It is finally Fall! One of my favorite times of year is that sweet spot when summer is just leaving the air but the harsh chill of colder months hasn't set in yet. I have the best Fall memories from growing up. Saturdays were spent doing different seasonal activities, whether it was visiting a pumpkin patch or raking leaves to jump in at my grandparents' house. Sundays were spent with the windows open, football on all day, and always were full of yummy game day food. In my college years I would love sitting out on campus, with a hot latte just checking out the beautiful trees that were changing color and getting excited for all of the new opportunity of the new school year. Now I look at Fall as the ultimate time to get family and friends together. Everyone is back from their summer vacations and are winding down back into their routines. Everyone appreciates a get together a little more when it feels like something exciting to look forward to at the end of their week instead of an added event to jam into their summer schedule. Some of my favorite activities for Fall are football Sundays, outdoor wine tastings, and craft nights to make seasonal decorations. I love anything that lets me be outside and enjoy this perfect weather while I can. One of my all time favorite things about Fall is shopping for it. I love layering cozy pieces and one of my favorite places to get them is Marleylilly. I recently just got a TON of stuff from the site and I feel pretty sure that I have something to wear for just about every Fall event. I may be just a little more obsessed this year because I have an excuse to put my soon to be new monogram on everything. I won't lie, the site can be an overwhelming endless abyss that can swallow you and spit you out a few hundred dollars later (in a good way of course), but I wanted to try and make this easy for you all. I have rounded up my favorite Fall pieces from Marleylilly along with where I would wear them and included the links below. One of my favorite things about Marleylilly is that they have such cute stuff that is actually affordable for those of us that are trying to stay on budget (aka plan a wedding hellllp). Enjoy my roundup, share with your friends, and happy shopping! (: MONOGRAMMED DUCK BOOTSThese things are all the rage with "basic" college girls everywhere. I'm not going to deny the fact that I am pretty basic but these boots really are so convenient for my lifestyle. They are perfect for taking the dogs out for walks even in damp weather, for frequenting the hiking trail near our house, and just to simply throw on with leggings while running errands at Target on the weekend. These boots come with two additional toppers that you can attach to the boots to change up your look or just wear them by themselves! MONOGRAMMED ENAMEL EARRINGSI love these as a staple to wear with everyday outfits. Whether you are pairing them with a blazer and dress or jeans and a puffer vest, they are sure to provide a classy, put together touch and really "make" the look. They also come in a variety of different colors so stock up. MONOGRAMMED QUILTED PULLOVER TUNICThe plaid detailing on this one totally stole my heart. I love this pullover for just about any Fall activity. I'm thinking a pumpkin patch, sipping some apple cider. Sign. Me. Up. This also pairs perfectly with either jeans or leggings so you can dress it up or down. MONOGRAMMED GREEK KEY PONCHOI LOVE LOVE LOVE this piece so much. It is cozy, it is chic, and it has quickly become a staple in my closet. I love this for a wine tasting, a girls night, or for traveling. I actually really think this piece is perfect for traveling because it is so comfortable and blanket like. I am getting sleepy just thinking of curling up in this. Every time I've worn this I've gotten so many complements and people asking me where to get it. I swear this thing is like the Traveling Pants (please tell me you got that reference) but it looks good on everyone and makes you feel like a chic but comfortable monogram lover. MONOGRAMMED LOAFERSLoafers are one of my favorite things. They are kind of "grandma chic" in the best way. They are comfortable, they are stylish, and from Marleylilly... they are monogrammed. If you haven't caught on yet, everything that I am really into is both comfortable and chic. These monogrammed loafers are so classy and perfect for the Fall weather. I would tell you exactly where I would wear these but the answer is literally everywhere. I haven't purchased them yet because they are brand spankin' new, but you better believe I am taking advantage of the shoe sale and these will be at my house in less than a week. MONOGRAMMED GLOVESPretty gloves will always have a special place in my heart. My grandmother had a beautiful collection of them and I used to love trying them on when I was little. Now in my adult years I like to slip on a pair of classy gloves to instantly make me feel like a regal lady. I love the plaid print on these because they can add a fun and unexpected twist to a routine Fall outfit. MONOGRAMMED FALL T-SHIRTThis shirt describes all of my favorite things this season. I love this for movie nights with your S.O. or for tailgates or football outings. This shirt is so comfy but still so cute, you really can't go wrong. MONOGRAMMED JEWELRY TRAYIt is never too early to start thinking of adorable holiday gifts! As soon as I saw these cute jewelry trays I knew they were going to be at the top of my gifts to give this year. They are so cute, functional, and a great way to personalize a gift without being corny or over the top. I may have to pick one up for myself too....
Make sure to like, share, and spread the word about CrohnicallyBlonde.com! Also, please DM me on Instagram or comment on my most recent post to tell me what Marleylilly items you are loving right now and where you would wear them for Fall!
