Throwback Thursday- The BFG

Throwback Thursday is a series in which I re-read books that I've read previously and review my thoughts on them now. I am mostly planning on re-reading books from my childhood, but that might change as time goes on. I am also taking a part of the re-read challenge hosted by So Obsessed With and Belle of the Literati
 

By: Roald Dahl
Published Year: 1982
Publisher: Puffin Books
Pages: 199

Amazon Barnes and Noble

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Captured by a giant! The BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It's lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the Bloodbottler, the Fleshlumpeater, the Bonecruncher, or any of the other giants-rather than the BFG-she would have soon become breakfast. 
When Sophie hears that they are flush-bunking off in England to swollomp a few nice little chiddlers, she decides she must stop them once and for all. And the BFG is going to help her!




                                                           What I remember

I remember that this was one of the first Roald Dahl books I read and I vaguely remember the movie. I also remember thinking that it was funny and I remember loving the BFG. Other than that, I don’t remember much about this book. I didn’t even remember the other characters in the book other than the BFG.

                                                            What I thought

Unfortunately, I don’t think this book is one that grows well with you from childhood to adulthood. It’s a pretty silly book, and while I enjoyed it, I think I liked it better when I was younger.

The BFG is about a little girl named Sophie who spots the BFG one night. Because she sees him, he kidnaps her and takes her to live with him in the land of giants. While there, she learns that ever night, the giants snatch humans from their beds and eat them. Sophie is appalled by this (as is the BFG who doesn’t eat humans) and she tries to find out a way to stop them.

The cute things about this book are that there are a bunch of puns. For example, the humans that live in Chile are good to eat on a hot day because, well, they’re chilly tasting. I also still love the BFG. He’s a fun character with a good heart.

I did forget that the BFG talks kind of funny which is a little difficult when reading. It’s easy to get used to, but threw me off at the beginning. I was also a little thrown by how fast everything moved. It was definitely fun and I would love to rewatch the movie to see if it’s just as fun or if it’s better than the m

I would recommend this to other young readers easily. I think it’s fun and that it’s even better for young readers with a lot of imagination. I think I preferred The Witches to The BFG in comparison, which surprised me, but both are great. I can’t w…

I would recommend this to other young readers easily. I think it’s fun and that it’s even better for young readers with a lot of imagination. I think I preferred The Witches to The BFG in comparison, which surprised me, but both are great. I can’t wait to re-read more of his books as they’re all so unique, but I don’t think this one is going to have a permanent place on my shelves.
 

I Do Vox Box Part 2

I recently received a complimentary I Do VoxBox from Influenster, in exchange for my honest review. In this box, there were 7 products. I will be reviewing them in two separate parts. You can read my first part, a review of the make-up products, here. Today I will be reviewing the non-make-up products. The I Do VoxBox is full of products meant to be essential on your wedding day.

Skinnygirl Tasty Nutrition Bar ($4.99 each)

These nutrition bars were sent as a means to keep energy levels up. They have a decent amount of protein (usually 6 grams), are gluten free, kosher, and have no artificial sweeteners or flavors. The flavor that they sent was the Lemon Swirl. I’ve had these bars twice before and really enjoyed them. I tried the chocolate pretzel and some sort of banana one. I liked them and I think they’re pretty decent for a nutrition bar. The carbohydrates are a little high for my preference, so I don’t buy them often.

 I’m not a lemon person, so I wasn’t looking forward to trying this bar and I have to say my instincts were right. The flavor of this one is gross. I’m sure if you like lemon bars you’ll enjoy it, but I definitely did not. I took about one bite and gave the rest to my fiancé. The nice thing is that it doesn’t have chocolate, so if you are looking for a chocolate free nutrition bar this is good one to go with.

Sahale Snacks Grab and Go ($27.46 for 18)

These snacks are perfect for on-the-go snacking. They have seven different flavors, and the one I received was almonds with cranberries, honey, and sea salt. Admittedly, almonds are not my favorite nuts. I don’t mind when they cut up and in things, but I have tried many times to enjoy them on their own but I just don’t. However, these are really good! I would not have normally bought this flavor, but I would definitely buy it again.

