Holiday Treats... for me.

There are five things I wanted to accomplish on the three week break that I have from classes:

1) Read (for fun)

2) Get a massage

3) Get a facial

4) Spend time with friends 

5) Bake... a lot. 

I know... I know. Hefty goals. 

These are the things I think about, however, when I am drowning in homework and reading (the NOT fun kind) and tell myself "just wait until break, there will be time then." 

Well, I am proud to say that I still have a week left before I am officially back to the grind... and I have accomplished ALL FIVE! 

I got a massage basically an hour after I took my last final. I have read four books so far. I have seen a lot of friends, spent time with some of my favorite people, and have plans for more in the next week! As far as baking, Christmas festivities took care of that. I have made more batches of cookies and desserts in the last 2 weeks than the last 3 months combined. 

And... as of today, just got THE BEST facial I have had in years. 

I see Sweet Jane salon all the time when I am driving on 'O' Street. I always thought it looked like such an adorable place! A couple weeks ago I checked their Facebook page and stumbled on Casey Donner with Sweet Jane Salon. I called to schedule an appointment, and I was NOT disappointed! Casey was running a special for a facial + microderm. I could not have been more thrilled to hear this news! My face was starting to look like the walking dead. Having a cold for 2+ weeks, this weather, my dry skin and overall lack of care lately combined into an unattractive mess. 

Fast forward to my appointment. Sweet Jane Salon is as cool as I imagined it from the outside. Such a fun space near downtown Lincoln and decorated so stylish and fun. Casey's spa area is relaxing and has the perfect vibe. As far as the facial, I couldn't have been more pleased. Casey did an amazing job and it was the most relaxing 45 minutes I have had in quite some time. As I am sitting here now, I feel like I have a new face! My skin feels smooth and firm, and my complexion looks brighter! 

For those of you who have never had a facial, there are various options depending on your skin and each facial can be somewhat customized for your needs. Also, what some people may not realize, is that facials typically include massage for the arms, shoulder, neck and scalp. A scalp massage is heaven... and getting your skin treated at the same time... bonus! What are you waiting for?! 

If you need a winter pick-me-up, get in touch with Casey at Sweet Jane Salon and schedule a facial soon! You will not be disappointed, trust me. Thanks Casey! 

Post Holiday Excitement...

As I am writing this, I cannot believe Christmas is over. And I am already pondering when the appropriate time to take down my Christmas tree is. I love lights, and I don't think I am ready to part with the nighttime glow in my living room. 

There IS a positive though-post Christmas shopping! I told myself I wasn't going to shop today. I had to work most of the day, not to mention that I am still battling this nasty cold that is going around. So, I wasn't going. 

However, throughout the day, my inbox became bogged down with sales and coupons and extreme clearance prices. Still, I resisted. So, 7 PM rolled around and I was driving home. Except, a weird thing happened. I lost control and was suddenly in the mall parking lot. Yep, I was confused as well.... but I did the only thing I knew to do, and walked in! 

Fast forward, and I actually have to say I think it was a worthy trip! I only went to a few stores, but there were some great deals! My most exciting purchase(s) was at Bath and Body Works. I can officially say that I think I am stocked up on hand soap and body wash for the next year. Possibly two. At $3 each, who cant resist? Long story short, I got quite a few really good deals that made my unplanned trip well worth it. 

My favorite purchase ended up being these cute little earrings...it helps that they were 80% off.  (sorry about the bad picture!)

I hope everyone had a wonderful, blessed Christmas and is enjoying the post holiday fun! 

Love Does

I had heard of the book Love Does by Bob Goff,  but didn’t know much about it. Plus, it seemed like it wasn’t something I would normally read. One night  over some food and drinks with a few friends, the book title was discussed. Apparently, it was a great read, and changed their perspective on their relationship with God and others. I was intrigued to say the least.

Immediately when I got home, I downloaded Love Does onto my Kindle App. I don’t take book recommendations lightly.

The rest is history.

I think I read most of it that night, and finished it the next morning as soon as a I woke up. I couldn’t put this book down!

Of course, I am not going to spoil it for you.

But I am going to do you the favor of passing this little tidbit on : If you haven't read Love Does yet,  you MUST! It really changed my view of God’s love for me, for others, and how that should resonate in my everyday life. I would go as far to say that even if you hate reading, this would be an easy, interesting read for you to get into. So there, no excuses. There is a reason this book has been on the New York Times bestseller list and it is definitely on my "best sellers" list. 