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If you guys haven't noticed I've really embraced Instagram Stories after a long while of shying away from anything following the Snapchat model. I never jumped on board to Snap bandwagon just because to me it honestly just seemed like a whole lot of work and set up for little to no ROI. Let me explain.... you have to make a conscious effort to make sure you are promoting yet another user name on another platform for your brand, you have to make sure you are keeping up adding brands you are going to promote on both Instagram and Snapchat, and it just was another app that I had to deal with. Sounds high maintenance but I also just couldn't get into the whole sharing every little thing in my life until I realized there was actually value I could add by doing so. I still don't share everything but I do get to share quick tips on products, funny things about my dogs, and give people a look at what my non curated life looks like. Not only does this leave my Instagram feed freed up but it also has helped me to connect with readers/followers of CB in a whole new way. I just love it now. I like that Instagram is already something that I utilize on the regular so adding a new feature is easily integrated into my social media habits. I love that I can just tag brands that I already love without having to go find and follow on another site and I love being able to see updates from not only my friends but businesses and bloggers I follow along with. Instagram you did it right. There are a whole lot of other things that I do not like about you right now but I will save that for a different post..... (in case you haven't heard, Google "Instagram algorithm" be prepared for lots of shade). Basically the point of this whole rant is that I've been utilizing stories to share real time updates and finds so I think I have slacked a little on sharing them on here. I DO want to get back to doing that though because I think it really is important to have posts to go back to that round up the top content you are sharing day to day. So, takeaway #1- follow me on Instagram to see real time updates, #2- enjoy this new, updated post of all of my favorite new and now finds that I can't get enough of. xx GREEN PUMPKINSI absolutely LOVE decorating for Fall. That being said, though, I don't like veering from my neutral color scheme and the usual fall colors don't go with my whole "look" I have going on at home. In the past I have been all about the white pumpkin decorating craze that dominates Pinterest but this year I switched things up to green pumpkins! They aren't AS basic as the white pumpkins but still fit my color scheme requirements. I picked up some cute decor for Fall (including green pumpkins, at Hobby Lobby and Target). FARMACY LIP BLOOMI got a sample of this product at Sephora the other day and have been so obsessed ever since. It is super moisturizing, tastes amazing, and adds a perfect finish to your lips if you are going for a natural look (which I pretty much always am). I can't get enough of this stuff and have been recommending it right and left to pretty much every person I meet. You can get it for yourself HERE. You won't regret it. LE PEN PENSI am so OCD about office/school supplies and the pens/pencils that I write with so when I found these I was skeptical at first but soon made a believer. I ordered these bad boys off of Amazon (I have the multi color pack) for writing and color coding my planner and for organizing my notes at work. The thin tips make it so easy to write neatly and the color selection is amazing. You can get them on Amazon and have them at your house in two days. Score. BRUSH ME ORGANIC WHITENING TOOTHPASTEI did a whole Instagram post on this stuff but to give you a quick rundown.... this stuff is a miracle for whitening teeth painlessly. It is made of clay, it is organic, it is pain free, and you can get 30% off of your first order with my code "M30". Click here, you are welcome. UNDERWOOD WINEThis stuff has become my go to. So far I have tried their Pinot Noir and the Rose and both have been heaven for my tastebuds. The wines aren't too sweet and definitely gets you a little buzzed with your first class (or is that just me?). Did I mention that they come in cans? Yup, cans. So they are great for bonfires and other outdoor Fall events. Especially for us gluten free folk who can't drink beer, these are a cool alternative so you don't have to look like the asshole drinking out of a wine class while everyone else has Miller Lite cans. BRAIN DUSTI always see Moon Juice products featured by The Skinny Confidential but haven't been totally sold. The other day I gave in and tried this Brain Powder one morning at work. I was pretty surprised that about 20 minutes after drinking the powder (I mixed it with caffeine free mint tea) I was more alert, awake, and focused. Usually it takes me a couple cups of coffee to get to that point but if this powder can get me amped up that quickly without the negative gastro effects from coffee then I guess it is worth it! Get yours here. GLAMGLOW THIRSTYMUDI am always on the hunt for products that will hydrate my skin without making me break out or have a reaction from it. ThirstyMud is heaven for skin transitioning seasons. I put it on for about 20 minutes while I am taking a bubble bath and when I take it off my skin feels plump, moisturized, and so smooth. A little of this stuff goes a long way so you can make the jar last. KONG DOG TOYSCharleston is obsessed with toys that we can stuff treats into and those things will keep him busy for hours. Kong toys are a lifesaver when we are trying to get things done around the house and need Charleston to be occupied. Rhaegar is a little easier to entertain. We put him in front of the window and he can stare for hours. I like to browse the different Kong toys at my local pet store to decide what is best for my boys. There are different ones for different ages and strength of chewers. BLACK BEAN PASTAIt all started with Red Lentil pasta from Trader Joe's and then when I saw this stuff I had to give it a try. This has quickly become a dinner staple in my household especially when I need to whip something up quickly. While I usually opt for zoodles or spaghetti squash for a gluten free pasta alternative, this pasta is a great way to get your carb fix while still packing in protein and keeping gluten free. I usually just make this quickly with a bit of olive oil, garlic salt, and parmesan cheese. Perfect come home late from work week night dinner. BUTTER LONDON WINK EYE PENCILI was going through my makeup to organize it the other day and found an unopened Butter London eye pencil that I got for free a while ago and never had the chance to use. What! So I started using this in Earl Grey and have become kind of addicted to it. I like that it is a softer color than the black I usually use. It blends easily and is long lasting so I don't have to worry about it smudging throughout the day, even when my eyes are watery from allergies. I've used other Butter London products, all of which have been great, so I wasn't surprise when this stuff exceeded my expectations. You can get yours from Ulta.com. MARLEYLILLY MONOGRAMMED BALLET FLATSI am a Tory Burch flats girl through and through. Call me basic, but I love how comfortable and durable they are. I have worn some variation of a Tory Burch flat almost everyday to work for the past year or so. My black flats are on their last leg so I wanted to replace them but try something new. I have been loving monograms lately, especially with my new monogram (I am so corny, I know). When I saw that I could get monogrammed flats from Marleylilly I had to place an order ASAP. I am so picky about my shoes but these definitely are up to my standards. They are cute, comfortable, and unique to you. I can't wait to hear what you guys end up trying or have tried from this list! Also, please feel free to message me any recommendations on new things to try! I am always game for a new product.
