Mandii's Muse

It's Friday! This week has been super hot, and today is no different! As per usual, I'm linking up with Lauren ! Here is what I am loving this week! 1. I am pretty sure that I am a big fan of this mascara. I have a review coming in the near future. 2. My dog Sunshine, always wants to get in on the OOTD posts. She's wearing fur. Golden fur. 3. I created a Facebook Fan Page for my blog. Have you "liked" it yet? 4. I'm still loving this as my lunch combo! 5. I think I found someone who would go to the Alex Goot concert with me! How has your week been? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Today I want to introduce you to a musical artist that I have been loving lately. His name is Alex Goot. I can't even tell you how I found him. He just appeared in the sidebar of my YouTube profile. Well, I am so glad he did! He is so talented! Image found here Alex began putting videos on YouTube in 2007. If you watch his videos, you will see that he plays a multitude of different instruments. Piano, guitar, and drums, as well as several other instruments. Lucky for you, he's going on tour this summer. You can find all of that information here . If I can convince some of my friends to go with me, I'll probably hit the Pittsburgh show. Going to a show alone isn't any fun right? Here are a few of my favorites of his! Livin' on a Prayer- As a big Bon Jovi fan, I feel like everyone does this song, but Alex knocks it out of the park! The vocals are amazing, the music is superb, and it is probably one of the best versions I have ever heard. What Makes You...

I can't say I crave coffee. Especially hot, but I will drink it. I'm more likely to drink an iced mocha rather than a hot mocha. Enter International Delight's Iced Coffee! I picked this up on a recommendation from my aunt, and I am glad I did. It's delicious! (I picked up the light version.) It has just the right amount of coffee and mocha flavor. It leaves no bitter taste in your mouth, like some coffees can. The light version is great for those of you wanting to save some extra calories. I put some ice cubes in my cup, pour this in, and stir it around. I like to drink this really cold, so I let it sit a few minutes to get extra cold. I think the price is right too! This was $3.98 for a half gallon at Wal-Mart. You can also find coupons for this, because when I bought mine, I had a $.75 off coupon. Score! Who is this good for? This is perfect for the person who doesn't have a coffee shop near them. It's also great for those mornings when you don't ha...

Even though this was a holiday weekend, it was extremely busy! On Sunday I had a wedding to go to. It was a lot of fun, and definitely exciting to see my 87 year old grandma out on the dance floor!! She's got some moves I tell you! (Much better than my dance moves!) I will say this though, the Cupid Shuffle and Cha Cha Slide are my jams!!  Let's talk about some outfits shall we? Wedding OOTN: Dress: Jones New York~Found at Ross Shoes: Miss Bisou ~Found at JCPenney Accessories: Pearls ~Gift from my parents Makeup: I went with a dark smokey eye, so I used Pistol, Verve, and Blackout from the Naked 2 palette. I needed some longwearing products so I used my Sumita eyeliner, and Maybelline The Rocket Volume mascara. I used my Prime Time primer, and Mary Kay mineral foundation in Beige 1. I used Warmth from Bare Minerals, and Stainiac from The Balm. I topped it off with ELF Makeup Setting Spray, and my makeup looked just like I put it on at 11:15 that night. Monday was M...

Memorial Day 2013 I know that sometimes I take my freedoms for granted. Especially when I turn on the news and see the destruction and devastation in countries that don't have the freedoms we do. Today, I'd like to thank the men and women who have served to keep our country safe. Also, I think of the families who sent their loved ones off to war, and how their heart feels when they never returned. Take a moment today, to pause and thank those who never returned while they were keeping our country the "Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave."

When I first discovered the beauty community on the internet, I quickly realized that there were some cult beauty products you "HAD to have." Well, I tried two of those cult favorites and I wasn't impressed. Now, that's not saying I don't like any other products from their line, because I do. I'm just not a fan of these particular ones. On with the products! Philosophy's Purity Face Cleanser- When I used this, I felt like my face wasn't getting clean. It didn't lather, and I felt like it was just moving my makeup around, instead of deep cleaning it. Now for products I do like, I love their Amazing Grace perfume and body washes. Stila lip glaze- Normally I love a lip product, but this just wasn't for me. It was SO sticky. It is definitely not a lip gloss you would wear on a windy day. Your hair would be goop city! It feels heavy on my lips, and it is just not for me. From Stila, I love the liquid shimmer in rose gold. It is a beautiful hig...

