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Make-Up Bag Essentials With Believe in Bumble

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BestieTalks Must-Have Beauty Bag Items

We love our skin and the products that make us look and feel beautiful! When it comes to makeup we are both pretty minimal users but that doesn’t mean we don’t love getting ready and putting our face together. We each have a bag full of makeup but there are specific products that we wouldn’t dream of going without. We are going to share our must-have beauty bag items and why they make our essentials list. The products we take when we travel, products we use daily, and products we always keep on hand just in case something comes up and you need a little something extra.

Jess’s Must-Have Beauty Items

Our “Can’t live without” List

These are items that we use daily and can’t live without. Check them out and see if you have any in your makeup bag. And if you don’t, go grab them asap!

  • A good serum! Serums are our daily go-to. We’ve had our try at many and our favorite has to have a good thick consistency, absorb quickly, and of course, the price needs to be right. Serums keep our skin bright, our pores small, and flawless as possible.
    Ray’s current favorite serum

    Jess’s current fav
  • Coconut Oil every damn day! As you should already know we are obsessed with coconut oil. So, of course, we have it in our makeup bag too. Duh! That is a moisturizer we can always rely on and know it’s not going to break us out while still getting the job done. 
  • Basic ass Chapstick. Yep, chapstick. Nothing is worse than having cracked dry lips. And if worse comes to worst, you can use your chapstick anywhere (hands, nose, etc.) you may be dry.  
  • Ray loves the ColourPop Eyebrow Pencil! Jess love the Maybelline Precise Brow Pencil. You won’t ever catch us without our brows done- unless we are at the gym or yoga 🙂
  • Bobby Pins & a spare hair tie! Why? Because you NEVER know! We keep our bobby pins in a tic tac case!
  • Eyelash glue! I use hair bond glue that you can get at Sally’s Beauty Supply for $2. I buy maybe two bottles a year. It lasts F.O.R.E.V.E.R and works way better than the other stuff. Plus its black, it gives a look of eye liner without wearing eye liner.
  • Jess always keeps a pimple sticker in her bag. I love Peace Out which can be found at Sephora or the brand shown in the picture above which can be found on Amazon. When I feel a pimple forming I cover it with Clearasil Rapid Gel and an acne sticker. They really help shrink, minimize, and reduce redness within just a few hours. LIFE SAVERS! I was out of town for a wedding last month and a pimple popped up- thankfully I had my stickers and it helped shrink it QUICKLY!
  • Tweezers!! Tweezers are essential because they are so versatile. Something Jess ALWAYS keeps in her beauty bag. 
  • We highly recommend keeping some floss in your beauty bag. Floss is something that comes in handy when you least expect it. Your lipstick might be poppin’ but if you got spinach in your teeth- that’s not a cute look. Trust us and thrown some floss in your bag!
  • A good lipgloss that can go with anything. Sometimes we like chapstick, sometimes a pretty matte lipstick and other times we just want to throw some gloss on our lips and shine! A good lipgloss is critical for a beauty bag! If you travel and forget a lipstick you will be happy for that backup lipgloss in your beauty bag! 

Meet our Guest Blogger Emma From Believe in Bumble!

Hello there! Firstly, I just wanted to say thank you to Jess and Ray for giving me the opportunity to write for their lovely blog. Let me introduce myself, I’m Emma from the blog www.believeinbumble.co.uk Believe in Bumble is a lifestyle blog filled with Days Out, Book Reviews, Favourites, Recipes and so much more! I post a new post every Monday, Wednesday and Friday so I would love to have you over on my blog.

Back to today’s post, today we are both going to share our make up bag essentials. As we are from different parts of the world (I’m from London, UK) I thought this would be an interesting post. So, without further ado lets get cracking with my make-up bag essentials!

Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer (£4)

This is a recent discovery for me, but it has quickly replaced the cult classic Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in my make-up collection. Not only is the colour match better for my skin tone (I use C2), it is so creamy allowing it to blend effortlessly without losing its high coverage.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey (£7.99)

This is an oldie but a goodie! I have loved this product for years but recent rediscovered it. It is a purple neutral-toned lip colour making it perfect for all seasons. Honey is one of those easy throw on lip colours. Side note, my boyfriend said my swatch looked like a bruise! I hope you don’t agree!!

