2014 Resolutions Update!

I used to have a monthly resolution, something I did for several years, and I even shared a couple of those years on the blog. And then last year I switched to weekly resolutions. It was tough! This year, I found this online and decided to give this a go. Let's see my results so far:

Bad Habit: Diet Coke
Status: Fail. I always do well until the summer

New Skill: Improve my photography
Status: Every class I tried was for dslr cameras, so I need to find a basics course for my good old point-and-shoot

Person I'd Like to Be Like: Anyone who doesn't care what others think of her
Status: I've made great progress within the past year with self-esteem issues. I still have more work to do!

Good Deed: Inspired by Kerry, I want to do RAKs.
Status: I bought a stranger's coffee and gave someone change. Not exactly world-changing, hehe.

Place: Disneyworld (but I've been there before!)
Staus: DONE

Book: I didn't have a specific one
Status: I've read several, which is way more than last year. I don't see how you bloggers have time!

Letter: Still thinking about this one
Status:  none

New Food: Black spaghetti
Status: It's just like regular spaghetti, but made with squid ink. What else should I try?

Better At: The fact that not everyone will like you. This is a fact of life that I can't stand, and has taken me a long time to learn.
Status: Still learning.

And since it's Memorial Weekend, the unofficial start of summer, I leave you with this advice (found on The Olive Tree):

Have a great weekend!

Be safe, behave, and be well. 

Love,

Elle

PS: 

$100 Target Giftcard from Sonia Kashuk for Target--ends 6-30

2014 Resolutions Tag!

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2014. Are you doing any resolutions? For the past few years, I did monthly resolutions. For 2013, I did my resolutions weekly (never again--that was too much). This year, I wasn't going to do any until I saw the pic below on Pinterest:

Sounds like fun and completely doable, right? Martha thought so too, and said I should make it into a tag. So I'm tagging YOU! You can go ahead and completely fill it in, or do like I am, and posting about each one as I do it. I can't wait to see your answers, so play along! This year is going to be great--I just know it!

Rants + Raves, The 52 Project: November

Hope you're ready for a big post! My posting schedule got out of whack last week, so I was unable to post this then. Enjoy.

Every week in 2013, I'm attempting a new resolution. I call it The 52 Project.

November's 52:

• no caffeine--I didn't drink any, but did have chocolate without thinking about it.
• saying NO--I have a hard time with this, as I such a people-pleaser. I managed to really do this--one of my big accomplishments this year.
• more confidence, less insecurity---I worked on this and felt I made some big strides.
• thankful--This was too easy, as I am a thankful person daily. I used to do the 30 Days of Thankful, but felt silly doing it since it's how I start my day.

This month's resolutions will be those that I failed to do during the year. I can't believe I'm almost done with this project!

Rants

• So I have recently lost 40 lbs, and only my mom noticed! Maybe everyone else noticed and chose not to say anything? We'll see at Christmas. Did you see my Slimfession about losing weight?
• Driving. I'm over it. Yes, it was so, so worth it, and I'd do it all over again, but I'm tired of the commute and gas money! I hope that doesn't come across as I'm a bad person.
• Drowning in email and my ever-growing list of things to do. I took my computer this weekend to get work done, but it just didn't happen. I was too busy holding a baby! :)

Raves

• Thanksgiving with family--always worth raving about!
• Thank YOU for reading and commenting!
• I got everything decorated for Christmas! I especially love my ornaments from my travels around the world. 
• I finally saw Catching Fire! Loved it.
• I got to meet my 15 month-old niece, Maddy! I don't get to see my other brother that often, so it was a treat. She was a cutie.
• My new baby niece Stella is here! Totally worth the 5 am, 5-hour drive to get all the kisses I wanted. Her middle name is after my beloved, late great-granny and she was born on the 6th, just like our Sugar. Stella has a temporary Angel's Kiss mark on her eyelid, which I'm convinced is a kiss from our granny. She was famous for leaving her lipstick on your face when she kissed you.

Random

• I got stuck in a Christmas parade route--this is the 2nd time this has happened in my life (the first being in Willacoochee, Georgia years ago)! I cranked up the Christmas tunes, threw pennies out the window since I didn't have candy, and I waved. I'm so weird.
• Since I spent most of my time at the hospital, I really got to see snippets of life. A talented baseball player leave before his child was born (I'm not sharing his name here). A young new mother leave to smoke just hours after having her baby and then leaving every 2 hours to continue her habit. It just made me even more thankful that my baby niece won't have to start off life with so many obstacles but yet feel hopeless that I can't help those others babies. Such is life.
• I think I may have lost my small-town country girl card. I had an awful time driving on wet dirt roads and in the dark. I guess that officially makes me a city girl?

Giveaways

• $50 Gift Card
• Pulsaderm Cleaning Brush

The 52 Project: October AND Rants + Raves

Weekly, I attempt a resolution. I share it monthly here. 

I call it The 52 Project.

