Holiday Dresses

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With the holidays coming up that means lots of holiday parties are coming too!  Holiday parties are so much fun because you get to dress up and show off your sense of style.  For these events I love pretty girly dresses paired with heels or flats to look chic and ready for the holidays.  While black is a staple for this time of year I prefer winter white and rich jewel tones for something a bit unexpected.  As you can tell I'm also a huge fan of lace right now, it's so feminine and instantly makes your look more interesting.  Here I have six dresses that I am loving for parties from now through New Years.  Wear one of these for Thanksgiving, your office party, on Christmas Eve and more to be the most stylish lady in the room.  The best part about my picks is that all of the dresses are under $100, meaning you'll look great without breaking the bank!

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Do you have a lot of holiday events coming up?

  

                

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Today I'm linking up with Thursday Fashion Files, What I Wore to Work, and Throwback Thursday.

Recipe: Garlic Bread

Who doesn't love garlic bread?!  It's one of my favorite side dishes for an Italian meal or even for a delicious snack.  A few months back I decided it was time to come up with my own garlic bread recipe and I am so, so happy with how it turned out.  This recipe makes bread that is buttery with lots of garlic, fresh herbs, and just a hint of cheese, just how I like it.  When I made this my family nearly devoured it and there wasn't a slice left.  I was thinking in addition to making this for a typical meal this could be a fun dish to bring to a Thanksgiving or holiday meal, it's a little different from your typical holiday side dish, but something everyone will love.  The one thing I do suggest though is that you bring some mints or gum as a little after dinner treat since everyone will be loaded with garlic after eating this ;)!

Ingredients:

-1/2 loaf of long skinny Italian bread (if the loaf is short use the whole loaf)

-1/2 cup butter

-4 large cloves of garlic

-4 large fresh basil leaves

-1 tsp. fresh parsley leaves

-1/2 tsp. garlic powder

-2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

-1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

-Cut the loaf of bread in half lengthwise, set aside.

-Melt butter.

-Crush garlic cloves and add to butter.

-Shred basil and parsley into small pieces and add to butter mixture.

-Add garlic powder, extra virgin olive oil, and Parmesan cheese to butter mixture, mix well.

-Place the top and bottom of the loaf of bread on a cookie sheet facing up.

-Generously cover the both pieces of bread with the butter mixture.

-Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes (make sure to keep an eye on it!).

-Allow to cool.

-Cut up and enjoy!

Are you a lover of all things garlicky and garlic bread?!

  

                

Make sure to add me on Snapchat - @kthomp22!

Gift Guide 2015: Beauty Gifts

Gingerbread Body Wash Set  |  Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

Deborah Lippmann Roses in the Snow Set  |  Clarisonic Mia  |  Peter Thomas Roth Mini Mask Magic Kit

Sephora Favorites Perfume Sampler  |  L'Occitane Hand Cream Trio

Tarte Shine Bright Statement Lash Essentials  |  Sephora Collection Precious Elements Brush Set  |  Fresh Sugar Rosé Ritual

Too Faced Le Grand Chateau  |  Pink Sugar Creamy Body Lotion  |  Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit for Her

I can't believe that it is already time for Holiday Gift Guides!  Christmas is just over a month away, which means now is the time to get your shopping done to avoid all the crazy crowds.  I have a few Gift Guides coming up over the next few weeks, but today's guide is for the lady on your list who is a beauty lover.  Whether your Mom, best friend, sister or whoever else you have to gift loves all things makeup, skincare, and more this is the list for them!

All the items on this guide each retail for under $100 and quite a few are valued at much more then their prices.  The most expensive item I've picked is the Clarisonic Mia, which at $99.00 is well worth the money, give this to anyone on your gift list who loves clear, glowing skin.  A more inexpensive pick for the skincare lover in your life is the Peter Thomas Roth Mini Mask Magic Kit, for $20.00 you'll get three of the brand's most popular masks and give the gift of beautiful skin.  For fun body products everyone will love try Philosophy's Gingerbread House Set, Pink Sugar's Creamy Body Lotion (my favorite scent!), and L'Occitane's Hand Cream Trio (they make the best hand cream!).  One of the coolest gifts on the list is the Sephora Favorites Perfume Sampler, it includes eleven samples of Sephora's most popular perfumes and a certificate to redeem for a full size bottle of the receiver's favorite one.

Next, everyone knows a girl who loves makeup and this guide has no shortage of presents for her!  Three items that are fun and really great prices are the Tarte Shine Bright Statement Lash Essentials for $20.00 (how great is that eyelash curler?!), the Fresh Sugar Rosé Ritual for $18.00, and Deborah Lippmann Roses in the Snow Nail Polish Set for only $15.00.  Any of the Urban Decay Naked Palette's are a perfect gift because they're a makeup staple just about anyone can use, my personal favorite is the Naked 2 Palette.  Another makeup staple is good makeup brushes and I love these rose gold Sephora Collection Makeup Brushes and too cute leopard pouch to keep them in.  One last fun makeup gift is the Le Grand Chateau kit from Too Faced, it's only $49.00 (but is valued at $215.00!) and includes eighteen eyeshadows, two blushes, a bronzer, and mascara; the items are broken up into three different palettes and can be gifted all as one or separately.

The most universal gift from this guide, and something absolutely every girl can use is Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit for Her.  I've been using these little kits for years now and they make the best gifts.  They're filled with everything one might need in a pinch, bandages, Advil, clear nail polish, stain remover, deodorant, and much more.  They come in a variety of pouch styles and have different kits for women, men, bridesmaids, and more, making them something for literally everyone on your list!

I'm loving all of the presents here and hopefully this can help you with some of your shopping.  My goal is to have my shopping done before Thanksgiving so I'm not super stressed during finals.  What are your shopping plans for Christmas this year?  Do you like to get it done ahead of time or wait for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals?  Let me know below!

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Today I'm linking up with Tutu Tuesdays, Confident Twosday, and Style Sessions.

Welcome to Tutu Tuesdays a linkup with The Blush Blonde and The Fairy Princess Diaries!  Link-up whatever you'd like and make sure to do a little mingling - our goal here is to create a community of bloggers where we can all connect, find new blogs, and support one another.  We love new friends, supporting other blogs, and meeting fellow girl bosses!

There are just a few rules we ask you follow to join in on Tutu Tuesdays:

1. Please follow both Jordyn and me, your lovely hosts, on Instagram and/or Bloglovin.

Kristin: The Blush Blonde  |  Bloglovin'  |  Instagram

Jordyn: The Fairy Princess Diaries  |  Bloglovin'  |  Instagram

2. Link to your specific post, not your blog's main page.

3. Grab our super cute button or share a link to Tutu Tuesdays in the post you are linking up so everyone can know about the party!

4. Have fun and mingle with other bloggers that have linked up!  Like I said we want everyone to make new friends!

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Friday Favorites

Favorite Event Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Who wasn't excited for the VS Fashion show this week?!  I've been watching the show for over ten years and somehow it keeps getting better.  I've been trying my hardest not to look at too many pictures because I want to be surprised when the show airs on television.  This year I'm super excited for all the amazing performers and to see my favorites Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid make their first appearances on the runway! 

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Favorite Accessory Pom Pom Hats

I can't get enough of adorable pom pom hats for the winter.  They are the cutest accessory and will definitely help to keep you warm.  I love the one pictured below and this fun double pom pom hat too!

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Favorite Healthy Treat Fruit Mousse

This light and super easy to make dessert from Serious Eats sounds absolutely delicious.  It's perfect for when you're having guests over and need a quick dessert or when you're craving some sorbet, but don't have any in the house.  All you need is three ingredients and a blender or food processor and you're good to go.

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Favorite Skincare Item NUDE Skincare Progenius Omega Treatment Rescue Oil

I got a sample of this the last time I ordered from Sephora and am completely obsessed with it.  The sample is actually really big so I have been using it a lot lately.  My skin has been super dry the past few weeks and my favorite way to use this is to mix a few drops with my moisturizer in the morning, it makes my skin look fresh and dewy, but never shiny or oily.  I also like to use it at night and let it sink in for ten to fifteen minutes before I put moisturizer on.  Since I started using this my skin looks incredible and I am obsessed with it, I am actually going to buy the full size bottle this weekend!

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Favorite Beauty Article 10 Little-Known Products With Over 1000 Positive Reviews on Amazon

This article from Byrdie shares under the radar products that have insanely good reviews on Amazon.  The list includes everything from an inexpensive vitamin C serum to a gentle toner to the makeup brush set below (which is a total steal!).  This article is a must read for any beauty junkie.

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What are you loving this week?

  

                

Make sure to add me on Snapchat - @kthomp22!

Today I'm linking up with Casual Friday, Friday Favorites, Oh Hey Friday!, Fab Favorites, The Pick, Five on Friday, Friday Favorites, and Friday Favorites.

Coconut Oil Honey Hair Mask

I love using coconut oil and honey in my hair to deep condition so it was only natural to put the two together and make one incredible mask.  I have been using this mixture for a couple years now and it always makes my hair incredibly soft and shiny.  I was super excited a few months back when I saw that Julianne Hough (who always has gorgeous hair!) uses almost the exact same mixture, she got the recipe from a girl at the grocery store with gorgeous hair and says that using it has been "life (of hair) changing."  So if you don't believe me about how great this stuff is you absolutely have to believe Julianne!  Give this a try to keep your hair super healthy and make it look so amazing that strangers will want to know your secrets.

Ingredients:

-2 tbsp. coconut oil

-2 tbsp. honey

Instructions:

-Place coconut oil and honey in a microwave safe bowl.

-Microwave in increments of ten seconds, stopping to mix each time until completely melted and well mixed.

-Coat dry hair in the mixture paying special attention to the ends.

-Cover hair with a shower cap or dry towel.

-Leave on for a minimum of thirty minutes.

-Shampoo and condition as usual, depending on your hair type you may need to shampoo twice.

-Enjoy soft, shiny hair!

Do you ever create DIY hair masks?  What are your favorite ingredients to use when you mix one up?

  

                

Make sure to add me on Snapchat - @kthomp22!