Monday, June 27, 2022

Top 3 Lancôme Fragrances for Summer



We went to Miami recently, and for some of the stores in the Shopping District you have to wait in a que before gaining admittance. While standing in some of those lines, I cannot tell you the number of times I detected La Vie Est Belle by Lancôme, wafting through the air. It's a very distinct scent, unlike any other and I love it so much! It is a bold, noticeable fragrance with a strong Patchouli and Vanilla base and it lasts all day long. The sillage is amazing too. You can definitely tell when someone is wearing it.

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Perfumico is Perfecto for Samples. PLUS a full-size Fragrance Giveaway



I was pretty sure fragrances were going to be a fly-by-night thing for me, something I found that I loved during the pandemic. We couldn't get out of the house much, except to buy toilet paper and food, and I got sucked into the YouTube Rabbit Hole (if you've experienced this, you know exactly what I mean).

Ordering samples online however, became 'a thing' and if I really loved the fragrance, I would get a full-sized bottle. Then I began to seek out others who share my passion for trying new fragrances (your family and friends who don't get it, can only take so much😅). Turns out there are a whole lot of people who love it, just like me!

We share our thoughts on new fragrances we try, places we buy samples from, etc. PERFUMICO is one of those places everyone agrees is a most excellent place to get samples. They have such a large selection of brands, and you can buy in the size you like. 

Saturday, June 25, 2022

Marc Jacobs Perfume Giveaway: Early Bird Entry

 

Today is basketball day, but tomorrow morning, I will be home to get this giveaway up and running for you. Whether you are a seasoned fraghead, an occasional wearer, are new to fragrances, or have a gal you'd like to give a gift too, this is going to be a good one.

Why? Because it's highly likely to become a collector's item. 

The original Marc Jacobs Decadence is so good. It's discontinued and you cannot find it anywhere to buy. Private sales are high, if you can find someone who wants to part with it. I had it and gifted it to someone who loved it. I thought I had time to get it again! It was a dime a dozen. Everyone was talking about it in the fragrance community. There was no way I thought it would be discontinued. Then when I decided it was time to bring it back to my collection: Surprise! 😜

There were some flankers that were released, and I'll be talking about one of those tomorrow. 

The second flanker I'll be talking about is the one you see in the photo above. It is Marc Jacob's "Eau So Decadent." Because this is part of the Decadence line (that was discontinued), I have little to no doubt that this one too, will be very hard to find soon (like the others before it).

While they are still available, I have picked one up and I am giving it away to one lucky winner here. 

Sound good? If you like what you see, get your bonus entry in now (a thank you for visiting the blog today) and come back tomorrow for more entries. Giveaway will last 2 weeks. Continental US Entrants. See you soon!

UPDATE: Bonus entry closed. Giveaway is running and live here. Ends 7/17/22. It's the same Rafflecopter form the early bird entries so these entries are still there. Good luck to all!

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Royalty Scents: The BEST Perfume Subscription Service

Royalty Scents has nailed all of the things we love in a subscription service. 

One reason I love samples so much is the whole 'try before you' buy thing. When I was stuck at home during the pandemic I started watching videos on YouTube. I started with the makeup videos (my daughter profited from that because I started picking up the best of the best for her to make a really fantastic makeup gift box to give her for the holidays). 

That transitioned into fragrance videos. I was swayed at first to buy a few scents that SO many people raved about, only to find I didn't really care for them. Lesson learned: try before you buy. Or at least that lesson was learned after a few blind buy tries.

High quality fragrances are not inexpensive, so purchasing samples for them just makes good financial sense. For a few dollars I get to see if I like them or not. Sometimes I get very lucky and end up finding a scent that I love, and I immediately purchase the bottle. Those bottles bring me joy because I already know they're fantastic, and not regret (because I spent money on something I don't really want in my collection).

