Wilma Jean's Blog

Review: Johnsonville Fully Cooked Dinner Sausage

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:57:00 +0000

Ya'll know I like to eat, but don't always have time to bother with complicated recipes. Who does anymore? So as promised on Instagram, here is my post on how easy it can be to prepare a healthy dinner with only a few ingredients. The main one, as you can see, is being Johnsonville Fully Cooked Dinner Sausage.

As a product tester, Buzz Agent sent me a coupon for one free package, plus a ton of dollar off coupons. So you already know what I'm stocking up on for future meals. The product info is follows:

-Made with no fillers and only premium cuts of pork

-Available in five delicious varieties: NEW! Andouille and Three-Cheese Italian Style, Italian Cheese and Chicken as well as Polish Kielbasa and Smoked Sausage

-Comes with two individually sealed sausages — avoid the hassle of repackaging what you don’t use or preparing more than you need

-Fully cooked for quick prep on your stovetop

-Sold for a suggested price of $3.99 at the Kroger family of stores

I chose Andouille for my first meal. It has a tiny kick of spice, but it's not crazy hot, for people like me who can't even stand hot sauce. But I like that I didn't even have to add any extra spices to my meal.

Dinner sausage

3 pepper and onion blend

Instant brown rice

Tomato sauce

Not included in this pic, olive oil

Cut sausage and brown in a few tbsp olive oil. Add pepper and onion blend. Stir it well.

Add about 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce. Cover and simmer.

In microwave, prep brown rice. Add to plate, and top with eal from skillet.

We had this with a small side salad, and it was a great meal. Simple and healthy! It only took me about 15 minutes from prep to finish.You can easily add or sub other ingredients.

Five Beauty Products You Might Not Need (Ethnic Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 21:28:00 +0000

As an avid blog reader, I often read several that pertain to budgeting, simplicity and beauty. Sometimes I come across this topic and its always the same. The writer gives advice that is more specific to them, but pretend that the advice is universal. Come on now. As women, I believe we are all beautiful in our own ways, and cannot expect to fit into categories so neatly. Use your own judgement.

I was recently thrown into a beauty and hair conversation with some young ladies and it really got me thinking. They were asking me things I thought they should have known. But I was happy to dispel some bad advice and give them other options to try.

And then later that day I was doing a survey on a product testing site. It was not easy answering the hair product section. As a black (African American - or however you say it) woman, who proudly wears her own hair natural, (not chemically altered to loosen or straighten the curl pattern) my answers probably sounded inconsistent, to be honest.

That night, I was reading one of my usual blogs and saw a post about "the beauty products we don't need". On half the list I thought to myself, "good thing I know better." I also noted half my hair product list was seen as unneccessary. If I followed that advice, my hair alone would be a hot mess.

Those three incidents, back-to-back, gave me the idea to make my own list. Not to pick apart the writers opinion, but to share another view to the topic. Here goes...

Five Beauty Products You Might Not Need (Ethnic Edition)

Razors
For some reason, our skin does not always repond to regular shaving with a blade in a positive way. Razor bumps, scarring, it's just not pretty. But I'm not one to go all hairy either. What's a good compromise? I have better luck with electric razors and trimmers. I may not always get as close, but close enough is better than hairless, with a side of razor bumps. For the summer though, I use depilatories like Sally Hansen on my legs. When combining those two methods I'm good.

Shampoo
Let me tell you a little known secret. Many shampoos are made with sulfates, harmful in many ways (maybe an idea for another blog post). And they also leave hair squeeky clean, which is drying. Except for clarifying shampoos to use occassionally, or in cases of product build-up, we don't need shampoo. So how to clean hair? Once I started using only conditioner, no poo method I learned from natural hair blogs and videos, my hair was so much easier to manage and detangle while wet. Which made drying and styling so much easier.

Wrinkle cream
This us normally not something we need to worry about. Our skin generally is not prone to wrinkle issues until much later in life. But to protect skin in general, find a face cream with sunscreen. Unless it runs in your family, it's not something to stock up on anytime soon.

