Sweet Tea and Hydrangeas

A Lifestyle blog

On Wednesdays We Confess Vol 50

Happy Wednesday!!! I hope everyone is having a great week so far! Mine has been going fairly well with the exception of being a little under the weather. I swear mother nature has been on a serious mood swing lately when it comes to the weather being crazy. One day it’s hot and 80 degrees and the next it’s raining and 30 degrees. Not cool mother nature, not cool at all. Let’s hope she gets it together soon! Until she does here are my confessions…

I confess that I got to see The Chain Smokers and Sam Hunt at the rodeo. Both put on a great show. I would love to see both of them again.

I confess that I have not felt under the weather in quite some time and I am personally not loving it. But then again who does? I hate being sick.

I confess that over the weekend I had several things I wanted to accomplish and it just didn’t happen. My boyfriend and I both had serious sinus headaches, so we rested instead of doing all the chores we needed to get done.

I confess that I did not do a confession post last week. Instead I did a post celebrating my 2 Year Blogiversary instead. You can check it out here.

I confess that I have been doing a health challenge and have had pretty good results so far. 3 lbs and 6 inches down so far. This is my second week. I won’t complain.

I confess that I went to my barre class last weekend and it seriously kicked my butt. I was so exhausted afterwards.

I confess that I am excited about going to see Beauty and The Beast this weekend! I’ve been waiting to see this for a while now.

I confess that I am looking forward to some girl time with my friends soon. It’s been too long!

I confess that I wish I had more time to blog. Life has been so busy lately and it just seems to get busier. I can not tell you how many blogging post ideas I have had for a while and writing them out has not happened. Hopefully soon I will have more time to plan out more content.

 

What are you confessing for this week?

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Friday Favorites Vol 3

 

 

Cheers to Friday y’all!!! This week flew by for me at work, which was really nice. I also only had a four day work week, so today I’m enjoying my day off. Enough about my week though…Here is what I am loving!!!

Beauty & Skin Care: 

+I  can’t get enough of this Urban Decay B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Priming Spray. I spray this on right before putting on the UD Optical Illusion Primer. This spray does wonders for my skin!! It makes my face more vibrant in the mornings, which is a plus because I am far from a morning person. I also love that it helps reduce the amount of oil I have on my face. It contains vitamins, preps, primes, balances skin tone and reduces oil/shine. It’s perfect for any skin tone (not just those who have oily skin).

Fitness:

+I just upgraded my fitbit to the Alta and I love it. One of the best things about this Fitbit is that when I haven’t been active for a certain amount of time, it sends me messages to get moving. I really need that because I sit it at a desk M-F for 9 hours and I don’t get up as much as I should. That has all changed with my new fitbit.

Songs:

+What I Like by Bruno Mars is my jam. I saw him in concert a few years ago and I just love his music. He’s also an amazing performer. I will admit though the video for this song disappointed me.

+So Good by Zara is also on constant repeat on my playlist. I like a good bit of her other songs as well. I think she will be an up an coming artist.

Shows:

+I read Big Little Lies and I must say I am addicted to the show as well. Reese Witherspoon is may favorite of course because her character is a take no s*** type of woman.

+Imposters is another show that I have been binge watching. It reeled me in with the previews and now I’m addicted.

Clothes:

+I recently purchased this shirt while I was home visiting New Orleans last weekend. It’s so true for me. I may no longer live in Louisiana but Louisiana will always live in me.

+I am all about wearing blazers and this one screams Spring. I love this whole outfit actually but the blazer…it’s calling my name!

What are you loving this week? Let me know in the comments below! 

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6 Lessons I’ve Learned in 2 Years of Blogging

Happy 2nd Blogiversary STH!!! I honestly can not believe that it’s been two years already! I started this blog as a hobby to share my love of beauty products, fashion, life and everything in between. I never thought my blog would come this far. It’s been one crazy ride full of ups and downs but it’s been well worth it. Don’t get me wrong though, I’ve wanted to throw in the towel a few times.I’m so happy that I did not give up and kept on pushing through even when I had no idea what I was doing.

From my first post to this post today, STH has grown so much over the last two years. I can not THANK all of you enough for the kind words, support, encouragement and shares. Y’all have kept me going and made me strive to make STH better every day. The blogging community has been so amazing to me and none of this would be possible without y’all!! I love y’all!! Now on to the lessons I’ve learned over the last two years of blogging.

