GIRL TALK // The Editor

Today we have the privilege of chatting with Tori of the Editorial, yes, the very editor herself! I am so pleased to introduce you to her, as she is quite wonderful and I know you will enjoy her!

What is your job title?

Currently I'm a full time college freshman, a nanny, a YoungLife counselor, and a blogger! All of which began this year!

What do you love about yourself?

I love that I've been blessed to be born Southern. Nothin' against other places, but I think Southern girls are the best! There is nothing better than baking apple pies, wearing dresses to football games, knowing everyone you see at the store, and having big hair because you're supposed to! :)

Who is your role model?

This is a hard one. I'm fortunate enough to have so many people in my life that I can look up to, but I think the best one of them is my mother. She is one of the strongest women I know. Together, the last couple of years have been oh so hard on us. We've went through some things that no one deserves- but together, we have become so much closer and so much stronger. Without the comfort she has provided for me, I don't know where I'd be today.

Who inspires you?

When I began my blog, I thought it would have been just a bunch of ramblings no one would ever care to look at. But as my blog has grown, and as I meet more and more of the sweetest encouraging readers, mentors, and friends the blogging world has become one of the biggest inspiration for me. People like Casey Wiegand, Edie Wadsworth, and Victoria Hughes remind me that I can do whatever I please with my life. It's short, and is a one time thing- this life. I need to take advantage of it and my talents and never let my dreams drift away- even when they are bigger than the little town I live in {which is pretty often}.

What are five words that describe you?

Organized, tender-hearted, outgoing, southern, free

What is your biggest insecurity?

I hate hate hate sharing my weaknesses, but here we go! I'm always afraid I won't be enough. Maybe even more than that- being left because I wasn't enough. Not pretty enough, not nice enough, not enough of wife or mother material, not enough for someone to want to stick around.

If you could be anyone for a day?

I would for sure be Faith Hill. She seems to have a wonderful life. She is beautiful, has a great body, has a husband that adores her, and so does everyone else. She has a voice that makes me go weak in the knees. I think it would be a great day- don't you?

Thanks so much for sharing with us today Tori! And if y'all haven't quite heard enough from Miss Tori, feel free to hop on over to her blog!

xo.

Melisa

What I Wore // Exposure

details // dress: urban outfitters, stockings: target, boots: forever21, 

scarf: hco, purse: michael kors

I got this pretty new bag the other day with a gift card I received for Christmas. I'm kind of in love with it! That's the wonderful part of the gift card, you can enjoy gifts well after Christmas; the gift that keeps on giving^_^ 

It's been really rainy lately, so I had to take some pics indoors and it equaled some over exposed photos. you're welcome. On another note, I've been working on a new class I'm going to start teaching for some of our students at church. hooray! I'm loving writing everything up; it really has me wanting to start my book. Yes, I have a dream of someday writing a book. I have so many ideas I have never been able to actually sit down and start. I really love the topic of discipleship though, so we'll see if this sparks the beginnings of it^_^

xo.

Melisa

What's in My Makeup Bag

I haven't done one of these posts in a while, and since I've recently started using a few new products, I thought I'd share the products I currently carry in my makeup bag.

I have always always used Bare Minerals, which you'll hear about below, but I thought I'd get outside the box and try something new. I decided to go with Makeup for Forever and I must admit, I like it. I'm not completely and totally bought into it, but it does have a nice even finish to it. I use it on occasion, but can't seem to get away from my BM.

Oh Bare Minerals; I cannot love this brand anymore than I already do! I have used these products for at least 7 years now and I really don't think I'll ever stop. I use the Foundation in Medium Beige, Well Rested for eye brightening, Warmth which serves as blush and Pure Radiance which gives a nice even complexion. I love them all. 

