March 2014 Beauty Box 5

I received my Beauty Box 5 for March this week.

March 2014 Beauty Box 5

 Here's what was in this month's box:

1. Jane's Pick All Natural Soap - Scent was too strong for me.

2. Tree Hut Shea Body Butter - Loved this product!

3. Bellepierre Cosmetics Make-up Base - Haven't tried this yet but it should make a good eyeshadow base.

4. H20 Plus Hand & Nail Cream - Received this sample last month and didn't like the scent.

5. Swissco Loofah & Terry Facial Pad - Haven't tried this yet but an excited to try this.

I have given this beauty box subscription a three month trial and though I have liked some products most of them haven't been for me. I decided that I will cancel my subscription. It was a great way to get introduced to some new products and try them out before making the big purchase.

Have you ever tried something and hadn't had it turn out?

Spring 2014 Fashion Picks

Last week I did my Spring picks for outdoors so this week I am doing my fashion picks.

Scotch Soda slim fit shirt, 130 CAD / Mango leather bomber jacket, 150 CAD / McQ by Alexander McQueen elastic waist pants, 340 CAD / Sam Edelman wide flat shoes, 160 CAD / Ted Baker mint green purse, 330 CAD / Links of London black and gold jewelry, 260 CAD / Green necklace, 19 CAD / Dorothy Perkins black earrings, 12 CAD / Butter London metallic nail polish, 17 CAD / Butter London pearl nail polish, 17 CAD

I selected mint green as my colour for spring. Mint is so good with so many other colours I already have in my closet likes grays, navy, fuchsia and black. The colour reminds me of spring which I really want right now as I am writing this post during a blizzard.

Gold is still my favorite metal right now so I had to pick some gold accessories. They look great with mint, black and denim.  

I have wanted a chambray shirt and black leather & fabric bomber for a while now so they had to be on my list.

A new nail polish is always on my list to buy at the start of a new season. I get so excited over new colour. It's also an affordable and easy update your wardrobe.

Another look I have wanted to try for a while now is patterned pants. I have a lot of blue jeans so I am looking to change it up.

Tip: Use these boards for ideas like I do. Some of these pieces are not in my budget so I use this list as a guide and find items that are in my price point. 

Easy Spring Outdoor Updates

It may still be Winter here but I am determined to stay positive that Spring is just around the corner. This winter has seemed to go on forever so what helps me to get through these cold, snowy days is planning for new updates for our yard.

Here are some things that can get you thinking about the warm sunshine and forgetting about the these last few blah days of winter.

Pier 1 imports outdoor furniture, 410 CAD / CB2 cantilever patio umbrella, 585 CAD / Outdoor decor, 155 CAD / H M outdoor decor, 28 CAD / Flower pot, 185 CAD / Serena Lily outdoor table, 215 CAD / Crate and Barrel blue outdoor pillow, 39 CAD / String light, 19 CAD


I think the best way to spruce up your curb appeal after a long winters is with a new house number {I don't mean every year but maybe every five years. House numbers are like jewelry for your house. A new piece of jewelry can do wonders.}

Another way to update the curb appeal of your house is with a new door mat. These mats can get destroyed by the bad weather. You can either do a bright pop of colour or a simple statement mat.

A new umbrella is also a great way to update your outdoor space. Mine is faded from all the sun exposure so i am on the hunt for a new one. I especially love the cantilever style because you can change you shade coverage as the sun moves during the day.

The one piece of outdoor furniture that I am missing is a lounger. I really like to read outside in the spring and summer so a lounger is perfect. I like the simplicity of the one in the picture and the woven base adds great texture.

Some small things you can do is to add some pops of colour with string of lights, an accent table, or new flowering plant.

What do you like to do to spruce up your outdoor space for Spring?

Pizza Popcorn

Today I thought I share with you another popcorn recipe. You can check out my first popcorn recipe, Ginger Snap Parmesan Popcorn here.

Pizza Popcorn

Pizza Popcorn

Ingredients
1/3 c.     Popcorn Kernels
1 tbsp.   Butter, melted
1/4 tsp.  Salt
1/4 tsp.  Dried Oregano
1/4 c.     Mozzarella. finely grated
1 or 2     Sun-dried Tomatoes, finely chapped
2 or 3     Fresh Basil Leaves, finely chopped or torn
              Cayenne Powder, to taste (optional)

Pop your popcorn using whatever method you prefer. My personal preference is to use an air popper because it is easy and there are no additives.

