Ayushi Woods Organic Lotions

I recently met the owner of a new company called Ayushi Woods. Ayushi products are awesome! They are trying to provide safe, healthy, and organic lotions, anti-wrinkle lotions, and other body products to their customers, and I love their values. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ayushi is offering my readers 25% Off your entire order, use coupon code lily25 at checkout. 

For the past couple of years, I have been using primarily organic foods and products, and I am so happy I have switched!! My favorite product in the Ayushi line is the Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Lotion. Read more about it below! 

• USDA Organic Certified
• Completely Vegan
• Cruelty-Free 
• GMO-Free
• 100% free from any Parabens, Petroleum, Formaldehyde, PEGS, artificial color or synthetic fragrance
• No Animal Ingredients/ No Animal Testing 
• Completely handmade

First, the Vegan Shine Lotion contains avocado oil, among lots of other natural ingredients. Upon first use of this lotion, its very nice and light. It's pretty scented, but it is definitely pleasant and natural-smelling, unlike a lot of lotions I've tried. This lotion isn't at all greasy, and my hands still feel very soft. It's rated USDA Organic, which is awesome! 

I loved these  clothing items as well! Find a White Button Up (similar here), High Waisted Shorts from Pacsun (similar here), Cute Coach Wallet (similar here), Necklace from JCPenney, and Ayushi lotions! 

Ayushi is the first company in the personal care industry to be the official sponsors of the Organic Farmers Association (NOFA) and helped raise over $15,000 for organic farmers in a 5k event. Learn more here.  

These Organic Body and Face Washes are the perfect size for travel if you're going somewhere for a long weekend. The Organic Sandal Body Wash has a strong sandalwood scent.

Here are a few of the lotions they make. Looking forward to trying out the Raspberry Almond, and the Lavender. The Anti-Wrinkle Lotion has the best scent of all of them. It's very light, like a breath of fresh air. Definitely hoping to incorporate this into my daily routine! Remember, use coupon code lily25 at checkout to receive 25% off your entire order! 

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Summer Fun!

I recently tried White Cheddar Skinny Pop, and Hubert's Raspberry Lemonade and I am in love!! They're actually a good combo for summer! I would definitely take this to the park or beach for a summer picnic. The flowers are from my new, favorite place near Carbondale, Chautauqua Bend Flower Farm. 

I also love this blanket by Domain, it's super soft and perfect for summer. I grabbed this bag from Sole Society a while back, and it has held up really great.

Those sandals, though! My favorite part of all of this is the Sam Edelman Studded Asbury Sandals. They're comfortable, very chic, and look amazing with everything I have paired them with so far. 

This popcorn is addicting! 

What are your summer picnic essentials? 

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L'Oreal Infalliable Makeup

Recently I was asked by L'Oreal to help promote one of their new Infalliable makeup lines that is perfect for summer. It's definitely more challenging keeping your makeup looking fresh when it's hot outside, and this makeup really stays put. I created this Dedicated Board to show you more!

I'm not usually one to wear much makeup, especially the full-coverage kind, but wow, it makes such a difference in my appearance! It's so fun experimenting with different color combinations, and it was also fun learning some makeup application tips from Katie at Fringe The Salon, who is a local salon-owner. She does amazing work and it was a lot of fun working with her. 

L'Oreal Infalliable Lip Colors 

The tutorial (below), was created by using some of the L'Oreal Infalliable products like foundation, powder, and of course, their Lip Colors. There were so many colors to choose from, and this stuff really stays put! Below you can see some of the content we created for L'Oreal! 

And below, you can check out the other photos we created for the project. This is one of my favorite projects to date! Check out my Dedicated Board Here. 

When I first learned about this project, I was a bit nervous because my face would be on full display for these. I had no clue how well these photos would turn out thanks to the help from Bobby and Katie at The Fringe Salon. Throughout this project, I also learned that makeup makes such a difference in photos, and this was the perfect project to break me out of my comfort zone. 

This content creation was sponsored by L'Oreal, and all opinions are 100% my own. Thanks so such a wonderful company for collaborating with me! 

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VISIT THE DEDICATED BOARD HERE

AZ Sunshine Lemonade

Earlier this year, we visited my parents in Cave Creek, AZ. It was a great time of year to visit, as the days were only mildly HOT and the nights were somewhat cool enough to wear lightweight pants or a long sleeve tee. The other great thing about being there in early Spring, was that their lemon tree was in full production mode, and even had a few blossoms still on it. I wish we could have taken home boxes of their organic lemons, so we could enjoy them at home, but they really only stay good for a few days after they are picked. So, we made as much lemonade as we could handle until our teeth hurt! We had a pitcher a day addiction going on!

