Mandii's Muse

I had blogged about a Winter/Spring "What's in my Purse", but my purse tastes change in the Summer! I like to carry with me, only the essentials in the Summer so a smaller purse is definitely necessary! Let's get on with it! My purse is a Worthington from JC Penney's. I love the pink color and the raised dots! I also love the gold chain detail on the strap! My Wallet is from LTD catalog. I'm a huge fan of their stuff! I like a wallet with a wristlet in the summer, just in case I only want to take it along with me. Hairspray and hair tie Tide to-go pen Foldable mirror and brush Hand sanitizer Gum Keys Cell Phone Not pictured: cell phone and lipstick of the day!   Lipstick  Do you change purses in the Summer? What are your summer essentials for your purse? Leave me a comment, I'd love to hear from you! Missed my last What's in my Purse post? You can find it here!

Friday rolls around again! I'm linking up with Lauren , as usual! Here is what I am loving this week! 1. I have received an opportunity to review something for you all! Can't spill too much now but is starts with a T and ends with an O! 2. Mason Plumlee got drafted last night! He is now a Brooklyn Net! Another Dukie got drafted too, Ryan Kelly went to the Lakers. 3. Glasses and Eye drops for me this week, thanks to 2 corneal abrasions on my left eye! 4. How adorable is this case from LTD? I use it to hold my blog business cards! 5. Landon Austin is going to be performing with Alex Goot in Pittsburgh! I'm pretty pumped!

This is going to be one of those posts that go like this, do as I say, not as I do. On Tuesday when I put my contacts in, I thought something was in my eye. It quickly disappeared and when I took them out Tuesday night there was some discomfort in my left eye. When I woke up Wednesday morning, my eye was red, sore, and tearing up. I immediately thought: pink eye. It continued, so I went to the Urgent Care center. The doctor put numbing drops in my eye, and looked all through it. That included turning my eyelid inside out. Ew. He also put an orange dye in it and looked at it with a black light. He found that there were, get ready for it....not 1 but 2 small abrasions in my eye. He said that mine were at the 12:00 and 3:00 positions of my eye. He said that mine were probably caused by dirt underneath my contact lens that scratched my cornea. So I can't wear my contacts for 1 week, nor can I wear eye makeup for a week. (It's a good thing I like lipstick!) I also have to pu...

I didn't want to get on the Pinterest train, but I did. I love it. I have several boards, but my food and blog boards are probably my most popular. This summer I am challenging myself to make something from my Pinterest food boards at least 2 times a month. Here is what I want to try so far!  Don't these look delicious? You can find this recipe here !  Chicken is a main staple in our house, and we have a box of bowties on hand. Looking for this recipe? It is right here!  I love anything to do with Caprese, so this will be a must for me! I can see this being made with my homemade french bread...okay, my mouth is drooling! Here's the recipe! Lastly, I know you love these cookies as much as I do.  I will be trying this recipe for sure! If you want to make them too, here you go! What "pins" are you planning to try this summer? Leave me a comment and let me know!

I love quotes and sayings. I have some just randomly hanging on my bulletin board in my bedroom. I found some really awesome and thought provoking sayings on the Salada teabags. I enjoyed them, so I figured you would too! *There are no authors on these* A gem is not polished without rubbing, nor man made perfect without trials. Desk-A wastepaper basket with drawers. (Isn't this SO true??) Swinging nightclubs offer evening golf. (I though this one was funny!) A perfect example of minority rule is a baby in the house. (Any parents reading this? Is this true?) Kindness is the oil that takes the friction out of life. (Being kind really helps everyone!) Lastly, my favorite of the bunch: Money lent to a friend may have to be recovered from an enemy. (Has this ever happened to anyone? It can be definitely true!) I just really enjoyed these sayings, and a lot of them are really true if you take time to think about it. It gives you a different spin on things. Sha...

