Time Passes

Whoa! I didn't know how long ago I had last posted. Is that the right way to say that...?

I suppose I could say that things haven't changed much, but really they have. Paying jobs have been attained, extra schooling has been given, etc...

I'm still struggling to find enough time for the things I want to do without burning myself out on repetition. C'est la vie~

Moving on the from the shortest update ever.... Autumn is coming! Wait.. let me check.. holy crap! It's almost upon us! Which, doesn't mean too much since the weather stays pretty warm here for a while anyway. Although, it has been cooling off and the tree in the backyard is losing leaves. The Starbucks here actually has Pumpkin Spice Lattes and I've partaken in two so far. Ah, the simple things huh? My pumpkin craze hasn't gone into full swing yet. Hopefully it will stay that way until a more appropriate time comes. Like October. Yep. Then it will be unleashed! Maybe I'll actually do something with it this time...

Today was a decently productive day. I worked more on an art project I started at least 2 months ago.

Dyeing coffee filters, what fun! Hopefully it goes well. I want them to be darker, but maybe it will be fine. We'll see, we'll see.

I also decided to do another "photoshoot" since I was suddenly struck with wanting to do one. Photoshoots for me are part frustration, fun, and satisfaction (if I actually achieve what I'm looking for) because I don't really know what I'm doing and I'm also doing it alone. I have to joke around with myself and pull goofy faces and poses otherwise there's no fun!

But then sometimes I'm able to get what I was looking for (or close to it) and I'm content with it until the next time.

Just have to keep on trying right?!

Vasanti Lip and Cheek Colour Pod (in Natural Light) Review

Too long ago (eep) and thanks to Birchbloggers, I was selected to receive and review a cool product. That product is the Vasanti Colour Pod. It's a neatly designed lip and cheek product.

It comes in a pretty cute little box and the applicator is something I've never seen before.

I must say, it reminds of a UFO.

The design of the applicator is meant to be comfortable to grip and big enough to allow enough color to spread on your cheeks. The color I chose was "Natural Light", the lightest color so far.

Properly placed, it has the ability to make you look like you have a big round nose!

Compared with my skin tone, it's not a strong color.

The formula itself is definitely more on the creamy/sticky side. I assume it's meant to be this way to keep your skin hydrated. I felt that effect on my lips at least!
I'm used to powders for blush; so this was definitely a new experience for me. The stickiness of applying it on my cheeks (it wasn't as noticeable after it was a blended a bit) was off-putting, but not so bad that I stopped using it completely.

On the cheek.

On the lips.

I liked this color on my cheeks as it was first noticeable without being too vibrant, but after I blended it in, I felt that the color kind of faded away too much. On my lips, the color didn't seem very noticeable at all aside from a slight sheen.

Blended.

The other colors available "Candle Light" and "Strobe Light" seem more fun, but I'm unsure if I would really want the same color on my cheeks as would be on my lips. At least with Natural Light being a light pink, it wasn't too odd-looking.

The verdict!
I'll continue using what I have and probably more on my lips than my cheeks. Because the color I received is so light, if I use it for my cheeks it will be because I don't feel like fooling around looking for a suitable color. It's doubtful that I would purchase another, but if I did I would do so planning to use it more as lip color than cheek color.

If you're interested in receiving access to products to try, sneak peeks, and the warm embrace of a community founded through Birchbox, check out Birchbloggers!

March '14 Birchbox Review

For Birchbox, March was all about springing forward!
It was a cute box filled with an assortment of things to really get you pumped up for spring.

Unboxing video!

The contents.

Birchbox knows just how to pump me up for anything. With chocolate.

Actually, yes, let's start with the chocolate.
Ghirardelli Intense Dark Cherry Tango - Why not moar?! Bits of cherry and almond! Delicious. Want!
LA FRESH® Oil-Free Face Cleanser - I'm lame and haven't tried this yet. But! I'm stoked about having it. I already have a face cleanser wipe(s?) so I'll be able to compare the two, once I actually use this one. Right now the prospect of having something portable is more appealing than using it willy-nilly.
LA FRESH® Waterproof Makeup Remover - I also haven't tried this one, but I'm perhaps more excited to try it than the other wipe. The only makeup remover I have is a liquid so having a wipe perform the same duties but be more convenient for travels is a plus in my book!