Some of the other flavors they have are raspberry crumble cashew mix, mango tango almond mix, berry macaroon almond mix, cashews with pomegranate and vanilla, California almonds and sea salt, and classic fruit and nut blend. They also have some layered nut bars that look good! These snacks are also gluten free and kosher, and this particular one had 7 grams of protein. When looking at nutrition, these two snacks are pretty comparable. While the nuts have more calories, they have less carbohydrates. I will definitely keep an eye out for these snacks next time I go grocery shopping.

URGENTRx Ache and Pain Relief ($1.39)

This is a single dose of flavored powder that works as a pain reliever. I haven’t had a chance to try this personally yet. Luckily, I haven’t had any aches or pains recently, so I haven’t had a need to try this. It seems a little bit odd that it’s in powder form, but scientifically it makes sense as to why it works faster than a tablet. The powder gets into your blood stream quicker than a tablet does, which means it will start acting faster. I also like that it’s in a thin package. I could see these being really good for traveling, especially on long flights. When you’re somewhere that you don’t have water or a lot of room in your bag, these could be very beneficial. I also like that they have different ones for different issues, such as head ache, heart burn, allergy attack and even upset stomach. It’ll be interesting to give this a try even though it does seem a bit gimmicky.

That's about it for the I Do Vox Box. I think that overall, a lot of the products they sent are good for wedding day. I like the foundation and I really like the two food products (even though I don't like the flavor of the SkinnyGirl I received). I also like the hand lotion and it's not something I would have thought to have in my emergency bridal box. If you or someone you know is getting married soon, I would definitely recommend looking into some of these products!

July 2015 Favorites

Time for my monthly favorites for July 2015! This month has definitely been busy and crazy. I apologize for the sporadic nature of posts this month, and I honestly can't promise that it's going to change within the next few months. The wedding is coming up in October and I can only see my life getting busier. I apologize in advance for the lack of schedule in the upcoming months. I will do my best!

                                                                     Books

Hold Me Like a Breath (Once Upon a Crime Family #1) By: Tiffany Schmidt

Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour By: Morgan Matson

Between the Notes By: Sharon Huss Roat

What She Left Behind By: Ellen Marie Wiseman (Book Club Review)

Fangirl By: Rainbow Rowell

A Whole New Word By: Liz Braswell

Between the Lines By: Jodi Picoult & Samantha van Leer

The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novel By: Raina Telgemeier

Off the Page By: Jodi Picoult & Samantha van Leer

The BFG By: Roald Dahl

Favorite Book I Read This Month: Fangirl. I feel like I’m cheating a little bit because this is a reread, but I wasn’t in love with any of the new reads this month. It was so wonderful to come back to this story and enjoy it all over again.
 

Beauty

Birchbox

I have been a Birchbox subscriber for about a year now and I have to say, these past few months they have been killing it! Not only are the boxes beautiful but I have been loving every sample I’ve been given. Some of my most recent favorites are the Skyn Iceland Eye Gels, the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick and the Dr Jart+ Premium BB Cream. You can read my most recent review here.

Skincare

In general, I’ve just been on a huge skincare kick. I haven’t been hugely into makeup, but I’ve been loving different skincare products. I’ve tried a few different face masks lately that I’ve enjoyed (the Sephora sheet mask was fun and there will be a review soon) and also a few different moisturizers. Even though I’ve been doing different products, my skin seems to be very happy right now so that makes me happy!

Sephora Creamy Lip Stain

On the lookout for a stay all day color for the wedding day, I stumbled across recommendations for this product. I tried it on in the store and was insanely impressed. I put it on and kissed the back of my hand and it did not come off at all. That excited me because that means I can kiss my husband to be and not worry about leaving mark on his face.

                                                                         Buys

White Barn

In my local mall there is a White Barn store. In case you didn’t know, White Barn is the brand of candles from Bath and Body Works. They had a bunch of their summer scents on sale, so I bought a Love candle for 50% off. I had purchased one a month or so ago and I’ve bene loving it, so I am excited to have a backup! I also found really nice boxes of matches for under $2 a piece (with 40 matches in each box) that will be perfect for the wedding!

Wedding Products

We are now a little more than 2 months away from the wedding so I feel like all I’ve been purchasing all wedding things but I’m ok with that. This month I picked out my veil, got some items from Paper Source and got a few other crafty items.