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast High Definition Collagen-C Mascara (£10.50)

This is my holy grail mascara and I always come back too it. It provides length, volume and definition whilst still looking natural. It has great lasting power but is still easy to get off at the end of the day.

BarryM Cream Jewel Cream Eyeshadows (£4.99)

I like to have a wash of colour on my eyelids but as I often start work early, I don’t have time (or the energy!) to be blending eyeshadows. Instead, I just swipe one of these on my lid and blend them out with my finger. It’s as easy as that! I have Pillow Talk which is a warm-toned champagne colour, Blissful which is a natural lilac colour and finally, Fairytale which is a perfect copper colour.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my make up essentials. Again, thank you to Bestie Talks for allowing me to post on your blog. I hope to see you over at my blog Believe in Bumble soon!

We hope you enjoed this article and enjoyed meeting Emma!! Please go and check her out and she has so many helpful and lovley articles!!

What are YOUR favorite make-up essentials! Please share with us what you can’t live without!

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Tips on How to be The Best Travel Buddy

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Let’s GO!

Traveling together is one of our favorite ways to spend quality time with each other. For the past 15 years, Jess and I have been meeting each other in many different destinations. We have our rendezvous down to a tee and want to share our travel tips so you can be the best travel buddy too!

Traveling Then vs Now

So when we were just barely legal, traveling was different. We had to make sure we printed out Mapquest directions, called the hotel in advance to book our reservation, and find out by word of mouth what events were going on. Our travel interests were much different then they are today. We were all about bar hopping, dancing at the hottest clubs and wearing outfits we wouldn’t dare throw in our suticase now. These days, we like to restaurant hop, find a good brunch with the best bloody mary deals, go to concerts, do yoga, go on hikes and find some unbeatable deals at the local Farmers Market.


How to Prepare for a Buddy Trip

There are a few things you can do ahead so that you have the best trip possible.

  • Book a room with double beds. Having too much room is always better than not enough room. Plus, this gives both of you your own space to treat however you want. 
  • When picking a place to stay, look at the surrounding area and think about what you want to do on this trip. If it’s for some relaxation, maybe you want to be outside the city away from the hustle and bustle. If you don’t plan on renting a car, maybe find a hotel or AirBnb that is around lots of walkable attractions. Talk about your intention for the trip and go from there.
  • Start bookmarking places on Yelp. This way you have hella options that you were already into. When you get to your hotel or place where you’re staying, look to see how far those places are to you. You will no doubt find more places near your location once you reach your destination.
  • Plan to use Lyft or Uber. These rideshare apps allow you to split the fare which makes it really easy. And you only need to know the name or address of your destination instead of looking up directions.
  • However, if renting a car is more practical for your trip, do that! Hawaii is a perfect example of where you would want to rent a car. Having a car gives you the freedom to go and do anything you want whenever.
  • If you are traveling with other couples or in a group, make sure everyone is included in a group text so you all stay up to date on your travel plans. Make sure everyone is on the same page about where you want to stay and the things you want to do. Traveling with others can be difficult so make sure you pick travel buddies wisely!
  • We LOVE discussing our outfits before a trip. Going to the beach? Staying at a place with a pool? Make sure you both got your swimsuits! If you plan on eating a fancy restaurant one night make sure you tell each other so you both have clothing to match any event that you plan on getting into!
  • Be upfront about costs and a budget you are on. Trips can still happen and be amazing even on a budget! We always split costs if we are staying together and always make sure what we are paying for is within the other persons budget. Being thoughtful about each other’s expenses is crucial as a travel buddy!
  • We have stayed in lots of Airbnb’s on certain destination trips so we can be together instead of in seperate hotel rooms. This is a great option for certain destinations. Staying in an Airbnb allows you to go grocery shopping and cook together as well. This also saves a shit-ton of money!
  • Discuss flights with your travel buddy! Coordinate your arrival and departure times which will make meeting up and departing together easier for both of you!
  • Pinterest is also a great tool to use for places you are visiting! Especially if you are visiting abroad or a place you have never been to before! Look up tips or top favorite things to do so you will have ideas of fun things to do before you even get there!
  • Utilize Groupon to mazimize your money and fun!! There are always great deals on local events in every city!

