Five on Friday - May 13, 2022 ~ Happy 8 Year Blogiversary + Giveaway, Mother's Day, The Bad Guys, Allbirds Tree Pipers, and Thrifted Finds

Happy Friday everyone - I hope you all had a great week! It's Friday the 13th - hope you're not superstitious! 

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I purchased everything in this post

Yesterday was my blog's 8th Blogiversary - woo hoo, who knew I've been keeping up this lovely hobby for so long! Every year I've done a giveaway for this day and this year is no different (no full blog post and giveaway) - instead of makeup this year, I'm just giving away a few of the @blinddatewithabookyyc books that I'm making! Usually I only offer local pickup, but I will ship three of these out of your choosing, so make sure to enter on my instagram @reneeclemetine

Manicure Monday - Holographic Main Squeeze Nails

Happy Mani Monday everyone - hope you had a great weekend! 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

My weekend was a little busy and I have to work a double-shift today (as this goes up), so I needed an early bed time and a quick mani! 

Five on Friday - May 6, 2022 ~ April Declutter, Reitman's Clothing Haul, Heartstopper, Very Good Butcher Plant Meat Haul, and Teva Sandals!

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all had a great week! You guys, I've been sucked in to the J.D. trial all week and can we believe what is happening in the US with the abortion laws being overturned as well?! It's a lot! 

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I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I just rounded up a few products that I'm decluttering from the last month - the brushes are both good, they are just redundant in my collection (and too short to store well), the Milk Blush isn't well pigmented and the Skoah retinol, Volition serum, and Guerlain night cream were all getting old. The Clinique cleansing balm was hurting my eyes and the Pixi products both weren't great (you can see my thoughts on them here!)

ColourPop Darth Vader Pressed Powder Shadow - Swatches, Looks and Thoughts

May the Fourth be with you - Happy Star Wars Day! You guys, I have had the craziest eyelid issues for the past couple of months and I have not been able to do any eye looks, so I was so excited everything has cleared up, and I could use this palette and get my thoughts up for today! 

I purchased this palette - this post contains affiliate links

Naturally, I'm slower at getting my thoughts up, and ColourPop pumps out the releases, so they actually have an all new Star Wars collection being released today! But, I still want to get my thoughts up on this palette! 

Monthly Reading Wrap-up - April 2022

This year I thought I would share a little more of all my books and I thought the best way to do that would be if I wrapped up my reads of each month, so I can share mini reviews on all the books I've gone through! 

It could be a big range from 2 to 10 books depending on how much I read, but I figure I can share a little synopsis and quick thoughts on each book. I will still be doing more in depth reviews on books that really capture me! 

I purchased or borrowed all these books - this post contains affiliate links

So, in April I read 10 books - a mix of genres from a middle grade graphic novel to non-fiction true crime books. I love most genres, and I really want to keep my reads diversified this year! I think I have been doing a great job of that so far. Also, what was great about this month was the mix of old and new books I read was about a 50/50 split! I read these mostly via audiobook (6 of the 10, 3 physical books and 1 e-book on my phone). 

Manicure Monday - Happy Daisy Bright Spring Nails

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend - I had a much needed very quiet weekend! 

The OPI polish was received as a PR samples

I always love when it's May, because the #CBBxManiMonday group always does florals for this month for Spring - flower nails are some of my favourite nail art to do, and I'm so excited that I had some time to actually do some nail art this week! 

Monthly Beauty & Book Haul ~ April 2022

I'm switching up my Monthly Haul posts a little bit this year, because I'm actually *trying* to stick to a bit of a budget! I've been going a little crazy on the beauty and books front, so I just want to be a little more thoughtful in my purchases. So. I'm trying to keep my beauty and book purchases to $200 a month - we'll see! 

I do always love my Monthly Haul posts - it's a good way to keep track of everything that I picked up each month. I don't always blog about everything I pick up (I try to), but if you ever spot anything in here that you really want me to talk about, let me know! 

