Monday, June 30, 2014

posting schedule: summer 2014.



Well, folks, I did it! I blogged every single day in June, & it feels great! To read more about my thoughts on June Blogs, check out my post from Saturday. As I mentioned in that post, I felt like I needed to create & commit to a blogging schedule. And as you may have guessed from the graphic above, that is exactly what I did. For a more detailed look at this new blogging schedule, read on!

SUNDAY - As most of you know, Sunday is the day that I reserve for the weekly link-up that I host: The Sunday Currently. With the new blogging schedule, this day will remain the same: there will continue to be a new edition of The Sunday Currently every single Sunday, at 12 noon. Come link up if you'd care to share what you've had going on recently.
MONDAY - Monday will play host to two different genres of posts: those of a goal-oriented nature, or those of a personal nature. What kind of posts can you expect to see in the "Goals" category? The Nectar Collective's Weekly Wishes link up, an edition of my Things posts at the beginning of each month, or any other smattering of goal-related items. I've decided on an every-other-week frequency for my linking with the Weekly Wishes crew, because I felt a little bit rushed with only having one week's time for each set of three goals. I think having two weeks to accomplish those things will help to decrease my stress levels. Personal posts will be what they've always been: little snippets of life, thoughts, reflections, etc.  
TUESDAY - If you love posts about organization, Tuesday will be your favorite day around here. Thanks to the wonderful Organized Jen, I have, over the last year or so, reignited my love of organization, planning, & routines. Examples of past organization posts can be found here, & they serve as a good guideline of things to come. In addition, I will also be using Tuesday to post about any projects - knitting, crochet, or otherwise - that I have going on. 
WEDNESDAY - This is photo day! For quite a while, I have used Wednesdays to showcase my array of snapshot posts, which are often the product of either travel or of toting my DSLR around Wilmington, pretending to be a tourist. You'll also find around here lately posts in this slot, which is the way I share & recap my recent Instagram photos. Personal posts are also an option on this day, but I foresee this as housing mostly photo posts. I wanted to leave the option open to just pour my heart out on a random Wednesday, if needed, though. 
THURSDAY - On Thursdays around here, you can expect to find outfit boards, a la Cozy Thursday, beauty product boards like these past wish lists, &, well, any other kind of collage board you can think of. In addition, Thursdays will also house my empties posts, playlists, subsequent editions of recent reading, & more. I'm still dreaming up new series for this section, so be on the look out!  
FRIDAY - In addition to my Weekender posts, I've created a new genre of posts for this space: Improvement. This category encompasses the world of health & fitness, & I plan to share a lot more on those topics in the future. 
SATURDAY - No posts on Saturday around here. This is my re-charge day.

As you can see, this schedule dictates that I will be posting every day of the week other than Saturday. I am committing to that rhythm for the time being, but please know that this schedule may change in the future, as I will be starting Grad School in the Fall. If the schedule does change, however, I will post an updated one! 

You may also have noted that Personal appears on every single day, except for Sundays, which are for The Sunday Currently, & Saturday, which is my day off. Personal posts look a lot like this. Or this. Or this. I wanted to leave the option open for those posts on pretty much any day, because they are some of my very favorite posts to write, & also some of my very favorite types of posts to read on other peoples' blogs. 

So there you have it! That will be my blogging schedule for the foreseeable future. As I mentioned earlier, this schedule may change in the coming months, but I will post an update when that happens. I love the idea of having a more structured blogging routine, & I hope you do, too. This will also serve as a guide for any of you to know when the kind of content you're most interested in will be popping up around these parts. So you see, it's a win-win!

Do you have a posting schedule? What does it look like? Please share! And also note: I will soon be sharing my blog-writing & social media management schedules, if you're interested in seeing how I'm getting organized with scheduling posts & such. Those posts will be up on a Tuesday in the near future!

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!

Sunday, June 29, 2014

the sunday currently, volume 93.

scenes from yesterday: a trip to the aquarium
& a beautiful, rainy, relaxing carolina afternoon

The rain has been coming down intermittently for the past couple of days, & I really do love it. It's been a long time since we've gotten this much rain in Wilmington, & when I'm able to stay indoors & watch movies from the comfort of my couch, it really is one of my favorite things. 

