Make Me Over Mary Kay!

As you may remember, I’m going to my 10 year high school reunion soon! So, I was super excited when BlogHer and Mary Kay offered me some new skin care and makeup products to try, both to prep for the big event and to wear at it.

To help fight fine lines, refine pores, and achieve beautifully smooth skin I tried the Timewise Microdermabrasion set.


I used the exfoliating face wash and then the replenishing serum. The set really made my skin feel fresh, energized, and glowing.


Yep, that’s me with no makeup! But honestly my skin felt so nice after the microdermabrasion I didn’t even self-conscious about taking a no makeup picture.

I’ll definitely be using this a few times a week leading up the reunion!

I also got a bunch of great makeup….

Lipstick and mascara.


And a really cool little compact of eyeshadow, blush, and brushes. So great for beauty on the go!

So decided a little trial-run of my makeup for the reunion using my new Mary Kay makeup!

I started with my own foundation and eyeliner only (my staples).


Then I put on the rest of my makeup using my new Mary Kay products (lipstick, mascara, eyeshadow, and blush)

I loved my look!

The compact was a real winner. The eye shadow was easy to apply and really helped to enhance my eyes. And the mineral cheek color gave my cheeks the perfect glow.

I also loved the mascara. It went on clean making my lashes look longer and prettier without looking chunky.

And the lipstick was great too. It was a beautiful color and lasted a long time.

I can’t wait to be looking my best at my reunion thanks to Mary Kay!



Do you want to win $100 worth of Mary Kay products?


You can receive (2) total entries to win by selecting from the following entry methods:

• Leave a comment on this post telling me which Mary Kay product you'd like to try most.
• Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post.
• Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.
• For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

Also, you can visit BlogHer round up page for more chances to win: Visit the Promotions & Prizes section.

This sweepstakes runs from 9/22—10/16/2011, so enter now!


Go here for the Official Rules, but basically:

• No duplicate comments.
• This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.
• Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
• You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Shabby Apple Dress Winner

And the winner of the Shabby Apple North Shore Dress...



And commenter #2 was Meghan!


From Tiny Happy Things



Congrats Meghan! Email me at Newlywedsnextdoor@gmail.com!

Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway

I have swooned over Shabby Apple Dresses for a while now. I love the vintage, modest, and stylish look of them. Shabby Apple makes adorable women's dresses, maternity dresses, and even little girls dresses.

So I was very excited when the nice folks at Shabby Apple contacted me to give away one of their dresses to my wonderful readers!

I decided to give away the North Shore dress.


I love this teal dress! It's perfect for an afternoon by the beach or you could doll it up with heels and a clutch for a night out under the stars.

Do you want to win this dress?

Here's how...
- For one entry leave a comment on this post telling me where you'd wear the North Shore Dress if you won it.
- For a second entry go "like" Shabby Apple on Facebook and leave me a second comment letting me know that you "like" them.

The Rules:
- No duplicate comments.
- This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older
- Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
- You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
- The winner will be able to pick their size of the North Shore Dress and Shabby Apple will mail it to them.
- This giveaway runs from 05/4/2011 – 05/10/2011 (Midnight PST).


AND... even if you don't win, there are couple more ways to get a Shabby Apple Dress for a great price.
- If you visit Shabby Apple {dot} com and enter the coupon code newlywedsnextdoor10off at checkout you can get 10% off of your dress.
- You can "like" Shabby Apple on Facebook and get special promotions and exclusive discounts.



*Note: I received no compensation from Shabby Apple in the form of money or products for doing this giveaway.

My Seattle's Best Coffee Level Revealed! And Another Giveaway...

***This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for your participation!***

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Seattle’s Best.

I love trying new kinds of coffees. I enjoy how some coffees are more bold, or nutty, or rich but there are so many names for coffee it’s hard to know what is what. That’s why Seattle’s Best Coffee started their Coffee Levels – Level 1 is the lightest and mildest coffee and Level 5 is the boldest and darkest coffee.

I recently had a chance to try all five of Seattle’s Best Coffee Levels (no, not all on the same day. That would be a lot of coffee, even for me!).

I started with Level 4 – rich, elegant, and complex. It was very rich, almost like dark chocolate. I like it a lot but one cup was enough because it was so so rich.

Then I had Level 1 – mild, light, crisp. I actually enjoyed this milder blend much more than I thought I would. It was easy to drink and had a slightly sweet aroma.

But I really hit my sweet spot when I tried Level 3 – balanced, smooth, full flavored. It was funny that I liked this one best because that is what I had predicted I would like best. It was very smooth but yet full for flavor.

A close second to Level 3 was Level 2 – Bright, lively, easy drinking. Level 2 reminded me a lot of Level 3. I would definitely buy these two levels again in a heartbeat to be my daily drinkers.

I finished up with Level 5 – Bold, dark, intense. I liked this one too but it was bit too dark for me.

Overall, I liked all of the coffees a lot and think the level system is really cool. I am a little surprised I liked the more medium blends better, because I think of myself as a “strong coffee drinker” but I guess I like my coffee somewhere in the middle so I can drink it black and drink a lot of it!



