Life Update

Holy crap!

This last week has been a crazy one. So crazy that my whole blogging schedule was just chucked out the window. I thought I would try to explain my absence in the form of a life update to catch y'all up on all the craziness.

Tucker as a baby!

Have I mentioned that I got a puppy? I mean he's almost a year old now but I don't really think I've mentioned him. Anyway, he's fabulous and amazing (of course). His name is Tucker Jax and he is a Yorkie.

Well, I love him to bits so when he was feeling sluggish and his jaws started to swell last week I started to freak out a bit. Turns out he was stung by a bee. It was a horrible experience for both of us. I thought he was bitten by a snake but the Vet was really cool, reassured me it was just a bee, and put my mind at ease when he showed me that Tucker loved the medicine he would have to take for the next couple of weeks. Seriously though, Tucker absolutely loves that medicine...I think he's actually going to miss it.

Our NEW House

My family and I are also moving...to a bigger and better house across town.

Which is really great but a pain in the butt. 

Mostly because it is actually a really slow process but we're getting there.

I've even started decorating my new room a bit. Let me know if y'all would like to see a post about my new found love for interior design! haha

I don't know why I'm showing this to the world but it perfectly describes
my weekend. That's me, my best friend, and my little sister. Don't judge.

On top of all that I've had to face the harsh reality that I am no longer a college student. :(

All of my friends...seriously, all of them...started college last week. 

That includes my best friend since daycare; my fellow Monogrammed Magnolia, Danielle (who started her senior year!); and my little sister. 

What's a girl to do without a crew like that? Well, by the time last week was coming to an end I was realizing just how hard of a time I was having actually dealing with everyone being gone and having fun at school without me. So I paid them all a visit and went to stay at my sister's apartment this past weekend.

The Carousel at the fair aka one of only 4 rides 

Turns out it was exactly what I needed. I loved seeing everyone and just roaming around my old stomping grounds plus the fair was in town!

After two days though, I felt incredibly old and worn completely out so I spent the day at my sister's apartment cleaning and acting like the old fart that I am.

Oh well, I'm still slowly coming to terms with the fact that my Year Off is fully underway but I feel like things are finally starting to look up. I even have a top secret plan in the works but that's for another update.

For now, I'll leave you with this little gem from my Instagram that I stole from @hellogiggles. They won't mind. 

Sometimes it's just nice to know you're not the only one that has no freaking clue what's going on. Thanks, Ricky Gervais and the lovely girls at Hello Giggles. 

until next time, darlings

xo

PS: I'm still playing catch-up so keep an eye out for my August Faves, Ipsy Review, and a few other bits and bobs left over from last month coming this week.

February 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag

Let me first start by saying that I'm sorry there wasn't a review for the January Ipsy glam bag posted but, at the risk of sounding cheesy and above all lazy, I just wasn't feeling it. I know, I know that's horrible but the bag was really sub-par last month and it took me forever to even try all of the products. Hey, we all have our bad days you're forgiven, Ipsy.

Ahhh!

Whew, that is literally the only way I can express how much I adore this month's glam bag! If you read through this review and like what you see then wait till the end and click the link to check out Ipsy for yourself.
Not only am I so excited to tell you about each product but I'm even more excited to bring back my partner-in-crime, Danielle!
That's right, ladies, Danielle is back and she had this to say:
Let me start off by saying I apologize for my lack of posting in the last few months. I have been super busy with sorority stuff,  & my junior year of bowling coming to an end this season! 

On a lighter note, this Friday I am going to begin my journey as a brand new Mary Kay consultant! I am so very excited to sell some amazing products that every woman needs in her possession! I will be writing some post about those products here soon! 

Now real point of this post, the AMAZING February Ipsy glam bag! I was beyond excited to open this bag and I was even more excited when I found all of the goodies I received this month! 

As, you can probably tell Danielle and I felt very similarly about this month's bag now let's get to it!

- Merisa's Bag -

- Danielle's Bag -

With the theme of the Look of Love, Danielle and I both loved the bag this month's products came in, a hot pink makeup back with leopard print lining!

Both of us got a few different products but let's start with the one's we had in common...

The first product I opened up and tested out was the Mally Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Liner in the silver shimmery color, Starshine! I love this eyeliner, it goes on extremely smooth, and adds a great sense of color and pop to the normal bronze shadow I wear. 

