March 17th is finally here! Yes, one of my favorite holidays of the year is upon us and I'm getting ready to celebrate. I've been a bit behind on doing so - I usually dedicate this entire week to preparing for the big day, but I've been a bit of a slacker this year. That being said, I had to at least post something that honors the day and I figured I'd share some ideas on how to go green for St. Patrick's Day! If you're in the need of finding someway to incorporate the color into your outfit, or just the day in general, here are five ideas to get you started!

1. Avoid getting pinched - This is by far the easiest way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, and a must for anyone who is Irish or just loves the color green. You don't want to get pinched, right? Find anything, literally anything, that is green and wear it! For example, this cashmere scarf would be a lovely subtle accessory to your outfit.
2. Get crafty - If you're looking for a little D.I.Y. this year - look no further than your own supply drawer or craft table. From cake toppers, streamers or even clover crowns, you'll be sure to find something fun to put together on the 17th.
3. Find a recipe - Anybody remember the cupcakes I made last year?! You will have no trouble finding a similar recipe - like green popcorn or another version of a green cupcake!
4. Get your nails done - Make your nails pop with a hint of green! There's no need to go overboard, so keep it classic and clean like @camizzle did on Instagram.
5. Drink up - If you don't drink on St. Paddy's Day, are you really celebrating properly? From green beer, Jell-o shots or even green + gold margaritas, there is no shortage of any alcohol-related drinks to choose from.

I feel like January is always a great month to start goals for myself- ones that I can actually maintain and don't feel pressured to complete! The best goal I like to set during the month of January is reading and reading as many books as I possibly can throughout the year. I did this last year with the help of Goodreads, who has a great way to track how many books you read + even helps you set a goal number for how many you want to achieve. I had made a goal to read twenty-five books for 2016 and sadly only made it to about ten, mostly due to health problems, but I've decided to do the same 2017. I already feel like I'm on a good track to reach this, with several books already on my radar to get through. I'm currently reading 'A Man Called Ove' by Fredrik Backman and am actually about 88% through it after only a week or so, it's just that good. Highly, highly recommend you read it! Anyways, I figured I would share the other books I'm already lining up to read next. You'll find a wide variety of books in this list, so I had to narrow it down to just ten. Let me know what books you're reading this year!

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Genre: Historical Fiction
Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this debut novel reveals a story of love, redemption, and secrets that were hidden for decades.

The Ballroom by Anna Hope
Genre: Historical Fiction
1911: Inside an asylum at the edge of the Yorkshire moors, where men and women are kept apart by high walls and barred windows, there is a ballroom vast and beautiful. For one bright evening every week they come together and dance.

Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
Genre: Classics
Independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak.

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Genre: Romance
Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome; 2) A person’s undoing; 3) Joshua Templeman.

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher
Genre: Nonfiction
In Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher tells the true and intoxicating story of her life with inimitable wit. Born to celebrity parents, she was picked to play a princess in a little movie called Star Wars when only 19 years old.

America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray
Genre: Historical Fiction
In a compelling, richly researched novel that draws from thousands of letters and original sources, bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie tell the fascinating, untold story of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph—a woman who kept the secrets of our most enigmatic founding father and shaped an American legacy.

Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler
Genre: Fiction
A lush, raw, thrilling novel of the senses about a year in the life of a uniquely beguiling young woman, set in the wild, alluring world of a famous downtown New York restaurant.

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Genre: Fiction
After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast.

Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between by Lauren Graham
Genre: Nonfiction
In this collection of personal essays, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood reveals stories about life, love, and working as a woman in Hollywood—along with behind-the-scenes dispatches from the set of the new Gilmore Girls, where she plays the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore once again.

The Gilded Hour by Sara Donati
Genre: Historical Fiction
The year is 1883, and in New York City, it’s a time of dizzying splendor, crushing poverty, and tremendous change.

