Please excuse me for a few days..

..I will be in Florida tanning and relaxing!

Be back on Monday

Xoxo

M

Stella & Dot Giveaway

Okay ladies, it's my first giveaway! I was going to do it once I reach 100 followers but I couldn't wait any longer!

Plus Stella & Dot is having some amazing deals right now so I was like why wait! 

Right now you and can get:

 $20 off ant handbags

$5.95 flat rate shipping 

and for the month of March (which ends in 3 days but the giveaway will end April 9)

Okay so the sale prices are super tiny but click here to shop around! Once April starts I will post Aprils Style for a Steal!

For everyone who places an order they will be entered to win these Serenity Small Stone Drops! They come in two colors, Aqua and Lapis! They are absolutely gorgeous! You have your choice to choose which color you would like!

You have till April 9th to make your purchases! When checking out, click Makenzie as your hostess in order to enter into the giveaway. What's great about Stella & Dot is that everything ships directly to you and the packaging is absolutely adorable! If you have any questions email me or comment below!

Good luck!

Xoxo

M

Oh Flordia, How I Need You

Does everyone else feel super busy now that spring break is over and just ready for summer?! 

Well I know that from now until May I will be a busy bee trying to finish projects, papers, and start studying for finals (mine are in less than a month..crazyyy)

But this weekend my family and I are going to Florida for a mini vacation/getaway. My sister, her best friend that is going, and my step dad are planning their Disney days and which parks they are going to and which rides they are dying to go on.

My mom, my grandma and I however are planning which pool we will be laying by (the hotel has over  11!), what day we want to go to the spa and which magazines we need to stock up on before spending our 4 day weekend relaxing.

Here is two outfits I put together for this weekend 

florida by makenzieb featuring a lace hat

That is however if I can get out of my bathing suit that I plan on living in this weekend! I have not got a chance to catch some rays yet so it is much needed to say the least!

 
Xoxo
M
 

Sunshine Award

I Got Sunshine!

 Emily at Emily Ruth was sweet enough to pass on the Sunshine Blog Award to me! Please go check out her blog, it is so fun and she always has the best post! This is my first blog award and I am so excited about it!

I was told to answer these questions and pass it on!

Favorite color?

This is always hard for me to answer because I don't have just one favorite color. It evolves and changes with different seasons, trends, etc. For example over winter eggplant, mustard yellow and emerald were my favorite colors. Now that spring has officially sprung I am loving any shade of coral!

Favorite number?

Jeeze, I find out just how boring and indecisive I am when doing these surveys, but I don't really have a favorite number either buttttt I was born on the 25th day of January and it consequently is the 25th today so maybe 25?

Favorite non-alcoholic drink?

Water. I am constantly drinking it 24/7. I don't leave my house without my water bottle! And if I do...well I am without water but my body feels weird, tired and not on par when I am not keeping my body replenished and hydrated.

Facebook or Twitter?

Hm, both?! I barely post anything on either one..I kinda just use them to keep updated with everyone :)
My routine when I get on my computer: Check my blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and routinely check them in this order throughout the day. Inserting Pinterest in the evenings! I spend more time blogging than anything so I will pick blogger (even though that's not an option)

My passion? 

My passion is to feel comfortable in my own body and help others feel the same way too. It is so tiring worrying about calories and all that nonsense. I just want to be able to put on a bathing suit and actually feel comfortable in one. So many girls worry constantly about what they look like, what they are eating and it can get out of control and turn into an eating disorder so fast.

Favorite animal?

Possibly this girafee

or maybe the llama?

Or even the little piggy?

Getting or giving presents?

I love finding that perfect for somebody. A lot of times if I am shopping and I see something that reminds me of a particular person I will buy and hold it till either their birthday or Christmas. So I would say giving, but who doesn't love receiving a gift every now and then?!

Favorite flower?

Sunflowers

Xoxo

M

(hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!)

