Looks I am Loving

Hello!! Hope you all had a great fourth! I was actually able to leave work early and spent a GREAT evening with my family. It fed my soul....good food, Hubs & my uncle jamming out together on their guitars, and tons of laughter! And of course, pigging out on Oreo cookie pops. Yum! Now on to some fashion!

This is definitely a summer of great fashion trends. From neons to beachy waves, here are a few of my fave's. P.S. Did not mean to have that rhyme.

via

Maxi skirts are so great for summer! On top of being supremely fashionable, they are also modest and not limited to any one specific design. You can find them in any myriad of prints or colors! I only wish I saw more reality tv stars wearing these. Seriously, Ladies! It is ok to wear more than 6 inches of fabric on your chemically preserved bod's! #randomrant

via

                                 
The Hunger Games have to be the inspiration for this latest craze! Katniss Everdeen-ish braids are EVERYWHERE! Like the maxi skirt, this trend is almost limitless in options. Twist a braid into a bun or have one simply pinned to the side. The only bummer is that I am not skilled in the art of hair ornamentation and have to stick with simply pinning a braid here or there. Even after countless views of Youtube tutorials, I still can't conquer the coveted "waterfall french braid." Any tips???

via

If you know me at all, you know I am a girl that loves her accessories! What a lucky time to be me because this season is jam packed with so many options. I adore a great statement piece because it can morph a so-so outfit into a so awesome ensemble. A chunky necklace can completely transform a look! Another plus is that you can hold on to some staple pieces from your closet throughout the years but make them current with the addition of earrings, bracelets, or rings helping you feel like a fashionista without breaking the bank.

These are just a few trends that make my heart skip a beat. So tell me, what has been floating your boat lately and how do you make these trends work for you? Until next time, HUGS AND KISSES!

Patriotic Oreo Pop Bouquet

Happy {early} 4th Of July!! This is one of my favorite holidays. I have the best memories of the 4th! Thinking of those that have and do serve our great country, swimming, cookouts, spending time with family & friends, and of course fireworks. It is a day that is uniquely American and heart warming!

As much as I love the holiday, I work in retail and some years I am stuck in a store when I would rather be out enjoying the awesomeness! This year is one of those years (thus the early post). I do have a family party to attend and I am hoping I will make it for at least the end (fingers crossed). I love my co-workers. I have a great job. But neither of those things are consolations to me when I think of all the awesome fun I could be having. Plus being stuck at work deprives me of my inner Martha Stewart being able to go all out, baking & decorating and spreading 4th of July cheer to all. So how did I satisfy "Martha" this year and squeeze making a holiday treat into an already hectic schedule? I....

1. Picked up double stuff Oreos and dipping chocolate at the grocery on the way home.
2. Pulled out candy sticks (???) and holiday sprinkles I already had along with ribbon, tissue paper, and a thrift store hurricane glass
3. Stuck those Oreos with the...er...sticks.....using a tiny drop of the chocolate as "glue." Dipped them in said "glue" and placed on pan lined with foil (I'd recommend wax/parchment paper if you have it...I didn't) then sprinkled them like there is no tomorrow.
4. Filled the hurricane with tissue paper (one piece crumpled and placed in bottom for base & height then another piece fluted to make it look pretty). I then started placing the Oreo pops all around, one layer at a time. Between each layer I added some tissue paper because that added height and texture. Once I was happy with the overall look, I took some American flags I got at the Target dollar bin a few weeks ago and placed them around the pops. For a final touch I took some scrap ribbon and tied it around the hurricane vase.

