Friday Links

Finally, finally, finally the weekend is here! I have one of my huge trade shows next week in Baltimore so I really need these next few days to decompress before I go into headless chicken mode. Oh and I am going to my first blogger meet up on Sunday. I am part excited, part terrified. What does one wear to a blogger brunch? Being slightly intimidated by fashion bloggers means I need a new outfit, right? Anyway lets get to this week's links.

The J.Crew 25% sale is running through tonight. I am thinking of picking up one of these and one of these.

Erin hits the nail on the head with this outfit combination. It's casual and relaxed, but still looks put together. Maybe even I could rock this look...maybe?

Did you see my girl crush Lauren Conrad in Allure this month? She looks amazing as per usual, but a little more done up then we are used to. Go look now!

I have a hard time sticking with books if they don't grab my attention early on, but this mystery seems intriguing. I think it will be my next read.

Do you take vitamins? I always mean to, but I am so lost when it comes to them. This quick guide lays out what you should consider taking and why.

It's no secret that I'm a pizza addict, and really enjoy making it at home. I cannot wait to try this recipe for cast iron skillet brussel sprout bacon pizza. The pictures are already making me drool.

I love a good bang for your buck workout. This series can be done pretty much anywhere, burns up to 500 calories, and oh yea it's FREE. BOOM BABY!

A great mentality from one of my all time favorite rockers.

Last but not least, Emily shares everything you need to know about the pop, fizz, clink. 

Have an awesome weekend! xx

{image via}

Caught My Attention

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9

I'm lusting over a very random assortment this week. I LOVE this travel journal, and it would be the perfect place to document our European vacation. In warmer months I always want a smaller, lightweight bag and this cross-body would be perfect. Really liking bold pink lips lately, and the chubby pencil makes application a breeze. How amazing is this throw pillow?!? I must have it. I am instantly drawn to the summery scent of this candle. Somehow I always seem to make it to the sale too late, but I am dying to get my hands on a Cocoa & Hearts painting. A mug with a sense of humor, me likey. I like smooth skin and the smell of the beach, therefore I love Bobbi Brown Beach body oil. My goodness Bauble Bar is killing me with these pretty turquoise studs. 

Monday Monday

Hoping you have an inspiring Monday to start off your week!

3/21/14

This week absolutely flew by! I'm looking forward to a relaxed weekend of very light spring cleaning and soaking up the little bit of warmth we will have tomorrow. Let's get to it though, shall we?

There four words are going to change your life: CARRIE UNDERWOOD'S LEG WORKOUT!

I am not a great Instagram photog and it's hard to measure up when you see tons of gorgeous, styled pictures. Victoria's post about insta-cliches gave me a chuckle and a new outlook on the phenomena. 

This outfit is perfection to me. I love a good white tee and jeans combo. Classic with a modern twist, and looks so comfortable.

Ok I have a confession: I love Chick-fil-A. The spicy chicken sandwich rock my world, but it's not great for your stomach, butt, thighs, arms, life, health, etc etc. Maybe this skinny version will feed the cravings.

I actually felt good after reading this. It's motivating, practical, and something I need to remember.

Need a little pep in your step? How about a DIY whipped grapefruit mint sugar scrub? The smell has to be divine.

Who can resist pictures of dogs in pretty rooms? Not me.

Have a fantastic weekend! xx

{image via} 

Today is very

My brain is just not functioning right now, so I will leave you with what I'm sure is the most common emotion out there "meh."

On My Radar

Sandals // Tunic // Straw Bag (similar) // Bikini // Eyeshadow Palette // Beach Towel

I've got warmer temperatures on my mind, but since those have been hard to come by I will simply dream of pretty summer pieces and drink a Pina Colada protein smoothie or two.

Styling Your Home

It's been a month since we moved into our new place and decorating our home is full swing! One thing I never put much effort into was the coffee table. I know I know how could I not when Pinterest almost assaults us daily with amazingly beautiful, styled coffee tables that tend to be the focal point of the living room. 