Obliphica Treatment Hair Serum - Since I'm still preparing to bleach and dye my hair (I actually finally got everything, but there wasn't enough dye, booo) having anything to make it its healthiest is fine by me. I still have the hair serum from February's box so it also provides an ideal opportunity to compare them.

Obliphica (below) vs Beauty Protector!

Obliphica's serum is noticeably more... colorful? It has a very dark orange color while Beauty Protector's serum is more of a light golden color. While I don't let colors deter me from products, I couldn't help but feel that this simple color difference made Obliphica's serum seem more processed or artificial. Now, I don't actually now what either of them are made of or what the process is, it's all just my initial impression. Also, most of the color comes from the bottle, but even side by side, outside their containers, Obliphica's is still darker. Scent-wise, Obliphica's serum also smelled a bit more perfumey. Luckily, this smell doesn't seem to linger too long once applied. A faint smell at best. Otherwise, this serum seems to work just the same as Beauty Protector's serum! All comes down preference. Personally, at the moment, I prefer Beauty Protector.


Illume Go Be Lovely Lavish Hand Creme (Anemone: Apple mint, Citrus + Patchouli) - I'm not a fan of packaging that's not resealable, but now I wonder if it's some clever marketing! Because this package is practically always open and I've left it on my desk, I find myself using this a lot. I just grab it, squeeze a bit into my hands and that's it. Compared to a bottle of lotion I've had for way longer that's also on my desk, that poor lotion is neglected! Of course, Illume's hand cream also has the advantage of just smelling really nice! I thought patchouli was an interesting smell to have, but it works for me. (Does not work my cat though, nopenopenope.) I did think it was a little thick at first because I was wiping my hands on other things afterwards to get some of the lotion off, but I think I've gotten used to it in a way. Of course, not applying too much in one go is helpful as well.

Skin&Co Roma TRUFFLE THERAPY™ SERUM Boosting Anti-Aging Serum - Ahh, another serum. This one seemed just a bit more creamy than the one from February's box and the one I usually use. I think the little bottle has something to do with that. It just reminds me of lotion. That aside it does still act as a serum (I think?). Absorbs very quickly and isn't too greasy. The only other thing to note is that it does have a fragrance to it unlike the other two serums I've tried. It is a bit like a perfume smell, but isn't strongly lingering after application. In a sense, it almost smells kind of rich or luxurious. Fitting since truffles have some kind of role in this product.






theBalm® cosmetics How ‘Bout Them Apples?™ -

The packaging for this is awesome! And I'm not just saying that because of the topless men or pretty lady (or dog). I really like the theme they have for this product (apples) and the fact that the product is within the apple. Not to mention that it feels like a tiny book to me. That's what I find most appealing.  What can I say.. I like miniature versions of things.
In any case, the color I got was pie (yum) and it gave my lips a nice touch of color (viewable in video!). I think it's stayed on a decent amount of time, but I honestly don't know. I like the packaging and I like the color though so I'll be using this again, definitely.

Thanks for sticking through another review and of course, if you're interested in giving Birchbox a try here's my referral link: https://www.birchbox.com/invite/c9z7v

More Birchbox goodies!

One of the awesome things about Birchbox is the fact that you can review the items you receive for a credit of 10 points. Ten points is basically a dollar and when you reach 100 points, that's 10 dollars! With these points, you can purchase other things on the site. So, with enough points (200) I decided to buy a few things I had been keeping an eye on.

Behold!

Not a lot but definitely enough to make me happy at having spent practically nothing on! Really, I didn't spend anything on this stuff, just points. That still blows my mind! XD
But on to the actual products~

Liz Earle Pure Muslin Cloths - I'm sure I've mentioned before somewhere on the internet that I was really considering buying more Liz Earle Muslin cloths. Well, I did! And I wasn't disappointed! These cloths are a really nice size. I was content at the size of the one I received as a sample, I just wanted another one. But not only did I get another one, I got two more! And bigger than the one I already had. They did feel a little more stiff than the sample sized one, but after wetting it, it was pretty much the same. Definitely a win.

