Holly Dolly Fashion

Exciting New Changes Coming to Holly Dolly Fashion!

2013-05-14T12:32:00.001-07:00

Lauren Conrad Leopard Frame Sunglasses from Kohl's, Crochet Back Black Maxi Dress from Ross, Jewelry from InPink and GoJane

Holly Dolly Fashion is getting a whole new look! I will be re-launching with loads of all new content and a somewhat, hopefully steady blogging schedule beginning June 14th. I have all sorts of exciting things lined up and I can't wait to share them with you all! Thank you so much for your support! Help me go viral! Come back June 14th and read, comment, subscribe, and share my blog like crazy with everyone you know and invite them to share my blog like crazy as well. I will appreciate it more than words can even describe. See you soon guys!

Stay Tuned!

This Blog

2013-05-08T20:12:00.000-07:00

is so unorganized. Wow. Much like my life. It's just everywhere. I try to be organized, to follow a routine, to practice basic time management skills but f*** who am I kidding? I'm a mom of five now. Five. Not that I was any more organized as a mom of four or three, I definitely was more organized as a mom of two but five kids and organized? forget it. These days success means making it to bedtime with my sanity still intact.

Mixing Prints: Lace Maxi Dress Over Tribal Cut-Out Design Sweater

2012-12-27T23:20:00.001-07:00

Lace Maxi Dress: PinkBlush, Tribal Cut-Out Sweater: PinkBlush, Accessories: InPink

Mobile Blogging from the myTouchQ

2012-11-10T14:12:00.001-07:00

Trying out some mobile blogging today. So I am now 28 weeks and 4 days pregnant with baby Mason. He is huge! At our last ultrasound (two days ago) he was already 4lbs 7oz. Our baby boy has a dilated kidney due to an obstruction of some sort. (unrelated to his massive size) Prayers are appreciated!

As a result of baby's spike in weight gain, this last trimester is really kicking my behind. I'm also potty training my 3 year old who is sick with a stomach bug at the moment. There is a possibility that I will be delivering earlier than anticipated so I've been pretty swamped trying to get things done without over doing it.

I hope that my absence doesn't mess with my readership to much.Blogging has to take a back seat to everything else right now but I will still be here replying to comments and posting sporadically! You can catch up on my other posts by browsing tabs, archives, or clicking in search. Sign up for my email list to stay up to date :) Thank you for your continued support!

xoxo-
Holly

Animal Print Maternity Top for Fall

2012-10-29T00:05:00.001-07:00

Bat-wing and Dolman sleeved tops double great as maternity wear, and this animal print top from Love Culture is no exception. When purchasing a bat-wing or dolman sleeved shirt intended for maternity use look for a looser fit or a shirt with stretch to it.

Not every shirt that you can wear under regular non-pregnant circumstances is going to flatter a baby bump for example my recent cable-knit sweater purchase does absolutely nothing for my current pregnant figure. ;) I've had positive experiences with my dolman and bat-wing tops so far so I thought I'd share the idea.

Animal Print Maternity Top for Fall Outfit Details:

Animal Print Maternity Top- Love Culture, Black Maternity Dress Slacks- PinkBlush, Black Flats- Cato, Jewelry- InPink

My make-up is all e.l.f. and Mary Kay products.

How are you wearing animal prints this fall?

Daily Five- Wendy's Bacon Portabella Mushroom Melt is Gross

2012-10-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

NUMBER ONE.

I absolutely LOVE mushrooms and Stephen loves bacon so we decided Mmm! Wendy's Bacon Portabella Mushroom Melt burger looks yummy. We went and picked a couple up yesterday. YUCK. It was just gross. =( It didn't taste very fresh, the bacon was rubbery, and we each only had like one mushroom on the whole dang burger. Left us both feeling like we had ate a boulder. So not worth it. (on the bright side their fries are probably the best out there right now when it comes to other fast-food chains)

Is it me or does it seem like fast-food joints are raising their prices for food that just doesn't taste that great or sandwiches that just aren't very big at all to you too? Last week we decided to try the sourdough cheese-steaks at Jack in the Box. Those sandwiches taste delicious but you can eat them in two bites I kid you not. Way overpriced. For about the same price we can get our favorite HUGE Philly cheese-steaks with fries and pickles on the side at Famous Sam's.

