Not Another LA Blonde

Tag: blogging

Goodbye 2017…

Happy New Year’s Eve y’all! Can you believe that 2018 is only a few hours away! At the end of every year I feel like each of us takes a moment to sit and reflect on the highs and lows of the past year. So as I sit here (not getting ready to leave, aka late as always) and reflect on my past year, I can’t help but think about how there were so many good things to look back on from this past year, but there are so many things to look forward to for 2018.

Let’s recap 2017:

2017 was a BIG planning year for Rob and I. We booked and planned most of our wedding and surprisingly didn’t get into any big arguments about details or anything! Rob got a huge promotion at work which is a great thing for the two of us! AND I also got a little more comfortable with blogging and posting on social media more. I learned how important it is to be engaging with my readers and look forward to learning a lot more this next year.

JANUARY:

I kicked off the new year with a trip to New York with one of my bffs. I absolutely love visiting New York and you can read all about this trip here.

FEBRUARY:

We picked out and reserved our wedding venue!

We also celebrated Valentine’s Day at Skyspace in LA.

MARCH:

We kicked the month off by celebrating Rob’s 27th birthday

And took our engagement photos!

APRIL:

This month always signifies the start of BASEBALL season, so we went to OPENING DAY for the Angels!

We ended the month with our annual trip to STAGECOACH! This year

JUNE:

I bought myself a “happy one year until the wedding” gift and got a new car. I paid for it entirely on my own with just a little bit of negotiating help from Rob.

JULY:

I found my dream wedding dress! i can’t wait to show y’all what it looks like after the big day, but if you’re really curious, you can read all about my experience here.

I also celebrated my 25th birthday in Palm Springs!

AUGUST:

We kicked off the wedding festivities with an Engagement Party!

SEPTEMBER:

We had our official food tasting at our wedding venue (I promise to post about this in the new year!).

NOVEMBER:

With Rob’s promotion at work, came a business trip to LONDON

and then we took a little detour to PARIS before coming home (I will def be posting about these two amazing trips within the first week of the new year).

So as you can see from above, 2017 was quite the year for us. There were so many good things to happen, I would say, I don’t know how 2018 can top it, but I have a good idea of how it will be the best year yet!

To start, 2018 will be a year of big change! I’m hoping to grow my blogging business and become more successful with it. I’m looking to rebrand a little bit and makes a few changes while still keeping true to who I am.

Another big thing will be finding a place for us to live. Since housing in Los Angeles is pretty pricey right now, we’ll be looking at places that we can rent and bring our little pup with us. I can’t wait to find that new home for us and start decorating and putting our own style into it. We’ll be starting from complete scratch, so it’s going to be an expensive start for us, but so worth it in the end.

And the final thing that is most important to me is my wedding in June! I will finally be marrying the man of my dreams and I can not wait to become a wife to this amazing man.

I can already see that 2018 will truly be my year to shine and I can’t wait to grow and share it all with y’all! Thank you for your continued support of me and this crazy life I live!

XOXO

December 31, 2017
Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale
Happy Holidays y’all! I hope now that it’s two days after Christmas y’all are slowly recovering! I know that a lot of you spent tons of money already for Christmas and the last thing on your mind is spending more money. But if you’re anything like me, and have a gift card or two burning a hole in your pocket, then this post is for you!

We all know that the Half Yearly Sale is going on at Nordstrom, so I’ve made your life easier and went ahead and rounded up a bunch of my favorite items from the sale. I currently only have a few of the items, but the rest are either in my cart or on my wish list! I’ve recently started shopping at Nordstrom more and more (probably because I have a Nordstrom card and I love getting notes!) but I just love their customer service and the free shipping/free returns ALL the time!

If you haven’t already checked out the Half Yearly Sale, I highly suggest you go take a look. Run, don’t walk to your computer to take a look! Things are selling out very quickly! Below, I’ve rounded up my top picks from the sale that I think you should take a look at. I’ve linked all the items right below this picture and in the description of each item. Happy shopping!

