Fashion + Feathers

One of my favorite parts of blogging is meeting other bloggers along the way.  Claire from Fashion and Feathers is one of the nicest bloggers I've ever had the opportunity to "meet".  She's such a sweetheart and is really down to earth.  And I have to say she has some great style! lol! She even shares my love of maxi skirts/dresses!  She also has made me realize that I REALLY need a chambray top. I mean look how many cute ways she's styled it: here, here, here, here, and here!

Stop by her site and say hi, you will be glad you did!

And without further ado...

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself and your blog.

I'm a high school English teacher who started this blog as a way to experiment with fashion and also push myself to do some writing. I'm Claire and I blog at Fashion + Feathers. Before I started mine, I enjoyed reading blogs but I always looked at bloggers as some elite group that I wasn't a part of. One day it hit me that I could be a part of it. So I joined. I've learned a lot about this blog world - when I started I literally knew nothing. Learning how to do things to better my blog is one of my favorite accomplishments - and I obviously have a long way to go! I've also branched out with some new fashion pieces and collaborations that I probably wouldn't have thrown together without having this push me to try new things. I recently added an etsy shop called The Studio so check it out if you're into gold foil prints or graphic tees.

2. What are your biggest pet peeves?

I can't stand it when someone doesn't work hard. It absolutely drives me insane. I'm not good at a lot of things but I consistently work my butt off. And it frustrates me when other people are lackadaisical about things. Hard work shows character.

3. What is one fashion trend that you are loving right now?

My absolute favorite new trend is sneakers with skirts or dresses. It just has such a fun look!

4. What is one fashion trend that you just aren't into?

How about two? I'm really not into gladiator sandals.

And as much as I love layering outfits, I just can't get behind the whole tie the jacket around your waist thing. Is that weird?

5. What are your favorite 3 posts from your blog?

1. I wore a summer dress with a chunky sweater over top and just loved how it turned out!

2. I added a faux fur vest to my winter wardrobe and I would have worn it every single day if that wasn't weird. Featuring two ways to wear is my favorite thing ever.

3. In celebration of my 28th birthday, I wrote a list of 28 things you should do. Sometimes I pull it out again just to re-read my own list. It's pretty good.

Thanks, Julie, for letting me hang out here today! Happy Thursday friends and cheers to the {almost!} weekend.

| bloglovin | instagram | facebook | pinterest | the studio |

4 Things

I have been seeing these "4 Things" posts everywhere lately, first on Fashion and Feathers and now even on Bourbon, Lipstick and Stilettos.  I was just nominated by Lindsay to participate so I jumped on it!  I was thinking of writing a post like this anyway, so this just gave me motivation! lol  I think it's a great way to learn more about the person behind the blog.

4 Names People Call You (other than your real name)

1. Jul (my mom)

2. Cheech

3. Eva (my husband. I call him Wall-E....yeah, we're that dorky cutesy couple)

4. Cizzle (my bff)

4 Jobs You’ve Had

1. Store manager (@several juniors clothing stores)

2. Scenic painter

3. Stage Manager

4. Office Manager

4 Movies You’ve Watched More Than Once

1. Robin Hood: Men In Tights

2. Twister

3. Jurassic Park

4. Pride & Prejudice

4 Books I Would Recommend

1. Premiere: A Love Story by Tracy Ewens

2. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

3. The Martian by Andy Weir

4. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (but be prepared to cry!)

