tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73693571782238497952024-03-13T08:41:06.862-04:00Simply Cat CakesAlexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.comBlogger238125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-12442705372309237442014-10-25T00:24:00.003-04:002014-10-25T00:24:30.574-04:00A Late Foster Friday: Chattering Ruby
Did you know that cats chatter? I had never heard of this until recently. None of my childhood cats, ever did this. In case you are wondering what chatter is, well, it is essentially chatter/chirp sounds cats make when they are "hunting." My cats make this noise when seeing a bug outside, or like Ruby, whenever they see their favorite toy.<br />
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As soon as I take out "da bird" I am suddenly the center of attention for all of the cats.<br />
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Daisy will whine, Ruby will chatter, Cybelle looks at it eagerly, and Phoenix just...lays there.<br />
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Here is a recent video of Ruby chattering, and my other cats.<br />
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Isn't the chattering, the cutest thing? She instantly makes this sound, it's so cute. Don't worry, she didn't chatter for too long. I let her play with "da bird" plenty. She was able to chase and nibble on it, plenty. <br />
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Ruby is up for adoption at <a href="http://foha.org/index.php?id=30&letter=R" target="_blank">Friends of Homeless Animals.</a> <br />
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-40719542468453816182014-10-17T22:14:00.002-04:002014-10-17T22:14:04.897-04:00Foster Friday: Grooming Session
Ruby and Daisy have been doing well. We switched their wet food, and now only Ruby likes it (they are eat Science Diet now). It's not a big deal, as Daisy hardly ate any wet food to begin with. However, Ruby is adjusting very well to it.<br />
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This week has been extremely filled with mean girls moments between Cybele and Daisy. I would sympathize with Daisy...but she is an instigator. Poor thing has a few scratches from Cybele. She may be naughty with Cybele, but she is a snuggle bear with my Phoenix.<br />
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Here is a cute video of Daisy and Phoenix, enjoying a grooming session.<br />
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</a>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-48380265658319918732014-09-19T22:22:00.003-04:002015-04-13T21:58:06.072-04:00Foster Friday: Snuggle CatsIt's Friday, and you know what that means...foster kitty photos!<br />
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The theme for this week is how my foster cats are so snuggly. I have always had cats that liked to be with you, not on you. They are more independent cats, not very lap oriented. Or at least they <u>only</u> want to be on my lap when I am wearing black, or don't want fur on me. It's like <em>they know</em>.<br />
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Ruby and Daisy are up for adoption through <a href="http://www.foha.org/index.php?id=29" target="_blank">here.</a> They are both as snuggly as they can be. They not only like to snuggle with me, but with each other and even my tuxedo, Phoenix.<br />
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My photos were taken from my iPhone, so please excuse the quality.<br />
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Ruby, on the right loves to groom and sleep with Phoenix. I think they have a <em>thing</em> going...</div>
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See what I mean? Ruby and Phoenix might be an item. </div>
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Sisters sleep together. They crossed their arms...so stinkin' cute!</div>
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In case you are wondering if they wrestle and pounce each other, the answer is yes.</div>
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Ruby, on the right might look innocent but she <u>loves</u> to play chase with her sister and Phoenix. Sometimes she sounds like a galloping horse, charging around from room to room.</div>
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Notice that Cybelle, my white cat is no where to be found on my photos? That's because she is not a fan of snuggling with other cats. Like I said before, they act out the movie "Mean Girls."</div>
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Until next time, stay classy!</div>
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-86749941223566947052014-09-05T05:00:00.000-04:002014-09-05T05:00:05.769-04:00Foster Friday: Ruby & Daisy Go to the Vet
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Last week, we took the girls in to the vet for a follow up visit. While it is not their first vet visit, it was none the less an unfavorable ride and event for the girls. Our adventure began at home, where Jeff and I herded the girls into one carrier. Yes, I said <em>one</em> carrier. We have a double deluxe carrier because I thought it was a good idea at the time. So, <em>that</em> was fun.<br />
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Ruby and Daisy arrived in their room, and they got to work. I can imagine the girls were thinking "What is this wicked place? Who was here before me? What happened to them?"<br />
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Then they heard barking...<br />
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"What was that? I don't like this place!!"</div>
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Poor girls. They both gave me unforgiving looks the entire time. I can't say I blame them. I too don't enjoy going to the doctor's office.</div>
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Ruby was the braver one. She actually explored the area, while Daisy managed to hide herself behind a pamphlet sign. </div>
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Poor little Ruby was called chubby, so we will be monitoring food intake. She not fat, she's curvy! The girls don't know this yet, but we will be going back to the vet for a check up in a few weeks. Poor babies!</div>
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-22895003625622278932014-08-15T21:49:00.003-04:002015-04-13T22:04:40.633-04:00Foster Friday: Mean Girls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love the movie "Mean Girls" just as much as the next girl, but it's different when the mean girls are cats. Your cats to be exact. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Cybelle</span></div>
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Just about every day, my cat Cybelle and my fosters, Daisy and Ruby have a mean girl confrontation. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Daisy AKA Regina, modeling that she is the size of a dog toy</span></div>
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It typically starts with Daisy acting defensive over the spot behind my bedroom door. I don't know what it is about that spot...but it's Daisy's turf. She gets unnecessarily territorial behind the door. She isn't nasty, but she isn't an angel either. Daisy and Cybelle usually exchange one or two swipes at each other. I like to think that Daisy is acting out her Napoleon complex, since she is tiny. The truth is, she just wants that spot all to herself. How selfish! <br />
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Later in the day, the big chase will commence. Cybelle or Ruby will initiate the great herd gallop, and they are off... Galloping from room to room, like mad little furry creatures. <br />
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For some variety, Cybelle may get annoyed with Daisy and swipe at her if she gets too close for comfort. Then they all chase Da Bird, like happy little cats and go to sleep. <br />
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It's amusing that all of the girls seem to get along with Phoenix, the only male in the house.<br />
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Rest assured, all of my kitties (fosters or not) are loved, pampered and spoiled...even if they have big personalities.<br />
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-30270108494209454342014-08-08T05:00:00.000-04:002015-04-13T22:03:02.067-04:00Foster Friday: Meet Daisy and Ruby<br />
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Meet Daisy and Ruby, they are my foster babies. Daisy and Ruby are sisters, and they are about 10-11 months old. They journeyed into my home in April, from the Hagerstown, MD area. That's about a two hour drive; a big journey for two little cats.<br />
