What I've Been Reading: March 2012

I can't believe it's the end of March already, which means it's time for the second edition of our monthly collaboration: Monthly Must Reads!
Question of the month (from Andi): If you could have one celebrity's (person, actress, model etc.) wardrobe, whose would it be and why?Answer: I love Kim and Kourtney Kardiashian's style, but I think I would have to choose Lauren Conrad because her style is more wearable for my lifestyle. I adore her classic, simple, feminine style and I definitely share her love for Chanel handbags.

• Beautygirl24 - Noelle has a serious crush on the color orange. See how she used it to build an outfit.
• Ella Pretty - Ella's been shopping and sewing - view her spring purchases here.
• Lilly's Style - Find out which outfit Lilly loved the most in March.
• Pearls and Green Tea - Jiye's been welcoming the warmer weather with floral shorts, a braid and sandals!
• Saltwater Dreams - Andi's going gluten-free -- and it's easier than you think. See her favorite tips, recipes and products.
• Schnelle Couture - Danielle broke out the white jeans and sandals for St. Patty's Day- be sure to check out her new favorite mint nail polish too! 
• Sequins and Stilettos - Skylette has been playing with nautical looks by picking up some fun accessories.

My Weekend In iPhone Photos

I have some new reading material!
I know, I know these books have been out for a while but I am just finally getting to read them now.
Have you read either of them yet?

DIY Spray Bottle Organizer
So Easy- all I did was take a heavy duty cardboard box that I had laying around, covered it (wrapped it like a present) in black fabric, hot glued the fabric into place on the box, and I took a photo frame that I had (from the dollar bins at Michaels), removed the backing, and hot glued in onto the front of the box. 

Hot Pink and Mint with Dark Skinnies- oh how I love these two colors together!
Cardi-Old Navy, Tank Top-The Limited (old), Skinnies-Old Navy
Also, you may notice that my room looks different. I'm in the process of totally revamping our bedroom from beachy to black & white chic. Photos will follow soon.

We have officially converted- we went from being PC and Droid users to iMac and iPhone lovers!

New iphone cases from eBay! (seller skyboy124)

I made another Easter wreath. I got the woven wreath, ribbon, and spanish moss from the Dollar Tree, the eggs and the sign are from Christmas Tree Shop. I cut the eggs in half (so they would be easier to glue to the wreath), hot glued them onto the wreath, hot glued some spanish moss around the eggs to fill in the gaps, and successfully figured out how to make a huge "floral" bow for the top. 

I picked up two new polishes this weekend from Target:
Sally Hansen Smooth & Perfect- Sorbet
Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear- Mellow Yellow

Think Spring, Think Easter

Yesterday was the first day of spring so I thought it would be the perfect time to decorate for Easter, which by the way, is my favorite holiday (yes, even over Christmas). Who doesn't love chocolate bunnies?! Easter has been a favorite of mine since I was little because I loved egg hunts, dying eggs, the cute decorations, all of the pastels, the pizza rustica pie (family tradition), and my birthday is usually celebrated on Easter because all of the family is together and it's always close to the holiday. Here are some of the decorations that I put up so far:   

DIY wreath
-foam sparkle eggs hot glued to a woven wreath-

Easter Sign from the Christmas Tree Shop

Easter Tree
-mini foam sparkle eggs from the Dollar Tree-
Many of you may remember this tree from my Valentine's Day decor post.

I've had this basket for a while but this cute little sequined chick is from the Christmas Tree shop.

Ceramic Basket -gift
Pastel Metallic Eggs- Christmas Tree Shop

Saturday's OOTD & All Things Green

I spent Saturday morning at the salon getting my hair cut, colored, and highlighted. Wow, did I go for a change- I had 3 inches trimmed off, lots of shorter layers put in, an all over dye to even out my color, and I was trying for caramel highlights (like Eva Longoria) but they came out really brassy so I'll be going back to get them fixed. Then I met up with my BFF to celebrate the beautiful weather, St. Patty's Day, and her birthday weekend! This is what I wore (and no I didn't wear green):

new batwing ruffled stop from NY&Co.

Top- NY&Co.
White Jeans- Old Navy
Heels- Charlotte Russe

Studded Belt- Old Navy

Jeweled Friendship Style Bracelet- F21
Beachy Bracelet- Lia Sophia
Shamrock Necklace- ???

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Mint Sorbet
This looks a lot like my China Glaze Re-Fresh Mint, I know. I picked the Sally Hansen up hoping that it wouldn't be as thick of a formula as the China Glaze but they are about the same.

Green Beer on St. Patty's Day

Cheers!
(We switched from green beer to Magner's Cider..yumm!)
As you can see, my highlights are far too chunky and orange! Yea, I need to get it fixed asap; hopefully this afternoon.

MPM & NOTD

This is my first bright color of the year! So in my world it is officially spring. Have you traded in your dark polish for a bright springy polish yet?

