Oobleck by Me

*Made by me

Hello, dear readers. I have something very close to heart on the blog today.  It's Oobleck from The Many Colors of Seuss.  To be honest, this was the color that inspired the collection.  As far as I know I've only ever read Bartholomew and the Oobleck once in my life, but it's stuck with me.

I love it's bright springy green with a hint of green shimmery goodness.  This is the epitome of oobleck.  Just looking at this color brings me back to first grade.  Why first grade? That's when I was exposed to oobleck.  We were having a math and science day and my teacher thought it would be cool to make a huge batch of oobleck.  The idea was to test sinking and other fun things.  I didn't think of it like that/  I cried, it's my default reaction.  

I did three coats of this beauty to get full coverage on my stubborn nails.  I can't get over how much I love this color.  I think spring green might be my new favorite color.

If you look closely you can see the shimmer isn't just shimmer.  It's color shift.  That's right it changes from green to blue.  

You can find oobleck here, and find me on Facebook.

Me: A-Z With a Heavy Dose of LynBDesigns

I came across a post by a fellow polish maker and was instantly inspired.  The post was blogging A-Z or in this case polish A-Z.  Thanks to Kyoti of Lucky 13 Lacquers for inspiring me.  You can read her post here.

With all that in mind, I've decided to do a me A-Z post.  Since nail polish is my life, most of this will be about nail polish.  Oh, and my weirdness.

A
Animals- I love them.  I always have.  They give me an incredible sense of calm and inspiration.  The perfume Coco Marie, is inspired by my cat Coco.  Oscar and Coco inspired my cuticle products simply because they're ever present.  Oscar helps me fill bottles and ship packages, he has his own empty bottle flat that he watches from.  Sometimes for hours at a time, just watching what his Jenna is doing.  Lately Oscar has wanted to help with the bubble wrap aspect of packaging.  I've had to remove several feet from my roll due to teeth marks.

Here's Oscar ignoring me while I try and take a cute picture of him. He's in his personal bottle flat. 

B
Brits- I love all things British, I know it's a thing now, but I've been wishing I were British for over 2 decades.  I was raised on Monty Python, and grew up to have a very dry British sense of humor. Just imagine a third grader playing Monty Python's Galaxy Song for her class, and no one understanding why.  That's my childhood in a nutshell.

C
Creative Juices- I've always been an artistic person.  My career goal in 2nd grade was to be an artist when I grew up, and that's never really varied.  I'm a very creative person, but not in traditional ways.  I can't draw or paint.  I'm horrible at most standard art forms.  It wan't until Etsy that I found something I'm really made to do. Nothing gets my creativity flowing like making a new collection of polish.  I can come up with ideas for an entire collection in one night and have several times.  I'm always creating something in my head.

D
Daring- Or really, a lack there of. I'm not at all daring.  I'm more of the sitting down type as Mrs. Hudson put it.  I can be completely content to stay at home and read, or if there aren't any books that look interesting (yeah, right) I'll watch one of my favorite shows.

E
Education- If you asked me a 2 years ago how to make a creme polish I would have had no idea what you were talking about. Ask me the same question now, and I can give you that answer and more.   Since starting on this polish lined path, I've learned so much, it's beyond crazy.  I know more about glitter than the average person.

F
Fandoms!- There are so many fandoms out there, and so many I'm a part of.  If you haven't noticed by now I get tons of inspiration from my fandoms.  Just to give you a little taste of what I mean check out my Pinterest page. http://pinterest.com/lynbdesigns/ Pretty much all of my fandoms are represented on Pinterest, and pretty much hidden from my real life.  If people knew how much of a crazy fangirl I was, they would think I was even more weird. I could literally write an essay on all the fandoms I'm in, and my various theories. Such as Sherlock faking his own death, or what is Clara's meaning in the big scheme that is Doctor Who.

G
Glitter- So much GLITTER! I have over 200 different glitters, I know this because I recently organized them. One of the few super organized things about my office.  I have three main suppliers of glitter, and an always looking for more.  even though my favorite polishes are usually shimmers, duo chromes, or multi-chromes.  I love making glitter polishes. I've had a few that are super complex, but have yet to make an appearance.

