Fall Tailgating + Football Party Tips!

I cannot wait for Fall, and one fun part of Fall is tailgating! Football season, and cooler temperatures make a great excuse to get together with friends and enjoy some good food and drink! Below, are some ideas on making your tailgating and football parties so much more elegant and grown-up. Most of these ideas, from some of my favorite bloggers, are just creative DIY ideas, that don't have to be expensive or time consuming. So, let's get ready for some football...

Serve Drinks From A Pumpkin (Waiting On Martha) - You can simply add some ice to a hollowed-out pumpkin and add beer, or line a smaller pumpkin with a plastic container and add dip for chips or veggies! Learn how Waiting On Martha styled an adorable tailgate party of her own here. 

Use Eco-Friendly Plates (Food 52) - If you must use disposable plates and food holders, there are more Eco-friendly options like these compostable wooden hot dog trays and more from Food52.

Create A Hydration Station (Style Me Pretty Vault) - Provide guests with inexpensive drinks like fruit-infused water, lemonade, and tea. Learn more about this incredible party, in the Style Me Pretty Vault Files.

DIY Flannel Napkins (Hey Wanderer) - Follow this cute DIY Tutorial from Hey Wanderer, or simply cut or rip a couple of yards of inexpensive plaid flannel fabric into 16" x 16" squares to provide guests with something more substantial thank those flimsy paper napkins. 

Style Me Pretty & Author Ngoc Nguyen Lay really know how to tailgate in style! This image, below, really shows a great overall party setup! Incorporating vintage items like an ice cream cone holder (used for fries and veggies in the photo), Picnic baskets, metal buckets, and pom-poms makes this setup look elegant instead of over the top. Learn more, here. 

Serve Elegant & Unexpected Treats (Happy Wish Company) - I just love how these macarons, cup of strawberries, wooden utensils, cloth napkin, and sandwich in a spotted paper party favor bag. Find fun party ideas like this one, from Happy Wish Company! 

I'm hoping to put together my own set of Tailgating Ideas in an upcoming post, so stay tuned!!

How To Keep Your Skin Hydrated in Late Summer ~ Early Fall {Plus: Tips on Making Guests Feel At Home}

I'm so happy to bring you another amazing post today, incorporating the Curel® Hydratherapy Wet Skin Moisturizer. As the seasons change, humidity levels do too. This can mean going from 90% humidity, down to 50% in a matter of days here in southern Illinois, so it's best to get ahead of the game, and stay moisturized!

I also wanted to share a few tips on making your visitors and house guests feel right at home when visiting you! It's as simple as leaving fresh, new towels rolled up in a decorative basket. Also, provide guests with spa-like bath products, like the Curel® Hydratherapy Wet Skin Moisturizer. This is perfect for guests, because it smells amazing, and contains a water-activated moisturizer - perfect for any weather conditions. Another important tip is to help your guests stay hydrated (first with the Moisturizer, then with a welcoming array of fresh, chilled water, ready for them after their long travels. These are some ways you can add a touch of welcoming into your guests' experience while staying at your home.  

 

 

I’m sharing #Curel® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER in my life as part of a Curél sponsored series for Socialstars™. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep my blog a beautiful place to showcase my work! 

I also created this beautiful candle holder with a terrarrium I found at a craft store, white decorative sand, and a scented candle in a tin. I love how this turned out!! (see below)

Below, I used some flip-top bottle I found at a craft store, and this amazing, vintage glass bottle that a family member gave me. It's so pretty, and little touches like this will make your guests not have to even ask where they can find a glass - they will have everything they need some place in their room. 

Learn More About The Moisturizer

Curél is debuting their new Hydra Therapy product which helps combat dry skin and helps you look your best during warmer weather and beyond! Be sure to check out Curél® on Facebook to get updates and to learn more. 

  • Curel® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER is activated by water on freshly-showered skin and penetrates deeply into the surface to heal dryness

  • After showering, your skin cells expand, which provides an easy pathway for Curel® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER to penetrate into just showered skin, healing the moisture barrier where it counts and helping replenish skin’s ceramide levels

  • Curel® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER is not greasy or sticky and has powerful healing ingredients that restore the moisture barrier

  • Apply daily & experience the end of dry skin

I also love the colors I got to incorporate into this thoughtful set of images. The bright, white towels, rustic metal basket, white, decorative box with gold spots, the terrarium that features gold accents, and the pretty glass vases - the hints of metallics really shine nicely here. Love this color combo for a bathroom or guest room. 

Have you gotten a chance to check out the Curel® Hydratherapy Wet Skin Moisturizer yet? Let me know in the comments below! 

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We Got A Puppy!

