Archive for December, 2009

Wow! I seriously cannot believe 2009 is over! Well, it’ll be over in a little less than 9 hours for me, but still! Can you believe it?!

I don’t particularly have any resolutions, which is exactly what I said last year too. I’ve decided no more resolutions… I only have annual goals I hope to reach. I think the only goal I reached for 2009 was to quit smoking. (Today makes a full seven months too!)

So, my Annual Goals for 2010 are as follows:

• Lose weight (About 32-37 lbs)
• Post to my blog more often
• Get a blog theme I absolutely love

I know it doesn’t seem like much, but I can’t think of anything for once! So far I’m still getting the hang of Weight Watchers. I’ve been much better than my first day, and it’s getting easier slowly. I’ll finally make it to my first meeting this upcoming week, so that’s a great way to start 2010!

I hope you all have a happy, healthy and prosperous new year! See you in 2010

So, I joined Weight Watchers on Saturday evening. I figure enough is enough with being unhappy with my body, and being overweight. Yes, I said it, I’m overweight. I might not look it, but I am. I currently weigh 147 lbs., and for my stature, I shouldn’t weigh over 132 lbs. My BMI is 28, which is overweight and only 2 points from being obese. Not cool!

Anywho! Monday, December 28th was Day One for me… And I failed miserably! I’m given 20 points a day, and I get 35 points to squander throughout the week. So, I basically can average out to 25 points a day. At the end of the week, I can swap points from activity towards my food points.

I start Day Two today, and I can hope it’s better than yesterday. Curbing my hunger is going to be hard I think… I just always feel hungry, no matter what! This is where I’m hoping Hungry Girl (Lisa Lillien) will be helpful.

I’ll continue to keep you posted on my progress. Maybe I’ll do a daily post on how I’m doing for at least my first month. I don’t have a specific goal aside from getting my weight down to 115 lbs… BUT! I’d be happy just looking better overall even if the number on the scale didn’t go down a lot. Either way, I can do this! Are you with me?! Wish me luck!!!

Wishing you and yours a lovely holiday!!!

I enjoyed my first ever taste of Penne a la Vodka when I was transferred to the main campus for the hospital I work for. O.M.G! To die for! I finally snagged the recipe from the chef extraordinare who makes it, and I’m so glad I did! I not only get to make it myself, but I get to share it with you!

Now, mind you this recipe might be second nature for him, so he didn’t give me estimated times to cook it or how many it seves. It’s enjoyable no matter what! I’ll be sure to post my findings when I finally make it though!

Ingredients
1 1/2 qts heavy cream
2 TBSP chopped garlic
1 TSP crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup vodka
1 can diced tomato (DO NOT drain)
1 1/2 cups parmesan
1 lb. penne

Directions
In medium saucepan over medium-low, add ingredients in order listed. Don’t turn burner up too high so as not to bubble or curdle sauce. Gradually increase heat as needed. Stir constantly.

While making sauce, cook pasta according to package directions. Once sauce is warm, add parmesan. Continue stirring until hot; then pour over warm penne. Add more parmesan if wanted.

(Picture via populationfive.com)

I recently purchased my first Color Club nail polish, and it happens to be a holo. I purchased Fashion Addict and Revvvolution, and I’m in LOVE! I went back a few days later and got Worth The Risque and Wild At Heart. Love, love, love! The only other holo I previously owned was ChG TMI, which I swapped and later received TTYL. But for some reason, these are just jumping at me and I’m in LOVE!

I’m not sure what has me drooling over these lovelies, but I am. And as if on cue, Scrangie made a post yesterday about a new collection from Nubar! The Prisms collection is due out on January 1st with nothing but holos! The collection consists of:

Prize (red)
Gem (taupe)
Brilliant (pink)
Jewel (brown)
Absolute (blue)
Essence (peach)
Spark (tan-gold)
Treasure (purple)

I think I’ll be placing my first Nubar order for these! IDK why I’ve waited so long to begin with LOL! What are your thoughts? Excited about the holos or do you think you’ll pass?

Seeing as how I’m a busy mom, I wish I had way more time to bake and make loads of yummy homemade foods. Unfortunately, I don’t. BUT! There is hope in the fact that Recipezaar has tons of recipes that I can make quickly and taste divine! Such as this one for Sour Cream Banana Bread.

SERVES 12 (1 loaf)

Ingredients
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup chopped nuts (omit if you don’t like nuts)
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions
Preheat over to 350°F.
Grease 1 large loaf pan.
Cream margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients, then bananas, nuts and sour cream. Mix well.
Bake for 1 hour.

(Picture provided from Recipezaar)

Since we’re drawing to a close on 2009 I figure now might be a good time to make a list of what my beauty must-haves and favorites have been for the year. I can only wonder if 2010 will bring me something better!

