Adventures With Our Little Pumpkin

Christmas this year with my husband was very special. It was his first time having the holiday off while working in his field. I received many amazing gifts from him this year including: The Vorpal bag by Mysterious A Canon T5 Digital SLR camera kit which also included two lenses, a bag, and a strap. Final Fantasy XII and the guide for it. The Big Bang Theory Season 7 Penny Dreadful Seasons 1&2 on Blu-Ray A Nightmare Before Christmas Poster for out room. Isla and The happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins The Daughter Of Smoke and Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor He also included a lot of great candies in my stocking and 4 Lush Bath Bombs. Intergalactic(not pictured as I've already used it), Sex Bomb, Star Dust, and Guardian Of The Forest. From my mom I received all of the supplies I need to get started doing watercolors again. Currently I am only working with acrylics. I have experience in watercolor but haven't gotten to paint with it sinc...

This months theme was: All Wrapped Up December's theme was centered around being cozy and "home for the holidays". Juara Coconut Illipe Hand & Nail Balm - retail $80 This was the surprise hit product of this box for me. The smell is delightful without being overpowering and it feels super moisturizing without feeling greasy. At first I wasn't so sure about this product because it looks, feels, and smells a bit like sunscreen. I was pleasantly surprised upon application how well it rubbed in. The one small downside I will mention is that it says it's a nail balm as well and I didn't really feel like it did much to my nails. Kate Spade Live Colorfully - retail $95 This perfume has a really nice floral scent with just a hint of citrus. I really enjoyed this scent, however it's staying power isn't the best and isn't really a scent I expected to get in a winter box. It's much more suited for spring. Coastal Scents Styl...

Everything You Need To Survive This Winter For many of you Winter has already arrived and if it hasn't it's right around the corner. Here in West Virginia we happen to be having a very late winter and have yet to have received any snow. The state seems mostly divided because of this with half the people happy not to have to deal with it and the other half wanting a white Christmas. I personally love the snow and get very grumpy when I'm too hot, something that's happening a lot lately as everyone already has their heat on despite the temperatures staying in the 50s and 60s. I know the snow is coming though so I've started to think about my Winter Essentials list and thought I'd share it with you. I tried to include things to keep cozy and warm inside and a few things for if you do have to venture out into the cold. For starters tea is always an essential in this house. I am a firm believer in tea fixing just about anything and have a huge collection ...

This Stila lipstick actually came in a Birchbox order as a random free sample. I was more happy to get this than I have any other sample before. I have been absolutely dying to try a liquid to matte lip color but I've been putting it off until after Christmas.  I received the shade Bella which is sort of a bright Barbie pink. It looks exactly the same on your lips as it does in the tube. At first I was really confused trying to apply this product it's very thick and a little difficult to manage but once you figure it out, which isn't hard, it was super easy to apply. It only take a light hand and small strokes to get perfect coverage with this Stila lipstick. It initially has a smell that's sort of a cross between vanilla and chemicals but as soon as it dries the smell is gone. It takes some practice to get it perfectly on your lips and as long as you wipe off any mistakes or excess before it dries it removes extremely easily with no staining. However once ...

Not Your Average Favorites. This month started with an impromptu shopping spree, peppermint mocha bubble tea, sushi, and seeing The last Witch Hunter in theaters. The movie was okay if a little rushed. The big names featured in the film definitely make it worth seeing. It's the kind of movie that's visually striking without a lot of plot and is usually good for having on in the background while your busy doing other things. November was a great month for mail. I entered a giveaway hosted on Twitter by Coastero   and was so lucky to be the winner! In honor of National Poetry month they were giving away a "Books & Tea" coaster set. Books and tea both happen to be two of my favorite things and the quality of these ceramic coasters is amazing! They now sit on an end table in my favorite reading nook. Also a super crafty month I was hard at work all of November working on a ton of great shop items. The two wreaths pictured above were done at the st...

