Friday Favorites!

And the worst blogger award goes to ....


me.


Snooki waaaah!  I sucked this week at blogging.  I don't know what to tell ya, though.  Some weeks you're on your game, some weeks you're not.  This week was not my week.  However, I do think I have a pretty good Friday Faves coming atcha right now.  Maybe this will make-up for my sub-par blogging this week?  And that announcement?  It's coming THIS MONDAY.  I swear on all that is holy.  

Favorite Coffee Mug

Homegrown Monogram Mug - $8, Anthropologie

I did a little in-store Anthro browsing on Monday, and this mug caught my eye so I snapped a pic. I didn't buy it, but I've been dreaming about it ever since.  It's my mission to purchase it today and I've also decided I'm going to start collecting coffee mugs.  That is going to be "my thing".  I collect nothing and I'm obsessed with cute coffee mug, so coffee mug collection it is.  Anyone out there wanna support this new habit of mine and send me some to die for mugs??  I will not object.  

Favorite Beauty Buy

Sephora's Sun Safety Kit, $30 (out of stock online)

I'm a HUGE advocate for safe sun practices, so when a Sephora e-mail arrived in my inbox last weekend advertising this 17-piece collection of SPF essentials and safe self-tanners for only $30, I knew I had to have it.  And have it I do!  I called my local Sephora on Monday to see if they had any left, and to my delight they had 9!  I promptly asked them to put one on hold for me and I immediately took my badonk up to Sephora to purchase this sun safety goodness.  Review to follow.  

Favorite Wine(s)

Loredona Riesling [5 Stars in Restaurant Wine Magazine]
 and 
HandCraft Chardonnay [89 pts and Gold in Consumer Choice Awards]

One of my BFF's hubs works for the winery that distributes these wines, so he recently sent me home with two bottles to try.  BTW, distributing wine = dream job.  They have so much wine in their house, it is not fair.  

So last night I had a glass of the Handcraft Chardonnay (citrus, peach, honey, pear and creamy marshmallow flavors), and I had a glass of the Loredona Monterey Riesling (nectarine, lime, honeydew melon and candied orange peel flavors).  It's officia!  These are going to be my staple summer wines.  The fruity flavors are so smooth and the wines are not TOO sweet, which I hate.  One word: DEE-LISH.  And by the way, when I say glass I mean glasses.  Duh. 

Favorite Non-Reality TV Show

GCB on ABC Sunday's night @ 9 p.m. CST 

I've got to tell you ladies, I did not want to like this show because I was convinced it was going to make Dallas look absolutely ridiculous and po-dunk like 99.9% of the shows out there.  While this show is certainly over-the-top, I find it to be hysterical and can't get enough.  

GCB is based on the "semi-autobiographical" novel Good Christian Bitches by Kim Gatlin, and the series centers on Amanda Vaughn, a recently widowed woman, who moves her family back to the upscale Dallas neighborhood where she grew up.  Go here to read more about the premise of GCB.  

Oh and did I mention this fine specimen is on the show?  Easy on the eyes in an understatement.  Hello Eric Winter!  I am not happy you are married and with child.  Le sigh.

Favorite Reality TV Show

Yes, these two sisters voluntarily wore these elegant ensembles as bridesmaid dresses. 

Season 2 of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, TLC

I realize this is not normal, but I'm fascinated with gypsies.  I blogged about them last year when the series first came out and have been obsessed ever since.  Ask anyone who knows me IRL.  If you get me started on the topic of gypsies, I will spout out facts like I'm a walking wikipedia.  Like the fact that the second largest U.S. population of gypsies is in White Settlement, TX, which is relatively close to where I live. 


Mark my words: I will meet a gypsy and I will die a happy lady.  Oh um, and My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding (a spin off of the original series) started last week.  Jesus loves me.  

