weekend recap + eShakti promo code

Hello!

The weekend sure did go by fast, didn't it? How was your weekend?

We'll start this weekend recap from last thursday when a couple of my friends came over. Amanda treated us to Wendy's and I enjoyed this frosty while watching Grey's! I haven't had one in years!

On Saturday, my good friends Wa & Tom came over. They also brought their precious dog Oscar! It was the first time meeting Oscar. He is so well behaved! We all had lunch together from WildFlower, and i didn't even take a photo! gasp! bad blogger hahaha. just kidding. Later, we took Oscar for a nice long walk. Tom snapped some great photos of us! I love having Wa & Tom's company. They are such wonderful people and very conscious of nature and all that is good. I am so thankful to have friends like them. Saturday also happened to be Wa's sister's birthday, Arwa's birthday. Arwa is one of my best friends too, but she lives in Florida with her hubby & fur children, so we missed her, but thought of her that day.

happy birthday arwa! we're ready for the party!

I LOVE this photo! Christmas card worthy? I think so!

Just a friendly reminder that I have a special promo code for you to eShakti! They specialize in vintage cut dresses and have some cute skirts and tops as well. This company is neat because they can customize a selected article of clothing for just $7.50 to fit you better! Their sizes range from 0-36W! You might have remembered this dress I have? It fits me quite well, especially on the top portion and it was customized to my measurements. SO if you're looking for a new dress or top for that Christmas party and you've never purchased from eShakti before, now's the time to take advantage of this discount!

Use promo code: BRITTANY4ZHR for $30 off good til 11/30/13 for first time customers! (if you use my code, i'll get a $15 credit. win win for us both!)

you are beautiful. for reals.

as we end this saturday night, I am so honored to be coming together with tons of other beautiful bloggers for this movement. It's all for the support of encouraging girls and women to believe in themselves and that they are worth more, far more than what society might say.Will you join us?

Positive change starts with our thoughts; those thoughts lead to what we say and what we do.
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Ellie Coburn // elliecoburn.com | Christina Soto // Piecing it all together | Shane Prather // Whispering Sweet Nothings | Vicki // My Vickilicious Life | Kristine Foley // The Foley Fam | Jenny // Diary of a Dreamer | Nina // Nina's Bargain Beauty | Ashley Griffith // After Nine to Five | Christine Rosko // Life With a Side of Coffee | Megan Flynn // Freckled Italian Kendra Newton // Kandid Kendra | Julie Grimmett // Julie is Coco and Cocoa | Kayla Leppelman // Love Sparkle Pretty | Ashlea Durrett // Ashlea with an A | Sarah Hallstead // A Plethora of Pondering's blog | Cassie Yielding // Live. Laugh. Love. | Laura Euler // Storybook Reality | Brett // What Happens at Bakertown | Brittany Trevino // Sunny Tales and Happy Mail | Ashley Wilhite // Your Super Awesome Life | Eliza St. Clair // Case Study | Diana // Fly to the Wall | Elle // Dig Deep Studio | Cody Doll // Catching Cody K. | Wendy E. // Blush and Barbells | Brenda Wilkerson // Don't Stop Believing
Today is an exciting day, new friends!  Welcome to the first ever community fair for women empowerment. 

My name is Ellie Coburn, I'm the owner and founder of the Speak Now Organization and movement for women empowerment. 
Today exists to inspire you to love yourself. Today exists to challenge you to empower yourself.
Today exists to spark a movement that is of such importance.....
A movement of self-worth, self-appreciation, and self-love. A movement that strives to create a community thousands strong of women who believe in themselves and their abilities. 

Today Speak Now is teaming up with 30+ bloggers, woman, and empowerment leaders and telling you that you are beautiful. 

Why are we here sharing this information with you?

We live in a culture that defines our successes based on our weight, general appearance, or financial successes. A culture of female mothers, lawyers, doctors, waitresses, bloggers, realtors, house maids, interior designers, graphic designers, photographers, and endless other lifestyle choices. Interestingly, despite our dynamic differences based on demographics or choices we are expected to fit in with the expectation of the "ideal woman" Today we are here to tell you: 

Speak Now exists to inspire and empower you to look in the mirror each day and pledge to love yourself. Are you in? 

Link Up Below to Show your support. Be sure to share your support with family, friends, and fellow bloggers. Like us on Facebook to stay connected!

Special Thanks to,  Sarah Moog, Casey Wiegand of the Wiegands, Annelise Rowe of Aunie Sauce, and  Jenni of Story of My Life

 

This Event is Sponsored By: 

The Transformation Survival Guide

real life gone digital life?

This was intended to be posted last week, but i am over here living life. I've been reading alot of blog posts and online articles about real life and "digital life"...and how much of our real life has turned into a digital life from asking a girl out on a date via text to finding out how about your uncle was diagnosed with cancer from his facebook post. No phone call there.
The way we are connecting is definitely changing more and more as we head into the future.

Do I dare ask when is the last time anyone has written a handwritten letter or note and sent it in the mail? I'll tell you that I do it all the time and its meaning is so special. I know because when a friend or relative sends me a card or letter, it totally makes my day and brings a warm fuzzy in my heart. That person took the time to write from their heart, even if it's just telling me about their latest vacation or book they read. It's just priceless.

So let me ask you. How much of your life is online? Would you say it's 50% or 75% or more or less? Now, for us who blog, alot of our real life is plastered online, but we can choose how much we reveal. We don't have to "check-in" at wendy's, then the gas station and let everyone know where we are. For me, I would say that I choose to be pretty open with you all and I would say that 65% of my real life is expressed on the blog, which is fine with me because to me, how else will my readers relate. And I just don't want to label you as readers, but as my friends and greatest supporters. Blogging about my life is what my blog is about and a way for me to document that as well to share with family & friends who live away.

