Laurlelu Headwraps.

Top: Old Navy (similar) || Bottoms: Old Navy || Shoes: Ebay || Headwraps: Laurlelu

The second I saw these plaid Laurlelu headwraps I knew I had to do a little photoshoot of my girls in them, especially since I had the perfect outfit to go with them! Their blue floral boots are literally the cutest shoes I have ever seen in my life and these head wraps looked perfect with them! (I'm all about the pattern mixing).  I love how this headwrap ties the whole outfit together and I love how soft and cozy it is on their little heads! They can be picky about what they let me put on them so I was so happy to see these actually staying on their heads for longer than a couple minutes!

Make sure to check out Laurlelu for the cutest hair things for little girls! Their shop will be opening in the next few days so check back because you will die at how cute everything is!

xoxo

The Perfect Plaid Shirt.

Top: The Rose Nest || Skirt: Shop & Apparel || Shoes: H&M (similar) || Bracelets: Etsy (Similar) || Lips: Mac Saint Germain

First off, I just have to say it is a little weird posting about fashion! I am usually the one behind the camera shooting my girls, recipes, and other lifestyle things, but I made a goal this year to step out of my comfort zone a little bit so here I am showing off a little fashion! I'm sure you would prefer Sophia's fashion posts (she's seriously stunning), so bear with me!

I was so flattered when The Rose Nest sent me this perfect plaid shirt. I mean seriously it is my new favorite shirt! I usually wear a lot of black and grays and have been trying to branch out in the color area a bit, so when I saw this green plaid shirt I was so excited to add a new color to my wardrobe. One of the things that I love about this shirt is how long it is. It seriously fits perfectly. I also love how cute it looks with jeans and leggings, but that it can totally be worn with a skirt for a bit dressier look! (As pictured above).

Okay on a completely unrelated and rather funny note you should have seen my shoes during this shoot. For those of you don't know I live in Oregon and well it rains all the time! It's especially been rainy and wet here the past few weeks. However, not even thinking I put on my black suede heels to take pictures and realized on location that it might be a little interesting considering it was solid mud! Needless to say there aren't many pictures of my shoes, in fact you probably didn't even know they were heels because they were so far into the mud. (See full body shot) So with that being said I may only be wearing rain boots in the fashion posts to come!

Bottom line, this shirt is the best! I am so excited to wear the heck out of it because you know that's what us moms do when we find something we love (and by wear the heck out of it I mean wear it like 3 days in a row every week haha).

Be sure to check out The Rose Nest! They have such cute things!
And a special thanks to my dear friend Lindsey for taking these photos!

xoxo

Poncho and Thigh Highs.

Poncho: Honeybeat Boutique || Leggings: Forever 21 || Boots: Forever 21 (found these look a likes at ASOS) || Hat: Tjmaxx (check out this one at Nordstrom)

This poncho though! I honestly can't remember the last time I owned a poncho so when Honeybeat sent this to me, I immediately started thinking of all the different ways I could wear it! With this particular outfit, I wanted the outfit to be appropriate for fall or winter so I simply threw on a pair of thigh highs and a cute hat. I also thought about adding a scarf but didn't want to take the attention away from the poncho but that would have totally been appropriate! Here in Arizona, it hasn't been very cold so I just wore a t-shirt underneath but putting a long sleeve shirt under or a sweater would have worked wonderfully for those of you in colder weather! There are so many different ways to wear a poncho so check out shophoneybeat.com and pick out your perfect poncho now! 

Happy Shopping!

xoxo

20 Makeup Tips to Help Improve Your Makeup Routine.

1- Always match your foundation to your neck, NOT your face or the back the of your hand.

2- If you're doing a darker makeup look, do your eyes first= and your face last. This way you won't have any fallout on your face makeup and you'll have it on bare skin, so you can wipe it off before you apply foundation.

3- Less is always more with face makeup.

4- When applying foundation with a brush, never swipe, always buff it in with circular motions. That will you give you the most natural finish and won't leave brush lines.

