February Favorites

Hello loves

Here's some of my favorite things from the month of February :)

Clinique blush in New Clover- It's the perfect medium pink.

Making my own tinted moisturizer by combining my Aveeno moisturizer with the Makeup Forever HD Foundation. It gives me enough coverage without being too much.

Sinful Colors nail polish 108 Thimbleberry- It photographed a bit orange. It's really a nice kind of coral pink in person. I'm on the hunt for the perfect coral nail polish- RECOMMENDATIONS PLEASE.

Benetint by Benefit in Rose.

I have re-fallen in love with my hair extensions. I've been wearing them out on weekends and also for more casual wear. They aren't super long so it's not very drastic.

Clean & Clear body wash in Wildberry & Guava.

I'm not kidding you- go buy this stuff. It smells PHENOMENAL.

Instrumental music. One of my current favorites: 

Arrival of the Birds & Transformation by The Cinematic Orchestra.

A close second: 

Be Comfortable, Creature by Explosions In The Sky

Isaiah 41:10-- 

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.


Talk to you soon!
XO Kara

Denim

Hello all!

I just have a quick OOTD today.

You guys are probably so sick of these black pants, but they are my absolute favorite. I prefer them to jeans most of the time because they make an outfit more polished.

Also, I know this is kind of weird, but I only like the way my combat boots, and my tall black leather boots look with something black. Like I'll almost always only wear them with these pants or with tights [there is the occasional exception, though].

I just think they break up an outfit too much if they're worn with jeans.

Another reason why I love these pants is because I can wear my favorite denim shirt. I have styled this shirt so many ways. You can find one from super cheap to very expensive; I definitely recommend getting one. Today I'm toning down my knit cheetah top which you guys have seen before. 

So I know everybody and their mom has a white jeweled watch, and I don't reach for mine nearly as much as I used to. 

But there are times when I remember how much I like it.

Finally, I'm continuing with my spring nail trend and chose a mint green and light pink combination.

Details-- Denim Shirt: Old Navy. Cheetah Top: H&M. Pants: Target. Boots: DSW. 

Watch: Fossil. Nails: Both Revlon- Minted and Cotton Candy.

Thanks for reading!

Talk to you soon.

XO Kara

Productivity

For once in my life I was productive on a Saturday.

I spent some time at my favorite coffee shop and did some homework-

Here's what I wore-

Details-- Scarf: From a boutique up north. Shirt: Forever 21. Vest: Liz Claiborne. Jeans: American Eagle. Shoes: Sperry Topsider. Gold Bracelet: Forever 21. 

Watch: Fossil. Bracelet: Pandora.

I also made some really delicious soup. It's simple to make, and it makes a lot.

Ingredients:

-1.25 lbs turkey sausage

-2 tsp olive oil

-3 cloves garlic, minced

-1 bunch kale, rinsed and ribs removed

-1 can Cannellini or Northern beans, drained and rinsed

-4 cups fat free chicken stock [I recommend low sodium, too]

-2 cups water

-salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a medium sized pot. Add sausage meat breaking it up with a spatula or wooden spoon into large chunks. When completely cooked, add garlic and saute for 2 - 3 minutes [careful not to let the garlic burn]. 

Add the water, stock, and beans and stir thoroughly. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, covered. 

Throw in kale and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes covered. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. 

Divide into four bowls and serve hot.

Nutritional Info:

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 2 cups • Calories: 253 

I have easily gotten more than 4 servings out of this though.

It's really good, I definitely recommend this recipe.

I hope you guys had a good weekend!

XO Kara

Redeemed & Restored

One of my dear friends, Sarah, and I went to a formal event tonight

for a club we're involved with on campus.

We also met up with our lovely friend Kate :)

[Whose blog you can check out here]

You guys, I have to admit though, I'm an outfit repeater.

Like, from the blazer, to the dress, to the shoes. Whoops.

Tonight I wanted to wear my hair extensions, I love wearing them because I feel like I can actually pull off a middle part when my hair is long.

Okay, I'm super weird, but this is how I curl my extensions. But I can't think of any other way. How do any of you who have extensions?

I did my makeup like in my Valentine's Day post, but this time I opted for my 

Chanel Gabrielle Lipstick.

Sarah is wearing a Forever 21 dress and Kohl's pumps.