Blush
Depending on your skintone, it's not a product to use everyday. It's more like a special occasion makeup, like eyelashes with glitter ends, or neon eyeshadow. But for work and just out and about, not too many ethnic women really wear it. Blush, if applied incorrectly, can run the risk of looking too made up, or worse, you picked a fight that you couldn't win.

Hair grease

An old school product, does anyone use this anymore? Well, if you still wash your hair with shampoo, your scalp might be dry. But a light hair oil is usually enough to do the trick.

Feel free to comment if you have more to add to. What else should should be on the list?

Three Ways to Get Rid of Unwanted Clothing

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 06:59:00 +0000

winter sweaters headed out the door

Originally they were headed to consignment, but it's almost Spring, so I am dropping them off in a donation bin. I haven't worn most of these in a year (or two) and that's good indicator to clear them out of the closet.

Get rid of decent quality, unwanted clothing

Drop Boxes
Goodwill, The Salvation Army, other charities. Because of the recent economic downturn, more and more people are shopping second-hand. These little metal bins are now located in many shopping centers. It's really convenient to donate.

Consignment
Stores that gives "store credit" and discounts. Platos Closet, independent shops, etc. Of course Platos is located in more metro areas, especially here around Atlanta, but there are local indie shops in many small towns. The difference is that Platos or high end places only accept name brand. Indies can take a much wider range of items.

Gifts
Save for friends, family only. If you have room to keep a small box, or bag for people you may personally know, it's a no-brainer. I have a small circle, we have mini trades often. Because the stuff is clean and in good condition, no one takes it as an insult.

There are many more ways, but these three are very simple. I will touch on more, but they can be time consuming or require effort, so I am saving it for another post.

Just don't DIY: New and improved eBook cover!

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 06:29:00 +0000

The New Cover

Available here and here

Being a creative type, I tend to want to DIY everything. It's a blessing and a curse. Because I think I can, does not necessarily mean that I can. It's a hard lesson to learn, but finally it began to sink in. Immediatley after I published my first book and hated the cover so much, I couldn't move on to finishing the next one. Why? Because it wasn't a 100% total package.

Back to the drawing board. This time I did a sketch, scribbled some ideas on the paper, and handed it over to the real digital artist who made it ten times better.

Anyway, with that off my chest, on to the next! Head over there and order a gig, if you need a book cover. Just don't forget to tip!

Fro Fashion Week 2013: Shea Moisture at Museum Bar

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:48:00 +0000

Free samples

Won in a raffle

It's been a while since I have attended any meet-ups or events. While taking a haitus from them to work on my own projects, I keep in the loop. My social butterfly friend, is the secret weapon. She sent me some pics from Fro Fashion Week 2013 so I thought I would share them with y'all.

It's not all about the free products, but it's nice having them to experiment with. The instruction, and learning that comes with these events are equally helpful. (If I get more pis, I will post them here.)

Less Stuff, Good Life: My first book now on Amazon

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 21:52:00 +0000

Less Stuff, Good Life:

Minimizing your way to a more enjoyable life

Enough product reviews and thrifting adventures for now; it's time to announce something I am very proud of. My first book, Less Stuff: Minimizing your way to a more enjoyable life is now live on Amazon Bookstore!

Want to know something ironic? Sure you do. I first published on Smashwords, which is still new and growing, because I thought it would be easier than on Amazon, which is older and more established. But really there was no difference in difficulty. So I did all this hard work, then set myself up for a less than stellar rewards.

So what I did was the direct opposite of simple. Talk about making things more complicated than they had to be. Well, lesson learned. From now on, I'm doing it the other way around.

Here's the link again. If you like it and find it useful, feel free to leave a great review. I really appreciate it!

Preview: Influenster Holiday VoxBox 2012

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:10:00 +0000

As promised, another photo collage of the Influenster goodness. Of course, I tried most everything out. Here is a list of the goodness they sent to me:

Sole Society (percent off coupon with membership, very unique style selection)
Kiss Nail Dress (great mani and pedi option, see below)
NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine (my new lip color)
Goody Quickstyle (Maybe? Jury is still out)
Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal (with fruit, yes please)
EBoost Natural Energy (pink lemonade that's actually good for you)

You see how easy it is to have a pedicure in less than twenty minutes! Peel, trim, stick on, and file. Plus, if you happen to have Pygmy Toes like me, you can get a good four pedicures out of one pack. How's that value for your money? Of course, I am a product tester so this was a free gift, but it was so easy of course I will be buying some kits for myself.

