How I Reduce the Appearance of Dark Circles

I’ve mentioned before that I have had dark circles/bags under my eyes even since I was a little girl.  It made for some cute school picks although at the time I remember detesting them!  I believe that mine are more hereditary than anything so I’m stuck with them for life.  They really don't bother me as much anymore I guess because I've always had them.  To me they are like having ears; they are a part of who I am.  Even so there are times that I would like them to not be as noticeable.   

Now that I’m an adult, I have noticed that lack of sleep and stress are my biggest contributors to them looking more predominant.  I really emphasize getting plenty of sleep and trying to find ways to reduce the stress in your life which is always easier said than done.  I still struggle with this but have found that a good book, warm bath, and even something as simple as re-organizing my home helps.  

I have splurged from time to time and have tried many dark circle remover creams, cucumbers, concealers, tinting creams and many others (still do) over the years but I do believe that the simple yet often frugal changes can make a bigger impact than you think.  Exercise, eating healthier, attitude, rest, kicking bad habits, and any small lifestyle changes can always be beneficial inside and out. 

I’d love to know what tips you may have!

Disclaimer – I am participating in a blogger campaign sponsored by Bucks2Blog and all opinions stated above are 100% my own.  I am not advising anyone nor am I qualified to do so. I am simply sharing what has worked for me. 

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$10 Target Gift Card when you spend $50 - Printable Coupon!

This is a nice coupon to print if you're going to be headed out to Target in the next few days.  It expires on December 3, 2011 and is good in-store only.  You may have to be patient to print it because it took me a little longer than usual to print it.  There is a direct link to the coupon via the Target Facebook page.

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What's Your favorite Potluck Party Dish? @Pillsbury #MyBlogspark

Having a get together with friends and family over the holidays?  If you are in need of some fantastic and easy recipe ideas to prepare for your guests then Pillsbury.com is the place to get your ideas!  They have some awesome recipes that you can prepare in 30 minutes or less and include 5 ingredients or less (with videos too)! 

I will be hosting a Pillsbury Potluck Party and would love to know what you think I should make for my party!  What's a recipe that your guests always go gaga for?  Here's a couple that I really want to try.

Chocolate Cinnamon Breakfast Ring!

 Okay, so I love chocolate!  Here's another one that tempts my tummy!

Jingle Bell Cookie Pizza!

So simple and easy!  This would be fun for the kids to make too!

They say everything is better with bacon right?  How about these bacon-cheddar pinwheels.  Did I mention that cheese is one of my favorite foods too?

So being that I'm a sucker for foods with cheese here's another that sounds great.  These Ham and Cheese Crescents oozing with cheese look deslish too!

So which of these sound like a winner to you?  Do tell!


*If you are going to be hosting a party or two of your own be sure to check out this printable coupon good for $1.10 off on 3 Pillsbury refrigerated products!


*For entertaining ideas check out the Pillsbury chatter on Facebook http://on.fb.me/PillsburyIdeasFB or Twitter http://twitter.com/#%21/Pillsbury!



Disclosure: The Pillsbury product, information, food ideas, online coupon link, and prize pack have been provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark.

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New Samples at FreeFlys

 

Here are this weeks new Free samples at Freeflys!


Free limited edition panty from Victoria's Secret(r) on November 30, 2011.

Free sample of Babies R Us(r) baby formula.

Free sample of Nature's Bounty(r) Fish Oil.

Free bottle of PowerBar(r) Ironman PERFORM drink.

Register for Qdoba(r) rewards and get free chips & salsa or a free regular drink.

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30% Discount on Norton products for small business

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Norton Small Business by Symantec. All opinions are 100% mine.

It’s often said that small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and it could likewise be said that technology is the backbone of any small business.   

 

Perhaps it’s eye-opening (or not) that many small business owners have had experiences with some sort of malware (malicious software on their computer) in the past three years, and end up having to pay an expert to resolve the problem.  

If I have internet security on my computer then I especially expect business’s to also have the best if not better security to not only protect themselves but the customer as well.  Currently all 2012 Norton Small Business products now available for 30% of.  

 

In addition to small businesses there are a few things that Norton Small Business by Symantec can help with on the home front as well.  In fact the Norton 360 and Internet Security 2012 just launched this past September.  Did you know that they can help you monitor your kid’s internet experiences?  Not to mention they are also known for their anti-virus software. 

