September LootCrate Review

LootCrate sends you 4-6 awesome items geared towards geeks and gamers for $13.37 + shipping every month.

I totally forgot to take a picture of the box before J ran off with it, but oh well.  This month's theme was Animate.  It's the second month they've done an info-book instead of an info card and J said it's a lot more fun to flip through.

Talking Stimpy Plush Toy: ($12?) The tag says this is a Target exclusive item, so I can't find the exact toy online.  I totally watched Ren & Stimpy back in the day - granted, I didn't understand a lot of the jokes, but I still watched it.  His tongue is stretchy, his nose squeaks, and he makes noise when you squeeze his belly.  J and I both got a kick out of it.

Family Guy Quagmire Lip Balm: ($2.99)  Giggidy.  J loves Family Guy, so he thought this was awesome.

Magnets and Decals: (~$6) The It's Over 9000! one is actually a wall decal, so I have no doubts that J will stick it in random places from time to time for me to find.

Kidrobot x Futurama Keychain: ($5.99) I've never seen Futurama, so J had to tell me that this guy is the Robot Devil.  I may not know who he is, but I do think he's cute.

Pop! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Figure: ($12) Raphael isn't J's favorite, but he said he still likes it.  Also, just typing this got the theme song stuck in my head.

This was probably one of the most fun LootCrates to watch J unbox.  He actually likes all of the shows that the items were based on, which I think might be a first.

Disclaimer: This post contains a referral link.

September Popsugar Must Have Review

Popsugar sends you must-have fashion, beauty, home, food and lifestyle picks for $35 a month.  Every month's box has a value of over $100 and it's the box I'm most excited about getting every month.

I've been super busy with work stuff lately, so I hadn't even had a chance to scope out spoilers for this month.  I feel like it took a crazy long time to get to me, though - some people got theirs two weeks ago.

Shoptiques Gift Card: ($25) Shoptiques is a website that allows you to shop multiple different boutiques in the same place.  I half expected this $25 to be something I'd never spend, but there are several cute pieces less than $30.  I really like this Sailor Bikini though.

Sharkies Energy Chews - Watermelon: ($1.48)  I never work out hard enough to require energy chews.  I'll probably use these to get me through the holidays (and shopping!) ;)

P.S - you're invited...: ($17.27) I'm a big fan of craft books and I like the P.S. - I made this... blog, but I was kind of underwhelmed by this book.  There are a couple of projects I'll probably do, though.

That's It bar - Apple and Mango: ($1.67)  I received a That's it bar in another box in the past and thought it was pretty tasty.

Rifle Paper Co Botanical Coaster Set: ($16) Even though they're really girly, I like these.  The 8 coasters are pretty, and the box they come in is super pretty too so I'll probably find a use for it too.

Barr-Co. Reed Diffuser - Original Scent: ($46)  I wouldn't pay that much for a reed diffuser, but it is super nice.  The scent is pleasant, but crazy strong.  Take it from me, you don't want to spill any on your hands while filling your glass container.

Kitsch Headbands: ($11.99)  I keep meaning to buy elastic to make my own Twistband-style hairbands and headbands.  I'm really glad I got these since it means I can keep procrastinating on that!

This box seems to be getting super mixed reviews.  I, for one, loved this month!  It's not the highest valued box ever, but I will actually use every single thing I received.

Disclaimer: This post contains a referral link.

Fashionable Friday - Guilty Pleasures

A few months ago, I found a pair of pastel ikat-ish leggings at Target for $2.  They were kind of horrible.  Obviously, I bought them.  J makes fun of them every time I wear them, but I love them.  I've decided that they're a guilty-pleasure fashion item.

Ready Player One is one of my favorite books, ever.

Most of the time, I just wear them around the house as pajamas, but I really dig them with black boots.

Top: Target
Leggings: Target
Boots: Shoe Dazzle (Similar)

Speaking of guilty pleasures, I want this SO SO Happy hoodie really badly.  It's silly and ridiculous but...I WANT ONE.  (Actually, I want several of their hoodies, but this one is my favorite.)

SO SO Happy Siq Rainbow In Black Hoodie

My current biggest fashion guilty pleasure would have to be animal sweaters.  No, no, not sweaters *for* animals.  I mean sweaters with animals on them.  They sort of trendy at the moment, so I guess they're not that "guilty" really, but it's something else that J makes fun of.  (Mostly because we have maybe two months of cold weather a year.)  Below are a few of my favorites.  I actually bought the hedgehog one the first time I saw it - it's the start of my addiction I suppose.

