Covergirl Blastflipstick review and giveaway.

WhooHoo for this awesome new product from Covergirl! I am loving my blastflipstick.  Honestly, when I first received the product I thought "So it is just like every other lipstick." I was proven wrong in my thoughts. This lipstick will replace all of your current lipstick (IMO).

PROS:

• 13 sticks. Each stick has two colors that blend together to make a great third shade. If you were to buy all 13 sticks you would end up with 39+ colors. I have mixed/blended different shades together and the color combinations are endless.  Check out the colors HERE!
• It has a really long wear time. As long as you are not applying too thick of layers these colors really stay put.
• I love the shimmer. One end of the lipstick is a solid color. The other is this awesome shimmer that I think just makes my lips look amazing.
• You can really let your personality shine with this lipstick. These unique blending shades give you the option to really make the shades your very own. 

CONS:

• When applied in a thick layer it does seem to smudge and rub off really easily. The trick here is to apply in less layers. After I figured out the look I liked the most it was very easy for me to master.
• Possibly the price. It is a little pricey for me. However, given the fact that you are given the option of 3-4 shades from one lipstick..... I'd say it is worth it. 

My testing: (I can not believe I am sharing these pictures. The flash completely washed me out.)

Stunner shimmer

Stunner coral

Vixen rose

Vixen shimmer

I absolutely loved the stunner coral color. I thought it complimented my skin tone nicely. I enjoyed the vixen color as well but I don't feel the contrast between the two shades is as drastic as the other.

My favorite look that I created with the blastflipstick:

1.  Apply the darker smooth shade all over both the top and bottom lips
2.  Apply the shimmer just in the center of both the top and the bottom lips

This look worked great for me. It caused the eye to focus on the center making my thin lips look plumper. Much more kissable for the hubby. ;)

Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to enter the giveaway!
♥Tiffany 

Disclaimer: I received one or more products for free from BZZAGENT in exchange for my honest opinions. The thoughts and opinions stated are that of my own.  
*I will be responsible for the shipment of the prize. Bzzagent nor Covergirl are responsible for shipment of the prize. All entries will be verified prior to picking a winner. The drawing for the prize will be done via rafflecopter. Please respond within 48 hrs of the end of the drawing as to not forfeit your winnings. Must reside in the US.

Now I am giving one lucky person who visits this blog the chance to win a flipstick of their very own in MINX. I will also be throwing in some coupons and a few other freebies.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ugly Christmas lights turned chic

  I know the sound on that video is awful. I swear it wasn't like that before I uploaded it to YouTube. I am going to write out some instructions as well because of the bad quality of video.
DISCLAIMER: Please when using Christmas tree lights around small children practice caution.

Materials

• ugly Christmas lights
• tulle (rolls or bolt)
• scissors

Instructions

1. Tie your tulle onto the end of your cord and knot. (If using the bolt just cut off strips of tulle)
2. Begin wrapping the cord with the tulle.
3. When you come to a light simply wrap the tulle around once or twice.
4. When you have finished wrapping the cord with tulle you may begin adding the bows to the lights. To start, cut smaller strands of tulle. I like about 10 inches or so. Begin tying small individual bows around the lights.(I prefer to make a knot around the base of the light/cord.)
5. Admire your beautiful work.

Finished Product Photos:
(these haven't been edited but they give you an idea of how they will look before the "prettying" process.)

ENJOY, Have Fun and Happy Holidays to you and yours!

♥TIFFANY♥

Old Navy style council sweater review

  I have talked about my involvement with CROWDTAP.com before. Today, I am writing this review for the Old Navy style council as part of a Crowdtap activity that I accepted.  I was given an in-store coupon for ANY free sweater of my choice. I was also given an additional coupon for a friend.

  So lets just get right into this.  I first went straight to OldNavy.com to look at all of the gorgeous sweaters available.  Then I headed off to my nearest Old Navy store to pick out my sweater. The store was easily navigable and very clean. (Even though it was the day after Black Friday.) I got to admit I was very impressed by this. I thought for sure I'd walk into a mess and everything would be flung everywhere. Back on target though... There were so many beautiful, soft and cozy sweaters. Truly it was difficult to pick just one. There were casual sweaters. Dress up and stand out sweaters. Cardigans... o so many soft cardigans.
So we set off on our mission. Trying on practically all of them. Joann decided on this Women's Softest Sweater Cardis in Charcoal Heather Gray.