The way to connect these days is by email, face-time, skype, facebook and instagram (i don't even have an account) and I will continue to utilize facebook and twitter as ways to reach out. Despite all that, I will always write my little heart out to my dearies and try to help keep the postal service in business.

perfect for fall pumpkin cheesecake

Hello Darlings! Yes, that means the guys too :)

I've been MIA this week, for good reason. I started making Christmas cards to sell!!! It's a good thing I am going by Hobby Lobby tomorrow because I am totally out of white cardstock, which is used alot on my cards.

Anyhoo, I have a treat for you! A recipe for pumpkin cheesecake which is perfect for this time of year if you ask me. Ok, well, for anytime of the year if you're a pumpkin lover like me.

turkey tom says hi

I've got the last two in the oven as we speak. I got the recipe here, but I tweaked it a bit. This recipe makes two, 10-in. shells. I used keebler's already made graham cracker crusts. And these babies were filled to the brim. No skimping out over here! I also baked these 10 minutes longer than the original recipe called for.

I can't wait to eat a slice! I made four cheesecakes total, 3 to be given away and one for me & my housemates. I should  let you know that the last two I made were filled way up to the top of the crust. Because of it being thicker, I adjusted the bake time to 1 hour 10 mins, which they just came out of the oven and look good. The center of all four cakes were a bit jiggly, but it hardens as it settles.

before

after

Pumpkin Cheesecake
4 packages of cream cheese (i used the bars, 8oz)
2 Teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 15oz cans of pumpkin
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350F

Beat together cream cheese and sugar. add pumpkin, vanilla & spices. beat in eggs one at a time. beat til creamy. pour into shells.

Bake at 350F for one hour.

Enjoy this goodness!

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Pretty Little Beauty Swap Reveal

I am so excited to finally be posting about the Pretty Little Beauty Swap I participated in. The lovely hosts were  Southern Beauty Guide and Sleepy Single Girl. This was one of the two best swaps I've taken part in ever. I figured with a budget of around $15-20 and all things beauty, it was a perfect swap for me.

I was paired with the awesome Jessica of A Different Kind of Plan. We had a month to be able to email with our partner and get to know them. I really liked this aspect of the swap because it gave us more time without being rushed as there were days between emails to get to know each other, I mean, we all have full days. Jessica and I of course talked things beauty, makeup, skin tone, etc but we also talked about push-up bras, our backgrounds and youtube channels. It was pure joy because now I have a new friend! Jessica is so fun, honest and down-to-earth.

This girl TOTALLY spoiled me and sent me SO many fabulous things!! Here are my packages from the box waiting to be open! It was like Christmas day!

I love the little notes she put. and the card was so sweet. I like the quote:

She knew I was dying to try any NYX products so she gave me oodles to try..such as eyeshadows and lipsticks and glosses. Oh and she let me know that NYX is now sold at Target! Whhhaa? Yeh. Before, it was only sold at Ulta.

She also knew that I get breakouts so she made sure to throw in a green concealer by Physician's formula which I had never tried! I've been using this product this past week to hide some redness on my face and it does help tone it down. yay!

Look at this!!!

Look at these eyelashes!! The note on the package said, "for your wild night out" hahah.

 

Jessica sent me a pretty E.L.F eyeshadow palette which I've already tried a few shades. Then there is this at home gel manicure set by Sally Hansen that I need to break open. I like the color she picked. It's a light pink, perfect for a mani. I haven't had the opportunity to test everything yet because she sent me so much fun, good stuff!

Oh and one of my fave items that she selected for me is this translucent mattifying powder by E.L.F. The compact itself is very sleek and the powder does help reduce the shine on my oily face!

Jessica! Thank you so much for everything you sent me!! I love it all! To find out what I sent Jessica, you'll have to check on her blog maybe later this week. My friend is busy with work and her internship! :)

a confidence booster

"I need to look presentable tomorrow," said me last night.

Some days, even if I am expecting company, I don't care what I look like. I have clothes on that I call "lounge wear" that consists of either pajamas or yoga pants and a tee shirt. No makeup. No earrings.

Well, today, I put together a casual outfit that's perfect for giving me a little boost of confidence,which is something I've noticed I've been lacking lately. I think most of us go through this at times where we talk "fat talk" about ourselves {i am guilty as charged} and make jokes about ourselves OR we hear from others hurtful, negative things about our size and appearance.

"I have a donut." "do you want a donut for your donut?"
"I am round and short like a pumpkin".
"I look like humpty dumpty."
" I am sorry, I have to tell you, you have a big butt."
"it's not big, it's HUGE."
"you're going to eat that?"

Last night before I fell asleep, I was thinking how much I've been putting myself down. WHY?! Why do I do that to myself? I need to love myself, now, as I am, whole-heartedely as much as I love others. Would I say the things I say to myself to my mom, friends or a young girl? Absolutely not!

Here's to snapping out of this negative mind-set and focusing on my positive qualities like being compassionate and patient (inwardly) and liking my eyes and hands (outwardly). And since it's November now with Thanksgiving and all, I'll name a few things I am thankful for about myself:

I am thankful for the upper body movements I have that allow me to write, type, create, apply makeup, eat and drink for myself.

I am thankful that my hair has continued to grow in my bald patches.

I am thankful that I am a patient person and that God has helped me to grow more in patience, understanding and compassion.

I am thankful for my sound, creative mind and my quirky sense of humor.

linking up with Allison at Two Thirty-Five Designs & Lena of Lena B, Actually

What are you thankful for about yourself? 

outfit details//

shirt: kmart

jeans: american eagle

earrings: forever21