Hair Candy Review and Giveaway

Who doesn't love a custom, handmade item? Who loves a cute purse? Who loves something small? Who loves things that can go inside bigger things? That’s right THIS GIRL DOES!! I am not your typical girlie girl, even though I am making strides to become more girlie, I don’t always like to carry a purse, especially not a huge big one, well except for my big purple Coach purse Cole got me..LOVE that one! So I look for smaller purses. Whether it be a cross body, amazing clutch, stuffable purse (you know, for inside the big one so you don’t have to take the whole thing in walmart) or just my little mini wallet that hooks to my keys that’s what I like.  So when we were contacted by a Stillwater, OK company who makes AMAZING headbands, STUNNING clutches and ADORABLE MUST HAVE baby items, I knew it was ment to be. 

Hair Candy is a semi local to me company. It is run by a mom who just wants to make all the cute boutique purses, hair wear and baby items affordable to everyone, through her etsy shop and her facebook page. She offers tons of options for everything she make’s, from pick your own fabrics and accents to help her design the item. 

Hair Candy sent us this SUPER CUTE clutch wristlet and an adorable headband, which will be covered in another post this week. She let me pick out my fabrics and then she went to work on making it. I choose zebra and polka dots in orange and black of course, have to show my COWBOY pride. The clutches range from $18-$22 plus shipping, which is a great deal considering how fast she gets them done and that you pick the fabric and everything is made FOR YOU!  All the clutches are lined and have a pocket perfect for phone, keys, gum, lip gloss, you know the small things that get lost.

 Perfect for the Zombie Lover

I used the wristlet clutch as a true wristlet for a few days and then as a stuffable for the rest of the time. I had to be a big kid and go on interviews so I needed my nicer leather purse but didn’t want to carry all the stuff in it. I loved this purse! It was perfect to hold my chapstick, touch up make up, mini wallet, phone and hand sanitizer and lotion.  Now, I didn’t carry all of this at once, make up was only if I wore it that day, but everything else stayed in the bag. The zipper is always a big deal for me since when I am girlie, I do tend to over stuff my purse and let me say..I did try to with this one, made the little guy so chunky it hardly closed, but the zipper stayed, didn’t unstitch, didn’t pucker and didn’t get stuck! 

Do I think there could be improvements?

    Well, it did stain a bit and I considered putting something on it but decided not to, just washed it in my washer and my stains came out!

    Another pocket or set of credit card pockets, I think those would be a great addition to add just 2-3 pockets for cards, that way they would be secure and you wouldn’t need to have another bag inside it.

Will I buy from Hair Candy?

  OF COURSE! I LOVE her fabric choices, her quick turn around time, AMAZING prices and willingness to work with her customers.

What Would I Buy?

    Zipper coin purse, one of my FAV items ever invented, baby items for friends (such cute items) and maybe even another clutch. 

Want to win this clutch? Here’s How!

Giveaway Rules:

*Open to US residents only

Mandatory Entry:

*Must be a Google Friend Connect of A Girl In A Guy's World 

*Must "like" facebook.

* Must visit her etsy 

*Must comment what your favorite item is she makes

*Must provide e-mail in comment

Optional Entries (1 extra entry per...)

(must include in your entry post that you did these in order for them to count):

*Like A Girl In A Guy's World

*Share this giveaway on you FB profile or page.

*Tweet about this giveaway.

*Blog about this giveaway.

*Refer a friend to A Girl In A Guy's World

*Buy any item from Hair Candy

Make sure to put your e-mail in your comment. Each extra entry is in the SAME comment. If no e-mail provided new winner is picked.

Giveaway closes at midnight on January 30th

 

Winner will be selected via Random.org on January 31st and announced on the blog and on our Facebook page. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to claim their prize, or another winner will be picked.

Special thanks to Hair Candy, for offering this giveaway!

Another Flood..

Well, I came back to school early yesterday that way I could get everything put up, and clean a little before classes started. Good thing I did, I came home AGAIN to a soaked closet and flooded apartment. This is time number 2 in 3 weeks, let me just say this is getting old and I am tired of it. They never found the leak last time after putting 3 holes in my closet, they just replaced the carpet and said that my neighbor must have flooded my apartment but they were never sure. I mean how can someone flood my apartment but not their own? I dont get it.

