Bunny Approved: Making the Move Towards Cruelty Free

Recently I was looking around on the internet and was surprised when I found out that Aveeno, a brand I have used and loved for years, is not cruelty free!

I guess a simple Google search would have revealed that to me years ago, had I thought of it. Since discovering that Aveeno was not cruelty free I have decided to start making the move to using cruelty free products (products that aren't tested on animals).

When you are in store it can be very hard to discover what is and is not cruelty free, you will need to get online and do a little research before you head out to buy a new product. Recently, before I headed over to Ulta I looked on their website and typed in cruelty free. There were plenty of brands that came up in my search results.

Ulta carries brands like--The Body Shop, Tarte, Too Faced, and Ecotools-- all of which are cruelty free according to the search engine on Ulta's website. Many makeup stores have search engines which can quickly help you to identify brands that are cruelty free. Another major beauty store, Sephora, also has lots of options for cruelty free products like, Urban Decay, Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, and Illamasqua (for brushes).

Between the options offered at Ulta and Sephora you can find beauty products that are nourishing for your skin as well as good for your furry friends. It has become much easier in this day and age to make the switch over, and when you have the option you should! Many of these products are not only cruelty free but do not have ingredients in them that are harsh on your skin.

I love my new Tarte lights, camera, lashes mascara!

Tarte, for example, is "always formulated without: parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, triclosan, sodium lauryl sulfate, synthetic fragrance, and gluten" according to their official website. They also use post recycled materials or recyclable materials in order to be a more environmentally friendly company. According to the founder and CEO of Tarte, Maureen Kelly, these two components of being free of harmful chemicals and earth friendly are what set them apart. Their boxes sport the cruelty free bunny who has ears shaped like a heart to help you identify them as an animal friendly product.

With a few minutes of research you can begin to find glamorous products that are good for you and better for the environment. I am now working on making the switch and it has been fairly easy. I know that I have a ways to go in the beauty products that I choose, but am working on weeding out the unfriendly products as I go. This way you don't feel overwhelmed and can choose a new foundation one month and a new mascara next month.

Have a glamorous and bunny approved Week! xoxo

Kickstarter Cracked Open: An Update on Preston Turk and his new project

A few months ago , I interviewed Preston Turk on his Kickstarter Project the Stow-Away Lens Cap Holder. I am pleased to say that he was successfully funded, and was able to get his product out to his supporters and the open market.

Now, Preston has another project out on Kickstarter , called the Lens Holster for Nikon.  This product is perfect for the photographer on the go, allowing them to easily and quickly change several lenses without having to deal with lens bags.

As you can see the product has a strap, that can go over your shoulder, or around your waist.  The holster allows two lenses to click into place quickly so that you can switch easily between three different lenses.

I had the pleasure of once again interviewing Preston on his latest kickstarter launch.

Q:What inspired this product?

P:The Lens Holster came about because I wanted a way to hold my camera lenses that wasn't heavy like a camera bag, and also didn't require a long time to switch lenses. I thought it would be great to simply have another camera body, but without the expense. So with that idea, I created the Lens Holster, which is a simple and effective product to hold your lenses.

Q: What challenges did you face with the Lens Holster?

P:A big hurdle with the Lens Holster was sourcing the parts. Nearly all the parts are custom made, even down to the shoulder/waist strap. I worked with many companies to find the best parts, and built the prototype seen in the pictures with their products.

Q: This is the project that won you the Husky Start Up Challenge, how do you think that influenced the product?

P:Winning the Husky Challenge for me was validation of the idea, and seeing the excitement people had about the product inspired me to move forward. The prize money enabled me to continue development and helped get the product where it is today.

Q: What sets this product apart from other camera accessories?

P:The Lens Holster is different because it is unrivaled in speed and convenience. Lenses are right at hand level, and can be switched in seconds. This sets it apart from other gadgets such as a camera bag because they take longer to switch your lenses.

As a backer of his last project, I am very excited to see where the latest invention goes. If you are interested in the Lens Holster For Nikon, you can go to the official Kickstarter page for more information.

In my Beyond Measure Studio: What I've been up to

Lately whenever I bead, all I keep reaching for are Swarovski Crystals! I am not sure if it is because of the New Year or just because I love jewelry that sparkles. I have been making tons of sparkle filled bracelets of late, as well as earrings.

Here are a few pictures of everything :D 

The bracelets are up and for sale on my Etsy page if you are interested.

Plugged In

As I was settling into bed last night, I realized in a panic that I did not know where my cell phone was. I then instantly thought about how there was a time where I didn't need to constantly have my cell phone attached to me (practically) and on my bed side table every night. Even just several years ago my cell phone was not my life. Now I depend on it to wake me up, keep track of my schedule, and keep me current with emails.

When did we all get so plugged in? I mean I really am guilty of phone obsession, I wake up and reach over every morning to check my emails and the weather. This has been developing for years to the point where instead of leaving my phone in a purse or backpack after I went out, it has to be near me at all times.

What all this has to do with the New Year is more of an observance of how much technology has changed my life and the lives of society in just the past five years.  With everyone so plugged in now people are expected to respond to everything immediately.

I know that when my parents went to school they did not get last minute changes to a schedule or new assignments via email. Now, as a student, I am expected to check my email every day, multiple times a day. If you miss an email that the professor sent out, even if it was at an insane hour of night, you are responsible to know its contents. Checking my email is easily done, but it is crazy when you consider how far emailing and technology have come.

I have heard of studies where students are separated from their phones and then go through withdrawal symptoms. According to an article from "The Telegraph"  these withdrawal symptoms have been similar to the drug cravings experienced by an addict during rehab. 

So I guess the question is do we really have a choice? I don't think I could really give up my phone for a week. I rely on it heavily at school for communicating with my parents, teachers, and my peers.

Could you give up your phone for a day, or even a week?

Christmas Craftacular: Making an Ornament Wreath

I know, Christmas is Tuesday! So what am I doing posting an ornament wreath DIY? Well, first of all it's a fantastic decoration and if you need to get a last minute gift made this comes together after one night of dedicated effort, oh and most importantly.....it sparkles.

Yes, I am using the dreaded craft supply-GLITTER. Keep in mind that it's only on a few Christmas balls. So will it cover you for about a day or so? Yes, but it sparkles and therefore is worth the trouble, not to mention it is the time of season to shimmer.

So for this wreath you will need several Christmas balls, an 18inch metal wreath base (can be found at a craft store), the green wire that is always in the same aisle as the wreaths, a hot glue gun, and ribbon- I bought 2 festive 3yd rolls and had another roll of silver ribbon.

Begin by checking your ornaments, if they are not connected tightly to the silver topper make sure to use your hot glue gun to secure their "hats". Arrange them in the order of facing outwards and then inwards.

Now that you have all your supplies ready you can start by laying out the ornaments and deciding how you want them to sit on the wreath. After deciding you will start connecting the balls, one by one, to the wreath with the wire.

Taking care to wrap the wire through the ornament top and around the wreath frame securely.

Then take your hot glue gun and put some hot glue on the wire and wreath. After you attach the next ornament go back and put some hot glue on the opposite side of ball so that it is glued on both parts.

Now that the balls are all on the wire frame you can make a bow with your ribbon and attach it to the wreath frame. I tied another piece of ribbon through the bow to hang the wreath. This piece is attached by a tightly wound piece of wire.

Then start to take pieces of your ribbon and secure them around the silver portion of the ornaments to hide the hot glue.

After all the ornaments are covered begin to take your larger ribbon and tie it securely all around the wreath.

Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

This year when you are around the tree and tearing open your presents with smiling faces, remember that those to the left and right of you are what you truly need to be thankful for. The moments in our life that stand out are those when you are surrounded by the people you love. Remember to be grateful for spending your holiday season with them.

Getting Ready For Christmas: Easy Decorating Ideas

 With less than 10 days left until Christmas, I can definitely feel the tension growing, as more people pack stores and traffic on the weekends grows. So to make your holiday decorating a little easier here are some easy and quick ideas for decorating your tables.


Don't get me wrong, I do love poinsettias and the traditional centerpiece of flowers with lit candles, but for something fool proof (and something your cat can't eat) here are some ideas.

This makes such a cute centerpiece. Just get a few decorative/festive ducks or other animal and put them on top of a holiday fabric. Spread some jingle bells around them and you have an adorable table in no time.

Adding a few snowflakes, which you can buy or make with a scrapbooking punch, creates a special touch.

You can pick up reindeer at your local craft store. Take some scarfs and tie them into bows. Red really makes the reindeer pop.

Happy Decorating!

Labor of Love: A Good Pot Pie

Hi everyone! I am sure it is going to be getting busy for you soon, whether it is with school, work, or holiday preparations. I know my little workshop will be busy this week with jewelry making and knitting. At this time of year when it is getting colder it is nice to have a good pot pie. This is Ina Garten's recipe, but changed to my own taste with lots of extra veggies and more chicken. My changes to the recipe increase the amount of pot pies from 4 to 11 so that there are extras to freeze.

Ingredients (makes about 11 individual pot pies)
Two Rotisserie Chickens
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
5 cups chicken stock (I use regular chicken broth)
2 chicken bouillon cubes (or a chicken paste if you can get it!)
1/2 stick of butter
2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 large carrots
2 containers of pre-sliced baby bella mushrooms (cook these in a pan before adding)
2 bags of the steam fresh mixed vegetables
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

For the pastry covering
I just use pre-made pie crusts- you will need 2 packages
You cut them down by using one of the pie tins as a template. 

Then you follow the instructions as given on Foodnetwork. I also skip making my own chicken and just use the meat of two rotisserie chickens, giving you plenty of meat and less work.

Preheat your oven to 375

"In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions and parsley. Mix well."

Cut down the pie crusts to be slightly larger than your tins so you can cover them. Fill your tins with the mixture and then top them. Then take a fork to poke several holes in your crust. I like to do a cross when I do this. 

Put your pies in the oven for 45-60 minutes (or until bubbling with crispy crust)

Whatever pies I am not using immediately I cover with tin foil to cover the uncooked pastry crust and then wrap the entire pie in plastic wrap. I like having these pies in the freezer because you can take them out the night before you want them to defrost in your fridge and then just pop them in the oven for an hour, making an easy and delicious dinner for you! 

Happy Cooking!

On another note......

Keep your eyes peeled this week! I will be having a Beyond Measure jewelry give-away. All you will need to do to enter is to like my Facebook page and share the photo of the prize for the chance to win! I will announce the winner on December 12th and then inbox them for their address.