Little Lace Box April 2015

Little Lace Box is a newer subscription box for women. It's curated for women by three sisters and isn't really described as a "lifestyle" box, but curates their boxes around particular themes. They used to be a monthly box and that is changing after the April box. I think because of their popularity, they grew really fast. They put so much thought into the curations, it has been challenging keeping up. After April ... the subscriptions are going to every other month ... six times a year. I had an annual subscription ... so it extends it out 18 months for the remaining 9 boxes. No complaints.

You can purchase a bi-monthly subscription for $59.99. 3 boxes over 6 months for $149.97. 6 boxes over 12 months for $269.99. If you have a recurring subscription, you can email them to suspend subscription for any reason and then resume when  you are ready.  I purchased mine when the annual (12-box) subscription was $383.90 ($31.99/box). Shipping is between the 20th-23rd each month and they bill monthly just before shipping.  If you like items you receive and want more, they have an on-line boutique where you can purchase more. For every dollar you spend in the boutique or on the purchase of the box, you get a loyalty point.  50 loyalty points is one dollar to spend in the boutique.

I want to share how nice and personal these sisters are. I shared a link to my blog last month and one of them PM'd me back asking about my blog name and we chatted a bit. She was very sweet. I thought it was nice that they reached out personally. 

Such a nice personal touch, I received a text notification when my box was shipped out. So, I was anxiously awaiting it's arrival. The first thing I noticed was how HEAVY the box was and it is bigger than last month. I love how there is a personal note describing the thought that goes into each box. This month's theme was a reminder of the the things in life that remind us of home and family. For them it was their grandmother's Italian kitchen.

The first item in the box was this Porcelain Jewelry Dish by Artisan Janelle Bealieu: Perfect for putting rings in while cooking or doing dishes. Some were glazed, some were not.  The unglazed version should develop a nice patina with time. I received unglazed and I'm super happy with it. It is more authentic, in my mind. The lace pattern was either on the top or bottom of the dish. Mine is on top and I'm super happy about that too. Because they are handcrafted, each one will have a slightly different shape. I have heard some grumblings that some folks didn't like it because it doesn't look "finished" or looks "simple" and they weren't very nice. I love it. I think it looks very personal and I could easily see myself picking this up at a local farmer's market from the person who made it herself. This will get lots of use and will spare me from searching the counter for where I left my rings. Retail $14.99

Gourmet Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar from The Ancient Olive. What a great combination for a paring. I love olive oil and vinegar for dipping and dressing. This combination of Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil with the flavors of Italian herbs and Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar should be amazing. Retail $13.99. They also wanted to include a full-size bottle of olive oil, but where would it have fit. So, in true Little Lace Box form, we get to pick our own to choose just what will suit our own individual tastes. A form was included with suggested pairings and I might just have to spend a little coin to order a pair instead of a bottle. I really love the personalization that goes into the curation. Retail $13.99

Oil & Vinegar combinations wouldn't be complete without Olive Oil Dipping Bowls (by Le Cadeaux). These cute little individual bows are just perfect for it. Just a little nice touch for a dinner to add a little style. I love the roosters and fish and floral ... all very Italian kitchen to me. Retail $15.99

Tea Towel By Belle & Union Co. I always have a tea towel on the stove and I love the whimsy of this design. Retail $14.99. Following a similar theme of things you need in the kitchen is notepad for your grocery list. This Market List Notepad was designed by Little Lace Box to match the Tea Towel. I've never thought about it, but I suppose most are designed to be torn by a right-handed person and this is designed to be ambidextrous as one of the sisters is left-handed. This sure beats the post-it notepad that I have on the counter right now. Retail $4.99







Seriously, could you have an Italian Kitchen without gourmet pasta? I can't wait to try the Filotea Pennete della Domenica from Marx Foods and I won't be letting my husband do the cooking that night. It needs to be prepared perfectly and paired perfectly so we can get the true benefit of fine pasta. Retail $8.99 Along with the Pasta, the box included Trentasette Pesto from Marx Foods. I believe some people received a Sauce and some a Pate. Mine was Red Pesto with Truffles. It has a lot of cheese and cheese with rennet, so I'm passing it along to a friend. It does seem very gourmet. Retail $8.50

 Unfortunately, after every meal, dishes have to be done. So, the sisters included Cucina Dish Soap from Fruits & Passion. It's concentrated, eco-conscious, bio-degradable with a great scent. Retail $8.99

So, what do I think? I really love it. The box really did really follow a great theme. It had lots of small treats and items that are just a little bit decadent that I may not have picked up for myself, but that I will surely enjoy. It's a perfect Italian Kitchen with a value of $105.42. I love how some boxes have a few items of high value and some boxes are packed with a ton of items of lower value.

