Sugar Hair Exfoliate

I started to really feel product buildup in my hair/scalp & it was stressing me out! I can't stand that feeling so I decided to do an exfoliate!
I didn't measure this out perfectly,  I just put a scoop of brown sugar and I added in a smaller amount of granulated white sugar for extra exfoliation.  Just do as much or little as you would like! I then added in enough conditioner to make it like a paste. I just gooped it into my hands and massaged it using small circular motions all over my scalp for about 5 minutes.
I then hopped in the shower and rinsed it out completely.
You can shampoo & condition as normal, but I decided to just shampoo with baby shampoo and I wrapped it up in a bun and let my hair rest for a day! The next day, I warmed up a good amount of coconut oil in the microwave for about 30 seconds and poured it all over my scalp/hair (be sure not to overheat and burn yourself). I wrapped my hair up in a towel and let it sit for a few hours and I rinsed thoroughly.  I dabbed a quarter sized amount of baby shampoo again to wash out any greasiness from the coconut oil and rinsed again using really cold water.

I know it seems like a lot, but you can just do the sugar exfoliate and shampoo & condition as normal.

Anyways, my hair felt great today! Super soft and clean!
Comment below if you have any questions or comments!

Fashion

I love this look! Found these short overalls at H&M for $25 and this adorable striped button-up tank for $17.

Fashion

Beauty

I love this stuff and I love it even more because it was free! The last time I went to Sephora, I had some points built up and had an option and I choose this cute little pot of eye cream. 'It's Potent' by benefit is an under eye cream that fades dark circles and helps smooth fine lines to give you a brighter and more youthful look. It's not an immediate fix, but you can definitely tell a difference over time. After I run out of the sample, I will definitely spend the $34. It is a good investment and helps with my occasional insomnia. I'm currently running on day 5 of the worst sleep pattern I have ever encountered. 

Fashion/Decor

       Don't act too good for Goodwill.

I have no shame going to Goodwill on any given day to look for worn in tees, decor, and anything I can get my hands on for a rainy day crafting/Pinterest project. I first browse the men's t-shirt isle for any cool concert tees or old/vintage looking sport tees. Today, I found a cool Beatles t-shirt. For a couple of bucks, you can't really pass that up. I don't usually browse the women's section, because it usually consists of old Liz Taylor tops and baby tees, but I casually ran across a Calypso St. Barts button up flannel that I immediately got excited about. I follow that boutique on my instagram and they always have cute stuff. Sold!
Next stop, decor or shall we say potential decor. I found a Tennessee tray with the state flower and every city hand-written in gold. If I see something Tennessee in the state of Kentucky, SOLD. 

Might hang it on the wall or use it to put some candles on, not too sure yet. Then, I run across this military looking mirror. I really love fish eye mirrors.  Lastly, I see this little pastry pan and I thought it would be super cute to put some little eye creams, soaps, etc. in and place it on my bathroom counter. Looks way better than a plastic tub!
Anyways, hope this inspires you to hit up your local Goodwill or thrift store to find inexpensive things to wear or to add a little unique decor for your home! I also suggest finding some good estate sales in your area, they always have some awesome/unique stuff.
My style is old with new, expensive with inexpensive. When someone has their look too matchy-matchy, with fashion or with their home, it just doesn't seem comfortable or "real". Don't get me wrong, I love nice things, but I like to add in an old vintage suitcase next to my $3000 flatscreen TV, or throw on an old $2 concert tee with a $1000 pair of Golden Goose riding boots and a rag+bone flannel.  It just works for me.

Oh, and my total for the items shown was under $12. You can't beat that.

Drink

              Red Wine Berry Spritzer
-3 parts LaCroix cran - raspberry sparkling water.
-1 part red wine ( I used a red blend)
-handful of frozen berries
-ice cubes

Perfect summer drink!

Fashion

                Coachella Fashion.

      I look forward to seeing all the fashion and I love all the different looks.

        Here are some of my favorites. 

Fashion

                   Hair Fashion.

Throw on a simple basic tank, some cut-off denim shorts, gladiator sandals and a pretty hair accessory. 

                

Food

                         

  These mini pizzas are not only adorable, but they are delicious, super easy and quick! It's a perfect after-school snack/lunch or even a quick dinner!

We made a veggie pizza last night, so I had some leftover pizza sauce and other ingredients so I decided to whip something together.

What you need:

•Sandwich slims (I used multi-grain, Kroger brand) They are only about 90 calories! 