4 Places I’ve Lived (other than Pennsylvania)

1. Delaware

2. Maryland

3. Wisconsin

4. Kentucky

4 Places I Have Been

1.Grand Cayman Islands

2. Cozumel

3. Florida: Daytona Beach, Orlando, Tampa

4. New York City

4 Places I’d Rather Be Now

1. In bed!

2. On the beach

3. Outside (stupid cold weather!)

4. Thrifting/Shopping

4 of My Favorite Foods

1. Spaghetti

2. Maryland crabs

3. Tacos

4. Fajitas

4 Things I Don’t Eat:

1. Mayo

2. Ranch dressing

3. Veal

4. Sushi

4 TV Shows I Watch

1. The Blacklist

2. Game of Thrones

3. American Horror Story (we finished it on Netflix a couple months ago)

4. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse/Strawberry Shortcake (mostly I just tolerate it for my daughter)

4 Things I’m Looking Forward to This Year

1. A little getaway with my husband (first time ever going without our little one)

2. Going to the beach at the end of July and getting to see my family

3. Using our season passes for the amusement park this summer! (Christmas gift from my mom!)

4. Hiking as soon as the weather warms up a bit

4 Things I’m Always Saying

1. "Seriously/Really?!"

2. "Um, no"

3. "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah" (when I'm telling a story, my husband teases me about it)

4. "Get down!" (Paige LOVES climbing things and giving me heart attacks)

 

OUTFIT: Striped maxi and denim jacket

We had a pretty low-key weekend this time around.  I decided to try and clean up around the house on Saturday because it was too cold to do much else (40 degrees at the end of April?!  Craziness!) and on Sunday it was much warmer so we spent time playing around outside and grilling out.

I'm still wearing my maxi skirts like crazy!  I can't help it, they're so comfortable!

I just realized that my husband and I only have 2 and a half more weeks until our long weekend vacation and I'm starting to get really nervous now. I mentioned before that this will be our very first time being without Paige for even a night.  I know she'll be fine because my mom is watching her but it still makes me nervous.  I am really excited to go though!  I will be nice to have a bit of "us" time.

In July we have another long weekend planned but that one is a family vacation to the beach, so that will be really fun.  I have a family reunion at the end of July so we always make a trip of it and go to Ocean City, MD since it is only about 45 minutes from my family's house.  Paige had a blast at the beach last year so we're hoping she loves it again this year.

Do you have any fun vacations planned this year?

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

Birchbox & Ipsy

I finally decided to break down and give Birchbox and Ipsy a try.  I've been seeing it everywhere lately was really curious.

I've been a bit of a tomboy for a good part of my life.  You may not have been able to guess that from all of the fashion posts but I didn't discover my love for fashion until way later in life.  The same goes for makeup and beauty products!  I didn't start wearing ANY makeup until after high school  I was a late bloomer I guess. lol!  I still normally only wear eyeliner and mascara on a normal basis, but I've been really wanting to try other products...and that's where these subscriptions come in to play.  I didn't know where to start, so I thought this would be a lot of fun.  And I can share with you along the way too!

I signed up with Birchbox towards the middle of last month, so I got two boxes within a week from each other (not that I'm complaining, at all!!).  I didn't think they were going to send me the March box was was very happy that they did.  I figured I would include both Birchboxes and the Ipsy boxes into one post.

IPSY:

JulieG Nail Color in "Damsel"
The polish went on really well, but the bright pink is a bit out of my comfort zone.  I put it on my toes first to get used to it.  Baby steps...

Hey Honey - Good Morning Honey Silk Facial Serum
This serum did a great job with moisturizing my face and giving it a bit of a glow, but I think it might be a little too much for when it gets hotter in the summer and my face gets oilier

Aromachology - Sophisticated & Sensual Eau de Parfum
I wasn't a big fan of this scent.  It was a bit too strong and very floral-y

Starlooks - Stain Finsh Lip Gloss in "Cuddle"
I loved this lip gloss.  It didn't leave my lips feeling extremely sticky like other lip glosses I've tried, and it's such a pretty color. (pictured below)

theBalm Cosmetics - Nude Dude Eyeshadow single in "Fit"
I really loved the color of this eyeshadow.  It looked like it was going to be a little dark but it wasn't.  It had a nice shimmer to it. (pictured below)

BIRCHBOX:

March's box:

Beauty Protector Protect & Shampoo  |  Full Size $21.95 &

Beauty Protector Protect & Condition  |  Full Size $21.95
I ended up not caring for these two products very much.  I was really excited to give them a try because they smelled SO GOOD, but they ended up making my hair look frizzy and didn't add any shine or enhance softness, bummer!

