That Time of Year Again: Nordstrom’s Half Yearly Sale

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Contains some affiliate links.

Images from Nordstrom.com

The Half-Yearly Women’s Sale is in full swing (the sale ends June 4th. If there is anything you are on the fence about purchasing do it now!)  so I had to check it out. This is the best time to shop the Nordstrom sale because many high quality items go for anything between 30% and 50% off! Those are pretty good numbers in my book! Helpful Hint: If you don’t find what you’re looking for keep an eye on the Nordstrom sale tab because most of their non-luxury items end up there at some point or other during the year.

The sale is site wide and in-store, hitting women, men, home and accessories so there is bound to be something of interest to you!

Below are my picks for good clothes choices for people with RA These make one of the more common symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis more manageable. As a Spoonie, I look for an easy fit, makes difficult Rheumatoid movement easier (ie. zippers, buttons, etc), and comes in fun colors that brighten my mood.

What do you think of the items I chose? Do you like them too?

 the Rite of Aging...Early's Best of the Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale: NIC + ZOE '4 Way' Convertible Three Quarter Sleeve CardiganThis awesome NIC+ZOE Convertible Wrap is the perfect soft material to get in and out of easily without moving my shoulders too much. It is comfortable and does not apply unneeded pressure to any sensitive joints! The color is fun and jovial! Right up my alley.

the Rite of Aging...Early's Best of the Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale: Sanuk 'Yoga Sling' SandalI already own these Sanuk Yoga Sling Sandals and absolutely love them. The bottom is nice and squishy so it super comfortable on the feet (my most painful joints). The bands are super soft and easy to open without stressing the fingers too much. Another added bonus is how well they fit my skinny little ankle! Over time the bottom will compress and the bands will expand but for $40 I really can’t lose! There are other solid colors like white, burgundy and black but the print just screams summer to me!

 

the Rite of Aging...Early's Best of Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale: Bobeau Cold Shoulder Slub Knit TeeThis Cold Shoulder Slub Knit Top from Bobeau is my quintessential summer top in one of my favorite colors! The material is very thin but it is perfectly billowy and cool. It allows good air flow so my body won’t get sweaty and uncomfortable. The sleeves are a little more tricky to get into but they are soft and don’t mind a little stretch! Orange not your color, no worries, there are plenty more!

 

the Rite of Aging...Early's Best of Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale: BP Faux Suede Beaded Wrap NecklaceWrap necklaces are all the rage and adorn almost every fashion blogger’s neck. For the first time, I actually like the style of an on-trend piece and this one from BP has the right amount of cord and pizazz. This might take a little shoulder, wrist, and finger manipulation but if you suffer from steroid ‘moon face’ and have extra bloating in your face and neck, the wraps will trick the eye into thinking you look thinner!

 

the Rite of Aging...Early's Best of Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale: SOCIALITE Metallic PulloverI am a tight pants, slouchy top kind of person and during the summer I go extra with the top. I want something bright, fun, and easy to put on like this SOCIALITE Metallic Pullover. The fabric is light and malleable so it provides a slight barrier against any winds that want to slap at my already sensitive joints.

 

the Rite of Aging...Early's Best of Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale: kate spade new york HomeWomenHandbags & WalletsShoulder Bags Size Info 10If you are a Spoonie and a fashionista it is no secret that a new accessory in your favorite print just puts you in a better mood which in turns lessens the symptoms of your autoimmune. Good use of psychology, right?? I love Chanel tweed and this kate spade new york purse is similar at a fraction of the cost! I would so carry this on the days I need an extra pick-me-up.

 

What did you think of my picks? Are you going to try out these pieces? Did you try any others? Let me know in the comments!

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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The Best Burgundy Eye Shadow Palette – Anastasia of Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Review

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I FINALLY got my hands on the Anastasia of Beverly Hills (ABH) Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette after months of it being sold out online. Initially, I thought there was just a bunch of hype because of ABH’s cult product, Brow Whiz so you may ask “why bother buying it, Monica?”…Well, I had nothing like it in my collection and like every good beauty junkie it was important to flesh it out!

