Freedom Isn’t Free!
Tag: award
I Think I Am In Love With Coffee
~Weekly Product Highlight~
While this isn’t my usual type of makeup Weekly Product Highlight it is a product I love and I want to highlight it 🙂
Are you a coffee drinker? Up until about 6 months ago, I would have said “Not me, no way, I never drink coffee!” Then I slowly started to drink coffee and it has all been down hill since then, haha, just kidding. I do enjoy drinking coffee now. I am not one to go to a drive-thru, so I needed to learn how to make my own coffee. I also didn’t want to get another appliance to take up room on my already limited kitchen counter space.
My husband suggested that I try out an Aero Press. I am not going to lie, I made several really bad cups of coffee before figuring out what worked best for my taste, after some trial and error, I have been loving my new coffee maker.
If you don’t have a coffee maker already I definitely recommend this one. It takes up minimal space and is very easy to use. I have found that using a finely ground coffee works best, as well as adding a pinch of salt takes away the natural bitterness of some coffees. I like my coffee super strong, so I weigh out 26 grams of coffee grounds, then cover them with 185 degree water. I swirl the water/coffee ground mixture for 15 seconds. I then add 185 degree water up to almost the top of the press and let it rest for 45 seconds. During this time I put the filter into the cap and wet the filter with the 185 degree water. Once the 45 seconds is up, I put the cap on, flip the press over onto the top of my mug and slowly but consistently press the coffee out. When a rush of air is heard, that means that the good part of the coffee is in the mug. Discard the grounds and enjoy your cup of coffee. (I add 185 degree water to my mug to make a full 8 oz of coffee.)
While I got mine from Amazon, they can also be bought at Crate and Barrel and Kohls as well as other places that sell home goods.
Here is what Amazon has to say about the Product Description
Fast and convenient, the AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker makes one of the best cups of coffee you’ll ever taste. This innovative uses the ideal water temperature and gentle air pressure brewing to produce coffee and espresso that has rich flavor with lower acidity and without bitterness. It makes 1 to 4 cups of coffee or espresso (enough for 1 or 2 mugs), features a micro filtered for grit free coffee, and takes just 1 minute to make coffee (actualpress time takes only 20 seconds).
To brew a double espresso or 10-ounce cup of coffee:
- Place a microfilter in the bottom cap of the AeroPress chamber and twist the cap tightly closed.
- Place two scoops of ground coffee from the included AeroPress scoop into the chamber.
- Stand the chamber on a sturdy mug, then proceed to pour hot water into the top of the chamber (175 degrees F is optimal).
- Stir the water and coffee with the included paddle for about 10 seconds.
- Insert the plunger into the chamber and gently press down about a quarter of an inch and continue to maintain that pressure for 20 to 30 seconds (gentle pressure is the key to easy AeroPressing).
This will result in a double espresso. To make an Americano, simply top off the mug with hot water, or add hot milk for a creamy latte. The AeroPress can press from 1 to 4 scoops, and each scoop from the included AeroPress scoop makes the equivalent of a single espresso or 5 ounces of American coffee. Fill the chamber with hot water to the number corresponding to the number of scoops.
You can also make a full carafe of coffee using the AeroPress in less time than it takes to brew a pot of drip coffee. Two 3-scoop or 4-scoop pressing, topped off with hot water, will fill most vacuum carafes.
The AeroPress is the result of several years of applied research by inventor/engineer Alan Adler, who conducted numerous brewing experiments, measuring the brew with laboratory instruments. The experiments demonstrated that proper temperature, total immersion and rapid filtering were key to flavor excellence. He then designed and tested dozens of brewers before settling on the AeroPress design. Adler’s best-known invention is the Aerobie flying ring which set the Guinness World record for the world’s farthest throw (1,333 feet).
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Always Be What You’ve Always Been
This little saying goes both ways, good and bad. If you always brush and floss your teeth, you will have good dental hygiene and a healthy mouth, that is good. If you always stay up too late every night you will wake up tired and dragging the next morning, that is bad.
If you want something in your life to change, you have to try something different.
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Don’t Just Wait For the Rest Of Your Life…
Last year my kids and I read the entire Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. Not only is it a great funny read, but there are lots of great quotes in it too. Here is one of my favorite Lemony Snicket quotes…
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Walmart Beauty Box Fall 2015
Did you know that Walmart has it’s own a subscription beauty box? Yup, they do! It is a quarterly box and only costs $5 a season. Generally the box will have around 5 samples, with 1 or 2 of them being full sized products. Also in your Walmart Beauty Box, you’ll find smaller sample beauty products, coupons, and tips on how to use them. Your order will include a wide selection of trusted Beauty brands.
