i’ve decided that this shirt can do no wrong. and i’m pretty sure i can pair it with almost anything in my closet. i love a versatile blouse, don’t you? so easy to throw on and go, effortless style. that wins. it wins every time. happy wednesday friends! xx- sarah
SHOP THIS OUTFIT: blouse: equipment (here and here), jeans: current elliott, shoes: vera wang, bag: 3.1 phillip lim, watch: marc jacobs, bracelet: j crew (similar)
hello everyone! i’m so excited to share today’s guest post from laura of the first mess! she makes the most amazing, garden-centric foods that i know you’re going to love as much as i do! and this dish is no exception. can’t wait to whip it up when i get home- it’s the perfect summer lunch. and a meal doesn’t get much prettier than that, in my opinion! thank you so much laura! xx- sarah (more after the jump)
as i mentioned last week, we leave today for a two week east coast trip. it was initially going to be work mixed with play, but a family emergency has changed the game. we’re now going to NYC for three days and then headed straight to florida to be with family. i’ve prepared a bunch of posts for while i’m away, and have a few guest posters that i’m thrilled to have on board with some tasty yummies! and for today, a giveaway i’m so excited about i can hardly stand myself!
alima pure recently reached out to me and introduced themselves. after spending just a minute on their site i was completely smitten, a makeup company after my own heart! their mineral makeups are gorgeous and their packaging is divine. but even better they contain no toxics, no irritants, no preservatives, and are cruelty free! beyond amazing.
they were kind enough to do a little makeup makeover on me, and i’m so thrilled to share my experience! as you may remember from this post, i’m practically a makeup virgin. i’ve been wearing the same products for years, with little idea of what i was doing. and i know a lot of you chimed in that you feel the same! so i jumped at this opportunity to introduce us all to an amazing line of products that are so easy to use, even a newbie like me can shine. and i have to say, even though i’m used to wearing next to no makeup, i’m now a convert. seeing my face all prettified by these beautiful mineral makeups has me hooked and there’s no going back!
and the most exciting part is THEY’RE GIVING ONE LUCKY READER A FACE MAKEOVER TOO! see all those goodies below… one lucky reader is going to win all of that! so good, right?! and in addition to that awesomeness, they’re offering EVERYONE 10% off their order with the code “AHOUSEINTHEHILLS” (valid through August 12th). hip hip!
in the photo above i’m wearing the products shown- which i’m not kidding you took me no more than 7 minutes to apply. the thing i love most about them is they look natural, not heavy handed, but still do wonders for my face! my favorite product is the eyeliner, it makes my eyes pop and was much easier to apply than the pencil liner i’ve been using for years! plus if you wet your brush you can easily turn the powder liner into liquid liner…how rad is that?! tips for buying makeup online, applying mineral makeup and details on how to win your own alima pure makeover after the jump!
BUYING MAKEUP ONLINE:
i’ve never bought makeup that i haven’t already been using online in large part because choosing makeup online can be so daunting (it’s hard enough in the store, right?!) but alima makes it much easier by offering sample sizes of many of their products so that you can test out a few and see what you love best to order full size. this was so helpful for me especially when choosing the foundation! they also have this handy foundation selector to help you narrow it down. and there are so many other resources on their site to help you along through the process as well. i loved this tip for choosing eyeshadow colors!
TIPS FOR APPLYING:
- start with a clean, moisturized face
- shake some powder into the lid of the container and swirl the makeup brush in it to get the makeup into the brush. blow lightly to remove excess. (this appllies to foundation, bronzer, eyeshadow, etc)
- to turn the foundation into concealer, wet the the liner brush or shadow brush and then add a little foundation powder. paint onto any areas that need a little extra coverage. dust with foundation powder when finished!
- just a little bit of the mineral makeup goes a long way, so layer lightly to acheive just the look you’re going for!
DETAILS ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY:
winner will receive a phone consult with alima pure to help determine the best products/colors for their skin type and to answer any questions as well as everything shown above, in the colors of your choice! this includes: 4 makeup brushes, foundation, bronzer, blush, (2) eyeshadows, eyeliner, and a lipbalm. total value over $200!
to enter visit alima pure and leave a comment below with the product you are most excited to try (i was the most excited to try the eyeliner and shimmer eyeshadow)! comments must be posted by midnight on friday and a winner will be chosen randomly shortly thereafter. winner will be notified by email and announced on the blog. so much good luck to all of you! xx- sarah
** EDIT** GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED, CONGRATS TO LUCKY WINNER JENN FROM PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA!
i didn’t intend for this to be a recipe post, i was just making lunch. but when i saw how beautiful the plate looked i knew there was no way i couldn’t share it with you! there’s few things sweeter in life than a perfectly ripe and heavenly heirloom tomato in the summer, am i right? this dish is one that’s SO simple, but with the freshest, highest quality ingredients it’s absolutely rich in flavor. and the best part, it can be thrown together in minutes, but the heartiness of the chickpeas make it a satisfying meal. light, refreshing, healthy, delicious and quick: perfect for summer eating! hope you love! xx- sarah {more after the jump}
hi everyone, welcome to my second installment of musings! we’re leaving monday for a two week trip to the east coast and the anticipation has got me thinking…
i love traveling. when i have a trip on the books it’s just about all i can think about. it consumes me, i can spend hours daydreaming about what i’ll see, eat, wear. the people i’ll meet, the people i love who i’ll visit. i get excited for the smells, sounds and tastes that will be new to me. the airports, trains, planes, taxis, and hotel beds, i love it ALL. but the thing i love most is the feeling i get when i’m in the midst of it. i feel somehow more alive, more myself, more open to what life brings me.
traveling, for me, is that thing that really moves me. it’s what stirs the creativity inside me, it feeds the adventurous part of my spirit, it expands my sense of self to encompass the entire world rather than my tiny little at-home world. i feel most like myself when i’m away from home and outside of my comfort zone, if that makes sense. it’s one of the most fulfilling things that i do.
and so i wonder, why not more?
what is it that moves you, that really makes you feel ALIVE? is it a part of your everyday life? should it be? in writing this i’m reminded that we’re truly responsible for crafting our lives, shaping daydreams into realities. so, i’m going to be spending more time day dreaming and more time crafting. here’s to all of us having the lives of our wildest imaginations! xx- sarah
* is that graphic not killing you with awesomeness? we have aileen cheng to thank for that! best. designer. ever.
happy almost weekend everyone! i’ve got exciting news today! i’ve joined style me pretty living as a contributor, so i’ll be posting over there when i can! and for today’s post i showed three ways to style leather shorts, which, by the way, i’ve decided are the new denim shorts. so head over here to see 3 more looks! hope you love! and i’ll be back in a couple of hours with a new musings post. it’s a really good day around here! xx- sarah
SHOP THIS OUTFIT: shorts: bb dakota, top: madewell (similar here and here) booties: steve madden (similar here and here) bag: MOYNA (similar here) hat: free people sunnies: karen walker, necklace: monserat de lucca bracelet: monserat de lucca, lips: kat von d “a go-go”
