Magazine of the Month: Marie Claire

I love Marie Claire. I have to admit though, I'm a new fan. It wasn't until about 2 years ago that I really got into this magazine. I'm not sure why I always overlooked it, but I definitely regret that I did. Marie Claire has such a great balance of beauty, fashion, celebrities, and real world stories and advice. Being able to pick up a magazine and go "Hey! I can do that!" is such an amazing feeling. My favorite aspect of Marie Claire is their ability to bring runway fashion and couture to us common folk, who just want something stylish to wear to work. 

My favorite magazine of February 2013 was Marie Claire. 

I mean, who doesn't love Heidi Klum?

The one article that caught my eye, and really locked in Marie Claire as my choice for this month's favorite, was 25 Products That Will Change Your Life. All I know is that after going through each of the 25 products, I need every single one of them. Granted, some of these products will break the bank, but a good portion of them are either very affordable, or close to it! 

Other bits that I loved:

1. Gunn Laws: Great Q&A from the ever so perfect, Tim Gunn.

2. Big Girl in a Skinny World: Lingerie for us curvy girls! 

3. Pop Idols: Loving the pastel yellow Dior bag! 

4. The Heidi Chronicles: Heidi is absolutely amazing. Such an inspiration in fashion, as a mother, and a well rounded woman. 

Have you read February's edition of Marie Claire?

What was your favorite article or beauty/fashion tip? 

February: What I Learned

Whoa, February is over? It has literally flown by! This month has been quite the whirlwind! Between school, work, this blog, and my health, I thought I was going to lose my mind. But alas I did not. I made it. I made it through midterms and papers, multiple work events, getting behind on blog posts, and  being emotionally stable while gaining five pounds. To round this out, here are five things I learned this month!

I can't wait to see what March will bring! 

Get Fit Recipe: Mexican Spaghetti

The idea behind this recipe was that I was going to make pasta free spaghetti. You know, like the spaghetti you would get at a restaurant. But no, I made a mistake that turned this from an Italian dish to a Mexican dish over night. I though I would be smart and chop the veggies the day before and let the sit together in a zip lock bag in the fridge. Jokes. By combining bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes, I made salsa. In the end, it tasted great and B liked it too. But I really wish I had some spaghetti. 

Ingredients:

1/2 of an Onion, chopped

1/4 C of Bell Peppers, chopped

1/2 of a can of Tomatoes, crushed

1 Zucchini, peeled and julienned

1 C of Organic White Rice, cooked 

1/4 C of Veggie Parmesan Cheese 

Tools:

A normal potato peeler 

A julienne peeler 

1. In a large skillet, on medium high heat, combine the onion, bell peppers and tomatoes.

2. While that heats up, peel and julienne the zucchini. Add to veggie mix. 

3. During this time, go ahead and cook the rice according to the packaging. 

4. Once the veggie mix has been cooking for about 15 - 20 minutes, taste to see if any salt or pepper is needed. Add the veggie parmesan cheese. 

5. Put 1/2 C of the rice into a bowl, and place one big scoop of the veggie mix on top. 

6. Sprinkle with a little more cheese, and enjoy!  

*Please pretend there is a picture here. I just noticed that the picture didn't save on my phone. I'm a pretty sad foodie right now*

Would you try this recipe?

Have you tried using a julienne peeler before?

My Favorite Smokey Eye Tutorials

On Saturday, I will be attending a charity ball benefiting an organization that works to end child abuse. I couldn't be more excited to see all of the hard work for such a meaningful event! I have my gown picked out, pictures to come later, but I'm in serious need of some makeup inspiration. Because the theme of the ball is Germany's Black Forest, I wanted to go with a smokey eye because it would go along with the dark and mysterious theme of the event! After much browsing on YouTube, I have compiled my favorite smokey eye tutorials! I'll let you know which one I'm choosing for this weekend at the bottom! 

Marlena from MakeupGeekTV

Teni from MissMavendotcom

Karissa from Saturdaynightsalrite

Which tutorial is your favorite?

What kind of look do you wear to special occasions?

