that red lip classic girl boss thing

jacket :: bebe // girl boss tee :: c/o j. bella // jeans :: rock & republic // sandals :: maurice's // clutch :: chanel // bar necklace :: c/o LilahV jewelry // watch :: walmart // name bracelet :: my sister // owl bracelet :: gas station // double arrow cuff :: jill michael // earrings :: perry street // crown ring :: c/o LilahV jewelry (win one here) // pave round ring :: moon & lola // headphones :: skullcandy x urban decay (read the review here)

My obsession with white tees borders on clinical - there is no piece of clothing I love more dearly than a perfect white tee. That being said, you'd think I'd own a couple hundred (or dozen, at least), but I'm also extremely picky about the way they fit and look. A high crew cut or deep v-neck are the most important criterion, but to make the grade, a white tee also has to be perfectly fitted and long. I have a lengthy torso, so finding a tee that fits all three can be pretty difficult.

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be your own queen (giveaway!)

bar earrings, horizontal bar necklace, triangle necklace, crown ring all c/o LilahV Jewelry

Because occasionally, we all need a reminder that we're fucking awesome.

I scored these gorgeous pieces from the LilahV Jewelry sample sale, and when they arrived late last week, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. I've been obsessed with jewelry in geometric shapes recently, and these two necklaces are perfect for layering with other math-inspired pieces, while the bar earrings are super chic and will go with just about everything.

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a night out in slc with j. bella

with Lauryn of LaurynCakes.com

pierpont avenue building

bloggers shopping the j. bella showroom

bloggers shopping the j. bella showroom

downtown salt lake city street art (300 west)

the view down 300 West from the middle of the street

I went to Lagoon before the party. #itswherefunis #theresonlyoneoneone

my outfit :: blouse :: bella ella boutique // skirt :: olive & oak // sandals :: maurice's // clutch :: chanel // horizontal bar necklace (worn as bracelet) :: c/o LilahV (here) // double triangle bangle :: jill michael // ring :: moon & lola // crown ring :: c/o LilahV (here) // earrings :: perry street // watch :: gift from my mom // glasses :: coach

As much as I love Park City, there is just something about the way downtown Salt Lake feels after sunset at the start of a weekend. An almost tangible joie de vivre that often makes me miss living there (until I breathe the air or try to find parking, anyway).

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build your blog conference 2015 wrap up

my outfit (day): sweater :: downeast basics // blouse :: silence & noise // skirt :: j.crew c/o uptown cheapskate // tights :: f21 // booties :: mossimo

kumquat's outfit: sweater, kitty t-shirt, purple tutu :: gymboree // tights :: cherokee // silver shoe :: gift

my outfit (evening): jumpsuit :: jbs c/o uptown cheapskate // cuff bracelet :: vintage // clutch :: too faced cosmetics bag // booties :: shi

The Build Your Blog Conference 2015 was held this past weekend at the Little America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City, and even though I missed part of the conference, I definitely felt the energy and passion from everyone in attendance. An atmosphere like that has a way of re-energizing and re-charging your batteries, and with so much creative energy flowing and great ideas being bounced around, it's pretty much impossible not to come away with a thousand new ideas and a renewed commitment to building your brand.

The key to making the most of all the advice and new ideas, though, is to take just a few things at a time and incorporate them into your blogging routine. Trying to completely overhaul your current system all at once can lead to serious blogger burnout and lead you away from your overall brand vision. It's important to stay true to yourself and the ethos of the brand you're trying to build, while continually learning and incorporating new ideas to keep things interesting.

With that in mind, I wanted to share a few of my favorite tips from my favorite class at the conference, "30 Tips To Get Great Growth" by Matt Cherry of iBlog Magazine:

1. Create and share more videos. Videos on landing pages convert 80% more readers.
2. Create and share podcasts - it's easier for a reader to download an audio file and pop in some earbuds than to read through an entire thousand word post. Record it!
3. Create a list of social media groups to share and participate in every day.
4. Find, follow and interact with the leading bloggers in my niche. Build a rapport with them and support each other.
5. LinkedIn! Beef up my profile, join and participate in some groups and connect with EVERYONE - even my icons and the people I'm too nervous to send a request to!

These are the top five things I'll be focusing on over the next month or so, and I'm especially excited to see what you will think of my first videos and podcasts. Are there any topics in particular you'd like me to discuss? Do you prefer videos, podcasts or the written word? Leave your thoughts and any requests in the comments!

