"Birthday passed"

I have not yet had time to share what awesome Birthday Presents I received this year. I was totally not expecting this amount of presents.I am lucky. Anyway I thought I'd share them with you, as they are key to pretty much anything and everything I will be doing in the coming weeks (post exams).

Here's the run down, roughly from left to right:

Breville Food Processor


Patrón Silver, Añejo and Reposado Tequila

Rainbow Stemmed Dessert glasses and flutes

A 4gb micro SD card and SD carrier

OPI nail polishes in 'Rising Star', 'Greenwich Village', 'Affair in Red Square' and 'Glow up already!'

A 1TB external Hard Drive

Lavender Coloured pearls

Money!

A cupcake shaped oven timer

A Breville Kitchen Wizz

'500 Cakes' Compendium

Silver Double Photo Frame

A Sewing Machine!

A polka dot swimming/gym bag

A new pair of suede black peep toe heels.





Stay tuned to see what I did with that money and what I'm going to do with all of this!

"Wrap it up"

I talked a couple of posts ago, about Christmas Shopping. To make this task easier, and surprisingly cheaper, I have started shopping online. Yes, there are no ridiculous fellow-shoppers. There are no screaming children (unless they're your own?). There are no checkout lines or incompetent staff. It is just you, your computer and maybe a cup of tea. All positives aside, I did had a few concerns about online shopping.



Firstly I questioned the legitimacy of some websites. I wondered if something went wrong, would I be able to recover my money.

Then there is pricing. For some gifts I found online, I phoned a few of the retail stores in my area which stock the exact same product to check whether the apparent discount was worth the risk involved. After doing this, some prices seemed too good to be true. Most of the websites offered the gifts at 50% - 75% less than what local retailers were offering. I work in retail. I understand that this is insane.

I also had a few doubts about shipping. All sites that I used offered free shipping. I hoped that the ETA's offered on the websites would hold up their end of the bargain.



Well a week after I ordered some gifts online I have 3.5 out of 6 of them here. So far, each item has arrived well within the estimated time of arrival. The products are exactly as the should be. I am ecstatic. One of the gifts is not due to arrive until next Tuesday, but last night there was a collection card in my mail box telling me that it was being held at the local post office, ready for me to collect (thus the .5).

One website even sent them gift wrapped with ribbons and all. How much more of my time could they possibly save?! (unfortunately due to my pet peeve of having all co-ordinating gift and matching gift tags I did have to unwrap then re-wrap them. This was super fun, regardless of the fact that they aren't for me.)



Here are a few sites that I recommend you check out this Christmas.



http://www.strawberrynet.com/  I have used this site for years and I trust it completley. They sell genuine designer cosmetics, fragrances and hair products at ridiculously cheap prices. The products always arrive within mere days from Hong Kong or Sydney. This site also offers returning customer discounts, as well as free gifts for first time users. Also, unless you buy only fragrance the shipping is free. If you do buy just fragrance, the shipping is still as cheap as chips.



http://www.cdwow.co.nz/ This is the first time I have used this site. Again fantastic shipping time. Fantastic discount deals. I purchased two items from this site, both at 50% less than other online sites such as Marbecks and Real Groovy. Brad checked out the game prices, which he thought were unbelievably cheap. Man in your life that is in love with a video game console? Here is your opportunity to get them a present that they will love for a great price.



http://www.vistaprint.co.nz/ This site is again fantastic. Beautiful personalised stationery items at ridiculously good prices. Often they will email deals, where the products are free and all you pay is the super cheap shipping. Last Christmas I made personalised calendars, with a different photo each month, and with personalised calendar events like family Birthdays. Brad and I gifted these calendars to our Grandmothers. They LOVED them, and one Nana is still raving about it, and showing it off to her friends eleven months later. Surprisingly the rest of our family were quite jealous of this gift (Note to self: personalised calendars are not just a Nana gift).



So there you have it. Three great sites, that can make your Christmas shopping a breeze. Less stress on you, the kids and your bank account. I am so glad I gave it a try.

"Nailed it!"

All this talk of make-up and what-not got me to thinking. I shared a while back my favourite mascara. Today I'm talking about my fave brand of nail polish. O.P.I.

Brad's sister Laura gave me one for my 20th Birthday, and ever since I've been hooked. Well as hooked as one can be on my budget. They are pricey. But I do maintain that you pay for quality. More often than not I have to re-do my nail polish because my nails have grown a gap between the polish and the cuticle. It hardly ever chips away before this happens. I love how this nail polish is so easily applied, and has such bold coverage. With seasonal and international inspired colour collections, these beauties are hard to fault.

Here is my slow growing collection...

One other thing I love about O.P.I is the often quirky names.

From left to right: Bubble bath, Eiffel for this colour, Miami Beet, You're a Pisa work, Purple with a purpose, Domestic goddess, Techno girl, Nicole Alert!, Monsooner or later, Personal Shopper. 

"Perhaps there's something there, that wasn't there before.."

Look at what I saw in the mirror yesterday morning...

Check that out! Wrinkles! *Shudder. Beastly!

Time to upgrade from the 'Nivea Young Skin' to something with Anti-Ageing properties. Pronto.

"How could I forget? Mama said 'Think before speaking' "

Top Five Friday is back! Whether you like it or not.



