Bracelets from eBay - Confessions of an online-shopaholic, pt III

My sister-in-law asked me to tell about the bracelets I bought from eBay. I have to admit that I've bought close to a hundred bracelets through the online auction site, but in my defense, I usually don't pay more than a $1 for a bracelet :)

Crystal stretch bracelets, available in multiple colors, about $1 each

If you plan on bidding on bracelet on eBay, here are some things to consider before placing a bid:

"Jade" stretch bracelet, $0.80

- always check the shipping fee, they vary a lot! I usually only purchase free shipping items

Pink crystal bracelet, $0.99, one of my favorites!

- don't bid on the first item you see, check if the same seller has that particular item for cheaper. The sellers usually list the same bracelet many times and most of the items are on sale through several different

 sellers

Three row "pearl" bracelet, $0.79

-if you really want the bracelet, be sure to be online when the bidding ends, I often lose bids when last minute bidders outbid me

"wood" stretch bracelet, $0.99

-I avoid buying anything with too much metal parts, since most likely they are not hypoallergenic.As a gentle advise, here's some trinkets NOT worth buying:

photo from eBay

The two top ones have metal parts that pinch, painfully (trust me haha), and lower one has metal parts that can cause allergies to some and also, the flakes brake easily when mailed in an envelope.

-The bracelets are often tiny in size, but vary quite a bit. I have really narrow wrists so most of them fit me perfectly. Sometimes, however, the bracelets have been so huge I haven't been able to wear them. Luckily they don't cost that much, so I've just given them to my friends.

Crystal stretch bracelets, about a $1 each

-last, but not least, remember "you get what you pay for". Since the bracelets are cheap, they are not real amethyst or pearl even if the listing says so. They are cheap trinkets, so keep that in mind :)

"pearl" stretch bracelets, sold in multiple colors, about $1 each

Here's some more bracelets that I bought and liked:

Crystal stretch bracelets, available in multiple colors, about a $1 each, my favorites!

Plastic stretch bracelet, $0.99

Wooden stretch bracelet, $1.15

"Tiger eye" crystal bracelet, $0.95, my newest purchase and I love it!

What do you think about these bracelets? Have you purchased jewelry from eBay?

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Random Tuesdays 08/28/2012

America's favorite pasttime in Keene, NH in 2007. I'm honestly not a big fan of baseball, I think it's boring and takes too long :) But here are the Keene Swamp Bats, at least they have a dapper team name!

Blog challenge: 11 facts tag!

The admirably witty Pilvi from How to become an Emigrant sent me a blog challenge and everyone who reads my blog knows how I love blog challenges :) So I obviously accepted, although I might've done this before. It's the 11 facts challenge and here are the rules:

1. The person nominated must share 11 facts about themselves.

2. The person nominated must answer the questions the tagger

( the person who nominated them) set for them.

3. The person nominated must choose 11 people to tag (nominate)

and create 11 questions for them to answer.

Then they must go to their pages and let them know they were nominated!

There are no tag backs! 

Pilvi asked the questions in Finnish, so I'll be answering them in Finnish as well, but here are the 11 facts about myself in English.

1. I was a very quick-tempered child, but to my parents' surprise I calmed down considerably when I went to school. I was so excited when I finally got to go to kindergarten at the age of 5, since I never went to a daycare.

2. I still love school and have several degrees to prove it. I'm working on two Master's degrees right now, hopefully graduating from the first one later this year.

3. I've  changed career paths several times during my life since I have not been able to make up my mind on what I really want to do. I got accepted to the university of study Slavic languages originally, but I changed my major quite soon after classes started. 

4. I've worked in security, which you would not believe if you saw me, I'm a rather small person. But I was a licensed security guard back in the day.

5. When I was five years old I told everyone I was going to become Miss Finland when I grew up. I staged beauty pageants with my cousins in order to practice for the real thing. 

6. Right now I'd like to be working at the archives somewhere doing conservation work. Before I had our little man, that was exactly what I was doing. It really bums me out that I can't go back to my old job in Nebraska, but I'd rather live in Finland right now.

7. I love making people guess where I'm from when I'm abroad. In the U.S people from the east coast often guessed I was from Georgia, since I had a funny accent.

8. When I moved to the Midwest people thought I was from Boston, since I had a funny accent.

9. I have one of those faces, I seem to have doppelgangers everywhere I go. Sometimes even my friends' ask me why I just walked past them on the street and are surprised when I explain I was at home at the time.

