Review: Super Tarts - Custom Order

Brace yourselves! There is immense geeky fan-girling ahead!!
(and possibly pictures of amazing wax... if i can stay focused)

So back on October 14th, I managed to score a custom bag from Super Tarts! I received my bag on January 6th (this includes roughly 10 days of shipping for overseas mail). Due to circumstances beyond the owners control, this TAT was a bit longer than expected, but still not a terrible wait time.
There are plenty of options to choose from to appease your senses. In addition to have a vast array of house blends, you can also choose from an even bigger selection of single scents to blend your own!
My bag weighs roughly 1lb 4-6oz & is filled with the most adorable shapes!! I chose to pick from her house blends list & chose "Doctor Who" - a delicious combination of red rooibos tea, shortbread cookies and creamy custard...minus the fish sticks!
When I saw that description, I was sold!!

Weird fact: I have plans to try fish fingers & custard... I  mean, if The Doctor loves them, they've got to be good, right??

My bag arrived filled with the most adorable shapes!! I'm not sure if Super Tarts is a fan of Doctor Who, but I can totally make connections between the shapes & the show! (yes, i'm aware just how geeky that makes me!) When i opened my bag, I was immediately met with the most delicious scent! Fresh brewed tea, warm cookies, delicious custard... I am positive this is exactly what the Tardis smells like!! I may or may not have sat & sniffed my bag for awhile... and this scent has pretty much become my kitchen staple... wake up in the morning, take a deep sniff... you can almost hear the Tardis!! The throw seems pretty strong to me, as it escapes out of my kitchen/dining area & into my living room... i LOVE it!!!

Ok, so let me rein in the geekiness long enough to show you the wax!

Are these not the most adorable shapes!? Further in the bag I also found flip flops, mini pies, & tiny ice cream scoops! AHHHH!! THE CUTENESS!!

I orginally thought I had tentacle shapes when i dumped my bag.. bits of Zygons, perhaps?

However, after i took this photo, I realized they are TEETH!!! How stinking cute is THAT!?

I have become a huge Super Tarts fan & look forward to reordering in the future!

What new wax have you tried lately that you absolutely loved?

Review: Mountain Rose Herbs

Recently, we've been looking into using essential oils and herbs. I know there is a ton of information out there, and everyone has their own opinions on what's safe & what isn't. As I've been scanning groups and websites, I came across this fabulous company: Mountain Rose Herbs.

They sell everything from loose leaf teas, herbs, essential oils, cooking spices/salts, & accessories. After browsing through their oils & starter kits... I came across their teas! I have heard great things about the quality of their products, so I decided to place a small order.

Shipping was very quick. I think I only had to wait 3-4 business days before I received my notification. Everything arrived packed nice & compact (i love shippers that don't waste space) & they even sent me a catalog that contains recipes and ideas! I have one item that ended up on back order, but I hope to receive it soon.

There were so many teas to choose from!! There were a fair number out of stock, which I attribute to the holiday season. I have plans to order a few more in the future, once they are restocked.. but after deliberating, I finally settled on the following: Dawn Chorus, Tulsi Delight, & Honeyroo.

L-R: Dawn Chorus, Tulsi Delight, & Honeyroo

The following descriptions are available from their website:

Dawn Chorus Tea: Gentle, yet full of heart and substance, this delicately balanced tea is a perfect way to start the day, and offers just the right amount of pick-me-up during times of afternoon lethargy. This mildly sweet and lightly fragrant nettle based infusion is a superb alternative to the caffeine found in green and black teas. 

On first sniff, my nose immediately picked up the green roobios and rose petals. It has a light & pleasant floral scent when brewed. There is a slight sweetness, so it can be enjoyed with minimal sweeteners. I found it very reminiscent of a jasmine green tea I enjoy. This was chosen so we could have some tea on hand for evenings, without the dreaded caffeine that would potentially ruin a good nights rest.

