Wearable Positivity | MantraBand

Hi lovely reader! I hope you are staying safe and well in these challenging times. I wanted to take a minute to share a brand with you that I discovered a few years back that spreads positivity and I have become a true fan of, MantraBand. That being said this post is not sponsored, just simply sharing something that brings me joy in the hopes it can bring some positivity or encouragement to you or someone you know too! 

I've collected a nice little stack over the years as gifts from others or a gift to myself. As someone who is very much inspired by words be it quotes or mantras, I connect specific lines to various times in my life. These bracelets have become a wearable reminder of what I've been through and what I can do.

They have also become my "go-to" gift item for friends and family. Everyone I have ever given on to has loved it because it's personal and meaningful. They are fantastic quality without being expensive and have great sales throughout the year on their website! 

Odds are if you have a favorite quote or mantra they will have it! If not, they do offer a custom option too.

Here are the links to the bracelets above:
"She is clothed in strength & dignity"
"Faith over fear"
"Nevertheless, she persisted"
"She believed she could, so she did"

I hope you check out these bracelets and find something to inspire you or someone you love! Xx

What I Got For My Birthday

Hiya lovely reader! How are you? This month I celebrated my birthday and got to have a nice visit home! It was much needed, home cooked food, time with family, sleeping in my own bed, and no shower shoes! And of course triple chocolate cake!

Fabulous! I absolutely loved everything that I got, so I wanted to show them to you. 

First I got this sassy pillow. I laughed when I opened this and am so excited to have it in my apartment next year. My parents and I definitely share an appreciation for sarcasm so this gift was extremely fitting.

This may seem a bit random but I will explain. I was on the Herschel website the other month and saw this nifty little item. It's a rain cover for your backpack. Now, you may be thinking really? Is this really necessary? Well, I'm here to tell you, yes it really is! My backpack has experienced a few rainy days and a couple torrential downpours and the fabric that they're made of absorbs the water, therefore if you have paper in the from pocket...it will get wet! It's also pretty reasonably priced for such a fantastic invention!

This was actually a gift to myself. I got this bag from H&M for $9! I think it'll be perfect for events and nicer nights out. The top part is velour and the bottom is a "leather" with a gold zipper. 

Now onto some jewelry. I wear a lot of cowl neck and oversized sweaters, so my mom go me this necklace to wear with them. I think it is really cool and can be dressy or casual depending on what I put with it.  

Ok so I am obsessed with this watch! I had seen it on Instagram various times and so of course I took a screen shot and sent it to my mom. Well she kept that screen shot tucked away and found it on Etsy. I love itttt! 

This amazing lipstick is from my lovely friend. We both have been obsessing lately over lips. May or may not have exchanged Kylie Jenner lip screen shots....pretty impressive. Anyway, she said that she wanted to get me something nice with the idea that each year she would buy me a lipstick to build a collection. Last year she bought me a MAC lip bullet and I love it! We both know that we aren't as likely to spend that much for makeup on ourselves but we definitely would for each other. A nice little thoughtful tradition. 

My final gift was these Kate Spade Saturday for new balance tennis shoes. Comfy, sporty, cute, monochrome = win.

Anyone else have a February birthday? Aquarius? Xx

What I Got For Christmas 2014

Hi lovely reader! Well another Christmas has come and gone. I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit sad. Christmas was great this year, everyone was healthy, (unlike last year) and everything went smoothly! Every year I do love this time simply because I am nosy and like to see what other people got, maybe you are the same, hopefully you are if you are reading this post. I enjoy seeing what people liked and maybe even discovering new things. Now I feel that it is only right to give a little disclaimer, I am in no way, shape, or form bragging! Everyone has a different Christmas and it shouldn't be about comparing them, your Christmas should be your PERSONAL Christmas and that's that. Also, the main focus of Christmas should not be the gifts. So with that said I will share a bit of my Christmas morning with you!

One of the first presents that I opened were these super soft and cozy Betsey Johnson Pajamas. I love them because they're quite classic looking but then have fun details like the bow on the pocket and the sparkle heart buttons.

