Monday, December 30, 2013

Five Favorites: 2013

This year is quickly coming to a close! Many of us are reviewing what happened this past year and reflecting on all of those events. For this edition of "Five Favorites," I'd like to talk about five of my favorite things about 2013.

1. Being a Homeowner

Who would have thought I'd be a homeowner at my age (26)? It's really pretty incredible. It was probably the most stressful process of my life when I was trying to buy the house, but now that it is over and I've been in the house close to a year, it is definitely worth it. Nothing compares to having your own space that you can do whatever you want with! Now I just need to finish unpacking... Yes, I am a horrible (great?) procrastinator!

2. Driving at Sebring International Raceway

It isn't often that you get an opportunity to drive on a track that countless racing professionals have raced on for decades. Not only was this an amazing experience just because I got to drive at the limits of the car, but it was also incredible because of this track's history. This is one of the most challenging tracks around, and mastering it is an incredible feeling. I don't know if it is possible to master this track, but just driving it at a decent rate of speed is amazing.

3. Getting Engaged

OMG OMG he proposed and I said yes!!! Haha, so it was an early early morning in August when Mike and I were out on the beach for my sea turtle patrol. He asked if he could come with me this time, and of course I said that was fine because it can be a little lonely on the beach at 6am. We were walking along, and he pointed something out, so I turned that direction, and when I turned back around, he was on his knee! Being engaged has been a fantastic experience. It's amazing knowing you get to spend your life with the love of your life.

4. Decorating for the Holidays

I'm not posting a picture for this one, even though I have a few examples, because I've posted them before and I've posted them recently. I'm sure you all have gotten your fill of holiday pictures. Not only are being in a house and being engaged fantastic, but celebrating our first holiday season together in our house was awesome! It is so nice to have a place to decorate together. We even had our own Christmas tree!

5. Growth

This one is an important favorite. Growth isn't one of those things I can pinpoint, but the combination of experiences I've had this year have helped me grow as a person. I've had good times and bad times, and they all teach me something. It's nice looking back and knowing you are a better, stronger person now. Life is always changing, and that isn't a bad thing. One of my favorite quotes is "Everything drifts. Always in waves." So let's ride those waves and have a blast doing it!

Happy New Year!

Sunday, December 29, 2013

New Camera

One of my favorite gifts from Christmas this year is my camera -- a Canon PowerShot Elph 330HS. As I've mentioned before, photography is something I've been wanting to get back into lately, and this camera is the perfect spark to get me going!



My fiance, Mike, and I haven't gotten out and about much since the holidays, so most of my photos so far are of our kitties and stuff around the house.

 Mmm... Chocolate. Another Christmas gift :)

This is Nitro trying to catch my camera strap!

Looking through glass splattered by raindrops into the backyard.

The weather offered a perfect opportunity to get some awesome closeups of raindrops.

Do you have any favorite Christmas presents you have been enjoying and using recently?

Friday, December 27, 2013

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.. Maybe

Is is just me, or does Christmas get more stressful the older you get?

There are plenty of wonderful things about the holidays. Spending time with family can be comforting. And there is so much to be thankful for when you get gifts that you have been wanting but just never bought for yourself. It can be a happy reminder of how rich we are with love surrounding us.

But there are also things that aren't as pleasant about the Christmas season.

Presents are great, but I also think they can cause unnecessary stress. It can take quite a while sometimes trying to think of a perfect gift for everyone. And then, after you get it, sometimes you are wondering, "will they really like it?" And when they open it, there is that immediate pressure of wondering what their reaction will be. Multiply this by however many people are in your family, and it can be tough to deal with sometimes.

Not only that, but opening presents yourself can be a little stressful. When I was a kid, I loved opening presents and I didn't care that I was the center of attention. Now for some reason, I dread being the center of attention. I am so thankful for the gifts and thoughtfulness of my loved ones, but I am so self-conscious when opening gifts sometimes.

Aside from gifts, you also have to be social and jovial. With conversation bouncing from topic to topic, you always have to be ready to say something that would fit in with the conversation. Sometimes it is tough to remember gifts off the top of your head, and then you worry about appearing not thankful because you don't remember what you got.

This is all somewhat silly, but sometimes my anxiety gets the best of me. I just have to remember that the main reason for the season is getting back to your roots and spending time with loved ones, who love you for you. No one else cares about all these trivial things.

