New Site!

I've been spending the last few weeks setting up my new Wordpress blog site and I am so excited to finally reveal it to you!! This new site is redesigned and much easier to use. I've added a bunch of new features that I think you'll enjoy. I will not be posting on this site anymore, so to follow The Lime Tree, click HERE. Head over to my new site and check it out!

Enjoy!!

-Katie 

** the-limetree.blogspot.com will no longer be featuring any material. All posts will be featured on www.thelimetreeblog.com **

Big News!

 

I have some exciting news to share with you tomorrow! I've been working on it for awhile now and I can't wait to show you the finished product! It's defintely going to be a big day!

 

Come back tomorrow to find out what it's all about...

Plaid Scarves

It's no secret I'm totally loving plaid right now. That's why I was so excited when my roommate Katie got me a plaid scarf for my birthday...she knows me too well! I've already worn it so many times since my birthday. It's so cozy and soft - plus it looks good with just about any sweater/shirt/skirt/anything....

Here are some looks I've been looking to when wearing my new plaid scarf. I love all of the different ways you can wear a scarf. It's the perfect accessory for winter :)

 

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-Katie

Gift Guide: For The Home

C Wonder crystal wine stopper / C Wonder bar tool  /  C Wonder bar tool  / C Wonder gold plate / C Wonder blue dinnerware  /  C Wonder kitchenware dining  /  C Wonder kitchenware dining  /  C Wonder monogrammed cheese board

C. Wonder is the perfect store for holiday gifts. They have clothes, jewelry, bags, and home decor. Personally, I love their home decor section because you just cannot go wrong. The gifts I chose above are all under $50. Most of my friends live on their own now so we are all just now starting to decorate our places. I know they would love any of these gifts. These gifts are also good for moms, aunts, or grandmothers. Where do you shop for your holiday goodies?

-Katie 

Glam

I've been taking a lot about sparkles in sweaters and skirts so when I found this jacket from Nordstorm with sparkly sleeves on Pinterest I knew I had to blog about it. 

I've been looking for a military-style jacket recently. I want one that is on the lighter side to wear when it's not that cold out. J. Crew has one I love - my friend Elana has it and it's so cute on her! But when I saw this one on Pinterest I fell in love. I love the sequin sleeves that glam up the military look. However, I'm on the fence about buying this jacket. There are definitely pros and cons. The pros being that it's super cute and the perfect amount of sparkle. The cons are you can only really wear this jacket around the holidays. I think you could pull it into January and February, but it would fit best in November/December. I think when you are buying a jacket like this one (one with a lot of detail or one that's on the trendy side) you need to picture what you would pair it with. Think about when you would wear it and then decide if it's worth the money. I would wear this jacket to holiday parties or dinner and drinks. It's definitely a jacket you could wear all night long - it's decorative enough you wouldn't need to take it off (definitely a plus!) I think I might have just sold myself on buying this jacket! 

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-Katie 

Friday Favorites

This week was such a fun week for me. I had my birthday on Tuesday and even lucked out with two snow days! I still don't even feel like it should be Friday yet - which is so different from my usual postings!

Here are my Friday favorites of this week...

I like the glass look of the vase and hand to hold the jewelry. I would love to add this to my dresser to display some necklaces and bracelets. 

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These chocolate covered orange peels from Cupcakes and Cashmere look so good! I've never tried orange peels before, but anything is good dipped in chocolate, right??

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I'm loving the look of all the Christmas lights around town. Katie and I went to Old Town Alexandria Monday for some shopping and happy hour....perfect snow day if you ask me...and I loved seeing all of the Christmas lights. It's such a magical time of year :)

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A touch of sparkle to a sweater makes a perfect holiday outfit. I have a few sweaters with some sparkle that I wear around the holidays, but I'm starting to bring the sparkle into other outfits too - I just bought a skirt with sparkle in it that I plan to wear to a few holiday parties this year. 

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I laughed so hard at this video of Billy Eichner and Amy Poehler singing Christmas carols with random people on the streets. Take a look and tell me this video is not hilarious! 

I'll be posting all about my birthday and celebration (which turned into 4 days) next week. I really had such a fantastic birthday and I am so thankful to have such amazing friends. I'm one lucky girl!

