Literary Lacquers If It Pleases You with Claire's Accent Beads

During one of my nail swaps I was lucky enough to receive a polish by Amy over at Literary Lacquers. This one and Laters, Baby launched my love of ALL her polishes. They are just amazing!

Since I recently moved almost everything has been boxed up so I have opened one box and decided to try EVERY bottle in there and add to my blog before moving on to the next. This was the first one I pulled out and I couldn't of been happier (I promise I didn't cheat!!)

This polish just goes on simply amazing. It was opaque with almost the first coat but I went ahead and did two as I always do. Everything about it from the brush to how the consistency of the polish was earned an A+!! I did an accent nail with the Claire's Accent Beads and these went on nice and easy!! The directions were true to form and they actually stayed on. These are great for someone like me who is not very crafty!

I have to say its beautiful. The colors and holographic part change from regular light, with a flash to outside lighting. It goes on my list as one of my favorites. This is part of the Fifty Shades of Grey collection that she did. I will be posting more from this collection as well as some from her others. If you are interested in purchasing one run, don't walk over to http://www.etsy.com/shop/LiteraryLacquer

Guess Who's Back? Back Again!! Tell a Friend!!

Well, the Bunny is back!! I know I have been MIA lately and my blog went off the rails for a bit. My hard laid plans took a backseat to that which is life. BUT, I think and hope everything is looking up now and under control!

Those closer to me know that in June I made an unexpected move from New York City down to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Talk about a change! I am currently living with family but will be looking for a home of my own very soon. I am still in school of course and working nights as well. I am ready to hop back on the cooking, couponing and nail band wagon so I hope you all tune in!!

I had an emergency appendectomy the other day and that was not fun. Considering it was my first surgery I faired somewhat well but I NEVER want to do that again. Guess I won't since I only have one appendix lol.

Anyways, a few packages to winners have been shipped and I have one more thing to get out to then I hope to hold another giveaway very soon. I am looking in to doing more reviews on products as well. So, if you see something that seems awesome, let me know so maybe I can check it out!

I did add two new additions to my fur baby family. I have Thumper the bunny of course but now I have 2 rescue puppies named Loki (golden one) and Kobe (black one). They are between 5-7 weeks old and possibly a chi mix, I am unsure but they are tiny. I am sure you will be getting to know them well over the tim to come.

What has been going on in ya'lls lives? How is everyone enjoying their summer?

Sunny's Miracle Balm Jamaican Me Crazy Review

So, in my swap box from Alaina, I also got Sunny's Miracle Balm Jamaican Me Crazy. I had seen this when she originally bought it and posted the one she got and saw the one she got a mutual friend. It sparked my interest and then I promptly forgot about it. Bunny's aren't know for their long term memory. Plus, I currently have Lush Lemony Flutter, Northern Star Cran-Orange Cuticle Oil, Julep Cuticle Oil and their Mighty Serum for Cuticles so I wasn't looking for one. Note, I had not been using any of these religiously.

Now, ever since I got a manicure at the salon back at the end of March and the lady cut my cuticles they have had issues. They keep tearing and they dry out and it's just not a good situation. That being said, I still was not being diligent in applying things, though I did use the Lemony Flutter at least a few times a week and it was helping my cuticles a little.

Well, then arrives this amazing smelling balm in a container like a carmex container. I have a thing for containers and for balms lol. I opened it, smelled it and fell in love. I immediately and I mean immediately started applying it. That was on Tuesday (today is Friday). Since then, I have carried it with me to work, in my purse, pulled it out and put it on my bedside table. Wherever I go, it goes. I sit at work, making phone calls and rub it in my cuticles lol. I say that I have been applying it maybe 5-6 times a day. Let me tell you, this stuff works AMAZING!!!!! It isn't oily or thick or too thin and doesn't come out in globs. It's really like the consistency of carmex lol. Can you tell I like Carmex? Anyways, rub it in and it just moisturizes and lasts. Not to mention your hands smell so good.

My cuticles have done a 180. I you look at my cuticles from a week ago to the post I just did on the You Polish you will see how nice they look now! When my phone charges I will do a comparison picture. I left my charger at work and my back up off brand charger is not doing the job. They still have a ways to go but the change in just 4 days is crazy!!It seems like it will last quite awhile and to me is a steal at $5 for 3 of the containers!! If you don't want to spend $16 on Lush Lemony Flutter but want a just as amazing product I suggest you try this! The link below takes you to her shop and she has other scents as well! I know I will be ordering more to give as gifts and to keep in my purse, desk, nightstand, everywhere!!

http://www.365daysofcolorpolishes.com/products/625067-sunnys-miracle-balm-samplers

My First Ipsy Bag Review!

So, a few ladies I know had been bragging about the Ipsy bag and saying how great it was. You get some full sized products and sample products every month to try out from different brands. All beauty related products. I am a sucker for girly products so I thought why not give it a try? You fill out a profile on your colors and what type of products you use.After all, it's only $10 a month and the price of the products you get in the bag more than surpasses that. This month, May was a big deal because you would get a full size Zoya polish, which alone is $8. If you also had two friends sign up, you got an Urban Decay eyeshadow (swoon). I didn't get the friends but my Alaina sent me one in my swap box. Yes, I am spoiled lol.

Soooooooo, the waiting and stalking of the mailbox began. I finally got my first bag. I tore into it because I was SO excited.

I received a full size Zoya Gie Gie which is a bit light for me but still beautiful pink and glittery and we know Bunny loves the glitter. I got a full sized Pacifica roll on in Gardenia (gag--I totally do not like floral scents and this was made clear in my profile..I thought). A full size Mirabella lipstick in Posy (I don't wear lipstick this was also noted in my profile). Clear brow gel and a small sample of concealer. I admit, I opened my bag poured it out and was deflated. I had heard there was the possiblity of getting body butter or self tanner, macadamia oil, a vanilla roll on, lipgloss, etc. I figured with my profile I was bound to get one of those..But it was not to be. I admit I was upset.

I wrote their customer service to let them know that I was disappointed in the fact that I felt like the bag was not tailored to me nor were some important things taken into consideration like I hate floral scents and I never wear lipstick. They responded super quick within 48 hours and said they were shipping me a new bag with all new products and they were sorry. I was like how great is that!! Soooooo, the waiting began again! And finally my new bag came.

I opened it and..... sigh... I did get a Pacifica body butter which smells wonderful and I love. I obviously didn't get the vanilla roll on because it was the same brand, something I did not realize. I got ANOTHER Zoya Gie Gie which is fine because I have someone in mind that loves pinks and will give it to her. I received another concealer sample and.......Big Sexy Hair sample...which was not even in the list of products that were supposed to be in the bag and a Bare Minerals lipgloss in dare devil which is also not the brand of lipgloss being offered this month. Luckily, I love the lipgloss, it is plumping and a pretty color BUT I kind of felt like yes they offered me a new bag because they didn't follow my profile.....BUT it's like they threw in other months leftovers to make a bag. I did a little research and saw that the Big Sexy Hair and the lipgloss were things sent out in the last few months. I was looking forward to trying the brand of lipgloss they advertised, not a leftover (but like I said luckily I like it). And the big hair sample? IDK

Overall, I am kind of lukewarm about the bag so far. I get its only $10 and you get a chance to try all kinds of products. I love the fact that they understood why I was upset and sent me a new bag. I don't like the fact that you fill out a profile and it seems like they don't go by it. I also didn't like the fact that I feel like they threw in leftovers in the bag. If they were doing that they could of sent a note..like we ran out of the others..or threw in extras..Just kind of blah about it. My friend Alaina had the same reaction. She is African American and they sent her concealer and things more for a Caucasian person. I believe they are sending her a new bag as well. My friend Tami never received her bag and they told her they would send her a new one but it might not have the products from this month in it. So, kind of like my leftover bag.

I am going to give it a try for a month or two more and see if it changes my mind. Not to say that the products I did get aren't amazing and neat to try, it's just how everything happened. But, if you read the reviews there are lot's of happy people. I say for $10 you aren't losing much, so hey why not try it. If you decide you do, here's the link to sign up and please let me know how your experience is!

http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-hgiak0l230ek45k

YouPolish Bunny Bitch One of a Kind!

In  my most recent swap in our nail group Lacquered with Love my partner was the amazing Alaina, who is also one of my besties, so you know my box was Ah-Mazing!! Her blog is http://www.dontspilltheacetone.blogspot.com/ All of the polishes she sent me were so awesome I can't say have a favorite but this one spoke to me because she went and had it made for me. She chose my favorite color, made sure it was dark and a holo. It is so beautiful! And it's named after my nickname, which Alaina and Tami picked for me. Bunny Bitch!!

It went on like a dream it wasn't too thick but not too thin either. The two pictures on the left are with one coat of Nail Tek Xtra and two coats of Bunny Bitch. The two on the right are the same but with a coat of Essie Good to Go on top. I cannot wait to grab some pictures of this in the sun and catch all the holo goodness. As you can see, I am just in love with it. It's now my cover photo on facebook :)

You too can create your own polish as well or one for a friend. They can be purchased at http://www.etsy.com/shop/YouPolish.

What Pantry Staples Are A Must? Another Guest Post by Ashley W

Guess who's back? Back again. Ashleys back. Tell a friend. 

And now that song is probably stuck in your head. You can thank me later.

As a home cook and a couponer I usually get tons of questions asking for easy cost effective recipes. There are many ways to make easy, cheap, hearty, healthy recipes without costing a ton of money. The main thing of making a meal cost effective but still delicious is the ingredients you use. I'm all for recipes that call for minimal processed food, I like my food from scratch as much as I possibly can get it. One thing about cooking things from scratch is YOU control the ingredients. You control how spicy, creamy, salty, or sweet. Even if you are an unexperienced cook there are a few items I think anyone who wants to cook from scratch should have. The ingredients in my top five list can be used for some many different recipes, from soups to pastas, from Mexican to Italian. 

Here's my top five.






Now it may not look like much but I can't tell you how many recipes I have that call for one or all of these ingredients. 

For starters you see unsalted butter, not I Can't Believe It's not Butter or Country Crock, plain ordinary unsalted butter. Whether you are baking or cooking this is a MUST. I chose unsalted because I control the salt, which in baking is something you have to have. Butter is more flavorful than that stuff in the tub, and in some studies has shown to be better for you than the other stuff. I use this is almost everything I cook, usually use it in combo with an good Olive Oil.

Secondly I use tomato paste in a tube, some may like the can but I like the tube better because I can squeeze out a tablespoon or two and throw it back in the fridge. No scrapping out cans or finding a container to put it in. Whether you are making a soup, stew, roast, or stove top meal, tomato paste adds a depth to your meal that makes it seem like its been cooking all day.

Next thing I absolutely love is preminced garlic. Is it the lazy way out yes, but I hate chopping garlic. I use to buy the whole cloves of garlic but most of the time it would go to waste before I was able to use all of it. This sits neatly in my fridge and I'm able to use it when needed and not worry about garlic going to waste.

Now onto onions. Onions are one thing I hated growing up but as I got older I discovered caramelized onions, that now I absolutely love. Onions are one of those things that is probably in almost every dinner recipe out there and the starter to most of them. I always keep a few onions on hand every week. If you are worried you won't use them in time, chop them up and freeze them!

Lastly is unsalted chicken stock. Like mentioned before I use unsalted so I can control the stock. Whenever these go on sale I stock up. I use these for so many things. I usually keep one in my fridge if I have any leftovers. Like tomato paste this is something that can add extra depth and flavor to tons of recipes. When certain recipes call for water to be used I sometimes substitute chicken stock for that extra flavor.  

Ashley W. is the owner and head admin of Fifty Shades of Savings on Facebook. She is also a SAHM to Hunter. She enjoys baking amazing creations in her spare time, cooking, couponing and spending time with her family. 

Guest Post From Alaina @ Don't Spill The Acetone

Hi there!

My name is Alaina from Don't Spill The Acetone. I was so excited when Dawn asked me to do a guest blog post. Hopefully she'll do one for me sometime! :) She gave me free reign to talk whatever I want and of course I choose Nails! So my topic is short nails and nail art. One of the most common misconceptions out there is that you need long nails to do rockin nail art and I'm here to show you that simply isn't true. Now normally I wear acrylics. I absolutely love them and contrary to what some people may say, acrylics can help you grow out long and healthy nails. Here lately though I've been to lazy to do them. HAHA! So I decided to do a mani on my real nails. My inspiration came from this awesome phone case.

And here is my take on it.

Pretty cool right!? See! Any nail length can handle a little nail art! To get this look I started with a base coat of Essie Marshmallow. The print was done with Kleancolor-Neon Yellow, Barielle- Central Park (green) Zoya Coco (redish color), and China Glaze Grape Pop (purple). The black was done using a nail art pen made by Cina. You can use a wide range of different things for leopard print. Stripers, brushes, a bobby pin, dotting tools, look around your house I'm sure you'll find something.

I have to tell you I love this mani! It think it is perfect for summer. I hope you guys try it out. I'd love to see what you come up with.

Thank you Bunny for allowing me to share this on your blog. I hope to see you over at Don't Spill The Acetone soon! :)