1. Drinkin’ fruit-flavored water from my Fressko Water bottle
I have about 1,354 water bottles in my cupboard. 🤷♀️
This one from Australian brand Fressko is probably the coolest. It can be used for hot or cold drinks, comes with a tea infuser, and is made from double-insulated glass. I use it to make my favorite beverage at the moment: green tea infused with sliced lemon and lime!
The bottles come in 10-, 13- and 16-oz. sizes. I have the 16-oz. bottle, which is $39.95. I think it’s a well-designed, useful something special to have around, and the possibilities for beverages to make with it are endless.
2. Pared down makeup using a brow pen/pencil combo, mascara and liquid liner (and sometimes a liquid lipstick)
Lately I’ve been getting back in the habit of wearing a little makeup a little more regularly than I had been earlier in the pandemic because it boosts my mood, like a daily workout (but without the sweat!). And sometimes when I don’t feel like working out, I’ll just do my makeup, so that way I’m still doing a little something to help my mood.
I like to start with this three-piece pared down combo using a brow pencil, mascara and liquid liner: Urban Decay Brow Blade (seriously, SO GOOD), Urban Decay Cannon Ball or Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara (or a combo of both), and Honest Beauty Liquid Liner (easy to use and dries quickly).
If, when I’m done with those three, I still want to wear more, I’ll wear more. If I don’t, I’ll just stop there!
3. Victoria’s Secret Amber Sunset
It’s a little funny to me that I now consider this my “late summer scent” because I originally bought it as a mosquito repellant. 🦟 LOL!
But you know what? It I think it actually smells REALLY good. Please give it a try.
Amber Romance has notes of warm vanilla, sandalwood and amber, with a pinch of tart cherry, and it’s not strong. It’s juuuust right. Added bonus: it does keep mosquitos away!
4. This giant, overstuffed anatomically-shaped heart stuffed toy
I don’t know who needs this giant stuffed heart in their life right now, but apparently I think I do.
I love how BIG it is, and I especially love that it has valves, LOL! ❤️
5. How people are creatively adapting to life in the pandemic
I admire how people have adapted to “the new normal.” It’s been a lot to handle, but people will do what they have to do. Many small businesses are also coming up with some amazing ideas to keep their places going, like Connor’s dance studio. They couldn’t hold their annual spring dance recital in a big theater like they used to, so a few weeks ago the instructors taped the routines outside in a parking lot in the back of the studio. They added a hand washing station, tents for shade, and then built individual mini “stages” spaced six feet apart for the dancers to perform their routines on while the performances were recorded on iPhones.
We’re witnessing a very unique time in history, aren’t we? It was definitely a dance recital I’ll never forget. 💃
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Kim says
August 27th, 2020 at 7:46 amGAH! Love the Tiny Dancer pic. Connor looks ready to shine!! 🙂 I agree – people are pretty adaptable (for better or worse). I got my dad and the Hubs Yeti 30 oz Tumbler cups for Father’s Day and they both like them a lot. They’re giant but still fit in a cup holder. The Hubs uses his daily for (way too much) coffee and my dad likes his for cold drinks. They were good gifts and hold 750 mL of liquid. You can guess how I know that. 😉 I’m glad you reminded me about Amber Romance. It’s almost hiking season and I’m going to give it a whirl as insect repellent. I’ll let you know how it fairs in the northeast woods! 🙂
Karen says
August 27th, 2020 at 7:54 amFunny that you mention the Yeti cups because we have a Yeti that works great for hot/cold drinks (got it free from El Hub’s work) but it’s squat and wide so it doesn’t fit in the car’s cup holder and THAT KILLS ME. I’ll have to get one of those 30 oz tumblers for me and for El Hub. The style is called “The Rambler,” right? Is it this one?
https://www.yeti.com/en_US/drinkware/rambler-30-oz-tumbler/YRAM30.html
I love the mint color!
Deretta says
August 27th, 2020 at 1:20 pmButting in, but I love, love, love this cup! Keeps things cold for two days – seriously! And the mag slider lid is SO handy!
Karen says
August 27th, 2020 at 3:20 pmWell it looks like I’ve found Christmas presents for everyone in my family, including myself. LOL!
