Carry On Essentials

I am going on vacation!! Woo! I am so excited! I think I may like getting ready for a vacation more than the actual vacation. Ha! Maybe not but I do thoroughly enjoy the process of getting ready for a vacation. I wanted to share somethings I like to bring on the airplane in my carry on.

• Warby Parker Glasses: I just recently got these Warby Parker Eugene glasses and I love them.  I most likely will be wearing these on the flight. 
• Fuzzy Socks: My favorite fuzzy socks are from Bath and Body Works and they usually only have them during Christmas so I will usually stock up. It is always nice to have so fuzzy socks on a flight just to make you feel and little more comfy. Sometimes the plane can get really cold so it will be nice to have these.  
• Coach Card Case: Having a card case is nice to have to eliminate the need to carry a big wallet. It also takes up less room in your bag and you can just carry the most important cards.
• Extra Phone Battery: Having an extra phone battery is nice to have in case your in the plane or in the airport and your phone dies and you have no way of charging it. I always carry one of these with me on any trip.
• Neck Pillow: Having a neck pillow is always something I try to bring on any flight. The cool thing about this neck pillow is that it can flip into a square pillow which is nice if you have a window seat. 
• Headphones: This is a major essential. Of course with these, I listen to music, movies, or tv shows.
• Cell Phone: Well this one is a little obvious but can't go anywhere without my cell phone!
• Empty Water Bottle: I like to bring an empty water bottle so I can fill it up on the other side of security. Water is usually really expensive in the airport and I also love this water bottle because it keeps beverages really cold for a while.
• Kindle: I get really bored on flights so I need some sort of entertainment. I love to bring my Kindle so I can watch a movie or tv show or even read a book. I think on this trip I am going to read "Still Me" which I have already started but haven't finished yet.
• Ray-Ban Sunglasses: I am going somewhere that is very sunny so I am going to need my sunglasses. I like to carry them in a carry-on so they won't get damaged and I will have access to them right when I land.
• Phone Charger: I like to bring a phone charger to charge my phone at the airport. I also like to bring a really long one in case the outlets are really far from the chairs (Which I've been to airports where they are like that) 
• A Backpack: Backpack I think are the best bag to use for a carry-on. They are the most comfortable to wear and they hold so much.

• Dr. Bronner's Lavendar Hand Sanitizer: The airport is full of germs and ain't nobody has time to get sick. So I have to have hand sanitizer with me. I love this spray one and it smells amazing.
• Peace and Calming Essential Oil: I sometimes get a little anxious on flights so I am hoping this essential oil may calm me down a little.   
• Tylenol: I always like to bring some kind of painkiller just case I have a headache or it is needed for another reason.
• Lens Cleaner: I like to bring glasses cleaner to clean off my glasses or my sunglasses.
• Burts Bees Lotion: Airplanes are super dry so it is always nice to bring some lotion.

I can't wait to share more about my upcoming trip! So stay tuned for some more travel content.

Best Wishes,

xx Deborah 

June Favorites 2018

It's monthly favorites time! Here are a few bits that I have been loving this month. 

MAKEUP 

• Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil: This has been my go-to brow pencil this month. I get my brows waxed at the Benefit Brow Bar at Ulta and they used this product on me the last time I went there. I love how it makes my eyebrows look and I think this is going to be in my makeup bag for a while.
• Tarte Shape Tape: I have heard beauty bloggers rave about this product and finally tried it out. I can definitely say it is a great concealer. It is no wonder it has 4 1/2 stars on Ulta with 8,000 reviews!
• Glossier Cloud Paint: I am a fan of Glossier and really want to try more things from them. This is their liquid blush and it is so easy to use. A little bit goes a long way. Its perfect to use for everyday. I have it in the color Beam.
• Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara: Oh do I love trying new mascaras. This has been my favorite mascara this month. I am not sure if it is new but I have been hearing about it in the beauty blogger world. It makes my eyelashes super long and gives them a super awesome curl. 
• Tarte Aspyn Ovard Eye and Cheek Palette: I have been following Aspyn Ovard on Youtube for a couple years now and I love her videos and am so jealous of all the traveling she gets to do. When I found out that she was coming out with a palette I knew I had to have it. Show out to my bestie Perry for getting this for my birthday! I have used this almost every day since I have gotten it. It's the perfect eyeshadow palette. You know when you get a palette and there are always some colors that you will never use. Well in this palette I use every color as well as the blush and highlighter. I can tell I will be using this palette for a while. This was sold at Ulta but I think you can only get it on the Tarte website now. 

