Lifestyle

There are so many editing apps out there today, it’s hard to know exactly what works & which of their tools are the most useful. Today, I wanted to share a few of my favorite editing apps that I use on (an almost) daily basis for Instagram. Most of these I have learned about through other bloggers/social media influencers — I love seeing what works for those who create amazing content & what they use for that professional look. I use the apps in this particular order and depending on what needs to be tweaked in each photo (i.e. some may not require all of these apps).

(Click on image for to view in iTunes)

Enlight

1 . This editing app was on Desi Perkins “favorite apps” video and while she is a YouTuber, I decided to try this app out for myself. The possibilities are endless & reviewers say that it is as close to Photoshop as you can get on your phone. While most of her favorite features she uses for makeup photos, I like using it for mirroring images. I have yet to down the rabbit hole of it’s capabilities, but it looks really fun & wildly creative!

Facetune 2 

2 . While this app is may not surprise you (I feel like everyone uses this for selfies), it is still one of my go-tos. I use this most for the whitening tool to help bump up the brightness on my flatlay backgrounds.

 ColorStory

 3 . Peyton from “Love’n’Labels” talked about this app in her favorite apps post & I am obsessed! I mainly use this app for filters and her recommandation was the “Flashes of Delight” package. I too love this package and narrowed down my favorites — which are Valerie, Lite Bright & Evelyn. Though I use them with a light hand, it’s my favorite way to filter now.

VSCO

 4 . I use this app daily and it helps keep my Instagram nice & organized. Before posting a photo, I upload it to VSCO to see how it will look in the grid. You can also use filters and other editing tools, but I mainly use it for the layout aspect.

Hope you found this helpful! Xx

I am such a sucker for interior design and love to make my daily surroundings bright and comfortable with a touch of green. Back in November, we were able to have new hardwood floors put in throughout our entire main level. We chose a beautiful oak topped with a dark jacobean stain along with fresh white trim. I am in heaven every time I walk through the house now! With a small little one who is always carrying around crackers/snacks, it is easy to clean up, not to mention all of the dirt tracked in from us adults.

So after a month of being quarantined upstairs & living at my mom’s for a few weeks, I was ready to get things back to normal. It reminded me of moving day because our house was practically empty. I was very picky about we bought back in from the moving pod and it felt like a fresh start. As part of the fresh start, I also went on a three day painting binge and painted all of the walls white to help brighten up the rooms. Judging from my last paint project that stretched into weeks, I knew that if I didn’t get it done then, it might not ever get completed! (Does anyone else have those projects?!) So as motivation to finish the painting, my husband promised we could make an Ikea trip to pick up a few items. This probably sounds lame to get excited about Ikea past college, but I love clean, minimal yet impactful pieces and drawn to elements of Scandinavian design. Bonus…our new items fit right in with our existing furniture and added some dimension to the living room.

Apologizes about taking forgetting to take “before” pics, but it was involved several pieces hand-me-down pieces that I had repainted. (And then throw in some oatmeal, beige carpet.) Thanks for visiting and hope you enjoyed!

Pillows, blank, small lamp – Target

Standing lamp, white shelving units, coffee table, bench, plants – Ikea

Baskets, small table – Home Goods

Cowskin rug – World Market

Couch – Ethan Allen

Black chairs – Overstock.com

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and family. Now that you have stuffed yourself full of turkey, it’s time to relax and do some holiday shopping. I rounded up a ton of the Black Friday sales and excited to shop some of them later tonight. Cheers to finding amazing deals!

ASOS – 30% off Everything. Use code THANKFUL30.

Banana Republic – 50% off 5 regular priced items. Use code BRFIVE.

Baublebar – 35% off for 12 hours only. Us code VIP35.

Chicwish – Extra 25-80% off Thanksgiving Day through Sunday. Use code BLK25.

Dolce Vita – Up to 60% & extra 20% off sale. Use code BLACK20.

GAP – 50% off everything. Use code TGIF50.

H&M – 20% off your entire purchase + free shipping. Use code 5188.

J Crew – 40% off your purchase. Use code HOLIDAY.

Lulu*s – Up to 90% off. Plus free shipping in US only, ends 11/29 @ 11:59pm EST.

Madewell – 25% off your entire purchase.

