Blogging Life

Lately, I have been feeling like blogging or social media, in general, has become this competition for who has the best pictures and content. And most bloggers are posing the same way in their cars with the same Starbucks drink and the same ponytail. And that there's no soul behind it anymore, at least for me. Everyone has to feel socially validated. I have tried to understand the Algorithms, follower engagement and making sure my feed and blog are cohesive and build my own "brand." And it made me forget the real reason I started my blog almost two years ago which is to express my creativity, love of photography, and share my favorite things. So I'm going back to the basics and posting whatever I feel like posting whether it be a snapshot of my nephew and me, a new piece of furniture that I bought, flowers, whatever I'm cooking up in my kitchen, politics, a new dress from Lilly or maybe a new dress that's not from Lilly. Whether I get people reading my blog or followers on social media or not, I still love blogging and taking pictures and sharing them. Blogging is NOT my job nor do I get paid for any posts, so I can be free and post all of the things I love! This post is in no way bashing other bloggers. I just miss the creative blogging and photography and I'm going to incorporate that back into my blog and photography world. Well, I hope that you enjoyed reading this post and my honest feeling about blogging and social media. Just remember we are worth more than a like on Instagram. God created us and we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Front Porch inspiration

I have been collecting inspiration for my soon to be front porch. So I made this inspiration collage to put my vision together of what I want my porch to look like. I hope this inspires you. And I just can’t wait to start decorating!

I love this Porch Swing! I also love lots of plants. I also love white painted floors on a porch too, these are some of my favorite whites. Lots of lighting like lanterns add a beautiful ambiance or even a basket pendant.

Flamingo Maxi Dress

It's almost Spring which means its time to pull out all of the pretty pinks and florals. I recently purchased this beautiful flamingo and floral maxi dress from Lilly Pulitzer. It's from their Valentine's collection. I love the pinks and ink navy background. I paired it with my McKim wedges also from Lilly.

Signs of Spring Florals

Its been quite warm these past few days and there isn't any cold weather in sight. So I've decided to pull out my spring florals. Spring and fall are my two favorite seasons for styling outfits the weather is just so perfect. This pretty lilac-blue floral top is from Lilly Pulitzer. I bought it on sale in NYC I've had my eye on it since it came out. It's the perfect Spring top- lightweight and pastel.

Ralph Lauren Chic Sweater

I looooove purple! It is absolutely my favorite color so when I saw this Ralph Lauren wool/ Cashmere blend sweater in person in NYC. I knew that I need to have it. Unfortunately, its sold out online in the smallest size ( Size down it runs big). The quality is amazing and it was worth the price as it will be apart of my wardrobe for years to come. The sales team on Madison Ave was able to locate my size and send it to my house. Great customer service! This is my favorite sweater Hands down because of the quality and color.

My Favorite Skincare products

Taking care of my skin is extremely important. I love good quality skincare/ body care products and one of my favorite companies for skincare is L'Occitane. I use quite a few of their products in my skincare routine. My daily moisturizer containing shea butter which is my favorite. I have very dry skin so I use the ultra-rich moisturizer. I wash my hands a lot at work when for safety and my hands get so dry, but I found the L'Occitane shea butter hand cream is so moisturizing and it's my favorite (as you can see my tube is almost used up) and it is not greasy at all. My new favorite is the Verbena perfume that I purchased in NYC on 5th avenue. It smells so fresh and citrusy- the perfect spring and summer scent. I highly recommend it.

I recently tried a sample of their face oil made with a combination of essential oils and I'm in love. It is on my list to purchase the next time I'm at L'Occitane.

I by no means have perfect skin but I do enjoy trying to care and pampering my skin with well made high-quality products.  This post is not sponsored I just love these products and these are what I truly love and use.

Closet Essentials-Shoe Edition

I think that there are certain closet essentials that every girl should have in her closet. And today’s topic is shoes. These are my personal closet staples because I can wear them with multiple outfits, they’re neutral, and very versatile.

Every girl needs a pair of nude heels in her closet- I tend to wear very colorful outfits majority of the time so these match all of my colorful outfits and give them a classy look. 

Leopard print heels are also I must- in my book Leopard is a neutral. I have even worn my leopard heels with some of my Lilly and it looked fantastic and I got so many compliments with the look. 

Neutral Flats- I bought these late summer time because I was in need of a new pair of neutral flats and I have worn them so much over the autumn and now in winter. I’m more of a heel or wedge girl but sometimes I just want to wear flats and these are my favorites.

Gold sandals or wedges- I love my gold Lilly McKim wedges. I wear these so much, especially in the spring, summer and even in the autumn months. Like I said earlier I like a higher shoe but I also love sandals so these are a perfect mix. 

Rain boots- I live in Florida where it rains so much during the summer and I often go up to Georgia monthly/bimonthly for work and it’s always raining. So these guys are a life saver. And they work perfectly for when it’s cold too. 

Riding boots- I recently bought these for my trip to NYC and I wore them everyday there because it was freezing. I have worn them so much ever since coming back home to Florida too, I love the style and they are so well made and they keep my legs so warm. They are by far my best purchase or i investment. Be on the look out for my wardrobe essentials blogpost. 

Purple Favorites

I pulled together some of my favorite purple winter favorites and one of them is on its way to my mailbox from New York. Purple is my favorite color so this was easy to pull together. Some sizes are sold out but I will everything just in case you’d like to get some of these pretty purple items to add to your closet.

Ralph Lauren Cashmere sweater. I can't wait until this one arrives in the mail. To complete the all purple look- here's a beautiful silk skirt also from Ralph Lauren. Kate Spade lavender shoes these have a very cool heel. Of course my all time favorite- Lilly Pulitzer- I love this color block cashmere sweater.  Also, my favorite-  J.Crew- this beautiful purple sweater is so soft. I love this floral print on this scarf it brings a touch of spring to these cold winter months; while still keeping you warm because its made of cashmere and silk. Last but not least a purple bag is always a good choice this one is so pretty and classic.