these items out can help us be more aware of what needs to be done, or what needs attention and that in itself can reduce the anxiety of the “unknown” feeling.

Work-Life: Creating Products, Preparing Speeches, Event Planning, etc.

For work, creating a brain dump can come in incredibly helpful if working on a big project, preparing for a big meeting, planning a big event… or even when it feels like there are a ton of items that need to be completed by a deadline… sometimes jotting down all of the things to do, ideas and or thoughts, can be helpful.

Plus, do you ever have those spur-of-the-moment ideas or thoughts when driving down the road or while out to dinner with friends? Sometimes it’s hard to remember them when it comes time to actually work on something.
So later, when we can refer to our brain dump that has all of those genius ideas on it, we don’t have to rely on just our memory!

Taking Action and/or Organizing a Brain Dump

Once your brain dump is complete, if you want to take it an extra step, a great strategy is to:

“Feelings” Brain Dump Action:

• talk to someone about the feelings you’re experiencing
• take some time for YOU to reflect on those feelings
• journal about those feelings

“Actionable” Brain Dump Organization:

• prioritize them in order of importance
• schedule the appointments
• list items in a planner, or in/on a calendar as to-do’s on certain days
• take action on the small, doable steps that can be completed easily and right then
• delegate to-do’s to those who can complete them

Free Brain Dump Worksheet

Although a blank sheet of paper will work just fine, I love being able to have a free printable for you to go along with your mind dumping process. Why? Well because I know how intimidating staring at a blank sheet of paper can be.

So when we have a cute printable to guide us or unconsciously give us permission to jot all of our thoughts down, it can make a BIG difference.

I’ve created the free “brain dump” printable for you. I’ve left it blank and have given you plenty of space to write in what you wish.

Get Your Free Template HERE!

To snag this brain dump worksheet, see button below…and then print it over and over, as you wish!

Want more of detailed brain dump worksheet?

I have a desire to create more of a detailed, guided worksheet for you, to help you organize your thoughts and help you pull out those deep ideas that you may be stored inside.

If this is something you’d be interested in having as well, let me know in the comments below and I’ll start working on it!

More Organization and Free Printable Posts You’ll Love:

• Daily Planner Worksheet
• Free Grocery Shopping List
• Importance of Time Management
• 7 Ways to Trick Yourself in to Getting Things Done

Importance of Time Management: Whether in your personal life, home, or in the workplace, this is why time management is so important!

Importance of Time Management

I have a lot of faults, but I will say that time management and organization come very naturally for me, and I swear I get it from my mom. That woman is an amazing individual and I grew up learning from the best.

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I honestly didn’t realize I had time management skills until I became an adult and began working with others and becoming more aware of deadlines.

But please don’t think I’m bragging or perfect with time management. I promise I struggle in many other areas to justify my time management skills and I do slip up occasionally with mismanaging my time. It’s just that time management is one of my strengths.

And since I’ve come to realize over the years just how important time management can be, in MANY different areas in life, I want to share what I know, so it can help YOU!

11 Reasons Why Time Management is So Important

Why is it important? Here are some of my favorite reasons why:

1. Take Control of Your Time and Not Let it Take Control of YOU.

When time management is incorporated into your life, you can take control of your time, and not let it take control of you.

Do you ever feel scattered? Feeling scattered can be what you feel when there are many things going on, and you’re letting them “come at you” freely, without routine or without complete awareness.

Being in control of your time, scheduling, planning and being more aware of what’s coming and/or happening, can really reduce the amount of anxiety and stress that you may feel. Which leads me to my next perk of managing your time.

2. It can Lower Stress

Life can be stressful! I don’t care if you’re someone who has a lot going on, or doesn’t have a lot going on… life can still be stressful. But when you DO have a lot going on, causing you to live a busy schedule, it can be a recipe for disaster.

Busy Schedule + No Time Management = STRESS

So if even a little time management can be put in to place, it can lower stress… and that’s what we all want, right?

3. Procrastination is the Enemy

Rather than managing your time wisely, procrastinating can cause a ton of chaos and anxiety later.

Procrastinating does feel good in the moment, but eventually, things will catch up and everything will be due at once with little time to devote to it.

4. To Be Effective in Everyday Life

Can we get through life without time management? Of course.

But having time management skills can help us be EFFECTIVE in everyday life. Effective with things like tackling items on our to-do lists, managing our homes so things don’t pile up, at the workplace and meeting deadlines, etc.

5. To be Considerate of Others

When thinking of all the reasons of the importance of time management, being considerate of others is at the top of my own list. Meetings, coffee dates with friends, respecting our spouse, and so many other people in our lives!

Others have lives too, so when we’re 30 minutes late to the meeting, solely because of the lack of our own poor time management, it’s disrespectful and can give the impression that we think what we have going on is more important than what they have going on in life.

I don’t know about you, but I never want anyone I care about to feel like I don’t care enough about what they have going on, and that their life should revolve around mine.

6. Can Make More Time for What Matters

I’ve talked about “love languages” quite a bit around here, and mostly when it comes to the subject of marriage.

If your spouse absolutely loves when you make time for them, having time management skills, to where it helps you make time for your spouse… can CHANGE your marriage. (In a good way!)

When my husband was working a ton of hours each day, running here and running there, I felt like I would end up on the back burner quite a bit because he’d often let work and life control his days.

But with a little time management under his belt, using the self-management checklist (that’s a freebie in my printable library, exclusive to Fantabulosity Family) each day, he began to regain control of his time and make more time for me and our kiddos!

7. Financially Beneficial

Time management skills can actually benefit us financially too! If we don’t manage our time with bill paying, we can be late paying bills, that can generate and accrue interest, late fees, etc. So managing your time can actually SAVE money!

8. Freedom for What We DO Want

Quite possibly my favorite reason to discuss the importance of time management, is because it can give us the freedom of time to do things for ourselves and others.

When our time is managed, it can free up minutes or even hours in our days/weeks to focus on things that we’ve been putting off for so long.

Perhaps it’s joining a class we’ve been wanting to join, or taking Friday’s off because we were efficient with our time Monday through Thursday.

If “freedom” is an important value of yours, time management just may be the key to your success with that!

9. Get More Done + Make Things Easier

Get more done, and get it done easier? You bet! When your time is managed and controlled, you can get a lot more done and not necessarily work as hard, completing things!

For instance, if a project is planned out or scheduled, you go in knowing that you are there to work on that project and only that project which can keep you from thinking about all of the other things you need to get done.

Focusing on one thing to do at a time, can mean you’ll complete it faster, efficiently and it makes it MUCH easier to complete when your brain isn’t trying to play tug of war with all of the other things you have to get done too.

10. Clear Thinking

When we feel less scattered because our time is managed more, we have less brain fog, more clarity and the “rushed” feeling tends to subside! It goes back again to having control of your time, rather than letting your time have control of YOU!

