Love, Lipstick, and Pearls

Hot Man Parade

2012-02-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

Party Ideas: Food Bars

2012-02-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

With the dream of a new home (Matt and I are in the VERY early stages), I keep dreaming of fabulous parties I want to throw. Right now, I'm seriously loving all the food-bar themes I keep seeing on Pinterest. Any good party has good food, so why not build your theme around it?

Here's some of my favorites!

Fruit Pizza Bar via

Frozen Yogurt Bar via

Hot Chocolate Bar via

S'mores Bar

Cupcake Bar

Mimosa Bar via

Hot Dog Bar via

Aren't these ideas so fun? Perfect for summer and late outdoor activities. What ideas do you have?

Vlog: How-to Tease Your Hair

2012-02-08T07:54:00.001-08:00

Ok ladies, here's all the tips you need for teasing your hair! I put it in this video and I hope you can all walk away from it with giant, voluminous hair.

First things first, you want to use a comb or brush that you're comfortable with. Like I said in the video, I use a hair pick, but you may find a comb, or brush easier to use.

Then, you want to start mid shaft and comb down towards your roots.

For more volume (for say an up-do) focus your teasing on your roots with a small tooth comb, then switch to a pick to focus body on the middle section of your hair.

Most importantly, remember to smooth out the top of your hair! You NEVER want to have an obvious nest.

Also, you don't want any gaps in your hair, so be sure to do a full 360 to check for evenness.

So there you have, it's seriously so easy. Practice makes perfect!

To see how I curl my hair, see this vlog. Oh, and for loose curls check out this one.

Now ladies, go off and pouf! Let me know if you have any questions and I'd love to hear about your new big hair experiments!

Vlog: My Favorite Lip Products

2012-02-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

A few of you have asked me about lip products and which are my favorites, so I thought I'd do a video to go over all of them. I asked some of you on my Facebook if you'd be interested and you were, so here we go!

Please excuse my hair, I had just gotten back from running errands and hadn't curled it for the day so it's kind of bleh.

Also, I was talking to my sister about how almost all my lip products were within the same shades and we got to talking that most girl's makeup cases were the same. You buy what you like and what works for you right? What do your products look like?

Do we use any of the same products? Am I missing any holy grail products? Spill!

Ask Me Anything on Formspring

2012-02-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://www.formspring.me/KristenLLP"&amp;gt;http://www.formspring.me/KristenLLP&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Want to ask me a question? My Q and A post was a hit, so I thought I'd also start a Formspring page. Ask away!

Favorite of the Week

2012-02-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Crayola Dry Erase Bright Crayons

You can find them anywhere, Target, Wal-Mart, etc. They're only $6!

These crayons are so fun! They write on fridges, chalkboards, and dry-erase boards. Matt and I like to leave little love notes, for each other or grocery lists.They're regular crayons and the box comes with a sharpener and a cloth for cleanup.

You know, it's the little things in life.

Hot Man Parade

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, I realize it was poor placement to put Zac Efron and Harry Potter next to each other.

Have a happy weekend!

Spring Beauty Wishlist

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Even though I have a TON of makeup (see my makeup bag here and some of my collection here), there's always something I have my eye on. For this spring/summer, I want to freshen up my look, try some new things, and well, most of these items are shimmery and I'm just a sucker for shimmer.

Urban Decay Naked 2

I saw this at Ulta a few weeks ago, and probably should have used my 20% off coupon for it, but skipped it to buy it later. I love my UD Naked palette and use it almost daily, check out my review here, so I thought I'd hold off on buying it until I run low on my first palette. I love the neutrals and versatility of both palettes, I can't wait to get my hands on this.

NARS Super Orgasm Set

I hear about Orgasm blush in every magazine, every blog, it's everywhere. I want to try it so bad and this mini-set is the perfect opportunity to try out the blush and the gloss (plus the polish is pretty cute).

NARS Sea of Love Set

But then I'm also really drawn to this set which includes; the Multiple in Orgasm, blush in Super Orgasm, lip gloss in Turkish Delight, and Illuminator in Laguna. I mean, can it get any better than their top products?

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick - Bronze

Hello versatility! Bronzer, shadow, highlighter. It's perfect! I've also heard tons about this product as well.

Stila Love At First Blush Palette

I'm a sucker for pink blush, especially shimmery pink blush. I love the shades and the hearts is honestly what sells me most on this.

Prestige Brush Set

I've had the same brush set for a while and have added a few brushes here and there, but I'm ready for an all new ones and this set would be perfect! I love that they're full sized and come in a great little case.

That's what I have on my wishlist, I'm hoping to pick these up in the next few months. I'm really trying to slim down my makeup after my doing my makeup bag collection vlog, but want to find those few holy grail products I couldn't live without.

Have you tried any of these? Are any of them duds or are they all must-haves? What else must I add to my makeup bag?

Valentines Day Crafts

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I used to love Valentines day, then I hated it. Now, I just like celebrating it. It's a day of love. Love is beautiful and there's a ton of different ways to love and I firmly believe that it should be celebrated. I actually send out Valentines cards every year to family and friends. It's kind of corny, but I want them to know they're important to me. I think the quote below sums up a lot:

So, I challenge you ALL to celebrate this year's Valentines whether you're in love, heartbroken, alone, sad, happy, or excited. Celebrate what matters and let the ones you love know it! Tell you friends, neighbors, co-workers, family, and significant other that you care!

All pics are from my Pinterest boards, Holiday or Crafts, check them out for more ideas!

Add extra kisses to "make out"

Super cute idea for families

I love, love, love this idea, but making the scratch-off paint could be a hassle....

We did this all the time to the fraternity houses back in my sorority days, but how fun would it be to surprise your roommates or boyfriend/husband with this?

Great surprise at breakfast

It reminds me of grade school, and I love any crafts that involves googly eyes

I'm at least going to attempt this...

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways

Here's what I've done past:

Check it out, there's also some more ideas, in this post

Those hearts took for-evah to cut by hand, see them in this post
Check out last year's post ideas here.

Go out and love a little! What crafts and goodies are you planning this year?

Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

The people of Anjolee recently contact me and asked if I could review their rings. Now that I'm older, I've definitely started investing more into my "big girl" jewelry to find pieces that will last forever, are classic, and can be passed down.

I've been looking at anniversary ring to wear on my right hand to stack with my current open heart ring. I love the look of a simple classic, band. The vintage one I chose is stunning and I catch myself looking at it all day. It actually matches the sides of my engagement ring perfectly!

While browsing their website, I found some beautiful bridal sets, and I get asked all the time from people on where to find gorgeous pieces, and some of these diamond wedding ring just caught my eye. If you're in the ring market, definitely take a gander, their pieces are gorgeous and will always look classic.

FTC Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post written by me. All opinions are based on my own experience using the product and are 100% mine.

Vlog: Everyday Makeup

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here is my everyday make-up routine. It's nothing special or crazy. I mix up my shadow, eyeliner, and blush preferences daily, but I showed what I do most often.I'm sure next week it may change up a bit, but this is my basics.

I must tell you, it is SO HARD doing your makeup into a computer screen! It mirrors everything you do, and it's really difficult to do the small things like liner.

Want to know what else is in my makeup bag? Check it out here.

How do you wear your makeup everyday?

Hot Man Parade

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Zoya Please, I'll Take Two

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Just like every other polish-a-holic, I too ordered 2 free polishes from Zoya for a special promotion they had. I meant to make two or three more orders but I couldn't pick a color! After much debate, I settled on these two:

Bela from the Romantic Collection

Great suggestion from Vanessa, a soft nude pink.Very creamy, a little streaky on the first coat, but perfect with coat two.

Swatch via Vampy Varnish

Kennedy from the Feel Collection

A very opaque nude color, but more in the family of tans with a hint of lavender.

Swatch via Miranda's Makeup and More

One of the items that came with my order is this awesome catalog of all the colors. I'm so super excited about it because I think it will help my next purchase easier to choose from. I always just worry about the truth to color shades when I browse online. The color on my personal computer is legit, but some websites are just crazy.

What colors did you order? I'm always looking for new colors, but always end up with pinks! My next Zoya order is definitely going to be something dark or bright.You can check out my original Zoya review here.

Ombre It Is

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

On Friday I finally went for it and now my hair is ombre! Here is the pic I brought in for inspiration. I'm so excited. I really love it, it's definitely something I'm still getting used to. I really just wish I went for it two hair appointments ago.

The color is still really fresh, so the color hasn't settled in yet. My stylist said ombre is a process and the next appointment will look more natural. Mostly because my hair was so blonde, it's a difference process than hair that's dark and adding the blonde highlights/ends. I'm really looking forward to it and hope to go a bit darker next time as well.

S'mores, Fishing, and Yahtzee

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Favorite of the Week

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

My favorite item this week and everyday is the Kikkerland Head Massager. It's amazing!! It feels so incredible, tingly and soothing. If you love having your hair played with, you'll be in heaven with this little gem. The H and I use it almost everyday taking turns while we watch TV. It also feels good dragged across your arms and back.

Buy one. You'll love it. You're welcome.

Check Out My Guest Post

2012-01-20T08:04:00.000-08:00

My BBFF Erin from Everything According to Erin is on an amazing vacation and asked me to guest post for her. I couldn't be more excited! Check out my Spring Wish list over there!

Hot Man Parade

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

This Will Be My Hair Tomorrow...

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, I've blogged about changing my hair before, last time was here, and now I'm finally ready to just go for it. I've thought about ombre for a long time and have always chickened out last minute. Now, I want to eventually darken my hair up a little bit closer to my natural color (dark blonde/light brunette), but I'm not ready for a full on plunge. So I've found a great example of what I'd like to shoot for to ease the ~~pain~~ change.

Here's my example:

Perfect right? I love that it's very subtle, it's not black/white ombre, but super gradual and natural looking.

Here's some more pics I found of the lovely Miss Duff (Mrs Comrie):

So what do you think? Yay or nay? Are you over the ombre trend?

Tag, You're It!

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

The gorgeous newlywed Kristin from Busy Bee tagged me in a super fun getting to know you post. Awesome right? I love getting to know other bloggers, it's so much fun and such a great way to connect and find even more things we have in common.

So, here are the rules:

-You must post the rules

-Post 11 Fun Facts about yourself

-Answer the 11 questions that the tagger posted for you in their post & then create 11 questions to ask the people you've tagged

-Tag 11 people and link them in your post

-Let them know you have tagged them

11 Random Facts
1. My Husband and I are BOTH left-handed
2. My Husband and I both have O- blood
(what are the odds of both of those?)
3. I still have my wisdom teeth
4. I can count to 10 in Mandarin Chinese thanks to my 6th grade teacher
5. I almost always have my nails polished
6. I can't whistle, but practice all the time. I can only make one sound, at one pitch so I don't count that as actually whistling.
7. I don't carry my makeup with me for touch-ups, but I do carry about 15+ lipglosses in my purse
8. I'm obsessed with Pinterest, and actually try to apply the things I pin in real life.
9. I tease my hair every single day
10. I'm super near-sighted AND have terrible Astigmatism, I'm waiting to qualify to have lasik surgey.
11. I've never ordered wine at a restaurant or bar.

