tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43092599865180821952011-08-24T12:15:07.317-07:00Happy ThoughtsThings that bring me joy, product reviews, baked goods and photos.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-75450534045108602222011-08-24T12:15:00.000-07:002011-08-24T12:15:07.330-07:002011-08-24T12:15:07.330-07:00Julep Maven Sept BoxesI got the emails for the September boxes for American Beauty and Boho Glam!<br />
<br />
If you aren't sure what the <a href="http://www.julep.com/AP.aspx?ID=XX&EID=13506645">Julep Maven Program</a> is, my older entry explains everything about it, or just click the link to read about it and take the quiz! <br />
<br />
American Beauty has a beautiful red color, that isn't really something I would normally choose for myself, but I figured I'll see how it is in person. Alfre and Olivia have both been pleasant surprises so I'm hoping that trend continues! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HpuZTBOR-5w/TlVNA3cUucI/AAAAAAAABDQ/eHRxiLIeIkU/s1600/AmericanBeautySept.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="200" width="159" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HpuZTBOR-5w/TlVNA3cUucI/AAAAAAAABDQ/eHRxiLIeIkU/s200/AmericanBeautySept.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Boho Glam comes with Amy, which I already got in the Summer 2011 set last month. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OJMzoMA5KcY/TlVNNUSBCdI/AAAAAAAABDY/8meHehbA5uo/s1600/BohoGlamSept.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="200" width="160" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OJMzoMA5KcY/TlVNNUSBCdI/AAAAAAAABDY/8meHehbA5uo/s200/BohoGlamSept.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
I put in a shelf pull request, and the shelf pull option is Annette, a gorgeous dove grey. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qkw5PKZmWzU/TlVNUS3KYmI/AAAAAAAABDg/38IBHxvYHlw/s1600/BohoGlamShelfPullSept.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="200" width="162" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qkw5PKZmWzU/TlVNUS3KYmI/AAAAAAAABDg/38IBHxvYHlw/s200/BohoGlamShelfPullSept.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
I'm so excited for these boxes to come! <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-7545053404510860222?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-76806314425601619132011-08-24T11:18:00.000-07:002011-08-24T11:18:57.352-07:002011-08-24T11:18:57.352-07:00Julep Maven Boho Glam Unboxing!Looking around the internet after I ordered my first Maven box, I found out that there were <a href="http://www.julep.com/mavens-1">5 results possible from the quiz</a>. <br />
American Beauty<br />
Boho Glam<br />
Classic with a Twist<br />
Bombshell <br />
It Girl<br />
<br />
Looking at the other options, I realized that the Boho Glam is a much "better" fit for my personality than American Beauty. That's not to say I don't like American Beauty, because I do. I think both boxes are "me" but the boho box is MORE so me than the other. I used the discount code, and a gift certificate to order my second box, since then it was free. <br />
<br />
Opening it was so exciting since I really wanted both of these colors. <br />
<br />
Everything was packaged just as beautifully as the American Beauty box. This one even had green tissue paper wrapping everything! So nice, and I still was so thrilled to get a handsigned letter from Jane. This company really knows how to do the little touches that make things special. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7br0M1TpPzk/TlU-yQVd6FI/AAAAAAAABCg/FV31Crfvg3k/s1600/BohoGlamBox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="200" width="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7br0M1TpPzk/TlU-yQVd6FI/AAAAAAAABCg/FV31Crfvg3k/s200/BohoGlamBox.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Inside the box was the card that explains what comes in the "look" from the quiz. In this case, it's Olivia, a nice dark chocolate brown, Miranda, a beautiful Aqua color that I assume is from a SITC collection, a basecoat, and a glycolic hand scrub! Plus two samples, 1 hand scrub sample and 1 SPF 30 lotion sample. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KxhGE8IFyzk/TlU-68RZIzI/AAAAAAAABCo/_62KuRWQRxA/s1600/BohoGlamInsert.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="200" width="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KxhGE8IFyzk/TlU-68RZIzI/AAAAAAAABCo/_62KuRWQRxA/s200/BohoGlamInsert.JPG" /></a></div><br />
From Left to right: Oliva, Miranda and the basecoat! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pbwSdr0d4W0/TlU_wDA156I/AAAAAAAABDA/25OtttJcZ0I/s1600/BohoGlamOlivia_Miranda_Basecoat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="200" width="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pbwSdr0d4W0/TlU_wDA156I/AAAAAAAABDA/25OtttJcZ0I/s200/BohoGlamOlivia_Miranda_Basecoat.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Here's a swatch of my favorite color, Miranda!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GQB-8vfDoj0/TlVAEqPn5fI/AAAAAAAABDI/-ml1MbSbb90/s1600/Julep_Miranda_Swatch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="200" width="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GQB-8vfDoj0/TlVAEqPn5fI/AAAAAAAABDI/-ml1MbSbb90/s200/Julep_Miranda_Swatch.JPG" /></a></div><br />
All in all I am super pleased with this box. Olivia is a gorgeous chocolate brown, don't let the bottle color fool you. I was worried it was going to be kind of ugly, but it's not. It's a rich beautiful color. <br />
Miranda is a pretty aqua that is perfect for summer! <br />
The basecoat goes on smoothly and smells nice too. <br />
<br />