Whew, that was a title and a half huh? After your child has endured 180 days of school, the last thing you want them to do is to lose it all during the summer. As a teacher, I have a few tips that will help keep your kids fresh, and still be learning while they are having fun!   *If your kiddos get an allowance, let them count the money! Teach them to save it, and budget whatever they are going to do with it. It not only helps them now with monetary value, but also helps them later in life with creating a budget and having good money practices. *If you have a swimming pool, play a game of “Flashcard Splash!” Get a pair of flashcards (math, sight words etc.) and shuffle them. Show a flashcard to the youngster, and if they get it right, they get to jump in the pool! If you don’t have a pool, you can still do the same concept, but have them do jumping jacks, or hula hoop after a correct answer! *Partner with your local library! Most libraries (and some schools) have ...

Can you believe that there was a time when I HATED to wear lipstick? Oh my goodness, what was wrong with me?! I am so glad my opinions have changed! I firmly believe that lipstick completes any outfit. My mother has been telling me this for years, and I definitely believe it. I put together my list of favorite lipsticks from pinks, nudes, and reds. I threw in some miscellaneous shades as well. *Just a side note, I think these shades are just as acceptable to wear in the fall and winter as well.* The Nudes I am not a nude lipstick fan but it is good to have at least some nude or my lips but better colors in your arsenal. Here are my favorites! * L'Oreal Fairest Nude is probably about as nude as I will go. I pair this with a smokey eye, and some gloss over top. * Rimmel 104 is a my lips but better shade that I am loving! It has a satin finish, and looks great with whatever I wear. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey is another MLBB shade that I wear when I wan...

Yay for Friday! As usual, I'm linking up with Lauren . Here is what I loved this week! 1. My poor dog is going through a phantom pregnancy. She is very hormonal, and pitiful. Ryan Kelly, from Celtic Thunder! 2. One of the lads from Celtic Thunder, Ryan, is having a live chat tonight! Can't wait to tune in! 3. I stayed up too late watching the NBA Finals last night. I was rooting for the Spurs! 4. I hope to have some really interesting and different blog posts for you this coming week! 5. The weather has been amazing! I love summer! Not a very picture heavy post today! Stick around for tomorrow's post!

In today's day and age, a lot of times it is all about me, myself, and I. If it is not about you, it is about the latest celebrity. We need to focus more on helping others. When my Grandma was recovering from surgery last summer, members of our church were kind enough to bring our family dinner. We have returned the favor by making meals for several of our friends and church members who are going through treatments, and surgery. It is no bother, we cook for ourselves anyway, so why not make extra for someone who is in need? You don't have to spend hours upon hours every week volunteering. Stop in at Wal-Mart and get a bag of dog food and take it to the local Humane Society. Make some cookies and deliver them to homebound people. Take some flowers to residents of a nursing facility. The little things add up. By doing these little things, not only will you brighten someone's day, you will feel better about yourself as well! I'm going to be doing my part as well! Lat...

Let's take a step back into my high school years. All I ever wore on my lips was lip gloss. Pinks, reds, clear. You name it, I had it. In through college, I wore lipstick and would swipe on some gloss every now and again. Ever since I have been out of college, it has been straight lipstick. I've been trying to break back into the gloss scene, so I decided to give the Rimmel Stay Glossy glosses a try! These claim to last 6 hours, but I am here to tell you that it doesn't. That is not a huge issue for me though. I like that it is not overly sticky. You can wear this on a windy day and you wouldn't get the "hair goop" from your hair getting stuck in your lip gloss! :) I bought the shade All Night Long , and it is a mauve-y/berry color. It has iridescent glitter in it, but you absolutely cannot tell it on your lips. I chose this shade because it would look good on my lips without lipstick, but also would look nice over lipstick. Application is a breeze with the ...

