2016 | Creating Happiness

The new year is always the perfect time to reflect on the things going on in your life, and make changes for the better. This year, I decided to forego the traditional resolutions that I always make, and just make a general commitment for this year. I am in such a great place mentally and emotionally, that I just want to continue that throughout this year and not let anything get in the way of that. With that being said, there are some things I'm introducing into my life that is helping me stay in a positive mindset, manage my stress, and be the best me that I can be. Today I thought I'd share some of my new favorite things that are helping kick my year off to a positive, happy start.

This instant happy journal is the epitome of what I'm trying to accomplish this year. I am trying to have more gratitude for every day that I am given, and reflect back on my own strengths and build my own confidence. This book has daily prompts to help you reflect on your current feelings and build your own "instant happiness". You can find your copy of this book here. I think this would make an extremely great gift for a friend, or also a fun gift for yourself. I've had similar books to this that already have dates built into the book, and I ended up forgetting to write in it some days, and then just gave up because I got behind. The good thing about this specific journal is that there aren't any dates built in, so you can go at your own pace, or even jump around from page to page if you wish.

One more book that I just finished up and LOVED was The Emotional Edge. It was a really powerful book about finding your inner strengths, and turning your fears into courage. I struggle a lot with irrational fears and anxiety, and this book really helped me work through some of those challenges and re frame my mindset. I have already recommended this book to a few friends and colleagues, and I definitely recommend you check it out! You can find it on Amazon here.

Another thing that I've been trying lately is meditation. I know, I know, it sounds a little crazy. I have always thought about meditation as something that is way beyond my lifestyle, and totally not necessary. I struggle with a lot of anxious feelings at night time, and often have an extremely hard time falling asleep and shutting my brain off. I have been meditating at night for a little over two weeks now, and I've never slept better or fallen asleep faster! I have been using the app Stop, Breathe, & Think and I highly recommend it. You "check in" with your current feelings of that day, and then it generates 3-4 options for you to choose from. Most meditations are around 5-7 minutes, which is perfect. I know it is a little weird, but it honestly has been a huge game changer in ending my day on a positive note. You can learn more about this specific app here, or you can download it in the app store.

This year is already off to an amazing start (other than the fact that I spent this weekend with the stomach flu) and I can't wait to start introducing more things every month that help me stay extra positive, thankful, and motivated to have the best year ever. Do you guys have any specific things you do to remove negative energy/people/things out of your life? Share below.

As always, thanks for reading.
xoxo, Jaimie

Glitter with Grace | 2015 In Review

2015 was a really great year for me. I went through major changes in my personal life, but I'm so thankful for every change that occurred. I'm so close to being done with my masters degree, and I am seriously on top of the world with how grateful I am for the people in my life. I thought it would be fun today to share my favorite products and moments from 2015. 

Favorite Makeup and Hair Products of 2015: 

BECCA x Jaclyn Hill Highlighter in Champagne Pop 

This highlighter is so beautiful! I don't always wear highlighter, but when I do, this is the only one I reach for. I get a lot of compliments when I wear this because it looks really great on my skin tone. It is the type of color that truly would flatter a lot of different skin tones. I also use this as an eyeshadow quite a bit! If you would want to see a blog post about how I apply highlighter and some tips and tricks, let me know! 

Loreal Infalliable Foundation

This truly doesn't require a lot of explaining. If you are a fan of medium to full coverage foundation, you need to try this out! It is such a good price at the drugstore, and it truly compares to a lot of my high-end makeup. I highly recommend this! 

Garnier Texture Spray

This texture spray has changed the game with my hair! I chopped my hair in the summer to a "lob" style haircut, and this spray has been my best friend since. I usually curl my hair with a curling rod, brush it out (I like it really messy and not looking curly) and then spray this all over. This adds such great texture and volume to my curly style to give me the exact messy look that I go for. I would highly recommend this affordable product to anyone who loves a good amount of texture to their style! 

Batiste Dry Shampoo

I've talked about this so many times on the blog, so it doesn't require much explaining. I've tried so many dry shampoos, and I can guarantee that this is the BEST one on the market at a reasonable price point. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a good dry shampoo that truly absorbs the oil in your hair and helps extend your style. They do carry an original version (without the brown tint) but I like the version for brunettes. I have repurchased this multiple times, and I've gotten many of my friends and family members hooked on this too! (I have an entire post about dry shampoo here)

Favorite Blog Posts of 2015: 

I have a lot of favorite posts from this year, so I'm going to share my top 5 most viewed posts from 2015.

1. My Wheel of Fortune Experience
2. Vacation Summary from Aruba 2015!
3. Prom Essentials | What You Really Need
4. My Favorite Blushes
5. My Top 5 Fashion Staples

Favorite Photos from 2015: 

Biggest Accomplishments of 2015:

I would say clearly my highest outstanding memory of 2015 was being on Wheel of Fortune. I'm not sure that I will have a memory that tops that for a really long time! Here are some other things that I'm rather proud of this year:
>>> Cruising through my masters program (I'm done in 6 months!)
>>> Balancing a full time job and a 400hr internship at an Elementary School
>>> Making myself a top priority and making so many memories with friends
>>> Doubling my blog views from 2014

Why I'm Looking Forward to 2016:

Do you ever have a really good feeling about something? Well I have that feeling with 2016. I don't normally fall for the hype of new years resolutions, but I have a feeling this year is going to be a major turning point in my life! Here's why:
>>> I'm going to be graduating with my Masters Degree at 23 in June.
>>> I'm hopefully going to be securing my first job as a School Counselor.
>>> I'm planning on relocating and moving in the summer to live completely by myself.
>>> This is the first year since I was 18 that I've been focused on myself as a top priority, and not another person.
>>> I have a LOT of fun things planned for the blog for this year, a lot of new blog series and posts that I can't wait to start.



I hope you all have a very happy New Year.
As always, thanks for reading. xoxo, Jaimie. 

My Month in 5 Photos | December 2015

2015 is over people. I can't believe it, but I've never been more excited for a new year to start. I believe the next year is going to bring a lot of change into my life, and I am looking forward to it! I will be graduating from graduate school, hopefully getting my first big girl job and starting my dream career! I'm here today to round up my month in 5 photos, per the usual. 

1. I had the opportunity to volunteer at a toy-drive with a friend and it was so inspiring! We helped the day before the actual event and just helped set things up. The photos below are just two rooms out of multiple rooms of items for families in need to have for the holidays. It was amazing seeing how many items were donated to families in need, and it really helps put things in perspective! 

My grad school cohort went to this place after class that is called the Family Fun Center, which is basically where I belong. I hit the jackpot on this monopoly machine and it took about 10 minutes for all 1,000 tickets to print out! It started to get embarrassing as I just stood there waiting and kids walked by looking like they wanted to cry. It was a great time, with great friends! 

My work had its annual christmas party, which was simultaneously a goodbye party for one of my close friends! I am lucky to have a few great friends which I work with, and unfortunately my closest work friend (I call him my work husband!!) is moving on to another career path and I'm sad to see him go! I obviously wish him all the best, and know he will succeed in anything he goes! It was a good excuse for some good drinks with good people though!

Santa brought this chick some new cowboy boots! I was so happy. I've been line dancing with my friend Lauren since this summer pretty consistently, so I wanted a nicer pair of boots since my current boots were extremely cheap! Santa brought both of us some new boots, and we got to break them in this past weekend! Mine are the ones on the right, the picture doesn't do them justice, they are SO sparkly in person!

I also started redecorating my bathroom this month. Once I got the shower curtain below for christmas, I immediately started getting black/white/gold items for the bathroom. I thankfully discovered gold spray paint which helped me transform some mason jars, and my shower curtain hooks to a perfect gold. I hung up a gold canvas and the room was immediately more my style! 

Did you do anything fun this month? Leave a comment below with your favorite memory from December! I can't wait for the new year, and I hope to bring these types of posts monthly.

As always, thanks for reading.

xoxo, Jaimie. 

The Makeup Eraser | Worth The Hype?

Today's post is a review of The Makeup Eraser. If you aren't sure what I'm talking about, here is a link to their website! I've seen so many people on my Facebook sharing information about this item and posting about it like crazy, it definitely intrigued me. It is a independent sale item (also now sold at Sephora), so I was a little hesitant if it was actually worth the hype, or if people were just trying to make their monthly commission goals.

What is it?

This is straight from their website: 
"The MakeUp Eraser removes 100% of your makeup with water only. Just wet the cloth and remove your makeup. This includes waterproof eyeliner and mascara, HD makeup and much more. The best part is...it's reusable. Throw it in the wash and no stains remain. The MakeUp Eraser will last up to 1,000 washes and eliminates the need to buy disposable product to remove your makeup. The MakeUp Eraser is a pink (also available in black & blue) cloth with a hand-sewn sateen edge that's plush and soft to the touch"

So the "magic" of this product is the material of the cloth and the way that is is sewn. It honestly still doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but that is what a few people have told me that sell the product.

How to use: 

It is really simple to use. You just get a little section of it wet (I use warm water) and then start to remove your makeup in circular motions. You can also use this right over your eye makeup in circular motions to remove your mascara/eyeliner. I then just hang it over my towe track for the night and reuse it the next day. This product basically repels water, so it doesn't drip water everywhere or make a giant mess, which is plus!

How did it perform?

This worked SO well. I honestly am so surprised at how well it worked. It instantly removed all of my face makeup and eye makeup and left my skin feeling so smooth. I followed up with a cotton pad and some toner to see if there was makeup left behind, and there was barely anything! It removed everything so well. I've tried this for a little over a week, and it's worked perfectly every night.

I was wondering how this would work with reusing it and washing it, so I wanted to make sure that I went through that process before writing my review. After I ran out of areas to use the towel with, I just threw this in the washing machine with a normal load of laundry. It removed all of the stains that were on it, and it has the same texture that it did before, extremely soft! Here is what my MakeUp Eraser looked like right before tossing it in the washing machine, after about 9 uses.

Overall Review: 

I highly recommend this! The $20 is a one-time price that gives you a way to remove ALL of your makeup multiple times. I am curious to see how long this does hold up it's quality, as it claims to be good for up to 1000 washes, which is insane. I do still love traditionally washing my face, I don't think I'll ever stop doing that, but this is a great alternative to makeup remover wipes, which are crazy expensive! I also think this would make a really nice gift for a family member or friend who wears makeup!

If you are interested in purchasing a MakeUp Eraser, you can reach out to my friend Brook, she sent me this product in exchange for a review and she was extremely nice to work with! Here is her website so you can order product through her link!! 

Celebrity Style Steal : Chrissy Teigen

Have you ever wished that you could own the same clothes as some of your favorite celebrities? I know I do, I scroll through my Instagram and just wish that I had the same closet as some of them!! Today I'm taking a few top looks from my one of my favorite celebrities and letting you all know where you can find these looks for less. If you have a suggestion for the next Celebrity Style Steal post, let me know! Today, we are featuring Chrissy Teigen, if anyone has followed any of my celebrity style posts, you would know that she is basically my style icon!! 

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I love this street-style look! The gray dress can be dressed up or dressed down, and looks so comfortable! I am obsessed with the olive green floor length trench, but couldn't find anything identical to it, it is very unique. I also love the strappy heels that she is wearing with this outfit, these type of shoes are really in style, and I think that these nude ones can go well with so many different outfits. 

Gray Bodycon Dress - $6.90

Olive Green Trench - $47.90

Nude Strappy Heels - $38.99

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This next look is adorable on Chrissy! The blouse is so delicate, but can easily be turned edgy with the shorts and scrappy heels. I was surprised to see that her blouse is from the LC Collection at Kohls! It is so affordable and looks much more designer than Kohls. I linked the exact match below. The shorts were hard to find an exact match, and it is hard to find something that material, that has that type of fit. The black heels really top this look off, this is one of my favorite looks of hers!

Gray Flower Blouse - $44.00 (EXACT Find!) 

Black High-Waisted Shorts - $22.80

Strappy Black Heels - $39.00

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This is such a cute, casual look. I love the hat, as it adds a chic touch to a very simple outfit. I unfortunately can't pull off those types of shorts, but I also think this would look adorable with a pair of ripped boyfriend jeans, and black heels or booties. 

Black Hat with Gold Band - $19.80

Black Sheet Panel Shirt - $23.99

Distressed Denim Shorts - $15.90

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Do you have any other celebrities that you wish you could get their look for less? Let me know and I'd love to try and find some of their looks for cheaper! 

As always, thanks for reading.

xoxo, Jaimie

Stitch Fix #2

Hi Friends!

I decided it was time to try out Stitch Fix again, since I had a fun experience last time, and gained a cute new shirt out of it (which I get so many compliments on!).

If you missed my first post about Stitch Fix, you can find that here. I really detail the entire process in that post, to how the payment works, and all of the fine details. Check out that post first if you want more information about Stitch Fix as a company!


Here is what I received in my second Stitch Fix Box.


 1. Eden Society - Sonya Wool Boyfriend Blazer >>> $108.00
This was a complete bust for me. This fit like a mans blazer, and wasn't flattering at all. It was a true wool piece, so it was very heavy and great quality, just not my style. I do like wearing blazers often, but the blazers that I have a very lightweight and flattering for my body. This was a bust, I also would never spend more than $100 on a blazer.
Verdict: Sent Back!

2. Staccato - Ginia Layered Cowl Neck Sweater >>> $58.00
This was a love/hate item for me. It looked like something that I would never wear, but once I put it on, it was actually pretty flattering and I could see it looking cute with a hat, or a scarf. Unfortunately, the cowl neck was a bit uncomfortable for me. Overall, I would definitely wear this piece if I kept it, but wasn't enthused about spending extra money on this.
Verdict: Sent Back

3. Alice Blue - Becker V-Neck Blouse >>> $44.00

I love this shirt! When I pulled it out, it immediately looked like something my size. It looked a bit boxy/large when I first looked at it, but once you put it on, it immediately falls really nicely to your body frame and relaxes really great. I go line dancing with friends quite a bit, and this top was adorable with jeans and cowboy boots, but I can also see this working nicely with work pants or dressed up! I am glad I kept this! 

Verdict: Obviously Kept;) 

4. Papermoon - Taluca Striped Pencil Skirt >>> $58

This skirt was adorable. It fit so amazing, and I don't normally love skirts. It was a tighter skirt, but looked very flattering and wasn't too tight by any means. This was also the type of skirt that you could easily pull up further, or fold over to make it shorter or longer. The only reason I didn't keep this was the fact that it was navy blue. I couldn't find anything in my closet currently that would look cute with this, and also didn't have any cute shoes that matched this great. I do regret sending this back, I really should have kept this as I do have a hard time finding skirts! 

Verdict: Sent back, wish I kept it!! 

5. Bay to Baubles - Holloway Stone Fringe Necklace >>> $28.00

Not much to say on this one. I thought it was a decent necklace, but for $28, no way! I have a lot of jewelry, and I prefer to go the affordable route with my accessories. I would never spend $28 on a necklace, let alone one that I wasn't sure I'd wear multiple times!! 

Verdict: Sent back! 

