Happy Valentine's Day

As I have said before, Valentine's Day is about more than being in a relationship. It is about showing all of your loved ones how much they mean to you!

However, today marks 1 month until mine and Dave's wedding. Whoa! So to make today special I am going crazy with hearts and anything red and pink! To top it off, I have tried to keep it as healthy as possible (with a few splurges). Afterall, I have a tight dress and a honeymoon bikini to rock in 1 month!

This morning I surprised D with breakfast in bed. Which means I get to eat in bed too...score! I used this Perfect Fit recipe from the makers of Tone It Up for the cinnamon rolls. I had never made them before but I can say they are delicious. I promise you won't miss the sugar high from a traditional cinnamon roll :) To make the heart shape simple roll each end of your cinnamon roll "strips" toward each other to meet in the middle. I topped ours with a little vanilla greek yogurt and served with a side of homemade chocolate covered strawberries. There were mimosas too off course (do you know me?!).

For lunch we are having Michael Symon's Beet and Goat Cheese Raviolis. Hello, they are PINK! Perfect for Valentine's Day!! I loved that he used wonton wrappers for these so I didn't have to make homemade pasta dough. Don't get me wrong, I am the kind of crazy to make my own, but I just wasn't feeling it. Since I was using more indulgent ingredients I try to make the best of them so I am using locally sourced goat cheese and butter. I will be serving these with extra goat cheese drizzled with local honey and chives and with some baguette slices. Bread is not evil if it is a treat :) This lunch is more of a splurge meal, but it is all in moderation. You can have treats if you are eating well the other 95% of the time! It is all about balance, people!

I hope you are feeling the love today whether you are showing yourself some love or receiving it from someone else. You are loved by me!

xoxo,

Brittany

My Favorite Bronzer

During the winter it is tough to be outside and retain any color in my skin. However, when I am out in the sun I always wear sun protection. You have to people! I don't think any of us want premature aging, sun spots, or even worse, cancer.

So, I do the next best thing...I use bronzer!  Some have some shimmer, but I like to reserve those for summer. However, I found my FAVORITE bronzer, the Marc Jacobs O!Mega Bronze in Tantric. No shimmer, matte-finish,  great for all skin tones, and it lasts forever because of its jumbo size.

Get Bronzy, Babe!

xoxo,

Britt

Sweet As Candy Decor

Conversation Hearts just scream Valentine's Day, but they are just not my favorite to eat...so I decorate with them!

I used a hurricane vase that I use year round and change with the seasons. I simply placed a white candle in the middle and poured the hearts around. Voila!  I found this miniature apothecary jar at a thrift store, put some of the extra hearts in there and added it to the top of my piano with some flowers and a gold "L".  It was the perfect addition to the little arrangement.

I used the large hearts, mainly because I thought they would fill the vase better than the small ones. You could really go with either.

Now you can enjoy the iconic candy without having to eat it :)

Hope you had a sweet day!

Xoxo,

Brittany

Gold Dot Entry Way Dish-DIY

I love to put my stamp around the house. If you know me (and later when you see my upcoming wedding) you will see that I love gold! It's bright and makes me smile. So do polka dots, those fun little things.

Here is a quick, fun, and affordable project to add a little gold and polka dots to your life! All you need is some thrift store milk glass and a gold oil-based sharpie.

I found this milk glass dish at a thrift store for a couple bucks. It already had the dots raised, so it was very easy to just color them. However, you can find milk glass with all sorts of patterns, get creative! It is between you and the sharpie.

Simply design your dish and let it dry. You could bake it for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven to "set" the paint. Do this especially if you think your dish will be going through the dishwasher or being handwashed multiple times. Mine is just sitting by my front door, so I have not yet baked it. Maybe future projects :)

Have fun, be creative and enjoy!

xoxo,

Brittany

Daily Skincare Routine

I like to keep my skincare routine pretty simple using products with natural or organic ingredients. I also don't spend a ton of money. I have found products I love that you can purchase at Sephora and good ol' Target :)

I start with using the Fresh Soy Cleanser. It is very gentle and smells like cucumbers. I use it with a Clarisonic at night for extra cleansing.

After I wash my face I spitz my face with the Botanics Rosewater toning spritz. It is super refreshing and removes any traces of dirt and make-up I missed when cleansing.

Finally, I use a few drops of the facial oil at night before bed. It depends on the day where I apply it. If I need extra moisture I put a thin layer all over. Most days I just dab it under my eyes and around my lips where wrinkles are prone.

What are your favorite products?

Valentine's Day Gift Guide

I think that Valentine's Day is about so much more than being in a relationship. It is about showing all the nearest and dearest in your life how much you love them and care about them! Here are some of my favorite gift ideas to give to the special people in my life!

I also wanted to add another idea that I thought was beautiful and personalized! You could put initials, names, dates, etc. I think it would be neat to stack a few with special memories. I am thinking the geographic coordinates of our wedding site and then later adding the date and time of any children's birthdays.

Stell and Dot Signature Engraveable Bar Cuff

I hope your weekend is filled with love!

xoxo,

Brittany

Favorite Friday...Nordstrom

Ahhh, Nordstrom! I love you so. It is safe to say I am obsessed with those gold Same Edelman tennies. Obsessed.

Here are some super fun activewear options. Because, working out isn't always fun (but you never regret it!) so make it a little more fun by wearing something you know you are ROCKIN! It will make you feel even more confident as you crush your stairmill workout...even if you are crying a little inside :)

On another health and fitness note, I am starting the 7 Day Slim Down with Tone It Up tomorrow. I am using this as a kick-start for the last final 5 weeks before the wedding! Eeek! It is clean eating and exercise, no crazy fad dieting :) Which is why I love Tone It Up so much.  If you would like to follow along (or maybe even join me?!) catch me on Instagram (BrightEyedandBushyKaled)  where I will be posting all my food and workouts consistently for the next 7 days. Girl Scout cookies just went on sale, so I need some friends to hold me accountable! You can find other ladies doing the slim down as well by searching #TIULoveYourBody on Instagram.

Let's get healthy together!

xoxo,

Brittany

Valentine's Day with Younique Cosmetics!

I am sure most of you have heard of Younique whether you know it or not. The 3D Fiber Lash mascara is their thing...and let me tell you, it is a good thing!! My friend, Kael, over at LashesbyK.com is letting me tell you all about her mascara plus her other fabulous products!

So whether you are wanting to look hot for your significant other, a night out with the girls, or just to treat yourself at home, here are my favorite Younique products so far (I need to try more!) and how I created this make-up look in under 15 minutes! Pardon my messy braid! After-all, this wasn't a hair tutorial ;) haha!

Here is my before shot. This is ZERO make-up. None. I have blemishes and fine-line wrinkles (seriously, am I in high school or an old woman?) under-eye circles...you get it.  Don't worry, Younique fixes it all!

The products I used:

• Mineral Touch Cream Foundation in Taffeta
• Moodstruck Mineral Pigments in Curious,  Sexy,  Irresistible, and Glamorous
• Moodstruck Precision Pencil Eye Liner in Perfect
• Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lash Mascara (LOVE THIS STUFF!)
• Moodstruck Precision Pencil Lip Liner in Pouty
• Lucrative Lip Gloss in Luscious
• I didn't use it this time, but I also love the gloss in Luxe

First, I used the Mineral Touch Cream foundation. That is all! It totally smoothes out any blemishes. One step! Yea! Kael also raves about their BB Cream. It is on my list to try!

Now, let's talk about these GORGEOUS eye pigments!

You can use them dry or wet. Wet makes them a little more intense which is what I did today. I just dipped my brush into my adorable Anthropologie bowl of water (on sale here!) I shook off the excess water and then dipped it into my pigment of choice.


To achieve today's look, cover your whole lid with "Sexy". A sweet, subtle pink with some shimmer. Then I added "Curious" to my brow bone and the inner corners of my eyes. It is a nice shimmer highlighter. Don't be nervous by the word "shimmer". It looks beautiful, not cheesy! Then I took "Irresistible", a nice matte, neutral brown and put it from the middle of my lid to the outer corner creating that "V" shape and a nice shadow. I followed by using the deep plum "Glamorous" to line my eyes.

After applying these colors the key is to blend, blend, blend!!! That is what makes it look beautiful and soft and not hard.

After applying the pigments, use the precision eye liner to line the upper and lower lash line. I like to stay very close to the lash-line and create a soft line rather than drawing a dark line. However, if you are going out for a date night when you know the lights will be low, add a little extra liner...just don't go crazy!

Next is the BEST PART! The mascara! Y'all, I can't imagine wearing anything else. The photo on the left is regular mascara and the photo on the right is with the 3D Fiber Lash. It makes me feel and look like I am wearing falsies without the glue in my eyes and dramatic flashbacks from my dance team days.

The finishing touch: I used the Lip Liner in Pouty all over my lip. I finished it off by coating my lips in the beautiful red tinted gloss in Luscious!  Valentines Day is the perfect time to take red lips out
for a spin.

Ladies, these are all perfect products to treat yourself OR send your significant other this blog post as a hint!




You can also buy this perfect little "Love It Bundle". You get an eye liner in Passionate, Lip Gloss in Lovesick, the Mascara and a cute bag for $50!

Head to LashesbyK.com to get all these fantastic products! You can also follow her on Facebook. Let me know if you would like me to add you to her Facebook group where she holds tons of giveaways and specials! So fun!

Thanks for getting all dolled up with me!

xoxo,

Brittany

Pancakes

Who doesn't love these fluffy discs of love? I followed this recipe basic pancake recipe from Martha Stewart, but I used whole wheat flour and added a touch of almond extract. I LOVE almond and think it adds a nice finish. Serve with butter, organic maple syrup, fruit and any other favorite toppings!

Snow Days and Homemade Marshmallows

It is pretty rare that our school district will close school based on the weather, but when they do our office takes their lead and closes as well. Although I am home today and working I couldn't help indulging in some hot chocolate and homemade marshmallows.  That is what snow days are for, right?!

For a skinny hot chocolate:

             1 1/3 cup almond milk

             2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder

             1 TBS chocolate protein powder

             2-3 tsp coconut sugar

Heat almond milk in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk cocoa powder and protein and sugar. When warm, pour into your favorite mug!

If you are craving a more decadent hot chocolate, go with this recipe.

hint: I wouldn't judge you if you added a little Rum Chata or Bailey's to your mug as well ;)

Stay warm!

xoxo,

Brittany