TokyoMilk, Lollia by Margot Elena, and Birchbox!

Hi!

I'm kind of excited to share a few things with you tonight.

First of all, I got the May 2012 Birchbox today.

Included was:

- Algenist - Regenerative Anti-Aging Moisturizer:  Looking your age is so overrated.  This sophisticated moisturizer uses an exclusive compound to delay the cellular aging process.  Full size $90

-Color Club - Nail Polish in Clambake Coral:  Just in time for summer, this warm coral will set off your newly (self) tanned skin.  Full size $8

-Kerastase Cristalliste Lumiere Liquide:  Smooth this lightweight fragrant serum through dry strands to add gorgeous shine.  Full size $42

-Miracle Skin Transformer Body SPF 20 in Glow:  Don't settle for anything but flawless skin - all over your body.  This tinted treatment erases blemishes and scars on arms, legs, and decollete.  Full size, $34.  

EXTRAS:  

Kerastase -Cristalliste Bain Cristal:  This shampoo removes oil from roots while leaving ends healthy and soft.  Full size $36

Kerastase Cristalliste Lait Cristal:  Thanks to hydrating aloe, this rich conditioner seals in shine and moisture.  Full size, $39

Notecards:  Text Messages are no match for handwritten notes on fun, modern stationery.  Set of 12, $10

I am looking forward to using just about everything in this Birchbox.  I'll be interested to see if the Algenist works.  If something works, I might just pay the price to buy a full-size.   

I am also going to paint my toes tomorrow.  I haven't painted them since the LAST time Birchbox sent me a polish sample.  I think that was back in March!

But what I am REALLY excited about is that I won a contest in April, and I just received the package that I chose with my $75 gift certificate.  

It is from a company called "Lollia," and I first heard about them on The Foundary.  

If you aren't on The Foundary, you should be!  They send out emails daily (I look at all of them, though.  This is one company that the daily emails AREN'T annoying to me!).    It is along the lines of Gilt, Zulilly, and MyHabit, where companies offer their products at a steep discount for only a few days.  

I have gotten some great ideas and have bought a few things.  One of the things I bought was this Royal Bee Duvet, from Lollia.    

(I tried to upload the picture of the Duvet, but it wouldn't let me.  I would take a picture of my OWN duvet, but my husband is sleeping and I don't think he would appreciate me turning on the lights to get the shot.  Sorry, I only could provide the link for you.  ;-))

I LOVE the duvet, and pretty much Lollia in general.  But it was pretty expensive, so I "liked" it on Facebook.

Anyway, I won a contest they were holding for Mother's Day. And technically, I think the gift should be for my mother.  But....I bought the Mother's Day product package that matched my Royal Bee Duvet.

It is the "Wish" Eau de Parfum, "Wish" Perfumed Shower Gel, and "Wish" Shea Butter Handcreme.

The "Wish" scent reminds me a lot of Estee Lauder's Bronze Goddess, in that it is a summery, vanilla-y, beachy scent.  

And I LOVE the packaging.  I sort of want to keep it all, but I am keeping the eau de parfum, and I think gifting the rest to my mother.  Or maybe I will just keep it all and get her something different, since it matches my room.  Heheh.

Lollia also sent me some really awesome samples ~ I LOVE samples ~ which I tore into right away.  Which you can probably see from the picture.

Along with a small lotion sample of Lollia's "Calm" scent (which I like...almost more than the "Wish"), they sent me a TokyoMilk Bon Bon Bubbling Bath, Love & Toast "Pomme Poivre" handcreme, and TokyoMilk/Dark "Crushed" handcreme.

First, I used the bubble bath last night.  I have NEVER gotten such awesome and long-lasting bubbles from a bubble bath before.  Maggie was excited when she saw it, because it seriously looked like it was a bath out of a movie.

I am also a sucker for gimicky stuff, and I was intrigued by TokyoMilk/Dark.    The packaging is black, and has guns, bugs and poison on them.  The names are "Arsenic,"  "La Vie, La Mort (The Life, The Death)," and "Bulletproof," to name a few.

"Crushed" Handcreme came in the samples, and honestly, along with the Bon Bon Bubblebath, this will probably be my next purchase.   The description of the "Crushed" scent says it is a combination of earth and moss, crushed herbs, wild grass and jasmine. 


The smell reminds me of something from when I was young, and I love it.