Harvey Prince "Hello" Perfume  |  Full Size $55
I really loved the smell of this perfume.  I was feeling a little sketical when I read the scent description, it says: Meyer lemon, mandarin, grapefruit, forsythia,  and plumeria.  It's a nice light and refreshing smell

Jelly Pong Pong "Glow Getter" Highlighter  |  $14
Honestly, I'm not even sure what to do with this yet.  I haven't tried it out yet.  I'm a beginner, remember?!  Any advice??

Vasanti Cosmetics BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator  |  Full Size $34

I ended up being really happy with this face scrub.  The scrubbing beads are really small and not too rough on your skin, while still giving you the deep scrub you need.

April's Box:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel  |  Full Size $22
This was another product that I was pretty clueless about.  I don't typically do anything at all with my brows, but my blogger friend Jenn filled me in on what it's for so maybe I'll give it a try.  Thanks girl!

Beauty Protector Protect & Oil  |  Full Size $25.95
This had the same scent as the shampoo & conditioner that I got from last month's box, which I was really excited about.  I ended up really loving this though!  It gave my hair a nice shine and helped calmed my frizzy hair.  Maybe I will try this with the products from last month and see if it changes my mind about them

Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion  |  Full Size $25
I'm not sure if I would call this one a lotion, it was more of a liquid.  I didn't enjoy the smell of this one at all, it was kind of musty.  It did give a nice cooling feeling but other than that I didn't notice too much change

Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream in Blueberry  |  Full Size $20
LOVED this!  The smell was so good and it left my legs feeling really soft and silky for the rest of the day.  It didn't foam at all so that took me a little while to get used to

Cargo Swimmables Water Resistant Blush in Los Cabos  |  Full Size $26
I really like the idea of a water resistant blush for the summer.  This color was a bit more orange than what I would end up wearing, but maybe after I get a bit of a tan I will like it more.  I would love to try a different color tho! (pictured below)

If you would like to try Birchbox, I would love it if you used my referral link, it's only $10 a month.  Ipsy is also $10 a month and if you think you would rather try that one, this is my referral link for that one.  Thanks so much!!

My life lately...through Instagram

Here's what's going on in my life, as according to Instagram:

So basically I'm a huge book nerd that likes to wear cute clothes and hang out with my family.  I think that about sums it up.  If you aren't following me on Instagram yet, you can find me HERE.  Because you wouldn't want to miss anything, right?!

Neutrogena #WiperforWater Challenge

Did you know that every day you can waste up to 5 gallons of water just by washing your face? I had no idea!! In honor of Earth Month, Neutrogena Naturals has teamed up with actress Kristen Bell and The Nature Conservancy to help spread the word about water conservation through their #WipeForWater campaign. This brilliant initiative from Neutrogena is challenging consumers to clean their face without using water for up to one week. Instead of wasting water, they are asking consumers to use Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes to clean their face during their pledge. This simple switch will save up to five gallons of water from going down the drain each day – and 35 gallons in a week! For each pledge consumers take onWipeForWater.com, Neutrogena Naturals will contribute $1 to The Nature Conservancy to support water conservation, up to $50,000!

The Neutrogena Naturals Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes, that were sent to me by Influenster, are pre-moistened and come in a resealable container so they don't dry up.  They are made with pure, naturally-derived ingredients. They are clinically proven to completely remove makeup, including waterproof mascara! They are also free of harsh chemical sulfates, parabens, petrolatum, dyes and phthalates.

They require no rinsing after use, so I will be saving water when I remove my makeup at night. After I use them my skin feels fresh and with a healthy-looking glow.  I was really happy that it didn't leave that oily residue that some other makeup removers leave. They left my face feeling clean and completely makeup free. The wipes also have a pleasant apple-like smell that I really like too.  I thought they were the perfect size and only had to use one wipe each time.  I was also very pleasantly surprised by how well it took off my waterproof mascara!  They are sold at Target (for $6.99), so you don't have to go out of your way to find them, which is nice.