Hope you had a fantastic week like I did! 

-Katie 

Birthday

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It's my Birthday today and I honestly could not be any luckier. I have amazing friends, family, and so many sweet people bringing wishes to me today. Thanks to all of you too who read my blog. Means the world to me! 

Now, 15 days until Christmas...

-Katie 

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday everyone! I'm especially excited for this weekend because my birthday is next Tuesday. I'm happy to be celebrating with family and friends this weekend. My parents are coming down on Saturday to take me out to my favorite brunch place and I'll probably have a little get together with friends Saturday night. I'm just happy to hang with all of my favorite people :) 

Some of my favorites from this week....

I have no idea what I'm going to wear for my birthday get-together this weekend. I like this sweater and sparkly skirt combo though. You always need something sparkly to wear on your birthday, right? Plus, it's Christmas time! 

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I like this knitted beanie with plaid shirt. I think the combination screams "cozy". I'm ready for some colder weather snuggled up to a fireplace with hot chocolate in hand. It's 60 (yesterday it was 70!!) degrees here in DC today - crazy for December! 

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I love this picture. It captures all of my favorite things about Christmas - Christmas trees and Christmas lights :) Makes me happy! 

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My silver heels are a go-to during  the holiday season. They add a little something extra to any outfit I wear. Mine have become so scuffed up over the years that it's probably time for a new pair. I love the pointed look of this heel. Perfect for the holidays! 

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This was one of my favorite pictures I took while in Amsterdam. My brother and I happened to stumble upon this bridge (we were quite good at that this trip) and I feel in love. I love the quaint row boat off to the left and the church steeple in the background. Amsterdam sure was a pretty place. 

Happy Friday! 

-Katie 

Christmas Songs

I thought I'd change it up a little bit and instead share a few of my favorite Christmas songs today. It was very difficult to narrow it down to just 10. I love Christmas music and listen to it non-stop from Black Friday until December 25th. What are some of your favorites?

10. All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mirah Carey

9. Christmas Lights - Coldplay

8. Santa Baby – Taylor Swift

7. Tennessee Christmas – Amy Grant

6. Cold December Night – Michael Buble

5. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – James Taylor

4. Misletoe – Colbie Caillat

3. Shake Up Christmas - Train

2. Believe – Josh Groban

1. The Christmas Song – Michael Buble

-Katie 

Cyber Monday

Yesterday was Cyber Monday and I had every intention of shopping online for some holiday gifts since I missed out on Black Friday shopping. But, the outcome was quite different. After a long day back at work I got home to my roommate telling me there was a 50% off sale at Anne Taylor Loft. Well, that settled it. Not only did I not get any gifts for family or friends (I know, I know), I ended up only getting myself some presents. I have a birthday coming up so I'm playing it off as an early birthday gift to myself...please tell me others do that too?

Most of the items I got were for work, but a lot can be worn for holiday parties and outside work too. Here's what I picked up...

I got this corduroy shift skirt in this port color as well as navy. I can easily wear this when I'm teaching since it has a little stretch to it. The two colors go well with a lot of tops I own and can be paired with tights, booties, and a scarf for a weekend outfit. I'm sure I will get a lot of use out of this skirt this winter and during the holiday season. 

 

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I don't know about you, but my family loves getting together around the holidays. We have family party after family party and this skirt is absolutely perfect. It's a great length and looks amazing with tights and a black or white shirt. Plus the sparkle adds the perfect touch :)

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The last skirt I bought (are you sensing a theme to my purchases yet?) was this black and tan dotted skirt. The pattern is great for the professional look and it has pockets...a must for teaching. I liked the unique look of this skirt. It can easily be worn with black, white, or a deeper hued color.  

 

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I got this patterned shirt to go with the skirts, pants, and jeans. It can easily be worn to work work on the weekends. It's a fun black or whtie print that just seems so easy to throw on. 

 

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 The last thing I got was this long sleeved silk shirt. I was drawn to the bow at the neckline. It's so charming and, let's face it, anything with bows makes me think of Christmas. I can't wait to wear this with a black skirt or black jeans. 

 

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All of these items are still available on the LOFT website if you like them. Hopefully you had some luck with Black Friday and Cyber Monday! Happy December!

