Red Velvet Cake Balls

One of my family's favorite sweet treats during the holidays is cake balls. We make these cute, little desserts together every year and give them to friends and family for Christmas. Thanks so much to my mom’s friend, Mrs. Jessica, for teaching us about them! We have tried several different varieties, but I tend to make red velvet cake balls the most because they are so festive and of course delicious!

I am getting this post up later than usual. However, I wanted to get it up before Christmas, so you could have the recipe if you want to make them for loved ones or for yourself. :) I am positively no chef, but these are actually very easy! A little time consuming (and NOT healthy), but easy and loved by all!

What you need:

• 1 box of red velvet cake mix (+ the ingredients you need to make the cake)
• 1 tub of cream cheese icing
• 1-2 packs of Vanilla Candy Quick or Almond Bark
• Sprinkles (optional)
• Goody bags or Christmas plates/chargers for gifting purposes

What to do:

Step 1- Follow the instructions on the cake box to bake a regular red velvet cake

Step 2- Once the cake cooks and cools, crumble up the cake into a large mixing bowl

Step 3- Mix about 3/4 of the icing tub in with the crumbled up cake You can kinda play this step by ear. My sister uses the entire tub of icing. I use as much as it takes to make the cake moist and easy to roll into cake balls, which is usually 3/4 of a tub for me.

Step 4- Use your hands to roll the cake/icing mixture into balls (I lay them on a piece of wax paper, which I put on top of a baking sheet)

Step 5- Put them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes

Step 6- Melt your Candy Quick and use 2 forks to thoroughly rolls your cake balls around in the vanilla coating Tip- Reheat your Candy Quick when it starts thickening, so it does not get clumpy.

Step 7- Sprinkle quickly after taking cake balls out of Candy Quick (before they dry)

Step 8- Package as desired! I used goody bags for this batch because Parker brought these to his colleagues at work. I typically put them on chargers or Christmassy plates when I bring them to Parker's family or events! 

We got our goody bags at Kroger this year, and Rudolph was the only type they had. When packaging our cake balls, we learned that Rudolph was not the best option because of where we needed to tie the bag. Rudolph's head got cut off. Whoops! Walmart and Target always have better options FYI.

Christmas plates or chargers and a gold bow are always a safe choice! :)

I'd love to hear if you try these! We enjoy them every Christmas. Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!

Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas for $50 & Under

Parker and I are the type of people that love nothing more than knocking out our Christmas shopping early. And we kind of have to be because we are about 6 hours away from our families. We like to make sure we get all of our gifts in and wrapped before we head home for the holidays (AKA tomorrow!!!!!).

However, I have seen on Instagram that there are tons of people still trying to finish up their shopping. So I have rounded up some Christmas gift ideas today in case you are someone who is still looking for a last minute gift! They are all $50 and under. And I tried to choose items that would be good for various reasons- hostess gifts, stocking stuffers, and gifts in general.

I'm trying out something new today that I'm really excited about! You can click on any item in the collage below to be taken directly to the site! All items in the collage are from Nordstrom. I chose to do this because Nordstrom shipping is so trustworthy, which is obviously important right now! You can click here to check out their shipping deadlines. Scroll through the whole page for detailed shipping info. 

Thanks so much for reading and check out more $50 and under gift options below!

A Fancy and Fun Holiday Outfit

If you have been on the lookout for the most fabulous holiday outfit, I have found just that! As soon as I spotted this fun and ruffly top, I knew I had to have it to wear with skirts. And then I stumbled upon this skirt in the sale section, and it was the very last one in the entire store. And it just so happened to be my size. Obviously, it was meant to be!

Shop My Look:

Top | Skirt | Shoes | Bracelets | Necklace | Self Tanner

This outfit could be worn to holiday parties, on New Year's Eve, or to any event where you want to feel cute! :) And some wonderful news is that the top and skirt are both on sale through tomorrow! The top is 40% off with code TIME2GIVE, and it also comes in a really pretty green. And the skirt is 21% off with no code needed. In my opinion, they both run true to size. 

You may have noticed that I linked self tanner above. :) This is because I was SO pale when I tried this outfit on in the store that I immediately went home and educated myself on how to apply self tanner (that I had been too nervous to try since I bought it 4 months ago). 

