My Subscription Addiction #MSA02 Quarterly Co. Subscription Box Review

If you've never heard of the blog My Subscription Addiction, it is essentially the home-ship for fellow subscription box addicts like me. The blogger, Liz, subscribes to every subscription box imaginable and provides her readers with what I find to be very honest reviews of their contents.  I probably check her website a few times a day and have found it an invaluable resource for making my own decisions on what subscriptions to purchase for myself.  

The Quarterly Co. is a really unique subscription box service.  They offer a wide variety of curated boxes from different celebrities and cultural icons.  Each box will have products which reflect that curator, along with a description card detailing why the curator selected each product in their box.  It's a fun way to learn the thought process behind everything in your box and really gives you a better understanding of the curator.

This is the second My Subscription Addiction box I have purchased from Quarterly.  You can check out the first box I reviewed here. 

The Quarterly Co. My Subscription Addiction Box #MSA02:

*Cost: $50/box.  Boxes are shipped every three months.
*Products: "Thanks to subscription boxes, Liz is now ingredient-conscious. Her picks in the categories of beauty, fashion and lifestyle will be free of ingredients like parabens and paraffin, and full of natural ingredients to keep you healthy and beautiful." (Quote via Quarterly Co. website)

Each box comes with a letter from the curator detailing the story behind the products chosen for that particular quarter.   The theme behind this box is "Everything you need for a cozy day at home," which I think is absolutely perfect for a winter box.  

Bauble Bar Ice Circle Pendant ~ $32  

This 14K gold plated necklace is really delicate, simple and beautiful.  It's 16 in. with a 2 in. extension.  You can wear it by itself or as a layering piece.  I love getting jewelry in subscription boxes.  I always seem to get something I love but I would likely have never purchased for myself.  

Au Naturale Creme Eye shadows (full size) ~ $20 each

Au Naturale make-up is "Organic, Non-Toxic, Gluten-Free, Paraben-Free, Vegan, Non-Nano,  and is Made in the USA at a certified USDA Organic Facility."  Each box included two eye shadows!  They are cream shadows and are very easy to apply.  I really like how smoothly they go on but I will say you need to apply an eyelid primer first or they will rub right off.  

The colors included are: White Quartz and Addiction.  The White Quartz has a touch of shimmer to it that is really subtle, with a brightening effect.  It is great to use as a highlighter for around your eyes  or to blend over another color.  Addicition is an exclusive color created just for the My Subscription Addiction box!  It is a beautiful metallic, antique green-gold shade that I simply love.  I've worn it pretty much every day since I've gotten it!
 

Yes To Carrots Fragrance-Free Intense Hydration Night Cream (full size) ~ $11.69
This product is made with 96% natural ingredients.  It is paraben, SLS and petroleum free.  I've used this night cream for a couple of weeks now and I don't really know what to think about it.  It feels kind of drying on my skin when I apply it which is weird because my skin isn't looking like it is drying out in any way.  There aren't any dry patches on my face at all.  I think my hang up is that I want something which says it is intensely hydrating to feel like it is, in fact, hydrating my skin when I apply it.  I can't get over this fact, so it makes me hesitant to say it is a great product.

Foot Traffic Non-Skid Fuzzy Slipper Socks ~ $9
I live in slipper socks during the winter time so I was very happy to see these socks.  They have a non-skid tread on the bottom so they are perfect for walking around on my wood floors.  They're also nice and warm!  The socks I received are a light pink.

Faribault Woolen Mill Co. Recycled Wool Throw ~ $64
This was immediately hijacked when I took this out of the box by my little dog, Lily.  I actually ended up wrapping it up and giving it to my husband for Christmas. One thing I love about subscription boxes is they are always have great items in them for gifting. I am always finding things that make me think, "Such and such would just love this!".  My husband did love this wool blanket.  It's super warm and is made of 65% recycled wool so it is also very eco-friendly! 

Exclusive offer for the Next Issue App ~ $14.99
Next Issue offered the first month of service for free to customers and the next 2 months for 50% off.  It's regularly $14.99/month and you get unlimited access to 140+ magazines from your tablet, phone or PC.  I am not a big magazine person, so this really wasn't my cup of tea.  The idea behind it is really cool though.

My Final Two Cents: 
This subscription box is definitely a winner in my book.  I paid $50 and received $171 worth of goodies. There was a great mix of beauty, fashion and lifestyle items.  It was a box that lived up to it's cozy winter theme.  I can't wait to see what's in my next box.  *UPDATE:  I am sorry to say that this is the last box from My Subscription Addiction for Quarterly.  :(  

~Chrissy

My Friday Five: February 7, 2014

I've taken a bit of a break from blogging over the last couple of weeks, but I'm back and ready to start writing again!  Since it's Friday, this means it is time for another "My Friday Five" post.  There has been lots and lots of fun things from the last two weeks that I've been eager to share with everyone, so now, without further adieu, here are the five things I absolutely have to share or I'd burst.....

1.  Urbnmat Earth Urbmat $79.95 ~Amazon Affiliate Link 
I was pretty excited when I came across this on my Twitter feed the other day.  This mat is designed for beginner gardeners, like me, who really want the dumbed down version of how to garden.  I really have no clue as to what I am doing when it comes to gardening.  Quite frankly, it kind of makes me a bit anxious.  What I like about this mat is you really can't get much easier then this.  It is like a gardening roadmap.  Everything is already supplied except the dirt to roll it out on.  All you have to do is place this mat in the space you cleared away for gardening, add the included seed balls in the appropriate hole on the mat and hook your water up to the drip irrigation system.  Then, you'll sit back and wait for your lovely, organic veggies to pop out.  Winter is beginning to feel as if it will never end but gardening season will be here before we know it and something like this may be a great tool to have for my first garden. 

