AMAZING Nail Polish Recommendation

I'm not sure if you're aware, but there is a website called My Subscription Addiction. This woman reviews EVERY SINGLE KIND OF SUBSCRIPTION BOX THERE IS. And there are a ton of them. I'm addicted to her website. It's pretty great. Anyhoo, I'm telling you about her because I found the best nail polish EVER through her site. I might be the last woman in the world to discover Julep, but I am telling you nothing has ever lasted on my nails this long without chipping. I work in a hospital and wash my hands eight bazillion times a day and nail polish usually chips in less than a day. This stuff took three days to chip and even then it was only two nails. It's a bit on the expensive side, but there are numerous discounts on their site. They also have a monthly subscription box that send polish as well as make-up and other beauty products. They also sent me a sweet small reusable grocery bag that I'm using for lunches in my introductory box. P.S. I got the intro box free. You can too. Check it out here. I wouldn't recommend it if I hadn't experienced the awesomeness for myself. They have no idea that I like their polish and I'm getting no compensation for this at all. I just want to share my awesome find with anyone that might be checking this humble little blog out.

Butternut Squash Soup

Hello. Two posts in two days. You lucky people.
SO! Today I am under the weather, so I'll be making my favorite soup to warm me up. I forget where I got this recipe. I think it might have been Epicurious. Either way, this is a great soup, free of cream and still incredibly rich and filling. I bought these frozen garlic and ginger pods from Whole Foods and that cuts down on prep time without having to use dried ingredients. I HIGHLY recommend picking them up.

Butternut Squash Soup
2 medium large butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic depending on your preference
2 tbs fresh grated ginger
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs olive oil
1 cinnamon stick
5-6 cups broth. I use low sodium chicken stock, but veggie works just as well
salt and pepper to taste

line a baking sheet with foil and place the squash face down on the sheet. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and cook squash for 50-55 minutes until soft. They will be hot squashy napalm. Take them out and let them cool. While they're cooling add the onion and olive oil to a heavy stock pot and cook the onion over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and cook another 5 minutes or so until the garlic becomes fragrant. Using a metal spoon, scoop out the insides of the squash and add them to the pot. Add broth until everything is submerged. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. The next part is easier if you have an immersion blender. If you only have a regular blender or a food processor, you'll have to work in batches to puree the soup. Remember to REMOVE YOUR CINNAMON STICK. I forgot once. Cinnamon bark EVERYWHERE. Puree soup and return to stove top. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Add more broth until you reach your desired consistency. I prefer a thicker soup. Cook on medium for another 10-15 minutes, Serve hot.

This is so yummy. AND as a bonus, incredibly healthy. I also like to cook up some chicken sausage and serve that on the side. NOM. Enjoy.

Thoughts on Lady Choices

Hey there. Been awhile, I know. I read something today that inspired me and I wanted to get on my soapbox about it for a tic. 

So I read this letter:
To The Women Who Don't Want to Have Kids.

And I thought. Wow. Thank you. I've never had that all encompassing urge to have a baby and be a parent. It's not something that I yearn for. I wouldn't say I'm 100% against it. More like, 85%. I'm not in a particularly great place in my life to have a child anyhow. I'm 33, single, I work full time and go to school part time. I can barely fit in sleep. I have cats and they're all the snuggles I need. Hell, I'd love to get a dog, but I don't have time for that either. I have a few girlfriends who feel the same way I do, so I KNOW that I'm not totally weird for not wanting to be a Mom. Despite what society keeps telling me. I get a lot of guff when I tell people that I'm not particularly interested in being a parent. Some people tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about. Or I'll change my mind when I meet the right man. Most people, however look at me as though I'm either making an excuse because I'm single and the age I am and it must be all a facade to make myself feel better about where I'm at in my life OR that I'm the most selfish woman ever created for not wanting to devote my life to being a Mom. No one calls a man self centered when he says he doesn't want kids. THAT REALLY ANNOYS ME. A man doesn't have a uterus, so it's okay for him not to want to be a parent, but I do, so that somehow makes me some sort of hideous, wretched excuse for a woman. I don't understand what's so damn difficult about accepting people's choices and supporting them regardless of whether or not they align with your own particular vision for a happy life. I thought people of my Mother's generation fought for choice and acceptance. Was I wrong? Or did we only fight for the choices that other people think are the ones we ought to be making?

 I don't begrudge people their choice to have children. Heck, I love being fun Aunt Jill. I get all the snuggles and good times and none of the lame responsible stuff. Just last weekend I got an entire room of adults to wear pillows as hats in order to entertain my best friends 4 year old. It was epic. I like my life as is, what can I say? I know I don't have the time or the inclination to put in the effort it would take to be a great parent. And I would want to be a great parent. This letter speaks to that. It makes me feel a little better to know that a complete stranger recognizes and validates my choice. Not that it needs validation, but you know what I'm getting at. 

