How I Stay Organized

Hello! I cannot believe 2014 is almost over. For 2015, one of my New Years Resolutions is to stay more organized. In efforts, I was on a hunt for a cute, but functional planner. I have used planners before for school, but they weren't exactly what I needed in a planner. I have also tried using calendar apps on my phone, but I find that I will use it more if I write it down. 2015 is going to be a little all over the place for me with work. For one, I work at the Credit Union a few days a week, and I also substitute teach. With subbing I can be in a different grade or at a different school each day and it is important that I can quickly see where I need to be on a particular day. I spend a while trying to find a planner. I almost bought an Erin Condren Life Planner, but decided against it because of the size. I wanted something I could easily fit in my purse. I also couldn't justify spending $50 on a planner I can use one year. I found the planner I purchased at Barnes and Nobles. It measures 4.5x6.2, so it is perfect to take on the go. I spend about $13 on it.

The inside is adorable too. It has a few pages with pictures and/or quotes on it. There is also note pages which is nice. There are some note pages throughout the planner, and a few at the very back. In the back there is a space to write: Highlights of the year, things to do, places to visit, books to read and movies to see, restaurants to try. I'm not sure if I will use these pages or not, but they are cute.

In the front of the planner there is a calendar page for each month. I like to use this space for my blogging schedule. I like to keep this separate so I can easily see everything blog related. On the very first page I keep sticky notes. All I did was cut a sticky note smaller to fit on one day on the calendar. Since it is a sticky note, it can easily be moved to another day if I need to switch something up.

On the daily calendar, I write down my work schedule, bills due, and any appointments or events we have planned. I know some people color code their planner, but I have tried it before and it didn't work for me. 
 I hope this post is helpful. I know when looking for a planner to purchase and filling out a planner, you need to find what works for you. This is what works for me :)
How do you stay organized?

ColourPop Lippies Review

Hello ladies! I know Colourpop Lippies have gotten a huge amount of attention lately. And justifiably so, because they are amazing. I first heard about them from KathleenLights on Youtube. She is awesome and created one of the colors I purchased. I have mentioned quite a few times that Revlon Kissable Lip Stain in Honey is my holy grail lip product. It is a beautiful mauve color. When I saw the one KathleenLights created, I knew I would like it because it is similar to Honey. I prefer to wear colors that are a "your lip but better" color.

The color on the left is Lumiere, created by KathleenLights. This is my favorite color of the 2. A thin layer can be applied for a more natural color, or it is buildable for a darker application. 
The color on the right is called Brink and was inspired by the famous Kylie Jenner lip. I got the lip pencil and lippie stix for both colors, and they are both matte. My lips normally are too dry to wear matte colors, so I will usually apply a thin layer of chapstick underneath the lippie. I sometimes leave it matte, but often times I will apply a chapstick on top as well.

Lumiere

These lip products aren't extremely drying, but I wouldn't say that they are hydrating either. They are creamy and go on smoothly. The lip pencils are very creamy too. Sometimes I just wear the lip pencil and it has an amazing lasting power. I can wear it for hours and it still looks the same.
The packaging is simple, but nice for both products. The lippies twist up, while the pencils need to be sharpened.

Brink

The best part about these lippies, is they are only $5. I definitely plan on purchasing more soon. They also recently came out with matte eyeshadows that I am interested in trying. 
If you have tried Colourpop what are your favorite products/colors?
Thanks for visiting!

Throwing a Jonah Off the Ship

Hello! I hope everyone is having a great weekend. This post is quite different from what I normally write. I wrote it a couple of months ago, but wasn't sure if I wanted to post it or not. I decided I would post it because it might help someone with a similar situation.

 Sometimes I consider myself too nice for my own good. I have a hard time saying "no" and sometimes try too hard to make everyone happy. Growing up, I had a  "best friend" that tended to take advantage of that. Looking back, I can't believe some of the things I dealt with. I don't want to go too much into detail, but some of the things this person said and did are things that you wouldn't say or do to a friend. I constantly felt like I was being pulled down, but I did nothing about it for years. In my mind I always justified what she did.  
During this time, our pastor taught a message on "Throwing Jonah off the Ship." You don't have to be a Christian to take something from this post because It is a good relationship analogy. The message was good, but it wasn't until years later that it really hit and I applied it to the situation. If you aren't familiar with the story, it is about Jonah who was told by God to go into the city of Nineveh. This city was known for its wickedness and Jonah tried to run from God, instead of going to this city. Instead, he headed in the opposite direction on a ship. Consequently, God sent violent storms. The crew of the ship determined that it was Jonah that was causing the storms, and threw him overboard in hopes of calming things. Immediately the sea calmed.