H
Heartwarming- Nothing makes me happier than hearing about someone who got one of my polishes and loves it. Well, almost nothing.  It's an incredible feeling to know that you've made someone's day.  It's also an incredible feeling when you can help someone fulfill a need with polish.  I know it sounds weird, but sometimes sending someone a free polish can make their situation so much better.

I
Introvert- I've very introverted, in a non introvert family.  I don't like to talk to people unless I have a good reason, and I rarely start conversations. I've been this way my entire life, and I'm still not comfortable with public situations.  I hide from the UPS guy, I hate to make phone calls, and if I can't find something in a store I won't ask for help. I've found that working online really helps me be the person I'm not comfortable being in real life. (I got serious there for a minute)

J
Jenna- Yep, that's me, Jennalyn.  I hate talking about myself, but it seemed like the thing to do. I'm 26, and I live in Michigan.  I love the Winter and hate the Summer. I'm a big nerdy mess and proud of it. I'm the owner and creator of LynBDesigns. I'm a Christian.  I've been obsessed with beauty and nail polish most of my life.  I distinctly remember begging for nail polish when I was six or so.  I'm left handed, which is why most of my photos are of my right hand.  I do consider myself ambidextrous, except when it comes to painting my nails. So if you see any pictures of my left hand and it has horrible edges, I apologize.  I'm working on it.

K
Kitschy- I really had to search for a K one. There just aren't that many out there.  I like to make things that are kitschy. In my Christmas collection, I had one called Christmas Kitsch.  It was an homage to all the crazy and old fashioned things about a homemade Christmas.  Kitsch also reminds me of retro things.  I'm not really sure why. I love all things retro, as much as I didn't love the 60's you can't deny that mod was awesome.  I've wished for years that I was bold enough to wear retro clothing, but where I live that would stick out like the sorest thumb in the world.

L
LynBDesigns-Just a bit about the name.  Years ago, I created a brand name.  I intended to use it as the name of my fashion brand if I ever made it big.  Never mind that I can't sew. I took the end of my first name Lyn, my middle initial B, and added Designs. It wasn't until I opened my Etsy store that I got to use the name.  I love what I do, I get to work with things that sparkle and smell good.  To me, there's almost nothing better.  I pour love into each and every creation I make, and if I haven't tested it myself, it doesn't go in the shop.

M
Michigan-I've lived in Michigan my entire life, and while I long to live in the UK, living in Michigan isn't so bad.  I was born in the Upper Peninsula, and one day will live there again.  I have a dream to buy an Victorian or Colonial style house in the Keweenaw, and fix it up a la Rehab Addict.  I also love reading about and learning Michigan mining history, I'm kind of a history nut, but mining is my favorite.  While I love living in Michigan, I would love to visit every state someday.  I also love going to super cheesy tourist destinations.

You've made it half way through, take a little break, indulge in a snack, or watch a little YouTube. This is what I've been watching, but then again, I'm obsessed with makeup and Emily is one of my faves.

N
Nail Polish- How could N be anything else. Nail polish is my life, and lively hood.  I love seeing all sorts of different finishes, but when it comes to my own nail, I have to have fairly smooth and shiny.  I'm not a big fan of large glitters, I love the way they look, but not how they feel.  I'm a nail picker.  It's a problem I'm working on.  If there's a not smooth part of my nail, I'll focus on it, and pick until that nail is naked.  If you can't tell, one of my favorite things to do is shop on Etsy.  I love finding new little brands to review, and seeing what other people are making in the polish world. That can be dangerous though, both for my bank account and for duping reasons.  I've never set out to make a dupe, but I've come close to duping a few polishes. You'll never see an intentionally duped polish in my store.

