favorite christmas gifts 2011

Experimenting with my juicer

I made two different juices tonight. And the parentals are on board! My dad was interested to see how it worked and was excited to put some fruits in. And my mom was anxiously awaiting the second cup of the night.

Here's was I did for the first one. This yielded 2 cups.

2 carrots
1 apple
1 mango
1 blood orange

This is what I did for the second one. I wanted to try putting celery in. I only used 2 stalks of celery but the celery taste was a little too strong. I think using one more apple would have evened the taste out.

This one yielded like 2 1/2 cups.

3 carrots
2 celery
1 pomegranate (I had to deseed it first)
1 apple (should have put 2)
1 orange
1 blood orange (my dad wanted to add this in there)

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used my juicer for the first time

yessss!!! my sister asked me what i wanted for, for christmas and i told her i wanted a juicer. and she got it for me! HOLLERRRRR!!! i used it for the first time today. i was so excited. right after work i headed to the grocery store to pick up some fruits and veggies to juice.

i picked up some carrots, 2 kinds of apples, grapefruits and mangoes. i ran into my mom there and she was picking up some pomegranates and oranges so i made sure not to get those.

i was shocked at how strong the juicer was. i should film the next time i juice so you guys can share in the fun. lol...cheap thills i know.

but my first cup from my new juicer consisted of 2 carrorts, 1 apple and 1 orange. it only yielded one cup but that's perfect for just me.

ooftd 12.11.11

my stills are soooo MODED!

earrings: claire's $5?

radio necklace: forever 21 $3.80

radio right: swatch $?, i don't remember

infinity scarf: shecky's vendor, Sazzy $15

sweater: forever 21 $14

racerback tank: target $7

zipper skirt: h&m $? i bought it earlier this year

leggings: i bought in japan they were 3/$10 i got a couple of different patterns. i really wish i stocked up on these

boots: sole society, called amy $59.95

Cyber Monday deal

Whenever I need to get hair tools, I always check out folica.com first. They have pretty good deals on products already and their specials make my wallet happy.

I needed to get 2 different irons. One of them is about $60 full price and folica had it on sale for $39.99. The other is about $43 full price and folica had it on sale for $36.95.

I could've paid about $100 for 2 irons. On a regular day folica would have saved me just under $25, but today is Cyber Monday! You save $25 on a $75 purchase plus free shipping.

So my grand total for two irons worth over $100 was only $51.94!!!

If you want to take advantage of this deal too the promo code is NOV25

Happy shopping! When I get home I'll see if there are other Cyber Monday deals worth spending money on!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

deal of the day #2

i had some time after work and needed to pick up a couple of things, and of course some coupons to use. i'm running low on body butters and my favorite hand soap, so i decided to pop into the body shop to see if there were any deals going on.

what do you know, there sure were. buy 3 get 2 free, buy 2 get 1 free or buy 1 get the next 50% off. now ladies and gentlemen, to get the best deal on these promotions, you should always try to get all the items at the same price. b/c the least expensive items will be the ones you get free. so you'll get the most out of the promotions if everything is the same price.

i picked up 2 of my favorite hand soaps, 1 mango scented hand soap for the kitchen (tip: when you buy hand soaps for the kitchen or any scented item for the kitchen it should always be citrusy), and the moisturizing shampoo and conditioner from the rain forest line. i tried a sample of it, and it actually worked quite well (and it doesn't have sulfates, parabens, and no colorants) anyway, all of these items were only $10 each and with the buy 3 get 2 free, the total was only $30. but, of course i had a coupon. save $5 for any purchase over $25. so the total pre-tax was $25 and i basically got all the items for 50% off.

so don't forget when taking advantage of a buy something get something free, always try to keep them at the same price to get the most out of the deal.

deal of the day

as my tweet read yesterday, "I'm quite pleased with myself. I'm getting good at looking for deals and using my coupons. HOLLLERRR!"

i knew i had to go to target to pick up a few little items, so before i went i looked through the new sunday advertisement to see if there were any good deals. and i noticed target is coming out with more and more deals where you can get target gift cards back. lucky for me there were two brands that i needed where i could get gift cards back.

the best deal i got was with aveeno. so, if you brought 3 aveeno products you could get a $5 gift card back. to maximize on this deal, i looked for the cheapest aveeno product, which was a bar of soap for $3.34.