Finger Paints (Sally Beauty) Circus Peanuts
-no flash-

-with flash-

In my post yesterday I told you how nervous I was about highlighting my hair and as it turns out I have nothing to be nervous about because it didn't do anything! Yes, that's right my hair looks exactly the same, the dye didn't take to my hair at all! It was supposed to be for medium to dark brown hair too. Oh well, I'll probably make an appointment at my salon for highights in a few weeks but I want to wait a little bit since I just used color on my hair.

As you all know it's Monday so that means it is time for another edition of Meal Planning Monday. Here's what I'm making this week:
Monday: Carmelized Honey Dijon Chicken (carried over from last week because we went out to eat on Saturday)
Tuesday: Skinny Pasta Al Burro with Broiled Chicken (from Skinny Italian Cookbook)
Wednesday: Pan Seared Chicken with Shallots
Thursday: -eating out-
Friday: Pizza Night!
Saturday: Fried Panko Chicken with Lemon
Sunday: Let's Make a Baby Pasta

As some of you may notice a lot of these meals have been featured already in pervious MPM's because I have quite a collection of recipes in rotation at the moment. I have certainly diversified my recipe collection since I started MPM which was my main goal. If I find myself with a lot of repeats recipes, I may just start featuring the new recipe or dessert that I make that week instead of boring you with repeats. How does that sound? Do you have any other suggestions?

Hair Highlighting & a Tag!

L'Oreal Preference Sun-Kissed Caramels
UL 51 Hi-Lift Natural Brown (cooler)

I have been in a hair rut and I am finally getting the courage to make a change. I have kept my hair the same color, my natural color, which is dark brown/black for years now and I just need to change it up a bit. Instead of trying to lighten my hair all over and making a dramatic difference, I'm going to add some highlights to it today. I haven't had highlights in at least 5 years so this is big for me. Lightening my hair is always a challenge because it's so dark but the dye that I picked up says that it is made for dark hair and it claims that it won't pull red or make it brassy (my biggest fear). Wish me luck, I'm really nervous!

In other news...

The lovely Gagan who is the beauty behind Gagan tagged me in a creative little questionnairre. I just did one of these tags back in January so I thought I'd just answer the 11 questions instead of boring you with a zillion facts about me again. So here it goes...

1. Who is your style icon?
Love them or hate them, the Kardashian sisters have great style so I like to mirror their fashion sense whenever I can. I also love Lauren Conrad's style.
2. What is your favorite movie of all time?
This is such a hard question to answer. I guess at the moment, nothing has yet to top The Notebook. I'm such a sap and I cry every time I watch it.
3. If you knew today was your last day on earth, how would you spend it?
Another tough question! I would definitely want to spend it with my husband and my family. I would probably spend the day on the beach and go out to eat at my favorite restaurant.
4. If you could meet any celebrity that has passed on or any historical figure, who would it be and why?
Hmm probably George Carlin. He is my favorite comedian but he was also a very intelligent man and I'd love to pick his brain.
5. If you had one chance to teleport anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
Italy. I miss it and can't wait to go back.
6. What is your favorite Disney movie?
The Little Mermaid.
7. What is your favorite purchase in the last year?
Probably my Canon. My 1st DSLR!
8. Where is your favorite place to shop?
I love the King of Prussia Mall because it has everything I need and it's close enough to where I live.
9. What do you like to do most in your spare time?
Catch up on my favorite blogs and magazines, DIY projects, outdoor activities, shopping...
10. What is one of your talents?
Well I certainly can't sing, I'm not much of a dancer either but I am an amazing shopper (not only am I good at it but I'm great at finding the best deals).
11. Describe yourself in a single sentence.
I am a down-to-earth, super organized, girly girl, that is a Type A with a whole lot of creativity.

As The Seasons Change So Does My Makeup



photo via

I have combination/oily skin and while it's good to have oily skin because it's good for warding off wrinkles, it's also a pain when it comes to a too-shiny complexion. My every day powder during most of the fall/winter is MAC's Select Sheer Loose Powder. I use this mostly during the winter months because that's when my skin is at is driest. It gives a great even finish to my face but I really need shine control when the warmer weather rolls around and this just doesn't do it for me.

photo via

That's when I switch to Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder. I've been using this for almost 2 years now and I love it. It only came in 3 shades (Transparent, Sandstorm, and Silky Beige) until recently. I always used the Silky Beige but it was a tad too light for my olive skin tone so I was so excited to see that they finally expanded their shades and added Natural, Buff Beige, Cramy Beige, Creamy Natural, and Nude Beige. I picked up a compact in Nude Beige the other day and I couldn't be happier, now I have the perfect match.

photo via

Another thing that changes along with the season is my moisturizer. I used L'Oreal RevitaLift for a while but I decided it was just too much moisture for my skin so I switched to Clinque's Moisture Surge which agreed with my skin perfectly. I'm not sure how it will be during the summer months because I haven't used it during the warmer weather yet but I'm willing to give it a shot.

photo via

I usually use Mary Kay's Oil Control Lotion during the summer months because it's a really light moisturizer that gives my skin the moisture that it needs without adding any unnecessary shine. So if Moisture Surge is too much moisture, I'll switch over to my old-favorite Oil Control.

