Outfit of the Week

Hey guys!

I have been a bit MIA this past week. I was pretty sick over the weekend and missed a day of work. I rested (slept!) as much as possible and didn't get much of anything accomplished. I am feeling much better today and so I shall bring you my *overdue* outfits of the week. We have gotten some cooler weather so I jumped on the opportunity to wear a few of the scarves in my collection. Each of these outfits features some of my favorites. 

I love this relaxed ensemble. This top is my absolute favorite shirt from Nordstrom Rack. The brand is Pleione I believe. I have it in a soft blue also. It is so comfortable, drapes eloquently and really flatters my figure. I really like toll tab sleeves on tops as well. I paired it with my charcoal grey NYDJ pants it found discounted on Zulily. This particular scarf is an infinity style, clay and mustard color with a flocking bird pattern. Layered over the olive green top it is very complimenting. The shoes are my slip resistant bow flats from Payless.

I don't pair neutral on neutral on neutral often but this combination is one I like. The pants are a grey-brown textured trouser from Gap. The beige v-neck sweater is from OldNavy and I really like it. Its very light, cable knit pattern (love!), has a bit of stretch and just feels great to wear. I went a scarf bender from Zulily and picked up this cream open knit infinity scarf in the same haul as the bird scarf. This one is a bit more substantial and is great for keeping warm. It has a frayed edge and and a waffle type of pattern. It's super soft too! I believe the shoes are my slip resistant pumps from Payless.

I like when there is monotone with a touch of color thrown in. Here I have a black and grey striped, short sleeve, light knit sweater from Ross with my dark grey trousers I bought at Nordstrom Rack. The sweater is light and the stripes are not too prominent. I combined it with my favorite geometric patterned infinity scarf that has hues of pink and green. I like the mix of pattern here as well as the colors. 

This week it was all about the scarves! I really wish Texas had a longer cold weather season but for now I enjoy every opportunity I find to wear sweaters, scarves, and boots. 

I hope you all had a great weekend!

I am going to be honest here... my new camera is pretty daunting! Not for photos, but I've never made videos! I feel like I have been procrastinating on that subject for far too long. It's time I jump in and film something! 

Do you have any ideas or thoughts on what I should do? 

I have a few hauls I could film.

Any suggestions are kindly welcome!

Thanks for reading!

Til next time,

Trish

Confessions of a sweetsaholic:

Truths:

I made these awesome cookies on Friday (Valentines day) with my step daughters. I sent some home with them, I've taken some to work and we kept some for home. 

I have been trying to stay away from sugar and flour for years now. 

I have eaten so many cookies since Friday. 

I am so ashamed!! Ha ha

I cannot let my cookie decorating talent go to waste. There are more scrumptious sugar iced cookies in the future. 

Rule #1 in cooking/baking for others: limit thyself to one, sample for quality purposes.

::GASP::

Ok, OK. Self restraint in full force! 

More pictures to come! 

Outfit of the Week

Hey there!

For this weeks work outfits I played with patterns. It's fun to try and theme the weeks wardrobe but also challenging. I can't say every week will be themed but I will make an effort to do some more coordinated weeks.

Here is a tribal patterned short sleeve cardigan I bought from Forever21. I use a brown braided belt from Charming Charlie to secure and help give some shape. Underneath is a 3/4 sleeve zip front black top from Target. The black skinny pants are from Forever21. The brown riding boots are Enzo Angiolini from Macys. My necklace is from World Market. This combination was so comfortable and cozy. I felt like I should have been at a ski lodge curled up in front of a huge rock fire place with hot cocoa! The sweater is very warm even though it is short sleeve and unfortunately in Texas we are already headed into our summer heat and I fear this may have been the last time I'll get to wear this before next winter. 