Just wanted to share a few of my finds with you tonight.  


Since I haven't been updating my blog very much lately, I will probably  see you with my NEXT Birchbox!

Birthdays, Birchboxes and Baths.

I came on here today to do a "Wordless Wednesday" post.  Because surely, it HAD to be Wednesday.  

My heart dropped when I realized it was only Monday.

MONDAY!   

Part of the reason the day has gone so slowly is that I hurt my back.   And I don't even have a cool story to explain it.   I merely woke up yesterday morning and could hardly move.    

So I decided to take a bath today, because I thought that might help.  (Didn't.)

I got into the tub and Maggie ran in to the bathroom and starting whooping... all like, "BATHTIME!  Oh, YAY!  Bathtime!  I LOVE bathtime!"  

Then she began taking off all of her clothes.

I held her off for a moment, but could only do it for so long...because she is MAD strong.  She crawled in with me, loudly pointing out my stomach and my boobs and blurting out entirely malapropos  comments about both. 

I found out, however, that kids are great at washing backs.   

I didn't post my items this month in MyGlam and Birchbox.  Mostly because I have been super lazy.

But MyGlam was pretty good this month.   I received an Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner pencil, which was great.   Also, I got a full-sized (I think) Dermstore Lip Quench lip balm.  It smells nice.  Also, some false eyelashes...which I have been known to wear.

I am 100 percent more enthusiastic about Birchbox this month, though.  There were a couple really cool items, but my favorite ~by far ~ is the microdermabrasion mitt for the shower.  

Maggie slipped this over her hand and scrubbed my back with it today, and it was super awesome.

It's a little bag that you slip your hand in, then you scrub away with shower gel.   It feels SO nice.  

I also really loved the Pur 4-in-1 Mineral Tinted Moisturizer.   And the Orange Sanguine perfume sample.  

Thursday is Maggie's birthday.  She turns four.  It feels as if she has been three FOREVER.   

This has been the year that she would  nearly kill herself holding her bowel movements in,  and when she FINALLY went after days of screaming, it would be a man-sized turd that we would have to wait to disintegrate before flushing for fear of overflow.    She also had issues with wiping feces on things inappropriately.  Like on furniture, and walls.  

I am happy that she is fully toilet trained, though.  Almost a full six months ahead of her big brothers (both who elicited episodes of  hand-wringing as preschool loomed in their near futures, and I was still buying Pampers).  

Her personality has flourished.    She is super outgoing, charming and will tell you anything you want to know.   And more.   I am frantically trying to fill her in on stranger-danger.    

She is reading everything.  She started reading an anatomy flap book, because she decided that she wants to be a doctor.

She also must read  signs on the doors of every store we go to.   I am hoping this isn't, like, an OCD thing.  Because sometimes ~ when we are in a hurry ~ it holds us up.  

She was particularly fascinated with the "Team Members Only" door at Target.  She would shriek,  "That's a team member, mommy!" when anyone would walk in or out.  

(Photos have been removed because I am wildly paranoid about the internet.) 

March 2012 Birchbox/Etsy Shop

I received an email that my Birchbox had shipped earlier this week, and I waited.  And waited.  It took a while to arrive, but I am really happy with this month's box.

Unlike last month ~ which was full of things that I probably wouldn't use ~ this month's box is full of awesome things that I love.

Here is the list from the card insert:

~  Color Club/ Nail Lacquer in Age of Aquarius:  Brighten blah nails with on-trend, '60's inspired green polish.

~ Harvey Prince/ Ageless: Most scents just smell pretty, but this one is designed to make you feel more youthful - high-tech, no?

~ Lulu Organics/ Lavender and Clary Sage Hair Powder:  Revive flat locks by sprinkling this lavender-scented organic dry shampoo onto your roots.

~ One Love Organics/ Skin Savior Waterless Beauty Balm:  This all-natural two-in-one cleanser and mosturizer is completely free of fillers, which means it's extra concentrated and extra effective.

~ Supergoop/Sunscreen Swipe:  Shield yourself from harmful UV rays anywhere you go with these portable wipes - they're soaked with an award-winning, skin-safe sunscreen formula.

LIFESTYLE EXTRA:
~ Tea Forte/Skin-Smart Teas:  AN antioxidant tea that tastes amazing and helps our skin look more radiant?  Yes, please.