11 Questions from Kristin

1. What's your middle name? Any special meaning behind it?

Lynn, my Mother wanted me to have the same initials as my Father since I’m their first born and they liked the name so they gave it to me. It’s MUCH better than what my Dad wanted.

2. If you could have one special talent {that you don't currently have} what would it be?

Singing, duh. I can’t sing to save my life (or hum for that matter). I’ve ALWAYS wished I could at least carry a tune, if not belt out songs like Mariah Carey.

3. Where is your dream vacation? {Don't cheat...somewhere you've never been!}

I’m not really sure where it would be because I want to travel everywhere for different reasons, but a dream vacation would include a beach, great food and drinks, unlimited spending money, good music, and several cities/sites.

4. If you had to get rid of ALL of your makeup except for one item...what would you keep?

Mascara! My eyes are my best feature and I love making them stand out. See what I’m currently using for my lashes here.

5. Guilty Pleasure? {Movie, Food, TV Show, Song?}

My guilty pleasure would have to be teenage TV shows such as Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries, and other CW shows. The plots can be so lame, but I can’t stop watching them! I love the fashion and the plot twists!!

6. If you could banish one celebrity to an island where they would never be heard from again, who would it be?

The ENTIRE Kardashian Klan. I’m so sick of them.

7. Who is your favorite 'Friends' character?

Ross. No,Chandler. Ross. Ok- Chandler, he’s just so hilarious to me.

8. Do you have a lucky number? What is it?

I like the odd numbers such as 5, 7, and 9, but not one sticks out to me.

9. If you could meet one blogger in real life, who would it be?

Ummm, all of my blog besties! I don’t think I could meet just one, it would HAVE to be a group party! Can we have a blog meet up ladies??

10. Backstreet Boys or NSYNC?

I loved them both and saw both of them in concert with my sister and Dad, but I’m an NSYNC girl at heart! JT all the way baby.

11. What's your greatest fear or phobia?

Something going wrong with my family, such as an early death, injury or illness.

11 People I Tag

Lyndsy of Yellow Brick Blog

Danielle of Sweet Nothings

Schnelle

Jenn of Perfectly Imperfect

Chelsea of Life is a Sunset

Frances of It's Sew My Style

Mandy of In the Fashion Lane

C Mae of Happiness Is...

Erin from Everything According to Erin

Megan of A Suitcase and Stilettos

Cheryl Denise of A Peek of Chic

11Questions for the People I Tag
1. What magazines do you subscribe to?
2. What is your best quality?
3. What movie(s) do you always watch when they're on tv?
4. What tv show do you watch, but don't know why you do?
5. What drink do you order when you're out? (Alcohol & Non-alcohol)
6. What celebrity do you think you'd be friends with if they were your neighbor?
7. Would you rather attend the Oscars or the Grammys?
8. Do you prefer regular or flaming Cheetos? Puffy or crunchy?
9. Do you use regular or aerosol hairspray?
10. Who is your favorite Harry Potter character?
11. If price was no bother, what one indulgence would you have? Massages, mani/pedi, spray tans, etc?

Whew. That was long. Thanks for reading and I can't wait to see your posts!!

Vlog: What's In My Makeup Bag?

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

What's in my make-up bag? Well, enough for any drag queen. I think I'll probably have to slim it down, but I'm not sure what I'd take out at this point. It may not be a shock to some of you, if you remember this post. YIKES. Check it out!

Sorry for the poor lighting, I don't have anywhere to video during the week with natural light.

Wow. Wow. Wow. That's a lot of products! I know right? Well, I don't use these every day, but keep them close because I do use them often. Plus, it all fits in my make-up bag.....

Here's a list of everything, I talked about in the video, the highlighted are linked to a review on the product. If you'd like a review of a product mentioned, let me know!

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 120

MAC Studio Fix in C4

Sephora Bronzer in Bora Bora

Maybelline Concealer in 10

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind in Brightener

ELF Blush in Blushing Rose (I left this out in error, it was lost behind my laptop he he he)

MAC Blush in Nuance and Pink Swoon

VS Luminous Blush Duo in Pleasure and Surrender

VS Brilliant Shimmer in Star

Maybelline Line Stiletto in Blackest Black and Brownish Black

L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen Mascara in Black

Maybelline Great Lash in Blackest Black

Ulta Automatic Eye Liner in Black/Brown and Chocolate

L'Oreal Extra Intense Liquid Pencil in Black

Maybelline Define-A-Brow in Dark Blonde

Maybelline Great Lash in Clear

MAC Eyeshadows in Phloof, Soba, Woodwinked, Romp, All That Glitters, Print and Typographic

Maybelline Eyelash Curler (I need a new one, any suggestions?)

There's always a few items that float in and out of my makeup bag, but these are my goodies.Since we're saving for a home, I have had to swap out some higher end products for some more friendly priced ones - Hello Maybelline and ELF. There's a few items that float around my makeup drawer that I use a lot too and are easily available.

How do you store your makeup? Do you have them individually in a drawer? Displayed on a countertop? Or do you keep them in a bag like myself?

I like the bag, because then everything is all together and ready to run with me at any time. That way I'm not afraid of leaving something valuable at home.

What's in your makeup bag? Do we use any of the same products? What's your holy grail items?

Favorite of the Week

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Victoria Secret Luminous Mineral Blush Duo in Surrender (not pictured)

My favorite item (and recent purchase!) is my new blush in Surrender. I already own the blush in Pleasure (check out my review here) and wanted the blush in At Last. I went into the store to pick it up, but At Last isn't as pink in person as it is in store and instead I went for Surrender. It's a very light soft baby pink paired with a bright hot pink. LOVE!

I've been wearing it all week and it's not as easy to go overboard on color as it is with Pleasure. I'm very happy with this shade, it gives a lovely soft pink glow with a hint of shimmer, I'm so happy with this purchase and am glad I bought a second blush from the line. I really like their make-up and plan on buying a few more products.

Have you tried the Victoria Secret make-up line?

Hot Man Parade

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

New Beauty Advice

2012-01-12T06:00:00.002-08:00

I did a Beauty Tips post waaaaay back when on some of my beauty tips, but I wanted to do an updated post with new things I've learned.Nothing special, and you may even already know some of these, but what's the point of having a blog if you don't share the good stuff? Isn't that what sisters and friends do?

1. Dry Shampoo: apply it at night before bed to let it really soak up the oils and you'll have great texture and be ready bright and early in the morning

2. Baby Oil: great for moisturizing and shining up your cuticles and polish, especially inbetween mani/pedis.

3. Blush: apply just above your cheeks bones through to your temple for a more flushed look

4. Extensions: fake hair will look fake if you treat it that way. Be sure to love your locks faux and real with conditioning treatments and brush starts at the ends and move up.

5. Soft Lips: Use a toothbrush dipped in warm water to scrub off dead skin on your lips for a softer, smoother pucker.

6. Self-Tanner: You can mix 50/50 self-tanner and lotion together for an easier application without decreasing the effectiveness of the tanner.

There you have it ladies! Nothing crazy or life changing, but some new tricks I've picked up recently or just haven't shared yet on the blog.

What are some beauty tips you'd like to share? I'd love to update this post with them!

Also, would you guys be interested in a vlog about what's in my make-up bag? The quick run through about the products I carry everyday and which items are my Holy Grail?

OOTD

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

F21 Cable Knit Sweater (few years old)
Kohl's Dress (see full dress in this OOTD)
Steve Madden Flats

This outfit reminds me of a little girl! LOL, but it was warm and comfortable. This was something definitely out of my area to pull together, but I'm happy to have tried something new. I liked pulling together two items that are opposite, with the heavy sweater and light summery skirt.
It was very much inspired by these images on Pinterest:

ON Chambray Top (from this Recent Purchases)
Black Skinnies
Steve Madden Intyce Boots

This outfit is so easy and comfortable to wear and I think is a great go-to outfit when you don't know what you want to wear, but want to look pulled together.

Product Review: Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gloss

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in 20 Shiny Perfect Nude (color not shown in pic)

I bought this gloss when Sephora was having their Friends and Family sale, check out my buys in this Recent Purchases post. Again, I know I don't need any more glosses, but I was on the hunt for a soft pink without any shimmer. Can you believe how many products I own and I didn't have one??

Pros:

- The color is so pretty!

- Very glossy, but not blinding

- Layers well over lipsticks

- The hourglass shape of the applicator is perfect for applying, I prefer it over other wands now. The curve fits your lip shape and applies it evenly

- Non-sticky, smooth texture

Cons:

- So-so smell. Nothing fancy, but doesn't smell strong

- Lasts a few hours, nothing to write home about

Another item I'm happy with, but probably won't re-purchase or try other shades. I do love, love, love the color, it's beautiful and exactly what I wanted, but this gloss isn't any better than any other gloss out there.

What's your go-to gloss?

ABCs of Me

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

My Ask Anything post was a big hit and I have some new readers (Hello, welcome, and thank you for reading!) and thought I'd share some more about myself. I've seen this done on several blogs throughout last year and thought I'd finally do it myself. I've always enjoyed learning more about other bloggers and getting to know them, so why not share more about myself?

A. Age: 27 and dread each oncoming year. LOL Where have the years gone??

B. Bed size: Cal-King and it's still too small because my husband sleeps like a child. I've never had a small bed, straight from a crib I went to a queen (my mom's old bed when her and my dad moved in together when they were married).

C. Chore you hate: Cooking. I love to eat and enjoy baking, but cooking? Not so much. Maybe that will change when we have kids and I feed multiple people and not just the two of us?

D. Dogs: None. But I would love to have a Huskie and name it Wolf.

E. Essential start to your day: Breakfast, I rarely skip it. Usually cereal, oatmeal, fruit or a health shake.

F. Favorite color: White, pink, and yellow.

G. Gold or silver: Both! I like to mix them too.

H. Height: 5'8

I. Instruments you play: The piano, but not in front of people because I get nervous. So really, only my parents, sister, and grandparents know my skills. I also played the clarinet in middle school to avoid joining the choir. Sisters, I cannot sing or hum to save my life.

J. Job title: Customer Service and Sales Specialist

K. Kids: We plan/hope to start trying this year :)

L. Live: Sunny southern California! (ps NO ONE who lives in CA ever calls it "Cali" btw...)

M. Mom’s name: Mom. Isn't that your Mom's name??

N. Nicknames: Anderson, which is my maiden name.

O. Overnight hospital stays: Never. Thank goodness.

P. Pet peeve: People who don't call/text back, when people don't follow through on what they say they're going to do, I can't stand when people are late (it's so freaking rude), and when my food touches each other (yes, I know it goes to the same place).