Opi Sheer Tints Nail polish (teal) - It really seems more like just blue to me but ah well~ I was really intrigued by this product after seeing a video for it (by Birchbox of course, it's on the same page as the link to the product). I even thought of doing what was done in the video, but realized that I only had one of the polishes. In the end I settled on trying to do a kind of drippy gradient paint effect on my nails. I really liked the outcome although it definitely looks a bit more on the drippy/messy side.

 Different light to get a better feel for the look.


Left has a cooler light.


Right has a warmer light (and a kitty!).

 Before I decided on this look, I tested it out on just nail primer (instead of white polish as its base) and that didn't look so good. So I wiped that off, but dang! This stuff is a bit difficult to get off. It's got a clear shiny layer that comes off first and then the actual colored part is kind of sticky somehow. With that in mind, I thought this polish would last longer and I suppose it did. Longer than just a regular polish I suppose, but I figured it would last longer still. My right hand showed more wear at the tips since I'm right handed, and of course, it was a pain to get off all my nails. But it was worth it in the end as having this effect on my nails was just really awesome. (I love blue, also.)

Ahmad Tea (Mixed Berries and Hibiscus) - Note: On the site, this flavor is listed as "Rosehip, Hibiscus, and Cherry" but the box is named as I've named it in the link. I've only tried this once and it was more bitter than I was expecting, but not bad. I've seemed to have amassed a decent variety of teas lately so I haven't really gotten back around to this one since it didn't strike me as delicious the first time around. Next time, I may put in some honey or heck even just plain sugar. Definitely willing to try again though! (And give out as presents in the meantime!)

So for my first official "purchase" I'm pretty satisfied. I thought perhaps I would have to pay something, like shipping and handling, but nope. My points covered it. I should say though that my grand total was $18.50, but as you can only points in increments of 100, I had to sacrifice 20 points (or... 1.something) in order to get this for free. But that was fine by me. If I wanted to, I could have waited to gather more and bought some other things.

Yay for free! Kind of!

Ipsy Glam Bag Review- February 2014

Ipsy's February Glam Bag was all about the look of love! So of course, for mine, that meant... lots of pink! Luckily I got over my odd hatred for pink as I grew older. Now I find it to be a nicely pleasant color, granted it's the right shade.

So much pink! And random blue...

Overall, pretty nice products! The Skyn Iceland face mask set was what I most excited about. And the eyelashes I attempted to use, but given how long the lashes were, decided to opt out on the day I was planning to use them (since we were going to a farm, I thought it would be ridiculous to wear them.) Starting from the top and going down (left to right also).

Skyn Iceland Fresh Start Mask - As stated before, I was really excited to try this. During one of my spurts of "I need to take care of my face!" I contemplated this brand. Due to my own indecision about products and the desire to save money, I ended up not getting anything from them, but Ipsy remedied that. :p Even better that it was a mask! On the package, you can see that it's a clay and a gel. You can also feel the contents of the packets, but still, I was surprised at what the clay was like.

There it is on my middle finger.

It was smooth and not at all chalky or as thick as I imagined. And it was this neat blue color which I definitely didn't see coming! In any case, it was easy to apply and stayed on my face without any issues.

All blue clayed up!

But that wasn't it! This was only step one. Step two is the other packet. The gel. I've used masks before, but I've never used anything like this. I would think that the mask would be enough, but I obliged and used the gel as instructed. So once you apply the clay (which is actually quite generous, it looks hard to tell in the picture), you then apply the gel in the same manner. The combination of the two and the motion of application is to activate them and get it all to effervesce. Having never done this type of application with masks before, it was pretty exciting!

All effervescing!

It might be hard to tell in the pictures, but the clay was noticeably blue when applied, then when the gel was applied and thoroughly massaged in with the clay, it was more white and foamy. After this, you wait, I can't remember for how long now, but a decent amount of time to let this stuff take effect. It doesn't harden like other clay masks, and once enough time has passed, you simply rinse it off with a cloth.
Overall I really liked this product and would love to try more! It made my skin feel pretty clean without drying it out so that's always a plus. The only drawback I saw was the packaging. It's great they give you so much (really... a lot!), but it means I either have to glob on way more than I feel is necessary (as what happened with the clay), or throw away a good bit of (as what happened with the gel). Usually I save them somehow, but I just wasn't feeling it that day. The packaging could be better and I think for non-samples it probably is, but you could also just stick any leftover in a Ziploc and use it for another time.