Anyway. Make your life choices. Stand by them. I support your right to make them. People are going to judge no matter what you do, so who cares what they think anyway. One of the best lessons I've been able to learn is to surround myself with the people that support me and lose the ones who don't. 

Also, I got another Stitch Fix credit. *Squee* and I have another fix coming on Thursday. SO. EXCITED. Pictures to follow. Yaaaay!

Stitch Fix #2

HEY HEY HEY! It's that time again!!!! Stitch Fix arrived today! So, like the anxious little bunny I am, I cheated and checked out my receipt online prior to receiving my delivery and I became SO. FREAKING. EXCITED. You may remember from my last Stitch Fix that I was terribly disappointed by the boring, expensive and not that cute stuff they sent me. I was polite, but very honest in my feedback. I was bummed, man. No accessories, no prints, no quirky anything. And on top of it, more expensive than I could afford. So when I saw my receipt which included a herringbone-esque print dress, a sleeveless dress, a quirky print top, a quirky print cardigan and a necklace I KNEW someone had paid attention. Stitch Fix, you made me a believer. FYI: They do not compensate me. These are my own thoughts and opinions and I paid for everything with my own hard earned dollars. No one is getting a special deal here.  

Do y'all even know what Stitch Fix is? It's an online personal stylist/shopper. You fork over $20, you fill out a lengthy questionnaire, you maybe create a pinterest board for them. They send you 5 items. If you buy, the $20 you already spent gets put toward your purchase. If you buy all 5 pieces, you get 25% off. Not a bad deal. Plus, no crowds, no annoying sales people, and you're trying stuff on at home. Your box comes with styling cards to help you put your new clothes to use AND a giant envelope to send the stuff you don't want back. You pay nothing to return your items. I even schedule a package pick up online, so I just have to put the envelope on my front steps. It's literally hassle free. The clothes CAN run on the expensive side, however, they are still cheaper than some fancy retail stores I could name. You can also tell them how much you're willing to spend. 

On to the attire!

So, I'm not wearing anything because the freaking hall lightbulb went out and I have no lightbulbs to replace it with at present. So it was very dark near my full length mirror. Sorry. You'll have to take me at my word for the fit. ALSO, I had a new stylist this time. Her name was Sasha and she has done a GREAT job. I hope I get her for my next fix (hint hint) *fingers crossed*.

This is the Yumi Benedict Swan Print Peter Pan Collar Top. It was marked as $68. I did some price checking. This shirt happens to be on sale at present, but it's regular retail price is more expensive than the Stitch Fix price. The cardigan you'll see later is MUCH cheaper on Stitch Fix than on the Yumi website. Call me impressed. So, I LOVE the swans. Love love love. The button side happens to be the back. I would have kept this, but the cut and the neckline made me look like a School Marm from the 19th Century. No good. Really cute print, though. I also felt like this was maybe not the best quality of fabric and stitching. I'm sending this one back.

 This is the front

This dress is the Honey Punch Lina Mini Chevron knit dress. $64. Again, LOVE the print however, I am short in the torso and the way the waistline hit me, I looked even shorter (all boobs, no torso) and boxy. It was a beautiful heavy knit too. I was a bit sad it made me look wide. This one goes back too. 

This is the 41 Hawthorn Dita Sleeveless Ponte Dress. It says it's navy. Looked black to me. *shrug* $68. It looked boring on the hanger, but when I put it on......This dress FIT LIKE A GLOVE. IN FACT, I thought it made my figure look better than it actually is. It's snug at the smallest part of my waist without accentuating the flabby parts and flares just enough to cover any other potential lumpy parts. It's a fabulous thick fabric that hangs beautifully. 

 Maybe it is Navy. Here's the close up of the waist detailing. I need a shiny little bolero to jazz it up for the holidays. Yes. I said jazz it up. No, I was not born in 1924. I'm keeping this dress. It will work for a ton of social situations. And I can easily JAZZ IT UP. JAZZ. Moving on...o_O

So I just got back from the salon, but it's humid as all get out here, so my hair has started to misbehave. Kindly ignore the crazy flippiness. This is the 41 Hawthorn Tear Gems Fringe Bib Necklace. $28. YAY accessory. However, I didn't really like it. the gold part at the top was a little too plastic-y for me and as you can see, I could NOT get the gems to lay right. Good price, though. Back in the envelope you go.

On to the final item. Which I also kept. The Yumi Clay Owl Print Button-Up Cotton Cardigan. $48. OWLS! Owls are my favorite. I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to them. Fits perfectly. So in love with this. Here's the back. Note the AWESOME elbow patches and the adorable owl detail. Someone was DEFINITELY checking out my Pinterest board. 

