Funny Little Valentine

Valentine's Day is coming up and whether you're in a relationship or not it's a fantastic excuse to add some CUTE to your life! And if you're looking for some VDay inspiration, I've scoured the Internet to bring you the cutest:

Happy V'Day B*tches - Pink Slouchy Oversized Sweatshirt $29

SCRATCH Love Letter Nail Wraps $12

North American Bear Co. "Be Mine Goody Bag" $12

AE Short Sleeve Intarsia Sweater $39.95

Mel by Melissa Mel Raspberry Pumps $75

Rose Heart Bath Bombs $11.25

Hate Hearts Mark II Skirt $20

Review: BPS Black & Rose Gold Watch

I was recently asked to do a review for bornprettystore.com watches and jumped at the chance! I love watches and was taken aback by all the choices the website had to offer. I ended up chosing a black silicone one with a rose gold and rhinestone dial. It's made by Geneva, a trusted and durable watch brand. I have been obsessing over rose gold for the past year now and I've been wanting a black watch so it was the perfect choice for me.

Burnished Fluorescent Silicone Student's Watch

*This style also comes in all the colors above.

It arrived much quicker than I expected (it traveled all the way from Asia) and came in an adorable striped gift box on a tiny velvet pillow! 

I love this watch because it's casual and comfortable enough to wear every day, but the rose gold and rhinestone details make it easy to dress up too! Here's an example of how I would wear it:

The lovely BPS rep I worked with also gave me a special discount code for my readers. Just enter "VALERIEPC10" to get 10% off & FREE SHIPPING on any purchase!

Read the Born Pretty blog here: http://bornprettystore.blogspot.com

New Year's Resolutions 2014

I've done quite a bit of self-reflection over the past year and while I've always been introspective, more recently I've been making a conscious effort to really process my thoughts, rather than just "think" them. I'll turn 30 (eek!) in 2014 and can finally say that I'm at place in my life where I acknowledge that I am solely responsible for where my life has taken me and also the only one responsible for taking it where I want it to go next. After all,

“Nobody’s going to save you. No one’s going to cut you down, cut the thorns thick around you. No one’s going to storm the castle walls nor kiss awake your birth, climb down your hair, nor mount you onto the white steed. There is no one who will feed the yearning. Face it. You will have to do, do it yourself.”

― Gloria E. Anzaldúa

In the past when making my resolutions I've kept them fairly vague and without clear instructions on how to accomplish them, so this time I'm going to be specific and include how I plan to succeed. 

Without further adieu, here are my 2014 New Year's Resolutions:

1. Live a more healthy lifestyle. I will be mindful of my carbohydrate, gluten and sugar intake while also following a regular fitness plan.

How: I will use the myfitnesspal app to track calorie intake as well as exercise, follow Amanda Russel's Fit, Strong & Sexy program and make the most of the workouts, recipes and tips I find on Pinterest.

2. Save more money. I am moving back to my hometown (Sarasota, FL) in June so saving money for the move is priority 1. I will also pay down student loans and clean up my credit. 

How: I will use a savings account I cannot easily access.

3. De-clutter. I will stop my hoarding tendencies and drastically cut down on all I have accumulated thus far. 

How: I will use the "40 Bags in 40 Days" system as well as donate 2 boxes a month to charity. Anything worth selling will be sold and the funds will go directly into my savings account.

In addition to those top 3, I also intend to:

• Cook more (a.k.a. learn to cook).
• Read more (books, not just Us Weeklys).
• Take better care of my skin (exfoliate & moisturize, ladies!).
• Travel! Though I've been to all of them before, I plan to visit NYC, Key West & Disney World in 2014.

What are your New Year's Resolutions this year??