Mixing Textures and Styles

Mixing textures and styles is a fun way to spice up your everyday look. If you are in a wardrobe slump, then girrrrl, this post is for you!

Believe it or not, there are so many different ways of wearing clothes that you already have, by simply wearing pieces that you would not typically pair together.

I created three style boards for you below. They might get your creative juices flowing when shopping your closet for your next outing 😉!

Faux Leather and Lace...

I love these two together, there is just something about the elegance / sexiness of lace and pairing it with an edgy faux leather. Here I added a chunky suede heel, and gold jewelry accents. The emerald ring adds the perfect POC (pop of color) for what I believe to be the cherry on top. 

Flannel and Faux Fur...

I was never a huge flannel person, but I've come to find there are so many ways to get creative with them! You can dress them up or dress them down - they are quite versatile. Here I have paired a flannel dress with a faux infinity scarf, and black / brown accents -  love it. I think the hat also adds the perfect touch to this cute lil' number. 

• Side note: If you don't own a faux fur infinity scarf, I highly recommend getting one. I love mine and have worn it many times. They are a unique accessory. I even wore mine with a gown for a few of my my maternity pictures, see below. If you are interested in buying one here's a great option for $10.99!

My maternity pictures were taken by Briana Macon of Macon Photography.

Rocker - Chic and Pearls...

I adore pearls. I literally wear layers of them all the time. I have a set of very chunky pearls that I bought at an adorable boutique called Diamonds and Lace when my sister and I were on a trip together. The pearls have maybe 4 or 5 layers of baubles to them, and they are a staple piece for me. This rocker-chic / pearl look is certainly an eclectic and unexpected way of expressing that rocker gal in you!

There are so many ways to mix and match textures and styles. Hope this stirs up your creative side and inspires you to dive into that closet of yours, hopping out with some fun new ways of wearing your wardrobe...if not, I hope it at least gets you excited to go out and shop for some pretty new pieces 🙂!

Love,

Malina 

xo

Minnow Cakes - 2 (flourless!) Ingredient Pancakes

These pancakes are a delicious and easy-to-make breakfast for both adults and the little's. They're flourless and only 2 ingredients, to boot! They have a very soft consistency, and are easy to chew for babies. Koa is one, and she loves them (hence the post-title, Minnow Cakes... Minnow is one of our many nicknames for her)!

Ingredients

• Two organic bananas
• Two organic eggs 

Optional Ingredients

• Cinnamon
• Splash of vanilla
• Toppers or fillings: blueberries, strawberries, chocolate chips etc.
• Add to batter once dropped into the pan OR top your cakes with them after cooked

Instructions:

Mash banana really well, drop eggs in and stir (I also added in some cinnamon). Heat stove to medium heat, use coconut oil or butter for pan. Drop small portions of batter into the pan (sand-dollar size), and flip after about one minute on each side. 

Finish with your favorite toppers. For Koa's, I didn't add syrup, they were sweet enough as is. For mine, I added small slices of bananas and drizzled them with my favorite organic maple agave blend from Trader Joes -  see here, picture below (I buy it in store, I couldn't find a link to it on their website). 

Let me know if you try them! 

xo,

Malina 

The Significance of Perfume and My Favorite Ones

I love a sweet smelling fragrance, but it can be overwhelming trying to find the perfect one. The tone or message you are trying to convey with your perfume can be very challenging to match - but it's necessary when trying to find the scent that is meant for you.

I love hugging a friend or family member, smelling their perfume, and picking out the specific scents that make it reflective of that person. Is it floral? Fruity? Spicy? Citrus?

My mom was a huge fan of perfume, she always smelled amazing! When I hugged her, I knew I would smell like her all day long, and I loved that. To this day, when I smell her perfumes, I feel as though she is just as close to me, and instantly a piece of my heart smiles. That says something right there.

When you've found the perfect one, it becomes a big part of special moments in your life - the perfume will bring back the sweetest of memories forever. That's the beauty of it all...

Can I also mention that perfectly designed bottle??? That's important to me too 😊!

When we got married it took me months to find a perfume. I wanted to choose one that made me smell the way I felt - happy, beautiful, full of life, thankful, blessed and so in love. I wanted my husband to forever remember the way I smelled that day. I knew that when I wore that perfume for anniversaries and sweet times to come, I wanted him to be taken back to that special day.

Sappy? Maybe. Romantic? Yes. And I am so glad that I did that. I had headaches for days each time I went sniff-shopping, but SO worth it.

THE perfume I chose for our wedding day is number one on my Loving Lately list - surprise surprise! I doubt that will ever change! Each fragrance sends off a very different tone / aura and I choose them specifically for the occasion that I'm wearing them for.

1. Roses de Chloé   2. Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium  3. Elizabeth and James Nirvana White  4. Jessica Simpson Fancy Love  5. Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black  6. Chloé Love Story
7. Tocca Giulietta

I hope you find a beautiful fragrance that reflects the way you feel, the one that is the perfect match for you, and the one that takes your loved ones on a sweet smelling journey to all the special moments you share together now, and for years to come.

Love,
Malina
xo

(The first two pictures in this post are taken by Briana Macon of Macon Photography on our wedding day.)

My Style Monday

Spring is in the air y'all, I can feel it! Tulip stems are poking through, and there have been a few 70 degree weather days here - this my friends, makes my heart happy 🙂.

This holiday weekend my hubby was off for 2 days in a row, and I felt spoiled. He brought home a bouquet of white hydrangeas and a huge smile. We did brunch and dinner out with friends, and today we are kickin' it back. Later I'm making us a romantic dinner to celebrate a late Valentines Day.

Here's what I wore to brunch on Sunday...

