Has it REALLY been almost 2 years?

Man...time flies....when you have kids.

So over 2 years ago I foolishly allowed my .COM to expire thinking I was done with my online life. The site name is taken, but not in use... I hope that one day the .COM becomes available again, but in the meantime, this is the new site. Really....its the old site with a new extension.... I hope it doesn't really confuse anyone. Everything else should still be the same. I have updated all of the YouTube descriptions to reflect this - and it was exhausting....but done.

Because I was forced to register a new domain extension, I toyed around with the idea to just re-brand everything...but I thought of all my social media accounts that some of you already follow me on, and ultimately decided to keep the name as is. So, if you are wondering what sites or apps to follow me on, here is a list:

Facebook: MariamMonroe1 (http://www.facebook.com/mariammonroe1)
Instagram: Mariam_Monroe (http://instagram.com/mariam_monroe)
Snapchat: Mariam_Monroe  (http://www.snapchat.com/add/mariam_monroe)
YouTube: MariamMonroe (http://www.youtube.com/user/mariammonroe)
Blog/Website: www.mariammonroe.ca
Twitter:  Mariam_Monroe (http://www.twitter.com/mariam_monroe) - Not much activity here

I look forward to seeing you all on these platforms!

xoxo,
Mariam

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My Diva Diet & the 20 lbs Lost in 6 WEEKS

If there was an award for the most number of diet fads attempted in a 5 year span...
I would not only be the winner, I would be the Organizer, Creator, and sole record holder in the Guinness Book of World Records.

That being said, I have FINALLY found the trick to rapid and permanent weight loss......
You ready for it? Two words:

Calorie Counting.

I do not cut carbs, sugars, sodium or anything else. I simply count every morsel that I consume. In the past, I would most definitely lose weight on all of these fad diets (Never the high amount they boast), but enough to say, holy crap!

The problem was, it was always short lived... the cravings for whatever "bad food" I had to banish from my life would come on ten fold. The pounds I worked SO hard to remove, were quickly packed on (and then some) in a matter of days when returning to a normal diet.... It was a yo-yo effect.

The problem was, it wasn't realistic once the target weight was achieved. I couldn't imagine never eating another carb or full fat butter meal again... that's crazy talk! I'm Canadian....Poutine gravy runs through my veins!

Not to mention, it obviously wasn't healthy. But don't you sit there and judge me like you aren't here reading this to see what extreme diet I used - and how to do it!

In February of this year, I ordered a dress for my brothers wedding in Mid-March. The dress was gorgeous and was coming from Australia. I gave every exact measurement to the lady who helped me place my order. She had the dress in stock for me and no alterations were needed! So she sent it out express, and the dress arrived within a few days.

Fast forward to the weekend before Valentines day, and the dress could barely make it up to my shoulders, let alone zip closed!! What was I going to do?? I just spent $900 on this dress that was so perfect in my mind. I didn't have any time to find something else!

Then it hit me. I was turning 35 in May, and had been complaining that I hated the way I looked as it was, and I didn't want to see myself in this state anymore. This dress was going to help me lose some weight before I officially crossed over into my "mid-thirties".

I set the goal: 20lbs in 6 weeks. I'll let the photos speak for themselves...

First day - 2 Weeks into Diet - 1 week before the event - My Brothers Wedding 

I will be using this section of my site, along with my newest Instagram account: www.instagram.com/MyDivaDiet/ to show you recipes and low calories versions of your favorite meals. So you never have to feel like diet food is boring ever again. And you too, can stick to your goals and achieve your target!

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The BEST Make-up Brush Cleaner for UNDER $2!

So earlier in the month I had stumbled across my long lost Sephora gift card and thought, oh boy! Shopping spree! I browsed around on their site and came across this:

I had seen someone use a brush cleaning pad on YouTube before, but I wasn't interested in spending $40 USD on it.... I thought, hey this is a pretty good deal for a brush cleaner..... until I searched online and found these silicone heart shaped ones for under 2 bucks! (dirt cheap!!) For that price you can give em out to friends as stocking stuffers or a little add on to a birthday gift! You'll look like you spent a TON - but you know that the wrapping paper used to wrap it all cost more...

