Friday Faves

It's Friday once again. What a busy week. I can tell you for sure Black Friday was not one of my faves this week. To the woman who yelled at me because we were out of the candle she was looking at earlier in the week, sucks to suck. Other than that, it was a pretty good week.

1. Interviews

I had two interviews for a possible barista position with two seperate Biggby locations. I'm pretty excited because I could really go for a more permanent position.

2. New Paddle

I love Mary Kate for thinking of me and making me a paddle. She is so dang precious and I love her to pieces for making me such a gorgeous piece!

3. Caramel Brulee Latte

OMG YUM! It's a good thing I don't have money right now because I'd be all over this every day. 

4. Joe

Joe took me to my appointment in Holland and to get my lab work done. I just appreciate his support so much these days. I wouldn't get through life without him.

5. Liam

Seeing that baby will always make my list even if its an unexpected visit home! 

Parmesan Roasted Green Beans

Last year, for Thanksgiving, I was requested to bring green bean casserole. I don't even like green bean casserole. It's slimy and it features my two least favorite flavors: mushrooms and onions. Yuck. And the worst part is my green bean casserole was criticized harshly. And all I wanted to scream at people was, "If you like this outdated dish so much, you should have made it yourself!" It's like asking the vegetarian to bring the turkey. Who does that? This year, I told everyone I would make green beans but they would not be in casserole form. Because, really it's already a calorie-loaded day. Is there really something so wrong with fresh veggies? I don't think so. So I made Parmesan roasted green beans. Is there anything easier than roasting veggies and tossing with cheese? If there is, it's probably disgusting like green beans smothered in soup and "onions". Just saying. The green beans were perfectly cooked and had a lot of flavor! I love blanched green beans but I'll be roasting them a lot. They were quick and there was no guessing if they were done. This recipe is courtesy of skinnytaste.com!

Winter 2012 Vera Bradley Wish List

I have a Vera Bradley obsession. Really more of an addiction. As soon as Vera Bradley released their holiday products, I created a wish list of items separate from my regular wish list. And of course, I then had to find them all, clip them to Polyvore and create a collage. Then, I decided to share it here. Because it's my blog and I do what I want, yo. So anyways, these products will only be in stores and online for the holiday season so my chances of getting all of these gorgeous pieces is slim to none. But a girl can dream.

Cookin’ with Vera in Provencal ($18)

Gloves in Provencal ($32)

Knit Headwarmer in Provencal ($28)

Knit Scarf in Provencal ($46)

What’s Cookin’ Apron in Provencal ($28)

What’s Cookin’ Potholder Set in Provencal ($30)

Patricia Crossbody in Dogwood ($98)

Photo Frame in English Rose ($28)

Influenster

Have you heard of Influenster? Of course you have. I've dedicated 8 posts to my Beauty Blogger Vox Box. Now I've decided to take the time to explain what Influenster is in detail. My sister first introduced me to this amazing site and since receiving my first box, I've become even more hooked on Influenster.

Let's start with what Influnester is. Influenster is a site for anyone who enjoys talking about the products they are loyal to as well as trying new products. You don't have to be obsessed with make up or hair products. You can review everything from charities to movies to candy. You choose what interests you most. These are called expert and lifestyle badges. To start, you can work on 5 expert badges. Expert badges show Influenster what you are passionate about. I have the Beauty Queen badge, the Sweet Tooth badge, the Chowhound badge, the Fashionista badge, and the Decorator badge. Lifestyle badges help the Influenster team know what sort of demographic you fit into. For example, sending me a box meant for a mother or a bride is a waste of their time but because I have the collegiate badge, they have some idea of what my lifestyle entails. The goal is to increase your badge scores to increase your overall Influenster score. To increase your score, you take surveys, write reviews, answer questions and share products on social media sites. Your score determines your eligibility to receive products to review.