Now go and Plan Your Next Trip!

We hope you find at least one of these tips helpful! Do you have a favorite travel buddy?! Do you have any tips of your own? Please share with us !

Bonus Tip : Don’t be a complainer. Be okay with going with the flow on a trip. Trips are supposed to be fun and not a time for complainers or debbie downers !

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Everything You Need to Know About a Blogger’s Conference

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Would You Ever Attend a Blogger Conference?

Before starting BestieTalks we had no idea things like ‘blogger conferences’ even existed. Eight months after launching our website we came across BlogHer, who was holding a blogger event, and we decided immediately that we wanted to attend. The blogging world is vast and there is so much to learn and so many people to meet. We figured this would be a perfect opportunity to expand our knowledge and network with other bloggers. Our only communication with bloggers up until this point had been online and through social media. All of our interactions have been so positive online that we were not the least bit hesitant about jumping right into our first blogger conference. Have you ever thought about attending a blogger conference? Or maybe you already frequent them and had a similar experience as us? If you have never been to one, would you ever attend a blogger conference? We are here to tell you why you absolutely should!

Picking the Right Event for You

  • So a blogger conference has caught your interest, now what? Start reading up as much as you can about the event, the organization putting it together, and what other people have said about their experience at prior events. Don’t just pick an event without doing your due diligence. Google the event and read up on it! You want to spend your money and time on something that will be beneficial for you and your blog.
  • When you start researching information about a particular blogger event start following the organization or people associated with the event to keep up with new info and to make sure the event is something you really want to attend. This will allow you to find out all about them. We followed BlogHer on Instagram and Twitter and really grew an understanding of what to expect. We new after spending time following them online and reading about the event that this was a perfect conference for us to attend.

    Zuri Hall gave a great speech!
  • These events are not cheap by any means. Again, why its so important to make sure you pick one that you REALLY are interested in. Once tickets go on sale you usually don’t have to buy right away. There was a bunch of deals on tickets that happened on and off up until a few weeks before the event. Had we not been so eager we could have saved a few bucks by waiting for a sale! Scope them out like airline tickets. If you see any notices of them selling out then, of course, buy but otherwise just be patient a bit and you might get lucky with a discounted ticket!
  • You will most likely have to travel for the event. We met in Los Angeles for the BlogHer event so we made a whole weekend out it. You will have to factor in traveling and someone to stay. Again, attending one of these events is not cheap. Location, price, and the event are all critical factors in choosing a conference. We are lucky because we share out blog so we are able to travel together for things like this. Most bloggers will travel solo so make sure you pick somewhere where you will be happy about being alone. Don’t let traveling alone deter you! Bloggers are some of the coolest people! You will no doubt make a friend or two while you are there!
  • If there is an app you can download related to your event, download it! It will most likely have info and a schedule/itinerary of events that you will want to stay up to speed with. There will be lots of things going on during the event and seeing the schedule will help you decide what things are a must for you to attend.

    Alyssa Milano was a guest speaker!

