Popsugar Must Have Box November 2012

Much to my pleasant surprise, Popsugar mailed out their November Must Have box earlier than normal so today when my mail was delivered I spotted that signature pink and white box. I was highly pleased with what I found inside.

As usual, my Popsugar box was chock full of a great many goodies!

Jewelry, yes, I believe I will. In this month's Must Have box was a lovely leather and gold tone bracelet from  Gorjana Parker. The bracelet wraps around the wrist and looks very trendy. It really suits my style and I can't wait to wear it. It retails for $55 on amazon.com.

 I love trying new spices and seasonings so this next product was right down my line. It is a set of three different spices from La Boite. Chef Lior Lev Sercarz, master spice mixer, also included some original recipes to try with the spices. Yum! A set of three of these spices on shop.food52.com is $39.

I have tried pilates, but never Yoga and I have always wanted to. Now I will have my chance with Mandy Ingber's Yogalosophy DVD. I will pop that bad boy in my blu ray player and feel my stress melt away. This dvd sells for around $10.

This year if someone really WOWS me with a great Christmas present, I will be all set to express my gratitude with my Snow & Graham thank you notes. These cute little notes will be very handy to have around. On the Snow & Graham website you can buy these for $15.

What could be cooler than having an actual photograph that you've taken put onto a stretch canvas? I will find out because Popsugar included a $30 code for Canvas Pop. This will get me an 8x10 canvas print. Christmas present for the Grandparents? Likely!

I have heard of StyleMint, but wasn't really sure what it was. Now I know. You can buy clothes, shoes, and even jewelry. You create a profile and each month they will offer you styles based on the profile you created.  You can choose to purchase or decline. Popsugar included one credit, which translates to $29.99 to spend on the site. Most of the clothing that I looked at was $29.99.

Yummy, cinnamon sugar doughnuts! There is a mix for Stonewall Kitchen's Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts. I'm thinking this will make a special treat in a few weeks when we are out of school for Christmas break. This mix costs about $10.00.

I've heard that if you use lip balm too much, your lips will become addicted to it. Perhaps it is true, or perhaps I just love lip balm. Hey, what can I say, I like my lips to be soft and smooth. A perfect addition to my lip collection will be Mor Lip Macarons. This smells delicious, probably because it is inspired by the flavors of French pastries. My lips feel soft, too. I also love the fancy gold trim. Retail is $10.00.

If you add it all up, the items in the box total $199! What a bargain! $35 for almost $200 worth of products, amazing. If you want your own box, go to Popsugar and order yours today. Use the code REFERFRIENDS and get $5 off your first order. The December box is still available as of today, but hurry because they sell out fast!

Cravebox Knorr Ultimate Thanksgiving Cravebox

First off, let me say that after a bit of a rough patch, Cravebox has really stepped up to the plate and wowed me. The past two boxes I have received have rocked. I am due to get the Holiday Spruce Up box as well as the Coffee Lover's box next and I can't wait!

Ok, ok, back to the Thanksgiving box (I seem to have gotten a little ahead of myself!).

I LOVE the new box design. Although this one arrived a little beat up looking, the new design is so great because I can see that I have a Cravebox as soon as I pull up in my driveway. Also, the bow design on the top confirms that I have indeed received a very nice gift for myself.

As you can see in the picture, the box is substantial in size so it is sure to be filled with loads of goodies.

As I understand it from Cravebox's Facebook page, several people were not pleased with this Cravebox. What can I say...get over yourselves! If you don't like it, LEAVE! There are many others who would love to have your boxes. Ahem...now, once again back to Thanksgiving...

Here is a picture of the Knorr Ultimate Thanksgiving box:

The most valuable item in the box by far was a $35 + free shipping code for foldedwords.com. 

This is a Walgreen's company that you can use to order personalized cards and stationery. They carry all types of holiday cards, stationery, invitations, and more. Plus, you can personalize what you order with photos and words. Cool! Soon I will use my code to jump start my Christmas cards.

What can I say? Green beans. Del Monte. These are a staple food around here, what with the healthy eating and all. I can never ever have enough green beans. Love it!

Something new to me is the Brookside Dark Chocolate Covered Pomegranate candy. It looks delish but has too many fat grams for my diet right now. My mother always has pomegranates at her house on Thanksgiving because she remembers the pomegranate tree her grandmother had in Greenville, MS when she was a girl. We always let the kids try the pomegranates, so dark chocolate pomegranate will be a treat for the adults. Maybe on that day I can veer off my diet and give them a try.

Mmmmm, Strawberry Shortcake flavored Duncan Hines frosting. Looks like some cupcakes are in order. My children will be extremely pleased!

Pillsbury Grands biscuits are a great addition to any meal. Now I can use the FREE coupon to purchase a can. 

What would go better with a Thanksgiving meal than turkey gravy? Cravebox made sure we would be all set with 2 packages of  McCormick Turkey Gravy Mix.

Knorr Homestyle Stock is a excellent product and will be a great addition to any meal, holiday or not. Apparently there was supposed to be an entire package of this, but some people got shorted and only got one tub (I think there should have been three). Hey, it's all good because Cravebox sent an email promising to ship the part that got left out.

Also included was a recipe book from Del Monte with coupons in the back. The dishes featured in this book look delicious and I will be trying several recipes for the holidays. In the back of this book there are instructions for downloading a recipe app. I will definitely check that out! There were also several other cards with recipes in the box.