Q. Quote from a movie/show: "We are so arrogant, aren't we? So afraid of age, we do everything we can to prevent it. We don't realize what a privilege it is to grow old with someone." -Love Actually

This is the first one I found on Pinterest, but I love a lot of movie quotes.

R. Righty or Lefty: Lefty (and so is my husband!)

S. Siblings: One younger sister.

T. Time you wake up: I typically wake up around 7am, but for work there's days I have to get up at 530am.

U. Underwear: I wear it all!

V. Vegetables you dislike: Cauliflower.

W. What makes you run late: When I'm waiting on other people.

X. X-rays you’ve had: My left hand from when I broke my pinky, and of my neck when I hurt myself in cheer.

Y. Yummy food you make: Shrimp, brownies, candied almonds, cupcakes, and salmon.

Z. Zoo animal favorite: I really like looking at all the animals, but typically skip the birds.

There you go, the random ABCs of me! What are some fun facts about you?

Hot Man Parade

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

OOTD: Feeling Blue

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

Nordstrom Blouse, Jeggings and Flats

F21 Necklace and Bracelets

F21 Sweater and Necklace (from this post)

Mossimo Skinnies

Black Flats (don't remember from where)

Casual Date Outfit Inspirations

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

On Twitter, I was asking for some post suggestions and my lovely friend Danielle of Sweet Nothings suggested date night outfit ideas. Hello! What a fantastic idea? How often are we just searching and tearing our closets apart to find something great to wear? I hopped right on it!

First, I think that the majority of boys like simple. Girls dress for girls, but when you're on a date, you have to dress for him. How are you going to enjoy the date and it's activities when you're worrying about your clothes? You want to wear something comfortable that keeps you ready for anything. You don't want to wear something you have to tug on, is sucking the life out of you, or is uncomfortable to wear. The key is finding something that chic, fun, and comfortable so you can focus on those sparkly eyes, cute dimples, the conversation and your date.

One super versatile piece that's great for a date is a good chambray top. It's easy to layer, goes throughout the seasons, and a bit tomboy which get boys riled up.

Old Navy Chambray Top (similar here and here) Gap Black Skinnies (similar here) AE Shorts

Heels and Jewelry of your choice

Here's some great ways to wear your chambray for a variety of dates, to the movies, coffee, a day date, etc. Switch out your accessories and shoes to dress up or down. Colored bottoms like red and hot pink would also be a lot of fun!

Another great route, especially for nighttime dates for drinks or dinner would be to add a blazer, I love the look of a crisp white one.

Nordstrom Blazer (similar here and here) Gap Skinnies Concert Tee (pick one up from F21 here, here, and my personal fave here) F21 Striped Top (similar here)

Just add wedges, layered necklaces, and a structured bag and you're set.

There you have it. Some easy go-to outfit ideas for a night on the town with some eye candy.

Did you like this post? Would you like to see more of these for other dates or events?

If you have any post suggestions, please email, comment, FB, or Tweet me!

Bling Bling Link Up

2012-01-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy to be linking up with Happiness is... who just got engaged over the holiday!! Congratulations and best wishes for you and Mr Wonderful! I so look forward to wedding posts from you.

For the link up, we're to post our wedding/engagement rings and where we keep them at night. I wish we had better pics of our rings, but those photo ops somehow got skipped in our engagement and wedding photos, I guess we were having too much fun to take them!

Well, I sleep in my rings, but when I do take them off, I keep them in this gorgeous crystal heart holder my sister gave me as a bridal shower gift .

Nambe Ring Holder

I've said it before in posts, but this is one of my favorite gifts. My Mother had a ring holder on her dresser growing up and I always wanted my own, I remember always looking at it and admiring how beautiful it was so this gift from my sister is very sentimental.

If you're interested, you can read about our Love Story and Our Engagement in the links.

Thanks again for the link up love! I can't wait to see everyone's posts, both married and the single ladies!

12 Trends for 2012

2012-01-02T08:50:00.000-08:00

I saw on People (I used all their pictures from the post too) their top trends for this year and I wanted to share it with everyone and get your feedback.

Pleats- skirts and dresses
I think this will be an easy trend to wear, I've already seen so many pleats in stores already. I don't think I'll follow this trend though, in college I had a pleated dress and I just was never that big of a fan of how it looked in pictures. I'm not saying I won't try this trend, it's just whether or not I find something I like, but I won't be running out in search for it.

LRD- The Little RED dress
I think a little dress in any color works. I'm not a big fan of red on myself, I like it, but it's not a color that's filled up my closet.

Embellished Sweatshirts
Sure, why not?

Maxi Skirts and Button Downs
I really wish they found a better picture that this. I can see Jen Lyons of JCrew rocking this look fantastically. I think I'll definitely give this look a try...if I ever buy a maxi skirt. LOL

Nautical Stripes
Ummm, when are stripes ever out? I love stripes and always have. I'm gonna wear stripes regardless if they're "in style" or not.

Lemony Yellow
One of my fave colors. I'm happy it will be more available now.

One Shoulder Dresses
Almost all of my dresses are one-shouldered, my gfs even tease me about this. So, I'm down for this trend! I love this look and think it's really flattering on most body shapes/sizes.

Green Leather
Ummmm, I'm not too sure on this one. Maybe something only celebs could wear?

Multi-Length Skirts
Ah, the mullet dress. I totally called this in this post. I've even started seeing this more at F21 and even Target. I think the look can definitely work for you depending on the dress and the occasion.

Animal Print Leggings
Again, only something celebs could pull off. And maybe high schoolers?

Sheer Skirts
I love this look, but is something that definitely depends on the dress. This could very easily go south.

Bright Tights

Yay! I love this look and it's so easy to pull off at any age. I think some colors are definitely very bright, so maybe start off with other colors such as navy or plum before you go for it.

What do you think ladies? Do you like these trends? Do you think People is right on the nose for 2012? What trends are you foreseeing?

Favorite of the Week

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

My favorite thing this week has to be my Pink Sparkle Toms. They're just so much fun and totally fabulous. I've worn them as often as I can and want to get more! Especially the gold ones :D

Happiest of New Years to You!

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

I wish all of you loves the happiest of new years, may it bring you love, happiness, health, wealth, success and friendship!

xoxo

Kristen

PS it's a leap year! I don't know why, but leap years always get me excited!!

NYE Mani

2011-12-30T11:09:00.000-08:00

OPI In the Spotlight Pink

Essie A Cut Above

This mani of course goes perfectly with my new sparkly Toms, thanks again K for the awesome secret Santa gifts!

Hot Man Parade

2011-12-30T09:07:00.000-08:00

Holiday Makeup Tutorial and Interview via Lollysheep

2011-12-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

One of my girlfriends Lauren Feist is an amazing make-up artist and I've been asking her for-evah to do some tutorials and she's finally started a YouTube channel! Hip hip hooray! Below is her Holiday Makeup Tutorial, but she's already posted natural looks, and false lashes how-to so be sure to check those gems out too. I asked if she'd like to also do an interview and give us some inside scoop on how the pros do it and what their favorites are!

Holiday Makeup Tutorial

Follow her YouTube channel, lollysheep and check out her FB Makeup Portfolio.

1. How did you get started in make-up?

I was interested in makeup at an early age, but looked at it mostly as a hobby. My mom was the biggest influence in my makeup choices, and she is the one who got me hooked first on MAC Cosmetics. Interestingly enough, through high school I would go to the MAC counter and instead of having them do my makeup for dances, I would tell them the color of my dress and have them suggest products for me to use. I worked in Brass Plum at Nordstrom for a couple of years and would spend quite a bit of time down at the MAC counter (of course) and when they had a position open up, they asked me if I would like to interview. The interview process was fun! I had to bring in a model and do a day look, then transform it into a night look. Fortunately, I was hired, and began refining my makeup skills from there. MAC had monthly trainings that all artists would go to, so I was privy to tons of different artists and styles, with some of the most talented working side by side with me at Nordstrom.

2. What is your go-to look?

My go-to look is what I think flatters my face most: Coral cheeks, neutral eyes, lashes. I think most women should find colors that they feel most beautiful in and stick to that palette, but branch out and try different variations within that palette. For example, I have a million different blushes and shadows that fall into the palette I prefer, and I can change it up daily, but still feel beautiful in all of them. It's fun to do your makeup completely different at times, with different colors, etc, but as all of us know, we tend to always go back to what makes us feel most comfortable and beautiful.

3. What is your favorite make-up trend of the moment/season?

I'm loving the vintage meets modern look right now, with light eyes/winged liner and pops of color on the lip that was seen a lot on the runway for Spring 2012. While I don't wear the winged liner on a regular basis, I've found I've really been loving wearing a bright lip. It makes you feel beautiful and powerful! Changing your lip can transform your whole look, too!

4. What is your biggest make-up pet peeve?

Some might say I'm blush-obsessed, but it really peeves me when women don't wear blush. Our natural face isn't just one color overall, and even adding just a hint gives youthfulness and warmth to the face. So, wear your blush, ladies!

5. What are you holy grail products?

Having a great foundation + concealer and an eye shadow base/primer. Great looking skin will make or break your look, and an eye shadow primer holds your shadow on all day without creasing or fading. My favorites of these are Studio Fix Fluid Foundation by MAC Cosmetics, for an incredibly flawless look. Skin Foundation SPF 15 by Bobbi Brown for an everyday look that makes your skin glow. Creamy Concealer by Bobbi Brown. I've yet to find an eye shadow primer that works as well as the ones from MAC, and and my favorite are their paint pots when used sparingly. My eye shadow literally will not budge when I use it!

6. If you could only have 5 products to use for the rest of your life, what would be your choices?

Hydrating Gel Cream Moisturizer by Bobbi Brown. Keeping your skin hydrated is so key to keep it healthy and helping your makeup looking its best.

Studio Fix Fluid Foundation by MAC Cosmetics, as I mentioned above.

Super Orgasm Blush by NARS. It's the most gorgeous coral pink color with a hint of shimmer, and it looks good on EVERYONE.

Carbon Black Voluminous Mascara by Loreal Paris. Everyone wants thicker, fuller lashes, and this does it incredibly well for around $6 bucks at the drug store.

Lip Crayons by Bobbi Brown. These are amazing. They're super convenient, creamy and colorful.

7. What types of brushes should be in every girls bag?

It's possible to have a brush for every step of your makeup application, but I think there are a few that are worth spending a bit more on to help achieve a flawless look.

Foundation Brush. Whether you wear liquid or powder, it's going to look better and last longer if you apply it with a brush. My favorites: #190 by MAC for liquid or a #150 by MAC for powder foundation.

Blending Eye Shadow Brush. Blending is key to a flawless eye shadow application and an absolute must. My favorites: #217 by MAC or #224 by MAC.

Angled Eye Shadow Brush. This can give you the most precise eyebrow or eyeliner application. My favorite: #266 by MAC. Your brows frame the face, so it's so important to make sure they look defined.