Target ($23), Belk ($40),  Old Navy ($33)

Asos ($47),  Target ($23), Forever 21 ($23)

September Barkbox Review

Barkbox sends you and your pup a variety of products - everything from toys and treats to hygiene products and gadgets for $29 a month.  When you sign up, you select the size of your dog so that they can send products right for your pet.

As usual, Stella knew the box was for her as soon as we pulled it out of our mailbox.

Stella was extremely polite and patient while I took pictures of her new goodies.  She was practically vibrating with excitement, though.

Wagatha's Organic Dog Biscuits: ($5.48)  These are wheat, corn, and soy free, and they're also organic.  Stella always gives us sad eyes whenever we have pizza, so maybe we'll give her these to satisfy her.

VetraCare Pet Liquid Bandage: ($7.99)  We treat Stella like a human child, so she rarely ever gets injured.  This is a good product to have "just in case" though.  Besides, I'm guessing J will probably use it on himself at some point.

Aussie Naturals Floppie Shark: ($7.99)  This toy is stuffing free, and has a knotted rope inside it.  It's bigger than most of Stella's toys, but since it's floppy she has no problems carrying it around.  It's apparently extra shakeable.

It also makes a stylish scarf.

Loving Pets It's Purely Natural Biscotti: ($8.39)  I'm not sure what the difference is between a dog biscuit and a dog biscotti, but Stella LOVED these.

 The value of the products is pretty much on par with the monthly cost.  Of course, the monthly Christmas-like excitement for Stella is priceless.

Disclaimer: This post contains a referral link.

Manicure of the Week - Boyfriend did my nails

Sometimes J gets an idea in his head and gets so adorably excited about it that it's impossible to say no to him.  That was the case Monday.

He came home from work and exclaimed "I'm going to paint your nails!"  I asked him if he had something in particular in mind - and he said that it seemed like a good way to pass the time. (We were killing time until the midnight release of GTA V.)  Besides, a few hours earlier I told him that I wanted to do my nails but I had no inspiration.

He started with a base coat of Zoya Purity, then busted out a glitter polish I'd never seen before.  Apparently, he found Nicole by OPI A Rainbow in the S-Kylie on clearance when he picked up milk and decided I needed it.

Blurry proof he painted my nails.

When I went to take a picture of my nails, he yelled "Wait! Wait!" and said that I needed to be holding something.  He then declared that I should hold his hand for my nail picture.  So here you go.

He called this a "Ke$ha manicure."  

I asked if that meant that it looked like glitter threw up all over me. 

"Exactly."

September Ipsy MyGlam Bag

For $10 a month, Ipsy sends you 5 beauty products selected for you based on your personal preferences.  You also get a makeup bag every month.

I was really surprised to find my package in the mailbox yesterday.  The tracking still says it's in Georgia.  What are you thinking, DHL?

In addition to the glam bag this month, Ipsy also included a sample of em Cosmetic's Life Palette.

This month's theme is Classic Beauty.

NYX Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Hollywood: ($4.50)  I usually adore NYX products, but I was pretty disappointed by this.  It has very little color payoff.  It adds a tiny bit of silver shimmer, but it's almost unnoticeable.

Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil: ($18)  This pencil is a hint darker than my skin tone, so it doesn't work as a true highlighter.  I might be able to find some use for it, though.

Elizabeth Mott It's So Big Mascara: ($8)  Elizabeth Mott is actually a beauty brand I haven't heard much about.  It's a cruelty-free line, though, so I'm stoked to try it.

Starlooks Kohl Eyeliner in Obsidian: ($12) I have a bazillion black eye pencils, but it's something that I use regularly, so I'll use this one eventually.

Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Big Apple: ($12)  I was most excited to try this because I'm addicted to Cailyn gel eyeliner.  This feels a lot more like a lipstick than a lip balm.  It is a bit dry, but has good color payoff and staying power.

 The total value of this bag was over $50, but it's certainly not my favorite bag ever.  Even so, just the lip product made this month totally worth it for me.

Disclaimer: This post contains a referral link.

Sunday Confessional - Just not feelin' it.

This morning, I wrote a long, heavy confessional for today.  I couldn't bring myself to click Publish, though, so I'm starting over.  Basically, I just haven't been feeling it this past week.  I don't mean blogging, either.  I mean everything - work, socializing, etc.

