Rocksbox #14

It was another quick turn around for this rocks box set.  Here is what I received in box #14:

Ophelia Cocktail Ring in Chrysoprase by Margaret Elizabeth (retail: $148, member's price: $118.40)

This is a pretty ring that I'm sure I'll enjoy wearing it for a little while.  As far as cocktail rings go, I like that the size of the stone is noticeable but not ridiculously large.  The price seems super high so it will be fun to wear for a little bit without the commitment of keeping it.

Sunburst Bangle in White by House of Harlow 1960 (retail: $68, member's price: $54.40)
Lots of great detail on this bracelet.  The white color will make it nice to pair with warmer weather outfits. 

Hoops on Hoops Earrings by Urban Gem (retail: $28, member's price: $22.40)
These earrings are a little larger than I usually wear, but I love how fun and dangly they are.  Unfortunately one disappeared on my way to brunch today (D noticed I was only wearing one :-( ) so I'm going to have to let Rocksbox know. 

This isn't my favorite box, and now since I've lost one of the earrings I'll probably return this box pretty soon.  Let's see what's in my next set!

Interested in trying Rocksbox?  Please use my referral link and get $10 off!  http://curebit.com/x/eUs8Yp

#rocksbox

Stitch Fix #7

Now that the weather is starting to warm up (finally!) I was REALLY hoping stitch fix came through with some great summer items.  My stylist this time was "Kyle." Here is how stitch fix #7 turned out.

Lynx Striped Hooded Knit Cardigan by Splendid 

This piece is SUPER soft and I'm sure would be great for layering during the warmer months.  It's cute but I don't really love it.   I would have liked it better if there was a way to close it (a belt tie even).  It was also the most expensive item in the box.  Status: Returned

Nima Swiss Dot Cinched Waist Silk Blouse

I really love the apricot color of this blouse.  It has a unique shape and it's great that it has an attached cami underneath.  This will be perfect for workdays and will also go great with jeans.  Status: Kept

Benni Dotted Striped Knit Shirt by Tart

I didn't like this shirt and the fit was oddly very big.  The dresses by Tart have have been a win but I have not been impressed by the shirts.  Status: Returned

Audry Lace Fit and Flare Dress by Mystree

This dress was really pretty and was a great price.  I usually stay away from all white but this was slightly cream and would have been perfect for summer.  Unfortunately it was torn right at the waistline.  Status: Returned

Evah Crochet Detail 3/4 Blouse by Ezra

WHOHOO!!!!  Finally an amazing blouse that is flow-y that has a nice shape to it.  The color is gorgeous AND it's not see-through!  It's perfect spring.  Status: Kept

This was by far my favorite fix yet.  If the dress hadn't been damaged, I would have kept 3 items but I'm super happy with my two new blouses.  I hope Kyle is my stylist for my next fix!

Interested in trying Stitch Fix and updating your spring/summer wardrobe?  Please use my referral link!

https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3184070

#stitchfix  

Ipsy April 2014

As I mentioned previously, my Ipsy bag arrived the same time as my Birchbox.  The theme for Ipsy this month is "beauty rocks."   Here is what was included in my bag.

Here is the bag itself.  It's not one of my favorites compared to previous make-up bags.

Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Eyeliner (full size: $20, sample value: $15)

I love a good eyeliner that glides on easily and this brand.  This will make smokey eyes even easier!

Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant (full size: $78, sample value: $9.75)

This is another brand I've enjoyed previous products from.  I look forward to trying this deep cleanser.

Elizabeth Mott pop! Goes the Shadow in Champagne (full size!!!!  $12.99)

Full sized items are awesome!  I'm pretty set in the eyeshadow department thanks to the amazing palate in the pop sugar box, so I'll save this for when I'm running out.  

Big Sexy Hair Root Pump (full size: $17.95, sample value: $2.71)

I'm only recently been blowing out my hair more myself.  This mousse has great reviews and I'm excited to get a little volume going!

Starlooks Nude Lip Liner (full size!!!! - $14)

Lip liners just aren't for me.   I appreciate the full sized item though!

Even though I'm not particularly fond of this months bag design, this was a very diverse and high value bag ($54.45) and I'm excited to try many of these items.  Ipsy seems to be more makeup heavy than Birchbox and is definitely a great deal for $10/month!

Interested in trying Ipsy?  Please use my referral link! http://www.ipsy.com/r/5iay

#ipsy

Birchbox April 2014

This month my Birchbox and Ipsy bag arrived on the same day!  I've seen some other bloggers compare the two in a single post, but I'm going to keep them separate.

The theme for April's Birchbox is "Rainy Days."  With the crazy weather lately, it should have been "unpredictable days" but my input isn't asked for when the box theme's are decided.  ;-)  It included a little numbered card with a tip for rainy day activities.  I got tip #7 which was to read a book.  While not super original, it is a good idea.  

Here is my April box:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel (full size: $22, sample value: $6.68)

I'm a bushy eyebrow gal who threads regularly.  I've never used brow gel before, but I do admit this helps make them appear super neat and uniform.  A fun sample, but not something I plan to add to the beauty regimen.  

