POTD: Polish of the Day

I don't paint my nails EVERY day but thought it would be fun to share pics when I do. I've been becoming more and more a polish junkie recently and I know I like to see the different combos people come up with.

So without further ado, here's today's POTD.

 

 The purple base is Nicole by OPI's I'm a Beliber and the glitter is Wet 'n Wild's Party of Five Glitters.

It's a Girl! - Mojo Monday 238

 This week's Mojo Monday sketch looked like this:

 And this is what I did with it:

 

Meal Planning - Month 2 - Foodie Friday

This is my second month of planning out meals. (Click here for the first post) It's going pretty well I'd say and I'm catching on pretty quickly.

Because I really want to do a minimal amount of thinking about it, I tend to go by the schedule and have what's planned for that day on that day. However, it does happen that substitutions need made for whatever reason or we're just not feeling the meal planned for that particular day. The calendar set up makes it easy to just cross and switch things around. So far this month, and it's pretty well done with, there has been minimal switching and most everyone has been happy with the meals.

I feel like it's also cut down on the grocery shopping to an extent. It's easier to look at the calendar and see that we'll need peppers, potatoes and hamburger instead of waiting until the day of and realizing we're out of onions, noodles and pasta sauce.

It's also making it easier to take advantage of sales. Knowing that we're going to need x, y and z at some point in the month is great. Then, when the local grocery store runs their 10 for $10, get the 11th item free sale we can stock up on not as perishable things we'll need later in the month if we know they never go on sale any cheaper. The same goes for meats. Ground beef is $3 a pound this week? Great! We're going to need 5 pounds to get through the month so we'll buy it now knowing it rarely goes much cheaper anymore.

In order to try new things and get out of a cooking rut, I've also added chef's choice/new recipe days to the calendar. That way, we get to try something new to break up the meals we tend to rotate instead of waiting until we've had a month of the same meals and we're sick of it. In the end it's still cheaper to toss in a random/new meal than to get take out because no one wants to eat what we're supposed to.

Anyone else meal planning? What's the method to your madness?

Birchbox?

I've read all sorts of reviews, watched opening videos on YouTube and checked out the website, but was wondering if any followers/readers have tried Birchbox. Personally, I just signed up and am now waiting on my first box to arrive.

What is Birchbox?
From their website:
"Birchbox delivers the best products and the best insider secrets, without any fuss. Every month Birchbox members will receive a curated box of luxe beauty samples. Each box will span beauty categories and deliver exciting products that fit into both your day-to-day routine, and into those days when you want to turn up the drama a notch."

"Each month, you'll receive a selection of samples that we’ve tried (and retried) ourselves. We source our samples from both well-known brands and emerging gems. The women’s subscription includes everything from skincare to makeup, as well as fun non-beauty extras. The men’s subscription delivers top-tier grooming products in addition to lifestyle accessories ranging from hip socks to tech accessories."

Sounds amazing, right? And the best part? It's only $10 a month for a monthly subscription or just over $100 for a yearly subscription. Plus, you can cancel any time you want with no cancellation fees.

Anxious to try it yourself? Join the wait list here. Let me know if you sign up and what you get in your first box!

I'll be sharing what I get in my box when it arrives.

I am not affiliated with Birchbox, nor was I compensated for or asked to do this blog post. All items mentioned were purchased with my own money and all thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.

Gecko's Night in Vegas

Have you noticed the hashtag #GeckoVegas on Twitter lately? No? Then you should check it out.

From the Klout Perk description:

• During a crazy night in Las Vegas, the GEICO Gecko and his new friends took a bunch of pictures. But, when they woke up the next morning, his camera was gone.  Thankfully, we found it, and goodness did it have some interesting shots on it. Now you have the chance to see the pics and uncover all the things that happened that night. 

 

 

I have to say this is pretty brilliant marketing. Send a cute bobblehead figure and some pictures to a bunch of people on the premise that said figure's "real life" counterpart had a wild night in Vegas and ask them to share the pictures they personally received on Twitter and Facebook to help piece together said "wild night."

The figure is adorable. My mom loves it and thinks it's hilarious. The pictures are cute (the ones I received), while some are bordering on strange (some I've seen shared on Twitter).

The whole point is to get people talking by sharing these pictures and such. It's a great marketing tool because people feel a certain necessity almost to talk about and share the pictures because they feel like someone else is depending on them to complete the puzzle. In reality, no one is relying on them to complete a puzzle and it's just a good excuse to see what pictures everyone else got. Apparently there's also the chance to win prizes for sharing your pictures, so that's another incentive.

So what do you think? Brilliant or another marketing gimmick heading toward a flop?

I was given a free product or sample because I'm a Klout influencer. I was under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.