spring beauty

I am feeling like it is time to revamp my makeup collection. I've been using the same trusted items for awhile now, and I'm itching to try some new products for spring.

Here are some things that have been on my wishlist - let me know if you use any of them, and how you like them! Or if there are other items that you love that you think I should try out!

Things I am looking for recommendations on:
Foundation - been looking at Too Faced and NARS, thoughts?
Setting Powder - no clue where to start, hate the one I am using right now (Physician's Formula)
Shimmer/Highlighter - love mine, but it is running out and discontinued! Need a replacement ASAP!
Primer - want to start using consistently, but not sure which one to purchase? 
Mascara - need something that gives some *umph* as my lashes are lacking right now

**All brands I currently use or will purchase are from cruelty free companies only ;)

 // Too Faced Born This Way Foundation ($39)

// Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit in Light ($40)

// Becca Shimmer Skin Perfector Pressed ($38)

// Pacifica Rose Gold Brightening Serum & Primer ($15)

// Alba Botanica Self Tanner ($8)

// Beauty Blender Sponge ($20)

// Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara ($23)

// Rapid Lash Serum ($50)

// SeahMoisture Pressed Powder ($15)

// Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer Mini ($12) 

I'm also getting tired of my makeup brushes, and I'm looking for recommendations on new ones! What are you must have makeup brushes / tools?? xx 

life lately // 3.30

Hi all! Sorry it has been nearly 2 weeks since my last post -- last week I finally went in and had my four seriously impacted wisdom teeth removed on Thursday, and it has been rough going getting back to normal. It was more intense than I had planned on (never had any sort of "surgery" in my life) and most of my swelling and pain is gone now, although I am still talking a bit funny and eating like a bunny with just my front teeth ;)

Yesterday was my first day back at work, and I immediately realized I needed to get on here and do a quick update post! 

// Spring has arrived here in Columbus and I'm loving the warmer temps, sunshine, and all the flowers popping up around the city!

// My LL Bean boots finally arrived - that I ordered the day after Christmas! Haha took their time, but well worth the wait. I haven't gotten a chance to wear them yet, but will probably break them in at one of Aubrey's soccer games this weekend.

// My wonderful little sister stopped by Columbus the other day after my surgery and gave me this beautiful crystal lamp! I've had it next to my bed and it gives off the most lovely warm glow, perfect for relaxing right before bed.

// Since the weather has been so nice, the pups and I have been taking walks at our favorite Columbus park, Franklin Park Conservatory, which is a two minute drive from our house.

Aaron and I have also been working on the master bathroom still - it's a process for sure, but is coming along. I'm saving pictures for one big renovation post though! And since we are the over-zealous bunch, we decided to spruce up the powder room downstairs at the same time too...hindsight, maybe not the best idea, but oh well - no turning back now! xx 

top five // shoes

Taking a turn into a fashion-related top five today! I thought a good place to start would be shoes ;)
These are the five shoes that are must haves in my closet. If a pair gets to old or worn, I will replace with something very similar. 

image via

one // pointed toe leopard flats
I've owned probably three pairs so far...and when one ka-puts, it is quickly replaced by another. They are perfect for work or play and since my clothes tend to remain classic and neutral, they bring a little pop of sass to my outfits ;)

my current favorites: here

image via

two // black wellies (rain boots)
Necessary. Not only are they fashionable, but immensely practical. These things can walk though anything and be cleaned off, no problem. I haven't had a pair of Hunters yet, but my Kamik and Chooka pairs have both been great!  

my current favorites: here and here

image via

three // wedge sandals
Multiple pairs needed - preferably all in different shades of nude/camel colors ;)

my current favorites: here

image via

four // decent sneakers
Everyone needs a good pair of comfortable (while still stylish) sneakers for exercise and times where walking shoes are necessary. 

my current favorites: here

image via

five // black pointy pump
They may not be the most comfortable, but they are versatile and a must have in my wardrobe. They can be worn to work, dressed up for evening, or even paired with jeans. 

my current favorites: here

 

wedding planning // flowers & cake

I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted for flowers from the beginning. I know they are expensive, so I wasn't planning to order much...I decided pretty early on to nix flower center pieces and use something else as the main focus, and just have a few flowers on each table, rather than a big arrangement. 

