NEWSLETTER
INSPIRATION
DIGITAL SCRAPBOOKINGFave Things
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
We interrupt this Shabby Shoppe scrapbooking blog to bring you…a few of my *non scrapbooking related* favorite things! Yep, that’s right – we thought it would be a fun change of pace to have a little girl talk and just dish about the things we love right now. Since I (Beckie) seem to be the one who has taken control of the blog for the day - I’ll start it off with a few things I love, but I hope you’ll use the comments to share with us some of the things YOU love, too!
First up we have my newest favorite thing…Aveeno positively nourishing whipped souffle body lotion. It’s sooooo thick and creamy, more hydrating to the skin than the typical overly-perfumed lotions I’ve used in the past. This one is just perfect: the subtle fragrance of sweet vanilla and a thick and creamy texture that coats the skin with moisture. It’s almost the best thing about my shower routine…but we’ll see more on that later!
It’s appropriate that next up on my list is a blusher…as it’s name alone can also evoke a slight blush to one’s cheeks :) What you see here is the Nars Multiple in my favorite shade…*ahem*…Orgasm. This wonderful little beauty stick has many purposes – on your cheeks it gives a wonderful peachy glow. But you can also use it on your lips and your eye lids for a healthy subtle shimmer. One stick will last forever (at least in my estimation – I haven’t finished one yet!). I keep it in my purse at all times :)
The full heat of summer has fully descended upon us Northern Hemisphere girls – and in the Southern US where I live in particular, it is H-O-T! I like to lighten up on my makeup during the summers. I use a good tinted moisturizer (I LOVE the Aveda tinted moisturizer), the NARS multiple for a little color, and right now I’m loving this new Burt’s Bees Hibiscus tinted lip balm. It’s creamy and smooth and perfect for that on-the-go summer lifestyle. The moisturizers keep my lips soft and smooth and the subtle color is the perfect finishing touch to my light summer make-up.
And now it’s time for a confession…I have an addiction. Well, I guess make that TWO addictions – since you already know about the digi-scrapping addiction I have, LOL. My second addiction is one to good old pens and paper. I covet, collect, adore, and stockpile interesting and quality writing supplies. Pictured above is a tried and true favorite of mine, a super high quality drafting pencil called the Alvin Draft Matic. The metal grip is heavily textured to prevent slipping, and the quality metal fittings give this pencil wonderful weight in your hands. I’ve been using this pencil (and previous versions of it) since I was in college!
One of my favorite sites for shopping for pretty little things to feed my addiction is Levenger. *gush* I have several fountain pens, which if you’ve ever used them,you know they put out significantly more ink than a traditional pen. Which is why I’m loving another new discovery, Rhodia heavy weight paper notebooks. deee-lish! :) This one in particular is an absolute favorite of mine for work and has a really neat way to keep meeting notes and action items. The paper is heavy weight – almost 4 times the thickness of some paper notebooks, which is essential to keep your ink from bleeding through the page.
ahh…something about smelling a new notebook and first writing with a beautiful new pen just makes me happy (someone please speak up and say you share my addiction??) :)
Next up, I am loving the Repairing Shampoo by L’Occitane (pronounced Lox-E-tahn). I innocently purchased a simple hand cream for my purse one evening when my hubby and I were browsing the nearby shopping area after dinner one night. The sales girl slipped in a sample, to which I hardly paid any attention. Darn it all if “that little sample” didn’t turn out to be THE BEST shampoo I’ve ever used! My hair is not damaged, but it is thick and slightly wavy. This shampoo and conditioner make my hair so incredibly soft and manageable and leave it with a wonderful smell that lasts throughout the day. I’m hooked! Ironically, when I went to purchase my shampoo, they gave me a sample of the Plum Blossom bath products, to which I’m also now addicted. Better tell them to skip the samples if you don’t want to get sucked in, LOL :)
And finally, no post about things I love would be complete without mentioning my Kindle. Ironically, I had no interest in getting one, even after my husband hinted that he was thinking of getting me one for Christmas. I told him no, that I couldn’t see spending $10-$15 for a book often enough to make it worth having a $120 reading device. So fast forward 5 months, when I learned that I would be doing a decent amount of business travel in the coming year or so, and I decided that a Kindle would be a great way to keep several books on hand in a light, portable format. So I got one.