My dress is from American Eagle and again I wore my chunky heeled, grey pumps from Kohl's. They're really tall, but the platform and thick heel make them relatively comfortable. The only problem is that my heel slips out occasionally :/

Overall, it was a really great night in the company of wonderful ladies.

Talk to you soon.

XO Kara

Sunshine

Hello lovelies!

I don't know what's wrong with me. I have really been wanting to blog but I'm having... bloggers block?

I just haven't been able to think of anything to talk about.

It's been sunny the past couple of days and it makes me want warm weather even more!

Have you guys heard of Moschino?

It's a brand that started in Italy and I think it might be more popular in Europe but their belts are kind of an icon.

They're pricy, but I've seen used and vintage ones on ebay reasonably priced.

What do you guys think?

Also, I love the look of picking one color and using different shades of it in an outfit. It's all about different shapes and balance.

I figured I'd throw in a quick outfit from when I was home.

It's nothing special but I really like the detail of the tank.

Details-- Cardigan: Forever 21 (old). Tank: American Eagle. Pants: Target. Boots: DSW.

Thanks for reading!

I promise I'm going to plan out some new posts this weekend :)

XO Kara

Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day!

I know it's every single girl's least favorite day, but I love Valentine's day. Everything is so cute and it's an excuse to do this makeup tutorial ;)

Most Valentine's Day makeup tutorials I see are a sultry eye, but I prefer to take the opposite end of the spectrum and go with a really classic look.

This look is super easy to re-create, the most important parts are a matte face, smooth liner, and the bold lip.

 [I'm sorry for the horrible quality photo]

Products I used-- L'Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base. L'Oreal Magic Smooth Soufflé Foundation in 516 Nude Beige. Clinique Blended Face Powder in 02 Transparency. NARS Bronzer in Laguna. Elf Powder Brush. Maybelline Concealer in 10 Light. Ecotools Foundation Brush. Clinique Touch Base for Eyes in 10 Canvas. Maybelline Eyeshadow in Vanilla. Sephora Eyeshadow in Exciting Safari. Sephora Eyelash Curler. Wet N Wild Eyeliner in White. Bare Escentuals Eyeshadow Brush. Covergirl Lashblast Mascara. Maybelline Gel Liner in Brown. Revlon Lipstick in 657 Fuchsia Fusion.

Wow, that was a lot of products.

Basically, here's what to do. Make sure to apply moisturizer and use a foundation primer to insure your foundation goes on smoothly. I applied my foundation, concealer, and powder, then did some contouring with the bronzer [tell me if you guys want to know how to contour]. Next, I primed my eyelids and applied a neutral color and highlighted under my brow with the white. Next is the most crucial part. I slightly pull my eye so the skin is taught and slowly work from the outer corner to the inner, keeping the line thicker on the outside and getting thinner. I exaggerate the wing up, and I make it kind of a little V. I hate when I see people do a wing and it's just an extension of the liner. Really make sure to fill in the rest of the V, if that makes sense. I applied white eyeliner to my water line to make my eyes appear more open. Next, I applied several coats of mascara and combed out my brows. Be very careful when applying such a bright lipstick, don't drag it accross your lips but rather dab it on to build up intensity.

And there you have it! It's really simple and classic.

I'm not doing anything exciting for Valentine's Day. I'll eat the mini box of chocolates my mom got me and wallow in self pity.

What?

Are any of you doing anything exciting?

XO Kara

In With The New

Hi dolls!

I'm actually home for the weekend and I'm looking forward to going rock climbing tomorrow with my lovely friend Chelsea.

I've been browsing around online looking for some more trends for spring and summer.

One of my favorite looks I can't wait to try is the asymmetrical skirt. 

[Sorry for that heinous "cupids pick" thing]

Details [top left to bottom right]-- Nasty Gal. Forever 21. Forever 21. Nasty Gal.

I've been too nervous to try a maxi skirt because I'm too short, so I'm really excited to play around with some of these skirts. I'm not sure how I'll pair it-- I'm thinking with wedges and a fitted tank?

I realize circular lensed sunglasses aren't something everyone will like, but I personally love them. They're really daring, unique and completely remind me of Chanel.

Details-- Girlprops. Forever 21.

I plan on buying the half lensed ones and seeing if I can muster up the courage to wear them.

Finally is colored denim. Words can't express how explain how much I love this trend. I have seen a wide price range for colored denim, but my favorite ones are from Target.

