Winter Favorites...

 Hey All! Below is a list of things that I'm loving this winter.




Downton Abbey English Rose Tea I don't watch the show, but I love this tea. My mom turned me on to this tea. If you are a tea drinker, give this a try morning, afternoon, or evening. Delish.



Walkers Shortbread Rounds These are the perfect compliment to my Downton Abbey tea. My grandmother loved shortbread cookies and these cookies remind me of my nana. So buttery. Forget scones, give me my cookies!

Nurse Jackie on Netflix. I straight binged on Nurse Jackie, all 7 seasons. Seriously, I watched them all in about a week. I never watched it when it was on Showtime. I am so sorry it ended. What should I watch next? House of Cards? Orange is the new Black?


Hobo Lauren Clutch  This wallet is perfect. It keeps all of my stuff together. It has space for my cards, receipts, cell and a tube of lipstick. Seriously, I have gone through so many wallets because I jam so much stuff in it. Then I get frustrated when it doesn't close. Not the case with my Lauren.


Herbivore Botanicals Phoenix Facial Oil I first discovered Herbivore on etsy. Their products get rave reviews. When they had a sale around Christmas, I jumped on it. My skin is super dry. This facial oil is heaven sent! A little goes a long way.

Snapchat Okay so I'm a couple of years late. But it took that long for my kids to finally show me how to use it. It's a great app. I think I have one follower and that's my sorority sister Sharon. Let's snap and chat! Follow me on Snapchat. My id is sadesigns

Sheepskin Softsole Moc Slippers These moccasins are the bomb! Mine came from Target. They were a Christmas gift from my daughter. I don't want to take them off! I get the mail in them, take the dog out, pick my kid up from school.

When I do take off my sheepskin slippers, I put these on Sam Edelman Paige Boot  They are the cutest fringe suede booties. Very comfortable. I'm a big Sam Edelman fan, and these do not disappoint. I mostly wear them with skinny jeans, a tee and a comfy cardigan ( my winter staple).

October Essence Beauty Box Review...

Hey All!

Last month Essence debuted their Inaugural Essence Beautybox with women of color as their target audience. I received an email inviting me to join this subscription box program for $15 a month. I cancelled my Birchbox subscription over a year ago so I hopped on this. October's theme was "Finishing Touches for Fall." Take a look at the box contents.

Love the artwork on the box lid!

Pretty presentation which included a product guidebook.

The beauty products. Nice sizes. 

 Tarte Brow Architect. All in one brush, pencil and concealer for your brows. 

Calvin Klein Eternity Now perfume and L'occitane shea butter hand cream. Love them both! The perfume has grapefruit notes that I really like. The hand cream is awesome.
I highly recommend this brand. The best hand cream on the market!

Eden Bodyworks Coconut Shea Leave-in and Curls Creme Brule Curl Cream. Love Eden Bodyworks products. This leave-in is wonderful. Curls Creme Brule curl cream is nice too. Doesn't leave my hair dry or sticky like some curl creams. 

Overall I give this box a B. The reason is I can't figure out how to use the Tarte Brow Architect. If you received this box, let me know what you think. I'm excited to receive November's box!

Thrift Store Finds...

I love a great deal. I'm really into thrift and consignment shopping. Thrift shopping takes patience and you have to dig in the racks. A lot of trips to the thrift store are hit or miss. I'm a big fan of Goodwill. I look for jeans (to DIY), clutch bags, coats or jackets, and sweaters.

A few tips:

* If you want to DIY a pair of jeans:  shred, fray, distress, cut off the hem, etc. I highly recommend going to the thrift store to purchase a pair. Prices range from $3- $5 for denim jeans.

* Remember alterations are possible. Find something you love but it's too big, get it altered. Buttons missing, hem needs to be shorten or lengthen, no problem take it to your tailor.

* Ask about sale days. Goodwill has tag sales, where they attach color coded tags to items for a additional percentage off. Major score!

* Love a trend but don't want to pay a fortune for it to go out of style next season, thrift!  Fringe, plaid, high waists and skinny scarfs are all the rage this season. Visit your local thrift store to try out a trend for less.

Check out my latest thrift store finds below!

Great fitted black jacket for day or evening. Love the sequins on the collar and sleeves.
Cost $5. Excellent condition.