SKINCARE

• REN Vita Mineral: I walked into Sephora and asked the skincare lady for options of moisturizer with a pump. I am not sure why a lot of moisturizers are ones where you stick your finger into a pot and I don't know about you but I really dislike sticking my finger into a pot to then put it on my face. This was the first one she showed me and I was sold. I have been wanting to try this brand and I am loving this moisturizer and it has been making my skin feel super smooth.  
• Young Living Lavender Oil: As a birthday gift to myself I bought A Young Living essential oil starter kit. I have decided to not use candles anymore and just diffuse essential oils instead. So I have been diffusing lavender a lot recently but I have also been mixing a couple drops of lavender into my moisturizer. Lavender is a very calming oil and helps with acne. I have been trying to do this once in awhile to help with some trouble spots I have on my face. 

Fashion 

• Rarity by Casey Headbands: I got these three headbands this month. Most headbands after a while hurt my head after awhile but the way these are made they don't hurt my head. I love all the patterns that Casey makes she even has Disney one! She only has certain shop openings so be sure to follow her Instagram: RaitybyCasey 

Thank you for reading this blog post! If you didn't know I have linked all the product if you wanted to check them out. Let me know so of the things you've been loving this past month.

Best wishes xx

Deborah

Cat Photobomb!

The Best Chocolate Chip Recipe

If you follow me on Instagram you would know that I love baking. I have finally decided to start blogging about different recipes that I have tried and share them with you. I have been on the hunt for the perfect chocolate chip recipe for a while. I think I may have found the best chocolate chip recipe. My good friend Brittney introduce me to this recipe and told me I had to try it.

FRIEND PLUG... you guys should totally check out my friend Brittney's Etsy account. She makes beautiful macrame plant and wall hangers. Check out her Etsy here or her Instagram here.

Okay back to talking about cookies. So in this recipe, the people over at Tasty tried all the different ways you could make chocolate chip cookies. They took all the different ways and decided what the best ingredients were and the best way to combine them. I can definitely say this recipe made a perfect chocolate chip cookie. I love my cookies to be soft but crunchy around the outside and this cookie fulfilled all my cookie dreams. 

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP RECIPE 

   INGREDIENTS:

1 cup bread flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 sticks of unsalted butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 white sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

5 oz white chocolate, chopped 

(They used dark chocolate but I think white chocolate tastes better)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. 1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
2. 2. In a large saucepan, add the butter and melt over medium heat. 
3. 3. Bring the butter to a boil, stirring frequently. As the water begins to boil out of the butter, the milk solids in the butter will separate, sink to the bottom, and begin to toast and brown. As this begins to happen, make sure to stir constantly so the butter browns evenly. It may become quite foamy, splatter a bit, and be difficult to see, so keep a close eye on it, removing from heat and continuing to stir if it starts to foam over.
4. 4. Once the butter has turned a nice nutty brown, remove from the heat and pour into a large liquid measuring cup to stop the cooking. Allow it to cool down for a minute or two, give it a stir, and carefully add 2-3 tablespoons of water to the butter to bring it back up to 1 cup of liquid.
5. Set aside to cool to room temperature. To help speed this process up, you can place in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. You want to make sure the butter is still liquid when you’re adding it to the dough, later on, so make sure to remove after 15 minutes. (I found that I had to leave it in the fridge longer than 15 minutes for mine to be room temperature)
6. 5. In a large bowl, add the sugars, vanilla, espresso powder, and cooled brown butter. Cream together with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
7. 6. Add the egg and yolk and beat until incorporated.
8. 7. Add the dry ingredients, about ⅓ of the mixture at a time, and beat between additions until just incorporated. It’s okay for there to be a bit of unmixed flour on the edge of the bowl, this will be incorporated in the next step.
9. 8. Using a wooden spoon, fold the chocolate chips and chunks into the dough
10. 9. Scoop the cookies onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in 3-tablespoon-sized mounds. (I used a cookie scoop to get perfectly shaped cookies)
11. 10. For optimal flavor, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or, even better, overnight. (I refrigerated my cookies for an hour it definitely helps with the firmness and taste of the cookies)
12. 11. Preheat the oven to 350˚F 
13. 12. Evenly space the dough 3 inches apart from one another on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
14. 13. Bake in a preheated oven for 12-14 minutes.
15. 14. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
16. 15. Now you have made delicious chocolate chip cookies!

Let me know if any of you try this recipe! I hope to do more baking recipes in the future.

