Life as Leah

Yippee!!!

2012-10-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

Yippee for family time at the park! Yippee for weather that requires oversized sweaters and fuzzy baby girl peplum jackets! Yippee for Zirna Kabete on clearance at Target!!

Long Sleeve black top-Victoria's Secret
Sweater-Zirna Kabete for Target
Leggings-Forever21
Flats-Wal-mart
Watch-Guess
Crossbody purse (doubles as a clutch!)-Kirna Kabete
Earrings-Belk

What also makes me go, "Yippee!" is that my husband caught some rare sibling love on camera...

And guess who had her first little swing session...

Ars!!!! She loved it!

xoxo,

L

Makeup Review: Maybelline ColorShow Nail Polish

2012-08-21T10:30:00.004-04:00

I always love to hear what other (real) ladies have to say out there about certain beauty products before I invest! Buying a new makeup or skincare product might not sound like a big deal to some, but when you're on a really limited budget and have children, it is! Plus, it's such a bummer to spend money on a product and be disappointed.

I have recently tried the new Maybelline ColorShow Nail Polish in two different colors. I started with white and then decided that I needed to try another color before I could give it a fair review. The marketing for this product really got me, along with it's price-under $3, which is almost unheard of for any decent nail polish these days.

Please don't judge this polish by the poor paint job. Manicure skills-some ladies just have them, and some just don't. I'm a don't.

Audacious Asphalt

Porcelain Party

I give this polish a 4 out of 5.

The pros:

-The biggest pro is that it dries SUPER fast, which is a must for me. It's tricky to find the right time to paint your nails with a 4-year-old and a baby. This stuff does not stay tacky very long at all, and dries completely in a couple of minutes.

-It's cheap!

-The color selection-there are a ton of great colors.

-Reaches full opacity (but it takes 3 coats, not a big deal though since it dries so fast).

-easy to clean off of cuticles.

-removes easily with nail polish remover

The cons:

-Takes 3 coats to be opaque.

When I put that first coat of white on, my heart sank. It looked streaky and just plain bad. But after a couple more coats, the white looked awesome, and the gray was just as good. I recommend!

xoxo,

Belk Fall Fashion Preview 2012

2012-08-10T13:18:00.002-04:00

Like any lady who loves a large selection of fashions at a wide variety of prices, I love a great department store. And like any lady born and raised in the South, I love Belk.
Going on a shopping excursion to Belk is like an adventure. There is so much to check out-the makeup and perfume counters, the collection of shoes that ranges from leather riding boots to sky-high sequined platform pumps, the different designer collections, each in their own little coves. I also love their HUGE end-of-season clearance sales. It's like a treasure hunt. A couple weeks ago I scored a beautiful draped yellow jacket (seen here in this post) down from it's orignal price of $110 to just over $16, as well as a red dress (seen here in this post) for $20, down from it's original price of $98.
Belk is the place to go for splurge-worthy investment pieces as well as the place to go to snag some jaw-dropping deals on the fly.

As soon as any hint of coolness seeps into the breeze, us ladies get antsy for the chunky sweaters and leather jackets of fall. Belk offers all the upcoming trends this fall, categorized into four stunning Style Statements: My Fair Lady, Town & Country, Mod Modern, and my favorite-Vivid.
Here's a sneak peek of what you can expect to see this fall at belk:

From the My Fair Lady Style Statement:

Spense
Day Coat, $98.00
Keyhole Dress, $78.00

Chenault
Peter Pan crochet collar blouse, $58.00
Grace slim ponte pant, $68.00

From the Town and Country Style Statement:

Madison
Belted long sweater vest with pockets, $72.00
Bow Blouse-$65.00
Ponte Pant-$65.00

Lucky Brand Jewelry Collection
Statement necklace, $65.00
Chandelier earring, $45.00
Gold bracelet, $59.00

From the Mod Modern Style Statement:

Muse
Two-toned contrast dot sleeveless shift dress, $150.00

Kenneth Cole Jewelry Collection
Collar necklace, $98.00
Cuff bracelet, $98.00

From the Vivid Style Statement:

Jessica Simpson
Berlin peplum coat, $98.00
Stripe sweater, $69.00
Crinkle chiffon skirt, $49.00

Vince Camuto
Blouson cap sleeve sweater dress, $148.00

I can't wait to hit up Belk this fall!!

xoxo,

L

Super Healthy Sweet Spinach Salad

2012-08-08T11:13:00.000-04:00

If I could only buy five items at the grocery store to feed my family off of for a week, fresh baby spinach would be on the list. I can do about a million things with this stuff, and it is so healthy for you. I especially like it's high calcium content since I am dairy free these days due to baby Ari's milk protein allergy. I splurged a little on G baby's birthday weekend at my Dad's house because he made homemade ice cream, and sure enough...Ari has a slight rash and a little bit of blood in her stool again. The good news is now I have confirmation that dairy is definitely the culprit, the bad news is now I feel like a super-asshole for giving her a rash!

Anyways, the good news about this salad is that it's very versatile if you have to substitute some ingredients.
More on that later though.

Ingredients:

1/2 bag baby spinach (can use regular)

1 avocado

1 vidalia onion

5-8 strawberries

1 small package walnuts (or pecans or pine nuts)

Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette (or other sweet vinaigrette dressing)

You can pretty much use any nuts for this recipe, I actually feel that pecans would be even better, but I went for walnuts because they are lower in both price and fat content. You can also omit the avocado if you don't like them or just want to save money, but they do add a lot of nutrition to this salad, so I definitely recommend you put one in there!

First, saute the onions and nuts until the onions are translucent and start to caramelize. I sauteed mine in margarine.

Chop up your strawberries and avocados into bite-size pieces.

Pile it all together and top with some vinaigrette dressing! I went light on the dressing because between the strawberries and caramelized onions, there's already a lot of flavor to this salad.
The overall taste of this salad is sweet and nutty, you don't even realize how much spinach you are eating!
Enjoy!

xoxo,

L

Brother

2012-07-20T08:21:00.000-04:00

I made it no secret to my friends and family how concerned I was that G baby would absolutely 'hate' the new baby. Not truly hate, of course-but react badly and show disdain for her due to a three-year-old's jealousy over having to share mom and inability to understand all the changes taking place in our household. He is extremely smart, kind-hearted, and hilarious, but the G baby is a very hard-headed little guy, and I'm not going to lie-he has a mean streak.

I held no high hopes that there would be big brother/little sister cuddles or that he would be one of those kids that rushes to help mom with changing the baby's diaper or giving her a bath. I even joked (kind of joking) to my husband that we could never EVER leave the two in a room unattended, not even for ten seconds to check on dinner or answer the phone. This guy was used to being the center of our universe and there was no way he was going to want to share the spotlight.

Those who know and love G baby didn't really try to convince me otherwise. I think they thought I was probably right. My mom offered up that it was normal, and reminded me that when I was 4 and she brought my baby brother home, one day shortly thereafter I yelled, 'WHY DID YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS STUPID BABY ANYWAY?!?'

So there was that to look forward to.

My mother-in-law watched after Gabriel during my delivery, and when we called to tell her and Gabriel that Ari had finally arrived, he was so excited he started putting his shoes on before she even got off the phone. It was right before his naptime, and she wanted to know if we wanted her to bring him then or wait until after his nap. I told her to wait until after he napped...it didn't seem like the best idea to meet such an adjustment with nap-skipping crankiness, and plus, as much as I wanted to see the G baby and be together as a family, I was still dreading his reaction.

But I was wrong.

You see, Gabriel has given me a great gift-a front seat view of a sibling's great and instant love. I was worried that he would be freaked out by her beaten-up newborn face and wrinkled peeling hands. But all he could say over and over, 'she so cute! look at her nose! it so 'mall!! she so cute! look!!'. He was in love.

It's not like since Ari's birth, things in our household have been perfect. As expected, the G baby has had a hard time adjusting to the shift of 'mommy time' and has been way more sensitive and angry/whiny than usual (though he's getting better). But never has he been nasty to his baby sister, never has really even acted in jealousy. He's been proud to show her to all his relatives.

He is, however, an extreme pacifier advocate. In the car, "MOM! she lost her paci! Get her her paci back!" He just can't deal with the crying.

