Friday Favorites
Guys, I thought it was spring?? Lies! It has been so so so chilly this week that I am starting to regret putting all of my winter sweaters away. Earlier this week I wrote a blog post about trying to eliminate being lazy in my life. I have definitely slacked off a bit, but I am staying committed! At night, the last thing I want to do is go to bed because I don’t have weekends to get things done. On Saturday night I did some pampering with a face mask and some Jergens. On Sunday, I spent a good hour putting away laundry and cleaning up my room for the week. At least I started the week off strong!!
Shopping
Bralettes
Remember how exciting it was to buy a push up bra in middle school? Yeah, well now the most exciting part of the day is when I get home from work and can put on a sports bra ha! A bit TMI, but I hope I am not the only girl out there that feels like this! I have started to invest money in bralettes more because they add a bit more feminine look to an outfit and are a lot more comfortable. I also have been using them as a layering piece under deep v neck shirts or tanks to change up my look. I have been wearing bralettes nonstop this week and I don’t want to go back. This one is a favorite because I can wear it with anything, but honestly, I’d buy all of them if I could!
J. Crew Factory City Pants
A few weeks ago, these pants went to clearance and I told myself that I didn’t need them. But everyday I went home regretting I didn’t buy them! Over the weekend, I had a rough day and splurged to get the pants. Did I mention they were only $20 (in store and on select sale days) and the perfect spring transition into summer pant?!? One of the hardest challenge for me is not wearing all black to work or wearing the same 4 outfits to the office. These pants will make getting dressed for a work a little more fun! They are so bright and colorful I can’t help but smile when I am wearing them. Another perk is that they can be dressed up or down for work or even out to a restaurant!
Products I Love
Lancôme ‘Hypnôse Drama’ Instant Full Body Volume Mascara.
I was blessed with long, thick eyelashes however I am still really picky about what mascara I use. For special occasions I like to use the Too Faced Better than Sex, but for my everyday look I can get my eye makeup done quickly with some liquid eyeliner and apply Lancôme ‘Hypnôse Drama’ Instant Full Body Volume Mascara. I bought it on Black Friday because it came with a liquid eyeliner and this has become my new favorite. This is definitely an investment you want to make.
Maybelline Under Eye Concealer
I saw a few other bloggers talk about this product on Instagram and on one of my Target trips I grabbed one to try it out. If I could, I would wear sunglasses 24/7 I would so I could hide my dark under eyes. I want to let you know that the Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser is a game changer. It looks like I got 9 hours of sleep and did some yoga in the morning before I went to work. It is easy to apply and lightweight enough to build with my makeup. It is also blendable so I can wear it alone and not wear foundation. The other day I applied it to my eyes and blended it with my beauty blender around my face lightly using it as a concealer. It is sheer enough to not look like makeup, but it covers all of my imperfections. I think I am going to buy this product in bulk because it is that good! It’s so good that my mom stole mine so I had to buy myself a new one ha!
Harmon’s Generic Version of Jergens
You may have noticed that I have a slight glow in my recent pictures lately, and that is not from the sunburn I got from Florida! While I do have a nice base tan from Florida, I have been adding some color every week with Jergens. Now I personally prefer the Harmon’s version of the product more and the price difference is a no brainer, which is probably why I like it more ha! Right now I only use it once a week, usually after Sundays shower, but when June rolls around I will be applying it 3 times a week to keep my skin tan. I love a good tan, but being Irish I know the dangers of sun and skin cancer. On top of that, we only have a few hours of free time in the day and I just do not have the time to lay around in the sun anymore. I live on the beach and only went to the the beach 4 times last summer. I have a lot of things to juggle and plenty on my to do list. A coworker actually thought my tan was real, so guys, this stuff really works!
