{Birch Box} August’s Box

Posted on by
Reply

August Birch

I seem to be on a box kick this summer. A few of my girlfriends were getting the monthly Birch Box and they would tell me how much they loved it. The concept of the Birch Box is one gets a box full of deluxe beauty and skin care product samples once a month. The kicker is you have no idea what is inside said box, they claim that the surprise is part of the fun.

I like fun and decided to sign up for a Birch Box subscription of my very own. Bummer, I actually had to sign up for an invite. I waited about three weeks for an email that said I had a Birch Box subscription waiting for me. Once I accepted my subscription invite I had to fill out a profile. They ask questions about your lifestyle, skincare, hair, and makeup routine. They say this helps them customize a box just for you. It took me all of ten minutes to complete the survey, I paid my $10.00, and then waited for my first box to arrive.

Much like Julep, Birch Box has a monthly theme. The August Birch Box theme was “Finishing School.”

The August Birch Box included deluxe samples of:

*Avene – Thermal Spring water, a refreshing mist that nourishes all skin types
*Dr. Jart+ – premium BB Cream that evens out skin tone and as anti aging benefits
*Jasmine Seven – Fresh feet wipes
*Secret Agent Beauty – Secret Lip Affair lip gloss
*Glee Gum – Sugar free chewing gum

I hate to say it, but I was not impressed with my first box. However I do believe in giving everything a fair chance, so I have decided to give it a go for a few more months. If I don’t love Birch Box by January I will be canceling my subscription. Yet, I remain hopelessly optimistic that I too will fall in love with Birch Box.

***Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this post.***

{Julep Maven} September’s Box

Posted on by
Reply

September Julep

A few months ago I took the bait and singed up to become a Julep Maven. I had nothing to lose and the website promised that I could cancel at anytime. That was four boxes ago and I have no plans on canceling anytime soon. I absolutely love the quality of the nail polish and skincare products. Bonus, the products, including the nail polish are chemical free. You know how I feel about chemicals, so it is a win win in my book.

September’s theme is Cityscape, each nail color is inspired by an important city in the fashion world. Since I wasn’t in need of any new nail colors, I decided to go with the Modern beauty box which includes two full sized products. I was pretty excited for the month of September the sneak peek email said a face wash would be involved and I couldn’t wait to get my little hands on it.

September’s Modern Beauty box included:

Bare Face Cleansing Oil:
*The lightweight, antioxidant-rich cleanser gently and thoroughly dissolves makeup, dirt, and excess oil without over-drying skin, then rinses clean with no oily residue. Recommended for all skin types. The formula includes grapeseed oil, a natural antioxidant that protects skin from harmful free radicals, and olive oil, a natural source of vitamin E that softens and helps prevent post-cleansing dehydration.

I used the cleanser last night and this morning. I hands down love it, I did not feel the need to apply lotion to my skin afterwards. My skin did not feel dry after use, it was soft and clean. I will definitely be ordering a few bottles of the cleanser.

Blank Canvas Mattifying Face Primer:
*This age-defying primer creates a smooth, even canvas for gorgeous makeup that lasts all day. It absorbs shine, brightens skin, and locks in moisture for 24 hours

I have yet to try this as its the weekend and I rarely wear makeup on the weekends. I can’t wait to give it a go on Tuesday morning. I have no doubt that it will be awesome.

This months bonus product was a Julep nail polish remover wipe.

Once again Julep has put together a beautiful box with great products and I cannot wait to see what the next box will hold.

Julep Maven is a $19.99/month monthly nail polish & Beauty box subscription service. Each box features over $40.00 worth of never before released polishes, cutting edge treatments, and a bonus sample sized product. PLUS when you are a Maven you get free shipping and 20% off of all of the products at http://www.julep.com.

Becoming a Maven is easy and each box is put together like a beautiful present. I love being a Julep Maven and I want you to get in on the fun too! Use code “FREEBOX” to get your first box for only $3.99 (Shipping charges).

** Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this post**

{Charlie} A Half Empty Jar of Sea Glass

Posted on by
Reply

Charlie left behind a quarter filled jar of sea glass

Charlie left behind a quarter filled jar of sea glass

One night while strolling through one of our favorite boutique shops in Minneapolis, Charlie spotted a glass jar. I politely told him that the jar was meant for a candle and not sea glass. Charlie looked at me with his grin and said “AJ, it says beach on it, a jar that says beach on it, is meant to be filled with sea glass. Duh?” Ok I said and we walked up to the counter to purchase his crazy jar. That was in September of 2011, the jar sat on the island in the kitchen for months.

