friday favorites {swim suits}

In the spirit of entering summer, and getting ready for vacation ;) I bring you my friday favorites with swim suits. I ordered the Victoria Secret black one piece, and floral plunge cover up... and I love them both!

bohemian strappy side {pac sun}

rose wrap bikini one piece {urban outfitters}

high waist two piece {urban outfitters}

black one piece {victoria secret}

black and white smocked tankini {venus}

cabaret bandeau one piece {venus}

tie die cover up {urban outfitters}

floral plunge cover up {victoria secret}

dish towel art {DIY}

I recently made a World Market purchase that in it included a darling script dish towel. I saw it, I wanted it, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it :)

I turned the $6 dish towel into a piece of art in my dining room! It also involved a tiny of bit of sewing, a copper pipe and some jute string...

This little project took $10 total, and about 5 minutes tops of sewing. All I did was fold over the top inch or so and sew across to create a hole for the copper pipe to slide through. SOOO easy, and super cheap!

hand towel {world market}

train table makeover

This train table is eight years old, and has seen a lot of love from my oldest son who was mega obsessed with Thomas the Train. However, my youngest, who is now four barely played on this table with the trains. I normally found him battling tiny soldiers or stomping his dinosaurs through the tracks.

So I decided to give this table a new life.

How do you do that to a eight year old table that has been beat on by trains {and soldiers & dinosaurs}? This table visually is not much to look at... my children have peeled off the train image's protective film... and even the train image is a few spots. This table even has some bite marks!

But the table is still standing strong, and the drawer still works perfectly. So after a fresh coat {okay maybe a few!} this little table will maybe not be as good as new, but will get a fresh new start

...as a Lego table!

My boys had a little disagreement as to what color to paint it. My oldest wanted a dark gray, and my youngest wanted navy blue. So I made my attempt to mix the two and went with midnight blue. I was just happy to keep it in the neutral palette. 

I used Rust-Oleum's Chalked paint. I got a dark tint base and had it tinted to the midnight blue.

I also grabbed the matte clear topcoat. 

It took about 3 light coats to cover the train image. 

However, I did hit a snag with the half peeled protective film. 

Before painting, my oldest son and I attempted to peel all of it - but it wasn't happening. So I just lightly sanded over what I was and wasn't able to remove. Well after the third coat of paint a realized that the areas that had the film was going to be darker than the areas without it because the areas without was actually soaking in the paint, where the film areas were not.

So I went ahead and did my clear topcoat and it certainly helped. I did a second coat of the clear coat and the difference is barely noticeable. Whew! 

However, if I were to do it again, I would have taken a hand sander to remove the entire film.

I got two sets up these Lego plates when Amazon just so happened to be doing a lightning sale on them. I attached them with gorilla glue. And then finished the table off my replacing the tattered blue rope that was previously there with a piece of jute string. 

This transformation from train to lego table cost was about $75.

Other lego tables I found were over $100, were also smaller {like half the size}, and didn't use actual Lego plates {there were compatible plates}. Plus I am giving this much loved train table some continued life :)

avon review {first purchase ever}

I made my first ever Avon purchase back in March. A catalog ended up on my driveway, and where normally I just pitch these type of advertisements.... this time I actually decided to glance through it. Well, you know what - I found some stuff I wouldn't mind having!

I've been using these Avon products since I received them late March, and my review of these products are completely my own.

So what caught my eye on the Avon catalog that caused me to decide to flip through it?

...these floral flats!!

I adore them! AND they are soooo comfortable. Plus, these pretty puppies were only $25!

So after I eyed those had to have flats I decided to give some of their skincare products a chance. I normally purchase my skincare at Sephora... I usually select whatever the representative sales me on. So yes, I usually spend a pretty penny on my skincare... and I'll have to say the Avon pricing made it very easy for me to be willing to give their products a try.

I started with an acne body wash.  Clear skin Blemish Clearing Acne Body Wash to be exact. Now... I don't have acne issues on my body, but the active ingredient is salicylic acid which is known for drying your skin out. However, the reviews for this product were pretty good and I thought since it's made for your body it may be more gentle than other facial cleaners.

