My cats are like my kids, I like to randomly pick up a toy or a fun treat for them when I am at the store so when I found out about the Cat Lady Box, it sounded like something I had to check out. There are plenty of subscription boxes out there that are either for a human or specifically for a pet, what sets this subscription apart is it is for both! Each month you'll receive a few adorable cat themed gifts for yourself plus a few toys or treats for your cats.
Sunday, January 31, 2021
Cat Lady Box Review!
Thursday, January 28, 2021
February Beauty & The Book Giveaway!
This giveaway ends on 02/26/2020
Giveaway entry question: Leave a comment telling me one fun fact about you, and tell me what one of your favorite beauty items is.
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
January 2021 Ipsy Review - A happy whoops!
If you haven't ordered an Ipsy bag before, Ipsy is a monthly makeup subscription that sends you an assortment of goods based upon a survey you take. They have a $12 option that comes with a makeup bag and five sample/deluxe sample products, and a bigger bag that comes with full sized items.
From time to time I like to get a Ipsy bag just to see what I might end up with, it is a great way to find new products to try and also a great way to add products to my monthly Beauty & The Book Giveaways. I meant to cancel my subscription for the time being until I can use some of the samples I already have on hand, however I forgot until I received a notice that my January bag had been shipped.
Whoops! That was on me, however I am actually happy that it did happen. I was pretty pleased with the products I received this month, in fact I plan on keeping and using everything I received aside from the bag. The bag itself isn't bad, it is actually pretty cute and I like the closure ring it comes with, but I have too many bags as is so I won't be keeping it.
What was in my bag? I received:
- IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Anti-aging concealer in 10.0 light fair; This product has already come in handy! I haven't used it for my under eyes but I did use it to help hide two unsightly blemishes I had on my face recently. It blends with my skin well and I can still add a powdered foundation over it without it looking caked on, it covers quite a bit of skin using only a small amount of product. It lasted all day even with my use of a face mask and face shield for work.
- Kinship Naked Papaya gentle enzyme face cleaner; It made me pretty excited to see this in my bag. After experiencing a papaya enzyme facial cleaners during a facial I purchased I've been wanting to find one similar to it. I haven't tried this yet, however I am looking forward to using it.
- Laruce Beauty LR005 tapered blending brush; It is almost silly how much I love getting new makeup brushes, even though I have plenty of them I always want more. I like the handle on this brush, the slight texture looks neat and makes it easier to hold onto. The brush bristles feel soft and I like the white/light gray color combination.
- YC collection 'let Me First" Primer; This is another product I won't use right away as I have other primers to use up first, but this is a pretty decent sized sample so I know it will last me a while. I like using primers to help my colorful makeup "pop".
- Sugar Cosmetics Matte as Hell lip crayon in Stephanie Plum; The color of this lip crayon is gorgeous! It reminds me of a light wine shade, it goes well with my skin tone and I think it looks great by itself to add a little extra color to your face without having to apply all of your makeup.
All of the samples I received this month were actually a pretty decent size compared to some of the teeny samples they've sent in the past. The smallest sample in this month's bag was the IT cosmetics concealer, but with how much coverage you are able to get even this sample will last me at least or month or two since I don't use it on a daily basis. Over all for just over $13 (because of taxes) this month's bag was a pretty excellent deal.
Do you subscribe to any subscription companies? If you do, which company do you use and what types of products do they send out?
* This isn't a sponsored post, I personally purchase this for myself and like sharing what I receive in my bags.
Saturday, January 23, 2021
Aveline Razors - A unique addition to your shaving routine.
Saturday, January 16, 2021
Great Middle School Reads from Candlewick Press!
A lot of the books I receive from Candlewick Press are better suited for younger children, however sometimes a book comes across my desk that is great for older readers as well. Today I wanted to share a small assortment of those books with you!
Anatomicum: Welcome to the Museum (Retail $35) - This book is not only great for teens, but many adults will love this book as well. In fact I gave this book to my brother during the holidays because it is right up his alley. He likes things that are creepy, spooky and relate to human anatomy so this book was perfect.
This 112 page book is packed full of information and illustrations of the human body broken down into sections, you can see how the muscles are laid out or see how some parts of the brain work. A book like this is quite education and interesting to read through, a younger child can read this as it is easy to understand however it is up to the parent and their level of comfort as some of the genital photos are detailed and many of the images in this book are realistic in nature. I also want to note that this book is big! It measures in at almost 15 inches tall and 11 inches wide.
The book is over all quite fascinating, the amount of illustrations and information packed into this book make it a worth while buy for a classroom or personal collection.
Lost in the Imagination: A journey through nine worlds in nine nights (Retail $19.99) - I have to be honest with this one, when I pulled this out of the package and started flipping through it I became pretty excited. This is the type of book I enjoy reading! The illustrations in this book alone are worth purchasing it, the illustrations are beautifully detailed, packed with color and textures. This book is filled with some magical worlds and creatures. There is a lot packed into the pages of this book, my daughter and I look forward to reading this one.
The adventures in these pages take you to nine different worlds, each with their own unique qualities. I've always been interested in strange creatures, other realms and fantasy books so this is the perfect combination between those. Some of the illustrations give me a bit of an old time/steam punk vibe as well due to the type of art style and colors used.
The Language of the Universe; A visual exploration of mathematics (Retail $24.99) - While I have never been a huge fan of my math classes, this is a pretty interesting book that shows math in a new light. Not only is this a good book to have at home but I think this would fit into a class room setting quite nicely and may help a child who doesn't like math interested in wanting to learn more about what this book has to offer. This book explores how math fits into the world around us and not just in the sense we are used to, through out the pages you will discover how math fits into the world in ways you may not have realized before.
Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Candlewick Press for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.
Friday, January 15, 2021
Cute Kawaii Masks from Blippo - A Review.
For the foreseeable future one of the changes that is seeming to stick is the usage of face masks when in public, shopping and working. A lot of the three layer masks are pretty boring, most of them are all the same shade of blue,where is the fun in that? A great alternative to the boring masks we normally get is masks that have fun prints and designs on them! Today I will be sharing a company who makes a set of cute Kawaii face masks.
Blippo is a Kawaii Shop who sells a number of adorable products and they are now offering these adorable masks that feature rainbows, stars, clouds and more. They come in a ten pack of disposable masks, they are pretty durable and don't necessarily need to be thrown away after one wear, if washed properly they can be used several times before needing to be thrown out.
The masks are made from a high-grade fabric, as stated on the back of their packaging they are for non-medical use which is the same as the fabric masks you'd buy in the store. I work in healthcare, and we are required to wear big face shields where I work over any type of masks that we wear, so I often wear one of these under my face shield because of how cute it is. Seeing in how I work in healthcare, I have access to the actual blue medical paper masks, they can range in quality just like any other type of mask out there, but I wanted to note that these cute Kawaii masks feel very similar to the masks we buy at work. They are sewn in a similar fashion, have the same type of mask layout when it comes to the design but the Kawaii masks are a little more comfortable on the ears and the material used is slightly thinner than some of the medical grade masks we buy.
Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Blippo for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.
Thursday, January 14, 2021
Story Magic Dress-Up Set Review + Giveaway!
Over the last year kids have been stuck inside more than normal which means parents are having to find more ways to keep their kids entertained. Horizon Group USA sells a wide assortment of craft sets and activities that are designed to help keep your kids focused and entertained while completing the project. Some of their products such as the one I am going to feature today can be used more than once, which is great for those of us who like to get the most out of purchase.
The Story Magic Dress-up dolls travel play set is perfect for children age 4+ everything comes in a tin so you can play with this at home or on the go. Each set comes with three different magnetic girls your child can dress up and create stories with inside of the tin. There is also a bonus doll friend inside of the tin, however she is printed onto the picture itself and can't be removed however you can place one of the other girls over her if you prefer.
Along with the three dolls you will also find an assortment of clothing and a small friendship book that comes with the set. I like the assortment that was included in the set, it ranges from princess accessories to superhero and astronauts so your child will be able to come up with a number of stories and fantasy scenes.
The dolls and accessories are a decent size, however I wouldn't give this to anyone younger than four as some of the pieces would be easy to swallow. I like that the storage tin it comes with is magnetic, however if you are on the go you might notice that there are only two compartments inside of the tin. So to help prevent yourself a loss of magnets while allowing your child plenty of play space inside of the tin I highly recommend keeping your loose magnetic pieces in a small baggie inside of this tin to make play time easier.
This is open to US Residents only! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email! This giveaway is hosted by ME and is not associated with any of the brands mentioned above.
This giveaway ends on 01/31/2020
Giveaway entry question: Leave a comment telling me: What is another way you keep your child entertained on a road trip?
Disclaimer- Horizon Group USA has provided the products mentioned above for the review + the prize for a giveaway free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Kartchner Caverns Cave Tour Review!
I recently shared some information with you on the hiking trails at Kartchner Caverns State Park, along with some information about the cozy cabins they have for rent, but what I haven't shared with you yet is information on the caverns themselves! The park isn't just beautiful hiking trails and camping grounds, but it also has a live, growing and stunning cave system that offer tours for anyone interested in seeing this extremely well preserved cave system or learning about it's history.
There are dozens of caves spread out across the United States that offer tours, however one of the things that sets this cave system apart from many others is how well preserved everything is. It is an active cave system which means that it is still constantly growing and changing. Due to this they want to limit as much outside contaminates from getting into the cave as possible. How do they achieve that?
Prior to taking your tour you are asked to leave your camera, cell phone and personal belongings behind in the lockers they have available on site or in your car. This might be a little panic inducing for people who have their phone attached to their hip, but it was nice to just be in the moment, to really see the cave, and enjoy your family/friends company without snapping dozens of photos or being distracted by a text.
They also ask you if you've been in any other caves recently with the shoes you are currently wearing, there is another cave very close to this one which is why they ask. Sometimes visitors like to visit both caves in the same day. If you have been in another cave they ask that you step onto a sanitizer device that will clean the bottom of your shoes. They ask you all of this to help prevent harmful bacteria and germs from getting into the cave which could affect not only the cave system itself but the bats that live in the caves through out the year.
Due to the rule of no cell phones/cameras being allowed in the cave it means I won't be able to share any photos with you of how the cave looks inside. However if you want to stop by their instagram page after reading this review the Kartcher Caverns official page has a few photos from inside of the cave for you to see. Instead of sharing photos of the cave system with you, I will be talking about the cave and providing some photos from inside of their Discovery center + Museum that you are able to explore before or after your tour.
You have to leave your belongings behind but what about the clothing you are wearing? They will ask you to leave behind sunglasses and hats that may fall off if you look over the edge of the rails to see the formations. They also ask that if you take your jacket off due to the caves being rather warm and humid all through out the year that you slightly roll it up and tie it tightly around your waist to prevent it from flapping behind you touching the formations as you go. Along with these few rules they also ask that you do not touch any of the rocks or formations along the trails, although accidents do happen because the trail you walk on is very close to rock formations so you could accidently bump into something if you aren't paying attention. If you do accidently touch a rock or foundation next to the trail, it is okay just let your guide know so they can mark it with a small flag. At the end of the night a staff member will go through and clean all of the areas that have the small markers, this helps prevent nasty mold from growing causing damage to the formations and rocks. As you are entering the start of the cave system you will walk through a small tunnel that has misters, these misters help remove any dust, loose hairs, etc on your clothing that may fall off during the tour. The mist is harmless to you and will not leave you wet.
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Holiday books from CandleWick Press!
While a few of these books are more suited for the holiday season, it is never too late to read a good book. Today I wanted to share an assortment of books with you that I got from CandleWick Press that are great for Kindergarten and older. I will also be sharing an assortment of non-holiday related books that are perfect for any time of the year.
Dinosaur Christmas (Retail $16.99) - This cute book is part of a series about dinosaurs, in this book they are on a mission to help save Christmas by helping Santa out of a snowstorm that has caused his sleigh to get stuck in the snow. Will the Dinosaurs be able to help Santa get his sleigh out in time for Christmas? You'll have to read this fun adventure to find out.
Gigantosaurus: The Holiday Party (Retail $5.99) - On the shortest day of the year (winter solstice) most of the dinosaurs are feeling the winter blues and are all feeling down so Tiny decides to throw a last minute holiday party to cheer everyone up. Tiny manages to get everything together for the party in the small amount of time that they have and it really helps cheer everyone up. This is a cute holiday book, it is short and sweet perfect for a beginner reader plus it comes with Stickers!
Mouse's Night Before Christmas (Retail $17.99) - It was the night before Christmas and everyone was sleeping except for a little mouse who lives in the grandfather clock. If you are a fan of stories where cute little creatures help Santa deliver holiday presents then this book is for you. The cute little mouse helps Santa deliver presents and in the end his Christmas wish of having a friend comes true so he no longer feels like a lonely little mouse. We thought this was a adorable book and we enjoyed the holiday story.
Christmas Is Joy (Retail $14.99) - This is a very sweet and short story, it is almost more of a long poem or at least that is what it reminded me of. This book is from the point of view of two reindeer and their love of Christmas. I think this book is perfect for Kindergarten and first grade.
Paper Peek Animals (Retail $14.99) - This nifty little book features animal cut outs and patterned paper behind the animal that features a number of animals found in that region of the world. For example the North America cut out below shows skunks, moose, beavers, foxes and more. I thought this was a neat way to showcase to kids the different animals around the world and where they can be located. This book is recommended for ages 0-3.
This Is A Book Of Shapes (Retail $8.99) - This is another great learning book for children age 0-3, it helps introduce them to new shapes along with some fun colors and it has a non-shape related page or two to keep the book interesting and fun.
Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Candlewick Press for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.