Here is a polka dot blouse from Target with an Old Navy tank top underneath. The pants are a charcoal gray work pant from Nordstrom Rack. The black belt is pretty old but I think it is from Target. The chunky heart chain necklace is from Zulily and I also have it in gold tone. The shoes are nonslip ballet flats from Payless. I get so many compliments on this shirt. It sits slightly above my hips about mid waist which graciously accentuates my assets. The pattern is reminiscent of stars in space and feels very glam. I usually like to pair this with a deep berry or bright red lip for a nice retro vibe but this day I had a brighter fuchsia lip shade. Over all this is one of my favorite "office" type of outfit.

Every now and again I like to throw in a dress combo. I bought this chevron patterned dress from Ross. The belt is the brown braided Charming Charlie one from before. My black leggings are from Zulily. My earrings are from World Market and the shoes are the same nonslip flats from Payless. This dress is fun and very chic. The black sleeves are mesh and the sweetheart neckline gives this a great feminine feel. Paired this with the gold dagger earrings to lend an edgy vibe. When I wear dresses I have to be creative because I don't carry a purse while I am walking about work. I usually keep phones (personal and work issued) and lip gloss in my pockets. Most of my dresses don't have any pockets but I found these leggings from Zulily that have a somewhat thicker pants-like material and back pockets. With these I'm able to clip my work phone onto the belt and the other items tucked in my back pocket. 

It was fun trying to see what kinds of prints I had lying around and it turns out I have more patterned items than I thought. 

Hopefully this inspired you have a theme for your work outfits. Let me know what you think down below. 

I enjoy reading the comments and look forward to feedback from my readers.

Thanks for reading!

Till next time,

Trish

 

Popsugar MustHave February Box

Hey guys!

I'm going to show you what came in the Popsugar MustHave box this month. 

I love love love this subscription box. I know every time it arrives I am going to have awesome new products to try and have not been disappointed in the selections they send each month. 

Even my kitties can't wait to see what's inside!

This month has a great combination of beauty, skin care, sweets, and miscellaneous items. The variety in these boxes is what I find most alluring. You get to test out a bit of everything. Pop sugar mostly sends full size products with an occasional travel/deluxe sample size. 

Often times they include a featured item. This Gorjana Brooks Jewelry Roll is really fun, bright and great for travel to keep jewelry organized. It has a playful cord to secure and the pebbled texture gives it a nice dimension. This retails for $45.

Here is the interior. It has 3 compartments to stash your jewelry and the quality is really quite nice. I look forward to using this the next time I take a trip.

On the left is NCLA nail lacquer in Rodeo Drive Royalty. What a stunning rouge! It seems like an opaque cream formula and I can't wait to paint on such a luscious red. These nail polishes retail for $16. On the bottem right is a travel tin wax candle from K. Hall Designs in scent Peony. It smells so dainty but seems like it could still fill a space with flowery goodness. The card claims it will burn up to 20 hours which is impressive for such a petite candle. It comes in a reusable tin. These sell for $11. 

When I saw this in the box I could not contain my excitement! I love lip products and this dual lipstick and gloss combo from ModelCo is a great addition. I have worn this twice and it feels really nice on my lips. The crayon color finishes nicely and doesn't transfer. Even when you top it with the gloss it definitely has staying power. The color is a very neutral pink and flattering on my skin tone. I can't find individual price for these but a pack with 3 shade combinations and an eyeliner is $49. 

The sweet treat Popsugar included this month are cinnamon heart candies from Sugar Wish. They give you a coupon code for 20% off a purchase at their online store. The concept is you purchase a gift code for your recipient and they are able to redeem for their candy of choice. The selection of candies they offer is extensive. Their prices seem kind of steep but it is a cute idea and there packaging is absolutely adorable. According to the websites pricing on a 4 pack of candies this bag of hearts comes out to approximately $5. On the right side is Nourish Organic Pure Hydrating Argan Oil Face Serum. I haven't tried this out but it says it's good for normal to dry skin. My skin can run oily and I'm worries that it could be too much for me. My fiancé has dryer skin so perhaps I'll have him test it out if it doesn't work on me. It retails for $23.99 and this is a great size for travel. 