What to Expect at a Blogger Conference

  • The event we attended was 2 days. The first day after arriving in Los Angeles we headed over to the venue to register and get your name tags. The venue was amazing and no shortcuts were taken on making the place look wonderful. You are buying a ticket to essentially hang out in a building all day. Expect that building to pimped out! Seriously, they go above and beyond for bloggers and EVERYTHING is picture worthy. Duh, we’re bloggers and we live for photo ops. You will have a shit ton available to you!
  • Bring a backpack because you will collect goodies and a bunch of swag during your time at the conference. Also, bring a notebook and pen. You will want to take notes and exchange info with other bloggers. You are going to learn after all so that notepad will come in handy! We have stickers with our logo/website on them that we wrote our handles on the back of. They were a great way to pass our info on to other people. If you have business cards or something similar you want to bring those along too!
  • Expect to have a multitude of guest speakers at the event. For example, we attend an informational SEO discussion with a panel of accomplished bloggers. We also checked out the social media discussion as well. There were bloggers that we knew and others we didn’t but every single one had something profound to say and an array of tips that we found very usual for our blog strategy.
  • Don’t be surprised if there will be celebrity guest speakers as well. Alyssa Milano was a head speaker at BlogHer 2019 and she was hands down our favorite! Massy Arias, Jameela Jamil, Jamie King, and Zuri Hall among many others were all in attendance and spoke during the event. It was very inspiring to hear stories from other successful women and be able to relate and learn from them. Prepare to be inspired and motivated!
  • You will be free to roam around as much as you want and we never felt once that we were trapped in our seats. A blogger event is meant to be social so make sure to introduce yourself and interact with other bloggers. It’s not every day that you are in a room full of people and have something in common with each and every one of them.
  • Expect to be spoiled. From endless drinks and snack option to all kinds of fun loot to collect from the vendor booths we guarantee you will be packing your suitcase with way more than you came with. So make sure to spare some room so you can take your goodies home with you!

    The panel of more guest speakers!

Are you Inspired yet?!

We hope this article inspired you to seek out your next blogger conference! If you are serious about your blog and growing your skills and audience then we cannot recommend this experience enough! Please let us know if you are thinking about attending!! Also, let us know of any events we should attend too. We would love to hear about your experience!

 

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5 Goals For 2019- How To Successfully Focus On The Things That Matter To You

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Setting Goals That are Achievable

Every New Year people all around the world make resolutions. But how many of those resolutions do people successfully achieve? Instead of making “resolutions” this year we are going to set goals. Goals that we know are achievable if we put in the right amount of time and commitment. The goals that we will be setting will be goals that will not only improve our lives but also bring happiness and self-love. Goals you decide to set for yourself can range from easy to difficult but they should never be unattainable. The goal is not to set yourself up for failure but to set yourself up for a challenge. A challenge to better yourself and your life. 

5 Goals for 2019

  1. Travel: Traveling is something that we both love. Traveling allows you to experience new places, cultures, things ideas, and people. Traveling can be a break from your everyday life and can become an escape for fun and the opportunity to make new memories. A lot of people associate traveling with being expensive- and yes it can be very expensive but there are ways to travel on a budget as well. You don’t need to leave the country to have a new experience ( but if you have the opportunity to do so- DO IT! ). We love picking new cities to meet in and have mini vacations exploring a new place. If you want to focus on going somewhere new, start following prices on flights and looking at hotels and start budgeting. We do this for all our trips. Once you find the flight at an unbeatable price, purchase it and the rest will begin to fall in place. Traveling can be as simple as a road trip to the mountains or as grand as hiking Mount Everest. Whatever your travel goal is, set it and start working towards it piece by piece. Together, we hope to explore new cities, swim at new beaches and indulge in a culture foreign to us.
  2. Self Care: This is a particular goal that we believe EVERYONE should make. This goal can mean so many different things which is why it is such a practical goal. For 2019, our self-care is going to consist of surrounding ourselves with positive people, maintaining our fitness routines, fueling our body with healthy food and making time for ourselves. Treat yourself to a massage more than one time a year, take more bubble baths, be okay with telling people “no” when you rather stay home and get a good nights rest. I tend to be my own worst critic and I fully intend on loving myself more this year. Self Love = Self Care. Loving yourself does not make you a narcissist or self-absorbed. Loving yourself helps make the best version of you shine through. Don’t ever let anyone tell you any different. Love yourself this new year more than you EVER have!
  3. BestieTalks: We launched BestieTalks in March 2018. Over the past 9 months, we have learned so much about ourselves and our abilities. We are excited to continue our BestieTalks journey to see what we can accomplish this year. We got cute matching planners that come with daily, weekly, and monthly goals. We have our goals set for January and we intend on achieving every single one. What we don’t achieve in one month will carry over to the next month until that goal is met. We are also attending our first BlogHer conference in a few weeks and cannot wait to network with other bloggers. Starting off the new year by attending a blogging conference is the perfect way for us to kick off a fresh new year of making BestieTalks the best it can be!  
  4. Life: Outside of BestieTalks we also have personal life goals. Jessica plans on starting the hunt for her next position that she wants to pursue within her company. She is ready to put her degree to use and take on a position with more responsibility and a role where she can learn new things. Ray is looking forward to finishing her degree and applying for different positions in her career, while also enjoying the last year in her selfish 20’s. We both hope to grow our families but that is all in its own time. Staying in touch and seeing more family is an important goal for us. Life gets crazy and people begin to get wound up in their own things but family means so much, so it’s necessary to keep them as a high priority.  
  5. Love: Love means so many things to us. Our spouse, families, pets, friends etc. but this year our goal is to spread as much love as we can to others and to ourselves. Acts of love and kindness to those we know and don’t know are so important, especially in today’s world. Love is something we plan to focus on every day this year. Reach out to that person that you have been thinking about, or pick up a thoughtful card and mail it to a family member or friend. This year we plan to focus on things and people that matter to us. Focus our attention and energy on projects/goals that we love because time goes by too quickly to waste time on things that we don’t love. This year, love is what we want to spread!