My InPink package already came! It was sitting in my mailbox yesterday afternoon. 2 day delivery, now that's impressive! Also, they just revealed their Office Party Sparkle collection and I'm in love with the subtle glamour. It has an infusion of Gatsby-era opulence played down for work. Gorgeous.

NUMBER THREE.

Their has been an update to my disclosure policy regarding how I disclose affiliate links and referral links in posts. To simplify the process I will now be inserting hover text above these types of links that indicates whether it is a referral link or an affiliate link. I feel that this is a straight-forward way to disclose for both myself and you. If you have any other questions about how I monetize my blog feel free to read my updated disclosure policy in the page tabs above. Thank you for your continued support!

NUMBER FOUR.

I've been catching up on Gossip Girl on Netflix as well as a few other shows that I'll talk about later. Last night when I was flipping through my latest Entertainment Weekly I saw a resemblance of Leighton Meester (Blair) in Adele. They look alike to an extent, well in my opinion anyway. I know, random.. but hey that's what the daily five is for.

NUMBER FIVE.

I don't get crushes on actors, models, musicians or other celebrities and I haven't since I was 7 when I was in LOVE with Leonardo DiCaprio... All through my pre-teen years and teenage years the majority of my friends had posters of every famous dude at the time on their walls. Me? I had posters of grim reapers, drawings I'd put into collages, collages of pictures of friends and family, inspirational make-up art editorials or fashion editorials and posters of characters on my walls. I crush on characters.

For example, for the longest time I had the biggest crush on Jack Sparrow. Not on Johnny Depp, on Jack Sparrow. I love the majority of Johnny Depp's movies but Jack Sparrow was just totally attractive in the most unattractive ways ever. I had a crush on Prince Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoons..My latest character crush is Damon Salvatore from the Vampire Diaries, yea the actor himself is pretty good looking too but Damon is a bad-ass vampire with some serious bad-boy style. Drool.

I'm not sure where my character crushes are rooted, perhaps my long-time love of books. My husband gets a kick out of it and I suppose the oddity gives him an extra sense of security... all my silly crushes are on fictional characters ;)

Re-Styled Maternity Top and Goodbye Baby Bump, Hello Mountain!

2012-10-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

Do you remember this blue ruffle top from my pregnancy with Brody? I decided to jazz it up a bit with a black waist-tie under the bust and some layered accessories.

Outfit Details: Earrings - GoJane, Layered Pearls - GoJane, Gold Tone Bangles- Target, Blue Ruffle Top - gifted by Grandma, Maternity Skinny Jeans - PinkBlush Maternity, Black Flats - Cato.

Don't forget Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel is showing this afternoon and evening in Tucson at The Loft Cinema. For tickets and showtimes visit www.theloftcinema.com.

Daily Five- Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel and More!

2012-10-25T22:18:00.001-07:00

Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel comes to Tucson tomorrow! It will be showing at The Loft Cinema. Diana Vreeland reigned for 50 years as the "empress of fashion". She was the fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar for 25 years, she was editor-in-chief of Vogue, she launched Twiggy's career and advised Jackie O. One of the most influential women in twentieth-century fashion history, this critically-acclaimed documentary highlights her many successes and accomplishments in the evolution of fashion for the modern world. I am over the moon excited to see the film! I'm hoping to make it to one of the showtimes this weekend.

I just finished reading chapter four of Down Syndrome Parenting 101 by Natalie Hale today. As you may or may not know, my daughter Jaydalyn has Down Syndrome. I bought the book from Amazon a couple of months ago and I'm aiming to finish reading it by Christmas. I'm loving the "chicken soup" style inspirational stories in the book so far. It's been a great read whenever I have the spare moment here and there to pick it up. I'll write about my thoughts on the book when I've finished it.

Minion has had a soft spot for Brody from the time we first adopted her. The connection between these two amazes me more and more each day. This morning Brody decided it was time for her to wake up and watch cartoons with him and so he proceeded to crawl back and forth over her until she looked up and licked him. He giggled with delight but then she laid back down so he gave it another shot. Finally she was like "alright, alright I'm up! but do I hafto be?" I was entertained despite not getting to sleep either. It's the little things.

NUMBER FOUR!