Stila Bouquet Eyeshadow ($18)

It’s described by Stila as a “matte nude pink.” I seriously wear this shadow everyday! Something about it seems to brighten up my eyes. I never have to think twice about what to use with it, and I can use any color liner (actually, you can see me in it here). Sadly, I’m looking for a good dupe. I’ve almost gotten to a point of hitting pan, and I’m not ready to cough up $18 for a new one… Man, it used to be $14! Anywho! I do have MAC Yogurt and Laze I can use… And I think I found a good dupe in the Revlon Matte collection too.

Benefit Erase Paste #2 ($26)

I was using Benefit’s Boi-ing, but thought I should check this out since it’s supposed to be better. Granted, reviews on MUA were sketchy. Because of the reviews I decided I shouldn’t spend full price and end up hating it. It was hard finding the right color for swap, so I naturally headed for eBay. BINGO! I was able to get a trio of sample packets, which actually gave me MORE than buying the jar… And I don’t think I even paid half retail with shipping. I’m still using packet #1 months later! I just put it into a 10g jar, and viola!

Too Faced Shadow Insurance ($17)

I’m so glad this was made! UDPP and I were no longer getting along… It decided it wanted to crease, and I decided I wanted a new eyeshadow base. Besides, the packaging for UDPP is insanely silly! TFSI, as it’s so called, no only doesn’t crease on me, but the packaging is MUCH better. I can squeeze out just enough to use, and I don’t have to worry about prying out the insert or cutting the tube open to get out almost 1/4 of the product that’s still left in the tube! Yeah, I’m talking about you UDPP!

Benefit CORALista ($28)

Another product I’m glad I found! Again, something I didn’t know would work for me given reviews, but I was lucky to snag one in a swap… LOVE IT! It gives me just the right amount of pinky-coral to look perfectly natural without too much shimmer. It’s definitely “holy grail” material… I think between this and Stila Bouquet, I’m set!

Barielle Natural Nail Camouflage ($4)

Originally I was using Nailtek Foundation II since I heard it was good for splitting and breaking nails. Since mine were finally growing, but I was still having issues with them being healthy, I gave it a try. Nope! My nails actually peeled from it! Then I switched to Sally Hansen Nail Quencher, but it was causing my nails to turn yellow. EW! A lot of ladies raved about how good the Barielle Camo was on the MUA Nail Boards, so I looked high and low (and got a CP or two), and I’m so glad! I love, love, love it! My nails don’t yellow or peel! I’m also a fan of their Hydrating Ridge Filler w/ Silk Fiber. Actually, they retail for $16, but TJ Maxx and Marshall’s generally carry one or both for only $3.99!

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat ($5)

Why oh why wasn’t I aware of this nugget of gold when I first got into my nails?! Never before have I been able to paint my nails within an hour of going to bed and have not a single worry of sheetmarks or smudges! Seriously, this stuff dries WAY fast! The only issue is that because it dries so fast, you have to apply this to wet polish and be quick about it. Also, it tends to cause shrinkage, so I use a regular top coat before I use this to help that out. Oh, the price on this really does vary. I can get it for $9 in Target or CVS, but I can just order it from an online retailer or with my Sally Beauty card for $5 or a tad less.

Some other products that I’m loving are Creative Nail Design (CND) Solar Oil and Barielle Intensive Nail Renewal Oil. Both help keep my cuticles moisturized and prevent them from looking all frazzled. Oh, and a divine hand cream is Barielle Ultra Soft Hand Creme SPF 15! Luckily, I was able to snag it in my local Marshall’s for ony $6 for the larger tube because that bad boy retails $20! Of course I still love my Philosophy Purity Made Simple! Goodness knows I’ll have a heart attack if I ever find out it’s being discontinued! Oh, perish the thought! Shhh! I mustn’t think such things!

I’m always changing my mind on what I do and don’t like, so it’s no wonder my blog theme and name are ever evolving too LOL! I might actually be happy for once… But I’m sure I said that the last time too. I think it’s closer to what I would want. Not that I enjoy staying inside snowbound, but I’m glad I had the time to update my site today. Goodness knows otherwise I’d have just been debating and never sat down to do it. Right?

OH! I got a new camera too not too long ago, so hopefully I can start adding my NOTDs! I’ve been wanting to for ages now! My only issue now is the dreary NY winters that hardly allow for sunlight… Although, I could take my camera to work to take pics, no? We’ll see how that goes!

Product: 4 of 5
Packaging: 5 of 5
Quality: 4 of 5
Price: 4 of 5
Overall: 4 of 5
Would I repurchase? Considering this has been discontinued, I’ll just have to suck it up and find something else. I have purchased two back-ups for when I’m done with the tube I’m on, but then I don’t know what I’ll do!

