Disney Vacation Countdown (Downloadable!)

I recently discovered an official Disney World vacation countdown and was so excited to see it since I'm currently planning two Disney vacations! They are for Disneyland, however, but I have no qualms using this countdown since it doesn't specifically say "Disney World" on the numbers themselves. The website has a link to print out the numbers and cut them out, however I was super excited to have a countdown lock screen on my phone, so I took to Pic Collage on my phone to create 91 days of pictures to use. They certainly aren't perfect, but they work perfectly on my iPhone 7, my mom's iPhone 6, and my best friend's iPhone 5s. They do have a "Pic Collage" watermark in the bottom corner which can easily be cropped out if desired but they are out of frame on my phone (I also made desktop ones since I obviously need even more constant reminders of how long it is until I leave). I created 13 files of "Weeks to Go!" for people who don't want to constantly change it.

I've compressed all 91 days into a zip file that's easily downloaded through this link for the phone backgrounds and this link for the desktop ones, but here's some examples that can be saved! I also created a folder of the phone backgrounds on Dropbox and of the desktop versions if that's more accessible.

If you want to stay updated with my Disneyland trips, feel free to follow me on Instagram or Twitter (both @hannahvanhoozle)! Hopefully this is helpful in everyone else's Disney adventures too. x

Are you planning a trip soon?

Hannah

P.S. Here's an example of the weekly ones:

Perfect and Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

I have loved chocolate chip cookies for as long as I can remember (like many people I assume), however since the thick and soft ones are my favorites, I hunted for a long time to find the perfect recipe for me. I found it through Sally's Baking Addiction and now it's my go-to! I do make them a bit differently than she does but the recipe is hers.

| Ingredients |

• 2+1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1+1/2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter)
• 3/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, cold
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract (or 1+1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp vanilla, butter, nut flavoring) 
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

| Directions |

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, corn starch, and salt and set aside.
3. In a medium microwave safe bowl, heat the butter for 15-20 second intervals until it's about half melted. Using a whisk, stir until it is entirely liquid but still opaque yellow.
4. Whisk in the brown and white sugar.
5. Whisk in the whole egg first, followed by the yolk, and lastly the vanilla. The cold eggs and partially melted butter will create a thick wet dough that can bypass the refrigerating step!
6. Using a rubber spatula, add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until almost combined but small ribbons of flour remain. Add the chocolate chips and stir completely.
7. Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a silicone baking mat (or parchment paper) about two inches apart. Using a few extra chocolate chips, place them on top of bare areas on the cookies before baking (it makes them look super cute and fancy)
8. Bake for 13-15 minutes. The bottom of the cookies should not be much darker than the tops. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes on the tray to finish baking, unless the bottoms are golden and the cookies hold together well!

I love these cookies so much. They're soft but they hold up really well in cookie jar or in a lunch box ;) This recipe is also a really good base for other flavored cookies as well! I've used it to make banana chocolate chip ones, black forest, and double chocolate. Let me know if you give it a shot!

Thanks for reading! xo

Hannah 

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NEW Colourpop Ultra Metallics Review + Swatches!

When the first round of Ultra Metallics Colourpop released ($6 each), I wasn't super excited by the colors since they were darker than I was anticipating. However, when they started announcing new colors that were brighter, I knew I wanted to place an order for one or two. I initially had my eyes on JIC, however it wasn't listed when I purchased mine so I decided on Lights Out and Flitter. However, now that I know I love the formula and finish, I may order a few more soon!

The texture for both of these Ultra Metallics is way thicker than the Ultra Mattes I own and have an almost mousse-like texture, similar to the way a Julep liquid lipstick I have feels. These definitely live up to their name and are stunning, shiny, eye-catching lip colors but even so, they are super smooth to apply and try to a kind of satin texture that doesn't transfer too much.

I originally wanted JIC, a gorgeous, light, cool-toned pink, but it wasn't available when I was purchasing so I grabbed Flitter instead. Flitter is a gorgeous warm pink that reflects gold and is a little less in-your-face of a metallic lip. It definitely needs either a thick coat or two thin coats for full coverage. I also found with this one to make sure it "dries" (it doesn't dry matte, but it definitely sets in and becomes less wet) before pressing my lips together or anything because it can pull of some of it.

