High Five for Friday + Five Minute Friday

Happy Friday, you guys! We made it to the weekend! Thank goodness! Read on to see the five high points of my week:

1. The theme for today's Five Minute Friday is quiet.

When I think about the word quiet, I think about the opposite of business. I have been pretty busy lately, but the Lord has been prompting me to prioritize. He has reminded me that in the midst of all the mess and business, He wants me to focus on Him. 

Part of focusing on Him is being still and quiet. I have a hard time being still. I like to do things. I enjoy getting tasks done and checking them off my to-do list. It makes me feel good about myself. But, God beckons us to stop what we are doing, and to spend some quiet, alone time with Him. 

When we stop and get quiet, we are reminded of God's mercy and grace. When we are still, we allow God to speak to us. We allow Him to work and move in our lives. I don't know about you, but that is all I want. To be still and know, truly know, that He is God.

2. Last week was tremendously busy. But, instead of dwelling on the business and the fact that my time was running down, I switched my focus to how much I had already gotten done. It was hard, but by God's grace, I got through. This week has been much better and for that I am thankful.

3. Lately, I don't know what it is, but I have been really drawn to outfits with lots of layers. This pin has really inspired me as well as the photo below. Sorry for the really bad quality. It has been pretty cold and snowy, but it supposed warm up, so I don't think that I will be wearing outfits like these soon. :)

4. There is a very formal event that I am going to in a month or two. I already have a skirt which you can see below this. I have been looking for a top to go with it for forever. I just can't seem to find one that I like and that matches. I don't want white or pink because they would clash with the skirt. I have been looking at black and gold colors, but I just can't find one that is fancy enough. I would wear a crop top or a regular one. Have any ideas? If you see something, just send it my way. :)

5. Just in case you missed them, here are this week's posts:

Marsala + Black and a New Schedule

Real is the New Black

What do you think?

Linking up with these lovely ladies.

Real is the New Black

Happy Wednesday! My one little word for this year is uncomfortable. Along with that, God also called me to embrace vulnerability. When I think of being vulnerable, I think of weakness, defenselessness, and susceptibility. My gut reaction is "Ugh. Really, God? You want me to be weak in front of people. Sorry, but that ain't happening." 

Then, as I ponder this and take it all in, I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 which says, 

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

So, I am supposed to be weak because when I am weak, God's power is able to shine through so that others can see Him in me. 

Also, God has shown me that vulnerable doesn't always mean weak. In fact, I like to refer to vulnerable as exposed, sensitive, wide open, honest, open to criticism, allowing people to look in and see me, real.

And that brings me to the meat of this post: vulnerability means being real. And by real I mean not hiding my emotions, not putting up this facade that is nothing but a facade. It means letting people see me cry, laugh, grieve, cheer, have fun. It means to stop fearing what people think and just be myself and the person who God wants me to be.

As I embrace vulnerability, I am reminded of God's grace. His grace is what allows me to be real. It is what helps me when I fall and when I fail. His grace is all I need. When I am surrounded by His grace, it allows me to to be real because Jesus didn't die for fake me, He died for real me. Real is the new black.

What are your thoughts?

Linking up with these lovely ladies.

Marsala + Black and a New Schedule

Happy Monday! I am sorry that it has been a little quiet here. I have been immensely busy. Because of how busy I have been, I am going to change my posting schedule from Monday, Tuesday Wednesday, and Friday, to Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I hate that I have to limit my posting, but I know that this minor change will be beneficial. It will also allow me just a little more time to connect with you, my lovely readers. I love responding to your comments and questions. I have also been trying to update my blog design since the end of November. Maybe I'll get to that soon as well. 

Today, I am sharing with you a new outfit that I just recently wore and loved it.

Outfit details:

Top: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Jeans: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Shoes: Target (exact-on sale!, similar)

Bangles: (similar, similar)

Necklace: Charming Charlie (similar, similar)

Fitbit

Photography by Allie D.

I loved this outfit! It was super comfy and casual. When I wore this outfit, I actually swapped the necklace for a scarf like this one. Also, I wore a black belt to make the half-tuck look a little more polished. 

Probably my favorite part of this look, is the fact that the whole outfit is neutral except the top. Having it that way helps the shirt to shine in all of it's marsala glory. 

Also, I am guest posting over at Garay Treasures today on an outfit that I recreated from Pinterest. Go check it out here and give her some love!

What do you like most about this outfit?

Linking up here.

My First Birchbox Review- December Box

Happy Wednesday! For Christmas, I was gifted a 3-month Birchbox subscription. I have loved getting them in the mail and I am even more exited to tell you my thoughts!

 This is what my box looked like:

This is what I got inside my box:

Make Face Gloss

This product had a neat concept, but it just wasn't for me. You are supposed to apply this face gloss on your cheekbones and the bridge of your nose to create a dewy glow. The first problem was that I didn't know how to apply it. It was also extremely goopy and sticky. It felt like I had syrup on my face. It may just be me, but I was not satisfied with this product.

