Hocus Pocus Figural Key Chain Blind Bag Opening

Anyone who knows me understands my obsession with the movie Hocus Pocus. I also enjoy a little bit of a surprising thrill every now and then, so this blind bag had my name written all over it. For some reason, the video didn't convert properly to HD and the audio isn't fantastic but it gets the point across. Enjoy and please subscribe to my YouTube channel for future videos. 
Where to buy your own Hocus Pocus key chain:  http://go.magik.ly/ml/7ggj/












Now Playing: "Havana Vieja" by Susto

Halloween Decor Shopping - Come Along!

Shopping for fall and Halloween decor is one of the things I look forward to most about this time of year! I spent a couple days traipsing around a few of my favorite haunts looking for new treasures to add to my collection. I had never been inside a Kirkland's store before but was impressed with quite a few of their seasonal selections including a stunning black and white 'Boo' pillar set. The shopping in Pittsburgh seems to be improving every year and it's getting overwhelming with all of the wonderful choices. I still appreciate my thrifted finds and upcycled crafts more than anything you could discover being mass-produced on the market today, but I can never resist a gorgeous velvet pumpkin, charming throw pillow or adorable country primitive black cat. Enjoy and please subscribe to my YouTube channel!














Now Playing: "Spooky" by Dusty Springfield

March Favorites!

Another month has passed and it's time again for favorites! I don't have a ton this month but here are some of the things I have been loving...


My first favorite is MAC's Power Point Eye Pencil in Buried Treasure. This is perfect for hazel or green eyes like mine. It would also complement brown eyes, making them appear more golden. Buried Treasure is a dark, olive green. It's a nice alternative to black as it is nearly the same shade but with a bit of gold sparkle. The slight pop of green provides the perfect amount of color. As with most MAC eye pencils, the formula is rich and very easy to work with. Love!

Next up, is the Coastal Scents 10 Blush Palette. For about $16, you get 10 blushes. I don't have a big blush collection, so this was nice to pick up. The colors are very versatile and I love the sleekness of the palette. It's definitely a steal.

Marc Jacobs' Daisy is a perfume that I love to have on my tray. Not only is it pretty to look at but it smells amazing. It's perfect for spring. It's one of the perfumes I get the most compliments on. It must work well with my natural pheromones., haha. Men and women alike say nothing but wonderful things when I have it on.

OPI's Rumple's Wiggin' was one of my favorite nail polishes this month. It is so beautiful- a creme, lavender. I usually get sick of a color after a few days but I don't want to take this one off! It is definitely one of my favorite OPI polishes out of the 30 or so that I have in my growing collection.

CND's Tutu was one of my other favorite nail polishes of the month. It is the perfect, cool, opaque pink- which I have been searching forever to find. I wore it when I was in my friend's wedding. It's perfect for daily wear or formal occasions. The price is a bit higher than I'd like and it's hard to come by (I ordered mine from Amazon.com) but I'm happy to have it in my collection.

Revlon's Superlustrous Lipglosses are some of my favorites. I have about 10 of them- most, I scored at Big Lots for a buck or two. They are better than my MAC and CHANEL glosses. Lilac Pastelle is a beautiful light purple/lilac. I have been really drawn to the lavender family this year. It works well on its own, paired with a neutral pink lipstick or with a purple lipstick like Revlon ColorBurst in Lilac 001. Gorgeous!

My favorite piece of jewelry this month were these Swarovski earrings that my friend Maggie gave to me as a thank you for being in her wedding. They are beautiful and can be worn dressed up or down!

I love Queen Helene's Cocoa Butter Creme. This is the perfect body moisturizer during the winter months- or any time for that matter. If you apply it after showering at night, by the morning, your skin will feel like a baby's. The best part is that it's very easy to find and extremely affordable. Every woman should have this in her medicine cabinet.

My favorite drink this month was an oldie but a goodie- Amaretto Sour. Sure, you need quite a few to feel anything but they are so delicious! I used to drink them all the time during my first couple years in college.

My fav. movie this month was The Fighter. I really loved Melissa Leo's performance in this film. The whole thing was very well acted. Afterall, you have to support anything with a ginger as one of the female leads! And who can resist Marky Mark and Christian Bale? Not this girl.

