Lapel Pin Magnets

If you don't have piles of lapel pins floating around your house, do you even Fandom, Bro? 

Between just the two of us, my husband and I have tried about 8-10 different subscription boxes in the last few years, many of which we kept up for many months. Currently we still get about 4 monthly. 

The vast majority of the fandom-themed boxes include a cool new pin in each box. I love them all, but have struggled with how to display them. Up until recently they have sat, stacked up, still in their packaging, in a corner on my shelf near the rest of the displayable parts of my boxes.

Admittedly, this project is not my brainchild. I can't recall where I saw it, whether it be Pinterest of one of my fandom Facebook groups, but many months ago, I saw this incredibly simple yet genius idea to turn these pins into fridge magnets! I've wanted to do it ever since.

Another thing I love to collect is magnets. They're a great way to inexpensively commemorate places visited and hobbies we enjoy. I hate hanging things on my fridge, because to me the magnets themselves are décor. 

I don't keep random advertisement magnets that come in the junk mail. 

I collect magnets from new cities as keepsakes every chance I get! I love looking at them everyday as they remind me of things I love.

I finally got around to ordering magnets for the back. I used these flexible adhesive backed magnets.  I chose them primarily because of the sticky back, but there are some thicker sturdier ones that would require a spot of glue that would be better choices for heavier objects. 

As soon as they arrived, I couldn't wait to make them! 

My husband was a big help as well. Using his Leatherman, he was easily able to snip the safety pin from the back of the button style pins. 

For the lapel pins, he was able to use his pliers to rock the pin back and forth until it snapped off at the base.

For a few of the pins, more than one magnet was needed due to weight. If there isn't enough room to hold more than one without it poking off the edge, you can carefully shave the excess for a nice clean look.

I've had them up on my fridge for about a month now. I noticed on one particularly hot day that they looked like the glue was melty, but none of them came apart. 

I wouldn't be surprised if I have to replace magnets at some point, and that may be the advantage to use higher quality magnets and glue them on yourself.

This project made me so incredibly happy. 

I spent the following days wanting to magnetize anything that wasn't nailed down. 

I'm so excited to get more to do this with - it's given me even more anticipation for each of my incoming subscription boxes! 

Ugly Christmas Sweater (Review/Giveaway)

Christmas is coming!! Christmas is coming!! I could scream this at the top of my lungs. Christmas is probably one of my favorite holidays aside from Thanksgiving of course!

When Christmas rolls around, it is time for family dinners, holiday parties and just plain all out festivities. There are so many things to do and see around this time of year.

No doubt you have heard of the trend toward Ugly Christmas Sweater parties. Pretty much, you search for the most creative, "ugliest" (something you would never wear out in public) sweater and go to this party to show off and compete for the best one of the group.

It is a ton of fun and the options are endless whether you are making the thing yourself, hitting up a thrift store, or buying one like they offer on UglyChristmasSweater.com. This site is your GO-TO if you want to have the Ugliest, most awesome sweater at the party!

For review, I was given the opportunity to pick ANY sweater on their site and boy did I have my work cut out for me trying to narrow it down to just one.  The designs on the sweaters range from inappropriate for children's eyes (lol), to Star Wars, to Novelty Movie quotes, and so on.

There are well over 30 options to choose from and they also offer leggings, jackets, costumes and accessories.

It took me a while to choose and I also had to ask my husband for his advice. We finally settled on one we both liked, and man was I excited to get it!

I chose a Green, White and Red sweater with a Giant Storm Trooper (Please don't make me explain, but I will just in case - STAR WARS bad guys) with Antlers on it. Really? How could I not.

I received my sweater in the mail seriously the day after I ordered it. They must have overnighted that bad boy to me! I tried it on and it was a perfect fit. So unlike a lot of online clothing companies, it seems that the sizing is true to actual size! So awesome.

The sweater is so comfy that I actually have been using it as my go to sweatshirt when I get cold around the house. It is lightweight. yet still heavy enough to keep you warm, if that makes any sense!

It is a very soft feeling sweater too, sort of like those comfy blankets they sell at the store around Christmas time.

