And one day, after years of being asked, I decided to humor the insistent cashier and go ahead and apply. Of course, I was approved. I have good credit. Whatever, I told myself. I’ll sign up and get whatever perks come with a Sally Beauty credit card.

I am here to warn you that this is a program through Comenity Bank. Comenity Bank is an institution known for unethical and problematic practices. There are thousands of consumer complaints against Comenity Bank.

Sally’s Beauty Credit Card Is Issued by Comenity Bank

Comenity Bank is in the business of managing store-branded credit cards for companies. They are also known for shady business practices. Sally’s Beauty has partnered with them to handle their store-brand credit card. Sally’s Beauty is far from the only store-brand credit card that partners with Comenity Bank. Big names like IKEA, Sephora, Academy Sports + Outdoor, Carter’s, and more allow their credit to be handled by Comenity Bank.

The Reality

Sally’s Beauty credit cards and other store-brand credit cards are marketed to loyal customers as convenient and often come with offers of rewards and savings.

These store-brand credit cards actually hide a hidden reality. Credit terms include fees that are higher than what’s fair or sometimes legal. Consumers complain of shady dealings with late fees. Interest rates charged are often much higher than on regular credit cards. What’s more, Comenity has a poor track record with handling customer service. Complaints echo similar practices, indicating company policy and systemic operating procedures. The most concerning is Comenity Bank charging fees and consumers incurring fines even after their accounts have been paid off in full.

In my personal experience, Comenity’s website often doesn’t operate properly. I never got a bill from them. When I went to their website, I could not make a payment. I got hit with a $41 late fee, when it was their fault I was unable to pay. I’ve paid off my account fully now, paying a ridiculous amount for what was originally $60 charge. I will report back if they try to charge me anything further.

I’m far from the only consumer to experience issues with Comenity Bank. Over the last 3 years, they have had a staggering 2,297 Better Business Bureau complaints made against them. The reviews and complaints share common themes: deceptive practices, unreasonable fees charged, payments made on time but Comenity reports them as “late” and then charges late fees, website and payment systems are glitchy, poor customer service, and charging fees after the balance is paid in full.

In other words: Beware.

Legal / Regulatory Context

Trade rulings and federal regulations like the CARD Act and CFPB guidance set standards for what counts as “reasonable and proportional” late fees. If a credit card company charges fees that are over certain thresholds, especially if the consumer is not fully informed, they are operating unethically and exploitatively. Beyond ethics, they could also be operating illegally.

Excessively high fees and higher-than-normal interest rates disproportionately harm cardholders, especially those with small balances. Ethical implications aside, a consumer’s trust in a brand can be massively impacted by doing business with a company clearly out to deceive consumers. Businesses spend years building feelings of customer loyalty only to destroy them with partnerships like this.

The Customer Impact

Regular Sally’s Beauty shoppers are often the ones to finally apply for their in-store credit. These consumers are regular folks: single parents, office workers, teachers, students, and small business owners. It is reasonable that an everyday consumer should not anticipate predatory terms on a credit card they get for a brand they are loyal to.

Fees can quickly add up, turning a small missed payment into significant debt. And it’s exceedingly frustrating and feels like a betrayal of trust to be exploited by a company that a consumer once felt loyalty for. It doesn’t even matter that it’s actually Comenity doing the exploitation, not the brand the customer is loyal to; it still harms their confidence in that brand. A Sally’s Beauty credit card should actually reward their loyal customers, not cause undue hardship and emotional stress.

A Pattern with Comenity

Comenity has a reputation for these exact types of complaints with all its store-branded cards. I am here to write about my Sally’s Beauty card mistake, but it’s part of a wider pattern. I wish this were a one-off issue, but a small amount of research uncovers that it’s part of Comenity’s systemic practices.

Know Your Rights as a Consumer

Please, consumers, listen up. Know your rights under federal law. If you find yourself being jerked around by this shady company, there are possible steps you could take for recourse.

