Ipsy in Review-March

Ooh la la! March's Ipsy was French in theme! Featuring a chic pale pink fold-over mini clutch for the bag. I am SOLD! Ipsy has no way of knowing this but, it's my dream to visit France one day. So when my Ipsy arrived with a Parisian theme, I was delighted! 

The theme colors of the bag and the contents inside remind me that Spring is near and that makes my soul happy! This little bag is just a darling! From the design to the shade of pink!

 


This So Susan Blush & Go peaked my interest right off the bat. It self adjusts to your skin tone, making the guessing game of how much to apply a thing of the past. I LOVE this. It was very complimentary to my pale skin tone!

I always get giddy when I see a new tool to use in my Glam Bag! I was needing a blending brush and this one works just fine! I'll definitely get good use out of it.

From Tarte cosmetics, I received this tarteist quick dry matte lip paint in rose' shade. This product performs. The color is elegant and went along with the French theme just perfectly.

This Disappearing Ink 4-in-1 Concealer worked ok. Yes, just ok. It's one of those products I would use if someone gave it to me but for purchasing something like this, I would need the product to perform better. I have other concealers that do a much better job.

Then there was this right here. Milk to foam Coconut Milk pure mild cleanser by Neogen. Vivian (the teen) grabbed it and ran off with it. She's been using it and says she's in love with it! You're welcome, Vivian....😐

Anybody else have a teen that takes off with their stuff?

I was a big fan, overall of the soft and subtle vibe this Glam Bag offered. It was a month of great goodies that are sure to become some of my favorites!

Spring is starting off exquisite! I look forward to April!

Want to sign up for Ipsy? Use my referral link and tell them I sent you!

My Ipsy Referral

Catch up with what I have gotten in my past Ipsy Glam Bags!

My Ipsy Glam Bag for February

My Ipsy Glam Bag for January

If you're a YouTube Fan, you can click the link and check out my "unbagging" video! Don't forget to give it a thumb's up AND subscribe to our channel!

March Ipsy Unbagging On YouTube

Do YOU have a monthly beauty box type subscription?

Which one?

Do you love it?

Comment and tell me all about it! Until next time, love to you all!

Stacey

Let's Talk Food-The DAT MAC Edition!

This one goes out to all the "foodies" in the house. If you love food and all things edible, you will LOVE reading this one! Today's stop, one of my family's favorite places to grub down. Did I mention it's a food truck? Yes, a food truck. Food trucks are NOT what they used to be. Remember when they were either scary or delicious and there was just no in between? These days, food trucks are a THING. A big thing! Delightful, whimsical and enchanting. You can find all cuisines represented in a food truck if you look hard enough. Food that amounts to fine dining but with a laid back atmosphere. Kind of a picnic feel to it. 

Here in Southeast TX, we have a food truck that is a community favorite! The ultimate comfort food in a food truck by the name of Dat Mac!

Dat Mac is a gourmet mac n cheese eatery on wheels. They pride themselves on using the highest quality ingredients from as many local vendors as possible making their dishes delicious, fresh, and healthy! 

Let me tell you, they may be healthy but MAN are they FILLING! These dishes are unlike any mac n cheese dishes you have ever eaten. 

Depending on when you visit, you'll have different menu items to choose from. The week we went, I was elated to see a bill of fare full of things I had been wanting to try but hadn't yet! I decided to snap up a bowl of their signature dish. Feast your eyes on Dat Mac! This is their classic homestyle mac n cheese topped with loads of cheddar! I had this dish and also decided to try the Macadilla! I hear people on my Facebook boasting about that one all the time so I had to give it a go!

It's a quesadilla with MAC N CHEESE IN IT!! Let that soak in for a moment! Not only the mac n cheese but it also has (among other amazing ingredients) a house made sriracha ranch sauce. (Drooling yet?)

Our 9 year old son shocked the family by going WAY out of his comfort zone and ordering the Buffalo Chicken Mac! The topping you are seeing that looks so inviting is bleu cheese crumbles, bread crumbs, and house made ranch! Dat Mac has a way of turning even the pickiest of eaters in to fans of whatever!




