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stormieariel 2016

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Wardrobe Remixing | Nursing Mom Edition Vol. 1

Wardrobe Remixing | Nursing Mom Edition Vol. 1

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If you have been sticking around than you know how I talked about trying to find my new mom style in this post and how I'm resisting the urge to shop in this post. Well I am sticking to my guns (who even came up with that phrase? And what does guns have to do with making a decision?).

I decided to continue remixing my current wardrobe and making it work for me with my new role as a nursing momma. I talked about buying nursing camis and button ups to make nursing easier and they certainly do BUT you can still wear regular clothes and nurse your baby just fine! 


I wanted something that was simple yet pulled together and this shirt makes it so easy to do just that and by pairing it with a nursing cami underneath I was able to nurse Little Love without showing any belly. 



I am still wearing my maternity jeans because this momma still has extra fluff. #noshameinmygame #reallifemom







I hope you were able to gain inspiration and realizing you don't have to purchase a whole new wardrobe after baby even if you are a nursing momma. I would recommend only investing in a few nursing camis and nursing bras (I have two camis, one bra and two night time bras) but other than that use what is in your closet and make it work for you! And don't feel you have to fit into your regular jeans or shirts right away. It's not realistic and it will take time to get your pre-pregnancy body back (don't forget it took 10 months to put it on). 

Another tip: If you are really tight on budget like we are, use some of those gift cards from your babyshower to purchase nursing bras or camis. I felt guilty at first but realized it benefits the baby as well so go head girl!

 Side Note: Ignore my horrible posing, I might get it one day but for right now forgive me and give me pointers if you have any! It's no secret I am in need of it. And to think I use to want to be America's Next Top Model as a teenager. Psh.
Shop the Look

 My Outfit
Shirt | Charming Charlie (similar)
Nursing Cami | H&M
Maternity Jeans | Motherhood Maternity
Sandals | gift (similar)

 Little Love's Outfit
Headband | gift
Sun Dress w/ bloomers | Target

*some affiliate links used
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stormieariel
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Monday, April 18, 2016

Tips & Tricks for Making Money on eBay

Tips & Tricks for Making Money on eBay

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A few months ago, I shared some ways to bring in a little extra money. One of those ways was selling items on eBay and since that is where I bring in most of our extra income I decided to expand on what type of items I sell and what my monthly profit has been looking like to give y'all a general idea.

1. Clothes - this is the biggest category of items I try to sell. They range from brand new never worn items with or without tags and used clothing that is name brand and in good condition. The reason why I only sell name brand on eBay is because buyers are looking for a good deal on brands they love and typically you can't get much for clothing items that are not of a popular brand. For example, I have sold an H&M shirt, Under Armour clothing items, Nike, Kenneth Cole, etc.

2. Shoes - the shipping cost on shoes is high because they weigh so much and most times require you to do Priority shipping. I charge the buyers for shipping but you must know the exact weight of the item to determine what you should charge for shipping. I don't have a postage scale so it's kind of a hassle but I do plan on getting one so I can get better at charging the correct amount. I have cut into my profit numerous times by undercharging for shipping. This is one of the highest profit items though so it's worth trying to sell shoes as long as they are in good or better condition.

3. Hats - I really thought this item would be the fastest selling item yet I only sold 2 hat out of the 7 I had listed for the past two months. Hoping they sell soon though as I made some adjustments to their listing!

4. Watches/Activity Trackers - these items are the quickest and highest bidding items I have sold. People go into bidding wars for these items, I guess because of the fitness trend right now. 


Extra Tips & Tricks

 Before listing an item, if I do not know their worth I try to find the exact item on the stores website. If the item is new with a tag, I try to get the actual value amount. If the item is new without a tag, I try to get at least half the value or more (this is where setting the item as an auction item comes in handy). If the item is used than I typically go with eBay's suggested starting bid price and hope I get numerous bids. Sometimes I do research the eBay site for similar items that others have sold to get an idea of what buyers are willing to pay.

If an item doesn't sell I relist it, sometimes at a reduced price depending on how desperate I am to get rid of the item. For example, I have a pair a KSwiss shoes I'm trying to sell and I have the bid starting at $30; I noticed I get watchers and a lot of views but no one has placed a bid so after relisting it numerous times I now dropped the starting bid to $20. We will see what happens. Sometimes you just have to be patient for the right buyer to come along.

My Monthly Profit

So how much profit have I made these last few months? Well I have had good months and I have had really slow months. I can't make a living off eBay but it helps having extra cash here and there. 

November - $43.54
December - $80.25
January - $284.69
February - $159.45
March - $8.01
April - $56.40 and counting

 I determine my profit by subtracting shipping cost, shipping materials (I buy these in a bundle as needed), eBay fees and PayPal fees from my sell price. I have created a spreadsheet in Excel to help keep me organized and calculate my profit for me.

 I hope these tips and tricks helped you out and you were able to get a realistic view into how much profit a regular person makes selling stuff around the house.

 What do you do to make extra cash? Do you keep account of your profit? If so, do you have an excel spreadsheet or do you do it by hand?
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stormieariel
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Friday, April 15, 2016

Savoring this Season

Savoring this Season

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Since before Anthony and I got married, we wanted children and we tried for years with countless negative pregnancy tests. Many sleepless nights of conversations wondering what our future children will be like and if we would even be able to have children. Starting a family seemed so far away with each negative test until that one turned positive. 

We really started imagining what this little person would be like, what parenthood would entail. But I never realized how hard it would be in these first few months. I knew about the frequent feeding, the loss of sleep, the endless diaper changes but I wasn't warned about the endless crying, at least it seems like it's endless. 

However, that crying means she's here. This child we dreamed of, we talked about, we planned and tried to have for years is here. Yes, she is needy and I am having to sacrifice more of myself then I ever realized but before I know it, she won't need me. 

There will be a time when she no longer needs to hear my heartbeat to calm her.


There will be a time when she no longer needs to feel me (and smell me) laying next to her.


There will be a time when she no longer needs me to hold her.
There will come a time when she is so interested in exploring the world around her that I can't keep her still long enough to hold and hug her.

There will come a time when she leaves the nest to start her own family.

So in this tough season of being a new mom to a newborn, I want to savor every little moment including the hard ones because there will come a time when she will no longer need me.

 I love you sweet girl.
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