Upon his return from the beach Charlie religiously deposited a piece of new sea glass into his jar. He would tell me that dark blue was the hardest to find and the most common was clear or green. Charlie has been mesmerized by sea glass since he was a child, often filling multiple jars by summers end. His mother kept all of his jars, each piece represented the mystery of the ocean and his joy of searching the beach. Charlie loved the water and we often spent our weekends on the shores of Lake Superior. I can still picture him on his knees scouring the beach for tiny pieces of treasure. With each piece he found, he safely tucked the glass into his pocket and when his pockets were full, he often turned to me. I would hold his treasure tightly in my hand only to drop it into the jar his mother kept on the back porch.

Charlie would save a few pieces for the jar on the island and often filled it with pieces of glass he found on the beaches around Minneapolis. He bought the jar in September which limited his time to search. Winter came and his jar was only a quarter full, he’d say “I am going to fill our jar this summer.” Summer never came for Charlie, he left before the waves could even break free from the ice and his jar sat half empty waiting for his return. I packed his jar away, my heart was too broken to have the constant reminder sitting out in my home.

I have always loved the beach and would search the sandy grave for hidden treasures. As a child I would collect clam shells, sparkly rocks, and pieces of glass. My father’s pockets proved to be the safest spot for my treasures, he would empty my bounty when we reached the car. I stored my shells, rocks, and glass in a bucket. Over time it got lost, yet my desire to walk the shores remained.

Earlier this summer I decided to finish filling Charlie’s jar. When I visit my parents we go to the beach, my Dad helps me search the shores for Charlie’s treasure. Each time I place a handful of glass and shells into his beloved jar, a part of me heals. I am at a point in the process where I am ok with Charlie being gone and have become open to letting someone else in. As we walk the beach my Dad tells me “No one will ever replace Charlie or fill the void you have, but you have to move on. There is someone out there for you.” My Dad is right, I will never be able to replace Charlie, he will always be a part of who I am. Charlie taught me that its ok to let go and to live life outside of the lines.

Just like Charlie, the sea glass that captured his sense of wonder will always be apart of who I am. For I am just a girl who collects sea glass to fill the empty jar that the man she loved left behind. Filling the jar is my way of saying goodbye. With each piece added I am letting go of the past and healing my beautifully broken heart.

{Summer 2013} Reuse and Be Crafty

Posted on by
Reply

I drive a Prius, buy local, and try to eat as much organic food as possible, my goal is to leave a tiny carbon footprint when I leave this world. However when it comes to my apartment and the décor, I wasn’t being so green. If I got tired of something I bought new and gifted away the old or simply tossed it in the dumpster. Hey one woman’s trash is another man’s treasure, right? Or so I thought. Now that I’ve got the work life balance thing down pat, I had time to get crafty. I decided to turn my cast offs into something that I would love again.

Its amazing what one can do with a $3 can of spray paint and 30 minutes of free time. When I first moved into my apartment I bought some silver plastic butterflies. I was still coming off a color drought aka the ex husband and thought they went perfectly with my light blue coffee tables. I love the butterflies and over time my love of the silver color dwindled. With a little help from my dad I picked out the perfect shade of berry. I used Rust-Oleum’s 2X cover Spray paint and they went from drab silver to a glorious pop of color.
Butterflies

After I painted the butterflies I was feeling pretty capable and thought what else can I paint? After some contemplation I grabbed a can of Rust-Oleum in apple green and set out to paint my lamp bases. One can pick up black lamp bases from IKEA for about $4 a piece and they were easy to paint. Again I loved the lamp shades I had, but was a little sour on the black base, it didn’t mesh with my theme. I smile when I walk into my bedroom and see my apple green lamps with light gray shades, how could you not smile at apple green.
Lamps

Lamps and butterflies were something I could handle on my own. For my big projects I turned to my Dad. Over the spring I redid my living room. Long gone are the light colors that once filled my days. One light blue side table remained, I wanted to replace it, but I never found the table I wanted. So instead of tossing it my Dad told me we could paint it. I still had a full can of berry left and thought “this would be an awesome color for a table.” With a steady hand my Dad painted the table a beautiful hue of berry, it now matches my beloved butterflies. The table is now a cheery little hello hanging out in the corner with a bird-cage on top.
Table

A couple of months ago HGTV magazine had an article about how you could turn an old coffee tale into a padded topped bench. Knowing full well that I still had two boring light blue side tables left, I thought “I could do that!” My Dad formulated a plan, provided the saw, and a lot of patience. I drove around and bought the supplies for said padded tops. My Dad painted the tables with Rust-Oleum’s 2x cover in lemon grass. I picked up fabric at IKEA, yes IKEA sells fabric by the yard and got a lesson in upholstery foam at Joann Fabrics. Our first upholstery job turned out pretty darn good. I absolutely love my new benches and now I have extra seating for when friends come over. Benches

It turns out that one woman’s trash is her treasure if she looks at it through a different light.