It's called the most wonderful time of the year for a reason. Let's remember that!

Monday, December 23, 2013

Holiday Photography & Ornaments

Yesterday, my fiance was watching football with his buddies, so I decided to do some present-wrapping and a little bit of photography. Photography is something I've been getting back into lately, and the holidays are the perfect time of year to work on my skills. There is an abundance of beauty and cheer everywhere. I'm actually hoping to get a new camera for Christmas!

Here are some of the photos I took:

The first presents under the tree.

Sweet angel ornament.

Beaded ornament.


We didn't have any ornaments or decorations of our own this year, as I discussed in this post, but luckily my parents let us borrow an old tree and some ornaments. The tree actually belonged to my grandma, and it is from the '60s. The ornaments are familiar decorations that I grew up with at my parents' house.

Do you have any favorite ornaments you like to hang every year?

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

All That Glitters Isn't Gold

My latest manicure is a combination of some different colors of glitter... or they appear that way anyway.

Lately, I have been in the mood for muted colors on my nails, but I still wanted a little pop. Glitter, of course, adds that pop. It isn't often that I don't have some sort of glitter or sparkle on my nails.



For this manicure, I used a dark chocolate base and a medium pink glitter on top. I like the soft contrast that the combination of polishes provides.

Sometimes I like doing accent nails to have something a little different. For the accent nail, I used a pink base and a couple layers of the same medium pink glitter. I added a pink jelly on top of the accent nail to further differentiate it from the rest of my nails.

Jelly polishes can be really interesting. In this case, it added a hint of color to the polish that was already on my nail. It can also be used to make a jelly sandwich, where you use layers of glitter polish in between layers of jelly polish, and it has a gelatin look to it, sort of like Jell-O. Maybe I'll try one of those to post sometime :)

When you paint your nails, do you like to add interesting accent nails?

Monday, December 16, 2013

Mundaze

I know there's the joke that Mondays are always horrible and the day everyone dreads, but today is actually kind of one of those days for me.

It's not a horrible day, but I'm sleepy. Even though I rested over the weekend, it wasn't enough! It's never really enough though, is it? Can't we just have weekends all the time? When this feeling happens on a Monday, I like to call it Mundaze. I'm stuck in a daze on Monday, and it's mundane.

Last night I kept tossing and turning. We had the heat turned up, but it was still cold (for Florida, anyway). Thank goodness for Red Bull. Then when I got to work, one of my programs wasn't working, so I couldn't get things done! Maybe it was experiencing Mundaze too.

What do you do when you are stuck in a daze and you need to get things done? I hope you all are having the opposite of Mundaze!

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Wednesday Pick-Me-Ups

It's that time of the week when hope is on the horizon -- you're halfway through the work week! Even if you don't have a Monday to Friday job, there is always that one day when you tell yourself, "You're almost there! Only a couple more days until relief!"

For me, this day usually isn't marked by anything significant other than extra positive thoughts pushing me through the rest of the week. Don't get me wrong; I love my job, but I love the weekends just a little bit more!

But this Wednesday, my fiance and I made a little stop at Starbucks on the way to work, and I got my favorite drink -- a chai latte.



Something about this drink always soothes me and relaxes my mind and soul. But at the same time, it gives me a little energy boost, which is perfect. It's exactly the right treat to get me through the rest of the week.

Do you do anything special when the week is halfway over? Maybe look at certain motivational websites or pictures? Buy yourself a yummy snack or drink?

Things like this are a rare treat for me, but that is what makes them special :)

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Holiday Decorations

Having a house means you get chances to decorate a lot more. Even if you choose not to go all out with decorations, it's still nice knowing you have the freedom to do so.

Since this is our first year in a house, my fiance and I don't have any holiday decorations, but I went to Joann's yesterday and got some ribbon to decorate the light pole in our front yard.

The ribbon was actually on sale, 60% off, so yay for saving money! I love how they often discount decorations during the season that they are for, instead of just after the season.


We ended up putting the ribbon up today, and I think it turned out well! I am really happy with the results and the little bit of holiday cheer. Now we just need some lights!

Another holiday decoration I'd love to get is one of those little snow towns. You know, where you lay out some cotton as "snow" and get some little houses and town buildings such as a post office, bakery, etc. The ones that have little lights inside are even cooler! I'd love to have one of those on my table in the foyer.