10. I never thought I'd get married or have children until very recently (I was very occupied with the academia), but now I'm both a wife and a mommy :)

11. I have freckles, which some people in Finland find surprising.

Being studious, college dining at Harvard

And then to Pilvi's questions :) Pahoittelen jalleen skandien puuttumista vastauksista!

1) Jos nyt pääsisit lähtemään äkkilähdöllä lomalle minne vain, välittämättä kustannuksista tai käytännön järjestelyistä, mihin lähtisit?

- Lahtisin jonnekin Tyynen valtameren saarelle, jossa en voisi kuin levata ja kayda kavelyilla. Haluaisin olla rauhassa, ilman yhtakaan tenttikirjaa ja ilman kotityovelvollisuuksia.

2) Mikä maa tai alue ei kiinnosta sinua matkakohteena juurikaan?

- Enpa tieda onko sellaista! Ehka olen  kuitenkin sen verran arkajalka, etten uskaltaisi lahtea sotatila-alueille.

3) Mikä on lempimatkakohteesi Suomessa?

- Tykkaan Saimaasta, ehkapa Puumalan lahisto.

4) Miksi juuri se paikka?

- Haluaisin olla veden aarella ja koska asun lahella merenrantaa, sisavesisto olisi kivaa vaihtelua:)

5) Auto, juna, lentokone vai laiva, ja miksi, tai miksi ei?

- Matkustan mielellani kaikilla, mutta juna on mielestani jotenkin romanttinen matkustusvaline, varsinkin jos on oma hytti! Pidan myos pitkista risteilyista, ikkunallisella hytilla tietenkin :-)

6) Millainen matkasuunnittelija olet? Riittääkö, että on lennot varattu, vai suunnitteletko vähän pidemmälle etukäteen?

- Suunnittelen paljon, vaikka voisin lahtea suunnittelemattakin. Tai no, siinakin tapauksessa, etta pitaisi lahtea yhtakkia, ehtisin varmasti etsia puhelimella paljon tietoa kohteesta :) Olen hyva kaivamaan tietoa esille aiheesta kuin aiheesta.

7) Minne, päiväreissua pidemmälle, matkustit viimeksi?

-Taisimme kayda Tukholmassa viimeksi, sita ennen New Yorkissa.

8) Mikä matkassa oli parasta?

- Tukholmassa oli parasta rakkaan ystavan nakeminen, New Yorkissa miehen kanssa kaksistaan olo.

9) Missä matkakohteessa olet toivonut, että voisit jäädä sinne pysyvästi? Miksi?

- Kreikan saaristossa, siis niissa vahemman turistirysapaikoissa. Pidan niiden rauhallisuudesta oman hektisen elaman vastapainona. Lisaksi tykastyin Floridan Jacksonvilleen, en tieda oikeastaan miksi. Ehka kun siellakin oli niin ihanan leppoisaa. Samaan asiaan tykastyin Outer Bankseillakin, sinnekin voisin muuttaa!

10) Kerro pahimmasta matkustuskokemuksestasi.

- Kehtaankohan kertoa, hieman allottavaa :) No tassa tulee; olin vuosia sitten Turkissa matkalla ja lahdimme paikallisbussilla 7h ajomatkalle vuoristoon, koska arkeologina halusin nahda useita kaivauksia. Jo alkumatkasta meidan vatsamme alkoivat murista ja lopulta emme pystyneet ajattelemaan mitaan muuta kuin vessaan paasya. Parin tunnin paasta bussi pysahtya jonnekin keskelle ei mitaan, jossa oli jonkinlainen laastirakennelma eli vessa. Vessa oli tietenkin turkkilaiselle maaseudulle tyypillinen reika lattiassa, eika mitaan muuta. Ovella istui vanhahko herrasmies, joka myi vessapaperia pala kerrallaan. Onneksi minulla oli omat nessut mukana, kiitos aiti! Loppumatka taas karvisteltiin, kunnes paastiin perille meidan ensimmaiseen kohteeseen, josta olimme varanneet hotellin. Hotelli oli todella nuhruinen, mutta meidan huoneessamme oli ihan oikea vesiklosetti! Innostus halveni nopeasti huomattuamme, etta vessan katosta vuotaa ylakerran huoneen sita itseaan. Emme jaksaneet alkaa valittaa asiasta, koska olimme siella vain sen yhden lyhyehkon yon nukkumassa, joten istuimme vuorotellen vessapontolla (onneksi mukaan ottamani) sateenvarjon alla muutaman tunnin. Loppumatka meni muuten oikein loistavasti tahan alkuun verrattuna :) Ja tama on niita harvoja kertoja, kun sain jonkun vatsapopon, joten voin pitaa itseani onnekkaana!