 When there is someone that is causing a storm in your life, it is okay to "throw them off of your ship." You don't have to be friends with someone who is bringing mostly negativity in your life. I still see this person occasionally, but I keep her at an arms length away. Distancing myself was easier to do after we had graduated high school, but I wish I had done it sooner. Don't get me wrong, we had a lot of good times together, but that didn't outweigh the bad. It hurts that we aren't close like we used to be, but it is such a relief to know that the friends I have now are true friends that want the best for me. 
You deserve people that treat you well and want you to be successful and happy. If you have anyone in your life that is dragging you down, don't be afraid to "Throw Jonah off the Ship." :)
Thanks for visiting!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love spending time with family and doing all of our traditions. Today I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas, and share a few of my favorite activities to do around the holiday.

• Movies- I love Christmas movies! Here are a few of my favorites:
• Elf
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• Christmas Vacation
• The Muppet Christmas Carol
• Cookies- For the past few years, my mom and I have made cookies for Christmas. We don't get to spend too much time together with just her and me, so it was nice to get together to make these.
  
• Lights- Where I live, downtown always has a nice park of lights. This year we went with a couple of our friends to walk through the lights and we rode the Holly Jolly Trolley through the area. It was a ton of fun, but so cold!
  
• Christmas service- One important thing we always do is go to a Christmas service. Sometimes it's on Christmas Eve., but this year it was on the Sunday before. While it is nice to go to Christmas parties and give and receive gifts, the real reason we celebrate Christmas is because of the birth of Jesus. Isaiah 9:2 says: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light, on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. In a world of darkness, he is the light- a hope for the world.
  
  From my family to yours- I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
  
  
  

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette Tutorial

Hello! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I can't believe Christmas is only a few days away. Today I wanted to share a look I have been wearing quite a bit from the Naked 3 palette.

Step 1: Normally, when I use this palette, I apply Limit in the crease. It is a lovely matte pink color. I think matte colors look best in the crease, so that's normally what I stick to. With this look it is no different. I started by applying Limit to the crease taking it almost to the inner corner.
Step 2: Apply Factory all over the lid. I make sure to not blend it in with Limit, because I didn't want Factory to be in the crease at all. 
Step 3: I use Nooner, which is a nice matte, taupe/brown to blend the 2 colors together. I make sure the colors are blended, but I focus it in the crease. I don't want to blend it too high because I still want Limit to be visible. 
Step 4: Apply Strange to the brow bone and inner corner.
Step 5: Apply liner to the top lid and mascara. 

This is normally how I wear this look, but if I am going for more of a night-time look, I will apply Darkside to the outer 'v' to darken up the look a little bit.

I hope you guys like this look! 
Thanks for visiting. 

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush Palette Review

Hello! I hope everyone is having a good week so far. Today I wanted to review the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush Palette. I saw a palette similar to this one last year, but wasn't able to find it online or in stores. I was excited when I saw this one at Sephora. And it was the last one! 

Before this palette, I hadn't tried any of Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blushes. I heard nothing but good things about it, so I knew I would like them. I figured this palette was a good way to try a few different colors too. This palette comes with 5 limited-edition colors:
Breathless- pinky beige              
Embraced- plummy rose
Whimsy- light pink
Bashful- rosy peach
Irreplaceable- mauve rose
I looked to see if these colors were available in a single pan, but unfortunately they are not. Some of the colors look similar to ones that are available though.

I absolutely love these blushes. I probably use irreplaceable and bashful the most, but don't have any complaints about any of them. They blend nicely and the color can be applied to look natural, but is also buildable for a darker application. And the blush lasts all day! With other blushes I find myself needing to reapply mid-day, but not with these ones. Each blush has .158oz of color, and a single full size Amazonian Clay blush is .20 oz, so this palette is a good value. I paid $42 dollars for it.
I also like that these blushes are "formulated without: parbens and mineral oil."

The soft, clutch-like packaging is nice. It comes with the 2 hair pins (pictured) and it has a large mirror on this inside. The palette seems nicely made and snaps closed. It is kind of bulky, so it wouldn't be the best to travel with. 
Overall I am impressed and think it was worth the investment. I looked for this palette online, but wasn't able to find it on Sephora or Tartes website. I did find it at a Sephora store, so if you are interested in this palette I would check out Sephora. 
Thanks for visiting!

