Rose & Robin Adornments: February 2016

Sunday, February 14, 2016

~FANCY FINGERS FOR THE DAY

These are the cutest Heart Day nails I ever did see!

• ~ • ~ •

Friday, February 12, 2016

~THESE VALENTINES ARE JUST 'WRITE' ❤

I happened to espy some cute Valentines on Pinterest which incorporated pencils and a play on the word "write."

Since I had recently bought some oh-so-adorbs Valentine pencils, I decided to whip up a few of them, Rose & Robin-style.

I came up with phrases to put on them and tried to make them into something that even adults would like and that friends could exchange.

They could also be made with pens, from the drugstore ilk on up to more expensive kinds. Colored pencils would look bright and cute, and for the young (and the young at heart), crayons would be fun.

*See the end of the post for links to the Valentines I saw on pinterest.

I actually meant to put "You're right up my alley," though both versions are in use...

• ~ • ~ •

Links to pinterest Valentines...

• ~ • ~ •

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

~MELODIES THAT MOVE ME ♫ ❤♫

I've always wanted someone to love me *this* much...

#goals

For the meaning behind this piece of romance, click here ☺

"Song for Whoever" by The Beautiful South

I love you from the bottom of my pencil case

I love you in the songs I write and sing

Love you because you put me in my rightful place

And I love the PRS cheques that you bring

Cheap, never cheap

I'll sing you songs till you're asleep

When you've gone upstairs I'll creep

And write it all down

Down, down, down...

Oh Shirley, oh Deborah, oh Julie, oh Jane

I wrote so many songs about you

I forget your name (I forget your name)

Jennifer, Alison, Phillipa, Sue,

Deborah, Annabel, too (I forget your name)

Jennifer, Alison, Phillipa, Sue,

Deborah, Annabel, too (I forget your name)

I love you from the bottom of my pencil case

I love the way you never ask me why

I love to write about each wrinkle on your face

And I love you till my fountain pen runs dry

Deep so deep,

The number one I hope to reap

Depends upon the tears you weep,

So cry, lovey cry

Cry, cry, cry

Oh Cathy, oh Alison, oh Phillipa, oh Sue

You made me so much money,

I wrote this song for you (I wrote this song for you)

Jennifer, Alison, Phillipa, Sue,

Deborah, Annabel, too (I wrote this song for you)

Jennifer, Alison, Phillipa, Sue,

Deborah, Annabel, too

Oh Cathy, oh Alison, oh Phillipa, oh Sue

You made me so much money,

I wrote this song for you (I wrote this song for you)

Jennifer, Alison, Phillipa, Sue,

Deborah, Annabel, too (I wrote this song for you)

Jennifer, Alison, Phillipa, Sue,

Deborah, Annabel, too

For you, for you... I wrote this song for you

So let me talk about Mary, a sad story,

I turned her grief into glory

So let me talk about Mary, a sad story,

I turned her grief into glory

Late at night, by the typewriter light

She ripped his ribbon to shreds

Late at night, by the typewriter light

She ripped his ribbon to shreds

*The last stanza is included in the lyrics on several sites, but it isn't on any of the recordings on youtube or itunes, so I dunno :/

*You'll find a translation of the French word "doudou," which is in the video, here (see the response by Agnes E.)

*Oh, and here's some interesting info. about PRS cheques ;)

~ ❤ ~

Friday, February 5, 2016

~LIPS + ROSES GALORE!

Today I'm going to review three different rose-scented lip balms, so pucker up, 'cause here we go!

First up is Vaseline Lip Therapy's Rosy Mini, which is a new product that comes in a petite little tub...

Let's take a look at the back of the package for a description and ingredient list:

This balm is indeed moisturizing. Oddly enough, it feels a bit waxier than regular Vaseline, which I love the consistency of. This surprises me, as it doesn't contain any emollients besides the petrolatum. Vaseline's Cocoa Butter and Creme Brulee formulas both contain cocoa seed butter as well, and I've tried one of those, and it was very sticky and waxy--I had assumed the consistency was due to the additional emollient, but oh well.

Though it's supposed to smell like roses, I think the fragrance is like a cheap perfume with a chemical edge--horrible; roses don't even figure in here. Out of curiosity, I asked my mom what she thought it smelled like (she didn't know it was supposed to smell rose-y), and after some deliberation, she said, "I think I've smelled it before...is it gardenia?"

This balm is tinted and colors your lips ever-so-slightly. The shade is a bit too peach for my liking.

Needless to say, this is not a product I would buy again, though it certainly looks cute at the drugstore counter, especially during Valentine season. I plan to stick with plain old Vaseline, which is my go-to when my lips are actually chapped--red, burning, and dry--no other lip moisturizer helps more and more readily than Vaseline, I've found.

Next up is For Goodness Grape's Real Rose Lip Essentials...

This balm is all-natural, as are all of the company's products, and to make matters even better, the fragrances that are used in them are natural as well (it's important to note that some beauty products which are marketed as being all-natural do indeed contain synthetic fragrance).

You'll find the ingredient list here--lots of lovely butters and oils with Vitamin E to boot.

I love For Goodness Grape lip balms with one exception--the formula isn't as soft and glossy as I would like. I always rub these balms on my pulse points (wrists and the front of my neck) to soften them up before applying them to my lips. I think some people probably prefer a denser formula because it helps to prevent them from melting when they're in your pocket or car. That being said, I prefer balms that glide on more easily. It's possible the owner would make a glossier formula if requested, though she might have to charge a bit extra in order to do so--I just might ask about that the next time I place an order.

As for the scent of this balm, it's perfect--it smells exactly like fresh roses, which isn't surprising since the fragrance ingredient in it is real rose absolute. The scent isn't too strong, which is also nice.

In the future I'd love to try the Vanilla Rose, Marshmallow Rose, and Rose Buttercream Cupcake balms.

For a softer, creamier formula that glides on more easily try Seville Rosa, which I also own. Its combo of rose absolute, cocoa butter, and orange essential oil is lovely. This balm is from her Lip Balm Queen line, as is the Rose Buttercream Cupcake balm.

Lastly, let's see what Rosebud Perfume Co.'s Smith's Rosebud Salve is like...

As you can see in the ingredient list here, this balm is petrolatum-based and also contains cottonseed oil. It's very moisturizing, and I really like the consistency of it--it's glossy but not waxy or sticky. The fragrance is all-natural (derived from essential oils and botanicals), which is ideal. Here's the rub (pardon the pun): this balm smells more like baby powder than roses to me, and baby powder isn't really my thing--it doesn't smell bad, but it's not what I would prefer.

This salve is a very well-loved product that has gotten a ton of press, and the packaging is great with its vintage charm. I bought my generous-sized tin of it quite a few years ago, and though I use it off and on, it's probably not something I would buy again.

So, there you have it. I guess I could always try buying some real roses and rubbing them across my lips, but instead I think I'll stick to lovely rosalicious lip balms that are easier to use.

That concludes my reviews. Have a lip-happy day, and please remember to stop and smell the...rose lip balms! ☺

• ~ • ~ •