Sephora Sale Order ~ $70.68 CAN. This order was mainly placed to pick up a few travel sized items for my upcoming trip - I needed a primer, setting spray and face mist I could travel with. The neck massager was somewhat of a spur of the moment purchase as Sephora Collection was also 30% off so I couldn't resist trying it. The other items were just the points add ons. 

Five on Friday - April 29, 2022 ~ April 2022 Owlcrate Box, April Scratch Monthly Mani Kit, Elliott Turns 5 & Plants Vs. Zombies Party, Circus Night Out and New BunkBeds for E!

Happy Friday everyone - I hope you all had a great week! It's nice to be back in Calgary and get back in to my regular routine here after a whirlwind between the cabin, Edmonton, and then a weekend of kids party! I was pretty exhausted so I'm going to take it easy this weekend! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I just received my April Owlcrate subscription and this month's theme is "Peek Behind The Curtain" - each month the book Owlcrate includes is signed by the author and comes with a note from the author as well. They often have special edition covers just for the box, and they seem to include a lot of exclusive items just for Owlcrate, which is so fun! As a bookworm, I have been loving this subscription! 

Monthly Beauty Favourites - April 2022

Here's a look at what I've been loving the past month:

The Skoah cleanser was received as a PR sample - this post contains affiliate links

I used to always have pick 5 products each month for my Monthly Favourites, but that is one thing I'm changing this year - whatever I'm loving, I will share whether it's 2 or 10 products! 

Manicure Tuesday - Pastel Neon X Nails

Happy Manicure Tuesday everyone - hoping you all had a good weekend! (Mine was so busy, so I took a night off and I'm a little late with this week's mani!)

I purchased everything in this post

I needed a nice quick mani again this week, so I picked up this beautiful Sally Hansen Jelly Belly Insta-Dri shade from a couple of Easters ago and found a few nail art polishes that matched, just for a really quick addition to the nails! 

Five on Friday - April 22, 2022 ~ Easter & Easter Treats, Weekend at the Cabin, Little Passports Subscription, and Smash and Tess Pop of Pink Rebecca Wrap Dress

Happy Friday everyone - I hope you all had a great week! It's been a little crazy for me, I got back from the cabin Monday during the day, and then had to turn around and drive up to Edmonton for training. I got home late last night, so it's a good thing I took today off to prep for Elliott's party tomorrow! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post

I hope you all had a great Easter - we had a fun weekend! We woke the boys up for an egg hunt and then headed out to the cabin for a family weekend out there! As always, the Easter bunny spoiled them with chocolate and treats and they had such a fun time with the hunt!

Pixi Beauty ROSE Glow-y Powder & Lip Nourisher

I've really been enjoying a lot of the Pixi Beauty products I've been trying lately, so when I saw one of their newer Rose product launch, I really wanted to try them - I love a glowy blush and tinted lip! 

I purchased these products on my own - this post contains affiliate links

Pixi products are readily available at Shopper's Drug Mart and they are somewhat on the "higher end" of drugstore beauty in terms of price; but I think they are still reasonably priced and they have some products I really love - their stick blushes, the liquid lipstick, the glow tonic, all great! 

Manicure Tuesday - Pastel Tip Sephora Nail Stickers

Happy Mani Day - I'm a little late with my nails this week, but we were out enjoying the cabin for the Easter weekend, and when we got home Monday I had to turn around and drive up to Edmonton to start a training course for the week, so it's been a little crazy! 

I used my points on these nail stickers

I actually did my nails while we were driving yesterday (I wasn't the driver myself, don't worry) - I went with a coworker and applied these while she was driving so that my nails were done for this morning. 

Five on Friday - April 15, 2022 ~ Southern Italy Books, 10 Year Anniversary, Jurassic Quest, Sushi Boat Night, and Blurb Books!