So are you ready to join me in celebrating Earth Month by taking the #WipeForWater Challenge?? Just click HERE and then sign-up for whichever pledge works best for you, then share your pledge via Twitter or Facebook. Super simple, easy and just one small step will make a BIG impact!

"I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

OUTFIT: Cobalt and leopard

We had a couple of really pretty days over the weekend.  On Saturday the weather was absolutely beautiful and sunny and Sunday it was a little cooler and cloudy.  I was just happy that we had a little break from the rain.  It didn't start raining until later in the day on Sunday.

Saturday my husband and I took a trip out to Ohiopyle to check out the waterfalls and go for a nice long hike.  It was so great to get out in nature for a while.  I actually ended up getting my first little bit of sunburn for the year!  My nose ended up a teeny bit pink but that's about it.  I'm the type of person that burns once or twice and then gets a really nce tan.  My husband is not. He turns into a lobster, peels, and is super fair skinned again. haha!  I have a feeling my daughter is going to be the same way as him.

Top - Express

Pants - Charlotte Russe

Necklace - Charming Charlie (Similar)

Clutch - The Mint Julep Boutique

Heels - Payless

All of the trees and flowers are starting to bloom now.  I couldn't resist taking a couple pictures near this pretty tree.  I love this time of year everything is so pretty!  I'm excited to start seeing leaves on trees again.  I'm sick of the dreary bare trees.

What did you do over the weekend?

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

OUTFIT: Tribal maxi dress

I forgot to mention earlier this week that my husband's first day in his new position at work was on Monday!  So far he is really enjoying it.  I'm so incredibly proud of him, and so happy that he is not working in such a dangerous environment anymore!

Yesterday when he got out of work he wanted to go out and celebrate, so we went to Texas Roadhouse for $1.99 Margarita night.  Yummm!  I wanted to look nice for him, but also be really comfortable so I grabbed this tribal maxi out of my closet.  I would live in maxi dresses/skirts if I could!  I love them!

As a random side note, I had a really cute skinny mint belt to go with this but I broke it while putting it on!  What the heck?!  Don't you hate that!  Boo!  I also have a really cute mint purse that I wore with it.... but for some reason didn't include in the pictures....blogger fail!  Oh well...

Do you love maxis as much as I do?!

linked up with: Sydney Fashion Hunter, The Pleated Poppy, Shopping My Closet

What I've read recently

Until You're Mine by Samantha Hayes

My rating: 3 1/2 to 4 stars out of 5

I would say that this book probably would be a 3 star book without that ending, I didn't see it coming at all. I enjoyed how the story was told from 3 different people's perspective and how they all weaved together. I wouldn't read it again but it was a quick, easy read that I ended up enjoying.

(c/o Blogging For Books)

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this one!  I couldn't put it down.  I ended up reading it in two days.  It was such a fun, light-hearted story with realistic characters, that I was hooked.  So many of the characters could have been my friends in real life!  I had heard so many good things about this one, that I was hoping I wouldn't be let down.  This is one I could see myself reading again one day.  I am really looking forward to reading Fangirl soon (I just bought it!)

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

My rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Uggghh, this book!  I almost abandoned it multiple times.  The story line just got more and more unbelievable and far-fetched.  It was definitely not one that I would recommend to anyone, but also not the absolute worst book I've ever read.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I had heard so many amazing things about this book so I knew I wanted to read this one as soon as I could.  And I was not disappointed.  I have never cried so hard over a book in my entire life!  You will definitely want to read this one with tissues on hand.  I can't tell you why I took away a star unless you've already read it, I don't want to give away any details!  So if you've read it, message me so I can't talk about it!! haha!

The After House by Michael Philip Cash

My rating: 2 out of 5 stars

I went into this book thinking it was going to be more of a scary ghost story, and found that it ended up being more of a romance. Which wouldn't have been quite as bad if it didn't seem so forced and the insta-love had me rolling eyes.

