TRYING A VIRAL TIK-TOK HALLOWEEN SNACK MIX!

Happy Halloween! In the spirit of today, I decided to make a viral Halloween snack mix I saw on Tik-tok. It was super easy to follow-- I'll link the video here. I've always loved a good sweet + salty combo and this one has it all. It's also a great recipe you could easily customize with your own mix-ins + toppings. I followed the recipe as shown but it would be fun to switch it up for Christmas or other holidays. 

PS-- if you prefer a heavier coating/sauce, it might be worth adding in more of the butter/brown sugar mix. Because there's so much cereal/pretzels, the coating is very light and just adds a subtle flavor. I also think adding on a chocolate or caramel drizzle and throwing some peanuts in would be yummy!

HALLOWEEN SNACK MIX RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

+ 1-1/2 sticks of butter 

+ 3/4 cup brown sugar
+ 4 cups of pretzels
+ 1 box of Chex cereal
+ 1 bag of Bugles
+ 1 cup candy corn
+ 1 cup candy pumpkins
+ 1 cup Reese’s pieces

HOW TO ASSEMBLE
1. Melt butter & mix in brown sugar until smooth. Should be a thicker sauce consistency.
2. Add in Chex cereal, Bugles & pretzels
3. Stir until coated.
4. Spread evenly on baking sheets (2-3).
5. Bake at 275 for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
6. Remove & let cool.
7. Once cooled, add back to bowl & mix in toppings.

TRICK OR TREAT!

FALL BLOG POST ROUND-UP

You know I love a good round up post here on the blog. With November just around the corner, I thought we'd do one big post with all of this year's fall posts. There's a mix of fashion, beauty, movies + tv, home picks and more. A little bit of everything! I like grouping categories together incase you miss a post or want to go back and find one from previous weeks. I'll also keep adding any new ones in! Are there any ideas you want to see next? LMK! 

Read here: What I Want | Fall Style

Read here: Fall Books I Want to Read

Read here: Fall Sneakers I'm Loving Right Now

Read here: My Favorite Fall Blog Posts from Last Year 

Read here: Fall Candles | 2022

Read here: 5 Netflix Shows on My Fall Watch List

Read here: Fall + Halloween Target Finds

Read here: Fall Makeup Haul

Read here: What I Want for Fall

Read here: Fall Sweatshirts 

Which post is your favorite? 

WHAT I WANT FOR FALL

Alastin Skincare Tinted Sunscreen // Dr. Bronner's Tea Tree Soap // Dr. Bronner's Fluoride-Free Toothpaste // Grey Pullover Tunic // Marc Jacobs Teddy Tote Bag // White Button-Down Shirt // Diamond Initial Charm // Knit Cardigan // UGG Ultra Mini 

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I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

ANTROPOLOGIE HOLIDAY COLLECTION | COPPER + GOLD

Santa Mug // Holiday Cookies Cookbook // Champagne Bottle Ornament // Gold & Copper Bauble Ornaments // Initial Mug // NEST Holiday Candles 

Okay, I know what you're thinking... it's not even Halloween yet. Normally I hold off on the Christmas content until November but I couldn't help myself this time. It all started with mugs. Lol. A little backstory-- I've been fighting some sort of cough this last week which has me on a hot tea + honey binge. Naturally I decided how much I've been loving my tea and using the mugs that I neglect for most of the year. I then thought it only made sense to purchase some new mugs for my rekindled hot tea love. The holidays are coming up, it's cold outside. Warm drinks make sense, a new mug will put me in the spirit. An important detail to also add is that not all mugs are created equal. There's just something about finding a *good* mug. IYKYK, yk? 

Anthropologie comes in the picture because they always have the most amazing mugs, especially during Christmas. They're always unique, a little whimsical and typically oversized. We love a big mug. In the midst of all of this, Anthropologie also so coincidentally sent an email out with their NEW HOLIDAY COLLECTION. Talk about timing, right? Of course I took this as a sign to look for new mugs but I couldn't stop there. 

At this point we're knee deep in Christmas mode and I'm wanting it all. My first impression is really into the copper + gold vibes mixed with a little earthy, woodsy feel. I'm not sure I'll ever give up that little touch of glam. I also found two perfect mugs-- Mr. Santa and Miss K. 

Cheers to the first holiday post of many! 

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I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

RECENT AMAZON PURCHASES

My Garden of Life Tree Tea Oil // Ankle Weights // External Hard drive // Magnesium // Resveratrol // My Garden of Life Oil of Oregano  

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

FALL MAKEUP HAUL

MAC Lip Pencil in "Whirl" // MAC Love Me Lipstick in "Daddy's Girl" // FENTY Gloss Bomb in FU$$Y // MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter in "Radiant Rose" // Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation 

Do you ever feel like you just need to change up your entire look? That's where I've been lately. Fall has given me the perfect excuse to do a little shopping so I grabbed a few new beauty items to refresh with. I've been feeling underwhelmed with my foundation/complexion situation lately so I grabbed the new Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation. I really love their Vanish Stick so I'm hoping this one will be great too. 

A tried and true repurchase is the MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter in "Radiant Rose." Hands down, THE best under-eye brighter if your skin tone is on the lighter side like mine. It has a peachiness that counteracts dark circles and brightens everything up so well. I also love that the consistency is really light + easy to blend. Some concealers can be too thick + cakey under the eye but this is perfect. 

