Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Show & Share #103


Welcome!
So glad you're here to party! And hey I have another giveaway going on!
Make sure and enter HERE for your chance to win 2 pairs of glasses or sunglasses from Firmoo!
And there will be 2 winners! Yay!


Party Rules--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops
*Link something you've done in the last month
*Post the party button on your blog (and follow me & the host Lindsay )
*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted


Happy Wednesday!!

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Firmoo Giveaway!!

Happy Tuesday lovelies!
Another giveaway you ask? Yep!! And this time it's fun glasses!
Unfortunately I have dry eyes and am unable to wear contacts so fashionable glasses is a must for me.
And Firmoo is a great place to get them! Here's a little about them....


Firmoo is the World's Most Popular Online Eyeglasses Store. We have always been committed ourselves to offering customers the best quality products at the most affordable prices which start at 8 dollars- 80%-90% lower compared to that in local store. Furthermore, Firmoo has launched First Pair Free Program for new customers to test our products and service for free by paying shipping only.





These were some of my fav fun styles!  Love that they also offer classic styles too!
And I can't forget about sunglasses! I only have one pair of Rx sunglasses right now and definitely could use another pair!

Loving all these styles!!

So what's up for grabs?

· TWO (2) pairs of free glasses or sunglasses in total from http://www.firmoo.com/classic-series.html  without shipping if there are less than 40 participants. Each winner will win a pair. 
·  TWO (2) pairs of free glasses or sunglasses in total from http://www.firmoo.com/classic-series.html  without shipping. Each winner will win a pair.  And one (1) extra pair of totally free prize including shipping for the 
third winner if the giveaway gets more than 40 participants.

I'm so excited to have 2 winners!! Possibly 3!
Use the form below.  Be sure and visit Firmoo so you can tell me which style you'd like to win! And in the meantime also check out their First Pair Free Program, even if you don't win getting a pair free and just paying shipping is still a great deal!



*This is a sponsored post by Firmoo. Opinions are 100% mine.*



Monday, July 29, 2013

Winner!


Congrats to Linda Ruamthhong!! You are the winner of the #BrilliantHEClean prize pack!!
And email has been sent!

Thanks to all you who entered! Make sure and enter for the sweepstakes prize too!

I have a few more giveaways in the works and my 3rd annual August Bash coming up so stay tuned for more fun!!

Happy Monday!

Friday, July 26, 2013

Chic Couture-Nubar Review

About 2 weeks ago Birchbox posted on their Facebook page a review of topcoats.  Someone commented on that post that they'd stick with their Nubar Diamont.  As you know, I enjoy painting my nails.  But it's hard for me to keep a manicure good for 3 days or more.  I know about Seche Vite but don't like that it has toluene.  So when I saw the comment about Nubar I searched it out and it had a lot of good reviews and was toluene free! So I bought the Diamont topcoat and their base coat from Amazon and gave it a try!

And the results were great!!
I painted my nails Saturday night before bed and they lasted until Wednesday without a chip! 4 days!! I have never got that before with Sally (sorry bout ya girl!) I've used Julep's Freedom topcoat but it hasn't lasted 4 days yet.  

This was taken on Tuesday...


And these were taken Thursday afternoon.  Wednesday evening I noticed a small chip on my right pointer but look at my ring, pinkie, and thumb fingers! They're all still pretty good! I am impressed! 
(sorry the right one is kinda blurry!....phone pics!)


Now I didn't clean house because I was waiting until today (hubby's been gone and I wanted the house to be it's cleanest for his return!)  but I did do dishes and bath time and I put a bookshelf together on Tuesday!
And once the chips got going it did come off in chunks and I found I could peel the polish right off.  I don't know if that's bad or good.  But as far as finding a topcoat that lasts longer than 2-3 days I am well pleased!  If, after using it more, anything changes I'll let ya know!

Happy Friday lovelies!!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Show & Share #102

Welcome! It's party day!
Hope your week is going great!
Check out my current giveaway HERE or click that orange circle to the right!


Party Rules--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops
*Link something you've done in the last month
*Post the party button on your blog (and follow me & the host Lindsay )
*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted



Thanks for being here!
Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Soiree Day-Pancake Party Roundup

About 3 weeks ago I came across the cutest little girl birthday party with the theme of Pancakes & Pearls. How fun to have a pancake themed party! And with pearls! So it got me curious to see how popular this theme may or may not be. Much to my delight there were other parties and they must be shared!  Since I don't have a little girl I may just have to throw one of these for myself!! Ha!!

(To pin, please click on title and pin from original source, thanks!)

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Loving the pancake stand, so fun!! Weren't they all fun actual?
Hmmmm...Lil' Hunkie likes pancakes....... 

Happy Tuesday!!

PS. check out my latest giveaway HERE!

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Vintage Gwen Chapel-SRT Women Of The Bible Part 1


Just finished She Reads Truth's Women of the Bible Part 1 devotion Saturday and I've got to say....it was sooo good! After the first few days I decided to make these images (below) to share my thoughts on Instagram. 
I noticed a common thread through some of the ladies's lives...we all mess up, no one is perfect and God recorded their lives so we'd know what not to do. And then with Leah to the end the common thread was that God's love for us is unconditional and He has specific plans for each one of us. 
Besides providing these great reminders this plan did something else for me that I didn't really see coming....it reminded of my Granny Brown.  When I was growing up she had some bible card games she'd play with us.  One of them was called Bible Daughters.  Rachel, Rebekah, and Leah were all in the game and as I read about them I thought of how I already knew a little about them because of my Granny. This really meant a lot to me...she taught me so much!  And I still have the games!
Part 2 starts today (Monday) and I encourage you to join in.  
In the You Version Bible app look under plans.  Or visit the (all new!) She Reads Truth website.

Be blessed lovelies!



Friday, July 19, 2013

Chic Couture-July Beauty Boxes!

Hey there!
Today I'm sharing  my July Beauty Boxes! I get three....Birchbox, Ipsy, and Julep. I've been so pleased with all 3 lately! And of course if you sign up under any link to them here on my blog then it helps me! Hint, hint!

(Monthly nail polish subscription with some beauty products for $19.99.  You have the option to skip a month. They do have reward points called Jules and a referral program.)
 July's theme was California Coast and had pretty beachy colors and their Sea Salt Texture Spray and Beach Tonic Dry Body Oil.  I chose the box with both products and then added on Tracy...blue sea salt texture with a little glitter...so pretty! Both products smell and work good! And yes I did take them to the beach with me because I got them the day before we left! I shared this on Julep's Facebook page and then they shared on Instagram and it totally made my day!

What I got:
Kérastase Bain Chroma Riche - Cleanse
Kérastase Masque Chroma Riche - Treat
BENTA BERRY G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream
Birchbox Bobby Pins
Pür Minerals CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40
ModelCo Party Proof Lipstick Trio

You know Birchbox really does have a great points system and I haven't really taken advantage of it so I'm going to start reviewing my samples and try and buildup some points to have fun with! 
I liked the shampoo and conditioner, the conditioner more so, seemed like it really conditioned.  The CC cream does pretty good as a primer. The Benta berry cream I've put on my t-zone because it is mattifying  as well. And even though my lipstick was the nude...might be too light for me...it smells sooo good and feels even better on! But it broke! I called them, though and they are sending me another! And I like little hair baubles every now and then.  So since Birchbox rebranded themselves seems like they are trying to listen to their customers and make adjustments. I am pleased.

And lastly...
What I got:
Sexy Hair
Weather Proof Humidity Resistant Spray
COOLA
Mineral Face SPF 20 Rose Essence Tinted Moisturizer
BH Cosmetics
California Collection Eyeshadow Sample
POP Beauty
Pouty Pop Crayon
Demeter
Salt Air Perfume Oil Roll On
Pink see through makeup bag

I haven't used all of them yet but I love it! The eye shadows are pretty on and the roll on is a nice beachy scent...not a sweet one...I think it's still nice. And I love the crayon...it twists up so no sharpening but not sure of the color. Normally I'm all over pink but it doesn't do anything for my teeth. They look a little yellow when I tried the crayon.  I may pass it on or find a lip gloss to go over it! Or maybe whiten my teeth! Ha! (I promise they're not that bad!)

July was a good beauty box month for me!! I'm ready for August now!

Happy Friday!!

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Laundry Room Tips For A Brilliant HE Clean & A Giveaway!


I'm excited, as always, to offer you lovelies a giveaway today!
 But before we get to that let's talk about something we all dread but have to do on a regular basis....the laundry. Did you know that the average family does about 400 loads of laundry a year? Well we know who does the majority of that! If you're like me and have a hubby who wears uniforms to work then your above average more than likely!  And let me just tell you....he gets dirty! So dirty that we have tried all kinds of laundry soap and what we've found to be tried and true is Tide. With color safe bleach! He gets that dirty!
Well Tide has teamed up with Maytag, Home Depot and Jenny from The Little Green Notebook to offer laundry room tips to make doing the laundry a little more of a happy job! 

Here's my laundry room view.....

I realize this isn't a normal view! And it's also my craft room! Which I did decorate it as such but having a cute room to do laundry in truly makes a difference! And that's my first tip:  just because it's the laundry room doesn't mean it shouldn't be decorated. If you have to do the work then you might as well have an enjoyable work space!


And my second tip is a cost effective storage solution. The space to the left of the washer was just right for a Closetmaid Pantry cabinet and was about $65 at Target. Much less than cabinets that I wouldn't be able to reach (I'm a shorty!).

Jenny from The Little Green Notebook has more tips too!
Jenny’s tips for overhauling and organizing your laundry room:
Tip #1: 
Dealing with a dark, cave-like laundry room is a chore in and of itself! By taking off the doors on a few of your upper cabinets, you'll open up the space and create a place to store baskets. In this laundry room, we assigned baskets for every member of the house, which makes sorting a breeze! 