I love it! There are thousands of “un-published” titles available, which are books not {yet} published in paper. These books are cheap! Many are just $.99 – $2.99. Of course, all the popular books are available too. I’ve probably read 20 books already on my Kindle, I find that if I keep it in my (admittedly large) purse I read when I have a few spare minutes. And when I travel it’s just perfect! I read fast so I need to have several books with me to keep me going. (The kindle holds up to 3,500 books).
Just recently I downloaded a murder mystery that stars a scrapbooking heroine! I generally read for fun (translated: mindless fiction), but I did get the classic Sherlock Holmes mysteries also. They were free! All books more than 75 years old are past copyright protection and are available for free. The battery lasts forever (several weeks of heavy reading, longer with just light reading).
So if you do read a lot, or wish you could read more, definitely check out the Kindle. And if you already have one – link me up to your fave books! I love mysteries and thrillers :)
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Well, that does it for me! I hope you enjoyed a peek into the things I love right now. I can’t wait to see what you guys have to share! And, be sure to visit again tomorrow as we share June’s project SCRAP templates!
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Jun 26, 2011 @ 23:20:55
I wouuld have to completely agree with your comment about notebooks!! Although, my favorite part about writing in a notebook for the first time is after I have filled it all up. During college, I filled up several notebooks and there was just something about knowing that I filled that whole thing up with notes and my thoughts. I had a hard time getting rid of my full notebooks-even if what was in them was something I would never use again!! :)
Also, on the Kindle (I actually just have the Kindle App on my iPod touch) there are several free books that are even new!! One that I really enjoyed was called a Bride Most Begrudging. It takes place in earlier days as you could probably tell by the name, but it is about a girl who accidentally ends up on a slave ship bound for America. She is sold and it is about her life. Very good! Kind of a history/romance/just all around good book. And its not written in that old english writing. Not sure when it was published, but anyways-good book!!
Jun 28, 2011 @ 13:18:19
Thanks Mallory!! I’ll have to check out that book – I’m always on the hunt for inexpensive content for my Kindle – you never know when you’ll discover time to read!! :)
and about notebooks – I’m not capable of sticking with any one notebook long enough to fill it up, LOL – so if I actually did, I bet I’d find it hard to part with also! :)
Jun 24, 2011 @ 12:27:10
I’m a fairly new visitor to the blog and just drop by occasionally, but this post was super fun! I’m a book-a-holic also and if you like mysteries and thrillers, you should check out “The House on Tradd Street” by Karen White. It was recommended to me by a friend and it was just absolutely delicious-a mystery, a romance in the making, and just creepy enough to bring out a couple goose bumps now and then. I devoured it in hours.
Jun 28, 2011 @ 13:19:07
Thanks for the tip Shauna!! I’ll check out that book, too! and I’m so glad you found our little ole’ blog :) Hope to see you back here!
Jun 23, 2011 @ 22:41:27
Beckie, what a fantastic post!!! LOVE IT!! Love hearing about everyone’s faves too!! It got me thinking and I now realise I have a very, very long list of favourites!! LOL! So this will be the streamlined version…
I too have a bit of a thing for stationery/storage organisation supplies – my favourite shop is kikki-k – http://www.kikki-k.com/
When it comes to skincare I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Jurlique products (I’ll just pick two) – fave everyday one is their Soothing Foaming Facial Cleanser and my luxury one is the Herbal Recovery Neck Serum! – http://www.jurlique.com.au/
Make-up – can’t do with out my Clinique Superbalanced liquid foundation, my Australis eye pencil and Guerlain Blush 4 Eclats. And when it comes to lip balm… I always have a tube of this little beauty in my handbag – Lucas’ Papaw Ointment – http://www.lucaspapaw.com.au/ (it’s great for minor burns too and as I cook a lot, it’s come in most handy!!)