I'm a HUGE accessory junkie (always have been!) and I love me some chunky costume jewelry. I'm not one to spend a lot of money on big name designers, however this delicious rose gold Michael Kors watch was something I had my eyes on for years. For our anniversary, my husband bought it for me, and I wear it all the time. He's an amazing bargain shopper, and said he nabbed it on sale at Macy's.

My dress is from H&M, and my navy blue tights came from Target. Target is sold out of the ones I am wearing here, but this pair from Old Navy is pretty close, and you can buy them on sale for $7.97.

My ankle booties are by Madden Girl in cognac, but they're an older style, so here are similar booties that are pretty affordable...Suede cognac STEVEN by Steve Madden for $42.99 (depending on your size) and DUNION in cognac for $32.99 (also depending on size).

My sweater is my latest crush. It's from Banana Republic and was a Christmas gift. I love a good bulky sweater in the winter time. They're comfy, warm and you can dress them up like I did here, or add a pair of leggings and a tank to dress them down. 

Here are some similar knit cardigan options from H&M:

One  - $34.99                  

Two  - $17.99               

Three  - $34.99

And many other options here.

Beauty thought....

I'm not a huge makeup gal, but I do love a nice rich colored lipstick. My favorite brand is MAC, but I'm looking for more affordable options. Do any of you have any suggestions? I'll let you know what I find too. Lately, I've been playing it simple with just a clear gloss or Aquaphor. Aquaphor doesn't smear as easily as color does, it's incredibly hydrating and it adds a bit of a gloss which is nice...but sometimes a gal just needs some lipstick 😉.

xo,

Malina 

Maternity Session | Kerry + Casey

Hey hey, I'm back! I've been a little MIA this past week, because we've had family in town for Koa's first Birthday. Now that things have settled down, after everyone is gone, I am back in gear and blogging today about a favorite family of mine. 

Kerry and Casey have been close friends of ours for quite a while now. I take pictures of them from time to time, and have shot everything from maternity to newborn to family fun moments with them. This shoot was right before their first baby girl was born. 

They're high school sweet hearts (like Vinny and I!) and that, of course is ADORABLE! As friends, we have seen each other go from dating, to marriage and now to babies - we have a lot of fun together, and I'm so lucky that we have such a tight knit and loving group of friends. 

Their baby boy was too cute during this shoot! He knew there was a little baby sister in that belly💓. He was kissing Kerry's tummy and putting his little hands on it - too precious for words! Look at this one below of him reaching up to put his little paw on her belly 😇. Sweetest little pea EVER!

It can be challenging to take pictures of kids his age, but he was hamming it right up for the camera and still does. Such a natural 😉.

Kerry was after more of a casual look for this shoot. She chose all the outfits they wore that day. 

 
She was 37 weeks pregnant, just about full-term for the normal prego mom...except her babes tend to cook a little longer 😉. She glowed the whole time, and was incredibly calm and relaxed. She is lover of being pregnant - it truly shows, and she wears it very well.

We were after a woodsy look, and Kerry really wanted to capture some moments with the Spanish moss that was in season. 

They had these sweet little pink baby Uggs that they brought along for their baby announcement, so we played off of those a bit, throughout the shoot. 

You'll be seeing this family a couple more times on the blog, as they share their fun moments with me, while I snap and capture the sweet memories for them.

Love,
Malina xo

The Wonders of Magnesium

We all have heard about the consequences of stress: heart disease, stroke, anxiety, aging to name a few. There is one we don't hear much about - a magnesium deficiency. I had no idea what this meant until my brother explained it to me.

For two weeks straight I was dealing with an eye twitch, it was driving me crazy. I tried all sorts of things to get rid of it (Gatorade for the electrolytes, sleep, vitamins etc.) nothing was working. My brother sent me the recipe for making my own magnesium oil. I ordered the salt flakes, made it, applied it near my eyebrow and over night my annoying twitch was gone. It works y'all!

What are some symptoms of a magnesium deficiency?
Anxiety
Muscle Spasms and Muscle Cramps
Confusion
Poor Memory / Foggy Brain
Weakness
Poor Heart Health
Tremors
Calcium Deficiency
Dizziness
Potassium Deficiency
Irritability
Difficulty Swallowing
Irregular Heartbeat
Inability to Sleep
Headaches
Thyroid Problems

Magnesium is not well absorbed in supplement form, it is best absorbed when applied directly to skin (which will be absorbed directly into the bloodstream). You can either purchase magnesium as an oil, or make your own (which is very simple). Another great way to absorb magnesium is through Epsom salt soaks (I typically will add some essential oils to my foot bath and sit back and enjoy...with a glass of wine of course 😉!).

 

       Sky Organics Epsom Salt - Amazon                 Organic Lavender Essential Oil - Amazon

Benefits of taking magnesium

Will stop muscle cramping, spasms - this also includes period cramps
Improves your sleep - it's a super calming mineral
It's great for relieving PMS symptoms (cramping, bloating, mood swings, breast soreness)
Great for helping headaches and migraines
Helps to balance hormones
Overall relieves stress and very helpful with depression and anxiety

Recipe For Making Magnesium Oil 

This research and recipe is from Empowered Sustenance

1/2 cup filtered water
1/2 cup magnesium chloride flakes (Ancient Minerals is a great option)
Spray bottle - you'll want to use a glass bottle (Empowered Sustenance blog recommended this one

Boil water, turn off the stove and stir in magnesium flakes until fully dissolved. Once mixture is cool poor it into your spray bottle. (no need to refrigerate).

How To Use
Spray onto your body and rub it in. It can get very messy so I spray mine over a towel and I only use it on my feet and arms because it does slightly tingle once its on. That means it's doing it's job 🙂. It also can leave white residue on surfaces, so another good reason to use a town on the floor. Empowered Sustenance blog recommends 10-30 sprays per day.

Hope you give it shot!

xo,
Malina