Cirque Du Soleil: Worlds Away

I have only seen a Cirque Du Soleil show once before (you can read about it here). I was absolutely taken aback at how beautiful the show was, I mean it was stunning, it made me feel like a little kid again. So when I was approached to do a review of the DVD/Digital Copy/Blu-Ray (read: not live) version of Cirque Du Soleil: Worlds Away-I was hesitant at best.

I mean I was game, but I just wasn't sure that the wonderment that I experienced at the live show could be captured in a non-live version. So I received the DVD in the mail (along with a fun goody bag full of Cirque swag) and I gave it a chance. I popped it in the DVD player and instantly my attention was grabbed. The fantastical visuals that grabbed my attention in the live show was now working its magic on me at home-but in a different way. I feel like the DVD offered something that the lives show couldn't possibly offer-like detail. It was so pretty. Like, couldn't look away, pretty.

So all that is to say that, I recommend picking up a copy of Cirque Du Soleil: Worlds Away. I can easily seeing this being perfect for a fun night in with your love or a bunch of girlfriends and a bunch of fun snacks. Your eyes will love what they see!

The Skin Regimine

Nourish All In One Facial Cleaner and Nourish All In One Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer:
After all I have been through in trying to get my skin acne free, the last place you would think I would look for skin care is a grocery store. But alas, I have. Word on the street is that the dermatologist that concocted the Nourish Skin Care line is selling a very similar formula in their office for ten times the price! The face wash is a soothing gel that lathers but doesn't dry my face out, and it takes off my make up really well.
The Nourish lotion is really light and oil free. This is a huge selling point for me because I usually feel a super thick mask like feeling when I use other moisturizers which prevents me using it...and I don't know about you but moisturizers don't work well when they are sitting on your shelf and not on your face. But this one seems to be melt right in to your face and leaving it feeling fresh and dewy.

SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF:
Now I know this item is pretty darn pricey. In fact I bought it from my dermatologist and then had instant buyers remorse. I wasn't able to return it and now looking back, I am glad I didn't. All it takes is four little drops a day and it tightens up my pores and leaves my skin looking super "fresh". I don't know how else to describe it except "fresh". The overall look of my skin has been transformed and I honestly don't think I can go back!

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2:
(Not Pictured)
I usually avoided toners because they dried my face out like whoa. But this one, this one does not do that. I love how after I swipe a cotton pad with this stuff on it my face tingles and almost feels like its breathing. Weird...but true.

Cetaphil SPF 50:
I use this every morning to provide a shield of defense for my face when I head out in to the world. SPF 50 might seem a bit like overkill to some...but you never can be to careful when it comes to your skin right?

Vaseline:
Most definitely the cheapest part of my regimine but one of the most important. I keep a little pot of this stuff on my nightstand. Before bed I put some on my lips, cuticles, the back of my hands and around my eyes (ahem, where some little crows feet are starting to tiptoe their way on to my face).

Essie: Good To Go

I love painting my nails-big time.
You know what I don't like?
Waiting for said nails to dry.

Well that is no longer a worry for me ever since Essie,Good To Go came in to my life.
I can put a couple coats of my favorite color on and put a thin coat of GTG on and I was truly good to go after a couple minutes. Which means I could look through my purse, put my hair up, or even go to bed without worry of missing up my manicure!

The added bonus is that this topcoat makes my nails look extra shiny! I have had so many people ask me if my manicure was a gel one because the topcoat gave my nails such a nice, shiny, finished look.
It retails for about $10-and worth every penny!!

Near, Far, Wherever You Areeeee

For reasons of protecting whatever shred of coolness I possessed, I have never divulged just how big of a  Titanic fan I was when it first came out...and truth be told I still am. When the movie came out 15 years ago (really? 15 years ago?!) I was a 13 year old that was gaga for Leonardo, had two fish named Jack and Rose and I saw the movie (in the theatre) ....10 times. Do you still love me?

