Lauren Paints | a beautiful life

April 17, 2015

The Movie I'm Most Excited to See in 2015: The Age of Adaline

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Lionsgate. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

You know that moment when you see a preview for a movie that is coming out soon and it makes you SO excited that you have to see the movie as soon as possible? I'm talking about the type of movie that makes you add a note to your phone's calendar and text your best friend that she HAS to come with you to see the movie on opening night. Well, The Age of Adaline is one of those movies.

In only two minutes, I already know I'll love everything about this movie. With twists and turns that you wouldn't expect, The Age of Adaline captures the gorgeous Blake Lively as a young woman, named Adaline Bowman, trapped in a body that doesn't age after an accident.

While that may sound like an ideal life, the downfall is that everyone else will continue to age. Our society considers maintaining our youth to be a fantasy, but as you'll find out in The Age of Adaline the reality of eternal youth isn't all it's chalked up to be. True love, family devotion, and a suspenseful story-line... what more could you ask for in a movie?

A photo posted by Age Of Adaline (@ageofadaline) on Mar 11, 2015 at 1:52pm PDT

Watching Lively play Adaline is a real treat. Her beautiful face is truly timeless, which is proven as she adjust her looks to blend with each and every decade through out the years. While her acting is amazing, the supporting actors in the movie also do a great job of making the story line come together.

This unique, romantic tale is one that I'll be waiting in line to see on April 23rd. Are you excited to see The Age of Adaline as well? What part of the movie hooked you in at first? The enchantment, the romance, or the fashion through out the decades? No matter what initially pulls you into the story line, The Age of Adaline asks the deep questions we all have about love, life and values and hopefully will provide some answers... I suppose only time will tell.

Some moments are worth waiting a lifetime for… #Adaline - Only in theaters 4/24

A photo posted by Age Of Adaline (@ageofadaline) on Apr 8, 2015 at 10:52am PDT

Haven't seen the trailer yet? Here's your chance:

April 16, 2015

5 Must-See Foodie Shows on Netflix

I'm a Netflix fanatic, as are most of us now-a-days. I'm obsessed with binge-watching shows that catch my interest and lately, I've been a total foodie when it comes to television. I've been trying to discuss some of these awesome shows with friends lately and I've realized that most of them have no idea Netflix even has such a wide variety of cooking/foodie shows. So go ahead an pull up your queue so we can add every single one of these shows to it!

We're going to start off with one of my favorites, although these shows are listed in no particular order.

1. Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives - This show with my main man Guy Fieri has to be one of my favorite shows on Netflix, ever. It makes me want to travel, eat, and just be silly all at the same time! Guy's commentary on the shows and his passion for food are really inspiring and some of the amazing foods he eats are from my area, so that's pretty cool to watch as well! If you are looking for places to stop on a road trip or just looking for foodie traveling destinations, this show is a great way to find hole-in-the-wall places that serve food that will blow your mind!

2. Food Network Star - This super fun show puts you in contact with people who are real, making it a fun way to watch someone who is just a normal person picked to possibly become the next Food Network Star and receive their own tv show. I love watching each of the contestants grow and learning more about food in the process. This show seems like it starts out slow at first but you'll soon fall in love with the contestants! I personally love the judges as well and Giada is an inspiration to me on so many levels. I highly recommend this show for other bloggers as well, it has been helping me learn to describe food in a more appealing way which has been a great educational asset as well.

3. Ace of Cakes Collection - This super fun dessert based show takes you on a journey through Duff Goldman's kitchen, the Ace of Cakes himself. I'm obsessed with all of the creativity in this show and it really inspires me to get my hands dirty, although my one experience with fondant in the past was a total fail... I'll be giving it a try again soon thanks to this show and it's influence over me!

4. The Pioneer Woman - Almost everyone knows of Ree's show, but most people don't know that you can watch 20 episodes of her tv show on Netflix! What I love about Pioneer Woman is that it feels like you are really connecting with Ree, like you are reading her blog or sitting in her kitchen. A personable experience and learning new recipes are how she lures people in and then she hooks you with family stories and her captivating personality! This is one show I highly recommend to anyone even remotely interested in cooking and/or food!

5. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations - I love this show for every single reason some people hate it. Anthony Bourdain, while he may come off to rude or a know-it-all to some, supplies so much insight into odd culinary experiences that his cynical and sarcastic personality comes off as almost charming in some ways. He's a genius at describing things, when he hasn't had too much to drink, and simply knows how to show a viewer a good time.

Now that I've shared some of my recent Netflix foodie favorites, I'd love to know what you've been watching lately?

When Life Gets Busy Pamper Yourself & Your Senses with Caress Forever Collection

The love expressed below for The Caress Forever Collection is purely my own, although today's discussion about this awesome body wash is sponsored. #CaressForever #12HrTouchTechnology

When life gets busy, it's sometimes easy to let yourself go... I know I'm guilty of wearing the same pair of yoga pants two days in a row or sometimes even forgetting to brush my hair before leaving the house to run last-minute errands. Life happens, we all know that.

Lately I've been trying to do things to take better care of myself, like getting more sleep, making healthier choices when it comes to snacking, and really just trying to make sure that I'm treating my body well; what I've neglected to do is treat my skin well.

After a pretty gnarly sunburn from going kayaking a few weeks ago, my skin desperately needed to be pampered. That's when I found the Caress Forever Collection in two fabulous scents and knew that I needed to spend an entire evening soaking in a tub of bubbles soothing my skin and pampering my senses while getting lost in a book and sipping a glass of my favorite wine!

As I laid in my tub, I thought to myself "Pampering yourself like this should be a daily thing", then I realized with my new body wash it totally will be.

The two amazing scents are "Love Forever" and "Adore Forever". I personally prefer the "Love Forever" scent which has a Mandarin Orange and peach top note, a scarlet red rose, peony, and freesia heart note, and a sandalwood and vanilla musk base note.

The Adore Forever scent is slightly sweeter with a raspberry and cassis top note, an angel face rose and muguet heart note, and an amber, honey, and vanilla base note.

While other body washes I've used in the past have always been appealing to the senses, the Caress Forever Collection is different. These body washes are an innovation. The first in the world with Fragrance Touch Technology...Which is totally amazing and all, but I know you are probably wondering what that means...? The breakthrough technology of Caress Fragrance Release Pearls™ releases bursts of perfume with every touch of your skin. The collection combines sensual floral notes to create a fine fragrance for up to 12 hours!

As the award winning perfumer and creator of this body wash, Loc Dong says, "The Caress Forever Collection evokes love, passion, sensuality, and elegance." Loc Dong, along with more than 25 scientists across 4 continents, came up with this technological breakthrough in beauty that will leave you feeling beautiful, refreshed, and revitalized every time you use it! If you want to treat yourself to a spa-like experience at home and pamper yourself and your senses, grab either rich, luxurious scent from The Caress Forever collection and prepare to relax!

April 14, 2015

The Secret to Keeping Your Spouse Smiling While Shopping + a SNICKERS® Pudding Parfait

A video posted by Lauren Paints (@sunkissed_sweetheart) on Apr 14, 2015 at 11:38am PDT

My husband makes a pretty awesome shopping partner. He especially excels at helping me find deals, so I obviously love to have him tag along when I go shopping for pretty much anything.

The Secret to Keeping Your Spouse Smiling While Shopping + a SNICKERS® Pudding Parfait

While he's the master of deals, he tends to turn into a monster about halfway through our shopping trip, no matter how long we've been shopping or where we are... He doesn't get angry because I'm spending too much money or time in one store (most of the time anyways), he gets frustrated because he gets hungry. Not just your average version of hungry, either. My normal, deal-loving hubby gets hungry and he kind of starts to throw a little "hangry" fit unless he gets food fast.

He honestly can eat like no one else I know. He's a constant snack-er, been referred to as a human garbage disposal, and will literally finish his own meal and move onto mine almost every time we go out to dinner. He could eat all day, every day, so having SNICKERS® with us on a shopping trip is the only way I can keep him focused while we are out hunting for deals!

