Christmas in the Fall : Dorm Decorating

Hello Lovelies!

So can you believe its November already? I can't! Its crazy how fast this year has been flying by.

Anyways, the other day my friends and I made a trip out to Lowes to buy some sheets of Maple to make our own panels to paint on (because the pre-made panels are much too expensive!) While in Lowes I just couldn't pass by the Christmas section with out browsing… and maybe a little bit of shopping! Since I won't be home until late late December I figured I would like to have the apartment dressed up a little bit for Christmas!

I picked up two boxes of 100bulb multi-colored Christmas lights, a package of red tinsel, and a package of tinsel that was green with ornaments on it!

My sea turtle lights are always up, because I love them and they remind me of home lol! If you do want to buy them for decorating I purchased them at Bealls back home in Florida.

(P.S. I decorated as a form of procrastination one night when I was up working on a paper, not something I would recommend doing!)

Hope you are all having a lovely Christmas in November (If you have begun decorating already like me!)

Love Always,
Kat

Fall Haul: Bath and Body Works Candles

Hey Lovelies,

So I just had a quick little Fall candle haul for you all! I was checking my email and noticed that the Bath and Body works little mason jar candles were on sale! So I decided to pick up a couple! I picked up some old favorites that I already knew I liked and also picked up a few new ones!

Marshmallow Fireside
Fresh Balsam
Pumpkin Apple
Pumpkin Cupcake
Mint Chocolate
Sparkling Icicles

So far I have burned all of Pumpkin Apple (which is a really nice fall scent, similar to the Leaves candle but with a more apple-y undertone that makes the scent a little bit more subtle) and I am currently in the process of burning Mint Chocolate (which smells just like an Andes mint!)

Currently loving always having a candle burning in the apartment, the smell is so fantastic and it just creates a lovely fall atmosphere in the room!

Hope you are all having a wonderful November! (I can hardly believe its already November!)

Love always,
~Kat

Fall Letter Writing

Hello lovelies,

So I know I haven't written in forever and I really do regret that. I think I just got so stressed with school and all of the pressures that have come along with it. However, I am going to try to post more regularily again, college talks, beauty babbles, and little daily life moments I hope you all enjoy and are ready to come along on this new college, new state, new life journey with me in Baltimore, Maryland.

Today I spent the day buying cold and flu medicine, sipping Twinnings Green Tea with Jasmine ( I will write about the Baltimore Twinnings struggle in a later post) and making chicken broth. Oh and most importantly writing letters to friends and family, I do love letters. I think there is a lot to be said for taking the time to sit down and hand write some one a letter, or even type. Its about waiting, taking a little piece of immediacy out of our lives. We're so used to everyone all the time sending us things instantaneously, texts, emails, phone calls, skypes, and while all of those things are incredible and I would never want to give it up there is something quite amazing and fulfilling about going to your letter box and opening it up to find a little handwritten letter or note from a friend.

Hope you all have a lovely day,

xoxo
Katherine

College Confidential

Hey All,

So today was move in day at college.... Everything went well our apartment/suite/thang looks good. Walls are totally white and barren its a little like an insane asylum... I'm posting you all a picture of my room after the first day... Everything isn't totally in place yet or oranized... or even unpacked for that matter but I thought I would share it anyways.

Hope you are all having a great time to your school year as well!

P.S. thinking some college life beauty videos? what do you all think? Sorry for all the delays in posting, I will be making more regular posts soon!

Giveaway Winner!

Hello Lovelies, 

So sorry for the delay! The Giveaway winner has finally been chosen and has been emailed via. YouTube! Check your inbox ladies!

Your package is all ready for you!

xx Kat

Late Night Goodbyes to Florida

My phone really didn't capture the picture of the ocean, its low lights settings aren't very good. But I thought I would share some of my goodbye to Juno Beach photos with y'all. I really do love home but it is time for a good and new transition to somewhere (seemingly) foreign. Sorry about the lack of posts packing for Baltimore has been extremely hectic!

