have bags, will travel

leggings: Niki leggings found via WikiBuy

packing cubes: TravelWise packing cube system found via WikiBuy

All Photos | Walnut Street Photography

Tyler & I are thick in the middle of moving to our new house & while I am over the moon to celebrate every possible "holiday" (national cupcake day is a holiday, right?) in our first home, I am also looking forward to my first Thanksgiving shared with my in-laws in Oregon. 

For years, my Oregonian husband only took me to his home state during the Summer, when it was drop-dead gorgeous, with hopes that I would want to move there one day. And he was right, Oregon is a perfect place to be in the Summer - sunny vineyards, crisp coastal whale sightings, rolling hills, & hip Portland patios.

Last year, after 7 years together, Tyler was finally brave enough to invite me to Oregon for Christmas, & I absolutely loved it! Yes, it was rainy/cloudy the entire time, but the temperatures were mild & the landscape so lush! The rain makes everything a vivid green, I don't know why I imagine it before, I just assumed everything just died in the Winter like I grew up with in the South.

I am so thankful for all of the travel opportunities I have had, each one teaching me more about the world outside of my own selfish bubble. And it turns out, everywhere I have visited has had a beauty all its own - don't even get me started on my new found respect of the desert since moving West...

I also love that I have my travel routine down to an art, leaving behind the over-packing days of my youth, discovering that it isn't what I take with me, rather about what I discover along the way. My favorite travel outfit is my definition of comfort + style & always includes a tunic top & stretchy leggings. Coloradans style is much more legging friendly & I love using WikiBuy to find affordable leggings, especially fun printed ones!

When planning what I pack, I always use a carry-on size bag - bet I could do a month out of a carry on at this point! To maximize my carry-on space, I can't recommend my travel cubes any more. Whether you use them to pack by day, style of clothes (tops, pants, etc.), dirty vs. clean items, or outfit (my favorite), I always find more space in my bag when using them! My husband recently spotted my packing cubes & was so jealous, that I picked him up his own set using WikiBuy. Can you believe that all the cubes I'm holding in my hand, fit in that carry-on!? You betcha!

Haven't heard of WikiBuy? Part of the reason why I love to shop is the thrill of the hunt, finding the perfect piece for the perfect price, & WikiBuy offers me all the tools I need to feel like a shopping ninja! The WikiBuy webs offers a Chrome extension that finds lower prices from other sellers while I shop on Amazon & will also check to see where else the product is being sold (+ the price). I can also directly search the site for products, which will shows all the places the item is being sold & what the cost would be on that site. I am also super impressed with the extension that tests coupon codes automatically at checkout & will finds online discounts from other retailers, and the graph of the price of the item over time (just like I use for my airline tickets). Have you used these tools yet? Try it out & let me know what you think!

Back to ME time with JaM Cellars

Thank you JaM Cellars for sponsoring this post. Looking for Butter Chardonnay or JaM Cabernet near you? Check out our Store Locator! Just pop in your zip code.

Today marks the start of week 4 as a 6th grade Engineering teacher. After being in a 7th grade Science classroom for the last 3 years, I am LOVING my new position so much! I always say that it is harder than it sounds to switch back from Summer mode to teacher mode, but I have some tricks that make the transition smoother. I like to think of it as Back-To-School time, but also Back-to-Wine Time!

When I come home from school, I have 2 hours before my husband also arrives, & this is my ME time! My me time is fueled by JaM Cellars Cabernet & Butter Chardonnay, & during my ME time I refuse to do anything but relax. After pouring myself a healthy glass of wine, I like to find a sunny spot with the pugs + my favorite book. I just started reading the Harry Potter books (I know I'm literally 20 years behind...) & they are so good for afterwook unwinding... I am totally transported to a new world with magic + wizards! Summer break might be over, but we still have 3 weeks left before it is technically Fall & I plan to squeeze out every last drop!

