a few of my favorite things

good morning! it's monday and i'm in need of a pick-me-up, so i thought i'd share a few of my favorite things. tried and true, these are things i use often and adore. p.s., how wonderful is the picture above? such carefree abandon.

benefit benetint is one of those cosmetic items you wish you had discovered the minute your mother allowed you to wear makeup. i love, love, love this stuff. it's cheek and lip stain in one and it works well year-round, no matter how tan or pale you are during the different seasons. and it lasts. a few drops on each cheek, smoothed with your finger or blush brush, and voila! a bit of warmth right where you need it without appearing clown-ish. it smells romantic and flirty too. i'm never going back to powder blush.


emersonmade. this woman's style is incredibly chic. she and her team hand-make bright cloth flowers for your hair, shoes, clothing, and clutches. i mentioned to m one time how lovely i thought these clutches were, and he surprised me with one when i was having a particularly bum day. (i should include here that m, if considered a thing, is perhaps my favorite of all). you can find emerson and her blog (the girl is funny!) here.

the esv study bible. i finally bought a new bible a few months ago, and i'm so glad i went with this one. i love this translation, and the annotations have proved so helpful. it's a little big to fit in my purse, so i mainly leave this one at home, but the detailed notes, maps, histories, and cross-references are worth it.

mochas. ah, my weakness. chocolate always gets the best of me. especially when it comes in a steamy hot cup of caffeinated heaven. that $4 slips so easily out of my pocket. especially, when they come from charlottesville's shenandoah joe's. i've never had a better mocha (or cup of coffee) than what i've had at joe's. if you're in the area, i seriously recommend it.