What are some of your favorite holiday decorations? Are there any really simple or inexpensive ones you like?

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Paul Walker & Safe Driving

As many of you have probably heard, the Fast and Furious actor and car enthusiast Paul Walker has died in a car accident. Could it have been prevented? We don't know, but we can still learn from the experience.

Paul was known to be active in the automotive scene, and he was leaving a car show hosted to benefit one of his charities when the accident occurred. Racecar driver Roger Rodas was driving the car. Although he was experienced, it is said that speed was a factor in the crash, and there might have been some sort of mechanical failure as well.

Source: whattalking.com

Let me be the first to say (well, I'm probably not the first, but, you know), speed is not dangerous -- in the right conditions. The conditions are everything.

This was an experienced driver on a known road, but mechanical failure can change things very quickly -- and that is why it is best to save those adrenaline-filled moments for the track. We all might be tempted to speed here and there, whether it is for fun or simply because we are late getting somewhere, but ultimately it is not worth it.

No matter how experienced you are, things like this can happen. It not only endangers yourself, but those around you too. If he were at a track, there would at least be fire extinguishers around most likely. There's also a possibility that the outcome wouldn't have been any different, but at least it would have been in a controlled environment -- not on a public road.

If any of you have the Need for Speed, I highly encourage you to look up HPDEs (High Performance Driver Educations) at tracks near you. You can run your car all out (even if it is a basic sedan), and you'll have an instructor guiding you. It is not a racing school, but it really helps you be a safer driver by knowing what your car feels like at the limits. As a result, it makes you safer on the road.

Maybe this accident could have been prevented, or maybe it couldn't, but the ultimate lesson here is not to endanger others while having your fun. There are plenty of save venues, just waiting for you to go all out!

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Five Favorites: Food

While we're all recovering from being overloaded on turkey and stuffing, let's talk about food some more, shall we? When I have a say in what I eat, I don't always make the healthiest choices, but they sure are yummy ones!

1. Brownies




This is the absolute best dessert ever in my opinion. Chocolate gooey-ness, pure indulgence. They are so many calories, but I can't resist them. Any time there is a potluck at work or anywhere, I offer to bring in brownies, hoping I will be able to take a lot home. Brownies are also really easy to make from a box. Betty Crocker is my best friend.

2. Cheetos Snack Crackers



These, oh my goodness. These are a bite of heaven. If you like Cheetos, you will love these. I discovered these when I was in college, and my local grocery store carried them. At some point, they stopped, and I was totally devastated, but I got over it (mostly) eventually. Recently, my fiance and I tried a grocery store that we always pass by near our house. They have lots of international foods and unique things. Lo and behold, they had my crackers! Now I am hooked again.

3. Green Beans



This is the one healthy thing on this list. If I had to pick a favorite vegetable, green beans would be it. Real green beans though, not fake ones. I consider fake green beans to be the kind from cans, or frozen. Real green beans are fresh. Fresh and delicious. I love the just-picked nature flavor, with just a little bit of butter. Nothing compares to the rich flavor of green beans. Corn, lima beans, carrots -- nope. It has to be green beans.

4. Smoothies



Smoothies are fantastic for being on the go, sitting at home relaxing, or anytime really. I love that they can be a junk food if you are in a junk food mood, or they can be really healthy with fruits, veggies, and certain additives. Either way, they are always delicious. When you don't feel like a meal, but you know you need something in your stomach, smoothies are a great solution.

5. Pizza



The food of all foods. It is the ultimate in deliciousness. Cheese, bread, tomato sauce, pepperoni, just give it all to me. I love pizza. I could eat pizza 5 days a week and not get sick of it. In fact, I nearly did that when I lived around the corner from a place with $1 slices. It was the perfect lunch before my afternoon job. How can you resist $1 slices? My favorite places now are Mellow Mushroom and Hungry Howie's. Hungry Howie's really has some great pizza, with free flavored crust, for very reasonable prices.

What are some of your favorite foods?

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Writing and Words

Work sometimes takes us away from the fun things we want to do in life, but that doesn't mean we should just give up! I have been incredibly busy lately and haven't had time to write, but now I have just a bit of time before the Thanksgiving frenzy begins, so hooray for writing!