He's not overly affectionate, and when he asks to hold her, after literally 2 seconds, he says, "that's enough."

But he finds quiet moments for a quick kiss or head pat.

I'm not going to tell you that he is the perfect helper-he can't quite get the hang of 'being quieter' when she naps, and he would much rather play with his dump truck in the comfort of his own room than help me fetch clean diapers or run a bath. But he's deeply loved his baby sister since the moment he saw her. And that's all I can ask.

xoxo,

Score

2012-06-21T08:41:00.000-04:00

Last year, when I was doing a little Christmas shopping, I picked up this dress for $9.99 at the Burlington Coat factory. It is soooo soft and the draping is very forgiving. Also I can throw it in the washer and dryer and not worry about ruining it.

I wore it while I was pregnant...
and now it's great because it's stretchy and therefore not a problem with my 15 lbs. heavier body right now. It's SUPER hot outside this week and it's a huge bummer to not be able to fit into any of my shorts.

Another awesome score I made...these wedges, for $4.99, also at Burlington Coat Factory. I really hate going in that store because it is so messy and disorganized that it makes me feel like a crazy person, but really sometimes it is worth the effort.

And I'm rocking some handmade jewelry (by me!) I still really love making jewelry, and I might open my Etsy store back up one day. For now it's just too expensive, and plus my little Leah spirit gets sad when nothing sells :( I know Etsy is a HUGE selling community and it just takes time...but still. :(

Baby A got restless during the shoot and had to be picked up...here I'm trying to make her smile, because she smiles now!

xoxo,

Makeup Review: Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter

2012-05-20T10:03:00.000-04:00

I've been meaning to post about this for a while...at the moment, this is my favorite beauty find: Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter.

Ulta-$7.49

There's been a lot of hype around this stuff, and I have to say that personally I really like it. So far, I've only tried one shade-Sugar Plum. It is ALMOST like a lipstick, the main difference is that it's super-smooth and moisturizing and just goes on way easier (you don't really need a mirror to apply). I really love using it during the daytime because it's pretty but not too dramatic, even in the purple shade I chose. The only downside is that it isn't really long-lasting and does gum up a bit in the inside seam of your lips (which is a problem for me with every.single.lip.color.in.the.world. bummer.)

From further away, a bit of color but not too much...

I liked this stuff so much, I bought a tube for my Ma! Haven't heard how she liked it yet though...

Hope everyone has an awesome Sunday!!

xoxo,

L

Ari's Nursery

2012-05-06T20:30:00.001-04:00

After a lot of old furniture refinishing and blanket sewing...here we are!

cranes in a jar

Homemade Origami butterfly mobile

Homemade baby quilt

Big brother Gabriel trying out the ottoman

Modgepodge fabric-on-wood letters

Just waiting on our baby girl to arrive......I'm a whole week late, and we see the doctor tomorrow! Keep us in your prayers.

xoxo,

L

Fun Kitchen Stuff

2012-04-27T21:20:00.002-04:00

I found some really cute/funky kitchen stuff over at Karmaloop that I had to share with you guys.

The Yumbots Cupcake Mold-$18

Matryosha Kitchen Timer-$15

Matryoska Nesting Containers-$15

The Sharp Act Knife Sharpener-$12

The Salt and Peeper Shaker-$11

The Pastasaurus Pasta Server-$8

PacMan Pot Holder-$15

The Chill Pill Ice Tray-$8

The Aristocakes Crown Cupcake molds-$12

Cute, right? The dino pasta server is my favorite, the G baby would love it!

xoxo,

L

Super pregs

2012-04-21T21:19:00.000-04:00

I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

xoxo,

bracelet?

2012-04-18T14:09:00.000-04:00

So...here's my outfit of the day for the first time in a couple months, but mainly I wanted to share a new product with you that I think is pretty genius, since my fashion choices these days are much less about what looks good and much more about what I can squeeze into. Seriously, my maternity clothes are ALL almost too small, especially jeans/pants. Ouchy.