If I am forced to give you my pick of just ONE item to try on your first visit, I have to go with the Dat Stroganoff. This is the BEST TASTING Stroganoff I have ever eaten. Ever. This dish features wide egg noodles and baby portabella mushrooms. Then they top with parmesan and chives. It's indescribably flavorful on so many levels. My husband ordered this one and I stold some bites! 

He also had to give the Aaron's Texas No Bean Chili a test drive. He was NOT disappointed!

I washed my dinner down with this Sugar Land Sweet Tea by Texas Tea. Made with Imperial Pure Cane Sugar, it was the perfect beverage to compliment my delicious eats!

Even baby Emma was impressed. She got a full tummy!

You can find the Dat Mac truck at their usual spot parked outside Bonnie Cokino's School of Dance. Make sure to check their Facebook Page for any scheduling changes AND to view this week's menu!

Dat Mac on Facebook

You can also connect with them on Twitter!

Dat Mac on Twitter

There's a reason Dat Mac is award winning. Don't take my word for it though, go try it for yourself! Tell them we sent you!

As if the pictures in the post aren't tempting enough, take a closer look at our dining experience by watching this YouTube video! (Preview, there's SLOW MO close ups of the items in this program. You cannot miss it!)

YouTube Video...Family Dat Mac Trip!

I hope you will visit Dat Mac and let us know what you liked best! Talk to you soon and as always, love to you all!

Stacey

Center Stage Style of the Week-Volume 7

Volume 7 of Center Stage Style of the Week is here and this time, we're going to do an Owner's Choice. I have had such an overwhelming response to a new product I added to the boutique, that I couldn't help but feel the need to feature it! As with everything else I stock in the online boutique, I use this stuff myself. My family started using it too and they love it as much as I do. I'm actually hearing fights over it... 

I sell out of it fast each time I stock it and end up having to re-order again and again.

Say HELLO to your new best friend! A Whitening Toothpaste like you have never used before! 

Friends, these are my personal results after three weeks of use, pictured below.

I work in social media and post A LOT of selfies. Prior to finding this toothpaste, lots of my selfies were closed mouth. You can scroll through my personal Facebook feed and see that for yourself. I had SO MANY people comment and tell me I should smile. Well, I didn't feel comfortable because my teeth were discolored after years of drinking coffee, tea and the like. Even though I had been using popular store brands of whitening toothpaste. Even though I tried a whitening kit. All that has changed now. I can SMILE FOR DAYS!! My teeth look GREAT!!

AND...I am getting messages EVERY...SINGLE...DAY from happy customers. 

This customer needs tubes for work and and extra...

This one is amazed at her new smile!!

I cannot tell you enough how it makes me grin from the inside out to know this stuff is bringing my clients more confidence. I am seeing toothy grins all over my Facebook now and I am LOVING IT!! If you work in social media and need to post pics of yourself, this stuff is for you. It will give you a smile upgrade like no other! It makes selfies with bold lips spectacular! 

That's why this LIFE BRIGHTENING toothpaste is my Owner's Choice for Center Stage Style of the Week!!

Here's a link to check it out in the online boutique.

Whitening Paste

You can also go and "like" the Facebook Fan Page so you can see customer reviews and updates on the product!

Sassy Grace N Charm Facebook

If you've missed any of the previous Center Stage Style of the Week posts, you can see them by clicking the links below.

CSSOTW-Volume 6

CSSOTW-Volume 5

CSSOTW-Volume 4

You can also access the archived volumes by going to the blog list on my main blog page! Or just click below!

Sassy Grace N Charm Blog Main Page

Thanks for tuning in and allowing me to share this amazing product with you guys! Until next time, love to you ALL!

Stacey

Center Stage Style of the Week-Volume 6

As I wind down the Center Stage Style of the Week Series, I want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone that participated and everyone that read the posts. It's been a lot of fun. I'll be doing just a few more and then the series will go in to retirement until next season as we get ready for Summer time around here! 

I have such a fun guest for you today. She is a very sweet girl I met through mutual Facebook friends. She's an Associate Director with Keep Collective. I have ordered special custom pieces from her to represent my Boutique, my hobbies and special interests and I LOVE everything Keep has. I also love that many of their pieces mean something inspiring. 

Give a warm welcome to....

Amanda Nabbefeld!!

Amanda actually helped me design my very first Keep. She loves helping people create things that mean something to them. 