Some people like to be super formal in their posts, and others write like it is a conversation. Some people even make up words or have posts full of slang phrases. I think it is good to have a combination of those styles in blog posts to keep it interesting, but it is still important to maintain your own voice.

Similarly, with the English language, I think some variation in style is ok, but it's important to maintain the roots of what makes words words. The Oxford Dictionary recently released its word of the year, and can you guess what it is?

Selfie.


Selfie, really? Many people probably feel that this is a disgrace to the English language. Others think it is the coolest thing in the world. I was a little surprised when I first found out about the word of the year, but I am not too disappointed.

The way of nature is change. The reason we use the words we use today is because of change. We would be speaking some ancient dialect if it weren't for the evolution of words over time to better fit our current culture and experiences. These days everything is moving faster and everyone has less time, so abbreviated words like this are becoming more common.

Although I am a fan of the more traditional English language that I grew up learning and studying, and although I am a former journalist who is sort of obsessed with proper grammar and writing style, I am ok with selfie being the word of the year. I am ok with change, and I welcome it because I know it is just part of the way the world works. 

Can you imagine how the English language might change in the years to come? How do you feel about selfie being the word of the year?

Monday, November 18, 2013

Getting Up When You're Down

Sometimes everything just falls onto your plate at once, and it's overflowing, and it's heavy, and you're tired, and you just want it all to go away. You don't want any of it. In those situations it can be hard to be positive. It can be a struggle to work or get through your day. We've all had days like this, and we all get through them somehow, but how? Luckily I have found something that I try to focus on when I have days like this.


Whatever you put your energy into is what will surround you. They always say the grass is greener on the other side, but the truth is, the grass is greener where you water it. You have the power to make the grass green and brighten your day. It is easy to feel defeated, but when you remind yourself that you do have this control, it can make things a little easier.

When you focus on all the tasks you have to do at work, and that new project you have absolutely no time for, and the appointment you have after work that is going to cause you to have to work late another day, it is really hard to get that green grass to grow. You're focusing in on all the dirt and awful stuff.

Now imagine focusing on the good instead -- you have a job, you are able to afford to go to the doctor when you need to, you are trusted to take on extra tasks at work, you have a partner who loves you, you have a roof over your head and a comfy bed, etc. These things might seem like little things when you have the negativity overpowering you, but the more you "water" the good things, the more green grass you will have, and the easier it will be to stay positive.

This is a technique that I use when I have bad days, and I really try to stay positive by using this thought process. It isn't always easy or instantaneous, but it does help. What helps you get more positive when you are having a bad day?

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Five Favorites: Non-Material Edition

It's that time of year when many people are posting lists of things they are thankful for, Black Friday shopping lists, or general wishlists or favorites lists. Many favorites lists are full of things, such as cosmetics, apparel, or household items. I like the idea of favorites lists, but I wanted to do this one a little differently. Below are five of my favorite non-material things.

1. Exploring.
I am lucky enough that I've gotten the chance to do a bit of traveling to other countries as well as some cities in the US, including New Orleans and Key West. One of my favorite parts about traveling is learning about different cultures and ways of life, which can vary even within a single city. There is always something new to learn, even within whatever city you live in. There is a lot of variety in life when you really take the time to slow down and notice the little things. The above picture was taken on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, purposely out of focus.

2. Pets and animals.

What would we do without our pets and awesome wildlife? When we have a bad day, our pets are there to comfort us. When we're bored, they end up doing something ridiculous and silly. And when we're happy, they're there to celebrate with us. Pets can provide amazing companionship and help us forget about any daily stuff we are dealing with. Wildlife can be pretty amazing too. How incredible is it when a monarch butterfly flitters past? Or when you see an armadillo just off a nature trail, chilling. These creatures can be really inspiring in their own way.

3. Photography. 
Photography is a great way to capture special moments, or even relatively normal moments. The thing about photos is that you can freeze feelings. I like to believe each photo has its own mood, and it transports you someplace else. I also like how an ordinary, everyday object can take on a new personality when captured in a unique way. Here, the sun is rising and I captured it through a hole in a seashell. It gives the sunrise a more muted, yet surprising feel.