Happy Five on Friday - I hope you all had a great week! I'm happy to have a long weekend and we are on our way to the cabin for a relaxing family weekend and I'm so excited! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

Alright, I don't plan out my reading much at all, but each month I try and stick to a little bit of a reading "theme". So, if you don't know yet, my Italy trip that was cancelled two years ago is actually going ahead on May and I'm getting so excited, so I thought I'd round up a few books set in Southern Italy that I could get reading to get me excited for my trip! 

Quarterly Beauty Empties ~ January - March 2022

Monthly Empties posts were getting a little overwhelming - they were a lot to write and keep notes about. I've decided to still talk about empties, but only makeup products and skincare products (no more body, hair, nail or personal care products!) It was just getting too much, but I still want to share my thoughts on products I've used up! 

Some products were received as PR samples - this post contains affiliate links

Clarins Wonder Perfect Mascara 4D Waterproof in 01 Perfect Black ~ $34.00 CAN. Wonder Perfect Mascara 4D Waterproof gives your lashes volume, length, curve and definition for flawless four-dimensional eyes as it visibly lengthens and thickens lashes more every day.

I did not love this mascara - I found it a little spidery and a little flaky on the lashes. It also didn't really add any oomph to my lashes that I was looking for. I also think it's older in my collection, so that may have impacted the wear of this. I actually didn't finish this because it just didn't do anything for my lashes. 

Repurchase: No 

Manicure Monday - Easter Pastel "Skittles" Eggies Nails

Happy Manicure Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend! 

The OPI and Bio Sculpture polishes were received as PR samples - this post contains affiliate links

It's almost Easter, so naturally I'm embracing the #CCBxManiMonday April theme of pastels and going with this fun "skittles mani" was the way to go - skittles nails are when each nail are a different colour! I don't always like how this look turned out, but all of these shades go so well together and I love how they turned out! 

Five on Saturday - April 9, 2022 ~ Gallant Book Review, Sonic 2 Movie, The Ultimatum, Clothing Unhaul, and Dollarama Finds

Happy Friday everyone - I hope you all had a good week! Mine has been long you guys - Elliott has been a bit sick all week and we've had a few days at home, but yesterday, he was crying about his ears and it took us 3 clinics to get in as a walk-in and a 2 hour wait, but we are on the mend now! 

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I was invited to the movie premiere, I purchased everything else in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I'm so excited to share another great read - I recently finished Gallant by V.E. Schwab and this book was a little different than I was expecting, but, I really enjoyed this! This is a young adult fantasy novel, with a paranormal horror twist! 

We are introduced to our main character, Olivia Prior at an all girls school - she is different than all the other girls and a bit of outcast because she doesn't speak and she can see ghouls. At the school a letter arrives to invite her to her family's home, Gallant; but, when she arrives, no one at the house and they want her to leave. But, as she stays and explores the house, she discovers a second duplicate house where the Master of the House has much more sinister plans. 

Shop My Stash Makeup Look - April 2022 ~ Fresh, Fun, Freckled Spring Look & Trying the Eyebrow Pencil & Blush Lipstick Trend

I didn't get to a Shop My Stash look in for March, so I'm getting one up early for April. I haven't done a lot of makeup in March, my eyelids are being a little sensitive, so I've just been really careful! 

The Estee Lauder, Cheekbone & LA Girl products were received as PR samples - this post contains affiliate links

Have you seen this trend going around about using your eyebrow pencil and blush to create the "perfect" lipstick trend?! I thought it would be really fun to try out (and the shade is really pretty!)

Monthly Reading Wrap-up - March 2022

This year I thought I would share a little more of all my books and I thought the best way to do that would be if I wrapped up my reads of each month, so I can share mini reviews on all the books I've gone through! 

It could be a big range from 2 to 10 books depending on how much I read, but I figure I can share a little synopsis and quick thoughts on each book. I will still be doing more in depth reviews on books that really capture me! 