Tulsi Delight Tea: This delightful blend is lightly caffeinated and filled with Ayurvedic inspiration. The Ayurvedic name for Holy Basil is Tulsi, meaning The Incomparable One. It is considered a hot herb with pungent bitter tastes. This infusion blend combines these flavors with cooling mint and hibiscus. The lightly astringent taste from the Dao Ren tea and pungent ginger flavors combine wonderfully to give this tea a flavor that touches all your senses. It is both uplifting and energetic. This tasty blend can be enjoyed as either a hot or cold infusion, and is a great way to start off your morning or carry you through mid-day slumps.

When i saw the description for this tea, I knew I had to buy it for my husband! He loves strong, pungent flavors. While we were living in Turkey he found a basil tea that he would drink throughout the winter. He is running low, so it seemed a perfect time as any to buy him a new blend. When sniffing, this is definitely a bold, in your face tea! The basil and mint immediately fill your nostrils and clear your sinuses. There will be no stuffy noses in this house!

Honeyroo Tea: This delectable organic tea blend delivers the antioxidant benefits of Red Rooibos and the natural sweetness of Honeybush in a delicately fragrant and flavorful cup. Brewing up a pot of this aromatic tea confuse the heady aromas of late summer berries, roses, and honey. Delicious iced and suitable for all ages. Caffeine free.

This has to be one of the sweetest teas I have ever smelled! The sweet aroma reminds me of sunshine and warm summer days. I'm sure this will be a warm, relaxing treat on the cold, snowy days that are in our future!

This next item, is a bit weird. They are called Soap Nuts (deseeded). I have been going back and forth over ordering some of these for a few years now. So here's the basics on these little nuts. Soap Nuts are an environmentally friendly option as a detergent. It is also a good choice for people with sensitive skin & allergies to regular detergents. (which my family has, so i've been making my own laundry detergent). They contain saponin, a natural detergent, that is released when the shells absorb water. It is supposed to produce little or no bubbles during washing, and have a faint apple cider smell. You simply put 4-6 nuts in a muslin bag, toss it in the wash & reuse the same set for a few loads until the soap nuts get gray & mushy. 

I'm not so sure about these.. I opened the bag.. and whoooooo-eeeee!! they are very potent... like apple cider gone a little rough... But i shall give them a test run with my towels & see what happens.

And finally... a bag of Dead Sea Salt. I've been wanting to play around with sea salt & try my hand at making some bathing goodies. Still not 100% settled on any one idea... so feel free to send me some!

Have you had any experience with oils or herbs? What are your thoughts?

Fukubukuro 2015 - Get Lucky!!

One of the Japanese New Years customs is the sale of "Lucky Bags". Many stores put together mystery bags filled with product at a set price for purchase. Generally, your contents are being sold to you at a discount, so people line up to grab these deals. From what I've seen & heard, bags can range in price from 500 yen (7-11 sells lucky bags!!) up to 30000 yen or higher depending on the retailer. (Apple sells Lucky bags that people line up for days in advance!). 

In a sense, this is kind of like black friday shopping... but the stores open at normal hours, the people are extremely polite, stores are neat & tidy, & you have no idea what you've bought until you get home. (ok, ok.. its NOTHING like black friday shopping!!! LOL) Some stores will display whats in their bags, but really.. where's the fun in that!?

After hearing about the lucky bags, I was hoping to venture out to the mall New Year's Day to see what was being offered. Sadly, my husband had to work.. so I will plan ahead for next year. Stores sell their bags until they run out, so sometimes you can find them the following day or so.

I managed to score a Lucky Bag from Mister Donut! 

(& seriously, who can turn down a bag that says it will make you happy!?!)

My Lil Man picked up a cute Pokemon bag from a little food store... it's not technically a lucky bag, but when you are 7 & a fan of Pokemon.. this is like the holy grail!

Here is what was inside my lucky bag!!

(My bag was 2100 yen)

An adorable glass dish!! i totally squealed with delight over the cuteness!

