Weekend arrival and no-bake desserts

I have a lot of things to share today! I have recvd an Influenster box, a Julep Maven box and some Decaf Starbucks K-cups. It was my husbands birthday on Friday and I also made a Banana Split Icebox Cake for him that I am going to share with you. On Monday, I am entering a form of Bake Off at work and have made a Boston Cream Pie Icebox cake that I am calling "Bostanna Strawberry Icebox cake" that I will be posting later too.
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First things first. Let me share the Influenster Box and tell you about this program.

What is Influenster? A community of trendsetters invited to share their lifestyles and show off their influence to qualify for personalized product shipments, special rewards and exclusive deals from the brands they love. Registered members "play the game" by unlocking badges that reflect their lifestyle, expertise and power to influence. And best of all, there is no fee to join.

Here's a peek inside the box of goodies:

1. The Original Dish Drying Mat, which retails for $4.99- a unique, laminated design that combines a thin layer of foam between two layers of high quality, super absorbent microfiber for a new dish washing experience that conserves energy and paper towels by air drying, and saves water by hand-washing.  www.the-original-co.com

2. LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisturizer, which retails for $2.87 to $2.99- with pure swedish beeswax, organic shea butter and vitamins A and E to give your lips long-lasting, deep-penetrating moisture and lip care protection to moisturize, soften, and protect your lips naturally for a healthy pucker! www.lypsylhome.com

3. EBOOST, which retails for $28 for box of 20 effervescent powders, $39 for box of 30 effervescent powders, $39 for box of 12 shots-will boost your mood, focus and immunity with natural ingredients and no crash. As a shot or an easy-to-mix powder and in four flavors, you'll feel great whether you choose Orange, Pink Lemonade, Acai Pomegranate or Super Berry.  www.eboost.com

4. CleanWell Individual Hand Sanitizer Wipes (pictured above), retails for $29.99 box of 50 pouches- these wipes clean up messes and kill germs with all natural ingredients that are easy on the earth. Their mild ingredients are great for hands and faces, and the one-use packet is ideal for all your on-the-go activities. www.cleanwelltoday.com

5. GEODEO, retails $5.99 for 2.3oz stick- Natural Deodorant Plus Detox Complex,  a naturally-derived, breakthrough eco-technology, specially formulated to be safe for your body and your world with 24 hour odor protection. www.mygeodeo.com

 

6. NECTRESSE, retails $3.99 for 40 servings, $6.99 for 140 servings- Sweetener that tastes like sugar but with zero calories per serving! 100% all natural and made from "Monk Fruit" combined with other natural sweeteners (from the makers of Splenda). www.nectresse.com

 

7. Country Life Maxi-Hair Maximized,  retails $17.99 for 60 tablets- these dietary complex supplements focus on B-vitamins, Biotin and MSM,  bringing a new meaning to beauty from the inside-out. www.country-life.com

 

 

I will start posting my reviews of these products as I start to use them in my daily routine. I will say that I have been wanting to try a new deodorant since I have sensitive skin and my pores clog easy. Also, the Nectresse sweetener, I had gone to their website and requested a free sample because I had seen it in the stores, but I never got that sample. So this is great to see in my box.

 

I had recently purchased some energy pouch powders from Advocare when I attended the Visions Women's Expo here in Dallas, and so the EBOOST powder packet was exciting to see too. Its like the folks at Influenster read my mind. This is awesome!

 

 

I recommend going to the Influenster website and registering and following them on Facebook and Twitter to see what others are saying about their sampling. Its a great way to hear about the products if you are scared to try them yourself. I am a bit of an adventurer and love trying new things so I cant say enough how excited I am to have found this program!!!!!

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Now on to the Julep Maven box that I recvd. I was on youtube the other day when I heard about the Julep Maven program. Someone had posted a video about their haul and posted a coupon code where your first purchase would be a penny, yes penny!. Of course I had to jump on it. I love nail polish and this seemed to be a great way to experience a new brand I had never used, nor heard of before.

 

Perks of being a Julep Maven are 20% off all products plus free shipping  in the Maven Boutique on julep.com. If you refer 2 friends, you can get a month free.

 

How it works! Becoming a Julep Maven gives you exclusive access to COLOR. Each month we

hand-pick trendsetting new nail colors, cult faves and cutting-edge beauty products that are just right for you. Commitment shy? No problem. YOU decide how often to receive your Julep Maven box, and you can cancel at any time. For just $19.99 a month, receive at least $40 worth of hand-picked
Julep products in an exclusive gift-able Julep Maven Box.

 

For me this seemed pricey however, they have a commitment to create without harsh chemicals and they support women everywhere by donating a percent of their proceeds  through Powered by Girlfriends program. Visit http://julep.com/?r=23985421 for more information and to sign up!

 



After I set up my profile, it was determined that I was "Boho Glam" and that is why they chose the above colors for me. It says "Boho Glam" is .....an eternal romantic with an appreciation of beauty on a deeper level, you see your wardrobe as a creative drawing board. Your effortlessly elegant look pairs earthy neutral tones with fun, chic hues of turquoise, purple or orange....I agree just a bit! LOL!

You can get nail polish tips and fashion trends on their blog....blog.julep.com

 

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I follow Starbucks on twitter and was recently asked if I would like to try the Decaf K-cup House Blend of coffee now made for the Keurig. Of course I said yes. Lightening quick delivery too, may I say! Cant wait to try it. I love coffee but due to my blood pressure I alternate to decaf after my first full cup of regular.

I am an ex-barista for Starbucks and I would have to say that I still prefer them over any others. Not to say that I don't drink anything else. I love the Green Coffee Company brands too!

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My husbands birthday was Friday and he really doesn't like cake so he asked me to make him a Banana split cake, which turns out to be a cold-layered cool whip treat. It was real easy to make and it made him smile, and that's all that matters. I thought that since it was so easy and a great alternative to cooking and cakes that I wanted to share it with you.

 

 

Basically for this size pan I used:

 

I tub of cool whip, small

I cream cheese

1/4 c powdered sugar or less to taste

graham crackers

melted butter

pineapple tidbits

banana

strawberries

 

Banana Split Cake

1 1/2 cups Crushed graham crackers

1/3 cup Butter, Melted 

1 8oz tub of cool whip

1/4 cup of powdered sugar

1 pkg (8 oz) Cream Cheese, room temperature

1 can (20 oz or smaller depending on taste) Crushed Pineapple, Well Drained

2  Bananas

1 Cup Chopped Pecans and cherries to top. (I didn't use these)

In a medium sized bowl, mix together graham crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Beat together sugar and cream cheese until well mixed. Slowly add the cool whip. Carefully spread half of the cool whip mix over the cookie crust. Top with the pineapple and then the sliced bananas

Spread remaining cool whip mix over fruit and top with strawberries, nuts  or cherries. Chill for 1 hour before serving.

Until tomorrow......