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1. Michael Kors Belted Parka Jacket – $90.99 60% off This jacket is normally $220.00! The website says that the jacket runs true to size and is currently available in sizes XS to XL. This is such a good deal as MK hardly ever goes on sale! I wish I lived somewhere colder so I could get this jacket! The last MK jacket I got, it fit TTS but the good thing about Nordstrom is the FREE returns, so if you can swing it, I would get 2 sizes if you’re unsure and then return the one you don’t want.
1. Treasure & Bond Brushed Stripe Blanket Scarf – $26.98 40% Off This blanket/scarf is normally $45 and comes in TWO colors! The first color is called “Ivory Combo” and has pinks and greys in it. The other color is called “Olive Combo” and has red, yellow, blue and greyish/black it in. Ok, how cute is this scarf!? I LOVE the pink colored one and think it would go great with all the winter whites and neutrals going on right now.
1. Nike Flyknit 2 LunarEpic Men’s Shoe – $83.98 40% Off This shoe is normally $140 and comes in both black/white and in a blackish/white with blue accent. The black one is available in sizes: 8, 8.5, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 13, and 14. The second color option is ONLY available in size 8.5. This is such a great deal for Nike, so if you are looking to get something post-Holiday season for that special guy in your life, now is the time. I know these are going to go super-fast, so hurry!
1. Thread & Supply Brandon Fleece Jacket – $71.02 33% Off This super popular jacket is normally $106.00, but is on sale in both colors: “Carafe Bear” and “Ivory”. Keep your eye on it though because both colors are only available in size Large. Nordstrom sometimes restocks, so def keep your eye on it. This style also comes in a vest that you can look at here.
1. American Atelier Portland Beverage Dispenser & Stand – $20.00 60% Off As you all know I’m getting married in June so I’ve taken a liking to checking out home goods when they go on sale. This drink dispenser is normally $50. This would be perfect for hosting parties and putting a little sangria in there! You could get two of these for less than what it would cost you to buy one at full price.
1. Halogen Velvet Cold Shoulder Top – $38.90 33% Off This velvet top would be perfect for NYE! It comes in 4 colors: black, blue, burgundy, and pink. All four colors come in both regular and petite. If you like this and are a petite size, I would hurry because they are selling out quickly! The black is available in every size in both regular and petite. The blue is only available in Petite XS, but in every size in regular. BOTH the burgundy and the pink are only available in regular sizes. The website says this top runs true to size. I like the black version the best.
1. American Atelier Daphne Set of 4 Stemless Wine Glasses – $24.12 33% Off So these glasses are really popular right now as I have seen a bunch of my fellow bloggers with these on their stories. They are regularly priced at $36 for the set. With the price of them on sale, it makes each glass about $6 each. They come in both copper and gold. I wish I had my own house already, because I absolutely love these and NEED them in my life ASAP!
1. Barefoot Dreams Cozy Chic Throw – $116.90 20% Off I know this price is a little steep, but this throw is normally priced at $147. This throw is super soft and a great size to use as a blanket. It is currently in stock in the cream, espresso, and stone colors.
1. Diff Rose 55mm Polarized Mirrored Sunglasses – $50.98 40% off These sunglasses are normally $85. I love the slight cat-eye look of the frames and the fact that they are polarized, what a win!
1. Men’s Michael Kors Wool Blend Double Breasted Peacoat – $99.90 70% Off Are you kidding me??? 70% off!! This is such a steal! You should hope on the website or run to your store and swipe this as fast as you can! This coat comes in four colors: black, burgundy, grey, and navy. Personally, I like the grey and black the best. The black is only available in size XXL and XXXL. The burgundy is only available in a M. The grey and navy are fully stocked in ALL sizes. The website says that if you are between sizes, to order one size down, but again you can always buy two sizes and return the one that doesn’t work.