                                                                 Miscellaneous

Flash Tattoos

flash tattoo.jpg

My friend and I tried these out over July 4th weekend and I became obsessed. I absolutely LOVE these. Flash Tattoos are metallic jewelry temporary tattoos. They are supposed to last 4-6 days, and I think if you apply them correctly and wait until they dry then they stay. We also used them for my bachelorette party and they are just too much fun.

Wedding Events

This month we had both my shower and bachelorette party! I can’t believe we’re getting so close. Both events were so much fun and I feel so blessed to have such generous and loving people in my life. I can’t wait to continue the fun wedding things as we get closer!

Supernatural

I started watching Supernatural over a year ago and got to about season 4. I then got bored and made my way very slowly through season 4 and stopped at season 5. It sat at season 5 for at least a year and I just never went back to it. Recently, I caught a few episodes on TNT and it reignited my interest. I have since flown through season 5 and am currently in the middle of season 6. I love it!
 

Guest Post- Foodie Kitchen Staples by Sage & Serendipity

Today I bring to you a guest post written by my friend and fellow blogger, Logan from Sage & Serendipity! I don't typically have foodie posts but I love kitchen accessories. Enjoy!

Foodie Kitchen Staples

I'm so excited to be guest posting on Lindsey's blog! My name is Logan; I'm a CPA by day and lifestyle blogger behind 'Sage & Serendipity' by night. One of my favorite topics is food whether it is restaurants to eat at or delicious meals to whip up at home. I thought it would be fun to tap into the "buy" aspect of Lindsey's 'Beauty Books and Buys' and share three of my favorite kitchen gadgets!

1. Vegetable Spiralizer

By now, everyone's heard of the health hack of swapping pasta for vegetable noodles. This came across my radar several years ago, but I didn't pull the trigger on buying my own until I started dabbling in the Whole 30 food lifestyle.

I absolutely love this gadget! Setting aside the health benefits of a veggie swap, the noodles (or zoodles, when you use zucchini) that are produced look just like the advertisements. I simply spiralize two zucchini (1-2 meals depending on how hungry you are), drop them into boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes. It’s that easy! Topped with pasta sauce and meatballs this is an easy and inexpensive dinner.

There are lots of options out there; I ordered this Veggetti brand version. At $11 it’s a fantastic price point and works great! Unless you plan to dabble in spiralizing on a consistent basis, a cheaper version such as the Veggetti is a perfect addition to your kitchen.

On this version you can select thick or thin noodles. There is a bit of waste produced, as you can’t grate an entire zucchini. I’d recommend using the leftover end for a salad even sliced on a sandwich! The unit is easy to clean and small enough that storage isn’t an issue. I haven’t spiralized anything other than zucchini yet, but hope to branch out soon!

2. Microplane Grater

Growing up we had a metal grater in our kitchen that could produce a course or fine size. It was arduous to use and had a large surface, meaning your grated food would go all over the place if you weren’t careful. Fast forward to several years ago when I, on a whim, picked up a Microplane brand grater at Bed Bath & Beyond. This brand seriously changed my life when it comes to cooking and I can’t even begin to explain just how much I recommend this product.

I’ve grated everything from citrus to ginger to cheeses with these graters. They are extremely easy to use and store well in your kitchen. Each grater comes with a plastic protective cover; this helps in storage as it protects from any accidental hand grazes and keeps the unit clean until it’s time to use. The products wash fairly easy; I recommend using a bristle brush to clean as some food particles can be tough to get out of the grates.

Microplane products are slightly more expensive than other grater brands, with good reason! You can mitigate your cost through those handy 20% off coupons at Bed Bath & Beyond. Amazon also sells the brand for a few dollars cheaper than retail locations.

I own a fine and a course version; options are nice depending on what you are making. Overall I like a fine grate when I am zesting citruses, and a course grate for putting fresh ginger on my meals. I recommend looking for items with the black rubber coating on the handles (it’s easier to grip). Additionally I have not tried the brand’s box graters but imagine they are excellent!

3. Crate & Barrel Magnetic Measuring Spoons

Even if you aren’t a baker and/or often can’t be bothered with exact measurements (is it just me?) a set of these magnetic measuring spoons are a kitchen must.

Thanks to the magnetic aspect, these spoons stick together in your drawer. This is an organizer’s dream, and who wants to spend time digging through your kitchen tools for a measuring spoon? The magnetic addition also does away with the need for one of those annoying rings that holds kitchen spoons together-I cannot stand those things!

