29 August 2014

Fashion Friday: Weekend Uniform

casual outfit

mirrored aviators


gold bar necklace

gold bar necklace

weekend style


Blouse: Billabong, sold out similar here! (on sale!) // Jeans: J Crew Factory (also on sale...hip hip hooray!) // Sandals: Old, Similar Here // Sunnies: Amazon (best kept secret) // Gold Bar Necklace: Gifted, Similar Here // Bracelet: Charlotte Russe // Stud Earrings: Gifted Here

Happy Friday!

Today is like Friday on crack because it's a 3 day weekend, and also the last weekend of summer! (In my opinion at least.) I'm trying to rock the summer outfits while I still can, because before we know it, Fall will be upon us (EEEk!) and it will be scarves, boots, and one freezing Kylie. I swear come November I grow a new coat of body hair on the daily from my goosebumps. This San Diego gal was not made for sub freezing temperatures.

Now that my husband has weekends off with me (for the first time in 7 years!) we're spending so much fun time exploring our town, something we haven't done since moving here. Each weekend you can find me in a comfy top, some skinny jeans or shorts, and my favorite gladiator sandals. I keep the jewelry simple, and pin my hair out of my face. Easy.

Can we talk about these sunnies for a second? They were my all time favorite pair until they tragically met their demise at the lake last weekend. I jumped in...and they floated all the way to the bottom. :( We picked em up from a street vendor when we were on our honeymoon, but the good news is, they were soo affordable, and I found almost the exact same ones on amazon! If you don't know, now you know...amazon is where it is AT for cheap sunglasses. I even do a little happy dance when I can buy them on prime. :)

I hope you lovely ladies have so much fun planned for this weekend, I can't wait to share what we got into next week ;)

Don't forget to enter the Very Girly #aaturnsone Giveaway! <---- click that link for all the details. It's your last 2 days to enter, and the winner will be announced Monday via Instagram! (@absolutelyarkansas)

Until Next Time,
xo Kylie


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27 August 2014

Mojito Green Tea Mocktail

Good morning, lovely ladies!

I hope your week is off to the best start! This week seems to be FLYING! Which i'm not complaining about seeing as we have a 3 day weekend full of fun coming up :)

Last week when I posted this image on instagram (@absolutelyarkansas) a few of you asked for the recipe for my all time favorite mocktail...and i'm here to deliever! It's so refreshing, and just slightly sweet, and it pairs great with some booze if you want to turn it into a party. ;)


tazo green tea

mojito

You will need:

  • Your favorite green tea (I love Tazo "zen" because it has mint and lemongrass infused and I think it just has the perfect flavor)
  • 3 limes (1 for garnish)
  • fresh mint
  • honey
  • sugar
  • water

mojito recipe

mojito mocktail


Start by pulling off your mint leaves and throwing them in bottom of a glass pitcher. Cover with the juice of 2 limes, and 1 tablespoon of sugar, and muddle with a large spoon. You're trying to release the peppermint oil to flavor the tea.



Meanwhile, fill your pitcher with water, and get that boiling in a large stock pot. As soon as the water comes to a boil, turn it off and toss in your tea bags. How many you use will depend on how strong you like your tea. I used 3 and let it steep for about an hour because I like the "kick" but you can do this according to your personal taste.


tea and honey

While the tea is still warm, pour 1/2 cup of honey into the tea, stirring to dissolve.


iced tea

Fill your pitcher and drinking glass FULL of ice, and slice up a lime for garnish. Pour your now luke-warm tea over the ice and voila!

mojito


A perfectly refreshing summer drink that you can sip on all day! I love the way it leaves my mouth feeling cool and refreshed without tasting too "minty." Ladies trust me, you need to try this one!

mojito green tea

Don't forget to enter our big ONE YEAR GIVEAWAY! It's open internationally, and there are only a few day's left to win! (Winner announced September 1st) 

As always, thank you for coming by, I love you all endlessly!

Until Next Time,
xo Kylie



PS...did you notice Absolutely Arkansas became a .com ? woo-hoo!



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25 August 2014

ABSOLUTELY ARKANSAS TURNS ONE! and a very girly giveaway!

HAPPY MONDAY READERS!

 For once, i'm not being sarcastic. Today is a really exciting day for me. My sweet corner of the internet turned one yesterday, and I feel a little like a mama bear except i'm not sure it would be smart to smush cake on my Macbook. Okay, technically, Absolutely Arkansas was started in May of 2012, however it took an 8 month hiatus. And August 24th, 2013 I put some blood sweat and tears into her look, and we relaunched. This is my happy place of love, inspiration, goofiness, and life, and i'm so happy we made it through a year together.

