feelin nostalgic

I never thought id be so thankful for the use of email as means of keeping up with my best friends back on the east coast. I love that I can hear my friend’s voices when I read their words. This makes me miss them terribly though. Time passes so quickly the older I get it seems.  Sometimes I feel out of touch with a lot of good friends since a week feels like a day to me- but then a simple text or email makes me realize we never lost our closeness. And when I see them, it is as if no time has passed.  

I am so lucky to have the most supportive and inspirational friends in my life. They are making my little dream, KatBeckDesigns, a reality. I seriously almost cry every time I get a featherband order (I’ve also been highly emotional lately).  

So, I guess the point of this post is really to say thank you to my friends

who read and support my blog and featherbanding.

And the “product” of promotion here, I suppose, would be technology.

Its ability to sustain long distance relationships is unbeatable.

I was phoneless for the day and while I LOVE going phoneless on the weekends- its just TOO difficult during a busy workday when I am on the road for 2 hours and I know my hubby is just worrying about me getting home safely. But all I can think about is my loved ones and how I wish I could call them just to make sure they okay, then I'm wondering if I got any important emails I need to respond to within the hour, and then I'm like- dang I wish I could check my twitter (kittykatbeck) that I just joined soley to stalk celebrities. 

Okay, I'm rambling. Thank you friends. Y'all are my inspiration.

highschoolbesties. walking away from the church we spent numerous sundays at together after a wedding.

Clemson graduation with my group of girlfriends in my grandparents back yard.

I heart denton

Nicholas & I have been living in Denton for over 2 years now and I am FINALLY starting to feel like a part of this (very) little city. I mean- I spend most of my time working in Dallas so it’s rather rare to get to experience as much of Denton as I’d like. But I’ve discovered some little places on the Square that make me love love love this town.

The Chestnut Tree
My friend Emily(a fellow NCer) manages at this perfectly quant restaurant and gift shop. I walked in to the smell of fresh baked cookies and the sight of fabulous little sundresses. The shop is open for breakfast and lunch and they have the most refreshing menu around.  Chandeliers and greenery hanging above with dim lighting creates a majestically relaxing atmosphere.

Vigne Wine Shop and deli
Have I mentioned how much I adore red wine? I mean- I survive off of the $3 bottles at Wal Mart on most days of the week just to get my “fix” but I am learning to truly appreciate savoring a glass of wine at Vigne’s weekend tastings. I took my mom when she was in town and we got a great deal of $5 for 4 samples of red wine with the most passionate pourer EVER! He is a TRUE wine coinsurer. I love listening to his explanations of the flavors you’ll find in the wine and where they grapes were grown. I went back a couple of weeks later and we got to sample 9 glasses for $15! The last sample was from a $60 bottle and was seriously to die for. Apparently you get more wine for your dollar on Saturdays because they don’t have to preserve the bottles as they do on Fridays. I haven’t even gotten to the food yet. They have some great classic sandwiches all with a little twist.  The cheese sampler platter with our wine was DIVINE as well as the bruschetta ( and I don’t even eat tomatoes).  If you go- you must try the peanut butter chocolate desert. It’s pretty much a gourmet Reese’s cup and then some.

Ladida.
Really cute boutique. Sells a lot of Judith March. They have some really unique accessories (locally made stuff too) as well as a huge collection of Toms (they even have wedges woo woo). Kinda pricey for my taste, but they always have a stunning selection of sundresses.

Yogurt Fusion.
An entire wall of so many yogurt flavors- cake batter, peaches, red velvet, the list goes on.  Oh- and the toppings bar- to die for. TONs of fresh fruit, chocolate bars cut into pieces, and CEREAL (seriously- try captain crunch). You pay what it weighs. Absolutely my favorite treat and a great location (sorry Yogurt story, a bench on the square is a much better view than the busy highway).

