GUEST BEDROOM UPDATE

my sister moved out of the house & into her very first apartment towards the beginning of the summer, & since then i've been dying to turn her old bedroom into a cheerful guest room. 

it wasn't until recently (& by "recently" i mean yesterday) that i finally started getting things together...exactly one day before my grandma's visit from st. louis. leave it to me to procrastinate. 

i remembered a picture i saw on pinterest a while back that listed the makings of a cozy guest bedroom. fresh flowers were on the list so i took a trip to h-e-b & picked up some light pink carnations. i put them in a tall mason jar along with some hot pink roses from the yard.

one of my biggest achievements of the day was repainting a desk that was left by my sister. it was a spur of the moment project so it isn't perfect...but much improved.

i also spray painted a couple of picture frames with a metallic gold paint left over from another project i'm working on. i found some quotes, pictures, & typography i liked on pinterest & simply printed them out & framed them. seriously simple & cheap.

finally, i set out a box of tissues (another item on the cozy guest bedroom list) & a candle to scent the room, dragged in a rocking chair we had stored away, & placed a light blue pillow on it for color.

there's still so much to do, like search for bedding, more pillows, etc. but here's a look at what i've achieved so far: 

SUMMER GIVEAWAY

enter to win this prize by following this blog by clicking "join this site" at the very bottom of the page & leave a comment on this post letting me know your favorite thing about summer.

your comment should be written in this format: "first name last name loves..."

for example: "grace hunter loves flip flops & tan lines!"

for all giveaway details & to learn about more ways to enter, please refer to this youtube video:

MAY FAVORITES | 2014

i am finally back with another post, this one featuring my favorite things from may. 

beginning with hair, i've been loving my shea moisture coconut & hibiscus curl & style milk. this was one of those products that i wasn't a big fan of when i first bought it, but now i can't stop using it! this product is similar to a leave-in conditioner but directed towards those with curly hair. i apply it to my damp hair after i've showered & comb it through; it de-tangles, de-frizzes, smoothes, & adds shine.

for body care, i've been moisturizing using my warm vanilla sugar body butter from bath & body works. the formula blends easily into my skin & absorbs quickly. it smells great + it smoothes & softens my skin.

*i couldn't find the body butter online (it looks like it was discontinued) so i've linked the triple moisture cream instead which is very similar in formula.

for fragrance, i've continued to get a ton of use out of my travel-sized bombshell body mist from victoria's secret. i'm in love with this scent, it's very light & feminine, though not necessarily fruity or sweet. the scent is almost like a powder though i don't feel that description does it justice, go give it a whiff!

moving onto makeup, i recently picked up the nyc smooth skin bronzing face powder in the shade 720a sunny. this bronzer has been raved about all over youtube & i must say i am also a fan. the bronzer is matte & not too muddy or too orange. it works great for contouring & is the perfect crease shade as well.

i also rediscovered my raspberry rose kiss nivea lip butter this past month. though i don't recommend using it underneath another lip product because it has a milky light pink tint to it (not a fan) it does do a great job of moisturizing your lips.

moving to fashion favorites, i have been getting a ton of wear out of my lace detail denim shorts from mossimo supply co. i love the way they look with a simple t-shirt & a cute pair of flip flops. so simple, but still put together.

finally, i had one lifestyle favorite this month: the watermelon lemonade 3-wick candle from bath & body works. i absolutely love the way this smells, so fruity, juicy, & perfect for summertime + the scent is strong enough to fill the room but not too overwhelming.

& that's it for my favorite things from may 2014. leave me a comment letting me know your current favorite things so i can check them out for next month! if you'd prefer to watch the video version of this post, be sure to press play below:

HOME HAUL

i've been doing a lot of cleaning and organizing around the house lately & i picked up a few things to help with the process. some of my absolute favorite stores to go to for home decor are home goods, target, & hobby lobby. home goods always has great deals on bedding & pillows, hobby lobby just about always has a sale going on, & target is great for colorful/patterned accessories. this haul features items from these stores & bath and body works as well, take a look at what i purchased below: 

black & white photo storage boxes: hobby lobby
wooden "h": hobby lobby
"keys" hanger: hobby lobby
glass storage jars: hobby lobby

white ceramic candle stand: bath & body works
black & white storage basket: bath & body works

orange & white geometric pillow: home goods
grey curtains (underneath pillow): home goods

yellow happiness candle: target
grey & white chevron blanket: target

more photos below:

i originally filmed a video of this haul for my youtube channel but could not get the video to import to my macbook, so i decided to blog about this home haul instead. i'm really looking forward to buying a nice camera this summer and being able to upload higher quality videos more often. if you have any further questions about the items i hauled, feel free to ask me in a comment below, i always reply to all comments on my blog & youtube channel. :)

EASTER SUNDAY OOTD

by the time easter sunday rolled around, i already had a pretty good idea of what i wanted to wear. i fell in looove with the famous white zara mini skort the moment it came out & purchased it right away. i did not however, have as many opportunities to wear it as i thought i would. easter sunday was the opportunity i'd been looking for; white being a symbol of faith & new beginnings + let's face it, an all around great spring color.

i paired the skort with a simple white long sleeved tee from target. i originally had on a more sweater-like long sleeved top that added a great texture to the outfit, until an accident with a mascara wand caused me to change. i love the idea of white on white & think it will be a major trend for spring/summer 2014.

i also finally got the opportunity to break out these killer heels i originally bought a couple of weeks ago to wear to a wedding, but because of the rain, i traded in my new suede heels for basic nude pumps. i was so excited to wear them this easter sunday. i'm loving anything with an ankle strap lately, another trend i have a feeling will be big this spring.

for accessories i kept it simple with my everyday david yurman rings & a light blue bobble necklace for a little color. & as far as nails go, i treated myself to a mani/pedi a couple of days before using a favorite, essie's bikini so teeny.

all outfit details & links are below, if there's anything i failed to mention, feel free to let me know in a comment below.

white long sleeved tee-target

mini skirt-zara (black only online)

similar @ asos











heels-calvin klein (dsw)

i purchased mine at dsw for around $50, but they were sold out online at dsw. i did manage to find them directly through calvin klein but they are much pricier there.

here is the info if you're interested in hunting them down:

ASA K SUEDE/SHINY S NAPPA
E1329
34E1329-OML
OATMEAL

bobble necklace-charming charlie
other great options:

poppy statement necklace

chromasia collar necklace

decked out bloom necklace

nails-essie's bikini so teeny