11. Workplace Perks

When it comes to the workplace, using time management skills can speak volumes to co-workers, leaders, etc.

Managing your time can be viewed as a great characteristic and can encourage promotions, pay raises and advancements in your career!

How to Manage Time?

So HOW can we manage our time? Well, that post is soon to come. I’ll be sharing my favorite tips and tricks to manage our time, with realistic strategies and techniques to implement into our daily lives!

But here’s a quick note to leave you with.

If you do something for 21 days, it could create a habit. (Unless it’s a BIG change or habit that you’re trying to break/start.)
However, it can take as little as 21 days to make a change.

So start small! What small thing can you implement in to your daily life NOW to try and incorporate more time management skills in to your life?

Remember, baby steps can be the key to success. No step is too small, as long as it’s in the right direction.

Pin it for Later:

Pin this image on Pinterest to remember it later, so you can come back to it to refresh your memory!

Gift Ideas for Toddler Boys: Whether you’re looking for birthdays, Christmas, or just a special present for a little boy, these are our favorite ideas!

With little boys in my immediate family, church family and group of friends… it’s so nice to have a big list of gift ideas for when we get a birthday party invitation or it’s time to buy for Christmas!

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• “I wish I didn’t have to tell my toddler…”
• Camping Birthday Party Ideas
• Toddler Lunch Ideas

Gifts for Toddler Boys

So after asking all of you super smart Facebook fans and shopping around online, I’ve compiled this list of AMAZING gift ideas for little guys.

I’m always updating this list and adding new favorites, so make sure to bookmark this page or pin it, in case you need to refer to it for the little boys in your life!

You May Also Love:

• Gift Ideas for Teenage Guys
• Gift Ideas for Teenage Girls
• Gift Ideas for Her
• Gift Ideas for Him
• Gift Ideas for Teachers

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• Cars, Trucks, Emergency Vehicles, Dump Trucks – I’m not sure I know a little boy who doesn’t love playing with these types of toys!
• Pretend Shaving Kit – Just like “dad” he’ll be able to shave his little face too!
• Train Table – Oh the hours of fun a train table provided for my littles! It’s an investment that paid for itself over and over.
• Washable Markers and Crayons – “Washable” is the keyword there!
• Power Car – He feels so big, being able to drive his own car around the house!
• Balls – I love this little variety set of balls, so he can play whatever sport he feels like!
• Keyboard – Not only does this piano let the little one play his favorite music, but it teaches fine motor skills, comes with animal sounds, drum sounds, a record function, and parents… a volume control button! YES please!
• Dinosaurs – Dinosaurs are a little boy staple and the love continues on through childhood!
• Magnets – Count on hours of playtime with magnets like these, while they build their favorite creations!
• Playskool Action Figure Heros – He gets to feel so big by having his own superheroes, but they’re made for little hands!
• Army Men and GI Joes – OLDER TODDLERS ONLY (3 years and older) – The childhood staple! Every little boy needs these!
• Lego Duplo – If you start him on Lego’s young, odds are he’ll still love Lego’s all throughout his childhood. (Or at least that was the story in our house!)
• Lego Junior Sets – OLDER TODDLERS ONLY (3 years and older) – When he gets a little older in his toddler years, he’ll love moving up from Duplo to the “junior” sets!
• Camping Play Set – Not too hip on going out in to the wilderness to camp? Me either! That’s why I love being able to give this camping set so he can camp out in the living room!
• LCD Writing Board – This toy is used on a daily basis in our house, and is by far one of my favorite gifts to give now!
• Character Shirts – Little boys LOVE having their favorite tv show characters on their shirts!
• Backpack – My little guy LOVED having his own backpack like his big brother. He couldn’t wait to pack it when it was time to go somewhere for the day!
• LeapFrog RockIt – This has AMAZING reviews and gives the little guy an opportunity to play on his own gaming device like his siblings/friends!
• A trip to Chuckie Cheese, Six Flags, the zoo, bounce house, movies or somewhere he LOVES to visit!
• Savings Account – Start him off right with a savings account that can sit there while he grows up and learn the importance of setting money back for later!

Did I Miss Something?

I'm sure there are SO many other items out there that a toddler boy would love, and I want to hear about it! Drop a note in the comments and let me know what it is so I can add it to this one to help others out!

Pin it to Remember it!

This list is frequently updated, so “pin” this image below or bookmark it to check back anytime you need a gift for a little boy!

Gift Ideas for Men: For the one that’s hard to buy for, you’re sure to find something here your husband, dad, boyfriend, brother, and friend will love!

I don’t know what happened this year but for some reason, I found it SUPER easy to find gift ideas for the men in my life for birthdays, Christmas, anniversary, Father’s Day and so much more.
Get my favorite gift ideas for her, the teenage girls, teenage guys, toddler boys and gift ideas for teachers in your life too!

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And last year for Christmas, my sister encouraged us to start a new family tradition, by buying small gifts for every member of the family, to fill up HUGE stockings for each of us, and it was SO.MUCH.FUN.

Nothing big. Nothing fancy. Just small gifts that we think each family member will love.

Then, one by one, we go in a big circle and take turns opening each individual gift so we can all see what each person got.

So many laughs, so many memories.

So with this new tradition, this meant that a WHOLE lot of men got added to my Christmas Gift Tracker (get your free gift tracker download here).

Here is a list of all of the goodies I’ve found lately that the men loved and would love and I hope you find some FABULOUS ideas for the men in your life too!

Many of these links contain affiliate links.

Gift Ideas for Men

• "Take it Easy" Gift Idea – Every guy on your list will love an excuse to relax!
• “You’re Red Hot” Gift Idea – Looking for something to give your husband or boyfriend? Tell him you think he’s “Red Hot” with all of these red goodies!
• "Open When" Printable Gift Cards – A DIY option and a heartfelt one at that. This is the gift that keeps on giving!

Featured Items:

• Smart Meat Thermometer – if you’re buying for someone who loves to cook and especially smoke meat, like we do, then he’ll LOVE this smart wireless meat thermometer!
• Gravity Memory Foam Pillow – This pillow will change this guy’s sleeping world! What better gift to give, than the gift of a good night’s sleep? Gift him this memory foam pillow that’s customizable… yes really! The inserts move around to give you the “feel” you need for the night!
• Weighted Robe – After a long hard day, imagine him being able to take a hot shower and cover-up in a weighted robe! YES! The weight of the neckline helps induce relaxation and it’s absolutely GENIUS! 

• Heated Jacket (Weargraphene) – This has to be one of my favorite gift ideas for a man! (Especially my husband who always finds himself outside in the cold when he’s hunting or working on the ranch!) Good news: You can also use code: FB10 to get 10% off, sitewide!