He's been this way forever; one of my favorite stories my mother-in-law has shared with me from his childhood actually involves his excessive hunger and really captures who he is as a whole when he gets hungry. My husband, as a toddler, in the wee hours of the morning snuck out of his bed and into my mother-in-law's room and woke her up by peeling her eyes open with his little fingers and exclaiming "Are you ever going to feed me again?!"

So even if I feed my man before we head out to go shopping, there's no doubt in my mind that he'll be whining about being hungry and possibly get "hangry" if I don't feed him quick enough...That's why we always make a pit stop at the Circle K right by our house and grab a couple of SNICKERS®!

I can shop without a worry in the world once I've handed him his favorite candy bar. SNICKERS® makes everything better! Luckily, Circle K has every single one of his favorites: SNICKERS® Almond, SNICKERS® Peanut Butter, and SNICKERS® Extreme.

Need another reason to grab a SNICKERS® while out on the go?

While I'm not hungry as often as my hubby, I love that the packages we buy for hubby typically have two candy bars! Although he can (and sometimes does) eat both candy bars, I love using the second one to make myself a special treat!

I make a delicious SNICKERS® Parfait within seconds using chopped apples, tapioca pudding, some whipped cream, and of course, a SNICKERS®. I use a SNICKERS® extreme and chop it up into itty, bitty pieces so I get a little bit of that rich, caramel-y goodness in each bite! It's a wonderful way to reward myself when I'm hungry after a long day of shopping and hits the spot, every single time!

Don't miss your chance to enter to win the SNICKERS® "Who are you when you're hungry?" contest! Just upload a personal photo or video from your computer, facebook, instagram, or use the SNICKERS® meme generator to create something new! Voting begins at noon on 5/11/15 and ends at midnight on 7/15/15!

See more great SNICKERS® recipes and fun stories on the SNICKERS® social hub.

Now that I've shared how hubby and I enjoy a SNICKERS®, I'd love to know who you are when you're hungry?

April 13, 2015

DIY Bedside Makeover: a Reinvented Nightstand + a Vintage-Inspired Birdhouse Lamp

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SleepAligned #CollectiveBias

DIY projects are probably the most fun you can have while at home... What's not to love about painting, sanding, and just simply creating (or re-creating) something? I'm always up for a challenge and luckily my hubby is as well. When I decided that I wanted a new bedside table and a new lamp to place upon my new nightstand earlier this week, we both started thinking creatively and came up with two really awesome DIY projects that I'm just gaga over.

Before I share our fun projects, let's start with the reason why I wanted a new nightstand though. I'm implementing a new routine in the evenings. While I've always been a "night owl", staying up until the wee hours of the morning is wearing on me and when I hit twenty-six last month, I knew it was time to give up my typical 4AM bedtime.

I am now reading in bed an hour before I fall asleep with my GE Align™ bulb inside my new birdhouse lamp, helping me improve my sleeping habits. I also apply lavender essential oils to my wrists and burn a relaxing scented candle, all in an effort to relax my mind and send me snoozin'!

While this may seem like a normal nightly routine, it's not what I'm used to. I've spent the last few years on a computer until late at night, literally working until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I'm so excited for this change and I know what an incredible difference sleeping more will have on my body.

So now that you know why we are adding this super cute new decor to our room, let's get to the fun part of it all!

This nightstand is a SUPER simple DIY project that anyone can complete. You'll only need sandpaper, paint, and paintbrushes... and of course, a nightstand. I found my nightstand at a thrift store for $12! I'm sure you could hit up a garage sale or a flea market and find one even cheaper.

After you have all your supplies, just sand the nightstand until it has a bit of grit to it and paint. We applied two coats over a couple hour process. Taking our nightstand from a thrift store reject to a refreshed, reinvented piece of furniture that matches our room perfectly!

