Category: Fab Finds

June 17, 2016

I’m baaaaaack!  And boy, have I missed it.  I have blogged on and off for 15 years (!!!) but am frequently “off.”  When things get busy (often), the blog is always first to be put on the back burner.  After a few weeks and then months go by, it seems intimidating to jump back into a routine.  But, I have sincerely desired to return to this space and am looking forward to sharing more regularly again.  One thing I’ve always loved writing about is the random finds/things that I’ve discovered and fallen for.  So I thought I’d jump right back into this blogging thing with my most recent “lately love” — BeautyCounter.

I have always been into skincare, following in the footsteps of my mother and her fastidious facial cleansing routines. I grew up watching her use dozens of products on her skin, treating her face with the utmost delicacy, visiting spas and getting facials regularly.  Although I haven’t invested the same amount of time and money into my own face (much to her chagrin, ha!), I’ve certainly seen firsthand what it looks like to take care of one’s skin.  Like most women, I went through stages with my skin care.  There were years I spent too much time in the sun, and years I went to bed with a full face of makeup.  Now that I’m older (read: getting fine lines and wrinkles) and somewhat wiser, I am more motivated to put some effort into my self-care.  Though I inherited some pretty good “skin genes,” I know good skin care starts from the inside out.  Good sleep and hydration are both key to healthy, supple skin.  From there, my desire is simply to take care of my skin in the most healthy, natural way possible.

Just over a month ago, I was introduced to BeautyCounter by my dear friend Lindsay.  She is an amazing wife and mama and one of my favorite women on the planet.  She also shares my desire for pure, natural products whenever and wherever possible.  I was immediately intrigued by the premise and heart behind BC.  BeautyCounter is a line of skincare, body care and makeup that is committed to providing the highest level of safe + effective products.  Created by a mama herself, the goal was to create the products she couldn’t find on store shelves.  BC has proactively banned over 1500 harmful ingredients from their own products, and are continually looking into each and every ingredient they use in their line to ensure its safety.  About 80% of their ingredients are organic and natural, and the other 20% of synthetic ingredients are carefully vetted.

I’ve had the pleasure of trying a host of BeautyCounter products and I am 100% in love.  I have noticed a real difference in the tone, texture, look and feel of my skin in just over a month.  I want to note that this is NOT an ad or sponsored post — this is just me sharing something I’ve discovered and loved.  Isn’t that always the best way to learn about something: to hear from a friend who loves it too??  I’ve tried tons of expensive products in my day but have never felt so good about a line as I do about BC.  It works and it makes me feel empowered using something safe and pure.

Here are the products I’ve tried so far:

  • Routine Clean Cream Cleanser (I use this every morning)
  • Countertime Nourishing Cleansing Balm (my very favorite BC product; it is a new holy grail item for me)
  • Countertime Radiance Firming Complex (another favorite product — feels amazing on the skin and gives me that glowy dewy finish I like)
  • Countertime Vibrant Eye Perfector (every morning and night)
  • Protect All Over Sunscreen SPF 30 (for me and the kiddos)
  • Kids Nice Do Shampoo
  • Kids Not a Knot Conditioner
  • + their former Kids Body Wash which has now been updated to the one below!

Here are the products on my wish list:

  • Nourishing Cream Exfoliator (I love a good exfoliant)
  • Purifying Charcoal Mask (like a 10 minute facial!)
  • Countertime Uplifting Day Cream
  • Countertime Restorative Night Cream
  • Super Duper Clean Kids Body Wash

My sweet Lindsay is offering free shipping this month if you’re interested in trying out some products.  Leave your email below and I’ll connect you with her directly to get the shipping deal!  <3

Your turn to share with me: what are your current beauty favorites, or your tried and true products?

Hope you all have a great weekend — see you again soon!

