meet the sponsor // a bunch of radness

Hey, I'm Veronica! A 25 year old newlywed and mother of a funny, lovely, gorgeous, and horrifying toddler. We are a bi-cultural household: my husband is from New Zealand and I am from Colombia. Besides those two men, my passions include writing, beauty, books, music and travel, and I really suck at sports and cooking. I always say I prefer the status quo, but my life turns out to be changing all the time, and I only recently realized I actually love that.

Describe your blog, what's it all about?
My blog is a little haven I created as an outlet for my writing: I have written since I was a kid, but life got in the way and I wasn't doing it nearly enough, so I created my blog to inspire me to write on a regular basis. It is basically a collection of everything I love: beauty, fashion, decor, DIY, fashion, books... anything and everything that I find lovely!

What drew you to blogging and what is your favourite part about it? 
 (I answered what drew me to blogging above... oops!). What I enjoy most about blogging is that it encourages me to find beautiful things to blog about. Since I started, I became much more aware of all the great things that surround me, and writing about them has made me a happier, more grateful person.

Is there any particular topic you like to write about most?
 My two favorite topics to write about are beauty: my favorite looks, products, etc. (total product junky here!) and home decor. I am by no means an expert, so doing a lot of research for my posts has actually taught me a great deal about those two topics.

What is the weirdest thing you do or enjoy (habit, item, activity, etc)? 
The weird thing I love is singing at the top of my lungs when I am driving. I must look like such a weirdo from the outside haha but I don't really care.

What is the most recent recipe you've discovered and drooled over? 
That one is easy: Dominique Ansel's cookie shot! I am not nearly skilled enough to make it, but I'm trying to convince my hubby to see if we can pull it off!

If you could only wear one type of clothing/outfit for the rest of your life, what would it be?
It would have to be leggings and tunics: they are so comfy, can easily be dressed up or down and I think they look awesome!


What is your favourite and least favourite part about motherhood so far? 
My favorite part about motherhood is knowing that together with my husband, I am responsible for this little kid growing up to be a wonderful man. That is also the worst part, as it terrifies me to think that so much of his future depends on how good a job I do now. But I realize no one is perfect: I try to be the best I can be, and hope he turns out ok!

What are you reading right now? 
Inferno by Dan Brown. I can't put it down, and am embarrassingly invested in the story!

Most importantly, what is your favourite ice cream flavour? 
Chocolate. No question.

You can read all about Veronica's adventures on her blog, or follow her here:
Twitter // Facebook // Pinterest // Instagram

meet the sponsor // the modern austen

Hey! My name is Marissa. I’m a twenty-something who loves Pinterest, Michael Buble, and Jane Austen.

Describe your blog and what drew you to start blogging. What is your favourite part about it?

The Modern Austen is a lifestyle and fashion blog committed to merging classic elements and modern touches for the everyday woman through style, DIY, food, technology, budgeting, books, and more. I decided to start blogging about a week after I graduated college in May 2012 because I have always needed something to throw my passion and energy into. In college and high school, I was overly involved in a variety of amazing activities and after college I was left with a completely clean slate. So, being a writer and DIY-er and fashionista of sorts, I decided to tackle the blogging world and I haven't looked back since. I absolutely love blogging, both the social and professional sides of it. I think my favorite part is the incredible opportunities it has brought me, including making new friends, trying new brands, and directing my professional future.

Is there any particular topic you like to write about most?

They--the elusive blogging gods--say you're supposed to stick to one or two "niches" of sorts, but I tend to write about everything. I do talk mostly about fashion, but that seems to be shifting to include blogging and lifestyle a lot more.

What are your favourite blogs? Who inspires and awes you the most?
I read SO many incredible blogs of a variety of topics. I love the fashion inspiration from Putting Me Together, the beauty tutorials and recommendations from The Small Things Blog, the life musings from The Life of Bon, the literary and nerd-tasticness of My Life as a Teacup, and so so many more. My Bloglovin' feed is full of amazing content that I usually feature on The Friday 5 every week!

What's the last book you read and did you enjoy it?

I LOVE reading and I try to read as often as I can. I'm currently reading Gone by Michael Grant and it is a pretty good Y.A. dystopian novel. I recently read Gone Girl By Gillian Flynn back in January and just devoured it in two days. It was a great read. I keep my Goodreads account as updated as possible!

Explain your style in three words.

Classic. Modern. Feminine. 

What inspires you?

Ambition, pretty colors, photography, clean design, technology, empowering others, strong women, blogging, music, art, dancing, positive affirmation, family, friends, and love. 

