Today's Reason to Smile ~ Happy St. Patrick's Day!

There are so many things right in this picture on my Saint Patrick's Day Morning.

I'm rockin' out my layered gold necklaces from Rocksbox.

I'm seriously owning some green eye shadow & eye liner from Bare Minerals.

My hair is actually behaving thanks to the art of reading instructions on a hair oil I was reviewing the night before . . . and my skin is happily glowing thanks to Radha's Argan Oil and Cremo's Face Wash & Moisturizer.

PLUS, I am holding a golden mug filled with Moustache Coffee.

But the best part is that I FREAKING REMEMBERED TO WEAR SOMETHING GREEN on Saint Patrick's Day!!

I just don't own very many green items.  I never, ever have.  As a small child, I was the epitome of the girly-girl . . . except that I wasn't afraid to skin my knees when running or riding on my bike in my frilly dresses (no really, they had lace; they were frilly).

My favorite color was of course pink, and this was back before pink & green were cute.  There were no cute combinations of pink & green in the 1980s.  To make matters worse, I could never remember to wear green on St. Patrick's Day, and I was subjected to the constant pinching of my compatriots throughout elementary school.

So, today's reason to smile is remembering to wear green! 

Beauty Joy Unboxing & Review!

I recently received a recommendation from a fellow subscription box addict on Facebook to try out Beauty Joy.  Well, I couldn't resist after all the wonderful things she had to say about her experience with them, so I had to try them for myself and share my verdict with you!

My Unboxing Thoughts:

The Goodies in my Beauty Joy Box:

Amount Paid: $15.00

Value of Box: $62.75

I'm really impressed with the value in this box!  The lip gloss and necklace are quite wonderful.  I'm swimming in cleansers right now; this one smells wonderful, but it'll probably go in my giveaway drawer.  The hand santizer is always nice, but that one left me a bit underwhelmed.  Overall, though, I'm quite pleased with this box!

Verdict: I'm Happy, so Yay!

Laughing Scholar's Jammin' Jamberry ONLINE Party!

I'm really, really, really excited friends!  You know that I love my Jamberry Nail Wraps!  Well, I am co-hosting my first Jamberry Party with Fantastic Friend & Rockin' Jamberry Consultant, Frances!

We'll be running games so that you can earn points for all sorts of fun nail designs throughout the next week!  

Stop by and request to join

Suzanne's Jammin' Jamberry Nail ONLINE Party!

to get in on all of the fun, games, & goodies!

Jamberry is killin' it representing Pantone's Color of the Year: Marsala!
Look at these totally cute designs!

Who's ready for spring already?  Still fighting snow & cold?  At least you can remember the signs of spring on your fingertips!!

What are you waiting for?  Come join the party!

Wanting to buy some wraps, but not feeling up for a party?

You can buy Nail Wraps Here!

My Foray into Fashion Part #3: A Little Striped Dress & Makeup Of The Day!

I love this dress!  I scored it from the GAP on clearance, and with my $10 off from Birchbox's December Box, it was only $8.00!!  Its a fantastic stretchy dress with pockets and 3/4 sleeves! I feel really cute in this dress.  It stops just above my knees, is totally comfortable, and quite versatile!  And for once, I'm happy to be in clothing that hugs my curves a little bit! I'm totally in love!

I paired this dress with a stunning statement necklace I got in my Rocksbox for January.

I had the best time doing my makeup for this outfit!  

I tried out extremely subtle contouring with the larger brushes from the Bellange Brush Set I've been using in preparation for an upcoming review!  I used Bareminerals Bronzer, Blush and Finishing Powder. (My new homework assignment is to get serious with the contouring practice!)

I decided to draw on the bright red in my dress so I played up my lips with L'Oreal Colour Riche Lippy in #304 Ruby Opera.

I complimented my bright lip with a nude shadow on my eyelid and a very black cat eye.  I used Benefit's They're Real Liner and Mascara to achieve the effect.

Thanks for accompanying me on this journey of self-acceptance, fashion and beauty!  I hope that something I shared here has inspired you to try something new, too!

     

Rocksbox Unboxing!

I've been wanting to try Rocksbox, so when I scored a code for a free month, I couldn't wait to cash in and make an unboxing video!  I think that Rocksbox is a fantastic concept for a subscription box!  I love the idea of trying out different jewelry collections with the option to buy with a 20% discount.

The jewelry is very nice quality, and arrives attractively packaged.  I received one ring, one necklace, and one pair of earrings, which is perfect given my answers on the style quiz.

      

I will also admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the free necklace included in my first box; its so sweet!

I'll admit that if I had the $46, I'd totally splurge on the amazing geometric ring!  The other two pieces are nice, but I wouldn't go for buying them at Rockbox's prices.

Overall, if you want to experiment with some different types of jewelry before investing in new looks - whether its through Rocksbox or elsewhere, I think that Rocksbox is a totally fun way to do exactly that.

However, for $19/month, I think I'd rather just buy myself a new piece of jewelry for my collection! :-)

Verdict: Meh, but a happy Meh! 

Laughing Scholar's Fabulously Frugal Gift Guide!

Alright, ladies & gents, it's that time of year again!  Is your budget stretching thinner than your gift list?  Are you just running out of ideas?  Here are some of my favorite internet finds that just might be what you're looking for to give to someone special while not breaking the bank!

All photos are linked to product pages for convenience!

