naturebox review three

this review is long overdue-- as are many of the entries i have lined up in my head.  i've been unfortunately plagued by back to back sickness for the past month and just haven't had the energy to post! 

this was the last box in our subscription, and it was time to decide whether or not to continue the service month-to-month, buy another package, or nix it altogether.   

i was going to let bffbf pick the contents of this box, however, he totally forgot, and i ended up choosing them all right before our box was shipped out.   i opted for one repeat item and four new ones:

oat bran dippin' stix 

toasted cheddar stix

lemon tea biscuits

honeycomb sunflower kernels

guacamole bites 

the oat bran dippin' stix was the repeat item, so obviously we liked it a lot.   the toasted cheddar stix actually taste just like the oat bran dippin' stix with a slightly cheesy flavor, and really salty.  too salty.    the lemon tea biscuits were pretty good, and taste like tiny lemon shortbread cookies. a few were more than enough to satisfy a snack craving.   the honeycomb sunflower kernels were lightly sweet and tasty as well (although not as good as the praline pumpkin seeds from our previous box).   i really enjoyed the guacamole bites, but it had the same issue as the toasted cheddar stix-- wayyyyyyy over-seasoned.   

ultimately, we decided not to continue the service.  i was more on the fence about it than bffbf was, but in the end, the snacks just weren't good enough to warrant a box every month.   while i mostly liked the snacks that we received,  they were often overpowering in flavor or totally under-seasoned.  and really, most importantly, even with bffbf's help, i have trouble consuming all the snacks every month.  i'm just not that big of a snacker, and i found myself snacking more just to get through them to clear out the pantry! 

although this wasn't the right service for me/us, i definitely think it's a good one overall.  

naturebox review two

it was raining demonically when i came home and discovered several sopping wet packages on my doorstep, two which were from nature box.  two?  yes, two.  

mystified, i brought them inside and immediately peeled away the mushy cardboard and found six identical snack packs in both boxes.  six? yes, six.  we randomly received an extra snack (normally a box comes with five) without explanation.   both boxes came with a slip with my name and the same order number.  it appears they may be having some processing issues.  lucky us.

this time we received the following:
homestyle cheddar mix
praline pumpkin seeds
seaweed rice pops
lemon meringue waffles
bbq kettle kernels
honey crunch crisps (the bonus pack)

the hands down winner in this box was the praline pumpkin seeds.  these were really delicious and pretty addictive. we almost finished an entire bag in one sitting.  the honey crunch crisps also ended up being really yummy, so i definitely appreciated it's mysterious appearance in our order.  

the rest of them were fairly good, although i felt that the bbq kettle kernels could use more bbq flavor, and the homestyle cheddar had a strange consistency.  we also wished that the seaweed rice pops were completely savory-- they had a slight sweetness to them that we didn't expect or want.  the lemon meringue waffles were very light but a decently strong lemon flavor.  

we have one more box coming and then we'll have to decide if we want to continue the service.  i'm generously relinquishing my reign of control and allowing bffbf to choose all five snacks for our final shipment.  so kind, i know.

mymemories digital scrapbooking software review + giveaway

a few weeks ago, i was asked to review mymemories software, a digital scrapbooking program. naturally, i said yes, even though i was in the throws of an intensive course and didn't have a single second to spare.  but now that things have settled down a bit, i took some moments to play around with the software.  

keep in mind that i have not made a real scrapbook in about... eight years, if i'm remembering correctly.   it took me ten months to complete a scrapbook about my first trip to europe, and not only did i spend approximately $300 on supplies, the album weighed a ton.   i never made one again, as i found this traditional form so darn cumbersome.  i have made photo albums using other online programs, but that is a story from another day.

what i find most interesting about the mymemories software is the way it merges traditional scrapbooking with the modern digital age.  i have wondered if traditional scrapbooks, with various patterned backgrounds, ribbons, brads, would be soon be completely obsolete.  with this software, however, i think they can live on in a better form.

i think the mark of a good software program is the ease in its' use.   the mymemories software IS easy to use, just random clicking here and there and i was able to produce a page out of a calendar to my liking in a short while.  here's a screenshot:

i was more interested in trying something other than a traditional scrapbook page, which is why i tested the calendar options.  i think i need to do some more playing around before i fully understand how to make the best use of the program, though.  there are many options for layouts and backgrounds, pre-designed and design-yourself.  there are additional digital kits that you can buy at an additional cost, but you could get by just fine with the available choices.  the program costs about $40, which is pretty inexpensive considering how much money a regular scrapbook would cost.  

oh, and i nearly forgot the giveaway!  i have a copy of the mymemories software for you... ONE of you. you can have up to two entries to win:

1. (this one is mandatory) please visit the mymemories.com website and leave a comment on this post telling me which digital paper pack or layout is your favorite.  