* I was not compensated by HGTV or Rust-Oleum, thoughts are my own*

{Julep Maven} August Box

Posted on by
Reply

August Maven2
The 20th day of the month has become one of my favorite days. Why? Julep sends me an email telling me that its time to pick my Maven box for the next month. I can either stick with what my style profile has or I can choose a box from a different style profile. For August I decided to stick with the Classic with a Twist box, the nail colors were really pretty and I was curious to try the double step stick.
August Maven
The August Classic with a Twist Box included:
A packet of Forget Me Not Seeds.
Two pretty nail polishes:
*Sylvia – Classic with a Twist: Lilac purple crème
*Veronica – Classic with a Twist: Modern mauve crème
Doublestep Foot Treatment and Friction Stick:
*This no-mess shea butter treatment nourishes and moisturizes feet, stimulates circulation, and prevents blisters.

Since I am not a fan of purple nail polish I decided to gift it to my dear coworker Renae. Renae loved the shade of purple and couldn’t wait to use it. I painted my toes with Veronica the same night I got the box, I absolutely hands down love this shade of mauve. The Doublestep friction stick is a gift from the Gods! Goodbye blisters, Hello pretty feet! Once again I am pleasantly pleased with my Maven box, Julep has become one of my favorite companies.

In just a few minutes you can become a Julep Maven to. Just visit http://www.julep.com and complete your style profile. Use the code FREEBOX, to only pay shipping on your introductory box. Which means you will get $20.00 worth of products for $4.00, that’s an incredible deal if you ask me. Warning, once you Maven you will do it again and again.

* I was not compensated for this post, opinions are my own.*

{Summer 2013} The Color Run

Posted on by
1

Before

Before

The Color run is touted to be the “Happiest 5K On The Planet.” It been a while since I’ve attempted a 5K, because of my damaged lung I am no longer able to run. Lucky for me my sister can’t run, well she can run, its just she kicks herself in the ass when she run. (Its a pretty funny sight) My sister had an extra race packet sitting on her kitchen table, when I inquired about it she proceeded to talk me into doing said run with her.

What can I say I was tired and just fresh from reading Sophia her bedtime stories, so I said yes. I said yes to this crazy run that took place at the state fair grounds. Our start time was at 8:30 and I was told to be there by 7:30am. Turns out I am early where ever I go, so I had to wait for the slow people that took forever and a day to get to the fair grounds. (A little planning goes a long way folks) Plus if you are meeting me for the first time you should be early, otherwise I will think you are a poor planner for the rest of my life.

Headed to the finish line!

Headed to the finish line!

Anyways everyone finally arrived and we joined the starting line. My sisters friends took off running while we power walked our way into the crowd. It wasn’t long before we met our first dose of color, we held our breath and let our selves get sprayed with blue, followed by orange, yellow and lastly pink. With the finish line in sight we trudged on and as we crossed the line I ripped open my color packet and threw a bunch of pink in my sister’s face. It was glorious and for once in her life, she didn’t yell at me, success!
After

After

{Summer 2013} Northern Spark

Posted on by
Reply

Northern Spark 4Northern Spark is an interactive art festival that takes place during the hours of dusk until dawn. The theory is that you will take this journey and view your city in a whole new light. This years festival was focused around the recently restored Depot in downtown Saint Paul. (I know I had to leave my beloved Minneapolis for one night) From there it branched out into the city’s streets and parks. Each turn brought us something new and exciting. Buildings lit up in hues of purple, blending to blue and bursting into a rainbow. One man bands and music were abundant through out the night.

Northern Spark 1I was able to cross an item off of my bucket list by adding my own graffiti to the wall of an underpass. Overwhelmed by the scent of spray paint we journeyed on to he depot where we found a house made out of cardboard and other curious sights. We watched as actors shoveled dirt from one pile and unloaded it into another. Tired of the shoveling we moved inside where we came upon the printing press. Each of us had a custom sign made and spent the reset of the night trying not to damage said signs.