Next are these Hunter Boot Socks. I have the black matte Wellington's or Rain Boots so I think the cable knit grey will got perfect. Even though they are rain boots they can be worn in the snow, so the socks will add some extra insulation. 

These cute little macaroon socks were a gift from my best friend. We both are a bit obsessed with macaroons, too sweet.

Before I get into the makeup items that I received I would like to take a moment to just say how spot on Sephora's packaging was this year! I received two gifts in these adorable gift boxes with magnetic lids and am in love with the fave that they are reusable. Will definitely be using them to get organized in the new year!

One of my other good friends gave me this cute little holiday nail polish set. I love the shades and variety that the pack includes!

My best friend also gave me this nail polish set by The X Look. The colors are gorgeous and the shade names are Temptation, Impassioned, Red Obsessed, and Thrilling. Also really liked the packaging!

This insane gift set is from Sephora. As soon as I saw it in the October or November add (can't remember which)  I called my mom and told her about what a great deal it was and how I really liked it. I said that she didn't have to get me it but if she was able to not to tell me so that I would be surprised for Christmas because I would probably forget about it. Well, I did forget about it was very happy to open this Christmas morning! It is such an unbelievable deal. The only items that are not full sized is the lipstick and mascara. The Nars blush alone is enough to make me swoon but everything in the set is so nice. If they are still available I highly recommend getting it!

Also a sweet little gift from my bestie. She thought I would enjoy the vintage style packaging which I do. I had seen Becca Rose on YouTube talk about this line before and always wanted to try it. It smells amazing (like roses) and is a nice moisturizer.

I have stated before that I am a fan of the earmuff trend so I was overjoyed to receive these gorgeous earmuff earrings from my cousin. 

A nice staple piece, this black Fossil wristlet was much needed! I had been carried one around that was cheaply made and had a zipper that did not work. It is a nice size and has a spot for your phone as well as money and cards. 

Now this may seem a bit random, it is a dry brush. A while back I had been reading about dry brushing and how it can be beneficial so I had wanted to give it a go. My mom listened and so I got a dry brush!

Finally my bestie gave me this journal/book. I personally love things like this and enjoy being able to look back and remember things. Each page is different and you fill out a page a day for a year. I will be starting it this week and am quite excited!

So thus concludes another great Christmas! I am extremely blessed and grateful for all the people and things in my life. I am also extremely grateful and thankful for all you lovely readers, you continue to grow in number and I cannot tell you how excited and happy that makes me. So thank you for taking the time to read what I have to say and look at my pictures, it truly means a lot to me. I am amazed with how well the blog is doing and can't imagine what the next year could bring!

What did you get for Christmas? Xx

Online Shopping Haul

Hi lovely reader! I hope your Sunday is going swell! I've been doing a bit of online shopping so it's time for another haul.

I ordered these shoes online from a place called DSW. I've been looking for a pair of sandals like this after seeing the style all over blogs and tumblr. I found these and I couldn't be more pleased! They're so comfortable and I love the fact that they're black and white. 

The only non online item, but I had to include them) I picked up this pair of earrings in a really cute vintage shop. As you can see, they're little gold metal triangles. Modern and delicate, love!

Continuing with the delicate jewelry, I absolutely adore this necklace. It's by Sydney Evan and says "believe" which can be applied to so many things in life. Inspirational and so so pretty. 

Onto this fabulous bag! I ordered it from ASOS but it is by New Look. A backpack purse is something I've been on the lookout for because they're great for traveling and again on trend. They're probably better for your shoulders too, if your purse weighs as much as mine does. I chose this one because the price was unbeatable and I really liked the details, the zippered side pockets and the woven-esque top and sides. The quality is great too, I always worry when purchases faux leather bags online because you never really know what you're going to get. 

This next item is a bit random but none the less I wanted to share it with you. It is a Fleece Blanket from the H&M home collection. It's super soft and I love the vintage touch.

Last but certainly not least...I got a MacBook Pro! Now I have never owned a Mac in my life so I am definitely learning (if you know any cool Mac shortcuts or tips please let me know in the comments). So far I am loving it though.

I hope you enjoyed this haul! If you have any questions or comments about these products please let me know. If you've done a recent haul feel free the link it as well, I'd love to read it! Xx