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  • Backbone to The Blonde: Lash Extensions

    Ladies… I am super excited for today’s post because what girl doesn’t love long, luscious lashes? I get asked about my extensions all the time so I figured it was time to put it all down for you in white and gold. Grab your favorite mug and fill it to the brim with your Starbucks!! Let’s get into it!

    Before I made the life changing decision to get extensions I was using false lash strips every single day. Which also meant I was doing a full face of makeup every single day. I would spend 10-30 minutes just on my face in the morning…which honestly is just ridiculous because 3 hours later I would be sweating it all off while playing outside with the boys I babysit or at in a TRX class. Also…picture me in a full face of makeup and a sweatshirt (examples below)….ridiculous.

    My best friend Emily started getting her lashes done and they looked absolutely incredible. She tried to talk me into them for MONTHS before I gave in. Honestly, looking back I could kick myself for not getting them sooner. On a chilly December night, a few days before my family and I were headed to Florida for NYE, I made the appointment to get the lashes of my dreams.

    Why did I decided to get the extensions…well for starters I wanted them. Second of all this was around the time I decided I was going to be a blogger, which meant it was time to start trying things out of my comfort zone to write about. Little did I know how much easier my life was going to be once I got them. I wake up with long, full lashes without even touching any makeup. I never even bother to wear make up anymore…the lashes are just enough (makeup//filter free pictures below). Extensions look far more natural and are MUCH more comfortable. Strips can be itchy or the glue can become irritating to your skin. Even someone who wares lashes consistently, like I used to, can still have days where they just wont go on properly. It can be a TOTAL headache.

    The process of getting them put on is something I find soothing. First time it was totally strange…but not unpleasant by any means. Your bottom lashes are held down by eye pads, which can feel weird at first but it doesn’t bother me at all now. The very first set you get takes a while. If you have a highly qualified lash tech she will examine your natural lashes to see the right length and thickness that will work best for you. My first set took just under two hours but Carol, my lash goddess, is meticulous. She is truly an artist. I know four babes who go to her and all of our lashes look totally different because she customizes them to our faces.

    How are the extensions attached? Carol uses special tweezers to separate out one of my natural lashes. Then she dips a single lash extension in glue and places it on to the lash. She repeats the process until I am totally glam. Honestly you barely even feel it…similar to when someone plays with the end of your hair.

    The maintenance for the lashes is sooooooo easy. Don’t get them wet for the first day. After that, just make sure you use oil free make up remover around your eyes and brush them everyday. Seriously that’s it. Then in two weeks you go back for a refill. My appointments usually take 45—50 minutes depending on how my lashes cycled (lashes go threw growth cycles so at times you naturally have fewer lashes). The cost of the service varies at different salons but know that you don’t want anything super cheap being glued near your eye…do your research before you select a salon.

    If you are looking for a referral I go to Beautiful You by Christine…ask for Carol and please tell her I sent you. If you have anyyy questions leave me a love note in the comment section!!

    xoxo,

    K

  • OCD Organization: My Closet

    Good Morning!! I have a busy busy day as I prep for a photoshoot tomorrow. If you follow me on SnapChat (Katie_Dudley) you know that I spent most of yesterday cleaning and reorganizing my closet. I had a pretty open schedule yesterday so I decided to tackle one of the projects on my Mater Task list in my Purposeful Planner (Don’t forget it is on SALE until Friday).

    I have a confession to make…I am a hoarder. I have every card I have ever received, hats and purses from Limited Too (talk about a blast from the past) and every picture made for me by the kids I have babysat over the years. I seriously have it all.

    It was time to do a MAJOR closet clean out. I totally avoided my closet when I painted my room because, well, I knew it was going to be a project. I downsized my space for clothes when I got rid of my dresser. I didn’t want a clunky piece of furniture ruining my carefully crafted aesthetic. This meant my closet was BUSTING at the seams. I couldn’t even open the doors there was so much junk…seriously, that is how the widest I could open the doors.

    Step One: Organize Your Space

    I started the process by stripping my bed. Why? I knew there was going to be dust, plus the ruffles and 15 pillows would have taken up valuable space on my bed aka where all my clothes were going. I knew I was going to have to map out a plan// walking path before hand. I strategically placed laundry baskets in spaces where I knew there was room to pile.

    Step Two: Dive In.

