Category: hairstyle

Friday Goodies {Giveaway!}

Oh I love a good late-summer, early-Autumn weekend.
The weather! The clothes! The golden sunlight!
I have discovered my new favorite Indian summer drink, friends. 
 MAPLE ITALIAN CREAM SODA
 Amazingly delicious. Just use a shot glass full of maple syrup (~1 1/2 oz.) and half a shot glass of half-and-half (~3/4 oz.), lots of ice, and fill with sparkling water. Stir really well, and enjoy! 
{add whipped cream if you’re feeling indulgent}

I found it amusing to see this “Tousled Topknot” in Seventeen’s September issue.
And since it’s the weekend, it’s totally time for a pretty treat…
Flowers + GF treat + Gorgeous Gifted Cakestand. Feelin’ so loved! <3
I GET TO GIVE A PACK TO ONE OF YOU! 
I’m so excited, because I know you will be excited to win these cards.
Just leave me a comment and I will enter you into the random drawing!
{U.S. only, sorry. entry closes Monday at midnight. If you comment using a Mobile device, it won’t show up here but I’ll still see it! Technical difficulties…}
Thanks, Dayspring!
Have a great weekend, friends! 

Ladylike Lace

Someone told me I looked like I should be walking down the streets of Paris in this outfit.
Sounds good to me! Laduree and the Louvre and L’Opera Paris are all missing me. 

Until then, I can walk around the streets of my New England town and say, “Oui,” and “Non,” and shake my head a lot. That seemed to be how the Parisians do things. Oui?

Fingernails a’la TiffaMade! Gah I love them. So like the colors of the macarons at Laduree.
{darling website; do visit it. and, of course, the Paris tea room is stunning, too}
For my hair, I tried one large victory roll on the back. It’s sort of like a reverse Gibson tuck. 
Maybe it’s a Natalie tuck. Or a Natalie roll. It’s a Natalie Tuck & Roll. 
There.
Sounds so sophisticated, non? 
😉
Style Secrets: Necklace: Target, Blouse: Kohls, Belt: Claire’s, Skirt: BCBG, thrifted, Heels: Consignment store 

xo!


Happiness

Gosh vacation makes me feel so happy.
Mint green makes me feel so happy.
Family makes me feel so happy & loved. 
Coffee definitely makes me feel happy.
Doesn’t it feel good to be happy?
To feel loved, happy, and free inside your heart?
You know what I mean?
For such a long time, I didn’t know what that freedom inside my heart felt like, even though I still thought I was “happy”. 

But freedom? It feels different from happy. It is this amazing mix of calmness from such a deep well, and this utter freedom to explore and dream and do and love…to shine for Christ…nothing holding you back inside your heart.

It’s utterly stunning to experience. 
And it’s only from Christ that I can ever say I feel freedom in my heart. 
Only, ever, always Jesus. 
Words for my heart:
Words for your heart:
“Let your love, God, shape my life
with salvation, exactly as you promised; 
Then I’ll be able to stand up to mockery
because I trusted your Word. 
Don’t ever deprive me of truth, not ever-
your commandments are what I depend on.
Oh, I’ll guard with my life what you’ve revealed to me,
guard it now, guard it ever;
and I’ll stride freely through wide open spaces
as I look for your truth and wisdom;
Then I’ll tell the world what I find,
speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed.
I cherish your commandments-oh, how I love them!–
relishing every fragment of your counsel.“
Psalm 119:41-48
{the message}
These words, my dear ones. 
Let these words soak your spirit in healing and encouragement.

There’s not much more I can say, because those words feel so weighty and yet so weightless to my heart tonight.

xo

Braid Failure

I’m compelled to admit it: I tried a Katniss braid. 
And I failed. 
I can’t even do something so simple as a wildly popular teenage-film hairstyle.
You see, the french braid across the back of the head diagonally is actually supposed to be an inside-out french braid, not a regular one. Oops.

Negative points for trying to be a teenager again.

Especially when I have no real idea who Katniss is other than that she’s somehow related to the Hunger Games. 
But all of that aside, I loved this mix of colors and textures for spring. A sequined tank top, patterned cardi, and wool tulip skirt and some cowboy boots. 
Style Secrets
Hair tie: Local artist
Necklace: Lucky
Sunnies: Local store
Sequin Tank Top: Talbots, via friend
Cardigan: Target
Skirt: H&M
Boots: Thrifted

Velvet Blazer

I remembered this velvet blazer just in the knick of time. I wanted to be sure to get a wear in before the weather turns warm again. And let me tell you, the day I wore this it was NOT warm. But I love the heavy velvet mixed with a spring-like color combination.
Style Secrets
Earrings: F21
Tee: J.Crew, thrifted
Blazer: Thrifted
Jeans: Tag sale
Scarf: Thrifted
Boots: Tag sale
Coat: Thrifted

Monday Mid Day



Ribbons in hair: I wore ribbons in my braids this weekend, and it is my new favorite. Reminded me of being a schoolgirl, and how much I simply adored picking out new ribbons for the new school year. Boy, did I have a collection! I always had a ribbon or giant bow in my hair. Bonus: I saw an elderly woman with a ribbon in her hair, too! Adorable!


Shoes: Totally love these shoes Lauren Conrad wore to the Veuve Cliquot Polo Classic….

{not my photo…found on Tumblr}

New Favorite Gluten-Free Lunch: Cedar’s Black Bean Salad and Sweet Potato Fries (they MUST be Ore-Ida)

And Monday is almost a wrap, folks! Where did the day go?! 

Monday Mid Day

 Monday Mid-Day Pick-me-ups!! Not that I need a pick-me-up. I’m pretty darn happy! 😀

A free song: 

Cloverton’s “Take Me into the Beautiful” I posted a few Mondays ago is the free song download on K-Love this week! Click here to download to your iTunes!

 
An awesome hair-styling product:

                 Mom, this one’s for you. The Aveda Confixer is really expensive, but I scoured the shelves at a few stores to find this one, which I believe is very close, and at least $5 cheaper (though still a bit of a splurge!). It’s a fantastic liquid gel that you put on prior to styling.

Thrift Store Scores of the Weekend: {you’ll be seeing these in outfit posts soon!}

Have a beautiful and happy Monday! I have a Weekend-to-Work for you this week, so get excited! 

A Picnic Dress

I saw this dress at Target and I knew it had to be mine. It is the perfect picnic dress! And the boy and I have a perfect little picnic spot that’s just ours. The dress fits the fingertip rule, but of course, is also pretty floaty, and needed a pair of shorts underneath.
Style Secrets
Sunnies: Local Boutique
Necklace: Lucky
Cardi: Target
Dress: Target
Shorts: Soffe
Sandals: Target (wore my croc mary-janes for exploring)