Easter Basket Ideas for Boyfriends

As I've mentioned before, I love giving gifts, so any holiday that gives me an opportunity to do so, I'll take advantage of it!

So for all the girlfriends out there lacking inspiration for an Easter Gift for your significant other, have no fear, I'm here!

My boo is in need of workout clothes, so I got him 2 pairs of shorts, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (he's obsessed) and some of his favorite candy.

Here's a breakdown of what I got:

2 pairs of shorts: $9.77 each at Walmart / 2 "sleeves" of Twix candies: $1.20 at Walmart / The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug on DVD/Bluray: $24.99

I got creative with the basket and used a leftover beer case.

Have a Happy Easter everybody!

I've Been Nominated!

As busy as I am, it's so flattering to be nominated for something. Although I wish I had more time to blog, it's things like this that make me want to continue blogging.

The lovely, Bryony over at The Beauty Magpie has nominated me for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award! How amazing is she! I highly suggest that you head over and check her blog out!

And because I was nominated, I'm going to tell you a little more about myself and refer you to some other inspiring bloggers! 

The rules are very simple:

• Link back to the person who nominated you

• List the rules

• Share 7 things or facts about yourself

• Nominate 7 other blogs and comment on their blogs to let them know you have nominated them and provide a link to their post

• Proudly display the award logo on your blog and follow the person who nominated you.

Okay, so here's 7 things/facts about me...

1. I've lived in the same place my entire life.
2. I have a degree in Advertising.
3. I don't like wearing jewelry. 
4. I drive a Subaru.
5. I can't eat anything without getting it all over me. I always have my Tide to Go Pen with me.
6. I love beer.
7. I'm a huge sports fan! Football, Basketball & Hockey just to name a few! 

The 7 bloggers I nominate are:
Happily Ever Strader

Our Joy...His Glory

Mal Smiles

The Grits Blog

A Dose of Paige

The Good Life Blog

Forever Young

Once again, I am so honored to be nominated and I hope that you will take the time to check out the blogs that I listed. I chose each of them for many different reasons, because to me, I find them inspiring, I hope that you will too! Happy Monday! 

Guide to Online Shopping

When you live in a small town where anything remotely good is over an hour away, you learn how to shop online. Here are some tips and tricks that can save you money.

1. Find websites you like. Some of my favorites? Red Dress Boutique, Francesca's, and Riffraff .

2. Do they offer an email newsletter? Sign up for it! That way you'll know when they are having flash sales or when they've updated their inventory.

3. Do they have social media accounts? Follow them. You'll see if they've restocked that dress that you love or see a shirt that you just can't live without.

4. When you are ordering something, see if they are running a special on shipping. Sometimes if you spend a certain amount, they will include free shipping.

5. Before you check out, google promo codes. And try more than one! I've been able to use 3 promo codes before and was able to cut my order in half.

6. Make sure you save your receipt emails and check their return policy. Since you are ordering online, you want to make sure that you can return it if it doesn't fit.

Shopping online is the way to go. Sometimes if I'm in a store, I feel pressured to buy it, but if you wait and buy it online you might be able to get it cheaper.

Do you have any favorite online stores or boutiques? Share them with me!

Why I got rid of Social Media

A lot of people actually got mad at me when I left social media. They couldn't tag me in stuff or write on my wall/tweet me for my birthday. And that's exactly why I got rid of it. I miss when our only mode of communication with people was through letters or landlines. 

When people say "I don't even know what's going on with you anymore because you don't have Facebook" It pisses me off! Just because I don't have a Facebook doesn't mean that I don't exist! Pick up the phone and call me for goodness sake!

Getting rid of social media has forced me to be intentional and talk to people rather than just browse their Facebook page to see what's going on with them. I am so much happier. I have real relationships with people. To be honest, I had about 1,900 Facebook friends/600 followers on twitter and maybe only considered 5% of them my "friends". 

Another thing that made me get rid of my social media life was the fact that people were superficial. Facebook/Twitter is a place for people to make up this life that they want people to think they have, when in reality, no one really cares. I remember hanging out with people who bad mouthed other people and next thing I know, I see on Facebook that they're BFFs. Fo reals?

The sad thing is, I almost reactivated my Facebook account because I was afraid people were going to forget my birthday. How sad is that? (Thankfully I did not reactivate and I still got plenty of birthday wishes)

I feel like social media is just a way to make yourself unhappy. Looking at all these so-called "lives" that are glamorous and great and you're sitting there with your bowl of ice cream, crying, asking yourself, "Why can't that be me".

So try it, deactivate your social media accounts and see what happens. 

Closet Cleaning

I LOVE to shop. Anytime I have a bad day I go shopping. Anytime time I see something I like, I buy it. And even when I don't need something, I still get it.

And clothes are my biggest weakness.

One way I feel better about buying more clothes is going through my closet and getting rid of clothes that I haven't worn in a while.

I ask myself the following questions about each piece of clothing in my closet:

1. When was the last time I wore this? If it was last year, it's gone, or if I can't even remember, see ya!

2. Why should I keep this? If I like it, I'll keep it a while. 

3. Will I wear it again? If I think I will, it'll make it through this round. 

After you've gone through your closet there are a number of ways you can keep give them to someone else that is going to love them just as much as you did.

Wash them. Fold them.

1. Take them to thrift store
2. Take them to used clothes store (you might get some money out of them) 
3. Hand them down to a younger kid you know that might like them

Whatever you decide to do, don't throw them away. If they're still wearable give them away. You'll feel so much better if you do!