tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62675802332524125792024-03-13T20:00:01.840-07:00Blissful Beauty BirdJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-46247657913931417642018-10-06T03:19:00.000-07:002018-10-06T03:19:27.556-07:00Autumn Playlist 2018<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Welcome back to Blogtober Day Six!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Today I wanted to keep it a little simple and just share with you some of my favorite songs that I listen to that help give my day a little more of an Autumn feel. Whether you're listening to them while you're sat out near a bonfire, or if you huddled up inside with a nice warm drink and a good book in your hands, these songs just exude Chilly Autumn Nights.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Anchor by Novo Amor</span></div>
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Slumber by Lewis Watson</div>
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What About Today? by Lewis Watson</div>
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Fever To The Form by Nick Mulvey</div>
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Birdsong by George Ogilvie</div>
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Cherry Wine (Live) by Hozier</div>
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Blood Bank by Bon Iver</div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you want a new Autumn playlist but are stuck on where to start, I'd give those seven a listen first. They might inspire you to expand on that playlist. And if you have favorite songs this season, share them down below as I always like to listen to new things. Also, if you have a Spotify playlist of your Autumnal songs, comment them so I can go check them out as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hope you have a great Saturday!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jay</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Mini disclaimer: I haven't had a proper blogging camera in a while and my iPhone isn't doing it. I'm hoping to purchase one soon but for now, my photos are free stock photos from the site </span><a href="https://stocksnap.io/" style="background-color: white; color: #2c333b; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;" target="_blank">StockSnap</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">. Any photo(s) in this blog post is from that site. I'll update you when I've purchased my new camera.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-23821603391651919672018-10-05T03:58:00.000-07:002018-10-05T03:59:14.129-07:00Five Autumn Date Ideas<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Welcome back to Blogtober Day Five!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's this time of year that brings out my romantic side. The chilly nights and plenty of autumn activities made me want to come up with some ideas for some fun autumn date nights. Just some ideas from a singleton. I have been in love before and these are some things I feel like would love to do or would be good for others a bit more brave than I.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hay Ride</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What is one thing you think of when you think of Autumn? The foliage! The changing color of the leaves is one of the most beautiful things you can see, especially here in New England. So why not turn that into a date with a Hay Ride? It's the best way to be bundled, cuddled, and have a lovely scenic view all at the same time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What better way to get to know your significant other better than to get lost in a corn maze!? It's a mini adventure and you would have plenty of time to learn more about one other while trying to find your way out of the maze. Maybe grab a celebratory hot drink after you've completed your run.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Apple Picking / Apple Harvest / Apple Crisps</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm not sure how many other places have it, but I love when the Apple Harvest Festival rolls around. That's when Autumn officially starts. What's more romantic than a walk around the grounds, eating apple fritters and watching some fireworks?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cozy Night In</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One thing that comes into my mind anytime I think of Autumn is a cozy night in. Shorter days and longer nights makes it perfect to snuggle up in the blankets, with the candles and fairy lights lit watching Netflix. Know what's better? To have someone to cuddle with at the same time. A comfortable night in from the chilly nights are always appealing. Check out my Blogtober Day Four post all about my <a href="http://blissfulbeautybird.blogspot.com/2018/10/perfect-autumn-night.html" target="_blank">Perfect Autumn Night</a> in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hot Air Balloon Rides</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One thing that I love to see in one of the smaller towns near by is the Hot Air Balloons that rise above the clouds. Personally, I'm afraid of heights so I'm not sure how effective that will be romantically for me, but it's the idea of it that seems like it would be perfect for those of you who don't mind heights at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u>Bonus!</u> Rent A Weekend Getaway Cottage</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now this would probably be more for those of you who have already been with your significant other for a while - I personally wouldn't rent a weekend cottage as a first date but ya know. This also doesn't have to just apply for this season. Honestly, you can do this all year around. But the coziest time in my opinion would be within Autumn and Winter when you could be able to go out for a hike or activities in the snow, and then come back to the cottage to start up that fire.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Seems like a perfect weekend to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Let me know which of these you would try out as date night. Also, what other Autumn themed date nights you have in mind?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hope you enjoyed Blogtober Day Five!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jay</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mini disclaimer: I haven't had a proper blogging camera in a while and my iPhone isn't doing it. I'm hoping to purchase one soon but for now, my photos are free stock photos from the site <a href="https://stocksnap.io/" style="color: #2c333b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;" target="_blank">StockSnap</a>. Any photos in this blog post is from that site. I'll update you when I've purchased my new camera.</span></div>
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Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-164980189415518362018-10-04T11:28:00.000-07:002018-10-04T11:28:46.354-07:00Perfect Autumn Night<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Welcome back to the fourth day of Blogtober!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, I failed the task already as I missed day two and three of Blogtober. But hoping to just keep moving on and continue on strong for the rest of the month.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With that said, today I just wanted to share my perfect Autumn Night In! Now, I know everyone has their own definition of their "perfect night in", but this is just what I love and makes me feel relaxed and comfortable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm going to start with freshly washed warm fluffy blankets. I seem to somehow collect small warm blankets and Autumn is the best time to bust them out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm not much of a candle person but I love the look of them at night so I've recently busted out the "Dashing Through The Snow" by Bath and Body Works.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When the room is nicely lit with warm lights from the candles and fairy lights, and I'm starting to make a comfy fort with the fluffy blankets, it's time to prepare Netflix for the perfect show. What I love to watch during this time of year is rewatching Stanger Things and Riverdale. What are some of your favorite shows to watch during the Autumn season?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When I have everything all set is when I'll grab some comfort food. I don't know about you, but if I'm going to watch Netflix when I eat, I need it to all be ready before my food is finished.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Something I really want to get into this season is different soups I can prepare in the Crockpot. Soups have to be one of the biggest comfort foods I think of when I think of Autumn. If and when the soups are done, make some hot cocoa to help keep you warm during night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After all that, I nestle up in my fort of comfortable blankets, relax and enjoy my cozy time in during the chill early nights.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Typing this out made me curious about what you guys do that makes it a perfect Autumn night in for you? Do you scrap the movies and play board games instead? Would you rather be outside for a bonfire? Let me know!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I hope you enjoyed Blogtober Day Four!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jay</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mini disclaimer: I haven't had a proper blogging camera in a while and my iPhone isn't doing it. I'm hoping to purchase one soon but for now, my photos are free stock photos from the site <a href="https://stocksnap.io/" target="_blank">StockSnap</a>. Any photos in this blog post is from that site. I'll update you when I've purchased my new camera.</span></div>
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Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-41703008392880624802018-10-01T08:00:00.000-07:002018-10-03T13:30:29.724-07:00Fall Tag // 2018<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy First Day of Blogtober!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of all the on and off years I've been blogging, this is the first time I'm trying to attempt blogtober. I don't quite know what sparked my ambitious attempt but I'll just go along with it and see how it pans out.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've decided to kick it off with non-other than a Fall Tag. This tag was created by the lovely Ell, from <a href="https://ellduclos.blog/" target="_blank">ELLDUCLOS</a>. She's a successful entrepreneur blogger with a lot of great and helpful tips to other bloggers. I'd highly recommend checking her out.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">All you have to do in terms of rules is:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shout out the person who tagged you by linking their blog</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer the questions provided</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">And tag 5 others you want to see answer these questions as well!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Easy peasy. Let's get into the tag!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. What is one candle you MUST light every fall?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'll be honest and say I'm not the biggest candle person! Ironically, I have a candle on right now from my Katie (<a href="http://www.kfpestell.com/" target="_blank">KFPestell</a>) in the scent "Sea salt & lavender". It's helping me wind down for the night.</span><br />
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2. When you think of fall, what does it remind you of?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being cozy. One of my favorite times of the year when I love to bust out the fuzzy socks, fairy lights and cozy blankets.</span><br />
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3. What is your all time favorite fall/Halloween movie?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hocus Pocus. Can you do Autumn time without it? Classic!</span><br />
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4. What Halloween costume do you have in mind?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm waaay too old to go trick or treating. I have work and class on Halloween so I might just wear cat ears or some crazy makeup. If I'm invited to a Halloween party last minute, I'm certainly not ready.</span><br />
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5. What is your favorite fall trend?</span><br />
<span style="color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over sized sweaters / jumpers. My favorite one at the moment is a mustard one from Primark. Better believe I'm going to grab more. Also, layering. I love that you can still wear skirts as long as you wear tights and chunky heeled boots. It's a look ;)</span></span><br />
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6. When you think of fall, what drink comes to mind?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pumpkin Spice, duuuh. Haha funny enough I don't like pumpkin spice. I'll stick to my apple ciders or hot cocoa with whip cream.</span><br />
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7. What is your go to fall beauty product? A must have staple! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berry lips. I love me some berry lips. I wish it was a bit more acceptable to wear them in the middle of summer.</span><br />
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8. Do you prefer apple pie or pumpkin pie?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple pie all the way. And apple fritters. Yuummm.</span><br />
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9. Do you have any fall traditions? If so tell us all about it!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unfortunately, I don't have any fall traditions. I wish it was something like apple or pumpkin picking. Maybe I should start this year and create a tradition.</span><br />
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10. The moment of truth, is fall your favorite season? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ooooo, I feel like I got caught out. It's actually my second favorite season. Spring is my favorite because I love when it starts to get warm after the many months of absolute cold. But Autumn is a very close second. I'm very excited that we've entered this season.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">I tag:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://blog.shannon-marie.co.uk/" target="_blank">Shannon-Marie</a></span><br />
<a href="http://alysgeorge.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Alys George</a><br />
<a href="http://www.sincerelyangiejj.com/" target="_blank">Sincerely Angiejj</a><br />
<a href="http://www.elenaisabelle.com/" target="_blank">Elena Isabelle</a><br />
<a href="https://hellobexa.com/" target="_blank">Hello Bexa</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hope you all enjoyed and got to see the little things I love about Autumn. I'm excited to see what others have to say about their favorite things of Autumn so let me know if you did this post as well!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Enjoy those airy nights!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jay</span>Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-49345264824924267042018-08-15T06:27:00.000-07:002018-08-15T06:27:35.608-07:00Sunshine Blogger AwardWelcome back!<br />
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I haven't done one of these in a while and I thought it would be fun to do another one after the lovely Mya from <a href="https://sliceofmya.blogspot.com/2018/08/sunshine-blogger-nomination.html" target="_blank">A Slice of Mya</a> tagged me to answer her questions. She is new to blogging and is just a lovely ray of sunshine. If you're reading Mya, thank you for tagging me! I love being able to answer some questions because I feel like it's a way to know the person behind the blog a little better even if it's just finding out what their favorite coffee is.<br />
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There are some rules to follow with this award and they are:<br />
Thank the person who's tagged you and link their blog<br />
Answer the questions they've asked<br />
Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions<br />
List the rules and display logo (Sorry, I made my own "logo" but the original is still floating around out there!)<br />