We have been wanting to add a puppy to our household for a while now. We lost our dear, sweet Lily a little over a year ago, August 19th, and ever since then, our Chocolate Lab, Cabbie has been a bit lonely. It was alright with only one dog for a while, but we figured this was the very best time to introduce a puppy into our lives, because Cabbie needed a playmate! Last Tuesday, August 16th, we took a little road trip and picked up our NEW PUPPY, Porter! 

We already had her name picked out, I was determined that I wanted a dog the same color as Cabbie. Porter, named after the style of dark beer, seemed perfect! It really took Cabbie a few days to get used to the puppy. Cabbie didn't really want much of anything to do with her at first. But, Bobby's mom came to visit us and meet the puppy pretty quickly, and Cabbie has been extremely interested in Porter ever since! 

We of course, had to start an Instagram account for her, @TheImperialPorter :) It's going to be so fun watching her grow!

Currently, she is about 10 pounds, loves biting a LOT (which we are discouraging), is extremely good about telling us when she need to go out, and sleeps just as hard as she plays. She prefers lying on our pillows against the wall, and hates being disturbed while sleeping. Such a particular little girl who seems to always get her way She reminds me of a little living stuffed animal, and is extremely soft! I just love her crested fur on her head and curly tail, making her poodle qualities show way more than I could have expected! Cabbie is going to be a wonderful teacher for Porter, and we are so happy we have completed our little family once again! 

A Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge Recipe + Stunning Bracelets from Gideon John

I want to share a couple of things with you today - fudge + jewelry - two of my favorite things! I wanted to share a Peanut Butter Fridge Fudge recipe with you (below), and also share some pretty amazing jewelry with you. 

First, the jewelry. Bracelets have always been my go-to jewelry faves. I recently received three absolutely stunning bracelets from Gideon John London, and I could hardly believe my eyes! These bracelets are so well-made, and you can tell that great attention to detail was given, beginning at jewelry design, then into their packaging and presentation. Each bracelet arrives in a personalized black box and a cotton bag, so nothing get scratched during delivery. Even though these traveled all the way from gorgeous London, they looked like someone had hand-delivered them locally! 

I received three bracelets from Gideon John, and featured them all in this post. Find them here:

Rose Gold Cuff Bracelet / Green Sea Jasper Tasseled Opulence / Rose Gold Lux Beads

And, although they already had lovely product photography on their website, I was so fortunate to be able to bring these bracelets to life in this styled photoshoot. 

Now, the Fudge!

This yummy treat turned out so well! This recipe has been adapted from the one I found here - the post that inspired my photos!

1 Bag Peanut Butter Baking Chips

1 Bag Chocolate Chips 

Coconut Oil

Creamy Peanut Butter 

A Pinch of Salt

Glass Container For Fudge

Parchment Paper

1.) You can do each of the two layers in the microwave, or use the double boiler method, like I did. To do the double boiler, fill a sauce pan with about 1 inch of water. Set the glass measuring cup in the saucepan, atop the water, and get turn your burner on medium, to get ready to melt your ingredients.

2.) Prepare water for double boiler method in two different sauce pans. In two heat-safe glass measuring cups (I used my two 2 cup ones), melt 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, 1 bag of peanut butter ships, a pinch of salt (or a bit more), and 1/2-1 C. Peanut Butter. Feel free to add more Peanut Butter if you want, just until you get a consistency and taste you like. You can also add some powdered sugar to this peanut butter layer if you want. Melt until smooth - make sure you stir frequently!

3.) In the other measuring cup, melt 1/4 C. Coconut Oil, 1and  Bag of Chocolate Chips. Melt and continue to stir until smooth. 

4.) Optionally spray a bit of non-stick spray into your Pyrex container, and then fit a piece of parchment paper into the Pyrex, allowing two sides a few extra inches to hang over. This makes removing the fudge from the container much easier!

5.) Once chocolate has melted, pour it into the Pyrex. Freeze for about 15 minutes, so it hardens all the way through.

6.) Once that layer has hardened, pour the peanut butter mixture over the chocolate layer, make sure it's smooth, and put it back into the freezer. If you're not in a hurry, you can just let the final layer cool in the fridge.

7.) Once both layers are fully firm, grab a cutting board, pull out the fudge block utilizing the parchment paper, and use a ruler to make straight lines on the top of the fudge if presentation matters. Cut fudge into 1" squares, using a large, sharp knife, and enjoy!! 

***Note: This fudge melts pretty fast, so make sure you keep it in the fridge!!! It tastes like peanut butter cups, I just love how this turned out!! You can also use crunchy peanut butter, but I recommend creamy, just because the peanuts could be too hard to eat after being in the freezer or fridge!

What a great no-bake dessert recipe! 

Blueberry Granola Parfait - A Great Snack On The Go!

