My first VOX BOX...Jolly Vox Box By Influenster!

There is just something so exciting about being given the opportunity to review products for a company...and even better when you are sent a small collection of items to review all at once!!!  Such is the case this month with my very first VOX BOX by Influenster!

So before I go any further...what does all this mean? vox box? Influenster?
Taken from their website... influenster.com

"WHAT IS INFLUENSTER

Influenster is a free-to-join community of trendsetters, social media masterminds, and educated consumers who live to give opinions of products and experiences...where members meet to learn about new products from our favorite brands as well as review the products they already use in their day-to-day lives!
Influenster invites its most active members to participate in exclusive VoxBox programs where members receive complimentary products to test and review. In exchange, we ask our members to do what they already love to do: share their opinions with their friends & followers on social media!"

I will add that it is just my opinion (and a little bit of a pet peeve when I hear this perhaps) that this is NOT a website that you simply join with the sole purpose to "get free stuff."  Sure, I was given a box of complimentary goodies to review, and you can too, but I did it in exchange for my time, and talents in being an 'educated consumer' who is willing to honestly review the items upon receiving them and then share them with my social networking friends.  I like to think of this more like a bartering system!  lol  Back to my review...

So after a couple months of dabbling on the website and finding my way around while completing surveys and interest badges, I received a preliminary email asking me about my interest in a vox box.  (A fancy name that simply describes the sample boxes sent out by Influenster) I hate to admit it but I was super excited that I was picked so soon for consideration- and even more excited when I found I actually made the cut and was getting a box!  Super geek mode I know...but I immediately texted my boyfriend, updated my Face Book status message AND posted here on my blog!  lol

So the big day arrived and I went to my mail box and found this lovely PINK BOX!

I was super excited to open the box as I had no idea what would be inside- except of course from the questions I was asked in my screening there were several regarding chocolates, so I suspected candy of some sort lol.  It's important to note that all items were provided free by Influenster for review but the opinions and comments are my own. #INFLUENSTER #JollyVoxBox

 

Here is what it contained...

(I actually received SIX of the Skinny Cow candies- but the box was crushed and didn't look pretty in the photo)

I have to say I was rather impressed at the selection and simply couldn't wait to try them out since all of them were new to me!

This is NYC's New York Color HD Color trio eye shadow in 781 LONG BEACH SANDS. (retail price is $2.99)  I currently use this to create a more natural everyday smokey eye look, but it could easily be built up for a more dramatic look as well.   I am still quite a newbie when it comes to makeup, and I am uncertain of all the 'technical' stuff when it says things like HD shadow?  What I can tell you is that the colors are pretty and in my opinion very usable.  I first swatched them using my finger tip and they were super easy to pick up, and felt very silky to the touch.  It is hard to tell from my photo but they have labeled the recommended highlighter, all over lid and crease colors which is a nice touch.  The applicator that is included is small, and I will opt to use my brushes instead, but other than that I look forward to including this palette in my collection.

Next up is a stinkin' cute MINI DUCT TAPE! $2-3    Ducklings Mini Rolls have an adorable print and performs just like the full size duct tape but in a more compact size and with cute prints!!! I received one with a tropical flower motif but there is a large selection of prints to choose from and I must get me some more of these! I send out a lot of snail mail where I reuse other packaging and have to reseal them---this is going to be perfect to seal the packages securely AND have them looking pretty at the same time!  Don't let it's small size fool you...there is a lot of product on this compact roll.

  Rimmel London's NEW Show Off Lip Lacquer in the color #101 Celestial. (available in 14 shades)
I actually like this lip lacquer and think it would best be described...if your favorite rich and creamy lipstick got together with a moisturizing lip gloss---this would be their love child! The color is rich, and it goes on smoothly with a doe foot applicator. It is NOT STICKY! but similar to many lip glosses it doesn't have the staying power of a lip stain or a long wearing lip stick. I intend to use this for my casual days alone or to add a bit of shine over top of my favorite lipstick. I love the see through packaging and found that the color in the tube is very true to the color I tried- super handy if you want to pick up more colors!!! My only complaint is that it is not long wearing (although it doesn't claim to be) and if you are eating or drinking you will need to reapply more. Retails for $5.49-$5.99 but you know me...look for sales and coupons to score this at an even better deal!

And here is the long awaited candy....Skinny Cow's Divine Filled Chocolates in PEANUT BUTTER CREME! Each package contains 3 squares filled with a creamy peanut butter in milk chocolate. At 130 calories for all 3 squares this is a nice 'once in a while' treat for even those of us watching what we are eating.  Of all the items in the box this was the one that was most widely shared with friends!  Everyone enjoyed them and was trying them for the first time...and all but one person said they would buy them again.  (he was visiting from Denmark and enjoyed the sample, but prefers a more sophisticated, less sugary tasting treat.)  We liked these so much and also tried the milk chocolate and dark chocolate clusters (purchased on our own)...can't wait to try the rest of the line up now!

finally the last item was the Puff's Ultra soft & strong to go Tissue Pack.   A convenient package of strong and gentle tissue that was actually soothing on my nose!  There seemed to be a slight scent to these but nothing offensive.  In our testing we did find that it performed well when used as a tissue and loved that it protected our hands from any leaking and wetness!  :)  It also doubled as a make up wipe with a creme on it and surprisingly there was no tearing.   An allergy season and winter months must have!

So there you have the #JOLLYVOXBOX by Influenster.  If you would like to know more there is a link to Influenster in the top right hand corner of my page.  

My opinions (and defense) of foil packets in Subscription Boxes

I am waiting on my third Birch Box subscription to arrive, as well as my second Ipsy bag...and there is one thing I have noticed in watching all of the You Tube 'un boxing' videos and feedback on the respective sites---everyone hates samples that are sent out in foil packets....except me!!!  lol

Here is the most recent Birch Box I received. (November 2013)

People who received similar items in their boxes typically complained that ...

#1)  a 'beauty box' has no right sending out samples of tea (or in other boxes it was chocolate) EVEN THOUGH THE FOOD ITEMS ARE AN EXTRA ITEM AND ARE COMPLETELY FREE IN ADDITION TO THE ITEMS YOU WOULD NORMALLY RECEIVE! and

#2)   without trying the product, feeling how much is in the package or reading the measurement of contents,  looking at the retail value of the full sized item, or in simple terms giving the sample a fair chance they decide it is not a good value for an item in their bag based simply on it's packaging!?  Whatever happened to not judging a book by it's cover? 