5- Have dry skin? Easy on the powders!! Also use a moisturizing primer before makeup applications.

6- Have oily skin? Hello powders! Matte primers and foundations will also help immensely with preventing oil throughout your day.

7- If you're ever using glitters for an eyeshadow, glitter guards are a MUST!

8- Understand what tones enhance your eye color! This doesn't mean you're limited to certain colors.

9- Contouring and highlighting is NOT unnatural. Although it may mean more makeup. It actually will enhance your natural bone structure.

10- Concealer will be your best friend for dark circles & blemishes.

11- Learn about your eye shape so you can understand and learn what techniques to do when creating makeup looks.

12- Want bigger looking eyes? Avoid putting dark liner in water line, and put a cream or white liner instead. This will definitely make your eyes pop!

13- You don't always have to have high-end makeup. There are plenty of amazing brands and drugstore products that are just as incredible if not better. Do your research, Pinterest obviously will give you plenty of options.

14- Clean your brushes!! Maybe this will help solve those unexpected breakout mystery's.

15- Never put bronzer on your entire face. Ever.

16- Brows are a game changer. Careful with the shape you use because even the most happy, sweet, kindest person can look angry, evil, old, or tired with one wrong move.

17- There is no such thing as over blending!

18- Learn about brushes and the meaning of each one!

19- A makeup setting spray will extend your makeup to help it last longer and not rub off.

20- "Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist". - Pablo Picasso

xoxo

Toscana Soup.

I am not the biggest fan of soups. I have no clue why, but I am just extremely picky with them. However,  this Toscana Soup is literally the yummiest soup I have ever tasted. My mother in law gave me the recipe and ever then it's been one of my favorite dinners to make (and eat)!

It is super easy to make and I love that if I make a little extra I can have it for lunch/dinner the next day and it still tastes exactly the same!

Here's how you make it:

First, you will need 3/4 cup of finely chopped onions, 1 package of Jimmy Dean sausage (I prefer regular but if you like a little kick to your meat then use spicy), and 3 garlic cloves finely chopped or minced.

Put your onions and sausage in a frying pan and saute until meat is browned. Add the garlic and mix together. 

While you are browning your sausage mixture, combine 6 chicken bouillon cubes and 5 cups of water in a large pot and bring to a simmer. 

Then, add 3 medium sliced potatoes (don't peel), the sausage/onion/garlic mixture and a slice of bacon (for flavoring).

Cook for 15 minutes.

Finally add in 4 cups of kale and 1 cup of liquid whipping cream. 

Heat thru.

Toscana Soup 

(serves 5-6)

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 package Jimmy Dean sausage (regular)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

6 chicken bouillon cubes

5 cups of water

3 sliced potatoes (do not peel)

1 slice of bacon

4 cups of kale 

1 cup heavy whipping cream

In a frying pan add the onions and sausage and cook until the sausage is browned. Stir in the garlic. While your meat is browning add the water and bouillon cubes to a large pot and simmer. Once it is simmering and your sausage mixture is done add the potatoes, bacon, and sausage mixture. Cook for 15 minutes. Finally add the kale and heavy whipped cream and heat thru.

Serve with some sliced french bread and butter.

Enjoy!

TIP: Whenever I buy bacon I always take out a piece or two and put them in a zip loc bag to store for this very recipe! Also, be sure to dip your bread in the soup! Yum!

PRINTABLE VERSION

xoxo

Sapphire Axel Leggings.