**The thing to remember about brushes is because they are an investment, you have to take care of them like you take care of your own hair. I've had brushes from MAC for well over 5 years, and they are still in great condition, but they have to be properly maintained to achieve their longevity.

8. What are your favorite drug store products?

There are so many great finds at the drug store! Who doesn't love paying less? I've tried a million different mascaras, but am SO happy with Carbon Black Voluminous Mascara by Loreal Paris. I also get all of my false lashes at the drug store as well. My favorite pair are the #110's from Ardell and they're less than $5 bucks. They can be worn at least a dozen times and still look great! To accompany your false lashes, DUO lash glue is the go-to, and this can also be found at the drug store. A great moisturizer from the drug store is Neutrogena's Oil Free SPF 15 Moisturizer. It works great on all skin types and I love that the SPF is included. Eye makeup remover is a great drug store purchase, and my favorite is Expert Eyes by Maybelline. Also, an incredible liquid eyeliner I am in love with is Carbon Black Lineur Intense by Loreal Paris. Loreal Paris also makes some great lipsticks called Colour Riche and one of my favorites is in Pink Lady.

Thank you so much Lauren!! I can't say enough how perfect her make-up always is, her work is flawless. I'm so, so, so excited about this interview and her YouTube channel. I've learned so much and now I have a pretty long shopping list and a new look for NYE!

OOTD

2011-12-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

ON Chambray Shirt

Basic Tank

ON Leggings with Lace overlay sides

F21 Necklace and Bracelets

MK Watch

F21 Turtleneck

HandM Belt

Nordstrom Jeggings

SM Intyce Boots

Score! JCrew Knock-Off

2011-12-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

JCrew Bubble Necklace F21 Cascading Faceted Gems Necklace

I was browsing the web and found this F21 necklace (ProductCode : 1005756623) and swooped it up right away! It's such a great statement piece and is going to look amazing year round. It's also a total look for less of the JCrew Bubble necklace I've seen all over blogland. OOTDs with the necklace will soon follow!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

Hot Man Parade- Older Men

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

I thought the older men in Hollywood needed some love and what better way to show my appreciation for salt-and-peppered hair than with a Hot Man Parade? Now, I know this list could go on forever, so I just featured a few of them.

Easy Appetizer

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

My husband is so great in the kitchen, we had two parties recently where we were in charge of bringing an appetizer and he just whipped these up in no time!

All you need is whole mushrooms, cream cheese, garlic salt, and scallions. I love the ingredients, but I wasn't sure how the cream cheese and mushrooms would taste together, but I think I ate about half the platter.

First, you take the stems out of each shroom, then using your fingers or a butter knife, stuff a lot of cream cheese in the center, top with plenty of garlic salt, scallions for color, and bake on 350 for 15 minutes. Walaa!

The serving size and amount of ingredients vary, but for a party of 15 people, we used 4 cartons of mushrooms and 16oz of cream cheese.

We got so many compliments on these and they were super easy. It's now our last-minute, go-to dish.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh....What?

2011-12-21T23:13:00.000-08:00

Today my work had an Ugly Christmas Sweater themed day, but I decided to step it up and actually come to work as a Christmas tree (thanks to one of my bff's old Halloween costume). It was hilarious!!

Pretty Wedding Ornament

2011-12-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

I've searched everywhere for a cute wedding ornament, I did find this one from Hallmark and picked it up, but I wanted something more. Then I remembered I pinned this a while ago and made some for all our newlywed friends. They were super easy and a great gift that will always have a special spot on the tree.

All you need is clear glass ornaments, their wedding invitation, a pencil, and ribbon or charms.

The L ornament is from this wedding's invite

The R ornament is from this wedding's invite

Just cut the invitation in strips of varying length, but make sure you can read the details (their names, dates, places, etc) and wrap it around the pencil to curl it. I'll be making mine this week, our extra wedding stuff is in storage (with the Christmas gifts!) so I'll be picking them up today or tomorrow.

I'm so excited to have something so special for our tree and it made me even happier to share it with our friends! They were a big hit, so now I'm trying to gather invitations from our friends who were married a few years ago so I can make some for them too.

We're Ready for Santa!

2011-12-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Throughout the season, I've been going back and forth on what/if we should decorate for the holidays. We live with our parents while we save for our own home and plan on buying some decorations at half off after Christmas for next year, but it's still our first year married so I wanted to do something.

I've wanted to make burlap stockings for Matt and I for-evah, but felt silly doing it when we didn't live together so now that we're married, I made them over the weekend. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and then I saw this on Pinterest and since it was just about exactly how I pictured it, I knew it would look fantastic.

First, I outlined, cut, and pinned my fabric together (I used a white linen as lining).

Tacked on some fluffy fabric, and gliterred wooden letters. For now, our letters are our initials, but one day I'll take Matt's "M" for Mommy and I'll have to make a "D" for Daddy. The glitter has little stars in it that I couldn't see from the bottle, but it was a happy surprise. It makes the letters more festive I think. I posted this picture on Twitter, so you may have seen it.

Then, ta-da!!

I love how they look and I'm really happy with how they turned out. From start to finish it took me about 2.5-3 hours. I'm pretty amateur when it comes to sewing so someone more practiced at it would probably be able to whip these up faster. The trickiest part of the whole thing was the white fluffy top. I had to un-sew and re-sew it a couple of times before it was right. I'll definitely be able to make them for our future kids much easier.

What do you have for your stockings?

Ask Me Anything QandA

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you everyone who asked me a question on my Ask Me Anything post. So many great ones, I couldn't wait to post this! The questions ranged from all kinds of topics, some of them really made me think! I feel like we're all girlfriends, just gabbing. Let's get this QandA party started!

Kathy S: What/who are your inspirations in life and for your blog?

My blog inspiration comes from everywhere really! My friends, the magazines I subscribe to (InStyle, Glamour, People Stylewatch), Pinterest, fashion/beauty trends, and my everyday life. If there's something I enjoy, I want to share it with everyone. I've been known to send out emails/texts about new products/sales so this blog is my perfect platform.

In life, my inspirations would have to be the women in my family. They're so loving, smart, creative, caring, and strong. Each woman brings something to my life, my aunts, sister, mom, grandmothers, and my in-laws. I'm so very blessed to have such amazing women in my life.

Kate: From 1st course to last, what is your all-time favorite meal?

This question was one of the hardest! I just love food, it's delicious and a great way to spend time with loved ones. It's so hard to choose just one meal, so I cheated a little bit and went with a feast. For appetizers, I love chips and salsa/guacamole, brie cheese and crackers, a wedge salad, a nice filet mignon medium rare, with a side of bbq'd zuchini and steamed broccoli. For dessert, I love apple or banana milkshakes.

Cassie: What is your profession?

I just started a new position as a Customer Service representative for a large bank (I don't want to give the company name for privacy, if you'd like to know, email me and I'll be happy to tell you) and I love it! I'm one of the people who answer your 1-800 calls. I've never been happier with a job before either! I've worked 2-3 jobs simultaneously since I was 16 and have never felt so satisfied with a company before. The people I work with are wonderful, the atmosphere is professional, fun, and inspiring. My only regret is that I didn't start here sooner!

Casey: What was one thing you would change about your wedding day if you could?

If I could change one thing, it would be that we hired multiple photographers. The husband and I paid for the wedding ourselves and only had a budget for one photographer, but if money was no object I would have hired three.

When do you think you and your hub will try for kids?

The hubs and I can't wait to start our family and we get asked about it all the time. Any time I'm feeling under the weather everyone at work automatically thinks I must be preggers. It's so funny! We actually won't be trying to start our family until next summer. Oh, and we want three kids. :D

Where do you buy the majority of your clothes?

I buy most of my clothes from Nordstrom and Forever 21. I find a bunch of basics from Target as well.

Heather: I always love to hear a little more about blogger's daily lifestyles.
Do you work out? If so how often?

I do, but I've been on and off about working out regularly. I like to work in the morning and I'll go 4 times a week solid for a while, will take one week off and it will take me months to get back in the habit. I could work out at night, but I get home late (8pm) and just want to unwind, get some chores done, and get ready for the next day. Working out at night is going to be one of my new years resolutions though!

If so what's your workout regimen?

I'll typically do 20-30 minutes of cardio (either the treadmill or elliptical) followed by 20 minutes of weight training.

Do you follow a strict diet?

Absolutely not. I eat everything, but do try to eat on the healthier side with lots of veggies and fruit.

Cook at home or eat out mostly?

We mostly cook at home. My husband and I grew up in homes where our mothers cooked everyday, so we're trying to follow suit. I think it's healthier and most cost-effective. A typical dinner is chicken, veggies, and macaroni and cheese. If it's a later night for us, (I typically get home just before 8pm) and my husband also had to work, he'll bring food from Outback home, their wedge salad and a prime rib.I also pack a lunch every day for work, sandwiches, leftovers, protein shakes, fruit, PB crackers, and string cheese is pretty typical.

Oh and I'd love to see a video on your day-to-day hair and make-up routine

I usually wear my hair curled every day, here is my video on how I curl it. Curling it takes me just as long as straightening it, but I've found that my hair lasts for more days without washing it when I wear it curled.

I've been asked a few times about my day-to-day make-up routine, so a video is on it's way!

Natalie H: If you were stranded on an island, What Five Beauty - Must- Haves would you want with you?

Love this question! I'd definitely bring and eyelash curler, mascara, pink blush, chapstick, and a nude lipgloss. These are all my everyday things and make the biggest difference in making my look come together.

Natasha XOXO: I'd love to read about your daily skin care routine; products you use and why; products you've used in the past and why you don't use them!

First, my skin is pretty normal, not oily, but I do have some sensitivity from childhood Eczema. For make-up removal I use Clean and Clear Makeup Dissolving Foaming Cleanser. This is so hard to find in stores- I think it may have been discontinued, so I bought in bulk online. If anyone has any similar products, I'd love to find a substitute! L'Oreal Go 360 Cleanser for Sensitive Skin. this wash is gentle and gets a lot of make-up off, plus I love the scrub pad. I follow that up with Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner, toner is always mentioned in magazines so I swooped this up a few years ago and never looked back. It smells nice, doesn't sting, and although I've never had an issue with an even skin tone, I think this helps maintain mine. When that dries I moisturize using Oil of Olay Complete for Sensitive Skin, and Mary Kay Timewise Firming Eye Cream. I love these moisturizers because their great for sensitive skin, they're not too thick or runny and they absorb into my skin pretty fast.

I use these products everyday and love them. They're a perfect fit for my skin, not oily or drying and have helped me to keep an even skin tone. I've heard that it's best to use products from the same line because they're meant to work together, but I can't imagine giving one of these up. Maybe as my needs change as I age I'll slowly make my way into all Mary Kay or Oil of Olay.

I've used these items for years that I don't even remember what I used before! I've know I used Clean and Clear face washes and now that I'm older I don't think I really need them anymore, a simple cleanser does the trick. Also, I used to use St. Ives Apricot scrub and haven't bought it since college. I think I would still use it though if I felt my skin changes and I get oilier.