Tip #2: 
Why not decoupage or paint insides of cabinets for a fun pop of color? It's a guaranteed smile each and every time you reach for your detergent.

Tip #3: 
Don't like the cabinets, floors and countertops in your laundry room? Every surface can be painted or resurfaced! For less than $30 in materials, the outdated linoleum, brick pavers and old, dark cabinets were updated in this laundry room with paint and with a concrete overlay product.

Tip #4
A rolling laundry butler can be your best friend, doing triple duty with a hanging bar, a rolling basket and a drying rack. It's the perfect choice for a laundry room with limited space that hasn't been updated in a few decades.

Tip #5: 
Don't neglect your laundry room walls! Hanging interesting art and mirrors will elevate your room and make it feel less utilitarian and more “homey”. Suddenly those 400 loads of laundry most of us will do this year might actually be enjoyable!

Tip #6: 
Use a slab of stone or a simple piece of painted MDF on top of the washer/dryer units to create a folding station and to prevent socks from slipping in between the appliances.

Check out Jenny's laundry makeover HERE!


Now to the good part....the giveaway! 
Win a $50 Home Depot gift card and a Tide sample here at Vintage Gwen. 
Then head over to the Brilliant HE Clean site and enter to win the Sweepstakes Prize! One person will be chosen at random to win the following: an e-design consultation by Jenny, a Maytag Washer and Dryer, a year’s supply of Tide and $5,000! Ten runners up will receive a year’s supply of Tide.

Entering is easy with Rafflecopter below!
My giveaway will end Sunday July 28th and I will announce my winner on Monday July 29th!
Happy Entering!



*This post is sponsored by Proctor & Gamble and Home Depot. They provided me with a prize pack to review and a prize pack to giveaway.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Show & Share #101

Wednesday already? Man this week is truckin' right along!
Can't wait to see what you've been up to!


Party Rules--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops
*Link something you've done in the last month
*Post the party button on your blog (and follow me & the host Lindsay )
*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted


Thanks for being here! Make sure and stop by tomorrow for a giveaway!!
Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Soiree Day-My 20 Year High School Reunion!


Happy Tuesday!
I think I might have finally recouped from vacation. I had one heck of a week! Within 7 days I had my 20 year High School Reunion, went on vacation for 3 days, enjoyed the 4th with family, helped with a baby shower, and attended my dad's family reunion.  Yeah! I think that's the busiest I have ever been in a week's time. But I think I'm back in my routine and getting things started with sharing my High School Reunion!
I had a very small class, 36 grads so it wasn't too big of a shindig to plan. The way our class does it the class officers do the planning. So the president and myself planned a Family Picnic at a local park and then an Adult Only event at a local party place called Soiree! They had all the decorations although I did my own thing for table centerpieces. But I kept it simple and it all turned out nice!
Most of my classmates are on Facebook and we used that to our advantage! I made the invitation in PicMonkey and used it in our Facebook Events. 
I found some invites on Pinterest and used them as inspiration...

....yes it took me a long time to do that!

For centerpieces I used flowers, random trophies and yearbook photo candle holders. All I did was color copied our senior pics and cut 3 to a page and mod podged them onto to jars I had saved.  (Found this idea at A Beautiful Mess via Pinterest.)  Then I really wanted a favor and at 'the last minute' I decided to do my first ever diy coaster. Once again I went to PicMonkey and made a graphic. Bought tiles for I think $.16 each at Lowe's and then found some cork squares at Hobby Lobby. We hot glued those onto the back but had trouble with them staying on. Any suggestions on how to fix that?
They helped with some of the centerpiece decor too!  I really love how they turned out! 
Tied it all together I think!




Closer look thanks to Instagram!





I had my sister make sugar cookies that I took to the park mainly for the kids and then the leftovers we added to some cupcakes. 


Love how they turned out too!!

We did do some activities. I typed up some trivia questions that included the cost of things in 1993, what were famous music/movies in 1993 and even added some 'who said it' using our Senior mottos.  Then we had some Awards.  The typical fun ones....who lost the most hair, who changed the most, etc. We did have a slide show but had some technical difficulties and it had no music. We had no music at all. But that didn't stop us from having a fun night of visiting with each other.  We kept the food light with some hor devoures.   For having such a small class we had a good turn out...17 classmates came with a total of about 23 after spouses/guests.  
I think it was a great time especially since no one wanted to leave!  We all agreed to do it again in 5 years.  And just like this one it will be here before I know it!

How was your 20 year reunion?
Do tell!

Happy Soiree Day!

(See my Link Parties Page for the shares!)

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Show & Share #100

Welcome to the 100th party! Wow! How fun is that?
Well vacation went pretty good! Just wasn't long enough! 
Lil' Hunkie loved the beach like I knew he would!


Party Rules--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops
*Link something you've done in the last month
*Post the party button on your blog (and follow me & the host Lindsay )
*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted


Thanks for being here!
Happy Wednesday!