Stitch Fix #2: A Green Valentine’s Day

I am so excited to share my latest Stitch Fix box with you all!  In case you are reading this for the first time, let me tell you about how easy and fun this service is.  Stitch Fix is a monthly subscription where you get a personal stylist that sends you five items of clothing and jewelry based on your unique sense of style.  The concept is so simple.  You complete a questionnaire based on your style preferences, sizing, and other interests and pay just $20/month to have hand-selected clothes delivered to your door.  The $20 fee will be applied to any items that you choose, and if you decide to keep it all, you get a 25% discount!

As you may remember from last month’s post, I decided not to keep any items my stylist sent me.  I gave my stylist very specific feedback on each of the pieces, which proved to be very helpful this time around.  I was tempted to keep all five items, but I chose a few that I truly adored.  I loved the variety of colors at first glance, and I was eager to start trying them on!  Let me show you what I decided to keep, and what I passed on this month!

 

1.) Corrina Striped Dolman Top, Market & Spruce, $48

 

 

Let me just say, I LOVE this top.  I think I made my stylist aware of my obsession with stripes, and I have been begging for this shirt for over a month.  I was even more captivated by the color.  I don’t think I have anything green in my wardrobe, so it had me sold right away.  The shirt is incredibly soft, comfortable, and obviously isn’t restrictive in any way.  I was so in love with this top that I wore it to work today!  It is a versatile shirt that I can wear with jeans and my Tom’s booties for a casual look, or I can dress it up with a black shirt and heels.  I think I need this in every color, and my life will be complete.

Verdict: Kept.

2.) Filbert 3/4 Sleeve Popover Blouse, 41Hawthorn, $58

 

 

I originally requested this shirt in pink, specifically for Valentine’s Day.  But apparently they were out of stock, so my stylist sent the same shirt in teal.  I immediately loved this shirt once I put it on. I love the length of the shirt and the subtle tailoring around the waist. I am a fan of teal since that was one of my college colors at UNCW. The material was not as great as I had hoped, since it had a chiffon texture. But at only $58, I could not pass up a great fit and color!

Verdict: Kept.

3.) Holston Crochet Trim Solid Blouse, Fun2Fun, $38

 

 

 

 

Ick. I guess this was supposed to be my “Valentine’s Day” blouse. Although the price was $38, I still feel like it is WAY too high for this low-quality, terribly sewn, cheap material shirt. The sleeves were too puffy, shirt was too short, and it came up way to high when I lifted my arms. I had puffy sleeves of any kind. I love that it was a solid color, and didn’t have any crazy prints. My stylist did get that right when she sent me this piece. But I just hated wearing it. It was far from flattering when I put it on. I just hated it. End of story.

Verdict: Returned.

4.) Teresa Colorblocked Sleeveless Blouse, 41Hawthorn, $48

 

 

I pinned this shirt on Pinterest a few weeks ago. The shirt I had in mind had a magenta color on the bottom half. I have no idea what this color even was. It was too similar to orange, and you will never catch me wearing orange. EVER. However, I will say I loved how it fit, and the fabric was surprisingly thick and high-quality for the price. I just don’t see me wearing this shirt in FEBRUARY, and I have repeatedly said NO SLEEVELESS BLOUSES unless I specifically ask for one. It is supposed to snow here in Nashville this week, and there is no jacket or cardigan that would ever keep me warm if I wore this shirt within the next few weeks. And did you know that I hate orange? Haha!

Verdict: Returned.

5.) Ida Striped Shirt Dress, LA MADE, $98

 

 

 

I was majorly on the fence about this dress. From pictures I have seen from other bloggers, this dress was just what I wanted. I had originally asked for a different striped dress, but apparently they were out of stock with that dress as well. I noticed a lot of other bloggers mentioned they didn’t like the length of this dress, but I had to try it for myself. Again, this dress was way overpriced in regards to quality. It was literally a jersey t-shirt material. Although it fit great in the arms and waist, and would definitely be a “forgiving” dress on those days where I feel like I have eaten too much, the length is what ultimately made my decision for me. It fell right at my knees. Considering how short I am, it just was not working out for me.