Favorite Necklace

J Crew Bubble Necklace dupe, ebay $14.50 (shipping included)

The iconic J Crew bubble necklace retails for $150 and I'm sure you have seen it ALL OVER the blog-o-sphere.  It seriously is a sensation.  Well, what's even more sensational is the fact that there is a ebay seller in Hong Kong who sells an identical dupe for only $14.50.  Yah, I said Hong Kong.  Stay with me now because this seller is legit.  I ordered one and it arrived this week and I got SO many compliments on it within the first 5 minutes after stepping into the office.  EVEN FROM MEN.  Like, what?  Anywho, I ordered another one in red so I can wear it with black for Texas Tech games.  

I was skeptical about a seller in Hong Kong sending me a "dupe" (aka knock-off) but the quality is amazing. I highly recommend you order one. I'm tempted to order even more. Tell me no! Click here for the seller, just be prepared to wait a few weeks (to a month) to get it.  Patience is a virtue ladies.  I promise, it is worth the wait.  

Favorite Movie Trailer 

Anddddd ... you. are. welcome. Is it hot in here or is just me? Raise your hand if you'll be there opening night.  *HAND RAISED*

Getting to know the Bargain Blonde, Part 1

Hello class. Today we are covering my favorite subject: me.

I keed, I keed.  But I am in the "hot seat" as they call it on The View and as promised, I'm answering all of your burning questions.  

For easier reading, I've broken them up into the following categories: beauty, money, diet & fitness, blogging, personal and last but not least, random.  I want to answer ALL of your questions, which would have made this post entirely too long, so I'm breaking this up into 2 posts.   Today I'm covering beauty and money, so here we go ...

Katie H asked, "Since I'm a fellow white girl (aka 2 minutes of sunlight and I am burnt), do you use tanner on your face or just on your bod?"

Both! As Katie mentioned, I am white and have been pale my entire life.  And not just white, but ghastly white. I'm a naturally very fair-skinned person with naturally blonde hair.  Most real blondes cannot tan, which would be the case with me.  I use self-tanner all over and even more so on my face since it gets washed more frequently than the rest of me.

I have a Mystic Tanning membership, so I am able to get unlimited spray tans monthly.  I also have an arsenal of self-tanning products, but the truth is I'm normally too lazy to put them on.  Typically, I head to the salon, get sprayed and I'm done with it.  Since my face fades quicker, I use the Mystic or Versa sunless spray and spray my face in between trips to the salon. 

These are a little pricey, but contain the same solution as what you get at the salons, so they are worth it IMHO.  My salon runs specials so I only buy them when I can get them discounted. I usually end up paying around $15 for each can.

My other sunless tanning products I like for my face are: Hawaiian Tropic Island Radiance, Banana Boat Summer Color and Lancome Flash Bronzer.

When all else fails, slather that bronzer on.  I could go on for days about sunless tanning, but I'll save that for its own post. I've got a lot more questions to get through.

Sarmin asks, "Would you ever go brunette?"

Hell to the no.  I wish I could, but I look dis-gust with brown hair. And I know this because I had a brown wig for my 26th Jersey Shore birthday party.   As my mother said when she saw the pic, "Ew, tell me that's not real."  I'll never have brown hair, I can promise you that.  It was fun getting my JWoww on for a night, but I must say blondes really do have more fun! Muahahaha

Jess (Pretty Physicist) asked, "What is one thing you won't skimp on cost-wise and one thing you will always skimp on?"

The one area I will not skimp on is my hair cut. Until I found my fab-o hair guy 5 years ago, I cried almost every single time I got my hair cut.  Hair cuts were traumatizing for me and I'm not exaggerating.  There was a time in college I burst into tears in the chair, went home and locked myself in my room for hours and wouldn't answer my phone.   Sounds dramatic, but my hair is very important to me as I'm sure it is to you, which is why I don't skimp when it comes to who is cutting it regardless of price.

I won't tell you exactly how much my cut (no color) cost me, but I'll tell you with tip it's more than double digits.  Since finding my guy, I trust him completely and have never left the salon unhappy.  He's seriously worth every penny to me, so this is my one splurge.  Every girl needs one.

Ironically, the one thing I'll always skimp on is shampoo and conditioner, which ties into the next question so I'll explain more below. 

Jess (The Kentucky Priss) asked, "Name something expensive you've splurged on that ultimately wish you had not."