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Daisy is the orange cat with the white markings on her face. She is smaller and shorter than her sister. She is also a huuuuge talker. She loves to talk, and even complain. Yes, I said complain. She is more independent than her sister and she is an agent of chaos. She might be tiny, but she sure likes to cause trouble. <br />
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For example, Cybelle, my white girl...is a princess and not the biggest fan of any foster. Truth be told...she herself, was a foster cat - but I suppose that is all in the past! I often find little Daisy instigating and cornering Cybelle. It's quite pathetic because Cybelle is nearly twice Daisy's size. I find myself breaking up Daisy's acts of chaos at least once a week. As I break them up, Daisy howls like she is the victim and she is being hurt. As you can see, Daisy is also quite the trickster!<br />
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Ruby on the other hand, is slightly bigger than her sister and an angel. She looooves food, but we are working on keeping her figure! She is obsessed with teaser cat toys, especially Da Bird. As soon as she sees the toy, she starts chirping or chattering.<br />
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Ruby is also very protective of her sister. Any time Daisy is crying, Ruby comes running right away, just to check on her. She also loves to sit with me as I watch TV, and adores being pet. She has no problem, telling you that she needs to be pet ASAP.<br />
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<strong><u>Their story...</u></strong></div>
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The girls were originally named Sabrina and Brooke, but...I was not a fan of the names. So, I told them, "Sorry, girls, but your names have to go!"</div>
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I had recently watched <em>The Great Gatsby</em> again so, the name Daisy stood out to me. Keeping with the flapper, 20's theme, I chose Ruby for the bigger girl. </div>
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The day they arrived at the cattery, I could tell that Daisy's eye was bothering her. It was red, squinty and it just did not look good. Her eye was painful to even look at. I felt pretty bad for her. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Poor little Daisy's eyes during her first week at my home.</span> </div>
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We took both girls to the vet and after a few days, Daisy's eyes were already looking and I imagine, feeling much better. </div>
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Now, Daisy's eyes are clear and open. She no longer squints or shows any signs that they are troubling her.</div>
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I have become quite fond of these girls, and I am trying hard not to adopt them. I hope that by blogging about them, I can show case how cute and playful they are even though they are not your average kitten size anymore. </div>
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-75422586530498831502014-05-26T19:55:00.003-04:002014-05-26T19:55:37.799-04:00Gettysburg Trip<br />
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<a href="http://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm" target="_blank">Gettysburg</a> National Military Park is about 1.5 hour away from where I reside, which shames me to share that this is my first visit. However, I have been wanting to visit for quite some time. The boy and I awoke early, hit the nearest Cracker Barrel, and hopped into the visitor center. I was debating on a regular admission ticket or a bus tour ticket, but since it was my first visit, I splurged on a $36 bus tour ticket.<br />
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I will begin by sharing that aside from the major facts of the battle at Gettysburg, I knew nothing...but I did learn a lot! <br />
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Our bus driver, George and licensed tour guide, Ron were an amazing duo. We started the tour with an introduction of where everyone was from. The boy and I learned that we were the only Virginians aboard. Once we departed the visitor center, we drove through historic Gettysburg, where I learned some of the fighting had taken place. We saw bullet markings on brick buildings and learned there had only been one civilian casualty. A young woman, who sadly was not hiding when the fighting was happening. A stray bullet sadly got her.<br />
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I knew the battle field was massive, but...wow, being there is a different story. A map can be found <a href="http://www.nps.gov/gett/planyourvisit/upload/GETT%20brochure.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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We learned about Cemetery Hill, Culps hill, Little Round Top, Big Round Top, and Devil's Den. We toured the entire battle field and learned about the three day battle.<br />
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I believe this photograph is taken from West Confederate Ave., overseeing the location of Pickett's Charge. Where 12,000 men confederates began marching in the center of the battle field. On the very far left, you can see Cemetery Hill in the distance.<br />
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<span style="font-family: FrutigerLTStd-Roman; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span>The very few confederates that survived, and broke thru the Union line were greeted by additional Union reinforcements and surrendered.<br />
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This photograph is from Little Round Top. It was a spectacular view. On the left side (rocky area) you can see Devil's Den.<br />
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Virginia's monument features Robert E. Lee. I believe our tour guide indicated that Virginia was one of the first southern states to place a monument in Gettysburg's military park. Originally, southern states were not allowed to place monuments at Gettysburg. 50 years after the war, the were invited to do so.<br />
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Tennessee's monument was placed in the 1980's....can you believe that? That is a 100 years after the war.<br />
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I liked the Maryland monument, it depicts two brothers; one is a Union soldier while the other is a Confederate soldier. A divided state.<br />
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Due to limited timing, there were numerous monuments that I did not get a chance to photograph.<br />
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After finishing our bus tour which lasted about 2.5 hours, we toured the museum and viewed the Cyclorama painting, which is entitled "The battle of Gettysburg" painted by a French artist. The painting is massive and encompasses an entire room, 360 degrees. What I liked about the painting is that it was very detailed, and I found it amusing that the artist painted himself on to the painting. It was his signature. <br />
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This is only a small portion of the painting.<br />
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We took a free shuttle to historic downtown Gettysburg and explored the local shops and living history demos. <br />
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Naturally, I couldn't resist the cupcake café. The café itself is an older home that is painted in pink and white. The inside is decked with cupcake décor and everything pink. I questioned whether I owned this business. I am fairly certain if I owned a business it would be pink and cupcake themed. Have you seen my kitchen...?<br />
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Look at the happy me!<br />
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I hope you enjoyed my travel trip blog post.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
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</a>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-18194726693071767092014-04-20T21:07:00.002-04:002014-04-20T21:07:31.650-04:00Awesome Con 2014After weeks of endless advertising for Awesome Con in DC, I checked it out with some friends.<br />
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We took the metro into the city and enjoyed the fun, sticky and packed metro ride. <br />
