Spring Makeup Haul

I don't know about you, but when I read blog posts on hauls or watch YouTube hauls I get the biggest urge to shop. I did however do a no makeup buy for the month of January, until the 15th of February so I guess this is why I did this...I'm not too sure. I did receive a few gift cards for my birthday and actually won a Sephora gift card from a giveaway too!

 So here are some of my makeup purchases for the spring time:

I decided to try a couple new fun products from Tarte and these both are going to be perfect for spring!

Tarte Energy LipSurgence  | This product really cool because the lip tint actually reacts to your "energy" meaning it changes different shades of pink. Very pretty, and really moisturizing!

Tarte Fearless Cheek Stain | I am usually not a blush girl but lately I have been actually loving them, so I decided to try this cheek stain. Fearless is from Tarte's new collection for spring and it is the perfect pink color. I dab this on my cheek bones and use my Real Technique Sponge to blend it out and it gives me a perfect dewy look.

Maybelline was BOGO 50% off at Rite Aid...so of course I had to try out these next two products.

Maybelline Master Hi-Light - HiLighting Bronzing | I am such a sucker for new bronzing products, and this is awesome. It is subtle enough on days you want to wear light makeup (which I love in the spring time) but it also gives you a great glow.

Maybelline Eyestudio "Copper Chic" | I absolutely love the eyestudio products, they have the best pigmentation for drugstore makeup, and these colors are so gorgeous!

L'Oreal Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara | I have been meaning to try this mascara out for the longest time, but never have. After finding it on sale for only $4.99 I knew it was meant to be. I love using this to lengthen my lashes and then use my They're Real from Benefit for the fuller lashes on top.

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW Foundation | I needed a new foundation, and I wanted to try out something more high end and with SPF. I have heard great things about this one and they were right! I love the amount of coverage, but that it isn't heavy on the skin. I also love SPF foundations in the spring and summer.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Moose "Taupe" | I never realized up until about less than a year ago how much brows can change your entire makeup look, in the best way! I am so happy with this product, it matches my eyebrows perfectly and blends so nicely.

What are some of your favorite spring time makeup products?

Five on Friday + A Giveaway

I am linking up this week for Five on Friday, and at the end there is a special giveaway!

1. If you didn't already know, I picked out my wedding gown! You can see how that all went down here. This is #1 on my list because this is so exciting for me!

2. Spring weather really nothing beats spring weather, except of course fall weather. But that's besides the point. I love random rain showers and being able to wear sandals all the time again. We wont have a spring for too long, summer will come and take over so I have to enjoy it while it lasts!

3. Dogs | I love being able to be in the backyard with my dog while having my mom and her dog over. They love playing out in the sun and we love sitting in the backyard chatting. I mean, look at how cute they are!

4. Anything and everything in the Kate Spade bridal collection. I want it all. Especially this "Mrs" necklace.

Source

5. I have a very exciting giveaway for you all today, that Stephanie over at Meet With A Smile put together with some other really kind bloggers. All you have to do is enter in the Rafflecopter form below! Good luck :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Twitter and Blogging

There are so many reasons to love and use different social media platforms when you're a blogger. My favorite happens to be twitter. I can't even say how many people I had randomly followed when I first started Twitter, and now I chat with them back and forward like they are real life friends. Not to mention the exposure for your blog, etsy shop, YouTube, or whatever you do. I love Twitter for many reasons, so here are three of them!

1. You can talk to people you would have never met otherwise. Following random people on Facebook is usually looked down upon, and kind of weird. Not on Twitter though. The people I have stumbled across on twitter has got to be my favorite reason for loving it so much. I honestly don't know how I would have found some of my favorite bloggers that I read every single time that they post without social media. Not to mention that I have made so many blogging friends through Twitter. Macy over at  To Travel And Beyond happens to be someone I met through Twitter, a few years ago and I'm pretty sure we were separated at birth or something because we have so much in common. I still don't really know how we started following each other, but if she comes to California we are so hanging out.

