Mandii's Muse

Image Some mornings I wake up and go to work. Some mornings, I don't. On Monday I could be at School A, and Tuesday, School B. One morning I can be in kindergarten, and the same afternoon 6th grade. I could have recess duty, or lunch duty. I am a substitute teacher. For the past 3 years I have been substitute teaching. I have had numerous interviews for a full time job, but nothing has panned out yet. Throughout my years subbing, I have had countless experiences. I have been a learning support teacher, over saw an in school suspension (the worst!) , and participated in evacuation, fire, and lockdown drills, and gave PSSA tests to 8th graders. I wanted to show you what my typical day could look like! 5:40am: Wake up time! (I shower the night before) 5:45 Wash my face, and begin applying my makeup 6:15 Begin curling my hair 6:30 Finish my hair and grab breakfast 7:40 Get dressed, make my bed and gather items for the day ahead 8:00 Leave for the school 8:15-8:20 arrive a...

I'd like to dream that I have perfect blemish free skin and not have to use concealer. That's just what that is, a dream! I have begun to notice a need to use some concealer, for random blemishes, broken capillaries, and the dark circles under my eyes. I'll keep on dreaming! Image I have not used liquid foundation in years. I have always used powder. However, when I would use my powder foundation to cover up any blemishes I had, I didn't like how it looked. I received the Boo Boo Cover Up concealer in my Ipsy bag, I was excited to try it! This concealer is a perfect match for my skin tone. I was so impressed that it was so spot on. The formula is not too thick, but it isn't runny either. Believe me, all you need is a little dab of concealer and blend it out. This concealer has not made me break out, or have any adverse effects on my skin. I apply my regular powder foundation first. Then, I take a little dab of concealer, and blend it out with my fingers. T...

It is time for another "makeup mail call!" This time, I have goodies from Ipsy. Who doesn't love getting makeup in the mail? This month, the theme was Street Style. They put some useful things in my bag this month that I can't wait to try! Cailyn| Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss: If you have read this blog for any length of time, you know I go gaga over lip products. This gloss is a pretty cranberry color, and I absolutely CANNOT wait to wear it! I love a cranberry lip in the Fall/Winter seasons.  Nourish Organic| Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser: I have not used a cream cleanser in ages, so I was excited to try this out. I tend to stay with gels, so I want to see how this cream one does, and how well it moisturizes my skin! Mitchell and Peach| Luxury Hand Cream: Since I am getting over a cold, my hands are so dry from consistently washing them. I'm anxious to try this, out and see how it works for my dry hands! Pacifica| Eyeliner: I have a colo...

Yay for full length mirrors in the faculty restroom! I have a confession to make. I don't always get it right when it comes to wearing clothes. Sometimes I will wear a baggy top with baggy pants, or leggings with too short of a top. (disgraceful!) Please tell me that you have the same problems I do! However, on the occasion that I do get it right, I'm glad I have this blog to document that! Today's outfit happened to fall in the "right" category. Since it is Wednesday, I am linking up with the Pleated Poppy ! There was something about this peplum top from JC Penney that I loved, aside from the price. I loved the material, and how it hugged just the right places. My black capris were also from JC Penney, and I love how there is a slight flare at the leg. My jean jacket from Old Navy is one of my most worn, and loved items. Jean jackets go with everything! I wore my favorite flats from Payless. I have been fighting a cold, and I didn't want to wear my co...

I have said this a number of times, but I LOVE getting mail. Whether it is a letter from my best friend, birthday cards, or my Birchbox, I always get excited when I see something in the mail that isn't a bill. Those aren't fun, let's face it! This month was stellar, and they gave me products that I will definitely use, and can’t wait to try out! Like always, once I use these products enough, I will definitely give you my thoughts.  Here’s what was in my box this month! Harvey Prince| Ageless Liquid Loofa: I am such a HUGE fan of Harvey Prince fragrances, that I am so excited to try this! It has a clean scent, and not overpowering at all! Macadamia Professional| Healing Oil Spray: This is said to block UV rays, and be quick absorbing. I am excited to try this, because you know I love me some hair products!! Mereadesso| All In One Moisturizer: This is an "anti-aging day/night cream, serum, eye cream, toner, and primer" in one. With all of that, it had be...

Even though Fall isn't here yet, the weather has been giving us a short glimpse as to what the upcoming autumn season will bring. I have wanted to make these muffins/cupcakes for a while now, especially because they are low calorie, aren't we all trying to lose weight? If you have these 4 ingredients, you can whip these up this afternoon! I call these Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes. Ingredients: 1 box Spice cake mix 1 15oz can of pumpkin ½ C water ¾ C Cinnamon chips In a medium sized bowl empty the cake mix, pumpkin, and water. Using a mixer, mix the ingredients until smooth. Gently fold in the cinnamon chips. (For kicks and giggles, I added a few dashes of cinnamon and vanilla to the batter!) Line a muffin tin with baking cups. Using an ice cream scoop, fill wells 2/3 of the way full. Place in a 350 degree oven for 18-21 minutes. *All ovens vary: my oven cooks hotter, so I lowered the temp and cooked them for 18 minutes. Depending on how you want...

