Can you tell it’s been a minute since I’ve gone to get a spray tan? Sometimes, it’s just one of those things that I just can’t bother with. Anyone else?

Hey there, ladies!

It’s been quite a week over here! We are inching closer and closer to finishing up our big project behind the scenes. I seriously cannot WAIT to share more with you guys in the coming weeks! It’s going to make my absence here on the blog and on Instagram from time-to-time make so much more sense and I just know y’all are going to absolutely LOVE everything about it!

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner so … just as I’ve done the last two years … I am bringing you 2018’s first Friday Five post! I do hope to get more of these to you this year! I know you love them and they are really fun to put together. So, please please be sure to email me category ideas for upcoming Friday Fives’ in the CONTACT section of the blog or in the comment section below! 🙂

If you’re new to Sequins & Things, let me tell you a bit about Friday Five posts. Almost exactly two years ago, I launched the Friday Five, which highlights five different categories that showcases five things within those categories, whether they’re thoughts, things or opinions. So, for example, I could share 5 things I look for in the opposite sex OR 5 things I learned after I week of living in London OR 5 places on my travel lust list. I also like to throw in some style and beauty categories in there, as well! I feel like these are posts that gives everyone a little something they could be looking for! 🙂

Without further adieu, here we go!

5 NEW ITEMS IN MY CLOSET I’M LOVING

[1] WHITE DRESS: The silhouette of this dress could not be more adorable. It’s playful, girly and perfect for the upcoming Spring season. I got an XS and am taking mine to the tailor to size it down a bit because it runs a little big. I think it’ll be great for travel because it’s lightweight and an A-line silhouette, which I personally think is the best when you’re walking around hot destinations all day. This dress would also be great for baby showers, family get togethers or church on Sunday. 🙂 I also think it’s an affordable price point considering this brand can tend to be a bit pricier.

[2] WEDGES: Okay, so I was just instantly drawn to these wedges because they’re the perfect height, color and style. I love the subtle pom pom’s on them. They’re not TOO much or in-your-face. They just elevate their cuteness just enough. I’ve only worn them around my house so far but I know you’ll be seeing me wear them quite a bit coming up. They run true to size!

I’ve been buying quite a few neutral wedges lately and wondered if y’all would want me to round them up in a post and review each of them? Let me know!

[3]  THE PERFECTLY DISTRESSED PAIR OF JEANS: I’ve been on the lookout for a new pair of jeans because I just feel like I always wear the same ones. I recently came across this pair that are under $100 and they look just as cute in person as they do on the website. I just got them in the mail yesterday so I haven’t shared them on IG for ya but you can count on me wearing them very soon! I love that they have regular, petite and long sizing options! You can also get a second pair right now for 50% off! Not too shabby!

[4] DAYTIME MOISTURIZER: On Sunday, I shared my five favorite TULA skincare products that I live by! I mentioned that I love their moisturizer but I only wear it at night because it has retinol in it. See why you shouldn’t apply moisturizers, or any skincare products with retinol in them, to your face during the daytime in that post HERE. So, it lead to a lot of questions about what moisturizer I use during the day instead. Well, here it is! 🙂 I’ve been using Elemis’ Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. It reduces fine lines and increases hydration after 15 days of use and I’ve absolutely seen an improvement in the firmness of my skin. I absolutely love this product. Elemis is an outstanding skincare company based in England. All of their products are cruelty free and put only the best ingredients in them! I also love that I’m not the only person who loves this product. Be sure to check out all of the amazing reviews people have left on the product page. Sure, it’s a little pricey but I think investing in the health of your skin is important and a little bit of this product goes a long way. You’re only using it once a day, as well, instead of twice, which helps to conserve the product and makes it last longer!

[5] EVERYDAY PINK SWEATSHIRT: I wore this sweatshirt the other day and linked it for you guys exclusively through the LIKEtoKNOW.it app! Obviously, that content isn’t exclusive anymore [now that it’s also shared and linked in this post] but there will be future posts that’ll only live within the app for you to shop [not even on Instagram] so don’t miss out. Search for my profile and FOLLOW ME 🙂 to keep up with those exclusive posts.