  1. Blogging is a lot of work// When I started this blog, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I thought I could just throw together a post and be done. Boy was I wrong! Between writing, editing, taking photos, promoting, collaborating, etc, so much work goes on behind the scenes. Blogging is not easy y’all. It takes time, patience and motivation to be a blogger. However, it’s such a rewarding experience once everything comes together.
  2. Having a niche is not necessary// What wait? Did I just say that? You’re darn right I did (for those of you that have a niche, that’s awesome but it’s not for me). Having a niche means setting limitations on what I can write about and I personally like having diversity in my posts. This is why STH is a Lifestyle Blog. I write a little bit about everything. Based on the reader survey that I conducted, my readers enjoy that I write about a variety of topics, which makes me happy.
  3. Taking a break is OKAY// Blogging burnout happens to all of us. We are human and deserve breaks when needed. I have taken several breaks because life got overwhelming, I felt uninspired or I just needed to unplug. After I come back from a break, I felt more refreshed and could not wait to get back to blogging. Though blogging is hard work, it should never feel like a chore. Believe me your readers will be there when you come back (and if their not, it’s okay).
  4. Making blogging friends is so important// I may not have met my blogging friends in person but they are some amazing women! These ladies inspire and encourage me and are some of my biggest supporters. I am so thankful for them!! Remember we are all here to support and learn from each other. This is one reason why I love the blogging community so much! P.S. I am always looking to make new blogging friends!
  5. Never stop learning// There are always new things to learn in the blogging world. I can promise you that I still have SO MUCH to learn. Investing in your blog can make a huge difference. So never stop learning!
  6. Get to know your audience// Your readers are what keeps your blog going (or at least it is for my blog). Interact with them as much as you can, rather its through replying to their comments on blog posts or through social media. I love forming relationships with my readers and getting to know them better. Also, when you form relationships with them, it’s a great way to plan out future content to keep them coming back.

There are so many more lessons that I have learned over these last two years. These are the ones that have stood out to me the most. Again thank you for all of your support! It means the world to me!

What are some lessons you’ve learned as a blogger? Let me know in the comments below! I want to know! 

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March 2017 Goals

Are we really already in the third month of 2017? How is this even possible? Wasn’t it just January? February was a really good month for me, which was so needed. January kicked my butt so it was nice to have a little bit of a breather! I also took a step back last month to really enjoy everything around me. I did slack off a good bit on blogging and some of my goals but I’m okay with that. So with that being said, let’s show how I did on my goals for last month.

February Goals Revisted: Blog & Personal

-Continue to find the positives when things get hectic  //I have been doing so well at this!!! I feel that it really had made a difference in my life overall, especially at work. Some things I just can not control and it’s okay.

-Update three pinterest images // Completely failed again at this. I need to get my butt into gear and get this done!

-Update three old blog posts// Yep failed at this one too.

-Spend more time with my family// Yes!!! I spent a little bit more time with my family as well as my boyfriends.

-Declutter some of my makeup// Yes! Though I still have so much more left to go. I consider myself a makeup hoarder.

-Read Big Little Lies// Yes! Y’all if you haven’t read this book yet, I highly recommend it. So good! They also have the HBO series on tv now. Which reminds me that I need to get caught up!

-Get a massage/ / My massage was amazing. I had not gotten one since November and my massage therapist was like girl! Yes, yes, I know….my shoulders are completely knotted and rock solid. My bad…I do have my next massage scheduled though in two weeks.

-Continue to be more active on Instagram & Twitter // I really have been doing better at this but still have room to improve. If you aren’t following me on either, I would love to connect with you.

6/8. Not horrible considering I honestly just did a lot of relaxing last month. I’m pretty dang proud of getting all of that accomplished.

March Goals: Blog & Personal

-Continue living in the moment and enjoying life

-Start implementing Whole 30 & Paleo recipes into my diet. I really need to lose weight. I honestly do not like the way I look in clothes right now. So more changed are going to be made!

-Read one book. If you have any book suggestions let me know!

-Write 3 beauty posts. I wanted to get more beauty posts done last month but that did not happen. I have so many products to review for y’all!!

-Connect with more bloggers. I really want to build a blogging tribe. I feel that connecting with other bloggers is so important. Who doesn’t love a blogging tribe as well?! In addition to connecting with more bloggers, I also want to do some collaborations.