Ah, Friday. Nice to see you again. As usual, I'm linking up with Lauren ! My voice is s l o w l y coming back. Here's what I'm loving this week! 1. Coach K announced that he was returning as the USA Men's Basketball coach. The man is a legend. 2. Aren't my dogs just the cutest? I can't stand it. 3. Our rhodendron bushes are the prettiest pink color. 4. I'm thinking about painting my nails red for Memorial Day, with a blue sparkly accent nail. 5. I'm testing the staying power of my Sumita eyeliner at a wedding this weekend. How has your week been? Leave me a comment and let me know!

I have to order new contacts today, so I figured why not give you a review while I was at it. Let me give you a little bit of a back story. I was a late bloomer in the contacts department. I did not care if I had to wear glasses. Boy have things changed! My cousin was getting married in May a couple years ago, and I was throwing out the idea of getting contacts. The thought of sticking something in my eye freaked me out. I talked to my eye doctor about it, and she suggested we try it. I had to go through a contact lens class to learn the ins and outs of getting your contacts in. Well, 5 classes later I was able to get my contacts in. (I told you it freaked me out!) Getting my contacts has been an absolute life changer! If I could go back to college with my contacts, I'd love it! *I'm nearsighted.* I should mention that my eye doctor gave me these lenses to try, and I liked them so there was no need for me to try other brands. The Air Optix Aqua are clear lenses that have a...

I got some "new to me" beauty products this past weekend at Wal-Mart. The beauty aisle is the first place I go to when I go to any store. As if I needed anything else but, two products caught my eye. Shocking, I know. Rimmel Stay Glossy 6hr lip gloss These were on an end cap, away from the Rimmel line. I'll admit, I buy into the gimmick. I got the shade All Night Long. I've only wore this once, but it isn't sticky, or goopy. I'll have a full review on this once I wear it more. I believe this was $3.89. My second product was a mascara. A girl's gotta get her essentials. ;) Maybelline Great Last Lots of Lashes The unique brush sucked me in. It is cone shaped, and looks like it will grab the lashes in my inner corner unlike my LashBlast that I have been using. I got the Blackest Black shade. I have not tried this yet, as I am using my last bit of LashBlast before I dive into this one. Maybelline Great Lash was my first mascara, and I didn't mind i...

Does any one else feel like it has been forever since I did a recipe post? I do! So let's do one today!  We got a little excited to eat! That's why I'm showing you the pretty side! I love breakfast. On the days that I have to eat cereal or toast, I cringe. Now, I will warn you, this is not for the health nut. It's pretty caloric. I just love that it can be made ahead, and baked the morning of, for a delicious hot breakfast. French Toast Bake: 1 loaf Sourdough or Texas Toast bread 4 eggs 1 stick butter 1 cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 1/2 cup milk Melt butter and mix into brown sugar. Mix and pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Crack eggs and whisk. Add milk and vanilla to egg mixture. Add a layer of bread onto brown sugar mixture. Pour half of egg mixture onto bread. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar, and a light coating of brown sugar on top. Add second layer of bread. Pour rest of egg mixture on top. Cover and put in fridge overnight. *Make sure you pull it out of ...

I'm not sure why it came out blurry...  :( As promised, here is my review on The Rocket! This mascara is a wetter mascara. Which can lead to clumping if you're not careful. I have had luck with using just 1 coat, and using a spooly brush to separate my lashes. (2 coats is always better!) I would say that if you use more than 2 coats, it would be clump city. I would recommend letting the lashes dry between the first and second coats. I will say this, it made my lashes a little "crunchy," not soft and touchable. It's not a big deal for me, but might be for others.  I did not buy the waterproof version, but this stuff is a bugger to get off! You must use an oil based eye makeup remover break the product down and remove it from your eyes. I actually like that it stays put because I don't have to worry about it smudging. This mascara is great on days when you know you are going to be gone a long time, like I said, it does not budge. Overall: I like this m...

