Bare Minerals Giveaway

Contest is over Congrats Grace

I am not that big of a make up user, but my weakness is a great mascara and eyeliner. I never leave home without them on that’s for sure. I have tried bareMineral products in the past and I really liked them so I was excited to be able to offer my readers a chance to win their own tube of bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara. 

Now if you’ve never head of this before (or even if you have) I’d love to take some time to share some information about this product with you that I found interesting. As we all know, using make up can be not so great for our skin/lashes/etc. Plus if you don’t get it taken off properly at night it can be a nightmare the next day right? Plus who wants makeup all over the place lol.

While I love using mascara, eyeliner, and playing with other makeup I’ve never really been shown HOW to wear it and that is mainly why I stick to what is ‘easy’ to wear. When in fact those are just as tricky as general make up to wear. If you’re like me here are a few expert tips you may want to try the next time you put on your mascara, I know I will:

• Gently comb lashes from root to tip while moving in small steps across lashes
• Point tapered tip toward corner lashes and move outward with gentle strokes
• Coat lower lashes using the short bristles near the tip or gently tap lower lash line

One thing that I love about the bareMineral’s mascara is that not only is it infused with nourishing 100% pure bareMinerals, this mascara also contains some great things to help make our lashes beautiful:

• Jojoba Oil, Meadowfoam Seed Oil and Shea Butter condition and fortify lashes
• Vitamin E provides antioxidant protection
• 360° fine-toothed comb brush separates for clump-free definition and length

As if that wasn’t great, this mascara is not only Paraben-free and Ophthalmologist tested but is safe for use to those that wear contact lens. I know that this is something I’m very happy about. So you can’t wait for the giveaway and HAVE to have this now? Well this mascara is available in the shades of Black & Espresso and retails for $18.00. You can purchase this at the bareMinerals site, Sephora and Sephora.com; Ult;, Select Nordstrom & Macy’s.

Now time for the giveaway. One lucky reader will receive their own bareMinerals Flawless Definiton Mascara and entering is simple. Comment here with your favorite piece of make up, or if you are anti-make up, your favorite accessory

Want extra ways to win? No fear I have those:

• Follow my blog
  
• comment on any of my other posts (please comment with what post it is)
  
• Follow me on TWITTER
  
• Sign up for my RSS feed 
• Sign up for my newsletter
• Email 2 people about this giveaway and include me in the CC (email on profile)
  
• Blog this giveaway
• Tweet this giveaway: I entered to win mascara from bareMinerals and @creativelyyours and you can too http://bit.ly/aUfmyU (unlimited )

This giveaway ends on Feb 24th at 11:59 cst

*I was given a free free product and/or was paid for this review. Any opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Wordless Wednesday Converse

My new sneakers that I LOVE. I originally went into the shoe store to get these pairs of Converse X-Hi in pink (of course)but saw this pair listed below and was in love. I mean they are not only PINK but have STARS!!! The two things that are my weakness lol. I mean look how cute they are!

Happy Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day to all my love bugs out there! While I still believe this ‘holiday’ is extremely slightly overrated, I will not rain on anyone’s showers of love today. We aren’t doing anything really. I don’t even expect a gift of any kind. I did get Jeff a box of Reese’s peanut butter cups in a pretty heart shaped box, and Owen got a neat Toy Story tin that’s filled with character shaped candy. Of course I got them both cards as well. They better like it since neither expect anything.

In the midst of shopping for a new space heater I got bored in Target. What better way to pass time than whipping out your camera phone and take pictures of yourself or what ever else you find amusing. So I seen this cute puppy and he was begging for a good home (what he’s my kinda puppy; doesn’t need to be fed, watered, is house trained, and doesn’t need to go out in the fridgid Northern Illinois winter lol) and yes I’m a grown 24 year old mother of a 5 year old but damn it all I want my puppy ha! I didn’t see any real cute frog stuff this year and it bummed me out since it has been a ‘tradition’ of getting me something frog related since I have a obsession love with frogs lol.

I hope everyone has a great Valentine’s day and gets showered with love, hugs, kisses, candy, and what ever else you want …. I’d like a nice breakfast in bed or even a yummy breakfast out but no hopes up … What I’m a cheap date ha!

 

 

LittleMissMatched Love Connection

We all know that Valentine’s day is TOMORROW (you all have your gifts/cards/candy/flowers right?!) and in the midst of all the craziness going on here I just had to share with you some of the cute things Little Miss Matched has going on to help you make a ‘Love Connection’ this Valentine’s Day! They always have some of the cutest things around but what they’ve added to their amazing store is really original and definitely made my must have list. Jessica was also nice enough to send me a couple things to review that I can’t wait to share with you guys.

