Photo Tips & Resources for Blogging and Instagram

Happy Wednesday, friends!

This week here on the blog I wanted to talk about some photo tips and resources that will help any of you content creators out there. Whether you take photos just for social media or use photography on your blog as well or for your business I have some things you could try!

First off having a consistent photo style as a content creator is key. For example whether I have my photographer take my photos or I take them myself they are always in the light and bright style. To achieve this myself I use my own presets which I love when I can’t work with my photographer. You can actually use these presets yourself as well! You can grab them HERE and start using them to better your photos!

Another resource that will help you elevate your photos is my E-book where I discuss how to figure out what content to shoot, how to figure out your style, my process, how to find a photographer that’s right for you, movement and posing and so much more! This resource is for you whether you work with a professional photographer or self shoot your photos! It comes with bonus items and actionable steps and will elevate your photo game! You can grab it HERE and start improving your photos today!

If you have any photo questions let me know in the comments!

Minimalism in the Living Room sponsored by AllModern

Happy Wednesday friends! Today’s post is sponsored by AllModern. Y’all know I love décor and interior design and I’m excited to be partnering with AllModern on todays blog post! Minimalism as a style is so nice to showcase in your home with the clean lines and calming colors. We choose to grab a run that compliments the colors we are already using in our living room and are so impressed with the quality and price of the rug! We love the print and it complimented everything perfectly! You can find our rug HERE and also some fun art HERE that we grabbed for the living room! I also included several pieces I loved on my mood board post a few weeks ago! I tend to refresh pieces and accessories in my home throughout the year and furniture isn’t as often depending and how old it is. Having new fresh pieces in the home though really makes a difference in mood and vibe of the place. I can’t recommend AllModern enough for all your decorating and furniture needs even down to rugs and accessories they have everything for every style and at an affordable price, which we love!

Spring Season

Happy Almost First Day of Spring!

This week I’m breaking out the spring and Easter decor for the apartment as well as doing some spring cleaning! My last visit home my mom and I stopped into one of my favorite HomeGoods locations and found some super cute pieces for Easter season! I’ll definitely be sharing these with you on Instagram! Can’t recommend HomeGoods and TJ Maxx enough for spring decor and items for a Spring refresh on your home!

My Spring refresh will definitely consist of a closet clean out along with a whole apartment clean out and organizing frenzy! It’s so good to clean out everything and start fresh, especially with all the things we accumulated during our wedding and after this will help us start a new!

Do you spring clean your home every year? If so what all do you do?!

PC: Kate Kelley Collection

April Ellie Look & Fitness Update

Happy April Everyone!

Time is just flying by this year! If you follow me over on Instagram @lifestyle_w_laramie you know that towards the beginning of February I decided to make a commitment to myself and replace “I don’t have time” with “It’s not a priority” when it came to my fitness schedule. Well once I started doing that my mind shifted and I started carving out time 4 times a week to workout, this is huge for me as I have never liked the gym. I’ve been a ballroom dancer my whole life and have never liked a gym atmosphere. however after college and not having as much dance at my disposal I became lazy and didn’t put myself first.

That ended almost two months ago because as we focus on wedding planning and building a life together I realize that if I don’t build these habits now with my health and wellness and focus on myself when will I ever? I want to be the best version of myself when I walk down the aisle not just physically, but mentally. That all starts with putting myself first and making moves!

That being said cute active-wear also motivates me to work out and y’all know that I have loved Ellie for years! They send the cutest work out clothes from the best brands! Below is a fun look from their April collection and I’m loving the cool cut outs on the pants! I definitely recommend checking them out especially if you’re looking to try some new pieces!

That’s all for today, just remember sometimes it’s important to put YOURSELF first! Take time for yourself, self care is so important and can really change everything you do and your outlook taking just a little time for yourself!

Top 10 Moments of 2017

This year has been one for the books! Truely blessed for all the amazing memories made this year and can't wait for an AMAZING new year with several fun trips and things booked! For now I'm sharing my top 10 moments from 2017! Hope you all enjoy and have an amazing new year!

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January:

Started 2017 with a a few collabs with Glo Skin Beauty for both New Year's and Valentines Day! This brand is amazing and I love working with them and am obsessed with their products!

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February:

I attended Taco Talk in February and am so grateful for all the amazing bloggers/creatives I met and the relationships I have built with some of them!

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March:

I started the T-Shirt Shop Series which became one of the most popular topics on my blog! It will be making a come back in 2018 for the summer time!

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May:

We started summer with hitting St.Pete for Cinco de Mayo! Not only did the weather hold up for us but everything was amazing! 

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On May 20th I got engaged to my best friend! I will be sharing our engagement story soon once we actually take enagement photos! I'm so excited and was super shocked! Love you babe!

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June:

One of my favorite memories from 2017 was our Daytona Beach trip with Mer and Chris! This trip was the most amazing time and can't wait to make our way back there in the new year!

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I had the honor of working with Marika Active-wear on the #MarikaCurves campaign! It was such a pleasure shooting their amazing brand and standing for such an amazing movement! 

