Brighten Someone’s Day With a Package of Spring Happy Mail

3 / 25 / 155 / 6 / 15

One of my all-time favorite things to do is send others snail mail. There’s just something about a handwritten letter that makes life seem worth living. I began sending cards when I was in college and now I use every excuse to send cards, letters, and small packages. When I began thinking of beginning this blog, I wanted it to be a space where women could be encouraged and inspired to bring a little sunshine into the world.

My great grandma is in her 90s and lives in Florida. I try to visit as much as I can but haven’t seen her since last May. Unfortunately, she has really bad hearing and a phone call is difficult. About a year ago, I began writing her little cards and notes to update her on our life. Little did I know that it became such a special thing for her. When she’s at home, she can get bored and lonely. A little fun card in the mail or a small package really makes her day seem magical.

It’s also helped me think outside of myself. Sometimes we can become so self-centered. This little habit of writing a card to my grandma helps me remember to be thankful for what I have and where I’m at in life.

For this month, I was inspired by “a box of sunshine” that I saw on Pinterest. A few years ago a friend was dealing with some really scary stuff and had to have brain surgery. While she was recovering I grabbed anything yellow that I thought she’d enjoy at the store and packaged it up. It meant a lot to her and I’m sure it made her smile. As the sun began peeking out of the clouds this month, I decided to send other boxes of sunshine to my great grandma, grandma, and little sister-in-law.

Here are the items I included in my happy mail packages:

-Reese’s Eggs

-Juicy Fruit Gum

-Yellow Washi Tape

-Bright Lollipops

-Stickers

-Pens

-Printables

-Cute Notebooks

-Wooly Willy Toys (Remember these?)

Most the items were less than $1 and the bright yellow bag was only 25 cents at Walmart. I used the bags to gather the materials inside an envelope to mail out. They look like little goodie bags. You can also purchase yellow shredded paper to add some fun to the package. A little does go a long way though! (We had it everywhere in the house and had to keep the kitties from eating it) Yellow shredded paper filler is available at the dollar tree. I had at least 1/2 the bag left after putting together these happy mail packages.

When I was putting together the happy mail packages, I tried to think of each person. Would they enjoy a notebook? How would they use the printable? My grandma reads her Bible every morning and likes to use bookmarks. This fun little printable can help hold her place or she can put it up on the fridge. I also know my great grandma loves chocolate. She would be someone that would love the Reese’s Egg.

I picked out the two printable’s I found on Pinterest. I simply typed “free spring printable” and these came up! When looking for a printable, make sure they really are free and always give credit to whom you use them from.

Here are the ones featured in this project:

Happy Spring Printable from Tatertots and Jello

I Know My Redeemer Lives from Yellow Bliss Road

Dance In the Rain! from Everything Etsy

Can you think of someone in need of a little spring cheer? This type of happy mail project is simple and doesn’t need to cost a lot. I choose to print the printables at the UPS store on cardstock but you can do it right at home. Also, it’s fun to have a sense of humor about the gift too! The Wooly Willy boards are fun and quirky. I picked them up at Walmart in their Easter section.

Other ideas of items to include:

-Breath Mints

-Scrapbook Accessories

-Beauty Samples

-Lipgloss

-Face Masks

-Magazines

-Confetti

-Cupcake Accessories

-Pictures

-Bible Verses

You can include as much (or as little) as you’d like in your happy mail gift. As you can see by the pictures, you can mix and match items and find the perfect fit for the recipient. I placed the goodies in my yellow bags and then tucked them into bubble mailers. I think shipping for a few light items will be between $3-4. I also wrote cards and included a fun few photographs. Whenever Walgreens has a picture printing deal (less than 10 cents each) I buy a lot of photos of our house, us, the cats, etc. My great grandma loves to get pictures of us since she doesn’t use Facebook or other social media.

If you’d like to give more happy mail, keep a list of items you’d like to send/receive on your iPhone or in your wallet. As you shop at the Dollar Tree or Target, keep an eye out for sale and clearance items that you can add to your happy mail stash. The more items you have acquired, the cheaper and easier the process of sending mail will be. I always keep an eye out for sale bubble mailers with pretty designs and buy tissue paper in bulk! If you can’t think of anyone you know personally that needs Happy Mail, call your local nursing home or church and ask for referrals. Chances are, there are widows or others in need that you can give happy mail to!

Have a splendid spring!

Love & Laughter,

Tiffany

Bonus: These are ready to mail out!

Roller Lash Review Revisited

3 / 23 / 155 / 6 / 15

After I did the review of Roller Lash Mascara, I decided to try it another time without rushing the application. I found that I liked it a lot better and that the product wasn’t as clumpy as the first review. Although I had thought I’d layer it with They’re Real! Mascara, like the company suggested, I ended up liking it on its own.

The difference? I took my time when applying the mascara and turned the wand at an angle. I ran it through the lashes more than once and separated the clumps with the end of the brush. I was surprised at the length it gave the lashes (same as before) but and was happy that it wasn’t as clumpy when I took my sweet time. I also liked using the wand shape for the bottom lashes. The verdict? Maybe I was too harsh the first time I reviewed it. i liked it much better the second run. Perhaps the product is clumpy for the first application? I’m not sure. Will you be trying Benefit’s Roller Lash Mascara

Also, I tried a new eyebrow powder and lip color for Easter. In these pictures I used an older version of e.l.f. Studio Eyebrow Kit, $3 and Tarte’s Power Pigment in Flush.