I finally found an outfit worthy enough of making me do something about my Casper skin. It was my first experience ever with self tanner, and I was SO happy with it. I have a whole blog post coming soon with all the details. However, if you've been looking for some, the kind I used and 100% recommend is St. Tropez (plus I used the application mitt). 

Anyway, let me know if you have any questions about this outfit or self tanner! The ruffly neckline of the top and the metallic print & bow on the skirt are just too cute! This is one of my favorite outfits I've ever shared!

If you're looking for a more colorful holiday look, you can click here to check out another skirt and top that are also on sale! Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!

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FREE Shipping Day!

I am continuously learning new things in this whole blogging world. Last week we had Green Monday, and today we've got Free Shipping Day! The fact that I have to pay for shipping at most online retailers causes me to second guess a lot of purchases I make. However, today is the day to shop from SO many retailers that are offering free shipping, along with the promise that your purchase will arrive before Christmas!

Today just so happens to be the last day to UPS standard ship orders in time for Christmas!  There are 963 Free Shipping Day participants. That is A LOT! Below, I am sharing a list of my favorites! All of the retailers on this list are offering free shipping, and I will also include other promotions they are running!

I have to give one astounding deal a shoutout before I get into the list of retailers participating in Free Shipping Day. Y'all know how I feel about this coat. I have an entire blog post dedicated to it here. It is currently marked down from $228 to $91. It has never been more affordable, and sizes are going fast. Click here to shop now while you can get this bargain price in addition to free shipping (with code DASHING). I'm truly considering ordering the black one!

Anthropologie- 25% off entire purchase (this sale in addition to free shipping with no minimum never happens at Anthro!)

ASOS- Extra 30% off

Athleta

Banana Republic- 40% off your purchase of $200+ with code BRWINTER

BaubleBar- 30% off everything

Bloomingdale's- Save 25-45% on select items

Carhartt- Spend $125 get $20 (in Carhartt bucks), Spend $200 get $50

*This is where all of Parker's Christmas gifts are coming from. He is getting this jacket, these pants, and some of these shirts to wear to work. If you have other ideas that guys in their 30s would like, PLEASE send them my way. I've got to find some fun gifts for him!

Free People- additional 25% off select sale styles

Frye- take 25% off select styles

Gap- Up to 50% off everything

GiGi New York- Free personalization

J.Crew- 40% off full price styles with code TIME2GIVE

*Here is a sneak peek of an outfit coming to the blog next week. I'm sharing early so that you can grab it now while it's on sale and ships for free!

J.Crew Factory- 60% off everything with no exclusions, plus extra 50% off clearance, code- DASHING

Jack Rogers (I own, love, and highly recommend all of the shoes pictured below!)

Joe's Jeans

Karen Kane- 20% off all sale styles with code JINGLESALE17

*This sale brings one of my favorite dresses down from $148 to $88.80!!! Click here to go to the site. It is fully stocked in black and red!

Kate Spade- Up to 30% off select items with code EXTRATREAT

L.L. Bean- $10 gift card when you spend $50+

Lands' End

Levi's

Lilly Pulitzer (The dresses below are not on sale, but I'm going to start praying now that they will be included in Lilly's next big sale taking place in January!)

Macy's- Extra 15-20% off select departments with code SHOP + 100s of gift specials

Michael Stars

Nordstrom

*We took this picture at Parker's work Christmas party on Wednesday night. This dress is perfect for any holiday event!

Old Navy- Up to 60% off the entire store

Ray-Ban- Up to 50% off select styles

Rebecca Minkoff

Rebecca Taylor

Revolve

Saks Fifth Avenue- Up to 60% off designer selections

Saks Off Fifth

Show Me Your Mumu

Sperry

Stila Cosmetics

T3 Hair Styling Tools- $25 off $150+ with code HOLIDAY25 (I am dying for this hairdryer and this curling wand trio!)

Talbots

Target

*This sweater is now 33% off, bringing it down to $20! I want all the colors!

Too Faced (I just bought this mascara that is the #1 selling prestige mascara in the US. Every blogger I follow rants and raves about it, so I can't wait to try it out.)

Tory Burch

Trina Turk

Ugg- Up to 50% off

Under Armour

White House Black Market- 40% off entire purchase with code 88521

Will you be doing any Christmas shopping online today?! Or taking advantage of these deals and treating yourself? I have got to find something fun for Parker!! Thanks so much for reading! Have a wonderful weekend!

