Friday, December 19, 2014

White Chocolate Chex Mix




Hey girls! Happy Friday! Christmas is now officially less than a week away and if your family anything like mine then you love to bake during this time of year. The recipe I'm going to show you is one that we make every single year. Even if you aren't too savvy in the kitchen you can make this, its super easy and requires no use of the oven!

White Chocolate Chex Mix: 

  • 5 c. plain Cheerios
  • 5 c. chex corn cereal
  • 1 ( 9 oz.) Hanover Butter Snap mini pretzels
  • 1 ( 14 oz.) M&M Peanuts
  • 24 oz. white almond bark



1. Mix the first 4 ingredients all together in a large bowl. (Use the biggest bowl you have) 
         

2. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave using 30 second increments and stirring occasionally. 

3. Pour the melted white chocolate onto the chex mixture. Stir until all the white chocolate is completely mixed in. 

4. Lastly, pour the mixture onto parchment paper and put into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Then when your all ready to eat it you can just break it apart.







I put mine into cute little baggies and gave them for my friends for Christmas! If you guys make it make sure to leave comments down below and let me know how you liked it! Have a Merry Christmas!


Xoxo, Em


Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Christmas Gift Guide: DIY/Last Minute Gifts


Hi there! I hope this post finds you full of Christmas cheer and exitment for Christmas! First off, I want to say I'm so sorry for not posting recently! I've been so so sooooo busy with school and getting ready to go out of town, it's crazy. 

But I'm here! And ready to give Yall the best Christmas Gift Guide you ever saw!

Are you the type of person who waits until the last minute to buy gifts? Me too. So this year, I tried to step up my game a little bit. In the beginning of December, I was at a dollar store with my mom, when I came across these adorable little mugs! 


So what do you do when you find precious Christmas mugs for $1? You buy them. No questions asked. BUY THEM. 
Anyways...
So I went ahead and bought these cute mugs, with the perfect gift in mind! And that's how this marvelous idea formed...

So here's a three-step process to creating the perfect not-so-last-minute last minute gift. (With a pinch of DIY for all you crafties out there ☺️) 

Step 1: start looking early. 
-look everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. Who would've thought Dollar Tree would have the cutest mugs to ever exist on the Earth? (If you can't tell by now, I have a slight mug obsession) 
Step 2: if you see it, buy it.
- Don't wait, or come back, no. Get it when you see it, and BAM. Half of your Christmas shopping is done! And it's only December 6th. Go you. 
Step 3: Always include candy. Always. 
-you can never have to much! This is also a great way to make each gift unique to your family and friends. 

Now now, i haven't forgotten about you last minute-ers. So it's December 22 and you're leaving tomorrow for North Dakota with only half your gifts? Fear not. This simple idea (as pictured above) takes 10 minutes to put together. Here we go. 

1. Head to your local grocery and grab some mini candies and hot chocolate! 


If you don't have enough time to go to a dollar store and find mugs like I did, there are some alternatives to a mug! Little baskets are always super cute and festive as well! These you can find almost anywhere selling Christmas items. OR, maybe it's time to clean out your Christmas mug collection we all know exists. Yes, I'm talking to you.



2. Put these mugs/baskets/buckets to good use! 



Start filling them with goodies! I suggest candy, hot chocolate, and a little something else. For my girlfriends, I added a cute bubble bath or lotion! Got a guy, you could add sunglasses or just some cold hard cash. That's universal, by the way. 
  
3. Don't be afraid to make it cute! 




I used some of this crinkly paper for decoration, and wrapped it in cellophane and tied it with a bow! If you want to hid your gift a little better, a gift bag is the wisest choice. 

I hope Yall liked my little gift idea! It's super easy as long as you are willing to go get a few items. And it's totally worth it. So go, go right now! Dollar Tree is waiting for you! 



MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
xoxo, Liv



Monday, December 15, 2014

Must See Christmas Movies!

Hey girls! We have less than 2 weeks until Christmas, which means I've been stepping up my movie game. There are literally tons of Christmas movies out there. If you don't believe me just go look on Netflix. With that being said it is nearly impossible to watch every single Christmas movie, but that's okay because I'm here to help! I will be giving you a guide of the all of the Must See Christmas movies!
  •   Alright my personal all time favorite Christmas movie to watch with my family is Elf. It is sooooo funny. We watch as a family at least once a year and I never get tired of it! The Polar Express is another classic Christmas movie you can watch with your family and never get tired of it! I babysat some kids this summer that wanted to watch it and I think I liked it better than they did! The last "classic" Christmas movie I think you should watch at least once in your lifetime is How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I think this movie is so cute and I think their customs are adorable!