And the front. The owls have adorable little beads for eyes. I also thought this fabric was good quality and the piece was well made. It came with a bunch of extra beads so I can repair it when the little eyes fall off. 

So, there you have it. SOMEONE used my referral code (Erika!) and I got a credit, so after all was said and done I spent $91 on the dress and the cardigan. Not bad. If I'd purchased all 5 items it would have cost me $187 which works out to about $36 a piece, which is a really reasonable amount of money to spend, IMHO. I posted my referral code under the first link and here it is again. I don't expect you to use it, but if you choose to I would be very thankful as I would get a $25 credit to use on my next fix and I am a poor lady with expensive taste. I have to say, if you do it and you're bummed with your first fix ABSOLUTELY give it one more shot. If #2 is crummy, then go ahead and call it quits. I could not be more pleased with the items they sent me this time around. Sasha even apologized for the bummer first fix in her note to me. I scheduled a third fix for December and asked for a shiny holiday piece and one on trend piece for 2014 that might be a little out of my comfort zone. I'm trying to broaden my fashion horizons, after all. I can't WAIT to see what I get!

OMFG, you guys! I checked out my stitch fix reciept since it has shipped, but has not yet arrived and I am SO STOKED! A swan print shirt, an owl cardigan, 2 dresses and a necklace. And this time the prices are much better! Can. Not. Wait for it to get here. Squee!!!!!!

I'm a terrible blogger. I forget. I get busy. I don't blog. Sorry.

ANYHOO. My next Stitch Fix is due at the end of next week. This will be the make or break Fix. If they took into consideration my responses from Fix #1 and checked out my Pinterest board I will more than likely keep going. If I get a whole bunch of stuff that sucks again/It's clear to me they paid no attention to my feedback, then I will be quitting. The good news is that I got a referral (YAY!), so my next styling fee is taken care of plus an extra $5. So, I lose nothing if this next fix is crummy.

Remember I mentioned the Haute Look Fall Beauty Bag? Well, it came. Everything was as promised with the exception of the mascara. It was dried out. Which totally bummed me out, so I contacted customer service, just hoping they'd send me a new mascara. They were awesome. Not only did they refund my entire purchase, they gave me a $15 merchandise credit. The Customer service reps were also prompt and incredibly nice. I would highly recommend doing business with them. They're MUCH better than some other flash sale websites I've purchased from.

I've been up and down emotionally recently. Not sure whether it's because of fluctuating lady hormones or because of my life situation in general. I'm trying like hell to remain positive. Last night I watches Planes, Trains, and Automobiles in an attempt to improve my mood. It worked. John Candy and Steve Martin were fabulous. I need to stop listening to morose music on Spotify and instead make my way through all of John Candys' movies.

Anyway, I'm off to attempt some very gluten-y cinnamon rolls. Ta-ta!

Keaton Row Vs. Stitch Fix.

Ugh. The more I read other bloggers posts about their awesome Stitch Fix experiences the more disappointed and annoyed I become. I also become more anxious to receive Fix #2 to see if they listen to my feedback and actually LOOK at my pinterest board. Luckily for me, one of my lovely pharmacists used my referral code to order themselves a fix, so my next delivery is free and I'll have an extra $5 left over to apply to any purchase. I DID check out this other stylist service in the meantime, Keaton Row. It's a bit different. You again, fill out a questionnaire and request a lookbook. Then they pick out 3 stylists they think you'll be a good match with and you choose which one you want based on their profile. You can also request new choices if you don't like the ones they picked for you. Then the stylist contacts you, asks you a few questions and starts pulling looks for you. Nothing gets mailed to you, but they send you a link to your lookbook which has 10-12 pages of outfits and items picked out for you. They work with some pretty high end boutiques, so the prices can be INSANE, however, my stylist knew my budget and threw in some less expensive items. She also mentioned that they were working on setting up a partnership with other stores so that they could carry more pieces that are at a lower price point. I adored 95% of what she picked out for me. So much so that I already owned similar items and/or had pinned the EXACT thing she picked out to a style pinterest board. The stylist leaves little notes on some of the pieces to give you a clue as to why she chose it. She definitely paid attention to my love of old man prints and quirky prints while trying to update them to be more on trend. I really appreciated her effort. I do plan on buying at least one piece as a thank you because these stylists work on commission. You can also submit a portfolio to apply to become a stylist. Which I thought was pretty cool. If I were a more stylish individual I might just do that. I liked the promptness of Keaton Row. It took them a few days to pick a few stylists for me, but as soon as I chose one I had a lookbook by that evening. I also like that you get so many pieces to choose from. The best part? The styling is free. They only get paid if you buy something. There's no box on your doorstep full of things to try on, but because of the convenience of the internet, if you don't like something, you can tell them ASAP and get it changed just as quickly. I would encourage people to try Keaton Row. Especially as soon as they start working with those lower price point stores.