Love and kisses!
xx Kat

Babes & Brews

Utica Club / Saranac Brewery

Hello All,

So I don't really have time to write although I have loads to tell all of you! The other day we stopped by and took a tour of the Utica Club/Seranac Brewery in Utica, NY. It really was an awesome trip and a cool and interesting tour I would definitely recommend if you're in the area!

xx Kat

Thrifting Jewerly Container (Re-purposing Cute Ashtrays)

Hello lovelies, So I just thought that I would share with you a little thing I've been doing lately that I thought you all would enjoy. Recently when browsing in my local thrift store I found this ashtray with an Old English Setter painted on it. Now I used to have an Old English, he passed away a couple of years ago, but still I felt drawn to the ashtray (odd since I don't smoke.) After leaving the store looking at my purchase I wondered what the hell I was going to do with an ashtray? Then looking at the pile of bracelets on my desk I realized that an ashtray works as a cute little container for my bracelets. Multi-purpose organization. Hope you all liked this post and it wasn't too weird for you all! lol.

Have a lovely day & remember to enter my Maybelline giveaway on my YouTube Channel! Click here to be taken to the video to enter :)

xx Kat

Fourth of July Long Exposures

Good Mornin' Everyone, So on a completely non-beauty related post I just thought I would share with you some of my favorite photographs from the fourth of July. How was your all's Indpendence Day? Did you celebrate with a barbecue  on the beach, or watching fireworks? The majority of which were long exposure images taken with my Nikon D5000, I was using a 10 and 20 exposure time for the majority of the night. After looking through the images I'm feeling really inspired to do some sort of midnight fire inspired eye make up look. Is that something y'all would like to see? Let me know! :)

Hope you all enjoy the photos!

Happy Fourth of July to All My U.S. Bloggers Out There!

I just wanted to take a minute out of my day to say Happy Fourth of July to all of my U.S. followers! I know I'll be celebrating today with some really awesome fireworks and some fresh grilled fruit and burgers! What will you all be doing??

In you are in a pinch and need some last minute beauty ideas I recommend throwing on some Red and Blue nail varnish! I'm currently wearing OPI's Cajun Shrimp on my finger nails and China Glaze's Frost Bite on my toes! Thrown on some nude open toe wedges and a white sundress and you're ready to go out to any barbecue or fire works party (just don't forget a cute denim jacket!)

OPI Cajun Shrimp and an oversized fake ruby ring!

This is the color I am wearing on my toes - I felt a little apprehensive showing you all my toes! hehe! This is a picture of what the nail varnish looks like! This is not my image I snagged it from www.nihrida.com

Hope y'all have a great & safe Fourth of July, God Bless America!

xx Kat

OH MY! SNOW WHITE HAS ARRIVED IN LA FLORIDA! (New Hair)

Hello Ladies,

So today I had a hair appointment scheduled at Ulta. Now I had been planning just to get a deep conditioning treatment and then a trim and a typical blow out. However, being the impulsive person I apparently am I decided that I would give it a go and glaze my hair again. Last time I went into the ulta salon I glazed my hair a red color and loved it! It really made my eyes stand out. This time, last minute, impulsively I thought it would be a brillant decision to go darker. One shade? Two maybe? Oh no. I suggested two shades, in my mind that would make my already dark hair a deep espresso color. Like really rich dark black coffee. An hour later and my hair is black. Shockingly black.

Good Mornin'

Twinnings Green Tea with Jasmine.

If I am not joyous and lovely in the morning it has one of two causes. The first being that my MacBook Pro just came back from the Apple store "repaired" and is actually more broken then when I left it with them (...) or I have not had a cup of my favorite morning necessity, Twinning Green Tea with Jasmine. 

The Jasmine is extremely important, the subtle flavor makes green tea delectable with out any sugar or creamer. Do people put creamer in green tea? My grandmother always put it in here English Breakfast tea, again never agreeing with my family I always preferred Irish Breakfast Tea however I'm not really a  black tea fan. 

Anways I thought I would share with you all some of the amazing benefits of a cup of hot green tea in the morning, besides of course the lovely taste and caffeine boost to perk up anyones sleepy morning.

An Inner/Outer Glow

We all know that getting your greens is exponentially important to your health. Fill up your plate with a plethora of lush green veggies and you are on your way to a very healthy diet routine. But you should also fill up your morning cup with green! Green tea also aids in rejuvenating skin cells, protecting against free radicals (naturally occurring particles in the body associated with accelerated ageing and an increased risk of major diseases), and preventing damage to your skin from the sun. How does green tea manage to do all this while your tired eyes are just lucky enough for you to pull your self from your bed towards the kitchen to make a cup you may ask? Well green tea is packed full of antioxidants! 