Best wishes xx

Deborah

•            

Disney Park Tag

Disney has been apart of my life since I was a little kid. I visited Disneyland many times as a little girl and even more as I have gotten older. Even had the opportunity to go to Disney World a couple of times now. The parks bring me so much joy, and I am definitely a Disney nerd. Recently I have been having major Disney withdrawals so I thought that I would do this Disney Tag and show some memories I have had from all my park visits. 

1. Which Disney park have you visited? I have been to Disneyland and Disney World. It is on my bucket list to visit every Disney Park and I’m about to visit Aulani! If you consider that a park.

2. What is your earliest Disney memory? When I was three we were looking at a gift shop that was in a hotel (I can't remember if it was a Disney hotel). I saw this Belle charm bracelet and I just knew I had to have it so I begged my parents to let me get it. Of course, because they are the best parents ever they got it for me. I still have that bracelet today! 

               Can anyone guess where I am in the top photo? (Hint it has a different name today) 

Also in that picture can we all ask my mom why I am wearing a Snoopy shirt when we are at Disneyland lol.

3. Which is your favorite park? I would have to say Disneyland because I grew up going there, but now as I’m older Disney World definitely has a special place in my heart.

4. Which on-site hotels have you stayed at? I have stayed at the Disneyland hotel once way back in the day before they remodeled it. I have also stayed at the Grand Californian Hotel. Such a stunning hotel. At Disney World, I have stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort, the Grand Floridian, Pop Century, and Port Orleans French Quarters.

5. Which is your favorite castle? Although must smaller than Cinderella’s castle, I would have to say Sleeping Beauty’s because it’s the original. Also because pretty much most of the day you can walk through it unlike Cinderella’s which is closed for part of the day for Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire. 

6. What is your favorite land? At Disneyland my favorite land is Fantasyland. At Disney World, it’s the World Showcase at Epcot. I love to travel and hope to travel to many countries in the future so I love how at the World Showcase you get small glimpses of how it would feel to be in the different countries.

Can anyone guess where the bottom picture was taken?

7. What is your all-time favorite ride? At Disneyland defiantly Indiana Jones, but Space Mountain is a close second. At Disney World, I love Expedition Everest and the Frozen Ever After Ride.

8. What do you think is the most underrated ride? The Storybook Land Canal Boats at Disneyland! You can see miniature versions of all the Disney princess castles and other Disney character sets. Also once a cast member told me that if you time it right and ride the Storybook Boats right as the fireworks are going off you can get pretty amazing views.

9. What do you think is the most overrated ride? I would say Rock "N" Roller Coaster at Disney World. Although I actually only rode it once, I believe. It’s a very short ride and there is nowhere to store your belongings so the whole time we were afraid our stuff was going to fall out. I may need to give it another go though.

10. What is your favorite show? Now this one is tough because I have a lot. I think Disneyland has some of the best shows. If you’ve never seen Mickey and the Magical Map your seriously missing out. That show is amazing and it also showcases some Disney character that we don’t see often (Stitch, Sebastian, Pocahontas, and Mulan). I LOVE World of Color. I think that show is so innovated, and I love how they continue to add to the show as new movies come out. Also, Paint the Night is amazing and so glad they have brought it back. Can’t wait to see it again.  At Disney World, I would say the Festival of Fanasty Parade is really good! The floats are gorgeous and so fun. OH! And how could I forget about The Festival of the Lion King! I’ve only recently watched this show for the first time on my last trip, but let me tell you it’s amazing! I can’t believe those people do that every day! 
Defiantly a must see! 

11. Do you enjoy meeting the characters? Yes, I do! When I was little, I loved getting the characters autographs and still have some of my autograph books. But now as I’m older it is fun to try to get pictures with all of them. Peter Pan, you are still on my list!

12. What characters have you met, and who was your favorite? Oh man, I’ve met a lot probably too many to list. My favorite would probably have to be Rapunzel she’s usually really in character and Olaf even though he doesn’t talk he’s just so cute! Oh, and of course Belle my favorite! Also, love how you can take pictures with her in both of her outfits. Ariel at Disney World defiantly has the best meet and greet area.

13. What is your favorite restaurant? That’s a hard one. At Disneyland, I loved Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue but that now is closed for Star Wars land. Only been there once but The Blue Bayou Resturant is pretty much the coolest restaurant as it’s in Pirates of the Caribbean. At Disney World, Be Our Guest Restaurant is probably my favorite. The theming is amazing! Like really it’s incredible. I definitely recommended for dinner as the atmosphere is much better versus going for breakfast or lunch. My favorite character meal is Cinderella’s Royal Table because you get to eat in the castle I mean it doesn’t get any better than that! Also, the views are amazing!

14. What is your favorite quick service restaurant? Hands down Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie at the France Pavillion at Epcot. You have to get the Jambon Beurre which is Ham and Cheese, Dijon Mustard Butter on a Demi Baguette. You’ll thank me later. I still dream about it every once in a while lol

15.  Favorite Disney snack? Without a doubt Dole Whip Float. With a close second being a Mickey Mouse ice cream bar. Oh, and churros of course. 

16. What is your most fond Disney memory? Going to Disney World with my two best friends after I graduated college. Seriously one of the best weeks of my life. We still talk about that trip to this day. But also more recently getting to take my niece to Disney World for the first time. I have never gone with a child to Disney before beside when I was a child myself Ha! But it was truly amazing taking her and seeing how excited she was for everything.

17. Describe your dream Disney holiday? Right now would definitely be going to Tokyo Disney. I recently have been watching a lot of Tokyo Disney vlogs and it’s giving me a major itch to go there. Who wants to go with me?

18. What is your favorite thing you’ve bought from the parks? Every time I go to a Disney park I buy a pair of Minnie Mouse ears. It is so fun to look at them all and think about which trip they each were from.

If you've gotten this far thank you! I love talking about Disney so if you have any questions do not hesitate to ask in the comments. If you guys like blog posts about Disney let me know because if that is something people are interested in I would love to post more content about it. 

Best Wishes xx

Deborah 

My Current Favorite Outfit

Hello... It's me... I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet? Any Adele fans out there? Anyways! I am finally back! I know it has literally been a year, but I am back and ready to start blogging again.

All the spring clothes are in the stores, and it makes me so happy. Spring is definitely one of my favorite seasons because my birthday is in the spring and I love all the flowers of course. I am definitely ready for the spring so I may have gone a bit crazy with buying some new spring pieces... whoops. This is the outfit that I love to wear on days that are not as cold. So this outfit is a perfect transition to spring outfit. So let me share a few things about my new favorite outfit.

I think yellow is going to be a very popular color this spring. I have seen all different shades of yellow in the shops currently, but I am definitely loving mustard yellow. I had been on the hunt for the perfect mustard yellow cardigan, and finally found this one at Urban Outfitters. I love this sweater so much and have been able to wear it with some many things. Unfortunately, they do not have the mustard yellow sweater online anymore but they still have it in grey and ivory which I think would look great too! 

I have been pairing this sweater with a lot of different shirts, but my favorite combo is with this Madewell gingham tie shirt (psst... this shirt is on sale right now). I have a new obsession with shirts with ties in the front ( I may currently own three... I have a problem) Gingham print is definitely in this spring as well! I love Madewell so much I just wish it was so expensive.

If you haven't been to Target recently you need to literally go there right now, and look at their new Universal Thread clothing line. This line is giving me major Madewell vibes. It is feeding my Madewell obsession, and the prices are so reasonable! I got these black jeans a couple days ago and have been wearing them ever since. Two reasons why I love these jeans. One they come in longs... All the tall girls rejoice! It can be so hard for me to find jeans that are long enough for me and these are a perfect length. The second reason I love these jeans is that they also come in high waist. I don't know about you but I love high waisted jeans they are definitely my favorite fit of jean.

Thanks so much for reading! I am excited to get back into blogging. I have a lot of blog ideas in the works so stay tuned! Let me know if you guys are interested in me showing you how I style the other piece I have gotten from the Universal Thread line.

Best Wishes xx
Deborah

Feb Favs

Hello there, long time no see. Yes I know its been awhile but life happened. I am gonna try to get back into blogging more. My favorite blog posts to do are favorites (If you haven't noticed). So why not get back into the swing of things by throwing a February favorites at ya! Here we go...

MAKEUP//
   So in February I've absolutely been obsessed with the Two Faced Sweet Peach Palette. I wanted this palette when it first came out but it sold out SO fast. So I was extremely excited when I found out they were bring it back. I decided it to by it for myself as a Christmas present, and it did not disappoint. I have not experimented with all the colors yet. Some of the color on the left side are a little darker then I wear for an everyday look but can't wait to use them for more fancier occasions. Pixi cosmetics did a collaborations with some youtube stars and when I found out they were doing a collaboration with Aspyn Ovard I knew I had to check it out. I think her and her husband are the cutest and I frequently watch them on youtube. I tried out her Glow-y Powder in Rome Rose and let me tell you this is a gem for all those pale girls out there. It's this beautiful rose color with flecks of gold and shimmer. I think it would look beautiful on all skins tones, for that is how she designed it. She also came out with two highlighters that I have yet to try. One is called London Lustre so you best believe I need to get my hands on that one! You can purchase Pixi at any Target store. Another thing they just started selling at Target is Soap and Glory and OH man am I excited about this one. I have loved this brand for awhile of course coming from good ol' England. Now that it's being sold in Target and Ulta it is easy to get your hands on. My favorite eyeliner at the moment comes from them is the Supercat Skinny Liner. I really like this eyeliner because the tip of this felt liner is so stiff and skinny that it is very easy to get that thin line right up against your lash line. Ending my makeup favs with two Clinique products. First up is their High Impact Mascara. Shoutout to my best friend Perry for getting me this for Christmas. I have been using this mascara since she gave it to me and have been loving it. This mascara does all the things you want a mascara to do. It lengths, curls, and adds volume, defiantly your triple threat mascara. And lastly the foundation I have been using for most of January and February, the Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer. I read about this foundation in an article from the blog How to be a Red Head, the article talk about different foundations that have foundation matches for red haired ladies. Hey that's me! So I gave it a go and it defiantly worked for me. Now I don't use it as a concealer too, for I have really dark circle under my eyes and need a little more help in that department. This foundations has so many different colors to chose from I think there could be a shade for every skin tone.

SKINCARE//
   I  have two skincare favorites this month. First I have been loving the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate. I like to use this after I have washed my face right before I go to bed. It helps my skin feel refreshed and moisturized for my beauty sleep. Another Pixi collaboration fav, Caroline Hirons is a UK beauty blogger and came out with the Double Cleanse. It's a two step process, first you use the solid cleansing oil. This step help removes all the makeup and dirt. Then the second step, the cleansing cream help removing anything the cleansing oil missed as well as cleanse the skin. After this you can wash your face with another face wash and go on with the rest of your skincare routine. I have noticed that this really helps get all the makeup and dirt off my face, so that my pore aren't staying clogged and those pesky pimples aren't showing up as much.

FASHION//
  I have been living in this jean jacket from Gap. I have been looking for an oversized jean jacket for awhile and was so excited when I found this one. My favorite outfit right now is to pair this jacket with a stripped shirt, black jeans, and my white Converse. I have also been living in these shoes this month. They are so comfortable and goes with everything. Shoutout tp my best friend Sha Sha for getting these for me! This has been my uniform since we have had warmer weather this February here in Indiana. Hooray so ready for spring!

What have you been loving this February? Also what are you looking forward to this spring? Spring is my favorite probably because my birthday is in the spring and this year I am going to the Tulip Festival in Michigan this year. So look forward to a blog post about that!

Best Wishes xx
Deborah

My Trip Across the Pond

Soo... I know this post is majorly late BUT I was watching Me Before You last night, and it was giving my major England withdraws. I decided that I finally need to posted the pictures from my trip to London even if they are three months late. Ha! Sorry. Well if you know me at all you will know that I am utterly obsessed with The United Kingdom. It is really bad, so bad that I actually have a giant British flag hanging in my apartment. I am not ashamed! I just love the culture, the history, the design, the accent, and basically everything about the country. So with that being said I have wanted to go to England for as long as I can remember. When my parents told me that they wanted to take me to Europe, I literally could not contain myself. So I wanted to share some photos I took during my trip. Without further ado here ya go!

Of course afternoon tea is a necessity when in London.

I just can see Peter Pan, Wendy, Micheal, and John flying to Neverland

Iconic red phone booth picture

Big Ben is the name of the bell in the tower, the whole structure is part of the House of Parliament

I always thought that this was London Bridge but in fact it is the Tower Bridge

Although I did not ride the London Eye it sure does look cool and maybe someday I will

I could walk around Hyde Park all day long

Can this be my backyard please, Kensington Gardens is so beautiful

I just love flowers

Prince William and Princess Kate live here, Kensington Palace, with little George and Charlotte 

The cutest shopping area I ever did see

Windsor Castle, one of the Queens many homes

There were still so many things that we did not get to see, so that can only mean one thing... I have to go back! Someday I hope to do a road trip all around England, but for now I will continue to watch British television and live vicariously through all the British Youtubers that I watch. Thanks for letting me share a little bit of my love for England and a HUGE thank you to my parents for taking me on this amazing trip. Have you ever been to England? Let me know what your favorite places to go in England are! 

Best Wishes xx

Deborah

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave