Currently Loving- February 2018

CURRENTLY LOVING- FEBRUARY 2018

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.

Favorite Home Bloggers

Favorite Fashion Bloggers

Favorite YouTubers

Favorite Instagram Accounts

BEAUTYCOUNTER

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.

Makeup Love: Touchup Skin Concealer Pen

Skin Care Love- Nourishing Cream Exfoliator

Personal Care Love- Protect All Over Sunscreen and Protect Stick Sunscreen (Face)

Beth Moore

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.

Bathroom Progress

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:

painted the walls white
painted the vanity black
spray painted the gold cabinet handles silver to match the chrome fixtures
bought and returned 🙁 baskets that would have looked perfect but were too big

I’ve still got to:

get and hang artwork
buy and install shelves
buy accessories

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.

SPRING BREAK PLANS

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!

Sharing the Love: Favorite Instagram Accounts

SHARING THE LOVE: FAVORITE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS

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:

Alaina Kaz

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.

Honey We’re Home

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.

The Lettered Cottage

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.

Photo: The Lettered Cottage

Style Your Senses

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.

Hello! Happiness

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!

York Avenue

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?

The Fashion Lift

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 Moss

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

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.

Our Fifth House

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!

Sharing the Love: Favorite YouTubers

SHARING THE LOVE: FAVORITE YOUTUBERS

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.

The Holderness Family

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 in the Kitchen

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!

Cat and Nat

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!

The Hollywood Reporter

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.

Sharing the Love: Favorite Fashion Bloggers

SHARING THE LOVE: FAVORITE FASHION BLOGGERS

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:

Style Your Senses

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.

Hi Sugarplum!

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. 🙂

Meghan Lanahan

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.

Hello! Happiness

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.

Honey We’re Home

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.

Sharing the Love: Favorite Home Bloggers

SHARING THE LOVE: FAVORITE HOME BLOGGERS

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:

Our Fifth House

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.

The Elizabeth Street Post

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.

Addison’s Wonderland

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.

Elements of Style

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.