Loreal Pro Glow Foundation
My go to foundation for a few years now has been the Maybelline Fit Me and I have liked the quality of it so much I haven’t looked elsewhere for a new one. However lately, I feel like every blogger on Instagram is raving about the new Loreal Pro Glow Foundation. I was at Target and decided to just try it. My Fit Me foundation finally ran out and on Monday I thought it was a good time to try it. My skin actually glowed when I put it on! I Like it because it doesn’t show my pores and my skin texture is amazing. What I didn’t like about it is that it is such a tiny bottle and I felt like I needed to squeeze a lot onto my beauty blender to evenly put it on my face and neck. I will have to play around with it a bit, but after a 12 hour day my face still looked fresh like I just put it on.
What I’m Watching
Chelsea– I have been in love with Chelsea Handler since she was on E! and as a fellow Jersey girl I am in love with her brutal and honest humor. Her new show on Netflix has everything I love in a talk show. It is refreshing to have honest material and content on a talk show besides celebrity gossip. Only Chelsea can talk about immigration or politics and actually make more sense than anyone else in the media.
The Arrangement– If you watch E!, you have seen the numerous commercials promoting the show. One morning before work, I was eating breakfast in front of the tv and this show came on. I was too lazy to turn the channel and actually really liked it. I got caught up this week and now I am hooked.
The Client List– I logged into Netflix and had nothing to watch. Nothing inspired me. I had already watched everything. The Client List came up on my recommendations tab and I had to watch something while I cleaned my room. Welp. I got sucked in. So if you want to watch a girly tv show that is an easy watch, this is the show for ya!
Life
Night Time Yoga
I used to be really serious about yoga, but when life got busy, I would make excuses not to do it. When I get out of work at 10pm, I just want to crash into bed and sleeeeep. But spending just 15 minutes a night doing yoga has done so much good for me. I can feel it in my body and how I sleep at night. I can feel my body being realigned and I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. I definitely recommend adding yoga to your daily routine.
Work
Working seven days a week leaves very little free time. At work I make lists of things I have to get done and make lists of things I wish I could be doing instead. I started to take my lunch break which I normally never do and spend some time for me. This week I gave myself a mani at my desk and read a magazine. Just taking 30 minutes to myself gave me a little more energy in the afternoon. I was so productive and got so much more done just taking some time for myself during the work day.
Throughout the week, I share my blog posts and my purchases on my Blonde Rosie Blog Facebook page first. Let’s connect on social media so we can stay in touch. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend! I will be spending my weekend at work, but I heard it was going to be rainy so at least I won’t be missing anything!
Spring Bedding with Ikea
I know my days are numbered living with my parents, so I have been in the process of getting rid of clutter, personal belongings and trying to get my entire life to fit in a little U Hual truck. I have donated two pieces of furniture so far and I only plan on taking my bed with me at this time. I have been really good at getting rid of things, but that does’t mean my bedroom can’t have some personality! I have plans to do a bedroom reveal because since Christmas, my room has gone through an amazing renovation. In December, I did a major purge and most of my belongings are either at Goodwill or in boxes in my basement ready for the big move. Continue reading “Spring Bedding with Ikea”
removing laziness from my routine
I want to start taking a break from social media. I feel like whenever I have a free minute, I am scrolling on my phone or I am constantly refreshing on Twitter. I also wanted to take a break from laying in bed and watching Netflix before bed. I have spent too many nights wide awake watching Netflix instead of getting enough sleep. Making this promise sounded a lot easier when I made it! When I get home from work, usually around 10pm, I just want to put on pajamas and curl up into bed. I love to take off of my work clothes and put on comfy sweatpants that are too big, a cozy t-shirt and fuzzy socks. With my hair in a messy bun, I usually crawl into my bed and snack with some Netflix.
After work I really want to veg out, get some takeout and spend my night in bed leaving my to do list for the next day. But now that I have eliminated Netflix and scrolling on Instagram for hours from my nightly ritual, I find that I have a lot more free time.