I had some errands to run this morning, and it's actually a bit chilly out, which is a nice change. One of my maternity wear secrets that I am utilizing here is wearing a non-maternity dress as a tunic over maternity leggings. You will find that wearing jeans, even maternity jeans, is more or less UNCOMFY once you are giantly pregnant. Maternity leggings (mine are from Old Navy) stay pretty comfortable the entire pregnancy, but let's face it-you need something long to cover the ever-expanding rear pretty well, and most tops aren't going to cut it. This dress is from Target, and I can wear it long after I have this baby. I like the idea of incorporating clothes that aren't 'maternity' into your maternity wardrobe, because it's such a shame to throw so much money down the drain on clothes you will wear at max, 9 months.

Also, nice fanny pack right? Maybe I will bring them back?? Jk...BUT I am trying this one out (gifted from my Dad at XMas) because this is my genius solution to needing a purse while carrying around a newborn. If I remember correctly, it was no walk in the park last time. I probably accidentally knocked the G baby in the face with my purse on a daily basis the first six months of his life, so here's to avoiding any purse-related accidents while having a convenient front pocket for my keys and cash. Grocery store with two kids, here I come!!

To brighten up my all-black ensemble, I chose a lightweight neon yellow scarf that I scored from Target. Target, by the way, has an incredible scarf collection in their stores right now.

Now for my new discovery-Goody Double Wear Textured Elastics.

Ulta-$5.99

You may or may not have heard of these before, but I just discovered them. Basically, they are hair elastics that double as bracelets. I am always embarrassingly pulling a neon-colored scrunchie off my arm once I am out in public, forgetting that I have left it there, just in case. I struggle between leaving one on my arm because I KNOW I am going to need it, and leaving it at home because as someone who already looks young for their age, I don't need any help looking like a high-schooler. Especially while I'm visibly pregnant and toting around a three-year-old.
These babies are so stylish that you can hardly even tell which one below is my hair-elastic, and not just a natural part of my arm party!

Yep. It's this one closest to my wrist, but still you have to admit-pretty inconspicuous!
They come in packs of three in both gold and silver tone, but I chose the gold. Love!!

You might notice I'm still ridiculously pregnant. 9 1/2 months to be exact. Just waiting at this point and praying that I avoid a C-section (I had some complications last time and the G baby came via emergency C-section after a placental abruption). If you're a person of faith and you're reading this, please pray for a safe and natural birth for us. I am trying to stay positive and every bit helps!

xoxo,

L

Watch Me Grow

2012-04-16T21:02:00.000-04:00

I'm still alive, yo! After a huge breaky break mostly due to lack of free time (since my blogging time falls during G baby's nap time, and I have been napping myself this whole pregnancy) I am slowly coming back to you. To all 86 of you who currently follow me through GFC, thank you so much for sticking with me.
Here's a little peek at what's been happening with me...

I think this was around 10 weeks. It's hard to remember looking like this, lol!

Around 12 weeks

18 weeks

20 weeks!

About 22 weeks!

24 weeks

26 weeks

28 weeks......this is my favorite maternity purchase-sweatsuit from Target!

31 weeks....still hiking with the boys!

33 week bump in the nursery!

I actually tie-dyed this white maternity tee myself!

35 weeks...for some reason, the only maternity stuff I saved from G baby were two bathing suits and a pair of jeans. But since it's been so hot, the suits have been pretty handy!

37 weeks, videotaping G baby's Easter egg hunt last Sunday! This is actually a maxi skirt I am wearing as a dress...since I've outgrown even most of my maternity clothing!

38 weeks

any day now!!!

xoxo,

L

Sosie

2012-02-25T09:13:00.000-05:00

I just discovered a new super AFFORDABLE online boutique that is packed with adorable finds! It's called Sosie, and most of their dresses seem to fall in the $40-$60 range, with tops priced mostly around $30. But what I really love is their vast selection of shorts and skirts (around $30-$50). I always love visiting e-boutiques such as Ruche and Lulu*s, and as freakin cute as their stuff is, a lot of the stores seem to carry a lot of the same stock. What's exciting about Sosie, is I am not coming across anything I've seen before!

*No, I was not compensated in any way for this post...just thought I'd share my shopping excitement with you!*
Check out some of my favorite items below, or click here to just visit Sosie's main page!

