Gift Guide 2023

Butterflies, if you experience holiday stress or just worry about giving the perfect gift, this is for you. I personally try to unburden my family and friends of this struggle by keeping my wishlist updated year round so they know exactly what I want without having to guess. However, if you don’t have a wishlist for the people on your list, here are a few of my favorite brands for unique gift ideas this year...

HAEVP: Wholesale Party Supplies

Locally – Texas

Arne’s (Houston) - arneswarehouse.com 

Party Boy (Houston) - partyboytexas.com Permanently Closed

Supreme Party Supply (Houston) - facebook.com/SupremePartySupply

Cool Kat Party Warehouse (Spring) - coolkatpartysupplies.com

Amols' (San Antonio) - amols.com

Raquel’s Party Land (Austin) - raquelrentals.com

Party Bazaar (Dallas) - partybazaardallas.com

Nationally

Burton & Burton - burtonandburton.com

Koyal Wholesale - koyalwholesale.com

Shimmer & Confetti - shimmerandconfetti.com

The Oriental Trading Co. - orientaltrading.com

Visiting Texas: iT'Z Family Food & Fun

Hey Butterflies! iT'Z the summer family fun destination! iT'Z offers something fun for everyone in your family. Whether it is the unlimited buffet, bowling, arcade, or bumper cars, we have all the fun you can handle! Buy an annual pass at http://www.itzusa.com/annualpass for the best value all summer long - just $9.99 per visit with an 8-visit pass! Planning a birthday? iT'Z is the place to party! Let their birthday coordinators plan the perfect party for your child! Check out www.itzusa.com/pricing-specials for every day savings or join our email club for exclusive discounts all year long. Kids eat free every Thursday!

BOGO Biggest Deal - Over $25 Savings! - Buy one Biggest Deal at regular price($28.99 plus tax) and get one Biggest Deal Free! The Biggest Deal includes Unlimited Buffet & Drink, Unlimited Video Games * & Attractions, (1) game of bowling(includes shoe rental) plus a $5 Fun Card - 20 points. *Unlimited Video Games does not include ticket, coin action, or prize games. Fun Card points may be used for all games. Attractions vary per location. Not valid with any other offers. Must present coupon.

Beauty Trends: Whitening Teeth at Home With Smile Brilliant

This is a sponsored post.

Hey Beautiful Butterflies. Prior to trying out Smile Brilliant the only whitening product I used as part of my daily routine was whitening toothpaste. However, in the past I’ve tried whitening strips and a whitening rinse but saw very little results. I’m not really a coffee drinker but I do drink a lot of tea and enjoy an occasional glass of wine and eat berries almost daily. Since most of what we eat and drink has the potential to stain our teeth over time, using a whitening product is a must if you want to look and feel your best when you smile. Currently the #1 dentist recommended teeth whitening method is using custom-fitted whitening trays. Using whitening trays ensure that every angle of every tooth (regardless of whether your teeth are straight or not) receives even and consistent coverage of our professional strength whitening gel. Smile Brilliant offers custom-fitted whitening trays for 70% less and up to 5x faster. The average U.S. dentist charges $500+ for the exact same service. 

Sexy Vibes: Celebrate National Masturbation Month with Sweet Vibrations

This post contains adult content and is intended for readers 18 years of age or older. This is a sponsored post that contains affiliate links.

Hi Butterflies. In case you didn’t know, it’s National Wankers Month (lol)! I feel like this is another topic that society has made so taboo that no one wants to talk about it although it’s a natural part of life and when it’s done in moderation (like most things), it can be a healthy alternative to self medicating for stress/anxiety issues and a healthy alternative to sex it self because let’s face it, making the decision to have sex comes with risks. Not too long ago I shared with you guys a few ways you could show yourself some love and enjoying some alone time with your body made the list. I like to think of masturbation as an important (not vital) part of my self care routine and if you really think about it, our sexual health is a part of our self care. 

Unboxing: ChapStick Natural Lip Butter

Hey Butterflies! I know it's been a while since you heard from me, with school starting back we had to get back adjusted to a normal routine so I was off "gettin er done" lol. Anyway, there's a new product I'm excited to share this with you guys. I was sent three of the new ChapStick Natural Lip Butter lip moisturizers to try out and review so it'll get right to it. I must start by saying I've been using ChapStick products for as long as I can remember and they haven't disappointed me yet.