2.  Beautiful Nebraska Sunrises!  Lately we seem to be having some really gorgeous sunrises here in Nebraska which paint the sky in this amazing variety of vibrant colors.  Lucky for me these sunrises have been happening during my drive into work, making it all the more richer and enjoyable for me.  My mood is always so much more positive and happier when this magnificent sight lights up the sky and uplifts my spirits! 

3.  Winning a giveaway contest.  Over the holidays, I signed up for the Goodebox 12 days of Giveaways contest.  Every day was a different giveaway, and I am pretty sure I signed up for each of the 12 giveaways.  Lucky for me, I actually won one of the prizes!!!  My prize was a 4 piece set of Valia Skincare products.  The four, full-size products I received were the Cleansing Milk, Purifying Wash, Yuzu Hydrating Crème & Bloom Dietary Supplement.  I don't know if I'll use the supplement, but the rest of the products will be put to great use!!!

4.  My Great Aunt's sparkly fashion jewelry.  My mom recently passed down to me quite a few pieces of my Great Aunt's lovely jewelry, circa 1940/1950.  These jewel encrusted pieces are all fake, but they are invaluable to me.  I have only a few treasured memories of my Great Aunt, who died when I was pretty young.  I am thrilled to find we have the same taste in glitzy, flashy jewelry.  Oddly, it makes me feel more close to her, even though she has been gone all these years!!! 

 
5.  Feel Good Stories.  This video is a few months old, but I always think about it when I hear the song, "Best Day of My Life" by American Authors.  It definitely tugs on my heart strings.  My husband and I have two little doggie's who mean the absolute world to us.  We actually got our dogs from breeders, but I've learned a lot over the last few years about puppy mills and breeders, enough to know that when the time comes our next family member will be a rescue dog.

Have a Great weekend!
~Chrissy

My Friday Five: January 24, 2014

Silly me just realized I accidentally posted last weeks "My Friday Five" with today's date.  Apparently, I was projecting myself into the future for a while there, but I have since then made a quick edit and everything is once again right with the world. Whoopsie Daisies!

The idea behind "My Friday Five" is to post five different facts or tidbits which I absolutely must share with you all or I'll burst. Ok, maybe I'm being a bit dramatic there but basically, it's a little peek into my obsessions, loves, likes.... and sometimes my very soul. ;) 

Now, without further adieu...Drum Roll, please....



1.  Taking those silly, pointless "Which (fill in the blank) are you?" type quizzes which pop up all over my Twitter and Facebook feed.  This week, I found out I am a Snowth Muppet (The pink furry creatures as seen in the above YouTube clip), Chewbacca from Star Wars, and I should actually live in the city of Portland, Oregon.  These quizzes just scream out "TONS OF FUN" to my inner child.  I can't not find out what my results will show!  (If you click on the links to all my results above you can take the quizzes yourself and find out what you are, too!) 

 

2. The Rifle Paper Company's "Flip Around the World" Desk Calendar.  The Rifle Paper Company has all sorts of deliciously pretty paper products, like calendars, stationary, notepads and cards.  I have a thing for calendars (I literally have like five up at work alone.  Kind of weird, I know!) and this one looks super adorable sitting on top of my desk.  I received this particular calendar in my January PopSugar Must Have Subscription Box.  It's no secret I have a slight obsession with subscription boxes and PopSugar is one of my favorites.  You never really know what to expect inside their boxes.  I am always pleasantly thrilled with what I receive from them every month.  Even the products that may not be my particular cup of tea make perfect gifts for someone I know, so I get great use out of everything! 

3. The Pay it Forward Facebook Initiative.  I am currently taking part in this fun project currently making the rounds on Facebook.  In order to participate you have to post the following status update on your Facebook page and follow the rules set forth:

• "To start this year off in a loving way I'm participating in the Pay-it-Forward initiative... The first five people who comment on this status with "I'm in" will receive a surprise from me at some point in this calendar year- anything from a book, a ticket, a visit, something home-grown or made, a postcard, absolutely any surprise! There will be no warning and it will happen when the mood comes over me and I find something that I believe would suit you and make you happy. These five people must make the same offer in their FB status and distribute their own joy. Simply copy this text onto your profile, (don't share) so we can form a web of connection and kindness.  Let's do more nice and loving things for each other in 2014, without any reason other than to make each other smile and show that we think of each other. (p.s. if you are one of the top 5 to first comment please private message me your mailing address.)" 

The wheels in my head are already turning.  I am going to have such fun spending the year thinking about how I want to surprise the five on my list!! 

 

4.  "All of Me" by John Legend.  This song is simple and beautiful and real.  I love!!!

 

5.  "Rediscovering something you've had for years.  I recently dug up these earrings when I was cleaning up my jewelry box and haven't taken them off all week.  They are adorably geeky and I've been in a geeky kind of mood lately. Unfortunately they are no longer available from the Etsy seller I purchased them from, although there are some other cute @ things for sale if you do a search.  Isn't Etsy a fun site to spend hours perusing?   I have found so many fun and unique items from there, in fact.....this is going to be a perfect place to help me out with my "Pay It Forward" project!!!! 

So now that the "Mahna Mahna" song has been firmly etched in your mind and you'll be singing it for the rest of the day, what were the results of your quiz? Come on, I know you are dying to know what Muppet you are, so be sure to let me know in the comment section below!  :)

Have a fantastic weekend!!!!
~Chrissy