Play! Time

When Sephora jumped on the beauty box bandwagon I knew I wanted to sign up for it. I'm very much an amateur, as you may have guessed, and Sephora is all things beauty, so I definitely expected to get my money's  worth.

If you are unfamiliar with the Play! by Sephora box. It is $10 a month, $10.70 with tax, and they send you 5-6 samples from items that they carry in their stores. This is a great way to try new items WITHOUT spending hundreds. The box always ships in the third week of the month, so keep that in mind as well. You can find out more info and sign up for the wait list here.

Above you will see how this month's box looked when I opened it. I was surprised to see the box with only stripes because previous month's boxes have had a lipstick design on them.  The theme for this box is The Forces of Nature and I am super excited about it!

I'm most excited about those masks, so let's start there...

First up is the Korres - Wild Rose Sleeping Facial. It is described as a lightweight facial treatment that melts into the skin to brighten and moisturize with wild rose oil. That sounds amazing and I can't wait to try it!

Next comes the Origins - Maskimizer - Skin Optimizing Mask Primer with two sample mask formulas. The innovative primer spray is said to provide optimal mask results. One mask is for purifying and one is for deep moisturizing. I love a good mask and I hope that these don't disappoint. Especially with this primer spray. 

Lips are the one thing I really like to apply before leaving the house, because I'm always in sunglasses so you see them most. This month's box featured Tarte's - Tarteist Lip Crayon in Latergram, a lip liner and primer, and Bite Beauty's - Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Kimchi. While I'm not over the moon excited about these, I am happy to have a neutral liner and fun pink lipstick.

I was very nervous to see that there was a perfume sample included because I am so picky, but Atelier Cologne - Orange Sanguine was a great summer choice. It is a very refreshing scent that I hope my husband will enjoy on me.

Lastly, the Briogeo - Don't Despair, Repair! - Deep Conditioning Mask was included. This is an intensely hydrating formula to repair and restore for lustrous, healthy hair. I will likely not be using this product. I already have very healthy hair, because I do not color or damage it with heat basically ever. Maybe you will see this sample in a future giveaway!

Overall, I feel like this was a big win for me, since I will be using 5 out of 6 products. Also, if you see anything you are interested in, you can find a link to each full size item by clicking on the name of the item. 

What did you think about this month's box? Did you receive it? Do you think you will sign up for future boxes? Let me know in the comments below!

Hugs!

Decorative Planning?!

Those two words seem weird together, but if you have access to the internet and *try* to keep up with trends you will know that it is becoming quite popular. I've decided that I'm going to do a series of posts about all things decorative planning.

Let's start at the beginning.

I've been a planner since, at least, middle school. I remember covering my school agenda book in stickers and gum wrappers; you know the foil ones you can peel apart. That continued through my entire school career and into the college years. I transferred into a small calendar after high school to track my work hours,  appointments and such. After that, I opted to just use my phone calendar mostly. I also kept a wall calendar with all of the important things on it, so I could see them regularly.

Moving on to when I had my oldest son. I went back to carrying a small calendar in my purse to track all of the doctor appointments. I didn't get rid of my wall calendar though. Who can resist the cute pictures on them?! Not I. This was basically my routine until last July, when I was able to start using my Plum Paper Planner.  Being the crafty person that I am, I knew decorative planning would be a fun outlet for me, especially since I had just become a stay at home mom and I was losing my mind trying to figure out my day. 

That brings us to how I got started. Let's just say, instagram has a plethora of inspiration. One simple search of #plannercommunity, #plannergirl, or #planneraddict among various other hash tags will bring up thousands of photos of beautifully decorated planners. Planners?! Yes, planners.

There are so many Etsy shops dedicated to stickers and other planner accessories. Some of my favorites on Etsy include Pretty on Paper Co., The Sticky Cactus, Plan with Pizazz and Paper Ennui. There are also stand alone sites like Oh Hello Stationery Co. (<-This link will get you $5 off your first purchase.) and Krissy Anne Designs that are amazing.

My "style" has changed many times and I'm even in a different planner than I was when I started. I realized that I need a little more structure within a few months. Right around the time I realized I needed a different planner I was gifted an Erin Condren Life Planner. (<-That link will get your $10 off your first purchase.) This is one of the more popular planners you will find in this community. 

I'm now a functional planner, with some decorative elements. At one point I was more of a cutesy decorative kinda gal - but then I realized I was having difficulty using my planner. I was becoming very easily distracted. 

Finding out what works for you will be lots of trial and error. I suggest figuring out what to want in a planner and then doing some searches on YouTube to see which one could be a good fit for you. If you decide you want to give decorative planning a shot weekly kits and samplers will give you a good place to start. It will help you see what you like and will use. Ultimately, a planner should help make your life easier and if it isn't doing that it might be time to reevaluate the situation. 

Are you a decorative planner? Do you want to give it a go? Let me know in the comments. 

Hugs!

My First Ever Subscription!

Just as the title suggest I got my first ever subscription box - err bag - in the mail this week! I had been stalked the tracking for what seemed like an eternity.