Well, it's back to busy schedules for so many people, with school starting back up for the year, and seasons changing. If your days seem to be going by a mile a minute, here is a great recipe for you that will definitely satisfy that sweet tooth, help keep you full for hours, and because there are so many flavors and textures in this recipe, it makes eating better enjoyable. These parfaits contain layers of granola, covered with blueberry yogurt, then topped with fresh blueberries and Sahale Snacks in Berry Macaron Almond Mix. This awesome mix is Non-GMO, gluten free, and contains Blueberries, Cashews, Lemon-Infused Apples, Whole Roasted Almonds, and Toasted Coconut. No artificial flavors of any sort, making this a wonderful option for breakfast, lunch, or a snack. 

Elevate your everyday snacks or light meals by adding the very best ingredients possible, while not overthinking it. Simple can definitely be better, so why not work smarter and not harder. 

My parfait recipe was inspired by breakfast on-the-go or afternoon snacks, and the flavor of these snacks was inspired by a walk into a neighborhood bakery. Just one bite of a delicious, freshly made macaron inspired the creation of lightly toasted coconut, crunchy almonds, and creamy cashew. 

About The Brand: "It all started with a climb up Mount Rainier in Washington State in August 2003. We had some beautiful views but nothing delicious to eat. The trail mix and stale nuts we brought on our trip helped to replenish lost energy, but did nothing to satisfy our desire for something great tasting, nutritious and as adventurous as our travels. That experience inspired us to create Sahale Snacks". This is why Sahale Snacks make such a great Grab & Go Snack!

Find Sahale Around The Web: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

I’m sharing #SahaleSnackers in my life as part of a Sahale Snacks® sponsored series for Socialstars™ - Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible! #BeyondOrdinary

Passion Defined - Rémy Refined (Event Recap)

Last week, I was invited to a concert in St. Louis by Rémy Martin! The event was held at Hollywood Casino Amphitheater (formerly called Riverport Amphitheatre). There was a HUGE crowd, and everyone was having a great time. I was put on a list to do a Meet & Greet with Jhene Aiko, who opened for Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa on The High Road Tour, as well as helped Rémy Martin promote their mentorship sweepstakes. 

I waited in line to meet the woman of the hour, and she was super sweet and very personable. She's so beautiful!!! I even scored an awesome photo with her! What a unique experience this was. A special thanks to SoFabRocks for connecting me with this awesome brand, talented artist, and fun experience. 

Also, if you didn't get a chance to check out my Rémy Martin Watermelon Cocktail Cooler Recipe, you can find that blog post, here. Until next time, cheers, friends!

Don't Quit Your Daydream

For some reason, I am always in love with inspiration quote t-shirts. I love this one, by Doc Shorty, because it really gets me thinking about my daydreams and how I work so hard to make them a reality. I swoon over them on Pinterest, and when Doc Shorty offered to send me one, I jumped at the opportunity to help them promote their cause. Part of the proceeds from their site go towards multiple sclerosis research. Learn more about my journey to never quite my daydream below, and find this adorable tee, here. 

I have been on this journey, literally since I was 14-15 years old, to work for myself. I always held hourly jobs while in school, but was sewing goods and selling them at shows and online in addition. I went through college, trying to make some sort of connection in almost every class and job I had, in order to work towards that dream of mine - thinking of how I could apply the lessons I learned to either making things that would make me money, or using the skills in my own business, even when the class was not specifically a production or business class.

I am so incredibly happy I had that mindset all through school, because, in addition to always holding at least two jobs while going to college full-time, I have always had my own company, where I have created goods or work for a client. 

Little did I know, I was on the path to being an Influencer and a Content Creator! These terms didn't even really exist on the same level that they do today. I work just about every day to develop this wonderful blog, that I am so proud of, and I just love creating content for brands and for myself. 

In addition to business dreams, the biggest daydream I am "obsessing over" is the dream to move to somewhere in the Olympic Peninsula, and live somewhere that inspires me beyond my wildest dreams. To just be a bit closer to nature as far as pine forests, mountain views, the ocean, and a damp cool climate, that is my next dream I am working towards! I am sure it's going to take a bit more time, to make enough money to be comfortable for us to make such a big move will be a huge task, but it can be done! 

So, what daydream are you currently working towards? Maybe you have a similar story to mine, or maybe something completely different. I cant wait to learn more about your dreams and aspirations, and at what point you are in your own journey. 

Bride To Be Gift Box by UnboundBox

I recently had the chance to get to know some of the products that UnboundBox has to offer.

If you are looking for a unique gift idea for a Bride To Be, then here is an idea for you! I have to admit, my favorite item in the gift box is the Hanky Panky Peek-A-Boo Bralette and Bottoms set. 

This Bride To Be Box from UnboundBox is surely going to be something the bride remembers forever! This gift would be so great to give a bride at her bachelorette party!