Last month was my BIRTHDAY MONTH, so I had high hopes for completing resolutions. Let's see how I did:

Week 1: No Beauty Buy October--Ok, this was more of a monthly resolution than a weekly one, but I DID IT!

Week 2: No TV--I didn't watch TV, but I did watch movies, tv shows via On Demand, and all of that was on my TV. Fail.

Week 3: 7 Acts of Kindness--This was around the time of my birthday and to celebrate, I planned on doing 7 RAKs. I made it to 4, and when my birthday came that Friday, days 5-7 went out the window. I want to do this again in December.

Week 4: Do Something Fun Every Day--I'll be elaborating more on this in an upcoming post with Folgers, but I did do something fun, no matter how silly, for an entire week. I've been trying to do it daily ever since.  

Every Sunday (or today in this case) I share my highs and lows of the week. 

Add yours below!

RANTS:

• Fulton County car tag phone system--ugh!! I cannot stand incompetent and rude people.
• The weather! It was in the 80s last week. Where was autumn? Nice and chilly today though :)
• I had a slew of unfollowers on Instagram. Too many Charlie pics? Nope. Never enough!
• Horrible PMS, which explains why the rants above bothered me more than usual. I'm pretty mellow most of the time.

RAVES:

• It was great hanging out with friends all weekend, but I still have that nagging Blogger's Guilt that I can't let go of (like returning emails, visiting blogs, editing pics, etc). I really worked on leaving the phone on the table and out of my hands.
• FINALLY finished a movie from Netflix that had been sitting there since August. Yup.
• FINALLY watched Portlandia. Sure, I'd seen some of the skits, but never watched any of the eps. Love the theme song by Washed Out (he's from GA!). Here I was thinking I was all cool a couple of years ago when I first heard W.O. I had no idea everyone else already knew this song, thanks to Portlandia. Anyway, funny show.
• A couple of docs I watched and liked: The Stories We Tell and Dreams of a Life.
• UGA beat FL! Barely, but we won! Did you catch my post on the party?
• I just wanted to thank YOU for being so supportive with my sponsored posts I've had lately. I do not decide when those get posted, so I apologize if it seems that all of my content lately seems sponsored. I am blessed to have these posts, as I've desired to have a successful blog that earns a little something to help with my beauty habit. ;) And when you comment on my posts, it helps me fulfill that dream. Again, thank you.

*Please come back at 5pm, as I have a video hair tutorial for you!!

This week's giveaways (please enter):

• $100 Giftcard via Almay
• Another $100 Giftcard from Almay ENDS 11-15
• Win the Ultimate Party with Tiziano! ENDS FRIDAY

Rants + Raves and The 52 Project

Hey you! How was your weekend? Mine was great and flew by (the best ones do). I've got a huge post today, so let's get into it:

Rants:

• I'm very fortunate to work with BlogHer, which allows me to earn blogging income (thanks for your support on those posts!) and I was copying/pasting a post I had written for a deadline. I accidentally deleted my post and when I hit undo, nothing happened. It was still blank. I was pretty upset to have to rewrite the whole dang thing right before it was due. 

Raves:

• My weekend road trip! I had a wonderful,  relaxing weekend in North Carolina. I have a lot of friends who are Libras, like me, so we celebrated everyone's birthday early. 
• The weather actually felt like autumn. It was delightful. I hiked around, listened to this stream right below the cabin, and soaked up the sunshine. Nights were spent around the fire, all cozy and warm, complete with s'mores. I think it was what I needed. 
• I went apple picking, for the first time ever.  I'll have pics of that on here later in the week!
• Almost 100% well! Finally.
• I won the huge giveaway over at Krysten's Why Girls Are Weird blog. Made my week!
• I've been featured some places around the web lately, and wanted to share, here!
• PopSugar (BellaSugar)--5 Fall Faves on a Budget
• Bangstyle--Beauty Blogs Worth Checking Out
• Southern Blog Society--B2S Nail Art
• Tastemaker Magazine--If you love starbucks you'll love @elleseesyou Starbucks Fall body scrubs! Check out her blog!… http://t.co/WuLfj62guM

What are your Rants + Raves of the week?

September in Review:

• Fall is here! My fave season!
• My fave post of the past month: DIY Fall Starbucks Body Scrubs
• My fave decoration at my house this past month
• Any easy fall mani--Revlon Moon Candy in Satellite
• Apple picking (more on that later this week!)
• The month of the Sickness That Never Ends 
• First #psl of the year
• Charlie, in deep thought
• Me, finally feeling better!!

For every week in 2013, I tackle a new resolution. I share the results here.

I call it The 52 Project.

Well, September is almost over (fastest month of the year, it seemed to me) and I'm so disappointed in myself. Ugh. Read on:

• Week 1: Say No...I have so many product reviews and blogging events (a good problem to have) that I'm having to turn them down for the time being. I was beginning to feel overwhelmed, since I was so sick and not able to do much of anything. Result: Success!
• Weeks 2 & 3: No resolutions...too sick! Result: Fail
• Week 4: Visit 10 new blogs each day....I've slacked off on visiting new blogs and I needed to remedy that. I ended up visiting around 20.  Result: Fail

But let's end on a positive note. I have giveaways for YOU!

