Blogmas Day 13: What I Read Wednesday – Edition 0002 – Maintaining the Status Quo!

Well, it’s “What I Read Wednesday” time again, and I STILL have SIX books on my currently reading list…and the majority are still the same books! *facedesks* If you’d like to see my previous post about those, you can click here.

I didn’t make much progress on those, BUT since I did finish The Amazing Book is Not on Fire: The World of Dan and Phil, I felt like starting something different, so I started to re-read one of my favorite mangas ever, Fruits Basket! This is also technically Dan’s fault, since he recently made an anime rec video, where he talked about the Fruits Basket anime (yes, I own it, and YES, it’s good too!), and I thought to myself, “Self, you need to re-read this manga!”, and so here we are!

If you’re not familiar with this manga series, let me learn you some things! XD

This is Tohru Honda, our heroine:

As the manga opens, we find out that Tohru is living on her own (IN A TENT!!), having lost her mother the previous year; (she would have been staying with her grandpa, but his house is being renovated). The land she has her tent on belongs to the Sohma family. Tohru meets Yuki and Shigure Sohma, who live nearby (and Yuki is Tohru’s schoolmate) and through a series of events, they invite Tohru to stay with them, until the renovations on her grandpa’s house are complete.

The shenanigans kick off with the arrival of Kyo Sohma, who has an intense rivalry with Yuki, and their fight leads to the revelation of their family secret to Tohru; that some members of the Sohma family are possessed by the spirits of the Chinese zodiac, and when physically weak or hugged by a member of the opposite sex, they change into their zodiac animal!!

Of course, they eventually change back into human form, but when they do, there’s a surprise…

I’ve read this series quite a few times, so I’d definitely recommend this. Overall, it’s a story about life; dealing with love and loss, friendships and family, being true to yourself by just being yourself, with a good balance of comedy and drama throughout.

This week, I’ve already read the first four volumes, and am almost done with volume five. Luckily, next week, I am on vacation *nances about*, so I’ll probably have this series finished by next Wednesday, and hopefully, maybe have one or two of the other longtime “currently reading” books completed. *fingers crossed*

As mentioned in my previous post, feel free to friend me over at Goodreads, where you can see all kinds of bookish activity! Please share any recommendations, books, or manga you are currently reading, in the comments! ^.^v

Blogmas Day 12: Decorating the Christmas Tree!

Evening all! I just realized we are halfway to Christmas! The month is just flying by; I need it to slow down, just a bit, so I can enjoy all the holiday festivities!

This past weekend, we finally got our tree put up. We decided to keep it simple with the decorations. Our tree itself is an artificial tree, pre-lit with white lights, and stands around 7 feet or so.

After assembling, we started to decorate by winding around some beaded garland. We ended up using three different types; one gold & red with assorted baubles, one creamy-white iridescent ovals & discs, and a clear pearled strand.

Once those were on, we started hanging the baubles; they are a sea foam color, with reflective silver leaves and birds, outlined in glitter.

Mom purchased these on QVC, but not sure who made them, brand-wise. After those were hung, Mom went in with some Mercury Glass Bird Ornaments, in silver, by Valerie Parr Hill, which she also got from QVC.

To fill in some of the remaining gaps, we had some golden bell ornaments & bunches of berries, to stick in those spots.

All of the decorations worked pretty well together:

To top the tree off, we put up our traditional angel that we’ve had pretty much since I was born. It belonged to my Nanny, and it is one of our traditional pieces, that we always use.

To finish up, we placed the tree skirt we got from Target years back.

Now, to get some presents wrapped, and placed under the tree! XD

That’s it for my tree this year! Have you got your tree up? What’s your favorite part of decorating? Please feel free to share in the comments! 🙂

Blogmas Days 8-11: Catching Up & Beauty Advent Calendar Goodies Round Up – Part 2

Well, it’s happened. I missed a few days in Blogmas, AGAIN!! *facedesks* To be honest, I’m a bit pants at planning ahead, unless it’s for trips or something like that. XD (I really need to take organizational lessons from Zoë, cause I have NO IDEA how she’s able to do 24 Days of Zoella AND Vlogmas at the same time, without some major planning way in advance! Plz to be teaching me your ways, senpai! lolz) I have ideas of what I want to do and write about, and have the basic info typed out, but I tend to edit everything in the blog the day of posting, so I rarely have posts scheduled ahead of time.

