Valentine's Day Tulle Wreath Tutorial

My mama gave me the idea for this super cute Valentine's Day wreath! It was so easy to make, so cheap, and seriously took less than an hour. My daddy likes to call it the "Wow Factor Wreath" (lol!) but the ladies of the house think it's gorgeous! 

What You'll Need: 

- a styrofoam wreath 

- letters or a word 

- multiple colors of tulle 

- pretty paint

- scissors 

- a ruler 

- a glue gun 

*All the supplies needed for this wreath were purchased at Walmart. 

Total Cost: $12 

First, I wanted to spice up the love some some! I used tooth picks to add XO's, hearts, and kissy mouths to the word. I bought this word at Walmart for, I think, about $2. 

To start the actual wreath, you need to wrap the tulle around an object that is about 10 inches long. I chose to wrap it around my mama's iPad. I've used this same method when making tutus (fake grown-up over here!) and it seriously is sooo much easier than measuring out each strip with a ruler! 

Once you've wrapped all the tulle around your object and it looks like this, it's time to cut. 

                                      

Just run your scissors right down the edge one one side to cut the strips. 

You'll then be left with a stack of 20 inch strips! Do the same method for the red tulle and the white tulle. 

  

Once you've cut all of your strips, it's time to start tying them! You basically just want to make little knots with each strip around the styrofoam wreath. Fold the strip in half and slide it under the wreath. Then take the tail ends and pull them through the looped end. Then just pull tight! Continue this all around the wreath, alternating colors. 

After you've tied all the pieces on, it should look something like this! 

Hot glue your wooden word or letters on and you're all done! 

I absolutely love this wreath and will probably keep it up well past Valentine's Day. I hope that you've enjoyed this tutorial! Keep an eye out for more tutorials in the future for fun, easy, and cheap holiday decorations! 

Happy early Valentine's Day to you and yours! 

xx

Valentine's Day Gift Guide.

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holiday's. Walking into a store and taking in all the reds, pinks, purples, hearts, balloons, cards, bags, candies, everything makes my heart smile. As I've mentioned before, spoiling the people around me is one of my favorite past times, so I tend to go a little over the top, however, my bank account would never show it. You can pour out your heart without pouring out your wallet. Here's a Valentine's Day Gift Guide for everyone in your life without breaking the bank! 

1. Ralph Lauren Wallet, $14 at TJ Maxx

Last year, I wanted to buy my boyfriend something different than candy and clothes. I was strolling through TJ Maxx when I stumbled upon this bad boy. It was so him and he absolutely loves it! (He switched his wallet over at Valentine's Day dinner last year, lol.) 

2. Broquet, $10-30 

Although I've never made one for him, I know my honey would absolutely love this! Tailor this to his interests! If I was making one for my babe, I'd include cigars, skittles, lotto tickets, and lots of airplane bottles! It's simple to make, too-- attach your "flowers" to wooden skewers with hot glue, arrange them in a decorative pot or beer mug, and add some Valentine's Day stickers and ribbon! (The dollar store has a TON of really cute embellishments right now!) 

3. Watch, less than $100 at Macy's

I bought my babe this exact watch for graduation. I won't say exactly how much it was because more than likely he's reading this, but I will say that I got it on an amazing deal! I love that I got him a quality watch from a designer brand but for far less than retail! Plus Macy's sends out 20% off coupons all the time! Add a cutesy card like "I love the time we spend together!" and you'll be Valentine's Day ready! 

1.  Friendship Bangle, $28 at Alex and Ani

I'm obsessed with the Alex and Ani bangles! They're lightweight and perfect for stacking. This BFF pair takes me back to my childhood days of buying BFF necklaces at Claire's but these are far cuter. There's hundreds of designs for every occasion, sorority, college, pet, military branch, and whatever else you can think of! 

*These are great for your wish list, too! 

2. Cutesy Pink Tumbler, $15 (idea from here!)

Obviously change the tag from teacher to bestie, but how cute is this! This is probably the easiest and most fun gift to give to your girls! Fill the cup with Valentine's Day candy, a face mask packet, a $5 starbucks gift card, or any of the stuff above! Target has a ton of cute little treats in their dollar bin (heaven on earth) right now! 

3. Valentine You're the (bath) Bomb, less than $15 (awesome tutorial here!)

I live under a rock, so up until recently, I had no idea how magical bath bombs truly were. That being said, give your girls a gift to help them relax! This tutorial is so easy and unbelievably cheap! Throw them in a mason jar like this and (of course, my favorite) embellish it up! They'll absolutely love that you spent the time to do something homemade and love that they have an excuse to leave those dirty dishes in the sink until morning. 

1. Too Faced Blushing Bronzer, $34 

(Amazing Ulta gifts here)

Okay, okay. This is more than I would usually ever spend on makeup but you deserve it! Four years ago, I bit the bullet and bought the Urban Decay Naked Palette for myself for Valentine's Day and it was seriously the best gift I ever could have bought myself! I'm still loving it! 