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I was quite surprised that tickets were reasonably priced for a one day pass ($30). I didn't have much time or motivation to create a new costume, so I dressed up as Maya Fey from the Ace Attorney games. <br />
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We arrived early, around 10 a.m. and registration lines were impressive. Once we actually made it inside the building, we were herded around but luckily the line moved faster than I anticipated.<br />
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Registration involved getting a one day wrist band, a bag, program guide and some other literature. <br />
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I just had to take a photo with the 'feeling harassed' TV screen. <br />
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After registering, we walked around the exhibitor area and saw a lot of cool costumes. Below are some of the costumes that stood out to me:<br />
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I saw a few Joffreys, but I have to say this one was by far my favorite. I also saw a few children dressed as Joffrey, which is cute but also disturbing. </div>
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Lady Loki! There were many girls dressed as Loki. I don't know how you make your helmet/headband, but I love it.<br />
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Assassin's Creed</div>
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Everyone was loving Maleficent.</div>
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Wilfred</div>
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Jeff was impressed with these girls, I believe they are from God Eater. We learned their weapons were made out of foam. </div>
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How can you not love Beetlejuice?</div>
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I saw this group when we first arrived, and I became obsessed with them. I don't understand what they are cosplaying as...aside from the obvious. I was too shy to ask them what they were cosplaying as, so I just settled for a photograph. Which explains the goofy grin on my face.</div>
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My friend dressed up as a character from Fall Out. </div>
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Later, we found someone else dressed up from Fall Out. </div>
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I partied with the Portuguese black rooster from Nando's Piri-Piri (yum) and a cow. </div>
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I awkwardly posed with Sonic.</div>
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Ran across a R2-D2</div>
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The vendor area was packed with cool and cute stuff. I resisted from buying everything but settled for a cute print and magnet of a cat from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/kittycassandra" target="_blank">Kitty Cassandra</a>. I love my print, I can't wait to add it to my cupcake themed kitchen.</div>
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There weren't many concurrent activities at the Con aside from guest sessions, sci-fi speed dating, a video game room, and a costume contest. I attempted to go to some of these activities but the lines were extremely long and disorganized. The video game room was also entirely too small. Overall, it wasn't a bad con, but it had limited concurrent activities. I also found it strange that the vendors, artists, guests and food court were all in one giant space. In the end, I still had a ton of fun and enjoyed seeing the many, many Doctor Who cosplayers. Who knew there were so many ways to make the tardis a cute costume?</div>
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Until next time,</div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q7BwaRZkRXA/UfHrehPeKAI/AAAAAAAAAN4/zhxzgEkS9yI/s1600/signature-simplycatcakes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img align="left" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q7BwaRZkRXA/UfHrehPeKAI/AAAAAAAAAN4/zhxzgEkS9yI/s1600/signature-simplycatcakes.png" /></a>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-80439551145902477102013-12-28T20:57:00.001-05:002013-12-28T20:57:16.955-05:00Holiday Lush HaulNot too long ago I found myself at Lush. They had their holiday items out, and there was no way I was walking out of the mall without at least buying one...or two items! <br />
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I've heard some great things about their holiday products, so I decided it was time for me to give them a shot.<br />
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Gold Wonder is a monster. It's a huge bath bomb covered with shimmer! I was warned by the representative at the store that this particular bath bomb held a surprise. However, I am cheap and I was determined to get two uses out of one bomb. So, I cut it in half and ruined the surprised. I strongly don't recommend doing this! This bomb gets super crumbly.<br />
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I got a small sliver of Angels Delight soap.<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/angelsdelight1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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This smells so fun, fresh and fruity. I love it. The color is also a bright pink and includes stars, which is a bonus.</div>
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Snow Cake soap is by far my favorite holiday soap. It features a very sparkly gold dust on the top, but a milky white body. It smells like milk and almonds. It's a soapy drug for me. I love it!</div>
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I also picked up Shoot for the Stars bath bomb. I enjoyed this bath bomb, it's perfect for a bath right before bedtime. It smells of like Lush's popular soap, Honey I Washed the Kids. The bath water turned a really pretty purple blue with this one.</div>
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My skin has declared a war, so I decided to try a Lush face product on it. This is my first face product from Lush, and I really love the smell. It's hard to see from the photo, but it has Lavender in it. This is perfect for Lavender addicts.</div>
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This bubble bar was great to use on Christmas night. It helped to unwind the hype of the holidays. It smelled very relaxing and made loads of bubbles.</div>
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Cinders is a smaller bath bomb, but it was one of my favorites I purchased. It has a spicy aroma which is perfect for the season. What I really liked, is that during the bath you may hear crinkling or crackling. The bath bomb is packed with what it appears to be, pop candy. While laying in the bath, the pop candy will pop. It's very fun. I really don't think it's pop candy in this bath bomb, but it's the best description for it.</div>
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I hope you enjoyed my haul. Lush is currently holding a buy one, get one free sale. You can bet that I placed another order!</div>
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Until next time,</div>
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-37663837253229240932013-11-20T22:03:00.001-05:002013-11-20T22:03:48.927-05:00Guild Wars 2: Mesmer MakeoverDon't feel bad, I have been neglecting not only my blog but also my gaming. <br />
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I play an MMO Guild Wars 2 (GW2). In this game I play my vixen Mesmer. Mesmers are a supporting spell caster class, that utilize illusions and clones to confuse the enemy.<br />
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I have played my character since the beta and she has maintained the same look, same class and same character name. I was getting bored of the pig tails.<br />
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I figured after 1 year of game play, my character deserved a make over. Don't ask why my character is in a bikini in the above picture. I don't have a good excuse. <br />
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So, I purchased a makeover kit in the black lion trading post and gave my sexy little Mesmer a new look. Meet my sexy little Mesmer now.<br />
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Her hair is short, pulled back and a reddish hue.</div>
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If you play GW2, leave me a comment with your account name. I would love to connect in game with you!<br />
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Until next time,</div>