    For me, this is the worst part, getting started. It feels like taking your step off a ledge..there is no turning back. I started by removing my clothes by section. My closet was loosely organized buy type of clothing and color prior to starting the clean out so that was helpful. I removed each section and started pulling clothes I knew it was time to donate. I put each section in a different pile on my bed so that it was more organized when it came time to hang everything back up.

    Step Three: The Junk

    After removing all the clothes, I started to attack the bottom portion. Bags, bags and more bags…mostly the reusable ones from Lululemon…and about 15 purses. All my favorite childhood stuffed animals were also shoved in there along side a lamp, a DVD player and (surprise) more bags. This is the portion where you find your FAVORITE slinky from your birthday party in third grade. This is also the time where the excitement and fun starts to wear off and you become OVER IT.

    Step Four: Curing the Burnout

    You are an hour and a half in, your room looks like you are the star on the latest season of Hoarders Burried Alive ( the really outrageous one they save for the season finale ). How to you get back into the organization mode? A quick Dance Party break. Or make a cup of coffee. Or have an apple. But whatever you do, for the Love of God, do not I repeat DO NOT sit down. You will loose momentum and you room will stay a mess forever.

    Step Five: Refocus

    Finish the last of sorting the junk, or bags, in my case. In the wise words of Troy Bolton, get your head in the game. Go through all the ‘stuff’ one final time (we will go through the clothes again when it comes time to hang them back up). Decide what is straight up junk and what are things that can be donated. Start bagging it all up if you hadn’t already. Being the wacko that I am, I color code my trash bags. I have two going at once, one for donations, one for garbage.

    Step Six: Clean 

    Now that your closet is totally empty, its time to clean the dust bunnies the size of Texas that have been collecting since the last time you cleaned out your space. Vacuum, wipe down the walls and floor. Make it shimmer and shine.

    Step Seven: Putting it all Back Together

    This is my FAVORITE part. Put it all back starting with the clothes. I started hanging each section up one at a time. This time I looked at each piece much more critically, be realistic and get rid of everything you wont wear. I made six different sections: Winter jackets//vests, sweatshirts (divided by hoodies, crew neck, quarter zip and zip up; then color coordinated in each section), Lululemon razor back tanks (yes, they get their very own section), shirts (in color order, then organized by sleeve length//fabric thickness), maxi and cocktail dress, and finally formal wear.

    After ever last piece of clothing was hung with care, I put all the bags I kept inside my favorite pink Nike duffle…all the bags are now neatly contained. Finally I put my fire ladder (yes, I have we have a fire safety pan. Don’t you?) and all my canvases // pictures from college in the closet according to size.

    AND THATS IT.

    Yes it took me hours, but I feel soooooo much better now that it is done. I love love love the process of decluttering and organizing.

    Oh and I totally forgot to mention… those clear boxes on the top of my closet are my shoes. Each pair gets its own box for easy, clear, uniform storage. I LOVE these shoe boxes from The Container Store. I even keep five of them in the back of my car (spin shoes, gym sneakers, casual wear sneakers, cheap flip flops, fancy flip flops). so I can adapt my outfit throughout the day.

    I am off to get my lashes refilled and a manicure before a TPB photoshoot tomorrow! I can’t wait to introduce you to my favorite up-and-coming photographer…she is oh so talented and she just so happens to be my little brother’s girlfriend. I will vlog the entire process!

    xoxo,

    K

  • OCD Agenda: UPDATE

    If we have met you probably know about my extreme day planner obsession. Having a perfectly OCD planner is SUPER important to me, so much so that there was a post during my launch. Well, in the last month I have upgraded to the most over the top OCD planner…ever. They are currently having a Christmas in July Sale so I NEEDED to share this company with you.

    Here is the deal, The Purposeful Planner by Corie Clark breaks down pretty much your entire life. Each month you get a Month at a Glance calendar, monthly budget (broken down into 11 categories), Monthly Menu, Master Task List, Dreams and Goals, and a full page per day with a schedule from 6am-9pm. Are you feeling calmer and more organized already? Same.

    Running a blog, babysitting, school and balancing my life can be tricky. Most days I have at least three major tasks that need to be done. This means time management is key…and it has always been my weakness. I will get caught up in writing a post or editing a picture or playing with a recipe (these things really excite me… am I 23 or 63…you decide).

