My first Boxycharm beauty box, 5 full sized products unboxing and review.
- kristi
- kristi
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Broken
By Emily Chance She was broken. Smashed to pieces. For he was the only one she truly fell for. The only guy who broke up with her. This was the first time she had been on the receiving end of rejection, and it got caught in her throat. A sob. It was unexpected. He made her feel safe and loved. They never fought. They always understood when the other one did something stupid or wrong. Everything. They talked things out and made each other laugh. “It’s the distance,” he said apathetic. “We knew it’d be hard,” she choked out. “Our situation stresses me out.” “…We knew it’d be hard. You said it’d be okay.” Nearly six months. Six months of laughter and happiness and hope snuffed out like a candle. A sudden, strong wind blowing away her shattered pieces. “I still love you,” he said. “But it’s just hard.” But she couldn’t understand. Because she knew she loved him. If he loved her, why wasn’t it enough? Was it her? But they didn’t even have a fight… So why? “It’s not your fault.” No matter how many times he told her it wasn’t her fault, she would know it wasn’t, but she would always feel like it was. Because if you loved someone, you made it work. Whether you saw them once a week or once every couple of months, if you loved someone that much, you would stay. Because love wasn’t something you could pause. Once you fell, you couldn’t suddenly stop. You couldn’t just accept it and move on. But she didn’t know how to explain the brokenness she felt without making him feel guilty, so she held it inside and once again, one last time, and whispered, “I understand.” Edited by Elena Van Horn Desserts Inspired by Pumpkin Spice Latte
By Elizabeth Dubos 1. Pumpkin Spice Latte Coffee Cake Prep Time: 10 Minutes, Cook Time: 60 minutes Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons nutmeg 1 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup pumpkin pie puree 1 cup whole milk 3/4 cup brewed espresso 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder Instructions:
2. Pumpkin Spice Milkshake Prep Time: 2 Minutes, Cook Time: 3 minutes Ingredients: 3 cups vanilla bean ice cream 1 cup whole milk 1 cup pumpkin pie puree 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon ginger 1 cup ice Instructions:
3. Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies Prep Time: 5 Minutes, Cook Time: 15 minutes Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 cup pumpkin pie puree 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons nutmeg 1 teaspoon ginger 2 large eggs Instructions:
4. Pumpkin Spice Latte Mousse Ingredients: 1 can (14 oz) pumpkin pie puree 1 tablespoon instant espresso 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons nutmeg 1 teaspoon ginger 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 cup heavy cream Instructions:
Edited by London Koffler This is my unboxing video and review of the wal-mart beauty box. Enjoy. - kristi Gift Ideas for Book Lovers
By Elizabeth Dubos Are you currently feeling stumped because you do not know what to buy for the book lovers in your life? Do you want to give more than books or gift cards? Never fear, the gift guide for book lovers is here! This guide offers gift ideas (other than books or gift cards) for book lovers of all ages. Disclosure: I am not sponsored by these companies or products. The Night Owls 1. Hands-Free Book Light This light is bright because it’s equipped with LEDs. It has a powerful rechargeable lithium battery which allows up to ten hours of brightness. The long-lasting battery is helpful during camping trips or power outages. It is lightweight, compact, and durable, which makes it easier for readers to take this book light anywhere with them. The book light has to be wrapped around an object in order to function properly. For example, a reader can put this light around their neck so they do not have to worry about crumpling the pages of their beloved books. https://www.amazon.com/CeSunlight-Rechargeable-Reading-Flexible-4-level/dp/B01L6OHWDQ/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1544541994&sr=8-8&keywords=book+light 2. Sleep Less, Read More Throw Pillow This pillow will allow comfort for your book lover who stays up late to read. It has a one-of-a-kind design individually cut and sewn by hand. The design is typography-based with black lettering. According to the artist, the pillows are fluffy enough to take naps on. They are available in four different sizes. You can use them as accent pieces for your living room or in your bedroom. The product includes the pillowcase design and a pillow insert. https://society6.com/product/sleep-less-read-more_pillow?sku=s6-2663703p26a18v129a25v193 The Adventure Seekers 3. Recycled Book Paper Lantern The artist uses discarded maps and books to make these paper lanterns. This allows each lantern to be one-of-a-kind. This would be great for the book lover in your life who seeks adventure, because all they have to do is look up and see all the countries and cities. Also, the artist allows customers to request to make lanterns out of their favorite book. https://www.etsy.com/listing/115541008/recycled-book-paper-lantern?