Fashion · FestiveLooks · Kids · Women
Birthday Post: Festive Pink & Black Look + Q&A
Madeline: Velvet Ruffle Hem Dress // Black Dot Tights // Cat Buckle Black Velvet Flats // Black Velvet Bow
Hello Friends! Happy Thanksgiving!!!! I hope y’all have full hearts and full bellies on this wonderful day 🙂 Today is also my birthday! I wanted to do something extra fun here on the blog today in honor of it. First of all, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share a festive, fun mommy and me look. Y’all know that my looks where I coordinate with Madeline are my favorite of all! They make me so happy, and I had to include our looks in my birthday post. I also thought it would be a fun way to kick off my festive looks for the 2018 holiday season. Both of our looks are perfect for all things Christmas: parties, concerts, out to dinner, luncheons, tea with Santa, the Nutcracker, and so much more! They are also ideal for NYE (yes, it’s always smart to plan ahead with that as well since it comes just days after Christmas). Along with our festive looks, I also wanted to share a fun birthday Q&A. It’s been a few years since I have done one, so I’m so excited to share one again today.
Before I get started on the Q&A, I wanted to share a little on our looks. I think this feather hem little black dress just may be one of my favorite dresses I have ever worn in the history of dresses haha. y’all, obsessed would be an understatement! This one is SO fun! It comes in both petites and regulars. I’m wearing it in a 0 regular here, and LOVE the fit. I simply could not say enough good things about this dress. It’s most definitely a show stopper! A feather hem is the perfect festive touch. I have this dress paired with these black heels that tie at the ankles. I’m also so in love with these! They run TTS and are the perfect black heel. They’re under $100. I have always loved a good pink + black combination, so of course I thought it would be a good idea for my birthday post. I found this DARLING ruffle hem pink dress for Madeline at Target and just had to get it. Her entire little outfit is so affordable. Her black dotted tights and kitty buckle shoes are the perfect pairing and are both 50% off! I of course decided to wear pink earrings to tie our looks together. This entire look just makes me so happy 🙂
Now that I’ve rambled on our looks some, it’s time to get started with the Q&A! I hope y’all enjoy this. A HUGE thank you to everyone who sent in questions on IG. Y’all are the best.
Q: When/how did you start blogging?
A: This type of question is one that I received from quite a few! I could honestly go on and on about this and may do an entire post on it soon, if that’s something y’all would like to see 🙂 But I started my blog during my second year of college, 2012. I actually started sharing my love for fashion on my Instagram first. I would share my daily outfits (#OOTDs) and purchases, and it quickly became a daily thing for me. I started to gain a following and a lot of positive reactions to my outfits. So after sharing them for a few months, I finally started my blog. It was solely a hobby, and I never dreamed that it would turn into something much bigger, something I love and am so very passionate about. I think my very first post was on hair bows, as silly as that sounds haha. I have grown so much as a person through my blog and it’s so fun to look back and see how far I’ve come. Something Delightful and every single one of you who take the time to visit my blog mean so much to me. Something else that I think is so neat is that I feel like I found my voice through my blog. I was always a shy person, and through my blog, I have been able to build up self-confidence and share the things I’m so passionate about. If you’re thinking of starting a blog, GO FOR IT! Don’t worry about what people will say or think. Believe in yourself and you never know what it will lead to.
Q: What are the pros and cons of blogging?
A: This is another one I could go on and on about. Let me first start off saying that the pros definitely outweigh the cons. I’ll start with the pros first.
Pros: I love the feeling of being in complete control. It’s my space that I can do whatever I want with. I alway feel like there are no limits to my creativity and ideas to share. I love pairing outfits together, and it’s always so fun seeing the final product once it’s posted on here. I also love that I can work from home, or really wherever, on my own time. This has been especially wonderful with being a mom. I set my own schedule and able to plan out working and being with Madeline. Because of course she is the most important part of my entire day. I also love getting to work with my favorite brands and meet new people. I have met some of the most kind girls through blogging, who I can truly call my friends. They also have blogs, and it’s so nice to connect with other people who understand the whole world of blogging. And of course I also love being able to connect with all of YOU! It makes my day when I receive messages, emails, comments and especially getting to meet readers in person. If you ever see me out in public, please come say hi, because I love getting to meet readers.
Cons: As for the cons, I’d say that I feel I can never really take a break, especially with social media. You have to constantly be thinking of new content, planning new looks and exciting things. If I fall in a slump, I start to beat myself up over it, which I’m working on and trying to remember not to be too hard on myself. And with the new algorithm on Instagram, if you take a break, you basically are punished by not keeping up with posting, which can be exhausting. Social media NEVER sleeps.
Q: Have you always lived in Georgia? If you could move to another state, which would it be?
A: Yes, I have lived in Georgia my entire life. If I could move to another state, it would be Virginia. I absolutely love the state of Virginia. We visit there every year, and I think it is absolutely gorgeous! The funny thing is that my grandparents actually had the choice of moving to Georgia or Virginia shortly after getting married, so that may have a little something to do with it as well haha. I just think it’s such a gorgeous sate!
Q: If you had to recommend one designer item to splurge on, which would it be?
A: Ooh this is a hard one! I have to narrow it down to three. Probably first would be a Gucci Belt. I wear mine multiple times a week and really want one in black as well! It’s probably my favorite accessory! Second would be a Louis Vuitton Neverfull. I also use this ALL. THE. TIME. I have the GM which holds a ton and is great for travels. But I’d say the MM is more for a purse size and everyday use. Third would be a David Yurman Bracelet. It’s timeless and one you can wear every single day.
Q: What is your best tip for putting together mommy and me looks?
A: Start with one piece and go from there! Either find a piece for yourself and your little. If you try to think about the overall look, you’ll get overwhelmed. I love finding a printed piece (such as plaid) for Madeline or myself and then pair it with a solid color for the other one of us.
Q: What type of camera do you use?
A: The camera I have been using for about two years now is the Nikon D750. It is absolutely amazing, and I highly recommend it! I have always used Nikon, which I have heard is much easier to use than Cannon. But I plan to stick with Nikon. The lens I most recently invested in and have been using non-stop is a Sigma 85mm lens. Y’all that thing is awesome! I had always wanted to Sigma Art lens and will honestly never go back. The glass is pretty much amazing. It takes the clearest photos and the bokeh (blurred background) is phenomenal as well. Next I want a Sigma 50mm lens to replace the Nikor 50mm I have now. Then I want a 135mm Sigma lens as well. And one other note, the Sigma lenses do weigh a ton! My Mama and I really had to get used to working with such heavy equipment.
Q: What is your go-to lip color?
A: The Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in “Pillow Talk” paired with MAC lipstick in “Pretty Natural” (which was a limited edition and is no longer available, but I also love “Cream Cup”) and the BECCA gloss in “Rose Quartz”. It’s the perfect pink-nude lip combination 🙂
Q: What is your degree in?
A: I graduated with a degree in Health Information Management (HIM). I changed my major multiple times before finally deciding on a degree I loved. It’s amazing to look back on how the Lord dropped it into my lap right when I needed it most. Madeline was an infant, and I got into the program, not even knowing I could do it entirely online! Very few degrees were offered online at my school. So I was able to earn my degree all while running my blog and being a mama. It was truly so amazing to see how the Lord work it all out for me. It’s a great field to have a degree in with a lot of opportunities and flexibility. I highly recommend it if you’re not sure which way to go.
Q: What are your favorite things to do with Madeline?