    My planner breaking down my day by the hour ensures that I stick to the time table I have given each task. Each Sunday I map out the BIG things for each day, work hours, gym, blog posts, social events. Then I see where I can squeeze in the little things (laundry, studying, research for up-coming posts). On days where I have a lot of free time, I take a look at my Master Task List and work on getting those accomplished. I mean seriously, you need this planner.

    If you are a student, a mom or just a girl with selective OCD (should we start a club? Unclear, but let me know) you NEED this planner. You all ready know I still use my collection of washi tape for the month at a glance calendar, but take a look at how detailed each day is…UNREAL.

    Each day is broken down completely. You start with selecting your three main tasks for the day, followed by your schedule broken down by the hour (6am-9pm). There is a health section to fill in your workout or goal for the day. Next there is a section to check off your water intake…8 little circles…LOVE. There is also a section for Prayers & Praise, a suggested 15 minute activity for the day (today’s is to clean your ear haha). You also get a section for a Brain Dump, Retail Therapy and you daily Menu. This is for EVERY day of the work week.

    Saturdays and Sundays are slightly different…you don’t get the hourly schedule…which I would like to see in next years addition. My weekends are equally as crazy as my week days. Even with that tiny flaw, this is still the best planner on the market in my opinion.

    Okay okay, I am off to re organize my closet and recreate the most amazing pasta dish I had in Vermont. Did you order your planner yet? Have a great day babes!

    xoxo,

    K

  • TPB Travels: Vermont Part I

    Hello! Happy Monday! This weekend I was MIA because my family and I took a quick over night trip to Vermont to drop Matt (my brother) off at Future Leader Camp at Norwich University. Matt is the most patriotic person I have ever met and he wants to serve his country. Camp is a two weeks preview into what college would be like if he does in fact decide to attend Norwich. We will have very little contact with him…five-ish minutes a day. It’s going to be rough to say the least.

    After the worst drop off in the history of the universe (we didn’t get to say goodbye, he was just taken off) I cried the entire 40 minutes to the airport. When we got to the airport, we went through security and found ourselves a seat to wait for our flight.

    After boarding and getting settled an airport staff member pushed a traveler in a wheelchair on to the plane. The flight attendant asked if someone in the second row (where Dad and I were seated) could move to the back of the plane and switch seats with this gentleman. Momma moved to the back, Dad moved to her seat and I was lucky enough to get the privilege of sitting next to one of the kindest souls God put on this earth.

    It was apparent that the airline staff gets zero training on how to safely transfer customers because to be honest, if I wasn’t sitting there it would have been a total shit show. They didn’t know how to properly line up the chairs or how to safely lift him without hurting themselves (the airline is begging for a lawsuit if you ask me…there will be staff injured from not being properly trained).

    After getting him safely in the seat, I got to talking to my new friend AJ. He was so thankful for all the help and for getting him comfortable. He was flying home from two weeks at camp… a place for disabled and able-bodied people to come together to make movies. So cool.

    It wasn’t long before he and I dozed off. A short 50 minutes later our plane landed. Passengers hurried off the plane to get to where they were headed. I sat patiently with my friend even though he insisted I could step around him. I told him I wanted to make sure he was transferred properly and that I was a nursing student. I told AJ that nurses don’t clock in and out and that there was no way I was leaving. In the half hour he and I spent on the plane waiting for the wheelchair we got to talk more about his camp.

    He told me there was a documentary made about his camp (he failed to tell me he was the star of the film). They make REAL movies…in LA and camp is the place where he feels most like himself. I mentally took note of everything he was saying so I could learn more. The camp meets NINE times a year. None of campers pay to go, and none of the able-bodied people are payed to be there. It is purely out of the goodness of their hearts. I love it.

    Of course the second I got home I googled and rented the documentary. Becoming Bulletproof is absolutely incredible. AJ and his best friends get to live with a purpose and see their dreams of seeing their name in lights. Seriously…how did I get lucky enough to meet such a cool person?

    I highly encourage you to rent Becoming Bulletproof. Learn about AJ’s story along with the other campers (Jeremy was also on our flight…I wish I had the opportunity to hang out with him too). I loveeee AJ’s story of overcoming obstacles and smiling threw the storm.

    I never would have though that I would be sitting next to a movie star on my flight home from Vermont. Our quick 24 hour trip up was so fun…I will have a full post on it later this week, but

    I just had to share with you how I met AJ. I hope you take the time to watch the movie. I promise it will change your perception of people living with disabilities.

    xoxo,

    K