Have you ever had one of those days/mornings/afternoons where you had seemingly minutes to get ready? That was me the other day. Normally, I take about an hour, sometimes an hour and 15 minutes to get ready. That includes, shower/makeup/hair/outfit. The other day though, I had oh 15-20 minutes. WOAH! So here is how I got ready, and still looked presentable in a short amount of time! After I got out of the shower, I combed out my hair and applied my Argan Magic argan oil. I let my hair air dry while I applied my makeup. As far as makeup went, I filled in my brows using my Rimmel brow pencil. Then I used my MAKE eyeshadow in burnt umber on my lower lash line. I swept on some Maybelline color tattoo in Barely Branded, and curled my lashes and applied 2 coats of Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes mascara. (Believe me, there was no time to use a crease and highlight color!!) I used my Tarte lipsurgence in Joy for my lips to give me a nice pop of color. Again, no time for face makeup! ...

I'm not going to lie, today I had a Monday brain block. I had originally had another post in mind, but I didn't have the materials to show you. Anyways, back to your regularly scheduled post! I think Great Lash is girls first mascara. I know it was mine! Who doesn't love pink and green colors together anyway? I cannot say enough good things about this mascara! The Maybelline Lots of Lashes brush is what makes this so unique. It is tapered so there is a smaller end than what is further up the brush. This makes it perfect to get your inner corner lashes, and the fatter end plumps my outer lashes. This is a rubber brush. This mascara holds a curl very well! It also does not clump or flake. The only con that would be for some people, is if you don't put your mascara on with the opposite hand. If you didn't, it would be hard to get your inner corners because it would be flipped. Example: I put my mascara on my right eye, with my right hand. I put my mascara on my le...

Ah, that little pink box arrived in my mailbox this week. Hence, a Christmas like celebration. In today's digital age, getting actual mail is fun, especially when you know it is mail with makeup in it! Birchbox has got a new look! Instead of the "box" emblem, they have gone with a diamond, and instead of pink on the box cover, they have chosen a white color. Also, the inside of the box there is a gorgeous chevron pattern! Here is my June Birchbox, and I really like it! Birchbox + Color Club | Wanderlust Collection- I got this beautiful almost neon green color, and I just can't wait to put it on my nails. I received the shade London Calling. It is just the perfect shade for summer! LAQUA & CO |Lil Lip Duo- You know I go gaga over a lip color! This is a beautiful shade of pink that screams summer! It goes on smoothly, and leaves a nice wash of color on your lips when it is gone. ORIGINS | Clear Improvement Active charcoal mask to clear pores- I have never us...

The weather this week has been miserable. Where is summer? Anyway, it is Friday and I am linking up with Lauren as usual! 1. It is my Bubba's birthday today! She is coming to our house for dinner tonight! 2. Cocoa Rice Krispie treats with peanut butter chips is a wonderful thing. Try it! 3. Now that Jon Scheyer is back at Duke, I can pull out this custom shirt I had made way back in his freshman year! (can you say obsessed?) 4. I'm liking my Birchbox so far! Post on that coming soon! 5. Now that summer is here, this guy will be my best friend!   How has your week been? Leave me a comment and let me know!

*Sorry this post is extra late today, we had some severe weather roll through last night and knocked out our power.* Do you ever feel like you know a little too much about your friends on Facebook? Did you really need to know that they just "checked in" at a location from FourSquare? What about the friends that post inappropriate song lyrics or vulgarity on Twitter? Being social media appropriate is not just a common courtesy, it is common sense. I am going to give you some DO's and DON'T's for social media. Facebook DO's and DON'T's: DO connect with family and friends DO post pictures of family events DO "like" pages of your favorite restaurants, or blogs  ;) DON'T post inappropriate lyrics or pictures Twitter DO's and DON'T's: DO interact with your favorite celebrities or family DON'T post vulgarity or inappropriate things on Twitter DON'T repeatedly ask a celebrity to follow you. If they want ...