2. Hashtags and Twitter chats. When you're trying to grow your blog you have to be active by meeting other bloggers and putting yourself out there. This is such an easy and effective way to do that. Most of the time when I log on at least one blogging hashtag is trending. Participating in twitter chats for the type of blogger you are is so great, you can talk to other people blogging about things you love and you can share yours as well.

3. You will know everything that happens before the anyone else on Facebook. As for news stories you cant beat Twitter. I will know someone famous has died at least four hours before anyone on Facebook will.


What are some ways you have found some of your favorite bloggers?

March Ipsy Bag

Happy Spring everyone! 

I love sharing my monthly Ipsy bags with you. You probably already know, but if you don't, this is a monthly subscription service that delivered beauty items right to your door for $10.00 a month. I have been an active faithful member of Ipsy since attending Generation Beauty. 

The bag this month, is honestly not one of my favorites. It was made by a Ipsy member and I just really don't love the pattern or the weird plastic type material.

Here is what was in my bag,

1. NYX Love In Rio

2. Chella Indigo Blue Eyeliner

3. Pixi Beauty Flawless Beauty Primer

4. bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie "Get Ready" Lipstick

I can honestly say most months I am so happy and impressed, but this month was just a bummer. I know I'll use the eye shadow at some point but the rest is just not my cup of tea. The blue felt tip eyeliner is something I know I wont wear, and the other two just are not for me.

 Honestly though for $10.00 a month you never know what you'll get! I'm not complaining, because I really love getting new things, and I can share with friends and family! You can join here!


Let me know what your favorite subscription service is!

I said yes to the dress!

Friday night my mom, sisters, and I set an appointment at David's Bridal to try on wedding gowns, and to look for bridesmaids dresses. I thought this would just be us trying on dresses to get an idea of what I want. Who knew that after trying on only three dresses I would have found the one I loved!

Trying on dresses is hard work people! First off you're being looked at by every single person in a 50 foot vicinity, you have to manage to get this bra on that literally snaps up your entire back, you're trying on dresses that's roughly 2-4 sizes bigger than you normally wear, and you and a wedding gown associate are shoved in a dressing room trying to get this dress on you.

I had picked out two that I thought I would really love, and the associate picked an additional one that she thought I would like. After trying on the first one, it was just okay. Nothing special, and it didn't feel like it was "the one".

                      (This just was not the one, I wasn't a fan of the bow)

I decided to try on the one the lady helping us picked out..and it was beautiful. I could tell on my family's face that they loved it before I could even turn around to see it. I knew it was the one. It fit me so perfectly, minus the chest area sadly but that's with any dress for me. And it was on sale, only until Monday! I tried on one more dress after just to make sure, but nothing felt as special as the second one. So I put back on the "one" and we did the David's Bridal ceremony where I make a wish and say yes to the dress! I know that this is the dress I can see myself marrying Joe in and loving the way it looks! I am so, so excited!


No pictures of the actual dress yet, I don't want Joe snooping to see it before the wedding!




How many dresses did you try on after finding the one?

I linked up for Wedding Wednesday!

Contro

I wish I could start out this post by saying that I'm a control freak in a cute way such as: "I have to have my closet color coordinated, or my shoes perfectly in a row"...(I mean, I do) but I realized some time ago that always needing to be in control is not a cute thing.

Let me start out with a not so nice story,

We have a couch, now mind you it was given to us when we moved into our apartment so we didn't have to worry about buying a couch for a while. It's not the cutest thing, but it was so nice of the person who gave it to us since we really cannot afford brand new couches at the moment. This couch has a slip cover over the top because the couch is a bit worn down. I have a daily fight with this couch cover every single day, I mean constantly. This thing just does not stay down perfectly like I would prefer it to, it's always ruffled up or coming out of the couch cushion. Every single morning before work, and every night after dinner I fix this thing. I mean I pull out the couch and rip the cover off and start from scratch. Sometimes I want to cry over how sad it is that this bothers me so badly. I do not want to feel this way over A SLIP COVER none the less...but I do.

