Devilish Doggie

I do believe this is the ONLY thing that could make me truly love Halloween (besides all the candy).

{photo cred: the frisky}

Friday 5: Oh My Gourd!

It's the great pumpkin...or at least some great pumpkin-inspired treats (no tricks here!).

 

1. Pumpkin Spice Lip Gloss

Yummy & kissable...bippity...boppity...boo-tiful!

{$3.50}

2. Mariachi Ric Rac Ring

The blingiest way to make waves

{$42}

3. Lovely People Ambrose Shoes

Wickedly orange with outrageous ruffles

{$166}

4. Scum Bag

A little street cred for your sweet guy (or that handsome devil...)

{$14.99}

5. Anti-Bacterial Jack-o-Lantern Hand Soap

Killing germs never smelled so good — or looked so spook-tacular!

{$10}

{photo cred: bbw, piperlime, sephora, kate spade, perpetual kid}

He Did the Monster Mash!

Mix Master Scentbug Day 4: Sugared Berry

Fall's in full swing and even though we haven't hit Halloween quite yet, Thanksgiving is already on everyone's mind. And before you ever get to the pumpkin pie, you're bound to indulge in some cranberry sauce.

Today's Scentbug Home Fragrance Oil recipe is a little reminiscent of the tart sweetness of this turkey day essential. 

Sugared Berry

Mix 15 drops of Warm Vanilla Sugar with 5 drops of Midnight Pomegranate.

While it's not cranberry, the pomegranate and blackberry notes blend divinely with the warm, sugary scent.

{photo cred: bbw}

Costumes for Two

I have to admit, I have never really liked Halloween. When it comes to costumes, too many things can go wrong (has anyone else ever dressed up on the WRONG DAY? In middle school this can traumatize you for years...) This brings me to one of the many things I love about my husband...the chance to dress up as a couple! The possibilities are literally endless...

1. Reality TV & Tabloids
An endless source of pure insanity just waiting to be translated into an uber-creative costume. Last year I saw a great Madonna & A-Rod, and don't think there won't be a few Jon & Kate's out and about this year. A friend of mine is going as Octomom complete with big red lips, black wig and 8 dolls sewed on her shirt; and although that isn't a couples costume, it's a great show of creativity.

2. TV & Movies (Cartoons Included!)
These costumes are as much a statement about your favorite movie/character/actor as anything else. Juno & Bleeker, Shaggy & Scooby, High School Musical, Olive & Popeye, Twilight, The Hulk, Where the Wild Things are...to name a few.

3. Junk Food
I admit I might be biased here...but I love junk food and have always wanted to dress up as a can of Pepsi. These costumes are simple, straight-forward, and can make a statement about your favorite snack-of-choice. When we were still dating someone texted my husband and said "hey I saw a picture of you and your girl...you were a twinkie and she was a slice of pizza. Great costumes!" Uh yeah, not us, but the costumes were pretty sweet.

4. Group Costumes
The more the merrier, right? Take the couples concept one step further and get all of your friends involved. My favorite example of this was when 3 of my friends went to a party as The Swan. The guy dressed a plastic surgeon, complete with scrubs, fake blood and a deranged look. One girl was the "before" — dumpy, no makeup, fake zits, bad clothes. The other girl was the "after" — tons of makeup, big hair, high heels and the maximum amount of push up bra allowed by Victoria's Secret. Awesome.

Wickedly Wearable — We NAILED It for Halloween!

Halloween has always been a favorite holiday of mine because who doesn't want to dress up and play someone else for the day?! 

But whether you're going trick or treating this Halloween or not, make sure your nails are well manicured, in style and in the spirit this Saturday with cute polishes that are both work appropriate and house haunting chic.

1. Going classic as a witch?
Try Zoya's Envy from their new Dare Collection.
This season's new "It" color (green) never looked so bewitching!

2. Going as Dorothy's hotter, edgier sister? 
Try China Glaze's Lubu Heels — a gorgeous black ruby red.
It’s blood-curdling hot (you’re definitely not in Kansas anymore, my pretty!). 

3. Goth girl your thing?
Try Beyond Jealous from MAC’s limited edition polish collection created by top nail artist Jin Soon. It’s almost black with an undertone of teal blue...and it's simply to die for.