 

We actually used to use Norton years ago.  My husband built two desktop computers for us and a Norton CD came with one of the computer components.  We used it for quite some time before switching to another anti-virus program.  For the price that we paid we received decent coverage but found some great rated free anti-virus programs and made a switch.  The price was very affordable though and seems now they may have stepped up their programs.  Ultimately, there are many anti-virus programs out there and from our experience it’s best for you to do your homework, research and read reviews before settling on any given one.  

Have you tried Norton before if so I’d love for you to comment letting me know which Norton product was most beneficial to you!

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Cheapes Tees Review

There's nothing like a good solid comfortable t-shirt.  What's better is a very good quality yet affordable tee.  We've had our share of junky tees that don't last nor wash well just as we have really durable tees.  I had the opportunity to check out Cheapes Tees and thus far am very satisfied with their products.

There's no better person to try out a tee in my house than hubs.  With the line of work he does any clothes he wears must be quality or they won't make it through their life cycle and end up turning into cleaning rags.   I received a Hanes long sleeve Beefy-T shirt and a short sleeve Canvas Union Heather tee.   Each of these were very soft and just the right amount of thickness.  I love the quality and can see these lasting him a long while.  These are great for just wearing with a good pair of blue jeans or under clothes for layering in the winter.

I have yet to meet a man who hasn't worn a tee either under dress clothes, with blue jeans, to layer, or with pajamas. Tees are so universal and it's something to keep in mind this holiday season.  Some are per-shrunk cotton (love that) so you don't have to worry about it shrinking in your dryer in addition they carry a variety of sizes including many XL's. If you are looking for good quality tees for the man in your life (even dad) then check out Cheapes Tees!  Keep in mind they also carry women' tees, juniors/children's tees, bulk orders for family reunions, socks, sweats and more!



Disclosure I received the above product for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are my own.

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50% Off New York Times Bestsellers Cyber Monday Sale at Barnes and Noble

Today only at the Barnes and Noble website you can save 50% on New York Times Bestsellers!  This is right up my alley because I've had my eye on a few like Diary of a Wimpy Kid (the newest one will complete our set) and the Hunger Games which I keep hearing raves about! 

Keep in mind they also have $5 off on toys and games as well as up to 70% off on dvd and blu-rays

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Open Sky $15 Credit plus Free Shipping

I've been a member of MyPoints for some time now but have just started getting really involved in it.  I really love how it's been working out.  I get points for searching the net, downloading the toolbar, shopping, reading emails and more.  In fact I just received my first reward for doing so!  I chose a $10 Panera Bread Gift Card which I received very quickly! 

Today if you go through MyPoints

• you should see alphabetical brands index (top of main page)
• click on the O for deals from stores that begin in O, 
• then scroll down until you find OpenSky, click on the link, 
• sign up with OpenSky and you should get $15 credited to your OpenSky account 
• in addition to getting points (up to 3500) for your purchase (through MyPoints)!  

Today OpenSky has Free Shipping (no coupon code needed) so this should make for a great deal combined with your $15 credit!  I chose the Alicia Silverstone Soap as Clean and Pure as the Rainforest in the under $30 gifts section and only paid $9 out of pocket ($28 down to $24, on sale minus the $15 credit) for all four soaps plus the free shipping!



Thanks Hip 2 Save

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I'm #hotinhotpants Zaggora Hotpants Review

If you haven't heard; there's a new item taking the UK by storm and now brewing in the US.  A lot of women are wearing them, exercising, and losing weight.   Zaggora Hotpants are designed to look like biker/sports shorts, with the same snug feel but they contain a bio-ceramic technology.  This technology basically works in that it enables the reflection of body heat generated, heat back into the tissue. 



I had the opportunity to try Hot Pants for myself as a US blogging mom and see what it's all about.  This is real exciting for me because as a lot of you know it can be very hard to drop even just a few pounds/inches especially after having children and passing thirty.  My hardest area is indeed my midsection and the winter season is my biggest challenge since I can't get outside as often.

My Hot Pants and I were like glue for two straight weeks during the challenge.  I wore them to the dentist, grocery shopping, to sleep, during the occasional work out video, and pretty faithfully all the time (except during washings). It's recommended that these be hand washed and air dried which isn't the most convenient but definitely worth it to maintain the integrity of the product. 