This is My Real Name was received as a review copy - this post contains affiliate links 

So, in March I read 9 books - a mix of genres from young adult fantasy to non-fiction true crime books. I love most genres, and I really want to keep my reads diversified this year! I think I have been doing a great job of that so far. Also, what was great about this month was the mix of old and new books I read was about a 50/50 split! I read these mostly via audiobook (6 of the 9, 2 physical books and 1 e-book on my phone). 

Manicure Monday - Pastel Geometric Nails

Happy Mani Monday - I hope you all had a great weekend! Can we believe it is already April?! 

I purchased all the polishes in this post

As with every new month, the #CBBxManiMonday group has a new theme for the month and it is pastels! Just like green last month, I find pastels a little bit of a challenge; but, I'm hoping I am able to come up with some good nail art! 

Monthly Beauty & Book Haul ~ March 2022

I'm switching up my Monthly Haul posts a little bit this year, because I'm actually *trying* to stick to a bit of a budget! I've been going a little crazy on the beauty and books front, so I just want to be a little more thoughtful in my purchases. So. I'm trying to keep my beauty and book purchases to $200 a month - we'll see! 

I do always love my Monthly Haul posts - it's a good way to keep track of everything that I picked up each month. I don't always blog about everything I pick up (I try to), but if you ever spot anything in here that you really want me to talk about, let me know! 

Hindash Order ~ $131.14 CAN. Okay, one of the brands on my list to try this year was Hindash and when this palette was released last month, I knew that this was the palette I had to try! This order was actually $102.74 from the Hindash website and I had to pay $28.40 in duties and taxes, which added on to the order. This is the Monochromance and it took a little while to get to me, but I'm excited to try this very soon! 

Five on Friday - April 1, 2022 ~ Yardley Spring Products, Wine Night, Bridgerton Season 2, Thrifted Games, and Monthly Declutter

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all had a great week - and Happy April Fool's Day if that's still a thing?! (My oldest is too old and youngest hasn't gotten in to the pranks yet, so I'm feeling safe this year!)

ONE 

The Yardley set was received as a PR packaging - this post contains affiliate links

Okay, I don't often share full PR packages that I receive, but I honestly thought this little Spring set from Yardley was just the cutest! It came with the foldable tray that looks perfect for a picnic (I never seen these before, but will absolutely use this when we get out with snacks and food!) Plus little gardening, beauty tools, and a lavender plant! 

Monthly Beauty Favourites - March 2022

Here's a look at what I was loving this past month:

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I'm so excited to have more makeup favourites this month - I'm in a phase of using a bunch of older skincare products up, so hopefully when I try some new skincare products I will have more to share soon! 

Manicure Monday - Green Striped Tips Nails

Happy Manicure Monday - I hope you all had a great weekend! 

One of the OPI polishes was received as a PR sample

I have a long week coming up so I wanted to do something quick but pretty and I love how these turned out! I rarely do a peek-a-boo nail with my plain nails underneath, but again, for this look I enjoyed how it looks! 

Five on Friday - March 25, 2022 ~ Movie Night, Turning Red, Little Passports Subscription, Plants vs Zombies Finds, and Wordle & Variations

Happy Friday everyone and Happy Spring! So exciting for the changing seasons and warmer weather! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post (the subscription was a gift from family) 

My bestie and I have been making lots more time for movie days lately, but this past weekend we decided to stay in and snuggle up on the couch for a new movie! We even ordered pickup from Cineplex for dinner and popcorn and it was the perfect way to spend a Sunday night! 

JVN Embody Daily Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner and Complete Hydrating Air Dry Hair Cream

I picked up a few products from the JVN Hair Line when it was released back in September, and I waited a little to use it, but I have been using the products for a while and am ready to share my thoughts on them! 

I purchased these products - this post contains affiliate links

I'm a huge JVN fan - I started watching them when I was introduced to "Gay of Thrones" on youtube, and seeing their career take off has been amazing; they certainly know their hair! I love Queer Eye, have read their book and of course even watched their new show, Getting Curious! 

