It’s The Little Things: A Lipstick Set

I hope everyone had a beautiful holiday yesterday. Ours was wonderful and exhausting. At four in the morning we were awoken by the sounds of sickness coming from the bathroom. One of our children had vomited in their bed… And on the floor. And in the hall… It did not bode well for the day ahead. However, after some cleanup and a little sleep (and I mean a little sleep), we awoke again at eight and spent the rest of the day healthy and sound. My husband and I even had a chicken enchilada cook-off with each other. His enchiladas won. I’m going to pretend it didn’t happen.

I was so touched by the comments left on the blog in the last few days, I am so behind in my life and the blog, but I wanted to express my gratitude for the well wishes. I love you guys! You truly made my day.

I was so very fortunate with the gifts I received yesterday. My husband gave me this dress (that I knew about, but forgot and now it is on sale! It is very itchy, just an FYI) and I kept the red boots (briefly shown here). I also received the Aniza booties and a few more clothing items. I was so grateful to receive some thoughtful unique presents and a few much appreciated Anthropologie gift cards from my dad, stepmom, my sister and brother-in-law. My sister and her husband also ended up purchasing my husband and I the letters I fell in love with in this post. I was so happy and surprised! Any ideas on where they should go?

It was a great couple of days.

I did not have a completed post ready to publish today, but it seemed odd to not have a post up for two days in a row. I racked my brain about something I wanted to share that was not the typical outfit post. And this was what I kept stumbling back upon:

We are an odd sort of family and one of our conversations during the last few days revolved around how much money it would take for my husband or myself to lick sweet Ollie’s bottom lip. Wait! That’s such a weird thing to say. But we all concur that Ollie’s lip, while sweet as he is, is a bit gross with it always hanging there, catching food… And his burps… I know, I warned you. Although, nobody can quite be prepared for a statement such as that. Which brings me to lipsticks… Of course, how else does one segue from licking a dog to pretty beauty products?

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You can’t.

But while it is on my mind, I wanted to write about some lipsticks I have fallen in love with lately. Are they even called lipsticks any more?

They are a seasonal set called Nars Digital World Pencil Coffret and they are limited edition. They even come in a pretty case. I keep forgetting to write about them, so I figured now was as good a time as any, even if it is not timely for my usual Saturday “It’s The Little Things” post.

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I was brave a few days ago and actually wore the color I thought I never would. It is a super bright orange called Iberico. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. The outfit post for this outfit will run in a few days.

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And I wore the hot pink color (Yu) a few days later (outfit post to come).

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I initially purchased the kit for the nudes, but I have only worn the pink nude once and I felt naked without color. My favorite color in the set is Cruella, which given that this whole post started about a funny, but odd question, about my dog, fits perfectly.

My daughter has taken to wearing them, too. They are more of a colored lipstick pencil type product. Whatever it is called, I have had so much fun with this product. I bought mine a month ago. Deciding on which color to wear each day has brought a lot of joy to my life in this busy season. I still adore my Chubby Sticks, but it was exciting to change it up a bit.

What is your favorite lipstick or lip color lately? And, yes, I am aware I never fessed up to my dog answer. $100… I’m a cheap date… But not as cheap as my husband whose answer had us rolling on the floor.

It’s the little things: changing your lip color… And weird questions. Isn’t that how the holidays typically tend to go?

*No animals were hurt, or kissed, in the making of this post… Unless someone has $100. Just kidding… I am sure Ollie’s price is much higher than mine. The dog does not share my affinity for lipstick… Silly boy.

Antique Shopping

My kids were at school. My husband went to work. The house was clean acceptable. I headed to the antique store to browse.

There is something about being around antiques for me. I find it very soothing. I love to look at the chipped pieces of history. The stories in my head start spinning. It is like listening to the music of the past.

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I have a favorite antique store in town. There is a seller there who is a genius at displaying her pieces. I wanted to share the beauty with you.

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I ended up buying an antique tablecloth with a rooster on it from her section for a great price. I just loved the unique colors. I like to layer old tablecloths when I have get togethers.

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I also purchased some old lace. I don’t know what I will do with it yet, but it was too good of a price to pass up. When I was a child, I had a lace collection. And I would sit in the middle of my room and pull out my bits of lace. I would caress them and put them in order. ‘Cause I’m all normal like that. My favorite piece was rainbow colored.

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From a different seller, I purchased this old croquet set. I had been wanting one for some time. I had seen them on Etsy. But just the price to ship the sets on Etsy ended up being the actual price I paid for my whole set. I was one happy gal. Can you guess why I wanted this?

Oh. Because I’m so athletic?

Yes?

No.

Think Alice in Wonderland. Think “crazy fun house.”

Have you been antiquing lately? What did you spot? What did you see?

P.S. I shared this on Savvy Southern Style.

And My Romantic Home.

The Winner of The Giveaway and Gift Ideas

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The Winner of the $25 e-gift card to Anthropologie is Kate B. (the first person to enter!). Congratulations! I hope you get something fabulous!