All in all, Build Your Blog 2015 was amazing, and I will definitely be going back next year - after hustling my butt off in 2015 with the goal of deserving a Blogger of the Year award. I still have a lot more to share from the conference (including Blogger BFF deals & freebies, how to dress for a gala on a budget and tons more!). If you were at the conference, I'd love to hear about your favorite classes and the awesome new ideas you'll be implementing on your blog this spring! Leave your thoughts and your blog links in the comments!

P.S. I still owe you a winner from the Uptown Cheapskate giveaway last month! And the winner is....

Mayra Sissi Biggs

Congrats, Mayra! Happy shopping!

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3 moving hacks for new Utah home owners

My life has been more than a little crazy recently - in the last month, I've moved, started a new job (while maintaining my part-time position and working on my own freelance projects) and began the intensely emotional issue of custody negotiations. Needless to say, the last few weeks have been pretty overwhelming. On top of the mental strain of the latter two issues, the physical and emotional drain from moving has been pretty intense - which is why I found this moving guide by Alecsy Christensen and Extra Space Storage so incredibly helpful. Check it out below, and be sure to leave your own tips for moving and packing in the comments!

3 Moving Hacks for New Utah Home Owners


1. Pack your Moving Truck Like an Expert

When you are moving valuable household items in a moving truck, it is important to know how to pack them so everything is transferred to your house with ease and nothing gets broken or damaged. The trick to packing your moving truck is to put all the valuables in the cab with you, your heavy appliances close to the cab (appliances like the washer, refrigerator, and dryer), Put your more heavy boxes in the middle area of the cargo, put your longer items (like your mattress and sofa) against the walls of the cargo area, and put your items with draws like desks and dressers against your mattress so that none of the drawers fall out. Then you can use all of your smaller items to fill in the spaces so everything is compact, almost like a tetris game.


2. Take Advantage of the Many Uses of Saran Wrap

Saran wrap can be used for many things for moving, and the more you have of it, the merrier. You can use it to cover the tops of your drawers when packing so nothing falls out, wrap all the handles of your shovels, brooms, mops, etc together to bundle them together for easy packing, saran wrap a blanket around your furniture to make sure it does not get dented in the move, and more. The more saran wrap, the easier the move!


3. Consult the Experts: Familiarize Yourself with a Credited Moving Guide

Before launching into the big process of moving it is always good to get an experts advice on what the best moving strategies are to make sure your belongings get organized, transported, and setup efficiently and without any mishaps. Check out this moving guide from Extra Space Storage that was developed to help with the ins and outs of moving, some of which you might not even know about!

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build your blog 2015

Random cute baby video. Kumquat's favorite word right now is "mama". Those rolls! And those little teeths!!!! Yeah, she might be the cutest baby EVER in the history of the world.

I've recently gone back to work part time, and while the job is great and I recognize that we all have to make a living, it's been hard on me, and on little Kumquat too - I would much rather be able to stay home with her full time... but, I still need to make the moneys.

In my decade+ of blogging, I've never been to a blogger conference - which is why I'm so excited for Build Your Blog 2015, coming up this February in SLC. While we seem to have a lot of blogger expos here in UT, I've always heard the best things about BYB: best networking, best education and content and the best people. I'm looking forward to learning how to transform my modest little operation here into a power brand that can potentially support little Kumquat and myself.

The conference includes three tracks (beginner, intermediate and advanced) to tailor the courses to your blogging level; there are also a number of swanky events for networking and having fun, including the blogger awards gala (I need a dress!) and "ice breakers" throughout the conference. Some of the classes I'm most excited for are "How to use Google+" (seriously, HOW do you use Google+???), "How to pitch yourself" and "Contracts and legal questions" - and let's not forget the brand speed dating (this is where that "How to pitch yourself" class will come in handy!).

Basically, Build Your Blog 2015 has a TON of invaluable info and education and is chock full of awesome networking opportunities for any blogger looking to build your blog into a power brand. Tickets are still available for $199 if you don't already have one - making it one of the least expensive but most valuable blog conferences around (they've even negotiated discounted rates at the Little America for us if you'd like to make a stay/vacation out of it). If you decide to come, drop me an email at jen.booth13@gmail.com so we can meet up!

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psst: exclusive preview of the uptown cheapskate semi-annual sale (and a giveaway!)

photos taken at the Sugarhouse Uptown Cheapskate location January 15, 2015.