Overall, it was a decent Stitch Fix. I kept the one blouse, but wish I would have kept the skirt as well! Here is how the payment worked for this box: 

- When I scheduled my fix, I got charged $20.
- The blouse was $44
- I've already paid $20 for styling, so I then just pay $24 at the time of my exit survey online.

So in the end, you still are paying the price of the item, but if I didn't keep anything, I would basically pay $20 for nothing. It is a weird concept, but makes total sense once you do it! If you have any questions, or if I left anything out let me know and I will try my best to answer, or find you an answer!

If you schedule a fix through my referral link (Click on "Stitch Fix" below) I will receive a small commission that will apply toward my next Stitch Fix (which will keep great blog posts like this coming!).

Brazi Bites | Simple Gluten-Free Snack!

I had the fun opportunity to work with a brand called Brazi Bites. Now I've always been honest about working with companies on my blog, and that I don't accept offers/collaborations unless it is a product I'd truly use. I haven't worked with any food companies before, but when they reached out to me, I knew right away that this is something that I would actually buy in a store, and use. 

Brazi Bites is a Brazilian bread bite company, they are naturally gluten free, non-GMO, 100% natural, have no preservatives, no trans fat, no sugar, and no artificial ingredients! I had a hard time thinking of a yummy bread bite that was "healthier", so I figured I had to give this a try. I have a family member who can't eat gluten, so I also wanted to try this out as a future option for family parties. 

Flavors:
They currently have four flavors. Original, garlic asiago, bacon, and jalapeño pepper jack. As you can tell by the photos, I got to try all four flavors. My favorite from the four was the garlic asiago flavor!
My sister also tried these out and the garlic asiago was her favorite as well! Here are my overall thoughts on the four.

• Original: These were pretty plain, I can see these being really good for appetizer bites. Small pulled pork bites, or stuffed with cheese, multiple different ways to incorporate these! You could also just bake them plain, they were good!
• Garlic Asiago: Delicious! These had the perfect amount of flavor, they were so good! 
• Bacon: These were my least favorite, and I REALLY love bacon. The flavor of bacon was really overwhelming, the entire bread bite tastes like bacon, instead of having pieces of bacon in it subtly. 
• Jalapeno Pepper Jack: these were really good also! I don't love spicy foods, but this wasn't extremely spicy by any means. I think this would be a fun addition to any mexican dish you make. I liked these! 

Ingredients and Baking:

I took a photo of the back of the bag so you can get a good look at the nutrition facts, but I'd check out their website if you want any further information! Baking these were extremely easy. You don't have to thaw them at all, you just take them right out of the freezer and pop them onto a cookie sheet. I actually baked four of each flavor together on one sheet, which also worked out great. You heat the oven to 400, and bake for 20 minutes. For my oven, this was the perfect time, they came out perfectly. 

Texture:
I know that a lot of people worry about texture when talking about gluten free foods, and I honestly couldn't tell these were gluten free. I even had my sister try one, and then told her after the fact that they were gluten free, and she couldn't tell. The only thing I could notice is that it just wasn't quite as much of a savory texture, I'm not sure the best way to explain that. They were still very fluffy, and felt exactly like bread, they just didn't feel as heavy.

Where to buy:

I honestly, would highly recommend these. They taste really good, which is obviously the top priority, but there are many other benefits. These are so easy to bake, they keep in the freezer in a nice resealable pouch, and you put them directly on the cookie sheet frozen, so they truly take exactly 20 minutes to make. These are also great for entertaining at parties where guests may prefer gluten free treats. Brazi Bites are going to be made available in Costco Stores in the PNW this week!! I know I will for sure be picking more up as these are so handy to keep in your freezer. 

Also, Brazi Bites is going to be on Shark Tank on Friday, November 20th!! I think this is so cool, as I love Shark Tank! They were such a nice company to work with. 

Please let me know if you have any questions! 

As always, thanks for reading.

xoxo, Jaimie