Better Off Med: What is the best compliment you've ever received from someone?

The best compliment I've ever received was an email someone close to me sent asking how I keep such a happy disposition despite trials and roller coasters I've been through. It was such a heartfelt and personal email, I've saved it and have read it over and over again. By nature, I've always been a glass is half-full type of person, I mean if you can't change something, at least make the best of it. Plus, I believe that happiness is a choice, it's important to focus on what you have been given and what you're capable of changing. For most choices, I'd rather be happy than right/sad/mad/or depressed so I choose to count my blessings and see the silver lining in life.

Kelley: If you could raid any celebrity's closet whose would it be?

This is such a great question!! And oh so hard! After much thought, I'd have to choose Blake Lively. That girl is super fashionable, has friends in all the right places, and I'm also assuming that whoever's closet I chose their clothes would magically look just as good on me. :D

Thanks again to everyone who sent me a question! I had a ton of fun answering these. If you think of another question, leave me one below and I will respond via comments.

Love you ladies! Hope everyone has a great last week before the holiday!

Hot Man Parade

2011-12-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Hot Pink OOTDs

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Who says because summer is over you can't wear blindingly bright colors? I thought I'd spruce of the neutrals I've been sporting and stand out. I mean, in worse case scenario, if there was a natural disaster, I'd be easy to find.

F21 Hot Pink Cardi

Basic Tank

Mossimo Skinny Slacks

F21 Hot Pink Tank and Necklace

Nordstrom Cardi

Target Pencil Skirt

My Q and A post is almost done. Tons of great questions you guys, I'm so excited to post it. If you've thought of anything else, ask away!

Vlog: How- To Loose Curls

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Loose waves are everywhere and so easy to create and wear. One of the best features of this look is that it only gets better as your day goes on because, loose and messy is in and only adds to the glamour. I was inspired by the VS Fashion Show, and wanted to show you my best attempt at re-creating the look.

It's really simple, I curl it the same way as I did in this curling video, but focus on the middle section of my strands, leaving out differing ends from the curling iron. Also, the smaller curling iron you use, the larger section of hair you'll want to curl, and vice versa for a bigger curling iron (use a smaller section of hair).

What did you think? Are you going to try it out?

Product Review: VS Luminous Mineral Blush Duo

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Victoria Secret Luminous Mineral Blush Duo in Pleasure (not pictured)

I bought this blush a while ago, in this Recent Purchase post. I've used it a ton and now I'm ready to review it!

Pros:
- Gorgeous colors, four available
- Shimmer is built in and noticeable
- The duo colors naturally contour and highlight your cheeks
- Blends easy
- Lasts several hours

Cons:
- Easy to put on too much, you have to be very light handed and build to the color you want
- Will last through your work shift, but not into happy hour
- Very shimmery, when paired with shimmer eyeshadow it can be too much

The color is so pretty and I am happy with the purchase, but this hasn't made it to my holy grail of blushes. I love the colors available and had a hard time choosing, I also love the shimmer, one less step to do. I plan on buying the hot pink shade, At Last. It's a beautiful pink shade, but I passed initially because I already have MAC Pink Swoon.

Overall, I give this blush a B. I think I might have been happier with the At Last color, but I do love the shimmer and the overall glow the product gives you.

Have you tried Victoria Secret make-up? What do you use and how did you like it?

Favorite of the Week Link Up

2011-12-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

One of my best blog friends, Frances, has opened a side business and sent me this gorgeous tote bag as a gift. I was so, so, so excited and surprised to get a fun package from her. The tote is adorable and I love the design. It's so me, completely my style.

I use a tote bag everyday, I carry stuff for work, go grocery shopping with them, use them to bring stuff to parties/overnighters, etc. Frances has several totes available, you can find them on the Toteally Yours Facebook page and her Toteally Yours Etsy shop.

Thanks again Frances! It was so sweet of you to send me one, I love it!

I've been working on my Q and A post, and it's almost ready for posting, so if you've thought of anything, ask away!

Hot Man Parade

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm putting together my Q and A post, so if you've thought of anything, ask away!

Christmas Decor

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

There's so, so, so many ideas, crafts, and ways to decorate for the holidays. I nearly drove myself mad by creating 300 different posts with themed ideas, but then calmed down and picked just my favorites, as well as simple/easy to do ideas. All pics are from my Pinterest Holiday board, there's more there and it's constantly being updated.

A twist on the ornament wreath (btw, I LOVE wreaths. My H is going to have to build me a shed to store them all in our future home)

Again, easy thing to switch out on hurricanes and candles (remember this Fall post?)

I love these mantles, both are simple, but with a completely different feel to them.

This key ornament idea, is so sweet. The scrabble pieces would be easy to make and is a kid-friendly craft.

I love the idea of using ornaments as a chandelier, so simple and looks gorgeous! Don't forget to decorate your fridge either.

How are you decorating this year? Do you use a theme?

What crafts are you making?

If you want to know anything about me, ask me here!

Recent Purchases

2011-12-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd finally share with you ladies some of my recent purchases, including my Black Friday purchases. Nothing too exciting, mostly items for work, but I love sharing what I've been buying and deals that are out there.

Old Navy Chambray Shirt
I saw this shirt a month or so ago and didn't buy it and kicked myself in the butt ever since! I saw it Black Friday, but they were all out of my size, then when I looked in the men's section to find something for Matthew I found a Medium tucked into the middle or a rack. I literally jumped for joy!

Old Navy Glitter Belt (unable to find online)
Here is another find I saw and didn't buy, luckily I got it for $7.99!

Ny and Co Plaid Ankle Pants

I just wore these last week with a hot pink crew neck sweater and forgot to take a pic for you guys! I'll have to just wear it again so I can share.

NY and Co Skinny Slacks
I'm seriously so in love with both of my new pants, they're so comfortable and fit great.

Bath and Body Works Lipgloss in Vanilla Mint

MAC Lipglass in Florabundance

Another perfect nude color, but with a warmed pink tint. My new fave MAC Lipglass.

What have you been buying? Besides Christmas gifts! I have such a hard time not buying for myself around the holidays. All the sparkly clothing, the gift sets, I had to pry my hands off the MAC holiday sets.

Stunning and Sparkly

2011-12-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

I love this entire look. Lea looks beautiful! Now if only I could find a knock-off dress...

Product Review: Maybelline Define-A-Brow Pencil

2011-12-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Maybelline Define-A-Brown Pencil

I've shaded in my eyebrows since I started using make-up. My eyebrows are naturally very thin (I only need to pluck a few rogue strands, and one brow has an inch scar that doesn't grow any hair) so they need some help beefing up. A more defined brow also helps to frame your eyes, helping them to really stand out.

There's a lot of different products out there for eyebrows, and I've tried them all. I used shadow for a long time, and I liked it well enough, but now I prefer pencil. I find it easier to shape my brows and can look more natural.

I'm so happy I bought this pencil on a whim. It's perfect and I haven't had a need/want to look at other products.

Pros:

- The ultra thin pencil, helps make shading look natural and is easier to control the amount of product you use

- The texture is the perfect amount of firm and creamy. Which means it's easy to apply (you don't have to press hard) and easy to blend

- No sharpening needed, the pencil twists up and because it's so narrow, you don't need a sharp point and because of it's texture it's a great blending tip

- Lasts all day and is waterproof

- Six colors are available

- Super affordable and easy to find

Cons:

- None. I thought about this for a while, but really couldn't think of anything.The comb on the side is mostly useless I guess.

I use the Light Brown color and it's been a staple in my makeup bag for a long time and I don't see myself changing products...ever. Eyebrows are one thing I think many women look over, but they really can make a big difference.

I would definitely recommend this product to everyone, at least to try.

Do you define your brows? What products do you use?

*FTC I was not paid for this review, the product was bought on my own. All opinions are my own and 100% truthful*

Beta Kappa, Get Excited!

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, my sorority chapter had an alumni event and I couldn't wait to go! Joining a sorority was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The memories, the philanthropy, the friendships, and the skills it gave me are something I'll always cherish. I can't imagine how my life would be if I didn't join.

Before the event, a few of us met up at our old hang out to catch up.

Look how large our family tree is now, ummmmmmm our names are at the very top...

Oh, and I thought I'd share some pictures of myself through the years. Unfortunately, I'm missing two years which just happened to be my fave pics!

Freshmen Year

The brown hair is a LONG story...

Sophomore Year

I think this is my fourth year... not sure though

We also re-lived some skit dances, lip syncs, and the new girls taught us some new songs.

The day ended on the perfect note, with a cheer no less.

The whole day was so much fun! I love my sorority and the active members are such dolls! I loved meeting all of them and sharing stories. Can't wait to see you girls again!

If any of you have a question for me, ask me here! I've got some great questions so far, but I'm looking for more.

Hot Man Parade

2011-12-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Ask Me Anything

2011-12-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

ask me a question. or several questions.
Nothing is off limits (except, rude/crude questions...obviously) and let me know if there's a video you'd like to see of any how-tos, etc.

After seeing a few bloggers, The Bargain Blonde most recently, do posts answering their readers' questions, I wanted to join in. So my dears, please, ask away! I'll be posting my answers in the next week.

So excited, I look forward to your questions!

Oh and at a bar recently, this guy walked in and I told him how awesome his mustache is and he asked me if I wanted to comb it. I said hells yes, then he busted out a mini comb he kept in his pocket. So awesome.

OOTD

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

I know I mention Pinterest a lot, but it's seriously so fun and I find it really inspiring. Plus, I find tons of great ideas and recipes on there.

When I saw this on Pinterest, I knew I had to try to re-create it asap.

HandM Plaid Top

Mossimo Skinny Slacks

Camel Sweater- not sure, I've had it since college

I love Chloe Moretz (see her Celeb Inspiration post) and this dress really stuck out to me. My outfit isn't nearly as great as Chloe's, it's just inspired by her.

F21 Plaid Top

Target Pencil Skirt and Belt

Zoya Giveaway Winner

2011-11-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Zoya Holiday 2011 Jewels Trio winner is....

Jen Wantz!! Which gives me hope that 1st commenters really can win!

Thank you everyone for entering and an extra thank you to Beauty of a Site for hosting this giveaway!

Jen- I'll email you tonight the information for the Zoya polish.

Favorite of the Week Link Up

2011-11-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

My favorite this week, besides Thanksgiving food, a holiday from work, and getting to see my family would have to be....

being first in line at Kohls for Black Friday!!

It was awesome, we scored amazing deals! I was most excited about actually getting a cart this year. The husband, one of my besties, and her cousin were all out for the night. When I strolled in, the staff was cheering me on and yelling things like "you go girl!". It was so exciting, I wish I had it on camera.

Of all the stores I've shopped at on Black Fridays, Kohl's is the absolute best. Checking out is so quick, Matt and I were out, had the car packed up, and leaving the parking lot by 1230!!