It's not all about the free stuff. Even if you do have a high score, you are not guaranteed a Vox Box. The site is about giving companies useful feedback about their products and services. If it only took writing a couple of reviews and liking some stuff on Facebook, the site would go out of business. Nope, you have to work for the stuff. And even when you receive stuff, you still gotta do a little work. For example, with my Beauty Blogger Vox Box, I had to complete a survey to claim my box, complete at least one review for the box, and complete an exit survey along with trying all seven products that came in my box. There are also bonus brand challenges. Each challenge was a little different, but for the most part, I had to write a specific review for each product, like the company on Facebook, follow the company on Twitter, and write a review on either the company's site or on Influenster. It's all about how involved you choose to be.

I have been part of the Influenster site since the beginning of the year and they recently relaunched the site to make it more efficient for Influensters. I absolutely love the new site! You can be as involved as you would like and your involvement is rewarded with discounts and free product to test. Less involved people have less of a chance to take advantage of these great perks and that was my biggest complaint before the relaunch. There seemed to be no real rhyme or reason to who received Vox Boxes. Now you know exactly what areas you need to work on to improve your chances and since most people like having that sort of feedback, that seems like a really efficient way to pass out the boxes.

Let's talk about shortcomings. The site seems to take forever to update your scores. I wrote quite a few reviews in the last week or so and my score for those badges has yet to reflect that. I don't know if I didn't do enough for each badge or if the site is simply slow to update my scores. Either way, I would like the site to address that. The "Plan of Attack" that appears on the profile page often features tasks I thought I had previously worked on. I get that you have to continually keep up on reviews and such but if you have just recently done a task, it should be reflected in your profile in a timely manner.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoy being part of the Influenster community and look forward to my next chance to actively review products through the Vox Box program. If you would like to be part of the Influenster trend, check out Influnester.com or leave me a comment and I'll send you an invite!

Friday Faves

It's Black Friday, y'all! While I got to spend the first 8 hours of Friday selling soap at Bath and Body Works, here's a special Friday Faves for you. These are the 5 people I am most thankful for.

1. Joe

It's not easy being my best friend so I'm pretty thankful that Joe puts up with me. I don't always know why but he does. He takes good care of me and I don't think I could ever repay him.

2. Liam

Does anyone have a sweeter nephew than my Liam? No. He makes my whole world turn. He is the sweetest little thing in the world and when he smiles, you forget everything that could possibly be bad in your life.

3. Jessica

Jessica and I often contemplate how anyone in the world lives without a twin. I still don't know how you all singles do it but we certainly couldn't. It's like an instant best friend but better because we barely have to say anything to understand each other.

4. My Roommates

I've shown love for the roomies before but these last two and a half months have shown me just how much Brandi and Courtney mean to me. They support me even when they don't know the whole story and they are the best.

5. Dad

Even though we almost never see eye to eye, Dad has supported me financially these last few months and I can't be more appreciative of that. He takes good care of me even though I don't always understand him and he doesn't always understand me. 

Product Review: Philosophy Raspberry Sorbet 3-in-1 Shampoo, Shower Gel, and Bubble Bath

Quite often, I somehow end up at Ulta following my sister around. One one such trip, I started smelling all the pretty philosophy 3-in-1's. I mean they are such pretty colors and they have such enticing scents. I fell head over heels in love with raspberry sorbet. It smells just like fresh raspberries. I ended up buying it because it just smells so good. I absolutely love this product! The lather is amazing which I guess you could have figured that out because it can be used bubble bath. But anyway, I will for sure purchase philosophy products again. I am seriously considering buying a seasonal scent like the cranberry orange spritzer and switching them out for the next few weeks. I love that philosophy products smell exactly like the real thing. Overall, I'm impressed and am going to continue using philosophy products!

Mini Pumpkin Pie Scones

There was a call for healthy fall dishes for a sorority event this month. I spent a lot of time looking for something but not surprisingly, dishes that are both healthy and dessert-y are hard to find. I finally stumbled onto this Starbucks knock off recipe. I figured it looked easy enough that it wouldn't take a ton of extra effort to double the recipe to make 48 scones. I'm really impressed with how they turned out! I didn't do the spiced glaze because I was feeling lazy but they were still really good. My one tip is get yourself a rolling pin. It was hard to make them even without it. Oh and a ruler. It will make cutting triangles easier. Unless you aren't OCD like me and then it doesn't matter. But if you want them all to be the same size, a ruler will make all the difference. You can find the original recipe from Bespangled Jewelry here.