• Supplements for men – From vitamins to pre-workout, the man in your life will love trying something new or getting something he doesn’t have to buy himself next month!
• Does he love being a couch potato? He’ll love this couch potato gift basket idea!
• Yeti Cooler – Whether he spends time at sporting events, hunting or just needs a cooler for a long road trip, he’ll love having a new cooler!
• Yeti Rambler Tumbler – Want to get him a Yeti but a cooler is over your budget? This tumbler is something he can never have too many of!
• A Ball Cap – The trucker hats are in style and he’ll stand out from the crowd with the different styles and colors Patagonia hats have!

• Kabob Grilling Baskets – Have a griller? How easy will it be to secure kabobs now?
• Tickets to a sporting event from Stubhub – It’s the gift that will continue to give after opening! Grab tickets to a football, basketball, baseball or hockey game and watch his eyes light up!
• Cornhole Set – it’s one of the most addicting games out there right now. He’ll love playing this with his buddies and at family functions!
• Concert Tickets from Stubhub – have a music lover? Check the concerts in his area coming up and see if he has a favorite show coming soon!
• Work Boots – A nice pair of work boots will send him back to work in the new year with a smile on his face!
• Cognac Belt– A belt that looks AMAZING on a business suit and is super popular this year!
• North Face Puffer Vest – This vest is a staple in so many closets and one that you can never have too many of!
• Weighted Blanket – This is on so many wish lists this year and for good reason! He’ll be sleeping better in no time!
• Wireless AirPods – For those long car rides or working in the office, he’s going to LOVE having these new AirPods to listen to podcasts or his favorite music!
• 75 Inch Vizio Tv – What guy wouldn’t LOVE to see this under (or heck, beside) the tree this year! 75 inches of his favorite sporting event or tv show? You may just be his new favorite person after getting this tv this year!
• Roku Streaming Stick – Help make it easier to watch his favorite things on tv this year!
• Capital Gains: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff – Chip Gains – Chip Gains is loved by so many and his book is so encouraging that no matter what your guy does for a living, he’ll love reading this book!
• Adidas Cologne – there are SO many expensive cologne options out there, but this Adidas cologne is SO SO good and super affordable!
• XBox – Have a gamer on your list? Feed his gaming addiction with a new XBox this year!
• Nikon DSLR Camera – Has he shown interest in taking photos? This camera a FANTASTIC starter DSLR camera!
• Car Detail Kit – A man and his truck/car/RV… no matter what he drives he’ll love having this on hand to keep it clean!
• Pajama Set – He’ll love lounging in his chair on the weekends wearing one of these pajama sets!
• Watch – A timeless accessory, a watch is always a safe bet!
• Fantasy Football Gear – You’ll be speaking his love language by gifting him with something fun to take to his next fantasy football meeting!
• Leatherman Tool – It’s the tool that can do all.the.things! Something he can keep in his glovebox toolbox, it will come in handy when he needs a little help!
• Wireless Garage Door Opener – I’ve had this and LOVE it! It’s so nice to be able to see if your garage door is opened/closed even when you’re not home. Plus, get notifications if your door opens!
• Jersey for His Favorite Sports Team – Give him a new shirt to wear to support his favorite team this season or to wear when he goes to the game to root them on!
• Gift Certificate for Carwash in Town – A lot of carwashes now have membership options and they run GREAT deals during the winter months. Grab him a gift certificate for when the weather warms up!
• A basket of his favorite snacks/drinks – Do a little research and find out what his favorite goodies are and he’ll be snacking well in to the new year!
• Scratch offs – This is a gift that could give him WAY more! Plus, it’s a great option if you have a specific dollar amount to give because you can get anywhere from 1 to 100 (or more) of these!
• Alcohol – Is he a scotch drinker? Whiskey? Beer? Grab his favorite mixer and he’ll be able to crack in to them right after opening!
• Gift Certificate to his Favorite Restaurant – Once the leftovers are gone from the holiday celebrations, give him a chance to visit his favorite place to get a steak/burger!

Did I Miss Something?

I'm sure there are other items out there that the man in your life would love and I want to hear about it!

Drop a note in the comments and let me know what it is so I can add it to this one to help others out!

Pin it to remember it:

Gift Ideas for Her: Shopping for a sister, mom, best friend, teacher or another gal in your life, just got a whole lot easier!

Gift ideas are sort of my jam, but I’ll admit, I struggled a bit when trying to find gift ideas when I created the gift ideas for teenage girls and teenage guys, so I had to enlist in some help from my niece and nephew.

When creating the list, gift ideas for teachers, it was much easier because I went to Facebook and asked teachers themselves what they’d like to receive as gifts and even better… what they don’t want to receive as gifts.

But this one… gift ideas for her… THIS one was much easier and a lot of fun to put together. I simply “shopped” for myself and found all sorts of goodies that I’d like to receive!

You may also love “Gift Ideas for Him” if you have a guy to buy for this year!

P.S. Did you get my free printable Christmas Gift List download yet? You'll want to get your hands on that pronto!

Gift Ideas for Her

From totes to kitchen utensils, to clothes and cake stands, this ever-evolving list is often updated with the latest finds and gift ideas that gals will love for her birthday, as Christmas gifts, or even Mother’s Day!

What does mom really want for Mother’s Day? You may be surprised!

Simply select the image of the items and it will take you right to the store to snag it!

Many of these links contain affiliate links, and I may have received some products listed here for free, so I can try it out first, so I know what to recommend.

Shoppable Favorites for Women

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More Gift Ideas She’ll Love

If you love more of a DIY gift approach, you’ll love these gift ideas that are easy to create and are reader favorites!

DIY Sangria Kit

So easy to put together, and the drink dispenser can be used again and again! Perfect for housewarming, Christmas gift, or a just because!

Sunshine Gift

A sunshine box is a fun gift to not only give but to put together! Go on a hunt for all things yellow, and surprise someone special with the gift basket!

Spa Basket

A Spa at Home Gift Basket Idea: A box full of goodies for someone special to experience a day of pampering at home when they can't get out to the spa!

Take it Easy Gift Basket

Take it Easy Relaxation Gift Basket Idea for Men or Women: This simple gift idea is perfect for any man or woman for ANY occasion! Who wouldn't love a basket with an excuse to relax!

“You’re Sweet” Gift Basket

This "You're Sweet," gift idea can be used in SO many ways. Hostess Gift, a gift idea for best friend, neighbor gift, co-worker, and so much more.

Gift Ideas for Teachers: Male or Female, Christmas, End of School Year, Daycare, New Teachers, Appreciation and Thank You gifts all teachers will love!

Gift Ideas for Teachers

Each year, I find myself trying to think of gift ideas for my son’s teachers for Christmas, and even other holiday’s throughout the year.

It’s not that I forget to add them to my Christmas gift tracker, but rather I just don’t know what his/her “likes” are, or what they may need.

While giving should be about the “thought that counts”, I still want to give gifts that he/she can actually use or that they’ll actually like. You with me?