All of your comments were so sweet. And there were so many of them! So fun! I was going to do a reply to each, but being that I desperately need to actually accomplish some housework today, I am going to generalize. Sorry. I hope you forgive me! Thank you everyone who entered! You guys are the best. Most of you are looking forward to seeing family and friends and spending the next few weeks enjoying the season. I hope it turns out to be everything you wish it to be.

This blog is my only creative outlet. I had not written anything in thirteen years when I started it. It was incredibly scary (still is). And, as I find my way, I am so grateful to all of you who read my blog. Either every day or once in a while.

Thank you!

Doing the giveaways is my favorite part of the blog. I love to spread some of the joy that is given to me through your comments and views each month. So, thank you so much for entering. January 10th, there will be a new one!

With the holiday season here and the pressure mounting, I thought I would share some items I think are great for the kiddos and the men and women in your lives.

Here are some of my ideas:

For the little boy:

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The Zombie Slayer Z Curve Bow. My son got this for his birthday in August. He uses it every single day. I have never seen him play with a toy more. When we take him to the park, the foam arrows actually make a whooshing noise through the air. So cool! The brand also carries other models. I know I paid $25 for the bow in August. Prices go up and down on Amazon, so you might want to shop around.

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I have something to say you might not want to hear. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back. And Lego is making some pretty coveted sets starring these guys. Definitely on my son’s wishlist this year.

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This Lego Minifigure Book is not only sneaky in that it gets your little guy reading, it also provides hours of entertainment. Kids love staring at the pictures of older minifigures and trying to recreate them at home.

For the little girl:

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My daughter loved The Dork Diaries when she was in elementary school. They now sell the books in sets. The link will take you to Amazon, but Costco might have them even cheaper.

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We bought this for one of our nieces at Costco. She is very into Monster High. She can change the heads and create her own monster. In fact, the set is called, Create A Monster Skultimate Set. I like that it is imaginative and looks like it could provide hours of play vs. a standard doll.

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For our other niece (with an older brother), we also shopped at Costco for her, but we got her the Nerf Rebelle Guardian Crossbow. I wish they would have carried these fashionable pink toys when my daughter was little.

Speaking of which, on to the teenager:

Oh. The teenager. There is never such a hard person to buy for. Since my teenager reads my blog, I will not be posting what I actually purchased her. You know, not ruining Christmas, and all of that. But I do have some ideas, besides the obvious gift cards.

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I recently found and ordered from (and received my order) an online store called Jinx. They sell apparel and accessories from video games. They have World of War Craft, Minecraft, Call of Duty, etc. I pretty much know anything I order from this website will be well received in the teenage world.

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For the girl who doesn’t play video games, Sephora has really cute make up sets. I know I would be happy with any of them, too. Last year, this eyeliner kit was a huge success.

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The mom in me had to include this. Who doesn’t like to give books? The Maze Runner series is my daughter’s very favorite. I have read it, too, and I thought it was good. In fact, she is trying to get my son to read it. This is a highly recommended read from a teenager.

For all kids big and small:

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Finally, Target. Hidden amongst the aisles, and never at the checkout, Target has a little secret. They have the most fabulous gift card holders or kits that come free with your gift card when you load money onto it. This year, I snatched up some of these Pez dispensers. Not only are you giving a gift card, but also a (free) treat.

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And they even had Hex Pup Gift Cards. All you pay for is the amount loaded onto the gift card. The Hex Pup is a bonus. Did I ever tell you I love you, Target? ‘Cause I do.

The man:

Did I say the teenager was hard to buy for? Cross that out. Enter the man. He doesn’t want anything. He doesn’t need anything. Don’t get him anything. Heard that before? Ugh! So frustrating! It makes Christmas shopping a zillion times harder. Because there are a million ways this can go wrong.

My husband had a big career move fifteen years ago and I had no idea what to get him. “I don’t need anything,” he said. So, I went to a card shop. And there on the shelves was a glass globe. And sitting in the glass globe were those angelic freaky little children. I knew. I just knew that that is what I should get him. I gingerly held the globe in my hand.

What’s this?

It plays music, too.

Oh, yes it did.

It played, “I will always love you.”

I bought it.

I gave it to him.

Oh my gosh, the look on his face. Priceless. It still makes me cry…with laughter, every single time I think about it.

So, in regards to my husband, I could never get him a better gift than that snowglobe. Every present since then has been a struggle.

I set the bar too high.

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Since he does my links, I cannot post what I actually bought him. But I can post what I got him last year. That still counts, right? He loves his Google Nexus from last year. There is a new version this year, but since he didn’t need it, he didn’t get it. Seriously though, he uses this every day.

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The Jambox. This wireless little speaker punches a sound. My husband loves to hook his nexus up to it.