Now that we had our nightstand finished, it was time to create a new light for our room that would be comforting and conducive to sleep while also matching our decor.. I originally went shopping for a lamp that I liked but I couldn't find anything that fit my eclectic style and the color scheme in our room. Then when I was browsing my local craft store, I saw this adorable ~~birdhouse~~ (err, bird feeder), and fell in love. The windows adding the little "details" that I wanted my lamp to have, the natural wood finish allowing me to paint the lamp whatever shade I wanted... that's when I decided hubby and I were officially going to become lamp makers. After worrying about actually assembling a lamp, we found that building a lamp is actually pretty easy, thank goodness!

For this project you will need:

a bird house/bird feeder
an electric drill
a lamp kit

acrylic paints (in preferred shades)

finishing wax
paint brushes
(general tools - i.e. hammer, screwdriver)

You'll want to begin by drilling a hole for the lamp kit's base in your birdhouse. I actually found a birdhouse that had a rope through a hole in the middle of the entire house so we simply widened the hole with our electric drill.

Once the hole is drilled and the "base" of the kit fits into the hole, the next step is painting. I decided I wanted my lamp to have a rustic, beachy feel to it so I used this simple technique (you'll want to keep in mind for all sorts of furniture)!

You can make anything look "chalk painted" so easily, a technique I love using for all sorts of pieces.

You'll start this simple process with a layer of dark paint, then apply a layer of white acrylic paint thinned with water, then ivory acrylic paint thinned with water.

Now you'll apply a coat of paint of the color you actually want your item to be (lavender purple, in my case), then white paint and water again. Allowing each coat to dry before applying the next.

Once all of the coats are applied, sand each side, making sure to only sand it until you like the way it looks... Be careful not to over sand, it's easy to do if you are multi-tasking!

After I sanded the project I applied a thin layer of finishing wax. Once the wax is dry, it's officially time to bring light into your world!

Bring the electrical wires through your birdhouse (using a stiffer item like a wire hanger to help you guide the wires), then assemble the light kit as instructed... I don't want to give exact advice on assembling the kit because I'm not an electrician, but you should tie an underwriter's knot and be sure to pay attention to the ribbing on the wires and connect the correct wire to the correct screw (as instructed on your lamp kit).

Once your lamp is assembled, you'll want to install a NEW GE Align™ PM LED Light Bulb to help promote your body's natural sleep cycle by helping it to produce more melatonin. You'll also want to add a lampshade!

If you don't already have a light bulb, you can buy one of the awesome GE Align™ PM LED Light Bulbs on Amazon.com and get it shipped to you fast!

They actually produce a lower amount of blue light, providing a soothing yellow light helping you rest easier. Maybe you are trying to implement a better morning routine instead? Check out the GE Align™ AM LED Light Bulbs, which help promote the body's natural wake cycle.

Now your new lamp is all set to use.. and I feel like I should warn you, I'm sitting here in awe. I like our new pieces of furniture so much because they are obviously adorable new pieces of decor, but because of the less obvious reason: the memories we made together.

Now that I've shared how we gave my bedside a total makeover, I'd love to know how you "wind down" and relax at night?

Stay connected with GE: Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Don't miss your chance to win:

April 12, 2015

A Sensible, "Scentsable" Gift Basket for Him

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MySignatureMove #CollectiveBias

All men deserve to be spoiled on occasion, right? My hubby is a super helpful and understanding guy and while he tends to drive me crazy he definitely deserves to be spoiled! After running into the new line of awesome products from Irish Spring I knew exactly how I could spoil him with practical and sensible gifts, while including some items that were also "scentsable"!

I grabbed all four new items from The Irish Spring Signature for Men line, which includes two different rich and luxurious Body Washes in a fabulous 3-in-1 formula and Hydrating formula. I also grabbed a 3-pack bar of soap in both the Hydrating formula and the super useful Exfoliating Scrub! These products are luxurious, yet manly - the perfect way to spoil your significant other.

After finding his new signature products, a new green pouf to match them was definitely in order! I also grabbed some new deodorant, a stain remover, a small bottle of mouthwash, a few backache relief pads, nail clippers, and eye drops - basically an entire men's grooming kit!