From one of my new favorite sites: Tanga.com

               

Earrings with Swarovski Crystal Elements and 14K Gold Accents $15/ pair

              

LG Tone Pro HBS-750 Bluetooth Stereo Headset $45 / Brown 100% Cotton Fedora $5

I love Tanga!  They offer some truly wonderful products at steep discounts.  I've purchased a computer and a photography lightbox for myself.  I've also purchased a leather bracelet, fedora (pictured), and other items for my husband.   Everything is remarkably good quality, and Tanga has amazing customer service!

I think these jewelry items (or others that are on the site) have great value for their price, which should please even the pickiest gift-giver and receiver.  :-)  Ensure that your phone-addicted loved one is safe while driving by gifting this beautiful & practical hands-free set.  Finally, if you know someone who's dying for a Fedora, this hat is extremely good quality for the price.  My husband loves his.

If you are a Birchbox Member & you want to rack some points while getting some good gifts, I'd highly recommend these options:

       

 Benefit They're Real Push-Up Liner $24/ Caudalie Winter Duo $12

         

Billy Jealousy Beard Envy Kit $25/ Quirky Wrapster (Set of 2) $7

I greatly enjoy racking up my Birchbox points while getting lovely items for friends.  I highly recommend the Winter Duo for friends in snow-country.  I wish I had had that in my purse while living in Chicago!  Benefit's Liner is a great splurge for that fashionista in your life.  I purchased the Beard Envy kit for a friend of mine, and he loves it!  Finally, my hubby was thrilled to find out that one of my BB orders came with one of these as a surprise for him; no more tangled headphone cords!

I wish you all the best of luck in your holiday shopping!  May the deals be plentiful, your budget delightfully long-lasting, and your gift list just right!

If you haven't signed up for Birchbox, and want to, I'd love it if you'd be willing to use my referral link! (Referrals make my world go round, and help me continue making posts!)

Participate in Comments!

Who are you giving to this holiday season?  Are you done with, in the midst of, or not yet begun your shopping?  How do you figure out what to give that one difficult-to-shop-for loved one? 

SwaagBox December: Let's Try this Again

So, after the huge disappointment that was the October Swaagbox, I was excited to see pictures of their much improved November box.  So, I tried out their $5 again (using a new email address), so I could experience this improvement myself!

Here's my very first Unboxing Video!

So, here are all the goodies that came in my December Swaagbox.  For $5, I am swimming in value.  For $14, I'd still feel pretty happy.  For you ladies who want a bit of everything, this is definitely the way to go!

For $14, this box includes:
1 pack of pads/ tampons of your choice

3 makeup items - lipstick, eyeshadow, eyeliner

1 pair of earrings

4 fun size candy bars

Of course, selection will vary from month to month.

I really like these earrings!  They're seriously fun!  The beads are varied, there is decorative metal scrollwork on them, and they are quite sturdy pieces.  They seem to be well constructed; I expect these to be in my collection for a few years.

Compared with the Hard Candy Eyeshadow, Eyeliner, and Maybelline nail polishes, this makeup set is much more refined.  (Note: I selected Classic Style).  They are nicely pigmented and seem to be a very nice quality.

Overall impression, Swaagbox has certainly stepped up their game!  Again, if you're looking for a good quality monthly 'ladies' box, I'm happy to recommend that you consider this box.  Since I am not continuing my subscription, this link is not a referral. :-)

Jubees Unboxing and Review

I heard great things about Jubees' Subscription Box a little while back.  This company is just now entering into its second year of operation!  Jubees is a monthly stud earring subscription box.  They offer three different plans: 4 pairs of earrings recurring monthly, a single month of 4 pairs of earrings, and 1 pair of earrings recurring monthly.

 So, when they finally ran a subscription box deal, I had to try them out for myself!  Right now, they're offering their plans on discount (4 pairs for $10 instead of $14!).  I had a little confusion when signing, and I must say, their customer service is quick, helpful, and polite.

My earrings arrived in a lovely sturdy little box.

The product card sat on the very top.  The other side announces the month and how to enter a contest to win a free pair of earrings!

I love the little linen bags that hold the earrings.  This might be a little weird, but I love the paper filler in this box!  Its so soft!  Its also a wonderful shade of lilac!  (I would totally peel the Jubees sticker off the front of this box and reuse it for a gift!)

The earrings are actually wrapped in plastic, but I took them out for the sake of the picture.  I love the variety of these earrings.  There's something for every occasion; work, daily wear, date night, and that day I feel extra girly!  They even have cute names (Clarabelle, Clover, Eve, and Sophie), and belong to the Royal Collection!  I love these little touches!

While the quality of the earrings material isn't top-notch, its also not the lowest quality I've seen.  These are great pieces to keep your looks on trend, and their cost won't make your heart break when its time to retire them.  When you consider $10/ 4 pairs of earrings = $2.50/pair, this a fantastic deal!  This is a great idea for the earring enthusiast in your life (even if that person happens to be you)!

I was so pleasantly surprised by my Jubees earrings . . . until I turned them over.  Oh, these little plastic backings make me so sad.  I'm really nervous about trusting these little bits of rubber to keep my cute, new earrings on my fat little ear lobes.  After wearing a pair all day, running errands, doing lots of cooking, and walking the dog, I've had to reconsider my initial impression of these backings.  My Rose Pink Clarabelles stayed put through a 12 hour day of errands, dog walking, cooking, and hanging out!

Loving these little flower stud earrings called Rose Pink Clarabelle!  

Overall, I'm quite pleased with Jubees so far.  Their customer service is very good.  Their products are solid, and they take time to consider the details in naming their earrings, packing and presenting their products.  I'd definitely keep your eyes on this subscription box, ladies!


Participate!

Do you subscribe to Jubees?  What do you think of their products either through your own experience or through this review?  Do you know of other earring subscription boxes?  I'd love to hear from you!