$3.34 x 3 = $10.02 - $5 gift card = $5.01

but i also had some aveeno coupons. i had one for $1.50 off 2 aveeno products and one for $1 off 1 aveeno product, which brings the grand total to $2.52. i only paid 84 cents for each bar of soap.

woo hoo!! i know cheap thrills, but who doesn't like to save money. and you have coupons books that you throw away every sunday, pass them to me. i love saving money.

Shecky's San Francisco November 2011

the benefits of olive oil

i've been trying home remedies more and more now, including trying to use natural products for my skin and hair. so when i saw a video on a natural makeup remover i decided to try it. it consisted of oilve oil and witch hazel. i'd already been using witch hazel as a natural astringent, and who doesn't have olive oil in their cabinets. so i tried it, and i've been using it ever since.

i fill my little container with about 60% witch hazel and 40% evoo (that's what i had in my cabinet).

anyway, one day one of my friend's asked me if i was using false eyelashes and i said, "no, just mascara." i didn't think anything of it, until i saw my friend who was visiting, and her eyelashes were soooo prominent. she's japanese by the way and i don't EVER remember her with eyelashes like THAT, and i've known the girl for over 10 years. we talked and she told me her secret was olive oil. and then i remembered that day when i was asked if i was using falsies. ahhh! i guess it was working for me too.

well, i've continued to use my little concoction, and more recently, i've noticed how long my lashes are looking and how much better they look with my mascara. i have to add that i've been using the same mascara for about a year and a half now, so it's not the mascara making them look longer.

noticing my lashes for the last two days, made me a bit curious, so to google i went and i found this little article: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/olive-oil-for-hair-growth.html

it basically talks about how olive oil is great for hair growth and moisturizing alone. but, it also provides a couple of different hair masks that consist of olive oil. i think i just might have to start doing some type of olive oil hair treatment too.

San Francisco Women's Marathon 2011 Video

NWM 2011 official time

hahaha!!! no training = a REALLY slow time. but i got my necklace and that's all that matters.



big big big shout out to my cousin kimmie for helping get my necklace! THANK YOU!!!

SF Nike Women's Marathon 2011 (half) Race Report

this morning i ran the nike women's marathon again, the half not the full. haha, i'm beginning to make a habit of running these without any training. my last run was the san jose half marathon two weeks ago. i was a bit nervous knowing how many hills this run has and not having done any training, but i challenged myself to push through.

and to my surprise, i actually felt like it did really well. well, i know i won't be making any records, but i did feel like i ran pretty strong with all the hills and no training. my runmeter app clocked me in at about 2:53, which definitely beats my run from hell last year when i had just got my wisdom teeth pulled, lmao! that run was PAINFUL!

this year, being my third time on the course, i felt like i knew the course fairly well. i knew when to expect the hills and what was going to be at the aid stations. i only made a complete stop once to refuel in between mile 6 and 7. and i definitely was looking forward to the oranges after mile 8. i slowed down a bit but didn't stop 3 times to indulge in the juicy goodness that is sooooo refreshing at that point. and i slowed down again around mile 11 (i think) to grab a sip of water. sometimes the gatorade or whatever it is the race is offering is just too sweet and needs to be watered down. after that i just tried as best as i could to keep my running up and finish strong. i know my pace slowed down at times more often than normal, but i only stopped once and i battled through every hill, and didn't walk once on the course.

i'm curious to know what my official time will be, even though it's not under my name. but what ever it is, i finished and got my necklace!

and here's my collection SF NWM 2009, 2010, 2011

San Jose Rock n Roll Half Marathon Video

ok i hope it's fixed

did i really just kick this cold in 24 hours?!

i've been seriously lacking sleep for the past 2 weeks. last week i worked just about 12 hours each day, monday through thursday. and this past monday and tuesday nights i spent with friends. needless to say, i didn't sleep much either of those nights either.

well lacking all that sleep must have been catching up with me b/c i was NOT feeling good AT ALL yesterday. i was soooo tempted to call my boss to ask her to go home, but i've been so busy at work, i decided to suck it up. and all day long i guzzled down water with emergen-c. and as soon as i got home, i took a dose of dayquil (nature fusion), and guzzled down more emergen-c. and when i got home from dinner, i took a dose of nyquil. this morning, i took another dose of dayquil (nature fusion) and 1 dose of oscillococcinum, a homeopathic medicine.

well it looks as though i kicked my cold. i didn't feel any symptoms all day, expect for feeling a bit tired, but that's expected with the amount of sleep i've been getting. i'm currently contemplating taking some nyquil tonight just in case my sickness isn't fully gone. maybe not. if i have any symptoms in the morning, i'll try the same routine.

