Monthly Favorites – June 2018

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will make a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

With the month of June coming to an end, I thought it would be fun to list 10 things I loved this month! This will give me a chance to talk about items that I enjoy but probably couldn’t write an entire post about.  My “Monthly Favorites” posts will range from products, to places, to websites, to other fun things!

Book – “How Women Rise”

I was talking to my coworker over lunch about how I’m trying to find more podcasts and books to productively utilize my time while I commute on public transit. A few days later she gifted me this book and I absolutely love it! It is an interesting – but very real – point that certain skills and habits may have helped get you to where you are today, but you may need to make a change in order to take that next step in your career. Additionally, the habits that women usually have that are holding them back are often different than men. This book has definitely opened my eyes to show me how I can be self-sabotaging my success without knowing it.  It has also reminded me to focus on self-improvement and to not spend so much energy on things I cannot change.  How Women Rise is available on Amazon as a hardcover, Kindle book, and audiobook.  Click the Amazon link above to read more about this great book!

“Skinny” Orange Chicken Recipe

I absolutely love ordering Chinese food but it is obviously not the healthiest! And, if you cook Chinese dishes at home, you know that they often require a lot of ingredients and can be very time-consuming. I found the best Orange Chicken recipe that is both healthy and requires very little time to cook.  The prep time is also very short; while the chicken is cooking you can make the sauce…and that’s all there is to it!  This recipe is from one of my favorite recipe websites, Gimme Some Oven.  Click here for the recipe!

Laptop Sleeve

Brian completely surprised me with a MacBook Pro for an early birthday present since I’ve been starting to blog.  Best husband award! Right when I got the laptop I went to Amazon to order a case so I wouldn’t scratch it.  I’ve never had a laptop this expensive so I’ve been treating it like it’s a living thing!

I ended up purchasing the Mosiso Quatrefoil laptop sleeve because it had over 1,000 great reviews.  I purchased it in the “dark red” color but they also have gray, black, blue, pink and green available. They also have several different sizes available.  Click the link above to check out all of these options!

I love this Mosiso case for so many reasons. The case has a foam padding layer and the inside is lined with fleece to absorb any bumps, shocks or potential scratches. It also comes with a small matching case that you can store your charger in.  I am using this case for my MacBook Pro, but it can also fit several other laptop and notebooks including brands like Lenovo, Acer, HP, Microsoft and Dell. The specific models are listed in the description of the Amazon link above.

Microplush Blanket

Anyone that has been to my house knows I loooove blankets.  I think we have about 12 in our house, and seeing as how Brian is never cold, it’s probably a little excessive!  This blanket from Target is one of my absolute favorites. It is soft, machine washable and such a great price! I know what you’re thinking…konner, its summer…I don’t need a blanket. Well I always use them! 🙂

This blanket comes in several colors, including gray, white, brown, blue and purple.  There are also different sizes (twin, full/queen and king).

Iphone Antidote – Iphone Reselling Website

I have had an iPhone for the last 10 years, just about when Apple first started making them! Within that span of time I upgraded to a new model every year or two. I have been very responsible with my phones, only losing one to water damage (fell in the toilet…don’t ask!). Besides that one exception, most of my phones didn’t even have a crack in the screen when I went to upgrade to a newer model. One year I had the idea to find a website online to sell my old iPhones to, and I have been using the same company ever since.

iPhone Antidote is safe and simple. All you have to do is fill out the following information on their website’s home page: your iPhone model, carrier, size and condition.  The website will tell you how much money you can get for your phone, and if you accept the offer, iPhone Antidote emails you a prepaid label with a tracking number.  This shipping label is insured in the event that anything happens to your package during transit, which definitely gives me peace of mind!  Once you drop off your iPhone at the post office and iPhone Antidote receives it, you will receive your money shortly after. You can choose whether you want this money deposited into your PayPal account or if you want a check mailed to you. This company has great reviews on resellerratings.com and I have never had an issue with payment since I’ve been using them. If you have a drawer full of old iPhones in your house, consider selling them!

