Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Our Second Illinois Trip!

Hey y'all! 

So I previously talked about a picture post of our trip to Illinois! 

Here's a little back ground story though!

Dallas had never met his biological, not until he was 21 at least. 

So, September 2012 I took 2 days off from classes and we flew up to Illinois for him to be introduced to that side of his family. We loved it! 

It was seriously a great trip, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!

Snap back into reality, and two years later we were able to go again! 

Dallas' aunt, Keisha, was getting married so we made the flight up there for the long Labor Day weekend! 

We flew in, and went straight to the rehearsal. The wedding was Saturday, we spent all day/night Sunday with family, and we flew home on Monday. 

It was a wonderful trip & we look forward to seeing them all again in May when the fly down here (North Carolina) for our wedding! 

So, here are a few pictures! 




Sunday, September 14, 2014

I'm lacking...

Hey y'all! 

I'm so sorry for the breaks in between these posts.. I didn't want it to happen, but nevertheless it has and I apologize! 

I've been busy working, and I've decided to pick up another shift at work! 

Why? 

Because.. 


I BOUGHT A NEW CAR! 

With the help of D, I was able to purchase this beautiful 2011 Chevy Malibu, in the most beautiful color!

I'm absolutely ecstatic to be able to make this "big girl" purchase, even if I did sign my life away for the next few years. 

I think it's worth it! ;)

So, that's where I'm at. 

Working a good amount
Going to class every MWF, and doing all my online class stuff. (I'm taking 4 courses online & 1 on campus!)
And of course, wedding planning!


I do have an interesting post coming up soon, that's a $1 jewelry & beauty haul!

So, stay tuned! 

Until then,


stay classy!

-B


(Sorry I don't have the signature, I'm on my phone!)

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Why I Haven't Blogged In A Few Weeks..

Hey y'all!

I'm finally blogging after a short break! I've had so much going on that's needed my full attention that I've had to put this on the back burner, but I'm back now! Here's a little about what's been going on!


  • I started my last semester of college on Wednesday, August 25th!
  • I petitioned for graduation and was approved! 
  • We moved this past Saturday, and I've been helping get everything set up and put together.
  • Dallas and I are flying to Illinois this weekend for his aunt's wedding! (Expect a post with lots pictures!)


And that's about it! I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but it really is!

I'm sorry I haven't posted in awhile, and hopefully there won't be anymore long breaks like this!

I hope you've all had a wonderful few weeks, and remember...


Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Liebster Award & Who I'm Nominating!

Hey Y'all!

I was so graciously awarded the Liebster Award from Cassie @ SouthernBelleRamblings


Here are the rules: 

1. Post eleven facts about yourself
2. Answer the eleven questions provided by the person who nominated you, and then create an eleven-question set for the next group of nominees
3. Choose eleven people to nominate and link them in the post
4. Let your nominees know they've been tagged- and no tag-backs!
5. Nominate blogs under 200 followers

So, here are my 11 facts! 

1. I'm the youngest child of 3. I have two older brothers.
2. I'm a makeup junkie, I have way too much and I can never get rid of any of it.
3. I'm about to start my last semester of college, and I'll have a degree in Business Administration.
4. I took dance for 12 years. I started at 2 years old and stopped when I was 14!
5. I have never broken a bone.
6. I love big hair. The bigger the hair, the closer to God.
7. I'm obsessed with DIY Pinterest projects.
8. My favorite color is yellow.
9. D and I will have been engaged a total of 2 & 1/2 years before we get married.
10. I'm obsessed with dogs. I want them all.
11. I always have my nails painted. Always. 

Questions Cassie had for me!
1. What made you decide to start a blog? I really just wanted a place to express myself with words and pictures, while being able to meet a wonderful group of people!
2. What is your favorite topic to blog about? Oh, if I had to pick one I'd say probably wedding planning, but makeup/beauty products have a close second!
3. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Macaroni and Cheese, for sure. 
4. What is your favorite color? Yellow!
5. Where is your favorite place to shop? I really love Kohls, but I also find my best deals at a local thrift shop!
6. What is your favorite eyeshadow palette? I just recently got the Naked Palette, but I'm still in love with the Naked 2. 
7. Where is your dream vacation spot? I would really like to go to Destin, Florida! 
8. If you could go on a date with a celebrity, who would you pick? Brantley Gilbert!
9. What is your favorite Starbucks drink? White Chocolate Mocha!
10. How would you describe your style? I actually have no idea. I don't really have a specific "style." If I like something, I get it. I guess you could say, I'm pretty simple. The most drastic thing I would wear is probably a statement necklace or something!
11. What is your dream job? I think if I could do anything in the world, it would probably be to do makeup! 

Here are my questions for y'all!
1. If you could go back and tell yourself at 16 something, what would it be?
2. What is your #1 go-to beauty product?
3. Favorite vacation spot?
4. What would you do if you won the lottery?
5. What's your favorite movie?
6. How did you come up with your blogger name?
7. What's one of the best memories you have?
8. What is your favorite tv show?
9. What's your zodiac sign?
10. Do you have any tattoos/what are they? If not, would you get any/what would they be?
11. What is the biggest decision you've ever had to make?

Here are my nominee's! Let me know if you respond, I'd love to read your answers! 
Stephanie @ SouthernMess
Marshall @ TheTallBlonde
Molly @ MollyMac
Miss Southern Prep @ MissSouthernPrep
Cassie @ CassieThriftier
Jenni @ FranklyMyDear


Enjoy Ladies!


Friday, August 8, 2014

DIY Friday!

Currently listening to: The Resolution x Jacks Mannequin


Hey Y'all! 

So, I don't know about y'all but ever since Pinterest became a thing, all I want to do is the DIY stuff I see on there. So, I did a few! One of the projects I'm going to show is actually something my mama made me, and I amped it up even more! Let's get started!

First, I'll admit I love pictures. I want them hanging all over my walls, because they just make me happy! So, lately I've been obsessing over the canvas prints but when I look everywhere online they're like $50+.  
No thank you! I can find better ways to spend $50.00. So, I was thinking I bet there's a way to do this yourself. Well, luckily I have a wonderful new sister-in-law who has done these before! In fact, their guest book was one of their engagement photo's on a canvas and everyone signed it! I thought, what better way than to have someone experienced help me do it?! So, I went to her!

Here's what's really great about this DIY Project. It took about 20 minutes, and cost about $20. How awesome is that!?



I used two 16x20 Canvas' because Hobby Lobby had them on special, a pack of 2 for $7.99. One 8x10 is $3.99, so it's actually a better deal! Then, you'll need some Modpodge! Hobby Lobby had this smaller jar, which was more than enough, for $4.99! You'll also need a sponge brush like the one pictures below, they aren't very expensive and you can get them just about anywhere! If you have a smart phone, hobby lobby always has a 40% off coupon posted online, no matter what. So, using that I spent $10.00 total (tax included) on the canvases and modpodge! 

As far as the pictures go, I went to Sam's Club and at their kiosk you can print poster size pictures. I chose an 16x20 in the pictures below, and total that was about $12.00 (tax included.) This project total cost about $22.00! (I did have to slightly cut off around the edges of the photos because they were hanging off the canvas a little.)

*I forgot my camera at home, so forgive me because their aren't in-process pictures! Ah. I know! I'm awful, please forgive me! :( 

During the process, you'll take the canvas, and spread an even, thin layer of modpodge all around it. I spread it out in long vertical layers for the vertical picture and horiztonal lines for the horizontal picture! 
Place the picture on the canvas while the modpodge is still wet. (You're basically glueing the picture to the canvas. The back of the photo should be on the glue, DON'T glue the actual photo face down!) Then, I flipped my canvas upside down and laid a heavy book on top to make sure they stuck together! I let it sit for about 5 minutes until it was dry and the photo & canvas stuck together. Next, take the modpodge and again, do thin layers on the canvas. This time, however, you'll be putting it directly on the photo. Be sure not to put too much around the face area. The modpodge is what gives it the "canvas" look. I did two coats of modpodge on each of my canvases, but if you want to do more, feel free! Let it dry for about 15 minutes then taadaa! You have a photo canvas ready to hang! 

If this doesn't make sense, please leave a comment below and I will further explain/do another canvas to demonstrate! Here are my final products!





The next project is the one my mama made for me, and I amped up! 

I'm the kind of person that if I need to remember something, I HAVE to write it down. So, when I went off to college my mama made me this handy reminder for my dorm room! 




Cute, right? So, here's what you do! 

Take an old picture frame (we used the one with 4 panes, clearly) and you take the glass out. Next, you take pieces of magnetic material and super glue some pretty scrapbook paper to it! The piece of the backing that typically holds the picture against the glass in the frame will hold the magnet & scrapbook paper in place. That's it! Super simple, huh? 

Now the part I amped up, the magnets! Super easy, super cheap!
We bought these little sequined stickers at Walmart, and you hot glue them to pieces of magnets. (They sell circular or square ones at ant craft store.) 
For the button ones, you do the same thing! Find some cute, fun, bright colored buttons and hot glue them to the pieces of magnet! 

This makes for a great place to put reminders, a schedule, even pictures! You can hang it up with a command strip, or if you have a place to put a nail in the wall (I know most dorms don't) then you can hang it up that way as well! This works with any picture frame, not just the 4 pane ones!


I know it's all a little confusing because I don't have step by step pictures, but I hope I explained this well enough for you to understand! If not, let me know and I will do my best to help you in everyway possible!

Let me know if you end up trying this out!

Enjoy the rest of your Friday, and have a wonderful weekend!

Remember,


Wednesday, August 6, 2014

What's Better Than Love?

Hey Yall!

This is going to be a short post because I have to leave for work soon! I feel like it's all I do anymore, but that's okay. I enjoy my job so much, especially because I get to meet new people everyday and give back to the community!

