Five Things Friday

Tarteist Lip Paint in Birthday Suit: I got this lip color in my Sephora Birthday Gift for this year and have been loving it!  It is the prettiest pinky nude.  It's not so nude that you get that dead lip look, it still adds some color.  It is a matte and can be slightly drying so keep that in mind when you apply, but it lasts for hours and doesn't feel gross.  It's been a win for me.        

Valley Cruise Press Pins/Patches: I have really been enjoying the 90's trend comeback of patches and pins.  I had a thing for patches and pins when I was younger and had a jacket covered in them (I thought it was the coolest).  I have been slowly delving back into the trend and found these adorable items at Valley Cruise Press.  I am obsessing over the peanut butter and jelly pin set, seriously how cute!?  I am also in love with the GIANT terrarium patch, I just don't know what to do with it yet...any ideas?       

Blush Bag: I picked this bag up last year on clearance and finally broke it out for spring.  Mine is actually a blush color and I'm obsessed.  It is the perfect size for my essentials, yet small enough to be worn crossbody when needed.  Believe it or not I picked mine up at Kmart...yep thy still exist.  I am signed up for their Shop Your Way point system and received $10.00 in random bonus points.  Well I used them on this bag and ended up paying about $4.00!  So if you're not signed up go check it out.  

Evermore (Dan Stevens version): Kyle and I decided see Beauty and the Beast this past weekend.  At first we were put off by the political agenda Disney seemed to have and the information being presented in a movie directed toward children but decided to see it for ourselves.  I am not going to have a big speech about it, there were things I didn't agree with morally and felt should be left out but the overall message and feel of the movie were traditional and beautiful.  The story of love, forgiveness and changing is still there.  Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my favorite original Disney movies (tied with The Little Mermaid) so I had high hopes.  It was good but not great.  I honestly didn't love Emma Watson as Belle.  I like her and all I just didn't feel like she was Belle for me.  Now Dan Stevens as the Beast was AMAZING!  I mean can he be my favorite too??  The moment that made the movie for me was his "Evermore" solo.  I would watch the movie just for that part.  It is such a powerful moment and the insight into the Beast's character and his love for Belle is beautiful.  I told Kyle if that scene hadn't been in the movie I probably wouldn't have liked it.  It is such a sad and beautiful moment.  I have had the song on repeat feeling all the feels.  Have you seen the movie?  What were your thoughts?  

Chick-Fil-A Market Salad: I have had this salad twice and am in love!  Any salad with blue cheese and fruit is a win in my book.  This one is delicious and with a vinaigrette dressing it is less than 400 calories!  Mixed greens topped with red cabbage, carrots, blue cheese, apples, strawberries, blueberries and grilled chicken.  It is so delicious and filling!  I love a good Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich and waffle fries but when I want something healthier but still delicious this is a good sub.              

$1 Clothes Haul (Plato's Closet)

Last year I hit up the Plato's Closet $1 clothing sale (check here).  This year they only had it for a weekend but I managed to find a few things.  

I picked up this floral smocked flowy top.  It is perfect for throwing on over a pair of jeans.

I loved the detailing on this top, so western!

This off the shoulder top is perfect for spring! 

I love a good vest and this super bright blue one from Forever21 had to come home with me.

I love a good flannel, especially an American Eagle one for $1!  

Definitely can't beat these deals!  

KBB Stylebox Unboxing

I love finding new stores to check out online.  I stumbled upon this gem through instagram (sometimes those sponsored posts are helpful...).  Knitted Belle Boutique is a cute trendy online boutique and I am so excited to share some the products with you!  

They were so sweet and sent over a gift box (called the KBB Style Box) and oh my goodness I was so excited to dig in! 

I had mentioned that I loved these two tops and was so excited to see them in my box.  This Pink Woven Panel Top is  so feminine and flowy, perfect for spring.   On the edgier side is this Olive Lace Up Top that I am obsessed with!  It is so soft and perfect for throwing a pretty bralette under to peek though.  So in love with both of these tops.  I will be posting outfit pictures of them on my instagram, follow me if you're not already (shameless plug).

How cute is this Confetti Cake Bath Bomb??  It looks like a delicious sprinkled lollipop.

Last thing were these beautiful Druzy Earrings.  I have been wanting a pair of druzy earrings for the longest time and was so excited to see these in the box!  

I was seriously so spoiled by the Knitted Belle Team and am absolutely in love with all the products! Check them out and let me know what you think! 

Also what are your favorite online stores to shop?

What I Read in February

Even though this was a short month I got through four books, and I was pretty happy about it:

90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper: This was a book I have been wanting to read for a long time and finally decided to jump on it.  It was short and honestly I was a little disappointed in it.  The beginning was really interesting.  It discussed his accident, death and the short experience he had in Heaven.  The second part of the book was a little disappointing as it discussed a lot of his healing with his injury and how his life continued.  It is a good story but I wanted to hear more about his afterlife experience.  It is really interesting to read these accounts from people and their experiences in Heaven.  The experience they recount have direct connections to how the Bible describes Heaven. If you are interested in this subject check out Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo.  This book had a very detailed explanation of Heaven from a child's point of view.      

