Looking Hot In My Junior Plus Size Top

Tomorrow marks the anniversary of my boyfriend and I being together for 3 years. I really can't believe that we have been together that long! This weekend we are getting away and staying at a Bed and Breakfast. I have no idea what we will do because the city we are staying in is very small! We know we will go to dinner and maybe ice skating (which I'm horrible at but it will be fun to laugh at each other)

I have been such a girl planning my outfits for the weekend, what girl doesn't?! I have been a little self conscious about my weight lately so I am over thinking what I will wear. I want to look hot! After all it is my anniversary. I found a really cute junior plus size top that is both sexy and subtle. It's lacy and really romantic, of course all black, and totally fits the occasion. Since it's so frigid up here in MN I will have to wear a cardigan over it but I will also pair it with jeans and black boots. I'm also loving colored lips right now and fun colored nails. What do you think?

A Cheap and Easy Way to Color Clothes

Onesies make for some of the best baby clothes. They are super comfy, easy to put on baby, easy to wash, and make diaper changing super easy! The short-sleeve onesies are awesome in warmer weather and long-sleeve onesies are perfect for cooler weather.

You can take a simple, plain white onesie and use some Rit dye to create fun-colored onesies that will match any outfit. This is easy to use and I love the bright and vibrant colored fabrics it creates! Not only can you dye baby onesies, but you can transform plain white t-shirts into something fresh and fun! I love this, and the possibilities are endless.

Gossip Girl LOVE

Gossip Girl is one of my all time favorite shows. I LOVE the dynamics between the characters, and the storyline is fantastic! There is always something going on and the drama is out of this world. It's fun to "follow" rich teens through their life in New York City, because it's a peek into their world: a world of black tie events, limousines, and about a hundred formal events a year. The fashion is AMAZING. They wear the latest and greatest trends from top of the line designers.

I can't get enough of this show--and I'm SO glad that the DVDs are available, because I can watch them over and over again. The show ended a couple of months ago in it's finale, and I'm glad that I own all of the seasons so I can start the show from the very beginning!

DIY Face Strips

I love to make as many beauty products at home that I can. This way, I know EXACTLY what is in the product and it's a lot less expensive to be able to make it myself.

I used to buy those Biore pore strips to clean out the pores on my nose (blackheads are disgusting and a pain in the butt).  They are also super expensive! It adds up when you have to buy them twice a month. I found a DIY recipe that's super easy to make (only TWO ingredients!).

All you need is 1 tablespoon of unflavored gelatin and 2 tablespoons of milk. Mix it together in a disposable container until it gets chunky. Mix quick! Microwave the mixture for 10-15 seconds, stir quick and immediately apply it to your face! It hardens quickly, so act quickly! Put it in whatever trouble spots you have. I put it on my nose and chin. Let this dry for 15 minutes or more. Your face will be so soft when you're done!

Carrie Underwood Look-a-Like Ornate Engagement Rings

It seems celebrities are getting engaged every other day. Their rings are ridiculously expensive and include outrageously large diamonds. It's always fun to see big bling that I can't afford to purchase and dream. I have to admit I do fantasize about them, what girl doesn't? I would love to some day be able to show off my diamond eye candy like these celebs.

According to the Business Insider, Carrie Underwood ranks in the top 15 most expensive celebrity engagement rings. Along with her: Jennifer Aniston, Heidi Klum, Britney Spears, Kate Hudson, Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon, Kate Middelton, Jennifer Garner, Khloe Kardashian, Hilary Duff, Catherine Zeta Jones, Kim Kardasian, Mariah Carey, Elizabeth Taylor, J-Lo, Jacqueline Kennedy, and ringing in number 1, Beyonce. With price tags ringing in near millions of dollars how can any "regular" person afford these?