-dSl-

The Mally eyeliner is definitely a standout for me and is probably the first Ipsy product that made me want to try other items from the brand featured outside of that specific product. Seriously, I need more Mally in my life. I love the color, which is a metallic silver that just blends so smoothly and glides on. I've used this product as an inner corner highlight and even as a substitute for my usual black liner on my no makeup makeup days. 

-aFm-

I am obsessed with this lip gloss...actually I wouldn't even call it a traditional lip gloss. This product from POPBeauty in Peony Petal has been on my lips ever since I got my bag in the mail! I love everything about it from the sleek matte black packaging to the stain like application. I think the color is a really great pick for me which is something I was a little worried about upon first impression. I say a stain like application because it really does look like a gloss at first until you actually put it on, it's not sticky at all and almost feels like a melted down lipstick but stays super moisturized.

-aFm-

 This gloss is a good pop of color. It gives you just enough to add something to your everyday look. I really loved the container that it came in. The tube has a handle on it that is really smooth and glides on easily! 

-dSl-

As you might have noticed in the picture of my bag above, I got a few extra products...that's not because I'm particularly special even though I totally am, it's because I traded in my Ipsy points from reviewing my products in my Glam Room online to receive a BeautyBlender and BlenderCleanser! I LOVE the BeautyBlender and must say that it's totally worth the hype but not worth the price...I'm sure you can find an off brand that would get the job done just as well. I really liked the Zoya polish in Odette and thought that it almost looked gel-like on my nails after a 2nd coat even though it didn't act gel-like in the chip department.

I'm still on the fence about the Rituoil for my hair but hair products are always testy for me.

-aFm-

The J.Cat Beauty Eyelashes & Eyelash Glue were some of the best lashes I've tried. It added so much to my natural lashes and made them appear fuller. I love them so very much and even wore them for my Valentine's Day dinner last Friday night!

 I love the City Color Be Matte Blush, I have never tried any of their products and I am not sure why because this is the best blush I have ever used thus far! It blends well, has a great color, called Fresh Melon, and simply warms up your face to create a "sun kissed" look! It is definitely a product worth purchasing especially because it runs for only $2.99 regular price! Can't wait to continue using this product.

-dSl-

I hope you've enjoyed this review of the February Ipsy Glam Bag, to get your own Glam Bag next month click the link below!

Ipsy Glam Bag

until next time, darlings.

xo

The Monogrammed Magnolias

PS: 

A Very Special Birthday!!!

So, I'm currently studying for a Russian history exam (anyone wanna tell me why I'm a history major again, please?) but I just had to take a moment and let y'all know that today just so happens to be a very special day for Monogrammed Magnolias!

Today is the lovely Danielle's 21st birthday!!!

In honor of her special day and her all around awesomeness I thought I'd share this with you:

I honestly don't think I ever would have made it through this past year (or just college in general) without this girl! She's amazeballs-fabulous and I'm so proud that she's my friend!

I love you so much, girly, and I'm so beyond blessed to have someone that shares the same interests as me and understands me like you do! Have the best birthday ever!!!!

Check out the super cute birthday bouquet Danielle's roomie, Alexis, and I put together!

Head over to Twitter and wish @daniloulou a happy birthday too!

until next time, darlings

xo

Merisa

New Year's Resolutions 2014

Happy New Year, everyone!!!

I wish I had a noisemaker and confetti popper for each and everyone of you to go along with the statement!

I just love New Year's, it's seriously just such a hopeful and optimistic day that I can't help but look forward to it with extra enthusiasm after the Christmas holidays have passed.

2013 was a whirlwind year and 2014 looks to be even better so Danielle and I decided we would take part in the tradition of making resolutions for the new year and share them with y'all, so here we go!

I can't wait to see what this year has in store for both of us and this lovely blog. I'm so incredibly happy that I have Danielle along for this journey and hope that together we can make something absolutely wonderful out of this little page!

I always go a little overboard with my New Year's resolutions, so much so that I would like to add one more to this list. In 2014, I resolve to try and better manage my anxiety as I'm a very anxious person and that seems to hold me back from a lot of opportunities in my life, which is just no good!

We would love to hear what some of your resolutions are for 2014 so feel free to leave them in the comments!

I hope you all had an amazing and safe New Year's Eve and I pray this year brings you all the joy & happiness you could ever need!

until next time, darlings!

xo

Merisa

December Ipsy Glam Bag!!!

Finals are over!!!

I am happy to report that Danielle and I both survived, even though it was a close call at some points.

