made in China - the right way! [+giveaway!]
May 30, 2014 • brands
Blog reviews are everywhere and while I scroll past most, the occasional one makes me stop - and then get jealous that I'm not the reviewer. Seriously, hook me up!
One of said reviews was one of the more unique ones I've ever seen - on my friend Rachel's blog. I instantly fell in love with her cute new purse and the purpose of the retailer who hooked her up with said purse. You see, Corlie at Red Buffalo Trading sells goods that are made in other countries including China.
Yep, I'm sure I just lost you all right there "um, hello Bekah, all the cheap crap we buy in the states is already made in China!" The good news is, that is so not what I mean. I mean these are the people of China and said other countries getting their Etsy on - using their local artisan resources and talents to make unique accessories (bags, jewelry, home wares!) that are anything but crap.
I was hooked right there, but I was stoked when I randomly got an e-mail from Corlie saying she wanted in on the crafting action herself and had a new bag she designed in need of a review. I was even more stunned when she sent the first picture over - it was like she'd designed it with me in mind:
This hemp fold-over cross-body bag is me to a T! The size, the fabrics, the colors (I'm all over navy blue!) and the style that is clean and simple yet fun and unique - I was in love before it even arrived.
Then, arrive it did and I was even more in love with Corlie's sturdy craftsmanship (she did, in fact make the bag in China, but with gorgeous batik fabric from Thailand!)- I love cloth purses and this one is by far the sturdiest I've owned. On top of that, she's got a great eye for detail from the hardware to the dainty yet sturdy braided strap:
I've been carrying this beauty around non-stop since it came in last Friday and it's still going strong - I'm not one to switch out purses often, so I stick to neutrals and these are the perfect spring neutrals for me - they go with the majority of my wardrobe! Also, I can be rough on my things and this bag isn't showing any dirt or staining despite the light color of the hemp fabric.
Corlie had actually asked if she should keep making the bags or consider other items with the fabric - my answer is YES! If a throw pillow, makeup bag, or other decor came out as great as this bag I'd be all over it!
Interested yet? Corlie is being extra generous and letting one reader experience this unique and lovely craftsmanship for themselves with a voucher to Red Buffalo Trading. Enter below and it could be yours!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
UPDATE 10/2014: I chose Red Buffalo Trading to make some custom throw pillow covers for the new house. You can see them here.
UPDATE 01/2015: I still use this bag! You can see me wearing it in my recent eShakti review here.
One of said reviews was one of the more unique ones I've ever seen - on my friend Rachel's blog. I instantly fell in love with her cute new purse and the purpose of the retailer who hooked her up with said purse. You see, Corlie at Red Buffalo Trading sells goods that are made in other countries including China.
Yep, I'm sure I just lost you all right there "um, hello Bekah, all the cheap crap we buy in the states is already made in China!" The good news is, that is so not what I mean. I mean these are the people of China and said other countries getting their Etsy on - using their local artisan resources and talents to make unique accessories (bags, jewelry, home wares!) that are anything but crap.
I was hooked right there, but I was stoked when I randomly got an e-mail from Corlie saying she wanted in on the crafting action herself and had a new bag she designed in need of a review. I was even more stunned when she sent the first picture over - it was like she'd designed it with me in mind:
This hemp fold-over cross-body bag is me to a T! The size, the fabrics, the colors (I'm all over navy blue!) and the style that is clean and simple yet fun and unique - I was in love before it even arrived.
Then, arrive it did and I was even more in love with Corlie's sturdy craftsmanship (she did, in fact make the bag in China, but with gorgeous batik fabric from Thailand!)- I love cloth purses and this one is by far the sturdiest I've owned. On top of that, she's got a great eye for detail from the hardware to the dainty yet sturdy braided strap:
I've been carrying this beauty around non-stop since it came in last Friday and it's still going strong - I'm not one to switch out purses often, so I stick to neutrals and these are the perfect spring neutrals for me - they go with the majority of my wardrobe! Also, I can be rough on my things and this bag isn't showing any dirt or staining despite the light color of the hemp fabric.
Interested yet? Corlie is being extra generous and letting one reader experience this unique and lovely craftsmanship for themselves with a voucher to Red Buffalo Trading. Enter below and it could be yours!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
UPDATE 10/2014: I chose Red Buffalo Trading to make some custom throw pillow covers for the new house. You can see them here.
UPDATE 01/2015: I still use this bag! You can see me wearing it in my recent eShakti review here.
Crofton, MD 21114, USA
i'm excited about...
May 28, 2014 • personal
2014 is definitely the year of optimism for Sean and I. So many good things have happened and there's much more to look forward to. Here's just a handful of things I'm excited about right now:
- Arbonne's new lineup! We got 11 new products this month and I'm thrilled for them all (be on the lookout for reviews) I'm unsurprisingly in love with everything I've tried thus far.
