Lately.

OK, so it's been forever since I've done a little update on my life. I blame life itself, for being so darn busy! 

Currently....

Reading: Insurgent, by Veronica Roth. This is the second book in the Divergent trilogy, and it's freaking amazing! Honestly, I can't put it down. The series is similar to The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner series, but is very unique at the same time. I am pretty bummed that the third book doesn't come out for awhile, and for that reason I'm going to try and avoid finishing the last few chapters too quickly so I don' t have to wait as long!

Watching: The Vampire Diaries Season 3. You guys, I am obsessed. When I first heard about the show, I was like "oh great, another cheesy vampire love triangle story with awful acting." But I was wrong, and I regret ever having those thoughts! The show is completely amazing and addicting. And don't even get me started on the Salvatore brothers..

Listening: I've been loving the new Mumford and Sons album. I especially love the songs "Hopeless Wanderer" and "Below My Feet". If you haven't heard their album yet, you need to go buy it right now!       

Planning: Our Halloween party! My sister-in-law and I are throwing a Halloween party next Friday, and I'm really excited for it! I've never really thrown a themed party besides a bridal shower, so I'm pretty nervous about it. I won't lie. We decided to have a costume theme, so we're having every come as their favorite TV or movie character. I have yet to put my costume together. I should probably get on that.

Working On: A lot of crafts! This past month, I've been helping lead a small group at my church called "Pin Your Heart Out". We chose projects from Pinterest, and make them each week! It's been so much fun, but has turned me into even more of a crazy crafter. We actually have a blog here. If you like to make crafts, you can follow along and make them each week with us! Anyways, I've always been a crafter, but this small group has made me a crazy craft lady! I have about five projects going at once, and I'm hoping to have them done before the holidays are here!

Excited For: Christmas! I know, I should just enjoy fall and let it have it's moment, but I can't help it. My heart just belongs to Christmas. I'm already thinking of potential Christmas presents I can make and things to do. It's only about 10 weeks away. So crazy!


Life lately via my iPhone:

1. Breakfast dates with this guy are my favorite.
2. One of the crafts from my Pinterest small group!
3. I've been wearing this headband non-stop.
4. Just a little leaf garland I made. It's super easy, too!
5. Coffee and big comfy sweaters. Need I say more?
6. Ian and I at the Crosby, Stills, and Nash concert last month.


Hope you enjoyed my little life update!
Happy Tuesday!
xoxoKelsey

Guest Post: The You Are Project

Hello my lovely readers! I know I haven't posted in a little while (OK, a LONG while). So as a way to kick off getting back into the game, I wanted let my friend share a post with you guys. I've been writing a beauty column for The You Are Project for a few months, and I am truly honored to be a part of this organization!

I know you'll love the site as much as I do!

xoxoKelsey.

 Hey Ladies!

My name is Lauren, and I’m the co-founder and Web Manager for The You Are Project, an online magazine for Christian women. I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about our vision for this organization.

The mission of The You Are Project is to help women discover WHO THEY ARE in Christ. (You can learn more by reading our actual mission statement. Once we know who God created us to be and are confident in Him, amazing things begin to happen:

1. Our confidence, paired with a Godly love for others, will draw people out of their insecurity. I firmly believe that a compliment or support from confident woman has more power than we realize. Our confidence isn’t for ourselves— it is meant to change the people around us.

2. Jealously will evaporate, and relationships between women will be restored. Our unity is a weapon, and will further destroy the enemy’s strongholds on us.

3. We will be unafraid to use our passion and God-given talents in the way that He asks us to.

Can you imagine what God could do with a group of women who are confident, strong, unified, and in love with Him? The world would never be the same! Catherine (my co-founder) and I dream of seeing women set free and seeing this vision realized.

Right now we are taking baby steps, and our online magazine has articles on everything from fashion tips to the scoop on up-and-coming authors and interviews with women who are changing the world. We also have many new projects in the works, from online resources to workshops that will help women discover their purpose and grow closer to God. We would love if you supported us by making a donation, or simply by visiting our website at www.theyouareproject.com and sharing our posts with a friend.

I would like to thank Kelsey for the opportunity to share with all of you! I hope you enjoy our magazine. Feel free to email me at lauren@theyouareproject.com with any questions or feedback;
I love to hear from you!

Hat person.

                    Outfit details: Top-H&M, Jeans- Forever 21, Flats- Target, Hat- Forever 21                           

Confession: I've always wanted to be a hat person. What's a hat person, you might ask? It's someone who wears cute hats all the time, and totally pulls it off. I've always had such short hair, that hats always made me look bald. I don't pull off bald very well.  Every time I see a girl who is rocking a hat, I won't lie, I get slightly jealous of how awesome they look. But now that my hair has grown, I feel as if my time has come to start rocking some hats myself.

