Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day Blog Family! 

Obviously, I am feeling festive over here! 

Who else loves green!? I have fond memories of being in the St. Paddy's Day parade 

at my Catholic elementary school growing up in Georgia. I loved getting dressed up even then! 

I have a photo somewhere where I am decked out in a shamrock headband, plaid button up shirt, and green Osh Kosh overalls! Nailed it. Then, throughout college, I loved to waitress on St. Patrick's Day, because people liked to drink and I made good tips! 

Today I made green eggs and grits for lunch, with avocado & green onion toast and I baked some green cupcakes using a Williams Sonoma baking mix that I found in my pantry, and I have been busy still Tidying Up, per my book Here! One day I will finish! I get tired and have to take lots of breaks, but it is nice to declutter and try to keep the things that "bring me joy"!

Hope you all have a wonderful day and weekend! Be safe! 

Fashion & beauty inspiration details below!

Baking Mix (not exact flavor); Baking Cups

Perfume - awesome scent for Spring 

Eyeshadow Palette - can also get at Target

Lipstick - less than $8!

Bracelets!!!!!! - I have been loving these, I am so glad I got them!

Tank is Billabong from a store in Maui, but some similar online versions are Here, Here and Here!

Flip Flops were an outlet purchase a couple of years back, so I cannot find exact style/ print, but These and These are both pretty close! I love them! So comfy and match everything.

Other loves not pictured:

Essie Nail Polish

What do you usually do for St. Patrick's Day?

Did you wear green today?

Hope you enjoyed! 

(Make sure to pinch someone cute who is not wearing green today!) 

XOXO,

Gretchen

Spring Wish List!

I am ready for Spring!

How about you guys? Well, it is already here - THIS SUNDAY!!
I had fun putting together this Spring Wish List for you. I am living the bright corals, teals, and golds. Everything I am highlighting is from Nordstrom.com - because I love racking up points with them to use as "Nordstrom Notes" that they send you when you have their credit card, and their return policy is the best. I love putting together these for you guys too, because even if I haven't taken a trip yet or felt like the season is coming, it really gets me in the mood and inspires me to create my own looks at home too.

ANGIE Print T-Back Dress

Sonix 'Liana Teal' iPhone 6 & 6s Case

Kate Spade New York 'fairmount Square - Monday' Crossbody Bag

Chinese Laundry 'Tatiana' Open Toe Bootie (Women)

BaubleBar 'Antiqua' Beaded Stretch Bracelets (Set of 4)

La Blanca 'Island Fare' V-Neck Cover-Up Tunic

Kendra Scott 'Kellen' Ear Jackets

STS Blue 'Amy' Destroyed Skinny Jeans

Chloé 'Roses de Chloé' Eau de Toilette Spray

Topshop 'Maui' One-Piece Swimsuit

Oh, I forgot! I am really also wanting a new pair of Birkenstocks like THIS!
I wore them in junior high in Texas, and they were so comfortable. They are back in style apparently, and I like the new styles!

What fun and frivolous things are you coveting for spring?

XOXO, 
Gretchen

My March Makeup Faves!

I have been learning a lot about makeup lately, and playing with trying to see what works best for my skin and gives me the best coverage and look for my face. It has been fun, so I wanted to share with you some of the new products I am loving!!

The BB cream is awesome for when i am outside and don't want to take a lot of steps for my makeup. It is moderate on coverage, but feels lightweight and has SPF in it. The HD Forever Foundation is awesome. The pressed powder is translucent and I use this to set my concealer. The Urban Decay spray is a setting spray you put on after your makeup is done. It helps your makeup last all day long! Well, I wish - but it does help it last longer. The Too Faced primer has coconut water in it and I love how it moisturizes my face and evens everything out before I put on my foundation. I have dark under eye circles - always have. So, I am in search of the best concealers always. The Kat Von D and Nars shown below are my current faves, but I am still wanting to try more!

Links here:

Make up Forever Foundation

Dr. Jart BB Cream

Make up Forever Pressed Powder

Urban Decay Makeup Setting Spray

Too Faced Primer

NARS Concealer

Kat Von D Concealer

Have you tried any of these?
What are your favorites? 
Have you tried any of the new conceal and correct products that I have been seeing a lot of? 
Have any of you tried these fun brushes?

Have a wonderful week!

XOXO,
Gretchen

Avocado Egg Salad Recipe

A twist on the old Avocado Toast snack/ meal/ anytime yummy food.. the Avocado Egg Salad! 

My avocados were ready to go and ready for me to go outside and pick some more from our trees, so I whipped this up and wanted to share it with you all! 

Here is the finished product: I did 2 gluten free toasts vs. a sandwich, so I could get maximum egg salad per bite. Very efficient and effective haha. And I had 1 small red gala apple, cut up, and some iced lemon water. Delish!

(Treat Platter is from Pier 1 - HERE)

So, I boiled up 6 eggs in a pot covering them with salt water, and then covering, letting them cook on low for about 10 minutes. Then, I discarded the water and ran them under cool water for a couple of minutes.



I tap tap tapped the shells all over them and then peeled them off. Then, I rinsed the boiled eggs in some cool water to make sure I got all of the shell pieces off.

(Kitchen towel is from World Market HERE)


For my recipe, I used 2 small-medium fuerte avocados, but you could use 1 large avocado, any kind, or even a little bit less avocado. However, I am an avocado addict, so I used 2. I just used a fork and smashed the avocado up, adding a squirt of yellow mustard, a squirt of lite mayo, 2 slices of cold dill pickles chopped, salt and pepper, paprika, and some chopped red onion - however much of each ingredient you like. I love recipes like this that you really just adjust the ingredients to your taste and what you like. Some people leave the mayo out since they are using avocado, and a lot of people hate paprika. Next time I make it, I will probably leave out the red onion. It made for some killer breath, and made the salad more guacamole-tasting than egg salad.

(Salad bowl is Rachael Ray, on sale HERE for $10!)





























For the eggs, I just cut them up, using all the whites, and 3 of the yolks then mixed them in! Easy!
Let the salad cool in the fridge for probably at least 20 minutes. Then, you can make toast or a sandwich, or eat with crackers, or even alone! Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. This is an awesome set HERE. I was able to get 3 meals out of this batch.

(Treat Platter is from Pier 1 - HERE)

Hope you enjoyed! Here are the avocados I picked as I let my salad cool in the fridge!



Have you tried this recipe or a similar one? 
I would love to hear any twists or tricks to make mine better or different! 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

P.S. I think I might have to buy THIS SHIRT!! 
So cute & fitting!! 

XOXO,
Gretchen

Spring Ready Look!

In the spirit of trying to brighten the day, as it is raining hard over here in Southern California, I am posting a fun Spring Ready Look that I put together last week for a fun dinner with my best friend. 
I actually put fake eyelashes on this day, which I never do - and I was pretty successful! She wears them every day and I have never been too great at them, but I am super into makeup videos on YouTube lately so I think that helped me a lot with the application! The outfit was comfortable and felt easy and casual but at the same time, dressy and flirty and fun and fashionable. 
#OOTD detz below! I hope you all have a great week and enjoy the blog post!

Here are the details!! I will start top to bottom if I can! 

The sunglasses were a Christmas gift from my Mom a couple of years ago from here, but I found a couple of very similar pairs of the same brand here, here and here. I love the all black styles!

The necklace is from here, but I found a really inexpensive option here and I really want to get this one for spring! I usually steer towards gold and rose gold when it comes to jewelry.

The blouse is super comfy, mine is a Medium that I got from here last year, but I picked out a couple of similar styles on sale here and here for you. I love how the back is longer than the front.

Jeans are from here last year - some similar styles that I love are here for white with no holes, perfect look alikes here, and I love this brand here. Mine are super stretchy and comfortable.

Shoes are BCBG from several years past, but they are super comfy and although mine are pink and black and cork, with a buckle, I found some similar pairs that would match the look: 1, 2 and 3.

Coach bag was a Christmas gift from my boyfriend a few years ago, similars are: Crosby, Nomad, and Stanton. This purse is roomy and comfortable to wear, not heavy, and a great classic piece that I feel will last a long time and remain in style for me when I am not using one of my LV bags.

I have a Cartier knock-off bracelet on my left arm (shh!), a Kors watch that I adore, and Henri Bendel  pieces - a bracelet & a ring on my right arm. The exact watch is a rose gold chain style that I can't find online anymore, but very similar ones that I love are here, here, and here.

I am wearing a fun new liquid lipstick, and styled my hair with this large curling iron.

I hope you enjoyed this look of the day and that it gets you excited for spring!! 

I am still plugging away at my Tidying Up that I mentioned in this blog post. It is so tiring but it is going! Here are the books that I got to help me: 1st book and 2nd book (currently reading).

Let me know what pieces in your wardrobe are getting you excited for spring, I would love to see them! 

XOXO,

Gretchen