Tied Up with String

🎵🎵🎵…These are a few of my favorite things. 🎵🎵🎵

So this is now the sixth attempt at a post.

My writer’s block is in full swing – perhaps because my creative mind is across the world in India, dancing in a hot pink sari with elephants at the wedding-of-the-century I’m supposed to be attending right now.

I’m not bitter.

Really.

So, instead of beating my head against a wall trying to come up with a super deep, motivational message, like I’ve been trying to do for the last 4 hours, I’m going to instead do a fun post. One that I love reading on other people’s blogs/podcasts.

And this is going to be entitled: Things I’m Loving.

None of these things are sponsored. Basically, it’s going to be as though you and I were just sitting over a cup of piping hot camomile tea — or shots of tequila — and chatting about everything we’ve been obsessed with in the last couple months.

This is Us
If you haven’t heard of this TV show, I invite you to check it out. Literally everyone in my life has been telling me I Need-with-a-capital-“N” to watch this show.

And after dodging it on my Hulu queue for the last several months, I finally bit the bullet, and boy, am I glad I did.

I’m only three episodes in, but even still, I found myself last night, with tears streaming down my cheeks, feeling. It is so good. Give it a watch.

Obagi Sunscreen


So because of this video, my skin has been blasted, literally all over the internet. And with it has come with a slew of inquiries about – not just if I’m a battered woman…

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but also what my skincare routine is. So, I figure I’ll just lay it all out there.

My Number One skincare steadfast rule is sun protection. There is no better anti-aging/anti-wrinkle secret than protecting your skin from the sun. I don’t leave the house without sunscreen. Even on cloudy days. And I always wear a hat – this one is my favorite because it has a high UPF rating.

 

Shop this look!

That’s it. That’s the “secret.” This sunscreen is great for everyday, and this sunscreen is the holy-grail, heavy-hitter for when you really need it. I wore it skiing — no “Goggle Tan” for this girl 🙂

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And my teeth whitener is the Glo system – I have really sensitive teeth, and can’t use Crest White Strips because they hurt, so I love Glo because it uses light to whiten them. Buy the system once, then the refills are comparable in price with White Strips. Worth every penny.

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SnapChat
OK, so you may recall that I went on a date over Christmas with a guy who was a SnapChat fanatic. Well, since my introduction to this millennial-friendly social media platform, I have honestly fallen in love. –Not with that guy, but with Snapchat 🙂 haha 

So if you think you’re “too old” for it, or “not cool enough” for it, like I thought – consider this your personal invitation.

And also – Patreon just released its own “SnapChat” called “Lens” – and so I’ll be posting little video stories on there, if you want to join 🙂

The Ben & Ashley I “Almost Famous” Podcast


You didn’t think you were going to get through this post without a little Bachelor action, did you??

I know. I am a sucker for all things Bachelor. And this podcast is hosted by IMHO the best Bachelor in history: Ben Higgins. They recap the show every week, have on interesting guests, and honestly, have some pretty cute banter. I watch The Bachelor on Monday, listen to their pod on Tuesday, dream about dating Ben on Wednesday…It’s a great little main-stay in my oh-so-exciting life.

Puff Slippers
For me, it’s the little things in life. Like these slippers. They are made out of a down comforter. It feels like wrapping your feet up in clouds. Every minute I’m in my apartment, I am wearing these slippers. I may not be setting any fashion trends here. But this is joy in the form of footwear.

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Flavored Water
Now, I’m not talking about Le Croix. Although, I do love me some hipster water. Especially the melon-grapefruit flavor. No, I’m talking about some good, old-fashioned lemon and lime water. I try to drink two liters of water a day, and the only way I can do it is by squeezing a lemon and lime with a little bit of stevia in it.  I make an infused pitcher before I go to bed every night, and in the morning: an h2O treat awaits me.

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I look forward to it every day 🙂

Linen Scented Plug-In Freshener
Again – it’s the little things. In an effort here recently to show myself a little more self love, I have decided that I want my apartment to smell fabulous. Not that it smelled dingy or musty before. Heavens no. I just decided that I want it to smell like fresh linen. All the time. So I picked up a Febreeze Plug In Air Freshener, and I literally smile every time I walk into my apartment now, because it smells like a dream.

And just because y’all asked: my cheek highlighter is Champagne Pop by Becca and my mascara is Lights Camera Flashes by Tarte.

OK – that’s all for now. Thanks for stopping by tonight – I’ll be back with regular programming as usual on Monday!

What are some of the things YOU’RE loving?! Let me know in the comments!

Have a great weekend!

***THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ORDERED MY BOOKS, BLOOM: A JOURNAL BY BEAUTYBEYONDBONES AND “MY BLOGGING TIPS“***

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY!