I can hardly wait for June. The box theme is Classy and Fabulous so should be filled with style items. And, thank God, they promised no temporary tattoos.

Divas Galveston 2015--Girls weekend with a little run

Cue little girl voice: "Look at me! I'm a Princess!!!" in my tutu

I have sworn never to run in a Tutu. I don't judge people who do, just not for me. Well, that changed. Diva's Half Marathon & 5K in Galveston included Tutus in the packet. It was going to be a celebration of ridiculous. I love women's races, so Sorority Girl and I signed up and decided to make it a girl's weekend. We both signed up for the half-marathon, but as the day approached, we had both been recovering from colds and were just lacking in motivation, so we decided to do the 5K and just celebrate the weekend. 

We drove to Galveston on Saturday and went straight to packet pick-up. Super easy and well-organized with short lines. Little shopping expo, but I refrained from purchasing anything. They made it really easy to change to the 5K. Show them our bib, and voila. It was done with the click of a button. The day was dreary and chilly and it was hard to find a good picture of the ocean view ... well, not much of a view since the sky and the water were the same color.

We checked into our hotel, what a dive. It was really perfect for the weekend of ridiculous. I felt like we were on Spring Break (more on that later) and were in a cheap hotel. The shower curtain was missing. What's with that? We had to ask twice for a shower curtain and then when it arrived, they expected us to put it up. We didn't. We did worry a bit about cockroaches and bedbugs, but we weren't plagued with either, wheh.

Then for the girly stuff to begin. First, we had to find food. I read about Po' Boys at The Spot and thought, well maybe, an oyster Po' Boy wouldn't be so bad. I have a little squeamishness about oysters, but not as bad as other seafood. I think they can be harvested in an eco-friendly manner and I don't think they fight to survive. Well, when we got there, Po'Boys were on my mind. The only option was shrimp, and with some angst, I ordered it and Fried Pickles. By the time I was a few bites in, the grease bomb hit my belly. UGH!!! I don't know if it was that I can't digest shrimp anymore since it has been over a  year since I have had any form of seafood, or if it was the amount of grease in the super-fried meal. Didn't matter. My guts were not happy and it took days to recover. 

After eating, we headed to the Pleasure Pier. Teehee!!! We giggled at the name. We appreciated the "pull your pants up" rule. But, there was a $10 fee, just to walk on the pier even without going on the rides, so we looked from a distance.  Then it was on to manicure/pedicures. Not the best we've ever had, but it was nice to sit in the massaging chair for 90-minutes and chat and sip on water.Then to Rita's for frozen treats. And what kind of silly girl weekend would it be without wine coolers? So, we found the cheap gas station and picked up some Smirnoff screwdrivers. The attendant declined to check my ID even when I offered. What? Don't I look like I need my ID checked? There was synthetic urine at the counter. Naive as I am, I had to ask what it was for. Wow, I didn't know they could do that? And how does one sneak it? I don't know. The attendant did look at me and say that I cold probably make a lot of money selling my urine. Again, what? And, YUCK!!!

Pre-race prep. What could possibly go wrong?

We laid out our kits for the next day. INKnBURN lace for me. Hollywood Dragon for Sorority Girl. One of us is naughty. One of us is nice. To bed and early morning wake-up to drive to the start line. It was a sea of pink. The half-marathon started 30 minutes before the 5K and we timed it perfectly. We were walking up as the leaders were heading out.

Remember, it is the ridiculous factor. The 5K course was PACKED!!! We trotted slowly along, chatting the whole time. Women were amazing. All shapes and sizes and ages and paces. All super friendly and supportive and chatting with each other. I totally loved one woman who pranced and waived at all the stopped cars, blowing them big kisses, because they were all out there for her!!! She was the Diva of the Day!!! Perfect. 

About 100 yards from the finish line, there was a station passing out tiaras and boas so we could really prance and primp for finish line photos. As we finished, there was water and fruit, but really I was up for the champagne. Medals were being passed out by firemen. We stood in line for the fireman of our choice. Since we had signed up for the half-marathon, even though we did the 5K, we were given half-marathon medals. We clinked our glasses and drank our cold sparkling beverage. Headed home with a stop at the outlet mall (what girl weekend is complete without some shopping?) Would I do it again? Heck yes!!! The race was well organized and fun. The weekend company was a blast!!!

Post-Race Celebrations

I forgot to turn off Trusty Garmin ... I did not run an extra mile at a 4 minute pace.

UMMMM ... Yeah. This makes it all worth it!!!