Another reason I enjoy purchasing from Royalty Scents is that they have a lot of selections to choose from, both designer and niche. It's easy to find some of those fragrances people in my online fragrance groups, or on YouTube are trying.  I live in a small city, so there isn't a shopping district or mall to go to where the stores have the niche fragrances. Sometimes I travel to Palm Beach Gardens to perfume shop (they have great retail stores there) but it's not a short drive, and my life is overly occupied with work so it's challenging to get down there.

These are the fragrances in my latest order.

Can you guess which one is the fun, summer scent? LOL!

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Sunday, June 19, 2022

What are You Drinking Out of This Summer?

Disclosure: I received sample products or a discount code to use towards the purchase of them. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.


I'm so excited about these, and can you really blame me? One is extremely functional and perfect to stay hydrated all summer long, the MyBevi tumbler, and the other (from Well Told Design) is a literature lover's dream (the Jane Eyre mug).

Friday, June 17, 2022

Top 5 Toys for Summer with Giveaway

Disclosure: I received sample products or a discount code to use towards the purchase of them. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.


Seems like we always do a summer toy run, or pick up a few new toys, when summer arrives. The kids are home from school, time is relaxed, and there are a lot of opportunities to bond. What better way to do so than with select toys (you) and the kids will love? Here are our top 5 choices for the summer. Let the imaginative play begin!

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Wordless Wednesday: Latte Art

 


It might seem silly, but I was just giddy to find a coffee shop that had latte art.
Another plus: I got to sip it sitting alongside the ocean. 💞

Cat or Dog? I Have Something for Both (with Giveaway)

Disclosure: I received a sample product or a discount code to use towards the purchase of one. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.


I have a new grandpet, and this is what he looks like. So, to welcome him into the family, I got him his own Smart Mats Studio pet mat. It's rather smart looking, don't you think? 🐶

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Still Shopping for Dad? Top 3 Companies to Buy from for Father's Day

Disclosure: I received sample products or a discount code to use towards the purchase of them. All opinions stated however, are genuine and my own.


If you're still looking for Father's Day gifts, these three companies offer high quality gifts dad will love, at very affordable prices!

1. Is dad a sports guy? Does he like games? If so, Masterpieces sells quite a few games AND you can choose from many teams...NBA (who is watching the Golden State/Boston Celtics Finals?), MLB, NHL, NFL, NCAA, etc. The prices are amazing at this store as well. The two items I have showcased are both gifts that can be bought for under $20.

We chose NCAA and NFL for the dads over here. 

  • The Florida State Seminoles Checkers Game is great if you want to challenge dad one-on-one. The classic board game is sure to please football-loving dads, or dads who have gone to college (choose their alma mater). The particular dad this is for, is a Florida Gator... KIDDING...KIDDING, honest, I am. 🤣 This is for a Florida State Seminole through and through.

This MasterPieces NCAA Florida State Checkers Game is the classic game of checkers where the king wears a Florida State football helmet! The Florida State checkers game includes 24 Florida State checkers pieces, 8 Florida State football helmet king pieces, a 13" x 21.375" Florida State game board, 1 sticker sheet, and an instruction sheet.

  • The Dallas Cowboys Team Trivia Challenge can be played with two or more players. For the dad this is going to, no one is going to be able to beat him on Dallas Cowboys trivia. It will be a good way for him to show off though. 🏈

Do you think you know the Dallas Cowboys better than anyone else?  Here’s your chance to prove it with the Dallas Cowboys Trivia Challenge.  Each trivia card contains 5 questions about the Dallas Cowboys.  If a player answers a question correctly, they get to keep the card.  The player with the most cards at the end wins.  Includes 50 trivia cards with 250 team-specific questions.  Recommended for ages 12 and up.




2. Noun Naturals has all of the personal care items you might need for dad. From body wash, to soap, to shampoo, and beyond, this is a company who knows how to pamper dad. I've chosen a few items from the beard care line to show you. Beards are so popular right now, and giving dad some high quality products to care for his is sure to make him smile. It's also a personal gift that no one else is going to use. And yes, it's nice to share, but sometimes dad just deserves something he can call his own.

