Her Umbrella

What's Inspiring Me Wednesdays {22}

2013-05-21T23:00:00.000-05:00

Enter here for your chance to win a $10 gift card to Starbucks!
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I'm critical and have a tendency to judge people's action with swiftness. I stand my ground for every and all of my opinions. I'm stubborn in that way. I'm passionate. I have, in some ways, impossible standards for others. I don't see those standards as impossible for myself. I can be harsh. I'm a worrier. I'm very sensitive despite my bolder ways.

I realize that these are some of my downfalls, but I kind of love them. I've embraced them, I've worked on them but I can't ever be rid of them. And that's okay.

Now, take a look at some of my inspiration for the week and try leaving a comment with one of your worst traits that you still love.

This little one is dressed as one of my idol's, Susan B. Athony. When I read this snippet:

"Mother shuns Disney Princess ideal and dresses daughter up as five REAL heroines from history to commemorate fifth birthday," it naturally peeked my interest and I've bookmarked this to do with my future little one.

Please, take me to Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire, England.

This living room is right in my wheel house. I've already got a tapestry hanging in my office by clothes hangers but I love, love this wall collage somethin' fierce.

I love being a pink-loving girl.

One of the best quotes from one of the best writers - Jane Austen.

Popcorn macaroons with salted caramel filling, okay, sure I"ll have a bite!

I'm Not Afraid of Loud Pants

2013-05-20T22:55:00.002-05:00

Enter here for your chance to win a $10 gift card to Starbucks!

I think I received about 17 thousand weirdo looks the day I wore these. To be honest, I get weirdo looks a lot since I don't necessarily live in an area that's all about loud pants. Although, I do love my home.

But the fact is, I'm just not afraid to wear loud pants. Which in my opinion, is a metaphor for life. Don't be afraid to wear loud pants, any day of the week.

What I'm Wearing:
Top: Forever 21 / Pants: Cato (a 3 year ago buy) / Bracelet: Forever 21 / Bag: Target / Sandals: Target

GIVEAWAY: Starbucks Gift Card!

2013-05-19T23:12:00.004-05:00

In honor of reaching my goal of 550 Pinterest followers, we're celebrating today on Her Umbrella!

One my favorite things to do is grab a coffee at Starbucks, snatch up a pile of magazines and spend an afternoon sifting through all the good reads. Or, grabbing a cup at Target and figuring out my coupon route before I hit the aisles. So, I thought this was a perfect way to celebrate.

One reader will win a $10 gift card to Starbucks to spend! Grab a white chocolate mocha in my honor or a yummy slice of lemon loaf cake. They're my favorites. I will select a winner at random on Memorial Day (May 27th)!

To enter this giveaway you must:

Be a Follower on Bloglovin'
Comment on this post - let me know what your favorite Starbucks menu item is!

(Please include your e-mail so I can get in touch with you if you win!)

For extra entries (comment separately for each entry please, or I can't count the extras):

Follow me on Twitter
Tweet about the Giveaway
Like HU on Facebook
Follow me on Pinterest
Subscribe to HU via Feedburner (located in the left-hand sidebar)

Get Your Business Cards Circulating With Tiny Prints

2013-05-16T12:59:00.000-05:00

A lot of people don't know what I do. Even after they ask and I tell them there's usually a confused, squishy look on their face. Like they don't know what to make of it. And secretly I know they're thinking, "Does she make any money?"

To all those who are confused about what I do "for a living." Here's your answer. I'm a freelance writer. What does that mean? That means I work for myself and I'm contracted by companies, people, websites and a whole host of other possibilities to write for them. I write blogs posts, articles, artist promos, slogans, bios ... the list can go on and on. You name it, I've written some form of it.

Now your next question is, how do you make money? Well, they pay me! I have weekly jobs writing for several different websites and media agencies but I also have some type of side gig going on almost all the time. It's fun, it's sometimes overwhelming and it's not the typical get in the car job and leave work. For me, my work is with me all the time. But parts of what I do comes with a lot of self-determination. It is really easy to sit on the couch and not walk into the office all day. But if I don't walk into the office I'm missing a deadline and then this uphill hike I'm climbing will quickly come to an end. I'm no where near where I want to be in my career. For me, this job I'm doing is not something I'm doing for a living but something I'm doing with my life. And I'm so fortunate to have a husband and parents who whole-heartedly accept the fact that I'm not the typical 9-5 lady.