• $100 Target gift card and RuMe case
• 16gb Mini Tablet from CitiCard!

The 52 Project: August and Rants + Raves

Every week I tackle a new resolution.

I share the results here monthly. 

I call it The 52 Project.

August wasn't my most successful month, resolution-wise. And that's perfectly okay. Check out my weekly resolutions for August:

1--Get Organized

• I've tried really hard to rely solely on my memory for everything I needed to do. I just can't do it. I've found the best thing for me is to just admit I need lists and calendars; the method that's always worked. Success

2--Compliment Strangers

• I'm shy, an introvert, I have a hard time with eye contact. Blah. We've heard it all before. So for this week I really tried to compliment a stranger. I had the kidney infection around this time, so I was unable to complete it. I will do this again. Fail

3--Step Out of My Makeup Comfort Zone

• I love neutrals, but decided to mix it up. No one said anything at work that they noticed (which is fine by me). I tried colored eyeliner one day, red lips another, purple shadow another day, and then I headed to my hometown for the weekend. I went back to my normal makeup routine. Fail

4--Find Something Positive Daily

• I was kinda down, but reminding myself of how blessed I am really helped. And the things that bothered me seemed so dumb after that. Success

August via my Instagram: Me in yellow// First #PSL of the year// Cupcake Bath Bomb//

Nephew's 4th//Me in teal// Charlie being adorable//

Fave post of the month// Hometown// Fave nails

August has never been my favorite month, despite its definition of being majestic. Usually, I approach the month with dread, but this year I was determined to be positive. August had other plans.

I started off the month with a painful kidney infection. And then I found out I didn't make the finals for the Ponds contest. I had a wonderful weekend visiting family for nephew #2's 4th birthday, and that was a highlight. And then I ended the month with Ms. Anonymous leaving a negative comment. Let's just say I'm glad it's September. Autumn is my FAVORITE time of year!

On Sunday, I share the highs + lows of the week.

Rants:

• An anonymous, one-timer visited remarked my hair was bad and that I was ugly. Say what you like about me, but not my hair. ;) I still consider it a great accomplishment that I post pictures of myself. It's still hard for me. It stung for a bit, but didn't last long, as unfortunately, it wasn't the first or last negative comment. But that's what happens when you put yourself out there. You can't please everyone. Life is good.

Raves:

• A long weekend! I thought for sure I'd be working today, so I'm feeling blessed. I enjoyed the weekend with friends, hanging out, watching the UGA game, watching movies, cleaning the apartment, and recording videos.
• This will sound so awful and shallow, but a highlight of the week was getting my hair done. It felt remarkable, as always. It's my one splurge. I'm very picky on hair stylists (perhaps from hanging around my Grandmother's salon my whole life?) and have had enough bad cuts and color to prove it.
• This is my 1000th post!!!

How was your August?

The 52 Project: July

There's no way it's August. Impossible. But it's here. And just like usual, I devote each week to a different resolution. I call it The 52 Project. July was a re-do month, devoted to completing past months' failures. Let's see how I did:

• Working Out--I've been walking, and while it's not Instagram-worthy, it is certainly a first "step" so to speak. Bonus: I've given up Diet Coke! I only drank these on weekends and when traveling, but still.
• Reading a Book--I used to always have a book in my hand, but blogging takes up almost every free moment. I'm checking emails, visiting blogs and commenting, responding to comments, and writing posts (my fave part!). I would spend every second blogging if I could, and luckily my friends remind me to actually have a life. I managed to read a couple of books in July and a weekend in the mountains certainly helped.
• Go to Bed an Hour Earlier--I've never been a good sleeper, so I'm up 'til midnight and up at 6 the next morning. It has taken its toll and I look awful. I went to sleep an hour earlier 3 out of 7 days. Not bad, but not like I had hoped.
• Time Management--Ok, the week is still in progress, but I am KILLING IT this week with the time management! I have such a short attention span, plus I am unable to multi-task. Letting myself do one task at a time, and only doing that task for a set amount of time has really helped. 

So that's it for July's resolutions. Let's see what I did this past month:

• I hit 100 followers on YouTube! Do you follow me on YouTube?
• Finally cashed in over $100 in change and cleaned out the medicine cabinet. Is it sad I'm really proud of those things? #nolife
• My fave DIY of the month were these Cupcake Bath Bombs. Did you see them?
• 4th of July curls and stripes selfie...it rained, so no fireworks for me!
• Braves game--we beat the Cardinals!
• Amazing pool party for charity at my apartment. I won a hotel stay in DC!
• Got my hair "did" this month! I always feel better.
• Roses always make bad days better.
• Charlie was very patriotic this month. My nails last month were based on that Rocket Popsicle!  July's nails were my Sandy Sea Nails.

Enter to win a Mason Pearson hairbrush! SO many ways to enter, too.

The 52 Project: June

Happy 4th of July, America! I have the day off, but it's rainy, so I'm not sure what plans will be. Be sure to keep up with me on Instagram. But let's talk about today's post. For every week in 2013, I'm doing a different resolution. I call it The 52 Project, and I'm halfway finished! I cannot believe how fast this year has been. Let's check out my goals for June:

Focus on the Positive

• I tend to focus on my flaws or what needs to be improved in terms of my life, self, blog, etc. Instead, I worked on focusing on what I like about myself, my life, and the blog achievements I've made so far. I did okay on this, and was surprised I did as well as I did.

Post Everywhere with No Makeup

• Oh, I love an Instagram filter. If only I looked that way in real life, right? I decided to post a pic on Twitter and Instagram of me with zero makeup! Gross, but I did it! Would you?

Shyness

• We all know I'm shy and awkward, but for some reason this year I'm working on it. I made it a point to talk to someone new everyday and looking them in the eye (a past resolution).

Have No Choice but to Enjoy Everyday

• During the week of the previous resolution, I told the cashier to have a nice day, and he told me he had no choice not to. I thought that was amazing! What a positive way to approach life! And I've been doing that ever since.

For July, I'm focusing on a weekly goal that I failed in past months.

June in Review:

Yes, I have three pics of myself here, but I see it as I've come a long way with feeling comfortable taking pics of myself and being in front of the camera. Videos have helped!
Charlie, just because :)
The Pool--My home away from home
Mountains + Covered Bridge--A fun weekend in Helen, GA
The Bling Ring--I went to a screening. I liked it!
Rocket Popsicle Nails--A little something summery and patriotic

The 52 Project: May (Plus Vlog!)

Every week in 2013 I give myself a goal.

I post them on Instagram and the monthly roundup here. Enjoy!

Not Comparing Myself To Others--This is a constant struggle of mine, especially in the Blogging World.  I know I can't compare when it comes to looks or amount of followers, to name a couple of examples, but I proved I could let it go this week. Now, I just need to work on it daily. I just need to "do me." And "me" is pretty dang awesome. 

Rely on Yourself For Approval, Not The World--I did ok with this goal. I don't want this to sound like I have no confidence in myself. I do, in many things, but not all. I can see how much I've improved with this, and I'm proud of that! 

Just Breathe--I've always thought of myself as The Calmer when it comes to my friends and family. I calm everyone down, tell everyone it will be ok, take on the worry, but sometimes it gets to me. It causes me to worry about silly things, and my people-pleasing side goes into overdrive. I chose this resolution the week I was at the beach. It's hard for me to enjoy myself without wondering if everyone is happy, having fun, if my family is ok, if the blog stats are normal, etc. Crazy, right? But I did this week. I put the blog into the hands of some wonderful guest posters, turned off my email, didn't bring my computer, and didn't worry about a thing. It was refreshing. 

Be Patient--It has been said by many a person that I have the patience of Job when dealing with others. But when it comes to myself, I have zero patience. I was awful at this weekly goal! I want good things to happen NOW and need to be patient and realize they will happen when it's the right time (or ever).

What goals do you have?

May In Review:

• Charlie, with his summer 'do...cutie!
• My Beach Trip! Embarrassing vlog below, but every year my friends and I head to the FL Panhandle for fun and relaxation. This year was no different, with 10 of us in a condo! Lots of memories were made. I miss it already.
• Smashing Pumpkins Concert--Billy's still got it!
• My Sister's HS Graduation--This was so bittersweet because I can't believe she's an adult now (!!!) but I am so proud of her! I love you, Holly!
• Monthly Nails--I am such a fan of mint. It's ridiculous. 
• The Instagram Drama--I had my annual giftcard to Sephora giveaway. The winner was randomly chosen, and once I confirmed it, I announced it. An entrant wasn't happy with how I announced the winner and (not officially, but I mean really) accused me of a fake contest, fake winner, etc. It was so upsetting and frustrating. I'm shy and take a lot of crap, but not when it comes to my character. I was touched by how y'all saw the ridiculousness of the situation and stuck up for me. That turned a low into a highlight. Thank you.
• Beach Selfie--Note: I've never taken selfies on the beach. Ever. This trip, I took two.
• Green Man Fountain at Atlanta Botanical Gardens--Go visit! Spring was everywhere and it was so pretty.
• Glasses! I've got some eye issues and have had to wear glasses! I hate myself in glasses, but this pic was actually my most ever "liked" on Instagram. Hmm.

Monthly Vlog:

How was your May?

The 52 Project: APRIL

So every week I share a different resolution on Twitter and Instagram. 

Monthly, I share my recaps here. 

I call it The 52 Project.

I am proud to admit I've never had Writer's Block when it comes to composing posts for this blog. If anything I have too many ideas (971 drafts await). But when it comes to more personal posts, I tend to hem haw around and they take hours to write. I get such crap about this not being a personal blog (everyone wants (a) a personal blog, (b) a style blog, (c) a blog about Charlie and I want (d) none of the above), but when I do share a personal post, it is my least-viewed and commented! Yeesh! I figure my life is far better-suited to the social media of Instagram and Twitter (plenty of adorable Charlie Brown pics there). It's impossible to please everyone. That's just one of the things I learned in April.  April was, by far, a MUCH better month than March, results-wise. Check it out:

Stop Listening to Others & Trust Myself
I wrote a whole blog post on this. Sometimes I just miss obvious things and interpret life too literally--this is where I need YOU to help me out. I love taking your advice, and most of it has been helpful. My blog and I thank you! But sometimes it just doesn't feel right and I feel pressured to do the "popular thing" to get more readers, views, etc, because it's what all the bloggers/books/advice say to do. I'm finally just trusting myself, and while I've always enjoyed blogging, I enjoy it a lot more now.
Would I Do This Again? YES YES YES

Make a Video
Ok, that whole thing about not listening to others? Um, yeah. Since I've started this blog I've felt pressure to make videos. Technology, budget, know-how and a huge amount of shyness stopped me from doing making them. However, in honor of my third blogiversary, I knew it was time and, trusting my gut, it felt right. It is one of my biggest blogging accomplishments and personal goals. I am not exaggerating when I say I practiced that 3 minute video for over 2 months, every day, out of nervousness. The "funny" bits happened on the spot, though. You all have been incredibly supportive and super sweet about the videos. That means so much to me.
Would I Do This Again? YES! I've made five videos so far and have posted three (new one on Friday). I still don't enjoy making them or feel comfortable in front of the camera, but I like editing them, and I'm striving to get better every time. I know it will happen and I can't wait.

Eye Contact
This month of resolutions was so serious, right? Again, for the billionth time, I'm very shy. Eye contact freaks.me.out. Only if I love you or have known you forever am I able to look you in the eye. But for one week, I made myself look people in the eye the entire time I talked to them. I went a step further and held their gaze until they broke it! That was huge for me. I'm sure I looked like a crazy lady. I think I forgot to blink. Making videos helps with it too.
Would I Do This Again? Yes, but I'm not as actively into it as before, however, I'm still doing it when I catch myself.

Let It Go
I tend to worry too much about everything, but especially this silly little blog. Did I visit every blog that stopped by today? Did I "like" all the Instagram pics? Respond to emails? Tweets? Visit new blogs? Improve my photography skills? Make my blog successful? And on and on. I spent the whole week not worrying the blog, spending much-needed time with family, and just letting go. There are also private things I let go worrying about, but I'm not sharing those here. No worries.Let it go.
Would I Do This Again? YES YES YES! This project has been so eye-opening for me, and even though I've done this for years as a monthly resolution, I feel like I'm really seeing powerful results. I'm getting there.

Instagram Recap for April:

l-r

Charlie, contemplating life; beach trip; Charlie, looking cute;

my hometown; Happy 3 year Blogiversary to ElleSees; spring arrived in Atl;

Me, in glasses; baby sis turned 18; Selfie

The 52 Project: March in Review

How was your weekend/Easter? More on mine, below. So for every week in 2013, I'm doing a different resolution. I used to do this monthly, but decided to mix it up this year. I share my resolutions on Instagram with a monthly roundup here! Let's get into this month's results! March was the Month of the Sickness. I completed one resolution. ONE! Here's to hoping next month is better.

• Eat Alone
• Result: I was sick, so I didn't do it. 
• Would I Do It Again? Yes!
• Sick in Bed, forgot about resolutions...didn't make any...does "getting well" count? ;)
• Read a Book/Eat Alone
• Result 1: Didn't read the book, which is disappointing, as I'm a fast reader. I've got to work on carving out a life for myself, instead of being so obsessed with blogging. 
• Result 2: Finally! I did it! It was weird, and I was constantly checking my phone, but it got easier as the dinner went on.
• Would I Do It Again? Absolutely!
• Get Better at Time Management
• Result: Horrible at this, especially when it comes to blogging. I've got to be more efficient at this. I failed miserably!
• Would I Do It Again? It is on my repeat list

Past Resolutions and If I'm Still Doing Them:

• Make Bed Daily
• yes!
• Write Down Everything You Eat
• no
• Attend a Blog Event
• yes!
• Go to Bed an Hour Earlier
• only when I was sick
• Drink only water
• no
• Spend no money
• no
• Walk with my chin parallel to the ground
• yes!
• Exercise 5 days a week
• no

March in Review (clockwise l-r): 

• Charlie, the cutest pup ever
• Coconut Grove candle from Target, because I've got beach-fever
• Mint nails, mint watch for spring
• Iwi Fresh Spa blogger event
• I love stripes, headed to another event
• I have Lemsip sent over from the UK because I swear it works when I'm sick!
• Quick fishtail braid before brunch
• Spring is finally here!
• Me, before I got sick! :/

Cutest bunny ever

Yesterday was Easter, and it was Charlie's third birthday. He doesn't like natural dog treats, so he didn't have a cake (although I would have). For Easter, I wore this dress I was sent from Eshakti. You've heard of them, right? They're a website of women's fashions that you can customize and that are affordable. This dress is similar. I added wider straps and added pockets, because who doesn't love pockets? Seriously though, I recommend them!

Thanks, Eshakti

Windy Easter, but look at our hair!

The 52 Project: February's Results

Pics via Instagram:

Oscar party, Puffs Event, tulips for Valetines, monthly selfie, EOS in a champagne coupe,

Charlie, annual trip to Helen, GA; favorite polish

How was your weekend? I am slap tired from mine! I had some good friends I rarely get to see drive down from Charleston to see me. We had so much fun! We stayed up so late talking that I'm writing this on four hours of sleep. That totally ties in with The 52 Project! Every week in 2013, I'm taking on a different resolution Want to join? It's not too late! Pick your own weekly resolutions and share them with us! Here are my results for February:

• Make Bed Daily
• Result: I did it!
• Would I Do It Again? Yes, but it's pretty much only made a couple of times a week--usually if friends are stopping by. I see that as an improvement!
• Write Down Everything You Eat
• Result: I did it! This was a Reader Request.
• Would I Do It Again? Sure, but I have a eidetic memory, so I remember it all anyway, so probably not!
• Attend a Blog Event
• Result: I did it! This was my favorite success of the month!
• Notes: I admit, Fate and Fear have played a part in me not attending any sort of blog events in the past. I'm the shyest, quietest, most awkward girl. I was really nervous because I knew I wouldn't be as pretty as the other girls, or as young as them, or have fancy clothes. Sounds so silly, right? But this time, Fate worked, and I attended the Puffs & Dress For Success event. Puffs donated to the cause, which helps women get back into the work force after difficult circumstances. I've donated makeup to them (yes, you can even donate used sanitized makeup), so this cause meant something to me as well! I was very late, due to work/traffic, and was terrified when I arrived, but surprisingly, I was recognized by other bloggers. And they were SO SWEET. In my mind, there are about 5 of y'all that read my blog, so to know real life people that I wasn't related to/friends read my blog blew my mind. I did leave early due to nerves, but I was proud of myself. And I realized I'll never be a style blogger. They are so much more beautiful in person than on their blogs! And taller, hehe. 
• Would I Do It Again? Yes! I have another event this month!
• Go to Bed an Hour Earlier
• Result: FAIL
• Would I Do It Again? Yes. I did this because everyone around me is getting sick, and I know when I'm tired, my immune system shuts down. I work on the blog until 11 or midnight, and then I need an hour or so to get my mind to settle down. I tried going to bed around 10, but only did this two times out of the week (actually three since I'm heading to bed in just a few minutes). I did a lot of posts, but my page views went way down, and I wonder if it was due to the fact that I wasn't networking until midnight like usual. 

For the first week in March, I'm dining in a restaurant alone!

PS: Have a resolution you'd like me to try? Let me know in the comments!

PopSugar Must Have Box: February

How was your weekend? I did the usual routine of running errands, cleaning, and Netflix. I also played around with some new beauty products, of which many I'll be featuring this week on the blog. First up is my PopSugar Must Have Box for February. The box is $35 a month, features full-size products and premium items worth over $100 in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, food, and more. If you're looking for a box that has a little bit of everything, you'll love this box. I love it and it's my favorite subscription box. PS: Use the code REFERFRIENDS to receive $5 off your first order! Let's see what's in the February box, which is all about love and pampering:

Fashion: Brokedown Wrap--This soft wrap (like a soft towel with velcro) is perfect for after the bath/shower or while you're getting ready for the day. This is the background in the above pic.

Fashion: Hanky Pankys--I have to say I wasn't expecting this in a box! The colors varied, but I received pink. I also have to say I love these, want more, and will not be modeling these on the blog. ;)

Food: Mariebelle New Yoke's Tresor Box--These cacao nibs from the shop in SoHo are just right for those times when you want a little bit of chocolate or to top off a dessert.

Beauty: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic--I already have this shade and love it! It moisturizes and stains the lips. I'm giving this unopened one away, so if you'd like, leave a comment saying you want it and I'll have random.org pick a winner!

Entertainment : Safe Haven book and Song Download--I admit I've read only one Nicholas Sparks book and it made me cry. I've seen the Notebook and it made me cry. Therefore, I'm expecting this book (now a movie) will make me cry. If you've read/seen it, let me know if it's good!

Home: Connoisseurs Quick Jewelry Cleanser-- I needed this! The gel and toothbrush set works on gold, platinum (um, don't have any), and gemstones.

Extra: Conversation Hearts--I've not had these since I was in elementary school! 


PS: For this week's The 52 Project, I'm attending a blogger event! My first ever! I'm scared, nervous, anxious, and have almost talked myself out of it a hundred times, but the time has come. Wish me luck!