Since my MIL arrived in town on Tuesday, we've been keeping busy. And today, I am off early to take care of some errands, as well as to have my beloved Sunday biscuit. I do believe we intend to spend an afternoon downtown, eating lunch & perusing the shops. 

C U R R E N T L Y . . .

R E A D I N G  Emma, by Jane Austen, though I have read very little this week. My MIL & I have been keeping busy, & Justin is off for a four-day weekend, so we have been exploring Wilmington. I'm looking forward to getting back into reading again, starting today.
W R I T I N G  about my June Blogs experience yesterday made me happy. I'm so glad that it went better than Blaugust... & truthfully, even better than Blog Every Day In May. I'm even happier about the new blogging schedule that has been born out of this experience, as well as the creative release I've experienced by putting out a post I'm proud of every single day of the month. And, of course, I'll be putting one more up tomorrow.
L I S T E N I N G  to Frank Sinatra radio on Pandora a lot lately, especially while getting ready in the morning. Nothing is more soothing than the voices of Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Buble, &, of course, Frank Sinatra himself. 
T H I N K I N G  that I loved our movie marathon yesterday: Rush, Match Point, & Argo, which we watched after our visit to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher yesterday afternoon. With all the rain that's been happening in Wilmington this week, the only logical choice of activity is a movie marathon, obviously.
S M E L L I N G  like Oahu Coconut Sunset, from Bath & Body Works, ever since my French Lavender & Honey ran out [I MISS IT]. Since I have three coupons for a free signature product starting in July, I think I know what I'll be getting [three large FL & H body sprays].
W I S H I N G  I was a naturally more talkative person. Sometimes I'm just quiet, & I wish it came naturally to me to talk a lot. Also wishing I hadn't had a headache for the past few days. Also wishing my hair didn't turn into a giant pile of frizz every time it's a rainy day. 
H O P I N G  my Sunday biscuit is as delicious as I've made it out to be for the past few days. My healthy living changes have been a little difficult for me for the past few days, though I haven't wavered from my resolve. In fact, I haven't had bread or sweets since May 31. I'm proud of myself, but I've been craving donuts, Oreo Blizzards, & pizza almost daily... & I don't even like pizza that much. Soon I will be writing about the changes I've implemented to my diet & fitness routines, & how those changes have made me feel.
W E A R I N G  the clothes in my closet a lot more lately. I know that sounds silly,  but I've been trying to really utilize all the pieces I've collected over the years to create fresh, new outfits. It's making me feel better about myself - more put together - & I am loving it!
L O V I N G  that my very first OT School semester schedule has been finalized! I will be taking five classes, & the academic nerd in me is anxious to begin. I've already been playing around with daily routine scheduling & such. Yes, I am that person. And as sad as I am to be leaving Wilmington, I'm also excited to get settled in our new town.
W A N T I N G  to up my DSLR skills. We've been having a little bit of trouble with the auto-focus on our Nikon, & I think it's because I played around with the settings & messed them up. I guess I'm just going to have to add that to my list of things to research.
N E E D I N G  to get a little delivery ready to go in the mail tomorrow, as well as to do the dishes. And probably vacuum, though I am thinking that's going to be put off until a couple of days from now. 
F E E L I N G  tired... again this week. How many times do I answer this question in this manner? I need to start going to bed a little earlier. I have been pushing myself to wake up early, but I haven't moved my bed time up at all. That makes for some sleepy afternoons.
C L I C K I N G  this amazing piece of writing by Laken.

this week's posts:




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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!

Saturday, June 28, 2014

thoughts on blogging every day in june.

At the end of May, I declared that I would be blogging every day in June. And of course, I wondered if it was going to pan out like my experience of blogging every day in May, or my experience of blogging every day in August. I was scared of burning out, I was scared I wouldn't actually meet the goal of blogging all thirty days [which, with today being the 28th, I still haven't - yet], I was scared it was going to make me kind of hate blogging, like my Blaugust experience did.

Because when you commit to blogging every day in a given month, I think two outcomes are possible, the first being that you are ultra-inspired, that your blogging rhythm is reset, that you come out the other end feeling fresh & inspired. The second, well, I'm sure you can guess: you're completely burnt out, you feel stretched too thin, & then you go on a blogging hiatus.

I am so happy to report that I am coming out of the June Blogs experience a happier, more inspired blogger. I have genuinely enjoyed putting together my posts each day, even though my goal of getting two weeks ahead with scheduled posts did not come to fruition. As a person who loves scheduling & routines, it brought me joy to make blogging a priority again, & to treat it as part of my daily regimen.

Also, this month has taught me a few things:
1. I need some professional help with my blog layout & design. I've been wrestling with the looks around this space for a long, long time. Longer than I care to admit. But recently, I've begun making plans to change that, & I am beyond excited about what is in this works for this space, in that regard. I'll go ahead & tell you one of the changes, & that is that I will be moving this space over to WordPress, & siddathornton will finally become a dot com. The name of this space is also going to be slightly altered, but as I said, the address will still fall under "siddathornton," & all of my social media will remain under the "siddathornton" handle... Ok, I'm getting ahead of myself. I will be posting more about this in the distant future.
2. I need to make & commit to a consistent blogging schedule. Done & done. On Monday, I'll be sharing my new posting schedule with y'all.
3. I need to remember how fun blogging can be. Blogging affords me the chance to capitalize on my own, true voice & identity. It's my space to share myself, to examine my life, to celebrate, to ponder, to wonder... aloud, to others. And then, the feedback. The friendships. The advice. The wisdom I feel is unique to this community. Blogging is fun, at its core.
4. I need to stop being so hard on myself. My photos aren't perfect? It's ok. I haven't picked up my DSLR in a couple weeks? It's ok. My layout & design aren't where I want them to be at the moment? It's ok.
5. Imperfect things are perfect. See above. As I've said a million times, blogging is a fluid thing. And things that are changing & growing are often imperfect. And that is ok.
Lastly, here are a few of my favorite posts from this month:

i choose the light
cozy thursday: last week of spring
spring 2014 empties
early rising: the joyful truth

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!

Friday, June 27, 2014

a few things.



old postcards in a castle street antique shop

Well, today has been a day mainly consisting of antiquing. We started out with lunch at Atlanta Bread, which is a place I've grown to really adore over the past couple of years here in Wilmington. After a quick lap around the Mayfaire Town Center, we trekked over to The Ivy Cottage, which is - hands down - our favorite antique shop in town. The selection, the reasonable pricing, the complimentary coffee... add in that it was raining & thundering as we explored, & you have a little glimpse into my perfect kind of day. Then, it was on to Castle Street, where we browsed a shop we had never been in before. Now we've come home for a little breather before we head out for dinner this evening. All in all, a lovely day.

I just wanted to pop in on this gloomy, rainy Friday afternoon to share a few things with all of you. 

- I've been obsessed with crochet lately, & I'm currently working on a single-crochet scarf made out of "Fort Worth Blue" yarn. I may look up a pattern next & try my hand at that. Or, I may just make a double-crochet scarf.

- After reading about Heather Wardell's morning routine, I've decided to incorporate Morning Pages into my daily routine. I think it will be an excellent stress-relieving exercise.

- I've been drinking out of my elephant mug from Kelsey a lot lately. It makes me happy. What have I been drinking out of it? Creme brûlée coffee, black, with one Stevia in the Raw.

- Today, my schedule of classes for my first semester of Occupational Therapy School was finalized. I am BEYOND excited, & I can't wait until school starts! I'll be writing more about this soon.

- Similarly, our move to Greenville is coming up soon, which I also plan to write about. We are hiring movers for the first time ever, which definitely takes some of the stress out of the equation.

- Two years ago, my sister was in Paris, studying abroad with Millsaps College. She wrote a journal while there, & it's available to read here. That is what is on the docket for me this afternoon.

What are you up to today? What's on your mind? Tell me in the comments! Tomorrow's post will include my thoughts on blogging every day in June. See you then, & happy weekend!