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=book%20light&ref=sr_gallery_42&source=aw&utm_source=affiliate_window&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=us_location_buyer&awc=6220_1544543007_43565b0c663308502ca8fc6cb2764e94&utm_content=78888 The Physical Book Loyalists 4. Personal Library Kit People who enjoy reading physical books accumulate many over the years, and can have impressive libraries. Often when people see these, they wish to borrow a book, so this library kit allows book lovers to share their books without the fear of never seeing them again. The personal library kit will bring back a sense of nostalgia because readers will get a stamped card every time a book is checked out. The kit features 20 self-adhesive pockets and checkout cards, a date stamp, an ink pad, and a pencil. https://www.amazon.com/Knock-Personal-Library-Kit-15000/dp/1601060726/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1544543619&sr=8-15&keywords=gifts+for+book+lovers 5. Book Stand This book stand was modeled after the classic British reclining chair. It features adjustable pegs to hold the book firmly in place, so readers do not lose their page. It requires no assembly, is lightweight, and folds flat, making it easy for readers to travel with it. https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-eReader-Cookbook-Perfect-Gifts/dp/B071ZZJTBL/ref=sr_1_27?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1544544067&sr=1-27&keywords=gifts+for+book+lovers The Young Adult Scene 6. Book Themed Candles These candles will help set a relaxing tone for reading. The candles come in different scents and sizes, so there’s a candle to appeal to any book lovers. The candles are made with 100% soy wax, lead-free cotton wicks, and have reusable glass and aluminum containers. The available candle sizes are 8 oz., 4 oz., and 2 oz. If your book lover enjoys reading during rainy days, I would recommend the Rainy Day Reads candle because it has a relaxing fragrance blend of fresh rain, ginger, and lavender. https://www.frostbeardstudio.com 7. Library Card Cell Phone Case Amazon features a stamped library card design for numerous Android and iPhones cell phones. This would be a fun gift for young readers because the phone case provides style and protection. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=library+card+phone+case&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Alibrary+card+phone+case 8. Literary Themed Tote Bag Young readers are going to school or a job, thus they will need a bag to carry around their beloved books. This bag would even come in handy when your book lover heads to the library, so they won’t have to carry the heavy books with only their hands. Bookworm Boutique offers one-of-a-kind bag designs that are machine washable. In addition, the bags are constructed with premium canvas material and double-stitched to ensure everything stays in the bag. Their bags feature different sizes, colors, and designs, so your book lover could enjoy any of these literary themed tote bags. An interesting tote bag design is the blue-green watercolor hot air balloon with the quote, “Reading is like Dreaming with Your Eyes Open.” https://society6.com/bookwormboutique/s?q=popular+bags https://society6.com/product/reading-is-like-dreaming-with-your-eyes-open_bag?sku=s6-3790309p29a26v196 The Coffee and Tea Lovers 9. Drink Coffee. Read Books. Be Happy. Throw Pillow While the book lover in your life is drinking their coffee, you can give them this pillow to make their coffee drinking more comfortable and relaxing. It’s a one-of-a-kind design, individually cut and sewn by hand. This pillow design features a yellow floral background with black typography. The pillows are available in four different sizes: 16” X 16”, 18” X 18”, 20” X 20”, and 24” X 24”. https://society6.com/product/drink-coffee-read-books-be-happy274121_pillow?sku=s6-6612683p26a18v129a25v193 10. Novel Teas This gift contains 25 teabags with literary quotes from famous books from the Victorian era. They are made with English Breakfast tea. This gift would be great for the book lover who enjoys reading