Natural Beauty Picks

I have mentioned it a few times here on the blog, but I have gradually been replacing my beauty products with safer, more natural options. Today I decided it would be fun to gather up some of my favorite products I have been using, as well as a few I am planning on purchasing. All of the Honest Beauty products below are ones that I have purchased and loved! I have found that Beauty Counter is wonderful for eye shadow and blush ( I prefer powder blush, which Honest does not offer). The last few product are either on my wish list, or something I have just purchased! Both the body lotion and deodorant were recommended by Elsie of A Beautiful Mess. Their natural product round-ups have been keeping me inspired to branch out from some of the larger brands. I also would love to test out Beauty Counter's tinted moisturizer, I do like the one from Honest I have been using but am also open to other options. I am always curious what others love too, so if you have any recommendations please let me know! 

1. Beauty Counter Color Sweep Blush Duo
2. Beauty Counter Color Shade Eye Duo
3. Beauty Counter Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer
4. Honest Beauty Invisible Blurring Powder
5. Honest Beauty Refreshing Gel Cleanser
6. Honest Beauty Younger Face Deep Hydration Cream
7. Honest Beauty Truly Lash Mascara & Lash Primer and Brow Filler
8. Nubian Coconut & Papaya Body Lotion
9. Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayon
10. Honest Beauty Everything Organic Facial Oil
11. Honest Beauty Lip Gloss
12. Beauty Counter Daily Shampoo and Daily Conditioner
13. LaVanila Sport Luxe Deodorant

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DIY Easter Egg Decorating for Think.Make.Share.

I hosted an Easter Egg Decorating workshop for Think.Make.Share. and it is now live on the blog! Hop on over for lots of fun ideas to decorate your own eggs this year! 

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Diptychs 14

Muted pastels, a bit of wanderlust and some florals for Spring. Enjoy! 

1 Left | Right
2 Left | Right
3 Left | Right
4 Left | Right

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March Around The Web

I have decided that Spring is my favorite season. Every year around this time I feel so refreshed, despite the chaotic nature of this month which was filled with travel, family events, and a busy season at work. I think just being able to get outside more often really improves my mood, and all the sunny weather in New Orleans during our trip was especially nice. I also LOVE all the flowers that begin to peek out at the start of Spring. Coco Kelley's Romantic Floral Tutorial caught my attention this month — I adore the moodiness and how it perfectly captures the emotion of this season. Here are a few other favorites from the web this March:

• I loved seeing Ken Sheldon's beautiful illustrations for Think.Make.Share. available on Designlovefest!

• Such a simple DIY that I'm dying to try. 

• I'm often inspired by posts on Design Sponge, and these quotes were no exception. 

• This bow guide is so charming. 

• I finally got around to trying out this Roasted Chickpea recipe this week, it was delicious!

• While I am loving my Productivity Planner, May Designs' new Folios have me considering ordering a few of their notebooks...

• Waiting for an occasion to make this macaroon cake.

• Dale and I are starting to ponder a Europe trip after he finishes school, Lisbon is high on my list! 

• Does anyone sleep on a silk pillowcase? It seems so luxurious (and great for your skin!). 

• Last weekend I saw Disney's new Beauty & The Beast movie and it was visually stunning. I am curious about the process of designing the sets and costumes. 

• Last, but not least, I just ordered a faux-collar from a talented Hallmarker, Cece. I choose the Peach Fern pattern. 

Happy Spring, and enjoy your weekend!

New Orleans: The Garden District

After having spent our first two days mainly exploring the French Quarter, by day three we were excited to experience a different part of the city. That morning we took a guided tour of the Garden District — I highly recommend Two Chicks Walking Tours! The homes and history of the neighborhood were both fascinating, I especially loved all the details in the architecture.

After our tour we stopped for lunch at District: Donuts. Sliders. Brew. My glazed donut was delicious, and I had a great salad and green juice as well! The rest of our afternoon was spent exploring the stores along Magazine Street. We later realized that we had spent most of our time walking the wrong direction, the main shopping was a few blocks in the opposite direction, but having spent all morning walking we didn't spend too much time shopping anyway. One of our favorite finds was Century Girl Vintage. 

One of the most interesting parts of our tour was visiting a historic cemetery. This particular cemetery mostly was utilized by the working class. Our guide even showed us where he will be buried someday, his family has lived in New Orleans for generations. He also spent some time "debunking" some of the ghost tour stories we had heard the night before, but I got the impression actual history was sometimes just as unbelievable. 

That evening we spent a few hours relaxing back at our Airbnb before heading to The Gumbo Shop in the French Quarter for dinner. If you find yourself in New Orleans don't miss the Garden District. Just walking around could have entertained me all day, and there are so many shops it would be hard to pop into them all. Be on the lookout for one last recap from our trip later this week! (We spent our last day at Oak Alley Plantation outside the city.)

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New Orleans: French Quarter

Happy Friday, friends! Last week I went on a quick spring break trip to New Orleans with my family. I have never been to Louisiana before so I was especially excited to check off visiting a new state. Just 17 to go! Our first evening and first full day were both spent exploring the French Quarter. We stayed in a lovely Airbnb outside of the main hustle and bustle, and loved having a real home to come back to each night. I haven't had the opportunity to spend very much time in the South, and I really enjoyed experiencing the food and culture! 

Our first meal was at the Napoleon House. I tried my first Po' Boy there (which was delicious) and also really loved my Satsuma Pimm's Cup. Since it was St. Patrick's day we were able to see all the craziness on Bourbon Street before heading to Preservation Hall for a jazz performance. It was amazing. I definitely recommend getting tickets in advance so that you can have a seat, rather than standing in the back — it was one of the most memorable parts of our trip. (I even got a saxophone charm to add to my charm bracelet.) After that we headed back to the house to get some sleep. 

The next morning we got up and headed to get beignets. We originally planned on going to Cafe Du Monde, but the line was so long we headed to New Orleans Famous Beignets & Coffee instead (which in my opinion was just as delicious!). After that we walked all around Jackson Square, did some shopping, and then ate at the Oceana Grill for lunch. After a little more sight-seeing we then headed back to the house to rest before going on a ghost tour. Although a bit silly, I had a lot of fun listening to the stories. We loved exploring the French Quarter, it was the prefect introduction to New Orleans! 

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