My House of Nayna experience

~ SL

I’m going a little off-course this week, but I know a lot of you are moms and I really want you all to know about House of Nayna and what she can do for your self-esteem and your sense of style! Also, Too Busy Livin’ is all about saving time, and this experience was definitely a win in that department for me! 

Why I needed to do this for myself

Last summer, when I was getting ready to go back to work after maternity leave number four, I went through my closet and knew I needed House of Nayna to help me do an overhaul.  While my weight hadn’t fluctuated all that much, my body shape had, and I noticed that all my basic go-to’s were no longer working for me.

I had always wanted to spend the day shopping with Sunayna of House of Nayna, after religiously following her on Instagram (@houseofnaynawpg) I envisioned her coming over, going through my closet, telling me which articles still worked and which ones needed an upgrade and then we would browse the stores together and she would tell me what looked good and what didn’t, like a true friend does.  

The pre-shop prep 

We set a date and the pre-shop prep began. We shared a pinterest board where I pinned photos of outfits that I liked. You can check out my board here if you want to see! (Take note of all the photos of long cardigans. I really wanted one!)

Q & A and photos

We Facetimed and she asked me a few questions. They were both functional (sizes, budget) and creative (inspiration and colors). She already knew that I LOVED black and gray and encouraged me to branch out and try new colors. Then, I sent her two photos of me standing in front of a white background. This was so she could assess my body shape.  The pre-shop was important because I knew exactly what I wanted to wear, but I didn’t know how to execute it for my current shape.

woman shopping
Sunayna of House of Nayna, doing her thing at her last master class for mamas.

What to wear to go shopping

She told me to wear (jeans and a fitted white or black tank) and I met her at Outlet Collection .  I brought along my own blazer and denim jacket because I knew I wanted to keep those items in my wardrobe.

My shopping trip play-by-play

  • 10 am arrival at Marshall’s.  Sunayna is waiting for me in the fitting room with a full rolling rack of clothing and accessories to try on. 
  • I try on all the outfits, some of them more than once, or in different combinations. Sunayna educates me on cuts and styles that are flattering for my body type.  
  • She lets me integrate the items I brought from my own closet. Then, she shows me how they could go from work to casual if combined in the right ways.  (Keyword: lets) When you go shopping with Sunayna, she is in charge and you need to trust to her. Do what she tells you to because she knows and she is right.  This is the only advice I would give anyone considering experiencing House of Nayna for themselves.
My blazer and jeans paired with a top and booties that Sunayna picked out. I didn’t buy this shirt, because I already had a black and pink one in my closet at home!
  • It’s now about 10:45. I purchase several items and we head to Dynamite, where Sunayna has put a few items on hold for me. 
  • While we walk there, Sunayna tells me to download the store’s app to get 15% off my purchase.  I left with a new pair of distressed high-waisted jeans that fit like a glove. 
  • We head to Old Navy where she has held more items for me.  I finally get to try on the long cardigan I had pinned so many times and purchase the entire outfit. 
  • While I’m paying, Sunayna hands me a reusable tote bag from Old Navy and tells me that I will get a discount if I use the bag.
  • We head to our last stop, Gap, where again, Sunayna has outfits on hold for me. I buy two pairs of shorts and a dress in my favorite color, black.
This was one of my favorite items that I purchased. I could cry because after only wearing the dress once, the straps got twisted in the lint trap in my dryer while I was trying to “iron” it the lazy way and ripped off!!

The results

In two and a half hours, I ended up with a whole new wardrobe for summer and work. I learned how to maximize my wardrobe and wear my clothes in many different ways. Sunayna taught me how to do that, but more importantly how to shop smart and create flattering outfits that work for my shape. I also learned so many simple tricks to make my outfits look more polished and put together.

What I loved about this experience

Honestly, my favorite part of this whole experience, was having someone else choose outfits for me.  It forced me to get out of my comfort zone and try new styles. I was floored that nearly every item I tried on, flattered my body shape.  Sunayna explained why each item was a good fit and made sure I knew what to look for when shopping for myself. The whole experience was very educational (which a teacher always appreciates) and I feel like overall, I am better at shopping for myself. 

Why you should treat yourself

  • You don’t have time to get a whole new wardrobe in three hours.
  • Your body shape has changed since becoming a mom and your clothes don’t actually fit you properly.
  • You need some time to yourself.
  • Your self-esteem and confidence will go through the roof.
  • You will look amazing and feel amazing in everything you wear.
  • You’ll learn how to shop smart and dress your shape.
  • You’ll know how to accessorize and polish your look.
  • You can get a discount and a style guide if you join her master class!

This experience was so worth it for me that I would do it over and over again. Follow her on Instagram (@houseofnaynawpg) and DM her to secure your spot in her June 2nd master class. You won’t regret it!

DM her on Instagram @houseofnaynawpg to reserve your spot in her master class!

Now I have to go back to Five things you could gift to new moms and add this to the list.