I'm even happier to report that today marked another highlight - the December Ipsy Glam Bag arrived!!!

Yayyyyyy!

Just like last time, I am obsessed!!!

This month's theme is Celebration and they have hit the nail on the head because as soon as I opened that shiny pink package I wanted to go out on the town. 

These products are perfect for a fun night out. They're so versatile and will help you create the perfect look for a night of dancing or your best friend's holiday party!

Let's start with this bag though, how cute is this?

I just want to use this as a clutch for a night out and to be perfectly honest, I don't go out so thanks Ipsy for bringing that side of me out! :)

The wonders don't stop there, these products are seriously top notch and had me ripping open their packaging before even leaving the post office!

Lately, I have been on a serious blush and lipstick kick and apparently they lovely behind-the-scene peeps at Ipsy are mind readers because I got just that.

These shades are amazing and work really great with my skintone, however, I think the lipstick is a little on the cooler toned side so I'm going to need to be careful with that because I tend to lean more toward the warm tones. I think these shades also go really well together, they're practically the same color after all, but I think that goes to show that Ipsy really does put the effort in to create a bag that's going to offer the essentials for a really great look together as well as separate. My only struggle is that the blush is a heavy product and probably won't be very well suited for oily-skin types so be careful.
My favorite part about these two are definitely their names though. The lipstick from NYX is called Iced Honey while the Be a Bombshell... cream blush is called Girl Crush! LOVE!

The product I was least excited about when I opened my bag were the eyelashes (which I just realized aren't actually in this picture, that's because I had already tried them out!). \
I don't wear false eyelashes, mostly because of a tragic eyelash experience from like 3 Halloweens ago, but sticking true to my beauty girl ways I gave 'em a shot! And I loved it! 

OMG! I finally understand what all the fuss is about, false lashes are a wonder of the world! 

Check out those lashes! Overlook the new bangs, I was feeling frisky this past week and decided to DIY them.

Overall, the only product I wasn't completely satisfied with was the Nicka K nail polish. I don't what it is but Ipsy loves to put me in really neutral, brownish nail polish shades. Well, I'm just not feeling it.

I cannot even begin to describe how much I love these bags though! 

I highly recommend them!

So, if you're interested, I suggest clicking THIS LINK and heading over to Ipsy and grabbing your own Glam Bag for next month!

till next time, lovelies

xo

aFm

Finals Week!!!

Finals Week has officially begun for both Danielle and I so please excuse us from posting as frequently, we're trying to brighten our futures...or whatever they call it. 

But in the meantime here are some funny little posts to get your through your own Finals Hell.

Because the world is just a better place with Ryan Gosling telling you not to stress.

It's true, no one is excited about the hell that is to come.

A Finals Week Prayer to get you through. Amen.

Come on Rory, that's not what's important at all! 

And finally, remember lovelies, you can do this!

 'til next time, darlings.

xo

aFm

May the odds be ever in your passing favor!

All pictures found on Pinterest.

Sunday Style

Ahhhh! We're back!

So sorry for the lack of posts but we've been taking a break from blogging this past week to enjoy all the goodness of Thanksgiving Break! I had an amazing time with my family, and our new Yorkie puppies, I hope that you all had an equally wonderful time too! 

I can't believe it's already December! It seems like summertime was just yesterday, which I suppose that's because down in the South it's been feeling a little summery except for here recently. 

Enough of that though, back to business! 

Seeing as today is the first of December (yay!), I thought it would be fun to give you a peek at a few different styles that I am loving this holiday season! I've created 3 different sets to showcase my picks and you can check them out as well as all of the items pictured on my Polyvore!

When it comes to the craziness of Finals Week and Winter Break I just want to surround myself with comfort and for me nothing is comfier than cable-knit! 

In the winter I want all cable-knit everything from my head to my toes, literally! I especially love when designers mix cable knit comfort with glamorous sparkle like in the headwrap shown above.

This next style is a classic that can really go for any season but I am absolutely obsessed with it at the moment, it's tortoise shell!

Tortoise shell just screams classic to me and puts me in the mind of classic style like Jackie Kennedy, and who doesn't want that? Of course I had to include my favorite monogrammed pieces too, fit for any Monogrammed Magnolia girl!