From the moment the bride opens this gift box, she will instantly see what great quality each and every item is that's provided! Her new spouse will also have fun playing along and helping explore these items a bit better after the wedding, on the honeymoon, and beyond! 

ORDER THE GIFT BOX HERE

 

When this UnboundBox arrived at my doorstep, this adorably wrapped gift box was inside of a larger box, wrapped very safely. Everything arrived in amazing condition, and I was so excited to see what all was inside. You can choose either black lace or white lace for the bralette + bottoms, so I chose to feature the black lace items. See, you don't even have to gift wrap this present, it's already done for you! The smaller box contains the lace undergarments, and the larger box contains the rest of the gift items in the set. 

UnboundBox pays so much attention to details - everything looks amazing, from the second you begin to open the package! Most brides are going to love this present!

You could get this for the bride by yourself, or have a couple of friends gift this to her together. 

Hanky Panky Steamy Peek-A-Boo Bralette

This peek-a-boo bralette is made of Hanky Panky's signature comfortable stretch lace. The sensuous silky ribbon will make you feel like a present fit to unwrap. 

Believe me, the lace on this bralette is extremely high quality. This bralette is made from the finest materials, closures, ribbons, and finishes. 

Hanky Panky Steamy Side Tie Bottoms

The perfect cheeky bottoms to pair with the Peek-A-Boo Bralette in Black Lace. These comfortable, bikini-cut panties are made of Hanky Panky's signature stretch lace - which is super soft!

Desir Metallique Handcuffs

This beautiful set of mesh handcuffs look like a set of 3 bracelets, but could also be used for fun! 

Feather Tickler

This is also a cute item that would make just about anyone smile. The feathers are super-soft, so just use your imagination!

 

A little bit about one of the items in the gift box, the vibe.

Bijoiux Indiscrets Twenty One Diamond Vibrator
Twenty One offers the ultimate in female pleasure. With the perfect size and shape, it is designed to provide precise stimulation, through it's 7 patterns and 3 vibration intensities, Twenty One unveils a new dimension where pleasure is the real luxury. Includes satin pouch, user manual, and USB charger.

Blogging & Social Media Conferences To Check Out!

Have you ever attended a conference? If it is on the top of your priority list, I have gathered info on a few that look really, really good! I hope to expand on this list, so please comment below if I missed any events. Thank you SO much for checking out these fun conferences!!!

AltITUDE Summit - January

Altitude Summit began in Salt Lake City (Founded in 2009), and 2016 marks the last year that the conference will be held in SLC. I consider this the leading lady when it comes to social media or blogger conferences. The 2017 Event will be held in Palm Springs, which is already sold out! 

Blog Post Credit: Passports and Pancakes Photo Credit: Justin Hackworth Photography

FIND THEM: Website // Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter

Create + Cultivate - January

January 2016, Create + Cultivate, will be held in Dallas! I am attending this amazing event, and cannot wait to learn from the top bloggers and creative people in the blogging business today! 

Create + Cultivate has been held in places like L.A. and Chicago, and they will be announcing the next location soon. The January 2016 #CreateCultivateDallas tickets sold out super quick this year, making me a happy girl for getting my ticket. 

When: January 30, 2016

FIND THEM: Website // Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter

BlogHer & BlogHer Food - August & October

I have heard really great things about BlogHer Conferences. 

Find Them Here: BlogHer 2016 & BlogHerFood 2016

When: BlogHer - L.A. August 4-6 BlogHerFood - October 7-8, 2016

FIND THEM: Website // Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter

Re/Code Media Conference - Various Months

Held in the absolutely gorgeous Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel (among other gorgeous places), this conference is quite wonderful. I had the pleasure of attending (AND being a speaker on The New Influencers Panel) in February of 2015, and it made me aware of the importance of the tech-industry side of the online world. Read my blog post here, to see images of my time there. A very special thanks to HelloSociety and Science Media for sponsoring my trip there. It was an unforgettable experience! Peter Kafka was an incredibly good host, and a great interviewer! 

FIND THEM: Website // Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter

Thrive Conference - February

Thrive is located at The Embassy Suites in The Woodlands/Hughes Landing in Springs, TX. 

When: February 26-27, 2016

FIND THEM: Facebook // Website // Tickets

Build Your Blog Conference - February

BYBC Is scheduled to happen February 19-20, 2016. They provide lots of great webinars, one of which I have seen, and was incredibly inspired by! They consider themselves the "Most Educational Blogger Conference". 

FIND THEM: Facebook // Website 

Go Blog Social - March

This conference will be held on March 5, 2016 in Kansas City, MO. IT looks like an absolutely amazing and inspiring event, so get your tickets here. KC is the first stop on their 2016 Tour, which sounds like so much fun!!!