Kim says
August 28th, 2020 at 6:14 amOoh, that one’s even better because it has the slide lid. Ours just have the sip opening so splashing is possible. I’m so last minute that I just grabbed the style they had at Dick’s. I would have totally chosen that lid if it was available! 🙂 Maybe I’ll upgrade the lids for them for the next gift-giving occasion. HAHA!
Rachel says
August 27th, 2020 at 8:13 amSo glad Connor Claire is still getting to do some dancing and lessons! I have a million water bottles and cups in my cupboard as well! My favorite refreshing drink lately has been iced tea, specifically a ginger lemon herbal tea. I make a big batch of it and keep it in a pitcher in the fridge. It’s a nice change from plain old water!
Karen says
August 27th, 2020 at 3:25 pmThat sounds like a lovely drink to have on hand. I’d put fresh lemon slices in it just for fun!
Eileen says
August 27th, 2020 at 4:23 pmI love Twining’s Lemon & Ginger herbal tea during the winter but I never thought to try it iced. I’ll have to give that a go when I finish my favorite summer infusion which is icy cold white tea with slices of fresh peach.
Rachel says
August 27th, 2020 at 4:31 pmYum! That sounds really good too!
Christine says
August 27th, 2020 at 11:54 amLife IS a big stage. It’s wonderful seeing Connor Claire performing; I learned so much from dancing and performing.
The heart plushie looks very comforting. I had to look up whether there were adults who still slept with stuffed animals. Apparently they do. LOL I was “researching for a friend.” My need for stuffed animals is their faces. I always find the ones with facial expressions that are soothing to me. It might be saying something that my current plushie has a mildly drunk expression on its face (but it’s name is “Stoner” if that indicates what he’s really imbibing, the IKEA fox/ “Klappar Rav” with the baby stuck on its arm; they no longer make them).
The mosquito repellent fragrance reminds me of how tigers apparently go nuts over Calvin Klein’s Obsession!
Karen says
August 27th, 2020 at 3:28 pm“Researching for a friend.” LOL! I’ve always had a stuffie on my bed! Well, until recently. My stuffed bunny Charmie lived there until a couple of years back when Connor “borrowed” her for a play session and Charmie never quite made it back. LOL
How long did you do dance? Connor is always shocked when I tell her that I used to do hip hop.
Christine says
August 27th, 2020 at 6:06 pmI hope Charmie’s disappearance means that Connor Claire has taken custody. 😉
I studied tape/jazz/ballet from 5-19 years of age and from 21 to …. 45 or so I performed and taught Middle Eastern Dance (belly dance) professionally. I loved hip hop but I SUCKED at picking up the choreography and the feel. House, on the other hand, I could totally get into. How long did you do hip hop? I could totally see you jamming!
Amy says
August 27th, 2020 at 8:46 pmKlappar Rav looks like he’s *seen* things.
Christine says
August 27th, 2020 at 9:43 pmomg Amy pretty much; the baby, too lol
Tatiana says
August 27th, 2020 at 12:18 pmI’m adapting to the pandemic with Ben & Jerry. Maybe a little too much. All kidding aside, love the photo of Connor on her stage.
Does VS Amber Romance really work as a mosquito repellant? I’m always the one in the group that seems to attract all the mosquitos.
That’s a beautiful water bottle. I’d be afraid to use it, because I’ve been dropping and breaking dishes and glasses all over lately.
I’m still loving the Laura Mercier mascara. In my clear out of eye makeup I found a tube of Urban Decay Perversion and I remember really like the brush on it.
Karen says
August 27th, 2020 at 3:32 pmI think it does, but I wouldn’t use it alone if I was going to the jungle or anything. If I’m outside in an area I’m pretty much guaranteed to get bitten, the *BEST* stuff I’ve found is the Sawyer 20% Picaridin Repellant. I get it from Amazon.
Kate Talbert says
August 27th, 2020 at 6:42 pmLove the tiny dancer picture!! My daughter’s dance studio did something similar and I so appreciated how creative they got to make things work! Also, that water bottle looks like a must have! 🙂
Nikki Wogoman says
August 27th, 2020 at 9:54 pmI knew Bombshell works as a mosquito repellent, but I didn’t know about Amber Romance! What does VS use that does that, and can more fragrance companies please start adding it to their scents?!