In My Bridgerton Era

Dearest gentle reader,

This author is clearly in her Bridgerton era and it's royally awesome!

Okay, back to my own voice. I'm seriously in my Bridgerton era these days. After spending all this time telling myself I will not watch the show because it was infamous for its HAWW scenes, I finally gave in. I figured when I can watch all the other shows and just skip the stuff that gets too much to handle, then why not this? I kept hearing everyone go on and on about how it was like Gossip Girl - aka my favorite show in the history of EVER. Finally when season 3 happened and Bath and Body Works decided to do a collab and launch a Bridgerton line - which looked beautiful - I started watching season 1. I was instantly hooked. I don't think I have ever, in my entire life, watched an entire show so quickly. I burrrrrned through season one, if you know what I mean, then on to season two which was my favorite one I think, and I didn't stop till I reached season three and finally caught up with the world. It is AMAZING.

It is everything I love in a show. There's the totally similar Gossip Girl element, there are the absolutely beautiful love stories, there's friendship and family (both of which are imperfect concepts in my own life, hence the need to watch them in shows), there's drama which pleases this drama queen very much so, there's fashion, there's gorgeous decor, and there is soooooooo much cheesy. You pair cheesy and fashion and I'm in instantly. Then you add gossip and I'm never leaving. Hahaha! Through out my time catching up I could only think of one thing: why didn't I watch this earlier? ... what an absolute idiot. Everything nude was perfectly forward-able and absolutely no reason to be discouraged from watching such a great show.

Let me tell you, watching a show that Abbie has already watched is a really bad decision because the woman can't keep from giving spoilers if her life depended on it. Seriously, a major reason why I was watching it so quickly was because I wanted to avoid spoilers from her and even though I tried so hard to avoid spoilers online, alllll of my leaked spoilers came from Abbie anyway. When next season comes I'm going to start on time so I am at least caught up, if not watching ahead of her.

Now, of course, with my new love for the show I just had to indulge in the Bridgerton collection from Bath and Body Works. Sadly, I missed out on the tea pot sanitizer holder, but I'm glad I got myself the carriage sanitizer holder at least. I also got the Wisteria Garden scented foaming soap and candle which is my favorite scent from the collection. Oh and of course I got the Diamond of the Season scented body wash and body lotion too. Wisteria Garden smells like a perfect blend of florals while Diamond of the Season has a peachy fruity scent to it. I really really wish they'd made body care items in Wisteria Garden too, the scent is just perfect to be a body wash. BBW please take notes if you're listening.

When I decorated my Awesome Board I found it turning into a Bridgerton/Gossip Girl combination too. I started with a girly theme in mind to get through Spring and Summer (which I ignore) and somehow I noticed it was turning very Bridgerton-y so I ended up printing some graphics and actually making it a theme. I love it! Check it out ...

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I cannot wait for the next season and I really hope they won't ruin it. I heard the makers changed or something like that? Well, I hope they can maintain the essence of the show and keep the same vibe going because I love that and it'll be disappointing if it goes down.

SPOILERS AHEAD because I want to talk a bit about what I liked in the show!

SPOILERS AHEAD

SPOILERS AHEAD

Okay, now you're here on purpose because SPOILERS AHEAD.

In season one I loved Daphne so much. Of course I fell in love with the Bridgertons, the sibling behavior and the way they gathered as a beautiful family unit in their drawing room, I'd kill to have a happy family like that. Oh and the Queen and Lady Danbury are such impressive ladies. Unlike the entire world, I did not fall in love with the Duke though. Yes, he has that impressive Duke elegance going but somehow I didn't love him. Daphne, though, absolute favorite. She's the kind of perfect nobody is, isn't she?

Then in season two I fell in LOVE with Anthony Bridgerton. I am so glad they gave him a hair cut and a clean shave because he looked awesome. Poor guy had the worst time ever handling his emotions! Hahaha! It was like watching a Bollywood movie. He's such a brilliant actor. I actually cried with him and for him. I did not like the Sharma sisters at all and I wasn't happy when he finally married Kate. And look at her, she took him away to India! I mean, what is Bridgerton without THE Anthony Bridgerton? I hate Kate for taking him away, first on extended honeymoon and then to India. I didn't see much of him in season three at all. But fineeeee, I'll accept it for his sake. They have my blessing hahaha! 