You got This!

We try to look at our goals as lifestyle changes instead of resolutions. After the hype of the new year dies off so does the excitment of resolutions. Instead, try to keep up the motivation by looking at your goals as permament changes in your life. If it’s important to you now, then it should still be important to you 6 months from now. Pick some goals and stick with them! YOU GOT THIS!

 

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How To Set Realistic Goals- Set Yourself Up For Success

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Pick Your Goals Wisely

Picking, setting, and executing goals can seem like a daunting task. So many goals are made and fail before they even start. This is because most of the time those goals are not thoughtfully picked out. Instead of just picking goals like ” I’m going to start working out more ” or ” I’m going to start eating better ” or “I want to save more money ” what about picking out more detailed, realistic, and focused goals?  Instead, ” I’m going to work at least 4 days a week ” or ” I’m going to start packing my own healthy lunch ” or  ” I’m going to analyze my monthly spending and save $200 from each paycheck”. How you specify your goals matters. Take the time to think about what you really want to achieve and then spend that same time setting realistic goals and milestones. The time spent picking out your goals is just as important as achieving them.

 5 Ingredients to Goal Success

Positivity: This is critical when it comes to reaching goals. Picking a goal and going after it with a positive mindset will set you up for success. If you can’t find positivity in your goals then those aren’t the right goals for you. Finding a goal to focus on that makes you happy and betters your life will trigger a positive outlook and mindset. Negativity, self-doubt, criticism, and perfectionism are all things that will make your journey more difficult. Remember: reaching your goals is about progress not about perfection.


Time Frames: Great things take time! You will not be able to achieve all of your goals overnight. Give yourself time frames that are realistic. Don’t put too much stress on yourself to the point where you are no longer enjoying your goals. If you start dreading the idea of your goals and see yourself slowly giving up.. STOP and reevaluate your goals and their time-frames. Instead of going to the gym 5 days this week, maybe just go 3 or 4 but give those 3-4 workouts all you got! Don’t give up on your goals, maybe all they need is to be tweaked a little bit. They are YOUR goals. Make them work for YOU. 

Importance: Prioritizing your goals can be very helpful. Putting your goals in a list from most important to least important can help you focus on what you may need to work on more. With some goals, you might have to work on them daily and others not as often. It is important to know how much that goal means to you and what it is going to take to achieve it. 

Accountability: Being held accountable while working towards your goal can make all the difference. Having to check in on your goal can show how much effort you are putting towards it. That accountability can be telling your significant other to make sure you guys pack a lunch three times a week together. Trying to reach a goal with someone can be accountability in itself. We know some people who check in on Facebook after the gym and they use that as their accountability. Whatever you do to hold yourself accountable, incorporate that and you will be that much closer to your goal. 

Realistic: Make your goals realistic and achievable. Like stated before, making specific detailed goals will help you with this. Instead of saying something general like “I’m gonna lose 50 pounds this year”, start by saying ” I will workout weekly with a goal to lose 6 pounds a month”. Dreams are different from goals. Goals are set and met where dreams are lived. So, make your goals realistic for YOU. Start with something basic and see how you can make it more specific for your life. 