I was actually blown away by this palette. There is a reason why everyone raves about it. It is the best burgundy eye shadow palette I have ever tried. In my experience, red eye shadows are patchy and powder-y and the color is too cool to look good on the eyes but the Anastasia of Beverly Hills pink shadows are a little more warm toned so they pair nicely against the skin. ABH is known for their brow products but you have to give their shadows a try.

This palette is on the more expensive side ($42.00 at Sephora) but this is one of the few where I can use all the colors (even the lighter ones which will make great highlighters). I am really happy I purchased it!

Check out swatches and eye looks below!

Anastasia of Beverly Hills Eye Shadow Palette Review - Best Pink Pigmented Eye Shadow PaletteAnastasia of Beverly Hills Eye Shadow Palette Review - Best Pink Pigmented Eye Shadow Palette

Anastasia of Beverly Hills Eye Shadow Palette Review - Best Pink Pigmented Eye Shadow Palette

I was highly impressed by how pigmented these shadows were, even the warmer, matte shades. I guess now, with so much competition, it’s not an option for brands to put out patchy, powdery ones. The ABH palette is one of the most pigmented palettes I’ve tried and with that, the shadows are so buttery and easy to blend. There is fall out but nothing near to Lorac’s. I would however use a guard under my eyes for easy-clean up.

These shadows held up so well! I generally wear my eye makeup for 8 hours and I did not have to touch up my look at all. The colors stay put, did not fade or crease over that time.

If a full red look is not what you’re after there are plenty of neutral shades to play with (matte and shimmery) so the magentas can be saved for a pretty pop of color.

Anastasia of Beverly Hills Eye Shadow Palette Review - Swatches First RowTop Row

Anastasia of Beverly Hills Eye Shadow Palette Review - Swatches Second RowBottom Row – Note: Red Ochre was the only one I thought was kind of (read, very) patchy.

The above swatches were done over primer and powder (the base of my usual eye looks). Did you know applying powder over primer helps powder shadows blend better?

Anastasia of Beverly Hills Eye Shadow Palette Review - Best Pink Pigmented Eye PaletteAnastasia of Beverly Hills Eye Shadow Palette Review - Best Pink Pigmented Eye PaletteHave you tried Anastasia of Beverly Hill’s Modern Renaissance Eye Palette? What do you think? Do you rave about it as much as I do or do you have different feelings? Let me know in the comments below!

 

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Born Pretty Store Review – Plaid Water Decal Nails (+ Tutorial)

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Products provided for review. All opinions remain my own.

As you guys very well know, I swear by water decal nail art. Water decals are easy to use, create incomprehensibly complicated looks and make you/feel look like a professional artist. They are perfect for autoimmune and chronic pain sufferers.

Look, the truth of the matter is us Spoonies love beauty but many of us can’t manage the physical aspect of it. That’s where these great nail art hacks, like water decal nails, come into play.

Scroll down for photos and a quick review on these inexpensive and cute plaid decals from Born Pretty Store.

When I saw these plaid designs I couldn’t help but place them in my cart. I have a soft spot for water decals and for plaid so if you combine them, you have my heart!

I was very impressed with these decals. I soaked them for only a few seconds and detached them easily from their backing. I had no issues placing them and they did not move around once I did. I did not experience bunching or creasing. I did experience a bit of tearing near the edges but, given the pattern, it was barely noticeable.

The best part about these is the white color is completely opaque!! I did not need a base color, just a base coat, and I was all set. So many wins and so little polish wasted!

What do you think? Is this something you’d wear? Scroll to the bottom for my water decal tutorial!

 

Born Pretty Store Full Nail Water Decal Review in PlaidBorn Pretty Store Full Nail Water Decal Review in PlaidBorn Pretty Store Full Nail Water Decal Review in Plaid

Born Pretty Store Full Nail Plaid Water Decals

 


 

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Easy Glitter Gradient || Nail Art

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Sometimes all you want is simple glitter nails and nothing is easier or more arthritis friendly than applying glitter to just the tips of your nails. All you do is take a foam eye shadow applicator, load up the polish and dab away. Stress even less with a peel off base product. You don’t have to rub at your fingers with drying acetone just peel the polish right off!

For this look, I dug into my collection and pulled out an old (very old) Milani polish that still works well. Even though it is a glitter topper it stains my nails every time I use it! I don’t mind though because it’s so freaking pretty. For a little extra flair (because why not) I added some holographic nail topper goodness as well.

Enjoy!

Scroll down to see simple glitter gradient tutorial!

 

Simple and Easy Glitter Gradient with Milani Hot Pink, Revlon Holographic Pearls and OPI Freedom to PeachSimple and Easy Glitter Gradient with Milani Hot Pink, Revlon Holographic Pearls and OPI Freedom to PeachSimple and Easy Glitter Gradient with Milani Hot Pink, Revlon Holographic Pearls and OPI Freedom to PeachSimple and Easy Glitter Gradient with Milani Hot Pink, Revlon Holographic Pearls and OPI Freedom to PeachSimple and Easy Glitter Gradient with Milani Hot Pink, Revlon Holographic Pearls and OPI Freedom to PeachBase: OPI Freedom to Peach

Gradient: Revlon Holographic Pearls, Milani Hot Pink (old formula)


ready for take off       holographic pearls      opifreedomtopeach

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Green to Grey Gradient || Nail Art

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Gradient nail art designs sit in the middle of the arthritis friendly scale. These easy nail art techniques require a sponge and the light dabbing motion that could affect the wrist. Otherwise, gradient nail designs are very simple to do. If you are not in a flare and are feeling particularly strong…this is another technique to add to your arsenal!

I adore gradients especially because they take two unlikely colors and blend them together beautifully.

I recently went through my polish collection and found some favorite Barry M polishes hidden in my stash and I had to use them. (FYI USA readers — Barry M is a UK drugstore brand that is amazing…unfortunately it is extremely difficult to get stateside.)

The gradient I made was looking slightly bare so I added some fun Pueen water decals on top. And yes, water decals are the most arthritis friendly nail art technique ever.

Want to make your own gradient? Scroll all the way down to the end for a tutorial by Nail Career Education. The woman rambles a bit but she gives some good tips to achieving this fun nail art look.

Enjoy!

 

Grey to Green Nail Art with Barry M and Pueen Cosmetics

Grey to Green Gradient Nail Art with Barry M and Pueen CosmeticsGradient: Barry M Key Lime (green), Chai (grey)

Water Decals: Pueen Cosmetics set of water decals

Items are linked below!


chai          key lime          pueen water decals


Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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#AtoZChallenge – M is for Marmalade

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Here is the next installment of the Furry Friends tag! Today, I answer the questions for Marmalade who is my oldest and first pet! She holds a special place in my heart and I in hers. After all, she does think she’s my mother!

Enjoy!

 

IMG_4040What is your pet’s name?

Marmalade. Her “birth” name was Samantha. She is sooo not a Samantha!

 

What kind of pet is she and what breed?

She is a feline tabby. A tabby is basically the mutt of the feline world.

 

SleepingHow long have you had your pet friend?

Almost 15 years.

 

How did you get your pet friend?

We adopted Marmalade one week after my mother passed away in August 2002. She was one year old. She was a “hospital cat” at the clinic I work at. Her owner could not take Marmalade to her new apartment and asked the vet to find her a new home. The first time we met she just rolled over onto her back and showed us her belly. We knew she was ours.

She must have picked up on something because she immediately took on the role of “mom”. She protected and took care of me.

She is a very maternal and loving cat!

MarmaladeandMEHow old is your pet?

She will be 16 in July.

 

What are some quirky things about your pet?

She loves the color red.

She looks and acts like a 5-7 year old. Nobody believes she is actually 16 because she has boundless energy and is still as limber as a kitten.

She is the alpha of the house and she knows it. She controls everyone, gets first dibs at the litter box and gets the most attention. This being said, she is surprisingly benign to Sunsilk. Marmalade lets her eat first and does not crowd her.

As she has gotten older, though, Marmalade has become more jealous. She needs more attention and sometimes does not let Sunsilk near me! I guess this is a consequence of aging.

 

Marmalade Face

What does your relationship to your pet mean to you?

She takes care of and protects me (in her own way). She sticks to me like glue whenever I am sick. She will wait until I fall asleep to eat, drink and use the litter box and she will beat up anyone who comes near me. I can’t ask for a better protector than her!

She is the best first cat I could have asked for. She is patient and loving and lets me get away with a whole lot like pinching her ears and pulling her whiskers.

Without her, I would not have gotten through half the “downs” in my life.

IMG_3895What are some of your favorite past times with your pet?

Honestly, just being together. Whenever she is with me I feel safe.

 

Nicknames?

Parmpi, Parmpi-Marmpi, Gorg (short for gorgeous), Bestest Friend in the Whole Wide World (magic words for her to stop grumbling…seriously!)

 

DSCN0018-001Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

 

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Stars Shining So Bright || Born Pretty Store Nail Art & Review

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Items provided for review.

Contains some affiliate links.

Nail vinyls or pattern guides are extremely useful if you have arthritis. With quick easy placement and a little dab dab dab of polish you get minute patterns that are definitely not possible during flares. The guides make intricate details into simple nail art designs without the work or precision. These create the perfect arthritis friendly nail art.

Of course, go figure, my experience with vinyls is rather limited for a couple of reasons. First, the designs are usually too big for my nails and second, I prefer unrestrained designs over patterns.

However, when I saw these small vinyls on Born Pretty Store I hard to try them because these really had to be small enough and I just love stars. Scroll through for my thoughts on this product.

This looks also serves for one of the 26 Great Nail Art Ideas Challenge – Yellow with a bright bold color. Nothing says bold like black on yellow. Right? Don’t forget to check out everyone else’s looks. There are some really great ones this week!

Interested? Check out cutepolish’s tutorial at the very end of the post.

 

Born Pretty Store Stars - Nail Vinyl/Guide ReviewThese vinyls are ultra-sticky. Generally, pattern guides are only slightly tacky so they don’t uproot the polish underneath so to make sure this didn’t happen I let my polish dry for at least two hours. That’s a little long, in my opinion. However, that being said, the stickers stick so well that polish does not seep underneath and I get a very crisp line after pulling them off. The smudges you see are solely my human-error.

Another plus, is these actually fit my nails! I don’t just get one full star and maybe a couple of points here and there. I get enough that I see the repeating pattern. Win.

I’ll definitely use these guides again. I get extra use out of one pack because I cut one sticker in half and use it on two nails! Yes, my nails are that short.

 

Born Pretty Store Stars - Nail Vinyl/Guide ReviewBorn Pretty Store has really upped their game over the last couple of years. I’ve been reviewing their products for two years and have noticed a definite difference in the quality of their products. Even with that, their prices remain low. I am pretty sure they have some of the lowest prices!

Go check out their huge nail art selection here and if you choose to place an order don’t forget to use my 10% off discount code because, why not save a little money.*

 

Born Pretty Store Stars - Nail Vinyl/Guide Review with Zoya OpalBase: American Apparel Neon Yellow (discontinued), Zoya Opal (discontinued)

Details: SinfulColors Secret Admirer, Born Pretty Store Star Pattern Vinyls

 


SinfulColors in Secret Admirer  Born Pretty Store Star Pattern Nail Vinyl Guides

 

 

 

 

 

*I do not get any compensation when people use my discount code. It’s just there for my followers benefit!

Born Pretty Store 10% off code

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