The Campus Alphabet

For this back to school post, I am sharing the College ABC's with you. For each letter of the alphabet I used something that is important and/or necessary for a successful college student. Some are healthy foods, some are makeup tricks, others are school supplies, and some I just think are necessary, having experienced college myself.
A - Apples! No irony here ladies! Apples are the perfect in between class snack. They increase your water intake, help stop cravings for fatty foods and are delicious!
B - Binders! Each class has a binder with a folder and notebook inside. I use 1 inch binders, simply because they hold more and don't overflow.
C - Containers! Whether you buy yours from The Container Store, Target or Dollar General, containers are a great way to keep your life organized. Containers are a major aspect in my life; they organize my makeup, my important papers, my winter clothes, my shoes, my everything.
D - Dictionary! I use a Websters Dictionary but feel free to use a different one. Dictionary's are required for most Composition classes and are handy when working on homework.
E - Erasers! Erasers, not much to say about them, but they are necessary, unless you are fond of scribbling over your work.
F - Frozen Yogurt! A good replacement for ice cream and just as yummy! Typically I go to somewhere like Red Mango or Orange Leaf, but I also saw this pin on Pinterest about frozen yogurt drops. I'm interested in trying them, so maybe I'll do a DIY Monday post about it!
G - Gum! Freshens your breath between classes when you don't have time to brush your teeth and helps stops your belly from doing that awkward grumble during class.
H - Hooks! Some dorm rooms don't allow actual nails to be driven into the walls which prevents you from hanging that cute decor, but these hooks that Walmart has are the perfect solution.
I - Ibuprofen! Headache from studying? Sore muscles from working out? Wisdom teeth coming in (mine are)? Ibuprofen solves all these things. Just use your senses and read the side effects and serving size.
J - Judgement. Specifically, good judgement. Can we be honest here? College can be full of temptations - some good and some bad. During the college experience, it is important to keep a good mindset and judgement.
K - Keep. As you start/go off to college, remember to keep your old friendships, as well as make new ones. Go out for a girls night with your pals back home once in awhile.
L - Laptop. Laptops are great for taking notes and working on homework, and also accessing your online courses. Plus, if your home life gets too busy and you need a place to work, laptops are portable. I like taking mine to the library and working in silence.
M - Mascara! Honestly ladies, do I have to explain this? Mascara has so many benefits, including making it look like you didn't just roll out of bed for that 9 o'clock class. Keep a tube in your pencil case and reapply between classes.
N - Nutella! I love this tasty hazelnut dip as a snack. You can buy mini dipping containers that come with pretzels and eat them when you need some chocolate. But the thing is, it's not exactly chocolate. Nutella is made mostly from crushed hazelnuts and cocoa powder, and hazelnuts are super healthy. So Nutella is like healthy chocolate!
O - Open mind. Personally, I think having an open mind in college is an important key to success. An open mind helps you to not judge and to think clearly.
P - Pop-tarts! Quick, easy, delicious and filling. Not your healthiest option, but hey. We can't be perfect all the time.
Q - Q-tips! These little fuzzies are awesome! Clean your ears, remove eye make-up and touch up your manicure.
R - Relax. College is stressful so don't let it overtake you. Make sure, in between your busy days and your weekends, that you have ME time. You know, curl up in a chair with a good book and some sweet tea. Or take a hot bath with some candles and lavender oil. And remember to breathe. You will do great in this next step of your life.
S - Sweaters! Okay, so sweaters are awesome. I can think of numerous times when I have dressed them up, with a cute camisole, skinny jeans and a nice necklace, and yet I also slouch around in them 90% of time. In the wintertime I pair them with leggings and boots for that comfy casual look.
T - Textbooks! Expensive and overrated yet completely necessary. And since you spent hundreds of dollars on bound paper, the least you can do is study from them.
U - Uggs! Perfect for wintertime. Pair them with leggings or jeans for an uber comfortable look. And please see letter S.
V - Venustas. A Latin word meaning 'attractive, beauty, charm, loveliness, grace, attractiveness, prettiness.' In all that you do, remember that you are attractive. On the inside and out. No matter how stressed you are, no matter if someone spilled chocolate milk all over your white v-neck right before class (this happened to me yesterday), you are beautiful.
W - White Eyeliner! White eyeliner has so many tips and tricks that most girls don't know. 1) Apply to the bottom waterline and around the tear duct to make your eyes look brighter. This also helps you look more awake. 2) A lot of times I want my eye-shadow to look brighter, especially with the more colorful shades. To solve this problem, apply white eyeliner to your whole lid, than apply your shadow. This makes the color pop and stay on longer. 3) Apply under your eyebrow and blend to make your brow's look arched. 4) If you are like me and still battling acne, apply white eyeliner to the red spot than cover with concealer. The white corrects the red and creates perfect coverage with concealer.
X - I couldn't find anything that begins with X, so ex this one off your list.
Y - Yoga. An exercise that stretches the muscles and helps relax your body and mindset. I love yoga because not only does it feel amazing, it takes my mind off anything that has been bothering me. Plus, it is extremely healthy and good for your body.
Z - Zip lock bags! Can I just say that 'Z' was pretty hard. I was coming up with zippers and zinnias and zucchinis. But than I remembered. Zip lock bags! These things are sooo handy! They hold my snacks and sandwiches for lunch, they hold my toiletries when I travel and remember those yogurt drops I linked under F? The lady who made them used a zip lock bag to squeeze the yogurt out of. See? Genius!