-Save money for my cruise. I really need to buckle down. The cruise is going to be here before I know it.

-Pay off half my debt on one of my credit cards. I can do this! It is going to happen.

What are your goals for this month? Let me know in the comments below!

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On Wednesdays We Confess Vol 49

Happy Wednesday Y’all!! I can’t believe that today is March 1st! Where did last month go? I will say though that I am enjoying it being daylight outside a little longer. I also enjoy sharing my weekly confessions with y’all. So here we go.

I confess that I enjoyed spending time with my family, my boyfriends family and our friends this weekend. We celebrated Mardi Gras like crazy.

I confess that I can not wait to be in New Orleans again this weekend.

I confess that I ate so much crawfish, king cake, gumbo,boudin,etc this weekend. No shame. Though….

I confess that even with the small changes in my body from working out… I saw a picture of myself from this weekend and I just wasn’t happy. Some serious things have to change.

I confess that I did horrible at blogging last month. I didn’t stress about having so many posts each week because I really just wanted to enjoy living in the moment. I don’t regret it at all.

I confess that I hope to do better with blogging this month while still enjoying everything around me.

I confess that I have slight baby fever especially after seeing how cute my boyfriend was with my best friends little girl this weekend. He’s so good with kids.

I confess that I am excited about going to see Sam Hunt next month. My boyfriend was able to get us tickets. I have been wanting to see him in concert for awhile now.

Those are all of my confessions for this week. Thank You again for letting my share a little bit of my world with y’all.

Do you have any confessions for this week? 

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On Wednesdays We Confess Vol 48

Happy Hump Day!!! This week has been going by a little to slow for me. I am so ready for the weekend. I have a lot of fun things planned on my trip back home to Louisiana. It’s Mardi Gras which means lots of drinks, king cake, crawfish…you get the picture. So Friday just needs to get here already. For now I’ll be happy that it’s Wednesday because I get to share my confessions with y’all.

I confess that sitting at a desk for 8+ hours a day wears me out a lot.

I confess that I will only be working three days next week. Which will set me behind a little bit but I am completely okay with it.

I confess that I am almost completely caught up on responding to comments. I hope to be all caught up by Thursday.

I confess that I took the plunge and purchased the Tarte Tarteist Pro Amazonian Palette. I went back and forth on rather I needed this palette…and I finally decided I should just get it. Do I need it? Not really but oh well.

I confess that I have seen a small change in my body since I have been working out more lately. I still have a long way to go but I’m happy with the small changes.

I confess I went through my spam emails and the amount of dirty emails I receive…it’s unreal. Like believe me I don’t want to hook up with this person or that person. Thanks for the emails though. Ugh. Blocked!

I confess that I am over all of this unpredictable weather lately. It goes from sunny to cold, than raining,etc. My sinuses are seriously not having it! I’ve had so many headaches and I’m over it.

I confess that I am excited to be spending time with my best friend of over 10 years this weekend.

 

I hope y’all have a great day!!! What are you confessing this week? Share it in the comments below!

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My Top 5 Favorite Mascara’s

Yesterday was National Lash Day, so I thought I’d share some of my favorite go to mascara’s with y’all. When it comes to choosing  a mascara,  I like one’s that give my lashes a lot of volume. I have short lashes so anything that can lengthen my lashes and make my eyes look more awake is a winner in my book. Another thing I look for in a mascara are one’s that do not flake or get overly clumpy. These five mascara’s have everything I am looking for when it comes to the perfect mascara.

Tarte Maneater Voluptuous Mascara $23 // If you read my favorites post from last month you would know this mascara is amazing! It gives my lashes so much volume and I love that I only have to apply one to two coats to achieve that volume. It’s also has ingredients that help strengthen your lashes while wearing it. That’s pretty awesome if I say so myself.

Maybelline The Falsies Push Up Angel Mascara $9.49 // This is by far one of my favorite drug store mascaras. If you’re looking for an affordable mascara that will lengthen your lashes this one has you covered. Your lashes will look winged out and have crazy volume. It takes a few coats to achieve volume but it does not look clumpy what so ever.