xx In light of the recent, devastating hurricane I have teamed up to help promote Knack's efforts to Uplift Houston and give back to the community. There are endless families and individuals that are displaced, waiting in shelters to rebuild their lives, and mourning the loss of what they once called their home. Knack is doing what they can to give back and ease the pain of those suffering. By purchasing one of their three Uplift Houston gift boxes, they will donate an identical box to a hurricane survivor in need or provide a monetary donation of equal value to a shelter.
I think this is such a cool way to donate and honestly it is such an easy way to make an impact. The boxes range from $81- $136 and not only are you donating but you are also getting a box for yourself. I know that we shouldn't need personal incentives to help our fellow humans who are struggling but this is a great way to take advantage of a special gift and give it to someone special who is close to you. In times like this where people have lost their loved ones and are struggling through serious hardships, it is so important that we take an extra moment to appreciate those close to us. Knack in and of itself is an amazing brand that focuses on lifting up others and conveying how much you care in the perfect way. I love what they are doing for our friends down in Houston so I am urging you to get involved! The link to the boxes is HERE! Let me know which box you choose to send! Crohnically Blonde is sending lots of love and light to those impacted by Hurricane Harvey and those who are in the path of Hurricane Irma. xx I've been a little M.I.A. this past week. Mostly because my health hasn't been awesome. I've been super exhausted leading up to my Remicade this past Friday and I've been trying to relax as much as possible. As much as I hate being a hermit and feeling under the weather, it is a good opportunity for me to test out new self care products (skincare, bath products, etc.). Now that I am bouncing back a bit I am excited to share some of the new things I've tried.
My number one new product right now is amazing, hydrating, and only $12 (and can be at your house almost instantly thanks to Amazon Prime). Drugstore brands are revolutionizing their products more and more to compete with the prestige lines of skincare and makeup. Long gone are the days of looking down on skincare products because of their lower price tag. Every time I read a beauty blog or watch a tutorial, there is a heavier mix of prestige and drugstore brand products that when mixed together can create the perfect cocktail of products that are not only amazingly effective but also affordable. I used to blow more money than I care to admit on high end beauty and skincare products but the more new drugstore brand products that I try the more I am swayed to sometimes swing by my local CVS instead of Sephora. This e.l.f. Bubble Mask has been hyped up all over the internet for a while now but I just recently decided to give it a try. To be honest, I was not expecting much and thought it was some crazy thing that middle school girls use for fun. Well, it is kind of amusing but it also does a damn good job of hydrating your skin. I left it on all over my face and neck for about 20 minutes while I was taking a bath. It comes out of the bottle as a clear gel substance but as soon as you rub it on your face it is game time. Tiny bubbles take over and as they pop it creates a soothing, tingling feeling on your skin. When about 20 minutes were up I rinsed the product off of my face and was genuinely surprised at how smooth my skin felt. I looked more youthful, fresh, and rejuvenated. I thought that maybe I was just having a good skin day but the experiment proved to be legit when after a long day at work I brought life back to my sad looking skin. I think this stuff is the real deal. Something I worry about when I shop drugstore brands is that the ingredients may irritate my skin or cause me to break out. This actually is a little bit crazy because often times when you compare products at different price points they have the same or very similar ingredients. It is all about doing your research and also some trial and error. The Bubble Mask didn't cause any irritation to my skin or cause any breakouts which was a huge win. The only negative I can come up with is that it feels kind of weird to leave on for an extended period of time. With some hydrating masks that are more creamy I will actually leave them on my face and neck all night. I know this isn't recommended but, yes, I do it. This mask is more of a 'do while you catch up on your DVRed shows' or 'while you take a bubble bath' kind of thing. Overall, I think this stuff will be a lasting part of my routine going into the winter. For $12, you can't beat the price, and it definitely helped out my tired skin. I suggest you head over to Amazon and order one of these ASAP to add to your self care routine. I'm serious. With colder weather creeping up it is best to be proactive with hydrating and prep your skin in advance instead of waiting for disaster in ensue. I literally do this every year and wake up one day at the end of November wondering why I look like a psycho who hasn't put on moisturizer in 10 years. Don't do that. I also like to think that since I am dehydrated (thanks Crohn's!) pretty much 24/7, quenching my skin's thirst with some yummy products are even more necessary. I can't wait to hear what you guys think once you try this or if you have already tried this! I also would love to hear any recommendations that you have for hydrating products/any must haves going into the chilly months! Be back with some more later this week. xx I want to first give a shout out to Brandon Cobian Photography who took these amazing photos (and many more to come on the blog). He is currently shooting in the Baltimore area so make sure to get in touch a book something. He has some serious skills and even got Matt to smile during our shoot! Ha! Having a pretty and cohesive Instagram feed has always been something that has been important to me since the day I realized Instagram was a public facing social media platform that could build your brand. It was a freaking epiphany when I realized it was not just for editing weird pictures of my shitty makeup job or some blurry photo of my college friends and I “just being basic LOL”. Instagram has evolved from being a glorified, old school Facebook album with filters to being a serious place where you can build your brand, your career, and actually make a lot of money from it. Now, I am not saying I am an expert by any means, my account, my brand, and my blog are most definitely a work in progress but what I can tell you is, part of building something is the discovery along the way. And part of MY brand is sharing with you the tips and tricks that I uncover. This is actually part of the reason why I didn’t created a new Instagram account for my brand, I just changed my personal one over to @crohnicallyblonde. Why the EFF would I want all of my new followers at 26 years old to see the photos that I thought 19 year old me thought were worthy of Instagram? Well friends, it was a different time back then. Instagram has evolved, and so have I. But I have always had hustle. If you scroll