Currently Obsessed

{NARS velvet matte lip pencil in "Cruella"}

Thanks to my endless makeup addiction, I recently became a VIB (Very Important Beauty Insider) in Sephora's rewards program. That little silver card comes with its fair share of perks, mostly in the form of free goodies. For my birthday month, I received two of Nars' lip pencils. I'm obsessed with the matte deep red shade "Cruella" which I'm wearing in my birthday post. Not only is the color bold, but it stays put all day long, even after meals! I also love the pencil design since it's easier to control the application - I line the outside edge of my lips first, then fill them in so the color is even. See my other fave Nars velvet matte lip pencil shade here.

Uniform

I call this look my unofficial uniform because it's always my go-to outfit when I feel like I have nothing to wear. To me, there's nothing easier to throw on than a basic tee, skinny jeans & a statement shoe. I scored these bordeaux strappy heels at a BCBG sample sale for $25! I'm obsessed with the gold detail on the chunky heel. 

I don't know if it's just me, but finding the perfect t-shirt is a lot harder than it should be. Either the fit is off or the fabric is too stiff. This grey v-neck, however, is perfect! It has all the qualities I look for:

deep v: check

super soft: check

a little oversized: check

slightly sheer: check

Now I just need to find one in black & white! 

Grey V-Neck Tee - Zara

Black Skinnies - Current/Elliot 

Bordeaux Chunky Heels - BCBG

Blue Mirror Aviators - Ray-Ban

Gold Watch - Michael Kors

Lipstick - MAC "kinda sexy"

Nail Polish - Essie "devil's advocate" (last seen)

25

I've always loved birthdays - maybe because I've had so many great ones. When I still lived at home, my mom would wake me up by singing "Happy Birthday" and eat homemade chocolate cake in bed. I find it totally acceptable to eat cake for breakfast since everyone knows calories don't count on your birthday! 

I've had people ask me lately if I'm dreading turning the big 2-5 or if I'm having a quarter-life crisis, but I am happily welcoming my 25th birthday. I am 25 years young today and I could not be happier with where I am in my life. Maybe I have a reverse Peter Pan complex in that I can't wait to grow up. I've never been the party girl - I'm an old soul at heart. I find comfort in knowing that the best time of my life is still yet to come. I look forward to getting married one day and starting a family. My twenties have been about chasing my dreams and finding myself, so cheers to another year of becoming the woman I want to be. 

Black/Olive

We shot these last weekend after a long day filled with errands. Greg and I were prepping for an early birthday getaway to Big Bear which we've since had to reschedule to next month because we've both been sick. I've been in bed binge-watching "Friends" on Netflix trying to recover from the flu & pneumonia all week and I'm just now starting to feel somewhat human again. Really hoping I'm back to 100% by my 25th!

Olive Green Shirt - Zara (sold out)

Black Leggings - T.J. Maxx

Over-the-Knee Boots - T.J. Maxx (last seen)

Black Quilted Leather Bag - Zara (last seen)

Aviators - Ray-Ban

Gold Watch - Michael Kors

Lipstick - Revlon "kiss me coral" (last seen)

Crock Pot BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders

{BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders}

I used this recipe I found on Pinterest for Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork as a base, but revised it just slightly. It's so easy - I was able to throw it together in about 2 minutes before work. I simply seasoned our pork shoulder with garlic powder and Johnny's seasoning (Greg's personal favorite), covered it with a can of Dr. Pepper, and turned the slow cooker on low for 10 hours. The meat just fell apart when I added Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce and shredded it with tongs. We  served ours as mini sliders on Hawaiian sweet rolls...so delicious! 

Red Carpet Style: Golden Globes 2015

It's my favorite time of year...red carpet season! The Golden Globes kicked it off and did not disappoint! My fashion heart exploded after seeing Emma Stone rock an embellished jumpsuit with that dramatic bow! Some of the trends I loved were plunging necklines, pops of canary yellow, and of course sparkles & feathers à la Julianne Moore. Who was your favorite of the night?

{My Picks for Best Dressed at the 2015 Golden Globes}

Crock Pot Chicken Fajita Soup

{Chicken Fajita Soup}

My parents bought Greg & I a Crock Pot for Christmas, and it is quickly becoming my favorite thing in the kitchen! I scoured Pinterest for Crock Pot recipes and landed on this Chicken Fajita Soup. It is so easy to throw together, and only takes about 4 hours to cook! We topped ours with fresh tomato & avocado, with tortilla chips on the side for dipping. The end result was flavorful & hearty - highly recommend for a chilly night!

Over-the-Knee Boots

{Arturo Chiang "Everly" over-the-knee boots}

I scored these amazing black leather over-the-knee boots from T.J. Maxx a couple of months ago. At first, I wasn't sure exactly what to pair them with, but now I find myself reaching for them every other day. I love to wear them casually with black leggings and a plaid flannel shirt. Or dressy, with a black silk dress & a plum fur vest. How do you style your over-the-knee boots?

2015 Pantone Color of the Year

{Pantone's Color of the Year: Marsala}

To kick off the New Year, I wanted to share Pantone's 2015 Color of the Year. Marsala is described as an earthy red wine tone, which is great for not only apparel & textiles, but also beauty products and home decor. See a few of my Marsala finds below. 

nail polish

{Essie "angora cardi"}

lipstick

{MAC "party line"}

apparel

{Zara top with back strap details - PS it's on sale, I just bought it last week!}

home decor

{Target throw blanket}