I hope you guys enjoyed my campus alphabet and I'll see you on Friday for Fashion Friday!
Stay beautiful :)
SEB

Fashion Friday - State Fair Souvenirs

Hello!
Looks like I'm officially home from an awesome trip and I have so much to share with you! Camping was a blast... Sort of. Sleeping on an air mattress is no fun and community showers are a drag but it was worth it to experience all the amazing things the fair has to offer. My favorite things about the fair? Easy. Number 1 is, of course, the atmosphere of it all. If you have never been to your state fair or a festival of any sort, I encourage you to go check it out. There is an abundance of shows, delicious food, friendly people and interesting booths to check out. Number 2 is the food. A little word of advice, when going to a fair or festival, throw your diet out the window for the day. It is worth it. Besides, I doubt the Weight Watchers diet includes fried pickles and funnel cake;) And 3 is all the shopping. See, state fairs exhibit booths from everywhere selling everything. From the genuine leather purse and wallet booths to vendors displaying handmade jewelry; from the racks of the signature MO State Fair t-shirts to the silk summertime dresses fluttering in the breeze, anybody can walk away with a shopping bag in hand and a smile on the face.
Down below are my souvenirs from the fair!

One of the first places I went to was a purse booth set up across from the MO-Ag Theatre. I have been looking for a crossbody purse that brought out my wild, fun side and in a rack on the right I found it! This bag was $35, a great price for what it is. On the front side, it has different patches of colorful leather and 2 front pockets. Then on the back, it has the brand emblem decorating the top and cheetah print on the bottom. This bag has the main pocket, a pocket on the back and 2 on the front. Plus, if you can see on the left picture, there is a zipper that goes all around the edge of the bag. Unzip that zipper, and the bag's capacity expands by about 2 inches. I thought this was a really cute bag that would match with anything, plus it holds quite a bit for being on the smaller side.

On Monday, I was browsing through the commercial tent, also across from the MO-Ag Theatre, when I noticed these gorgeous, handmade bracelets in a little kiosk. The man told me that these bracelets are made by women in Nepal, who sell them to make money. They were $5.99 apiece and came in different designs and colors. The three I purchased are lavender/plum, aqua/silver/white and silver/charcoal colored. These bracelets are great. They are super durable and waterproof, plus they fit everybody. They aren't necessarily stretchy; about the only way to wear them is to roll them up your hand and onto your wrist, but they are super comfortable and can be worn with anything.
The last thing I bought was this San Francisco 49ers t-shirt for CH's 19th birthday. He picked it out and I bought it for him.

This sports booth was also in the Commercial tent. If you are interested in anything I bought I once again encourage you to go check out your own state fair and have an amazing time doing so!
Happy Fashion Friday!
SEB
:)

School Series #2 - Packing Tutorial

Hey all!
Today I will be writing a packing tutorial. I got the inspiration to write this when I was invited to go camping for 5 days with CH and his family at the Missouri State fair, and I figured a packing post could be helpful for those of you moving off to college in a few weeks. I am using a pretty big suitcase and plan on filling it all up. CH said I should pack a warm weather outfit and a cold weather outfit for each day, which puts me at packing quite a bit more than I might need, but at least I'll be prepared for anything.

