July Hits & Misses

I don't exactly know where the month of July went....it came and went so fast, I didn't have time to really try a bunch of new products. I did however finish out my summer semester at college and got to spend some time with a couple of my sorority sisters. It was a fun month, but much of it was a whirlwind with all the time I spent at the theatre. I logged a total of 47 hours volunteering on the Follies production at the Little Theatre of VA Beach. I helped extensively with the set and very happily accepted a position as a stage hand for tech week and the opening weekend and 2nd weekend. Now I have time off to be at home with my parents. Next weekend I will back at the theatre to finally see the show.

Hit

Chia Bars

At just 100 calories per bar they were the perfect snack or follow up to my salads. I purchased my Chia Bars at Marshalls, but they seem to have quite a selection on their website.

Miss

Honey Maid Grahamfuls {S'mores}

One would think with a flavor such as s'mores there's no way it couldn't be delicious....one would be wrong......They were a disappointment.

xoxo Gwen

May Hits & Misses

***I have decided to title my "Favorites" of the month Hits & Misses (from now on). As much fun as spreading good news about my favorite products is, there are also products that were definitely not my favorite. These will be the "Misses" and of course my "favorites" will be referred to as "Hits".

Hits

Beauty

These are amazing. I picked these up on a whim and absolutely love them. The scent is great and one wipe is enough for both arms and legs. Definitely not a lotion replacement but great for a quick touch up, or after a day at the pool or beach. Great to pop in your purse. I will definitely repurchase them!

The hit here is the foot file. Simply said it actually works! Can be used on wet or dry feet. I have used it both ways and both work great. I do have rough skin on my feet and this made my feet soft, smooth & ladylike. And the results last.

I purchased this blush stick in the shade Pink Fever (2nd from left) and it is the perfect summer shade for me. Nice pink color with shimmer to get the dewy summertime beach look. It seems like there is a lot of product and it will last awhile. A little goes a long way. 

I absolutely LOVE this product! I used it a lot this month. Great scent, nice texture. Perfect for people with naturally wavy or curly hair to define and separate waves and curls. Looks like you just spent the day at the beach. Summertime must have.

Another summertime must have in my opinion. I have found that the spray works better than the lotion variety because I am less likely to miss areas. I have used this several times when I have been in the sun for prolonged periods and I have not burned.

This shade (China Flower #080) is a great summery color. A mixture between red and coral it adds a pop of color to outfits. It also has a scent which I am assuming is supposed to smell like China Flower but reminds me of roses or rose water. It's not a heavy scent but it's definitely there and quite lovely. Bonus: it only requires one coat for the perfect coverage.

Fashion

Stacy's Got Greek

To see mine check out my picture on instagram. 

My sorority rain jacket by Charles River Apparel has my sorority letters on the back and my name is embroidered on the front. It's the classic solid pullover style. It has drawstrings at the hood and hem, elasticized cuffs, and can be folded up into it's own pouch pocket. Has saved me from a few downpours lately.

Lifestyle

Marley Lilly promotional stickers

See mine posted on instagram here and here.

Little Words Project friendship bracelets

Check out their instagram here and then check out my DIY version here.

Food

I usually end up buying cereals that are on the sweeter side. Cocoa Rice Krispies, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, etc. For some reason this looked good and I bought them. This is now my favorite cereal hands down. Usually cereals like this I tend to eat dry, but this cereal is seriously so good with milk. I love it so much I changed out of my pj's on a lazy weekend morning to make a grocery store run because I was out. This was the 3rd box I finished this month. They have 2 other flavors, but again I have a sweet tooth so I went for the brown sugar.

Banana Chips. I have tried these in the past and have not thought twice about them, but this month I have purchased 3 bags of them. So crunchy, so satisfying. I think I might be obsessed. Deep fried I am assuming so maybe not so great for my health, but better than cupcakes all the time. Right?!

This was a first time purchase and I am so happy they caught my eye. It's a whole hazelnut in chewy caramel with chocolate hazelnut filling and chocolate on top. 

5 pieces for 210 calories.

Misses

"Non-abrasive sloughing lotion with peppermint oil exfoliates and sloughs off unwanted dead skin cells for smooth, soft skin." I wish! This product is a total fail. I do not think one single dead skin cell sloughed off. I tried on wet and dry feet. Instead I use as a regular foot lotion after using the foot file. I forget how much I paid, but I am positive it was too much for this product.

I saw some reviews on this "brush" and having natural thick curly hair I was really excited to try it out. It claims it's the Tangle Teezer. It does nothing a normal comb can't do and was much more expensive. I use it just out of the shower to comb through my hair but I am more often reaching for my wide tooth comb instead. Tried on wet and dry hair and not impressed.