Speaking of the little things...I was feeling lucky earlier today so my hunnie bought $4.00 in scratcher tickets. We won a total of $15.00 between the two. =) I'm not really big on gambling and I don't play the lottery but every great now and then when I get a hunch I'll do scratcher tickets. So basically our QT trip was free. =) Yup, the little things.

And last but definitely not least! I wrote a quick story for my local fashion website Fashion Forward Tucson today and it was featured as a top story on Tucson Fashion Weekly! I got the notification via my twitter mentions. How neat is that? Overall, it was a great day, I'm smiling, and tomorrow's Friday!

Sweet Dreams!

Holly Dolly

Bohemian Maternity Wrap Top, Mossimo Supply Co. Boots, and the Canon SX160

2012-10-25T20:29:00.001-07:00

My husband Stephen's grandma bought me this super comfortable purple bohemian maternity wrap top when I was pregnant with Brody. It doubles as a nursing top so it's a piece that has stayed in my closet. She has great taste in clothes.

I wore the purple wrap top with a pair of dark wash maternity skinny jeans from PinkBlush and my Mossimo Supply Co. Kari boots from Target. The Gateway Arch handbag is from JustFabulous and my accessories are a combination of Claire's and Target purchases.

Once I hoisted myself onto the edge of that wall from the ground, I couldn't get off. Also I was careless and scratched up the heels on the back of my boots. Oops...

I didn't want to jump down because super baby is already pulling so many muscles to the extreme, simply climbing out of bed is a chore anymore. So I pulled my legs up but then they went numb so I just sat there and sat there after Stephen went inside, trying to decide whether to roll off or risk pulling a muscle hoisting myself over with the chair... until I heard one of my kiddos slip and fall and an adrenaline rush turned me superhuman and in the blink of an eye I somehow had managed to waddle into the house to make sure he was alright. He was fine thank goodness!

Boys...they're always hurting themselves one way or another. Anyway this is what I wore yesterday. The sun went down fast, sorry about the poor quality of lighting.

I'm still saving up for the Canon. I've decided on the SX160 instead of the SX150 now. I have gone way to long without a decent camera. It is much needed. Maybe I'll even consider a DSLR in the future, but for now I think that the Canon will do just fine.

What kind of camera do you use and what do you like the most about it? If you don't like your current camera then what camera do you have your eye on? Let's discuss the pros and cons of the digital cameras available on the market today. The Canon SX160 is in my price-point and has the features I need. If you can recommend something better for the same price point I'd really appreciate reading about it. Leave your comments below.

Daily Five- My Son Is From Another Planet, SongPop and More

2012-10-24T23:45:00.000-07:00

I'm running on 3 hours of interrupted sleep today and I've decided that my 3 year old son Michael is definitely from another planet...a planet where it is normal to be this (see above) hyper at 5:51 in the morning. That kid was non-stop action aaalllll day people. But I must admit he was very entertaining. Upon me telling him that the baby was kicking he said, "I can kick him back for you Mom." Yup that's Michael.

My review on the Glade Expressions Collection is up. I had the chance to review both the Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser and the Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist c/o BzzAgent...

Speaking of BzzAgent, The Green Mountain Coffee Organic House Blend they sent me turned out perfect today! Apparently measuring out the grounds with an actual measuring spoon vs a regular spoon spoon was the key to getting the perfect cup of coffee. Boy did I need that perfect cup of coffee today! Yum. I really like that not only did I get great coffee this morning but knowing that the brand is Fair Trade certified, supports small farmers, and is very careful about where they source from, just felt good.

This is a well-rooted cut off of the plant that I got for my birthday as well as a recently rooted cut from one of my pothos plants. The birthday plant cut has taken off therefore I think I might just rock at this houseplant thing! Yay! I love plants. These cuttings are going to be mailed all the way to Michigan! Here's hoping they survive because if they do I'm going to look into some plant swapping groups online to find some more unique plants to add to my collection while sharing what I've got as well.

SongPop! It is my latest "game" app addiction. (I took the picture off of the Google Play Store website) If you haven't tried SongPop yet and you're into trivia and music this might be the app for you so check it out! I personally am kicking butt at the 90's alternative, Classic Rock, and Love Songs categories. You can link the app with your FB account and play with your friends and family. Fun stuff! Oh and it's FREE! If you follow me on Twitter you can catch my link to challenge me every now and then ;)

Sweet Dreams!

Holly Dolly

Glade Expressions Collection Review

2012-10-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

My Glade Expressions Collection review is on the Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser Kit in Pineapple and Mangosteen as well as the Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist Kit in Fuji Apple and Cardamom Spice. I received coupons from BzzAgent redeemable for free products and used them at my local Fry's (Kroger). All opinions are my own.

Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser Kit

The first thing that caught my attention about the Glade Expressions oil diffuser was the neat design of the piece. It totally has the potential to blend in with most home decor. Depending on the fragrance of the starter kit you choose, your oil diffuser display may be white or bamboo. I didn't prefer the fragrance of the only other scent available at my store (lavender and juniper berry) so I chose pineapple & mangosteen with the bamboo holder.

The oil diffuser comes in three pieces. There is a diffuser card, the fragrance oil itself, and the display. You click the card into place on the oil bottle then you set it inside of the display tray. My diffuser card bent when I was trying to click it in. I was really impressed with the fragrance for the first day and a half. It filled my whole kitchen and dining room and left light touches of fragrance throughout the living room. It was YUM! I love pineapple...but after that first day and a half it didn't do a thing. There is still plenty of oil in the bottle now, 10 days after I first opened it, but it isn't diffusing anywhere but right up close. I have to pick up the diffuser and take a big whiff in order to smell it. Is it worth the price it retails for? Nah. They have a money back guarantee though if you want to risk the buy. In my opinion though the results just don't last. They're supposed to last for 30 days but alas they don't. The stand is still cute though. I think I'll make my own reed diffuser with kabob skewers to set inside of the stand.

Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist Starter Kit

The Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist kit is nifty! I was so happy to see that it was available in Fuji Apple & Cardamom Spice (the fragrance I was hoping to find for the diffuser kit as well) at my local store.

Basically you click a fragrance mist refill into place inside of a really nice holder, then you spin a stopper into place on the bottle and tada! you have a fragrance mist that you can display like decor anywhere and have on hand at anytime! You can squeeze the top to diffuse the spray into the room. The red peeking through the top from the Fuji Apple & Cardamom Spice refill blends well with my candy apple red walls. I like the fragrance and I like the holder. It's just a mist so it doesn't last all day but I think it's worth the retail price. The downside is the collection isn't being carried by many stores in my area and the ones that do have it don't have it in every fragrance. When I can find the pineapple refill I'll be picking it up for my container.

Here is a picture of my Glade Expressions Collection on display. I hope that you found my Glade Expressions Collection review helpful in making future purchasing decisions. Right now I'm enjoying my Fall Collection Limited Edition Glade Spray in Apple Cinnamon. My honey picked it up last week. It's totally heaven and guess what? NO PHTHALATES baby!

Thanks For Reading! What are your favorite Glade products? Have you tried the Expressions collection yet? Leave your comments below!

Daily Five - Green Mountain Coffee and More!

2012-10-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

I think this new segment is going to be a lot of fun and it definitely had me brainstorming about a million and a half ideas when all I need are five. So, here's to content inspiration and the daily five!

I'm participating in the Green Mountain Coffee campaign for BzzAgent. This morning I brewed myself a cup of Green Mountain Coffee Organic House Blend. It smelled like heaven and didn't taste to bad either, I felt like it was maybe a little more bitter than I'd prefer (I drink my coffee black) but I could have gotten the measurements wrong when I spooned it out for 1 cup vs an 8 cup pot. I'm going to try it out again tomorrow. All in all I finished the whole cup and went about my day energized and jitter-free! Come back for my full review soon!

This gorgeous baby boy of mine took two steps today! We were dancing, I let go of his waist, and off he went taking two steps forward before he turned and grabbed the couch. We were both very proud =D

I see evidence of a bubbly ducky bath. Baby boy has learned to LOVE baths too! He climbed in the tub fully clothed and ready to go after dinner! Which brings me on to number three of today's daily five...

I made Hawaiian chicken, homemade mashed potatoes w/gravy, corn, and biscuits for dinner tonight. I tweeted about it with the hashtag #itswhatsfordinner. I think I'm going to use this hashtag on a pretty regular basis and I'd love if you all would join in using the same hashtag. This recipe was fairly simple to make, I tend to keep most meals as simple and as quick as possible, with my big family it's a must!