My favorite song this month was a late arrival in Katy Perry's "E.T.". No, this is not an April fool's joke. I hate to admit it because she drives me crazy. Her song Firework exemplifies everything that's wrong with the music industry today. But I do like her new video and this song. It's mostly because of the beat and the fact that she's singing about aliens- I have a soft spot for the ETs in our Universe. Krista phone home!

February Favorites!

EOS lip balms. I love these little spheres. They are super cute and quite addicting but I fear that I'm in lust with its packaging rather than the product itself. Honeysuckle & Lemon are my current favorites but I have yet to try the Mint!

Vera Wang Perfume. I've had this fragrance for awhile. I got it on sale at Marshall's- score! Maybe that's why I have neglected it and treated it like it wasn't as good as some of my finer fragrances. Nevertheless, in February, I grabbed this one quite a lot. Maybe because Vera is synonymous with weddings and I've been preparing for my friend Maggie's March nuptials.

My favorite piece of jewelry this month (and one of my favorites for a lifetime) were the earrings my mom got me for my 25th birthday on the 1st. They are green amethyst and diamonds and so beautiful! They are subtle enough to wear in the daytime but are unique and beautiful enough for evenings. They go well with just about anything. I LOVE them!

Revlon Perplex nail polish. It's basically an exact dupe for Chanel's Paradoxal. I got it for a dollar at Big Lots! I have been on a purple/lavender kick all month long. Purple reminds me of February because it's still winter, Amethyst is my birthstone, it's close in the color family to reds (Valentine's) and because when Spring finally rolls around, it's all about lavenders and light pastels. I loved wearing this polish in February and can't wait to wear it again in the fall.

February in Pittsburgh is notorious for nasty weather. While we were fortunate enough to have a splash of Spring temps, there was definitely a lot of rain and snow this month. That's when my KORS Michael Kors rainboots came in handy! I ordered them from shopbop.com on sale as a birthday gift with intentions of wearing them to Bonnaroo but I've been getting a lot of wear out of them. I have a hard time finding boots that fit me nicely but I couldn't be happier. They remind me of Daria Morgendorffer's combat boots but with a splash of Quinn's fashion sense, lol!

I purchased quite a few lipglosses this month but I kept reaching for Revlon's ColorBurst Lipglosses in Hot Pink, Orchid and Crystal Lilac. These lipglosses are creamy, non-sticky, pigmented and affordable. The packaging is so beautiful and I like them better than my Chanel glossimers!




This month I have been experimenting with blush. I have used the same few shades of blush for year's but lately, I have tried a few new ones. I saw one of the beauty gurus on YouTube apply MAC's Pink Swoon and thought it looked great. I bought it for myself and I love it! It's very subtle but gives a nice brightness to the face. I love it!

I asked for the Urban Decay Naked Palette for my 25th birthday and I'm sooo happy that I scored the last one at my Ulta. I got the original packaging with the duo-sided 24/7 eyeliners and they are amazing. The colors do have a bit of glitter fallout, but if you can get passed that it's so worth it. I've never used Urban Decay before but I am now a devoted fan. If I had to use one eye palette for the rest of my life, Naked would be it! The whiskey eyeliner looks amazing against my coloring, the baby primer potion is fantastic and the colors are so versatile. I can't recommend this product enough to any girl who loves a natural eye with a little bit of glamour!

My favorite lipstick this month was Chanel's Aqualumiere in Galapagos (101). I'm all about finding the perfect shade of pink. This just might be it! It's formula is like butter and the color is subtle yet chic.

NARS Albatross was one of the first products I splurged on from the company and this month, I couldn't have been happier with my purchase. This is such an excellent quality highlighter. I use it to highlight my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, my cupid's bow and even my brow bone. It's on the pricer side but a little goes a long way!

My favorite fashion/beauty moment of February was Selena Gomez in J. Mendel at the Grammy's. I adore this look in its entirety. The dress is gorgeous, the face is fresh, the hair is fabulous. I want that lipstick/lipgloss... need to find out the brand!

My favorite beer of the month was Samuel Adams' Noble Pils. I had this during happy hour after my friend's bridal shower. And a happy hour it was! Delicious!

My favorite YouTube Channel of the month was WinterRose84. She's a beauty guru from Australia who is fair-skinned like me. She has such a beautiful accent and I could listen to her talk for hours about her massive and enviable nail polish collection (she must have 400 bottles of OPI alone). She also has more Lancome Juicy Tubes than I have ever seen in my life! But she seems like a sweet girl who just loves to collect makeup. Check her out!