Lights Out is a bright, super reflective true gold that's not too warm. I found that it applied really
evenly with one coat, but I probably ended up using more like one and a half coats so it was really opaque. I don't know if it's evident in the photos, but Lights Out reflects more like a linear shimmer than Flitter does, which reflects like a scattered glitter. I wore this color all day recently and it stayed on really well, even through eating!

Overall, I think I will probably buy more of these, depending on the other colors that they release. I do still want to get my hands on JIC so I may add pictures of that to this post if I do!

Have you tried these? Or any other Colourpop products?

Thanks for reading! xo
Hannah

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Self Tanning Routine ft. Toma's Liquid Spray Tan Review!

Summer's coming up which means my tanning routine is more frequent now than the rest of the year and is definitely something I enjoy pampering myself with. I haven't noticed Toma's Tan getting much attention from any YouTubers I watch or bloggers I follow but it's my favorite tanner so I figured I'd write a bit about my tanning routine!

I buy my tanner, Toma's Liquid Spray Tan, from Sally Beauty Supply for about $17. I have yellow under toned skin that gets warm when I naturally tan in the sun so some self tanners can make me look orange. This tanner is slightly pink-based when it goes on, cancelling the chance of it looking too fake (it is a fake tan, after all) so it works really well with my skin tone. I previously used the Toma's Tan Perfect Self-Tanning Lotion which, as the name states, is a lotion rather than a liquid spray. It's good as well, however I like that the liquid one isn't as warm toned and it's easy to apply with the mitt it comes with.

| Supplies |

• Tanning mitt
• rubber gloves
• coconut oil and sugar (or any scrub)
• kabuki brush
• thick lotion
• moisturizer
• Toma's Tan Liquid Spray Tan

| The Process |

I start off the day before (or morning of) by mixing up an exfoliant with coconut oil and sugar until it holds together well but isn't dry. Using gloves I exfoliate my legs thoroughly, my arms, and my upper chest as well. Basically I apply it to areas that can get dry skin or that tanner comes off quickly from.

Once I have applied my scrub, I lather it with body wash on my legs and shave them carefully. Since shaving after self tanner tends to take some of it off, I always shave before applying tanner to make sure it lasts.

When it comes to applying this tanner,, I always apply it at night. I wear rubber gloves and spray several times on the mitt and immediately work it in since it does kind of dry and can take of the indicator if I apply fresh tanner over dried tanner. I like to apply it starting with my upper back, then my upper chest and the underside of my arms (since my outer arms are darker during the summer), avoiding my elbows and hands entirely then move on to my lower back and stomach. I apply it to my legs last, avoiding my knees like I did to my elbows.

Lastly I grab a kabuki brush and apply tanner to my neck and the left over product on my ears. I mix a bit of facial moisturizer and a spray or two of tanner and buff it into my face thoroughly. For my hands, I remove my gloves and blend in a tiny bit of tanner upwards on the inside of my wrists so there's not a harsh line. For my knees, I use a mixture of about 80% lotion and 20% Toma's Tan since my knees are naturally a bit darker than the rest of my legs. I blend my ankles into my legs the same way I did my hands but with a bit of lotion.

Although this tanner does have an indicator (which does make it really easy to see exactly where it's been applied), it doesn't come off on my clothes or sheets so I always wear loose clothing and let it soak in over night. In the morning I wash off the indicator using some body wash and bypassing the loofah entirely so I don't disrupt my new tan.

That's my whole process! It doesn't take too long and my tan always looks really even. It usually lasts for a week or so, depending on if I swim, work out (extra showering) or shave. I also like to apply lotion daily to keep my skin from getting dry so it holds my tan better. For upkeep I apply tanner again without exfoliating every time, especially if my tan is wearing off evenly.