Oh mascaras! I have a love for eyelashes; they're the first thing I notice when I meet someone and I strive to create the perfect set of lashes. Weird, but true. YSL has a great mascara called Shocking that I'm currently loving. It's a rich black that doesn't flake; it curls and volumizes without feeling caked. Diorshow Maximizing Lash Plumping Serum and Primer is AMAZING. That's right, it needed to be in all caps! I don't know about you, but a full set of lashes is like a dream come true and this primer not only makes them appear fuller when you put it underneath mascara, but over time it actually helps your lashes grow! I'm not lying, it works and I have never had such healthy lashes. This one is a must for any gal who wants pretty lashes; you won't be disappointed. Lastly, Smashbox's Full Exposure mascara is pretty great. I really love the brush on this one; it's great for volume and length!

In the past year I have started to wear eyeshadow more and more. I love the colors of all of the above. I've found that Urban Decay and Bare Minerals stay on the longest and don't really rub off throughout the day; which is what we all want. M.A.C. is great, of course! And I recently bought this VS set and though I've only used it a few days, am really enjoying them^_^

What's good makeup without good brushes?? I use several brands; Bare Minerals, Sonia Kashuk, Clarins, and Elf. I like them all, but Sonia is probably my fave and Elf is  really cheap, but surprisingly has good quality brushes.

That's what's in my makeup bag. Hope that was helpful to some of you who are wanting to try something new! If you have any suggestions, I love trying new products! Also, speaking of trying new products... Have you heard of Birchbox or MyGlam?? They're companies that send you product samples each month for a fee of $10 a month. I love the idea, but was wondering if y'all knew of any other companies like this? Want to make sure I pick the best one! Thanks.

xo.

Melisa

faq

I'm trying to freshen up the blog space and would like to include a new tab for all of your frequently asked questions. As I was putting it together, I figured I'd go ahead and put it out there, in case there's any questions you'd like me to answer; nothing terribly personal please^_^ But if you'd like to know anything from blog to fashion, beauty to faith... I'm an open book! Questions I currently have range anywhere from how did you grow your blog to where do you like to shop, what kind of dog do you want to how do you stay fit... You can leave a comment or send me an email. That is all. I look forward to answering your questions!!

xo.

Melisa

What I Wore // Blowfish

I've been wanting some blowfish boots for quite some time, so when I came home from holiday vacation to a pretty purple box with the prettiest boots, I was beyond thrilled! It was hard to narrow it down, but I finally decided on these grey Wrights. They're kind of wonderful! They go with just about everything and it's been hard to get them off my feet! I just love boots; the best part of Winter I think ^_^

 

 details// top: anthro, jeans: hco, socks: h&m, boots c/o Blowfish, necklace: gifted by le mr.

For whatever reason, for the last two days my computer has been unable to connect to my home internet; weirds. Finally got myself into a coffee shop and all is well ^_^ 

Side note: I finished book two of the Hunger Games and I'm like whoa! So good. If you haven't started reading, you're missing out! I'm starting the third today; trying to pace myself because I really don't want it to end. I will purposefully take like two weeks to read a book I could read in a few hours just because I don't want to say goodbye to the characters. Yes, I know that must sound crazy, but I am who I am. Happy reading!

xo.

Melisa

A peek

Would you like to look at a whole lot of photos?? I hoped you would because I have a slew of random peeks at my weeklong vacation. The Mr and I travelled a total of 36 hours in the car, visited 4 cities, and saw nearly all of our immediate family. Needless to say it was exhausting but so much fun!

And in case you haven't seen enough, here's the trip from my iphone's perspective...

And that is the last look back on 2011. Now, onto more exciting 2012 things! Do you like the new header?? I know I change so much around here all the time, but I enjoy little changes. Does it drive you nuts? Sorries. I hope you had a lovely start to your week!

xo.

Melisa

What I Wore // New Boot

details// top & sweater: anthro, jeans: hco, boots: arturo chiang

I was so excited to open the Mr's gifts this year. I was even more happy when I opened a box that held these beautiful boots. They were really all I was hoping for this Christmas. He's so good to me^_^ What were some of your favorite gifts this year??

I'm spending the day working on a special surprise I've been working on for the last few months. I can't wait to share, and I think I may be able to by next week, if not sooner! eee!

xo.

Melisa