35 conferette (formerly North X 35)
My first  music festival experience. Nice way to get broken in- just a couple of miles from our apartment so we got to go back and forth as we pleased.   Three days of average 72 degree weather- beat that! It’s impossible. Saw some really talented bands. Dr. Dog was my favorite new discovery.  !!!’s (pronounced chic chic chic) lead singer was Freddy Mercury’s child, I swear. His dance moves were beyond entertaining. Big Boi rocked my socks off. I kept thinking “is this really happening” to myself.  I got to hear rosa parks, so fresh & so clean, bombs over Bagdad, kryptonite, I like the way you move, and MRS JACKSON. Dream come true. Honestly if Andre 3000 would have been in attendance- I might have died, so probably a good thing he wasn’t.  It was a pricey pricey weekend but well worth it for the music and the people watching. Denton is such a stylish little city;  thigh high socks, MAJOR pattern tights with shorts, totally vintage dresses, wide rimmed glasses, and the man BEARDS- I knew we had hipsters here but there’s almost entire scenster society right in this little Texas town.

get nude.

SHOEs that is.

Nude pumps are a necessity in any woman's wardrobe.

I have always loved the shade because it automatically elongates your legs and gives you a lean look. PLUS- they go with pretty much any color/pattern: all black, all white, patterned dress, bold solid colors, pale solid colors. If you don’t have a pair- get some.

Here are some of the best recent articles on Beauty:

The Best Makeup Shades for All Skin Tones: 

10 Makeup Shades That Look Good on All Skin Tones 

via Hello Beautiful

Find Your Perfect Foundation:

A Guide to Types of Foundation Makeup

via Makeup for Acne and Sensitive Skin 

Find Rankings for Online Beauty Schools: Rankings for Online Beauty Schools 

which was featured on online business degrees

Pretty Hairstyles:

5 Sexiest Hairstyles for Spring 

via Cosmetique Blog

Guest post: Kinsey Gray. Inner beauty

When thinking about what to write as a guest blogger, I thought about what I knew and what I loved.  While thinking I should stick with the theme of beauty- I decided to talk more about inner beauty rather than outer beauty.  It is inner beauty that makes a person so unique and beautiful.  With that said, here are my thoughts. 

Inner beauty can often be hard to find in a person.  It's easy for a person to say someone is pretty, but how often can you say they are beautiful on the inside and out.  I can truly say I have met some of the most beautiful people in my life.  They are the ones that deserve to be in "People's Magazines: 50 Most Beautiful People." They are truly beautiful inside and out, and I admire all the special qualities that make them who are they.  These qualities also help shape me into the person I am.  The inner beauty these friends possess come in the craziest, silliest, sweetest, most personal ways that one may not truly understand until they have been given the chance to have such wonderful, endearing friends.  These friends have made such an impact on my life, and I could not imagine who I would be without them.  These people are world changers; they are MY world changers.  They pick me up, bring me back down, drive me crazy, make me happy, make me ME.  These people have qualities and personalities that make them so truly wonderful.  Here's my Top Ten list of what makes someone truly beautiful from the inside out:

1. A friend that knows you so well that they notice from the footprints on the rainbows you are wearing that they are not yours.
2.  A person who you can call in the afternoon and they already know you are upset and frustrated after just hearing you say hello.
3. A friend who warns you about that certain guy and doesn't feel bad after saying I told you so when you pour your heart out about what didn't work out because they know what is best for you.
4. A person who builds your confidence and tells you you look hot even when you are wearing jorts and an airbrush tee.  The one person who appreciates your outgoing sense of style, however ridiculous you may look.
5. A friend that you can call when you need a quick fix- you're upset you dye your hair- you're bored you go get ice cream- you're annoyed you shop online- that person that is always there to rescue you when you need to run away from reality for a bit.
6.  A person that you can be absolutely ridiculous with.  You sing in the car, and share many of your most embarrassing moments because you secretly know they've done the same if not worse.
7. A person you can go without seeing for a while then see them and have one of the funniest, most memorable nights of your life.
8. A friend that never judges, but will question relentlessly because they want the best for you.
9. A person you can share a bottle of "Alice" with and know it's going be an "I don't want to talk about my life right now" kind of night.
10. A friend that makes you a better person, that makes your life complete, that makes you complete.

These things are what make someone beautiful.  Knowing that someone- scratch that- multiple people have impacted your life so much is truly remarkable.  These people, my best friends, show compassion and love each and every day.  They are the most amazing, giving, BEAUTIFUL people I have ever met.  Knowing them has shaped me and I am forever grateful.

meet Kinsey Ann Gray.

time square.