One thing I noticed right away is that underneath clothes they are hardly visible.  The only time I could tell they were on was in sweatpants because they made a "swoosh" sound.  I noticed that after my work out videos and waking up from the night, that I was "sweatier" than usual thus the Hot Pants were working.  Hot Pants uses your natural body heat to work and can increase perspiration up to 80%.

Considering Thanksgiving was in the middle of my two week challenge, I still lost an inch from my midsection which totally has me pumped.  I seriously can't get over how great these pants have worked out for me, literally.  Hotpants do come with a price tag but for how much one might spend on a good pair of running shoes or workout gear, the price is comparable.

For more information, I encourage you to check them out on their website, Twitter @zaggora or Facebook facebook.com/myhotpants.


Disclosure I received the above mentioned product thanks to the Mom Bloggers Club and Hot Pants.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

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Quirky Gizmos and Coupon Codes

I've blogged about unique gadgets before and thought what better time to do it again than prime time shopping season. Geek Alerts is a cool website for all things gadget and quirky gizmos as well as informational news.  They showcase a lot of fun and entertaining new posts filled with Geeky News and Coupon Codes for online stores.

If you collect or just like to check out new things then this definitely is a fun site to start.  You may end up saving some money on your next gadget too. I recently came across the lego winter toy shop (shown below) that I thought was very cool!  It's certainly not something you see every day.  It's a total of 815 pieces which even includes a light-up window!  Surprisingly it's not priced as high as I would of thought.

Some of their coupons vary from store to store.  I found a SkyMall coupon which is another gizmo/gift type shop as well as Hammacher Schlemmer coupons which is more on the tech side.  All and all though I just like to check out the site here and there to see what's new.  It never ceases to amaze me what some people come up with.

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Finding a Better Night’s Sleep

So many people complain of a poor night’s sleep, claiming they spend most of the night tossing and turning. There are many factors that guarantee a good night’s sleep, including exercising regularly, eating right and remaining stress free. However, these factors are not always possible or plausible, but one thing you can control every night is the mattress you sleep on. So many people are sleeping on worn out and old mattresses that are ruining sleep. If your mattress is 15 years or older it is time to consider a new one.

Not everyone has the money to purchase a new mattress, but it is really a must have if you want a good night’s sleep. However, before you purchase your next mattress you will want to compare mattresses. There are so many mattresses on the market from conventional spring mattresses to new innovative memory foam, you don’t know until you try them all what mattress is right for you.  

The best way to test out different mattresses is to go to the store and find mattress.  A mattress store or furniture store will carry a variety of mattresses for you to lay on and try out. Additionally, many mattress companies offer a thirty day trial period in which you can sleep on the mattress for thirty days to decide whether or not it is right for you. 

Regardless of what type of mattress you purchase or how much you spend it is extremely important to test and do a  mattress comparison before you purchase. 

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Snapily Black Friday Offer--Buy 1 Ornament get 1 Free

 

Snapily's Black Friday Deal is buy 1 ornament get 1 free--a savings of $8.99! This offer is valid 11/25 through 11/28 and use code BOGO at checkout after you put two ornaments in your cart, paying for only one!

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Calendars - Up to 60% Off With Free Shipping

BLACK FRIDAY WEEKEND
72 Hour Sitewide Sale!
Entire site on sale up to 60% off PLUS free shipping on any US order. No minimum!  Keep in mind that they also sell games as well as hot calendars like Betty White, Glee, Thomas Kinkade, Boyds Bears, Maxine and more in addition to advent calendars!


CYBER MONDAY
Free shipping on any US order and sitewide deals!

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Affordable Eyeglasses

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zenni Optical. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

 

There’s something about sporting a new pair of eyeglasses.  Not only are they (glasses) necessary if you have a prescription but they can be quite an accessory in fashion and style.  

 

 

Zenni Optical offers very affordable and cheap eyeglasses to you by cutting out the middleman and having virtually no retail overhead.  They sell only their brand of glasses to bring high quality, durability, safety and comfort all in one.  

 

Affordable glasses are such a necessity in especially in today’s economy.  Who knows if you lost your glasses or broke them how you would replace them if they were astronomically priced.  What would you do with the extra money you could save by buying from Zenni?  If you’ve tried Zenni Optical I’d love to hear your thoughts on their service and product!