1. BaubleBar Criselda Ball Shoulder Duster Earrings – $28.80 40% Off These earrings are normally $48. These would be soo cute for New Year’s Eve!
1. Tory Burch “Miller” Flip Flop – $146.25 25% Off These sandals are originally $198 but are on SALE! I swear these sandals NEVER go on sale, so of course I had to buy them. I actually bought these during their Black Friday sale and they were a cheaper price then. They are a super cute dark grey that will go with everything. I have them in the brown. I normally wear a size 6.5, but these run small so I order up and get a 7 which is perfect! They are currently only available in size 4, 4.5, 5, and 5.5. I would keep checking all day if I were you because they tend to restock. When I bought mine, it took me 3 different tries to FINALLY get them in my size. They’ve been restocking them like crazy so don’t lose hope if they’re not in your size right this second.
1. Leith Easy Circle Cardigan – $44.98 40% Off This cardigan comes in five colors: black, blue, coral, olive, and pink. This style is oversized by design, but if you want a tighter fit, order one size down. The black and olive are available is sizes M- XXL. The blue is only available in a size L. The coral color is fully stocked in every size. And the pink is available in sizes L-XXL. It looks like this cardigan hits about mid-thigh.
1. J.Crew Voletta V-Back Sweater – $53.70 40% Off This sweater is super cute and is normally priced at $89.50. It comes in three colors: grey, muslin (ivory), and olive. The grey is available in sizes S-XL. The ivory color is available in every size except S and the olive is available in only M and L. You can also get the grey from the J.Crew website or store, but only in in grey and only in sizes M-XXL. The only thing with buying it from J.Crew is that it is final sale (it’s also $45.99 there).
1. Kate Spade Cameron Street – Jeweled Lottie Leather Satchel – $233.16 33% Off This purse is normally $348 (that’s a lot of money for such a small purse!). It comes in pink and in black. It also has the cutest jewels lining the bottom portion of the bag. I love that this bag has top handles and a crossbody strap.
1. Vince Camuto Sequin Front Top – $71.40 40% Off This top is perfect for NYE and it is normally $119!! The website says that the top runs big, so you should size down! In my experience with Vince Camuto tops, I always end up sizing down. This is currently fully stocked in all sizes in both regular and petite. It has a sparkly, sequin front and a drapey knit back.
1. Free People Kolby Fringe Scarf – $28.80 40% Off Ok, I know how y’all love this Free People scarf so I thought I’d include it in my post. This one is really cool because I feel like it is different than the solid color ones that I’ve seen everyone with. This one is red, black, and white stripe.
1. Recover Flow iPhone 6/6s/7/8 Plus Case – $11.98 40% Off The phone case is normally priced at $20. In general I love the marble look, but throw some pink and sparkles and I’m definitely in love! You should note though that it is an iPhone 8 Plus case that is retrofitted to also accommodate iPhone 6, 6s and 7 Plus. I’m not exactly sure what that means, but you can always return it if it doesn’t fit your phone.
1. BLANKNYC Suede Moto Jacket – $112.80 40% Off This jacket is normally $188. It is available in three colors: black, burgundy, and coral. If you’re between sizes, you should order up a size. As a rule, I always size up in sweaters or jackets because I know that I am going to end up layering under them and I like to have the extra space. The black is available in sizes S-L. The burgundy is fully stocked in every size and the coral is only available in S or M. While there are still sizes available, I wouldn’t count on having them last too long!
Those are my top items that are currently on sale at Nordstrom. There are tons of other great deals out there so let me know what fun stuff you picked up from the Half Yearly Sale.