Manicure Monday - Green Spring Floral Nails

Happy Manicure Monday everyone - I'm so happy it is officially Spring now! Woo hoo, and it has been so gorgeous this week, it's warming up here, things are melting and I'm excited!

The Essie polish was received as a PR sample - this post contains affiliate links

Usually Calgary does not see any signs of Spring until May, so it's hard to believe it's been so nice here (although, we are probably being lured in to false Spring where it warms up only to dump a bunch of snow and get cold again in a few weeks time!)

ColourPop The Mandalorian Shadow Palette and The Rescue Lux Lip Oil Kit - Swatches, Reviews and Two Looks

I was a huge fan of the ColourPop The Child palette, so when they announced last year that they were releasing a Mandalorian palette, I knew I had to try it out even though it wasn't my go-to color story. Also, I loved that they came out with a Lux Lip Oil set because I love that formula! 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I'm a big Stars Wars fan, so I'm loooving these collabs - the Mandalorian has been so good and the packaging is so on point! Also, spoiler alert, I also loved this palette; it made my Monthly Favourites in February! 

Five on Friday - March 18, 2022 ~ St. Patrick's Day, OwlCrate Cara Kozik Harry Potter Mugs, Avant Garde Tofu Katsu Curry, ColourPop Haul, and the Bachelor/Bachelorette

Happy Friday everyone - hope you all had a great week and a great St. Patrick's Day! 

ONE

I purchased everything in this post

Last year we started setting a trap to catch a leprechaun for St. Patrick's Day (we needed some covid activities okay?!) - so of course the other night we had to set our trap back up with some new goodies! We put a big gold coin and some lucky charms in there, but sadly we didn't catch them this year! Any trap tips for next year?! 

Manicure Monday - Matte Green Polka Dot Nails

Happy Manicure Monday - I hope you all had a great weekend! 

The OPI polish was received as a PR sample 

This week is already St. Patrick's Day, so for the whole month of March the #CBBxManiMonday is doing green nails to celebrate. Do you do anything for St. Paddy's Day? We started last year with trying to capture a leprechaun so we are setting our trap out again this year (and Elliott insists we use Lucky Charms as bait!) 

Spring 2022 - The Jilly Box Subscription Unboxing

I'm a big fan of Jillian Harris, so when she announced last year that she was starting a subscription box, I was so excited! The box started with the Winter 2019 box and sadly, I was not one of the lucky originals who won a subscription spot, so I sign up every season and hope to get picked for a lottery spot! 

I purchased this box - this post contains affiliate links

The Jilly Box is a quarterly seasonal subscription box - the products within the box include some of Jillian’s (and Team Jilly’s!) favourite items (and brands) from home decor, fashion, bath and beauty, health and wellness, accessories perfect for each season. Some of the items included will be custom designed exclusively for the Jilly Box. The Jilly Box really focuses on including products from small, local businesses while being ethically sourced and inclusive. They also focus on reducing plastic waste and packaging - the big boxes can be turned inside out and reused! Also, they try to include Canadian, woman owned brands, and this box also includes 3 LGBTQ+, BIPOC and Minority owned brands! 

Five on Saturday - March 12, 2022 ~ Dreams Lie Beneath Book Review, Cat's Birthday, Cat Fountain, Dollar Store Find and 30 Plants a Week

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all had a great week - I'm always happy for the weekend and it was a good, easy week here! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I'm so excited to share another great read - I recently finished Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross and I really enjoyed this! This is considered a young adult fantasy novel, but I also think it is in the new adult range, the age of the main characters isn't really specified and it feels older to me personally! 

This realm we are is under a curse and needs magician to fight off nightmares every new moon - this starts with our main character Clementine with her father protecting their area, when they are challenged as the warden of the town (hello duelling magicians, but with a nightmare fighting twist!) She seeks revenge on Phelan, but of course, she gets more than she expected with him. But also, as she gets closer to Phelan, she is drawn in to a conflict with this curse that has been going on for over 100 years and they have to find a way to work together to overcome the curse! 