• Filing a complaint with the CFPB
• Contact state consumer protection agencies
• Dispute unfair fees.

You might have to get on the phone with their unhelpful customer service. The best alternative I can think of is to avoid using a Comenity-issued store-brand credit card at all.

I am talking to you, Sally’s Beauty et al.

I am disappointed, but not shocked, that you have put your trust in a bank like Comenity that regularly employs these questionable practices. You should know better. Ultimately, consumers can’t change Comenity’s systemic practices. But all the companies that have contracts with them could. I encourage you and all the other trusted brands that use this questionable financial partner to hold them accountable for their practices, because it harms YOUR brands.

In the End

Customers deserve fair credit products, not hidden traps. My loyal readers, please be cautious before signing up for store-branded credit cards. A Sally’s Beauty credit card is not a good deal. Feel free to comment and share your experiences, and please, spread awareness about this issue and push for accountability.

I don’t post things like this often. I am more likely to post a book review or my jewelry, Faebee Jewelry. But every so often, my readers need to know something like this. I’m never afraid to report on unethical businesses doing unethical things. Consumers should know.

The post Sally’s Beauty Credit Card appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

Within ȧ week of learning the basics, I fully immersed myself in the world of jewelry making. I dove in headfirst, and, boy, did I dive deep. Focusing on handmade earrings, I began making as many pairs of earrings as I could. In part, I knew I needed to hone my skills and develop my craft. But I was also just having so much fun.

Some of my early efforts are clumsy, but over a short few months, I found myself making elegant creations. I started making bracelets and necklaces, along with earrings. Along with the creative growth, I faced the insurmountable urge to buy more beads and tools. Soon I had a full kit.

Creative Expression

I enjoy expressing myself creatively: Whether it’s with crochet or knit, writing, both on Fae’s Journal, and also fiction, at least I used to. I haven’t written a story in a few years, but that creative spark is still there. So, exploring new creative outlets is always something I welcome.

Handmade Earrings are Quick to Make

Earrings are an ideal place to start if you want to learn how to make jewelry of your own. Earrings are quick to make. You can make a ton of different styles and designs in just a few hours. As you practice and create your first pairs of earrings, your own personal style begins to emerge, and your preferences about beads, metals, and style come into focus.

Me, personally, I like blues, greens, and purples. I’m a huge fan of crystals with the Aurora Borealis effect that gives them iridescence. Cute charms with space themes, dinosaurs, or candy make me squeal with joy and want to make a thousand pairs of earrings.

Develop Your Skills

It will take some time to get proficient at various jewelry-making techniques. Knowing how to make simple loops and wire-wrapped loops is essential for most projects.

Materials for Handmade Earrings

Material choice also plays an important role in jewelry making. There are a several aspects to consider when making jewelry. Which beads to use, what metals to use, and what tools you’ll need all are paramount to the craft.

In my next post about jewelry making, I’ll talk about what beads to use, what metals to use and the most essential jewelry making tools you need to get to start making your own handmade earrings and jewelry.

Faebee Jewelry

You can find my handmade earrings listed on Faebee Jewelry to check out the finished products from my summer’s work.

The post Handmade Earrings appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

Leta Blake and Indra Vaugn have teamed up several times and wrote one of my personal favorites, Vespertine. My review is probably a bit gushy because I was very impressed with this and it left me emotionally drained! Well worth looking their stuff up.

If there’s demand, I’ll post more MM romance book deals as I get them. I know I like to know when things are on sale! I write reviews on my blog, Goodreads, Bookbub, Amazon, and more. If you want me to read and review your upcoming novel read my review policy and submit a contact form.