{photo cred: mac, zoya, china glaze}

I Don't Like Candy Corn!

I do NOT get what the big hub-bub is all about with candy corn...unless it's the chocolate kind.

This is hilarious and exactly how I feel.

Be prepared to crack up!

Thank you for sharing, Little Miss Mommy!

No Trick, Just Treat!

Having a Halloween bash?

Scare up some fun with this scrumptious bone-chilling drink — the Boo-Nilla Shake!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 pints vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  

*Makes six 8-ounce servings


DIRECTIONS FOR FACES:

For 12 faces, place 1/3 cup (2 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high until melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes; stir. Using a small brush, paint chocolate inside glasses (if it hardens too soon, microwave 20 seconds more). Let set a few minutes before adding shake. Prepare glasses up to a day ahead, but don't fill until ready to serve.

DIRECTIONS FOR SHAKE:

1. Blend milk and 1 pint ice cream in a blender until smooth. With machine running, add remaining pint ice cream, one scoop at a time; blend until smooth. Pour milkshake into six 8-ounce glasses decorated with chocolate faces, filling them 3/4 full.
2. Put cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add confectioners' sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.Transfer whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip (such as Ateco #806). Pipe spiral mounds of whipped cream on top of milkshakes. Serve immediately

{photo cred: Martha Stewart}

Mix Master Scentbug Day 3: Baked Cinnamon Apple

This week we're showing you innovative ways to use your Scentbug with Home Fragrance Oil recipes from legendary home fragrance expert, Harry Slatkin. 

Today we're bringing the spicy, sippably warm scent of cider to your home!

Baked Cinnamon Apple

Mix 10 drops of Spiced Cider with 10 drops of Cinnamon & Clove Buds.

{photo cred: bbw}

IT'S HERE...and It's Tutu Cute!

It's here...the next iteration of Forever 21's Twist line — the limited edition collection that takes an editorial twist on their every day basics. 

So far they've created Cirque Twist — the whimsical and circus-sans-freak-show themed collection of tulle skirts, ruffles galore and color play — then there was the latest collection Punk Twist — the perfect mix of goth and girlie, for those edgy gals who are just a bit too frilly for Hot Topic. 

The latest Twist is ballerina-inspired, and from the few sneak peek photos, it promises to be toe-twinkling ADORABLE.

Let me just tell you...my calendar has been counting down the days because this one is SO me and now that it's here my pocketbook is on alert! Time to head to checkout.

{photo cred: forever 21}

YouTube Tuesday: I Want Candy

This just makes me want to go trick-or-treating!

Mix Master Scentbug Day 2: Warm Pumpkin Spice

Today, we're building off of yesterday's Scentbug Oil recipe — introducing one more Home Fragrance Oil into the mix to make a newer, richer blend. 

Warm Pumpkin Spice

Mix 10 drops of Warm Vanilla Sugar with 5 drops of Pumpkin Patch and 5 more drops of Creamy Nutmeg. 

It's like the warm, inviting scent of pumpkin pie...yummmmmy!

{photo cred: bbw}

Twilight "tweets" from a 40-something Scentarista

I was an early adopter of AOL, electronic books, Palm Pilot, and computerized check-in at the airport. Right now, I love my iPhone, Facebook, LinkedIn, and wandering all over the web via my bedside MacBook Air. Unfortunately, I’m not into tweeting (sigh). I signed up for a Twitter account one Saturday, felt immediately defeated by anxiety concerning the quality of my future tweets

(What do I have to say? Who’ll read my tweets? What if my tweets are terrible?), and promptly closed my account — all within the span of about 5 minutes! In case you can’t tell already, I occasionally suffer from perfectionist tendencies that keep me from just being in the moment.

How’s this for being in the moment? The last yellow leaves are hugging the branches outside of my window and all I want to do is hibernate through the long, cold winter (I certainly have the tummy fat stored up for energy!). Since that’s not an option for an “eau-so-driven” career woman, however, here’s how I’ve been successfully perking myself up.

A Light in the Darkness

I grab my Slatkin & Co. Vanilla Shortbread Candle and fire that baby up! I’m not generally a fan of food-scented home fragrance but this one’s a marvelous melding of Madagascar vanilla, sugar cane and spices spiked with the aroma of yellow cake. It’s warm and surprisingly tart (kind of like me)!