My Top 4 Picks from the Loft 50% Off + Free Shipping Sale!

After the day I had yesterday (see Instagram @artfashionfun), I decided to take a couple of days off from blog posts. By doing that, I could focus on securing all of my cherished photos on my laptop. However, because of the traumatic event that occurred, I *needed* to participate in some retail therapy when I left the Apple store, and I found some super cute things at Loft... and now that they are all 50% off and ship for free, I felt the need to get this post up!

I never purchase anything for full price at Loft because of sales like this. I would have been so annoyed if I paid full price for these things, and then found out they were 50% off today. SO, I'm taking advantage of this sale, and I'm sharing my top 4 favorite things that I am currently loving. Make sure you use code VERYMERRY at checkout for 50% off and free shipping!

1. Rainbow Chip Sweater- If you get anything, get this sweater! And shop fast because sizes are selling out! If you own anything by Lou and Grey, then you know it is amazing quality and so comfy (not itchy at all). This pretty winter white sweater has the cutest colorful flecks that these photos do not do justice. 

2. Lou & Grey Seamed Blouson Sweatshirt Dress- I have shared my love of sweatshirt dresses several times. The one I have is more casual. This one could definitely be worn out and about. The blouson sleeves are adorable, and it is so comfy!

3. Plaid Flounce Sleeve Dress- This dress would be perfect for any holiday event. It's hard to see the green and blue plaid in my pictures, but it is so cute! Love the fun sleeves too! I usually size down in Loft, but I would say this dress runs pretty true to size. If you are between sizes, I would actually go with the bigger size. That's what I did anyway.

4. Tiered Tassel Earrings- I actually bought these during the Cyber Monday sale, but the current sale is just as good! I can't tell you enough how much I love these earrings. The color is neutral enough that they go with everything. They are super lightweight and so much fun! They also come in a pretty fresh plum wine color, but I felt like I would wear gray more often. Love both though!

Thanks so much for reading my later than usual blog post!! I hope you take advantage of this sale and maybe even use it to knock out some gifts on your Christmas list. Have a great day!

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Stripes on Stripes on Stripes

I have always been a stripes and polka dots kinda girl. I bought 2 new striped pieces last weekend, so I decided to write a blog post all about my favorite striped things. The 3 items I'm sharing are all black and white striped!

1. Madewell Button Sleeve Sweater Dress- I have had my eye on this dress for months. When I saw it on sale at Madewell, I had to grab it! The button sleeves are my favorite part. I also love the fit. It is so cute with leggings and boots. The model in the stock photo is wearing it with booties and no leggings Also cute!

2. Striped Cowl Neck Tunic- My mom picked this tunic out a while ago, and it sold out in black and white stripes in our sizes. I stumbled upon it in the store last weekend, and it was even more fabulous in person than it was online. The material is SO comfortable. It feels like a sweatshirt, which is all I want to wear in these chilly temps. They call the black and white stripes grey online, but it is definitely black and white.

The black and white option I got is almost sold out, but they have this adorable gold color in more sizes. Maeve is one of my very favorite brands that Anthropologoie sells, and this sweater is definitely a new fave!

3. Striped Luxe Crew Neck Tunic- I have shared this tunic several times now, but it is one of my very favorite striped pieces, so I had to include it again! This is the tunic that I have in quite a few different colors. It can be worn now as a layering piece with leggings or jeans and in the spring and summer with white jeans. For the price, I suggest grabbing several colors!

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!

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Green Monday: The Biggest Sale Day in December!

Green Monday is here! I mentioned in my blog post on Friday that Green Monday is the third biggest shopping day of the year, and the #1 biggest shopping day in December! This is because it is our last chance to order Christmas gifts for highly discounted prices and still get them in time for Christmas!

Also, I updated my laptop to the new Mac OS Sierra software on Saturday, and it caused my laptop to break last night. Apple Support told me they cannot fix it over the phone, and the next available appointment at the Apple store closest to me is tomorrow afternoon. So if you have a Mac laptop and have been thinking about updating, I would definitely hold off until they resolve these issues!

