Get Ready With Me | Persian Wedding

I went to a Persian wedding recently, here's a look at how I got ready for the big night! A quick hair tutorial for beachy waves, a smokey eye makeup look and my OOTN, a gold sequin dress! Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for lots more fun videos! xoxo

Life Lately | via Instagram

It's been awhile since I've done a life lately post. Nothing too crazy happening around here but here's a little peek via my Instagram!

Last month, I ventured off to San Francisco to visit some of my best girl friends! There's a group of 6 of us that were close friends when we all lived in Chicago almost 10 years ago. These women are pretty fabulous -- stylish, SMART (we're talking double Harvard grads, lawyers, and save the world kind of doctors) , and so incredibly supportive. Seriously, I can be so real and pretty much tell them anything without judgement on their part. Not that my life is so scandalous but still, you know what I mean ;) I feel very comfortable around them, at easy and totally like myself. It's hard to find that kind of true friendship so I'm extra grateful for these lovely ladies. Every one of us is spread out all over the US now but we still keep in touch via regular email updates and try to have a girls trip a few times a year! 

These photos are the perfect recap of my trip: lots of pastries, a little bit of sightseeing, and  pretty views on the way to more eating.

We visited the original La Boulange bakery that was purchased by Starbucks!

Lyon Street Steps

Beautiful street vendors on our walk to dinner

I returned from my mini-vacay majorly inspired, motivated and refreshed!

And then...I lightened my hair!

I haven't done anything major to my hair in probably close to 10 years. I barely trim off the ends and I do cover up my grays [ahem] but other than, it's just long, brown and wavy.

I recently saw this picture of Khloe Kardashian and I was in love!

So I immediately knew I wanted it but also knew it wasn't going to be easy, considering how dark my hair is. Thank goodness I own a hair salon with the absolute best hairstylists in Oklahoma! ;) Seriously, I would not have done this to my hair if I didn't own The Blo Bar. 

Sorry for the dressing room selfie, but seriously didn't it turn out amazing?! I had a hard time finding proper lighting that would show the true color of my hair. Well this has an Instagram filter on it, but still…

And then something equally as exciting (!), I got a new Filofax! I know, I know. But I love organization and this new Filofax Original in patent nude is beautiful. I've been on a major hunt for a planner that I love, and this is it (for now….) 

Check out my YouTube channel for a better look! 

And ps- the reason I purchased this Filofax because it reminded me so much of the Chanel Les Beiges sheer powder! 

Also, last week rehearsals for Legally Blonde: The Musical began! I'm so super excited and so super nervous at the same time. I am by no means an actress, I just thought it would be fun to try my hand at community theatre and I love this musical! I'm playing Chutney so it's not a huge role but it's pretty dramatic and I'm definitely stepping outside my comfort zone for this one. So far, so good. For the most part my nights are totally consumed with these rehearsals and I love being surrounded by so many incredibly talented people! This show is going to be amazing -- the people of Oklahoma are in for a treat! 

And finally, I had a wonderful Mother's Day with my mom over the weekend. We had a pretty low-key brunch, popped by Starbucks to try out the new Oprah Chai, which we thought tasted exactly like the normal chai (what's the big deal?!), and then had a big dinner that night with lots of friends and family. I feel very fortunate to live close to my parents after living so far away for almost 10 years. 

That's it! 

My life in a nutshell the past month or so. 

For more daily updates, make sure you follow along on Instagram! XO

Life Lessons via Jenna Lyons

One of my resolutions is to focus more on daily affirmations and positive thoughts. Nothing crazy, just really paying attention to the messages playing in my head, the words that I'm reading, and the mantras I'm repeating. So naturally, I've been soaking up all the life lessons that really resonate with me and pinning them. I loved these life rules from the ever-so-stylish Jenna Lyons featured in Net-a-Porter's new magazine Porter.

Do you have any words of wisdom to share?

I'd love to hear, please leave them in the comments below.

xx

The Power of Positive Thinking

I have been busy. Like, not in a cute 'I'm so stressed' kinda way….I mean literally, overwhelmingly busy. And it seems like every day a new big project/task is added to my list of things to do.

Yesterday, I was almost sick from thinking about everything I needed to get done. All throughout the day, I just kept looking at my to-do list, and deliberately ignoring it. As if I could just will it away. I got a few things that were timely done, but all-in-all I wasn't very productive but still felt tired and defeated.

But today, I had an epiphany -- these tasks I've been dreading, well they exist because I've accomplished so many other incredible things! [Yes, I'm talking taxes] So instead of approaching my long list with a dreadful attitude, I made myself get excited & be thankful that I have a wildly successful business that requires me to do taxes. YAYYY!

Better than not having it, right?! 

Here's to the power of positive thinking! 

Simple but profound.

I know it's nothing new and you all know this already, but sometimes it's nice to have a reminder. And even better that I was able to pull myself together and remember that I already knew this. Is that what growing up is all about?? ;)

Today's takeaway:

 use the power of positive thinking to stop treating your to-do list as a tragedy  

[click to tweet!]

XOXO

[ps] - I know that green juice looks gross, but it's absolutely delicious and serves as a fabulous on-the-go breakfast

Life + Love Lessons

Every time I come across a quote I like, I pin it. Every time I come across a quote I LOVE, I save it in a little folder that holds thousands of pictures that I may or may not ever look at again. But I find a certain peace in knowing that it's there on my Mac's desktop, holding hidden treasures of inspiration. 

This morning, I was browsing through that folder and came across this one.

I think it's timely considering Valentine's Day is tomorrow and some of us are lucky in love and some of us are still searching. But I think this is so perfect for a broader life lesson too….it's easy to get discouraged in so many daily tasks from meaningful to mundane. We can't find our keys, we can't find the super important document, so many things seem to be eluding us on an everyday basis. 

So just keep looking. Smile a little smile, keep your head up and march on.

You'll find it. One day. 

And if I may add my own little advice, sometimes what you're looking for is really right there in front of you -- you just can't see it because you forgot what it looks like….or perhaps, thought it would look completely different.

lots of love to you my dears

x

Life Lately

In case you missed it, yesterday was the opening day at The Blo Bar! We're the first blowout bar and hair styling salon in Stillwater, Oklahoma so it's been a blast watching everyone's reactions and excitement! Yesterday was so fun. I'm really looking forward to many more days of this! 

These are just a few pictures of the details around the salon. It's incredible to see how much things have changed. Our space used to be an art gallery, so we also left a lot of the features the same--tall ceilings, large white walls & big open windows. We're so happy we found such a beautiful building. 

My hope in posting pretty pictures of what I've been up to is that y'all would forgive me for me sporadic posting over here. I love this lil' blog of mine, it was my first venture into social media and will always have a place in my heart. Don't worry, I will not stop blogging...I just might have to post less consistently as I make sure The Blo Bar flourishes. But I'll pop in every once in a while with all my favorites! The best way to make sure you don't miss out is to subscribe to email updates from the blog or to my newsletter. 

Thanks for all the love, support & words of encouragement these past few months! 

I'm so excited for my new adventure! 

xo

[ps] you can catch more peeks at The Blo Bar by following us on Instagram!

Bits + Bobs Update

Hi friends! I'm slowly starting to come out of my news-watching daze after the tornado on Monday. Not that we can forget, but I know that we must progress forward. There have been so many exciting things happening lately that I wanted to share so I thought I'd wrangle them all up in one post! Some are huge (hello, I'm speaking at a conference!) and others are small but delightful (I've been spray-painting everything I can get my hands on gold) So here we go!

I'll start with the biggest news in case you missed it. I'll be speaking at Go Blog Social this summer in Kansas City! I've been asked to present on the law, business and blogging. The conference will be held August 1-4 in Kansas City. Check out the hotel, it looks beautiful! I can't really remember ever spending time as a grown-up in KC (driving through on road trips with the family when I was 9 don't count, right?!) I'm so excited because I have also never been to a big blog conference! The blogosphere is such a huge part of my world so I'm thrilled to be connecting with like-minded women! It's going to be so fun! And to top it all off, I'm presenting. I feel so official. I really hope to meet as many of you as possible, but I know space is limited. (Also, ticket prices go up after June!) Please do drop me a note or tweet me if you're coming!

And now almost as exciting (for me at least) I'm starting a newsletter! I'll be sharing fun and exclusive extras. I have tons of personal development material I'd like to share, as well as styling tips and some surprises I can't tell you quite yet ;) I'd love for you to join my list, you can do so here

No doubt you've heard me talking (or more like tweeting) about all my crazy adventures in opening my blowout salon in my hometown of Stillwater, Oklahoma called The Blo Bar. Of course it's stressful, but I'm seriously having a blast! I constantly have to remind myself that I'm opening a blowout and beauty bar in Smalltown USA not Chicago, New York or Paris. Sometimes I gotta reign it in. There are times when people have no idea what I'm talking about. But other times, actually most of the time, when a woman hears about it and gets a huge smile on her face and says she can't wait til we open....well, that makes it all worth it. I just can't wait. I also wanted to make sure to document the process so I could look back on it all one day so The Blo Bar now has an Instagram! Follow along with a little behind-the-scences look as we get ready to open! Here's a little peek at our mirrors that we're installed earlier this week.

And last but not least, I have been a spray-painting, DIY fool the past few weeks. Pretty much any cute little thing that I find is getting a coat of gold spray paint....from an elephant planter to an old plastic tray. Also, my mom and I (ok, really just my mom) are reupholstering a couple antique chairs and a settee to use in our space.

Oh and one more thing, I have been in NYC and Dallas the last 2 weekends. I promise to share my Pepperologie recap next week. Better late than never, right?

Have a fabulous weekend!

x

PS- thank you again so much for your messages about Oklahoma. I'm just truly heartbroken at all the loss and ask that you all continue to pray for my home state and these wonderful people.

Life Lately // March Fourth

I'm so excited to be hosting a link-up party today (my very first!) with a group of fabulous bloggers

Here's a little peek into what's been going on in my life lately...

Wearing // Living in Oklahoma doesn't exactly inspire my style. Add that to the fact that I've been super busy and that equalled reaching for whatever was comfortable. But I'm happy to report, my inner fashionista is back! I feel like I've been dressing up more, but in reality I'm just wearing normal people clothes vs yoga pants! ;)

Wishing For // The Lo & Sons O.G. Bag --she certainly is beautiful! But I have to be completely honest, I will not spend $300 on a gym/overnight bag. I'll just wait until I find a similar one at T.J.Maxx! Do y'all have any more affordable brands to recommend?

Studying // I'm starting a new business this summer and I am thrilled! But, I am way overwhelmed with all the details, especially taxes! I do have an accountant, but I'm a Type A lawyer....I need to know what's going on with everything. So meet my new best friend: Taxes for Dummies.

Decorating With // I am obsessed with an all-white aesthetic (with few pops of color + gold accents) I'm finishing up my bedroom and redecorating a few spaces with this feel in mind.

Ordering // I'm moving into a new office space! And again: thrilled. I've been ordering tons of new desk and organizational supplies. So looking forward to my Russel + Hazel planner and accessories and my new mouse pad. My favorite part is transferring all the info from my old planner into a new one. Anyone else?

So what's been happening in your world?

Please do leave a note with your updates in the comments or link-up your own Life Lately post below

All that we ask is that you follow your hosts & co-hosts either through GFC or Facebook + Twitter

A big welcome to those of you who are stopping by from the link-up!

I'm so happy to have you :)

A couple hours left to enter the emmakisstina giveaway
See y'all back here tomorrow for another GIVEAWAY!
it's the second of four weeks of fabulous gift giving

xx

a life of glamour and glitter

I've been thinking about Paris lately...obviously.  But also more specifically glamorous French women, their love for life, and their attraction to all things beautiful.  And the first thing I think of when I think of glamour:  sparkle.  Ok, I know I'm not a teenager but I love glitter!  I fully believe that no matter how old we are, every girl needs some glitz in her endowed-with-meaning life.  Glitter is sophisticated! (Did I sound convincing?)  Really though, a little shimmer never hurt anybody!  Roxy knows what I'm talking about, it's her way of life!  And, Taylor has done a splendid job of describing a glitter girl!

So I perused Pinterest and found a wide range of fun & unexpected ways to incorporate just a little dose of glittery goodness into your day.  I hope you'll pick one of these (or your own) to try this week!  And then let me know how it goes!

the happiness project



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I recently stumbled upon The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  She's fantastic!  Here's how she describes her project:  The Happiness Project is the memoir of the year I spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific studies, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier.  

On her blog she posts about rules to live by, and she mentions her own personal commandments. I love this idea!  I've already started brainstorming ideas for my own list.  Check our her site for more information on the project, her book, and how you can get started on your own happiness project.

Here's Gretchen's list, I hope it inspires you as much as it did me.

• Be Gretchen.
• Let it go.
• Act the way I want to feel.
• Do it now.
• Be polite and be fair.
• Enjoy the process.
• Spend out.
• Identify the problem.
• Lighten up.
• Do what ought to be done.
• No calculation.
• There is only love. 

What do you think? 

Is this something you would like to incorporate into your own life? 

If you come up with a list of your own personal commandments and want to share,

I would love to hear about them! 

 

Here are just a few things that currently make me very happy:

  



lessons learned from 64 days of blogging

It's hard work.
It's a ton of fun but man! I've put in some long hours.  It's not just about glossy pictures and a few, cute little sentences...you gotta be really smart!  My appreciation for all you amazing bloggers out there has doubled, tripled in the past few months!  Bravo.

I'm very indecisive.
Ok this is not a life lesson for the rest of you, but it's a wake up call to me!  Decision making is not my strong suit.  Here's hoping my 30s cure it!

Perfectionists don't have a place in a creative world.
We (read: me) have to let go of our attachments to the pursuit of perfection.  Striving for excellence, yes of course.  But obsession with perfection, no.  To create we must give ourselves the freedom to explore, make mistakes, and chase dreams.

I don't have to know everything. Immediately.
This is really two-in-one.  I'm a lawyer, type A, Virgo...that's a whole lot of over achiever packed into a 5'1" girl.  I've had to allow myself to be ok with the fact that I don't know exactly what's going on with every social media option out there (Just last night, I had to Google what DM means on Twitter!).  And, I've had to be infinitely patient with myself.  Learning HTML, getting your foot in the proverbial door, writing & designing posts that I'm happy with and that others will enjoy...it's all a process that takes time.  It's been a lot of fun to just let my hair down!

Do what you love.
Comparisons are a bad idea.  A really bad idea.  Absolutely we're all learning and constantly being inspired by one another.  But no good will come from trying to be something/someone you're not.  I truly believe you must do what you love and operate from a place of calmness, mixed with grace & a little intuition.  I think this is the magic formula to ensure all the pieces fall together just as they should.

People are innately kind.

Well, I've always known this but it has been reaffirmed.  The sense of community present in the blogging world is overwhelming. Ya'll are so sweet!  Marissa has helped me so much and Courtney too!  Katy has brought together a fantastic group of bloggers engaging in meaningful conversations!  Mrs. Lilien is just precious, she graciously allowed me to use some of her photos and even wished me a happy birthday!   And there's been so many others!  I've connected with amazing women & have been welcomed with an abundance of love and support, I'm so grateful.  I couldn't have gotten this far without you dear ones by my side!

The past 64 days have been too much fun.  Here's to many more!



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keeping it all together



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How do you stay organized & manage your time?  Do you write a to-do list while drinking your morning cup of coffee?  For as long as I can remember, I loved writing lists!  Well, I loved writing of any kind.  As a child, I never wanted toys...I wanted stationary, paper, pens, markers, and stickers.  Back in high school, I would come home from class and re-write all my notes to make sure my handwriting was beautiful and orderly and the page looked just right.  (I had friends, I swear!) 

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As I got older, my daily list of tasks grew as well.  I've always been a stickler for staying organized, and I found I needed a to-do list to manage it all.  There's nothing that gives me greater satisfaction than crossing something off my list...sometimes I even add a task I've already completed just so I can mark it off.  At my very first job in Chicago, my amazing boss gave me a beautiful red leather notebook as a Christmas present.  I wrote very carefully!  But now apps, technology and my iPhone have replaced a crisp, thin-ruled piece of paper and a pink gel pen. (my personal favorites)  So, how do ya'll stay organized and on top of your pile of things to do?



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