Valentine’s Day Look 1 [Featuring Via 74]

Hello Sweet Friends!

Today I am showing my first Valentine’s Day look for 2016! I am absolutely in love with this Where Are My Ice Skates? Dress in Marsala from Via 74! I am obsessing over this wine color for Valentine’s Day! If you love this dress as much as I do, you can head over to Via 74 and use my code BBFF25 for 25% off your purchase! They always offer free shipping within the U.S. and have excellent customer service!

  

I decided to pair the dress with my favorite leather jacket and bronze peep toe booties. The quality of the dress is incredible. All of the products sold on Via 74 are made in the USA.

I would suggest sizing up, I am wearing a large.

  

This cream tassel necklace pairs wonderfully with the striped details on the dress. I received this necklace in a Rocksbox a few months ago. You can use my code brittnieverydayxoxo to receive a free month here.

  This adorable clutch goes perfectly with the dress! I am loving the fringe detail.

  

Dress: Via 74 // Necklace: Kendra Scott via Rocksbox  // Clutch: Bealls // Booties: Ross // Jacket: Belk //

I hope you enjoyed! Be sure to check out Via 74 for more cute and trendy items! Let me know your favorites! Be on the lookout for more Valentine’s Day looks! If you have any requests, leave them in the comments! Until next time!

XOXO

*Disclosure: The Via 74 item was received as a sample in exchange for an honest, unbiased, review. The reviews and or opinions on this blog are 100% my own. No monitory compensation was received and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising.

 

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide!

 Hello Sweet Friends!

Valentine’s Day is one of my personal favorite holidays! I just love LOVE! Today I am going to show you some of the things that I think would make great gifts for him and her! I always struggle when it comes to buying my husband gifts so I hope this post gives you some ideas.

When I think of Valentine’s Day gifts for ladies, the first thing that comes to mind is jewelry!

One of my personal favorites is a Pandora bracelet. It is the gift that keep giving! My husband bought me one for Valentine’s Day a few years ago and gives me a new charm on almost every special occasion.

You can shop Pandora online here.

They have hundreds of charms to choose from and you can customize your bracelet to your own interests and hobbies.

Alex and Ani bracelets also make a great gift! I own a few and I love them! You can stack them or wear them on their own. This one is on my wish list this year.

Wild Heart Charm Bangle

You can shop more Alex and Ani here.

What lady doesn’t want a new bag?! There are always so many great sales going on this time of year! Here are a few that I wouldn’t mind getting for myself!

 

Rebecca Minkoff Micro Perry Satchel

 MICHAEL Michael Kors Dillon East/West Satchel

And of course men like accessories too. A nice, new wallet or a watch would make an amazing gift for him.

Relic® Mens Gold-Tone Automatic Skeleton Leather Strap Watch

Fossil Ryan RFID-Blocking Flip ID Bifold

TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Ross are great places to find designer items at a discounted price.

Fragrance is always a great gift for him and her. We all like to smell nice! You can find value sets at any store that usually included the fragrance, a lotion and a body wash. Sephora also offers sampler sets that allow you to sample a few different fragrances and choose a full size version of your favorite!

Liquid Luxuries Cologne Sampler

Michael Kors Glam Jasmine Jet Set Go Travel Set

 I love giving fun, little gifts to put a smile on someone’s face! Here are a few of my favorite small gifts for your Valentine!

You’re My Person Keychain

Liquid Activated Heart Mug

Cupcake Lip Balm

Her Arm Candy T-Shirt

Copper Wallet Insert

Nothing says I love you like a couple’s massage! It gives you a chance to spend time together while getting pampered. If your husband likes pedicures and facials, add that in that package too! Win-Win for both if you ask me!

A date night is also a wonderful gift! Included a gift card to your favorite restaurant and movie theater and you have a nice romantic night just for the two of you!

A weekend getaway is one of my favorite gifts to receive! If you shop smart, you can find amazing deals on hotels for a few nights. Going to place you have never been before is so fun and making memories is a gift that you will never forget. Our top two places to go are Gatlinburg, TN and Savannah, GA.

How gorgeous are those Tennessee mountains?!

Groupon is the best place to find deals on date nights, spa days and travel! Make sure you download the app to see all the good deals!

It wouldn’t be Valentine’s day without flowers and chocolate right?! Make sure you order your flowers ahead of time to ensure delivery! Also, check out my Valentine’s Treats post for a few goodies!

TASTY! Those brownies tho!

I hope this was helpful and gave you some ideas! Be on the look out for a DIY Valentine’s Day gift post that will be going up in a few days! I’ll be showing you some of my favorite things to give to that special person that cost less than $5 each to make!

XOXO

The Liebster Award! [Getting to Know Bloggers]

Hello Sweet Friends!

I was nominated by the beautiful Candace aka The Trendy Wife  for The Liebster Award! The nomination is basically the award and the purpose is to bring more readers and interests to bloggers! Thank you so much for nominating me and sharing my blog with your readers!

Rules for the NEW nominees.

LIEBSTER AWARD RULES:
1. Thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog.
2. Display the Liebster Award on your blog.
3. Share 11 random facts about yourself.
4. Answer the 11 questions you were asked.
5. Nominate 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers and have them answer 11 questions.
6. Let the other bloggers know you’ve nominated them.
7. Copy the rules into your post

Eleven random facts about me:

1. I am married to my high school sweetheart, Ryan. [06.09.2012]
2. I am a dog and a cat mom.
3. I am only 17 pounds away from my goal weight!
4. I wear glasses, but not contacts. The thought of touching my eyeball makes me cringe.
5. I have a serious addiction to coffee, never go a day without it.
6. My favorite color is Tiffany blue. (It was my wedding color)
7. I can’t sleep in socks. I don’t care how cold it is, my feet will be naked.
8. My dad is my role model, I don’t know what I would do without him.
9. Oreos are my weakness! They are so good but so bad!
10. I have a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.
11. I am the oldest and the only girl. (I have 3 younger brothers).

Questions I was asked:

1. When did you start blogging and why? I started blogging to share my love of fashion and to show affordable options for all aspects of life!
2. What is your favorite quote?
   

   “TO BE YOURSELF IN A WORLD THAT IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO MAKE YOU SOMETHING ELSE IS THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT.”

   Ralph Waldo Emerson

3. Favorite restaurant? The Cellar (local restaurant) or Chick Fil A!
4. What is your favorite TV show? Pretty Little Liars or Grey’s Anatomy
5. What book are you currently reading? Not currently reading anything, but I have a few on my list to pick up.
6. What is your favorite sport? I’m not a big sports person, but if I had to pick, I would say baseball.
7. What is your number one goal for 2016? To reach my goal weight and to continue my healthy lifestyle.
8. Do you prefer Summer or Winter? SUMMER!
9. East cost or West coast? East Coast.
10. Favorite Holiday? Christmas!!!
11. Favorite Song? Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance with Somebody.

New questions for the eleven nominees:

1. What is your favorite travel destination?
2. Who is your favorite actor/actress?
3. What do you like to do in your free time?
4. What was the last thing you ate?
5. Do you have a lucky number? What is it?
6. If you could pick one superpower, what would it be?
7. What would you do if you won the lottery?
8. Do you have any hidden talents?
9. What is your favorite store?
10. Do you believe in ghosts?
11. How tall are you?

My nominees:

• TheWhipStitchWife
• Palmetto Couture
• Sequins & Skulls
• Love to Be Busy
• Everything Ellis
• Eclectic Kristen
• Lindsey Lou, That’s Who!
• Andrew and Erika
• Arctic Sabrina
• Runway Teacher

This was so much fun to do! I hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little better and I hope you check out these other amazing blogs! P.S. I know some of the blogs may not be new or have less than 200 followers (and there are only 10)  but they are worth checking out anyway! Share the love!

XOXO

DIY Valentine’s Day Treats!

Hello Sweet Friends!

Today I have some sweet treat to share with you all! These are so good and perfect for Valentine’s Day! All of these recipes are very affordable and super easy to make! Let’s get started!

White Chocolate Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

White Chocolate Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

2 bags of popcorn, cooked

8 ounces mini marshmallows

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

3 tablespoons butter

sprinkles

Melt butter and marshmallows together in a pan, add white chocolate chips and remove from heat. Slowly mix in your popcorn. Make sure you have removed all unpopped kernels. Pour mixture out onto parchment paper and form into balls. Sprinkle with festive themed sprinkles and let cool!

Red Velvet Cake Batter Brownies

Red Velvet Cake Batter Brownies

1 box Red Velvet Cake mix

1/4 cup canola oil

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

cream cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together cake mix, oil and eggs. Slowly add in the milk. You will have a thick batter. Place batter in an greased 8×8 pan. Bake for 24-26 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Add cream cheese frosting if desired.  You can add sprinkles to add a more festive touch.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Strawberries, washed and dried

Semisweet chocolate chips

Canola Oil

Additional toppings, sprinkles, crushed Oreos, white chocolate drizzle, etc.

Melt chocolate in a bowl with canola oil, about 1 teaspoon of oil of every cup of chocolate chips. Dip the strawberries about 3/4 of the way in the chocolate. Place on parchment paper. Add all of your additional toppings with the chocolate is still wet. I added crushed Oreos, white chocolate and Valentine’s themed sprinkles! Refrigerate until ready to serve!

 

I hope you enjoyed! I have quite a few Valentine’s Day posts planned so stay tuned! If you have any requests, you can leave them in a comment or send me and email!
XOXO

January Ipsy Glam Bag + Rocksbox and Bargain Hunt finds!

 Hello Sweet Friends!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful New Year so far! Earlier this week, I got that beautiful pink package in the mail and this month’s bag did not disappoint!

P.S. Keep reading until the end and I will show you this Rocksbox and some of my Bargain Hunt finds this week!

 

This bag is adorable! I love the colors and the girl with glasses is just too cute! I traded in some of my points for the hair product this month so that is why I have an extra goodie.

The first product I used from my bag was this Burt’s Bees cleansing oil. It removed my makeup very easily and didn’t leave a residue after I used my face wash. Over all this was a nice product, I would purchase it again.

  

I also got The Balm Mr. Write (Now) eyeliner in Scott. This is a nice creamy liner. The color is a perfect alternative to black. It is a plummy-brown and looks great with brown eyes. It wears well and doesn’t transfer.

This lip scrub is amazing! It has a nice, fresh  almost lemon scent. It leaves my lips so soft and smooth after using it. It is perfect for this time of year!

Sadly, I received this PIXI eye shadow in Lavender Bloom broken. The colors are gorgeous but it was very difficult to use being broken. I have email Ipsy to see if they will send me a replacement because I really like these colors.

  

This liner brush is nice,  I used it to smidge out the eyeliner and it was great! This brush can be used to smudge shadow on the lower lash line or highlight the inner corners of the eyes as well.

Overall this was a great bag this month! If you want to sign up for Ipsy for just $10 a month, click here.

My friend Whitely (TheWhipstitchWife) introduced me to Bargain Hunt a few years ago! Basically, it is store where places send overstock products or products that didn’t sell while they were in the store. Target is the store that sticks out the most when I go.

 

I bought these adorable throw pillows and this lamp base (all from Target) for less than $50!!

 

I got these Essie Nail polishes for $1 a piece and the Physician Formula cosmetics were $3 a piece!

It is definitely worth checking out if you have one near you!

 

I also loved my Rocksbox this time! The Lauren Hope bracelet is beautiful! If you want your first month free use brittnieverydayxoxo. Sadly, I decided not to keep anything this time but I am so excited to get my next one!

I am so excited about all of my upcoming Valentine’s posts in the next few weeks. Be on the lookout for those!

If you haven’t already, make sure to follow me on Instagram for daily style challenges and random posts!

XOXO

Healthy & Affordable Meal Ideas For The New Year!

Hello Sweet Friends!

I hope everyone is having an amazing New Year so far. Today, I wanted to share some of my favorite healthy and affordable recipes. One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to keep losing weight and try to hit my ultimate goal weight by June.

These recipes are some of my favorites. They are quick, easy and only require a few ingredients. My friend Whitley included one of her favorites as well! You can substitute and change ingredients to satisfy your own taste.

 

ANTIPASTO SALAD

Salad Mix

Turkey Pepperoni

Cucumber

Tomato

Pepperoncini Peppers

Green Olives

Italian Dressing

You can add or take away any ingredients. Additional ingredients could be feta cheese, red onions,  black olives, etc.  You can make this salad the night before just don’t add the dressing until you are ready to eat.

This salad is so yummy! Keep in mind you won’t have kissable breath afterwards. 😉

BLACK BEAN BURRITO BOWLS

Black Beans

Onion

Green Pepper

Tomato

Cheese

Green Olives

Salsa

Cilantro

Sauté the peppers and onions until done. Add in one can of black beans. I like to season with cumin. Add your beans to a bowl and top with your favorite ingredients! You can add in meat if you would like, ground beef/turkey/chicken would be awesome!

This is my go-to lunch recipe! It is so quick and easy!

 

WHITLEY’S SAUSAGE, PEPPERS AND ONIONS

Turkey Sausage Links or Lean Turkey Kielbasa

Green Peppers

Onions

Sauté the sausage, peppers and onions in a nonstick pan or use a little olive oil and your favorite seasonings. Whitley uses Stonemill Essentials steak seasoning from Aldi. Cook until your peppers and onions are tender.

Whitley has an awesome post about shopping at Aldi, click here to check it out!

Her favorite way to serve this dish is with baked squash.

I hope you enjoyed! Let us know if you try out any of these recipes. I will continue to post healthy, affordable recipes throughout the New Year! Be sure to check out Whitley’s Blog for more home decor and lifestyle posts!

XOXO