Attack that ACNE!

Green tea contains catechins which is known to help the reduction of sebum glands (the glands under the skin that produce the bacteria that give us those unwanted pimples, white heads and black heads!) by regulating hormonal levels. 

Metabolize Me

"The modern drink of the supermodel" Green tea aids in weight loss some studies show. All of the antioxidants in the tea aid in speeding up the metabolism and flushing the toxins from your body!

Healthy Shiny Hair

Now, this is what really got me. As you all can probably tell by a lot of the photos and videos I post I have very long brunette hair that tends to get damaged relatively easily out in the heat and with the occasional aid of heat styling tools. 
Inside that little cup of green tea you will find panthenol, vitamin E, and vitamin C which are all common ingredients in hair conditioner, so green tea helps to replenish the nutrients in your hair making it STRONGER and able to GROW out longer faster!
Not to mention Green Tea can also fight dandruff and psoriasis by reducing the inflammation. 
If you really want to "up" the green tea benefits that you can use for your hair check out the plethora of shampoos and conditioners that contain green tea in them!

Bad Breath?

If you struggle with bad breath Green Tea can definitely help you out! If you don't see a noticeable difference with just drinking a morning cup (or two) you can actually really simply make your own green tea toothpaste! Just steep a cup of strong green tea and add baking soda to it to make a paste (do this in small quantities) and use your green tea paste to brush as you normally would! 

Convinced yet? There are COPIOUS amounts of beauty benefits associated with green tea! The list really does go on and on! But why stay here reading and researching anymore, go make a glass and experience all of the health and beauty benefits of this fantastic beverage!

Have fun steeping!

xx Kat

Post Traumatic Haul Disorder

Hello Lovelies, 

So I just got home from the Apple store, yet another lovely experience .. The customer service really is nice however it would be nice if they could actually completely fix my computer so we could end this on and off love affair. I would like to make it through the week with out having to make a genius bar appointment. You know?

Anyways so after my experience in the store I went to the supermarket to pick up some things that I needed for the week and picked up these two little items as well. The first being something I desperately needed- a hand creme. I've been severely neglecting my hands and they needed some extra attention. I decided upon the Burts Bees Honey and Grapeseed Hand Creme, I originally had the intention of buying the hand salve they make in the pot but the did not have the scent I liked. There are apparently two scents- the almond flavored creme and there is one that smells strongly of bananas. I would have loved to buy the banana scented creme but they were all out! Maybe after I use up this one!

I also picked up this peachy shimmering nail color, I've really be loving peachy/apricot colored polishes that enhance a tan! I'm now on the hunt for the perfect apricot colored lip color! If anyone has any suggestions please leave them in the comment section below!

I'll have a nail post on this polish up soon! Still wearing out my "to buy or not to buy" by Essie!

xx Kat

RiRi Marilyn With Love

When is the perfect day to try out bright red matte lips? Well I decided the best time to try out my new MAC RiRi Woo Retro Matte Lipstick would be yesterday... the day I decided to go into Bed, Bath, and Beyond to do some dorm room college shopping.

While glancing in the towel section trying to pick a color scheme for my new room, I kept wondering why I was getting so many looks. Why people kept looking at my face, I mean after the fourth time a stranger makes eye contact in the towel section of Bed, Bath, and Beyond you begin to wonder what the hell is on your face? Did I have a piece of lettuce in my teeth? Mascara panda bear eyes? What?

Oh... Yeah I just happen to be wearing bright red lipstick that draws an extreme amount of attention to my mouth... and then to my eyes. That's it.

On another note Bed, Bath, and Beyond really is a lovely place to get some college shopping done. One of the sales assistants even offered to print out a list of everything my college said would be necessary, I nodded and agreed to her request to print me out a list. Doubting that she would find one considering the fact that I am attending a relatively small out of state art school next year. However, she swayed back towards me with confidence and elegance handing me a lovely stapled packet of purple paper with everything MICA needed of me as well as directions to the nearest Bed, Bath, and Beyond up in Baltimore if I needed anything to be shipped directly to the store.