This was a good one!  I don't make big purchases with out some serious thought and major research, so I was having a hard time thinking of one.  Then it dawned on me. One time I got conned into buying this bottle of Keratase shampoo for $40 because the lady at the salon SWORE to me it would work wonders on my oily hair.  One thing to say to her: "You LIIIAAAR!"

You see, I have to wash my hair every day or else it'll look like an oil slick and my head gets itchy.  Yummy.  I was skeptical because I swear by drug store shampoo and conditioners, but against my better judgment, I got it.  The Keratase made absolutely no difference and every time I spot that stupid bottle in my shower, I get angry. 

My $5 Dove Intensive Repair and TRESemme Color Protection work perfectly, and the one thing I get complimented most on is my hair.  No weave here girls, but you judge for yourself what you think of my "cheap" shampoo and conditioner results:

Your thoughts?

This concludes Part 1 of getting to know me and yes, I started off a little tame.  The juicier questions are Monday, so stay tuned and have a fantastic Halloweenie weekend.  I can't wait to see every one's costumes next week!  TGIF times 10 and boo!

Bust into the Blackberry with me, won't you?

I use my Blackberry to take pictures of literally anything and everything as you can see below.  Sometimes I take pictures of things I want to use for post ideas and then I never get around to posting about them, so I figured this would be a quick and easy way to cover a few things I have wanted to share with y'all. 

If you enjoy bustin' into my Blackberry with me, then maybe I'll do this again.  Let a girl know.


1. My first ever Bloody Mary!  I was always skeptical of this drink, but now I'm a believer.  Can't wait to sip on this during my next hangover.  BTW, is there anything worse than a hangover? No.

2. Yellow Platform Pumps from Target - $29.99.  We're wearing them with grey bridesmaid dresses in my friend Courtney's wedding this January.  Excuse that string that is wrapped around them, I need to cut it off.

3.  50% off Yankee Fall scented candles from HomeGoods. Amazing deal, I'm going back for more.

4. Fedora from Target for $14.99.  Never thought I could EVER be a fedora girl, but I love the look. I couldn't find this particular fedora online, but it's by all the hats/scarves/purses/jewelry/etc. at Target & I bought it this week.

5. Found this dish towel at Sample House & Candle Shop. My BFF works for Neiman's, so this pic was for her.

6. "Everything I know, I learned on the Street" shirt that I want to get for my neph still. Shoker, but it's from Target. I hope they still have it in stores because it's out of stock online.  Boo! I should have bought it when I had the chance.

7. This freak from TLC: My Strange Addiction. A 25-year-old man who lives it's life as a female baby. Wears diapers and everything ... the whole shebang.  Normal.

8. My collection of sunless tanners.  Working on a "how-to Mystic tan post" for you lovely ladies by the way. 

9.  Ruffle towel wrap from Bed, Bath & Beyond for only $9.99. I purchased in pink, duh.

10. Loredona Riesling wine for only $8 a bottle.  It's soooo good, so try it and thank me later. 

11. My "beach wave hair minus the beach".  Also a how-to post I was going to whip up. Would y'all still be interested even though Summer is almost over?

12. Cute pens from the Target Dollar Spot.  I have currently banned myself from stopping at the Dollar Spot. I can't control myself there.

There you have it. 12 random things from my phone because 12 is my favorite number.  I hope this didn't bore you too much.  Tomorrow is a special day for me on the blog front, so I promise something MUCH more exciting.  Can you say giveaway??? Stay tuned.



You better vote for me betoch... love ya.



I'm leaving on a jet plane ...

Thursday morning I will be on a plane flying to Phoenix waving to ya from high in the sky! 

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Now that I'm close to boarding a plane, I've started to think about packing.  Keyword = think.  I never pack until the night before and I'm usually running errands and finishing up last minute stuff until midnight or later.  It never fails.

I thought I would share some of my favorite travel essentials with y'all.  I'm by no means a travel expert, but I was in a 4 year long distance relationship with Lucifer, so I spent my fair share of time traveling. 