My favorite part about these spoons though is that they are double sided. Nothing is worse than having to pause your cooking to wash a measuring spoon for reuse; now you have double the use while cooking! The sides are two different sizes which is great for narrow jar openings.

The white coloring is classic and it does not stain easily; I’ve had my set for about 3 years and they still look brand new. The $8 price point is pretty great and a cheap investment for something that will last for ages! Find the spoons here or in Crate & Barrel stores in the kitchen gadget section.

Logan can be found blogging at www.sageserendipity.com and on twitter and Instagram under @loganmer. 
 

Birchbox July 2015

In case you are unaware, Birchbox is a monthly beauty subscription box. It costs $10 a month and you receive multiple sample size item. These boxes allow you to try tons of new products that you may have never even heard of before. The other fun thing about Birchbox is that every time you purchase an item from their site, or review a product from your box, you receive rewards points! Once you collect 100 points, you get $10 off of your next purchase. These points definitely add up quickly between buying your box, and reviewing the products.

Each month, Birchbox allows subscribers to pick one of their samples. If you prefer surprises, you don’t have to pick one. You can choose to be surprised instead. They also offer full boxes that have been made by a guest. This month’s guest editor box was the Beachy and Bright box. This month’s sample choice was a choice of three different shades of the Stila Look at Me Liquid Lipstick. The choices were Beso (a bright red), Venezia (an orangey/coral) and Bella (a hot pink). I chose Bella because I like hot pinks. I was tempted by Venezia because I like corals, but I was worried it would be too orange for my tastes.

The products I received this month were as follows (also... isn't that box amazing? I Love it!):

Jouer Daily Repair Treatment Oil (Full-size $48)- This is a face oil that is meant to smooth, hydrate, and rejuvenate skin. It is scent free and can be used as a moisturizing oil or in addition to your moisturizer. It does sink into the skin nicely and, even though the packaging says you only need 2 drops, I find that I need at least 3 to get my whole face. It doesn’t leave me feeling greasy or shiny, but I haven’t noticed many benefits from it yet.

Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray (Full-size $22-$39)- This spray is meant to give you beachy, textured waves while also hydrating and boosting shine. I have been wanting to try an Oribe product forever because I only hear good things. With curly hair, beach sprays tend to relax my curls. They don’t turn into beautiful beach waves, but they do loosen a little bit which is nice. I tried this once on my crly hair and once when my hair was straightened and didn’t notice it doing much. It maybe gave a little bit of volume but didn’t change the texture of my hair. 

COOLA Classic SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face (Full-size $32)- This product is exactly what it says it is, a face moisturizer with SPF. It smells really nice and I look forward to using it. I’m always looking for good face moisturizers with SPF included. I’m a bit lazy and don’t like taking the extra step to add SPF. It’s not overly expensive for a moisturizer either.

Juice Beauty GREEN APPLE Peel Sensitive (Full-size $39)- This is a gentle peel that is meant to exfoliate. I’m a little nervous to try this product as the word “peel” makes me picture my face turning bright red. I’m glad that it says it’s for sensitive skin, but I’m going to have to save it for when I don’t have anything coming up. It’ll be interesting to try this because I haven’t even tried an exfoliating peel before.

Stila Look at Me Liquid Lipstick Trio (Set of 3- $20)- I received the shade Bella which is a hot pink liquid lipstick. This product is meant to stay all day like a stain. First warning, this shade is not for the faint of heart. It is probably the brightest shade of pink I have ever seen. Second warning, this product is in no way moisturizing. It’s a little too matte for my tastes (as I think it can look kind of chalky) and it can feel uncomfortable. It’s isn’t the most uncomfortable matte I’ve ever worn, but it takes a little getting used to. I sampled this when I was at work one day because I knew I would be eating at least one meal and possibly some snacks. It seemed like a good way to really test the staying power of this lipstick. I will say that it definitely stays.  The only fading that I found was on the inside of the lip, but it still looked pretty good. It’s not a kiss proof lipstick (if you kiss the back of your hand it will come off), but with normal wear it stays well. Apparently, I forgot to take a picture when I first applied, but I took a (poor quality) picture at the end of the day to show where it had worn off.