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-35880152115200210042013-10-13T19:13:00.001-04:002013-10-13T19:13:15.799-04:00The Great Pumpkin WreathI have been busy crafting. My fingers are dry and tired of all the hot glue gun abuse. It's all worth it because I have made some great creations.<br />
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My new creation, The Great Pumpkin ribbon wreath, can be found on my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/165688089/the-great-pumpkin-ribbon-wreath?ref=shop_home_active" target="_blank">etsy shop</a>.<br />
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Take a peek!<br />
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Until next time,<br />
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-84346577860771713772013-09-23T08:00:00.000-04:002013-09-23T08:00:17.820-04:00Recent Bath & Body Works HaulHello my name is Alexandra and I have an addiction to pumpkin everything. <br />
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It's weird for me to admit that because it was only a few years ago that I didn't even like pumpkin pie! I know, what was wrong with me? How dare I not like pumpkin pie? I like to blame my foreignness for this. <br />
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One day I felt adventurous and tried pumpkin pie and instantly loved it. From there I soon became in love with anything with pumpkin in the name. <br />
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On a side note, if you know me...you know that I have love/hate relationship with certain foods and I have a hard time trying new things. So for me to try pumpkin pie was a big step. I know. I am weird!<br />
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My recent haul from Bath & Body works can simply be put into the following words: pumpkin overload.<br />
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Naturally, I had to purchase a regular size of <em>Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin </em>for myself. I also took advantage of the 5 for $5 sale on the hand bacterial gel and went a little crazy with the pumpkin selection.<br />
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I ended up purchasing a total of six because I can't count. I got:<br />
<em>Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin</em><br />
<em>Georgia Peach</em><br />
<em>I Love Pumpkin</em><br />
<em>Creamy Pumpkin</em><br />
<em>Sweet Clementine</em><br />
<em>Pumpkin Cupcake</em><br />
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I also picked up the travel size of the <em>Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin</em> and<em> Napa Autumn Blackberry</em> lotion and spray sets. While I am currenly still using up my lotion and spray stock, I will actually be giving this set out as a gift to some friends. It is very tempting to keep them because they smell so good!<br />
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Lastly, I also picked up some things on clearance. I am currently using the <em>Ocean Pearl</em> soap and I have to admit that I am not the biggest fan of it. It smells light but a little musky. It claims to be pink grapefruit and freesia, but I am not really smelling those scents.</div>
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For the first time, I also bought a scentportable scent and charger. While, I am not keeping this one for myself, I may be picking up another for my car. </div>
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Does anyone know if these last for a long time in the car?</div>
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I hope you enjoyed seeing my recent B&BW haul. Until next time!<br />
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-1661869260119827642013-09-22T13:40:00.002-04:002013-09-22T13:40:49.552-04:00Bluemont Fair<br />
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My favorite thing about fall is the endless fairs and festivals in the area. This weekend, I attended for the first time, the Bluemont Fair. <br />
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Bluemont is located at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains within Northern Virginia. It features beautiful sights of the nearby mountains and the local historic homes. It was pretty neat to see the fog in the nearby distance at 2 in the afternoon that I just had to take a photo.<br />
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Jeff and I started our hike to the fair by parking on a grass field past the village. Although, it was a bit rainy, we were able to snap some cool photos on the walk over. The entrance fee was only $5 to attend the <a href="http://bluemontfair.org/" target="_blank">44th annual Bluemont Fair</a>.<br />
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The fair had plenty of activities and vendors for everyone. There was an interactive children's area with pony rides. There were also other activities like giant bubbles. The fair also had local product vendors, miniature train displays, historic home tours, pie and pickle contests, animals, music, wine and more. <br />
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Oh yes, I almost forgot about the food! There were plenty of food vendors for affordable prices. We ended up getting our food from a local church for $9. This included 2 hot dogs, 1 chicken sandwich, 2 waters and some cookies. Not bad, for $9!<br />
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Alpacas!</div>
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There was a big section of the fair devoted to local sheep and alpaca wool vendors. There were even live sheep and alpacas! I found the alpacas adorable. They were recently sheared so they reminded me of poodles. Don't their heads resemble a lollipop? </div>
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I'm still a kid at heart, so naturally I was quite fascinated with the giant bubbles. I would like to point out that I was also not the only one lured by the bubbles! I saw plenty of teenager boys chasing and popping bubbles. </div>
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We also explored the local shops. I was impressed with the old fashioned general store. As soon as I walked in, it felt like I stepped back in time. Inside there were large wooden counters, an old cash register, things hanging from the ceiling, and lots of baked goods for sale. It felt pretty authentic. </div>
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Inside, the general store, they also had the winning contest pies for sale by the slice. I'm not a fan of fruit pies, so I passed on this.</div>
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Jeff was really digging the pickle and pie contest sign...not sure why.</div>
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Overall, I enjoyed going to the fair. It was neat and affordable. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the rain we encountered. The fair is a good weekend attraction for the nearby locals. It has pretty sights, history and local vendors. Go check it out next year! </div>
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-49001621127124856122013-08-23T19:56:00.004-04:002013-08-23T20:04:42.382-04:00How I Became the Crazy Cat Lady<br />
I'm pretty sure this is where it all goes down hill to kitty sweaters, and owning 20 cats. <br />
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It all started with a plea from my local animal volunteer organization asking to foster kittens. There are countless kill shelters in the country. So, opening your home
to a furry friend gives these innocent animals time, a temporary home (that isn't a cage), love and care. <br />
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With that being said, meet Pinky! Pinky came from a shelter in West Virginia, travelled to Maryland and eventually settled into my home in Virginia. Quite a lot of miles for a little thing, huh?<br />
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I named this little bugger Pinky because she has 6 little toes on each paw. She looks like she is wearing mittens. It's super cute!<br />
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Pinky is a very pretty orange tabby. She's roughly 2.5 months and maybe 2 pounds. She is a ball of energy and quite the mischievous one. Leave it to me to fall for the naughty bad cats.<br />
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She has really started to bond with one of cats. Phoenix still believes he is small kitten so they play together. The other cat, Cybele is not her biggest fan. By that I mean she hisses but is always want to sniff her. I don't get her.</div>