Today's topic is....



The worst things you could say to me at work.





Before I get started I do need to point out a few things. I Love my job. I Love helping customers. It is my main priority at work & one of the main reasons I have stayed in this line of work for so long. These little quirky moments happen to all people, in all lines of work. As this is a blog about my life, I deem it appropriate to share these moments of mine with you.







5. "Oh it doesn't scan - must be free then?"



Fancy yourself to be a bit of a comedian do you? If I had a dollar for every single time I have heard this I would be seriously rich. Sometimes I am just so tempted to say "Yeah OK you can have it for free" just to see what reaction I would get. If you say this - please stop. It isn't anywhere near as funny as it sounds in your own head.







4. "I opened this, (destroyed the packaging), then realised it's the wrong one. I want a refund"



If you bought a Car, dinged it, then decided you didn't like it, could you return that for a refund? Probs not.









3. "I need an ink cartridge"

          "OK, which one?/OK, what printer do you have?"

    "Oh I don't know! It's just a Canon....I think."



A) I do love to help customers - it's what I'm paid for after all.

B) I do love a challenge

C) There are about thirty different consumables for each brand.

D) I am neither a clairvoyant nor a miracle worker. Please come prepared.









2. "Oh you're out of stock, well will [Insert Competitors name] have them in stock?"



When this situation arises, which granted, isn't often, I feel really bad for the customer. They have come to my place of work, and we have been unable to provide them with what they need. I can of course suggest other retailers that possibly carry the product. But it makes me feel strange when I get asked this question above. Sometimes I'm not even sure if similar retailers carry a certain product let alone if they have it in stock. Once when I was asked this, I stood with a blank look, blinking frequently. Whilst I was blinking all I could think was "I. Don't. Know. I work here. Obviously."









1. "I would like to return this...but I don't have a receipt...but you know I bought it here because it's in one of your plastic bags."



Since when, in the history of modern retail has anybody been able to return anything without proof of purchase? Pretty much never. Why? Two words: Refund Fraud. Obviously I don't think that every person who does not have a receipt is actually trying to commit refund fraud. If we can trace it we are more than happy to do that, when provided with a date & time. We know that it can be frustrating - but it is hardly a surprise. The policy is in place at pretty much every single retail store in New Zealand.

In reference to the second part: The last time I checked plastic bag technology had not evolved in to a by-species of a product. Plastic shopping bags aren't like Ikran, those Bird-like creatures in Avatar, that can only have one 'passenger'. It's not as if the plastic shopping bag chooses to carry a particular product, pledging its loyalty for all eternity to that product and that product only. In case you weren't aware they actually are re-usable.

P.S  Are you one of a small minority who actually clicks on the 'full-stop' link to listen to the song lyrics, which the title is taken from? If you answered yes, then you will notice that, yes indeed I am still very much in my 'concert-coma' - and loving every second.

"The candy sweetness scent of you"

Seeings as I was talking about beauty products earlier, here are some of my favourite more expensive products. I love perfume. Love it. I told you I loved them. Time to prove it. At the moment I have seventeen variations. Would have been eighteen but my Stella was stolen from my purse at a 21st. Who does that? Anyway, this is my current perfume collection...

Love.

"Thursday I don't care about you, It's Friday I'm in Love"

Today I am starting a new 'phase'



Top Five Friday's!



Each week I will post my top fives, in any category that I so choose.



Todays category is...... (drumroll please)



'Middle-of-the-road' Beauty Products



This is my fave price bracket. Decent quality product - not too expensive. Yes - I believe in having a splurge on a decent foundation, or skin care products. Yes - I believe that a good product doesn't have to cost the earth to be in fact good. This is a list of products that sit in between, my go-to's if you will.





5. Blistex, Lip Conditioner. $7.50 - I love the numbing, tingly sensation this lip balm gives you when your lips are really dry. It's SPF15 and is not only a protector but a conditioner too. I use it as a base under lip gloss also.

4. Nivea Visage, Young Skin Mattefying Gel Cream. $7.99 -  This product is so refreshing and light, which is a big draw card with me. I am not a fan of heavy face products or the greasy feeling that comes with them. I strongly recommend  this product if you feel the same way.

3. Revlon, Super Lustrous Lip Gloss. $22 in stores, $17 online - I have been using these glosses since I was 16 - and I still love them. They come in a huge range of colours and a range of gloss intesities. They last forever, and have a good range of natural looking shades. My favourite shades are 'Cherries in Glow' & 'Shine City' (pictured).

2. Natio, Mineral Pressed Powder Bronzer Sunswept. $22 - This bronzer is one of the most versatile bronzers i've ever used. It is subtle enough to look natural, but also builds easily for a more glammed up look. I used this almost everyday and it lasted me 8 months.  Plus it comes in a solid compact with a big mirror inside the lid - great for on the go application.

1. L'Oreal Paris, Double Extension mascara in Carbon Black. $25 or Twin Pack for $40. This is the best Mascara i've ever used, hands down. I don't do Waterproof (but I might have to invest soon) but this Mascara is pretty weather & tear proof anyway. I love the striking intense black and the volume & length that it gives my lashes. You should throw your Mascara out after about 6 months, but the one I have now I've had for a year - and it's only just running out. $25 for a year of great lashes? So worth it.

Until next Friday...