Season three and the whole Colin Penelope thing ... not my favorite, if I'm being honest. Somehow I don't see much emotion between them. It feels more like this stressful thing. The entire season was very stressful actually. The tension, the stress, there was this grim feeling about it. It was awesome and I loved it but I think season two is definitely my favorite.

Now I shall totally brag about the fact that I guessed who Lady Whistledown was in the very first episode. I had two guesses, one was Anthony because I was thinking maybe like Gossip Girl was Dan Humphrey, Lady Whistledown would actually be a man too. And my second guess was Penelope because she was totally the Dan Humphrey of Mayfair. By the time I watched the second episode I was one hundred percent sure it was Penelope. It just made sense. I may not be too big of a Penelope fan but I love Lady Whistledown and I really do hope she doesn't stop writing. I am extremely disappointed, though, that she's going to write in 'Penelope voice' from now on after season three ended. I'm going to miss Whistledown's voice so much.

As for the other characters, I love Violet - she looks so much like my chiropractor it's fascinating to see her animate! Haha! I am not a fan of Benedict at all. I like emotional love stories, not the shenanigans he is up to. Honestly, I'm dreading watching the season when he'll take the main lead. I liked Francesca but again, not my favorite love story at all. There's no emotion there either. I liked Eloise in the very beginning but slowly she started annoying me. Like, I like the different approach she towards life and how she is bold and wants to do so much more than just get married but that doesn't mean you have to be rude and unappreciative of what you have. I find her being rude to her VERY good family, being rude to her friend Penelope too, and that just upsets me. I think I came to the conclusion of her not being my favorite when she didn't show any auntie love to Daphne's baby. You DO NOT reject and deject a baby, especially not your sister's, no matter what kind of change you want to bring in the world. In that moment, Eloise and I were no longer friends. Oh and I do not care about Mondrich's story at all, like please just give me endless Bridgerton content because I love that family so much!

In any case, I just cannot wait for season 4 to be released! I think eventually I will end up reading the books too but for now I want the story to remain a mystery to me. Also, I'm putting off reading the books because I do not want the 'book was better' feeling to ruin my excitement and love for the show. Now, how about we get some more Bridgerton merch? Haha!

POTTERIFIC JULY 2024

GRAB YOUR WANDS!

PULL UP YOUR SLEEVES!

GET READY FOR THE MOST MAGICAL BIRTHDAE CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR!

POTTERIFIC JULY 2024!

COMING TO INSTAGRAM FEEDS NEAR YOU!

Ladies and gentlemen, Potterheads and supportive Muggles and NoMajs I officially announce POTTERIFIC JULY 2024!!! The Instagram celebration and picture challenge, loved by hundreds of Potterheads across the globe, is coming back for its SEVENTH year!!!

Oh my God! Can you believe it is going to be the seventh year???
When I started this seven years ago, I had absolutely no idea what it would become! I had no idea how loved it would be. I definitely had no idea it would one day be looking at its seventh year! *happy tears*

Once again this year, my friends, lets come together for POTTERIFIC JULY to celebrate our beloved Potter's birth month!!! There will be magic, there will be fun, there will be SO much to love and enjoy! It shall be like one  month long virtual birthday party!

Picture prompts, magical reels, games and polls and quizzes and discussions and interactive stories! Find more Potterheads on the Pottergram, be found by others who share the love of this glorious fandom, celebrate with each other!!! THIS SHALL BE AMAZING!!!

 

First and foremost, a recap for those who need a refresher and some explanation for the Potterheads hearing of Potterific July for the first time!

What is Potterific July?

It's an excuse to come together with fellow Potterheads to celebrate Harry Potter's birth month! I initially began my own little celebration on my blog right here where I wrote about any and every thing Potter related before I started celebrating with everyone else. Throughout the month I discuss stuff from the books and movies, show off my merch, and live life Potterificly. Part of this awesome celebration is the Instagram Challenge!!! In 2018 I decided to celebrate with the awesome Potter community on Instagram and created the PotterificJuly Instagram challenge which has since been a huge hit!

What is the awesome PotterificJuly Instagram Challenge?

The Potterific July Instagram Challenge is one of the best decisions I've made in my life so far. It is thirty one days of posting Potter related pictures based on a prompts list I post on my Insta. It's very first year, it was received with such enthusiasm and it became a huge hit as hundreds of Potterheads joined in from all across the globe. On popular demand, I hosted it again in 2019 to witness another very brilliant year. In 2020 Potterheads eagerly awaited the challenge to get away from all the meh the pandemic had created. And that's when I realized that Potterific had become a thing for Potterheads, a celebration instead of just a picture challenge, a source of happy on instagram, something to look forward to! This will be Potterific's seventh year and I'm so excited and from the response everyone has shown on Instagram, I know you are too!

What do you have to do for the PotterificJuly Challenge?

There are only and only two rules! First: Use the hashtag #PotterificJuly so we can all find you. Second: HAVE FUN! No commitments, no pressure. Join me on Instagram and follow along the prompts all month. If you miss a prompt here and there that's fine too! I'll be featuring as many posts as I can in my stories throughout the month. We also have Potterific discussions, polls, questions, and what not in my stories every day! I share your responses too! It's very interactive and magical!

I wanna join! What should I do next?

So here's what to do:
Grab a copy of the prompts list by saving/screenshotting the picture above.

Find and connect with me on Instagram! @Saraallie where you'll find this list too!

Be there on the first of July with the hashtag #PotterificJuly shining on your posts!

Oh and don't forget!!! Have fun!

It would be awesome if you could somehow let me know you'll be joining me for the #PotterificJuly Instagram challenge. You can find me on Instagram and DM or comment on the prompts post there. You could also leave me a comment below this blog post and leave a link to your Insta for me to check out. I love meeting new Potterheads!

Lets make it bigger and even more awesomer this year!
Spread the word, bring fellow Potterheads with you!

The more Potterheads the better and the more fun our July shall become!
See you on the first on Instagram!
Remember: #POTTERIFICJULY

Without the hashtag we can't find you!

Happy Potterific July,
Mischief Managed!

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Surprise Surprise! Guess Who's Back?

I think there needs to be a big grand entrance performance or something because who knew this moment would ever even come? At least I didn't. I really thought this was it, I would never get back to my blog again. But then I pushed myself and here I am, making a grand entry. Or shall we say a grand re-entry?

No excuses, no sugar coating, no nothing. It is pretty simple; life took a bad turn back in December of 2023 and since then I've totally lost it. I have hardly had time to breathe and when I get my rare moments of me time, my brain is too exhausted to do any of the stuff that I actually love. My rainbow wall, so proudly shown off several times on this blog, tumbled down to the ground. Major rainbow rubble. Shit hit the fan. Major poop splatter. And guess who has to clean it up? Yours truly. 

That's that. Shit happened. I gotta flush and get going right? Can't sit in the poop pile forever. And this blog post right here is THAT attempt. It is THAT flush. It is me standing like a potty training toddler, waving goodbye to the poop vanishing away down the drain. It's me, hi, I'm that toddler, it's me. Once I'm done typing this out, I'm hopeful I'll be back to blogging properly. Because you know what? I really used to enjoy this place. I loved my beautiful blog. And I really want to be back here. So I did some things!

I used the old makeover-when-nothing-works trick to get some of the passion and interest back. A new background and some other changes here and there and my blog is all new and ready for me to put my life back together one post at a time. No promises, I'm just literally going to blog for fun for myself. I'll make no plans, no posting schedules, nothing at all. I'm just going to be here, taking one day at a time.

I have to clean up the poop splatters off the rainbow rubble. First things first, I have to switch off that fan! Then I have to clean up, one bit at a time. Finally, I have to get to the rainbow rubble. Who knows if that rubble will ever build back into a wall or not? But even if it doesn't, I'll sit in my rubble pretending it's my collection of Lego pieces or something. It's my party, I'll cry if I want to right? Maybe I won't. Maybe I'll enjoy the heck out of my party? Either way, it's gonna be me. (And I hope you read that last sentence NSYNC style!)

Let's see what I can make of this ...

Be back soon! (hopefully!)

XoXo,

Sara

You Shouldn't Have Come Here - Spoiler Free Book Review

This review is spoiler free until the MAJOR spoiler warning in RED!

I finished reading 'You Shouldn't Have Come Here' written by Jeneva Rose a couple days ago and let me tell you, I am still thinking about the book. I still have the book's story on my mind, I feel like I'm still connected to the characters' thoughts, and I am still wrapping my brain around that plot twist. I give this book FIVE stars because I haven't read a good thriller since forever and this one was a great read for me. Now, before I type my review of this book let me tell you this ... After I finished reading, I went and checked what others had thought of the book and I was shocked to find bad reviews there. I'm glad I didn't read them before I got the book because I would have totally missed out on a good read! Moral of the story: try a book yourself before you let the reviews decide something for you!

Let's dive into the book's plot. There's Grace from New York who is this gorgeous perfect woman looking for a retreat to get away from her busy city life. She throws a dart at a map, lets the dart pick her next destination. She says she has her life planned for her so the spontaneity is what she craves. She ends up in Wyoming on an Air BnB ranch in the middle of nowhere. Owned and run by a super handsome Calvin, this place is cut off from the world. There's no internet, no network, and to top it off Grace's car breaks down. Then unfolds Calvin's family drama. Dun dun dunnnn! There are several characters and Jeneva Rose makes sure there's mystery around each name. There's a possessive girl best friend acting out of jealousy because she's clearly in love with Calvin. There's the crazy shady brother with a secret that keeps him acting guilty. There's the old lady, the mother-like figure who has been off her meds for months. There's an eerie feel around the ranch, talks of deaths and looming curses, screaming heard in the dead of night, and just to spice it all up further the police show up looking for a missing woman.

Regardless, Grace and Calvin develop a connection. Their chemistry is intense and you get to experience it from both of their points of view as the chapters progress. Grace doubts Calvin and can't decide if he's a goody good boy or the possessive boyfriend kind looking for an always-and-forever kind of love. Calvin is falling madly in love with Grace but can't figure her out completely; who is she, what is she thinking, is she really so perfect? And what's with the missing woman? Who is lying? Who is cheating? Who'll be the villain in the end? Who'll turn out to be innocent? And most important of all, whose side are you on and will you be proven right when the author finishes the story???

This book will make you pick sides but doubt your own judgment again and again. And when you'll finally reach towards the end and the villain will be revealed you'll be hit in the face with THE plot twist. This book played out like a movie in my head. I had so much fun reading it and that ending was so well done. It was the perfect thriller punch in the face you'd expect out of a good movie. It was the kind of book where the ending leaves you satisfied. I found a lot of reviews complaining that the author had saved the plot twist for the very end and then abruptly finished the book after the big reveal. Well, I found that the short and sudden hit gave a big and bold blow. If Jeneva Rose had revealed everything midbook it wouldn't have been half as much fun. That climax was everything! Saving it for the end made me shut the book and then sit in my room all alone and think. Wait, was the book over, I wanted more? What happens next? Like ... HOW did that just happen and what am I supposed to do now that this book is over?

I'm going to recommend this book to everybody looking for a good read. Do not listen to the bad reviews and give it a shot. Everybody has different tastes and to me this book was great. I found that every single complain in the reviews section was actually something I really liked. Except one little thing: Hay is for horses! That was sooooo annoying! Hahahaha! I'd totally want Jeneva Rose to write a sequel for this one. I really want to see what becomes of the villain next. It could make for another great read for sure!

A little note: The book does have an intimate scene written in if it's something you don't prefer to read. But it isn't full of sexual content and you can totally skip a couple paragraphs if you want to avoid something.

NOW THE SPOILERS BEGIN.

************************

If you don't want to read spoilers this is where you stop reading!

Again, I repeat! SPOILERS AHEAD!