FIND THEM: Website // Facebook Event // Instagram

Social Media Marketing World - April

This conferences, held by Social Media Examiner is going to be held in San Diego on April 17-19, 2016. With registration, you will get track sessions, workshops, and keynotes. You also get online recordings of the event, as well as lots of opportunities to network. They are even providing an opening ceremony in an airplane hanger! Sounds like fun! 

Register Here. 

FIND THEM: Website

Creative At Heart Conference - Various Months

This event will be held at three different locations in 2016! The video on their website is beyond inspiring! They will help you get your business in order whether you have been in business for years, or are just starting out. Learn more. 

Annapolis, MD (March 20-22), Denver, CO (July 24-25), and Memphis, TN (November 13-14)

FIND THEM: Website // Facebook // Instagram // Twitter

Learn How To Utilize Facebook Business Pages

I know Facebook can be challenging as a way to try and promote your business. But, I gained over 10,000 Likes on Facebook in less than a year by testing out a few ideas, and they worked!

WHY DO I NEED A FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGE?

Every business, and every blogger needs to have a Facebook Business Page. It's another free way to get your name listed on Google's searches. It's also pretty easy to start. I am sure some of you who already have one have seen their impressions and views dwindle in the past couple of years, so many businesses and bloggers have pretty much given up on using Facebook as a viable means to gain readers, or even share content to people who already follow you. But, I have had a lot of success on Facebook. 

MY MOST POPUAR FACEBOOK POST / HOW TO CREATE A GOOD FACEBOOK POST

Here is one of my most popular (meaning most-liked) Facebook posts. I collaged the two images together in Photoshop, and people have been going crazy over this post I created. Here is a screenshot to show you the behind the scenes info about this post. The Weekends Are For Waffles Tee can be found on ModCloth.com. So, I believe this was a great investment in my FB posts!

Notes:

Likes: 9,112 

Photo Clicks: 855

Link Clicks: 21 (Still not extremely high)

Page Likes: 317 (Definitely happy with this!)

Age: 13-21 years old / Male and Female (98.3% women interacted)

Interests: pop culture and music

Location: 16 Countries (Click Image To View Them Larger) 

Budget: $16.00

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL FACEBOOK POSTS

1.) Image Size Is Important! Remember, Facebook posts look best when they are dimensions similar to 1200 pixels X 627 pixels. Squares and vertical images just don't display well in peoples' feeds. 

2.) Facebook will not promote your posts if they are more than 20% text. Meaning, get creative, and get more visual. You can just add the text in the Facebook post, so don't worry too much about adding in a lot of text to your Facebook posts. 

3.) A great way to gain content for your Facebook post is to share other people's posts to your Page. This is a great way to curate some content for your page, and the original poster is always fully credited.

HOW TO START A FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGE.

1.) LET'S GET STARTED

On your main feed at facebook.com, on the left side of your page, find Create Page. 

2.) CREATE A PAGE

How To Set Up A Facebook Business Page

Here, I would suggest that if you are a lifestyle blogger, and are not offering goods and services, but only digital information, to choose Cause Or Community. Some of the other topics are best if you are actually wanting to sell your goods and services either locally or via websites like Etsy. 

3.) FILL OUT YOUR INFORMATION

Here, you simply customize your page by adding a short and to-the-pointDescription, Profile Picture, Adding To Favorites, and choosing your Preferred Page Audience. One note about choosing your Preferred Page Audience, is that you definitely want to start out with a broad audience. Why try to eliminate any possible interaction with a possible reader or follower? 

4.) PROFILE PICTURE

This is such an important part of your page! Make sure you create or find a cute logo or graphic for your page. I even recommend using a colorful letter, like the first letter or letters of your blog or business name as a beginning logo. 

 

5.) ADD TO FAVORITES

Pretty self explanatory, but by adding your new page to your favorites, it will show up on the left side of your home page, and is easier to access. 

6.) PREFERRED PAGE AUDIENCE

Here is one way I have gotten so many likes! Since I am only trying to drive traffic to my Facebook page and my blog, and since I do not rely on local traffic of any sort, I make sure to include lots of different countries and interests in my Audience. I would always recommend making sure you include Mexico in your audience, because over 60% of my likes, on my Facebook Business Page, comes from people in that location. This is of course, only a suggestion. 

Another really wonderful bit of info that Facebook now shares with us, is how many people like each Interest. See below, when I choose Travel as a targeted interest, over 920 million people like it! So, just think of more broad topics, as well as more pop-culture interests like musicians, TV shows, etc. 

7.) CREATE A BANNER

If you create nothing else, just feel free to upload a solid colored rectangle for now. Facebook will resize this for you, and it makes a big impact! Make this image 851 pixels X 315 pixels. The image , below is one I created in Photoshop by pulling a gradient of purple down the document. Super easy! 