If you are feeling lazy or unmotivated, here are some better ways to spend your evenings…
Organize
After work I still came home and immediately put on my comfy clothes. However, now that I don’t have any distractions I have a lot more time on my hands. I always make plans to pick up clothes off of my floor, clean up my bathroom before bed or to put laundry away- but it never usually happens. This week I put on a Spotify playlist and straightened up my room, switched out my winter for my spring wardrobe and cleaned my bathroom. Having a clean space only makes your night more enjoyable and you can finally get that big project out of the way.
Make Your Bed Everyday
This is definitely my hardest commitment to keep! When I wake up in the morning, I drag my feet to the bathroom to wash my face and get ready for work. The last thing on my mind is making my bed to unmake it later that night. It only takes a few minutes in the morning, but seeing a pretty bed all made up is a nice thing to have in the morning. You can’t have your life 100% together, but you can make your bed and at least it looks like your life is put together!
Read a Book
I started my week with 5 books next to my bed that are waiting to be read. Now that you have a clean room, light a candle, crawl into bed and read a book. A few months ago, I would read a few chapters a night before bed and it is something I really miss doing.
Pick Up a New Hobby
You know those awkward orientation games where someone asks what your favorite hobby is and then you realize that you actually don’t have one. Well everyday I am reminded that I don’t have a hobby and this is something I want to change. Right now my hobbies include walking around HomeGoods looking at pieces I want in my future apartment and walking around Target buying things I don’t need. I am looking for a new hobby that is a bit cheaper… the next item on my to do list is to do some weeding and getting the garden ready for summer. I like any hobby that keeps me outdoors in the sunshine!
Night Time Yoga
You don’t need to pay for a yoga class at an expensive studio when you have Youtube in your own home. I started to do a 15 minute yoga video before bed and when my head hits the pillow I fall asleep a lot easier with my body stretched and aligned. If you are looking for something more challenging, Tone It Up has amazing 15 minute work out videos that are great no matter where you are on your fitness journey.
Pamper Yourself
I have a million products that are sitting in my bathroom cabinet that are rarely used. I am committing more time at night to take off my makeup, wash my face, exfoliate and use the right skincare at night. Once I started the Lancome skincare challenge, I have a reason to wash my face at night and moisturize my face in the morning. It’s a nice winding down routine I started at night right before bed. Even if you don’t fuss much about your skin, at least wash your face every night and use a face cream before bed. Your 50 year old self will thank you!
Cook Dinner
My dinner lately consists of a drive thru or a meal that was frozen in a box that took 15 minutes to make. In college, my roommates and I spent a lot more time in the kitchen making dinner than I do now. It is something I miss doing, but cooking for one person isn’t all that exciting. I also have a lot more food restrictions now than I did before. A pain in the butt when I want to make dinner. This week I spent a little more time in the kitchen than I usually do and it is something I hope to keep up with. Don’t forget the wine 😉
Make Your Lunch the Night Before
The first step is to go food shopping and stock your fridge with food that you actually like to eat. I started to make my lunch the night before, and instead of throwing an apple and a diet coke in my purse on my way running out of the house, I actually pack enough food for me not to be hungry all day. It takes me five minutes, but saves me so much time and eliminates stress in the morning. I got a cube sistema plastic tuperware container for lunch that has little cubbies for different food and I pack it up the night before giving me enough food for the next day.
How do you keep yourself motivated during the week? Let me know in the comments so we can learn from each other.
Friday Favorites
Hello, friends! I took a break from the blog last week and there is a lot to catch up on! I always have a lot going on in my life between the jobs, family, my little blog and trying to complete my to do list everyday. However, no matter how crazy life gets, I try to find the little things in life that bring me joy. Whether that is lighting a candle in my room at night or getting into bed after a long day with a fuzzy blanket from Pottery Barn, I can always find a little thing that will bring me joy. I had a lot going on in my personal life the last few weeks and I actively spent time doing little things that would bring me joy. So on the blog today I am sharing some of the things that brought me joy this week in my Friday Favorites. Continue reading “Friday Favorites”
Mother’s Day Gift Guide
When May rolls around it finally starts to feel like Spring. The flowers start blooming, the grass starts to sprout up and there is something in the air that brings happiness all around us. The winter has these dark and dreary months, but with spring I feel so motivated and filled with joy. It is also a month to celebrate our moms, not just on Mother’s Day, but I think they deserve the entire month to be spoiled! Our mammas work so hard the entire year that they need an entire month of us showing our appreciation.
