How To Remodel A Small Kitchen

This post is in partnership with Lowe's. All opinions are 100% my own. 

If you've been following my Instagram stories since last Fall, then you would have realized I've been remodeling my kitchen. This was a decision we made, to remodel our kitchen, ever since we bought our small city condo. Our kitchen is on the small side, our condo is barely 900 sq ft to put things into perspective. We had three must haves on our remodel wishlist:

1. Open concept kitchen

2. Bright and airy

3. Modern and functional

From the BEFORE pictures, you will notice the kitchen was completely blocked off from the living room. We couldn't do a full open bar, due to our gas line that runs in the area. We also live on the first floor, so we opted for a window instead. It made a huge difference. We also opened up the doorway about 10 inches and it made such a difference, too. 

We had a pantry that just wasn't functional at all. We discussed the idea of  installing functional shelves inside the pantry, but realized it would be better if we created more space, by doing away with it and adding storage with cabinets and open shelves. An idea sparked, that if we couldn't get a full open bar to the living room, we should at least be able to create a breakfast/sitting nook in the new space from the old pantry. I worked hard on the cabinet design with a Lowe's associate, and it came out just like I wanted it. At Lowe's I sat with a cabinet designer for about one hour where we went over the details of cabinet selection, sizes, and functions. They had a lot of options for me to choose from. It is why I went to them in the first place. We also looked at the countertops samples in store. The associate even went above  and beyond to find examples of the countertop on the suppliers websites, so that I can get multiple visuals to make my decision. Once I decided on the cabinets and countertop, I then figured out the flooring. I just loved that everything I needed to remodel my kitchen was available at Lowe's.

In essence, to create a modern functional kitchen, we incorporated contemporary cabinets, countertop and flooring. These three areas were the base that would set the tone for the kitchen. Everything else we designed around them. 

Here's a budget breakdown I suggest when remodeling a small kitchen (or any kitchen for that matter):

Cabinets -40 %

Countertop- 20 %

Accessories & lighting-25%

Floor-10%

Paint- 5%

*Please note that I did not include appliances on the budget. This is strictly for kitchen remodel. 

Let me know if you plan to remodel or if you have any questions about my overall planning and experience. Stay tuned for the full reveal. 

xoxo

Keyma

Wedding Dress Shopping At Kleinfeld

Hi Guys!

OMG, my wedding is in a matter of days and I cannot believe it. I wanted to share this post with you about shopping for my wedding dress at the infamous Kleinfeld. If you haven't checked out shopping for my bridesmaids dresses at Kleinfeld, you can read it here. I've been obsessed with Kleinfeld ever since I saw my first episode of Say Yes To The Dress. I remember thinking, "wow that's a massive bridal store, I'd love to pick a wedding dress there". Well, sometimes you have to speak things into being. 

Last August, I had the honor of setting foot into Kleinfeld for the very first time and I was amazed. It surpassed all my Bride dreams. I sat and waited for my stylist, his name is Shay and, he is amazing! I mentioned before in a previous blog post that The Knot chose me as one of their most influential weddings for 2018-2019. Now for a little back story. I had met Shay briefly three months before at The Knot's Royal Wedding watch party, and he was so meticulous in scoping out my style and recommending me the most amazing dresses. 

Once I had booked my appointment, Shay took me on as his bride and at our first appointment he pulled me a few dresses to try on. The very first dress I tried on I absolutely fell in love with. It was a little scary because for every other dress I tried on, I kept thinking about that first dress. I knew in my heart, that very first dress was THE DRESS. I tried it on again and I burst into tears, that's when I knew for sure, I had found my dress. 

I wanted to share with you some of the other dresses I tried on at Kleinfeld. Please note, my actual wedding dress is NOT in this post. I'll definitely give you all the details and a video after the wedding. 

So let's look at these I tried on and I'll tell you why I loved them. 

First up is this gorgeous Pronovias Crepe Beaded Dress (Style # CONDESA-DB). I was so drawn by the classic, sexy and romantic vibe of this dress.  There is something about crepe that is just amazing. It hugged my curves like no other dress has ever before. I was so drawn to the back details on this dress too. I felt empowered and like a true modern bride in this dress. If I was having a winter wedding, small and intimate, this would have been the dress. 

