A Sprinkle of Life

FabFitFun: Fall Must Haves

October 4, 2016 No Comments

Fall is here, and it’s my favorite time of year! Warm beverages, fall leaves, apples, and cozy sweaters are just a small part of what makes Fall amazing. This Fall I also had my FabFitFun box to look forward to. Check out what’s in store for this season!

First up, the box this season was plain white with fun Fall designs, so it was absolutely perfect to find that FabFitFun included a coloring book and set of color pencils (which they recommend using to decorate your box!). Coloring books are all the rage for adults nowadays!

Time for beauty products! This box you’ll find yourself with a luxurious body oil, gel for your eyebrows, and a night serum.

Mullein & Sparrow Mini French Lavender Body Oil
This oil smells just like a fresh bouquet of lavender, it’s heavenly and not too overpowering. They say this oil helps calm your skin, but I also find it helps calm me as a whole, making me feel like I’m having my very own private spa experience. Tip: You can also add this to a bath.

The Browgal Clear Water-Resistant Eyebrow Gel
Full brows have been all the rage lately, so this gel is a great essential for keeping them in place and looking fabulous. The best part, is this gel is waterproof so you can even go swimming and still look great.

Skin Laundry Restoring Night Serum
I’ve been meaning to find some sort of night beauty treatment, so I can’t wait to try this serum out. The serum promises to provide firmness, elasticity, and improve your skin texture.

To go with your beautiful skin and brows, I also received the Pure Cosmetics Nude Collection Eyeshadow Palette. This palette is full of beautiful colors that will look great on anyone.

So we’ve got our beauty regime covered, so of course it made perfect sense for FabFitFun to include something for your bath/shower.

Spongelle Bulgarian Rose Body Wash Infused Buffer
This buffer/sponge smells amazing! I love the cute shape and how it comes prefilled with body wash. This buffer promises to restore your skin leaving you feeling like silk. Once the rose body wash has been used up, you can add your own soap to this sponge to keep the buffering going.

Fall is the time of year when you want to feel nice and cozy, and you can do just that with the next two items.

Toesox Toeless Fitness Socks
These socks are so cute and perfect for use on your yoga mats. Slipping and sliding on your mat will be no more!

Modcloth Loch and Key Scarf
This scarf is great and oh so massive! The scarf is practically a blanket and there’s nothing better than an oversized scarf when the air starts getting chilly. You can belt, wrap, or poncho this scarf up. So many options, so much warmth!

As always, every season FabFitFun provides some sponsored extras as well. This month they provided a couple great bathroom must haves as well, a Cottonelle Fresh Care Flushable Cleansing Cloth box and a tester size Secret Outlast Xtend Clear Gel.

Overall, I think this Fall box is a great haul. I’m looking forward to using these items this fall, and pampering myself a bit with some of these amazingly smelling products. There might still be some boxes to purchase, so don’t wait, you won’t be disappointed!

Reviews, Style

Stitch Fix Review – Fall Essentials

September 18, 2016 No Comments

September is here, and it’s always been the time of the year when I feel new clothes are in order, probably due to all the back to school commercials. While I have been out of school for a few years now, I couldn’t help but treat myself to some “summer is over” clothes. If Stitch Fix was around back in the day, I think I would have enjoyed back to school shopping a lot more!

This month I asked my stylist for a pair of black leggings, a cargo jacket, and two specific items from my Pinterest board. Unfortunately, just about everything I had wanted was apparently unavailable, but I did receive the black leggings. Here’s the scoop of what I received for my “summer is over” fix.

#1 – Rune Porter Legging

I had asked my stylist for the perfect pair of black leggings, since Fall is on the way. I’ve been wanting to get a new pair of leggings for a couple of years now, but never got around to it, or was afraid I’d pick something that would end up being see-through. I’ve always been someone in the “leggings are not pants” club, so I wanted to make sure my stylist also provided me with a top that covered my bum if I were to receive leggings. These leggings are tight, a bit hard to pull on, but really comfy once they are on. They’re thick enough where I feel I’d be comfortable wearing them around on a crisp fall day apple picking. I’d say these are a great staple piece for Fall.