J.Cat Beauty Eyelashes - I was also looking forward to trying these out as the last time I wore fake lashes was during Halloween years ago. I planned on wearing them to a visit to a restaurant/organic farm, but after actually partially applying one, I decided against wearing them. Part of the reason was I didn't allow myself enough time to apply them and they didn't go on as easily as I thought they would (someone more experienced probably wouldn't have issues). Another reason was that they seemed really long. My own eyelashes seem long enough for me (especially with mascara applied), but these guys were long! I was also surprised to find that they were 100% human hair. This didn't bother me, simply caught me off guard as I never really considered it (again, never really wore eyelashes). I do plan to properly apply and wear them for a day (maybe even just around the house) and the nice thing about them is their reusability. There seems to be plenty of glue to reapplying and their packaging also doubles as a nice case for keeping them in.

Zoya Nail Polish - I like neutral colored polish. That being said, when I first applied this polish, I didn't like it. It seemed unnaturally light and looked like it glowed to me (I think it was just the light color next to the darker skin around my nails). But after taking some pictures of it on my nails, I grew to like it. It's a simple color, pretty thin, I feel, but that's fine to me.

With a base coat and two coats of this polish, I could still see the tips of my fingernails. Despite that, it feels like an elegant kind of color and polish, perfect for when I'm just not sure what color I want or when I just want to feel pretty~
(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧



Tini Beauty Eyetini Cordial Cream Shadow - This stuff has a strong smell! To me, it smells like a nail salon, but maybe the smell is different for others. I still gave it a shot and tried it out despite the smell and thankfully the smell didn't seem to linger when applied or burn my eyelids either. XD
The color was decent and it applied smoothly. The staying power probably could have been better if I had used a primer, but I'm not too bothered by that. I already have a couple of cream shadows just like this one so there wasn't really anything special to me about this product. I'm mostly glad just to have another color, although with the smell, it makes me less likely to apply it.

POP Beauty Plump Pout Mini - Last is the lipgloss! This also had a funky smell to it. I was able to determine that part of the smell was the handle of the applicator. The material it is, I guess has some lingering smell to it. But the lipgloss itself also had a smell. It's a bit strong at first, but underneath that is a decently pleasant smell. A friend described the strong smell (or the smell overall) as burnt marshmallows (which isn't too bad of a smell in my book, but hey..).

I actually really liked the color this presented on my lips. A nice splash of color, bright enough to be seen, but not overpowering (to me). Or maybe I'm just that ready for another color aside from red. Who knows? :p
It's not too sticky and even a thin application seems to put enough color on that I don't need to go overboard. My friend who said that it smelled like burnt marshmallows also said it tasted of burnt marshmallows, but I can't say I experienced this any.

And of course, I can't forget the bag! The outside is a nice plain pink color as can be seen in the top photo. The inside is a fun animal print in, of course, pink! I stuck a pen inside to get an idea of the depth and inside space, but I don't know how easy that is to see... XD

Overall a fun bag of stuff this time around with an appropriate theme. I can imagine that those not so keen on pink or Valentine's day might have felt a little meh about it, but I think there's a good amount of neutral colors and items to keep it from being restricted to romance~

 I'm looking forward to March's goodies!

February '14 Birchbox Review!

I skipped a video for this box simply because of time. I've been so busy with schoolwork lately (last week with these two classes though, yay!) that I haven't really had time for much else. And as much as I'm fine doing a video, it's the editing process and all that that just makes it tedious sometimes. But enough of all that! Let's review!

Magnificent!

Happily, I can say that I've tried everything in the box!
Starting from the left~

Reviver Dry Deodorant Wipe - This thing is just really neat! Because of the whole "deodorant" thing, I initially thought it was just for your underarms. Buuut upon closer inspection, I saw that it was for your clothes. It smells really nice which is the obvious reason for masking foul odors. What I really like is that it's reusable, and thankfully, comes in resealable packaging. I don't use clothing fresheners often though so I probably won't use this too often, but it's nice to have the option. You never know!

