Birchbox reveal January 2013

Running behind on this post. Sorry between kids busy school and sports schedules, errands, crafts, baking and more I am slowly catching up on posts. Loved my Ipsy beauty bag and was excited about the Julep box till I realized colors were pretty much dupes of ones they sent me last year:(. This Birchbox didn't have nail polish or makeup samples but loved some of the items:). Here is what I got,

Alessandro cream rich, this item is being launched exclusively in the Birchbox shop. This anti aging hand cream is packed with grape seed extracts to protect skin from UV damage. Full size bottle retails at $30 in the Birchbox shop.

My review from one use, feels very creamy and rich. Wasn't sticky and made my hands feel very soft. Will continue to use and if it is a must have will post more later:).

Harvey Prince Ageless perfume, most scents just smell pretty, but this blend of pink grapefruit and mango is designed to make you feel beautiful. Full size retails for $55-98.

I think it smells light and fruity I love fruity scents though especially with citrus. Citrus makes me think clean and refreshing. I don't care for strong or musky perfumes. This one is very nice.

Kerastase Nutritive Nectar Thermique protect. Work this leave in cream trough towel dried hair to repair damage from chemical processing and protect strands from heat styling. Full size retails for $42.

I have tons of leave in conditioners, deep conditioners and masks so this has gone into my try bag and if it is mentionable I will write a post soon. Right now I'm hooked on Crack hair fix for everything lol.

Lashem double trouble lash mascara. An innovative fiber mascara that volumizes and lengthens even the sparest lashes. Full size retails for $19.99.

I haven't sampled yet I actually put these in my travel bag for when I go away. I love a couple different mascaras but I have long full lashes so don't really use the plumping filling mascaras. I also tend to use brown I use black for night time looks. Being light haired brown looks more natural. The bottle is small and cute great for purse or travel bags.

My, multi purpose mattifying moisturizer. Rich with pili and moringa oils, this healthy moisturizer gives skin a velvety matte finish that lasts all day. Full size $68.

Right now I'm using bb cream with photo finish matte when I wear base. I usually just go natural unless covering breakouts around that time of the month. I feel to much makeup and creams clog my pores and cause more breakouts. I will try this and let you know though.

Below photos of my box. I am not sure if I will be ordering my julep box this month have been disappointed since oct. Going to look and see what colors they have in this next months boxes then decide. I don't care much for Julep polish, thick, dries slow and colors all seem to be similar. Will let y'all know if I decide to go with feb or just pass. Have a great one:).

Melissa

Day 5 of 1200 calorie meal plan

Here is day 5 so I'm not behind anymore. Also going to post later the apps I have for tracking my walks/runs and calories. Very helpful.

Breakfast

3/4 cup shredded wheat

1 cup of skim milk

1 melon

Lunch

1 cup of minestrone soup I use healthy choice low fat sodium free and alternate with different ones. Great vegetable and chicken soups.

1 serving Harvest Salad or mixed greens

3 oz fruit sorbet

Snack

1/2 cup of non fat yogurt (doesn't always have to be plain yogurt I get fat free fruit at bottom yogurts which help mix it up.

Dinner

1 serving Pasta with sun-dried tomatoes

1 boneless, skinless small chicken breast

1/2 cup of steamed vegetables

1/2 cup of non fat strawberry/banana ice cream. Some nights I throw this in blender with a sliced up real banana or strawberries and a splash of skim milk to make a milkshake/smoothie. Will share some great smoothie recipe I have come up with while dieting that taste great and you can add supplements to them you need while dieting so you don't taste them:). Lol.

Enjoy and hope everyone is doing good. Below are some photos of me post baby five years ago. I had mentioned I took these Chinese diet pills and went from 189 to 125 in four months. I came across a few of the photos I had blurred out my face cause I used them to sell the diet pills back then. I tried to wear same clothes every photo by end my clothes were so loose I had to hold them up. Lol. I'm not anywhere near the size I was after baby I haven't weighed myself in a couple weeks but was 145 or 143 last time. This week every where I go people tell me wow you have lost weight! Makes me smile cause I know I'm doing it the healthy right way. Trust me I have cheated a lot between diet pills and tried HCG I decided at my age I wanted to be healthy and lose it right way. Glad I did cause I feel so much better all around. Some people say when depressed best help is medication, therapy, God or religion for me it is fitness or exercise works every time:). Even helps with my anxiety.

Day 6 I will post tomorrow then day 7 I mix things up and will allow a cheat either one of meals cause we usually go out to eat. I just walk an extra mile that night and really push myself Monday at gym:).

Day 4 of 1200 calorie diet

This is my own meal planned day and what I ate today then will finish off day with

Breakfast

1 cup Special K cereal

1/2 cup skim milk ( I use less not a milk fan)

3-4 slices strawberries or some sliced banana

Lunch

1 whole wheat pita

1/2 cup mixed salad

1 slice of turkey breast or chicken

1 apple

Snack

1 low calorie low fat snack bar I have chocolat brand I believe is how it is spelled got when I did Hcg diet has 35 calories and no sugar lots of flavors. You can find lots of selections at gnc or whole foods.

Dinner

1 serving grilled chicken breast

1/2 cup of grilled veggies like green or red peppers, onion and mushrooms.

I don't eat it but says you can have 1/2 cup brown rice I just eat the chicken and veggies. Only seasoning I use is black pepper and cayenne pepper or apple cider vinegar for dressing or to season chicken before cooking. All great to boost metabolism.

Then for dessert I am having 1/2 cup sliced strawberries dipped in non fat plain yogurt that I froze in freezer delicious. Enjoy and hope diet is helping everyone with ideas. I have been doing this for a few months on and off so now I can pretty much make it up as I go but wanted to share the sheet my trainer gave me and I have a good friend who is taking nutrition courses for her degree.

Also don't forget if you can't go to the gym or take work out classes try to walk for a half and to an hour a day. Just get your heart rate up. I even put music on when I clean and dance or do squats then lunges. Make chores your workout. I walk 2-3 miles alteast a day with half jogging the rest walking, some nights I carry 3lb each hand weights or medicine ball to workout my arms. I also will do lunges as I walk. Then every am I do 100 crunches, then different ab workouts and plank got one minute holding entire minute, 3-5 times after ab workout. Somedays I do insanity videos and then at least three days hit the gym for box fit class. Once I am 5 lbs from my goal weight will do weights daily. Right now most important thing is building core muscles and balancing. I use medicine balls to hold plank or my balance ball to practice balancing.

Enjoy and if anyone else is working out or dieting let me know I love to hear results. I started box fit in Oct the week of Halloween before that I dieted on and off then when I had money did workouts but usually just walked when convenient lost maybe 5-10 lbs but would gain back. Since joining gym and doing box fit from Oct-new year with a slight cut in calories went from 167 to 160. Then since new years cut down to 1200-1300 calories with lots of water, daily walks, and box fit went from 160-145. Goal is 130-135 I'm 5'7-5'8 so that us healthy. I was 117 two years ago and last year was 125 which is very thin for me will post photos below of thin me. I took before and after photos but won't post till done. Also been measuring cause I lose more inches then pounds it seems.

Off to post day 5.

Melissa

Day 3 of 1200 calorie diet

Sorry behind on diet but now you will be able to scan back for ideas going to post day four and five also.

Breakfast

1 Banana Bran Muffin

1/2 Non far yogurt

1/2 cup of fresh fruit

Lunch

1 serving of Shrimp

1 Whole wheat pita

1 cup of fresh salad greens

1 fruit (apple, banana etc)

Snack

1/2 cup of non fat yogurt with fruit

Dinner

1 serving of spinach and ricotta ravioli

1 cup of chilled artichoke with herb dip

1 cup of non fat strawberry ice cream

Easter Bunny Wreath

Easter bunny wreath made with grapevine and grapevine multi size round wreaths. Also used ribbon to hang from, styrofoam eggs and some little pink foam balls on a wire from floral department. Easy and quick to make.

Available for sale $29.99 plus shipping contact me at dlitefulcreations@ymail.com. Have glitter and different color eggs, printed and solid ribbon along with other options. Also can make in round wreath style like shown in previous post and below.

Enjoy;).

OPI DS Magic

This is my swatch for OPI DS Magic. These are some of my favorites from OPI. This color was so hard to capture on camera. The photos look brighter. It is a gorgeous deep blue with light blue glitter, holo glow and purple. It looks stunning as you move around in the light.

I applied a base coat, Butter London nail foundation. Then two coats of OPI DS magic. One coat fully covers but two coats made it look even shinier and prettier. Can't wait to try DS Reserve a pink with iridescent holo glitter.

I love this color. OPI is my favorite polish lately. Not just the amazing colors, but creamy formula, lasts long, applies amazing and haven't had one shade let me down.

Before I went shopping and made my opi wish list I googled photos of colors and went on pinterest to mark my favorites. Can't wait to swatch Miami Beet, Honk if you love OPI and Teal the cows come home:). Thank you Barb. You rock. Love them all.

Looking for a new nail buddy, just got one new one but after holidays two moved and one I lost contact with. Let me know if anyone is interested in swapping or making wish lists to exchange. I am finishing my inventory list and making a new wish list. I am looking for some indie and rare brand polishes that you can't find in stores. Dying to try England and Essence brands too.

Enjoy photos was so hard to capture true color, it looks a lot brighter and lighter then it really appears in person and is gorgeous. Great work OPI:).

Melissa

Massive Nail Haul

Today I picked up a couple polishes for myself and got a bunch of OPI colors I have wanted from a good friend of mine who does nails and has a salon up north. She sent me a few awhile back but today was shocked to see how many she sent and all colors on my wish list:).

Pictures aren't the greatest cause it is sunny and my hubby worked all night so can't take photos in my room with the lights on:(. Will post more photos and names of polishes later:). I grabbed a Layla soft effect damaged bottle on sale to try. Giving Layla on last shot three strikes then I'm done lol. Got a Sally Hansen coral reef love my coral colors, then grabbed Nicole by OPI Modern Family colors and a Selena Gomez color and a refill of China Glaze Flip flop fantasy for summer, my favorite summer shade it looks amazing with a tan.

Waiting for some new collections to land here haven't really seen anything new lately except the China Glaze Tranzitions and Butter London had a few pastel colors I saw at Ulta wasn't sure if they were brand new but never noticed them. Anyhow will repost more photos later when hubby wakes up:).

Update on colors: OPI; Miami Beet, Lincoln Park After Dark (an old favorite I ran out of yay), Ink, Russian Navy, Teal the Cows come home, Honk if You Love OPI and Skip the gift wrap. OPI DS collection I got Reserve and Magic (can't wait to try this one)!

Nicole by OPI Modern Family I got Haley Good Lookin and Candid Cameron. Then from the Selena Gonez line grabbed Sweet Dreams. Layla Soft Effects 09 teal blue very pretty colorant Sally Hansen Coral Reef loving coral right now and turquoise/teal. Then like I mentioned before China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy:). Adding some better photos and will be swatching some tonight.

ModCloth amazing online site for vintage inspired clothes

I love this site and wanted to share it.  It is called ModCloth and they have amazing dresses, tops, swimwear and more.  I did a pin up inspired photo shoot for my hubby a couple years ago for Valentine's day at a local place called Terribly Girly and it was the best experience.  The photos came out great and can't wait to do my next shoot.  It was so fun to play with the vintage outfits and see how cute all of it looked on.  These pieces are timeless and look amazing on all body types.  Below are some of my favorites.  The link to the site is ModCloth.  They also have a cool share the love deal where if you sign up using the link I provide I get $15 towards my next purchase and you get $15 when you purchase.  The credit isn't available till you make a purchase but trust me with the amazing prices and cute choices you will want to buy something trust me.  That link is

  

Share the Love

Just click above on the Share the Love caption and it will take you to the sign up page.  I would love to share the love and hope you enjoy the site as much as I do.

Here are a few tops and dresses I liked along with a couple I will be ordering payday.  One is super cute and hope it will work for Valentine's day dinner=).

Super cute white with black detail dress

Love this red dress, may order this one also.

Love the bright orange/coral color and the 3/4 length sleeves for Spring

This one I am ordering for Valentine's day.  Love the black with red hearts and saw some photos of it paired with a red cardigan and black heels looks amazing

Love simple cute black dresses

Great for a job interview

Ordering this one for summer/spring

Love my long maxi dresses and this one is super cute with shorter front.

Loved the red with black combo and these style dresses look flattering on me

The link for there dress section is:  ModCloth Dresses

Below are some cute tops one I am ordering to go with a cute black skirt or leggings I have=)

Love this and ordering payday, so cute

Love the style and cut with the tie belt.  Very flattering for all body styles.

Hope you enjoy the site and let me know what you think, I also pinned a few of these on my pinterest account.  Have a great week=)

Melissa