Loot Crate! May 2014

Around my house any time the mail comes, my husband and kids all just assume it is for me.  I started to notice my kids (ok mostly my daughter but sometimes my son!) really getting jealous of all my monthly goodies that come for me. 

 

I did some digging around and came across Loot Crate.  They advertise it as "a epic monthly subscription box for geeks and gamers for under $20".  Each box is themed- for instance past boxes had themes such as Launch, Warrior, Titan, Animate and Console Wars.

 

I looked at reviews and realized my now 13 year old would prob love this coming in the mail each month.  He's all about gaming but also into classic nerdy things and watches Star trek and Big bang Theory, etc.  All around geek:)  Love that about him!

 

I signed up for the 3 month package.  Just because its only 3 months though, its is auto billed, so after his July box comes I need to make sure to cancel (this is a special treat for 3 months since it is a little pricey).

 

I signed up at the beginning of May and was in time to get this month's box- themed "Adventure"!

 

It comes in the mail in a very simple black box. And inside no frills or tissue- it gets right to the good stuff.

 

 

Here are the things that came in the box:

 

Minecraft Hanger:

My son loves Minecraft so I saw this and knew he would love it.  These little hanger toys clip onto anything really- but my guess is that he will use it as a keychain.  I didn't open it to see what character was in it yet (I took these pics before he got his hands on it).

 

 

Legend of Zelda bottle opener:

Definitely not for kids (unless your kid drinks soda out of bottles)- but my husband will LOVE this.  He's a huge lover of Zelda and beer lol.  I can see my son trying to keep it for the keychain but I have a feeling my husband will steal it away.

 

 

 

Loot Crate May theme button:

This is a small 1" button themed to this month's Loot Crate.  I am going to guess they give one away every month?  I can see my son putting these on his backpack or luggage.  Cute but not super useful.

 

 

 

Misc stickers and tattoos:

So these are some misc sticker sheets and tattoos.  Not too sure what these all are about (brands, etc) but my son prob knows:)  if nothing else he likes decorating his notebooks for school.

 

 

 

 

Friend Zone cd:

So apparently this is a show...the more I write this the more I realize I am old lol.  I feel very out of touch on what is "in" for boys.  I guess that's what you get when you have a teenage boy who doesn't talk a ton!  I do think this is a weird thing though- who owns CDs anymore?

 

 

 

Adventure time tin and toy:

So I couldn't tell you the names of these little guys but I do know they are from Adventure Time.  The little yellow dog guy came in the robot tin.  They are pretty cool and I think my son will like both:)

 

 

 

 

Loot Crate exclusive tee shirt:

I think it's pretty cool that Loot Crate makes their own tees!  This ties nicely in with the "adventure" theme of the month. Its a really cool Zelda tee shirt that is made up of a bunch of adventure/Zelda type words.  Aidan likes Zelda (I bet my husband is wishing this was in his size though!) and I think this is def worth the price of the box right here.

 

 

 

 

In all this was a cool box.  A few "filler" type items but I think the shirt, the Minecraft hanger and the Adventure Time toy make the price worth it!

 

(I received no compensation in any way for reviewing Loot Crate)

 

Want to try it for yourself?  Try Loot crate now!

 

Pose order #2!

So a couple of weeks ago I posted about my first experience with Pose (formally known as little black black).  It is a fun trading site and pretty inexpensive!  To read all the details about how it works read my first post here:

First Pose order!

 

Otherwise, to sum it you buy one item and then get a couple of mystery items included in your bundle.  You then get one week to trade items with other people in the same boat as you.  Hopefully you end up with great items!

 

I had a $15 credit in my account due to the site going down for a couple days during my last trade week due to them switching over to their new interface.  I decided pretty quick I wanted some simple gold studs.  I really liked the Timi silver pyramid earrings I got in my last trade so I was on the hunt for some simple gold ones this time around.

 

I used my $15 credit and found a cute pair of gold arrow earrings.  Also in my trade was a very young looking star necklace and also another pair of earrings similar to ones I already own.  In the end I traded both of my mystery items for one nice necklace:)

 

I ended up with:

 

 

 

Geranium "Aren't you a Stud" gold earrings:

These are super cute simple little gold arrow studs.  On trend with all the chevron patterns out there but not overly so.  Love them! 