Seattle’s Best Coffee and BlogHer are giving away another $100 Amazon gift card to one lucky reader!

To enter to win, Visit the Seattle's Best Facebook page to check out the levels and leave me a comment on this post telling me which level (or levels) you'd like to try.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment on this post in response to the prompt above

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

The Rules:
• The Official Rules are available: here
• No duplicate comments.
• This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older
• Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
• You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

This giveaway runs from 04/18/2011 – 04/30/2011.

Visit BlogHer round up page for more chances to win: Visit the Exclusive Offers section

Tell me what Seattle's Best Coffee "Level" you are and win!

***This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for your participation!***

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Seattle’s Best.

My day is not complete without a cup of coffee or two (or even three).

I love drinking coffee with my morning breakfast both when I am at home or when I am traveling for work. I love drinking it in my cold office in the morning or right after lunch (or both). And I love grabbing a cup of coffee with a friend to catch up after work or on the weekends. Sometimes on the weekends my husband will even make me and espresso treat in the fancy espresso maker we got for our wedding. He is the best.

I take my coffee black. Or sometimes black with a bit of non-fat milk. It took me years of coffee drinking to learn to like it without cream and sugar, but I actually prefer it mostly black now. You can call me crazy if you want.

Recently I had the chance to read about Seattle’s Best Coffee’s new “Level” system for packaged coffee.

The Level System allows you to easily find and choose a Seattle’s Best Coffee blend that fits your tastes and personality best – from a mild, light, crisp Level 1 to a bold, dark and intense Level 5. It really takes the "guess work" out of picking a coffee. Pretty cool, right?


I went to the the website to see what Level I thought I would be. Having not yet sampled any of the levels, I think I’m a Level Three.

The Level Three personality says that, “you’re ready for anything. Adept at problem solving, you might be found playing chess, building a tree house, or negotiating a business deal.” That sounds like me, particularly the problem solving and business deal part (which is what I do all day every day).

The Level Three flavor profile is “medium-bodied, medium acidity, nutty nuance, and a clean finish.” Sounds delish! I can't wait to try it with a dash on non-fat milk as I head out the door to the office.

Soon I am going to taste all five levels and let you know what I think. But in the meantime, BlogHer is giving away a $100 Amazon gift card to one lucky reader!

To enter to win, visit the Seattle’s Best Coffee Levels site and leave me a comment on this post to let me know how bold you like your coffee or which level (1-5) you think you are.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the prompt above
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

The Rules:
- The giveaways/sweepstakes run from 4/1-4/17
- The Official Rules are available: here
- No duplicate comments.
- This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older
- Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
- You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Visit the BlogHer round up page for more chances to win in the Exclusive Offers section!

Stouffer's Sautés for Two review and BlogHer giveaway!

***This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for your participation!***

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Stouffer's.

When there's a rainstorm in Los Angeles the city can basically shut down – a 20 minute drive can take over an hour.

So when I heard on the news last Friday that a late winter storm was coming our way and saw the weather looking like this in afternoon, I told my husband that instead of doing Friday night date a restaurant like planned, we should a fun date night at home and make an ordinary night a little more fun!

(For those of not from LA, this is ominous weather in our city).

I decided this would be a great night to try a new Stouffer’s Saute for Two. It’s a great gourmet meal for a couple – perfect for after a long week where you don’t have the energy to cook but still want a delicious meal.

The whole entree comes in a one bag. So simple!

To set the mood for our romantic date night at home, I set the table with our crystal wine glasses and silver chargers.

(You know, the stuff you get for wedding, but don’t use too much)

Then I decanted a bottle of our favorite cabernet sauvignon.

Then I put a Steak Gorgonzola Stouffer's Sauté on the stove. It cooked in less than 15 minutes and was so easy to make without over or under cooking it. Even a culinary novice like me couldn’t screw this up. Seriously.


It was perfectly portioned for two people.



We loved every bite! The steak, pasta, and sun-dried tomato were a perfect combo. And the creamy cheese sauce was delicious. (Warning: this was not a low calorie dinner, but it was worth it!)

We lingered at the dining room table, taking and listing to the rain fall outside, and being cozy – making an ordinary night at home extraordinary. I can’t wait to do it again!


So tell me, how do you make an ordinary night with your significant other extraordinary?

Leave me a comment to let me know and you could win a $100 Visa Gift Card courtesy of Blogher !

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave me a comment answering the question above
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) Visit the official rules for additional forms of entry.

The fine print:
- No duplicate comments
- The giveaway runs from 3/17/11 - 4/11/11
- This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.
- Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
- You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
- The official rules: Visit the Official Rules
- The official site: Visit the Official site
- Also visit BlogHer’s Promotions & Prizes page for more chances to win! Visit the promotions & Prizes section

And the winner is...

The winner of the "Sharon Necklace" from the Nakate project is...


Modern Day Wife!

Congrats! Email me at newlywedsnextdoor@gmail.com to discuss logistics.


To read more, host a party, or buy necklaces you reach the Nakate project on their website, on facebook, or on twitter.