bangs envy

I've been having some serious "bangs envy" lately. As I've been watching nothing but New Girl on Netflix (I'm all caught up, finally) and noticing how freaking cute Zooey Deschanel is - whom I've been compared to looks and quirk-wise, which is totally flattering - I can't help but seriously contemplate getting bangs. I feel like since I've made the decision to dive in next time I get my hair cut, I've seen nothing but amazing fringes. Now I'm just completely excited and totally impatiently awaiting for my next hair appointment. So, until that time, I'm just going to unload a few cute fringe pictures. Most picture may or may not be of ZD, considering I'm having a new found girl crush on her. Enjoy!

 Now, you can't tell me this doesn't make you want to go and chop all of your long bangs off, right?!
  Catchya next time,
XO

favorites friday

I haven't put up a post in quite a while now! Which is something I didn't want to happen, but I got a new job and things have been a little busy for me lately. And when I've not been busy I've been lazy watching New Girl/Breaking Bad/Portlandia via Netflix (I probably shouldn't be admitting these things...should I? Oops, oh well!). Anyway, off with the post we go! Here are some of my Friday favorites!

 Lush Cosmetics is one of my absolute favorite/go-to brands. Their products are amazing, and I really love the fact that they're all natural, and mostly vegan. This product is the BEST, and I mean absolute BEST, makeup remover I have ever used. Not only does it remove makeup, but it is (as the packaging says) a facial cleanser, and it leaves your skin feeling so smooth and polished. It's one product that I will always recommend and keep going back for.

This St. Ives Green Tea Scrub is something new I've been trying out. I really really enjoy this product. It's not too harsh, for my semi-sensitive skin, and it smells so great. I don't break out very often, but I feel like this just gives me that extra help that every girl wants/needs. I use it mostly at night, and sometimes with my Olay Pro-X Facial Cleansing Brush.

Again with the Lush products. I'm absolutely obsessed with toners. I feel like they're one of the best/most important skin care products out there. I've tried 2 different Lush Toners, and I've loved both of them, but this one is definitely my favorite. It freshens up my skin and adds a bit of moisture after washing my face, which tends to dry out my skin right after. It smells wonderful, and the mist feels so good to either spray directly on your face, or put on an exfoliating pad, which is what I mostly do.

This is also a new product for me; It's the Garnier Fructis Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream, which I saw via a haul video I watched on youtube. I was excited to grab this because it was only 7.99, which is very cheap for a moisturizer, but not only that, I really liked that it was a cream gel base. I've never used a gel-cream on my face before, so when I used this for the first time it was weird...but I LOVED it. It smells amazing and it feels even better on my skin. It does exactly what it says, too, which is something you don't always get with cheaper products. It pours moisture into my skin, and it's the best for right before you go to sleep. Definitely something I will be keeping in my skin care routine for awhile!

The last thing I absolutely have to talk about is this Burt's Bees Revitalizing lip balm. Now, I'm not one to really enjoy/trust Burts Bees products. I've had quite a few bad experiences with this line of products, and I'm not too forgiving when this happens. BUT! I saw someone post a picture of this on Instagram and what immediately caught my attention was the flavor. Blueberry & Dark Chocolate. What's not to love, am I right?! Maybe not, but I'm a sucker for anything berry as well as chocolate. I picked it up at Target and I'm addicted. I mostly use it at work because it fits right in my pocket (and my eos pods don't! So frustrating) but it's good for whenever you want! It's very moisturizing, and you can't not love a lip balm that feels good and tastes even better! Such a happy purchase.

That's my favorites rant for now. I promise I won't be gone so long in the future!  I really want to keep this blog updated as frequently as time will allow me.

Catchya next time,

Xo

thrift store/goodwill haul!

Yesterday and today I did a little bit of thrift shopping around the area, as well as some store-to-store shopping with my mom. I picked up just a few things, so I figured I'd share them with you.

Amazing chocolate colored velvet cardigan. I was so excited when I spotted this gem.

Neutral floral printed long-sleeved blouse. I love floral printed everything, for the most part. I thought this was so pretty. I can't wait to pair it with some cute black jeans, boots and my bowler hat! I'm so ready for the Fall weather.

Denim jacket/buttom up/chambray shirt pieces are always a staple in anyone's closet. In my personal opinion, that is. They go with nearly anything, and they just add a "little something" to your outfit. I was super stoked when I found this little treasure sitting on the rack. These are always so expensive in stores. It was only 5 bucks!

I always find the best books in goodwill. They have the best prices and people get rid of the craziest good reads! I just don't understand how people get rid of books. I've never heard of "Poetry and Purgatory", but when I read the back I was instantly intrigued, so I decided to buy it. I always find the best wallets and purses at goodwill, as well, and this wallet is so cute/perfect; I had to have it.

I picked these adorable socks up at DSW for 5 bucks. Kitties and stripes? Most perfect of all combinations... Obviously.

I FINALLY jumped on the converse bandwagon. I know, I know! I'm sure you're thinking "how the hell have you gone 21 years without converses?!" And I wish I had an answer to that question; but I just don't know one. Anyway, my mama had some coupons for Kohls, and since they were having an awesome sale, she decided to buy these for me. Which was so lovely, because I've been eying these up for years now, I've just never really had the money/thought to buy them. I'm so happy they're finally apart of my collection!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed that mini haul. Budgeting little amounts of money always proves to be difficult, but I have to find some sort of happy medium every once and awhile. So, naturally, thrifting is always my go-to. You can find so many good things there, and there are always so many DYI projects just hanging around. 

Catchya next time,

Xo

favorites friday

Happy Friday 13th everyone! I hope you're all having a lovely lucky day.

