get up and go

happy sunday! i can't believe that it is almost august, crazy how fast this summer has gone by. i know that i have already done a post about my favorite athletic wear, however i an important update. i have recently been complaining of my feet hurting in my tennis shoes, so my good friend anne lat me in on a little secret, newtons. after hearing her talk about how much they have changed her run, how they have become the "shoe" of blast900 (a local workout where you burn 900 calories in an hour), as well as how they have a 30 day return policy, i decided it was worth a shot. thanks to DEKA and their experts, i am now in love with my isaac neutral trainers. newton makes several different styles depending on how much run, how your feet turn, and the type of exercise you do. I have to say, at first they feel a little different than your normal running shoe, but once you start running you will be hooked, i promise. not only i am saying that these shoes will change your workout, but they will also improve your workout fashion :). all of the shoes are supper bright and fun. so go ahead get some new shoes and improve your workout, feet and posture- they are worth it.

*they make both women's and men's shoes.

Go Green

so as everyone knows being green is in. whether you are wearing vintage clothes, bathing with rain water, taking your own grocery bags to the store, buying recycled products, placing your cans in your recycle bin, or just supporting the color...you are helping america go GREEN. so lets ride it, i have to say it is a a pretty solid color.

love this antique that has been painted teal for
 the entryway... also love the organization

the green accents make this kitchen 

love this. 

i need this heavenly couch for sofa sunday. enough said.

these hydrangeas make the table while keeping
it clean and crisp

limes. great for water, vodka, cooking, cleaning..  and
the list goes on.

summer salad: avocado, corn, cherry tomatoes,
basil, and vinegar 

yum

mojito.
make it a skinny: bacardi limon,
 lots of mint, sprite zero, and little lime. 

green tea. great for your skin
and your metabolism 

what a great edge on classic piece

love the color jean trend, as you know :)

speaks for itself 

but no really... go green,  it will help us all in the long run!


happy friday.

xo
mp

arm candy

since i was in high school i have been known for wearing a lot, sometimes too much, arm candy. i carried my favorite pieces with me through college and was constantly telling my friends the more the merrier, right alison? so take a look at some of my favorite combinations below thanks to some of my own favorites, the manrepeller, allie hendee, and pintrest. i love to mix classic/ fine jewelry with fun pieces, do not feel like you have to keep nice jewelry with nice jewelry, silver with silver, gold with gold, and fun with fun, mix it all up and create your own masterpiece... you really can't go wrong! 

The beauty of "thank you"

thank you notes are a must for all ages. whether they are for a gift, a weekend visit, an interview, or just a nice note to say thank you for being you, they are all appreciated and speak mounds about your character. i know that we have grown up in the age of technology, which makes writing a hand written letter that much harder. honestly, why would you want to go through the trouble of getting out your stationary, sitting down, actually hand writing a letter, addressing it, and stamping it, when you can just type and click? the answer is simple, etiquette. if your anything like me, you love receiving snail mail. there is just something so fun about opening a personal letter, even if all it says is 'thank you so much for thinking of me.' thank you notes are appreciated and remembered by everyone, so i think that it is important to keep the tradition of a real hand written thank you. so next time someone does something out of the ordinary for you, please make sure to properly say THANK YOU.

my personal formal stationary by embossed graphics
i love having both white and powder blue so i can change it
up depending on my mood and the occasion

it is always a good idea to have so bright fun stationary to
use for less personal and less formal occasion. example-a
quick thank you to the neighbor for getting your mail
while you were gone

Madeon Music

so, i was just reading one of my daily blogs une-deux senses and came across some new music that i wanted to share with all of you. i am a huge fan of upbeat mash-ups and this 16 year old french boy might have just won me over. check him out and let me know what you think. go ahead start dancing and enjoy your weekend, a day early, i know.

{track list}

thank you to Michelle from Une-Deux Senses 

Alphabeat - Boyfriend

Alphabeat - Fascination

Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars

Black Eyed Peas - Gotta Feeling

Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time

Capsule - Can I Have A Word

Chromeo - Momma's Boy

Coldplay - Viva La Vida

Daft Punk - Aerodynamic

Daft Punk - Around The World

Deadmau5 - Raise Your Weapon (Madeon Remix)

Deadmau5 - Right This Second

Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed

ELO - Mr. Blue Sky

Girls Aloud - Biology

Gorillaz - Dare

Gossip - Heavy Cross (Fred Falke Remix)

Gwen Stefani - What You Waitin For (Jacques Lu Cont Mix)

Housse de Racket - Oh Yeah

Justice - DVNO

Justice - Phantom Part II

Katy Perry - One Of The Boys

Ke$ha - Take It Off

Kylie Minogue - Wow

Lady Gaga - Alejandro

Linkin Park - Crawling

Madonna - Hung Up

Martin Solveig ft. Dragonette - Boys and Girls

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean

Nero - Me and You

One Republic - All The Right Moves (Danger Remix)

One-T - Magic Key

Ratatat - Shempi

Solange - I Decided (Freemasons Remix)

Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You

The Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star

The Killers - Losing Touch

The Who - Baba O'Riley (SebastiAn Remix)

Yelle - Que Veux Tu (Madeon Remix)

kick some booty, and look good while doing it

today's post was inspired by yesterday's fitness tips, and our new addiction to the Urban Active in atlanta.  who said that working out wasn't part of fashion? also, new workout clothes/gear is always good motivation to hit the gym 

enjoy and please share your favorite gym pieces :)  

1) scoop neck top by lululemon
i keep seeing this flattering top at the gym, and i have now added it to my personal wish list. love it
$52.00