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!

Thursday, June 26, 2014

on my nails: pastel beach hues.





Yellow is one of my favorite colors. I love its bright, cheery quality. I like the way it infuses "sunshine" into anything it touches. But sometimes, I feel like nothing really compares with the pastels that can be found at the beach. The teals found in both the water & the sky; the sandstone, putty, vanilla creams that are found in the sand; the stark white of the cresting waves; the gray infused throughout. Beach colors come in washed-out, faded glory. And I can't think of anything I'd rather have on my fingernails [or toenails, for that matter].

Not long ago, Julep contacted me & prompted me to share with my readers, what my ultimate nail polish color would be. And as you can see, I was a bit indecisive. When I read their email, though, the beach immediately popped into my mind, & I knew I would want to draw colors out of one of the multitudes of beach photos I've taken since moving to the East Coast. And, as you can see above, that is exactly what I did.

So, my ideal nail polish color? Any of the hues you could possibly suss out of the above photo, but most especially those eight swatches that sit below it. From sea foam-y teals, to the lightest of periwinkle blues, to creamy, vanilla, beige-y [you can see why I don't name colors, right?] goodness, I would proudly [and obsessively] don any of these, were they bottled up & delivered to me.

What would your ideal polish be? Would it liken itself to my airy pastels, or would it be shockingly bright? Please do share. And while you're at it, go check out Julep's beautiful color selection here.

photo from the siddathornton archives - 

If you would like to see one of these colors turn into 
a real Julep nail polish, go enter their sweepstakes
Every time one of my readers enters, that puts my name in the pot 
for being able to create my own custom polish. This could be fun!

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!

Post contains affiliate links, but this is not a sponsored post. I just thought this was cool! All opinions are genuinely my own.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

jackson snapshot: graduation.

Last week, we got to re-experience the joy that was Baccalaureate. Now, we're moving onward & upward to GRADUATION! Graduation was held bright & early on Saturday morning, at Christ United Methodist Church, which is quite a beautiful venue.



the crowd building before the graduation service started.
of course we had to take some selfies.
and here's a goofy one for you. you're welcome.



of course this is a bit pixellated, but i had to get a candid!



i love both of these photos very much.



post-graduation photos



we did a campus walk-through, as well as class re-enactment, as well.

Want to see more from Graduation Weekend?

Next Wednesday, I'll be sharing one of my very favorite parts of graduation weekend - a post-graduation trip to Fondren with my mom & Kara, as well as a happy hour well-spent in the lodge of the Cabot. I'm looking forward to sharing that.

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

early rising: the joyful truth.



Well, I finally did it: I got up when my alarm went off bright & early at 6:15 this morning. It's now 7:34, & I've already read my daily Bible plan, had a cup of coffee, watched some YouTube, & started on my daily water consumption. Oh, & did a tiny bit of journaling. Today is off to a good start, & I credit that entirely to dragging myself out of bed immediately.

If you would have told me four years ago, that I would be rising at 6:15 a.m. by choice, I would have laughed in your face. Back then, I got up for work at the last minute almost every single morning, rushed getting ready, & generally felt disheveled & haphazard. I wasn't happy with that aspect of my life, but I had no desire to change it, because to me, getting up really early in the morning was the worst thing ever. 

If you would have told me eight years ago, that I would be out of bed at 6:15 a.m. just because I wanted to, & despite having no job, I would have definitely laughed in your face. At that point in my life, I professed that 10 o'clock was my favorite time to wake up, & to me, that was early. I purposefully scheduled my classes to where I wouldn't have to rise before that time. And on the occasion that I did have to take a dreaded 8 o'clock class, I often missed it. 

So, to say that I've turned over a new leaf, & that I have different priorities, & that I value productivity over a couple more hours' worth of sleep, is the joyful truth. There is something in pulling yourself out of bed while most of the world around you is still tucked in & sleeping, that makes it feel extra special. And I cherish every day that I manage to rise this early. Above that, I hope that one day, it's the time that I wake up, consistently, every day of the week.

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!

Monday, June 23, 2014

weekly wishes three.



Good morning! I am up bright & early this morning, with a to-do list nearly a mile long. Our first visitor [Justin's mom!] arrives tomorrow, so the apartment has a couple of finishing touches needed, like a good vacuum. Also, we have a moving company coming to give us an estimate later this morning, for our move to Greenville [which I'm soon going to share more about!]. Those things things will probably keep me pretty busy, but I also need to get a workout in there somewhere... Let's kick everything off with another installment of Weekly Wishes.

LAST WEEK'S WISHES

1. Get caught up with Bible reading. Well, I have finally gotten caught back up, & I am vowing to never fall quite so far behind ever again. Reading the Bible has become such a peaceful, relaxing part of my day, & I look forward to having the entire thing read by next March.  
2. Sort & store all of our photos. This did not happen. I don't know why I have such a block against this particular project, but that doesn't change the fact that I need to get it done before my computer decides to crash again.
3. Take some time out to relax. Mission accomplished! Last week was pretty great: the perfect combination of relaxation & productivity. I'm hoping for another week just like it.

THIS WEEK'S WISHES

1. Keep the house neat & tidy. With a clean house under our belts, it's important to me to keep it that way. I've really been taking pride in our place, & simple joys like that should always be appreciated.
2. Work out every single day. I've been doing really well with this, & I want to keep it up.
3. Write & read a little bit every day. My novel, my journals, books, blogs, blog posts... there is a lot to be written & read this week.

The Nectar Collective

What are your Weekly Wishes? Go share on 
The Nectar Collective, or simply leave me a comment below!



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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!

Sunday, June 22, 2014

the sunday currently, volume 92.



summer is blooming around here;
the crepe myrtles have begun making appearances.

Good morning! And Happy Summer! I'm coming to you with a somewhat hastily-written edition of The Sunday Currently this morning. Justin & I went to see Edge of Tomorrow last night [which I actually ended up liking a lot more than I thought I would], & we didn't get in until late. Lately, I've been drafting my posts on Saturday afternoons, but alas, I didn't get to do that this week. My apologies for a bit of a truncated version this week. 

As soon as I am finished with this post, Justin & I are heading out for breakfast - hopefully at Dixie Grill, since we had Jimbo's yesterday morning. Here's to a happy weekend!

C U R R E N T L Y . . .

R E A D I N G  Emma, by Jane Austen, which I'm excited about, as I have never read it before. 
W R I T I N G  a ridiculous amount of ridiculously long to-do lists lately. We have a move coming up, which I plan to write a little more about soon.
L I S T E N I N G  to the hum of the fan. I'm writing this edition of The Sunday Currently quite early on this Sunday morning. Lately, I've been writing & scheduling them ahead of time, but this one is being written in real time. Every once in a while, I can hear a lone car going down the street outside our window, but that's it. 
T H I N K I N G  that I've been having the weirdest dreams lately, & they haven't been all that good. Sometimes, dreams can be draining. Also, that I've been loving June Blogs, & that it has really jump-started my blogging motivation, which I am ever-so-thankful for.
S M E L L I N G  our American Boardwalk candle, just like last week. Justin thinks it smells like coffee, but I think it smells like caramel corn. Either way, we bot know that it just plain smells good.
W I S H I N G  it was easier for me to wake up super early every morning. 
H O P I N G  for a delicious breakfast, heavy on the coffee, as soon as I've finished this post.
W E A R I N G  pajama shorts that I got on a trip to Charlotte a couple of years ago, as well as one of my favorite t-shirts.
W A N T I N G  a steaming cuppa joe, as well as a biscuit with grape jelly.
N E E D I N G  to relax today, as well as finish the laundry.
F E E L I N G  tired, though proud of myself for trudging out of bed. I still have squinty-eyes. WAKE UP.

Now, it's off for breakfast. Bring on that coffee. For real.

this week's posts:

Care to link up? Join in below!



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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!

Saturday, June 21, 2014

spring 2014 empties.



Happy Summer! Today marks the Summer Solstice, which is the official beginning of the Summer season. To celebrate, I thought I would share with you all the products that I have gone through in the Spring season. I'm a little surprised at how few products I used up, but I suppose that's a good thing. Read on to see what I've been using!
1. Bath & Body Works Triple Moisture Body Cream in Honey Sweetheart - As you can see in the photo, I actually went through two tubes of this body cream. This is my favorite moisturizer formulation from Bath & Body Works - it is thick, creamy, & rich. I applied it every time I got out of the shower, & the scent often lingered through the night & into the next day. I don't think this scent family is available at Bath & Body Works anymore [they always discontinue my favorite scents], but it can be found on Amazon.
2. Bath & Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist in French Lavender & Honey - I discovered this scent family when my sister was in town in mid-May, & it has quickly become one of my all-time favorite Bath & Body Works scents! I picked up a travel-size fine fragrance mist, & it was empty by the beginning of June. It's such a fresh, sweet, comforting scent, & I found myself pulled to choose it out of my large body spray collection every time. I plan to pick up a regular-sized fragrance mist, as well as the eau de parfum - that's how much I love it!  
3. Pink Body Lotion in Warm & Cozy -  Out of all the Pink fragrances, this is my all-time favorite, though I also enjoy Fresh & Clean. I started using this lotion at the end of Winter, & I finished it up in mid-Spring. I would suggest it as a wonderful, cozy - ha! - Winter scent. I will be revisiting it - & probably repurchasing it - when the cooler months are upon us again.
4. OGX Conditioner in Nourishing Coconut Milk - This is my Summer shampoo/conditioner scent of choice right now. It's quite coconut-y, but it could also pass for a delicious caramel corn scent, while I love. Since I color my hair, I like that this formula is sulfate-free, allowing my color to remain vibrant longer. As usual, due to my thick, dry hair, I have gone  through the conditioner component before the shampoo component, so I'm still working through the shampoo. I like these, & I plan to repurchase through the Summer months, before I transition over to my Fall picks. 
5. CVS Clear Spray Sunscreen SPF 70  - This sunscreen lasted me forever - there was clearly a lot of product in there. This sunscreen was pretty average, though I have to say it was quite greasy. I am planning to try out some Neutrogena varieties in the future, so I probably will not repurchase this.
6. Studio 35 Makeup Remover Towlettes - I've gotten these in a pinch before, which is exactly what happened this time around. I really do not like these - I do not find them to be moist enough. I'm going to try to stick with my tried & true favorites, the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes, so I do not plan to repurchase these.  
7. Bath Body Works Shower Gel in Amber Blush -  I went into Bath & Body Works hoping to score a shower gel in the Sensual Amber scent, & that is when I discovered that the scent family had been discontinued. Frustrated, I grabbed the Amber Blush scent, thinking it may be similar. It's not, really. It's a lot more fruity-smelling, & it's not my favorite. Therefore, I would not repurchase this.
8. White Cloud Cotton Rounds - These are great basics to have on hand for removing nail polish, as well as applying toner. I will definitely repurchase these!


So, there you have it - the products I used up in Spring of 2014. Have you used any of these products? Would you purchase them again? I plan to do empties posts for each season, at the end of the season, from now on. It's fun to see what others have gone through, so please do let me know in the comments which products you have used up lately, & if you are running out to pick them up again. And if you've written a similar blog post, leave that in the comments as well, so I can check it out!

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!


This post contains affiliate links, but all opinions & professions of love are genuinely my own. This is not a sponsored post.

Friday, June 20, 2014

weekender.

Well, I have to say: this has been a really great week. Despite not getting everything crossed off my to-do list just yet, I've been humming along at a nice clip. I've just been happy. I've felt like I could take on the world. I've reverted back into my blogging rhythm of the glory days. I'm excited to share & I'm excited to be inspired by what others share. And once this post is up, I'll be headed out to conquer my to-do list for the day, which I know will make me feel amazing. So, here's to Friday productivity. 

This weekend has been dubbed "relaxation weekend" for us here at the C Residence. We plan to do some laundry, watch some movies, vacuum the floors, & hit some golf balls. I'm certain that you could also go ahead & throw in some breakfasts out as well, because that is always on the docket around these parts. Since we will have visitors from this coming Tuesday, until after the Fourth of July, we need to take this time to be lazy & get our abode in tip-top shape. We are greatly looking forward to having our guests, & this weekend is the perfect time to prepare!

beach reading:
- Kristin, over at Challenge Accepted, shared Regina's How to Launch a Blog on a Budget, which I found very enlightening, since I'm currently working on ramping up my blogging efforts.
- As you may have noticed, I've started working with affiliate links, & I found Regina's 10 Non-icky Ways to Make Money Blogging equally enlightening.
- I adore posts about others' daily routines & schedules, & I really enjoyed this one from The College Prepster, & this one even moreso.

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!

Thursday, June 19, 2014

cozy thursday: last week of spring.

cozy thursday: last week of spring


In case you didn't know, this Saturday, June 21, is the Summer Solstice, which means we are currently wrapping up the very last week of Spring 2014. I wanted to celebrate that fact by pulling together a festive, floral look I'd happily don while running around town doing errands, or meeting some girlfriends in the early evening for a couple of outdoor drinks. 

When I saw this embroidered striped cotton top from Suno, I had to actively prevent myself from wielding my credit card & having it overnighted to my doorstep. I love the soft, feminine detailing, as well as the conservative cut [and it has an exposed zipper on the back, which I love]. It just looks like a breathable, airy top that I could wear basically 24/7. As for bottoms, I went with classic, vibrant denim skinnies from Rag & Bone. They are no-nonsense, & they are perfect for layering with such a show-stealing top. For the feet, I chose the Seychelles Holdin' My Breath beauties in Dark Brown, though I would love to fill my closet with all seven shades available. I love these sandals, because they remind me of my grandmother, who had a gorgeous pair of white look-alikes, though they were slip-ons - no buckle. Having professed myself as a studs girl for the past few years, I have slowly been dipping my toes into the pool that is dangly earrings. And I have to say, these hammered gold-plated stunners from Kenneth Jay Lane could definitely find their way inside my jewelry box. I love hammered gold anything, really. To top it all off, I'd apply a swipe of my currently favorite lip gloss: NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Beige - which, as you may know, is not beige - it's the perfect pink. 

It's been quite a long time since my last outfit post, & as I have re-evaluated my goals & wishes for this space, I realized it was time to bring them back. You will see outfit posts under the title Cozy Thursday around here every once in a while. They won't pop up every week, but only when I am feeling the pull to Fashion Land [is that a real place?]. When I do post a Cozy Thursday look, I will be linking it up with Alison from {long distance loving}, since her Friday's Fancies posts are what launched me into the world of creating fun, inspiring outfit boards.

That's all for today. Join me here tomorrow for another edition of my long-lost Weekender posts. And don't forget to enjoy the last week of Spring!

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!


This post contains affiliate links, but all opinions & professions of love are genuinely my own. This is not a sponsored post.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

jackson snapshot: baccalaureate.

Last Wednesday, I offered you a little peek into a Friday that Justin & I spent in Jackson with Kara. Why were we in Jackson, you ask? Well, it was Kara's graduation weekend, of course! If you'd like to be caught up to speed on the events of Friday day time, which of course included scary panda cupcakes & traipsing through a monsoon, then by all means, see its corresponding post. Because now, we're soldiering on to one of the weekend's main events: Baccalaureate.



mom & i sat next to each other - we misbehaved, as usual.
doesn't justin's bag match his outfit perfectly?
me with my parents.



us with the graduate.
i really, really love this photo of us.
dinner at babalu - one of my favorites in jackson.



candids at the dinner table.
kara's celebration with cake in the lobby of the cabot.
looking at this cake is making my mouth water - it was beyond delicious.



after our little party in the hotel lobby, 
everyone else went to bed while i traipsed 
out to fenian's with kara, for a night of dancing & live music.

Want to see more from Graduation Weekend?

Next week will feature the big kahuna event of the weekend: GRADUATION!

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!

the back and forth.

Justin had to turn on the air conditioner again last night.  It's October 26 - doesn't that mean the heater can stay on? Doesn't...