Although some would choose to have ornate engagement rings that aren't comparable to another, there are some that would like something similar to celeb rocks. Personally, I love Carrie Underwood's yellow diamond ring. She has a circular shape and with one large yellow diamond in the middle, absolutely beautiful!! I would love something similar to this but with a much lower price tag. With a price of $150,000 there is NO way that my boyfriend would be able to afford, so I found an alternative that matches closely. How beautiful is this?! Definitely more within my price range, has a little more character but still includes that yellow diamond that I love so much.Thanks for the inspiration Carrie Underwood!

Facial Steamers are SO Good for Your Skin

I love to do anything that I can to keep my skin healthy. This includes using proper skincare with make-up application and removal, frequent moisturizing and exfoliation (to get rid of dead skin cells), wearing SPF 15 everyday on my face and body (even when you don't see the sun shining, it's still there!), and frequently using my facial steamer.

Most people have never heard of a facial steamer, and I'm here to inform you all just how great they are! The day spa that I go to told me all about these so I bought one for myself. There are many benefits to using a facial steamer including softening clogged pores and opening them up for deep cleansing and creating a relaxed facial response. This helps your skin AND alleviates stress! I love my facial steamer.

DIY Color Booster for Brunettes

So many people prefer their hair darker in the Winter time, myself included. I always ask my hairstylist to add more low lights to my hair during the Fall and Winter. This creates a more dimensional look and is a way to change things up a bit. I would get bored of the same thing all of the time!

Brunette shades tend to fade so much more than almost any other color. The blondes in my hair don't fade at all. This is a DIY hair color booster that's easy to make and it really brings out the brunette tones in my hair.

You will need 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1 tsp honey, and 1 tsp apple-cider vinegar. Combine these ingredients to form a paste. Shampoo the hair, squeeze out the water, and apply the mask. Keep this on for 2 to 3 minutes. Drape a towel around your neck during this time, as the mask can temporarily stain skin. Rinse it out and style it as usual!

Top of the Line Bridesmaids Dresses

If you are in the middle of planning a wedding, you can know just how stressful it can be! There are so many things to pick out and plan (and pay for!) that something that should be so fun can sometimes be overwhelming. It IS worth it though, and you have to admit that planning everything out gets you even more excited for the big day!

I found this great selection of bridesmaid dresses at a great price! They have dresses available in every color (to match your wedding color scheme PERFECTLY!), style, length, material, and size. No matter how many ladies are in your bridal party, what sizes they are (from XS to 4X), or what length of dress they prefer (short, mid-length, or long), you can find the greatest and latest trending dresses at great prices!

Get Silky, Soft Legs

I found a great beauty DIY at home recipe for silky, smooth legs. I know it's not summer, but that is not to stop you from being able to have the smoothest legs ever! All you need for this leg scrub is 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/2 cup oil (of your choice) and 1 1/4 cup sugar. Combine these ingredients into a medium sized bowl.

Start by soaking your legs in warm water for 5 minutes. Then shave your legs. Rub the sugar scrub all over legs and massage well. After it's been rubbed in really well, rinse your legs off. Shave again (which gets the dead skin off) and dry off legs! I always like to lotion my legs afterwards, it really locks in the moisture!

I'm Treating Myself to a Body Wrap in Orange County

Pictured above is just about my favorite sight in the world, because when I am looking at the front doors of CloudMover Day Spa, that means I am about to go and get an amazing massage or body treatment. I love everything about CloudMover: their wonderful staff, the relaxing environment inside the spa, the top of the line products they use, and their awesome menu of services! They offer everything from waxing to massage to body wraps and just about everything in between!

I am going to get a body wrap this week and I can't wait! I've had body wraps at other places and I can promise that CloudMover has the best body wrap in Orange County. I enjoy a good body wrap: it detoxifies my body as well as making me feel a lot more slim and refreshed. There are many more benefits to a body wrap and you're going to love it! 

ShoeDazzle is the Place to Go for Shoes

I love shoe shopping. It's the best kind of shopping out there! It is, however, sometimes a pain-in-the-butt to wait in long lines and fight off "crazy coupon ladies" for good deals and sales. I would much rather sit on my couch in my yoga pants (which, by the way, I have NEVER worn to yoga) and order the shoes online! When I already know what size I wear, it's easy to just choose a size and order it!