Apparently electrical extension cords are a "no no" I don't really understand why? Will there be a plethora of klutz's like me? Do they want to avoid the inevitable tripping? (I for one will speak for the entire klutzy community and say there are many more harmless things that wound make me trip and fall in my dorm like empty rooms, random thoughts, even a random sheet of paper on the floor. I think I would actually take the time to avoid an extension cord on the floor, I'm probably more likely to trip on the bare floor then the extension cord that connects my television to the wall. )

Klutz out.

xx Kat

Rain Or Shine

 June 27th 2013

June 28th 2013

The other day I was talking to one of my favorite cousins over Facebook chat (aka the way to talk to people you dont really want to have long meandering phone conversations with) and she said "I can't believe you live in paradise. The weather there must always be perfect." I of course responded with the oh so cliche "I live where you vacation."

Now this is very true Florida really is one of the most amazing places on earth in my opinion. I mean the tropical weather, beautiful flora and fauna, the magnificent wonder that is the Everglades, crystal clear oceans, magnificent beaches, and then the fact that it is very rare that the weather ever dips below the seventy degree mark (making flip flops and jean cutoffs the epitome of summer style.)

However, as magnificent as the weather here is it seems that only the locals really understand the facade of "beautiful, wonderful, incredible" Florida.

The locals realize wet season is synonymous with giant attacking mosquito season. Thunderstorms should be expected every single day of summer around three a clock. You don't need to evacuate if its a category one hurricane, you most likely don't even need to put up hurricane shutters just get a couple gallons of bottled water, a good book, and a flashlight and you'll be alright. Don't swim when the rip current flag is out, just don't do that. Its not fun for everyone. Sharks are usually feeding fifteen to twenty feet off the shore line, but they dont bite. You really just need to look out for the tiger sharks, you know the ones with all the stripes. Just kidding. But really, you are more likely to get hit by lightning (twice) in the glorious state of Florida then you are to be bitten by a shark. Florida is both the sunshine state and the lightning capitol of the United States. Rwanda beats us for the world lightning capital title.

Welcome to paradise.

P.S. Sorry for the absence in posting, my computers Logic Board broke ironically, so I had to wait patiently for the apple store to spend way to many days to fix my baby. They actually did have it up and running properly again way faster then I expected. Thanks Apple.

xx Kat

Photobomber

JUST ONE MORE PICTURE

The cutest photobomber I have ever encountered! My baby girl LuLu!

Hope this brightens your day! Until next time, 

xx Kat

D.I.Y. Graduation Thank You Cards

Secret Caverns Excursion - June 2013

Dealing with Problems and Stress

Hey lovelies, 

So lately with college applications and scholarship awards I have been dealing with a ton of stress. I didn't write the text below but I have always found it to be very helpful when it comes to dealing with stress and our day to day problems, if any of you ever need someone to vent to as I always say you can email/ comment anytime and I will listen and help to the best of my abilities. 

"A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?”

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.” She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”
It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don’t carry them through the evening and into the night. Remember to put the glass down!"


Hope this helps some of you, as it has helped me!


love always, kat 

Christmas Tag YouTube Video!

Hello Lovelies,

So I just wanted to announce on here my new video on YouTube it is the Christmast Tag/ New Giveaway winner video. Since the first winner of my Fall Giveaway never responded I had to pick a new winner to be able to send out the prize so they could receive it by the end of the year!

Hope you all enjoy! I would love it if you guys left comment responses or video responses to your answers to the tag either on YouTube or on this blog post!

Christmas Holiday Tag:
1. Do you prefer a real tree or a fake one?
2. If Santa could bring you ANYTHING, what would it be?
3. What is your favorite Christmas sweet treat?
4. Favorite Christmas song to jam to?
5. Most embarrassing thing you ever asked for?
6. Favorite Christmas mug?
7. When do you put up you Christmas tree & decorations?
8. Favorite Christmas dish?
9. Favorite holiday tradition?
10. Have you ever done Secret Santa?
11. Best present you have ever given/received?
12. Favorite ornament on your Christmas tree?


xoxo Kat