I've been a huge fan of Uptown Cheapskate for years now (see here, here and here), and since they opened their Sugarhouse location, it's become a regular shopping day stop for me - so when they announced their semi-annual sale coming up this weekend (January 16-19), I was pretty durn excited. When they invited me in for a preview, I was stoked at the chance to scope out the potential sale pieces and map out my spending strategy prior to the big weekend, and to share that opportunity with you, my awesome readers. Then, when they offered up a $25 gift card for one of my stylish readers, I have to admit to being a little bummed that I couldn't enter to win it myself - but I'm excited for the opportunity to share the awesomeness of Uptown with you!

On any given day, Uptown Cheapskate has great deals on designer clothing - and this weekend, those prices will be discounted even further, up to 70% off, which means killer stylish deals and major fashion finds. The sale starts this today at 10am (January 16), and runs until Monday night at 9pm (January 19).  Enter to win the $25 gift card using the widget at the bottom of the post by midnight Saturday night; the winner will be announced this Sunday morning so you have a chance to use your gift card to score an awesome new treasure from the sale this weekend.

Get more details on the upcoming semi-annual sale here, and while you're waiting for it to start, be sure to visit Uptown Cheapskate on Facebook and subscribe to their newsletter to stay up to date on all the latest and greatest news from our favorite new thrift store!

Now for the obligatory happy, squishy baby photos.....

Kumquat was such a little trooper yesterday - despite arriving at the mechanic's shop shortly after they opened, we were stuck waiting on some repairs to my car for nearly seven hours. She was also incredibly patient with me while I wandered around Uptown, looking at all the pretty things. Pretty sure she is the sweetest baby ever, and I am definitely the luckiest momma ever.



a Rafflecopter giveaway




Full disclaimer: This is a sponsored post; I was compensated in some manner (typically in product or monetarily) for this post, but the opinions and sentiments expressed are entirely my own. Items shown in photographs may or may not be included in Uptown Cheapskate's semi-annual sale.

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recap: uptown cheapskate-sugarhouse grand opening celebration

(my outfit) blouse :: mossimo // leather pencil skirt (1) :: forever 21 \\ asymmetrical leather skirt (2) :: xhilaration // tweedy jacket :: xhilaration \\ pumps :: kardashian kollection // necklace, earrings :: target \\ watch :: gift from my mommy // bracelets :: bebe \\ purse :: downeast basics

Last Thursday night (Oct. 16th) was the grand opening of Uptown Cheapskate's new Sugarhouse store, located just south of the Chevron station on the corner of 13th East and 21st South in Salt Lake City. The store was packed full of beautiful secondhand clothing, and despite the crowd, there was plenty of staff on hand to assist the plethora of customers.

I always love browsing Uptown Cheapskate's racks, but at the grand opening party, I hit an extraordinary stroke of luck and happened upon a gorgeous gray wool/angora Calvin Klein trench that seems to have been pulled straight out of Olivia Pope's divine coat closet for a mere $30, as well as a black and pink tweed coat reminiscent of Jackie O for just $10 and an awesome doctor-bag inspired black & cream purse for $14. Uptown also stocks a selection of new items for less than department store prices, and I picked up a new taupe moto jacket for $30 and a pretty red lace duster cardigan for my sister for just $14 - not to mention the pretty necklace, bracelet and earrings I scored for less than $5 each.

The Sugarhouse store's opening is particularly fortuitous, considering that I've recently decided my closet is in need of a massive redesign to better fit my current aesthetic - the mini skirts I so loved three years ago just aren't cutting it any more. I started clearing it out the weekend after the grand opening celebration, and unloaded a pile of clothing that was sucking up valuable space for a pretty penny (of course, you can always opt for store credit to get more bang for your secondhand buck).

Regardless of whether or not you decide to schlep a bag of your old stuff on down to Uptown Cheapskate, you should definitely take a minute (or an entire evening) to swing by the new location and check out their inventory. The store is chock full of great stuff you won't find anywhere else, and beautiful brand name items can be found here for a fraction of the original price. The spacious store is well staffed and has both a men's and women's section, and features plenty of dressing rooms with conveniently labeled hooks upon which to organize your finds. It's easy to find, and with plenty of parking available in the dedicated garage behind it (a rarity in Sugarhouse!), it should be your first stop on your fall shopping trip this year!

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