Tori Spelling and Her Coupon Made Me Do It

I've been wanting to sign up for one of these fun subscription boxes and I've had my eye on the FabFitFun box. My daughter was approaching her sweet 16 and I thought it would be a fun gift. There are so many different companies offering these trendy little boxes but this one keeps popping up in my FB feed, taunting me with mysterious little adornments, trinkets and potions.  I almost never click on celebrity endorsement videos {unless of course, Adam Levine is promoting well, just about anything} but sometimes my curiosity gets the best of me. This day it was Tori Spelling.  Was it her expertise at home-video that got me? My obsession with The Love Boat? Let's be honest, it was the heading advertising $10 off my first order that intrigued me. Tori just closed the deal.   

I watched from the edge of my seat as Tori opened her Fall Box and described each item found inside. Can we just take a moment and appreciate this cool box? First of all, it's reversible and second, it looks like a coloring book. Both the inside and the out are covered in adorable pics by graphic designer, April Ho from FabFitFun. {APRILHO.COM} Once you get the box unsealed, you find two leaflets on top. The first is a sort of catalog that tells about each product, who makes it and how it can be used. 

This season's box is all about #womenwithambition and highlights that six of the brands have female founders {which is pretty fantastic}. 

The second is a reference card listing some of the products and includes a promo code for future discounted purchases!

Underneath this, you'll find the products wrapped pristinely in tissue paper and packed neatly inside.

And then the big reveal... I think my 16 year old squealed when she saw all her loot!

Here's the breakdown: A giant blanket scarf, toeless socks, travel coffee mug, coloring book and colored pencils, night serum, lavender body oil, eyebrow gel, eyeshadow palette, cleansing cloths, body wash infused buffer and deoderant.

A FabFitFun subscription is $49.99 per season but product values will always be much greater. This Fall Box is valued at more than $239! As I said earlier, Tori gave me a promo code that saved me $10 on my first box.  After you sign up, you'll receive emails periodically offering add-ons at an additional price. These you can select in addition to the mystery items selected for you. I didn't choose any add-ons.

You can cancel at anytime before your latest box has shipped or you'll be charged automatically. You can also opt to sign up for a year. The next box ships in December. Order early, they sell out quickly!

  

These are my girl's faves. The Created Co.'s To-Go Coffee Mug and the ModCloth Loch and Key Blanket Scarf. 

Remember I said the box looks like a coloring book? One of the items included is a box of colored pencils from their charity, Pencils of Promise. "Pencils of Promise is a global community that's focused on increasing access of quality eduction for children in developing countries. Their solution isn't just to plant buildings where it's needed. PoP is also about creating programs that will encourage progress and growth amongst children on a global scale." 

I'm crushing on this eyeshadow palette by Pure Cosmetics. I think I'll snag the promo code and order one for myself! 

Tori Spelling and her coupon made me do it.

Do you treat yourself to any subscription boxes? I'd love to hear about it! 

Send me a message,

You Can Do It!

fabfitfun.com

When You Care Enough To Send The Very Best

As I sit in my girlfriend, Jennifer's salon, donning a plastic cape, hair slathered with tingly chemicals, I'm overhearing her conversation with a client. She's admiring the single flower in a bud vase  at Jennifer's station. She's asking if it's from her garden. {Jennifer has an amazingly brilliant green thumb} Jennifer laughs and whispers, "It's artificial! It was a gift." The lady was taken aback and said it was beautiful anyway. I chuckled to myself because I brought that flower to Jennifer earlier this year. I'd heard of some sad news she got and wanted to make her smile. Not every situation requires a big pricey bouquet of filler flowers that are just going to be thrown out in a week. Usually, you just want to let someone know that you care about them and what they're going through.

There are so many alternatives to the traditional congratulatory bouquet of flowers or bereavement house plant it'll make your head spin! How many stuffed animals wearing a graduation cap does your 18 year old niece need?

Of course, every situation calls for a different type of expression of your friendship, sympathy or love. Why not make a more personal gesture? Here are some suggestions...

{New Baby}

LL Bean offers Boat and Tote bags that can be personalized. Any seasoned parent knows that new Moms carry lots of stuff everywhere they go. As soon as the baby has been named, I place my order and include the child's name embroidered beautifully on the front. {using my LL Bean card to receive free monogramming and shipping, of course!} The bags come in tons of colors. Depending on how much I want to spend on this gift, I'll pick up a bathingsuit and towel that match the color scheme and place them inside the bag and wrap it up prettily {or handsomely}. Who doesn't love baby bathing suits? They are quite possibly the cutest thing next to the new born baby itself!

http://www.llbean.com

{Graduation}

Money is always a big hit with recent graduates. But why not make it more interesting? If they're going away to college or moving, go on line and check out the area where they'll be spending the next few years. Chances are, it's a new place they aren't familiar with. Print up a list of local {cheap} coffee shops, eateries and markets. Put cash, gift cards or checks inside a wallet or decorative envelope and place them in a gift bag. 

{Sympathy}

We can all agree on one thing, funeral flowers are incredibly pricey. Once the funeral is over, the family usually doesn't see your gift again. While this isn't the purpose of the gesture, here's an idea I use every time in place of bereavement flowers. 

There's a fantastic company called The Trees Remember. They plant a tree in designated U.S. National Forests in honor of your loved one. "The trees are planted where they are needed most to once again create a verdant and balanced environment."

The family is sent a beautiful certificate and a tree pendant as a keepsake.

http://thetreesremember.com

{Wedding}

Each and every wedding is different as is every couple. Some are young and just starting out and they need everything. Maybe they registered for all the items they would like to have in their new home, maybe they could use cash for their honeymoon, or maybe they have been together for what seems like forever and already have a home filled with all of their favorite things. You know your friends and family better than anyone and can decide how best to honer the bride and groom. If you're stumped, here's idea I have yet to use but I think it's so fun!

This company, Artificer Woodworks, creates a beautiful engraved wooden box that holds three bottles of wine. Each of the three compartments are labeled with "Open on Your 1st, 5th and 10th Anniversary".  The inside of each lid can be personalized and filled with wines you provide. This allows you to chose wines that mean something to the happy couple. Maybe you will select wines that you know they enjoy, those from a region that is special to them or local varieties. I love this idea because it is completely personalized. The couple will know how much care you put into this special gift.

https://artificerwoodworks.com/wineforawedding/classic-trio

No matter what the occasion is, there are tons of alternatives out there. All that really matters is that you are thinking about the recipient.And that realistic looking single flower in the bud vase, I got that at Marshall's!

You Can Do It!