INREDIENTS:

1 Part Lemon Juice (We used about 7-8 lemons for this)

3-4 Parts Water

1 Part Sugar (You can make a simple syrup at first if you want, although we didn't)

HOW TO:

We picked 7-8 lemons straight off the tree, cut them in half, and used an electric juicer to get as much juice out of them as we could. We then added the lemon juice to a pitcher, added the water, and sugar, and stirred. If you wind up making a simple syrup first, this is supposed to reduce the sugar from sinking to the bottom. Taste a bit to see if it is sweet or tart enough for your liking. Fill your glasses with ice, and pour the AZ Sunshine Lemonade on top! Enjoy!

I never grew up around fruit trees, and I love them! They do attract lots of bees, because of the little lemon blooms, but my step-mom made us a fresh batch of lemonade almost every day we were there! She has an electric juicer, which really does make things much easier for this whole process. Since we drank her super fresh lemonade, nothing from a bottle has tasted anywhere near as good. It all seems so bland, not tart, and loaded with more sugar than humanly possible. 

I like my lemonade a little bit sweet, and a little bit tart. Feel free to add more sugar if this is way too tart, but I do hope you enjoy the way we make our fresh squeezed AZ Lemonade! 

My little girls always helps me with my photos, poolside preferred! 

Farm To Table // A New Market in Carbondale, IL

Last week, Carbondale saw the start of a new Farmer's Market! It's super close to our house, and it is organized by one of my friends, Courtney Smith. This market is super convenient because it runs from 4-7 pm on Wednesdays, which is right before I would be making dinner. We ate all of the veggies right after I got home from my market visit, and had an amazing vegetarian dinner of mashed potatoes, green beans, and raw carrots for the appetizer! The reason I named this post Farm To Table is because I spoke with a couple, from Homer Grown, who were vending at the market. They grew most of the vegetables pictured below, and they seemed so incredibly passionate about what they do. They knew so much about each and every vegetable and bean picked, and would even grow you something you request! 

These organic carrots were so good! 

We chopped off the ends of these green beans, and then fried them in 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil, some chopped red onions, and one piece of bacon we had baked the day before for Bloody Mary's :) I didn't get a great photo of the potatoes, but we chopped up the red potatoes and white potatoes and boiled them with a little bit of salt and onion. After they were soft, I strained them, and added a splash of milk, more salt, and some butter. Just taste as you go, and see what you think tastes best. They were amazing with the beans! Beans (above) and Red Onions (below) from Homer Grown.

I also found myself some beautiful flowers from Flora Bay Farm. They're also from my friend Courtney, and she is great with floral arrangements. It's so fun to see what she grows each season, and I will definitely be making this new Farmer's Market a weekly thing! 

And, some super fresh BASIL! What a beautiful smell :)

Catnip by Flora Bay Farms

My Free People Reusable Shopping Bag and my market finds

Garlic Scapes by Flora Bay Farm

Isn't this the cutest Farmer's Market Stand you've ever seen? They built it and are proud that it helps identify the market to people who pass by and hope it makes them want to stop. Homer Grown has some of the best veggies around! 

If you're in southern Illinois, please visit the newest Farmer's Market in Carbondale!! 

Classic Stripes - Free People Denim - Brown Accessories

I love how classic a striped shirt looks, and I have wanted to try out some stripes for the longest time. I received this adorable shirt from Bikini Luxe, and it's super comfortable! I decided to pair it with my new jeans I got at the Free People store in Water Tower place in Chicago a few weeks ago. I have also been using my Sole Society purse quite a bit lately and thought it really fit the classic look I was going for. I also threw on my Lucky Brand Flats in a lighter brown color. 

The shirt is super comfy, and while it's long sleeve, I liked the look of it pulled up to a 3/4 sleeve. It's very loose and forgiving. The jeans are great! I got a lighter pair in Aspen Free People about 2 years ago. They are my absolute faves! They have held up really well and no other jeans fit like these do. I have shorter legs, so the cropped length is also perfect! When I came across a darker pair in Chicago, I bought two pairs, in two different sizes, and am so happy I now have three pairs. 

This purse is from Sole Society, but is no longer on the site! Shoot, sorry about that but you can find similar purses on their site here - http://www.solesociety.com/bags.html - I have had several purses from them, and they hold up super well! The Flats are from Lucky Brand, but they were on a super sale at Dillard's, and unfortunately cannot find them online either :( Check out these other options from Lucky's Website. They're more comfortable than the Born flats I got at the same time, actually! 

The black bracelet is actually from JCPenney, and the rings are all thrifted and vintage! 

VSCO - My Image Was Featured!

I got word that one of my very first VSCO Cam images was featured today! So cool, as I really love their app and available filters. I have been running every iPhone pic through the editor before either posting it to Instagram or even my blog. Check out all the featured images here.