Items shown above

  • Beard Oil This natural and organic beard oil has been referred to as 'liquid gold.' Serves as conditioner, moisturizer and oil all in one. Available in 3 scents.
  • Balm Get rid of the chemicals add make sure your hair and beard are right where you want them to be. All-natural balm is rich in the vitamins and minerals that help strengthen hair.
  • Bamboo Beard Comb Train your hair to lie in the right direction with the bamboo wide-tooth comb. This tool can also give your beard a fuller appearance after you give it a good combing through.
  • Beard Butter With Cocoa and Shea Butter, as well as several oils this organic leave-in conditioner is perfect for helping protect against brittle hair and breaking. No greasy finish, and absorbs for an all-day sheen/shine.

Dad will be all too excited if he receives Noun Natural beard products for Father’s Day. These beard & mustache grooming products will give him everything he needs to keep that beard and mustache healthy, clean, conditioned & styled. The key to having a great beard of stash is all in the oils - natural oils that is. Which your wife and kids will thank you!

Khaled Atallah, started the company after seeing the success of using hair oils on his own hair. From an early age, Khaled had thinning hair. His mother used oils on his hair nightly as a natural treatment, luckily resulting in beautiful thick hair. Once word got out, even hair lovers like Odell Beckham Junior and Korey Hess use Noun Naturals regularly. Noun Naturals beard products - Beard OilBeard BalmBeard Butter, and Bamboo Wooden Comb - works to help thicken and regrow hair through a variety of concentrated oils to bolster proper hair nutrition. When your hair is properly moisturized through vital nutrients and minerals like blackseed and rosemary oils, your hair will thicken, literally! This is man’s new best friend.


3. Gourmet Gift Baskets has quite the selection of goodies. There is something any dad would love. Looking for sweet? Grab the bundt basket shown above. Looking for savory? They have that too. Fruit and nut baskets? Yep and yep. Just about any gourmet goodie package you can think of already exists and in wonderful packaging to boot. This suggestion may sound familiar, since I recently wrote about it on the blog. You can see my top 3 picks here

These are my Top 3 Places to shop for Father's Day this year. All stores have gifts you can buy that are bound to bring a smile to the face of the special man in your life. Let dad know how special you think he is with the perfect present. You cannot go wrong with any of these options. We've gotten something from each store for the different dads in our family (two of my sons are grown with kids of their own, as is my son-in-law).

See something you like? You can make a purchase by clicking on any of the links in the product descriptions above. Happy shopping, and Happy Father's Day to all of the dads!

King Tweety Releases Today on Digital and DVD

Disclosure: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the DVD I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.

KING TWEETY

AN ALL-NEW ORIGINAL ANIMATED FILM

FEATURING LOONEY TUNES FAVORITES

TWEETY AND SYLVESTER

IS AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL AND DVD

JUNE 14, 2022

FROM WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT


It's been a long time since I watched a Looney Tunes show so I am excited to add this DVD to my collection. The release date is today, June 14th. Realizing most of you probably do not use DVDs anymore, I have good news: the digital release is today as well!

Saturday, June 11, 2022

True to Life Projection with Galaxy Projector from LaView

 Disclosure: I was given a sample product. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.


Sometimes I come across a product that every single kid in the family will love. Then I have to decide if I'm going to buy 4, one for each family, keep it at my house (where every child is bound to end up at some point) or gift it to just one grandchild's home. That's the dilemma I have with Galaxy Projector Blue from LaView. 

Friday, June 10, 2022

THE HOMESCHOOL AWAKENING releases in theaters nationwide June 13 & 14!

 Disclosure: Many thanks to TBN & CamFam Studios for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.


Coming soon! For two days only, you can head to the local movie theater and watch a documentary hosted by Kirk Cameron, that delves into the pros and cons of homeschooling, and answers frequently asked questions about it as well. If this is something that you have been considering for your children, what better way to get some insight, then to kick up your feet in the theater (assuming your theater has those fancy recliners so many of them do now) with a tub of popcorn and a soda while soaking in all of the information that The Homeschool Awakening will provide?

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Wordless Wednesday: The Itsy Bitsy Spider...

 


Probably not a web you want to knock into...

I guess not many people had been on this route because as I continued along the boardwalk, 

there were huge webs just everywhere. 🕷👀

Old World Christmas® Launches Search for a Master Decorator


Old World Christmas®, the premier brand of Christmas ornaments in the country, today announced their search for the first ever Old World Christmas Master Decorator. The Master Decorator will not only receive the title and $2,500, but they will also star in Old World Christmas’ holiday campaign.

When you see something like this, do you think of someone immediately? I think of my daughter, a young lady who is a very talented decorator. No one else in the family seemed to get her gift of being naturally artistic, so that makes her decorating skills even more precious.

If someone you know immediately comes to mind when you read this, or you are the decorator, please check out the information for this contest is below. Entry is simple, and you may already have done all the work and you didn't even realize it (you can use photos from last year!).

Decorating and holiday enthusiasts are encouraged to upload pictures and videos of their decorations for a chance to be  considered for this high honor. Entries will be excepted through June 26. 

 

The top 10 finalists will be chosen and put to the public vote before the Old World Christmas Master Decorator is crowned on July 13.

 

Entries must be submitted by JUNE 26th!

ENTER HERE

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

SideKick Space Saving Keurig Coffee Holder (sticks right to the machine!)



Every once in awhile I get something from Amazon that just makes my day! Today it was the Sidekick Coffee Pod Dispenser 2-pack. I don't have a cute coffee station set up in my home like some of my friends do. What I do have is a Keurig (that I love) on one counter, and my boxes of coffee way far away on another counter. I don't mind walking to select my k-cup for the day, but it's so much nicer to have my favorites now available at my fingertips, with this dispenser that sticks right to the machine (or anywhere close by where you'd like to have it). 

Monday, June 6, 2022

Which One Are You Getting for Dad?

People say guys are hard to buy for, but that's not true in our family. Hook them up with something good to eat and the dads in our family are on cloud nine! Gourmet Gift Baskets is the perfect place to find dad a gift he will love. The only dilemma I have is what to pick? Should I go with sweet, something with a little kick, or should I select a true classic? All three options appeal (to me and more importantly, will appeal to dad, lol). I've narrowed it down to three options...


1. Sweet

If the dad in your life has a sweet tooth, this Father's Day Chai and Bundt Cakes set may be just what the daddy ordered. This set comes with 6 mini bundt cakes (2 each of vanilla with strawberry infusions, cinnamon coffee cake, and lemon poppyseed with lemon drizzle), and a 16 oz. Chai Concentrate by The Chai Box (just pour and add hot or cold milk). It's packed in an adorable (and very manly) resin material basket, that mom is sure to steal (at some point). The only dilemma here, is how to hide the cakes from the kids.

This is a great option because dad can spoil himself for breakfast or a late afternoon snack on more than one occasion, and every time he does, he'll think of you. 💗

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Sonett Cleaning Products: Be Clean and Green! with Giveaway

Disclosure: I received sample products to try the brand. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.



I wish I could say I was doing something glamorous this weekend, but what I'm really doing is deep cleaning the house with my new Sonett products.

No More Fighting with the Kids to Apply Sunscreen!

Disclosure: I was generously gifted free samples to try these. All opinions stated however, are genuine and my own.


What if I told you there is a product that leave your kids begging to get slathered with sunscreen at the beach? No more fighting with the kids to apply sunscreen? Sign me up!

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Almost Wordless Wednesday: The Roman Forum in (where else?) Rome

 

As if the Colosseum wasn't spectacular enough, we rounded the corner and landed smack dab in the middle of the Roman Forum. 

So many things no longer standing, but so many things that were. And I was (and still am) in awe.

This photo does not do it justice. This area was spectacular.

Have you been?