2015, It's Been Real.

2015 may be winding down, but your party better not. Here you will find family friendly ideas to liven up any party.

Yes, the countdown will begin. Yes, the ball drop. Yes, the party will rage and go down in history. But, how do you keep adults and kids entertained? Here are a few games to play as you welcome 2016 with the ones you love.

New Year's Eve Fill-In

In case you haven't thought much about your New Year's resolutions, it's never too late! Set out a stack of fill-in papers for your guests so they have something to do as the arrival of all your guests  stagger and you finish up the last few things.

Here are a handful of sample questions to include on your sheets:

-A bad habit I'm going to break...

-A new skill I would like to learn...

-A person I hope to be more like...

-A good deed I'm going to do...

-A place I'd like to visit...

-A book I'd like to read...

-A new food I'd like to try...

-I'm going to be better at...

Table Scape
Besides the guest list, what's the most important part of the party? Obviously, the food table! It's important to create an inviting table scape that will encourage guests to sample the food you have been slaving over all day. It's New Year's Eve so incorporating bling, metallics and shimmer into the table scape is key.

Table Scape Details:
Threshold Tablecloth: Target // Lace & Shimmer Placemats: Target; no longer in stock
 // Nate Berkus Gold Plates: Target (on sale) // Chalkboard: Hobby Lobby // Gold Sea Urchin Figurine: Target 
// Pine cones: Hobby Lobby (spray painted, also seen in my Thanksgiving Table Scape post)
 // Square Serving Tray: Tai Pan Trading (In Store Only) // Rectangle Serving Tray: Gift; So I'm not sure! 
// Gold Tree Place Holders: Crate & Barrel (sold out, but they still have snowflakes for $1.97 each)

New Year's Eve Game

Write or type up questions and cut them into squares. Have your guests sit in a circle and select a card one at a time and answer the question. You can have your questions refer back to the past year or about the year to come. 

Here are a few examples of questions you can include:

-Most embarrassing moment of the year.

-Best movie of the year.

-Favorite song of the year.

-Best moment of the year.

-Hardest you laughed this year.

-Best piece of advice you received this year.

-Biggest lesson you learned this year.

-Most memorable trip of the year.

-Day this past year you'd live over and over.

-Best thing you did for someone else this year.

-Most overrated celebrity story of the year.

I hope you enjoy these games as much as my family has in the past. It's a great way to reflect on the past year and make goals for the upcoming one. As for now, our family will continue practicing for the midnight chaos!

Happy New Year!

What do you guys do to pass the time on New Year's Eve? I would love to hear your family's traditions. Please leave a comment below!

New Year. New You. New Outfit.

New year. New you. Start the year off with a look that will have you feeling confident and ready to take on a new year and all those resolutions you've come up with!

I teamed up with an incredible Utah Blogger, Sierra from Sierra Elizabeth to present to you a few New Year’s Eve outfits that are perfect for ringing in 2016! If you are in the mood for astounding style ideas with a side of amazing wit, then her blog is where it's at! Sierra is great. Her blog is great. Follow her blog and IG @sierraelizabethblog so you can look great too!

;)

A well thought out and executed NYE outfit can make all the difference.

Keep in mind the activities you will be participating in. It's important to dress warmly, but you don't want to carry around a bulky coat the entire night or worse feel forced to leave your coat in the car and freeze your bum off!  My favorite part about this outfit is my suede and leather jacket from Kut from the Kloth. I love the versatility of it and also *bonus* it has pockets! It's perfect for holding my keys, phone, some cash and my ID.

After a whirlwind of peppermint and pine trees, I love taking a break and kicking it easy. The outfit I selected is warm, sparkly and comfortable

making it a great outfit for a casual evening with friends.

Outfit Details:

Sweater Dress: Express; sold out // Leggings: c/o RD Style // Jacket: c/o Kut from the Cloth // Boots: old, similar // Earrings: Kendra Scott c/o Rocksbox // Necklace: Gorjana c/o Rocksbox

Use coupon code: rachelleblogxoxo to receive a month of Rocksbox for FREE!!!

Sierra from Sierra Elizabeth

Outfit details:

Sequin jacket: ℅ Shein  |  Faux leather leggings: Forever 21 (similar here)  |  Black Tee: Target  |  Silver pumps: Target (similar here)  |  Necklace: Forever 21

What could be more perfect for any New Year’s event than a sequined jacket? I’m a lover of all things sparkly and I always take advantage of this holiday to bling. it. out. Whether it’s a huge crystal statement necklace or a metallic skirt- now is the time to wear it and not feel too overdressed! It’s a great time to experiment and wear things a little outside of your comfort zone.

Not a fan of being covered in sequins? Try shimmery or glittery eye shadows to add some subtle shine. I know I’ll be rocking a silvery smoky eye this New Year's Eve!

Don't forget the most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence and a smile.

What are your plans this NYE? What do you plan to wear? Let us know by posting a comment below! We'd love to hear from you!!