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have already seen the picture that I posted the other day of my fall beauty box. I am loving the Neutrogena mascara! The Dove deodorant smells so wonderful. If you don’t follow me on Instagram, you should 😉 https://instagram.com/lookingjoligood/
Walmart technically calls it a “sample box” and says that the box itself is free and the $5 is a flat rate for shipping and handling. Either way the box costs $5 each season.
How does it work?
- You sign up at https://beautybox.walmart.com/
- Create and account
- Add your payment and shipping info
- Wait for you confirmation email
- Enjoy your beauty box when it arrives
If you are first time subscribers: Your subscription will be processed when you sign up and your credit card will be charged $5 and you will receive the current season’s box. Once you are subscribed, you won’t have to resign up, you will receive a shipping confirmation email and then your box will arrive. You’ll only be charged when your Beauty Box is shipped.
The Walmart beauty box website says “Each seasonal Beauty Box is a “limited edition” and may sell out. Note: Beauty products vary by box. Only one beauty box per email address.”
Shipping Schedule
Winter Starting the last week of November
Spring Starting the second week of March (I didn’t get my spring box until mid May)
Summer Starting the second week of June (I got my summer mid August)
Fall Starting the second week of September (I just got mine mid October)
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Sunshine Blogger Award
I have been nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by Becca-anne Beauty, thank you so much! Go check her out, she has such a lovely blog!
The Rules:
- Thank the person/people who nominated you.
- Answer the questions from your nominators.
- Nominate eleven other bloggers and give them eleven questions.
- This is to spread the love and I’m doing these awards so that we’ll meet interesting bloggers. Please do check out all of the blogs I nominated and follow them if you like.
Here are my nominees Definitely check out all of their blogs, they are absolutely lovely!
A Modest Fashion Blog
Make Up with Lauren
Beauty by the Bunny
Beauty by Tye
Kats Cover Up
Daily Makeover
Ordinary Adventures
Strand On Beauty
lizzielovesbeauty
Becca-anne Beauty’s questions for me:
- How long have you been blogging for? I have been blogging for 3 months, it seems as if it has been a lot longer.
- Why do you blog? I blog because I feel like it is a fun way to be creative.
- What would you consider to be your biggest achievement? My biggest achieved is the one thing that I have really wanted to do and that is become a wife and mother. But good marriages and good mothers don’t happen accidentally, so it is something that I have to work at every day.
- What is you dream job? I actually just stared my dream job and I LOVE it! I am a Registered Nurse and just started working in an Out Patient Infusion Unit. We give chemo and blood and IV medications. It is such a great job and I love all the gals that I work with.
- What is your favourite perfume? I am very “scent-sitive” meaning I can’t really wear a lot of perfume without getting headaches. I do love the smell of Pleasures from Estee Lauder I actually wore it for years and suffered through the headaches it gave me.
- Your current go-to product. Hmmm, I think I would have to say my cake flavored Chapstick. It is so simple, yet I cannot live without it.
- Where is your favourite place to be and why? I love to be at home with my family
- A current song that you are loving. I love music and I love to sing, not sure if those listening to me are enjoying themselves, haha. Rather Be by Clean Bandit, I could listen to this song on repeat over and over…and over. I love Jess Glynne’s voice. I also love her song Right Here. So lovely!
- Summer or winter? No question, Summer!!!! I HATE winter!
- What are you looking forward to this season? I am looking forward to gaining an extra hour of sleep when we turn the clocks back for Day Light Savings.
- What will you be doing for christmas this year? We spend Christmas with family every year. I love Christmas even more now that I have kids to enjoy it with.
My questions for the bloggers:
- What makeup tools do you use on a daily basis?
- Where would you like to travel to if you had an endless amount of time and money?
- Even if you don’t post daily, do you write/research for your blog everyday?
- What is the number one best makeup purchase you have ever made and why?
- Favorite TV show?
- What was your very first job?
- Do you a save or a splurge?
- Sweet or Salty? Coffee or tea?
- What do you use to remove eye makeup and mascara?
- Who is your favorite beauty blog and YouTube beauty Guru? (I am always looking for new people to follow and watch)
- Lipstick, Gloss, Lip Stain, Balm, or Lip Liner?
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Flab To FAB ~ Progress!
I keep track of my weight loss on my fitbit fitness tracker. Today I received my -10 lb weight loss badge! I am pretty excited about the progress that I have made.