2 little polka dot glass tea cups with stirrers! The flower bunny cracks me up!!

The donut calendar has the cutest pictures inside! Hubby had just asked me the day before if I was going to purchase a new calendar for the fridge... ta da!! it was fate! ;)

This is the cutest little bag ever!! It will probably be my new carry-all tote. Its a perfect size for library trips, quick stops at the commissary, play dates at the park... love it!!

My Lil Man insisted that i take a photo of his prized bag for my blog! He cracks me up!

(Pokemon bag - 900 yen)

His bag contained a collectors book to hold stickers (2 stickers inside already), some choco koala cookie things.. yumm!!, fruit snacks, a cookie type thing, & some bubble gum. The bag it was packed in is pretty nice & could be used as a gift bag for someone else!

Next year I hope to be more prepared for the Lucky Bags... I heard Toys R Us sells Lego Lucky bags (definite!!).. and even though i was disappointed by photos of this years Lush Lucky Bags, I might give it a shot next year. Also on the list -- Sephora & Starbucks!

What stores would be on your Lucky Bag list??

Japan Eats: Dinner from Walmart!

Yes, you read that title correctly.. We are living in Japan.. and picked up dinner at Walmart!

One of the fun things we have discovered while out & about is that the Japanese love easy, on the go meals. However, not only do they love them, they are always packed with finesse! We were recently out doing some shopping at the Seiyu (Japanese name for Walmart) and were lamenting that we hadn't planned ahead for dinner. So we ventured downstairs to the grocery section to look around & BOOM! a whole aisle in the store devoted to packaged meals! Some were hot, some were cold.... everything ranging from fresh sushi, ramen, friend chicken, pot stickers, onigiri.... you name it, it was probably on this aisle! side note: You can also find these exact type of meals at the local 7-11s... and they are delish!

First up on our random dinner list.... sushi!!
I, personally, am not a big fan of raw fish.. it has a weird texture. I did try some of the Uni, and it was very.... fishy? oceany?... i'll probably give it one more shot, but so far i'm not a fan. Hubby, on the other hand, scarfed this entire plate with satisfaction!

My choice was this interesting plate with noodles, rice, & meat. 

The noodles.... spot on!! I ate them cold.. you're probably supposed to heat this stuff up, but what can i say.. I'm a cold-leftovers kinda person.. aint nobody got time for heatin up noodles! ;)
The meat was some type of hard sausage (pass!), a piece of pork, & some chicken.
Although the rice looks interesting, it was kinda bland & I only took a few bites.

Our Lil Man decided he was going to dine on onigiri! He liked the plain chicken, and he only ate the white rice ball. I believe that one had tuna inside. The other onigiri resembled fried rice and we all tried it, but it wasn't something we absolutely must buy again.

Mmmmmm Pot Stickers!!! We are all about some pot stickers in this house! My kid can put away his fair share, so these are always a safe choice as a 'backup' when we are trying new things!

This was some type of rice roll wrapped in seaweed... I don't remember what was inside, but I do remember that the Hubby was not too impressed. Simple, on the go food.. but not a repeat.

I love all the fun, quirky things I can find in Japan! I decided to browse their soda aisle to see what I could find. I was mainly searching for Pepsi Pink, but these other two managed to jump into my basket as well.

Pepsi Pink - this was advertised as strawberry milk flavor... which i know sounds totally gross! however, it seems more fruity to me & I actually really like it! Besides, who doesn't want their Pepsi to be pink!?

Coca-Cola Orange - I'm pretty sure I saw this in the states in one of those new touch screen soda machines at a fast food place. Verdict? pretty bizarre.... Tasted like Coca-Cola, but with an aftertaste of fresh orange being squeezed in my mouth.

Apple Fanta - after experiencing Melon Fanta, I was pretty excited for this one! However, I am absolutely NOT a fan! It has a strong fake apple flavor that just turned my stomach. Hubby said it was ok & finished it off... but he has a cast iron stomach & eats just about anything! LOL

So there you have our dinner from walmart! 