So when Katelin asked if I would be interested in reviewing the new blue ray version/15th anniversary/100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking version of the movie I said YES,I'LL NEVER LET GO KATELIN! I received a journal (similar to Jack's in the movie)-I told Jon to draw me like one of his French girls and he said it would be awkward for all involved. So I guess I'll just have to use the journal for something else. I also received a remastered, anniversary edition, of the soundtrack. Not only does the soundtrack have all of the beautiful music from the first time around but it has music from the period of the Titanic. So cool right? It also came with four Titanic luggage stickers.

Now let's not forget about the star of the show-the movie itself. The movie is totally remastered and now with blu-ray and high definition I really feel like the movie can now be seen at home in a way that lives up to the quality and detail that is inherent to the movie! (see I told you I was serious about this). So you may be wondering if this fancy schmancy anniversary edition is worth picking up?-I would have to say heck yes! Its perfect for the OTF (original Titanic Fan) and the detail  in high definition is perfect for being introduced to it a first time!

Little Leaf Design

If you have been following my journey to the altar on my main blog, you have probably realized that the journey has been anything but smooth. I mean, its been rough. But you know what wasn't rough? Ordering my thank you cards. I had originally thought I would just buy some of the pre-made thank you cards in the store but as I searched for them I didn't really see anything that I thought was worth spending a lot of money on.

I then remembered that one of my internet friends, Ashley, had a design business (Little Leaf Design) and she had made some great thank you cards for another friend. So I contacted her and she speedily gave me a very reasonable quote and just like that we were on the path to designing thank you cards for the wedding as well as my bridal shower.

Ashley sent me a fun questionnaire to get a better feel for what exactly I wanted. After she received that she sent me color swatches and sample designs. Once we had all that firmed up the thank you cards were in the mail and on their way to me. It was almost too simple compared to the craziness of the rest of the wedding planning. I was so pleased with the designs that were totally unique to me-she really did a great job!

So if you are looking for design of any kind I suggest you give Little Leaf Design a look.

L'Oreal Voluminous False Lashes Mascara

I have been pretty faithful to my Lash Blast Mascara for years now but I got a little cray cray and decided to branch out a bit. I'm not going to pretend that it was something else other than the shiny gold packaging that caught my eye, 'cause it totally was. I like me some gold.
So I brought it home and cracked it open with the highest of hopes in mind. Let me tell you this, I wasn't wowed. It did make my lashes appear thicker. But not in a voluminous way, more in a way that looked as though I had put some brownie batter on my eye lashes. Not a fan.

It's kinda hard to tell here but when I took the brush out of the container it was super clumpy and just-bleh. So sadly, my foray into new mascara fell flat but I am not dissuaded friends-I will keep looking for the best mascara for us all!

Revlon Lip Butters

So I first heard about these fancy lip sticks called Lip Butters from Morgan, Mrs. Priss herself. She seemed almost entranced by these little beauts. So I said "heh, maybe I'll check them out". AND THEN the whole internet was aflame with Lip Butter madness. Like, everyone wanted some and those that didn't want some already had 46!

So I became resolute to make some Lip Butters mine and I went to my local Walgreens and guess what?! They were buy one get one for 50% off. They were nearly sold out so I grabbed what they had left and was so excited to try them on.

Well I tried them on and to my surprise they were really smooth feeling, almost sheer feeling. But get this the color wasn't sheer, it was vibrant! I was in love! What's more? It stayed on as I ate and drank and talked. It was awesome. So I did what anyone would do in my situation, I went and bought two more.

As of today I have 6 colors, as follows:
Pink Truffle
Raspberry Pie
Red Velvet
Candy Apple
Berry Smoothie
Peach Parfait

and the sick part is...I want more!
Do you have any Revlon Lip Butters?