The Siren by Kierra Cass: I picked this book up at Dirt Cheap for a super deal and really excited to start it.  I read The Selection series and loved it.  This book is by the same author and was pretty good.  This book follows a girl named Kahlen (she likes different names) who becomes a siren and is bound to serve the ocean for 100 years.  She and the other sirens lure humans to their deaths with their beautiful voices.  She meets a human boy Akinli (weird names) and falls in love.  I enjoyed the look into the fantasy world of sirens and their history.  The love story was a little off, short and I didn't feel a lot of connection between the characters but it was still a good story and worth a read.    
Landry Park by Bethany Hagen: This book was a Dollar Tree find and I was surprised at how much I liked it.  The back said "Gone with the Wind mixed with The Hunger Games", I knew I had to check it out.  It was a teen dystopian story, the baseline follows Madeline Landry, a girl born to a life of glamour and riches.  Her ancestor developed the nuclear energy that has replaced electricity.  She soon learns that life outside of Landry Manor is not as beautiful as hers.  She befriends the "Rootless" and must make a choice between her family and her new found knowledge.    

The Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard: After being left hanging in the first book I could not wait to continue the story of Mare Barrow.  The book jumps right back into the battle between the rebel army and the silver army run by King Maven.  She, along with the other rebels search to recruit red and silver followers to join in the struggle to defeat Maven.  It was a good book but slightly a let down.  I don't really have a reason why it just seemed to not quite match up with the intensity of the first one.

What have you been reading this month?   

Five Things Friday

I haven't done a favorites in a while and I'm especially excited about these!

Teavana Wild Orange Blossom Herbal Tea: My father-in-law got us a couple packs of Teavana tea for Christmas and I have been loving them!  This flavor is by far my absolute favorite.  It is the perfect blend of fruitiness without turning bitter.  We don't have a Teavana special tea maker, I just make it with hot water and it turns out fine.  Let me know your favorites I want to try them all!   

NC Illustrated Map Mug and Starbucks You are Here NC State Mug: I have been obsessed with the state mugs from Starbucks and my mom sent a North Carolina one to me for my birthday.  I am in love!  The size is perfect.  I now have my eyes on an Alabama one.  I also discovered this beautiful illustrated North Carolina map mug on etsy and fell in love!  I love the detail on this little baby, it has all the big landmarks drawn out and it is so cute!  It would make the perfect gift for anyone from NC.  Check out Emily Brooks Designs for this mug and more state art pieces.    

Pink Zipper Mini Backpack: I have been on the search for a cute little backpack (mostly for Disney trips...) for months.  I stumbled on this one on Amazon and I knew I had to have it.  It looks similar to the Marc Jacobs bag but for about 90% off.  The quality is really great, seriously it feels awesome.  I did take off the leather zipper pulls because I liked the clean look without them.  I recently took this one to Disney for a week and it was perfect for carrying all my park essentials.  It is small so check out the dimensions but it has lots of zippers and pockets so I am a happy girl.       

Bad Hair Day Hat: I love a good baseball hat and this one is so sassy.  The color is perfectly neutral and cute and I'm in love with the embroidery.  Perfect for throwing on when you don't feel like doing your hair (hence the graphic) and running errands.  It also fits really nice and is super soft, what more could you want from a hat?

Laser Cut Booties (Sasha Bootie): These booties!!!  I have been looking for a pair of laser cut booties and these are awesome!  They are light and perfect for spring.  Can't you just picture them with a cute floral dress??  They are slip on and true to size, and super comfortable.  They are from one of my favorite stores Simple Addiction.  Check them out for boutique finds at a lower price.  

What have you been loving lately?    

Thrifting Haul (Starbucks and Disney!)

I ran into the local thrift store on a whim and managed to come out with a few goodies.  They had a couple racks of clothes marked $1 each.  I ended up snagging this Toy Story shirt, perfect for a Disney trip :).

While perusing the mugs I spotted a Starbucks You Are Here mug!  I have been eyeing these for a while and love the graphics.  This one was brand new with the tags still on it and just happened to be from somewhere I have been (and loved)!

I didn't find an armload but $2.25 for two items I love it was a successful haul! 

Sephora Birthday Gift 2017 (and swatches)

My birthday was this month so I had to stop by Sephora and pick up my birthday gift for the year!  For those of you unfamiliar with the Sephora birthday gift it is a FREE set of items given out once a year on your birthday.  All you have to do is sign up to be a Beauty Insider!  

This year is a really good gift so if you haven't signed up go ahead and do it!

You get a choice between the Tarte or Caudalie gift sets.  I picked the Tarte because makeup :)

You get a 1.5g Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Paaarty 

and a .03 oz Tartiest Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Birthday Suit

I was really excited about both products!  The blush is a really pretty pinky color that is perfect for spring.  The lip color was a pleasant surprise.  It looked really light in the tube but it is a really pretty blushed nude color.  I have already used them both and love them!  Also how cute are those names?  Perfect for birthday gifts!!