Top: Victoria's Secret (this one is similar) || Vest: Forever 21 (this one is similar) || Axel Leggings: Honeybeat Boutique || Shoes: Böhme Boutique (check out this one here and here) || Bracelets: Alex and Ani (in case you want to know, I'm wearing an Initial Charm Bangle with an "S" on it and the Sailboat Charm Bangle)

You guys!! Let me just tell you how OBSESSED I am with these leggings! Honeybeat Boutique sent them to me along with a few other goodies that will be coming soon, and I couldn't be more thrilled! She just preordered some Spring colored Axels Leggings and these particular ones are one of her newest colors called Sapphire and they are such a pretty deep blue. I love the way they fit on me because they are very slimming, extremely comfortable and clearly they are adorable. It doesn't get much better than that! Check out her website and grab a pair of these beauties while you still can!

xoxo

    

Top 4 Favorite Lipstick Shades

I can be a little picky when it comes to the shade I want to wear on my lips. I struggle very much with warm tones, pinks, and certain reds. I have found though that I have become obsessed with brown tones. I feel like they compliment my skin tone quite nice. I thought I would narrow down my top 4 FAVORITE lipstick shades at the moment. Shockingly, there are a few pinks and a red shade in this list. 

Requiem: (sold out, very popular shade) Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick. I love it because I don't own anything like it. I love the soft lilac color and the coolness of the pink. It's definitely something I don't wear it everyday, but I like it for when I want to change things up a bit. 

Lolita: Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick. This color is warm however, I really liked the way it complimented my skin tone and features. It's a burnt red color with a little bit of a orange undertone. 

Sandstorm: NYX Liquid Suede Lipstick. I thought this color would look a lot more brown. I liked how it was definitely more nude but still had a lot of brown undertones. It's honestly perfect for any look, bold or soft.

Tea And Cookies: NYX Liquid Suede Lipsticks. I struggle so hard when I'm dealing with very pink tones. I was so impressed with this shade of pink. It wasn't too vibrant or too pale. I would honestly describe it has the perfect pink. If you're a pink kind of girl, this is definitely for you!

You probably noticed the word "Liquid Lipstick" a lot in this post. In case you're not aware, a liquid lipstick is basically a lipstick that has a liquid formula and dries EXTREMELY matte. I personally love matte lips because I can talk, eat, and kiss my hubby without it coming off or smudging anywhere. They last about 8 hours. Some brands can be very drying, so find what works for you. (:

The NYX Suede Liquid lipsticks have the same concept of a regular liquid lipstick, except you will find a slight satin finish with the lipstick. Meaning it's pretty matte however, a little bit of shine. It feels a lot more creamy on the lips vs. a completely matte lip. 

I was very impressed with both of these brands. I did notice the Kat Von D brand lasted several hours longer than the NYX brand, but I still love them both. I have tried A MILLION different brands. Another brand that has my heart is Colour Pop Cosmetics. They have a lot of variety and are very affordable. 

Make sure to check out the links! Add some color to your lipstick game and pucker up! (:

xoxo

Purple Smokey Eye with a Bold Lip.

Products Used:

Sephora Glitterguard- eye primer

Morphe Color Nature Glow Palette- set eye primer, transition/crease, and brows

TIGI Cosmetics High Density Eyeshadow- Chocolate (Crease and lower lash line)

Mac Cosmetics Eye Shadow- Satin Taupe (lid)

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette- Black Forest Truffle (lid)

TIGI Cosmetics High Density Palette- Vanilla (inner corner and brow bone highlight) and Black (eyeliner, outer corner, and under eye)

Urban Decay Naked Smokey Palette- Combust (crease)

Maybelline Colossal Volum Express Mascara

Maybelline Fit Me Matte Formula- Porcelain 110

Morphe Contour/Concealer Palette- lightest shade (under eye concealer)

Morphe Pressed Powder Palette- lightest shade (set concealer and foundation)

Too Faced The Little Black Book of Bronzers- Milk Chocolate (contour/bronzing)

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit- Sand (highlight)

Urban Decay Naked Illuminated- Luminous (highlight)

Mac Cosmetics Matte Lipstick- Sin

Brushes:

Mac Cosmetics 217

Concealer Brush 

Pencil Brush

Smudge Brush

Mac Cosmetics 130

Mac Cosmetics 168

Blush Brush

Real Techniques Setting Brush

Detail Brush

Behind the Scenes!!

xoxo