Verdict: Returned.

Overall, I was very pleased with my box this month. I kept 2 out of 5 pieces, which is a big improvement from last month’s box! What did you think about my choices this month? I am already excited for my next box, since it should be arriving the day before my birthday. If you think you want to try Stitch Fix for yourself, click on my personal referral link here, you won’t regret it!

https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/4517397

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love always,

Jillian Wade

My Hilarious Talking Dog

Some way, some how…my dog, Cooper, has developed a hatred for baths, water, and really anything else a typical Golden Retriever loves to do.  I like to joke sometimes and say I got a “defective” retriever.  Aside from the fact that he isn’t your average goldie, he is highly intelligent.  So much so, that he has learned to “vocalize” words when he really wants something. Or better yet, when he really really DOESN’T want something.  This is not a trick I have tried to teach him, and honestly, I have no idea where it came from. But he is progressively becoming more talkative as the days go by.  I was fortunate enough to catch one of his “moments” on camera without even trying to.  I was trying to show how his mood changes whenever I ask him if he wants to take a bath.  He made it very clear that he did not want to take a bath last night.  You can hear the “NOOOO” in his howl!  Hopefully this video will cure your case of “The Mondays” with some laughter and cuteness overload!

Doggy Valentine’s Day Box

Valentine’s Day will be the first holiday I get to celebrate with my new co-workers. This year, we will be decorating boxes and passing out valentines to everyone.  Considering my competitive nature, I did not take this box-decorating lightly.  I am still the new girl in the office, so I had to bring my A-game.  Naturally, I turned to Pinterest for inspiration.  There was one box in particular that caught my attention right away.  It was a dog that appeared to be made out of a mop.  I immediately began drawing up my plans to recreate this adorable pooch.  Here is the adorable creature that forced me to get creative:

via Pinterest

I made a trip to Michael’s craft store to gather some supplies.  I wasn’t sure how the dog’s head was made exactly, so I had to get creative.  Here are the supplies that I used to create the entire dog:

Hot glue gun, yarn, packaging tape, masking tape, toilet paper roll, egg-shaped styrofoam, blue ribbon, googly eyes, red felt, and black pom-poms.

 

I started by taking a strip of masking tape that was equal to the length of each side of the box I was going to use.  I folded the yarn along the tape like the picture above.  I did this for each side of the box and did maybe 4-5 layers total. Then I would cut the center of each loop to give it that “shaggy” appearance as pictured below.

 

Then it was time to start cutting a hole on top of the box and form the frame of the head.  I cut out the hole with a knife after tracing out the desired size.  Then, this is where I had to get creative with the head.  I hot-glued a toilet paper roll to the box to form a neck.  I cut out an oval shape for the styrofoam head to set on with more stablility.  I also had to use some q-tips to pierce the base of the styrofoam head and into the body of the box.  I hot-glued this in place as well for better reinforcement.

 

 

I continued to tape the layers onto the box with packaging tape so it would be less visible on the top of the body.  I used scraps of yarn from trimming the other bits around the body to hot-glue onto the head of the dog. For the ears, I used q-tips and two cardboard cut-outs for the shape, and just hot-glued the strands of yarn to it.  I tied smaller ribbons around each ear for looks.  I also used a thicker ribbon for the collar around the neck.  Then I just added the finishing touches of eyes, ears, and tongue to the head, and the dog was complete!

I don’t think Cooper was a fan of the fake dog on the table, haha

 

 

 

And there you have it!  My Pinterest-inspired Doggy Valentine’s Day Box!  Who knows, maybe next year, I will have another box to create.  I hope you enjoyed my post today.  It was so much fun getting creative for this project.  Have a great rest of your weekend, and Happy early Valentine’s Day!