#2 – Alice Blue Gerard Crew Neck Blouse

The colors in this Alice Blue Blouse scream fall! The pattern is fabulous, fun, and festive. The deep colors are very regal, and dare I say look amazing with red hair. The blouse is loose, comfy, and airy. I’d recommend styling with dark jeans, but you could really dress this up or down depending on your accessories. A perfect top for the transition between Summer and Fall.

#3 – Daniel Rainn Henriete Suede Trim Knit Top

The Henriete Suede Trim Knit Top by Daniel Rainn is a great piece for the office. At first look I wasn’t sure I was going to be a fan of this top. I have to say it doesn’t photograph the best in either of the below photos because of the minute multi colored pattern but it’s soft, comfortable, and just an easy piece to throw on and go out the door. The suede trim around the neckline adds a unique touch, leaving you without needing to throw on a necklace. I’m going to request a pair of black skinny jeans in a future fix, which I think would be the perfect pant pairing with this top.

#4 – Market and Spruce Barty Henley Tunic

What girl doesn’t love (or need) a tunic?! Tunics are just all around amazing. They’re comfortable, can be dressed up or down, and are a perfect match for black leggings! I was hoping my stylist would provide me with an appropriate top to go with my new Porter Leggings, and this is exactly what I had in mind. This deep purple a great color. The length of the tunic is perfect, and makes me feel oh so comfy! This top does wrinkle easily, so I’d recommend getting a little hand held steamer to take the wrinkles out.

#5 – London Times Bridie Knit Dress

Ladies, this dress is amazing! I can’t get enough of it. First off, the colors are beautiful, a mix of cool and warm tones that will look great on just about anyone. When I first saw the picture of this dress on Pinterest I figured it would feel stiff and stuffy, but the dress is really comfortable and flows nicely away from the body. No accessories needed for this dress!

Final Thoughts: Another great fix! I ended up keeping everything, and I’m looking forward to pairing some of the items with a few of my own pieces in my closet. I was a little disappointed that most of the items I had wanted this month were unavailable, but sometimes that’s the luck of the draw. Hopefully one of the burgundy jackets I’ve had my eyes on from Pinterest will magically make their way in my next Stitch Fix box because I just can’t stop pinning and adoring them. For next month I’ve requested the cargo jacket again, and other than that I’ve said to send me great fall essentials so we’ll see what surprise pieces come my way!

Big News: Stitch Fix for Men has arrived! Now all the men in your life can look as fabulous as you. Click on the picture to get started. I’m thinking about forcing my boyfriend to sign up and gifting my dad with a gift card to see if he likes the service just as much as my mom. Please note, I may be compensated for the use of my Stitch Fix affiliate links (picture + gift card link). #stitchfixmen

As always, suggestions for a better fix:

Be very specific. If there are certain pieces or types of clothing you really want, provide that in your styling note to your stylist.
Create a Pinterest Board. Stylists will check them out if you keep mentioning them in your style notes.
Call out designers or names of actual articles of clothing . Your stylist may not provide those exact items but they’ll start to get a better sense of what style you’re into.

Don’t forget to follow my Pinterest Boards for more Stitch Fix fun!

Haven’t tried Stitch Fix yet? Sign up with my Stitch Fix code! Disclosure: As a Stitch Fix Affiliate I receive compensation when someone signs up using my code.

Reviews

Blogilates Challenge and Popflex Review

September 8, 2016 No Comments

You may recall a post I did at the start of August mentioning my plans to tackle the Blogilates Adore the Core Instagram challenge. Well, I’m here to report it was a success!

I tend to consider myself a quitter, but that’s something I’m trying to fix about myself. I really wanted to prove to myself that I could stick with the Blogilates challenge. There were definitely some challenging days where the moves or poses were quite advanced, but I gave it my all and did a modification of the move when necessary.