Listed on the card telling about the box is International Delights Creamers. I believe there was supposed to be a coupon for this, but it got delayed because it was coming from the area where Hurricane Sandy hit. This could not be avoided and Cravebox has already said they will include it in another box at a later time. Coffee box perhaps? This will be something to look forward to.

I love this box and I love Cravebox! All I can say is if you're unhappy with this Thanksgiving box, get your panties out of a wad, eat some chocolate pomegranates, and chill out!

Sample Society November 2012

I always enjoy receiving my Sample Society box each month. I get to sample products that I would not normally buy. I have always had a weakness for luxury beauty products. With that being said, I'll jump right in to my review of this month's box.

I was first drawn to a shiny silver tube that looked like some type of lotion or cream. It turned out to be L'Occitane Shea Hand Cream. I absolutely love the scent and it made my hands so soft and smooth immediately. I will definitely enjoy using this. It costs $28 for a full size tube.

Next I noticed a spray bottle that I could only think was probably some sort of hair product. I was right! It is Alterna Bamboo Smooth Kendi Dry Oil Mist ($24). You spray this on your hair before styling for protection from heat and added shine. My hair is fine so I'm not sure how it will do on my hair, but I will give it a shot. 

I saw what looked like a perfume sample, but it turned out to be lipstick. It is Diego Dalla Palma lipstick ($34). It is a pretty pink color that I think will compliment my complexion.

On of my favorite types of products to try is facial cleansers and treatments and Sample Society did not disappoint. In my box was a nice sized sample of Dermalogica Precleanse Oil ($35). I can't wait to give this a try! According to their website, this precleanse oil cuts through anything you might put on your face from sunscreen to any makeup.

And lastly, there was a perfume sample. It is Diptyque Volutes Eau de Toilette new lauch ($120). I have received some of this before and wasn't really crazy about the scent, but this may be different since it says "new launch." I will try it and see what I think.

I am very happy with all the products I get to try this month. As always they included a booklet showing ways to use the products and a $15 off $50 code for any of the full size versions.

Cravebox Cooking Light Box

What can I say? It's Cravebox! Never a disappointment. Cravebox has partnered with Cooking Light magazine to bring this amazing box. I am just overjoyed with this Cooking Light box. It is filled to the brim with yummy goodness!

I wondered why this box was so heavy when I picked it up, and as soon as I opened the box I found out why. There was a  full size bottle of Torani sugar free coffee syrup in Salted Caramel. I begin every morning with a cup of steaming hot coffee and this will make an excellent addition! This sells for $11.49 on amazon.com, so already the box has paid for itself.

To compliment the Torani syrup, a full size package of  Tully's French Roast coffee was included. Tomorrow is Saturday, so I will test out the coffee and syrup when I have time to savor and enjoy it. Tully's French Roast sells on amazon for $32.99 for 2-12 oz bags.

My new favorite sweetener, Nectresse, was included. In my box I found a full size box of Nectresse, which is from the makers of Splenda and is made from the all natural monk fruit. I pay about $3.50 for this size box at our local Kroger. The taste is very sweet and no aftertaste that I have noticed. My husband loves this, too, on his cereal and he is very picky.

The next item is something my children will like-Fruit Crisp from Dole in 3 flavors: peach, apple, and pear. It will be a warm tasty treat.

Cravebox included 2 bottles of Perfect Pinch Salt Free Garlic & Herb seasoning from McCormick. In my opinion, McCormick sets the standard for seasoning, so I was very excited to see this. Since my husband and I are making healthy food choices, we are eating lots of chicken, white pork chops, and fish. This seasoning will be perfect for all of those meats. I feel like this will be used heartily around my house.

Everything in this box hits me and my family just right. I cannot say enough good things about Cravebox. I can't wait to see what the next box will hold!

Popsugar Must Have Box October 2012

It's getting to be a little like Christmas every month around here. I can't wait until my Popsugar box arrives! It takes SO long to get here, too, because it starts in California. But today finally I found a pink and white box on my doorstep.

Being a librarian and reading geek, I immediately noticed J.K. Rowling's name. They included her new book The Casual Vacancy. I can't wait to read her first novel written for adults! Cost $35.

I then smelled something heavenly. I followed the smell to a small brown box and proceeded to open it. It was a Red Flower Petal Topped Candle in Moroccan Rose. It smells divine! I found that it retails for $38. I can't wait to burn it.

One of my favorites from this month's box is the OPI Pink of Hearts nail polish duo. I love sparkly, so this is perfect for me. Also, OPI is donating $30,000 to breast cancer research, so that is an added bonus. I will be painting my nails shortly. Sells for $14.50.

What better for upcoming cold weather than some grippy socks. Crescent Moon socks are fitness socks that won't slip or slide. I don't know if I will wear them while working out, but I will definitely wear them around the house. $9.99 a pair.

I was almost out of shampoo and conditioner, so thankfully a full size bottle of Clear Scalp shampoo and conditioner was included in the box. I have been wanting to try this, so awesome! $4.98 each at Wal-Mart.

Two yummy (although I'll never get a taste since my 15 year old son made off with these, I barely had time to take a picture) products were included in this month's box. Dylan's Candy Bar gummy bears and Pirate's Booty cheese popcorn. Gummy bears $15 and the popcorn is a sample size.

Yay, Popsugar! I have yet to be disappointed with anything I've received from them. I love getting these boxes in the mail. Want one of your own? Click here, but hurry. November and December is sold out, so you will need to reserve your January box now.