This Keep represents my business! One of my favorite things about Keep is, these bands are reversible! I can get several looks out of this set that I purchased. 

Amanda is also a Momma with a son that plays Baseball so naturally, she chose the "Love the Game" Baseball Tee to star the Center Stage this week!

Amanda had this to say about why she loves this tee!

"I am a baseball loving Mom and my favorite color is red. I am not a fancy dresser and this is totally my style!"

It's a must for you to check out Keep and what it's all about. I'll be ordering frequently. I can think of a list of people that I buy gifts for that would love to have a piece designed by me just for them. If you need help designing, Amanda LOVES to help her clients AND Keep has this awesome design studio on their website too. You can click around and add and remove items until your Keep is exactly the way you want it. It's tons of fun!

Here's Amanda's link!

Amanda's Keep Link

Need to play catch up on the series? Check out the previous volumes of Center Stage Style of the Week!

Volume 5

Volume 4

Volume 3

If you want to check out the tee from this post, click here .

Until next time and as always, love to you all!

Stacey

Center Stage Style of the Week-Volume 5

As I welcome you to Volume 5 of The Center Stage Style of the Week, I am simply bursting at the seems to share my guest star. Her blog is, in a word, eloquently written and composed. She frequently pairs food and fashion, often coupling wines with meals and arranging her outfit to match the occasion. She has stunning style that's all her own. She has an amazing following on Instagram because of her works and she deserves every success that has come her way. 

I introduce, Jennifer Quattrucci from mommyteacherfashionista  !!!!

Jennifer's Instagram caught my eye one day while I was working because of her IG handle. As my frequent readers know, my sister is a Kindergarten Teacher and so is Jennifer! I saw her handle and popped on to her IG feed to see what she was all about and I have been a sold out fan ever since!

Jennifer loves to express herself through fashion and entertaining. She studied early childhood education, theater, communication and literature and teaches in the inner city of Providence. She started Mommyteacherfashionista with the hopes of inspiring creativity and originality. I can attest that for myself, this has been true. I learn so much about style from her pictures and posts. I highly recommend both her blog and following her on Instagram. You won't be disappointed! 

She chose the "Forever Flawless Dress" and "The Perfect Plaid Scarf" to star the Center Stage this week. I decided to send the outfit for her to model. I just knew she would put her touch on the pairing it would be stunning. I am so glad I did! WOW! She looks astonishing! 

Jennifer's thoughts behind why she hand picked these items from the boutique? 

"I actually love everything in your fun and versatile collection but I chose the Forever Flawless dress because I love the shade of grey, so soft and elegant and also love the way the fabric moves so fluidly, making it easy to style and layer. The scarf is the ultimate in classic plaid and also so easy to grab when you want to add warmth or color or flair to a look!" 

I am always eager to see what Jennifer adds to her wardrobe choices to put her signature on it and I was thrilled when she sent me these pics! Another remarkable ensemble and I am ecstatic to have joined forces with this beautiful lady! 

You'll be missing out if you don't go and check out her blog!

Mommy Teacher Fashionista Blog 

And follow her on Instagram! Her feed is inspirational, stylish and classy!

Mommy Teacher Fashionista Instagram

Need to catch up on the CCSOTW? Check out the last 2 Volumes. Volume 3 features my sister/Kindergarten Teacher!

Click to read Volume 4

Click to read Volume 3

If you want a Forever Flawless Dress like Jennifer's, you can buy one for yourself in the boutique!

Forever Flawless Dress

I hope you all have a lovely week and as always, love to you ALL!

Stacey

Ipsy in Review-February

There was nothing but LOVE in my Ipsy Glam Bag for February! Let me tell you ALL about it! I was curious to see what I would receive this month. With Valentine's Day being in the same month, I had a feeling the Ipsy creators would intertwine the Holiday and the Bag and I wondered what that marriage would be like! Since Valentine's Day has a red/pink color scheme and pink happens to be my favorite color, I was hoping I would get something in Pink! 

The theme for this Glam Bag was "Staying in is the new going out" type glam and I couldn't agree more. We don't go out much in our household and I just can't imagine why a girl can't get a little fresh face glam on to sit on the couch and binge watch some Netflix.

The actual bag, itself is a soft feeling denim with a laid back vibe!