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The boyfriend and I are currently contemplating (or at least I am) about having Pinky join the cat family. There are folks already interested in her but she is so unique and adorable that we may want to keep her!</div>
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Dilemma. Dilemma. I'm not sure what to do!</div>
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To be continued...</div>
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-27356226555870255702013-08-11T12:43:00.000-04:002013-08-11T12:43:16.873-04:00Meet the Kittehs!I realized the other day that I hardly post any kitty photos on my blog...much less mention the little terrors. That is truly odd because I must take at least one photo per day of their crazy cat shenanigans.<br />
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So, allow me to introduce the kitty party.<br />
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/cybeleintro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/cybeleintro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cybele joined our home last December. She was adopted from a local non-profit organization. Cybele was born to a feral mom and lived her first few months as a feral baby. She is a sweet girl but she is very skittish around strangers and my boyfriend. I don't think she likes males very much...I don't know why. </div>
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Her nicknames include: raccoon princess, Cyby, Linda (which mean pretty in Portuguese).</div>
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/Cybeleandroo-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/Cybeleandroo-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cybele is a closet trouble maker. She doesn't like to cause mischief when we are watching...but she is a little devil. I'm on to you, Cybele. I know about your ways!</div>
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Roo, is my boyfriend's 2 year old guinea pig. She is loud, piggy, and full of attitude. </div>
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/Phoenix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/Phoenix.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Phoenix joined our home last July. Jeff wanted a cat of his own so he adopted a cat that looked exactly and behaves like my little Spotty. Phoenix is a social cat but he is a bully. He loves terrorizing Cybele but he also loves to bathe her and cries if they are ever separated for a few minutes. Phoenix also has a little fox toy that he drags and "loves" around the house. He is a little cat exhibitionist with his fox. It's weird and awkward. </div>
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/Phoenixandspotty-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/Phoenixandspotty-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Seeing doubles? Spotty and Phoenix look just a like. </div>
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Phoenix's nicknames include: Phoene, Fifi, the rat, Lindo (Pretty in Portuguese :D)</div>
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/phoenixandcybele.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/phoenixandcybele.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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One of the many bathing/fighting sessions between Phoenix and Cybele.</div>
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I hope you enjoyed meeting my furry companions. </div>
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-1915027769112633652013-07-31T13:23:00.000-04:002013-07-31T13:23:00.538-04:00New Hair CutAfter nearly 3 years of having long hair off and on, I decided to do something drastic. I chopped it off!<br />
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I have never been very committed to my hair length, so it was not a big deal to cut if off. I was just tired of the upkeep of the length. Long hair requires time, care and too many hair products for my taste.<br />
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I'm a fan of quick and easy hair care which for long hair does not always work! <br />
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What are your favorite hair lengths? I think mine is medium length since it still allows plenty of styling options without the maintenance of longer hair.<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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</a>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-38776385374269722602013-07-30T13:52:00.002-04:002013-07-30T14:44:28.504-04:00New Blog Design and HaulSurprise! There is a new blog design!! Although some of the pages are still a work in progress, I have decided to kick off the new design. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. <br />
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In celebration of the new blog design, I did some shopping. <a href="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/" target="_blank">ELF</a> recently hosted their 50% site wide sale. How could I <u>not</u> order?! Then <a href="http://www.zoya.com/" target="_blank">Zoya</a> had an awesome promotional sale on their exclusive "Liberty" pixiedust polish. <br />
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Here is what I got from both ELF and Zoya:<br />
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/recenthaul727.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="466" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/recenthaul727.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<strong>From ELF:</strong><br />
2 shine erasers (I swear by these, especially in the summer)<br />
2 eye makeup remover pads<br />
1 studio makeup remover cleansing cloth<br />
1 toe separator<br />
2 mineral lip tints (guava and blush)<br />
1 maximum coverage concealer in porcelain<br />
<strong>total order with 50% discount : $8.50</strong><br />
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<strong>From Zoya</strong><br />
Kym<br />
Edyta<br />
Liberty pixiedust - FREE!<br />
<strong>total order: $16.00</strong><br />
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I also received a free Schick Quatro razor as part of a giveaway on Facebook. Woohoo for free!<br />
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/recenthaul727zoya.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/recenthaul727zoya.png" width="400" /></a></div>
I'm a fan of Zoya polishes because they are long wearing and are free of chemicals found in other polishes. Plus, they have very unique colors and varieties. <br />
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<strong>Kym</strong> - a burn red, cranberry burgundy. This color is beautiful for the fall.<br />
<strong>Liberty</strong> - is a textured polish that feels like smooth sugar on your fingernail. It is a beautiful blue opaque glitter polish.<br />
<strong>Edyta</strong> - is a unique black, green and gold shimmery opaque polish. Out of the 3 that I ordered, Edyta is my favorite.<br />
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What are your recent beauty purchases?<br />
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-1408848764537011832013-07-20T23:05:00.000-04:002013-07-26T14:55:09.536-04:00AtalayaI recently drove down to South Carolina for some beach fun. While enjoying the splendors of Myrtle Beach, I decided to explore a nearby historical home.<br />
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atalaya_Castle_(USA)" target="_blank">Atalaya</a> is the former winter home of philanthropist Archer Huntington and sculptor, Anna Huntington. The history of the house is fascinating but I found the empty property chilling.<br />
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya2.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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The view of the entrance of Atalaya.</div>
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In Spanish, atalaya means watchtower. I found it amusing because in Portugal, there is a coastal city named Atalaia (pronounced the same way). Random fact, but I just had to share.</div>
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The house resembles a Moorish castle and houses a beautiful courtyard. Above is half of the courtyard. In the top right, you can see part of the tower that is connected to covered walk ways.</div>
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="435" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There was also another sign that indicated that Mrs. Huntington was fond of bats. The tower also sheltered quite a few bats.</div>
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Above is a clear shot of the tower and the covered walkways.</div>
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