I washed it in a normal load like I always do, and dried it as well in the dryer, and it did not stretch, shrink or lose its shape! Yay again!

I actually was invited to a Ugly Sweater Party, but unfortunately was unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts - - but I bet with this ugly Christmas sweater on, I would have rocked the show!

I will definitely be wearing this out to my next camping trip and probably through the rest of the winter season because, well... Storm Troopers haha! Star Wars for life baby!

One really notable thing about this company is that they offer a few sweaters that you can buy where they donate 30-50% of the proceeds to major charities! Toys for Tots, Alex's Lemonade and Big Cat Rescue, as examples. How cool is that?

Get over to their website and check out what they have to offer for the holiday season. You will not be sorry that you did!

UglyChristmasSweater.com is letting us host a Giveaway!  One of our US winners will be able to select the Ugly Christmas Sweater of their choice (value up to $79.99) - keep reading to see how you can enter to win!

www.uglychristmassweater.com
https://www.facebook.com/UglyXmas
https://twitter.com/uglyxsweater
https://www.pinterest.com/uglyxsweater/
https://www.instagram.com/ugly.christmas/

One winner in the US will receive the Ugly Christmas Sweater of their choice, up to $79.99 in value!

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment in this entry as instructed by the Giveaway Tools Entry Form below. This will open up additional optional entries to increase your odds of winning. (If you don't leave a comment, any additional entries will be void.)

This giveaway is open to US RESIDENTS ONLY and will end just before midnight ET on 12/9. 

The winner(s) will be notified by email 24 to 48 hours after the end of the giveaway by email. In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Good luck!

Entry-Form

Anime Bento Unboxing

Once again, I was treated to a fun Anime Bento Box! For those of you who don't know, Anime Bento is a subscription service that sends a box full of anime goodies and even includes a yummy Japanese snack!

This month's box included two figurines, one Sailor Moon and one Dragon Ball, a Ranma Express tee shirt, an Anime Bento file folder, and a grape chewing candy. Also in the Bento Box was a card detailing what was included in the box and a sneak peak of the next one!

Everyone I know at least knows of Sailor Moon, even if they didn't watch it. The figurine I got was Sailor Moon herself, in her Princess form.

She sits atop a little stand, and according to the pictures on the box, she can even perch on a glass rim. Unfortunately, my day to day glasses are too thick for this, so I only get to utilize this feature if I'm drinking from my wine glasses. So, for the most part, she lives on the shelf with the rest of my adorable anime figurines.

Dragon Ball Z was actually the very first anime I ever saw. I remember my brother and my dad watching it together every Saturday morning, while I usually read on the couch. To be completely honest, I never actually cared for the fight filled anime that honestly reminded me of a Superman knock off, but I still knew exactly what I was going to do with the figurine!

My brother had his birthday this month, and I knew he'd appreciate it as a decoration for his new house, so I wrapped it up and shipped it off to him, glad to know that it would be enjoyed.

The bright red shirt is a fun play on the well known restaurant, Panda Express. After a bit of searching, I found that it references the anime Ranma ½ that follows a teen aged boy who, due to an accident in his training, becomes a girl when splashed with cold water.

It has been said that Ranma ½ was actually one of the first anime/manga to become popular in the US, which makes it interesting enough that it's been added to my ever growing “to watch” list.

The file folder for this month is the same pocket type that I have come to expect from Anime Bento. The three Bento Girls in kimonos grace the front. With the school year fast approaching, I know that I will be using this!

Finally, the treat in this month's box was a grape chewing candy. Like the Pokemon candy from last month, I at first thought it was gum, but found out otherwise.

Usually, I absolutely loathe grape flavored candies, and thought it was going to be a treat for Mischief, but after smelling it, I decided to give it a try. I'm not sure what the exact difference is between Japanese grape flavoring and US grape flavoring, but I have come to the conclusion that the Japanese is by far the superior. Every single time I have gotten a grape something or other for a treat, I have ended up liking it.

Once again, I have gotten a lovely Anime Bento Box, full of goodies that I can use and love. If a monthly box like this seems up your alley, subscriptions start at $35.00/month.

http://www.animebento.com/
https://www.facebook.com/animebentous/
https://twitter.com/AnimeBentous
https://www.instagram.com/animebentous/

Unboxing: Anime Bento

As many of you know, I get a lovely goodie box from Anime Bento every month. For those who don't know what Anime Bento is, it is a subscription box that delivers anime themed goodies and Japanese treats. Each box contains, on average, five or six items, including a tee shirt and the snack.

This month's box included a Re:Zero Rem figure, a Yuri on Ice metal book marker, a Bungo Stray Dogs charm, a Chomusuke silhouette tee shirt, and for a treat, a Pokemon chew candy.

The tee shirt features characters from the anime KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! In the silhouette of Chomusuke, a feline familiar to one of the characters. While I've not yet started KonoSuba, an anime in which a teenage boy has decided to be reincarnated into a fantasy world, I do have it on my to watch list!

As with most of the tee shirts I've gotten through Anime Bento, it is incredibly soft and great for errand running or even just lounging around the house.

Arguably my favorite item in this month's box, the rubber charm from Bungo Stray Dogs is roguishly adorable.

I'm not familiar with the anime, but I found this little dude with his hat and jacket and impish smirk so adorable, I had to use my google machine to find out more!

This anime follows a teenaged orphan who finds his way to working with a supernatural investigation agency, and sounds like it might be right up my alley, so it has been added to the list!

My new phone buddy's name is Chuuya Nakahara, and is a member of the Port Mafia, hence his fedora.

It is items like this, which introduce me to anime I may not have been exposed to otherwise, that makes me really love getting the Anime Bento Box every month.

Yuri on Ice is an award winning sports anime that follows the relationships between competing ice skaters. While I've heard wonderful things about it, I have only watched a couple episodes, preferring my anime to be more sci-fi or fantasy instead of real life.

That, however, does not stop me from appreciating the lovely metal book marker in this month's box. It has a nice weight to it, and I'm not afraid of accidentally bending it while fiddling as I read (all my bookmarks have to be either scrap paper or very substantial because I fiddle with them constantly as I read).

The item with easily the most recognizable anime character in this month's box is the chew snack featuring everyone's favorite electric mouse, Pikachu!

While the sticks of candy look like chewing gum, they disintegrated very fast, leading me to think that it's actually just a chewy candy. When I think of chewy candy, I usually think of fruity flavors like cherry and orange.

This candy was actually cola flavored, and was so surprising that I snapchatted my friends about it after my first piece!

The last item in the box was a cute little figurine of Rem from Re:Zero. If that name sounds familiar, it's because a few months ago I got the first of the light novels in that series in another Anime Bento box!

This series follows a boy who has been transported to another world and was gifted the ability to time travel....except he has to die to do so (kind of like a save point in a video game).

The figurine is of Rem, a maid who is in love with the main character Subaru.

She makes a very kawaii addition to my figurine collection!

If getting a monthly delivery of Anime and Japanese goodies to your house sounds great to you, or maybe for someone you know, you can get a subscription here, starting at $35.00 a month.

I'm looking forward to next month's box already!

http://www.animebento.com/
https://www.facebook.com/animebentous/
https://twitter.com/AnimeBentous
https://www.instagram.com/animebentous/

My Latest Anime Bento Unboxing!

This past month I was, once again, treated to an Anime Bento Box! For those unfamiliar with this subscription box, Anime Bento Box caters to the Anime- and Japanfan. Each box contains a tee shirt, a Japanese treat, and a few anime related goodies.

Included in this months box was: One Piece stickers, a sweet potato candy, Attack on Titan socks, two Kuroko's Basketball posters, a My Hero Academia keychain strap, and a Sailor Moon Luna shirt.
There was also the customary info card and a sneak peak for the next month's box!

I am not even going to lie, when I saw the Luna tee shirt, the 90's kid in me whooped in excitement! As a kid, I definitely wanted a talking black cat that helped me discover my inner superhero.

I have worn this shirt more than a few times over the month, and it will probably stay in my rotation until it needs mending. And then I'll fix it, and wear it some more!

