The Traveling Sisterhood

Fun with March's Imperial Glamour Beauty Box! #pamperyourselflikeaprincess #discount


Can you see how much fun I had with this month's IG Beauty Box?! My favorite item was definitely the Green Beauty Pumpkin Mask! My skin feels so much softer and younger after using it. I do not feel almost-38 this month... at all! Plus, it smells amazing and if you accidentally get a little taste of it, it's actually delicious. And safe. But that wasn't the only fun thing in the March Imperial Glamour Beauty Box!
In case you didn't see my other months' posts... Imperial Glamour is a monthly beauty subscription box that is filled to the bring with "high quality, natural, organic and vegan products" all revolving around a monthly theme. This month's theme was "Face Masks!" I absolutely love getting a box in the mail everything month filled with natural and organic goodies to pamper myself with! Plus, if you see a past box you like, you can still get it here.
 Everything Included in the March box:
Forest Fair Gardens - Goat's Milk Mask
Simkha Beauty Products - Organic Green Matcha and Pepper Foot and Body Sugar Scrub
Melissa B Naturally - Microderm Scrub
Harvey Prince - The Original Fango Mud Therapy
Green Beauty - Pumpkin Face Mask   
I really love the thought that goes into these boxes. This is my third box and I can't wait for the next! It's something I look forward to every month. Natural beauty products can be hard to find and the IG Beauty Box makes is so much easier, plus I just love the surprise of not knowing what to expect and love the monthly themes. Try this box! You'll love it! Plus, remember you can get past boxes at a...
Buy a Deluxe box and get a second 20% off. Use code: 20OFFDELUXE!

Lucy's Nutro Adventure: First Thoughts and Giveaway Coming Soon!


Lucy knows when the mail is for her and her favorite goodies come from Chewy.com!
This month, she'll be embarking on a taste test of Nutro's Ultra Small Breed Dry Food. As you can see, the pieces are nice and tiny, perfect for littler dogs to nibble. The dry food is natural (just like everything else the company makes) and has powerful antioxidants among all the great vitamins and other goodies. Sounds great to me but... will she like it?
My picky-about-dry-food pooch is diving in! She loves it! In another month, I'll let you know how much we still like it/love it and what it's done for my Lucy! Follow the blog for the giveaway and the winner announcement coming soon!

The Art of Correspondence: Gorgeous Mailings à la All Colour Envelopes


As an avid letter writer who's often moving from place to place, I'm constantly on the lookout for creative stationery and envelopes.  When I received my first package in the mail from All Colour Envelopes, I was thrilled!  Their envelopes are gorgeous, come in such a wide variety for any type of mailing needs from business mailings to personal letter writing.  I was very impressed.  

Old-fashioned letter styles are just one option with All Colour Envelopes
Speaking of first impressions, whenever a company I'm blogging for sends me products in attractive packaging, they really stand out more than most of the others.  That was one of the first things I thought of when I opened my package--these would be so perfect for marketing mailings.  Very eye-catching!    


Every size and color... I'm going to use the cute smaller envelopes to leave little notes to my kiddos.  They love words of affirmation and surprises.  I also really like the idea of sending colorful business envelopes through the post.


The metallic envelopes are gorgeous!  Also, each of the envelopes has a peel off tape seal on them.  No licking these!  Very simple and clean.  Have to love that additional touch.   


As you can see from my photos, there is such a wide variety of packaging from these super pretty poly gloss and metallic padded bubble bags to foil bags, vibrant colored envelopes, and even black ones.  It was so hard for me to decided what style I wanted to use first, but I must admit I can't wait to head to the store and get a white paint pen so that I can use those black envelopes.  White on black looks so classy!


While All Colour Envelopes is based in the UK, they do send their products all over the world.  It only took 3 business days for me to receive my package from them.  



 We all have those Facebook friends who are little more than acquaintances we see every once in awhile.  About three years ago, one of mine wrote a status update asking if anyone wanted to be pen pals.  I knew she was looking for an out-of-state pen pal, but even though we live in the same zip code, I commented "I'll be your pen pal!"  It sounded fun, and she took me up on it.  What started as something silly turned out to be one of the greatest blessings in my life!
  We began to write letters.  We went all out--wax seals, stationary, and all.  We wrote about our favorite things, our past, our families.  It turned out we had so much more in common than we ever imagined.  We discovered the kinds of things you rarely discover with even your best friends and we became best friends not only through letter, but in real life.  Last year, something happened that devastated me.  It was something I could talk to very few people about.  But I could talk to her.  In real life, she prayed with me.  By mail, she encouraged me.  I trusted her with my deepest secrets, we can tell each other anything, and I don't think we could ever have been so close if we had not become pen pals.

Since then, I've begun writing letters to a couple other friends--one who lives a couple states away and one who lives here.  In every circumstance, it's drawn us closer together.  It's exciting to get a text saying "Celena, I mailed you a letter today!" and to eagerly wait for it. Or not to get a text at all but to be surprised by a letter from one of my dearest friends. It's wonderful to sit down and thoughtfully write a letter back, with a cup of tea at my side, thinking about how to get creative with the envelope. Maybe some artwork. Maybe some writing.