Honestly, after the Migraine of Doom, I just rested a lot this weekend. The work week takes a lot out of me, so more often than not, my weekends are my stay at home and chill days, unless I do have an errand or two to run, that I couldn’t do during the week. We did go out on Saturday, so I could get my Secret Santa gifts, since we’ll be exchanging those this coming week. Even though I was shopping for others, I couldn’t help myself; I also got myself a few cheeky gifts!

We also finally got our Christmas tree put up; we kept it really simple with just some baubles, beaded garland, white lights, and our traditional angel. More details coming soon to a blog post near you!

While I’m getting back into the swing of daily blogging, and prepping posts, I just realized we have SEVEN days worth of beauty advent calendar goodies to get caught up on; let’s crack on with those, shall we? \:D/

Days 5 & 6:

– Tanya Burr Cosmetics: A Mini Button Mirror.
– Ulta Beauty: Bouncy Blush in Flower Power.
– Nyx Cosmetics: Eye Shadows in Corset and Embellishment.
– BareMinerals: Mini Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara & Eye Color in Allspice.
– L’Occitane: Aromachologie Relaxing Bath & Shower Gel & Pivoine Flora Hand Cream.
– The Body Shop: Lip Definer in Pink Clover & Vanilla Chai Body Butter.
– Lookfantastic – Monu: Illuminating Primer SPF 15 & Moroccanoil: Moroccanoil Treatment.

Days 7 through 10:

Since this was FOUR days worth, let’s take a closer look!

– Tanya Burr Cosmetics: Eye Shimmer Pot in Champagne Sparkle & Lip Gloss in Berry Pavlova.

– Ulta Beauty: Gel Bounce Eye Shadow in Glam & Foil Rock Eye Shadow in Glitz

– Nyx Cosmetics: Eyeshadows in Baby Doll, Push-Up, and Ruffle Trim & Lip Lingerie in Exotic.

– BareMinerals: Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Crowd Pleaser, Pop of Passion in Pink Passion, All-Over Face Color in Glee Radiance, & Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusion.

– L’Occitane: Verbena Leaves Soap, Thé Vert & Bigarade Shower Gel, Shea Butter Ultra Rich Shower Cream, & Shea Butter Ultra Rich Face Cream.

– The Body Shop: Soft Facial Cleansing Sponge, Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream, Polynesian Island Tiaré Shower Gel, & Brow and Lash Comb.

– Lookfantastic – Nudestix: Lip & Cheek Pencil in Mystic, Ojon: Damage Reverse Instant Restorative Hair Serum, REN: V-Cense Revitalising Night Cream, & Ardell: Wispies Lashes in Demi Wispies Black.

Day 11:

Today is a skip day for the 12-day calendars, so here’s everything from the 24-25 day ones!
– Nyx Cosmetics: Lip Lingerie in Push-Up.
– BareMinerals: Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Risk Taker.
– L’Occitane: Cherry Blossom Bath & Shower Gel.
– The Body Shop: British Rose Shower Gel.
– Lookfantastic – Christophe Robin: Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Seed Oil.

So that’s it for today; going to get back to planning more blog posts for the coming week. (Maybe even get them completely done, and scheduled to post automatically?! :O It’s possible; the Christmas season is the time for miracles after all! XD)

Blogmas Day 7: Defeated by a Migraine

Hello everyone! Today is not going to be much of anything. I took my laptop to work to edit and complete today’s blog post on my lunch break, and then would finish it up when I got home.

Then it happened. Five o’clock hit, then there was a tingling-tightening sensation across my forehead. No big deal, just allergies, right? NOPE! Then the pain came, moved all over my head, and then it was too bright for anything. The good thing is that it happened close to quitting time; bad thing, hadto drive home, in the dark, with the BRIGHTEST HEADLIGHTS EVER from oncoming traffic. >.<

I got home safe which is the important thing. Ate dinner, and it felt like the pain was easing up, so I though, “ok, go ahead and finish today’s blog post!”, but as soon as the screen lit up, SHOOTING PAIN IN MY EYEBALLS OMG HEAD IS GONNA EXPLODE!!!!

So needless today, the original post isn’t going up today, and just typing this update is killing my head, but I didn’t want to miss a day in Blogmas. Here’s to hoping tomorrow is better! xx

Blogmas Day 6: This or That – The Christmas Edition.

Shall we play a game? XD Here’s a little This or That, with a Christmas twist!