classics. https://www.amazon.com/contains-teabags-individually-literary-Breakfast/dp/B002RT2W1M/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1544543471&sr=8-1&keywords=gifts+for+book+lovers 11. Book Dragon Mug Sometimes book lovers do not like being referred to as “book worms.” The term book dragon is more appropriate because it evokes bravery, adventure, and creativity. https://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Corner-Ceramic-Bookish-Literary/dp/B06XJ69PTD/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1544641196&sr=8-18&keywords=book+themed+gifts The Writers 12. A Reading Journal This journal allows readers to track their reading and book progress. This is a step up from Goodreads because the journal encourages readers to explore new genres and new subjects to learn about. For instance, the journal asks readers to think about the book’s content and ask themselves if they were inspired by the topic to learn more. Readers can note that the genre interested them and were inspired to read more books of this genre. Therefore, this journal engages with the reader to enhance their reading experience. https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Journal-Lovers-Potter-Gift/dp/0307591662/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1544543871&sr=8-4&keywords=book+journal 13. Magnetic Poetry Kit The kit includes over 300 magnetic sentence fragments, so writers can create poetry on their refrigerator. This is a fun and creative writing aid for all ages. Young writers can use this kit to expand their vocabulary, and adult writers can use it for inspiration. https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Poetry-Original-Essential-Refrigerator/dp/1890560014/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1544641196&sr=8-10&keywords=book+themed+gifts 14. Typewriter Laptop Sleeve Typewriters are a nostalgic tool to write with, so writers will feel motivated every time they look at their new laptop sleeve. This laptop sleeve design features a sleek white background with a blue typewriter. The typewriter design wrote, “Write. Write. Write.” The laptop cases have prints on both sides and feature a soft microfiber interior to ensure safety. They are available for laptop sizes 13” and 15”. https://society6.com/product/write-write-write-space_laptop-sleeve?sku=s6-6181791p45a58v428 Edited by Abigail Mechley Series Review: Katie and the Mustang By: Maddy D. Edited by: Emily Chance {Want to see other reviews for little known series or best sellers? Check out my blog! } So, every year I find some new children’s stories I somehow missed in my childhood. This is one of them- how I missed them, I have no idea. This was basically right up there with everything I read in first grade. But… by 2004 I had already met Harry Potter… that could be why, come to think of it. Beware Spoilers! The Katie and the Mustang series is a part of the overarching Hoofbeats collection. Found here on Goodreads! by: Kathleen Duey Published in 2004; page length ~ 140 pages; Children’s fiction My rating average: 3/5 stars It is perfect for anyone who enjoys horse stories, Oregon Trail stories, travel stories and animal/historical fiction crossover. They are children’s stories, so keep that in mind. The genre is Children’s/Historical fiction/Animal Fiction/ Horse Stories Learn more about Duey here: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/179733.Kathleen_Duey Generalized Synopsis: Basically, the story is a series of small plots in an overarching theme. The best way to experience the books is to read them all in one sitting, which is very easy to do once you have them. All but book 2 is available from Archive.org. The story centers around Katie, a little girl who ends up, after some bad circumstances, an orphan being taken in by a childless couple. In a Harry Potter-esque fashion, Katie ends up in an even worse situation –which weirdly fits the timeline this is all happening– and finds herself escaping her stepparents with a mustang that the man had bought. The horse is, of course, wild to anyone who isn’t Katie. The rest of the books revolve around Katie traveling the Oregon Trail, first with the farmhand who helps her get there, then again with another family all the way to Oregon City. What I liked: The one thing I’ve come to appreciate about Duey’s plots is they’re entirely grounded in realistic expectations. She follows in Henry’s fashion, where the protagonist doesn’t always get what they want in the end, or does get something close to what they wanted, despite everything. I appreciate it and find it terribly depressing at the same time. I grew up with the books where everything tied up perfectly in a bow, the protagonist’s dreams and