DIY Stain Remover (Mostly Natural!)

I started posting these things on Facebook as "Notes" before I had a blog and I think I should put them here instead. Then you can pin it on Pinterest and it is easier to share in general from a blog too. Let me know what you think of these kind of posts! I also have to think of a new category to put these in too ... so how about "DIY"?

This whole post was inspired by a laundry accident I had recently where one of my white kikaPaprika shirts got washed with my husband's new dark blue denim jeans. I didn't discover it until it had been dried so I thought the stain was set in and ruined. My white shirt was now a soft blue! Crap!

I didn't want to buy a new shirt so I decided to go online and look around and re-discovered this recipe. Turns out ... all I needed to do was make a big batch of my DIY Stain Remover that I had tried out a few months ago. I soaked the shirt and did a little hand wash to see if I could get the blue out. Well, I couldn't tell because my Dawn is blue (which makes the stain remover blue) and my shirt was blue. I decided to toss it in the wash and dried as normal. My shirt is WHITE again!

Dang, this is where before and after photos would come in so handy! 

Anyway, here is the recipe...

Photo and recipe courtesy of One Good Thing by Jillee.

I made a batch a few months ago and tried it out on old blood stains and they came out! I was shocked how easy and great it worked. I am throwing away all my stain remover sticks and sprays that never seem to work anyway. Let me know if you want me to mix up a bottle for you to try out. I give them out to my hostesses for free!

DIY Stain Remover

1/3 cup Dawn Dishwashing Liquid

1/3 cup Ammonia

3 TBSP Baking Soda

1 cup Warm Water

Directions: Mix everything together and pour into a spray bottle or squirt bottle.

To use: Shake well! Apply directly on stains. Let soak for a few minutes and launder as usual. For stubborn stains, rub material together and stains should disappear!

MonicaHubinette @ shopkika.com~ http://kika.hubbe.net

Others in kika ... Carly!

I almost had no words for this look that fellow kika consultant Daphne posted a few days ago. My jaw was on the floor and a little bit of drool escaped from the side of my mouth too. She looks like a celebrity posing for the paparazzi! What do you think of this look? If you want more style tips and see more photos, please visit her blog at:

http://fashiondivamommy.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-rookie.html

Carly jacket in Peony Tweed (signature color) ~ $135
Lil reversible tank in White (signature color) ~ $40

Earth Day Specials

I am on vacation this week down in Seaside, OR and I wasn't really planning on doing a blog post while I was down here. However, kikaPaprika announced an Earth Day special and I decided to run with it and add a few more specials to the mix. I will include the specials at the end of the post which is basically a copy of my newsletter that I sent out to my customers. Let me know if you want to sign up for it!

My new love is our Skinny Pants and I think they will be a big hit with everyone who tries them on. I like them much better than Leggings even though I do really like kikaPaprika's more than others I have tried. Have you tried them on yet? 

Jackie in Ink/Navy (custom color) ~ $95 ~ NOW $86!
My own grey shirt
Skinny Pants in Black (signature color) ~ $90

Back view

EARTH DAY SPECIAL

kikaPaprika just announced an Earth Day special that is only available for three days! Valid from Sat 4/20 to Mon 4/22. Lily is our burnout animal print cardigan which is made from recycled water bottles and organic cotton. It is super soft and lightweight which is perfect for chilly spring and summer nights. What is a burnout fabric? It is a special process that leaves a two-tone pattern on the fabric. Some of the color is left behind so it creates a really neat tonal pattern with a light and dark version of the color. Lily is on sale for these three days for just $66! That is 20% off the retail price and the great thing is that you can get it in 13 colors this month! 

Lily in Khaki
Shown with Drew tank in White and Twill Capris in Khaki
NOW $66!

Available in Black, Cocoa, Imperial, Ink, Iris, Khaki, Kiwi, Ocean, Peony, Shell, Steel, Tangerine, & White.

Iris (sorry no burnout fabric swatch)

To see more photos and colors of Lily, I have posted them on my Facebook page into a special sale album. I am on vacation all week and won't return until late Sunday night. 

BONUS EARTH DAY SPECIAL

I am adding a few more items on sale that also use the recycled water bottle fabric. Some are super bargains so the first person to respond gets that item! These will also be on sale until Earth Day 4/22. Most are 10% off the retail price so get them while you still can!

Jackie in Peony
Also available in 12 other colors
NOW $86!