So if you write a status update requesting a pen pal, or if you decide to just start writing letters to one of your good friends who happens to live in the same town, your life will be so much richer for it. I promise!

What Would YOUR Dream T-shirt Look Like? Make it with CustomInk!


** I was compensated for this post. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Planning your own bullying prevention event? Check out CustomInk's customizable templates!
Have you heard of CustomInk? It's a super cool, innovative website that enables people to design and order custom decorated products such as printed t-shirts and embroidered caps for their groups and events including student groups, bands, small businesses, corporations, family reunions, and more. I especially love the idea of... 

birthday t-shirts for the littles! I made one for my son for his 4th birthday. It was a red train t that said he was turning 4 and he loved it! It was very well-made. I was impressed! They have pretty much any style of shirt--t-shirts, hoodies, raglan tees, sports shirts, you name it.
They also have stuff for teens...
Stuff for businesses...
And stuff for those cool, summer nights! So what's your dream shirt?!

Design Custom Shirts Online with CustomInk

Free Android Smartphone and Free Monthly Service for Low Income Families!

 
Have you heard of LifeLine? They offer a free cell phone for qualifying individuals--my mom was approved for one and it was just as good as any other cell phone program out there and the "free" was real--they have never charged her a dime. The cell phones are paid for by the government through the LifeLine program. So you get a free Android smartphone, free minutes, free texts and free data each month. The people who qualify for this offer are usually people who qualify for government assistance programs like welfare, food stamps, medicaid, etc. Of course, even if you don't get any of those benefits, the application is quick and only takes about 5 minutes--you might as well check and see if you qualify.
 
If you think you might qualify, you can fill out the application here. It's not "too good to be true" but it's a government funded program and is very real. People need cell phones to get a job, stay connected with family for emergencies and use the internet.Think of all the taxes you've ever had to pay and don't feel bad if you need help during hard times. :) I hope this helps some of you save some money or get back on your feet! 

 

 

Work from Home with Oberlo: Set up an On-line Store for FREE!!


Shopping has come a long way in the last hundred years! I recently discovered Oberlo, a free dropshipping application that allows you to easily import products from AliExpress directly into your store and ship directly to your customers – in only a few clicks. I tried it out this week and was amazed at how easy it was. I couldn't wait to share about it with my lovely readers. Read on to find out exactly how Dropshipping works and how you can get started totally for free!
  
Dropshipping is a retail fulfillment method, a simple e-Commerce business model, which allows you to sell products online without stocking a large inventory. It’s a way to easily start your first businesses or boost your current store’s efficiency. I literally signed up in minutes and didn't have to put in my credit card info or anything to get started!
There's no capital investment, because there's no inventory to hold. Dropshippers don’t have to manage a warehouse (or even free up space in your attic or closet!) You also don't have to take care of any of the packaging, shipping, or delivery of items. Since you don't have to acquire products beforehand, there's no risk that you'll end up with a bunch of overstock things you might not sell. There's an incredible variety of products available to add to your store with just a click of the mouse! In dropshipping, you can list a wide catalogue of products from as many wholesalers as you want.  I couldn't believe how easy it was to add items to my store! With Oberlo, it could not be more efficient. I was impressed!
First...
Go to Shopify.com, click ‘start your free trial’, enter your store name, and create your shop. It’s easy, fast and most important you don’t need to be a developer to create you store and you don't have to put in any credit card info! With Shopify, you get a 14 day free trial.You don't even have to cancel. They cancel it for you unless you decide to officially sign up, so if you don't think this is the right thing for you after 2 weeks, there's nothing you need to do but simply forget about it.

Next...

Install the Oberlo app (you can use it on your computer or smart phone). To be honest, Shopify confused me at first but once I added the Oberlo app, it all made sense and was completely easy. No wonder Oberlo is the most popular dropshipping app on Shopify! It allows you to easily import products from AliExpress directly into your Shopify store and ship directly to your customers – in only a few clicks.    

Then...
Once you install Oberlo, you have an option to browse and import products from Aliexpress directly to your Shopify store. Just pick a niche and select products you want to sell. It’s super easy! There are literally thousands (millions??) of items. I chose "Women's Fashion" and it came up with 40,000 pages of gorgeous things I could add to my store! Check out all of the categories in my screenshot below.

Oberlo is the best dropshipping solution on the market that I can imagine! Remember, it's a totally free app and you can have a 14 day free trial on Shopify, so there's nothing to lose! Which category would you choose for your store? Let me know if you decide to try it out and even share a link to your store below so we can support you!  


For more detailed info on Dropshipping, check out the article Why You Should Care About AliExpress Dropshipping. It helped me a lot!

