Gypsy Soul (Tattoo #11)

Hey!!

I have yet another tattoo post for you today :) As you can see by the title, this is my 11th tattoo. Technically, the line work was my 10th tattoo, but I got my AB/ AP skull done before this one was finished. So, I'm just gonna say my gypsy is #11. 

Anyway, I got this line work for this done a few weeks ago, and my artist finished it up last night. I am absolutely in love with the way she turned out!! As always, Jimmy did an amazing job, and I'm proud to have this beautiful piece on my body permanently. 

Here's the original lineart for this piece: 

And here's the finished tattoo: 

This was taken a few minutes after we finished, so ignore the swelling/ blood droplets. 

Day 2: 

Since it's still healing, I'll have to update this post in a week or so to show you how she looks. This is on my left calf, and it took about 5 hours total (we did it in two, 2 1/2 hour sittings). 

Fair warning to anyone looking to get a calf tattoo- they hurt. Honestly, this was probably my most painful tattoo to date. On a scale of 1 to 10, it would definitely be a high 8. Some spots were more painful than others, but it was pretty intense overall. The closer to my ankle and the bend in my knee were more painful than the center portions. The line work was less painful than the shading. She was totally worth it, but this one was a killer! I definitely would not recommend this spot for your first tattoo. 

My calf is super swollen and red. This is definitely going to take a while to heal, but it's already less sore than it was yesterday. Obviously. Lots of (unscented) lotion usually does the trick :)

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Thanks for checking out my newest addition to my ever-growing tattoo collection!! I'll talk to you again soon!

Keri <3

American Beauty/ American Psycho (Tattoo #10)

Hello there!!

I'm bringing you (yet another) tattoo post today! I went to Hollywood, Florida last week to see Fall Out Boy!! They played at Hard Rock Live, and they were absolutely incredible (as usual)! This part is going to sound a bit crazy, but if you know me at all, it makes complete sense. I was bored and decided to walk around the casino/ hotel. I found a tattoo shop. You know where this is going, right? 

Lorenzo at BlackJack Tattoo did such an amazing job on this little guy!! He's right above my bats on my right ankle. I'm so in love with how this turned out, and I would definitely get more work done at this shop. If you find yourself in the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, FL, go see Lorenzo! 

If you've seen FOB's cover for American Brauty/ American Psycho, you'll know the inspiration behind this tattoo. If you haven't seen it, here ya go: 

Since I'm such a morbid and weird person, I decided to get another skull permanently inked into my skin. FOB is on their tour (Wintour) for this album, I figured now was the perfect time to get this done. I made the decision about 20 minutes before I got it tattooed. Needless to say, this was a pretty impulsive/ last minute decision. But I don't regret it one bit!! PS- I love the white outline he added. 

Pain wise, this one was super easy (but it also helps that Lorenzo was really light-handed). I feel like this is a pretty painless spot anyways. On a scale from 1 to 10, I'd give it about a 2. It's about the size of my palm, so it's a decent size; nothing too major. It took about an hour total. 

Hope you enjoyed reading about my new tattoo! I love him so much, and I can't wait to get more work done!!

I'll talk to you again soon :)

Keri <3

Making My Own Happiness (Tattoo #9)

Hello!!

I feel like it's been so long since I've posted anything! If you read my last blog, you'll know that I've been through some tough times recently. So naturally, I decided to get (yet another) tattoo to remind myself that I can get through anything life throws my way. 

Actually getting this done was kind of a spur-of-the-moment decision, but I have been wanting this tattoo for awhile now. Last November, I found out I have severe depression and general anxiety disorder, and I've been seeing a therapist and taking medication for a few months now. This tattoo is kind of my way of acknowledging that I have mental illness, but it also reminds me that I'm doing something to help myself get back to a happy place. 

Here's a picture of my newest addition (ignore the swelling...):  

I had my glyphs touched up and added the serotonin molecule. This is like my way of saying, "I make my own happiness with the help of music." My glyphs represent 30 Seconds to Mars and the serotonin molecule represents my happiness. Pretty self-explanatory. It's not much, and it's one of my smallest tattoos, but I absolutely love it! As always, Jimmy did an amazing job- the lines are so clean and precise! 