Of course my mamma gets spoiled with presents on Mother’s Day, but throughout the month I like to do little things to show her how much I care. At night before I go to bed I will clean up the kitchen and tidy up around the house, do a load of laundry and put it away for her or come home and surprise her with flowers. My mom loves to get presents, but I know that the little things I do around the house are appreciated a lot more!
When it comes to presents I try to give my mom some things that I know she needs, but will not buy herself. I think everyone can agree that moms will always put our needs above their own. This is why I like to buy her new pajamas and cozy slippers because hers are worn out!
Pajamas // For Christmas I got my mom some Ralph Lauren pajamas from Marshalls that she loved, but with this warmer weather coming up she needed some new ones! I went to Soma and fell in love with the quality and feel of their pajamas. A bit pricey, but oh so worth it for your mamma!
Perfume // It is a tradition for my mom and I that I get her a new perfume every year. She knows a new one is coming every year, but she still acts surprised and over joyed! Find something that you can spoil your mom with every year and replenish it each year. It’s a nice little memory of my mom that I will have forever. I recently bought this one for my mom and it smells so so good.
Kitchen Accessories // My mom loves to cook and takes pride in her kitchen. However, my dad will wipe up spaghetti sauce with our Williams Sonoma kitchen towels without thinking twice! So we go through them kinda quickly in my house, making them a wonderful and easy gift for my mom. I also found adorable Kate Spade ones my mom needed in her life.
Toiletry Bag // My mom travels with her friends a few times out of the year and each time she asks me to borrow one of my many toiletry bags or makeup cases. This year I am going to spoil my mom with her own toiletry bag so she doesn’t have to keep asking me! hehe I fell in love with this one here.
Beauty Products // I know that if I want a new mascara or lotion I will just run to Target after work. But our mamma’s don’t always have the schedule that allows them to wander around Target after work. On Mother’s Day, I like to stock up on some items I know she wants and needs. For Christmas, I got my mom the Nivea in shower body lotion and she loved it so I will grab another bottle of it for her. I splurges a lot on makeup and my mom is always asking to borrow a new lip color or product. Also, being a blogger, I get a few packages a month with complimentary products to review and my mom is always asking if I don’t like them so she can take them ha! This lip stain from Lancome is perfect for mamma’s who have busy days because it will last all day! And this lip crayon gives a high pigment color that is creamy all day. Spoil your mom with this mascara because your mom needs it! My mom is always stealing mine so it is about time she gets her own. Lancome sent me a package of complementary Lancôme Visionnaire Crescendo™ Progressive Night Peel and my mom has been eyeing it ever since! I am two weeks into the skincare system and I love it! Super easy to apply and a one step product so it already has my approval. Spoil your mom with a high end skincare product because I am sure she wants it but can’t justify spending money on herself.
A Carry On Bag // Every moms purse has everything you could ever want in it like hand sanitizer, snacks, a sewing kit and a dozen more things! When we travel my mom packs up a big bag full of things we may need and then some more! Since I stole borrowed the big bag she usually brings on trips, I think it is time I spoil her with a nice chic bag of her own! I have had my eye on this one for a while, so I know if I give it to her for mother’s day I can allows borrow it from her when I need it.
Slippers // My mom refuses to buy new Ugg slippers because she already has some. However, these slippers need to go because they are worn out! Sometimes mamma’s can’t justify buying something new if they already own it! For me it is her slippers, so I am buying her these, but try to find something that your mom needs to replace and surprise her with it.
Flowers // Go to Costco and buy her some flowers because every mamma deserves fresh flowers.
Let me know what you are getting your mamma for Mother’s Day in the comments. And don’t forget the card!
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