My 2016 Beauty Resolutions: Enter the $100 SEPHORA Instagram Loop giveaway!

When it comes to planning out your New Year's Beauty Resolutions- $100 to Sephora isn't a bad start! Enter to win by participating in a loop giveaway on Instagram. Find me on Instagram @xoxorachelleblog! 

I hope you all had a Happy Christmas filled with love, laughter and fond memories.

As quickly as Christmas ends, New Years Eve will ascend upon us.

 It always seems to catch me off guard!

My 2016 Beauty Resolutions are to:

1 // Clear out my makeup. Chances are a lot of it has expired. I vow to take the time to go through my makeup bag and update as necessary.

2 // Clean my makeup brushes more often. Not cleaning your makeup brushes enough can lead to clogged pores and gunky brushes. It might be annoying to do but it's worth it.

3 // Try out new trends-even if they make me cringe at first. I consider myself a fairly brave person, but even I get nervous when I watch NY and Paris Fashion Week.. But I promise to try at least 6 new makeup trends before this time next year. Starting with... Coral lipstick!

I have teamed up with 9 amazing bloggers to co-host a

 Sephora Instagram Loop Giveaway worth $100! 

Think of how glamorous you will look this New Years Eve with

 $100 in Sephora products on your side! 

One lucky winner will win! How do you enter?

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1 // Follow me on Instagram @xoxorachelleblog

2 // Like this post (We'll make a list and we'll check it twice)!

3 // Follow the blogger tagged in my post and continue the steps through 

the loop until you arrive back to my Instagram page.

**Details: The giveaway will run for 48 hours and the winner will be announced within 48 hours after the giveaway has ended. Winner MUST have a PUBLIC account so we can verify that you are following everyone in the loop.**

Wishing you all the best of luck!

Festive Christmas Look: Mini & Me

Don't allow the most magical week pass you by so quickly that you forget all about your Christmas attire! If you are stressing out because you haven't found your holiday look yet, this blog post will be of assistance to you!

It is, seriously, mind blowing how fast Christmas will be upon us. I actually prefer Christmas Eve to Christmas Day. There is something so peaceful about the little ones tucked in their beds and watching the lights dance on your tree as you wait for Santa to arrive. It truly is the most magical night of the year.

Seriously, guys, 5 DAYS AWAY!

You can have so much fun getting your sidekicks decked out for the season. The best part is that they are young, so it's okay to be a tad hokey with colors. That's how I came about falling head over heels for this adorable outfit. The Emerald dress not only compliments my daughter's fair skin perfectly, but it also has gold tinsel interwoven into the fabric. I love gold tinsel a million times better than an outfit doused in glitter. 

#glitterfordays

Not as fun as it sounds...

We have plenty of "ham" over here in our household. If you need any, we have tons to spare.

(Outfit Details for "mini me"):

Emerald Dress: Target // Tights: Target // Shoes: Zappos 

Besides Christmas Eve, one of my favorite things about the season is selecting festive fashion pieces for all of the many holiday occasions. When the list of "to-do's" gets long and overwhelming, my solace is found in researching and shopping for clothes. I know, shocker right? Surprisingly, I was able to find my family's quite easily this year. It helps when you plan ahead!

This year I decided to go with a mid length, red Jacquard skirt paired with a delicate ivory satin blouse. In place of bare legs or nude tights, I decided to go with a more classic and timeless black.

When you are wearing such a timeless and classy outfit, you may feel tempted to just slide into a set of pearls and call it a day, but why settle when you can *POP* with a gorgeous statement piece?! That's why I chose these beautiful Slate Skyline Necklace that was sent to me from rocksbox.com.

I am literally obsessed with it. 

PS. If you are looking for a last minute gift this year, try giving someone you love a subscription to rocksbox.com. Use coupon code: rachelleblogxoxo for your first month FREE!

 (Shown Above):

TOP:  Express (similar) // SKIRT: White House Black Market (discontinued, similar) // Tights: Nordstrom // Shoes (not pictured): Calvin Klein // Necklace: Rocksbox

Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed holiday! Stay tuned for more "help" this season. I will have a holiday makeup tutorial this upcoming Tuesday, designed with Christmas Eve parties in mind.

I would love to hear all about your holiday traditions. What do you all eat on Christmas morning? Leave a comment below!

Advent Calendar!

The "official" 12 Days of Christmas begins today. Can you believe Christmas is only 12 days away?
Here is our version of an advent calendar that focuses more on memories made than full tummies.
Enjoy!

This year I purchased 12 Christmas plaid drawstring bags from Target's dollar spot and filled each with a goodie, activity or gift card to help us countdown to Christmas. I don't number my bags, but you totally can if you want. The reason I don't is so that I can be just as surprised as everyone else when we pick out what we will do that day.

My daughter was a little nervous so Hubby took one for the team and sat on Santa's lap.

