Friday, November 8, 2013

Obsessions

So, these are my latest obsessions (I mean, in case you were just dying to know)

1) The Kindle app on my phone. Holy cow, this is dangerous. At first, I didn't think I'd like reading a book on an electronic device, but it makes it quite handy and easy to read late at night in my bed.

2) Related to #1: Books. I've forgotten how amazing it is to read. I've always been a big reader. I love psychological thrillers, murder mysteries, horror stories, sometimes sci-fi, but no sappy crap. Blech. There's nothing worse than a love story. I don't mind them as movies (one of my favorite movies is "He's Just Not That Into You"), but not as books. They don't keep my attention. I also hate fantasy books. In sixth grade, my teacher was concerned I wasn't reading enough age-appropriate stories for my age (Whatever! I was reading Michael Crichton in 4th and 5th grade. I was also reading horror stories, too, but she didn't have to know that.), and recommended several fantasy stories for me to read. My mom picked some up for me, and the recommended story about mice as pirates or something held my attention for all of 10 pages. It was the same thing with "The Hobbit", which was on my Honors' English summer reading list in 10th grade. I did get introduced to "Ender's Game" on the same reading list, however, so it wasn't all for naught. Anyways, since I got the Kindle app, I've downloaded and read four books; three books in a week's time. My two favorites have been "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn (which I have read twice now) and "Doctor Sleep" by Stephen King (the sequel to "The Shining"). I loved both of these so much.. I would probably read Doctor Sleep again, too.

3) Birchbox. This is a mailed, potential monthly subscription box that provides 3-5 beauty products per month, depending on your own preferences and beauty concerns (skin, hair, nails, etc). You can sign up for one month at a time, or a yearly subscription. It was so fun getting one box with five products in them that they had chosen for me. I received spray hair detangler/conditioner, lip balm, microdermabrasion exfoliator, makeup foundation, and a lip/cheek stain. If you sign up, it's about $8-12/month.

This Month's Box

4) Fresh soap. Have any of you been in or seen a Lush store at the mall? I always wondered what the heck was in this store, as it looked kind of like a comic book place, or a kids' store. I heard about this soap called Demons in the Dark, and it blew me away. It's a fresh-smelling, minty soap that I've fallen in love with. Be ye forewarned: they will heavily try to upsell their products. They gave me a hand treatment, including a cleanser, exfoliant, and lotion, which were amazing, but super expensive. They're handmade, cruelty-free products, but I can't afford to spend $40/month on body products. I walked away with the soap and felt lucky.

5) Leapfrog learning videos. Carter received this one for his birthday, and has watched it nearly every day since. It's his obsession (obviously not mine), but it has taught him the sounds that the letters make. It's awesome.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Stitch Fix Review #3

So, I decided to try Stitch Fix another time, especially due to my last success with my 2nd Fix. I did have some special requests, though, which included the following:

1) A light jacket, similar to this one:
neutrals & plum

2) Colored skinny jeans (a fall-appropriate color would be nice, like the one above).

3) A non-gold, brightly colored statement necklace, perhaps similar to this (I know this doesn't have a lot of color):
#black and #statement #necklace

However, this is what I got:

They now printed out all of the clothing items and the outfit ideas on one page, with the option of pulling them apart. I just wish they no longer annoyingly pinned these cards inside the clothes.

First: 19 Cooper Landon Front Pleat Short Sleeve Blouse


First of all, I love pleats, and I love the bright blue color. However, it was too short, a little too tight in the arms, and hung out straight from my boobs, making me look pregnant. If you can't tell by my face, I really didn't like it. Verdict: PASS

Second: Kensie Susanna Metallic Dot Crew Neck Sweater

If you look at my Pinterest clothing board, you'd notice that I have an unhealthy obsession with polka dots. However, this sweater didn't do it for me at all. The polka dots were slightly metallic, but were otherwise not noticeable. The sweater was also a little short. The sweater material was thin, scratchy, and cheap-feeling. It was also over $70. Verdict: PASS

Thirds: 41Hawthorn Abrianna Longsleeve Knit Cardigan

So, I know Stitch Fix couldn't possibly know this, but I hate open cardigans. They are not flattering on me and I just don't like the concept. Also, it was extremely long (like past my butt), which is extremely rare for me. However, I did like the color. Verdict: PASS

Fourth: 41Hawthorn Ivy Tab Sleeve V-Neck Blouse
Love, love LOVE this green color. It's more of an emerald green than it appears in this photo. It wasn't too loose, OR too tight in the shoulders/chest. Verdict: KEEP

Fifth: Peppermint Isabella Pleated Skirt

 Ok, so I hate these photos. Especially since you can see what a waist I DON'T have.. Anyways, pleats in the crotchal region = yuck. I have a couple of skirts that have a few pleats, but mostly at the bottom of the skirt, like this one:



Anyways, I really hated the skirt. Not flattering, a little too short, and the cheap, shiny, stretchy black polyester fabric definitely looked like something a referree would wear.. a sexy female referree, maybe.

I have to say, I was quite disappointed. I asked for three things, and I got NONE of them. I even had the same stylist as I did last time! However, they did provide me with some pretty colored tops, especially compared to the mostly black items I received last time. I don't completely fault them for not knowing that I hate open cardigans, but I am pissed off that they couldn't include one single item that I requested. I did have a $25 referral credit (ahem, feel free to use me as a referral), so that made my purchase cheaper and made me happier.

Anyways, I'm taking a break from the Fix for a while. I don't have the money to keep up regular boxes, especially with Christmas coming up. Maybe I'll try another box when spring arrives.

Here are my other Stitch Fix Reviews:

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Stitch Fix Teaser

So, I don't have time this weekend to post about Stitch Fix #3, but I just wanted to let you know that I received my 3rd Fix, and I was very disappointed. I've taken pictures and will post those later.

Just to give you a teaser quote, though, I received a piece of clothing that might work as a Halloween costume for a sexy female referee.

New home blog coming soon

I have received a lot of questions via email about how the home is holding up for the past 2.5 years. I plan to do a detailed update on our ...