Now in terms of my "side gigs," which are usually larger projects. How do I get those? For lack of a better term, I hustle for them. And a big part of that hustle is letting people know who I am and what I do. That's where my business cards come in and how to get them circulating throughout the community. I've compiled 5 quick tips on how to get your cards in the hands of people you need them to be in and it all starts with a great design. Where did I get mine? Tiny Prints!

1. Standout Designs.
With a unique design or shade, your cards won't be thrown right into the recycle bin. Well, they'll at least be looked at beforehand. Pick out a design (or design your own) that matches your personality. Also, make sure the quality is good. You don't want a flimsy piece of cardstock to land into the hands of your next client. For example, my cards have a chevron print on the front and the back - they're square instead of the usual rectangle and they're sturdy enough to withstand time in a cluttered wallet.

2. Never Leave Without Them.

There is no excuse not to have a stash with you at all times. You could meet your next client in line at the grocery store or at the movies! If you have them with you, there's no excuse not to hand them out to any and all possibilities.
3. Leave Them With The Tip.
I do this all the time. Leave one of your cards with the tip! You never who know might snatch it up or if the waiter or waitress has a need for your services. It's a painless way to get them into someone's hands.
4. Don't be afraid.
Leaving your card with the tip after a meal is a great option, but you shouldn't be afraid to offer up your card during conversation. There are lots of times when I'm out and about, I get into a conversation with someone and somehow my work comes up. Whether they just want to take a look at my personal blog or snoop around my online portfolio I gladly give one right to them!
5. The Bulletin Boards.
I love these. It's just another painless, easy way to get yourself or your business seen (and eventually heard). Whenever you see a bulletin board or a card jar, grab one out of your purse or wallet and add it to the mix. You never know what could happen!

Lastly, I have to thank Tiny Prints. There selection is one of the best and most inspiring. I've used other companies before to print my cards and the design or quality wasn't near what it was when these cuties showed up in the mail.

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Ice Cream Spots

2013-05-15T23:56:00.000-05:00

The only reason I even remotely enjoy the warmer weather is the fact that I don't freeze when I eat a bowl of my favorite ice cream. But it's mid-may and we're still going up and down the thermometer. The other day, on a chilly Saturday evening, I got ready to go to the movies in spring colors and a couple of fall pieces.
Even though the outfit was a mash-up of two seasons, the colors were an fun of assortment of sorbet shades, my favorite.
What I'm Wearing
Top: Candie's from Kohl's / Sweater: American Eagle / Jeans: GAP / Wedges (Not Shown): Payless / Purse: Charming Charlie / Right-Handed Ring: My wonderful piece of Larimar that we bought in Puerto Rico on our honeymoon. / Earrings: Forever 21

Enter here for your chance to win a pair of sunglasses from Firmoo! Giveaway Ends May 17th!

What's Inspiring Me Wednesdays {21}

2013-05-14T22:17:00.000-05:00

It's been a couple of weeks without a WIMW but this batch is extra special.

The past few weeks have been filled with inspiration. Lots of behind the scenes writing has happened and lots of blog planning has been put into action. A couple of fun and exciting e-mails have landed in my inbox and I'll get to share all the details with everyone in the coming weeks. In the meantime, check out this week's inspiration and peruse the rest of Her Umbrella's recent posts!

How adorable is this bride dressed for her shower?

Okay so this DIY for bathbombs is absurdly awesome.

A new motto?

This goat cheese, chicken and pesto sandwich looks delicious doesn't it?

I just found my newest DIY inspiration in this neon sprayed pottery.

Loving this nook.

Enter here for your chance to win a pair of sunglasses from Firmoo! Giveaway Ends May 17th!

