As someone that suffers from hypothyroidism, I now the struggle of dealing with thing brittle nails and hair all too well. This Matte Nail Strengthener by OPI Nail Envy does just the trick. It goes on clear and matte so it doesn't look like your wearing anything and it strengthens your nails and lets them grow. For about $8 bucks a bottle, it's totally worth it. You can also use it as a top coat over any nail polish to mattify it and an strength to your nail. I have to admit that I was kinda addicted to this Favorite Thing for a while there. Warby Parker eyewear has a lot of great things going on for it. Let me first tell you about the try on at home option. Even at the optical store, where there are tons of glasses to try on, I feel like you don't really get to try on glasses. There are some you would never try cuz you don't want to be seen taking that risk, the safe ones you try on for a bit, but still not enough, and then comes the pushy sales person. In the end you bought a pair of glasses that you maybe tried on for a couple of minutes and thats pushing it. With Warby Parker, they send you up to five pairs of glasses that you get to try on in the privacy of your own home for free (shipping both ways is free too) for five days. So you get to try on those glasses that you love but your not sure what they will look like on you, and you get to wear out your glasses over five days for feedback, and to test comfort and usability. At the end of five days when you've made your choice you send them all back and ordered the pair you liked. If you didn't like a pair, you can order five new pairs to try-on. You can do this over and over until you find he perfect pair (or two). The best part, once you find the perfect pair, you can order their glasses for $95 (acetate frames, single-prescription). It's definitely way cheaper than buying glasses at the optical store, even with insurance. If you wear glasses, definitely check them out.
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My Favorite Thing No. 15 is Skulls and Roses for Men by Christian Audigier. I love skulls and this cologne happened to catch my attention because their was a skull on the box. You can imagine my delight when I realized that the bottle itself was a skull and that I loved the fragrance as well. I have been wearing this for about a month and I receive compliments about it almost on a daily basis. Its a clean, intoxicating scent, strong, but not over bearing or over powerful. Featured notes include: Bergamot, Violet, Sandalwood, Amber. While I just bought a bottle, I really hope that someone gets me another one this Holiday season. It can be a little difficult to find. Target carries the smaller version (bottle is not shaped like a skull) of around $22. I found the larger bottle at the center kiosk at La Plaza Mall just outside the Disney Story for $55. You can also find it on Amazon for around $55.
Christmas Cookies for the Rest of Us!Today's Favorite Thing also happens to be one of my Favorite Persons! She's a dear friend of mine and my go to baker & cookie/cake decorator. She's got an eye for design and pays meticulous attention to details. If you want something that going to look professional and gorgeous, then look to The Flour Girl. And to top it off, her baked goods taste even better than the look.
If you looking for something unique to give away for the Holidays, or if you want a dessert that looks like it came right out of a magazine, or better yet, a Pinterest Board, check out her Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/TheFlourGirl/ By the way did I mention that she makes macaroons? And, don't forget to ask about her specialty and my favorite... Lavender Icing. Book soon, cuz she fills fasts. T-Shirts, Music, and a Book, Oh My!Sorry I didn't post any new Favorite Things over the last three days, my photo editing software crashed on Wednesday and I just got everything up and running again late last night. I decided to catch up but sharing Favorite Things No. 7, 8, & 9 all in one post.
No. 7: T-shirts are definitely one of my Favorite Things to shop for and get. I, as so many millennials do, love graphic t-shirts, and as many as are available in stores nowadays, it can still be a challenge o find that perfect graphic t-shirt to get for someone. I recently have found this website that has become my go to place for finding unique graphic t-shirts. The premiss of Design by Hümans is that anyone can upload and sell their t-shirt designs, and if someone likes to and wants to order your design, they can. As you can imagine, this allows for a huge opportunity for customization and uniqueness. You name it, you can search for it. Best yet, it lets you choose the color of t-shirt to place the design on. I hate it when I find a cool t-shirt design and its on a green shirt or yellow t-shirt; I hate to wear green or yellow. Here I can always make sure the designs I like are in my go-to navy or charcoal. The shirts sell for $25, but the fabric is super soft and comfortable, they hold up extremely well in the wash, and it is safe to bet that no one else you bump into will have your t-shirt. At the moment, they have some really cool Star Wars designs. This is where I'll be getting my shirt for when we go watch The Force Awakens. No. 8: Wonder is book that was given to us by our boss at work. It was an amazing read, and I read over the span of two days on a recent trip to San Antonio. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but this book is definitely a great read for any 4th - 5th grader. Even as an adult there is plenty to be learned from Little August, who just happens to look very different from everyone else. Pick it up as a must read for yourself, and then pass it along. No. 9: Lastly, I want to talk about Apple Music, but more specifically, Apple Music with Siri. Apple didn't invent the Monthly Music Subscription service, but as Apple usually does, when it decided to join in the mix, it just did it better. I had used Pandora and Spotify for years since both services were initially launched, and at first I felt like Pandora was able to put together some pretty good radio stations, but as I listened over the years, it felt really recycled. It was always the same songs and no matter what you started with and at least for me, it seems like kidz bop songs always ended up in the mix. Spotify on the other hand was cool, in that it let you create your own playlists. I loved that feature, but Spotify's apps are extremely buggy and usually I couldn't get it to play correctly in my car on the first try. Moreover, Spotify sucks at recommending new music and creating radio stations. Then came Apple Music. I tried it out expecting a very similar experience to Spotify, but I quickly realized it wasn't Apply Music, from the get go was just so much better at recommending music that I actually want to listen to. Depending of the time of day, it will offer different selections, and the playlist it recommends and curates seem designed just for me. The part I love though, is when you add Siri. Now when I drive in my car I don't have to search for playlists, or pick songs or anything like that. I simply push the home button on my car screen or say "Hey Siri" and can control everything from there. I can listen to any song or album from Apple Music's library by just asking for it. Or, I can just tell Siri that I want to listen to a certain genre, or Artist and right away he (yes, my Siri is a boy) puts together a 50 song playlist thats tailored to my taste. I love it and I can't imagine listening to music away other way again. If you haven't given Apple Music a try, you really are missing out. Jolly Old St. Ives...I don't claim to have perfect skin, but thankfully, I've never struggled with it either. For the most part my skin stays relatively clear. It can be a little on the oily side, but I've found that the less I mess with it, the better it is to me. I credit my clear skin to one product: St. Ives Apricot Scrub. Found at Target and most drug stores for under $4 a tube, St. Ives Apricot Scrub has been my go to face wash since high school. I keep a tube in the shower and its the only thing I ever use to wash my face. Scrub it on, working into areas that need extra exfoliation or that are black head prone, leave it on for a full minute and rinse it off. Thats it. Finish up with a toner and your skin is clean and clear and ready for the day. Theres a couple of products that I'll share with you later that I use for a deep cleanse or as a weekly treatment, but honestly, if I just use St, Ives I'll be just fine. I do recommend that you stick to the formula that's made for blemish & blackhead control. On occasion I've accidentally bought the wrong one and found that it doesn't work quite as well. The blemish & blackhead version comes with a mild dose of salicylic acid that is just enough to put a slight single in your face and get the job done. However, It does come in a few other varieties in case you feel that you need a different formula for your skin.
St. Ives Apricot Scrub is a practical gift that your friends and family will love after they try it. It definitely doesn't break the bank and it's a perfect stocking stuff. It's the perfect gift for teens, who usually haven't quite figured out the best way to care for their skin. Its easy to use, inexpensive, and gets the job done. Put your best face forward this Holiday with St. Ives Apricot Scrub! Elago has you covered for Christmas!Buying a technology gift can be tricky. Its hard to find the perfect fit and you never know if they already have it. One thing you can probably bet on is that they have a smart phone, and everyone could always use an extra phone case. Elago has been my go to company for quality looking, inexpensive phone cases. They focus on modern simple designs in bold colors that make a statement while adding minimal bulk to our ever-increasing-in-size smart phone. They're sturdy enough for casual use and feel great on the phone and in your hands. I've used them for years, and their inexpensive enough that you can order a few to have a some options or you can change one out when you get tired of it without feeling the guilt. At under $20 and often times closer to $10, they make, in my book, the perfect phone case.
Not sure what to get someone, get them an Elago case for their phone. I really love the Rose Gold editions they came out with that perfectly match the amazing looking new iPhones in Rose Gold. You can find them on Amazon or order direct from their store, www.elago.com. Theres plenty of styles to choose from and I'm sure you'll find one to meet anyone's personality. Boom Chicka Christmas.So I have to admit that I think this popcorn contains crack or the FDA approved equivalent there of. This popcorn is amazingly addictive. One handful is not enough. You find yourself saying you'll have just one more and the next thing you know your halfway through a bag. The Sea Salt Version claims that only there are only three ingredients: popcorn, sunflower oil, and sea salt, but that's hard to believe when you find yourself shoveling fistfuls of it into your mouth (not too flattering, but so gosh darn tasty). At 30 calories a cup, it's definitely is a healthier option for holiday snacking. Of course, only the original yellow bag can claim to be healthy. Some of the other flavors are sweetened up for our enjoyment. I first sampled the yellow bag at Costco of course, which carries it in an extra-large size for $4 a bag. But, you can also find the Sea Salt version along with a few other varieties at Target. If you fall in the love with the stuff like I did, you might be tempted to head over to the website to order more of the hard to find flavors. If you do, let me know. It's pricey to buy just one bag from the website, but there are deals to be had when you buy in bulk. However, as much as I love the stuff I haven't been able to bring myself to order a gross just yet! If there's a popcorn lover in your life, give them Boom Chicka Pop for the Holidays; trust me, they will love you for it! And just in time for the Holidays, they've added a couple of Holidrizzle varieties to the line-up: White Chocolate Peppermint and Dark Chocolatier Sea Salt. Can't wait to try them. https://www.boomchickapop.com Gift-Giving FreebieDownload a tag you can use when Gift-Giving popcorn for the Holidays!
