March was fun! Overall I had a pretty good month, especially at the end when I went on my first spring break trip since I was in high school.
My mom and I went on a mother-daughter road trip to Texas and had the best time! We had to visit the mother-ship, Magnolia Market, and you can read all about it here.
February is notoriously known as the month of love. I jumped right on that bandwagon and started a month-long blog series called Sharing the Love. I wanted to showcase a few bloggers (home and fashion), YouTube channels, and Instagram accounts that I have loved following. If you missed out on that series scroll down for the links to those posts.
It’s no surprise to find this company on my list of current loves. I went deep with sharing the love during February in my Beautycounter Facebook Group. (Come join if you haven’t already.) I started promoting self love and even shared a product love of the day all month long. There were lots of the inspirational photos like the one above and just some general self-motivating thoughts for myself and my group of ladies. And the product love came from all areas of Beautycounter. We had makeup love, skin care love, and personal care love. Here are a few of those.
Do y’all know who Beth Moore is? Well, I’ve been loving her since the first time I heard her Hairbrush Story. It’s both hilarious and brings tears to my eyes. Beth is a Bible teacher that goes around the country and holds conferences for (primarily) women who want to learn about Jesus. On Wednesday nights on TBN her program, Living Proof Live, airs for 30 minutes. She is so anointed, and I learn a lot each time I watch. She’s also a fellow southern woman, and that makes it fun to watch because her Texas accent is pretty thick. Anyway, I am always so blessed by her sermons, and I thought someone else might be too. I’ve always enjoyed her teachings and used to listen to her a lot. As it goes, I found other people to listen to, other books to read, etc. But this month I decided to play one of the sermons I had on my DVR and immediately remembered why I started watching her in the first place. She just wants people to love Jesus. And she’s living proof that a relationship with Jesus can save your life. I DVR the program every week, but there are countless videos on YouTube. Listen to The Hairbrush Story below.
Well, thankfully I don’t have a deadline for this project. I shared the before of the bathroom a while back. You can read that here. Then it snowed and stayed too cold to paint. I finally had a three day weekend to knock out the painting, and I did it! Here’s what I did:
I’ve still got to:
I’m hoping this happens sooner rather than later. I’m hoping my spring break plans will bring me some inspiration and maybe even a few treasures to put in there.
I’m going to WACO! You know why…Magnolia!
A while back, my mom mentioned that we should go on a trip since my dad and brother do their own thing. They always pack up and go to places like Philly, NYC, and D.C. And we decided that it was our turn. So we are loading up the car and road tripping to the great state of Texas.
I’m so excited! I don’t think I’ve had an actual Spring Break trip since I was a senior in high school. That’s sad, y’all. It’s been a WHILE since high school. I don’t even care if all I buy is a cupcake from the bakery. I have watched every episode of Fixer Upper, read the books, stolen my mom’s Magnolia Journals, followed every social media account I can, ….you get the picture. I am a huge fan of the Gaines family and can’t wait to take this fun trip with my mama! If you’ve been, I’d appreciate any tips and/or must-sees and dos.
February was a pretty fun month for me. Full of love, a little self-discovery, and exciting plans for things to come. Here’s to a marvelous March, y’all!
I spend a lot of time on Instagram. Probably more than I should, but it’s because I’ve found so many great accounts to follow. I am constantly inspired by home decor accounts, fashion accounts, and plenty more.
I’ve shared my favorite home bloggers, fashion bloggers, YouTubers, and finally, I’m sharing my favorite Instagramers. I’ve got ten accounts to introduce to you. Here we go:
She’s also one of my favorite home bloggers. Yes, I like her Instagram feed mostly for her home decor, but also for her Instastories and just because she seems like a genuinely cook chick that I’d be friends with.
Megan is a fashion blogger that has a great feed. She posts really pretty outfits and has excellent family oriented Instastories. Obviously I follow people who have similar style to myself, and this shirt dress is right up my alley.
Layla is basically a neighbor. She lives just up 65 in the beautiful area of Pike Road, Alabama with her hubby and son. She has an excellent farmhouse, cottage style that makes her home so beautiful. She also has very similar style to me when it comes to clothes, so I pretty much love everything she wears. And she loves a good Old Navy score so she’s budget-conscious too. I’ve definitely bought things from there because she’s recommended it. Also, and probably the reason I like her the most, she’s just got this heart of gold. She’s all about being authentic and making people smile and spreading positivity around the world of Instagram. Her Instastories are positively delightful and on Wednesdays she goes around town to different stores sharing home decor ideas from items found in those stores. I’m hoping one day I’ll actually get to bump into her in Home Goods and tell her how much I love following along with her.
Mallory is also one of my favorite fashion bloggers. She is a mom of two sweet little girls and has great style. She shares her heart, is very authentic, and is always letting you know about the latest deal. I love her feed of gorgeous clothes and her Instastories are another favorite to watch. She just announced that she’s moving to Texas, so that will be fun to follow along with.
Natasha is a fairly recent find on Instagram. She is such a ray of sunshine. She seems like the nicest person. She is very encouraging with motivational quotes, and she posts the prettiest clothes. She even has her own children’s clothing company called Sugar Bit. She’s got great style, and once again, her Instastories are also ones I like to watch. She has the cutest girls that love to sing in the car, and they’re going through a home reno and she shares some awesome sneak peeks into the design. I never miss! Oh, and her sunnies game is strong!
Jackie is the girl behind York Avenue. This is a very new account to me. I have just discovered it this past Christmas, but I love the photos she posts of New York. Most are exteriors of beautiful buildings she photographs, though she does have other content. Isn’t it lovely?
Fran is a lovely girl across the pond that has such an amazing sense of fashion. She is a bit Carrie Bradshaw with bold patterns, colors, and great textures. I am obsessed with her bangs and that she wears a red lip so well! She’s so chic, and I love to watch her stories and learn that she calls sweaters “jumpers” and tennis shoes “trainers”. Being British is so cool. 🙂
Danielle is the co-founder of The Everygirl which is a website for women that I love. She and Alaina Kazmarski (the first account on my list today) founded that website together. I have found that I love her style of decorating. She has such pretty light fixtures in her home. She’s also just announced that she’s pregnant with a little girl, so it’s been fun watching her Instastories and seeing those posts. I also really like her dogs, Buddy and Tucker. They are the best at posing for the camera.
The Everygirl is that website I mentioned above with Danielle Moss. This website is full of info for all women. They have tons of great articles, and their Instagram feed is always beautiful. They have a seriously cool office that looks like a magical place to work. I mean, this is the kitchen in their office. Gorgeous.
I shared this account in my favorite home bloggers post. But Carmel has an excellent Instagram feed too. She posts beautiful photos of her home, shares excellent book recommendations, and gives great recipes that are quite healthy. She also peppers in some fashion and a great deal of leopard. She and I share the same idea that leopard is a neutral. 🙂
Well, that’s ten! I could go on and on, honestly. But these ten are the accounts I will always follow. Do y’all follow any of these accounts already? If not, I hope you check some of them out. And in the spirit of sharing the love, share with me some of your favorite accounts. I’d love to hear about them!
I’ve been sharing the love this month and showcasing some of my favorite bloggers, Youtubers, and Instagramers. I’ve shared my favorite home bloggers, fashion bloggers, and today I’m sharing my favorite YouTubers.
I used to watch A LOT of YouTube, but I’ve backed off a bit. Truthfully, I’ve been cheating on it with Amazon Prime Video. But that’s for another post.
In no particular order, here are some of my favorite YouTube channels to watch.
Remember the Christmas Jammies song? Well, that’s the Holderness Family. They are always coming out with the funniest parodies. Just good, clean fun that’s okay for your kids to watch with you. Here’s two of my favorite parodies.
Boys Get A Blowout- I could not stop laughing. The guys laughing at each other was the best part.
Ultimate Thanksgiving Mashup- It’s just so silly, but so funny!
They have another YouTube channel which is The Holderness Family Vlogs. There’s more great content on that channel too. I hope you give them a follow.
Laura Vitale is one of my favorite discoveries on YouTube. She is an incredible cook that shares the best recipes. She has an Italian heritage, so she cooks a lot of Italian food. I’ve made several things from her YouTube channel, and her cookbook is awesome too! Here are a few of my favorite recipes I’ve made.
Croque Madame- So delicious! Seriously, make this!
Homemade Tuna Salad Sandwich- I never liked tuna salad until I tried this. It’s so yummy!
Go subscribe to her channel and immediately find 20 things to cook!
Okay, I’m not a mom, but these two women are so fun to watch. I always laugh so hard when I watch their videos. They don’t sugarcoat motherhood. They tell it like it is. The good, the bad, and the ugly. And they do it in the most hilarious way! #momtruth Fridays are the best!
What They Don’t Tell You About Childbirth- This one’s a little crude, but it’s hilarious. It also makes me want to put off having kids another five years or so. LOL
What We Really Mean When We Say…- So funny! And so true! All husbands/dads need to hear this!
One of my favorite things about YouTube is that I can find all sorts of interviews with celebrities that I like. I stumbled across something called The Hollywood Reporter Roundtables one day and went down a rabbit hole for days. Each roundtable is an hour long discussion among the nominees of certain awards (Emmys, Oscars, Tonys, etc.). They get a little technical when it’s screenwriters talking, but I still am very interested in what they have to say and how a film comes together. Here’s a few that I’ve enjoyed.
THR Full Tonys Actors Roundtable
THR Full Oscar Actress Roundtable
I hope you’ve found a few YouTube channels to subscribe to. I know most of us don’t have that much time to just sit and watch videos on the internet, but if you ever find yourself with that time, check out these great channels.
Any other good channels I should be subscribed to? Let me know in the comments.
Last week I mentioned that I was going to feature some of my favorite bloggers, YouTubers, and Instagramers during the month of February. Last week I shared with you some of my favorite home bloggers. This week it’s all about the fashion. Here are a few of my faves:
Mallory is the best. I discovered her on Instagram, and quickly realized her blog is super fun. I enjoy reading her content whether it’s about fashion, home decor, or just life. She is so beautiful and funny and REAL! I appreciate authenticity in bloggers, and she is definitely authentic.
She has two precious girlies and a husband that I swear is Paul’s long lost brother. They are similar in personalities, and it’s always funny for me to see her husband doing things Paul does or would definitely do as a dad.
Her home is gorgeous as well. She lives in Charlotte, and I love her style.
She’s very good at mixing patterns and her daughters’ rooms are amazing! Check them out.
Aren’t they so pretty? Check out her blog and her Instagram. She’s got great mom style and always shares the best sales.
Cassie is such a fun fashion blogger to follow. She loves color and always has great accessories. Her style is chic and casual. Of course she can punch it up when needed, but one reason I love her is because the outfits she puts together are ones I’d wear daily.
I mean, of course I’d show you a picture of neutrals and leopard. Hold on…
There’s the color and pattern. Isn’t she adorable? She’s quite funny, and her home is serious goals. Look at her entry. Hello leopard rug!
One more from Cassie- her closet makeover with the Container Store. Are you all drooling yet? I am.
Okay, now I know you are ready to go on over and explore her blog and Instagram. You’re welcome. 🙂
I actually know Meghan from Louisiana. Her husband and Paul worked together at University Club, and we were able to meet through them. And I can honestly say she is such a sweet girl. And her style is amazing. She and I both did similar things in moving away from Louisiana and starting blogs. She is killing it in the fashion blog world. She always finds the best clothes at Loft. Like, always. Look at this cute floral top. Adorable!
Check out her blog and Instagram account for more fashion inspiration.
Natasha is one of my recent favorite finds on Instagram. I’m not sure how I stumbled across her account, but I’m so glad I did. She’s so bubbly and happy and always full of positivity. Her little girls are the cutest things ever, and they are just so much fun to follow.
She has a great fashion sense and loves color. I mostly wear black, and she inspires me to at least look at bright colors. Maybe once spring actually shows up I’ll take a cue from her and get something hot pink or maybe even yellow! She’s been posting lots about yellow, and I have to admit, I kind of love it. Check out her blog and her Instagram account. Her Instastories are great. Oh, and they are doing a home reno right now. I’m looking forward to those blog posts coming up soon. Her style is so cool that I know I’ll be inspired.
Megan is another person I found on Instagram before I discovered her blog. She is a former lawyer who has great style, takes great care of herself, and has the sweetest little family. I really enjoy her Instastories. I’m going to be honest, it has a lot to do with her adorable children. She has a great sense of humor and incredible fashion sense.
Oh, and that’s her home. Awesome, huh? I love that striped wall. She’s definitely one to follow. Check out her blog and her Instagram account.
I hope I’ve helped you find some new fashion bloggers who will honestly give you some amazing outfit ideas. They are always so gracious and will respond to you if you ever have a question about a product or item they are sharing. Have you ever heard of any of them? I know you’ll love them.
Come back next week when I share the love for some of my favorite YouTubers.
In the spirit of February and the love that’s in the air, I thought I’d put together a post each week this month to showcase some of the bloggers, YouTubers, and Instagramers that I love to follow. Today I’ll be sharing five of my favorite bloggers that are mostly home decor and diy. In no particular order, here they are:
Carmel over at Our Fifth House is actually in her sixth house. They live in a beautiful home in Charleston, and I think it may be my favorite exterior I’ve ever seen. It’s so happy with that pink front door.
She is a lover of the color red which is pretty much banned in this house because Paul is such a die hard Auburn fan, but I love the red accents she has throughout her home. She is a great diy-er and is soon attempting a small bathroom renovation that is sure to go from builder basic to stunning. She’s also a fellow Beautycounter consultant, so I love that she is helping to spread the mission of safer beauty to her readers.
And check out her office. It’s my favorite.
Before I hit publish on my very first blog post I reached out to Carmel for any tips she had for first time bloggers. She gave me some excellent advice, and I love that she was so kind to respond to me. Check out her blog and her Instagram account. She’s fun to follow.
How can I not love this one, right? It does have my name in the title. 🙂 Actually I’ve shared this one before. I talked about a house I couldn’t stop obsessing over that belonged to Alaina Kazmarski. Well, this is her blog, The Elizabeth Street Post.
Her style inspires me so much. I find myself wanting to paint every wall in my house white. Everything is just so timeless and chic. I could easily have her come decorate every home I live in for the rest of my life.
Alaina is the cofounder of The Everygirl, a website that is chock full of information for girls of all ages and stages of life. They post everything from career advice to fashion and literally everything in between. She also is expecting her first child, and it’s a little boy, and I can’t wait to see the final nursery reveal. She’s a true talent in many areas and shares more than just home decor. She’s got a great fashion sense and writes excellent posts about travel. Check out her blog and her Instagram account. It’s one of my favorites to follow.
If you’re lover of color and pattern, you’ll be an instant follower of Brittany at Addison’s Wonderland. I fell in love with her former home and styled my previous home with items inspired by what she had. Her dining room was one of my favorite parts. I bought that rug and painted my own version of that colorful abstract.
She and her family now live in this gorgeous, 100 year old home that they’ve COMPLETELY renovated. It’s so lovely. She’s a Georgia girl, entrepreneur, wife, mama, business owner, and expert color and pattern mixer. So talented.
See what I mean about bold pattern and color? She does it so perfectly. I would never have the guts to just go for it, but I sure do learn a lot from how she does it. Go visit her blog and take the home tour of her current house and her former house. And don’t forget to follow her on Instagram too.
Erin Gates should be a name you know in your household. If she isn’t, you’re seriously missing out. Her book, Elements of Style, is my favorite home decor book. It’s so much more than that. Seriously, if you get it, read it. She’s so transparent in it, and I like her a lot.
Erin is a super talented Interior Designer who also has her own line of home accessories. I’ve recently seen them popping up in our local TJ Maxx. There were several pillows, which were all perfect. Especially some fur ones that I almost sent my Christmas present back for. I decided not to since I’m still unsure of my master bedroom design, but I hope someone got them and loves them. They were amazing!
That’s Erin’s entry to her house. I mean….YES! If I ever have stairs, it’s more than likely going in this direction. Stunning.
Another thing that I love about Elements of Style is the Fashion Friday posts. Style doesn’t stop at interiors for Erin. She’s got a great fashion sense and come award season, she’s my go-to blog to read the rundown of everyone’s dresses. She’s very candid and always offers up way better suggestions for those red carpet don’ts.
Erin is also coming out with a second book! EEEK!!! I can’t wait. And she has the sweetest little boy, Henry. He’s so stinking cute, and she shares a lot of Henry on Instagram. So follow her blog and Instagram account for all kinds of design inspiration in fashion and interiors.
So, did any of you know about these four bloggers? There are several more I like to follow, but these are the ones bookmarked on my desktop. I don’t miss too many of their posts and always catch up when I do miss. I hope that you enjoy perusing their sites and get lots of design ideas for yourself.
Sort of felt like January drug on and on. I didn’t exactly want it to end, but it seemed like it wasn’t going to. I’m currently mouth breathing and couldn’t taste my dinner because of a cold. (And praying it doesn’t turn into the flu.) So, January didn’t end on a high note for me, but hopefully February brings health and wellness.
But that’s not why we’re here. There were some great things about January and I’m going to share them with you right now.
Y’all! It snowed again this winter!! I am a major lover of cold weather and the winter season, so the second snow and three snow days were very exciting for me. I know not everyone shares in my enthusiasm, but I loved it. Here are a few pictures of our place and a shot of my parents house.
Our backyard is basically the back of downtown retail space, so it’s not exactly picturesque, but anything covered in snow is beautiful to me.
I posted this book on Instagram right before the new year, and no, I haven’t finished it yet. However, it’s so funny! Shonda Rhimes has such a great sense of humor. Every time I pick it up I don’t want to put it down. I’ve just finished her commencement speech, and it was so true. She basically told a bunch of college graduates that the real world is hard. But that you have to get out there and do stuff to make it great and make it work for you. Sadly, I don’t even remember who spoke at my college graduation. I couldn’t tell you if it was a man or a woman, and I surely couldn’t tell you what they talked about. But I can tell you that I was clueless as to what the real world was going to be like. And Shonda’s right, it’s hard! I can’t wait to finish it and hope to do so soon. I’ll report back when I do.
Are any of you familiar with Young Living? If you are, you know all about the essential oils that they are most famous for. Well, let me tell you what else they have. The greatest lavender lip balm there ever was. I’ve been using it for over a year now almost every night. I love the lavender scent and it’s so creamy and moisturizing.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m still loving my Beautycounter Peppermint Lip Conditioner. But during this flu season, I’m reaching for my Young Living lip balm more often than the lip conditioner. I’m a teacher who doesn’t want my germy fingers in the little pot the lip conditioner comes in for obvious reasons.
And with all that mouth breathing I’m doing, my lips are super dry. So thank you Young Living!
Yep.
You guys, Paul has been following me around with a can of Lysol for the past two days. Tonight, he didn’t let me cook dinner or clean up the kitchen because he didn’t want me contaminating anything. (Let me just remind you that I don’t actually have the flu. I have nasal congestion.) He’s too much! But I might milk this for a little while longer. I could get used to him doing all the cooking and cleaning up the kitchen. 🙂 Those two scents above (Lemon Breeze and Early Morning Breeze) are the least offensive of the Lysol scents. I never liked the smell of regular Lysol and think the pink can is just as bad. But the yellow and purple actually smell okay. I’ve been using them like crazy at home and school.
During the cabin fever that came from three snow days, Paul and I ventured out to the movies to see The Greatest Showman. I’ve been listening to the soundtrack for a while now, and it is the BEST! But the movie….y’all! If it’s still playing, go see it. It’s meant to be seen in the theater. The dancing and singing and the story is so powerful. It’s motivating, empowering, entertaining, and pulls at your heartstrings. I’ll be buying this one. I asked Paul to go see it again with me and he gave it a hard pass. So, if anyone in town wants to see it, I’m in! 🙂
I received a popsocket for my phone for Christmas. Where has this been all my life? It’s one of those things that you didn’t know you needed until it comes into your life. It just makes so much sense. It’s this little sticky, pop-up handle for your phone. And it’s the greatest prop for when you watch videos on your phone too. (I do this every morning, so if you get it for only this reason, it’s worth it.) Mine came from The Pineapple, and they had so many cute ones to choose from. This rose gold one with a black base is the one I have.
If you’ve been around for more than one post you know that I love TV. I’ve recently watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel twice, and Good Girls Revolt (very good) on Amazon Prime. I was looking for something else on Amazon to watch, and I had heard Suits was a good show but never cared to actually try it. I went for it and have already made it through season one and quickly working my way through season two. I am quite enjoying it. It’s a very interesting story and very entertaining. I’m a little nervous to find out what happens to Meghan Markle’s character now that she’s gone and gotten engaged to a royal. It’s not going to stop me from watching, though. I’m in, now. Hook, line, and sinker.
I’d love to hear any of your thoughts on my favorites of January. Especially any of you Suits watchers. Does it stay this good?
I hope y’all had a great January. If any of you got sick like I did, here’s to getting well and breathing through our noses again! And here’s to a February filled with lots of love.
Better late than never, right? I know we’ve gotten through half of January now, but I came across a few things that I just couldn’t not share with you.
Before we get into all that, I hope y’all had a great holiday season. I enjoyed a much needed break and spent some quality time with family and with myself. 🙂 I know so many people lost loved ones and dealt with family members in the hospital, but I still hope there were a few moments of wonder and joy that you were able to find during the holidays.
My Christmas tree was my favorite thing about my Christmas decor. It was so twinkly and magical. It went through a few phases (One and Two), and I miss it. I can’t wait until November to put it back up and see what kind of inspiration strikes me then.
This winter has brought some very cold temperatures. I know we have a winter every year, but this winter seems a little extra cold to me. I’m not complaining. Winter is my favorite season and cold weather is delightful to me, but my skin doesn’t love the cold temps with the heat on inside all the time. Thankfully I’ve got a great skin care regimen that helps keep my skin moisturized. I shared them in a post here. And if you want any of these products, you can shop them here.
I have always loved Christmas Break. It comes at a much needed time when children’s excitement is at an all-time high. And I’m a bit of a procrastinator, so I’m always grateful for the time to finish my shopping during the week instead of on crazy, busy weekends. But I also manage to spend a lot of time doing this…
Hallmark movies are on loop, I get to sleep in a bit, and then there’s lots of time spent with family and friends. I know most teachers would agree with me that Christmas Break is one of the great perks of the job.
It’s no surprise that I’ve found another show to watch. If you’ve been around for a while, you know that I love movies and television. I love to be entertained, and I almost always have a favorite show or movie on in the background. I recently discovered The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon. 
Y’all….it’s one of the funniest shows I’ve watched in a really long time. Rachel Brosnahan is brilliant and deserved the Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice awards for her portrayal of Midge Maisel. Trust me, you’ll laugh out loud and want to watch it all over again. (I did!) 
I also rediscovered Sex and the City again. It was on E! for a mini marathon one night. I started watching it and kept going all the way through to the end (finished on Amazon). Sometimes it’s nice to “revisit old friends”. I love when I go back to old shows and watch them through more grown up eyes.
Over the Christmas break I went to a basketball game in Auburn. We got general admission tickets, so we got there really early and got floor seats. It was a great view, and we were even on TV! 🙂 Auburn’s doing really well right now. If you’re a fan, you should watch on TV or even go to a game! It’s pretty inexpensive and is always a great time. 
Breaks from school always allow time for reading. I finished a great book, Behind Closed Doors, over the holiday and wrote a little review about it here. It was exciting, scary, and thought-provoking. I highly recommend this one.
This was such a great day! I love snow and cold weather. And when we get it in Alabama, I’m the happiest girl. I think I’d do just fine in Chicago or NYC. The pups didn’t love it so much, though. And neither did Paul. But I sure did!
Have a great week, y’all!
XO,
Elizabeth
Happy New Year, y’all! I’m pretty excited about the year 2018. I don’t normally get very excited about the new year, but there’s something in my soul about this year. I have a real sense of hope in my heart, and I believe that just means the best is yet to come.
But before we look ahead, let’s reminisce. Here’s a look at some of my favorite posts from 2017.
Home Again– This was my first ever blog post. I was terrified to post it and put myself out there, but I have enjoyed so much of this journey of blogging. This will forever be one of the most special posts I’ve ever written. Even with all the non-decorating of the apartment. It’s fun to go back and see how far we’ve come from those first few months in our little loft.
Crafty Earring DIY– I’ve never had a pair of earrings be so popular. And when people who don’t know I have a blog find out that I made them, they always want a pair. I wish I could make them for everyone. They are still so cute and fun to wear.
Happy Mother’s Day– These two ladies are so special to Paul and me. We couldn’t do life without them. Like I said in the post, “Mother’s are extraordinary beings.”
There were two really fun posts to share about decor changes in our apartment. When we first moved in I was still so in love with our blue ikat rug (still am), but it really didn’t fit, so I was thrilled when it dawned on me to swap the rug for the other one I loved that we had before the blue one. (Thanks to a little inspiration from none other than Joanna Gaines.) You can read about it the post entitled New(ish) Rug.
You can see even more of the rug in the Leopard Curtains post. Man was I proud to have made those myself, and I still love them. I realize they aren’t for everyone, but I definitely am not tired of them yet.
That’s a joke between Paul and myself. We hit the 7 year mark in 2017, but we joked that it felt like 17 years together. That picture up there shows we were already acting 7 years married on our wedding day when we had a little tiff taking pictures in the 100° July heat. Despite a wedding day spat, we are still in love and still happily married. I was able to share a very photo-filled post about our wedding and how we were doing 7 years in.
Classroom Reveal– I got a new job this year teaching 3rd grade. I was fortunate enough to paint and make this room a space that I enjoy being in. It makes a difference when your environment is pleasing to you. This was one of the more popular posts and one of my top 10 Instagram posts of the year. Thank you for loving my classroom makeover as much as I did.
2017 marked the beginning of my journey with Beautycounter. If you’re unfamiliar with Beautycounter go here to learn more about it. I signed on in October to be a consultant to help spread the mission of safer beauty. I’m happy to be Leaving My Beauty Mark.
Changes– I really poured out a bit of my heart in this one. It was a little deep. I know that isn’t for everyone, so I understand that a lot of people didn’t read it. But for me it still rings true. I am still not sure why I feel a season of change is in store for me, but I know that I feel hope now, so I’m expectant and in a good way and feeling like I might not actually be having a quarter-life crisis anymore. And doesn’t John Mayer just speak straight to your soul? I just love him.
Round 1– I was so excited to decorate for Christmas this year. With my need for change, I did things a little differently this year and couldn’t have been happier with how things played out in the decor department. 
Round 2– I found that amazing ribbon for my tree that took it up another notch, and I can’t believe I actually took it down already. I’m sitting here writing this wishing I could glance up and see it. Thank God for pictures.
Thank you so much for following along with me this year. I am so blessed to have this little corner of the internet, and the fact that y’all visit me here every now and then means the world to me. I am so thankful for the support from you guys, and I hope you’ll stick around for the fun we’ll have in 2018. I can feel that it’s going to be a good one!
XO,
Elizabeth
CURRENTLY LOVING- NOVEMBER 2017
Time to put away those pumpkins and bust out the Christmas trees, Santas, and if you live in my house, glitter! Anyone else feel like you blinked and November was over? Holy crap! It flew by and even though December means that a lot is about to be added to our calendars, I’m looking forward to it.
This Blog
My first favorite this month is this blog. I have been learning so much (still have so much to learn), and I have just been having fun playing with the new things I’ve learned.
I really enjoyed writing my Changes post. It was pretty personal, but it’s the truth and something that’s going on in my life. It was fun to write out my thoughts and feelings about this particular topic, and I hope that if anyone else is feeling this way that they found a hint of encouragement from that post. No one is alone in their feelings. 
I also enjoyed putting together all of my Holiday Gift Guides. I think I was most proud of the Gifts for Him guide because I’ve always been so bad at picking gifts for Paul. I remember getting him things for Christmas one year, and he took them back. Now, in his defense, he is horribly hard to buy for because he’s like most men and gets what he needs and wants throughout the year, so come Christmas there’s nothing left to get. But he told me after he read the post that he liked everything on the gift guide and thought the orange and blue golf shoes were very cool. 🙂 #wifewin Now, will he actually get any of those things? I can’t say yet!
My New Favorite Lipstick
That picture was a very happy mail day. I knew that I wanted to incorporate these lipsticks into my beauty routine as soon as I saw them. I read that we actually ingest our lip products. Yikes! So if our lip products are made of toxic materials, I think it’s a perfect place to start to make the switch to safer beauty. I received this holiday set from Beautycounter with the understanding that I could share with my clients and anyone interested in learning about the brand, but that they were to be put up for Christmas. Well, I have pretty much worn them everyday. (Sorry, Paul.) I love them so much. They truly are long-wearing, deeply pigmented, and smell and taste of peppermint. Did I mention I love them? I’d love for you to try them. You can check them out on the website here. They are currently out of stock until December 8th, but that’s plenty of time to order, get them in, and wear them to your holiday parties (or gift them). There’s also an option to be notified when they are available. Or I can do all the work for you. Just ask me how! One less thing for you to remember to do. 🙂 And if you’re local, call, text, or message me. I’d love for you to try them for yourselves.
Christmas Decor
If you follow any home decor bloggers on Instagram, then you’ve already been bombarded with picture after picture of Christmas trees, lights, wreaths, Santas, you get the picture. I’ve got to be honest, it’s one of my favorite things about Instagram. I love to see how other people decorate their homes. Do they go traditional or trendy? Do they have one tree or four? What are their family traditions? What outfits do they pick out for Christmas cards? And what about those party outfits? There’s always a lot of sparkles and sequins, and I love me a good sparkle.
Look at Fran Bacon of The Fashion Lift in her sparkly jumpsuit! She’s from the UK, and she’s my ultimate in hair goals. Those bangs! I wish mine would look so good. Not that I have them, but if I did, I’d want them to be just like hers. And the woman can rock a bold lip. She’s just so chic! You can find her on Instagram here. Great fashion sense and always fun to listen to because of her accent. 🙂
I’ve also been enjoying my own Christmas decor. I have a Holiday Home Tour coming to the blog soon, so you’ll get a peek into our home and at our decor. I mentioned in my Changes blog post that I decided not to go traditional this year, and it’s been fun. I’m enjoying it this year. I can’t wait to get some presents wrapped and put under the tree. Here’s a sneak peek.
Auburn Won the Iron Bowl
It’s great to be an Auburn Tiger! It was such a fun game, and I’m so happy I got to watch it with a bunch of Normans. Loud, bouncy Normans. There was a lot of jumping and high fiving and yelling during that game. At one point I look over and Ian (our nephew) and Paul were doing some kind of handshake, and the next thing I knew they were both lying on their backs with their legs and arms up in the air. I was informed that’s how the handshake ends. So much excitement! Now to get Georgia again this weekend. I heard Coach Malzahn say, “The best is yet to come.” 🙂 I believe Coach, and I believe in Auburn and love it!
9JKL
Have y’all been watching this show? I am so happy that Paul and I gave it a shot. It’s a funny 30 minute sitcom that will have you laughing out loud. Anytime we go to watch our DVR, I always request this show first. The dad is my favorite character, and during the Thanksgiving episode I looked at Paul and proclaimed them (the dad and mom- Harry and Judy) my soul mates.
Brief synopsis: Josh lives in an apartment (9K) in between his parents (9J) and his brother, sister-in-law, and their baby (9L). Hilarity ensues because of the boundaries, or lack thereof, amongst the family. It’s right up there on the “Funny Meter” with The Big Bang Theory. Here’s a clip-the one that made me think we were soul mates.
One More 
I’m not finished with this one yet, but it is very intriguing. I can tell that if I haven’t read it by Christmas break, I’ll definitely finish it then. My Aunt Sharon came to town and told me she was bringing it to me if I hadn’t read it yet. She’s very well-read and has excellent taste in literature, so I knew I’d better follow her advice and get right to this one. Have you read this one yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
So, what are you loving this November? Tell me in the comments! Have a very happy Friday and weekend and be looking out for my Holiday Home Tour in the next few days.
XO,
Elizabeth