  • Now, if your scrolling through Netflix one night wanting to watch a cheesy romantic Christmas movie your in luck! These are one of my favorites to watch! My personal favorite is Dear Santa, but A Christmas Kiss, and Coming Home For Christmas are also really good. 

  • Of course I love all of the Santa Clause movies! Another one of my favorites is Once and Twice Upon a Christmas. 
I hope this helped you narrow down which Christmas Movies you have to see this holiday season! If your planning on watching all of these you better get started! If you think I'm missing any please feel free to leave a comment down below of your all time favorite Christmas movie! I hope you have a good rest of the week! I'll see you on Friday with a Food post!

xoxo, em

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Christmas Gift Guide!

Hey Girls! I hope everyone has had a fantastic week. There is only 15 days until Christmas! I love to get gifts for all of my friends and family, but sometimes I run out of inspiration of what to get people. If your like me then don't fret! I have come up with some gift ideas that will hopefully help. These gifts are going to range from about 10- 30 dollars ( and if you don't have that much to spend on people don't worry, next week Liv is posting a DIY gift guide)!
  • Something I think you can get anyone and they'll love it is anything from Bath & Body Works. My favorite things to get people as gifts from here are candles and lotion! My favorite line is the Aromatherapy Stress Relief line. It smells sooo good!





































  • Another cute little thing I feel like you can't go wrong with buying somebody is a "beauty kit". All of the beauty companies are making value packs with multiple products in it that you can buy. I know Benefit has some good ones, but you can buy which ever one you feel fits the person your buying it for the most. I giving one of my friends this mini set from Nivea:



  • I think giving someone perfume is always a great idea, but if your like me you can't necessarily splurge and buy a full size. Luckily I found mini perfume bottles from Target for 11.99! This is a great thing to buy if your not sure they're going to like it or maybe you just don't have the money to spend a great deal. I'm getting this for one of my family members:


  • If you have a person in your life that maybe isn't really into beauty products you could get them a portable phone charger! I took this on a mission trip to Buffalo, NY this summer and it was a lifesaver! I didn't have to worry about my phone dying and all of the outlet space being taken. Prices vary but I got mine on Black Friday for 10 dollars. I'm pretty sure it was originally 20. 

I hope this helped you come up with some inspiration on what to get that one person that you absolutely couldn't think of what to get! Have a great day and make sure you come back on Friday to see what Liv posts!

xoxo, Em

Monday, December 1, 2014

DIY: Christmas Countdown!

          Hey girl! I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving and got some great deals on Black Friday! I had a wonderful time spending it with all my family. Memories were definitely made that I will never forget.
          Sooo, it is now December 1 and that means the countdown to Christmas begins! Fun fact about me, Christmas is my favorite holiday, time of the year, all of it ( I even start getting excited before Halloween ) you could say I'm kind of obsessed! One of my favorite things is the anticipation leading up to Christmas Eve and Day. I've always wanted to get an advent calender with chocolate in it but never have, so this year I decided to make my own Christmas countdown! Instead of using chocolate I put little activities to do each day, such as, decorating the tree or wrapping presents.  Its super easy to make and looks adorable!


          Materials Needed:


  • Mason Jar
  • White, Green, and Red  Paint
  • Paint brush
  • Red and Green craft sticks
  • Sharpie
          All you need to do is paint your mason jar (I had to use 3 coats of white paint), then using the craft sticks write days til Christmas on one side and an "activity" on the other. For Example:




I also used red and green paint to write Christmas Countdown of the front!

                 I hope you guys found this helpful and have a wonderful day! This definitely has helped me get more in the holiday spirit (if that's even possible!) and hopefully you did too! If you have any requests for some more holiday themed posts please leave a comment down below and subscribe for more!

xoxo,Em















Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Black Friday is Coming!!

You guys know what's coming this Friday, right? No...not the food baby from Thursday's dinner. BLACK FRIDAY! If you've never been Black Friday shopping before, this year is when everything changes. Because you're going. Yes, you are. 