LAST MINUTE VALENTINE’S DAY GIFTS FOR HIM

If you’re looking for some last minute gifts for your man, here are a few quick ideas on some items that might work! I feel like these products DEFINITELY say a lot about what kind of guy I am looking for, hahah! If my future husband gravitated toward this style, let’s just say … I wouldn’t hate it! But seriously … those adidas sneakers look like second-skin and you know I’m ALL ABOUT those kind of sneakers. I haven’t seen any in the women’s department that have that same appeal but I have my eye out, that is for sure! Hah! And, I seriously think a gray henley looks good on ANY guy!

FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER IF YOU’RE SINGLE ON VALENTINE’S DAY

[1] A man will not complete you. I’ve always said who you end up with should be a compliment to your life, not complete your life. No matter who you end up with … they’re still a person who has flaws and imperfections so if we go into a relationship thinking ‘this person is going to solve all of our problems and complete me’, we’re only setting ourselves up for disappointment. We’re all a work in progress. We all have a little baggage. It’s important to realize that all you can do right now is do you’re best to work through the things that you carry so that you can walk into your next relationship in a healthy way. We only have control over ourselves, whether we’re in a relationship or not, so I think this is the one of the most important things we can do for our future spouse. In my mind, it’ll make me a better compliment.

[2] The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. I can imagine being married is such an amazing adventure and blessing. I cannot WAIT to be married to someone one day. But, it’s important to realize that finding that special someone and getting married doesn’t make your life free of challenges. Relationships require work so, while I know you’re ready to find someone, don’t wish this time alone away. Enjoy it while you can! Yes, there are lonely moments. That’s completely normal and valid, but just don’t let yourself wallow in it. There are blessings and challenges in every season of life so do your best to recognize and appreciate the blessings within your season of singleness.

[3] You are beautiful, inside and out. This might sound cliché but … you are! You are strong. You are smart. You are kind. You are empowering. You are inspirational. You are looked up to by at least one person out there. You have so much to offer the world. And, I know it feels good to have someone of the opposite sex tell you all of these things but if you don’t tell yourself this, know you have worth, know what you have to offer this world and own that … it’s going to be really hard for another person to see that in you, too! So, use this time of singleness to do some self-affirming and work on whatever disbeliefs you have about yourself. There’s no shame is going to a counselor to do this or seeking wise counsel and help from someone at your church. Do the work if you need to! It’s worth it!

[4] There’s more love in your life than you think. Holidays like Valentine’s Day have a way of warping your perspective. It’s important to remember that romantic love is just ONE type of love. While we all have to go through this season of singleness, and yearn for that feeling of connection with someone, it doesn’t mean we are without love at all. Take a moment this weekend and write down the people in your life that make you feel loved. I can almost guarantee that the list is longer than you think! When you’re done, tell yourself I AM LOVED and believe it … because it’s true. So, stop living your life with a negative perspective in your mind and start living out a life KNOWING you’re loved. It changes everything!

[5] The best is yet to come. I have this on a piece of paper in my nightstand and I use it as a book mark. It’s such a sweet reminder for me and, honestly, it’s one I’ve sent to my fellow single lady friends over the years, as well. We all need it from time to time and having it in my books, where I can see it frequently, always refills my hope in what’s to come! Sometimes we need to be our own encouragement so that’s just what I’ve found to be helpful for me 🙂

FIVE WAYS TO MAKE YOUR FRIENDS FEEL LOVED

Valentine’s Day is often seen as a celebration of romantic love but, the truth is, some of the love we, as women, know the best and know to be so life-giving is the love that you share with your girlfriends! So, use this time to really make your friends feel loved and, I’ll go out on a limb here and also encourage you to do what you can to make your single friends feel thought of. While I know marriage has to have it’s challenges, we all want love and companionship so planning even something small could really turn their whole day around. Here are some ideas for how to make the gals in your life, single or not, feel loved because, really .. where would we be without our girlfriends?!?