Bartlett Tail Skirt-$42

Tribal Flair Skirt-$16 (yes, on sale for $16!!)

Lund Pleated Shorts in Turquoise-$38

Striped Weekend Dress in Coral-$41

Kentwood Dress-$49

Chiffon Moto Jacket in Mint-$57

Leopard Sweater Tee-$30

Bow Belt-$12

Happy Shopping!

XoXo,

L

Get Your Bag on at Forever21 for Under $30

2012-01-22T20:55:00.000-05:00

Forever21 is chock full of chic and adorable Spring handbags right now. If you're like me and you're ready to trade in your brown or black Winter hobo in for something that will get you in the mood for sandals and miniskirts, you have to check these out!

This one really looks luxe and chic.
Chain Strap Crossbody-$22.80

I love the idea of using this instead of your run-of-the-mill beach tote this Summer.
Chevron Stripe Drawstring-$24.80

Apparently orange is one of the must-have colors for Spring, because here is another beautiful orange handbag. (It comes in a beautiful kelly green as well!)
Structured Crossbody-$19.80

I really love the combination of lemon and tan in this one.
Small Nylon Boston Bag-$24.80

This particular bag would actually be great for any season!
Faux Leather Messenger-$27.80

Colorblocked Clutch-$10.80

Ikat Print Tote-$19.80

Happy Shopping everyone!!

XoXo,

L

My Etsy Wish List

2011-12-08T21:07:00.000-05:00

I have been more obsessed than usual with Etsy lately. Here's a few of the things on there that I'm lovin'! (Note: If you're not my husband, you don't have to read this)

Wallet
Cotton Purr-$48

Rough Baroque Pearl Stud
Hanyou23-$25

Baby Blanket (for the new nursery!)
Baby Mae Boutique-$33

Vintage Wrap Dress
Repodress-$65

Vintage Paisley Dress
Linbot1-$18

Pink Geo Earrings
Amerrymishap-$13.99

Seashell Locket
Baby Loves Pink-$23

Yellow Dress
Pohlmans-$15

Mint Chocolate Chip Fudge!
Ohfudgestore-$10

Throw on and Go Classic...

2011-12-08T10:51:00.000-05:00

I had an OB appointment early this morning, and between getting the three of us up, fed, and ready, and the twenty minute drive there, I didn't have a lot of time to dress myself. It's even harder to grab an outfit and go these days because of course some things either just don't look good right now or aren't comfortable.
Here's a classic 'throw on and go' outfit-A slouchy sweater, skinny jeans, and booties that will look great whether you're expecting or not!
I added some pearl studs and chunky rings to keep it simple but add some girly touches since the boyfriend sweater has such a masculine feel to it.

Sweater-my husband's
Jeans-Motherhood Maternity
Booties-Macy's

20 weeks!!

I also got just a couple pictures of my running-errands outfit yesterday, before my camera died. Just a cotton tunic and some leggings, but it was actually one of the most comfortable preggo outfits I've worn so far (not counting pajamas, of course!)

Tunic-Wal-mart (I got it on clearance for literally $7!)
Leggings-Old Navy Maternity
Boots-Target
Earrings-Kendra Scott

And there's my wee bump again! I really liked this outfit because it skimmed my stomach enough for me to look pregnant (I still feel a little self-conscious about being in that stage where it looks like you're gaining weight but isn't always obvious that you're pregnant), but wasn't tight or form fitting.

I'm trying to drag myself through the rest of this day...the G baby woke up at 5:20 this morning, which is about an hour earlier than usual...an hour really makes a difference these days!

xoxo,

L

Impress the man in your life with (easy) chicken-fried steak!

2011-12-06T09:30:00.003-05:00

This is one of those meals that looks/sounds way more complicated than it is. I was scared to try it. Frying anything always seems to be a long, arduous process (not to mention messy!) and I have never before made gravy from scratch. But unless the the man in your life is a health nut (because let's be honest, this isn't the most diet-friendly meal out there), I promise he will be impressed with this! I found it extremely delicious myself...so much so that I sneaked into the kitchen around 9 last night to eat a little bit of leftovers.