More Gift Ideas You’ll Find Helpful:

• Gift Ideas for Teenage Guys
• Gift Ideas for Her
• Gift Ideas for Him
• Gift Ideas for Teachers
• Best Friend Birthday Gifts
• Gift Basket Ideas
• 30th Birthday Gift Ideas for Him
• DIY Gift Ideas

BEST Gift Ideas for Teachers

So what better way to find out what teachers ACTUALLY want, than to just ask them!

On the Fantabulosity Facebook page, I polled teachers and asked them to share the BEST gifts they’ve ever received and any other advice they wanted to give!

After this incredible list of the BEST gift ideas, you’ll also find tips for gifting to teachers and even some VALUABLE feedback from real teachers, sharing what they DON’T want and some important things to remember, whether it’s for:

• A male or female
• School or Daycare
• Christmas
• Valentine’s Day
• Appreciation/Thank you
• First Day of School
• or just because!

Now let’s get to the gift ideas!

Gifts for Teachers

• A DIY gift can be so fun and thoughtful, and this homemade bath salts gift, is something a teacher would love!
• Coffee throughout the year – find out her favorite coffee and sprinkle coffee deliveries throughout the year!
• Alcohol (You wouldn’t believe how many raised their hand for this! Just don’t send it to school WITH your children.) Wine, beer, cocktail mixes, martini set, etc.!
  This Sangria Kit is one of my favorites!
• Gift Cards for Amazon, coffee shop, local restaurant for lunches, massage/spa, or to Walmart/Target for school supplies!
• Heartfelt note about how she/he has impacted your child’s life.
• Books for the classroom
• Have the kids in the classroom make a scrapbook with pictures of themselves and leave little notes about why they loved being in his/her class.
• Tote bag – to carry school items, back and forth from home.
• A movie night gift box – Filled with items like a Redbox gift card with a box of brownie mix, microwave popcorn, drinks, and a blanket. This can be used with his/her whole family.
• Pens/notebooks
• Sunshine Gift Basket
• Teacher Survival Kit
• Spa Gift Basket
• Gift basket of candies/snacks

Advice from Teachers on Gift Giving:

While asking teachers what their favorite gifts from students were, I had a few teachers get real and honest about things and I thought it would be helpful to share those here too!

• No homemade crafts – Teachers, especially elementary teachers have pictures drawn for them all of the time, and run out of room quickly! Although some do love homemade crafts, maybe steer from them unless you know for sure!
• Trinkets get overwhelming – You know what these are. “The best teacher” signs and “#1 teacher pencil organizers”. Although so sweet, maybe opt for a gift card so they can buy their own trinkets!
• Don’t forget special education teachers, office staff, custodial, lunchroom crew, etc.
  Gifts always seem to go to the homeroom teachers but the other teachers can play a big role in your child’s life. If they do… maybe a small gesture or gift would make their day!

Last-Minute Gift Ideas

Hey, I’m right there with you sometimes. The holiday snuck up on you and you totally forgot to get the teachers a gift.

It’s alright because I’m going to help you tackle this!

If you have at least a couple of days, Amazon prime 2-day shipping to the RESCUE! Here are the top-picks for quick, last-minute gift ideas for the teachers in your life.

More Gift Ideas You’ll Love:

• “Take it Easy” Gift Idea
• “You’re Sweet” Gift Basket
• “Open When” Printable Gift Cards

Did I Miss Something?

I'm sure there are other items out there that a teacher would love and I want to hear about it!

Drop a note in the comments and let me know what it is so I can add it to this one to help others out!

Pin it to remember it:

Gift Ideas for Teenage Guys: Instead of giving the guy who has everything a handful of cash again this year, here are gift ideas he may love!

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Gift Ideas for Teenage Guys

Why are teenage boys so hard to shop for?

With two boys of my own, I’m not sure I’m looking forward to gift-buying when they get older. Course, when it’s your own kids, it may be easier than buying for a boyfriend, brothers, nephews, cousins, friends, etc.

So to help those of you out with great gift ideas for teenage guys, I’ve done a little research and have given you a GREAT list of ideas to choose from!

P.S. Did you get my free printable Christmas Gift List download yet? You’ll want to get your hands on that pronto!

Ok, so let’s get to the items I’ve found online for you to help make your Christmas shopping a little easier.

Note that most of these gift ideas are from Amazon, just because if you’re familiar with Fantabulosity, you know I survive on Amazon prime, and I’m assuming you may too.

However, you may also find some items here from Target, Nike, and Urban Outfitters!

Many of these links contain affiliate links.

Gifts for Teenage Guys

• MoonPod – PERFECT for gamers or a guy who loves to relax in his room or in front of the tv on the weekends! Sit, lay, recline… it does it all!

• Bluetooth Beanie Hat – With as many podcasts, YouTube videos and TikTok videos that teenagers are watching these days, this Bluetooth beanie hat will come in handy during the colder months!
• Cornhole Game Set – Cornhole is a game for all ages, but more and more teenagers are playing this on the weekends with their friends!
• Drone – No matter if they want to catch amazing views on the senior trip or if they need a hobby for the weekend, a drone will be the perfect addition!
• Nike White Tennis Shoes – White tennis shoes are HOT this season and so many boys are wearing them!
• Vineyard Vines Tees – As with teenage girls, some guys like to wear this style too!
• Skateboard – Have a vsco guy on your list? If he doesn’t have a skateboard, odds are he’d love one!
• Phone Case – As much as teenage guys use their phones, a phone case is a safe bet!
• Bluetooth Speaker – Make listening to music easier while hanging out with friends with this Bluetooth speaker!
• Under Armour Socks – Whether it’s for football practice or just to wear with his new slides, he’ll love a new pair of Under Armour socks!
• YETI Hopper Sidekick Dry – When he’s going for a long day of soccer games, send him with this YETI bag to keep goodies in, instead of a typical cooler/lunch box.
• Yeti Trucker Hat – Does he love hats? A Yeti hat may just be on his wishlist!
• Personal Charging Hub – Help keep him organized with this charging hub, to charge his phone and all of his electronics!
• Phone Charger – Speaking of charging a phone, no one can have too many phone charges. Give him something that he can actually use!
• Roku Streaming Stick – If he’s going off to college or needs something for the den, this streaming stick will help him watch whatever he loves to binge out on!
• Cordless Electric Shaver – Like it or not, he may be ready to shave! Give him something nice to use, to learn on.
• Apple AirPods with Charging Case – A HOT gift for the last year has been Apple Airpods and almost any guy would love these!
• Gas Gift Card – He’s driving to visit his girlfriend, back and forth to practice or just to hang out with his buds… he’ll love using a gas gift card instead of his savings account!
• Favorite Things – Arrange some of his favorites in to a reuseable container like a tackle box, plastic storage container for his dorm room or a basket! (sunflower seeds, jerky, candy, socks, scratch off’s, fast food gift cards, etc.) Need an idea for your boyfriend? This Red Hot gift basket idea may be your style!

Did I Miss Something?