Have you had any yummy food experiences lately?

Lush Life: Christmas Haul

So today i managed to talk my husband into getting out of the hotel & exploring the AEON mall. We walked all 3 floors & he treated me to some shopping at Lush! 

It's been over 2 years since I've been in Lush, and over a year since my sweet husband brought me Lush goodies back from a work trip to the states. I know I could order online.. but its not the same! As we approached the store, the glorious aroma of Lush hit my nose & I was hit with a rush of excitement! Lucky for me, shopping in Lush is a family event, since we all love the amazing products! We have sensitive skin, so Lush is perfect for us since all their products are Vegan & as an added bonus: they never test their products on animals!

Aside from listing their names in English, everything else is of course in Japanese. I have my favorites, but for new items I had to rely on my nose. I think this actually works in my favor, because I can't have an expectation of scents since I can't read the description. 

I walked away with a pretty nice haul. (I only spent 6700 Yen!). I even got to pick up a new catalog that came with a pretty rad Santa poster/calendar. The husband immediately pointed out that I can't read the catalog, but I reminded him I can look at all the pretty pictures! :)

I was mainly going after R&B (short for Revive & Balance) which is one of the most amazing hair products I have ever owned!! I swear by this stuff! I have curly hair and this manages to provide moisture without weighing my hair down. It's scented with orange blossom and jasmine... yumm!! I have hair past my shoulders & I only need a small amount the size of a dime to take care of all my hair, so this lasts me quite a while! I paid 3900 Yen for a 225g container. I don't see this size currently offered online, but they do sell 100g containers for $23 USD. 

Sea Vegetable Soap -- I love this soap! However, anytime it's in my house, my husband immediately swipes it & uses it all up in a flash! Made with seaweed & a crust of sea salt, this is a good exfoliating soap. It's scented with lime, lavendar & seaweed.. but it has a gentle masculine smell. While my husband loves to shower with this, I prefer to use it as an everyday hand soap in my kitchen.

Lord of Misrule Bath Bomb - new item! purchased for my Hubby who appreciates a luxurious bath just as much as I do! It has a nice masculine scent, I cant wait to see what it does!

description from Lush.com: Inspired by the ruler of the Pagan Feast of Feast of Fools, Lord of Misrule brings mischievous revelry to the tub with a spicy herbal blend of patchouli and black pepper oil. As it slowly froths in the water, hypnotic swirling silver luster is released and the deep green exterior soon gives way to a rich, wine-colored center. Just like at the Feast of Fools, when the wine begins flowing, the revelry really begins! Popping candies fizz and crackle, creating a world of magic and mischief right before your eyes.

Northern Lights Bath Bomb - new item! this was my bath bomb pick.. and with a name like Northern Lights, I am expecting some serious action!

I dont see this as a single item for sale online (its part of a package), but here is a description from the Lush blog -- The customer favorite jasmine-ylang ylang perfume of our best selling Christmas Eve Bubble Bar has been infused into our brand new Northern Lights Bath Bomb. This cylindrical-shaped bomb will swirl and fizz every which way in your tub, painting a gorgeous image of the vibrant aurora borealis against a shimmering indigo night sky. Its relaxing perfume, which has calmed many nerves on Christmas Eves past, will ease your mind and make your troubles feel as far away as the twinkling stars in the sky.

The Christmas Hedgehog Bubble Bar - new item! I have a kid who LOVES bubble baths, so I always try to keep a bubble bar or two on hand. This little guy was too cute to pass up! There were 2 choices, blue or white, but both seemed to smell the same. A little goes a long way with the bubble bars. I can usually get about 6 baths out of one bubble bar depending on their size. You can pinch a little off & drop it in the tub under the running water, but I prefer to hold in in my hand and smush as the water runs for optimal bubbling. (we take bubble baths serious in our house!) If the bubbles start running low and you're not done relaxing, use a cup & pour water to reactivate your bubbles.