Rock 'n Roll San Jose 2011

Yesterday I ran the Rock 'n Roll San Jose Half Marathon. It was my first time on that course and I was a bit nervous. I hadn't had a chance to get many workouts in let alone runs. My last real run was the Giants half at the end of August and my next run after that was the Susan G Komen 5k last Sunday, not really a run that I could call training.

But I ran anyway. I knew I would be able to do it, but I also knew I wasn't going to make a new PR (personal record, aka PB personal best).

The run was pretty flat expect for 2 mild hills. I stopped a lot more often than I normally do, perhaps b/c it was pretty warm. I can say they definitely needed more Cytomax on the course and I will be telling them that when they send me the survey.

Regardless, I got another medal to add to the collection and I'm proud I was able to push through.

Here's my official time:

Here are some pictures from our day.

timing chips

starting line

the roomies are done!

some running divas

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quick bachelorette party bags

here are the quick bachelorette bags that i made for my friend, erin's bachelorette party. i totally wish i had more time, but here's what i came up with. we didn't have a bachelorette weekend, but we did have a bachelorette day, and i put in a couple of items that i thought would be useful for our whole day of events. we spent the day in the city, first taking pictures with fred pique (can't wait to see those pictures), and then having lunch in ghirardelli. for the evening we had dinner at asiasf and spent the night dancing at infusion.

here's what the bag's looked like:

here's the contents card i made for the front. the pearl embellishments are different on each card and this is what i was able to pull together in the short amount of time i had.

Some other items that you can include in a bachelorette bag:

-shout wipes

-if you are going somewhere in the sun, sunblock

-if you are going somewhere with a beach or a pool, you can make the bag itself a beach bag

-little $1 brushes

-eye masks

-instead of the dinner mints, you can use mini altoids

the ideas are endless...but i like to make the bags according to where we are going or what we are going to do.

sole society #2

i got another pair of shoes off of sole society. oh man...hautelook and sole society are my biggest weaknesses at the moment. i swear i have boxes coming from either of these two places coming in all the time. but, some of the deals are just too good to pass up.

i've already worn my first pair of sole society shoes twice since my first post about sole society. and the verdict is...we got a winner. the first time i wore them out we went partying in the city and i walked like literally 7 blocks in those bad boys and still danced the night away. the second time i wore them was to a wedding and again i danced the night away. i'm hoping all the shoes from sole society, who are made by marco santi btw, are the same. i'll be sure to let you know once i wear these bad boys. i can't wait!

and dun dun dah dunnnn!!! here they are:

Susan G Komen 5k 2011 Official Time

the official times for the susan g komen 5k have been posted. they didn't send me my bib in the mail, so i had to go to registration in the morning to get it. this meant they didn't have me logged into the system for some odd reason, so i got any ol' random number. so, when i tried to look up my time i didn't see my name listed. some people didn't have their names either and only their bib numbers as their names. i figured that would be the same for me.

so i looked at my race bib this morning, so i could finally see my official time. what the hell!!! they listed my name as "natalie lopez!" i guess the guy who wrote my name down as he gave me my bib wrote the wrong name. GGGRRRRRR!!! now this time isn't going on my record. BOOOO!!!! yes i am having a little pity party as i write this. i'm really upset.

anyway here is my official time:

Susan G Komen 5k 2011: Bib #1809 Chip time - 33:48 Pace - 10:54

last year i ran it in 34:28. considering i did no training for this, i'm happy with my time and even happier that i improved from last year.