I'm super excited that today is Friday! Lots of things are going on and I can't wait! I'm linking up with Lauren as always! Here is what I loved about this week! 1. My best friend from college is coming to visit me today! So excited! Shopping and dinner are our plans! 2. Don't forget to watch #FarmKings tonight! 3. My aunt and some of her friends and I are going to tour QVC again in November! I had a blast the last time we went! 4. In yoga, we worked on meditation and quieting our mind. I definitely needed this because my mind has been going a mile a minute lately! 5. It has been one year since my sweet girl Sunshine crossed the rainbow bridge. I miss her every day. So what did you love about this week? Leave me a comment and let me know! I'd love to hear from you!

I’m a firm believer in getting treats in the mail. My mom and I made this fudge to send to a 95 year old pillar of our church who lives in another state. I know that when she opens the package and sees this fudge made with love, she will be happy! This is a homemade fudge recipe that has been passed down from my Grandma. She makes this fudge, and everyone fights over the last piece! Case and point, my whole family was together celebrating Christmas and we hosted a white elephant exchange. Her gift was the fudge, and it was traded back and forth until the lucky recipient finally got to take it home! (Luckily, they shared it with all of us!)  I want to share this recipe with you, so you can surprise those you love, or be the hit at your next white elephant exchange! Here’s the recipe! 3 Cups sugar 2 Tablespoons cocoa 1 Tablespoon white Karo syrup 1 cup milk Bring to a soft boil stage. (I HIGHLY recommend getting a candy thermometer. It tells you the correct temp ...

If you saw my Fall Dreams post, you may remember this picture.  In my mind, I would never think about mixing stripes with leopard, but this works. (This statement, coming from the girl who doesn't like to mix black and brown together!) Surprisingly, I had all of the items in my closet, so I wanted to try this out on myself. The day that I wore this outfit, it was rainy and chilly, but I didn’t want to pull out my jeans. I opted to wear my black capris with this outfit. I think I came pretty close to the photo, and I was quite pleased with how well I liked it. When the weather gets colder and I want to pair this look with jeans, I can. This would work well with black dress pants as well. Keep your accessories to a minimum since your scarf is your “statement” piece. Top: Michael Kors Capris: Leopard scarf: Amazon Shoes: My Slippers! Ugh, will I ever take an outfit photo with real shoes on?!   ;) As I usually do on Wednesday's, I am linking up with th...

I ordered this eye primer when I ordered my other items from Birchbox. I usually have terrible luck with eye primers, and go in trying them with my expectations already low. So I was anxious to see how well this one did considering it was under $10. First of all, the packaging comes in a squeeze tube which I like. I can control how much I put on my lids. You get _oz, and you only need a small amount, so this will last quite a while. This primer doesn't feel slick on my lids. Some primers feel so slick, you wonder if they are going to keep your shadows in place. Not this one, it was slightly tacky so the shadows can stick to it. I believe that this primer is tinted slightly. It appears that way coming out of the tube, and I do notice it neutralizing some of the discoloration I have on my lids. I feel that this product works! I noticed that my shadow stayed on longer, and had less creasing than when I used other primers. (Keep in mind that I have oily lids and have not fou...

Happy Friday everyone!! It appears that Fall has arrived, at least temporarily! That makes me happy. I'm linking up with Lauren as I usually do! 1. Did anyone watch last weeks episode of #FarmKings? I mean, I was a puddle of mush after watching Elizabeth's wedding. There is a new episode on tonight! Watch with me! 2. I went out to dinner with my grandparents last night, and it was nice to get some soup! 3. I am down 21 pounds since I started my weight loss journey!! I am PUMPED! I still have more to go! 4. Blogs are all planned for next week, I just have to write and schedule them! Image 5. I watched Saving Mr. Banks recently, and I really enjoyed it! Tom Hanks does a fabulous job of being Walt Disney! So what did you love about this week? Leave me a comment and let me know!

I have had an obsession with matte shadows ever since I ordered my Meet Matt(e) Nude palette from Birchbox last year. I love how they look on my eyes, I love ho w they stay, and I love how they blend. So when I saw this palette from Stila, featuring 10 all matte shadows, it immediately went in my cart on Birchbox.com! The In the Know palette came with 10 shadows, a Stila smudge stick in Halfmoon, and a lookbook with different styles to try out. I love the smudge stick, because it is definitely waterproof, and lasts all day! The lookbook is great because I like to see how other people put the colors together. These shadows are a warm tone with rich browns, a firery orange, and warm rose tones. They all have a desert theme with the names. Air: Off white in color Wind: Nude-y beige Desert: Peachy nude Clay: Pink nude Earth: Rick dark brown Driftwood: Warm brown Fire: Orange Rain: Taupe Smoke: Cool grey Ebony: Matte black These shadows blend beautifully, and I lo...

It is Wednesday and that means I am linking up with The Pleated Poppy for WIWW! Here is one outfit I wore this week! I have been wanting to wear this outfit for so long, mainly because I couldn't wait to wear these fun sneakers! This is what I wore to yoga last night. Cute, fun and super simple. Tank: No Boundaries-Wal-Mart Capris: St. John's Bay- JC Penney Shoes: Avia- Wal-Mart (on clearance!) More outfits to come next week! I'm sorry this is not the best photo, I took it with my phone, and blew it up so that is why it is a little blurry. 