Thrifted: 70's Inspired Jean {2}

2013-05-13T23:37:00.000-05:00

We've seen this thrifted, 99 Cent find here before. And although it didn't fit quite perfectly, it took just a quick nip, tuck and cover to make it presentable and more than worth the dollar. Here's the second look, quickly created for a "girls only" lunch date.

What I'm Wearing:
Dress: Thrifted / Shoes: Forever 21 / Belt: Old Navy / Bracelet: Bought in Mexico /

Enter here for your chance to win a pair of sunglasses from Firmoo! Giveaway Ends May 17th!

REDO it: Brushed Vintage Trunk

2013-05-13T00:07:00.000-05:00

My mom has this amazing trunk. It's been sitting on the porch for years and years .... and years .... and years. And it was time to do something about it.

Take a look at our little adventure. All we needed was the help of Krylon and Glidden ... o ... and a dash of creativity. Our first decision was whether or not to update the inside. We said, "Why not?!" And grabbed some Krylon - Brushed Metallic Satin spray in Champagne Nouveau. Then we decided to match the legs for a bit of a unsuspecting punch of sparkle.
To save the grass we use this handy dandy metal cart that's been hanging out in the garage for a while. It's quickly become our project go-to system.

Once the inside and the legs were finished, it was time to get to work on the outside. The original green floral pieces were too full of character to mess with, so, it was an easy decision to leave those alone in the REDO. We used Disney's Glimmering Silver (Metallic) Glidden paint to cover the outside. It actually came out to look light blue, but ended up being a beautiful blessing. After it was dried and settled, my parents found a home for the trunk at the foot of one of their upstairs bedrooms. Topped with the coziest quilt around, they love the extra bit of hominess it adds to the room.

Enter here for your chance to win a pair of sunglasses from Firmoo! Giveaway Ends May 17th!

Happy Mommy's Day

2013-05-12T10:42:00.001-05:00

Thank you for teaching me to be something other than ordinary, Momma.

I love you bunches.

The Evolution of a Gift Basket

2013-05-09T23:27:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, we celebrated my best friend's bridal shower. My biggest contribution to the party were the invitations. Thanks to Wedding Paper Divas, I found the perfect ones to fit the theme, vision and personality of the vivaciously beautiful and warm-hearted bride. Reminiscent of poppies, these shower invites couldn't be any more right. I used WPD for our wedding invites and save-the-dates, so I knew the quality would be something I could trust in.

In lieu of the event, my mom and I were hard at work preparing some of the gifts. Of course we got a couple items off the bride and groom's registry, a crock pot and George Foreman. But we had to do a couple of fun items too like a box full of fun paper plates and napkins and this basket full of must-have goodies. It took about an afternoon to get this beauty put-together, but it was so worth it. With the invite in mind, we tried to keep the theme and vision run throughout the basket's style as well. Take a look at its afternoon evolution.

Enter here for your chance to win a pair of sunglasses from Firmoo! Giveaway Ends May 17th!

Casual, Cool Layers

2013-05-08T20:02:00.000-05:00

Between the rain, the hit or miss humidity and the weird temperatures, it's been hard to plan and create any type of decent outfit. But sometimes when you just throw something together with absolute no thought, that's when you create your favorites.

This became one of my favorites not only because of the comfort level but because of the simple color combinations. A serene mix of blue and cream with just a hint of salmon. Not the mention the bag has tiny umbrellas scattered about on it, what's not to love? What I'm Wearing
Dress: Gap / Sweater: Old Navy / Bag: Old Navy / Sandals: Old Purchase / Earrings: Forever 21

Enter here for your chance to win a pair of sunglasses from Firmoo! Giveaway Ends May 17th!

GIVEAWAY: Win A Pair of Sunglasses from Firmoo! {CLOSED}

2013-05-07T22:09:00.001-05:00

Before we know it, summer will be in full swing. And there's one summer essential we all need: sunglasses. At Firmoo, you can get affordable glasses with style and eve snag yourself some prescription sunglasses too by turning your already prescription glasses into sunglasses.

For the next 10 days, you'll have your very own chance to win a pair of sunglasses for free! And do you want to know the best part? At least 6 of my readers will win a $20 e-voucher to Firmoo, yes SIX!