The bag that I received was from Ipsy. While I know I'm late to the game and most people are already familiar with it, for those of you who aren't Ipsy is a $10 beauty bag monthly subscription. Each month you are charged $10 on the 1st and the bag is shipped out around the 10th. Inside of the bag you will find 5 deluxe samples of beauty products, or beauty tools. Each month there is a new theme and the products vary based upon ,how you answer the beauty quiz.

Above you will find the goodies that came in my bag this month. I also got a free EM Cosmetics palette for signing up this month. Now, let's talk a little more about the products that were included this month and how I feel about them.

1. Crazy Rumors - HibisKiss Natural Lip Color in Coral 

This appears to be a full size product. I love how soft it is on my lips and I love the slight pop of color that it gives. I'm definitely excited to really try it out. 

2. Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics - Caribbean Sun Bronze Duo in Aruba

Another full size product, or pretty close to it. I'm feeling excited to try it. I'm used to using a more shimmery bronze and this one is definitely more matte. I'm looking forward to stepping out of my normal realm.

3. Trissola - Chia Smoothing Oil

This was my least exciting product. I think it will definitely be nice to try, buy I would have rather had something more makeup or skincare related. This product is not full size, but is a nice sized sample.

4. Glamour Dolls - Blending Brush #10 (Sperm Whale Edition) 

 A girl can never have too many brushes. Am I right?! This brushes bristles are soft to the touch and are perfect for all over blending.

5. IT Cosmetics - No-Tug Waterproof Mini Gel Eyeliner in Black

Eyeliner is one of those things I feel is an essential and I was happy to receive this one. It swatches very black on my hand and was very smooth when applying. This is the perfect size for tucking into your wallet or pocket for a night out.

Overall, I'm super excited about this bag and I can't wait to see what next month has in store for me. If you like makeup and want to give Ipsy at try you can do so here.

Do you get Ipsy? How did you like this month's bag? Let me know in the comments.

Hugs!

Honey Lime Tilapia

In an effort to find a way to prepare fish that my whole family would eat, I stumbled upon this recipe on One Lovely Life. I didn't follow the recipe exactly, but it turned out amazing and is now in our regular rotation!

You will need the following for the marinade:

4 Tilapia fillets, thawed if frozen
Juice and zest of a lime, or two in our case - We love the fresh taste!
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1½ Tbsp Honey - I eyeballed this and used raw local honey.
Salt, Pepper & Garlic to taste

Combine the marinade ingredients in a gallon-sized zippered bag or container with a lid, then add the fish. I actually cut my fillets in half before adding them into the bag, because that serving size works best for our family with two small children. Then I throw the limes into the bag after I juice them, mix it all around and put it in the refrigerator for 1-24 hours. I prepare ours in the morning for dinner time, so it sits for around 7-8 hours. 

When you are ready to cook it, take it out of the refrigerator and mix ½ cup of flour (I used All Purpose) with salt and pepper, for dredging, on a plate. Then heat the olive oil in a pan on medium, medium-high heat, around 6 or so on my stove, until it's slightly shimmering.

Next you are going to want to lightly coat each side of the fillets with the flour mixture. Only frying 2-3 at a time, so you aren't overcrowding the pan works best. You want the fish to be opaque and beautifully browned on each side. This takes around 3-5 undisturbed minutes per side.

Voila! I served ours with some rice and veggies on the side. Side note: I'm not sure why my last picture looks so much better than the other two. Maybe it was the light from the stove?

Any who, I would love to hear your family's favorite fish recipes. We are trying to expand our diet and I am always looking for new recipes to try!

Hugs!

Simple, with Sultry Tastes....

When it comes to makeup I would definitely say I'm an amateur. I like to throw some lips and eye liner/shadow on - with maybe a splash of blush or bronzer - and call it a day, mainly because that's an easy routine and my skin is so sensitive.

Realistically speaking, I might wear makeup twice a month. When I do it's for a day out with the family, or if I know I'm going to be photographed some. Being a stay at home mom means that I don't regularly go out on the town, if you know what I mean. This shouldn't be my excuse, but my kids don't care what I look like. (Lol.)

With all of that being said, I decided in the last few weeks that I want to put a little more time into me. Not only to make myself feel better, but also to give my husband that extra something that I know he loves. He always tells me how beautiful I am, even with 3 am bedhead and sleepies in my eyes, so he doesn't need me to do myself up but, I know that he loves the way my eyes look when I do put makeup on.

I decided to sign up for two beauty boxes, Ipsy and Sephora Play. They are both $10 a month, so I feel like this could be a good way to try different products to see what I like, before I spend a boat load on things I find that I don't care for. I've been watching unbagging videos for Ipsy for probably a year, or better, and unboxing ones for Play since it was released several months ago. I'm excited to see what I get in my first month's subscriptions, and I am hopeful that I will be able to find both a simple, everyday look, and a sultry, sexy look that works for me.

Do you have a makeup/beauty product that you love? What about a beauty subscription box? I would love to hear about it in the comments.

Hugs!