I am a real FOODIE! So I can’t finish without sharing my faves. I LOVE my cookbook collection and I have a massive collection of food magazines – my fave magazines are ‘Donna Hay’ – http://www.donnahay.com.au/
My absolute fave food products – imported Colonna Gran Verde Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Holy Goat La Luna handcrafted goat cheese, Shaw & Smith wines – especially the sauvignon blanc, San Pellegrino sparkling mineral water, Lindt Chili Dark Chocolate!
I love:
my microplane zester – http://us.microplane.com/microplaneclassicserieszestergrater.aspx
my 20cm Mundial Cooks knife – http://www.mundialusa.com/5100_individual.html
my baby cupcake baking trays and Edable Art dusting glitter
Ok I think that will do for now!! LOL! Thanks for letting me share! And even though most are Australian products I hope you had fun reading!! :o)
Jun 22, 2011 @ 23:35:20
LOL! I have that same NARS blush. It’s true – it never ends! I think I’ve been using mine for two years. The stuff will go bad before I run out, for sure…
Jun 23, 2011 @ 06:45:52
I contemplated leaving it out of the post because of the name, didn’t want to offend anyone, LOL – but I adore it so I couldn’t leave it out in good conscience! :) <3
Jun 22, 2011 @ 18:12:54
Great post! It’s always fascinating to learn what other people are absolutely in love with and to see where you relate with others. I too, though not as much I’d say, have a liking for anything supply/organizer related. I wanted to be a teacher when I was younger just so I could have all the neat folders, pens, shelves, etc etc that my teachers always had.
I haven’t ventured to the Kindle just yet, I don’t know what it is about physically holding an actual book in my hand while I’m reading, but I just can’t let go of that quite yet =)
Some of my favorite things right now (not including my new found love for digital scrapbooking) are my Scentsy’s (I just love walking into a room filled with a wonderful, light, clean scent), my MacBook Pro (so much easier to use compared to a PC), the Furminator (my dog has been shedding like crazy so I finally buckled down and spent the $50 for this AMAZING brush, it’s definitely keeping his shedding to a minimum), and Sally Hansen’s new Complete Salon Manicure nail polish line (I bought WIthout A Stitch and am already scoping out my next color).
Jun 23, 2011 @ 06:49:47
candles!! yes, good call! I love burning candles in the house – makes it feel so “homey” to me! Haven’t tried Scentsy though – is that one of those “home sales” things? I’ve used Party Lite before and loved them, but most of the time I’m a spur-of-the-moment girl and just pick up Yankee Candle (especially now that Target carries them!).
I swore that i’d never give up paper scrapping because of my pens and paper addiction, but alas, it was just too time and space consuming. So now I just indulge in pretties for my office and work :) :) so nice to see so many other ladies who understand me!! ha ha.
Jun 22, 2011 @ 13:59:12
I have an addiction to pens & paper too! I always have. I’ve been known to have a silly, weird fascination with pens. My former boss actually went out of his way to get a pen that lit up for me once about 8 years ago! I don’t know what it is, but whenever I find myself at Walmart or Target, I seriously have to steer clear of the home/office sections or I’ll buy more pens & notebooks that I really don’t need. Sounds incredibly nerdy, I know. :) Great post! Loved it. :)
Jun 23, 2011 @ 06:51:27
ME TOO! my hubby won’t let me ENTER the pen/pencil aisle at the store any more, LOL! thanks Julia!!