 Add me on: Twitter         Instagram         Pinterest

Elle in January

 

January Highlights

How was your weekend? Did you watch the Superbowl? For my weekend I did my annual tradition of viewing the Oscar nominated Animated and Live Action Shorts. I'm such a movie geek! I watched the Superbowl at my friend Jvan's new house! It was nice to have a break from hosting a party. And can we talk about Beyonce?? Even if you aren't a Queen B or Destiny's Child fan, you have to admit that was a SHOW! 

But back to the post--let's share some Elle in January, shall we?

• I started off with the traditional black eyed peas and rice with greens for good luck in the new year.
• I shared lots of beauty tips on Instagram--post on these coming soon. Follow me, if you'd like.
• I began my The 52 Project--a different resolution each week! My first week was drinking only water (pictured).  Last week, I vowed to make my bed. Success! This week is via a Reader Request--to write down everything I eat!
• I featured lots of drugstore reviews on the blog, too.
• Speaking of reviews, I completed the Clear Shampoo 7 Day Challenge (pictured, right) and will post it soon!
• My blog had its highest daily views, so thank YOU for that!
• It was also a year since Sugar passed away, and I was actually ok. The pink rose (pictured) made me think of her.
• And of course, Charlie was as cute as ever! ;)

How was your January?

PS: It's officially LOVE WEEK on the blog! 

Scroll down for Valentine's Day Sweet Ideas!

The 52 Project: January

Hi! How was your weekend? Mine was great. I admit, I was a little apprehensive because it was officially a year since my beloved Sugar passed away (I'm still thankful for those of you who guest posted for me a year ago), but I was fine, and spent the day celebrating life. I traveled to where I used to live to see my friend's new twin girls! So precious. Even though I lived there for around 13 years, I felt like a lost tourist, and it didn't feel like home or familiar anymore. Has that ever happened to you? Atlanta is where I belong. Do you like where you live now?

But back to this post--it's time for the latest The 52 Project update! Each week in 2013, I will attempt a different resolution. I'm mentioning the resolutions on my Monday posts, with more day-to-day updates on Twitter and Instagram. I feel like the small updates will fit better on those social media channels. I will then do a big monthly post recapping each week's progress for that month, and that's what I'm sharing today! Here we go:

Week 1: Drink only water
Result: I did it!
Would I Do It Again? Yes!
Notes: I was dreading this, but wanted to start the project off with a big challenge. I usually would have a glass of water a day prior to this resolution. I had a headache for the first three days, but that was due to a stomach bug. I found myself drinking over 64 ounces a day! I didn't notice any change in my skin (it was only a week) but I did feel more tired than usual. A little TMI, but I felt like I had bad breath the whole week. I didn't add fruit or any flavoring to the water. Now that the challenge has ended, I still find myself drinking only water while at work, with plans to occasionally have soda, coffee, and sweet tea.

Week 2: Spend no money
Result: I did it!
Would I Do It Again? Yes! But it's kinda impossible to do every week!
Notes: I am admittedly very frugal in general, but spend my money on entertainment with friends, be it movies, dinner out, and so on. I completed this challenge, but felt like I cheated since I used a giftcard for a coffee and a friend (who didn't know about this challenge--sidenote: only my closest friends and family know I even have a blog. I'm very shy.) took me out to dinner. Friends came over and cooked to watch the game, so that was fun and entertainment! I went to Goodwill (thrift store) with a friend and had fun looking at everything. It was like being broke at college all over again! It isn't a realistic resolution to do every week, but occasional spending bans, are helpful.

Week 3: Walk with my chin parallel to the ground
Result: I did it!

Would I Do It Again? Yes! This is a permanent resolution for me.

Notes: I'm not yet at the point where this is a natural occurrence but every time I catch my head down, I perk right up. The pic below is the cutest motivation: 

Week 4: Exercise 5 days a week

Result: FAIL FAIL FAIL

Would I Do It Again? Yes, yes, yes

Notes: Sigh. I can't stand letting myself or others down. I had the best intentions, but excuses and life took precedence. As the saying goes, "If it's truly important, you will find a way" and I didn't. There is always tomorrow, right?

This Week: Make my bed every day

I am a neat person and fairly organized, but once I moved into my first apartment, I quit making my bed. I have no idea how/why this started, and it always bothered Sugar, which made me giggle. Anyway, I once read that to change your life, start with little changes, like making your bed. And that's exactly what I plan to do. I plan on exercising as well this week, too. 

Did you make resolutions? How are they going so far?

Would you do a weekly or monthly resolution?

PS: If you have a resolution you'd like me to try, please let me know!

Want more? Follow Elle Sees on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Product Test Drive: Simple Skincare and Ponds

How was your weekend? I took Charlie to the vet--he was limping and turns out his knee pops out. It's fine for now, and I was upset, but I feel better after talking to the Dr. I also started watching Sons of Anarchy--a show everyone's been trying to get me to watch for years. And I watched the Atlanta Falcons lose, but congrats to the 49ers! Finally, I had my weekly ritual of exfoliating. I have sensitive skin, so I have to be careful what products I use. Speaking of, I thought I'd share with you some products I was sent and have been using for a couple of months. Check out my reviews:

First up is Simple--Sensitive Skin Experts. If you're looking for basic, easy-on-the-skin skincare, I suggest you check them out. I've reviewed other Simple Skin products here.