-Katie 

Make Up: Daily Routine

Today I'm sharing my daily makeup routine. I usually don't tend to wear too much makeup when I'm teaching, but instead go for more of a natural look. I start off using Urban Decay Naked Foundation. This foundation is a serious favorite of mine. It is so light, but the coverage is amazing. I don't have flawless skin (how wonderful would that be?!) so I have to wear foundation to cover up blemishes and even out my skin tone. This foundation is a miracle worker. I bought it from Sephora for about $40....and it's worth every penny. It's light, non greasy, and covers so much that I only need a little bit of concealer. 

After I've put on my foundation I use Benefit's Erase Paste concealer. I use this under my eyes, for pimples, or just to brighten my skin. I buy my concealer one shade lighter than normal so that it gives my skin some brightness. A little goes a long way with this stuff, and it really does do what the name implies.

I have been using Bare Minerals foundation for about three years now. I love the coverage it gives and it really helps keep my face feeling fresh and non greasy. I'm a fan of matte looks when it comes to daily makeup. If I'm going to be working all day, I want makeup that will stay put. The dewy look is great, but for a natural look I want something that will hide the oil. This bare minerals foundation is perfect for just that. I know you might think it's overkill to use liquid foundation AND powder foundation, but it works for me. The bare minerals foundation adds another layer of protection and helps keep my makeup in place all day long. 

After I've finished with the foundation and concealers I use bronzer to give my skin some much needed glow. I like NARS bronzers for night time looks, but tend to use Benefit Hoola Bronzer for everyday. The NARS bronzer, laguna, has more shimmer to it. I like that for a night out, but not for work. The Hoola bronzer is great because it's matte and doesn't have any shimmer to it. It's strictly bronze color that adds some warmth and dimension to my face. It's really easy to use and you don't need much. 

For a daily look, I like a pink blush. Again, I'm not a fan of shimmer blushes for everyday looks so I like this one from Smashbox. The pink shade adds some pop of color and goes well with my fair (to light) skin tone. I don't use too much...just a little bit on the apples of my cheeks. 

For my eyes I tend to stay pretty low key. I use Benefit's They're Real Mascara and Stila's Liquid Eyeliner in black. I don't normally use eye shadow during the week....and I'm not sure why! I really should, but it seems to be the step I miss each day. I love my mascara and eyeliner. The mascara makes my lashes look really long and the eyeliner is a felt tip so it's almost like using a marker, which makes it way easier to draw the line. I highly recommend both! 

I look older when I wear color on my lips, and as I've posted before, I love, love, love these NARS Lip Pencils. They add the perfect amount of color and stay on for so long. They are easy to apply and look really natural. 

The last couple of things I add are some Highlighter to the bridge of my nose and cheek bones and then I brush my face in a little bit of HD Finishing Powder to really make my makeup set. I love this finishing powder from Sephora. It blends everything together and makes my makeup stay put all day long. It's one of my favorite makeup products that I happened to forget on the image above. 

 So there you go....my daily makeup routine. It usually takes me about 5-10 minutes to do my makeup in the morning (I would love to spend more time, but when you get up at 6 am, 10 minutes is all you need!). It's a pretty simple routine - and maybe I'll add a video to show how I use the items in the future! 

-Katie 

Friday Favorites

I'm off to Amsterdam today (a little early because of the time difference) with my brother and couldn't be more excited. This trip has been amazing and I can't wait to show you pictures! 

Here are some of my favorites from this week...

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I like the sparkly clutch with this outfit. It gives a little something extra to the cream color shirt and shoes. 

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I would be happy to have these with me while in Amsterdam! The extra warmth would be nice with my booties. I don't think my pink fuzzy socks are going to look as cute as these though...

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It's after Thanksgiving so I can officially start thinking about Christmas! I am so excited to put up Christmas decorations. I'm sorry in advance for having Christmas all over my blog for the next few weeks!

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I've always liked gold stack rings, but this is a different look. I like the fact that these rings are stuck together - and I like the double linked effect. 

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I would love this table in my bedroom or as a bar in the dining room. I love the gold edges and the mirrored plates. If I didn't have an already full Christmas list - this would be on it!

Happy December 1st! 