This month's theme was: Feeling Fancy November's theme was centered around dressing up for the holiday's and the box design has been my absolute favorite so far. Catherine Malandrino Style de paris - retail $80 This was a nice floraly type scent with a bit of a woodsy smell in it as well. I enjoyed it but it's not my favorite perfume. I think it's nice to throw in my purse for if I forget to spritz myself with something before leaving the house. The one downside is it does not seem to last all day. Temple Spa La La Lagoon Aromatic Bath and Shower Gel - retail $18 The smell of this as soon as I opened the lid was horrendous and I didn't even use it. It was a very overpowering scent and smells more like a mens cologne than a shower gel. This was passed on to family.  Make Face Gloss - retail $25 This product was another disappointment for me. I wasn't exactly even sure what this was at first. I originally thought it was a moisturizer ...

The Complexion Perfection Sampler is an option from Birchbox that just became available on November 17th and is now an add on option for your December box. I ordered this on the 17th, it shipped that day, and I received it on the 20th. I was pleasantly surprised at the fast delivery seeing as how it takes so long for my actual Birchbox to get here. I started by showering, washing my face, and applying my moisturizer as usual and then set to applying each product included in the sampler in the order and way they recommend. Step 1: Beautyblender Original retail-$20 The first item in this, and the main draw to the box, is an original Beautyblender. I personally use a knockoff Ulta applicator currently as my closest Ulta was sold out of the name brand on my last trip. The Beautyblender isn't new and is heavily reviewed online so I won't go into a lot of detail on it here. I will say that I do love it and see why it's such a hit with makeup lovers. The original doe...

Not Your Ordinary Favorites  I Started October with a homemade breakfast from my husband. My Hubby spent two weeks in Ireland last year and frequently likes to try and remake much of the food he enjoyed there. Here is the traditional Irish breakfast using the ingredients readily available to us in the U.S. Hubby and I have a tradition of watching Halloween movies together every year starting with Sleepy Hollow and adding in a few more. This year we spent the time the movies were on painting in our studio. Hubby like to collect board games and figurines to hand paint, something I help him with, in addition to my original paintings.                                                     I started a fun new endeavor this month hand making wreaths! I spent all of October researching and ordering supplies. I plan on spending this winter working on a t...

This months theme was: Positive Force Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month this box was a plethora of pink! The marbling of the box was beautiful but overall not my favorite design. Borghese Fango Purificante Clay Cleanser - retail $30.00 This facial cleanser looks, feels, and smells like shampoo. I didn't have high hopes for this initially but I was pleasantly surprised. This product lathered nicely and left my face feeling fresh and clean. I have extremely oily skin so a lot of times my face still feels dingy even after a wash but not with this. The smell wasn't ideal for a cleanser but it doesn't stick around long after you've rinsed the product off. Harvey Prince Yogini Perfume - retail $55.00 This is a nice perfume if a little masculine. For a product named after a calming exercise I expected more of a fresh light scent, something soothing and calming. This just didn't stack up and isn't for me. Number 4 Texture Styling Creme ...

This months theme was: Better Together. As always I thought the design of this box was just beautiful, this is my 2nd box from Birchbox and so far my favorite. As it was Birchbox's birthday this was their customer appreciation box and also included a coupon for 20% off a $35+ purchase in the shop. POP Beauty POP Portfolio Eyeshadow pallate - retail $26.00 This was my sample choice for the month. I wasn't a huge fan of  the featured box this month and opted for eye shadow instead. I received a lovely purple color, however even though purple is my favorite color, I just don't find myself drawn to wearing it on my eyes very often. That being said both the shades and pigmentation on this sample were great. I do recommend using an eyeshadow primer to prevent crease settling. ModelCo Ultra Long-Lasting Lipstick Trio - retail $20.00 I received a good size sample in the shade Kitty. It's a lovely nude pink color that matches my skin tone wonderfully. Unfortun...