Saturday, August 31, 2013

A Cautionary Tale - Weight Loss Update!

This post has been a long time coming. Just been dreading posting it. But when it comes to my weight loss I want to be completely honest with you. I'm not gonna sit here and pretend its all downhill once you get the ball rolling. Sure I feel like I am doing great, and looking great. But there are speed bumps.... I AM doing my best to keep at it, working my BUTT off (literally) in the gym and to eat the best I can. However, sometimes I let go and back peddle a little.

Having cheat days, or days off is totally fine, my friends. But let me just be your cautionary tale... Those days do have a PRICE. Recently The Hubs and I took a little adult only camping vacay. It was amazing, and we ended up staying longer than originally planned. So for about a week I did nothing but lounge, have fun, and eat so much junk food! It was a blast. And I knew that it would cause me to gain some weight, and I would have to hit the gym hard core after coming back... I just didn't let it bother me. I needed this break and time of relaxation. (We all do sometimes!)
 
However, like I said... Those kinds of days come with a price. Since starting to measure myself in addition to tracking my scale weight, I really got to see what that price was. That price was 5 pounds GAINED, and half an inch GAINED in my waist and thighs. *Palm meet forehead* I KNEW I would gain some weight... But I just didnt think I would see much difference in my measurements. I was seriously SO bummed while getting measured. I felt guilty, because I knew I did this to myself.

At the same time, I dont regret it. I meant, I enjoyed my break. But I have had to PUSH myself  HARD this month to make up for the extra weight, and to hopefully have some kind LOSS next month. Luckily, The Hubs has been able to join us ( me & my sister, Mona, pictured above with me) at the gym... And he has been helping us with weight lifting after Zumba. So next month's weight loss update should be a good one. If not, I just might cry! haha
 
                      June 14                        July 12                      August 14

Waist:                35                                34.5                             35 - Half Inch GAINED
Hips:                  41.5                             40.5                             40.5 - No Change
Chest:                39.5                             39                                 39 - No Change
Thighs:               26                                25.5                              26 - Half Inch GAINED
Calves:              17                                16.5                              16.5 - No Change
Arms:                14 1/4                          14 1/4                           14 1/4 - No Change
Neck:                13                                13                                 13 - Most Likely wont change
Butt:                   42 1/4                         41.5                              41.5- No Change


p.s. There is a new linky party called Stay Fit Sunday! If you blog about weight loss, or fitness, check it out! I'll be linking this post up there as well. ♥

Much Love & Hugs,
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Linking up to Stay Fit Sunday!

Friday, August 30, 2013

Confession Time

Hello, hello, and happy Friday sweet friends!
Welcome back to this bi-weekly series I'm doing with Michelle of Let it Shine.
This series is called "I Confess" and we will be doing just that, fessing up!
And the awesome thing about this series, is it is a linky party too!
So YOU can join in on the fun, so go ahead... Get stuff off your chest...Fess up.
I confess... Outfit post + Confession post = Two Birds, One Stone, Blogger win. In my opinion. ♥

I confess.... I really MISS writing. Like writing good content for this blog. I feel like a slight failure lately, only having mostly photo posts. I'd like to offer more here, but life is just SUPER busy for me right now. I hope you all still enjoy this space.

I confess... I really hate always saying life is "super busy"! I feel like I always say that and it feels like an excuse. But its the truth. And really I think I will always be super busy. I just need to re-work my schedule a little bit. It has changed a lot since kicking up my workout routine. 

I confess... As much as I love blogging, right now, working out trumps blogging. Which is why the blog may be lacking a bit. I do apologize for that, but again, I do hope you all still enjoy this space. As well as the things I do have time to share!

I confess... I think you all need to get the keek app and follow me there... Especially if you like awkward laughing, random bits of daily life and more beauty talk! 36 second videos are a lot easier to create with my busy time frame... So I have been sharing a lot on there.

I confess... I have been feeling really feisty lately.

I confess...I eat salad like a pig. Like stuff my face - totally chow down kind of eating. I always think it would be embarrassing for anyone to see me eat like this. For some reason this only happens with salad. I'm totally capable of eating anything else like a normal human. Lol

I confess... I still actually have a 50% off code for all my ad spots. I was gonna just have it be a one day special, but Ive been too lazy to disable it. Feel free to take advantage of my laziness. Use code AGAPELOVE to get 50% off any ad space.

I confess... I kind of already shared this outfit, on my other blog. But I figured it was "safe" to share here, since I dont have very many readers on my other blog.

I confess... I seriously L♥VE the casual cuteness of this outfit. Plus its a great color combo!! Right? ♥

What I am Wearing:
Tank Top: Walmart
Skinnies: Walmart
Shoes c/o: Sugar Love Boutique
Necklace c/o: Wild Butterfly Boutique
Earrings: Charlotte is ChaCha



Ok friends, your turn...Link up YOUR confessions!
 
There are no rules for this linky, except that the post you link up be a confessions post!
ALSO it would be fabulous if you could link back to one of us!
If you want, you can save the Confession photo above to use in your post if you want, only if you want. ;)

Much Love & Hugs,
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Thursday, August 29, 2013

Twisted EOTD!

I create a lot of fun makeup looks.... I love a great bold and colorful eye! But I also know that a lot of you want to see more subtle or neutral looks too. So I have been working more on those kind of looks to share with you. Today I have, what I think to be the best of both words. Its more on the neutral, but still a bold fun look. And I think its my new favorite!!! Plus I LOVE this lipstick. Let me know what you all think?
Get a live look with this 36 second video:

For this look I used My Beauty Addiction Mineral Eye Shadows in:
Silver Shores
Twisted
Hawaiian Tropics (Limited Edition - no longer available)
French Vanilla
(Cosmetic Glitter) - Starstruck
All of these shadows were used with Shadow Poxy, and can be found at My Beauty Addiction:

On my Face:
My Beauty Addiction Perfect Canvas Makeup Primer
My Beauty Addiction Anti-Aging Mineral Foundation in #6 'Honey' 

My Beauty Addiction Healing Blush in 'Berry Cool'

My Beauty Addiction Mineral Bronzer in 'Cocoa Glow'
On My Lips:
My Beauty Addiction Color Rich Lipstick in 'O.C.D'
Watch these keeks for more info about this fabulous lipstick!!


I'll be linking this post up here. If you are a beauty blogger, you should link up too!
Makeup Monday
Much Love & Hugs,
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Pretty Things #36

 Pretty things Im lovin' this week.
#love #prettythings #workout #fashion #coffee #jewelry #dress #flowers #personalized #hearts #makeup


Summer Bow Dress / / Handmade Bead Earrings / / Rosette Necklaces



 What pretty things are you loving this week?
What blog posts are really inspiring and speaking to you this week?

Before you go!
Check out these giveaways:
Back to School $500 CASH giveaway!(3 days left to enter)
Summer Beauty Giveaway (7 days left to enter)
 Handmade Bohemian Earrings Giveaway (9 days left to enter)

Much Love & Hugs,
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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Different Is Good

Recently I received a  wonderful package from one of my amazing Sponsors, Jill, of Sugar Love Boutique. I just love Jill's style and just about EVERYTHING in Sugar Love Boutique... So I was ecstatic when I opened up my packaged filled with items that I picked and a few surprises she picked for me. ♥ 

I think its great to step out of your comfort zone sometimes.... So when I saw one of the items, a pantsuit, that I would never have picked on my own, it definitely brought me out of my style box comfort zone. And while I was nervous... I was excited about that as well! With my weight loss journey, I have become a little more daring in my style choices, because I am now more comfortable to try something new, and not worry how it will look and feel on me. Though I do admit I was mostly nervous just because I wasn't sure what The Hubs would think.

So... I told him I wanted his honest opinion on an outfit. I also warned him that it would be different (for me), so not to be too harsh, but still be honest. When I walked out in this outfit... I was honestly surprised to find that he LOVED it. He said it looked amazing on me,that it made look taller and very slim. ♥♥ Our niece, Kayli, who is currently living with us, said she loved it too. And that it was her favorite outfit she has seen on me. I cant tell you how happy their great feedback made me. As well as how thankful I am for Jill sending me something so different. I'm finding that different is good. What do you think?

What I'm Wearing:
Pantsuit c/o: Sugar Love Boutique
Belt: Forever 21
Wedges c/o: Sugar Love Boutique
Earrings: Torrid
Makeup: See close ups here

Much Love & Hugs,
Visit my In Post Sponsor:
Sponsor an "In Post" Ad!  Click {here}for more info.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Family Photo Wall!

I am so very excited to FINALLY have my family photo wall put up in our sitting room. Its been on my to-do list for a long time, but deciding which photos to put up, and how to put them up and just getting them printed and such is what has taken the majority of the time. But its finally done and I just LOVE it. ♥ It made me so happy to walk in here this morning and see it done, and I felt like it made our sitting room look THAT much better.
Its sort of hard to capture in a photo how beautiful it looks.. So I got a video too!
This first one has no sound/talking...

In this video I am just sharing where each item is from. ♥

Find links to everything here:
Portraits by: Alexander Creative Photography 
Family Rules Poster: Alexander Creative on Etsy
Canvas Prints c/o: Easy Canvas Prints
Family Wood Sign c/o: Snappy Design Signs
Acrylic Photo Print c/o: BumbleJax 

Much Love & Hugs,
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Monday, August 26, 2013

Watermelon Inspired Eyes - Pictorial

Hey beauties!! Happy Makeup Monday to you!! If you are a beauty blogger, be sure to link up any beauty post you have, below. Today I am rockin' a fun watermelon inspired eye, AND I even created a pictorial to show you how I did it. If you enjoy the pictorials, let me know, I will be sure to keep creating more!
For this look I used My Beauty Addiction Mineral Eye Shadows in:
V.I.Pink
Firecracker
Kiwi Kiss
French Vanilla
(Cosmetic Glitter) - Bubble Gum
All of these shadows were used with Shadow Poxy, and can be found at My Beauty Addiction:

On my Face:
My Beauty Addiction Perfect Canvas Makeup Primer
My Beauty Addiction Anti-Aging Mineral Foundation in #6 'Honey' 
My Beauty Addiction Healing Blush in 'Berry Cool'
My Beauty Addiction Mineral Bronzer in 'Cocoa Glow'
Check out video of how this looks here.
Now its your turn to share YOUR beauty posts!!
Please be kind and visit/comment one or two (or more) other links.
This link up is for makeup/beauty related posts only!
This includes but not limited to beauty reviews, how-to's, hauls, giveaways, mani's, and look inspirations.
If you do not have a blog, but showcase beauty elsewhere like instagram or flicker,
you are still welcome to link up as well, please just link to a specific photo, though, not your whole account! :)

Also, be sure to Subscribe to the Makeup Monday newsletter if you want to stay up to date about the link up, features, challenges and giveaways!

RULES:

1. Link to a specific Blog Post, not your entire blog

If you do not have a blog, feel free to link to an instagram or flicker photo!

2. Please grab a button to add to your blog/blog post or link back to Makeup Monday

3.* Follow your hosts Agape Love Designs & Wink for Pink

4.* Tweet about this linky using hashtag #MakeupMonday and Tag @mariagridley

*Not Mandatory but appreciated
Makeup Monday


Much Love & Hugs,
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Sunday, August 25, 2013

Handmade Bohemian Earrings Giveaway - From Bluseagal!

Hey friends! Happy Sunday to you. I have a lovely little giveaway for you today.... 
Arent you loving my earrings above? They are from Bluseagal, a bohemian clothing boutique for unique and handmade products! Gigi is the woman behind the shop and she is super sweet. Not only did she send me some earrings for myself, but also to giveaway! Find her also on facebook.

Check out this video below for a live look at the earrings...


Here are some of the beautiful items from Bluseagal!!

And here are the earrings that YOU could possibly win... This giveaway is open WORLD WIDE!!!
Giveaway is open world wide!
Enter using the rafflecopter widget below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Much Love & Hugs,
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Saturday, August 24, 2013

How To Wear Red Eye Shadow


Hello beauties! Happy Saturday. ♥ Today I have a great eye of the day to share with you. 
I must say that I LOVE wearing red eye shadow... If you have green eyes especially, red is gonna make them really stand out!

Now the trick (in my opinion) to wearing red eye shadow is pairing it with a neutral. As you can see here, I've paired it with a two brown shades to balance it out. As you can see I also added a creamy color (french vanilla to the inner corners of my eye and brow bone to high light. Its all subtle, but together it helps so the red isn't over-powering!

On my lid Ive got two sort of red shades (firecracker & raspberry martini) then in my crease I used a light brown shade (gypsy) blended with a little bit of the red shades.... This not only adds definition to the eye but also helps to soften/balance out the red.

On my lower lash line I did a darker brown shade. This again adds definition to my eyes without while, not outshining the gorgeous red on my lids. If I had done red as well on my lower lash line, that would probably just be too much red.

You can see how I wore red with other neutrals in these previous posts of mine (the photos are not that great, but you will get the idea) Red & Cream, Red & Black.
To create this look I used the following My Beauty Addiction Mineral Eyeshadows:
French Vanilla,
Firecracker,
Raspberry Martini,
Gypsy,
Down & Dirty.
All of these shadows were used with Shadow Poxy, and can be found at My Beauty Addiction:

I'll be linking this makeup post up here:
Makeup Monday


Much Love & Hugs,
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