Reveal: Master Closet Makeover

This post is sponsored by Easy Closets. After opening 25 boxes, installing new carpet, painting, installing a new light fixture and six evenings spent putting the pieces together...We finally have a new master closet!!!

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We tried to keep that space as light as possible since there's no natural light coming through, so we chose white shelves, white walls and light carpet. We also bought all new matching hangers from Ikea, which helps the appearance a great deal.

I organized the closet by garment type and then by color. It's a lot easier to find what I'm looking for now. We added a tufted bench from Target, and a new light from Ikea to give the space more design interest.

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The installation process of our Easy Closets was definitely time consuming, but once all of the boxes were unpacked and the support railings were hung it wasn't too long until we had it finished. Measuring and getting everything level is the hardest part, but Easy Closets made that simple by just making sure you install the support rail correctly.

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You definitely should have some strong hands around. I wouldn't recommend a woman doing this all by herself. Even with working out I couldn't lift some of the heaviest boxes without hurting myself. Check out my previous posts to see the beginning and middle of this process.

Thanks Easy Closets for giving this stylist a beautiful new closet. Now it's time for February's monthly makeover! Stay tuned to see what it is...

Photos by Amy Frances Photography

Win Love

This post is sponsored by Ellie Vail.

Love. It's what we all hope to feel and know every day of our lives, but also something we often fail at doing well with our friends, kids, parents and significant others. We have often heard the famous quoted verses from 1 Corinthians 13, "love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast...." and I've already missed the mark with patience this morning with my 2 year old. But every minute that goes by is a new opportunity to change our attitudes and actions. What better reminder to love well than jewelry that says "love" on it.

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All of these gorgeous pieces are by Ellie Vail. They are not only stylish, but also affordable.

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You can win your very own Juliette "love" ring just in time for Valentine's Day by entering below or clicking here. The contest ends on Friday, February 13th. Best of luck, and I hope your day is filled with a lot of love.

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Celebrate Galentine's Day

This is a sponsored post by Memebox.

Galentine's Day is the new Valentine's Day, didn't you hear? This Valentine's Day make some room for the gals in your life and celebrate how much you love and care for each other. In my mind the perfect girl party has dresses, flower crowns, flower petals, makeup, wine and candy. What about you?

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For the perfect makeup look, Stephanie of SN Makeup Artist and my dear friend, created an EASY makeup look for you. Simply apply Memebox's I'm Lip Tint Balm #2 in Flash Neon Pink and you have the perfect lips. Done! That's right. A DIY with one step. That's what I'm talking about! Get 10% off your lip tint when you use the code AVE10.

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Malori Maeva of Hoot and Holler created giant pink and red crowns for us to wear, and I dressed Steph and I up in dresses from Frances Vintage. Put some wine and chocolate out and turn on some girl tunes, and you got yourself a lovely, memorable Galentine's Day.

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Photos by Michelle Herrick; Art direction and styling by A.V.E. Styles; makeup by SN Makeup Artist, florals by Hoot and Holler.

Valentine's Dinner for My Love

We can all probably agree that men and women think differently even when it comes to food. When I think about cooking a romantic meal for two I think of things like wine, chocolate, cheese and bacon wrapped dates. When Ryan thinks about a tasty, romantic meal he thinks of steak, chili, potatoes and beer. So, since Valentine's is all about showing your loved one that you care for him or her, I decided I would should you what I would cook for Ryan. It's super, duper easy - cheddar and green chile cornbread with a slow cooker tortilla soup. CHEDDAR & GREEN CHILE CORNBREAD preheat over to 400 degrees.

Ingredients: 1 box of Jiffy corn mix 1 egg 1/3 cup of milk 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese 1 4 oz can of diced green chiles

Combine the first four ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix so all ingredients are combined, but leave the batter a little lumpy. Pour batter in a greased 8 x 8 pan or pyrex dish. Sprinkle chiles on top of the cornbread. You can make a heart or spell out a message if you would like.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Make sure sides are golden brown and that a toothpick comes out clean when you poke the center of the bread. Let stand 5 minutes and serve with butter.

You can make this bread a day ahead of time, but it tastes best first out of the oven.

SLOW COOKER TORTILLA SOUP 2 cans of Rotel with lime diced tomatoes 5-6 pieces of frozen chicken tenderloins 1 48 oz box of chicken broth 1 can of black beans drained and rinsed 1 yellow onion diced 4 cloves of minced garlic 1 4 oz can of green chiles 1/2 cup of frozen corn 2 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder 1 1/2 teaspoons of cumin Salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together and cook on low for 10 hours. Pull out the chicken tenders and shred with two forks. Place back into the crockpot and stir. Serve and garnish with your favorite toppings such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, lime and/or cilantro.

I hope you enjoy this easy meal anytime of the year. You really can't go wrong when making this dish. I promise! If you're looking for more ideas to serve for Valentine's Day, please check out these other recipe ideas:

Savory crepes with creme brûlée by Friday We're in Love Panang curry with chocolate croissants by Freckles in April Smothered ranch chicken burritos with apple nachos by Deidre Emme Lasagna soup with sourdough bread and cinnamon rolls by Along Abbey Road Leige waffles with bacon and eggs by Nothing Comes of Nothing Make-ahead French Toast with bacon and fruit by Everyday Reading Pork chops with roasted broccoli, drop rolls and f'zhookie with ice cream by A Prioritized Marriage

Perfect Makeup for Valentine's Day

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I remember it wasn't until I was 19 year's old that I finally had a Valentine. I never had a boyfriend in high school, so it was really special when Ryan, my husband, was my first Valentine. I will never forget that date. It was our second one and first official date because long story short our first date was a bust when Ryan's car got stolen. No joke! haha. (I'll be sure to tell you that story later).

I still have the J.Crew red skirt that I wore on our first official date, and I remember how embarrassed I was when he opened the front door wearing a red shirt and black pants, almost my exact outfit except flipped. We looked like a walking checkerboard. When we got to the restaurant we sat down only to find his sister and her husband just a table away. It was still romantic nonetheless.

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Do you remember your first Valentine? Do you remember getting dressed up for that special someone? Well, I hope you have a Valentine this year, and if you do I really hope you get to go out since it's on a Saturday night. Here's a gorgeous makeup look created by Stephanie Neiheisel of SN Makeup Artist using Memebox's "I'm Lipstick #5" in pink fuchsia and then adding "I'm Lip Crayon #4" in Juliet on top. For a total of $14 you could have Valentine's Day ready lips and get many more uses after that. Use code AVE10 for a 10% discount of any lip product purchase.

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Pair this makeup with a classic LBD and loose curls and you've got yourself a show stopping Valentine's Day outfit! Have fun!

Makeup by Stephanie Neiheisel, Photography by Michelle Herrick, Styling by A.V.E. Styles; Florals by Hoot and Holler and makeup products from Memebox.