The post MM Romance Book Deals: Cowboy Seeks Husband for $0.99 appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

Buying a new refrigerator is a big deal. Back in July of 2024, my old fridge gave up the ghost. It was at least 10 years old. The freezer stopped freezing. After inadvertently giving myself food poisoning a time or two, I found myself in the market for a new refrigerator. If you haven’t been shopping for a fridge recently, let me tell you: They’re expensive. The fancier ones, the ones with the nice French doors and bottom freezers are upwards of $3k. And mama didn’t have that kind of money in the summer of 2024, folks. So what I ended up with is this model: Frigidaire 18.3-cu ft Top-Freezer Refrigerator ( EasyCare Stainless Steel )

It wasn’t $3k, more like $800. But that is still a lot of money. I haven’t been too happy with this fridge, to be honest. It’s smaller than the one I had before, which was admittedly too big for my constructed-in-the-1960s house’s galley kitchen. But while the actual unit fits in the space provided better, the actual floorspace of the inside sucks. It’s not even that much smaller cubic feet wise than the previous fridge I had, but it just seems tiny. And with the fridge on the bottom it’s hard to see into and find things. I know, a privileged problem to have. But still a problem.

Gasp No… Refrigerator Problems

All my grumbling about the new refrigerator turned into much more than grumbling three weeks ago. That’s when my practically new, purchased in July of 2024 fridge stopped cooling. What the ever loving crap is that, right? I put some bottles of water in the freezer in the morning and by 5 pm I noticed they were still liquid. Um hello? Cue the mad scramble to get any frozen and perishable things into coolers, and friends’ freezers.

Everything Breaks on a Weekend

The refrigerator is still under the standard year manufacturer warranty since, ya know, July 2024 purchase. I hoped fixing it would be a quick turnaround. Get a service company out to repair it, bing bop bam.

Of course, the fridge stopped working on a Saturday. Everything breaks on a weekend, not on a work day at a time when customer service is open. As an aside, Frigidaire’s weekend phone message doesn’t even state their business hours. The recording just tells you to call back during them.

Anyway, I was already pissed and then I had to wait until Monday to call customer service, where it ended up being impossible to get someone on the phone ever. I called several times, it gave me an estimated wait time, and after holding it would click and ring once before the line went dead. Still connected, but no sound and no hold music, just a dead line. After that happened twice, I turned to their customer service chat.

I Hate Customer Service Chat

Frigidaire’s customer service chat is like many companies these days, where you first have to “chat” with an AI virtual assistant to ascertain your issue or rather, become frustrated enough to ask for a representative enough times so your case is elevated to the priority level needed to maybe, possibly, chat with a real person. My customer service chat was frustrating because it took absolutely forever to relay messages. A chat is supposed to go faster than talking on the phone, right? I digress. My service was scheduled for that Friday. So I thought…

Authorized Service Company

Turns out that Frigidaire can’t actually schedule service repairs. So Tuesday, the 25th of March I got a call from the actual service company and was told that basically Friday was a no-go. On the 26th, I got a text telling me they had to order parts for the repair. They would call me to actually schedule the repair after the part arrives in their warehouse. Wait 3-7 business days. With no fridge.

Grumbling, my kid carts the tiny little dorm room fridge up from the basement because it seems like this isn’t going to be a quick fix at all.

Radio Silence

On April 3rd, 13 days after the refrigerator stopped working, I texted the service company for an update. A representative called me back on Friday, April 4th, to schedule the appointment.

My Frigidaire Refrigerator Problems are OVER

The repair person came today and fixed my refrigerator’s issue in less than 20 minutes. The authorized service company did a great job. While it took a while to get the part, it was an okay experience working with them.

It’s the timer that had stopped working. The timers is the part of the fridge that clicks over to the defrost cycle before returning to cooling. Makes sense because I hadn’t heard the compressor come on at all since Saturday, the 22nd of March.

However, while they were here fixing the fridge, I learned an interesting factoid.

Spill the Tea, Sis

The TEA is that Frigidaire knows the timer is faulty. Frigidaire knows these units shipped with a bad part. And instead of issuing a recall, which would put the onus on Frigidaire to fix. Frigidaire is owned by Electrolux, a large multinational company.

Electrolux is proud of its market position in appliances under the Frigidaire brand. From an annual review from 2019:

Strong market position with around 14% share in core appliances in 2019, predominantly under the Frigidaire brand. The brand has a 100-year heritage and targets consumers who value affordable solutions. 