Both colors went on very easily and were absolutely opaque in 2 coats. I've been wearing Miranda for 3 days now with no chips at all. I don't use topcoats, and it's remained shiny and even this whole time. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-7680631442560161913?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-21013667822558485622011-08-12T13:06:00.000-07:002011-08-12T13:08:04.353-07:002011-08-12T13:08:04.353-07:00Julep Maven American Beauty Unboxing!Yesterday I received my first Julep Maven box in the mail! So exciting. If you're not sure what the <a href="http://www.julep.com/AP.aspx?ID=XX&EID=13506645">Julep Maven Program</a> is, basically you take a quiz and sign up and you get assigned a "style profile". If you don't like the one you get, you can try re-taking the quiz to get one of 5 different results. They send you an "editors box" similar to the boxes that they send to magazine editors to promote their new colors. You get sent 1 box every month that contains new colors or new products of theirs to sample and test out before anyone else can get them! If you don't like a color they pick, you can have them pull a new one instead, and the program is one of the most flexible subscription programs I have seen. You are allowed to send the box to someone else if you want, skip that month, cancel or have a shelf pull of different product taken, all with no extra fees or consequences. That was one of the main reasons I signed up, since most of the others have hidden fees and catches. <br />
<br />
When I took the quiz, I got assigned "American Beauty", which included 1 nail treatment, 1 bottle of Cameron, a nice bright pink, and a bottle of Alfre, a "royal purple", which I would describe much more as a gunmetal grey with purple undertones. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l-MMeyzyI38/TkWDWGdQI2I/AAAAAAAABCA/ahDUiLpYWYM/s1600/Julep_Maven_ThankYouLetter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="200" width="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l-MMeyzyI38/TkWDWGdQI2I/AAAAAAAABCA/ahDUiLpYWYM/s200/Julep_Maven_ThankYouLetter.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Opening the box, there was a really nice handsigned Thank You letter for being one of people in the "soft launch" to sign up. So sweet and nice! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-42WFsJwIg3o/TkWDjINH88I/AAAAAAAABCI/n3-PLBchZZw/s1600/Julep_Maven_American_Beauty_Contents.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="200" width="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-42WFsJwIg3o/TkWDjINH88I/AAAAAAAABCI/n3-PLBchZZw/s200/Julep_Maven_American_Beauty_Contents.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Opening the box, everything was packaged beautifully! The extra bottle of nail polish you see in there is Sienna, a lovely shimmery bronze gold. I ordered that separately and they put it in the same box. <br />
<br />
<br />
Included in my box was a full size bottle of the Glycolic Hand Scrub, 1 bottle of Nail Treatment, 1 bottle of Cameron, 1 bottle of Alfre, and 4 sample packets! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h8V29ePvAIo/TkWER6GN8WI/AAAAAAAABCQ/3TLPwXTscSA/s1600/Julep_Maven_Nailpolishes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h8V29ePvAIo/TkWER6GN8WI/AAAAAAAABCQ/3TLPwXTscSA/s200/Julep_Maven_Nailpolishes.JPG" /></a></div>Here's a close up of all the product, including the bottle of Sienna. Left to right is: Sienna, Cameron, Alfre, and the Nail Treatment. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sTHW4ooLPJQ/TkWEkzBThpI/AAAAAAAABCY/6IOVeWydCK8/s1600/Julep_Cameron_Niecy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="200" width="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sTHW4ooLPJQ/TkWEkzBThpI/AAAAAAAABCY/6IOVeWydCK8/s200/Julep_Cameron_Niecy.JPG" /></a></div>The only somewhat disappointing thing for me is that Cameron is an exact dupe of Niecy. So if you're looking for a nice bright pink, either of these should work since they're the same color. If I had been able to use the "shelf pull" option, I would have used it on the Cameron color since I don't really need 2 of the same exact pink. <br />
<br />
Also, I found all the results and realized that Boho Glam is a better fit for me, unfortunately. I'm really not sure if we are able to switch style profiles, but it was a little disappointing to realize that the quiz had a better fit for me than the one I got. But this program is new, and the experience over all is totally worth the price. If you sign up, make sure to use the code TWITTER for 50% off your first box! Then you can have $40 worth of product for only $10. Another perk is, if you sign up for the Julep Maven program, you get free shipping as long as you are a member, and 20% off of any other orders you make! Pretty sweet deal. <br />
<br />
I am excited to see what Septembers pulls will be, and that I got to try this program out. My favorite is Alfre, because it's a beautiful shimmery lavender gunmetal grey color which will be perfect for this fall. <br />
Thank you Julep! <br />
<a href="http://www.julep.com/AP.aspx?ID=XX&EID=13506645"><br />
Go check it out and see what style profile you get! </a> If you end up getting your own box, comment and let me know how yours was too. I love seeing what everyone else is getting and so far I've only seen 1 other person who had the same box as mine. <br />
<br />
Just as a note, I paid for the Julep Maven program out of my own pocket, they did not furnish product for me to review. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-2101366782255848562?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-1607846806117222412011-08-02T22:26:00.000-07:002011-08-02T22:26:34.314-07:002011-08-02T22:26:34.314-07:00Julep AGAINOkay, I swear that Julep is not paying me to make these reviews. It's just that they keep releasing new stuff, and I feel like I should review it in case anyone is looking for more information. <br />
<br />
Last week, they had a survey asking if customers wanted to be able to join a subscription for a nail polish kit of the month club, called Julep Maven's. I'm guessing there was a resounding YES, because they did the soft launch today and I got to put in my order for the first kit. The kits are similar to the ones that they send to magazines such as Allure, Glamour, Marie Claire and others, in order to showcase their new colors and product launches. Each kit is tailored for the particular magazine, since each has a different reader base. It matches you to an editor, and that's how they determine which kit you get. <br />
<br />