O
Oscar- He's my baby, and my boss at the same time.  I'm wrapped around his little furry paws.  He came into my life when I needed him the most.  We had said we wouldn't get another cat (we already had two) unless one were to show up in out yard.  We had a fenced in yard, it wasn't likely.  One day I looked out the window, and there's a kitten in the yard hanging out with the chickens.  I went outside and it ran away.  This continued for three more days, and on the fourth day he wandered into the front yard.  My dog saw this and got all excited as one does when they see a kitten. So, we both went outside, there was the most adorable little thing hiding in a bush.  We took him around the neighborhood but no one claimed him.  Where I live there isn't a shelter to bring animals to.  It's either you take care of them or they live wild.  So we adopted him.  He's the most inquisitive cat I've ever met.

P
People- Since I've started selling polish I've met some great people.  I've even formed valuable friendships, and in some cases brought people into various fandoms.  The truth is, LynBDesigns would be nothing if it weren't for people.  It's one thing to create polishes for yourself, but it's another thing entirely to create something other people love.  I never dreamed that my TARDIS polish would be such a hit.  Not too bad for a polish I originally planned on only having 5 bottles of.

Q
Quiet-I've always been a fan of quiet, it's calming and peaceful.  What I've realized recently is that I don't work well with quiet.  If I'm working on filling orders or creating new collections I have to either have music playing or having something on my laptop.  Usually if I'm watching something it's Doctor Who, Sherlock, or Downton Abbey.

R
Reading-I'm an avid reader.  I can't get enough books, and it has to be a book.  I don't like using my kindle app.  While I may be an avid reader, I'm far from well read.  I'm a Rom-Com junkie.  If given the choice, I will always pick a romance book. So, if you need me, I'll be over here reading something sappy.

S
Simplicity- There's noting I love more than creating a simple nail polish that has great impact. Some of my best sellers have been just s simple recipe that created a stunning result.  My TARDIS polish and This is Halloween are both examples of that, and I think there will be more of those in the future.  I do love making glitter bombs, but my heart lies with simpler fair.

T
TV- One of my many inspirations, I'm addicted to it.  There I've said it, that's half the battle right? I wanted my collections this year to be more focused on books, but honestly television keeps sneaking back in.  For years I only had Netflix and then I moved, to a place with almost no internet access.  So, we got satellite solely for the purpose of watching the Olympics.  Well, you can just guess how that's worked out.  I guess that's a roundabout way of saying, there won't be as many book related collections as I want.

U
Unique- Being an indie brand is a strange thing. When I first started there were only a few, and now they're everywhere.  It can be hard to come up with a unique idea. I like to think that by making them fandom based they're a little more unique and creative.  If I'm drawing inspiration from a favorite movie the name is what defines the color.

V
Vocabulary- I have a large vocabulary, and I love words. I'm a bit of a grammarian and tend to correct people's grammar, which interestingly enough is a form of OCD. I've wanted to make a collection based on underused or large words, but I don't know if it would go over well.  Sometimes I just feel like looking up the biggest adjectives I can find and make a polish that reflects that word.  I know, I'm a dork.

Only four letters to go.  Try and guess how many time's the said the alphabet in my head.

W
Weird- I'm weird I've come to realize and embrace it.  I can't imagine a version of me that isn't weird.  Even though there's a chance that in some universe I'm a clown made of candy.  Thanks, Sheldon! I've often had the thought that if the FBI were bugging my house (who knows why) the conversations they would here would freak them out.  I'm lucky to have a family that gets my weirdness, for the most part.

X
Xylophone- Why this? Because there isn't a good example of an x word to use.  It was this or Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. I watch too much Big Bang Theory.

Y
Yellow- The one color I would love to wear, but can't pull off. I've found one yellow polish that works with my strange skin, and that's Orly's Glowstick. I have a few yellow polishes in my store and a few more in the works, again because I love them.  Of the yellows in my store Pineapple Juice is the closest to wearable.  I think that's because it had blue to green color shift.

And Z
Zero- There are zero things I don't like about making polish.  I used to think I didn't like shipping, but that was before I started doing the shipping.  Now I get into a zone and the routine of it is calming.  Really there isn't a step that isn't calming. If I'm feeling stressed I can almost always go fiddle with the glitter and come away in a better mood. Or at the very least a new polish color or two.

So, thank you to everyone who made it through this super lengthy and I'll admit a little boring post.  I wouldn't be doing what I love without you.

Starlight and Sparkles

*Provided for the purpose of review.