As embarrassing as it is I just fail at eye liner, especially the liquid stuff. I love the look of a simple "cat eye" but I can't seem to get the technique to work. I need to keep trying and I think a good product would help me achieve the results I want. Maybe it's me and not the product.

Still to be determined I suppose.

Quite a few random things this month. I started a sticky of things that I used again and again and by the end of the month I had a quite a list. Hopefully one or two of these products you have tried and loved, or you will purchase and love them as much as I have. What products are you loving as we head into summer?

xoxo Gwen

Review: Summer Rental {Mary Kay Andrews}

Ellis, Julia, and Dorie have been best friends since grade school. Now in their mid thirties each woman is at a crossroads in her life. Ellis was recently fired from a job she loved. Julia is caught between her modeling career and a man that loves her dearly. Dorie was recently betrayed by a man she loved and trusted most of her life.

The women rent a beach house, Ebbtide, in the Outer Banks, NC to spend the last month of summer together. Here they plan to relax, have fun and catch up with each other. Along the way they met Ty Bazemore (their landlord) and Maryn Shackleford (a woman on the run from her husband). As secrets are revealed they question everything they thought they knew about life.

4/5 Stars

Review: Spring Fever {Mary Kay Andrews}

Set in Passcoe, North Carolina the story follows Annajane Hudgens.  It begins with her attending her ex-husband's wedding to Celia, who everyone in town adores.  When the wedding is halted as the bride is walking down the aisle, doubt creeps into the minds of Annajane, "Pokey" and even Mason (the ex-husband).

Annajane is finally leaving her job at Quixie and moving away to be with her fiance, Shane, but when she finds out her position in Atlanta was sabotaged and her and Mason start spending time together she realizes that just maybe she still has feelings for him.

4/5 Stars

Julie & Julia (My Version)

If you have not seen the movie you can read about it here.  It really is a cute movie though. This movie is my inspiration to do my own version using The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel.  

The Recipe Club is a story of two friends that over the years exchange letters and emails along with a recipe.  The story is much more than the recipes themselves, but they fit in with the story and often have fitting names.  The book contains 82 recipes and I have not decided how I will tackle the dishes, but it is something I want to try.

xoxo Gwen

Spring/Summer Reading

I went to Barnes & Noble a week or two ago and I found some new books in the bargain section. With spring finally here and summer right around the corner I wanted a few books to fit the season. I picked up the following books:

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads

Currently reading

Ok so The Husband's Secret isn't a spring/summer book, but I have wanted to read it for awhile and it does have a flower on the cover.  I already read The Recipe Club, and I started Spring Fever a couple days ago.

Monday I went back to Barnes & Noble because I needed to pick up a book for a readalong I will be participating in.  So I grabbed a couple more books as well.

Another summer book!

Heard great things about this book.

Purchased for the readalong

Any suggestions on must read spring/summer titles?

xoxo Gwen

Bloggers I LOVE

Yesterday I covered some YouTubers I loved, so today I thought I would mention some blogs I absolutely love.  These are the blogs that I frequent weekly, if not daily.  They inspire me to think outside the box, try new recipes, outfit combinations, and new experiences.  They are very different from me, but that's what I find so amazing about finding someone's life on the internet and reading about it.  It's thanks to bloggers like these that finally helped me make the big leap into blogging myself.

1.  Whim of the South

I found this blonde bombshell because she is an ΑΣΑ alumni.  I immediately (hopefully not creepily) emailed her asking some questions about ΑΣΑ.  She was so gracious to respond and offer words of encouragement. I love her style for fashion and designing.  She is young, beautiful and will soon be one of my sorority sisters! Her blog offers outfit ideas, recipes, and peeks into her college and romantic life.  She is in the midst of planning her October wedding and I just know she is going to have an amazing day.

2.  The College Prepster
I have no idea how I found this little slice of heaven, but it has been one of my favorites since the day I read my first post.  Her blog offers advice from maintaining energy through the day to which candles to buy. Her life in New York City seems so grand all the time, but she makes sure to remind readers that her life isn't perfect and that she has flaws too.

3.  Apartment F15
Ahhh if I could have absolutely EVERYTHING featured in this blog I would be so lucky!  Her eye for global and bohemian style is untouched.  I wish I could hire her to come redo my entire apartment. Seriously.  Her photography skills are amazing and I want every single one of her mudra hand statues.

If you're looking for blogs to follow I definitely recommend the ones I mentioned above. Each one offers a little something different.  Even my dad has a blog you should check out.

xoxo Gwen