Basically, you take a short quiz on the site, that displays pictures and comes up with a "style profile" for you. Unfortunately, the results are not all viewable when you are finished. You only get to see "your" profile. I got "American Beauty" which includes 2 bottles of nail polish, a nail treatment and then a freebie glycolic hand scrub. If you read my last review, you know I'm not super crazy about the scrub so I might end up giving it away on here instead! But the set is really nice, and for $20 you get over $50 worth of product. I really wish I had taken a screencap of the set that they showed as my results. <br />
<br />
All in all, the program sounds awesome. You have the option of skipping a month, sending your months gift to a friend instead for no extra charge, asking for a different product if you don't like the one that came up as "yours" that month, or you can cancel. They made it super hassle free, which is great. I generally don't join most subscription services because there are so many hidden catches, but this is one of the very few that seems totally legit and honest. <br />
<br />
If you're interested in checking it out, <a href="http://www.julep.com/AP.aspx?ID=XX&EID=13506645">here's a link to look at the Julep Maven program </a>and see what it's about. The FAQ has tons of info about it and is really good at explaining everything. <br />
<br />
When I get my kit, I'll post a review for everyone to see!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-160784680611722241?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-37185814653341963112011-08-02T10:49:00.000-07:002011-08-03T11:24:00.793-07:002011-08-03T11:24:00.793-07:00Julep Review Summer CollectionThe other day, I noticed a little banner on Facebook, announcing a discount code for purchases of $35 or more. You get $15 off for putting in the code FB15 where it asks for a Coupon Code. <br />
<br />
Right now, Juleps "Summer Collection", which includes 3 shades of nail polish, is marked down from $42 to $35. With the discount code it makes it $20, and I had a gift certificate for $15, so I paid $5 out of pocket for it shipped. Shipping is FREE all summer, so take advantage while you can! <br />
$20 is still a great deal for these "3 free" nail polishes, which are seriously the nicest I have ever used. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3hADxfooW4U/Tjg4RfP-REI/AAAAAAAABBQ/nhcVaCvbNPA/s1600/JulepBox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="200" width="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3hADxfooW4U/Tjg4RfP-REI/AAAAAAAABBQ/nhcVaCvbNPA/s200/JulepBox.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
This time around, Julep seems to have drastically improved their shipping procedures! Today my order came in a completely different box, it was a little black gift box with an elasticized ribbon bow holding it closed, and inside, each of the 3 bottles were carefully wrapped in bubble wrap. Hooray for companies that listen to customers and fix problems! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kWXasdi0zmM/Tjg4XwOECRI/AAAAAAAABBY/mK4lDa0tkLI/s1600/JulepSet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="200" width="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kWXasdi0zmM/Tjg4XwOECRI/AAAAAAAABBY/mK4lDa0tkLI/s200/JulepSet.JPG" alt = "Julep Blake, Julep Jaime, Julep Niecy, Julep Summer 2011"/></a></div><br />
<br />
They also kindly included a coupon for $10 off my next purchase of $30 or greater, and samples of their "Facial for Hands Glycolic Scrub" and "Everyday SPF 30 handcream", which was a really sweet surprise! <br />
<br />
The three colors included in the "Summer 2011 Collection" are Blake, a buttery yellow, Jaime, a dark super saturated turquoise, and Niecy, a bright pink. The yellow is honestly the color I am most excited about, because it's a color I've been wanting and I don't have any like it in my collection. Jaime seems similar to Amy, and Niecy to Natalie. I'll do a post comparing the colors, so you can see how they differ. <br />
<br />
Painting on Blake, I noticed that it was VERY opaque for a yellow. Most yellow nail polish I had in the past required about 5 layers to even come close to being opaque. This one is there from the get go. However, painting it on is a little tricky. I had one hand that the nail polish seemed a little gloppy and then when I tried to do thinner layers on the other, it turned out streaky so I had to kind of pile it on at the end to compensate. Their nail polishes dry really fast, and they don't stink like other brands. The bottles are a good size, not too big, and not so small it's ridiculous. Looking at them, you think it won't last long, but I've painted on layers and layers of the color Natalie and the bottle is hardly touched. I've been using it for the past month straight, because I adore the bright coral color. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ccGdr57jJTg/Tjg4myBXKDI/AAAAAAAABBg/ZkohoophiCo/s1600/blakenails.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="" alt="Julep Blake"><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ccGdr57jJTg/Tjg4myBXKDI/AAAAAAAABBg/ZkohoophiCo/s200/blakenails.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
Using the glycolic hand scrub is simple. You wet your hands, and then dispense a dime size amount. Then you rub your hands together and it scrubs off all the dead skin and helps revive the skin. To be honest, while this product worked really well, I doubt I would end up buying it. It smelled and looked exactly like my St. Ives apricot face scrub, that I already own. I'm sure the ingredients are better, but I don't really see the point in purchasing redundant products right now. In the future I might spring for a large bottle so I can test it more properly, but judging from the sample packet, this is not a product I "have to have" at this point in time. <br />
<br />
The SPF 30 hand cream basically looked like sunblock. It rubs in fast, and doesn't leave a greasy film, but I don't like how it smells. It has that plain lotion almost sour cream smell to me, which I did not find enjoyable. After drying, it has a scent reminiscent of white glue. But I do enjoy how fast it absorbed, and that it still feels moisturizing. If you need unscented lotion, then you would probably enjoy this! Again, if they made a scented version, I would buy a large bottle to test it out with. <br />
