OPI Suede Polish

If there is one thing I hate, it's chipping nail polish! For years I had pink/white gel nails and they were perfect - never had to be painted, always looked great. Then the real world set in and $60 every 2 weeks just wasn't doable anymore. Since I've had them off, I've experimented with lots of colors and brands, but my favorites are by Essie. Their contoured brushes are awesome!

OPI makes a color I have always been a huge fan of - Lincoln Park After Dark. It's a very deep purple and looks great on any skin tone! The last time I was at Ulta, I decided to take advantage of their buy 1 get 1 deal on OPI polishes and wound up with a bottle of Lincoln Park and a bottle of their new "suede" polish in You Don't Know Jacques.

The color of the suede polish is great - it's a multidimensional taupe and, even though you don't use a top coat, seems to sparkle. I would wear it all the time if I didn't have to redo it everyday!

The major downfall of this polish is its wear time. There is a warning on the bottle that states it will not last as long as regular polish, but they're not kidding in the slightest. If you have somewhere to go, put it on immediately before leaving the house (it dries VERY quickly) or you'll get there with a mess of chipped tips. Don't think about showering with it on because you'll get side tracked by picking it off.

It is a beautiful color and I would love to try their green shade, but if you aren't willing to do daily touch ups or completely repaint them each day, this isn't the polish for you!

Kitty & Canine Gift Exchange

One perk of being a blogger is getting to "meet" other bloggers through exchanges and meet-ups.

When Hannah asked if I would like to participate in their Kitty & Canine Gift Exchange, I jumped at the chance!

The Danes and I were paired with Stephanie and her two beautiful Huskies, Dallas and Loucie!

I received the Danes package today and Stephanie definitely went above and beyond!!

2 Christmas long-dogs, 4 snowflake tennis balls, and 2 PERSONALIZED dog treats!!

The Danes are definitely going to enjoy playing and snacking tonight!!!

Fancy(ish) Chocolate Covered Oreos

I set out to create a smorgasbord of chocolate covered goodies! Unfortunately (or fortunately for our waistlines) I nix-ed the pretzels and stuck to the Oreos. Pictures are scarce for this instructional since my hands were covered in melted chocolate during 99% of the process, but I'll be sure to include all the steps!

Ingredients!
Oreos - Assorted Holiday Sprinkles - White Chocolate Chips - Dark Chocolate Mint Chips - Toothpicks - Candy/Cookie Mold - Wax Paper

*For the Dark Chocolate/White Chocolate Swirl Oreos

1. Melt dark chocolate in microwave using a bowl that allows room for dipping the cookies.

2. Melt  a small amount of white chocolate in the microwave. You only need a drop or two per cookie. 

3. Dip 4 cookies in the dark chocolate and place on wax paper. 

4. Drizzle a small amount of white chocolate on the dipped cookies.

5. Using a toothpick, swirl chocolates together to create fun patterns!

6. Repeat!

7. Cool in the refrigerator for approximately 15 minutes!

*Dark Chocolate Mint Sprinkle Oreos

1. Dip Oreos in melted chocolate. 

2. Place on wax paper.

3. Immediately top with desired amount of sprinkles!

4. Cool in the refrigerator for approximately 15 minutes!

*White Chocolate Holiday Oreos

1. Melt 1 bag white chocolate chips in the microwave.

2. Pour a small amount of chocolate into 2 small containers. 

3. Color one container with green food coloring and the other with red.

4. Using a candy/cookie mold, fill in the decoration sections with the desired colors. 

5. Pour white chocolate into mold, just coating the plastic area. 

6. Place 1 cookie in each slot. 

7. Top with remaining chocolate so cookies are completely covered, spinning cookie to coat sides. 

8. Place mold in refrigerator and cool until mold is frosty. 

9. Pop covered cookies out of mold and trim extra chocolate. 

10. Enjoy!

Bounce Dryer Bar

If there's one thing I can't stand, it's static. Living in Arizona, it's impossible not to have static in every part of your daily life! I carry a Bounce sheet and anti-static hair gel in my bag and love seeing the actual sparks when we separate the blankets on the bed! I've used Bounce Dryer Sheets practically my whole life so I thought I'd give the Bounce Dryer Bar a whirl - less waste and cheaper than a box of sheets!

It's been in my dryer for just over a week and just about 11 loads of laundry. I'm not very impressed. While it works great with sheets and thinner items, such as kitchen rags, it doesn't do the job with clothes. Separating the items in my load of dark clothes this morning, it was as though I had taken no precautions against static at all!

It's a great concept and maybe I'll do another review of it when we get to a less staticy part of the US, but for now, it's just not worth the money!
Bounce 3 Month Outdoor Fresh Dryer Bar, 1.92-Ounce

The Danes Go Hiking!

We decided to take the Danes on our hike yesterday, since they need a little more exercise! Thankfully, there weren't too many people on the trails so we could let them off-leash to explore!

They ended up having a great time and were thoroughly worn out by the time it was over!