So, on July 23rd it was mine & D's 3 year anniversary! It really doesn't seem like three years have passed! 

It feels just like yesterday I was a carefree 17 year old in high school just hanging out one night when I met a cute guy through a mutual friend. Little did I know that cute guy (who I tried NOT to seem interested in) would sweep me off my feet in just a few short days, and then propose to me after a year & a half of dating!

It's really an amazing thing when you finally find the one. You no longer think "I wonder where I'll be in 5 years" because you know exactly where you'll be. With him. I feel extremely blessed to be able to say I met my (soon-to-be) husband at 17 years old, and I feel even more blessed to know that we'll have so much time together in life! 

So, in honor of our three year anniversary and the fact that I'm so in love with him (and fall even more in love everyday) here's a small picture post of us throughout these past 3 years! 

Enjoy!



















Sunday, August 3, 2014

My First Time Couponing!

Hey, Hi, Hello!

I feel like I haven't blogged in awhile, and it's probably because I haven't. Oops! Sorry!

I've had so many things going on lately! So, here's a little update.

My summer semester of school is finishing up this week, I actually have an exam tomorrow morning. I've stayed busy with work, while also trying to find some kind of full time gig, mine and D's three year anniversary was on the 23rd, and his 23rd birthday was this past week!

Not many people know, but D and I have decided not to live together before marriage. We're traditional in some aspects, and that's one that really means a lot to us. That's another post for another time, though. Anyway, I'm still living with my parents and they're actually about to move which means so am I! So, on top of everything else keeping me busy, I'm packing up my life to move! It's good though, it's actually closer to D which is fine with me!

So, the main point of this post was to let ya'll know that I went couponing for my first time EVER on Thursday! I went with my friend Kristen, and it was actually so much fun! I didn't do the whole "extreme" thing, and my saving where a 44%. So, here's all about it and what I purchased!

At CVS (where I went) if you have the ExtraCare Card you can use it to get the deals they have, plus you can use manufacturers coupons! Not only that, but overtime you can earn what's called "ExtraCare Bucks" on your card, and use it towards future purchases. (If you're interested in that, let me know and I will try and explain into more detail in another post.)

So, because I had just signed up for my ExtraCare card, I unfortunately don't have any ExtraCare Bucks, yet!

Here is my purchase from Thursday:
The Caress body wash was buy one get one 50% off if you used your ExtraCare Card, and I have a manufacturers coupon for $1.00 off of one. They're each over $6.00 so I paid $8.00 for two versus retail of almost $13.00 for two. I had a coupon for those razors, they were $10.00 for a pack of four, and I had a manufacturers coupon for $3.00 off. So, I got 4 good quality razors for less than $7.00! The St. Ives lotions were Buy One Get One 50% off. These retail at over $8.00 PER BOTTLE. I paid $8.00 for two, because I had a Buy One Get One Free coupon, instead of their sale, and they smell AMAZING. The conditioner I got was $2.50, and I had $1.50 off, so I paid $1.00 for conditioner! They had Wet & Wild nail polish for $2.99, buy one get one half off. I got two of those, and gave one to Kristen. Next, they had Revlon Lip Colors for BOGO 50% off, $9.00 for two as opposed to $13.00 for two. The next lip color is from Maybelline, and it was $7.00 retail, and I paid $5.00 with a $2.00 off coupon. Lastly, I got the Voluminous Butterfly Mascara it was normally around $7 or $8.00, and I had a $2.00 off coupon. 

Total with tax I spent about $40.00.

But that wasn't enough for me, I think I'm hooked! 




I went back on Friday because after looking at coupons.com, I realized they had just added a $2.00 off coupon for ONE of the St. Ives lotions. I went back and got two more of those, $9.00 for both when each usually retails at $8.00. Then, I noticed that Wet & Wild had their eyeshadows Buy One Get One Half Off, they retail at $2.99 each, so I bought one of those and got another one for $1.50, then I purchasd the blush and it was $3.99. I had no coupon, HOWEVER... if you have an ExtraCare Card, you can scan your card in store at the kiosk and print coupons RIGHT THERE! I signed up for emails from CVS, and when I did they automatically added $3.00 to my card, so when I went to check out I got another $3.00 off. 

Total with tax and all was $16.00! 

Sidenote: I really want to do a first impressions video of the products I bought so be on the lookout for that in the next few weeks! 

So, that's just my first experience using coupons! It was wonderful, and I am seriously hooked! I'll probably never be an extreme couponer, but it's definitely fun to get a good deal! 

I'm going to continue doing it and sharpen my skills, that way when D and I get married in 9 MONTHS!!! (Sorry, overly excited moment!)  we can save money on groceries and necessities that we will need! 

Have any of you ever couponed? Leave a comment below letting me know what/where you find the best deals on/at, and if you have any tips on couponing for beauty products or personal care items, please let me know!

Have a great start to your week, and remember...