I got to thinking about how I needed and wanted the table to function for me, my style, and it's daily uses. So after a ton of Pinning, shopping, and thought I came up with the perfect table and style for my lifestyle. I wanted tons of space because we are guilt of eating many a meals on the coffee table, have some storage available, and blend easily with existing and potential furniture purposes. Once the table was purchased, the fun began. It seems the formula for perfect coffee table styling is natural elements, candlelight, trays, decorative objects, books, and let's be honest a box of Kleenex. 

It took so much time to curate the "look" of my coffee table so every piece really needed to belong. Kleenex Style Studio came up with so many great, designer-inspired pattern options to make this room staple effortlessly blend with your decor. Now I don't have to ever feel like my vignette would look better if only I could hide the box. The pattern I chose looks great on top of the coffee table, but also reflects my personal style (bonus!). 

Make sure you check out the Kleenex Style Studio to find your personal style, take the style quiz, and learn more about the surprising history of Kleenex!

Thank you Kleenex for sponsoring this post and helping me make sure all rooms in my home are stylish!

3/14/14

{images via}

TGIF! This week has flown by literally, but as always I am so pumped for the weekend. We went from high 60s to feeling like 19 degrees overnight. I'm trying to trick my brain into sun induced splendor by looking at some pretty warm weather sketches and thought I would share. But enough talking let's get right down to business shall we?

I really enjoyed this post by Cup of Jo about "spiritual age." I don't think I have ever gotten out of the seventeen year old mentality in that I have not realized by full freedom or ability to make big decisions. Anyone else feel like they are playing a big game of pretend grown up?

Spring has been teasing the DC are for a little while now and while Inslee's sketches of warmer times make me long for summer, nothing says warm climates to me like tunics (especially this one).

I snagged the most drool-worthy cookbook and am literally trying to plan events to make some of the recipes. 

My cravings for food have been all over the place. This is one of my favorite salads and I want one so bad, but on the other hand I am dying for a plate of this... combination of diet/lent are surely the culprits. 

In the spirit of at home workouts, I've been doing some research. I kept hearing about Tracy Anderson's 8 Minute Arms routine and how effective it is so I am going to try it out (goodbye chicken wing!).

Ikea is a home staple, but I think it's fair to say I don't love the look of head to toe Ikea. These Ikea hacks make the affordable furniture look virtually unrecognizable with a little TLC and hardware changes. 

Have a fantastic weekend! xx

Climate Change

J.Crew Lightweight Merino Tunic // Kate Spade necklace // Fresh Sugar Rose Lip Treatment
Essie Geranium // J.Crew Tassel-Trim Scarf // Ray Ban Aviators
Whipping Post Tote // Steve Madden Neliee Sandal // J.Crew Destroyed Boyfriend Jean

We have a joke in our home about uniforms. I tend to wear some kinda of similar version of an outfit, and Danny wears the exact same thing in different colors always. So the conversation of "what are you wearing" is usually answered with a simple reply of "the uniform."

This spring, I am hoping and planning to live in the above pictured uniform. Comfy and light tops, destroyed denim, and sandals. Top off the look with my go to sunnies, this gorgeous tote, and a tassel scarf and I'd be in great shape. Do you have a uniform or particular look you tend to go for?

On My Radar

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6

I really have warm, sunny, beach scenes on my mind lately as you can tell from my sea glass themed picks. I'm in the market for another chambray shirt because it really is my go to top for warmer temperatures. My wallet needs a major upgrade, but I have been holding out for a color that I really love. I am crushing so hard on Calypso St. Barth, and this is the absolute dreamiest color scarf I have come across. Long necklaces need to become part of my spring wardrobe, and the one pictured would be great with a casual tee or with a maxi dress. I don't know if it's the fluxuating temperatures or what, but my pores/skin are a nightmare! Help me GlamGlow! I love me some cheap flip flops you know those two for $5 ones, right? While those are great for the beach or pool, I think it's time to upgrade to a more polished version of my favorite warm weather shoe.