Unboxing: The #BloomVoxBox @Influenster

Hey Butterflies! I received a box filled with goodies from a few of my favorite companies in the mail recently, some of these brands I've been using for years and some are new to me....check out product details below and look for them the next time you're in the store!

Visiting Texas: Luby's New Kid Menu

Hey Butterflies! Me and the kiddo had the opportunity to take a behind the counter tour of the kitchen at Luby's yesterday and it was a pretty cool experience. I've been a customer of Luby's for as far back as I can remember, so learning about the history of Luby's and how the food is prepared was very interesting. The fact that the food at Luby's is made from scratch fresh every day is exciting to know. 

Unboxing: #JingleVoxBox @Influenster

Hey Butterflies! Although the holiday season is over, I'm still unboxing goodies. I was sent the Jingle VoxBox from Influenster. Check out all this coolness.

Biscoff 

One of Europe's finest cookies. They're great with coffee, spreads, and fruit. Pick up a few the next time you're in Walmart.

Kiss Lashes & Lash Adhesive

Cetaphil

Did you know Cetaphil has a moisturizing cream? I didn't, I've been using Cetaphil's foam face wash ever since my dermatologist recommend it years ago. It's good to know my favorite skin care brand now has a moisturizer.

NYC Color Black Eye Liner

Itty Bittys

From the Hallmark Itty Bittys collection... Olaf from the Disney movie Frozen. 

Ore-Ida

The coupon to try a Ore-Ida product came in handy even though I'm very familiar with this brand, I love their tatar-tots. What's your favorite Ore-Ida product?

Around the World From Home: The Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker was in Town.

Hey Butterflies! I was recently presented the opportunity to see a live performance of the holiday classic The Nutcracker; performed by the Moscow Ballet. Although I wasn't able to take any pictures, I was able to pick up a Nutcracker keepsake ornament after the show. I took my kid with me and we both really enjoyed it, my favorite part of the show was the "Arabian Variation", those two dancers were phenomenal! 

Self-Care: Low-Cost Prescription Glasses from GlassesShop + Save 50% off

This is a sponsored post.

Hi Butterflies! I have new glasses and a new company to tell you guys about. GlassesShop is a online eye-wear shop were you can purchase great quality but also attractively cheap glasses. I'm talking prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses with a wide variety of stylish yet inexpensive frames to choose from in several different colors. I went with the Bridget Cat-Eye style glasses in black/red; I love them and you'll never guess who/what inspired my selection...

Life, Love & Relationships: Is it Possible to Taste Better? + Oomph Mini Massager Review

Butterflies! So if you’re not aware, September is National Sexual Health Month and it would be unjust of me to let the month go without mentioning it. One of my fellow/favorite “normalize the discussion of sex” advocates Amber Rose re-posted the “bae is coming over” starter kit (see below) and I couldn’t stop laughing.

Unboxing: Bulu Monthly Health Subscription Box

Hey Butterflies! I got something really neat in the mail a few days ago that I know my fellow health enthusiast and subscription box lovers will enjoy. Bulu Box, a health subscription service offers the newest way to sample and discover new health products including vitamins, supplements, healthy snacks and more.

Subscription is only $10 a month, shipping is free and each box comes with about 4-5 healthy samples. Awesome right? Also, use coupon code SWEATPINK for 50% off a 3, 6, or 12 month subscription to BuluBox.com!

Visiting Texas: Houston Restaurant Weeks Benefiting the Houston Food Bank: Del Frisco's Grille

Happy Sunday Butterflies! It's Restaurant Weeks in Houston and today I had the pleasure of dining at Del Frisco's Grille for Sunday Brunch and....it was AMAZING! A well prepared three course meal for only $25? I mean who wouldn't enjoy that?

The menu consisted of three options per course to choose from. I tried the Philly Cheese-Steak Egg Rolls for my starter, Red Velvet Waffles for my entree and Peanut Butter & Toffee Mousse for dessert. Sounds yummy right? Lol, It so was! Beverages are not included in the meal price so prepare to pay a little extra to try one or two of the tasty drinks at Del Frisco. I tried the Screwdriver (because it's one of my favorite drinks) and it was pretty awesome, and by "pretty awesome" I mean the alcohol to ice ratio was on point. lol

Beauty Trends: Schwarzkopf Styliste Ultime Satin Frizz Control & Heat Protection Straightening Spray

Butterflies! Here's a new hair care line for you to check out. The Schwarzkopf company, pronounced "shworts kof" was founded in 1898 by chemist Hans Schwarzkopf who also invented and marketed the first ever powder shampoo. Schwarzkopf became a Henkel company in 1995. 

