top five // music

via

I thought I would start putting together lists of my top five favorite things in different categories to share with you all! An easy place to start seemed to be music, movies, books, etc...but I think I will also end up talking about things like beauty products, clothes, stores, home items, places to visit - there are so many options! Let me know if there is any particular topic you are interested in!

So, to start, I wanted to share my top five favorite CDs. These are albums that I can listen to a hundred times over and never get tired of. I think it is a pretty well-rounded group, with something for every occasion or mood ;)

Coldplay // A Rush of Blood to the Head

You all know how much I love my Coldplay, so it should be no surprise that they are first up on the list. This is one of the best albums ever {in my opinion}...with tracks like Clocks, The Scientist, and Green Eyes - amazing lyrics, amazing music.

Ray LaMontagne // Trouble

Indie, relaxing, and unique...perfect for the times you are in a mellow mood.

Adele // 21

I do love her new CD, but this one just trumps it for me...I love nearly every track.

Bob Marley & the Wailers // Legend

Just classic - and puts everyone in a happy mood. Feel-good music through and through.

The Police // The Police

Have I mentioned before that I am obessed with Sting? ;) Love his voice and a lot of his solo stuff, but this album holds so many great hits and my favorite Police song, Walking on the Moon.

What are your top five favorite albums?? xx

wedding planning // the dresses

If you follow me on Instagram (@emiliestorey) you know that I said yes to the dress this past Saturday! I am so excited to have found the dress I am going to wear on the day I marry Aaron <3

I met my mum at a great bridal shop in Cincinnati, Ohio called Bridal and Formal early on Saturday morning. I was very overwhelmed at first, due to the amount of people there (they were having a trunk show that day) and the number of dresses they had. We were matched up with a bridal consultant, named Lacrecia, who was AMAZING. She was so friendly, supportive, and knowledgeable...it made the entire experience that much better.

I went in thinking I was going to end up with one specific dress that I had seen online and fallen in love with...and it was in my final two that I had to decide between...but I ended up going with a different one that Lacrecia had pulled for me to try. It is so gorgeous...it is comfortable, romantic, and fits our mountain wedding vibe perfectly. I can't wait to share pictures with you all!

Since the wedding is going to be so small, I'm not having a traditional bridal party that is part of the procession and stands up with us for the ceremony. However, I did ask my sister and two best friends, Michelle and Roxanne, to still be bridesmaids and be in pictures, get ready with me, and help in all the other ways a bridesmaid does :)

I didn't want traditional, match-y dresses for them, so I went in search of something unique. We found these great dresses from ASOS and ordered them online. They were only about $80 a piece, which was awesome - plus I love that they are all different, but work together.

Finally, the last thing on the list is to find a dress for my step-daughter, Aubrey. Again, I want something unique...so I've been looking at Dollcake and Tea Princess. These are both Australian companies that make amazing bohemian-style dresses for young girls. I have yet to pick which one I am going to order, but these are the finalists...which ones do you like?? I'd love some opinions! xx 

kitchen dreams

I've been dreaming of a kitchen remodel recently. Our kitchen is nice, but it is the style of the family that lived in the home before Aaron and I bought it. I would really like to update some things in the kitchen to fit more in line with our taste... aiming for a rustic-modern look.

In an effort to keep the budget under control, I think we would keep the existing cabinets and just paint them white and add different pulls. I would also love to re-do the floors, but that would mean re-flooring the entire main floor of the house since it is continuous throughout all the rooms - so we will save that for another day ;) 

Notice the lovely craft beer collection growing on my windowsill?  Once the kitchen is re-done they will be moved to a new home - the basement ;)

Some changes I would like to make...

// update paint colors on walls - light grey?
// white/grey marble counter tops (and remove the raised ledge on the main island)
// white wash the exposed brick chimney// white/grey marble counter tops
// white subway tile accent wall above the sink {with grey grout}
// white farmhouse sink {notice a theme??}
// new light fixtures above island and dinner table
// natural wood shelves

What makes up your dream kitchen?