Things I learned:

The Pop Pilates community is actually as great as they say it is
- I’d always see posts where women would gush about how supportive the community was, but it wasn’t until I actually participated in something publicly that I actually experienced the support and warmth myself. Every time I posted a picture, other ladies taking on the same challenge would like my photos giving me a boost of confidence. I loved following other popsters journeys.
Modifications are ok!
- Some of us might fear doing a modification will show weakness or failure, but no way jose, modifications are a-oh-kay! We’re all coming from different skill levels so you should do what’s comfortable for you and your body. There’s no shame in doing a modification, the thing you should remember is that you’re giving this move/pose a try and that’s more than many others can say! I really appreciated it when Pop instructions like xogingy would showcase some modifications in their Instragram videos since the Blogilates Instagram challenge printout didn’t, so some days I looked at the challenge printout with fear in my eyes
I wanted some Popflex Active mermaid collection pieces
- Seeing tons of ladies take on the challenge in the brightly colored mermaid collection by Cassey for Popflex Active made me desire to own my own pieces so I could be the little mermaid at long last.

After I completed my challenge, my boyfriend suggested I should treat myself to some Popflex Active pieces since I completed the 28 days successfully. I thought what the heck, maybe I should!

I own some bodypop items (shorts) already, which I love, so I figured I would also love the new collection from Cassey Ho. I opted to go with the Mermaid Pop Short 2.0 and the Criss Cross Crop bra top also in the mermaid print.

Mermaid Pop Short 2.0

fullsizerender-6 — POP SHORT 2.0 – MERMAID from Popflex

I love the length of these shorts. The 2.0 short is supposed to be longer than previous shorts offered, and appeal to a larger audience since they are a bit more flattering. I wish the leg of the short was a bit tighter so that when I moved there wasn’t an occasional tiny gap opening, but it’s not a huge issue.

Before I made the purchase, I checked out other reviews for these shorts and came across a lot of the same pieces of feedback, mainly that the shorts are see-through. Ladies, this is not a lie! I found the shorts were ok in the front, but in the back, you can definitely see one’s underwear depending on the style/coloring. It’s a shame that the fabric isn’t lined well or the color isn’t dispersed better, but it is what it is. I would recommend wearing nude colored underwear (if fuller coverage) or a light colored thong (if you want less coverage). Thankfully, I work out from the comfort of my own living room so I don’t really have to worry about the shorts being see-through.

The shorts also have cute little pockets on the sides. I don’t think I’d ever actually need pockets, since I just workout at home, but I suppose for those who want to take these cute shorts out for a walk in the park and listen to music, this would be perfect for holding your phone.

POP SHORT 2.0 – MERMAID with pockets from Popflex

The shorts are comfortable, and too cute to pass on. If Cassey was to make shorts like this again, I would recommend she lines them so that people can feel more comfortable wearing these out in public and not having to double think about what underwear they put on for the day 🙂

Criss Cross Crop

fullsizerender-5 — CRISS CROSS CROP – MERMAID by Popflex

I mainly bought this top for it’s unique design and that it wasn’t a traditional styled sports bra. Since I’m working out from home, I’m ok that it’s “revealing.”

The top itself comes with padding that you can remove. Not only was the padding overly massive, but it’s also unnecessary. Who needs padding in a sports bra?! I took it out right away, and found that not only made the top get on easier, but made the fit better. Unlike the bottoms, the top I bought is lined with a light nude color.