Graduation!!!

Hello! Wow, it has almost been a month since my last post. I have been so busy with finishing up the semester. But... I finally graduated!! I finally feel like I have time to breathe. I should be back to posting more regularly, but for today I just wanted to share a couple of pictures from graduation.

 I can't believe I am done. I don't know that it has completely sunk in yet that I never have to attend another class or take another exam (at least- for my undergrad.) I don't really have a plan right now. Since it is the middle of the school year, with not too many teaching jobs open, I think I am just going to sub. It's a good way to get some experience and get my name out there. We'll see how it goes. I also want to continue growing my blog. I enjoy it and am excited to have more time to write.

Thanks for being patient with me while I took some time off. I will be back later this week with a new post-or maybe 2 :)

NOTD: Sally Hansen Pat on the Black

Hello! I finally finished my 2 solo weeks of teaching at my internship. I had a ton of fun, but it was also a great learning experience. I can't believe I only have about 3 weeks left before graduation. It is  crazy how fast this semester has gone. Between last night and today, we got about 6 inches of snow here in Michigan. The roads have been terrible, so we had a snow day. I figured I would use my extra time to write a quick post :)
I wanted to share the polish I have been wearing on my nails for the last week. It is called Pat on the Black by Sally Hansen. It is part of their Complete Salon Manicure collection. I was so excited to find this color. I used to have it years ago when it was part of a different collection. I was disappointed when they discontinued it and ended up buying a couple extra bottles. I kind of forgot about the color when I finished them. I was looking at the nail polish when I saw this color on the shelf. I was pleasantly surprised that it was the same color I had used years before. 
Anyway, that was a long introduction to this color: 

This polish is a beautiful deep purple color. It is very dark, but it is warmer than a black. In the light you can definetly see the purple. I have a few different colors from this collection and have been impressed by each one of them. With a top coat, this polish lasted for about a week for me with minimal chipping. I waited a day between painting my nails and applying a top coat and did have a few small chips, so I would recommend using a top coat. As always, I use Essie 3 in one top and base coat. Since this color is dark, I should wear a base coat with it, but I don't have hours to wait for my nails to completely dry :) The brush on these polishes is thicker than most other nail polish brands, but I like it. I don't find that it makes it harder to apply, but some may not like it.

I hope you like this color. What is your favorite nail polish to wear in the fall?

Thanks for visiting! 

Favorite Youtube Channels

I started watching Youtube beauty videos about 4 years ago when I was looking for ways to do my makeup for our wedding. I have watched them ever since. I always look forward to seeing a new video upload from my favorite youtuber.

Kandee Johnson- Was the first youtuber I watched. I remember checking her channel every few days to see if she posted anything new. This was before I signed up for an account or knew what subscribing was. She is a professional makeup artist who has great tips on allowing your natural beauty to shine. She does all kinds of tutorials including star transformation. She has such a bubbly personality and a sweet heart. Check her channel out here.

Nikki Phillippi- Has a few different channels. Her main channel is where she does a little bit of everything. She share her beauty tips, outfits as well as fitness and healthy food ideas. She also has a vlog channel as well as an advice channel. I like her morals and that she isn't afraid to be herself. Check her channel out here.

missglamorazzi- I always look forward to watching her new videos. I enjoy her makeup looks because they aren't too overdone or over the top. She does simple but cute hair tutorials and GIY (glam it yourself) project ideas. Check out her channel here. 

eleventhgorgeous- are sisters who film together. They do a lot of hauls and makeup tutorials. Many of the products they use are from the drugstore, and are more budget friendly. They find alternatives to high-end makeup. Check out their channel here.

graveyard girl- is hilarious. I always laugh when watching her videos. She occasionally does tutorials, but most of her videos are hauls and product reviews. She reviews quite a few as seen on tv products and test to see if they actually work. She also create vlog videos. Check out her channel here.

Who are your favorite youtubers?
Thanks for visiting!

Ways to Keep the Spark in a Relationship

Hello! I hope everyone is having a great week. I have been married for four years and know that life is busy. Sometimes it's easy to fall into a routine in a relationship. Here are a few ideas I have to keeping the spark in a relationship.

