Holly Journals August 2017

          So this is going to be my final Holly Journals box for a little while. I need to use up all the journals I got from them before I can go back to re-activating my subscription. The theme of the box is Day at the Beach.

   

  

          So I'm going to start with the bonus gifts in the box. The first is assorted Salt Water Taffies (as seen above), and the second is a beach bracelet.

          The box also included an embellishment pack that had paper clips and name tags, journal jewelry and a Le Pen in blue.

          Finally, we get to the real jewel of the box, which is the journal. As usual it has a beautiful cover and an assortment of pages in different textures and types. These journals can be used as diaries, or art journals. I tend to use them as art journals.

Planner Society

          I'm slowly getting into all the interesting things the Planner Society sends me each month. I don't always use them for my planners and that is what makes them awesome. 

          As usual the box had an asortment of items like stamps, stickers, die cuts, glitter or sequens and of course crafting cardstock paper. So let's get into the box.

          The first item to come out of the box is a pack of journaling cards. I've never used them as such but I have cut them up and used the pictures or quotes on them.

          Next up are two cute items that I see myself giving to my little cousins. A little pouch which could be used for a multitude of things like storing pens or make up. Also four hair pins. 

          I always love the stamps, die cuts, memo pads dividers and stamps. I think there are two themes happening here, pineapples and flowers. 

          Finally, the craft papers. Each box comes with an assortment and this one is no different. I always love getting them. 

OwlCrate July 2017

          I'm a little late showing off July's OwlCrate, but better late than never. The theme of the crate for July 2017 is Wanderlust.

          The box seemed to be really full of goodies and at least two things caught my eye the moment I opened it.

A Lord of the Rings inspired backpack, it was created exclusively by the OwlCrate team for this box.

This cute little thing is a Funko keychain of Newt Scamander.

I have a lot of travel bags and this bag tag by mudpuppy is going to make at least one of them stand out!

"As Travars" means to travel. This mirror was inspired by A Darker Shade of Magic and was designed exclusively for OwlCrate by Miss Phi.

A pocket journal from Ooly; there were eight different styles sent out. This is the one I got, what did you guys get?

This art print was designed by Shailey Ann Designs. It has a quote by Francois Rabelais and was also inspired by the novel Looking for Alaska. It is another OwlCrate exclusive.

Finally we have the reason for the box. The book for the month of July is The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee. It has an OwlCrate exclusive cover.  From GoodReads.com:"Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. 

 Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores."

The book came with a cute letter from the author.

A signed bookplate.

And a cute art print map.

All in all, I loved the items in the box as usual, and I can't wait to read the book as I heard a lot about it on BookTube both good and bad.

Indie Book Connect

This is the last package from Indie Book Connect that I am going to receive. I've decided to cancel my subscription for a multitude of reasons, at any rate let us get into the package.

As usual there are two books from independent authors. There was also a bookmark with a quote from Ernest Hemingway.

The first book is The Achilles Heel by Karyn Rae. It is book one of the series and it is signed. There seems to be a book 2 already out of this series too. The author also seems to have a publishing company as can be seen from the information brochure.

From GoodReads: "Annie Whitman's ordinary Midwest life is shattered with the sudden death of her husband Jack. Thirty-five and failing at life as a widow, she turns to the comforts of vodka in an attempt to camouflage the cold sheets of an empty bed. The necessary inebriation helps her to cope with Jack's death, but proves to be a deterrent in recovering any sense of normalcy. After spending several months at the bottom of a bottle, Annie stumbles upon a lockbox in the crawl space of her basement. Opening this box also opens her eyes to the likelihood that Jack Whitman might not have been the honest and doting man she married. Annie embarks on a mission to the Virgin Islands to uncover the truth about her husband's past and seek safety from her brother-in-law, who seems to be the captain of his own sinking ship. While settling into paradise, she meets the wickedly handsome, but surprisingly reserved Kessler Carlisle, who is struggling with his retirement from country music superstardom. With Kessler's help, Annie discovers the heart's uncanny ability to heal, and the possibility that dead men don't always keep their secrets-even if they're buried in the Caribbean waters of St. Croix. The Achilles Heel delves into the formidable fact that everyone harbors darkness, and some will go to the depths of the ocean to keep their secrets hidden." 