-Katie 

Happy Thanksgiving

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Taking time today to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving! I sure am thankful for a whole lot of things in my life....

1. Being in Europe right now!

2. My wonderful family

3. Absolutely wonderful friends

4. A great job that I love

5. Living in D.C.

6. Wine - for the good days and the bad

7. A roommate who puts up with way more than she bargained for ;)

8. Trader Joe's ice cream cookies...not joking

9. Parents who would do anything for me

10. Christmas is coming!!

Enjoy today! 

-Katie 

Comfy Casual

I'm in Europe now...as you probably know... and I happened to bring a similar outfit like this one. I wanted to bring layers because I wasn't sure what the weather was going to be like. Layers are wonderful - especially in Europe. I'm in and out of cafes, museums, and outside in the freezing cold. Layers are becoming my best friend right about now! 

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Happy almost Thanksgiving! 

-Katie 

Plaid

I've been into plaid recently and thought I'd share a few of my favorites. It's anywhere from scarves, shirts, skirts, and coats. I can't say why, but I'm loving all the plaid coats I've been seeing lately. They are very trendy, but I like 'em! 

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Friday Favorites

Today's the day!! This afternoon I am off to Rome, Germany, and Amsterdam. I haven't really gotten too excited until just now and I literally cannot wait. I'm so excited to eat delicious food, see amazing architecture, and, oh yeah, see my brother! I'll be sure to post about my trip when I return :)

For now, here are my Friday favs this week...

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I love the polka dots at the neck of this dress. It's a perfect dress for the holidays. It's fancy, and form fitting, but it's appropriate for all occasions. I also love how the polka dots are only at the neck. Polka dots are great, but on a fancier dress I only like a few of them...so this is perfect!

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In the winter I always find myself trying to be a cozy as possible. I would love to have a basket full of comfy blankets right by my couch. 

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How cute is this bow iphone charger from Anthropologie? It's a backup charger so you can plug it in whenever your phone is running low and voila! You have a charging phone. This would be a perfect gift...or gift for yourself! 

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I'm normally not a huge fan of french manicures. I prefer solid colors over a french, but I'm loving the sparkly gold french on this manicure. It's perfect for the holidays - Thanksgiving or Christmas! 

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I know Thanksgiving is just around the corner...as in next week...but since I am going to be in Europe for Thanksgiving, I'm using it as an excuse to start thinking about Christmas early. And let's just say I am so excited! I love everything about Christmas...being with family, Christmas lights, Christmas cookies, giving presents - basically everything about it. I cannot wait to come home December 1st and be in the "full on" Christmas spirit. 

Feel free to follow me on instagram while I'm in Europe - @kmax123. I'm going to try to post to the blog as much as I can while in Europe (depending on internet connection), but until then....

Roma here I come!!

-Katie

LBD

Dress ,  Cardigan  , Jacket  , Tights , Scarf , Boots  , Heels  , Belt 

I love my little black dress because it's one of the most versatile things in my closet. It's so easy to dress up, dress down, or give an edgier look. In look #1 I paired it with a longer cardigan. I think this look could be worn to the office (if you have a laid back work site like me) or during the weekend. Look #2 has a little more edge. It's paired with a leather jacket to give kind of a cool girl look. I would wear this on the weekends to get dinner or drinks. #3 is paired with a scarf, tights, and booties. I like this look because it's so effortless. Black goes with anything so really any color scarf or any color tight would do. If you've been following my blog, you already know I love the color burgundy so that's what I went with (I really need to start staying away from that color!) Look #4 is a more dressed up look. I paired it with a gold bow belt from Kate Spade, bangles, and some plain black heels. I would wear this to a dressy dinner or holiday party. 

The LBD can be worn so many ways. It's a staple every girl should have in their wardrobe. You really cannot go wrong with a little black dress... 

Currently Craving...

Alice You dress  ,  L K Bennett coat  ,  Knit Sweater  , Kenneth Cole Reaction flatts , Bag , Earrings

I'm craving the color cobalt right now. It's such a deep hue of blue that really works with every skin tone. Cobalt should be worn as an added pop of color since it is so bright. I would wear most of these pieces separately with black or white. I love the bag over an all black outfit or the shoes for some surprising color at the foot. I've put some cobalt pieces together to show you how I would wear the look. Enjoy!

