hot item: steve madden sandalia

shoes

this week's hot item is the steve madden sandalia.  i found these beauties on amazon.  when we decided to do my bridal shower in a rose garden, i decided i wanted floral shoes.  i am a girl about a theme. i  knew i wanted something strappy and bright.  and when i came across these on amazon, i was in love.  they were a little pricey.  but so worth it.  i don't know if you've noticed, but i have worn these shoes in a lot of my recent posts and so i thought it'd be fitting to feature them since i'm obsessed.  below are 5 different outfits that are complete with these shoes.  i took them from super casual to dressy - perfect for any occasion.

RUNNING ERRANDS

shirt (similar) // jeans

this would be a perfect casual outfit for running errands on a weekend.  i paired these sandalias with a casual graphic tee i got at aeropostale.  there are tons of graphic tees in any price range available at many stores.  feel free to pair these shoes with any graphic tee you have or can find.  just try to keep the tee simple maybe sticking to all grey, black or white so that it doesn't compete with the shoes.  these boyfriend jeans are perfect for that super casual/relaxed feel.  not sure if many of you run around town in heels.  but if you do, this is a good way to make these fancy floral shoes work for running errands.

BRUNCH

crochet top (similar) // jeans

for brunch with the ladies, i paired these shoes with skinny jeans and crochet top.  i love that you can mix the neon bright floral pattern with the all white floral crochet pattern on the top.  by sticking to the white floral on top, it doesn't compete with the bright detail on the shoes.

WORK

dress // blazer

my office is business casual so this outfit might be a little too fancy for my office.  i tend to stick with slacks and flats.  but if i had an important meeting or my office was a little bit more fancy, i would definitely wear this white dress and blazer with these shoes.  i love that the blue blazer brings out the blue in the shoes.  it would be so easy to find a blazer that is similar to any color in these shoes to really highlight that shade.  it's so bright and springy.

DATE NIGHT 

top (similar) // jeans

i did wear this exact outfit for a date night with matt recently.  the all black ensemble really makes the bright shoes pop.  the torn black jeans give these girly shoes some edge.  i love mixing girly with edgy pieces.  this top came in one of my stitch fixes.  but i tried to find something similar to it that you could order online.  the similar item isn't it exactly, but the structured tee will give the similar feel this tee gives in this look.

DRESSY

dress

as you know, i wore this exact outfit for my bridal shower.  this dress is the perfect mix of dressy but not overly dressy.  these shoes were the best accessory to an all white dress.  i kept the rest of my accessories simple so that the focus would be these shoes.  i will admit that pretty much every girl at my shower (young and old) loved my shoes.  they still talk about them!

i feel like even though these shoes have a lot of detail and are a little more on the dressy side, you can easily make them work for any occasion.  they are the perfect versatile piece to add to your closet.  they're remotely comfortable as any heel.  i wouldn't be able to last all day standing in them.  but i have worn them for 8 hours in one day but i made sure to mix being seated and standing in that 8 hours so i could last in them.  they're the perfect accessory especially if you're wanting to keep the rest of your look pretty simple.

how would you pair them to work for your lifestyle?

nailtiques review

first impression and honest review for

nailtiques formula 2 plus
$9.50

in mid february i discovered nailtiques formula 2 plus.  my nails are typically thin, peel and break super easy.  just as i get them to grow, they break.  i usually would wear them short to avoid random breakage and to make my manicure last.  it never failed to paint my nails and then the very next day have them chip because my nail was to weak and would bend or break causing the polish to chip.  it was annoying.

i purchased formula 2 plus in february.  it states on the packaging to only use the formula once a day.  so, the first week i had it, i took my old polish off, painted a thin coat of the formula and let it dry.  the next day i'd paint another thin coat on top of the day before's thin coat.  and i repeated this process for about 5 days.

on day six, i decided i wanted to paint my nails.  so, i removed all of the layers and then removed my cuticles using sally hansen cuticle remover and a cuticle pusher.  i used nail polish remover again to clean my nails of any residue of the cuticle remover.  filed and shaped my nails.  and painted a thin coat of formula 2 plus.  i let that dry for a minute or so and then painted on my base coat of nail polish.  after that dried for a minute or two, i put on two coats of nail polish (letting the first coat to dry a little before applying the second).  topped off my nails with a clear top coat.

i normally paint my nails once to two times a week depending on the nature of the polish (if it chips, nail breaks, starts to look rough..) whenever i change my polish, i follow the same pattern as above.  if i paint my nails, i never reapply the formula.  i only reapply the formula throughout the week if that's the only thing on my nail.  i have never tried to use it as a top coat so i am not sure if that would change any of the results.

but after 6 weeks of using the product, my nails have grown so much.  they're stronger.  they still tend to bend occasionally but i don't feel like they're going to break and my polish doesn't chip as often.  on my thumb nails, they always seemed to break on the outside corners, same place every time.  since using nailtiques formula 2 plus, i haven't noticed the normal breakage on my thumbs.  my nails have peeled a little between polishing but not nearly as much as before.  and i finally have natural nails that peak over my finger tips that i can see when i'm looking at my palms.  my nails have never been able to grow this long and stay this long.  and the best part is that my polish isn't chipping as often so my manicure is staying beautiful longer and is requiring me to paint my nails less.  i don't use gel nail polish unless it's a cheap brand from the drugstore that doesn't require a light.  i don't use acrylic nails.  this is my natural nail growing due to using nailtiques formula 2 plus.

here is my review broke down in pros vs. cons:

pros:

• nails are stronger
• not as easy to bend
• not as easy to break
• peeling is less - still happening though
• nails are longer than ever before
• manicure is lasting longer than a day - lasting up to 4-6 days with normal every day polish

cons:

• nails are still peeling a little - but much less than before

below is the the before and after of my nails:

before

after

after

loving tan

my first impression of loving tan

loving tan express tan in dark $39.95 w/o tax and shipping&handling.

for my bridal shower, i wanted to be tan.  we had a local tanning salon in my tiny town that closed right before the shower and so i wasn't able to tan like i normally would.  (which i don't really tan by tanning beds that often.  but will if i need to for a special occasion).  i like to do self tanners but i hate the smell and the process and sometimes you don't come out looking right.  i had heard about loving tan from youtube and thought i would check them out.

loving tan is based out of australia but have finally made it over to the states so that shipping isn't an arm and a leg and doesn't take forever to get to you.  what really got me interested in the product is the express tan option.  (only comes in medium or dark.  i purchased dark). the express tan states that you put on the self tanner mouse and then sit for TWO hours and then wash it off!!  um, yes.  get in my cart.  get on my body.  i love the idea of only having to feel sticky, uncomfortable and smell like a nasty chemical for two hours and then be able to wash it all off.

to start, i took a shower and exfoliated my whole body.  i went in with a light body lotion on my dry areas (hands, feet, elbows and knees) and i let that soak in for a few minutes.  i used a tanning mitt to rub the product on my body.  it dries quickly.  it has an instant bronzer that i used as a guide to make sure everything was blended and evenly covered.  the bronzer is amazing to even just wear on its own.  not blotchy at all!  when it came to my face, neck, hands and feet, i used a synthetic elf brush and pumped the tanning solution on the brush and then blended it on my face or whatever.  it states to wash your hands after an hour to prevent from overly tanning them.  but i didn't do that (rebel) so, i did notice my hands - especially around my knuckles - were a little bit darker than the rest of my body.  but it wasn't terrible.

i let everything dry for a few minutes before i put on loose clothing.  i just sat on the couch for 2-3 hours and then washed my body off.  i made sure to only wash myself with my hands and to avoid loofahs or washcloths.  i noticed i was a shade or so darker than normal.  nothing outstanding. but i wasn't disappointed.  i felt like the tan was even.  i felt like i looked like i had color to my skin instead of my normal pale coloring.  and i felt like it was a believable tan color (not orange).

below is the before and after of my legs in my bathroom lighting.

here is my review:

pros:

• i like that it takes 2 hours to develop so that i can quickly wash it off and get on with my day
• the coloring is subtle so it doesn't look so fake
• the color is a believable tan - not orangey at all
• instant bronzer is a great guide, non blotchy, OK to be worn on it's own if i didn't have 2 hours to waste before i could shower
• smell isn't terrible when i first put it on but did notice the normal tanning lotion odor towards the end of the 2 hours
• blends easy
• fast drying
• fades evenly (i've had it on for a week and didn't lose my tan in a blotchy, weird pattern.  it all seemed to wear off evenly.  no exfoliating involved)
• still some color to my skin a week later

cons:

• the express tan doesn't come in ultra dark (i have only tried this express tan in dark.  i am not sure how the normal lotion works/wears nor how medium or ultra dark appears on the skin)
• only gain a shade or 2 in coloring - may have to apply a few times to get the dark tan you want
• a little pricey at $39.95 for the bottle of express tan
• did rub off on my bridal shower dress (wore the dress from 4p-12a and noticed tanner on the armpit of my dress and on the seems around the neckline and armpits on the inside of the dress.  washed it in my washing machine with normal detergent with other similar garments and it came right out.)

below is the before and after of me in natural lighting (in front of a window)  only looks like a gained a shade or two darker than my normal skin tone.  however, it does give me a warm glow and i was happy with that.

 overall, i would purchase it again.  and i will be using the remainder of this bottle in the future.  i like the warm glow it gave me and i liked that it wore off evenly so i didn't look blotchy or discolored a week later.  i would highly recommend this product to anyone just wanting to have a warm glow or be a couple shades darker than normal.  and especially to someone who hates the self tanner process like myself!  what self tanners have you used that you would recommend? or how did you feel about loving tan?

december favs

it's finally december!  the happiest and jolliest time of the year!

so, i figured i'd list some of my december favs.  some of these are more holiday oriented.  but who cares, it's practically christmas!

1.  DEFROST WINDOWS: this is technically my most favorite winter tip i have ever received in all my life.  i don't know about you but i live in ohio where my windows will frost in the night and are a bear to deal with in the morning.  literally.  just last week my windows had TWO layers of ice on them!  i scraped off the top layer and saw there was another layer.  i ain't got time for that!  so, i had a panic attack on my front porch because i was so cold and couldn't get back in the house fast enough!  what is this dreadful winter?  so, matt and i did some research and found a cool idea that actually works.  no more leaving the car running for 20 minutes or scraping windows until my hands bleed.  in this youtube video, is the secret to a happy winter.  in a spray bottle, combine 2/3 rubbing alcohol and 1/3 water.  then in the morning when you're car windows are frosty, just spray and watch the ice instantly melt.  seriously.  it works.  try it.

2.  RED LIPS: when i think of december or christmas, i always think of red.  red everything.  nails, lips, plaid, berries, decorations..  one of my staples of december is the red lip.  my favorite of this season is by nyx.  i like that it is matte so i can wear it and not have to worry about getting red lips all over matt.  and it tends to stay on the lips so i don't have to keep reapplying.  it's also versatile.  for our engagement photos, i layered it over a darker lip liner which made the red deeper.  make sure to put on a couple layers so that it's even.

3.  TOP KNOT: i'm typing this on the day i'm going to get probably 7-8 inches chopped off my hair.  but usually in the winter i tend to keep my hair up.  currently it's a little bit below my mid back - maybe an inch or two from my waistline.  and it's a bear to deal with.  i hate trying to pull all that hair out of scarves and coats and stuff it under hats.  (so i cut it off almost every winter) but before that, i do a lot of top knots.  i have done the sock bun, i've used the hot buns and just a normal bun.  but my favorite way to do it now is to make a skank bun and then pin pieces down to my head.  i'm not sure if anyone calls them skank buns - maybe messy bun is a nicer way to say it.  but that's what i've always called them.  anyways, i typically start by pulling all of my hair towards my crown and start off like i'm going to do a normal pony tail.  prior to bringing all of the hair through my hair tie, i will leave it as a loop and go to make the next wrap around with the hair tie.  i do this about 3 times and then i'll have a messy bun on top of my head with little hair twigs all over.  i'll take those twigs and pin them down or hide them to make them look more polished and then just grabs various sections of the bun and pin it down to my head so it's not sticking too high off of my head.  sometimes it'll look like a bun made with a sock or sometimes it just looks more polished of a messy bun.  it's always different.  but i like it because it's fast, it's messy and it's always different.  this youtube video probably shows it the best.  however, i do no teasing and i only use one ponytail and a couple bobby pins.

4.  CHRISTMAS MOVIES: i have two favorite christmas movies.  one is how the grinch stole christmas. mostly because i can make my nose look like cindy lou who's just by pushing a lot of air in my upper lip.  the tip of my nose somehow points straight up.  and my second favorite movie is christmas vacation.  mostly because my family is just like the griswolds.  if anything could go wrong, it does.  and we always make the best of it.  matt and i have the moose mugs from christmas vacation and we intend to create a tradition where we drink out of them while we watch the movie.  we haven't yet.  but it's only december 1.  and i'm not sure if we should save it for christmas eve or just whatever evening we have available. but it's going to be a tradition for sure!

5.  LIGHTS:  every year we go look at lights.  sometimes we just go to a local park and see the lights that the town puts up.  sometimes it's a leisure drive around a neighborhood or two.  and on the rare occasion i have gone out of town to see the lights at the columbus zoo or at the grand ole opry hotel in nashville or a tour bus in nyc.  it's always fun to see the lights twinkle or watch an awesome display blink on and off to music.  what's christmas/december without lights?!

6.  SWEATERS & STATEMENT NECKLACES:  one of my favorite winter combinations is sweaters and statement necklaces.  i only have a few statement necklaces and a couple sweaters i pair them with.  but when i do, i feel expensive.  am i the only one that feels expensive when her outfit is on point?  yes?  ok..  i have found the best way to pair when you're not super adventurous with necklaces is to find a crew neck sweater in a solid color or if it's patterned, make sure it's neutral and only has 1-2 colors.  my favorite combination is a grey sweater with white leopard spots and my all silver statement necklace.  i have purchased two statement necklaces that are in the same family such as gold with white diamonds and pearls.  they vary in pattern but have the same jewels and color tones.  i always wear these two together layered on top of each other and i get a lot of compliments on that pairing.  because that pairing is so dramatic, i tend to pair it with plain black sweaters or other solid colored sweaters.  but mostly black.  because that's all i own.

7.  BOOTS AND LEGGINGS:  at work, i dress casual professional.  it's mostly slacks with sweaters or cardigans.  but at home, i live in cuddl duds fleece leggings and sweatshirts.  i love the leggings because they are thicker so i can wear them outside in the winter.  and i am that girl that believes leggings are indeed pants.  so, it's an easy lounge around the house outfit but i can easily throw on a pair of boots and run some errands if i need to.  i love that.  my current favorite winter boots are from american eagle.  i bought them when they were on sale and i bought a size larger than i normally wear.  i wanted them to be roomy for thicker socks but the fur inside them allows me to wear either dress socks or thick socks and the boots fit fine.  no sliding around inside them or anything.  the fur also helps keep my tootsies warm.

8.  ONESIE JAMMIES: every christmas morning my brothers and i (and our families) go to my parents and open christmas presents.  we have always done this in our pjs.  for the last few years i have been doing this tradition in onesie jammies.  they're becoming popular now and you can find them at a lot of stores like target, walmart, aeropostale..  but they're so much fun and always make me think of christmas morning.  i do get really warm in them so i always make sure to have a tshirt under them in case i need to cool down.  and i'm not a huge fan of going to the bathroom practically naked.  but it's worth any minor hassle.  i swear.

9.  HOLIDAY GIFT SETS:  i am obsessed with cute little packaging.  spending less than what i'm getting in my value pack.  believing the value of my gift is really true when i'm getting it for 70% less than what it's worth.  did i mention packaging???  i love everything about makeup.  i love everything about shrinking it down to sample size, putting it in a cute box and saying i'm getting a great bargain!  hello holidays!  everywhere you go during this time of year there are gift sets for about anything.  my all time favorite ones are makeup gift sets from sephora or ulta.  no brand in particular.  i just look for packages that truly give me a great value. 

10.  CANDLE: anything cinnamon wins my heart.  my current candle obsession at bath and body works is their wish candle.  it smells sooooooooooooo good.  i highly recommend it if you love cinnamon flavored candles.  matt hates when i say scents are a flavor and not a scent or a smell.  i don't know why i do this.  but i have done it all my life.  so my candles have flavors instead of scents.  sue me.

that completes my december favs.  hope you guys have a merry christmas and wonderful new year!

i'll be back next week.  xox

online shopping addict

i am the first to admit that i am an online shopping addict.

when i lived at home and my dad was retired, he used to joke about how close of friends he and the UPS man became because i had so many packages delivered to the house.  sometimes almost everyday.

i know, it's awful.


i mostly like online shopping because i can see all the shirts or jeans.  or i can find exactly what i'm looking for with a quick search and not have to go up and down aisles going through racks of clothes.  i also like finding coupons and applying as many as i can to get the best deal.  there's too much pressure at check out to know exactly what combination of coupons will save me the most.  i'm not that great at math.

the best coupon site i have found is www.retailmenot.com they usually have all the store's coupons in one place.  they also have an app for your phone or tablets.  it's my understanding that the app will notify you of coupons if you're near a store with coupons.  but i do not have the app so i don't know how accurate that is.. 

the other little gem i happened upon while searching ways to make money is ebates i've heard of ebates before but never fully understood what it was to try it.  so on a whim i signed up and tested it out.

how it works:

• you sign up for an account
• once you're signed in, search for the site you want to shop at.  let's say target - you search for target.  it pulls up some coupons or deals related to target.  click a button that says 'shop now' and it automatically loads a new page with the target website.  it is the target website.  not some condensed version.
• shop like you normally would.  put everything in your cart.  check out.  (that's normal, right?  buy all the things!)
• ebates will have record of your shopping trip. (like mine below)

• the website, like target, will send ebates your receipt and you'll get whatever percentage was assigned to the day of your transaction.  like some sites are only 1% back and i have seen some as high as 20%.  i'm not sure how high it goes but either way you're getting something back.
• now, i have had times where the store didn't send my receipt or for some reason it didn't communicate it back to ebates.  you can file a claim and if ebates has record of your shopping trip, they'll automatically add your cash back.  if there's no record of you shopping, then you don't get cash back for it.
• you'll have 3 months to rack up your money and then quarterly ebates will send you a check in the amount you earned.  or you can request giftcards.

it's really that easy!  i signed up in october. i am doing some online shopping for christmas and our wedding.  i have already earned over $10 in just a couple weeks of shopping.  i would have done this online shopping anyhow so it's not a burden to go through ebates to do it.  and i'm earning money back for shopping!  now, the purchases i am currently making and the cash back i am earning will not be paid out to me until feb 2016.  but that's OK because i'm sure i'll do some more holiday shopping between now and then.  it'll be a nice little bonus in feb.

i really like ebates.  i have a credit card that i earn points on while making my regular purchases.  i know most people say stay away from credit cards.  they're the devil.  and that's true.  however, if you're smart about it, then it can really benefit you.  i got my first credit card when i graduated high school to help build credit.  i would make small purchases on it and would stay under $250/month.  then i would pay it off every month.  i got in the habit of always paying off my credit card every month and keeping within my means.  now that i'm older and i have a real big girl job, i got a credit card with rewards.  i pretty much make all of my purchases on my card for the month - food, groceries, gas, shopping, entertainment.  whatever it is, it goes on the card.  at the end of each month i pay all of that off.  but i couldn't justify using cash for daily meals or movie dates when i could be getting points for those purchases.  i'm going to be doing them anyways, might as well get something back for them.  i have racked up tons of points over the years that i have cashed out in giftcards that helped me make purchases for home projects or appliances i did need for the home.

combining earning cash back from ebates and earning points on my credit card, i'm hoping to buy a new front door for our home.  nothing outrageous.  but definitely not within my current budget.  i believe by spring we'll have enough money to cover a door and not have to use either of our income.  just only using points turned in to giftcards and my ebates cash back.  how awesome is that???

fall favs

i believe that fall is every girls most favorite season.  i personally love fall because my birthday is in september.  even though it's at the very beginning of the month, i still count it as fall.  i also love football, scarves, plaid and anything furry and warm.  so, i wanted to make a list of a couple of my fall favs.  some of these will be of no surprise. some may be.

first up is vinylux in blood line.  this is a little pricier nail polish at $10.50.  however, it is worth absolutely every penny.  i first discovered this brand in las vegas during a mani and pedi session.  i didn't understand the hype at the salon until a week later and my nails still looked like i just got them done yesterday.  this is a win for me as i can paint my nails and one day later already chip a couple.  this is a very rich dark red/burgundy color which is what i was looking for as my fall nail shade.  i purchased it in blood line and masquerade.  masquerade is very similar just more shiny/shimmery than blood line.  so far, OBSESSED with this shade and i've only had it on for a week.

i feel like if you don't know about this scarf then you don't pin enough.  hello almost every other pin on pinterest!  this plaid scarf is awesome.  i purchased mine at amazon.  i fell in love with this scarf obviously on pinterest but HAD TO HAVE IT when we decided we wanted to do fall engagement pictures.  i intend to wear it with a black long sleeve shirt tucked in to a tulle knee length skirt.  i'll post some pictures when we get them (probably in nov).  plaid is a must for fall and if you can get it in a blanket scarf, do it!

i sent my fiance grocery shopping one afternoon and he came home with this.  heaven.  i love the version at starbucks but this is a more affordable and convenient version for me.  it tastes very similar to the starbucks version.  maybe tastes better..

these michael antonio bardot boots are gorgeous.  i first saw them on my nieces cheerleading coach a few years ago.  i never got the chance to ask her about them.  so, i spent one afternoon researching tan glitter boots. just be aware that they're kind of tall.  i'm 5'1" and the front part stops right at the bottom of my knee.  however, the glitter stays put and the rest of the boot fits really well.  i believe there is a black version on heels as well.  i'm trying really hard to resist that purchase. :) if you like compliments though, these boots are a fall must!  i get compliments on them every time i wear them.

i recently went to target and blew my budget on all their new fall clothes.  this is one of the items i purchased.  this faux fur vest is a must for fall.  i love layering in the cooler months and this will easily be a staple for this season.  you could literally put this with almost any outfit and make it look luxe.

sticking with the layering theme, leather is a must for fall.  but when you're living on a budget it's hard to find good pieces at a reasonable price, you have to do some research.  i have a few faux leather leggings i have purchased in the past from forever 21.  but i have at least 4 leather jackets that i have collected over the years from express.  i think for a pant, you can go really cheap like forever 21 and find decent quality.  for the most part, your pants will be black and you'll be wearing a flowy top that will hopefully cover your lady regions.  this will keep from the main focus being the cheap pants.  but for a jacket, you need something with higher quality.  i think express makes a very reasonably priced and high quality faux leather jacket.  especially when coupons are available. i have this jacket in black, beige, clay and whiskey.  i really love leather in neutral colors so that i can use them season after season.

my number one snack during fall is definitely caramel apples.  even in the summertime during fairs and festivals, i will purchase a caramel apple.  but in the fall, i will find myself going for this snack more often than not.  who doesn't love a good messy caramel apple??

for fall movies, i know this is totally random.  or maybe not.  but i really am obsessed with the rocky horror picture show.  i try to keep some movies seasonal that i will watch at least once during a season.  this is one of the movies i'll save for october. who doesn't love a little bit of cross dressing and singing??  also, if you ever have the opportunity to watch it live and be a part of an interactive audience, DO IT.  best night of my life.  and if you've never even seen this movie, get out from under the rock you're living under and watch it!  it will change your life.  it's so bad, it's good.

i couldn't do a fall favs list without adding bath and body works candles.  this flavor, pumpkin coconut, is probably my favorite.  it smells like i've been baking all day when i burn it.  i really only like candles that smell like food or cinnamon and bath and body works always hits the mark for me.

finally, as the weather gets colder and you're constantly using heaters, your skin will dry out.  so, a good body lotion is a must.  this dream cream from lush is awesome! it has kind of like a vanilla smell but it's very faint.  the formula isn't sticky and it absorbs in to the skin quickly.  i love it.

happy fall ya'll!

favorites swap

so, my three best friends and i started this thing called favorites swap back in december.  we originally started swapping favorites when one of us quit working at the same place.  it allowed us to see each other every month and keep in touch.

basically what favorites swap is the four of us getting together and each of us bringing a favorite item ($10 or less) to swap with each other.  it could be something as simple as your favorite lip gloss for the month or your favorite food.  we mostly swap beauty products but we have swapped food, clothes and crafts.

this month was september which is my birthday month.  we decided instead of going out and celebrating on the town we would have a slumber party themed craft night.  envision wine, burlap and sweatpants.  heaven.  my one friend, jen recently learned how to make wreaths and wanted to teach us how to make our own.  her swap was the wreath base and the burlap.  the rest of us were responsible for our letters and our ribbon. my friend, ashley, brought us scarves and christi brought us foot massage lotion.  after getting engaged, i wanted to do something special to ask the girls to be my bridesmaids so i made a small box of favs to ask them.

the following are the favs that i received from the girls (plus a wifey shirt for my birthday)

 

this is my wreath i made and my favorite from jen (go bucks):

here is us making our wreaths..  most everyone made marshall wreaths.. but i had to stay a buckeye!:

below is my favorite that i made asking the girls to be my bridesmaids.  i will have six girls standing next to me.  including these three - my cousin, my friend pieper and my lifelong friend megan.  my box included a small bottle of wine with a paper straw attached with string, a magnet picture frame with pictures of me and that particular bridesmaid and a ring pop:

we try to meet monthly and have dinner either at a restaurant or someone's house and exchange our favorite item of the month.  it is so much fun!  i have tried products i would have never tried or was willing to buy and developed some new favorites based off of their choices.  it's always interesting to see what each other comes up with every month.  and sometimes difficult to choose just one thing to share with your friends.  i highly recommend making this a 'thing' with your bffs!