In regards to sizing, I went by the size chart and my measurements. My top measurements fit a size 6, which is the size I ended up ordering, but I probably could have gotten away with ordering a size 8 now that I’ve actually tried on the top. It is a bit hard to get on, and my chest fills out a bit more than the area above the band that you can see in the picture. If you’re between sizes, you might want to size up just to be safe, especially if you want to use the padded cups, you’re going to be wanting a larger size than you’re used to. I’m hoping one day Cassey will get these items in an actual store (like Target!) so we can try stuff on in person.

fullsizerender-4 — CRISS CROSS CROP and POP SHORT 2.0 – MERMAID by Popflex

Final thoughts: The print is beautiful, I can’t deny that. The fabric is decent but not as amazingly life changingly soft like butter as some people advertised. I love that the top is unlike anything else I’ve seen before, and the shorts are super comfortable. Will I buy something again from the new Popflex Active line? Yes, because I love everything that’s related to Pop Pilates, but I just hope that future prints are tested for see-throughness better.

Cupcakes in the City, Reviews

Cupcakes in the City – Magnolia Bakery

August 31, 2016 No Comments

Cupcakes in the City is back with installment number three! This time around I checked out the well known NYC staple, Magnolia Bakery. My first time visiting Magnolia’s was back in college when I was interning for The Rachael Ray Show. My commute brought me through Grand Central Station. While exploring the station during my semester interning, I found in the food court a quaint bakery stand, and lo and behold it was Magnolia’s. I was mesmerized by the brightly colored frosted treats. Fast forward to today, Magnolia’s has become a favorite so I knew I had to include them in this series.

Details:
Location: 1 Penn Plaza, Lower Concourse (Right by the A,C,E enterance), New York, NY 10119
Cupcake Price – $3.50/each

The Magnolia Bakery I visited for this post was located in Penn Station. You can’t imagine my excitement when I saw Magnolia’s was moving into Penn Station, making it oh so convenient for me to grab a treat on my way home to New Jersey after my commute from work. The shop in the station is fairly small and it can get very crowded during rush hour, but the line moves fast and before you know it you have a bag of goodness.

Cupcake Logistics:
Appearance: Traditionally the cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery are known for their pastel frosting and a dash of sprinkles. You can probably request your prefered frosting colors, but I typically just say give me 2 chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting and I get what I get. I’ve always found these cupcakes to be some of the prettiest, even though they really aren’t that fancy, but the pastels and sprinkles do it for me.
Frosting: Creamy, decadent, melt in your mouth goodness. I find the chocolate frosting in particular is very milk chocolatey. If you get the vanilla frosting, I find it can sometimes be too sweet, leaving a bit of an aftertaste. I’m a huge frosting gal, so when I find frosting to be too sweet, you might want to watch out!
Cake flavor/consistency: The chocolate cake itself isn’t full of overwhelming chocolate flavor, but paired with chocolate frosting, it’s just perfect. The consistency is just right, with the perfect amount of freshness. A solidly constructed cupcake! My boyfriend tried the vanilla cupcake and found it to be a bit dry, but we’ve since had Magnolia again and it seemed to be just that particular day that we had a miss.

Vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting from Magnolia Bakery

Chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting from Magnolia Bakery

Magnolia Bakery also offers a ton of other sweet treats from very popular puddings, slices of cake that tempt you from their displays, cookies, and more! However, you can’t go wrong with a Magnolia cupcake in their beautiful pastel goodness!

If you’re interested in trying one of New York’s best chain bakeries for cupcakes, then you have to stop by. I recommend visiting the shops in Penn Station and Grand Central if you’re travelling so you can get in and out and take your treats home instead of carrying them around the city all day.

Coming up next time in Cupcakes in the City will be Empire Cakes. Now go get yourself a sweet treat!

Reviews, Style

Stitch Fix Review – August 2016

August 28, 2016 No Comments

It’s beginning to feel like Fall…at least my latest Fix from Stitch Fix makes me feel Fall is closely on the horizon.

For my August Fix I requested a satchel bag, a skirt, and for the most part told my stylist to pick out whatever she felt would fit my style based on past fixes and my Pinterest Board.

#1 – Jolanda Embroidered Tunic by Alice Blue
I’ve been hoping and hinting for a tunic top for a couple months now, so I was excited when I read my note from my stylist that she included one in my latest fix. This tunic by Alice Blue is an essential for Fall. This top is super airy, has massive sleeves that make me feel I could potentially fly away, and the color/style just shouts Fall is here! I can’t wait for the cooler weather to blow in so I can wear this to work.

