Christmas Shopping Savings!

♥♥♥ It’s that time of year again! ♥♥♥

When your wallet is getting thinner and your waistline is getting thicker…

I know my wallet or bank account, rather, is getting thinner. Christmas is the time to shop and buy things for everyone on your Christmas list, but it’s really hard not to shop for yourself too, with all the unbeatable sales.

So how do we save ourselves form the financial burden?

Ask your friends

-I’m sure you have friends in retail, so ask them! Use the insider knowledge (that they are allowed to share) to save you some dollars!
-Most sales associates don’t know exactly what items will end up on sale, but they do know when they are putting items on sale and how the sales tend to cycle!
-Moral of the story, just ask if they have sales going on.

Sign up for emails

-I know that nobody likes doing this but it can save you a lot of money in the long run
-For example: H&M sends emails for 20% off items probably monthly and if you shop enough you may end up with some ever better coupons!
-These aren’t emails but Bed Bath & Beyond mail coupons never expire! I saved 8 dollars using a 20% off an entire purchase that had an expiration date this past summer

Sign up for texts

-Chipotle has sent me multiple free things through their texting all you have to do is text them!
-Bed Bath & Beyond also sends mobile coupons to your phone via text if you sign up
-Starbucks sends you coupons if you sign up, or let’s you know about deals—which they have lots of around this time.

BUDGET!

-I am not saying budget out exactly how much you can and will spend on each and every person, but jot down a few ideas for each person (you aren’t going to buy everything on the list!) with varying prices, estimate the amount of money you are WILLING to spend on each person.
-This doesn’t mean you are going to spend that much on them, but you want to know a ballpark estimate of how much money you might spend.
-Next: narrow down your gift choices.
-Decide if you can eliminate anyone.
-Decide who you want to spend the most on
-And voila, you should have a ballpark estimate of how much you will be spending and a guideline to keep you on track.

These are just some easy and not intensive ideas to save some money this season!
Stay tuned for an explanation on how to save money at STARBUCKS

until next time
xox

Amy Rae

♥♥♥

Nails of the Week: 13 February

♥Nails of the Week♥

♥13 February 2013♥

Finally I am here, just to post something quick about my nails this week!

I have had gel/shellac nails for the last month,

as I went with a friend who was in town and then again with my mom.

Last night I decided to peel it off (which isn’t recommended but that’s how I always take it off) and take a study break to paint them.

These are my gel nails:

I have two midterms this week, one tonight and one tomorrow night (yes, on valentines day.)

Anywho here are the pics!

This is the photo I posted on Instagram

My fav kind of pencil too!

The main color is Essie ‘Jamaica me Crazy’ and the glitter is an Essie Luxeffects in ‘Stroke of Brilliance’

Essie polishes do run a bit more expenive (anywhere around $7/8) but they're certainly worth the splurge every now and again. 

Especially, for the glitter polishes. I love love love glitter and glitter polishes and have tried many different kinds and this Essie Luxeffects is the best. 

I mean, formula wise, not color.  

I used my typical top coat, Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat.

Hope you enjoyed this mani-share post.

You can keep up-to-date with all my manicure posts on my Instagram.

until next time.

xox,

Arae

♥♥♥

Connect with me on Twitter

Quote Time 31Jan13

♥Quote♥

♥31 January 2013♥

Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.

Who originally said this?

I don’t know.

It’s extremely unclear. I think Kevin Durant is the first person to say it and have it recorded that he said it, but there is no way he was the first to say it.

I think it might be like a figure of speech, in that everyone says it but no one really gets the credit for coming up with it.

I first heard it from Tim Tebow, verbally and in his book (page 33 if your curious).

Tim states he adopted it as a mantra while still in Little League and Kevin Durant didn’t say it until 2007 so mathematically Kevin Durant can’t be the first person who said it, because that would mean 6 years ago Tim Tebow would’ve been in Little League and still working out with tubing attached to his door.

Clearly this isn’t the case.

Online I’ve found Tim Notke with credit for this quote but if you google the name it comes up with nothing.

Somewhere it said Sam Lincoln said it, seems like speculation. Who knows?

I’ll I know is it’s extremely motivating.