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Here are the questions Mya has asked:<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929;">Who is your favorite artist right now?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;">I'm really loving Lewis Capaldi. Those heartbreak songs are my jam. I'm keeping an eye out for a tour in the States where he'll be on the East Coast.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929;">What kind of phone do you have?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;">I have the iPhone 7 in Rose Gold. I love this phone as I'm quite small and petite I feel like this phone fits well in my hands. I've seen the newer ones and they're all quite big.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929;">What blog software/host do you use and why?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;">As of right now I'm using blogger. Once I relaunch my blog with the new name I've chosen, I'll be migrating to Wordpress.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929;">What is your favorite color?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;">I love anything earthy toned. Neutral colors - and the occasional coral.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929;">What is your coffee order?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;">I don't drink coffee very often. I'll have to be super tired to think of picking one up but when I do I order the Caramel Ice Coffee light and sweet at Dunkin'. Yes there is A LOT of sugar in light and sweet. It's why I don't have it often haha.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929;">What is your favorite store to shop at?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;">Right now I'm loving Primark. Quality clothes for great prices. There's only one in my state at the moment so I have to plan out what day I want to drive 45 minutes away to go shopping.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929;">Do you wear makeup everyday?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;">Mostly. I work as a receptionist and as front desk, you're the first person a customer sees and need to make a good impression. Even if I don't go glam, I try to tone down the redness on my face and put some mascara on.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929;">Water or juice/soda?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;">I have to try hard for water. If there was soda and water next to each other I'd probably drink soda, but we don't really keep soda in the house so I tend to drink more water.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929;">Do you write your posts randomly or have a plan for each one?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;">I try to plan ahead as much as I can. There are times when I do post randomly but it's seldom. This one was definitely on a whim!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929;">What is your favorite social media?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;">Hmm, well, anything blogging related Twitter is my favorite. Instagram would be second as I'm not great on that platform. For just keeping in contact with family and friends, I still use Facebook.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292929;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929;">What grade level was your favorite?</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #292929;"><span style="background-color: white;">I'm guessing this question means grade anywhere from childhood to high school. I graduated high school about 7 years ago now so I don't really remember which was my favorite and why. But of any time academically where I've felt like I was doing great and getting somewhere it's only really been this past year that's motivated me to go back to college and go to University for a bachelors.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #292929;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #292929;"><span style="background-color: white;">Here are the 9 lovely bloggers I'm nominating! (I know, I've broken a rule, sorry!)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #292929;"><span style="background-color: white;">Alexandra from <a href="http://www.alexandraquinlann.com/" target="_blank">Alexandra Quinlann</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #292929;">Angela from <a href="http://www.sincerelyangiejj.com/" target="_blank">Sincerely Angiejj</a></span><br />
Melina from <a href="http://www.melinaelisa.com/" target="_blank">Melina Elisa</a><br />
Shannon from <a href="http://blog.shannon-marie.co.uk/" target="_blank">Shannon - Marie</a><br />
Jen from <a href="http://www.beautylifemom.com/" target="_blank">Beauty Life Mom</a><br />
Ell from <a href="https://ellduclos.blog/" target="_blank">Ell Duclos</a><br />
Elena from <a href="http://www.elenaisabelle.com/" target="_blank">Elena Isabelle</a><br />
Em from <a href="http://emilybecca.com/" target="_blank">EmilyBecca</a><br />
Emma from <a href="https://pinkaestheticx.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Pink Aesthetic</a><br />
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Here are your questions!<br />
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1. If you could visit a country you've never been to before, where would it be?<br />
2. What's the last song you've played?<br />
3. Have you ever played any sports?<br />
4. What would be your dream job?<br />
5. What was the last book you've read?<br />
6. Have you ever been to a blogging event?<br />
7. Have you met up with any bloggers before?<br />
8. What's another language you wish you could speak?<br />
9. Why did you choose your blog name?<br />
10. Do you have an item that you never leave the house without?<br />
11. Where do you see yourself in five years?<br />
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And that's it! I really hope you enjoyed. It was nice to be able to post something that didn't need any planning at all. I don't know about you but I'm a bit nosey and like to see how other people answer things. Also, it's a great way to get to know someone. Thanks again to Mya for tagging me!<br />
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Thanks for reading,<br />
<br />
JayJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-63516430334331884852018-08-07T03:20:00.000-07:002018-08-07T03:20:00.779-07:00Travel Carry On EssentialsWelcome back!<br />
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Recently I took a trip down to Miami for one of my best friend's weddings and made it into a mini vacation / holiday. What I realized when I got home was that I was super grateful for what I packed in my carry on and decided that it would be my official carry on essentials for when I travel from now on. I hope this list will help you get some ideas on what could be helpful essentials for your next trip!<br />
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(Source: stocksnap.io)<br />
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<b>Phone</b></div>
My phone is something I can't forgot. Not only does it help me communicate, it's also where I can save my life long memories of photos. I think it's a must have for everyone, even if you brought a separate camera with you to take photos.<br />
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<b>Earphones / Earbuds</b></div>
I have an iPhone so the earphones I have can only connect to iPhones. I brought those along with me to be able to listen to music whilst I'm away. Here's a hard lesson I learned on the flight to Florida, if you have the earphones that plug in only to your phone, make sure to buy cheap earbuds that can plug into anything else. The flight never provided us with the earbuds for the mini screens and all I had were the ones that connected to my phone, so I spend the plane ride trying to lip read Monsters Inc.<br />
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<b>Chargers</b></div>
Make sure you don't forget your phone charger, laptop charger, tablet charger, etc. Mine comes along with me daily so I made sure it was packed into my carry on for my journey. Also, a great tip that I learned on my trip to England is to always bring a portable charger. I don't know about you but being out and about all day sight seeing and taking photos on your phone can definitely drain your battery. I get anxiety if I don't have a form of communication just in case so if I wasted the battery taking photos then I won't end up enjoying the rest of my day knowing I can't get in contact with someone if I needed. I brought a fully charged portable charger with me and my phone never ran low on battery while I was out. I would also recommend one of those international plugs if you're traveling somewhere that doesn't have the same outlets and plugs as your own country. I bought a UK one to plug into the wall as a mediator so I can plug my electronics in.<br />
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<b>Money / Passport</b></div>
Definitely an essential in anyone's travels is money and a passport. Make sure you have at least some cash with you just in case places don't take cards. If you're renting a car, a hard lesson we learned was the person who's name the reservation is under, needs to have a credit card day of picking up - at least the car rental place we used was like that. I didn't have to take my passport with me because we were traveling within the United States but obviously if you're traveling internationally it is something that you'll need to obtain a head of time and pack it away so you know you'll have it on your travels.<br />
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<b>Disinfecting Wipes / Wet Wipes</b></div>
I, for some reason, started taking disinfecting wipes with me on travels and I'm so glad I did. If you need to take a train, or subway, or if you're not at a place you can easily go wash your hands for some reason, disinfecting wipes are ready in your bag. When I was in London last year and I finally got to meet Katie (from <a href="http://www.kfpestell.com/" target="_blank">KF Pestell</a>) I somehow ended up cutting my finger and wasn't in an area to wash it before placing the band aid - so I used the wipes to try and help as much as it could.<br />
Also, getting a little TMI here but a small pack of wet wipes can do a world of good. Just sayin'.<br />
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<b>Motion Sickness Tablets</b></div>
I've never been the type of person to get sick on a plane and neither have anyone I've taken a journey with until last. My friend got super sick on the plane and I felt really bad for her that she spent two and a half hours of being sick instead of being able to relax. When we landed she bought herself some motion sickness tablets for our journey home. Good thing she did because for the first time ever, I got nauseous on our way back. They definitely came in handy.<br />
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<b>Face / Under Eye Masks</b></div>
Lastly, this is something I never thought about until my last trip, my friend told me she bought us face and under eye masks for our flight. I don't know about you but I do not like wearing makeup on flights so this was a nice skincare routine that helped us refresh our skin while on our journey.<br />
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Those are my seven top carry on essentials that I will be bringing with me on every flight I take. I hope this as helped you if you're wondering on what to bring on your carry on with you and if you have must take carry on items that are different to mine, I'd love to hear about what they are in the comments!<br />
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Thanks for reading,<br />
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JayJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-20593075411345647672018-06-06T08:42:00.000-07:002018-06-06T08:42:30.966-07:00ReBranding My Blog & Growing As A PersonWelcome back, little birdies!<br />
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I hope you're doing well today. Recently. I've been having a little bit of a think of why I haven't been into my blog as much as I used to be - besides the obvious reasons of classes and work - and this is what I've come up with.<br />
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One major reason is the layout of my blog. It just doesn't inspire me anymore and I'm looking for something a little more sophisticated and crisp. I am in the works of giving my blog layout and maybe even the site I use, a major upgrade.<br />
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Another reason would be the name of my blog. It's a little bit of a bittersweet moment thinking about it but I don't feel like it truly fits anymore. When I first made my blog I made the mistake of giving it a "username" title. It was Jay18xoxox (or something like that). Jay being for my name, 18 because that was how old I was when I was first creating it (mind you, that was 7 years ago). I never posted back then when I first created it, then I redid the layout years later and actually started to post. A little while after that I decided to change the name to Blissful Beauty Bird. A name I will forever hold dear to my heart. I have an older post on why I chose that for my blog and at the time, it fit perfectly.<br />
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I started my blog in hopes of being a "beauty blog". I wanted to share my passion for products I was loving just as I've seen in previous blogs and even YouTube channels. Although, I still love beauty products and I am planning on sharing the occasional, it's not what I'm passionate about anymore. It's not what I crave to write about. The year 2017 had a major impact on who I am as a person and I realized myself starting to grow and really trying to "find myself"? I use the term "find myself" loosely as I did write posts back in November of Finding Myself and how I was on the quest of doing so but that year really helped me learn things about myself, whether big or small.<br />
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When it comes to interests, I've noticed myself moving away from beauty being the majority, to wanting to talk about lifestyle things - what's happening in my life, travel, what has been on my mind, what books I want to read, etc. I've noticed it's what I've been drawn to reading more of as well.<br />
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It did make me sad to think about knowing I wanted to move on from my little beauty world of Blissful Beauty Bird but I think it's the right thing for me to do to stay authentic to who I am as a person. People grow and change and it should be embraced. I am now 25 years old and I'm not the same person I was when I was 18, or 21, or even last year and that's okay.<br />
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The changes shown on my blog will take a little while as I want to make sure the name, layout and what I put out is exactly what I'd want. I will still be posting before the changes happen as I'm already in process of writing a post about travel and a post involving beauty products from a subscription box I was given for my birthday in April.<br />
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I hope you continue on this journey with me and are looking forward as much as I am of what's next for me and my little space on the internet.<br />
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Thanks for reading,<br />
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JayJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-42851601095362727772018-03-26T10:23:00.001-07:002018-03-26T10:23:37.341-07:00Shaking off the "Lazy" LabelWelcome back!<br />
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If you've read my post <a href="https://blissfulbeautybird.blogspot.com/2018/02/back-to-grind-college-edition.html" target="_blank">Back to the Grind - College Edition</a> , you would know I just recently started my classes again after a very long "semester off". Let me start off by saying about how much I am loving it and I'm so thankful to be back in the swing of things. Actually, it's probably better than being back in the swing of things, I'm beyond motivated and happy with my decision, I've been working really hard to try and do well in my classes to achieve my goals.<br />
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(Source: <a href="https://stocksnap.io/" target="_blank">StockSnap )</a><br />
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One thing people immediately do when I tell them I've started my classes again and am taking three this semester is look at me a bit worried and say, "And you're working?". Yes, I am taking three classes that have rather extensive reading to them, while I'm working. I never really saw this as a big deal. I figured at least it wasn't five classes and working. Once I started my classes I realized that unless I'm keeping up with everything, it'll be easy to fall behind. The time that I'm not in class or working, I need to dedicate to finishing my readings, homework, and essays. I learned quickly that keeping up with things, and using your time wisely helps keep the load off and ensures you're up to date with the class and doing well.<br />