Description from Lush.com - If you're feeling a little prickly this festive season, hop in the tub with this indulgent floral bubbler! Made with softening shea and cocoa butters and a seriously relaxing blend of floral essential oils, this adorable hedgehog is sure to melt frosty winter moods. Crumble him under running water and sink into silky waters scented with soothing lavender, rose and ylang-ylang oils --the day's troubles will soon seem VERY far away!

I'm looking forward to trying my new goodies soon!

Are you a Lush fan? What new, or old standbys, have you used lately?

~Ashley~

Review: Super Tarts - Anniversary Order

One of my guilty pleasures in life is wax melts. 

I love to have decadent aromas dispersing through my house. My very favorite scent would have to be anything involving cinnamon, and it has to be the 'in your face' cinnamon. Every year I patiently wait for fall in anticipation of it "being acceptable" to douse my house in this glorious odor. 

I began my love with wax melts with scentsy, but my bestie The Redolent Mermaid has been introducing me to the wonders of small business wax creations. Stalking her blog has become part of my nightly ritual, as I await the revealing of her latest waxy goodies. When I saw a review for Super Tarts, I knew I needed to get in on this vendor. 

Themed wax to make your favorite shows & books come alive?! 

(woooo!! geek girl moment!! <3 *ahem* back to the wax....)

There have been a few openings recently & I managed to place 2 orders! Ohhhh yeah!!! *fist pump!* The first was a custom order, which I am still waiting on. The second order was from the 1 year anniversary opening on October 28th. Since I'm in the middle of a big move, the turn around time didn't seem very long to me. I received my shipping notification on December 2nd & my package arrived on December 11th. My shipping length is a reflection upon the joys of overseas mail, but I believe most packages make it through the mail in 2-4 days.

My order arrived triple wrapped in priority flat rate bubble mailers with a scent list & free sample. One of my clam shells arrived broken, but I attribute that to the length of time it spent in the postal system, as well as the distance it had to travel.

I was extremely tempted by all the choices available, but finally settled on an even number of 6.

The following descriptions were provided courtesy of Super Tarts.

Tie Me Up - Vanilla Bean Champagne and Strawberries

Jaws - Sea Salt, Fresh Air, Sea Grass, Sliced Plum and Sweet Pear. This is an amazing spa blend!

White Walkers - Spearmint, Peppermint, Fresh Mint Leaf and VBN

Ravenclaw - Blue Raspberry and Lavender

Katniss - Eucalyptus & Lemon Curd

Beauty and the Beast - Sweet Blackberries and Magically Delicious

 I am waiting to move into our house for melting, but below are my impressions from first sniffs.

Tie Me Up - The mix of vanilla champagne and strawberry is sweet but enjoyable. I was a little worried picking this one because I tend to stay away from fake strawberry smells. However, the strawberry smells neither fake nor overpowering. Both scents come across well balanced.

Jaws - First, the blood splatter... LOVE IT!! it made my geek soul giggle when i first saw it. This is a deliciously relaxing scent. I could see melting this during "me time". It's a very interesting but pleasant combination. I'm curious to see how it changes when melted.

White Walkers - This was a pick for my husband who is in love with the Game of Thrones books/show. I am loving this combination of mint! However,it's not coming across as potent as i was expecting. It may be a personal thing, I've been leaning toward bold, in your face scents lately. The extra attention to detail with the crumbles is a fun choice. I'm hoping this has a strong throw when melting.

Ravenclaw - the blue raspberry is a little sweeter than i was anticipating. I was expecting more tartness & more lavendar. This is on the sweet side for me, but we'll see if it mellows with melting.

Katniss - oh my goodness, can i just bury myself in this for awhile?? strong, potent eucalyptus & lemony curd goodness that powers right through your sinuses! I am a big fan of eucalyptus... I can see this being a fantastic cure for the sniffles!