If you remember this post about the Amish, then you will like today's post! I absolutely do not buy my flowers from retailers like Wal-Mart, Lowes, or K-Mart. Half of the time they are small, almost dead, and incredibly over priced. I buy my flowers at a flower auction. *I took some sneaky cell phone  photos, so if the quality isn't great, that's why!* (Remember the Amish are not fond of cameras.) My flower auction is run by a group of Amish men, and some "English" people as well. Starting in April, they bring in baskets and flats of flowers to sell, around harvest time they bring in fresh fruits and vegetables, and in the fall, fresh Christmas trees, and pine garland. The quality on these flowers is 100% better than you would get at the stores mentioned above. Going to a flower auction you have to know what flowers you want and how much you want to spend. They might have geraniums for sale for $.25, but you may have to buy 45 of them which adds up in the ...

If you liked yesterday's post, then you should like the post today. I am going to give you a few essential clothing/accessory items and tips that can help you build a summer wardrobe. A classic pair of black wedges will go with any outfit. It will give you some nice lift. I love wedges because it is a shoe that I can wear with some confidence that I won't break an ankle in! A simple nude dress can go with many different scarves and accessories. Pair it with a leopard scarf and a black purse for classic elegance, or pair it with some fun, bold jewelry to make it fun. A classic black handbag (mine also goes cross body!) is a great Summer staple. It goes with everything, and is just big enough to hold your essentials, but not be a huge purse. I love a cute maxi dress . You could also get a maxi skirt and wear that as well. I love how effortless it is, and how they look great with a simple jean jacket. Lastly, get a few great scarves . You might not need them during ...

Ah, sweet Summertime! Oh how I've missed you! I am ready for all that Summer brings. Picnics, 4th of July, and swimming! With Summer, brings heat and the possibility of your makeup breaking down. I have picked out a few of my favorite products that have helped my makeup stay put. Face Primer: You know I love the Prime Time primer from Bare Minerals. It absorbs oil and keeps your face looking matte. Foundation: In the summer, you want to get a new foundation to match your bronzed skin. I just got a new Mary Kay mineral foundation in Beige 2. (I was a Beige 1 in the Winter) Blush: Blush is typically the first thing to leave the face on a sweaty day, so I love the Stainiac from The Balm. It gives a nice stain and looks very natural. Eye Primer: I have really oily lids, and I found that The Balm's Put a Lid on it really stays in place and makes my shadows last longer. Also in the summer you should invest in some good quality eye shadows. As you know, I love the Urban Deca...

*I received this from Influenster* On my mom's side of the family, we are the only ones without a dishwasher. Actually, no. We have a dishwasher...our hands! If you combine 3 meals a day plus dishes to make the food, we are sticking our hands in water often. Dish soap can either make or break how you do dishes, and how your hands look afterwards. I received two full sized bottles of Palmolive Soft Touch from Influenster.  My favorite is the soap infused with Vitamin E. (I gave the Aloe version to my aunt!) After doing dishes, and working in hot water, my hands are smooth! It is like a treatment for your hands. This dish soap bubbles up like no other! I make an "S" in my sink with the soap and let the water run over it and the bubbles are just insane. The soap does a nice job of cleaning my dishes without leaving a residue on them. The scent is not overpowering at all, it is just crisp and clean smelling. I have price checked this, and the price is around $2.39 for...

It's Friday, and I'm doing the usual! Of course that means linking up with Lauren ! Here is what I am loving this week!     1. This is by far the best Cinderella movie out there! It was made in 1964, and I don't even care that the trees are one dimensional, it is the best!   2. Hey, I went to the store and bought a new lipstick! That's something I never do at all!           L I E! I am liking it so far!   3. If you have never had Banana popsicles, you should try them! I did a little happy dance when I saw them in the store!   4. My blog has to start somewhere, so I bought some make at home business cards!   5. I'm in a Bachelorette Pool with my family! The purse is $75 and I'm happy with my Zack K!   How has your week been? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Image found here I have another new artist for you to enjoy today! Right around the time I discovered Alex Goot, I discovered Landon Austin. (*By discovered, I mean found them on YouTube.*) I have definitely caught up on his videos this past week or two. I'm just going to gush right now and say that Landon is just too adorable for words. Okay? You want more adorable-ness? Check out his vlog channel. Adorable! (Now I am banning myself to use "adorable" anymore in this post!) Landon is a pretty accomplished young artist. He competed in the Doritos Crash the Superbowl in 2007, and was a top 3 finalist in 2008. He recorded a professional music video for his song "Waitin." Landon and the other finalists were flown to Phoenix to perform during all the Superbowl festivities. Part of his performance from the Saturday Block Party, was shown during the pregame for the Superbowl. (The SUPERBOWL! Hello!) See what I mean? Accomplished.   Here are a few favorites o...