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I'm going to back track a little bit and get to the point of this post. While I was growing up and in school, I never really put in my best effort. Not in middle school, high school or the beginning years of college. I was considered "Lazy". As much as I've always hated that term, I look back now and realize I really was. I just didn't want to try. I was content with mediocre work.<br />
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I've come a long way since then but I feel myself trying to shake off the "lazy" label. I've gotten to the point of being exhausted some days to prove to others that not only can I achieve what I said I would do but to show that I'm not lazy. I read somewhere - I wish I knew where I read it, as the saying seemed to have stuck with me - that we seem to glorify being exhausted. Becoming so busy and having no "me" time to relax, eat some potato chips and watch Netflix is something that has been correlated with a hard worker. I feel like I was trying to do that this semester but realized the huge fault in it.<br />
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I've realized that I'm not lazy at all. It just comes down to the point of what you're motivated in, you'll put the effort in to achieve more. I wasn't trying when I was younger because I wasn't motivated in anything - but now that I am, I'm so ready to achieve my goals. It's all a matter of finding out what you want to do with the rest of your life, or even just smaller goals, and setting up what you need to do to get there - guaranteed you'll want to do your best to achieve it. Those steps don't have to take over your whole day, take some time and watch that new episode on Netflix or read a book or take a nap. Just remember the balance.<br />
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I hope this post helps you. Work hard on what you want to achieve and your goals. No matter how you get there, try not to compare your success with someone else's. Keep on keeping on and remember to take a break every once in a while so you don't over do it.<br />
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JayJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-12761690043192294792018-02-18T10:11:00.000-08:002018-02-18T10:13:15.180-08:00Back to the Grind - College EditionWelcome back!<br />
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This year seems to be chugging by as we're a l r e a d y nearing the end of February! Where is the time going?! I've been super busy this past month and so very motivated and I felt it would be a great post to show you guys were I'm at at the moment.<br />
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(Source: stocksnap.io)<br />
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I'm so thankful to be surrounded by driven, hard working, and motivational people and that's definitely given me a good ole kick in the butt to get back in the game with my classes. I stopped taking classes about two and a half years ago because I didn't know where I wanted to be in life. I didn't know what I wanted to do and to be honest, I just felt like I wouldn't be good at anything.<br />
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In the past, I've gotten myself into trying to get into programs and getting into degrees that wasn't something I enjoyed. And because of that, I wasn't motivated to continue. By the time I realized I should do something with my life that I enjoy instead of just taking anything because it might pay well, I was already taking classes without purpose. Kind of like just going through the motions of college without a plan or an end goal. I decided to take some time off of class and just work but that short time to think turned into almost nearly three years of not taking any classes.<br />
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The year 2017 really helped me focus on what I want in life. I want to be able to do something I enjoy and something I'm relatively okay at. So, I decided I wanted to take up an English Major as my degree. Although I'm not totally sure what path exactly I'd like to take with that degree once I get it, I'm in the process of just starting this journey and seeing where it leads me in the end.<br />
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Also, please keep in mind that although my posts aren't the most creative and well drafted or informational.. I'm only starting out my classes! I'm hoping the more classes I take and the more years I get into it, it'll also reflect onto my blog. Improving your craft!<br />
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I started my classes in the middle of January and it surely has been a rush! I'm more motivated than I've ever been to do well and get to where I would like to be in life. Between classes and working my normal hours, I've realized how much of planning ahead will keep me in control and up to date with all my work. That also includes my blogging! I started off January with only one post for 2018 but blogging is something I love to do and I'm trying to fit it in my schedule to continue to bring out new content while balancing class and work as well.<br />
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As I take these classes and continue on my journey of an English Major, I look forward to bettering my blog and my posts while I grow and learn a new passion of mine!<br />
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Thanks for all your patience with my posts and thanks for reading!<br />
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Jay<br />
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-49775323760095820222018-01-08T17:32:00.001-08:002018-01-08T17:32:32.605-08:002017 Year ReviewWelcome back!<br />
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This past year has been one of many ups and downs. It's definitely a year that I'm going to remember. There are definitely goals that I've met as well as those that I have fallen short of achieving and that's okay. Looking back at my goals of the start of the year from my post "<a href="https://blissfulbeautybird.blogspot.com/2017/01/cheers-to-good-year.html" target="_blank">Cheers to a Good Year</a>", I can take inspiration on looking forward into the new year.<br />
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On the top of my list was "Taking Control of My Anxiety". I feel as though I've made great progress when it comes to that. This past year thankfully wasn't as bad with my anxiety - despite it creeping up on me every once in a while. It started to get tough around May and I decided to take the first step into letting out those emotions that I had. I decided to go to counseling for it. One thing I'm adamant about is not going on medication. Please don't get me wrong, I know medication can really help people and have definitely benefited the lives of people I know personally. I just don't think it was the right choice for me. Regardless, just being able to talk about how I'm feeling when I get panic attacks has absolutely helped me a lot. It's also encouraging when you're letting it out, and feel as though that person understands exactly what you mean. Not like you're mental for thinking the way you do. Counseling has boosted my way of thinking and from it, I've had less anxiety this past year.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Free Stock Photo Source: Stock Snap)</span><br />
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<b>Globetrotter in the making.</b><br />
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The beginning of the year I said that I wanted this year to be the first of my traveling adventures. That was something I've certainly succeeded on. This past July, I spent a week in England. It was my long awaited goal that I've finally checked off the bucket list. I went for a week and spent most the time in London and about a day and a half in Worcester. I mostly went to meet up with my closest friends. In the process, I met up with my best blogging friend Katie from <a href="http://www.kfpestell.com/" target="_blank">K.F. Pestell</a>. She had taken the train to London to meet up with me and we spent the day around the city. I'm just going to quickly add, she's amazing. It was like we were just catching up from seeing each other the week before, not meeting for the first time. I loved it and I can't wait to hang out with her again in the future! I then spent time with my other friends and we spent three days at the Hyper Japan Festival down in Wapping before heading up to Worcester. One thing I love about the country is how much history there is. I've always been really interested in the English history, so to walk about the place and learn just a bit more was the best. I'm really glad I was able to face some fears and start my wanderlust journey.<br />
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<b>Code Word: Blogger</b><br />
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One goal I've certainly not kept up with was blogging. This past year wasn't my best with blogging but I'm hoping to change that for the new year. I'm going to ease myself back into the blogging game again and even try to be more social on my twitter to join chats with my fellow bloggers. One thing I'll be weary of is sticking to a schedule. I know that's probably the best thing you can do with your blog but I don't want to stress out and put out posts that I don't love.<br />
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I spoke in my "<a href="http://blissfulbeautybird.blogspot.com/2017/01/cheers-to-good-year.html" target="_blank">Cheers to a Good Year</a>" post about wanting to finally meet up with some of my best time blogging friends and this summer I was actually able to meet two out of the three of them! As I said before, (and to be honest, I won't ever get tired of saying it!) I met up with my love Katie in London. When I got back home, I was also lucky enough to meet up with Jen from <a href="http://www.beautylifemom.com/" target="_blank">Beauty Life Mom</a>. She and I live a couple states away from each other but she and her family was traveling up through southern New England and was passing by my state before they headed home so I was so excited when we were able to make plans to have lunch before their long journey home! Jen is another person that it felt like we were just catching up instead of meeting for the first time. And, might I add, she is <i>hilarious</i>. Hopefully this time I can take the trip down and hang out with her more.<br />
I may not have been able to meet up with Srna this year but because of her beautiful wedding, she was able to move from being 6 hour difference away in Brussels, Belgium to being 1 hour time difference in the SAME COUNTRY! Unfortunately, it's not like I can drive over her place and have a chat but we do have our FaceTime dates that definitely help. I know we'll meet up soon enough and I literally can't wait.<br />
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I feel as though 2017 was a good year over all and definitely the year of many new things. I feel it was a pivotal year that's helped open my eyes to many things. It certainly has had it's fair share of ups and downs but it might be one for the books that I will never forget.<br />
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2017 has definitely shaped how I'd like to be in 2018.<br />
So to that, I say,<br />
Cheers to a New Year!<br />
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JayJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-5899340617889593342017-12-04T06:30:00.000-08:002017-12-04T06:30:05.322-08:00Quest To Finding Myself: Toxicity of Too Much Social Media<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My first post back since August was talking about how much I've lost who I am. I've felt like I'm so far gone from who I thought I was. Constantly comparing myself to others and really just trying to fit in with the fold. Whoever they are. I'm trying to take some major steps back to be able to chip away at the facade of trying to be like others and discovering who's really underneath.<br />
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First tiny step I've taken was to try and wean myself off of social media, much like a baby growing accustom to solid food after having nothing but their mothers milk. Quite the metaphor but you get my point. As much fun as social media is, it's also very toxic if you let it take over your life. Which is definitely what I did. Now, I understand how it might be important especially in the blogging world. Constantly keeping engaged and current is crucial for maintaining an up to date blog with your audience. I would know because I do just the opposite. But putting that aside, and not thinking about social media helping your hobby or work, the majority of us are on it from the moment we wake up to the minute we go to bed.<br />
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You might ask, "What does social media have to do with finding yourself?" Great question. You ask a lot of great questions. (Let's see if my friends caught on to that one.) Daily, I'd go between Facebook, twitter, Instagram, and Snap Chat and then just circle those for hours on end. Not only is that a waste of time that you could be enjoying the sunshine, fresh air, a walk around the park, or quality time with family and friends but I feel it's a bit harmful to your self confidence as well. I know that was a huge leap from treading the countryside to how one thinks of one self but it's true. At least in my case. I'm always comparing myself to the other girls I see on Instagram - how they look, act, talents, etc. The successful bloggers on twitter and how I wish my blog was like theirs or even people I know personally and what they might have achieved in life.<br />
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With all that said, I decided to start slow and log off my Facebook for a few days. I think I'm a good five days strong as I'm writing this (Update: since I take so long to upload my posts, I've officially been off for nearly 2 weeks). I know Facebook is just one app out of many and I still have been using my other social media but I'm trying to start slow. For a person who checks their social media almost every 5 minutes, cold turkey would set me up for failure.<br />
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By no means am I saying you have to shut off any and all social media you have or that social media will make you insecure with yourself. I'm just writing out the steps I'm taking to have a better mindset about myself, wholesome living and finding myself again. This does not mean I'll delete all my social media and throw out my phone. Everything in moderation. I'm just hoping by shutting off my social media every now and then will just help me focus on me, instead of what everyone else is doing.<br />
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As I continue to lessen my time on social media, I'll be sure to keep you updated on how that's working and what I'm doing to better myself in placement of just scrolling the depths of the internet for hours on end.<br />
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Thanks for tuning in.<br />
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JayJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-39427367790076418382017-11-22T05:12:00.000-08:002017-11-22T05:12:00.159-08:00Finding Myself Again<br />
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<i>Prologue: I went searching for free stock photos I could use for this post when I came across this one. It's funny because the meaning meant a lot more to me than just slowing down the car in rural neighborhood. The ease and serenity of the photo made me think of my body and mind saying "Thank you for slowing down". Remembering to take time for you in a non-stop world is important.</i><br />
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It's only been a few months since my last "Where have I been?" post. I make a lot of excuses on why I haven't been posting or even engaging on social media like I would like too. I think of what's been keeping my hands occupied enough where I "don't have the time to blog". Whether it be work, my trip that I spent months preparing for, church, hanging out with friends ect. I now realize that it's not what I feel have been occupying my hands that are keeping me away from blogging but what's been occupying my mind. It comes down to the simple fact that I'm keeping myself away from blogging because I haven't wanted to. I don't feel like it's something that should be forced either.<br />
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I noticed that I don't like to get too personal on my blog because I'm afraid of being vulnerable. I know I've mentioned my anxiety before and I know that it's quite common and a lot of people go through it. I have been taking counseling for my anxiety and depression for the past several months. And with my counseling, one thing that I've discovered is about how much I've lost myself.<br />