As far as flowers go, I will have a bridal bouquet and a smaller bouquet for Aubrey (step-daughter). I want it to be a little "wild" looking, not too structured. Here are the inspiration pictures I sent to the florist - I can't wait to see what she comes up with!

There is also one floral-related thing I am splurging on because I found it online and just had to have it for our alter...a floral curtain. 
I have ordered it to look exactly like the one pictured below - with light peach carnations. 

As for the reception tables, I decided to do small vases with light peach carnations similar to the ones used in the curtain above. 
I'm hoping to have something that looks like the picture below - maybe 2 per table?

As for the cake...I actually didn't originally plan on having one at all (not a big cake fan)...but I ended up deciding to order a very small one for the traditional "cutting the cake" purposes and then have two different types of cupcakes for our guests to have for dessert.

I found an awesome local organic baker in Asheville, and here are the inspiration images I sent her for my cake...

These two wedding planning items were actually two of the easiest and least stressful to get worked out, which was nice! Check and check...and on to the next thing on the list... xx

master bathroom remodel

So after living in our home for nearly 4 years, Aaron and I have finally started working on the master bathroom. It is on the third floor of the house (right off of our master bedroom) behind a white pocket door.

It has looked like this since we bought the house...basically a roughed in storage space where everything we didn't know where to put got shoved (golf clubs - perfect example ;) As you can tell from the picture, we have to be creative because we are dealing with pitched ceilings on both sides. The shower will be the entire back section behind the ledge in the floor. The window area actually has two little bench seats (one on either side) that will probably end up having marble tops. The toilet will stay where it is, the sink will be to the right of the toilet...and storage / shelving will be across from both - on the left side of the room.

I don't know why, but this weekend we finally decided to start making things happen. We bought tile from a local store on Saturday afternoon - and the one we ended up picking looks like it is wood and is a grey, distressed color {like below}.

via

Then, we hopped in the car and took a quick trip down to Ikea to pick up some wall storage, a sink, a faucet, and vanity/sink cabinet. We are going to keep the white handles off the sink cabinets and add our own chrome ones to match the faucet and shower hardware.

Also - the 2 drawer cabinet will be built into the wall along with a hand-made open shelf above it for folded towels. I'm so blessed to have such a handy and talented fiance who is able to do all of these awesome projects for our home! Although...I did put together the shelf and drawers myself last night {but it did take me 3 hours full of cussing and near tears... #f**kyouikeafurniture hahaha}

That is all that has been purchased and accomplished so far...but the plans also include:

- White subway tile shower with chrome hardware and grey grout

- Shiplap walls

- Full length mirror built into the pocket door

- Makeup vanity stool 

Here are some inspiration pictures I'm working with to envision the final product!

Can't wait to share it with you all once it is completed! xx

f21 finds

 swim cover up // tassel fringe top // denim dress // light blue cami   

 

 black lace dress // white lace dress // drop earrings

first time at trader joe's

After hearing about Trader Joe's for years, I finally realized I had one about 10 minutes away from my house! So the other day when we needed groceries, I decided to give it a try.

I really liked the atmosphere, although it was a bit too crowded...maybe I shouldn't have gone on a Sunday afternoon? ;) I ended up spending about $90 and getting all of the following, in addition to two bundles of fresh flowers seen in my spring centerpiece post (here). 

I was really pleased by the organic offerings and the prices of everything. Plus, I always like to try new things, so it was great to see brands that you don't typically see in traditional grocery stores! I am most excited to try the yellow curry sauce and artisan Vermont cheddar, and I was ecstatic to find a huge bag of flax seeds for like $3!  

Do any of you ladies shop at Trader Joe's? What items are on your shopping list as must-haves??

top five // movies

Back with another top five post! This time, I'm sharing my favorite movies...
There are a few more than five because I just couldn't narrow it down, so the last two are movie categories instead of individual movies ;) 

Amelie //

I love foreign films, especially French ones... and this is my all-time favorite. Audrey Tautou is fantastic, and this film is quirky, unique, and adorable. Definitely a cute and feel-good movie! 