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I did want to share some of my thoughts about the book! First of all, I was falling for Calvin! Hahaha! Yes I was. There, I said it. I desperately wanted him to be proven innocent and I was a bit heartbroken when I found out he was a psycho killer. As for Grace, I didn't trust her since the beginning of the book. Obviously I had no idea WHAT she'd turn out to be, that was a huge shocker, but I had a bad feeling in my gut about her. I somehow couldn't trust her even after she found out about Calvin's secrets hidden in the basement. After that point in the book I knew Calvin was up to no good but even then my heart told me Grace wasn't to be sided with either. The woman gave me all kinds of bad vibes! And I was scared to the bone when she started talking to ME in the end. Haha! I was like whaaaaat, don't talk to me you psycho! My heart kept sinking more and more when she mentioned the itch, then I found out she had a loving husband, then little kids who had no idea what mommy dearest was up to. Loved that ending! Who had she killed before Calvin? Who would she kill next? Was this her pattern; did she travel, make the person fall in love with her, kill him, then leave? Or was it random and she'd kill just any host whether she got attached to them or not? Somehow Calvin and Grace were both psychos but all that I was left with was Grace being a serial killer. Not once, since finishing the book, have I thought about Calvin killing one woman after the other. All I can think of is Grace and her serial killing spree! I'm definitely going to try more books from this author!

Make Summer Stop ~ Summer 2023 Decor

Everyone knows I am a big Summer hater. I hate hate HATE the season with a passion. I hate it so much you can sense HEAT through the screen while you read this. The word HATE in this blog post is burrrrrrrrningggggggggggggggg. Yes, I hate Summer that much. Heatwaves, sweating, bugs ... hate hate HATE! Hate it so much! But I still do some Summer decorating in my room, you know, just to get the mood to lift up a bit. I put together a Summer hating Awesome Board this year but mostly I did some colorful cutesy decor all around and I'm here to show it off today!

Let me start with my desk! Some cute things here and there, lots of colors, and the Awesome Board that shows my hate for the season in the happiest way possible! I've added some cute pieces to my desk's decor to rep the 90's kid that I am. Everything looks super cute now. You'll find a shark reference, that's an inside joke of the Bubbster Club! Hahaha! I have loved how pretty all of this looked as I got through the most hated season of all. It was the perfect trick to keep my spirits up! Take a look ...

Next I'm showing off my FabBoard. Yes, I recently named it because I figured I needed a name now that I was changing seasonal displays on it. So if one is the Awesome Board then the other is the FabBoard. For my FabBoard I just went bright, happy, and girly. Flowers, ice creams, happy quotes, self love, all of that good stuff! Happy vibes is what I needed to counter the Summer curse. Check it out ...

Now finally finally FINALLY, after what seems like forever, Summer is almost about to end. These are the last few days that I have to survive before my darling Fall season begins. I'm ready to take down all of this Summer themed decor and bring out everything Fall. I'm just so excited! I know it'll be awesome. Can't wait to get a chance to decorate and then show it off!

BOOHOO SUMMER. Go burn yourself.

Hello Fall, how are yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?

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Exceptionally Ordinary Luna Lovegood Shoes

Sometimes you come across a little something that just baffles you with its beautiful fabulosity. That's what happened when I received my pair of Luna Lovegood shoes. I was blown out of my senses with how incredibly pretty these shoes are. Beautiful! Just beautiful! The iconic Luna icons print, the gold glitter details, the Spectrespecs hanging on the side, the pink and blue laces, the vibrant colors ... SO BEAUTIFUL!

Rewind a bit to a couple years ago, one or maybe two - I have forgotten ... Abbie and I had bought ourselves a pair of the same shoes but they had been way too tight and we had ended up returning them. Back then the reviews stated that the shoes ran large and we should size down at least two sizes. Turns out the reviews were misleading. Then we gave up on them until a couple weeks ago when I saw them again and started bugging Abbie that we needed them in our lives. This time when we checked the reviews said they were true to size. So we decided to take a chance and placed our order on Fun.com

Yes, they are true to size length wise but they run a bit narrow in the toes area. So if you have a chubby foot like mine and wish to get a more comfy fit, size up one size. Thanks to my Achilles tendinitis, I can no longer wear shoes without shoving a custom orthotic sole in them so I have to accommodate for that. My foot is a size ten and I got a size eleven. It is BIG, yes, but once I tie the laces it is perfect. My foot doesn't feel like it'll slide out when I walk and I like having the comfortable space to wiggle my toes. Also, these shoes don't have a cushioned sole insert in them so if you like to add one yourself, definitely sizing up is the way to go!