CATEGORIES: 2 comments

August 4, 2015

With Olive starting preschool in a month (!!!), I have had school supplies on my mind.  I always loved back-to-school shopping as a child, and now I get to be the one with the pocketbook, helping my own daughter fill up a cart with (cute) essentials.  Although the supplies truly necessary for a preschooler are limited, I knew I wanted to invest in a great first backpack.  My goal was to find something well-made, colorful and appropriately-sized.  Ideally, Olive will hold on to this backpack for at least a few years.  Here were my top contenders…

  • Herschel // Settlement Kids backpacks $39.99 — Herschel is synonymous with hip backpacks for kids and adults alike.  They have a kids line as well as a slightly larger youth line, for the bigger kiddos.  Olive was instantly attracted to the variety of quirky patterns offered; her favorite is the “South Beach” design in a bright teal, covered with palm trees and pink flamingos.  Both the Settlement and Heritage lines come in kids’ sizes.
  • STATE Bags // The Kane $55 —
    STATE Bags is like the TOMS of the bag world; they have a wonderful program that matches each bag sold with one given to an American child in need.  I love the playful color blocking on the bag, and the various pockets and compartments.  I think both colorways work for boys and girls.
  • Freshly Picked // Limited Edition Backpacks $30 —
    My favorite moccasin maker now makes limited edition backpacks!  This summer they did a playful banana print and a coral-backed palm leaf pattern.  Right now they’re offering a classic stars and striped backpack.  The price is right, too!
  • Skip Hop // Unicorn Backpack $20 — I love Skip Hop products and their sweet line of backpacks (and coordinating lunch boxes, plates, cups, etc.) is comprised of various animals.  The unicorn is a newer offering and it just puts a smile on my face.  This bag is the smallest of all at only 10.5″w x 12″h x 5″d.
  • Fjallraven // Kånken Mini backpack $65 — I love the squared-off shape of this iconic framed backpack, a Swedish classic.  It comes in a rainbow of colors (including some two-tone options) and is beautifully made.

Let me know if you have a favorite!  In the end, I couldn’t get Olive off of those “mingos” (what she calls flamingos) and we ordered the Herschel Kid’s Settlement backpack.  It shipped at lightning speed and the quality and craftsmanship exceeded my very high expectations.  Olive is already wearing it around the house in excitement for “school time.”

Hope you are all having a great week!

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October 28, 2014

Hello everyone!  I hope you’re having a lovely week so far.  As I ease back into blogging, I wanted to share a few of my favorite items that were included in the swag of the Love and Splendor Workshops.  I looove giving gifts and I treated the swag bags just like a present I’d present to a friend.  It was important to me that I carefully curated each item that my attendees would receive.  Quality was more important than quantity, so I chose items that I would gladly purchase for myself.  I knew one of the items I had to have was a candle.

the farewell gift boxes, all bundled up

I am a big candle person, and almost always have one (or more) burning in our home.  It is such a simple yet luxurious treat to have a lovely candle going on the counter at home!  For the workshop farewell gifts, I selected a new love of mine: Rosy Rings candles.

I first got hooked on Rosy Rings in the spring, when a colleague sent me a sweet gift of one (Thanks, April!).  It was the tomato vine scent and it was absolutely intoxicating.  At that time of year, we were just starting to harvest tomatoes from our own garden.  If you’ve never been around a tomato plant, you need to know that the plant itself gives off the most wonderful earthy fragrance.  It’s a bit sweet, it’s a bit grassy.  I was delighted to find that unique smell captured perfectly in a candle.  I think it’s a perfect scent to have year round in the home, but I particularly love burning it in the kitchen or living room.

Other Rosy Rings scents I’m crazy about include Earl Grey (just like the classic cup of tea — a bit floral with bergamot and citrus), Sea Salt (fresh and clean, like the ocean breeze) and Fireside (warm and cozy, with a touch of smoke, leather and woods).  I purchased an assortment of their small apothecary jar candles to include in my gift boxes.  The petite size (2 oz) is great for travel and still burns for a respectable 15 hours.  I’ve found Rosy Rings to burn really cleanly with their soy wax and the scents are pure (no strange “off” scents during or post-burn) and lasting.

I have lots of other Rosy Rings varieties I can’t wait to try!  Honey Tobacco and Blackberry Fig are on my radar, and I know Erik would love their Spicy Apple or Pumpkin Farmhouse (he’s all about the warm holiday scents!).  Their price point makes it really reasonable to test out a few.  You can find them online at their website or at various gift stores around the country!  I love that their candles are hand poured and made with love in Denver, Colorado.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!  //  If you enjoy candles as much as I do, I know you’ll be a fan of Rosy Rings.  I have an extra candle to share with a reader so if you’d like to enter to win one, just comment below and let me know which candle from their website sounds like something you’d love to have burning at home.  I’ll pick a winner from the comments on Friday, October 31 at 10 a.m. PST.  Best of luck!  🙂

Enjoy the rest of the day and see you again soon!