XOXO
December 27, 2017
12 DAYS OF BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR
Happy Monday!! Can y’all believe it’s almost Christmas!? Where did December go?? I got this advent calendar quite a while ago and I’m only just now getting around writing about it. With all the shopping and holiday party planning I’ve been doing, I just ran out of time to share this with y’all.

Get merry and bright with the 12 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar, a Target Exclusive! This unique curation is a great way to sample favorite items from some of our top brands to keep you looking and feeling festive all season long.

The box is an unbelievable value of $58 for ONLY $15! I’ve never gotten this Advent Calendar from Target before so I was super anxious to see it in person and try everything out! This box is still in stock and can be purchased here.

Here is a BREAKDOWN of the goodies:
1. Maybelline Great Last Mascara– Value for 0.15 oz = $1.56
A full size, 0.43 oz., tube retails for $4.49 in store. “This mascara features a lash-doubling formula that glides on to build great-looking lashes. The lash-building brush makes it easy to get a full-lash look.” This mascara was also in the November Beauty Box that Target offers once a month. I think that this mascara works well and is fairly inexpensive. I used to use this brand ALL the time, but somewhere along the way, strayed away but I think I may be making my way back to this mascara after testing this one out!
1. e.l.f. Lip Exfoliator– Value = $3.00
FULL SIZE!! “A sweet sugar and smoothing sensation, infused with Vitamin E, Shea Butter, Avocado, Grape and Jojoba Oils to nourish and protect.” This is not a product that I was particularly excited to receive, and did not actually try it out. I’m sure that the product is great, but it’s not something that I was interested in.
1. HASK Argan Oil Repairing Shine – Value for 0.625 oz. = $0.25
A regular 15 oz. bottle of this oil is $5.99 in the store. “This lightweight, alcohol-free oil absorbs instantly to provide frizz-free shine without leaving an oily residue. Argan oil is rich in essential fatty acids and penetrates hair to restore shine and provide soft, silky results in dry, damaged hair.” I have actually used this product before and liked it. With the weather in SoCal being so dry lately, I found this to be the perfect remedy to keep my hair healthy and shiny.
1. Acure Eye Cream–Value for 1 oz. = $8.99
This is a full size product!! “Edelweiss extract and chlorella provide deep hydration to protect the skin’s moisture barrier…you won’t believe your eyes.” Unfortunately, this was another product that I did not try. I really wanted to like/try everything in this box, but my eyes are sooo sensitive that I couldn’t risk having a reaction to this eye cream.
1. Pixi Glow Tonic–Value for 0.5 oz. = $2.20
A full 3.4 oz. bottle of this retails for $15 in store. “Original 5% Glyolic acid Formula with Aloe Vera and Ginseng. Gently exfoliates to remove dead skin cells, revealing healthy glowing skin. For all skin types. Clinically proven results.” This was such a life saver the last few weeks with all the wind/dry weather we’ve been getting. My face was soo dry and peely, I looked like I had powder all over that I didn’t know how to blend haha This was a great product and I highly recommend it.
1. Vichy Mineral 89 Face Moisturizer–Value for 0.15 oz. = $1.99
A full 1.69 oz bottle of this moisturizer retails for $22.49. “Mineral 89 combines the highest concentration of Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water enriched with 15 minerals and Hyaluroinc Acid to enhance long term hydration, essential for healthy skin.” It left my skin feeling super hydrated which was nice. This moisturizer is a little on the pricey side and I probably wouldn’t purchase on my own.
1. NYX Bright Idea Illuminating Stick– Value = $7.99
This is a full size product. “Get your glow on with the NYX Professional Makeup Bright Idea Stick. This glitzy, shimmering cream cosmetic is perfect for highlighting and strobing, and brings just the right amount of sparkle to your look.” This highlighting stick comes in 8 colors. This is another product that I didn’t try out. I’m not great with makeup as it is, so I don’t even try and get into the whole highlighting thing.
1. Nexxus New York Salon Care Humectress Ultimate Moisture Protein Complex Intensely Hydrating Masque– Value for 1.5 oz. = $3.99
This is a FULL size product! “Nexxus Humectress Hair Masque for Dry Hair works by binding moisture deep within each hair fiber, distributing Elastin Protein, and creating a protective barrier of moisture.” Hair masks can be such a life saver during the winter months. They’re also great if you get your hair colored on a regular basis as they keep your hair looking healthy and not all dried out! This one is inexpensive and can be used a few times!
1. Honest Beauty Everything Organic Facial Oil – Value for 0.03 oz. = $1.65
The full size 1 oz container of this facial oil retails for $55. “Replenish moisture-depleted skin by amplifying its natural defenses for a supple, smooth and youthful look. Think antioxidant-dense, pure seed and fruit oils — each drop rich in the same fatty acids and vitamins known to feed your body.” I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again…I am not a face oil kind of girl. I know, I know, there are sooo many benefits to using it, but I’m just not into it at the moment. Plus, the full size of this one is super expensive!
1. Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge – Value = $5.99
“The rounded sides of the sponge help blend large areas of the face with a repeated dabbing or stippling motion. The precision tip helps cover blemishes and imperfections, and the flat edge helps contour around the eyes and nose.” These are perfect for blending your face makeup and my mom uses them all the time! You can get them pretty much anywhere, but this is a good price!
1. Eylure False Eyelashes Natural No.031 – Value = $3.74
“Eylure Naturals No.031 is a loosely woven, compact lash that delivers extra length & fullness. The unique ‘curve’ of Eylure’s lashes allows the lash to ‘hug’ the eye, making application easier and wear completely comfy. Handmade and reusable.” Ok, who doesn’t love a good pair of false lashes? I love putting them on and making it look like I actually have eyelashes for once. These are super inexpensive and go on easily and look super natural if you’re going for that look. I will definitely be purchasing these at a later date.
1. Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash – Value for 0.7 oz. = $3.99
“Harness the power of the ocean with marine extracts. Coconut water and natural actives come together in our gentle sulfate-free foaming cleanser that removes daily toxins and make-up.” Ok, this face wash smell sooo good. I threw it in my gym bag and the coconut scent really smells fresh after a nice workout. I would definitely buy this face wash!

THE VALUE

For only $15, this box is such a steal! It comes with quite a few full size items which is great! There were so many items that I had never used before that I loved and will be purchasing again. Of course there were a few that I was a little unsure of or wouldn’t pay that high of a price for, but it’s nice to have the option to try them out! This is perfect for trying out a new product that you may not normally buy. This would also make a great last minute Christmas gift for that beauty lover in your life!

Again, if you would like to purchase this box from Target, you can buy it here.

XOXO
December 18, 2017