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If all else fails, get him something you he has always wanted. Is it your fault he wants to remain a mystery? Take this gorgeous ice cream maker as an example. I know it has been on my his wishlist for years. So, this year I finally bought me him one. I cannot wait to see his face when he opens it! Just kidding. I am terrible at keeping secrets. Especially big, funny ones. He actually wrapped this for me himself. It was too heavy for me to wield.

He really is the best.

And, thankfully, he likes ice cream.

For the woman:

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A vest. I don’t care what vest. Vests are in. Every woman wants one. Anthropologie has a huge selection of them. My favorite right now is the Ruffled Hem Sweater Vest. I get compliments every single time I wear it. It is easy to throw on and actually look pulled together. However, there are many comments in its reviews that state this vest is not as long as shown in the pictures. I decided to do an experiment. I can see from the embarrassing picture above that that is in fact true. The vest is much longer on the model. I can’t tell if it is because of my hips. I am wearing the largest size it comes in for reference.

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Jewelry. Yes. Even if she says she doesn’t want it, she does. Okay, scratch that. Not all jewelry. Not dog collar jewelry. And that is my last word on that.

I love the Anthropologie Bird of Happiness Necklace. I think it is lovely. The price tag is nice. Love it! Hint. Hint.

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I love Anthology Magazine. A subscription to this periodical is always appreciated.

For anyone:

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The gift of feeding someone else. Heifer International is a wonderful organization that provides impoverished families with livestock to raise. I think what they do is amazing. They have a gift book on their site that includes gifts of chickens all the way up to gifting a woman empowerment through a herd of goats or an education in creating a business. Chills. I love this organization.

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A television series on DVD. I bought three seasons of Downton Abbey for my husband and myself. We just finished watched season one last night. I love giving the gift of entertainment.

I hope this helps! And if not, just show your gift recipient what they could have been gifted (ie: a snowglobe). They will never complain again!

Trust me…

I know.

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P.S. I actually like snowglobes. There is something romantic about them. Just maybe not the best gift. For a man. Getting a promotion.

Do you have any gift suggestions? Who do you think is the hardest to buy for?

NOW CLOSED Eight Month Blog Giveaway: Clinique Black Honey Set NOW CLOSED

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered!

This month I was scratching my head as to what to give away. You know, my little blog does not make any money (yet). And I pay for things out of pocket. I very much believe in random acts of kindness. I try to do a little something everyday. But it is easy to forget. During the holiday month countdown, I do bigger things. Like leaving a small gift card in a book at the bookstore. Or buying coffee for the person behind me. I just won’t buy flowers for our house that week or skip eating out.

So, I have to keep my giveaways small. But I love doing them! It is my act of kindness to anyone who reads this blog. You are so kind to me when you stop in or comment. I sometimes can get into a funk. This blog has kept my head above water and just made me happy for eight months. Thank you!

During the recent Sephora sale, I picked up an item I wanted to do for a giveaway. There is a slight problem of it not having shipped to me yet. If for some reason, it does not ship, I will have to substitute the package for a $20 gift card instead. Please be aware that this might happen when entering. I will update this as soon as I know more. I am hoping it ships, because. (Update 11/11: It shipped!) it was such a steal for the items in it:

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It is the Clinique Black Honey package. It was a great deal and with the discount became even more so. The package comes with:

– 0.14 oz A Different Enamel in Black Honey
– 0.21 oz Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Black Honey
– 0.14 oz High Impact Mascara in Black Honey
– 0.06 oz Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

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Black honey is sometimes referred to as the “sisterhood” lipstick, because it looks good on everyone. Every skin tone. Every smile. It just works. And I love that! Plus, it has the word “honey” in it and this beekeeper’s daughter loved that, too.

To enter simply leave a comment telling me what made you smile this week. Sometimes it’s hard to concentrate on the good. So, let’s do that together.

I’ll share: my smile this week was coming home and finding that my husband had gone to the grocery store and picked me up all of the ingredients to cook chicken chili for myself and the kids before he had left for work. I didn’t have to go out. The kicker is, my husband doesn’t even like chicken chili. He was just being nice. Gosh, I love him.

You can also earn a second entry by following this blog. You can do so any old way on the right hand side of the page. Just make sure to leave a second comment stating you are following.

Limit two entries per person.

This giveaway runs from 12:00 a.m. PST on Sunday, November 10, 2013 to 9:00 p.m. PST Thursday, November 14, 2014.

I will use random.org to pick one winner. That winner will be contacted by the email address they entered with on November 15, 2014. Please use a valid email address when entering. The winner’s name will be posted on this blog on November 16, 2014. I will ship out package as soon as possible to the winner.

Okay. I think that is it for technicalities.

Thank you all so much! I appreciate your readership and your kindness! I hope your week makes you smile!

* This giveaway is not sponsored or affiliated with Sephora or Clinique.

* I will attempt to contact the winner three times. If I receive no response within two weeks, the winner will have forfeit the prize. A new winner will be drawn.

* Past winners are welcome to enter. : )