back (not encouraging this but if you want to, be my guest) my Instagram was full of random photos of things that I bought at Nordstrom Rack (or wanted to buy because I was too poor) and where to get them and often their price. My feed had a ton of makeup posts that shared reviews on the makeup in a super candid real way. Example: I post a hot selfie of myself and talk about Naked Skin foundation by Urban Decay that just came out. Yeah I wanted to post me looking good on a Friday night but I actually was providing people with value. This was actually so on brand for what I was doing back then because I was in makeup sales for almost 5 years, before the days of heavy social media marketing. I had a beauty blog called Beautybombbb (throwback) where I talked about makeup and clothes in a very real and relatable way but never marketed it. I had a decent following of people but I didn’t commit enough to succeed in such and over saturated market. The whole point is, I left this stuff up on my Instagram and I want my followers who stalk the shit out of my account to see that I didn’t just one day wake up and decide to start a blog and an Instagram and BOOM everything is pretty and beautiful. No, there was work and years of practice and honing in and trying out every new app until you find the ones that you like for editing and planning. Plus I kind of like where I came from because it makes me appreciate how far I have come creatively. I like to look back and see how my aesthetic has evolved and matured into what Crohnically Blonde is today. And guess what, it will continue changing an evolving so stay tuned. What I DO want to share with you guys today are some of the tricks that I have picked up along my blogging/Instagram journey. 1. YOU HAVE TO TAKE BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS THAT MATCH YOUR BRANDI know this seems so basic that it is insulting that this is one of my tips but it is SO true. Beautiful photos are key because those are the ones more likely to get liked, commented on, and reposted. That is just the truth in it. Lucky for you, you don’t need to have a professional grade camera to take heart eye emoji worthy shots. So many people (myself included) who are starting out building their Instagram feed shot their content with their iPhone. My dad who is a photographer said that more and more professional photographers even are posting iPhone images in their professional feeds because of the high quality that you can achieve. This doesn’t mean that you can just snap a photo on your iPhone and call it great content. You have to think about the composition of the photo, the lighting, and the focus of the photo. It requires practice to get it right. To address the matching your brand piece, this means that you are shooting and editing to match the style of your brand as far as color, tone, products, layout, and everything else that plays into it. 2. Have tried and true editing apps and saved setting/filters for a cohesive lookDoes anyone use the filters on the actual Instagram app anymore? This one is huge since there are so many apps out now that are competing to catch your eye. Once you narrow down a few, you figure out your editing process and you can save your settings to make sure your photos are all pretty cohesively edited. A few of my favorites of the moment are: Facetune- Not to make you look like a Bratz doll… no no no. I use this app for whitening my whites in photos and lightening up a picture. You use the whiten tool that you would actually use for teeth whitening and use it on your background/feature product. I love this trick for flat lays. This trick has been a total game changer for my feed as far as making photos flow and look like they are part of the same series even if I am shooting in different environments. ColorStory- I love this app mainly for the tools that you can use to edit curves, exposure, tone, and much more in a photo. You can also save your preferred settings and use them again as a default filter for future pictures. They also have some cool filters that I like as well if I lessen the intensity to about 50% or so. Looksee- They have some cool filters, specifically for nature and food that I like to take into ColorStory to edit the lighting afterwards.I also like that they have celebrities/influencers create filters that you can purchase for a couple of dollars. Word Swag- I just recently discovered this app for quotes and I LOVE it. You can use their pre made backgrounds or use your own photo and put quotes of top of them. The quotes can be in a variety of different fonts, layouts, spacing, and styles most of which are pretty well designed. I love this app for making content for Instagram stories and making quote blocks to post that aren’t pulled from Pinterest like everyone else’s. 3. what value are you adding with this post?My rule is that I try to make 50% of the photos I post on Instagram add value in one way or another. Pretty pictures are great but if they aren’t backed by content they can only take you so far. To me a “value driven post” is a post that is either sharing information about a place/product that your audience will be interested in, sharing a tip, trick, or recipe, or promoting your other forms of content (ie. blog, podcast).The reason why I go for around 50% is because my brand isn’t just about products and blog posts, it is about getting to know me in my natural habitat, knowing my boyfriend, my dogs, my life. If you are all business then it hurts your likeability, authenticity, and people’s ability to relate to you. I do make sure to try and pose a question in my captions to get followers engaged, especially on photos where there isn’t necessarily a direct value add. 4. Make sure your aesthetic carries over to your blog as wellThis one is kind of a no brainer but I have to mention it. Make sure the aesthetic of your Instagram matches that of your blog so that users know what they are getting into. If you have a dark and moody Instagram aesthetic and then your blog is light and pink and girly this causes a disconnect in your brand an confuses readers. 5. PRODUCT ENDORSEMENTS- MAKE SURE YOU ACTUALLY LIKE THE PRODUCT/ IT IS BRAND COHESIVEI like doing product endorsements and reviews. I actually love it. I love being able to influence buying behavior through social media and I love having the opportunity to try new products. That being said, I only do endorsements or ads for products that align with my vision, mission, and brand. Sometimes brands don’t think before they reach out or they don’t do their research. For example, I’ve been asked to partner with brands to promote products that clearly contain gluten. How in the world am I supposed to try and genuinely endorse a product that I can’t even try?! As cool as the paycheck or free stuff can be, if you start filling your feed with BS products that don’t fit with your brand, you lose buy in from your followers. In addition, make sure that if you do agree to endorse a product you can put your own spin on the post both aesthetically and you can use your own words to describe your authentic experience. I just did a post for Roam Fitness and I loved how they handled it. They gave me creative freedom to pretty much do whatever I wanted and it turned into a really informative and authentic post that people responded to. 6. Plan your feed to be aesthetically pleasing and read like a storyI never used to plan my Instagram posts out but the more OCD I get about how it looks the more serious I get. Make sure you are thinking about how the sequence of your photos looks and how the story will flow to your followers. Make sure it is cohesive but also has a healthy mix of content. I use an app Postvu to upload potential posts and arrange them to see how they will look in my feed. 7. Utilize insta story to build your brandThis is something that is newly important due to the increasing popularity of story mode. Utilize your Insta Story to share behind the scenes content and show the more authentic and less curated version of yourself so that your followers can get to know the real you. This is something that I am working on because I am so bad about remembering to do stories. Putting this on my goals list! I love when bloggers and Instagramers that I like put up tidbits of behind the scenes, easily digestible content. 