Auric Cosmetics Smoke Reflect Cream & Powder Eye Shadow Duos in Disrupt and Entice - Swatches, Looks and Thoughts

Okay, I was so excited last year when Samantha Ravndahl announced her brand, Auric Cosmetics - I love that she has not been rushing releases and just slowly releasing amazing products! I tried the Smoke Reflect Eye Shadow Duos last year and they made my Favourite Makeup Products of 2021; the shade Temper is probably one of my most used shadows ever! 

I purchased the products in this post

I'm a little behind in trying my makeup products - so this is actually the Auric Cosmetics holiday release and I've trying to be intentional about trying all the products and using them thoroughly before reviewing. But, also what I enjoy about this brand is that even though these two shadow shades were a "holiday release", these shadows are still a permanent part of their collection! 

Monthly Beauty & Book Haul ~ February 2022

I'm switching up my Monthly Haul posts a little bit this year, because I'm actually *trying* to stick to a bit of a budget! I've been going a little crazy on the beauty and books front, so I just want to be a little more thoughtful in my purchases. So. I'm trying to keep my beauty and book purchases to $200 a month - we'll see! 

I do always love my Monthly Haul posts - it's a good way to keep track of everything that I picked up each month. I don't always blog about everything I pick up (I try to), but if you ever spot anything in here that you really want me to talk about, let me know! 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains a referral link

 - this 
Books Between Friends ~ $14.00 CAN. This is one of my favourite used book store in Calgary - I found a few newer releases and an older title of mine (Rain) that my cover was completely missing, so I wanted a matching set! I'm excited to see how the other two are! 

Manicure Monday - Green Stamped Leafy Nails

Happy Manicure Monday! Hope you all had a great weekend! 

The OPI polishes were received as PR samples

Can we believe it's the first Monday of March already?! March for the #CBBxManiMonday always means Green Nails - so any suggestions for this month of what you'd like to see, let me know! 

Five on Friday - March 4, 2022 ~ Skoah Starter Set for Oily Skin, LuLu Bar, Early Sneak Peek at Pieces of Her, First Poshmark Order, and Inventing Anna

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all had a great week - I'm ready for the weekend for sure! It's just been a tiring week! 

ONE 

The Skoah Starter Kit was received in exchange for a review

Skoah just released some Starter Kits (on March 1) - one for Dry, Normal and Oily skin. My skin personally gets oily in the Summer, so I was planning ahead for warmer months (it's got to be coming soon, right?!) and thought I'd try the Oily Skin Starter Kit. All the kits are $108 (with a value of $118) and if you're interested and order today, they are adding a free mask to every order as well! 

Mask Wednesday - Auria LED Light Therapy Mask ~ 3 Light Settings, and Before & After 8 Weeks of Use

Happy Mask Wednesday - I'm sooo excited about this post because I have been trying out this mask for over two months and I have thoughts to share! 

(Also, spoiler alert, if you already saw my February Favorites post, then you know I love this, but it always deserves a full post so you can see if it's something for you or not!) I have done some research and will share my thoughts, but if this is a technology you are interested in trying I would also urge you to look in to anything yourself - I'm not a skincare expert, just an enthusiast who is always looking to improve my skin! 

I purchased this mask - this post contains affiliate links

Auria LED Light Therapy Mask ~ $79.00 CAN. Live well. Do well. Be well. Auria's LED Light Therapy Mask offers three different L.E.D. light therapies. Simply hold the power button for three seconds to turn on and then choose the one you need.

Monthly Reading Wrap-up - February 2022 Books

This year I thought I would share a little more of all my books and I thought the best way to do that would be if I wrapped up my reads of each month, so I can share mini reviews on all the books I've gone through! 

It could be a big range from 2 to 10 books depending on how much I read, but I figure I can share a little synopsis and quick thoughts on each book. I will still be doing more in depth reviews on books that really capture me! 