To celebrate i'm giving some of my favorite goodies away. Absolutely Arkansas started as a place to just share our life after moving from home, and it evolved into a place I like to share beauty tips, or ways to DIY your home, and so I thought when giving some goodies away, i'd incorporate a little bit of everything! We've got "Something for your Home, something for your Hair, something for your Face, and something to Wear! All of the things that bring this hodge podge of words and pictures to life.


pink makeup brushes


By entering the giveaway you will win the following goodies:

1) a super cute floral makeup bag to keep your pretties together
2) the worlds cutest travel makeup brush set
3) pop beauty bronzer (keep your pasty-self glowing through Winter!)
4) adorable gold and pink hair bows
5) Bath and Body Works "Pink Lemonade Pound Cake" mason jar candle (my favorite scent ever!)
6) Essie nailpolish in "bikini so teeny"
7) pretty pearl + crystal stud earrings (so cute, I have a matching pair!)
8) floral wide tooth comb
9) floral purse mirror
10) pink and gold notebook
11) some surprise goodies i've picked up since taking this picture!


floral makeup bag

Everything fits so nicely in this sweet little makeup purse!

pearl earrings

So when I picked up these earrings for the giveaway...I just HAD to buy an extra pair for myself! They're so adorable!

So how do you enter?

essie bikini so teeny


All you need to do is make sure you're following me on instagram @absolutelyarkansas, and the following:

1) screen shot the giveaway image
2) repost to your account
3) make sure you use the hashtag #aaturnsone
4) validate your entry using the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you everyone for entering! Congratulations, Elisha Anderson, your goodies should be arriving soon!

I am real life the luckiest girl in the world to get to do something I love so much. Having you all as virtual friends has been the coolest adventure of my life, and i'm so thankful to you every single day! Thank you for sticking around, I can't wait to see what year two brings!

A million xo's to you all,

Kylie


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18 August 2014

A Tour Through Blogland...

Well good morning, friends!

I hope you had an exceptional weekend! Today I want you to hop on in the vehicle, make sure your seatbelt is fastened, and prepare for one fun Tour Through Blogland!

The coolest thing about blogging I have found is making so many fun e-friends that turn into real friends that inspire you, grow you, and tell you when whatever you're posting is absolutely wack. I've made some amazing blog friends, and today I want to tell you a little bit about my blog if you're new around here, and introduce you to some fantastic reads that you will absolutely love!

First, I have to thank Rachel, at Like a Saturday for inviting me to take part in this fun tour. Rachel is INCREDIBLE! Her home is just gorgeous, and she and her husband have been on a mission to make it fancy (from LA to Tokyo) on a budget...and you will be stunned at the results! I mean take a look with me:

This Barstool in her Guest Room is ADORABLE!

Bar Stool Turned Side Table

and those bright colors? Swoon!

and let's talk about how she made this plastic deer into a Gorgeous Faux Taxidermy

faux taxidermy

She just kills me with her adorable craftiness :) If you want to be crafty and adorable like, Rachel...I suggest you go check out her blog immediately! (well, after reading this post  of course ;)

So what about me!

This is the part you might want to skip over if you're a long time reader, or if you're my Grandma and already know all of this...(Hey, Grandma! I know you read every day...i'm talking to you!)

1) What am I working on?

Hey! Great question! We're currently working on redecorating our Master Bedroom but i've been awful at it! We were supposed to paint last weekend, but I woke up and decided the color was just fine as is, and went shopping instead...oops. ;) I have a ton planned for the room, and I have certainly gathered my inspiration...now I just need to commit to a weekend of DIY!

2) How does my blog differ from those in it's genre?

I have to be honest with you guys, my blog has no genre. I guess you could call it a "lifestyle blog" as it's everything I love in my life thrown into one pretty pink website, but really, it's all the things that might be interesting to other 20 somethings like myself. I embarrass myself in front of the camera, love to rock a hair tutorial and I also mix in personal stuff, like the best day of my entire life, so if you stick around with me, you'll never know what you might get day to day :)

natural makeup

3. Why do I write/create what I do?
I just love this little blogging happy place! You can read a novel on my blog and why I do it here, but the truth is, even if only one person were reading this humble slice of internet pie, it would be worth it to me. I love to see myself improve and learn new, cool, techy things, and go back and read posts from a year ago. It's one big old chronicle of the things I love, and that's why I do it! Also, i'm super duper cheap. I don't like to pay full price for anything which is why I create the DIY projects you can find here on the daily.