8.) OTHER IDEAS

A few more key things to consider:

Monthly Budget - This one is totally up to you! The more you spend, the more Likes you are going to gain, if you follow the rules above. But, make sure to space out your budget. I generally spend $5.00 per ad/image/post, and have it run for 2-3 days at a time. Try spacing out your budget across different ads to see what is appealing most to your audience. 

Sharing Other People's Posts - Like I said above, it's fun to share and curate posts from other people on Facebook if it aligns with your blog!

Stick To A Color Scheme When Possible - I have noticed that my eye is always attracted to bright and inspiring images, with pops of bright colors in them. To begin, any post you see that contains your color scheme, share it on your page. 

Like Pages And Post Comments As Your Business, Not Your Personal Account - Did you know that you can like posts as your personal profile OR your business profile? At the top of the page, there is a drop down arrow. Hover over, and it says: Use Facebook As...and just choose your business page. 

Respond To Messages Quickly - Facebook shows your viewers how quickly you reply to messages, so have a friend or family member send you a few messages, and et back to them right away. Then, you will show your readers that you are catering to them in a timely manner. 

You Can Do It! - Believe me, I was surprised that I gained over 10,000 Likes on my Facebook page in less than a year by using the principals I explained above.

Two Amazing Fruity Frozen Yogurt Recipes {Peach Pineapple + Raspberry Peach}

Yum! That;s basically the first word that comes to mind when I look back at these photos. I have been wanting to make some frozen yogurt for some time now, and I had the perfect ingredient for it! Peaches that Bobby's mom gave us when we visited recently. They were just perfectly sweet and juicy. 

I just love how natural the ingredients in this recipe are. This is a way better option than something you can buy in-store, and takes hardly any time at all! The peaches can be cut up and pureed ahead of time, making this even easier. The end result tastes amazing, and will surely please that sweet tooth for people of all ages!

It all starts with peaches...

Cut the peaches in half, then whatever half still has the pit, slide that in half again. The pit will come right out! Make sure your peaches are a teeny tiny bit soft and ready to use, rather than super firm. You can also put the peaches into a grocery bag for a few hours to  soften them up. 

Here are the Basic Ingredients (sans the pineapple - that is shown in the ingredients photo, within the peach puree). Each recipe can be found below its respective title, further down in this post. 

INGREDIENTS:

- 3-4 Peaches, peeled and sliced, pits removed

- 2 C. vanilla yogurt (I used the sweetened kind)

- 2-3 Tbsp sweetener like agave

- 1 C. (or more) fresh raspberries (I froze my own before using them in this recipe)

- 1/2 Can Pineapple rings + their juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

- Puree all ingredients until very smooth, then pour into a freezer-safe container with a lid. Freeze for at least a few hours (but overnight is recommended). Scoop the frozen yogurt into a big bowl and enjoy!! This recipe is amazing for summer. The color of this frozen yogurt is absolutely stunning - that pink color is lovely! 

INGREDIENTS:

- 3-4 Peaches, peeled and sliced, pits removed

- 2 C. vanilla yogurt (I used the sweetened kind)

- 2-3 Tbsp sweetener like agave

- 1/2 Can Pineapple rings + their juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

- Puree all ingredients until very smooth, then pour into a freezer-safe container with a lid. Freeze for at least a few hours (but overnight is recommended). Scoop the frozen yogurt into a big bowl and enjoy!! This recipe is amazing for summer. This recipe is the same as the one above, minus the raspberries!

Olympics Inspired - Candy Flavored Vodkas!

I had a blast creating these 5 flavored vodkas, inspired by the 2016 Olympics! With 5 different types of candy, I created 5 festive flavors of infused vodka, and then created a cute label for the Vodka I used. 

Here is how I got the 5 flavors/colors. Note, I did use a teeny bit of food coloring in the black and green flavors, but the other colors turned out so vibrant. All you have to do is to divide 1-2 bottles of unflavored vodka into 5 jars with lids. In order to really infuse the alcohol, keep these in the fridge overnight, if you can. The longer you wait, the better! I also recommend using as much candy in the jar as you can.

BLUE: Blue Jolly Ranchers - BLACK: Black Licorice + Black Food Dye - RED: Cherry Jolly Ranchers - YELLOW: Lemon Heads - GREEN: Green Apple Jolly Ranchers + Lime Green Food Coloring

You could of course customize these fun flavors and colors for college or pro sports teams, holidays, and more! Let me know if you wind up making these, I'd love to see what you create. 

Also, I grabbed this amazingly tasty Sugar Saucer Cookie from Longbranch Cafe, my favorite restaurant in Carbondale! 