E copies of The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea & A Far Wilder Magic were received as review copies - this post contains affiliate links 

So, in February I read 10 books - a mix of genres from young adult fantasy to non-fiction psychology books. I love most genres, and I really want to keep my reads diversified this year! Also, what was great about this month was the mix of old and new books I read was about a 50/50 split! I read these mostly via audiobook (7 of the 10, 2 physical books and 1 e-book on my phone). 

Manicure Monday - Pink Floral Nails

Happy Manicure Monday everyone - I hope you had a good weekend! Mine was busy, but a good busy, so I had to do a quick mani this week! 

The Bio Sculpture was received as a PR sample 

Can we believe this is the last Monday of February already?! It's our last week of red, pink and white nails! So, I did this lovely bubblegum pink mani with cute little floral wraps and it was a perfect, quick nail look! 

Monthly Beauty Favourites - February 2022

Here's a look at what I was loving in February:

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

What's this?! A bizarre skincare tool - you know I'm going to try it (and in this case, really enjoy it!) And, a there is a few great makeup products I was loving this month too! 

Five on Friday - February 25, 2022 ~ December 2021 Owlcrate Box, Owlcrate Reading Planner, The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea Book Review, Bullying Awareness Day and Custard Toast

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all had a great week - we had a long weekend last weekend for Family Day here, so it was a short work week here which was nice! I had brunch with friends and lots of time with family! 

(Also, there has been some pretty terrible world events happening after I pre-wrote this, with Russia invading Ukraine and it's very devastating!)

ONE 

The audio-arc was received as a review copy - this post contains affiliate links

I just received my December Owlcrate subscription (there was some delays with products, so it's pretty late!) and this month's theme is "Beneath The Waves" - each month the book Owlcrate includes is signed by the author and comes with a note from the author as well. They often have special edition covers just for the box, and they seem to include a lot of exclusive items just for Owlcrate, which is so fun! As a bookworm, I have been loving this subscription! 

Manicure Monday - Playing Card Heart Nails

Happy Monday everyone - I'm coming in a little late today, but I'm so excited to share how these adorable heart playing card nails! 

The China Glaze polish was received as a PR sample

I sae a little set of card nails on the Essie instagram page and I new that I wanted to do those for a week of our Valentine's nails, or red, white and pink nails for February! I'm loving how these turned out so much - they were a little tedious with all the hand painting, but so worth it! 

Cheekbone Beauty Sustain Complexion Pencils - Swatches, Review and Thoughts

I have been using and loving Cheekbone Beauty for a couple of years now - I think I first tried their Sustain lipstick in April 2022 and have since picked up face products and more that I have really been enjoying! Also, it's been so exciting to see this brand shine in the past couple of years - they are in Sephora now and it's great to have this Canadian, Indigenous Woman owned brand be so prominent! 

Also, have to note - I'm loving their position on social media of no filters - they are proudly sharing their makeup with lines, pores, blemishes, scars, etc. We are all human! 

These products were received in exchange for a review

Cheekbone Beauty is an eco-conscious brand, and they are actively working towards their brand being-carbon neutral. Their goal is to lead by example and be a fully waste free company by 2023! They focus on locally sourced ingredients, plant based, fair trade and ethical ingredients, while their packaging is compostable, recyclable, bio-degradable or plantable, or reusable! 

Five on Friday - February 18, 2022 ~ Valentine's Day, Cute Baking, Love is Blind, Eating 30 Unique Plants, and Monthly Declutter

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you had a great week - I twisted my ankle last week so I was a bit of a mess at the start of the week, but am feeling much better now! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post

I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day (if you celebrate) - we aren't big romantical people, but I've certainly gotten on board with the heart shaped pizza trend and we've been doing it for the past few years, so I guess I do celebrate! We ordered from Boston Pizza, had a glass of wine and called it a celebration! Honestly, I love a pizza night and anything heart shaped is a win for me! 

Some Out Of The World Products From XO Face Care - Heavy C Serum & Intergalactic Lactic Acid Serum

Okay, I raved a little about XO Treatment Room's skincare line, XO Face Care here before - it is a Calgary Facialist brand, run by Annie who proudly whips up formulas full of chemicals good for your skin!