Guest Post and more Stella & Dot

It's almost Friday! I am running on 4 hours of sleep and a pot of coffee at the moment. I have had more tests and projects this week than should be allowed. So I am going to make this short and sweet so  I can get back to studying for Macroeconomics (so boringgggggg)

I am guest blogging for Emily while she is in China

The Wide World of E

I absolutely love her blog and I am so happy I got to do a guest post for her!

In other news, Stella & Dot is having a great deal right now

 Now until 3/22 you can get $20 of any bag just buy using promo code SDHANDBAG12 when you shop here

 (also flat rate shipping of $5.95)

Xoxo

M

Instyle: April 2012

This issue of Instyle has me ready to throw towels and sunscreen into a bag and hit the beach!

There are 3 trends I dying over: pastels, tangerine, and prints!

 I loved this issue so much I put together inspiration boards!

Pastels by makenzieb featuring a polyester shirt

tangerine by makenzieb featuring a boyfriend blazer

prints by makenzieb featuring a cotton print dress

Off to go shopping!

Xoxo
M 

Big News!

You are looking at your newest Stella & Dot stylist!! 

I am hosting an online trunk show to kick it off! 

Click here to view & shop!

Please let me know if the link doesn't work etc. since I am new and I am honestly not too sure how it works yet 

(still working out the kinks)

Also if you are interested in be a stylist, let me know! It's a fun way to make extra money on side while doing something fun :)

Xoxo
M

Day in a Nut Shell

Hello to all! 

I don't know about everyone, but this weather has me all cheery! I hope it stays nice for the weekend because I will be laying out (bye, bye pale legs) with my new Instyle that I got in the mail yesterday 

 

 

For those who have followed from the beginning, I do a post highlighting my favorite finds each issue. Whether it's a new trend, a certain purse, or new product I want to try. So look for that to come!

Whooo!!!

 

Today I went to lunch at my favorite restaurant in town, Panini's

It is located right downtown on the waterfront and they have the best pizza, pastas and salads.

 

Today I had the Mediterranean pizza. It was topped with mushrooms, olives, artichokes, and roasted red peppers. Ahhh, so yummy :)

After I took a stroll downtown peeked into one of my favorite stores Lulu Burgess 

And what do you know, they were having 10% off on all Hobo! I absolutely love Hobo, so it was perfect! My initial thought was new bag for school and/or a wallet. I need a new wallet really bad, but I couldn't bring myself to break down and just by it on the spot. I need to compare/contrast online, read reviews, and look around before I just buy something.  

(Even though it's just a wallet, haha)

 Then we strolled some more and ended up at this gallery that I had no idea even existed!

Finally I ended my day with buying these guys.

 

I knew I wanted makeup remover wipes, but I didn't know what brand I wanted from the drug store. I picked up the Neutrogena one's and was checking out when right at the counter were these! For only like $6 for a pack of 2.

I was like well jeeze, for $6 bucks it's worth a shot and if I hate them I can just toss them. I can easily say that I will probably buy them again! They smell so fresh, take my makeup off, and leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean, granted I have only used it once :) I just couldn't wait to share because of how affordable and great they were!

I have never even heard of this brand and I was kind of hesitant, but I am glad I decided to get them! I keep a pack in my gym bag and a pack in the bathroom.

And that's my day! I am off to go through tub's of clothes and my closet. I am taking a load to the consignment store and goodwill because I still have clothes from middle school. For some reason I have a problem getting rid of clothes and letting them go so I am breaking down and doing once and for all!

Wish me luck

Xoxo

M

OOTD & Recipe

 Happy hump day! Can you belive the week is halfway over?!? The weather was SO wonderful today and I hope the cold weather is over

I was finally able to pull out some spring dresses out of the attic now that it's not chilly. And what a better way to kick spring off with a Lilly dress :)

(please excuse the fact my head and legs are cut off..I had someone at work take the picture on my phone and she was so confused as to why I needed a picture of my outfit & when I saw the picture was half cut off I was too embarrassed to ask for another hehe)

I added a light summer scarf because it was a tad chilly this morning when I left the house at 6 for the gym, threw on some sandals, and add minimal jewelery..oh how I missed summer.