We found some great deals this weekend, and I'd love to show you, but most of them are gifts. I did find some great pants from NY and Co that I can't wait to wear at work. It was my first time shopping there, and I love their stuff (for work). I wish I'd checked out this store sooner.

I made it home by 430, and was up at 730 for work. I couldn't believe I made it through the day, thank goodness for Dr Pepper or I would have been a goner!

What did you guys get? Did you go out shopping?

Hot Man Parade

2011-11-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

OOTD

2011-11-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

LC Blazer, Target Tank, Mossimo Skinny slacks

Mossimo Cardigan, Pencil Skirt, Tank, F21 Scarf

Nothing too exciting over in these parts, but let me honest. I do a lot of repeat outfits for work. I think everyone does. So I'm trying some new stuff or at least adding some items I wouldn't have originally paired together (like a checkered scarf) thanks to Pinterest.

Don't forget to enter my Zoya Giveaway, it ends tomorrow!

Just Add Color Fall Swap

2011-11-21T12:58:00.000-08:00

When my bbff Erin told me about Ashlee from On the Front Porch's giveaway, I entered asap. Hello, scarves and nail polish, could it be anymore me??

I was paired up with Jennifer from Perfectly Imperfect and I was so excited to give and receive. I got my package from her last week, we sent our gifts early because guess what.... she just got married! Congrats and best wishes again Jenn!

She gifted me with an amazing scarf. It's a great neutral; gray and pastels. What I love most about it is how flowy it is. It's the perfect length and width to wear a variety of ways and bundle up with. I've worn it a ton since I got it. The polish is always a great neutral, but with a kick! It's kind of a metallic purple with lots of gold and silver flecks in it. I wish I had a picture of it today for the post, but I'll be posting one soon for you gals!

Thank you again Jenn! You gift was so thoughtful! Isn't it great to find new blog friends?? Thank you again Ashlee for hosting such a fabulous swap!

Favorite of the Week Link Up

2011-11-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

My favorite this week would have to be my Macadamia Deep Repair Masque (see my review here) that I received from Beauty of a Site.

I seriously can't rave enough about this product. I've used it now twice a week for a while and I absolutely, positively just love it! Any of you ladies out there with damaged or processed hair, this will be your savior! Be sure to check out my Zoya giveaway, ends this week!

Hot Man Parade

2011-11-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Product Review and Giveaway!

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to be contacted by Beauty of a Site for a product review and giveaway. They're an amazing online website where you can buy all of your beauty goodies for a great price and fast delivery. They carry a large range of brands, such as OPI, Essie, Tigi, Phyto, and more.

One product I was so excited to review is Macadamia Deep Repair Masque which I've heard about in a ton of blogs and magazines. It's for dry, damaged hair and since I curl and dye my hair, this product was perfect for me. One word that comes to mind about this product is WOW. Hello moisture!! This conditioner works almost instantly. My hair is so soft and feels just like it was recently cut, you know that fresh feeling when all the dead ends have been cut off? That's what this gem feels like! I was worried that the masque might be too heavy for my thin hair and might weigh it down, but it worked like a miracle without any flatness. Now, the price isn't too bad, but more than I usually spend on hair care, but it's worth every penny. I will definitely be re-purchasing this product.

Are you ready for the giveaway? Beauty of a Site is giving away one Zoya Holiday 2011 Jewels Trio. Zoya is an amazing polish, and lasts chip-free for up to 10 days! I've reviewed it before, check it out here, and have been swearing by it since. These colors are gorgeous and perfect for the holiday season.

The set contains three gorgeous colors, Noel, Izzy, and Holly.

There's several ways to enter, but please leave a separate comment for each entry!

Head over to Beauty of a Site and tell me what your favorite product is

Subscribe to BOAS blog

Follow BOAS on Twitter

Like BOAS on FB

Good luck everyone, the giveaway ends Wednesday November 23 at midnight.

*FTC I was sent the products for this review and giveaway from Beauty of a Site for an honest review. I am not being compensated for my opinion. All opinions are my own and 100% truthful*

Fall Decor

2011-11-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

Ok so I wanted to do another post for easy peesy fall decor to follow up from this Halloween Decor post. So, if you notice, I found and pinned almost all of the same type of decor items. Hurricanes + filler = the easiest decorations ever. Nothing too creative, but items you can keep up for the season and won't break the bank.

Again, nothing groundbreaking, but I love how hurricanes look in the home and how versatile they are. I wanted to find more fall themed items, but between Halloween and Christmas, the decorations are going to stay up too long so I just posted items that could be intermixed with holidays.

How do you decorate for Fall? Do you just skip it and go with the holidays?

Vlog: How-To Donut Bun

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Many of you emailed me after my hair donut review on how to use it, so I thought I'd post a video for you ladies. It's seriously so easy!

Wow. I love how Vimeo chooses the most flattering screen shots as the opening.

Like I said in the video, this bun is half-assed so it's not the best outcome. Plus, I didn't even notice the gigantic loose side I have going on until later. Oops.

One thing to note, is that I did this with fresh washed hair that had been straightened and I think it's easier with hair that's at least a day old and curled because your hair is easier to manipulate.

But, as you can see, the bun takes just a few minutes to create and there's a variety of looks and ways to wear it. I hope this video helps!

Any suggestions for future videos?

OOTD

2011-11-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

I couldn't wait to copy this look I found on Pinterest. It's so cozy and easy to wear. I wore it over the weekend while getting my hair done and although I was dressed a bit too warm, I loved the look.

F21 sweater and knee-high socks, basic white tank, Steve Madden boots, HandM Scarf, Target leggings

After seeing Life is Reed-iculous' post on this sweater, I had to run out and pick it up. #1 skull and crossbones is my sorority symbol (Chi O til I die yo!) and #2 it's an awesome sweater. All the boys at work thought it was so cool and they couldn't help but laugh when I told them it was from the boys' section at Target.

Target sweater and skinny slacks, basic white tank. Oh and super large faux pearl earrings (another Chi O memento, it's one of our jewels).

Hope you ladies are having a fabulous week!

The Weekend in Phone Pics

2011-11-14T08:21:00.000-08:00

I went and visited my sister in SD and it was a quick trip, but so much fun! We went to a great taco shop, had some wine and cheese, watched some movies, and went to The Crab Hut where we went to town eating with our hands on some crawfish, clams, and mussels. Delicious!

Favorite of the Week Link Up

2011-11-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy to be linking up with my BBFF Erin for her first ever link-up! She's just the best and I couldn't wait to participate in sharing my favorite of the week. What better way to start it off but with a goody I got from one of her giveaways?

Black topped with Sephora by OPI Only Gold for Me

This gold sparkle is my new favorite, just like I knew it would be from my Sephora F/F purchases (using the gift card I won from Erin). I love how it looks over black and can't wait to rock it over the holidays.

Hot Man Parade

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Our Wedding Thank Yous

2011-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

So I just realized loves is that there's still some goodies I haven't shared with you from the wedding. I wanted to show you what we did for our Thank Yous because we heard a ton of feedback on them and I absolutely loved how they turned out.

Now, I wish I had better pictures to show you (dang cell phone pics), but Mixbook won't allow me to save the images. The pictures on the cards are just as clear as the originals and the writing is in hot pink. The first picture is the front with our Thank You picture on a gray wooden background, the left inside of the card had the saying, and on the back of the card had our initials. I seriously loved them and couldn't be happier with how they turned out!

OOTD

2011-11-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

F21 Skirt

Target Tank

(I wore it with a cardi at work)

This skirt was so comfortable, I wish I had it in 10 more colors! I tried finding it on their site, but it's been on and off there for a while.

Check Out My Post at Busy Bee

2011-11-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

Kristin is off on her honeymoon and I couldn't be happier for her and J!! I wish you guys the best and long life of love and happiness!

While she's out, check out my guest post!

Everyone, You Can Stop...

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

looking for a red lipstick that lasts! I've done the dirty work and I've found one for you!

Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in Always Red

Remember my Sephora F/F purchases? Well that Always Red Lipstain is a diamond in the rough. This stain is no joke! I put it on at 830am and wore it through to 2am while only touching it up twice! The second time I didn't really need to touch it up, but did just out of habit.

Plus, it's the most perfect shade of red. It's warm and bright and I think the color would work for a variety of skin tones and hair colors.

I wore it to work and out that night, and I'm not kidding you, in two days time 12 people complimented me on it. 12! Twelve! Half of which were complete strangers.All I could think to myself is that I hit the red lip jackpot.

You might remember the first time I wore red lips (see the post here) and wearing red lips is seriously high maintenance. It wears off, it's obvious if it smears, the color can bleed, you have to constantly check for color on your teeth. It's a nightmare.

Not with this puppy. Oh no. This stuff lasts. I ate, drank, and talked all day/night and my lips were nearly perfect. You do have to do the usual blotting and you need to be careful about applying the color, but luckily it takes a few moments to set so you do have time to clean up any mistakes.

I've told you the good stuff, here's it's downfalls:

For one, this is the only shade of red the product comes in so if this shade doesn't work for you, you're outta luck.

It's a bit drying, so you do need to wear a chapstick with it midday.

It's hard to take off once it's set. I had to seriously scrub my lips to get it all off, and that's after using a makeup remover.
While the color stays on your lips, it does come off onto whatever you touch like a regular lipstick. It just stays on your lips without wearing off.

Another feature of the stain is that it's matte. Which I thought could be weird, but I loved the look! Plus, you can always top it with gloss so it's no big deal.

Overall, I seriously love this product! I'm so glad I took a chance and went for it. I'm wearing red lips all the time now and without the fuss. To apply, I use a liner first around my lips and then apply the stain, blot and clean any mistakes. Wala! I couldn't be happier with this product!

Do you wear red lips? What product do you use?

One Wedding- Two Parties!

2011-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Two of our dear friends were recently married, they had their ceremony in Vegas at Caesar's Palace and their reception at home. Both parts were beautiful, gorgeous, and a total blast!

I have to share their details because I loved every single thing. The couple made everything themselves and their hard work and creativeness was incredible and made for a very personal and intimate wedding.

Congratulations J and D! We're so happy for you both!

Also, so random, see the dress and necklace I wore? The same day my girlfriend tagged me on Pinterest with this picture saying that it reminded her of me. Random right?

Hot Man Parade

2011-11-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Vlog: How- To Bronzed Eyes

2011-11-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've seen bronzed eyes all over in magazines for fall trends. It's a look that is gorgeous on everyone, every skin tone, hair and eye color. In the video, I used the UD Naked Palette, but also recommend the Maybelline 05 Gold for Me palette as well. If you want a more bronzed look, use the goldest color for your entire lid (I used it in the inner corner out to the middle). The look I created is a softer bronze color, which I think is easier to wear and can go from day to night.