Thursday marked 9 years since my mom passed away, which kind of just added extra emotional heaviness to an already stressful week.  I kind of just want to sit in a comfy chair and not talk to anyone for, like, three days.  Okay, maybe Stella.  I'll talk to Stella.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go finish my cuddle therapy.  :)

September RunnerBox Review

Runnerbox is a bimonthly subscription box full of everything a runner could want.  They have Runner, Gluten-Free Runner, and Triathelete options for $20 each plus shipping.

This box is actually J's since I don't run.  It takes him a while to work through all the goodies, so I don't have many specific reviews on anything included in this subscription.  

PocketFuel: ($2.75)  Chocolate Smackaroon just sounds like the name of something tasty.  The ingredients are pretty much just peanuts, chocolate, and coconut, so this fuel is Gluten-free and Vegan.

Sport Beans Protein Recovery Crisps: ($2.25) These protein bites are meant to help rebuild your muscles after your workout.  They're made by Jelly Belly, so I assume that means that they taste good.

Skin Strong Silk Dust: This anti-fungal, anti-chafing powder has great reviews by people using it in their shoes.  I'm tempted to steal a bit to use in a pair of my heels.

Balance Bar Dark: ($.54)  I actually already told J I was going to take this from him.  I have a thing for food bars, especially dark chocolate.

Body Glove Surge: ($2.39)  I was surprised to learn that gels are so expensive.  (Like I've said - I'm SO not a runner.)  Apparently they reduce fatigue, increase alertness and mental concentration, and extends endurance.  Oh, maybe I should get some energy gels for Black Friday shopping.  (Kidding! Sort of.)

Peeled Apple Clusters: ($2.19)  I've gotten these in a Conscious Box, and J actually ate those as well.  He seemed to enjoy them.

Lace Locker: ($9.95)  These help keep your shoes tied.  I can see how these would be helpful during a long run, but I can totally see parents using them on kids' shoes.

Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix: ($3.90) J insists that water is disgusting, so the only way he'll drink it is if it has flavoring in it.

Puracyn Wound and Skin Care:  As accident prone as I am, wound cleaner and bandages fill the majority of our medicine cabinet.  I like that this is alcohol-free, so hopefully it won't sting too badly.

Balance Bar Gold: ($.55)  J ate this and said it tasted pretty similar to Thin Mints.  Now I'm jealous that he didn't let me taste it.

OU81: ($3.78)  I'm kind of obsessed with the brand name.  Along with the Coconut Cranberry bar, they included a coupon code for 5% off.

Bioplasma Sport: ($.99)  You can either dissolve this into water or just eat it.  The name of it kind of wigs me out.

Edible Green Tea: ($.75)  J isn't a fan of green tea, so he gave this to me immediately. I've heard this is tasty in smoothies and can't wait to try it.

Skin Strong Sunscreen Stick: ($9.99)  I love sunscreen sticks - they're so much easier to reapply when you're on the go.  This is SPF 55 and is supposed to not clog your pores.  It goes on really smoothly and doesn't feel all slimy or sticky like some sunscreens.

EcoTrek Fitness Whole Food Bar: ($2.33) This one is dark chocolate raspberry flavored, but they also make dark chocolate coconut and dark chocolate peanut butter flavors.  I'm not sure which sounds the most delicious.

If you've ever considered subscribing to an "active lifestyle" box, I totally recommend Runnerbox.  There are the obvious reasons: the box selection is awesome, and the value is always well over what you paid for it. 

What really turned me into a Runnerbox fangirl (even though it isn't my box) is the fact that they have PHENOMENAL customer service.  

All of the chocolate-y items we got this month melted while sitting in our mailbox all day.  I emailed Runnerbox to let them know that this might be an issue in the warmer months - not expecting much beyond the usual "Thanks for the feedback!" type reply. What I got however, was an extremely friendly and helpful reply about what they're looking into to fix the problem, plus they said that they'd send us a couple things to make up for it.  Their definition of "a couple things" turned out to actually be a box of several non-meltable goodies, a reusable Runnerbox-branded water pouch, and a little hand written note apologizing again for the inconvenience of our melted bars.  J and I were both completely blown away by how above and beyond their customer service went. 

Long story short, J will be getting Runnerbox for a long, long time.