This took me all of a half hour because the chocolate dried pretty quickily. I only paid for the cookies and chocolate because I had everything else on hand....even though I had no plan. All I was really thinking of doing was making the Oreo pops. I sort of just "shopped" my home to make it work. Anyone can do this! Get creative! I have used that ribbon for Christmas and Valentine's day. The tissue paper came from my Christmas wrapping box. The hurricane vase was holding a dollar store candle in my kitchen till I cleaned it out and stuffed it with the tissue paper. This is a great example of making the simple a little more special. Have fun with it and just give it a try. Maybe you love what you come up with and maybe you don't but you won't really know till you give it a shot. I have total faith in all of you. :-)

I hope you all enjoy a great holiday with those you love and maybe, while you are watching fireworks, you can snack on these easy, delicious treats! Until next time, HUGS AND KISSES....

Kale Fail

High on fat burning endorphins one day, I attempted to make the ultimate, healthy, nutrient packed snack. You have probably seen these on tv, online, and in magazines! Heck, they are everywhere. They are always shown being consumed by healthy, chipper, glowing people. Said people are usually laughing, tossing these things back like candy or dipping them in a creamy Greek yogurt sauce. Kale chips. A superfood turned into a snack, tricking the masses into thinking these crispy, green, leafish bits can replace the almighty potato chip. Being one of the sheep in the flock, I followed. I washed, I dried and I seasoned. They went in like this....

They came out like this....

AH!!!! Not like the magazine cover kale chips at all. And the smell.....ugh! Don't even get me started on the smell. Quite a disappointment after I had envisioned being one of the aforementioned healthy, chipper, glowing people. Bummer. Maybe I will have better luck with seaweed chips?? Nah.

Have you tried making kale chips? Did they turn out better than my misfits?? What is the secret to this superfood snack?  UNTIL NEXT TIME, HUGS AND KISSES....

Color of the Week: Amethyst + Frenzy

Hello! As I stated in Nail Polish Palooza a few weeks back, I am loving all of the awesome nail colors this year. Anything goes so I am livin' it up, painting my nails every color under the rainbow. Every week I am going to post my Color of the Week (week, week, week, week, week...there! I've had my fill of that word)which I thought would be a fun addition to the old blog-a-roo. I will be posting pics on Twitter (DayByDayDlight) and Instagram (daybydaydelights) so feel free to follow me there and reply with your own fabulous nail polish choices or link back to me here! I would love to see what great colors you have found! This is actually my color from last week but I loved it so much I had to share.





via





TADAH! The picture doesn't really do it justice. I love me some sparkles so this combo of Sinful Colors Amethyst and Frenzy was the perfect fit. It is like little purple disco balls threw up on my nails. It's fantastic. Frenzy has some blue it in as well which makes it a good contrast. And apparently I am not the only fan of this look! Several of my customers stopped me mid-sales pitch and asked me about where I got the colors. Thankfully they won't have to look far and neither will you because I picked up these shades at Wal-Greens for a little over a buck a piece.

Here is a close up:

Splash on some color and share with me with this week! On to my next treasure hunt, finding a new shade!

I am loving this purpley + blue-ish combo. What are some nail colors that you are currently crushing on? Until next time, HUGS AND KISSES...

For God so Loved

edited via

JOHN 3:16

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

A simple verse. One that has been memorized by many. One that so completely and perfectly sums up the depth of God's love for the people of the world and the simplicity in the way to knowing Him for all eternity. God's grace is amazing, isn't it?

Until next time.....

Be a Dollar Bin Diva: Gift Bags

Need to get your frugal juices flowin'? I have the answer for you. Dive into your local dollar bins....particularly at Target. TARGET = LOVE for me. Combine that affection with savings and I might as well change my Facebook status to, "In a Relationship with the GREATEST Store Ever." Sorry, Hubs. Looks like you have some tough competition. 

Example: Check out these amazingly fantastic bags I have been grabbing. You'll  be glad you did!

You think these are awesome? Check out this wrapping papper I picked up.

I'm a "rapper" (cue the poorly imitated beat box)

Now this bright, deep pink wrapping paper didn't actually come from the $1 section BUT it did come from a sale aisle. Always, always, always check out the "caps" to aisles, no matter the store. They often have seasonal items or speciality items marked WAY down, like this awesome wrapping paper. This will be perfect for wrapping a girl friend's birthday present or to change up the color scheme for Christmas!

