5 Fandom Friday: Holiday Recommendations

It is 5 Fandom Friday time! Thanks to The Nerdy Girlie and SuperSpaceChick for putting this together every week.

This week is all about Holiday Recommendations.

1. Holiday Candy

There are so many delicious holiday candies out right now but out of all of these I would have to choose the Milk Chocolate Orange as a must try. I believe you can find these some places year round, I never have. 

The first thing you do with these orbs of yummy is to smash is while it is in the foil. BAM! Then you have slices of chocolate with a perfect hint of orange. 

2. Bath and Body Works Peppermint Lotion

I worked at B&BW one holiday season. I still have flashbacks. The one positive thing I got out of my time there is my love for their Peppermint Lotion. It isn't too sweet smelling like some peppermint lotions. If you are near a B&BW try it out.

3. Hogfather

I read this every year. Imagine every holiday story you know and mix it up in a fun and strange fantasy world. Where DEATH is a character that you root for as he and his granddaughter try to save the Hogfather. If you don't have time for the book there is a movie version. But in all honesty, read this. Terry Prachett wrote some of the best fantasy books I have every read. His Discworld series has at least one book that everyone will like.

4. Starbucks

Starbucks seasonal drinks are back. My mom is obsessed with the Eggnog lattes. I however hate eggnog so I go for the Peppermint drinks. Mmmm Peppermint mocha latte please.

5. Babes in Toyland

Why do I love this cringe-worthy film? A very young Keanu Reeves and Drew Barrymore take on the forces of mildly evil to save Toyland. This needs to come out on DVD already. I used to have it on VHS but now I have to catch it with it is sporadically on TV. BTW I know all the lines from "C-I-N-C-I-N-N-A-T-I" song

November Wrap Up

November is over. It has been a tough month again. Nothing horrible happened this month but everything from the past few months still has us fighting to stay afloat. 

Hauls

Let's start off with something great...I won a prize pack from Crimson Peak! Including a Hiddleston Funko Pop, Crimson Peak shirt and an autograph card including Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain and Guillermo del Toro's autographs. So happy to have won this!!!

Accomplishments

My friend is having a baby. For some strange reason I am now the maker of all baby quilts within my social and familial circles. I actually have no idea what I am doing when it comes to making these quilts. My great-great aunt used to make the quilts for the family and when she got too old to do it my her daughter, my grandfather's cousin, made all the quilts. Still not sure how this fell into my lap, but it has. Unfortunately no one actually taught me how to make these so I just fly by the seat of my pants. I never know if these quilts I make will fall apart after I give them away.

Netflix

The Office

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I ended up watching The Office Us on Netflix simply because it kept being recommended. I really did not think I would like it...I kind of love it now. Same thing that happened with Parks and Recs. Shows that I passed on repeatedly only to fall in love with much later. Sometimes the shows that become your favorites are the ones you've overlooked.

Both The Office and Parks and Recs have the absurd sitcom aspect but with deeper emotions underneath.

A Long Way Down

When life gets you down, sometimes the best thing to do is find an escape. I go for tv and films. On a particularly bad day I watched this film, A Long Way Down. Four people meet when they all end up on top of a building to kill themselves. Sounds pretty depressing for a film. Nope. It is all about finding reasons to live.

Not a film for everyone, but I really enjoy it.

(In the same vein as this film but I don't think it is on netflix, On The Edge with Cillian Murphy. Dark but hopeful.) 

Geez, what a depressing end to this post. I blame the weather, cold and raining. 

November Ipsy and Birchbox

It's Ipsy and Birchbox time.

Ipsy and Birchbox are monthly beauty subscription boxes that cost about $10 shipped in the US.

I share these with my mom, so anything in BLUE are the products she took.

Ipsy

With Ipsy each month you get a makeup bag. I absolutely loved this one, you can see it in the first picture. Galaxy. 

• tre'StiQue Mini Lip Crayon- I have tried this product before in a different color. It goes on smooth and stays on fairly well.
• Smashbox Cosmetics Full Exsposure Mascara- Smashbox is a really good brand and in the reasonable price range,
• Figs & Rouge Mattifying Emulsion & Pore Refiner- A sheer primer that doesn't leave a chalky film.
• Model Co. Highlighting Trio- I am really not sure how to go about using highlighters yet. I must try this out.
• INSPR Beauty Angle Liner Brush- I love getting makeup tools in these bags. Can't wait to try this out soon.

 Birchbox 

• theBalm cosmetics Cindy-Lou Manizer- Once again a highlighter. Are these boxes trying to tell me something?
• Parlor Touchable Curl Cream- Problem with this sample is that both my mom and I do not have hair that this would work with. Mine is long and straight, hers is short and thick.
• Living Proof Perfect Hair Day dry shampoo- Dry shampoo samples are always great.
• Klorane Smoothing and Relaxing Patches with Soothing Cornflower- Since this is one that my mom choose, I have no idea what this even looks like.
• Loc Vibrant Matte Lipstick- In Wildest Dreams. A rich red that goes on like a smooth lipstick but becomes matte. It actually stays on really well for a matte.

My favorites out this month's boxes: Ipsy- Liner Brush and Birchbox- Loc Matte Lipstick.

5 Fandom- Fandoms That I'm Thankful For

It has been a long time since I have written a 5 Fandom Friday post.

This week is all about Fandoms.

Thanks to the Nerdy Girlie and SuperSpaceChick for once again coming up with all of these prompts.

1. Stargate

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I think Stargate was the first real fandom that I interacted with. Because of this show I went to my first Trek Expo, I totally sported some camo capris. 

