#TLCVoxBox

                                                               



I received my first VoxBox from Influenster this month! Here's what was in it!

Breyers Gelato Indulgences

I got Tiramisu flavor (I love me some delicious Tiramisu!), but I think they also had Raspberry Cheesecake, Vanilla Caramel, and Triple Chocolate. Tirimisu was not a bad choice. This ice cream was so delicious. From the first bite, I knew it was true love. The packaging was different than what I have seen before. It was clear and seemed to be a little better quality than most of what I get. It was a good sized package. The ice cream was very creamy and tasty with chocolate in it and the signature Tirimisu coffee taste. The 'lady fingers' (balls) were at the bottom and I really liked the taste of those. I wish there had been a few more, I thought they were a little bit lacking. My husband was not a huge fan, but I think this is my new favorite ice cream.


Ivory Bar Soap

I am not a fan. I like the smell, but that's about it. The soap smells lemony and clean. I used the soap for a few days in the shower, and after the first use, my skin felt slimy and slick, but dry. However that is possible. The next day I felt like I smelled worse during my shower, so I ended up rewashing with my regular soap (Dove). I would not recommend this product for washing, but I've heard it is great for doing fun things like making bath crayons or bubbling it up in the microwave.

Influenster

I got into Influenster last year after I heard that you can get products COMPLETELY FREE for reviewing purposes. Sounds awesome, doesn't it?! I thought so, so I signed up. Here's how it works:

First, if you would like to join, leave me a comment with your email address and I will send you an invitation. This site is invitation only.

*Pick some Lifestage and Expert badges. This lets people know what you are interested in. A few of the categories include Gaming, Exercise, Eating, Pop Culture, being a parent, being a dog owner, or being a baby boomer.

*Review products you have tried. This can be anything they have featured on the site. They have categories from groceries to beauty products to air lines to hotels. Pretty much anything you've had a chance to try. Leave an honest review, you don't have to kiss butts to get a box. This step can take a while. You have to leave  A LOT of reviews to finally be considered for a box. I took a month posting reviews before I got discouraged and quit for a few months. After about 2 weeks of doing more reviews, I finally got an invitation for a box.

*Connect social media. Connect your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Blog, Google+, and any other social accounts you have. The more you connect (and more friends you have that connect to those accounts), the higher your influence will be and the more likely you will be to receive a box.

*Eventually, you will receive an email that will tell you you have been selected to possibly receive a voxbox. All you have to do is fill the survey out honestly and you will find out if you are selected to receive the box. If you are, CONGRATULATIONS! Your box will arrive in a few weeks. If you are not, don't worry, you will get another offer. You likely wouldn't have used the things in the box, anyways.

*Once you receive a VoxBox, it is your responsibility to open it, test the products, and review them. There will be a handfull of fun items to try! On your Influenster page, there will be challenges for you to do, like to share on pinterest how you used an item, or to review the item on facebook. During this trial period, more badges will open up. These are also contests. They will have similar tasks and if you complete them, you will be entered to win more from that brand. At the end of the trial period, there is a survey to complete on the items you tried. YOU MUST COMPLETE THIS SURVEY if you wish to receive another box. If you do not complete this survey, you will not receive another box EVER. So be sure to complete it.


That's it! Do you have any questions? I am very excited to be a part of the Influenster community and be permitted to try these free products. Let me know if you would like in!

How to make a paracord bracelet

Want to make a super cute bracelet like this? Here's a quick tut!

Paracord is what attaches a parachute to the skydiver. It is called 550 paracord because one strand can hold 550 pounds. These are also called survival bracelets because they can be used in emergency situations. There are 7 inner strands that can be taken out and used to make many things, including a fishing net in emergency situations. They are pretty cool! You can do any colors, show your pride with your favorite team colors, show support for a cause by using those colors. What a great fashion statement!

Supplies:

Paracord (Measure your wrist and do 11 or 12 times that amount)

Buckle

Tweezers (not pictured, I have pointy ones)

Scissors

Lighter

Price:

~$13.00  The paracord is sold in 50, 100, and 1000 foot spools. I always buy 100 ft and you can make several bracelets out of that size. Prices vary, but expect to pay about $12.00 for 100 ft. The more you buy, the cheaper the price by the foot. The buckle was $1.00 at the local military surplus store, but you can probably find it cheaper online. You probably have the rest in your house.

Halloween Ribbon Wreath

This is my new Halloween Wreath!

Supplies: 

Thick Black Polyester Ribbon (I had some 2.5 inch that I cut in half for this.)

Green Organza Ribbon

14 inch (I think) embroidery hoop

Price:  ~$10.00. The black ribbon I bought on sale, it was $5.00. The roll of organza was $1.99 at Hobby Lobby. The embroidery hoop was about $2.50.

Book Wreath

Finally got this one finished today! It is HUGE.
Supplies:
1 14" wreath
Jodi Piccoult novel (JUST the right size)
Hot glue
Price: Wreath $3.99 Book: Upcycled, originally $12.00, but you can use any novel you'd like.

ABU Rag Wreath

Good morning! I've finally gotten a new computer. It's sure been hard living without one for a week! I'm going to upload a tutorial to how I do one of my favorite wreaths. Here's the completed project.

These wreaths are SO easy to make.

Supplies:

About 1 yard of each fabric. I usually buy a yard and a half of each just to be sure I have enough, and usually have half a yard left over lol. I cut up an old pair of ABU pants instead of buying new fabric, and I didn't use the whole pair.

Scissors

Mechanical Pencil/ knitting needle/ something long and pointy

14" Straw Wreath (I prefer straw over styrophome because I think it looks nicer and doesn't fall apart. You MUST keep the wrapping on.)

Price: ~$12.00 for this one. I usually choose fabrics that are 6.95/yard, and the pants were upcycled. The wreath is $3.99.

Five Tips for Shopping at the Commissary

I recently saw this article from Army Wife 101 about tips for shopping at the commissary. I thought they were more of general etiquette tips, so I wanted to share my own tips of shopping at the commissary.
1. Keep your Military ID handy at check out.
The cashiers scan these now, so you need to have your ID ready at the beginning of your transactions. When you hand your ID to the cashier, also present your coupons so hey can look over the expiration dates while you load your groceries on the belt.
2. ALWAYS tip your baggers.
They work for tips only, so it is important to tip them, whether they just bag or bag and bring your items to your car. If you don't have the money or aren't planning on tipping, please tell them ahead of time so they don't bag your groceries for free, they won't appreciate that.
3. Some commissaries have dress codes.
I haven't actually encountered this myself, but I know some commissaries don't allow flip flops, ripped jeans, short shorts, etc.
4. For the love of Bob, don't go on Pay Day!
Everyone is broke until payday. It is the worst time to go! (This means the first and fifteenth and the day before, since most military members bank with USAA and they get paid the day before actual pay day.) I've gone on pay say on accident before. It's hard to navigate and he lines are much longer.
5. Please return your shopping cart to the cart corral.
It is rude not to, no one wants their car hit with a cart and it makes the person returning the cart's job so much easier when they are in the cart corral.
Bonus tips:
The commissary gives overages on coupons!
Remember, the commissary is only for people with commissary privileges. You could lose your commissary privileges if you shop for someone else or allow someone else to buy while scanning your ID.

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