 Where as I went with the Women's Fair Isle-Stripe Cardis in this beautiful Marshmallow.

  I really love my sweater. I had a hard time deciding between a size small and medium though. Taking the advice from those who were with me, I went with the medium. I probably should of gone small..
  This first picture shows how the medium was slightly too big...

 The front has this double layer of fabric.

 Here is the neck of the sweater.

 This sweater was quite long but I am only 5'2. I actually really like the length when I pair it with leggings and boots!

 Overall, I can not say enough great things about these sweaters. They are sooooo incredibly soft and warm.  I love to pair my sweater with an Old Navy perfect tee.
Check out all the great clothing at Old Navy and maybe even tweet @OldNavy a picture or two of your outfit finds..

DISCLAIMER:  I was given these products for free from Crowdtap in exchange for my honest opinions. The thoughts and opinions stated are that of my own. In no way was I influenced by Crowdtap or Old Navy.

Enjoy your day,
Tiffany

Where to go from here?

LOST.... I have been trying to find my niche. Something that I really love to talk about, share about and something that I could keep up with on this blog. So far I have come up with nothing. I originally started this blog to share my love of photography. That was fleeting. While I do love photography, I don't think it is something for me to constantly be blogging about. Then there was my crafts. While it would be nice to be all famous on PINTEREST, I hate the thought of people using my ideas without giving back the appropriate credits.  Then I moved on to food. I love cheap easy simple meals. I just believe I'd rather add one meal a month or week or so. I followed all this craziness with my getting back into shape which failed miserably when I became ill and gained a ridiculous amount of weigh. I do enjoy reviewing things and I add reviews constantly to this blog. I just don't want to ONLY do reviews as that seems a bit boring to me.  

   So here lies the problem. Where do I fit in? Where does this blog fit in? I could write all about my adventures in mommyhood..... but would I really want everyone to know of my failures as a parent?
   So while I work up to finding my place within all these other blogs... today I shall write about getting back back in shape.

   Last year while my husband was deployed I rocked me some workouts. By the end of December I weighed right about 123, had muscle definition and had said goodbye to the dreaded muffin top. I got very sick soon after. January came around and I was constantly tired for no reason. By March I had a constant stomach ache, bloated, nausea and the fatigue anytime I ate(it seemed anyways). End of March I was weighing 130 something and gaining. July I was completely fed up and did some major research into why I was feeling so bad. I had developed an intolerance for lactose (which explained my yuck feeling after eating). I developed my intolerance as a result of my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Fast forward to the beginning of November....  I was weighing 160 on a bad day! On Nov 7 I made a great effort to avoid all dairy products. I weighed in on Nov. 14 and  I had lost 4 pounds just from counting out the dairy. I lost 2 inches off my waist and it was no longer hard as a rock. Since then I have not done so well. I ate pizza over the weekend. Even though I took a LACTAID pill before eating it only helped immediately after.  I regretted it a great deal the next morning. I awoke to a bloated, hard and cramping belly. 
There is no real treatment for CFS. I do however try to take an additional B12 vitamin every morning to help me get through the day. I am slowly trying to get up the energy to add more exercise into my life to help as well. I have found it to be very difficult though. 
So there it is.... my sob story about my health. Send me good thoughts. I really could use all the help that I can get.

UNREAL candy Review

I recently participated in a BzzAgent Campaign for UNREAL candy.
I have to admit I was a bit skeptical on if I would enjoy it but I gave it a try.
About the candy
NO CORN SYRUP
NO PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED OILS
NO ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS
NO GMOS
NO PRESERVATIVES
Has a LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX
You can check out this WHAT IS IN A COLOR link to find out how UNREAL dyes their candies the unjunked way.

My take on this candy
I was only able to try out two of the UNREAL candy bars because my local stores either hadn't started to sell them yet or they were sold out.
I tried out #5 and #8.

Lets start with the #5. It tasted very similar to a milky way.
-Same consistency
-It has 16 grams less of sugar.
-It has 4 grams more of fiber.
I really liked this. While I do not need a lower sugar candy bar for any major health concerns I do like to try and keep my sugar and carbohydrates that I consume to a minimal. This product helps me do that while not losing any flavor.
Now on to the #8(my favorite new candy bar)
This candy bar is similar to a Snickers.
The caramel, peanuts and nougat were like an exact replica.
-This bar has 13 grams less of sugar
-It also has 4 grams more of fiber
My kids loved these! They were gooey and sweet... everything that my kids would ever hope for in a candy bar.

