$250 Sephora Giveaway!

Hi everyone!  I know I said I was going to blog every day this month but I decided to take a day off yesterday.  I needed a good "me" day!  I decided to organize my closet, read a book, and relax.  I definitely needed it!  

But I am back today to share an amazing giveaway with you.  I've teamed up with a group of bloggers to bring you a $250 gift card to Sephora ( ends 2/13) !  Who doesn't love makeup?!  I also still have my $25 Gift Card to The Mint Julep Boutique going on too.  It ends at midnight on Sunday so make sure you enter before then!

Have a great weekend!!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Prize: $250 Sephora Gift Card

Co-hosts: Jenn's Blah Blah Blog • The Relevance Report • Geniabeme • Pretty Thrifty • A Good Hue • To Hell in a Handbag • Lush to Blush • Orange Marigolds • Jolie Pagaille • From My Vanity • Bene • Peanut Butter and Whine

Giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck!

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Giveaway ends 2/13 and is open worldwide. Winner will be notified via email.

Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I think I have a purple addiction, is that a thing?!

As I was looking at my outfit posts recently, I realized I've been wearing a lot of purple lately.  I've always been drawn to anything purple, remember my purple bed set?! And I'm always picking stuff out in stores that is purple, but I'm lucky that purple happens to look good with my dark hair... or so I've been told.  Maybe they were just being nice because they know how much I love purple. haha!

Don't forget to enter in my giveaway for a $25 gift card to The Mint Julep Boutique!  They have SO much cute stuff on their site!  Check it out!

 Top - Express  |  Cardigan - Express  |  Pants - Charlotte Russe  |  Flats - Charlotte Russe  |  Ring & Necklace - Premier Jewelry  |  Earrings - Charming Charlie

linked up with: The Pleated Poppy, Shopping My Closet, Because Shanna Said So, Style Elixir

15 Ways to beat the winter blues

It's right around this time every year that I start to get really bummed out and miss the summer.  Christmas is over....New Year's is over.  There are no real holidays to celebrate for a while and the sun has been replaced by gray skies. So this year I made a list of a few things to help myself stay positive and happy, and I thought there may just be someone else out there like me that gets bummed out during cold weather, and this might help them too!

//  Go through all of your clothes.  Try them all on and throw out anything that doesn't make you feel amazing.  If you feel good in something, that is a confidence booster;  which leaves you feeling good about yourself.

//  Exercise!  Did you know that exercise helps pump oxygen into the brain, which releases endorphins and naturally gives you energy and boosts those "feel good" feelings?

//  Go snuggle up with an animal.  Nothing is quite as relaxing as snuggling up with your pet that adores you.

//  Listen to uplifting music.  Music REALLY effects your mood, so if you are listening to a bunch of break up/sad songs chances are you aren't going to be a happy camper.  Turn on Taylor Swift's "Shake it Off" and dance around like a crazy person if you have to.

//  REST!  Haven't you been complaining that you would just like to relax and have some "you" time??  I'm pretty sure we all feel that way sometimes!  Take advantage of the frigid temperatures and curl up in a blanket and sleep the day away if you want to!

//  Plan a girl's night out!  Sometimes you need some girl time, and anything beats staying home again, right?

//  Make a list of your goals/things you want.  Whether it just be a travel bucket list, organization plan, or even a shopping list, do it!  It will take your mind of off things.  I'm a big list person.

//  Read a book.  This is the perfect whether to rock sweats all day and curl up on the couch/bed and read that book you've heard so many great things about.  Do it!

//  "Window shop" online for cute winter fashion ideas.  Pinterest is my favorite place to find fashion ideas.  If you couldn't tell by my multiple Pinterest fashion boards... lol  I've got a serious problem!

//  Write a letter to a friend or relative that you haven't talked to in a while.  Or even if you have, send one anyway because who doesn't love to get a letter in the mail.  Snail mail is so underrated.

//  Start one of the things on your "home improvement checklist".  I'm pretty sure we've all got one.  I unfortunately have a list that never stops growing!  Even if it's just redecorating a room, go for it!  Maybe a fresh look is just what you need!

//  Make one of the many things that you've pinned on Pinterest.  I'm so guilty of this one.  I have seen so many things that I've never even tried to create.

//  Bundle up and head outside with your camera.  Even if you aren't the best photographer in the world, take some pictures of the beauty of Winter.  I'm a big sissy about the cold, but I still find myself taking in the beauty of the snow on tree branches, big snowflakes with pretty designs, and scary looking icicles.  Have fun with it!

//  Make some homemade chili or soup!  It's the perfect season for it!  When I'm chilled to the bone the best thing (other than a steaming hot shower) is a hot bowl of chili/soup.  And it's so much better when you make it at home.

//  And if you just can't take the cold anymore, go on a vacation somewhere warm!

What do you do to beat the Winter Blues??

The Mint Julep Boutique Review + Giveaway!!

Well, it looks like the winter weather finally caught up to us around here.  We have snow in the forecast for almost every day this week.  Yuck!  I've been hibernating in the house for the most part with my hot chocolate because I am a super sissy.  

Oh, and don't judge me for the poinsettia/Christmas decorations still being out.  I honestly have no real excuse.  I kind of forgot they were there until I was looking through these pictures...oops!  Poinsettias aren't necessarily just Christmas things are they?  Can they be considered a Winter thing?  Okay, so I'm just looking for an excuse to not have to go outside again and take them in.  

Anyway, on to the good stuff: I am so excited to share this great top from The Mint Julep Boutique with you.  I was beyond thrilled when they asked me to review their product.  It took me forever to pick something out because I loved everything on their site!  This top is really soft and comfortable, which is a big deal for me.  I can't handle wearing starchier fabrics.  Comfort is key for me!  I also loved the length of this top.  I have a longer torso so sometimes tops end up being too short on me.  This one was perfect!

The Mint Julep Boutique is a fast-growing online retailer specializing in trendy clothing.  The Mint Julep Boutique was awesome enough to offer a $25 Gift Card to one of my lucky readers, so don't forget to enter in the Rafflecopter below!  

This giveaway will be open until 11:59 pm Sunday, February 1, 2015. To enter the giveaway, you just need to follow the steps in the Rafflecopter widget below. After the giveaway period is over, I will randomly pick one winner from all of the eligible entries. The winner will have 48 hours to reply back to my e-mail with their information, but if I do not receive a reply within that period I will randomly choose a new winner. See below for the fine print:

1. The first step within the Rafflecopter is mandatory in order to be entered.

2. The other steps are not mandatory but will give you more chances to win!

3. Please follow the rules and don't just click through. I will be validating the entries. :)

4. This giveaway is open to US residents only - The Mint Julep Boutique does not ship internationally at this time.

Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**I received this top from The Mint Julep Boutique in exchange for an honest review; however all thoughts and opinions are my own. **

linked up with: Pink Sole and Cha Cha the Fashion Genius, More Pieces of Me and On the Daily Express, Rhea etCetera, Life of Meg, Watch Out for the Woestmans, Fashionably Employed, I do deClaire, A Touch of Tartan, Walking in Memphis in High Heels and The Fashion Canvas, The Pleated Poppy, Shopping My Closet, Because Shanna Said So, Style Elixir, The Brandied Pair, Mamanista Fridays

Currently...

Currently...

Feeling great, actually!!  It's been almost 2 weeks since my last migraine!  That's a pretty big deal!  Also,  I had my MRI and everything is okay!  So that's a huge relief.

Reading two different books at once.  I took a little break from "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss to start "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" by Jenny Han.  I needed an easier read to balance out the other one. (If you click the links, it will take you to Goodreads so you can read a synopsis of each one)

Watching the last couple episodes of the second season of American Horror Story...craziness!!   And my hubby and I just finished the first season of Agents of  S.H.I.E.L.D.  I actually thought it was really good!  Anyone else watching that one??  I LOVE Netflix!

Writing all of next week's posts over the weekend.  I'm determined!  I'm also going to be hosting a giveaway so stay tuned!

Listening to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse nonstop.  My daughter is obsessed!!  It could be worse...  there are a TON of not so good children's shows and this one actually teaches her things.  But it gets under your skin after a while. lol

Wanting to escape to an all-inclusive resort with just my hubby for a long weekend.  I'm not even asking for a full week (even though that would be amazing!).  I just need some relaxing beach time.

Needing to force myself to stick to an exercise routine.  I wish I had an elliptical in my house.  I love those things!

Hoping to get a date day with my hubby soon.  OR have an awesome family day out somewhere.  I'm starting to get Winter cabin fever now.

House tour {Living Room}

This is my third House tour post this month.  I've already shown you my Master Bedroom and the Dining Room.  Now it's time to move on to the Living Room.  This is the room that we spend the most time in.  

When we first moved in we decided we wanted all new furniture because our old stuff was looking really rough and honestly it was REALLY uncomfortable.  So that is the main thing we looked for in a furniture set: comfort!  We also wanted to make sure it was neutral colored so it would go with things much easier.  It looks so different than when we first moved in!  See for yourself!

(this is actually an older picture, we took out the black table when Paige first started crawling)

I know a lot of people LOVE hardwood floors, but I can't stand them.  They make everything echo and I can't stand walking around on a cold hardwood floor first thing in the morning.  I think it's just way more comfortable with carpet.  I'm a big floor sitter too so I like the extra padding.

We really need a nicer solution for the tv stand, but we have to save up for something better.  I would also love to figure something out with those wires...without drilling holes in the walls.

The brown wooden cabinet in the corner is a built-in, so it saves us a ton of room.  Right now it's just filled with my husband's different gaming stuff.  He's a pretty gamer.

 The brown basket under the television is where we keep all of Paige's toys when she's not throwing them all over the place! Soooo basically, it's normally empty.  At the end of the night I throw everything back into it but that's the first thing she goes to in the morning.

We have A LOT of DVDs too.  Like, too many!!  Right now they are taking over both the brown cabinet and the shelving next to the television.  I'm thinking about keeping them somewhere else, but I haven't figured that out yet!

 My "wall art" really needs some help.  That's all there really is to say about that.  I'm keeping some of these things up as space savers until I get brave enough to do one of those amazing wall colleges that I've seen all over Pinterest. 

The "Paige" canvas is actually something that I painted for Paige's first birthday with all of her little stats on it.  Eventually I plan on moving it to her bedroom, but for now it's saving that space until I create something to go there.  I painted the dandelion and my husband decided to hang it up on the wall.  

And that's all there really is to it!

How do you hide wires in your house?  Do you have a wall collage in your home?

It's just plum lipstick, I swear I don't have hypothermia!

Whenever I reach in my closet to find something to wear in the morning, I always find myself reaching for darker colors like black and gray.  So this morning I forced myself to go against the norm and grab something lighter.  

I just got this white Express top for Christmas and I love it.  It has beautiful lace detail at the top and it is so comfortable.  I also got the purple skinnies for Christmas and I am surprised at how versatile they are.  I've already worn them a bunch of times.  I was a little nervous to get them because I wasn't sure how often I would really wear them, and I've also heard that colored denim is slowly phasing itself out, but they had an amazing deal on them so I was sold.

Jeans - Charlotte Russe  |  Top - Express  |  Bracelet & Earrings - Charming Charlie  |  Watch - Craft fair  |  Boots - Charlotte Russe(similar)

If you couldn't tell by the look on my face in these pictures, it was FREEZING outside.  Yeah, I'm a wimp, I know it.  And of course right after I took these pictures I realized I could have worn my coat in the pictures because it matched and was actually really cute with it ...fail.  Oh well!

I tried a sheer plum lipstick for the first time and I think I actually really love it!  I figured what better time to wear it than with plum colored pants!  I was a little worried that I would look like I had hypothermia or something. haha!

Do you think colored denim is slowly phasing itself out?

linking up with: The Pleated Poppy, Shopping my Closet

My first attempt at pattern mixing

 Over the weekend we were supposed to go ice skating, but the stupid place didn't list that they had games scheduled at the time we were trying to go.  So we went all the way out there for no reason....boo!  I was really excited about it because I've never ever been ice skating before and I wanted to give it a try.  Maybe it's a blessing in disguise because I would have fallen and hit my head and started my headaches over again...or something?  That's the way I'll look at it.

I've never been very good at pattern mixing, so I figured I would try a look that I've seen all over blogland and Pinterest: stripes and plaid.  I actually really love the way it looks.  I expected my OCD to have made me change the second I saw it on me, but I was pleasantly surprised.

That striped top is actually one that I picked up at the thrift store over the weekend for only $2!  You can't beat that!  I was able to get 7 shirts for only $22!  I need to go thrifting more often!

Do you enjoy thrift shopping?  Ever find any great deals?

linking up with: The Fashion Canvas and Walking in Memphis in High Heels, I do deClaire, Induffinitely Me, Life Could Be a Dream, The Modern Tulip

OUTFIT: A surprising "warm" day!

I'm pretty sure this is the comfiest top I've ever owned!  I kind of want to go back and buy one in every color! lol!  I got it for Christmas at Express and I love it!  I was a little too excited when I realized it matched my favorite scarf, and then I decided to put on my favorite black pants, and then my favorite accessories, and my favorite moto jacket.....  so basically this is an outfit of favorites!

I wore this outfit on a surprisingly"warm" day over the weekend.  It was around 47 degrees and sunny, so that's pretty warm for this time of year.  I'll take it!  I'm pretty sure the rest of this week's forecast is cold and snow, so it's a nice break.

I wore this outfit to go out thrift shopping and a quick park trip with the baby.  It was a little chilly but in the sun I started to sweat in my leather jacket.  Bring on the spring!!!  Yeah, that's wishful thinking.  We had a great weekend.  

I don't want to jinx it but, I haven't had a headache/migraine in a whole week!!  I can't remember the last time that happened.  I'm so incredibly happy to have a little break and a chance to be able to actually think.  Thanks to all of you for thinking about me and leaving your well wishes!  I really appreciate it.  Still waiting on word from the doctor on when I will be having the MRI brain scan... I guess my insurance has to authorize it first.  So keep your fingers crossed for me just a bit longer, please!  

Top - Express  |  Pants - PacSun  |  Scarf - Charming Charlie  |  Ring - Premier Jewelry  |  Bracelet - Charming Charlie  |  Boots - Charlotte Russe  |  Jacket - Wet Seal

What did you do this past weekend?

linked up with: Pink Sole and Cha Cha the Fashion Genius, More Pieces of Me and On the Daily Express, Rhea etCetera

Leeloo (The Fifth Element) watercolor portrait

I finished another watercolor painting!  I sat down and forced myself to do it, and I'm so glad I did.  It was so relaxing to take a little "me" time and paint a scene from one of my favorite movies.

Just in case you don't know, this painting is from The Fifth Element starring Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich.  Milla plays Leeloo in the movie.  It's a strange Sci-fi movie but I really love it.  Maybe it's my crush on Bruce Willis... who knows!!

Unfortunately, I completely forgot to take progress photos...fail!  But here is a reference photo just in case you've never seen the movie.

What do you think??  Have you ever seen the Fifth Element?

Book Review: Refinery 29: Style Stalking

Even though I am and always have been what I like to call a self-proclaimed tom boy, I still have a bit of girly girl in me.  I didn't start really getting into fashion until after high school, and even then I still wasn't "Carrie Bradshaw material".  I am STILL learning different ways to style clothing, and that's why I was so excited to review Refinery 29: Style Stalking for Blogging for Books.

If you are someone that really loves fashion and loves learning new tips on pairing outfits, then this is a great book for you.  They cover everything from the basics, how to layer, mixing prints, and how to wear metallics.  I am completely clueless when it comes to mixing prints so that has been one chapter that I really focused on, along with the "1 Piece, 3 Ways" sections.

I will admit that some of the outfit photos featured in the book are pretty ostentatious and would make me wonder about that person's sanity; but the photography is really beautiful.

Refinery 29: Style Stalking is jam-packed with full color photography and not too long-winded in the wording department, so it makes for a very quick and easy read.  I read the whole book in one sitting!

In conclusion, I would have to say, that if you can get past some of the bizarre outfit photos to the actual fashion tips, this book is very good at igniting a creative side into your thinking when it comes to your closet.

**I have received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review; this did not influence my review of this book and all my opinions and thoughts are my own.**

House tour {Dining Room}

I'm going to be honest with you...this is NOT what our dining room usually looks like.  It ends up being the place where we throw all of our coats, bags, anything!  I WISH  I could keep our dining room looking like this.

But I would have to say that I think it is a huge upgrade compared to what it looked like when we first moved in...

This sign is in the entry way that connects the living room to the dining room.  I love this phrase and I feel like it describes how we are as a family very well.

I would love to update our chandelier one day.  It's a little old fashion looking for my tastes, but I don't even know what to look for in a new one....so I guess for now this one works.

 I use the build-in cabinet to display all of our wedding memorabilia.  I've been thinking about changing around this cabinet a bit but never got around to it.

And just to keep it real on this blog, this is what my table usually looks like throughout the week.  We use it as a "catch-all" for just about everything.  It's bad.   Yep, that's a little embarrassing...

 I need some good organization solutions.  Any thoughts??

and just in case you missed my previous House tour post you can find it here, Master Bedroom

Also, if you have been around my blog for awhile, then you may have noticed some changes around here.  Ashley from The Grits Blog is an amazing blog designer and completely redid my entire blog.  She even installs it all for you so you don't have to stress about anything.  Take a look around and let me know how you like it!