I have been following XO Treatment Room for a long time and I have been using their products for the last year or so and loving them! (It's my goal this year to get my butt in their place for an in person facial this year, but in the mean time, I will keep using all their products!) 

I purchased these products myself

I haven't tried everything from the the brand; however, everything I have tried from them has been really good - I know at this point in time, if I pick something else up, I'm going to love it! (I'm actually using a Facial Oil by them that is amazing - I haven't shared because it was a limited edition product for Mother's Day last year. Annie always has fun Thursday special, seasonal products and lots to choose from!

Manicure Monday - Valentine's Day Hearts and Dots Nails

Happy Mani Monday everyone and Happy Valentine's Day (if you celebrate!) We don't really celebrate, but honestly if I can make cute treats and order a heart shaped pizza, I will partake in that part! 

The OPI polishes were received as PR samples

I know I did heart nails last week, but I had to do them again for Valentine's Day today! Our #CBBxManiMonday theme for the whole month of February is Red, White and Pink (but also, be ready for heart nails alll month from me because that's where I go with this combo!)

Five on Friday - February 11, 2022 ~ Little Passports Subscription, Calgary Zoo, TBR Romance Reads, Thrifted Kids Book Finds, and Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all had a great week - I was back to normal this week and honestly, it was sooo nice to get back at it. I recovered fine from the 'vid, but still had a few rough sleeps this week with a cough, but certainly improved by the end of the week, so I'm pretty close to 100% again! (Also, I just twisted my ankle late last night and am resting up today to try and make it feel better, but I can't walk right now!)

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post (the subscription was a gift from family) - this post contains affiliate links

Elliott was gifted a Little Passports subscription for Christmas, and we just got the third delivery! Little Passports is a kids subscription company that focuses on "play-based science and geography kits delivered monthly." 

They offer 5 different subscriptions for ages 3 - 8+ and they have 3 different Geography based subscriptions and 2 Science subscriptions. So, Elliott is getting the Early Explorers meant for ages 3-5 and it's described as "discover the world’s wonders, from oceans to art to animals through hands-on activities, games and stories." This subscription is $27.95 US monthly, and you can also add on a book for $9.95 - you save more if you subscribe to a longer term. The first month comes with a little suitcase and passport to set you up for future months. I think this subscription sends you things based one your subscription term as opposed to having a new set of activities each month (meaning every subscriber will get the Ocean theme for month 2 of their subscription term, instead of Oceans being only the January 2022 theme). 

Pixi Beauty - Rose Remedy Mask

I'm always excited when I can do another mask post - and this one is nice and rosy just in time for Valentine's Day! 

I purchased this mask - this post contains affiliate links

I've been such a fan of the Pixi Beauty products I've tried - skincare and makeup, so it's a brand that I'm always excited to see what they are coming up with next! 

Shop My Stash Makeup Look - February 2022 ~ Red & Peach Valentine's Day Look

Happy Tuesday everyone! I've been playing with makeup quite a bit lately and it's been so fun to create looks - it had been awhile, and I'm happy to make it a priority! This year, I really want to focus on using products in my collection, and so today's look is a fun Valentine's Day inspired makeup look! 

The Catrice, LA Girl, and Hard Candy products were received as PR samples - this post contains affiliate links

I didn't go with the typical pink look for Valentine's Day, but instead I went with a red & peach look - I rarely play with reds and I love how this look came together! I always love a peachy look, so this was fun to do! (Was that too many "loves" in a sentence?! Or, never enough since it's love day soon?!)

Manicure Monday - Simple Pink Heart Nails

Happy Manicure Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend - it was lovely for us to be done quarantine and get out of the house again! 

The OPI polish was received as a PR sample

It's the first Manicure of February, so it's time for our new theme - the whole month of February, the #CBBxManiMonday is doing white, pink and red nails!