These look rather perfect if I do say so myself!

Let's take a look at the prizes:

more than 50 entrants:

For the grand prize winner (1 person): a pair of fashionable sunglasses, shipping included.

For the second prize winners: 6 winners will win a $20 sunglasses E-voucher each.

The vouchers can only be used on Firmoo sunglasses

at http://www.firmoo.com/wrap-around-rx-sunglasses.html.

less than 50 entrants:

6 winners will win a $20 sunglasses E-voucher each.

The vouchers can only be used on Firmoo sunglasses

at http://www.firmoo.com/wrap-around-rx-sunglasses.html.

If you've been living under a rock and don't know what Firmoo is, they're the World's Most Popular Online Eyeglasses Store with 580K+ fans on Facebook. Their mission is to offer varieties of unbelievable cheap yet fashionable prescription & Plano eyewear to the consuming public. All of their eyewear is directly from affiliate factory, so their prices are 85%~90% lower than that in the traditional brick-and-mortar stores.

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:

MANDATORY: become a follower of Her Umbrella via Bloglovin' or GFC. (let me know which your follow through in the comment below!) Include your e-mail in the comment so I can contact you if you win!

MANDATORY: Visit Firmoo and comment below mentioning your favorite piece of eyewear and which you'd love to win!

Optional Entries (leave a separate comment for each additional entry)

Follow Her Umbrella via Twitter

Like Her Umbrella on Facebook

Add HU on Google Plus

Follow Firmoo on Twitter

Like Firmoo on Facebook

For any questions concerning placing an order with Firmoo please visit here. And if there are any questions on shipping and handling visit here.

GIVEAWAY ENDS MAY 17th

Fun With Place Settings: Poppies and Paper

2013-05-06T22:36:00.000-05:00

Another bit of quick and eclectic place setting inspiration today.

During a night of wedding makeup and giggles, we whipped up some Girls' Night Flatbread and we may have had one or two peanut butter M&M's, or three or four .... or twenty.Again, I have a mess of styles combined on the table. Bits from a blue centerpiece idea and I brought out the paper place settings from Cake Vintage again!

Poppy plates from Target, blue-patterned plates from Home Goods, teal-tinted wine glasses from World Market, it's definitely a messy pairing. But a messy pairing I love.

Invitation from LOOKMAZING

2013-05-06T00:12:00.000-05:00

I have a fun bit of news to share today.

Over the weekend I received an invitation to join LOOKMAZING, "a fashion and beauty social network for individuals to showcase their personal style through photo ‘looks’ that can be easily shopped and shared. By 'admiring' fellow members of the site, users can browse through each other’s lookbook, wishlist, and virtual wardrobe to discover new ways to style products and gain fashion advice from friends."

If you're a fashion blogger, or even a blogger like me that hints on style every once in a while, hop on over and join! It's a fun way to mingle, grab more readers and possibly even have the opportunity to collaborate with designers and brands.

Take a peek at my page here and fumble around a bit to see how you like it! The best part of the experience is finding an outfit or even just a piece of someone's ensemble that stands out enough for you to buy it, or just find out where it came from. Which each look uploaded, you're able to tag everything you have on to be linked to a similar piece of clothing or accessory or even the same one from the store you bought it from.

Thrifted: 70's Inspired Jean {1}

2013-05-02T23:02:00.001-05:00

Going thrifting is like going on a treasure hunt. But if you've got your close-minded goggles on you'll never find a piece of gold. Even if it may not fit perfectly, it's missing a button or it's not the right color, all you need is a little creativity and vision.

Take this 99 cent jean dress I snagged at a thrift store in Chattanooga. I brought it home, cleaned it really good and then realized the sleeves didn't button and the waist didn't fit perfectly. But, for 99 cents, I could still create two different, easy styles out of it. And here's the first.

And then the sun came shining through the windows and ruined our lighting. What I'm Wearing:
Dress: Thrifted / Shoes: Chaps / Belt: Thrifted / Ring: Claire's / Bracelet: Bought in Mexico / Nude Camisole: New York & Co.