This is not your typical butter. I created this based on trying something similar at a local Italian restaurant. It is easy, a crowd pleaser, and you can judge how much you want to make. Here's the only problem, I eyeball everything. There are no set measurements. It all depends on your liking. Like it hotter? Add more red pepper flakes. More Italian flavor? Add more Italian seasoning. It's up to YOU! Ingredients: Canola Oil Olive Oil Garlic Salt Parsley Flakes Italian Seasoning Crushed Red Pepper Flakes Garlic clove Run garlic clove through the garlic press. Add as much of each seasoning as you would like in a small container. Then add a mixture of canola and olive oils. The Finished Product:  *This gets better as it sits, so make it ahead of time. I use this in place of butter.   If you make this, let me know how it is! Leave me a comment and tell me!   **I know the Lawn Logic series was supposed to end today. I want to film a video to g...

I'm linking up with Lauren again this week! It's been an interesting week. 1. Gretchen Rossi of Real Housewives of Orange County tweeted me. Backstory: One of my favorite Beauty Gurus Emily tried some of her makeup. I tweeted Emily saying that I will have to check it out...Gretchen replied to both of us! 2. I've had pretty much no voice since Monday, and I have been living on these "Caveman Drops" that I got at my local pharmacy. 3. I am going to paint my nails with Clambake Coral, and need your help! Should I go with a gold accent nail, or pink accent nail? Leave me a comment and let me know! 4. I love having fresh flowers in my room. They brighten the whole space up! 5. I wore this ELF Matte lipstick, and really liked it. I shopped my stash and rediscovered it. It's a pretty pinky brown color. What is it lately with me and matte lip colors? How has your week been? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Remember these? The Bump-It, Topsy Tail, and the Part Pizazz. I still use these on a semi-regular basis, and feel like no one talks about these tools any more. Not pictured, Part Pizazz. Bump-It- My hair is flat. On a good day I can get some good volume with the help of some styling products but not enough to notice a huge difference. Enter, bump-its. I saw the infomercial years ago, and thought that it looked legit. I looked online and read some reviews and watched some tutorials and went ahead and bought it. I love using this on second day hair! It stays in place with a little teasing, and gives me nice volume at the crown. I can either wear my hair pulled back in a ponytail, or half up with a headband. Topsy Tail- I almost never wear my hair pulled back. When I do, I like to jazz it up. A ponytail can be so...boring at times. I love how the topsy tail lets me pull my hair back in a chic way. It is also versatile so I can braid a section or wear it curly. Do you remember th...

Unfortunately, I came down with a cold this week. However, I still love to have some color on my lips. Whether it is a tinted lip balm or a full on lip color, I think it helps my mood. Plus, it brightens my face even though my hair is a total disaster. Haha! Hey, I might as well use my lipsticks since I have so many!  Do you wear lipstick when you're sick? Leave me a comment and let me know! 

My May Birchbox is here! There are a few things I am excited to try out this month. *I haven't tried any of these products yet, but when I do I'll be sure to let you know what I liked and didn't like!* Coola| Classic Face SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer- I think in the summer you could always use an SPF that is specifically designed for you face. I'm anxious to see if it will break me out or if it will help hydrate my skin as well. Sumita| Color Contrast Eyeliner -When I swatched this on my hand, IT DID NOT BUDGE! I am going to try using this for my waterline and see its staying power on there. I'm excited to use this on a hot summer day and put its staying power to the ultimate test. Klorane| Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk - I haven't experimented with other dry shampoos a whole lot, so I'm hoping this will help me branch out! I love my Suave dry shampoo, so I am looking forward to seeing how this compares to that brand. Marvis| Classic Mint Toothpa...