A lot of people were disappointed that popsugar included a drugstore product. I have been using this Dial Vitamin Boost Lotion Infused Body Wash with Vitamin B Complex and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I'm not sure what the scent is supposed to be but it is so pleasant, fruity, playful and very fresh. It lathers richly with a loofah and rinses easily. When I get out of the shower my skin feels soft and supple with moisture that lasts all day. The scent lingers beyond the shower and makes me feel fresh and clean. I cannot find exact pricing for this body wash but imagine it is similar to the other Dial body washes that run about $6. 

It is amazing how these subscription boxes can pack so much awesome into a small package. Totaled the items in this box come out around $120. The monthly subscription cost is $39.95. I feel like the price is an amazing deal for the products you receive. I will get use out of everything I recieved and am never disappointed with the selection of goodies each month. 

Check it out here!

I hope you all had a great Monday! 

Let me know if there's any ideas you'd like me to post, swatches, tutorials, or reviews you'd like to see.

Thanks for reading!

Til next time,

Trish

Ipsy Glam Bag February 14'

Hello!

I missed Thumbs Up Thursday this week. Work has been hectic. I am so excited to say the long awaited camera

Has arrived!!!

It got here Friday afternoon and I've been playing around with it. I also recieved a few of my subscription boxes Friday. I thought what a perfect opportunity to test out my new toy. I've got some awesome unboxings for you! 

Although I missed my thumbs up this week, this is definitely 2 huge thumbs up and an exciting new chapter in my adventures. YouTube videos are just on the horizon!

Let's dive into the February Ipsy Glam Bag. 

This subscription is my favorite when it comes to trying new makeup. They usually send 5 deluxe samples and at least 1 of them a full size product. The subscription is $10 per month and the value of the bag always surpasses the cost.  This months collection is quite lovely and includes a little bit of everything to create a complete look from head to toe.

On the left is a decent size sample of IPKN NewYork BB Cream. The full size retails for $35. I haven't tried this yet but I like to get these kind if products to find the perfect solution to accentuate my skin. Ipsy sends a different Zoya nail polish frequently and that's OK in my book. These nail polishes retail for $9. I'm not sure if this is the full size or a a smaller bottle but it is definitely an ample size for nail polish. This color in Dot seems to be the perfect soft pastel pink. It seems to come out opaque, which I like (I apologize for my terribly chipped nails!). This is a great shade for the upcoming spring months. Alone these 2 products have already made up the cost of the bag and there's still 3 more items!

This is a full size City Color Be Matte Blush in color Fresh Melon. This is A LOT of blush! These retail for $2.99. The shade is a bright pink and would probably look nice on my pale skin. I don't have too many matte blushes and hopefully this formula won't cause any breakouts. 

On the left we have a shadow tint from 'Tini Beauty in shade Ambrosia. This is a full size item as well and retails for $18. I live this shadow. It is a gorgeous shimmery plum color and seem like it would make a really great base to build other shadows. The formula is creamy and once dry does not budge. On the right is a deluxe sample of POP Beauty Plump Pout in Peony Petal. The full size retails for $16. I am just now getting used to wearing pink shades on my lips as I am used to either a nude lip, my natural color with a light balm, or a deep red. I haven't played with much inbetween. This is a welcome product and I can't wait to see how well it feels and holds up on my lips. The packaging is fun and although smaller it is nearly identical to the full size packaging. I like the slim design as I usually carry my lip product in my pocket for work and this should prove a sleeker alternative. 

Here are swatches of the blush, the lip color, and the shadow. The shadow is definitely the star of this bag and I am most excited to try it out. 

I am very impressed with the items Ipsy sends out each month and find the $10 cost highly justified. They also send a small makeup pouch each month and those come in useful not just for makeup but I luse them for holding chargers and electronics cords when traveling also.

I hope you enjoyed seeing what was in the Ipsy bag this month and I encourage you to try it out if you aren't already a subscriber. 