LOC One-and-Done Shadow Stick- On Point

At first, I really liked this eyeshadow. And I still do, but I did have an issue with it. I loved its smooth and easy application. It looks like a crayon. The On Point shade was gold and sparkly which I loved. My problem was that as I was applying it to my other eyelid, the tip broke off and I could no longer use it very effectively. Maybe I was applying too hard?

amika Nourishing Mask

I have heard amazing things about amika, so when I tried this mask, my expectations were pretty high. The best part is that my expectations were fulfilled! I loved this mask! You apply it to the ends of your hair and let it sit for a few minutes just like other conditioners. It smelled amazing and worked really well. I don't think that I would actually purchase the full size because the conditioner that I already use works almost as well. Overall, it was great!

Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream

This product is a cream that is supposed to moisturize and hydrate skin while still being lightweight. I liked this product and I think it worked well. I have normal to dry skin and in these dry winter months, I need lots of moisture. This cream just didn't do it for me for now. I loved how lightweight and how quickly it absorbed into my skin. I would use this during the summer when I don't need as much moisture.

Harvey Prince Hello Perfume

I liked this perfume. It smells fresh and bright. I wouldn't say that I was highly impressed, though. It smelled nice is all that I can say about it.

Votivo Red Currant Tin Candle

I loved this candle! It burnt well and it smells SO AMAZING! It is light, rich, and luxurious smelling. Loved it!

I was not compensated in any way for this review nor are these affiliate links. However, if you would like to purchase a Birchbox subscription, go to this link which will give me some points towards the Birchbox shop.

What do you think?

See where I link up here.

7 Gorgeous Vests Perfect for Any Wardrobe

Happy Tuesday! Vests are a downright staple for any type of wardrobe. They layer really well and if your winter isn't as cold as Alaska, they are a great light layer. Here are 7 gorgeous vests that are perfect for any wardrobe:

one, two, three, four, five, six, seven

I stinking LOVE each of these! They are perfectly adorable. My favorites are. . . ummm. . . I really just like them all! I could never pick which I like better. Number three, the ivory one, also comes in a bright red which I cannot get enough of.

I have wanted a vest for a while, but I just haven't got one yet. Having these few right in front of me all in one place really helps to actually bite the bullet and buy one. . . or all! Haha! :)

What do you think? Which vest is your favorite?

See where I link up here.

Military Jacket + Orange Lace

Happy Monday! I hope that you had a lovely weekend! Today I have an outfit post for you:

Outfit details: 

Top: LOFT (similar, similar)

Jeans; Old Navy (similar, similar)

Jacket: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Necklace (similar, similar)

Shoes: K-Mart (similar, similar)

I am so in love with this color combination. Olive green goes with lots of colors, but I think that orange and light pink are my favorites. I especially like the rusty tint that this orange top has.

This is one of the first outfits that I wore after Dressember. Even though I enjoyed wearing dresses for a great cause, and I love dresses, I was super glad to be able to wear my jeans again. It felt so good! I have to admit, it has been really nice to wear pants. 

Most people don't think that they will be able to pull off super edgy or super girly pieces. The secret to wearing them is to add pieces that are close to opposite. For instance: here I wore frilly lace with my edgy military jacket to balance it out. Plus, you always end up looking really sophisticated and put-together.

What color would you wear with olive? What do you think?

See where I link up here.

High Five for Friday + Five Minute Friday

Happy Friday, you guys! Ahhhhh. That is me breathing a sigh of relief. We made it to the weekend!! I am so excited! 

The other day, I discovered a Friday link up called Five Minute Friday. FMF is a link up in which you write for five minutes about a one word topic that Kate provides. It's all unedited which is one of my favorite parts about it. So, each Friday, one of my five for High Five for Friday will be my Five Minute Friday.

1. Time. It's that thing that I am constantly saying I never have enough of. "Sorry, I can't do _____ because I don't have enough time." Or, "I wish I could do _____, but I just do not have enough time"

I frequently find myself saying, "I just don't have enough time to do that." But, if what I am wanting to do or participate in is really worth it, I should somehow have time, right? 

Some people say that they will just have to make time. But, wait, can we as humans add more time to our day? No, we can't. We only have the allotted 24 hour in a day. 

And then I think, "Is having more time really important?" Maybe, what we do with the time that we are allotted is actually what we should be focusing on. Just a thought.

2. This week has been one of the busiest weeks in a very long time. I have been struggling with a few things. BUT, God works in amazing ways. I am so thankful for a perfect God who loves us unconditionally!

3. For Christmas, I was gifted a 3-month Birchbox subscription. So far, I have received two boxes and have been loving the products. On Wednesday, I will be posting my first Birchbox review, so look out for that! If you would like to order a subscription, you can do so here.

4. I have been wearing all of my new clothes that I got for Christmas and have really been loving creating new outfits with them. Style and fashion are a couple of my creative outlets, and I enjoy making up new outfits and styling new pieces.

5. Just in case you missed them here are this weeks posts:

Chambray a New Way

The Most Popular Color for the Year-Light Pink

Loving Others Selflessly

See where I link up here.