Miami with 3/4 of the Gray girls!

Food facts by Victoria: healthy weight loss

As a future dietitian, I feel there is such so much false information out there, especially on the internet where every five minutes I see an ad about how you can lose 5 pounds in 2 days, etc. As my friends and family are well aware, I get extremely annoyed with the bad rap given to nutrition by these stupid ads, books and articles that claim they have the secret to weight loss. It’s not that they do not work, I am sure you probably could lose 5 pounds in 2 days if all you ate was liquid and grapefruit, it’s that they don’t last. Nor to fad diets, compared to a healthy lifestyle, prevent diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and many more health problems that are not caused by, but will increase your likelihood of developing (especially if you have family history) those diseases.

My philosophy? Weight loss should occur as part of creating a healthier and longer life for your body and mind. Coming from someone who has personally lost weight, and kept it off, doing it the right way is so much easier than trying to follow the crazy rules many fad diets require of you. So here is my take on how to lose weight the healthy way:

1.      Lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. I know that doesn’t seem like a lot, but it will lead to maintaining the weight loss. Also, when you lose 5 pounds or more in a week, it can typically just be water loss because your body is dehydrated from not eating.

2.      Do not cut out any macronutrients in replacement for another. There is a reason your body needs carbohydrates, protein and fat in specific amounts. I know there are many diets out there that tell you things like do not eat carbohydrates, eat high amounts of protein, or cut out all fat. And yes, those diets do help you lose weight, generally because you are cutting out calories. But you cannot just not eat carbohydrates for the rest of your life, or never eat a morsel of fat again because they can cause serious illnesses, and let’s face it- who could go years without eating pasta, I know I couldn’t.

3.      Portion control. Have you ever looked at what a serving size is for foods like ice cream or even cereal? It is generally a lot less than what most people eat. Learn serving sizes so you can calculate the amount of calories you are eating.

4.      Eat everything in moderation. I would and will never recommend to a patient or friend to cut out any food. Although ice cream, doughnuts, pastries and cookies do not have many nutrients good for you and are generally high in calories, sugar and fat, they are a part of enjoying life! Everyone has their vice, mine are sweets, and trying to not eat them will eventually cause you to binge eat everything you have deprived yourself of for so long. Eat foods like Ben and Jerry’s half-baked ice cream (a personal favorite of mine), just don’t eat them every day! If you are craving a hamburger, eat it and don’t eat another for the rest of the week. I think it is unrealistic to expect people to not eat the foods they love so much, but just realize you cannot eat them all the time.

As you can tell, I believe enjoying food is part of a healthy life, but learning how to enjoy food as part of a healthy diet will not only reduce your chance of developing serious health implications, it will also help you to feel better about yourself.

In summary, eat “bad” foods in moderation, eat a balanced and accurately portioned diet, and take the time to lose weight the healthy way. Also, don’t forget to be physically active for at least 30 minutes to an hour on most days of the week! Exercise will not only help with your weight loss goals, but also helps you deal with stress, prevent diseases, and has been shown to play a role in fighting depression.

featherbands for your spring wardrobe.

hey friends.

Just posted some new designs on Etsy. 

katbeckdesigns@gmail.com

bronze beauty.

Ohhh that time of the year has come around yet again. Tan time. I have successfully restrained myself from tanning beds all winter long. But now that bathing suite season is approaching, I have started spray tanning weekly to get a good "base" color started so I can lay out without blinding fellow pool goers. I seriously forgot how pale I am naturally. I am trying so hard to embrace it but I just don't have Anne Hathaway or Scarlett Johansson's ability to rock the pale is pretty look.

If you want an easy, instant summer glow when applying makeup the answer is bronzer. Bronzer and I are kinda BFFs. It's a staple product in my makeup bag and should be in yours. 

Supermarket best buy:

Maybelline Dream Mouse in Sun Kissed- the mouse formula gives you a perfect dewy look.

Physician’s formula has a TON of really great bronzers that mix different shades so you look very natural.

Department store best buy-

A recommendation from my BFF Ashleigh - Mac’s bronzer. It lasts forever.

Smashbox bronzer. I mean, honestly, all of their products are sensational.