I came across this store on Etsy and fell in love.  I LOVE duo chromes and multi chromes so much.  It's my main love in nail polish.  When Issa at Starlight and Sparkles agreed to send me a little something, I was thrilled.  Little did I know, she would send me 5 gorgeous top coats to try.

The first three are from the same set.  Phoenix, Dragon, and Unicorn.  These are all pretty awesome multi-chromes, so there will be some water shots.

First up Dragon:

So, for the first shot, it's rather unassuming.  Nice green with a hint of orange, right?

You can see a but more orange in this picture, and even some yellow. All very dragony colors.  I used two coats of Dragon over one coat of Quoth the Raven. 

And BAM! Did you expect that?  Blue and aqua hidden in there too.  Thank you water shot for bringing out the awesome.

Just one more water shot for fun.  I'm loving those hidden colors.  This polish was such a surprise, and a treat to work with.  Obviously, it's meant as a top coat.  I can see it working over so MANY different colors.

Next up, Phoenix:

At first, Phoenix reminded my of a clear based version of the much duped polish Fantasy Fire.  Which is good, I mean I have four different versions for a reason. But there was so much more in store.

Gorgeous, and again, two coats over black.  I think black is the best way to display all the colors.

How can you not fall in love with a color when it does that? I mean really, stunning! 

And here's one that shows off more green and aqua tones.  I gotta say, I'm loving using water shots.  

Lastly for this set Unicorn:

Of the first three polishes, this is my baby.  I see a full size bottle of it in my future, but again, I'm a sucker for blues and greens.

A SUN shot! It was fleeting, and I kept wishing it would come back.  It didn't. Again, this is two coats over black. 

So, I saw this flash of color while sitting on the couch.  I then spent the next ten minutes slowly flailing my hands to try and get it back.  I may have flipped out a bit when I saw it in the water.

Here it is, showing its full spectrum of awesome.

You can buy these three individually, or in a set, found here.

On to Oak Evolution:

Another good aqua bluey color.  Not as spectacular in the duo chrome department.

I do love the watery shimmer that this polish has, and think it would look smashing over a dark blue.  This is again, two coats over black.

There is a slight shift in color, but not enough to warrant water shots.  

Lastly, Splash Dream:

This one didn't photo well.  I think it might have something to do with the location.  I took this in my office.  The others I took in my dining room.  I don't know what it is, but the window in there has some magic polish powers.

The pink shimmer is intense, but it looks watered down here.  This is two coats over black.

This was taken in the dining room, post water shots.  You see what I mean? Magical Polish Powers.

And there's the money shot. How fantastic is this?  Who knew all those colors were hiding in there.

Overall, all of these polishes were a dream to work with.  Not an issue in the bunch.  

You can find Starlight and Sparkles on Etsy. Her polishes vary in price depending on what set you're ordering from. 

Disclaimer: I was sent these for the purpose of review, and all opinions are my own.

Literary Lacquers Gift of the Magi

*Provided for the Purpose of Review

Here's part two of my Literary Lacquers review. If you missed part one, check it out here.

There are no words to describe how happy I was to get these polishes.  I love the Good Parts collection, but Gift of the Magi was the first collection I wanted from Amy. Not only that, she sent me two of my lemmings to review.  How awesome is that?

First up, Generosity and Love:

Described as a navy color with purple duo chrome I was in love. When I put it on, there was a surprise.  It's not just a duo chrome, it's a color shift.  No picture can do this polish justice.  

Look it's a water shot.  I tried to capture the color shift, but really to no avail.  You can kind of see the purple coming through.  I tried this polish on it's own, but it was quite sheer even with three coats.  This manicure is two coats over Quoth the Raven. 

In normal light it appears mostly blue, and then in other lights it's purple.  I was laying in bed watching Doctor Who and looked at my nails and in that light, it was the brightest teal.  So pretty.  I love polishes that surprise.

There's some of the purple.  Application was great, I had no problems with dry time. 

Next up, Greatest Treasures:

Come to me, my holographic beauty!  I'm in love with this color.  It's holo, it's coraly, and it's awesome. From the moment I saw this, I needed it in my life. 