Check it out here!

Let me know if there's any looks you'd like to see, or any ideas for videos I should post. 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Thanks for reading!

Til next time,

Trish

Outfit of the week

Hey guys! 

I've put together another round of work week outfits for you. 

This is my favorite, comfy, relaxed but still pulled together look. This tunic top is from Nordstrom Rack and I also have it in olive green. If I could wear them every day I would! They are polyester and the fabric drapes nicely. I love to pair these with black leggings and a long tank top for the ultra relaxed comfortable outfit. Here I have the blue tunic with my NYDJ grey denim pants. They have a bit of stretch to them and a panel inside to help minimize the tummy pooch. Shortly after I ordered these from Hautelook one of the back pockets completely fell off! I kept it to sew it back on someday but for now I'm just rocking the single back pocket. It'll be a new trend. I still love these pants even with this flaw and feel snug as a bug in a rug. This necklace is from Lane Bryant and compliments the blue in the top. The shoes are slip resistant bow flats from Payless. 

I always get compliments when I wear this wrap sweater. It was gifted to me by my good friend Hayley and I do not know where it is from. It is a unique piece being one long fabric rectangle with arms attached. When you put it on you cross the ends and wrap around. I always secure this look with a belt (this brown braided one is from Charming Charlie) but it can probably be left open and draped. The shirt underneath is a black mixed fabric Converse One top from Target with a half zip front closure. This top is very comfortable and versatile. The black skinny pants are from Forever21, and the black boots are from Payless.  

I usually like to throw in a blazer at least once a week. This blazer I got on sale for $10 at Target and is a black with a hint of shimmer texture. It's a slightly stretchy material and has a single button closure in the front. It is a bit long but I think the length on my 5'7 frame works. Underneath I have a teal short sleeve top also from Target with an open zigzag pattern, and a black tank top from Old Navy. The pants are my NYDJ grey denim comfy pants. This necklace was an added gift to a Popsugar MustHave Box I received and I love how easily it wears with any outfit. It's tiny silver triangles with rhinestones and the perfect length for daily use. The earrings are a silver drop aqua blue stone that I picked up from World Market. I usually find some great earrings and necklaces from them and they always have great sales and coupons online. The shoes are black patent flats from Ross. This hairstyle is my go to everyday updo. A side twist pinned bangs and a messy side bun that I usually braid first then twist and secure with bobby pins. 

I am planning to purchase a fancy camera to start YouTube videos very soon. I cannot wait to get it all figured out and be able to start posting some awesome vlogs. I also had another recipe for penne pasta bake to post with step by step and ingredient photos but being a novice blogger I forgot to take photos of the finished product! I even made it twice and told myself to remember on the second time to get the last shots needed... Only to realize once we were finished eating I hadn't taken any! I really think this waking up at 2am for work every morning is giving me a severe case of short term memory loss. 

Hope you enjoyed reading.

Stay tuned for great things to come!

Til next time,

Trish

Thumbs Up Thursday!

Hey guys!

I realized some time ago that a friend and  I send selfies to each other and thumbs up are usually involved! I'm pretty sure that's why my favorites posts are labeled Thumbs Up.  I've got several fun things to share this week.

I purchased the Revealed palette by Coastal Scents in a special package that included a travel brush set, a blush palette, a kabuki brush and a black liquid eyeliner for $24.95! This palette alone retails for $19.99. I got an incredible deal and am quite pleased with all of the items I received, but the main reason for the purchase was for this palette. 

It comes with 20 shadows in mostly nude/brown/gold tones. These shades are comparable to the colors in the Urban Decay Naked palettes. I do not own any of the Urban Decay Naked palettes so I can't exactly say how the quality/texture/finish adds up. I do however feel that for $19.99 this palette is awesome. Most of the colors are very pigmented and apply smoothly. The shimmers are beautiful and it includes several mattes to blend. 