11) Miten lomailet, jos lomaan ei kuulu matkustusta?

- Jotenkin kotona olo ei vain ole lomailua, mutta ehkapa menisin rannalle.

Vacationing in Jacksonville, Florida in 2007

And here are my 11 questions:

1) As a child, what did you want to become when you grew up?

2) What do you do for living now?

3) What profession would you be in, if you could choose anything you like now?

4) Which country/area do you live in?

5) If you had to pick one place in your current town to bring a tourist, where would you take them? 

6) Which countries/areas have you lived in?

7) Where would you live,  if you could choose anywhere you like?

8) What is the furthest you've ever been away from home ?

9) What languages do you know and how well?

10) What language(s) would you like to learn?

11) and the random 11th question: what is the oldest item you own?

I think most of the blogs I read have done this challenge, but those that haven't, I tag you! :) 

I also challenge those that are reading this blog and have done the challenge or just don't want to do it, to answer my questions in the comment box :) I saw that one of Pilvi's readers had done that, and I think it's a great idea!

Looking forward to your answers :) Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Uiva 2012 Boat-Afloat Show

Last weekend we visited Uiva 2012, Finland's biggest Boat-Afloat show at HSK yacht club marina in Lauttasaari, Helsinki. There were about 300 boats or yachts and a bunch of  boating equipment to see. The boat show is quite popular, according to their website "Helsinki Boat-Afloat show 2011 had a total of 14,340 visitors." We were there in 2011 as well and the little man had such a good time we went this year as well. My brother got us tickets, since he works for a yacht manufacturer. I like to go back to Lauttasaari now and then, since I spent the first few years of my life there :)

The boat show started on Thursday and I think they had excellent weather then, but when we visited on Sunday, it was a bit gloomy.

More boats!

There were a bunch of tents, a couple of cafeterias etc. Little man enjoyed trying out the inflatable boats the most!

But this was the highlight of his trip! Steering wheel and a bunch of buttons to push :)

Gloomy sky and gorgeous boats.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

Random Tuesdays 08/21/2012

Neue Rathaus in Hannover, Germany in 2009. One of my best friends and the God-mommy of out lil man is from Hannover. Their New Town Hall is so gorgeous!

Sugary celebrity scents

It comes as no surprise to anyone that this blogger loves things that are sweet :)

This is also true when it comes to scents, for the longest time I used to wear Sephora's Scented Spray in Chocolate Toffee as my only scent. That was until once when I had just applied, a friend came over and asked me if I had baked a chocolate cake. I gave up on the scent after that, since no one wants to smell like food ;)

But I still love sugary scents, only lately, as in the last couple of years, I've developed a very picky nose and some scents start bothering me soon after applying. I used to wear Calvin Klein's Eternity in my teens and after that I loved Dior's Chris 1947 and Forever and Ever, until they became almost impossible to find. I also loved Escada's Tropical Punch. After those I played with multiple scents until I found Paco Rabanne's Black XS, which I really liked. I often bought perfumes that had bottles I like without even really trying them :) Then I got tired of scents altogether and all the scents I had at home started bothering me.

Since sometimes the bottle distracted me from the actual scent I started trying out scents without checking the packaging. The first scent that I bought this way was surprisingly enough, Paris Hilton's Can Can. I never though in a million years I'd buy a scent from Paris Hilton. I tested it on husband too and he loved it as well, until he heard it was Paris Hilton :D Anyways I bought it and loved it. After that I ventured on to other inexpensive celebrity scents and found myself liking Britney Spears' (I know!) Midnight Fantasy. These two celebrity scents are surprisingly good, but the only downside is that they don't last as long as the designer scents. This suits me just fine, since I don't mind reapplying now and then, and I like that fact that they are not that strong. But not all celebrity scents are to my liking, I tried Britney Spears's Fantasy and that was way too sweet for me, I also got Jessica Simpson's Fancy Love and it was a bit too sharp floral for me. 