(c/o NetGalley)

( I received a copy of Until You're Mine from Blogging For Books and also The After House from NetGalley for free for review, however all opinions are my own)

What have you been reading lately?  If you are on Goodreads, we should be friends! ;-)

OUTFIT: Casual date day

Yesterday, my husband and I got a little bit of baby free time to go out to lunch and see a movie.  We saw the new Fast and the Furious movie and I actually really enjoyed it.  I REALLY loved the way they did the end.  I won't say more than that because I don't like to spoil movies for people but yes, great ending!

We also got to go to my favorite restaurant ever, Cheesecake Factory!  I've never had anything bad from there.  Everything is so good!  And for dessert I got cookie dough cheesecake....ohhhh my god, so good!  And the best part of our date night, everything was FREE!  Kind of...we had gift cards so we didn't need to spend a dime!

It was a nice sunny day again so I got to wear a tank top and sandals again, yay!  I get so excited for warm weather.  And the best best part of the day?  No headache!  You are all probably so sick of hearing about my migraines/headaches by now, but they really kicked my butt last week.  Yikes.  I'm relieved when I get a good day or two.

Have you seen any great movies lately?

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

ART: Groot and Rocket from Guardians of the Galaxy

I FINALLY created some new artwork!  It's been over 2 months since I painted anything!  The last portrait I painted was Catwoman in Febuary and then Leeloo (The Fifth Element) back in January!  I've only painted 2 portraits so far this year?!  How did that happen?!  That's horrible!

Anyway, I'm going to try to get back into the habit of creating and sharing my artwork 2-4 times a month.  I would love to have something new each week but I'm not sure if I'll be able to do that.

I actually got the idea to paint Groot and Rocket from my friend.  I asked all of my friends on Facebook, which hero/villian should I paint next and this was one of the ones that everyone seemed the most excited about, so I gave it a shot.  This watercolor painting took me around 4 hours to complete.  

Progress photos:

Who should I paint next?  I would love some ideas!!

Here are some that I've already done, just in case you missed them:

Ironman

Wolverine

Black Widow

Daenerys (Game of Thrones)

Jon Snow (Game of Thrones)

Maleficent (Angelina Jolie)

Sin City's Nancy (Jessica Alba)

Captain Jack Sparrow

The Notebook #1

The Notebook #2

(those are just a few that I've done recently, I didn't want to go too link crazy and drive you nuts!)

OUTFIT: Black lace with a red maxi skirt

It's finally getting warm enough for me to pull out the sandals and sleeveless tops!  I'm more than a little happy about that one!  I am definitely a warm weather girl.  I was so excited that I even painted my toes! haha!

Whenever I wear lace, I like to add a few edgier pieces with it to balance the feminine feeling pieces.

I've still been struggling with my migraines/headaches, so please be patient with me!  I've been catching up with everyone's posts and emails as fast as I can.  I've been having a pretty rough time with the pain for the past week or so.

Top - Express

Skirt - Charlotte Russe

Belt -( ? super old!) Similar, Similar

Sandals - Forever 21, Similar

Bracelet - Craft fair - Similar

I had to add the picture of the hair in my face just because it never fails, the wind always goes crazy as soon as I want to take outfit photos.  I think it's funny!

linked up with: Style Elixir, Sweaters, Stripes, and Sweets, Trend Spin Link up, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, Shopping My Closet, The Pleated Poppy

Skirt and dress inspiration - Blogger love

When it warms up outside I always find myself wanting to reach for dresses or skirts.  I have been seeing so many great skirt/dress outfits in blogland and Pinterest lately that I thought I would share some of my favorites (in no particular order) with you.

Putting Me Together  |  A Memory of Us  |  Upbeat Soles  |  More Pieces of Me

Leopard Martini  |  Lace and Locks |  One Little Momma  |  Style Elixir

Exploring My Style  |  M Loves M  |  Style Elixir  |  Nany's Klozet

I love every single one of these looks!

Which one is your favorite?