So in the end... so far I love these. Soon I will try their peanut butter cups and m&m replicas and update this then. So happy snacking. Enjoy!
♥TIFFANY♥
Disclaimer: I was given one or two of these products for free or discount from BZZAGENT in exchange for my honest opinions. The thoughts and opinions stated are that of my own.

My online $$ making tips and links

  I am a very busy mommy to four little ones with my oldest just starting Kindergarten this month. I love being a SAHM!  I do however feel like I am not contributing enough to my family because I do not have a "real" job.  So like many other SAHMs out there I have set off on a quest to make some money online. I wanted something that I could do from the convenience of my own home. I found many 'too good to be true' sites exclaiming how rich I would become instantly after signing up.*No such luck*  I was ready to call it quits and give up my searching right then. I really wanted to make some money for my growing family though so I proceeded. I finally found what I will be telling you all about.

 First off, let me start by saying that some of these are only good for gift cards to specific places and not actual cash. (See #4) So here we go.

                                                    

                       My top list of money making websites 

1. SWAGBUCKS- This one is typically where I gain the most cash. You acquire points that you can cash out for PayPal, Amazon, Starbucks and about a hundred other things. You use it just as you would Google. (I have it saved as my homepage.) You can also make points by taking short surveys, daily poll, NOSO, shopping and even using their coupons!
2. SUPERPOINTS- I love this one because it is sooooo simple! I keep this opened up in its own tab and get on once a day. All you need to do to earn points is click a button! Similar to Swagbucks, you can do other things such as watching short videos and taking surveys as well. (UPDATE: Superpoints is no longer available.)
3. InboxDollars- This is for you if you do not want to mess with points and just want to see actual dollars and cents being earned. There is no point earning here it is just hard cash. Complete Surveys, read emails, watch videos or complete offers to make money. At $30 you can cash out for a check.
4. Crowdtap- This is a pretty awesome site. Although they have a very limited selection of gift card choices (Amazon being the best IMO), they do offer the opportunities to receive free products in exchange for your time and opinion from companies like Old Navy. This one I also love because you earn money for your selected charitable organization.

I am very certain there are plenty of equally great and easy opportunities out there.
Those listed above are the ones that work best for the small amount of time that I contribute into them.

I hope you enjoy the easy money making!
Thank you for stopping by my blog.
♥TIFFANY

imPRESS Press On Manicure

*I recently received imPRESS Press On Manicure complimentary to test from Influenster. The opinions in this post are completely that of my own and everyone will have a different experience.*

imPRESS On Manicure is so simple to apply, just peel off, press on, and you're done.
There is no dry time.
You get a killer shine and a manicure that lasts up to a week!
And, imPress is so easy to remove
- so you can change it up to match your mood or your outfit as often as you want.
They have 36 colors and patterns, including brights, darks and animal print so there is something for everyone. You can look for yourself right.. HERE.
OVERVIEW
I am obviously a busy mommy to four little ones so I do not get much time to pamper myself, let alone paint my nails.
Usually that process includes:
* Painting all the fingernails on one hand
* Stopping for 20 minutes to fix food, a little girls pigtails, clothes or stopping an argument.
* Painting the other hand.
* Only to realize that my first hand is now ruined.
This is why I LOVE these.
I cleaned my nails, had them "fitted" with the proper size, put on and filed down in under 5 minutes!!
They lasted me about 4 days. Which is pretty amazing. When I paint my nails they tend to chip faster then that.
I also really like that they didn't destroy my nails when they were taken off like other types do.
I received so many compliments on the shine and color of my imPRESS nails.
I will most defiantly be stocking up on these for special events.
CONS
Honestly the only issue I had with these were from that of my own misuse. I misfitted my pointer finger and it started prying up on the first day. I took it off, refitted it and everything was fine after that.
Find them
You don't have to take my word for it though, try them yourself and check them out on facebook.. BROADWAY NAILS and on twitter.. BwayNails

Quaker Soft Baked Oatmeal Cookies

*I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Influenster, I was not compensated for this product. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly that of my own.*

I recently got the opportunity to test out Quaker Soft Baked Oatmeal Cookies ( Raisin). not going to lie when I opened my box of goodies and found this cookie on top I immediately opened it and ate it. I absolutely loved this cookie. No joke. It tasted just as good if not better then one of my home baked cookies. It was soft, sweet and the best part was my four kids didn't even realize that there were raisins present!
My favorite things about these cookies:
-Made with Whole Grain Quaker Oats
-Individually packaged
-Provides a good source of fiber
-Contains 6 grams of total fat per serving

I already have these written down on my grocery list. I may have to hide a few as I am not entirely sure I can control myself from eating all of them right away. I have not tasted any of the other flavors but i think the next one I try will be the chocolate almond. I am pretty certain that I may even make this a part of my breakfast. I mean what can be so bad about oatmeal right?!? HAPPY EATING!