First off, you need to figure out where you want to go shop, and what you want to get from those stores. Thursday morning is when the sales papers come out, but only if you get the local newspaper. So we like to look through the sales flyers, and check out stores such as Gap, Belk, and Old Navy for clothes, and Target, Best Buy, and Walmart for electronics. If you don't get your local newspaper, you can check out websites of your favorite stores for deals! A couple of our favorite places to shop are Ulta, Bath & Body Works, and Francesca's as well. 

Once you have an idea of stores and items, make a list. Also, try to figure out a schedule. What stores to hit when, (especially if the sales are a specific time period) and which stores are priority. 

Here's what Em & Liv have planned for Black Friday:

Liv: My mom and I plan to get up and hit the stores around 5 am! We will shop at most of the stores listed above, for clothes, makeup, and Christmas gifts for the whole family! Our priority stores are Gap and Ulta! Victoria's Secret is also a good one to check out!

Em: My mom, aunt, and I are planning to go to Belks around 9 on Thursday night! I definitely want to get some new boots! Then, Friday afternoon we're going to go to Bath and Body Works and Old Navy. We plan to get some Christmas shopping done and just have fun!


We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving, and we also hope we've inspired you to face the crowds and shop Black Friday! Happy shopping!

Xoxo, Em and Liv

Monday, November 24, 2014

Thanksgiving Outfits

Hi there! Today we (Em and Liv) are here to give you two outfit ideas for the upcoming holiday. We're so excited for Thanksgiving! But something we always think about is how the day can be looong, so we want to be comfy. Em is showing you a cute, more casual look with leggings, and Liv has an adorable sweater dress to share! So here we go!

Liv:
Hi guys! I just cannot wait for Thanksgiving this Thursday! But I know I'm going to be hanging out with my cousins, so I'll be pretty busy. That doesn't mean I can't be cute, right? Of course not. So in the picture below, this is what I've decided to wear!





I'm wearing a New Directions sweater dress, with leggings and Calvin Klein boots. My scarf is from New York & Company. This is cute and comfy at the same time! With plenty of room for a turkey to fill up my belly :)


Ya'll have a great Turkey Day!



Em: Hey guys! My family and I always travel for Thanksgiving. We always go Black Friday shopping afterwards, so why would I want to wear something that's tight and uncomfortable when I'm going to be in it all night?. With that in consideration I try to always where something cute but casual. Today I'm going to be showing you guys a casual Thanksgiving outfit. 

I'm wearing a sweater from Khol's that is super comfy and flowy. My leggings are from Marshalls my necklace is form New York and Company. and my boots are also from Khol's. I hope this gave you some ideas on what to wear on Thanksgiving! 







Check back on the blog Wednesday for some Black Friday shopping tips! Have a great day!

xoxo,
Em & Liv





Wednesday, November 19, 2014

There's Something Positive in Everyday

        Hey girl! This week has been a real struggle. I guess I'm just waiting in anticipation for Thanksgiving break, but the days have been dragging by and its only Wednesday! School has been swamped with work so I've been staying up late trying to get it all finished ( which is why I'm soo tired).
        Basically what I'm trying to say is that I've had a hard time finding positive things throughout the week. Then today I was on Pinterest when I saw Philippians 4;8:


This is one of my favorite verses. When I read it, I was reminded that not everyday may be a fantastic day but there is something good in everyday. So, I challenge you to find at least one positive thing each day. Yesterday I got to come home early and take a nap. Today I get to go to my youth group at church. I hope you stay postive and have a wonderful rest of the week!

xoxo, Em

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Cold Weather Must Haves

So it's that time of year again...Time to dress warm, sip hot drinks, and cozy up by a fire. While there's lots of reasons to love this time of year, there's also lots of reasons to dislike too. That's where I come in. Your Fall Fashionista is here! Here to help with actually being cute AND warm, at the same time (who knew such a thing was possible?). So here we go...

Fashion Must-Haves 

There's a few statement pieces that every girl needs for cold weather. Keep reading for a list of items, each with a description and picture on how to make the most out of your item.