<br />
All in all, it was nice to get to try the new products though! I really enjoy when companies put samples in their orders, and package things with care like Julep does. The samples were also extremely easy to open, which was an unusual surprise. Most sample packets have a ridiculous little "tear here" thing with a slot cut and then you rip it and either the package rips in half, wasting product, or it doesn't open at all so you have to get scissors. This is not the case with theirs. They have a perforated line across the top and it actually tears across that. Again, a company that actually thinks things through! Amazing.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-3718581465334196311?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-29733942410184590772011-06-22T01:14:00.000-07:002011-06-22T02:10:46.541-07:002011-06-22T02:10:46.541-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4N48g8MyxVY/TgGlwnP7rTI/AAAAAAAAA-s/ERPnUjb45O8/s1600/PhonePhotos%2B474.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4N48g8MyxVY/TgGlwnP7rTI/AAAAAAAAA-s/ERPnUjb45O8/s200/PhonePhotos%2B474.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620956064523201842" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8mfBA_VRY0/TgGl97RMqHI/AAAAAAAAA-0/kC_z-7LQsP0/s1600/PhonePhotos%2B478.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8mfBA_VRY0/TgGl97RMqHI/AAAAAAAAA-0/kC_z-7LQsP0/s200/PhonePhotos%2B478.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620956293235517554" /></a> <br />
Solstice is here! Summer is so so close. The strawberries have shown up in the fields, and the fog has started rolling in. <br />
Our summer weather entails thick white rolling fog in great wispy layers across the sky during the evening and into the wee hours of the morning. <br />
<br />
Growing up, I used to literally run home, up our hill, from my friends house at 10pm, past the eucalyptus grove and the trees, shadowy, tall and terrifying at night. Running breathless past them, I'd get home and stand in the driveway, marveling at the fog. It's so mystical and beautiful. <br />
<br />
Summer solstice means longer days, at last. Our winter has been rainy, which I am grateful for because the reservoirs always can use more water. But there's something so sweet and wonderful about the sun just going down at 9pm over the ocean. <br />
<br />
I love this time of year in my heart of hearts. Part of me is so joyful and excited when the last of spring rolls out and summer finally rolls in. Glorious long summer with sand and water and fireworks, and watermelon and BBQ, bonfires at the beach, and punch and memories of playing outside so long that we could tell the time by where the sun was in the sky. <br />
<br />
Welcome Summer.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-2973394241018459077?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-21218771224988308292011-06-20T23:31:00.000-07:002011-06-22T02:10:12.787-07:002011-06-22T02:10:12.787-07:00Strawberry Yummer CakeOkay pardon the horrible play on words for the title of this blog. <br />
<br />
I was trolling around on Smitten Kitchen, after looking at the recipe for their <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/04/heavenly-chocolate-cake-roll/">chocolate roll cake</a>, that looks absolutely amazing btw, when I spotted another recipe that looked equally amazing. <br />
Actually, it looked more so to me because it's much more my skill level. <br />
The Strawberry Summer Cake. <br />
It's adapted (slighty, she says) from a Martha Stuart Recipe. I like the pictures and the layout of the Smitten Kitchen one better though so that's <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/">the one I'm linking to.</a> <br />
<br />
The chocolate roll cake is more of a special occasion cake to me, while the Strawberry Summer Cake is more of a "hey, lets hang out" kinda cake. <br />
<br />
We had a pint of berries that were on their last legs, so I cut them up and used them in the first run of the cake recipe. <br />
It turned out pretty good, but the strawberries did not remotely turn to jam as the recipe stated they would, and ended up being these kind of weird mushy things in the otherwise very enjoyable cake. <br />
This week, I bought a pint of blueberries and a pint of strawberries at the organic farm, with intentions of using the blueberries in the recipe instead. <br />
<br />
I ended up putting the blueberries in a bowl with some granulated sugar, after gently rinsing them off. I let the bowl of berries sit while I prepared the batter. Guys, this cake is SO so freaking easy to make. It's insanely easy. and it turns out so amazing. Definitely worth it to make. <br />
<br />
We did have some last little poor strawberries that needed to be used up, so I threw them into the cake batter too. First, I folded the blueberries gently into the batter, and then I put the strawberries in the bowl to get some of the sugar on them that the blueberries had left behind. Then I put them into the batter too, but more on the top. <br />
<br />
Once again, not super impressed with the strawberries in this cake. While they did a nice tart component, color and smelled amazing; I have come to the conclusion that I would rather bake the cake plain with some sugar sprinkled on top, and then serve it strawberry shortcake style, with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. I just really am not a fan of cooked strawberries, and it's no fault of this recipe. <br />
<br />
The blueberries however, I LOVED in this. They turned to lovely blueberry jam in the cake, and it was like eating a blueberry muffin cake only better. So from now on, I'll probably only make this cake with blueberries instead. But if you get a chance, this cake is a great one. It would be perfect for a potluck, a BBQ, or just because it's summer and you want a yummy cake. <br />
<br />
Here's a photo of mine.<br />
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iND34RLEy2M/TgA_duXubPI/AAAAAAAAA-g/VI6MuuCAP84/s1600/Cake.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iND34RLEy2M/TgA_duXubPI/AAAAAAAAA-g/VI6MuuCAP84/s200/Cake.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620562114854677746" /></a><br />