On a whim one day I decided to try this look. I wasn't having the best skin day and wanted to cover up when I was going out. (I usually go face makeup free when I'm not working.) I was pleasantly surprised how well this looked, and how fast it was! I've worn it several times after that day, and wanted to share it with you! The Makeup: DermaDoctor DD cream Stainiac by The Balm Shimmer bronzer by Model Co. Mineral Veil by Bare Minerals What I did was smooth the DD cream all over my face. I made sure to blend it in really well. The DermaDoctor's DD cream is self adjusting, so it adapts to your skin tone. Then I used my kabuki brush, and rubbed that all over my face. This still had some powder foundation on it, so this just continued to even out my face. I didn't even have to get out my powder foundation! Then, I grabbed a fluffy brush and put the shimmer bronzer on. I put it on in a "3" shape on the side of my face. Next, I applied the Stainiac to th...

Image Every time I go past a yard sale, I always feel an urge to stop. My dad always stops and he has brought home treasures that we use to this day. So because you all can't come to my house and actually have a yard sale, I figured I would set one up right here on the blog! Just like a real yard sale, I will keep prices low! Here's how it will work! 1. I  have a tab set up right by my contact info at the top of the page that says "Virtual Yard Sale." 2. I will post pictures of the items for sale along with the condition, size, and price of the item. 3. Buyer will pay a $5 shipping charge. (U.S. residents only please!) Payment will be conducted through PayPal! 4. If you want the item, email me at mandiismuse@gmail.com. 5. Orders will be taken on first come/first serve, so if you want an item, email me fast! All of these instructions will be on the Virtual Yard Sale tab. Check back every so often, because I will be placing new items there. When I do, ...

Aren't you glad it is Friday? I am! So this week went fast, and I know next week will be the slowest week ever! It just is after two 4 day weeks. I'm linking up with Lauren as usual! Here is what I loved about this week! 1. First of all, it was a 4 day week, and that is always a good thing. 2. I've done some updates to my blog! You may notice the new "You may also like" section, and you can now follow my blog on Bloglovin'! 3. Since my other soap operas have went off air, I have been watching a lot of General Hospital. I really like it, and Ryan Carnes, the actor who plays Lucas tweeted me. Turns out, he went to Duke and was in the band. He just became my new favorite person! (I'm sorry that graphic is SO L ARGE!) Mandii ‏ @ mandiiduke Time out. @ RyanCarnes1 went to Duke and was in the band?! He just became my new favorite person! How did I miss this? # loveDuke   Reply     Favorite     More 9:44 PM - 3 Sep 2014 ...

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If you missed part 1 of my Fall Dreams you can click here! Today, I am going to be showing you some of the food that I am interested in making this coming season. I found most of these images on Pinterest, and you can follow my boards here ! Let's start with dessert shall we? Image I highly suggest you check out Mix and Match Mama. I spotted these on there, and I hit save immediately. I am thinking I might make these for Thanksgiving dinner! (Especially since my dad's birthday falls on it this year!)  Image If I ever host a Harvest Party like I want to, I plan on making this drink! Warm apple cider, plus caramel vodka will make this taste like you bit into a caramel apple! (duh!) Plus, I think that I could definitely keep this warm in the crockpot! Image I have wanted to try making this recipe ever since I pinned it. It looks so simple and delicious. Plus, it is made in the crockpot, so while you are picking apples and pumpkins, it is ready for you w...

Now that Fall is officially here (okay, not "officially" but the PSL is out and that usually signals Fall!) I have been dreaming of cooler temps, high boots, and warm comforting food. I found these images on Pinterest. You can follow my boards here ! Here are a few Fall items that I can't wait to recreate! Image  I love that I can recreate this look. Black jeans, black boots, a simple leather jacket, and I just need a dark burgundy shirt. Image  I never would have thought to pair leopard with stripes, but I can say that I like this. I have these same pieces, so I am definitely trying it! Image I like both the cut and color of this hairstyle.  Image I love this hair color! It is so pretty and is definitely something I would do to my hair! Stay tuned for a second part detailing my Fall food wishlist! How do you change your look for Fall? Leave me a comment and let me know! I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Labor Day! I am linking up with Andrea again! I love her "What's On" series! It is so unique, and these posts get me thinking, and hold me accountable! Today's post is all about projects! In the very beginning of Summer, I completed a few projects that definitely needed done! I also rearranged my makeup area, but forgot to take pictures of that.  :( So this Fall, I definitely have a project list started! First up, I really need to take a day and organize my clothes when I finally switch clothes for the seasons. Since I've lost weight, some things aren't fitting and I just need to take a day to try everything on and decide what is worth keeping. Image Next, I need to start pre-making my breakfasts for the mornings I teach. I have a few recipes, I just need to take a half of a day and make them and stick 'em in the freezer. Keeping with the organizing theme, my room needs decluttered. It is nothing major, just organizing some files, throw...