Love always,

Jillian Wade

 

Fashion Obsession: Mixing Navy + Black

We all can name a fashion “faux pas” that we usually try to avoid on any given day.  We try to play it safe by the “rules” that, in my opinion, are entirely outdated by today’s standards.  Rules like, “don’t wear white after labor day”, and “don’t wear black with brown”, don’t necessarily apply to us anymore. Who made up these rules? What century did they come from? Okay, well there are some fashion no-no’s out there that are valid. Those like wearing socks with sandals, or the visible black panties through skin-tight white jeans. But I digress. There are a few trends I am currently lusting over that I would have previously dismissed by my grandmother’s fashion advice. One of those consists of pattern and print mixing. Who would have thought plaid and stripes would be so brilliant?? I will dedicate another post to this trend later. What I want to focus on right now is pairing black and navy. Neutrals are my favorite colors to incorporate into my wardrobe. Two of the colors I wear the most of would be black and navy. When Pinterest and Stitch Fix  introduced me to the idea of combining the two, I was hooked. Contrary to its belief, neutrals almost always go well together. I say “almost” because it has to be done right. In my opinion, it is all about the shade of the neutrals in order to make it work. I have seen some horrendous pairings of brown and black that almost made me turn green. However, when the right shade of brown is used with black, it is simply perfection. The thought of wearing navy and black together used to make me shudder. This mentality I had developed really affected my shopping habits as well. If I found something I really liked in black, I would buy the same exact item in navy just to wear with other items in my closet to avoid the navy/black fashion no-no. But those days are behind me now, and I am embracing the fashion trend I once rejected. Still not convinced? Here are some pins from Pinterest and Stitch Fix that have me begging for more:

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Stitch Fix

via Stitch Fix

And to show you how I have incorporated this trend into my wardrobe, I snapped a quick photo of myself with some of my favorite basic items from my closet (with terrible camera lighting included, sorry!)

Black Peacoat: New York & Co.; Navy Sweater: J.Crew; Black Leggings: Cabi; Necklace: J.Crew Factory; Shoes: Nine West

Love Always, Jillian Wade

Birchbox: January 2015

I am starting to love my mid-month packages these days!  It seems all of my subscription boxes were delivered within the same week this month, so I have some catching up to do!  My Birchbox arrived in the mail a little over a week ago, but I wanted to take my time using some of the samples before I gave you an honest review on these products.  I learned from my last box that some products require multiple uses before you see results.  I liked this box much better than last month’s, because I have actually incorporated them into my morning beauty routine.  They are products that actually match my lifestyle, and some I plan on purchasing in the near future.

How cute are these boxes?!

 

1.) theBalm cosmetics Stainiac

 

This was surprisingly my most favorite item of the box this month.  I have always been terrified of bold-color lipsticks and lip stains.  I just never thought it looked good on me, as I prefer natural shades and nudes. I mean, my chapstick has always been good enough for me. When I opened my box, I looked at my husband in horror, because the stain just looked too intense for my taste.  He knows that I am not adventurous when it comes to my make-up. It was a deep berry color, and it even doubles as a liquid blush.  After some encouragement, Hunter convinced me to just give it a try.  Hesitantly, I applied a small amount to my lips.  And to my surprise, it gave my lips the perfect amount of color without being overwhelming.  Now, this lip stain is my final step in my morning makeup rountine, I am hooked!  I wanted to show you an example of the subtle color this stain gives you.  After I tried to take pictures of my lips for this post, I realized that I will never have a future in “lipstick modeling”, so I quickly deleted the horrendous photos for your best interest.  You’re welcome! 🙂

2.) Essential Elements Wake Up Rosemary Body Lotion

 

I got some lotions in last month’s box that I was not pleased with, but mainly because they were hand lotions.  I just don’t use lotion on my hands often, so I was happy to receive some body lotion in this box.  I have used it a few times, and I love it so far!  Some people might turn their nose up at the smell, since it smells hippie-ish and somewhat like a medical product.  However, I love using Rosemary, and other essential oils primarily for the benefits they provide.  If the smell does annoy you, it is only brief since it dissipates relatively quickly after you apply it to your skin.  It does it’s job as a lotion, and that is all that matters to me.  I may not purchase the full-size product, but I love using it while it lasts!