You will need:

3-4 cubed steaks

1 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed

1 cup flour, divided into 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup

3 1/2 cups milk, divided into 1/2 cup and 3 cups

oil, for frying

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper (crushed or ground will work)

salt

pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

1. First, pour about 1/2 to 1 inch of oil in your frying pan (do NOT use a nonstick) and heat it up on medium heat. The sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper on your steaks and set them aside for now.

2. Crush the beejesus out of your crackers. You really want them to be as close to a powder as you can get them, to ensure that they'll stick to your steaks. I found it was helpful to crush them some in the original cracker sleeve, pour them into a plastic baggie, and then crush them with the end of a screwdriver, lol (we don't have fancy kitchen tools at my house!).

3. Mix cracker crumbs, 3/4 cup flour, red pepper, baking powder, paprika, and about 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and about 1/2 teaspoon salt together. Mix in bowl but then pour on a plate to make it easier to coat your steaks.

4. Mix 1/2 cup milk and your egg together in a bowl. Then Dredge your steaks in the DRY mixture first. Then dredge in the milk and egg, and then BACK to the Dry mixture again. Don't be afraid to push the dry mixture in a bit to make sure you get a great coating.

5. Gently place your steaks in the heated oil and fry for about 3-4 minutes on EACH side. Remove, and place on foil-lined pan and keep warm in oven (I had my oven set at about 250 degrees).

There's my steaks, looking all sexy in the oven!!

Now for the gravy!

Drain MOST of the oil out of the pan that you fried your steaks in. You want about 1-2 Tablespoons of oil left, and any cooked parts of steak/coating that were left behind when you removed your steaks. You won't really be able to measure the oil (since it will be extremely hot) so you kinda just have to eyeball it.
Mine looked like this:

Okay, now Whisk together 3 cups of milk, 1/4 cup flour, and about 1 teaspoon of pepper and salt, each. I just whisked mine together in the cup I measured my milk in. (Less clean-up!)

Okay, now pour that in with your drippings. Constantly stirring, cook it at medium-high for about 10 minutes.

I served my gravy over the steak, and also made some mashed potatoes. It was super-good!

And on a completely unrelated note, here is what the G baby looks like after he gets in my mousse!

At least he knows where to put it I guess?

XoXo,

L

What I've been wearing lately...(and an announcement)

2011-12-04T08:03:00.000-05:00

I still haven't really bought any maternity clothes. I've been trying to avoid it, because on my budget, it literally pains me to think about buying a piece of clothing that I will only be wearing for six months or so. The problem is, I don't really have anything to wear! I do have two pairs of maternity jeans...and some leggings. So pretty much this has been my uniform the past month or so:

Yep. My husband's camoflauge pants, timberland boots, and a t-shirt under a zip-up fleece jacket. We've been spending a lot of time outside lately, so it kinda works.
Now that the weather is finally cooler, we've been trekking all around the land around our house. Some of the hills in the woods are pretty steep, so I feel like the hiking days are numbered for this pregnant lady!
Here's some of my favorite photos from over the past month...

Hiking on the Blue Ridge Parkway while visiting my parents in the mountains for Thanksgiving...it's cold up there!

Same outfit, totally different day. I told you guys!!

No, that's not a fox-it's our Shiba Inu Miles. (And my husband).

The advantage to wearing my husband's clothes is that sometimes we have on the exact same outfit, and then I can tease him like we did it on purpose and say things like, "look how cute we are" and "I knew you loved me, but geez."

The G baby and his grandpa doing some coloring while the Turkey cooks.

Vogue pose.

I have a long series of photos that my husband took of the G baby and his Uncle Kendrick (my sister's husband) rough-housing. They're all pretty funny when you look at them in sequence, but this is one of my favorites.

The aftermath of one of our walks around the land. It tires this pregosaurus out!

This is about the closest that I will get to our horses. Some people would say that I'm afraid of horses, but I would say that I just greatly respect their size. Anything that can render you brain damaged/dead with one kick deserves it's distance.

These are my little brother's size 32x34 Levis. They fit me up until last week. Also, here is the G baby looking cute in his pom hat and walking stick.