Lululemon Align Ultra Mat

I am becoming quite the yoga enthusiast these days. After finding out that my first ever yoga mat was made with carcinogens I decided I needed to upgrade to a user/earth friendly mat. I decided on the Lululemon Align Ultra Mat. It was nice and lightweight and came in pretty colors so i decided to buy it.

The honeymoon phase with this mat did not last long at all. Midway through my first class with the mat it began to twist and bunch beneath my feet while I was in the warrior poses. Talk about frustrating! I decided to stick it out anyway and continue to use the align mat. Well after about two months of sticking it out I noticed that the textured "bumps" on the mat were flaking off leaving me with lime green (the color of my mat) bumps all over my yoga pants at the end of class.

The flaking got so bad that eventually I wore a hole in the mat where my feet go during downward dog! And this was after not even a year of use-more like 8 months!! So I must give the Lululemon Align Mat a big fat negative review. I do not recommend it, not even a little.

Photo Cred

EasyCanvasPrints.com

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by EasyCanvasPrints.com to review the process of ordering a canvas print. I was pretty giddy because I have always wanted to try to put one of my pictures on a canvas.

I was pleasantly surprised at the ease at which I could naviagate their site. It sounds like a simple thing to appreciate but I cannot tell you how many times I go on a site to order something and the site is so complicated that I end up not ordering anything. So like I said, that was not the case with EasyCanvasPrints.com . Since I already had a print in mind I was in and out of the website in less than ten minutes! I could hardly believe it.

But if you are unsure of which picture you want to use they have a great section on their website called The Idea Gallery which shows you previous customer's orders and how they look in different places in the home. And the most important part? The prices are really reasonable AND EasyCanvasPrints.com is offering free shipping and 25% off all canvas!! I know it is awesome.

I am really happy with my canvas and I can't wait to hang it in our new home...wherever that may be.

OPI Topcoat

I hear a lot of people say that they don't like to paint their nails because the polish chips too quickly. Well I have found the solution to this problem once and for all! As you may have noticed I am a fan of OPI colors. So when I was in my local beauty supply store buying a new color I spied a sign that said if I bought two regular colors I could get the topcoat for free. So I decided to give the topcoat a try. It was free after all.

As soon as I got home I painted my nails and put the topcoat over the polish. Well after 7 days there was not a chip off of my manicure! Isn't that wonderful?! Seven days, no chips! Needless, to say I suggest OPI for all of your topcoat needs!

The Secretariat

I could really begin and end this review with "do you want to see a feel good movie that will have you smiling when you leave the theatre? yes? Ok, go see this movie!" But that would be lazy and I really like to share my opinions more than that.

The wonderful people at Disney and Blogher gave me tickets to the advanced screening of The Secretariat. I was excited to go being a huge fan of Disney movies in the past and also, a huge fan of animals in general. I wasn't quite sure what to expect of the movie but I knew how it ended thanks to a neuroscience teacher in undergrad that was obsessed with horses. That is neither here nor there. The movie is heartwarming in one of the best ways possible, in that honors the power of hope and persistence. Not to get on a soap box, ok maybe I do, but these days you don't see that too often. A lot of times bad behavior is honored more than things that would restore our faith in each other. This is probably the reason why most people know more about Lindsay Lohan than the latest Nobel Peace Prize winner. I have a feeling I may be getting carried away.

In a world where sensationalism and shocking behavior reigns supreme it was refreshing and heart warming to see a movie that you could bring the whole family to, or in my case, enjoy with your boyfriend on an impromptu date night. The Secretariat was charmingly funny and uplifting. And here's a warning, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of the races, meaning you just might find yourself cheering and clapping as though your cheers help the horse run faster...not that I am naming any names...(ok ok I totally did this)

The Giveaway of All Giveaways!

Welcome to my blogoversary give away!! I won't keep you waiting, here are the wonderful prizes you can win!!

The first, not one, but two, items are from the Etsy shop "Pinned Up"

I love these hair pins because they are a simple way to add a personal touch to any simple outfit. I actually own this next one and I think it is super cute!