Vintage red silk cardigan Neiman Marcus. Great piece when your outfit needs a pop of color. Also perfect layering piece. Has shoulder pads that I will remove. Not trying to look like Alexis Carrington from Dynasty. Cost: $3. Condition: Good

Bad picture poor natural lighting (Ugh darn this rain). Anyway I was looking for a pair of straight denim jeans for a DIY project that I have in mind, instead came across these. Straight leg olive jeans. Will look great with riding boots and a chunky turtleneck sweater. Cost: $3.  Condition: excellent like new.

Are you a thrift store digger?

Current Beauty Product Faves...

Hey All! Hope you all had a great weekend. The weather here in NC is gorgeous! Sharing some of my current beauty product faves.

Current Beauty Product Faves

For Body

Crystal Essence Deodorant: Think I finally found a natural deodorant that works. Love the smell and it holds me through a workday. 

Jason Coconut Oil: I can not longer use coconut oil on my hair. My hair has enough protein. Love it for my body. I rub this all over my body while still damp and my skin is soft and moisturizing all day.

For my Face

DIY Rosewater Moisturizer: Love spritzing rosewater on my face. I made my own using rosewater, almond oil and vegetable glycerin. 

Pixi Glow Tonic: Have you tried this? I heard rave reviews about it. Some call it liquid gold. Target now carries it but it sold out fast. I grabbed the last bottle on the shelf at my local Target. It smells great. I apply it to my skin after cleanses.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil Lavender: NYX is a great wallet friendly cosmetic line. I love their products especially their lip and eye makeup. I use this jumbo pencil as an eyeliner or highlighter.

Botanics Organic Facial Oil: This is perfect for my dry skin. Does not leave my face oily/greasy looking. 

For Hair

African Shea Butter: I add my own oils to this and apply to my ends as a sealant or whenever my hair needs extra moisturizing. Oils I mix are extra virgin olive oil, almond oil, Castor oil, and rosemary oil. 

What are your current beauty product faves? Have an awesome week!

Lace-Up Pointed Toe Ballet Flats DIY...

Hey All!

 I love shoes. Sandals, boots, sneakers, ballet flats, loafers, pumps, I love them all. Earlier this summer I spotted a pair of lace-up pointed toe ballet flats on Instagram. After further investigation, I discovered they were these, Aquazzura Christy Lace-up flats that retail for $675. I don't care how hard I hustle, I'm not paying $700 for a pair of trendy flats. Moving forward months later and to my surprise one of my fave bloggers, Carrie Bradshaw Lied, did a fabulous lace-up ballet flats DIY blog post. Check it out here.  I just had to try it. Check out my results below.

Materials Needed:
ballet flats
drawing pencil
leather hole puncher
scissors
satin cord 1.5mm (same color as shoes)

Take drawing pencil and mark when you want to make holes for your laces. I made 4, one in front, 2 on sides and 1 in the back. Add 2 more holes to the sides if you want it really lacy. 

Using leather hole puncher, select the right size for your punch. Make sure the hole is big enough for your cord to go through. Squeeze the handles and punch.

Cut about 5 feet of cord for each shoe. Start at the front double the cord and loop through tying a knot. Next, separate the cord and go through side holes from inside of the shoe. Lastly, pull both ends of cord through back hole. 

Wrap around your ankles and tie in the front or back. Snip off excess cord. Total cost $35. 

Cost breakdown:

Shoes - Target $25
Leather Hole Puncher - Michael's $10  50% coupon $5
Satin Cord 2mm - Michael's $4

Way better than $675.

Lately Summer Recap...

 Hey All! Can not believe summer is over. It is still blazing hot in the Carolinas but let's face it summer is over. School has started, it's Labor Day weekend, and the stores have replaced sandals with boots. Here is a summer recap of what I have been up to lately.

Life Changing: The above picture is my daughter's dorm room. Why didn't my dorm room look like that? As much time as we spent in and out of stores and on Pinterest this summer, her room should look like something out of a magazine. I'm so proud and excited for her. It's weird not seeing her bubbly face everyday. Move-in day was exhausting! I was too tired to cry.

Joyful: My dad received a great report from his doctor. There are no signs of lymphoma in his body. God has been so good to us!

Aha: My Aha moment this summer was, start using MyFitnessPal app. I mean it's on my phone, just enter the foods you eat and how much you exercise, and you just might lose some weight! It worked, I'm down 5.6 lbs for the month of August! I'm celebrating all accomplishments big and small!