Set & Conquer! 

Now that we went over the five ways to set your goals, go conquer them! If you have any ways you succeed at your goals, please share them with us. Happy goal setting!

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Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Everyone on Your List!

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Stuff Those Stockings With Fun!

Finding stocking stuffers is so much fun for us. That’s because we love to fill them with random fun! This is where you put those prank gifts, tiny surprises, small thoughtful items and things that you randomly find that remind you of that person. Stockings are fun for all ages. You can get creative and make them them the highlight of Christmas morning! We are here to give you some insight on where to find the cheapest and fun stocking stuffers. 

 

Stocking Stuffer Search

  • Dollar Tree– The Dollar Tree is such a score on so many random goodies. We can literally find something for every stocking (and even stockings themselves). They have year around things like school supplies, candles, kitchen products, mini-games, tools and more. Dollar Tree has tons of snacks too!  These items can easily be thrown into stockings for just about anyone. And since it is the Dollar Tree, you can load up if your pocketbook allows you. 
  • Target– Target has that cheap section in front of their store where nothing is priced over $5! That is a go-to spot for us. Target is so trendy and cute and always has “what’s in” for that special someone. You can find coloring books, small toys, mini makeup, accessories and so much more. Next time you are in Target (and we all know that will be soon), take a look with stocking stuffing in mind.  
  • Walgreens– I know what you’re saying… Walgreens? Yes, Walgreens! They have some great everyday deals and a double score if you have rewards account with them. I go here for the sweet tooth in my life. I can find candy bars 2 for $1, and tons of other candies at a discounted price. Make sure you take a look at their discount aisle. This is where they place an orange sale sticker on items and they are majorly discounted. I’ve found Disney toys, perfumes, nail polishes, gardening supplies, chapsticks and so much more here. Finally, they also sell ‘As Seen On T.V.’ items that are so randomly cool. If you prefer CVS over Walgreens- they are just about one and the same! CVS is great for stocking stuffers too!
  • Five Below –  This store has TONS of options for stocking stuffers and yes, everything is $5 and below! This store is easily found in many states and if you don’t have this specific store then maybe you have a similar one that comes to mind. TOYS GALORE! Great store for the kid’s stockings! This store was like totally made for Christmas stockings! Stockings are meant to be filled with fun knick-knacks and this store is just the place for that! Go crazy and you won’t break the bank!
  • Amazon – You knew this one was coming! Duh, Amazon! Amazon has great stuff for any and all occasions and stuffing those stockings is no exception! You can search by, ” Stocking suffers for men” or ” Stocking stuffers for girls under $10″ etc. I have used Amazon for a lot of the stocking stuffers for the adults in my life. Unique and affordable items shipped right to my doorstep. 
  • TJ Maxx / Marshalls / Ross / – These department stores are great for a few reasons. First, they aren’t in the mall so you can avoid that whole circus but hitting up one of these stores. Secondly, they have great finds that are affordable and unique. You can find makeup items, clothing items, home goods etc. They even have toys and stuff for the kiddos. These are all good stops for finding things to stuff your stockings with!
  • Walmart – This is a good stop for all things Christmas related. Ran out of lights while decorating the tree?! Swing by Walmart to pick up a pack of lights and also check out the Christmas section. There are TONS of stocking stuffer ideas. We all know Walmart has just about everything you could want and you could fill your stockings with countless items from here. Walmart might not be as cute as Target but their price tag will make you smile. 
  • PetSmart– Don’t forget the furry children in your life! You can find great little gifts for your animals at pretty much all of the stores we mentioned above. We love giving our pets gifts on Christmas too. They are part of the family!

Happy Stocking Shopping!

We are less than 20 days away from Christmas! We hope you are enjoying this time of year and not letting the stress get the best of you! Remember, it’s not the amount of money spent but the thought that counts. Have fun while picking out gifts and finding the perfect stocking stuffers! The best part about stockings is that there is no blueprint or wrong way to do them!

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