Above is everything that will be going inside the suitcase. Starting from the upper left and moving down and to the right, I have a big pink towel, 2 smaller white bath towels (they are rolled), an old sweatshirt (also rolled, you will see why), my belt, blow dryer, flat iron, 3 cosmetic bags, another belt, sheets for my air mattress, pink sweatpants, tennis shoes, 2 pairs of flip flops, 2 pairs of comfy, basketball shorts, leggings, 3 lace tank-tops (also rolled) 8 t-shirts and 3 v-necks in a stack, 3 jeans and 2 shorts in a stack, and all my undergarments. I know, sounds like a lot, but I promise, it all fits!

The first thing I did was to pack all of my undergarments in the netted part, than layer in my flat iron, leggings, belt and flip flops on the bottom of the bag. A really great thing about these suitcases is that at the bottom, there are little grooves that hold flat stuff well. And when you are done filling the grooes, you have a nice flat surface to begin layering your clothing.

As you can see above, I put my pants stack and my shirts stack on the right side of the suitcase (this is a sideways picture so you could see how I folded and stacked my clothes). Also, I still have another inch on top of the clothing in case I bring home any souvenirs.

This picture shows the left side of my suitcase. I altered how my flip flops were laying so there was more room between the bars, than filled that space with 2 rolled basketball shorts, a rolled camisole, and my folded sweatpants. Remember, by filling the grooves at the bottom, you are simply creating a flat surface and not taking up any of the suitcase.

Next, I took my rolled towels, sheets and sweatshirt and squeezed them into the left half of the suitcase. I rolled my towels and sweatshirt instead of folding and stacking because when you fold thicker items they take up more space. Also, rolling provides all sorts of nooks and crannies to stuff smaller items, like belts, hair dryers and cosmetic bags. Speaking of cosmetic bags...

TA-DA!!! Aren't these adorable? These 3 matching cosmetic bags are at Dollar General for only $5, a great deal. They are apricot and navy striped and come in 3 sizes. In the large, I have everything I need for my face washing routine. The medium holds make-up and the small one holds hair ties, bobby pins and jaw clips. I put these bags along with my blow dyer, belt and gray camisole in the grooves between the towels.

Lastly, I layer my pink beach towel and a black fleece jacket (its supposed to be chilly and rainy the whole time). On the right you can see my finished suitcase. There are two more pockets on the front of the suitcase. In the smaller pocket I have some boot socks, and in the larger pocket I have my tennis shoes, more flip flops and a throw blanket.
I really hope this packing tutorial was helpful and you learned some interesting tips and tricks. Wherever you go with your packed suitcase, I hope you have a fabulous time! Thanks for reading!
SEB
:)

Fashion Friday - July Favorites

Sorry for not posting my July Favs until August 2nd... Is it just me or has this week been super busy? Work, babysitting, freshman orientation - but hey, its Friday! Now we can chill back and relax. Just kidding, this weekend looks crammed also :( Anyways, shall we get started?

Hair Products

During July I have been using more and more of my TRESemme Heat Tamer Spray, along with the matching Shampoo and Conditioner. Rarely do I find a brand of hair care product that I can use consistently. It always seems that after a couple weeks of using the same product, my hair becomes invincible and the products no longer work; than I have to switch. And switch again. But using this TRESemme combo my hair has never felt better. It is soft and silky and I have less split ends than ever.

Makeup

My favorite foundation, as always, is my bareMinerals Matte face powder. If you haven't ever used bareMinerals products before or don't know where to buy them, I got mine from Ulta and they are some of the best face products out there. This little jar was $30 but it still remains my most trusted product. I talk more about this product here. My only other makeup favorite for the month was this Maybelline Color Tattoo in the shade Bad to the Bronze that I bought at Dollar General. These Color Tattoo's are my favorite base/eyeshadow, simply for the reason that they go on easy and stay on. I also talk more about the Color Tatto's here in my Beginner Makeup Post. (The reason I only have 2 makeup favorite products is because the bareMinerals powder is something I've used A LOT during July, and the color tattoo is a new product that I think everyone would enjoy).