Never heard of JaM Cellars wines? JaM Cellars makes three easy-to-love, everyday California wines: Butter Chardonnay, JaM Cabernet & Toast Sparkling. Second-generation Napa Valley vintners John and Michele are the “J” + “M” in JaM Cellars. They made these wines in a style they love to enjoy anytime—whether that’s a special occasion, everyday celebration, or just a day of the week with a “y” in it (such a great reason to celebrate if you ask me)! My initials are JM too - so I tell myself that this wine was made for ME! And the best news? Under $20 and in a store right near you.

I like to always have a white & a red wine on hand - you never know when you need to feel a little fancy at dinner or just cheers to rocking a Tuesday! The Butter Chardonnay is rich, bold & luscious. Made in the tradition of quality Californian winemaking, the grapes JaM Cellars selects are juicy, ripe & bursting with flavor. JaM Cellars cold ferments this easy-to-love Chardonnay to a lush creaminess and ages it in their unique blend of oak. Butter brims with stone fruit and baked-lemon notes and has a lovely, long, vanilla finish. Simply put, it melts in your mouth! While the JaM Cabernet is berry-licious & luscious! My favorite way to unwind after work, this Cab is my JaM! Pop over to the JaM Cellars Store Locator to buy Butter Chardonnay & JaM Cab near you. 

Rock your Back-to-wine…err…school time by checking out 4 more tips for making the most of this new season - full post here! JaM Cellars Cabernet & Butter Chardonnay is the perfect pairing for your late summer and early fall activities!

All Photos | Walnut Street Photography

If you love a daily splash of wine-spiration & witticisms, check out JaM Cellars on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter! Or sign up for The Scoop to get the latest delivered straight to your inbox.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

In Bloom

This post was sponsored by Elizabeth Arden as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Since Spring has sprung, I've been a busy bee freshening up my daily routines for warmer temps. Tyler and I have been enjoying more days with the windows open and afternoons spent on patios with friends. This means that my clothes, and beauty routine needs to be updated for Spring too. There is something so amazing about seeing favorite clothing items that have been in hibernation since last year. While I am still not sure what is going on with Colorado weather, slowly sweaters are being replaced by tunics (how great is this floral one I'm wearing below), & booties are swapping places with sandals. Right now I'm in a stage of small changes - mixing in warmer weather items with my seasonless basics, like these black jeans that I can't get enough of, regardless of season. Eventually I'll be ready to bust out all the sundresses & open back tops, but for right now, I'm just happy my wrists and ankles are being kissed by the sun.

The transformation in my closet is happening slowly, but I'm fully embracing Spring with my daily fragrance. As a child of the 90s, it actually makes me giddy that my favorite celebrities now have their own beauty/fragrance lines. It has felt like I grew up with Britney Spears - from "Hit Me Baby One More Time" coming out in Middle School, to being on team Britney when she was making her come back, to seeing her in concert 2x as an adult, thinking of her & her music will hopefully always bring back happy memories of my youth.

During the cooler months, I have been using Britney Spears' fantasy fragrance, but have recently traded it out for her fantasy IN BLOOM perfume. This is one scent that is perfect for day or night, & it makes me think of fresh flowers every time I snag a whiff. 

If you are looking for a new Spring perfume, I definitely recommend Britney Spears' line. Britney Spears fantasy IN BLOOM is currently available at Kohl's nationwide & on Kohls.com.

All Photos: Noah Berg Photography

Not only do I love the well balanced scent of cherry blossoms, the bottle looks so pretty sitting on my vanity! I love how Britney describes her latest fragrance:

I love flowers, and fantasy IN BLOOM gives me that fresh feeling of smelling a gorgeous bouquet. It’s like a daydream in a bottle – a beautiful garden where the warm sun is on your skin and blooming flowers are all around.” – Britney Spears 

Find Britney Spears Fragrances on Facebook & Instagram. 

Sally Beauty Summer Secrets: easy waves

Some are already thinking about Fall (I mean, it is the season with the best clothes), but I'm still trying to squeeze the most out of my Summer (teacher training starts back next week). Yesterday I dished about one of my favorite Summer beauty hacks - tan-touring (full tutorial here). Today, I'm sharing a Summer hair style that I've perfected for myself, getting it down to a 15 minute endeavor.