wishes become reality and the bad guys got their just desserts. This doesn’t completely happen in this book. The whole book gravitates around the girl’s relationship with this horse, and yet at the end she’s forced to make a difficult decision. The whole drive behind the plot is to find her uncle, as we’re reminded constantly all the way up to the end, and that doesn’t exactly end how she expected, either. It’s great in that, it shows children this sense of realism; what the world is actually like. But at the same time, it’s just like, “man something needs to go right, something über positive needs to happen here.” What Annoyed Me: While I liked the realism, some of the wishy-washy characters were frustrating, and only showed just how weak the plot really is. It is a children’s series. The plot revolves around relationships and circumstances, and some of those characters only existed to be the antagonist, to cause conflict, or to evolve into protagonists later in the books for no real reason other than the author wanted them to. If you read them back-to-back, this weakness doesn’t show as badly; if you read them with time between, you’ll probably end up lost or forgetting the tangent the plot was on. Overall: This series has its faults, sure, but it’s a really good animal/historical fiction series. It does have negative notes, but nothing I can say is necessarily scary, just depressing and I would suggest reading it yourself before deciding if your child is up for it. I’d say it’s for mature older children, or children who enjoy these types of books. This is my video review for Godefa cell phone lenses. I bought them on Amazon a while back but haven't had a chance to test them out until now. They're really cool! - kristi Silent Heart
By: Catherine Lynch Genre: Flash Fiction, Supernatural Romance Maddie Alsamt was thirteen-years-old when she met her first ghost, and she’s been in love with him ever since. Now nineteen-years-old, Maddie has been silently dating Callum Morris for three years and tomorrow marks the day she will overtake him in age. Maddie hung her head as she made coffee the morning before the dreaded day. The smell of hazelnut wafted around the small kitchen, enticing her father to enter the room. Her father was young, with dark hair and even darker eyes. Although his jaw was sharp enough to rival a knife, his manner was much gentler. Maddie loved her father…even though he was particular about certain things. Maddie fixed the black hijab on her head. Her father never liked when it was out of place. That being said, her hajib was one of the only traditions her father staunchly held onto. While they followed the Islamic religion, her father was very progressive in his thoughts about women in the workplace. To prove it, the night prior, he had been chiding Maddie on her school work and how she needed to finish her senior year with the highest grades she could achieve in order to get into a good college and secure a nice paying job. Maddie poured a portion of the coffee into a mug beside the coffee maker and gave it to her father. He didn’t like drinking it with milk and sugar, and Maddie had made his coffee enough times to know that. As her father walked over to the marble island countertop that Maddie had placed the mug down on, Callum strolled into the kitchen and leaned against the doorframe. He winked at her and straightened the buttons on his dark blue jacket then fiddled with his kepi. Maddie blushed but continued to stare at the hat atop Callum’s head, unable to meet his light blue eyes. Her gaze snagged on the golden pin that was set at the center of his kepi—two crossing, golden rifles. Maddie must’ve stared too long because her father looked back at the doorway, following her line of sight. His brows furrowed when he didn’t see the man that Maddie stared at. He then picked up the morning paper from the countertop and walked out the doorway to the living room muttering something about how Maddie “daydreamed too often.” Callum disappeared momentarily when Maddie’s father passed through him, and when he appeared again, he held his stomach looking ill. “I hate when that happens.” The years haunting the Victorian house in Pennsylvania had taken away most of Callum’s Boston accent, but Maddie had known him long enough to detect the slightest difference in his voice. Callum walked over to Maddie, not quite touching the floor, and brushed a cool hand along her cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut as she embraced the feeling. Her hijab moved off center on her head, but Maddie didn’t bother to fix it. She lived with Callum, so he had seen her many times with her hair down. He said it reminded him of the Charles River