I got notification by email today that I was a winner for Style Delight's InPink giveaway! I received a $40.00 gift certificate, used it this evening, and scored a total of $50.00 in super cute jewelry for $10.00 and free shipping! I'm in love with this website. They have the cutest pieces! I can't wait to get my order! I already made myself a wishlist and sent it to my hubby and my mom. Thank you InPink and Style Delights for such an amazing giveaway!

I was catching up on my blog subscriptions earlier when I read a lovely little blog's post where she mentioned a product she was going to try for mask Monday. Reading about masks reminded me that I'm overdue for a face pampering day myself so today I took a little time for my face. After washing my face this morning I gave myself a microdermabrasion treatment, then this evening before dinner I put on a mask after washing my face and applying my night solution. I actually just finished rinsing off my moisture renewal mask, slathering on my long-time favorite St. Ives Collagen Elastin Facial Moisturizer(which I'm just about out of) snapping a picture of myself and putting together this collage. I am so ready for bed! My face feels great, dinner was good, my baby is almost walking, I won a giveaway, and life is AWESOME.

Sweet Dreams!

Holly Dolly

I disclose! This post contains an amazon affiliate link for my favorite St.Ives moisturizer. I am a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant. As always all opinions in this post are my own. See my disclosure policy for more information.

Fall Florals and Purple Tights

2012-10-09T21:55:00.000-07:00

I've had this bat-wing floral sweater dress-tunic for a couple of years now. Bold florals are back for Fall this season and well I just love this top anyway, it's roomy enough for my baby bump, so I decided to wear it as a dress with my new purple tights.

I really miss wearing my high heels!!! soon soon soon =) I think I might possibly have more heels than I do clothes. Shoe collection post soon? maybe! Good reason for organizing my closet for sure. My apartment had a huge walk-in, the closet we have in the house is seriously so small in comparison to the one we had at the apartment. Stephen's jerseys take up just about all of it, it's definitely going to get re-done for functional purposes someday.

Outfit Details

*floral top - amiclubwear
*bangle - gifted from my aunt
*purple Merona tights - Target
*gateway arch handbag - JustFab
*purple "mardi gras" beads
*black flats - Cato

Maternity Fashion Wedding Guest Outfit

2012-10-07T21:39:00.000-07:00

The amazing woman who hired me, little did I know then, for the sole purpose of matchmaking me to her assistant manager Stephen, who is now my husband, had a beautiful backyard wedding on the 6th! She looked stunning in a gorgeous purple dress paired with a glowing smile. It was a very joyous day and I'm glad my family and I got to be there to witness and celebrate the occasion. It was wonderful to see someone who has been such a blessing in our lives, be blessed herself with so much love and happiness. =)

Congratulations to the bride and groom!

So what on earth do you wear to a wedding as a super pregnant guest? I pulled half an outfit together and realized it just wasn't gonna cut it, so I bought the rest of the outfit at Target, changed in the dressing rooms at the store and off we went! No worries I wore shorts under that partially sheer dress while shopping ;)

My maternity fashion wedding guest outfit consists of a cream colored miley cyrus strapless bubble dress purchased from Walmart a few years ago. Opaque purple Merona tights from Target, (a little over 8.00) Mossimo Supply Co. Kari boots from Target, (34.99) a brown waist belt with hardware detailing from Love Culture, bracelets from Target, (I bought 2 sets for 7.99 ea) pearl earrings from Helzberg Diamonds, and a floral locket from Claire's completed the look.

I love the tights but I already have a run in them from snagging them with my ring when I pulled them on. =( note to self, remove rings before pulling on tights. It's been so long since I've worn tights, I need to pick up some more pairs for my fall/winter wardrobe.

The boots are so comfortable! I've been steering clear of heels throughout this pregnancy to help prevent spider veins and circulation issues in my legs. I did fine in heels with my last pregnancy but this pregnancy they put my feet right to sleep and/or cause me to get dizzy and feel faint faster than I already do. These boots felt a lot more supportive under my pregnant proportions, after awhile they wore me out but they were definitely worth the buy. I can see myself wearing these for years to come. I'm glad I decided on them.