I don't know if my style is just evolving as I get older or what but I am usually a die-hard sterling silver lover but recently I have become obsessed with gold sparkle! (I'll blame it on the killer Deborah Lippman nail polish I got earlier last month that's pictured below)

 This style screams holiday glam to me. From the gold baubles, sparkly shoes, and foiled clutch you'd totally be set for even the best of holiday parties! Plus no holiday would be complete without a little sparkle, right?

I love all of these styles and I hope you check out some of these amazing finds on angelmerisa.polyvore.com

'til next time, lovelies

xo

aFm

PS: Prays for Danielle and I to sail smoothly through Finals Week would be greatly appreciated! xoxo

The Bigger the Hair the Closer to God: A Southern Girl's Guide to Big Hair

I am a big-hair junkie and have been for a while now! Being this way causes me to try many different volumizing products to achieve this big hair look.

One of my absolute favorite tools, that I couldn't live without, is my teasing brush from Sally Hansen's Beauty Supply. This is a must have for big hair, you can use combs but nothing beats this brush! 

The first step to teasing your hair is to pull half of your hair up then sort of "rough up" the roots, this means to take the brush, get close to the roots, and go back and forth with it until you get some volume/texture! 

It may sound a little difficult but it gets easier with every trial run. 

Another useful tool that I've tried is volumizing powder. My personal favorite is Michael O'Rourke's Bombshell Big Hair Powder! Just sprinkle a little bit in your hair like a powdered dry shampoo for that thick, big hair look that leaves your teased look in for hours. 

One thing that I like to do is add a finishing touch with some hairspray. I like to use the Michael O' Rourke Spray It Hard Big Volume Hairspray. This adds just a little boost so that you can keep the look in tact! 

If you follow these steps, you can rock some big hair like I frequently like to do!  :)

-dSl-

Birchbox vs. Ipsy

Ahh! The beauty girl version of The Great Debate is finally upon us!

I have been ranting and raving about Ipsy ever since I heard about it, and to be perfectly honest I don't remember how that happened, but anyway I checked out the site and fell in love. I just had to subscribe that instance but some yet to be explained reason I was wait-listed! Ugh! 

So in the meantime, and by the recommendation of the lovely Danielle, I tried out Birchbox. Which I had heard about, of course, but was never really too apt to try. However, Danielle seemed to really like it so I gave it a try. 

I managed to get on board the Birchbox bandwagon right before the October Box came out and while it was totally exciting to find the pretty pink box sitting on my doorstep, that excitement wore off quick.

I will say, however, that out of the Birchbox shipments I have received this has been my favorite.I loved the Ruffian Nail Polish (Danielle did too, she even did a review!) and adored the Dr. Brandt microdermabrasion (it's killer, but at $78 I'll stick to my sample and pray it lasts!) but the rest of the box was a bit of a bummer.Don't get me started on the crappy lip/cheek stain or the crazy, ridiculous half up sock bun thingy. Overall it was bland experience. 

As November rolled around a brighter future laid ahead as I received the email that my Ipsy Glam Bag was on it's merry way! Yay! 

However, that high came crashing down when I received the next installment of my Birchbox subscription.

An even bigger fail than last time, literally the only thing usable was the mascara (which Danielle liked so much she wrote about it twice! Check out her Mascara Monday and What We Love Wednesday posts!) the rest was complete crap...even the chocolate bar was horrible. By this time my hopes for the Ipsy bag were dwindling simply by association. That idea was nixed within a week as I found this lovely little item in my mailbox.

After opening this gem, I came to the realization that Ipsy Glam Bags are the holy grail of beauty subscriptions! I had an "Ahhhh!" moment and everything! Seriously AMAZING!

That's right, those are full size products you are seeing there people! That's more than Birchbox could promise in their wildest dreams. I'm am seriously obsessed with these products.
The eyeliner is a really fun inner eye highlighter, there's a perfect creamy nude lipstick, a full size bottle of rose gold nail polish (that's bigger than a nail polish I bought the other day!), a super shimmery brick colored eyeshadow, the perfect winter bronzer, and my favorite, a lip crayon in the shade Hot Damn!
Let's not forget the fun bonus of a gold and hot pink catch-all makeup bag! Also, as an added bonus, nearly all of the products come with a coupon code for their brands. Absolutely perfect to the point that I cannot wait until December's bag!
Oh, by the way, both Danielle and I cancelled our Birchbox subscriptions in time for the holiday sparkle of Ipsy! Out with the old in with the new!
If you want to check out the debate for yourself click the links below for your very own invites!
Birchbox Invite
Ipsy Glam Bag Invite

xo
aFm

What We Love Wednesday!