Sometimes I get forgetful about wearing a fragrance. I have so many samples given to me through Birchbox and things I've bought at Bath and Body Works. I really need to start wearing fragrances more often. Here are a few that I really like when I do wear them. Harvey Prince is a brand that I have never heard of prior to Birchbox. I'm so glad I've gotten samples of their fragrances in my Birchbox, because I absolutely LOVE them! They are fresh and clean, not overpowering, and their packaging is just too cute! Eau Flirt is designed to help you attract a man. The secret is pumpkin pie and lavender scents. From Harvey Prince ..."An encounter with Eau Flirt reveals top notes of sweet lavender and a cocktail of bright citrus, followed by a mingling of feminine florals freesia, ylang ylang and jasmine. Delicate spices and warm nighttime amber offer a graceful and balanced flourish."   I would definitely give this one a try if you love lighter scents. Skinny Chic ...

  Welcome to Part 2 of the Lawn Logic Series! If you missed last weeks post, you can find it here. Part 2 of this series is going to be dealing with feeding your lawn, and the dreaded grub problem. You'll find the Lawn King's thoughts in italics . Fertilizer: Do I need to fertilize my lawn? If you want a full and healthy and eventually weed free lawn, fertilization is a necessity. By fertilizing your lawn, (after applying your weed and feed mixture)  you are fertilizing your grass and not your weeds and grass. The thicker and healthier your lawn is, the less chance the weeds can squeeze up through and cause you any problems. What products do you recommend? There are many good products on the market. I find the Scotts brand easiest to use. I have also used K-Mart's K-Grow brand and find it very effective. How often should I use fertilizer? The Scotts brand products are marked right on the bag, and tell you what time of year, and how to use. They are supe...

It's Friday! Yippee!! I'm linking up with Lauren as usual! Here is what I'm loving this week! 1. I'm going to see the Down East Boys in concert tonight. They are one of my favorite Southern Gospel groups! 2. I'm still trying out this mascara. I'm not sure if I like it yet, so I am going to hold off on my review for another little bit. 3. How are you doing on the squat challenge? If you're following along with me, we do 100 squats today! 4. I really enjoy doing the Lawn Logic series! Part 2 is coming tomorrow! Haven't read it yet? You can find part 1 here! 5. Just found out Michael Buble is going to be in Pittsburgh this fall! Must get some tickets for that one! (I feel like this is the year all my favorite artists are coming to town!) How has your week been? Leave me a comment and let me know!

I feel like it has been all beauty on the blog this week. So let's talk sports shall we? (I'm still going to throw some beauty in ok?) I'm wearing Evgeni Malkin's #71! Hockey playoffs are well under way. Everyone wants to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. Myself, I'm a Penguins fan, and we take our hockey VERY seriously! There is something about hockey that is just fun to watch. I can't describe it, and although it is fun to watch on TV, nothing beats watching a game in person. So let's say you get invited to a hockey party, or better yet the game!! Ladies, there is no reason why you can't look cute while wearing a hockey jersey! As you can see from my picture, I put my hair in a cute top knot (or sock bun) and accessorized with a plain black headband. I put in some cute hoop earrings and a bold lip color. Since my jersey is longer I put on some skinny jeggings. For shoes, some plain black leather flats. Headband: Came in a 6 pack from Wal-Mart E...

There is no doubt that this scenario has happened to you. You get some really expensive cream to put on your acne, rosacea, or eczema. You try it out, and find out you are allergic to it, or it makes your skin look horrible. Such was the case with Lani Lazzari. She has sensitive skin and has tried every commercial product on the market to help her eczema. Nothing worked, so she took matters in her own hands. She created Simple Sugars in December of 2005. If you're wondering where you might have heard Lani's name before, she appeared on ABC's Shark Tank! The scrubs are all natural and uses many different oils. There are no sulphates, artificial preservatives, parabens, colors, or scents. There are scrubs for your face, body, feet, and even some for the men in your life! You can find your perfect scrub on their website . I wish you could smell this! I bought some at a local retailer and I am impressed! I got the chocolate scent, and let me tell you, it smells AMAZING!...

If you would have told me a year ago that I would fall in love with matte lipsticks I would've thought you were crazy. Me, being the lipstick hoarder that I am, knew I just had to try this. I first saw this lip color on FleurdeForce , and thought she looked absolutely amazing in it. When I found out it was Wet N Wild and was $2, I had to have it. The color is a beautiful raspberry red. Not a true red, and not pink either. It's matte, which makes the staying power incredible! This lasted through a meal and then some. You almost don't even have to touch up afterwards. It is a touch on the dry side like most matte lipsticks are, but I haven't had a problem with it honestly. If it bothered you, I'm sure a quick swipe of lip balm underneath or a gloss over top would make it more moisturizing. The only downfall these have is the packaging. You are bound to get some lipstick on the cap unless you are super careful when opening the lip color. I am, so it is not a huge ...