Since trying my first dry shampoo, I have been trying other brands and seeing what kinds I like best. I tried the Suave original and liked it, but the scent was very strong. So I decided to try the Keratin Infusion and see the difference. This has a forceful spray just like the original dry shampoo. One thing that I noticed, is that there is not a white cast to your hair after using this. When you spray it on, it does a good job of absorbing the oil that is on your hair. The only downfall to this one is the scent. It smells like plastic. It doesn't have the grapefruit scent of the original. It doesn't bother me too much tho, so this may work for you! Another thing I noticed is that it does not weigh my hair down. How I use it: I section off my hair and spray this dry shampoo onto each section. I give it a minute to absorb the oils, and then massage my head to remove any excess powder. I style as usual and head on out the door! Dry shampoos are a matter of preference, an...

One of the best things about being a Birchbox member is getting samples of products I normally would not have tried. One of those is the Sumita eyeliner. I've mentioned this before, but I am pretty much an oil slick. Getting my makeup to last has taken some work with the right products. With that being said, getting eyeliner to last on me does not happen. So enter the Sumita eyeliner! When I got this in my May Birchbox, I did like all beauty fiends do, swatch it. Well, I went to remove it and IT.DID.NOT.COME.OFF! I thought, ok this might be the real deal! Prior to learning about the beauty community on the internet, I had absolutely no clue as to lining your waterline meant. Thanks to all of my favorite gurus, I now know what that means! I have tried lining my waterline with other products, and had absolutely no luck, so I figured "what the heck, I'll give it a shot." Sumita did not budge on my eyes! I was SO impressed, that I immediately put it in my Favorites on b...

I live near an Amish community that is pretty sizeable. It's not unusual for me to see the Amish in the grocery store, which is something most people don't see everyday. Contrary to most people's thoughts, the Amish are usually pretty friendly. They are leery of us "Englishers," but I think we are all apprehensive towards new people. Every year, on the first Saturday in June, they hold a Benefit Auction. The monies raised go towards paying hospital bills for one of the Amish community members. Since the Amish have no insurance, they need the money to pay off hospital bills for those who are sick. During the auction they sell flowers, food, buggy paint, old fashioned lawn mowers and irons, (you have to heat them on the stove to iron your shirts!) furniture they have built, and quilts. Buggy paint, and quilts are typically the hot commodity. It's not unusual to see a quilt go for $300. As plain as the Amish people are, the detail and colors they use in the qui...

  Finally! Part 3 of the Lawn Logic Series. Missed part 1 and part 2 ? Read up on them before reading this post. This is probably the most important post of this series. The actual cutting of the grass can make or break how well your lawn looks. You know you've drove past lawns that look dry and brown. Not attractive. You want a lush green lawn. This is where The Lawn King works his magic. During peak season, you'd swear that our lawn was a golf course! Read on to find out the lawn cutting basics! There is also no doubt that you've cut your grass already. Keep reading! You may just pick up a new tip to help your lawn become lush, and the envy of your neighbors! Mowing: At any time do I need to water my lawn? The only time you need to water your lawn is in severe drought situations. You can do more damage by over watering than under watering. How often should I cut my grass? Unless it is in severe drought conditions, your grass should only need cut once a we...