And, if you were wondering how I created the label on the bottle, I found 8.5" x 11" sticker paper at a local print shop, and printed a label I created in InDesign. I found the fonts on dafont.com - love that site! Go Team!!!

Goodbye Dry Skin ~ Hello Soft Skin {with Curel®}

It's officially summer! Which means it's more important than ever to get your skin looking and feeling great. Embrace those tank tops, shorts, and adorable sandals by saying GOODBYE to dry skin, with Curél moisturizing lotion. Curél is debuting their new Hydra Therapy product which helps combat dry skin and helps you look your best during warmer weather and beyond! Be sure to check out Curél® on Facebook to get updates and to learn more. 

  • Curel® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER is activated by water on freshly-showered skin and penetrates deeply into the surface to heal dryness

  • After showering, your skin cells expand, which provides an easy pathway for Curel® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER to penetrate into just showered skin, healing the moisture barrier where it counts and helping replenish skin’s ceramide levels

  • Curel® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER is not greasy or sticky and has powerful healing ingredients that restore the moisture barrier

  • Apply daily & experience the end of dry skin

Above, you will see some of the items that will help you keep your feet looking summer ready! 

WHAT YOU NEED:

- Curel® Hydratherapy Wet Skin Moisturizer

- Pumice Stone (in purple) - the one that is lighter weight and not very dense is the best one

- Foot scrub gel

- Foot brush

- Cute DIY Flip Flops (I glued jeweled flower charms to these!! I just love how they turned out!

 

HOW TO:

- In the shower, use the foot scrub solution, pumice stone and foot brush to slough away any rough patches on your feet, ankles, and legs. This reminds me of the treatment I get at a salon during a pedicure!

- After the shower, while skin is still damp, use Curel® Hydratherapy  Wet Skin Moisturizer

- Toss on an adorable dress, and your newly decorated flip flops, and head out on your next summer adventure! 

I'm sharing #curelskincare, #breaktherules, and #enddryskin in my life as part of a Curel® sponsored series for Socialstars™. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep my blog a beautiful space to showcase my work! 

Another amazing way to pamper yourself this summer is to treat yourself to a lightly scented, floral candle. This one, by Voluspa is beyond amazing! The scent is great, and even without lighting the candle, your room is filled with a relaxing, fresh scent that makes you feel like a million bucks! I always keep a candle like this in the bathroom.

Also, if you are heading out, or just want to keep things organized, I wanted to recommend this adorable zipper pouch, in light pink, that says, "Ooh la la..."! Pack up some roll-on SPF, a bright lip color, and a few other essentials that you definitely want to keep by your side. 

I wanted to extend a special thanks to SocialStars for sending these extra goodies with the Curel® items. 

I also wanted to give you a glance at the back of the bottle, because I always do my research when shopping for any bath or beauty product. 

Why Ceramides?
Ceramides, naturally present in healthy skin, are vital building blocks to maintaining skin’s moisture barrier. When ceramides are lost, skin becomes dry and damaged. Curél® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER, with Advanced Ceramide Complex, penetrates to the source of dryness, helping to replenish skin's ceramide levels and repair the moisture barrier.

  • Water activated moisture works deep into skin’s surface
  • Helps repair moisture barrier
  • Contains our proprietary Advanced Ceramide Complex
  • Immediately Absorbs
  • Completely Greaseless
  • Skin feels 3x more hydrated instantly
  • Fragrance Free
  • Dermatologist Recommended

I also wanted to extend a big thanks to FWS Countertops, who provided me with this gorgeous marble surface! They are about 3 blocks from my house, and have been a staple in our local community for many, many years!! 

Thank you SO very much for taking the time to check out this fun, new product from Curél®, and I hope that I have provided some wonderful Summer Skin Tips! What are your favorite ways to keep your skin smooth through the summer months and beyond? 

Share Your Passions + A Watermelon Keg Drink Recipe With Rémy Martin Cognac

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.

#passiondefinedremyrefined #CollectiveBias #StLouisSweepstakes

I listen to music every single day. I much prefer music to television, and because I work from home I include music in my daily life. I am always looking for new music to love, or I will play something from one of my many favorite musicians. I love listening as I am crafting, which is one of my many talents. Recently, I have been creating beautiful dreamcatchers as party items for entertaining. Listening to music and combining my talents of crafting make for a relaxing and productive day. I created a fun and inspiring Girly Boho Summer Festival Themed Party décor item, which is a dreamcatcher. I created this while listening to my favorite tunes. You can see later in this post how to create these for yourself.

In honor of music festival season, and tons of great concerts happening in the St. Louis area, I also created a delightfully refreshing Watermelon Cognac Summer Sip Recipe - and then served it out of a watermelon keg! Everything turned out so well, so I hope you get a chance to try this drink recipe with friends while listening to good music.