So far I've only tried their Styliste Ultime Satin Frizz Control & Heat Protection Straightening Spray and I love it! This is a pretty good frizz control and heat protectant in one. I really like that its not super oily and it doesn't weigh heavy on the hair. This particular product smells really great and does what it was design to do. Schwarzkopf products can be purchased at Walmart and other retailers.

Stay in the know...follow Schwarzkopf @SchwarzkopfUSA!
 @Walmart @Influenster #WeLoveSchwarzkopf

*** I purchased this product for review at a discounted price courtesy of Influenster. All opinions are honest and my own. ***

Beauty Trends: Valentia Even Glow Serum

Hi Butterflies! I've been trying out a new Vitamin C Serum over the last few weeks from Valentia. I really like how it leaves my skin feeling amazing! I have very very sensitive skin so there are only a hand full of products that don't irritate my skin and this product doesn't. Vitamin C serums are use to help minimize the effects the sun and aging has on your skin. Also it's not oily at all which I really like.

Beauty Trends: Crave Naturals Blemish Removal Kit

Hi Butterflies!

I have a new beauty product that I want to introduce you guys to and trust me it works! The product is the Blemish and Blackhead Remover Tool Kit from Crave Naturals. Honestly I didn't think it would be of a major benefit too me but this kit actually comes in handy when attempting the to get rid of blemishes/pimples/blackheads. The kit comes with a total of five blackhead removal tools but  there are just two that I use the most...they work great on small pimps. The tools are easy to use and made of great quality material and you can tell this kit was manufactured really well. No complaints with shipping or the product.

You can try it out too...Get 25% OFF by searching Amazon for the Crave Naturals Blemish and Blackhead Remover Tool Kit and use code: 9NGNQBWK

Movie: I Went to Studio Movie Grill and Got Inspired Financially

Butteries, I wrote a post a few months back expressing my desire to check out Studio Movie Grill...yea that didn't happen until yesterday (lol I've been busy). Anyway, it was a really cool experience! The best part about SMG is being able to pick your own seats...I freaking love that! Not having to go on a scavenger hut for seats in a pitch black theater is an amazing feeling. The seats are very comfy and the food and drinks at SMG are great and well worth the price. The only thing I wish SMG did differently is open a few more locations and add a few more movie choices. On a different note I really enjoyed the movie (The Gambler) and not just because Mark Wahlberg is one of my favorite actors but because it had a really positive real life message. Without giving away the movie I must say the most intriguing part of the Gambler to me is when Frank played by John Goodman shared some wisdom with Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) about life, finances and being self efficient. If you know me, I mean truly know me you know I'm hardly ever the one to depend on anyone so you can understand why that part of the movie really stuck out to me. So with that being said, as you read this I'm working on a master plan to one day have "Fuck You Money". If you've already seen the movie you know what I mean and if you haven't GO SEE IT!

Kidecals Labels

This is a sponsored post, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hey Butterflies! Y'all know I'm always trying something new, well I recently ordered labels from this label printing company and they're pretty cool. Kidecals are personalized waterproof labels that are dishwasher, washing machine, and dryer safe! They stick to any surface which means you can use these stickers on clothing, backpacks, tupperware, devices...you name it. With the holidays approaching I'm sure these would be of great use but if you don't need any customized name labels, there are still plenty of other pre-designed label options to choose from for both kids and adults like my "I Speak Geek" sticker (below)...I love it! Kidecals has keyboard stickers canning/baking labels, chalkboard labels, and much more! You can check them out at http://kidecals.com/ and browse through the hundreds of options!

Subscription: Wantable Beauty Box

This is a sponsored post.

Hey Butterflies! I recently had the opportunity to try out a new monthly subscription box service and I'm  in like with it. Wantable is an online lifestyle service for people on the go. Like most subscription services, my journey with Wantable started with a few getting to know you questions and then from there it's on to discovering unique, full-sized makeup and skincare products. Wantable provides distinctly unique products tailored to your individual tastes, needs, and wants. To get started just take Wantable's quick style quiz to tell them what you love and what you don't, and their stylists will curate a makeup box with 4-5 premium, full-sized makeup and skincare products that perfectly match your preferences.