Life via iPhone

On December 15th, a very important event occured...I FINALLY got the iPhone 4s! To say I'm a tad obsessed with it may be an understatement! I've had an iPod touch for a couple years so I already had some favorite apps, but have definitely discovered some new favorites these past couple weeks! If you have any apps you just can't live without, lemme know!

I know I have been slacking on the blogging lately, so I thought I would share some photos I've taken with my new toy!

I became a college graduate on December 12th!! It was very much touch and go for a while there but I made it! I decided months ago I wanted to bedazzle my graduation cap and I am SOO happy with how it turned out!  

This was the extent of my Christmas decorations. After finishing up finals, I ended up staying at my parent's house for about a week before heading over to my aunt's house to dog sit for 2 weeks. So there really was no time to bring out my tree :( But I absolutely love my Christmas wreath so I had to put it out, and it'll probably stay up until Valentine's day (it's pink and red...it works!!)

Couple graduation presents from my aunt...in case anyone was unsure what college I graduated from ;)

I told my mom I was so excited to start reading again. Since starting college I couldn't tell you the last book I actually read. I got this book for Christmas LAST year and could never find time to read it. I'm hoping in the new year I will be able to read at least one book a month!

Lusted just a tad over a pink mixer!

Admired my parent's Christmas tree

iPhone game obsession #1

New favorite earrings I ordered from piperlime

tracked Santa on Christmas eve!

Hung out with my favorite fur baby!!

Was spoiled on Christmas morning

Probably got most excited about this gift! Mom swore up and down she wasn't buying anything online, yet somehow this showed up under the tree ;)

Hit 50,000 miles on my car...meaning I'm no longer under warranty (much to my father sadness!)

iPhone game obsession #2

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and is looking forward to a fabulous new year!! 2011 was somewhat of a blah year so I am very much looking forward to 2012!

xoxo

Natalie

Versatile Blogger!

Adelaide over at Sweet, Sassy, Southern, and Classy awarded me with The Versatile Blogger award! I received this award WAY back when I first started blogging, so I thought it would be fun to revisit and award it to some of my new favorite ladies!

 Rules:

1. Nominate 15 fellow bloggers or however many of your choosing

2. Inform the bloggers of their nomination

3. Share 7 random things about yourself

4. Thank the blogger who nominated you.

5. Add the Versatile Blog award picture on your blog post.

7 Random Facts

1. I did not lose my first tooth until I was 8 years old. The teeth in my mouth are 'slow-developing' so that meant I had to pull 4 teeth just to get braces, and then it took over a year for those teeth to grow in! I'll have to get my wisdom teeth taken out eventually, but at this rate my 18 year old brother will be getting his out before me!

2. I have never dyed my hair. The only chemical process I have done is a perm when I was in 5th grade...which fell out 2 days later! :(

3. I spend so much money and have so many different skin care products, but I HATE washing my face at night! By the time I force myself to go to bed (usually around 2 or 3am), I am so tired all I wanna do is take out my contacts and pass out! PS- this is why they invented make-up removing cloths!

4. I am quickly becoming addicted to Bath and Body Works! I've always had their products in my cabinet from back in high school but never were my "go-to" items. But then came the candle obsession...and everything developed from there! I wish I was at home and could take pictures of my B&BW collections...I'm talking 15+ little PocketBacs (gotta have clean hands), 10+ candles, and countless bottles of lotion and body cream! Here is what I purchased at B&BW last week over a couple days....

If you aren't signed up for their emails, I definitely recommend it! They are always sending out coupons (which you dont even have to print off...just show them the email in the store!!) or $1 shipping codes. 

ANYWAYS....back to the random facts!!

5. I eat a Publix sub at least once a week! I am a lover of almost all sandwiches, but there's something about  Publix that is just so delicious! Plus it's super convenient considering I live just across the street from one!

6. I have decided to take a couple retailing classes in January, and I am SOO excited! All i have known my college career is biology, biology...and more biology! Like a total nerd, I was on Blackboard the other day and the lecture notes for my principles of retailing class were already uploaded, so like a total TOTAL nerd I was looking through the first lecture, and I can already tell I am going to be much more interested in this stuff than what I got my degree in! Here's hoping I may be one step closer to figuring out my life?!?!

7. This past week, if I'm not a work, this is the outfit I've been rockin...

Lazy Day Outfit by swtcarolinagrl featuring michael kors jewelry

...sexy right?!?!

I give this award to the following FABULOUS bloggers...
1. Turtles and Pearls
2. Just Peachy
3. Everyday AEM
4. Coffee at Nordstrom
5. Keep it Classy, Alabama
6. Let's Be Preppy!
7. Peaches & Pearls

Top 5 Tuesday: Finals Distractions

Once again I am linking up with Rachel from Just Peachy for Top 5 Tuesday! Of course this week's topic is something that is lingering on the minds of college student everywhere...finals! I am in the middle of what is hopefully my last week of *undergrad* finals EVER! My first true final is Thursday evening and then the one that I am most worried about is Friday at 2pm.

Since I have had 4+ years of finals experience, I am an EXPERT at procrastination and finding things to distract me from studying! Here are what I have as my Top 5 distractions this exam season (in no particular order)...

1. College Football

Even though the regular season of college football is over, this post-season is giving us TONS to talk about (I'm currently watching the Experts on ESPNU)! I spent all day this past Saturday watching the SEC and ACC Championship games and now there's tons of talk about the BSC National Championship game and the Heisman. I've always been a big college football fan but for some reason this year I am OBSESSED! I love hearing all the differing opinions and we all love a good rivalry or two! ;)

2. Youtube

O my goodness Youtube is a HUGE distraction!! Yall know I am a beauty junkie and Youtube does nothing but contribute to this obsession! I subscribe to 40+ "beauty gurus", meaning I have about 60 videos sitting in my subscription box ready to watch. This also does nothing for my spending problem...so many items get added to my beauty shopping list from these videos!

**Side note: I've been thinking about doing a post highlighting my favorite Youtube "gurus". Would yall be interested in that?**

3. Law and Order SVU

Yall know this had to make the list! It's not only the show itself that causes a distraction (hello Tuesday marathons!) but its going online to watch sneak preview clips and get updated on the latest news. And it doesn't help that Mariska Hargitay has been out and about all over NYC, meaning there's tons of photos to ohh and ahh over!

Sephora Wants by swtcarolinagrl on polyvore.com

4. Sephora

A beauty junkie's dream! As a VIB Sephora sent me a $20 gift card to use but you have to spend a minimum of $50. So of course I've spend hours trying to decide what I wanted to purchase and making sure that no new items have been posted that I just have to have!!

5. Pinterest

I think Pinterest would show up on any college girl's procrastination list! At first you don't really get it, but then you start filling up your boards and it becomes an obsession! Pretty soon you have 20+ boards with hundreds of pins and you can't stop! Here are a few things I have pinned over the last couple days (click here to follow my boards!)

Source: theamericanlegacy.tumblr.com via Natalie on Pinterest

Source: media.photobucket.com via Natalie on Pinterest

Source: collegefootballstore.com via Natalie on Pinterest

Source: polyvore.com via Natalie on Pinterest

Some honorable mentions: Facebook, Twitter (I sorta don't count this cuz I have TweetDeck so all my tweets are directly on my desktop), Tumblr, Target

What are you Top 5 distractions? How did you get yourself to focus and actually get stuff done?!?

xoxo

Natalie

MIA and Giveaway!

I know I know I've been absent from my blog for a couple weeks, and trust me I have missed it! Everyone knows the last couple weeks of the semester can be MAJOR crunch time, and of course this semester was no different!

On Thursday I attended my last classes as an undergrad. To say that it was a bittersweet day was an understatement. I didn't really have time to focus on the fact that is was my last day because in one of my classes I had 2 'make-up' tests (teacher lets you take if you don't do well on tests the 1st time), so I spent all night Wednesday studying for those, only to get to class and see that the tests were NOTHING like what the professor told us! A lot of people in this class are like me and just NINE days away from graduating, and this class is putting us in jeopardy from getting our diplomas because this teacher does NOT teach during lecture classes and tests on the most random things.

So that has been a major cause of stress for me. My final for the class is this coming Friday, and I am set to graduate on Monday. I feel like it's almost pointless to study because it obviously has done me NO good so far! But I'm going to do my best to stay motivated this week and study my a** off so I can walk across that stage!!

I hope everyone else who is knee-deep in schoolwork can keep the motivation. Just keep telling yourself that CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE!!!! That's what's keeping me going!!

xoxo

Natalie

PS - Make sure you head over to Rachel's blog Just Peachy and enter her 200 followers giveaway! I'm hoping to get together a giveaway myself once I finish up with school!

Top 5 Tuesday: Nail Polish

Once again I am linking up with Rachel at Just Peachy for Top 5 Tuesday! I missed out last week because I was sick so when I heard this week's topic I got really excited! Nail polish is something I have recently become OBSESSED with buying. This time last year I probably had about 10 bottles, now my collection is overtaking the drawer I keep them in! I can't help it...they're just so pretty! I looked at everyone else who linked up with Rachel and NONE of these colors were mentioned, so hopefully you will find a color you wanna try!

1. OPI We'll Always Have Paris

This color will always and forever be my number one favorite! When first discovering my nail polish obsession I quickly realized that a plain black polish was way too harsh for my skin. So naturally I have accumulated a TON of colors that are very dark but not quite black. I first bought this color when it was revealed this was the color Mariska Hargitay wore to the 2010 Emmys (are you really that surprised??) and once I put it on my nails I LOVED it! It makes me feel so sophisticated and I love the deep purple color (this coming from a girl who is NOT a fan of purple!).

2. Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It

This color is the perfect color for summer! Even if I change my nail color, this is the color that I keep applying to my toes. It's such a bright red-orange color that looks great against a tan.

3. OPI Royal Rajah Ruby

I bought this color back in September when I realized I did not have ONE garnet nail polish in my collection! I had a couple reds but any Gamecock knows that red will just NOT cut it for football season! This color is the perfect shade of garnet and has the prettiest shimmers...perfect for any sunny day at Williams-Brice!

4. OPI Teenage Dream

This is the color that started my glitter obsession! I know some people think glitter polish makes you look like a 5 year old, and I do agree it may not be appropriate for all occasions, but just look at it! This color became a HUGE hit when the Katy Perry collection came out and quickly became hard to find. A big complaint with glitter polishes is that it takes ton of coats to make it look opaque, but 2 coats of this and you're good to go!

5. China Glaze Skyscraper

I haven't actually used this nail polish yet, but it is the newest baby added to my collection that I can't WAIT to try! I think it's a great glitter polish that is a great color for the fall/winter.

So as you can see OPI is definitely my favorite brand (who can resist the cute names!) but I have been a little underwhelmed with their latest collections. I was all set to buy some of the polishes from the Muppets collection, but after reading blog reviews and seeing swatches I decided to pass. Reading beauty blogs is definitely a good way to see what new collections are coming out and making lists for your next shopping trip!

Are there any nail polish colors you just can't live without? Let me know...you can never have too many!! ;)

xoxo

Natalie

October Birchbox

Nothing like posting about last month's box on the 2nd day of the new month! If you're not family with Birchbox, I explained it in last month's post. Let me know if you have used any of these products before and what you think of them! I haven't had a chance to use any of these products enough to give an opinion on them, hence the lack of "initial thoughts" this month! 

All the products in this month's box

Information card

AHAVA Rich Cleansing Cream

Description: A gentle, non-lathering cleanser that whisks away dirt, oil, and makeup faster than you can say 'non-drying.'

Size received: 0.68 fluid oz.