Beauty and the Beast- both my husband & I could smell this one upon opening the packaging... the super sweet smell was pretty potent. It's not a bad smell, but I'm not really feeling it. I'm not sure if the sweet blackberries adds to what I'm smelling, or if the magically delicious is just that strong.. but we'll give it a whirl in the warmer and see what happens!

Free Sample 

Vanilla Spearmint - upon sniffing my sample, it seemed mellow enough to melt in our small hotel room without overwhelming our senses. When i first sniffed, the vanilla seemed to barely be pushing through the spearmint. Once melted, it mellowed into a subtle note and mixed with the spearmint giving me the impression of a bubblegum. A fun scent, but not something that I would repurchase.

So there you have it.. my very first wax review! 

What favorite scents have you dropped in the warmer lately?

~Ashley~

Japan Eats: Curry & Ramen

We are just a few days shy of having been in Japan for an entire month.

What an amazing month it has been!!

One thing I love about the military community is how quickly people draw you into their circle of friends. We are so blessed to be joining another fabulous LRS/POL family! Our new friends have taken us off base for some sightseeing & shopping, helped us find a car, shown us a few local food joints, and even opened their homes so we could enjoy a home cooked Thanksgiving. So even though we are still living in the hotel, we are having a fabulous time!

In the short month we have been here, we are already falling in love with Japanese food! I was looking forward to sushi before getting here, but i'm pretty addicted to ramen at the moment. Oh, and also Melon Fanta... *sigh* fantaaaaaa..... but I'll save that for another post...

 As crazy as it may seem, my first Japanese Ramen experience was in a mall food court!

Eating in a Japanese mall food court was quite the experience. First, you have to tackle ordering. This is basically looking at the pictures & then pointing on the menu when they ask what you want. I'm sure as time goes on, I'll start figuring out which words mean what, but for now I'm ok with looking at pictures. :) Our food was served in nice dishes with broth spoons & reusable chopsticks, as the Japanese are very into recycling & protecting the environment.

My bowl of ramen (left) was topped with a piece of pork, sliced mushroom stems, green onions, & crunchy bean sprouts. David enjoyed a kids meal of dumplings & ramen with corn and bean sprouts.

Our next food adventure, was a family trip to CoCo's Curry House!

We had heard about how awesome CoCo's was from friends who had already lived here, so we were very excited to go enjoy some curry! CoCo's did not disappoint!!

Located next to Fussa Station, Coco's Curry House is a small but enjoyable food stop. The menu offered a selection of suggested curry combinations, as well as a "make your own". (with descriptions translated into English)

I enjoyed Seafood Curry (shrimp, clams, & cuddle fish) at a Spice Level 3.

The spice levels run from zero, regular, & then 1 - 10.

This was the best curry I have ever eaten! Hubby was laughing at me as the spiciness was causing my eyes to water & my lips to tingle, but it was a delicious burn!! (He only ordered a 2, by the way). I have plans to work my way up to a 10 before we leave, but for now the 3 will do.

Our next experience with authentic ramen took us to Arashi's!

 

It actually took us 3 attempts to find this place, but it was well worth it!

A unique feature of Arashi's is that the menu is vending machine style. You insert your yen, push the button with the picture of what you want, & the machine spits out a ticket which is given to your server. I was so excited that I forgot to take a picture. This was another adventure in picture ordering, which makes for a fun surprise when your food comes out! :)

I chose my dish because of the pretty swirly thing... and it was DELICIOUS!!

My meal came with pork, seaweed, green onions, sliced mushroom stems, half a boiled egg, & a pretty swirly (which I later learned is a fish cake). 

Hubby chose a meal that came with beef, sliced mushroom stems, bean sprouts, green onions, & a raw egg (which only cooked a little in the hot broth before he ate it).

We are loving experiencing a new culture, new foods & making new friends!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
~Ashley~