My favorite movie of the month was Conviction starring Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell. This film came out in the fall but I didn't get to see it until it was released OnDemand. I thought it was excellent! It was so interesting and well-acted that the movie felt like it was only 30 minutes. You know you're watching a good movie when you don't look to see how much time is left! It was based on a true story and it was very inspiring! I highly recommend you watch this if you haven't done so already.

My favorite song of the month was hands down, "Lotus Flower" by Radiohead. I have listened to this on repeat countless times. It doesn't get old for me. I think the video is interesting as well but the song- wow. It's gorgeous. I just LOVE it!

My First BIRCHBOX!

Yesterday, my first BIRCHBOX arrived in the mail! It was for the month of February. I'm really pleased with the goodies that I scored. I haven't had the chance to use and review them yet, but I thought I'd atleast give a sneak peak. In case you are unfamiliar with the service, you pay $10 per month and BIRCHBOX sends you 4-5 deluxe-sized beauty samples. It's nice for people who like to try out high-end products without the risk. I like getting the little surprises in the mail. I'm a fan of beauty products in general but I also love miniature things. It's kind of perfect for me. I don't plan on doing this every month ($110 is a bit steep for my budget) but I will probably do 4 or 5. I'll probably order another BIRCHBOX for June (summer), September (fall), October (Halloween) and December (Christmas). But I'll be curious to see what's inside the BIRCHBOXes for the months I passed on. I love that the internet and YouTube can satisfy my curiosity. But on to the products that I got for February (my birthday/Valentine's Day box).

1. Befine, Night Cream. Full-size, $30

2. myfaceworks, Sheet Mask. Six Full-Sized masks, $55

3. NARS Face Illuminator, Full-size, $29

Pomega5, Daily Revitalizing Concentrate. Full-size, $48

5. (Birchbox Treat) sweetriot Chocolate-Covered Cacao Nibs

I'm really into skin care these days. I'm one of the few girls who doesn't own NARS orgasm blush/bronzer. I do like illuminators, so I couldn't be happier to try this out. If it works well with my skin, I may buy the full-sized product to mix with body moisturizer. It would be nice in the spring/summer for the face & shoulders. I'm excited to try the sweetriot chocolate! What girl doesn't love a little candy for Valentine's Day?



Now Playing: "I'm Not Calling You a Liar" by Florence + the Machine

Nail Polish of the Moment: Chocolate Truffle by Revlon

Chocolate Truffle by Revlon

I couldn't wait to remove my pink polish and try a new one! Since it's the month of love and Valentine's Day is synonymous with chocolates, I thought I'd utilize my new, brown nail polish. I scored this polish for a dollar from Big Lots. Its formula is much richer than the pink I had on last week. I really do like Revlon nail polishes but some of them are better than others. I just wish the brushes were thicker. Chocolate Truffle is very nice. It's somewhat difficult to find a true, brown nail polish. Many are copper, have gold flecks or show up black. But this is the true shade of milk chocolate. I really love it and will definitely be wearing it again in the Fall.

Chocolate Truffle by Revlon (3 coats)


Now Playing: "When I'm Small" by Phantogram

January 2011 Favorites!

Now that January is over and done with, I thought I'd do a January favorites post! This is the first time I'm embarking on this type of "tag". It's not as great as a video but a blog is the next best thing, right? Enjoy!

I was really surprised at how much I liked Playa del Platinum by Essie! It's such a unique shade of grey/shabby green. It's meant to be a Spring shade but I liked wearing it in January.
Another set of nail polishes I really loved this month were Sinful Colors "Lets Meet" (Yellow) & Essie's Licorice (Black). I was cheering on my Steelers in January & loved showing my "Black & Yellow" support with my nails!
Water was my best friend this month! I completed my first water fast and plan to do more. I've always loved water but this month I really developed an appreciation for H20.

Smith's Rosebud Salve is a product that has been around for over 100 years. I often heard makeup artists loved this product, so I tried it out. It didn't exactly live up to be my absolute favorite thing in the world but the packaging is too cute not to mention! It works- it's just not that impressive for me.


My favorite song of the month was easily "Black & Yellow" by Wiz Khalifa! GO STEELERS!