1. Hot Chocolate or Egg Nog
– Hot chocolate all the way! So many mini-marshallmallows to be consumed!

2. A Sweater or Coat
– A sweater! Sometimes a coat is too bulky, where a sweater can be comfy-cozy!

3. Rain or Snow
– SNOW! Definitely SNOW! It’s so much more Christmas-y when you can have an actual white Christmas! (Also, Snow of the Jon variety is ok too! XD)

4. Slippers or Fuzzy Socks
– Slippers! Much more easier to put on and take off.

5. Darker or lighter makeup looks
– Both, but would likely lean towards more darker looks, for this time of year.

6. Opening gifts on Christmas day or Christmas eve
– Christmas Day! You can have a small on on Christmas Eve, but everything else has to be opened on Christmas day! It’s all about waiting, and getting excited, and…

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

7. Stay home for the holidays or travel
– I prefer to stay home, but wouldn’t say no to traveling if the opportunity arose. I think spending a Christmas somewhere else would be a nice change.

8. Cashmere or wool
– Cashmere, I think. It’s so soft!

9. Real or fake tree
– Real for the scent, but fake for the ease of reusing! XD

10. Heater or fireplace
– Fireplace! The smell of a live fire is one of my favorite things!

11. Bubble bath or hot shower
– Both, again! XD

But for optimum relaxation, it’s bubble bath all the way.

12. Favorite Starbucks holiday drink peppermint mocha or gingerbread latte
– Neither! #plottwist! The Caramel Brûlée Latte & Caramel Brûlée Frappuccino are my holiday jams! *drops the mic*

13. Body butter or regular lotion
– Both! My dry skin needs all the help it can get!

So that’s it for this quick little quiz post! What about you? What would you choose from the choices given? Feel free to share in the comments! 😀

***Goes without saying, picture and gifs used in this post are not mine.

Blogmas Day 5: How to Make Your House Smell Like Christmas!!

When it comes to Christmas, one of the things I enjoy the most are the smells (the nice ones, that is XD)! If you’re lucky enough to have a live Christmas tree or garland, then the fresh pine scent will permeate throughout your house. Or, if you’re a baker, then spending the month baking Christmas treats will ensure a constant stream of sweet & savory, sugar & cinnamon wafting through the air. But maybe you’re like me, and have cats who TRY TO EAT THE CHRISTMAS TREE, or maybe baking’s not your forte, but you want the smells of Christmas in your house, but not via a sickly sweet candle. If that sounds like you, then I have the easiest solution…crockpot/stovetop potpourri!

You may most likely have some of these ingredients in your spice rack or pantry already, so gather up the following, along with a small crockpot or saucepan, and prepare to make some CHRISTMAS SMELLING MAGIC!!!

Depending on your smell preference, you can adjust the amounts, but in the picture above, I used the following in a 1.5 quart crockpot:
– 1/2 cup of FRESH cranberries
– 1 medium orange; sliced in circles
– 4 cinnamon sticks
– 1 tbsp of whole cloves
– 1/8 heaping tsp of nutmeg
– 2-3 cups of water, depending on size of crockpot/saucepan.

All you have to do is place all the ingredients in your container of choice, add the water, stir gently to mix, then heat on a low setting; once the mixture gets warm, you will start to smell the lovely scent of Christmas!

As the water evaporates, just add more to top off; if the scent starts to weaken, just add more ingredients, as needed, to refresh. This is a simple and easy DIY that only takes less than 10 minutes to throw together, but you’ll get hours of Christmas-y aromas to enjoy!

Blogmas Day 4: How to Combat the Holiday Blues.

It’s one of the most happiest times of the year, so it’s TOTALLY impossible to feel down, right? WRONG!!

Even though the holidays are times of joy and cheer, it’s also totally possible to have days where you just aren’t feeling it. So what is one to do, when you’re feeling a bit down in the dumps, and need something to get you back into the holiday spirit? Here’s a few suggestions I have, that make me feel just a little bit better, when I’m having a bit of a down day.

Listen to relaxing music:
I truly believe that music can help heal whatever issue you are dealing with. Someone has already most likely written lyrics that you can relate to. Sometimes just stopping, listening to some tunes, and relaxing is one of the best ways to feel better. And if you’re feeling just a little Scroogy during the holidays, a Christmas album may help you get back into the season. (May I suggest Snowed In by Hanson?! ;p)

Have a relaxing bath and pamper session:
A steaming, hot bath with your favorite bath bomb, is one of the best ways to relax. The hot water will help relieve any body aches and tension. While in the bath, this is also a good time to do any facial or hair treatments that you just cannot do in the shower. Taking the time to exfoliate, cleanse, and plop on a face and/or hair mask, will help you feel so much more relaxed and refreshed. Having a scented candle going while in the bath adds another level of sensory relaxation.