Harry Potter //

Ok, so technically this is a series and not just one movie, but I can't pick just one! These books were my childhood, and remain one of my favorite series to this day...and the movies brought it all to life for me.

Pride & Prejudice //

Aaron laughs at me every time I say this, but I honestly think this is one of the sexiest movies ever. Like just utter romance - I love it. Side note...it was hard to pick a favorite between all the motion pictures made from Jane Austen novels (Emma, Sense & Sensibility, etc) but if I have to choose just one, this is it.

British Rom Coms //

So I am cheating a bit for this one, because it is more of a category, and not one specific movie...but I just love any British / Irish romantic comedies from the late 80s and 1990s. I can watch them over and over again and never get tired of them! Not surprisingly, many of them include Hugh Grant.

  

BFF Movies //

Another category group... these are three movies that my  bff and I watched it so many times when we were teens and they always makes us laugh so much...plus they have provided years of inside jokes and quotable moments ;)

What movies are your all-time favorites?? xx

wedding planning // save the date

Can I just rave about how much I love Minted? :)

I didn't even consider using anything else when it came to my Save-the-Dates for our wedding this fall. Minted has so many interesting and beautiful options to chose from and so many ways that you can personalize them. I ended up choosing the design above after some input from my mum and best friends...we all felt that it just fit the whole "vibe" of our mountain wedding best.   

I also selected the speckletone kraft envelopes, instead of traditional white. I picked a coordinating design for the front of them, that matched with the Save-the-Date card design. Minted printed all of my contact's names and addresses on them too! So basically everything was done for me, showed up in a box on my doorstep, and all I had to do was stuff them, put a stamp on, and drop them in the mailbox -- so easy! I also got a lot of compliments on them from the friends and family that we invited! 

I was very happy with my experience, so I plan to use Minted for our formal invitations and my reception place cards too. I already have my eye on a particular design, but I'll save that for another post. I was also able to set up a free wedding website though them, and in doing so, received a $50 off credit to be used on my next order! Win - win - win ;) 

Have any of you ever used Minted for weddings or other events?  

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are completely my own.

currently loving

Happy Hump Day ladies! 
Thought I would pop on and share some of my recent favorite finds and purchases!

Express Faded Denim Shirt // 
Going to attempt the double denim look this spring if I can find the right jeans to pair it with! ;)

Target "Tracy" Wedges //
I literally can never have enough nude/camel color wedge sandals - this is probably the 5th pair in my closet. Can't wait until the temperatures gets a bit warmer outside and I can pair these with a cute spring outfit!

Han Taupey Plum Eye Shadow //
This came in my Petit Vour box this month and I love it - I probably use it at least 3 times a week. The color is beautiful, the consistency is amazing, and it is 100% vegan and cruelty free...rice powder based with plant derived colors! I will definitely be picking up more of their line!

Shea Moisture Superfruit Complex Bubble Bath & Body Wash //
I actually received this as a gift over Christmas and just got around to using it this past week. It smells AMAZING. Another completely cruelty free product win! 

Juice Beauty STEM CELLULAR Booster Serum //
A little pricey for the full sized product, but I was able to get a trial size in February's Petit Vour beauty box. I don't know much about serums and eye creams, as I just started using them recently, but I do like this one so far...it has a little tinge to it when applied under the eyes, which I actually like because it makes me feel like it's working ;)   

Mossimo Printed Peasant Top //
This was one of those random "super finds" one day when I was at Target (shopping for something entirely different, like paper towels haha)...I saw it on the clearance rack, grabbed it, and it ended up looking great once I put it on! Not sure why it's full price online, but it was only like $11 at my local Target. You can see it on my Instagram here.  

home decor // spring table

I finally got around to updating our dining room center piece! I know I posted on some inspiration a couple weeks ago, and I actually ended up using a few of the pieces from Target. I didn't go with any tray or basket in the middle because we have a relatively small table, and everything was too big - but I like how it turned out with just a runner and a few spring touches! 

Table Runner / Metal Bird / Candle / Place Mats 

Flowers are from Trader Joe's - Eucalyptus and White Spray Stock