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Thursday, November 29, 2018

Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce


This is the cranberry sauce my mother has made for Thanksgiving and Christmas, for as long as I can remember. Thanksgiving in our house just wouldn't be the same without it. It's also great for holiday parties to spread over the top of brie to enjoy with water crackers. I hope you enjoy!

Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce
1 (12 oz.) bag of fresh cranberries
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of water
2 oz. Grand Marnier
3 cinnamon sticks
zest and juice of one orange 
Directions:
  • Combine sugar, water, Grand Marnier, cinnamon sticks, and zest and orange in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, add in cranberries. Reduce heat, boil gently for 10-12 minutes, or until cranberry mixture turns frothy. Place in serving bowl. Cover and cool completely before serving. 

Monday, October 29, 2018

It's the Great Pumpkin!

Happy First Birthday, Vivianne Reed!

Cannot believe our sweet girl is officially a year old! Vivi's first birthday party was this past Sunday, and it was a wonderful celebration with our nearest friends and family! Little side note, Vivianne was born on October 22, which also happens to be her Daddy's birthday too! 

I'll be completely honest, I knew the theme of her first birthday when she was still in my tummy! I fell in love with Peanuts all over again when Cooper started attending St. Michael's Catholic School and just became obsessed! My mom actually bought her little Charlie Brown dress from a shop sometime last fall and I knew it would be absolutely perfect for her party! 

When I started getting things together for Vivianne's party I quickly realized that it was going to be quite challenging to add in girlish flourishes. I love all the little pink details that really amplifies the sweetness of a baby girl's first birthday. 



It ended up being the perfect weather for an indoor/outdoor celebration. We set up our little bounce house in the backyard along with a cute photo area. I made my famous chili and served it with fritos, crackers, cheddar cheese, sour cream, onions, and all the fixings. We also had a precious smash cake, cookies and cupcakes made by non other than my precious mother. Everything turned out perfect!



We have been using The Paper Giraffe Shop for all of our invitations, thank you notes, and posters since before Cooper was born. I love working with Emily, she is always so accommodating and goes above and beyond to help make your design special. She absolutely nailed our invitations and growth poster! She added the perfect amount of Charlie Brown meets sweet baby girl, and for that I couldn't be happier.  


We also had the cutest little glittery pumpkins to handout to our guests as party favors! These were such a labor of love, absolutely love how they turned out. 



Photos by: Cotton Side Photography 

Cake, Cookies, and Cupcakes: Cake Crumbs and Cookie Dough 

Poster: The Paper Giraffe Shop via Etsy



Friday, September 28, 2018

Riki Loves Riki


Hey Riki! You so fine! Oh wait, I'm looking at myself in the mirror. 

Ok okay! That maybe a little vain but y'all this mirror is one I thought I could live without. Up until I bought one last year, then a few weeks ago my Riki Loves Riki Skinny Mirror wouldn't charge anymore. Thanks to Glamcor and their amazing customer service, I have a new Riki on its way to me. Cannot thank this incredible company enough! 

If you're wondering.. What ALL can I do with this mirror?...  let me show you..
  • Hair
  • Makeup
  • Facebook and Instagram Lives 
  • Taking the perfect glowing selfie
  • Hands Free Skype/Zoom Calls 
  • Improve Beauty Applications
The Riki Skinny has a super bright light made by Glamcor technology to deliver you with the most perfect lighting. It has five stages of dimming to give you control. It also has a magnetic magnifying mirror for getting up close and personal on detailed work, like applying falsies or plucking those stubborn eyebrows. 

What's better than that, included with this dynamic mirror is a phone clip that also magnetically attaches to the mirror. Pair your phone with the mirror using Bluetooth services and you can press the camera button (on the mirror) to take the perfect selfie or use it for all your social media needs. I absoutely love using it for Live videos and working my LimeLife business from my phone with Zoom calls and FaceTiming my clients showing them how to apply their perfect makeup! 


Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Styling a Bandanna

So, let me be quite frank. I have big boobs, and I cannot lie. For real. Boobs for days. Don't worry, I'm over here living my best life, so is my husband. 😏 

Usually the average scarf does a lot of heavy lifting on my rather small frame and adds a lot of girth, which clearly I don't need. Scarfs in the middle of summer are also a big fat NO! BUT, I feel strongly that there's a shining place in all of our wardrobes for the perfect bandana, especially in those warmer months. I mean, who doesn't want to look like Jessica Simpson, when she played in the Dukes of Hazzard? Hello, Daisy! 