2. Kendra Scott Elle Earrings, $34 at Nordstrom

Thanks to my bestie and boyfriend, I am the proud owner of two pairs of Kendra Scott Elle earrings (white and cobalt!). And to say that I'm obsessed would be an understatement! I'm a huge fan of statement jewelry but these are so simple and classic that it's a statement without yelling 

"HEY Y'ALL I'M HERE!" These are perfect to add to your wish list this Valentine's Day because whether you're dropping "subtle" hints to your man or thinking of treating yourself, these beauts are on sale just in time! Retailing at over $52 usually, these are about $20 cheaper. Win, win in my book! 

3. Lilly Pulitzer Tumbler, $15 Lilly Pulitzer

Honestly, anything Lilly related will always be on my wish list. But these are soooo perfect! So perfect, in fact, I have three... or four or five... My mom won't let me feed my addiction to these cups, BUT if I did, it'd be this Hot Spot one! These hold an entire bottle of water and do a great job at keeping it cool all day! I promise that these tumblers will brighten your day! 

Happy shopping! 

xx 

My Life Has A Mind Of It's Own

During a routine cleaning last May, my dentist informed me that I had a cavity and that he couldn't fill it until I got my wisdom teeth out. He didn't seem like he was in any hurry to fill that bad boy and I certainly wasn't in any hurry to deal with that. Especially since I never really had any issues with them. Fast forward to exactly three weeks ago from today. My wisdom teeth had started hurting some and I knew that I had put off getting them out and getting that cavity filled for long enough, plus I had high hopes that one of the thirty jobs I applied for would call me soon and I didn't want the surgery to interfere with any possible job opportunities. So, I made an appointment with the oral surgeon. 

The consultation went great. He explained everything so well and really calmed all the jitters I had previously. He said that everything looked normal and that it would be a pretty easy surgery for him. I happily made my appointment to have all four teeth removed for the first week of February and started planning. 

I have this overwhelming, crazy need for everything in my life to be planned. It brings me a great deal of comfort and joy when I plan. So, of course, to ease my post-appointment nerves, I started planning for when I'd be recovering. My boyfriend was going to lend me his xbox (such a sweet soul!), so that I would be able to watch Netflix on my tv and use my iPad for pinterest and farmville and online shopping. My mom and I had planned on going to the grocery store the weekend before and stocking up on all things soft for me to eat. I was planning on spoiling myself on payday with some new yogas or jammie pants to live in post-surgery. I had even gone as far as to write in my planner when I should start my antibiotic and mouth rinse pre-surgery to achieve the best results after. 

On Thursday, exactly one week after my consultation, my mouth started hurting again. But this was a pain not even my BFF tylenol could handle. I spent the next five days in the worst pain of my life, throwing up, sleeping for hours, and wondering why my left jaw was starting to swell. My mom called the oral surgeon's office on Tuesday after the holiday and explained my symptoms. They scheduled me for an emergency wisdom teeth extraction the next morning at 7:45. 

I spent the rest of the day running around filling prescriptions, washing my old yogas and every oversized comfy shirt that would fit over my chipmunk cheeks, cleaning my room, and trying to get any sort of nutrient to stay in my stomach. When I got to the surgeon's office the next morning, he told me that I had a bad infection in my wisdom tooth and he was pretty amazed that it had popped up so intensely and so quickly. 

The surgery went perfect! I didn't feel a thing when they were doing the procedure and he applauded me on being such a calm and relaxed patient (shocking!). I only embarrassed myself slightly while I was drugged up when I couldn't think of his name, so I said "Thank you for such a well-done job, Dr. Harry Potter." Oh, and there was him warning me that the alcohol wipe on my arm might be chilly and me responding by saying "The cold never bothered me anyway." And then me explaining to the nurse that Frozen is my absolute favorite movie, which... it is... but at 23, I don't need to be bragging about that. 

I had an excellent recovery. Seriously so painless and so easy! If I would have known that it would have been this easy, I wouldn't have waited so long. Monday night as I did my nightly routine of loving on my doggy and saying my prayers, I kind of had an epiphany. What if God gave me that infection so that I would have to move my appointment up and be available the first week of February  to start a new job or at least have an interview? I mentally high-fived God and told him "good looking out". 

The next day, I got a call asking me to come in on Friday for an interview for my dream job. 

I love the way life just works out sometimes. Whether you believe that God is always working for us or if you believe in fate or that everything happens for a reason, I think we can all agree that life is a pretty extraordinary thing. No matter how much planning and preparing we can do, we'll never be prepared for the curve balls ahead. But it's a pretty great feeling when we knock those balls out of the ballpark. 

xx

People That Count.

My friend, Lauren Conrad, said it best "As people grow up they realize it's less important to have more friends and more important to have real friends." I'd say over the past year that this has certainly been my biggest life lesson. I started 2014 with, dare I say, 10-15 people that I considered my best friends. One by one, I found out people's true colors, I made choices people didn't agree with, I had friends turn their back on me, and I had friends use me. Certain friendships were harder to lose and it took me a long time to get over that. But it's just that. I got over it. I realized as I started "cleaning house" on my friendships that I had just reached a point in my life where I grew up and sadly, a lot of people around me hadn't.

That being said, I am so extremely grateful for the people I have in my life now. The past two days have been spent celebrating some of my favorite people and some huge events in our lives over yummy food, even yummier drinks, and lots of laughs.