Stop Being A Procrastinator: I'm sure you all know about Nordstrom's Anniversary sale that happens every July. Being the bargain shopper that I am, I had several cool stuff in my online cart. Went back several days later, and gone! Sold! We no longer have your size available. Ugh! This really cool drape front faux leather jacket was super cute. I guess there were lots of people who thought it was super cute.

Serene: The most serene moment of the summer was going to Kiawah Island with my BFF/sis-n-law. Just the two of us. I just love the beach. We had a great time. Sun, sand, ocean waves, cocktails, food, no kids, no husbands of course we had a great time!

Funniest: I always have a great time with my girlfriends. I must say the funniest was going out dancing for my friend Lydia's birthday. If I didn't laugh at her all night long! She danced with everyone. We laughed until we cried.

I Just Can't: My line sisters and I are reading Go Set A Watchman together, plus it just so happens to be my bookclub's pick for our next meeting. However, before I read it, I want to read To Kill A Mockingbird. I just can't finish that book. Everytime I pick it up I fall asleep.

You Made That: I made the best salad this summer. Arugula, crumbled bleu cheese, watermelon chunks, and a little vinaigrette. Amazing! Tasty!

So, what have you been up to lately?

Ulta Spring Haul...

Hey All! I have to admit that I am a product junkie! I love hair, beauty, and bath and body products. I am a marketers dream. Over the weekend my daughter went to Ulta to buy makeup for her prom. I decided to tag along so I could pick up a few treats for myself. Take a look at some of my current favorites and some newbies that I can't wait to try.

Ulta Spring Haul

• Shea Moisture Dry Oil Mist (Tahitian Noni & Monoi) - I love Shea Moisture's Dry Oil Spray. This will be my first time trying the Tahitian Noni & Monoi. I've tried the Argan Oil & Raw Shea and it was amazing. It's not a heavy oil so it's perfect for the Spring and Summer. 
• Shea Moisture Lemongrass & Ginger Shea Butter Soap - As you can see I'm a big fan of Shea Moisture. This soap lasts a long time and the smell is wonderful. 
• C.Booth Honey Almond Body Lotion -  I have tried C. Booth's dry oil spray and it was great. This is my first time trying their lotion. It's a little runny but it keeps dry skin away. 
• Earth Therapeutics Loofah Scrub Oatmeal & Honey -  This smells so yummy! This brand is a newbie for me. It was part of a special deal. I love scrubs and body products scented with honey. 

• NYX  lipstick Chloe - I love NYX. A fantastic brand with fantastic prices! Chloe is new for me. It's an iridescent fuchsia color that will be fab for Spring and Summer. I tend to lean towards bronzey colors for Summer. This will be a switch.
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil Lavender - Another newbie. Their jumbo eye pencils were recommended to me by another blogger. 
• NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray - This is for my daughter. She wants it for prom. I prefer a dewy finish she likes matte. 

• Cover Your Gray Touch-Up Stick - pretty self explanatory. Chalk it up to genetics I have some gray hair. This touch-up stick is the best for in between dye jobs. I see my stylist every 8 weeks, but by week 3 my gray starts peeking through. I wipe out this stick and walla gray be gone! 

What are some of your favorite beauty products? Try anything new? I like a natural look with a hint of color, thus the reason I love bronzey colors. This season I'm stepping outside of my box and trying something new. Bolder colors. 

Coachella Necklace DIY...

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is all about embracing your inner Bohemian spirit. Fringe, feathers and fedoras are all the rage in the desert during Coachella. Long layering necklaces are also staple accessories at the indie music festivals. Below is a simple and super easy diy necklace for you to wear to the next music festival. It's a great layering piece. Add 2 more necklaces to get the perfect look.

Supplies:

Scissors
Hemp Cord or leather cord
Wood Beads
Shell pendant
Calligrapher paint pen (optional)

Assorted wood beads can be found at your local craft store. I found my seashell at the beach. I always look for shells that have holes in them to use for jewelry design.

Step 1:

Using your calligrapher, paint your seashell. This step is optional. Leave it plain if you like. I added gold lines to give my shell a tribal look.

Step 2:

Cut cord long enough so that it slips over your head. I cut mine 34 inches. Fold cord in half and loop through hole in shell.

Step 3:

Pull ends of cord through the loop and pull, securing the shell.

Step 4:

Take your selected beads and slip through the cord as shown above. Pull beads down to meet the shell.