• Exfoliating Facial Wipes--I found these to be pre-moistened super exfoliating and they made my skin red. Instead, I use them on my feet to exfoliate. I use them to wipe off makeup from my hands and when wearing super heavy makeup or sunscreen. Those who are in the entertainment/theatre industry will love these.
• Refreshing Facial Wash Gel--This is a wonderful, nice, and easy gel wash. It's very cooling and washes away the day's makeup effectively. I use it with my Clarisonic or with a cloth and have had no negative effects. It's very gentle.
• Simple Eye Makeup Remover--This remover is gentle and feels almost like water. It didn't irritate my eyes or leave that film on my eyes--you know what I mean?
• Vital Vitamin Day and Night Creams--The Day formula is naturally a thinner version of the Night. Both work great as basic moisturizers and I experienced no break outs.

I was also sent Pond's products, a company many of us are familiar with, but check out the Luminous Clean line:

• Wet Cleansing Towelettes--These have soft white Kaolin clay in them, which works to draw out trapped makeup and impurities. These broke me out twice out of the four times I used them (I'm talking a pimple or two since I don't have acne) so I no longer used them. I generally have this reaction to clay as my skin is very dry, so those with oily skin will probably fare better.
• Daily Exfoliating Cleanser--This also has clay but didn't irritate my skin nor cause me to break out any time I used it. It's a pearlescent cream with gentle microbeads. It is a great exfoliating cleanser that isn't drying.

Have you tried either of these skin care lines? What do you use? Is your skin oily, dry, or combo?

PS: This week's The 52 Project challenge is to moderately exercise 5 days this week. Last week's challenge of keeping my chin parallel to the ground has been going well!

The 52 Project: Halfway Through January

Hey you! How was your weekend? Mine was pretty good, and I managed to spend no money. This leads me to today's post: an update! In case you missed my original post, I'm doing a different resolution each week of 2013. Some of these are big obstacles I want to tackle, and others will be little things, but they will all be important to me. For years, I did a monthly resolution, and wanted to do something challenging this year. Traditionally, odd-numbered years haven't been great for me, but I'm refusing to believe that this year. This year will be my best one yet. I just know it.

I'm mentioning the resolutions on my Monday posts, with more day-to-day updates on Twitter and Instagram. I feel like the small updates will fit better on those social media channels, but if there is interest, that can always change. I will then do a big monthly post recapping each week's progress for that month. I'm not choosing to share all 52 at once because I'd like them to be little surprises and I currently have more than 52 ideas. I want the resolutions to fall organically into place, as I whittle them down. Today only, I'm sharing my updates so far, since the project is still new, and as some of you may have missed it. Here we go:

Week 1: Drink only water
Result: I did it!
Would I Do It Again? Yes!
Notes: I was dreading this, but wanted to start the project off with a big challenge. I usually would have a glass of water a day prior to this resolution. I had a headache for the first three days, but that was due to a stomach bug. I found myself drinking over 64 ounces a day! I didn't notice any change in my skin (it was only a week) but I did feel more tired than usual. A little TMI, but I felt like I had bad breath the whole week. I didn't add fruit or any flavoring to the water. Now that the challenge has ended, I still find myself drinking only water while at work, with plans to occasionally have soda, coffee, and sweet tea.

Week 2: Spend no money
Result: I did it!
Would I Do It Again? Yes! But it's kinda impossible to do every week!
Notes: I am admittedly very frugal in general, but spend my money on entertainment with friends, be it movies, dinner out, and so on. I completed this challenge, but felt like I cheated since I used a giftcard for a coffee and a friend (who didn't know about this challenge--sidenote: only my closest friends and family know I even have a blog. I'm very shy.) took me out to dinner. Friends came over and cooked to watch the game, so that was fun and entertainment! I went to Goodwill (thrift store) with a friend and had fun looking at everything. It was like being broke at college all over again! It isn't a realistic resolution to do every week, but occasional spending bans, are helpful.

Week 3: Walk with my chin parallel to the ground (starts today!!!)
This will probably sound silly, and this is probably something that most of you do and don't even think about! But I tend to walk with my head down a little, looking at the ground. Although I do this to look where I'm going (super clumsy!) and to blend into the background, I know it comes across as I'm sad/low self-esteem, even though that's not true. I lived my whole life trying to look normal, be a part of the crowd, and trying not to be noticed, and I think it's about time I was.

Did you make resolutions? How are they going so far?

Would you do a weekly or monthly resolution?

PS: Please let me know what you would like to see more/less of on the blog. 

Your feedback is very helpful and appreciated! 

THANK YOU!

Want more? Follow Elle Sees on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.