But here's what happened, I called matience and they came out and wet vacced the water up, took out the soaked padding and said they would come back today. Well a few hours later, the water was back with advengence! So I let them know, they said dont worry they will be here today. I wake up this morning and it is even worse, it has spread all over my apartment and it is nasty! So now, while I am at school, I wonder what I will come home to..new carpet? a hole in my closet? or maybe I will get a new apartment? Who knows..all I know is it was stinky, wet and annoying when I tried to get ready.

Now off to class I go! And to call a place I put a job app in at to see if I can get an interview! Hope everyone has a great day! I will be on tomorrow with reviews and giveaways!

Tupperware Party Hosted by ME

Tupperware Party

I am hosting a online Tupperware party for Sandra. I fell in love with my chopper during the review and want more Tupperware. If you would like to order from my party, please contact Sandra at lovechocolate59@yahoo.com

I will be giving a surprise gift to one lucky blog reader that orders and a gift to anyone who orders $100 or more from our party. I also will give you extra entries in to this giveaway if you refer friends to the party. Party is open till end of January.

The FREE gifts are from the BLOG! Not Sandra, so keep that in mind. Also make sure to check out their sale items, some stuff is up to half off this month!

Cant sleep..so I hear a DRUM ROLL!!!

Okay, as I promised I am catching up and first things first is a rant about how someone thinks we have "fake" reviews, then our winners and another BIG thank you to our sponsors Stephanie with Pampered Chef and Sandra with Scentsy.

Let me just say, I did receive an e-mail from someone saying that my reviews are not real, well written and don’t carry my opinion. Well let me assure you all, Ashley and I use every product sent to us, we do NOT do this for fun and to write a “fake” review. I work very hard on my blog and consider it a great way to share my tips, life, school trials and work with everyone. While I may not be the best reviewer, nor do I have kids, which that is why we have the lovely Ashley, but I do try my hardest. I put everything out there and on the line and I share a lot of stuff with everyone and try to make sure you all have fun reading my blog and reviews. I do try to give Ashley our children and mom friendly items, since my child is a fur baby. Which let me say, she does love her new stuffed animal, big thanks to Sandra! I just wanted to clear the air and say that here at A Girl In A Guy’s World, we are serious and we do write real reviews and if you feel other wise, feel free not to read about my life. I am not forcing you to, but I do think it is the nice thing to do. Since the golden rule is..If you cant say anything nice, do NOT say anything at all.

Back to the winners! Our first winner is for the way over due announcement of Stephanie’s Pampered Chef giveaway is #2, Amy Craft. Thank you to the two of you who entered. Make sure we thank Stephanie for this giveaway, because without her, I would not have this new amazing peppermint chocolate sauce for my ice cream on a bad day.

Our second winner is for the Scentsy Buddy giveaway, thanks to Sandra Foy. Our winner is #8, Lindsay Leigh. Thank you to all who entered this giveaway and lets remember to thank Sandra, she is our largest and most generous sponsor. She has bent over backwards and helped us keep our word to you by providing giveaways when consultants have bailed. 

Lets make sure we say a big thank you to both these ladies. They both stepped up for our blog when other backed down on short notice. Also, if you are a winner please make sure you respond to the sponsors e-mail with in 48 hours, or a new winner will be picked. Thanks!

Holy Smokes I'm Sick

Okay, so this week my blog hours have taken a sick day. I am sick as can be, no voice, stuffy nose, bad cough and no energy. But I did say I would blog every week, so I am blogging and I will be working on my reviews more today so hopefully they will make it up this weekend. Doctor says I should be feeling better by then, but let me just say going from a cold to broncitis really just kills me. Maybe next year I will say I wont get sick, since this happened last year too!

Let me just say how proud I am to be an Oklahoma State University Cowboy! I am so proud of the team for pulling out that win and for all be amazing and remembering the 4. Also, if you have no idea why the referenced the gundy after the win, head over to youtube and search teach me how to gundy. It will put a smile on your face!

Do you have kids in college? Do you think the prices are crazy for a textbook? Do you think that tuition goes up to much every year? Well here are a few tips on how I save money during my college career. Look in to renting textbooks, I dont do this because I love to keep my books and write in them, but renting a textbook can be less then half the price of the book. Buy the books online, great deals at half.com or amazon.com even barns and noble sales textbooks at lower prices then the on campus or near campus stores. I got all four of my books needed for this semester for $180, my books if I had gotten them through the school would have cost me over $450. I got all my books for under the price of just one of my books. All my books came brand new in the package and I of course used ebates to buy the books so I get cash back! Do you have a question on how to save on books? Feel free to leave me a comment and I will help you out! Now for that tuition hike problem, I know OSU offers a tuition lock program, while I do not use this I know a few students who do. The price is slightly higher then what I pay currently, but my price can change and theirs will not. It could save you thousands of dollars if started freshman year. Something else to look in to.

But here we go with our reciepe, this is what I eat every time I am sick since I dont like chicken noodle..I know how unAmerican of me. I eat Pho, an amazing chicken or beef Vietnamese noodle soup.

Ingredients

1. 2 unpeeled yellow onions, quartered
2. Three 1/2-inch-thick slices of fresh ginger, smashed
3. 4 quarts cold water
4. 3 pounds chicken bones or chicken wings
5. One 3 1/2-pound chicken, quartered
6. 1 tablespoon salt
7. 2 teaspoons sugar
8. 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
9. 1 pound dried rice noodles
10. 1 scallion, thinly sliced
11. 1 pound mung bean sprouts
12. 1/2 cup torn basil leaves
13. 2 limes, cut into wedges
14. 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
15. Asian chili-garlic sauce and hoisin sauce, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Put the onions and ginger on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned.
2. Fill a large stockpot with the water and bring to a boil. Add the roasted vegetables and the chicken bones, quartered chicken, salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to moderate and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 30 minutes.
3. Using tongs, transfer the quartered chicken to a plate and let cool slightly. Remove the meat from the bones and refrigerate. Return the skin and bones to the stockpot and simmer for 2 hours longer. Strain the chicken broth into a large soup pot and cook over high heat until reduced to 12 cups, about 15 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce.
4. In a large bowl of warm water, soak the noodles until pliable, about 20 minutes.
5. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Drain the noodles, then add them to the saucepan and boil over high heat until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Transfer the noodles to 6 large bowls and sprinkle with the scallion. Add the reserved chicken to the broth and simmer until heated through. Ladle the broth and chicken over the noodles. Serve with the bean sprouts, basil, lime wedges, jalapeños, chili-garlic sauce and hoisin sauce.

Make Ahead The recipe can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated for up to 2 days. 

 

This soup is amazing and perfect with a little hot pepper sauce to clear up you stuffyness. 

What are your favorite things to eat when you are sick? How do you get over the crud? 

Well, I need to go over my class schedule and get my books ready and pull the backpack back out and then take a nap. School starts Monday with 17 hours and a fun hotel lab at the Oklahoma State University Atherton. Have you ever thought to go stay at a hotel run by students? Let me just say the Atherton is a top notch hotel that is just as nice as any other 4 star hotel, located right next to the largest student union in the US!

Okay, now really, I must get ready for class. I cant not be prepared..that will drive me bonkers!

Have a Great Day!

Happy New Year

The 2001 year has come to an end and 2012 has stared with a bang! I am sick as can be, running so behind on the blog due to Cole's surgery and feel like I havent cooked anything in awhile. So this is what I have come up to help, me, the blog, my readers and my life. I now have OFFICAL blog hours! I will be blogging every Tuesday and maybe once a weekend depending on my course load in school, and my outside life. I will say, I do have giveaways and reviews to put up, a winner to announce and a lot of recipes to share!

So the NEW BLOG will include the following:
A review and giveaway
Recipes at least twice a month
My trials in school, life and hopefully work soon
My job hunt
Ashley's family life
Ashley's side of being a mom
Frugal Tips


So with this said, here is your first reciepe for 2012 from me!

Churro Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup superfine sugar (see note below)
1/4 tsp salt
16 T unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and softened
2 T cream cheese, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
2T melted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2T plus 2 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt


Note: If you can't find superfine sugar (castor sugar), simply process 1 cup granulated sugar in a food processor for about 30 seconds, then measure out 3/4 cup for the recipe. 

Directions:
1. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat the butter into the flour mixture, one piece at a time. Continue to beat the flour-butter mixture until it looks crumbly and slightly wet, 1-2 minutes.

2. Beat in the cream cheese and vanilla until the dough just begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds. Knead the dough in the bowl by hand a few times until it forms a large cohesive mass. 

3. Roll cookie dough into rods about 3/4-1 inch in diameter. Cut the rods into 3 inch pieces, place on a plate and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, 2T plus 2tsp cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. 


4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookies on a baking sheet, with about an inch between each cookie. Using a pastry brush, brush each cookie with melted butter, and then sprinkle with a generous amount of cinnamon sugar mixture. 


5. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and immediately place indentations lengthwise along the cookies using a wooden skewer. Let cookies cool for five minutes on the cookie sheet, then place on a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Optional - For more cinnamon-sugar flavor, brush cooled cookies with more melted butter and sprinkle again with cinnamon sugar. 

Serving Ideas- Vanilla Ice Cream or Custard or some amazing Spiced Apples or Apple Pie Filling maybe even some Apple Butter

Hope everyone has a great 2012!

Scentsy Buddy Review and Giveaway with Sandra

Sandra Foy, a Consultant with Scentsy, sent me Ribbert, the frog Scentsy Buddy.

My first thought when I pulled him out of his custom box, which is more like a pet condo with windows and doors, was how the pictures I have seen of these in the catalogs and online just don’t give these guys enough credit! From the pictures I saw, I imagined him to be thin and kind of lanky, when in fact he is quite the stout little guy, and way softer than I expected. Scentsy describes the buddy’s are perfect for your child or the child with in yourself! These little guys have a nifty zipper pouch  in their back to stuff with a scent pack. While I can not vouch on how long they will last since I did not have one, many people I have spoke with say they can last up to 5 months, just depends.

 Now isn't this nifty, look how simple it would be to switch the scent! I LOVE this feature

I will say this buddy is so soft and cuddly, it is the perfect amount of fluff and softness, fills the body just right. The zipper pouch seems like a great idea for little one’s who take their stuffed animals everywhere seeing as how they will keep them from being less stinky. Not to mention that you can just wash the buddy and change the scent whenever! One of my friends daughters has one and says they hold up perfect in the washing machine and the scent makes it perfect for their rooms when they become “curious” of the cords on the warmers. I was told the buddy can fill the room with the scent inside it.
These little buddy’s come in 10 different animals, one being for the winter and one being a charity item benefiting the Ronald McDonald House. They have over 30 scents to stuff them with from a calming lavender to a bright and fun fruity scent. They range in price from $25 to $30 depending on which buddy you get.

What else does Scentsy offer? Everything from hand sanatizer and car items to elegant warmers and over 80 scents to pick from in wax! Is it worth the money? Yes, I think the buddy is worth the money. My puppy loved it, she kept it in her crate and laid on it at night as well as had a fight or two with her cousin over it. I am sure it will hold up to a child if it can handle my puppy and her cousin.

Would you like to win a Scentsy Buddy of your own?

Giveaway Rules:

*Open to US residents only

Mandatory Entry:

*Must be a Google Friend Connect of A Girl In A Guy's World 

*Must visit facebook.

* Must join her group

*Must comment what your favorite scent is or might be

*Must provide e-mail in comment

Optional Entries (1 extra entry per...)

(must include in your entry post that you did these in order for them to count):

*Like A Girl In A Guy's World

*Share this giveaway on you FB profile or page.

*Tweet about this giveaway.

*Blog about this giveaway.

*Refer a friend to A Girl In A Guy's World

*Buy any item or host a party from Sandra!

Make sure to put your e-mail in your comment. Each extra entry is in the SAME comment. If no e-mail provided new winner is picked.

Giveaway closes at midnight on December 31st

 

Winner will be selected via Random.org on January 1 and announced on the blog and on our Facebook page. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to claim their prize, or another winner will be picked.

Special thanks to Sandra Foy, for offering this giveaway!