Rose VoxBox

Let's talk about the best box out there - the VoxBox from Influenster. It's a FREE box filled with all sorts of goodies! If you aren't a part of the program, or haven't heard of it, here's how it works: request an invite, get approved, receive periodic boxes, blog about them. Easy right? Request an invite and get in on the fun!

My latest box was the Rose VoxBox filled with autumn- themed products and treats.

belVita crunch Breakfast Biscuits
These are really satisfying! I ate them early morning on day of travel. They were able to tide me over for a good seven hours. They taste like more like cracker than bar which is good. Paired with coffee it is a great option for breakfast. I plan on buying more.

Dr. Scholl's For Her Cozy Cushions
Unfortunately these are so thick that I couldn't get my boots to fit with them in. I do love the brand and stand by their products, maybe I just don't have the right type of boots to properly wear these with. If you want to try them out, here is a Dr. Scholl's $2 off coupon for them or other inserts.

Kiss Gradiation Polishes
This is a set of three polishes that are supposed to give an ombre effect. Polish goes on smooth, doesn't clump, and dries quickly. I like the look and it's certainly a gradiation; however, the images makes it look like the base and second coat easily blend. That's not the case, there's a visible line that I don't love.

Rimmel London Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara
I am not picky with mascara. As long as it's not flakey or crust I'm a fan. Neither of these are traits of this mascara. I do think it gives a bit more oomph than other drugstore mascaras, though. I'd be up for buying it again if I were presented with the option next time I buy mascara.

Vitabath Hydrating Lotion
I pretty much hate lotion. I don't like the feel of it on my hands. I know I can wash it off after applying, but it bothers me so much that I just skip lotion all together for the most part. I did try this though and it was thick (not sure if that's good or bad) and the scent was fairly mild ( could also be good or bad).

Lindt LINDOR Milk Chocolate Truffles
I was so excited these were in the box. I love the brand but they are pricey so I only buy them rarely as a treat. You can never go wrong with these chocolates. I even like giving them as gifts because they are fancy, or at least I look at them that way!

Did you get the box? If so, what were your favorite products?



Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Recent BaubleBar Buys - Necklaces

 Smoky Marquise Curb Collar - $36

Dew Drop Bib in Topaz - $32

 



SparkleLouder: Hpnotiq NYE contest

A few weeks ago I posted about the amazing Hpnotiq SparkleLouder contest taking place right now. Here's a refresher in case you forgot or missed it:

Win a trip for you and three of your girlfriends to New York City to ring in the New Year! To enter, simply upload a picture and make it sparkle with Hpnotiq’s “SparkleLouder” app (see mine below :). That's all there is to it. It takes less than two minutes and could win you the trip of a lifetime! And guess what? That's not the only thing up for grabs. In addition to the NYC trip grand prize, there are also 20 EFFY Diamond & Blue Topaz Rings Sweepstakes Prizes!

The contest is currently open and runs through December 8, 2013. But don't want 'til the last minute to enter. You can upload a picture a week for multiple entries. Remember that Effy ring business I just mentioned? Those are given out weekly. So you have two weeks, and two entries, to enter to win a gorgeous piece of jewelry or the most amazing NYE in NYC. Get to it!

Can you believe New Year’s Eve is just over a month away? I am so ready for 2014 - 2013 hasn't been my favorite. To celebrate this year being out the door I plan to party it up. I want to go all out and rent a hotel then head to a bar with a view. Either back to a small bar in Orange County that overlooks the ocean where 2013 was rung in, or a fancy Downtown LA spot.

One thing is for certain, no matter where NYE is celebrated, champagne is a must! And I have just the recipe for the big night - a Dazzler made with Hpnotiq. Here's the recipe:

You Will Need
•2 oz. Hpnotiq Harmonie
•2 oz. Champagne

Instructions: Pour chilled Harmonie and Champagne into a Champagne flute.

Doesn't that sound delicious?

Here's are some more Hpnotiq recipes to try out as well.

So here's your chance to party in NYC for NYE. 

Enter the contest

Good luck!

Apartment Packing, AKA Torture

I am actually excited for Monday, because that means I don't have to pack anymore. Holy crap is it miserable! I've never had a real move. In college I lived in my sorority house and most of my stuff stayed at my parents'. I've been at my current place for years so I've accumulated so much junk. Like, where did it all come from?! The past two weekends have been spent packing all of said junk up. For the most part I just threw stuff in boxes. So that'll be fun unpacking. But at least I'm done!