I decided to shop around on google and see how much others were charging and if there was a better design available. Here is what I came up with:

First of all, I cannot justify spending that much on a finger make up brush or cleaning pad. The design of the heart shape cleaner is PERFECT because you can get all your fingers in there for support when pressing your brush against it. Plus, it came in a TON of colors as opposed to the usual hot pink....

 WHERE TO GET IT: AMAZON.COM (Sort Price: low to high) , you can also find it on Ebay.

WHAT IT DOES: Of course I made a YouTube video showing you how it works:


I hope you guys enjoyed this video / post. Leave a comment down below if you found a beauty item you want me to try out or review!

Xoxo,
Mariam Monroe


Disclaimer: This video is not sponsored in any way. All items presented were purchased by me, and the opinions expressed are my own without any influence. Links to products may contain affiliate links.

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Erase Your Face Beauty Cloth + Giveaway!

Hey Guys,

You've obviously come here to enter in my "Erase Your Face" Cloth Giveaway, so let me just point you in the right direction:

Erase Your Face Cloth Giveaway!

 

If you are interested in some more information on this product / giveaway without having to watch the YouTube video (which is posted at the very end of this post), you can also just read down below:

Comes in 4 colors (4 pack)

This face cloth promises to remove your make up and oils using ONLY warm water! As skeptic as we all are in a world of photoshop and filters, I figured I had to try this one out for myself and see how well they really work. It seemed so impossible.... but the results....my goodness!

 

How Does it Work?: 

Specially knitted polyester fibers that are finer than human hair. So when wet, the cloth creates a hydro-mechanical process that breaks down

What it is:
A make up remover without the use of harmful chemicals or synthetic makeup removers. No more money spent on liquids and disposable remover pads! Just use warm water!
 

Who it is for:
Everyone! All skin types and shades! These packs are ideal to carry while traveling or on the go.

Where can I buy them:
http://amzn.to/2kIugBr (Affiliate link)

Now on to some semi-gross pics of how incredible this cloth works at taking off your cake face!

You're welcome for the close up.

Not only did the cloth remove my eye shadow, layers of foundation, and eyeliner, but it also removed my waterproof mascara with little to no effort! My skin felt unbelievably soft afterwards. and the clean up and storage process couldn't have been any more simple: Rinse, hang to dry. Done.

These cloths make great gifts, travel essentials and deserve a spot in your make up arsenal. Do they pass the test? Absolutely.

WHERE CAN I BUY THESE??:  http://amzn.to/2kIugBr

Now what are you waiting for? 

I am giving away 3 of these bad boys! 

Scroll back up to the top and don't forget to enter for your chance to win one! 

NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

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Bloglovin'

Its official. I'm getting back into the swing of it all, and to make it easier to keep up to date with my current posts and ramblings, you can find me here:

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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A Gentlemans Guide........

Lately it seems like everywhere you look, there is a subscription box available for every trend. A sea full of Beauty boxes, doggie box subscriptions for your fur babies, boxes for the workout fanatic, dehydrated organic food boxes! It seemed like every corner was covered....

Today I checked our mail to find that my husband had ordered a subscription box of his own. Years of seeing the mail stuffed month after month with goodies for me had finally taken its toll on him. Fair enough...

But whats so different about this box? Why brag on my beauty blog about my husbands subscription?

Because ladies.... and especially GENTLEMEN....this box...

Is for YOU.

THE GENTLEMANS BOX

www.gentlemansbox.com - Use Promo Code: Monroe5

This box is for the stylish Gentlemen who want to have more fun with their look. Or perhaps they are looking to spice things up with the ladies. If you have already heard of this company and aren't a member, GO NOW.