Bonfire and Pumpkin Carving

Remember my autumn bucket list? I've been picking away at it slowly but steadily. These two events actually happened different days but the same weekend so I decided they could share a post. Sharing is caring. So anyways, the roommates and I carved our pumpkins and we had a blast. I just love the fall season for this reason. I mean when else do you haul nature in and decorate it just to add flammables and put it all on display... OK well I mean pumpkins are still fun. So the nerd in me has been dying to do a Tardis pumpkin and I found a great pattern here.

Courtney carving her Harry Potter pumpkin!

The tedious process of tracing the three part pattern.

Finished product in the light.

Finished product with a candle!

Then we had a bonfire over at Joe's Dad's house. We even got to toast marshmallows! It was extremely hot but so fun!

Avoiding getting too close!

Eating my s'more while Kate and Joe avoid the fire.

The fire was so hot, I could only toast the top of my marshmallow!

We're getting to the end of our autumn bucket list and this has been so so so fun! 

Friday Faves

Another week, another Friday Faves. This is possibly my favorite part of blogging and it has been the source of inspiration for other possible blog posts. I have plans for another weekly regular post so look forward to that.

1. Infinity Scarf from NY&Co

It's no secret I'm a bit obsessed with this brand. I own more than a few pieces from this store. By far this is my new favorite piece in my wardrobe. Doubled up it makes every outfit warm and cozy and perfect for this season. I love the colors! The nice neutrals pair with 99% of my wardrobe!

2. Bath & Body Works

We had our Holiday 2012 preparation meeting on Sunday night and I realized what a great company I am working for now. Everything that bothered my about Subway doesn't happen with B&BW. On Sunday, we got a chance to get oriented before being thrown into the insanity. We also found out that our location is being used a test store for a new holiday employee discount of 40% for the month of December! To top it all off, corporate treated us to a full size bottle of lotion in one of the seasonal scents as well as a seasonal anti-bac and case. Thanks, B&BW!

3. Influenster

As of yesterday, I am officially done with the Influenster Beauty Blogger Vox Box. I'm sad it's over but yet I am so happy to see all those posts under my published list! I got the Opt-In survey for the Holiday 2012 Vox Box so I'm hopeful Influenster won't be leaving my list of scheduled posts for too long. I have a post in the works about the redesign of Influenster and I have a new challenge for myself if I get another box so maybe I have my hopes up a little bit that I get another box soon.

4. Karaoke Night... Sorta

I was trying to add the picture from last night but the internet is being rude today. Anyways, last night was karaoke night. Except the bar wasn't doing karaoke night because of the opening of deer season. It was still fun because we spent the day at the mall looking for new stuff to wear. I love how much time I've been spending with the roommates lately.

5. This flamingo.

Go home Flamingo, you're drunk! :)

Influenster Beauty Blogger: EBoost Daily Health Booster in Orange

Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

And last but not least, from the Beauty Blogger Vox Box: EBoost. Honestly, I was hesitant and excited right up until I actually tasted it. So I've been putting off this post. Legitimately, been staring down the little orange packet sitting on top of my empty Influenster box for about a week now. But I finally got up the nerve, or just lost all motivation to do homework, and mixed the packet into a huge glass of water. And now that I've had about a half a dozen sips, I'm seriously considering dumping it down the sink. Not that it is bad. It's just too interesting for my taste. I've never had Emergen-C or Airborne or anything like that so I can't compare but if they taste like this, I wouldn't spend the money. And EBoost is pretty expensive. Depending on if you're buying from the company directly or if you are buying from Amazon, you're paying $1.25 to $1.40 a packet. I think the best way to describe the flavor is grown-up orange flavored medicine. Let's just see the pictures...