Here's a close-up of the look:

Here's the look with some MAC Glitter layered on top:

Here's a rundown of the shadows used:

The Maybelline Palette 05 Give Me Gold will give you a look similar to the pic below. Also, this is how it would look to use a light gold on your entire lid instead of the inner corner to middle:

There you have it gals! I hope this is useful, and as always, if you have any questions, leave me a comment or send me an email!

OOTD

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

I know this is a shocker, but more outfits inspired by Pinterest. I just can't stop pinning. It's a compulsion!
Target Boy's Striped Top, Mossimo Skinny Slacks, Target Skinny Belt, Varying pearls. Before I went to work, I felt that the pearls were kind of too costumey so I ended up only wearing a single strand and completely felt like a Stepford wife.

Forever 21 "dress", I don't know how F21 calls it a dress, I would say it's definitely a tunic. Nordstrom belt, American Eagle Skinny jeans, Steve Madden Intyce boots.

F21 Striped Shirt, American Eagle Jeans, Black Scarf, OTK socks scrunched down, Steve Madden Intyce Boots.

The weather here in CA has been all skiwompy. It's freezing one day and hot the next.

How's the weather by you? What have you been wearing?

Product Review: Mary Kay Nourishine Lip Gloss

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Mary Kay Nourishine Lip Gloss ($13)

Some of my sorority sisters are Mary Kay beauty consultants and one of my advisors is the bomb.com at Mary Kay. Seriously, she's incredible, has had several of their pink cars, and always has fun activities and great products to try.

One item I've bought from a sister is the Mary Kay Nourishine Lip Gloss in Cream and Sugar. It's incredible. I've had it for a while and reach for it more and more every day. The gloss is so incredibly creamy and moisturizing, I've never tried anything like it before! It's more moisturizing and creamier than chapstick. I'm telling you girls, it's the best lip product I've had yet to try. It's like heaven on my lips.

The Cream and Sugar shade is a beautiful gold shimmer with just a tint of color and a ton of shine. They last for a while and don't leave any gross residue on your lips or balls of gloss in the creases. The shade has a strong tint, but is sheer enough to layer over lip colors. Another thing I love about these glosses are the smell, it has a hint of vanilla and nearly no taste. I can't stand to wear glosses that a bad smell or taste, I just won't ever wear them.

From the site, the glosses are "formulated with enriching vitamins A and E.... soothes and softens lips, helping restore a youthful appearance while antioxidants fight against wrinkle-causing free radicals. The formula is saturated with over 80 percent of moisturizers and conditioners to instantly hydrate lips. Plus, it’s fortified with antioxidants that help protect lips from everyday environmental stress. It feels as great as it shines and looks fabulous". Oh, so that's why my lips are so banging right now. Thanks MK!

I seriously can't say enough good things about this gloss. It's my favorite. After this shade, I definitely plan on repurchasing and I can't wait to try more of the colors they offer. I've got my eyes set on Melon Sorbet and Pink Diamonds for my next purchases. Plus, 11 exciting new shades are coming out soon, Icicle, Mango Tango, Au Natural, Pink Parfait, Pink Sateen, Pink Luster, Berry Tart, Café Au Lait, Rich Spice, Rock 'n Red, and Red Passion. So I can't wait to check those out, I love nude-pink colors and with winter around the corner I'm looking for some rich shades as well.

If you want to check it out for yourself, here's my friends Mary Kay site and her Facebook page for more info or orders.

Have you tried Mary Kay products before? What's your favorite lip gloss?

FTC: This product was bought on my own using my own funds. This post is not sponsored by any person or company. All reviews are 100% my own thoughts and experiences of the products.

Shutterfly Giveaway Winners!

2011-10-31T21:06:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who entered my Shutterfly Giveaway! The 3 lucky winners are...

15 Beth

6 Amanda G

21 Lindsey of My Dolce Vita

I'll be emailing you ladies tonight with your codes for 25 free holiday cards!

Again, a big THANK YOU to Shutterfly for hosting this giveaway!

Happy Halloween + OOTD

2011-10-31T08:34:00.000-07:00

Carving pumpkins is so hard! Next year, I'm definitely following this Halloween Decor post and going with other creative themes instead. Matt's is a scary face and mine was supposed to be a wedding dress and a tie/pants with the words I Do on the side. Totally obvious right?

LC Blazer, Scarf, Nordstrom Tank, Mossimo skinny jeans

Hot Man Parade

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to tell you guys that I love Joey Lawrence.

I watch Melissa and Joey all the time (I love Melissa Joan Hart) and it's such good clean comedy.

Kind of reminds me of TGIF when I was young.

Happy Friday everyone!

Candied Almonds, I'm Obsessed

2011-10-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Bavarian Vanilla Almonds via My Baking Addiction

Last weekend I made the most delicious treat, candied almonds! I found the recipe on Pinterest (of course) and it was so easy.

I brought it to snack on for the Pumpkin Festival and Bug Fair and all of the family ate them right up! I plan on making them for the holidays to give to friends, neighbors and co-workers in cute gift bags.

The best part about them, besides how easy they are to make, is that they're natural without artificial ingredients or dyes (which has become a big deal in our family) so they're great for everyone. Plus, you can use a variety of nuts based on your preference.

Bavarian Vanilla Almonds via My Baking Addiction

Ingredients
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract if you are using regular granulated sugar instead of vanilla sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 pound almonds or pecans
3/4 cup of vanilla sugar (if you do have vanilla sugar, simply substitute regular granulated sugar)
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons of Vanilla Fleur de Sel (if you do not have Vanilla Fleur de Sel simply substitute fine grain sea salt)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine egg white, vanilla extract and water. Beat mixture until frothy. Stir in almonds and mix to coat.
3. Gently combine sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt and stir into almond mixture, thoroughly coating all nuts.
4. Evenly spread nuts onto prepared baking sheet and place into oven.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
6. When cool, pack in an airtight jar. They will keep at room temperature for about 2 weeks.

I used raw almonds from Costco, regular granulated sugar, regular table salt, and covered my baking sheet with aluminum foil. With these simple changes, the nuts still turned out delicious! I can't wait to make them again and try different nuts, pecans would be delicious!

What goodies do you like to make for the holidays?

Recent Purchases: Sephora F/F

2011-10-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

I recently won a $50 giftcard from Everything According to Erin (thanks again love!!) and was able to to use it towards Sephora's Friends and Family discount they have going right now. The funny thing is, is that I bought the products just a few days before the sale started so after talking to their customer service I returned the products and re-bought all of them. LOL. When I went into the store the staff said I was like the 5th person to return products just that day. I did the math to see if it would be worth the trouble and it totally was because I was able to pick up an extra item for less than the original price!

Here's what I bought and reviews will be coming soon!!

Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in Always Red (color not shown in pic)

I've seriously been obsessed with red lips, but it's so high maintenance to wear them. I thought that going with a lip stain may be a better and easier route. The Always Red is a true red shade with a blue undertone, I'm hoping it will be gorgeous on.

Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in 20 Shiny Perfect Nude (color not shown in pic)

I know I don't need ANYMORE lipglosses, but I've been trying to find a gloss that's tinted and slippery that lasts a few hours. I'm hoping this gem will do just that. The color I bought is a really sheer pink without any shimmer.

Sephora by OPI Only Gold For Me Top Coat

I never bought this before because I have two polishes that are really similar, Milani, and e.l.f. Golden Goddess but this polish is just so much superior because it has both large and small glitter specks and it's in a clear coat. Milani only has large glitter specks, and the e.l.f. is perfect glitter, but in a tinted yellow base which can discolor my polish. So with the combo of the giftcard and the sale, I went for it. I just can't justify spending $10 on a polish when I have so many and have never once used an entire bottle of anything before. I think this might be my favorite purchase because I've been using gold glitter on almost all of my manis.

Sephora Collection Moonshadow Baked Palette - In The Nude

Duh, I love eyeshadow. These shades are gorgeous and have super crazy shimmer to them that reminds me of JLo on American Idol.

I browsed the store and online forever before deciding and I can't believe I went with all Sephora brand products instead of splurging for something I wouldn't typically buy for myself, but I seriously love their brand. I've used their shadows, bronzers, and blushes and have re-purchased all of them. You can see my Sephora brand purchases and reviews all here. So I thought why not get what I want right?

Have you used anything of these products before? Have you tried the Sephora brand?

Have you bought anything from the sale yet? Get your f/f code here the sale goes through November 2.

I Tried It! A Top Knot via a Hair Donut

2011-10-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

I tried it and it's life changing people! Dead serious here.

You know the top knot trend that these ladies are wearing? A donut is how you get the look my loves.

Conair Bun Maker

The first time I heard about a hair donut was on Glamour's online beauty column The Girls in the Beauty Department. It's a hair product shaped like a donut that you place at the base of your ponytail to form a larger bun with your hair pinned around it.

Genius right? I always wondered how some celeb beezies got such gorgeous giant buns.

This is perfect for my hair because it's medium length and very fine. My buns are seriously like 1 1/2 inches in total. If that. Previously, I could only find these gems at beauty supply stores, but they've recently started popping up at Target and Rite Aid. Then, imagine my surprise when I spotted it at the 99 cent store! I couldn't wait to get home and road test it!

I rocked this last week for work (no I did not wear that tank to work, this is at the end of the day in my pj top) and all my girls asked me how I did it. I couldn't wait to share my secret! I love finding great things or learning new tricks and telling everyone within earshot how cool/easy/awesome it is.

I'm using Conair's Bun Maker, but at a beauty supply shop, you can get different colors and sizes as well.

The whole process takes maybe 5 minutes and you're good to go. Sleek bun for a wedding? Done. Want a side chignon for a date? Done. Messy bun to wear to meet your girlfriends? Done. Best. Invention. EVER.

I put my hair in a pony where I'd like my bun to be, pull my entire pony through the donut so that it's at the base of my pony tail (right on top of the elastic), then pin my hair around it on all sides. I've teased it a bit for some extra texture and then messed with it a bit afterward with my fingers for a not so perfect look.

The way I did it works best for my length, but for those of you with long hair, here's a quick how-to for you:

Oh and yes, you can use a tube sock to make on for yourself if you can't find the one I have. I chose not to do this because I didn't have a sock to use and I didn't want to buy a pair just for this. Also, the Conair one is kind of a netted material so bobby pins go right through it without any hassle.

I can't wait to use this more and to get a messy updo that's super chic. I seriously see myself using this product regularly. Since my hair is fine, I rarely do updos without the used of my extensions for extra volume or length and this product is so simple to use and is exactly what I need to just throw a cute look together.

Have you heard of this trick before? Have you tried it?

Let me know if you'd be interested in seeing a how-to video, I was thinking of doing one for it...

Shutterfly's 2011 Holiday Promotion + Giveaway!

2011-10-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

Shutterfly is having a blogger promotion again this year, check out last year's here, and I couldn't be happier! I've used Shutterfly for years now and everyone loved last year's Christmas cards I sent out, see those here. They were super cute and gave me a way to use our engagement photos and this year I plan on using some wedding photos for our cards. Gotta make use of pro photos right?

