Best of Red Lipsticks

A red lip for patriotic holiday's in the summer season is a no-brainer for me! It's an easy way to look festive without having to go all red/white/blue. Do you have a favorite red lippie?

F-bomb | Toxic Cherry | Perfect Red | Romantic | Blake's Red | Extra

Work Travel Style - Off to the Windy City!

Recently I went on a three day work trip for a trade show in Chicago and it was a packed few days. The weather was warm but breezy as it seems to always be. I was super proud of my packing for this trip - rewearing a few things but able to switch it up just enough to keep things looking fresh. As a preface, my work trip was business casual and comfortable shoes were a must. Evenings were casual, just a few dinners out.

Day 1

White blouse (similar), orange skirt, statement earrings, sandals, and initial pendant. These shoes were decent for walking around and the skirt was comfortable for a crowded trade show, where it tended to be a bit warm. For evening, I swapped out my skirt for denim and my shoes for nude heels. It felt good to be chill but the heels paired nicely with the white blouse to keep it looking nice.

Day 2

Navy top (similar and similar), statement necklace (similar), black ankle pants, wedges. These pants are the most comfortable work pants I own. They have a lot of stretch to them and the length is great for spring through fall. This top has pretty sleeves and I like to pair the nautical vibe with this older Stella and Dot necklace. For evening I switched over to this old, fancy sundress (similar and similar), bracelet, and heels for dinner out. I thought it would be nice to get dolled up a little. And since my feet survived the tradeshow surprisingly well in these shoes, the heels for dinner were completely doable.

Day 3

Button down, lariat necklace (similar), black ankle pants, wedges. Again with the pants and wedges because they worked so well the day before. It was a tad cooler this day, so the long-sleeved shirt was appreciated. Evening was super casual this day, so I went back to denim and sandals and this fun printed peplum top with tassel earrings (similar).

In addition to my packing list, I thought thought I'd share a few really good Chicago travel guides that I used on my trip.

Chicago's Best Coffee Shops on Charmingly Styled

25 Things to do in Chicago in the Summer by Kristine Hansen on Fodors Travels

Actual Cool Things To Do When Someone Visits Chicago by Jay Gentile on Thrillist

10 Most Instagramable Spots in Chicago on The EveryGirl

Another Year

Is it something about growing older that makes you acutely aware of achievements/failures within the last year? The pressures of timelines and what you're supposed to be doing during various stages of life can really put a downer on a birthday if you're not careful. Last year on my birthday I moved from "being 30" to "in my 30's" which caused havoc with my emotions. This year, I've prepared myself a little and attempted to adopt the forever young mentality.

Download the forever young desktop here!

Through one of my pinterest rabbit hole adventures, I came across this website that determines your Secret Language Name which is based on your birthday. It was surprisingly and creepily accurate for me. My report looked something like this, edited for the parts I specifically relate to whether I want to claim them or not...

Traits: Enraptured, uncontrolled, critical, addictive, sensual, dictatorial

Report: Those born on June 21 are obsessed with life, with every aspect of existence. They thirst after the experiences of the world, and those who live in developed countries often come to symbolize all that is best and worst about modern capitalist society. Extremely success-oriented, they have a tendency to become autocratic and tolerate little departure from their own ethical codes. The fact that June 21 marks the summer solstice, the longest day and shortest night of the year, symbolizes the rich worldly nature of this day. 

Addictive types, those born on this day are frequently workaholics and therefore carrying on normal personal relationships can be difficult, if not impossible. They can be highly demanding, making it hard for their mates, friends and children to relate to them. A quest for spirituality may be the only path that frees them from worldly concerns.

Health: June 21 people can be consumed by their desires and passions, and therefore must guard against burnout. Pacing themselves is the key. In addition, if any of one of their activities assumes an addictive cast it can crowd out everything else in their life, and require higher and higher “doses” to satisfy them. This kind of activity can lead to sociopathic behavior, or at least to alienation from family and friends. A vegetarian or semi-vegetarian diet, on the mild side rather than spicy, with an emphasis on grains and root vegetables, will help keep June 21 people grounded. Only very moderate physical exercise is recommended. Workaholics must beware of stomach and duodenal ulcers, as well as other secondary stress-related ailments such as lung disease resulting from smoking, or cirrhosis of the liver from alcohol.

Y'ALL.

HOW does it know me?! I definitely don't claim to be one living by the stars and following my horoscope, BUT THIS is pretty spot on. Well, dictatorial isn't necessarily on my personal list of traits, but I do have an immense desire to control outcomes and behaviors -I just sum that up to being a perfectionist. Now knowing this, and a fresh start on my 32nd year, maybe it's a good time to address some of these somewhat alarming traits.

Anyway, it's something fun to do, so head over there and check our your Secret Language Name.

She's So Nauti

In sync with the rhythm of the wave 

she's fierce and strong in the zone. 

The breeze through her hair and 

she knows she's not alone. Sunshine 

lights up her face as she draws her inner 

power - the water is her throne. 

tank | skirt | earrings | hat | bracelet | shoes

Go visit The Blended Blog for loads of other nautical looks.

Patriotic Feels | Printable Art

I know it's been a hot minute that I've shared anything planning related, but don't let that make you think I've dropped the hobby. NO WAY - I'm still obsessed. If you want to follow more of my planner life, be sure to check out my planner-gram @mrs_cbellplans for pics of my weekly and monthly spreads, videos of my sticker hauls, and the occasional plan with me videos.

Enough about that, today I wanted to share some art I did for my own planner. To bring a little patriotic feels to my planner for weeks like Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day - not to mention it's just a colorful, fun graphic, this girl does the trick. She's available in three options and you can print her with or without the "God bless America" text, depending on how you want to use her. Make her into a sticker to mark events or make her into a diecut to add into a dashboard. 

Click here to download her!

This art is for personal use only. If you want to get one for a friend, that's cool, just please don't distribute my art without checking with me first. This art cannot be sold or altered without permission from the artist. xo, courtney

Backyard Hosting

In my family, backyard parties are the common summer social. We constantly find ourselves gathered around the pool nearly every Saturday and Sunday and indulging in yummy food right off the grill. Now, as an adult, I realize how easy this is for everyone, and it makes sense why we do it so often. Throw some food on the grill and while we wait, snack on some olives, grapes, cheese and salami. I'm so glad that my husband loves to grill because it's my favorite food to eat - grilled anything!

Today I rounded up three easy recipes to try out this summer; it will make your backyard parties stress free and focused on the fun. 

cheeseboard DIY | chicken fajita kebobs | grilled corn

America's Pastime

earrings | white sandals | denim shorts | white shorts | tan sandals | team shirts

ARTIST love

Every now and then I like to share a new-to-me artist that I'm loving. I found Carolyn Suzuki on Instagram and now I'm double liking all of her images. Carolyn has worked with loads of brands you may know including Ban.do, North American Wallpaper, and Cotton On. Her enthusiastic art is whimsical and colorful. Her greeting cards can be found in stationary shops across the US, but you can also shop her site. I'm sharing a few of my favs below. Go show her some love by following her on Instagram.

Get the Look

Tell me this kids room isn't the most fun room you've ever seen! You can't because it's so great. It has a whimsical wallcovering that can grow with the kids throughout their childhood, a fabulous swing chair that could be enjoyed by all ages, and is decorated with books and colorful artwork. This space will transition so nicely over the years that I couldn't help but track down some pieces to help you recreate this look yourself. 

The homeowner is photographer Marisa Vitale and her home was featured on sfgirl, photographed by Lily  Glass. Links to the products can be found below.

wallcovering | swing | art print | shelf | pillow | basket