2) dance! headband by lululemon
i know that seems like a lot for a head band, but its worth for one that will stay place for ZUMBA!
 $12.00

3)nike free run plus- comes in multiple colors
these shoes can even be customized using nike id. I have a pair of free runs and they are by far some of the most comfortable shoes. however, please not that they do not have a large amount of support so dont go for a 10 mile run in them
$90.00

 
4)old navy ruched capri pants
a steal! i bought these today and im in love...I might have to go back to get them in the carbon color.
$ 26.94

 
5)C9 by champion sports bras for target
i have tried about every sports bra out there and these remain my favorite. they are light, comfortable, supportive, and they come in really fun colors.
$14.00-$17.00

 
6)camelbak better bottle in stainless
as i have mentioned several times before, what is the key to everything (health, weightless, energy, imune system etc..) so it is important to keep drinking, especially when you are working out. camelbak stainless steel bottles are bpa free and the stainless helps to keep your water cold and refreshing$24.00

Food For Thought Tuesdays

feel great and look better

since we are now mid summer, and many of you are just now thinking of ways to get your high school bikini bod back (no its not too late), i thought i would take a moment to let you in on some health secrets. i personally am the type of person that really needs motivation to get going, but once i start my health kick, i'm on it and ready go. however, i know that we can all agree on the fact that once you do begin to loose weight, the compliments feel good and your clothes look better (who would not want that)! there are several different diets out there, and it is important to find which one works best for your needs and your level of commitment. my two favorites are calorie counting (try using LoseIt, the iPhone app) and the Dukan Diet. although these are two very different approaches, i have found success from both of them. if you were to ask me to choose my very favorite it would be the Dukan Diet because it keeps you full, and it provides quick results. 

when you consume more calories in a day than you burn, you eventually will gain weight. a pound of fat is 3,500 calories, and your body naturally stores calories as fat. so for every 3,500 extra calories you consume, without burning, you gain a pound. (this does not mean that you have to burn 3,500 calories a day... that would be impossible). on average a gril should be eating around 1,500 a day to maintain their weight) 

if you eat fewer calories or exercise, you start to burn fat. for  example, if you were to eat 250 calories less than normal each day and burn off 250 calories, then that is 500 fewer calories a day, and if you keep it up every day you will loose 1 pound a week.

• fruits and vegetables will keep you full which will prevent you from snacking
• try to limit your alcohol, i know that can be tough for us ladies, but if you say no drinking during then week, then you save yourself a lot of bloat and unnecessary calories 
• drink plenty of water, it fills you up and keeps you hydrated. if you have a hard time drinking a lot of water try adding a tiny bit of crystal light or fruit juice to your water to help you keep drinking
• start your day with a glass of lemon water, this helps to detox your system and get your day started out on the right foot 
• try eating out less, that way you are aware of exactly what you are eating because you control not only exactly what you eat, but most importantly how much you make (portions are key)
• exercise for a least 30 minutes a day. not only is it vital to loosing weight, but it is a really good stress reliever 
• carbs should be consumed in the morning and in moderation as they are harder to burn 
• stay away from sugar, or at least eat it in moderation. try eating one small piece of dark chocolate to curb your sweet tooth 
• weigh in! although you might think a scale can be scary, weighing yourself every morning will help you to not only loose weight, but to also keep the weight off because it is a constant tracker of your progress 

enjoy and please leave your favorite health tips below! 

MAKE IT A FLAWLESS SUMMER

you ask and you shall receive, my favorite summer products that can stand the heat. notice that the product list is minimal, that is because more is less in the summer. there is no need to cake on the makeup when you already have a natural summer glow. air dried hair with some under eye cover, shimmer powder, mascara, and the perfect fragrance is an unstoppable look and feel. give it go, i promise you will love the ease and the results. while they are not all steals I feel that they are worth the splurge.... lets start from the beginning.

while i have been a fan of moroccan
 oil serum for about three years, i was very
hesitant to spend the money on the
 shampoo and conditioner... well i finally
caved, and its WORTH IT, trust me. It
cuts frizz and improves shine, all while
keeping your hair healthy and smelling
amazingly good until your next wash. if
you are afraid of the splurge as well, go for
just the conditioner and use it every couple of
washes, soon you will be convinced.
buy me

love the smell, the price, the feel,
and the fact that it helps to prolong
my tan, or at least what I have.

i have tried multiple tinted moisturizers
 in my day, and this is by far my favorite.
 it actually moisturizes unlike several others
that i have tried. i also really enjoy the
fact that it has spf 20 in it, seeing that
 everyone needs everyday sun protection
buy me

if i could only have one thing in my make
up bag, it would be erase paste. it is perfect for
under your eyes and covering up anything
and everything- honestly
buy me

one of my college roommates introduced me
to laura mercier sun dust and i have been a
fan ever since. dust across your face for an all
over summer glow, or swipe across your
collar bones for an accent of shine. this powder
can also double as a body bronzer, but be careful
if you use to much you will be a ball of
glitter, which confuses boys and ruins your
clothes. have fun with this, its a multipurpose
addition. - you can find this at sephora.

although i would not recommend
 waterproof mascara for everyday use,
 there are exceptions; summer is one of
them. i love lash blast waterproof
because of the rubber brush that helps
 to lift and separate all lashes.  

last but not least, a little secret of mine,
hermes men's cologne. i know that it might
sound strange, but fragrances smell different
 on  different people, and this one really pops on
girls.so i challenge you all to find a summer scent.

A Good Laugh...