With Christmas right around the corner, this makes the PERFECT gift for any guy with style, or someone who isn't quite sure how to pair things up, and needs a little help finding the right items to add to his wardrobe.

Things you can expect to find in these monthly subscriptions include: socks, bow ties, lapels, watches, wallets, bracelets, pocket squares, body wash, cuff links, flasks, beard balms, the list goes on and on!!

 Want to take a look at the November 2016 box? Click the video below to watch my husband and I unbox it together! If you like watching us, leave a comment and we would love to do another video for you next month!

THE DETAILS:
Head over to www.gentlemansbox.com and 

use Promo code: Monroe5 to get $5 off your first order!!

WHAT I'M WEARING/WHERE TO GET IT:
My Top: Rachel Roy Leather Accent blouse
Earrings: Suzy Shier
Bracelet: Le Chateau

WHAT KYLE IS WEARING/WHERE TO GET IT:
Suit: Saville Row 3 Piece Suit
Tie: Jones New York
Shirt: Banana Republic
Watch: Armani
Stay proper. Stay classy.

WHATS IN THE NOVEMBER 2016 BOX?:
- An Incredible Gentleman's booklet filled with style tips (check out the blog link below for photos of the inside)
- Gentlemen of the North Toque
- DeadSoxy Teddy Socks
- Quinton Shaw Anchor Bracelet
- Wine Aerator
- Lucky Scruff Beard Oil
- Gold Bond Hydrating Cream
- $100 giftcard to Nakedwines.com
- 20% off Peopleschoicebeefjerky.com

Gentlemen of the North Toque

Gentlemen of the North Toque

Wine Aerator, Gold Bond Hydrating Cream, and Lucky Scruff Beard Oil

Quinton Shaw Anchor Bracelet

DeadSoxy Teddy Socks

 20% off Peopleschoicebeefjerky.com and $100 giftcard to Nakedwines.com

One of the pages in the Gentleman's handbook

Photos showing how to wear your monthly boxes items together! AWESOME!

xoxo,
Mariam Monroe

***************************************

Disclaimer:  All items presented were purchased by my husband, and the opinions expressed are my own. I reached out to the company to let them know I had planned on reviewing their box and asked if they would be willing to offer a promo code to new members. We are not being compensated or commissioned by your purchase. We simply loved these freaking boxes and had to share! 

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Halloween 2016

So my oldest son was obsessed with Elmo a few months ago and I had the idea to dress the family up as some of the characters for Halloween this year. My husband and I wanted quick and not too elaborate costumes this year as we just simply did not have the energy for it. So we bought the kids costumes from Walmart when they first put them out to ensure we got their 2 sizes. Next I went to a local thrift store and found this old dance dress which served its purpose with the big bell sleeves and bright color. I had intentions of adding a yellow feather boa to the rim of the dress, and a quick head piece, but ran out of time (damn procrastination)

Actually, when given the option the night before of completing a personalized trick or treat bucket for my son or my headpiece, I felt the costumes deserved another character. and then Oscar was born......

Oscar photo coming soon....lol

I plan on uploading a video soon of how I created him....so stay tuned.

Now leading up to Halloween we tried to keep the boys focused on the holiday and start some traditions together. Like decorating a haunted gingerbread house, which you can watch below:



And of course the expected halloween pumpkin carving. We opted to just paint this year since the boys were too young to cut things, and my 2 year old seems to think he can do everything himself and throws tantrums if we dont allow it. So in hopes of making this a tearless process, we just said were painting. No gutting the pumpkins...just painting.

So I`m sure you came here to see the pumpkin DIY, so lets get to it, here is the video below:

My adorable Elmo and Cookie Monster!

I hope you guys enjoyed our Sesame Street Halloween efforts. What do you think we should go as next year?? Did you go as a Sesame Street character as well? Post a photo below, I'd love to see it!

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