To see all of my Influnster Beauty Blogger Vox Box reviews, check out this post.

Influenster Beauty Blogger: Kiss Ever Pro Lashes Starter Kit

Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I have to say I'm not a fan of fake lashes and I wasn't overly excited to review this one. I had a friend who does lashes a lot help me and even she said these were a little weird. The base of the lashes were really thick. The picture looks like I put them in the middle of my eye lid but they were actually where they were supposed to be. The edge was just so thick that it looked very strange. I also applied a couple of coats of mascara and they still looked very strange with my natural lashes. I have to say for being a starter kit, they certainly turned me off to trying lashes again. Thanks but no thanks. I gave them to my friend. If you have tried these lashes, you should let me know what you think!!!

To see all of Kiss Ever Pro's Lash products, check out their website!

To see all of my Influenster Beauty Blogger Vox Box product reviews, check out this post.

Influenster Beauty Blogger: Vitabath Fragrance Mist in Green Tea & Sage

Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I have to admit that I had never heard of Vitabath before receiving this full sized fragrance mist so I can only review this individual scent and product. That being said, I'm obsessed! I have mentioned that I recently got a job at Bath and Body Works and I do own quite a few B&BW products but this scent is my new fave for day to day wear. I love the scent! It is sort of androgynous. It's a little masculine and yet still a little sweet. I really love the sage notes. It is very different from anything I've smelled at both B&BW and Victoria's Secret which are my usual body mist retailers. The very best part about the product is how long the scent lasts. I put it on in the morning and hours later, I can still catch a whiff of it. I will definitely consider repurchasing this product when I run out!

To see all of my Influenster Beauty Blogger Vox Box Product Reviews, check out this post.

Influenster Beauty Blogger: Not Your Mothers Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream

Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I don't have curly hair. It's not even remotely curly. I think I get it from my dad. His hair grows straight and lies flat and only needs a little gel to smooth out the fly aways. My hair doesn't curl. One time, I tried using hot rollers in high school. I sprayed each strand with hair spray before putting the rollers in and I left them in for an hour and my hair went flat within 2 hours. It was really tragic. So any product that promises any curl isn't talking to me. But I tried it anyways. And I have to say the results were exactly what I expected. Laugh if you want, jerk.

So basically just frizzy. Just as I expected. The worst part was when I pulled it up, the little pieces in the front wouldn't lie flat even with a clip. So I won't be playing with this product any more.
To see all of Not Your Mother's Products, check out their website!
To see all of my Influenster Beauty Blogger Vox Box product reviews, check out this post.

Friday Faves

This was a terribly boring week. This one might take me a while...

1. Zehnder's Chicken Dinner

We took Liam for his first chicken dinner at Zehnder's this weekend. Considering I spent more time feeding him than actually eating my own food, I think he loved it. If you've never been, you definitely have to go on Sunday. Go downstairs and in the back hallway, there is a dining room where they have an all you can eat buffet for $17.95 a person. It seems pricey but let me tell you, it is so worth it.

2. Alpha Nus
I got the chance to hang out with my Alpha Nus this week! We got our slate all put together and I'm feeling really good going into elections that the Alpha Nus took the time to consider who would be best for the positions. Plus our normal shenanigans that happen when we are all in one room made me really miss the old days. I love these ladies!

3. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Fundraiser

We had our Third Annual GC&TS Fundraiser this week and it went really well. I sold 5 tickets not including the one I bought for myself to eat and I'm pretty sure we sold at least 500 tickets. I can't wait to find out how much money we raised for our local philanthropy, the American Cancer Society. I myself ate like 4 grilled cheese sandwiches and had so much fun with all of my sisters!

4. OBAMA

You know you're a grown up when you spend the evening of election day watching the results on the news. That will definitely be one of my favorite memories for the rest of my life. I had so much fun hanging out with my roommates and I felt so proud of myself for caring about this stuff and so proud of my country for getting through another difficult election year. 