P.S. As you've probably heard, GFC is soon coming to an end. If you follow me via GFC please follow me via Bloglovin' or Google Plus (personal & page). Go now, go quick!

REDO it: Spray the Doormats

2013-05-02T00:54:00.000-05:00

I pay attention to the little things. Now, I'm not saying that I pay attention to every little thing, but I like creating little surprises in unsuspecting places - whether it's in an outfit, our wedding, a story or around the house.

Now, I can't take credit for this idea. I'm sure someone, somewhere has spray painted a doormat before - but when my mom suggested that we do change up the color on my front and back doormats - I thought she was a genius.

We grabbed some Krylon and got to work.

The texture of our front doormat was a little sandpaper-esque, so once the metallic paint was dried it was almost sparkly. Naturally, I love that.

I love how our back mat now has a bit of a vintage, distressed feel. And it took me about 15 minutes to make it happen.

*My mom and I have collaborated on tons of upcoming projects. From some incredible thrifted finds to some pieces we wanted to redo around our own houses, we bought about one can of every color Krylon spray paint to experiment with. Visit back to see what else we have up our sleeves!

Pucker Up For Thistle Farms

2013-04-30T22:46:00.000-05:00

Although this photo only brings back memories of taking "pics" with my high school girlfriends, this is what I feel like doing every time I slap on some Thistle Farms lip balm. On any given night you may see me lathering my lips in some Tuscan Earth chapstick and walking about the house with a nice little kissy face. Because it's just so darn good.

I actually got passed this balm in a grab bag Justin received from a holiday work party. And I'm so happy he grabbed it and I learned about this fabulous place.

But, let's talk about the important stuff...

What is Thistle Farms?

Based in Nashville, it's a residential program for women who have survived lives of prostitution, trafficking, addiction and life on the streets.

"Thistle Farms is the social enterprise that is run by the women of Magdalene. By hand, the women create natural bath and body products that are as good for the earth as they are for the body. Purchases of Thistle Farms products directly benefit the women by whom they were made.

Thistle Farms employs over 40 Magdalene residents or graduates. While working at Thistle Farms, women learn skills in manufacturing, packaging, marketing and sales, and administration. It is a supportive workplace where women acquire the skills they need to earn a living wage. Employees have the opportunity to put a percentage of their earnings in a matched savings account provided by Magdalene. Through Thistle Farms, the women of Magdalene gain much needed job skills, and learn responsibility and cooperation.

Thistle Farms is housed in an 11,000 square feet sales and manufacturing facility. With a beautiful new building, Thistle Farms is committed to growing in order to employ more women and have greater opportunities to share our products and stories of healing on a larger scale.

Thistle Farms products are available in over 200 stores in Tennessee and across the country. Into every Thistle Farms product goes the belief that love is the most powerful force for change in the world. Our dream is that people will come to see Thistle Farms as a humble but powerful business synonymous with women’s freedom"

I, personally, urge to to check out their website and learn more about this amazing organization. Then hop over to their shop and grab a couple of wonderful products - I'll be ordering more lip balm soon.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I am reviewing and spotlighting this organization upon my own free will because I think they're snazzy.

Guess Who's A Lucky Contributor?

2013-04-29T21:14:00.003-05:00

It's me!

I couldn't be more thrilled with this new and exciting part of my work and blogging life. Being a part of the Lucky community I'll get to share tips about Beauty, Fashion, Shopping and display a bit of my own personal style - and it'll all come from right here at Her Umbrella!

Check out the posts that have been approved and published thus far! Give it a little "vote", tweet it out and share on Facebook to all of your people!

Dainty Cat Eyes
Shining Wine

Be sure to pay attention to future posts tagged 'luckymag' and then head on over to my contributor page {here} for a sneak peek of it right on their site! It'll be fun, fabulous exposure for my blog and I'm sure to be inspired by all the wonderful finds and other contributors in the community.