What's a day in the life of Marissa like?

Well, I'm currently job searching, so my days are completely unconventional these days and differ all the time. I usually get up, start working on my blog and answer emails, then get ready for the day and eat lunch, then either go to work at LOFT or job search, write, photograph for the blog, edit, manage ads and sponsorships, meet up with friends, or attend meetings. I just recently joined the advisory board for my local chapter of Levo League (I highly recommend you join the chapter in your city!) and I'm also the creative director for an up-and-coming multi-author blog called Urban Cashmere that will launch in a few weeks. Then, I eat dinner, spend time with family and friends, watch a little Scandal or Downton Abbey, spend way too much time on my computer, and head to bed! 

What are your current favourite make up products and do you have a daily routine?

Makeup is something I really love, but don't spend a whole lot of money on. I actually have mild, but persistent acne and very uneven skintone with a lot of dark spots, so I am often frustrated with makeup and how it never seems to do the job. I've very recently been introduced to Clinique products and I am in love. I plan on purchasing the Even Better foundation and concealer. I also really like Cover Girl's Jumbo Gloss Balm and Lash Blast Volume Mascara. I try to stick to a natural look and I always wear foundation, blush, and mascara, no matter what! 

Guilty pleasures?

Cheez-its, Buffalo Chicken Dip, Harry Potter, NSYNC, stripes and polka dots, and dancing. 

Most importantly, what is your favourite ice cream flavour?

I have a hard time picking favorites of anything, but I love Ben and Jerry's Half Baked because it has everything I like: vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, brownies, and cookie dough. 

You can find out more about Marissa on her blog, or you can find her here:

Facebook // Twitter / Instagram // Pinterest // Bloglovin'

meet the sponsor // hey sabrina faith

Hey, I'm Sabrina Faith. i'm a 21 year old gal livin' in southern Illinois with my kitty cat, Gregory. Most of my days consist of me laying in my bed drinking sweet tea by the gallon and binge watching T.V. shows on Netflix. I like to think I'm handling adulthood pretty well.

Describe your blog and what drew you to start blogging. What is your favourite part about it? 

Hey Sabrina Faith is a mixture of everything I love. I wanted a place to share it all. I talk about beauty, music, my daily life, music and whatever else seems to fancy me. My favorite part about blogging is meeting new people. I know that's super cliche to say BUT I've met some really awesome people through blogging. I also love being able to share my thoughts on things with others. I like being able to promote things I love.

Is there any particular topic you like to write about most?

Probably beauty. It's the easiest to talk about, honestly. I love writing personal posts but I know I get a lot of crap about "sharing too much online".

What are your favourite blogs? Who inspires and awes you the most?

Oh, this is a tough one. I obviously love Amber's blog because I'm sponsoring her! I also really love Brittney of Like An Arrow - She's one of my biggest blogging best friends. I have so many favorite bloggers right now, check my sidebar for some more awesome blogs!

What are your top five favourite bands/musicians? 

My hands down favorite band is A Day To Remember, I will FOREVER fan girl over everything they ever put out. Lately I've been listening to The 1975 NON stop, I suggest checking them out. I also really love The Dangerous Summer, Bastille, Fall Out Boy and Kodaline.

Do you attend concerts and if so, which has been your favourite and who are you dying to see?

Yes I do! The last band I saw live was Fall Out Boy! I always enjoy seeing A Day To Remember live mostly because they're my favorite and because they always make it super fun. I can't think of any artist I'm really DYING to see but I would love to see the 1975 live.

Do you feel pretty open about your injury and is it a big part of your blog? 

I am open about my spinal cord injury and everything that comes with it because it's important to educate people. There's a negative stereotype that surrounds the disabled community and I think that's crap.. but it all comes from a lack of knowledge. People don't understand so they assume things. I think it's important to talk about the things nobody else wants to and share my struggles so that others can understand better.. and relate.

What's a day in the life of Sabrina like?

Oh goodness, I'm pretty lame actually. I sleep til like noon, then I'll play on my phone for a good hour before taking a shower. Sometimes I put on makeup if I plan on seeing people that day, I'll check my laptop. I clean almost every day but somehow my apartment still is messy.

What are your current favourite make up products? 

I recently made a video about my current favorites- you can view that here.

Guilty pleasures?

Ke$ha, for sure! I also love to jam One Direction's "That's What Makes You Beautiful"

Most importantly, what is your favourite ice cream flavour?

I'd normally say vanilla, but I've been LOVING some mint chocolate chip lately!

You can read what Sabrina's been up to on her blog, and you can also find her here:
Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest // Youtube