Northern Spark 3One might wonder “How is a cardboard house art?” Art is in the eye of the beholder and one never knows when something will be lost. The guide book said the house would be torched at 2AM, which meant we needed to caffeine ourselves up and wait. Soon the torching hour arrived and as we stood on the train platform the rain started to fall. Our patience would pay off as in the blink of the eye the house became a burning ball of glorious fire. Fire brings out the inner child and pyromaniac in all of us.

Northern Spark2The fire was starting to dwindle and with rain drops falling, I was ready to go home. I had spent another amazing night at Northern Spark and explored the city in a whole new light, dreaming of what Northern Spark 2014 would bring. I’ve got an entire year to wait, yet I know it will most likely top the previous years and I will be one happy girl exploring the city under the darkness of night.

{Julep Maven} July’s Box

Posted on by
Reply

July Julep Box

Late one night I noticed that my friend Kate had posted a link about getting a free starter kit from Julep.com, all I had to do was pay $3.99 for shipping. I thought what the heck its only $3.99 and if I don’t like it I can cancel the subscription. The website claims its an easy cancelation process or I can choose to skip a month. With that knowledge in mind I completed my style profile and discovered that I was a modern beauty.

The modern beauty box gets you two full sized products and a bonus product each month. I opted to chose a different style profile for my starter kit, as I was in need of some summery nail polish. For my started kit I selected classic with a twist and was delighted by the quality of the polish and hand scrub. July’s options did not disappoint.

July’s theme is “The California Coast” and the modern beauty box products included a full sized Sea Salt Texture Spray for hair and Beach Tonic dry body oil mist. Both products smell amazing and make me feel like I just walked off the California coast. The Sea salt texture spray does not weigh my curly hair down and it does not feel sticky to the touch. The Beach Tonic oil spray is light and dries quickly, leaving you with soft ocean kissed skin. The bonus product is Green Tea Facial Blotting papers, I have yet to try them.

I am in love with Julep and I am so glad I became a Maven. For $19.99 a month I get a box of lovely products shipped to my door step. If you do not like what’s in your style’s box you can switch to another profile and receive a different box that month or you can constantly switch it up from month to month. I am going to stick with the modern beauty box, as I feel that its the best value.

If you would like to give Julep a try and become a maven. You can use the code FREEBOX to get your first box for free (only pay $4 shipping) just go to http://www.julep.com and enter the code at checkout.

I hope you will enjoy the Maven box just as much as I do.

(I was not compensated for the review. The content and opinion are my own.)

{Divorced Life} Standing on the Other Side

Posted on by
Reply

As I charted my future on vision boards, I never once added DIVORCE to the grand plan. Then again I never thought I’d fall in love and get married. At 22 I was focused on finding my way to law school and plotting to change the world. All it took was his brown eyes looking back at mine, law school and my plot blew away with the wind. He told me once “when one dream ends, you make a new one.” That was probably the only wise thing he ever told me. Our marriage was my dream, little by little that dream started to fade and I needed to flee the darkness.

Scott and I had brief moments in the sun. There were cruises, movie nights, laughter, and waterslides. Together it was Bear and Mr. against the world. We were suppose to be a team, yet we were foes. He strayed while I stayed home to raise his son. I went to sleep alone each night as he remained devoted to Magic, WOW, and his flavor of the week. I spent more nights alone than I did with him, yet some how I mustered an “I Love you” when he walked through the door. To the world we were the perfect couple who had it all, behind closed doors we were a disaster.

They say a lady always knows when to leave. I stood on the edge of the unknown for months, friends and family tried to give me a push, only to find me griping at straws. It took the advice of an attorney to get me to take that first step. His words still ring through my mind “Amanda, there are no winners or losers in divorce. It all comes down to a judgment call. Its just someone has to call it first.” I needed someone to tell me it was ok to walk away and to give up the war, he said what I needed to hear. With those words spoken and with he notion that it was ok, I walked away from my suburban married life. I walked away from a man who no longer loved me and I walked into the unknown.

The unknown has turned into a beautiful disaster. Over the past three years I have fallen more times than I can count, yet each day brings me back to the side of that mountain. I have had my share of heart ache and more moments of utter delight than one could ever count. Mostly I figured out who AmandaJean was without a man by her side. I learned that I didn’t need a boyfriend/fiancé/ or husband to define who I was. Finding myself was a journey and one that I had to go through to discover my version of happy. I am just a small town girl who set out to change the world.