Here are the 12 ideas I came up with this year:

(Items with a green "$" next to it mean it was found in the dollar spot section of Target)

1. A can of instant snow ($), snowman kit and frosty movie.

2. Frozen's Elsa figurine.

3. Reindeer hand puppet ($) to represent watching Rudolph.

4. Santa hand puppet ($) to represent watching a Santa movie.

5. Christmas M&M minis ($).

6. Go Fish! Playing cards ($).

7. Rudolph claymation finger puppets.

8. Starbucks gift card for hot chocolate.

9. Sprinkles ($) and cookie cutter ($) for sugar cookie baking.

10. A mini terra cotta pot filled with seedlings for a pine tree ($).

11. Christmas Jelly Belly's ($).

12. Christmas Kit Kat minis.

I purchased everything from Target. Mostly from their dollar spot section. 

I hope this list of ideas helped, but make it your own. 

Personalize it with activities you think your family would love.

Most importantly have fun & document Document DOCUMENT! Christmas memories are the best to capture on film :)

Our 12 Days of Christmas segment is officially over. Check in with us regularly as I will be posting Younique tutorials and much more!

On the 12th Day of Christmas: Fizzy Pops!

On the 12th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Fizzy Pops!



Can you believe our 12 days of Christmas segment has come to a close?

I have had such an amazing time treasure hunting and collaborating with some of the most amazing companies. I'm sure I can speak for all of us when we wish you a very happy holiday filled with happiness and love. 

So, what are we waiting for?

Fizzy Pops is an amazing company that sells craft and jewelry supplies. The options of things you can make with their products is practically unlimited! Fizzy Pops craft and jewelry supplies are incredibly versatile. They make great neighbor, teacher, dance instructor, or family gifts. Fizzy Pops has something for pretty much anyone on your list.

One of my favorite things about their products is that is truly fun for all ages. I mean, how fun would it be to have a girl's night with the entire family (grandmas, moms, sisters, daughters, nieces and cousins) all crafting and having a phenomenal time making memories together.

This photo was taken about a year and a half ago. I can't believe how much she has grown in such a short time. 
Isn't her tiny bracelet just darling?!


When my daughter was born, I was lucky enough to receive matching "mommy & me" pearl bracelets as a gift from my younger niece. The fact that she had taken the time to do such a heartfelt thing to celebrate the birth of our baby girl was a beautiful sentiment I will never forget. Imagine the joy your little one will have when they deliver a gift they have made themselves for their favorite teacher or instructor. Isn't that what the holidays is really all about?!?

(Shown Above)
DIY Classic Pearl Necklace & Bracelet Kits
If you thought Fizzy Pops couldn't get any better- you would be wrong! Every DIY kit has a video tutorial on their site that shows a step-by-step how to. *sigh* Seriously, so much easier than having to read vague directions on paper!

I am so grateful to Erika, the head blogger for Fizzy Pops, for collaborating with me. She was nice enough to do a giveaway of the items I featured today for the last day of our 12 Days of Christmas segment! So head on over to my IG account @xoxorachelleblog to learn more details on how to enter the giveaway that will end on Thursday December 17th.

Be sure to check out Fizzy Pops on all of their social media channels!
IG: @fizzypopscrafts
BLOG & Pinterest





It's so sad that our 12 Days of Christmas segment has come to a close.
Promise me you won't be a stranger?! Don't forget to follow me on my IG so you won't miss out on a single post or giveaway! I have so many fun plans in the making so visit the site often!

On the 11th Day of Christmas: Kora Rae

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

A stunning & unique pencil skirt from Kora Rae.

Kora Rae sent me this beautiful skirt at the end of the Summer and I can't believe I haven't posted about it yet. I guess, I wasn't too good with my system back then. Luckily, I have learned from my mistakes and I am much more on top of things now.

This skirt is incredible. The quality of the fabric and craftsmanship is superb. The Valentina pencil skirt design was inspired after, the owner, Rachel Turzor's last visted her hometown in India. She was inspired by the swirling colors of late Winter and early Spring: bursts of bold colors peeking through from a field of fresh snow. Turzor is infatuated with all wildlife. Proceeds from each and every purchase go to the National Tiger Santuary in Missouri. In fact, Rachel Turzor designs for women who embody the psyche of a tiger,

"She is fearless, powerful and independent in every aspect of her life, including what she wears."

Honestly, the only concern I had about this skirt is if I would still fit in it after Thanksgiving. Fortunately, I am doing better in the "self-discipline regarding sweets" department than I previously thought. So... I guess this means I should go eat two pieces of strawberry cheesecake for breakfast, yeah? Okay, maybe not for breakfast... but, definitely as a mid-day snack!

If you would like to learn more about Kora Rae or place an order with them click here for more information. I hope you fall in love with your piece as much as I have fallen in love with mine. Also don't forget to check out their kittenish collection. It has a few items in the $25-50 range that are similarly great in quality and style.

Ahhh! I can't believe we only have 1 more day left in the segment. I am starting to get sad... but then I remember how awesome the next product is. That picks up my spirit 110%! 

Check back tomorrow at 7pm for my last great find!