Friday, April 28, 2017

Easter Dress for Less


Easter Dress for Less

Easter Dress for Less

Easter Dress for Less

Easter Dress for Less

|| Dress: J. Crew via thredUP || Heels: Kate Spade (from a few seasons ago) || Necklace and Earrings: Kate Spade (birthday gift from my sister) || Ring: Tiffany & Co. || Photos: Melanie Foster Photography ||

One of my favorite parts about springtime is Easter. When I was a little girl, it was a huge holiday. It was a time to go shopping with my nana and papa to find a new dress for church with matching accessories, sometimes even a hat or new handbag. Easter morning at First Baptist Church in Pawhuska was like a mini spring fashion show. To this day, I still love seeing families in their coordinated outfits. It seriously makes my heart explode into heart-shaped confetti pieces. Now that I am a grown up, I can only imagine all of the work behind that one great Easter family photo.

Speaking of Easter pictures, my mom went above and beyond one spring. My nana made the girls matching dresses. We had a photo shoot in Bartlesville in our coordinating/matching outfits. I am not sure if it was the same year or not--but there were LIVE bunnies involved. It was all fun and games until we broke out in hives from the little furry creatures. Shout-out to all of the moms and dads making silly memories with your kids and having hilarious photos to laugh at later down the road!

Before Easter, I had a chance to work with one of my favorite brands, thredUP. I was on a mission, find the perfect Easter dress for under $45! When shopping on thredUP, I find it easier to narrow it down by the brands I like. I wanted to find a little spring number by J.Crew. To my surprise, this beautiful dress was brand new with tags still attached! The color of the dress was a little out of my color wheelhouse, but I took a chance on it.

I wore this to church on Easter and received so many compliments on it! It also was the perfect attire to our Sunday brunch. My favorite part about this dress is the tiny details of the design. I am also into the length of it. Because of my fuller hips/thighs, I find that dresses get short in a hurry! It's all about finding a style that works for your body type. I would say in the past year I have owned that I am not a size two anymore. I am starting to feel more confident and comfortable in my new body.

A while back I wore a post about thredUP if you are interested in ordering a closet clean out bag or if you want a coupon code. You can find more details, here. If you need help finding a dress for an upcoming event, please send me an Instagram direct message. I would love to help you!



Monday, April 17, 2017

My Mini at Home Spa Night



My Mini at Home Spa Night

There are two types of people in the world: bath lovers and bath haters. Honestly, I didn't realize how magical baths were until a few years ago. When I was in graduate school, I was also working full-time (as a 4-H Educator and later as a Travel Blogger). Each Sunday I dedicated most of my day to homework, reading and writing. I found that a bubble bath, reading materials and a glass of wine made for a productive evening.

Now that grad school is behind me, but I still find myself reading in the tub. Over the years, I have enjoyed sampling different products to make bathtime more fun. One of my favorite stores is Lush Cosmetics. They joke that bath bombs are the gateway drug. I have to say, I agree. Bath bombs got me into the door. However, I find their entire product line is pretty impressive.

If you need some me time, I have a few products that you should check out! Today I am going to share with you three products that transform my bathroom into a mini night at the spa. Below you will find my honest review of three different products at very varying price points.

Lush Cosmetics Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, $36
This body conditioner smells like a dozen roses and will leave your skin smooth to the touch. It is a tad expensive, but a little of this stuff goes a long way. I love to apply it after shaving! When you get out of the tub, make sure to pat dry instead of rub. This is one product that I keep going back to.

Farmhouse Fresh Rosemary Mint Tea Gourmet Mineral Bath Soak, $23
If you have had a hard barre class or run, this soak will have your sore muscles singing praises! This small bag contains enough salts for eight deep tub baths. Farmhouse Fresh products are also free of parabens and sulfates. Warning, this will leave your tub a hot mess. There will be slight clean up after your soak.

Lush Cosmetics Sleepy Hand and Body Lotion, (seasonal)
I am bummed that this product is seasonal. It came in one of my Christmas packages. After soaking in the tub, I apply this lotion all over my body. It smells like a field of fresh lavender and will have you off to dreamland in no time at all. Since this product is not currently available, I would check out the other body lotions that Lush has in stock.

Side note, if you shop at Lush, keep your little black pots. They are made from 100% recycled plastics. When you bring back five clean empty posts--you get a free fresh face mask!