On the day I left Scott told me “You will never make it on your own.” Those words haunt me to this day and every time I crash his voice seeps into my mind. I’ve come to realize that Scott was the one who couldn’t make it on his own, he practically had a girl moved in two weeks after I left. He doesn’t know how to be alone and he needs a woman at his side to define who he is. I on the other hand love sleeping smack dab in the middle of the bed and sometimes I am a dare devil and leave a cup in the sink over night. I had to be alone for a while to show myself that I could stand on my own, before I stood on the arm of a man. In the past three years men have come and gone. Just like Charlie, Scott will always be apart of my story. One cannot revel in the sun without dancing in the rain.

Fate is a funny little thing we can’t live without. Only she knows what the future holds for us. I’ve decided to late fate ride and to focus on my career and starting a family of my own. That’s right, you read that correctly. I have decided to become a single mom and have started looking into the adoption process. The past three years have taught me that I do not need a man to have a child, all I need is an open mind and love in my heart. At this point I don’t care about gender, I just want to adopt a healthy child. I can tell you that I have never been more scared in my life, yet I know that its meant to be. If I can wrangle attorneys from 9 to midnight, then I can sure as hell adopt a child on my own.

In truth, I have come farther on my own than I ever thought possible. It turns out that Scott’s words were more for him than me. Because from what I can tell I am standing on my own two feet. My bills are paid, I have a job that I love, I am happy, and I am perfectly fine with sleeping single in a queen sized bed. I am ok with being me and I am happy in my own skin. It took me three years to find my groove and I have no doubt that I will continue to conquer the world.

{Urban Camping} When The Lights Go Out

Posted on by
Reply

Urban CampingI try to look for the positive in every situation. On June 21st, the metro area was pelted with strong storms. In its wake the storm left flooded streets, thousands of downed trees, and over 500,000 people were left in the dark. At first Excel energy said our power would be restored by midnight. I didn’t think twice about it. So I dug around in the closet for my power outage supplies and waited.

The wait would be longer than two hours, that time had now been pushed out to midnight Sunday June 23rd. I went to sleep on Friday hoping that my lights would be on in the morning. Hope proved fruitless, on Saturday the muppet and I awoke to the sounds of helicopters and chain saws. Our lights didn’t work. Fearing my own safety I decided it was best to not shower in the dark and headed to my sister’s house, she had power. The uptown that I knew and loved, was dead in the water. Stores, gas stations, and cafes were closed. Heck, the stop lights we folded onto themselves and I dodged fallen trees with the Prius.

Saturday was spent far away from the mess that was my city. Stillwater had sunshine and power. Power had become a very beautiful thing. I listened to Sophia’s laughter as we dined on the patio of Leo’s. In her little world power didn’t matter, she just wants to explore and have fun. Ah, to be that age again. Sophia was cradled safely in my arm as we strolled down main street to Tremblies Candies, this was the day she had candy for the very first time. No amount of destruction or an outage could take the joy of being an aunt away from me.

All to soon it was time for me to head back to uptown to asses the situation. Everyone around me had their power restored, yet my street and a few blocks below me were still dark. I could have stayed at my parents or even my sisters for that matter. Instead I chose to tough it out with the rest of the hippsters. I dubbed it “urban camping,” my fridge had become two coolers, my lights were candles, and I was doing all right with the muppet by my side. Again I went to sleep with the hope that the lights would be on in the morning. I was so hopeful that I left my hallway light switch in the on position.

Sunday morning came without power. This led the muppet and I on a search for ice. Ice was becoming scarce along with batteries and flashlights. Ice was found and sandwich supplies were bought. I placed another call to Xcel, this time the automated message said Wednesday June 26th, I about died when I heard that. I had to call back three more times to make sure it was real. The lack of power was starting to ware and urban camping was beginning to lose its luster. I read 50 shades of gray (I still don’t get what all of the hype is about) and HGTV magazine, boredom was starting to creep in. I was doing my best at keeping the muppet cool, he is not a fan of ice cubes in his water bowl, oh well I tried.

The evening was upon me and I was starting to plot my Monday morning plan. Since I couldn’t see, makeup would be out of the question, if I lit enough candles showering in the dark would be a bit less dangerous, and hey as long as I wear deodorant my coworkers won’t care. Then, just like that the lights came on! Cullen barked his bark and ran in circles at the sound of the AC unit cranking on. Showering by candle light was no longer an option and I was pretty darn happy about that. Our two day urban camping adventure had come to a close and I will never take having electricity for granted again.