This polish was dream to work with, and went on like butter.  I used three coats, which on normal nails would be opaque, but my nails are stubborn. 

Every time I wear a holographic polish nature decides to be cloudy, but have no fear reader.  Greatest Treasures is super holo, even with the clouds.  Take that, nature!

Let's all just take a moment to enjoy the juicy coral color, shall we?

Lastly, Bright Spirit:

Bright and sparkly, what's not to love.  This polish is a sheer aqua base loaded with iridescent and white glitters, and shimmer.  SO MUCH SHIMMER. 

I used two coats over Rimmel London's Mintalicious.  Since Bright Spirit is tinted, it worked to morph the minty green into the perfect color.  

I love that this is such a springy color.  I want spring to be here, like now.  Application was great, and so smooth.  No drying or texture issues.  Even though this was a glitter, it was smooth with one coat of topcoat. 

I'm loving the different sizes of iridescent glitters.  So cute.

Overall, these polishes were great.  Other than opacity issues, they were problem free.  Amy doesn't disappoint.

You can find Literary Lacquers on Facebook and Etsy.

Disclaimer: I was sent these to review and all opinions are my own.

Literary Lacquers The Good Parts

*Provided for the purpose of review

When I found out I would be getting some Literary Lacquers to review I was excited.  Then I got them in the  mail, and there were seven beauties for me to review.  I was over the moon! I've broken my review into two posts so you're not overwhelmed by pictures.  It also worked that she sent me polishes from two collections.

Today I have four lovelies from The Good Parts collection.  Who doesn't love polishes based on smutty books?

First up is If it Pleases You:

Amy describes this as a deep plum with a touch of brown (or bruise colored if you will) linear holographic polish.

Look at all the holo goodness,and this is on a cloudy day.  I can't imagine what this will look like in the sun.

I love the plummy purple base it works so well with the holo and it makes for a unique polish.  I used just two coats to get full coverage with no undies, and a coat of Seche to finish it off.  

I love the back stories on these polishes, it kind of makes you want them more. According to Amy, If It Pleases You's origin is The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice, originally published in 1983 under the pseudonym A. N. Roquelaure. It’s a kinky fairy tale, telling us what happens after the prince wakes Sleeping Beauty (not with a kiss this time…). If it pleases you is what Beauty is taught to answer questions by her masters. If you liked 50 Shades, you'll love this book! Lots of joyful spankings and everyone's having fun…

Woman of Pleasure:

Described by Amy as a periwinkle crelly (creme jelly) base with navy and lavender sparkle, matte light pink, large navy hexes, and magenta circle glitter. Full coverage in 2 thicker or 3 thin coats.

Ooh, Periwinkle colored polish.  I swoon.  Woman of Pleasure is a gorgeous periwinkle crelly.  It's dreamy.

Looking at the bottle I didn't think this would be a full coverage polish, so this is two coats over Rimmel London's I Lilac You.  I was surprised that in two coats you couldn't see the purple underneath.  P.S I discovered I have no periwinkle colored undies.  I may need to remedy that.

Can you see the circle glitters in there? They add a unique pop that really makes this polish stand out.  I already have another mani planned for it. I was so excited to do these reviews that my left hand even got involved in the swatching. That rarely happens. 

Amy states that Woman of Pleasure is inspired by Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure written by John Cleland in 1748 (!!) and then promptly banned for over 200 years. Fanny Hill is the story of an orphaned teen who goes to London to seek her fortune. Shortly after her arrival, she finds herself living in a brothel where she witnesses many interesting acts. She falls in love before losing her all important (read financially valuable) virginity and becomes a kept woman. Of course, the lovers are forced apart and many adventures ensue before they finally find each other again and marry. 

Laters, Baby:

Laters, Baby is a gorgeous charcoal holo with added bits of silver holo glitter.  Simply gorgeous.

My camera didn't want to cooperate with this color, but you can still see the holo fantasticness so you'll have to forgive the slightly blurry aspects.

I only had to use two coats to get full coverage and application was like butter.  So smooth and easy. I used a coat of Seche and just like with If It Pleases You topcoat didn't alter the holographic qualities.