4. Home.
Home sweet home. There's no place like home. To many people, home is a sanctuary, and that's the way it should be. I am thankful for the environment my parents provided for me as I grew up, and I'm thankful for my current little family -- my fiance and our two kitties, Turbo and Nitro. It's a place where I can always feel safe and comfortable, and it's a place where we can build memories together. It's really fun sharing a home with the ones you love.

5. Weekends.
Woohoo! Unfortunately this weekend is coming to a close, but the weekend always gives us something to look forward to. A break from work and weekly tasks. Of course, being a homeowner, there is always some sort of work to be done, but it is nice having the choice of when you want to get the work done. This past weekend, my fiance and I went out to a beachfront bar for a couple drinks, then tried a new restaurant for dinner. It is things like this that make weekends seem like mini vacations, and those are always fun and appreciated.

What are some of your favorite things that aren't material things?

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

My First Lush Experience

Wow, you guys, Lush is definitely luxe! My city recently got a Lush store in one of the malls, and I had heard good things so I decided to check it out. Lush is an eco-friendly cosmetic store with vegan products and recyclable containers and materials. Their products are also all hand-made, which provides a unique upscale shopping experience.

In addition, Lush supports many ethical campaigns including animal rights, protecting the environment, and humanitarian causes. With all that said, their prices are a little steeper than you might tend to spend on items such as soap, shampoo, lotion, and various hair and body treatments, but I personally think it is worth the occasional splurge. Of course I splurged on my recent trip!


I picked up three different things (but only paid for two!). My hair can tend to be a little unruly with split ends, fluffiness and frizziness. After researching various treatments on the Lush website, I decided on the Jasmine and Henna Fluff-Eaze.

The sales girl suggested that for my long and thick hair, I'd get four uses out of this container! Only four! I always try to make stuff last longer than "recommended" because sometimes those recommendations are adjusted a little so that you'll use more and need more sooner and spend more money. Or maybe I'm just paranoid. Either way, I used less than 1/4 of the container.

After following the instructions, I rinsed the treatment off, and after my hair dried after my shower (no blow drying, just natural air drying), I did notice a difference! It wasn't as dramatic as I was hoping, but it was definitely noticeable. It has been about three days since I tried it, and my hair is still relatively smooth. Next time I might try actually using the recommended amount and see if I get better results.

The scent of the Fluff-Eaze is not very jasmine-y to me. I love the scent of jasmine, so that is part of the reason I picked this particular treatment. It smells clean, and has some floral notes, but I would not describe it as jasmine. The other product I bought, however...

I also bought the Lust jasmine-scented stick perfume. I now have a new favorite go-to scent. It is so delicious smelling! This definitely smells more like jasmine than the hair treatment. This was somewhat decently priced at $10, and the sales girl told me those stick perfumes last forever. So far I have used it every day, and I'm not sick of it yet!

There is a third product in the picture above. After picking out my two items, I was asked if I wanted to buy some soap in the Lust scent. I decided to pass, but apparently the store offers free soap samples, so I said OK! I haven't used it yet, but it also smells incredible, like the perfume. Overall, I am loving these jasmine Lush purchases!

Do you have a Lush where you live? What is your favorite or go-to cosmetics store when you want to pamper yourself a bit?

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Savings Sunday

One of my favorite websites used to manage my budget is Mint.com. It makes it easy to set up budgets for different categories, such as utilities, gas, shopping, medical, or whatever else you spend your money on. Nail polish? Purses? Pants? If you have different bank accounts, you can link them all up on this site so you can see your total debts and assets.

One of my favorite features is the way it shows you trends. You can either do it by merchant, category, time, or even tag, if you choose to tag your expenses. These pictures show by category, and then by merchant. Dollar amounts are included when you actually see the whole website page.



Now that I am a homeowner and have a job where I get paid the same amount each period, it's much easier for me to make a budget and be able to see how much I have coming in and going out. I know it can be kind of a boring topic, and even a stressful one a lot of the time, but this site really takes the pressure off, in my opinion.

Many banks these days even have online options similar to this where you can budget your expenses. It might not be the most exciting thing, but if you are looking to save a little here and there, I would strongly recommend using one of these tools. Come on, pretty charts! You can't resist that. (Ok, maybe you can. But I can't.)

Saturday, November 9, 2013

If I Was a Cat...