8. Don't make everything so curated that it seems fakeAs much as I love a good Instagram feed that is aesthetically pleasing, you have to have a sense of human in your posts. Everything in your life isn’t perfect. If it is then good for you, you are literally the first person ever who can say that. Showcase the realness of your life and the little imperfections. You can do this with photos, with the stories you tell in your captions, or you Insta Story. As I said before, my brand is still a work in progress but I wanted to share my tricks with you that I have discovered so far. I am so obsessed with the art of social media and human consumption of content. I read so many books about it, listen to podcasts, read articles, it just excites me. I hope this post adds value to you guys and if you have any questions about the apps I mentioned or any of the advice I shared please don’t hesitate to reach out.
xx Recently I had the chance to learn about an insanely cool new addition to BWI that I am pretty obsessed with on all levels. Roam Fitness is the first in airport gym that is actually past the security line. Yup. You heard that right. My favorite thing about Roam is that it is really about creating a whole experience. When the founders of Roam were building the foundation of the gym they took into account everything that a customer would encounter during their journey of working out in an airport. They identified the pain points of travelers wishing to work out and created an all encompassing solution which leaves you really no excuse why you wouldn't want to workout at Roam! Their goal is to make the travel experience better overall. So here is my breakdown on why Roam is so freaking cool. The location. Roam is past security. This little detail makes a huge difference. Think about how early you arrive to the airport just to go through security (especially for international travel) and then once you are through you are bored out of your mind. But, if you wait to go through security, your luck will probably leave you with a two hour line and a missed flight. By Roam being located past security you don't have to worry about having to stand in line post workout and you can maximize your workout time. The equipment. The founders of Roam made sure to do ample research about what people really wanted in an airport gym. Since space is limited they had to make sure that what was being put in really was going to be utilized and the best of the best. They have state of the art cardio equipment ranging from treadmills, a rower, and spin bikes. They also have free weights, TRX equipment, and an area for yoga and stretching. There is something for everyone which I think is great. If I am up early catching a flight I might want to get in my usual cardio workout or if I have a delayed flight and am stressed out of my mind some yoga could be the answer. The amenities. Roam left no rock unturned when they were thinking about the customer experience. Every excuse that you could come up with to not workout, they have an answer for. The number one thing I thought of when I heard about the concept of an airport gym was, well what if I didn't pack workout stuff in my carry on? Roam thought of that too. That is why they actually have clothing and shoes that you can rent. They have a selection of Lululemon workout gear (yaaaaasssss!) and Brooks shoes that you can borrow and return, as well as a retail space where you can purchase your own to take home if you love them so much. If you do bring your own clothes and shoes, they have you covered there as well. They actually vacuum seal your workout gear before you take off so that your sweat isn't stinking up your carry on. This concept is absolute genius. Obviously you are going to want to take a shower before boarding your flight so they have shower facilities that you can reserve ahead of time for 15 minute increments. There is no college dorm waiting for the shower kind of thing going on and you can proactively plan this into your travel schedule. All shampoo, conditioner, and soap is provided and there is a styling bar with every complimentary product you could think of from hairspray to tampons. They really did think of everything. While you are working out you can lock your luggage away in state of the art lockers that even have charging ports for your electronics. To add to the convenience there are monitors located around the facility with flight updates and announcements so that you can track your departure time conveniently. The people. Roam made it a point to hire team members coming from hospitality backgrounds so that they can play a part in enhancing the customer experience. The airport experience can so often be unpersonalized, stressful, and sometimes people are just downright rude. When you go to Roam you are promised to be greeted by a friendly, helpful face that can assist you through your whole experience at Roam. I don't know about ya'll but for me just having a friendly person to connect with during a stressful experience can make a world of difference. I also like that having such trained and skilled team members really elevates the experience and makes the whole process feel pretty darn luxurious. The brand. You know I am ALL about a cohesive brand that really thinks of everything. Well if it isn't clear already, Roam has that going for them. They want to create that "me time" feel of traveling and really encourage people to utilize Roam as an escape from the stresses of travel and pamper themselves. From getting your body moving and feeling good, to pampering yourself with a relaxing shower (with great products!), to continuing the feel good vibes through your day by picking up some of the delicious healthy offerings that Roam sells to eat and drink. The other really cool thing about Roam is that you get to have a luxurious experience with a reasonable price tag. A day pass is $25, a month pass is $100, and a year pass is $350. With each pass you have access to the entire facility, all of the amenities, and the expertise of the on site staff. I pay $25 at the airport for a handful of magazines and some iTunes episodes of The Bachelor to keep me busy. That money could be a lot more well spent.....clearly......