  Step 5:

Tie a tight knot at end of cord. Slip over head. Your new necklace is complete.

 Put some flowers in your hair.




Add 2 more layering necklaces to complete your look! Get long deer antler necklace here

Trader Joe's Top 10...

Hey All! Today I'm sharing my top 10 items from one of my favorite grocery stores, Trader Joe's. It is always a pleasant shopping experience when I'm at Traders. It's small and cozy. The shelves are neat and clean and the staff is awesome! The prices are also fairly reasonable, especially when comparing Traders to Whole Foods, or as my sister-n-law calls them, Whole Paycheck.

Starting from left:

1. Shaved Parmesan & Romano Cheese: Traders has an awesome selection of cheese. I have tried their feta, Gorgonzola and bleu cheese crumbles. Both are fab. I love the shaved Parmesan sprinkled on kale salad with olive oil & fresh lemon juice dressing.

2. Crunchy Almond Butter: I add almond butter to my oatmeal and smoothies. This almond butter tastes good on a spoon! Gah!

3. Wild Arugula: My favorite salad. I love it more than kale. Some people don't like the sharp, spicy taste. Try it with Gorgonzola cheese, apples, walnuts and balsamic dressing.

4. Fresh Flowers: Traders is my go-to place for fresh flowers. The bunches are gorgeous and super inexpensive. These white mums cost me $3.99.

5. Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner: My fave cheapie conditioner. Great slip! I use this when I co-wash my hair. A generous bottle for $3.99.

6. Vanilla Almond Granola: Pretty sure this isn't the healthiest granola, but it sure is good. I eat it on top of plain yogurt or straight out of the box.

7. Bananas: I eat a lot of bananas. I freeze them for smoothies. A big bunch costs me under $1.

8. Coconut Oil: I do not have to tell you the amazing benefits of coconut oil. This is my go-to brand. I use coconut oil to finger detangle my hair, as a body moisturizer and as a makeup remover. I love this stuff!!

9. Avocados: I go through 2 avocados a week. I could eat more, but I limit myself to only 2. Traders avocados are a great size for the price. Sure other stores have them cheaper, but they are small in size compared to Traders.

10. Green Tea Mints: Love these mints. One of my purse staples.


What are your Trader Joe faves?

Vision Board...

Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law - Proverbs 29:18

I started working on my vision board last Autumn. I finally finished it a week ago when the facilitator of my bible study group asked us to do a vision board. It was a joy to put together. What is a vision board? 

A vision board, is a visual representation of all the things you want to do, be, and attain in your life. It is something you can look at every single day to remind you of your goals and deepest desires. Yeah, but does it work?

It is powerful. This board is where you focus your attention. Where your attention goes, your energy flows. The main idea is that you surround yourself with images of who you want to be, where you want to go, or what you wish to have placed in your life. Your life changes to match the images, desires, and wants. How do I start?

First, think about your goals. Your goals may be travel, career, finances, health, relationships, or personal growth. Second, gather magazines and cut out images that reflect your goals and desires. Third, get a board, this can be a poster board or a cork board, glue stick, and push pins. Paste your pictures on your board. Lastly, place your board in a space where you will see it often.

Bring everything on your board to life. Relax, and have fun putting it together. This is part of your journey!  Below is my vision board that I'm sharing with you.

Supplies: Glue stick, scissors, and magazines.

Arrange your images in an aesthetically pleasing flow.

After some tweaking, here is my vision board.

Placed where I will see it often throughout the day.

Oh, don't forget the push pins. These on the Clearance aisle at Target for under $1!

Do you have a vision board?

(Reference used: The Power of a Vision by Kris Vallotton)

Greeting Card Bookmark DIY

Happy Monday! Did you have a fantastic weekend? Here's a quick and easy DIY project.

What do you do with all of the greeting cards you receive each year? Save? Toss? Keep them up on your mantle until the next wave of greeting cards arrive in your mailbox? I have to admit it's hard for me to throw away the pretty ones. However, they pile up and create clutter. A great way for you to keep some of the best cards is to make bookmarks.

Supplies:
- old greeting cards (preferable with heavy card stock)
- ribbons
- scissors
- hole puncher

Step 1: Cut your bookmark design out of the cards.

It is best to work with the cards that have the heaviest stock. That way they are less likely to bend or tear.

Step 2: Punch a hole at the top of your bookmark.

Step 3: Cut ribbon and loop through hole.

Three easy steps! Happy crafting and reading!