sunburst spoon mirror

4. How does your writing/ creating process work?
To be honest with you, my creative process is all over the place. I have a blog calendar in which I schedule out my posts for the month, however it is super fluid and changes on the daily. I have a full time job I work at 40 + hours a week, so a lot of times i'm squeezing things in between that schedule. When i'm creating a project, I generally think to myself "would anyone else find this useful" and if the answer is yes, I half-ass photograph it and try to type some funny tutorial on creating it. I really believe that wisdom is learning from others mistakes as well as your own, so you're welcome for all the wisdom i'm bestowing upon you! (That was a joke...)

chevron lamp shade

Okay! Enough about me! (Grandma, you can start reading again!)

I have the great honor to share with you 3 blogs that I promise you will absolutely love!

I am crazy obsessed with my girl Kayla over at a Darling Dream. This chick has style like you wouldn't believe! I've asked her on multiple occasions if I can have a sleepover in her closet. Or if she can give me her hand-me-downs #imgonnapopsometags. She is absolutely stunning and I gather so much fashion inspiration from her on a daily basis!
white lace dress

Next is one of my most favorite DIYers Andrea from Life, Love, Larson. Andrea is so incredibly talented, and if you're ready to drool, go check out her stunning home! She is such a fun mama and I love to read about all the cool things she does with her family on the regular. Oh, did I mention she is gorgeous too?! Hurry, Hurry and go check her out!




And I have to introduce you to Kristin from Hello Lovely. Kristin writes so beautifully, and is just getting started in the blogging world! Make sure you stop by and make her feel super welcome, she is a peach!



If you made it to the end of this very long-winded post, congratulations! I hope you can gather some awesome inspiration from these lovely ladies.

If you're new around here WELCOME! I'm so happy to have you at my happy place.

Any blogs that you absolutely can't live without? I'd love to hear about them! My Bloglovin' Feed can never be full enough!

Until Next Time,
xo Kylie




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15 August 2014

Get Ready with me! Weekend Style :)

Happy Friday, friends!

I hope you have the most amazing weekend planned! We're going to paint our bedroom (FINALLY) and I can't wait! I promise to have lots of insta updates along the weekend so make sure you follow along @absolutelyarkansas .

This is totally my go-to look for weekends! Less than 20 minutes to up and moving!  What is your go to outfit on the weekend? What about hairstyle? I like to keep it EASY! Enjoy!




Happy Friday!

Until Next Time,
xo Kylie


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13 August 2014

Wedding back up: when your plans don't go as planned!

Morning, Readers!

So there is something I never talked a bunch about on the blog, and today, i'm breaking the silence. Our wedding week. dun.dun.duuuuuuuuuun.

Okay just joking. That is not a dramatic subject. It was really an excellent week, but there are certainly some things you should know and plan for. Especially when it comes to the biggest day of your entire life. 

For starters, you will be crazy. You and your husband to be might not be feeling overly loving that week. I know we weren't. I actually said on multiple occasions, "this week just doesn't feel how I thought it would! I'm not emotional at all...is this how it's supposed to be?!" Don't worry my friends, the emotions will catch up with you. Just try to laugh off your crazy and remember the fun that is to come on the weekend. (and if you don't laugh off the crazy...he might run for the hills before the wedding gets here...so remember this one)


cute couple

You will need help. This is obvious, but there is a giant chance it's even more help than you anticipated. We recruited Jake's handsome little brother who was home from college to help us unload, and both he and Jake were DRIPPING in sweat! You need to save room in your wedding budget to take these kind people who help you to lunch. Or at least buy them some booze.

our story begins here

All your decor might not fit inside your vehicle. Our venue was 1.5 hours away from our family's home in San Diego. So that meant we were definitely going to try to make it in one trip. Problem was, all our shit, DID NOT FIT. So Josh (handsome brother in law) sat on top of boxes, had boxes in his lap, and propped his feet up on boxes the entire 1.5 hour drive. On second thought, maybe you should make room for booze and lunch. I recommend renting a van. Or at least asking the creepy drug dealer down the way if you can borrow his...

wedding venue

The Tux might not fit. This is a big one, y'all. HEAR MY WORDS...DO NOT wait until the day before your wedding to have your fella try on his tux. This was my original plan, we were going to wait until the day before and then head up to the venue for our rehearsal. Wrong! So wrong. Jake ended up asking if we could go 2 days before "just to be safe" and thank god we did because he was SWIMMING in his original jacket. It was a full day before we had the new one and we would have been SOL if we would have waited.