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July:

We had a blast on our trip to Miami to see the Dodgers play and hit the beach! I can't forget the food and hope to make it back next year to visit The Museum of Ice Cream!

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August:

Went back to SRQ to write a special guest post about Sarasota and what better way to do that than to hit the beach and showcase the true beauty of my favorite city!

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December:

I finished the year by visiting family up north in the freezing cold and celebrating Christmas and my birthday! Probably some of my favorite moments, visiting family and having everyone I love together! I turned 26 and can't be more excited for this fabulous new year! And to top it off LC by Lauren Conrad posted on their social media handles about a recent look on the blog! **OMG MAJOR HEART EYES** so thankful!

I hope you all have a safe New Year's Eve and Happy New Year! I can't wait for all the fun things to come in 2018! 

Daytona Beach Vacation

Happy June everyone! My Fiance and I started June off right this weekend with our favorites by escaping to Daytona Beach, FL and staying at the Hyatt Place Daytona Beach-Oceanfront! This trip was actually a gift to my Fiance for his birthday and we had literally one of the best weekends we have had in a minute! Again like our St. Pete trip I'll take you on a play by play of our trip! Hope you all enjoy and please let me know if you enjoy these travel blogs!

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We got to Daytona Beach around 5:30 pm on Friday and immediately grabbed some food to take back to the hotel. We grabbed some pizza at this sweet little Italian restaurant called, Rossellini's. This place is located super close to the beach and had some super delicious pizza at an amazing price! I highly recommend if you are in the mood for some authentic Italian food and pizza while out in Daytona hit up this yummy restaurant. After dinner and hanging out a bit in the hotel we walked down to the pool area and hung out. My favorite part about this hotel is you walk out to the pool and then just walk right onto the beach, so convenient and easy! 

Below you will find my car outfit, every piece from Oldnavy and super comfy! You will also find my swimsuit from the first night there!

Top: Old Navy $10

Jean short: Old Navy $10 (each)

Sneakers: Old Navy $20

Sunnies: TJ Maxx $10

Swimsuit: TJ Maxx $25

Flipflops: Nordstrom $19

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Saturday was our big beach/pool day! The weather held out for us and it was beautiful on Saturday! Blue skies and sun on a sandy beach, that's my happy place! We were able to grab free hotel breakfast that morning and oh was it good! Then walked out to the beach and spent most of our day out there! We really just relaxed and had a great time. We grabbed some quick Subway sandwiches to hold us over till dinner later and hit the pool right after that! Below is my outfit for Saturday and the details!

Top: Old Navy $10

Jean short: Old Navy $10

Sunnies: TJ Maxx $10

Swimsuit: TJ Maxx $30

Flipflops: Kohls $10

Sandals: Old Navy $19

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Following our fabulous beach day we went to one of my favorite restaurants on Daytona Beach, Ocean Deck! I highly recommend this place, there is something there for everyone, especially fresh seafood and yummy drinks! I had the ahi tuna with rice and potatoes and can I tell you it was so good, melt it your mouth deliciousness! We dressed up a little bit and had a great time! Outfit details below :)

Dress: TJ Maxx $20

Bag: Kohl's $22

Earrings: Target $13

Shoes: Macy's $20 (I swapped out the sandals for the wedges pictured)

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So needless to say our trip was amazing! The Hyatt Place is the place to be on Daytona Beach and I would definitely give them 5 stars with the free breakfast and wifi you can't go wrong! The food was great and overall we were so happy with everything on this trip! Want to see us travel somewhere else? Let me know in the comments below!

Tropical Inspired Bar Cart

Summer is upon us, especially here in Florida! I've been loving the tropical theme lately that seems to be taking place right now and I used this as inspiration for my bar cart! So I grabbed a few key things to take my bar cart from classic to tropical! 

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Let me talk about these pineapple mason jar glasses...obsessed. These are from Sur La Table and they are super inexpensive. They are super cute for a beach getaway or poolside with a pina colada! These mason jars are currently on sale for half off which is a steal, highly recommend! I also had a great experience with their customer service and would highly recommend shopping with them. 

The flamingo margarita glasses are also perfect in keeping with the tropical theme and could they be any cuter? These are from Kohl's and are currently on sale for half off! Again I always enjoy shopping with them and always get a great deal! 

Behind the glasses you will see 2 cute carafes, these are from Target! I love these for water or juice on the cart and think they are so adorbale, target gets me everytime! My mom actually bought me the pineaplle one!

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The super chic bar napkins are also from my parents, they gave me these on Easter. How cute are they?! These I believe are from Sur La Table as well! The details on these are super sweet! The trim is adorabale and each napkin has something tropical on it; a flower, a flamingo, a palm tree, and a pineapple! Too cute!

My mom also got me the cute pineapple lights that are hanging on the vision board above the bar cart as well as the pineapple decoration next to the napkins! My mom is the sweetest! 

The rest of the bar cart is just the basics. In the four squares of the bar cart I just keep steamwear and cocktail glasses as well has two gold storage bins that keep extra napkins and appetizer plates for small bites with drinks. The bins are from TJ Maxx and are perfect stoarage solutions for anything! 