On a scale of 1 to 10, the pain was probably about a 3. The only thing that was a little uncomfortable was the "HO" since it's pretty close to the crease of my elbow. My touch ups were more of a 5 or 6; touch ups seem to hurt worse than the original tattoo (at least in my opinion). 

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Thanks for keeping up with my tattoo adventures :) I hope to talk to you again very soon!

Keri <3

PS- check back soon for another tattoo blog. I'm going in this Friday to get another piece done by the amazing Jimmy!! I could not be more excited!

What I'm Reading 2016

Hi there!!

Let's keep this short and sweet- here's a list of books I've read throughout 2016. Anything marked with (*) is a re-read.   If you would like to follow me on GoodReads.com, check out my profile here.

Little side note- I'm also attempting to complete the "Rory Gilmore Challenge" (even though I've never seen the show...). There are 339 books total, so I'm positive the challenge will take a few years to complete. 

So, I was kind of over-enthusiastic this year with my goal setting. I started out thinking I could read 52 books this year (about one a week), but that quickly changed to 50. Since I had only read 40 books by December 29, I changed my final number to 42. I'm not sure if I'll make it (I'm typing this on the 29, and I don't really know if I'll be able to squeeze in 2 more...), but I'm going to try! Here goes nothing!!

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1. Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
2. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
3. Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glas by Lewis Carroll
4. The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
5. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
6. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
7. School's Out - Forever by James Patterson
8. Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson
9. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
10. The Grownup by Gillian Flynn
11. The Final Warning by James Patterson
12. Max by James Patterson
13. Fang by James Patterson
14. Angel by James Patterson
15. Nevermore by James Patterson
16. Maximum Ride Forever by James Patterson
17. It Ended Badly: Thirteen of the Worst Breakups in History by Jennifer Wright 
18. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 
19. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
20. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
21. Beloved by Toni Morrison
22. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
23. Cress by Marissa Meyer
24. A Court of Thornes and Roses by Sara J. Maas
25. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
26. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
27. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
28. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
29. The Shining by Stephen King
30. Partials by Dan Wells
31. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
32. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
33. Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
34. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
35. Winter by Marissa Meyer
36. The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas
37. The Assassin and the Healer by Sarah J. Maas
38. The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas
39. The Assassin and the Underworld by Sarah J. Maas
40. The Assassin and the Empire by Sarah J. Maas
41. The Girl with All the Gifts by M. R. Carey
42. You are a Badass- How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero

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Thanks for keeping up with this year's reading challenge!  Talk to you soon :)

Keri <3

Jingle VoxBox Unboxing

Hi!

I just got a late Christmas present in the mail today- the Jingle VoxBox from Influenster!!  I've been waiting on this box for about 2 weeks now, so I was super excited to see it in the mailbox today :)  As with all my other unboxing posts, I'm not going to include reviews or swatches in this post; however, I will do a followup post of my reviews of each of the products in the next few weeks.

In case you're interested, here are some links to my previous VoxBoxes:

• Mary Kay VoxBox
• Varsity VoxBox
• Uni VoxBox
• Jolly VoxBox
• Campus VoxBox
• Sally Hansen VoxBox

Also, here's a timeline just for reference:

December 14: Completed the qualification survey
December 21: Received the confirmation email that I qualified for the box
December 29: Received the box

Enough with the chit-chat, let's check out the box!
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DISCLAIMER:  I received these products complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster.com.  This is not a sponsored post, and all opinions are my own, as always!
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The Box

So, this box is jam packed full of some awesome products!  I can't wait to test them out and see how everything works/ tastes.

Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream ($8.99 - $15.99)

"Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream is a rich, quickly absorbing, non-greasy cream that provides long-lasting relief for even severely dry skin.  This unique formula attracts water to skin and helps prevent moisture loss."

I've never used anything from this brand before, but I've only heard good things about this cream from beauty bloggers and vloggers.  I'm thankful they sent this in the winter box: my skin has been pretty dry recently, so we'll get to see just how effective this cream is on dry skin.  Hopefully we'll have some awesome results!

Biscoff Cookies (250g $2.99)

"Since 1932, Lotus Biscoff Speculoos have been Europe's favorite cookie with coffee.  Delectably crunchy with a unique taste and flavor, Biscoff is perfect for taking the timeout that you deserve."