Preview: Influenster Beauty Bloggers VoxBox 2012

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:42:00 +0000

A little late, I know, but still I thought I would post anyway since it has been in draft for a while. Bloggy biz was on hold while I got my first ebook completed. Here's what Influenster sent me, in no particular order:

Eboost Daily Health Boost (love, love, love)
Bath and Body Works Pumkin Cupcake mini candle (smells like heaven)
No 7 Beautiful Cleansing Lotion and Moisturizng Lotion (great for travel)
Kinky Moves hair cream (not thick enough for all my hair)
Goody Simples Styles Spin Pins (again, will need more than two for an updo)
Kiss ever pro lashes (comes with applicator and glue)
NYC eyeshadow (it arrived broken so I will not be able to test it.)

Bath and Body Works candle really got cooking odors out. I made 15 bean soup in the crockpot, and baked BBQ chicken in the oven the same day. And I must say, that little candle was a winner! (Still working on uncluttering my countertops, but that's another blog post, for another day.)

That's all for now. I really can't take the time to review everything on this blog. More products to test, more book editing, more art to sort, more general decluttering to do.

Downsizing + Adding = Life

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 05:52:00 +0000

This thrift store right here.

Right after the new year, on a recent trip down south to visit family, something wonderfully unexpected happened. My aunts and MIL surprised me. They had shopped their closets especially for me. And had all sorts of goodness waiting for my arrival.

They had no idea that I had just taken inventory of my closet, and realized I had almost no dressy/church/business-like appropriate clothes for winter. They didn'd know I just put myself on a 3 month clothing shopping ban. So I was already grateful for this because I needed this; but didn't know how it would happen.

Then they took me thrifting to one of my favorite shops Of All Time. (Not that I am a bit obsessed with the place at all, since I may have mentioned this store here here here and here.) Oh no. Intervention, anyone???

This huge bag of clothes right here.

Let me say one thing: They must love me.
And another thing: I might need more hangers!
One more thing: Or maybe it's time for another purge (of summer stuff). We'll see what happens...

On drinking hot tea and coffee from white ceramic mugs.

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:47:00 +0000

Tea, cookies, pj's, mascot. All here and accounted for.

It has recently occurred to me that this is my preference. Well more than that, really a necessity. It's like wearing clean underwear, there's no other way around it.

The better half of the year has been spent moving around, for work and family, and adjusting to constant changes. In that, I like to have a few consistencies just to feel normal. Drinking lots of hot tea and a bit of coffee does that for me. But the best way to do this while on the road is still a challenge.

Well until I find a good travel thermos, I have to manage to not spill the contents somehow. And using styrofoam ones from the convenience stores are handy as they are bad. Bad for the environment, bad that they can only be used several times before leaking, and just aren't sturdy.

But for around the house, (or hotel,) give me a solid white mug with little if any, decoration, and I am a very happy tea (and coffee) drinker.

It took me about six months to realize this one thing for sure. In my kitchen, I have minimized to a small assortment of white (dinner wear), which includes plates and mugs. Then there are a few clear drinking glasses. What I have are stackable, easy to clean, and a simple pleasing design that is not depending on trends.

For travel, we bought a set of black plastic camping dinner set, and I admit, I picked it over the red color, which I felt would not be easy to clean. Everything about the set works for me, except the mugs. After a groggy morning, as I was trying to wake and get the day started, he asked, "why don't you like those plastic mugs?"

So I thought about it. Here's what I figured out.

My tea drinking experience had been compromised. Drinking from plastic made it difficult to taste, and smell any aromas; the black color meant I couldn't see. All the senses needed for enjoyment were gone. That's why I felt like I had been drinking plain hot water all this time. That's why something had to change.

So I went out and thrifted a simple white ceramic mug. With red hearts and confetti sprinkled on it. (A happy design). It had weight, felt good in the hands, and allows my senses to do their job. Smell, see, and taste my tea and coffee again.

I'm off to enjoy a cup right now. Which flavor will it be? Maybe Earl Grey?

