Blogger Feature Friday

Well I may have missed a few Fridays but the Blogger Feature Friday is back!  

Blogger Bio

I'm Chardae. A soon to be mama to a little princess, Pinterest addict, ice cream and cake connoisseur and wanna be interior stylist.

What is your blog name and how/why did you come up with it?

My blog name is Lioness Dae. My name is Chardae, Dae for short and I'm a Leo...like a textbook Leo.

What is your favorite thing to blog about? Why?

I like to talk and give advice. Right now I'm blogging about my journey to and through motherhood and my day to day life.

How do you take blog photos? Who helps you, if anyone, what equipment do you use?

Most of the images on my blog are stock photos. The actual photos are taken with a 4 year old point and shoot (a DSLR is on my wish list) and I take them myself.

What do you do when you're not blogging?

When I'm not blogging I'm reading other blogs and trying to figure out how to make mine better. I also enjoy reading, shopping and napping has become a fave in the third trimester.

Besides your own, what is your favorite blog?

It's so hard to pick a fave! Right now I'm really loving Mattieologie.com. I found her blog less than a week ago but I read a post that really pushed me to make a business move and it felt great!

Blog: LionessDae

Facebook: LionessDae

Google+: Lioness Dae

Instagram: Lioness_Dae 

Pinterest: Lioness Dae

Twitter: @Lioness_Dae

Hope you're enjoying meeting new bloggers!

Don't forget to Sparkle!

XO ~ Katie

P.S. email me if you would like to be featured :)

TooFaced is Too Amazing

I've been meaning to start a blog series about my favorite makeup items but just have not gotten around to it!  So instead I am going to write a post about my favorite high end makeup brand!

But first, a look at my makeup vanity!  Isn't it cuuuuute?!  And as usual with social media this isn't necessarily an accurate representation of it - it is usually a hot hot mess covered in makeup.  But hey it's all about image here so just image this is what it's always like ;)

Drumroll please... my favorite brand is... TooFaced!

When I first started entering the magical world of makeup I didn't get why women spent so much money on makeup.

Well boy has that ever changed!  But now that I have some makeup experience I can definitely say that you get what you pay for.  Now of course there are those diamonds in the rough at the drug store but when you buy something new you never know for sure if it will be good quality.

The difference I've found with TooFaced specifically is that I've never been disappointed.  I know it sounds extremely hard to believe but I have never not liked a product from them!

I think my first TooFaced product was a cell phone case sized pallet with eyeshadow, bronzer, and blush, see below.

I was amazed at how smooth and pigmented the products were.

Now I have an insane amount of TooFaced product, but I'm not mad about it ;)

Here are my favs!

This is my number one, purchased for me by my sweet fiance!

You will never need bronzer again or not have the exact shade you're looking for.  Cue music from the heavens!  Amaze-fest-USA am I right?

Next up, mascara.  This mascara doesn't clump and is super volumizing!  I naturally have long lashes so I don't like lengthening mascaras because they make me look crazy!  But I need all the help I can get in the volume department so this stuff is perfect!

This highlighter is pretty great too!  My favorite is the pink one and I think I will use this on my wedding day so I look all glowy and bridal :D

Finally is one of TooFaced's newest products - the Born This Way foundation (can't use this stuff without hearing the Lady GaGa song in my head...)!  It comes with some pretty lofty claims (read more here) and I have to say it lives up to it!  I didn't even know I had visible pores until I used this and my face looked flawless!  I have the shade Vanilla.

And of course the pretty pretty packaging doesn't hurt!

Let me know how you liked this post and if you want more makeup posts in the future!

Don't forget to Sparkle!

XO ~ Katie

*Some products were purchased on my own and some were provided by TooFaced*

#SBRealWomen Solutions Bridal Real Women Photoshoot

Spoiler Alert: This is NOT my wedding dress!  You all have to wait until December for that one!

But this is a GORGEOUS gown that I was lucky enough to model during the Solutions Bridal Real Women Photoshoot earlier this summer.

Solutions Bridal is a local bridal boutique with some seriously amazing dresses.  They had the amazing idea to bring together Central Florida bloggers in to represent the real women who are shopping for these wedding dresses.  You can see the other fabulous 'models' here!

It was an amazing, fun, whirlwind of an experience and I wish I could have spent even more time with the other lovely ladies there.

I hope you enjoy the photos!

 And a few behind the scenes:

         

Photographer

Hair and Makeup

Styling

I can't wait to wear MY dress on my big day!  Less than 5 months to go and I can't wait to share those pictures with you all!  As amazing as this photoshoot was I have no doubt my big day will be the best day of my life!

Don't forget to Sparkle!

XO ~ Katie

A Note on Designer Clothes

I hope you all don't mind a bit of a change of pace.  This is not going to be my usual fashion type post. I want to talk about something that I don't think is talked about enough on social media and especially in the fashion blogger world.  

Source

I feel so much pressure to buy and wear designer clothes.  And don't get me wrong, I love doing so!  But my bank account has a slightly different opinion...

I hate seeing Instagram posts that say things like "You have to check out this sale - everything is under $100!"  Okay well that may be a "sale", but I don't think $100 (or slightly less) for a single item is a good deal.

I also always see this one "My top is a steal - it's under $50!"  Again, maybe that is a good deal for that top or that designer, but the girls I know and love on social media can't afford (or maybe shouldn't afford) a closet full of $50 tops.

You all know that Lilly Pulitzer is life - but it definitely comes at a price.  I get most all of my Lilly second hand, highly discounted.  And even with that it is still expensive.  

I used to be a big bargain hunter, like 90% off everything I owned.  But somehow getting into the blogging world and Instagram has changed me into thinking 20% off is a good deal.  What?!  What happened to my frugality?

I want to start shopping for super steals again.  And thinking that those clothes are just as cute as I used to!  I know I have found so many amazing outfits at amazing prices and haven't been as proud to wear them as say a Lilly shift, but that is crazy!

I feel like every time I post an outfit on Instagram that isn't Lilly, doesn't include Kendra Scott jewelry, Kate Spade bag or Jack Rogers I don't get as many likes or as many blog views.  Now why is that?  I want to change that. 

Of course I'm not going to throw out all my designer stuff - I love it! - not to mention I paid good money for it! (and I just got some new Kendra from the Nordstrom sale... but I used a gift card! ;))  But I'm going to tone down the spending a LOT.  Especially now that I have to 'adult' and pay bills and think about saving for a house, new car, retirement, etc.  Saving money is more important than ever.  

I hope that you all, my followers, will continue to read my blog and like my Instagrams, I will still be fashionable, write posts in the same way, and share my finds with you all.  The difference will be that maybe you can see that non 'designer' clothing can be just as amazing and save a little $$$ too!

Anyways, this is my mid-week rant and I hope you're with me!  Comment below if you feel pressure to buy/wear/post about designers only too or if I am just crazy :P

For a sneak peek of what's to come, check out this entire outfit I just scored for under $10!

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!  Can NOT wait to get this and post about it!  Get yours here.

Love you all!

Don't forget to Sparkle!

XO ~ Katie

All photos from Pinterest, find them here

Pink Tulle Skirt | Shabby Apple

Any girly girl is going to love this post!

As a kid I actually hated ballet, apparently I cried my eyes out or pretended to be asleep before every practice.

But now, and especially in college when I danced for fun, I so wish I had stuck it out with ballet so I could do beautiful turns, leaps, and jumps.

But luckily Shabby Apple helped at least part of my inner ballerina come up with this amazing tulle skirt!

I got to twirl around in it and look like a fool (re: people driving by stopped and stared...) but it was so fun and I couldn't stop smiling!

I paired my skirt with a flowy floral top. 

I love the satin pink waist band on the skirt and the long string to tie into a pretty bow!  You can also wrap it around the waist several times for a different look.

It was so much fun taking "action" shots and I hope you've enjoyed scrolling through them all!

Check out Shabby Apple for all of their amazing tulle skirts and more!  There are so many different styles and colors you're bound to find something (probably more than one something!).

Don't forget to Sparkle!

XO ~ Katie

Kaeli Smith Designs

I'm really excited to share a new designer with you all today!

Kaeli Smith Designs.  An up and coming brand that makes gorgeous prints!  I first discovered the clothes at Dillard's but you can also find them in many boutiques.

I actually had the chance to meet Kaeli and she is the sweetest!  I'm so excited to have the chance to help spread the word about her clothing line!

This pretty little thing is an Annie shift in the print 'Tied to You'.

I love the fit of this dress!  And of course paired it with my favorite Jacks :)

I also have a pair of Kelly shorts in 'Come Sail With Me'.

Follow KSD on Instagram!

P.S. I took these shorts photos in public and yes people were staring... #bloggerproblems 

Oh well it was worth it and how cute is this print?!

Don't forget to Sparkle!

XO ~ Katie

Favorite Watches

I never used to wear watches but now I can't stop!  I forgot my watch the other day and felt so off.  Maybe its because I'm a 'professional' now and a watch just helps me look the part (since I don't feel the part yet...)

My favorite brand is Skagen.  They have such sleek, unique styles unlike any other watches.  And their colors are very fashion forward!  I love their fun colors that seem to go with everything.  The watch pictured has a rose gold face and grey leather band.  At first I thought it was kind of odd but couldn't stop coming back to it.  Now that it's a part of my collection I find that it goes with most everything!

Here are a few of my favorites:

Speaking of fun colors, how great is this royal blue J. Crew dress?

I can't resist a scalloped hem or a classic silhouette - and this has both!

You probably know my jewelry drill by now - Rocksbox, all day every day!  If that sounds good to you then use code katiexoxo1 at checkout to try a month free.

Tomorrow's Friday - let's celebrate!

Don't forget to Sparkle!

XO ~ Katie