Preparing for England with Regency Stays

Whew! It's been a crazy few days as I've been constructing these Regency era stays for Lynzie's Jane Austen Festival ensemble. They're definitely, DEFINITELY not perfect...but they're functional and they're almost done! Yay!

This was my first time sewing eyelets by hand. Some of them look pretty good!

Hope you're having a great week!

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5 Tips for Sharing a Family Car #1stImpressionsCount #ad #cbias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #1stImpressionsCount #CollectiveBias

When my husband and I were in high school, I had a habit of "borrowing" his car to skip class with my girl friends. To absolve myself of any guilt, I'd often thank him for "sharing" his car with me by taking it to the car wash where I'd clean it spotless and detail the inside with Armor All®.

Now he's got a new generation of drivers to share a car with and we want to make sure it's a pleasant experience for everyone. As parents of two high schoolers, we know how important it is for them to make that great impression. As our kids are just entering the driving world, we want to teach them how to take good care of the cars they'll be sharing with the rest of the family. Not only will they look great for their passengers, but good car care keeps them nice for the next person who uses them. 

In high school, I'd grab Armor All cleaning cloths out of the vending machine at the car wash. I've recently found a whole line of Outlast products by Armor All that will help to shine and protect both the car's interior and its wheels. Two of my favorite products are the Protectant and the Tire Glaze.

I found Armor All Outlast products at Walmart. They've got a great selection of things to spruce up your car including, Armor All® Outlast Trim & Plastic Restorer, Armor All® Outlast Tire Glaze, Armor All® Outlast Leather Restorer, and Armor All® Outlast Protectant.  

Do members of your family share a car? Here are some tips for keeping the peace and making sure the car looks nice for the next person to drive.

1. Keep it Clean. Take turns being in charge of washing and detailing the car. Keep a caddy in your garage filled with products for spiffing it up and consider investing in a small outdoor vacuum cleaner to save money on the coin-operated one downtown. We love how Armor All Outlast Tire Glaze repels grime and makes our tires shine. They look great!

2. Keep it Protected. Armor All Outlast Protectant does more than shine up the plastic and vinyl inside your car. It also protects it from damaging UV rays and helps keep it from fading and cracking. Plus, it makes everything look so nice and new that it makes everyone less likely to mess it up.

3. Keep it Fresh. Car fresheners can be hit or miss so make sure you're using yours on a car that has been shampooed regularly and isn't harboring unpleasant smells. You don't want to try to mask an odor; trust me---wet carpet and Coconut Dream do not go well together. So take care of lingering odors and then use a mild, refreshing scent to enhance the atmosphere of your car.

4. Keep it Organized. I like to set a little tray inside the middle console for storing things like change or charging cables. This is a great place to keep quarters for the car wash. Consider purchasing and marking phone chargers that are specifically for the car. This way, no one has to go hunting for them when they're needed.

5. Keep it Uncluttered. One of the best things you can do is keep a box or basket inside your car for catching all the garbage, books, mail, purchases, and more that can accumulate. Make it a rule that it gets emptied out after every trip and you'll have a clutter-free vehicle.

Armor All Outlast #1stImpressionsCount Sweepstakes What are some things you've done to make sharing a car a positive experience? 

Planned Parenthood Protests Planned for Sat. Aug. 22 #PPSellsBabyParts

I'll have more on this later but wanted to get the information out now about peaceful protests taking place at Planned Parenthood facilities all over the nation (some internationally!) tomorrow morning at 9am local time. PLEASE share with your friends...and fill your car...and be there. Here is a list of locations.