Comedy and the City

My first summer job in NYC was way back in 1982 (Amsterdam Avenue was pre-gentrification, Keith Haring graffiti was still in the subway, and only black-clad punk rockers ventured into The Bowery). My 20s and most of my 30s were spent working in Creative Marketing at Macy’s Herald Square so, naturally, now that I call Columbus, OH home, I’m drawn to all things that remind me of my beloved NYC. I loved every episode of Sex and the City, I couldn’t wait for the movie debut, and now I’m thoroughly enjoying escaping into Candace Bushnell’s novel,

One Fifth Avenue. It’s giving me the incredible feeling of living in two places at the same time!

Baby in the Bath Water

I soak in the tub with my hubby year-round — when we travel, when I’m sad, when we’re celebrating and, particularly, when we need to discuss something potentially controversial and angst-inducing. We’ve learned that getting into the tub together for a serious pow-wow always keeps things from getting too heated (well, you know what I mean!). It’s impossible to get angry when we’re both wearing nothing but something like Aromatherapy Body Wash Sensuality in Jasmine Vanilla!

Twilight... the Fragrance

Until now, my favorite Bath and Body Works Signature Collection scent was the incredibly sexy Black Amethyst™. This year, I’ve been dying for the launch of the alluringly addictive (for me) Twilight Woods™. I love it so much I just splurged on the Triple Moisture Shower and Body Creams, Body Butter, and a bottle of the elegantly decorated Eau de Toilette. The fragrance itself is a delicious blending of apricot nectar, mimosa petals, and Tuscan cypress. I find it so inspiring that after giving myself another mist on the neck and wrists last Friday night, I took a walk in the woods outside my window, looked up at those tenacious yellow leaves on the trees, and delighted in the rain falling on my face (and blurring my contacts!).

{photo cred: apple, bbw, candace bushnell}

Mix Master Scentbug Day 1: Sweet Pumpkin Butter

Looking for more ways to use your Scentbug? 

It's time to get creative with this compact, hi-tech home fragrance cutie — create your own scent by mixing Bath & Body Works Home Fragrance Oils! 

This week, I'm sharing some of the season's best Home Fragrance Oil recipes created by legendary home fragrance expert, Harry Slatkin.

First up, in honor of Halloween:

Sweet Pumpkin Butter

Mix 10 drops of Pumpkin Patch with 10 drops of Warm Vanilla Sugar

It's a warm, sweet and creamy blend that is guaranteed to tempt your senses. 

{photo cred: bbw}

Monday Mist-erpiece

In the midst of dreary, cold fall weather this brings me back to spring. 

{photo cred: kristybee photography}

Have You Been Bitten by The Bug?

No, I'm not talking about some new strain of flu...

I'm talking about the Scentbug!

This definitely isn't the first time I'm taking to the blog to talk Scentbug. When it first debuted I couldn't WAIT to get my little mitts on one. I tried it with the Ginger Vanilla Home Fragrance Oil and it was DIVINE (give me the scent of baked goods every day or give me death!). Ever since they've been flying off the shelves like hot cakes! Every store has been selling out and they can barely keep these lovable bugs in stock!

But, it gets better...Bath & Body Works has come up with an even CUTER way to entice me — Scentbug now comes in an array of fun NEW colors! If you thought I couldn't wait to get it the first time, now that it's in pink it's got ME written all over it! Today it will be mine, you can count on it. 

Have you tried The Bug?

What do you think?

Tell us about it in the comments or on Twitter @LittleMissNose

{photo cred: bbw}

PICK YOUR NOSE!

Despite being a nose, I do NOT advocate ACTUALLY picking your nose. But, these Pick Your Nose Party Cups are just too silly to pass up! Not only would they make a fab conversation starter, but they also make keeping tabs on whose drink is whose a breeze.

{photo cred: z gallerie}

Monday Mist-erpiece

Maybe it's a little weird...but my name is Little Miss Nose It All after all!

I just couldn't pass this up.

{photo cred: elsita}

YouTube Tuesday: The Baby Animal Birthday Edition

Hours and hours drifted by this weekend while I was laid up with the flu. But, they did NOT go to waste...I spent them quite productively watching a slew of baby animal videos! 

And now, for your viewing pleasure, a few of my favorites in honor of my big 26th birthday!