The purse necklace

Life as a mom can be unpredictable. You never know what's going to pop up when you're out and about running errands.  This is why I have a "purse necklace." Let me explain.

This necklace takes me from errand-running mom to somewhat stylish in less than 30 seconds.  Doctor's office: Necklace on.  Grocery store: necklace off.  Lunch at Panera: necklace on.  Stopping by the park: necklace off.

And really, it isn't about trying to be fashionable. I was finding there were some situations where I wanted to be taken more seriously. When I look a little more pulled-together I find sales people are more likely to acknowledge me, doctors listen better to my concerns, and the list goes on.

I found this at Target for about $12. It's not a delicate necklace so it works perfectly. It now has a permanent home in the bottom of my purse for any time I may need it. 

Sephora free birthday gift (no purchase needed)

If you sign up to be a Sephora Beauty Insider then you get a free birthday gift every year. There is no cost to sign up and you get pretty nice gifts.

Last year I got this eyeliner, mascara and eyeshadow set:

And the year before I got these lip glosses:

The gift for 2012 is going to be this:

If you order online within 14 days weeks of your birthday they will send you a birthday gift. If you visit a Sephora store, there is no purchase necessary to get your gift. Just go up to the counter, show your Beauty Insider card, and they hand you your present! Enjoy!

No-slip hair bands

I admit that I found these by accident.

I was at Target looking for a really stretchy hairband - preferably one with the rubbery tread to use as a tie for the emergency clutches I gave out at the last favorite things party.  I couldn't find what I was looking for, and didn't like how the regular hairbands weren't stretchy enough for fitting around the clutch comfortably.  I almost gave up, but then spotted these new hairbands that scunchi makes.  They are really neat! Stretchier than a usual hair band, they are made out of a clear-ish rubbery material with no clasps or clamps anywhere on the band. It is grippy without being sticky, if that makes sense. Take a close look at the picture and you can imagine what they might feel like.

I was excited to try one in my hair, and I really like them!  If I put my hair up it is usually in a ponytail that is pulled through, and I have to fix the hair that is coming loose maybe once every hour or two. This one stayed in all day with no adjusting. And when you take it out it doesn't rip any hairs out and is not uncomfortable at all. They are especially great for working out since they have that extra hold you need to keep your hair in place.

If you feel like you are constantly messing with your hair bands then give these a try! I found them at Target for about $3.