Click here to go to their website!

Michael Kors Leather Purse

In the last couple of years I have gotten into the habit of only purchasing small crossbody bags that are perfect for concerts, going to dinner, etc. They’re light, easy to carry and they are perfect to fit a few of my belongings for a night out. But, that’s as far as their use goes for me! On weekdays when I commute to work I use my backpack from college to carry all of my stuff. I felt unprofessional wearing a backpack into work when my outfit was business casual, but all of my current purses were too small to use.

This Michael Kors Savannah Large Saffiano Leather Satchel is the perfect fit because it is stylish and functional.  I have been able to fit my large planner, a bottle of sunscreen, my large wallet, my makeup and a whole lot of other things that I use on a daily basis! I take public transit so I really like how this purse has a long strap; it can be worn as a crossbody to keep my belongings close to me on the train.  Also, the middle section is zippered, so I can place important items like my wallet in there and someone can’t easily grab it out of my purse.

The photo above will take you to Amazon where this purse is available to purchase, but I also recommend going straight to the Michael Kors website to compare prices.  Both websites have different color options to choose from and the prices are $200 or lower, which is a great deal when compared to the normal $298 price tag!

Steve Madden Wedges

I planned on not buying new clothes and shoes this month in an effort to save money.  I did save money (yay!), but I could not pass up these shoes!  They’re currently 50% off at Macys – they’re only $44.50!  I love Steve Madden shoes, I don’t have a white pair of wedges in my closet, they were on sale, and I had a few Macy’s gift cards floating around in my purse. Those were my justifications and I think I made a pretty good case for purchasing them!

I love the height of these wedges; they’re under 4 inches, so they’re not too tall if you plan on wearing them all day.  They also come in other beautiful colors like brown, blush and gold.  Now someone please invite me somewhere that I can wear these babies!

If you want to see if these wedges are available in your size, click the photo above!

Dry Shampoo

I wasn’t a believer in dry shampoo until I found one that actually worked for me! I even spent $28 on a single can of Moroccan Oil dry shampoo because I figured it had to be good with that price tag.  After trial and error, I discovered that my favorite dry shampoo is this cheap $6 can at Target!

Tip:  I spray the dry shampoo in my hair at night and sleep with it in; I have found it works a lot better this way.  When I wake up I find that my hair is less oily and has more volume than it normally would have been on day 2 or 3.  Yay for more sleep and less hair washes!  For more information on Batiste Dry Shampoo, click the above photo!

Natural Facial Sponges

Now that I’m almost 25, I am trying to take better care of my skin.  After all, your skin’s health is very important; it is the largest organ in your body!

I’ve been using these for a while now but I wanted to include them in my first Monthly Favorites post!  I used to use a washcloth to wash my face but I felt that it wasn’t the best at removing makeup and cleansing.  These facial sponges are soft, absorbent and gentle.  They cost $25 and come in a pack of 50 on Amazon.  I usually use one sponge for about a month, give or take, so one pack lasts me a very long time.  These sponges are biodegradable and great for travel because they are disposable.  They are a staple in my daily skincare routine and I love them!

Furminator Dog Brush

You guys. This brush.

Daisy is the first inside dog I’ve ever owned and unfortunately she sheds a lot.  The Furminator de-shedding brush really helps remove a lot of the dog hair that would have otherwise been on the floor of our house.  This brush not only catches the loose fur on top of your dog’s coat but also safely brushes your dog’s undercoat. I hear that the Furminator de-shedding brush in combination with the Furminator shampoo is amazing, but daisy has sensitive skin so we haven’t tried it out yet!

If you click the above Amazon link, you can choose between different sized brushes depending on the size of your pet as well as the length of their coat.

If you’ve gotten all the way to the bottom of this post, thank you so much for reading!  Feel free to comment on what you liked best, or if there are any items you’d like me to include in the next Monthly Favorites post!