Moving on to this glorious YSA Makino dress fit for a princess in her own right. It's dawned with jewels and is remarkably beautiful in person. I swear, this photo does this dress no justice. I love the jewels laid in the back to give that extra glam for the extra bride. I felt like a trophy covered in beautiful jewels in this dress. Oh I wish I could wear them all. 

I absolutely adored the lace details and the craft on this Isabelle Armstrong dress. This one was in my top three and can you blame me?! I felt so beautiful in it. It's the perfect touch of romance and glam. This dress also hugged my curves exactly how I wanted it to and it all felt like a dream.

And last but not least, this beautiful Rivini Gown (Stye # ESTEE)  with the most gorgeous victorian collar. Now, this dress gave me feel of a victorian princess. I am obsessed with medieval, georgian, and victorian times movies and shows so, I was living my best life in this dress. The details on it was impeccable and has all the wow factor any bride would want. I love the cap sleeves- this dress is modern yet classic and beyond beautiful.

I hope you guys enjoyed this post. Stayed tuned until after my wedding, I will share with you, the Kleinfeld dress that I ultimately picked. 

xoxo

Keyma

Addressing Dry, Rough Skin With Eucerin

This post is in partnership with Eucerin. All opinions are 100% my own.  

Every Winter I have the same complaint, my skin gets dry and areas like my elbows and knees become rougher. This winter, I decided to take action to combat these issues by using the dermatologist recommended brand, Eucerin. They have a wide range of products for a variety of different skincare needs.

My main issue overall  is dry skin, even more so my feet, elbows, and knees. Leading dermatologist Dr. Anna Guanche helped me identify the Eucerin products that I needed to help improve my specific skincare concerns. I am absolutely loving what she recommend and  have been incorporating the products into my daily skincare routine.

I tend to have extremely dry feet during the winter which is highly uncomfortable for me. To remedy this issue, I'm using Eucerin Advanced Repair Foot Cream. It is  specifically designed for feet and gives dry to very dry feet intense moisturization. I've definitely been enjoying how extremely moisturized and hydrated my feet are after application. The product also has Ceramide-3 and Natural Moisturizing Factors, and helps to repair skin's moisture barrier.

Eucerin Advanced Repair Lotion provides 48hrs of moisture for my skin and makes it look and feel hydrated. I'm all for a lotion that has the ability to improve moisture in my skin which in turn makes for healthier-looking skin.

Ah, let's talk about this miracle in a tube, Eucerin Roughness Relief Spot Treatment. My elbows and knees are extremely happy with this because it gently exfoliates, hydrates, and smoothes the area. It really targets those stubborn rough and scaly areas and this makes me so happy.

You can talk to your dermatologist and ask which product is right for you. I'm confident you will find something and you'll love it.

xoxo

Keyma

My Bride-To-Be Occasions Wardrobe

This post is in partnership with David's Bridal. All opinions are 100% my own. 

 Hi Guys

I wanted to talk all about bride-to-be wedding wardrobe today. I've been living my best life being engaged. My friends and family all cater to me, love on me, and celebrate me. It's like there's a reason to celebrate all things happy and marital. I absolutely love it but, I soon realized I had to be prepared for all the celebrations. One of the first places that came to mind when thinking about my bride-to-be wardrobe was David's Bridal. They are a national wedding brand and, for as many weddings I have been and involved in, David's bridal was a part of it. It's no surprise it would be for me too. I'm going to share three different yet versatile pieces I picked out from David's Bridal to attend a dinner celebration, an engagement soiree, and a high-tea brunch. 

This Scalloped One-Shoulder Lace Mini Dress is perfect for an engagement dinner/party. This dress says yes I'm engaged and I'm ready to celebrate. It's the perfect balance between fun and flirty yet, it is polished and sophisticated. I love the scalloped details at the neckline. The stomach area has ruching detail to help cover some our flaws :)

Moving on to this gorgeous Racerback Crepe Jumpsuit with Crystal Belt  that has given me so much life. If it's one piece of clothing a Bride-To-Be must have in her bridal wardrobe, it's a jumpsuit and, this is the one. It's so chic and super flattering. I love that for bustier girls you can easily wear a racerback bra for extra support. This is perfect for an engagement soiree where you can dance all night long and be comfortable. 