I officially move the first weekend of December. Pray for me haha!

I did get a few breaks Saturday night and Sunday so I went to Target twice and dinner with a friend where I saw Retta, aka Donna of Parks and Rec. I'm def going to miss celeb sightings!

My Saturday night looked like this:

There's no better way to unwind than two hot dudes and some Starbucks!

Hopefully you're weekend was much more exciting. What did you do?

Join the Monday Morning Gossip fun with my co-host Kimberlee of I Have a Degree in This and me!

Here's how it works:
1. Blog about your gossip - all topics accepted so why not link up?!

2. Include the badge (below) in your post and/or link back to our blogs.

3. Add your link to the list below.

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Minted Holiday Photo Cards

In a world where there are lots of options for everything you're in the market for, having a large variety to choose from when it comes to holiday photo cards is a blessing and a curse. There are so many different stores and sites out there that the task of selecting a company to go with can be difficult. Enter Minted - a marketplace for everything from holiday cards created by independent designers from over 43 countries.

What sets Minted apart from your other choice is the huge selection of designs! How cute are these?

If you're in the market for holiday cards, wedding invitations, or even moving announcements, look to Minted. In fact, some of you can be expecting some Minted moving announcements from me soon ;)



Disclaimer: I was compensated with store credit in exchange for this post; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

TKO

 

OK people, I need your advice. I need a TKO outfit for a very special occasion - Justin Timberlake in Vegas. Woot woot! Next Friday I'm heading to his show and concert fashion rules kinda go out the window for Sin City. I'd never wear a skirt or dress to a show, but it's Vegas. It's required to be all glammed up. Plus people were all decked out this summer's JT show I went to. So I'm thinking one of these two looks.

Glam: I have most of these items, or almost identical pieces. It's Vegas, glitter is almost mandatory.

OR

Rock: Bad ass leather. Is there ever a time it isn't right? Recreating this look should be easy.

Cast your vote please!

Have a  great weekend and see you back here Monday for Monday Morning Gossip!

Man Candy Monday: Chicago Fire

This weekend I did a whole lot of packing and DVR watching, some of which included Chicago Fire. Can we talk about how that show has the hottest guys on TV? Taylor Kinney and Jesse Spencer. In honor of their hotness I thought I'd take it old school, to my Man Candy Monday roots (a link up I hosted about two years ago).

HAPPY MONDAY!

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And as an added bonus, let's swoon over this season's guest role of hot undercover cop, Jay, played by Jesse Lee Soffer. Unfortunately his role isn't permanent BUT that's OK because there's a spin off of Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, which Jesse Lee Soffer will star in. Something to look forward to ladies!

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Rap God

Yeah, Eminem, you are a rap god. I'm kinda obsessed with his new album, MMLP2. It's been on repeat for days. I am a big fan of all of the samples he uses - from "Life's Been Good" by Joe Walsh to "Time of the Season" by the Zombies, it all works perfectly.

"Monster" is blowing up on the radio so you've probably heard that, but you may not have heard "Rap God" which is amazing. Take a listen!

Does anyone remember this dynamite picture from Rolling Stone? I had it on my binder I'd carry around in high school. I mean, what teenage girl didn't think he was hot? My dad hated it and wanted me to remove it but I sure didn't! I probably have it saved somewhere.

Hpnotiq’s SparkleLouder Contest

Do you have New Year's Eve plans yet? How about a girls' trip to New York City to ring in 2014?! Hpnotiq is holding a SparkleLouder contest running now through December 8, 2013 and it's SUPER easy to enter! All you have to do is upload a pic showing how you plan to dazzle on NYE.

Visit Hpnotiq’s “SparkleLouder” app and upload your photo (you can upload a pic from your computer or directly via Facebook). To make it shine select the colors and amount of sparkle to add, and if you'd like, add a quote to the image. It literally takes two minutes. That's it. So simple!

Every entry  - you can enter multiple times - gives you more weekly chances to win one of 20 EFFY Diamond & Blue Topaz Rings Sweepstakes Prizes (four each week)! The entry that Sparkles the Loudest will win the Grand Prize: A New Year’ s Eve trip for you and three girlfriends to New York City for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the ball drop in Times Square! Um the chance to score an Effy ring and/or NYE in NYC? Yes, please!