I use regular powder on my hair because I am a lazy ass on some days.  I am happy that there is actually a dry shampoo out there that will probably do the job better than regular cornstarch.  I like the powder, the nail polish (will prob just do my toes, since dishes and playing guitar is hard on fingernails...), the perfume, the sunblock.  I pretty much like everything.

And speaking of liking things from BirchBox/MyGlam , I am loving a leave-in conditioner that I received in this month's Glam Bag.  It is the Keratase KeraColor Color Enhancing Leave-in Treatment.   The full size is almost 30.00 on special, with free shipping.  It comes in all colors for different hair... 

I also set up a shop on Etsy to sell some paintings.  

I was working with oil, but for the sake of ease  and of drying time,  I am going to paint with acrylics.  

I had no idea how much to charge for anything, but I made a general guess and hope it works out.

These are the two paintings I am selling....I'm painting them to order and each one will be different, but with the same, general concept.


It's a leap of faith...something I am not very good at.   What is the most difficult for me is that there is a possibility of  someone being critical.  

But as my husband pointed out, I shouldn't NOT do something that I want to try out of fear of having my feelings hurt.  It actually doesn't make much sense.

I'll let you know how things go.  :)

March 2012 Glam Bag

Just received my March Glam Bag from Myglam.com!

An email was sent out earlier this month informing us that they are not taking any new subscriptions to the service until they work out a few kinks.   There were shipping issues, billing issues, etc.  This is a brand new company/service (think this is the third or fourth shipment), however, so I would expect that they are learning as they go.

Anyway, there are some great little things in it this month:

~ DermStore Care Package:
  1.Pur-Lisse Pur-Protect SPF 30 Essential Daily Moisturizer
AND
  2. Murad Eye Lift Perfecter
AND
  3.  DermStore $25 gift card

~Foundational Elements:
 One of three beauty basics to lay the groundwork for your fresh spring complexion:
1. 3Lab Perfect Cleansing Foam
OR
2. Pur-Lisse Pur-Lip Comfort Daily Lip Nourisher
OR
3. Murad Absolute Bronzing Boost SPF 15 (what I received)

~Keracolor Color Enhancing Leave-In treatment
  This leave-in treatment is especially designed to enhance, protect, strengthen and hydrate all hair types.

~MyGlam exclusive Classic Crease Brush and Case
  Hand selected by Michelle from her recent trip to Hong Kong for Cosmoprof Asia, freshen up your spring makeup routine with this MyGlam exclusive classic crease brush and brush case.

I'm excited to receive some  things I can really use this month....and I would like to check out DermStore.  Don't know what their prices are, but a $25 gift card will definitely help if I order anything.

I'm looking forward to trying the Murad Bronzer.  I have heard about the brand, but have never tried anything before.  The daily moisturizer is helpful especially with the SPF 30 and I can always use conditioner for my hair.

Anyway, thought I would share with you all.  :)

Pop-Culture-ish Wordless Wednesday. Stuff I Liked.

Steallikeanartist.com 

Fat Pictures and Gigantic Zits.

As I get older, I find that birthdays are buzz kills.  

However, this year was pretty good.   I received an unexpected gift from a friend and my husband did the laundry.  Then he  took me  to my favorite place to eat.

I had two bloody Mary's and fish and chips.  

Then, I felt like a greasy slob.  

But later  that evening,  as we watched the Target car skidoo out of control, smash into, then burn up a maintenance truck,  I had an epiphany.

 (Note:  Am not a Nascar fan, but can appreciate and watch a good explosion and fire.)

Perhaps it was the bloody Marys?  Perhaps it was fire?

But this epiphany was different. 

No, I wasn't happy.   And yes, it was something that I could change.  

That obvious crap has slipped past me for thirty-something years, I suppose. This is the older, and wiser, me.

I had a difficult few months, and VOILA, 25 pounds appeared on my scale.  

Well, anyone who knows about gaining and losing weight, knows that  losing weight that you have previously lost and  that you GAINED BACK ~ because you're a sorry-ass slob ~ is one of the most disheartening feelings in the world.  

But you know what?  Screw disheartening.  

At that moment, as  Juan Pablo Montoya skulked off the track in his little red Target suit ~ as if ramming his car into a wall was the most natural thing in the world ~ I realized that I  so sick of feeling sorry for myself.    Feeling sorry for myself is bullshit, man.