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Beauty YouTubers
I love to watch beauty videos on YouTube. I am always looking for new YouTubers to watch. If you have any good recommendations let me know! I have some of my own recommendations of people to follow. Here are my top 3…
https://www.youtube.com/user/GlamLifeGuru/videos
My absolute favorite YouTuber is Tati Westbrook of Glam Life Guru. She is not only absolutely beautiful, but she also makes the most well made and professional make up videos. If you don’t already follow her, you definitely need to check her out! I have no idea how she doesn’t have over a million viewers! Her videos are seriously amazing.
https://www.youtube.com/user/FancyThatwithCandice
You have got to check out Candice from Fancy That With Candice! She is so cute and has the sweetest personality! I love to watch her videos because she gets so excited over the smallest things. Her videos are so well made and enjoyable to watch.
https://www.youtube.com/user/Melmphs And last, but definitely not least is
Melissa Autry of Melmphs! Oh my goodness, she is so funny!!! I seriously crack up at her videos. She tells it like it is and gives great product reviews all while being entertaining and hilarious. She is from Tennessee and her accent and personality are great! You have got to watch her videos, you will be smiling the entire time! “Are you ready for the weekend, Baby?” (watch her and you will know exactly what I mean by that 😉 ) Be sure to give me some of your favorites as well!
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Liebster Award Number 2, 3, and 4!
I have been nominated for the Liebster Award by the beautiful Hannah Harden at Vogue In Vines, she has a wonderful blog and I am envious of her long legs 🙂
Olivia Blake at Diadem of Beauty also nominated me, as well as Siobhan over at Beauty and the Look. Thank you ladies, it was so kind of you to choose me. I really enjoyed reading and answering your questions. Check out their blogs! You will be glad that you did. Click HERE to read my previous Liebster award post.
Here are my answers to their questions.
Vogue In Vines questions…
- Favorite dessert? I love desserts, all desserts, I have a MAJOR sweet tooth! Caramel, especially is my favorite! I can’t narrow it down, pretty much if it has caramel in it, I love it.
- If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Oh, the places you will go…I would love to travel all over the world! Specifically I would like to go to the city of lights, Paris, France.
- What is the best dish you can cook? I am going to brag, get ready for it… I am a really good cook. I love to eat and therefore pretty much everything I make I want to taste good.I frequently post recipes that are my favorites and specialties.
- Favorite restaurant? As I have said, I LOVE to eat good food. I also love to try new restaurants so I don’t necessarily have a favorite one.
- If you could have dinner with any 3 people, who would they be? Well, actually, I eat dinner every night with the 3 most important people in the world,my husband, son and daughter.
- Favorite perfume? I don’t personally wear it, but I do love the scent of Marc Jacobs Daisy
- What is your biggest pet peeve? I hate when people are running late and don’t call or text to let me know.
- Lipstick or lipgloss? While I love lipstick, but I am totally a nonsticky shiny lipgloss girl
- Favorite movie? Ledges of the Fall 1994 with Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, and Henry Thomas.(If you have never seen it, you definitely should!)
- What is something you are really good at? I am really good at talking to strangers. Kind of a weird “talent”, but it is something that I am good at 😉
Beauty and the Look’s questions are..
- What is your favourite book? I have so many favorites. I will try to narrow it down to just one…um…I am going to go with A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith If you have ever read it, you know why it is my favorite.
- Have you ever had a nickname? What is it? My nickname is Lua pronounced Loo-ah. When I was in Nursing School, my chemistry professor had a speech impediment and pronounced Laura without the “r” like Loo-ah. Even after we were finished with that chemistry class, a few of the girls who hadn’t know me before the class actually thought that my name was Lua.
- What is your favourite inspirational quote? There are so many awesome quotes. One of my favorites right now is “Slow progress is better than No progress!”
- What is your favourite item of clothing? I have this one pair of gap jeans that I love so so so much! I would wear those things every day of my life if I could. I don’t, but I would if I could
- Why did you start your blog? Often I get asked by my friends how I do different makeup looks or techniques as well as what types of makeup and brands I use. I basically started blogging because I felt as if I had some useful things that I could share with others.
- Do you like to bake? What is your favourite thing to bake? I love to bake and chocolate chip cookies with M&M’s are one of my favorites!!! Yum!
- Favourite clothes shop? I love Ann Taylor clothes, and the GAP
- Favourite song? I don’t know if I have a favorite, but I am really loving Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys (when my daughter sings along with her, it is pretty much the cutest thing ever!)
- Favourite season? Hands down Spring! I love all the sunshine and flowers
- Lipstick or lipgloss? While I love lipstick, I am totally a nonsticky shiny lipgloss girl
Diadem of Beauty’s questions for me?
- Whats your go to make up item for everyday? If I could only wear one thing I would wear mascara
- Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter? Spring
- Favourite Foundation? I am loving the Maybelline Better Skin Super Stay Foundation (If you want to, you can read what I think about it by clicking HERE)
- Why did you create a blog? Same as above answer 🙂
- Favourite Makeup Guru? I LOVE Tati Westbrook from Glam Life Guru You seriously have got to check her out!