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Tiny Prints (Free) Birthday Greeting Card- Today Only! PLUS Contest

The Tiny Prints Free Greeting Card offer is back, but for one day only and this time its for their very popular Birthday Greeting Cards. You can choose the “Send it to me first” shipping option to receive the card free or“Mail it directly to the recipient,” which has a  $0.44 postage charge.

Use code FREEBD at checkout!

Limit one per household. This offer starts at 5am (PST) today and ends at 11:59pm PST.

PLUS - Tiny Prints Talent Search Contest
Tiny Prints is having their 3rd annual Tiny Prints Talent Search Contest! You can enter for a chance to win the grand prize of $1,000 cash, plus a $500 Tiny Prints gift certificate, a perfect prize just in time for the Holiday season.

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thredUp - Eco-Monday Sale

ThredUp is having an Eco-Monday flash sale today for 24 hours only! You can save 20% off all boxes of pre-loved clothes, toys and books!


Swapping on thredUP is all about getting great new clothes (and toys!) for your kids while getting rid of stuff they no longer use. Pick up a box of gently used children's clothing or toys when you join today - it's Free to join and you can now earn cashback for your outgrown kids clothes, and gently used toys & books on thredUP. Earn up to $10 for every great box you send to another mom. If you have clothing your children have outgrown, thredUp will send you free postage paid boxes and even arrange for them to be picked up - it couldn't be any easier!

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Decorating a Game Room

Image by liftarn via Flickr

When decorating your game room, you will need to think about many things, from the suitability of furniture, to colors and styles to employ, as well as the type of plants and decor to place. Nothing kills off the spirit of gaming faster than a poorly decorated room. A game room should be relaxing, well furnished and ample in space. But with certain types of homes, utilizing the space can be difficult. How are you supposed to place your gaming equipment, furniture and decor? Enter bar stools and your day (and gaming experience) is saved.

Bar stools are at the top among pieces of furniture that serve more than just the utility purpose. If you are pressed for space but still want your game room to look the part, then these stools are exactly what you need. Throw out the unnecessarily large lounge chairs and fill up the space with a few modern bar stools. Apart from saving space, these beauties will also act as great pieces of decor. With the many different styles to choose from, you can easily have your game room looking just the way you want.

Paint your game room walls with dark colors. A game room should totally separate you or your kids from the outside world. When you go in there, it is to have fun, nothing else. Dark and eccentric colors will boost your gaming experience.

Game rooms are usually dark. As such, natural plants cannot thrive well. If you need a few potted plants to improve how the place looks, go for artificial silk plants that look as fresh as the real thing. They are cheap, look as good and require no maintenance.

Image by Rob Boudon via FlickrThe type of decor you place in your game room largely depends on personal tastes. Shells and such types of decor should, however, be kept in rooms with plenty of light. Game Wallpapers and other gaming paraphernalia are ideal as game-room decor.





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Lighting up the Night #FyrflyzParty

Just because its fall doesn’t mean that all outdoor fun has to come to an end!  There's a cool toy called FyrFlyz that can help put a little excitement into your fall.  Fyrflyz is a spinning toy that creates cool light shows right in your hands! By applying tension or slack you can create a continuous movement of shapes!  If your little one is a glow stick fan then this will definitely be right up your alley only they have a battery (to turn on/off) so they last longer for more hours of enjoyment.  We had the opportunity to try these out and they are kid approved!

My little one couldn’t wait to start making light shows once these showed up in the mail, so we had a great reason for a sleepover!  Here’s a few picks of the kiddos showing off their skills.
  

I believe this is a spinning star!

 This is a small orbit!

  My personal favorite!  The Multicolor LED Fyrflyz with a true Fyrewheel!

 
Even an adult like me had fun playing with Fyrflyz although the kids were much better at it.   With the holidays fast approaching these could make for a neat little stocking stuffer!  You can find Fyrflyz nationwide at Toys 'R Us stores and retailers like Rite-Aid and Amazon.  These retail for about $10 (sometimes lower)  which is not bad considering how well they entertain and are for ages 8 and up.

Disclosure – I received the above mentioned product as part of a promotional program with Fyrflyz and MomSelect.

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Woolite Extra Dark Care Detergent Sample + Dove Nourishing Oil

Target is currently offering Woolite Extra Dark Care Sample as well as a Dove Nourishing Oil sample!  These typically go very fast so snag one while you can.



Thanks Couponing to Disney!

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New Samples at Freeflys

Here are this weeks new samples at Freeflys!