CATEGORIES: , 15 comments

May 1, 2014

Hey everyone!  Okay… so this post might seem a bit odd but in the past, I’ve enjoyed sharing my random “fab finds” with you.  Hope you don’t mind me picking up the series here with an installment on foundation!  As a teenager, I never really wore makeup.  Aside from special occasions when I had my makeup done (e.g. prom), I went happily barefaced.  Clear mascara and softlips were my go-tos!

In college, I played with some tinted moisturizers (love Laura Mercier) and used Bare Minerals for a while.  I remember someone taking me to a Stila warehouse sale and I went crazy, purchasing my first professional brush kit.  Still, it wasn’t until after I was married that I really got into makeup.  Now I am certainly no beauty guru and I still struggle to apply eyeliner without a shaky hand, but I think I have enough experience and YouTube hours logged to share the bit of knowledge I have.  😉

These days I wear foundation about 4-5 days a week, depending on my schedule.  Sometimes I will put on foundation even when my only plans are to clean house and read books with Olive; it just makes me feel fresh and polished.  I have tried quite a few foundations and have discovered that my favorites have medium coverage with a youthful, dewy finish.  I definitely don’t favor a matte face, so I rarely powder (unless it’s a long, hot day and I desperately need a touch-up).  My ideal face looks youthful and glowing but not shiny.

When it comes to luxury foundations, Chanel is my ultimate favorite hands-down.  I’ve tried others including YSL and Nars, but I always come back to Chanel.  Within the brand, I’ve tried Pro Lumière (now discontinued), Mat Lumière, Perfection Lumière and Vitalumière Aqua.  The two latter are my current favorites and are in regular rotation.  For both foundations I wear the shade beige 30 — my skin is light to medium with yellow undertones (half-Asian) and I have a good amount of freckles on my face.  😉  I favor Perfection Lumière (retails for $57) for special occasions and evenings since the coverage is better and the finish is slightly more matte (but not flat), which looks great in photos.  Vitalumière Aqua (retails for $45) is an easy everyday foundation, feels very light on the skin, and has a very natural finish.  It’s a “my skin but better” look that I love!  I also love that the packaging is plastic which, while less luxe than the typical glass Chanel bottles, makes for easy traveling and tossing into my handbag.

Although I love me some fancy foundation, I don’t want to use it every single day and constantly need to replace them.  So, I change out regularly with two great drugstore foundations.  Both were lucky accidents; I stumbled into a CVS and guessed my shade in the aisle and it worked (both times).  The two drugstore foundations in rotation (both around $8/ea) are Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation in Creamy Natural and Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 120.  The former is a cream formula, and the latter is liquid.

For all of my foundations, I prefer to apply with clean fingers and blend well.  I do use a stippling brush on occasion if I need a really perfect and thorough application but let’s be real… what mom has time to leisurely apply makeup??  I have been complimented on my skin while wearing all 4 of these foundations so I continue to repurchase each of them.  My mom even asked me to get her the two Maybelline foundations for her (that’s a big deal if you know my fancy mom).

If and when I need powder, I reach for the sheer Porefessional powder by Benefit (retails for $30).  It keeps shine at bay and I love the built in brush.

Ultimately I think my luxury foundations are worth the splurge (and I usually get a new one at Christmas from my mother-in-law!) but I’m grateful for my drugstore faithfuls for the everyday.

Do you have favorite foundations, either high or low end?  I’d love to hear your picks, too!  xoxo

CATEGORIES: 18 comments

October 14, 2013

Happy Monday, friends!!  Did you guys have an awesome weekend like I did?  I hope so.  😉  Today I am still recovering from a fabulous wedding, and also trying to make a dent in that post-trip laundry pile.  I’m on load 4 and counting…

Today I wanted to share a fab find of the musical sort.  My friend Aaron, aka FreshBigMouf, is an incredible artist who makes music with, well, everything. The world is his instrument, literally.  On his adventures, called a beat scout, he goes out to a location and hunts for unique tones and sounds to create familiar melodies.  It’s a lot easier to show you what I mean, so take a peek at this Beat Scout version of “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers.

If that doesn’t make you grin from ear to ear, I don’t know what will!  There is more Beat Scout goodness on his YouTube channel, so make sure to check it out!  This fun Jackson 5 ABC cover has a bit more about his process.

