Hailey's Helpful Hints

$22-27 @ Old Navy I'm slightly obsessed with vests. I'm actually wearing one at the moment. The red and grey plaid one picture below to be exact. And I have these in almost every color. But here's the deal - they are from Old Navy. I know some of y'all will immediately think, "Old Navy is crap." While I do agree that some of there stuff is chincy, these are seriously good quality. Right now they are running a pre-Black Friday sale with 30% off your online order with free shipping after you spend $50 and 40% after you spend $100. These would make fab gifts for Christmas too!  $27.00 @ Old Navy Check out all the great color options of the Frost Free Fleece Lined Vests HERE . Scroll down past the jackets and you'll see the vests.

If you and your significant exchange Valentine's gifts, now might be the time to hint at this dynamite Dyson deal at Target. In my previous life before kids, I owned a cleaning company so I get asked all the time about cleaning products and equipment. My take on vacuums - you can't go wrong with a Dyson. Dyson DC65 Animal Complete Vacuum is a very popular vacuum that gets rave reviews is on sale for $487.49. Originally $649.99. It is not available in stores but you do get free shipping since it's over $50. Another popular, more affordable, smaller animal vac option is the Dyson DC44 Animal Digital Slim Cordless Vacuum Cleaner. Orginally $399.99, on sale for $299.99. This one is also available only online but you'll still get the free shipping.  For everyday use for carpets and hardwood/tile, a great option is the Dyson DC65 MultiFloor Upright Vacuum. Originally $499.99, on sale for $374.99. This particular vacuum is available for store pick-up.  To see all Dyson's ...

With so many anti-sugar mom's out there, I thought a post with creative kid's Valentine's was appropriate. There are a gazillion ideas on Pinterest but I thought I'd give a friend of mine in Southern California a shout out. Morgann Perry with Modern Chic Tots , is uber talented and she has come out with some super cute Valentine's Day printables (and ideas) for your kiddos. Check them out HERE . If you browse the aisles of the $1 store, you'll be able to find so many of the items for less; sunglasses, paint, jump ropes, nail polish.  My personal favorites: The build a snowman one. I'm all about it being interactive and anything that keeps them quiet and entertained is a bonus. And for the older girl wanting to get her friends something cute and simple; the toenail polish.   If you have a little girl, you're going to want to spend some time on her site checking out all the fun dress up aprons and tutu dresses. Fun to see my little Rio modeling on her si...

It’s almost that time of year again when you get to express your love on Valentine’s Day with these unique gifts for him. Here’s a knock-out list of gifts for every budget that are sure to show him just how much you love him. MR. FIX IT: HAND LIGHT Put a handy light right where he needs it most: on his hand. This is perfect for those tight jobs where holding a flashlight and doing the job might be hard to do at the same time. It frees up his hands so he can get work done and see what he’s doing. MR. HANDY: HAMMER/AX MULTI-TOOL With this multi-tool he’ll be able to do all sorts of things, and unlike most other multi-tools this one includes a mini-ax, so it’s just a little more awesome than the others. It’s not like he can chop a tree down with it, but it could definitely come in handy. MR. PARTY: BARWARE SET If he likes to make drinks let him do it with more ease when you get him this barware set. It has everything a bartender uses to concoct delicious beverages, and will let him...

  Stumped on what to give your dad or husband this Father's Day? All men loves tool and gadgets. And it's expected that all dads know how to fix everything. So it's only fitting that you buy him the most awesome pocket tool - The Leatherman Super Tool 300 Pocket Tool . This fun, efficient gadget has 19 tools in 1. And is currently on sale on Amazon . Orginally $87, now $65. And don't forget the protective cover - the Leatherman Sheath . Comes in brown or black for only $14.

How genius and functional is this water bottle? It's almost as cool as my iPhone card carrying phone case with an added bonus of carrying a key. It's products like this that make me shake my head and wonder - why the heck didn't I think of this? I'm smarter than that. Perfect for the gym, long bike rides or to carry with you all day as you try to get in your 64 oz of water. Which I can't seem to master for the life of me. Tomorrow I keep saying. But for today, I sit surrounded by wine glasses and Diet Coke. Sigh. To purchase, click HERE .