Laid-back waves is a style that is "done" without looking over-done. Putting waves in my hair is a foundation for many other hairstyles - rocking a high pony, trying my hand at the half up top-knot, and pulling the front back with bobby-pins or tiny braids.

The only tools/products you need to achieve this look is the BTZ "Super Sexy" styling sauce & a 1" curling iron (I have this one, & this one is high rated from Sally Beauty)

Curling my hair is something that has gotten better with practice & perfection of my technique. Read on to see the tips that make this a quick & easy style!

Step 1: After washing your hair, apply the BTZ "Super Sexy" styling sauce to damp hair (can also be applied to your styled hair after if you would like to add more texture). This product adds texture, volume & great hold (without feeling stiff!) With this product, I get 2 day waves, without having to add any additional hair spray products.

For my mid-length hair, a quarter size amount of the Super Sexy styling product is perfect. I run it from my ears to tips, & then get any remaining product off my hand by adding to my crown.

Step 2: Brush out hair & blow dry (or air dry) as you normally would.

Step 3: Section off hair. To help make this quick & easy, I use two sections. If I wanted to make my hair super curly, I would use more sections to ensure that every single strand got maximally curled, but this style is meant to look more relaxed.

Step 4: Time to curl! I personally love this curling iron because I can use it with the clip or without & the 1" barrel size is perfect for creating tight or loose curls. To create tighter curls, wrap the hair around without any gaps, and hold the hair on the iron for longer.

Starting with the bottom section, I curl alternating pieces of hair towards my face & then away. Moving from one side of my face all the way around, I continue to alternate towards/away until I reach the other side. Continue with all sections of your hair, alternating each piece as you go.

CURLING TIP: To create waves instead of pageant hair, hold the barrel of the iron straight up and down, then when you are finished with each piece, pull the iron straight down.

Step 5: You now have what I call "sausage curls". Using your fingers or comb, brush through the curls to break them up & blend them together. The more relaxed look you are trying to achieve, the more brushing required.

The BTZ Super Sexy styling sauce is the key to giving your curls' beachy texture, while also providing super hold. With this styling product, I don't even apply hair spray afterwards & still enjoy 2 day waves!

What is your go to Summer hair style? What tips do you have for getting the look in less time?

Looking for more Summer style inspiration? Follow along with Sally Beauty on Instagram (I am obsessed with all of the braid and nail polish tutorials!)

Today’s post is sponsored Sally Beauty, by my love for their products is all my own!

Sally Beauty Summer Secrets: Tantouring Tutorial

While my beauty routine would be considered low-key year around, during the Summer I like to take it down to only the bare-bones basics. Summer is a time to throw on a dress, grab your bag and have fun with friends, not spend hours in the bathroom getting ready (especially if you live somewhere humid where your makeup melts off, & your hair falls limp the instant you walk outside). 

Today & tomorrow, I am going to be sharing 2 of my Summer beauty secrets, in partnership with Sally Beauty Supply. Sally Beauty is such a great resource for effective, inexpensive products, & I always feel like I'm tapping into a secret stash of goodies when I'm there - you know, the stuff that salons make you shell out the big bucks for! Today's post features tan-touring tutorial, and tomorrow I will be showing you how to create easy-peasy beachy waves. 

Never heard of tan-touring before? It isn't a new planet in the Star Wars movie, it is the easiest way to get glowing skin without wearing make-up! Tan-touring is using sunless tanner to "contour" your face! I promise it is not as scary as it sounds, lasts for several days to a week, & isn't harmful to your skin (like baking in a tanning bed). 

As all beauty tutorials go, this one starts with a before and after. In the before picture I am wearing my eyelash extensions, moisturizer & lip tint (had it on before I started and it didn't wash off all the way). 

The after shot features my newly tan-toured face, after letting it sit for an hour. Read on to find out how easy this bronzed look is to achieve on your own! 

First up, happy skin is protected and moisturized skin. I love basking outside, but whenever I venture out into the sun I use the Caribbean Gold SPF 30 lotion (smells great!) to keep my skin safe. I also use the Heel to Toe intensive care lotion to keep my feet feeling spa fresh & this also helps to exfoliate the dry skin, making sunless tanner look more natural on the notoriously hard to look natural feet area. 