I'm sure there are SO many other items out there that a teenage guy would love, and I want to hear about it!

Drop a note in the comments and let me know what it is so I can add it to this one to help others out!

Or, this is a great list for toddler boys if you have another little guy to buy for.

What About Gift Ideas for Teenage Girls?

Oh I have that list too! Head over to see the 23+ Gift Ideas for Teenage Girls!

Gift Ideas for Teenage Girls: Shopping for your daughter, niece or friend just got a lot easier with these popular gift ideas!

Gift Ideas for Teenage Girls

Oh how I had fun shopping around online for gift ideas for teenagers! I did have to recruit a little help (ok, a LOT of help) from my niece on this post to make sure I actually recommended gift ideas that the teenage girls in your life would actually like!

Have others to buy for? Here are more gift ideas you’ll love

• Gift Ideas for Teenage Guys
• Gift Ideas for Her
• Gift Ideas for Him
• Gift Ideas for Teachers
• Best Friend Birthday Gifts
• Gift Basket Ideas
• 30th Birthday Gift Ideas for Him
• DIY Gift Ideas

From trending girl gifts to everyday necessities that any girl would love, you’re sure to find something here to complete your gift buying list!

P.S. Did you get my free printable Christmas Gift List download yet? You’ll want to get your hands on that pronto!

Ok, so let’s get to the items I’ve found online for you to help make your Christmas shopping a little easier.

Note that most of these gift ideas are from Amazon, just because if you’re familiar with Fantabulosity, you know I survive on Amazon prime, and I’m assuming you may too.

However, you may also find some items here from Target, Uncommon Goods, and Anthropology!

Many of these links contain affiliate links.

Gifts for Teenage Girls:

• 60Pcs Premium Velvet Hair Scrunchies – Oh I love how scrunchies have made a comeback. This contains 60 pcs and she’ll surely be able to pick a color that she loves with this set!
  
• adidas Women’s Adilette Aqua Slide Sandal – I feel a bit of nostalgia with these too, and the pastel colors are adorable!
  
• Cute VSCO Laptop Vinyl Stickers for Water Bottles – So apparently young girls are loving adding stickers to their water bottles these days, and this set is just one of many available!
  
• Hydro Flask Travel Coffee Flask – Oh but not just any water bottle! A Hydro Flask is what she wants this year!
  
• Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lip Balm – Good ole Burt’s Bees never gets old. She’ll love this as a stocking stuffer or just to balance off another gift you’re getting her!
  
• Fairy Lights – She’ll love these to decorate her room to show off as the background in her SnapChat or TikTok videos!
  
• Crocs Classic Clog – How are these back in style!? I love it. They are and they’re SO hot right now.
  
• Madden Girl Women’s Brando Slide-On Sandal – I feel like a broken record here, but what in the world!? I totally wore these in the 90’s and grinned when I saw teenage girls wearing them with their socks!
  
• VSCO String Wave Bracelet – The string bracelets are HUGE and she probably wants a 100 of them to wear at once on her arm. Pick her favorite color (or get a variety) and surely she’ll be in love!
  
• Bright Fuzzy Socks – Well you don’t have to be a teenage girl to love fuzzy socks. (I actually owe this idea to my teenage nephew, as he likes buying fuzzy socks for his girlfriend for her birthday and Christmas!)
  
• DIY Journaling Set – Girls are loving the DIY things right now, where they can get crafty and create new things. I thought this DIY journaling set was flipping adorable!
  
• Vineyard Vines Tees – I’m sure you’ve noticed the girls wearing the oversized t-shirts, with the shorts, crocs and carrying their hydro flasks… well a popular t-shirt right now for teenage girls tends to be a Vineyard Vines tee and they have super cute styles right now!
  
• Lightess Cinema Light Box – For a little room decor, she’ll love creating messages on these before her friends come over for a visit!
  
• Phone Case – Who doesn’t need a new phone case? Or a backup at least!? Snoop around and figure out her favorite color and see if they have a phone case in her shade!
  
• Charging Hub – How handy is this charging station for her phone and other accessories!?
  
• Roku Streaming Stick – On the higher end of a Christmas gift as far as price, I think is an affordable way to give her the option to watch a TON of tv in her room!
  
• DIY Lip Balm Kit – A mix of the lip balm and DIY ideas above, a lip balm kit would be fun to create favorite flavors and scents!
  
• Inflatable Lounger Air Sofa – Whether she’s staying with a friend, going camping with the family or she needs a quick nap in between soccer games, she’ll love this air sofa!
  
• KODAK Smile Instant Print Digital Camera – Teenage girls are too young to remember our polaroid days, so they’re loving the instant print digital camera!
  
• Apple AirPods with Charging Case – On the more expensive side of gift ideas, I don’t know if there’s a teenage gal out there that wouldn’t LOVE these. Heck, I wish I could get some of these this year!
  
• Weighted Blanket – These are all the rage right now, and even if it’s just a trend, it has been said that they can help with anxiety and help you sleep better!
  
• Starbucks Gift Card – What girl wouldn’t love to be able to hop over to Starbuck’s to get her favorite treat without having to ask mom and dad for money!?
  
• Candy – Don’t just grab a bag of candy off of the shelf at the store. Buy a few different kinds in the same color, or buy her favorites and build a candy basket in a cute container that she can reuse, like a make-up bag or jewelry box!

Did I Miss Something?

I’m sure there are SO many other items out there that a teenage girl would love, and I want to hear about it! Drop a note in the comments and let me know what it is so I can add it to this one to help others out!

What About Gift Ideas for Teenage Boys?

If you also have a teenage guy on your list, you’ll find this list of gift ideas for teenage boys super helpful too!

Christmas Gift List Printable: Keep gift buying organized with a free printable tracker template that has fill-in-the-blank bullet points to manage gifting!

Christmas Gift List Template

Hi there! Pen and paper kinda gal here.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good spreadsheet and digital organizer like Trello (actually, I couldn’t survive without Trello) but there is something about writing things out with a fun pen and cute sheet of paper or a printable, which is why I created my home management binder too!

So if you’re like me and love a good pen to paper kind of organization every once in a while, then I want to share my Christmas Gift List with you, to help you manage and keep track of the Christmas gifts you’re buying for friends/family this year!

You’ll Also Love:

• Buffalo Check “NOEL” Printable Decor
• Free Buffalo Check Gift Tag Printables
• Free Grocery List Template
• Daily Planner Printable
• Blank Calendar Printable
• “Open When” Printable Gift Cards

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Gift List Printable

When designing this printable, I wanted to keep things clean and simple, and use my favorite color, coral, to match all of the other printables created here on Fantabulosity!

How to Use the Gift Printable Checklist

Simply jot down all of those that you need/want to buy for, and then list out any ideas that you have.

Once you’ve purchased or gathered the item(s) you’re giving them, mark through it!
There’s something so satisfying about crossing something off a list, don’t ya think?