2. for an additional entry (separate comment letting me know), follow my blog.   

*don't forget to tell me how to reach you if you should win*

i will draw a winner in one week.   

for those of you who want to go ahead and purchase the software for yourself, mymemories.com is offering my readers a $10 discount offer.  just use code STMMMS8931 at check out.  

good luck!

------------

thanks for everyone for entering.  the winner is #2, faith!! i'll be contacting you shortly with more info.  

i grew fungus.

from a box. ON PURPOSE. the soil is made from used coffee grounds. it was SO MUCH FUN. and delicious.

the guys that came up with this idea are geniuses. if you love the idea of growing your own mushrooms (and then devouring them) like i do, you should order a box, pronto.

reasons to love this kit, aside from those already mentioned above:

a favor, dear reader

i need to ask you for a teensy weensy favor. it's going to sound a little strange, so i'll give you some history first, and perhaps then you'll understand why. or maybe you'll just think that i'm off my rocker. or both.

most people would agree that i seem to be some sort of magnet for misfortune. sometimes they are just small, irritating things. sometimes they are kind of big. you know, like a hurricane hitting our low-risk area home while we're on vacation. or being bitten by a zebra. i could go on for a while.

but i'm really here to talk about the afore mentioned, little, irritating things in life that get me down. the small misfortunes that seem to happen far too often to be a coincidence, and seem more like a curse.

cinnamon cottage fever

one of my favorite items to shop for on etsy is jewelry. there is an incredible amount of amazing artisans out there, and i am repeatedly blown away by their talent. the store that i have been most recently ogling over is cinnamon cottage. the jewelry is simple, modern, and whimsical, a combination of everything i love. so, as you can guess, i was delighted when the husband bought me a couple pairs of her earrings for my birthday.

the earrings were adorably wrapped in this little box, with what looks like hand cut and hand written backings. so lovely + charming.

aren't they beautiful? i think they are perfect. exquisite craftsmanship too. 

a new sewing toy

apparently i was an extra good girl in 2009, because look what else santa got me for christmas:  a SERGER.

notice how it came pre-threaded? how thoughtful.

i had been debating for well over a year on whether or not to get a serger. my current sewing machine (a husqvarna viking emerald 718) wasn't exactly cheap, nor exactly trouble free, so i've been hesitant to invest in another piece of machinery without a serious need for one. besides, i already have a basic overlocking stitch on my sewing machine, so i was getting by.  also, i had originally been mainly looking at husqvarna viking and pfaff sergers, and they were too expensive for me to justify buying (they began at about $600-$700, i think).

so, recently i started investigating some lower end brands, such as singer and brother. singer seems to have a pretty bad reputation these days, so i focused my attention on brother. i read a lot of great reviews about this particular model, which were affirmed by a friend of mine who also happens to own one. also, the price is amazing- the current price on amazon for a brand new model is $191.75.

at this point, i should probably mention that the most i've done is take the serger out of the box and take pictures of it to show you.   however, i would also like to mention that i am already horribly impressed by this machine. why?  well first of all, it's compact and fairly aesthetically pleasing. secondly, look at all the information it comes with: 2 cds, and two instructional pamphlets:

all my $750 husqvarna viking sewing machine came with was a tiny little booklet that has been more or less useless.  now, i've only gone through one of the instructional booklets that came with the serger, but after seeing how comprehensive it is, it has left me with high hopes for the cds and the machine itself. 

i didn't mean for this to be an anticlimatic post (you know, since i'm already raving about a product i haven't even used yet)- i just really wanted to share my joy over the new serger with everyone. unfortunately, it doesn't look like i will have any time to play with it any time soon. the past few weeks and the coming several weeks are going to be absolutely crazy busy (you may have noticed that my shop is still open but more or less stagnant). 

i will be sure to share some of my serger adventures (and list new items on etsy) once things slow down again.