You can see the wear in the middle of the lip and at the corners

You can see the wear in the middle of the lip and at the corners

Overall this box was a major win! Definitely one of my favorite ones I’ve gotten so far. Every product in it was one that I needed or wanted to try.

June Birchbox Update

Dr Jart+ Premium BB Cream SPF 45- This BB cream is pretty nice. It gives a decent amount of coverage and feels really light on the face. It does cover the redness which is nice. It’s not something I would buy, but it’s good on days when I want a little extra coverage.

Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels- Oh man! I can’t believe I forgot that I got these! I was really looking forward to trying them and completely forgot about them. I will have to try these with my shower/bachelorette party coming up.

Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner- After swatching this on my hand I had no desire to try it on my eye. Maybe I’ll try it eventually, but most likely it will be given away or trashed.

Temple Spa Shampoo and Conditioner- Again, another product from this box that I had no desire to try. I am saving them for guests that come over that need some shampoo and conditioner.

Pura Vida Lace Headband- I was a little surprised by how tight this headband was when I put it on. I like that it’s tight, because ta means it stays in place, but is a bit uncomfortable. The color isa little difficult to pull off and I don’t like the lacy. It’s nice to use when I’m doing a face mask, but I probably won’t wear it out of the house. 

Book Club July 2015

This month’s book club book was picked by Denise. The book is What She Left Behind.
 

By: Ellen Marie Wiseman
Published Year: 2013
Publisher: Kensington
Pages: 336

Amazon Barnes and Noble

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): In this stunning new novel, the acclaimed author of THE PLUM TREE merges the past and present into a haunting story about the nature of love and loyalty—and the lengths we will go to protect those who need us most.

Ten years ago, Izzy Stone’s mother fatally shot her father while he slept. Devastated by her mother’s apparent insanity, Izzy, now seventeen, refuses to visit her in prison. But her new foster parents, employees at a local museum, have enlisted Izzy’s help in cataloging items at a long-shuttered state asylum. There, amid piles of abandoned belongings, Izzy discovers a stack of unopened letters, a decades old journal, and a window into her own past.

Clara Cartwright, eighteen years old in 1929, is caught between her overbearing parents and her love for an Italian immigrant. Furious when she rejects an arranged marriage, Clara’s father sends her to a genteel home for nervous invalids. But when his fortune is lost in the stock market crash, he can no longer afford her care—and Clara is committed to the public asylum.

Even as Izzy deals with the challenges of yet another new beginning, Clara’s story keeps drawing her into the past. If Clara was never really mentally ill, could something else explain her own mother’s violent act? Piecing together Clara’s fate compels Izzy to re-examine her own choices—with shocking and unexpected results.

                                                     First Impressions

The summary, when it was read to me, sounded really interesting. I liked the idea of two stories that have a parallel even though they’re decades apart. However, the cover is so beyond boring. Like, to the point that even though I knew I needed to read this book for book club I couldn’t get myself to open it. Even though the summary was intriguing, I wouldn’tve picked up this book on my own.

                                                      What I thought

This book was good. It was better than I thought it was going to be, but it’s not a new favorite.

What She Left Behind follows Izzy and Clara. Izzy is a foster child in the 1990s. He mother killed her father when she was 8 and is in prison, so Izzy has been in the foster care system for almost 10 years. Clara is a young woman in the 1920s who has been committed to a mental hospital by her parents. Izzy believes that her mother was insane when she killed her father and worries that she will become insane as well. When she visits the Willard’s insane asylum with her foster parents to complete research, she finds Clara’s trunk and journal and becomes interested in her story.

The perspectives change from chapter to chapter. It starts with Izzy’s story and then switches to Clara’s. I found Clara’s story to be very interesting. When I was reading her chapters, I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I don’t want to say that I enjoyed her chapters because the majority of her story is horrible, but I don’t know how else to say it. I didn’t enjoy Izzy’s story as much. I found that what got me through her story was wanting to get to the next chapter of Clara’s story.

Clara’s story was sad but fascinating. Even though I thought I knew what was going to happen next, there were a few twists I didn’t expect. Izzy’s story seemed immature and almost written by another author. I found her to be annoying and even though I felt like I was supposed to sympathize with her, I didn’t. If this story had been all about Clara I think I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more.