Have you used Shutterfly before? Their website is so user-friendly and they have a great selection of products. Right now, I'm actually working on some photo books for our honeymoon trip through Shutterfly. Their quality is really nice, the photos are crisp and clear with great color, the cardstock is thick, and their designs are adorable.

This year, they have so many Christmas cards and Holiday cards to choose from, I'm not sure which I'll use yet, but here are some of my favorites so far:

So Mod Snowflake Holiday Card

Modern Pinecone Holiday Card

Holiday Love Sketch Christmas Card

Bright Holly Jolly Holiday Card

Joy To World Religious Christmas Card

Merry Bright Script Christmas Card

Now for the giveaway, Shutterfly is giving me the chance to give out 25 free cards to 3(!!!) of my readers! To enter, just leave a comment below with your email address and a winner will be chosen at random next Monday night.

FTC: Shutterfly is the sponsor for this post and the giveaway, but all reviews of their products are my own true feelings.

OOTD + NOTD

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

So I'm still working on getting you guys better pics than from my cell phone, but I haven't figured something better out yet. So stay posted please! Sorry this post and my last OOTD post had several pics together, I've been really busy after work and for now it's just been easiest to lump them together.

A few of my outfits were inspired by my Fashion Inspiration board on Pinterest. I know I talk a lot about Pinterest on here, but it's seriously my favorite. I pin everyday. It's such a great source for recipes, party ideas, home decor, DIY project and of course fashion! Whenever I'm in a rut for outfits, I just check out Pinterest and easily find something I can replicate. For last week, I also turned to Twitter for work outfit reccomendations so here is some of your recs in motion paired with Pinterset. Thank you to everyone for your ideas and pics, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support and ideas. You gals (and guys) rock!

F21 Blazer and Necklace, Nordstrom Tank, Target Mossimo Skinny Slacks

Old Navy Ruffle Tie Neck Blouse, Target Mossimo Skinny Slacks, Single Pearl Necklace

Lulu's Knotted Skirt, Fitted Scoop Neck, F21 Necklace

F21 Scarf, Nordstrom V-neck, American Eagle Skinny jeans

OPI In the Spotlight, e.l.f. Golden Goddess

Hot Man Parade

2011-10-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone has a great weekend! I threw in some new guys this week that haven't been feature before on HMPs. Hope you enjoy the eye candy!

Changing Your Name: Miss to Mrs

2011-10-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

So I've been married a for a while now, and last month I finally changed my name! I had seriously been dreading this, but it was fairly easy. Here's a quick overview on what you need to do, but still check with your state laws for any differences or further actions you may be required to do.

First stop: Make sure you have your certified marriage liense, whether it's mailed to you or you have to pick it up from your county records department. This shows as proof that you're married and what your new name will be.

Next is changing your Social Security Administration and the DMV. It's best if you can make an appointment, the earlier the better! I was in an out of both Social Security and the DMV each after only 20 minutes. I couldn't believe my luck, I thought I'd be there for half my day at least.

The Social Security Administration's website is fairly user-friendly and your new card will be free! Yay!

The DMV will require you to take a new photo, so come prepared with good hair and some lipgloss. There also is a fee for your ID (in CA it's $25) and they will punch a hole in your current ID and give you paperwork as a temporary ID. Because of this, some restaurants, bars, travel places, etc can be sticklers about temporary IDs, so if you have something special planned in the next week, wait to do this step.

Now you're legally set! You'll have a new name on state records. Oh, but you're not done yet! You can't forget to update a few more items:

-bank information (this took me 45 minutes): all of your accounts and any credit cards will need to be changed
-passport: if your passport was issued within a year of your name change it will be updated free of charge, otherwise you need to pay for it again
-work: your paychecks, business cards, and work email will need to be changed
-Post Office
-bills
-voter registration
-insurance policies
-magazine subscriptions

There's still a few items I need to update (all of my magazine subscriptions), but I'm all set. Both SSA and the DMV said it would be a few weeks before I received my new cards/IDs, but I received them the next week. My biggest tips in changing your information would be to try and get it all done in one day, make your appointments or go to the establishments as early as possible, and bring some water and something to read in the likely chance you have to wait.

That's it ladies! Have you guys changed your name, what was your experience? Do you plan on changing your name after marriage? See my feelings about that here.

Too much?

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

I want to buy these Velvet Flats and embroidered them with my initials to make these Stubbs & Wooten Slippers on the cheap (that I of course found on Pinterest):

Yay or nay idea?

Product Review: e.l.f. Studio Daily Brush Cleaner

2011-10-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

e.l.f. Studio Daily Brush Cleaner

By now I’m sure many of you have picked up on the fact that I love e.l.f. products. No? Oh, well check out all my purchases and review here. A few weeks ago I picked up this daily brush cleaner and thought it would be so awesome to clean more brushes more often and especially when I’m switching colors.

From the site, the cleaner is "an anti-bacterial daily brush cleanser for quick cleaning in-between makeup applications. Disinfects brushes to provide a fresh and clean application every time. Helps to keep your brushes lasting longer for extended use."

To use, spray generously onto your brush and swirl your brush onto a clean cloth. You can also spray your cloth as well. The product can be used daily or for in-between more thorough washings.

Pros:
-The bottle is larger than I expected (8.5 fl oz)
-The product dries quickly
-Sprays evenly in a wide mist
-It disinfects your brushes

Cons:
-The scent is really strong and not so nice
-This is an everyday cleanser, it will not give you a complete wash

Here is the before (on the left) and the after (on the right) of my brush using the Brush Cleaner:

Here's what came off when I cleaned it:

Ok, so there's not much difference at all with the before and after pictures. The picture on the right (the after shot) is slight lighter than the before pic. I think if I just wiped off the brush on the napkin I would have had close to the same amount cleaned off.

I'll continue to use this bottle, for sanitation purposes, but I don't plan on purchasing it again. It does clean my brushes, but I think it's really for more of a light cleaning (think dusting vs spraying down and wiping everything up) and is better when you're using your brushes for someone else (to avoid spreading germs) and when you're using the same brush for an array of different colored shadows.

Have you found any good spray cleansers? Have you tried this product?

Pumpkin Festival and Bug Fair

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend the family all headed out my alma mater, Cal Poly Pomona's Pumpkin Festival and Bug Fair. It was so much fun! I'm so glad we went. I've gone before when I first moved to CA, but was never able to attend while going to school. It was Matt's first time going through a corn maze and we had a blast finding out pumpkins.

After the pumpkin patch we headed over to the bug fair, where there's 1000s of bugs on display, insects/products you can buy, and activities like cockroach races. Gross, right? It's actually really cool and the people who work the booths are very knowledgeable about the bugs/insects/animals.

Our school has a huge agriculture department and it's a beautiful campus, it was nice going back and visiting. We're definitely making this a tradition and we can't wait to go next year!

Hot Man Parade

2011-10-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

I Got It From My Momma

2011-10-13T06:04:00.000-07:00

My Grandmother came in town a while ago and brought pictures for the family that she thought they may want to keep. It was so great to reminisce on old times and seeing my mom and her siblings as children. It was also fun to see some pictures of my sister and I with our cousins and see how much we still look the same! Thought I was going to say "how much we've changed" huh?? Nope, we all look the exact same, but with the bridge of our noses grown in. Ha ha ha.

While looking at the pictures, I couldn't help but notice how hot my mom was! Seriously, she was a fox! Plus, she was also a little fashionista. Everything she was wearing in the pictures I would just die to wear now AND my Grandma made most of the items!

Anyways, the point I want to get to is when my Mother was young, her and my sister look identical. You seriously can't tell them apart except for the age of the picture itelf. However, when my Mom was in her 20s, her and I look the same and my sister doesn't resemble her as much! Check it out-

We have the same nose, cheeks, smile and chin. Plus, we also part our hair on the same side which helps with resembling each other. I never really thought I looked so similar to my mom since I was teased for being adopted growing up (mostly based on our skin color than actual resemblence from ignorant 5 year olds) and my sister was always told how much she looks like her and I was always told I look like my grandmothers.

It made me happy to realize how much my Mother and I look alike. It really meant a lot to me and made my heart feel all warm and cuddly inside. It was cool to know I resembled both sides of my family (my skin tone, hair color, and height all come from my Dad's side).

Isn't it weird how some families, all the children look identical to each other and in some families each child is completely different from the next? Some of my friends, I'd be able to tell who their mother and grandmother were easily in a large crowd because they each look so similar to one another.

Do you look like your family? Who in your family do you look like? Do your siblings and you look alike? Or are you the odd one out?

Wrap Yourself Up in a Scarf!

2011-10-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I have a problem. My name is Kristen and I'm a scarf-aholic. I'm serious. They're overtaking my closet. My old workplace used to call me scarf lady because I wore one weekly. Then on some old OOTD posts, a few people commented on my affinity for them and that's when I realized I may have too many...

Too many? Who am I kidding!! You can wear them year round, with a variety of outfits, and they're fairly affordable and add a little spice to any outfit. Plus, in the winter time they're actually used to keep you warm and not just for fashion.

So today's post I thought I'd share some scarf inspiration on how to wear it a new way and work new combos into the everyday all thanks to Pinterest. My online best friend. Some pics you may have seen before on LLP, but I had to include them in a scarf post.

Use a scarf for a pop of color

Tie and wrap your scarves in a new fresh way

Long, loose, or belted

Warm and cozy

Want some new ways to tie up your scarf? Check out JDC's post for two new ways

Or check out these quick ties

How do you wear your scarves? Wear do you find the best scarves? I've heard Hillary Duff will even use tablecloths(!) when she loves the print.

Product Review: e.l.f. Studio Mascara Primer

2011-10-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

e.l.f. Studio Mascara Primer

A few weeks ago, I ordered this mascara primer and I couldn't wait to try it out!

From the site, the primer will "lengthen and volumize eyelashes instantly with this Mascara Primer. Revitalize lashes with Pro-Vitamin B5, Hydrolyzed Wheat and Soy Protein-enriched formula. An excellent conditioning base for mascara. Coat each lash with this nourishing primer for lashes that appear naturally thicker, longer and stronger!".

To use the primer, curl your lashes first, apply the primer, and let it fully dry before coating with mascara. It's easy to know when it's dry because the product goes on white and dries clear.

Here it is right after applying:

I used L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen Mascara (see my review here) over the primer. On the left is the mascara on it's own, and on the right is layered over the primer.

You can't see much difference between the before and after pics, it's more visible in real life, I promise! With the primer, my lashes look so thick. The lashes are soft and very feathery when layered with the primer. It give you the look of multiple layers of mascara, but without the clumping.

I really like this primer and plan on purchasing it again, but I don't think it's a must have. I wouldn't make an e.l.f. order for just this one item, but will definitely buy it again.

Have you tried mascara primers before? Did they work? I know there's a lot of mascaras that are double-ended with mascara on one side and primer on the other that are pretty popular.