These swatches are in order from left to right. No flash or primer was used. The black is definitely not too pigmented but would work for a smokey eye. The matte cream color on the top furthest left mostly blends into my skin tone but would be great for blending or a matte brow bone color. The shimmer cream next to it is a beautiful soft highlight. None of the shimmers have glitter chunks and they all give a nice glow to the eyelid. These shadows are very versatile and this palette is going to be part of my daily routine. 

These lip glosses from BH Cosmetics are creamy, glossy, give a bit of color to the lips and come in a great variety of colors to go with any occasion. I believe I picked them up for $2.95. 

Top left: Classy Gal, top right: Plain Jane

Bottom left: Studious, bottom right: Copper Crush.

Plain Jane is an amazing nude gloss. I ware it on bare lips and pair it with dramatic smokey eyes. Copper Crush is very glam. It has a slight metalic shimmer to it. This is a great girls night out shade. Classy Gal is a bright fun color and is great for the upcoming spring and summer months. The color looks more red in the tube but it translates to a poppy pink color on my lips. Studious is that perfect petal pink for when you want a kiss if color without feeling overboard. It's still a very natural color and I find myself grabbing this one to take to work with me. These glosses keep my lips hydrated and last well without having to constantly reapply. 

This nail polish is Mint Chip from Forever21. It was on sale for $1.95 and the prospect of mint chip ice cream nails was just too cute to pass up. This is such a fun color and applys fairly well although you do need at least 3 coats to make the mint opaque. I can't wait to play with different looks using this color. I'm thinking red hearts with gold heart stud for valentines? I'll have to test it to see how it looks, but will post if that combo works out. 

Thumbs up to this restaurant that just opened recently near my work. This amazing combo of fresh fruit cocktail (papaya, strawberry, grape, blackberry, pineapple, blueberries) with plain Greek yogurt, honey drizzle, and chopped pecans is my favorite breakfast. I eat it almost every day! 

At the end of a long day I love to unwind with a hot soothing cup of chamomile tea. I found this blend by Celestial Seasoning that includes spearmint and lemongrass with natural vanilla flavor. It's called Sleepytime because the combination of these herbals should promote relaxation and help fall asleep easier. I have found I seem to sleep deeper the nights that I drink this tea before bed. Since I have been drinking it nightly I wake up easier too because I think I am getting better rest at night. Maybe it's all in my head but if it works or not I still absolutely love sitting with the piping, sweet cup of tea while my body and mind relax from the days events. I also have a mug addiction and any excuse to use one of my lovely mugs is welcome in my book. Thumbs up to the mint colored hand glazed owl mug I found on ModCloth. I think it was around $12 and was offered in a few colors. I am just infatuated with the sheer cuteness of him. 

My thumbs down this week was a product that several years ago I had given a huge thumbs up to and worked great for me. 

I first received the Makeup Forever Sens'Eyes waterproof eye makeup remover in a gift set for Christmas about 5 years ago. It was a small deluxe sample size. As soon as I used it I fell in love. It worked amazing at removing all of my eye makeup and did not irritate my eyes. At the time I did not have the funds to purchase the full size which retails for $24. Just recently I had a gift card for sephora and decided I wanted to purchase this product because I loved it so much years ago. I have no idea if their formula changed, or if my skin changed, but there were several things wrong with this remover. It does not seem to remove any of my mascara from my lashes without having to rub vigorously. I noticed the more I used this the more raw my eyes felt and the skin around my eye began to sting and turn red. I did not have this problem before and I am extremely disappointed that for some reason it just doesn't work out any more. 

My #TBT this week is from my "little" brothers graduation!

I'm 5 years his senior and he's 5 ft taller than me! This was 3 years ago or so. 

Hope you enjoyed my favorites this week, I know I did!

Thanks for stopping by!

Til next time,

Trish

Whelp!

So I am probably ages behind but I have JUST figured out how to use Instagram! (In my defense, I never really took the time to do it sooner)
I am such a goober.

Follow me @trishmessmer

Outfit of the week

Hey guys!