CHECK OUT MY VSCO IMAGES HERE...

It's funny, because I believe VSCO attracts a certain type of person. Your follower count isn't visible to anyone, you can't comment on photos, and you can't even really like images, from what I can tell. I think it would be fun to have access to your metrics, but for now I'm fine with VSCO Cam just the way it is! It's SO very different from Instagram, that I think someone who immerses themselves into the world of VSCO is really utilizing it for themselves above anyone else. Your images actually display as a really nice portfolio, though. It's very genuine. You can either post photos to your grid, or do photo stories as "journal" entries, without any text. 

Have you ever used VSCO? If so, tell us what you think, and feel free to share your link below!

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My Week In Images

We had a really fun time this past week and a half (give or take). We went to Louisville and St. Louis for two Mike Gordon concerts, stayed in great hotels, and drank our fair share of Bloody Mary's and Tequila Drinks :) I'd say that's a good start to "summer" if I do say so myself! 

We used to travel to way more shows a few years ago than we do now. When Bobby and I first met in 2005 (yes, this year marked TEN years, and I'm so happy!!), we used to go to concerts every weekend or two, mostly in St. Louis and Chicago. We would see bands like Widespread Panic (75+ shows!), and lots of bluegrass shoes, and attend lots of festivals every summer. 

We have been going to far less concerts lately. The music scene here in Carbondale just isn't anything that is sparking my fancy. We used to get a few good bands through the area (mostly bluegrass), playing at out favorite venue in town, The Hangar 9, but it seems like the better the music, the smaller the crowd. It's sad to see less than ten people attending a concert, I'm sure it would be hard to survive on ticket sales when there's no one there! 

It's also harder now to leave the dogs home with a friend watching them, with Lily not in her best health, and we do realize how expensive it gets to see a show for just one night. The hotel can easily be $100 + Tickets + Drinks = $$OUCH! So, now that we do these shows less often, they are even more special! 

A SHOW + BRUNCH IN LOUISVILLE, KY

The Mercury Ballroom in Louisville was a great place to see a show! 

Gordo Show was rockin'!!! So much fun!

We stayed right next to the Mercury Ballroom at The Hilton Garden Hotel The rooms were incredibly nice.

We brunched at Wild Eggs in Louisville before we went home, their Bloody Mary was not super strong, but really really good. Hot Chocolate (below) was good, too!

The second best waffle ever, second only to the Passion Pie Cafe, in Truth or Consequences, NM. 

ON TO ST. LOUIS

A couple of nights later, we headed to St. Louis to see the boys again! We stayed in the hotel right next to the venue, where the band also stayed, which is always cool. The Moonrise Hotel is also dog (and cat) friendly, and so we decided to bring the dogs along for some fun.

See, our dogs LOVE the Moonrise Hotel!

Round TWO, We had a little fun mixing drinks for ourselves before the show at The Pageant. 

The Pageant is a place where we have been many times. It's usually PACKED beyond belief, which makes is hard for a short girl like myself to see the stage if we want to dance in the GA area, in front of the stage. But, we were pleasantly surprised to see the place less than half-full. This was one of the first times I have ever been able to get up to almost front row for my favorite band, ever! They put on such a good show, and the vibe of the crowd was also great, also not always the case.

After the show, I visited the merch table and met the band. I even chilled with them for a bit, an experience I will never forget! The poster from STL was one of the best we have seen for Gordo, also, and were super happy to pick up two copies of the poster, and had Mike sign the poster that wasn't already up in the room :) Wow, what a fun night. 

AND MY BROTHER GRADUATED...

My brother also graduated high school and I am SO proud of him! He also turned 18 yesterday! Time flies...FAST

It was nice to spend time back home last weekend. Springfield (IL) has grown quite a bit. Their downtown area is much nicer than it was when we lived there about 10 years ago, and there are more small businesses downtown than there used to be. My mom visited the Farmer's Market, Urban Sassafras, Vintage Pop and the connected antique furniture stores, and Shabby Shack - a shop with hand painted furniture. We had a great time and I will post about those fun businesses soon! 

My Steller Stories!

I absolutely love the Steller Stories app! It is a super fun way to make a little digital scrapbook of images, videos, and text and the stories last forever. I love creating the stories for either vacations or places I visited, as well as DIY projects and recipes. You can only make them on an iPhone at this point, but they're really fun to create. 

I had a lot of fun putting most recent this story together, showing some of my favorite places to eat in Moab, Utah. Looking back at this, I realize we got to test out so much amazing food and drink, and it was so fun getting to know Moab for the week we were there. 

