#TargetStyle dress you can wear year-round (and it comes in plus, too!)

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You know that moment when you weren’t looking for anything in particular and happen upon one of your favorite new pieces ever?!! That’s why I love Target, they make it all possible. Being a plus size girl adds to the cute factor challenge. I take pride in the clothes I buy and how to wear them with confidence.

After being cooped up a few days, we decided to take a last minute Target run with our 2-year-old. It’s been pretty chilly for Texas, so of course we started at Starbucks. The line was crazy, and any mamas out there know lines and toddlers do not mix!

Even though we had a list in hand, I ventured over to the clothes while Mi Amor was busy….<wink, wink!>. And low and behold, the prettiest dress I could have ever imagined was sitting pretty on a sales rack. The size was larger than I normally wear, and there was no stretch to it, but I threw it in the basket anyway. Even BabyCoolJ said “oh, pretty!”

Mi Amor encouraged me to try it on, so I did. I was in shock….this dress fit like a glove. It was made for me, like it had been tailored to my body! It was love at first sight, and a lasting love I am sure!

The top 5 things I love about this dress:

It can be worn year-round (sheer sleeves make it a great option in warm weather!).
It comes in both misses and plus sizes.
The sleeve details are on-trend and beautifully frilly, but the overall style can get away with being timeless.
It’s a “mini dress” so it fits my 5’3 frame perfectly
It’s less than $40!

And really the best part is wearing it year-round. I will love pairing this with my nude peep-toe wedge booties in the spring, and coral strappy heels in the summer. That’s a great wardrobe piece to score!

Who. What. Wear. Tired Ruffle Cuff Mini Dress

What’s your most recent #TargetStyle score?

Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, and at no extra cost to you, I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking through. I only recommend products and services that I have personally used and love.

My 30-year shoe obsession and my scores this month

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I have an obsession with shoes. It all started when I was a young girl and my Welita would take me on weekly trips to the local K-Mart and buy me a new pair of shoes. Yup, a new pair every week.

Not toys. Not candy. Shoes. Shoes are my jam.

So it is no surprise I own nearly 200 pairs of shoes. Well, a surprise (and suffering) to my husband, but that’s not interesting to write about. With 30+ years of experience, and tons of shoes later, I consider myself pretty shoe-savvy. I have an eye for fit, feel and affordability. After all, you don’t learn to spend a ton of shoes when you are out to buy a pair a week (well, at least in my pre-mama life). Read More

9 thoughtful (and affordable) gifts to get your best friend

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Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, and at no extra cost to you, I may receive a small commission. I only recommend products that I personally love.

Whether your BFF is miles away (like mine), or just next door, I’ve put together this awesome and affordable list of gift ideas for your girl-friend. They arrive in 2 days or less (if you are an Amazon Prime user!).

My “person” is more than 1,100 miles away in Florida, and she has a birthday coming up!

Lisa’s Loves – what I heart in June

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Another month bites the dust! I can’t believe we’re almost halfway thru 2017. This year sure has been a whirlwind! I feel like every month has had some huge highlights, and June didn’t fail to deliver. I started working hard on both my businesses and am pleasantly surprised at the success so far. I had a month full of playdates, joined a new morning mom & toddler bible study and made a few new friends along the way.

At the beginning of the month I had the opportunity to be a part of an amazing, inspiring retreat for the volunteers with Created Woman. I assist with the ministry’s social media, but many women that are a part of the CW Family are stylists and makeup artists. So, to fit the crowd perfectly, on the first day of the retreat we spent a few hours shopping at The Domain. Then, for the first time, I stepped into a NYX Cosmetics store.

I love everything I bought! I am honestly shocked at how professional the items are, and delighted that I bought a ton of items for what I would have gotten on 1-2 at Sephora. Don’t get me wrong-I still love Sephora-but this was awesome!! You should also know that a friend pro makeup artist helped me pick out some items, and she is not biased towards any particular brand.

Here are my top 3 items I am still in love with a month later:

NYX Wonder Stick: I purchased this in medium and it has been the perfect color. This makes it super easy for a newbie like me to contour without errors! Here’s a little tip: many reviewers say the contour is too light. I found that by using a blending brush (stay tuned below) instead of my beauty blender it made it considerably darker. And it layers well. I still love my L’Oreal beauty blender for the highlight part.

NYX High Definition Blush: I’ve been using NARS Orgasm for years. I mean, like, 15 years…and it was my first and only real blush. My friend mentioned that I may want to try a non-glittery kind because my face has a lot of texture…and voila! This blush is amazing – it has high pigment, blends great and I found my perfect shade. Bye, bye NARS…Hello $6.50 blush!

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream: The color is high intensity without being overly bright and and it lasts for hours. It isn’t drying like many lip colors, and it glides on so well. I was so impressed I’ve already gotten 3 more colors. You should know the color of the tube and the color that goes on DOES NOT MATCH…at least for my skin color! Luckily I’ve loved every color so far.