I am all about passionate people doing unique and fun things.  Fresh Big Mouf couldn’t epitomize this more.  His zest for life is contagious!  He marches dances to the beat of his own drum taco truck / factory / burger stand and I can’t get enough.  I hope you love Fresh Big Mouf as much as I do.  Let me know what you think, and don’t be shy if you have an idea for a place he should beat scout next!

This week I’ll be sharing Olive’s 19-month update, another hour-by-hour wedding and an introduction to my lovely new assistant, Kourtney aka Koko.  Lots of good stuff headed your way so I’ll see you again soon!

CATEGORIES: 3 comments

September 9, 2013

Happy Monday!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  We had another visit from grandparents (my Dad this time) so of course Olive had a blast.  I am also prepping for a beautiful wedding this coming Saturday.  I have been looking forward to this one for a looong time so I truly cannot wait for the big day.  (xo T&L!)

Today I wanted to share with you about a new company called Little Bean Sprout!  It was actually started by one of my former clients (Hi S!), and I am all about sharing the love.  I think the concept is brilliant so I told her I wanted to post about it.  Full Disclosure: this post was my idea and I am not being compensated or paid for it in any way.  It’s just me sharing with you guys about something I think is awesome.  😉

LBS_logo2

Little Bean Sprout is a cool website where you can buy both new and used baby + kids clothing, and then sell it back when your child outgrows it.  When you sell back, you earn credits to buy more new clothes so it is a win-win situation!  I love that you are reducing waste and giving great clothes a second life in one fell swoop.  And it doesn’t hurt that you are rewarded to do so with their sell-back credits!  They feature brands I already love like Splendid Littles and Deux Par Deux, as well as new-to-their-site Appaman (which makes me want a boy SO badly so I can put him in this!).  They recently were written up on Daily Candy (so cool!) and I am excited for how they continue to grow.  Here’s a little video that explains everything you need to know:

Check out their site and if you find something you like, you can take 10% off by using the code OLIVE10.  OLIVE10 has been created with 1 use per customer, unlimited customers.  10% off, good from now until 12/31/13.  Woohoo!  With the code good until the end of the year, you have plenty of time to check back for more goodies and do some Christmas shopping maybe??

AngelDear2       DeuxparDeux1

Homepage

Here’s Olive in her favorite dress from Splendid Littles via Little Bean Sprout…

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who is this big girl??

Hope you guys have a wonderful week!  I’m off to finish packing up some welcome totes for very lucky guests headed to wine country this weekend.  See you again soon!

CATEGORIES: 0 comments

July 15, 2013

A loong while ago I had a fun series on my blog called { fab finds } — it was a round-up of fun and random favorites in beauty + fashion and a sort-of wishlist.  I’ve been thinking about resurrecting the series, and the perfect post idea came to me over the weekend.

I was recently inspired (or convicted! haha) by my friend Erica‘s post on Instagram in which she revealed that her purse had more than a few lipsticks and glosses.  I think we’re all guilty of hoarding lip products, right??  Anytime I switch purses I inevitably discover a stash at the bottom, like lost treasure, buried beneath crumpled receipts, an overstuffed wallet and a ring of keys that looks like it belongs to a groundskeeper.  After ooh-ing and aah-ing over the long-lost lippies, I feel a rekindled love for each of them, as if I now owe it to myself to paint on a perfect pout for the next five days (before I lose them all again to the dark recesses of my handbag).

So that’s where I find myself this Monday, and I thought I’d share some of my favs before they disappear again!

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from left to right…

  • Buxom Lips by Bare Escentuals in “April” // love the tingly sensation you get when you apply!  This is a perfect cool pink for me, with delicate silvery glitter. 
  • Dior Addict Lipstick in DiorKiss #578 // my perfect “everyday” lipstick… It’s a medium bright pink (if that makes sense) that goes on sheer but is perfectly buildable.  I love that it feels so moisturizing and I can wear it without a gloss on top… Dior Addict lipsticks are known to be hydrating.
  • YSL Volupté Sheer Candy in Dewy Papaya #2 // This is my grown-up “instead of lip balm.”  I am a YSL lipstick devotee (at least a dozen in my drawer) and these sheer candy glosses are downright luxurious.  Shade #2 is a barely there gloss that is perfect for everyday.  For a sweet pop of color, I love #4 Succulent Pomegranate.
  • Another Buxom Lips, but in punchy “Naomi” // sheer hot pink with fine glitter — what else could you want?
  • YSL Rouge Volupté Perle in Coral Sun #102 // YSL lippies win me over with their creamy texture, ultra smooth finish, delicious scent (melon!) and luxe packaging. The perle line has the most subtle shimmer and this particular color is a summer staple.
  • MAC Lipstick in Crème Cup // Of MAC lipsticks, their ‘cremesheen’ finish is my favorite.  Crème Cup is the perfect neutral on my lips, just a shade lighter than my own natural lip tint.
  • Stila Lip Glaze in Grapefruit // I’ve been using grapefruit since I was in high school and it’s still a favorite peachy-pink.  The clicking sound it makes when I turn it is sort of nostalgic for me… haha

The funny thing is that as I was typing this out, I dug through my purse to answer my phone and discovered two more lip glosses!  haha  I’ll save them for another {fab finds} installment, I suppose!

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Let’s kick off the week with a giveaway, shall we?  I have a brand new tube of my aforementioned beloved Dior Addict lipstick in #578 Dior Kiss, and I’d love to send it to a sweet reader!  To enter, simply leave a comment below letting me know your favorite lip product(s).  For one extra entry, unearth the lip products in your purse, snap a photo and post it on Instagram.  Make sure to tag me @loveandsplendor and use the hashtag #longlostlippies so I can see it!

You have until Sunday, 7/21/13 at 9 pm PST to enter.  I’ll announce a winner next Monday, on 7/22.

Have a great Monday afternoon & see you soon!

CATEGORIES: , 10 comments

July 5, 2013

Happy Friday, everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July yesterday (if you are here in the USA).  I am truly grateful to live in this beautiful country and thank God for the blessings and freedoms I’ve enjoyed as a result.  Unsurprisingly, we celebrated at a proper BBQ and my contribution was organic homemade vanilla bean ice cream.  It was actually a frozen custard, made with lots of egg yolks and good, whole ingredients.  It turned out AMAZING.  You guys, it was the creamiest, dreamiest, most decadent dessert.  I think I’m making it my new Independence Day tradition!  Maybe next year Olive will be able to help me make it, too.  😉

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen Olive twirling around in some of my favorite dresses from dot dot smile.  My sweet friend Nicole is the stylish maven behind the clothing line and she puts out the cutest twirl-friendly dresses and funky leggings for your kiddos!  Olive has four “Lucy” dresses in various patterns, and I can’t get over the newest prints for summer.  They are just toooo cute!  I get tons of compliments on them when we’re out and about.  The cut is perfectly fitted in the body and the full skirt drapes beautifully (and is perfect for twirling, naturally!).

wearing the new “peachy peach aztec” in the Lucy Dress

If you have a little boy, I know lots of friends love the “Azure” leggings!  They come in tons of great patterns, many gender-neutral, so no one has to be left out of the fun.

Today I am THRILLED to be sharing the dot dot smile love with a fun giveaway.  We are giving away any darling Lucy dress *and* a pair of Azure leggings for your little one, in the patterns and sizes of your choice!

You can see Olive looooves her dot dot smile dresses!

“purple party aztec” Lucy dress

“teal & coral aztec” Lucy dress

This is a BLOG + INSTAGRAM giveaway.  The rules are simple: you must comment below to enter.  One additional entry is available on Instagram .  If you post on IG but don’t comment below, I can’t count your entry.  The blog comment is the official way to to enter.

1) You MUST comment below and let me know what cutie in your life could use some dot dot smile in their wardrobe.  Add one fun fact about your little one that makes you smile… a quirk, a habit, something they say or do, etc.

2) For an ADDITIONAL entry, post a picture on Instagram of your little one (or cousin, niece, nephew, etc.) and use the hashtag #makemedotdotsmile and tag @loveandsplendor and @dotdotsmile

You have until next THURSDAY, JULY 11th at 9p PST to enter.  The winner will be announced a week from today!

That’s it!  As a fun sidenote, dot dot smile is having an Independence Day sale through tomorrow (Saturday) night PST, so I’d scoot on over to their site and pick up some items all at 15% using the code SMILEUSA before the sale is up!!

I’m looking forward to reading your entries!!  Have a delightful weekend & see you Monday!

CATEGORIES: , 27 comments

May 14, 2013

Hello everyone!  I hope your week is off to a lovely start!  Mine certainly is — I had such a sweet mother’s day on Sunday and I’m still beaming about it.

mother’s day 2013

We started the day at church and I served in the nursery.  There was a visiting family with a young boy (about 2 years old) and he initially had a hard time adjusting to the nursery, surrounded by unfamiliar faces.  He took to me for some reason and I spent most of the service just holding him.  He actually fell asleep in my arms (so sweet!!) and woke up content to spend the remaining time playing with Olive and his other nursery-mates.  It reminded me that although I am not his mother, I can nurture and love other children as my own.  For many years before I had Olive, I longed so much to be a mama.  I want to send a special encouragement to any of you out there who may be in that circumstance now.  I fervently pray that God will open the doors for you to become a mother soon, but urge you in the meanwhile to love on the kiddos around you in your life.  There’s lots of love to go around!

After service, I grabbed our customary Sunday lunch on the way home: In-N-Out burger, of course! We scarfed it down quickly since Olive had fallen asleep in the car, and then we drove out to the charming town of Los Olivos.  Erik took me to get my favorite Enjoy Cupcakes (yum!) and I devoured the pistachio lemon chardonnay + banana lemon creme treats.  We walked around a bit (truthfully we were just chasing Olive around town as she excitedly ambled about, greeting everyone in sight) but the unseasonable heat had us headed home early.  😉  We then spent some time browsing the aisles of Home Depot (hilarious, I know… We are both fixated on home stuff right now!) before having delicious Korean food for dinner.  Toward the end of the day, Erik had Olive hand me “her” mother’s day card.  Erik, being Erik, had helped her pick out a card that was for encouragement (not Mother’s Day…haha!) with a chihuaua and a dumbbell on the front.  Inside it said, “You’re stronger than you know.”  I just about died of laughter!  He also helped Olive write me a sweet note and she signed her name with her own hand.  I’m not gonna lie — I was impressed with her penmanship.  😉

photo via @enjoycupcakes on IG — love Amber & Kevin and their incredible cupcakes!

All in all I had a lovely day with my little family.  I got exactly what I had hoped for: some time out of the house with my two favorite people!

Before I sign out today, I wanted to share my excitement about my new bag.  I was on the hunt for a knitting bag but wanted something large enough to double as a travel tote or carry-on.  I discovered Piggledee on Etsy and followed the links to Asako’s blog.  I was instantly SMITTEN with her beautiful creations.  She makes backpacks, totes, knapsacks, zippered pouches and more, all using beautiful fabrics, many of them in quirky Japanese prints!  The bags can be used for tons of purposes, including cosmetic bags, travel bags, pencil cases, changing pads, washcloths, reusable lunch bags, diaper bags and more…  Although I’m not a cat person at all, I couldn’t resist the whimsical kitty print in grey for my big tote.  I also added a large zip pouch to use for cosmetics when I travel, and for my notions when I’m knitting.  😉  I found it hilarious that I was ordering a travel bag for my trip to Australia from a seller who is based in Sydney.  Oh, irony!  Asako is also a fellow Cal grad (Go Bears!); it was fun to learn we had so much in common!

I just received my bags yesterday and I couldn’t be more pleased with them.  They are well-made and beautifully constructed.  Asako herself was a pleasure to work with from start to finish, and her kind communication and speedy shipping were much appreciated.  I can’t wait to revisit her shop and pick up many more goodies in the future!  Today I am thrilled to giveaway TWO of her fabulous pouches!  The winner will win BOTH a large grey cat print zippered pouch, and a slightly smaller pink cat print pouch.

To enter:

  1. Like Love and Splendor on Facebook
  2. Comment below and let me know what you’d use the pouches for if you won!
  3. If you follow this blog on Bloglovin’ and/or follow me on Instagram, mention it in the comment for extra entries (1 each).

You have until Thursday, May 16th at 9 p.m. PST to enter.  I’ll announce the winner this Friday, the 17th!

Thanks for stopping by; see you again soon!

CATEGORIES: , , , 13 comments

August 6, 2011

Hello everyone & Happy Saturday!!  I’m back with a fun double-function post.  🙂  I want my readers to continually get to know the other ladies behind Love and Splendor, so I thought it would be fun to have Anna and Michelle do their own “fab finds” posts for the summertime.  I know it is already August but with the heatwave enveloping our country, I think we are still set with weeks of sunshine ahead.  Read on to learn about Michelle’s “summer essentials” and then enter below for a chance to WIN some of her very favorite things.  xoxo, Angel

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Hello everybody!! This is officially my first post on the L&S blog.  So exciting!!  I will, hopefully, be contributing to the Fab Finds posts every now and again and I wanted to get you my Summer Fab Finds before the season is over!  This summer has been extremely busy for the L&S team and I’m personally looking forward to some downtime this month.  We only have one, albeit huge, wedding this month, taking place at one our our favorite venues, Saddlerock Ranch.  We have had our hands full with some absolutely beautiful and terrific weddings which I can’t wait for Angel to post details on.  In the meantime, enjoy the things I’m currently loving:

1.  James Perse Beach Cord Shorts

 

I bought these shorts in Abyss Pigment about a month ago and I must say, I AM IN LOVE. I’m typically not a fan of shorts, but there was something about the sheer comfort of them the second I put them on. They are a great pair of shorts that can be worn to the beach, running around doing errands, setting up for a wedding or a casual dinner out. I literally could sleep in them! I walked into their boutique, saw the sales girl wearing them with a white James Perse lightweight fleece sweatshirt and left the store with the exact same outfit! I have a slight love for anything or anyone that matches and somehow I felt like she could be my long lost twin a few states over. Whenever I put them on it makes me smile.  

2.  Maybelline The Colossal Volum’ Express Mascara

During the summer I love to be as make-up free, as possible. But there are two products I am absolutely loving right now for their complete simplicity – one being my Maybelline mascara. The eyes are the first point of reference when you meet someone so why not make sure those lashes look long and beautiful!  I have tried many mascaras – Great Lash, Lash Blast, Voluminous, but I’ve been using this one for months now and am thrilled with the results.  No more than two swipes are needed and it adds such length for the dramatic look you want whether day or night!

3.       mark Just Pinched Instant Blush Tint

Welcome to the next product I am currently loving. I have this in Sunny, which they don’t seem to have currently on their website, but it adds such a subtle hint of color to my cheeks while still looking completely natural. It’s easy to apply – simply swipe the stick along your cheeks and blend in with the back of your hand – voila!  With the inexpensive price tag ($8) and the compact size it’s a great product to have in your make-up bag this summer.

4.       Trader Joe’s Gone Bananas

Say hello to my little friend. I discovered these a few months ago and let me first just say I’m sorry to anyone who does not live close to a Trader Joes’s. Because these little bite size bananas are the most scrumptious things ever! Not only is the packaging the cutest thing ever (hello little monkey man!), but it’s the perfect balance of banana and chocolate. I seriously have to stop myself from eating the whole bag in one sitting!

5.       O.N.E Coconut Water

 

It took me a while to get on board with the coconut water craze, but I’ve finally found one and I’m addicted!  O.N.E. (One Natural Experience) Coconut Water in Passion Fruit. It comes in a variety of flavors based on your personal preference – natural, pink guava, pineapple or mango…but passion fruit is divine.  The Splash line still provides all the health benefits of drinking pure coconut water, but like the name says is given an extra splash of flavor.  It’s a great source of electrolytes and has more potassium than a banana.  It’s available at many local grocery stores or can be purchased directly online.  But make sure it’s cold when you drink it – don’t make the same mistake I did by thinking room temperature coconut water will be fine…it’s not! 😉

I hope you are having a fantastic Saturday!  Until the next time. =)

xo,

Michelle

photo by our dear friend amelia lyon

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Michelle is wearing…

–Martin + Osa jean shirt, Aqua skirt, Loeffler Randall boots, H&M black tights and hoop earrings, Lia Sophia ring, Michael Kors watch

photo by our dear friend Amelia Lyon

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INSTRUCTIONS: To enter this giveaway, please comment below and let us know what your favorite “summer essential” is.  It could be a refreshing treat, a charming seaside restaurant, that perfect maxi dress or an indispensable pair of sunnies.  Just let us know what you’re loving this season!  🙂  You have until TUESDAY, AUGUST 9th at 3p PST to comment/enter.  A randomly selected winner will receive a selection of Michelle’s summer essentials listed above.  😉

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!  xoxo, Angel

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