I am so happy that I had the opportunity to get some behind the scenes insight into Roam Fitness and the journey of its creation. I love hearing stories of entrepreneurs who hustle hard and create things that benefit the greater good. Something that really stuck out to me that the CEO, Cynthia Sandall, mentioned was how much research went into creating Roam. The years of testing out facilities, deciding on equipment, making sure that customer pain points were addressed, and implementing little touches that make the brand so cohesive really set Roam apart as a company. I know so many Crohnically Blonde readers are local to the Baltimore area and travel out of BWI regularly so there is no excuse now why you shouldn't carve out some time in your travels to treat yourself to a luxurious workout experience. I know for me, health is a huge thing that I worry about while traveling. I have to keep up with my activity and nutrition so that my Crohn's doesn't wreak havoc on my vacation or work trip. I am honestly relieved that I know there is a place so close to home that really values making your health a priority physically and mentally even while traveling. I can't wait to frequent Roam every time I fly out of BWI and I am looking forward to seeing some of you there! Make sure to check out their website for more details on what Roam Fitness has to offer and give them a follow on Instagram to stay up to date with the latest and greatest happenings (@roam_fitness). **I will also be doing a giveaway on Instagram for a one day free pass for Roam Fitness @ BWI so make sure to follow me (@crohnicallyblonde) for a chance to win! ** xx Happy Monday everyone! Today I am mixing things up because The Brunette Blend tagged me in a cool "How Well Do You Know Me" challenge. The gist is, I answer the 11 questions that she created, create 11 new questions, and tag 11 more bloggers to answer those questions. The trail continues on and on. I think this is such a cool way to connect bloggers and introduce readers to other bloggers with similar taste! This also really reminds me of the quizzes that everyone would post on their MySpace pages #throwback. Please tell me that someone else remembers that.... Here goes nothing! 1. Let’s get this out of the way ASAP. *N Y S Y N C or Backstreet Boys?
Ugh, wait... why is this question so hard. I was a Backstreet Boys girl through and through but I do have to say I love me some JT. 2. Has your blog changed directions since you started? I actually started my blog during my freshman year of college with a totally different direction. I started off as mainly a beauty/ lifestyle blog because I was in makeup sales throughout college. I went on a hiatus for a bit and came back with Crohnically Blonde which is a concept I am absolutely in love with. I still incorporate a lot of beauty and fashion but that isn't my main focus. 3. Who inspires you to be better? I know this sounds corny but my boyfriend Matt really inspires me. I see how hard he works to provide for our family and allow us to live great lives. He supports me 110% in my full time job and with all of my blog goals as well. He gives me genuine feedback and always has my best interest at heart. He not only encourages me to be great in my career but also in my personal life. He encourages me to slow down and enjoy the little things, especially our family. 4. What is one thing you couldn’t live without? My Day Designer. I swear this thing keeps me sane. No matter how much I try and integrate my plans into my phone/Outlook calendar I HAVE to write things down. Whether it is appointments or a "to do list" I can't resist crossing things off in my planner once I complete a task. 5. What is your social media platform of choice? Instagram. 6. What is the first thing you do in the morning? Pet both of my dogs and give them a kiss. Usually Charleston sleeps above my head and Rhaegar is near my feet. It just sets the tone of my morning giving the pups a little love. 7. What have you learned from blogging? I've learned the power of sharing your story. I never realized how impactful the things that have shaped me in my life can be to others. Never be afraid to share. 8. What was the last photo you took? My mail from The Skinny Confidential <3 9. What movie do you quote on a regular basis? Not a movie but usually Vanderpump Rules. I'm the devil and don't you forget it. 10. What is one of your beauty tips or hacks? I'm going to do a blog post on this but I use CBD oil on my face for anti-aging/moisturizing benefits. I have a roll on that I originally was using for my jaw pain at night but when I started to realize the skin where I was applying it was smoother and clearer than the rest of my face I realized I was onto something. I use it all over my face every couple of nights and put it on breakouts too. This works especially well to prevent over drying from acne treatments. Here's the scoop -- I use this face mask (its really great for cystic acne too!). I usually leave it on overnight which you aren't supposed to do and can be a bit drying but it definitely does the job of clearing things up. I follow it up with some topical CBD oil which is moisturizing and has healing benefits. Seriously guys, you must try. 11. What are the three things that ALWAYS make it into your grocery cart? Sparkling water, avocados, Halo Top (Birthday Cake flavor) I challenge...... Annie from The Californienne Raquel from Sincerely Nourished Melissa from Simply Meli Shannon from Sunny Coastlines Julianna from Barre to Table Sam from The Salty Twig Michelle from Millennial Mom Life Crisis Amanda from Cashmere And Jeans Shelly from Arizona Girl Hannah from Blissfully Brunette Amanda from Fashion to Follow My 11 questions are.... 1. What is one beauty product you can't live without? 2. What inspired you to start your blogging journey? 3. What is your favorite blog post that you have ever done? Make sure to link to it! 4. What was the last book you read? 5. What is your go to brunch order? 6. What is your guilty pleasure TV show? 7. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? 8. What is your favorite movie ever? 9. What is the biggest take away that you have learned from blogging? 10. What motivates you when you are having a bad day? 11. What is one word or phrase that you use way to much but just can't stop?
Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you all had a relaxing, refreshing, and rejuvenating weekend! I have been curled up in my house, post Remicade, catching up on blogging and Real Housewives of New York. Today I had my big outing of the weekend and went to grab some Greek food for brunch with my mom, grandpa, and Matt. We tried a bunch of small plates (they have GREAT gluten free choices) but my favorite was the spinach frittata, seriously to die for. It's nice to get dressed and put some makeup on even when you aren't feeling so hot, it boosts my spirits a bit.
I sported my new Lulu's aviators which I ordered in my ER/pain medicine induced haze and I've ended up really loving them. Also, below is my live action shot of me yelling at Matt for something because I am a gem of a girlfriend. Just kidding, not yelling at him, love you boo.
Anyway, by time I got home I was totally exhausted and I knew writing the full post that I wanted to do was NOT happening. I got a little creative with this one and decided to just do a video of what I was going to do a post on. Genius! According to Gary V. video and audio content is the KEY right now so count me the F in. Honestly, when I am not feeling great it is way easier to articulate myself through spoken words than it is writing something witty and engaging (sorry yall!).
This week I wanted to show you all my favorite things that I am obsessing over lately! I feel like I used to do these in individual posts but I have been trying out so many cool new things that I feel like I needed to group some together. This segment has a mix of books, jewelry, beauty, sparkling water (yassss), and my favorite website for summer fashion. The best part is that everything I am recommending to you all is under $20 and you can get pretty much everything on Amazon. That is, minus Lulus.com because you can spend a boat load of money there. I am not responsible for that. I hope you guys enjoy! Please let me know if this is a style of delivering content that you guys and enjoy and I can do some more of these! Also, feel free to drop me a DM or let me know on my Instagram what products you are ABSOLUTELY LOVING RN. xx. One of the things I look forward to most about summer vacations is getting time to relax, be super freaking introverted, lay on the beach, and devour books like it is my job. With my full time job, blogging side hustle, and trying to get enough rest, reading often gets put on the back burner in my life even though I love it. Taking a bubble bath and diving into a novel or just laying in bed and falling asleep with a good book in hand are two of my most favorite weekend activities so I have been trying to make a conscious effort to schedule those moments into my life. Now that we live right across the street from our local library, Matt and I are there almost every week picking up new books and then coming home and just laying on the couch reading together. It seems nerdy but you have to try it. It is one of the best ways to be together with your partner but still be doing your own thing. Vacations are MY time for reading. Matt already knows to step back and let me knock out some novels. Whether we are in an airport or on the beach, reading is my jam. The minute vacation time hits, I am hitting the books. With Fourth of July weekend right around the corner, I wanted to share some of my must read books in hopes that you will have enough time to Amazon Prime them before you hit the road. I have a pretty all over the place taste in books and I pull recommendations from blogs, magazines, and friends so you can count on me to provide a solid sampler of the best of the best. 1. "Superficial" by Any Cohen- This book is a Bravo lover's fantasy. Getting to hear the inside scoop on the man behind "The Housewives" is something you can't beat. Andy Cohen shares his fair share of first world problems that I sadly felt myself relating to more than I should. I really enjoy his stories about Wacha and I am convinced him and Charleston are long, lost brothers. This book is full of humor and #lifegoals. I may have to dub this the perfect beach read.