I love dark and black polish, but I've been looking for something different.  I think I found my polish, Laters, Baby is gorgeous. Amy says it's inspired by 50 Shades of Grey and the characters' favorite salutation. 50 Shades of Grey was written by E. L. James and published in 2011, originally as Twilight fan fiction. In 2012 it exploded onto the pop culture scene and quickly became a bestseller. Love it or hate it, you have to admit that this book made it's mark on the culture and brought kinky sex into the mainstream. 

Lastly we have My Secret Garden:

I would describe this as a pastel matte hexes glitter bouquet.  It also has tiny iridescent sparkle that really comes out in the sun.

This polish is like spring in your nails.  It was the perfect polish for a dreary day, and for this very un-spring like spring we're having.

I used two coats over Rimmel London's I Lilac You.  I really like how this looks over light purple.  It's a perfect backdrop for all the flowery glitters.

I love the color combos in this polish, it's the perfect balance of pastel to bright.  Amy got the inspiarion for this polish from My Secret Garden by Nancy Friday (not to be confused with A Secret Garden...), published in 1973. This groundbreaking feminist book collected and published the sexual fantasies of women in a time when women were considered not to do such things. This book, as well as being fabulously sexy, is worth a read to really understand where women were sexually in the culture as the sexual revolution was changing everything.

Overall, these polishes were all a dream to work with, not a diva in the bunch.  It was like Amy read my mind, she picked the perfect colors.  I can't wait to try more.  

You can find Literary Lacquers on Etsy, and Facebook. Keep a lookout for part two of my Literary Lacquers review in a couple days.  

Disclaimer:  I was sent these for the purpose of review and all opinions are my own.

I Heart Spring Tag

I watched Missglamorazzi on YouTube do this tag.  Since I no longer make videos I thought it would be fun to make a blog post out of it.   Without further delay here are the questions.

1. Favorite spring nail polish?
-This is a hard one.  I make polish, so every one has the potential of being a favorite.  I think just to make it easier I'll stick with a color group.  I love bright blues.  I'm in love with butter London's Slapper and also at the same time Sally Hansen Barracuda. As for my own polishes Happy Birthday to you Blue and Anomalous Bloke have been on my tips quite often.

2. What is your must-have lip color this spring?
-I'm not big on lip colors, but when I do wear lipstick I wear colors that are lip my lips only better. One of my all time faves is Avon's Pout.  If I do wear a color that stands out, I feel weird and too dressed up.

3. Show us your favorite spring dress!
-Again with the hard questions, okay it's really a statement, but you get the point.  I don't wear a lot of dresses.  I just don't find them practical what with working at home and not leaving the house very often. If given the opportunity to wear a dress for something in Spring I would say a bright patterned wrap dress.

4. What's your favorite flower?
-I LOVE Forget Me Nots and Lilacs.  At my old house I had two different kinds of lilacs and would go out and smell them every day.

5. Favorite spring scarf/accessory?
-I'm not a big scarf wearer in the Spring, it's just not my thing.  I do however have an obsession with handbags.  For Spring I really like to have a handbag that pops.  Right now I'm using one made by Rachel Elise on Etsy. It's a satchel (favorite style) and it's green and orange.  So cute. I also have my eye on a Guess bag I saw at Macy's, but it's way more than I want to pay right now.

6. What spring trend(s) are you most excited about this year? (Makeup, fashion or both!)
-I'm really excited about the bright colors of nail polish for Spring.  I'm loving the neon glitters, and would like to work with them more.  I just can't seem to find ones that hold color in my base. I like to keep my face rather neutral, but with my nails almost anything goes.  With the exception of yellow.  There's only one yellow that doesn't look gross on me, and it's Orly Glowstick. I have to fight the urge to wear it every time I do my nails.

7. Favorite spring candle?
-Ooh, candles.  I LOVE candles.  I like anything light and floral.  Truth be told, I need to go candle shopping.  I'm still using up my ones from Christmas.  I got Salted Caramel, it makes me house smell so good. I've heard good things about the spring ones at Bath and Body Works.