 Joe does not feel the same way about the couch as I do, of course. One day after I spent at least 20 minutes perfecting this stupid thing, put the throw pillows just so on the couch he did something that made my blood boil. He SAT down on the couch... and I shot him the ugliest, dirtiest, glair and I could feel it. I think there was steam actually coming out of my ears. It was like he just personally offended me. He had no idea how long I worked on fixing the couch and had no idea that purely sitting on our living room couch would make me furious. How could he have known.  

I felt so embarrassed and sad for how mad I was, and that's when I realized that my control issue is not at all in anyway cute.

I have to pray for the help to not obsess over silly and minuscule things like this everyday.

Thankfully I have a fiancé who knows this about me, and thankfully understands and does try to help the best he can.

Trying to control your thoughts can be really hard, just this morning I resisted fixing up the couch before work and I know that it'll be okay. My new daily prayer will be to help me control my thoughts, because I do not need to feel controlled by a silly couch cover.

Joyce Meyer, you speak to my soul.

Beauty Box 5 {March}

Beauty Box 5 is a great monthly subscription service where you get a box delivered to your doorstep every month with new beauty goodies. For $12.00 a month you get 5 items in your box, hence the name. I love getting monthly subscription boxes in my mailbox because you never know what you're gonna get. Even if you only love a few products, it still usually is double the cost of the box anyway!

I have never received a month subscription box where I absolutely love everything in the box, this month I did! Here's what I received:

Jane's Pick ~All Natural Soaps (Retail $8.00) This soap is handmade, chemical free, and made with herbs and flowers. I love the scent of this soap and it lathers great!

Tree Hut ~Shea Body Butter (Retail 7.49) I absolutely love Tree Hut products, right now I use a body wash scrub and love it. This body butter is no different, the smell is to die for (coconut and lime) and it moisturizes my skin so well. It is paraben free and has natural anti-aging properties.

Bellapierre Cosmetics ~ Makeup Base (Retail 18.99) This makeup base is perfect because it matches my skin so well, and it conceals any discoloration or veins on my eye lids or under my eyes.

H2O Plus ~ Hand & Nail Cream (Retail 15.00) I have been complaining all winter about my cuticles and hands, they crack and hurt so badly. Right when I used this product it soothed my hands and made them so silky. It is very lightweight and not greasy at all.

Swissco ~ Dual Sided Facial Pad (Retail 2.00) I am so excited for this facial pad! I love to exfoliate, but my skin usually hates me for days after I do. With this I can use my gentle foaming cleanser on this facial pad and rub gently to help exfoliate without the harshness of some exfoliating products.

Beautybox5 Website Go check em' out!

**I received this box to give my own personal opinion on the products contained, all opinions are my own**

Five on Friday

Today I am linking up to share with you five things on Friday. Since Friday's are technically my Sundays I cant say I'm too excited for the weekend, but I hope everyone else has a great one! So lets just get started!

(Sorry, I had to do it)

1. {Wedding dress shopping} My mom, sisters, and I have an appointment tonight to try on dresses! I am so excited, and I feel like when I say yes to the dress it will all feel very real.

2. {Spring nail polish} I absolutely love pastel and bright colors on my fingers and toes in the spring and summer! They make me so happy. Here are some of my favorites.

- Essie Fiji ~ The perfect pale pink.

- Essie Mint Candy Apple ~ A beautiful light robins egg blue

- Essie First Timer ~ I plan on wearing this for St. Patty's day!

- Sally Hansen Lacy Lilac ~ Such a pretty soft purple! I love this color around Easter time.

- OPI Don't Bossa Nova Me Around ~ I am so in love with this color that I painted my nails this for two weeks straight, which never happens!

3. {Outdoor walks} with Joe and my fur baby is the best thing now that the weather is so amazing! The fact that we are halfway through march makes me so excited. I will be done with my first semester soon, and a month closer to our wedding!