'til next year...TITS ALL GOOD!

my sunday 09.25.11

i woke up dark and early at about 620am to get ready for my run. i did the susan g komen 5k yesterday. i registered with my work b/c lucky for me, we got free registration. but, one of my friends had a team running and i wanted to support her, so i wore the shirt and ran as a part of her team, Tits All Good! cleaver, huh!

kristine, just had surgery and is a not even fully recovered and she still ran as best as she could. so proud of you!!! we actually had a pretty big team, and i'm so glad we all got to enjoy the day together. after the run we refueled with some food and and of course a couple of drinks. i love spending the day in the city. and it's even better with good company.

after that, i went home, enjoyed a hot bath and deep conditioned my hair.

i relaxed a little, and took a little nap. when i woke up, i browsed through the coupons in the sunday paper, and clipped the ones i knew i would use. watching a few episodes of extreme couponing got me inspired. i still can't get any where close to the savings they get, but i also, don't spend 8 hours a day planning my shopping out. and of course, i had to browse the ads.

i threw a load of laundry in and then went off to target with my ad in hand. of course i circled the deals i wanted, and even better if i had a coupon for those products too! what i realized is if you want to get the really good deals, you gotta be there on sunday morning when they open. the lunch meat deal i wanted was all gone, and the 2 for $30 bottles of zyrtec i wanted was all gone too. i was even more bummed b/c i had a coupon for $5 off and another for $4 off. that means i would've gotten 2 bottles of zyrtec for $21, super duper steal. oh well, instead i got a bottle on sale for $19, and i used by $5 off so i got it for $14, good deal but not as good as the one i originally wanted.

got back to the house, put all my target buys away, and moved my laundry to the dryer. i then ended my night with a glass of wine.

i'd say my sunday was eventful and productive...great way to end my weekend.

our shirts! the crowd liked them so much, we sold the extras out of the trunk.

Team Tits All Good

my unofficial time. i can't wait to see what my official time is.

sole society

my first pair of shoes from sole society just came in! YEAY!!!

sole society is basically a monthly shoe membership. you fill out a survey and they send you 6 shoe options in what they call your "closet." if you like a shoe in there, you can purchase one. the price is always $49.95, free shipping. if you don't like any of the shoes, you can ask for more selections. they'll replace the shoes currently in your closet with 6 other styles. and if you don't feel like buying shoes that month you can choose the option, "let's skip this month." anddd the reason why i joined sole society and not any of the other "shoe clubs" is b/c there is no limitation as to how many times you can skip.

here's the link on how sole society works: http://www.solesociety.com/pages/how-it-works

and what's even more exciting about my first pair of sole society shoes is the deal i got. coincidentally, when i signed up for sole society, groupon had a deal. (thank you sheila for sharing that one with me!) one pair of shoes for only $25. woo hoo!!

love love love these! i can't wait to wear these puppies out. hopefully they are as comfortable as they are sexy.

August Birchbox Review and more

It is now September and I've had some time to try the August Birchbox products so here is my review.

Here is the information on the products I've reviewed.

Redken Shine Flash 02 Glistening Mist: http://www.birchbox.com/shop/hair/redken-shine-flash-02-glistening-mist

Redken K-PAK Color Therapy Restorative Styling Oil: http://joico.com/products/Haircare/k-pak-color-therapy/colortherapy-oil

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=2211305&productId=xlsImpprod2530251&navAction=push&navCount=1&subdoc=17wavyprepandprotectwk152011&categoryId=cat1050001

Befine Exfoliating Cleanser: http://www.birchbox.com/shop/skincare/be-fine-exfoliating-cleanser

Befine Night Cream: http://www.birchbox.com/shop/skincare/be-fine-night-cream

blinc Mascara: http://www.birchbox.com/shop/makeup/blinc-mascara

LIFTLAB Lift & Fix High Potency Solution: http://www.birchbox.com/shop/skincare/liftlab-lift-and-fix

The Giant Race 2011 video

As promised here are some snippets from my race day for The Giant Race - half marathon.

To read my race report click here.