Lazy Boho Stripes

2013-04-28T23:07:00.003-05:00

I'm not one of those people who like to throw on sweatshirts and sweatpants and say, "I just want to be comfortable." To be completely honest, I feel the most comfortable when I feel confident and love what I'm wearing. To me, that's what the term "comfy clothes" means.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love my 3-sizes too big sweatshirts and men's button downs. In fact, I work them into my wardrobe a lot during the winter months. But when I think of a lazy day comfy outfit, this is one of my first picks.

Wide-leg pull-on pants, a high low knit top with a bit of relaxed, boho-inspired flair is my idea of the perfect comfy outfit. And the colors remind me of a quiet, rainy day. With just a small pop of turquoise and some muted rose, I was off for a casual evening perusing Target.

What I'm Wearing
Top: a.n.a from JcPenney / Pants: Forever 21 / Necklace: Forever 21 / Flip Flops: XOXO from Macy's / Purse: **Marked "Parcel" / Right-Handed Ring: Caribbean Topaz bought in Mexico (if you can see it!)

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Please check out my new Storenvy Shop where you can grab some of my new and gently used items, vintage finds and home decor pieces! We only have a few items up this week but we'll slowing be stocking the store in the coming months!

Beauty: Dainty Cat Eyes from Nyx's The Curve

2013-04-25T21:24:00.000-05:00

I had been eyeing the The Curve eyeliner tool for a while. I just didn't know if it was worth the extra money. Would it be something I would try to figure out how to use and never succeed at? Would the actual makeup smudge, smear or wear away easily? Well, sometime around the holidays it went on sale at Ulta. Since it was just a one-day deal, I decided - o what the heck - and bought it.

And I'm extremely happy that I did. Not only is the makeup just as good as their other products, that I use all the time (even on my wedding day), but the tool helps to easily create the trendy "cat eye" line that everyone's trying to replicate. Of course you can play it up and be super dramatic but I love the fact that I can pull it out and make a dainty, yet unique, everyday look.

What I'm Wearing
Foundation: Cover Girl Natureluxe Silk - Alabaster / Blush: Cover Girl Cheekers Blush - Classic Pink / Eyebrows: Revlon Brown Fantas y - Dark Blon de / Lips: Ulta Lipstick - Sugar & Spice / Eyeliner: Nyx The Curve - Jet Black / Mascara: Rimmel Scandal Eyes

Featured On: Kitsch is Beautiful

2013-04-25T16:31:00.000-05:00

Her Umbrella's "Thrifted" series was featured on Kitsch is Beautiful today as a top leisure story!

Thank you to Griseline, the editor, for noticing my brass goose find! Go on over to Kitsch is Beautiful and keep updated on all of the weirdly beautiful discoveries!

Thrifted: A Brass Goose + A Coupon Code from Kohl's!

2013-04-24T22:16:00.000-05:00

You may remember this centerpiece from last week. Simple, serene and just the right amount of eclecticism to make me smile.

And since then, I've added a little something special that I found at Goodwill - priced at $1.99 - it was a 50% off blue ticket day - so I got this all brass goose for a whopping $1.00.

Of course, it's a bit out of the ordinary and one wouldn't necessarily choose this out of a stack of items for their home - but I feel like it adds a fun little surprise amidst the bunch.

The brass also puts more emphasis on the gold runner and gold buttons on the cream vase. I love how complimentary the little collection has become.

What's On My Table

Heart Salt & Pepper Shaker - Cracker Barrel / Blue Dipped Vase - West Elm / Small Blue Glass Vase - Thrifted (can also hold a candle) / Cream Gold Dotted Vase - Target / Runner - Home Goods / Brass Goose - Goodwill ($1)

..........................................................................................................................................

And the fun surprise of the day....

Yesterday, I chatted with a lovely rep for Kohl's and she gave me a coupon code to share with all of my fabulous readers.

USE CODE: BLOGS10

now through May 10th and receive 10% off!

April POPSUGAR Must-Have Box Review

2013-04-23T23:31:00.001-05:00

I finally jumped in and got involved in all this POPSUGAR talk.

For those that have no idea what I'm talking about, let me break it down for you really quick.