vera wang tux

For heavens sake, go out for a drink. You will need it. We stopped by one of our favorite breweries back home for some beers with the family, and it was so what we needed to blow off steam before the big day.

local brewery

DO NOT pick a brand new nail salon for your wedding nails. That is a bad plan. I picked this one because they had cocktails in their name, and if there is one thing that goes along with a mani/pedi it's cocktails. Worst.experience.ever. It was 260 degrees in there, and they had no air conditioning, and it was AN HOUR past our appointment before they had us in the chairs. She left the callous remover on my feet too long so the entire honeymoon my feet were peeling (gross) and she also forgot to give me a massage. SHE FORGOT MY MASSAGE PEOPLE. #firstworld But really, go somewhere you've been before. It will be a much better experience.

pedicures and cocktails


Have a backup in case you're not as pinteresty as you thought you were. We made all our floral arrangements by hand, and they looked amazing. But I had a florist on speed dial in case this didn't work out. It was one of my biggest stressers that week worrying if our flowers would turn out cute, so I just recommend having someone that knows what they're doing on call in case your plan doesn't work out.

diy flower arrangments

This is a big one. HAVE A REHEARSAL! This is just a duh statement. Don't show up on your wedding day without one. Also, INSIST that you practice every last thing you're unsure about. We didn't practice the timing on our "walk down the aisle" song, and I ended up coming in at the completely wrong moment on the day of. No one noticed but us, and trust me, it was the last thing either of us were thinking of once those doors opened, but we do wish we would have practiced it at the rehearsal.

wedding aisle doors

Don't stress if everyone can't make it to your wedding. Things come up, and it might kill you a little bit that someone RSVP'd yes, and then didn't show up, or someone had a sick kid and couldn't make it, but really, your day will go on! You can always enlist the help of a company like Dropcam to live stream your wedding, so that those who are out of town or can't make it can still be a part of the magic.

tulle skirt

Above all, savor every single moment. Laugh when your husband says the vows wrong, cry when your sister makes the most beautiful toast you've ever heard, and die of embarrassment when your dad talks about that time you pooped your pants on a camping trip. (yes, that.happened.) Everyone will tell you that the day is here and gone before you know it, and I can't say enough how true this is. We sat back and just watched the party, we took a moment to let it all soak in, and it still zipped on by. Remember that at the end of the day, all that matters is you're having the best day of your life, because you get to be married to your best friend, and it doesn't get better than that.

wedding photos


Until Next Time,
xo Kylie



Dropcam asked me to let you guys in on their awesome service. I was not compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own. Especially the one about savoring the day!

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08 August 2014

What I wore this week

Happy Friday, ya'll!

I hope you're strapped in for some fuzzy iphone selfies cause my work outfits are comin' at ya! Remember a few weeks ago when I told you i'm the worst selfie taker of all time? That statement still stands. I have a plan to buy a super awesome mirror during our master bedroom redo so hopefully I can up my selfie game along with that. :)  Okay here we go.

Monday:
chambray shirt

teardrop earrings

Shirt: Old Navy/Skirt: F21 (old) //  Necklace: Macy's (old) // Earrings (OBSESSED!) Charlotte Russe


Tuesday:


pink pencil skirt

natural makeup

Top: F21 // Skirt (tweed & awesome): TJ Maxx // Earrings: (also obsessed) Charlotte Russe (i'm so obsessed with CR cheap jewelry)

Wednesday:

gap work pants

charlotte russe


Crop Pants: Gap // Belt: Old...F21 maybe? // Top: Also old...I think I got it at Ross // Bracelets: Charlotte Russe (FIVE dollars yes please) Also, my ridiculously cute beagle loves to bomb every photo.

Friday (forgot to selfie on Thursday)

womens business casual

Pink skinnies: F21 (20 bucks I think!) // Top: Target (converse brand) // Blazer: I can't remember the brand to save my life, but I got it on an excellent sale at Dillards.

And there you have it. Most of my outfits from this week! I believe in spending a little bit more on things like shoes (never pictured because my mirror doesn't go down that far...HA!) and staples like blazers and dress pants, but when it comes to blouses and jewelry I say bring on the cheap, baby!

What are some thing's you'll splurge VS save on?

Have an awesome weekend, gals!

Until Next Time,
xo Kylie


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