1. Hold hands just because.
2. Open the door for her.
3. Write notes to each other. Leave them in the kitchen, on their nightstand, on the bathroom counter- anywhere.
4. Turn the phones off for a date night.
5. Make time for each other. Set aside time for the two of you to spend together and turn off the rest of the world.
6. Acknowledge the little things they do- When dishes are put away or laundry is folded.
7. Make a big deal out of birthdays, anniversaries and accomplishments. That doesn't mean go buy a big, expensive gift, it means celebrate with them. You should be their biggest fan.
8. Make a point to do things the other person likes to do.
9. Take a walk together just to talk.
10. Say I love you every day.
11. Laugh together.
12. Learn each others love language. (I will have a separate post on this)
13. Try something new with each other.
14. Cook with each other. Take turns picking out new recipes to try.
15. Take interest in the things that are important to the other.
16. Learn something new together.
17. Go out of your way to do something nice for them.
18. Never go to bed angry.

Thanks for reading! 

Simply Striped

Hello! I am sorry for the lack of posts lately. My internship has been going great, but I have two weeks coming up where I am lead teacher that I am planning for. I'll just say I have been extremely busy. I had some extra time and wanted to get a quick post up. 
I am pretty sure this is the first time I have shared an outfit idea on my blog. I don't feel like I am the best at putting outfits together, and didn't know if it was something everyone wanted to see. My birthday was a couple of weeks ago, and I got a few new things that I am excited about. I thought it was the perfect time to share an outfit with you. 

I typically stick with neutrals and blacks when picking clothes out, and this outfit is no different. I love how simple the sweater is, but the stripes also add another element to it. I bought the boots online and wasn't too sure I liked them when I got them. I probably wouldn't have given them a second look in the store. After wearing them, I ended up liking them. The lace detail is beautiful.

Sweater | T.J. Maxx 
Jeans | Macys
Shoes | DSW

Thanks for visiting!

Fall Favorites

Hello! I feel like it has been way too long since I have blogged. I have a few big projects for my internship that are due towards the end of the month. I am trying to blog as much as I can though. I miss it. Today I wanted to share some of my fall favorites with you.

1. Boots- This is probably my most favorite part about fall. I can't tell you how excited I was when it was finally appropriate to wear boots out. These one are by Madden Girl.
2. Scarves- I love the way scarves can make an outfit. I mainly wear infinity scarves, but I finally learned how to tie a regular scarf. I am excited about a couple of new ones I picked up from Claires.
3. Rose Salve-I mainly use Rose Salve for dry lips, but you can also use it on dry skin. It's not greasy and has a lovely, light scent. If you want to see a full review click here. 
4. Dark Nail Polish- This color is called Dress to Kilt by Essie. I don't own it- yet, but I thought it was a perfect fall color.
5. Body Butter- One thing I neglect to do is use body lotion. Mainly because I am lazy, but also because I don't really like the way it feels right after I put it on.-Weird, I know. With the changing weather, it become more of a necessity. I don't like dry, itchy skin even more.
6. Carmel Apples- This has been a favorite fall treat of mine for years. 
7. Sweaters- I am one of those people who is always cold. It could be 70 degrees out, and I will still be cold. Sweaters become my best friend. This one is from H&M.

Thanks for reading
What are your fall favorites?

25 Fall Date Ideas

Hello! I hope everyone is having a good week so far. Fall is one of my favorite seasons (only behind summer because of the temperature.) I love the changing leaves and colors. My husband and I are trying to be a bit more creative with our dates, so we created a list of fall date ideas together. We are going to try and do as many as we can this year.

1. Get lost in a corn maze
2. Get lost in a corn maze- at night
3. Pack snacks and go to a drive-in movie
4. Pick pumpkins out at a pumpkin patch
5.Carve or paint your pumpkins
6. Go to a football game
7. Go on a hay ride
8. Talk over coffee or hot cocoa
9. Put the hoodies on and go for a walk
10. Cook smores over a fire
11. Ride bikes
12. Take fall pictures
13. Play in the leaves while raking
14. Cuddle under a blanket and watch a movie
15. Go to a haunted house
16. Go to the county fair (this is one thing we look forward to each year)
17. Go camping for a night
18. Take a drive and enjoy the scenery
19. Go horseback riding
20. Bake cookies together
21. Visit someplace new in your town
22. Read a book together
23. Pick apples
24. Build a fort
25. Try a new fall recipe

What is your favorite fall date idea?

Multi-Use Makeup

Hello! I was recently cleaning out my makeup and noticed a few items I wasn't using. These items were either a color that didn't work for me, or colors that aren't for everyday wear. I found a few other ways to use these products.