• Pizza sauce! 1 can crushed tomatoes, 1 small can of tomato paste, dash of Italian seasoning, dash of sugar, dash of salt and pepper) or you can just use a pre-made can of pizza sauce. It's that easy!

• Shredded mozzarella cheese (just use your judgement when sprinkling onto "crust". I used a little more than usual so these were extra cheesy! 

• Mini pepperonis. However many you want! 

This is a fun lunch/snack/dinner to make with the kids! Just lay out the ingredients and let them make them how they want! You can even add mushrooms, onions, sausage...whatever your heart desires!

Just pop in the oven (directly on rack) at 350 degree for about 10-12 minutes! 

Fashion

        Pretty obsessed with tie-dye. 

  Always have been, probably always will.

You can usually find tie-dye print every where. (Forever 21, Victoria's Secret, H&M, nastygal) Here are some cute looks that I have found and would totally wear for a casual look or dress it up for a night look! 

Food

    Trader Joes

         Oh, how I love this place. 

Now, I haven't fully devoted my entire grocery shopping list to them, but it's pretty close. The only thing I go to Kroger for nowadays is for meds, sandwich meat, bread and detergent/cleaning products. I have a few items in the picture above that are must-haves!

• The baked jalapeño cheese crunchies (kind of like a taco Cheetos!

• Coconut cashews! They are always sold out, because they are THAT GOOD!

• Cookie butter. Like, that even sounds delicious. You can spread it on cookies, bread, bagels, fruit, anything.

• Coconut Oil. All the rage and it's cheaper here than most places!

• Dark chocolate pomegranate seeds. So good, kind of has a coffee taste. Perfect little snack to have at your desk at work!

• What's better than Coconut Oil? Coconut oil spray. Perfect for cooking and without the mess! 

• Maple Leaf cookies. Delicious and perfect with a cup of coffee or hot tea. 

• Gone Bananas, chocolate covered frozen bananas. Yum! And only $1.99! Sure beats the new Dole dippers that are close to $5! 

• Ultimate Vanilla Wafers. These vanilla wafers are like vanilla bean wafers. Light and crunchy and the best cookie to spread the cookie butter on! 

I also always buy:

• Steamable bag of brussel spouts (cheaper than Kroger!)

• Bananas! (19cents a piece)

• The containers of tortellini or ravioli!  They have a variety of stuffed pasta and they are cheap and take about 3 minutes to make! Perfect for those nights you want a quick meal! 

•  Trader Joes has the perfect variety of fruit chips, trail mix, nuts, freeze dried fruits, and  crunchy veggies. 

• The cutest flowers and decent wine for someone who likes the finer things in life but has a tight budget!

 All in all, Trader Joes is the best place to try things! Most items are under a few bucks and it wouldn't be a total loss if you had to toss it. They always have samples going on and that can also help you pick some things! Yesterday they had lemonade and they whipped up a BBQ chicken pizza with the frozen pizza dough they sell, pre-cooked, sliced chicken, yummy BBQ sauce and cheese.  It's a complete meal and they have all the ingredients in the meal sitting right there to just grab! 

I could go on and on about the good  things they have going on there, but you'll just have to check it out yourself and find what's best for you! 

Beauty

   Just some things I am loving right now.

The Mint Julep mask I got from Ulta (and I believe they have it at most drug stores) is under $5 and it is one of my favorite facial masks I have used! It has a similar 

effect as the overly-expensive Glam Glow mask from Sephora. You can really feel it working and my face feels amazing afterwards! 

The Garnier Clean Charcoal scrub is amaze. My boyfriend's sister told me about it and I'm glad she did. It smells so good and you can really feel it working. I don't have oily skin, but I really like it! (I got mine at Walgreens and the girl at the cosmetic counter gave me a coupon! Always ask them if they have any, she had a stash behind her counter).

The Cleanlogic exfoliating pads are THE BEST. I found these at Marshall's for $3 and they work great! There are 2 sides, one is a regular textured scrubber and the other side is an exfoliater. I will never go back to a loofah. 

Lastly, the Garnier Sleek & Shine leave-in conditioning cream has become a part of my daily hair routine. I color my hair and also do the ombre at the bottoms of my hair, which makes it look super dry! I hate that. I was at Target one day and ran across this stuff for only $2.50 and I couldn't have found a better product, surprisingly. I just squeeze a quarter-sized amount all over my hair and then dry and style as usual. No rinsing! 