Giving someone a gift is always such a joy but sometimes it isn't quite a joy to your budget so take a few extra minutes to find those special pieces that don't require a down payment. I find that part of what makes a gift special is not just the gift itself but the packaging as well. Paying attention to those little details are what make your gifts stand out and show that you care. Inexpensive, cute bags like these are a great time saver (down the road) and even better money saver. Stock up when they are available, file away and use when needed. Target is always a fantastic place to look!

I can't wait to find another treasure at the dollar bin soon!! I wonder what I will find. What has been an all time favorite dollar bin buy of yours?? Until next time, HUGS AND KISSES!

Canning for the Modern Day Woman

CANNING. The latest craze. Ya' know....like 100 years ago. Latest craze or not, I am completely excited about canning.

It all started with gardening. Basically, I wanted a garden which has since turned into a mini-farm (or not so much...in my dreams). Excited for this new venture it all of a sudden hit me that I can't eat all of my tomatoes or corn in one sitting then LIGHTBULB MOMENT! I'll can them. I'm going to go all Little House on the Prairie on those veggies!

Now, as it not yet harvest time for the majority of my garden, I have only canned some fresh, grocery produce so far. I have made strawberry jam, salsa, blackberry preserves, and corn. Take a look at these babies!

Care to JAM with me?....I have something wrong with me. I can't even stop myself from saying corny things like that. If anyone knows of a 12-step program for Word Vomit, I'd appreciate the phone number.

Salsa....no word vomit problem here because apparently I am just not that creative.

I won't lie. Canning is kind of hard, time consuming work. Although canning does take some time, if you plan for it, you can totally do it.

Totally worth it because:

1. It will save money on food throughout the year.
2. We will eat food that I know what exactly the ingredients are. No creepy chemicals or preservatives here, Folks!
3. It is a very rewarding experience.

IF canning intrigues you in the slightest I would be more than happy to do a whole tutorial post about it. For now I will stick with the basics.

1. Study, study, study! There are many great resources out there. Use them! This is not something you want to wing.
2. Prepare time, food, and utensils.
3. Do not stray from the instructions or recipes.
4. HAVE FUN AND EMBRACE YOUR INNER DOMESTIC GODDESS!

I'm so happy I have started this journey in my life. What are some hobbies that you have started and feel excited about? Until next time, HUGS AND KISSES!

Stuff I Love

Hey, Hey! I wanted to share some products with you that have CHANGED. MY. LIFE. Ok, maybe nothing that dramatic but they are pretty awesome and I want them to make your life awesome too. Here is the Stuff I Love...

1. Curel Ultra Healing Lotion



via

All my life I have been the girl with random skin issues (or rather annoyances). If it's not one thing then it's another....acne, dry skin, acne, oily skin, elephant elbows (ya' know....dark, ashy elbows),acne, eczema, etc., etc., etc. The latest skin plague was overly dry skin, concentrated mainly on my right pinkie...weird, I know. I would have shared a "Before" pic with you but I'd like to have some friends after this post. It was weird, scaley, desert like patches on my aforementioned finger. VERY annoying especially since I had tried several different types of solutions. FINALLY I found what I and my finger were looking for....Curel Ultra Healing Lotion. This stuff is blow your mind amazing. Within one day it was like my skin had gone from lizard to human again. I now use it religiously on every part of my skin, even my elephant elbows! Now on to battle the blemishes! P.S. This stuff feels like silk and has no strong odor which is fab!

2. HSI Argan Oil Leave in Conditioner

via

I recently bought this when I {had} to get a new straightening iron. I have been intrigued by Argan oil for a while now. I am seeing this stuff in stores like Sephora and on online beauty tutorials. This product specifically mentions being used for hair but I have seen Argan oil being used on faces, body, and  hair. Use this stuff sparingly. A little goes a long way which is fantastic since some brands are a little pricey. I literally use a dot amount the size a pencil eraser would make...itty bitty. But it makes my hair shine like I am from another planet, it smells super yummy, and makes my crazy hair so soft and manageable.

3. REMBRANDT DEEPLY WHITE + Peroxide Fresh Mint Toothpaste

via

I have always kind of been obsessed with having white teeth but I have to tell you buying those whitening strips really adds up so I use Rembrandt Deeply White + Peroxide Fresh Mint Toothpaste. This is a quick, inxpensive way to get those pearly whites actually white!

4. Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil

I have been using Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil for years now and for good reason! This little bottle contains nail and skin magic. MAGIC. If I'm in a rush and my nails/hands are looking a little rough and in need of some TLC, I swipe this wonder-maker on my cuticles and massage it on. It makes it look like I take better care of my nails than I actually do. When I am feeling extra ambitious, I use it every night before bed. Not only do I use it for some cuticle love but I use it on my heels too. If I am about to go out and plan on wearing strappy sandals, I use a little of this on each heel. It makes my dry heels breath a sigh of relief and look a thousand times better! Yeah, pay attention to the big details (hair, make-up, clothes) but I find that paying attention to those little details make me feel a lot more confident.

5. PINK Fresh Vanillas FEEL FLIRTY

via

 Normally, I am not a vanilla scent kind of a girl but this Pink Feel Flirty from Victoria's Secret has stolen my heart. For some reason, I could not find this exact scent on the Victoria's Secret website. It may be a speciality scent. I am absolutely in love with the PINK line of fragrances and have several in my arsenal of awesomeness but this one is kind of trumping the rest. Like I said, I don't really dig vanilla scented items...or anything that smells like I could eat it. Feel Flirty doesn't have a very strong vanilla influence. It is a very clean, light scent perfect for summer. My mom, who also doesn't wear anything vanilla, literally stole this from my hands and sprayed it all over herself saying, "I. MUST. HAVE. THIS." To me, that says a lot. I bought this in the mini size because I wanted to stow it in my purse and good thing because 1) It is HOT out and when this girls begins to "glow", she needs a little fragrant refresher AND 2) You never know when you need to block out the scent of a neighbor that might be in close quarters. Yes, I discreetly sprayed this bad daddy the other day to protect my nose from someone's horridly offensive B.O. Don't judge.

I highly recommend you try any or ALL of these little gems. I also highly recommend you tell me what are some of your favorites, new or old. :-) Until next time, HUGS AND KISSES!

May Birch Box

I have to tell you about my latest love!!! And let me first say, I must give credit where credit is due...My friend, Ashley, introduced me to the thing that makes my heart skip a beat...BIRCH BOX, BABY!!! What is Birch Box, you may ask, and why does it have me all weak in the knees?
Birchbox.com is a site that encompasses all that is good and right in the beauty world. For a small monthly fee, they send you samples of some of the latest beauty products out there. It comes in a cute box, once a month, packed full of awesomeness. Reasons #1, 2, , 3, 4 AND 5 why I love Birch Box are listed below...take a gander!
1. Every box has a different theme for each month. This is a great way to keep things fresh, keep the element of surprise alive, and make you see beauty products in a new light. Make-up use doesn't have to be routine and my opinion is that this site does a great job of, ironically, thinking outside of the box.
2. The description card is jam packed with info. Each box comes with a card explaining the theme and then on the flipside gives you a fun description of each product.
3. They make quality beauty brands accessible. Sometimes a girl  just doesn't have time to hit the nearest beauty supply store or to browse page after page of products online. On each card, along with the description, they list the price of a regular sized product, how many normally comes in the products package, and where to find it on their site. Easy, peasy!
4. POINTS! Imagine they send you a perfume you absolutely love and can't live without....go to their site, buy that product, EARN POINTS! Points then translate to money which can be used towards an order.
5. Birch Box makes your box work for you! In the setup process, they have questions designed to make sure your box is going to be full of products that you can actually use. For example, they ask about your skin type, hair type, and just overall personal preferences. P.S. You can change any of those preferences on your account at any time. Their site is also full of beauty tips and tutorial videos as well. Really, I could go on and on. Obviously....ahem.