Customers Eat the Costs

So, instead of a huge multinational company that could literally write off these costs, and also create jobs to employ repair technicians and take ownership of its problems, they want customers to eat the cost of repairs instead. They know what will happen because they ship these units with bad timers and just let them fail. The repair burden is placed on their customers and not them.

That is SHITTY BUSINESS, folks.

If it’s your business plan to not recall a part you know is bad so your customers have to pay to repair it you are in the wrong. Frigidaire and Electrolux are in the wrong here. You’re in the wrong.

Frigidaire Refrigerator Problems Have An Easy Solution

Recall the timer, contract with more authorized service companies to fix them, have them stock the parts so it doesn’t take 3-7 business days to have a knowingly faulty part delivered, and BUILD CUSTOMER LOYALTY. It’s such a no-brainer for me.

Companies can write off or deduct expenses related to recalling their products on their taxes. This includes costs for product retrieval, repair, replacement, and advertising. You know who can’t? Their customers.

Money is Tight

Since 2020, my finances have gotten tighter and tighter. Ends used to meet. Do you remember those days? Since starting teaching, I’ve been lucky to survive on a single income with a child to raise. Also as a public school teacher, it’s fortuitous that my salary increases as I gain experience.

All that to say that when I had to buy a new fridge, I went with a name that literally has COLD AIR in their name: Frigidaire. But now after everything I know they suck. Their customer service is slow and inefficient. It was 18 days from the time my fridge stopped working until it was fixed.

Woe is Me

I think people should know about this, is all. Trust my loud mouth is here to talk about it. Frigidaire refrigerator problems are not just my problem; it’s a problem they should take ownership of and fix.

Is Your Refrigerator Running?

Or is it a Frigidaire with a faulty timer unit?

More to Read

Fae’s Journal is where I write about things that interest me. Read MM Book Reviews, learn to read Hangul, find a knitting or crochet pattern, and figure out a crochet technique. Also discover posts about Gaming, Education, Free Google Slides Presentations and more. From time to time I post about Shopping, Home Organization tips and solutions, and even Recipes.

The post Frigdaire Refrigerator Problems appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

1. Crochet Hook Set

Crochet hooks come in a million varieties, from aluminum to bamboo, plain and ergonomic. If the crochet lover in your life crochets often, ergonomic crochet hooks are the way to go. I recently switched to an ergonomic crochet hook set I got on Amazon and using them has been life-changing to my productivity. I personally don’t like using bamboo crochet hooks but to each their own. I don’t think they snag the yarn well. Aluminum crochet hooks work just fine, and I use them still, but having switched to the comfort of the cushy padded crochet hooks, I don’t want to go back! Crocheters can never have too many crochet hooks, it’s a thing I swear.

2. Crochet Pattern Books

While there are a lot of crochet patterns on the Internet, free and paid, receiving a book full of crochet patterns is a delight. Crochet pattern books come in a wide variety of formats and can focus on various elements in crochet. Crocheters who want to make amigurumi will love to get a book full of cute stuffies to make.

Whimsical Stitches by Lauren Epsy [Amazon]
This amigurumi pattern book has been a best seller since 2021. Reviews are very positive on Amazon, with most people saying that the patterns are easy to follow and ideal for crochet beginners to intermediate crocheters. I love the crocheted plants in this book. I’d love to add this crochet pattern book to my library for Christmas.

3. Yarn, of course!

The reason yarn isn’t at the top of this list is simple. Unless you are shopping for a present for a brand new crocheter, they are almost guaranteed to have a ton of yarn already.

But, can you ever really have too much yarn? Nah, of course not. Here’s the thing, though. And this is important if you’re thinking about the idea of gifting yarn this holiday season.

I can’t tell you how many times I have gotten one solitary skein of a beautiful yarn that I can only do a limited number of projects with because I only have one skein.