<br />
I baked it in a 9.5" pyrex since the first pan I used was my grandmas and we gave it back to her. The pyrex gave the whole thing a great crispy crust, so it was like you got the topping in every bite.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-2121877122498830829?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-65539199347219282632011-06-16T16:37:00.000-07:002011-06-22T02:09:29.241-07:002011-06-22T02:09:29.241-07:00Julep Nail Polish set review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X6qhrEDLrHs/TfqXi8qXSeI/AAAAAAAAA-I/mYJ5706EgBE/s1600/PhonePhotos%2B479.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X6qhrEDLrHs/TfqXi8qXSeI/AAAAAAAAA-I/mYJ5706EgBE/s200/PhonePhotos%2B479.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618970111753275874" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Last week, the "Must Have Summer Set" by Julep, normally $64.95, was on sale for $28 shipped. Normally I would never spend that much on nail polish, but the colors are the same ones I have been looking for for summer, it comes with a cuticle oil roller-ball, and a nice box to keep it all in.<br />
<br />
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LuOQqX1hu6Q/TfqXidDuHDI/AAAAAAAAA-A/j1LIWN_KIWo/s1600/PhonePhotos%2B480.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LuOQqX1hu6Q/TfqXidDuHDI/AAAAAAAAA-A/j1LIWN_KIWo/s200/PhonePhotos%2B480.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618970103269694514" /></a><br />
<br />
The shades are: Helena, Amy, Natalie, and Jennifer. They name all of their nail polishes with actual names, and sometimes they're named after celebrities. <br />
<br />
Helena is a vibrant fuchsia color. Normally I think fuchsia looks gaudy or loud, but it really is prefect for a nail polish. Here I have my nails painted with it. (Please excuse the weird looking hand. It's hard to take a photo of your own hand, with an iphone in the other one as the camera in bad lighting.)<br />
<br />
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aU14EdML0rg/TfqXhqEYIWI/AAAAAAAAA9w/HMCi5eVOXA8/s1600/PhonePhotos%2B486.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aU14EdML0rg/TfqXhqEYIWI/AAAAAAAAA9w/HMCi5eVOXA8/s200/PhonePhotos%2B486.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618970089582240098" /></a><br />
<br />
Amy is a nice turquoise that's perfect for summer. It's not as vibrant as Helena, but still just as pretty. This is one of my all time favorite shades of blue, so I was surprised that I was more drawn to Helena right now. But this will be great for later in the summer, and I think it would be fun to play with putting white designs over it because they would really pop. <br />
<br />
Natalie is described as a "retro honeysuckle pink" on the website, but to me it's more of a coral pink color. But it definitely looks like a color out of the 50s, but this is one of those colors that never goes out of style. <br />
<br />
Jennifer is a nice pinky nude, which is perfect for my pale skintone. It's fleshtoned without looking creepy, and you could easily use it for a french manicure, or a job interview where you want painted nails but clear is too boring. <br />
<br />
The set comes in a nice little black cardboard box that ties shut with a black ribbon, making it perfect for gift giving, or as a Thank You favor for your bridesmaids. It's nice to have a little box to store the polishes in because then you can be assured that they're all together. <br />
<br />
I love this set, and $28 was a total steal because I know that I'll regularly use all of these colors. There is a lot of variability even though it's only 4 colors, you can easily go from professional looks to fun looks and they're not too bright to wear on your hands. I generally stick with clear on my fingernails and do the crazy colors on my feet, but I can wear these on my hands without feeling like it looks tacky. <br />
<br />
The included cuticle oil is amazing. You don't even have to wear nail polish and it'll make your nails look shiny and nice. See below? I don't have any nail polish on, just the cuticle oil. <br />
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JxxhOCJPU3Y/TfqXhaUC2AI/AAAAAAAAA9o/M582zTmEOck/s1600/PhonePhotos%2B485.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JxxhOCJPU3Y/TfqXhaUC2AI/AAAAAAAAA9o/M582zTmEOck/s200/PhonePhotos%2B485.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618970085352986626" /></a><br />
<br />
Another thing I loved was the customer service. When I received my set, upon opening the box, I noticed that it smelled strongly of nail polish. Carefully examining the bottles, I realized that the bottle of Helena had been damaged in shipping. It has a crack clean through the bottle diagonally. Thankfully the nail polish did not leak out everywhere though. I emailed them *politely* explaining what happened and they sent me back a very sweet message saying that they were so sorry it had been broken and they would send me a new bottle right away. Two days later my new, unbroken bottle of Helena arrived in the mail. It's always nice to do business with a company that clearly cares about its customers and providing great service. Below is a picture of the busted bottle next to its unbroken twin. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OkjxO7HtbPU/TfqXh74AsFI/AAAAAAAAA94/icj6ifJIq2Q/s1600/PhonePhotos%2B483.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OkjxO7HtbPU/TfqXh74AsFI/AAAAAAAAA94/icj6ifJIq2Q/s200/PhonePhotos%2B483.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618970094362210386" /></a><br />
<br />
All in all, I highly recommend giving Julep a try. If you're lucky enough to live near their nail salon I imagine it would definitely be worth it to stop by!<br />
<br />
Also, now until the 30th, Julep is running a promo where you get $15 off any order of $30 or more with the code <span style="font-weight:bold;">GIRLFRIEND</span>, because they have a new summer set (see below) that's super cute.<br />
<br />