  I love the idea of Little Cuties. Translation: Fruit, custard, cream or meringue mini-pies baked in ½-pint, oven-safe mason jars. What a perfectly portioned treat. Just press the crust into the containers (available at Amazon, Walmart, even your hardware store). Choose a canned filling or whip one up yourself. Come dessert time, there’s no need to cut and serve. “People can grab a jar and dig right in,” says Shaina Olmanson, author of Desserts in Jars: 50 Sweet Treats That Shine . “They’re great for parties.” And your waistline - as long as you eat just one. Great as gifts too! :: 2 Crowd Pleasing Little Cutie Ideas ::   Mini Apple Pies: Who doesn't love apple pie!?!? Ingredients: 2 boxes refrigerated pie crusts 8 Tbsp. butter 1/4 C flour 1/4 C granulated sugar 1/4 C brown sugar 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/8 tsp salt 6 C sliced apples 1/2 C dried cranberries (optional) Directions: 1. Heat oven to 350° and set out 8 wide-mouth 8 oz jars. Cut...

  Give the sweetest present this year; yummy treats wrapped in pretty packages! :: Sweet :: Peppermint Bark  : 2 pounds (4 small tins) at $1.96 each Chocolate-Peppermint Cake Pops  : 48 pops at $.23 each Layered Chocolate Cookie Mix  : 1 jar at $7.33 each; 3 1/2 dozen baked cookies Marbled Walnut Fudge  : 4 dozen pieces at $4.01/dozen Mixed Berry Granola : About 6 cups at $1.98 per cup Cranberry-Poppyseed Biscuits : three 2 3/4 cup bags at $1.55 each :: Salty :: Chunky Salsa : Makes 10 cups at $1.53 Trio of Rubs : 1 jar (11 teaspoons) at $1.50 each :: Fast and Easy Gift Packaging Ideas :: Raid your pantry and drawers for these items to repurpose on the fly... Mason or other lidded glass jars: These are ideal for holding homemade candies, nuts and other small bites. Just sterilize with a quick boiling water bath first. A ribbon around the top makes it extra special. Brown paper bags: Use lunch sacks or cut apart large bags to make wrapping paper. Add a gin...

  Back in 2010, I jotted down a few gift ideas for specific people in your lives - the workaholic, the beauty queen, the movie buff. The list goes on. Sadly I'm sure there will be links that don't work and a few products that might seem "dated" or not even available anymore but reposting wasn't necessarily about the specific products but more to inspire your inner creativity to give something more thoughtful. Instead of just getting them something mainstream, think about each individual person. What do they really like to do? What is a gift they will keep and use, not toss in the drawer? Check out the post HERE . Happy Shopping!

When you need a last minute present or just simply don't have time to package and ship, the "Treater" app can't be beat! This free app (for both iPhone & Android) lets you instantly give any friend gift certificates from everything from movie tickets and massages to gourmet dinners. Simply pick and purchase a "treat" and send it via Facebook, text or email. Great for the holidays but a useful app all year round for those life events that sneak up on you!

No time to shop? Stumped on what to give a girlfriend that has everything? Give the gift of a re-occuring monthly box of high-end assorted cosmetics. Truly the gift that keeps on giving. For only $10-$21 per month (you can pick how many months you want the box delievered), the recipient will be able to try out in-demand, luxe skin creams, perfumes, makeup, and hair products. Here are a few beauty bento boxes to consider: Birchbox : Sidestep dissapointment by testing trial-size luxe beauty supplies that have receieved numerous thumbs-up. My favorite option from the list. $10/month. www.birchbox.com   Myglam : Not only does myglam offer it's four or five monthly samples in full or deluxe sizes, it also includes a cute makeup bag with every package. The website offers makeup tutorials too. $10/month. www.myglam.com Beautyarmy : This sampling program recommends makeup, fragrances, and more based on feedback from customer questionnaires. You can take user's advice or sel...

I don't know about you but I'm always struggling to juggle my money clutch, phone (god forbid I go anywhere without it), Target bags and a child's hand or two so whoever had the patent pending idea to manufacture a wallet that accomodates an iPhone, up to three credit cards and alittle cash is a genius in my book. The Q Card Case for the iPhone 4/4s and 5 are a practical gift for both men and women, even teenagers, this holiday season. At only $40, you could even slide in a small gift card or some cash into the pocket for a secret surprise.