Sunday was my sweet boyfriend's birthday. Birthdays are one of my favorite things in the entire world because I love spoiling and celebrating people. I had already given him his presents earlier (because he was with me when I found some amazing deals AND because I'm bad at keeping surprises....) so, I really wanted to do the most I could to make the day special for him. We started the day by going to lunch at this awesome restaurant just over the border in North Carolina that sells THE BEST country cookin'. He had never been and he absolutely loved it! After we ate until we couldn't eat anymore, we walked over to the general store in the next building over, got ice cream (there's always room for ice cream!), and looked at all the crazy things they sell. Before we left, we picked up a couple cigars, one for him and one for my daddy, and headed back home. We took the long, windy, country roads back instead of the interstate and he smoked his cigar. We talked and laughed and never turned on the radio once. Moments like that, I know, are the memories I'm going to cling to forever. When we got back to my house, my family greeted him with his favorite carrot cake, presents, and football on TV. As if the day couldn't get better, we headed out to an italian feast with his family that night. The day was so special and so full of love and I know that this was one of his best birthdays in years.

Yesterday, I met up with a couple of my sorority sisters who also have made the jump into alumni life. We had been planning to meet up for months and I'm so glad it finally happened. We shared stories and dreams of the future over margs and cheese dip. We toasted to my graduation last month, one of their weddings next month, and the other for starting grad school this week. After three and a half hours of chatter later, we parted ways and I spent my ride home (50 minutes in the pouring rain at rush hour... remind me to not apply to any jobs at the ocean front!) thinking how lucky I am.

I have the support of an incredible family, the love of the most incredible man, and the friends I've only ever dreamed of having. My life is so very different January 2015 from January 2014, but my life is so great right now. I am so thankful for the friends that have stuck by my side the past year and for our beautiful friendships that have only gotten stronger. I am so thankful for my wonderful boyfriend who makes me the happiest girl on the planet every single day and for both of our families who love us like their own. I couldn't imagine a better group to surround myself with than these people.

xx 

New Year, New.... Life?

As far back as I can remember, I've always loved New Year's Eve. Something about all of the glamorous clothes, champagne, and people's sudden drive to better themselves just really makes my heart happy. Of course, I fit into that group, too. I often make resolutions and try really hard to keep up with them and mostly fail by January 3rd. My focus is usually shifted to seeing those gal pals one last time before we all head back to school or running a million errands with my mom and I simply forget to do my 100 squats a day or that I'm not supposed to be eating anything from the center of the grocery store. But this year is different. As all my college friends start gearing up for the spring semester, I'm just sitting here. I keep getting the urgent panic thinking "oh, shoot! I need to order my textbooks!" or  "ugh! Only 10 more days of break." Then it hits me. This isn't winter break. This is life. 

I haven't quite decided if I envy those friends of mine or pity them. I know soon I'll get a call for an interview and land the job of my dreams and I'll have a new routine and college will be so irrelevant to me. But right now, it's hitting me that I am officially a grown up and that is scary.  But no matter what situation I'm in, I always find the silver lining and this time the silver lining is me. 

As I graduated college, I finished a chapter to my book. Now I get to decide what my next pages say. I have the opportunity to revamp my life and better myself into the person I want to be. And how lucky am I to have the rest of my life start with a new year. I know that this year will be a huge year for me. Something in my soul just is telling me that 2015 is my year. Who knows what that will actually mean but I am excited to see what's in store for me these next 12 months. 

Just like every year past, I came up with a list of resolutions. This year, though, I'm trying to focus on experiences rather than things. 

1. Join a gym. 

2. Organize more. 

3. Save up for and take a vacation. 

4. Run a 5k. 

5. Spend more time with family & friends.

6. Take more pictures. 

7. Live healthy and happy. 

8. Strengthen my relationship with God. 

My resolutions aren't huge, life changing goals, but I think that these things will help me in bettering my life all around and starting this next chapter off on the right foot. I hope you'll join me on my journey and stick around to see what alumni life has in store for me in 2015. Wishing you and yours a happy and safe new year!

xx

Wait... there's life after college?

Well, it's official. The exams are done. The grades are in. I walked across the stage. I am a college graduate. And now I am being hit 72 times per minute with questions that I really don't know how to answer.

"So you graduated, are you applying to graduate school?" 

"Where are you going to work now that you have a degree?"

"Isn't it time your parents showed ya where the front door is?"

"You majored in what?! What the heck can you do with that?!"

It's not so much that I don't know how to answer these questions as much as I don't want to answer these questions. Eventually, yes, I am going to go to grad school. But not right now. Work? Well, for now, my substitute job at the good ol Montessori school is doing me right. My parents' front door? LOL. And for some reason when you say the words "exercise science" no one ever thinks you want to be a physical therapist, a cardiac rehab tech, or even a doctor. Everyone assumes I'm going to be an aerobics instructor. 

I don't know where the next year is going to take me but I know that it's going to be a year of new things, big adventures, life lessons, and hopefully lots of yummy drinks along the way. Join me as I document my journey through life after college. 

xx