Next comes the tanning steps! For all of us that grew up in the early 2000s, we each have our own self-tanner horror story (orange hands, blotchy ankles, a missing chunk on the back of your arm…), but the formulas of today's products are so much better & natural looking! 

To prep your skin for the sunless tanning product, use a body scrub (the Tanwise pre-tan body scrub leaves your skin feeling so refreshed!). Next, apply sunless tanning lotion to your body (I used Tanwise sunless tanning lotion), & to your face (Tanwise self-tanning face gel). This is your base before starting the tan-touring. 

And now you are ready to TAN-TOUR! 

Step 1: After applying a base coat of Tanwise self-tanning face gel to your clean face, you are ready to identify the areas to contour. 

Step 2: Suck in your cheeks. Now you have found the areas to shadow under your cheekbones. Using a flat makeup brush (this flat foundation brush is the perfect size), follow the line under your cheeks. I first made a faint line, then went over it with a pretty heavy hand. It will not be this dark when you are finished, most of the color comes from the lotion & does not reflect what will be left on at the end. 

Step 3: Continue applying self-tanning face gel to your jaw line, hair line, & on either side of your nose (I skipped my nose - personal preference). I went darker on my forehead and cheeks, and lighter on my jawline, but this is where you can build your own personalized look. 

Step 4: Let it sit. I left the product on for ~ 1 hour, & was happy with the color that resulted. If you want darker color deposited, let is sit for 2 hours. After waiting for an hour, I rubbed all of the remaining product into my skin, then washed my face. 

Step 5: Enjoy glowing skin without the hassle of make-up!

Looking for more Summer style inspiration? Follow along with Sally Beauty on Instagram (I am obsessed with all of the braid and nail polish tutorials!) And stay tuned for tomorrow's easy beachy waves tutorial!

 

Thank you to Sally Beauty for sponsoring today’s post and inspiring me to share my summer beauty secrets!

Summer Bucket List

When I first moved to Nashville for grad school in 2009, many of my first experiences were possible thanks to the great deals I found on Groupon (#GradSchoolBudget) - right off the top of my head I remember concerts, brewery tours, dinners at Nashville restaurants, painting classes & even a crawfish boil. But over time, the Groupon emails made me experience major FOMO because I was too busy to take advantage of the offerings, so I added my Groupon emails to my inbox folder named "Stuff to Buy" (seriously, if you suffer from impulse-buying-itis like me, this is a great way to file all the tempting emails into one location, so when you actually DO need (ok WANT) something, you know where to find all the sweet sales & discount codes!) 

But now that we are thinking about moving to a new town, I cracked open the Groupon deal vault once again & I am blown away by how many new features & categories of deals they have added during my hiatus! If you saw on Snapchat yesterday (@jesshereandnow), we are planning a road trip between Nashville & our next city (currently down to Portland or Denver), & will be taking to the open road with the pugs for at least 1 month! The headache of figuring out where to stay (with dogs!) just got so much easier thanks to Groupon travel deals! I'm dying over this Colorado Springs hotel with views of the mountains close to Pikes Peak, this dog friendly hotel outside Vegas is under $50 a night & they even have bargains on lodging close to Yosemite National Park!

Then there are the (new to me!) Groupon Shops - the easiest way to find coupons & discount codes! They have many of my favorite stores including aerie, Nordstrom, Birchbox & even travel sites like Travelocity! Check out all of the participating stores here. 

And of course, an incredible selection of Groupon Goods, including everything you need for the most epic Summer, including this giant 4 person water float (WHAT!?), yard games, picnic basket & FitBits (gotta track those steps!).

What amazing deals have you found on Groupon lately!? Any one planning a road trip for this Summer? What else is on your Summer Bucket list?

Any experienced road trippers - we are welcoming any & all road trip tips for our upcoming travels too!

This post was sponsored by Groupon, but all opinions and reviews are my own. 