Now, I'll leave you to enjoy pictures of these beauties. Let me just say this one last thing, get these shoes if you can! They are worth the hassle of trying out sizes and returning if you have to. They are SO worth it. Super duper beautiful!

Exceptionally ordinary!!! You can't convince me these shoes don't have magic involved. Pretty sure they do! JUST LOOK AT THEM! I can't stop looking! Can't wait to pair an outfit with these and take them out for a spin!

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Second Half of the Year Vibes!

Well, well, well, what haaaaave we here!?

I am back after hosting another very successful, fabulous, magical, super duper awesome Potterific July! So much happened during the month and so much more is coming up - I feel like I have a huge load of catching up to do! I'm feeling second-half-of-the-year kinda energy vibes here!!! You know what I mean?

First, let me talk about how brilliant Potterific July 2023 was. Well, it was BLOODY BRILLIANT! Hundreds of Potterheads joined me once again for the sixth year of Potterific. I was nervous that it was becoming old and maybe people wouldn't be too enthusiastic this time. I was also worried how the recent insta changes of no longer having a 'sort by recent' hashtag feed would affect my beloved Potterific. BUT it was as magical as ever. In fact, I think it was even more awesome-er this time! It felt like a celebration and the amazing Potterheads who joined me felt the same way too! It was a MAJOR hit and I couldn't be happier!!! People are already waiting for the next year and so am I! Hahaha! Love it!!!

Aaaaaaand now that that is done I'm sliding into August feeling a renewed creative energy! Let me brainstorm my upcoming plans and brain dump my ideas right here.

There was a recent scare of Google closing down its photo albums and potentially erasing everything here on my beautiful blog. I had become so upset and demotivated. But thank God even with the albums being shut down Blogger continues and my darling blog is still here. GOOGLE PLEASE DON'T EVER SHUT BLOGGER DOWN! It'll ruin me and so many other bloggers here! Sooooo I knew the first thing I had to get back to was blogging my heart out. There's so much to talk about and I'm here!

Next, I'm planning Hushly's birthday party and cake. It's all set in my head and as usual I'm nervous and excited to see if I can bring my plans to life and do a good job. He's turning three and is such a bore! Hahahahahahaaaa, I shouldn't have said that (Hagrid style!) ... So planning out a birthday theme and all for him has been slightly more challenging. But Abbie and I have come up with an awesome plan and even if he decides not to react I know my nieces will be thrilled to see what we did! So looking forward to that and hoping I can pull off another cake!

I've also actually put together a Summer Awesome Board, regardless of my hate for the season, believe it or not! So photo dump blog post coming soon after which I'm going to start planning for Fall! *insert heart eyes here* My time of the year approaches. (Dil dance maarey vibes! - look it up on Google translate!)

What else? Let's see! YES! My Disney shelf is looking great already and I have also bought some stuff that I needed to add more magic to it. That has to be done next. Oooooh and scrapbooking! My scrapbook is coming along soooooooo beautifully but I'm also thinking of starting a second one which I can begin updating with current events. See I started off with my 30th birthday so instead of just always catching up I think I should start a current one alongside so I can enjoy real time scrapbooking too.

I have a lot of really pretty shopping to show off too. I don't know if I'll do another photo dump blog post for that too but I need to figure out something because some of the stuff is just way too cool to be ignored. I have added some really cool things to the Harry Potter collection too and redecorated a bit and it allllll has to be shown off! Wow I have a lot to show and tell!

As far as my reading goal for 2023 goes I have read some really good books and am wondering which one will be my next read. Of course, those too, I have to talk about right here on my blog. Some book reviews and some book discussions are long due!

As usual, I have a million things to do and like five something minutes of free time to do them! Hahaha! Let's see how and when and what I end up doing. Right now, my Friyay off day is almost coming to an end and I'm wondering if I should play Sims in the remaining free hour or play Hogwarts Legacy or scrapbook or go decorate my Disney shelf.

Let's start with getting off of here and standing in the middle of the room, scratching my head and thinking what to do next! Hahaha! Sometimes it works.

XoXo,

Sara