3.) Miracle Skin Transformer Treat & Conceal Eye & Face

 

This product is another one of my favorites from the box.  I am still not sure of what it is supposed to “treat”, but it is one heck of a concealer.  I think this tiny sample bottle will last a very long time since you don’t need to apply much to your skin AT ALL.  I use it on a few blemishes that appear from time to time, and it truly covers everything you want to hide.  It also does a great job at minimizing the appearance of pores.  This is definitely the best concealer I have tried in a very long time.  Whenever I finish using this sample, I will definitely buy a full-size version of Miracle Skin.

4.) Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream

 

I am a huge fan of this stuff!  I don’t think I need a cream to hide wrinkles or dark spots at this age, but I really enjoy how awake my eyes feel after applying this product under my eyes.  It is not oily, which is always a huge concern of mine.  My skin feels tighter around my eyes, and gives it a little extra moisture before I apply my makeup in the mornings.  I also apply it to some other areas of my face just to feel a little more rejuvenated for the day.  I will definitely purchase this very soon, as it has already been incorporated into my daily routine and I can’t live without it!

5.) Curl Keeper by Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper Gel

 

I don’t have curly hair, but I do “scrunch” it from time to time.  I thought this would be a great product to use for the days I chose to go “wavy”, but it wasn’t everything I had hoped for.  Maybe I didn’t use it correctly, but it didn’t help my curls or waves hold very well.  I will try it one other time, and if it doesn’t work, then I will toss it for good.  But for now, I don’t plan on purchasing a full-size version of this any time soon.

 

I love testing out all these new products every month, and I can’t wait to get my next box of goodies.  They just keep getting better every month!  Thanks for reading, and keep checking back for more reviews on my subscription boxes very soon!

Love Always,

Jillian Wade

 

BarkBox: Two “Paws” Up!

I don’t think I have properly introduced my fur-baby to you all yet, but since this post is primarily based on his spoiled-rotten lifestyle, I feel that it is only appropriate to tell you a little about the second man in my life.  His name is Cooper, and he is a 2 year old European Golden Retriever.

Ever since I was old enough to walk, I have always had a passion for animals.  Dogs in particular.  When I look at old photographs from my childhood, I was always holding a stuffed animal dog, or playing with one of our family dogs in every single picture.  I don’t think I have ever NOT had a dog until I left home to go to college.  I remember begging my parents to let me get a dog when I was away at school, but after several failed attempts to convince them of my dog-ownership potential, they convinced me to wait until after I graduated.  After all, I can (kind of) understand why they said no for so long, since owning a dog costs money, which I personally did not have much of when I was in nursing school.  So when my parents asked me what I wanted as a graduation gift, I chose none other than a puppy to call my own.

Cooper has been one of the best gifts I could have ever hoped for.  Everyday, he brings me so much joy and happiness.  And I think any dog owner could agree with me on this, but the love I have for this dog is unsurpassable.  He is as smart as he is handsome, and brings a smile to anyone he meets.  So, when I heard about a subscription box that is just for dogs, I couldn’t help myself but to shower him with even more love than he already gets.

BarkBox is a monthly subscription box delivered to your door, filled with all sorts of toys and treats that will certainly get your dog’s tail wagging.  A portion of the sales go towards helping animal charities and homeless dogs, which makes me feel even better about using this already awesome service.  So when it finally came in this week, I think I was almost as excited as Cooper to open it up and see what was inside!  So let’s see what Cooper was spoiled with this month…

“I am so excited to open this box, Mom! What’s in it??”

“…almost there!!”

Cooper’s absolute favorite item was the “Cuddle Monster” stuffed animal from the picture above.  The arms of this toy have crinkly plastic inside them, and it sounds like you are trying to open a peppermint (but way louder).  The squeaky of course is his favorite part, which almost sounds like a duck call.  All I could think about was how much fun he was going to have with this toy until he finally gets that “prized stuffing” from inside.  This is precisely why I only buy him toys without the stuffing inside, since he tears through them within hours.  Supposedly, this toy is “double reinforced” to prevent that from happening.  So far, it has lived up to its promise and I am very impressed!  Needless to say, he can’t go anywhere in the house without his new toy between his teeth.

He also got some holistic treats and snacks in the box.  The one I am not too fond about is the Alaskan Salmon Strips.  Cooper LOVES them, but I hate, hate, hate the smell of fish.  They are like Fish Strip “rawhides” and I hate when he eats them in the house (GAGGG!).  But, my husband loves to give them to him, so I can’t fight it.

Cooper brings so much love and joy to our lives, and we have been truly blessed to have such a special dog.  Hunter and I love doing anything we can to give him the happiness and love that he unconditionally brings us every day.  BarkBox allows us to do that for Cooper , and I love seeing his bushy white tail wag frivolously in approval!  Cooper gives it “two paws up” and is anxiously waiting for his next delivery of doggy surprises next month!

Thanks for reading about Cooper’s first BarkBox, and I look forward to sharing more about Cooper with you in future posts!

Love Always,

Jillian Wade

Stitch Fix #1: Working on a Good Thing!

It’s here, it’s here, it’s FINALLY here!! After weeks of eager anticipation, my Stitch Fix has made it’s way to my Nashville door step.  And I can’t wait to show you the goodies I received in my little brown box!  In case you were wondering, Stitch Fix is a monthly subscription where you get a personal stylist that sends you five items of clothing and jewelry based on your unique sense of style.  The concept is so simple.  You complete a questionnaire based on your style preferences, sizing, and other interests and pay just $20/month to have hand-selected clothes delivered to your door.  The $20 fee will be applied to any items that you choose, and if you decide to keep it all, you get a 25% discount!  Umm, yes please!  I had to give it a try, and now I am hooked.  Let me show you what my stylist, Jordan, chose for me this month!

I wanted to give my stylist as much feedback as I could on every item, but there is a word limit in all the comment boxes on the Stitch Fix website.  I had a lot to say, so I directed my stylist here to my blog so I can get an even better Fix next month.  I told her that I was starting a new job this month, and I needed work-appropriate attire.  She selected some gorgeous outfits, and I was anxious to try them on!  So let’s begin, shall we?

1.) Eamon V-Neck Gathered Waist Dress, Bobi Black, $118

Hellooooo ta-ta’s (yikes!) Not really a work-friendly dress in my opinion, haha.  I had some high hopes for this little number, but I definitely don’t do V-Necks, especially this low of a cut.  I love solid color dresses and tops, and I was digging this burgundy shade, but I just wasn’t feeling the fit of the dress on me.  I would have dressed it up with a statement necklace and some black tights, but I knew it wouldn’t have changed my opinion on the cut of the neck.  I prefer a round neckline because revealing too much cleavage is not really in my comfort zone.  I love the length of the dress since I have such short legs, and anything longer than this would have completely turned me off.  However, the price of this dress does not reflect on the quality of the fabric.  If I am going to spend $118 on a dress, I don’t want it to feel like thin spandex.

Verdict: Returned.

2.) Meredith Colorblocked Silk Blouse, Daniel Rainn, $78
and…
3.) Emer Brocade Print High Waisted Cropped Pant, Margaret M, $98

So, I paired this blue blouse with the black pants that Jordan selected for me.  I had been asking for a similar pant of the same brand, but these were definitely not the ones.  But I will get to that in a moment.  I am still debating on how I feel about the blouse.  It is definitely my style, my FAVORITE color, and work-appropriate.  My husband even said it looked like it was definitely something I would wear.  I just don’t usually wear sleeveless blouses, because the arm hole opening hangs down too low beneath my armpit.  It was so low that it showed my bra, so I knew I would not want to take off a jacket or cardigan if I wore it out anywhere.  The fabric was also very thin and sheer for the price, and it just didn’t feel like a $78 shirt.  The back of the shirt is all black and very sheer, and I would prefer the shirt to be blue all over.  I may kick myself later for returning this shirt, but if I don’t immediately love it, then it wasn’t meant to be.

Now, let’s get back to my opinion on these pants.  They sure do look great in the picture, don’t they?  I requested a black skinny pant that I had seen on the Stitch Fix blog several times and they looked so comfortable!  Well, I got some from the brand I wanted, but they were just so wrong on all kinds of levels.  They were black with a “brocade” print.  Gross.  I HATE prints.  Especially BROCADE.  Let me show you a close up with and without flash.

See what I mean?  And don’t even get me started on the material.  You know the sound a windbreaker jacket makes?  I don’t want to hear that when I wear my pants.  They felt crunchy, itchy, and very stiff.  Like I said, it was just so wrong.  I really liked that they were more of a high-waist fit with an elastic waistline.  The length was perfect for my short legs, which is the first time that has ever happened.  But $98 for crunchy, loud, gross pants is just not going to happen.  If they were the pants I originally wanted, I would have definitely paid $98 for them.  But please, no more printed pants…I beg you!

Verdict for Blouse: Returned.
Verdict for Pants: No. Definitely no. Returned.

4.) Alan Cowl Neck Asymmetrical Cardigan, Market and Spruce, $58

This cardigan was not working for me either.  It is definitely something I would have chosen in a store to try on, but would never purchase it.  The cardigan was itchy, it felt sort of cheap, and it had a zipper to turn it into a jacket.  Well, it was an asymmetrical zipper, and I don’t ever wear anything with an asymmetrical hem or zipper.  It just felt weird when it was open because the zipper made it heavier on one side.  I love the color of the cardigan, but the I couldn’t get over the texture.  If I could compare the material to something, it would almost be like burlap.  I would have liked it to be a little longer as well, but it just wasn’t for me.

Verdict: Returned.

5.) Arturo Fleece Jacket, Bajee Collection, $58

I had requested a nice peacoat for this fix, but this isn’t exactly what I had in mind.  I want a thick jacket that will keep me warm during this brutal winter.  This jacket was just too thin for my taste, and again, it just felt cheap.  Not to mention, the zipper was asymmetrical.  I loved the length of the coat when I put it on. I just don’t need a black coat that will show all of Cooper’s white dog hair all over it.  I want a good peacoat in my next fix, but preferably cream/tan or navy in color.

Verdict: Returned.

Overall, I really had fun trying on all these cute clothes.  Jordan, you did a great job selecting these items for me! I hope my feedback is helpful to you for my next fix! I am already looking forward to my next fabulous box! I just have a few more requests of what I am seeking for next month.

Things I don’t like: Asymmetrical Zippers, asymmetrical hem lines, cropped pants, printed pants, V-Necks, corduroy

Things I LOVE:  Solid Colors, stripes, plaid, gingham, round-neck tops, cowl neck sweaters, 3/4 length knit tops and dresses.

Colors I LOVE: Neutrals (greys/black/white/cream/tan/navy), shades of green (olive/hunter), navy and black combinations

Specific items I need: Peacoat (navy/cream/tan), Dolman tops (look at my pinterest for the specific ones I want), plaid scarves, solid color scarves, khaki or tan (pants/leggings/jeggings) (equestrian style), casual knit tops to wear with jeans (preferably stripes/solid colors)

Stitch Fix Specific Items: Daniel Rainn Chevron textured blouse (sleeveless/black shirt), Renee C Melody Cowl Neck Dress, Gold Kaitland Spade long necklace, Navy Emmet Classic Peacoat, Jimi Faux Fur Hooded Peacoat (cream color), Harlan Plaid Infinity Scarf, Kyle Striped French Terry Dress, Grey/White ¾ sleeve dolman knit shirt, Nikolai Floral Sequined Blouse

The dress code in my office is “corporate casual”, so I can incorporate some casual knit tops into my work attire!