1. The Perfect Sweater

Having ONE sweater that screams "fall! winter! cozy!" is an absolute must. You can keep it simple, with jeans and boots, or spice it up with a chunky necklace and throw it over a button down. Here's my way of making a simple sweater my own:

2. A Statement Necklace

A statement necklace is a perfect way to keep your look unique and stand out. I mean, the word 'statement' is right there in the title! Wear it alone or with a matching bracelet. The choice is yours. Check out these cute necklaces for some ideas on different types available! (plus what's pictured above!)



3. Classic Booties

Finally, the accessory of all accessories. Booties. Classic, Simple, yet funky all at the same time. There's so many types of booties available right now, you really can't go wrong! I love my Old Navy booties with more of a heel, but if you're looking to stay on the casual side, there's the option of a short heel too. Here's how I wear my booties more casually, with a pair of rolled jeans:


So there you have it! Part One of My Cold Weather Must Haves! Thanks for reading and be sure to check back on Friday for Part Two:Beauty!

xoxo,
Liv



Friday, November 14, 2014

Best Drugstore BB Cream for Acne Prone Skin

Hey Girl!. Have you been searching the drugstore trying to find the perfect BB cream that won't break you out and control your oily skin? If so then your in luck! I have finally found one that won't break the bank! I have extremely oily acne prone skin and have struggled to find a BB cream that has a decent amount of coverage, but also won't clog my pores and make me break out. Then one day out on a whim I saw the Maybelline New York Dream Pure BB Cream with 2% Salicylic Acid at Ulta and decided to give it a try. I'm sure glad I did because it works amazingly! I use this everyday for school and have had no problems with it looking cakey or sliding off my face throughout the day. The salicylic acid helps prevent breakouts. I still have to wear a mattifying powder, but I don't have to keep reapplying it during the day. If you are looking to try a new BB Cream I would definitely recommend this product. Even with a naturally red face with lots of acne scars it still covers everything up. I hope this has helped some of you out! Have a wonderful day!

xoxo, Em




Wednesday, November 12, 2014

All About Me: Olivia Grace!

Hi, ya'll! My name is Olivia Grace and I make up 1/2 of Em & Liv's. I'm so, so excited to start up this blog, and to share new things with you. But this post is for you guys to get to know me! So here we go. I'm your typical teenaged southern belle (not really), born and raised in the great state of North Carolina. I love all things beauty, photography, reading, and Netflix (I mean duh). Most recently, I'm giving soccer a shot. I tend to get way too excited for everything (which I don't consider a problem). I'm a little crazy and also very easily scared (result: I hate Halloween). I'm not perfect, but Jesus created me this way, and because of that I'm happy with who I am!

Now that you know everything about me and my entire life, so lets move on.

Get ready for some bombin' blog posts about everything under the sun. They won't be perfect, but they will be pretty darn cool. Please check back soon for a schedule of when you'll see new posts! If you haven't already, go read my homegirl Emily's All About Me post! Thanks for reading,

See ya'll soon!
xoxo, Liv

About Me: Emily Marie

          Hey girl! My name is Emily Marie, the other half of Em and Liv's! I'm just a 15 year old girl who loves beauty, fashion, Jesus, cooking, and of course Netflix! I am currently obsessed with Gilmore Girls, it's sooo funny. Sometimes I just wish that I could be Lorelai Gilmore. I'm the type of girl who is shy at first but crazy once you get to know me. One of my favorite things to do is curl up with a blanket and watch a cheesy romantic movie.
           
                This blog is going to be so that I can help you all with random things in daily life. I will be sharing my thoughts on  food, faith, makeup, fashion, along with other random things. My goal is for you guys to get to know me so I hope you don't mind if sometimes these posts sound more like journal entries. I can't wait to get started! Our posting schedule will be Monday, Wednesday, and Friday alternating who posts what. My next post will be on Friday so watch out for it! If you have any requests on what I should write about please leave comments down below.



       xoxo,
            Em

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Welcome to the Blog!

Hi there! Welcome to the blog! We're Emily Marie and Olivia Grace, aka Em & Liv. We are SO excited that you've stumbled across our new blog! There's going to be all sorts of new and exciting things to look forward to, from beauty and food and everything in between.

To give you an idea of what the blog will be like:
We will be posting on a fairly regular schedule, which will be announced in the near future. The next two posts you will see will be an "All About Me" post from each of us! From there, you'll see posts in each category on our homepage. Get excited!

xoxo, 
Em & Liv