I was ready to fit into my closet full of awesome clothes that don't fit because I have no willpower (read: AM TOO LAZY) to discipline myself to eat better and not drink wine.    

Tell me that fat, unhappy people DON'T drink alcohol to make them feel temporarily feel better?  They do.  Because I sure did. 

My husband presented his plan to me:  he would cook and I would eat what he made.   

Who in her right mind would turn that shiz down?

Because HE was on this modified paleo-ish diet this fall  and dropped about 25 pounds in a month.   He read the book (on the left) and was inspired by the author.  

Personally, I read it, too.  I found  Tim Ferriss abrasive and annoying.  But I suppose that doesn't make his ideas of any worse.    If someone goes to the trouble of weighing his own dumps, I should at least give him SOME credit.  Right?

And my husband didn't even NEED to go on a diet.  He wasn't overweight, nor was he unhealthy.  His cholesterol level, last checked, was a freakish number....like 98.  

(It made almost everyone over 40 that he shared this information with HATE him for a moment.)    

After a month or so, the obnoxious thing is that he couldn't STOP losing for a while after he modified his eating habits back to normal.  He was getting TOO skinny.  

Now, how dumpy do you think this fat wife felt next to a super skinny boy?  Albeit a super-skinny boy that has a freakish resemblance now to Rick Scott.

No matter.  

We sat down and we talked about goals.  

Admittedly, goals are really a difficult concept for me.  Always have been.  

I know that people TALK about goals all the time, but they are intangible little bastards.  

"Goal" is just a word that has been thrown around too much, like "love,"  and "amazing."  

These words can mean almost nothing anymore.    

I have tried to write down my goals before, and that didn't work.  

This time, I made my husband write them down with me and made a plan of how to obtain the goals.  These were new spins on an old, dreary concept.   I felt as if they made a difference.  

(Also, I put a bathing suit on and had my 3 year old take pictures of me.  Which, I swear, seriously freaking messed with my head.   I mean, I couldn't POSSIBLY look like that from behind, right?  Right?!!!)

The end goal? 

 I really would like to wear a bikini.  

Wearing one never really mattered, ever, when I lived in the Midwest.   

Bikinis were novelties....I mean, like, who wore those things?    As a mom, I felt that if you wore them  to the local kiddie pool you looked impractical.  

Now, we live in  a beach town in Florida.   My perceptions have totally changed.   Bikinis are a lot more common here.   

And, in my opinion, they are entirely practical.  Anyone who has been in Florida in July wants to wear as few items of clothing as humanly possible.  

But in general, it doesn't really matter what you look like on the beach ~ as long as you don't show up clothed.  Not even joking about this, everyone: 100% serious.  

ALL YOU MIDWEST PEOPLE, HEADS UP.      It doesn't matter what you look like when you are at the beach.   What makes you stick out like a sore thumb and look like a tourist (other than feeding the birds):   Wearing clothing because you are trying to hide that you are sporting extra poundage.   

There are all shapes and sizes at the beach and all sorts of bathing suits.

A local dude even wears a speedo with socks and sneakers, then kicks a soccer ball down the beach every weekend. 

The bikini goal is going to involve more than just diet on my part.  Genetics aren't working with me on this one, and the three kids thing hasn't helped.  So, my husband promised a tummy tuck if I work at it.    

 

I broke the juicer out that  I purchased about two months ago.  It was still in the box and had collected a thin film of dust on it.     

I am now incorporating the modified paleo diet into my life with my husband.

I'll keep you posted...because  I am counting on this year to be my best one ever.  

Except the day after my birthday, I woke up with this gigantic zit on my nose.   

I haven't had a zit forever.  It is only getting worse and is not going away.   My entire nose is swollen and is seriously making me not want to leave the house.  

I said to Maggie, "Mom has a boo-boo on her nose."  Then she laughed at me.  

Usually, she would find her box of Hello Kitty bandages and attempt to solve the problem.   However, this zit incurred mockery from the three year old.

I suppose I will be thankful to be  alive, if not unblemished.   And that I am able to make changes in my life.  Oh, and that I am not a celebrity who needs to be on a red carpet anytime soon.    

Semi-Wordless Wednesday.

Fight Club 

Bad-Ass 

<3

HAHHHHH~ <3 CHOW!  The Hangover makes me smile :)

<3 Qui Gonn


And finally....
HONEYBADGER Don't give a crap!!! Makes me laugh: