favorites of my week

I did some shopping this week at TJMaxx which is a great place, everything is so well priced and if you have some patience you can find some pretty sweet finds! I was lucky enough to find this incredible Michael Kors black leather bag, for $100 (jealous?)! I was looking for a nice large black purse, I only had a cross body bag and have never had a real leather bag! I also got a few more things from TJMaxx, not shown, I got this very cute Calvin Klein oversized t-shirt in my favorite color, olive green. I also got an InCase hot pink computer case for my mac book, it was only $15 (usually $40). I was way too excited about my finds! I also made a trip to Walgreens, I don't know about you, but I love going to Walgreens. I go there probably every other day, and I got the best new lip balm. I had heard about this brand through another blog I had been reading and was determined to find it. It's called EOS, evolution of smooth, and it's 95% organic, 100% natural and smells so great! I got the honeysuckle honeydew flavor and I am obsessed, it keeps my lips so smooth and moisturized (I do put it on about every 10 minutes just because it smells so good) but it is awesome. When I was at Walgreens I also got the best new nail polish. I haven't had the best luck with Revlon nail polish but I loved the color so much that I decided to give it a try. I was very pleased when it went on so smoothly and hasn't chipped yet!

friendship bracelet

During winter break I have been pretty bored, but boredom seems to always bring out my creative side. I found my old box of string and decided to make a friendship bracelet, after a few tester bracelets I ended up with this double V and I am so excited about the end result! It looks so professional! Definitely a new favorite bracelet; the best part is it doesn't look like something I made, it looks like something I bought at a cute boutique. I even added a braid for the tie to give it a finished look. I am glad I added the gold string, it gave it a glitzy effect. But the maroon and purple is pretty mellow, almost hippie-chic! I am so excited about my new bracelet (especially because I made it).

into the gloss

I love reading blogs, that's one of the main reasons I started my own. My new favorite is called "into the gloss" it's the insider view on the best beauty ideas, products and everything else. I just read an interview with Jen Brill a photo and stylist agent and she has some great tips on beauty! I really recommend reading this article (as well as the blog)! If you're interested in my beauty tips look at my winter essentials but I will be talking about the make-up I use in the next few days, so check back!

urban outlook

I love finding new clothing websites. It's so fun to find new stores with such awesome clothing. All of the urban outlook clothes and jewelry were found at www.bonadrag.com, everything on this site had such an urban feel. The clothing had a chic almost grunge feel, but it is all so well made and with a very original feel. I picked a night, day and weekend look to show. The black twisted maxi dress is so simple but has has such a unique look, I love the simplicity. The tank dress has a block colored design that reminds me of a project I had to do in a design class that I took at the University of Minnesota. The green long sleeve dress is very unique, it's actually a pullover dress but has the look of a wrap dress. The only color I really enjoy wearing is this olive green, so I automatically love it! Oh, and did I mention that not only does bonadrag have cute clothes, but it also all made from organic materials, how cool is that! Bonadrag's accessories are also very unique, I chose my three favorite. A feather bracelet (reminds me of my post from Accessories: I love simple), a very unique tape measure bracelet and my favorite BFF necklace (a perfect design for me and my best friend!) BFF=best fuckin' friend, how clever! I love my new find, check it out at www.bonadrag.com

Accessories: I love simple

When it comes to accessories I usually go for 'simple'. I am not into the gaudy jewelry, but then again my clothes are very simplistic, so big gaudy jewelry doesn't really go to well with my wardrobe. The accessories that I chose to show you are some of my favorites! The letter rings from free people are so cool, I have a strange obsession in writing my initials and love anything that can show off my name, so these rings were right up my ally. Unfortunately the S, L & R are not as cool looking as the E, A and K. (The S is pretty unfortunate looking, but I still really like them!) The earrings are from Michal Negrin, an israeli jewelry designer. Most of her jewelry is pretty extravagant, but the pair I have is very simple; the earrings are made up of beautiful earth tones. The Bean necklace is one of my favorite classic Tiffany's pieces, I got this necklace for my fifteenth birthday (my mom always calls me beanie, so we thought it to be a perfect fit). If you haven't noticed I am OBSESSED with J.Crew and admire their brilliant bag designs. This brompton hobo bag is perfect for a day out, it's so roomy and the leather makes it extremely durable (I love that it has a long strap too!). The last accessory that I included is a handmade silver bangle from Etsy, I love jewelry that is nature oriented and the hand detailing on this bangle is so original. And if you haven't been to etsy.com you should definitely check it out, it's a community website that allows anyone to sell and buy artwork from paintings to bags to jewelry, it's a fun website to browse.

What are some of your favorite accessories?

winter beauty essentials

Love and Toast Lip Balm: it's hard to come by a really great lip balm, but this vanilla chai balm not only smells great but keeps my lips moisturized. (I hate chapped lips!)

Ahava Hand Lotion: This is the BEST hand lotion in the entire world! My mom and I share the worst case of chapped hands, they are usually cracked, red and sometimes even bloody. This hand lotion makes my hands feel awesome, it never hurts to put on and it keeps my skin moisturized for so long! This lotion is a miracle worker throughout the year, but especially during the cold winter months.

Bumble and Bumble Curl Conscious Masque: During winter my curly hair gets super dry, which makes it frizzy and it doesn't curl as well. So about once a week, I use this masque to add some moisture to my hair. It really helps bounce my curls back into shape.

Moon Beam: It looks like it could be nail polish, but it's actually a luminizer. It gives a golden sheen to any cheek. It makes me feel like I have a natural summer glow!

Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer: During the dry winter months, moisturizer is key. This oil free moisturizer doesn't make you break out, and has a very light feel to it. During winter no one ever remembers to wear sunscreen, but the sun is just as strong and this moisturizer is great because it has SPF 15.

Love and Toast, sugar grapefruit: I am obsessed with this perfume, it smells so good. I don't usually wear a lot of perfume in the summer, but if I do it's Clinique Happy Heart so during the winter I mix things up with this unique scent of grapefruit, lily, orange citrus, and a hint of musk (it smells awesome)!

MK&A

I love the Olsen twins. They are my fashion idols, role models and favorite celebrities. I sometimes feel like a proud mom when I see articles about them, they have accomplished so much and they are only twenty-four. Mary-Kate and Ashley have transformed themselves into teen stars to important fashion icons. Together they run three thriving clothing brands, Elizabeth&James, THE ROW, and Olsenboye. Their style is a combination of beautiful draping, lots of layers and very tall heels. Their style is a very eclectic one, the Olsen sisters, although very different, both want to stand out. Their style is one that is different, and they intend to keep it that way.

More to come on the Olsen sisters!