::: The Product :::
As it’s no longer available in the USA, I had to borrow some information from the UK Maybelline site, as well as other sites. Maybelline Sky High Curves is supposed to be an “extreme length and curl mascara” that lengthens up to 30% while setting lashes to a 30-degree curve. Its formula contains flexible polymers that stretch and mold to the lashes all the while lifting and curling lashes with its “lift ‘n’ length brush.” Sky High Curves was ophthalmologically tested, therefore it was suitable for contact lens wearers.

Sky High Curves was available in Very Black, Soft Black and Brownish Black. It came in a navy blue tube with silver writing with the product name on the front of the tube. There was also a waterproof formula, which was available in a light blue mascara tube with writing in navy blue. Each tube contains 0.16 fl. oz (4.7 ml) of product.

::: The Ingredients :::
Water, rice bran wax, carnauba wax, hydrogenated steryl olive esters, stearic acid, candelilla wax, triethanolamine, palmitic acid, acacia senegal, panthenol, methylparaben, hydroxyethylcellulose, dimethicone copolyol, propylparaben, polyvinyl alcohol, simethicone, PPG-17/492. May Contain: Carmine/CI 75470, chromium hydroxide green/CI 77289, chromium oxide greens/CI 77288, ultramarines/CI 77007, mica, titanium dioxide/CI 77891, ferric ferrocyanide/CI 77510

::: My Experience :::
I know I constantly review mascaras, and the only one to date that I’ve seemingly hated was L’Oreal Double-Extend Beauty Tubes. I just don’t seem to have a lot of issues that others have with mascara by way of smudging, raccoon eyes, flaking, etc. I don’t know why that is, but I don’t.

I was browsing the cosmetics aisle at Ocean State Job Lot, and saw Maybelline Sky High Curves. I had heard good things about it in the past, but never bothered trying it out. I decided I would give it a go since it was only $2.99 per tube. I mean, I’m sure it retailed about $7, so at least I wasn’t wasting a lot of money if I didn’t like it, right? My only issue was they only had it in Brownish Black, and I always buy the darkest black available.

It seems that my lashes are tricky. I know that seems silly to say, but it’s true. They don’t even grow “right” in the sense that they grow in pointing straight out, straight up, curling in towards the eye, etc. Not to mention, eyelash primers seem to weigh them down more times than not. So, I’ve resorted to just using my trusty Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler and whatever mascara I’m using at the time.

That being said, Maybelline Sky High Curves is good to me. Even though it’s Brownish Black, it still gives my lashes some color. My lashes definitely seem to curl up more so than with other mascaras, but I’m not sure if it really lengthens my lashes any… I think the lengthening aspect comes from the fact that my lashes are staying curled up giving the illusion of longer lashes. Though this isn’t a separating mascara, it does a good job of fanning my lashes out so they’re not spidery or anything. I don’t have issues with the mascara clumping or globbing up on me either.

I haven’t tried removing Sky High Curves with an eye makeup remover since I no longer use them, but it seems to come off just fine with Philosophy Purity Made Simple. My guess then is that if Purity gets it off easily, then any eye makeup remover should be able to simply remove it as well!

::: Overall :::
I keep saying “I’ll definitely buy this again,” but I think this is the only mascara I have repurchased and continuously used. I even tried my Maybelline Lash Discovery again and didn’t like it as much as I thought I did… Same goes for M.A.C. Dazzle Lash LOL! I’m thinking I’ll have to figure out how to stock up on this without worrying about rancid mascara.

I’m a bargain hunter… I readily admit to it, and I don’t think that’ll be changing anytime soon. I just don’t see the point in paying retail if there is a coupon I can use. I look for the best possible deal I can get, and then I move forward. Being frugal has allowed me the ability to own genuine Coach handbags on a limited budget. Or own over 200 nail polishes (and counting)!

It’s because of great sites like Cashbaq, Mr. Rebates, and Ebates that allow me to earn cash back on purchases. And because of sites like Retail Me Not, Coupon Chief, Dealigg and Coupon Cabin that I can find a discount code or coupon for almost any store I can think of.

I’ve even found a lovely site, Engineer A Debt Free Life (EADFL), which is the BEST as far as coupon codes, freebies, and all sorts of tips, tricks and promos to help you spend even less while getting what you not only want, but NEED in life! Seriously, it’s because of EADFL that I even heard about BeRuby or Alice.

I do have moments where I need instant gratification, and though I’ll whine because I paid retail, I’ll be happy I received what I wanted when I wanted it. Although, I can say being savvy is what allowed me to get my lovely work shoes for only $3.74 with tax! Yeah, that was a good day…