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A special thank you to the Houston Grand Opera for hosting Jhonathan and I for the evening.
Why the Opera?
Last year I was introduced to opera. I have always been exposed to the arts since I have very young, attending Museum of Fine Arts exhibits, attending plays and broadway musicals, the symphony, and the ballet..this list goes on and on, but I had never been to the opera! So I had the opportunity to see La Boheme and was completely blown away. The opera offers singing, acting, all while a live score is being played.
Date Night Begins!
Jhonathan and I had the date night of all date nights at the opera, a few weekends ago celebrating the start of the season at Houston Grand Opera, with the opener of Rigoletto, followed by the HGO annual gala. Now this night was not a “normal” night at the opera, it was on a much grander scale, but I can give you a bit of what all this night entailed, and what to expect at a performance throughout the season.
For those of you who have been following me for quite some time know that I lost my grandmother last year. This was very hard on me as we are like the same person. Same stubbornness, same humor, same love for sweets and honestly we looked quite a bit alike as well! I know that she will always be with me and that I will always cherish the memories we shared, but I really wanted something special to have that when I saw it, or wore it, it would be for her. James Avery has a line of Remembrance Jewelry which was perfect for what I was looking for.
Asking your closest girlfriends to be your bridemaids is such a special moment, and has become a big deal over the past few years. I really wanted to create something special for my girls, and yet keep it affordable so here I will be sharing what I gifted in their proposal boxes! So here I’ll show you how to put together a cute, thoughtful and personalized bridesmaid proposal gift without breaking the bank!
The best place to start your gifting search is Etsy. Seriously, they have so many unique and customizable pieces at any price range. I went with name decals for customized glasses, and this cute sticker to add to a miniature champagne bottle. The stickers were $1.99 each, and I found the stemless glasses in a 4-pack at Target for $9.99
Taking engagement photos for your save the date can me so much fun, but it can also be stressful if you don’t know where to start. Here are my tips to getting pictures you will absolutely love.
Pinterest Is Your Best Friend
Start your search with Pinterest. This is my #1 tip. I browsed Pinterest to find pose and location inspiration as well as outfits. This helped me to narrow down locations and create the theme I was looking for. Why I say to start with Pinterest is because it is so easy to search and find relevant information and you can create a board to save the photos to, by doing this you will be able to narrow my scope and identify the theme you are looking for. It seriously helped me so much in determining what it was Jhonathan and I wanted to convey in our shoot.
This was my second February Fashion Week to attend so I learned for year one that the chances of rain are high…as is wind and chilly temps, so I came prepared! Here I will share a glimpse at the looks that I brought all from Boohoo, and all packed in a single carry-on per usual – enjoy!
This February I had the pleasure of attending many shows during fashion week ranging from formals to streetwear. Here are the trends I spotted and will be anticipating this Fall and Winter seasons.
Shows featured that I attended include: Alessandro Trincone, Fashion Hong Kong, Yuna Yang, Oxford Fashion Studio, and Artistix.
Metallics and Silks
Lots of shimmer and shine will be in! I noticed so many dresses, blouses and jackets in silky materials and metallic metal shades.
Blushes
Beautiful feminine pinks and florals were also prominate at the shows, which I very much look forward to as I love wearing light pinks in the winter.
Bright Greens & Blues
Another trend I noticed popping up in the streetwear and modern shows were blues and greens. These colors were also blocked and incorporated in futuristic dimensional pieces which was really interesting.
Statement Sleeves
I am so excited to see this trend is not going anywhere! Statement sleeves have seriously been one of my favorite trends the past few seasons so to see them still sticking around was thrilling!
Tulle, Feathers & Colorless Palettes
Tiered tulle skirts, dresses and feather accents were prominent as well which should be fun! These soft feminine textures were seen in whites, grey and blacks. I noticed a lot of pieces were featured in these colorless shades which sort of makes the pieces timeless no matter the silhouette, which I love.
I hope you enjoyed this roundup of trends and look forward to seeing how everyone implements them into their wardrobe this fall!
Summer is here and that means a little less accessories for me. For these warmer months I tend to find everyday pieces and stick to those – only changing out earrings with my looks. With the heat here in Houston, it’s all about the shorts, flowy cotton dresses and oversized sunnies. With that said, I still love to make a statement, even if it is subtle. That’s why I fell for this elegant petite script ring from James Avery. It is one of those simple pieces you can wear everyday, but adds such a special touch to your look! This ring is offered in a wide range of sizes, even small enough to wear as a midi ring! I went with my initial, and chose it for my pinky. I have always wanted a pinky ring with my initial but I didn’t want it to look manly so, when I found this piece on the James Avery website it went right into the cart. For size reference I ordered a 3.5.
This outfit is pretty much my summer weekend wardrobe. High waisted shorts and a flowy cotton top. I went for a classic black and white palette to tie this look together with silver accessories including my double buckle belt. This shows how truly versatile a ring like this can be! I wore it with something extremely casual and it still looks as perfect as it would with an evening dress. James Avery has some more the most beautiful sterling silver pieces, all so unique and perfect for gift giving, or treating yourself. Head to their site by June 4th and if you purchase 2 charms you get a charm bracelet or necklace chain for free! See their site for more details!
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to receive a Fraxel laser treatment with Dr. Rednam, in Houston. I wanted to wait to give you my review and experience once my skin had a chance to fully heal, and I could truly share all of the results with you. So let’s get started!