-Katie 

Go-to

J Crew sweater , J.Crew jeans , Acne Studios booties , Michael Kors bag , Michael Kors watch , Alberotanza scarf

I think there is something underestimated about wearing a sweater and jeans in the winter. I don't know about you, but I like to be cozy when it's cold. There is nothing better to me than wearing a sweater, jeans, scarf, and boots. I am just not a sweatpants kind of person. Never have been, probably never will. I am just as comfy in this outfit as I am in sweats. So on my comfy days I like to start with jeans, add a sweater, then a scarf, pair it with boots, and add some accessories. My accessories almost always include my watch, a necklace, and a black and gold bag. I wear this outfit out to dinner, to get groceries, shop, basically anywhere! It's definitely a go-to outfit. 

-Katie 

Friday Favorites

It's Friday! This weekend I'm going up to NYC for my roommate's sister's play. She is Juliette in Romeo and Juliette at her college and I am so excited to see her perform! I love New York when it's cold and and Christmas time. There is something magical about it :)

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I love the look of wearing tights with hunter boots, especially if it's raining or snowing! However, the hunter boots I have are a little big and wouldn't quite work with just tights. I like this idea of wearing boot socks over the tights. I think it looks great on and the colors all seem to blend together. They also have new hunter boots that roll up and can be packed in a suitcase....how awesome is that!

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This Kate Spade watch is so pretty. I love the detailing and the scallop edges. I'm also loving the gold and black look. This watch is almost too pretty to wear! 

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How awesome is this idea! You have your family and friends write down what they are thankful for and then roll them into the biscuits. Depending if you mom doesn't burn them (cough, cough) you try and guess who wrote the "thankful note" in your biscuit. I can definitely see my family adding this to our Thanksgiving traditions! I'm going to be in Germany for Thanksgiving this year and it's just now hitting me that I won't be getting to eat all of the delicious food my mom makes :(

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Temperatures dropped this week in DC so I am in full tights and boots attire at work. I love throwing on comfy skirts and sweater dresses to teach. I like the textured look of this skirt too. 

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If I could dream what my future house would look like, this would be it. I love the natural light from the windows, the white walls and couch, and the pop of color from the pillows. I also love the gold chandelier hanging from the ceiling :)

Have a wonderful weekend!!

-Katie 

Boots

I think one of the main reasons why I love fall is because I get to wear boots. I love boots. What's not to love? They are comfy. They are cozy. They keep my feet warm. And they look good with just about everything!

Today I'm sharing my favorite boots that I personally own.

 

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These are my all time favorite booties. Last year I was looking all over for a pair of black booties. I didn't want ones that were too high or had a lot of detail. They had to be comfy and I had to be able to stand in them for 8 hours a day. I couldn't find any until the Black Friday Sale at Nordstrom last year. I was looking in the women section and just didn't find any that I liked. On my way out I passed the teen section and saw the perfect bootie.  They ended up being from the Nordstrom BP brand, but they are amazing. I love them so much that I have them in black, gray (color above), and burgundy. You could say I'm obsessed, but hey, they are my favorite! 

 

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I also have a pair of cognac booties from Steven Madden. I like them because the heel is a little bit smaller, but to be honest, I think the quality of the BP bootie is much better (not that I'm biased or anything....) Anyway, I love the cognac color in a boot and these booties fit really nicely. Plus, I just like the detailing on the sides and the zipper. 

 

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These boots I've worn so much in the past three years that I literally have a hole in the bottom of one boot (yes, I know. I'm taking them to the shoe repair guy this weekend!) Needless to say I love these boots. So much so that I wear them all...the...time. When you wear them in they start to get slouchy, but no too much where they don't stay up. And I can say from experience, these boots hold up for years. It's been three years and I'm still wearing them :)

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I also have these Etienne Aigner boots, but for some reason I cannot find where to buy them online. I got them from Macy's last year for Christmas. They are so comfortable and they really are the perfect riding boot. I also love these boots in the black and brown color, you can see them here. 

I wear these all of these boots with jeans or dresses, dressed up or dressed down...you can basically wear them with just about everything!

-Katie