It’s probably complete coincidence, but did anyone else notice that we left last month’s Paper Obscura box devastated in California… And now we’re crazy in Cali?! I think there’s some sort of evil genius afoot in their planning division… Or maybe I’m just delusional and paranoid. Like this month’s box!

When the Maker Card asks us if we can trust ourselves, we know this is going to be a fun trip down the rabbit hole. Who says crazy can’t be a little fun?!

As always with these posts, spoilers are inevitable. So if for some reason you got your box and couldn’t stand to unlock the Schrodinger cat mystery contained inside, you may not want to proceed. Because SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS!!!

Without further ado, grab your favorite cheap wine, get your hair up in curlers, and settle in. Let’s meet the makers!

The first item in the box just gets me and all my crazy. Gumball Poodle knows that there’s nothing like making a statement. Preferably a colorful one. But it’s best to make said statements in comfy clothing, specifically socks. For someone who has ice cubes for toes, statement socks are MY LIFE!!!

It may seem extreme to call for Death Before Decaf, but psych meds make you tired, yo! Even if you’re not on anything medical (or recreational), life is hard. Adulting is hard. So leave your house knowing you carry a secret message wrapped around your ankles hidden beneath those boring khakis. Just don’t show your boss your new ‘Lit as F*ck’ socks without thinking that particular consequence all the way through.

These socks have been seen all over the media and been donned on some pretty famous feet! Their mission is to create socks as diverse as diverse and unique as we are. Frankly, their devotion to making the world a more colorful place is goals. Give them some love on Instagram @gumballpoodle and visit their website www.gumballpoodle.com where they literally have something for everyone!

When you don’t know who you can trust, sometimes you have to just rely on that gut feeling and hope it isn’t heartburn.

This Social Alert button is brought to you by Word For Word Factory. They completely understand the struggle that is existence and are here FOR YOU! Their mission is to bring “a little levity to get you through the drudgery.” It’s like they understand us. Almost as much as our overpriced shrinks.

Their line of Social Alert Buttons is designed for the person who likes to leave the house but doesn’t really want to interact with anyone. You know, me on the daily. This is more than just fashion, it’s a public service, really. Wear your feelings and warn the public, all in one little pin. Where have they been my entire life?!

They have a pin for every mood and occasion, and a few you didn’t even know you needed. They even have greeting cards!!! Hop over to their Instagram @wordforwordfactory and peruse their extensive collection online www.wordforwordfactory.com.

If socks and pins aren’t enough to warn the world of your impending melt down, why not add some home decor to the arsenal?

Mental Illness is reminiscent of the holiday weekend we’ve all had to spend with that one hot mess of a relative: Aunt Gina. Full of notes of boxed wine, extra hold hairspray, and silent judgement, this scent will bring all those awkward childhood memories to the center of any room!

WARNING! If you don’t have a hot mess relative, (it might be you).

The small business that encourages people to ditch the planet, this duo wants to bring everyone fragrances with killer backstories that everyone can relate to. Trending towards the modern nostalgic, their scent combos and entertaining names will encourage you to live in the moment while still evoking your favorite memories.

Take a moment and give them some drunk love on Instagram @ditchplanet and spend the last of that dwindling trust fund on their candles and room fragrances www.ditchplanet.com. Better candles than boxed wine, right?!

When the AI overlords take over, they won’t call us paranoid anymore!

Two artists who happen to be married, Kathryn and Richard collaborate their artistic styles to show that unique styles can work together to create something harmonizing. Their art is obsessive yet relaxed, and that’s what makes it fit perfectly with this box!

There’s a ton of fun detail in the print by Kathryn, showing a robot made of our everyday junk. How close to reality is this guy, in all paranoid reality??? Each one was handprinted on index cards using a toy printing press. When the robots rule us all, this will be a reminder of better days.

For more art, stop by their Instagram @hhopgram and check out their website www.hauntedhouseofprojects.com.

There is nothing I love like an unreliable narrator. I mean, aren’t we all a little unreliable from time to time? And I just loved Eliza. We could be snarky best friends, each a little unsure about what reality is, trying not to day drink our way through Southern California life.

Weeks before her debut novel is published, Eliza ends up getting fished out of a pool in Palm Springs. Her behavior reminds her family of past behavior, and no matter how many times Eliza insists she was pushed, no one believes her.

So she decides to investigate with only her rescuer willing to help. But the more she digs, the more people keep confusing her life with her novel. Is Eliza so out of touch that she doesn’t even know what reality is anymore?

I loved this book, as you probably already know if you caught my review.

Tracy (@thepagesinbetween) and I will be reviewing this dark little gem on The Obscurist, so keep your eyes open for that!

We’re also going to be chatting on Instagram for our #wickedreadalong May 13 on my page @jenabrownwrites and May 27 on Tracy’s! Hope to see you there!

And there it is! Mental Health in a box! Do you love it as much as I do?

Every month seriously gets better and better with this box! I always LOVE the items. The stories they tell on their own, and collectively are phenomenal. They’ve made some changes in May, including a lower price AND adding more variety to the shops they include. I cannot wait to see how they’re going to stuff more awesome in a box.

If you haven’t subscribed yet, there’s still time to grab a May box. Head over to Paper Obscura to subscribe, and remember, WICKEDJENA gets you a discount!

See you guys next month!