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I've noticed I've put a huge pressure on myself to be just like everyone else. To make my blog seem like those of people who we feel are the "perfect blogger" with the "perfect life". To only speak about certain subjects because people like reading them from others but not necessarily putting out everything I feel. Worried that something I put out might be looked at as controversial so keeping quiet on things that I strongly stand behind. I've been so enamored with what everyone else is doing and trying to be like everyone else and liking what they're liking - I've completely lost who I am, what I enjoy, and my own outlook on life. Constantly comparing myself to others and trying to do what others like to please them. Whether that be in the blogging community or in my daily life.<br />
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As I'm typing this, trying to figure out traits, mannerisms, things that make up who I am - are they even me at all?<br />
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I can even feel me doing it as we speak. The nagging feeling in the back of my mind that as I type this, I'm just feeling like I'm not very good with my words and my posts aren't creative literature that captures people into wanting to read more.. so why am I still typing? And if you're reading this until now, you're probably just as confused as I am on what I'm blubbering about. There really isn't rhyme or reason to this post. I'm just typing as I go along.<br />
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I'll try my best to work through this while keeping this blog up to date. Maybe starting my own series of posts just me trying to journey through life. I'd like to try and be more mindful of things instead of just sitting on social media. I feel like that's a good chunk of why I'm feeling like I do. But that's a story for another post.<br />
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I still want to post about the beauty items I love because at the very least, I know that's something I do enjoy. I just have to have fun with it and not compare those beauty posts to the millions of others out in the beauty community.<br />
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Here's to my journey on finding myself again..<br />
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JayJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-86722924130522185542017-08-23T08:03:00.000-07:002017-08-23T08:54:14.537-07:00Box Swap w/ K.F.PestellWelcome back, little birdies!<br />
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In the beginning of the year, my bestest blogging friend Katie from K.F. Pestell and I agreed to do a little box swap with each other. We've known each other and our blogs for a little over a year now and clicked right away. As you all know, I'm on the East Coast America (for now ;) ) and she's across the pond over in England so we figured it'd be nice to send a little each other little bits and bobs that was harder for the other to get a hold of.<br />
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She had a little bit of a hard time sending it off to me through the post office so we decided we could just wait until we met up in London to give it to me. We finally met this past July and it was the greatest thing ever! Unfortunately, because the post office wouldn't let her send the box, and she can't travel with a huge box and lug it around all day, she had to take the contents out of the box and put it in a bag. She did also buy me one of those cute London bags with a double decker on it to make up for not being in the box haha. I loved it either way. Here's what was in the box! She wrapped everything up so lovely. I don't have a picture but I did do a video on snapchat if you want to see it!<br />
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First, I'll start with a request of little goodies from Rosie for Autograph. After I saw Alys' post over at <a href="http://alysgeorge.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/rosie-for-autograph.html" target="_blank">Alys George</a> of the two lipsticks she got from the brand and I fell in love. We don't have M&S over in the States and when I tried to order online, they didn't have it available to send to the States so I thought that request would be nice. And Katie being the little angel she is, added some to my box! I got Rose Lace and Silk Rose lipsticks. Both absolutely beautiful shades - they're perfect - one for during the day and one for night. Can I just add that the rose gold packaging is blog photo worthy. She also added a liquid liner from Rosie's collection because she knows how much I love my liners. I've not had much luck with felt tip liners but this one works great! Definitely impressed.<br />
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Next up, I opened two Tanya Burr lip products. I've never had any Tanya Burr products before so I was excited to receive these. Katie bought me a bubble gum pink matte lip in the color Puppy Paws and a nude lip gloss in the shade Lunch Date. She's so silly. She told me she didn't notice that Lunch Date was a gloss instead of matte and was hoping I'd still like it. I absolutely love Lunch Date. I can put it on top of any lipstick for that extra bit of color and shine. No need to worry. :)<br />
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Before I opened up my goodies, I spent a day with Katie around London (You can read about how we met <a href="http://blissfulbeautybird.blogspot.com/2017/08/my-english-adventures-july-11th-19th.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> ). Funny enough, we were talking about Bourjois and how we don't have that brand here in the U.S. and I saw it when I went into the stores over there. When I got back to the hotel and opened up my gifts, I saw that she added Bourjois Shiny Finish Lip Color in the shade Laque. It's a gorgeous berry color. I think it'll be perfect for Autumn coming up soon. To match, she added a Barry M Nail Varnish in Fuchsia Generation. I love it!!<br />
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I then opened up the Soap & Glory Super Cat Skinny Liner. I've heard amazing things about this liner and so far its been working out well with me. The felt tip is a bit longer than I'm used to from other felt tip liners. Actually, I feel Rosie for Autograph's liner is quite similar to this one. I'm already sure that I'll be repurchasing this once it's run out.<br />
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Katie then added a No. 7 Sea Salt & Lavender Soft & Soothing Aroma candle. I was really excited to receive this because it smells SO good! It's definitely one of those candles you turn on before bed at night to make the room comfy and relaxing just in time to sleep. I feel like it's a bit of a pamper product. Once I do my at home spa night routine I can have this on in the back while I cuddle into my bed with the fairy lights on to get ready for a great nights sleep.<br />
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Being the little investigator that she is, she knew from one of my posts that I love to sketch. I used to do it all the time and spend hours on perfecting a sketch. So my lovely Katie bought me a new sketch pad and art pencils to get back in my creative side with art. How thoughtful!?!? I'm working on something at the moment I'm hoping it turns out the way I'd like so I can send it over to her. 😚<br />
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These last two items that I opened were by far my favorite. Leaving the best for last per say. These mean so much to me because she put her time and effort and <i>looooooove</i> into them. The first is a bracelet she made me that has my name on it with earthy toned colors because those are my favorite type of tones and she figured that I never had my name on a key ring because my actual name is more unique. How cute?! (I won't be uploading a photo because it has my name on it. But trust me - it's beautiful) She also FELTED ME A SPARROW. Can you imagine the time and probably stress it takes to FELT A SPARROW!? I just can't. She knows Sparrows are my favorite animal and for her to do that for me especially during her time in uni and studying for exams. That just makes me so over the moon and appreciate her as my best friend so much. I couldn't have been so honored and blessed to have met her.<br />
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Everything I received was so well thought out and let's be real - I was very spoilt! I'm so thankful to have her in my life. I miss her so much already and can't believe it's already been a month since I've seen her! Hopefully that'll change within the next year and I'll be able to see her more often <3 I HIGHLY recommend giving her blog a follow. You can find her at <a href="http://www.kfpestell.com/" target="_blank">K.F. Pestell</a> . Her blog is very mindful and wholesome. It's definitely worth the read.<br />
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So to my Katie bear, I thank you SO much for the thoughtful contents in my little goodie bag and I'm even more thankful for the chance to be able to hang out with you. It was such an amazing day that (in my humble opinion) went by WAY too fast. I can't wait to see you again soon! Love you, girl!<br />
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Jay<br />
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-45140853684684062972017-08-10T06:23:00.000-07:002017-08-10T06:23:41.038-07:00My English Adventures July 11th - 19th 2017Welcome back, little birdies!<br />
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I know the last time I posted I was keeping you up to date with everything that's been happening and keeping me a little on the busy side and away from blogging. July was an exciting month for me as I took my first European trip across the pond to our neighbors, The U.K. I had an absolutely amazing time. This post <u>will</u> be a long one because I would really like to go back and read it in the future but I would also like to share it with you. I had quite the experience so grab a "cuppa" and a snack.<br />
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I arrived on English soil after a 6 hr flight. It was a bit of a surreal feeling knowing that I wasn't at home anymore and in a completely different country and culture. It was cloudy and a little bit rainy when we arrived, just as you would imagine English weather to be but thankfully it didn't last long as the rest of the week ended up being beautifully sunny and warm.<br />
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We hired a driver who took us from Heathrow to our hotel at the Holiday Inn Regent's Park which was only a stone's throw away from the bustling Oxford Street. We arrived a couple hours before our check in time so we decided to go out for breakfast at Villandry's on Great Portland Street. First meal in England and I absolutely loved it. I had some scrambled eggs, with mushroom and toast and it was delicious. Our first day was definitely very chilled. We walked down Great Portland to see what was around before heading back to our hotel for some English "telly" and a well deserved nap. We agreed on a meeting time of 6:30pm to head out for dinner.<br />
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I researched restaurant's in the area and we decided on Tinsel Town which is an American styled diner just down Great Portland. It was packed at the time we reached the restaurant but were seated within minutes to a very attentive staff. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting the food to be as good as it was. It was beyond delicious that I'm sure my mom and friend Ann went a few more times through out the week without me.<br />
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Once we were done, we took a stroll down to Oxford Street. I was really surprised with how early everything closes daily. It was only Wednesday night and shops were closing down before 10pm. Where as back at home, everything is open pretty late and the only times it actually closes early is on Sundays. So with that, we went back to our hotel.<br />
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The next day was a very exciting day as I was meeting up with one of my bestest blogging friends, Katie, from <a href="http://www.kfpestell.com/" target="_blank">K.F. Pestell</a> . She and I have been separately inseparable since we found each others blogs. Never meeting never stopped us from growing closer as friends and having regular catch ups about life and not just our blogs. The morning went by fast as my mom, Ann and I were picking Katie up from Charring Station to do touristy stuff around London. Little did I know that London was busier than it's normal busy because of the Dunkirk premiere. We had gotten into a taxi that should of gotten us to the station probably within 20 minutes. Our driver was kind enough to let us know that it would be faster to get the tube to the station rather than pay a large amount of money by the time it took us to get there due to the traffic. With time to spare, we decided we'd site see London by walking to Charring Station - ahem.. stress city. I don't know what I was thinking but we definitely got lost and had Katie waiting about an hour and a half at the station... Sorry!! FINALLY, we managed to have our first ever meeting right under a giant thumb statue in front of the Natural History Museum.<br />
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It's amazing to see just how much my blog has done for me. I've (virtually) met SO many amazing people around the world through my blog and even gained best friends. So to actually meet Katie in person was more like we were having a catch up of not seeing each other in a bit rather than meeting for the first time. Can I just mention, she's just as beautiful inside and out in person as she appears on her blog. I only wish we had more time to spend together and that I wasn't an ocean away so I could see her more! 😍<br />
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That Thursday sped through quickly as we toured through London a bit, stood outside Buckingham Palace waiting for the Queen to make her appearance, ate a delicious meal at the Hard Rock Cafe - funny enough, all four of us had the exact same meal haha - went in search of the Lego Store so I could get London stamps on my brother's lego passports, and then stood on the outskirts of the Dunkirk premiere before heading back to Charring Station so Katie could take her train back home. It was so sad to have that goodbye hug knowing it was going to be a while until I was able to hang out with her again. Although, my family loves her and my mom now feels as though she just gained a beautiful British daughter and have offered Katie a place to stay if she's ever on the East Coast. 💓<br />
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Friday was the last day I was spending in London with my mom and Ann as I was meeting up with my long time very special closest friend (Haha could I have made that any clearer that we're VERY close. :p) . Mini disclaimer - For their privacy and my own, I'll be changing their names and leaving out some details of why my time with them was beyond special to me. There's certain parts of my life I like to keep private and to myself because I cherish them so much. With all that said we'll call my friend "Nick" and his sister "Sarah". He picked me up at my hotel and met up with his sister and their friend on Oxford Street to head down to another hotel near the Tobacco Dock as we had the weekend pass to the Hyper Japan Festival. What I wasn't prepared for - and I don't know why I didn't look at google maps to see how far it was - was the walk to Wapping. We walked an hour and a half with bags and suitcases (Super thankful to Nick who was a gentlemen through and through and carried my suitcase which weighed a ton :) ) through London in the heat. You could only imagine just how worn out we were by the time we got to the hotel. We rested for a bit before we did more walking to and around Tobacco Dock for Hyper Japan 2017.<br />
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Once we got to Hyper Japan on Friday the first thing that was looked for was food. The lines for food were absolutely ridiculous and it looked like you'd be waiting for ages. We decided for some quick "fries". I'm not sure what in the world these fries were - they had like seaweed in them and some other stuff. They were good, and we all devoured them but for some reason half way through the day they ended up not sitting well with my stomach. I became very hot, and nauseous and had to sit out instead of wandering in the different areas of the place and looking around. We all went outside for some fresh air when they all started talking about food. Once I got that sick feeling just by listening to conversation about food, I knew I had to try and make it around the maze that is Tobacco Docks to the bathroom asap. Nick was a great nurse and escorted me to the toilets to throw up.. twice. I didn't get to see much that day but the toilet bowl and before I knew it we were heading back to the hotel not long after to rest up enough for the next two days.<br />