Here are my currently favorites, Clinique's Happy Heart (light scent with a heart of water hyacinth, followed by mandarin and blond woods), Britney Spears' Midnight Fantasy (sweet scent with a heart of night orchid, freesia and iris followed by amber, musk and vanilla) and Paris Hilton's Can Can (another sweet scent with a heart of wild orchid and orange blossom followed by soft musk, amber and precious woods). None of them are new scents, but are still available.

What do you think of celebrity scents? Have you found any that you like?

p.s I made husband use the "blind selection" method to choose his scent as well and he ended up with Versace Pour Homme :)

Dresses from China

I wrote in an earlier entry that I've ordered some custom made dresses from China with varied results. I was very lucky with my wedding dress, but not as lucky with some of my cocktail dresses. Here are photos of some of the outfits I've bought. I've added both the sale photo and the reality shot, which sometimes differ quite a bit :). I apologize that some of the dresses pictured are not ironed, but hopefully you'll get the point. 

I bought this dress from Sinobay for $40 as a party dress for our first wedding. I couldn't find their website anymore, so maybe they're out of business. Anyways, this was not a custom dress, but a ready-made one. I'm usually size S, but I checked out the measurements and ordered a size L (!) It was just the right size and I was happy with the dress, although it made me look really bottom heavy haha. 

The rest of the dresses are custom made from Dino Direct. DD sells everything under the sky for a price, which varies every day. The dress you find today might be less or more expensive tomorrow. They also always have some sort of coupon code available, so I wouldn't buy anything for a full price from DinoDirect. Their dresses can be very affordable, but buyer be aware, the quality varies a lot. Also, their shipping fees can be outrageous, so I have only ordered free shipping items.  Here are some examples:

This strapless dress is my favorite of all my DinoDirect dresses. It was $50 and originally had a rhinestone brooch attached, but I purchased the flower, also from DD, to replace it. I think the flower was about $5. It was a bit longer than I expected and despite being custom made, it was just a bit too big. My Mom easily fixed to fit me. The color I ordered it in is silver satin.

This was also a custom made dress from DD and it was $34. Pretty much what I expected, the dress color is champagne. The sash was really low quality, but otherwise I was really happy with the dress.

Another custom made dress from DD. This one was $45 and the color is brown. It was a very tight fit, even though I have always ordered with the same measurements, but I did manage to squeeze into it. There were less rhinestones than in the sales photo and the sash part is narrower, otherwise I was happy with this one, despite it making me look like I have no curves...

Here's the first dress from DD that I was not happy with. It is way too big and my Mom thinks she won't be able to fix it and make it look good. So I'm going to have to take it a seamstress if I want to use it. The dress was $44 and the color is lilac.

Here's another one I've never used. It just looks so bulky on me. It was also way too revealing, so I've fixed it with a butterfly brooch. I might take this to a seamstress at some point and see if anything can be done about it. It was $31 and the taffeta color is chocolate.

And last, the biggest disaster. Not only does it look very little like the dress pictured, it was so big that I could've almost fit twice in it. I had planned to wear it as my second dress for our wedding, but quickly gave up on that idea when it arrived. Luckily I was able to resale it and got my money back. It was $40 and the color was supposed to be ivory, but it was white. Also I was told it would have a lace-up back, but it ended up having a zipper.

When purchasing a dress, wedding or other, online from China, one should always keep in mind that what you get is not the dress pictured, but a copy of it. And it is most likely made very cheaply, but you might also be surprised and get an amazing dress! It's kind of a gamble, you never know what you get. But I think it's fair to say, you get what you pay for :) Don't expect a $400 dress, if you only pay $40.

Has anyone else ordered a dress from China? Were you happy with your purchase?

Random Tuesdays 07/14/2012

Elvis Presley's grave in Graceland in Memphis, TN in 2009. Elvis died at the estate on August 16, 1977 and Graceland itself is really worth visiting!

Random Tuesdays 08/07/2012

Countryside in Southern Finland in 2006. I love Finland in the summer! I could easily move somewhere else during the winters :-), but I would always want to be here for the summer.

When being a woman is no longer a "pre-existing condition"

Since I'm very much a pro-equality person and have had a few problems with insurance companies in the U.S, I found this infographic on Ultraviolet's page really interesting:

"Every woman needs to see this"

What do you think of the infographic? Is it too good to be true that women will finally be equal  in the U.S when it comes to health insurance? Personally I think all of this should have been obvious to the lawmakers and insurance equality should have been enforced a long time ago! But then again, as my dear ex told me, I'm one of those liberal whiners ;)