SCORE!!!

so I've been wanting a good flat iron for some time. i really want a ghd, but that can wait, a little too expensive for me right now. i don't even use flat irons that often. but, every now and then i steal my mom's to accomplish what i want. and that's been fine. but if she goes out of town somewhere and i want to use a flat iron i'm out of luck. or if i need to go out to do someone's hair, i don't want to take hers in case she intends on using it.

so i finally bit the bullet. i finally purchased by own flat iron. a little while, ago buywithme.com had a deal where you could buy a voucher for $50 at folica.com for only $25. well lucky me b/c that's where i go to buy my hair tools anyway.

so folica had this deal a couple of weeks ago where you could save $25 on a $75 purchase. the flat iron i had my eye on was $89.99. so i thought, "oh kay cool, that way i'll only have to pay like $15. ehhhh!!! WRONG! i could only use one discount code at a time. so i decided to wait.

recently, folica sent an email out about their deals under $100. so, again i started looking. i ended up picking a deal that was a package set. it included the flat iron i was looking at (but in pink, ehh!), a travel curling iron, some headbands, and some anti-frizz treatment for $89.99. oh and you get a heat proof pouch too. i'd say that's a pretty good deal as is. and on top of that i get to use my $50. SCORRREEEE!!!

here's what my savings amount to:

i can deal with having a pink flat iron for the amount of money i saved. (i don't really like pink things, except me nails and a few hello kitty items i own.) i can't wait for this to come in!

The Giant Race 2011 Race Report

WHOA!!! I know my run felt great and I was determined to keep going every time I felt like slowing down, and the road was pretty flat except for 2 uphills. BUT I never thought that I would be shaving off 10 minutes off of my best time. I am soooo excited right now!!!

The Giant Race 2011 Race Report

Yesterday I completed another half marathon. As with every race, I was a little nervous but more excited to see what time I could get.

I met up with my friend Chris and his friends in the beginning and we started the race out together. Of course they are really faster with me and separated at some point in the beginning. Which is fine with me b/c I don't really like running "with" people. I like setting my own pace and pushing through.

The weather for the race was perfect. It was overcast but warm with a slight breeze from time to time. And the course was great. I love running along the Embarcadero, so I AM a little biased. We started off behind AT&T park and ran along the Embarcadero, through Aquatic Park, by Fort Mason, along Crissy Field and we turned around to go back before the Golden Gate bridge and ran back.

My run was great! I only slowed down three times. The first time was to take some footage of BRIAN WILSON!!! He was in the middle of the course! I should've taken a picture with him, but I was too concerned with my time so I only filmed him for a quick second (literally). But, Janelley sure got a picture with him. The second and thrid time were to reup on some fluids at around mile 7 and mile 11.

The last mile was grueling, felt like the longest mile ever. But after 12 miles, that will happen. lol As I rounded the corner into the back of the park, onto the field, I could see the finish. I filmed some of this so you'll see it. But I was more excited to see that the clock read something under 2hr 40min. My fastest time so far was 2hr 44min from Vegas, so this was a great accomplishment for me. I can't wait to see what my actual time will be. I could've gotten an approximate read on my actual time b/c I was running my RunMeter app on my phone, but I forgot to end it until later. Oopsy!

I'll be sure to post my actual tag time as soon as I find it out. And a short video of snippets of my race day should be coming soon as well.

4 more nights

only 4 more nights until my next half marathon, "The Giant Race." so tonight is going to be my last long run until the race. i intend on doing other workouts and some interval training on the treadmill in the meantime.

the sun was beaming, and according to my phone it was 88 degrees degrees in redwood city, where i work. and the sun stayed with me the whole time i drove home, so i was excited to get my run in. but in true daly city form, as i got closer to the lake, the fog took over. i was a little disappointed that the sun wasn't out, but i was moreso worried that i would be too cold. i was wearing shorts. but when i stepped out of my car, the weather was perfect.

as for my run tonight...IT FELT AMAZING! i don't know what it was tonight. maybe it was the 12 minute nap that i took in my car before getting my run in or just plain ol' determination. for some reason, i had a pep in my step from the very beginning. i was able to start with a faster pace and i was determined to keep it up throughout the whole course. my stride felt good, i kept my heart rate and cramps in tact with my breathing...tonight's run just felt right. and i was excited to see what my time would be.

here's my time for tonight. =D yeay!!!

i was just over 1 minute to my fastest time.

loungerie?

so what on earth is loungerie? apparently it stands for lounge wear + lingerie...a lingerie line for girls 4 - 12 years old. when i first read this statement i didn't know what to take from it.

there are so many articles right now about this line. the articles are talking about how it's wrong for girls that age to even know what lingerie is. and that sexualizing these girls is wrong. and yes i agree with both statements. after reading some of the articles, i myself was a bit appalled. so of course, in true nature, i decided to look at the actual pictures. b/c to be honest with you, i didn't really see anything wrong with the picture that was depicted in the original article i read.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2026694/French-label-Jours-Apr-s-Lunes-launch-lingerie-girls-young-FOUR.html#ixzz1VHzOfvgJ

and then i found these...

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/fashion/2011/08/16/2011-08-16_french_kids_underwear_line_markets_sexy_bras_for_4_yearolds_tot_models_wear_make.html

http://blog.myfdb.com/2011/08/inappropriate-to-put-young-models-in-lingerie/

and my initial reaction was "that's it! that's what they are making a commotion about." i guess i was just expecting a bit more from the emotions that were sparked from the articles i read. but that's why they are writers, and they definitely evoked emotion from me. but i took a little more time and looked at each picture. and i have to admit, some of it is uncomfortable for me.

please feel free to let me know your thoughts, comment below

Motivated.

#OperationMelanie..hell yeah! Maybe I subconsciously knew I wouldn't be able to go to the gym for the next 2 days but I felt like I should just keep going and going.

I started off with a NTC (Nike Training Club) workout. (To check out my original post on this click here.) Today, I did the Intermediate, Get Lean, Body Surge. And then, I went on to do the Get Focused, Ab Burner. I've done the Ab Burner workout a couple of times now, so I decided to modify some of exercises to make them a little more challenging.

On the second, set of toe touches, I decided to do what they call kick downs. On the third set, I did reverse crunches. I always do regular side planks instead of the modified version it asks for. I did the crazy ivans and the russian twists on a bosu, instead of on the floor. And on the last set of crazy ivans, I did bicycle crunches instead.

After I stretched, I went on to do an interval run on the treadmill. Whoa! I really had to push through the end of that one. But I was soooo happy I did.

After I stretched that one out, I spent some time in the steam room and called it a night.

Totally on my way to "Making Myself."

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

what's in my gym bag

here's my spin off of the "what's in my purse" videos. i decided to do a what's in my gym bag instead. after editing the video i could have called it the "just in case" video too. lol

here is my original blog that i wrote about my gym must haves:http://melopez28.blogspot.com/2010/12/gym-must-haves.html

here is my blog regarding gym appropriate attire. if you would like for me to do a video on gym appropriate attire let me know:http://melopez28.blogspot.com/2010/12/gym-appropriate-attire.html

also comment below on some of your must haves for the gym

WHAT! Only 2 weeks left...AHHH!

In exactly 2 weeks I'll be running "The Giant Race," also known as the SF Giants half marathon. Oh Lordy...in true Melanie fashion I have definitely been slacking on training. But, this time has gotten ridiculous. I haven't gotten many runs in AT ALL! Oh uh!!!

So today, I decided I better just push myself and get in a long run. I ran around the whole lake on my first lap and took the bridge on my second. This has been the longest I've run this whole year. The closest I've even done to that this year was Bay 2 Breakers in May! I'm definitely gonna feel this tomorrow. I had to push myself the whole time and had to get used to getting into the zone again. But, overall I did it and I finished strong.

I kept telling myself that I would be happy finishing what I thought would be an 8 mile run with a pace of 15min/mile. I mean I haven't done a long run since May and I was having a hard time pushing myself. But to my surprise...





Whoa! I definitely surprised myself. And my legs feel good as of now. I guess I should push myself a little harder on the next run. But, I'll make that judgement call on how sore I feel on Monday.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hautelook purchases

Yeayyyy!!! I just got my first 2 purchases in from Hautelook. Don't know what Hautlook is? It's basically a website that provides all kinds of deals, from trips to all different kinds of brands. Totally dangerous for people that can't resist good deals, but totally great when you find something you actually need at a large discount. I also subscribe to ideeli, I think they are great to resources to find things at a good price, but as I warned, if you can't keep your wallet in tact, please don't tempt yourself.