3/7/17

Thank goodness it's Friday! I have to acknowledge this gorgeous styled living room by Erin Gates of Elements of Style for a moment. I love literally every piece, texture, and color in the shot. It has been a while since an interior design picture has inspired me so much, but this beauty is everything.

Detox is a major buzz word and there are so many ways out there in which to do it. Since I am a total wimp and not ready to take on an intense full detox, I have started this 21 day morning detox routine.

Bandwagon jumping in progress. I love the look of diamond pattern rugs, and with our high pile renter's wall to wall carpet I want a way to liven up my space. This shag number would be perfect.

I've got my cooking mojo back, and there's nothing I love more than breakfast/brunch foods (especially for dinner). Lately, I have been craving all in one dishes like quiche and breakfast sammies to these bacon, egg, and toast cups need to be made pronto!

We finally started making our apartment a home, and with that I have been on the hunt for some decorative pillows. I found the mother-load on Arianna Belle. There are so many beautiful ones but I have my eye on these for my couch and maybe these for the bedroom.

As I mentioned before, I'm not exactly feeling the gym lately. So I really like coming across short, body weight exercises that work just as well if not better. Currently rotating classes and a "crossfit"-esque circuit, a basic body weight circuit, and this quick hundred calorie burner. 

I think we all need to be a little better about this.

Hope you have an amazing weekend! xx

Skin Bootcamp

Exfoliating Pads c/o // Instant Revitalizing Mask c/o

Something I have been fairly vocal about is my desire to be better to my skin. I made it one of my resolutions this year, and it really is a goal I have consistently worked at. Like most women, I do battle the occasional breakout but since they are typically hormonal it's a reactive game rather than a proactive one. 

At 28, I'm starting to think about other issues and transformations that my skin is and will be experiencing. I am fairly lucky to not have many lines or wrinkles yet (thank you uber oily skin), but I have lost some of that youthful glow I used to have and my complexion is more uneven than before. Diagnosing my skin issues was the easy part, but choosing my plan of attack was a whole different ball game.With my mission in place you can imagine how excited I was to have the opportunity to try out two products from Radical Skincare (a favorite of Jessica Biel!), the Age-Defying Exfoliating Pads and the Instant Revitalizing Mask. 

I have spent the past two weeks using the products and I am thrilled with the results. The mask is unlike anything I have every used before. Upon application, this rich mask has the most pleasant tingle that really feels like it is opening your pores to deliver nutrients your skin needs for hydration and cell regeneration. I used this twice a week and looked forward to it each time. After about a week, I noticed my skin appeared to have regained some of that healthy glow I had lost. I used the exfoliating pads each night post cleansing and really cannot imagine my nightly routine without them. After just a few days, I noticed my skin feeling firmer and my pore size appeared smaller too (maybe the most exciting part for me). I have super sensitive skin so I really liked that I didn't experience burning or redness. My skin looks and feels the best it has in months, and I look forward to using both products each week.

The Radical Skincare line is now available at Sephora stores and online throughout the U.S. and Canada. Empower yourself and your skin with Radical Skincare.

This review was sponsored by Radical Skincare. All opinions are my own.

Preach

Sometimes it's good to step away and compose your thoughts, get yourself centered, and figure out what you want to do next. Lately, I am in a constant state of figuring things out with all aspects of my life. Things are changing, all for the best no doubt, but with that comes a total adjustment period. My blog is no exception. Sometimes creating content is so easy, then other times I get a block or hate what I have come up with. 

I stumbled across Jenna Lyon's Life Rules in the first issue of Porter ( Net-A-Porter's first ever magazine) and was really taken with her no nonsense, honest approach. Often times I don't take someone with her star power very seriously but her success story is one of decades of hard work, listening to her gut, and not compromising. For me, numbers 2 and 6 were especially captivating.

Now I'm certainly no Jenna Lyons, but reading her honest approach to life helped ground me a little and give me that little boost I needed to get my head straight. What do you think about Jenna's rules? Are there any other people's rules/mantras/credos that really resonate with you? I'd love to hear about them! xx

{image via Porter}