Maximized

Hi Sparkles! I have been slacking horribly lately on my blog. Trust me when I say it takes a ton of dedication. Researching, planning, and actually DOING was becoming a struggle for me for a while. Anyway, it's all good now. I can't believe how fast my summer has went, I only have about 2 weeks before school starts back! 

I wore this dress the beginning of summer, ya know, way back in June when we were just getting started. And to add more, I ordered this dress from LULU'S in March. I was always just waiting for the right time to wear this baby. 

Dresses are my favorite, it's an outfit in itself, and so easy to put on and accessorize! Next time I wear this, I may go for an evening look and swap out my sandals for wedges.  Check out LULU'S website, their collection really stands out. 

Dress: LuLu's

also loving this one and this too

Shirt Dress Perfection

Sparkles!

Get the look:

Dress: Gap  and love this one from Urban Outfitters

Shoes: Love and I really want these

Hey Sparkles!

I had to showcase this Gap dress for y'all today. This dress has been a lifesaver, in all honesty. I found it on sale on Gap.com, and sadly I no longer see this color optipm there anymore. Thankfully, I received this beaut in the mail literally the night before I left for ATL. It's soooo easy to style, clearly. I simply just threw it on and paired it with some earring and mini wedges. I can't wait to add a blazer, or switch out those wedges for converse.  This was perfect for my trip, it's so HUMID in Atlanta. And on this particular day, we were rushing and in the wedding frenzy, so I loved this little easy pick me up :)

All I gotta say is...I'm on summer break..boo yah (well, not quite on summer break but..just a couple of days away!).  I work all summer as a nanny, but it's still summer and I get to do summer activities with the kiddos, I love it!! I'm just in the best mood today, hope you are too! Have a great weekend, Sparkles! Meet you back here Monday!!

Love and Sparkles // Chels

Sunday Lunchday// Boulder Take 2!!!

Hello Sparkles! Say it with me...SPRING.BREAK. 

I hope your weekend/week has been just as great as mine! I am thoroughly enjoying my spring break. It is only the second day I have already accomplished so much!! Been to Target about 4 times in 2 days! Lol, what am I going to do? This weekend was great, but the real fun didn't start until Sunday. Our Sunday Lunchday was at this place I have been wanting to try for a while. 

It's called Southern Hospitality, yes, lol. All the way up here in Denver! Did they have it?..Hmmm, maybe.

We sat on the patio right along the street and enjoyed people watching as we ate. Haha, we love doing that sometimes! You can learn a lot, I tell you. 

For the meal I had my classic chicken and waffles, I rarely say no to that. This was bone in chicken, but I would much rather have boneless. The waffle itself was totally perfect!! It was thin and crispy, just how I like them. I hate thick waffles...I hate thick anything {except for hair}. 

The hubster had a steak sandwich and sweet potato fries. We took a stroll on 16th street mall afterwards. 

Monday was great! Some gal pals and I drove to Boulder for the day. It was absolutely amazing, I mean I had the BEST time!! My friend Merilee is a Boulder native, and if you only want the best you should always go with a native!

We strolled Pearl St. and did a little shopping. Then we had lunch at this yummy place called Med. This pizza was bomb. 

I should work at this boutique :)

Merilee was a real good tour guide haha!! She showed us her family horse, Lizzy!! We got to brush her and feed her. She is truly a gorgeous horse. 

We also walked the campus of CU Boulder, it was so fun! And definitely strange for me as I've never really been on a college campus before! We had happy hour "On The Hill"  where I got a cool hipster vibe from!

 Goooooooo Boulder! And happy spring break!

Love and Sparkles // Chels

Prepster

Hey Sparkles!

I am finally back in the groove of things, I really needed to take a step back and reevaluate the direction of my blog. I love that this blog is mine, it is like an escape of freedom for me. I work non stop, and there is nothing I would rather do (well...maybe), but things can get ca-razy!! From house duties to teaching to babysitting to freelancing to blogging...life is 100% filled with nothing but goodness!

\

I'm in love with this look today. I used to not be the biggest fan of layering, I just hated the feeling of feeling stuffed and confined (hence the reason I am a summer lover), I call this my "Prep Girl" look. I'm thinking of "Gossip Girl" in this very picture. I literally shopped from my closet for this look..nothing is new! 

Get the Look:

Sweater-F21 Similar

Plaid Shirt F21 Similar

Pencil Skirt- Old Navy Similar

Boots- Rue 21 Similar

Love and Sparkles // Chels

Rollie Derby

Hello Sparkles! I am so excited to be back after missing out on my blog for a week. Sometimes I just can't seem to get my ducks in a row. I've been so busy doing extra work, finals, and whatever odd balls life has thrown me over the last week. I don't mind though, I seriously thrive the most when I'm busy.

Today's outfit is one I wore on our v-day day date.  I knew exactly what I wanted to wear that day, and it had everything to do with these shoes. Have you ever found a brand that is so good you want to be dedicated to it? That's how I feel about Rollie.  This is another one of those "Nordstrom Rack does it again" item. I loved putting these with neutral colors, because above all I really wanted them to stand out. I've worn these shoes a couple of times and I am completely satisfied with their comfort.  With spring and summer coming rapidly (I see you, spring!), I just know this is going to be my go to pair for win. I feel like the only things missing from making this outfit complete was a bandana pin up hairstyle and a bold red lip. 