I stuffed this all into a new beverage carrier for the kayak, something he mentioned he wanted. I also grabbed him a new hair trimmer (not pictured, because he got his hands on it before I could take photos). I guess you could say, I stocked him up on practically everything he needs in just one quick walk through Walmart!

While he gave me "the eye" for going on a small shopping spree for him, I can report hubby is pretty happy with the loot he received! So fresh and so clean, just the way I like him. :)

While you should definitely spoil your man with Irish Spring in his gift basket, another super cool reason to purchase any one (or more) of the new Irish Spring Signature products is movies!

Wait... What? Here's some awesome news: You'll receive $5 off your next VUDU purchase! Claim your $5 credit simply by taking a picture of your receipt and then visiting http://cbi.as/3boj to upload your receipt. The last step: enjoy watching!

Now that I've shared how I spoiled my hubby with a sensible, "scentsable" gift basket sure to spoil even the studliest man rotten I'd love to know how you spoil your spouse? What kind of things would you love to receive/give in a gift basket?

April 10, 2015

Flavor or Fizz: Which Do You Prefer?

This post is in partnership with Dasani and Target. While they sponsored today's post,
all opinions expressed below and the love for water are all my own.

Water can be fun AND tasty, try these new flavorful ways to fit water into your busy daily routine!

Getting enough water in every single day can be a difficult task, weather you are busy running errands or working from home we all get too busy to do the simplest tasks to keep our bodies healthy.

The last few weeks I've been so busy with school and blog stuff that I've been sleeping less, drinking less water, eating less healthy foods, and really just neglecting healthy habits so that I can get everything on my check list done. Sadly, there's never enough time in the day and I seem to slack off.

While my calendar won't be clearing up any time soon, I have a whole bunch of homework waiting on me, and an exam in just a few days, I've finally found a way to convince myself to make enough "me time". I've been implementing a daily yoga routine & some time for meditation and I found a few new ways to make water fun and tasty, allowing me to really enjoy my H2O while I'm rushing around town or working on an article.

I found two new products from Dasani: their Infusion Drops in Strawberry Basil & Lime and Black Cherry Sparkling Water (I may be guilty of sipping on a sparkling water from Target currently)!

The Flavor Infusion Drops are so diverse. Not just since they have two really off the wall, delicious flavors. They can provide a slight flavor change with just a few drops or a whole flavor explosion with several drops, the strawberry basil flavor being super refreshing and the lime flavor being the perfect compliment for an ice cold glass of aqua!

The Black Cherry Sparkling water was a surprise in my book. I drink flavored water occasionally (as you can see from this beautiful, sparkling brunch I hosted recently), but this sparkling water is SO carbonated and tastes almost just like a soda!

While I enjoyed both products, I think I've decided that I'm totally more of a flavor girl. No surprise there though, I don't much care for carbonation. So, tell me, are you a flavor or fizz type of person?
Don't know? Target has a pretty rockin' coupon on cartwheel for both the Dasani Drops Infusion and Dasani Sparkling Black Cherry so you can give both products a try!

Be Safe, Be Healthy, Be Protected with FootprintID

This is a sponsored program with Mums the Word Network and Footprint ID. All opinions are my own.

While this may be tough for you, I need you to imagine the worst thing possible has happened. Your loved one was in an accident of some sort and it's not looking good. They are being rushed to the hospital and while they normally can tell a doctor they have an allergy to this or can't be around that - sadly, they were knocked unconscious. Without you sitting right there next to your loved one (whether it's your child, your spouse, or even a parent), no one knows these important details.

I recently found a service that can be there when you can't, a service that will tell medical professionals the details they need so that they can save your loved one! You want to be safe, healthy, and prepared, right? That's where FootPrintID comes into the picture, they offer 24/7 access to your health information. So when little Sally ends up hurt while she's at the babysitter, you can provide her medical information with just a few clicks of a button!

This electronic health record is revolutionary, you can provide access to everything including lab reports, EKG's, Catscans, and more - all with just a simple mobile health app anyone can use!

Interested in finding out more about you can protect our family from a bad situation? I suggest you check out how FootprintID can work for you.

NAV