And...we found out the sex of the baby!! Everything on the ultrasound scan looked good, which is a relief to us, as you may or may not know that the G baby has a possibly genetic kidney issue (he's okay though).
So...

My husband brought home this adorable little cupcake that one of his classmates made for us. It was such a nice surprise, I was actually really touched. Plus, it was super delish!!
I am really excited about having a little girl-and the G baby didn't really seem disappointed like I thought he would be. My husband and I will hopefully start turning my office into a nursery while he is on Christmas break-yippee!!
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and start of December!

XoXo,

L

L's Fabulous Finds Under Fifty (bucks)!

2011-12-01T19:34:00.000-05:00

I have been a blogging failure lately. To put it mildly, my motivation is in the shitter. But don't take it personally, because I haven't even been motivated enough to send my husband a Christmas wish-list, and usually by this point he will have already gotten three different ones emailed to him by now! Which is why I am able to provide you with my latest amazing internet finds, as my search for what this pregnant lady wants for Christmas goes on. Side note, I have all my shopping done for my family and mostly wrapped, yeahhh!

I love this simple but sexy dress for the upcoming holiday party season (or work even!) The gold buttoned back is an awesome addition.

Asos-$47.37
(Asos always gives you free shipping, no matter how much you spend=awesome!)

How funny are these personalized 'Real Housewives of .........(you fill in the blank with your city or town)' t-shirts? They come in short-sleeved as well.

Signals-$24.95-$26.95

I really love the structure of this jacket, it looks really luxe for the price.

Need Supply-$48

I have to say that a fitted long sleeve black tee under this jacket would be amazing.

Forever21-$42.80

Needham Lane is a southern company that has to-die-for hostess gifts. These slippers come in a ton of colors and designs-I love them all!

Needham Lane-$30

Magic wand salt and pepper shakers?? Too cute!

Francesca's Collection-$12

Leah's Fab Finds Under Fifty

2011-11-13T19:48:00.000-05:00

So here's the stuff on the web this week that I'm drooling over, all under $50...

Rain Heels? As in these cute heeled booties are meant to be worn IN THE RAIN? Yes, sign me up.
fanaberie-$39

I think the tailoring on this jacket is pretty boss, especially considering the price!
La Posh Style-$48.99

I think a blush pink is one of the prettiest shades for sequins!
ShopKempt-$42

Love this cuddly Nordic cardigan.
Charlotte Russe-$26.99

The other day, while browsing through Urban Outfitter's website, I saw these beautiful fingerless gloves that I was completely enamored with-for $26! These are just as cute and unique, but wayyyyy cheaper. Win!
Charlotte Russe-$7.50

The color of this dress is just gorgeous. I also think the back could be really sexy...they actually show on the website that you can wear the dress reversed-with the back as the front and the front as the back. And it actually looks really good on the model-though would be only for the really brave (and flat chested).
Lulu*s-$47

These are probably my favorite this week. Sequin oxfords in a sophisticated color palette? I also love that their shape is a little less bulky and therefore more lady-like. I seriously hope my husband is reading this. I love you Eric face, your wife is a size 8 1/2!!
Francesca's Collection-$38

xoxo,

L

My Beauty Faves!

2011-10-21T09:23:00.000-04:00

A week or so ago, I posted about the products that are on my Beauty Blacklist, or in other words, that I absolutely wasted my money on.
Now I want to share with you some of my all-time favorite beauty must-haves.

When it comes to facial cleansers, this stuff is pretty boss. My husband even requests it, and says he thinks it really does keep his face in check...and you have to understand, his input on beauty products is pretty few and far between. With tiny exfoliating grains, this stuff really gets your face clean but doesn't irritate, not even my super-sensitive pregnancy skin. (Seriously, what's up with your freakin' skin when you're preggos?)

Pond's Cold Cream. When I wear makeup, it usually involves both eyeliner and a good bit of mascara, which is killer to remove at the end of the night. Instead of torturing my eyes with bunches of face soap, I use this stuff with a cotton ball to remove most of my eye makeup before I wash my face. It's not expensive, and the tub lasts a really long time-as you can tell, mine is looking a little rough because I've had it for months.