My favorite YouTube channel was SpiritChannel. It's run by Virginia psychic, Bob Hickman. He's quite an eccentric individual and I love his energy! I spent a lot of time watching YouTube videos this month. I've wanted to launch my own channel for some time. Now that I have a camera, I plan on finally creating my first video!

My Hello Kitty throw blanket was a gift from my Aunt & Uncle for Christmas! I LOVE this blanket. Not only is it cute but it's super warm and cozy! I love lounging around with it while I'm on the computer or watching TV!

My favorite TV shows were The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Jeopardy! and Daria! My sister got me the entire series on DVD and I have been having a blast reliving all the old episodes. I realized I say so many things that stem from that show! So much fun! Here's a link to a series of clips from one of the Fashion Club members (Tiffany). I wish the person who created this would do one for Quinn! I like to think of myself as a cross between Daria and Quinn, haha.

January is notorious for being the worst month for magazines. I didn't really enjoy any of my subscriptions this month :( I didn't read any new books either. I did however start writing my first book! I wanted to complete four chapters but I'm only halfway through the third. My diet sidetracked me toward the end of the month. Hopefully February will be much more productive!

My favorite movie of the month was No Strings Attached starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher. I actually saw Black Swan on my birthday (February 1st) but I didn't really love it. I thought No Strings Attached was charming and I look forward to watching it again when it comes out on OnDemand!

My favorite fashion trend/moment from January was Anne Hathaway at The Golden Globe Awards! I absolutely adored her stunning, Armani Prive gown. Angelina Jolie also rocked the long sleeve look at the Globes but opted instead for an emerald number from Versace. My arms aren't in the best shape they have ever been, so I say bring on the long sleeves- especially with all this arctic weather!
I received Gucci Guilty as a Christmas present (I asked for it). I am obsessed! The bottle is so sleek and sexy and the fragrance is perfect for evenings out on the town! It has quickly become one of my top 3 favorite perfumes!
VS (by Victoria's Secret) Perfect Lipstick- Limited Edition, Love Me Wild Lipsticks in Instinct, Pulse & Heated. I'll admit, I'm not thrilled with the colors and I don't even think the forumla is very good but oh, the packaging! I'm a sucker for packaging and I love the look of these lipsticks! I'd recommend Pulse (pictured above) to anyone looking to get just one!

In January, I also rediscovered my love for candles. I hope to purchase a few good ones in February! I love rose, vanilla and lilac scented candles. I also like getting ones that are "in touch with the season" (ie, Christmas, Spring, etc.). I'm not picky about brands as long as it's pretty and works!

Last but certainly not least, my absolute favorite thing this month was my new laptop computer! It's an hp Pavilion dv7. I thought about getting a MAC but I'm so used to PC's. In college, my journalism school operated on MAC's and as pretty as they are, I didn't like using them. I barely put my computer down! Words can't describe how grateful I am to finally have a laptop! This one works fabulously and I couldn't be happier with it!

Well, that's all I can think of for now. I'll be posting a February favorites next month!

Love,
Krista




Now Playing: "Colors", "The Sun" and "People Say" by Portugal. The Man

Nail Polish of the Moment: Hazy by Revlon

Hazy (810) by Revlon
This evening, I'm going to pick up my bridesmaid dress for my friend Maggie's wedding. Unfortunately, my Quarter of a Cent-Cherry polish by OPI already started to chip. So, I decided to paint my nails the color of the dress- this shade (Hazy by Revlon) is a close dupe for the gown. The polish has a quick dry formula & it's a "Top Speed".

Two coats of Hazy by Revlon. It's showing up almost lavender or blue but it's definitely a grey!
As you can see, the bridesmaid dress is a dove grey hue (the designer calls it slate). I may paint my toes this color for the day of the wedding but I'll likely get a manicure & do a pale pink for the hands. Some of the other bridesmaids have had a difficult time with the sizing of their dresses. Here's hoping mine fits! I know I'll need alterations no matter what since my bust is about 3 sizes larger than my waist but I have been really bad on my diet over the past few days with my birthday. I know I will continue to slack with more festivities planned for the weekend (including the Super Bowl- GO STEELERS)! But I'll get back on track ASAP!

Bridesmaid Dress by Bari Jay

Love,
Krista


Now Playing: "Hazy" by Rosi Golan ft. William Fitzsimmons