It's time for another What We Love Wednesday! This time the fabulously amazing Danielle is taking over and giving you a chance to sneak a peak at her favorites for the week! 

(that was a horribly cheesy accidental rhyme, but I'm leaving it.) 

Enjoy the rest of you week, lovelies! You're almost halfway to the weekend!

Here are a few of my absolute favorites this week:

Eyeko London Black Magic Mascara

This has been an eyelash lifesaver! I've never been happier with a mascara, it lengthens as well as strengthens your lashes! Read more about it in our Mascara Monday from a few weeks back.  :) 

Pumpkin Cupcake PocketBac

'Tis the fall season with this lovely scent! I was more than happy to open up this little bottle from Bath & Body Works and smell such a overwhelming fall scent, I am in love! 

Sinful Colors Nail Polish in Nirvana

This is one of my favorites for fall because it is such a deep neutral color for this season. Such a pretty touch to add to your look. The best part is that you can pick up your very own bottle at Walmart!

 Dove Hair Therapy Color Care Shampoo

I picked up this product after a recommendation by my hairstylist and it was a perfect for my hair. It has brightened my highlights, made my hair significantly softer and shinier just after one use! I was in shock!

My Kentucky Necklace

 I picked up this little gem in a boutique called Apricot Lane in Bowling Green, KY while on a trip last weekend and I must say I am obsessed! Perfect for any Southern girl with a little home state pride!

Monogram Chevron Scarf

I received this in the mail from home this week. It's going to be perfectly paired with my school spirit attire plus, it just screams Monogrammed Magnolias!

These are just a few things I am loving this week and I hope you all have enjoyed them. Hopefully you will try some of these things and maybe you will love them just as much as I have!

-dSl-

Follow Friday!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

We've finally made it to another fun filled weekend and to celebrate we're doing a Follow Friday featuring a fellow blogger from our own university!

Trend. Style. Josh.

A new blog with a new perspective, this fashion forward fella has got everything you need to be in "the know." From his own opinions of seasonal trends to his adorable and classy Outfit-of-the-Day posts you can't go wrong with this blog. Also, we share a common love of Lauren Conrad (see this LC inspired Cat Eye Tutorial) and have hopes of doing public relations as a career someday so what's not to love?

Be sure to check out Josh's blog over at trendstylejosh.blogspot.com, you won't regret it!

xo

Merisa & Danielle

Saturday Shop: Gameday Edition!

What would a Southern girl be without a little football in her Saturday! 

In honor of our university's Homecoming today we've decided to start off this Saturday Shop post with a look into some of the best online shops for all of your gameday gear! Whether you're cheering on your favorite SEC team from your couch or hitting up a tailgate in your school parking lot we've got you covered!

Now as you can probably tell, we're suckers for a good monogramming opportunity (we are Monogrammed Magnolias, after all) and nothing makes a Southern girl happier when she can mix her football with her monograms!

 

The Pastel Peony on Etsy  has the cutest mix of vinyl decals and in honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month the shop is donating 10% of costs on all orders to Making Strides for Breast Cancer! Our favorite piece from their selection is definitely the 4 inch Gameday Football Monogram Decal shown above for $7 (be sure to check out their State Circle Monogram Decal while you're checking out the shop).

Combining one of the biggest trends of fall with your school colors is definitely a Southern girl's dream so we couldn't pass up the opportunity to include SewEMG's school spirited Chevron Infinity Scarves in this post. 

 At just $15.50 these scarves are super affordable compared to many other Etsy shops and come in a variety of color combos, I will definitely be adding this to my shopping cart in the near future!

Our next gameday essential comes from the experts, The Gameday Girls themselves! Home of "The Original Collegiate Pearls", the Gameday Girls handmade pearl earrings were such an obvious choice for this particular post that there was no way we were going to pass them up. 

 You can even get them monogrammed!

Their store is totally customizable and features even more gameday goodies such as necklaces, koozies, and headbands.

This post just wouldn't be complete without at look at Southernly Stated and the 

oh so amazing Game Day Tee!

Loving God, Sweet Tea, and our University is pretty much the basis of a Monogrammed Magnolia so of course this long sleeve tee is perfect for our Southern football Saturday!

May whatever team you cheer for kick-butt, as long as they're not up against our's! 

"Go CATS!" - Danielle

"Roll Tide!" - Merisa

till next time

xo

aFm