- Ultimate Beauty Must have you think everyone needs? Everyone needs a great moisturizer. You have got to take good care of your skin.
- Favourite Blogger? There are so many great bloggers, I don’t know if I can pick a favorite. I really enjoy reading Huda Kattan at hudabeauty.com She is not only beautiful, but she has such a great personality.
- One top make up tip/Advice you can give your readers. Always wear sunscreen!
- Which Kardashian/Jenner Sister has the best make up? Um, honestly, I don’t “keep up with the Kardashians”…so…Kim?
- Whats the most amount of money you’ve ever spent on a make up product? I think the $72.50 for a 17.6 oz/500gm Borghese Fango Active Mud For Face and Body mud mask that I wrote about in my weekly highlight last week.
Thanks for reading and go check out Vogue In Vines, Diadem of Beauty, and Beauty and the Look.
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Liebster Award
Thank you to That Northern Girl for nominating me for the Liebster Award!
When she told me that she had nominated me, I didn’t quite know what the “The Liebster Award” was. The word Liebster is a German word that when translated to English means: “sweetheart, beloved person, darling dear, darling; beloved, liked very much; affectionate, loving favorite, preferred above others; liked or loved above others.”
I did a bit of research and found that it is an award that is for bloggers by bloggers. It’s passed from person to person to help with the discovery of new blogs and bloggers. It is also to encourage, support, and connect the blogging community. I think that this is a really nice way to be able to support each other!
The Rules
- Thank the nominator:
- Display the award.
- Nominate 10 more bloggers with 10 new questions.
- Answer the questions provided by the Nominator.
- Notify the Nominees
- What made you start your blog?
Often I get asked by my friends how I do different makeup looks or techniques as well as what types of makeup and brands I use. I basically started blogging because I felt as if I had some things that I could share with others. - Who/What do you look for in terms of post inspiration when blogging?
I generally keep a composition book filled with ideas to blog about. Whenever inspiration hits me, I will jot down the idea. Sometimes, the ideas make it to the blog, and other times I can’t even remember what I was thinking about at the time, haha. - If you can achieve 1 thing in life, what would it be?
Well, I have actually already achieved the one thing that I really wanted to do and that is become a wife and mother. But good marriages and good mothers don’t happen accidentally, so it is something that I have to work at every day. - Are you a home bird or would you rather be traveling the world?
While I used to be a home bird, the older I get the more I want to travel! I wish that I had done more traveling and sight seeing before I settled down with a family. - One beauty product you can’t live without and why?
It may be a bit boring, but I cannot live without CeraVe Cream moisturizer. It makes my skin feel so soft and smooth. And if you have beautiful skin, the rest of your makeup just looks so much better. - Which bloggers are on you reading list?
I have so many awesome bloggers on my reading list some of my favorites are Jill GG Good Life for Less, Vivianna Does Makeup, Happy Nami, Curly Spring Blossom, Online Beauty Finds, -
Out of Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tumblr which is your favorite social media outlet?
I love Instagram! I think it is because I am a very visual person. -
Do you see yourself still blogging in 5+ years?
I don’t know for sure what I will be doing in 5 years, but I definitely am enjoying blogging now, so hopefully I will still be at it in the future. -
What is your go to fashion brand?
I love Ann Taylor clothes, and GAP
jeans.
- One of you guilty pleasures in life?
My favorite guilty pleasure is dulce de leche ice cream from Haagen-Dazs, Yum!!!!
Here are my nominees for the Liebster Award:
A Modest Fashion Blog
Make Up with Lauren
EverythingandNothin
Beauty by the Bunny
Beauty by Tye
Kats Cover Up
Beauty Beat
Daily Makeover
Ordinary Adventures
Strand On Beauty
If you have already been nominated for the Liebster Award you can either just ignore this or even better, link your previous “Liebster Award” post in the comment section. For those of you who choose to accept, the 10 questions for you to answer are below!
Love all of your sites, so much great content to read and learn!
My questions for the nominees:
- What is your biggest makeup pet peeve?
- What makeup tools do you use on a daily basis?
- Favorite TV show?
- Where would you like to travel to if you had an endless amount of time and money?
- Lipstick, Gloss, Lip Stain, Balm, or Lip Liner?
- What do you use to remove eye makeup and mascara?
- Who is your favorite beauty guru on youtube?
- What is your favorite makeup brand and product both high end and drugstore?
- What products are on your short list to buy next?
- What is one thing that you are you the most proud of?
Looking Joli Good 