Here is what I can't travel without:

1.  Check list and sticky notes. I'm a list person. I can't function without my to-lists and packing for a trip is no different. I make my list a few days before I need to pack, so if I do need to make any runs to say, CVS, I know ahead of time. If there is anything on my list that I can't pack until the day of (phone charger, tooth brush, sleep mask, etc.), then I write it really big on a sticky and put it on my front door so I absolutely can't forget it.  

This is just the start of my list, there will probably be 2 more pages of items added to this list.

2. Flat iron case.  I used to be ghetto and would just wrap my Chi in a hand towel.  This method works, but I eventually stepped my game up and bought this case.  I love it because you can do your finishing touches on your hair, throw your straightener in the case and not have to worry about it burning anything in your bag. 

My case above is from Stein Mart and was less than $10.

3. Jewelry Roll.  I also got this at Stein Mart for less than $10.  They have really cute, affordable travel accessories, so you should check it out if you have a Stein Mart in your area.

 
4. Personalized Luggage Tags to help you easily identify your bags.  My luggage tags were gifts, but lots of stores carry cute, girly luggage tags.  Get one to pimp your luggage.  

Don't mind the "heavy" tag, I always pack my bag to exactly 50 lbs thanks to my handy luggage scale.  See below!

5. Luggage Scale.  A lifesaver.  This little gadget lets me know if I've maxed out the 50 lb luggage limit.  Prior to owning this, I would be that girl at the check-in counter busting open my bag to take stuff out so I could get my luggage on the flight without having to pay the extra fee. 

You don't want to be that girl, trust me.  You will feel the glares of all the people waiting in line behind you trying to check-in.  If you tend to be a heavy packer, just get the luggage scale and thank me later.

While browsing Stein Mart online, I found a similar version called the Travelon Scale if you are interested.

6. Tan Towels.  Hello my fellow sunless tanners (everyone should be practicing safe sun and if not, you and I need to have a talk!).  You must have these tan towels in your luggage when you travel. 

They are perfect for maintaining your sunless tan when traveling.  The best part about them for me is that I don't have to worry about TSA throwing my precious bottle of self-tanner in the trash.  I give the worst side-eye and pout if I ever have to throw away any beauty products.

I bought mine at my tanning salon, but I know Ulta carries them too.  Click here to check them out.

7. Toiletries Hang Bag.  I got this one from my Aunt as a gift, and I don't know how I ever traveled with out one. 

8. Travel size bottles.  I think we all know what these are and that you can find them in pretty much any drugstore, Wal-mart or Target.  I used to never be able to find mine when I needed to pack, so I bought a container from the 99 Cent Only store to stash them in between trips.  I love that they are all in one place and I don't have to dig through drawers, cabinets or luggage trying to find them.

9. And lastly, get yourself a cute, medium sized carry-on bag.  I got this one at Sam Moon for any of you ladies in the Dallas area. 

There you have it!  Hopefully you learned a few tips, but if not, at least you know how I roll way up in the sky.

Where have you been all my life?

I've been sunless tanning for about 10 years now, so I like to consider myself a bit of an expert on the topic.  I thought I knew all there was to know about sunless tanning, but I was mistaken.  Case in point: the Ulta Sunless Mitt.  An invention of my dreams!  How have I gone 10 years without one of these?  

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Description: Applicator mitt easily smoothes self-tanning products onto the skin. The Self-Tanning Applicator Mitt by Ulta features a soft, velvet-like cloth cover that cushions the skin and an inner, water-resistant barrier to protect hands from becoming stained. Provides even, streak-free color. Hand-washable mitt can be used again and again.

I bought this mitt at Ulta last week for $4.99, and it has bit a bit of a life changer.  Around Christmas time, I cut back on a few unnecessary expenses.  One of these unnecessary expenses was my $49.99 a month Mystic Tanning membership.  It's a rough life, I know.

Since I stopped Mystic Tanning, I was content with embracing the pale.  That was until I saw some recent pictures  and I couldn't believe just how pale I was.  Sometimes all it takes is a photo to slap you in the face with reality.  I'm not trying to look like Snooki, but I would prefer to not look like a vamp. 