While the corn is popping, melt the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Next grate the cheese and chop the basil and sun-dried tomatoes.

Once all your toppings are chopped, pour the melted butter over popcorn and sprinkle the salt, dried oregano and cayenne powder on top. Tip: I find putting the butter on first allows for the spices to stick to the popcorn.

Now it's time to add the mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and the basil. Give it a good toss and ta-da you now have pizza flavoured popcorn.

Try this recipe at your Oscar party this weekend. It will wow you and your guests.


What's your favourite way to spice up your popcorn?

February Beauty Box 5

Last week my Beauty Box 5 arrived and I was excited again to see what I got my second box.
{You can read about my first beauty box here. }

Beauty Box 5 - February 

Inside this month's box were:

1. Rockstar Nails - Nail Polish

2. Rockstar Nails - Nail Sprinkles

3. John Freida Luxurious Volume - Touchable Full Shampoo and Conditioner

4. H20 Plus - Spa Hand and Nail Cream

5. Elizabeth Mott - It's So Big Volumizing Mascara. 

Bonus: $10 off Gift Card for MyNameNecklace.com


Not sure what to think about some of these products for me. The nail polish and nail sprinkles are in a bubble gum pink which is not my favourite shade of pink. I also haven't been really into the nail art scene but they will make a nice present for my nieces. I liked the H2O body wash from January's box but this hand cream is a little too strongly scented for me. I am super excited to try out the shampoo, conditioner and mascara. I am always looking for new volumizing products.

One Year Blogging Anniversary + Cheesy Green Chile Polenta

I can't believe this past week was my one year blogging anniversary. It has been, and continues to be, a great adventure. I have learned so much about the blogging world and myself.

So to celebrate, I thought I would share one of my favourite comfort, celebrating dishes: Cheesy Polenta with Green Chiles. It's great on it's own, served with Chili, or with a dollop of sour cream on top.

In my neck of the woods, it's been extra cold lately so I have been craving cheesy, comfort food. With that being said, I have a funny story to tell you. Last week, during one of those extra cold days I thought it would take out of the freezer some cheddar and broccoli soup for lunch. I pulled it out in the morning so it would be ready for around noon. Well....when I went to heat up my soup, I found out that it was not cheddar and broccoli soup it was cheesy green chile polenta. Boy, was I surprised! Note to self: Label you food when you put it in the freezer. LOL. It wasn't a terrible mistake because they are equally delicious. I was just a little disappointed which happens when you crave a particular item. Then when you go to make it you realize you don't have the chocolate that you needed to make those cookies. Anyways, I had a delicious lunch and was glad it reminded me how much I like this polenta recipe. So I thought I'd share the recipe with you.

Cheesy Green Chile Polenta

Ingredients

3 c. Stock (Chicken, Beef or Vegetable)

1 c. Yellow Cornmeal

2 tbsp. Butter

1 can Chopped Green Chiles (like Old El Paso brand)

1 ½ c. Grated Cheddar Cheese

Directions

Bring stock to boil in a sauce pan. Sprinkle slowly in cornmeal and stir constantly. Reduce heat and cook the polenta mixture until thickened. It will take around 10 minutes depending on the coarseness of your cornmeal. Turn off heat and add butter, cheese, and chiles. Serve immediately.

Tip: You can also stir in sour cream to give the recipe a little tang.  

Have you ever had a freezer mix up? 

Valentine's Day Love in the Kitchen

I have always been a bit crazy when it comes to Valentine's Day and I love to decorate my kitchen with all things red, pink, and hearts.

When my brother and I were in elementary school, my mom would bake us a heart shaped cake and decorate it with cinnamon heart candy and pink icing. It was always such a nice treat and a fond memory so I like to continue the tradition.

Here are some of the things I like to decorate with:

1. KitchenAid kitchenware dining, 225 CAD / 2. Wilton steel cookware, 15 CAD / 3. Sur La Table tea mug, 10CAD / 4. Jessie Steele frilly apron, 34 CAD / 5. Chicago Metallic heart shaped cookie cutter, 22 CAD / 6. Sweetly Does it cake mold, 10 CAD / 7.Tovolo Balloon heart spatula, 12 CAD / 8. Crate and Barrel heart bowl, 11 CAD / 9.Sur La Table kitchen linen, 10 CAD / 10. Sur La Table kitchen linen, 11 CAD /

Do you do anything special for Valentine's Day?