[1] PLAN A SURPRISE VISIT: One of my favorite ways to show my girlfriends some love is to by showing up unexpectedly, at least somewhat! In a day and age where plans are encouraged, there’s just something extra sweet about a surprise. A couple weeks ago, my best friend had been having a really tough week and she was about to have to do something in her role at work that she had never done before and was really, really nervous. She had mentioned a few times that week that she couldn’t wait to sleep in on Saturday so I took it upon myself  to sneakily confirm she was in the office and not out at a meeting and took her a hot cup of coffee in a travel tumbler at that dreaded time in every work day …. 3:00pm. I also brought Fish with me, who she absolutely loves. She was so happy and said it was such a sweet spot in a really tough day. So, it doesn’t have to be exactly that but I’d say pay attention to the needs of your friends and surprise them with a way to make them either get through what they’re trying to tackle or make them feel better or thought of. 🙂

[2] SEND THEM FLOWERS: This could be something you and your married girlfriends could do for one of your besties who is single. Chip in and have a beautiful bouquet of her favorite flowers delivered to her work. You could even hire a courier to get her champagne, her favorite candy and hand-deliver a card you and the girls all wrote in to offer her your love and encouragement. Sometimes we all just need that reminder that we actually aren’t without love, especially on Valentine’s Day. I’ve hired couriers a few times and they’re SO easy to work with and adds such a fun element of surprise.

[3] GIVE THEM THE GIFT OF TIME: Sometimes, we all just want to feel chosen so if you’ve been hanging with your hubby a lot lately, plan a fun girls night out to remind the girls how much you love them! Quality time is so important in friendships and, although it’s difficult as we get older and are juggling so much more, we need to make it a priority from time-to-time!

[4] MAKE THEM LITTLE LOVE PACKAGES: If you’ve got a Martha Stewart side, maybe grab some clear plastic bags and fill them with things your girlfriends would appreciate! It doesn’t have to be chocolates, it could be a protein bar with a gift card to their favorite natural grocery store or coffee shop. Personally, I love anything by Sugarfina and they come in the cutest packing! Get creative and cater it to the girl!

[5] SAY IT IN WORDS: Some people, like myself, appreciate words more than people realize. Nothing means more to me or makes me feel more loved than when a friends gives me a card with thoughtful and carefully curated words written just for me. So, if you know one of your girlfriends is the same way, take some time and write her a nice card to make her feel loved!

All in all, I think it’s important to make your girlfriends feel thought of! So many of my girlfriends live far away, so I’m going to be sure to give as many as I can a call over the next week to catch up and just make them feel thought of and loved! I also want to take this time to remind you now …. do you have a friend who is going through a heartbreak? START PLANNING WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO FOR HER NOW! Life can change unexpectedly so make sure you make her a priority this year!

5 WAYS TO TREAT YO’SELF

[1] BOOK A SPA DAY! Sister, seriously …. don’t worry about the money! Just. Do. IT! You will feel so refreshed and rejuvenated. We all deserve a little pampering from time to time and one massage isn’t much more than a manicure / pedicure, if we’re honest!

[2] BINGE WATCH A NETFLIX SERIES: We all have that series we’ve been needing to catch up on or just watch for enjoyment! Life gets crazy so take this Valentine’s Day weekend to just relax and get lost in a show! I’ve been trying to catch up on This Is Us because I stopped watching it after the 2nd episode this season so, while I can’t catch up all together this weekend, I have definitely been trying to give myself some time at night to catch an episode or two if I can handle it emotionally, hahah!

[3] UNPLUG: Social media is fun but our brains need a rest sometimes and I think unplugging from your phone can be such a gift to yourself. It turns your brain off and allows you to focus on other things that are actually life giving like having meaningful conversations with a friend or family member or read a book or play with your pups or kids or go on a day date with your significant other [and keep your phone turned OFF in your bag!!].

[4] GET TO BAKING: Sometimes I think the sweetest gift you can give to yourself is the gift of indulgence! So get in the kitchen and bake up something yummy! Last year, I shared this delicious Valentine’s Day inspired brownie recipe! It’s super easy, too!

[5] SLEEP IN: We live in a day and age where busyness is almost encouraged. Do you ever have a conversation with someone and you almost go back and forth about what makes your life right now so busy or crazy and it’s almost like an inadvertent competition to see whose life is busier or crazier? I think we all need to get more sleep and allow ourselves to just …. r e l a x and recharge sometimes! So, give yourself a little love and SLEEP IN this weekend! Or take a nap 🙂

I hope you all have had a great week and have some fun plans set up for Valentine’s Day! I’ll be joining my besties for dinner, which will be so nice!

What are you looking forward to in regard to Valentine’s Day this year?

Have a great weekend, friends! xo.