It's Caturday Saturday! This is another one of my daily themes that you will see posted on certain days. Not every day of every week, but for example, some Saturday posts will be Caturday Saturday posts.

One of my favorite sites for cute cat gifs is I Just Really Like Cats Ok? and I've decided to outline a few elements of my life in cat gifs. You're welcome. Hope you all are enjoying your Saturday and having a pleasant weekend!

Trying to get out of the house on Monday mornings.

Powering through tasks at work thinking about 6:00.

Me when my fiance turns sports on the TV after already watching football all day.
( I love him though <3 )

Playing with my kitties. I'm sure they love that.

When I'm at a stop light in my car (minus the headphones).

When someone mentions pizza.


Oh man, life as a cat would be awesome/crazy. What animal do you think most resembles you?

Friday, November 8, 2013

Let's Get Connected!

As a new blogger, I am anxious to meet other bloggers and make new friends. Obviously that doesn't happen simply in a day usually, but I am hoping to start some connections that will blossom into lovely friendships down the road.

I just wanted to share where you can find or follow me. First of all, you can follow me on Google Friend Connect, which you'll see on the right side of this page.

I am also a proud member of the Southern Girls Blog Community, which you can see on the logo to the right.

Another place you can find me is bloglovin. It would make me super happy to connect with you all through these various mediums.

Where else do you like to connect with other like-minded bloggers?

Oh yeah, and HAPPY FRIDAY!!!


Photo Story Friday


I am the luckiest girl in the world. I get to race that beautiful machine you see in the picture above. What a weird hobby for a girl, right? Ever since I reached middle school, I became obsessed with cars. My top three at that point were the Chevy Corvette, Chevy Camaro, and Mazda Miata. What a selection, lol. I'm not ashamed to admit I was born with a lead foot and am addicted to the adrenaline rush when I'm straddling the line of control and insanity.

My obsession with the Chevrolet Corvette probably partially contributed to my dad's decision to buy one. (It was either that or the BMW M3. BMWs are a story for another day.) It's all I would talk about for a few years as I was growing up. I even made a quiz for some of my friends and family to take about facts of this car's history. I was (am?) a little crazy, but I'm not ashamed.

The feeling of pure power controlled simply by twitches of my toes is incredible. The fear of hurdling toward trees at 130 miles per hour and knowing I will be in perfect control of the situation in a few hundred yards is empowering. Racing is addicting. Please don't take any of this is as me bragging -- it is simply a part of my life that I am extremely passionate about and thankful for. I'm currently saving most of my money (after bills of course) to buy this car 5 or 10 years down the road.

I took this picture at a smaller event, where I wasn't going near 130 miles per hour (only 80ish). It was during a phase where I was feeling filled with creativity again, which I had lost for a while. I used to love taking pictures and capturing beauty in everyday things. On this day, I felt inspired to capture the appeal of this car in an angled shot. It is a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette with an optional suspension package. This photo marks the beginning of a new creative phase in my life, where I'll be going full speed ahead, living with intention.

You might have noticed my blog title mentions the day of the week. I want to start trying to do weekly posts, with each day focusing on a different thing. I am excited to reveal the rest of the ideas to you as they are posted :) I don't plan on strictly posting on these topics each day, each week, but they'll give me something to write about if nothing exciting is happening. Let me know if there are any particular subjects you'd be interested in seeing blogs about!

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Wintery Manicure

So today I have a wintery manicure... wait, it's not winter? It feels like winter down here in Florida any time the weather gets below about 65 degrees. The last week or two we definitely had some cold days! This Southern girl loves curling up in hoodies on those days, but of course I will still be wearing flip flops. Can't take that summery spirit out of me! Anyway, onto the manicure.


The picture isn't the clearest, but it is really hard to capture shimmer! This is a light, dusty blue base with a gold shimmer polish on top. Other than the unkempt cuticles, I am pretty happy with the way this turned out. When I showed my fiance this manicure, he even said "That color is unique; I've never really seen that color on nails before!" (Yes, I totally wrote down his quote because it made me proud and he was sweet and I thought it would be awesome blogging material!)


The polishes I used were Orly Bonder as my base, OPI I Vant to be A-lone Star, Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Debu-tint, and Seche Vite as my top coat.