My Top Five Time-Saving Kitchen Tools

~ SL ~ Leave a comment

I used to be a gadget person. Then I had kids, moved and got a brand new kitchen and decided it was time to minimize. If you’ve ever moved after having kids, you know that there is just so. much. stuff. Stuff to pack, stuff to unpack, stuff to put away, stuff to pick up off the floor on the daily, stuff to throw away because you’re sick of picking it up off the floor. Having kids really made me reassess my personal belongings and the need for having so much stuff, including kitchen tools!

I feel like whenever we have an empty cupboard, drawer or closet, we feel like we have to get stuff to fill it. I took the opposite approach when we planned out our kitchen reno. We don’t have a pantry so I really needed the drawer storage in the kitchen to serve as a pantry for us. I had to make sure that all our kitchen tools would have a place and that there were a few empty drawers for packaged food storage.

Considering all that, I pared down our kitchen to the essentials and eliminated most of the tools that weren’t getting any facetime. There are a few that I kept and that I love, mostly because they save me precious time in the kitchen.

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Triggered ice cream scoop

I probably use this more than any other kitchen tool we have, and I don’t even use it for ice cream. A triggered ice cream scoop is the perfect way to hammer out a batch of muffins in no time. I also like using it for cookies. A smaller sized cookie scoop works best, but mine broke, so now I use the ice cream scoop and just break the cookie dough balls in two. Double duty. Even better.

Epicure garlic peeler

Epicure Garlic Peeler

I didn’t realize how much I loved this simple tool until I was peeling clove after clove for making salsa and marinara last summer. It is just a silicone tube, but it works wonders. Pop in a clove, roll the tube on the counter, off comes the peel. This is an easy kitchen tool for your tiny kitchen helpers to use too. My kids just go to town peeling garlic, even when I don’t need it. It keeps them busy while I’m trying to make supper and it’s so mindless that they can chat me up while they’re doing it, so that makes me happy.

Kitchen Aid shredder attachment

This one is a splurge! I waited, not even kidding, five years to buckle down and buy this, finally deciding to make this purchase when I broke the shredder blade in my food processor. I didn’t really want to replace the entire food processor, and I already had the Kitchen Aid mixer, so getting the attachment set just made sense. It comes with three blades: a fine shredder, a regular shredder and a slicer. I haven’t even tried the slicer blade yet, but I’ve used the shredder on carrots, cheese and zucchini. The only downside to this one for me is that it’s not dishwasher safe, but for the time I save by not having to use a box grater, I can afford to wash the attachments by hand.

Microplane grater

I used to have a box grater, a garlic press and a citrus zester, until my mom gave me a microplane in my Christmas stocking one year (because that’s what a foodie’s mom buys for their stocking). Now that I have the microplane, I don’t need any of those other gadgets anymore. It is so sharp! That means everything grates up quickly. Fresh nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, garlic, citrus zest, parmesan cheese. It’s also easy to clean and goes in the dishwasher. I use this all the time, probably as much as the ice cream scoop.

Immersion blender

Immersion blenders are cheap. I think I got mine for under 40 bucks. My favorite way to use it is for whipping up vinagrettes into creamy dressings, like my caesar vinaigrette posted here. Side note: If you didn’t already know, I am not a fan of mayo based dressings or any creamy dressings for that matter. This is why I love blending up vinaigrettes. Other ways I use the immersion blender are for soups, my Easy Alfredo Sauce and the occasional milkshake! The one I have has a removable blade, which makes it easier to clean, because all you have to do is pop it in the dishwasher. Some don’t have a removable blade, which means you’re holding it under running water, or blending up some hot soapy water to clean it.

What are your faves?

These kitchen tools are in my top five, mostly because they solve a problem of some kind: saving time, saving space, multitasking. What are your favorite kitchen tools? Comment on this post and share them with us!

Happy Birthday to us!!

~ SL

Today is our birthday! It’s been a crazy year. I’m so glad that Too Busy Livin’ survived a full year. When I started this thing, it was way more work than I could handle. Learning how to blog and all the tech knowledge that comes with it has been stimulating my brain quite a bit this past year, but I’m getting the hang of it and I’m super into it. There is so much to know, and like any new hobby, I’m learning new skills every day.

Some exciting things have happened to Too Busy Livin’ in it’s first year. This collaboration we did with Lemo Lemonade in the summer was featured in Canadian Living Magazine’s March issue!

Maegan Carter and I had a fun morning setting up and shooting for Lemo in my dining room. We did not expect it to end up in Canadian Living Magazine!

Also, as of yesterday, I am now a member of the Food Bloggers of Canada! They have so many amazing resources that will hopefully make me a better blogger!

If you’ve been following since the beginning, thank you so much! I see you, liking and commenting on my Instagram posts and I appreciate your support for my little passion project so much! If you’re new here, I hope that you were brought here by an idea or a recipe you loved and I promise you, there are more to come!

On that note, if you enjoy my posts, and haven’t subscribed, now is the time! There are some new projects in the works especially for my regulars!