1. The first thing I found was a few lipsticks that I don't wear. Recently, I have been wearing colors more on the natural or nude side. This one in the picture is a pink color that is not very flattering on my lips. One way to use pink lipstick is to use it as a cream blush. As you can see from the picture, I only put a small amount of my cheeks. It easily blended with my fingers. This trick is great for makeup on the go too. I keep a lipstick in my makeup bag that I wear on my lips, but also looks nice on my cheeks if I need a little touch-up throughout the day. 

2. Another way you can use lipstick, is by layering different colors. The left swatch is called Vintage Pink by Rimmel. I do like the color, but it is quite purple. I like to keep my makeup more on the natural side for work and my internship, but I will occasionally wear it on a date night. To make the color more wearable during the day, I layer it with a nude-pink lip color. I put the pink color on first, and apply a thin layer of the Vintage Pink. The color to the right is the mixed color. It didn't photograph as nicely as I would have liked, but you can see the purple tint to it.

3. Lastly, I found this blush/bronzer duo from E.L.F. While I do like the blush, the bronzer is a little too dark for my skin. Actually, it is quite a bit too dark, and its has an orange undertone.

I have been using it as an eyeshadow and really liking it. I apply it on my eyelid and blend it out with a lighter brown. I then use a dark brown eyeshadow in my outer v and slightly blend it into the crease. It blends nicely and lasts as long as an eyeshadow with primer.

I hope you like this post. Let me know if you have any makeup tricks like this.
Thanks for visiting!!

Boot Bliss

Hello! With the cooler weather we have been having, I have been able to pull out my boots. Boots are probably my favorite fall fashion item. With the new season, I have been wanting to get a new pair. I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorites in case you need ideas for new boots too. I hope you like them!

1. Maurices Gray Wilma Double Buckle Wide boot- $44 I had these boots in black. I liked them, but the only problem is they only last about 1 season. They aren't the best quality.
2. Bearpaw Knit Tall Boots from Shoe Carnival- $69.99. I seen a pair of knit boots similar to this that were made by UGG. They were a pretty light blue-gray color and looked really cute on. These boots are similar for a fraction of the cost. I will probably never own these, but I wanted to add them because I do like them.
3. Madden Girl Cullen- $49.99. I have a pair of Madden Girl boots that are very similar to this boot. They have been well loved for a couple of years, and they are still in good shape.
4. Journee Collection Tiffany Slouch Boots from Kohls- $69.99. These are the boots I am leaning on getting. The only thing I don't like is that they are only available online, so I can't try them on before buying. It is nice that Kohls will let you return items to the store though if they don't fit.
5. Rock & Candy Spraypaint Lace Combat Booties from DSW- $49.95. I don't own a pair of combat boots. But if I did, these would be the ones I would choose. I love the color and the lace detailing is beautiful.
6. White Mountain Life Riding Boot from DSW- $69.95. These are a nice classic black boot. I like their simplicity. They also came in a few different colors.

Do you have a favorite pair of boots or brand?
Don't for get to follow me on twitter for new posts. Also please leave me a link to your blog so I can check it out :)

Our Love Story

Today's post is going to be a little different. When I first started this blog, I intended it to be a beauty and lifestyle blog. I honestly think this is the first personal/ non-beauty related post I have done. I have been wanting to incorporate other topics as well, so I thought sharing one of the biggest parts of my life with you would be a good start. :)
I have never been outgoing, or one to "make the first move." When I got a message from a good looking guy on Myspace, little did I know my whole world was going to change. We started talking and discovered we went to the same high school and church. We went to a fairly large high school, and since he was 2 grades below me, we had never met.
We remained friends for a few months while we got to know each other, but on a whim, I asked him to go to prom with me. Thankfully, he accepted. That night he asked me out, and we were "official."
Things weren't easy though. There were some personal things that he was dealing with, and he was forced to change schools. Even though he only lived 45 minutes away, we only saw each other once every couple of weeks. Those drives home were tough, but looking back, this strengthened our relationship and solidified our want to be together. Things got easier when he moved back about a year later.
Early on in our relationship I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. He is everything that I am not and can truly be myself around him. After 2 years of dating we got engaged, and a year later, we got married. We don't have a romantic proposal story, but we simply talked about spending the rest of our lives together one day on the couch. We happened to find ourselves in a jewelry store later that day browsing the rings. I found one that I liked in particular, and unexpectedly, he purchased it.
 Last month was our 4 year anniversary. I can't believe how fast the time has gone, but I am blessed to have such a great husband and best friend by my side. Since we did get married so young, I feel like we can grow up together and learn life together.

 Thanks for reading!