 

 

 

 

Mocha horn necklace:

This is the item I got in exchange for my 2 mystery items.  I love this!  It sits perfectly on the neck and like that it's adjustable.  Its gold and delicate and the ivory horn is a bit tribal looking.  Super cool!

 

 

So all in all this was a successful trade:)  I got 2 items and didn't pay for either lol.  

 

If you are in need of some cute new accessories and like the "game" aspect of trading or gambling then this site is for you!

Try www.pose.com

 

 

 

 

Blue Apron order #1- trying it for the first time!

So, I've been seeing ads for Blue Apron pop up on my facebook page for some time now.  I pretty much disregarded them until I noticed a promo code floating around and thought "why not?".

 

The basic concept of Blue Apron is to deliver 3 meals a week (you schedule the day) to your door.  You get all the ingredients (except salt, pepper and olive oil) and you do the prep and cooking (which I really enjoyed!).

 

So I signed up and created my profile which consisted of:

* number of people in family (we just did it for the 2 adults)

* meat choices (I only eat seafood so that was nice to select but it had many types of options)

* delivery day of the week (we chose Saturday)

 

I plugged in my promo code (getplated4) and then entered billing info and I was all set!  My first week (that I chose to get delivered) would be $39 instead of $59. This price includes shipping.  So that equaled out to $6.50 per person, per meal (or $13 total per night for the 3 nights). 

 

Each week you can choose to decline or accept your delivery. You have to do it one week prior and you can decline as many weeks out as you need (which I did, as I would rather select "yes" then forget to say "no" and get charged! 

 You get to see all 3 meals prior to your delivery so there are no surprises!

 

So Saturday May 17th rolls around and at 1pm we hear a knock on the door- it was here!

 

 

My first impression was that the box was HUGE!  It was also very heavy:)

 

 

 

We opened it up and saw that everything was perfectly packed.  There was insulated bubble wrap all inside the box as well as about 20 ice packs throughout.  It was a warm day and it easily could've been sitting on my doorstep all day and stayed cold.

 

 

Our first night- Blackened Drum fish on a bed of cheesy grits topped with a sorrel salad:

So each meal you get a double sided 8x11 nice card that has everything you need to prepare the dish on one side and a very easy to follow (with pictures!) recipe on the back.  I got all my ingredients together and then made dinner! 

 

 

 

 

Verdict- we both really liked this dish:)  The salad on top was very flavorful and the blackened Cajun fish was amazing and very fresh.  The grits were ok- they aren't our favorite but if we liked grits (or polenta) a lot then this would've been a home run.

 

 

Our second night- Lentil Soup with crispy maitake mushrooms and a celery salad on the side:

This was also very easy to prepare- and I have never really made this kind of soup before!  It was fun. 

 

 

 

 

Verdict: SO good.  Even Matt really liked this one.  He's used to eating vegetarian with me but just soup isn't his thing.  But this was!  The mushrooms in the middle were very good and made it a little heartier.  I would've liked more salad - it made very little and we both really liked the dressing.  One super positive thing though- it made leftovers!  We had this the next night as well with a gouda grilled cheese sandwich.

 

 

 

Our third night of cooking- Sweet potato, caramelized onion, béchamel sauce and topped with Arugula

This was the most time consuming recipe as browning the potatoes and caramelizing the onions (and making the sauce and actually cooking the pizza!) took what seemed like forever.  maybe we were just really hungry that night though:)

 

 

 

 

Verdict- good.  I loved the flavor combinations of this!  It was a little thick though.  I think it was my fault though and my pan wasn't big enough.  So it was more deep dish style then I like.  However it was good!  The sauce turned out perfect and it was a little intimidating. The only thing that I think Blue apron needed to improve on here was the cheese.  it was fontina and it called for you to shred it which I found REALLY hard. But overall I would make this again.

 

 

So to wrap up- this service was really great.  It was fun to try new foods and I liked that you saw what was being delivered prior to you getting it so you could decline the meals that week if you wanted.  The recipes were very easy to follow and I liked that it used seasonings and ingredients that you prob don't have in your house. 

 

I expected to cancel my subscription as soon as I got my order but I think I will hold off.  I wont use it often (pricey!) but I will if I really see a meal plan that I love. 

 

To some though $10 a meal per person isn't that bad - in that case sign right up!  Or try it in place of a date night and get fun new meals a few times that week:)

 

(disclaimer- I did not receive and sort of compensation for my shipment or my review)

Try Blue Apron today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pose (formally known as Little Black Bag) order #1

So I placed my first order with Little Black Bag a couple of weeks ago.  During the middle of my week of trading the website underwent major changes and is now called Pose.com. 

 

Here's how it works:

*Go to www.pose.com

*Click on marketplace and sort by "buy only"

*Find an item you love

*You can buy it alone, or decide to pay a little more and do a bundle

*If you bundle, you get 2 more mystery items that you wont see until you pay 

*Once you pay you either get the items you bought outright shipped to you (no different then a regular online purchase) or you then can start trading!

*In trading you then go back to the marketplace and can sort by "trade only" items

*make offers and hopefully get items that you really love at a great value!

*Once you have all the items you want, click "ship now".  After a week all orders are shipped whether you have trade offers out or not

 

SO...

 

I decided I had to have a gold double arrow bangle.  I really don't have a lot of gold jewelry and over the years it's growing on me.  For awhile it bugged me to wear gold as I thought it clashed with my engagement/wedding band (white gold, white sapphires and iolite) but I am ok with it now:)  It was $13.95 (plus shipping) or I could bundle for $16.95 plus shipping.  No brainer!  I would risk getting pieces I wasn't crazy about for $3 extra!

 

I checked out and my 2 mystery pieces were revealed to me.   I had a ornate pair of pink fan earrings (not my style at all) and also a bright blue anchor rope bracelet (cute but I still wanted to try for something better). 

 

So right away I started making trade offers and started receiving them. I passed on a lot of cell phone covers and socks.  I did a couple trades but cant remember what they were now because I got what I really wanted pretty quickly!

 

I was lucky enough to trade my fan earrings for 2 items (you don't have to trade 1-1, you can always make a trade offer for even all your items for one item you really want- its totally up to you).

 

In the end I ended up with:

 

 

 

Geranium gold double triangle bracelet:

This is what I picked for my initial purchase.  Ordering bracelets online makes me a little scared- I have the smallest wrists ever (honestly- I can wear kids bracelets and they are big on me).  So a bangle is risky!  I loved it!  But if my wrists had been bigger it would have actually been too small! it worked out in my favor though:)

 

 

 

Timi silver pyramid stud earrings:

These were one of the trades I got that came as a pair (I traded my fan earrings for these and the necklace mentioned later).  I wasn't thrilled about these (before they came) as I really just didn't want the fan earrings and I was willing to take pretty much whatever else.  But I love them!  They are tiny and cute and I don't have nearly enough small earrings in my jewelry collection.

 

 

 

Flea Market Girl gold skull charm bracelet:

I traded this for my bright blue anchor bracelet that I initially had gotten.  I love this!  Super delicate but still edgy.  Just my style!  I like that its adjustable too- it fits my small wrists:)

 

 

 

Timi horseshoe necklace:

This was the other item in the pair of things I traded for the fan earrings (I received this and the silver stud earrings in order to be rid of the fan earrings).  I was open minded before this came but its just not me at all.  Maybe if it had been tiny and small and not detailed (just a tiny silver or gold plated horseshoe on a short chain).  This item went to my daughter (who was thrilled to get a lucky necklace!).

 

 

In all it was worth the $20 I spent- I got a pair of earrings and 2 bracelets and love them all:)  And a cool thing- when the site went down for a day because of the flip over to their new site format (and name) they credited my account $15 for the trouble!  So I went ahead and did another order!  I will post about that one when it comes.

 

Want to try your hand at trading?  Try www.pose.com

Birchbox review- May 2014

So I did just post my April box review about a week ago- however I got that box very late since I joined in the middle of April.  Normal Birchbox boxes comes for me around the 10th of the month.  I checked my email today and saw that it was checked in to my local post office so I expected to get it tomorrow.  However I got home from work and noticed my mailbox looked a little full and was excited to see it had arrived!

 

 

It was yellow this time instead of pink because this month they partnered with Kate Spade Saturday (a new spin off KS brand).  It was a super cheerful looking box:)

 

Inside the packaging was the normal BB two piece box.

 

I tore into and and loved the colors of the box this month!  I know that isn't what you are paying for or anything but the cool black and white inner of the box with the yellow tissue paper was really fun.  Reminded me of spring bees! 

 

Inside was the normal month card with the theme "freewheeling".  Kinda weird but ok. And the back of the card that has all the products included in your box (in sample size, unless noted).

 

 

 

 

Digging farther into the box I saw all the goodies waiting to be discovered:)

 

 

Here is what I got in my box this month:

 

Coola Environmental repair Plus after sun lotion:

It will be a bit before I can review this honestly.  Here in Seattle with current mild sun (but it was down pouring yesterday) there isn't much of a foreseeable chance to use this.  I will come back and update how it is (esp compared to basic aloe).

 

 

 

Nexxus Color Assure system

This is a pre wash primer (?), shampoo and a conditioner made for color treated hair.  I am about to go get a hair cut and color so this should be interesting.  I do have problems with color fading and have never really found anything that holds it completely but maybe this will work! If nothing else it smells really good and its small bottles which could be good to just save for travel...

 

 

 

Marcelle new age 8-1 power serum

Ok I will be honest- these serums just aren't for me.  Most are not oil free and are aimed at people with perfect skin.  I still (though rare) break out and I have to be SUPER careful with what I put on my face.  I am all for oil free primers or BB creams but this feels a little greasy.

 

 

Honey and Sons fine teas

This is the "bonus" item of the month (usually a non beauty item or something like a hair tie).  I got Caribe (green blend) and pomegranate Oolong teas.  I will try:)  And prob like!  There aren't many teas I don't like.  I like the single serve packs- I can throw it in my purse and take to work!

 

 

Pixi shea lip balm

This was full size and is worth $8 on its own so I feel this was worth the box this month (along with the cpl other things I will try). I got it in a sheer coral (very slight hint of tropical pink) and I love it.  I do NOT wear lipstick unless I am getting photos done so things like this are perfect for me.

 

 

Discount coupon!

So the last thing I got was a $25 off a $75 purchase at the new Kate Spade Saturday store. I will definitely check it out and see if the coupon is worth it! This item did not count as one of my official box items.

 

 

 

So this wasn't the best BB I have ever gotten but it wasn't the worst either! I love the one full size item that I got so that made it worth it:)

 

Are you interested in Birchbox? use my referral link so I can get points!

I did not receive my BB for free or get any sort of company compensation.

Join Birchbox now for $10 a month!

 

 

 

Stitch Fix #1 - May 2014

     So sometime last year I came across a friend's blog post talking about a new styling service called Stitch Fix.  After seeing multiple "fixes" of hers, along with doing some additional research, I decided to take the plunge and sign up!

 

I don't consider myself completely helpless when it comes to styling myself.  On date nights out I have the BEST clothes and accessories.  My biggest problem is finding day to day clothes.  I am a nanny, and my wardrobe mostly consists of going to work in sweats (no joke)- esp because I used to get painted on, spit up on, etc during the years.  But as the kids all get older I no longer feel I have to be in my grossest clothes at work.  I also have very limited time to shop (I am managing two households and a total of 4 kids schedules).  I can often buy one cute thing but not know always what to pair it with.  Or I know in my head what I like but I am not sure where to go buy it in a rush.

 

Stitch fix to the rescue!  The service basically works like this:

 

-sign up! it costs $20 each time you do it (as often as you like) but the $20 can be applied to anything you keep in your box.

 

-create a style profile by answering questions about your likes/dislikes and sizing.  TIP- give links to your pinterest style boards or write a good paragraph in detail saying what you like.  I did both, plus explained my job (no professional clothes for me) and also about our city (even date nights in Seattle are casual).

 

-select your first stitch fix delivery (usually will ship within 2 weeks)

 

-get your box!

 

-try everything on and keep what you love.  Make sure you look at the suggested outfits and accessory pairings on the style cards they give you.

 

-send anything you don't love back in the prepaid envelope.

 

-go back online to your account and "checkout" (pay for what you kept)

 

-done!

 

 

OK - so here is what I got in my Fix:

 

 

 

 

I was so excited to see my Stitch Fix box on my doorstep!  I pretty much rushed right inside and dove in! 

 

 

 

 

When you open your box everything is all wrapped up nice in tissue and there are very clear directions on the box about how it all works.  The prepaid mailing envelope is tucked at the top and your personalized cards and invoice are inside the envelope up top.

 

 

All the clothes in a neat little stack:

 

 

My invoice.  It breaks everything down by item and cost and tells you how much it would be if you kept everything in there (you save 25% by doing this!)

 

 

 

My style cards.  You get a couple of outfit suggestions per item that they send you.  The idea is that you would have some of these things in your own closet (or give you ideas of what to buy to pair it with).

 

 

 

 

 

 

So here is what I look like in my "normal" clothes.  My jeans are a little too long (so they are cuffed) and aren't the most flattering but I have done worse:)  Also, my mirror was dirty- sorry!  I noticed halfway through pics and had kids knocking on my door so I didn't have time to start over :)

 

 

 

The first item I went to try on were the skinny ankle length jeans by Kensie.  I was a little scared of the fact that jeans were in my box and was fully prepared to hate them and move on. Jeans can be so tricky to fit!

 

 

 

 

 

Kensie Sophia ankle length skinny jeans ($88)

Pros:  They were SO soft and stretchy.  An amazing basic and they fit so great.  I instantly looked slimmer.

Cons: The price.  I don't think I have honestly ever gotten jeans anywhere but Target or Old Navy so that was a little hard to justify.

 

 

 

Next to try was a white Ellison embroidered blouse.  I went in with an open mind:)

 

 

 

Ellison brooke white embroidered cotton knit shirt ($58)

Pros:  It fit nicely, and was high quality.  Would be great for a trip to Mexico or a beach vaca.

Cons: Just not my style.  I had indicated I liked some bohemian style in my profile so my stylist is not to blame.  I just am not hippie enough for this top!

 

 

 

Next I tried the Ezra Aztec print blouse which I was excited for (love the print!)

 

 

 

 

Ezra Tara Mixed material Aztec blouse ($48)

Pros: SO soft and light.  Cute tabbed sleeves and I liked the difference in the materials by the neckline. Not too loose and not too fitted.

Cons: I think this is dry clean only which can be a pain...

 

 

 

The last top I tried on was a coral colored blouse by Under Skies. It was a great coral color but I wasn't sure about the shape of this top.

 

 

 

Under Skies McKenna crochet detail blouse ($58)

Pros: LOVE the color.  So great for spring. I like the crochet detailing that runs up and down it.

Cons: very boxy for my shape.  I like more fitted clothes.  it also seems like I would have to iron it constantly.

 

 

 

My last stitch fix item was a striped maxi dress from Pomelo.  it seemed a little blah but I like the nautical theme of it.

 

 

 

Pomelo Fiona embroidery detail striped maxi dress ($78)

Pros: so soft and clung to my body without leaving me looking lumpy at all.  Liked the detailing at the neckline as well.

Cons: the price!  it was very expensive for a cotton dress.

 

 

 

So....what did I keep???? 

 

I kept 3 things out of the 5 that my stylist sent me!  I kept the blue Aztec blouse- perfect for a date night with my husband.  I kept the maxi dress- paired with a denim jacket and sandals and it will be a perfect summer outfit.  I also kept the jeans- they were so much money but I love, love, love them and am so excited to have a good pair of fitted ankle jeans for flats!

 

I gave my stylist great points for styling me so great!  I do think I will go in and change my profile to "no" bohemian though lol.  And next time ask for a skirt instead of pants. 

 

My next stitch fix is scheduled for June 18th! I also signed up for automatic monthly boxes. I did this because right now the waiting list for a box is 6-8 weeks (they are growing so fast and for quality boxes have to take their time!) - so this way I get one scheduled each month but I can always "skip" that box by going online (no charge) or push it out a little farther. But at least I know I have one coming if I want it! 

 

Do you want to try stitch fix?  use my referral link and I will get credit towards more clothes! (I recieved no compensation or my box for free for this review).

Click here to get your Stitch Fix now!