My favorite online shopping site is ShoeDazzle. You take a style quiz when you sign up for the site, and based on your results, you are shown a ton of shoes that match your style and size. They also offer FREE SHIPPING and the best part? Each pair is only $39.95 (except designer brands). I love this site and you will too!

Orange County Jewelers Helps Our Whole Family

It is finally my time in the family to get married and start my life and family. Myself and my family couldn't be more excited for the big day, and planning with my family could not be more of a blast. Because I am the baby of the family, and all of my brothers and sisters are already married, of course I am going to go to them to talk about where I should go for our wedding rings. No questions, right off the bat they all said I should go to the Orange County Jewelers. Without any hesitation, it really made me feel confident in looking for our wedding bands. I have looked at their collections, and I am more than excited to work with them to create the perfect wedding rings for the both of us.

Foundation Mistakes

Foundation can really make or break your make-up look. When applied correctly, it makes the face look flawless. When applied incorrectly, it can make you look like a clown. I found out I was making some serious mistakes with my foundation, and because I had NO idea I was doing it wrong, I wanted to share some tips with you!

1. Ditch the powder foundation. I used to wear Bare Minerals powder foundation because it seems so natural. Powder foundation tends to cake, making your face look extremely fake. It can also really accentuate wrinkles and can dry out your face.

2. Use a primer! It makes SUCH a difference. Experiment for yourself some time when you're around the house. Use primer under your foundation on half, and just foundation on the other half. You can see for yourself what a difference this makes! Primer makes the foundation glide on much smoother and can make it stay on so much longer.

3. Please stop using your fingers or a sponge to apply your foundation. You can achieve a MUCH better look by using a foundation brush.

4. Don't apply foundation all over your face. It's not made to be a cover-all. It should blend in well enough to just cover the trouble spots!

Beautiful Ornate Engagement Rings

Picking out an engagement ring can be hard work! There are thousands of different styles, colors, jewelry materials, cuts and more. If you are thinking about taking the next step in your relationship and are wanting to get married, you should check out the amazing collection of rings that Simone and Son has to offer.

My favorite collection there are the beautiful ornate engagement rings that they have. These rings are so breathtaking and beautiful. They look like they are so intricately designed that I can't help but stare and admire their beauty.

Each person has a different style. If these rings aren't for you, Simone and Son has mastered the technique and art of custom jewelry design. They can make any ring that you can dream of!

Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream for Those Tired Eyes

I drink coffee almost every morning. It helps to wake me up. When I heard about a eye cream made of coffee beans and filled with caffeine, I had to check it out. I was very interested to learn about what it can do for me. Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream (doesn't that have a nice ring to it?) is fantastic for instantly waking the eyes up and eliminating puffy eyes and dark circles. This is an organic eye cream that is all-natural. It moisturizes and contains coffee beans, caffeine, and green tea which are all ingredients to brighten eyes and reduce swelling, which are the effects of little sleep and high stress.

If you are super busy like a lot of us are, it's an easy way to look like you got about 9 hours of sleep when you only have time for about 5! This is a must-have in every beauty bag and also would make a great gift.

I Love the Cinda B Collection

I recently discovered the amazing Cinda B Collection and I can say that I am obsessed. They have an amazing collection and I can't wait to continue to add to my collection that is growing! I can't get over how many different bags they have. There is a bag for every occasion, every style, and every personality.
Cinda B has baby diaper bags complete with a changing pad, classic handbags, hipster bags (shown above), horizontal totes (which are PERFECT for carrying laptops, etc), backpacks, mini hobo bags, saddle bags, slim totes, wristlets, vertical totes, clutches, beach bags, and super totes. Now you can see why I am so amazed! Each of these bag styles is available in a variety of colors.
If you are looking to spice up your accessory collection and step out on the town with a brand new bag, check out the Cinda B collection! You will love what you see.