The problem is I've never been that fond of applying my self-tanner myself, but this mitt makes it a breeze.  Not only does it help you blend the color, but it protects your hands from turning that unsightly orange.  At only $4.99 (currently a "buy 2/get 2" special on Ulta.com), I will be purchasing a few more of these.  I don't know why I ever tried to apply mystic tanner without one of these magical mitts.

While I was at Ulta, I also decided to test out a new self-tanner.  After deliberating and standing in the sunless tanning product aisle for too long unable to make a decision, I finally made a gut decision and went with Hawaiian Tropic Island Radiance Creme Lotion Self Tanner in Medium Dark for $10.99 (used a 20 percent off coupon).

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I've gotta give it to my gut instinct, this self-tanner has been one of my favorites to date.  The best part for me is the odor is very minimal.  I don't ever think I've used a self-tanner with this pleasant of a scent (citrus, tanning oil scent) after the the chemical reaction took place between my skin and the key ingredient in sunless tanners — dihydroxyacetone (DHA).  It's impossible to not smell the chemical a little, that's just the nature of the beast.  I'd rather smell a little funky than get skin cancer or look like an old, wrinkly hag.  Right?

I also like the pump, it's much easier to dispense this product than having to shake and squeeze a typical lotion bottle. Because the mitt makes it so easy to evenly apply the lotion, I was streak-free after application.  I used the lotion 2 times last week and it gave me the perfect sun-kissed color for my fair skin.

I just used it again last night and I think to maintain I'll have to reapply 2 to 3 times a week.  I hate when self-tanner starts to come off and your skin looks splotchy, so I'm happy to report I haven't been asked yet by any strangers if I had a skin disease.  Oh yes, this happened to me standing in line for the merry-go-round with my nephew.  Here's how that went down:

Man standing behind me w/ his son: "Excuse me miss, I was just wondering if you had Vitiligo too?"

Me (confused): "I'm sorry, what was that?"

Man: "Do you have Vitiligo, the skin disease?  I noticed on your wrists that your hands were whiter than your arms.  I'm just asking because my son has it and i thought you did too."

Me (embarrassed): "No sir, just a blotched self-tanning job."

I couldn't believe that happened, but that is the story of my life.  Hopefully this mitt will mitigate strangers asking me if I  have a skin disease.   So far, so good.

Fake it till you make it

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See above? That's who I am pretending I am right now. I'm toasty warm, frolicking on the beach in a white sundress. I like living in denial because the reality is that I'm dressed in multiple layers and still freezing cold.

The snow flurries on Sunday afternoon were exciting when I was bundled up on my couch catching up on my shows from the week. Fast forward 3 days later and this Arctic windchill and 20 degree weather is not cute anymore.

I don't know how you Northerners do it. I heard Boston was supposed to get 16 to 17 inches of snow overnight. Excuse me? I don't even know what that means.

So since I'm faking that I'm warm and on a beach, I thought now would be a perfect time to share my latest drugstore beauty find that helps you fake something else: a tan. The product I've discovered is something any fair-skinned girl like myself can't live without, and that's bronzer.

And when I say "fair-skinned", what I actually mean is that I'm translucent. I'm not joking when I tell you that I once wore a dress to work and a co-worker asked if I was wearing white pantyhose. (Not OK) I'm also not joking when I tell you that in high school at one of my gymnastics banquets, my coach awarded me with the "No Sun" award and gave me a bottle of sunless tanner. (Also, not OK)

Anyway, you get my point. Bronzer is my best friend. But the problem is that a lot of bronzers, especially drug store bronzers, have left me with a muddy looking face, orange skin or are too shimmery. That is until I found my latest discovery: Physicians Formula Bronze Booster.

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This bronzer gives me the perfect sun-kissed look and retails for less than $15. I have used it every day since I bought it a few weeks ago and I don't know why (or how) I wasted so many years settling on less than mediocre bronzers. I highly suggest you try this one out if you too could be a recipient of a "No Sun" award. You won't be disappointed.