I saw the above photo on Pinterest and thought that, in all honesty, it describes the circumstances of true love perfectly. There are all kinds of love but, you can’t truly accept someone into your life, full-time, for better or … Continue reading
Favorite Fur (infinity scarf): Favorite Vintage: Favorite Guilty Pleasure: Favorite Realization: Favorite Childhood Sweet Treat (Buckeyes): Okay, okay, so I cheated on my diet and had a little white cheddar popcorn this week– I won’t tell if you won’t! 😉
Felt so weird to be in front of the camera. Being a photographer, I’m normally the one behind it!
After watching this, would you like to see me make more vlogs?
First off, I just wanna let you all know that I did a guest post over on TheFridayGirl’s blog. Click HERE to check it out!
“What’s in a name. That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
For the most part, I think Mr. Shakespeare was an interesting and smart man. However, I cannot agree with him on the above quote, when applying it to tea.
Drinking tea, my house, is almost a daily occurrence. Many times I think I should’ve been born British so I could’ve been brought up learning how to drink it “the right way”. But, I can’t imagine a tea named “Mud Pie” tasting as good as something called “Darjeeling”. Darjeeling, Darjeeling, Darjeeling… I just love that word! Plus, I’m also a bit of a health nut and will drink just about anything that is proclaimed as having natural healing and life enriching powers.
When it comes to tea, I especially like mine in loose leaves. I feel like the flavor can really come through that way. My husband and I discovered this when we were honeymooning in Tuscany and discovered a great little tea shop. Of course, we brought back a huge bag of loose leaves. Since then, I have been fascinated with stores, like Teavana, that make this beverage their business and livelihood. That being said, I also find them overpriced..
Recently, I came across a small artisan company run by Jenn & Brian Pfeiffer, called Design A Tea. Their motto? “Where tea leaves dream…” Who doesn’t like the way that sounds?! I sure do!
The business is run out of small town near Buffalo, New York and, as the website states, they are environmentally friendly, wholesale supporters, organic, & gluten free! But, what exactly does Design A Tea do? Well, it’s more about what they allow you to do. Using their online tools, you can design and name your own signature tea.
Step 1: Choose your tea.
Step 2: Pick Your Favorite Flavors
Step 3: Enjoy your custom blend!
[Click HERE and HERE to see two articles that really helped me in this process.]
I ended up choosing a Roobios tea blend with chamomile, vanilla, and apricot. And guess what came in the mail yesterday….?
I named the blend “Amorous Apricot” and, yes, it does taste as good as it sounds.
The first thing I did was immediately open it up and smell it! And what a divine smell it was! Seriously, guys, you need to have smell-a-vision or a scratch-n-sniff screen.
Next, I made a cup… How could I NOT? It was irresistible! And it tastes as good as it smells. It’s got a depth and a natural sweetness that I couldn’t have imagined just reading the description of the ingredients that I chose.
The company was also nice enough to send me a free sample of what they call “Happy Zombie”. You cannot go wrong with a bag full of cinnamon and orange deliciousness! One of the best autumn tasting teas, I swear.
All in all, I feel like $10 was a lot of pay for a small little pack of tea. But, the free sample definitely increased the value and I think I would order from them again, when I have the urge for something creative and yummy. And would recommend trying out Design a Tea even if it’s just for fun. If you aren’t afraid of the price tag they do have a bigger ordering option, which is enticing for me the next time. I just love the thought of a nice little treat in one of my vintage tea cups. I’m a collector!
What’s your favorite kind of tea? Do you like the idea of putting together your own blend of loose leaf? Or would you rather have a no-fuss tea bag?
Summer is fleeting from us ever-so quickly and, although we are halfway through September, I wanted to share with you my favorite products/items of the summer. Let’s get down to business, shall we?
BEAUTY:
I had been debating on whether or not to by the Bumble & Bumble brand of texturizing, wave spray for quite some time. DebE’s review of the product, which you can read HERE, is rather convincing and I will still consider buying this product in the future. However, the Awapuhi product was available in the salon where I get my hair done. After requesting that my stylist use it on my hair before leaving, I was sold!
It’s a very lightweight product and smells AMAZING! It keeps my hair from getting greasy quickly and adds volume without maximizing frizz. All these things are a MUST here in North Carolina where the humidity is in the 80-90% range at all times during the summer. Even so, I plan on using this product year round. Try it out and you won’t be disappointed! The 5.1 oz bottle retails for a little over $20.
Discouraged because of the irritation it caused me, I stopped using any kind of toner a few years ago. But, I was overjoyed when I saw the rosewater toner while browsing the store this summer. I have read a lot about the benefits of rosewater on skin but, so far, have refrained from buying any because it’s mostly bought in a small amount for more than I’d like to pay. It’s said to be a wonderful cleanser, proactive against blemishes, anti-inflammatory, and a mood enhancer- especially when used before bed. Because of these factors I decided to take a chance on this 8 fl oz bottle from Target. Sells for anywhere from $10-$15.
My skin is so soft and blemish free since using it; feels extremely clean and “breathable” after application. Not to mention that I can see a huge amount of make-up come off that I wouldn’t have been able to see with my naked eye after my normal face washing routine. Definitely a keeper!
My mom has been using BB cream for the past couple of years and is always ranting about how great it is. Granted, she is naturally a beautiful chestnut brown color and doesn’t need to wear make-up to save her life. Nevertheless, I decided, against my better judgement, to try it out. My better judgement was wrong.
I’ve worn this exact product in the color “Medium Sheer” almost everyday this summer. The amount of coverage coupled with the SPF 30 that’s included in the serum, make it my #1 choice for a foundation alternative in hot weather conditions. And only $8!
Shine Drama comes in 13 colors and goes for $12 a tube. It is a tad sticky or, as my mom would put it, “It feels like I just ate a doughnut”. That characteristic doesn’t bother me because the shine and vibrance makes up for any ‘heaviness’. A great summer, make-up bag essential!
Tanya Burr, Youtube go-to girl for make-up tutorials, often uses The Falsies mascara and raves about how great it is. So, for $6, I thought, “What the heck”, and picked it up at Target. It was definitely not a mistake! Even my husband says that my lashes look long and luscious when I use it! The wand is perfect for winging your lashes up and separating them, and the mascara itself is not clumpy at all; it goes on very smoothly. Tanya never lets me down!
FASHION:
FOOD:
There you have it, my summer favorites! Who knows, maybe we have some of the same ones. If you have questions, or suggestions for something I should try and maybe include in my next post, leave me a comment below! 🙂
Lay Bare, With A Little Flair 