To me it says: it doesn’t matter you predisposition, you can do whatever you want through hard work.

Granted, that’s not always true, but the sentiment is brilliant anyways.

Keep on trudging beauties.

until next time.

xox,

Arae

♥♥♥

POTD: 2 Jan 2013

♥Pin of the Day♥

2 January 2013

Can’t believe it’s 2013!!!

I feel like I say that every new year, but this year is crazy.

My boyfriend is turning twenty-one this month.

My (boyfriend’s) niece is turning one this year.

My boyfriend and I will be together for four years come June.

And I will officially no longer be a teenager come August, although most people have viewed me as a 21+ year old for the last two years of my life.

Anywho,

I thought I would share with you a pin that inspires me for the new year.

I found this on Pinterest, I don't take ownership

Throughout November and December I kind of fell of the healthy lifestyle bandwagon.

I ate too many cookies and didn’t really think about what I was eating.

No,

I didn’t stuff my self with fast food, but I didn’t eat clean, healthy meals.

So for this pin of the day I wanted to share with you a Pin that I think is hilarious.

I swear by squats!

If you want a nicer, tighter, perkier butt do squats.

I mean real squats with the bar and everything.

Don't be afraid to lift weights with the boys (that will be a whole nother post).

Anywho,

I’m not trying to be cliché and typical, like oh my new year’s resolution is to get back in the gym.

This year I want to make it a habit, a lifestyle, something I can’t live without, not a false-promising resolution.

Follow my Instagram and Twitter for updates and pix!

Also, I am going to compile a list of inspirational Instagrammers for fitness and clean eating!

Until next time.

xox,

Arae ♥♥♥

Clearly...

Obviously, I completely failed at daily posting.

I guess I got all caught up in working retail during the holidays. I didn't realize how much it would take out of me. It really sucked. People are so rude for no apparent reason. I just wonder what I did to them to deserve the treatment I get? Who knows, everyone is stressed during the holidays, but just remember when you're having a bad day taking it out on someone else doesn't make your day better it just ruins someone else's day.

Well now that I am officially done with that rant...
Work has slowed down, I have much fewer hours this week than I have had the last two weeks and I should move back into a schedule.
I think going for daily postings after hardly posting was too much to jump into; I had a lot of wind the first couple times, but then I just burnt out.
So I've decided I will try to post twice a week.

I want to continue my Pin of the Day, but I need to get myself prepared and have lots ready to go before I say I'm going to be back at it daily.

I need to be prepared because once school start I'm probably going to be going a little bit crazy in the beginning. Especially, starting back into science and math classes.
Alrighty, thanks for reading and being patient with my constant unfulfilled promise of daily postings.
Until next time.
xox,

Arae

Future posts to look forward to:
How to get prepared for school to start again
My reactions to Les Miserables
A Christmas make-up haul
An ELF products review/haul

Pin of the Day 21Dec12

♥Pin of the Day♥

21 December 2012

I hope you all survived the plethora of apocalypse-related facebook statuses and tweets.

Brace yourself, tomorrow may be worse.

I hope all of you (that celebrate) are either finished with or nearing the end of your Christmas shopping.

I am not finished but, with my boyfriend’s sister (and her hubby and baby) out of town for the actual Christmas day, we have more time to shop.

Today I want to share a quote.

I chose this quote by Max Lucado, because today was supposed to be (for what, the fourth time?) the day the world was going to end.

We should always life like it were our last,

And no I don’t mean go out and act crazy all the time because you might not have the chance to do it some other time.

I mean love a lot, love without fear, love with our regret or worry.

Don’t worry.

I saw a quote somewhere that said we shouldn’t worry because it doesn’t make anything better and it does make the present worse.

Mostly I think we should enjoy the moment, not always think about everything at once.

I don’t mean forget your responsibilities and just live life to have fun;

I mean live your life in a way you would be okay with people of the future reading about it.

Imagine you had to tell your story before you died, would you be proud?

Imagine, imagine, imagine.

Until next time.

xox,

Arae

♥♥♥

p.s. follow me on pinterest for inspiration, wedding gowns, diamonds, clothes, food and crafts. 