Christmas Gift List Bullet Journal

I know so many of you are fans of bullet journaling, so I’m hoping that this printable is an easy addition to your own journal if you have a way of including it.

8.5 x 11 Portrait Size

This printable is designed to be printed and used loosely or can be added to a three-ring binder. However, sizing it down should work just fine if you have a smaller binder/journal you’d like to add it to.

Just check your computer’s settings to make these adjustments.

How to Access Your Free Gift List

It’s simple! Just select the button below to get your free gift list printable!

Did You Use This?
Snap a pic and hashtag it #Fantabulosity — I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!

If Christmas is On Your Mind, Then You’ll LOVE These Other Related Posts Too!

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How to Host a Favorite Things Party

If you’re looking for a fun party (or a low-key gathering with friends) a favorite things party is incredibly fun! Read how I host this party and play the gift exchange game!

Tips for Creating a Holiday Place Setting

I love personalizing a place setting for guests. It can help a guest feel more welcome when things are in someone else’s home, and can help make them feel a little more special! See how I designed this fun holiday place setting for Coca-Cola!

Customizable Place Card Printables

Talk about personalization! With these free customizable place card printables, you can type in your guest’s name, print out and wrap around a cloth napkin! Such an easy way to add a sweet gesture during the holidays! Use the “I’m thankful for” option or the “Welcome” option for your very own table!

Pin it To Remember it!

How to Sell on Amazon for Beginners: A work from home or side hustle that’s easier than you think, selling products online with these tools!

How to Sell on Amazon for Beginners

I am BEYOND honored to have a friend here today, sharing her knowledge and tips with us about how her family got started selling on Amazon and still to this day, sells products on Amazon!

Let me build the scene for you (You know my inner Sophia from Golden Girls has to come out every now and then… “Picture it, 1922… Sicily…” )

Listening to Pat Flynn’s podcast a couple of months ago, I happened across an episode that had a couple being interviewed, chatting about their success with selling on Amazon, and the dreams they’ve achieved while doing so.

I was so impressed with them and fell in love with their story.
So much so, that I got up the courage to reach out to them and ask if I could help share their story/products here on Fantabulosity with those of you who have dreamed of selling on Amazon too!

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The Selling Family – Selling on Amazon

Would you believe that Jessica from The Selling Family, emailed me back within no time?
I couldn’t believe it… someone that I had decided that was pretty much a celebrity, answered my email and responded to it in a flash!

I knew in that instant, that she and her husband were something special.

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After chatting through email a few times, Jessica said that she would love to share with Fantabulosity readers, some of her story and tips for those of you who are considering selling products on Amazon!

So without further ado, I am honored to have Jessica here, answering some of the questions I thought you all might like the answers too when it comes to selling on Amazon.

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Hi Jessica! Thank you SO much for joining us. Here are some of the top questions that I have for you, that I think Fantabulosity readers will want to get the scoop on…

“Why did you start selling on Amazon?”

I started selling on Amazon shortly after losing my full-time job in 2008. I was working for a company in the housing industry and there was major downsizing because of the recession. It was actually my husband, who was a manager at the same company, who had to let me go!

We were not in a place to live on one income so I knew I needed to find work right away. Luckily, I had been selling on eBay on the side so I had some experience there.

I took my last corporate paycheck and spent all of it at yard sales.
I sold all of the yard sale finds on eBay and that's how I ended up in the business of online reselling.

Replacing A Corporate Income

It only took me a few months on eBay to replace my old corporate income! By using my profits to buy more inventory, I was able to quickly grow the business. But it was also starting to take a lot of my time.

That's the thing about eBay. Each time you want to sell an item, you have to take a photo of it, create a listing, pack it up when it sells, drive it to the post office, and wait to see if there are any customer complaints or returns.

You're really limited by the number of hours you have each day. Especially since you also need time to go out and look for more inventory to sell.

In the summer of 2010, I started chatting with a group of eBay sellers who were trying their hand at selling on Amazon.

Now this might sound crazy to you now, but back then Amazon really was just a place for books. So sellers were going to thrift stores and library sales, picking out used books, and reselling them on Amazon. They'd make maybe $1 per book so they'd do this all day long.

I wasn't all that interested in selling books. I tried it, but it just wasn't for me. But what did interest me about Amazon was their fulfillment program for third-party sellers called Fulfilled By Amazon (FBA). I had a feeling that with FBA, I'd be able to grow and scale my business that much faster.

I was right about my hunch. By 2011, I was making enough money that I was able to help my husband Cliff retire from his corporate job. We've been running an Amazon business together as a family ever since.

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“How does it work? Do you buy things at the store and ship them to Amazon or to each customer?”

Here's the big difference between Amazon FBA and basically everything else out there for reselling.

With FBA, you don't ship directly to the customer. Instead, you buy your inventory and you ship it in bulk to an Amazon Fulfillment Center. They have these all over the country.

Once Amazon has your inventory at one of their warehouses, they handle most of the work.

• They store your inventory in their warehouses
• They pack the items and ship them to customers (usually with free 1-day Prime shipping!)
• And they even handle returns and customer service issues.

This is great because it means you can run a reselling business without looking like a hoarder! With eBay, I always had inventory and packages scattered all over the house.

But the real benefit is how much time it saves. Instead of packing up individual shipments and driving to the post office, I just create one or two big boxes at a time and send them to Amazon. It means that I get to spend more time buying inventory and less time doing busy work.

Now there are a lot of ways to buy inventory for reselling on Amazon FBA. But the primary ways that I find inventory are through Retail Arbitrage and Online Arbitrage.

Retail Arbitrage and Online Arbitrage

With Retail Arbitrage, I am driving to local retail stores, looking at inventory, and then buying items that I can resell for a profit on Amazon. Technology has made this process so much easier because there are smartphone apps that tell you which products are winners and which ones aren't worth selling.

And unlike shopping at yard sales, when I'm doing Retail Arbitrage, I have the ability to get 5-10 of an item at any given store. If it's a hot seller, I drive across town hitting different locations to buy more. Given the choice, I'd rather sell 25 of the same item than 25 different items.

When I do Online Arbitrage, it's really similar, but I'm shopping at retail websites instead of retail stores. So maybe I spend an afternoon browsing barnesandnoble.com looking for profitable inventory.

I keep shopping for inventory until I have enough to create a shipment to send off to an Amazon warehouse.

Free 7-Day Email Course

If you want to learn more about how this all works, I have a free 7-day email course that covers the basics. This will introduce you to Retail Arbitrage and show you how to find profitable inventory. If you're having a hard time believing that someone would pay more for an item on Amazon than they would at Walmart, this is the course for you!

“Do you have to be super tech-advanced to be successful or start an Amazon business?”

Amazon requires less technical skill than blogging (this is based on my experience with both). You don't have to create a website because you get to use Amazon.com to sell your inventory.
So you don't need the design, SEO, and hosting tech skills that are standard in the blogging world.