Loreal Translucide Loose Powder.
You probably won't find this stuff in stores, but Ulta carries it online. When I use this stuff on my face, I truly do not get oily all day. Every time, I almost can't believe it. It also smells great and doesn't break out my skin. It's not shimmery, but not too matte either. It is just a really really great product.

Although I am still looking forward to trying some of the concealers that some of you guys suggested, I bought this stuff last week because it was on clearance. OMG. Not only does it truly help shrink a pimple by the end of the day, it covers extremely well and blends good too. What keeps it from being perfect is that you do have to reapply throughout the day because it wears easily. But it blends so well that reapplying is a cinch and it covers so well that to me, it's worth it. I will also note that it comes it light, light-medium, and medium. Though I am extremely pale right now, I got the light-medium and it works well, which leads me to believe that this stuff runs a little light.

Cover Girl brow & eye makers in soft brown.
If you don't currently use an eyebrow pencil, try it and it will change your life. I plan very soon to do a before/after of brow pencil picture of myself to show you guys-the difference is just crazy. Brows are the frame of your face, and filling them in a little does wonders. This color is very light, and works on ANY brow color-seriously.

There you go guys........what are some of YOUR beauty faves?

XoXo,

L

Thrifty Thursday

2011-10-20T17:24:00.000-04:00

Forever21-$27.80

Forever21-$6.80

Francesca's Collection-$44

Asos-$41.90

A'GACI-$42.50

Jacket-PINK ICE-$49.99

Target-$39.99

Old Navy-$39.94

Thrifty Etsy Find of the Week:

Personalized locket-
MenuetDesigns-$32.50

Happy Shopping!!

XoXo,

L

Sunshine

2011-10-17T17:58:00.000-04:00

Seriously, getting anything for free is like a little ray of sunshine in your week. I don't know what is up with my luck lately, but I have won giveaways from two different blogs this week! Ladies, enter giveaways-you just never know!!

Here are my spoils from the {posh} daisy shop, this amazing flower headband and beaded line necklace. They are really both so beautiful in person. And the headband looks beautiful on, even with your hair down. For some reason, I have a hard time finding headbands that don't make my hair look all wonky when it's down...it's hard to explain, but with the soft stretchy band on this one, it doesn't make your hair pouf out on the sides. It just works!

Thank you so much Cerrisse for the amazing giveaway-seriously, you made my week : )

If you guys want to check out Cerrisse's wonderful blog and shop, click here or here.

And yes, this is my "outfit of the day post' for today. It was grocery day...and I was hoping everyone would focus on my beautiful new headband and not my lame outfit, hehe.

xoxo,

Amazing.

2011-10-17T16:16:00.000-04:00

There's a blog that I've been meaning to share with you guys for a while, by someone that I actually know *outside the blogging community*, megans.rosee! One of my favorite aspects of her blog are her "Model Monday" posts, where she features a specific fashion model in each post. What I love is that she thinks outside of the box and features gorgeous and interesting models that many of us haven't heard of, so you aren't just seeing pictures or getting info that you already have.
Today her post is about Tara Lynn, one of today's most beautiful PLUS size models. It really is inspiring to see the fashion world recognize that beauty comes in many forms. I strongly urge you to check out today's Model Monday post over at megans.rosee.

xoxo,

L

Disney Couture

2011-10-13T12:54:00.000-04:00

For those of us that still dream in sparkles...

The Minnie X Mawi Gem Bracelet

The Pirates Glamour Skull Ring in Gold

The "Believe" Ring in Gold

The Little Mermaid Collection Hidden Pearl Ring

The Alice in Wonderland 'Drink Me' Bottle Pendant

The Pirates Bright Thread Wrapped Bracelet

The Little Mermaid Shark Jaw Ring

The Pirates Beaded Stretch Charm Bracelet

The Cinderella Platinum Plated Key Pendant Necklace

The "Have Faith In Your Dreams" Bracelet in Black

The Minnie X Mawi Gem Ear Necklace in Gold

All images property of Karmaloop.com

What I really love about this collection is that not only are the pieces beautiful, but it's almost like buying a little piece of history.

XoXo,

L