Wear some cozy pajamas:
One of the best things ever is to put on some clean and cozy PJ’s, after a hard day of work, or being fresh out of the bath or shower. Let’s be real, getting out of a bra is what we all look forward to at the end of the day! XD

Have a snuggle:
Whether it’s with a family member, your significant other, or a four-legged companion, just having a hug can instantly put you in a better frame of mind. If you’re lucky enough to have a pet, it has been scientifically proven that petting an animal can improve your well-being, both mentally and physically.

Have a hot cocoa or tea, while watching a movie or reading a book:
For me, this is my ultimate wind-down. Enjoying a nice hot cuppa (decaf, of course), while getting lost in another world, is something that always relaxes me, and takes my mind off anything that may be bothering me, or pulls me out of my funk.

Those are just a few things that help me out when having a humdrum kind of day. While these kind of days can be annoying or bothersome, the important thing to remember, is no matter how down you may be, you can always find the beauty in the moment you’re in, and the sun will come out again. 🙂

Blogmas Day 3: Beauty Advent Calendar Goodies Round Up – Part 1

Yes, that says part 1, and no I don’t know how many parts there will end up being though I’d guesstimate four at the most! XD I had intended to put each day’s advent calendar openings at the end of each blog post, but that just felt a bit monotonous for some reason, so I just though to do a couple of posts throughout Blogmas, devoted specifically to the advent calendar items.

This year I was lucky enough to get SEVEN beauty advent calendars, although some you could be giving me the side eye and judging me silently right now…and that’s ok. I get it; this isn’t everyone’s cup of cocoa. However, if you’re like me, and get googly-eyed over beauty products, then keep on reading!

Out of the seven calendars, two of them are 12-days, and the rest are 24-25 days. With the 12 day calendars, I have decided to open them every other day, to span the whole month, so don’t let my counting system later in the post confuse you too much. ;p

I will directly link products below when possible, but some of them are limited to the calendar release only, and are not available for individual sale.

Day 1:

– Tanya Burr Cosmetics: Lip Gloss in Candy Cane.
– Ulta Beauty: Liquid Highlighter.
– Nyx Cosmetics: Lip Lingerie in Ruffle Trim.
– BareMinerals: Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Trail Blazer.
– L’Occitane: Verveine (Verbena) Cooling Hand Cream Gel.
– The Body Shop: Spiced Apple Shower Gel.
– Lookfantastic – Pixi: Glow Tonic.

Day 2:

– Nyx Cosmetics: Lip Lingerie in Baby Doll.
– BareMinerals: Blush in Tropical Sunset.
– L’Occitane: Shea Butter Ultra Rich Body Lotion.
– The Body Shop: Exfoliating Bath Gloves.
– Lookfantastic – Rituals: The Ritual of Sakura Magic Touch Body Cream. ***OMG, this stuff is SO AMAZING! I’ve actually been using since opening, and I would 10/10 recommend!***

Days 3 & 4:

– Tanya Burr Cosmetics: Emory Board.
– Ulta Beauty: Lip Gloss in Dazzling.
– Nyx Cosmetics: Lip Lingerie in Corset & Eye Shadow in Exotic.
– BareMinerals: Mineral Veil in Tinted & Pop of Passion Lip Balm in Nude Passion.
– L’Occitane: Verveine (Verbena) Refreshing Towelettes & Amande (Almond) Milk Concentrate.
– The Body Shop: Vitamin E Moisture Cream & Almond Hand & Nail Manicure Cream
– Lookfantastic – INIKA Loose Mineral Blush in Blooming Nude & this works Sleep Plus + Pillow Spray.

So, that’s it for the first four days of my beauty advent calendar openings! Do you have any advent calendars this year? If so, what is your favorite product so far? Please share in the comments!

Also, just a friendly reminder that I am doing a GIVEAWAY! Just some beauty & pamper items from Zoella Beauty, EOS, Tony Moly, and Pacifica. CLICK HERE to be taken to the Rafflecopter form, where you can enter if you’d like. It’s totally free; I’m taking care of the shipping. Only open to US residents to ensure arrival before Christmas, and the giveaway will end on Friday, December 9^th at 12:00 am! Good luck! xx

Blogmas Day 2: November Favorites!