Christmas Cookies

♥Christmas Cookies♥

19 December 2012

Yesterday I spent the day with my mom baking Christmas cookies and I thought I would share a few of the recipes with my readers. These recipes aren’t “family” recipes in the sense that they were passed down from grandparents and so on, but all of them are family traditions.

For as long as I can remember my family has made an obscene amount of Christmas cookies. Actually for as long as I can remember I have been in the kitchen baking with my mom.

I swear baking is how I learned fractions backward and forward.

Anywho yesterday my mom and made Peppermint Pinwheel cookies, Caramel Candy Bars, and Crescent cookies (which I think are Mexican wedding cookies and I forgot to grab the recipe for).

Honestly, there isn’t anything better than a little Christmas baking to get you in the spirit of Christmas.

♥Peppermint Pinwheels♥

Ingredients:

1 Cup butter

1 Cup sugar

½ Teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1 Teaspoon vanilla

½ Teaspoon peppermint extract (I add a bit more for a more intense mint flavor)

2 Cups all-purpose flour

Red food coloring

Green food coloring

Clear fancy decorating sugar

Instructions:

Step 1:

In a large mixer (like a kitchen aid) beat the butter (1C) on medium to high for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup sugar and the baking powder (½t); beat until fluffy.

Step 2:

Beat in egg, vanilla (1t), and peppermint extract
(½-1t).

Step 3:

Beat in flour (2C) in 3 parts (this part isn’t imperative for the cookies to turn out right I just recommend you don’t dump all the flour in at once…otherwise your kitchen may end up in a white cloud of flour).

Step 4:

Divide the dough into three (3) equal portions. Mix one with red food coloring, one with green and leave the one plain. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour.

Step 5:

After the three (3) portions have chilled divide each color into four (4) equal portions.

Step 6:

On a lightly floured surface roll each portion into a ½-inch-diameter (or there about, thick enough not to break but thin enough to twist with other colors).

Step 7:

Take one of each color and lay side by side. Then twist together. This part is a bit tricky. I recommend putting one of the colors on top of the other two and twisting the whole rope from one end. After you get them semi-rolled together wrap the three strands in plastic wrap and smooth them together. The plastic wrap helps because it prevents you from tearing the dough, make sure the plastic wrap is lightly dusted with FLOUR!

Step 8:

Chill twisted ropes for another 30 minutes. Once chilled cut the ropes into ½ or ¼ inch slices (depending on the size cookies you want). Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Next sprinkle a small amount of the fancy decoration sugar on the top and squish with the bottom of a glass until cookie is ¼ inch thick.

Step 9:

Bake cookies at 375°F for 8-10 mins for larger cookies and 6-8 for smaller cookies.

These cookies are delicious and very pretty! I hope you enjoy them if you decide to make them. Tweet me a picture if you do!

♥Caramel Candy Bars♥

I only put nuts on one side

Ingredients:

1 Cup all-purpose flour

1 Cup quick-cooking oats

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup butter (preferably unsalted)

¾ cup sugar

1 14-ounce package of caramels

¹/₃ evaporated milk

            ½ of a 5-ounce can

½ cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

1 cup butterscotch chips or semisweet chocolate pieces

Instructions:

Step 1:

For the cookie crust:

Combine flour (1C), oats (1C), baking soda (½t) and salt (¼t).

Step 2: In a large electric mixing bowl (like a kitchen aid) beat the butter (1C) for 30 seconds, add sugar (¾C) and beat until fluffy. Beat in oat mixture until crumbly. Do not over mix.

Step 3: Reserve 1 cup of this mixture, then press the remainder of the mixture onto the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Bake the crust layer in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes. Let cool.

Step 4: Meanwhile, in a double boiler (you can just use a saucepan if you don’t have a double boiler, just be even more diligent in stirring because it will burn) cook the unwrapped caramels with the 1/3 cup evaporated milk until smooth and creamy. Step 5:

Pour caramel over crust. Sprinkle nuts on top, reserved crumble and then butterscotch or chocolate. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until top crumbs turn golden.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post! and like I said, if you try out any of these recipes tweet me the results! Thanks. Until next time.

xox,

Arae

Disclaimer: I am not taking ownership of these recipes, they were both found in cookbooks. I change them a little bit, but I do not take credit for coming up with them.