FabFitFun Spring 2015

FabFitFun was my first introduction to Subscription Boxes and may be what got me hooked. I love to receive packages in the mail and surprises make it even better. The box is guaranteed to contain at least $175 full-size, premium products in beauty, fitness, fashion, and Wellness finds. There is a wide range of items included, so for me, it's a lot of fun. . .not a bunch of the same. And, I try things that I might not have otherwise sampled. The cost is $49.99 per season, but there are discount codes available. And, subscribers can purchase extra boxes (usually $39.99) for gifts. I purchased an annual subscription last year for $179.99 and it automatically renewed (annual) at the same price for next year.

There are a few things about this box that make it a different from the rest and I really like that.

1.       You can purchase an annual subscription to receive 4 seasonal boxes, or you can purchase individual boxes. When my subscription was up and it was time for renewal, I was renewed at the annual rate instead of reverting to the quarterly rate.

2.      I like quarterly. Not too much $$ a year and I'm not filling up on too many products. You can also purchase extra boxes (until they sell out) without having an extra commitment. My communication with customer service has been good.

3. The last few boxes, the curators have been offering customization to people who have been subscribing for a while. This month, I was able to customize 1 item in the box. 

As usual when my shipping notification is sent, I get very excited. I couldn't wait to see what was in my box. I had seen spoilers and I was ready to see the rest.

The item I was able to pick myself was the Jules Smith Scarf in Watercolor. I had the option of Watercolor or Modern Arts. I chose this one as it's a bit more subtle. I love the light airy colors on a light airy scarf. It will add a great springy pop to dress up my wardrobe. $42

I am always a fan of facial Serums and am looking forward to minimizing wrinkles and keeping my skin smooth with Palmetto Derma Collagen Booster and Restoration Serum. I love it for springtime to refresh the skin after months of indoors during the cold winter. $48

Merrithew 3 DVD Set "Intense Body Blast" +25 Gift Card. I admit it ... I need to get back to working out and building strength. This is mat-based Pilates and includes Levels 1, 2, and 3. I need the instruction so I'm looking forward to giving it a try. And for $25, I can buy either some equipment or another DVD to kick myself into gear. I have to admit, I have been lazy and haven't tried it yet, but I've read great reviews. Another good springtime item to work towards summer bathing suits after a season of sweaters and covering up. $61 Update: The $25 gift card is pretty useless in my opinion. It cannot be applied towards anything that is on -sale and shipping is at least $15 even for small items. I have tried to use the card, but no success. It continues to tell me that "conditions aren't met" and if I try to use it for a non-sale item, it tells me the card has "already been entered." So, I'm downgrading my value for this to $36 for the DVDs. 

Orly Nail BB Creme and Orly Nail Polish "Cake Pop" I have never tried a nail cream, but it is supposed to brighten natural nails and is nourishing. I really like the very subtle Cake Pop Polish. It's a pale pink. I think these would look great together in a french tip. $15 and $8.50

Yasi Metallic Flash Tattoos. Really? More metallic temporary tattoos? UGH!! So many of these this year and so junior high. Priced at $36 for a single sheet? I have no idea where that pricing came from and I am sooo not interested in temporary tattoos.


Rifle Paper Co. Cities Coasters Set: OK ... so these are really cute. Little Scenes of New York, London, Tokyo, and Paris. These will get good use, but I wonder how well they will hold up. Probably good for one season. $16

OFRA Cosmetics Eyeshadow Brush Duo (#11 and #20). These are high end eye shadow brushes. But, they are made of synthetic hairs and Capra, which is goat. I'm a little sad because FFF used to be all about animal friendly and cruelty free ... animal products aren't really cruelty free. Although it is soft first cut hair, my belief is that in order to keep getting baby hair, you have to keep making babies and what happens when they aren't babies anymore. I couldn't find a lot of information on-line about Ofra so I reached out to the company. They responded by confirming the Capra hairs, but also said they were Peta and Leaping Bunny certified. So, this means they don't do any animal testing, but animal using? Hmmm ... I don't know what to think. If you like the products, they did include a code for 40% off your first purchase. Retail $45.90

Sprout it App Card _ Miracle Grow Grow-able Seed Pod. Seed pod is pretty easy. Dig a hole and plant it. It has everything it needs to grow. My pod was basil and it's my second herb gowing thing this season and both are basil. The app is free, but I'm not much of a gardener and I'm not sure this will make me one. It's not that I don't know how (which I don't), but I also don't know that I have time. $1.49




Cosmos Creations Premium Puffed Corn (sponsored): Can't go wrong with popcorn. Mine was salted caramel and contained dairy. Gifted to a friend. $1.49

Vow to be Chic Gift Card (sponsored): This is a gift card for a bridesmaid dress rental service. I guess it's OK for parents who have teens going to prom? Maybe? Valued at $125, but no value to me.