BeeKind Body Lotion (full size: $15, sample value: $1.90)

This lotion is made of honey and chamomile, but has a VERY strong flowery scent.  Not really my style (and I have lots of lotions right now).  This will go in the gift/trade pile.

Davines Oi Shampoo and Oi Conditioner (full size: $26/$32, sample value: $1.11/$1.54)

Not a fan of foil packet samples, but it is always nice to try a new shampoo and conditioner.  These will be good to take on a weekend trip away.  

Shea Terra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap Facial Cleanser (full size: $16, sample value: $4)

I've read some amazing reviews of the black soap from Shea Terra so I was super excited to try this.  The consistency is a little thick and reminded me of molasses.  I wasn't really a fan of the smell.  It definitely cleaned my face, but it felt a little too "squeaky clean" when I finished.  This won't be a cleanser I use again.  I'm glad I tried it without having a full size!

Kind Snacks Healthy Grains Bar ($11.88 for 15 bars, sample value: $0.79 (1 bar)

My bar was the Maple Pumpkin Seeds with Sea Salt (I use the past tense because I enjoyed this pretty much right away).  It was delicious and not as sweet as many of the other Kind Bars I've had in the past.

Overall this is one of the most disappointing Birchboxes I've had in a while.  The value was on the lower side ($16.02) and I'm not thrilled about any of the items.  Hopefully next month will be better.

What did other people get in their April Birchboxes?  

Interested in trying Birchbox?  Please use my referral link!  https://www.birchbox.com/invite/vnw45

#birchbox

Popsugar Must Have Box April 2014

It's definitely officially spring!  As usual my Popsugar Must Have Box was one of the first to arrive this month and also as usual, it didn't disappoint.

Here is this months box:

Must Have Fashion
Blueavocado (Eco) Shopper (retail: $25)
I love foldable bags like this.  They make perfect beach bags or extra bags to take on vacation.  This one is a nice size, is supposedly easy to wipe clean, and I love the cute flower pattern. 

Must Have Beauty
Too Faced Natural eyes (retail: $36)
This is my favorite item in the box!  I was actually looking at this palate at sephora about a week ago.  I love different shades of brown for daily wear and I love that it comes with instructions for different looks.

Must Have Home
Graphic Image Pocket Notes (retail: $20)
Most of my note taking is done on my iPhone, but sometimes it's nice to write down notes by hand.  It's the perfect size to fit in a purse.

Caldrea Rosewater Driftwood Hand Soap (retail: $10.50)
This soap has a pleasant scent without being overpowering.  I like getting full sized daily supply items like this.

Fresh Pastry Stand Totally Awesome Tea Towel Set (retail: $18)
This is my least favorite item in the box.  These are two tea-towels.  Tea towels are meant to be used to keep pastries in a basket warm or to gently dry/polish hand washed items such as silver.  I don't really have a use for even plain tea towels really and these just really aren't my style.  These will go in the gift pile.

Must Have Food
Naturebox Popsugar Must Have Mix (retail: $5)
I used to subscribe to naturebox, but then we decided to just start buying our own snacks.  This trail mix was specifically made for pop sugar and includes almonds, soybeans, corn, and cranberries.  Sounds delicious!

This was another great Must Have box.  The total value is ~$114 which is amazing.  Even though the tea towels aren't a winning item for me, everything else is definitely worth getting excited over.

What did other people think of the April Popsugar Must Have Box?

Interested in trying Popsugar Must Have?  Please use my referral link!  http://popsu.gr/ndbC

#popsugar
#popsugarmusthave

Blue Apron 3/31/14

Blue Apron is Back!  Looks like the Plated vs. Blue Apron battle of meal delivery will continue for a while.  After doing Plated for the past few weeks, we decided to give Blue Apron a try again now that we have the option to have meat/chicken dishes in addition to the vegetarian ones.  

Here is what we enjoyed this week!

3-Chile Beef Chili

There are so many chili recipes out there, so I was expecting this to be just a standard chili dish.  This recipe went a step beyond the chili I've made in the past by including 3 varieties of roasted chiles.  There was a nice level of spice and the flavor was amazing.  An added bonus was that the recipe made 3 servings so I got to enjoy it for lunch the next day!

Roasted Chicken with Jalapeño Herb Salsa

Lots of chopping to make this salsa!  This was the first time I made salsa and included the seeds of the jalapeño, but the spiciness was nicely paired down with the citrus.  My "supreming" skills for segmenting the grapefruit is still a work in progress.  Overall a great dish, but our least favorite of the week.

Spaghetti with Zucchini and Pistachio-Spinach Pesto

This was our vegetarian replacement to the seafood option this week.  I love zucchini and pesto, so I knew this would be a winner.  There was lots of chopping involved to make the pesto (chopping pistachios isn't easy!), but it was worth it!

This was a great menu to be reintroduced to Blue Apron.  The quality between the two services is equal (both are amazing).  I think the serving sizes from Blue Apron tend to be a bit larger and that there are more ingredients for many of the recipes.  D and I are going to continue going weekly deciding which service we go for based on what is being offered.  Be on the lookout for another Blue Apron week ahead for this week!

#blueapron