My hope for something in pink came true with this blush brush by Luxie Beauty! It's a rose color. It's a very easy brush to use and elegant in style. Very easy to look at. A great addition to your "tool" collection!

 I was thrilled to see both a bronzer AND a highlighter in my bag! The WHATUP BEACHES bronzer by Elizabeth Mott made the cut. No orange tones and it wasn't overly dark which are my two pet peeves in a bronzer. The IBY Beauty highlighter in Bubbly is my new favorite highlighter! I did an Ipsy review back in December where I was beaming over a new liquid type highlighter by Josie Maran. This new highlighter from this month would be a similar powder version as far as the shade goes. I fell in love with that shade and now I have a powder version too! 😍

I also got another LIPPIE! You guys should know how much I love lippies by now. NYX is a beauty on a budget brand. It's durable and gets high marks and reviews in it's category. I am such a fan of this Lifeguard shade. It's just exquisite. 

Here I am in the lippie, bronzer, highlighter, and having used the blush brush to apply my blush!

I also got a Resurfacing Moisture Mask by True Botanicals. I finally got around to using it last night and WOW. The difference in my skin right after and on through to this morning was very noticeable. My face has been feeling pretty dry lately, despite my moisturizing efforts. It happens this time of year. But this mask fixed my problem in one use! 

Ipsy for February was another success in my book. As Spring gets closer, I am excited to see how the Glam Bag changes and what's included!

Want to check out the Josie Maran highlighter from December? Read my December Ipsy Review

Want to sign up for Ipsy? Click my referral link and tell 'em I sent you!!

My Ipsy Referral Link

Wishing you many chic and stylish days to come! Until next time, love to you ALL!

Stacey

Center Stage Style of the Week-Volume 4

Here we meet again. Another volume of the Center Stage Style of the Week! I can't believe it's been 4 weeks already! It's been such a lighthearted pleasure to team up with some amazing ladies to bring you their styles and let you get to know them a little. I truly am surrounded by a great tribe. 

A big welcome to The Sassy Grace N Charm Life Blog goes to...Courtney Walker!!

A bit about who she is! She's a former 6th grade English teacher, and former Younique Presenter. While she was working with Younique, she loved creating her own fun games and images for her business and those within her team. As time went on, her images reached hundreds of other women within the company, so it inspired her to start a Facebook group specifically to help Younique Presenters with graphics. She started it with 20 women. It now has over 13,000 members. She had many women ask her to make images for them, wanting to pay her for her work. And because she had such a demand out, she decided to focus on being a graphic designer, and took a step away from doing Younique. She is now a freelance graphic designer and loving it! She designs anything from social media games to wedding/graduation announcements. But most of her work is geared towards direct sellers. She has designed many logos and images for presenters and representatives alike. She is completely self-taught, but has been learning since high school, almost eight years now. She is a work-from-home mom with two beautiful children. She has a daughter who will be 3 in May, and recently had a son 2 months ago. Besides doing graphic design, she loves shopping! She loves seeing what the new trends in fashion are and trying out new looks. She also loves to play video games with her husband of 6 years, who is a software developer.

Her choice from my boutique to star the center stage this week happens to be one of my current favorites and her and I share similar reasons!

She chose the "Broad Daylight" Tee! 

Courtney's thoughts on the tee?

"I LOVE the “Broad Daylight” Tee! I feel like pattern mixing is so trendy right now, especially when you mix stripes with floral. You can wear it casually with jeans, or pair it with a skirt to church. And as a graphic designer, I like clothes that have a bit of a graphic punch, like this shirt! It’s fun and perfect for the upcoming Spring weather!"

Yes Courtney! I chose this tee for the store because I LOVED the mixed patterns and floral is a HOT TREND again this season! This shirt is easy enough to grab and go and doesn't need a lot of accessories added. It stands out on it's own!

Thanks for stopping by the blog this week, Courtney!

Friends, if you need any graphic design work done, Courtney is your gal. She works with integrity and is great at her craft. She just designed some new logos for my boutique and I couldn't be happier! They look GREAT on my new business cards and postcards and represent my social media profiles perfectly!

Check out her Facebook Business Page

Design 29 and tell her I sent you! She will take great care of you!