The process first started with a consultation. Here I met with Dr. Rednam one-on-one in her office so that we could discuss my wants, current skin care routine, and provide her the opportunity to give my skin a full assessment before the procedure. – Yes, you need to take off all of your makeup for this, so it’s best to show up fresh faced. I get cyclical breakouts, some of which can be cysts so before I could schedule my Fraxel session she put me on a round of antibiotics to clear up my skin, as well as, started me on Alastin Skin Nectar day and night to prepare my skin for the treatment. *This is the secret, and most important step to a quick turn around after Fraxel! And finally, we discussed what would happen the day of, and what results I could expect.
FAQ
What is the laser like?
There are 2 lasers used to penetrate, and target specific skin needs such as redness, fine lines, discolorations, and scarring. During the treatment, a pass is made over the entire face with one laser; in a sort of crisscross pattern, and then again a second time with the other grade laser.
How long does the treatment take?
The actual treatment itself takes about 20-30 minutes, but you have to numb first for about 40 minutes; so prepare to be there for around 1.5 to 2 hours total.
Treatment Walk Through
When I arrived at her office the day of my treatment I was first escorted to the photo room to take before photos and sign waivers. After, I went to the procedure room and met with the nurse who applied the numbing cream to my face. After that, you get about 40 minutes to sit and relax while your face “falls asleep”. Next, it’s time to actually get started. The numbing agent was wiped off and I was handed a tube of air which contained Pronox. This is a gas to assist with anxiety and pain management during the treatment. Dr. Rednam wants you to be as comfortable as possible, and for you to have a pleasant experience, so she offers wonderful services such as this! I took about 8 breaths through the tube and we got started!
The first passes are over the forehead, and if you are curious, yes you feel it… but it is a tolerable sting. The best way I can describe it is a hot sensation…sort of like poking at a sunburn. Certain areas of the face are more sensitive than others, and at any time you desire a break she stops and you can breathe in more Pronox. Once both passes had been made across my face with each level of laser, she applied the Alastin Skin Nectar and then Oxygenetix foundation which is seriously the BEST thing! It is the lightest foundation which also includes aloe and SPF with full coverage! This foundation, along with the Alastin Skin Nectar was my routine for the next month, and allows you to continue on your day as normal without anyone being able to really tell you had anything done!
After Care, Healing & What to Expect
Because I had been using the Skin Nectar before the procedure my healing time was very quick, as it preps your skin and gets it into the best condition. So when I arrived home after the treatment I was to ice my face. It was still very numb, but I could feel a lot of heat on my face. Later that evening there was quite a bit of swelling but not much discomfort at all; even when the numbing agent wore completely off. The next morning there was quite a bit of swelling still on my face, as well as redness, but nothing the Oxygenetix couldn’t help with! I was even able to do a photo shoot the very next day! *However I will add you need to keep your face out of direct sunlight and wear SPF!
Now over the next few days my face got super itchy and began to peel. I continued with my routine and no one was even able to tell what was happening under the Oxygenetix! The swelling completely subsided by the end of the first week, and most of the peeling had finished. For me, peeling is the worst! It just grosses me out – but that’s just a personal struggle, lol. I’ll add in a close up pic just so you can see how crusty it got, lol!
SO….How’s My Skin Now?
Everyday that passes I notice brightening and softening to my skin, as well as, less redness in my cheeks. I was starting to get fine lines on my forehead and those are pretty much entirely gone and my smile lines have softened. I have a scar on my forehead which is also much lighter now. – And again, this is all just from one treatment. On average Fraxel is done in 3 sessions depending on the desired results, each spaced out over 6 weeks, with results lasting over a year. Again, this is dependent on age, and desired results.
I am very impressed with the results, and also can’t speak any higher about Dr. Rednam, her staff, along the products used. Every step of the way I knew I was in good hands and have seen amazing results from the Fraxel treatment, the Oxygenetix, and the Alastin Skincare Skin Nectar; which is my absolute favorite product now! It even helps to keep my skin clear of breakouts!
I hope you enjoyed this and if you are interested in Fraxel, or any of the products mentioned just click on the words and you can get everything you need!
A special thank you again to Dr. Rednam and her team for providing me the pleasure of experiencing a Fraxel treatment first hand and for treating me with the upmost care!
UPRIGHT GO reached out to me to collab and honestly I was truly excited because I struggle with bad posture, and have for the last few years. Ever since I graduated from high school, my posture has steadily gotten worse! I attribute this to the fact that I used to be in dance and was always conscious of my posture but once I stopped, I guess that stopped as well.
Posture is super important and makes a huge difference in your daily life! I decided that one of my resolutions for 2019 would be to have better posture, which also inspired me to get back into dance again. To get things kicked off I started using the UPRIGHT GO. This gadget sticks to your back and is synced to an app you download to your phone. When setting it up you input a little data about yourself and your current lifestyle habits, which leads to building out your training plan.
Currently I am set for 25 days at 9 minutes. When you wear the device it easily sticks to your upper back, and once you are connected via bluetooth, it will start the countdown of each session. When your posture is good you will be in the green zone on the app, and when you are slouching/have poor posture, you will be in the red zone which will trigger the device to vibrate until you correct your posture.
I have really loved using this device, and am growing more conscious of when I am slouching and am able to correct it! With only a few days down, I can’t wait to see the long term results from the UPRIGHT GO!
To get one for yourself, and have perfect posture in 2019, check it out from the UPRIGHT GO site! And if you want a little discount, use HALEY10OFF!