2. "Bite Me"- by Ally Hilfiger- I went on a huge rant about this book on my latest podcast. Ally does a phenomenal job of articulating the struggles of Lyme Disease that actually any chronic illness sufferer can probably relate to. This is a definitely a must read for anyone who feels that they are lost or misunderstood with any physical or emotional condition. And also their supporters! It seems like it would be a bit heavy for a casual beach read but somehow Ally does a great job of making her story captivating, not too dark, and informational, all at one time. 3. "Down The Rabbit Hole"- by Holly Madison- I heard about this book from The Skinny Confidential and one of her book recommendation posts. I wasn't sold on the whole Playboy thing but when I saw this as a featured book at the library I figured I should just check it out. As soon as I started reading this I was totally hooked! Holly Madison goes SUPER deep into her experience at the Playboy Mansion and her whole mindset that kept her there for so long. As a viewer of "The Girls Next Door" back in the day, I had one idea of Holly that this book proved totally wrong. She is actually an ambitious and savvy businesswoman who has accomplished some great things in the industry. This book took me only two days to finish and by the end of it I felt like I watched a documentary on the inside scoop of the Playboy Mansion and the Playboy Bunnies which I definitely couldn't get enough of. 4. "Tribes" by Seth Godin- Personal development books are some of my absolute favorites for vacation. I am pretty intense about always wanting to be productive so mentally bettering myself is appealing, even on days off. This book takes a unique approach at motivating and coaching people as well as rallying people to support your cause or movement. I found this book super valuable for growing my success in my full time job and with my blog! It is a quick read so you won't spend too much of your vacation "working". Let me know what ya'll think about these summer picks and please let me know what YOU are reading on your summer vacation! All of these books can be found on Amazon in a variety of hardcover, paperback , and Audible formats. xx When I originally was thinking through writing this post I was singing the tune of "oh my god I love summer, I love the heat, I love everything warm and summer". Now I am sitting here with fans blowing on me on an 87 degree day on day two without central AC. Yikes. And get this, they can't come out to repair it until Monday. It is like the universe had to knock me down a little from my "I love summer" high. Either way, I am fighting through the fact that I feel like I am in a hot yoga class 24/7 and I love my dogs more than I love myself so I give them prime fan blowing real estate. Despite my air conditioning mishap I am still going to bring ya'll a little update on some products that I am obsessing over right now. The amount of different beauty products I try on a regular basis borderline crazy but I consider it research. I am not only a sucker for things that deliver results but also for super cute packaging. I love some good, cohesive branding and product names and packaging that wows. When it comes to beauty products there are always the latest and greatest trends that brands follow but how many companies can make virtually the same product with almost the same formulation playing into the same trend that everyone else is playing into? Every company does this. Yes, there are brands that sell you on formula or price point but something that I think can really set a product apart for their competitors: packaging. In a world where everyone is documenting everything brands need to make their products beautiful and photogenic that way customers and influencers are more likely to snap a picture and share. There could be two products that are exactly the same but the one with more appealing packaging is the choice I will always go for. I think it is more than just about the fact that it "looks cute", I feel like it makes me feel like the brand put more care into the whole experience that their customer will have with this product. That makes me trust the brand more and in return I want to buy into the whole experience of what they are selling. Right now some of my favorite products (for both performance and packaging) are summer themed and I am loving it. Palms, pineapples, & flamingos are taking over my vanity set up and I am basking in the cuteness. These four items not only perfectly packaged but they also are must haves for my fresh, dewy summer look that I am currently really liking. I have been using brightening face wipes, a slight bit on foundation with highlighter mixed in, some swipes of mascara, and highlighter on my cheek bones and under my brows to top it off.
Like I said, I am a total sucker for packaging and TJ Maxx is my ultimate weakness. I always love picking up makeup wipes from TJ Maxx because they always have a great variety and you can get a package of about 60 wipes for under $5. The best part, other than getting the chance to try different brands, is that their selections always have cool packaging that varies in color and pattern. I love this because I can obsessively pick the packaging that best matches the aesthetic I am going for at the time. Just make sure when you are picking that you are reading the ingredients to make sure you are selecting a good product (and not getting suckered in by the cute packaging only) and make sure you are picking out a wipe that is fitting for your skin type. One of the highlighters and the mascara that I am really liking right now are from The Beauty Crop. Both of these items I ordered or received via Birchbox. The Lighting Crew highlighter is a very thin formula that sits lightly on your skin. If you mix it in with a BB cream or light foundation and blend with a beauty blender you get a perfect dewy look. I love that the formula is light enough to easily blend with foundation because a lot of other highlighters can be way too shimmery for all over use. A little of this stuff goes a long way so this tiny $18 tube will be blessing your makeup bag with its pineapple cuteness for quite a while. The Fabulous Flocking Lashes is another current favorite. It is a waterproof formula that doesn't leave your lashes feeling dry or crispy. I usually hate waterproof mascaras but this one is a winner thanks to the moisturizing nature of it. It provides a very natural look that makes this a perfect product to rock when you want to look super effortless. For the full size tube it is about $20. I am flamingo obsessed (my mom is too, must run in the family) so I freak every time I see something flamingo themed. Must. Buy. You can get both of these products here along with some other cute stuff. I got mine via Birchbox so I could use my reward points but if you want to buy them directly from The Beauty Crop website you can get 10% off of your first purchase (yay!). My last must have isn't a hero because of the packaging but really because of the freaking heavenly summery smell. I usually am not one to take notice of the scent of makeup because that is not usually one of my deciding factors for making a purchase (unless it is disgusting). This product changed my mind. I received this Marc Jacobs highlighter complimentary to test for Influenster. I immediately noticed the delicious coconut smell with the first tiny pump of product. I just can't get enough of it not. It isn't like that sunscreen coconut smell, its like a nice coconut candle smell. Once I got over how amazing the scent was I realized that the product performance was pretty awesome as well. This gel highlighter is great for creating a natural glow on your cheek bones, brow arch, and even a tad right above your lip. A little goes a long way with this highlighter as well so I will be, for sure, enjoying this all summer long. Currently they are out of stock but you can check it out here and bookmark that ish for when it comes back in stock. You can also get 15% off of your first purchase with Marc Jacobs Beauty. Let me know what other products you all are loving for summer and other themed products that are taking over your makeup collection! xx |
Blonde babe.
Millennial mom. Crohn's crusher. Mental health advocate. Sharing my raw and real journey through motherhood and navigating Crohn’s Disease. CrohnicallyBlonde is a place where I serve up my unfiltered commentary on chronic illness, mental health, pregnancy, and motherhood alongside lighter lifestyle content like beauty product reviews, travel tips, and book recommendations. My hope is that by authentically sharing my story I can help others going through similar situations not feel so alone and maybe even laugh along with me. categories
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