The last order of business is some lip service. I'll be the first to admit that most days, I don't fool with wearing lip products. I'm a balm girl through and through but I kind of want to be a liner/stick/gloss kinda gal, too. I saw the prettiest lip combo on a Tik-Toker (I wish I remembered her name) which was MAC's Whirl Liner + Daddy's Girl Lipstick. I grabbed both of those + the FENTY Gloss Bomb in "FU$$Y" to put on top. 

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I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

WINTER COATS | 2022

UGG Long Teddy Coat // Avec Les Filles Wrap Coat // North Face Down Parka // Cole Haan Quilted Down Parka // Steve Madden Sherpa Jacket // Sam Edelman Teddy Coat

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I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

TOP 5 MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS | OCTOBER

It’s time for another blog post recap! Every month I like to share the top five most popular posts on TheKristenDiary from the last month. I hope you enjoy seeing them all in one place + the actual posts too! 😜

1. OURA RING UNBOXING - I'm still obsessing over my Oura ring! It's been a few months now and I have zero regrets about purchasing. If you need to improve your sleep or are looking for more data and insights about your overall health, I highly recommend. I think it's the most beneficial when it comes to sleep but I like getting an overall picture of my day-to-day recovery and readiness. 

Read here: Oura Ring Unboxing

2. WHAT’S IN MY AMAZON CART - My recent Amazon finds! A mix of beauty, fashion + random lifestyle finds. 

Read here: What’s in My Amazon Cart 

3. TASTE TESTING TRADER JOE’S PUMPKIN BREAD - Spoiler alert-- it's yummy! If you love pumpkin bread, you definitely need to pick up a box from TJ's. 

Read here: Taste Testing Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread

4. 5 COLD WEATHER BASICS I LOVE - The temps are dropping which means it's time to pull out the basics. Anything warm + cozy is always a must. Hand cream is also a non-negotiable. The one bad part of the winter is how dry my hands always get. Seriously hate that!

Read here: 5 Cold Weather Basics I Love

5. SPRING SANDALS | 2022 - Who needs fall boots when you can still wear spring sandals?? Hehe! I actually feel like the struggle is so real with this, though. Every year the weather is wacky and it's either freezing weather or sunny and 75, lol. This has been one of the most popular blog posts of the entire year + I still love all of them! Great if you are lucky enough to have nice weather or are going on vacay. #jealous

Read here: Spring Sandals | 2022

Which post is your fave? 

FALL + HALLOWEEN TARGET FINDS

Beaded Claw Hair Clip // Glazed Pecans // Halloween Cat Earrings // Halloween Scrunchies // Cozy Pajama Pants // Skeleton Halloween Earrings 

The only thing better than shopping at Target is shopping at Target during the holidays. I live for the fall, Halloween and everything in between. I've also found some fun (and super rando) things lately that in a way also have their own little fall vibe going? Lol, you know how it is. My fellow Target people understand! 

If you like nuts/pecans, these Glazed Pecans are sooooo addicting. My new fave snack. Ya'll also know I couldn't resist these cat earrings or scrunchies either. Will I wear the scrunchies? Debatable, TBH. Did I have to have them? Obvioussssllllyyyyy. Tag me in your Target finds on IG-- I want to see! 

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

FALL SWEATSHIRTS | 2022

Reebok x Victoria Beckham Hoodie // Anine Bing Sport Crewneck // Varley Colorblock Half Zip // Varley Vine Half Zip // Anine Bing Tiger Graphic Crew // Nike Oversized Cropped Sweatshirt 

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I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

HALLOWEEN BOOKS I WANT TO READ

I love October because it's the month of Halloween! It's funny to me that I've grown fonder of Halloween as an adult than when I was a child. At some point during my college years, a flip switched and now it's in my top three favorite holidays. I love all of the corny, spooky aspects it has to offer. Give me any and all of the themes and things-- Halloween movies, snacks, earrings, you name it. October tends to be a busy month at my job but I'm hoping I can squeeze in reading one or two books this month. If you're in the mood for something on brand with Halloween vibes, here are a few I found + put on my list.

I'm not sure how I feel about reading horror books, but a fantasy or mystery seem fun. The witches must also be calling my name with Practical Magic, The Witch Haven and Wild is the Witch. To creep it up just a bit, I'm also adding in Dark and Shallow Lies for good measure. It has a little bit of the magic vibe too and is a mystery thriller.

HALLOWEEN BOOKS I WANT TO READ

You can read the full synopsis + shop each book by clicking on the title below: 

+ Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman 

+ The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith 

+ Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain 

+ Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin 

Which one would you read?

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

WHAT I'M LOVING | OCTOBER

Saint Laurent Cardholder // Sunnies // Agent Nateur holi(creme) // Ribbed Tee // Lululemon Fleece Belt Bag

-SHOP THE POST-

 I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

WHAT'S IN MY AMAZON CART

Oil of Oregano // Tea Tree Oil // OPI Nail Polish // Claw Hair Clips // The Body Electric book // Pullover // External Hard Drive // Charging Station 

Is your Amazon cart always full of the most random items?? I love ordering things I need but can't seem to find anywhere else around town. Right now I'm excited to try this Oil of Oregano and Tea Tree Oil. Ya'll know I've struggled with scalp issues for years and recently I saw a TikTok showing how you can use them to make a scalp wash. It's a mixture of the oils + antibacterial soap which still seems a little more holistic than some of the other products I've seen out there. At this point I will try anything! 

 I've also been running out of storage on my MacBook now (happens every 4-5 years like clockwork!) so I need an external hard drive. Add in a little splash of fashion, beauty + books and voila! Told you, super random hehe. What is in your Amazon cart right now?? Let me know so I can add it to mine!! ;) 

 I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)