#2 – Renesme Geo Cube Jersey Faux Wrap Dress by 41Hawthorn
First things first, I’ve read and seen all the Twilight books and movies so my first thought when I saw the name of this dress brought me back to my college days with my roommates, reading the series and seeing it in the theatres. Anyways, moving on. This dress is amazing! It’s absolutely fabulous and I’m in love. It’s super comfortable, flattering, and such a lovely print. Another classic Fall piece. My stylist picked this one right from my Pinterest board, and I couldn’t be more pleased with it. Definitely a must request item.

41Hawthrone Renesme Geo Cube Jersey Faux Wrap Dress

#3 – Deandra Textured Aline Skirt by Margaret M
For some reason I decided to be “daring” this month and request my first ever Stitch Fix skirt. Now, I’m not much of a skirt person at all, but I kept seeing beautiful images of outfits with skirts on Pinterest, so I was curious if I could pull one off. I’ve tried Margaret M pants before, and have loved them, so I was excited to see my stylist decided to go with that company for my first Stitch Fix skirt. Margaret M is all about flattering figures and providing pieces that thin you. This skirt is cute, but one thing to note is that it really showcases off all your curves. You can totally make out the shape of my lower stomach, something I’m not used to highlighting. If you’re uncomfortable with the skirt hugging your curves, pull up the skirt higher up your torso, turning it into a high waisted skirt, this instantly smoothes you without the cling, giving you a polished looked. It’ll take some getting used to, but I can’t wait to pair this skirt with some of my previous Fix shirts. Pro tip, this skirt looks amazing with flowy tops.

#4 – Marisol Mixed Material 3/4 Sleeve Knit Top by Papermoon
What a cute and comfortable top this is! I love the colors and design. In fact, I secretly wish the whole top was the same pattern that’s on the back. This top feels like butter, it’s so soft. My stylist suggested I pair this top with my new Margaret M skirt, which color wise goes perfectly together. Once it’s a bit cooler out, I’ll have to take the whole outfit out on the town, or let’s be honest, wear it to work 🙂

Papermoon Marisol Mixed Material 3/4 Sleeve Knit Top

#5 – Valencia Mini Structured Satchel by Octavia
My all time favorite bag is one with a cross body strap, it makes traveling a breeze and I don’t have to worry about losing my purse. I’ve been dying to find the perfect Satchel bag since some of my cross body bags have seen much better days. I had requested one in burgundy, but none were available, but this color (Teal according to my stylist) is fabulous, and maybe a new favorite! It’s the perfect size for me, and there’s still plenty of empty space inside after I’ve added in my usual purse essentials. I love that you can opt to wear it on your arm, or cross body. The cross body strap is also removable, which is always a great bonus. The satchel has a wonderfully spacious zipper compartment on the outside, a zippered pocket within the main part of the bag, along with an extra pocket. I’ve literally used this bag everyday since my fix arrived, it’s perfect!

Octavia Valencia Mini Structured Satchel

Final Thoughts: I’ve lucked out and had another great fix. I’m super excited for Fall to come so I can enjoy some of these pieces more. This fix also taught me to keep my mind open, like with the skirt, and not to be afraid of color (satchel bag!). I ended up keeping everything, and am looking forward to seeing what my stylist has in mind for me next month. I’m hoping I’ll get the perfect pair of black leggings, and maybe a fun Fall jacket! Until next time, happy fixing!

Suggestions for a better fix:

Be very specific. If there are certain pieces or types of clothing you really want, provide that in your styling note to your stylist.
Create a Pinterest Board. Stylists will check them out if you keep mentioning them in your style notes.
Call out designers or names of actual articles of clothing . Your stylist may not provide those exact items but they’ll start to get a better sense of what style you’re into.

Don’t forget to follow my Pinterest Boards for more Stitch Fix fun!