Let me rave about Sally Hansen Salon Manicure for a minute. First of all, I love their brush! It is flat, so the polish applies much more evenly. All of the polishes I have in that variety always apply super smoothly and have great consistency, and they are easy to take off, too! This particular color is probably one of my most recent favorites. Applied on its own, it gives your nails just a hint of shimmer -- more than just a clear coat would do. That subtle gold flash can be very intriguing.


One last picture... obviously very out of focus, but look at the bokeh in that shimmer! For those who are unfamiliar, bokeh is a photography style where the lights (or reflected light) is out of focus so it makes little circles. Sometimes taking out of focus photos of shimmery or holographic nail polish can show off the features a bit better than a straight on, in focus shot. What do you think? Do any of you have a favorite shimmer nail polish?

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Wow-Factor Weddings

I was just browsing through bloglovin' and found a blog with the following description:


Crafty, gorgeous and everything else Wow-Factor.
It's all about statement weddings
.

Since when does every wedding have to make some sort of statement? There is too much pressure in the bridal industry for every bride to have EVERY PERFECT DETAIL. If every bride had that, the next trend would probably be minimalist weddings -- probably like many of our parents had.

Between Pinterest, Facebook, and the hundreds (probably thousands) of wedding blogs out there, there is a lot of pressure on brides to be unique and have something that no one else has, that guests will be in awe of. We seem to have forgotten the purpose of weddings -- to join two souls in eternal happiness and love.

The frilly stuff isn't necessary. It might be nice, but who cares if your flowers are real or fake? Who cares whether your dress has that stunning scalloped edge? The day after the ceremony, I bet people won't be talking about what color tablecloth you decided to use. 

Imagine something simple... Just you, the love of your life, and close family and friends. Imagine all the stress you can avoid by making a simple choice for the flowers and centerpieces. Imagine the focus of your wedding actually being you and your partner... that is what it's all about. 

True love, dedication, and eternal promises... That's what I call a statement wedding.

Meet the Boys

Talking about cats should be an appropriate second post because 99% of the internet likes cats, right? Ok! I'd like to introduce you to two of the loves in my life: Turbo and Nitro. Here they are in a rare state -- sleepy and sweet. Not to say they aren't sweet and perfect all the time, but... sometimes they ruin everything. In a sweet, adorable way, most of the time.


The first night I spent with these boys, they actually knocked over a bedside lamp, and the bulb broke all over my pillow! Of course I was super concerned the boys would end up walking through the glass, and it was 3 a.m. and I was half asleep, so it was sort of nerve-wracking. It wasn't a complete disaster though.

Another time, the boys were running around my old apartment and bouncing off the walls -- literally. One of them -- it was Nitro I think -- jumped up on a shelf on a mostly empty tall bookshelf, and he actually knocked it down! That was quite a fright for both me and the kitties. Luckily, again, nothing was damaged.

It is these types of adventures that keep life exciting. If they were curled up like in the picture above all the time, it would be nice, but I wouldn't appreciate it as much without them getting into some sort of funny mischief every so often.

One year, my mom got me a book about how to get cats to behave. I haven't managed to train them yet, but now that they are older, they don't get into as much trouble. I also found these amazing animal vitamins by GNC (kind of silly, isn't it?) that help them relax, and those can be a life-saver sometimes.

Are your pets mischievous a lot of the time? How do you get them to calm down?



Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Welcome, Readers

Hello, internet!

Yet another blog has joined the world of the web (like it really needed one more). This blog is mostly a creative outlook and log of interesting things in my life, but hopefully it will also benefit some of you! I plan to post about the following:

  • Photography
  • Kitties
  • Homeownership
  • Couponing & Budget
  • Wedding Planning & Married Life
  • Healthy Habits
    • Eating
    • Emotional
    • Physical
  • Nail Polish & Manicures
  • Automotive Racing
  • Random Musings
Hopefully some of these topics appeal to you and we can share ideas with each other. Also, I suppose I should introduce myself...

My name is Rachel, and I'm a 26-year-old wife-to-be. I bought a house and moved in with my wonderful man, Mike, in February 2013, and we got engaged about six months later in August. Home life is a big change from living by myself in an apartment, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

Each new challenge adventure teaches me something new, and I love learning new things. Making the best of life and looking on the bright side is what I try to do, and I hope my blog, Light and Love, reflects that. Thank you for reading! I look forward to getting involved in the blogging community and becoming friends :)