I hope you all enjoyed my post! If you decide to try Stitch Fix for yourself, use my personal referral code here: https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/4517397
Thanks for reading 🙂

Love always,

Jillian Wade

Dollar Shave Club: First Review

I have been a terrible blogger over the last week since I started my new job, and I have a lot to catch you up on!  It is the middle of the month, so that means all of my subscription boxes are starting to show up at my door step (YAYYY!).  Now it is time to share my reviews and opinions on all the products I have received thus far. So I told you about Dollar Shave Club and it’s awesomeness in a previous post.  Now that my husband has had a full month of using this service, I can share his thoughts and opinions about his new razors!  In case you missed the last post, Dollar Shave Club is a monthly subscription that is incredibly affordable, and convenient.  Not to mention, the quality is unsurpassable.  Every month, DSC delivers you a fresh supply of blades to change out every week.  The cost ranges from $3-$9 depending on the number of blades you choose.  According to my husband, Hunter, these are the best razors he has ever used. Hunter chose the 4X razor, and he says it is the closest shave he has ever had.  The handle is sleek and aesthetically appealing.  He doesn’t have irritation on his neckline anymore, and he really likes that he doesn’t have to keep re-shaving the same area twice.  Plus, The Easy Shave Butter is one of his favorite products to shave with now, since it makes his face feel even smoother after his shave.  I am just glad I don’t feel his itchy stubble anymore, so it is “wifey-approved”.  Don’t tell him I told you this, but I secretly used his razor once, and I LOVED it!  I think I am going to get some of these razors for myself next time.  DSC also carries other products that Hunter is eager to try.  One in particular is the “One Wipe Charlies”.  I don’t think this item needs any further explanation (haha), but he is definitely a fan of wet wipes! If you want to try Dollar Shave Club for yourself, use my referral link here:

http://shaved.by/bJBYt

It would make a great gift for your man for Valentine’s Day, and it won’t hurt your wallet either!  I will keep sharing Hunter’s reviews on Dollar Shave Club, so stay tuned next month!  Thanks for reading and I hope you try this awesome service for yourself!

Love Always,

Jillian Wade

New Year Resolutions

When I reflect on my past new year resolutions, I realize that I have not truly given enough thought into what I would like to change, or what I would like to work on.  I notice a lot of my goals tend to be unrealistic, or just cliche like most other resolutions.  I have spent a lot of time thinking over the past week as to what I would realistically like to accomplish, and things that would be beneficial for me.  And I don’t want to pick just one goal.  I want to work on all aspects of my physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.  So what are my New Year Resolutions for 2015?  Well I am glad you asked.

1.)  Drink more water.  I can’t emphasize enough how important water is on the effect of one’s overall health.  I admit that I definitely don’t drink near as much water as I should, and I think everyone can agree with me on that.  I am lucky to get even a glass or two of water in per day.  Often enough, I make poor choices by consuming more soda that anything.  It tastes great, and satisfies that caffeine fix I crave for the day.  I most recently replaced sodas with Gatorade G2, since it tastes better and has only 45 calories.  But it is still not the best choice for my body.  I decided it was time to finally put my goals into action.  I now only allow myself to drink water with each meal, rather than drink a Dr. Pepper with my meals.  If you haven’t noticed, fluid intake occurs most often during the day with your meals.  And if you are like me, you find yourself drinking more than just one glass with a meal of whatever beverage it may be.  So that can amount up to 6 glasses per day already!  I only have two more glasses left to drink throughout the day, which is a lot easier to do in my opinion.  Water also plays a key role in the appearance of your skin.  When you are dehydrated, your skin cells essentially shrink, and can cause wrinkles to become more visible.  You may even notice a more oily complexion as your body tries to compensate for the lack of hydration, and ultimately produces more oils.  When you are hydrated, your skin appears more radiant, even-toned, and perfectly balanced.  Just be patient, and give this idea a try.

2.) Be more organized.  My life can be a little messy at times, and that is when good organization skills can come to the rescue.  The mess that I can create in my house is what I would like to consider an “organized mess” because only I know where I have placed certain items among the mess.  But there are times where the mess can get out of control, and I no longer know where everything is.  I decided to embrace a new approach to better organization.  Simply doing small, quick chores every day can keep your home and workspace in order so you don’t have to clean up a larger mess and spend even more time doing so.  Over the past week, I have dedicated one day to re-organizing each individual room, and creating a plan to KEEP the room in order.  Monday, I focused on the bedroom.  My closet was chaotic, the side tables filled with unnecessary junk, and the dresser over-flowing with shirts and pants.  I went through all the clothes of my closet, and tossed the items I no longer wanting, or items I have not worn in the past year.  If I didn’t intend to wear it in the coming year, it was going in the donation bag or the trash.  I removed all the terrible wire clothing hangers and replaced them with space saving, and aesthetically appealing hangers. I tossed all the junk from the side tables and gave every item an appropriate space to stay.  As for the dresser,  I refolded and reorganized the drawers to create more space.  Also, I got rid of some items that I no longer needed or wore, just like I did with my closet.  I have decided to dedicate every Monday to maintaining the cleanliness of the bedroom, which also includes washing the sheets and vacuuming the carpet.  I taken the same concept and applied it to the other rooms of my home.  I will try create a separate post of my weekly cleaning routine, and let you know how it works out for me over the year!  Just remember that if you take it out, put it back when you are done.  It could not be any easier than that!

3.)  Be a better friend.  I am so lucky to be blessed with a wonderful husband, and amazing friends and family.  I moved from North Carolina to Nashville, TN in 2012, and I left all of my friends and family behind.  It has forced me to make new friends, and lovingly embrace the new members of my family.  I have never been a person to just call up a friend or family member for no particular reason, but over the years that I have spent separated from the special people in my life, I have realized that it is more important than ever to do these small tasks.  I find myself so out-of-the-loop when I travel back home for holidays and events because I have failed to maintain steady communication with my dearest friends.  It makes me feel so good when a friend calls me just to see how I am doing.  I want to be that kind of friend this year.  Showing someone that you are interested in their life is the kindest gesture you can do.  It is true that people love talking about themselves, and I feel that not enough people take the time to show interest in learning about other people’s lives.  I want to try to ask people how they are doing and what they have been up to more often this year.  Not only will I build better and stronger relationships with the ones I care about most, but I will only develop new and stronger relationships with those I would like to know better.  Give someone a call today that you haven’t talked to in a while.  I guarantee you will make their day a little better!

What are your New Year Resolutions?  Did you find mine helpful?  Try to do something that would improve YOU.  Ask yourself the true purpose behind the goal you have set.  If you are trying to lose weight, why are you setting this goal?  If you are doing it for your own self-esteem and health benefit, then that is GREAT!  But, if you find you are doing it to meet someone else’s approval, or plan to cause harm to yourself to achieve that goal, then you are not really achieving anything.  Do something that will make you feel like you have at least made progress, even if you have not yet achieved that goal.  And don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get to your goal.  Look back at the accomplishments you made along the way.  That is success to me.  Have a great rest of your day, and thanks for reading!

Love Always,

Jillian Wade

Sunday Doodles

This should be a rather short post tonight, but I wanted to share what I have been working on this evening.  I am very passionate about creating my own artwork for my home.  Our guest room features most of my fashion paintings, since I have appropriately given it a “Sex and the City” theme.  I frequently get requests to do similar paintings for family and friends, so I thought I would share some of my projects with you.  I start by doodling on a piece of computer paper to refer to as I translate it onto a canvas.  I tend to paint “iconic” high fashion pieces, like Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, Hermes, etc.  I am considering creating custom paintings to sell online.  So if you are interested in a painting of a specific item, let me know and I will try to create something just for you!  Here are some examples of what I have done in the past:

Classic Christian Louboutin black pumps

A quote from Sex and the City incorporated into a dress

Manolo Blahnik pumps

And here are some examples of my doodles before I paint on a canvas:

Sketch of a Birkin bag

Sketch of more Louboutin pumps

Sketch of Manolo pumps

Sketch of Louboutin pumps with studded points

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend, stay tuned for more information about my paintings and completed projects!

Love always,

Jillian Wade