Urban Decay Better Than Sex Mascara $23 // Urban Decay is by far one of my favorite high end brands. I use several of their products when it comes to my daily makeup routine. This mascara is my favorite when it comes to being completely smudge proof. It lifts my lashes with little to no effort. It contains acacia senegal tree extract that nourishes, thickens and keeps your lashes in place.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara $8.99 // The is my second go to drug store mascara. As you can see I am a fan of Maybelline mascaras. I love that my lashes look fanned out when applying this mascara. It’s also extremely easy to apply and does not clump up.

Tarte Tarteist Lash Pant Mascara $23 // This was the first mascara from Tarte that I fell in love with. I absolutely love the mascara wand because it catches every bit of my lashes. I love how my lashes look like I used a lash curler while still being able to separate my lashes as needed. This mascara also gives your lashes some intense volume.

 

I hope this post gave you some future ideas for some great mascara’s to try out! What are some of your favorite mascaras to wear?

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On Wednesdays We Confess Vol 47

Happy Wednesday Y’all!!! I hope everyone is having a great week so far! Mine has been going pretty well!! I however, can not believe that we are already half way through this month. Slow down 2017. With that being said here are my confessions for this week.

I confess that I have been so exhausted lately. Work has just made me crazy tired.

I confess that my boyfriend and I had a low key Valentines Day. We cooked dinner and watched movies.

I confess that I took a little time off from blogging last week to just relax. It’s been very needed.

I confess that I scheduled a massage for myself this weekend. I can not wait!

I confess that I have been planning so much blog content out. I have a lot of y’all to thank for that due to my reader survey.

I confess that I am excited about getting some new ColourPop products in.

I confess that I love my new coworker. She is a great addition to our team. She’s also from Louisiana which is a plus!

I confess that I can not wait till next weekend. We are going to be going to Mardi Gras with our family. We also have a huge crawfish boil planned. Talk about a great time!

I confess that I hate seeing animals in shelters. I wish I could adopt them all! One day if I ever get rich that is my goal. To have a no kill shelter. My heart hurts for the one’s that are dumped by their owners and then are PTS. I just don’t get it.

I confess that I can not get enough of Big Little Lies. It’s such a good book. I can not wait to watch the HBO series!

 

That wraps up my confessions for this week. Do you have any confessions? How has your week been going so far?

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On Wednesdays We Confess Vol 46

Happy Wednesday Y’all!!! We’ve made it to the half way point of the week! Doesn’t it feel good?! I know I’m happy because I have Friday off, so I’m almost there. Another great thing about Wednesdays are that I share my confessions with you. Here we go…

I confess that work has gotten a slight bit less hectic. I am very happy about it! It should get much better because we hired a new person finally.

I confess that I’m sad one of the wineries I visited for my 30th birthday in May is temporarily closed. It will be opening in a different location though, so that makes me happy.

I confess that I plan on doing a lot of reading this Friday while I am off. I started reading Big Little Lies for the SYBL book club.

I confess that I plan on trying to write as much content out for the rest of this month and half of March.

I confess that I just don’t understand why people are hating on Lady Gaga’s body from her Superbowl performance. Yes she may have a roll of fat on her body but who cares? I promise she looks better than half the people who are being trolls to her. I think she looks amazing. So stop hating people!!!

I confess that the Superbowl was intense towards the end. I was shocked that the Patriots came back. Though I was rooting for them, I will admit that the Falcons gave them a run for their money.

I confess that my boyfriend took my shopping for my Valentine’s Day gifts. I got some jewelry from Kendra Scott and a wallet from Michael Kors.

I confess that I am thinking about featuring others bloggers through a Q & A on my blog. A new series. I am all about supporting other bloggers and making new connections. If you’re interested in being featured let me know!

I confess that I am loving the skincare routine I have going on now. To see some of my recent favorites read here.

I confess that I really want to go see A Dog’s Purpose but I know I will probably need a million boxes of tissues.

 

Those are all of the confessions that I can think of for this week. Thank You for joining me for another confession sessions. Do you have anything to confess this week?

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January 2017 Favorites

Y’all I can’t begin to tell you how many beauty products I bought in January. I have so many products that I still need to try out! Of course the products that I have tried out and love I am sharing with you today. I hope you enjoy my favorites from last month!

 

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner $18// Y’all this toner right here!! Since I began using it the texture of my face has improved so much! My skin has become much smoother and brighter since using it.  I do not find that this toner is harsh on my skin, which I was initially worried about. It’s formulated with 2% glycolic acid and grapefruit extract which helps exfoliate, refresh and stimulate your skin. It also helps reduce coloration from old acne scars.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion $17// When it comes to me having break outs this is my go to product. I was having several break outs on my forehead, so I put a little bit of this on my blemishes and they were gone (almost completely) the next day. It is formulated with Salicylic acid and calamine (hence the drying out). It is not harsh on the skin and can be used for all skin types. I promise you this is worth investing in!

Mario Badescu Cellufirm Moisturizer $18// I love how soft my skin feels after using this moisturizer. I put this on as soon as I use my toner. It contains a seaweed extract which is great for helping reduce the redness on my cheeks. Another great thing about this moisturizer is that it minimizes the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

Tarte Maneater Voluptuous Mascara $23// I have very short eyelashes, so any mascara that can make me look like I have long lashes is a plus! This mascara does just that. With some mascara’s I have to apply several coats in order to get any volume. I can apply 1 to 2 coats of this mascara and my lashes are long and voluptuous. The wand is much bigger than what I am used to but it is so flexible and easy to work with. This mascara contains Jojoba which helps sooth, condition, hydrate, strength and protect your lashes. It also contains Carnauba wax that ensures a smooth application with lengthening and voluminous benefits.

Burt’s Bees Renewal Cleanser $9.99// I have used Burt’s Bees face washes before in the past but I had never used this one. I decided to give it a try after my old face wash was just not cutting for me (I was constantly having break outs on my forehead). Once I started using this cleanser I found that my breakouts were reduced significantly. This cleanser not only removes makeup and dirt but it exfoliates as well. It is not drying which some facial/exfoliates can do. I find this cleanser goes hand in hand with using my toner. My face is much brighter while still being hydrated. Another great thing about this cleanser is that it’s so affordable.

Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer $34// This is my new favorite primer!! After I used it a few times I fell in love with it. The formula is very smooth (it reminds me slightly of the Benefit POREfessional primer), my makeup applies flawlessly and it stays on for a very long period of time. A little bit of it goes a long way. When I apply this I find that my pores look much smaller and my face looks very airbrushed. It also does not sit into my fine lines (oh those smile lines that are a pain in my butt) which is a huge plus! This primer contains an blurring pigment that helps skin look smoother. It also has a blend of rosehip, argan and meadowfoam seed oils that provides moisturizing and antioxidant benefits. One more plus is that it has an airless pump on the bottle making it much easier to get all the product out.

Skinfood Egg White Pore Mask $10.50// For those of you who follow me on instagram, y’all got a little sneak peek of me wearing this mask. I had heard great things about egg white masks and how beneficial they are for your skin. I finally took the plunge and tried one out for myself. This has become one of my new favorite masks to use because it has helped reduce the size of my pores, as well as unclogged them. The mask smelled amazing and left my face so soft. The mask contains albumen, vitamin B3, vitamin B2 and so many great ingredients. I promise you will not be disappointed in this mask!

Maskeraide Beauty All Eyes On Me Hydrating Eye Gels Box $25// Do you ever wake up with your eyes looking dull and puffy? I know I do (who hasn’t to be honest)! When my eyes need some life to them I use these eye gels. This eye gel is so hydrating!! I keep them on for about 20 minutes each time I use them (you can use them up to 30 minutes) and let me tell you the difference it makes. My puffiness and dark circles diminish and my eyes are much brighter after applying these. The eye gels contain 100 Herb Complex that consists of 100 natural ingredients that provide moisture and nutrition. It contains no parabans, artificial fragrances or pigments. You can buy these as a set or individually ($7).

Tony Moly Hyaluronic Acid Mask Sheet $4// Another skin care product that I featured on my instagram. Over the last few months I have become extremely obsessed with using sheet masks. This was one of the first ones I had tried from Tony Moly and boy can I say how hydrated my skin felt after taking it off. I felt like I just stepped out of the spa. If you have dry, damaged or stressed skin this masks is for you (you can use it still if you don’t have those issues). If you have never tried out face masks, I highly recommend that you do. Tony Moly has so many great options to choose from depending on your skin type/issues. I will have reviews coming up of other sheet masks I have used.

Have you tried any of these products before? What were some of your favorite things from last month? 

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