Time for another #ootw. Each week I choose 3 of my work outfits to share with you. I realize the lighting is terrible but this is the only full length mirror I have access to (someday I will have one at home to take photos before I go in!) I do feel pretty silly taking selfies at work sometimes. Having to be to work by 3AM I hardly ever get to work on my makeup/hair. Once I'm more set up for these posts from home I will be able to take photos of other outfits throughout the week.  

This combination was prett effortless and quite comfortable. I paired my favorite black skinny jeans from Target with a cream and olive striped top from Ross. Finished with a black rhinestone embellished cardigan from Target. These shoes are my favorite black patent flats from Ross, and the spike studs are from Forever21. I love how these earrings add an edgy touch to any outfit. 

I am really enjoying this slightly metalic black blazer I picked up for $10 on sale at Target. It has just a hint of stretch and is very comfortable. There is one button closure and I like the shape it creates. Underneath I have a fuchsia button up top from Old Navy. These pants are a charcoal grey work pant that I found at Nordstrom Rack. The heart charm necklace is from Zulily, and the shoes are the same patent black from Ross. 

I love this Angie patterned top from Hautelook. The color compliments my eyes and the pattern is reminiscent of peacock feathers. It super soft. I chose this tan colored blazer I found at  Burlington Coat Factory and my heathered brown Gap pants to complete this look. The brown Clark's shoes are from Ross. The spike necklace and jade earrings are from World Market. I have found some of my favorite accessory pieces from World Market and I love their home goods too. 

Thanks for stopping by today. Again I look forward to a better set up where I can take better quality photos, play more with outfits, makeup and hair, and bring you more exciting looks. 

Til next time,

Trish

5 Pepper Pot of Chili

Hey guys, just in time for Super Bowl Sunday, I've got a kick-ass chili recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser and is a breeze to whip up just in time for kickoff. 

I have tweeked a recipe found in The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook* to suit our chili preferences. 

The ingredients you will need are 

-2 TBS olive oil (not pictured)

-2lbs lean ground beef (we like to use 90/10) 

-1 large onion chopped

- a variety of green peppers chopped (here you can add as much or as little as you like. We like about 2 cups of peppers added and I chose poblano, Anaheim, and Serrano for my green peppers)

- 2 large garlic cloves

- a teaspoon or so of Crushed red pepper flakes (also to taste)

-(2) 16oz cans of tomatoes (diced, crushed, or whole cut up)

-1/2 cup chili powder

-1tsp of salt

-a few dashes cayenne powder (depending on if the peppers aren't hot enough for you)

- a few shakes of garlic powder

-(2) 16oz cans of pinto beans

- My Secret Ingredient (not pictured, read below)

Rough chop your peppers and onion while your oil is heating on medium high heat in a 5 quart Dutch oven or soup pot. 

Sauté the 2 together about 10 minutes until tender and just barely turning translucent.

Add the ground beef and garlic and cook until all the meet is browned.

At this stage you will add your tomatoes with their liquid and all your spices. Stir to combine, turn the heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour, sitting occasionally. 

After 1 hour add your pinto beans with their liquid and allow to heat through 15-20 minutes. This is where the secret ingredient comes in. Take 1-2 pickled jalapeños (depending on how much heat you want) dice and add them with a tablespoon of the juice. This touch adds great flavor and really ties the dish together. During this last cooking stage throw together a quick batch of cornbread muffins (we like Martha White cornbread mix, and just follow the directions on the pouch). Once your muffins are ready the chili is good to go. Top each bowl with shredded cheddar cheese.

Voila! 

Hardy and delicious, great for cold winter nights, this chili will keep you toasty warm. Impress your friends with this football season traditional meal and cook up a batch of this chili.  

Hope you enjoyed this recipe, have a fun safe weekend, if you make anything exciting comment below. I like to hear what everyone else likes to cook/bake for these kind of events.

Thanks for reading!

Til next time,

Trish

*Here is the original recipe from The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook