my favorite iOS photo apps

i spend a little too much time on instagram. it's actually my favorite iphone app, ever. and while i do enjoy clicking away on photoshop, being able to edit quickly and efficiently edit photos on my phone in seconds is incredible. i've gotten to the point where i rarely need to bring a photo to my computer for editing.

i've been using an iphone since the 3G, and along the way i've collected some photo/photo editing apps that work seamlessly and quickly, giving your photos a fresh spin and tailored feel. some of these are more popular and widely downloaded, and rightly so, but they are the honest apps i use almost daily - maybe you'll find one you haven't tried yet!

picfx (.99¢) : this app provides a wide range of photo editing tools, including a variety of filters, light effects (bokeh, leaks & burns), frames, space overlays and textures. it's easy to use and can add unique effects to photos. while there are similar apps that are free, picfx is worth the 99¢.

photoshop express (free) : how can i not include this app?! photoshop express does exactly what you'd expect it to do. you can crop, rotate, straighten and retouch up your photos with ease. exposure, brightness/contrast, hue/saturation, etc. features are included for you to play around with, in addition to some silly frames/effects. and while you can now do cropping and rotating from within the iOS photo library itself, i keep photoshop around for a few extended options.

timercam (free) : ever need a self timer on your iphone? the thought didn't occur to me until my roadtrip back in march. pretty self explanatory - and free! you can set your timer for 5, 10, 15 or 30 seconds. while i don't use it constantly, having it downloaded and ready has proved useful more than once.


lumie (.99¢) : if you're a lover of bokeh and light effects like me, this is the app to get. there are plenty of light themed overlays to choose from: stars, glitter, space, different shaped bokeh, etc. - so many options make it worth the .99¢!


photojus bokeh dx (free) : more bokeh! this is another great app for adding light/texture effects to your photos. and while you can pay for the pro version, the effects included in the free version are more than enough to create unique and interesting photos.

moving to birmingham {part 1}

yes, its true! i've moved from tuscaloosa to birmingham - a mere 45 minute drive, but two totally different worlds! while i loved my tuscaloosa apartment, my lease was ending, and i got a job opportunity in birmingham. making the 100 mile round trip daily was beginning to take a toll, so i decided to take the plunge and move. so far, i'm incredibly happy that i did! i've been so busy in the past few weeks, but now my schedule will hopefully even out now that i don't have a 2 hour drive to make daily.

over the course of the past few days, i've purchased furniture, done a lot of packing and unpacking and organizing. all of my things are moved, but i've still got furniture to set up, details to work out and an endless "to buy" list. i'd like to document the evolution of my place, so i'm going to post some photos of how it looks today versus in a week or two.

i don't have a couch yet, but i have the living room all planned out in my mind. the makeshift chairs really bring the room together, right? i scored this wonderful rug from target and the side table is from ikea (tv stand + coffee table are getting put together tonight!). my bedroom is pretty much complete, though i'm thinking of adding a rug. and of course, i had to pick up a few cute plants for the front porch: sweet mint, calladiums and begonias!

stay tuned for more!

photo diary: may & early june edition

♥ i attended hangout fest in gulf shores during may 17-19, and i had a blast! before the festival i stayed with my parents in fairhope for a few days (see henry the pelican at the fairhope pier) and spent time with family. the gulf was gorgeous for the entire weekend! i saw macklemore (surprisingly amazing), passion pit, the shins, kings of leon and countless others. i can't wait to go back next year. and yes, it's better than bonnaroo. beaches > field. click here to read my post about hangout fest from last year.

♥ stocking up some items for my summer wardrobe has been a lot of fun. i'm a huge fan of lightweight collared shirts, and it's kind of becoming a problem with how much i'm wearing them recently. i've scored some great finds at loft and express!

♥ aside from job hunting and working, i've been spending a lot of time enjoying my last months in tuscaloosa. i will probably have to write a whole post about this, y'all. i love this place so, so much and i'm sad to have to leave eventually. the thing is, while i love it so, i'm ready to move on and experience life in a new place. my lease expires at the end of july, and after that i'm moving on to a job or back to fairhope until i can get something worked out. so, needless to say, i've been spending as much time enjoying tuscaloosa's beauty as possible - i spent a wonderful evening on lake tuscaloosa with friends, and i'm eating at all my favorite restaurants. 

♥ i've got a lot of things planned for the blog in the upcoming months! blogging while in college was always difficult for me, but now i truly want to devote more time to it. i'm working on a few different types of posts, and i can't wait to see where it goes! 

review: coach mini tanner

 y'all know i'm a bag person. it's just my thing. big bags, small bags, any bag - i love them all. after deciding i was interested in a new crossbody, i was briefly torn between the coach mini tanner and rebecca minkoff's mini mac. i wanted a smaller, versatile bag that was a little different than the bags i already owned. and while the mini mac is still a coveted favorite, something about the mini tanner was especially appealing - probably because it's incredibly roomy, feminine and slightly resembles beautiful celine bags with the expanding sections on the side. 

during the weekend i ventured to the coach counter in a local department store. online, the bag was backordered until july, but my curiosity drove me to just go & see if i liked it in person rather than wait. i checked out the beautiful poppy color, but my heart was kind of set on 'sand', the light, versatile brown. i'm kind of boring when it comes to bags. i like neutral tones, so they won't ever clash with an outfit. i really should invest in a bag that isn't brown, grey or black, i know... but i wasn't ready for that just yet. 'sand' is a beautiful, soft brown that is perfect for a summer wardrobe of florals - aka my clothes, hello!

what sold me on this bag was the roominess. as you can see, it easily fits my wallet, a makeup bag, keys and all the essentials. i tried to cram a larger makeup bag in there and it was a bit much, but thanks to the expanding sections on the side, if you really wanted to cram a bunch in there, you probably could. the bag features a zip compartment and a small phone pocket.

my only tiny, tiny issue with this bag is the zipper. as you can see, you have to manually re-attach the zipper together if its unzipped all the way. this doesn't bother me much because i honestly don't ever zip my bags. that's bad, i know. if you're looking for a quick zip, this might pose an issue.

as you can see, i don't carry too much - wallet, keys, glasses case and a makeup bag - so switching between shoulder bags and a crossbody usually isn't an issue. i'm very satisfied with this bag so far! i can't wait to use it this summer and forgo a shoulder bag for the time being.

what's your favorite summer bag?

i'm a university of alabama graduate!

just stopping in to say that i've finished a wonderful chapter of my life. my four years at the university of alabama have changed me forever; i truly couldn't have asked for a better college experience. i am so grateful for my family and friends for supporting me along the way. i learned so much about myself, what i want out of life and what it takes to be happy. oh, and a lot about advertising, too! the communications department at here is fantastic!

there are lots of changes soon. i'm not sure at this exact moment where i'll be once my apartment lease is up in july, but i'm planning big things and i absolutely can't wait for the future. i think i want to stick around in alabama for another few years, and then make my way somewhere new across the country. it's strange to think that this is really the moment where my life begins, where i can make the decision to go anywhere and do anything. this college town has a special place in my heart - thank you tuscaloosa. i'll always love you. psssh, i'm already planning to come back for a football game in september - can't keep me away for long!