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Next day we planned on being at Hyper Japan for 10:00am so we could avoid long lines. Saturday was a lot better than the day before when it came down to how I felt. I was able to wander around the place without having to sit outside and throw up. It was really cool because Sarah and her friend both dressed in cosplay that were absolutely kick butt. Watching people come up to her and ask for a photo felt like I was with a celebrity haha. I always thought I was this huge anime nerd especially when I was a teenager. But after going to Hyper Japan and not knowing much, I realized I had a lot of anime culture to catch up on. I have no clue who Sarah was cosplaying (Sorry!) but she looked cool none the less. That day we wandered around to shops. I didn't buy much as I knew I had to carry it all back and try to lug it back to the States. What I'm glad I bought were these BEAUTIFUL digital art from this little shop. Nick said every time he'd go to HJ he'd buy a painting from the shop. The artist is beyond talented and I appreciate this type of art so much I bought myself two of the smaller sizes and one for my brother. I'll certainly be purchasing more. I love this style of art. I was going to add photos but I think it'll be better to link her website instead. I highly recommend checking it out - <a href="https://guizang.co.uk/epages/7c4de348-fdb6-4222-81f3-aade5a67fbbd.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/7c4de348-fdb6-4222-81f3-aade5a67fbbd/Categories/Category1" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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On Saturday we even watched the CosParade which is watching all the people who entered show off their amazing cosplay. I totally regret not taking any pictures of the venue and what was around as it would've been great to look back on with what we did during those days. I did manage to get a bit from Sarah so I could put a little something together. (Thank you!)<br />
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Sunday was a lot more chill. We went off to Hyper Japan around 10:00am grabbed food and wandered about for the last day. That day we spent more time chilling outside as it gets really crowded and hot inside. We didn't spend too long there and spent the rest of the day watching movies in the hotel room. It was a great end to an eventful weekend.😊 Monday was our travel day. We checked out of the hotel, and went on the two hour walk up to Hyde Park where we checked out the beautiful little garden, sat on the grass for hours and fed pretzels to pigeons before taking the long train ride from London up to Worcestershire. Nick and I got home (my home away from home) at around 7pm and our friend bought us all seafood pizza while we watched movies the rest of the night. - Can I just add that seafood pizza is now my favorite. It was absolutely delicious and now I'm making myself hungry for one. Yuuumm. -<br />
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Tuesday was one of my favorite days as I spent quality time with Nick and wandered around the town site seeing and falling in love with it and it's history. Magical. It was a very chill day as we slowly strolled around the river. I needed many breaks in between because Nick walks fast and it was hot out. Haha those are my excuses for being completely unfit. ;p We spent a few hours out before heading back home to chill out a little. Later on, I took my first trip to Asda to grab some necessities for chilling the rest of the night. It was a leisure day that I enjoyed very much. Perfect last full day in England.💓<br />
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Wednesday was the day we journeyed back home and it was probably the most heart breaking. We got up early so I can pack away my things and we could make it to the train on time. Cried a bit on the train. Got to London two hours later. Slowly made our way from Paddington to the Holiday Inn in Regent's Park near Oxford Street to meet up with my mom and Ann again and said my very sad "see you later"'s to Nick before heading off to Heathrow for our flight home.<br />
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My flight home went by pretty quickly and we landed at around 11pm on Wednesday night. It was so strange to be back home as I was getting used to life in England. - Can you imagine?! Just after a week! :) - Now that I've been back I can look back on those memories and honestly say it was the best time. I loved every moment of it. I'm SO thankful I got to see and spend quality time with my love bug Katie and my friends Nick and Sarah. They made the trip that much more amazing. Now, looking forward I'm hoping to apply to a university in England hopefully for next September to start new chapters of my life. But for now, I'm content knowing I have these wonderful memories to look back on.<br />
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JayJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-86155516906041484542017-06-30T06:43:00.000-07:002017-06-30T06:43:23.443-07:00Reviews, Trips, Where Have I Been?! I Update<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome back, little birdies!</span><br />
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I hope you are all doing wonderful today. I apologize for not being active on my blog, bloglovin' and twitter. I have exciting plans on my plate and I'm trying to get everything in order. With all that, my blog has taken a back seat. I really do miss it and am planning my future posts now.<br />
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<u><b><span style="font-size: large;">Where are the reviews?</span></b></u><br />
I have so much to share with you beauty-wise. So many new makeup products that I've been absolutely loving and I can't wait to share them all with you. With that said, I've been looking into Direct Sale makeup that I'm trying out and want to share with you as well - more on that later on.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">What's so exciting?</span></u></b><br />
I'm heading off to England this summer! This is my first time vising England (certainly won't be the last) and my first time to Europe in general! I've never really been outside of the U.S. - or even the other side of the country for that matter. I've always stayed on the East Coast of the U.S. and I've traveled to Puerto Rico plenty of times to visit family. I've also been to Canada once when I was very young, around the age of 6 or 7 with my family for maybe a day or two but I don't remember much of that trip. I'm beyond excited to explore the city of London a bit, hang out with one of my BESTEST blogging buddies Katie from <a href="http://www.kfpestell.com/" target="_blank">K.F. Pestell</a>; who I'm so excited to see so much and stoked to hang out with! I think it'll make me giggle at our height difference at first but I can't wait to have fun! Other than that, I'll be hanging out with my long time close friends I have in England. We'll be going to a festival which I'll talk about and have some pictures with in another blog post when the event is over. I can't express enough just how excited I am and I'll definitely keep you all posted a long with maybe even a vlog with Katie!? :) I;m so excited but I have been trying to prep for this trip for a while and it's coming down to the wire!<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Educations and Jobs?</span></u></b><br />
After almost two years of a break due to trying to get myself together, I'm finally getting things ready to get back to my classes. I'm motivated to get my degree and maybe travel abroad for Uni. We'll see! I will be changing my major to English and Communications to hopefully help me grow my blog into more than just a hobbie in the future because it is something I do enjoy. To have the time to do it because it's my profession would be a dream. So I'm looking forward to learning more and growing as a person.<br />
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Until then, I somehow started looking into direct sales makeup brands such as Younique. I've always known they were out there like Avon and Mary Kay but I never really paid any mind to it. I've recently started watching videos from a Younique Presenter that is a family member of someone I know. I really liked her videos and started looking into the products. I then had the thought of maybe even doing direct sales myself ever since seeing her video and all the information she gave. After that I started doing a lot of research on the brand and becoming a Presenter and the products and peoples feedback - when I came across a plethora of other bands such as Maelle, Maskcara, Beauty Counter and more! I really enjoy makeup so what better way to earn some extra bucks than to do something you enjoy - playing with makeup!? I'm still doing my research on what brands I like better and I can't do that without trying them out first. I just bought the new 3D Mascara from Younique to see how I feel about that and am planning on buying more from there. I also have some products from Maelle lined up as well even though they're not doing direct sales at the moment. I plan on doing another post all about the brands I'm looking into and the products I buy from them so please stay tuned for that!<br />
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With all that said, I feel like I'm getting back to a place where I can start regularly posting like I was doing to get back into the blogging community. It may be sparce in July due to my trip but that only means that I'll have a lot to talk about when I get back! Hopefully I can put a few posts together before then. Thank you for your patience!<br />
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Jay<br />
<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-91594310697758017902017-05-01T04:52:00.000-07:002017-05-01T04:52:08.731-07:00Best Liquid Matte Lipsticks<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome back, little birdies!</span><br />
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I hope everyone is having a grand ole day. I love how much warmer the weather is getting as we quickly approach summer! Hopefully, I'll be able to start posting more outfit posts now the it's bright and shiny outside.<br />
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Today, I have for you what could be the greatest Liquid Lipsticks of all time. In my opinion at least. About a month ago I went to do some makeup shopping as you saw in my previous Sephora haul and I picked up the Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipstick in the shade Muse. I've heard a lot about Huda Beauty but I think they sell more of them in select Sephora's so there was only a small collection left in the corner of the store. My birthday just passed and one of my best friend's decided to get me another one of the lipsticks in the shade Bombshell.<br />
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<b><u>Liquid Matte? More like Liquid Gold</u></b><br />
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I've always been weary of "matte" lipsticks because I'm afraid how much more dry they'd make my lips and how much the color would just cling to the dryness of my lips but my goodness this couldn't be more far from it. Before I put on any type of lipstick, no matter the formula, I always pop on some of MAC's Lip Prep + Prime. It's supposed to help give your lips the hydrating foundation it needs to layer your lippies. It also helps prevent feathering. Once that's in and set putting on Huda Beauty's liquid matte's make it feel like liquid gold. The formula is so "rich" - is that strange to use that word when talking about a formula!?- it feels like you're applying velvet to your lips. It dried pretty quickly to settle in to a lovely matte - which - didn't take hold of my dry patches. It doesn't feel like you're wearing a matte lipstick when you have it on. Your lips feel as free as they do when you're not wearing any at all.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Unfortunately, my camera doesn't show the true color of these. They're beautiful!)</span><br />
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Don't get me started on the lasting power of this thing. After putting it on before work, ate and drank all day - this lasted like a dream. I've actually never had a lip product that stayed on your lips as well as this one.<br />
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Overall, I'm obsessed and definitely see myself buying more of these in the future. I do hope they end up putting more Huda Beauty in our Sephora's. I hear great things of all her products and I would like to try more stuff. I mean, if these are this good - what else does she have in store?!<br />
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Have you tried any products from Huda Beauty? What's your favorite product?<br />
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Jay<br />
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-54045420067886242072017-04-24T06:24:00.000-07:002017-04-24T06:24:23.502-07:00Keep The Coachella Vibe Going All Summer!<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome back, little birdies!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Spring has surely sprung here on the East Coast. One major indicator of that - besides the beautiful weather we've been having - is that it is officially Coachella season. One thing I love seeing from all the Coachella news is the fashion; what people decided to wear to this event. My favorite outfits trends for this massive music festival would have to be that girly boho look. What better way to spice up that look than with jewelry!?<br />
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With all that said, I was having a little snoop around the Jewelry section on Etsy. That's when I came across what is now, my favorite jewelry shop on the site. It's a little shop called <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/Ethnicca?ref=l2-shopheader-name" target="_blank">Ethnicca</a>. Ethnicca focuses on ethnic and bohemian style jewelry - all of which I fell in love with. It took a lot of me to just buy two things instead of buying out the whole shop. I would definitely recommend buying from there if your summer style is boho chic.<br />
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I started off with a <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/486873515/choker-necklace-suede-choker-necklace?ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank">Suede Bohemian Feather Necklace</a> with the light brown strap as shown in the photo on the store. This has to be my favorite out of all of them. No matter how many different chokers I was looking at, I would always come back to this one. After receiving it, it didn't disappoint me either! It fits just at beautiful as it looks.<br />
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The next one I bought is just as gorgeous! This one I feel is a lot more on trend mostly because of the jewel that hangs down from the choker. It's the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/501116407/o-ring-choker-choker-necklace-suede?ref=shop_home_active_40" target="_blank">O Ring Choker</a>. I feel like there are a lot of clothes that this would compliment and could fit anyone's taste. I bought two of these.. one for now and a back up! Haha kidding. I bought one for my blogging bestie, Katie for a swap we're doing. (Katie, if you're reading this before you received your box... forget what you read..)<br />
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I'm so excited to wear these and show them off. They're beautiful and definitely staples in my collection. If you want to grab some, I know she's doing a Mother's Day sale that gives you 10% off any purchase. She also has percentages off if you buy 2, 4 or 6 items! What a deal?! Check it out, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/Ethnicca?ref=l2-shopheader-name" target="_blank">here.</a> I recommend taking advantage of those and stocking up for the summer. I know I sure will. She even ships international!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Disclaimer: I'm not sponsored by the Etsy shop Ethnicca to do this post or give you discounts. I bought it with my own money and am genuinely impressed with the shop that I wanted to share.♡*</span><br />
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Thanks for reading!<br />
JayJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-81844522361086088032017-04-09T13:15:00.001-07:002017-04-19T08:35:02.695-07:00Spring Sephora Makeup Haul<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Spring, my little birdies!</span><br />