"If I had a long chunky knit cardigan in purple I would have worn that too" was a thought that passed through my mind on the ride there. Wouldn't that just totally make the outfit? I think so...

Slowly but surely the main parts of our house are being re-decorated to suit my tastes in design. As you can see, the backdrop of my outfit photos has changed from a taupe beige to candy apple red! The end result in my head is spectacular, you'll just have to wait, watch, and see it unveiled in reality. I love decorating and designing every detail of different rooms even if it is just in my imagination most of the time. I have a creative bug that can't be cured.

Read More

Red Stripes on a Sunday

2012-09-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that in recent posts on this blog there have been more and more pictures including my pets and kids. My blog description has changed. You also may have noticed additions to my page links up top like "Home and Garden" for instance.

I've decided to broaden my blogging horizons to include more of what matters most to me. Sometimes blogging about just one thing can become monotonous, especially when there are so many other things in my life that bring me joy. (such as Brody whizzing by in his walker in the picture to your left)

I am adding a more personal touch to this blog by writing more about my everyday life as well as my interests in fashion and beauty. My blog isn't an escape from reality, it's part of my reality so why not give you all a glimpse of the rest of my reality while I'm at it? I am a mom, I am a wife, I am a pet-owner, a home-maker, a dreamer and so much more. These parts of my life are HUGE influences on my interests in fashion and beauty related stuff.

I feel that this change will give me more of a creative edge as well as the motivation to keep publishing on a regular basis. After all, there is no greater privilege as a writer or blogger than to write about something that has meaning to oneself.

red cardigan, red stripes, red feather earrings

I hope that my readers will enjoy this fresh new take on Holly Dolly Fashion and I'm looking forward to all of the feedback along the way. Thanks for sticking with me! Your positive comments and continued support are the reason this blog is still here! Here's to many more years of content on HDF!

Outfit Details:

I pulled my hair up in a high bun and let it kind of fall over to the side while wet. I have heavy hair. I left bangs out to sweep to the side and frame my face on the other side. I don't do updos very often because my hair gives me a headache and I'm still learning how to flatter the shape of my face. I think bangs are a must for me again and I plan to get them re-done after delivery.

My red feather earrings are from UrbanOg as well as the bag. The red cardigan is from PinkBlush Maternity. The red striped top is from Ross. My black maternity slacks are from PinkBlush and the black flats are from Cato.

(I've started painting the walls in my house candy apple red. You'll see the home design transformation throughout future posts.)

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Fall Smokey Safari Trend Daytime Look

2012-09-24T17:35:00.001-07:00

I love a dramatic eye shadow look and this Fall's smokey safari trend is no exception but
after a restless night and 2 hours of sleep I really needed to play down the bold and play up the "let's look awake even though I'm dead tired" look.

Smokey Safari Trend Tutorial:

I concentrated all of the color/mascara on my upper lash-line and towards my brow. I started with a shimmery gold shade and covered my eyelids, then I took a shimmery bronze to the middle of my lids and blended it towards my inner eye. I used a matte brown in my crease and up and smudged it out and finished the look with a brown marker eyeliner. I then lined my lower water line, brow bone, and inner corner of my eye with a slight shimmery white to draw attention away from looking tired and make the whites of my eyes look brighter. I left mascara off my lower lash line so as not to contribute to looking tired under the eyes.

You can take this look from day to night by applying brown liner in both water lines. Lining the lower lash line with brown eye shadow using a liner brush and blending it out and up towards the brown in the crease with a crease brush. Smudging out the liner all the way around and blending it with the rest of your eye shadow will finish the smokey effect. Use a volumizing and lengthening mascara on your upper and lower lash lines and fill in your brows to complete the look. Use false lashes if you want to add more drama.

Products Used:

I created this off the runway look using the Coastal Scents 88 Warm Palette, (click here to see my swatches and review on that palette) e.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen, Mary Kay Lash Love Mascara, and the Mary Kay Brush Collection.

Disclaimer: I am an Independent Beauty Consultant. All opinions are my own. All products used and mentioned were purchased with my own money.

