life

NYC trip: EXTREMELY late upload.

5:17 PM

I spent the day with my grandmother, helping her pack for a trip to New Orleans and talking about our travels.  I realized that I never posted anything about my trip to NYC.  It was filled with sightseeing, shopping, and eating, and I am so glad that I got to spend time with my lifelong friend Mary Kathryn and our mothers.  It was an amazing senior trip that I will never forget.  Here are some pictures of some of the things we did and saw.

The 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero.

The New York Stock Exchange

Macy's!!

Radio City Music Hall

The amazing view from the top of the Rockefeller Center


Central Park where we got trapped in a rain storm


and a few of my favorite desserts!  A tugboat from Carmine's and Frrrozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity 3.


These photos really don't even begin to scratch the surface of everything I saw and experienced (and ate) but I definitely wanted to have something about the trip up on the blog.

Still full of wanderlust,
Laura

alittlelookatlaura

Online Shopping Haul! Christmas in July!

2:54 PM

I will be the first to admit that I am completely addicted to online shopping.  There is nothing like coming home to a package at the front door.  I love when things are late coming in because it is a complete surprise when I open them.  That being said, on days when my Etsy orders finally come in, I'm like a kid on Christmas morning.

This was the first item to come in, and I love it.
It's from an Etsy shop called Gigglosophy.

This was the next beauty to arrive.  It's inspired by the J. Crew version.

This one is from the Etsy shop BeadzandBling.

Next came this dainty rose gold pearl bracelet.
It is from BijouxbyMeg.

I couldn't resist this adorable Lilly Pulitzer Print bow from Sophia'sHandmades.

The last thing I ordered wasn't from Etsy, but from the Southern Shirt Company.  I ordered this Spirit Jersey in a size Small, and it fits a bit shorter than I had hoped, but I still love it.


Happy shopping!
Laura


amazing

Coconut Oil Hair Mask

2:58 PM

I feel the need to obsess over coconut oil today. This is pretty much my favorite thing in the world. Once a week, I set aside enough time to do this. My hair really needs a trim, so you can see that my ends are pretty frazzled. 
First, I wash my hair with warm water to open the cuticle. 
Second, I spoon out the coconut oil and apply it to different sections of my hair, using a lot on the tips. It takes me 5 spoonfuls to cover my hair, which is long and fine. 
Third, I clip my hair up and wait thirty minutes. 
Fourth, I wash my hair again. I use this clarifying shampoo once a week after this treatment because I feel like its too hard for my Wen to cut all of the greasiness of the oil out and I still don't want to use sulfates in my hair. 
My hair feels ridiculously soft and smooth after this treatment, and I don't have to straighten it. 
I even use the coconut oil as a body lotion by mixing it in with the best smelling lotion in the world. 
The stuff is amazing and it's only about $7 for a huge jar. I've heard it can even be used as a makeup remover or anti aging treatment.  You HAVE to give it a try. 
❤❤❤
Laura


life

Toyota RAV4!!!!

7:51 PM

I have been the driver of an old Ford Explorer since I've had my license, and today I got the keys to this beautiful machine. 

Please excuse my always awkward pose and admire the beauty of Penelope/Blair Waldorf (what should I name her?!?!) This car is perfect and I am in love with it. I have the most amazing parents in the world for getting me this car. It felt like forever waiting for it, but it was definitely worth the wait. 
^^^There's my new favorite place in the world!!! Who wants to go for a ride?
Xoxo,
Laura and Penelope/Blair Waldorf

alittlelookatlaura

How To Fix A Broken Nail (magical tea bag miracle)

12:21 PM

I realize that it is probably not the most practical situation to be an athlete with long nails, however, this is not a point in which I am willing to concede. Unfortunately, sometimes the unthinkable happens, and I *gasp* break a nail. I usually clip it off and start again, but this time, the break was well down my nail bed and I was reluctant to snip it. A mother of one of my teammates advised me to make a tea bag/super glue bandage for my nail, which ended up working surprisingly well. 

To carry out this "nail surgery," you will need scissors, a small portion of an empty, unused, tea bag, tweezers, base coat, top coat, polish, and superglue. 
Step One: examine the nail break and cut a strip of the tea bag to cover it and bind it back together. 
*This is what my break looks like. 
*this magical bandage may begin to sparkle in your palm from its power. 

Step Two: very carefully apply the superglue to either side of the tea bag bandage, and even more carefully apply the glue covered side to your nail, using the smooth edge of the tweezers to smooth it out. 
*This is what your new nail should look like. It should have sort of a paper mâché feel to it. 

Step Three: apply your base coat to all nails, adding a second and possibly third coat to the affected nail until you can barely tell the tea bag is there. 
*I used Seche Vite base coat. 

Step Four: apply your polish and top coat as normal. I used Essie's Mesmerized. 
*Which hand had a broken nail??
*When you're done, you shouldn't even be able to tell there's anything there, but your nail will be stable enough to grow out as normal. 
If you want to change polish before its grown out, you will have to repeat the whole process as the polish remover will eat away the bandage. 
The only downfall to this solution is that there's no way to drink the tea from the bag you use. ): Still, a small price to pay for a fixed nail. 

Enjoy!
Laura

alittlelookatlaura

Happy Birthday Blog

10:52 AM

Today I decided to take the plunge and start my own blog.  I realize that few, if any, people want "a little look at Laura," so this blog is more for me than anyone.  I enjoy reading about the humdrum goings-on of other people's lives through their blogs, so I've decided to record mine, if for nothing else, then something to look back on someday.  So today, July 6, fourteen days before my own, is the birth date of my blog.  It will be happy to accept gifts ("A Little Look at Laura" has a special fondness for online shopping, so gift cards would be much appreciated. (: ) and it looks forward to being a place to share my random life experiences.

I pledge as my Mid-Year resolution to keep up with this blog and post as often as I feel so inspired.  If anyone is reading this, feel free to follow my blog and I on this journey.  We'd be happy to have the company.

Ta ta for now,
Laura

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