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I hope everyone is doing just dandy today. I'm back from my little hiatus. Thanks for the patience. Sometimes when you don't have inspiration you just can't force it. I've gathered plenty of inspiration the past month and a half and have been super excited about getting back into it!<br />
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The other day I decided to do a little makeup shopping with my friend at Sephora. I originally was just going there to grab a Tarte Rain Forest of the Sea Color Splash Lipstick after watching Kathleen Lights' March Favorites video. I grabbed some more goodies apart from that, that I wanted to share with you!<br />
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So as you know, I grabbed one of the Color Splash Lipsticks after watching Kathleen's video. She had mentioned that she mostly loved the colors Pink Lemonade and Beach Babe. After seeing those I knew I had to get them for myself. I'm such a nude lipstick lover .. well.. I'm a lipstick fiend in general but nude shades are my favorite. They are 21 bucks a piece so I decided to just pick up Beach Babe for now. Besides it being the most beautiful nude lipstick I've set my eyes on, the packaging won my heart. It's in a blue packaging with stokes of white and dark blue faded into it. It reminds me of summer time by the pool side or the ocean. It's just gorgeous. With this type of packaging, it'll certainly be in the forefront of my lipstick stash.<br />
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(I apologize for the blurriness of most the photos! I took them with my iPhone because I couldn't find the charger to my camera. For some reason, when I put them in, they're blurry and I'm unable to fix it.)<br />
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As I was wandering around Sephora I noticed that they had some Huda Beauty lip products. I feel like Huda Beauty is a popular brand but hard to get your hands on here in the States. At least at my Sephora it is. They have a few products of hers but not much at all so I was very excited to have seen them. I decided to grab a liquid matte lipstick in the shade Muse. There were several beautiful colors to choose from but I decided to go with Muse as it's more of a deep mauve shade that's borderline berry and I don't have any like it so far.<br />
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As I went to go check out of Sephora I was suckered into those minis that they surround you in as you wait to pay. While looking around I noticed the Kat Von D Lock It Setting Powder. Now, I love my Rimmel Stay Matte powder I've been using for years but I've heard such great things about the Kat Von D one I decided to give it a try. It's a loose powder where as the Rimmel is pressed so I'm looking forward to seeing how I do with that. Hopefully won't make too much of a mess - and if I do - I hope it's worth it. ;)<br />
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Since April is my birthday month, I was also able to receive my birthday goodies from Sephora. I choose the Tarte mini duo. It has the Amazonian Clay Blush in the shade Paaarty and it also has the Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in the shade Birthday Suit. They're such beautiful colors and I'm so excited to try them out.<br />
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Last but not least, I picked up a MAC Lip Prep and Prime. (From MAC, not Sephora - of course) As much as I love lipsticks, my lips are ALWAYS dry. No matter how much lip balm I put on them, they always have dry spots that lipstick loves to cling on too. This Prep and Prime is supposed to help hydrate the lips while giving the lip colors a good base to stick too. Bonus point for stopping liquid lip colors from feathering out.<br />
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So that's all I got on my makeup shopping day out. It's been a while since I went out shopping for makeup so I feel this was long over due. Plus, I decided to splurge a little for an early birthday present to myself.<br />
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If you've tried any of these or know of any others like these leave me a comment down below!<br />
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I hope you enjoyed!<br />
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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Until next time,</div>
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Jay</div>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-53444910891612712772017-02-14T03:40:00.000-08:002017-02-14T03:40:59.397-08:00A Single's Valentine's Day<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome back, little birdies and Happy Valentine's Day!</span><br />
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I do hope you're all doing well today. I'm trying to stick to a schedule with my blog and while I was planning it out, I realized that I was scheduled to put up a blog post on Valentine's Day. Immediately, I got flustered on what to write about - debating whether I should acknowledge the day or not and put up a regular non themed post. When I was trying to get into the spirit of making it Valentine's themed I realized that everything I was thinking about was "date night ideas" or "what to get him for V-Day" and it frustrated me more because I have no idea at the moment. If you did or didn't know, I am single and have been for quite a while now. I have no idea what exciting adventures to unfold on date nights and have no clue what to buy a guy for that particular day. I was building up this "Perfect Blogger" idea in my head that this is what you're supposed to write about on Valentine's Day but that's not me. I've past the point of bitterness or feeling sad for myself on this day because I'm single. I love reading the cute date night stories or what cute thing a guy did to surprise his girlfriend. Although I do, it's not what will be happening for me this Valentine's day. So I started thinking, what would I do on this day? For me? I figured I'd write a Single's Valentine's Day guide. Grab some ideas, enjoy and love yourself today and every other day!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Dress Up or Dress Down!</u></span><br />
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<li> Dressing up for <u>yourself</u>! I love getting dressed up and love getting myself ready. I love doing it because it makes me feel good! I love the way I look and it makes me feel confident!</li>
<li>Dress down. Don't feel pressured to have to get all dressed up that day if you don't want too. Need a no makeup, sweats, and messy hair day? <i>Rock it.</i></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Don't be Afraid to get your Independence on!</u></span></div>
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<li>Movie for one? Yes, please! I love going to the cinema but one of the hardest things is agreeing what movie to actually watch. There will be movies that either you want to watch and they don't and visa versa. This will be a stress free, any movie YOU'D like kind of day. And you won't even have to share popcorn. ;)</li>
<li>Go shopping. Going out and finding new outfits is such a great feeling! Retail therapy is a real thing and it feels fabulous. I love finding new things to wear. Especially for spring which isn't far away! You'll be ahead of the game. </li>
<li>Treat yourself to a <i>Spa Daaaay.</i> A great way to take care of yourself is going to get a massage, facial and mani - pedi. You'll thank yourself for having one of those days.</li>
<li>Do something adventurous! Go out and do some rock climbing, or those obstacle courses. Depending on where you live you can go skiing or sledding. Take some chances on things you always wanted to do but were always too afraid of doing!</li>
<li>If you don't want to go out at all - stay home. There's seriously no place like home. It's the best snuggling up on the sofa or in bed, wrapped around my Totoro fluffy blanket, finding new shows to fall in love with on Netflix.</li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Create some Deliciousness in the Kitchen</u></span><br />
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<li>Go to the grocery store and stock up on cake mix and frosting. You can even buy those cute heart shaped sprinkles in different colors!</li>
<li>Scroll through Pinterest for baking ideas. I've typed in "Things to Bake for Valentine's Day" and the list goes on for miles on ideas. From chocolate covered strawberries, to marshmallow pops, to red velvet cupcakes, oh my!</li>
<li>If you've baked a special Valentine's Day treat, leave your links in the comments! I'd love to see what you've come up with.</li>
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And there you have it! A few ideas on what you could be doing on your Valentine's Day as I know I'll be doing a few of these as well. I'm ready to take on this day with positivity and love towards myself. Bonus points for treating yourself! I hope you enjoy this day whether with a significant other, friends or family, or even just flying solo. Sending some Blissful Beauty Bird love your way.</div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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Until Next Time,</div>
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Jay</div>
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Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-69346937380870945542017-02-10T04:20:00.000-08:002017-02-10T04:20:10.478-08:00Summer Inspired BooHoo Wish List<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome back, little birdies!</span><br />
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Recently, I made my first purchase over on the BooHoo USA site after being recommended it by one of my friends. I've always heard of BooHoo but because it wasn't a store I could physically go into - I was skeptical about the clothing and if they'd fit. One thing that worries me with online shopping is if an item doesn't fit. I'm sooo impatient that I'd probably be a bit disappointed that I'd have to send it back and wait for a replacement. Regardless, I took the plunge and ordered online. I'll do an outfit post on what I bought in the future as I absolutely LOVE what I got and I've gotten so many compliments from the items that I did buy from there that I'm excited to purchase more!<br />
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By my wish list you might suspect a theme. <b>Dark</b> and<i> lace</i>. I'm just loving these summer inspired tops. The Sally Ruffle Neck Lace Georgette and the Julia Crochet Trim High Neck Sleeveless Blouse make me want a beautiful holiday over in Spain. At a beach,. with a pina colada (virgin).<br />
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Along with that I love the Petite Dina Crochet Lace High Neck Bodycon Dress (these names are <i>loong </i>haha). It's the perfect summer dress and I choose the color in white to help out with the tan. Can I quickly just mention how much I love when a clothing store has a Petite section!? It can get hard sometimes finding clothes we're not swimming in or having to hem the bottom of the pants for. :)<br />
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The last two, Erin Long Sleeved Ruffle Shirt and the Lola Slash Neck Fisherman Jumper are great summer night items when things start to get chilly. One casual and the other dressy.<br />
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I know summer is quite the way a ways but I love the thought that it can be so close and we can get ready for it by buying clothes for the warm weather! These are definitely in my cart ready for check out for my next purchase as I just adore these items. Nothing wrong with wishful thinking for summer months to get here soon!<br />
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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Until Next Time,</div>
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Jay</div>
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-69816534615212654722017-02-06T05:33:00.001-08:002017-02-06T05:33:30.070-08:00HandPicked Beauty Box January 2017<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome back, little birdies!</span><br />
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I hope you're all doing well on this fine day. One thing that gets me excited for a new month is the box I subscribed to at the end of November. HandPicked Beauty Box is a fairly new subscription box that consists of 5<u> FULL</u> sized items! Isn't that amazing?! The only catch is this box is more expensive than the other boxes out on the market at the moment - which is totally understandable seeing as these are high end products. I'm certainly enjoying it and it's only my second box. I'll be showing you what I received for the month of January 2017.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42PBiuRfAk6Ya_cf_v77DZlsy_x60zg6XjItMYTBuuNwXtWnVT1GnMypoBBRW97sH-NHriLop7W05BVgpMilEqZNMMJTIjxGa-iEWG7nvdJ5A3025LEwnnBoD1B2H36ZD53PJzzgHch0/s1600/HandPicked+Box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42PBiuRfAk6Ya_cf_v77DZlsy_x60zg6XjItMYTBuuNwXtWnVT1GnMypoBBRW97sH-NHriLop7W05BVgpMilEqZNMMJTIjxGa-iEWG7nvdJ5A3025LEwnnBoD1B2H36ZD53PJzzgHch0/s640/HandPicked+Box.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The first thing I saw when I opened the box was a Tony Moly Lip Scrub in Kiss Kiss. My lips are almost always dry and I can't seem to make them nice, smooth and plump. So I was excited to see this in the box. I've heard great things about the brand but have never tried them out myself. I'm SO ready for beautiful luscious lips so I hope this does the job. :)<br />
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The next thing in the box was this SkinFood Lettuce & Cucumber Watery Toner. To be honest, the foodie in me thought it was a drink at first when I saw it just before reading that it's for my face - haha. I'm so intrigued by this. I do want to do a little more research on this though as my skin is pretty sensitive and when I tried to look at the instructions on the back of the bottle it was all in Korean - it did although have a sticker of ingredients on there in English so you know what's in it. I'd love to learn more about this brand and see how my skin takes to this new toner. I'm excited to try it out!<br />
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I then saw a beautiful package that said Urban Decay on it. This is only the second box I've received from this subscription and this is the second Urban Decay product I've gotten and that makes me so excited! It's one of my favorite brands and I love that this helps me to be able to try out different products from there I probably wouldn't have gotten before. I received this UD Revolution High Color LipGloss in the color Fail Bait. It's a lovely pink shade that's super glossy. I feel like this will be a staple in my collection over the summer.<br />
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Next I saw a little Becca box. I loved seeing this in here because I always hear great things about Becca cosmetics and I've never gotten anything from them before. I'm happy to finally have a product of theirs. It's a Shadow and Light Brow Contour Mousse. Now, I'm not great at doing my brows. Actually, I'm pretty horrible at it haha. So I'm glad to have a good high end product to practice with. I did try it out today and the formula is brilliant - very lovely. The only thing with this is that it's in the shade Cocoa and it's a bit light for me as my hair is quite dark. Regardless, I think this is a great product and it applied smoothly.<br />
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The last (and biggest) item in the box is this Fiona Stiles Eyes and Face Contouring Palette. I've never heard of this brand and had to look them up to see what it was all about but the palette looks absolutely high quality and I'm pretty excited to try out all the shades in here. I did use the contour shade in the palette and it is SO pigmented. It's matte so it has no shimmer in it. I feel like that's my favorite contour shade I've seen so fair. I can't wait to use the shadows, highlights and blushes!<br />
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Over all I was VERY intrigued with January's HandPicked Box. I feel like it was very focused on enhancing your natural beauty - from eyes, brows, and face contours to skin / lip care to a natural gloss to your lips. This box has gotten me so excited for the summer time. I'm glad for all the things in the months box and I can't wait to fall in love with all the products like I've done with some already. If you're interested or looking into a subscription box and wouldn't mind spending a little extra I'd recommend giving this a little look. I've been enjoying it so far.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Mini Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I purchased this box with my own money and have a monthly subscription with HandPicked that I pay for - monthly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Random behind the scenes haha)</span></div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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Until Next Time,</div>