It’s a little disturbing reading how the mental hospitals in the early 20th century were run, but it makes me thankful for how far we’ve come. I don’t feel like I can say too much about this book, because I don’t feel like much happened. Like I’ve said, Clara’s life story was interesting but nothing happened in Izzy’s story other than to move Clara’s along. There wasn’t much more to the plotline other than a girl being committed to a mental hospital by her parents, even though she was perfectly sane. 
 

It’s an interesting book. I wish there was a little bit more to it. Even though there was a lot of craziness, I still walked away from the book feeling like it was boring. There are definitely some positives, but overall it was a bit of a miss for me. I’d recommend it as a book club book because it is an easy read and there are a lot of talking points. I wouldn’t re-read it, and therefore wouldn’t purchase it for my shelves.

                                                                             What Book Club Thought

I think that I was probably the one who liked the book the least. It was interesting because Meghan had the opposite thought from me with the beginning of the book. She felt as though Izzy’s chapters were interesting and Clara’s were very blah. However, she agreed that once she got to the middle of the book she preferred Clara’s chapters to Izzy’s. We all felt as though Izzy was just a means to an end to get to Clara and that we could’ve either done without her, or wished that there was more to her story to feel like it had a point.

                                                            Poignant Questions

What did you think of how Clara was treated in the asylum?

What did you think of Izzy’s past? Was is necessary to the story?

If you grew up in the 1920s, do you think (as a woman) you would have gone along with what your parents told you to do, or would you have rebelled like Clara?

What did you think of Clara’s parents’ decision to send her to the asylum and then leave her there?

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Haul 2015 + Giveaway!

Every year, Nordstrom holds an anniversary sale during which they bring out fall products at a sale price. Nordstrom card holders receive early access (started July 9th) and non-card holders receive access to the sale on July 17th. If you shop at Nordstrom, I highly recommend getting a card. They even have a debit version, so if you’re nervous about having a credit card you can get the debit and still get points and rewards!

Each year I tend to go into the sale looking for something specific. This year, I was looking for some Iceland essentials. In case you aren’t aware (or in case I’ve never stated it on my blog) the fiancé and I decided to go to Iceland in December for our Honeymoon. I’ve pretty much used this as an excuse to get a new winter jacket (which is always necessary for Chicago) and some new snow boots. Other than that, I didn’t have anything specific I was looking for.

If you have anything specific that you want to add to your fall wardrobe (jewelry, handbags, dresses, sweaters, boots, etc) I highly recommend checking out this sale. They have great deals on sweaters and boots that you won’t regret. Also, Nordstrom has a free shipping and free return policy, so you really can’t go wrong. Nordstrom’s return policy in general is also really great. Even if you keep something for more than 30 days because you can’t decide, they’ll still take it back.

Clothing

The North Face Lunabrooke Sweater Jacket (During Sale $89.90 After Sale $120.00)

A silly picture showing the collar buttoned up, but then I turned sideways and didn't show the buttons... :-/

A silly picture showing the collar buttoned up, but then I turned sideways and didn't show the buttons... :-/

I stumbled upon this jacket when looking for a winter one and fell in love. My current fall jacket is The North Face Denali jacket. I’ve had it for probably 6 years now and I still love it. However, there are some occasions where having a bit of a nicer jacket are necessary in adult life. What I love about this jacket is it feels like a sweatshirt. It is super soft, lined with fur, and just amazingly comfortable. I did order a size up because I do want to be able to wear thicker sweaters underneath. The medium fit me really well, but the large gives a little bit of room. Depending on what you want to wear underneath this jacket, I would say it fits true to size.

BP Reversible Poncho in Chevron Plaid (During Sale $27.90 After Sale) (There is no link because it is currently unavailable online)

Showing the plaid and chevron sides of the scarf/poncho with a Blaze walking across. Cats love getting in the way.

Showing the plaid and chevron sides of the scarf/poncho with a Blaze walking across. Cats love getting in the way.

This “poncho” was displayed like a blanket scarf which is what made me pick it up. Last winter I regretted not purchasing a nice warm blanket scarf so when I saw this on sale, I grabbed it. It is really soft and cozy. When I opened it up, I realized that it had a “v” in the middle, and I finally realized it could be worn as a poncho. I would say that you can easily use this as either a poncho or a scarf. I’m really excited to use this and think it will be great for travel with its multiple uses.