Lisa in Floral Burnout Print in Peony
Also available in 12 other colors
NOW $52!



Animal Burnout Print Infinity Scarf
Shown in previous season colors
Available in 13 current season colors
NOW $38!

Berk in Olive, kika size 5 
ONLY ONE AVAILABLE!
Sample item, tax included
NOW $45.40!


Aurora in Coral, kika size 2 & 3
(Same color as shown in photo)
ONLY TWO AVAILABLE!
Sample item, tax included
NOW $20!

Here is our size chart if you need help figuring out your kikaPaprika size. 

Black & White

Now, I never knew I would be a fan of the Skinny Pant but I just got these new ones from kika and am totally in love! They are a Ponte knit which is new in our line. I had to look up what it is but Ponte is a double-knit interlock fabric that has stability and firmness in addition to flexibility and softness. This means it can be used in dresses, blazers, and more structured pieces and hold its shape but still maintain comfort and give. Best of both worlds, right? Most Ponte knit fabrics are made with Rayon/Polyester but ours is made with Organic Cotton! How cool and so soft too!

I wish that photographing black was easier to portray online! You just have to take my word and see these new Skinny Pants in person. 

Sometimes, it is good to go back to basics with black and white. kikaPaprika does so many different colors, people can forget that we do the classics! Who do you know that needs a basic black pant or white shirt for work? How about this combo? 

Leslie tie front cardi in White (custom color) ~ $68
Pippa in Black (custom color) ~ $50
Skinny Pants in Black (signature color) ~ $90

Other side

Back view

Pippa in Black (custom color) ~ $50
Skinny Pants in Black (signature color) ~ $90

Back view

Femme Fatale Necklace by Stella & Dot

Oval Pave Swarovski Ring ~ $55.20
Black Onyx Stretch bracelet ~ $9.60
Two Stella & Dot bracelets

Polished Sterling Silver Raindrop Earrings ~ $31.20

Others in kika ... Milly & Kendall

One of my fellow kika consultants does a great blog and she posts daily documenting her outfits. She helped inspire me to create this blog! There are times that she wears kika and other times she doesn't. I haven't been keeping up with her blog but I figured I better start catching up! If you want more style tips and see more photos, please visit her blog at:

http://fashiondivamommy.blogspot.com/2013/03/au-naturel.html

Milly in Kiwi (custom color) ~ $115
Alexis in Cocoa (custom color) ~ $70
Leggings in previous season color ~ $58

Carrie in Ink (custom color) ~ $90
Kendall in White (custom color) ~ $88
Capri Leggings in previous season color ~ $56

From Business to Bunco

This was a fun outfit to put together. I wore it once to my Networking Mamas meeting but I wore it with black ballet flats. I didn't have time to photograph that outfit so I recreated it yesterday. However,  we were back to the cold and rain so out came my tall black boots. 

This outfit had to last me all day as I had a business networking meeting in the morning, volunteering at my son's school in the afternoon and playing bunco with my moms group in the evening. It all worked and I felt great all day. The best compliment I got was at bunco that night ... "I love your outfit! It gives you teenager booty!" It was very flattering from all angles. :) 

Daphne in Black (custom color) ~ $85
Alexis in Ocean (signature color) ~ $70
Capri Leggings in Black (signature color) ~ $56

Daphne in Black (custom color) ~ $85
Alexis in Ocean (signature color) ~ $70
Capri Leggings in Black (signature color) ~ $56

Back view - aka "teenager booty"

Triple Bracelet Stack!
Aventurine Stretch bracelet ~ $8
Stella & Dot bracelet ~ not for sale or in giveaway
Black Onyx Stretch bracelet ~ $9.60

Gwyneth in Iris

So here is one of my favorite tops in the summer collection! Not only is it a beautiful color but the shape is very flattering and slimming. It has a deep v-neck with a faux wrap detail around the waist. This is a kika size 3 (women's 8/10) which is usually my size but I might try it in a kika size 2 just because it seems a bit roomy in the shoulders. Plus, I just want to have it be a bit more fitted through the bust as well. I am hoping this will be a piece that will carry over to the Fall Collection so I can get it in more colors! 

I love the Wavy Stripe Scarf paired with this outfit! I tied it into what is called a "Scarf Necklace" tie that I learned from Scarf Stylist Tricia James! Watch her video here how to do it yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ6nzZ5TC3g

Finally, instead of jeans today I put it with my Tencel Bootcut Pants in Ink since I was heading to a networking meeting today. What do you think? 