For me, New Year’s Eve is all about the sparkle. Dresses, skirts, accessories - there has to be at least one part of the outfit drenched in glitter. I have two outfts in the cue right now. Yes, there's still over a month until the big night, but a girl's gotta have options, right? If I head to a local bar I'd opt for the dress above. It's not overly fancy, but the neckline is blinged out. But if I were to celebrate in NYC I'd bust out a sequin skirt and rock a bright red lip. There's no better way to say "I'm here to party" than a sparkling gold mini and saucy pout.

So here's your chance to party in NYC for NYE. 

Enter the contest

Good luck!

This Weekend...

This weekend was nice and relaxing. I've been on the go for months. Every weekend is something, which I am extremely grateful for, but I'm tired. I needed a break. Plus I officially move in a month and I will need to start packing real quick.

The only substantial thing I did this weekend was attend a wedding of one of my oldest friends on Friday. I mean, how gorgeous is the bride?!

As I mentioned, I'm moving in a month, so Saturday was spent catching up on my DVR and Sunday consisted of lots of football. Pretty perfect in my little corner of the world.

What are you blogging about today? Linkup with my co-host, Kimberlee and I and share your post! If you're new to the linkup, here's how it works:

1. Blog about your gossip - all topics accepted so why not link up?!

2. Include the badge (below) in your post and/or link back to Join the Gossip.

3. Add your link to the list below.

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Sweater Weather

 

 

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Sweater weather is almost here, and it's going to be welcomed by me with open arms. It's November and still in the 80s. While I appreciate the sunny skies and warm days, I am craving a little bit of fall. When it arrives, I wouldn't mind strutin' my stuff in these sweaters.

Speaking of fall, if you didn't catch my post from earlier in the week, check it out. I visited Seattle and experienced my first real autumn, leaves and all.

Have a great weekend! See you back here Monday for Monday Morning Gossip!

A Perfect Seattle Weekend

I'm back from the most perfect long weekend in Seattle! Christina of Easily Entertained has been one of my favorite bloggers for years and we've been lucky enough to meet up a few times when she's visited California. Because we instantly connected, we came up with the idea that I'd take a vacation in Seattle to visit her...or maybe I told her I was just going to come up and she had no choice ;) Either way I'm SO glad we made it happen because I just experienced an incredible three days with her.

Christina was the best host and a great sport, going on tours with me all three days. Upon my arrival we went on an underground tour of the city, got dinner, then headed to the famous Gum Wall followed by a Pike's Place haunted tour. Despite the fact it was a long day, I wasn't even the slightest bit tired, I was too excited.

Sunday we woke up, bought tickets to the Seahawks game and headed into the city for some pre-game football at a bar before heading to the game. I thought the Superdome filled with Saints fans was crazy, but the 12th Man and that record held for loudest stadium rings true...literally. Super loud and exciting. Oh and how about the Seahawks winning in overtime?!

Monday was my last day and we made the most of it with a Duck Tour, lunch at the top of the Space Needle, followed by an impromptu photo shoot in a pile of leaves. Yeah, Christina put up with my crazy request to frolic in the fall foliage. About every five seconds the entire trip I was ooh-ing and aww-ing over the pretty colors that I'd never actually seen in real life. Yeah, no autumn color change in LA, boo.

A HUGE thank you to Christina for a weekend full of memories!! Who would've thought when we started following each others' blogs about four years back that we'd become in-real-life friends? It feels like we've know each other forever and after this weekend I know that I have a life-long friend in her. Can't wait 'til our next rendezvous!

I'm in Seattle!

photo courtesy of Jason Hoover

Happy Monday! It's especially happy for me because I'm currently in Seattle staying with my gracious host, Christina (who you should be following because her blog is amazing ;). On the agenda today is brunch at the Space Needle and an underground tour of the city.

I'll be back with a full recap soon! In the meantime, you know the drill. Linkup with my co-host, Kimberlee and I and share your post! If you're new to the blog hop, here's how it works:

1. Blog about your gossip - all topics accepted so why not link up?!

2. Include the badge (below) in your post and/or link back to Join the Gossip.

3. Add your link to the list below.

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