Enjoy! xox

Fashion

I love most things with skulls. Alexander McQueen for example. There's a difference between a classy skull (is that possible?) and a trashy skull. Ya know, the skull and crossbones, yeah not so much. The "Affliction" skull....put it down.  I have a pair of skull print leggings from H&M and I like to pair it with a denim button up and ankle boots or I have an Alexander McQueen red and navy scarf I like to throw on with boyfriend jeans, simple t-shirt or tank and some combats. Don't overload it with other tacky prints. It should be at a minimum. xox 

Drink

I love coffee. Especially, iced coffee. Thank goodness I have a Keurig, because I have never been able to make a good pot of coffee. (My favorite k-cups are the Caribou coffee medium roast cups).

Simple 'vanilla' syrup:

Boil 1 cup water and 1 cup of sugar.

Add 1 tsp of vanilla extract.

This will make quite a bit, but you can store it in your fridge for up to 2 weeks! 

Let cool.

Pour coffee over ice cubes and add milk or cream. (I used almond milk) 

Then add your simple syrup.

And of course, serve it in a mason jar. You can even add a little whipped cream and a caramel drizzle. 

Fashion

 Let's talk about how cute these are??? They are the perfect shoe for transitioning from winter to spring.  So if it's a little warm out you can slip these on and head out instead of putting on a pair of UGGs or putting clunky boots on.  Last weekend in Nashville, it was warm out, but let's not get crazy and throw on a pair of flip-flops, baby steps guys! Nothing is tackier to me than someone jumping the gun on the seasons.  Just because it warmed up a little above 20 degrees doesn't mean you pull out your summer clothes and get your summer pedicure. You can find these gems in a variety of colors at Target for only $20!

Side note: After I left Target, I saw some exact moccasin's at TJ Maxx that were Minnetonka's for a lot more!

Beauty

If you wear make-up at all, I'm sure you know how amazing Sephora is and I am sure you have a Beauty Insider card, right?

Well, if you don't, get on it. It's free and it has its perks!

You rack up points and get free stuff! It's usually mini versions of the good stuff, but it will help you decide if you can live without it or not.  You also get a free gift on your Birthday! I got a mini version of Makeup Forever's smoky lash mascara and a dark matte red mini lipstick by Makeup Forever. Score!! Perfect size to throw in my purse!

Food

 

This is probably the best lasagna I have ever had. (sorry, mom!)

I have always, always, always used my mom's recipe and never thought of using anything else....well, until I recently fell in love with The Pioneer Woman.  Her recipes are fairly easy and the food is to die for. I record her shows, read her blog, and run across her stuff on Pinterest all the time. 

Recipe Here!

Also, I used fresh mozzarella and sliced it instead of buying the pre-sliced mozzarella. Normally, it would cost a bit more, but I found some on sale in the deli/cheese department at Kroger and it ended up being a few bucks cheaper than buying 2-3 packages of pre-sliced mozzarella (and it was delicious).

Prepare for a feast. It serves 12 people and it's perfect for family dinner.

Fashion

Copy Cat

 

I absolutely love the dress that Kim Kardashian wore when she had the dream proposal on her show 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' from Kanye West.  Now, I pretty much stay in the dark tones, okay I pretty much only like black clothes, but this dress is perfect. The price, ehh no so much. The dress Kim is wearing is Valentino and around $9,900.  I don't think so. Well, I found a very similar dress at Shop Daily Chic for only $58!!!!

Click here to go directly to dress!

Source: E! News

Fashion

When I need a little direction when choosing an amazing outfit, I usually will browse the internet, fashion magazines, Pinterest fashion boards, whatever. I will screen shot some pictures for inspiration and head to the mall.  Now I know that I am 28 (29 tomorrow, but I am still going to hang on to my last day of being 28), but I usually hit up Forever 21 first.  They carry a lot of replicated designer pieces and it is very affordable.  I am also limited to good shopping here in Lexington, but if I were in Nashville, I would look at H&M and Urban Outfitters, too. 

I feel like I get so overwhelmed and excited when I am shopping that I lose my vision, that's why I find an inspiration look before I leave the house and once I get there, I know what I am looking for.  You don't want to do exact pieces (obviously). Add in your flair and style, make it your own! That is what fashion is all about.

I have mastered this.

I found this picture (left) on Pinterest and fell in love with the look.  So, I went to Forever 21 and found similar pieces and re-created the look for less.

Leopard Skirt/Forever 21  $8.80

Van Halen T/Forever 21 $17.00

Neon layered necklace/Forever 21 $6.80

Chain Black Purse/Forever 21  Sale $6.99

Vest/Express (but found it at Goodwill for $3 and actually found $15 in the pocket, Score!!)