Revealed Palette Sampler - Eyeshadow! Always a plus. I had heard great things about this brand and was excited to try it out. The shadows went on nice and smoothly and blended great. I feel like the intensity of the colors faded over a short time, but perhaps using a lid primer would help with that. In any case, I was pleased with this item.

Whish Body Butter (Pomegranate) - I honestly don't know what a pomegranate smells like. Despite being surrounded by them here in Turkey, I've only ever bought and opened one (although I do eat them just about every Friday, but it's along with other fruits). So as for smelling like pomegranate, I can't correctly say. But I will say that I like the scent. It smells light and a bit fruity. As a body butter, it feels thinner than what I expected, but I'm fine with that. Absorbs nicely and doesn't feel very greasy either!

Paula's Choice Antioxident Serum - I've come to really enjoy getting facial products that aren't makeup simply because I have so many I can actually compare them all! My first impression with this serum was that it reminded me of a serum I've been using for a while: Olay's Regenerist Serum. The consistency feels very similar, however Paula's Choice serum is a bit more on the oil side and Olay's a bit more on the cream side (though still very far from an actual cream). Because Paula's Choice is a bit more oil-based, it leaves a bit of shine on my face at first, but does go away. As I'm applying it on my face though, it seems to feel almost like a powder, or a matte type of feeling. In any case, I like it so far and since it's in this fun sample size, it will be a lot easier to take with me on trips.

Beauty Protector Hair Oil - I was really excited to receive this as I received the leave-in conditioner from them before and really enjoy it. Although the sample packaging can leave more of a mess (oily hands!), the actual product doesn't disappoint. It smells just as amazing as the leave-in conditioner and I can control where exactly it goes on my hair and really work it in. As I'm planning to bleach and dye my hair in the near future, I'm really happy to have all these hair products to prep for that.  I've been concentrating this oil on the ends of my hair and so far it feels like it's working!

So there we go! Another awesome array of products.
As always, if you're interested in Birchbox here's my referral link: https://www.birchbox.com/invite/c9z7v

More Knitting! A scarf and coinpurse.

With February almost over, looking back on the knitting projects I've done, I'm pretty satisfied! I only planned on doing two, and while I didn't exactly go way beyond that, simply the fact that I've gathered more materials and tried new things makes me feel like this month's craft has been a success. I'm still working on one and I plan to do another still so I won't write this crafting challenge off just yet, but it is almost over. For now though, I'll address two of the things I worked on.

First is the scarf I started so many years ago and just couldn't finish. Second is the coin purse that I planned on doing before the month even started!

Fun things!

The scarf I wanted to finish simply because I had been working on it for sooo long. I think it basically passed the point of being a practical scarf for me to wear and a weird experiment with knitting. It started off at 5.5 inches wide and then somehow grew to 7 inches wide! (Please note: Not a male enhancement ad.) Because I was really just ready to end this thing, I cast off and ended up with this awkwardly shaped and awkwardly not short or not long "scarf." The success of freeing up my needles worked, but now I had this thing that really didn't work as a scarf. Solution? Cat scarf! Maybe?

He looks cute enough in it at least!

 
Now, the coin purse. Because of all the cheap produce here, I'm left with such an abundance of change; it's crazy! I figured that a coin purse would be perfect to do as it's practical and completes my challenge quota. Since I used the same yarn as the wonky cat scarf, I didn't have much left of it. Instead of knitting to the suggested length, I knit a bit short of that, scared that I was going to run out of yarn. The result? A funky "coin purse" in which the flap doesn't quite fit over the case.

Although it does hold change!

I still plan on getting a button for it and completing the thing, just have to find a decent-sized button.

In any case, those were fun...
The month is almost over, sure, but plenty of knitting left to do!

