Friday, August 29, 2014

Leather and Lace

Leather and Lace - Life in the Sunshine

Leather, in an outfit.. Immediate image in my head; Biker Chick. I won’t lie, that is the first thing that I obviously think about when leather is used to describe an outfit. With my girlie style though, that definitely won’t be the case with this week’s Leather and Lace theme for The Creative Closet. 

Leather and Lace - Life in the Sunshine

Last year, I will admit, I found some adorable ideas that included Leather Leggings and Flannel Button-ups for the fall time that I just absolutely loved. But, I never got around to actually buying myself a pair of leather leggings/pants. So, when Jana and Maegan introduced this week’s theme of Leather and Lace, I knew it would be the perfect time to pick me up a pair. I searched all over the internet for the perfect pair; asked a bunch of my friends, searched all over my hometown, and finally came across a pair that I was without a doubt in love with. I am so horribly picky when it comes to pants/bottoms, it is kind of ridiculous honestly. I guess that is what I get for working at Buckle for 18 months, eh whatevss.. But, these leather jeggings were going to be perfect.

Leather and Lace - Life in the Sunshine

I went back to my Pinterest Style Board in search of some fun and girlie outfits. I decided that I wanted to go for something a little more on the dressy side. My goal was to town down the edginess of the Leather by pairing it delicateness of the Lace. I decided to pick a color scheme to work with, make it a little easier to find the perfect accessories and finishing touches to this outfit. Because of course, any perfect put together outfit has to have some sort of color scheme to it.


Leather and Lace - Life in the Sunshine
Leather and Lace - Life in the Sunshine

I am without a doubt in my mind, in love with this outfit. The leather jeggings are so comfortable and the top is so cute, comfy, and classic. I decided to pair it with a red bag for a pop of color and leopard shoes for a little pizzazz and fun! Plus, leopard is considered neutral, right? Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed this week’s collaboration with The Creative Closet.

Leather and Lace - Life in the Sunshine
Leather and Lace - Life in the Sunshine
| Pants : TheBuckle | Top : Forever 21 |
| Shoes : Forever Young Shoes (similar/similar)| Handbag : Charming Charlie (similar) |



Would you like to link up with Jana and Maegan for The Creative Closet? 
Make sure to check out either Life Could Be A Dream or The Modern Tulip for more details.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

SWEET TOOTH




I have this guilty pleasure for dessert, if you have been following this little blog of mine for a while, then this is absolutely nothing new to you. The Sweet Tooth Fairy here in St. George has to by far be one of my favorite spots to get something sweet. They have the most amazing cupcakes, cake bites, cookies and brownies. Plus, they have these monthly flavors that are awesome. I will admit though, you get to love the cupcake flavor of the month, then wham the month starts over and it’s gone till next year.. 


I thought I would share with you three of my favorite dessert recipes that are perfect for any celebration. Because you know you will be everyone’s favorite person when you show up with something sweet they can’t resist!


Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Oreo Pudding Truffle Cake

The Best Sugar Cookie

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Life Lately



Forewarning: This post may be a little graphic or TMI for some, a little Debbie downer for others, but I have it on my mind and I feel the need to express it.

Life has been extremely hard the last little while; emotionally and physically draining to say the least. 

I haven’t been feeling the best for the last couple of months; I guess two to be exact. I have been getting really dizzy, nausea, and stomach pains from hell. Since having my gallbladder out about 4 years ago, this was nothing new to me. I kind of just kept pushing through the pain and never really thought much about it. It wasn’t until last month, while visiting Brecken, which things seriously took a turn. My stomach pain turned serious, to the point that I didn’t want to get out of bed. I honestly felt like I had when I was having all my gallbladder issues years ago, it wasn’t fun to say the least. I spend the entire last day of my trip in bed. As soon as I got home, I had to talk to someone about it. 

I decided to call and talk to my doctor about the pain, she told me that she would like me to switch my probotic and start a detox cleanse of my body as soon as possible. (I try to do as much herbal as possible, before doing anything pharmaceutical.)  She thought that there was a possibility that there was virus in my body, one that had been going around Southern Utah. The bad part, I have a horrible immune system, due to being sick so many years ago, and it hasn’t exactly recovered to say the least. After talking to Kati, my best friends, she recommended the probiotic she has been using, Acidophilus. So, here I am a month later after switching my probiotic and doing a detox cleanse; feeling a lot better. It took my body about two weeks to completely normalize itself out, get back to its regular state, but it was so worth it. When picking out the Acidophilus, I found out there are two kinds; shelve or refrigerated. I went with the refrigerated kind, because it has a greater chance of being affective, since Acidophilus is a live bacteria.

Wait, there is more…

When I got home from being in North Dakota, I have my favorite yearly; completely joking. Not even 3 days later after my test, I received a call from the doctor’s office. My heart sank thinking that there is something wrong. I have always been scared of having an abnormal test come back, because of all the cancer that is within my family. Then, it happened, I received that dreadful call that I didn’t ever want to experience. I had an abnormal test come back, needed more testing. I will be honest; the week I had to wait was horrible. I thought about it all the time. I was so scared; my sister’s mother had just been diagnosed with Cancer, I’ve had friends’ loved ones diagnosed, and so many family members with problems; I immediately starting thinking the worst. Scared out of my mind, I went to my doctor appointment, had a few samples removed. When the results came back a week later, they said simple, looks like things are fine, but there are some places that we will need to be watching over the next little while. All I know, is in the moment, it was immediate relief that washed over me. Nothing serious, just watching to make sure nothing abnormal happens. All I can say, is the thought of something happening scared me enough, I can’t even imagine having received the news that something serious was wrong. I admire those who have cancer or serious things that have to be treated, you have strength.

Wait, this isn’t the end of it… there is still more.

I received news that we had a family member pass away unexpectedly a couple weeks ago. It honestly hit me a lot harder than I would have expected it too, even though we were cousins, we weren’t close. I think the fact is that, I was there at one point in my life. Depression is such a hard disease to deal with and not a lot of people will ever understand it. Especially those whom have never experienced the kind of ‘cloud’ it puts you into. Standing there that day, watching the family members try and understand was extremely hard for me. Taking a step back to see how it has affected the entire family, not just his wife and kids, really had me. I was an emotional wreck; it still is affecting me honestly. Being able to see how healthy I am and how much I understand my depression now, makes me feel blessed. My heart really aches for what he was going through, because it is really is such an incredibly hard thing to deal with and understand. 

As you can see, there has been a lot on my mind lately. It makes it hard to get into the swing of things on this little blog with so much going on. I can’t seem to focus, so sitting down to finish posts are hard, I am hoping that this really helps me get back into the swing of things… Because I have some adorable outfits to share with you, just need to get my butt in gear and get some photos taken. 


Also, I have been thinking about possible doing a series about personal struggles. Like, the affect and outcome of living with depression and anxiety. How I deal and have overcome it. Advice and questions. What do you think?

If you have made it all the way to the end, well thank you, I appreciate all the time. I knew it was a lot longer than I have anticipated it to be.

Friday, August 22, 2014

CONFESSIONAL FRIDAY

Helloooo Fridayyyy....
you know the drill,,, confession time. 

I confess that this week has really been a challenge that I did not expect. It was full of a lot of up and downs, things that were completely out of my control too. I will be happy when it all finally settles down and things finally start to make sense again.

I confess that I am excited next week is my birthday, but really sad at the same time because the plans of going to see Brecken aren’t happening anymore. I had my hopes up that it would all work out and I would be able to go, but money sadly played the biggest part in this event. It is so hard when your plans come to a screeching halt because your bank account doesn’t agree with your game plan.

I confess that I always forget how these damn cats affect my allergies when I visit my Grandma’s house. Gahhh, why do I have to be allergic to everything? Seriously, so annoying.

I confess that I am so annoyed that I can’t find a simple and cute leopard clutch. Come on, like leopard is practically a neutral, and will always be in, why is it so hard to find a cute leopard clutch.. Dumb!

I confess that I started watching Gossip Girl on Netflix this past week and I am addicted. I loved One Tree Hill, so I figured it would be something similar. Lets just say, why didn’t I ever watch this while it was running on TV; is it still running..?

I confess that I have to cut Confessional Friday a bit short this week due to a family matter that is way more important than this is.. I’ll leave you with this.

I am grateful that I have such an amazing family. I would be lost in this world without them at my side. I am so happy each and every day that I get to spend in their presence, cherishing the memories that we create together. I don’t know where I would be without the love and support they constantly show me through the trials and tribulations I have encountered during my life.

I am grateful for the close bond I share with my family members. This is what makes our relationship amazing in everyway. Because of this bond, I know without a doubt in my mind, they will always be my biggest supporters and partners in crime. I am so happy that we are fortunate enough to have such an amazing bond, we gather in a time of tragedy, offering nothing but love and support for each other.

I am grateful and blessed to be able to have an amazing boyfriend who supports, encourages, and pushes me to always be the best person I can be. He is always there for me when I need his support to hold my life together. He really is the glue that keeps me held tight, strong, and pushing forward.


I love you.


What are your confessions this week?
Are you linking up with Leslie for Confessional Friday?

Thursday, August 21, 2014

BIRTHDAY



For as long as I can remember; I have always loved birthdays! I could care less if we were celebrating a family member, a friend, or my own birthday; I just love to celebrate them! I can honestly say it’s probably because I get to have an excuse to indulge in my favorite hobby, shopping. I find so much joy in being able to shop and pick out a present for someone. The best though, is giving it to them and watch them open it. I take presents serious, because they are so much fun for me. It's not ever the object of the present itself, but the thought and the time that I take, or someone else, to find the 'perfect' present for someone else.


My birthday is just a short week away; I can’t honestly believe it to be truthful. It seems like I have been talking about turning 25 for a while, now it’s knocking at my front door. I won’t lie, it is kind of weird to be thinking that I am already 25. I know that it really isn’t that old, but in reality, it kind of is a big deal. I mean, hello, I have already had 25 years of memories under my belt.


There are quite a few things that I have been swooning over, but haven’t found the perfect pieces here in my hometown to buy, or I can't convince myself to spend the money on it yet. I thought it would be fun to share them all with you. I mean, birthday is totally the perfect time to share things that I would love to see in my closet and/or bedroom…right? *hint hint*



Birthday Wishes




ONE
I have wanted to redecorate my bedroom all year long; I think that accessories and wall décor are the perfect place to start. Since, I already know the color scheme that I want to go with. I though accessories are the perfect place to make a small, yet noticeable change to my room. I am in love with these printed décor pillow I keep seeing everywhere. Plus, I also would love to put a fun collage on the wall with pictures and hanging décor.


TWO
Since I began doing a lot more fashion blogging, I have found a new love for accessories. I actually have to tell myself to not stop in the accessory department at stores, because I can’t help myself when it comes to wanting them. I have been inspired by so many bloggers with the way they layer their bracelets and watch. I would love some fun pieces to choose from every day. Plus, who can go wrong with a beautiful pair of earring or a ring; no one.


THREE
I have seen so many fun fall outfits that are paired with a gorgeous pair of pointed toe shoes. I think that they are a perfect finishing piece to an amazing outfit. I bought one of my very first pair of pointed toe heels this summer and have been in love with them to say the least. I don’t want, but need more in my shoe collection.  


FOUR
Two words; Boyfriend Jeans. You can see from some of my recent posts that I am completely in love with the pair of jeans that I picked up at GAP and distressed myself. The problem is that, I wear them all the time. I must add some more to my closet, cause its bad to wear the same ones over and over again, right?


FIVE
My new found love for lipstick has me constantly wandering into the makeup isle and spending way over the amount of time I should looking at all the beautiful colors. The only problem I have found with lipstick, my dry skin soak it in way too fast. That is when the wonderful employee at Ulta shared these Too Faced Melted with me. Okay want to be my best friend, go by me these!


SIX
Last but not least, my favorite thing possibly ever; Handbags. I actually love satchel bags. They are perfect for day to day wear, as well as traveling. I love that they are structured and look amazing. Since I have incredibly expensive taste for purses, a girl can dream about purses like this in a beautiful wrapped present, right? Plus, I mean fall and winter are around the corner.. That means I really do need a new one, right?



MICHAEL Michael Kors red satchel purse

When is your birthday?
How do you like to celebrate it?
What have you been swooning over lately?