Also going on this summer, you can enter to win a mentor for a YEAR (!!!), or meet Jhené Aiko! Read along to find out more. And, check out updates on Twitter.
Learn more about this amazing opportunity on Twitter

Or visit their website!

First, I wanted to start off by telling you a bit more about the mentorship that Rémy Martin Cognac is offering up.

To enter the sweepstakes, the Entrant must log on to his/her Twitter account and (i) follow @RemyRefined (if he/she does not already), and (ii) Tweet an image of Entrant showing their life passion and including the hashtags #RemyRefined and either #ChicagoSweepstakes, #DetroitSweepstakes, or #StLouisSweepstakes, depending on Entrant’s state of residence.

○      Grand Prize (1): The grand prize winner will receive a mentor for one (1) year to help winner live out his/her passion and a check for $5,000 (“Grand Prize”).

○      First Prize (15 [five (5) per location]): Each first prize winner will receive two (2) tickets to a Jhené Aiko concert on either August 12, 2016 for Michigan winners, August 16, 2016 for Illinois winners, or August 17, 2016 for Missouri winners, a meet and greet with Jhené Aiko, and a Rémy Martin gift bag (“First Prize”).

○      Second Prize (30 [ten (10) per location]): Each second prize winner will receive two (2) tickets to a Jhené Aiko concert on either August 12, 2016 for Michigan winners, August 16, 2016 for Illinois winners, or August 17, 2016 for Missouri winners (“Second Prize’).

No Purch. Nec. Ends 8/31/16. 21+, IL, MI, MO only, Rules: RemyRefined.com

DREAMCATCHER INSTRUCTIONS:

MATERIALS:

Lace Fabric

Wooden Embroidery Hoop (I used a smaller one)

Ribbon, Beads, Feathers, and Embroidery Floss

Hot Glue & Hot Glue Gun

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Heat up your glue gun and let’s get started!

Cut a long strip of lace, which will be wrapped around the outer circle part of the embroidery hoop.

Glue one short side of the strip to the inside of the circle, then wrap the lace around the entire circle, glueing whenever you see fit.

2.) Now, cut a circle of lace a little bit bigger than the interior circle, and stretch the lace around the inner circle, glueing on one side, then glue straight across, then evenly stretch out the rest of the lace on the circle. (See Figure 2)

3.) Now, we will add the pretty decorations. Cut lengths of ribbon, and glue them inside the outer circle. Then, double over your embroidery floss, and tie it to the circle. Glue everything in place.

4.) I used a big needle on the embroidery floss to get the beads onto the string. I also glued marabou feathers to the ends of the string, then wrapped and glued more ribbon around it.

5.) I also tied embroidery floss around the glasses (tapered glasses would have been way easier), then added elephant charms and more beads. I love how everything turned out!

Read on to see how I made the watermelon keg and to get the drink recipe!!!

DRINK RECIPE / WATERMELON KEG INSTRUCTIONS:

MATERIALS:

2 Watermelons

Rémy Martin 1738 or Rémy Martin VSOP

Blender or food processor for watermelon

Large spoon to scoop out watermelon

knife to cut watermelon

Mint (optional)

Large Mason Jars (to mix drink)

Watermelon Keg Tapper

For The Keg Stand:

Cake Stand

Bowl To Hold Watermelo

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Cut a couple of inches off the top of your watermelon. I used painters tape to try and get a straighter cut.

2.) Scoop out insides of watermelon and blend the insides until it’s juice. Transfer to several mason jars (or other large container with a lid).

3.) For every quart of watermelon juice, add 2-3 shots of Rémy Martin.

4.) You can also add some mint and lime, if that’s your style! And to add even more summer flavor, this would be so tasty!

5.) MAKE THE KEG - Open your watermelon keg tapping kit, and follow instructions to create the keg.

6.) Set your new watermelon creation into the bowl, and set it all onto the cake stand.

7.) Fill the watermelon with your drink recipe, turn on some good tunes, and sample your new drink! Enjoy!

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Rémy Martin 1738

Rémy Martin 1738® Accord Royal is the signature blend from the luxury House of Rémy Martin. Made from the most sought after grapes of Fine Champagne Cognac, 1738® is a tribute to almost 300 years of passionate commitment to time, tradition and respect of the land.

1738 Accord Royal is aged up to 20 years in French toasted oak casks to reveal a rich range of aromas and exceptionally round texture.

Rémy Martin VSOP

The world’s first and favorite Fine Champagne cognac

#1 V.S.O.P in the US

The art of blending hundreds of eaux-de-vie to renew the same taste every year and reveal the same signature style since it’s creation in 1927

Dominant notes of vanilla thanks to aging in large grain oak barrels. Fruity notes of ripe apricots, baked apple and elegant floral notes.