Do you change beauty products/makeup along with the seasons too?

MPM & If the Pants Fit...

Ughh Monday already!? My H and I had a pretty laid back weekend. We had lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant, paid a visit to Barnes & Noble and picked up some books, and did a little shopping for spring/summer clothes. This shopping trip was mostly for my H becasue he really needed to amp up his wardrobe. He never wants to go shopping for himself so when I catch him at the right time, I take full advantage of it! I managed to pick up a few things for myself too.

Old Navy Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans in Dark Denim
*On sale for $19.99*

Old Navy Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans in Black
*They were advertised as $19.99 but came up for $7 at the register! Score!*

Old Navy Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans in White
*on sale in store for $19.99*

 As you can see I went a little crazy with the Rockstar's and it's because they fit me perfectly, like they were made for my body and they are super comfortable too. It's so hard for me to find pants that fit me right because I'm petite and I have a butt (apparently that isn't common?). I have been searching for a pair of white pants for a while now and I finally found a pair that aren't completely see-through and they fit right. I was also really excited to find the black pants, they are a great staple to have and a great alternate to the leggings that I wore all the time. They didn't have this color in stock at the store but I may pick up this coral pair online.

Vintage Purple & Pink Basic V-Neck T-Shirts

They had the cutest swim suit (top & bottom) there too but they were all out of my size (for the top) in the store and they are out of stock online too so I hope they restock soon!

Now for (MPM) Meal Planning Monday, here is the menu for the week:

Monday: Garlic Chicken w/ Green Beans
Tuesday: Baked Herb Lemon Chicken w/ Mashed Potatoes
Wednesday: Slow-Cooker Beef Lasagna
Thursday: (out of town)
Friday: Pizza Night!
Saturday: Carmelized Honey Dijon Chicken w/ Rice
Sunday: Tortellini Soup w/ Garlic Bread

What did you do this weekend?

New Feature! What I've Been Reading: February 2012

Question of the month: What's your most sentimental jewelry item - share the story behind it:

This is a necklace that I have worn almost every single day for about 2 years now. When my grandfather passed away I was a complete mess because he was more of a father to me than a grandfather and I felt so lost without him. My mom, aunt, grandmother, and I all ordered matching necklaces and had them filled with his ashes so that we could have a part of him with us always. I know that this may sound strange to some people but it is extremely comforting for us. For me personally, the necklace brings a great sense of safety and it makes me feel like he is still by my side.

In other news, I have teamed up with some fabulous bloggers for a new monthly feature called "Monthly Must Reads." Every month there will be a new question that all of us bloggers will answer along with our favorite reads of the month that will be linked so you can check them out too. This is going to be a lot of fun and it's also a great way to discover other blogs. Hope you enjoy!

• Beautygirl24 - Noelle celebrated Valentines Day in a hot pink Old Navy skirt. It was on sale for a mere steal at $10!
• Ella Pretty - Ella's loving her Valentine's Day present - an Alexander McQueen Skull Scarf in Coral
• Lilly's Style - Lilly is loving her apricot colored skinny pants - they match her favorite nail polish: Essie's Van D'go
• Pearls and Green Tea - Jiye's embracing the pastel-colored trend with her minty-green jeans
• Saltwater Dreams - Andi's rating her winter beauty purchases - see who got awarded HG status
• Schnelle Couture - Danielle is getting ready for Spring- let the shopping begin!   
• Sequins and Stilettos - Everyone needs a classic LBD - Skylette found an affordable option from ASOS!

Suave Professionals Dry Conditioner?!

We have all certainly heard of dry shampoo and if you're like me, your routine relies heavily on that one amazing product. Seriously, what did we all do before dry shampoo? Baby powder, I suppose, but dry shampoo has certainly made life a whole lot easier and our hair now smells a whole lot better too!

Anyway, I was browsing though the aisles in Target the other day and I came across a bottle of dry conditioner. What the heck is dry conditioner?! Well the product claims the following: "This lightweight dry conditioner spray, with shea butter and sunflower seed extract, lightly conditions hair for renewed shine and smoothness between washes."
I didn't purchase it because at the time it seemed like a completely unnecessary product but then I got to thinking, my hair is kind of dull looking after using the dry shampoo, maybe I could use this.

Suave Professionals Dry Conditioner

What are your thoughts on dry conditioner?
Have you tried it yet?


Also, in other exciting news, there is a pretty amazing giveaway going on at Sequins & Stilettos (one of my favorite blogs)! Have you been back and fourth as to whether or not you need the Naked 2 palette like me? Well she is giving away a palette and as if that isn't enough, she is also giving away a Dream Bounce Blush--- so be sure to check it out!