What's your go-to tanner?
Thanks for reading! xo
Hannah

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Chickpea Salad Sandwich Recipe

The amount of recipes I post isn't particularly representative of how much I bake and cook, however whenever I make a recipe I think other people might enjoy I try to share it! Yesterday I made a chicken salad sandwich for my dad and had forgotten how much I enjoy them. Using chickpeas I created a similar alternative that tastes great and is still a good source of protein. While this is a good alternative to chicken salad for vegetarians, it's actually pretty healthy for everyone! Here's a link to some dietary info on chickpeas. The gist is that one cup of chickpeas has 4g of fat, 12g of dietary fiber, and 15g of protein. This recipe makes at most two sandwiches or one sandwich and some cracker spread ;)

| Ingredients |

•  1 cup chickpeas, cooked and rinsed
• 2 tbsp diced tomato
• 1-2 slices of bread
• 2 tbsp grated cheese 
• 1 tbsp dill or sweet pickle relish
• 1/4 cup chopped spinach
• 1-2 tbsp light mayonnaise (less if you're using regular mayo!)
• salt and pepper
• optional: 1 tbsp diced sweet onion

 | Directions |

1. In a food processor, pulse the peas until they're about 75% smooth. This can also be done with a potato masher, fork, or mixer if that's more convenient.
2. In a bowl, add rest of the ingredients (besides bread slices) to the chickpeas and stir until combined. Sometimes I add a little garlic and onion powder as well to add a bit more flavor.
3. Spread a bit of mayonnaise (or flavored cream cheese!) on a slice of bread and pile on the chickpea salad. Finish off with the other slice or leave it off for an open faced sandwich.

This would also be tasty with some diced bell pepper, cucumber, avocado, or any other veggies.
I've also posted an avocado chicken salad sandwich recipe!

Thanks for reading!
xo Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Colourpop Ultra Mattes Haul + Swatches

I've been wanting to try out some of Colourpop's ultra mattes ($6 each through their website) since my best friend ordered a few of them a while ago. Because I got a $5 off coupon for signing up through my email, I decided it was the perfect timing to pick up the ones I'd been eyeing! Keep in mind for these swatches I was wearing a thin layer of EOS lip balm under the lip products. Also I tried to get the colors as accurate as possible, however Midi in particular is a bit pinker toned than it looks here.

I've be able to wear each of these for a while and I am definitely impressed with the long wear! I think the longest I've worn one of them for is about 8 hours and by the end of the day I was personally more done with wearing the lip product than the lip product itself was. These do all dry completely matte after a few minutes (especially without lip balm) so all of the swatches shininess isn't necessarily 100% representative. Lumiere 2 has a slightly satin finished compared to the rest and Rooch is the most matte and can be drying. I'm not sure how obvious it looks in the swatch picture but it can sometimes apply a bit unevenly if it's done quickly. I did find that it can flake a bit if I wear it for long enough and don't use enough lip balm.

As far as favorites go so far, Trap and Kapow are my favorites but I'm happy with all of them! Colourpop recently released liquid lipsticks with an ultra satin finish and I've been lusting after Marshmallow so I'll probably give in sometime soon.

Any opinions on these or any of Colourpop's other products? This was my first experience and I'm really pleased!

Thanks for reading!

Hannah

It Cosmetics Brow Power Review + Demo ♡

A long while back at Ulta there was a promotion for a free It Cosmetics Brow Power travel-size pencil with any $10 purchase, a deal I couldn't pass up. My sister and I both got one and, even though we have different colors of eyebrows, we both love it!

The color is Universal Taupe, something I was initially skeptical of, however since I usually reach for taupe-colored brow products, I was expecting it to match mine pretty well. Amelia, however, has darker, warmer toned eyebrows which I was excited to see the product on to compare.

The pencil is double ended: one end is a thin, twist up brow pencil and the other is a spoolie. I don't have any pictures of mine since I broke it off on accident and misplaced it, however Amelia has photographic evidence of hers. I love that it does come with one, especially since it's easier and faster to use and store. 

The most impressive aspect of Brow Power is its ability to match so many different colors of brows. I have neutral toned medium brown eyebrows and it matches them perfectly. I like to vaguely outline the top and bottom of my brows and lightly fill in the front using vertical strokes; the middle and tail I make a bit darker. Amelia has naturally thicker, darker brows than I do and it still looks really natural too!

I tried to swatch the pencil using a variety of pressures to demonstrate its range of changing tone and depth depending on the pressure applied to it. 

Have you tried this pencil? What hair color do you have?

Thanks for reading! xo