What Fall make-up trends are you loving right now? How do you look more fresh-faced without sleep? Leave me your tips and comments below and let me know what you think of this Fall smokey safari trend daytime look.

xoxo-

Holly Dolly

Evologie Stay Clear Review and Free Sample

2012-09-21T01:36:00.000-07:00

The Evologie Stay Clear products were recently sent to me for review via BeautyStat. I am a member of the BeautyStat Blogger Network. They send me new products to try in exchange for my opinion on them and general word of mouth advertising. I am not being compensated for this post.

Read on to see 7 days of pictures and my full review on these products. Then! Help me win a contest by picking up a free sample ($15.00 value!) for yourself using my special coupon code at the end of this post! (contest is now over but you can still get a sample for $2.85 shipping at http://www.evologie.com/samples)

Thanks for reading!

Almost OxBlood Cable Knit Sweater

2012-09-16T23:46:00.000-07:00

I love cable-knit sweaters so naturally I couldn't resist wearing this the very next day after I brought it home. It's not quite maroon but it's not quite oxblood either so I've decided the color is "Almost Oxblood" and I'll just leave it at that.

I wore the cable knit sweater from H&M with my new H&M rose necklace, some dress slacks from PinkBlush Maternity and flats from Cato.

Happy 22nd Birthday to Me! Outfit and Presents

2012-09-15T01:09:00.000-07:00

I'm 22...another year, another number. I'm not sure if I actually feel like I'm in my 20's yet, I think I'll just stay 19 forever. Anyway I turned 22, and to celebrate the existence of me, my husband Stephen took me out to eat at Olive Garden woo hoo! We ordered a whole bunch of food and ate it and we were pretty much conversation-less the whole time because we agreed not to talk about the kids and neither of us knew what else to talk about, talk about laaaaaame. It's okay, our 3 year old thinks we're cool still. Apparently we just don't get out enough, that and we're very dedicated to our kiddos. If you, like me, have a million kids and never get out then you know exactly what I'm talking about. The first hour or so is like dating all over again! So awkward. As the evening progressed we managed to get in a few laughs and plenty of conversation (mostly about Stephen in a skirt...long story ha ha) and all in all I had a good birthday. Here are some pictures!

Stephen bought me some really pretty birthday roses the day before my birthday

I love plants, I also love purple and green. My Mom, Dad, and my brother Max got me this really awesome houseplant. It's so pretttttttyyyyy! They know me well. =) Anyone know what this thing is called? I forgot. Who knew that leaves could glitter and come in purple too! I'm just so in love with this thing!

My oldest son, Matthew, made me this bracelet. *heart melts*

I squealed "they...have....CABLE-KNIT!???!!!!???" shortly after walking into the new H&M at the Park Place Mall here in Tucson and 3 minutes later it was mine.

This necklace too =) SCORE. *sigh* he spoils me...I deserve it.

Blue Cardi Casual

2012-09-07T22:47:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you're just in a rush and don't have time to put thought or sincere effort into an outfit. This is where cardigans come in. A simple cardigan is a great wardrobe enhancing addition to have in your closet for every day wear. A simple errand running tee or camisole with jeans can be dressed up fast with outerwear, whether it's a cardigan or a trendy jacket.

Tossing a cardigan on over jeans and a plain shirt is quick, it's comfortable, yes it's casual, but it's still fashionable. It's a good way to look more put together when you otherwise wouldn't be. I don't know what I would do without my cardigans. I love them!

In today's "blue cardi casual" outfit post I paired a navy blue cardigan from PinkBlush Maternity with a white cami and maternity skinny jeans from the same online store. I also wore my black crochet boots from Go Jane and my slouchy UrbanOg handbag.

This is one of the most regular ways that I tend to style "running out the door" clothes. How do you make your errand running outfits fashion conscious? Leave your comments below!

Thanks for reading!

- Holly

Pink V-Neck Maternity Sweater and Crochet Boots

2012-09-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

Pink is such a happy color so when I saw this pink v-neck sweater on PinkBlush Maternity's website I couldn't resist!

Sometimes maternity fashion can get boring, so many neutrals and classic black and white shades. I like to brighten things up every once in awhile. This sweater has become my go-to for doing just that.

I paired my pink v-neck maternity sweater with my black crochet boots from GoJane, my maternity skinny jeans from PinkBlush, and a floral locket from Claire's. The handbag is from UrbanOg.

How do YOU get rid of the monotony in sub-category wardrobes such as maternity, post-delivery, workplace, or school uniforms? Leave your comments below! I would love to hear your ideas!

If you haven't yet be sure to subscribe for email updates, like Holly Dolly Fashion on Facebook, and follow on Twitter. Thank you so much for reading my blog and leaving your comments! I look forward to each and every one!

xoxo-

Holly Dolly

Gothic Romance - Black Lace Maxi Dress

2012-08-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

This is one of my most favorite maternity looks I've come up with so far. I paired a red cardigan and a black lace overlay maxi dress from PinkBlush Maternity with a layered necklace and a pair of crochet flat boots from GoJane. I also wore a pair of dangle earrings, a handbag from UrbanOg and dark eyeliner.

Red and black is a color scheme I tend to wear and use quite a bit. I just really love how well the two shades of color pair together. I also enjoy vampy, gothic-type looks in general. Romantic evening outfits, and statement pieces with edge.

I'm thinking nah on the boots next time though. They look much better with shorts or skinny jeans. How about you? What shoe styles do you wear with a maxi dress? If I had the choice of a flat, gold, gladiator sandal in my closet I think that would be the go-to shoe I would pair with this dress next.

Do you like how I styled this maxi dress for fall? What other ways would you style it? I want to know!

Accessory Close-Up: Earrings - Claire's or Icing, Layered Necklace - GoJane

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get my gothic romance look for yourself with these pieces from ShopStyle:

Sandals
Satchels

Country Girl Casual - GoJane Crochet Boots

2012-08-24T01:52:00.000-07:00

I ordered these cutsie black, flat crochet boots from GoJane shortly after I ordered a bunch of stuff from PinkBlush Maternity and I've been wearing them everywhere!

They're so comfortable, breathable, and stylish. I really like how they look paired with shorts, but I've worn them with skinny jeans and my black lace maxi dress as well.

I balanced out the crochet with my crochet detailed top I bought from Motherhood Maternity back when I was pregnant with Brody. Dangle earrings from either Claire's or Icing (same difference right) and my maternity shorts from PinkBlush Maternity completed the look.

This fun, free-spirited, outfit made me wish I was at my Grandma's house in Michigan so I could go frolic around in the field, suck on sweet clovers, and walk through the woods...

Country girl casual. A cute outfit that you can roughhouse in or shop in...

My Pomeranian, Cher, is smitten with the camera. LOL at her "over the shoulder smolder" red carpet pose. That dog literally follows me everywhere and if I shut a door before she gets in, she makes snorting noises at the bottom of it all creeper-like. Stalker... Gotta love her.

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xoxo -

Holly Dolly

PinkBlush Maternity Shopping Haul

2012-08-17T03:16:00.000-07:00

Upon prompting from my sister in law after she tagged me in some pics from PinkBlush Maternity's facebook page of styles she thought I'd like, I finally decided it was time to buy myself some maternity clothes. After all, with this growing belly I was running out of options.

PinkBlush Maternity has some really cute stuff, they're affordable, and their customer service is off the chain. I left them this comment on their Facebook page after receiving my order. (they changed their name to PinkBlush recently)

Yep! I'm that impressed. I was even more impressed after getting the chance to try everything I ordered on. So without further ado, here is what I bought from pinkblushmaternity.com

Fall Fashion's Timeless Trends

2012-08-10T02:26:00.000-07:00

I'm a total sucker for Fall. It's my favorite season of all time, granted aside from the gorgeous butterflies and the tolerable weather, Tucson doesn't have much to show for it, but hey I can always imagine myself back in Michigan when all the leaves are changing color, the geese start migrating south, the air becomes crisper and cooler and the wonderful smell of wood burning stoves fill the air. Oh and Fall food! YUM! Stews and pies and corn on the cob and pumpkins (I have a batch of chicken stew with parslied dumplings on the stove as I type this)...all the beautiful fall flora, veggies, and fruits ready for harvest. Farmer's markets, hay-rides, the big, beautiful, orange harvest moon against the midnight sky. Halloween!

I also breathe for Fall fashion. Okay I breathe for much more than fashion but I can't get enough of classic, timeless, fall trends. Read on to learn about some of my personal favorite Fall fashions then tell me about yours!

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