And, in this story about a day in Chicago, I loved placing text right over a video, making it feel like the intro to a movie! You can upload 20 images or videos at once when you are creating these stories, making it pretty quick and easy to be creative! I had such a fun time shopping in Chicago and exploring while the guys were at a Cubs game. 

Below, you can check out our time in Capitol Reef National Park in Utah! Wow, this place was incredible, and the park isn't crowded like almost EVERY other National Park we have visited! 

This Saguaro National Park story was a lot of fun. I love cacti and the beautiful aridness of the dessert. All the plants are shrubby, sharp, and so opposite of anything I'm used to from Illinois. 

We had a great time in New Mexico also! Truth or Consequences is a beautiful, tiny town, that is full of colorful architecture and a really fun vibe. You can see some of the food we ate as well. 

And, speaking of FOOD, here is my most popular Steller Story, about how to make peanut butter cookies. 

And, my very first Steller Story, ever, was this awesome post about Scratch Brewing in Ava, IL. This place is incredible, and you can learn a bit about it below. 

Check out all of my Steller Stories HERE. And, if you have a Steller account, feel free to leave the link in the comments below! Have a good day :)

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How To Make Boho Fringe Festival Boots - Embellish Your Boots For Summer

Summer festival season is upon us and I have a cute DIY tutorial for you to try. I made these for about $14, and all I had to buy was the boots and the fringe trim. If you already have boots, a glue gun, and ribbons and trims, these could be practically FREE to make! These are such a cute addition to your summer festival wardrobe and outfits. If you make some, please comment below with a link to your photo! 

SUPPLIES (YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE THESE)

1 Pair of Boots - Glue Gun & Glue Sticks - Scissors - Boho Ribbons and Trims (about 3/4 -1 Yard each) - 1 Yard of Fringe (Not Pictured) - 1-2 Skinny Belts That Can Be Cut In Half

Next, lay your ribbons and trim over the boots to see where you want them. I glued my ribbon on much lower than this photo shows, this way I could add fringe to the top. 

Below, you will see the interior side of the boots. Cut the trims so they line up half way around the back. These raw edges will be covered by a final layer of ribbon for a finishing touch. 

Below, you will see the ribbons/trims after I hot-glued them all on. The raw edges will soon be covered with ribbon. I used a cheap, low-heat hot glue gun, and it worked super well on these materials! My boots were made of an ultra-suede like material. If you are using leather boots, you may need to use a fabric-ready, 2 part Epoxy, or E-6000. 

Next, cut your belt in half, and decide where you want to position the buckle. The outer side of the boots will look best, as you will see in my first photo.  

Do a test placement of the belt, and then mark where the new buckle hole needs to be, so the belt fits around the boot. Cut the new hole, so that the belt fits snugly around the bottom of the boot, but not too tight. I used an awl from a multi-tool, but a sharp X-Acto Knife would also work. Be super careful not to cut yourself or the work surface. (See below) 

You will see that I also added the ribbon to go up the side of the boot. Glue this in place, making sure to only glue half way up. The fringe will also go under this ribbon!

Make sure your ribbon covers any rough edges of the ribbons. (See Above)

Let's get your fringe ready! This fringe really makes the boots super cute! Cut your yard of fringe in half, and position it around the top of the boot. Cut the fringe to fit all the way around each boot. Hot glue ribbon to the top of the fringe, for a cute boho look. 

Glue the fringe around the top of the boots. Then, hot glue the ribbon over your fringe, and fold into the inside of the boot, for a finished look. I cut a few of the fringe pieces off, that would be under the ribbon, but that's optional.

And you're done! You are ready to and the night away at your next festival!  

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L'Oreal Advanced Hairstyle - Cute Hairstyles and Products

I recently created some hairstyles inspired by the line of hair products by L'Oreal Advanced Hairstyle (read about that here). They liked my images so much, they even asked me for more! You can imagine how excited I was, and wanted to show you some of my most recent hairstyles below. L'Oreal provides a wide array of products for pretty much any hair type. Their website, hairstyle.com, also has tons of tutorials that make things pretty easy for some every day styles, as well as some more dressy hairstyles. If you like my style, check me out on Pinterest. 

If you like these photos, please comment below to share your thoughts. I had a lot of fun with this project! A special thanks to L'Oreal for collaborating with me to present these! 

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My Week In Images

The weather has gotten much warmer (and way more humid) in the past 2 weeks here in southern Illinois. I also found a new way to share my photos! I finally figured out the VSCO app, and now I absolutely LOVE the filters they offer! There are a few really good ones, and I like how they don't just make your photos look dark and flat, like some of the Instagram filters. You can also save these images to your cameraroll on your phone, and upload them via Instagram. Check out my photos here! 

Head on over to my VSCO page to see more!

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