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Jay</div>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-49288635166713751682017-01-29T05:40:00.002-08:002017-01-29T05:40:43.411-08:00A - Z of Me<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome back, little birdies!</span><br />
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I did a bit of a different post today. As most of you already know the lovely, Peta, from <a href="http://pe-ta.com/" target="_blank">Pe-Ta</a> had created a WhatsApp group of about 19 other bloggers called The Blogging Friends (recently changed to M I E U - Motivate Inspire Empower Uplift) around the start of November. I've become so close with those girls I feel like speaking to them is part of my every day life. One day I think there were blog post ideas being thrown around and Peta had mentioned an A - Z of Me type of post. I've not seen anyone do it so I figured it would be something fun to do on my blog. So credit for this idea goes totally to Peta. I encourage you to do one of yourself as well! It's so nice to learn more of others - even the silly facts!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">A - Anxiety</span></b></div>
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Sorry to start off on a sour note but anxiety is a part of who I am. Anyone that know's me well know how badly I struggle with it from time to time and how serious the matter can be. It's not a great part but it's something that definitely makes me - well.. me.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>B - Birds</b></span></div>
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This may be a bit of a strange one. If you couldn't already tell by the name of this blog.. birds are my favorite animal. To be more specific, Sparrows. I just love the way they are. Cute little things! They're small and hop around instead of walking (waddling?). They kind of remind me of myself! Bubbly, small creatures. Haha :)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>C - Christian</b></span></div>
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If you've read passed posts of mine you will know that I am a Christian. I got saved in September of 2013. Putting my faith in Jesus Christ was the best decision I've made!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>D - Dog</b></span></div>
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For the majority of my life, I've had a little Toy Poodle named Sam. (Toy Poodles are an actual breed of dogs.. I don't mean a fake dog haha!) Fun fact: We named her Samantha because when I was younger my favorite singer was an Irish singer called Samantha Mumba.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>E - Education</b></span></div>
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Education is a huge part of peoples lives including my own. Although I haven't been active in college for the past year, I'm excited to return to my classes this Fall 2017 to continue my journey on graduating and getting a degree for a career I'd love to be in.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>F - Fashion</b></span></div>
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I love fashion as much as the next girl so it's no surprise this would make the list. I love putting outfits together and new trends that are happening. I also love shopping. Definitely love shopping. I went to a trade high school, so I was in Fashion Merchandising a good 3 of 4 years. I did really enjoy it and even searched Fashion Merchandising Colleges after I graduated.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>G - Gullible</b></span></div>
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This is a bit of a tongue in cheek one. Sometimes I can be so guilty of being gullible that when my friends joke around they might have to tell me it's a joke. For example, one of my coworkers had a Dunkin cup and on it had the letters F and U and the number 2. My coworkers joked with me and told me that someone had written something rude on there and I was in shock that someone could be so rude and disrespectful as to put that on someones drink. Well.. once they started laughing at me I figured something was up. Apparently, the F stands for French. The U was actually a V and stood for Vanilla and the number 2 was just indicating 2 shots of it. Insert covering eye monkey emoji here.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>H - Hugs</b></span></div>
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Once again if you know me you know I'm a hugger! I'll go around the room (room full of people I know.. not just strangers haha) and give everyone a hug when I see them and when I'm about to leave. Meaningful hugs are lovely, don't ya think!? As Olaf would say, I love warm hugs!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I - Independence</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This is a huge one. One thing I strive to be is an Independent Women. Am I living at home at the moment? Yes. Are my parents amazing and help me out? Yes. But it's my parent's who have taught me to strive to be independent and to make sure I work hard for my own future. I made this reference before but I'd love to be as strong, brave, adventurous and independent as Lara Croft. :)</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">J - Jay</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">My name!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> Ja</span><span style="font-size: small;">y is short for my actual name that I won't mention haha. It came about in middle school when I made new friends and they wouldn't remember my actual name (it's not that common) so instead they called me Jay. Only a few of my closest friends now and some coworkers call me J</span><span style="font-size: small;">ay.</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">K - Kitten</b></div>
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This is something that might be surprising. I love kittens and I'll love to pet them especially when they're babies. But I actually get nervous around cats! Haha I saw this show when I was younger and this cat attacked a person and now I'm nervous that they'll just run up to me and attack me haha. I'm more likely to give them a cuddle when they're small though. :)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>L - Laughter</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Who doesn't love to laugh? One of my many favorite moments in life is when I have a good ol' laugh! Like I mean a bent over, about to create a 6-pack of abs, teary laugh. Those are the absolute best and moments that I tend to remember because of it. What a great thing in life to enjoy time with your friends and family and have a laugh!</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">M - Mindfulness</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This is something I've been trying to do recently. A certain goal of mine this new year. I would like to be more aware of things. The way I am, how I treat myself, what I eat, what I say, how I treat others or how others are feeling. I just want to be more aware of myself and the world around me. I look forward to doing more of that this new year!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>N - Nurture</b></span><br />
I'm not a mother yet but I'm already a very nurturing person. I always want to help people from any hurt or sadness they're going through. I've feel like I've always been a very caring person.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>O - Ocean</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Something else that kind of big in my life is that I can't swim! The many times I wanted to be a mermaid would be useless when the mermaid can't swim.. My friends have been trying to teach me and I'm not doing too shabby to be honest! I'm sure I'll get there one day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>P - Princess</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Let's all move to Disney World and be princess', yeah?! Who's with me!? While watching the show Once Upon a Time I had the strongest urge to just be a princess for the rest of my life. It was a serious career move thought. Haha</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q - Queen</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">A fun fact I like to share with people is that I share the same birth day (not the year ;) ) with the Queen of England. I was born on April 21.</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">R - Romance</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I am the biggest hopeless romantic. Although I'm single, I want all the gushy love that you see in those romantic movies. I wear my heart on my sleeve and love hard. That may be why I'm still single haha. I'm picky but only because you have those amazing romance movies and all the Disney princess' who have their prince charmings. I'm sure I'll have my own price one day. In the mean time, I'll have my heart explode confetti watching rom coms!</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">S - Shortie</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This is another silly one but I'm a proud shortie at the grand ol' height of 4'11. Haha. My height is something I was made fun of a lot in school. What people didn't realize is that it never bothered me! I love my height! I think it's super cute and the great fact that I can wear 6 inch heels and be a "normal" girl height haha.</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">T - Thunderstorms</b></div>
<span style="text-align: center;">I love me some thunderstorms! That's honestly one of my favorite things about summer time is all the thunderstorms you get. I love falling asleep to it because I find it so relaxing. On top of that, I really enjoy watching lightening. Is that weird? Last summer we had a lot of dry heat that meant we got those lightening storms - when it's not raining but there are lightening flashes. Those are my favorite. I just really enjoy them.</span><br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">U - Unconditional</b><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">I'm loved and do love others unconditionally! And I can't imagine just how much love I'll have for my own kids!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>V - Visual</b></span><br />
I'm very much a visual learner. I can't just learn something by hearing it - like lectures, I have to see how it's done and then have to do it myself. :)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>W - Wanderlust</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I've mentioned this before but I'm itching to start traveling. My mom is a big traveler. She loves to visit places she's never been before and has traveled to Europe quite a few times along with other places. I feel like traveling is in my blood and I'm ready to have it take over! My first trip will be to England! I've wanted to go for <i>yeaarss </i>but I've not been able to until now! I'm so excited. I feel like one day I'll end up living there. Another place I'd love to visit hopefully in the near future is Japan! Dream big!</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">X - X Ray</b><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">I've never broken a bone before which I feel is the most common reason people need x-rays but I did have pancreatitis when I was 8 years old and had to get my appendix removed at 16 years old. Those are pretty grim but I'm sure I needed x-rays for that some how haha.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Y - Youthful</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">I'm still young! I've got my whole life ahead of me to achieve goals and travel the world and fall in love. I want to live life with adventures that I will one day be able to tell my future grandchildren.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Z - Zoo</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">How original, I know ;) Trying to think back at it.. I don't think I've ever been to a zoo!? Is that not actually insane. I feel like it's part of life to go at some point in your life. I can't remember if we've gone on a field trip when I was younger but I have no recollection of going to a zoo. Or seeing Zebras. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">That was quite difficult to do! It's a little hard to think of words per letter especially when it gets down to the end of the alphabet. I did have a lot of fun thinking of words that correspond with my life and hopefully you enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about me! It's not a tag but I would encourage you to do this as it's fun to do and entertaining to look back on things. If you do this please leave your link in the comments as I'd love to have a read!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thanks so much for reading!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Until next time,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Jay</span></div>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-29100629240750767392017-01-21T04:11:00.000-08:002017-01-21T04:11:15.738-08:00Early Autumn Outfit (In the middle of Winter)<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome back, little birdies!</span><br />
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Before we begin this post I would just like to say how I started this post back in Autumn. Hence the title - Early Autumn Outfit. I decided to put it up regardless of being months late because I figured that we don't all live in a cold area as New England. Others live in those beautiful warm areas all year around or even across the world where winter is like our summer. What I'm trying to say is this can be worn as is or even layered for the cold. So, lets get into the post!<br />
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I'm so excited for this post - just as I am any other fashion post I put up because they are few and far between. I teamed up with my best friend Mia from <a href="http://www.confidentlycurly.com/" target="_blank">ConfidentlyCurly</a> to bring you a slightly more autumnal feel to this fashion post. This one was actually inspired by the absolutely beautiful Georgie from <a href="http://www.shedreams.co.uk/2016/10/print-ankle-boots.html" target="_blank">She Dreams</a> . She did a beautiful outfit post showcasing her lovely dress, stylish booties, and super adorbs bracelet.<br />
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I saw this dress at Forever 21 when I was browsing around and once I found this gorgeous floral print, my ideas of what to pair it with starting flowing. This is more of a light weight material which is why I figured it would be great for the early weather of autumn. It can be paired nicely and just right for cold weather if it's layered. The front comes down to a deep V neck which does have a little clasp to it to help secure it in place. It's sleeves are kind of long but it's just the way I prefer it to hide my hands in. Plus, I'm 4'11 so I have pretty short limbs. It could end at the right spot for you taller girls. ;)<br />
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I paired it with this beautiful belt I also bought at Forever 21. I've been searching high and low for a belt like this so when I found it, I knew it would be perfect with this outfit. I decided to wear leggings with this outfit because the front was quite.. open. To be honest, I'm not sure if this is a shirt for normal sized girls but it sure does fit like a dress for us shorter folk. Haha! So to be on the safe side I just put on some comfy black leggings that my sister in law had given to me. I also decided to wear my little grey booties to compliment the outfit.<br />
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As finishing touches I put on my dark blush rose cat ears that I bought from Hot Topic. I don't wear it out often so I figured this would be the perfect time to show case those cute kitty ears. I also bought a ribbon choker from Forever 21. I have one in this pink color and also in black other than those I honestly wouldn't buy those from there again. They were about $4.00 for a ribbon I could of gotten from JoAnn Fabrics for less and done it myself. - rant over. Haha. I decided to help the ears stand out a bit more to wear the pink ribbon choker as well.<br />
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So there you have it! A bit of a late outfit post but can certainly be layered for the colder months. Or you can just read this again next Autumn for some inspiration. Either one ;)<br />
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What are your favorite outfits for Autumn that you'd layer up for the colder winter months? Have you checked out Georgie's outfit? What are your favorite pieces from this outfit? Let me know in the comments!<br />
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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Until Next Time,</div>