I found this hat last weekend while shopping with my husband. I tried it on, and didn't hate it. So I showed it to him, and he told me we were buying it. He obviously knew that I've secretly always dreamed of being a "hat person". I'm kind of in love with the hat now. I think it's a perfect accessory for Fall, and I'm hoping to get a lot of use out of it. It kind of reminds me of something Molly Ringwald wore back in the day. And we all know she rocked a hat better than anyone else.

Happy Friday!

xoxoKelsey.

Pink

 Blouse-H&M/Jeans-Forever 21/Flats-Nordstrom Rack (I think?)

. 

This blouse is something I purchased recently, and while it's definitely not something I normally would pick out (not usually a pale pink fan). I really love it, though! It's incredibly comfortable, and I can't wait to try pairing it with a few skirts. I also am really liking these jeans as well. I love that the inside of them is black, so you get a bit of a contrast when their cuffed. 

Random fact: I cuff all of my jeans. Short girl problems.

Is it starting to feel like Fall, or is it just me? We had our typical two weeks of Summer here in Seattle, and the weather has already started cooling down a little bit. I'm loving being able to wear more of my long sleeved shirts and cardigans again. I love warm weather, but for fashion's sake, Fall is truly the best.

Happy Wednesday!

xoxoKelsey

Geometric.

 Dress-Forever 21/Shoes-Target

I've been loving this dress for Summer. It's been so nice outside lately, and wearing lightweight dresses have been a life saver on these hot days we've been having. Plus this dress has an awesome geometric pattern on it, which I've decided is a bit of a shout out to the 80's. Hair from the 80's? Bad. Fashion from the 80's? Definitely still has potential.

Normally I like have pictures that show what I'm wearing in a bit more detail, but we were dealing with an extreme temperature today and wanted to get back inside. OK, it was only like 89 degrees outside, but us Washingtonians are big weather wimps.  

Also, can we talk about the fact that my skin color is about the same shade as my dress? I need a tan.

Happy Thursday!

xoxoKelsey.

Favorite Products of the Summer.

Here are some of my favorite products that I've been using this Summer:

Viva Glam Nicki by MAC. This lipstick is a really bright warm toned pink. It's a matte formula, which I think is really unique for such a bright color. It can be a little bit drying, but if you apply it over lip balm it's great.  I've been wearing it almost daily, so I'm thinking I need to invest in a few backups since it is limited edition. Aka you guys need to go out and get it right now!

Albatross by NARS. This is most perfect shimmery golden/champagne highlighter. I love it on my cheeks and as an inner corner highlight on my eyes. It's also gorgeous as an eyeshadow. It's very finely milled, and doesn't have any glitter in it. It's just amazing!

 Hair:

Surf Spray by Bumble and bumble: This is the best sea salt spray I've ever used. And I've used like a million of them (OK, 5). It gives your hair that perfect messy and undone texture without making it feel too heavy like creme product can. It's especially great for curls! I spray it in after each time I wash my hair and then diffuse it.

Texture by Bumble and bumble: This is the most unique hair creme that I've ever used. It's definitely on the heavier side, but it gives you amazing volume and separation, and a good amount of hold. It's matte, so it is great for a more natural look. Warning: This will make your hair big. Like, really big.

Skincare:

Coconut & Hibiscus shea butter lotion by Shea Moisture- I just discovered this lotion a few weeks ago, and I am in LOVE. Not only does it smell like heaven, but it's very moisturizing and doesn't feel tacky on your skin. It's organic and free of harsh chemicals, which is something I really look for with skincare products. I found this at Target, you guys definitely need to check it out!

 Nails:

Flip flop Fantasy by China Glaze- This Summer I was on the hunt for the perfect neon pink nail polish. If any of you love nail polish as much as I do, you know that this can be quite the task. I kept finding colors that were too cool toned, and didn't enough brightness to them. Then I discovered this color. It's seriously awesome. It's a bright coral matte pink. I get SO many compliments on this color, which is always a bonus. 

What products are you loving right now? I'd love it if you shared them!

Happy Wednesday!

xoxoKelsey.

Hair News.

Today is a big one in the world of hair.  Miley Cyrus did this. Crazy right? You better believe I discussed it for hours with my friend Jackie. That's what hairstylists do. We discuss celebrity haircuts for hours. OK, maybe we don't all do that, but I sure do!

Anyways, in even bigger hair news, this happened again:

I tried to stray away from red hair. I told myself "Do something new, be blonde for awhile!" Well, that lasted about two months. Having red hair feels more like me than the color that actually grows out of my head. One day I'll learn to not stray away! Now, I know you guys are thinking "Um, this is huge, why isn't she the one on the news because of her new hair instead of Miley Cyrus?" I understand. I'm wondering the same exact thing.

Happy Monday!

xoxoKelsey.

P.s. If you've not red my post titled "An Ode to Red Hair," then you can read it here.