I haven't worn this Scalloped Lace Split-Front Sheath Dress as yet but I have a very special high-tea engagement celebration, I plan to wear it to. Oh I'm obsessed with details on this dress plus the fabric is super soft and comfortable. It's also available in plus size here. 

 Thanks for reading, love. Remember to check out David's Bridal massive selection of dresses and all things bridal for yours or your loved ones special celebrations. 

xoxo

Keyma

Pixi Beauty Package Giveaway

 Hi Guys, 

I'm up working super late and organizing myself for the upcoming week. I figured why not start off the week with a giveaway? I had received this Pixi Beauty package in January but I'm locked in on a skin care regimen for my upcoming wedding and I do not want to interrupt it. With that said, I figured I'd do a giveaway to one of my readers. There are a few things in the package that I've used before and I absolutely love and, some that are new to me. So, whoever wins will have to to tell me how they like all the items, deal?! :)

This package it definitely worth over $100 so it's a good prize. I love so many of Pixi beauty skin care and makeup items. I'm sure you'll love it too.

Congratulations to Amber G (@agorham3 on winning this giveaway. Please email me your shipping details at [email protected] so I can send it out this week. 

Thanks for entering everyone. Good luck next time. 

__________________________________________________________________________

ENTER HERE

Bonus Entry: Follow me on Instagram and let me know your Instagram handle in the comment section below.

I’ll tally all the responses, assign each individual a number, then run those number through random.org to select a winner. (USA residents only). You have until 03/15/19 to enter, the winner will be announced on this blog post and notified by 03/18/19. Winner must claim by 03/20/19 or forfeit the prize.The estimated time to ship out prize is 7 days.

*Past giveaway winners are only eligible after three (3) months to enter again

*Prizes is Pixi Beauty Package worth over $100

This is what you'll get.  

Good Luck

xoxo

Keyma

Getting Wedding Day Ready With The Olay 28 Day Challenge

This post is in partnership with Olay and The Knot. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Hi Guys!

With my wedding coming up in a few short weeks, I decided to take on the Olay 28 Day Challenge to prepare my skin for the big day. I chose to do the challenge because I love and trust Olay products. I use a lot of their products but, I wanted to use this challenge in hopes of having the perfect wedding-ready-skin. Guess what? I'm pretty sure I accomplished my goal thanks to Olay 28 Day Challenge. Keep reading as I take you through the journey.

I focused on these three Olay products:

Olay Deep Hydrating Eye Gel

Olay Daily Facials

Olay Total Effects Whip

Olay Deep Hydrating Eye Gel was probably my favorite item of the three. I used to use one of Olay's other eyes creams, but the hydrating effect on this eye gel has been amazing under my eyes. It has constantly given my eyes a refreshed look. I've been trying to keep things low-key and, to not stress myself out too much with wedding planning but it has been hard. I really feel that committing to using the gel has really helped plump under my eyes. I love the cooling effect when I apply it under my eyes plus, the beautiful boosts of skin confidence.  

Next up is Olay Daily Facials. These cloths are so easy to use and extremely convenient. It's activated by adding a little bit of water to it. I've found that it not only cleansed my skin but it also gently exfoliated and made my skin smooth. I usually would have to use two or three products to get the same effect. The cloth itself is super gentle on contact with the skin and it removes dirt, oil, make-up and everything off my face with one cloth and wash.

I've been using Olay Whips for over a year  now and I always have a jar at home. For the challenge I focused on Olay Total Effect Whips. It absorbs so quickly on my skin upon application. It fully moisturizes my skin without being greasy. It felt as if my skin got a good dose of nourishment every morning and every evening for 28 Days. How can I stop now?!

This challenge was a SUCCESS. I'm so happy I did it. I usually use multiple products at once (no problem in that) but, committing to these key Olay products for 28 days was amazing. The improvements I found are that my skin is more even toned, plump, hydrated, and softer. This is how I want my skin to feel and look on my wedding day. I can now add a checkmark to "skin" on my wedding checklist- it's ready. If you are a bride-to-be, I encourage you to take this challenge and try to execute it to lead up to about a week or two weeks before your wedding. I plan to continue up until my wedding day because it worked so well. I'm confident it will for you too. If you're not a bride-to-be, try it for yourself and also share the challenge and journey with your friends.

xoxo

Keyma