My mom was looking for a transitional coat and the sales woman who was helping us showed her this one. After hearing about it and seeing it, I thought that it would be perfect for my winter needs. However, I did end up returning it but I wanted to talk about it anyway. This coat is a 3-in-1 rain coat, insulated coat, and then a winter parka. I love that this coat has 3 different ways you can wear it, has a hood, and is long but not too long. If you don’t own a rain jacket and you either live somewhere with non-polar vortex winters or already have a good winter jacket, I definitely recommend this. My mom currently owns The North Face Metropolis down jacket, but it’s going on her 5th winter so the down has worn a little bit. This Patagnoia is perfect for her because the rain jacket and the insulated jacket are exactly what she needs (separately) for transitional weather, and then when it gets really cold, she can put the insulated layer underneath her North Face jacket.

The inside of the Patagonia Vosque

The inside of the Patagonia Vosque

My issue with the jacket is that I thought the insulated layer was down, but it’s not. If it was, I would have kept this jack and been in love. After buying the jacket, I went online to see reviews and almost everyone wrote that this was a great jacket that kept them warm until the weather started going below 20 degrees F. Bummer. I was disappointed that I had to return this jacket, but it just isn’t what I need in my life right now. If it is what you need, please check it out!

Beauty

Shiseido Urban Environment Oil Free UV Protection SPF 42 ($32)

Over July 4th weekend, I tried my friend’s moisturizer and fell in love. However, it didn’t have an SPF. While at Nordstrom, with my make-up girl who I trust with my life, I decided to check out moisturizers. She recommended this one by Shiseido and the Daywear one by Estee Lauder. I ended up picking this one, not only because it was less expensive, but because it is really light. I haven’t tried it on my face yet, but when I do, there will definitely be a review.

The gift includes a black clutch, the Advanced Time Zone Cream SPF 15, Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II, Advanced Night Repair Recovery Eye Complex, Color Compact with Eyeshadow in 8 shades and Pure Lip Gloss in 3 shades, Full-Size Pure Color Lipstick in Sugar Honey, and Pure Color Intense Kajal Eye Liner Mini in Blackened Cocoa.

If you are making an Estee Lauder purchase yourself, I do want you to know that this gift comes with a few options. It comes with a warm option or a cool option. While I like the lipstick better in the cool option, I picked the warm option for you guys because the eye shadows are more neutral and I felt like they would look better on more people. You can also choose different moisturiziers, depending on your preference.

In order to enter this giveaway (at the end of this blog post), you must be 18 years or older and reside in the US.

For the Fiance

In case you have any men in your life, the anniversary sale is great for them too. My brother picked up a really nice pair of shoes and I grabbed a few items for the fiancé while I was there.

SmartWool “New Classic” Ribbed Socks (During Sale $12.90 After Sale $18.95)

If you have a man in your life who loves to be outdoors in the winter, SmartWool socks are the way to go. Even on Black Friday I have never seen these on such a good sale. I immediately grabbed two pairs as my fiancé lives in these in the winter. They are his absolute favorite.

What I’m Still Looking At

I have a few products that I’m still debating purchasing from the anniversary sale.

The first is the MICHAEL Michael Kors Belted Down & Feather Fill Parka with Detachable Faux Fur Trim Hood (During  Sale $169.90 After Sale $258.00). Since I returned the Patagonia jacket, I am still on the lookout for a new down winter coat. I really like the look of this one, so I think I’m going to order it and give it a try. Hopefully, this will be more along the lines of what I’m looking for.

The next item is the Wildfox Baggy Beach Jumper Pullover in Clean White/Bordeaux (During Sale $64.90 After Sale $98.00). I have been looking at the Wildfox Baggy Beach Jumpers for a few years now. They are beyond soft and really comfortable. Most of the time they have silly sayings or pictures on them, which made it difficult to justify the price since I wouldn’t be able to wear them to work. The pattern on this one, however, is definitely work appropriate, especially with a scarf or statement necklace. I’m still a little iffy on the price, so I think I need some feedback. Do you guys think it’s worth it?
 

Well, that’s all I’ve bought from the anniversary sale this year.  I’ll proabaly continue stalking their site to see if there’s anything else I “need.” 
 

This Giveaway is now over