A goofy pose under the covered walkways. They were quite lovely to walk under...until you got under the tower, then it was slightly creepy.<br />
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Speaking of creepy...I found the shedding of a snake in the inner courtyard of the home. I guess I should've known based on the first snake I saw. My little Northern Virginia butt is not familiar with seeing snakes in trees...especially if that tree is above my parking spot!</div>
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Now back to the house. The house itself is empty. No furniture. Nothing, just rooms which can feel a little creepy. It is a very interesting home not only because of its unique architecture but the history behind it. At one point, the Huntingtons vacated the home and turned it over to the government during WWII. The house also features animals pens (nothing major...just BEARS...wtf!) for live models that Mrs. Huntington used as reference for her art.<br />
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya5.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Another goofy pose.</div>
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/atalaya10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Did I mention the Atalaya is right by the beach? After the tour, I headed to the beach for some fun.</div>
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I recommend if you are in Myrtle Beach, go checkout Huntington State Park for a tour of Atalaya castle.<br />
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-49111665929629890432013-06-25T21:12:00.002-04:002013-07-26T14:56:15.615-04:00Lazy Girl Guide to Cool Nails: Sally Hansen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/sallyhansen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/sallyhansen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Sally Hansen polish strips have been around for some time now. Yet, every time I apply one of their funky patterns as my manicure, I always get compliments and questions. So allow me to introduce you to <em>Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips. </em>I call this the lazy girl guide to cool nails....because it is!<br />
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These cool polish strips can be purchased at just about any drugstore. I have even seen them at bargain stores for a discounted price. They can run a bit on the expensive side, $8. CVS usually has a BOGO deal every month, so you could wait for that or try eBay/bargain stores. <br />
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/sallyhansen1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/sallyhansen1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Each kit includes 2 sets of polish strips (about 7 strips each), a cuticle stick and an emery board. </div>
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/sallyhansen2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/sallyhansen2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The number one thing to keep in mind is that once you open one of the nail polish strip packs..you have use that pack. I made the mistake of leaving an open pack over night and the next day the polish strips were all dried out and completely useless. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Let's get started</span></div>
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<strong>Step 1:</strong> Buff your nails with the provided emery board. Smooth your nail a bit so it is a nice surface for the nail strip. While you are at it, you may as well shape and file your nails.</div>
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<strong>Step 2:</strong> Open the polish strip pack. Measure the strips and plan which strip will go on which finger.</div>
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<strong>Step 3:</strong> Remove the plastic coat from the polish strip and apply directly to the nail.</div>
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/sallyhansen3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/disastergurl311/BLOG/sallyhansen3.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">It will look something like the right finger of the above image.</span></div>
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<strong>Step 4:</strong> You can use the emery board to tuck and "cut" the extra polish strip from your finger nail. Using the cuticle stick is also helpful. Repeat for all fingers. The finish look will look like the left finger on the above image.<br />
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<strong> Step 5:</strong> To ensure the manicure lasts about 2 weeks, I always add a top coat.<br />
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Tadah - Done! Now get ready for all the compliments you will receive. Remenber, you worked really hard on this pattern! It is not store bought :)</div>
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I used the pattern "Prep's Cool." Which patterns is your favorite?<br />
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Has anyone used the left over strips on their toes, or am I the only cheapo that will admit it?<br />
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</a></div>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-22410718855856936012013-05-27T20:30:00.001-04:002013-07-26T14:56:51.682-04:00Lush HaulThe boy took me to our nearest <a href="http://www.lushusa.com/" target="_blank">Lush</a> cosmetics store to pick up more Lush goodies. He has fallen in love with the bath bombs!<br />
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Here's what we both picked up:<br />
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I picked up the<em> </em><a href="http://www.lushusa.com/Little-Green-Bag/06229,en_US,pd.html?start=1&q=little%20green%20bag" target="_blank"><em>Little Green Bag</em></a><em> </em>which includes a good variety of items for around $26 dollars. The items were all neatly stashed in a little green bag that is made of 100% organic cotton and incorporates the Japenese wrapping method of Furoshiki. <br />
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<strong>This is what is inside the <em>Little Green Bag</em>:</strong><br />
sugar scrub<br />
sexy peel soap<br />
each peach massage bar<br />
squeaky green solid shampoo<br />
and a reusable tin for storing the solid shampoo<br />
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I heard some good things about the Lush dry shampoo, so I picked up <a href="http://www.lushusa.com/No-Drought/9999903589,en_US,pd.html?start=1&q=no%20drought" target="_blank"><em>No Drought</em>.</a> I purchased the smaller version just in case I didn't like it. I haven't really given the product a shot yet, but I am already happy to know it is chemical free. I am not so excited about how I will be applying this to my hair. I have a feeling the entire product will come rushing down on to my head and face. We shall see if I can conquer and manipulate this product. <br />
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The boy wanted to pick up bath bombs so we went with <em><a href="http://www.lushusa.com/Sex-Bomb/00157,en_US,pd.html?start=1&q=sex%20bomb" target="_blank">Sex Bomb</a></em> (it smells soooo good!). The neat thing about this bath bomb is watching the transformation of the little flower bloom. So neat!<br />
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<em><a href="http://www.lushusa.com/The-Comforter/02468,en_US,pd.html?start=1&q=the%20comforter" target="_blank">The Comforter</a></em> smelled too good to pass up, so the boy and I purchased this too. The sales associate told us that although it cost about $11 we would get lots of uses out of it. I hope you are right, sales associate! I hope you're right. We learned that in order to get the most of out of the bubble bars, one just needs to crumble a few chunks. Not the entire thing.<br />
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Believe it or not, the boy desperately wanted to purchase <em><a href="http://www.lushusa.com/Mr.-Bumble/03641,en_US,pd.html" target="_blank">Mr. Bumble</a>. </em>I am not sure why...but he needed it bad.<br />
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Stored inside of <em>Mr. Bumble</em> we found the <em>Honey bee </em>bath bomb and a sample size of my favorite soap, <em><a href="http://www.lushusa.com/Honey-I-Washed-The-Kids-Soap/00482,en_US,pd.html" target="_blank">Honey I washed the kids</a></em>. I really like the bumble bee cloth wrap, it's super cute. <br />
To make the most out of our expensive haul, I have cut each bath bomb in half. I have also cut each soap, massage bar and the bubble bar for multiple uses. Let's face it, Lush is expensive so why not spread that penny a little further?<br />