Let's look at the "value" of the box.  So we are on the same page as to my meaning...the value is "An amount, as of goods, services, or money, considered to be a fair and suitable equivalent for something else; a fair price or return."  One way that I like to calculate the value of the sample is to take the MSRP of the full size of the sample product that is disclosed to us with our bag, and calculate how much the sample I received would cost.  For example, if the full size is 7 ounces and has an MSRP of $9.99 I know that my 1 ounce sample tube has a value of $1.43.  The same can be done with foil packets and in my opinion SHOULD be done because they do add value to the overall box.

On a little side note, when I am going through my subscription boxes/bags, I like to look at the overall cost of the item and divide it by the number of items in the box.  This months box had SIX items in it (including the tea) so my $10/month cost breaks down to roughly $1.67/item.  If you don't want to count the tea that is still $2/item....anyways,  I like to play a little game where I look at each item and ask myself if it is worth $1.67 to ME?  So far, on every item, the answer has been yes!  IN ADDITiON to that...Birchbox has an a-maz-ing points program that in my opinion is silly not to take advantage of!  Each box has 4-6 items in them.  Each item you receive is eligible for a review which is as simple as logging into your online account and giving feedback- most of which is simple check boxes!  For each review you do, you get 10 points. (or the equivalent of $1.00), for each person who you refer you get 50 points! (equivalent to $5) and finally when you do shop their store, each dollar you spend gets you one point!  Each of these doesn't sound like much on their own but think of it this way....I pay Birchbox $10/month....$5 a month to curate on average five items to send to me at $1/each....this covers their time, storage and shipping it to me.  In turn, they set $5 into my savings account to accumulate for several months-up to a year when I will select items of my choice from the store, and they will ship them to me for free!  ahhhhh it's a beautiful thing when you think of it that way isn't it?!!!   And that is just the straight up physical value- I could do a whole blog post about how they contribute to my life with respects to anticipation of the box, meeting new people on forums who share a liking for them as well, time spent watching other do unboxing, etc.  I simply count myself very lucky to be comfortable enough in my life to be able to afford such luxuries as 'beauty boxes.'  Anyways...where was I?

Let's take a closer look at the foil sample I received.   While I do this keep in mind all those who say that foil packets are 'stupid' and they would rather not get them, and those who when calculate their box go so far as to say "I do not give any value to foil packets."  (gasp)

This is a foil packet that actually contained three separate products...a cleanser, a serum and a moisturizing creme.  I LOVED that I got to sample three different products in the same line because I think they worked well together and I truly believe I got a much better idea of the skin care line than I would have got with just a single sample of one- even if in a larger size!

So here is the breakdown...
the full sized cleanser is $15.50/6 oz
the full sized serum is $29.95/2 oz
the full sized moisturizer is $29.95/2 oz

Each packet in the sample was 0.12oz. So if you calculate that out....
the cleanser was $0.31 worth of product
the serum AND the moisturizer were each $1.80 for a total sample value of $3.91!

So how did our foil packet rank in the actual box I received?  Let's take a look at the breakdown...
remember our sample trio was valued at $3.91
Full sized body wash is 8oz for $19.  Sample size 1 oz so a value of  $2.36
Full sized parfum is 3.4oz for $98.  Sample size was 0.06oz so a value of $1.73
Full sized Dr Jart is 1.7oz for $32.  Sample size was 0,17 so a value of $3.20
Full sized Chella pencil is $18 and we received a full size...so value of $18
although an free item I am including it in my overall value
full sized tea is 15 bags for $9.95.  Sample was 3 bags so value of $1.99

Are you surprized by these numbers at all? If I rank the items in order of value from high to low...
#1.) Chella pencil @ $18  (no surprise)
#2.) our foil packet trio @ $3.91
#3.) Dr. Jart @ $3.20
#4.) body wash @$2.36
#5.) our add on tea bags @ $1.99
and finally
#6.) parfum at $1.73 
So the box I paid only $10.00 to have shipped to my door, arrived with $31.19 worth of product inside PLUS I used the tissue paper in our birthday wrapping supplies saving me from having to buy a package at the dollar store ANNNNNND I re purposed the box and lid to act as dividers in a make up drawer to hold nail art tools and supplies saving me from walking over to Dollar General to buy a couple of those!!!  That is pretty freakin' awesome if you ask me!!!

So back to our humble foil packet sample.  How was it?  It was my favorite sample in two boxes I have received so far!  Yes you heard me correctly....fav-o-rite!  You see...I have been getting AND ENJOYING  foil samples from manufacturers for years and I've learned a couple things about them to maximize my experience.  First...I read the directions!  This sample packaging has been thrown out but I think they were to use a "dime sized" amount.  In any case, I was able to get THREE complete face washes out of this sample!!!  

I've drawn a diagram of how  I "used" these particular foil packets.  The green dotted lines represent the scored lines the manufacturer created.  I first cut off the long stripe along the top to be able to better access the samples.  They were still sealed at this point.  Then while keeping them together as a trio (because I didn't cut the bottom in any way) I pushed the product down to the bottom before I clipped a very small corner off the top of each one.  Once I dispensed the amount the manufacturer recommended I simply pinched the cut opening with my fingers, pushed the contents of that section back down towards the bottom, and then similar to how you would seal a zip lock baggie I used my fingers to "seal" the package back up.  The stickiness of the product inside is usually enough to hold it closed although sometimes a small clothes pin or clip might be necessary.


Here is my argument...when you only pay $10.00 for the whole box each month, you can't accurately NOT calculate $3.91 worth of it's value into the big picture....at least not the way I see it.  I have a tight budget and I certainly can not get away with dismissing any portion of it when it is over 33% of my total!  So why then are so many people upset with foil packet samples?  I haven't totally figured this out yet, but I am here to say that I welcome them, and while just like everyone else I do believe that more is more, I would rather have the higher valued samples sent out to me in a foil packet than to not have them at all.  
I do want to speculate a little bit here however...at the risk of offending some readers I think part of the issue is that we are over privileged and spoiled here in North America.  While we often cringe at the price tag of that bottle of shampoo when we checkout, is reading the label and only using the recommended amount really our priority in our morning shower? or are we more worried about finishing before the baby wakes up, or thinking about our presentation at work today, or what outfit we will wear when we get out?  We simply tip the bottle, pouring out a big blob and get to the task of washing our hair.  Of course I am being a little tongue and cheek here, but I have been guilty of this when measuring things around my home like...say.... laundry detergent!  Who knew that you didn't fill the cap to overflowing for each load!?  lol  Markers inside the cap with measurements for 1...2.....and 3 representing different sized loads and ALL of them are lower than the rim at the top of the lid?!  Well that's the best kept secret!  Let's face it...if we are getting a subscription box, we aren't exactly worried about IF we will have our next meal...or when.  So yes...I am going to claim if you are amongst those who are bitching and complaining endlessly about the foil samples in your box/bag then maybe you should do us all a favor and cancel it and get something that better suits your needs....or better yet, take a moment to calculate it's value, think of how fortunate you are to not "need" this sample, and begin making a donation bag of your own to compile these type of unwanted samples from your subscription boxes and donate them to someone who really would appreciate and see them for what they are worth!  Ask any battered woman in a shelter if she would enjoy this sample and I'm sure she would say yes.


So there you have my defense of the humble foil packet!  I am currently waiting on both an Ipsy and a Birchbox subscription and should I get any more of these reduced packaging/better for the environment samples I will be the first to give them the opportunity to show how great they are...and will continue to sing their praises!!!  Have I changed your mind?  Will you join me?

If you are interested in signing up for a Birchbox monthly subscription for only $10/month  please use my referral code
http://birch.ly/19Kh6mz

and for Ipsy, also only $10/month  please use http://www.ipsy.com/r/1n0o

INFLUENSTER has selected me for a VOX BOX!!!

I was sooooo excited to open my email today and learn that INFLUENSTER had preselected me for a VOX BOX!!!  I had never heard of 'it' before October, when I was watching some You Tube videos and someone mentioned that they got a "vox box."  It looked great and I thought it was some sort of monthly subscription service...lol.  If you are like I was and have no clue what it is...

Influenster is a social networking site, where you can complete little activities to share your interests in products, hobbies and activities and also learn about others through reviews and activities (on the site, and through your blogs, channels, twitter etc.)  Think of it as a fun little community!  One of the perks of the site is that they select members based on their activity level and intersts to participate in a review of a box filled with goodies- in exchange you are asked to share your opinion with the social networking sites you use to help give an honest opinion of the products you were sent.  How cool is that?  This is a real win-win for me as I get to receive a little surprise in the mail (and who doesn't like that) and in exchange for my time and opinions, I get to keep the items inside!  Can you tell that I am super excited!???  

A word of caution here...and I am just keeping it real....this is not for everyone.  I think you have to be the type of person who enjoys this sort of thing to begin with, and have enough time to dedicate small, frequent visits to the site to complete the activities.  While you can pick the areas you are interested in to 'explore' on the site---for me ones like beauty, being a mom, and reading were easy picks while fitness, over 50 and men ones I steered away from (duh)......you really have to enjoy the whole social networking experience to make this work.  I joined October 5th and the email was sent to me last night so in just 2 months I was selected for a Vox Box!

I am just so sstinkin' excited to get the box that I am not sure what is in it at this point!  lol
If you want to explore it for yourself there is a link to Influenster on the right hand side....

Until next time...

Homemade hand cream

Having access to the internet, and sharing ideas means that we really do get the best of the best!  A while ago I came across this post on Pinterest and pinned it to my wall.  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/74942781268929191/

I actually sought out the original hand cream recipe as I was working on some sewing projects and it just seemed like the fabric was wicking the moisture out of my hands.  The original recipe called for Baby lotion, vitamin E cream, and Vaseline which I bought just to make my original batch.  Although I liked it very much.  I went on to make a second batch and decided to use up some of our hotel samples and little tid bits and thought it was even better. 

I kept the jumbo batch beside my bed since the original batch and I have been putting it on my feet and elbows every night religiously.  For one reason or another though I often buy hand creams and only use 2/3 of them before I switch to another scent/brand.  Since I had several lotions in my project use it up, today I thought I would use the IDEA of the recipe, and combine all the little bits of lotion that I have lying around, with those in my project use it up, use up the last of the Vaseline (not wanting to buy any more petroleum based items after this), and spice it all up by adding in a little of the good stuff- some vitamin E oil, coconut oil, and some avocado oil!  What resulted was a nice thick lotion that smelled good, and is actually going to be used up!!!  It is really nice to re purpose some of the small containers and keep a sample of this at my desk, in the car, and one in my purse.  Waste not, want not!

More FREE stuff...including lots of coffee&tea and lots more!

So this morning I woke up like I normally do, started to get the coffee pot ready and realized that I was actually out of coffee!  It happens right?  Well, that meant only one thing...I needed to go to my little pile of freebies that have come in the last week or so, and dig out a bag of coffee! 

So here is the one I selected...Folger's gourmet Vanilla Biscotti!    This is 0.9 oz sample, which they say is enough for a "half pot" but we had a teensy bit of coffee in the container and adding this, I was able to make a full pot!  (11 cups)  I think this is the third one of these I have received- each at different times, and let me tell you, on a morning like this- I appreciate Folgers and the few moments I spent to have it sent to me!!!

Since I had to take the coffee out anyways, I thought I would also snap a quick shot of the other freebies I have found in my mailbox this week.

Folgers 0.9oz sample
Gevalia k-cup and froth packet + $3 coupon
Gevalia 0.84oz sample
Real Cup 3 capsules
4 Twinnings tea (jasmine, spiced apple, mixed berry, honey madarine & orange)
2 Ovaltine
Naturals Grain Free dog food 6oz! whitefish & sweet potato
Eucerine Professional Repair in extremely dry
Katy Perry Killer Queen sample
Nexxus Youth Renewal 4 ml sample!!!  (hair elixir)

I think since we are heading into the colder months, it is a great time for drink samples because there are FOUR coffee samples, 4 tea samples, and two Ovaltine!  I enjoy getting free samples, but this is a great way to show how you can get A LOT of quality samples in a very short time!

In addition to the actual samples, I also received a FREE $10.00  gift card from Victoria Secret!!! It is valid until Jan 31/14 so it will be perfect to snag a lotion, or perfume body spray!!  (this was part of the birthday sign up which is absolutely FREE)  annnnnnnd for the second month in a row I received a Lane Bryant catalog with TWO FREE $15/$15 coupons!  squeeeeel!

So while I still have lots of friends who tell me you can't get things for free, I continue to enjoy sampling a wide range of products, and do very little to receive them!  Just how do I do it?  Simple...I read my emails for a few minutes each day, click on the 'get free sample' tabs while browsing through Face Book and the internet, and sign up for email notifications from people who specifically do all the work for me to find the samples!  Easy Peesy!   So tell me....what's in YOUR mailbox today?  :)

December 2013- PHOTO-A-DAY (Canadian scrapbooker)

***like many people in Central Florida this winter, our household was affected by that nasty flu that is going around.  I decided to give up doing this little project and just focus on our family.  Maybe I will jump onboard the fun when the next photo game comes along!***

I saw this on my Face Book feed a few days ago and thought it might be fun to play along.  I don't 'do' Instagram...so I will share the photos here on my blog.

The idea is to share a single photo each day for the month of December.  They give you a list of word prompts...and you simple share a photo that you took.  I like that no matter where you are or what your beliefs are you are able to give your own personal spin on this.  Some a specific while others are more vague...
Let's see if I am able to do this EVERY day this month!  lol

1. warmth
2. hat
3. toasty hands
4. good morning
5. breakfast
6. list
7. shopping
8. cards
9. display
10. mail
11. snowflake
12. frosty
13.gifts
14. naughty
15. nice
16. Santa
17. ornament
18. wrapping
19. quiet
20. Elf
21. merry
22. scary
23. tradition
24. tree
25. blessed
26. leftovers
27. calm
28. garbage
29. play
30. beverage
31. celebrate

Day #1 is off to a good start with WARMTH.  I wanted a picture of the dog 'suntanning' on his little pillow but he wouldn't cooperate.  Since it is beautiful sunny day out, I hung three quilts on the clothes line to air out.  I get to shake them and freshen them up a bit between washes...and they just look so pretty hanging there.   For me they are in the warmth of the sunshine, AND as the temperatures drop during the winter months (yes, even here in Florida) they provide us snuggly, hand made WARMTH!
Tomorrow's prompt is hat....

DAY #2 HAT
I admit that I didn't actually *TAKE* the photo today, but in fairness to me, we have been sick, and spent a good portion of the day at the doctors/appointments.  Since I really want to try and do this all 31 days, I picked a great (and very rare) picture of me in a hat...along with my daughter.  The game didn't say you had to take the picture that day...just POST it lol

Tomorrow's photo is toasty hands?! (scratching head)

DAY #3  TOASTY HANDS
We had a beautiful day here in Florida, and the temperatures were warm and the sun was shining all day!  So taking a photo of warm, and toasty hands like I planned were out of the question!  Instead, we did some creative snack preparation for our dog who just so happens to love the occasional piece of toast!  lol
Tomorrow's theme is GOOD MORNING.

Trying to live a frugal and green life...one small change at a time.

It seems almost ironic that by the time we settle down in life and understand what is important, and what is not, we have already done many of the most important things like selecting a partner, our profession, having children, etc.  While I am of the school of thought, that it is never too late to learn a new skill, or try something new, I have recently noticed a very strong feeling that I need to improve certain areas of my life, and leave the planet a better place!  Mid life crisis perhaps?  Hmmm...I'm not sure what to call it but it is a very strong feeling what ever it is.  Here are some of the small changes we have made since this journey began...

The changes began about a year and a half ago.  We were looking for a 'new' place to live and ended up settling for some minor changes that in the end have made us feel very good about our attempts to live a greener lifestyle, as well as all the money we have been saving!  It's true that each little change is just that a LIFESTYLE CHANGE.  First, we moved from a 3 BR 2 bath apartment that had lots of storage+ an attic+an off site storage unit! to a much smaller (and older), 2BR 1 bath apartment with very little storage at all!  We had to let go of the clutter and "stuff."  While we did sell some stuff, a lot of things were given to people who actually needed it.  It felt good, but we still had a long way to go!

      Here is the yard at the new place....it is not much to look at BUT it is one of two yards that came with the unit, has plenty of trees to shade the building from the blazing hot Florida sun, trees to hang a clothes lines, and a place to let our dog run around without a leash!  It's rare to have this much yard in the 'city.'

It's hard to tell, but we selected a unit that had large, new ceiling fans in EVERY room to help keep the air conditioning to a minimum!  The old house would run us around $300/month in the summer for electric and now two summers at this place and our all time highest bill has been a modest $111.11  !!!!!!!!

Some of the other 'changes' we made may seem very minor to many people, but it isn't about any one thing we have done, but rather our desire to keep changing things to help reduce our overall footprint and to add up all the little things to equal a bigger change in the overall picture.  This photo of our bathroom is one small example.  This little covered tea light holder holds a candle that burns for about 3-4 hours.   If it is just us hanging out at the house, we light this in the late evening and find that we don't have to turn on the light to go to the bathroom---plus it makes the bathroom smell nice!  I'm sure the savings is mere pennies on a monthly basis, but this is only one of the changes that has resulted in our bringing our electric bill down from $300.00/month to usually between $45-$75/month!

Another change we made was cutting waaaaay back on the amount of paper towels we were using.  I would love to say that we have eliminated them altogether but we do use about 4 rolls/year.  Here is a small repurposed  basket from a gift we received, holding an assortment of cloth napkins we use in place of the paper towels.  It isn't much...but again it is a constant change that we hope cuts back on the waste we produce as a family.

Speaking of waste...meet our little compost bucket!  It is another repurposed item in our home that is a real work horse of the kitchen!  It is usually emptied once a day...or every couple of days, and has really helped reduce the amount of garbage we have.

Here is the very small tote our compost pile started off in.  The tote was broken in our move and instead of throwing it out, it was moved to the back corner of the yard to serve as a compost bin.  Once the compost caught on, and began to have yard waste added to it, this size was way to small and we upgraded to a much larger one.  It's funny, we have gone from a family trying to reduce waste, to one that actually thinks about "the worms" when we are away on vacation!  LOL

While we are in the back yard, here is a major reason our electric bill has dropped from $300/month down under $100.00/month!  Our old apartment had an in house washer and dryer that we used most of the time, and a small clothesline in the backyard that was mostly just for looks.   This is one of three clothes lines at the new apartment that we use almost exclusively for our laundry.  We have been living here for 15 months and have only had to dry 3 loads of laundry in the dryer so far!  While our climate here in Florida is nice pretty much year round, we are a sub tropical climate and have a long rainy season so getting the clothes out to dry early in the day, and back in before the afternoon storms takes commitment- but the payoff is well worth it.

On the subject of laundry...while we do still purchase commercially made laundry products, we have been dabbling in home made varieties as well.  Shown here is the same 'recipe' in dry form (center) and in my preferred format which is as a laundry cream- doubles as a spot remover!  Besides making me smile just looking at the bottles of buttery yellow goodness, we found these to work just fine on our laundry---oh and at $0.25/load I was not complaining about the price either!  Next on my list though is to try the bar soap Zote because it is PINK!  :)

This may seem like an odd photo on the topic of living frugal and trying to reduce our footprint, but another big decision we made when we moved was to opt NOT to have a dishwasher!  Despite what the bottle says, I purchased this 'direct foam' bottle when I moved in, and when it runs out, I simply refill it with some more regular Dawn.  Since I wash my dishes exclusively by hand, I go through this quickly enough that I don't worry about bacteria,etc.  It is worth noting that I also have the foaming bottles at the sinks for hand soap as well.  These help to stretch the bottles of soap a little further and I personally think that diluted they are not as harsh on my skin.

Why am I showing you tea?  Well this is our tea "pot."  Literally.  My boyfriend is a true southern boy and fresh brewed tea is a necessity.  Since tea is something that regularly goes on sale, I am able to whip up a batch of this every couple days for pennies a glass!  Water is one of the cheapest beverages to consume, and this is just a tiny step above that in cost.

As mentioned earlier we enjoy candles, but as you may have noticed there is often a small amount of wax that goes unused at the bottom of the jar.  To get around this, I use a coupon for my local craft store and buy a package of wicks, then after I have accumulated some left over wax, I melt them down using the warmer shown (top right) and pour them into a small glass jar.  Some of the jars shown held candles in them originally, but I also love to use small mason jars!   We never seem to have a shortage of candles around here.  This also helps us with our storm preparation ....flashlights are nice during a storm, but when you are without electricity for a week after the storm has passed, a supply of candles comes in very handy!  Waste not...want not!

Here is my Sunday morning ritual...well not the doughnut- that was a special treat, but the Sunday papers, and the coffee are!  lol  These papers are filled with money saving coupons and each Sunday I pull them out and get my weekly meal planning and shopping planned.  Since I stay at home, I enjoy this skill and look at it as a major contribution that I am able to put towards the running of our household!  I now have managed to get our grocery savings at about 50% and our drug store shopping between 60-90%!   As for the papers, most Sundays I fold the papers back up nicely and take them (sans the coupons) to the laundry room for others to read.

Eating at home...
We actually know couples who eat out every single day of the week! and some days they eat out multiple times in a single day!?  While we do enjoy going out to eat, we have so much more control of the foods we eat when we stay home.  We both have some dietary restrictions, and eating out usually means we consume more calories, carbs, and larger servings than if we had stayed at home.  Bread is a treat around here, but as you can see, playing around with some recipes resulted in a great multigrain bread and a (added) fresh sugar free jam!

and finally...recycling.  When we moved to the new unit, there was no recycling bins for our buildings.  It wasn't until we asked that they were distributed to our area and now so many people are using the larger ones out by the dumpster that they are usually close to overflowing on pick up day!  It is great to see so many people also choosing to recycle.

So there you have some of the things we are doing as a small family.  This is a journey though...and I have also been experimenting with many of the home made cleaners, and am currently examining all of my 'health and beauty' items to see if there are more natural ones I can be using.  While I know we have to make changes, we have to find what works for our family and our budget...it is a journey that has so many benefits that I can't help but feel excited!  I will save those for another day.

My Review of the Simon Says Stamp Monthly Card Kit Subscription

Monthly subscription services for paper crafting hobbies have been around for many years, and I have given many of them consideration, but in the end failed to sign up for any of them for one reason or another.  I personally tend to steer away from any subscriptions that lock me into just one manufacturer or style of crafting.  While this does make the mixing and matching from one month to another a little easier, it can also make the experience of sampling different products almost none existent.

Several months ago, I began my search for a "service." First I made a wish list.  (yes, I am one of *those* list making types of people! lol)  It included...
*  receiving supplies on a regular basis- preferable monthly
* getting CURRENT supplies that I couldn't necessarily obtain at my local stores
*  receiving enough supplies in the kit to make a big project, or several small ones with little additional stuff required from my own stash
* include supplies that are non consumable (like stamp sets)
* have the ability to add things from their shop, or feature add on kits
* have it fall within my personal budget with the shipping factored in
* allow me to "opt out" when I want or need to
* finally...have flexibility on the things I can create with the supplies (not be so specific that I can't still be creative on my own)

I spent several weeks watching You Tube unboxing videos and reviews with all sorts of wonderful kits....and honestly I was interested in several.  In the end it was a question of who met most of my requirements and offered the most bang for my buck.  It wasn't even really close for me...Simon Says Stamp won hands down...and had me signing on the dotted line.  Here is my honest review- and please know I am not compensated in any way for this opinion.

When you sign up for the kit it guarantees that you will receive the kit, as it does frequently sell out.  In addition to this, you save $5 off the price of the kit if you just by it from the site without a subscription.

This is the kit I got back in August featuring papers from My Mind's Eye and a stamp set by Kristina Werner called "card exchanging friends."  It also came with a selection of wonderful, high quality card stock, a full sized stencil, twine, a lollipop, and two flair.  I was inspired by the Maya Road canvas flower embellishment to dig out a discounted album I picked up at Michael's (also canvas) and create a mini album.  Yes...this is a MONTHLY CARD KIT but I am easily able to adapt the contents to mini projects like albums and project life with little effort!  The papers worked wonderfully, and were already cut to size at 6x6.  Couldn't be any easier.  My only regret is that they were double sided so I had to sacrifice a few patterns in the making of the album.

So my thoughts on the August kit.  For $25.95 It was well worth it!  The stamp alone is $14.99
This kit had a stamp set that totally fit into my interests of mail art!!!  It is full sized and made of very high quality photo polymer material.  It stamps like a dream!  There was also a full sized stencil.  Both products will be used and reused in many craft projects for years to come.  As for the papers, I adore MME and have lots of their products.  The mini album I am making for my birthday, coordinates PERFECTLY with the DCWV mat stack called Sunday Afternoon...so again, I was able to pull stuff from my stash to use.  A complete win win!  Even if you didn't previously own anything you could make lots of stuff with this kit.  It is worth noting that you can easily add coordinating items to your kit, and they are easily suggested at the bottom of the page when you see the kit online.  They will however ship separately.

My September kit was another winner!  This kit released right after the Fall CHA, and had very current papers in a chalk board theme from the MME Chalk Studio line, a banner die, assorted high quality card stocks, a FULL package of wood verneers!!!, Color box pigment ink, a great bicycle paper clip, and another full sized stamp set.  I love that the stamp set is super versatile with several sentiments, a cute cheveron border stamp, and a whole slew of flowers and stems to create you own arrangment!!!

Honestly, all I have done with this kit so far is make one card.  I have been busy with other projects but this one is not going to collect dust forever.  I think the neatest thing about this kit was a video I saw where the wood verneer was used in the Sizzix as a stencil!  Would never have thought of that as a use....must give it a try.

And finally onto October's kit...

The 6x6 paper in the October kit are too stinkin' cute!  The papers, and the package of sequins are from Lawn Fawn's Into the Woods collection.  We also got some Kelly Purkey letters, acrylic paint, chip board, twine, and a stamp set that is again so versatile!  Who doesn't love a tree stamp!?
I've made a couple cards with this kit, but until I finish the birthday album it is on hold just a little bit.  For this reason, I opted out of the November kit.  It was really cute, but with two kits that are barely used, I thought it best to hold off.   SSS released a special edition holiday card kit and once again I opted out of the December kit (no penalty or issues to do so....the customer service is really awesome!  Just had to send them an email).  I have so much Christmas themed stuff in general that I could not justify buying anymore at this time.  Like I had in my list, the ability to opt out is a HUGE factor for me!  I can jump right back into kits in January, see the preview of the kit being released and decide then if I will order it or not.  It is such a great card kit, and is full of current colors and trendy items!  I can not recommend them enough.

So tell me what you think?  Are you shopping around for a monthly card kit?  Do you have any other suggestions of ones I should look at?  Let me know!

There is such a thing as FREE

For about a year now I have been requesting FREE SAMPLES online (and to a lesser extent in stores), and I am still amazed at just at much I am able to get for just a few moments of my time filling out a request form.

Here are the samples from the last week or so.  They include perfume,3 herbal teas that I'm super excited to try because are two of them are Chai, face serum (enough for 5 days!), two packs of style extender, a pore minimizer, Gain (have really been wanting to try this and compare it to my other brand), a shampoo and mask, another shampoo, conditioner and a deep conditioner...and a full sized socket sealer set which should help with our electric bill!

This may not seem like very much, but if I get this amount every month it quickly adds up!  Obviously some samples are more exciting than others, like tea and coffee samples for example.  I just love getting those and they are relatively high value.  But in the  last month I have also got several samples of feminine products, 3 small bags of dog food, 3 dog bones, Chapstick, some hand lotions just to name a few!  My favorites of the last year are full boxes of cereal, jewellery, sippy cup, razors, elastic wrap, several Target beauty bags full of samples, cranberries and cranberry juice, a year subscription to O magazine, bandaids, and medications!

A couple things to keep in mind if you are just getting started and want to explore the wonderful world of freebies...

* it might be easier to set up an email just for freebies and to keep it separate from your personal emails
* many take a month or longer to ship so be patient at first...they will slowly start to trickle in, and then become more regular....keep with it and soon you will have a steady flow of samples in your mailbox
* since companies are sending these out free, be courteous and obey the limits (usually one/household) so everyone out there can also get one.
* if there is an option to give feedback on the product- do so!  It helps with the development of products and it shows your appreciation
* sign up for emails from freebie sites that easily link you to the current ones
***finally MANY OF THE SAMPLES ALSO INCLUDE HIGH VALUE COUPONS TO PICK UP THE FULL SIZED ITEM....USE THEM!!!

Is a monthly subscritption box right for you? and a review of the four I currently subscribe to.

Up until a couple months ago I had NO idea just how many different types of monthly subscription boxes there are out there!  Seriously...if you can think of a hobby or interest, there is probably a business that is already catering to your needs!  Just last week when I was looking to see if there were other 'better' boxes than the ones I already subscribe to I came across a Face Book page called Monthly Subscription Boxes.  This page has a compiled list of ones to get you started simply by clicking on their 'about' section.

It is my opinion that the types of boxes that I subscribe to can benefit many people who can spare $10-25/month.  Keep in mind I can't really comment on those boxes that fall into the $200-$300 range because that is out of my price range. Oh let's be honest...I'm not even willing to give up $35 for a single subscription...yet.  :)

My first and original "box" is geared towards crafting and is the Simon Says Stamp monthly card making kit.  Up until a few months ago, I was of the opinion that craft subscription boxes were stupid and a real waste of money!  So why the change?  Well, I used to think that I could put together a much nicer box, for less, by using coupons and shopping my local craft stores.  This is partially true.  I can, but only to a point.  Once I began looking at the kits offered in the past I quickly noticed that some items were really cute and were completely exclusive to Simon Says Stamp.  Also, since they are such a large online retailer, they do carry all the latest and greatest stuff and by doing a monthly kit I was able to sample bits and pieces of it at a fraction of the cost of getting all the full sized packages myself.  I compared the cost of this kit and the amount of product you got with other similar services online, and decided this one was right for me.

Simon Says Stamp Card Monthly card kit  (over DIY or Others)
PROS
* you get a complete kit mailed to your door each month  for $25 (shipping is included)
* more often than not, you get a full sized, exclusive stamp set
* each kit come with a sample sheet of ideas to get you started as well you can also get the email with more ideas and even videos for free
* you save $5 off the normal price of the kit and you are guaranteed one before sell out
* the products are current and coordinate easily with each other (and sometimes other kits!)
*** this one is huge- there is no contract or minimum number of months to sign up for AND
*** you can opt out/skip a month for any reason without penalty!
CONS
* not a huge deal, but unlike some other services there is just one kit, there are no special add on's and if you want to purchase something from their regular online store it doesn't ship with the kit (to save on shipping)

The second box I get is BIRCHBOX.
I get the women's sample box, which is a mix of 4-5 beauty, healthcare, makeup, and some lifestyle items selected around a theme each month. These samples can be either luxury trial sizes- full sized items, and come from both well known and emerging brands.  What I like most about this subscription is that the items are loosely based on a beauty profile I filled out, and match my skin tone and preferences pretty closely!  I also love that I get to try things I normally wouldn't purchase.  Here is what my box looked liked for November 2013.

PROS
* very affordable at only $10.00/month and includes FREE shipping!
* each box is packaged like a gift and it really feels like a present when you are opening it!
* the box itself is sturdy enough to be reused, as well as the tissue (usually PINK!)
*  in addition to the box, there are plenty of face book and you tube videos with sneak peaks and talk of the products, how to use them as well as give aways
* in addition to the box there are also some extras like coupons offered to you
* my experience is that you get several full sized products/or luxury full sized items making the value of the box exceed what you paid for it!
* there is a great points system for referring friends, and rating products which you can use towards purchases
CONS
* it's a monthly subscription with no opting out, but you can quit your subscription at any time
* if you already have lots of makeup and beauty items this may get repetitive for you (I don't so I love it!)

If you would like to try this you can use my referral link
http://birch.ly/19Kh6mz



My third subscription is to IPSY
 Ipsy is also a monthly beauty and cosmetic type subscription and is often compared to Birchbox.  It too offers you 4-5 products each month, and has a theme that makes it a nice touch.  My experience so far is that Ipsy offers more higher end products which makes me feel like I am getting more bang for my buck while  Birchbox offers more affordable items.  Therefore I am more likely to actually purchase Birchbox's full sized items because they are more suited to my budget.

PROS
* another very affordable subscription at only $10/month which includes FREE shipping!
* each package comes in a metallic PINK bubble mailer!
* each month the samples come in a cute, reusable cosmetic bag!!
* in addition to the bag and contents there are often coupons included
* the items are usually larger than other companies (like birchbox) and have a higher value
* there is more cosmetic items in Ipsy
CONS
* You can not opt out of a month
* the waitlist can be long when you first sign up (2 1/2 months in my case)

If you would like to subscribe to Ipsy please feel free to use my referral code
http://www.ipsy.com/r/1n0o

The final subscription I get was a gift from Neil.  It is call Unmentionably Cheeky!  This is subscription for panties, and you get two pairs sent to you each month.   As they say on their website they are a "delighful delivery of fun, flirty, and feminine" panties each month and I agree completely!  The panties are made exclusively for them, and so far I have really enjoyed their selections and styles.  So often online shopping is difficult for plus sized girls, but this company is doing it right let me tell you!!!    I especially like that they are trendy enough that I can mix and match these with other lingerie items and camis that I  have already, and with two pairs arriving each month it is just enough to keep my supply of fancy, sexy underthings fresh and exciting!!  Here are the two pairs I received for the month of November.

PROS
* currently have a code FALL13 so it only costs $6 (and FREE shipping)
* comes in discreet, black packaging
* EXCLUSIVE trendy styles and colors each month
* the lace they use is soft and doesn't itch!!!
* the sizing is spot on!
* your partner will love this one too (wink wink)
* they do not charge extra for plus size!
* you can change the size you want at any time
* 100% garenteed!
* you can cancel any time
CONS
* I honestly can't think of any

Today I had tea with Mom!

Today I had tea with my mom...this might sound rather boring to some, and certainly not worthy of a blog post but it was a very monumental moment because she has been gone for years!  Let me explain...

The morning started off pretty normal and I had anticipated that I would putter around, do a few household chores and later on craft and skype with my sister.  On my to do list was to photograph a  few of my monthly subscriptions and get them ready to review here.  One item I was super excited to see in my Birchbox box this month was a sampler of tea- and I knew I wanted some pretty props for the photo.  I thought I would simply take them down from the closet where they have been packed for years, and use them as props....nothing more.  As I was unwrapping them the sadness of her memory and all the anxiety that went with it seemed to wash away- and I not only felt a calmness, but a warm, happy feeling!  Since her death every memory has lead me to tears, and it has hung over me for days each time.  But today was different!  It almost felt like a ceremony, something beautiful was happening and I was very aware that I had finally reached a pivotal moment in the mourning process I have been going through for years.  I slowly unwrapped the separate pieces and was happy to see none had been chipped.  I carefully walked them to the kitchen where I gently washed them and then dried them almost to a polish.  I then set up the Birchbox tea, along with the two tea cups, and a little tea strainer I had found years ago at a thrift store. I took the photo and uploaded it ...

I had intended to simply post this photo on my Face Book, and add it to the many photo albums I have there.  But I FELT something.  It was like my mom was actually here with me!!!  Now before you think I am off my rocker, I mean in "spirit"...like somehow she was with me.  I am not an overly religious person.  I don't necessarily believe in ghosts and such BUT I do believe that sometimes things happen that we can't explain.  This was one of those moments for me.  After years of feeling depressed and sad, it was all gone...and I felt an overwhelming desire to have tea with my mom!  It seems a little silly as I am writing it, but as it was happening there was nothing silly about it- it felt completely normal.  I got out her old tea kettle, waited for it to boil, and then steeped our tea....yes I said OUR.  I actually poured two cups of tea, one for me and one for my mom!  I skipped the Splenda I usually use, and added the teaspoon of sugar, and a bit of milk to each cup.  I felt something was missing so I went and took out a photograph of her, and add it as well.  THERE.  Now I could have tea with my mom.  As if breaking through the boundaries of time and space, I told her I missed her and not knowing how else to commemorate the moment I said "cheers!" and gently tapped my tea cup on hers.  With that, I can say that the sad period of mourning her death was officially over, and could now be replaced with her warm sweet memories- just like the tea I was drinking in her honor!

I miss you Mom...and I always will.

In the photo, my Mom-Marilyn (in red), me (in the back), my daughter Arianna (at 4 years old) and my Aunt Connie (seated).

My OCTOBER 2013 BIRCHBOX Feedback and Review

I got my very first monthly subscription box in October and boy was I super excited!!!    I had tried to sigh up for Ipsy but was put on a wait list...soooo I found Birchbox!  (for those of you who aren't familiar with it, Birchbox is a monthly subscription service where they deliver to your home a box of 4-5 items that range from healthy and beauty- lifestyle products)  My box came and I could hardly wait to tear into it!   This month's theme was Beauty Buzz...

I received FIVE products.  The Bain deTerre (macadamia oil) nourishing shampoo AND conditioner were each 1.7 fl ounces.  That is a great sample size if you ask me, and even with my long, thick hair I was able to get 3 applications from each.  While I don't like paying a lot for shampoo and conditioner, this stuff worked really well, felt good, didn't cause any itching or problems with my skin and it made my hair super soft and shiny for a couple days---enough so that I am considering order the full size!!!  Seriously I could hardly stop running my fingers through it!  I rated each 5/5 stars.  Cost for shampoo $1.51 and conditioner $1.70

Third on the list was a full sized Pop Beauty's Aqua lacquer- or in lay mans terms...lip gloss lol.  I received the color Floating Rose "a soft pink infused with gold shimmer."  It had an odd little paddle applicator that takes some getting used to but I really liked it.  It was a little on the sticky side for me so only 4/5 stars.  Cost $14.00

My fourth product was a full sized nail polish that is a Birchbox exclusive.  Ruffian Nail Laquer in a green color called Hedge Fund!  How cute is that?  I had just painted my nails but within 24 hours I had to give it a try.  Hands down (puny eh?) it is the best formula of nail polish I have ever tried!!!  At only 0.17 fl ounces it is much small bottle than I am used to, but it makes up for it in performance!  Another 5/5 stars.  Cost $10.00

and finally my first "Birchbox find."  This fifth item was another full sized item and one I will certainly put to good use.  It was the Chap Stick Vanilla creme moisture hydration lock with CoQ10  Since I do a lot of couponing I was super excited to also find a $1.00/1 coupon for this product for the next sale I see.  Cost was about $3.00

 

So if I were to buy my samples they would have cost me $30.21 !!!  Not bad for just $10.00/month eh?!  So is a beauty box right for you?  In my opinion you can't really put a dollar amount on the joy you get from getting a little present in your mail, even if you sent it to yourself.  Unlike most other people I don't think most hold value (although maybe not exactly in dollar and cents) in the fact that I was able to reuse the pretty tissue paper in my present wrapping supplies and the sturdy box is perfect for sorting my nail art supplies in the drawer .....so nothing went to waste!   This package really had me eager to receive it, and I was able to pamper myself in a few baths and still have some products that will last a while.  To me it was very worth the $10.00 I spent on it.

My conclusion is that I really enjoy this subscription and although I originally thought that I would only get it while I waited to get off the Ipsy wait list...I have since received my second box and can't see ending my subscription to Birchbox any time soon!

If you would like to sign up, and help me earn some points towards fun products please use my referral code (it is the same as if you go to the website directly, doesn't cost you any more but just gives me a little perk for sharing this information with you.  THANKS)    http://birch.ly/19Kh6mz

Project Happiness...and my 66 items!

So I was hanging out in the You Tube world again, and came across a suggested link called "Project 10 Pan."  I'm certain I have some sort of mutant gene that causes me to gravitate towards ANYthing that combines a game and lists! lol  If you haven't heard of it before, the idea is to take 10 items from your makeup collection (usually things that you have hardly used but want to rediscover) and then make a concerted effort to 'hit pan,' or use them up entirely.  Hitting pan, is when you've used up the pressed powders enough that the center is bare and you can see the metal pan at the bottom of the container it is in.

So of course You Tube sensed my excitement and continued to suggest more and more related videos for me to watch...which I did!  Then it changed slightly to "project use it up" videos, which are similar but are not necessarily just make up items.  I was intrigued!  Having grown up in a home where being frugal was a day to day life lesson, this hit home with me right away.  You see, we had moved to a much smaller unit over a year ago, but despite my efforts to minimize the items, I had held onto too many of them giving our home a very cluttered feeling.  My main problem was that even when I have cleaned it didn't FEEL clean.  I had tried several things over the last year, each with their own measured success, but still had a ways to go.  THIS project sounded perfect because it appealed to my sensible side which said I shouldn't just get rid of the items, but rather use them up...AND it worked towards a specific goal of getting rid of the clutter and allowing me to have that clean home I desired!

So looking back to October 28th, I eagerly went to my bathroom and gathered all the items that were partially used, and then just left sitting there gathering dust.  There wasn't much thought, I just had a plastic bucket and dropped everything into it.  The exciting part was there was INSTANT GRATIFICATION in that with the items out of the bathroom, I was able to clean up the bathroom, rearrange items in the cupboards and before the project even began, I had the clean bathroom I had been dreaming of for the last year!

I also made a quick trip around the house and gathered some items from my nightstand, bedroom, purses, craft area, etc.  I thought having all of the items in ONE place would be nice, and give me a good visual on just how much excess I had!  I estimated I would have 25 items but to my surprise there were SIXTY SIX!!!  Most of mine were health and beauty related for this project.

1. Charmin wipes
2.  Pampers wipes travel pack
3-4.  Simple face wipes
5-6.  Hair dye refresher packs
7. foot balm stick
8.  cider vinegar
9.  Colgate toothpaste gel that I don't like
10-17 chapsticks!
18.  mini chapblock chapstick
19. lipbalm  chapstick
20.  travel size of last years Christmas handcream
21-22. paper toilet seat covers (no good at home- need them in my purse!)
23. white musk perfume
24. hand gel
25.  body lotion (left over from Christmas basket)
26.  Garnier Fructis sleek and shine
27. degree body spray
28.  herbal essance curl scrunching gel
29. mandarin conditioner
30.  hair detangling spray (used when my hair was twice as long!)
31.  citre shine
32. Nair
33.  Big waves
34.  Paul Mitchell sculpting foam
35.  clean and clear moisturizer
36.  Revelon foundation
37.  Cover Girl foundation
38.  brow pencil
39.  blast lipstick 640 stunner
40.  blast lipstick 825 perky
41.  cover girl powder (green)
42.  Revelon lipstick (stay current)
43.  khol liner in midnight
44.  eye liner
45.  maybelline blush
46-47.  PF concealer green and yellow 
48.  Maybelline dream matte
49.  bare minerals finishing powder
50.  revelon colorstay powder
51.  hello kitty bubble bath
52.  mouth wash
53.  body scrub
54.  baby gel
55. foundation sample
56. box of kleenex
57. victoria secret hand lotion
58-65 face scrub and face wash samples
66. foot works foot lotion

So there is my long list of items... my daughter and sister are participating and keeping me accountable.  I have added that in addition to simply using up the items and getting rid of the clutter, I am not allowed to buy items similar to those I have on the list until the old ones are used up!  It's been just over two weeks and with the basket of beauty items sitting in the bathroom it reminds me to use them up first, as well as a crystal bowl of the makeup items on my desk.  So I can track the packages of used items, I have a cute hello kitty gift bag hanging on a door handle.  I will update those items soon.  So what do you think?  Is this something you want to play along with?  Would this project help you be a little happier? Let me know what you think.


****************************UPDATE NOVEMBER 18th 2013**************************

It has been a couple weeks and I have been actively trying to use up some of the products that are in my original 66.  Some of them by their nature are going to take a lot longer to go through (like the make up ones) and others are pretty straight forward.   I have some empties to share now though to track my progress.

So as you can see I used up a total of 14 products from my list (the two brown bottles in the center are not from the original 66 but were emptied as well) and have 52 remaining!  A couple more are close to being finished buuuuut I wanted to get rid of these to recycling ASAP instead of having them hanging around (one of the main reasons I started this project in the first place.  Have you been playing along?  Did you knock anything off your list this week?

 *************************UPDATED DECEMBER 4TH *******************************

So here are all the empties that I have used since Mid November.  As you may notice some of them are from the original 66 list, but I have also added a few others as well.  The reason for this is I had a lot of hand creams in my original list, and it seemed silly to keep trying to squeeze a little out of each one.  I sat down and mixed them together using a 'recipe' I found on Pinterest months ago.  I walked around and found still MORE near empty hand creams, and was almost done the coconut oil, so I tossed it in there as well!  I will have a short post about the hand cream later today.  I'm still plugging away at my original list...I am going to make a MUCH shorter list next time I do this!!!  lol