Fashion

A few more last minute Valentine's Day outfit inspiration pics! xoxoxo 

Fashion

             Valentine's Day inspiration.

    

Fashion

                           DVF

          Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

                     Spring 2014

Fashion

                           DVF

         Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

                        Fall 2014

Fashion

        Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

                           BCBG

                       Spring 2014

Beauty

Orange is the New Red.

 

Went to MAC last week and had my sights set on Lady Danger.  I was browsing through Pinterest and had ran across that color and loved it.  Well, I tried the color on (and some others) and walked around the mall to kind of see how I liked it.  I am not a huge impulse buyer and I really like to try lipstick on and see how I like it, especially when I can catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror at a store or something. Seems weird, but I recommend doing it.  I tend to like lipstick on other people and not on myself, so before I splurge on a $15 tube of lipstick, I want to make sure it is a color that looks good on me. 

Another color that I also tried on was Morange. My boyfriend kind of gave me a "whoa" look because it is a little neon, but usually when I raise an eyebrow, I sort of obsess over whatever it is that makes people do that.  As I was checking out, I asked the girls at the counter, "Morange or Lady Danger?" and they both said "Lady Danger".  I bought it.  I knew the minute that I did, that I should have just gone with the other. I tend to go against the grain, so when people tell me one thing, I usually do the opposite. The second I got in the car I made the decision to return it and go back and get Morange. So the next day, I dragged my indecisive self to the mall and exchanged it for a more "stand-out" color. 

I also ran across an article about Orange lipstick and kind of had that in the back of my head when I was trying colors on. Orange is on trend for Spring 2014 and a lot of designers showcased that on the runways at New York Fashion Week. Click Here for some inspiration. 

 

 

Fashion

 Love the pale pink and gold accessories.

                   

Fashion

         Love this casual/chic look. 

       Tom Ford.

Beauty

              My favorite beauty tool. 

Fashion

On Top with the Trends

Bought this little gem a week after Christmas.  Love when I find a good quality shirt at Forever 21.  The fabric felt good and didn't feel "cheap".  At only $29.00, I had to buy it and I am glad I did. 

A few days ago, this picture popped up on my Instagram newsfeed.

 

I paired my top with black leggings, a Nirvana Tee and boots!

Casual, fun day at Centennial Park in my hometown, Nashville, TN.

Crafts

Dripping Chanel Art

 

Super easy DIY.

All you need is a blank canvas (any size)

white acrylic paint

black acrylic paint

small angled paintbrush

hairspray

Chanel stencil

I just saved this Chanel Stencil and opened it in Word and re-sized it to the size I wanted it on my canvas.  I printed it off and carefully cut it out and set it aside.  

Paint your entire canvas white. 

Let is dry.

Then trace your stencil on to your canvas lightly with a pencil.

Paint (carefully) the Chanel whatever color you want.  I did black for a more classic look.

Let it dry.

Spray with hairspray for a shiny top coat.

I am obsessed.

Beauty

Beauty

Fashion

Fashion

Health

 

Easy Yoga for beginners. 

Click here! 

Beauty

My favorite color red.  MAC Russian Red.

Fashion

Fashion

Obsessions

Evil Eye

I am obsessed with anything "Evil Eye".  One of the first times I saw Evil Eye products was on the RHOC a few years back. From what I know and have gathered, the Evil Eye bead/jewelry/symbol stares back at the world to ward off evil spirits and keep you safe from harm.
Lord knows I need it.

 

I have found a lot of unique and cute Evil Eye jewelry and different things on Etsy! 

On the Menu...

Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

I am trying to be healthy, this is the best I can do with these.

 

What you need:

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups of old fashioned oats (or instant oats, up to you)

1 cup flour (you can sub regular flour with whole wheat flour) 

1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup of Craisins Blueberry, frozen blueberries, or fresh blueberries. (I used the Craisins)

You can also add almonds, white chocolate chips, or whatever you would like to add variety)

What you need to do:

Cream butter and brown sugar in mixing bowl

Beat in egg and vanilla

Add oats, flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and baking powder

Add blueberries and just mix with spoon/rubber spatula

Spoon onto greased cookie sheet and place in 350 degree oven for 12-17 minutes.

 

Beauty

Detox H2O

Great for general detox and clear skin!

Mine is currently steeping in the fridge, cannot wait to have a glass tomorrow!

What you need:

1 lemon (sliced)

1 medium cucumber (sliced)

10-15 mint leaves

2 L water

Just fill a pitcher up with 2 liters of water, toss in your sliced lemon, cucumber, and mint leaves.

Let it steep overnight.

Drink daily!