January Ipsy's Glam Bag Review

My first ever review for Ipsy! I get these bags so late compared to others and my Birchbox that I just haven't felt the urge to want to do a video about "unboxing" my Glam Bag or reviewing the products on camera. Though, heck, maybe in the future I will. :P

So Ipsy! The first difference between Ipsy and Birchbox is the "packaging" with which your products arrive in. While Birchbox sends items in the same style of box every month, Ipsy sends theirs in customized makeup bags. This was something I thought was really cool. I'm sure I'll find myself with an overabundance of these bags, but at least for the moment, I'm finding good uses for them. And of course, they can always be gifts to your friends and family.
Another key difference is that Ipsy's products chose for each person are actually based off of a quiz they complete; so Ipsy has the potential to be personalized. And don't worry, if your tastes change, you can always retake the quiz!

January's bag is a very pretty blue with lighter blue silhouettes with details of various makeup products.

I think it's cute, others that I've spoken to don't like it so much. I've also heard complaints of the material feeling somewhat cheap. I, personally, have no problem with the design or material. However, I did notice a strong chemical smell to the bag, something others seemed to notice as well. Luckily the smell seems to have dissipated for the most part and I expect it won't cause any problems in the future.

Now to the good stuff!

I'll be honest, I've only used 3 of these products so far. I'll still give general thoughts to the products I haven't used, but I won't be commenting on their performance since I can't judge it.
Starting from the top left, moving right, then down.

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair!™ Deep Conditioning Mask: I haven't used this product. It's a simple conditioning mask for hair that you apply after you shampoo and then rinse out after a few minutes. I love the little tub for this. It doesn't seem like a lot, but I feel like it will be plenty for me to try. The smell is pleasant!

Nourish Organic Lightweight Moisturizing Face Lotion: I suppose that it's nice that it's organic. I'll go out of my way for an organic product once in a while, but typically I don't bother. I recall this brand being a good one by some friends, but I can't speak well for this product. The lotion is very thin, but leaves a kind of sticky feeling, but it's not that it's sticky, it's just that when I'm applying it, it feels like the product is suddenly gone (and not in the good way) and I have to get more. I can't say how it affected my face as I only used it once. After the first feeling it left on me, I'm not too keen to try it again.

MicaBeauty Tinted Lip Balm: This stuff came out of the pot surprisingly well and the color was nice enough to leave some color on my lips. The biggest drawback is the application. Because of the color, I was left with a very vibrant pink/red hue on my finger. While I was satisfied with the color, now I was left with the dilemma of where to put the rest of this stuff. In a usual setting, I probably won't have something suitable to wipe it on and I'll use my jeans, which is exactly what I did then.  I'm sure it washed out, though I haven't checked, but man it left a nice vibrant color on my jeans! In any case, aside from application issues, I liked this product.

Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow: My very first though was "wow, what a stingy sample!" However, I have been assured that I can simple whittle away at the wood (I think it's wood) and acquire more of the product. That aside, I love the color and glitter this item has. I've used this the most often out of the other products. I really like how the glitter builds so you're not getting too much straight away and can control just how much you want. It's good if you're unsure of a color for the day, but want something around the eyes. Definitely using more of!

Proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads: I thought it was quite a surprise to be receiving a Proactiv product! I haven't tried these yet, but I really like that four of them were included for actually trying the product and being able to tell if it's helped. A few friends I've spoken to said it seemed to work for them so that seems promising! Perhaps when I find a mark I'm fed up with I'll use them, but for now, I'll keep them shelved.

So that's all if it! If you're interested in Ipsy, here's my referral link: PumpkinLuv Referral
Sometimes you get things you love, sometimes things you're tired of, and other things you don't know what to do with. If you keep an open mind (and $10/month), you can forget about makeup and beauty products and just let them come to you. ;D

Crafty 火曜日 and February's Skill: Knitting

Sometime last year (actually while I was on vacation I think), I decided that there were too many things I was still a beginner in and that I needed to do something about that. So I decided that next year (2014) I was going to devote an entire month to one skill or craft in order to become more acquainted with it, gain more skill in it, and make some fun stuff! By no means do I expect to become a master in any of the skills, but it's a great reason for me to at least try.

I originally planned to start in January, but the stress of returning home and getting here late and getting back into the groove of things, not to mention back into school, made me decide to wait until February to start. I also decided that knitting would be the first skill/craft that I would try.

I'm glad I didn't rush it and glad it's also going well so far. Originally, I was planning on doing two projects from a knitting book I got back when I was high school (see! I've been on the cusp of beginner for too long!), but upon seeing a blog entry and video about arm knitting, I decided to give that a try first.