Nasty Gal – 30% off Black styles.

Nordstrom – Extra 20% off Thanksgiving Day through Sunday.

Old Navy – 50% off Everything-ish. No code needed.

Revolve – Up to 50% off Thanksgiving Day through Friday.

ShopBop – Up to 25% off. Use code GOBIG16.

Uniqlo – $15 off $150 & other great deals. Free shipping with no minimum. Use code THANKS.

Urban Outfitters – All apparel buy one, get one 50%. Thanksgiving Day through 11/25.

For Make up lovers:

Morphe – 25% of products (Begins Thanksgiving Day at 8pm thru Black Friday) Use code Friday25.

Sephora – Black Friday special gift sets.

Everyone needs a fresh start every once in a while. I am on a kick to declutter & organize my life and it is both stress reliever and freeing feeling. It doesn’t just involve clothes and home decor, but also what’s going on above my shoulders! I always have hair envy when I see other ladies with glorious long locks, but in reality, my hair isn’t built for volume or curl. It always falls flat and all the money/time investing in hair products never really achieve my hair goals. I am slowly coming to terms with just needing to have a more manageable cut so it’s less in a ponytail (99% of the time). So I am very happy with my very blonde bob!

In the spirit of trying new things, I experimented with mixing sporty with feminine chic. I love how throwing on white sneakers with a skirt or dress gives the overall outfit a different feel. Even though I am not much of a skirt gal, I am in love with this simple detail on the skirt and pairing it with a flowy blouse balances out the sexy edge. The mix & match feel gives me new reasons to keep trying to pushing outside my comfort zone. I encourage you to do the same 🙂

Top Zara / Skirt Express / Shoes Adidas / Sunglasses H & M

Shop My Look

I am just now getting around to posting my photos from our trip to LA from earlier this month. We were visiting my sister-in-law (Hi Indie!) who recently moved there & doubled as a short, easy getaway. Thank goodness I have some stockpiled pics because with a sick toddler & husband who just had knee surgery, blog photos have taken a back seat this week 🙂

After hitting up Zara at the Grove, I really enjoyed shopping for some fall staples to add to my wardrobe. I found this herringbone long blazer (similar here) that I absolutely love. This will go great with scarves, jeans, black pants and any type of shoe. It’s the perfect fit yet slightly oversized, which is hard to find when you’re a petite lady who easily gets swallowed up in clothes. I have several other items on my fall wish list like ankle boots & a mohair sweater, but for now I can check a dark blazer off the list.

This weekend was absolutely gorgeous and it finally felt like a hint of fall in the air. As much as I love the hot weather, it’s nice to have a new season to look forward to. I like the layers, cozy sweaters, jeans and a great pair of boots to throw on. And we can’t forget about the jackets! Like this Blanknyc faux leather jacket from Nordstrom. It feels amazing and I can’t get over how soft it is. Throw in the reasonable price point ($98) and boom…it’s a no brainer!

I really love monochromic looks. Black, grey and white are easy colors that fit together nicely. It is a simple way to look classic and chic. Sidenote, I have been living in this GAP tee lately. I purchased it in 3 colors (2 greys & white) and have worn them almost everyday. The material is a softspun poly blend that provides a luxe feeling and feels heavier than a normal tee.

Jacket Nordstrom / Tee GAP / Jeans Articles of Society / Shoes Converse / Bag Forever 21 / Sunglasses H&M / Rings Target

There are a million little black dresses out there in every size, shape & length.  I decided to try out a LBD style that I have never worn before…body con. I have become more of a conservative dresser over the past few years & usually gravitate towards items that are on the looser side. I feel comfortable with a higher neckline and slightly longer length if the fit is tight. On the flip side, if the style is loose, I don’t mind off the shoulder or vneck to balance it out…I just want to avoid looking like I’m wearing a sack. Bottom line, as long as it’s not a combination of tight, low cut & short, it’s a go. Just my personal preference & comfort level 🙂

Overall, I feel like though this dress hugs my body, but I am not hanging out or overexposed. I am glad I choose to try this trend in black since the material is thin, any other color may have been see through. This will be a good piece to wear to dressier events this fall & winter for a chic & modern look.

Dress Forever 21 / Bag J Crew / Shoes Calvin Klein / Sunglasses H&M