How To Style The Perfect Shelfie

Our house is forever a work in process. As I'm sure you guys would all agree, you are never really done. Something can be moved around or re-styled, or the new perfect piece could be waiting for you at a thrift shop. My office is a thing of constant struggle for me. Our house has 4 bedrooms, CB got one and I got one to do with what we pleased.

I knew I wanted to make mine an office, but what I didn't know was how hard it would be to keep it organized. As a blogger, you know you get sent stuff, you buy stuff, you just have SO MUCH STUFF. We're talking poster boards used backgrounds, and random pineapple decor for that one time you hosted a pineapple party. Plus, since I've joined the NFL Fan Style blogger league I've received 3 footballs. THREE! What do I do with 3 footballs?  

Plain and simple, I really need a storage system that helps get rid of the clutter in my office. I found this awesome shelving system from Way Basics which I knew would be perfect. I love how the bottom cubbies have drawers, making it easy to hide items I don't want people to see. Aka- my junk drawers!

I love browsing "shelfie style" on Pinterest, and that's where I took a lot of my inspiration for styling these Way Basics shelves. Most of this stuff I've picked up over the years from TJ Maxx, World Market and Z Gallerie. I also get a ton of magazine subscriptions, and I use them as styling around the house. I kid you not, like 8 years ago I cashed in a grand total of, like, 1200 airline miles in exchange for 6 or 7 magazine subscriptions -- AND THEY NEVER STOPPED COMING!?!? Not sure how I lucked out there, but I'll take it! 

Once you find the perfect shelving unit (seriously, they have SO MANY OPTIONS) check out my links for accessorizing the perfect "shelfie" below!  

Your Must Have Holiday Lip Color

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GetHolidayReady #CollectiveBias

Plaid Shirt | Tights | Skirt (Similar) | Bangles

Lip Color: Neutrogena® MoistureSmooth Color Stick in Cherry Pink, also purchased Plum Perfect (shown below)

Veenie and I were talking over coffee the other day -- well, Veenie can't have coffee because she is not only a dog but a Jack Russell terror terrier -- and we decided we needed to do a "Just the Gals" Christmas Card picture this year. We decided we would both get all glammed up, and get CB to snap a few pictures. 

While Veenie put on her new sparkly red Christmas collar we picked out together, and I put on the new Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick I picked up from Walmart earlier in the week. I picked out two of the bolder shades from the line, Cherry Pink - which I'm wearing in the photos, and Plum Perfect which I'm planning on wearing to Thankgiving dinner this year. 

In the Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick line there are 16 shades, designed to get whatever Holiday glam look you're trying to go for. They are made with fruit extracts, along with mango and shea butter, which maintains lip moisture in the drying Winter season. Plus, the twist up package allows for perfect application each time, without the need for a sharpener tool.

To get my simple but glam Holiday look:

1. Sweep concealer under eyes

2. Use a primer base to hold eyeshadow in place, sweep a soft pale white shadow over eye lids. Use a darker brown shade in crease. 

3. Apply liquid eyeliner. I like to use a piece of scotch tape on the corners of my eye to get the perfect wing each time. I apply liquid liner, then remove tape when finished for the perfect line. 

4. Apply a soft shade of pink blush

5. Finish with Neutrogena Moisture Smooth Color Stick in Cherry Pink.

6. Easily remove at the end of the day using Neutrogena® Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? On a scale from 1 to 10, how Holiday Glam do Veenie and I look??

I also picked up the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes to remove my lip color so I could give Veenie all the kisses when we were finished.

CB thinks Veenie and Gee kisses are gross. I think they are the glue that holds the world together!

Needing a great lip color for your family's Holiday photos or parties? Check out the Neutrogena® section at Walmart, it is located in the makeup and beauty department!

Corn + Pizza

Our group has friendsgiving this weekend and I have been assigned "corn". When I think of thanksgiving I think of mac and cheese and green bean casserole and mashed potatoes and gravy. At no point do I think of.... CORN.

