Thursday, July 28, 2011

Last night out as a single girl!

I have been so busy lately (& sick!) that I have been neglecting my blog. Hopefully I can go back to my normal posting habits pretty soon here. We start to move into our apartment on Monday, August 1st, and then the wedding is that Saturday. I can't believe how fast time has gone by! I am so excited and anxious to get into our new place and decorate. Last Friday I went out with my FSIL and my best friend to celebrate. It was the perfect low-key night. We went to get manicures and pedicures, then went out to this great new restaurant called Zazios for dinner and drinks. It was a great night! :)

Lobster Ravioli was so good!


Cosmo





Bellini Martini. Delish.


OPI's Strawberry Margarita for my manicure! I love this color!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Belated Birchbox Review

I guess I have been pretty busy lately with all of this wedding stuff and I completely forgot to do a post about the July Birchbox. I can't even remember when I got it, last week sometime.. I already disposed of the box so I will just show what came inside. :)


{Description of products taken from Birchbox website}

Philosophy Purity Made Simple One Step Facial Cleanser: The award-winning, one-step daily facial cleanser removes makeup, cleanses, tones and lightly hydrates the skin.

Redken Shine Flash Glistening Mist: Redken’s signature Shine-On Complex has antioxidant-rich camelina oil and vitamin B5 to condition strands. It smoothes the surface of hair to give you a mirror-like finish.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse / Multi-Usage Dry Oil: A blend of six different essential oils, including Sweet Almond, Camellia, Hazelnut, and Macadamia, this multi-purpose oil hydrates skin and gives it a velvety sheen. In addition to the natural reparative plant oils, the formula also includes a good dose of healing vitamin E.
{Can't wait to try this!!}

Zoya Pandora {Touch Collection}: All Zoya’s polishes are formulated without toluene, formaldehyde, DBP, and camphor, so you never need to worry about what you’re putting on your nails. They also last about 50 percent longer than other brands—after a full week of wear, you’ll still be chip-free.

This is the first Zoya I have used. I really like it! Pandora is like a silvery rose. It only needed one coat too! The formula is fantastic. They claim to be a natural nailpolish, which is great- but I will have to investigate that. :o)

Saturday, July 16, 2011

The Perfect Red.

Red is -by far- my favorite color to wear on my nails. So classic and goes with any outfit. I have probably 10+ reds in my collection right now... Maybe more actually, that was just a guess. I am always on the hunt for the perfect shade- dark or bright, and everything in between. I have recently been searching for a bright red that wasn't too orange-y and I think I found it! In fact, this will be my new go-to red. Essie's Fifth Avenue is perfection. {Btw, I LOVE that you can now buy Essies at drugstores and Target! So convenient. I get 20% off at Rite Aid too so I can get them for like 6.50!}




And some new beauties I picked up!

Smokin Hot
Bahama Mama
Fun in the Gondola
Mint Candy Apple

{I was shopping at Neiman's with Mom last week and the girl ringing us up had on this gorgeous color that I was trying to figure out what it was. So I asked her and she said Essie Smokin Hot.. Then she went on and on about how much she loved it. Yay! I already have that, now I can't wait to try it!}

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

My Bridal Shower!

On Saturday my FSIL hosted a tea party bridal shower for me and it was absolutely amazing. I really could not have imagined a better day. Everything went perfect and the food was incredible. There were about 16 people total (we are having a small wedding of about 50 people), and my fiance and his brother were there too. They ate in a separate room though while we played games and did all of the girly stuff. When it was time to open the gifts Fiance came in to help me. :) I wore Essie's Ballet Slippers for the day and it looked great with my dress! I never got a chance to take a pic of it though, I have been sick the last couple of days and took it off. It is a really pretty color but didn't look good after a few days.




Our private room


My place setting :)


Gifts!








First course



Games!


Everyone looking through their purses (that's my Mom in the white, purple & green dress and Grandmas on each end).


Second course


Third course- dessert!


Opening gifts!


Dishes :)


FSIL & FBIL :) Our wonderful hosts!




Friday, July 8, 2011

Recent Purchases & Vacation Pics!

We had a great time up north! Shopping, eating, and hanging out at the beach with the family. Couldn't ask for more than that. :)





Tom's Mom's Cookies in Harbor Springs is delish.

My new favorite summer drink. SO good!!

Our favorite place to shop in downtown Petoskey.

We discovered this great restaurant at the edge of town called Palette Bistro. We had a table with a great view too! Definitely will go back.

View from our table


Can't wait to go back in August!


This week has actually been pretty busy.. I guess that is why I haven't posted in a while! Yesterday I took my Grandma to get her hair done as she isn't driving so much anymore (my mom, her, and I all go to the same salon), then I met up with my FSIL and her mom to get some sushi. We did a little shopping after that and then I met up with my mom at Saks to help her find shoes and a dress for my shower. I was able to find some shoes too for my dress. Soooo excited for my shower tomorrow! The time has gone by so fast, I can't believe it's already here!

Purchases:
Love & Toast Pomme Poivre Handcream. So amazing and no yucky chemicals. I really like this brand!

Essie's Ballet Slippers (wearing for my shower tomorrow) and OPI's Sparkle Teal Sunrise

New wedges for shower! :D LOVE these!! So comfortable too.


Friday, July 1, 2011

Smooth Sailing NOTD

Today Fiance is getting off work at 1 (hopefully!) and then we are headed up to northern Michigan. Pretty much my favorite place on earth. We are meeting my family up there, they left on Wednesday. I am so excited. We have been going there every summer for almost 20 years. It is so unbelievably gorgeous! The town we go to is right on Lake Michigan, and about a half hour drive from Mackinaw Island. So I thought I'd do a quick entry and post a couple pics of the new Essie I bought. Then I have a lot to do before we leave! (it's 10 and I still have to finish packing, work out, shower, pack the car, head to Rite Aid to get some razors, and be ready by 1:30ish!) I am so a last minute person with everything in my life! Haha.

So here is Smooth Sailing. This is the 3rd Essie I have bought from their Braziliant collection, and probably the last one (I have colors similar to the ones that I did not buy). I used 3 coats, but it really only needed 2. I love this color, and it is definitely unique. Kind of a periwinkle with a silver-ish shimmer.







Where I will be this weekend! :D




and Fiance biking along the bay



Happy Fourth!! and yay for a long weekend :))