This week has been a whirlwind of emotions, but the one feeling that has really stood out to me is one that I got at the beginning of this week. Just let me say I'm glad this one popped up then, because excitement is definitely something you want to feel on a Monday! The reason why I was so excited? The Baking & Strobing Brush Set by Sigma Beauty was dropped into my lap (and now my beauty routine) on the day that it launched! This is HUGE, so unexpected and I haven't had this much giddiness over new beauty products in quite awhile. Obviously I then I HAD to try it out and after watching the Facebook Live video that Sigma did + the Snapchat stories various beauty bloggers did with this set, I finally felt confident to give it a try myself.
If you haven't heard about the Baking & Strobing Brush Set, make sure to watch that awesome Facebook video and you'll have this technique down solid. I, for one, had never even heard of these two techniques before but I can't believe how easy they are to add into what I do on a daily basis already. I then set out on finding out what these terms meant, and actually found a decent amount of information on them. According to StyleCaster + makeup artist, Jamie Greenberg, baking is commonly used with:

"...concealer and a translucent loose powder to highlight an area of your face. Greenberg says that you’re applying concealer and then a lot of powder over top, letting it sit for about 10 to 20 minutes. She says you can apply the powder by taking a regular sponge, ripping it in half, and pressing it onto the concealer. “You want it to be very visible. The more powder the better,” says Greenberg."

While Laura Keller of StyleCaster says strobing's most important step is:

"...highlighting all the right places. It’s all about brightening up your face, so think of where the light naturally would hit you. Dab a highlighter onto the apples of your cheeks, the bridge of your nose and your cupid’s bow to highlight the main areas of your face."

If there was any one piece of advice that I've taken to heart through my exploration of beauty and how I can incorporate it into my life, it would be to moisturize the heck out of your face before applying any type of makeup. Not only should you apply it in the morning, but it's even better to do the same at night as well. I took the plunge last week, purchased two different hydrating products and it was the best decision I have made in awhile! My face has been smooth, fresh and the blemishes that I had from a couple weeks ago have been disappearing before my eyes. I even received a compliment on my skin yesterday from a makeup professional, and if that doesn't prove that it's working, I don't know what will. Now you might be asking which products did I purchase? Let me tell you, and feel free to tell me what YOU use for moisturizing/prepping your face.

Product: e.l.f. Daily Hydration Moisturizer ($8)

Product: First Aid Beauty Vitamin Hydrating Mist ($17)

I mean, what a collection. Dolce & Gabbana completely surprised me with their Fall 2016 RTW collection during MFW, and it was the best surprise I could ask for. Being storytellers in their own right, their take on a modern fairytale included 'Who Is The Most Beautiful?' adorned on black velvet dresses, with bags showing frogs to kiss and chandeliers to dance under. I will never tire of designers showing their version of what being a Princess is, especially if it's something as beautiful as this collection. I CANNOT wait to see some of these pieces in editorials for fall.

(Photo Via: Cooks With Cocktails)
Today's Fancy comes with a fun way to get the weekend started! This Raspberry Vodka & Sparkling Wine Float looks absolutely scrumptious, and will definitely get Friday extra sweet. Cooks With Cocktails provides the recipe + instructions, and I will provide the review when I try it this weekend on my own! Make sure to check out my Instagram during Sunday!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 - 2 scoops of Vanilla Bean Coconut Ice Cream
• 2 oz homemade raspberry liqueur or quick stovetop raspberry liqueur
• 4 - 6 oz sparkling wine

• Scoop some ice cream into a glass. We like a martini glass.
• Top the ice cream with raspberry liqueur and then fill the glass with 4 to 6 oz sparkling wine or champagne.
• Give it a stir and love it!

To end the first week of 2016, I wanted to bring another new series into the mix. Friday Fancy is going to be filled with different inspiring words, people who I adore, photography that moves me, or anything in between to make the weekend be something magical. I'm moving on some extra motivation right now, and so I wanted to share with all of you. For the first Fancy, here are five quotes to get you inspired for whatever the upcoming weekend/week has in store for you. This idea actually came from my own inspiration, by way of one of my favorite bloggers, Katie Armour Taylor. Happy Friday! Photo via Dean James.

1. "If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." - Ronald Dahl
2. "Creativity is intelligence having fun." - Albert Einstein
3. "I don't think sadness is always devastating. It can be quite uplifting and joyful as well. Sometimes you have to allow yourself to be sad in order to move forward." - Adele
4. "I don't dress to be stared at. I dress for myself." - Iris Apfel
5. "For what it's worth: it's never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you're proud of, and if you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start over." - F. Scott Fitzgerald