Something I want to feature on my blog every now and again is "Favorites Friday's". This may not be an every week kind of thing, but it will definitely appear when I have a list of favorite things I want to share, and it happens to be a Friday. Obviously, haha!

Anyway, let's get on with it :)

The first thing I want to talk about is a candle I got from Bath & Body Works last weekend when I went shopping with my mom. It's called Pumpkin Cupcake, and it smells like the most heavenly of delicious treat scented candles. I burn this thing and it smells up my whole room almost instantly. It seriously smells like you've stepped into the worlds yummiest sweets shop. It's amazing, and I don't ever want it to burn all the way through! It also comes in a little mason jar (and various other versions, they were just running a sale on the jars) which makes it even nicer.

 The next thing I want to talk about are two teas that I've been in love with for about a month and a half now. They're so smooth, light, and amazing. I really love light teas, because I don't have to add anything to them, and it's not too much flavor. I'm not a coffee drinker (thanks to this article written by the ever-so-lovely and wise, Gala Darling - I highly suggest you go and read it...I bet it will put you off your coffee intake as well, or at least make you choose more wisely) except for every once in a blue moon, so I turn to these alternatives instead! Oolong Tea and Jasmine Green Tea. They make the best morning teas!!! Trust me. I am a big tea drinker. If you like light yet plentiful flavors, pick these up. They're healthier and tastier alternatives, and they don't need anything added to them.

The last thing I want to talk about is Coconut Oil. This is something I've been using for about, well probably a year and some now, and I love it. It helps with breakage and damage (I originally got it because I was bleaching and dying my hair so much and it was extremely damaged) and makes your hair much easier to work with after you wash it. Because, as every girl knows, after you wash your hair it's too soft and flat and hard to work with. The coconut oil keeps your hair soft, adds amazing shine and texture, and gives it a little oiliness to make it easier to work your hands and/or styling products through. You only need the tiniest bit; you just rub it into your fingers and then run them through your hair. As simple as that. I promise, if you go and grab some of this it will be one of your new favorite hair products. Plus, a little goes a long way, so you get A LOT for your buck (and it's not even expensive either).

That's my rant for this Friday's blog post. I'd do much more, but I want to save some things for other posts I have planned and in the works. Plus, I could be on here for days chatting about all of my favorite products. So, I hope you've enjoyed this post! Let me know if you try any of these things out, as well as your opinion, and enjoy the rest of your Friday 13th, everyone!

Catchya next time,

XO

* Candle - Bath & Body Works | Bigelow Teas - Wegmans | Coconut Oil - Sally Beauty Supply
** Also, I just thought I'd point this out... though I do read Gala Darling's blog A LOT, it was not the inspiration for my own blogs name. The short but sweet reason for that can be found in my "about me" page. :)

pretty food

Like most people I absolutely LOVE food. Eating it, looking at it, cooking it (okay lets be real, I can't cook, but I like watching people cook...and I'll certainly learn one day!) and everything in between. More recently I've been having quite the love affair with photos of food. I've been following new Tumblr blogs, and Instagrams, and I've seen so many amazing food photos, as well as recipes I'd love to try.

In light of my new found love for food photography, I've compiled a few photos I've been collecting to post on my blog! Maybe you'll find something new and inspiring. Hopefully you'll enjoy these as much as I do.  

*Warning - pictures may make you quite hungry after viewing*

Photo by Bonnie Barton - flashesofstyle.blogspot.com & colorfulkeys.tumblr.com

found via tumblr.

found via tumblr.

found via tumblr.

*Instagram photos found via instagram.com/silverspies - check out her photos; they're absolutely amazing and inspirational! I love looking through her Instagram for new recipes/photo inspo.

Do you get the same yummy tummy feels as I do whilst looking at these?! I can't imagine how you couldn't! I could post so many more, but It would just be food pictures for days, and I don't want to get too crazy...yet! Maybe I'll get to making some new and similar concoctions soon. Stay tuned ;)

Catchya next time,

XO 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Hello!

Okay, sooooo....the blogging thing has been done time and time again. But, as for me, I've not been so successful when it comes to my "new" endeavors. I give up on things quite easily, to be very honest. I get bored, I lose interest, and I get lazy. Those are the common 3 factors. Sometimes, I just don't have the motivation to do much of anything.

I'm at this point in my life where I can feel a lot of changes stirring up inside of me, and wanting to occur. Changes that can't wait any longer. I had another blog (http://ladystaardust.blogspot.com/) that I really wanted to be a space for thoughts and an outlet for things I couldn't really post on Tumblr. That ended up not working out. Just as most things I take up turn to be.

As I see myself now wanting to get into real blogging, I've decided that I'm really going to TRY it. I'm going to commit myself to doing something that, quite frankly, scares the hell out of me. Mostly because I don't have the confidence that anyone will be interested in anything that I have to say. Though, that might be true, I can't let that stop me from doing something that I have wanted to do for such a long time now. Something that could eventually turn out to be extraordinary.

I'm not quite sure where I will be heading, direction wise, with this blog...but I can assure anyone who reads it that I will keep things as entertaining/interesting as possible. I'm not promising any consistancy. There could be many of different ranges within this blog, but they'll all serve one purpose. The purpose that blogging is meant to be something fun, exciting, and enjoyable; and something that is solely for personal happiness/achievement, and whatever else may have you. It's not something I'm going to take way too seriously, but it's also not something I'm going to take for granted and screw around with. I would love for my blog to be something. To mean something. And I hope that once I get the hang of things, that's what it will be.

I do know FOR SURE this blog will include things along the lines of music, fashion, and beauty. There will most certainly be some random thought posts, and off the wall things as well. I just don't feel comfortable committing to one form of blogging. I like the idea of going in different directions. Hopefully it will work!

For anyone who decides to come along for the ride...thank you, sincerely. I appreciate it!

Catchya next time,
XO