First let me say, I love all of these ladies and their tutorials. I'm subscribed to all three, and watch their videos regularly. So I feel like by picking one to wear, I'm breaking up with the other two. Even though they don't know me, I know it's weird.

With all that being said, the look that I'm going to attempt to recreate on Saturday is the Brown Smokey Eye Tutorial from MissMavendotcom. She only uses two shadow colors! Super quick and easy!

Again, I love all of these tutorials and hope to recreate the other tow very soon!

Review: LORAC Sparkle Pencil Eyeshadow/Liner

I love eyeshadow pencils. What I love most about these LORAC eyeshadow/liner pencils is that the stay on my eyelid, and don't crease! I like to use them by themselves, or add them to a look if I want a touch of sparkle, which you all know I do. B got these in a set for me one Christmas and I have loved them ever since. I looked around on a couple of sites for you guys, but could only find one or two colors at Ulta and Beauty Bar. I definitely suggest using a primer before using these, just because the sparkles tend to fly everywhere. My favorite color for everyday wear is the fourth one, which I believe is called paparazzi, but don't hold me to that! 

Swatches: (L to R follow the pencils from bottom to top)

Which color is your favorite?

Do you have these pencils? If so, how do you like/use them?

How to Wear: Bright Shorts

Three very serious wardrobe staples here in South Florida are t-shirts, shorts, and sandals. During Spring and Summer, we practically live in this look! After a while though, you get tired of wearing the normal denim shorts and basic tee. Sometimes you want to spice it up a bit! This week, I'm showing you three different ways to incorporate bright colored shorts into your wardrobe! 

Which look is your favorite?

How do you style bright colored shorts?

Get Fit Recipe: BBQ Tofu Sandwiches

When I was browsing through the vegetarian dinner recipes on EatingWell.com I cam across this interesting bit! I was so excited to try this, even B was excited! I'm a huge fan of coleslaw on burgers, so of course I had to try this! In my attempt to eat more veggies and healthier protein, this sandwich now has a permanent place in my recipe book! I've linked the original recipe from EatingWell.com down below! This recipe is B approved, and picky eater approved! It tasted just like a BBQ burger! Maybe not as meaty and greasy, but definitely a good substitute! 

Ingredients:

1 14oz Package of Extra Firm (or Firm) Water-Packed Tofu, Drained
1/4 C of Onions, Thinly Sliced
1/8 tsp of Salt
1 TBSP of Canola Oil

1/2 C of Prepared BBQ Sauce
1 1/2 C of Coleslaw Mix
2 TBSP of Low Fat Mayonnaise
2 tsp of Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 tsp of Garlic Powder
Pepper to Taste
4 Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns, Toasted
4 Dill Pickle Slices

Quick Note: I switched out the canola oil for olive oil, the mayonnaise for greek yogurt, and the garlic powder for onion powder. It all still tasted wonderful!

1. Place onion in small bowl and cover with cold water , set aside.

2. Stand tofu on its long narrow side. Cut lengthwise into 4 rectangular slabs. Sprinkle with salt.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tofu. Cook until browned on both sides. About 4 minutes per side.

4. Reduce the that to low. Add BBQ sauce and carefully turn the tofu to coat with sauce. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes.

5. meanwhile, combine coleslaw, mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic powder, and pepper in a medium bowl. Drain the onions.

6. To assemble the sandwiches, place about 1/3 C of the coleslaw mix on each bun. Top with tofu salt, a pickle and a few onion slices.

7. Drizzle any remaining sauce over the onions before topping with the bun. Enjoy!

Have you tried tofu before?

If you try this recipe, tell me how you like it!

What other recipes do you make that use tofu?

Original Recipe on EatingWell.com 

Health Update: 6 Weeks

It's been six weeks! I've be able to integrate certain vegetables, dairy, and most grains back into my diet. Everyone was very shocked to hear me say "I'm so excited to eat veggies!" There are still certain foods that I'm "allowed" to have, but I'm still allergic to. Obviously I shouldn't be eating those foods, but it's hard to know which ones are causing my delayed reactions. When I make a recipe that has 10 ingredients, and only 1 is causing the problem, it's tough. 