I don’t think I’ve ever done a monthly favorites post before, but I can tell you it’s one of my favorite things to watch on YouTube! It may seem weird to some, but for me, it’s a good way to know what products other people are using and loving; if you ever wanted to try a certain lipstick, or read a new book, but you just weren’t quite sure, then someone else’s opinion on the item may help you make that decision whether or not to invest in that item.

This month, I have just a few beauty products to share, that I’ve been using pretty much all month.

–Julep’s No Limits Luxe Hydrating Crème: This is a thick and luxurious facial cream, where a little goes a long way. It’s super-hydrating, and is especially good in the winter months, when the cold air can really dry out your skin. I’ll usually put it on at night before bed, and when I wake up in the morning, my skin still feels so soft and smooth. It soaks in really well, and doesn’t leave any greasy-feeling residue.

– Jason Wu for Caudalíe Beauty Elixir: This was something I had picked up on a whim in the smaller version, and I loved it so much, that I bought the full size when I had run out. I use this twice a day, morning and night, and I feel it it really refreshes my skin, and gives an extra bit of moisture. Made of grapes, rose, and rosemary, this mist helps to moisturize, tone, and energize your skin.

– Tarte’s Frxxxtion Stick: This exfoliant is one on my favorites to use, mostly because it’s so easy to apply, and it works. Most exfoliants I’ve used in the past are gel or cream based, and trying to open those while in the shower, and trying not to get any water in the containers, and not dropping them in my clumsy way, can be tricky sometimes. The ease of having a solid exfoliator that you just have to open, twist, and apply to your face, is just super convenient.

– Zoella Beauty’s Sweet Inspriations Body Mist: One of my first purchases from Zoë’s beauty range, and I can say that I am not disappointed at all. This is a very warm and vanilla scent (to me), without being a overly sickly sweet smell. I honestly think this could be a year round scent, but I especially like it in autumn and winter, because it feels so cozy.

That’s it for the products I’ve been loving this month. What beauty items and products were your favorite in November? Feel free to let me know in the comments! 🙂

Blogmas Day 1: Getting Into the Sprit with a Giveaway!

Hello Everyone!! It’s officially the 1st day of BLOGMAS!! Last year, I participated for the first time, and while I had the eagerness to join in on the fun, I didn’t plan very well, and wasn’t very consistent with posting regularly. Hopefully, this year will be better, as I got more of a head start this time around!
What I like about Blogmas is that it is like a literally countdown to Christmas, and all the posts are mostly about lovely Christmas-y, holiday-ish, wintry things on a DAILY basis, and I just LOVE it! 

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, and getting to enjoy this time of year for a month is just AWESOME!! During this time of year, you always hear the phrase, “It’s better to give, than to receive.” When I was younger, I disagreed because 8-year-old me wanted ALL THE BARBIES, and there was nothing better than getting those dolls! As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to understand that the saying is true. I now enjoy going out to shops and looking for items that I think my family and friends may enjoy, or getting Angels from an Angel Tree, and buying items that I know people want and need. I think this time of year can bring out the best in people, and in keeping with a Christmas theme of spreading joy, I thought I’d do a little giveaway!! It’s nothing too fancy; just a few beauty & pamper items that I think some of you may like, including items from Zoella Beauty, TonyMoly, and EOS. Since it is Christmas, I want to keep some of the items secret, so you’ll be surprised, when you get the package! But I’ll give you a little sneak peak…

Oh, that’s right, there will be THREE WINNERS!! *\:D/*

In order to participate, all you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. I have entered giveaways via Rafflecopter before, and it’s SO easy. There are only two mandatory steps to enter:

– Follow my blog on WordPress AND BlogLovin’.

– Leave a comment on this blog post, letting me know what is your favorite thing about Christmas.

There are also optional steps of following me on Twitter, tweeting a pre-written message, and following me on Instagram. Again, these are just optional, and not required, but if you choose to do them, it will allow you to enter the giveaway multiple times. 
Because I am treating this as a Christmas present to you, this giveaway will only be open to the US, so I can make sure it gets delivered to you by Christmas. The giveaway will start on Friday, December 2nd, and will end a week later on Friday, December 9th at 12:00 am. If you are under 18, please make sure to have your parents/guardians permission before entering.

Three winners will be chosen at random from the Rafflecopter entries and I will contact the winners via email on Saturday, December 10th, and I will be emailing you from my AmandaLeigh.machandesu@gmail.com account.

This is my first giveaway, so hopefully I got all the bases covered. If you have a question, please leave them in the comments, and I will do my absolute best to get back to you ASAP. Thank you so much, and GOOD LUCK!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js