as it ebbed in the nighttime. Maddie lifted her hand, fingers pulled apart and waited for Callum to put his ghostly fingers around hers. She felt only the slightest breeze when he touched her, and it made her wish more than ever that he could be with her physically. “I suppose it’s better this way. Your father wouldn’t like it if I was actually here.” His lips tipped up in what Maddie could only describe as a breath of a smile. Callum knew that Maddie’s father expected her to marry a Muslim man, and the crucifix around Callum’s neck was explanation enough of his religion. As they gazed at each other, the top button on Callum’s jacket slipped open to reveal the top of the gunshot wound that had killed him. He dropped her hand and fixed the jacket quickly. Callum hated Maddie seeing his death wound. He didn’t like to remind her of how he had suffered when he had died. When Maddie first met Callum, she became so obsessed with discovering what gun caused the gaping hole in Callum’s chest that her father put her through counseling when he noticed her research. Despite the failed counseling attempt, Maddie had given up the research after she had found her answer. It was a Springfield Model 1861 that caught him in the chest, killing him at the young age of nineteen. When he died, Callum had been only one day away from his twentieth birthday. He often joked about how he was “stuck in his teenage years.” Maddie lifted her fingers and brushed them over the gunshot wound his jacket covered. She felt nothing but air. Callum, however, shivered and brushed at the single piece of hair that had escaped her hijab. Maddie wished she could place into words how her heart felt like Callum’s did—how much it hurt to imagine a day where she might grow old and have to leave the house, leave Callum, behind. She would have written letters and poems to him if she could have, but Callum had never learned how to read. Maddie had so much feeling inside of her chest sometimes she wished it would burst. She wanted more than anything to explain to her parents that she was already in love and to describe Callum to them so that he could understand the depth of her emotions, but she couldn’t. Because Maddie Alsamt was mute. Edited by Emily Chance The Melodic Sounds of Nature
By Emily Chance On one freezing day during a time when I was feeling particularly down, I decided to take a walk to rid myself of my self-pity. Sure, it was about 35 degrees and I was only wearing a light jacket, but what I experienced there was completely worth it. You see, I haven’t taken a hike in the woods since I was about 10 years old. I didn’t realize how much I missed it. As I grew up, I also grew scared of nature. There are so many disease-ridden creatures, and every time I get a mosquito it swells up to about the size of a golf ball. So, I figured I was safe if I went in during the colder weather. It was a conservation area, so it was relatively safe and very well marked. Nobody was going to dare take a walk alone in that temperature, so I had the trail to myself. The first time I walked through there, I didn’t hear anything at all. Everything was silent, and it was eerie. The second time I walked through I saw live armadillos digging around. They are rather cute creatures when they’re not roadkill, rotting on the side of the road. Then came the third, and more recent, time I took a walk on that trail. There were leaves covering the trail and I wanted to try to be quiet. I tiptoed my way through the leaves and attempting to find a small space of concrete to hold onto. When I came to the usual fork in the trail, I took the right one, marching down to the wooden lookout deck. When I got there, I leaned against the railing, watched, and listened. The woods came alive. When the wind blew through the dead leaves, I didn’t hear rattling or shaking. I didn’t feel like they were clinging onto that tree for all the life they have left. What I heard was singing. The leaves were singing, and the birds were dancing. Squirrels were playing, and I was listening to the wild symphony. I finally felt at peace. Take a walk in the woods and listen. Really listen. And the woods will be eager to talk back. Edited By: Catherine Lynch Color
By Reagan Greenwood Red. The color of the car and of the street, where our lips met for the first time. Red. The color that rushed and flooded your cheeks when you got caught staring too. Red. The color of roses you bought one week, for no reason except for love. Red. The color of your hair – disorderly framing each angle of your face. Red. The color I associate with you. The color that I miss, along with you. Edited by Emily Chance |
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