At POPSGUAR, there's a team of people that select some of the hottest, must-have items of the moment (or the month), they pack them up for all of us and send them out for us to try. After seeing so many wonderful items discovered in the must-have boxes, I knew that I had to experience it for myself. So, let's take a look at what I uncovered in my April box!

Kai Perfume Oil {$48}:
Obviously, this alone was worth the $35 for the entire box! Why I never heard of this perfume, I don't know. Perfume/fragrance is my favorite beauty element, over mascara, over lip gloss .... I love to smell good. And this lasts literally, the entire day. I'm in absolute love. It reminds me of spring in the most subtle ways.

Alter Eco Dark Quinoa Organic Chocolate {$3.99}:
Y'all, this was good. If you like a bit of crunch, but love the bitter sweetness of dark chocolate, then this is definitely something you should try. I ate the whole darn thing. Shashi New Nugget Bracelet {$30.00}:
Ahhhh, I love this. It's great to wear on its own as a dainty little piece or as a stackable with other bracelets. What's great is you can make it fit as tight or as loose as you'd like, and it fits a variety of wrist sizes, which is nice.
TATCHA Evening Aburatorigami Blotting Papers {$15}:
I don't have issues with oily skin, in fact, I have the opposite problem. Most days I wake up with irritated, dry skin. So, I handed these over to my mom to try. They didn't necessarily work "better" than other blotting tissues she's tried before, but they definitely help to keep your face from becoming overly oily throughout the day. The packaging is beautiful too!
Black POPSUGAR Green Garmento 4-in-1 Garment Bag {$9.99}:
At first I didn't realize everything this little bag could do. At first glance, it's just a garment bag (which I used on a night spent at my parents' house, for skunk issues). Okay, so apparently Green Garmento was on shark tank and no one invested in it. WHICH IS INSANE, since it's a genius idea. This bag can be used to carry hanging clothes, as a hamper, a hanging hamper and a duffle.

The final review? The box was great. It was a fun experience and for $35.00, me (and my mom!) got to try out around $107.00 worth of products. I urge you to go on over to POPSUGAR and get yourself a box (or a few months worth!).

Dazzling Diamond Candles

2013-04-22T23:31:00.002-05:00

I'm a very big fan of candles. I love their warmth and light. I love how a scent can fill and room and change the way it feels.

I've said before that I'm a Yankee Candle girl, even though lately Glade has been burning bright in our house. But, I do love to find other yummy smells and pretty pieces of decor. Then I stumbled upon Diamond Candles.

What are Diamond Candles you ask?

Well, they're all natural soy candles with a bit of an adventure hidden inside. Each one comes with a ring buried below. They can be worth anywhere between $10-$5000.

Yes, you read that right. After you choose your scent and have it shipped to you, you'll receive something like this...

You'll burn it for a couple of hours, while eyeing the little gold spot where your ring is hiding.

But, when you get close enough. You'll blow out the candle and grab the foil-wrapped present. You'll be tempted to dig - but don't - you'll make an absolute mess of your counter/table and your candle. Then you'll unwrap your ring! It could be marked China (mine was marked Thailand - we think) or yours could be marked with, I don't know, maybe a 14k symbol. If it is marked with something worth a little bit of something, go get it appraised and find out exactly what your ring is and what it's worth!

Although my ring isn't "real", it's a great little piece of costume jewelry and a fun everyday adventure.

Do I plan on buying again? HECK YES. As soon as this one is all burned out, I'll go order and maybe try the cupcake or coconut scent. Because, the $24.95 is worth the candle alone!

Black & White Spring

2013-04-21T21:04:00.000-05:00

I'm really into color. Sometimes I'm even really into the lack of color and what you can do with it.

When you think of spring, you don't necessarily think of black and white, but I do. I think of ways to turn the classic combo into a quintessential spring look. With a bit of floral and some bits of color reminiscent of the Italian flag, you'd be surprised what you can create.

Check out this fashion board for a not-so-typical spring color palette.

What I'm Wearing

Sweater: Bought years ago from Target -- Dress: An old buy from Macy's -- Necklace: A Travel Find -- Flip Flops: XOXO from Macy's -- Bag: Big Buddha