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.julep.com/images/productimages/Niecy_Blake_Jaime_1180409.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 350px;" src="http://www.julep.com/images/productimages/Niecy_Blake_Jaime_1180409.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.julep.com/AP.aspx?ID=520&EID=13506645">Go check it out</a> and take advantage of their sale if you're looking for some nice nail polish. Another great thing is, they're "3-Free" which means they're healthier to use. (I can tell because the fumes are WAY less than the nail polishes I have used in the past. I actually paint my nails outside most of the time because traditional nail polish smells up our whole entire house like chemicals for hours and gives me a headache.)<br />
<br />
This is what the whole "3-Free" means: <span style="font-style:italic;">Our Julep Nail Vernis is 3 Free, which means we do not use carcinogens like formaldehyde, DBP and toluene. Also, our colors are ultra pigmented for easy application, fast drying, and long lasting – we developed them for use in our parlors.</span><br />
<br />
If that wasn't enough, they also donate to organizations that help empower women. Definitely a good company to buy from!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-6553919934721928263?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-52571620414752800872011-05-03T23:08:00.000-07:002011-05-03T23:12:48.132-07:002011-05-03T23:12:48.132-07:00Burbank tomorrow to send off my dad to PA for his class reunion. My mom and I are going to find stuff to do down there. Somewhere to eat in LA. Something to go look at. Maybe the Getty, since neither of us has ever seen it. <br />Last time, we went to see Jimmy Kimmel Live, which was strange. The set was very very small. Like probably the size of a house. <br />Jimmy Kimmel always looked somewhat portly to me on TV, but in person he's actually just a small statured man who is in fantastic shape. He's just got a somewhat squat build, which translates to him looking portly on camera. <br />LA people are all so small because they have to be. Joan Rivers was on the Walk of Fame and she's probably about 5 feet tall, if that. She's very very petite. I had no idea.<br />Models are super super tall, and actors are all very petite. I imagine because it's easier to film someone if they fit into the frame better, costume them if you can use less fabric, and create smaller soundstages to fit them on. <br />LA is its own world, really.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-5257162041475280087?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-10844232896018215132011-04-22T22:57:00.000-07:002011-04-22T23:11:36.104-07:002011-04-22T23:11:36.104-07:00Product Reviews! I'm a Bzzagent, so I recieved a bunch of Spring Cleaning products to review at the beginning of the month. <br />So far, I really like the products for the most part. <br /><br /><img src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/scjohnson.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=2706048701&Campaign=3953203761&Uid=513747&token=e94405816e2fa19091b11b20a45ea6f2" alt=""/><br /><br />The Scrubbing Bubbles Shower spray did not really work for my shower though. It claimed to cut through soap scum without any scrubbing but that was not the case with my shower. Granted they probably did not mean it to be used in a shower that looked like something out of an episode of Hoarders, where the shower looked like it hadn't been cleaned in months. [it hadn't.] <br />The drain had been clogged with hair [disgusting], so water started standing in the tub when I took showers, and then all the soap would settle out of it onto the tub creating an impervious layer of soapscum that could only be removed by hot hot hot water and lots of scrubbing. <br />Needless to say, that product didn't really work so well for my situation. I tried it again with my shower after it actually draining and not having tons of soapscum, and it still did not work so well. <br />The smell is okay, I didn't gas myself out of my bathroom, and I think it would work if you had a smoother surfaced shower. <br />It worked great on my counter top and the outside and tank of my toilet though, so that's what I'll be using that product for from now on. <br /><br />The Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaner Gel worked great! Unfortunately we have VERY hard water, so hard that it actually ate the insides of a washing machine and dishwasher with corrosion and half my sink currently is not working because the faucet has suffered the same fate. I get a lot of mineral rings, and normal cleaner can't really take care of that. Only vinegar can. However, this product is SUPER easy to apply, with the most foolproof dispensing system, so you don't accidentally squeeze out half the plunger worth of gel onto the toilet. <br />I like it because it actually seems to keep mold from growing in my toilet, does not react with the super hard water, and keeps it smelling fresh. Also, one little gel tab stayed put and worked for 2 weeks! not bad at all. <br /><br />The 3rd product in my box of goodies was the Glade Limited Edition Spring Lines "Sparkle of Spring" with scents of zesty lime, ginger and vanilla. To me it mostly smells like a fresh citrus candle. It's not overpowering, but it still is strong enough to combat odors. I actually put it in my bathroom, and it works great in there! I love the color, the bright green is very cheerful and fresh looking. The packaging is pretty and fits on trend with the bohemian/70s fashion styles that are popular right now. I burned my candle for at least 5 hours and it's still going strong, not even halfway burned down. The wax melted easily, there was no smoking of the wick, and the flame was normal sized, so I felt comfortable leaving it on my bathroom counter. I definitely liked the scent of this candle and am interested to see what the other scents are like!