My Hero

Not all heroes wear capes, in fact some use lipstick & pearls as their secret weapons. My grandmother (AKA Memaw) is my everyday hero! For much of my childhood, my Memaw & Pops lived next door, in a house my father built for them. The love my grandparents showed me helped shape me into the woman I am today, but it was the stories my Memaw shared about her own childhood & experiences as a young woman in the 1940s that I could never get enough of. 

My grandmother was a strong-willed, sassy, tells it like it is woman, with a fierce gaze & the best belly laugh! I think many would say that she passed these traits down to me & I couldn't be happier to carry this piece of her. My grandmother was a teacher for 35 years, & after she passed away last Fall, it was with great joy that I sorted through stacks of class portraits, her (now 50 year old) grade books, correspondence from former students throughout the years, & newspaper clippings she had saved from her many pupils. She was passionate about her students, getting involved in their lives, & for many of them, forever remaining their favorite teacher. 

As I am now following in her footsteps as a teacher, I often find myself channeling how I imagine Memaw must have been in her classroom - gathering peace in stressful situations, looking at my students as whole humans rather than the mistakes they have made in the moment. One of the last letters Memaw sent me (she was a master letter writer!) included the line "may you be happy all the days of your life" & I plan on finding the joy in every moment to continue the legacy of my Memaw. That is why she is my hero.

I love this photo of my Memaw - her signature hair style, dazzling eyes - perfectly capturing  her fierce spirit.

In 1999, celebrated photographer Annie Leibovitz published her first book Women, a collection of portraits, highlighting her ability to capture the essence of each person with a single snap. Now, Annie Leibovitz is taking a new show on the road - using pictures to explore the changes in the roles of women today. In partnership with UBS, Annie Leibovitz launched a global exhibition for Women: New Portraits! It kicked-off in London in January 2016, & will be in ten cities over the next year.

The exhibition is free (& currently in San Francisco), but 2 lucky ducks are going to win a trip for to NYC to visit the exhibition in November 2016. A winner will be selected at random each month. To enter, Instagram your everyday female hero & her stories using #ShareYourHero + tagging @UBS (see the other entries here under #ShareYourHero). Let’s celebrate the everyday heroes in our lives that are capable of extraordinary things – your mother, your sister, your friend, your girlfriend, your teacher, your doctor, your grandmother, your mentor, etc. 

Who’s your everyday hero? If you instagram her, link your Instagram profile below – I’d love to see it!

Visit www.ubs.com/annieleibovitz to learn more.

buggy

With each new season, comes the changing of the wardrobe & addition of fresh new pieces! This past weekend I folded away the heaviest of sweaters (knock on wood that I'm not cursing myself!), & steamed out some items that have been in hiding, waiting until the weather was just right!

I think the beginning of a new season is so sartorially exciting because you are seeing pieces with fresh eyes, & you have the opportunity for layers - those crisp mornings & warm afternoons force creativity! With my Spring items hanging next to some of my heavier pieces, I am having fun making new pairings that I hadn't thought of before - it's all about shopping your own closet people!

I popped into Banana Republic last weekend on my epic work pants search & not only scored some work pants (finally found a winner with their "Logan" trousers), but was blown away by all the prints & fun things going on with the BR Spring collection. 

A big trend for Spring is - believe it or not - BUGS! This embellished sweatshirt is super whimsical, & bugs are also popping up in the form of pins & jewelry! For this outfit, I wanted to ground the funky sweatshirt with some of my favorite polished basics, but also think this top would look chic under a blazer, or dressed up with these fun fringe heels.

One place where I am finding inspiration for my Spring wardrobe? The Banana Republic #itsBanana feed where they feature how customers have worn their pieces, including some of my favorite bloggers! Preppy basics updated to include fun Spring trends is my JAM!

What new pieces have you been gravitating towards for Spring? Any new places you've been finding inspiration?? Do share!

top: embellished sweatshirt c/o Banana Republic

jeans: similar Banana Republic dark wash skinny jeans

shoes: similar Banana Republic skinny strap heels

purse: similar Banana Republic teal cross-body bag

All Photos | Catherine Truman Photography

Shop these exact pieces:

Banana Republic provided free product in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.