Hello everyone!
It is with pleasure that I announce my move to my very own domain, shortsweetandlovely.com . I hope that all of the followers that I have gained here will come and see what I (and many others) have helped create over on my new domain.
One thing that I have been doing over the past few years is switching over to more natural products when it comes to my makeup and skincare. I have always been wary of what I put in my body, which is probably why I haven’t had McDonalds in I don’t know how many years ha, but never really focused on what I was putting on my body until more recently. Funnily enough, I found out that the skin is extremely absorbent and whatever you use on it generally ends up in your bloodstream. How crazy is that?!
With that in mind, I started switching to paraben, phthalate, and aluminum free products. Then last August I saw a post on Facebook that a friend of mine wrote about a natural deodorant she had been using for months and how it was the best that she had ever used. I immediately messaged her asking about it in more detail and what all she recommended for a first time user.
A little over six months later and here I am writing a Wellness Wednesday post on that very same product, Native Deodorant. I mean, I love this deodorant, y’all. Yes, it does take some time getting used to it as it is a deodorant and not an antiperspirant like most products out there on the shelves. You will also definitely sweat more than you usually do, especially during the first month or so. However, it is worth it as I stink less when I sweat and it does not irritate my skin after shaving like some of the others would. Plus, all the ingredients are natural and you actually know what they are, which is something I think we can all agree on that is awesome.
The one thing I would suggest to those who are fairly warm bodied like myself, though, is to make sure that you wear loose tops when working out and immediately shower/bathe after your work out. As previously mentioned, it is a deodorant, not an antiperspirant, so you are going to sweat a bit more. Leaving your workout clothes on for too long is only going lead to clogged pores and/or heat rash if you just sweated buckets, so please take caution. This advice does not apply to just Native products but any sort of natural deodorant, so do be sure to always have good hygiene. I mean, we all know that juice or latte can wait until after you get clean.
*Pictured: Pear and Lavender and Unscented
**This post is not sponsored, I just really like Native Deodorant and highly recommend it to all my readers out there as it is formulated for men and women.
I am sure many of you have seen the various advertisements and articles about Target’s latest home decor collection, Opalhouse, blasted all over the internet. Needless to say, people have been anticipating the collection and with good reason as it’s quite gorgeous. Personally, I am loving the combination of bold colors, rich fabrics, natural textures, and fun prints.
Target has always been a go-to store for home decor items, but over the past couple of years or so, they have really stepped up their game. From collaborating with interior designers like Nate Berkus and bloggers such as Joy Cho (of Oh Joy!) to producing collections such as Project 62 and now Opalhouse, Target has easily become a source for all things for your home.
This past Sunday’s in-store and online release of Target’s Opalhouse collection is especially awesome for me, as I have been eyeing some items to help finish up my living room. Whoop!
For all those who are not professional baseball fans, know that today is an amazing day aka Opening Day.
With having been born and raised in the Houston area, I am naturally an Astros fan. Pair that with spending many summers at my dad’s parents ranch where the Astros would just about always be on and you can easily call me a die hard fan. I mean, I may have even cried when they won the World Series this past year. Though I know for a fact that I was not the only Houstonian celebrating in such a way.
Many local companies have also embraced the Astros and one of those companies is the wonderful Anvil Cards. They’re known for their quirky cards but have been producing some pretty awesome Astros themed merchandise here recently. So, to all my fellow Houstonians and Astros fans, be sure to check out their website!
I hope that this acts as a good guide to everyone who lives in the Houston area or will be visiting here soon. Click here if you want the prinble version of this mini-walking guide. Also, this is the first of its kind, so do please comment with any suggestions that you think could help posts like this.
Have a great day!
P.S. I’d like to give a quick shout out to Red Shoes. Red Wine. for creating my vision of a signature and logo for me.
Looking back on February, I can honestly say that it was a month that was well spent. It also went by way quicker than January did due to the lack of crazy snow/ice storms!
I can’t wait to see what March has to bring, especially with the first day of Spring being March 20th. Spring is one of my favorite seasons (the other is Fall), so I am quite excited to see all the new blooms and to be able to enjoy being outside without it being too cold or too hot.
Psst… I tend to post more things on Instagram, so if you want to see all of what I’m up to be sure to check out my account @shortsweetandlovely !
Over the past five or so years, I have tried (and failed) to grow out my pixie. However, after my last haircut in mid December, I decided that I (again) want to grow my hair out and preferably to a short bob. I just really hope that my sometimes lack of patience won’t get me again because I really would love to change up my ‘do. Eeek!
Luckily for me, I know how to manage a bob-like hairstyle as I have had one before. The unfortunate part of it is that it has been seven years (see the above photo) since I have last had this hairstyle. Needless to say, I may need to invest in a small straightener and a nice hair dryer again!
Also, I am hearing a variety of things on how best to treat your hair when trying to grow it out. So if y’all have any tips and/or tricks for this, please let me know!
Psst… Be sure to check out these images and more on my Hairspiration board on Pinterest!
Over the weekend I finally decided to check out the Heights Mercantile Area that opened up last year and am so glad that I did!
Heights Mercantile (located at Yale and 7th Ave) is an urban market district that comprises of several shops and eateries, which includes The Gypsy Wagon’s Houston location. This store is ah-ma-zing! Not only do they sell stationary and products by Rifle Paper Co. but they also have the cheekiest home decor and fun clothing styles.
Another popular store that is located in Heights Mercantile is the storefront for eyewear brand Warby Parker. Known for their retro styles and “Buy A Pair, Give A Pair” program, Warby Parker has become a household name now in the world of eyewear, which is easy to see due to the crowd that gathers in their store.
So if you live in the Houston area or are coming to visit here soon, be sure to check out Heights Mercantile and the quirky Heights neighborhood that it sits in.
-Christen
This past weekend I had the pleasure to attend a floral arrangement class taught by the girls behind Flower Vibes TX and hosted by Tidbits Houston and Emerson Rose.
Right when I walked in, I was greeted by not only the amazing sight and smells of the flowers that I knew we’d be working with but also local donuts, sweet treats, and rose. What more could a girl want, right? However, that was just the beginning as the lovely girls behind the whole invite warmly greeted me and were also super helpful throughout the whole event.
I won’t lie, I came in with a reservation or two and was also wondering what the class would be like, as it was what some would classify as pricey. Twenty minutes into the class, though, I quickly realized that the price tag was worth it and also very reasonable considering the quality of flowers that we used.
Making a floral arrangement from the ground up was also way more challenging than I thought it would be. Every time we would add a new type of flower or greenery, I always felt the need to rearrange. There was one point where I wondered if I even had room for anymore flowers because it seemed so full to me! Overall, I learned a lot (we were even taught how to fold our rose petals to create a more artistic look) and gained a huge amount of respect for those who do this on a daily basis.
I hope each and every one of y’all has treated yourself to something this week, in honor of Valentines Day. If there’s one thing that I’ve done, whether I’m dating someone or not, it’s treating myself to something around Valentines Day. Self love is important, y’all.
Oh and to all the girlies out there–Happy Galentines Day!
-C
P.S. I got my red dress off of Amazon and was just over $20. What a deal!
If there is one lesson that my mom has taught me that I try and implement on a daily basis, it’s comparing costs and distinguishing wants versus needs. One thing that I do wonder, though, is how many others continue to think like that and push the influence that social media has away. I know how easy it is to feel swayed to want to buy something that you see all over Instagram and several blogs, believe me–been there done that.
However, I do hope to let y’all know that it is okay to not have the latest and greatest or to not even be able to afford it. Constantly I hear about people who have fallen victim to credit card debt, and i do think it’s because of them feeling the need to keep up with their peers or those that they see on social media. That’s why I love finding dupes of current trends, because then I can have the same look without needing to sacrifice other things that I tend to treat myself to. I mean, I love me a good lavender latte.
So kudos to those out there who to post dupes of their designer duds, and to those who can’t afford them–don’t worry ’bout it! Be sure to check out the above dupe and others on Amazon, as it’s one of the best places to find dupes for trendy items.
-C
ShortSweetandLovely 