Get the look:

Rollie Shoes

Forever 21 Dress (Similar)

Chambray Shirt (Similar)

Love and Sparkles // Chels

Nars Foundation/Tarte Eyebrow Review

Hello, Friday!

The weekend is here and it feels refreshing. Plus, I have Monday,woohoo! My off days are rarely spent doing nothing because that were the case nothing would be complete. So I use them to get caught up on extra work, house duties, errands, and homework. But this weekend is V-day and we have a couple of other activities to do, so excited!

I recently purchased this Nars sheer glow foundation, along with this Tarte eyebrow pencil. Well, maybe not so much as recently, it was in December. I have this weird thing about me wear I am unable to use a fresh, new product until I have used my current product up. I was still on my No.7 foundation (sold at Target), but I had been wanting to try Nars for so long.

It reminds me of silk, that's how smooth it is. I don't need that much coverage, and I actually feel like I'm not wearing anything, especially through the weekday. Now, if I add the whole 9 yards to it, such as concealer, highlighter, etc, my face feels a little heavier.

Pros: Light on the face, full coverage, glows, great for dry skin
Cons: Because of the sheer glow, I found that my face turns out to have sort of an ashy appearance while using a flash.

Get the look:

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation

Tarte Amazonian Clay Eyebrow Pencil

Let's talk about this Tarte eyebrow pencil. I am on the fence about this pencil, there's nothing wrong with it at all, but it also isn't the best for it's price to me, either. I do find that I love that it's waterproof, definitely don't want my eyebrow game screwed. It's a pretty penny for this product, and it didn't last as long as I thought it would. Hmmm... I am using Anastasia Brow Gel since I ran out of this pencil. The gel is a lot better than the pencil in my opinion. It really just falls down to how well the person is with perfecting their brows. I. suck. at. it.

Pros: Easy to use, waterproof, controllable
Cons: I'm not sure if I was over using this pencil, but it seemed to only last me for about 3 weeks

My Take On V-Day

I rarely turn down an opportunity for a good date night. But as I was thinking of plans for this Valentine's Day, I immediately felt exhausted. That's when I got the idea of just having a laid back, relaxing V-Day. I pitched a few things to the Hubster, and he was more than down.

I am going with a simple, everyday outfit for this Valentine's Day. But I still have to dress to the occasion. I adore this heart cardigan from Target, leave it to Tar-jay to have us set for special days.  For our activities, I won't be needing anything too fancy and I am pretty much okay with that.

We have small plans of doing a little day outing *it is supposed to be super nice Saturday* and some take out to enjoy our nice dinner at home. Heaven knows we do not want to be in the hustle and bustle of love crowds in the restaurant.

I have horrible shellac on my nails that needs to come off asap, but I am definitely pairing these two up to complete my look. 

In love with this cameo necklace my mom bought me while visiting here. It was at this cute boutique in Colorado Mills Mall. Such a classic, right? These things are difficult to find!

Photos by: Caity Nonaka * Black Bird Photography*

Get the look:

Basic Tee: Pacsun (similar) and here too

Cardigan: Target

Jeans: American Eagle (similar) and (similar)

Cameo Necklace: Here is one similar

Essie: Mademoiselle

Formula X: Eureka

What do I enjoy about V-Day? The fact that it's a guarantee that I get to spend the whole day with my love with out any interruptions. Did you know I still get butterflies when I'm with him?

May you have a special Valentine, even if it is with your 4 legged pup.

Love and Sparkles // Chels

Leopard and Nude

Dress: similar and similar

Shoes:love (I've been eyeing these)

Earrings:love and love

 Beautiful, warm, inviting sun light; oh, how I love thee. I'm telling y'all, this Denver weather has been on one! It's the last week of January, and I kid you not, it has been in the high 60's low 70's so far. I live for that, I HATE being cold..brrrr. But at least I finally live somewhere that gives all 4 seasons! Ah, like Taylor Swift campaigns for NYC, I should campaign for Denver.

Anyway, let's talk about what you are really here for, this Banana Republic wrap dress I am wearing. It fits me like a charm, which is something I aim for when shopping. I am a slim person and I really have to be careful with what I choose to wear. Most people tell me "you can wear anything," well, thank you, but no...not exactly....I don't want look like I have a night gown on.

I've had this dress for about 3 months now, and I have only worn it twice:

• To a club called The Church here in Denver, I was so over dressed and it was pretty funny 
• Today

It was another steal  I got from my yearly birthday shopping extravaganza at the Silverthorne Outlets.

I am usually not a huge fan of 3/4 length shirts/dresses, but I felt like the pattern gave it a break. Wrap dresses are just flattering and comfortable. I loved the feeling of being secured yet comfortable at the same time.  I would wear this dress on so many occasions, stay tuned to see your options.

Love and Sparkles // Chels