<br /><br />The next and final product was Lemon Pledge. I have to use this on the sly because my mom HATES the smell of lemon pledge. I used it to clean woodwork and it gives the pledge shine that you expect, and works well to remove dust while protecting the dirt. I used it on an old coffeetable that my great uncle made out of random pieces of wood. The finish got damaged on it, so my grandma sanded it down and refinished it. Unfortunately, the wood tends to dry out over time and gets "thirst". So I like to use products like the Lemon Pledge on it to keep it from getting damaged again, and protect the wood. The lemon scent does not bother me, but if you dislike strong scents it might bother you. <br /><br />All in all, I really liked all the products I got to test. My favorites are the candle and the toilet gel, with the pledge being a solid product, and my least favorite being the Shower cleaner, simply because it's not really a good fit for what I need in a shower cleaner, even though it works great for other surfaces in the bathroom.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-1084423289601821513?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-19991020839213301562011-03-11T12:53:00.000-08:002011-03-11T13:28:03.032-08:002011-03-11T13:28:03.032-08:00<img src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/covergirl.png?Type=activity&Activity=0493515942&Campaign=7010289794&Uid=513747&token=8b272cdda87bdc9fbd2a2feeaae686f8" alt="" /><br /><br />I signed up to product test on BzzAgent, and one of the campaigns this month is Covergirl!<br /><br />Covergirl is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a fun promo on Facebook. Basically, you create your own "covergirl" photo cover starring yourself using a FB photo.<br />Then you can complete quizzes and surveys to be entered in to win different products each month, along with giving the company feedback about what you love/don't love about their products.<br /><br />It's a cool way to have input to the company and have a chance at winning free stuff! [who doesn't like winning free stuff?]<br /><br />If anyone else wants to join in on the fun, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/covergirl?v=app_160134610689223">click on the link</a> to go to the page!<br /><br />So far, I really like some of the new products they've come out with. I don't normally wear lipstick, so their Outlast Lipstain is a nice medium for those times when chapstick or lipgloss just won't cut it. Their LashBlast Mascara has a cool wand that works really well and doesn't turn my lashes into a spidery mess, and the waterproof formula really stays put. I am one of those people who always has to wear waterproof mascara or I end up with black pieces all around my eyes.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-1999102083921330156?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-81433299683406091632011-03-03T01:38:00.000-08:002011-03-03T01:46:58.990-08:002011-03-03T01:46:58.990-08:00I'll post photos of the book when I can. But yesterday, I found my beloved kids cookbook.<br />I remember when my mom used to take me to get books.<br />We both love reading, so it was always a huge treat to get to go get new ones.<br /><br />( I found a link where you can at least see the cover) http://openlibrary.org/books/OL24211729M/The_kid%27s_cookbook<br /><br />I was probably 5 or 6 years old, and decided I wanted a cookbook. I ended up picking out "The Kids Cookbook" by Nitty Gritty books. It's written by two teachers [who are probably retired by now!], and was originally published in 1972. The copy I ended up with is the 12th printing, made in the 80s.<br /><br />I love it because it has everything from scrambled eggs to lamb! The instructions are simple, and there are real crayon drawings from kids in the book, which I adore. The recipes also all are handwritten, so it looks like a cookbook that someones family made.<br /><br />It's one of the few cookbooks where not having photos of the food does not bother me, because there is so much else to make up for it!<br /><br />I used to page through it and imagine cooking things. Some of my childhood favorites came from that book, such as the cinnamon sugar toast that I used to make at my friends house in their toaster oven, or the english muffin pizzas.<br /><br />There are enough recipes in the book to keep it interesting, but none of the stuff is weird. They also don't overly rely on processed foods, nor do they ban them. It's a good balance. There are recipes ranging from super super easy to somewhat challenging, and I really like that.<br /><br />It's rare to find a kids cookbook that is fun, without being too cutesy or talking down to kids, and challenging without being adult level frustrating!<br /><br />If you can find a copy of this book, I highly recommend it. Sadly, it's out of print, but I definitely treasure my copy.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-8143329968340609163?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-74536315376062796722010-12-04T17:03:00.000-08:002010-12-04T17:10:27.908-08:002010-12-04T17:10:27.908-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_C6U77QzPx3U/TPrk7HZ6NVI/AAAAAAAAA9A/e2zKA3KvwL4/s1600/tree2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_C6U77QzPx3U/TPrk7HZ6NVI/AAAAAAAAA9A/e2zKA3KvwL4/s320/tree2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546997595311322450" border="0" /></a><br />Sorry for the re-post of the photo for those of you on my FB friends list.<br /><br />Every year I decorate my little tree first. It stands about 1 foot tall, and I had to buy special miniature ornaments for it. I used to put normal sized ones on it, before the miniature kind were found.<br />Now I just use a few of the regular ornaments below the tree as the presents, since we happen to have several that look like toys. This year I also got a garland, which fills in the open spaces quite nicely, along with some new glass balls that my mom found and surprised me with.<br /><br />The little tree was a gift from my best friends family. Her parents are like another set of parents to me. They had bought her and her sister each one of these trees as a Christmas present the year prior, and they had them out. I exclaimed that they were really cute and that I liked them, thinking nothing of it. They're also the family I spent Christmas morning with when my mom and dad both had to work, so that way I wouldn't be all alone. Her mom makes breakfast with eggs, veggie sausage, croussants, and we make sandwiches out of the toasted croussants with egg and cheese. To me that's still a special "Christmas Breakfast"<br />Anyways, they gave me this little tree as a present that year, and I've had it ever since. I pull it out after Thanksgiving and decorate it first, before we get out the big tree. <br />It is in my room, and it always looks so cute and cheerful.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-7453631537606279672?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-34347286689032511932010-11-23T19:52:00.000-08:002010-11-23T20:01:19.659-08:002010-11-23T20:01:19.659-08:00Winter Time<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_C6U77QzPx3U/TOyNVzOfFeI/AAAAAAAAA84/xF8XazeqTZE/s1600/hotcocoa.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_C6U77QzPx3U/TOyNVzOfFeI/AAAAAAAAA84/xF8XazeqTZE/s320/hotcocoa.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542960647053972962" border="0" /></a><br /><br />One of my most favorite things about winter is hot chocolate. Generally, it's not really all that cold here, so I only drink it if it's rainy out. But this time of year is the coldest, and they make special holiday flavored hot chocolates!<br />The hot chocolate I had for my birthday had crazy colored marshmallows. I was so excited when I saw the Swiss Miss box that I had to have it. Swiss Miss is my standard for home. It's not amazing, but it's from my childhood, so I enjoy drinking the different varieties they come up with.<br /><br /> Whenever I go to starbucks, I make sure to get their Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. The salt is too much for some, but I enjoy the contrast between the salty and the sweet. Their hot chocolate is not cloyingly sweet like most, and has a decadent feel to it.<br />The one pictured here is the Christmas Peppermint hot chocolate from Denny's! It's soooo good. Doesn't it look pretty? They even put a cute little candy cane on the rim of the cup. It looks so festive and cheerful, and makes me extremely happy. It had the perfect amount of peppermint in it, and was a rich treat.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-3434728668903251193?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-5513207694864668322010-11-21T19:42:00.001-08:002010-11-21T20:06:01.369-08:002010-11-21T20:06:01.369-08:00Christmas!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_C6U77QzPx3U/TOnmw99ystI/AAAAAAAAA8w/TuyboA7O2AM/s1600/uggs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_C6U77QzPx3U/TOnmw99ystI/AAAAAAAAA8w/TuyboA7O2AM/s320/uggs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542214545397953234" border="0" /></a><br />So these are the boots that I desperately want for Christmas. I know, they're UGG boots. Which most people say is because "They're So UGLY". In this case though, I think they look better than your average UGG boots. I have a pair of Sugar brand sheepskin boots, but they're wearing out and the soles have basically no tread.<br /><br />They're the boots that I'm going to go stand in line for at 4am on Black Friday. The store is giving out gift bags to the first 100 people in line, and they're doing a promo where you get a free $25 gift card for spending over $150.<br /><br />I finally learned my lesson about buying cheap boots. I had a pair of Emu brand sheepskin boots that had horrible soles with no tread. The tread compressed down in a few months so I was essentially walking around with slippery, smooth soles. It was dangerous and I almost fell down on cement numerous times before I finally got rid of them. Then I got my current pair, which are better, but still not made as well. But they have a really cute pattern on them and I get compliments every single time I wear them. My mom always tells me "you get what you pay for" and in this case, it's really true. So I'm finally just going to get the Ugg shoes instead of cheap knockoffs.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-551320769486466832?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-50441671288668821982010-11-14T10:41:00.000-08:002010-11-14T10:52:13.431-08:002010-11-14T10:52:13.431-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_C6U77QzPx3U/TOAvultDnPI/AAAAAAAAA8U/5i7uKnKGK0Q/s1600/IMG_0069.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_C6U77QzPx3U/TOAvultDnPI/AAAAAAAAA8U/5i7uKnKGK0Q/s320/IMG_0069.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539480019107290354" border="0" /></a><br />I've been wanting a granny square blanket for a couple of years now. My friends who crochet made some beautiful granny squares, much to my envy. Unfortunately, while I do crochet, I'm too scared to try to make granny squares even though they're supposed to be for beginners.<br />The changing of the colors and the need to keep them all similar is daunting to me.<br />On my birthday this past Thursday, we went out to a family dinner and we invited a family friend along. I was shocked because she brought me a gift! I wasn't expecting presents really, so it was a nice surprise. Then I opened the bag, and inside is a gorgeous, colorful, beautifully made granny square blanket!<br />It's absolutely perfect, and adds just the right amount of weight to my covers, especially now that it's getting colder at night. The colors are cheery and bright and I love it!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-5044167128866882198?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4309259986518082195.post-86713691972364832152009-02-23T09:08:00.000-08:002009-02-23T09:11:41.533-08:002009-02-23T09:11:41.533-08:00I'm trying something new with this blog. I realized after reading several of my good friends blogs, that I admire people who can do blogs with photos, and write with joy about what they do.<br />This blog is going to be one where I can share things that bring me joy, by taking pictures of them and posting.<br />I want to try something other than writing endless paragraphs about my day, and for this blog to be a positive reflection of my life, unlike my other blog which sometimes feels as though it's full of negative energy.<br />Here's to fresh starts!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4309259986518082195-8671369197236483215?l=beachy80sgirl.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694334482280178157noreply@blogger.com0