Why is this important?

Dye lots can vary and it can be hard to find specialty yarns so if you want to give a good present, make sure to give an appropriate amount of yarn for the type of projects you see your crocheter doing. Amigurumi don’t need a ton of yarn, but if they are pumping out sweaters you need to gift more than one skein!

Yarn is an obvious gift idea for crocheters. Here are some options below.

4. Yarn Bowl

Next up in our gift ideas for crocheters run-down is a yarn bowl. An invaluable tool for a fiber crafter. Yarn bowls keep the yarn you're using stationary. Otherwise, it has a tendency to travel if you don't have a way to contain it while you're working. My dad used to make amazing yarn bowls but he hasn't lately. Yarn bowls can be wooden, plastic, ceramic, or even fabric.

I found several yarn bowls I think are noteworthy on Amazon and will link them below.

5. Storage Bags or Shelving

This is the most serious need a crafter who has been at it for any length of time is faced with: how to organize all the yarn, supplies, works in progress, and finished objects you have on hand.

I hope these gift ideas for crocheters have inspired you to give the crocheter in your life an inspired Christmas present this year! I post about crocheting techniques, my crochet patterns, and more on my journal. Read more in the Crochet and Knitting category.

The post Top 5 Gift Ideas for Crocheters appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

Gift Idea #5. Tattoo Markers

Every, single kid I teach loves to write on their hands, sometimes their whole arms. Bic has these tattoo markers, especially for kids’ insatiable urge to mark up their hands. They are non-toxic, temporary, and cruelty-free. They come in eight colors and the tips are flexible. This set also includes stencils! Let the kids express themselves!

Gift Idea #4. Custom LED Neon Sign

Honestly, who wouldn’t want to be gifted a custom neon sign? Ordering through Amazon, you can customize the color, the text, the special characters, the font, and add a ton of other sweet customizations. Each custom neon sign will be your unique creation. Your custom neon light includes easy-to-follow instructions for mounting it on the wall. You can choose to upgrade to battery power. By default, it comes with an AC power adapter that you just plug in to use.

Gift Idea #3. Waterproof Speaker

This waterproof speaker is ready to take your kid’s showers to the center stage. This speaker will have your kiddo singing in the shower right away. The speaker can be used in the shower, by the pool, or at the beach. The speaker is small and portable. It even comes with a carabiner to hook onto whatever so it can be toted along on adventures. That makes it great for the beach, camping or whatever. It comes in like eight different variations so you can choose one your teen will like the most.

Gift Idea #2. Tortilla Blanket

Super cheesy? Or super cool? You decide. My teen will love this tortilla blanket. I have seen these everywhere from Temu to Amazon, and I’m sure there are a ton being wrapped as Christmas presents this year. Your kid will love being the middle of a warm burrito in this tortilla blanket.

Gift Idea #1. Indoor Basketball Hoop

This indoor basketball hoop has an electronic scoreboard that automatically calculates and displays your score. It will count points for your kids, bringing the competition to life. It easily hangs over the door, so requires no drilling. The rim folds to save space for storage and doesn’t affect the operations of the door.

I post about what I am shopping for sometimes. I have some more shopping posts so go read them. I also post about other things I am interested in like crocheting and gaming that you might like to read about.

The post Top 5 Gifts Ideas for Teens appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

Free Pattern!

The design I settled on is an extremely simple yet cute pattern that comes from Stitch11.com. A free crochet dog sweater pattern? Thank you, Stich11!

Two patterns are available in different sizes: the size XS dog sweater and a size S dog sweater. As written, the finished sweater measures about 12 inches from top to bottom. The neckline is about 9 inches in diameter so you can easily get it over your pup’s head. My dog is 6.5 lbs and I had to size down slightly to make the fit as snug as I wanted it. However, the designer indicates that the sweater is designed for dogs 5-10 lbs.

XS Dog Sweater

And the finished product? Et Voilà!

I sized down by casting on 32 and then increased to 36, then up to 38 for the main body once I joined the sides. The pattern is easy to customize. I needed to do that because Sunny has a tiny rump but a larger trunk. Most dog clothing fits her weirdly. So I was happy I could make her something myself instead of spending a ton on sweaters from the store that might not fit her well.

Amazon Came Through

Before I decided to crochet Sunny’s dog sweater, I bought this XS dog sweater from Amazon. (Full disclosure this is an affiliate link.) I love how it looks like a turtleneck and that it has a leash clip! It looks like it could be pulled out fairly easily so I will be careful using the leash clip.

However, even though I have a Prime subscription, the sweater won’t arrive until Thursday. With Georgia’s weather, we might be back in the 90s. So I pivoted and made the crochet dog sweater, which I like better, to be honest.

Crocheting is so wonderful, isn’t it? If I had cast on a dog sweater to knit I’d still have a mountain of stitches to go. Crochet comes together much more efficiently. I just love it! I crochet and post about it pretty often, and also post about my dog from time to time in other areas of my blog.

The post XS Dog Sweater for XS Sunny appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

If you are looking for FREE MM romance, you are in luck. Katy Haye’s riveting novel Assassin is free today on Kindle! It’s available for the perfect price of FREE from August 25th until late Monday, August 26th.

Assassin

Assassin is a book set in a fantasy world of mystery and just a dash of magic. Kit is sent to kill the Prince of another country. A trained assassin, he’s not expecting the attraction he feels for his target. He’s also innocent in the ways of seduction, so while that is an obvious way to get close to the prince, he’s a bit bumbling

Soulmates

And then, surprise surprise, they’re not just attracted to one another, they are soulmates. But they still don’t like each other very much. Bickering and resistance to the inevitability of the soulmate bond ensue.

Fantasy World

If you like Tavia Lark’s books you’ll like this series. I have read most of it, I think I have the last three books to finish reading before I can say that I read them all. I have enjoyed the storytelling and the action, the setting is lush and the characters are multifaceted and real, but their actions can lean towards childish sometimes. However, that might be expected when dealing with sheltered princes and assassins trained for one thing alone.

It’s also been a few months since I read the stories so I cannot remember enough details to properly review the series, but I enjoyed what I read so far.

It’s Free!

Who can pass up a free book? I know I can’t. I especially appreciate when authors put their novels up for free so I can get a “keep” copy of a book I enjoyed reading with Kindle Unlimited. So snag it today, you have to act fast though, so don’t delay!

The post Free MM Romance: Assassin by Katy Haye Free Today appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

Over 400 books that all feature LGBTQ+ characters are on sale today, discounted to either $1.99 or $0.99 on various digital storefronts! There are so many to choose from, deciding where to start is almost overwhelming.

Genres? We Got ‘Em

There are sales in queer fiction in almost every genre. All types of books are available for that special discounted price. Most are romances of some variety, but there are sales in almost every category. MM Romance is my favorite genre to read, and there are sales galore there. The selection in the Science Fiction & Fantasy category is robust, and I am picking up a few for sure.

Many Storefronts

Most books are available on Amazon; many are also on Google Play, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, and in the respective authors’ stores.

Personal Picks

I have to keep looking later, I have to go to work, no fair!

The post Queer Your Bookshelf Day! appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

While out and about, I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with the artist behind some amazing glass jewelry. When I searched up her jewelry business I was blown away! Get that pun? Hah, I know it’s horrible but come on, I had to.

Glass Jewelry is HOT

I love glass jewelry, because it’s catches the light and plays with it, and the jewelry transforms when you look at it from a different angle. If I had one of the glass rings that is on the site I would just be staring at it all day, I know that for a fact.

I enjoyed talking with the creator when I met her at the dog park. She’s an incredibly witty person to talk to and loves dogs, so once I spent a few minutes talking to her I had to see what sort of glass jewelry she had for sale. And I was not disappointed.