I ending up loosing another 7.2 pounds, making that 20 pounds down. But sadly, I've gained 5.6 of those pounds back. All because of these mystery foods, dang. So my weight loss has come to 14.4 pounds, which is still good, and I'm still happy. 

My energy levels continue to rise, despite everything that I've been through in the past two weeks with school, work, and these darn foods. B has definitely been enjoying some of my recipes! All of the recipes posted in my "Get Fit Recipes" are all man approved. B was thinking about joining a gym. Apparently Planet Fitness is open 24hrs during the week here. Cardio run at 2 am! I'm still exercising at home, but it has seriously decreased. I try to squeeze in a workout between midterms, papers, homework, blog posts, and my real job. Finally though, midterms have passed, I'm all caught up on my blog posts, and no more work trips until later this year! Time to get back into my fitness routine! 

Be sure to check out my Get Fit Recipes and let me know some of your healthy recipes! 

Basic Fruit Salad

Pineapple Chicken with Quinoa

Baked Apples

Gnocchi and Veggie Skillet

Take a look at all of my Get Fit Workouts!
Beginners Yoga
Kickboxing
Ballet
POP Pilates

Need some Get Fit Tips? Check them out here!
Alternate Your Workouts
Motivational Music 

What other Get Fit posts would you like to see?

How are you doing on your health goals? 

Splurge and Save

I love combining neutral colors with black. To me, it creates a laid back look, that still seems put together! You can go to lunch with your friends, run errands, or even do something work related in these looks! Even though both looks are perfect for most occasions, I would most definitely go with the save look! You would be saving $1,162 by choosing the inexpensive option! Much more money for other things! 

Splurge: Blouse - $353 Skinny Jeans - $254 Platform Sandals - $750

Save: Blouse - $79 Skinny Jeans - $76 Platform Sandals - $40

Would you splurge or save?

Pinterest Favorites

With life getting so crazy and busy right now, all I can think about is a nice relaxing vacation! Well the closest i'm going to get right about now is Pinterest! I've been looking through the travel boards almost every night before I go to bed! Do you ever just want to get away? Take a break from it all? Come back refreshed and ready to go? That's exactly how I feel right now. 

Dream Destination: Likuliku Lagoon Resort, Fiji

Dream Home: Cozy and Rustic Bath Tub

Future Closet: Mint Polka Dot Blouse

Wedding Ideas: Nude Bridesmaid Dresses

Beauty: Chevron Glitter Nails

So Funny: Spider Anger 

Wisdom: Aristotle 

Decor and Such: Decorated Closet Doors 

Random Things I Love: Kissing Booths 

 Food: Potato and Onion Tart 

Health and Fitness: The Dirty Dozen

Interesting Life Tools: Custom Tees with Bleach Pen 

Vegan/Vegetarian: BBQ Tofu Sandwich 

(Trying this out tonight! Recipe later this week!) 

Which pin is your favorite?

Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest! Click here! 

Saturday Sets

Again another crazy week for me. As much as I love keeping busy, these past two weeks have been ridiculous. This past weekend I was away for a Ballroom Competition at a hotel that didn't have WiFi in the ballroom. And then you add two papers, a midterm, and basic homework assignments, all done this morning, I'm on a roll! This week's Saturday Sets don't include the amazing sets created by people on Polyvore, they're my sets, again. And it's not Saturday... it's Monday. Either way, the theme of this week's Saturday Sets is date night! These are all looks that I've put together that would be great for a wide range of dates! All varying from sexy and edgy, to romantic and girly!

To get this look for yourself, click here!

Want more information on this look? Click here!

Click here for more details on this look!

Check out more information on this look, here!

Need this look? Click here!

Which look is your favorite?

What do you like to wear on date night?

Get Fit Workout: Pilates

Pilates is by far one of the best workouts I have ever done! Pilates, to me, is a cross between yoga and a hard core ab workout. The goal at the end of each of my pilates workouts is to feel long, lean, and strong. What I love most about pilates is the abilty to strengthen and tone muslces without using added weight. I don't want to be bulky. I know that lifting light weights won't necssarily make me huge, but I'm already that. I was blessed with an average stature of 5'6, the shoulders of a linebacker, and the hips of a woman who has, or should have, 10 kids. God bless genetics. 

I love this workout from POP Pilates, blogilates, that I found on YouTube. They have so many different pilates workouts! All varying in length and need. 

This video is the POP Pilates for Beginners - Total Body Workout. It's almost 30 minutes long, which is perfect if you need to squeeze a quick but effective workout into your schedule!

Have you tried pilates before?

What workout is best for your body type?

Side note: I am not endorsed, sponsored, or paid by any of the companies mentioned above. 

Beauty: Currently Wanting

Despite my large collection of makeup, I always want more. Just as a discalimer, this isn't a greedy thing or the feeling of never being happy with what I have. I'm very thankful and feel extremely blessed to have all of the goodies that I currently have. But you can't deny the fact that something new is always around the corner. Say today you get a new foundation that promises everything and the moon, but next week and newer foundation comes out that promises even more? You're gonna want the new foundation! Even if it's just to find out what all the hype is. 

With all of that being said, these are the beauty products that I'm currrently wanting!

1: butter London '3 Free' Nail Lacquer in Slapper $15
2: Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm $34
3: NARS Mini Blush & Bronzer Duo $24
4: COACH Poppy Perfume $65

What beauty products are you currently wanting?

Do you have any of the products I want? If so, how do you like them? 

Review: Mark. Just Blushing Powder Blush

With the exception of one color, kitten, I love these blushes! They are super silky and creamy to the touch and are very pigmented! A little definitely goes a long way with these! The way these mark. Just Blushing Powder Blushes are package are so-so to me. I like the fact that I can customize which colors I take with me using the Snap To It Mini or Mid, but the plastic cases are a tiny hassle. My favorite colors are Charmed and Cameo! The only reason why I don't like and do not recommend Kitten is because it is extremely chalky. You can see in the swatch that it is basically chunks of blush while the other colors went on smoothly. I love the idea of the color, just not the formula. For only $9 a piece, these blushes are seriously worth the money! 

Packaging:

Optional: Snap To It Mini and Mid

Swatches:

Kitten, Lovespell, Dollhouse, and Charmed 

Cameo, Afterglow, Darling, and Foxy

Which color is your favorite?

Do you or have you used these blushes before?

To purchase any of these blushes, click here! 

Side note: I am an independent sales representative of mark. 

My DIY Project: Forever Flowers

I guess you could say my big theme this week is florals. They just make me so happy! For my DIY project this month, I created a simple flower arrangement that requires only the occasionally dusting. Don't get me wrong, I love when B brings me home a bouquet of fresh flowers from the store, but the always die. Obviously. No matter how diligent my constant trimming and feeding of the flowers, they meet their end. Unfortunately, I got overly excited and didn't take pictures of each step. But it's so simple, I'll just have to explain it and then show you the final result. 

What you'll need:

6 Flowers of you choice 

1 Mason Jar

1 Rubberband or Hair Tie

1 Bag of Glass Marbles or Gems
1 Wire Cutter 

Directions:
Step 1: Trim your fake flowers to the desired length. You'll probably need your wire cutter at this point, those suckers are tough!
2. After cutting all 6 flowers, arrange them how you want them set in the mason jar. Secure with rubber band or hair tie. I used a hair tie, because I can.
3. Have your marbles or gems, I used gems, ready to go after you've placed your secured flowers inside the mason jar.
Step 4: Begin to drop in the marbles or gems all around the flower stems.
Step 5: Let go of your flowers, straighten them up a bit, and place them where you want them.
Step 6: Enjoy your beautiful DIY flower arrangement!

Which color flowers would you have chosen?

Do you prefer fresh or fake flowers?

What are some of your DIY projects using flowers?

Get Fit Recipe: Gnocchi and Veggie Skillet

Now that I'm allowed to have vegetables, grains, and dairy again (YAY!), I've been coming up with a ton of healthy recipes that allow me to enjoy my favorite foods, without over doing it! This turned out so good! The amount it made could easily feed 4, served with a side salad. B ate half, and I split the remainder for my dinner and for lunch today. This meal is super easy and quick too! All together in prep and cook time, it maybe took 25 minutes. 

Ingredients:

1 Package of Gnocchi

1/2 of an OrganicYellow Onion (chopped)

2 C of Organic Baby Spinach

1/2 of a can of Organic Crushed Tomatoes 

1 TSBP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 C of Vegan Parmesan Cheese 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

Quick note: You don't have to use organic produce. According to the "Dirty Dozen", which I will show at the end of the post, the only ingredient that is highly recommend to be organic is the spinach. I used regular gnocchi, but you could always substitute in whole wheat gnocchi if you prefer it. 

1. Heat the EVOO in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Chop your onion while you wait for it to heat up. 

2. Toss in your chopped onions and stir the around until completed coated with the EVOO. In a smaller pot, start to boil a fair amount of water, just enough to cover the gnocchi. Be sure to add just a pinch of salt to the water, this will flavor the gnocchi. 

3. Once the water has begun to boil, add in the gnocchi and cook according to the package. Cook times vary depending on which type of gnocchi you're using. Mine took about 6-7 minutes to cook. 

4. Add the spinach to the skillet and let wilt while stirring the spinach into the onions. 

5. Once the spinach has wilted, add in the half can of crushed tomatoes. Mixing into the spinach and onions completely. Add in the parmesan cheese and stir. 

6. This step is optional, but I added two full ladles of gnocchi water to my veggie sauce to help thicken it up. 

7. Once the gnocchi is ready, when it starts to float, drain and stir into the veggie sauce. 

8. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! 

Do you like gnocchi?

What recipes do you use it in? 

As promised, the "Dirty Dozen" and the "Clean Fifteen"

What do you think about these lists?

How to Wear: Floral Print

For the past couple of days now, it's been so cold! But that's according to my Floridian standards. I believe that anything below 70 is freezing. So go ahead and laugh, I know. Because of the weather, I've been dreaming of spring and summer. The warm days and cool nights. To keep my happy mood going, and pretending it's warm, I've put together three different ways to wear floral prints! With spring right around the corner, florals are the perfect way to welcome the season. 

For more details on this look, click here! 

To get more information on this look, click here! 

Need this look? Click here! 

Which look is your favorite?

How do you wear florals?

Side note: I am not endorsed, sponsored, or paid by any of the brands shown above. 

Splurge and Save

I'm a huge sucker for colored denim. B thinks it's silly, but if I could, I would have an entire spectrum of these jeans! From pastels, to neons, to dark washes, I need them all. One day, one day. Albeit in the future, I'm still not going to want to spend a ton of money on each pair! I mean if I'm going to have every color imaginable, I want to keep the cost on the lower end! For this splurge and save, I've put together a basic look that works great for running errands, a lazy Sunday, or lunch with your best friend! And of course, the mint denim is amazing! 

Splurge: T-Shirt - $160 Mint Denim - $267 Sandals - $250

Save: T-Shirt - $20 Mint Denim - $45 Sandals - $50

Total Savings: $562 

How amazing is that?

Would you splurge or save?

What color is your favorite for denim? 

Side note: I am not endorsed, sponsored, or paid by any brands shown above. 

Pinterest Favorites

Pinterest is an escape for me. If I'm feeling down, I browse through the quotes for a little pick-me-up. If I'm needing a good laugh, I browse through humor. If I find myself in a lovely mood and want wedding inspiration, I browse through weddings. If I need a worldly getaway, I browse through travel. Pinterest takes you place that you've never been before. It's a way to find, or lose yourself. 

Dream Destination: Bern, Switzerland

Dream Home: Three Levels 

Future Closet: Chevron Dress 

Wedding Ideas: Mr. and Mrs. Mugs 

Beauty: The Beauty Department's Basic Makeup Order

So Funny: I really do love everything this much... 

Wisdom: Live for yourself 

Decor and Such: DIY Mercury Glasses

Random Things I Love: Call Me Maybe Puppy Version

Food: Rachel Ray's 5 Basic Sauces

 Health and Fitness: CRAP v. FOOD

Interesting Life Tools: Colored Staples

Vegan/Vegetarian: Veggie Cooking Sheet 

Which pin is your favorite?

Do you have Pinterest? Follow me here! 

Side note: I am not endorsed, sponsored, or paid by Pinterest.