If you weren’t convinced by this post that Kiss Nail Art brushes are a super fantastic must-have, I’ve got some photos that will change your mind…

A friend in cosmetology school had french nails with red and white striped tips, which were very cheery and perfect for the holidays!  I stole the idea and used my nail art pens to apply the idea to my regular nails, and I really love how it turned out!  Here’s what I did:

First, I started with basic red polish.  If you’re looking for a great, classic red (I know it can be hard to find!), I totally recommend Wet ‘n Wild’s “Red Red”.  It’s super affordable, goes on nice and think— only 1 coat needed!— and it could not be a more perfect shade.

After the red dried, I used my white nail art polish to draw diagonal lines across my nails.

Then, to add a little holiday sparkle, I went back with my silver glitter nail art polish and added in a few diagonal lines as well!

Ta da!  This was super easy to do and took hardly any time at all!

What do you think of my holiday nails?  Do you change up your nails to go with specific occasions?  Got any other festive beauty ideas?  Discuss them in the comments!

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Travis and I are pretty sure that we won’t be having flower girls in our wedding— at least not in the traditional sense— but we will be including children in our ceremony.  Some people have warned us that having kids in the ceremony can cause all kinds of problems, but we love the way that children enhance family gatherings, and we are very close to the kids in our life.

With this in mind, I’ve been peeking around at “flower girl” outfits for fun… check out this cuteness!

J.Crew has gorgeous wedding wear, flower girls included.

I love the rosettes on this dress from Janie and Jack.

Confession: I am mildly addicted to tutus.  And I love the idea of little girls walking down the aisle in them!

And how sweet is this linen and lace number?

Would you (or did you) include kids in your wedding ceremony?  Who would you choose?  And what would they wear?  Tell me what you think in the comments!

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On Sunday, Travis and I drove to Sacramento to watch a good friend run her first marathon!  My dad has been running marathons for a few years, and every time I spectate, I am super inspired.  But at the end of the day, I usually lack the motivation to do anything about it…

my friend, Marina, crossing the finish line!

…until now.

It’s no secret that most women want to shape up before their wedding day, and I definitely fall into that category.  I’ve found that the only times I’ve been successful in my workout regimes is when I have a super structured plan and am being held accountable.

I’m considering this new Insanity workout craze because it offers this structure, but it can still be done at home.  (Which also means it’s more affordable than a gym membership!)

Yes, it looks a pretty corny.  But a little corniness never hurt anyone, right?!  Plus, the thing gets AMAZING reviews!

So help me out: got any extra tips to keep me motivated?

How do you keep yourself in shape?  Do you follow strict rules or do you just work out when you feel like it?  What tricks do you use to keep yourself motivated?  Let’s chat workouts in the comments!

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For three years, Travis and I have talked about sending holiday cards to friends and family, but we’ve never actually gotten it together.  This year, I think we really might make it happen.  I’ve been looking at lots of options, and although we’ve pretty much solidified our design, check out these cute choices:

Get custom-drawn cards for 50% off through December 16th at Teardrop Weddings.  That’s right, they hand draw the characters to look like you and your other half (or include other family members!)

I love this simple, traditional card from Shutterfly.

These sweet Etsy cards come in a range of gorgeous colors with coordinating envelopes!

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Or make your own cute popup card by following these easy steps!

What do you think of these holiday cards?  Are you a fan of holiday cards in general, or do you skip them?  Would you ever do an e-card for the holidays?  Tell me about it in the comments!

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Anyone going Christmas shopping this weekend?  If so, I’ve got some fun gift ideas for the ladies in your life.  Check ‘em out:

For your best friend:

This locket from Anthropologie is filled with solid jasmine perfume that emits a subtle scent when your body heat warms it up!  Bonus— it’s gorgeous!!

For your mom:

My mom loves the Milk-scented products from Archipelago Botanicals, and so do I!  Make a cute spa kit with some lotion, candles, and bath balm!

For a work friend:

Keep her desk looking pretty with a cute vase from Crate and Barrel.  (This set of 3 vases is just $35!)

For your mother in law:

If you’re up for a splurge, this cashmere throw from Restoration Hardware is a sure-fire hit!

Still stumped?  This awesome gift guide from Etsy will find gifts for your friends by looking at their Facebook interests!  Not too shabby…

What are you getting for your circle of women?  Any of these gifts spark your interest?  What do you want for Christmas?  Let’s chat gifts in the comments!

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