Fixer Upper // Season 2, Episode 3

via Dreamy Whites Lifestyle on Instagram 

via 7th House on the Left blog

Joanna Gaines' kitchen

via Grey and Scout on Instagram

Ikea farmhouse sink

spring centerpiece // target

birds / basket / candle / runner / tumblers / pitcher

Target has been consistently bringing great decor items into their stores for the past few months now. I stopped in recently for something random...like dish soap...and ended up getting side tracked by the home section for nearly an hour{that place is seriously like a black hole}.

Even though it has just started snowing here in Columbus for the first time this winter, I'm already itching for Spring decor. Here are some things I have my eye on for a centerpiece to replace my winter decor on our main dining table in the kitchen.

friday //

// The January Petit Vour cruelty free beauty box was awesome! I loved almost everything in it. February is the last month in my 6-month subscription and I have enjoyed getting them so much, I am definitely considering renewing! 

// Thanks to a pre-sale code sent out to fans, I was able to scoop up two tickets for Aaron and I to see Coldplay when they tour the US later this year! I am BEYOND excited - they have been my favorite band for nearly 15 years, and I can't believe I finally get to see them perform. Not even going to lie, I will probably cry ;) 

//  I did something rather shameful...I broke down and bought J. Biebs new CD. Hopefully he is on his way to redeem some of his bad behavior from the past couple years...because the music is so good, it would be nice if he were a more likable person. #guiltypleasure 

// I have been loving the Nutri Ninja that we got for Christmas. I make a green protein smoothie for lunch almost every day...I think I'll try this recipe next! 

// My good friend recently started selling her essential oils on Etsy. They are amazing... 100% pure essential oils and come in roller-balls or combined for her "Concentrated Awesome" multi-blend spray. Check out her store here!

january empties

I made my way through quite a few cruelty free bath and body products this past month, so I thought I would share them along with a quick review for each!

Face and Body //

Burt's Bees Renewal Refining Cleanser - I liked the mild floral smell to this product, and it is quite a big container for the $10 price tag. It has a slight exfoliation to it and lasted a good amount of time (I think I purchased well before Christmas time). Despite all these pros, I just feel meh about it. It was a decent enough face wash, but I don't think I will be repurchasing.

Acure Brightening Facial Scrub - This stuff is hard core. It is a dark green color, a "plant-y" smell, and is extremely gritty. It did a great job exfoliating my skin, but I won't be buying another tube because it made the skin around my nose burn when I used it...not sure why, but it didn't feel very good ;)

Yes to Grapefruit Daily Facial Scrub - LOVE this face wash! It smells amazing and has just the right amount of "scrub" to it. I will definitely be picking this one up again. One caution...it is a little watery, so be careful when you put it on your hand. I have had it slide right off my hand and down the drain a couple of times!

Kiss My Face Moisture Shave - I think I have mentioned this product on here before, but I can't rave about it enough. It is superior to all shaving creams, EVER. I find it in my local grocery store for about $5 and it not only lasts eons longer than typical shaving cream, but also does a much better job.

Hair Products //

Soapbox Bataua Fruit - This conditioner smells SO good. It makes my hair very shiny and soft, and I can pick up the scent on my hair sometimes even a day after using - which I don't mind at all! I have to use quite a bit (long thick hair) so the bottle doesn't last me nearly as long as any shampoo...but that is always the case, isn't it? Anyway, I highly recommend the whole Soapbox line. Each bottle is only $6 and they can be found at Target.

Yes to Cucumbers Shampoo and Conditioner - These were gifted to me for Christmas, and even though I don't need color protection hair products (all-natural red head here ;) I still really liked this line! The smell is wonderful...very mild and fresh. My only gripe would be that I wish the conditioner was a bit thicker, as I felt like it didn't quite work as well as others, such as the Soapbox.