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124 responses to “Tied Up with String”

  2. Weird. I was reading in Lamnso and just read , one hand cannot tie a bundle. It’s a sign! Kidding.

    So. You wear sleeping bags, on your feet. That’s. Wow. I’m old.

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      • My friend in Mexico makes tequila. I used to make absinthe. Anyways. Fresh tequila is quite awful like Cuervo. I like Herradura they caramelized their barrels like Rum it makes a vanilla aftertaste. There’s another that looks like Winnie The Pooh’s Honey Pot, I loved it but always forgot the name in the morning.

      • Its the European version of “sake silly.” Karaoke and can’t sing, no problem. Group of girls dancing without men, no problem. Shake it. I learned to make it from a very old man in Canada while doing the fisherman thing. I have stories. I don’t know. I lived some. I guess.

      • So I went to a juice bar. They had this kale superfood smoothie something or other. So. I get the biggest one and I down it. Then maybe ten minutes later I’m running to the bathroom. I wasn’t sure if that was normal. Most of what I get is microwaved or I just add water. I guess healthy food doesn’t stick with you. Is that right?

      • It’s cool. I laughed it off. Maybe it was the wheatgrass. Never had it. Or the portion size the drink was over a liter of, green stuff.

      • I’m usually on the production side. Sometimes after long days they let us buy the fruit or veggies at reduced prices. I think its a tax thing. Most days it goes unnoticed how healthy everything is on the farms to the detriment of its workers.

    • Oh nice! Good luck with the sewing! I’m wearing them right now. They’re my everything haha Hugs and love xox

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  4. Wow, Lacroix is hipster water? Dang, look at me being all trendsettery!

    I’m loving the wonderful, caring people who are taking care of my mother in the hospital right now. She is getting therapy after a stroke added on top of serious dementia issues. This takes some special people to respond to her worst impulses with love and care.

    Oh yeah, and I agree with Modern Theologian on the whiskey. 🙂

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    • Yep totally hipster! Oh gosh I’m so glad to hear that your mom is getting good care. Keeping her in my prayers. Hugs and love xox

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  5. I love slippers, too, and always put them on when I get home as well! I may have to try those ones!

    I have super sensitive skin, so I was so happy to have found this cleanser for my face! It is so gentle and really clears up my skin and leaves it super soft and nourished feeling!

    La Roche-Posay La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo- Cleanser Face Wash and Makeup Remover for Sensitive Skin, 6.76 Fl. Oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IOBEG2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_U6oFAb45EN9A8

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  6. To be honest, not a lot right now, but
    – English breakfast tea. I’ve not been making it the right way with travel, but it’s always good
    – Spirit Move by Bethel
    – The Spirit when alone
    – Thinking about being settled down

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  7. For someone with writer’s block, you did great 🙂 I got all distracted with hats, and slippers, and infused pitchers. I’ve been looking for and infusion pitcher, but back out at the last minute because 1) they are always online, no one local has them, so without holding them its hard to know if they are decent or not, 2) none of my friends have one, so I don’t have anyone to tell me honestly if they work. So a huge thank you 🙂 God bless you :):)

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  8. Try a tooth paste with NovaMin in it. No question that NovaMin is effective for sensitive teeth. It has been proven to repair sensative teeth. I have used it for years.

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  10. Since I have Raynaud’s, I’m going to have to get me some of those slippers! Maybe I won’t have to insert toe warmers with them 😉
    A coworker recommended This Is Us to my husband for two reasons—one, she said he looks like the Milo guy in it and two, it’s a good show. Haven’t taken the plunge yet, but may do so soon… hate to get addicted to a series, though 😜

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    • I hope you love them, Mia! They are the best ever. You’ll def get hooked on the show! Hugs and love xox

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    • I haven’t gotten the courage to go public with it yet, but if so you’ll be the first to know!! 🙂 right now it’s just Instagram 🙂 (@beauty.beyond.bones) Hugs and love xox

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  12. Hugs You!! Love too!! So what happened, you never made it to India? (I’m going on the comment about “supposed” to be attending). ANYWAY, I love the your sharing, and all the different things you like, like to do, like to surround yourself with. Me? I like to ride my exercise bike a good 3-4 miles each day. I like a good red wine. I like candles of all shapes and sizes. I am liking a slim fast for lunch right now, on most days. I got into a lunch funk and said screw it and tried slim fast and I feel much better, much less hungry throughout the day, especially when I’m teaching. I am TOTALLY LOVING blood oranges right not but sadly, with it being February, their presence is once again on the decline til next year. I have one bag left and it MAY be the last I get. They come around in January. After that, all bets are off. I just finished playing my trombone and congas which are always a good time. I also love reading and sharing on your blog. You and the light you shine always touch me with great joy! More love and hugs! xoxoxoxo

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  13. Oh Miracle Yello. I feel you. I have been pondering just what to write for hours. And I just posted a hypothetical. Oh my goodness. Anywho…

    …”These are a few of my favorite things”
    I love music (old skool, jazz, some of that fine classic, R&B). Oh, I love to dance…salsa, foxtrot, folk. I thoroughly enjoy sushi and some freshly pressed fruit juice. On Friday nights, I could “kill” for some wine. Typically, you would find me at the beach sitting and starring down the waves, hiking for miles and often biking for hours from city to city just site seeing and listening to sweet beats. I love hanging out with friends and I enjoy good art work.