Jun 22, 2011 @ 13:10:42
great post, Beckie! we are a total kindle family…we have three in the house (little man has his own and there are GREAT kids books available – he reads ALL the time!)…and we have gifted more than i care to count, lol! suffice it to say that our parents are well kept in kindles/books, lol! truly one of the best inventions, EVER (well, that and the ipad lol)!
i have read the complete sherlock holmes a couple of times (start to finish…all 1600 pages or whatever it is, lol) – another thing i love to read on my kindle, or should i say RE-READ is the complete works of jane austen (won’t tell you how many times i have read them all, lol)! also love mysteries, inspirational books and historical fiction. really – there isn’t much i do not enjoy when it comes to reading :o)
anyway – thanks for sharing this fun post with us…and have fun reading :o)
Jun 22, 2011 @ 12:43:02
LOVE my Kindle best Christmas present I have ever gotten. I too was doubtful but am in love. I have the whole school supply addiction. I confess that on the last day of school I googled my girls upcoming grades to see what school supplies they would need for next year. I am so buying myself one of those drafting pencils, I love good desk supplies. Thanks for such a fun light post!
Jun 23, 2011 @ 06:55:32
LOL!! Every year I buy the kids a new backpack and all new supplies. and every year he insists that last year’s backack and supplies are still “perfectly fine”. He just doesn’t get it :) hee hee! Another place I LOVE and forgot to mention is Utrecht’s – http://www.utrechtart.com/ They have the Alvin Draft Matic also, and it’s actually only 9.99 there! ($4 cheaper). Plus they have all kinds of other wonderful things. *sigh*….:) :) :)
one tip – don’t buy the .3mm lead pencils. I’ve tried and tried, but just can’t make it write without breaking the lead. It must be only for special paper surfaces and drafting applications.
Jun 22, 2011 @ 10:27:12
Beckie, I loved your blog post today!
I, too, adore my kindle. I was always a gal who seemed to pack four or five hardbound books to go on vacation. Needless to say, things got a little heavy. Now I just put my kindle in my bag and off I go.I love all their FREE books, too!
I am going to try the Burt’s Bees Hibiscus tinted lip balm. I am a lip stuff junkie and it sounds wonderful!!!
Thanks for some fun reading this morning!!!
Jun 22, 2011 @ 17:51:08
Thanks Anna! what’s your fave lip stuff?? link us up!? And you’ve twisted my arm…I’ll reveal that I’m also a lip product addict *sigh*. I do feel better for having gotten that off my chest, LOL :) I also love Colourglide Lip Colour by the Body Shop – http://www.thebodyshop.com/_en/_ww/catalog/product.aspx?ParentCatCode=C_Makeup&CatCode=C_Makeup_Lips&prdcode=66526m
I tried on several shades, and picked Berry Shimmer (#49). It’s pinkish and happy and I love it, and I’m not usually a pink girl (I usually go more plums). Anyhow, the girl told me it’s one of the more popular colors. So you might want to check that out, too!
Jun 22, 2011 @ 09:52:20
Thanks for sharing all of your faves! I also can’t resist fine notebooks and what I like to refer to as ‘writing instruments’. For me, writing with ordinary pens and pencils is like dragging fingernails across a chalkboard. The ink needs to flow smoothly on the page and pencil lead needs to be just the right softness and width. I am a sucker for office supplies of all kinds and don’t even get me started on organizing products… my containers have fussy-cut labels with calligraphy titles. :) When we were watching the Apprentice a few years ago one of the groups invented a new spinning organizer that Staples then marketed. I was sooo excited and couldn’t wait for it to come out. It was too large for my desk but Staples made a smaller version and I love it. Staples® SpinWorx® Rotating Desk Organizer
Jun 22, 2011 @ 11:34:19
Cathy – thank you for that piece of VALIDATION!! I’m so happy to “meet” another kindred spirit :) I checked out the SpinWorx, too – it’ looks awesome! You know what’s funny – I have a thing for containers, too!! isn’t that weird?! :)