This little accessory makes such a bold statement, and can be worn anywhere from your head to your toes. It's simply the perfect addition to any outfit when it needs just a hint of playful sophistication. Not only that, but they can be found pretty much anywhere. I bought mine at THE Tractor Supply for under $5! And I also got to pet some real cute chickens! (Said in my twangiest Southern accent!)

Here's the very best part, they also come in luxe versions too! I've seen some of the cutest designer versions and even some with monograms or clever little sayings. I'm definitely considering investing in a designer bandana soon or I may just try to monogram my own. Dying for one of these, or this monogrammed version. 




Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Safer Skin Switchup

Skincare and beauty has always been a huge part of my life. It started back when my great grandmother started living with us. She would spend 45 minutes to an hour every night taking off her makeup. Rubbing creams, oils, and serums all over her face. She had the most delicate skin and aged perfectly.. She would always spend time telling me about different brands, why she used the products, and exactly what they were for. Some of my favorite memories are of her are when she was sitting in front of her vanity putting on her "face" or curling my hair to make me look like Shirley Temple. 

Fast forward some years later, right after I had my son, I was diagnosed with Psoriasis, an autoimmune disease that speeds up the regrowth of skin cells and causes dry, red, flaky patches on your skin. I think I tried everything on the market. Shots, topical, by mouth. Nothing worked. It was so super stressful and annoying. I had enough with being on prescription meds all the time with no relief. I knew I needed to revamp my skincare and start taking better care of myself.  Enter LimeLife by Alcone

The very first product I tried was the Enduring Lip Color. Long lasting, amazing color, goes on like a gloss and dries matte. So good! I couldn't love it more! A dear friend presented me with the opportunity to become a beauty guide for the company.  And at the time, I just didn't think I could pursue it. I learned quickly that this company was made for families like mine.  


Fast forward four months, I tried a little bit of everything and had purchased my fair share of products and absolutely loved them. I tried LimeLife's Forty Cure Cream, y'all the rest is history. My psoriasis cleared up completely within a few weeks. The best part about this incredible company is the fact that their makeup is professional grade and they have slowly started switching over to a paraben free formula.  


The ingredients list on most of the products we were using daily, were not good! With that being said, I am excited that I can use these products (especially the skincare) without any irritation and is a safer alternative for both myself and my family. The Forty Cure Cream along with the other skincare products are free of harmful chemicals, and are made from natural ingredients. 

I am so excited about the aspect of using safer products on myself and my kids. As a parent, I am always SO worried about my children: what products they use on their bodies, what they eat, etc. It's so nice not having to worry about that with LimeLife, and is perfect for us in that sense. My kids have been stuck with my families crazy skin, and I am relieved to be able to incorporate these safe products into our daily routines. Bath time, diaper changes, and fun in the sun! All of this to say, I am so happy to bring you along my LimeLife journey and can't wait to share some of my favorite products and makeup looks with you!

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

A Very Merry Unbirthday

Happy Very Merry Unbirthday, Vivianne Reed!

Many of you know about my son, Cooper, but we had a sweet baby girl in October of last year. Vivianne Reed turned six months old in April and we celebrated! Oh yes! We had a very merry unbirthday in celebration of her half birthday. Six sweet, little months. Complete with none other than a golden unicorn cake that she got to devour all by herself! Pretty precious, if I do say so myself!









Highchair: 4moms

Cake: Cake Crumbs and Cookie Dough





Monday, March 5, 2018

Toy Story Soirée


Happy 4th Birthday Cooper!

We celebrated my son's fourth birthday this past weekend with all things Toy Story, his favorite movie. Once again, we kept it very simple with Pizza from Pizza Planet (Costco), Green Alien Cupcakes and the cutest cookies I've ever seen! A party for a four year old would never be complete without a bounce house and presents! Fun doesn't even begin to describe it. Easy clean up makes it even better!


Cupcakes and Cookies: Cake Crumbs and Cookie Dough

Poster: The Paper Giraffe Shop via Etsy


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