Gwyneth in Iris (signature color) ~ $62
Tencel Bootcut Pants in Ink (custom color) ~ $75
Wavy Stripe Scarf ~ $28

View from the other side

Detail of the Wavy Stripe Scarf in the "Scarf Necklace"

Back view

Triple Bracelet Stack!
Amethyst Bead Stretch Bracelet ~ $12.80
Hematite Bead Stretch Bracelet ~ $7.20
Lapis Bead Stretch Bracelet ~ $12.00

Here comes Camille!

I got a ton of new summer items the other day and I just now had time to try everything on. Oh boy! There are some definite favorites in the batch that I got and the good news is that most of them fit me! 

Now, one of the items that I saw at Runway in January .... I wasn't too sure about. I don't think they had it in a size that I could try on either. However, I am so happy that the skirt that I got fits and I love that it has an elastic waistband in the back! I personally have a hard time getting Brit to fit me because there is no stretch to it and I am kind of between sizes in that style. Camille s a wonderful, lightweight twill material that is perfect for the summer. I also love the pockets too. It might be a tad short on some people but for me it is just right. 

I didn't have a lot of time to put an outfit together so I just grabbed a shirt I was wearing and tucked it in so you can see the waistband. The background of the skirt is Navy/Ink so that meant Paige was just about my only option. One of these days I will get Drew in every color so I can just have a layering tank for every occasion. 

Paige in Ink (signature color) ~ $76
Camille skirt in Feather print (signature color) ~ $58

Paige in Ink (signature color) ~ $76
Camille skirt in Feather print (signature color) ~ $58

Back view

Milly, Paige & Wavy Stripe Scarf

Today it was back to some chilly weather so I had to re-work my outfit planned for today. I grabbed one of my favorite scarves this season which is the Wavy Stripe scarf. I have worn it with Eggplant from last season but now that I have seen the new summer color Iris ... it will be great paired with that color purple too. If you want to know how I tied the scarf, check out the Magic Trick demo from Wendy's Lookbook on YouTube. 

Now, I have to say that I would prefer to go down one more size in Milly because I am so petite. I should also be wearing heels to give me some more height because the jacket is so long. Oh well! Also, I was going to a moms networking meeting today so I just wore my jeans with this outfit. What do you think?

Milly in Steel (custom color) ~ $115
Paige in Ink (signature color) ~ $76
Wavy Stripe Scarf ~ $28

Back view of Milly

Paige in Ink (signature color) ~ $76
Wavy Stripe Scarf ~ $28

Back view of Paige

 Did you see my post on Facebook about a FREE bracelet giveaway? Well, here are just some of the bracelets in that drawing. If you have any problems with that app then just make sure you are signed up for my monthly newsletter. You can also pick one out FREE with any purchase this month too!

Triple Bracelet Stack!
Amethyst Bead Stretch Bracelet ~ $12.80
Hematite Bead Stretch Bracelet ~ $7.20
Lapis Bead Stretch Bracelet ~ $12.00

Carly and Alice

When I first tried on Alice, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. I was so surprised how much I like it! I posted a few days ago my date night outfit and I had to come up with another way to wear this dress. I had the idea to pair this with Carly which I also wore recently and my jewelry that I am also selling with the clothing. I just launched my jewelry website called Monica's Jewelry Box that showcases just a small selection of what I have access to. There is a necklace that is one of my favorites and it just goes perfectly with this outfit. 

Beware! When you walk into a room wearing this outfit ... the oxygen might suddenly be sucked away. It is breathtaking and I got so many compliments on it that I will have to wear it again soon. Also, I folded up the sleeves of the jacket. I think it looks better. What do you think? 

Carly in Ocean Tweed (signature color) ~ $135
~ Also available in Peony Tweed ~
Alice in Cocoa (custom color) ~ $99

Hands in my pockets. Yes the dress has hidden pockets!

Back view

Triple bracelet stack!

7.25" Jasper and Cultured Freshwater Pearl Bracelet ~ $14.40

Snake Skin Jasper Stretch Bracelet ~ $8.80

Aventurine Bead Stretch Bracelet ~ $8.00

Three Band Rolling Ring (CZ, Gold, Silver) ~ $79.20

18" Jasper and Freshwater Pearl Necklace ~ $44

Naples Wedge by Fibi & Clo

Detailed view
Naples Wedge by Fibi & Clo