5. Dora the Explorer Action

Cut the crap, Map! :)

Influenster Beauty Blogger: Goody Simple Styles Spin Pins in Dark Hair

Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I had high hopes for this product. The directions look so simple and I have super fine hair so I thought this would be a good solution. I love to wear my hair in a bun and my current method means redoing it about a dozen times a day. I think these pins might require more practice on my part but the first four I did resulted in me taking the pins back out. The package says you don't need a hair tie but to get it as tight as I wanted, I used a hair tie and two extra bobby pins. After about three hours, my hair was basically a pony tail with the pins sticking out at odd angles. I will try them a few more times, but overall I'm not sure I will change methods. If I'm going to redo my bun over a million times a day, my method is easier than these pins.

My best attempt

To see all of Goody's products, check out their website!
To see all of my Influenster Beauty Blogger Vox Box product reviews, check out this post.

Influenster Beauty Blogger: Bath & Body Works White Barn Mahogany Teakwood 1.3 oz. Mini Candle

Disclaimer: I have received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I am so excited to get a B&BW product to review! Now that I'm working there, I get the chance to preview products before I take them home and this candle is awesome! B&BW has a pretty interesting description for all its products' scents and the description for the mahogany teakwood is this: 

"Revel in the cozy fine woods fragrances of mahogany, cedarwood, and oak, highlighted by delicate lavender and geranium notes." 

When I first took a whiff when it came out of the box, it reminded me of something like this...

Yeahh... Not what you're looking forward to when you're going to be lighting this candle in your personal space. So I was pleasantly surprised when I lit this candle to find that it is not heavily scented. I can definitely smell the floral notes. It is actually really nice. Don't get me wrong, it does smell like a boy. But a really nice, sweet, sexy boy who does not bathe in these products that claim to get you laid. So if my room smells like that boy has been hanging around, I am cool with that.

The best part is its size. I usually get sick of candles before they are gone. I really love the mini size of this one. B&BW's website says it lasts 10-15 hours which is perfect for me. Just long enough to really enjoy it but not so long that I will get sick of it. 

Along with the candle, this VoxBox came with a coupon to get a $20 3-wick candle for $10. I also got a coupon via Facebook for a free mini. I chose Cranberry Pear Bellini for my 3-wick candle and Cashmere for my mini candle. I am so excited to try them out!

Check out Bath and Body Work's website!

To see all of my Influenster Beauty Blogger Vox Box product reviews, check out this post.

Influenster Beauty Blogger: New York Color Individual Eyes Custom Compact in Dark Shadows 0156-08

Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I'm going to provide my own little disclaimer that I don't read a lot of make up reviews so I'm going to write exactly like how I normally do. If you read a lot of make up reviews and are expecting me to comment like an expert, step away from the computer. This is my take on make up from the point of view of someone who doesn't wear a lot of make up and all I know is what I like.

OK, now that we got that out of the way, this palate has a few pros and a few cons. Let's take about the positives first. The colors in this palate are really vibrant. They don't go on translucent at all and I really love that, especially with the lighter shades. Another nice thing about the palate is that is has 4 colors instead of 3 so you can go with the lighter 3 or the darker 3 or all 4 depending on your mood. There are two cons to this product. The texture is a little strange. I don't know if it was my brush or what but it was a little clumpy. The other thing is the first time I tried this I used my own eye shadow primer from Urban Decay and it still didn't stay on my eye for long. The base it came with seemed to do better but still not as great as other shadows I know. If you're going to follow the picture on the back and apply the shadows as they recommend, I discovered that they are a little difficult to blend with a regular shadow brush so I used a medium sized blush brush. Overall, I'm really excited to play with this more.

Check out NYColor's website to see all of their products!

To see all of my Influenster Beauty Blogger Vox Box product reviews, check out this post.

Zip Lining and Hay Ride

Another update on my autumn bucket list. Joe and I invited Robert along on our adventure to go zip lining/hay ride. I think it would have been really cool to do it a few weeks ago when all the leaves were still changing colors but it didn't work out and we still had a blast! This will definitely happen again next fall.