New Year's Pledges

Get the look: Beret, J Crew | Denim, Express | Tank, Madwell | Cardigan, Michael Kors. Similar here

I have been putting a lot of thought into who I want to be and where I want to be in 2018, so instead of making 'goals' I am making pledges to myself to help myself get there. Here are a few I have so far:

-Quality over quantity...in all aspects of my life

-Reminding myself it's ok to not like everyone. If someone continues to prove what kind of person they are, **leave them alone. I am not Mother Teresa and they do not deserve my time. **Easier said than done my friends. 

-Experiences over material things.

-Go to Disney World with my sisters again. This is actually a real goal we have lol, we are going to try to go to Disney every year until we die...seriously.

-Take more photographs. There is beauty everywhere and I want to capture it.

-Help people more often, donating time and things they need. This one makes me feel so good and I needed the Christmas season to remind me of that. Carrying this along for sure into 2018.

I will be updating this list over the next week, because I'm a Gemini and I'm just naturally wishy-washy 😆

xo, Samantha Brooke

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas! We had three full days of family and food and it was such a great time. I missed my aunt and grandpa terribly, as anyone who has lost loved ones does during the holidays. It's a bittersweet time but we have so much and so many people to be grateful for. I love my tight knit crazy southern family to pieces. My husband and I decided to keep it simple as far as presents and we are focusing on traveling next year over material things, and honestly I have never felt so complete after a Christmas. The older I get I find myself wanting to give more and receive less. I think that's the spirit of Christmas, not sales and consumerism but giving thoughtful meaningful gifts with a joyous heart <3

xo, Samantha Brooke

Disney World Photos, November 2017

What to Wear to Disney World

When I pack for Disney there are three things required before each item gets approved: 

1. Must be comfortable

2. Must be lightweight

3. Must be Mickey colors or have a Disney character :)

I usually carry a crossbody but I borrowed a backpack from my sister to carry in the parks and LOVED IT. I will def be investing in a good quality backpack for our next visit...that we are already planning 💗 Also! If you are looking for a comfortable pair of tennis shoes, I can't say enough good things about the Keds I wore. I bought them two days before the trip and they were amazing to walk in all day. 

PS: I meant to share this post weeks ago...and honestly I still have a post from my beach trip back in August I haven't share (oops!) but life happens I guess🙈

And a BIG THANK YOU to Walt Disney World for the tickets for our trip. Sharing things I love is one of the best parts of blogging and being able to share one of my favorite places with my readers is just an amazing experience I will forever be grateful for. 

Flannel | Tank | Denim Shorts | Shoes

Flannel | Leggings | Tank | Shoes

Flannel | Tee

 

Sweatshirt | Denim | Flannel

DIY Body Scrubs

Lavender: 

2 cup sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil

10 drops lavender essential oil

Orange Cream

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil

10 drops orange essential oil

1 tbs vanilla extract

Vanilla Brown Sugar

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 tbs vanilla extract

Chocolate

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil

3 tbs cocoa powder

2 tsp olive oil

Benefits!

Cocoa powder: packed with antioxidants to fight free radicals

Sugar: used as an exfoliant to slough off old/dead skin cells to encourage new cell production and leave you with smooth glowing skin

Coconut oil: Natural antibacterial & antifungal, and amazing natural moisturizer, contains antioxidants and fatty acids

Lavender: a naturally relaxing aroma

Orange oil: smells amazing and is great for an energy boost

**I make mine to be more of a 'dry scrub', because they are activated when the water hits them. If you prefer a more wet scrub, add a few tsp of olive oil to yours :)

xo, Samantha Brooke

Suede & December Resolutions

Get the look: Suede Leather Jacket | Fleece Tunic | Jegging Denim | LV Bag | Earrings

I'm probably the last one to know about this, but every year Bath & Body Works does 'Annual Candle Day' and all of their 3-wick candles are $8.95! Don't get your hopes up if you didn't know about it. It was Saturday so you'll have to wait until next year. I know I JUST TALKED about using all natural scents in the home...but I just can't quit my candles 😭 I went with the White Barn scents because they are a little less fragrant and have softer smells- if that makes sense? I find the actual B&BW brand candles give me major headaches but these don't bother me a bit. 

I know we still have about four weeks of 2017 but I've already started my New Year's Resolutions. I figured maybe if I start them now I'll really stick them out. I stayed realistic with them and they all benefit me as a person- not in material or monetary gain- just attitude, thoughts, health goals, things like that :)

Cheers to a new week and getting everything done!

xo, Samantha Brooke

PS! Did you see last night's Supermoon?? Here's my pic of it:

Head to Toe Neutrals

Get the look: AG Denim | Similar Sweater | Similar Hat | LV Bag | Boots | Armani Exchange c/o watch

This is one of my favorite looks from last year's winter, so #repost. I have been busy with my photography stuff over the past couple of weeks and haven't really had time to take any outfit pics...and I ain't mad about it 😏 I did have a girl's night out tonight so it was nice to get dressed up for a purpose lol. 

Winter whites are such a classic look! I love neutrals and 98% of my closet is neutrals, so outfits like this are what I am most comfortable in and just feel natural for me- if that makes sense? You know how sometimes you'll put something on and you're like 'this is NOT me'? Yeah, this is me.

xo, Samantha Brooke

Faux Fur 'Tree Skirt' (for under $20)

After searching around I realized I wasn't going to find a white faux fur Christmas tree skirt for under $50. So I improvised. I used an extra rug that I had in my closet and clipped it in the back to make it look like it's an actual circle. I LOVE how it looks. It brightens up under the tree and it was under $20. I love re-purposing items throughout the year, getting creative and finding new ways to keep things fresh. In the past I have also used my great-great-grandmother's quilt as a tree skirt, that was cute too :)

I found this cute 'snow globe' at Michael's this weekend for 50% off! It lights up with color changing LED lights and I love it! So whimsical.

Stove Top Potpourri

Stove top potpourri is one of my favorite little simple things to do to kick off the holiday season. It feels your home with the smell of Christmas and it's all natural! I love my B&BW candles but they give me headaches and mess with my sinuses, so this is a great option for my sensitive people :) Plus, like my husband says, what's the point in eating organic and as natural as possible and using natural skincare items if you are just going to inhale chemicals? #foodforthought

I use two cut up apples, two sticks of cinnamon, a bit of ground cinnamon, one orange or tangerine, and about 10-15 drops of orange essential oil. I fill the pot up about 1/3 of the way and let it simmer on a low heat setting. Add water as needed (please keep an eye on it!) and you can use the same potpourri for a few days, depending on how long you burn it each time. You can also add cranberries for even more of a holiday scent, I just didn't have any on hand at the time. I will try to do a few more posts on essential oils, the brands I trust, my favorite recipes/uses, etc <3

xo, Samantha Brooke

prepping the decking...

My girls and I had such a BUSY fun trip at Disney World and it put me in the Christmas spirit! All the decor and happiness had me so impatient to put my own decor up, so here we are! I still have a lot to do but it's definitely a nice start :) It's also such a great mood lifter <3

Hope you guys have a great weekend xoxo

Sam

Leaves, leaves, leaves

Get the look: Similar sweater & here | Hat (under $20) | Over the knee boots here & love these | Denim | Vintage Chanel bag

Guys. I. CAN. NOT. get over how gorgeous central NC is right now! It is a dream how beautiful the colors are, and even though the last few days have been gray and rainy, there is nothing dreary about being outside. So stunning! All I want to do when it gets gray, cold, and cozy like this is eat treats and drink all the coffee. If I could live off of noodles and chocolate croissants I'd be a happy camper. 

I'm currently working on my packing list for Disney...woo hoo! I have to have a list when I pack, otherwise I get way overwhelmed and stressed about forgetting something. So about a week or so before my trip, I'll start jotting things down as they pop in my head- certain sandals, hair product, a tank for an outfit I have in mind, just random stuff I might forget I thought about. It makes me feel a little more calm about the whole packing process haha. Whatever helps, I guess :)

xo, Samantha Brooke