Free sample of Kirkland(r) Supreme Diapers from Costco(r). Please note you must be a Costco(r) member to receive this sample.

20 free holiday cards from Staples(r). Valid through November 19, 2011.

Get a free Red Velvet Pancake Puppies Sundae from Denny's

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$10 Vitacost Credit

Vitacost sells healthy foods (like Annie's) and household items (like Burts Bees) not just for yourself but for pets, babies (like diapers) and more.  Right now they have a great refer-a-friend program going.  When you sign up through this link you will get an automatic $10.00 credit (sent to your email) toward anything in the store plus shipping is always a low $4.99 regardless of what you buy unless your order is over $49 in which case shipping is free.  When you refer friends/family, you will get an another $10 credit on their first order and they will also get a $10 sign up credit (new customers only)!  Don't forget to add the free samples to your order as well!



Note - This is my referral link

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Lancome Visionnaire Sample!

 

Running to the mall for some early holiday shopping?  Be sure to sign up and snag the printable coupon to take to your nearest Lancome counter to get a free sample of Lancome's Visionnaire!

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Not this year

For most of us, the holidays are spent with family and while old Jack Frost is knocking at the door, you settle in for some hot cocoa and homemade chocolate chip cookies.  The holidays are often a time of indulgence which is why so many make the term diet and exercise apart of their new year’s resolution.

If anything I will enjoy dance games on Wii and the occasional work out videos while the snow is knee deep, but I will not commit to anything further unlike last year.  Last year I tried the new year’s resolution route and I barely got through January.  I think I started too strong and gung ho that it soon followed with disappointment.  I even tried calling it a “goal” instead of a resolution.

Along side of that, I strived to reduce clutter (another “goal”) but between blogs, cooking, cleaning, running here to there, being a wife, mom and still having some time for myself; the last thing (but oh I tried) I was concerned with was a little paper clutter on an end table.  I can honestly say I’ve improved though.  Do you make any plans for new years and if so what’s your secret to success?

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Tea Bags for Puffy Eyes?

I stumbled across a site that has a bunch of Make Up Tutorials all in one place.  Ever wondered how to master the perfect smokey eye look or how to really use a bronzer to accent your skin?   I know I have!

I watched a few short videos on Cosmetics Tips and read a few insightful articles, one of which I am definitely going to try.  It's not only fast and easy but frugal as well.  I've been blessed with puffy eyes since I was a child and stress along with lack of sleep really enhances them.  I've heard of the old cucumber trick but I don't always have them on hand.  The article suggested tea bags (green or black) that have been steeped and cooled.  Who knew?

Needless to say, I bookmarked it.  It looks fairly new so I'll keep checking for Make Up hints and tricks as it gets updated with more content. What's your greatest beauty tip/secret?



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40% Off at Aeropostale through 11/20!

Aeropostale and PS Kids are having a friends and family sale where you can take an additional 40% Off your order!  Use code AEROFRIENDS at checkout for Aeropostale and PSFRIENDS at checkout for PS Kids. This sale is from Nov 17-20, 2011-- or simply print the coupon found on the Aeropostale website to use in-store! 





Thanks Freebie Spot

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Mailbox Goodies - $5.00 off Hallmark and $10 off Wags

It's been a bit since I shared my mailbox and wanted to show you some good coupons I've received lately.  The $10 coupon above was for Wags.com.  I ended up ordering the cats a case of by Nature canned food which is 95% meat.  My cats loved it to pieces.  I am now going to see about purchasing the dry variety and see how they like that too.   Oh, and to boot they also sent along some free cat nip!

I also received my usual bout of magazines and a Justice holiday catalog with the popular 40% coupon!  I love this coupon because it can virtually be used on anything, even clearance!

Also if you receive magazines at your house be sure to be on the look out for those great Hallmark coupons that are put out every year.  They are $5.00 off any purchase of $10 or more!  This one in particular was in the Martha Stewart Living magazine.  Let us know if you've seen this in other magazines as well! 

By the way, have any of you tried Mobisave?  It's still in Beta but it's a shopping app which is free and is being tested on iPhones right now.  Let me know if you've tried it!  What goodies did you receive this week?

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U by Kotex Sample Pack

Find U by Kotexproducts as Amazon too!

This Kotex sample pack comes with a money saving coupon and 3 samples of the U by Kotex products.  Run on over to request yours and allow a few weeks for delivery.

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