I really am excited to play around with these trends when it gets warmer outside. Expect to see a lot of OOTD's :)

Talk to you soon!

XO Kara

Two Timer

I was having a day when I couldn't make up my mind on what to wear.

I tried this on, but actually ended up not wearing it.

I really like the way the color of the scarf photographed though, I forgot how much I like it.

 This actually isn't an infinity scarf. I just tied the two ends together in a knot and looped it around to make it kind of a DIY infinity scarf.

I wanted this to be a really neutral outfit with just a bit of color so I kept the rest of it quite plain.

I actually just wore the brown version of this sweater, seen HERE, but chose to not belt it this time.

When you wear it open, you risk losing your waist and making your frame look more boxy, but I want just looking for a simple, easy, and comfortable outfit so decided against belting it.

Details-- Sweater PacSun. Tee: H&M. Scarf: Unknown. Belt: Forever 21. 

Jeans: 7 for All Mankind. Boots: DSW.

Thanks for reading!

XO Kara

Hint of Spring

Hello all!

The weather has been so gloomy and gray lately it just sucks the life out of me.

I've been slipping some hints of spring into my wardrobe to try to liven things up.

Bright accessories and flowy materials--

Forever 21 printed scarf. Coach sneakers. Forever 21 neon pink belt. Coach fuchsia scarf. Forever 21 sheer, flowy top.

Usually during winter I only wear dark reds, burgundys, and dark purples on my nails.

Now I painted my nails light pink with a gold accent nail on my left ring finger and my right pointer and middle fingers.

Whenever I get a glimpse of the light colors it reminds me that warmer weather is coming!

Finally, I've been using lotion with a little bit of self tanner in it just so I don't feel quite so pasty hahaha. Also, I've taken a break from my Chanel perfume for a lighter scent. I've been using lighter colored lip products as opposed to my typical winter colors.

Jergens Natural Glow lotion for light to medium skin. Sinful Colors nail polish in Euro Trash. Revlon nail polish in Cotton Candy (it also smells like cotton candy). Forever 21 lip balm in the scent Tropical Berry. Lancome Juicy Tube in Berry Bold. Tommy Girl perfume.

Hope you guys enjoyed these tips!

XO Kara

Catch Up

Hello everyone!

I don't have anything beauty related to talk about today.

I just thought I'd make a quick post about my day.

Mondays are a really long day for me, but I got quite a bit accomplished today.

I'm making progress on re-reading the Harry Potter series.

I'm currently on the 5th book

I made turkey burgers a little bit ago for some of my friends and I had a leftover one for dinner tonight.

They're really simple to make.

I take a 93% lean package of ground turkey and add chopped garlic, salt and season salt and make burgers out of them. A serving is 1/5 of the package but I actually made 8 burgers out of it, so they were just a little smaller.

I grilled them on an indoor grill and tonight I ate it on a whole wheat english muffin with spinach, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup and mustard.

You guys should really give it a try, they're so good.

I also had some carrots, half a banana and a diet citrus green tea

My friends Chelsea and Rachel are at the City & Colour concert tonight and I'm 
so incredibly jealous.

I bet they're having a great time.

This is one of my favorite songs by them-- click to listen

We Found Each Other In The Dark

Overall, it was a good day. All I wanted to do was stay in bed when I saw how gloomy it was outside but as the sun came out I got in a more productive mood.

I hope you all had a good day, and that this week goes well :)

XO Kara

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending the WACPC State Dance Competition.

I was so proud watching the team from my high school performing. They did such a wonderful job and they definitely deserved to make it to state!

I also liked having an excuse to bring out my old dance team jacket :)

Watching them made me remember all the great times I had on that team. I'm so happy for these girls.

Here's a picture of the team this year--

And here's a link to the performance if you want to watch it!

CLICK HERE

Once again, I'm so proud of you girls and it was great getting to see you!

XO Kara

Cheetah

Here's a quick OOTD for you guys!

I bought this knit cheetah top a while ago and I like finding ways to tone it down, but still get the boldness of it.

Today I wore the Tarte Lip Stain from my Sephora set

Details-- Top: H&M. Sweater: PacSun. Belt: Forever 21. Pants: Target. Boots: DSW. Watch: D&G. Lips: Tarte Lip Stain in Moody.

Have a good day :)

XO Kara