Home Decor – Page 4 – Blondie Birdie

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone! I’ve got a busy day at work ahead of me and an even busier weekend coming up- but it’s that magical time of the month where my POPSUGAR “Must Have” box arrives at my door and I get to share all of the fun things I found inside!

What made August’s PSMH Box so special was that it marked the company’s 5th year anniversary of curating their monthly assortment of awesome items to send subscribers. I’ve been a devoted member for a couple of years now, and I don’t plan on cancelling my account anytime soon. The things I receive are always so fabulous- and it’s truly like treating myself every few weeks when I go through it and marvel at what’s inside.

The theme/inspirations for August’s “Must Have” box were pretty self-explanatory given the aforementioned milestone- CELEBRATE, GRATITUDE, LOYALTY, SMILE and FRIENDSHIP were the words used to select this month’s items- and with this being the last box before Fall rolls around- I was really excited to see what the company had chosen to wrap up this season.

First up were these really cute white (and gold speckled!) 24-count tall birthday candles from Meri Meri. I know so many people with birthdays sprinkled throughout late August and September- and for some reason I’m almost always the one responsible for getting the cake in order for their parties (it must be my sharp eye for details)– so it’s going to be nice to have these lovely candles on hand to add to the fun when it’s time for my friends and family to close their eyes and make their birthday wishes!

I’ll never say no to trying a great face mask, and I’ve been hearing a lot of really good things about this “Bouncy Mask” from First Aid Beauty. Said to calm irritated skin, firm, hydrate and refine your complexion in just ten minutes- it sounded too good to be true! I haven’t had a chance to give this a try yet, but I plan on taking some time out during my upcoming busy weekend to see if the mask is really worth all the hype.

Who knows? It might very well make my upcoming Favorites List for the month!

I am in love with this cute, simple, friendship bracelet by Dogeared, Inc. With blue silk thread and a sterling silver heart-shaped clasp- this one takes me back to middle school when my girlfriends and I would exchange handmade friendship bracelets on an almost weekly basis. Granted, this one is a little fancier than the yarn or beaded ones we used to make when I was a kid- but the nostalgia is still there- and I’ve been wearing this a lot over the past few days!

I think my favorite item in August’s “Must Have” box was this rose gold “Free Spirit” journal from Fringe Studio. I’m always appreciative of a lovely, simple and well-made notebook to take with me on-the-go- and this one may be one of my favorites. With it’s durable and protective covers to the sweet design on the front- this has been in my bag with an assortment of pens for when an idea springs up unexpectedly or I need to take down some important information.

I’d love to have a 2018 planner with this design, too!

POPSUGAR kept up with their tradition of sending the BEST snacks this month! From Goodie Girl Cookies comes these gluten-free, low-fat chocolate chunk treats that were gone nearly minutes after I spotted them in this month’s “Must Have” box (and yes, I shared a couple- although I was reluctant about it!)

I’m already preparing to order a couple more boxes online to keep around the kitchen for the next time I have a craving but don’t want to regret cheating with something sweet now and then. These are so, so good!

The older I get- the more I can appreciate a quality gift card- so to receive a $25 card to Shoptiques was pretty cool. The website has all sorts of stuff- from dresses to handbags to shoes and home decor- so I know I’m going to have to take some serious time to do extensive browsing to determine what I want to treat myself to! Yes, some of their things are on the pricier side- but they do have a really nice SALE section I’ve been eyeing.

And also? Look how cute the card came packaged!

Finally, POPSUGAR sent me something I can gift to my mother since I know for a fact she has a set of plates that match this polka doted serving tray- also by Fringe Studio- perfectly. I know she’s going to love it, since we have similar taste in decor and I thought this was such a fun, colorful and perfect for any occasion tray that she could keep on hand whenever she has people over for company or just wants to liven up her dining room table.

POPSUGAR has done it again. I loved this month’s box- and every item fit in perfectly with their theme/inspirations and birthday celebration! This collection, as I’d mentioned earlier- serves as their lost assortment of items for the Summer- which means the Fall boxes are going to start rolling out soon. I can’t wait!

– Ashley –

Good Morning and Happy (Ugh…) Monday! I hope you all had a sensational weekend. Mine was very relaxing- although I’ll get to that a little later on this week. For now, I want to share my July POPSUGAR “Must Have” box with everyone! It arrived early last week and I couldn’t wait to open it up and take a look inside.

I had actually wanted to get this post up this past Friday, but a Thursday evening dinner with my brothers at my mother’s house ran a little later than expected- and coupled with putting in some serious overtime at my job and a spur-of-the-moment Friday evening event that came up unexpectedly at the last minute- I got a little delayed on my usual posting schedule.

But enough excuses! It’s a brand new week and I’m back and ready to write!

July’s “Must Have” box was a little different from past boxes I’ve received, in that it did not have any coupons/online bonus cards included and the monthly pamphlet that detailed each item and brand featured in the collection was missing. Whether or not POPSUGAR simply forgot to pack it in whatever unit my box fell into or scrapped it all together this month will forever remain a mystery- but I found myself looking for them after I’d unpacked everything!

A quick online search shows that this month’s theme/inspirations were FIREFLIES, BONFIRE, CAMP, SAND and FIREWORKS.

The first item that caught my eye were these fireplace matches from Sisters of Los Angeles that came in the prettiest box ever. We all know how much I love California (enough to journey out there for 24 hours at a time just to be under the palm trees for a day!) so I know that when I’m done using these matches on my scented candle collection and in my backyard fire pit- I’ll be preserving the box to use as something decorative around my place as a reminder of my home away from home!

Not only does Tarte Cosmetics make my favorite foundation (the “Rainforest of the Sea” water foundation gives me life)– but they also make one of my favorite waterproof mascaras, too- so to receive a full-sized tube of it in this month’s “Must Have” box was a really pleasant surprise!

“Lights, Camera, Splashes” makes my eyes pop something fierce. It thickens, extends, and slightly curls my lashes- and the formula doesn’t budge- not even with sweat, rain, salt water, etc. I’ve been using it for a long time now, and this replacement tube just saved me $23 at my next Sephora shopping trip since I won’t need to replenish my supply!

Hi, I’m pasty and I can never have enough sunscreen- especially when a good chunk of my free time is spent outdoors and at the beach. I’ve been loving this SPF50 mousse formula from Supergoop because it applies easily and evenly (and you don’t need a ton of it to get good coverage!), it isn’t oily/greasy on my skin- and it’s not loaded with harmful chemicals or weird fragrances or anything.

The sunscreen is naturally moisturizing and the antioxidant-charged formula has it’s own clean scent that actually makes the application process a lot more enjoyable than other brands I’ve tried in the past that have left me with uneven burns/tan lines or breakouts!

I’ve been making it my Summer mission to drink more water- not only to make sure I’m ridding my body of toxins and keeping my skin hydrated and clear- but because it has been really, really hot out lately, y’all! Getting into my car after a long day of work and knowing that it’s going to take a few minutes for the AC to kick on and offer me some relief is enough to send me into a full blown meltdown (no pun intended.)

I’ve been loving this 20-ounce tumbler from Bando since I received it. The design reminds me of something you’d see at any local beach that has refreshment stands- and I can just load it up with ice water when I hit the road every morning and know that I’m packing plenty of H2O to get me through the day!

One of the items I knew I was going to be receiving this month was this plush, 100% Turkish cotton Ocean Tribe towel by Turkish T– and it is by far my favorite item in July’s “Must Have” box. The towel is pretty big- enough to bring to the beach or the pool and be able to lay on it comfortably- but it is also SO. INCREDIBLY. SOFT. Think of the softest thing you’ve ever touched and then amplify it by 10,000 and that is how soft this towel is.

A $49 value- this item is all mine- as in I’m not sharing it the way I do with some of my other POPSUGAR gifts. The pattern and colors on this towel are lovely, so showing it off is not a problem at all. It’s divine!

Finally, a POPSUGAR box just isn’t complete without a snack- and I’m packing these smoked gouda cheese crackers from Snyder’s with me when I head to work tomorrow. They’re baked and low in fat, so I don’t think I’m going to feel too guilty if I end up eating the entire bag in one sitting before my lunch break.

And that’s everything I received in July’s POPSUGAR “Must Have” Box!

Overall, I really enjoyed everything included in this month’s collection- although I am still a bit perplexed at the cards/coupons being M.I.A. this time around. It’s not the end of the world, of course- but I think I got so used to having them every month!

I’m looking forward to August’s box- although that means it’ll be the last one of the Summer!

– Ashley –

Tag: Home Decor

POPSUGAR Must Have Box Review: August 2017

POPSUGAR Must Have Box Review: July 2017