I haven't posted a recipe in a while and I forgot about this particular one until tonight! I am pretty good in the kitchen, but this recipe is so simple and yummy I had to share, anyone can throw this together

It's a Chicken Enchilada Ring from Pampered Chef

(ingredients)

• 2 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken
• ¼ cup chopped pitted ripe olives   (I just used black olives)
• 1 (4 ounce) cup shredded cheddar cheese , and monterey jack cheese blend
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies , undrained
• ½ cup mayonnaise (Greek yogurt is a healthy substitution)
• 1 tablespoon pampered chef pantry southwest seasoning
• 2 plum tomatoes
• 1 lime
• ²⁄₃; cup finely crushed corn tortilla chips , divided
• 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup sour cream (fat free of course!)
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Chop chicken and olives using Food Chopper; place in mixing bowl.
3. Add cheese, green chilies, mayonnaise, and seasoning mix.
4. Seed and chop 1 tomato.
5. Slice lime in half.
6. Using Juicer, juice one half of lime to measure 1 teaspoon juice.
7. Reserve remaining lime for garnish.
8. Add chopped tomato and lime juice to chicken mixture.
9. Reserve 2 tablespoons crushed chips; add remaining chips to chicken mixture and mix well.
10. Sprinkle reserved crushed chips over cutting board.
11. Unroll crescent dough.
12. Place dough, sticky-side down, onto crushed chips; press down lightly, so chips adhere to dough.
13. Separate dough into triangles.
14. Arrange triangles, chip side down, in a circle on round baking stone (or round pizza baking sheet) with wide ends overlapping in the center and points towards outside.
15. (There should be a 5-inch diameter opening in center.) Scoop chicken mixture evenly onto the wide ends of each triangle.
16. Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring.
17. (Filling will not be completely covered.) Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden.
18. For garnish, cut remaining tomato into 8 wedges.
19. Cut remaining half of lime into 4 slices; cut in half.
20. Arrange between openings of ring.
21. Cut and serve with salsa and sour cream.

I also made homemade guacamole to go with it and it was absolutely to die for!

 

This is so embarrassing.. I didn't even take a picture of the dish after I baked it because as soon as it came out the oven, I cut into it and started eating away, completely forgetting the fact I was going to blog about it.

So I got one off the internet :)

 

SO yummy!!!

 

Have y'all tried any good recipes lately?! I am always looking for something new to bake/cook!

 

Xoxo

 M

 

Weekend & Stationary

Hope everyone had a swell weekend!

Here's a few pictures that I took on my iPhone this weekend

New chevron striped pillow (obsessed with c. stripes obviously)

 

Friday was spent shopping in Hilton Head and Bluffton with my best friend aka future roommate from Clemson!

Starbucks, shopping, laughing, catching up. What more could a girl ask for?

Saturday we went and saw Project X. I knew nothing about this movie before buying a ticket so I had no idea what to expect. It was actually pretty good, despite the ENTIRE movie was about a party. It was good, but I wouldn't see it again.

Sunday was a day of relaxing and catching up. One of my professors decided to have a mid term the Monday we get back from spring break, so I studied for that all day (boooo!!!)

When I got home today, I was surprised to find a package at my doorstep.

Inside was my stationary I won from Life with Emily!!
(I never won anything before so I felt like a kid on Christmas morning!)

Oh Louise Stationary

I love, love love it! SO excited to write letters to friends & family!

Okay, off to watch The Bachleor! Gahhh, who's Ben going to pick!?!?!??!?

It better be Lindzi, if it is Courtney... I will never watch this show again (even though I am so happy Emily is the next Bachlorette!)!

Xoxo
M

Statement Jewelry

The easiest way to spruce up an outfit is by adding bold jewelry

For example here is just a basic jean & tee combo.

  (excuse the smudges on the mirror, that thing called spring cleaning as failed to happen yet)

By adding a pop of color with a chunky necklace it pulls it all together

 

Here are a few pieces I am lusting over

 

Kendra Scott

 

 I'll take one in every color thank you!

Kate Spade

 Ariella Collection

Adia Kibur 

Juliet & Co.

(only $55)

 Xoxo

M