This next item is the Goa Pendant Necklace from Stella & Dot.

You all know how I love me some Stella & Dot!

This next item comes from the good folks at Nintendo (it pays to read a blogger that is a Nintendo brand ambassidor doesn't it?) It is the Pic Cross 3D game for the Nintendo DS! This game is quite fun if I do say so myself.

What's that you say? You don't own a Nintendo DS? Oh that is rather unfortunate. I'm sorry. You will probably have to give the game away to someone that has a Nintendo DS.

I wouldn't do that to you.

I am giving you a Nintendo DS XL.

Yes, really.

Seriously.

Just look!

This isn't your mama's DS, it is the XL which means the screen is 93% bigger than a regular DS!

So how can you enter?

*You can leave a comment at Sensibly-Sassy.com

I REPEAT DO NOT COMMENT HERE GO TO SENSIBLY-SASSY.COM

IF YOU COMMENT HERE IT WILL NOT COUNT!

*ahem*

*You can tweet about this giveaway and leave a link to said tweet on sensibly-sassy.com

*You can blog about this giveaway and then comment me with the link.

*You can refer a friend and when your friend enters by leaving a comment they have to say you referred them-this will get you each an extra entry.

The giveaway will end on Friday, August 27th.

Stella And Dot Jewelry

I love me some jewelry, really though, when in doubt jewelry is the perfect gift for me. I love the way it sparkles and shows parts of your personality that your clothing just can't. So when my friend Elizabeth said that she became a Stella and Dot Stylist it was like the heavens opened up and angels sang on my behalf-at that moment I had found my jewelry dealer. She had the good stuff at good prices and unlike drugs, a jewelry addiction is socially acceptable! WIN WIN FOLKS!

I went to a trunk show at her house and I couldn't stop touching the stuff. It was pretty and so well made! However, said trunk show was a couple months ago when I wasn't really making much money-so jewelry had to wait. Stupid bills. So that meant I had to walk away from the show sans jewelry.

Sad Sassy.

Well, Elizabeth contacted me recently and said that she would be willing to give me a piece of jewelry of my choosing to review. Holla at your jewelry lover! I seriously ordered the necklace um, maybe 2 days ago and it arrived in my mail box today!

And look at the packaging!

I instantly put the cute necklace on and just knew it had found a forever home with me. It is such good quality. Ya know how some catalogue jewelry looks like it came from a gumball machine? Not Stella & Dot Jewelry, no siree bob. This is the good stuff!

(Please ignore my scraggly hair and just keep your eyes on the necklace. Thank You.)

If you are interested in checking out some great jewelry at equally as great prices go here. Go here now. And if you are located in California, the Bay Area more specifically and want Elizabeth to host a trunk show for you contact her here!

100% Pure

I picked up this awesome lotion, 100% Pure, in Truckee on our way home from Tahoe. The lavender scent makes me super excited to put it on everyday. But what is more exciting that this lotion really is 100% Pure. For instance, this is a completely vegan lotion, meaning no animal products and no animal testing whatsoever!

I bet you didn't know that 60% of things absorbed through the skin (like lotions) end up in your blood stream. I didn't know that before perusing the 100% Pure website. That fact really scares me-think of all the chemicals that end up in your bloodstream! Well I don't have to worry about that with 100% Pure-no chemicals AT ALL! Best thing is I can read and know what ALL of the ingredients are!

I love supporting companies like 100% Pure because it is about time we start putting all natural products in the forefront of our consumer consciousness; it is best for the environment and our bodies!

Chivalry Delivery

*Full disclosure, I am totally biased in this review. Chivalry Delivery is my boyfriend Jon's brainchild. However, I think it is a great idea so I decided to share it with you!

I love getting flowers. I mean that isn't unique, most ladies enjoy getting flowers on anniversaries, birthdays and other such occasions. But you know what I love more than getting flowers on special occasions? I love getting them randomly.

Jon, being the smart guy he is, noticed this and decided to not only randomly surprise me with flowers more often but to start a business that helps others do the same thing. And that is how Chivalry Delivery was born! Basically if a guy (or gal) wants to surprise their significant other with flowers all they have to do is go to Chivalry Delivery, enter their info and just like that the person they love will receive flowers randomly once a month! No headache for the giver, just pure appreciation from the receiver!

The best part is that the flowers can be delivered to your love's office or home. It's really fun for your lady to be able to share her excitement with office mates-and when they ask the reason for your surprise, she will answer with "oh no reason, just 'cause!" Talk about scoring some easy points!

Another great thing about Chivalry Delivery is that you aren't limited to sending flowers to your luvah, but you can also send flowers to your family and friends, like your mom that lives across the country. The perfect way to let them know that even though distance and time are standing between you both, they are never far from your thoughts.

And the best part is that there isn't any obligation, you can pay month to month! Like I said, I am biased because this is my boyfriend Jon's business but I really do think this is a great idea! So go visit Chivalry Delivery today!

CoverGirl Tru Blend

I really hate doing bad reviews. I would much rather tell you about how excited I am over a product- really that is much more thrilling for me. But I suppose it is more responsible of me to show you guys both sides.

Well that brings me to today's review for CoverGirl Tru Blend powder and liquid makeup. I'll cut right to the chase, the liquid makeup stinks, not figuratively, but literally stinks. A few days after using the makeup I noticed that I randomly smelled a musty, dusty, grossness. I looked around the apartment wondering if something was molding. But then I realized that I smelled this gross smell right after I put on my makeup. It was my face that smelled gross because of my makeup. Nasty. Aside from the smell it just didn't feel good on my face and it didn't spread easily. Two thumbs down.

The powder did work better. It went on easily made me look less greasy, so that is something. But the container is ridiculous. The brush is too wide to put in the container to get the powder. Seriously, it is a lot of work to put on your make up. Ergonomically it is a fail, but the powder does work if you are able to get it out of the bottle.

ahh that felt good to get off my chest. Hope it is helpful.

LuShae Jewelry

It isn't a big secret that I love a good piece of jewelry, I am a predictable girl in that sense. Needless to say, when Sarah from LuShae Jewelry told me that I was privy to a free piece of jewelry so that I could review the purchasing process from start to finish, I was besides myself with giddiness! Earrings, necklaces, rings, OH MY!

I rapidly perused their site and had a very difficult time deciding which little treat I was going to make mine. For a good solid chunk of time I was set on bringing home a beautiful pair of earrings, seriously they were so cute! But ultimately I decided on this versatile ring. The site was very easy to navigate and even easier to place an order on. I did however have some trouble seeing some of the details of the jewelry because everything was up against a white background, but this could be my wonky eyes. It might be nice to have the jewelry pictured on models so the shopper could get a good feel for how the jewelry looks on. But other than those things, the sight was rock solid.

My ring was delivered to me quickly, which is a good thing, don't make this girl wait for her jewelry. Just don't. My ring also came in a really cute blue box that made it feel like I was giving myself a gift, "oh self you shouldn't have"

The ring is great quality and I feel confident wearing it during the day and when I go out at night. My experience with LuShae Jewelry was nothing but enjoyable!

Winner of the Skin MD Natural Lotion!

We have a winner!!!

(Courtesy of Randomnumbergenerator.com)

Random number between 1 and 10

2

SS said...

i am always on the lookout for the perfect lotion. i have a thyroid disease and so my skin is "winter dry" all year round. sometimes it gets so dry i get scaly little patches in the most inappropriate places (like on my face you sickos) so it's really important for me to have a lotion that moisturizes beneath the top layer of skin.

i always put lotion (or oil) on directly out of the shower and then before bed, and multiple times throughout the day; i put lotion on whenever i notice drying or cracking. my husband is annoyed with the abundance of lotion bottles in the car, on my night stand, in the bathroom, in the living room, etc. but until i find a lotion that can keep up with my needs you will find a bottle everywhere you look in my house.

(ooh, i love that Skin MD is unscented!)

and to carly ^^ my pup is forever licking lotion off of me too. that can't be healthy, eh?

February 9, 2010 10:37 AM

Congratulations SS, send me your mailing info at SensiblySassy@gmail.com!! And thank you all for entering!!

And P.S. Frank, my dog, is ALWAYS licking off my lotion. That's ok right?

Skin MD Natural Lotion

I was contacted by a rep from Natural Skin Care Products a couple of weeks ago and he wanted to know if I would be interested in testing their Skin MD Natural Lotion. Well it took me about two seconds before I replied with "heck yes I am a lotion junkie!" And that is the honest truth, I am always looking for a new lotion to try. I carry a bottle in my purse, put some on after a shower, after I wash my hands 'cause gah soap is so drying, and I need to apply lotion before I read (seriously) because I can't stand the feel of dry pages on dry hands. Get the picture? I get cranky if my skin feels dry. An odd pet peeve but very real.

My bottle of Skin MD natural lotion arrived and I ripped into the box and pulled out the bottle and instantly slathered some on because oye, that whole box ripping interlude made my hands feel dry. I was instantley taken aback by the fact that the lotion was really thin. I'm not going to lie, I found the thinness of the lotion disconcerting at first. I am accustomed to lotion that leaves me feeling so slathered that I feel as though I could slither my way through a key hole if need be.

But as I used the lotion for the next couple days I began to love the feel of the lotion on my skin, I no longer felt like a buttered turkey, the lotion felt like it was part of my skin and my skin in turn felt silky. I was in love. I then inspected the bottle to see what exactly I was falling in love with and was pleased as punch to see that I could not only pronounce the ingredients, but I was familiar with them, like take for example aloe-yeah friendly little fix all, aloe is in the lotion. Ok ok, I am gushing I will stop, after this one more thing, it doesn't have a scent, which is awesome because I don't have to worry about my lotion and perfume scent clashing.

Sigh, its love.

And guess what? You can win your own bottle of this awesome lotion! Just leave a comment below with your odd lotion applying habits (like how I must apply lotion before reading books etc) or other ways in which you care for your skin that might be out of the ordinary. I will post a winner next Monday February 15th!

Durable Dog Toys

My bulldog Frank loves a good toy. He is so playful and his jaw is REALLY strong-this can be a dangerous combo to weak toys. See...

Dog toys can range in price, anywhere from 99 cents to $25 yes, really. I don't necessarily think that expensive means better, actually I quite like it when the toys are cheap. That being said, I am willing to pay a little more for toys that last for a while.

This first toy is called the "JW Pet Good Cuz/Bad Cuz Dog Toy". Frank has the biggest yellow one, the "good cuz". This is far and away one of his favorite dog toys ever. It makes a squeaking noise that doesn't make me crazy but still makes him jazzed to play with it. It is made of a tough rubber material that makes it resistant to consistent squeaking and also enables it to bounce pretty high too. Frank has had this toy for 9 months and he cannot get enough and the toy keeps performing without breaking.

JW Pet Good Cuz/Bad Cuz Dog Toy

$4.99-$9.99
While browsing at our local Petsmart Frank spotted this next toy. It is called the Jolly Ball and it is the combination of a tug rope and a large hard (very hard) rubber ball. It is like the best of both worlds for your playful pup. Frank loves to play with this toy with his friends at the dog park but he also loves to bat it around/chew on it by himself. He did chew the rope in half after a month but he still really enjoys playing with the ball on its own.

Jolly Pets Romp-n-Roll

$19.99
Are there any toys that your dog can't get enough of?