OUGES Maxi Dress: A girlfriend posted this dress on Facebook, and lucky for me she shared the link! I have minimal experience buying clothes on Amazon, even though I love online shopping. This dress is absolutely perfect! I mean, you get what you pay for, but the material is lightweight, the pattern is exactly as advertised and the fit is perfect. I love that is grazes the floor so I can wear small wedges…a great option for short gals! (I’m 5’3)

I received an unexpected gem in my June Sephora Play box, Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in K-Dub. First, I never would have even tried this color but I was dying to try KVD lipstick after seeing all the hype. Verdict is I LOVE IT! This blows any other product out of the water – it is moisturizing, doesn’t dry, comes in some great shades and has awesome staying power. I can’t wait to go pick up a few more shades. I love pairing K-Dub with plain white or black outfits.

Real Techniques Sculpting Brush: After asking a few makeup artist friends about their favorite drugstore brushes, I was reintroduced to Real Techniques. I’ve seen these around but never would have guessed they work well. I love learning from others! So I snagged the Sculpting Brush and it has totally changed the way I sculpt. It made my NYX Wonder Stick 100% better.

Anyone else digging NYX? I’d love to hear about your favorite products!

Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, and at no extra cost to you, I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking through. I recommend products and services that I have personally used and love, or have found using my own search methods.

Lisa’s Loves: what I heart in May

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Y’all, what a great month! Amazing things happened in my faith, I’ve enjoyed every moment with BabyCoolJ, and we celebrated Mi Amor’s 40th birthday with a mini-getaway to San Antonio! Whew, who knew I’d be enjoying life so much just a few months ago!

I wanted to share my favorite things I tried or picked up in May. I’ve been dabbling with new makeup (moving from Sephora-only to exploring Target and ULTA options, too!). I picked up a few outfits that made my heart go pitter-patter, and I scored an awesome pair of shoes.

So, let’s get to it! Nothing below is sponsored, however, my last item is a bonus from my new business line.

Here’s what topped my list of loves this month:

L’Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream: This is one of my favorite purchases in 2017! And it has converted me back into drugstore makeup. I picked this up not really knowing anything about it but because I like L’Oreal in general, I thought I’d give it a shot. I can’t believe how great this actually works, I’ve already gotten so many people into it including my mom! It makes my skin look flawless while still looking very natural. Being a stay-at-home mom now, I don’t want to wear a full-face most days. This does the trick to make sure that my skin looks even, while still looking very natural. I don’t want my face to look too made up when I’m in yoga pants! It lasts all day, and I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a natural look that can hide redness, uneven skin and blemishes.

Forever21+ Romper: Forever21 totally redeemed themselves in the junior plus department after I visited their store at the North Star Mall in San Antonio. The plus section is really large, which isn’t usually the case at most locations. And I picked up my very first romper (post elementary years) and it fit so well! If you’re a plus size gal, don’t discount them just yet!

Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash and Coconut Water Micellar Cleansing Tonic: These are amazing, especially together! I’ve been using Murad for years (and DoTerra Verage for a year) but wanted to try something a little more in my budget. While I still have a heart for Murad, these products are amazing. And, the SMELL! I’m transported back to Tulum, Mexico every morning and evening. I’ve been using since early May and have noticed my skin is softer and less oily. I don’t have the best routine, but I wash my face in the evening and use the tonic in the morning. Love, love, love!

Luv Betsey by Betsey Johnson Crossbody Bag: I found this gem on a quick run to Ross, and it was exactly what I was looking for! I had seen a Kate Spade bag I was swooning over that could fit my phone and functions as a wallet, but with a nearly $200 price tag I quickly closed my browser window, deleted my history and pretended I never laid eyes on it. Then that same evening I found this! This is a great bag for my mommy-busy-life, and I can quickly stick it in BabyCoolJ’s backpack or keep it as a wallet in one of my nice (forgotten) handbags. This will definitely be used all summer, and maybe beyond!

Soda Haway shoes in pink at Charlotte Russe: I don’t see these on their site, but I am totally in love. I scored these for $25 last week and they are my new summer go-to’s! As are most Soda shoes, they aren’t high quality or super comfortable, but for the price and how trendy they are these shoes were definitely a great score.

Also, we stopped at H&M on our way back from San Antonio, and I’ve gotta tell you I totally dig their toddler clothes! BabyCoolJ always scores when we shop.

Last but SO not least is the Ruby Ribbon Lace Full Support Cami. I’ve been using Ruby Ribbon since April 2016, but just discovered this gem in May! My mom gifted it to me in hopes that I’d host a trunk show, and it ended up being such a great event! For full disclosure, you should know I have signed on to be a stylist. But this recommendation is sincere – out of all the camis I have tried, this is by far my favorite. And I can’t help but also promote something I’ll be selling! (Check out my Facebook page to join the fun!) I love this particular cami because it hugs a little tighter, keeps my back a little straighter and helps keep my breasts perky all day long (no bra!)!

So, there you have it! While I tried multiple products, bought a few items and really liked a lot of them, these are by far my favs!