When I seen that the Kimora Lee Simmons Hello Kitty line was coming I was ecstatic to say the least. I jumped on the site the first thing in the morning. I really wanted a watch, and unfortunately, the ones that I liked and were in my price range sold out so fast. Even a lot of the jewelry that I wanted went so fast, but I did end up with this. And I'm totally happy with my purchase. This bangle is normally $95 and I purchased it for $38.


And when I seen Crown Brush was going to be on the site, again I was excited. I was already planning on purchasing some brushes to replace the worn down ones in my collection, so this was the best timing ever. The BK27 Flat Bronzer Brush, I don't even have one close to this in my collection, so I wanted to try it out. This brush is originally priced at $27.38, it's currently on sale on the Crown Brush site for $10.95. I got it for $9.

The C430 Duo Fiber Crease Brush, is one that I'm using as a replacement. This is originally priced at $12.38, and is currently on sale on the site for $4.95. I got mine for $3.50.

The 78 Matte E/S and Blush Palette is originally priced at $49.88, and is currently on sale for $29.93. I paid $19.95

late workouts

i usually get my workouts in after work. i just don't have time in the morning to get them in. and even if the gym at my work opened early enough for me to get a good workout in and shower, get ready and still get to work on time, i honestly don't think i would. lol

even on the weekends, when i INTEND on getting ready to get a workout in at about 10am, it takes me until about 1pm or even 3pm to get my juices going to get started. looks like it's actually better for me to get started late.

check out this article that i found:

http://www.fitsugar.com/When-Best-Time-Work-Out-18543793

why that looks familiar

so i received an email today by sanrio, showing me their new collabs and collection pieces. check out what i seen...



well doesn't that look familiar... i actually bought one of those while i was in japan last year and i highly doubt i paid $40. can you see it in the picture below...


yes, i know, the littlest things amuse me.

My name is Melanie and I'm addicted to Toms...

say hello to one of my newest pairs of Toms. if you know me, you know my FAVORITE pattern is houndstooth and like i always say "herringbone is a close second."

and what do you know...i have a herringbone pair at home waiting to be worn.

as of now, my running total is seven pairs. and i'm seriously contemplating on getting the tweed ones too.

i've just admitted to myself that i have an addiction to toms. what can i say, they are sooo comfortable. to me, they feel like nice form fitting socks. and to be honest with you, i haven't seen any kicks lately that have me excited. i think the last pair of kicks that i was really excited about were my stella mccartney adidas shoes that I got in japan.

until i can find some kicks that really get me feeling like "I HAVE TO HAVE THESE!," i'm happy buying my toms and providing shoes to kids in need.

my addiction started in this order:

olive canvas

natural burlap

earthwise slate

pomegranate cord

blue metallic linen

and then the houndstooth and herringbone ones shown in the beginning...

if they keep coming out with designs i love, i'm happy giving shoes to kids in need.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Make Yourself!

While working and listening to pandora, I came across this ad.

I loved every word in it so I took a snapshot of it! It's motivating and absolutely true. If they made a poster of this, I would put it on my wall so I could wake up to it everyday. As a matter of fact, after my iphone finishes updating, this will be making this my wallpaper. Well, maybe just the words b/c I don't know if I want random athletes that I don't even know about on my phone.

Anyhow, it intrigued me so much that I clicked the link. (Click here to get to the site.) I watched the video and was excited. Excited to get my workout on. So I kept browsing through the site, I was getting disappointed b/c I thought all they were advertising was the clothes...and then I came across this:

There's an app called Nike Training Club (NTC). Looks pretty cool. I'm downloading it now, and as soon as I try a session, I'll let you guys know. If any of you already have this and used it please let me know what you think.

I'm excited. #OperationMelanie

My Very First Birchbox - July 2011

So I finally received my very first Birchbox. I'd been seeing ads for this in magazines and always wondered about it. I thought the concept was pretty cool and I visited the site many times before I finally bit the bullet and just opted in.

Basically, every month Birchbox sends you about 4 -5 samples of beauty products for you to try. The website has information on the products and even videos on how to use it. And, if you like a product you received, you can buy it straight from the site. You also get points for every purchase you make on the site, and every 100 points gets you $10.