I've come a long way in my journey to learning how to cook, but I can't do anything without a recipe. So, as everyone was volunteering for different dishes, I just sat back and asked to be assigned something. I was hoping for something exciting like pizza or maybe pizza. Hell, I'd even be open to pizza -- but then I was assigned corn.

WTF. CORN? Where's the glory in making a CORN dish? No one is going to leave Friendsgiving and say -- DAYYUUUMMM but THAT CORN DISH THO. I gotta get that recipe for THE CORN DISH.

Ain't gonna happen.

If Friendsgiving were up to me I'd just order a whole mess of KFC Mac&Cheese because that is quite literally the greatest blessing the world has ever been given.  

Alas, it isn't up to me and I have to make corn and I'm real pumped about it. 

Speaking of corn, do you remember the Pizza Hut Sports + Social Media gig you guys all so lovingly annoyed Pizza Hut about on twitter?! Well, I have some updates there. 

I made it down to the last 3 contestants standing, but in the end they gave the Pizza Hut All American title to someone else. You can actually follow along with him (yup, it is a guy) on twitter @PHAllAmerican. 

Let it be known that it was because of you guys that I was a finalist, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate you for tweeting for me! It totally worked. I gotta say, I'm really proud of myself too for making it all the way down to the last 3 people. I'm sure there were some incredible candidates from all over the country who applied, and my ideas kept me around all the way up until the final 3. 

Not bad, huh? Sometimes you just gotta break your arm patting your own damn self on the back, ya feel me fam? 

Anywho, I'm out for the day. 

Go Vols. 

Go LSU (if you're a Vol fan, you know why I'm saying that. Also, I won't say GEUX, that is taking it a step too far for me.)

Go Cowboys. 

Now off to find some mindblowing corn recipe that doesn't exist. Happy weekending, kids! 

You Can't Bring a Banana On A Boat

Was anyone else aware that you can't bring a banana on a boat? If you follow me on snap or instagram, you'll know that I was in Crystal River, Florida this past week for a work photoshoot. For those who don't know, I do marketing and advertising for Tohatsu, an outboard motor company. We usually do a photoshoot every other year, generally in Florida. 

Before the shoot, we always go to walmart and load up on tons of snacks. This year we threw some fruit in the basket, you know, for appearance sake. We got bananas, apples and oranges. We packed it all up in a cooler alongside waters and gatorades. Day one, we actually FORGOT to bring the cooler with is, but we were much more prepared for day two. As we started to see the very first peek of sun over the horizon, bright and early, we rolled the cooler on the boat ready for a successful shoot day. 

As we left the dock, headed for our shooting destination for that morning, thick clouds rolled in but the sun continued to burst through. 

As we put more distance between ourselves and the dock we launched from, we start to see less and less sun with far more clouds.

When we finally get to our setup fishing shot, the sun is totally gone and we are left with a dull sky.

There is obviously enough light to continue shooting, but it is certainly less than ideal. 

About an hour into the shoot, I mosey on over to the cooler and dig around for a tasty treat. I see the bananas and I pull one off. As I start to peel back the first layer, every single member (5 people total) of the photo crew dives at me trying to grab the banana out of my hands before I can peel any deeper. 

As I look at the grown men who have just belly flopped on the floorboard of the boat, all failing to grab the banana from my hands, I yell... "What on earth is wrong?" 

(I embellished a bit on that part of the story -- it was only 4 grown men, not 5) 

They look up, all simultaneously yelling at me -- 

"YOU CAN'T BRING A BANANA ON A BOAT!!!" 

I'm sorry, what? Why? Why not? The last time I saw anger like that I had pretended to throw the tennis ball and Veenie went for it. She then trotted back TOTALLY PISSED upon seeing the ball was still in my hand. This is the face they made over seeing the banana, totally pissed.

They proceeded to google "Banana on a Boat" to show me why you can't bring a banana on a boat. Because, you know, you can't put anything on the internet that isn't true. According to google, whistling and suitcases are also banned from boats. 

"Another superstition that originated during that time is that bananas will cause a boat to sink. This belief developed after many boats never made it to their destinations, and all of the doomed boats were carrying bananas."

Have no fear though, guys, there is a repentance prayer. 

A PRAYER TO BE DELIVERED TO EFFING BANANAS ON A BOAT. 

Oh great Konpira

please, hear my plea

I am sorry for my mistake

A banana I brought to sea

it was an honest gesture

a noble means of nutrition

I had no ill intent

I brought fruit of my own volition

Please forgive my idiocy

I meant my friends no harm

We just want to go fishing

and go home with a sore arm

We beg of you to release the curse

upon which I have brought

In your honor I consume these bananas

a sacrifice all for nought

It was supposed to be nothing but sunshine all week long, but this particular day turned to solid clouds -- all day long. Everyone blamed me for bringing the bananas on the boat. Because, you know, everyone knows not to bring a banana on a boat. *FACE PALM* 

Or suitcases.

Or whistling. 

And guys think girls are weird. PSHT. 

Here are some photos from the rest of the week, sans boat bananas. 
Again, *FACE PALM* 

The Banana Strikes Again... 

Flight Anxiety

I've been flying my whole life. I was a very lucky kid, my parents took me everywhere with them. My dad was a car salesman and a darn good one who won all sorts of trips for hitting sales goals. I always tagged along. My mom's Law Firm had offices all over the world, and I tagged along on those trips as well. To sum things up I've been flying and wearing those "wing pins" with honor for as long as I can remember. 

Well, I've very recently developed this terrible flying anxiety. It has come absolutely out of nowhere, and I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what has caused it. 

At first, I thought the culprit might be that Frontier flight many months ago. The pilot comes on the overhead speaker and says, "Something is wrong, we aren't sure what that is yet, working to get that fixed so hang tight." 

Then, about an hour later, the pilot comes on and says, "OH! I think I fixed it. Flight attendants prepare for takeoff."

It was easily the smoothest flight I've ever been on, but I was on the verge of pooping my pants the entire time. YOU THINK YOU FIXED IT???????? I was terrified, shaking and it was the longest hour and a half of my life. 

For the past several months, I've been attributing my flight anxiety to that very moment on Frontier, but it was on an American flight bound for Tampa two weekends ago that it occurred to me that something else might be causing my anxiety. 

For the first time in my life I have everything to lose. I'm just so absurdly happy, because I get to share my wonderful life with my little family in Dallas, Texas. Over the past few years though, I've grown terrified of putting myself in a situation potentially bound to lose it. 

I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS think of the movie Sex and the City when Charlotte freaks out about being pregnant, because she is terrified that she has been given everything in life that she ever asked for. 

That is really dumb, huh? Anxiety over being too happy? I'm glad I wrote this. I'm glad that I now hear how ridiculous I sound. I've never had anxiety before, but now I have it all the time. I have it over flying. I have it over Veenie. I have it over Gee. I have it over watching a drunk girl I have never met climbing up on stage, ruining the band's set with her drunkness. True story, I panicked over someone else being dumb. 

I get anxiety all the damn time, and I don't know how to stop it. 

I'm always poking and prodding at Gee's mouth, to see if he is hurting and needs to go to the vet. I poke at Veenie's belly pretty much daily ever since the Toothpick-Mageddon to see if she is hurting and needs to go to the vet. I wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night CONVINCED that Veenie has thrown up in the bed, when she hasn't. I sat awake last night -- ANXIOUS -- and I couldn't even tell you what was causing the anxiety. 

I'm scared of losing everything I love. I don't want to go back to 2014 Sarah who was so sad and lonely in Dallas. 

Does anyone else get anxiety like this? How do you get over it? How do you talk yourself out of feeling this way?