But, of course, you need some tech basics. You'll need to sign in to Amazon's Seller Central dashboard daily to check your sales and your pricing. You may have to occasionally download a report into a spreadsheet to check on something. You should definitely be very comfortable with a laptop or desktop computer, your smartphone, and a printer.

And, as I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of apps and extensions that make Amazon selling a lot easier. If you're comfortable downloading and using apps on your phone and Chrome extensions on your computer, then you're off to a good start.

“Can you do it part-time? Or does it take a full-time workload to make it work?”

This is my favorite thing about doing Retail Arbitrage with Amazon FBA: you can do it 8 hours a week or 80. It's like you get to choose how much money you want to make and act accordingly.

It's the kind of business model where the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. So if you want to make an extra $500 a month to put towards savings, you could do this super part-time.

But I know plenty of people who support their families doing Retail Arbitrage full-time. When Cliff and I were fully focused on our Amazon business, we were profiting over $100,000 per year. And that was with about 20-hour workweeks.

There are a lot of ways to scale this business for growth if that's your big vision. But I have plenty of students who are thrilled to make a part-time income "just" by shopping at Target on the weekends 🙂

“Could you get in to creating your own product and then drop-ship? Or is that more advanced?”

On Amazon, creating your own product is called Private Label. This is a popular business model, but it's not one that I recommend to new sellers. And, personally, it's not a business model that I'm interested in exploring.

One great thing about Retail Arbitrage, besides the flexibility, is that you can get started for less than $1,000. But if you need to find a supplier in China to Private Label a product for you, it's going to take a bigger investment up front.

Private Label vs. Retail Arbitrage

When I'm buying inventory at Big Lots or Walmart, I can buy just one or two of an item to test how it sells on Amazon. But with a Private Label supplier, you're going to need to buy a large quantity upfront. Plus, you'll have to pay for shipping overseas.

The other big unknown with Private Label is you don't know if your item will sell. You need to plan on paying for PPC Advertising to get Amazon customers to find your products. That's not something I have to worry about because I know that Amazon shoppers are already looking for items like Clorox toilet wands and Betty Crocker brownie mix.

All that being said, a lot of people do start with Retail Arbitrage and then add Private Label selling once they are more comfortable with the Amazon platform.

As for dropshipping, you never have to worry about that if you use FBA. Dropshipping can be pretty risky (and is usually against the rules on Amazon). So with FBA, just ship your items to Amazon and they'll handle shipping to the customer. If you're really someone who never wants to touch inventory, there are ways to do this with Online Arbitrage that don't involve dropshipping.

“What is one thing you wish you would have known when you started?”

It's funny, because people get jealous when they find out I've been selling on Amazon for 10 years. They say, "it must have been so easy!" because there were fewer sellers online.

It's true that there were fewer sellers, but there were also fewer buyers. And it was basically the technological dark ages! Now there are so many amazing tools and apps that make Amazon selling easier and more profitable.

So it's hard for me to even compare Amazon then and now. But there is one thing I wish I could have done differently. I wish I could have reinvested more of my profits back into the business.

I had to take money out of every Amazon payment to pay myself. That was just the reality of getting our personal bills paid each month. But now I encourage my students to try to reinvest all of their profits back into the business for the first three months. That's how you can really grow your business quickly.

I really felt like I was just winging it back then because there weren't any systems to follow. Amazon was still the untested new thing, especially outside of books, so I just had to figure it out as I went.

Which is exactly why I started blogging about Amazon FBA. I just wanted people to know about this amazing business opportunity (especially since most of my IRL friends thought it sounded crazy!).

A lot of people probably think that online reselling is just a hobby, but I want to make sure that people know that this is a real, legitimate business.

Work at Home Mom Dream…

Amazon is such a wonderful business model for moms because of the flexibility and freedom that it allows. Cliff and I get to work together, homeschool our son, and travel as a family all because of Amazon FBA. If you're looking for a more flexible way to make money while working from home, FBA could be a great fit.

Ready to Start Selling on Amazon?

If you're ready to get started, I have an online course that walks you step-by-step through the process of starting and growing your business. Amazon FBA is a whole lot easier if you have a tested system to follow, and that's what I teach in my Amazon Boot Camp.

It amazes me how many people could benefit from an Amazon FBA business and they just don't know that it exists. So thanks for giving me the opportunity to share more about it 🙂

Thank you Jessica!

Thank you so much for sharing all of this with us Jessica. I had NO idea about so much of this, but have been super curious. I’m not going to lie… I’m REALLY considering selling on Amazon myself because I would love to be able to have “shopping” as a staple part of my business!

Have more questions for Jessica? Drop them in the comments below! I’d love to hear them too!

Related Posts

If you loved this post on how to sell on Amazon, you may also love my other posts on blogging and online business!

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How to be a good wife: Lessons learned over the years from wives all around, with tips and tricks that make their marriage work!

Am I the perfect wife? No.

Do I know a perfect wife? No.

But I do believe I am a good wife, and that I know a lot of good wives out there.

How to Be a Good Wife

I also know that we can definitely screw up and have flaws (we all do) and still be a good wife. (You’ll also love reading “How to Improve Your Relationship in 30 Seconds Each Day!”)

A good wife can also be defined in many different ways, by different people.

For instance, my husband may say there are different characteristics that make up a good wife, then what Billy, John, and David who live down the street say. (I have no idea if a Billy, John or David live down the street… so don’t be offended if you think I’m talking about your husband.)

You may also love our other marriage posts like: “How to Respect Your Husband” and How to Make Your Husband Want to Come Home

I have also learned a LOT in my marriage, and I’ve polled those of you in the “Fab Society” group on what lessons you have learned while being a wife, so I’m hoping what we have to share with you today, will help in some way.

Now, even if you’re not visiting this post for help… and just happened across this post, I truly hope something still resonates with you.

I know there were some things that others suggested that made me more aware and intrigued with what would happen if I would incorporate them into my marriage.

What are the Tips to be a Good Wife?

So again, although you may not agree with all of them, these are lessons we’ve learned and things that we’ve noticed in our (the Fantabulosity community) marriages, so we hope that something will speak to you today and help!

Do you have to do all or any of these to be a good wife? Absolutely not. They’re just great lessons we’ve learned that work in our marriages and we’re hoping one or all will help you in some way.

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Below, I’ve compiled real-life answers from other wives, so you’ll notice some will look just like Facebook comments… because they are!

Be sure to let us know below or in the Creating Your Happy group if this helps!

28 Tips to Be a Good Wife

1. God first. There’s a reason this is #1. It never fails. When God is put first in our marriage, everything else flows a lot easier. Even if only one of you is putting God first, it’s amazing what He (God) can do.

2. During a really difficult time in our marriage, I felt like I gave, gave and gave some more, even when I didn’t want to, because I wasn’t feeling loved in return. I didn’t walk away easily, and I’m thankful for that, because I believe our marriage is stronger now because of it.

