Smithfields Fried Chicken

We were visiting a different part of the state today for lunch. Nothing fancy. Fast food. 

Smithfield’s Chicken.

I’ve never liked KFC, Boston Market, or Bojangles… so this was a real treat. 

It was SO good! At least for me it was. 😉

I ordered the 2pc combo. $6.89

I thought it only came with potato salad and slaw, so was very surprised when it was deliver with pulled pork and hush puppies. Very large portions! Two people could have shared it. Drinks were extra. 

Here is a picture of the menu.

Here are the larger portions you can order. I’m still trying to figure out who would order these. Maybe for a Southern style wedding?

Church gathering?

Super bowl? 

Here is what I ordered.

And yes, the fork came in the slaw. Lol

And the best part of the whole shabang’ was they had crushed ice. Normally I need to be knee deep in labor to have this mush crushed ice. 😉

Goodwill Gem

I picked up this little gem at the Goodwill tonight. Only a dollar.

I am going to use it to house some of my vintage Avon.

With a quick search, I found out that it was made in the 1950’s, at a factory up in Boston, Massachusetts.

Here are a couple really cute ‘help wanted’ ads from that time.

And here is my little gem. 🙂

~Does anyone else have one like this?

 I like to imagine who may have been the first owner of this pretty vintage box,l, and what their life may have been like. 🤔

I have an older friend in her sixties, who told me that she use to have a similar one that she recieved many years ago with a strand of pearls. I love that!

Dermalogica Skin Care Duo

Here are two newer products I have been trying this year. I’ve read lots of great things about this brand. Especially for dry skin, such as mine. 

I have the creamy cleanser, and the daily Microfoliant.

 The cleanser looks and feels like a lotion. So if you are use to a clear squeaky clean type of face cleanser, you may not like it. That said, if you are getting older and experience dry skin, this is for you. 

Essential cleansing solution

Details: A milky cleanser for drier skin conditions to gently lift impurities and remove make-up. Water-soluble, this soothing emulsion rinses off easily, leaving the skin refreshingly clean, soft and supple. Contains no artificial fragrance or color. 
How it works:
Natural Safflower Oil softens and conditions skin. Antioxidant Vitamins E and C smooth and condition the skin. Mild astringents, extracts of Rosemary and Lemon, refresh tired skin.
I’ve found that you simply don’t need to strip all the oils off your face in order to have a clean, fresh feeling face. I’ve really been enjoying these products. 

Moving right along to the daily exfoliater. 
This is the first store bought powder exfoliater that I’ve ever tried. A little goes a long way. 

You pour out some of the powder into your hand, then add a few drops of warm water to form a paste. It takes only a second. This is what you end up with….

Details: Dermalogica Microfoliant is a unique, rice-based enzyme powder activates upon contact with water, releasing Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes to smooth the skin and accelerate cell renewal. Their unique Skin Brightening Complex of Bearberry, Aspergillus, Grapefruit and Licorice helps to balance uneven skin pigmentation. Active agents derived from Rice Bran and Rice Extract help to regulate melanin production while micro-exfoliating dead cells. A super-soothing blend of Green Tea, Ginkgo and Colloidal Oatmeal calms inflammation, leaving the skin extraordinarily clear and refreshed. Gentle enough to use on a daily basis. Fragrance free. 

How it works: Rice Bran and Rice Extract gently microfoliate skin surface to facilitate penetration of the Skin Brightening Complex. Papain Enzyme and Salicylic Acid help dissolve excess surface cells. Skin Brightening Complex of Licorice and Bearberry helps even skin tone.

So there you have it. Natural products can be very good. Especially is you use so many in-natural makeup products. *wink*

~ Has anyone else been loving a new skin care product? Please share. 😉

New to me vintage Avon

I have managed to find a few more pieces this week to add to my growing vintage Avon collection. Again, collecting something you love, yet not breaking the bank, is an awfully nice feeling. ;)))

This is a lot that I win for only $4

No7 Stay Perfect Foundation Broad Spectrum Review

No7 Stay Perfect Foundation Broad Spectrum 

Claims:
SPF 15 lasts up to 17 hours, giving a naturally flawless complexion with super-staying power. Life-proof foundation uniquely matched to your skin tone.