Easy Peasy Crockpot Rotel Chicken

Ingredients:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (I used 3)
1 Can of Rotel
1 Can of Corn drained
1 Bag of Rice prepared (Mexican Rice)
Half a block of Velvetta cheese (I used the Mexican Velvetta but original will work)

Instructions:
1. Place chicken in crockpot
2. Pour Rotel over chicken
3. Cook on low for 6 hours
4. Pour can of drained corn in crockpot
5. Cube your cheese and place in crockpot
6. Prepare your rice. During this time you can turn the crockpot off if you would like.
7. Add your prepared rice to crockpot and stir.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Make your meal more filling by adding to totillas.

This served my 4 little ones, myself and still ended up having leftovers.

I have a confession to make... I enter many giveaways. I *like* many facebook pages in hopes to keep up with all the giveaways available. All that really ends up occurring is a clogged newsfeed. I recently found a great website.. CONTESTCHEST... it is amazing. Select your country and BAM a wonderful giveaway! Here is a great opportunity right now to win $500 cash.. Simply fill out the rafflecopter. Make sure you include the link where you found this giveaway. a Rafflecopter giveaway

1000 Facebook Fan Giveaway! Enter to win a Thirsties Duo AIO cloth diaper (Ends 4/12 US only) Just go over to HERE and enter into the rafflecopter! GOOD LUCK!

SUPERPOINTS

If you swagbuck, you may be interested in Superpoints as well. It is a bit more exclusive and you need a referral for it, so just click.. here You are now referred! :)

Motivating you to your happy place

Motivation.... My children motivate me everyday. I am working on getting back to a fitter me, for them. Yes it is for me as well of course. For if it were not, I highly doubt I would get very far with my goals. With that being said I am doing this for my children. I want to run and play with my kids everyday and not feel wore out after a few minutes. I want to indulge in a special treat with them time to time and not feel guilty about it. I want to be the fun mom who can do it all with my littles and not just watching them from the sidelines. Happy Place... So what is your motivation? While I am a very strong believer in motivating ones self, as you can see, that is not entirely my case. I am using my children for my motivation. I am not however doing it because someone thinks that I should be a size 3, athletic, etc. Motivate you. Be the change you want for you. I want to feel confident, proud and energized. Getting back in shape is my plan on getting to that happy place in my life again. How will you get to your happy place?

Getting back to fit

I have had 4 beautiful little children in the last few years. I had mere months in between each pregnancy to get back to pre-pregnancy weight each time. Now however, my oldest is about to turn 5 and my youngest recently turned 1. I would say I have no excuse to not get back to my pre-baby number one size/weight.
I am not one of those naturally lucky people with a superb metabolism or amazing genes. It is actually the very opposite. Most of the women on both sides of my family have always really struggled with weight. Before I became pregnant with my first child I was going to the gym at least twice a day. I still only managed to get down to a size 5 and 118 pounds. Which may sound great but at 5'2", this is not exactly the case.
So here I am 6 years older, trying to get back to that place. It is going to be difficult and it will not happen over night and I am very much prepared. Here are my downfalls and what I will need to manage to get to my goal.
1. Coke- Love the stuff. Weaning myself off so not to have killer headaches.
2. HUSBAND- I love the man but he has to be the most unmotivational person alive.
3. Water- I do not drink near enough. On a daily basis I am only consuming 32oz or so. I need to double this number and the sooner the better.
4. Exercise- I love working out, not so much with 4 kids under foot. I need to learn to make more time and stick with it.
5. Sleep- My youngest still wakes at night to eat. Add me not going to bed until 11 or so. And then my other 3 waking up at 6:30 and well you can see my issue. GET TO BED EARLIER!

I am currently 135 pounds and a size 7. Two months ago I got down to 125 pounds and a size 5. Out of nowhere I constantly felt sick and later discovered I am now lactose intolerant. I have finally got to the point in my diet where that is no longer an issue for me and I feel so much better.. So now its time to get back on track. Hopefully I can continue to hold myself accountable.