Raleigh Blog Society Brunch

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to do something I've wanted to do for a long time... meet up with other local bloggers! Myself and eight other fabulous ladies got a little dolled up and connected over cute finger foods, mimosas and of course, selfies (hello, we're bloggers)!   

These white chocolate covered pretzels were my contribution to the brunch and I was especially proud of them because I made them for myself! I thought I'd share the fun and easy recipe here: 

White Chocolate Covered Pretzels 

1 bag (16 oz) of Pretzels 

1 bag (16 oz) of Vanilla flavored Candiquik

Assorted sprinkles 

Melt Candiquik in Microwave on high for 60 seconds. Let sit for 30 - 60 seconds so that it can cool. One a time twirl pretzels in melted chocolate until the coating is smooth. Place on wax paper to allow time to cool and for excess chocolate to drip. Remove pretzel from wax paper and sprinkle with sprinkles. Place gently on wax paper until they have cooled. 

Essense // Me!// Meghan // Courtney/Sara // Natalie//Aubrey/ Andrea 

A special thank you to Sara Kate of Sara Kate Styling for allowing us to use the Frill headquarters  for the brunch, Maghon Walker of All She Wrote notes for the beautiful paper goods  and also Meghan of Morgan Caddell Photography for the wonderful photos! 

Grammy's 2015 Best Dressed

Nicki Minaj in Tom Ford 

Zenadaya Coleman in Vivienne Westwood 

Taylor Swift in Elie Saab

Katy Perry in Zuhair Murad 

The 57th annual Grammy Awards aired last night and these were my favorite red carpet looks. I was very surprised at the number of ladies wearing black and the overall simplicity of many of the dresses. What was your favorite red carpet look? 

Miss Thang

Jeans: Madewell / Turtleneck: OldNavy/ Fur Stole: Ivanka Trump/ Shades: Cole Haan / Pumps: Enzo Angiolini 

A few weeks ago I went to a J.Crew sample sale in my hometown and lucked up on these Madewell jeans. They are probably the most flattering pair that I have in my arsenal and are of great quality. Madewell can be pricey, so I was pretty jazzed about the $20 price tag on this pair. This outfit made me think about Monica's song "Miss Thang," in which she proclaims " Now I'm fly as I can be, got responsibilities... It's alright for me to think it's all about me." After all, your 20s is the time when it's okay to be a little selfish, right?

         linking up with: Style Elixir 

A Few of My Favorite (Beauty) Things...

Here lately I've been pretty obsessed with my beauty regimen and as a result have developed quite the fondness for a a few products that make my mornings smoother, face prettier and hair more neatly coiffed.   

Lancome Grandiose Mascara - $32

This is by far the priciest tube of mascara I have ever bought, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't worth it. With a few swoops of it's one of a kind swan neck wand and my lashes look super long and super thick. Literally, you can put on this makeup and a dab of lip gloss and be as fab as ever. 

MAC Mineralize Blush "Love Thing" - $27

I'm not much of a foundation or powder wearer, but I do love a flushed cheek. I ordered this blush back in early December and I have worn it religiously everyday since. It's a warm cranberry color with metallic flecks and looks great paired with both dark and light lips. 

Dirty Works Coconut Cares Body Butter - $12 

This works just as great as coco butte but it has an even better smell and doesn't leave you feeling as greasy as coco butter in the raw does. You can order it online, but I found it on clearance for about $5 at my local T.J. Maxx. It moisturizes my skin wonderfully and I went a little longer than a month without running out of product.

MAC Heirloom Mix "Rebel" Lipstick - $17.50 

This was a Christmas treat to myself that quickly turned into a favorite beauty product. I got very lucky with this shade, in that I ordered it online late one night without ever seeing it in person. It's a purply shade that looks great with a nightmoth liner (also by MAC) and just so happens to look great on me. I also purchased a tube of Rebel for my mother who fell in love with mine. 

Hairfinity Healthy Hair Complex - $25

I started taking Hairfinity, a dietary supplement that promotes hair growth and thickness and at first was skeptical about the results I would see from this product. Within a month's time I could tell that my hair was thicker and after two months could tell that it had grown. Though Hairfinty alone will not make your hair longer and healthier, I can say that it has contributed to the overall improvement of my hair's wellness and I highly recommend it.