For The Peanut Butter Lovers...

Peanut Butter Balls. I don't know if thats what these are called, but it's what I call them. And I don’t even know where I got this recipe. Its so easy, that I have never had to look it up since the first time I made them, so basically, I have no background knowledge regarding these.

What I do know, is that they are delicious. And addictive. And people love to snack on them! These simple treats are a favorite among my friends.

If you are  a lover of sweets and peanut butter, you MUST make this recipe!

6 cups cornflakes (or more, or less depending on the texture you like)

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup karo syrup

1 cup sugar

In a stove top pan, mix together karo syrup and sugar. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from stove top. Mix in one cup of peanut butter followed by the cornflakes. Stir until well coated.

Take spoonfuls of the mixture and form into small balls. Line the peanut butter balls up to cool off/dry on a sheet of wax paper. If you are impatient, you will find these are quite delicious in the warm and gooey phase as well. 

Enjoy!

It's Dreamy...

I have to preface this post with a little story. In high school, a couple of my girl friends and I happened upon a Neutrogena lip gloss in a shade called “Dreamy.” We all had a tube, and it was THE PERFECT SHADE. For everyone. It was not too pink, not too dark, not too red… you get the idea. It was the perfect shade for almost any occasion as well. This was well known among friends. If anyone got out their tube of Dreamy, it was inevitably passed around. (Sanitary? Probably not.)

Well, here is where the story gets slightly embarrassing for me. At some point, I am not sure exactly when, Neutrogena discontinued Dreamy. Luckily, I had a tube that was fairly full. But, consequently, I began hoarding it. I couldn’t imagine parting with this color. I only used it on occasions that I deemed “special.”  I never took it out of the house due to my uncanny ability to misplace a tube of lip gloss (no risks being taken over here!)

And so, the search began. I would scour the glosses at Target, Walgreens and Wal-Mart hoping to find that (fingers crossed) Dreamy was reinstated… or even a shade that was similar. Multiple tubes were purchased and didn’t make the cut. I felt like I would never find my “Dreamy” again.

I wish this story had a fairy tale ending, but the fact is that it simply does not. At my all time low point, I emailed Neutrogena requesting that they bring Dreamy back. I received a standardized response and as far as I know, no one at Neutrogena took my request seriously.

So… I am presenting to you a few products that are COMPARABLE to Dreamy:  

Cover Girl Nature Lux Lip Balm in “Grenache “

This is a drugstore lip-gloss that is moisturizing and has a great, neutral shade. And, because it is around $7, you may as well buy it in several different shades!

NARS Lip gloss in “Dolce Vita ”

I have to say, I never thought I would spend $30 on a tube of lip-gloss. It seemed wasteful. And, as previously noted, there was a good chance I could lose it within a week. Never the less, when I sampled this fancy gloss at Sephora, I had no choice. I loved the naturalness of the shade, yet it really amplified my normal lip color. And, after experimenting with it, I found that this lip-gloss REALLY sticks! It stays on for hours, which I think is really an incredible feat. So, worth $30? I can’t say that I would go that far. But I really do love this shade! So if you feel like splurging….

Clinique Lipstick in “Tenderheart”

I actually received this lipstick in the complimentary makeup bag that Clinique gives out with their purchases. I will say, I am not a lipstick wearer, but something about the light texture made me reconsider. This shade is a little more “brown” then I would normally wear, but again, such a neutral amplifier, which is what I am always searching for.

Long story short, Dreamy is out of my life. I am starting to come to terms with the fact that it will probably not make an appearance.  Don’t worry; I’ll let you know if I find it. Obviously. And if anyone with any connections to Neutrogena is reading…call me.

Welcome!

Welcome to Sweet and Modern!

Sweet and Modern is a way for me to discuss the things in life that are entertaining, amusing, practical or interesting. The possibilities are endless, and unlimited!  I love to hear about what other people are interested in as well, so make sure to leave a comment if you have any insight about a topic! 

I am excited about the blog and all of the fun things that will be discussed in the future. A special thanks to my friend Stephanie Erickson of Cleo Creative (check her out, she is AMAZINGLY talented) for designing Sweet and Modern for me, and for making my “blog vision” come to life!

Thanks for stopping by!