A: Ahh another hard one, because there is SO much we love to do! We love to spend tons of time outside, swimming (in the warmer months), swinging, riding scooters, etc. She loves to go to the park. We love to do crafts (she LOVES to paint). Of course we love going to Target ( does that count as an activity haha?). She also loves to bake with me (especially chocolate chip cookies). I think our newest favorite activity is going skating. We have a seasonal rink where we live, which I’m thinking about getting a season pass for both of us. We’re always looking for new and exciting things to do together.
Q: What is your favorite foundation?
A: This would be the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation, hands down! I’m obsessed with this stuff. It offers amazing coverage and truly lasts all day long. I put it on, and it stays in place until I take it off at night. I have tried SO many different foundations, and this is the only one that really works for me. I wear the shade “1N2 – Ecru”. It’s amazing!
Q: Number one piece of advice for comparing yourself to others?
A: This is another hard one because it’s something that’s so easy to struggle with (and is truly a dangerous trap). For me, I always remind myself that God created me uniquely and He has me right where I am for a reason and purpose. I am not that other person, and that is not who He wants me to be. I love the phrase “stay in your lane”. When you do that, it’s so much easier to stay on the path you’ve set for yourself and not loose sight of your goals, mission and unique characteristics that the Lord has given to YOU. Embrace them and embrace yourself.
Q: Would you ever consider having your own clothing line?
A: I’m not sure about a clothing line, but most definitely a shoe line! I’m obsessed with shoes, and so is my Mama. We’d both choose a cute new pair of shoes over a piece of clothing any day. We also say that you can never have too many haha. Sometimes I’ll look for a certain shoe I have in mind, not be able to find it and just wish I could create it myself. One day, maybe 🙂
Q: Are you still doing BBG?
A: For anyone that does not know what BBG is, it is a workout program, Bikini Body Guide, created by Kayla Itsines. After hearing a lot of positive testimonials on it, I decided to start it myself last summer. It’s a twelve week program. I do it through the Sweat app on my phone (available via the app store). What I loved most about it is the flexibility it offers. If you do it correctly and eat well, you WILL see results. If you’re looking for a program that you can do from home, on your own time and requires very little equipment, I highly recommend it!
But to answer the question, no I am not currently doing it. I complete the twelve weeks. I took a few weeks off then started again. But I’ve been taking a few more weeks off. I’ve decided to continue with a little break from it through December and then First of the new year I’m jumping right back in. I love it and miss it! Things are just so busy right now, and I know I’ll have a little more time first of the year. I still need to write an entire blog post on it.
Q: What are your favorite fall and winter traditions?
A: I have quite a few! Fall would be visiting Highlands, NC, Williamsburg, VA, going to the dairy farm and the pumpkin patch and of course all the fun Halloween festivities. Winter would be going to see the Nutcracker, taking Madeline to Tea with Santa, going on a girls weekend with Madeline and my Mama to Atlanta, baking rice krispie treats, visiting the tree farm, making a gingerbread house with Madeline, our cheese fondue dinner on Christmas Eve at my Grandparents’ and Uncle’s house, getting to celebrate my Uncle Doug’s birthday (he has Down Syndrome and is such a special part of our lives. He’ll be 60 on Christmas Day this year!), just to name a few. We have a lot of traditions 🙂
Q: Number one time management tip
A: Take it one step and one day at a time. Do not look at the overall picture, or else you’ll stress yourself out and loose sight of what you’re doing. Take a deep breath, write it all down and tackle it one step at a time. Don’t beat yourself up over not getting everything done. Just focus on getting one thing accomplished at a time. It’s also important to pace yourself. If you have a lot to work on within a day, tell yourself “okay I have one hour to work on this, then I’ll put it away for today and work again tomorrow”. That way you can still feel like you’re accomplishing something.
Okay y’all, that’s about it! Thank you SO much for stopping by and taking the time to read. I hope y’all enjoyed this. Wishing you all a very happy Thanksgiving! I am so very thankful for each and every one of you. Be sure to stop back by here first thing tomorrow morning for a full roundup of Black Friday sales + a fun giveaway 🙂
Delightfully Yours,
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