Less Stuff, Good Life: My first book now on Smashwords

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 02:31:00 +0000

Less Stuff, Good Life:

Minimizing your way to a more enjoyable life

Happy New Years everyone! I hope you started this year out the right way. I am happy to say I did. After ringing it in with family and tying up some loose ends, I'm back from a self-imposed-mini-social-media-hiatus. It's time to be not only creative, but productive.

So I put my art project(s) on hold to work on The Writing Project. Starting months early, I got a jump on my goals for the new year.

Instead of participating NaNoWriMo for the month of November, I had another plan. Instead of starting, procrastinating, and failing, for a third year in a row, without being near the word count, I would try my own writing project. I would write my own (first) book. Then I would edit and publish by my birthday, as a gift to myself, by the end of the month.

Somehow I ended up hitting the required word count without trying. But the editing and publishing steps took a bit longer. Better late than never, they say. They are right.

Avid reader? Go here to get a (free) account and snag the book. For only $1.99. (Yes, I like earning a living, but not by robbing folks, ya know?)

Then I will publish on Amazon Bookstore ASAP. And I will. Deets to come...

Have Yourself a Merry Little

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 05:22:00 +0000

Taken on a tour of lights, year ago, visiting family down South

...Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Festivus, or whatever it is you celebrate. I will be MIA well until after New Years, most likely. Catching up with family and work projects and other stuff I have put off that needs my attention. Like getting motivated to be consistent with working out. Not a New Years Resolution, just a resolution that happens to fall around the new year, coincidentally.

With a the crazy things happening around the world now, it's a good time for me to reflect. And prioritize things. IRL, as opposed to being plugged in and on the internets, so much.

I will be back soon enough. Hopefully with new creative inspiration. Maybe a blog tweak here and there. Or something unexpected; still working things out, inside my head.

Anyway, enjoy the holidays. I plan to. See you when I see you!

Acquiring new clothes on a budget

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 19:54:00 +0000

Out for a walk, enjoying the crunch of leaves beneath my feet.

Scarf: can't remember, had it so long.

Tee shirt, sweater, Levis: all Value Village

Boots: Target

So my closet has been cleaned out more times this year than I can even remember. I'm addicted to this new hobby. And I am happy to say I really don't have a lot of clothing anymore.

What I do have coordinates well together. And my accessories, they are more curated and special. (Except I still seem to have a lot of shoes. How did that happen, lol?) Well organized, and with less stuff, my closet makes it easy for me to pull together an outfit most days. What I really have left is more quality, over quantity. And that means a lot.

Now it's getting cooler out there, and I want a few things to fill out what's left of my cold weather wardrobe. What's a girl to do? Make a simple plan:
Take notes
Set a budget
Use loyalty cards/coupons
Accept gifts

Notes in EverNote.
Really I use this app for everything. And it syncs online so all my changes are instant. My "Style" folder is very basic. I take photos with my phone and send them there. Also I add brands, sizes, other info. It keeps me on track while shopping.

Budget, budget, budget.

Allow for the extras, or miscellany. For every extra item bought, know what can be done without. For example, if I budget "x" amount for three pair of jeans, but a unique sweater calls my name, one pair of jeans might not make it home with me... I keep the receipts too; in case I need to make an exchange or return later. Whatever the price, an unused item is a waste of money.

Apps, store loyalty cards, and coupons.
I am also trying this app called ShopKick, it gives you points that convert to savings. The jury is still out on that one. (I don't know that I shop enough for that app to be of any real use.) Email coupons are good for favorite stores. I don't even have to print them out. As long as I present it when checking out, the cashiers can scan or type the code in. Combining a few methods for shopping, all add up. To a high quality wardrobe on a budget.

Gifts are great.

People give me unique, special things. And I really appreciate it. My mom knows I like scarves. So just the other week, she gifted me some from a bag headed to charity. I chose what I liked and she sent the others off. Last year I received a pair of vintage Aigner boots from an aunt. And soon after I bought a coordinating purse for under three dollars from VV. I really love gifts that are personal, and will use them until they fall apart. It doesn't have to be a holiday to give or recieve, (but a birthday can be convenient).

New to me scarves.

I hit the thrift stores, consignment, clearance racks, etc with a purpose, but enjoy the process. Even if I end up with things that won't work out (say, there's no dressing room in the store) and need to exchange some items later, it's ok. After all, I never know what unique items will be waiting for me when I return. Because, I will be back.

Personal project update

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 18:08:00 +0000

11" x 14"

Sharpie on heavy paper

Here's another sketch from my series that I'm working on. Can you guess what it is yet? A little girl jumping rope, hair twists swinging along. More to come.

Minimizing Update

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 18:03:00 +0000

Since last fall's big closet purge, I have done quite a few mini purges. It's almost like a hobby now. I have cleared so much, that really I haven't bothered to blog it. Besides tackling my wardrobe, the rest of my stuff became fair game. Books, makeup and personal items, art supplies, you name it, everything came under the axe. Every category, every room or space. (Sold, donated, trashed.) Now I am working on computer and electronics streamlining. With a MacBook Air, iPhone, and Canon digital dsl camera, they all work together. Plus I don't waste any time looking for peripherals or trying to keep them all organized.

Simplifying and minimizing in general, has helped make life easier, as this year has brought on a lot of challenges. (Challenges I usually don't post all over the internets.) One example is more travel for family reasons instead of fun, for now. So having just what I really love instead a lot of things I kinda like, lets me get on with my day. Especially in the clothing department. I can now grab and go.

Also entertainment and shopping have to be considered. More cost effective ways to have fun, can be Netflix for movies and cooking dinner, free community events, and family visits when our schedules sync up. Also included, a gym membership. I consider it in this category, because when used often it is entertainment/social. And it's somewhere I should be anyway.

Normal shopping still has to be done, of course. That's where knowing what you need a few of, versus emergency supplies to stock up on, come in handy. I shop with purpose, instead of randomly grabbing stuff just because. There's more than enough room for what I need now, and may need later.

And finding the joy in discovering extra ways to earn money has been a recent hobby too. It's become easier for me to continue activities that add value to my life, and quit those that don't. (Minimizing) For example, I terminated membership on a freelance artist site whose leads (after about seven long months), never panned out. Relying on word-of-mouth or personal connections result in more work for me. I closed up all market research sites but two. That's means I will can focus on the ones that bring greater rewards, via products I like to promote and will use.

It looks like minimizing and organizing habits are here to stay with me. So the journey continues...

Have you ever considered living with less stuff? What would you get rid of first? What would you keep? I would like to know.

Personal project

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:30:00 +0000

11" x 14"

Sharpie on heavy paper.

Here's an iPhone photo of a little something I am working on. It's part of a series that's been in my head for a while, and finally making it to paper. Trying to decide wether to keep them black and white, or add color. Will see what happens.

Review: The Original Dish Drying Mat

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 04:53:00 +0000

Source: Google Images

Another product I am happy to review! This month, Influenster sent me a whole box of goodies called a Naturals VoxBox. I will be doing the next few product reviews all together because this is the best box, so far, and I don't have time for posting individual ones. But let me start here, it's just that handy:

Name:

The Original Dish Drying Mat

Claims:

- Superior absorbency; holds 4 times its weight in water

- Cushions delicate dishes and stemware

- Machine washable and highly durable

- Folds and stores easily

- Has multiple uses; try it underneath your dish drying rack in place of the plastic drain board. Place it underneath your appliances (mixer, blender, etc.) to protect your counter top from scratches and scuffs.

Made From:

The website description: "The unique, laminated design combines a thin layer of foam between two layers of high quality, super absorbent microfiber."

My Original Dish Drying Mat in use, in our tiny kitchen.

Cost and Size:

The smaller size that I recieved (16" x 18") retails for around $4.99 USD, X Large (18" x 24") price not listed on the website yet. But it is probably only a few bucks more.

Does it Work:

Yes! If I didn't say so before, I am really excited about using it in my kitchen. I prefer to wash dishes by hand, and don't like drying them in the dishwasher. I felt like having a plastic drain would be unsanitary, so I never bought one. Dish towels get and stay wet too long. So this is perfect. It dries quickly so I can put it away when finished.

Buy it Here:

It can be found at Bed Bath Beyond, the official website, or if you happen to be a product reviewer like me, get if for free! If you must buy it though, consider the money well spent. Because, I was eyeing the mat in stores well before it came to me in the mail, so wow. Can't complain.

Also:
You can use the tab on the end for hanging it out of the way, when not in use.

This is my season

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:06:00 +0000

Quick sketches, instagrammed.

So it's officially Fall/Autumn now. This is my season.

The season I was born, a bit late of course. I am a late bloomer after all.

The season for wearing scarves about my neck, and flip flops on my feet, in the same day, maybe the same time.

The season for drinking sweet tea in the afternoon, and drinking hot toddys at night.

The season for starting and ~~quitting~~ completing NaNoWriMo.

The season for devouring heavy fashion magazines cover to cover, and discovering great movies.

The season for planning, shopping for supplies, and making holiday gifts for others.

The season nature's foliage play dress up in beautiful colors, mosquitos give my limbs a rest, and the sun shows just enough love.

The season to Reflect. Reassess. Reboot .... Because, after all, this is my season.

Review: Honey Curls Moisturize (step 3)

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 16:39:00 +0000

Honey Curls Mosturize (Step 3)

A while back a few of my hair videos were featured on Honey Curls YouTube channel. Since then the owner has been very busy updating and revamping. And now there is a new product line. When she asked me to review one of them, of course I said yes. So here is the rundown.

Name:
Honey Curls Moisturize (Step 3)

Claims:
"Honey Moisture Leave-In Conditioner smoothes the rough cuticles that are responsible for rough dry edges."... also: "non greasy, can use a generous amount against high humidity and high heat appliances and braids..."

Ingredients/Made From:
See the package for a detailed list, but the very first ingredient is water! (What natural hair loves btw.) Also non drying alchols of different types, and yes, honey.

Cost and Size:
No price listed yet, but will be soon. I recieved a full sized bottle (8oz fl. 240 ml) to sample.

Wash-n-go

Does it Work:
Oh yes! I did a simple wash-n-go, with plenty of product (like always) and it left my hair soft, light but still defined enough. And I got lots of compliments as well.

Buy it Here:
Once I have the proper links, I will update this post.

Also:
I can't wait to try the rest of the product line-up.

How I organize my jewely: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:21:00 +0000

A Beautiful Mess

Do you remember the last time I did a jewelry purge and found a temporary solution to the mess that was overtaking my amoire? Once I cleaned it out, I donated it to charity, and used pant hangers for what was left. They worked great, but I needed a better solution that was more portable and yet stable. (Sometimes things would be in the way of each other.) See the picture below?

The Temporary Solution

Well thank goodness for Amazon, I found what I was looking for! The prices on these two were about $20 each plus shipment, though I have also seen similar ones at Bed Bath and Beyond. Isn't this so much better? I have had these for a while, so I didn't take the time to find a direct link, but they are really easy to find.

They hang in the closet or on a door, can be rolled for travel, and are double sided. As you see, I have more than enough room to expand.

What other odds and ends I have are in a little cloth shoebox type container, out of the way. To be sold, or donated later. So what storage sollutions have you found for jewelry?

New: Cover Girl & Olay

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 19:15:00 +0000

Cover Girl & Olay

Tone Rehab 2 in 1 Foundation, 165 Tawny

Pressed Powder, 360 Medium/Deep

Being a product tester is great; you have the opportunity to try new-to-the-market or not-yet-released products before anyone else. You learn about great options, while helping others do the same. (Of course it helps the companies for their own demographic and marketing purposes, that's part of the deal.) But often you are more of a fairy godmother for others than actually helping yourself. Why do I say that? I'm talking about when you get something unusable.

You see, this shade is slightly darker than my skin tone. It's no one's fault. I tried to chose the best option based on the choices. There were a good amout to choose from. But I have the type of coloring that makes me happy I take care of my skin, and rarely need little more than cover-up and powder around the eyes. Yes, I have been known to mix several colors (when I am in a pinch) to get it right. Maybe if I would have gotten more time outside this summer, I would be dark enough to try this out, but I didn't so that's that. They sit int the box, unopened. Now I need someone to try this out for me and give an honest opinion.

