Monday, October 29, 2012

Julep: Trick or Treat Mystery box

So I am brand new to the whole Julep thing. I have seen several friends who have been doing the monthly boxes so I thought you know why not? I should treat myself. The boxes are 19.99 a month and so totally worth it. The nail polishes them selves are amazing. You also get a beauty product as well.

So I got the email that they were doing a Trick or Treat mystery box and I thought why not? I need some fall/Halloween colors anyways. The box is 19.99 but because I am a Julep subscriber I got it for like 16.99 or something along those lines. I also ordered a crackle nail polish as an add on.

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That is what I got. I wasn't thrilled but eh. I am glad I didn't get the cheapo bracelet that a lot of others got.

I bought Sabrina the orange crackle thinking I would get the black nail polish in the mystery box but I didn't so not sure what I am going to put it over top of. It doesn't look good with the neon green from Wet N Wild's Saved by The Bell Collection that is for sure.

The colors that came with the box are :

Parker

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It's described as a "tangerine cream" and I am not sure I am liking it. I will try everything once though and if I don't like it maybe I can swap it with friends or give it to someone who may actually use it.

Alma-

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Alma is described as a retro dijon yellow creme and it launched in September of 2012 as part of the Tina Turk collection. I honestly rather like it. It's something bright, new, and different. I am thinking of making candy corn design on my nails if I can master it and not make my nails look like a 5 year old child painted them.

Lastly in my box I received Zoe

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I really rather like this metallic orange! I can't wait to paint my nails with this color.

Next lets move on to the glitter pots. I wasn't excited about those because while they are neat colors I don't like to plaster glitter all over my nails because it is insanely hard to get glitter off.

Next the nail tattoos thing. I am never going to use those because I am not patient enough to put them on my nails. So never going to use those either.

I did get candy corn but those got eaten by my children before I had time to snap the picture. So I was pretty pleased with the box. Not sure I will do another mystery box but looking forward to my next nail colors.

Verdict: I would give this box a B-.

IPSY (myglam) September bag review

If you guys have not heard of http://www.ipsy.com/ you should check them out. You basically pay 10 dollars a month and you get a 5 high quality samples and a cute little bag for them to come in. I have done this for a couple of months and am going to start reviewing them. I didn't get the best picture because I was in a hurry. Next time I will get much better pictures.

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This month's goodies came in a really cute black wristlet. I really loved the bag this month. It's something I will for sure use when traveling.

SOHO Smudge Brush- I am in love with this brush. I am hoping to perfect the smokey eye look (finally) so this is awesome. I was super pleased with this. You can find this brush at any Walgreen's or Walmart for under 7$. It's a really good score and works really well. I love it so far.

Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Split End Sealer
- I have not tried this yet but anything that will help keep split ends at bay I am all over. So I am going to try it and hopefully it will work well. I've heard it smells amazing. You can find this at http://www.carolsdaughter.com and it retails for 25.00 $.

Mirabella in Semiformal- This eye shadow seems like the perfect shade for fall. I was hoping it would come in case but will be using this. I am excited about the color. You can purchase it at http://www.mirabellabeauty.com for 10$

Jane. Sparkle Gloss in Sparkle Pink- This lip gloss is a very bright pink. I don't like super sticky lip gloss and wouldn't be using this so it's one I handed to a friend who would get more use out of it than I would. You can purchase this at http://www.janecosmetics.com for 9.99$

Circus by Andrea's Choice in Tightrope- and finally we come to the nail polish. I have loved this whole Circus set. I loved every color I recieved. I was so looking forward to the purple! I can't wait to use this. It's so bright and vibrant and is sure to make your nails look amazing. You can purchase the nail polish at http://www.circusbyandrea.com, the nail polish is awesome because each chip-resistant shade is vegan, cruelty free and free of Formaldehyde, Toluene and DBP.


Verdict: So all in all I am pretty chuffed (yeah that's right) with this month's bag. Although it's taking them forever to get here becuase of the APO system but I love the anticipation and can't wait to get October's bag even though October is almost over. So I give this bag a solid B +.


Thursday, October 18, 2012

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

So my husband has been bugging me for weeks to make this Buffalo Chicken Pasta stuff. So I finally had enough energy to make it. I have been so exhausted between running to the hospital to see Jason and then having to pick the boys up and then go back up to the hospital, we lived on McDonald's because that is really the only fast food type stuff Belgium has. So I was ready to have some real home cooked food. I can only eat so much McDonald's and cereal. The boys were loving life but my diet not so much.


The recipe is super cheesy and really good. If you like spice or love buffalo chicken wings you will really like this.


My husband loved it and said it was worth every minute he begged me to make this. He has been home from the hospital for about a week and a half. He had to have back surgery done. It was nothing super intensive so he is healing nicely.


I am not an expert picture taker like some of the food bloggers out there so please bare with me =) I hope everyone will enjoy the recipe.


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Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta




Ingredients

* 1 pound of pasta ( I used Farfalle)
* 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into chunks
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 tablespoon flour
* 1 1/2 cups milk
* 4 ounces freshly grated monterey jack cheese (I used half a brick) + more for topping
* 1/3 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese + more for topping
* 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
* 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
* for garnish: 3/4 cup chopped green onions, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 1/2 cup gruyere cheese, additional buffalo wing sauce


Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare water for pasta and cook according to directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, and once it’s melted and bubbly add the flour. Whisk together to create a roux and cook for 1-2 minutes until mixture gets a bit golden in color. Add milk, stir and turn down heat to low. Continue stirring until milk thickens. Add in grated cheeses and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in buffalo wing sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Add pasta and chicken, then pour cheese sauce over and mix throughly until everything is coated. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately top with gorgonzola, green onions and cilantro. Drizzle with buffalo wing sauce.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Influenster

Usually I post recipes but occasionally I like to post reviews of restaurants or products I seriously love or even the occasional website. Today is one of those days my friends. I am apart of an amazing site http://www.influenster.com/ if you have not heard of it let me give you a brief overview.  

What Is Influenster 
 Influenster is a free-to-join community of invited trendsetters who live to give opinions of products and experiences. Influenster creates links between brands and members to reward participation and influence future products. 
So...what exactly is Influenster? 
So glad you asked. Here’s a handy definition that would make Merriam-Webster proud: Influenster [in-floo-uhn-ster] noun An exclusive online community where tastemakers and trendsetters (such as yourself) come to share the latest and greatest news, places, products, and reviews with each other. 2. The hotspot you just bookmarked on your web browser that turns your social influence into sweet rewards. Basically, Influenster is a place for culture junkies to come together and share their unique opinions of products and experiences. Active members of Influenster get exclusive access to deals, promotions, and swag from brands that thrive off the input (the good, the bad, and the ugly -- they just want to know what's up). 
Do I have the chops to be a member? 
Probably. Members have an active social life -- both online and offline -- and are always the first to tell friends about the latest discoveries. They want to be the first to know about the products other cool people are loving and hating. Is that you? Awesome, we want you as a member. 
What’s involved in a membership? 
As a member, you prove your influence by gaining Expert Badges and show how you live by earning LifeStage Badges...both of which are won in a variety of ways, such as: completing surveys, writing reviews, creating videos, and engaging in other social media. What’s in it for me? Very important. As a contributing member of Influenster, you get the chance to share your knowledge and know-how with other like-minded people. You also get exclusive discounts on products and services based on the Expert Badges you unlock. You’ll have access to content and sales based on your influence and area of expertise. As an active influencer, you’ll have the chance to get invites to Influenster programs so you can try the latest and coolest products catered towards your lifestyle before anyone else. Members who participate actively on Influenster and engage in programs increase their opportunities to receive rewards. If you participate in online challenges, play interactive games, spread the word to your friends, and gain currency within our system, you’ll earn serious street cred. 
So wait, is this about getting free stuff? 
Nope. If you’re here to mooch, this isn't the place for you. Nobody, no matter how high his or her Influenster Score, is guaranteed rewards. Even if you are offered a reward, you can always opt out. The real benefit of membership is access to exclusive content, product reviews, and discussion within a community of tastemakers. Perks are just the icing on the proverbial cake. 
Why is this so fun?  
There are many reasons. First and foremost, it's a forum for you and your peers to share your interests and discover what other trendsetters are doing and saying. It's like-minded people coming together to inspire one another and offer advice. Secondly, you’re competing with other members for the highest Influenster Score and Expert Badge scores. Just like a game that you can win, and winning is never not fun. 
How did Influenster get started? 
It was a dark and stormy night…wait, that’s not right. Influenster was started in 2010 by a team of people just like you: culture and beauty junkies with a whole lot of opinions about everything. We wanted a place to come together to share our opinions and hear what other people like us had to say about products and services. 
The goal? 
To learn what other influencers care about and to help brands make products that better serve us. After so many hours of labor, out popped Influenster -- an active community where real people share their experiences and give feedback to improve the products we use and the world we live in (yeah, we went there). After all, you don't have to be a celebrity to think Diet Coke is bubbly and delicious. Every one of us can be influential in different areas with opinions that matter. As consumers, we want to know what other people like us think about products. Influenster is our answer. We give your opinions a voice and your feedback a direct route to brands and trendsetters.


The above information is from their website. It seems like a lot to take in but it's really an amazing site. I have had a chance to receive a couple of the vox boxes and I even got to test out a Palmolive dish soap. I have discovered a lot of new products that I can't live without through this program and the best thing is that it's all FREE! All you have to do is give a little bit of time to give your opinion, write reviews, and sometimes make video blogs about products. That is all voluntary but the more you are active the more you get to participate in the vox boxes. I really hope you guys will check it out.