Outfit Details: Coat // Tunic //Black Jeans // Boots //Crossbody Bag

Now, let's get into some of the best sales happening today! You can click on any words in Italics to be taken directly to the site.

eBay- up to 30% off of David Yurman (this is my number 1 favorite deal)!!!

Frye- Up to 50% off select items

GiGi New York- 20% off sitewide with code HOLIDAY17, extra 10% off if you spend $350

J.Crew- 40% off your  purchase and free shipping with code NICELIST

J.Crew Factory- 50% off of everything plus extra 20% off your purchase and free shipping with code ICING

Jack Rogers- 25% off 1 item with code MERRY25 and 30% off 2+ items with code MERRY30 

LOFT- 40% off your purchase with code NEWNOW, free shipping on orders of $50+

Earrings- I LOVE these! They are so lightweight and go with everything!

Macy's- Friends and Family Event, take an additional 30% off and free shipping when you spend $25 (so many of my favorite Free People things are included!)

This cowl neck sweater is finally on sale!

Madewell- 20% off when you spend $100+. 30% off when you spend $200+ with code OHWHATFUN

Striped Button Sleeve Sweater Dress- I got this last weekend and think it is the cutest sweater dress! The buttons on the sleeves are my favorite part!

Gray Button Sleeve Sweater Dress- This was a close runner up, but I convinced myself that I only needed one. Love this one too!

Nordstrom- New markdowns up to 40% off

Old Navy: Entire store up to 60% off plus an extra 10% off of everything with code STYLE

Williams Sonoma- Free shipping with code FREESHIP, 25% off cookware, up to 75% off select cutlery, 20% off bar event, 20% off kitchen linens

There are so  many fabulous sales going on! I hope you take advantage of them if you still have Christmas shopping left to do! Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!

Green Monday Info + Weekly Recap

Green Monday Info

Have you heard of Green Monday? It is basically the Cyber Monday of December! It's the third largest online shopping day of the year. This is most likely because it is one final chance to get last minute Christmas gifts for highly discounted prices! So, if you have not finished your Christmas shopping, be prepared to take advantage of this huge sale day on Monday! 

I will have a complete list of sales for you going live at 6:30 Monday morning. I have heard of a few of the sales that will be going on.... some of the places I talk about frequently are having big sales. But there will also be high ticket items that don't typically go on sale that will be marked down!

I thought I was finished with my Christmas shopping until I realized that all I have for Parker is some work pants. I will most definitely be taking advantage of Green Monday to find something a little more fun for him! I honestly don't have many ideas though because all he's told me he wants is money and for Auburn to win. Yikes. So if you have any Christmas gift ideas for guys, I'd love to hear them!

In the spirit of preparing for Green Monday, I decided to share my favorite green sweater with you today. The length is perfect to wear with leggings or skinny jeans, which is my favorite type of outfit! The bad news is that it is selling out. The green color I have is actually already sold out, but it also comes in tan, red, white, and gray. These other colors are selling out too. If you've been on the hunt for a gorgeous, well made sweater, I highly suggest this one!

EDITED at 6:44 am (!!!!!):

The best news is that I have a mom who should actually be the fashion blogger. I woke up to a text from her saying that Anthropologie started their sale today, so this green sweater is 30% off!!! That is the highest discount they ever offer, so if you like anything, don't wait. Clothing, winter accessories, kitchen, and dining are ALL 30% off!! Things will sell out FAST! Grab those last minute Christmas gifts now!

I wore this tunic yesterday and LOVE it! Order it fast if they still have your size left! I wore it with my Spanx faux leather leggings, and you can get them for 30% off too! They have never been marked down more than that at any retailer!  This sweater will be under the tree for me this Christmas!

This pink coat is another favorite, and I am wearing my green sweater in white under it! It's such a great sweater. Love the mock neck and length!

Anthro Sale Picks

Weekly Recap

Click here to view full post- Holiday Gift Guide: For Her

Ugg Slippers // David Yurman Cable Bracelet // Kendra Scott Necklace // Plush Throw (comes in 20 colors) // GiGi New York Crossbody Bag // Pajama Pants (click here to read a full post on my favorite pj pants ever!) // Hunter Boots // Corkcicle (my sister in law gave me this last Christmas, and I still use it daily) // Beachwaver // Zella Leggings (best black leggings that every girl needs)

Click here to view full post- The Most Versatile LBD

Dress | Tights | Booties | Clutch | Earrings | Bracelets

Click here to view full post- Red for the Holidays

Dress | Shoes | Necklace | Bracelets | Earrings

Click here to view full post- Three Things Thursday

Our Sectional // Ottoman

Thanks so much for reading! Have a wonderful weekend!