What do bloggers or social media types do when that happens? How do other people feel about it? Well, there are options: regifting, selling, trading, trashing. My preference is regifting and trading. I would rather give away an item to someone who will love it, or make a trade for something I will love. Selling is an iffy thing, companies and other bloggers don't always approve, (though it is really a payment for your time and work testing) but I haven't done that yet. And trashing, well, I hate to waste good stuff.

So what do you think about this? Leave a comment below. And, hey, who's up for a trade?

Life Right Now

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:26:00 +0000

Mini She, reading

Here's a peak at my latest series. I just started painting some "Mini She's". The nickname is because: it features all natural hair kids (instead of women), and smaller in size than the original paintings. This she is reading. At least she will be when I am finished.

I created and mailed off some cute little dangly angel earrings, and now I am waiting for products in the mail to review. It seems that some are coming at once. Not that I am complaining.

Dark Angel, by Danielle James

Back to reading, and angels, my neighbor loaned me this book. It's written by her friend. I read it whenever I get sit-down time, and can't paint, I pick this up. What's it about? Vampires, werewolves, and people. Oh my! To my surprise, I never want to put it down. No more hints, pick it up here. And, no, I am not being compensated. It's just that good.

When a "Possibly Maybe" suddenly turns into a "Probably Not"

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 05:12:00 +0000

Sometimes a sure thing, really isn't a sure thing. Sometimes the thing you thought you wanted, was not what you needed. When a "possibly maybe" suddenly turns into a "probably not" right in front of your eyes, it can be disheartening.

Funny thing is, I was about to work on a personal (and much overdue) project when I was asked to "possibly maybe" do this other cool thing. I said yes.

So I got to working on sketches for this other cool thing just long enough to get excited about it. Ideas were exchanged, things tweaked, and an almost final rendering was delivered. We worked out all the rough edges. It was going to work out. Then it didn't. We agreed to part ways. And actually, I am relieved. It's a hard thing to admit.

Back to the drawing board it is. This time, for myself.

Guest Post on Artiatesia Deal

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:43:00 +0000

I was recently asked to write a guest post about my experiences with Fiverr on the lovely graphic design and freelancer's blog Artiatesia Deal. Here is an excerpt:

“Hire people to do things for $5.00″

"That is the tagline for Fiverr.com, an online outsourcing website. It connects employers with employees for just about any possible job that can be imagined. Examples range from “Fun and Bizarre” such as a pet holding a sign in a video, to “Gifts” like trinkets and crotchet, to “Programming” like fixing CSS errors, and everything in between.

So far my experience has been positive..."

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Head on over and read for yourself. It may give you ideas for your own side hustle. And when you finish my post, stay for a while. There's a lot of good stuff for entrepeneurs as well. Thank you Artiatesia!

Review: Influenster (3 in 1)

noreply@blogger.com (WilmaJean) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:59:00 +0000

Tea, cookies, and chocolate. Enough said.

This was supposed to be my full fledged review for a box of goodies sent to me by Influenster, but after instagramming my photos, consuming my test subjects, and life, I am afraid that I'm late. So I need to make this short and sweet. And all the snacks are gone as well. (So I cannot offer you any).

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On to the mini-review:

Stash Herbal Tea

Honesty, I wasn't sure I would like it. I had recently seen the brand in the grocery but the label did not grab me. (Advertisers, ya'll got work to do!) But this tea rocks! I was sent a full box of caffiene free fruit blends. Between me and The Techie Ninja, it was gone in a week. So yes, it is a winner.

Truvia Natural Sweetener

Yes, again. I usually opt for raw sugar, than white sugar, or nothing in my hot beverages. All the other substitures seem to have an aftertaste. (Then there's that cancer that may or may not be found in test rats that consume it.) So I stay away from those other sweeteners. But this stuff is good, and it tastes like sugar. And there was a coupon involved, so I can go buy more.

Ghirardeli Gourmet Milk Bar

Tastes just like it looks--expensive. I prefer dark chocolate over milk chocolate any day. But this had the melt-in-your-mouth thing going on. So I have to give it a two thumbs up as well.

The Anna's were in my pantry but I thought they would go well with the rest, and they did.