It seems to do it's job, and it doesn't dry out my face. 

However, I probably wouldn't purchase this one again. 

I'm not in love with the gel texture. It feels like a hair gel rubbing into your face.

My next choice was Clear Skin Blemish Clearing Overnight Treatment. This one I wanted it just for what it was. I had been using Mary Kay's version of this for years, but Avon's was a lot less expensive - under $7!

...and I'm loving it. When I'm feeling those "period" pimples starting to start affect... I apply a little of this stuff before I go to bed and it really does prevent them from actually turning into something ugly!

This next one is my favorite find! Purely for the fact that the skin moisturizer I was previously using was around $75. Avon Elements Youth Restoring Cream is only $12! This moisturizer is light and non greasy. The main reason I selected this one is it has SPF 20 in it. Being as fair complected as I am, that is the #1 thing I look for in my morning moisturizer. I'll think I'll repurchasing one this for a while.

Just as I was about to wrap up my selections I as a last minute decision added this Anew Clinical Retexturing Peel to my cart. Very skeptical about a peel, that isn't really a peel - I am thrilled with it. I see and feel a noticeable difference of my skin since using this product. My skin feels more soft, and how bit of glow to it now. It's $22, and if used as directed it will last you about 2 months. I'm pretty sure I'll ordering more.

Along with my purchase came these free lipstick samples. I could totally live without them. They definitely didn't sell me on purchasing Avon's makeup line. The color doesn't stay on at all, and they bleed easily... which is definitely not a quality you want in your lipstick, especially when you are working with dark colors such as these ones.. It won't be long before these guys find their way to the trash. In fact, I think I'll go do that right now...

Well that sums up my first ever Avon purchase! ... and what I think of their products. Shoes were a major winner. I have received several compliments on those floral flats. Their skincare line is a great, less expensive alternative. I'm glad I gave them a chance :)

world market finds

Do you have go to shopping spots? I certainly do. If it's not Home Goods, it's Target, but if it's not Target it's usually an online source. One of my favorites is World Market, and although there are locations, there isn't one near me. Boy, do I wish there was!

I am always seeing things I want at World Market, however a lot of times I throw things in my cart and never actually purchase. Yes, I am one of those people :0

Well I just made an actual purchase. I went there to buy one thing, and was suckered into their 20% & free shipping for purchases made over $150. I had previously had my eye on a few things, so I thought, "why not?". 

It's saves me $10 on the shipping and 20% off on the already $40 sale item I know I want. So I am going to get that $40 item, but really $50 with shipping - for only $32, and then I'm going to be getting lots of other great finds I've had my eye on. Win, win - right? Well, not really. Other people might look at my $18 savings costing me $100, since I had to add over $100 to my cart to get that 20% off & free shipping. 

Regardless, the purchase was made. I have quite the load of what I call finds coming my way from World Market.

I know what you are thinking... "okay, okay, but what did you get?". Well here's the bulk of it... each one I have a place for in mind. The side table there was my original cart placed, $40 on sale item.

And then there are these!

Yeah, it's just a tray. It looks like it's wood, but it's not. It's actually all melamine. We were in need of trays for grilling, so I snagged two of these. I love the wood with aqua contrast. Super fun!

And since I was getting those, I decided to tag on this matching chip and dip serving dish. 

Also melamine.

I can't wait to get my new World Market finds! 

Woo, hoo! Happy shopping!!

wood side table {world market}

clear canister {world market}

ivory canister {world market}

buffet dish towel {world market}

ivory jute curtains {world market}

aqua wood grain serving tray {world market}

aqua wood grain chip and dip serving dish {world market}

buffet table

Way back in February, within my friday favorites, I shared this darling sideboard table refurbish.

Then in March, again in my friday favorites, was this gorgeous buffet table...

A bit obsessed with the black/graphite, would you say?

I never quite got over this that look, so when I saw the opportunity to get this refurbished, 

well, of course I jumped at it!

When a local furniture flipper posted this on her Facebook as available, 

I instantly knew what I wanted it to be and messaged her.

So to be clear, I did NOT refinish this piece myself. I had the local furniture flipper do it for me. 