And another Hello Fresh Gift Card. I've received about 3 of these in the past few months $40 off first week's delivery. I guess this could be useful because it includes all you need to make a meal. No grocery shopping. They have "vegetarian" options, but they contain a lot of cheese and some of the cheese is notorious for rennet, so not really vegetarian at all. So ... again no value to me.

So ... what do I think? Overall, I'm really happy with the box. I love the spring theme. Everything fits pretty well. I wish they would get back to where they started where animal-friendly meant animal-product free. I would have less to give away and would be able to use more items. But, then again, my friends love getting gifts. I really was disappointed by the number of gift cards because they never really fully cover the cost of purchases and I don't want to be induced to spend in order to feel like I've saved. I don't mind the cards like Merrithew where you can actually purchase something in it's entirety with the card. Except that you can't really use it. See above. So ... not counting the sponsored items and gift cards which really don't have a lot of true value, the value of this box came out to $237.89. $212.89. I didn't count the tattoos, either, because the value seemed over-valued and really? Really? no more tattoos. So ... all in all, I'm happy as I always am with FFF. Spring boxes are still available and a Mother's Day box is available that also contains a Jesse Steel apron and FFF Water Bottle. You can save $5 with NEW5 code.

StitchFix April 2015 #11

I don't get StitchFix every month because my closet is getting full of beautiful things.StitchFix is a styling service. You set up your profile on-line and you can set it up to receive a "fix" monthly, or like me ... whenever the mood strikes. For each fix, I pay a $20 styling fee and I receive 5 items to try on at home. I can keep or return whatever I want and shipping is free both ways. If I keep everything, it's a 25% discount off the total. And, yes, the styling fee is applied towards what I keep. The more fixes I've done, the better my results. I left a note for my stylist that I was going to my 30-year high-school reunion in Washington DC and it was also cherry blossom festival. I was leaving on April 9 and my Fix was supposed to arrive on April 7. I must admit, I was disappointed to receive shipping information ON APRIL 7. So ... it didn't ship until after my account said is was supposed to arrive and it wasn't here in time for my trip. Jocelyn had hit a home run with my last fix, so I specifically asked for her this time. I appreciate the personal note that showed she listened and she remembered what she sent last time. By the way ... I still love the bangle and did wear it during reunion weekend.

I tried on the Brixon Ivy Azurre Lace Overlay Blouse first. 

When The Musician saw this blouse, the first thing he said was "That looks like a Grandma ..." He was right. It was big and boxy and not flattering. It actually looks better on the hanger that it did on me. I wold never be happy wearing this so I returned it. $68

The next thing I tried was the Sugarlips Celise Pencil Skirt.

While I like the color, I admit, I wasn't wow'ed by the skirt. First, I find pencil skirts hard to move in if I don't have a split in the back. I move a lot and have to move fast. And I'm up and down a lot, too, so this wouldn't be comfortable for work. Also ... I found the sheer panel above the knee just a little weird. I returned this too. $44.

Next was the Daniel Rainn Triton Spaghetti Strap Silk Blouse

I have some angst here. It's a really pretty, and dainty little blouse that will be great in the hot summer months and layered under a suit. But, I am having trouble with silk these days. I recently learned how they get silk from the worms and how the worms fight it. So ... that being said, I kept the blouse, but I'm going to update my profile so that I don't get silk in the future. $74

I really liked the dresses in my last fix and was pleased to have another dress I really like in this fix. Donna Morgan Raj Pleated Dress. It's really really cute. I love the way the white pops out when I move. It has a really nice cut and flare. It's a little low scoop in back, but not too racy. I wore it to work and had tons of compliments. It looks like a basic black dress, but has amazing flare. Yes, you can tell I kept it since I wore it to work. $78

Interesting this month, no accessory item. Not a complaint, just an observation. My fifth item was Margaret M Emer High Waisted Tall Trouser. 

 I liked these pants. They were a stretchy, fitted, pull-on trouser. Nice basic black. Not as high-waisted as I thought based on the description. But, I have a LOT of basic black pants and some that look almost like this. For the price point, of $98, I just couldn't justify keeping it since it's not very different than a lot of my wardrobe.

I was sad that I wasn't as impressed this time with my fix. There, I said it. If I had kept everything, I would have paid $265.50. This accounts for the $20 styling fee and 25% discount. But, I sent back 3 items. I was sad because my last few fixes have been spot-on and this one was more of a "miss." Well, it won't stop me from trying another one. :)