Accesory

This bag I bought awhile ago at old Navy but I have especially been loving this month. Super colorful, ginormous and isn't too bulky, this is a bag that I've been using so much. Whenever I go to a friend's house I pack everything I need in this. I also chose this as my accessory because the colors are so bright and fun - perfect for July. 

Song

Does anyone else know of the New Zealand singer, Hayley Westenra? Lately, I have been listening to a lot of classical music on Pandora and her song 'May It Be' came up. For those of you who don't know, Hayley was blessed with a gentle, slightly operatic soprano voice that is perfect for her gentle compositions. I encourage you to check her out and listen to her song 'May It Be' here.

We have come to the end of my July Favorites.... And almost summer too:( I hope you guys check out all the product I mentioned, especially the link to Hayley Westenra as her voice is incredible. That's all I have for today. Remember to stay beautiful and have a superb day!

SEB

:)

School Series - Freshman Orientation

Today I looked at my calendar and almost cried. August 1st!! Where did this summer go? And than I remembered! On August 1st people start thinking and planning for school - and so do I! August 1st marks the kickoff for my school series; the gist of what this blog was meant to be. During the school year I will be posting mostly school related posts; obviously. I will still post Fashion Friday's and DIY Monday's, but don't be surprised if most of it still relates to school. I have tons of ideas, tips, advice and cute outfits to share with you during this school year, so lets get started!
Today I am talking all about Freshman Orientation; mine is tomorrow, so I thought I would share the outfit I plan on wearing, my makeup routine and what to expect during this event.
The outfit I plan on wearing (I will change if it's raining) are these neon pink shorts from Old Navy, a white chiffon blouse from Vanity with a simple white tanktop underneath, my sparkly flats from Payless, a silver feather necklace and a chunky silver bracelet.

I always straighten my hair in the morning, so to protect it I use my TRESemme Heat Protector. This stuff is amazing. I've had it for awhile and it works great. Even though I use heat tools on my hair every day my hair is still healthy. To finish my hair I spray my Straight Sexy Hair Spray and start on my face.

 I have always had problems with acne but once I started using this St. Ives Apricot Acne Scrub my face is in a lot better shape. My skin isn't perfect but it is on the road. Then, I moisturize with my Velocity Apricot Moisturizer. 

Tomorrow I am going for the 'barely there' makeup look - plain and simple and quick to apply. I start off with my Maybelline Dream BB cream (which isn't pictured here, sorry!) and cover up my eye circles and highlight my cheekbones with my Maybelline Dream Lumi Highlighter. Than I conceal any major red spots with my CoverGirl stick concealer. After concealing and highlighting I apply my bareMinerals powder and start on eyeshadow. Going on my lids first is my Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo in the shade Bad to the Bronze. Pictured here is my 10033 Traditional LA. Color's eyeshadow pallet. I really like this pallet because it has a lot of earthy tones and a couple lighter pinks, which are perfect for that effortless makeup look. I'm not sure which colors I plan on using tomorrow but they are all in this pallet. Than I line my top lid with my Maybelline Precise Eyeliner and wing it out a little. Can we just say that this eye liner is simply fabulous? The tip is a very thin marker tip and it goes on so smooth and perfect. This is my go to, non smudge-able, perfect black liner that I use daily. I brush on my Great Lash Mascara, apply my Baby Lips chapstick in cherry and my look is finished!

Lately I have been using this cross body bag by Guess and because it doesn't hold a lot, I'm just bringing my EOS lip balm, wallet, phone and some of the makeup products used in case I need to touch up my look. And because it is Freshman Orientation, I am bringing a notebook and pen to take notes.

According to a letter I received from my college, "Orientation Day will cover the following topics. The basics, what it's like to be a college student, advising, placement, registration, security, parking permits and ID's, financial aid, technology and payment information." Obviously this is my first Orientation so I'm a little nervous but pretty excited at the same time. Parents were invited but mine work Friday's and can't attend so I will be going alone. However, this does give me the opportunity to come out of my shell and make some new friends:)
I hope this post helped give you some ideas for your outfit and makeup look for Freshman Orientation so I'll see you there! Have a great day and stay beautiful!
SEB
:)