    But –
    …when the dog barks, when the bee stings…when I’m feeling sad…
    I simply find me some Rose, get on Netflix and binge watch movies.

    And then I don’t feel soooooo….b…a…d…

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    • Thanks Ish. Ohh I love fresh pressed juice too 🙂 hahaha love your new lyrics for the classic 🙂 hehe Hugs and love xox

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  14. This is pretty simple, but at the moment I am loving that I held onto a TI digital watch that I got in 1976 from my Dad and 40 yrs later it gets new batteries and works just fine! It’s not even a Timex. Now the more important love is that my husband and I are having our 29th wedding anniversary this week! It has all gone very fast! Thanks for sharing the things that you enjoy with us. I like to wear a hat outside when I am out in the sun, though I have to be careful of sunscreen as my skin does not cotton to coconut products being on it, and most sunscreens have that in it…same with shampoos. I hope you have a great week!

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  15. I loved your slippers! I might get them in charcoal. What color are yours? And that infused pitcher is a great idea. My favorite things? My cell phone, my son’s Kindle, and my laptop.

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    • Thanks Marcelo! They are seriously the best slippers ever. Mine are hot pink 🙂 those are some great things too! Hugs and love xox

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  16. Love your highlighter! I’ve been looking at some of Tarte’s highlighters and bronzers as well, but haven’t invested in one yet. Do you have any suggestions?

    It would be cool if you did a makeup tutorial video 🙂

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    • Thank you so much! I definitely have some strong opinions on highlighters. I own both tarte’s highlighter and champagne pop highlighter. And champagne pop is a superior product. Now, I LOVE all of tarte’s products and I use exclusively their product line on my face – minus the highlighter. Champagne pop is more of a “glow from within” look where as tarte’s looks like you put a shimmery eyeshadow on your cheek. You can clearly see it – it almost has a white cast. All that being said, I do use tarte’s highlighter as an actual eye show sometimes. Their Park Avenue princess bronzer is great though. I use it everyday. 🙂 but those are my thoughts! Thanks for the vid suggestion! Perhaps i may have to look into doing some 🙂 hope those suggestions help! Hugs and love xox

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  20. Favorite things. Well, memories. The last time we hosted Thanksgiving there were 25 of us in the house! It was exhausting but the best Thanksgiving ever!
    – Peacefully sitting with a friend in a car deep in the park while soft rain caressed the car.
    – Julie’s lasagna!
    – The first time Julie heard the song my best friend and I co-wrote for her: She’s My Jewel. It was at our wedding reception. We played the studio recording – complete with a synthesized full orchestra – on Rick’s concert Bose system. Julie cried. Even the waitresses cried.
    – The first time Hillary hugged me back when she was still an infant.
    – The time the girls wouldn’t believe us when we told them we were all going to London for Christmas. Too funny! Then their reaction when I showed them their tickets…
    – Their #1 fave memory from childhood, even ahead of London. They were just big enough to maybe handle adult-sized bicycle, which they wanted badly! I took them to Toys-R-Us to get a birthday present for a party and told them to day dream at the bikes. I found them later each standing next to their dream machine. I said, well, maybe someday. Then I said, well…how about today?
    – Which just goes to show, it’s the little things in life…

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    • Oh wow 25 people! That’s incredible. Sounds like so much fun and so many dishes! Haha awww She’s my Jewel 😻 so sweet!!!! London sounds like t was a blast 🙂 you’re so right – the little things. I’m right there with ya Jeff! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you and Julie have a beautiful weekend! Xox

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  21. This is Us only gets better. Keep watching! Thanks for sharing your loves. Next time you have writer’s block, I’d love know what your favorite books are. As an author, I’m always fascinated by what others read.

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  22. Going to check out the Glo system. I drink so much coffee and tea and struggle for something to keep my teeth white. My dentist says to cut back on the coffee and tea but I can’t do that!

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    • Thanks Barbara! Oh yeah this is an awesome one. My mom uses it too and loves it! Hugs and love xox

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  23. Whenever I have tequila, I become possessed by the spirit of John Malkovich. Which is really disturbing considering, yanno . . he’s still alive.