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I hope you enjoyed the lush haul, until next time...<br />
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</a></div>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-26832476114165716452013-05-20T22:09:00.002-04:002013-07-27T15:09:35.625-04:00My Visit to Monticello<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been very bad at updating my blog with my adventures, but I heard it's better late than never.<br />
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A few weeks back, Jeff and I visited <a href="http://www.monticello.org/" target="_blank">Monticello</a>. If that is not ringing a bell then allow me to enlighten you with the proper name of Thomas Jefferson's home. I had previously visited Monticello about 8 years ago and although much had not changed, there were a few new things I learned.<br />
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Monticello lies on the top of a hill in Charlottesville, Virginia...so it is quite chilly and windy to visit in early Spring! During our visit, we noticed that the back of the home was undergoing some restoration efforts. They were actually removing the paint off the columns.<br />
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Who knew that the columns were not originally white? I found the below sign really informational! It states that at one point, the southwest portico was unfinished and it was held by tree trunks. Can you imagine that? Nuts!</div>
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It was later learned that when the house was sold by the Jeffersons, the columns were painted white.<br />
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The view from the South is quite beautiful. There are plenty of flowers and there is a large fish pond. <br />
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Sadly this pond is now fish-less. However, during Jefferson's time they would actually keep a large stash of fish for easy access. Smart! However, quite unfortunate for the fish :(<br />
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The view from Monticello is beautiful. On one side you can see trees, farms and the mountains in the distance. The other side views UVA. I learned during my visit, that Jefferson was a bit of a micro manager and enjoyed peering down on campus. <br />
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This photo is taken past Mulberry row.<br />
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In case you didn't know, Monticello was a plantation. It was the home of many workers enslaved and free. Most of which lived and worked off <a href="http://www.monticello.org/mulberry-row" target="_blank">Mulberry Row</a>. Unfortunately, most of the buildings are no longer in tact. Although some of the buildings are no longer present, stories of those that lived and worked on Mulberry row are still being retold today. During our visit, we learned a lot about the enslaved families that lived at Monticello. Although it was very sad and tough to hear, it was, very informative. The tour guide that did the <a href="http://www.monticello.org/site/visit/tours/slavery-monticello-tours" target="_blank">slavery tour</a> was excellent. She almost teared up retelling one of the stories about a family that was separated after Jefferson's death. <br />
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This photo is taken from Mulberry row facing the side of the home. The way Jefferson designed the home, created cellars under the home. Since water was scarce on the hill top, the terrace roofs were also designed in such a way that would drain water into large rain barrels. <br />
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The little building to the left side of the above image is the original building that Jefferson lived during the construction of the Monticello we see today. Believe it or not Jefferson, his wife and baby, all lived there during the years the main building was being constructed. Talk about tight quarters!<br />
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As you walk up to the house for the tour, you are asked to take note of the weather bane on top of the house. Under the portico, we notice there is a compass that is directly tied to the weather bane. Smart. Jefferson only had to take one step outside the house and look up to see what direction the wind was blowing. </div>
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Next, as a visitor you are asked to take note of the clock. As you can see in my photo, the clock only has the "hour hand." When you step inside, on the other side is the same clock but it has the "minute hand." It's weird, but interesting.</div>
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The house itself is pretty interesting to see. Sadly, photos are not permitted inside. The lobby of the house is nothing like you will see in any other historical home. There are dinosaur bones, buffalo hides, dead animal heads mounted on the wall, and a mini Native American exhibit. I am linking <a href="http://www.monticello.org/site/house-and-gardens/entrance-hall" target="_blank">a photo</a> to demonstrate what I am talking about.</div>
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My favorite thing about the house is probably the little mechanisms Jefferson added. If he were around today, he would be a huge techy with all the coolest new apps, and gadgets. He has a mechanism that will open one side of french doors by merely touching the other door. It's pretty cool and advanced for the time. Not to mention there is a giant calendar that tells which day of the week it is. </div>
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Overall, I recommend a visit to Monticello. Make sure you have plenty of time to explore the grounds, house, and learn about the history of the families that lived there. <br />
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Bye, Monticello - until next time!<br />
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0Charlottesville, VA, USA38.0293059 -78.47667810000001537.9292599 -78.638039600000013 38.129351899999996 -78.315316600000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-3647153865761703822013-03-16T23:39:00.002-04:002013-07-27T15:10:10.994-04:00St. Patty's Day Wreaths<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: #274e13;">Happy St. Patrick's Day!</span></strong></div>
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Originally, I had no plans of making St. Patrick's Day wreaths but when a co-worker showed interest in one....I just had to make one! She practically twisted my arm, what could I do? Say no?</div>
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I have made plenty of wreaths but they usually have a bigger color scheme. I felt my colors were limited with St. Patrick's Day, which makes creating the wreath a bit more challenging. </div>
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I ended up using whites, silver, Kelly green, light green and a yellow-green. </div>
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The final product came out rather nicely and my co-worker seemed to like it a lot. Since I was on a wreath kick, I picked up some simple materials to make a 5 minute wreath for myself.</div>
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<strong>My 5 minute wreath requires</strong>:</div>
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Bendable wire</div>
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Ribbon</div>
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Foam Shamrocks</div>
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Hot Glue Gun</div>
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Take the wire and create a loop or circle and twist it close. Make sure no ends stick out. </div>
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Next, wrap the wire with ribbon.</div>
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Arrange the Shamrocks around the ribbon covered wire wreath and glue them in place. I used an additional ribbon to create a loop so that my wreath would hang easily.<br />
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The end. Wasn't that easy? The cost is also super affordable. The wire, ribbon and Shamrock cost less than $5 together.</div>
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Enjoy your St. Patrick's Day!</div>
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Until next time, </div>
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-33158645801164074962013-01-15T11:04:00.001-05:002013-07-27T15:11:19.522-04:00Winter Sephora HaulI recently purchased some cosmetic sets from Sephora. The first set I purchased was from one of my favorite cosmetic brands, Too Faced! I really wanted to try Too Faced's <em>Beauty Editor Darlings </em>since I had not had a chance to try the mascara or the pore less primer.<br />