First I had to get some yarn! Apparently there's a big yarn store around here somewhere, but I don't know where. And they also sell yarn at the Sunday market, but I worked on homework the whole day so I didn't go. Oh yeah, I wasn't able to start this until the 2nd (again because of homework). But anyway! So I got yarn at the BX on base.

I chose these colors since I love blue and this combination reminds me of food for some reason. :P

Here's some details on it!

I feel like the yarn in the video was more bulky, but who knows! It's so easy to do though, getting more yarn and making another scarf is basically a reward.

After many many rewatches of the video and even some mistakes, about an hour later, I had my scarf completed! Even though I have a scarf I started years ago, the arm-knitted scarf is actually my first finished knitted creation! :D

Having completed this as my first project, I'm feeling super motivated to try more projects and even redos of this. Hopefully my next project goes well, but I think I'll finally try and finish that years old scarf first.

Yay filters! :P

28Jan14- New Years Update and January Birchbox Review

So!! Been awhile. 

As always, I feel like it... 

Moving on!

I hope everyone had a great winter break/holiday/vacation/etc...

My husband and I went back to the States for 2 weeks to visit family and friends and bring our pets to Turkey upon our return. 

What a journey that was!

It was a lot of driving, but I kind of liked it. It further set in me how much I enjoy travelling and all that jazz. Although the driving part wasn't as fun, but ehh, at least I wasn't alone in that.

I'm really hoping to do more travelling this year, but with the Air Force being crazy with cutting people, it makes me wary to spend any money on such things.

C'est la vie~

I revamped my blog a little. 

Really, I just chose another layout. 

I like it so far though I wonder if the dynamic-ness of it makes it hard to load.

Ah well.

Is this oddly aligned text annoying?

 I made a video!

Finally.

It's nothing fancy. I just briefly talk about new stuff and then talk about Birchbox stuff. Even though I don't consider myself to be some kind of awesome reviewer or makeup persona, I find that getting Birchbox stuff gives me something to talk about. So I do it.

Here's the video!

 

Mmm flattering~

 

I didn't do reviews for the products in my video (because I hadn't really tried them yet); so I figure I'd do them here!

Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle: This stuff smells awesome! I sniffed this stuff like 5 times before I finally sprayed it on my hair. It did a nice job of softening my hair too! I actually have a leave-in conditioner already so this gave me an opportunity to compare this new product to something else. Aaand, I like the new product! This stuff didn't make my hair feel slick like my other leave-in conditioner. Just soft. Which I like.

100% Pure Nourishing Body Cream in Pink Grapefruit: Another awesome-smelling product! I'm not even a huge fan of grapefruit, but this smelled sooo good. Nice and fresh and not sickly overpowering. The smell fades somewhat quickly though so if you're worried of smelling like grapefruit for the day, don't be. It's not as thick as I thought a body cream would be (it seems more like lotion consistency), but it absorbs nicely and isn't very greasy.

Ruby Wing Color Changing Nail Polish: I was really excited for this, as I've never had anything like it. The color I got is a bright and vibrant pink that's supposed to change colors to a dark red. Unfortunately, I haven't seen this effect. I don't know what's supposed to make it change colors, but I feel like it's gone through enough exposure to at least change a little bit. I checked other recent reviews and a good bit mentioned the same issue so it looks to be something to do with this color perhaps? The bright pink is nice at least. A very fun color! I also feel like it covers nicely with just one coat. Can't say much for wear since I split the polish with another one and this one got the roots instead of the tips.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish™ Hot Cloth Cleanser Starter Kit: While I was pretty excited for the nail polish, I was way more excited for this! I was actually looking through the store on Birchbox for something I could spend some points on and thought about getting this. Luckily I decided to check what would be in my Birchbox and saw that this was part of it. It's definitely a unique experience for me, but a welcome one. It leaves my skin feeling soft and nourished so I don't have to apply a moisturizer afterwards (win!). The cleanser will last me a while, but I'm thinking of getting some more cloths as they're recommended washings are every 2-3 uses.