Three Things Thursday

I'm finally back with another Three Things Thursday post today! it's been too long since I wrote my last one, and I had so much fun putting this one together. I'm going to shoot for at least one of these a month. Now, let's get into the 3 totally unrelated things that I am so excited to share with you!

1. Nativity Scenes

My mom has collected nativity scenes for as long as I can remember, and she has helped me start my own collection over the past few years. They are our favorite Christmas decoration, and they are also a great reminder of what the Christmas season is really about. I'm sharing pictures of 4 of my favorites below. 

A. I got this one from Hobby Lobby last year!

B. I got this one last week from Target! You can click here to check it out!

C. My mom put this cute and tiny one in my stocking!

D. This is my favorite Coton Colors Christmas attachment!

Shop some nativity scenes that are currently available:

2. Our Sectional and Ottoman

I realize this is a super random thing to share. However, my sister just purchased a sectional, which is what made me think about it. If you have been looking for a fabulous sectional, I highly suggest this one.

We got this couch when we moved into our house in Southaven back in March, and we could not be happier! I did months and months of research on sectionals. I was beyond ready to get rid of Parker's brown, ripped. faux suede leather sofa, loveseat, and recliner. Those things moved up to his mancave, and we finally got normal looking furniture for our living room!

It wasn't easy though.... after tons of online research, Parker and I went to 4 furniture stores in town (that were seriously disappointing) before we headed to Macy's in Memphis (thanks to my friend Emily for the recommendation!). I had no clue Macy's even sold furniture. As soon as we walked into the furniture section, we immediately knew we wanted the first one we saw. 

The color is just what I was looking for. It's lighter than the dark brown we had, and y'all- the fabric is magical. Bailey and Rosie's muddy paw prints and Parker's red wine spills have been so easy to get out. Macy's sent some magical cleaning supplies, and they get everything out so easily!  

I'm also bringing this sectional up today because it is on sale! It is currently marked down $1200! Maybe I should have dedicated an entire post to this sofa. I could go on and on about how much we love it, but I'll stop now. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out though!

3. Sweatshirt Dresses

I got my first sweatshirt dress when I went to the Nordstrom Rack Grand Opening party in Memphis a few months ago. At first, I thought it was an embarrassing thing to buy (because who actually wears these things?), but it was under $20 and so comfy that I purchased it anyway. And I'm here to tell you that money was well spent. I wear it every single weekend. It is so comfy!

The exact one I have is sold out, but Parker's parents are giving me this one for Christmas, and it is still in stock. Plus, I've linked quite a few options below. If you don't own one of these, you need one for comfy weekend wear! 

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!

Red for the Holidays

Yesterday I shared my favorite little black dress, and today I'm sharing my favorite red dress for the holidays! If you read yesterday's post, you may notice that the dresses look pretty similar. That's because they are the same dress. :) When my mom and I find something we absolutely love, we tend to buy multiple colors.

SHOP THE LOOK:

Dress | Shoes | Necklace | Bracelets | Earrings

This is the dress I wore to church for Christmas last year with tights and booties. I styled it today with sparkle heels for a more fun holiday look! Like I mentioned yesterday, my mom missed out on this dress in red last year, so she ordered it from yesterday's blog post and plans on wearing it with some leopard print heels. I LOVE that idea! 

If you missed my post yesterday, I will give you a brief summary of the important things you must know about this dress. It sold out SO fast last year, and I feel certain it will sell out again this year, especially since its currently on sale. It runs big. I am wearing a medium, and there is still quite a bit of fabric. You might want to size down for the best fit. It is currently on sale for under $100! And some of the best things about it include the wrinkle free fabric, pockets, tie sleeves, swingy feet, high neckline, and appropriate length. 

I really don't wear red very often, but December is the month I wear it the most. It is perfect for any holiday party, church, Dirty Santa, Christmas Tea, etc. I think I've made it pretty clear that I highly suggest the dress I am wearing in today's post, but I have rounded up some other adorable red dresses you can look through below!

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!

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