First up is a pack of  Grey Peace-Love-Happy Liner Socks and I just have to say that these are adorable! I love them and wash them frequently just so I can wear them everyday lol. I am a lover of the short/ankle socks and HATE folding socks. I’m actually sitting next to a basket half full with unfolded socks. What I love about these socks are that they don’t have to match and I love the peace-love-happy design that they carry. The specifics of these socks are coming straight from the Little Miss Matched website:

This pack contains 3 single liner socks. Each sock is made from the finest ingredients. Cotton/Polyester/Nylon/Spandex Blend. Imported. Bet you didn’t know every sock is 200 needle count? (This means they feel good and will last).

 These socks are very comfortable and are not very thick at all. I like that in my socks. These neat socks are available in not only woman’ sizes 4-10 but girls sizes 4-10 as well and retail for 8.00.

Next is a neat idea for a coin purse. I will admit that I’m not a big coin purse user but after receiving this cute thing I have converted to using it lol.  This Change Purse, Large Hearts is as adorable in person as it looks in their store. I am a sucker for baby socks no matter the fact that Owen is already 5 years old. Plus when I tested this out I loved that I had a safe spot to put my chap stick without losing it in my pockets. Also this little purse can be used for more than just your change. What would be cuter than using these to old your loose buttons/beads any other small stuff you might be carrying with you.  This cute little coin purse is listed for an amazing price of $5.00 in the Outlet section of Little Miss Matched.

Now how adorable are those items? If you love those you’ll agree that these other new items are just as fun. Here are a few other items that just arrived and are sure to be a big hit:

I have a problem with stars, Jeff says it borders on an obsession but I am in denial about that one lol. Here you can find the Zany Black Stars Spring Sling Bag, Zany Stars/Stripes Duffel Bag, Blue Canvas Star Tote, Zany Black Stars Best Friend Bag, Mini Tote, Piece of Cake Pouch, and Abstract Moving Stripe Knee High Socks

So the next time you’re in the need of a different, fun, funky gift why not stop at Little Miss Matched!

*I was given a free free product and/or was paid for this review. Any opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Motherhood featuring Uma Thurman

On a whim I decided to rent the movie Motherhood staring Uma Thurman, Mimi Driver and Anthony Edwards. I honestly had never heard of it before but I was intriqued by the cover and after reading the back of the DVD case I KNEW I just had to see this movie. Here is what the summary is taken right from the Motherhood website:

This bittersweet comedy distills the dilemmas of the maternal state (marriage, work, self, and not necessarily in that order) into the trials and tribulations of one pivotal day.  MOTHERHOOD forms a genre of one – no other movie has dedicated itself in quite this way to probing exactly what it takes to be a mother, with both wry humor and an acute sense of authenticity.
Eliza Welch (Thurman) is a former fiction writer-turned-mom-blogger with her own site, “The Bjorn Identity.” Putting her deeper creative ambitions on hold to raise her two children, Eliza lives and works in two rent-stabilized apartments in a walk-up tenement building smack in the middle of an otherwise upscale Greenwich Village. Eliza’s good-natured but absent-minded husband (Edwards) seems tuned out to his wife’s conflicts, not to mention basic domestic reality, while her best friend Sheila (Minnie Driver) understands this – and Eliza — all too well.

The site then goes on to basically tell you what it’s about but this part really just drew me in …. and NO it’s not because they said the words mommy blogger …. okay maybe that’s a small part of it, but wasn’t the whole reason. I was interested of course but figured I would give it a shot because I love those actor/actresses anyhow so why not right? I’m really glad I took a chance on this movie because I really liked the movie. While I think Motherhood captures a good image into the live of a mother, or maybe just this mother lol.

The movie really is just a day in the Eliza’s live. Her oldest daughter is turning 6 today and she has to play the birthday party while taking care of her toddler son. Her husband is a bit forgetful, or maybe he just doesn’t want to listen to her ‘whining’ about what she needs to do … sorry off on a tangent of my own. Eliza finds out about this amazing blogging opportunity where she could make some good money for her family while doing what she loves to do. Of course that means she’ll need a little help and have some time to herself, though that doesn’t seem to happen. Anyhow, to enter this contest she has to write what motherhood means to her and in the end she rediscovers not only what her blogging voice is but what truly matters in her life.

I may be a bit biased cause she is seen using blogger but I liked this movie and really felt like I could relate to it. The feelings that Thurman brought to the movie were very real and believable and I know sometimes a lot of times being a mother in a movie leaves you to be overbearing or not caring. In this movie I felt like the amount of mothering was at just the right feeling. Have you seen it? I wanna know what your thought are on this movie.

Until later ‘gators!

Happy Birthday Dragon

I’m borrowing a phrase from one of my bestest friends, today is the ‘dragon’s’ birthday. I thought about calling her up and saying you know happy birthday, I even thought about sending her a small gift and a card. Yet then I remembered what happened LAST year when I wanted to do something fun for her birthday. Last year Motley Crue was in town with Hinder and Theory of a Deadman (3 bands I just adore, I grew up on Motley Crue lol) and so I thought what fun would it be to get tickets for her and I for her birthday.  I spent a ridiculous amount of money on the tickets (even if it was a good show) and ended up taking my 16 year old brother to the show. I’m sure everyone is wondering “Brandy why did you take your brother when the tickets were for your egg donor for her birthday?” That’s a simple question to answer really.

Around this time her car was busted. I don’t remember what was wrong but she was catching rides from her eh thing and well apparently it was too much to ask if he could give us a ride and drop us off because she basically said she to find someone one else. I was so upset and hurt. I mean I had told her a couple weeks before what we were doing and she seemed excited but I don’t really know. So like I said, I ended up taking my brother and we had a great time. We almost got to meet the lead singer from Theory of a deadman and my dad had a great time with O. In the end I guess it worked out for everyone. It also showed me where her priorities were at and it seems I was right in being tired of always fighting for attention, fighting for O to get some attention from her. It has been a year almost since I’ve had a civil conversation with her and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

I don’t know, I understand there are some out there that don’t have a mother and I’m lucky to have mine around. Sure I am but at what cost really? It’s not like she cares about anything I am doing unless it can benefit her so why should I put up with the disappointment, the heartache, and the hurt anymore than I already have? It’s not fair to me and it’s not fair to O.

Happy birthday to the dragon.

Wordless Wednesday Pirate

UPrinting Business Card Giveaway

This contest is now CLOSED! Congrats to Emilie!

Growing up I spent a lot of time with my grandparents since my “father” wasn’t around. So on my weekends with them I spent my time going to antique malls, antique shows, and even estate sales. At the age of 8-9 what is more fun then collecting business cards? I had a box full of just business cards. I loved how different they were and to me it was like taking a piece of the weekend adventures away with me.

Now with all these great blog confrences coming up why not buy your business cards online at UPrinting.com? Or maybe you’re like me and have scrapbook layouts or photos to print? UPrinting.com has great prices and options for printing online as well.

As I siad, I am sure there are quite a few readers who may be heading out to the blog conferences coming up or have their own businesses, or maybe you know someone needing them and want to help support them by entering this giveaway, what ever the reason one lucky reader at Creatively Yours will win 500 business cards from UPrinting.com. Here are the specifics of the prize you will get:

500 Business Cards for One (1) Winner

Sizes:  2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (skinny card)

Paper: 14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock

Specifications: Full Color Both Sides; Offset Press; 3 Business Day Printing

Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping

Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only

To enter please visit UPrinting.com and tell me something you’d love to have printed (NOT including the business cards) and for extra enteries please see below:

• Follow my blog
  
• comment on any of my other posts (please comment with what post it is)
  
• Follow me on TWITTER
  
• Sign up for my RSS feed 
• Sign up for my newsletter
• Email 2 people about this giveaway and include me in the CC (email on profile)
  
• Blog this giveaway
• Tweet this giveaway: I entered to win 500 business cards from UPrinting.com at @creativelyyours and you can too! http://bit.ly/bbahej (unlimited )

Now that is one amazing offer! This giveaway ends February16th @ 11:59 pm cst.

*I was given a free free product and/or was paid for this review. Any opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Layout: A is for …

First I know some said they couldn’t get my blog to load. I’m thinking the background before might have been the problem as I realized it was a huge file so I decided I wanted a lighter kinda feeling anyhow since I’m just tired of Winter lol so if anyone can’t load it still please let me know so I can still tweak it and figure what needs to go lol (also if the colors are too bright let me know too they don’t look bad on my end but I can’t go around viewing them on everyone else computers lol)

Here is my layout for the A is for … challenge at the Hodge Podge blog I like how it came out lol and when I seen “A is for…” the first thing I thought of is how Awesome I am …. or at least in my own mind lol!

Awesome of course!

Credits:
Kit: I am a Princess by Shawna Clingerman
Font: Gimme Space by Darcy Baldwin
Template:Topography no. 29  by Spotted Dog Designs

Layouts: Cheese and Peachy

First for all you that probably don’t care about the layouts lol I wanted to let you know I haven’t abandoned the review/giveaway stuff there are some good ones coming up I am just converting this into both my personal/review blog so please don’t feel like I am giving that up lol. Cheese and Peachy were such fun layouts to create!