Studio Mod Glass

Her Studio is Studio Mod Glass or Studio MG based in Athens, Georgia. Supporting local Athens artists is something I am passionate about, because it helps to maintain the artistic vibe and grassroots community that Athens has spent decades fostering and developing. So hey, locals: I know some of you will look through the shop and find something they just have to have.

Personal Favorites

My favorites on the site? I have several and I’m happy to share. I absolutely adore this Three Square Element necklace. The lines are so clean and the colors of this particular necklace are bright, cheerful and elegant. I love the whole Space Balls collection, those little guys are so colorful and eye catching! And also.. the metal jewelry. I really love that. The next section has more about this selection!

Metal Jewelry

There is also a section on the website for some incredible metal jewelry that is honestly more my style. The spiral necklaces and earrings are on my wish list!

The post Glass Jewelry by Local Athens Studio appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

I just saw that the first book in the Shadows of London series by Ariana Nash is free today on Kindle! Get it here on Amazon.

While I have not read this series by Ariana Nash, I have read several other of her series and find her writing to be complex, dark, gritty, deeply sensual and sometimes hard to get through.

So I am excited to get into this series by her, the Shadows of London. From the Amazon blurb:

Twisted Pretty Things is the first book in the all-new Shadows of London MM urban fantasy series. Action, mystery, and gay romance combine in this fast-paced adventure from the author who brought you the award-winning Silk & Steel series and the best-selling Prince’s Assassin series.

Nash’s Silk and Steel series and the Prince’s Assassin series are on my favorites shelves on Goodreads and are up there in my personal ranking. While they are both disturbing at times and DARK DARK, they were compelling reads that I could not put down even when the material was difficult to get through.

The Prince’s Assassin’s books rival Captive Prince for themes and I feel they go beyond the darkness in CaPri. I LOVED THOSE BOOKS. The Captive Prince series is probably my favorite book series in a decade so that is saying a lot that I love the Prince’s Assassin almost as much.

I am imagining that this series is more contemporary but will feature themes that seem prevalent in Nash’s books and I cannot wait to read them. The series has been on my to-read list for a while but it’s so hard to get through everything sometimes that I forget to go back and read the backlog.

Once I finish reading it, I will make sure to review the book on my mm romance book reviews page, and perhaps I’ll go back and reread some of her books that I have loved and review them properly. They are among my favorites.

The post Free Book Alert! appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

I remember when I was a child starting school much later. The date for start of school has been marched back until we are landing on August 1 as the start of school for most districts in the area.

Back to School is a BUSY TIME

I teach middle school, and have a high school aged student of my own. It goes without saying that the days leading up to the start of the new school year is an incredibly busy time. Lots of things to buy, to get organized and to prepare for. However, older students need fewer supplies than younger students. We are down to the bare basics now that he’s in high school. Being well beyond elementary school age, I can reflect from an objective place. Believe me, I do not miss the back to school circus families with elementary age children have to go through. And the cost! It’s sort of ridiculous.

School checklists oh my

The endless supply lists, the uniforms, the classroom supplies for teachers both classroom and specials, it can all get a little overwhelming for elementary age students. And yes it’s very, very expensive. If you’re brave, I dare you to peek into the Back to School section of most big-box stores like Target or Walmart. These days you will probably see all of the following: You’ll see harried parents trying to stay within their dwindling budget and get all the things they “need” for school. Next to them you will find students searching for the perfect supplies with a mix of excitement and dread on their faces. All around will be shelves completely out of order from the hordes of parents and students rifling through them and you’ll likely see loads of school provided lists piled everywhere for all the various schools in the area.

Expensive doesn’t quite describe it

Parents, believe me, I get it. Money isn’t spreading as far these days and it’s more important than ever to choose wisely with your purchasing decisions. Amazon has a ton of low-cost options for back to school. If I were still needing to buy a ton of things for an elementary aged student I would for sure go there first to find deals before I piled in the car to go to a local store.