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  24. What a good idea for a blog. At the moment I’m loving the books of Philip Pullman. I was given ‘The Book of Dust’ as a birthday present from a good friend last October and was mesmerised. Since Christmas, I have read three more Philip Pullman’s, the ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy and am still mesmerised!

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    • Hey friend! I love Kristina! I wish I knew her personally! What a compliment. Thank you 🙂 Hugs and love xox

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  27. Great post Caralyn! Oh that dreaded writer’s block. We all get them at one point in time, in my case it’s very often. I should try something like what you’ve done and talk about things I love. Thanks for inspiring me the next time I have a writer’s block.

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    • Thanks so much Mark! Yeah I am on the lookout for inspiration this weekend! Haha yes!! Hugs and love xox

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    • Thanks friend! It really is! And oh my gosh Glo is worth every penny. It costs a little bit for the system up front but then you have it forever. And then you just buy the gel refills which cost the same as whitestrips. I’ve had mine for like 6 years. Still looks and works like brand spankin’ new. Hugs and love xox

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  30. A few of my favorite things include my cat (he is so cute!), books (the smell of each page somehow brings me into another world! Weird, I know…), movies (detective and action are my favorites), and hiking with my dad. There are much more, but I don’t want to overwhelm the community with all of them!

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    • I love the smell of books too!! Smells like knowledge haha Thanks Anna! Good luck with the move! Hugs and love xox

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  31. Well I struck gold with this blog, and thank you! I’ve only been back online since end of December and saw you have visited my blog so today, I checked you out, and like I said – struck gold! Woman I can feel your vibrant energy flow right through this page and look forward to being more active in reading your posts. I need your energy boost and you made my day! ~ Shammah

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  33. I’m loving the Olympics at the moment despite the fact it starts at midnight over here 🙃, absolutely love watching the curling, ice hockey and much more! #TeamGBarethebest, if you have Snapchat please add me (BennyBBish) ❤️ I will try the other app ❤️

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  34. Fuzzy Socks still all the rage at 29. My hand me down Johanna Lindsey Novels that got me started reading romance novels in the first place. They were my moms and now I have them. And whats funny it’s like riding a bike, I remember details from stories I haven’t ready since I was a pre-teen/teen. Yes, my mom let me read them. I had a college reading level very early so they were easy peasy and fun to read.

    Trying to watch all of ER. I was overseas a lot when it was still on, so I am rehashing old memories there too. Oh…Abby and Luca. Good times. I’m not all about the now, I am enjoying the nostalgia.

    Oh wait…Backstreet Boys, they are making a great comeback.

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    • Thanks Brittany – oh BSB – they were my first true love hahaha thanks for stopping by! Hugs and love xox

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  35. I am loving -feeling better slowly as I also have had the flu recently, I am loving phone calls with my friend and gradually getting over the ‘phone anxiety’ which made me prefer to text! now I love chatting on the phone! I love spending time in prayer each day – I’m doing a Novena to the Sacred Heart to help me find strength to recover from anorexia and embrace my life and I love my cat Lucia! I love naps on the sofa, I love sunlight, I love the mountains and sea where I live… I also love watching ‘Orange is the New Black’ and I love your blog! 🙂 I have just started blogging again and I enjoyed writing. I have gotten a lot of support and help and inspiration from your blog over the years and I’m grateful to you for keeping it going and sharing your words and faith with us all 🙂 xo Em

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    • Thanks so much for this thoughtful response, Em. I’m so glad it resonated with you. Oh the Sacred Heart novena – so powerful. I will definitely keep you in my prayers as you make your way through the novena. Hugs and love xox

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  36. Dang…I STILL haven’t seen This Is Us, and I know so many people who LOVE that show (and they ALL cry watching it). I know I too will cry (I can be a grizzly bear much of the time, but I’m a teddy bear at heart lol). And I just cancelled my Hulu subscription recently, dag nabbit. Hopefully, I can watch season 1 via NBC app. And oooh wee…I DEFINITELY need to get me one of those infused pitcher thingies. 😁 Now I need to think about what I’m loving…Hmmm…🤔

    Reply

      • I watched the first 3 episodes of season 1 last night/this morning. The grizzly bear went all teddy bear emotional. I’m sure it’s only going to increase as I progress, based on my social media feeds 😂. I should invest in more facial tissue. 😭😁

  37. sorry just reading back on your posts….. somehow I missed them in my feed. I absolutely love this is us! its the one show I watch consistently apart from the four but I agree every part of that show is just amazing! I am not sure if you watch but on NBC.com they have post show recap I like that too

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  41. That was a lot to take in, however, I am glad that you are enjoying yourself, enjoying your lovely drinks, and that you’ve been doing okay, despite any criticism you may have read from your viewers. I also thought that you had fallen in love with your date friend as well. 🙂

    All I can say is keep doing what you’re doing and having fun, Sis’! Love your posts!

    Reply

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