I had a Mothers and Daughters banquet at my church to go to on Saturday. It was warm out so I knew I didn't want to wear pants. Plus, it's Spring. I'm ready for bright colors! Can you forgive the awkward pose and facial expression on me? I'll get better!  My Dress: This dress is from I <3 Ronson and I got it at JC Penney's. When I saw this dress I immediately fell in love with it. It is so not something I would choose, but I absolutely love it. My Shoes: These are Miss Bisou from Penney's as well. I first got them because they were "Duke Blue" (duh!) but these are one of the most comfortable pair of heels I own. My Accessories: I wore my Rose gold Merona watch from Target, and some cubic zircona studs that I got at Penney's as well.  I also wore my cross necklace that I never take off. It was a great event!

  Welcome to a new series on my blog! This series will help you get your lawn looking fabulous for any Memorial Day picnic you are having...plus getting it ready to make all of your neighbors jealous!  ;)  I'll be posting a new blog about lawn care every Saturday for the next 3 or 4 weeks. I also have a special guest helping me...my dad! He is no expert , but he has over 40 years experience in the lawn care area so we've dubbed him The Lawn King. He is a bit OCD and meticulous when it comes to our lawn. In fact, he won't let my mom or I cut the front part of our yard. (See what I mean?) So, let's get on with the series! Lawn Basics: Rodents: What is digging holes in my yard? You would have to define digging. Is it an actual dig or is it a tunnel? If it is a tunnel, it could be a mole or vole. A mole is a meat eater, and a vole is a vegetable eater. If it is an actual dig, than it could be a chipmunk. How can I get rid of them? Honestly, for moles and v...

I'm linking up with Lauren again! I'm glad today is Friday. Here are a few things I'm loving this week!   1. I have been loving this matte lipstick from Wet N Wild called Cherry Picking. I will post a review soon!   2. I am also trying this new mascara from Maybelline. So far, I'm liking it. Review coming soon!   3. My best friend and I were talking about *NSYNC the other day. We can't believe how long it has been since they first debuted!   4. I have been loving my 2 year planner from Mead. I keep all of my sub dates in there and my blog posts for the week. It has been my lifeline!   5. I celebrated the Duke and Duchess's wedding anniversary by wearing my replica engagement ring.   So how has your week been? Please leave me a comment and let me know!

I taught a couple of days this week. I don't know about you, but my wardrobe is in the "transition" phase meaning I still have my winter clothes out but the weather is heating up. So until I get my clothes out, I need to revamp my wardrobe to give me some relief in the heat.   My blue top came from Wal-Mart. I love the ruffles, and the fact that it is short sleeved. My pants are Jaclyn Smith (read:old) and shoes are Xhilaration. A quick sentimental fact about the top, I wore this top the first time I visited Duke's campus. Therefore, I will probably never get rid of it.   My second outfit was more casual but still dressy. I wore black gaucho pants that were oh so comfy. My top came from Nicole by Nicole Miller. I love the animal print, and the teal accent. I wore just some plain black flats with bow accents.   So, how do you cope with your wardrobe in the "transition" phase? What are your tricks? Leave me a comment and let me know!   *Due t...

Alright ladies, it's going to be bathing suit season very soon. Dun, Dun, Dun! Let's challenge ourselves this month. I'm sure we still have some toning up to do from this LONG winter we had. Unless you look like Beyoncé or Gisele Bundchen, in that case, I hate you. Just kidding. :)  I present to you the 30 day Squat Challenge! I first saw this on Khloe Kardashian Odom's twitter page. I thought it could help me tone up for summer. *Proper form is a must people! I found this helpful video to help you so you don't pull a muscle! So what do you say? Will you join me? Leave me a comment and let me know  you are doing this with me. To tighter tummies and better bottoms! *image found here