As a teacher, I am nearly ready for the school year. This weekend I’ve been tackling my required training and getting as much relaxation time as I can. Before I know it, it will be nose to the ground and full tilt madness until Labor Day, our first break. The school year is exhausting and I’m savoring my last minutes of relaxing time.

Best of luck out there, whether you are a parent shopping for back to school things, a teacher preparing for the coming school year, or are a student both looking forward to and dreading the return to academics. You can do it!

The post Back to School – The School Year is Upon Us appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

I love journaling. I also love notebooks, and when I am writing, I almost always start the writing process on paper. If I see a blank journal, I will probably buy it. There’s just something about all that fresh, blank paper that lends itself to creativity and brainstorming. For me, writing with pen on paper makes the words flow differently. Outlining and character development comes easiest in this medium when I am in the early stages of writing.

Keeping a Journal

I also like to keep a journal. It’s something I’ve just always done. I don’t know how many blank journals I’ve filled throughout my life, but the number would be substantial. I love to look back and see what was going on in my life, how I was doing and what was on my mind while I was writing in my journal. Sometimes it was maybe that I wasn’t doing so great, and other times things were going well. Regardless of whether I was in a good headspace or not, keeping a journal has been an important part of my life.

Do you keep a journal? Do you like to collect blank journals to use for future projects, or do you only shop for a new blank journal when you completely fill up your current notebook?

I tend to collect blank journals, myself. I like different weights of paper, different line styles, different covers, sizes, and binding types. If it’s cute, unique or eye catching, it’s really hard for me to resist picking up a new journal, even if I don’t need a new one.

Blank Journal for Daily Journaling

Sometimes you just need a blank journal to get you in the mood for cataloging your thoughts. Maybe I have just the thing for you!

Keeping that in mind I designed this cute journal that you use for daily journaling, writing, note taking or whatever you might think of and you can buy it from Amazon!

The post Blank Journal for Daily Journaling appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

First Spice Rack

The first spice racks I purchased are a set of two three-tiered spice racks that are very nice. These spice racks are very nice quality acrylic, and require no construction. Unfortunately they did not fit into my cabinet space. This was super frustrating, actually, because they almost fit but were off by like one centimeter, maybe not exactly but it’s a ridiculously small measurement. One side did fit, sideways, so I am using that. But the other side didn’t fit and there was no finagling it into place, I was afraid the acrylic would shatter.

So boo, one side of the spice cabinet done, but the other side still needs a spice rack! My spice cabinet is super full, I should mention.

I did end up keeping these shelves because they’re nice quality and I think these sorts of tiered shelving can work for a bunch of different things like to store crafts, makeup or skincare items, paints, or office supplies.

Since I do have plenty of all of those things, I didn’t return these spice rack shelves and like I said one of them did fit into my space.

I like how these shelves have a lip so things will stay in place, and won’t slide off. When that happens it’s like a domino effect and everything comes tumbling down, super annoying! And inevitably that happens when you’re cooking and in mid-preparation and need a spice you forgot to grab! It can be a huge pain!

Second Spice Rack

After another measure (which I sucked at because I failed again!), I ordered a second spice shelf. This spice rack is very deep, and doesn’t fit in my spice cabinet either! Like I mentioned before, I find measuring things challenging. It’s a personal failure. So, I failed to measure the depth of my cabinet when I was shopping for another spice rack. I just looked at the small width that I have available and purchased the spice rack I could find that fit based on that. But oops, this spice rack has five shelves so it is very deep.

So someone who might be looking for a smaller spice rack needs to measure the depth of their cabinet and make sure this would fit. Overall, it’s a nice rack, and putting it together is not difficult. You do have to remove all the protective adhesive sheets but the pieces themselves just snap into place. Simple. But if you’re looking for a spice rack that you don’t have to put together this one isn’t for you. I’d go with something like the first shelf I purchased.

So if you’re following the score, I have purchased two spice rack shelves and neither of the purchases worked for my spice cabinet. So the quest continues… once I find one that actually fits I will post again!

The post Spice Rack Shopping appeared first on Fae’s Journal.