Ahmad Teas in Black Tea English Tea No. 1, Green Tea Jasmine Romance, and Black Tea Peach & Passion Fruit: Peach and Passion Fruit was my favorite flavor of the teas I got. I'm not really well educated on teas so I can't say too much, but I will say that I enjoyed them and their fun flavors and I wouldn't mind getting more.

So overall I was very very happy with my box this month. :D

Aand I think that's it for now! 

So far I've been pretty proactive in the new year so I hope to keep the momentum up and continue.

I have another blog, videos to do, and tweets to tweet so I often wonder what I can really post about that has substance and isn't just me rambling. Hopefully I get a better grasp at it, but for now I'm glad to just start up again. 

I do have some exciting plans for this year though! 

But that's for another entry. 

:P

Byyye!!

Crafty 火曜日(Tuesday)

Last month I decided to do something festive and decorative; dry apple slices!  I can't remember what settings I had anything on, but basically, I used a mandolin to make apple slices, sprinkled them with cinnamon and stuck them in the oven until I felt they were sufficiently dried. I kept them on a low setting and just checked them every so often. I a few of the very thin slices ended up sticking to the sheet so be wary of that if you end up trying this out. There are plenty of tutorials on how to do this as well so just take your pick of them and try it out!
It made the house smell amazing and provided me with some very lovely and festive decor.

Mmmm~

An Outing with Turkish Ladies

Recently, I've become involved with a group of Turkish ladies. The basis of the group is to bring together Turkish and American women to mingle and learn and overall improve international relationships. It's a nice way of discovering new places, meeting new people, and getting more comfortable in Adana.

Our last meeting took place at a very nice restaurant called Wu Mila.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to try the food because our host of the group new the owner of the restaurant and he permitted her to bring her own food, but the atmosphere of the restaurant was great!

Lots of windows!

A great view of the lake.

Oops, there's some trash, but it's still pretty!

How awesome!

Home cooked meals, yum!

Aww hello!

I'm told that the place next to Wu Mila's is a popular wedding venue so there's a thought if you're looking for something like that! There's also another place on the other side of Wu Mila's that serves delicious fish. I haven't tried it myself, but I'm glad to have recommendations and now, new but still familiar places to try. :D

Foodie Friday: Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes and Pumpkin Chai Tea

I've decided to start a new segment of my blogging. Foodie Friday! I'm sure this concept isn't new and since that's the case, I make no claims that this is something I've made up on my own and hold idea ownership over. It was one of those "hey they both start with F." More than likely they will be recipes I've tried myself, but I'm sure that sometimes they will be food I've tried in restaurants or other places. Either way, post for food = win.

To kick off this new aspect of my blogging, what better way than to try out pumpkin recipes!
I admit, I'm starting to go pumpkin crazy! I had been resisting it for a while, but being invited to a brunch was the perfect excuse to look for some way to indulge in pumpkin delight.

The first recipe is the donut holes: linked here.

And the second is the pumpkin chai tea: linked here.
Since the pumpkin chai tea is pretty simple, I omitted taking progress pictures.

The first step is the dry ingredients! I had to take a trip to the store to get some I didn't have (nutmeg, allspice, cloves), but otherwise the dry ingredients are pretty easy to come by or have on hand.

I should have made a face...

The next step is the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Again, mostly basic or easy to come by ingredients.

Sexy.

All mixed up and much better!

Then you mix the dry into the wet.

Mixed and ready for scooping into tins!

Because this recipe uses mini-muffin pans, I expected the batter to be a lot more liquidy. Thankfully, it wasn't and I was able to use regular-sized muffin tins and measure and shape each dough ball.

They don't have to worry about overcrowding at least.

I baked them between 8-10 minutes. My first batch, I made much larger ones and baked for at least 10 minutes (I also only made 24, while cutting the portion size down gave me 36 this time. Or more really as I decided to just split some more of the leftover dough between them for the last batch.)

They look like chicken nuggets.

They cooled pretty quickly and the last step was just dipping them in butter and then in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Mmmmm~

The only sweetness within the dough itself is from the light brown sugar so without the cinnamon and sugar mixture, it's a very nice and not overly sweet treat. Paired together my with pumpkin chai tea, it makes for the perfect brunch or afternoon treat.

:)