Pros: It spreads so smooth with your finger tips. I tried using it with a brush, and a beauty blender, and there was something about the body heat of the fingers that left a great no transfer finish. Medium coverage. No heavy scent. It reminds me of L’Oréal True Match, if you’ve ever tried that one before.
I used the color Cool Beige. 

Right after application in artificial lights:

Serveral hours later in natural light:

Cons:  For a drug store brand, $15.99 is a bit steep. Right up there with Neutrogena and Physicians  Formula I guess. 

Other then that, I have no qualms. I will keep it in my rotation. 🙂

Hydroluxe Gel Review

I recieved this Hydroluxe Gel pillow a couple weeks ago. I was pretty excited. 
It’s a standard size pillow and runs for $59

A bit steep, if you ask me. 

However, I think you get to a point in your life where you simply can’t put a price tag on comfort. 

Aka’, your sleep!

But for the price tag, it better be life changing! Right?

I’ve been eyeing these pillow for the past few years. They usually have them on display at places like Costcos, and Sams Club. 

I would walk past them, rubbing my hand over their coolness. No pun intended. 😉
I use to do the same thing with those temperpedic pillows that were all the rage a decade ago. 
And yes, broke down and bought one of those overpriced pillows too. 

A darn shame the cat peed on it shortly after. 

They are VERY absorbent!
Moving right along…
Pillow claims: With an exclusive blend of phase change material on one side and cooling Hydraluxe Gel on the other, the Hydraluxe Gel Dual-Sided Cooling Pillow meets your unique temperature needs by consistently transferring heat away as you sleep.
Pros: Yes, there is absolutely no sweating or Bed head while using this pillow. In fact, you may even have a bit of trouble falling a sleep, due to the cold feeling against your head and face..
So, it does keep your head cool throughout the night. 

I also found that it helped with my adult acne. 

Ironically, my face started clearing up after a few consecutive nights using the pillow.

That was a plus!
Cons: Like mentioned, it took me an extra 20-30 minuets to fall asleep each night.

Perhaps in the summer it may be different. We will see. 

I would also like to note that I am strictly a side sleeper. And this pillow is quite stiff, making it hard to cozy up with.

I also sleep with one arm under the pillow, which made my arm also cold. Very cold! 

The first night I used it I had a kink in my neck by morning. It’s a firmer pillow, much like the temperpedic ones. No curves in this pillow though. 
All in all, I think this pillow would be better suited for a back sleeper. Maybe a tummy sleeper. Providing you don’t have any preexisting bank issues, as your back will be slightly arched due to the firmness and height of the pillow.

It comes like this. A very thin cotton zippered pillow case which holds the pillow, which also has a thin net-like covering. I slept on it like this the first week, then added another pillow case over it to ‘cool things down’

Please drop a comment if you have this pillow. Id love to hear your personal thoughts on it. 😉

Maybelline Age Rewind Treatment Make-Up foundation Review

Right off the back, I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!I have tried it five times already, just to make sure. 😉

Each having superb results!

I find it measures up to all its claims, too. 

I used the color called, Sandy Beige. I also have one in the color Nude, when I don’t have any self tanner on.
Claims: Instantly erase fine lines, creases, and age spots with Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment Makeup. It’s the first anti-aging makeup combining a patented micro-corrector applicator and a breakthrough formula with active ingredients.
Benefits:

Patented micro-corrector applicator micro-fills and smoothes imperfections on skin’s surface

Super-concentrated foundation formula with goji berry and collagen tightens and improves skin elasticity

SPF 18 sunscreen helps protect skin from sun damage

I like that you don’t need a brush or beauty blender. Sometimes you are in a hurry.
The applicator distributes just enough product, and glided over my skin effortlessly. 

It is a thin formula, not thick or sticky in any way.

It’s buildable, but I find a couple long stripes on each cheek, my forehead and chin, seem to get the job done perfectly. 
You don’t feel like you are using a foundation. Of course it’s called ‘Treatment Makeup’ not foundation…. so there’s that..
I also like that it didn’t transfer over to my cell phone during calls, like most liquid foundations do. But what I enjoyed the most, was how it evened out my skin tone. It simply did. It came up into my creases throughout the day. So for that reason alone, I’d repurchase it again and again.. 
For setting spray, I topped this off with Wet & Wild photo finish. 
Ten minutes after application with artificial lights on:

The end of the day with natural light:

 

Easy Rice Dinner

This is a very easy meal that I made last night for the kids. The plus, they LOVED IT! 
I used my rice maker to make four cups of rice. 
It takes only 25 minutes.

Results: fluffiest white rice ever!

Five cups of water to four cups of dry medium grain white rice. I throw in a little sea salt and a few capfuls of olive oil. Give it a stir, and walk away…

The valve will pop up when it’s done. 
After it’s done I open up a can of beans, (black or pinto) whichever is your kids favorite. 
Mine like both, so I opened both. 

I drain the juice from both cans, and then add them to the cooked rice. I did the same thing with a can of corn and a large can of chicken breast. So simple! And just as easy as going through a fast food joint. 

Although that’s fun sometimes too. 😉
The kids topped it with shredded cheese, and ate till their hearts content. 

My kids have never been very big meat eaters, but they love beans. If your kids like beans, then chances are good that they will enjoy this meal. 

L’Oréal visual lift serum foundation

I really wanted to love this foundation because it says the word Lift. 

But….

Pros: It pumps out easy and blends well. It is medium coverage, which doesn’t bother me. As it is buildable. Not at all cakey.
Cons: I see no lift at all. Also, I feel as if it exaggerates my crows feet around my eyes. Maybe I should have used a primer. I think this is meant to improve your skin over time, seeing as its infused with a serum in it. 

 I snapped the pic with only foundation on. No primer, blush, highlighter or eye makeup. 

10 minutes after application with the bright Bathroom lights:

It’s pretty smooth and a good color match. 

3 hours after application in natural light. 

No oxidation, but I felt a bit  greasy. I had to add some face powder to get me through the remainder of the afternoon. 

Claims: As the first lifting anti-wrinkle foundation enriched with serum, you will see immediate results. Notice smoother skin because corrective pigments unify your skin tone for a natural-looking radiant complexion. The anti-wrinkle formula is enriched with a serum combining powerful anti-wrinkle ingredients. Day after day your skin looks visibly younger. Up to 24 hour hydration, light fluid texture, blends easily. SPF 17.

Verdict: I will have to solely use it for the next few weeks to see if it’s one that I will keep. 

Homemade Rose Oil Fail

I had some beautiful roses last week that began to wilt after a few days. 

 I couldn’t bring myself to just toss them. So, I decided to try my hand at making rose oil.

 I use rose oil on my face and hands before bed each night, so I figured why not make my own. 

For those who are curious about rose oil, there are many to choose from on Amazon and places like, Marshalls and TJ Max. It’s very good for the face. Especially this time of year. 

I just googled a simple recipe. Although, they are all pretty similar.

Step one: You bring a pot of water to a boil.

Step two: While you are waiting for it to come to a boil you start shredding all your rose petals in a canning jar. Yes, I used my clean hands for this task. It’s very simple to do. 

Step three: Next, you pour one cup of olive oil over your crushed petals. I used two cups, because I had two dozen rose petals. You can also use almond oil if you do not have olive on hand. 

Step four: After your pot of water comes to a full boil, you shut it off and cover your jar of roses, placing  the jar in the  pot of hot water. Now you leave it there until the water cools. I left mine in the pot over night.

Step five: The next morning place your jar in a window sill for 1-7 days, depending on how fragrant you want your oil to be. Or so the claim was..

 I was impatient, so after one day I went to open my jar to drain the petals through a clean cheesecloth and bottle it all up.

 I even reserved my good amber glass jars for my special rose oil. 

It should have been that easy, but it was not. 
Here is a pic of them steeping in the oil. Yay! Excitement!

And the after product that I was faced with after sitting on the window sill for 24 hours.

Yeah, that fuzzy stuff is mold. *sigh*

They were a beautiful white less then 48 hours ago. 

Verdict: failed attempt 😐