The second article of clothing in this month's box was a pair of Attack on Titan socks. They are lovely thin summer socks with a screen print character. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar enough with the show, having only just started it, to be able to tell you exactly which one it is, but he looks pretty BAMF and they're comfy socks!

As with most stickers that I get, the one that I got in this box (the iconic anime One Piece) went to my children. Being two and six, they think that stickers of any kind are the best and don't care what they put them on.

Me, I want to have juuuuuust the right place to put one, and I don't really have that right now.

The two posters also went to my son, who likes looking at art, even if he doesn't know the source. They were curled up to be shipped, and definitely held that curl when brought out.

I like keychains. I always have. My very first key ring held three keys (the key to my bike lock, the key to my dad's, and the key to my mom's) and about ten thousand keychains. So, I love getting a new keychain in nearly every box!

However, if you are not like me, and you don't like having a ton of keychains, be warned that you get one in nearly every box.

This new keychain from My Hero Academia definitely went on and helps me to find my keys in the bottom of my purse or diaper bag.

This month's treat was a little sweet potato candy. If I had been a glutton, I could have eaten it all in one bite, but I chose to take nibbles out of it instead.

The flavor honestly reminded me of roast sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner. It was not unpleasant, but it was a little strange to my American tongue, thinking of it as a sweet treat rather than savory side dish.

To me, that's a big part of the fun of trying treats from other cultures - the realization that different places really do have different culinary tastes.

Anime Bento has once again treated me to a few lovely goodies, and I actually enjoy being able to share it with the kiddos. I'm certain they appreciate it too!

If you are interested in your own subscription to Anime Bento, you can get one here starting at $35.00/month

http://www.animebento.com/
https://www.facebook.com/animebentous/
https://twitter.com/AnimeBentous
https://www.instagram.com/animebentous/

Unboxing: Anime Bento Box

Once again, this past month, I was treated to an Anime Bento Box in my mailbox! For those of you unfamiliar with Anime Bento, it is a subscription box filled with anime/manga goodies and a snack from Japan. Each box also includes a tee shirt!

In this month's box, I received another DIY treat kit, a Yuri on Ice tee shirt, a folder, a CD with anime music, two cell phone charms, and a $5.00 gift code to bookwalker, a website selling digital manga and light novels. The one thing that was missing from this box that has always been included in the others was a card detailing the contents, but that's ok, I could figure it out with my friend!

The treat kit was entirely in Japanese, which meant that once again, I had to rely on only the pictures to make it. I don't think I did half bad, as the pictures are very detailed. It ended up being this color changing fizzy sweet. It' wasn't bad, but lacked any definite flavor and the texture was...odd.

Yuri on Ice is not an anime that I am familiar enough with to instantly recognize, but my friend did! This light blue shirt has a skate with the quote “we were born to make history”. It makes a great lounging around the house shirt.

The folder is another pocket style that I don't see in stores around here, but is still pretty useful. Though I don't know the anime, and lack the information card, it seems to be an Alice in Wonderland theme that is nonetheless pretty to look at. I love the detailed artwork in anime stills and there's always something interesting to find.

I was very excited for the CD with anime music, as I think that anime intros and credit songs are, for the most part, super fun! I never skip them when binging! This CD has six tracks, but only three songs. The first three are the regular versions, and the last three are the karaoke versions! I'm honestly not mad, as it makes for good background music.

The two cellphone charms are identical, a pink haired girl, and I instantly knew that they were to become the BFF charms for my bestie and I! Unfortunately, mine broke within the first couple days from getting caught on my seatbelt while my phone was in my pocket. Hers, however, still dangles from her phone case!

The last thing in this box was a $5.00 gift card to the website bookwalker. I knew instantly that I wanted to use it towards getting the next book of the Ancient Magus Bride! Using it was easy, and I'm glad to be aware of a digital source of new manga.

If you think that this box and the others I've gotten sound like something you or someone you know of would enjoy, you can get your own subscription starting at $35.00/month!

http://www.animebento.com/
https://www.facebook.com/animebentous/