The second book is called A Heart of Time by Shari J. Ryan. The book came with a bookmark that has the author's information and it was signed.

From GoodReads: "“Time of death...” the doctor said.

I won’t forget that moment I looked over at Ellie—the paleness of her once rosy cheeks, the blue hue coating her perfect lips—the woman I had been with since we were five years old. My wife. My best friend...and the mother to our newborn baby girl. 

You promised me we would be together forever, I wanted to tell her. She gave me her forever, I told myself. Her forever just ended at twenty-five.

“You need to say your goodbyes...” the doctor said.

How do I say goodbye to the one person in my life I could never say goodbye to? 

My body is numb, and my heart hurts. Hurts like someone just ripped it out of my chest. Which is ironic ...

“We are going to remove her heart now, Hunter. It was her wish to donate,” the doctor said.

She never told me this. 

She never told me another woman would carry on with her beating heart. She never told me this woman knew me but wouldn’t let me know her. 

She never told me if I should follow her heart, or if I should follow mine.

She knew. She could have told me..."

The theme of this seems to be complicated relationships...

Art Tarte July 2017 box

          I was really excited by the pictures provided on CrateJoy and on the subscription box site so I decided to try Art Tarte out for a couple of months. I've been trying to find the time to open it and finally did so. I was...well you'll see. As usually the Kuwait customs had gotten into the box. However, according to the information box everything is still in the box and intact.

          The first thing to come out of the box was the assorted papers, they should have been in an envelope but they were all over the box. 

The different colors are Strathmore pastel paper and the black ones are Faber-Castel.

          The next things that came out of the box were a feather bookmark, an Art Tarte July postcard calendar, and an Art Tarte "Ombre Feathers" greating card. 

And of course the information card and a card with the challenge of the month which is "Conquering Fears".   

          As I read the challenge and saw that the papers were for pastels my heart sank...I hate Pastels but that is not their fault.

These are Mungyo soft Pastel sticks. 

           Finally, pens, a pencil, an eraser and some colored pencils. 

There are two Reaeon gel pens in pink and green with two refills in orange and blue, one Prismacolor Design ArtGum eraser, a Prismacolor Ebony Graphite drawing pencil, a Blending Stump which can be used to blend pastels, two Stabilo Carb-Othello pastel pencils in black and yellow, and a brandless pencil.

          I looked up all the supplies in this box (as much as I could anyway) and there is no way that the items in the box add up too 25 dollars...not even close. I'm hoping this is a fluke and the next box is going to be better, otherwise I am canceling my subscription.

Indigo Artbox July 2017

          The inspiration for this box of Indigo Artbox is Paul Cezanne, and as usually you can find a short video about Cezanne on indigoartbox.com under the videos tab.

          Because this box was inspired by Paul Cezanne, acrylics is the name of the game. I'm glad they've moved off from pastels...I just could not get into them. I love acrylics almost as much as I love watercolors.

          So what does this box contain:

          The pouch has a set of acrylic paints which are semi matte. The colors included are Scarlett, Titanium White, Lemon Yellow, and Phthalo blue. Their brand is Mont Marte Satin, which I've never actually heard about...so yay for new products (at least to me). They are 18 ml each. The pouch also contained a number 10 Mont Marte gallery series paint brush. The bristles are really soft.

          The package also contains a color wheel, which I am glad for because color mixing is something I am still working on and trying to get right.

          Finally, there was an envelop which has two inspirational art cards with prints from Paul Cezanne's works. And some sketch papers and canvas papers.

          I can't wait to try out the new paints and the color wheel. This should be right up my alley as opposed to the pastels.