But listen… I’ll be honest, there was a time when I couldn’t give anymore. I stopped trying and I was done. But more to come on that later.
Also, don’t get me wrong…My husband has never physically abused me. So I’m not saying that if you are being abused, that you should stay. If you are being abused, get help immediately.

3. We marry our dads. Not really, but we tend to carry over any behaviors we grew up with … and unintentionally live like our husbands have the same traits as our fathers, or live like they SHOULD have the same traits.

4. It’s hard. Can I just leave it at that? Because it is. It’s just hard. It takes work and no two people are the same, so when we come together as one, it may take some changing and reshaping to fit the pieces together.

5. When he’s upset and we can’t seem to get along, I’ve realized that sometimes it’s not about me or even something specific that happened with us. There could be something going on that I don’t understand or that I don’t even know about. I was so thankful when my husband helped me write “What to do when your husband doesn’t come home” because it helps explain a lot of things that I didn’t realize as his wife.

6. We all have a love language and learning what his is, is crucial and a game-changer. When we speak our spouse’s love language, he will feel more loved than when we show it in other ways. Plus, sometimes we tend to show love in our own love language, rather than his. So what’s a love language? I went in to more on this in The Secret Weapon in our Marriage.

7. Although I feel better when I “throw up” on him (vent, complain, and be negative about the unimportant things in life) he then feels it, and then I feel bad about that.

It’s like I have a temporary relief but regret minutes later. So unless it’s an important matter or I’m really struggling with something, I try to work through it instead of dumping it off on to him.

8. Pray about it before spouting about it. When something is bothering me, or in the heat of the moment, it is MUCH easier said than done, but taking a minute to pray about it does two things:
a. helps me think through things while giving me a breather
b. God will sometimes speak to me in those moments, and I’ll have a better way to approach a tough conversation with my husband.

9. “Don't have big conversations on midnight week” – Facebook reader
This can also be explained as “don’t have big conversations when one has had a stressful/long week/day. Timing can mean everything! Which leads to the next recommendation from a Facebook reader that made me chuckle…

10. “We have a rule-no important chats when hungry, horny, or tired.” – Facebook Reader
This made me laugh out loud. I love it! But I’m not sure if there are moments in the day that one of us isn’t feeling one of these. Haha!

11. “That I take him for granted way too often. If I were to slow down every once in a while I would see that he is always by my side.” – Facebook Reader

12. “We are a team. Our marriage comes first then the kids. I was doing so much that I felt like he was an intruder so to speak.” – Facebook Reader

13. “Small stuff doesn't matter. If something is bothering you (ie: dishes, laundry, etc.) just do them because it's not affecting your partner. In ten minutes after they're done, it's not going to matter anymore.” – Facebook Reader

14. “If you have expectations for how an event or procedure is going to go in regards to your husband – make them known beforehand. He then has the opportunity to live up to the expectations you have set rather than fail your unsaid threshold.” – Facebook Reader

15. “Just celebrated our 18th wedding Anniversary and I have learned many lessons over the years. I think the most important is not giving up during the bad/hard times and compromise!” – Facebook Reader

16. “People always say you will have good years and bad and we have experienced both but have never given up on each other or our marriage in the bad years! Statistics of interracial marriage is higher than the average divorce rate due to culture differences especially when raising children. We have to compromise often and meet in the middle with a solution!” – Facebook Reader

17. “A couple of things… When you are frustrated or upset with your spouse, sometimes you have to look deep down inside and realize that it might be your thought process or you could really be the cause of your own frustration, then communication is the key.
It is all a give and take, but you and your spouse have to put your marriage first before kids, jobs, etc… (well besides God) It is SO hard to do that, but the family starts with husband and wife….. AND realize that there is a difference between joy and happiness. You won’t always be happy every day but you can still be unhappy or face hard times, and have joy.” – Facebook Reader

18. “I've learned to not take everything personal. It's hard because when he is going thru stuff and lashes out at me then it's easy to think many negative thoughts. Sometimes you have to step back and redirect your thoughts to something positive on purpose.” – Facebook Reader

19. “LOVE this! We are constantly changing as people. We change jobs, locations, friends, family, new people enter your life, and some people exit out of your life–all of this changes you and your spouse. You have to be willing to change together.
We never go to bed angry, we always talk it out no matter what. Never say the word divorce, ever. We disagree on irrelevant things at times, which can get heated because we both want to be right and don’t back down from wanting to be right and have decided to agree to disagree and let the little stuff go. We are a team and we work toward our goals together.” – Facebook Reader

20. “Pick your battles! I remember a lady complaining that her husband put the roll of toilet paper on the wrong way for 25 years! The other person said to her-"so he is finally doing it right"? She answered and said "NO, but after 25 years I decided to stop complaining about it!” – Facebook Reader

21. “True forgiveness.” – Facebook Reader

22. “RESPECT. I believe is truly what has kept my husband & I together through good and bad times. We can agree to disagree by respecting each other's views and coming together to work as a team. That can mean taking a break to come back together and discuss further & let emotions settle so we can mutually agree (compromise).
Along with all the above great comments. TEAMWORK. that necessarily doesn't always mean 50/50.. I have my low days & he picks it up or vice versa. TIME. Making time to spend with each other. COMMUNICATION. Always talking & really listen to each other. Not making Assumptions… SELF CARE. this is so important in order to make my relationship healthy. We need to take care of ourselves spiritually, mind & body.” – Facebook Reader

23. “We’re still newlyweds I suppose so I have a lot to learn but I’ve learned a lot about truly being open with someone else, especially about the things that cause me anxiety – like sharing finances with someone has been great mostly but also it’s such a mindset change to be open about talking about money. That’s just one example but there are a ton of things I’ve learned to really share that I would have kept to myself before.” – Facebook Reader

24. “Oh Gosh where do I start! After 37 years I probably could write a book … It's ok to be wrong, it's not important to be right, he is my biggest supporter & best friend… Respect Respect Respect. 
Don't nag, he may or may not get projects or chores done but our relationship is more important than any silly ole project. 
Food really does make him happy! 
Don't go to bed mad, you won't be able to sleep anyway. 
I'm not his employee so I ask to not be treated like one and Life is great.” – Facebook Reader

25. “It gets easy to nag so try not to do that and show some interest in things that he loves.” – Instagram Reader

26. “Always be encouraging and give praise for the things he does. That is what keeps a guy going.” – Instagram Reader

27. “Treat your spouse the way you want to be treated.” – Instagram Reader

28. “Never EVER put down your spouse in front of other people!” – Instagram Reader

29. “Listen to husband instead of railroading him into thinking what you want him to think.” – Facebook Reader

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I am BEYOND thankful for all of you who have shared your favorite tips for being a good wife. Thank you so much!

If you’ve loved reading this or if you’d love to add something to our list, be sure to let us know in the comments! Share the love and help a fellow wife!

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