4. {Floral perfume} I love Philosophy's Amazing Grace perfume for the spring time, it is so pretty and clean!

5. {Save the Dates} We still haven't done our engagement session pictures due to being procrastinators and being busy with everything else. We decided to send our save the dates without the typical engagement pictures which makes me a little bit sad, but it is what it is. We ordered these through etsy, and with some stress with the printing quality the lady at office depot really came through and made them look great. I would share them, but I don't want anyone who is getting one to see them before hand!

Linked up at north carolina charm

Wedding Planning | DIY Planning Binder

Today for my second wedding planning posts I wanted to share my DIY wedding planning binder!
I got the inspiration from several outlets online and found blog posts on how they found it useful to put together your own binder. I liked this idea because some bridal books are roughly $30.00+ and I liked the idea of making this custom to our needs. I have major OCD when it comes to organization, so this was exciting and fun for me!

What you need:
- 1 inch or bigger; binder
- 10 dividers (depends on your needs)
- Paper protector sleeves
- Post it notes
- Wedding lists and templates

- Here are the planning templates I used and printed. - These are great, they have every check list you need and other worksheets that will come in handy when dealing with budgeting, vendors, registry, rentals, etc.

(Sorry for the awful iPhone photos)

I also added clear page protectors to keep all receipts or business cards in as well. I kept everything from brochures, information packets, contact information from venues, etc all in this binder. 

I used post it notes for to-do lists each week so I knew what needed to be done or who needed to be called that week. Let me know some of your tips for staying organized and within budget when planning a wedding! Take this with you to bridal shows, and you wont regret it. It helped me so much! 

I also kept another folder inside my binder for RSVPS, gifts, and thank you cards. I had to stay organized when it came to keeping track of gifts and who was coming to the wedding.

Did this help you? What did you use/what will you use to plan your wedding?

The Blogmopolitian Quiz

Anyone who knows me will tell you that Cosmopolitan is my all time favorite magazine. I somewhat have an issue where I have been collecting them since 2007 and feel the need to keep every issue...When I saw this quiz that Erin created floating around blog land I knew I had to participate! Let me know if you did this as well, I love reading them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding Planning #1

Hi friends!

I decided since becoming engaged that I wanted to share my wedding planning process, ideas, or whatever crazy things are going on until our wedding date. I am obviously new to planning a wedding, so feel free to share tips and advice! I have been obsessed with reading other wedding planning blogs and posts too!

Today for my first post on this subject I wanted to share my to-do list! I am a bit obsessed with lists and checking things off of them. I have one in my DIY wedding planning binder (this will be my next post in this series)

This is just my overall major to-do-list as of now, I'm sure I'll find more things I need to do in the months to come.

We just put down our deposit and secured our date for our wedding ceremony and reception! That was our major step, and now that it is finally done I cannot wait to start planning!

• Set the date
• Book our wedding and reception venue
• Make wedding page or website
• Book photographer
• Take engagement pictures (next month in June we will)
• Order and send out Save the Dates
• Register Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, Kohls
• Try on and buy wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses
• Groom and groomsmen tuxes/shoes
• Cake tasting and booking
• Choose linens and decorations with venue
• Get my rings resized
• Finalize guest list   
• Rent arch for ceremony
• Book DJ or PA System
• Book our ceremony officiant
• Buy wedding shoes and jewelry
• Book makeup artist & hair stylist (In the process)
• Hair and makeup trial
• Purchase wedding band for Joe
• Mail invitations
• Meeting with caterer to pick out menu  
• Ceremony and reception music selections
• Buy bridesmaids and groomsmen gifts
• Candy bar and decoration shopping.
• Make décor (pinterest) for wedding and reception
• Book Hotel Room 
• Marriage license
• Order and send out thank you cards (After)

I will be crossing these off as I go and be updating everyone on our progress! If you are engaged and blog, or are on pinterest let me know in the comments!