Oh, man. I've been waking up a LOT less tired because of this baby and I LOVE it! - To lose some weight! There's a reason I don't share photos of myself on here often. I'm disgusted with the weight I'm at. It's embarrassing. I eat clean but it never seems to be enough. So, now I'm super thrilled because two of Arbonne's new products are for weight loss (and feature ingredients endorsed by Dr.Oz)! I started using them Friday (great timing with the Memorial Day festivities), and I'm excited to see the changes in 30 days!
- For our move! I've been nervous to share this until we were further in the process, but we are buying our first house! God has been beyond good. If all continues to go well, we will close in early July!
What are you excited for?
GIVEAWAY - 5 winners!
May 23, 2014 • giveaway
Somehow May is already disappearing! I don't know how it happened, but it's great for blog land as it means 5 of you lovely bloggers now have the chance for free sponsorship in June!
Aside from your 250x250 button on the sidebar all month, enjoy frequent social media shout-outs and a sponsors-only group Pinterest board - meaning you can share any and all of your content with my >1K Pinterest audience!
Get to entering below - good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Aside from your 250x250 button on the sidebar all month, enjoy frequent social media shout-outs and a sponsors-only group Pinterest board - meaning you can share any and all of your content with my >1K Pinterest audience!
Get to entering below - good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
reminder - don't miss out!
May 21, 2014
Sign ups for the Summer Growth Giveaway are open until Friday of next week! (May 30)
The more we give, the more we grow!
Find details on this post - hope you join us!
The more we give, the more we grow!
Find details on this post - hope you join us!
influenster's biggest faux pas yet!
May 17, 2014 • health and beauty, influenster, review
Oy.
It's no secret that I haven't had much luck with Influenster. It's almost become a game now. They send me something. I hate it. I tell everyone how much I hate it assuming Influenster won't work with me ever again. They send me more stuff...and the cycle begins again.
Well, the last box I received was the most tolerable to date. I thought they might be improving. Then I didn't hear from them for some time. Almost 6 months, actually. Finally, an invite came to my inbox. I clicked, ready to take the survey.
Then I laughed:
Oy. I made it pretty clear that I'm not a fan ...but lo and behold, a pretty pink box showed up on my doorstep. I don't know who was more entertained between Sean and I.
By the way, this is the part where I tell you, just in case you didn't know, that this is totally conflict of interest. Yes, I've used MK before. But, then I discovered Arbonne which blew MK out of the water. Oh, I'm also an Arbonne Consultant. So yes, I am biased. Most of my opinions won't be nice, but they are mine. So, here you go:
The good:
So, there you have it. What fun will they send me next?
It's no secret that I haven't had much luck with Influenster. It's almost become a game now. They send me something. I hate it. I tell everyone how much I hate it assuming Influenster won't work with me ever again. They send me more stuff...and the cycle begins again.
Well, the last box I received was the most tolerable to date. I thought they might be improving. Then I didn't hear from them for some time. Almost 6 months, actually. Finally, an invite came to my inbox. I clicked, ready to take the survey.
Then I laughed:
Are you familiar with Mary Kay? Do you like Mary Kay? Have you used them? Are you a consultant?
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| Oh yes, the genius folks of Influenster sent me the Mary Kay Sun-Kissed #mkglam box. Way to go. |
By the way, this is the part where I tell you, just in case you didn't know, that this is totally conflict of interest. Yes, I've used MK before. But, then I discovered Arbonne which blew MK out of the water. Oh, I'm also an Arbonne Consultant. So yes, I am biased. Most of my opinions won't be nice, but they are mine. So, here you go:
 |
| The products I actually tried as you can tell from my lovely finger smudges. |
The good:
- Two brushes were included. Can't go wrong with brushes. The powder brush does shed a bit, but I've seen worse.
- The translucent powder does what translucent powder is supposed to do. There is no wow factor, but it does the job.
- Most of the colors were ones I could/would actually wear. This rarely happens.
- The biggest compliment you will see in this entire review: packaging kudos on the aforementioned translucent powder. You can turn to open and close access to the powder - this is amazing! It avoids the messes that come with loose powders and mineral foundations and I really really hope other cosmetic companies take note and adopt this- I hate powder messes!
I didn't take many pictures, but Hayley also reviewed the same box and her review shows what I mean here)
The meh:
- Some colors were ones that were way too bold/harsh for my complexion (I'm super pale just in case you couldn't tell). Specifically the black gel eyeliner (yeah, right) and the mango tango lip gloss. I didn't try these, rather gave them away to people who would actually use them.
- The blush had kind of a weird sheen to it. This is a personal preference. The color is pretty but the finish is better for teenage girls probably.
The ugly:
- The creme eye color doesn't blend at all. You wear it heavy or barely visible. On top of that, it wiped my eyeliner right off my eyelid! (I don't like my liner to look harsh so I apply it pre-shadow). Oh, and even if you do apply heavy-handed (no thanks), it doesn't last long at all.