Apparently, this is the very first month that Birchbox collaborated with someone to have their favorites put in the box, so this month was a special edition. They collaborated with Cynthia Rowley.

Here is a list of items in my box. (sorry the picture quality sucks)


And, here's what I got:

I've already tried a couple of items in the box b/c I really excited, ANNDDD I wanted to write this blog. I was thinking of doing a youtube video too, but I decided not to. (If you want a video about it, let me know.)

Love the Zoya color, but, as you know I'm obsessed with shellac manicures b/c they last soooo long, so I don't know what I'm going to do with this. Perhaps, make a prize pack and hold a contest or keep the pack for one of my fundraisers. Maybe even one of my nail polish obsessed cousins will ask for it and I MIGHT be nice and give it up.

I have yet to use the Redken Shine Flash. I'm actually really excited to use this. Per the site, it makes your hair look shiny and gets rid of flyaways too. I plan on using this the next time I curl my hair, so I'll keep you posted.

I haven't eaten the Kind bar yet, but I did see a Kind bar in an article listing the 50 best snack foods. (Click here to read the article.)

The Ahava hand cream was the first thing I tried. It did feel a little thicker but absorbed and spread over the skin quite nicely. It left almost a powdery feel. There was a little hint of a smell, I don't know how to describe it, but it was nice smell.

I also tried the Philosophy face wash last night. It claims to be a one step facial. I have to say it did leave my face feeling soft and nice. But I feel like there needs to be a second step, like a moisturizer to go along with it.

That's all for now. I'll be sure to keep you posted with my results for the Redken product.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My Run Today...

My run today was grueling. My legs were tight even after stretching and never loosened up during the run. I stride didn't feel right and neither did my breathing. And of course my time sucked ass!

But I did get there. I did get my run in. Most importantly, I pushed through to the end. And really that's all that really matters.

You'll have your good days where you feel like you can go on forever. And you'll have your bad days where it feels like it's the hardest thing you've ever done, even when last week felt so easy. But, your most challenging days are your most rewarding.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Summer Tip for Your Hair

I've been wanting to do this video for quite some time. I actually thought about doing this video before I filmed my "easy summer make up look" video. I've finally had time to film, edit, and load it.

I hope you enjoy:

Here is where you can find information on the Matrix Sunsorials line: http://www.matrix.com/products/biolage/sunsorials/

I originally bought the Matrix Sunsorials products from Ulta, but I couldn't find them on the site or in the stores. I did however, find them on amazon.com, but I don't remember them being as expensive as they are listed on there.

Here is where you can find information on the Redken Color Extend Sun line: http://www.redken.com/products/haircare/color-extend-sun

I bought the Redken Color Extend After Sun Shampoo at Ulta $13.50

Here is where you can find information on the Fredric Fakkai Marine line: http://www.fekkai.com/collection/marine-hair/

Here is where you can find information on the Bed Head Some Like it Hot line: http://www.tigihaircare.com/consumer/en-us/bedhead/bedhead-products.asp?product=SLIHShampoo&categoryID=1

I actually found the shampoo and conditioner in the 25.36oz for $14.99 each at Marshalls.

shellac update

i did a shellac post and video last month and told you all how shellac is a nail polish that lasts about 2 weeks minimum without chipping. so to you non-believers or to those of you that are simply just curious as to what a shellac manicure looks like after 2 weeks...well i pushed mine out a lot longer. i got my nails done on friday, june 10th and didn't get my nails done again until tuesday, july 5th, a little over 3 weeks. here's what mine looked like before i got them done again.

PLEASE BE AWARE...THIS IS NOT A PLEASANT SIGHT TO SEE!!

but yeay for me, my nail lady got new colors for the summer and my nails don't have to look hideous anymore.

i got "ooba ooba blue" and "canival hangover"

colbie caillat at harlot - july 8, 2011

last friday, colbie caillat did a free happy hour concert at a bar in the city called harlot. luckily for us, some of our friends were in line since about 330pm. so, we were some of the first to walk in and this is how i got such a good spot to watch her.

here are some snippets of the songs she did. there's just something about live music that makes it so much more for me. i hope you enjoy...