The Most Amazing Beauty Freebie Ever! $134 Value 6-Piece Gift With Any $55+ Purchase from 100% Pure! #greenbeauty



If you're a blogger and would like to have the opportunity to make a profit on any 100% Pure sales and try out their products for free like I do in this review (available once you make a couple of sales), click here to sign up for their FREE Affiliate Program!

I had the pleasure of trying everything out in advance and I am in love... especially with the Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream! ♥ Here's a rundown on everything you get:
Coffee Bean Eye Cream, full-size, $25 value - This is just simply amazing! After I applied my makeup the other morning, I looked in the mirror and thought, "Wow, what in the world did I do different today?! Whatever it is, I need to do it every day!" Then I remembered--the eye cream! It gets rid of absolutely any eye-puffiness and brightens your eyes. It's just incredible.
Vitamin C Serum, full-size, $39 value - Perfect for all skin types (including oily, which is mine and I love it). It brings out a brighter, smoother complexion. Vegan.
Konjack Spong, full-size, $15 value - This is a super soft sponge that helps to draw dirt, oil, cosmetics, environmental pollutants and other impurities from facial pores, while buffing away dead skin cells, bumps and flakes for a smoother complexion. Very gentle!


Aqua Boost Hydrating Mask, 0.3 oz - This one I haven't tried yet, but it smells so amazing! It's a super hydrating mask that delivers water to thirsty, dehydrated skin cells so complexion is rejuvenated, plump and refreshed. Dehydrated skin shows lines and forms wrinkles, sagging and bumps. When your skin is hydrated, you look more rested and vibrant. Oh yes, I definitely need to use it!


Argan Creamy Cleanser, full size, $35 value -  This cleanser is so rich and creamy! It leaves skin super soft and glowing and has a nice, light scent.

GInseng Collagen Boost Mask FREE with $72 or more purchase
And an Adorable 100% Pure drawstring bag! I didn't get this one with mine, but what a cute place to put all your pampering goodies. Click the pic above to get them! 

 

What Did Lucy Find Under the Rainbow? Shamrockin' Treats from Chewy.com!

♫ Somewhere under the rainbow, Lucy waits... for Wellness Core Chunky Centers on a plate! ♫
She finds Wellness CORE Chunky Centers worth waiting for because they feature meaty middles surrounded by a savory pate and tasty superfoods! That's why she loves them. Mama loves them because they're packed in a convenient containers ready to serve and they're filled with nutrients and are grain-free. Since Lucy is small, I only give her 1/3 of a package at a time. So much goodness in one package--as lucky as a 3-leaf clover!

My pup's tastes buds are having a pawty with every bite! She's only tried the Lamb & Turkey variety, but they also come in chicken & spinach, turkey & duck, beef & lamb, salmon & tuna, and tuna & chicken.

And now a little Irish blessing for you: May your pooch run up to greet you! May the sun shine warm upon your face! May your joys be as deep as the oceans, and your troubles without a trace!
You can buy Wellness CORE Chunky by packs of 24 at Chewy.com at a discount with free shipping!
I received these goodies free of charge from Chewy.com. 
All opinions are honest and my own.

The #1 Thing EVERY Fur Baby's Parent Should Have on Hand!

Last year, I thought I was going to lose my fur baby. Lucy became very sick! At first, she was simply not playful, lethargic. The next day, she wouldn't eat or drink! Calling the vet, they said to try feeding her things that were easy on her stomach--watered-down mashed potatoes and chicken broth. For another couple of days, she would eat those things--but only sitting at the table with me spoon feeding her. What made matters worse was that we were supposed to be leaving on a month-long trip to the midwest. I hugged my baby and worried about what we should do, and I have to admit, I really started worrying "what if I lose my Lucia?"
Once it was obvious she needed to go to the vet, we took her to the vet a couple of days before we were supposed to leave on our trip. They did a series of tests. It turned out she had a bacterial overgrowth in her intestines. She needed an antibiotic and something called FortiFlora... Both meds worked wonders! But if I had known about FortiFlora, I could have been giving it to her before the bacterial overgrowth became serious and it could have prevented her from getting so sick that she needed antibiotics.
FortiFlora is a probiotic that comes in both dog and cat varieties. It's live and active cultures (like what you find in yogurt) specially made for pets. You simply sprinkle it on top of their food. It must taste delicious because Lucy loves it and thinks of it as a treat! We bought our first box from the vet for about $40. I wish I would have had a box on hand, as Chewy.com sells them for $25--I could have saved $15! Now I always keep a box in the pantry and feed Lucy a packet about twice a week just to keep her intestinal health up. Everyone should have a box of this stuff! Then you'll be ready if your fur baby comes up with diarrhea. It may prevent you from paying a big vet bill and it will give you peace of mind, keeping your little angel healthy.
While I was taking the pretty FortiFlora blog photo, Lucy came up and said, "What are my treats doing up there, mom?!" She knocked the bowl down with her paw and WHOOSH! kibbles all over the floor! At least she didn't mind cleaning up the mess. ;)
The best place to get FortiFlora at a discount is Chewy.com. They have both the cat and dog varieties for $24.69! So much better than the vet's $40...