- The bronzing powder doesn't really set well either. It looked kind of dirty on my face and very obvious. No thanks. Go very light-handed with this product.
- The mascara does make lashes look long and such, but it's a super wet formula. As in don't blink for five minutes or you'll have a mess on your hands (or face). No thanks.
So, there you have it. What fun will they send me next?
on milestones
May 7, 2014 • faith, life
First off, I'm so thrilled that spring has finally decided to grace Baltimore with its presence. It means eating my lunch outdoors which makes me so happy!
Last week I was on a bench enjoying the warmer temps and a salad when someone from the office spotted me and sat down to chat. Why not? We had the general small talk, found out we lived in the same town, and then something interesting happened.
The inevitable "where are you from?" question came up, so I gave my short story I give new people which goes a little something like this:
Last week I was on a bench enjoying the warmer temps and a salad when someone from the office spotted me and sat down to chat. Why not? We had the general small talk, found out we lived in the same town, and then something interesting happened.
The inevitable "where are you from?" question came up, so I gave my short story I give new people which goes a little something like this:
"I grew up in Northern Virginia which isn't very far, but I met my husband who lived here in Maryland and started coming up on weekends before transferring to finish school here. Then we got married and stayed here."
I think nothing of this information. It's a short way to get across the key points of the questions I know would follow the "where are you from?" question. Just little snippets of my life. But I definitely had to take pause at what he said after hearing said answer:
"Wow, it sounds like you've really hit all your milestones."
I was shocked for a minute before I was able to somehow prevent myself from laughing in his face. I certainly couldn't say anything to him that was running through my head at the moment:
"Ha! Buddy, you don't know me. My life hasn't been easy at all. Sure, I have the things I want now, but nothing, and I mean nothing happened the way I would have wanted or according to my own "milestone timeline." I mean, It took me 7 years to complete school with all the drama I dealt with, Sean and I were together five years before walking down the aisle (I was hoping for more like two!) and don't even get me started on the fact that I was grossly underemployed for three years (and got screwed over big time) before getting this awesome job. Oh no, I assure you that nothing has happened on my personal milestone timeline."
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Of course, I said none of that, but it was certainly a thought-provoking statement that ran through my mind the rest of the day. Sure, nothing happened how I wanted, but things did happen. Some people are still waiting. Some people rushed and regret their decisions or worse. So I have some of my milestones now, but I have them on God's timeline. I will be the first to honestly admit that the waiting sucks....there's no way around that! But, I will also be the first to praise Him and say that things are so much better according to His plan. Things could be so different had they happened my way. And in other ways I can look back and see God preparing me, even in the little things like getting comfortable driving to Baltimore and working in healthcare-related fields to get me to where I am now.
In the end, I'm blessed, and those blessings are so worth the wait that really, who cares if it took me a little longer?
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HUGE blogger opportunity - all summer long!
May 6, 2014 • giveaway
I'm so excited to announce the Summer Growth Giveaway Series! I really believe the structure of these opportunities will be a win-win for bloggers and entrants alike.
I think we all agree that entering a giveaway with hundreds of entries is overwhelming. I know I enter giveaways a lot less (if at all!) when I see a high number of entries and entry types - so we're keeping it simple. Here's how the series works:We will be running a monthly cash giveaway on the 15th of June, July, and August, each with a specific growth area:
June: Facebook
July: Twitter
August: You choose! The popular vote winner from the following will be chosen:
- Bloglovin'
Complete the entry form and submit payment as a PayPal gift to bekahchica@msn.com by May 30 to participate. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions!
bunny invasion!
May 5, 2014 • life, link up
Sean and I got a pleasant surprise outside our sliding glass door last week...
A bunny family! A mom and three babies, to be exact. Sadly, one baby has since passed, but we're having so much fun watching the little family interact and hop around. The babies are already so speedy! It's our new form of entertainment for sure. So much cuteness!
Also, speaking of bunnies, I made it to the post office to pick up my Blogger Basket Swap package - Caley definitely understood my love of bunnies as the theme was quite present in the abundance of chocolate she sent me. Thanks girl!
lif
A bunny family! A mom and three babies, to be exact. Sadly, one baby has since passed, but we're having so much fun watching the little family interact and hop around. The babies are already so speedy! It's our new form of entertainment for sure. So much cuteness!
 |
| You can see one baby to the lower left of mom |
Also, speaking of bunnies, I made it to the post office to pick up my Blogger Basket Swap package - Caley definitely understood my love of bunnies as the theme was quite present in the abundance of chocolate she sent me. Thanks girl!
 |
| So, I grabbed the package before running errands which explains why the eggs are eaten and the other bunnies are a bit melted...still tasty though! And the bag is so cute. |
lif
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