Full size: 3.4 fl oz for $30

Retail value: $4.31

Befine Lip Serum

Description: A lip-healing wonder: Befine's vitamin-rich Lip Serum heals and smoothes cracked or dry lips.

Size received: 0.34 fl oz

Full size: Comes in the BeLips Duo with a lip exfoliator. The duo costs $25

Retail value: $12.50

Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Makeup Primer in Bronze

Description: This hydrating primer gives you a flawless foundation for makeup - plus a subtle glow. It works on all skin tones - we tested it!

Size received: 0.5 oz

Full size: 2 oz for $25

Retail value: $6.25

Orofluido Beauty Elixir

Description: We don't know what we love more - this hair treatment's trio of nourishing essential oils (argan, linseed, cyperus) or its intoxicating vanilla amber scent.

Size received: 0.17 fl oz

Full size: 3.4 fl oz

Retail value: $1.47

The Laundress Delicate Wash

Description: Laundry just got a little more civilized. Use this elegant wash on all your special items.

Size received: 0.5 fl oz

Full size: 16 fl oz for $19.00

Retail value: $0.60

Box's total retail value: $25.13

xoxo

Natalie

Top 5 Tuesday: October Favorites

I'm linking up with Rachel @ Just Peachy again for Top 5 Tuesday, and this week's theme is Top 5 October favorites. Let me know if you link up because I would LOVE to read!

1. Bath and Body Works Paris Amour Triple Moisture Body Cream

I started using this before October, but I used up this last little bit of it this month and have had to resist buying more! I'm only resisting because I have SO many different body lotions and creams that I need to use up others, but I swear none of them moisturize like this body cream, even B&BW's lotion isn't as good. And  if I can remember correctly, this is the first Bath and Body Works product I have finished COMPLETELY!!

2. Davines Love Lovely Curl Enhancing Shampoo & Conditioner

I will admit that I was having a total fan-girl moment when I purchased these 2 products. The guy who does Mariska Harigtay's hair on SVU is on twitter and was getting so many questions about what they were doing to her hair this season and what products they were using, and he mentioned that this was the shampoo/conditioner pair they were using. I had never heard of Davines before, and it's a little more pricey than what I usually pay, but thanks to eBay I got the 2 for a decent price. 

I've only been able to use these a couple times since I got them in mid-October, but each time I've used them I have LOVED the results! I can't tell you how many products I have (shampoos, conditioners, styling products etc) that I used to attempt the "tousled, effortless" waves/curls with no luck. I use these at night and stick my wet hair up in a bun while I sleep and when I wake up, I have the tousled look!! 

3. Dr. Pepper 10

I may have found a new soft drink fave! I had a coupon for a free 2-liter of the new Dr. Pepper 10 and when I got it home I almost drank the whole thing in one night! It's much sweeter than Diet Dr. Pepper without all the calories of regular Dr. Pepper. Don't listen to the advertising campaign ladies, this drink is NOT just for men!

4. Gamecock Football

College football is one of my favorite things about fall in general, but October is when things really start to get interesting. At this point all the games are important, tough games that have the "we have to win" mentality. And for the most part the Gamecocks have done their job! It hasn't been pretty, and we've definitely had our struggles (our QB suddenly being dismissed, star RB getting injured and being out for the season, etc) but the important this is that we're 7-1!! Here's hoping the month of November is kind to the Gamecocks as well!

5. Fall TV

Just like football, fall television gets into full swing during the month of October. It's when you can see what new shows are actually going to make it and you need to keep in your schedule and which ones you need toss aside (and you hope the network feels the same)! I'm hoping to have a post up soon about my new fall TV faves and my tv 'schedule', but until then...

Fave returning show: Law and Order SVU (duh!)

Fave new show: Revenge (SOO good!)

BONUS: Birthday month

October will always and forever be my favorite month since it is my birthday month!! I just couldn't write a post about October without mentioning it haha. I had a fabulous birthday and can't wait to see what the rest of the year has in store!

xoxo

Natalie