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Below is the final outcome of these trocial things on the bar cart! Hope you all enjoyed this post and have a wonderful summer season! 

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Below are the exact or similar items for you to click on!

Art & Chat with Brittney Campbell!

I have teamed up with Brittney Campbell, creator of Royal Daughters to showcase some of her beautiful work as well as provide some feed back from her on what keeps her going and creating the beautiful, heart felt pieces she does. Brittney creates bible verse canvases, and prints to inspire women! How awesome is that?! Check out her answers to my questions below as well as follow her on IG: royaldaughters and show her some love!

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How did you get started doing your business?

God truly motivated and inspired me to start my own business through His precious Word. I had a burning desire that more of His Word be cherished in our home and the homes around us. My love for lettering started in the pages of my journal. In my bible study times, I would find scriptures and songs that would resonate in my spirit and just create an illustration. It was not until the summer of 2016, that I decided to start my own business creating custom made God-inspired handmade home decor and gifts with inspirational quotes and scriptures on them. I love spending time in His presence and allowing Him to take the lead on all designs.

How long have you been doing this?

I have only been doing this about 10 months now.

What inspires you to create these pieces?

It is amazing how I have always had a love for art. It is the totally different language that I speak the language of the heart that is sometimes too deep for logic or for words. Art allows me to express visually what I do not have words for. I am a multi-passionate about a lot of things. I love combining the Word and art together. Bold colors and florals are truly my inspiration for a lot of my pieces. Flowers are my obsession.

What is your goal with your business and pieces?

I just want God to be glorified in every piece and His people encouraged by His Word. If I can just create art every day I am so happy!

What would you suggest to other creatives and girl bosses that want to grow their business?

Stop waiting for everything to be perfect in order for you to do what you feel is right for you to do. If you will just make that first step, He will do the rest. Continue to see the beauty in the process. Your process is going to look different from everyone else. Do not fear. Keep walking in your purpose!

Taco Talk Event

So last weekend I went to an absolutely fabulous event hosted by Kahlea Nicole and BarTaco! Taco Talk was such a stunning event as well as super informative! I had a blast meeting new people and gaining inspiration for my blog! Huge thanks to Kahlea for throwing this event, everything was so well thought out and every detail was spectacular, from the floral arrangements, to the gift boxes, and fabulous panel, everything was on point! Also the food, oh my gosh, I haven't stopped dreaming of the food from BarTaco since Saturday! Hands down the best guacamole and chips on the planet and the churros and chocolate sauce are to die for! If you haven't check out Kahlea and all the wonderful things she is doing on her blog! As well as pay BarTaco a visit, because you will not be disappointed! Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and I will chat with you soon! xoxo

4 Easy Ways To Decorate For The Holidays!

With Christmas right around the corner, I'm sharing my 4 favorite ways to add holiday spirit to you apartment! If you don't have time to get a tree or the room no biggie, these tricks will leave your place full of holiday cheer! 

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1. Light holiday scented candles! This is super easy, run to your nearest Bath and Body works and purchase some fun winter scented candles (they have been on sale lately too!) These will leave your place smelling amazing as well as put you in the holiday mood!

2. Add some fun holiday signs around your apartment or house! You can find some super cute and inexpensive holiday signs at HomeGoods and TJ MAXX! 

3. Have holiday napkins in the kitchen or perhaps on the bar car! Another inexpensive way to bring the holidays into your apartment is to have some cute holiday inspired napkins in the kitchen! You can find some at Target or TJ MAXX at a great price!

4. Add some festive throw pillows to your living room! Throw pillows are a fun way to easily change your room for the holidays! They instantly make your place more fun and festive as well as cozy! Again HomeGoods is my go to for throwpillows!

What are your favorite ways to add some holiday spirit to your place? Let me know in the comments below! I hope you all have a fabulous holiday!

Glo Minerals Look & Review

Happy November everyone! Glo Minerals was kind enough to send me their new Cream Stay Shadow Sticks and Precise Micro Browliner last month, and let me tell you they are not playing games! These shadow sticks last ALL DAY LONG! They don't crease and look amazing even after a full day of running around and being in the FL heat. I am thoroughly impressed with the pigment and sheen of these beautiful shadows! The shadow sticks are great to take from day to night as the shadow is buildable and easily taken to the next level. These are the perfect addition to my makeup bag for the fall and winter months! 

Make sure to check out Glo Minerals HERE

Below is a look I created using the shades Gold Blush and Beam, hope you enjoy!

Getting Sassy with KRZA by Krystle Dawn

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! I'm already ready for this weekend and it's only the end of this weekend! Sometimes I feel like I'm living for the weekend, but what can you do, right? So about a week ago I became a Fall Rep for KRZA by Krystle Dawn, I'm already enjoying her products! Krystle makes these fabulous contemporary head bands, that are super comfortable and chic! I love that these pieces give an extra bit of sass to any outfit whether more of a going out look or a laid back one, her pieces step up your style just that much more! 

Make sure to check out her site HERE

Pictured below is "The Halo" in Desert Moon

Pictured below is "The Tie Side" in Tropics which is an exclusive print to KRZA