Miss out on an earlier volume of the CSSOTW?

Click to read Volume 1

Click to read Volume 2

Click to read Volume 3

Get your own "Broad Daylight" Tee in the online boutique

We will see you back here for the next installment of Center Stage Style of the Week! Until then, and as always, love to you ALL!

Stacey

Blog FUSION! A Guest Is Here To Kidnap My Blog! (Warning-It's a Laugh Out Loud Read)

I have a treat for you today! My blog friend and writer extraordinaire is BACK! 

You might remember Susan Leighton. A full time writer with a fabulous blog and a gift for writing. She's an award winning blogger who has been given the Liebster Award and the Versatile Blogger Award so I am THRILLED to have her here at The Sassy Grace N Charm Life. 

She had so much fun participating in the Center Stage Style of the Week that she wanted to come back and give her two cents on the upcoming fashion trends coming from New York. I must issue a warning though. Her writings of this nature tend to make you belly laugh. If you happen to be at work or somewhere that requires quiet, please don't send me a message when you read this and get yourself in trouble. There...warning issued! Here we go....

Woman on the Ledge Takes the Cat Walk at NYFW Spring 2017

Hi everyone! I am Susan Leighton from Woman on the Ledge (https://womanontheledgeblog.wordpress.com/). Stacey was so gracious in allowing me to take over her blog. Since this is an online shop, I thought I would take a look at some of the trends that were featured at New York Fashion Week. The topic is Spring 2017. So, let’s kick back, have a few vodkatinis and take a look at what the designers have to offer.

Apparently, stripes are in! I am okay with this because I like to take risks. I enjoy flamboyant colors. However, I am not on board with these dresses at all. 

Where do I begin? Well, the only dress I can tolerate is the one on the right. It’s simple and looks like an actual woman would wear it. The offering on the left with the Frankenstein sandals is another story. At least I know what to do with my old shower curtains now! Who knew fashion could provide me with a life hack? Oh, and please, just say no to feathered boas on anything. I’m serious. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be spring without flowers. While these dresses look super comfortable and I don’t have a particular problem with the patterns, I feel like these are the results of crossing my Grandmother’s housecoats with Laura Ingalls’ frocks on Little House on the Prairie. I am not feeling like reliving the granny dresses of the 70’s. It was groovy and everything but I’ve moved on. So should the designers. Just say no.

The next category is called “Dressed for Success.” This might be applicable if you are a Kardashian or a stripper. Just try wearing one of these suits for a business meeting. You will capture attention. It might not be the type of attention you are seeking. Nothing says professional like no shirt. 

Now we are down to the fun category of “Bad Girls.” All I can say is if wearing sandals and socks qualify someone to be cool than my Dad would have been the king of awesome. That middle outfit is a hot mess. Honestly, where would you wear it? Oh, right. It would be perfect if you were going for that I am starring in Rob Zombie’s production of Amadeus. The ensemble on the far right looks like Sons of Anarchy meets 50 Shades of Grey. I can just picture me wearing that to the local Kroger. 

I guess the runway gurus have entitled this next effort, “Updated Oxfords.” Now, before you see the actual togs, you may be thinking, “That sounds normal. Maybe I might wear this to meet friends for coffee or to go to the mall.” Well, you would be wrong. All of these shirts and dresses look like the designer got crazy with a chainsaw and decided to randomly cut pieces of fabric for that “I have been ravaged by a gang of pirates” look. Or in the case of the dress in the middle, “I didn’t have a thing to wear so I just whipped something together with old bedsheets. Egyptian cotton is to die for.” 

Well, that wraps it up for my take on New York Fashion week 2017.  My rule has always been wear what makes you comfortable and create your own style. If you like some of the ideas here, great. Use them.

It has been great fun chatting with you guys but I have to motor. A fashionista’s job is never done.  Thanks again to Stacey for stepping aside while I took over her blog. It’s been a blast! 

______________________________________________

My dear girl, Susan. I am taking notes of what NOT to stock in my online boutique, as I read. 😉

Thanks to Susan for stopping by! You should go check out her blog It's always an enjoyable read. Also, if you LOVE horror, she contributes to a horror site called 1428 Elm as well. 

I hope you all enjoyed having Susan here with us again. Until next time, love to you all!

Stacey