Stargate was also indirectly responsible for me becoming a Whovian. I saw the promos for Doctor Who on the Sci-fi channel and decided to watch it.

Thus my descent into the sci-fi rabbit hole became complete.

2. Harry Potter

This is more for my mom.

My mom used to go to the release parties at book stores for these books. Then she would come home and read the latest book well into the morning.

See, nerdiness is genetic

3. Doctor Who

I am a Whovian.

Although the past few seasons have left me disenchanted.

I can still remember watching that first episode and know that this would be my favorite show.

"I'm the Doctor, by the way..... Run for your life"

I was hooked.

4. Marvel

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I was late to the game with the Marvel Universe, but I feel like I have made up for it. I absolutely love the Marvel Universe. The films and the tv shows just make me happy. I really cannot choose my favorite from this. 

But I will say that Peggy Carter is PERFECT

5. Geek Girls Pen Pal Club
This is not a fandom, but a collection of people who are involved in various fandoms. Geeks from all over the world with something in common.
I have met (via online) some of the most amazing people because of this group. I have also been introduced to new fandoms through them.

Thinking About The 90's

This month's theme on Geek Girls Pen Pal Club is the 90's. This has brought up some massive nostalgia for me. I was really too young in the 90's to enjoy what most people remember as classic 1990's. Then again, I live in Oklahoma and until a few years ago we were about a decade behind the rest of the US. 

I remember being into grunge after it had started to die out. I wore my pink and blue flannel like I was so street. Add on the smiley face felt stovepipe hat and the back pack purses. I was an absolute mess.

Ying Yangs, beanie babies, pogs, The Backstreet Boys...oh my.

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In retrospect I feel like I missed out on so much that the 90's are remembered for. I never got to go to a rave. I didn't get to see any real concerts. I used to get the Delia's catalog but I never got to buy anything from it.

I did have a bunch of inflatable furniture, door beads, disco ball and glow in the dark stars in my room.

Most of what I love about the 90's comes from discovering after the fact. 

My favorite band is Placebo. I did not know anything about them until 2007.

I am glad that I can say that I did have a cassette tape of Garbage's Version 2.0 that I wore out for over listening.

At least that gives me a bit of 90's cred.

Does anyone remember getting a ton of cds for a dollar from a mail-in form? I think the majority of my cd collection comes from that.

ROUNDHOUSE

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It seems like the 90's are coming back more and more now. Teen Nick now has Splat that show some of my favorite shows from the late 80's and 90's including Ren & Stimply, Hey Dude, Salute Your Shorts and ROUNDHOUSE.

I think out of all of the Snick lineup Roundhouse gets over looked the most. I loved this show. I preferred it to the New Mickey Mouse Club.

It had skits, singing and awesome dance routines. Each episode had a theme, usually with some kind of moral. Even though it had the air of being a teaching experience, it never shaved it in your face.

Also if you are a fan of the movie The Newies, you will recognize a few of the newsies in the tv show. You can find a few of the episodes on youtube.

If you haven't seen it, you need to...now

I am thinking about making more blog posts like this, the 90's and 00's etc. What do you think? Also what would I call them??

Marvel Collector Corps- Villains

A few weeks late, but I am trying to get back into the flow of blogging again.

My Marvel Collector Corps box arrived. October's theme is Villains.

I was really hoping for a Loki pop because I really need that one (and Peggy Carter, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Vision ...I need quite a few for my Marvel collection)

 I didn't get a traditional Loki Pop but I did get a Loki Dorbz. These remind me of Anime characters. While I still want a Pop Loki, I do like this Dorbz.  I have an Ultron Dorbz that came in the first Marvel Collector Corps box. I really like the boxes the Dorbz come in, they have "windows" in the front and back.

This month's shirt is great. It isn't Pop related, which I kind of prefer. Instead it has illustrations of some of the most well known Marvel Villains, including Red Skull, Loki, Ultron and Thanos.

I really wish I liked Spiderman. I just never got into this part of Marvel. Maybe my dislike for Toby Maguire has something to do with it. But the past two boxes have had Spiderman related pops. I actually had to look Morbius up to know where he fell in the Marvel Universe. To Ebay they go.

And of course no MCC box would be complete without the pin, patch and comic. The pin is Green Goblin (Ugh more Spiderman) the patch Red Skull (YEA Captain America) and the comic Iron Man.

Over all a commendable box. I don't mind the Spiderman products, that is my own problem lol.

December's box is Guardians of the Galaxy themed.

A Year of Ipsy and Birchbox

After nearly three weeks, I think it is time to get back into blogging. Mainly as a distraction.
Easiest place to start- Subscription Boxes
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Since October of last year I have received an Ipsy Glam bag and Birchbox every month. I thought I would give a show you what this looks like. Each subscription box is $10 a month shipped in the US.

First up: Ipsy

Ipsy comes with a makeup bag every month. In general with this subscription you are more likely to get full sized products, or close to full sized. I have also gotten a few really great makeup tools. The brands range from the affordable, which you can pick up in drugstore to a few higher end products. 

Ipsy also has a Rewards program where you review the products you've received for points that you can trade in for certain products.

Birchbox

Birchbox tends to have some of the higher end product samples. While you may not receive as many full sized products, this subscription box offers a chance to try out all sorts of different products that you may not have ever tried due to price. Birchbox is the more diverse in terms of what you can get. I feel there is less of an emphasis on makeup and more skin care and hair styling. That isn't to say that I haven't gotten a few good makeup samples in this box.

The Birchbox rewards program is really great. You get points for reviewing your box as well as points for anything you buy from them. Every 100 points equals $10 that you can use in their store.

I have really enjoyed getting these subscription boxes. The price is great and every month you get new products to try out.