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Jay</div>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-29953318118850797142017-01-17T04:28:00.000-08:002017-01-17T04:28:58.157-08:00The Creme Shop - The OMG Brush<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome back, little birdies!</span><br />
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I hope you're all doing well. Today, I would like to share with you one of my favorite Christmas presents that I got from my sister. Before I go into what it is, we've all heard about the ever so popular Artis Brushes. Honestly, I've never been bothered to grab any regardless of all the hype I've heard over it. I was highly surprised when I opened this gift from my sister to see that it was actually a dupe of well known oval brushes. It's from a brand I've never heard before but will definitely be buying more from - The Creme Shop.<br />
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When I opened the gift I recognized the type of brush straight away. It was a clear dupe but from the brand The Creme Shop instead. My sister got me the "Omg Brush" which definitely lives up to it's name thus far. I wasn't expecting much of it until I took it out of it's packaging and rubbed the brush on my hand. The SOFTEST brush I think I've ever felt.<br />
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Besides the absolute beauty that is rose gold hardware on it, the bristles itself is what makes this brush. After trying out just how amazingly soft it is, I was so ready to put it to the test. I used it with a very light weight foundation from Bare Minerals and their concealer. At this moment, I might even like it more than my Real Techniques sponge.<br />
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I've been enjoying this brush so much, I've been on the hunt for others like it for the rest of my face from this same brand. They have a bit online but I also heard they're sold at Walgreen's if you're from the U.S. I checked my local Walgreen's and unfortunately they didn't have them there so I'll have to double check where my sister got it from and if they have different ones.<br />
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I can't wait to find more of these as I was surprised how well this works. It makes my foundation so flawless I'm just so excited that I was given it for Christmas. I would definitely recommend giving this a try if you're looking for an affordable option of those more expensive oval brushes. I'll definitely have to try and find others and keep you updated on how they all work out for me when I do. This is defintiely going to be a staple of mine for the year of 2017.<br />
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Have you tried this brand before? Do you know of any dupes of the ever so popular oval brushes?<br />
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Thanks so much for reading!</div>
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Until next time,</div>
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Jay</div>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267580233252412579.post-22130652468444075842017-01-06T07:04:00.001-08:002017-01-06T07:04:40.611-08:00Ulta's Sample Beauty Bag<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome back, Little Birdies!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>As many of you, I did quite the shopping this holiday season and I wanted to share with you some goodies I got. I did some Christmas shopping on the Ulta website for Black Friday and Cyber Monday and because I spent over a certain amount on the site, I was eligible to receive a Ulta bag with some sample to try in it. I picked this super cute gold bag that I can use as my makeup bag when I travel. I'll try and divvy these up into beauty, skincare and hair care samples to make it a bit easier.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u>Beauty:</u></i></b></span><br />
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<li>The first thing I noticed in the bag beauty related was this Eyeko London Eye Do Liquid Eyeliner. I've actually never tried anything from Eyeko but I've heard great things about it. I did a swatch on my hand of it and it looked to be really good quality so I can't wait to give this one a try.</li>
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<li>I also received a sample of Benefit's Porefessional which I have used in the past and did love it but never actually got a full sized product of so I'm glad to have a bit more before I do decide to buy the whole thing. </li>
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<li>I found in my little bag of sample goodies was this Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal! I was over the moon to find this in my bag because although I've heard amazing things about Becca cosmetics I've never tried any of their products. So I will happily try on this highlight to see how I get on with it. </li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdP5BUn9xU1OxXli6FRIuqDGIGXV4AHyHyzMzGK031E8gVJF3Gyg3BcZIkKQ_A0ZN8amZ6YQdc5Bud1zlJ0EdPFirw6UcUYfi0VP2R65UOwhDXyMnuF_aAAxtRpngFAAmpGen-zIBvv9c/s1600/UBBMKUP4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdP5BUn9xU1OxXli6FRIuqDGIGXV4AHyHyzMzGK031E8gVJF3Gyg3BcZIkKQ_A0ZN8amZ6YQdc5Bud1zlJ0EdPFirw6UcUYfi0VP2R65UOwhDXyMnuF_aAAxtRpngFAAmpGen-zIBvv9c/s640/UBBMKUP4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<ol>
<li>(Going along with my Becca highlight) I didn't receive this product in my bag but it was a sample from Ulta so I thought I'd share it as well. It's the Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation. I love to find new foundations to try so I'm really hoping one of these sample colors match so I can test it out. :)</li>
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<li>I'm pretty sure I've tried this product before but I can't recall how well it worked for me. It's the Smashbox Photo Finish foundation primer. At the moment I use the Kat Von D foundation primer so I'd like to see how this one holds up compared to that one. </li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjS99AGLknQ685AGYhhETAhPAthmwgVDPP0z1bdfhpnRIaBkjb-TLi-zQ58RHeg243Ai9i4qPyf3ga-IYF0YhK7iOh66jolqoplq9UCTht4ScS7UoFAisSV6JFiop1tDmhT_MGUUsC72k/s1600/UBBMKUP2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjS99AGLknQ685AGYhhETAhPAthmwgVDPP0z1bdfhpnRIaBkjb-TLi-zQ58RHeg243Ai9i4qPyf3ga-IYF0YhK7iOh66jolqoplq9UCTht4ScS7UoFAisSV6JFiop1tDmhT_MGUUsC72k/s640/UBBMKUP2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>Lastly in the beauty category are the EcoTools single pack makeup brush cleansing cloths. I've never heard of these cleansing cloths and am super excited to try them out and see how well they work. They're meant to give your brushes a quick daily cleanse. I think they'll be great for eyeshadow brushes - that way your colors won't mix. :)</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwlPmwb85_2yu4oV7K-kf6CRb_pAMmwsHYJhg-NHpa0_-dRjVfaCZhE9K3gOD2Bx1JXLd78Aaxto2vcoUcTjsoTLz3Lde14SFi6vWcsJ18IL6-ucw9ieKxhe7NrT9XW1gsMrLh2SJl0w/s1600/UBBMKUP1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwlPmwb85_2yu4oV7K-kf6CRb_pAMmwsHYJhg-NHpa0_-dRjVfaCZhE9K3gOD2Bx1JXLd78Aaxto2vcoUcTjsoTLz3Lde14SFi6vWcsJ18IL6-ucw9ieKxhe7NrT9XW1gsMrLh2SJl0w/s640/UBBMKUP1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u>Skin Care:</u></i></b></span></div>
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<ul>
<li>Once again the first thing I noticed in skin care was Proactiv+ Skin Purifying Mask which is a Sulfur Acne Treatment. I love trying out different skin care but I also get a bit weary because my face is sensitive and can break out quiet easily. So maybe I can try this bad boy when I'm not having a really good skin day. :)</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixZ9z2005yKiMs-diY2r-7cU-D-Rm3xRlInd5AgZcYngl7ROlrMdrbsitnDSgBQXHwdYDdSaaVCNc6w0nEoKKnSXag0eCbm3KA1HtT78C_EwcrfyyN1hByG5rZJYPkC3QKM_gRnlNwQ4/s1600/UBBSkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixZ9z2005yKiMs-diY2r-7cU-D-Rm3xRlInd5AgZcYngl7ROlrMdrbsitnDSgBQXHwdYDdSaaVCNc6w0nEoKKnSXag0eCbm3KA1HtT78C_EwcrfyyN1hByG5rZJYPkC3QKM_gRnlNwQ4/s640/UBBSkin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>Next, I found Philosophy Purity made Simple 3 in 1 cleanser for face and eyes. As you might know from my previous skin care posts I have purchased the full size of this product and absolutely loved it. It's super gentle on the skin with giving it a good cleanse as well. This will definitely be used up and might even tempt me into buying a full size as backup when I've run out of my Origins.</li>
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<ul>
<li>Speaking of Origins, there was a Origin's Original Skin Retexturizing mask with Rose Clay added to the mix. Origins has to be my favorite skin care line thus far (with Philosophy at runner up) and love to try new things from them. Excited to see how I get on with this.</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGIZsjKDBJsbSr_Hx0K7mr6-xdqJgYGFL6PQJpixRO-KK3YECvk-DFDslfb7QS_vGRgySqep2N1peikCPmViEJxdTM8jup0L1lW70CEy3XdZeXrvAJswb1xjIV6rJGl5e6twqOI6CgL4/s1600/UBBSkin1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGIZsjKDBJsbSr_Hx0K7mr6-xdqJgYGFL6PQJpixRO-KK3YECvk-DFDslfb7QS_vGRgySqep2N1peikCPmViEJxdTM8jup0L1lW70CEy3XdZeXrvAJswb1xjIV6rJGl5e6twqOI6CgL4/s640/UBBSkin1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<li>This next brand of skin care I've never heard of before. I received a Lasting Hydration Collagen Boosting Coconut Body Butter from the breand Whish. I'm actually quite intrigued to try this product out. On this sample packaging it says, "Whish is dedicated to the discovery of natural ingredients which enable intelligent choices for your skin. Welcome to a gentle new world." That right there made me super excited to use this. I tend to have very dry skin especially in the winter months. So trying out this new body butter that prides itself on natural ingredients is a plus!</li>
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<ul>
<li>Next thing I picked up was this Julep Love Your Bare Face Hydrating Cleansing Oil. I'm excited to use this for the fact I stated before but my skin gets VERY dry. It's worse when it's on your face because no one wants foundation sticking to dry patches. I'll love to see how this rejuvenates my skin to a more softer and hydrated glow!</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cNy3zE6-R-vjZwV9shGyFQtrZbUMrEPotaIeVqrSjQiWfYeWfObGoEb4kdV25snYzzaZGb8GBy5d8UbciNcSz8YaumD7v9sVD93DERDavJrzQpv_YDpwz1DlR6ppJb8YPDuRuQ2TXNc/s1600/UBBSkin2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cNy3zE6-R-vjZwV9shGyFQtrZbUMrEPotaIeVqrSjQiWfYeWfObGoEb4kdV25snYzzaZGb8GBy5d8UbciNcSz8YaumD7v9sVD93DERDavJrzQpv_YDpwz1DlR6ppJb8YPDuRuQ2TXNc/s640/UBBSkin2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>Another item that I received was the Lancome Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate. I think it's a serum but I'm not quite sure if I use it before I put on my makeup or I use it just before washing my face morning and night. Something I'll have to look more into :)</li>
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<ul>
<li>Lastly, I got two samples from Ulta Beauty Radiant Skin Collection. I got the Warming Charcoal Cleanser and the Sleeping Cream. To be honest, I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Sleeping Cream works out for me. If I like it I may just grab the full size version.</li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u>Hair Care:</u></i></b></span></div>
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<li>I see a trend happening here! I noticed the larger sample first haha. For hair care I got this Redken 25 Benefit One United Multi Benefit Treatment. The bottle doesn't tell me too much of what it does and how it benefits my hair. I'm guessing by the directions that it's a leave in conditioner? I'll have to do some research on this before I start using it.</li>
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<ul>
<li>Going along with Redken, I also received their High Rise Volume Lifting Shampoo and Conditioner. I love the sound of this seeing as I love when there's volume in my hair. The only thing I'll have to double check with it is if it's color safe as I color my hair a lot.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rsGQDiuWN0UlRfEVXHe30Epj-p-_Xdn8OYu0hb6WZeZkmcZeAHW_FhRev5rxlbOTlN8FXUYqkiOWSNgXNujP5loZrgSRxu75Dspq9DpxXFN4G_ENfc6xwgDfb7BSpJR8VF7wybeak00/s1600/UBBHair3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rsGQDiuWN0UlRfEVXHe30Epj-p-_Xdn8OYu0hb6WZeZkmcZeAHW_FhRev5rxlbOTlN8FXUYqkiOWSNgXNujP5loZrgSRxu75Dspq9DpxXFN4G_ENfc6xwgDfb7BSpJR8VF7wybeak00/s640/UBBHair3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>Last in the hair care was this Orlando Pita Play Volumizing Shampoo. I've never heard of this brand before but just the sample package itself make me excited to try it out.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2rhxDhaqxiJCNao103T-uoooWLKVd_Cd8VqwubwrRW1xShY7EwynZa3F1P5FKDjafMZGbH_ROcW7hQAsFOpeouIiW8Lr66mZWvp4RXII3RGO6_00JQVB6_NPJXAyrGqv-Rlu_5Vfx8A/s1600/UBBHair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2rhxDhaqxiJCNao103T-uoooWLKVd_Cd8VqwubwrRW1xShY7EwynZa3F1P5FKDjafMZGbH_ROcW7hQAsFOpeouIiW8Lr66mZWvp4RXII3RGO6_00JQVB6_NPJXAyrGqv-Rlu_5Vfx8A/s640/UBBHair.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u>Scents:</u></i></b></span></div>
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<li>I left scents to last mostly because I'm not huge on perfume. I mentioned in past posts that I'm very sensitive to smells and can easily get a pounding headache and nauseous from scents that are too strong. I tend to lean towards light, airy scents. Regardless, I'll share what I got in the bag. First up is the Michael Kors Wonderlust which caught my eye with non other than the beautiful pink and gold packaging. It's a very feminine scent but probably not one I would purchase. </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXXdY60T4kTUckaEauh6-a_U9X3F8-wCnWRlHOvdOkFRmusro0HeixGiN7_F6YKoHSGAbtVodiy702UUbeTCoPyXi9UIyaPuOVOTtUUAf7Vlip3qOW_hkQ82XB1e8NZg0nzBvi3Ggu0c/s1600/UBBPerfume.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXXdY60T4kTUckaEauh6-a_U9X3F8-wCnWRlHOvdOkFRmusro0HeixGiN7_F6YKoHSGAbtVodiy702UUbeTCoPyXi9UIyaPuOVOTtUUAf7Vlip3qOW_hkQ82XB1e8NZg0nzBvi3Ggu0c/s640/UBBPerfume.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>Next I noticed was the I (heart) Juicy Couture sample. I've never really been a Juicy Couture kind of girl so I might just hand that one over to my sister and see if she'd like it. :)</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRYef5y3fZ0n8qzt6EIQzi8npFGcqQlLo74EVQUZ41zrpTg9eSIRtuPJqIki_TZA-s8Cf4T0PnMn7WOZjdRpjFoOmhthuGPUZsVKq1onJq7WDHGLHXU81S0N0RWCXBgAq98VBPEb493g/s1600/UBBPerfume2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRYef5y3fZ0n8qzt6EIQzi8npFGcqQlLo74EVQUZ41zrpTg9eSIRtuPJqIki_TZA-s8Cf4T0PnMn7WOZjdRpjFoOmhthuGPUZsVKq1onJq7WDHGLHXU81S0N0RWCXBgAq98VBPEb493g/s640/UBBPerfume2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>I got three samples of Burberry's Brit For Her. It comes in the cute little pouch that I honestly don't want to break open because it looks adorable. </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsY6FOohPRFyg4rgmBCSBdd35YEzt6ZnYlhSUHSl65ZkE8zcgYwS6q_yUtYKr267I7ca5DG2Ku93X_ltPG7Q9kiIcI_dZyl12ggt6MrauToC-FhAr7hpwThzO3M9hmSIoTXNvFVb37tw/s1600/UBBPerfume3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsY6FOohPRFyg4rgmBCSBdd35YEzt6ZnYlhSUHSl65ZkE8zcgYwS6q_yUtYKr267I7ca5DG2Ku93X_ltPG7Q9kiIcI_dZyl12ggt6MrauToC-FhAr7hpwThzO3M9hmSIoTXNvFVb37tw/s640/UBBPerfume3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>Last of the whole bag, I received this Prada Sport perfume that also came in a little sample casing that I really don't want to open. I'm sure I can give them to my friends or family to test out the scents so they don't go to waste. :)</li>
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And there you have it! Along with some coupons that were added to the bag, those are all the samples I got from Ulta during their sales! There are SO many great products in here that I can't wait to try out and hopefully fall in love with some great ones. I love trying out new things and this is a perfect way to do so.</div>
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Mini disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I did get this bag for free with samples in them but only because I made a purchase over a certain amount on their site to become eligible to receive one.</div>
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If you would like to see a review on any of these products to see how I got on with them, let me know!</div>
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As always, thanks for reading!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Until next time,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Jay</div>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06179940423954391915noreply@blogger.com6