♥ it's about time.

for mother's day, i could have asked nick for something extravagant,

but instead i opted for an inexpensive, functional *and* fashionable gift-

a retro gold casio watch for under $30. 

although a little smaller than i would have hoped for, this slim digital watch is a timeless (!) 

beauty and it looks great with a stack of thin gold bangles that don't overpower it.

since i  feel like i never learned how to properly tell time, (don't judge!) this timepiece has
been a welcome addition to my arm party (are we still throwing arm parties these days 
or have the trends changed? i can't keep track anymore!) and i definitely want to invest
in a larger version as soon as possible!
 my bigger jewelry demands it!

what are your thoughts on this old-school watch look?
my sisters say it reminds them of one my dad used to wear- but i love it!

here are a few inspirational photos from pinterest to prove my point:

♥ h2-oh!

i drink alot of water- but probably not as much as i should.

i feel like i start the day off strong with a few bottles of water between 

breakfast and lunch, but then by the time dinner rolls around, 

i forget to drink more.

if only there were a bottle that was synced to my phone to keep

track of my daily water intake- and which glowed in a beautiful

luminescent way to remind me to drink up...

oh, wait! there is! it's called the HidrateMe smart water bottle and there is a 

kickstarter campaign for pre-orders right now! get on it, friends &

drink up!

♥ first "impressions" with smile brilliant!

i have been thinking alot about getting older lately and how everything- from

 the silvery strands mixed within my brown head of hair to the slight crinkle 

lines i get when i squint my eyes while laughing with henry,

  even the yellowing of my teeth from my coffee dependence-

betray my age. (31!)

i have tried whitening strips and rinses in the past and recently tried this whitening booster,

but i have been noticing lately that nothing really brings out the once pearly-whiteness

 of my pearly whites. as fate would have it, just as i was contemplating the next

step in my dental destiny, i received an offer from the team at smile brilliant

to review their custom teeth-whitening trays right here on my blog!

so here is the scoop:

smile brilliant is a national dental lab designed to bypass the high cost of

teeth whitening at the dentist office (which can cost upwards of $500!) by allowing 

customers to make dental impressions from the comfort of their own

home, mail them back in pre-paid envelopes and receive custom-

fitted, high-quality trays within days. these trays come in 

their own carrying case and can be used and re-used

at your own convenience for a smile that is a

whole lot brighter and a wallet that is a

whole lot happier :)

watch this 2 minute video for more info!

the tray creating kit comes with everything you need to make a perfect dental impression, 

without ever having to sit in an uncomfortable dentist's chair! 

what you will need:

the complete kit

clean hands 

a bowl of cold water

a stopwatch

optional:

a patient husband to help take awkward photos of you and try not to laugh

1) brush and floss your teeth thoroughly.

2) mix base paste (blue) with catalyst paste (white) for about one minute 

until they are fully blended.

3) push putty into dental trays and spread evenly within 30 seconds!

make only one tray (upper/lower) at a time.

4) place tray in your mouth and set teeth evenly into paste.

hold like this for two minutes and try not to drool everywhere.

5) make sure impressions came out cleanly-

(my first attempt had a slight crack in the front!)

thankfully, smile brilliant provides you with extra

in case you make a mistake :)

6) mail upper and lower impressions with return card &

await your custom trays! :D

questions?
  check out smile brilliant's review & testimonials!

Tooth Whitening by Smile Brilliant