I picked out the coloring, and chose to have some light distressing. 

I also chose to have the hardware painted to match. 

The paint is Annie Sloan's graphite with a dark wax.

So after a few weeks I now am the happy owner of my very own graphite buffet table, 

inspired by my friday favorites!!!

It fits perfectly in my dining room... doesn't it?

Ever since I put those plates up on this wall,  I've known a piece needed to be here. So glad it's here!

life adjustment {exercise room reveal}

It has been over a month since my last post! When I made my last post "Stitch Fix Farewell", I promise I only meant it for Stitch Fix, not blogging!!! After that post, life got a little overwhelming. In the last month I have been tackling a new business {my photography}, doing my best to keep my old business alive {Harley Mae}, getting ready for a craft market my mother and I were obligated for {I'll get more into this another time!}, and all while getting ready for 10 day vacation.

I'm back from vacation, and let me just say - when you have a lot on your plate, 10 days of vacation is just too much!

However during this 10 days of sleeping in, playing at the beach with my 4 year old son, and laying out by the pool {I know, poor thing, right? You should all feel SOOO bad for me, HA!} - I did a lot of thinking. I need a life adjustment! NOT a serious life adjustment, but one is seriously in need.

When I sat back and looked at myself on a day to day basis this is what I saw...  someone who let distractions and tiredness keep her from being her most productive.  I need a burst of energy injected in my life. I need to set some personal goals in place to help get myself where I know I can be.



SLEEP: First thing is first... Sleep!! If I can adjust my sleeping pattern I really think I can get the rest in place. So much easier said than done. I am addicted to staying up late. I'm up till around 1am most nights, and wake up at 7am for the oldest son, and back to sleep until 8am for my youngest son, and sometimes back again until like 10am.

That sounds exhausting just writing it... that is not a healthy good night sleep. My sleeping goal is to set a realistic time I think I an force myself to bed and then stay up when I get up at 7am. To get 8 hours of recommended sleep, that means to hit the hay at 11:00. That's a little early for me, so I set the more realistic goal of 11:30.

DIET: Next I need to tackle my diet. My eating habits are all messed up. I never eat breakfast {I hear all your slaps on my wrists}, and I tend to late night snack {which I know a lot of you are guilty of}. I am pretty good about my meals, sometimes, but know I can do better there too. So my eating goals are to find something to incorporate breakfast in my day, cut out fried food, and slash down my proportions. No pop, only drink water and okay, realistically I can't give up my hard ciders. I am hoping getting in bed at 11:30 will decrease my late night cravings, however, I am keeping healthier options {like an apple or Kashi bar} to grab instead of cheez-its or get into my children's Easter candy {I know, "bad mom!"}

EXERCISE: Now, this next one is probably the worse. Not only because we all need exercise in our daily lives, but more so because I have NO EXCUSE to not exercise. I have an exercise room in my house!!! It's nothing fancy, but you don't need anything fancy to get a little exercise in your schedule.

Like I said, I really have no excuse other than the fact that I have in back of my mind... exercise - you can exercise whenever you want so I put it off. I know that I must schedule it in my day, then it will happen. You can't just say, I'm going to start working out tomorrow. For me, I need to place it on my schedule with an exact time. Since I'm getting up earlier, I should have no issues getting my work out down first thing.

So now that I've admitted that this room doesn't get as much attention as it should, here it is... my exercise room.

I really love my elliptical. It's easy on the knees, and it a great way to get my heart rate up.

I have interval exercising works best for me... 

where I move on the elliptical to get my heart rate up 

then move to a core exercise like push ups, crunches, or weights.

I do this cycle a few times to fit in my full work out.

Lots of windows, amazing space, even a TV. Like I said, NO EXCUSE - I know!

I'm three days in - and so far I've succeeded at my goals, but I have long way to go to embedding this life adjustment. There's no point to start something for a little while just to let your old habits slip back in. That is why I tried to create realistic goals. I try really hard to not set goals that will most likely be setting myself up for failure.

Here's to you - sitting back, taking a look at your life, and finding small ways to help the better you come out!