I.  Absolutely.  Love.  Biscoff.  Cookies!!!  I'm dead serious when I say these are my favorite cookies of all time!  I'm obsessed with cookie butter, which only makes sense because it's made out of these little godsends.  If you've never tried Biscoff cookies, you're missing out.  Needless to say, these will be gone as soon as I finish this blog post.  Maybe sooner ;)

Ore-Ida Tater Tots Coupon ($3.99)

"Ore-Ida, the inventor of the one-and-only Tater Tot, is looking for you to be part of the next big Tater craze.  Show us your creativity and be part of the #OreIdaTotchos movement!"

I'm not a huge fan of potatoes or tater tots, but my boyfriend is always up for some tater tots with his dinner!  Whenever we decide what product we're going to get with our coupon (which is really generous, btw, because it's a $4.00 value!), we'll review the tater tots for ya.

Hallmark itty bittys (Starting at $6.95)

"Hallmark's itty bittys give them a little something to love.  New characters in time for the holiday season include Star Wars, Barbie, DC Comics, Inside Out, Rainbow Brite, and many more.  Collect them all.  These make great stocking stuffers!  Available at Hallmark Gold Crown stores and Hallmark.com."

Ok, this little plushie is adorable!  How cute is little Rapunzel?!  I love the fact that Influenster sent me a Disney character (who happens to be one of my favorite princesses from one of my favorite Disney movies!); they know me so well!  I'm probably going to put this in my classroom and use it as a reward or something for my kids.  Maybe when you have Rapunzel, it's your turn to "gleam and glow"?  Cheesy, I know; but I am in third grade at the moment, and my kids love Disney characters.

NYC City Proof 24HR Waterproof Eyeliner ($3.99)

"City Proof 24HR Eyeliner is a water proof pencil that is perfect for your on-the-go lifestyle.  Just glide on for long lasting 24HR color!"

I received this product in the shade 932 Dark Brown.  I've never tried an NYC eyeliner, but I love 99.9% of their products.  This is one of the cheapest brands at the drugstore, but the products are usually comparable to high end products; this eyeliner (at first glance) reminds me of the Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliners, which are my favorite liners.  I usually don't wear brown eyeliner, but I'm excited to try this one out.  I love that it's waterproof, so I'm hoping it'll last all day with no issues or smudging happening.

KISS True Volume Lashes ($3.99)

"Made with 100% natural hair, KISS True Volume Lashes blend beautifully with your own lashes.  The Tapered End Technology creates natural-looking ends that resemble real lashes but give eyes that perfect 'vavoom' without looking too made-up."

Although I don't wear false lashes on a regular basis, I have tried KISS lashes before.  I love the look of these lashes- I think they'll add some volume and length to my lashes while still looking pretty natural.  I wear glasses, so I'm not usually into long lashes, but these look pretty doable and shouldn't hit my lenses.  I'll probably wear these on New Year's Eve, just because.  

KISS Strip Lash Adhesive with Aloe ($3.99)

"Enjoy wearing false lashes without the irritation!  The KISS Aloe Vera Strip Lash Adhesive is a safe and long-lasting glue with the refreshing scent of aloe."

I've only ever used the Revlon Precision Lash Glue, so I'm excited to try a new lash glue, especially one infused with aloe.  I'm hoping this product won't have an overpowering scent.  I'm also hoping that this glue stays in place and keeps the lashes from sliding around throughout the day.

Pure Ice Nail Polish ($1.97 only at Walmart)

"Pure Ice is for the girl whose got passion for the hottest nail colors and trends.  Offering an array of nail polish colors and effects, from high-pigment creams to shimming iridescent pearls and multidimensional single coat glitters, our shoppers can always play with color!  Pure Ice is proudly made in the USA, without formaldehyde, toluene, or DBP."

I love these polishes!  Seriously, I have about 30 bottles of Pure Ice polish, and I've never tried anything from this brand that I don't like.  These polishes are an awesome value, and they last forever.  I don't think any of the polishes in my collection have dried out or gotten overly clumpy before the expiration date.  I love this color (it's called Bikini) because it's such a nice baby blue cream; I'm thinking it's going to take 2 coats to be completely opaque, but these polishes usually level themselves out and don't go on streaky.

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Hope you enjoyed this Jingle VoxBox unboxing!  Thanks again to Influenster for sending me these awesome products to try out.  Check back soon for reviews on each of the products included in the box :)

Keri <3