Love & Laughter,

Tiffany

Ipsy Glambag March Review

3 / 23 / 155 / 6 / 15

March’s Ipsy bag was themed Floral Fantasy. I loved the bag and the fun floral print for spring. For me, it seems each month keeps getting better and better through Ipsy. So proud to be a member for over two years and sending much love to Michelle Phan!

A mix of lipstick, lotion, eyeshadow, and more? I’m in love with the variety and usefulness of these items.

Eyeshadow Duo in Apricot Glow from Pixi by Petra, $4

Pixi by Petra is a brand offered at Target. I’ve tried a few items from them in my Ipsy bag and in my Allure Beauty Box. They’ve rebranded and gone from simply Pixi to Pixi by Petra. Petra is the creator of Pixi. She is from Sweden and loves all things to do with folklore and fairies. The brand originally opened a flagship store in Soho, London. Since then, it’s expanded and you can now purchase the bright products at Target and other retailers. This eyeshadow sample is a smaller version of their full size Mesmerizing Mineral Palette. This palette is $12 for a full size and comes in five different color sets. The shadow is mineral formula that’s made with vitamin E which is supposed to be good for your skin near the eyes. The sets are:

Rich Gold – gold, khaki, and moss green shades

Silver Sky – cream, silver, and smokey blue shades

Emerald Gold – emerald, copper, and cream shades

Plum Quartz – plum, cocoa, and pinky-nude shades

Copper Peach – peach, bronze, and russet shades

I really loved the eye shadows. I used them for a summer look and applied the lighter gold on my lid and the darker shade above it. The color stayed on almost all day. Of course, it wasn’t up to par with my Urban Decay shadows but lasted a long time. Not too bad for only $12 for six shades.

ACURE Day Cream, Sample Size 1 oz valued at about $10

I’m always down for trying a new lotion or moisturizer. I’m even more down if that lotion or moisturizer is organic! ACURE Day Cream transported me to sunny Florida where I tend to eat more oranges than physically advised in a given day. The citrus smell was strong but not too overpowering. I’ll admit, I didn’t read up on the product before slathering on my hands and feet. Only later, ~~when I was writing this review~~, did I realize that the product is supposed to be for your face. Either way, the formula helped my skin feel extra soft and I received compliments on the smell. According to ACURE, Day Cream has Gotu Kola Stem Cells which helps to firm you skin and fight environmental damage and free radicals. I can’t really review the use on my face, but my hands sure felt great!

skyn ICELAND Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels, 2 Packs Valued at $7.50

These firming eye gels were really neat to try. This is one of the reasons I love Ipsy; I wouldn’t purchase these on my own. I don’t have trouble with under eye bags or dark circles, but tried these out one night in the bath. As soon as I placed them under my eyes, they felt nice and cool. I left them on for about ten minutes and when I took them off my skin felt firmer and my eyes looked bright. It kind of reminded me of someone adding air under my eyes so that they’d poof up! Although the results were nice, I passed the other set to my grandma, who I feel will get better use out of them. For those with under eye bags, these rock. I think if I ever have kids and need to look wide awake, these will come in handy. I’m much more open to trying other products from skyn ICELAND now.

Boo-Boo Cover-Up in Medium Shade, Baby Size $10

When I saw ahead of time that I was receiving a concealer, I was nervous. My skin is hard to match and if the color isn’t right, this product is a waste. I received the Boo-Boo Coverup in the color Medium. I tried it right away and it seemed to match OK. I would much rather like the Light shade but this may work for the Summer months when I have more color from the sun. What I really like about Boo-Boo Cover-Up is that it is made to help heal blemishes while it conceals. It has ale, chamomile, green tea, tea tree oil, and vitamin E. It also came in a great size which regularly retails at $10!

Butter Lipstick in Pops from NYX Cosmetics, Full Size $6

NYX Cosmetics is my jam. Ever since I began following Charis Lincoln, or Charisma Star, on Youtube, I fell in love with their products. I was excited to see I would get one of their lipsticks in my bag. Unfortunately, the color wasn’t one I would wear a lot. I still gave it a try. The color Pops is a nudey pink. It is a few shades darker than my skin tone and matches my lips pretty well. NYX’s Butter Lipsticks are supposed to be very moisturizing and they are. I liked how it went on smooth. I didn’t like that the color seemed to come off regularly and I had to reapply it. This formula reminded me more of a colored lip balm than a lipstick. Nonetheless, I really liked it and would try other shades.

Overall: This Month’s Bag Was Pretty Good

I was sad that the concealer didn’t really match my skin tone but I really liked the lipstick. The eye gels were something I wouldn’t buy myself so that was a nice thing to try. The Pixi shadows worked really well and I used up the ACURE Day Cream. I don’t think I’ll re-buy anything except the Butter Lipstick from NYX. I still felt that for $10, it was a good deal. The entire bag was worth about $37.50. That’s over three times as much as I paid. For $10, I’ve been happy with Ipsy every time. I just began subscribing to Birch Box, so we’ll see if I can say the same for that. Also, the bag this month is adorable!

*I purchase Ipsy and Birch Box on my own. However, I have included my affiliate link so if you use it I’ll get a few points to use toward bonus items.