Favorite Hair Products for Curly HairSo its been nearly two years since I started on my Crazy Curly Hair Adventure. When my hair started growing out curly, the first thing I learned is that curly hair demands that you care for it. With straight hair you can get away with so much and you can pretty much mistreat it any way you want. Not so much with curly hair. Curly hair demands attention and moisture and it lets you know when its not getting enough of it. When my hair first changed, I tried a variety of new products to help tame the frizz that ensued. At first I feared what this was going to do to my pocket book. The second thing I learned is that Hair Products for Curly Hair aren't cheap and most of them do not do what they promise to do. Thankfully, early on in my search for something to tame my lion's mane I found Paul Michell's The Truth About Curls line, and I've been using it ever since. Its moderately priced, at about $20 a bottle, but I don't mind paying that amount when it actually does what it says its going to do. The Shampoo is sulfate free and color safe, the Conditioner(not pictured) is moisture rich and a great for co-washing, and both the Leave In and Cream Gel leave your curls defined yet crunchless, touchable yet frizz-free. The one product I haven't had much luck with so far is the Ultimate Waves gel, but I think thats simply because my hair isn't long enough. If I had to pick only one product out of the entire line to purchase, it would have to be the Full Circle Leave In Conditioner. Two to three pumps is all that is needed to moisturize and seal your hair for a frizz free day.
So if you, or someone you know, have curly hair and quite yet haven't figured out how to let it go natural give The Truth About Curls line by Paul Mitchell a try. It's available at Ulta for purchase or at any Paul Mitchell Salon. A Toast to Kick of my 50 Favorite Things for the Holidays!Howdy Everyone! I'm so excited to begin my countdown this evening. From here until Christmas Day I will be sharing one of my Favorite Things to give and get this Holiday Season. Hopefully you will follow along and be inspired to gift one of these items this Christmas, or better yet self-gift and get something absolutely fabulous for yourself. After all, who knows you better than you.
To get things started, I figured a toast was in order and what better way than with a tasty Sparkling Wine. Moscato's are nice, but a Moscato d'Asti is simply divine. With hints of honey, warm sweetness, and a light tingle, a Moscato d'Asti is just more refreshing. My favorite, to Moscato d'Asti to drink with friends (and on occasions alone) is Santo Moscato d'Asti available at Costco for $8.99 a bottle. I prefer it chilled over frozen peaches, keeping it ice cold as you enjoy and sip the day's stresses away. Each time I have given this bottle away as a gift I have gotten the same response. People just love the taste and texture, and the bottle is beautiful as well. And under, ten dollars it's a gift that says I cherish you without breaking the bank. Pairs well with poultry, sushi, and dessert. Perfect wine to take any Holiday get together. Trust me, this wine alone is worth the Costco Membership! Drink Up and Stock Up! Happy Halloween Everyone! I decided to embark on a little blogging project for the 2015 Holidays. Starting November 5th, I will countdown to Christmas with my 50 Favorite things. I know I'm not exactly Oprah, but many of you do come to me for ideas about gift giving and such. This year I will be sharing my favorite things that I love to give and get for the Holidays. Hopefully it will inspire your gift giving and maybe even take a little stress off of the Holiday Season.
Again I hope everyone enjoys a Happy Halloween this evening. Tonight at midnight the haunts and spooks will retire again for another year to make way for Elves, Reindeer, and Snowmen. Something truly magical happens on the last stroke of midnight; when you wake, not only will Halloween candy be 50% off, the stores will be busy decking their halls, shoppers will be bustling with a jingle in their step, and the loud speakers will be playing our favorite Holiday standards. As Jack Skellington would announce, "It's Christmas Time!" And, after all, it is my most Favorite Time of the Year! |
About Me:Hi! My name is Luckie and I'm a freelance crafter, designer, and event planner. I love trying out new ideas, putting a spin on traditional ones, and getting things just right. I'll be using this space to highlight my creations and design inspirations. Hopefully you too will be inspirited to craft and design and share out your ideas as well. ArchivesCategories |