8. Favorite body spray/perfume for spring?
-From my own LynBDesigns' perfumes I love wearing Nuance.  It smells like warm skin and fits for any season.  I love to wear bright floral and fruity perfumes.  I love Rue 21's Pink Ice, Calgon's Femme Inferno, and Avon's Free 02.

9. What is spring like where you live?
-So far this year it's been muddy.  I have an all dirt driveway and it's been horrible.  I haven't been able to wear cute shoes since last fall.  Normally it's gorgeous, there's this fresh smell of grass growing and flowers in the air.  I know it may be strange, but you can smell the chickens.  They have a warm dusty smell that just means spring is here.  Yeah, I know I'm weird.

10. What's your favorite thing about spring?
-I think that would have to be not wearing a coat.  I love Winter, don't get me wrong, but by the time April rolls around I'm tired of wearing my Winter coat.  I want to just wear a light long sleeve shirt, a pair of jeans, and of course a cute pair of flats.  A close second is getting to see and smell the flowers.  I've recently discovered that I'm allergic to some flowers, but it doesn't stop me.

11. Are you a spring cleaner?
-I try to be, but I'm the unhealthy combination of lazy and busy.  I'm really busy with my LynBDesigns work, and when I have time off, I tend to do nothing.  My room and office are in sore need of being cleaned, but I just don't see it happening anytime soon.

12. Any plans for spring break or an upcoming vacation?
-I don't really have anything planned until the Fall when I go to Chicago.  I'd like to plan a few day trips to various places in Michigan.  I'm always looking for photo ops.

So, that was fun.  I always have loved doing tags, and there's no reason you can't do one on your blog.  I'm not going to tag anyone specifically, but feel free to do it, if you want to.

If you did do the tag, leave a link to your post in the comments. I'd love to see yours. 

Theme Fragrance

* Purchased by me.

One of the things that got me into Etsy was Fragrance, and Theme fragrance was one of the companies I stalked for ideas.  I loved the clean lines and easy descriptions on their site. Jump to over two year later, I finally bought a few samples.  I can't tell you how excited I was to get these babies.

Yay, for cute packaging!

I got four little samples in some adorable packaging.

How cute are these? The answer: freaking adorable. 

Each sample came with a roller ball for easy application.  It makes wearing these even easier.

First up is Mantra:

Theme describes Mantra as a beautiful wearable musk with spring florals, resins and honey. If you have turned away from musk type fragrances before this is a sensuous, delicate blend-its girly in a great way. It's also described as being the smell of warm skin.  My impression is that it's a cross between honey a baby powder at the start, and it dries down to a soft sweet musky smell.  It's the smell of skin but better.

Sarong:

Theme describes Sarong as a dreamy vanilla tropical. Best Summer smelling fragrance. Luscious creme de coconut, white vanilla sand, and night blooming flowers. I do love this smell, very tropical and sensual.  At first sniff I get strong coconut and vanilla notes, and as it dries down the vanilla deepens and there are subtle floral notes.  I really hate going to beaches, but this smell makes me feel like I'm there without the headache and sunburn.

Seashell:

Theme describes Seashell as a Pink Grapefruit and other citrus notes with lovely exotic ylang. When I wore it there was a definite pink grapefruit smell with a clean soapy note.  It dried down to a soft floral.  It was very pleasant, but not very memorable. I love the smell of grapefruit and floral, but this seemed a little too soft.  I think paired with Sarong it would be stellar.  

Lastly Frolic:

Theme describes Frolic as the perfect honeysuckle jasmine perfume.  I loved this perfume from first sniff, but when I put it on my skin the scent changed.  There are a few smells that don't react well with my skin one of those is neroli, and there's a touch of neroli in Frolic.  So, my review will not be from me wearing it, but from the sample it's self (if that made any sense.) It's a very sweet and floral perfume.  Right away I got jasmine and the honeysuckle wasn't far behind. 

Overall, I love these little guys and I can't wait to try more.  I hope I did alright at doing my first perfume review. 

Theme can be found on Etsy, Facebook, and their website.

Disclaimer: I bought these with my own money and all opinions are my own.