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This set includes all the popular, best selling items such as: shadow insurance eye shadow primer, primed and pore less primer, lip insurance lip primer, lashgasm mascara, glamor gloss lip gloss in Sexpot.</div>
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I am a huge fan of shadow insurance, so it's nice to get a smaller version of the full size product for travelling. Did I mention the set was under $20? It's a great price to try out all of Too Faced's best products.</div>
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The <em>Glitz and Glam</em> makeup set caught my eye and I just had to have it. The set was beautifully packaged in a stylish gold bag which included inside some full size and trial size products. </div>
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I am pretty happy that the <em>Glitz and Glam</em> set included full sized products. The set came with: bare minerals <em>good fortune</em> eye shadow, laura mercier baked eye color in<em> black karat</em>, stilla <em>kitten</em> duo shimmer powder, nars body glow, sephora by OPI in <em>looks like rain dear</em> nail polish, josie maran gogo mascara, stilla smudge stick in <em>starfish</em>, bare minerals's moxie lip gloss in <em>trail blazer</em>, and lastly lorac's 3D liquid lustre <em>gold</em></div>
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As promised just about every item from this set is extremely shimmery. If shimmer or glitter is not your thing, stay far, far away!</div>
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I attempted to swatch the eye shadows but they are <u>so</u> darn light or too glittery to truly capture.<br />
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I have been using <em>black karat</em>, and really enjoy it's versatility. It appears dark inside the eye shadow pot but it's actually fairly light and great for work or just to hang out. <br />
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I love samples. This time I got the sephora brand mascara, dolce and gabbana <em>light blue</em> perfume (loving it!), sephora's age defy moisture cream, and lastly ole henriksen's truth creme.</div>
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I am loving all my new makeup goodies they add a little shine to this cold weather.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-2667374421108198762013-01-01T22:12:00.003-05:002013-05-20T22:13:57.937-04:00Rest in peace my sweet kittyThis is an emotional post.<br />
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The end of 2012 was long, brutal and just plain exhausting. In November my sweet kitty, Spotty suffered and stroke and was diagnosed with <a href="http://pets.webmd.com/cats/vestibular-disorders-cats">vestibular syndrome</a>. I awoke that night with Spotty getting sick and after that he seemed different. He was walking weird. It was as if he had lost his balance and was straying to one side. In effort to keep him close, I prepared him a cozy spot in the bathroom. That morning, he was still walking weird but wanted to be left alone. I had originally left for work but once I heard my grandmother had passed away that night, I returned home.<br />
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I am glad I came back home, because<span style="background-color: white;"> it was around 8:45 that morning that Spotty started yowling and rolling wildly. His eyes became huge and they moved rapidly back and forth. It was horrible, horrible, horrible. I tried my best to comfort my sweet baby but he just kept rolling and yowling loudly. It was very difficult to keep him still and to one side as he was having a hard time moving one side of his body. Eventually his rolling slowed down and Jeff, my sister and I transported him to the vet. It was there that we learned what had occurred. We were sent back home with not much hope and some antibiotics. The vet had bluntly told us that if Spotty did not get better within a week, we would need to consider some decisions.</span><br />
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My sweet little cat appeared to be in a trance. His beautiful golden eyes just kept twitching back and forth the entire time and he was unable to move. He simply laid on one side in a gaze. It was a heart breaking sight. My brave and strong Spotty made a wonderful recovery that week. He slowly began to eat on his own again, and also starting walking. It was difficult since he now had a head tilt and had bad balance. I was so and still am, so proud of his fight to recuperate. Sadly, within a week of his recovery he started getting sick randomly but then this became a regular thing. He lost his appetite. He lost weight. Too much weight. We kept taking him back to the vet but nothing was helping. Not medication, not vaccines, not the endless variations of cat food I bought. Nothing was helping. I hand fed him for a week until my lovely baby left this world. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">My sick little boy</span></div>
I had a bad feeling. It was right after hand feeding him that I held his little paw and noticed it was cold and a bit off white. I should have know then.... He seemed so sad those last two days. I just knew something was off and I was right. On December 20, 2012 around 11:40 in the morning, Spotty crossed over to the other side. That entire time, I was speeding home from work to say my final goodbye but I did not make it. Jeff was home and held him the entire time while I spoke my final sweet words to Spotty.<br />
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I know to some of you may think this is so silly, so crazy, so weird to write and even speed home for a cat. I loved my cat with all my heart. I had held in the palm of my hand since he was a young kitten and cared for him until he was 14 years old. Although his body may be at rest, his spirit is with me. He is guarding me, as he always did.<br />
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Spotty, we all miss you very much! </div>
Love,<br />
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Your Proud Owner and Human Companion.<br />
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7369357178223849795.post-10852330744544003872012-12-16T20:34:00.002-05:002013-07-27T15:11:54.633-04:00Goodies from Ladysugarsheen<div style="text-align: left;">
Fellow blogger friend <a href="http://ladysugarsheen.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Whitney </a>and I exchanged holiday goodies. I love trying new brands and items, so I was happy to see quite a few products in my box that I have never used.
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Whitney was kind enough to send me:<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Rimmel Extra Wow lash mascara</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Revlon ColorStay sultry smoke 12 hour eye shadow</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Almay smart shade blush in pink</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Sally Hansen salon effects polish in girl power</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Vaseline lip therapy</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Boscia pink peppermint blotting linens</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Wet n Wild eyeliners in turquoise, sky blue and purple</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Wet n Wild lipliner in red</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Wet n Wild lipstick in dark pink frost and red</em></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ybf plum noir eye liner</span></em></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>iGo Kiwi scented nail polish remover</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Carmex lime twist</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Kiss flat nail stickers</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Revlon perle eyeshadow in violet starlet</em></span><br />
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I can't wait to use to Boscia blotting linens since I have a tendency for oily skin. I have already started using the Vaseline lip therapy and I enjoy it. It's perfect for these December days...so cold, I often end up with dry and chapped lips. With Vaseline lip therapy it keeps my lips nicely moisturized.<br />
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Thank you, Whitney. I love my goodies!<br />
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465144152443903485noreply@blogger.com1