So that's it....that's my story. The End. Wait, you want to know what came in my May Box? ;-)

Ok, so it doesn't look like a lot but really for $10, I can't complain. ESPECIALLY considering the nail polish is normally $8 by itself. The theme was Gossip Girl and while I am not a regular viewer of the show, I feel like I could be a New York socialite with this swag. Here is a rundown of the goodies I got:

* Arquiste L'Etrog = A fancy pants perfume that smells amazing. Hubs smelled it and fell in love.
* Beauty Blender/ blender cleanser = A formula that cleans your make-up sponges and brushes. So important!
* Color Club/ Nail Polish in Disco Nap = Ok, I'm not always a golden girl (haha) but this polish is blow your mind beautiful! I think I am going to slap on a coat before work today.
*Dr. Jart +/ Waterfuse BB Cream = I keep hearing about BB cream and have had no idea what it is till now. It's a combination of moisturizer, skin perfecting tint, suncreen, and serum. As described on the card, it is the "Swiss Army Knife of your beauty lineup."
*twistband/ Skinny headband = Just as it sounds, a headband. Although my hair is thick, it is fine so things like this tend to slide out of my hair. Let me just say that I slept in it last night and it barely moved! MAGIC!

I know this was a long post and I appreciate those of you that have read this far. I just wanted to get you really familiar with this great site and what they have to offer. Word to the Wise: If you want to take advantage of Birch Box, go to their site NOW. They actually have a waiting list and while it took me only 2 weeks to hear back from them, I don't want you to miss out on your box for June.

Do any of you use either Birch Box or any of these products now? Any of other great beauty gems out there to share with the class? :-)

Nail Polish Palooza

I've been on a bit of a blogging break (I say "bit" like it's been a few days as opposed to a few months...ahem) but for good reason! I don't know if you have noticed or not but this year seems to be the year of the nail polish. Sooooo many AMAZING colors and brands to try. That's just what I've been doing. Trying them out! I'm normally not a paint-your-nails-kind-of-girl because the outcome usually looks like a 5 year old did it (and quite frankly a 5 year old could probably do better) but even I can't resist giving these hughes a go! I think this may even change my outlook on the cosmetic from here on out. Here a few reasons why I am digging this fashion trend:

1. It's an easy update to your style. Within a few minutes (and a bit of practice), you can go from blah to b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!
2. Nail polish fits into any budget. Whether you are a high roller or pinching those pennies, nail polish is something any gal can afford! I love a fancy schmancy brand just like any girl (speaking of-check out my next post) but have found that there are some great colors out there at an even better price! I'm talking 79 cents, People! NYC brand is a new favorite of mine because they stay up to date with the styles + often have coupons that make staying in fashion a no brainer!
3. Any thing goes! Seriously, I am seeing colors ranging from pastels to neons. Not only are colors are a free for all but so are designs! And have ya'll seen the nail polish ideas on Pinterest? INSANE. I am dying to get my hands on a nail polish pen or those Sally Hansen nail strips. So go ahead! Try that glittery, fire engine red that has caught your eye! Take that neon yellow for a test drive!

A color that I have been rocking lately (ok, maybe not so much "rock" as "wear") is Loreal's "Now You SEA Me." At my job, I am basically in a uniform so any chance to express my personality and style is an opportunity I take! This color lets me do just that and has already brought some compliments my way. I don't know about you but I will take a compliment any day! Gives me confidence like maybe I can use the word "rock" and get away with it....

What do you think? Oooh & aaah OR blah?

What are some colors, brands, or techniques that you've been loving? Ever try those nail strips??? Wanna be my guinea pig and give them a try for me? ;-)


I have something so fun to share with you tomorrow so be sure to stop by! :-)