Lemon Blueberry Cake

 

I'm a spontaneous baker.  My husband calls me the "midnight baker" because that's usually about the time that I like to start baking.  I know, weirdo :)  I don't ever plan on what to bake, I usually just look what I have in the kitchen and bake with what I have.  This day, however, I was at Whole Foods and these blueberries were looking so yummy so I grabbed them and walked towards the lemons which looked equally as good and decided right then that I need to bake a Lemon Blueberry something.  I usually like to make lemon bars when the lemons are looking as good as these but this time I felt like cake and searched Food Gawker for the perfect recipe which I found on Kitchen Runway.  It just looked delicious and crumb topping gets me everytime! (I skipped the glaze because I didn't want the extra sweetness)

 

Definitely a winner! And perfect with a cup of coffee.  I've bookmarked this one to make another time.  

Like my baking posts?  Check out my fave Chocolate Chip Cookies and my mother in law's recipe for the best sugar cookies ever!  In fact, I think I will be baking those tonight!

my month in iPhone pics

It's been awhile since my last "week in iPhone pics" post so thought I'd just gather a few that I've taken over the past month or so for a little catch up! :)  Husband always tells me how much he loves these posts, and I do too.  It's like a mini photo diary of what we've been up to!  Usually it's nothing too exciting but it's always those little moments that are sometimes the best to look back on.

First, the obligatory cute dog pictures :)  Hehe, on my iPhone you can usually find one of two things, pictures of food and pictures of my dogs.  I can never have enough!

The one on the left was taken on a walk to the coffee shop while hubs and I were enjoying our coffee, Macho and Savvy begged and pleaded with their eyes for a piece of our muffins!  The doggie on the right is Odin, my brother and his girlfriend's new Corgi puppy who is no longer quite that small but still quite the cutie!  He is a handful though as most puppies are!  Nothing on the ground is safe from his chompers! :)

 

• Top photos are the Row House Cafe, a cute little restaurant that's literally in a house that serves the most amazing grilled cheese sandwiches ever.  I don't even like grilled cheese that much (I'm actually not a fan of cheese) but the way they make it here and the bread they use is so yummy!  Highly recommended!
• I often get asked for Seattle restaurant recommendations and I keep on wanting to make a list but my list of favorites change so often that I never get around to doing it BUT Via Tribunali will always be on my top favorite pizza places.  Authentic Neapolitan pizza, the crust is simply amazing!
• I just got back from a trip to China and our meal before we came home at the Shanghai airport was this delightful ramen with a side of tonkatsu and chicken wings!  Probably one of the best airport meals I've ever had.

 

As most of you know, husband and I have retired from wedding photography and this was the last wedding that we shot.  The album was just completed so we sent it off to the beautiful couple.  We couldn't have asked for a better couple and better location to be our very last wedding.  If you recognize the location, it's the very same place that J and I got married at in Jamaica!  (Isn't her dress and the bridesmaids dresses so darling?)

 

• I'm still addicted to making bracelets even though now as a jewelry designer I have more bracelets than I know what to do with!  Here's a few that I made (that you have seen before) but I took our gold small link necklace and tied a ribbon around it to create the perfect complement to my bracelets.
• These iPhone cases in China made me laugh!  They were even more bling-ier than mine!  And how funny are the 3D characters?  I have a little 3D bow on mine but it doesn't bother me too much.  I can't imagine being on the phone for long while clutching one of those characters' faces!
• Yes, I fell into the Target for Missoni craziness!  I stopped by my local target and found a few things left.  All the women's clothing was gone (except for one blouse that I got) so I picked up some of the kid's stuff (you can see my haul here on my facebook) and these boxes that are now holding jewelry samples and magazines.  My mom was able to get stuff that I couldn't find so I also have another pretty cardigan and notebook from her!  I'm actually going to be returning a few items as I kind of went crazy and bought everything that fit but I'm absolutely loving and keeping the flats!  The women's sizes were all sold out by the time I got there but luckily the kid's size 3 fit great!  So just a tip for those of you with small feet, keep a lookout for the kid's sizes if you are still looking for them!

I'm gearing up for a very busy week ahead so posting may be lighter this week.  Hope you guys have a great week!  And if you haven't checked out our latest collection, make sure to check it out before the 30th to get 10% off your order.  Use code NEWARRIVALS at checkout.  The code is applicable for all jewelry except for Style Steals.

All photos were taken by me on my iPhone 4 and edited on photoshop.  Thank you to Pugly Pixel for the photo templates.

t+j Designs New Collection!

Thank you so so much for your support of our jewelry line.  We had quite an exciting launch and I love seeing the pieces on you guys so please keep on sending in your photos and/or blog posts of you wearing them!  We also love to hear your feedback/requests so if there is something that you are looking for in particular, we'd love to hear about it!

We are so happy to finally be releasing our latest collection!  We will slowly be adding more styles in the next few weeks and have some really fun pieces!  Also, make sure to subscribe to our email list (subscribe in the box on the left sidebar) or follow us on Facebook or Twitter to be updated on new arrivals as well as special discounts! In fact, I'd make sure to check one of those pages today, hint hint ;)

Some new necklaces, bracelets, rings and more!  Go check them out here! :)  And we've recently introduced a new Style Steals section where everything is under $30.  We will be adding more styles later so make sure to check back.

A few of my current favorites, although I love everything we have!

Delicate Link Metal Necklace

Sleek Link Necklace

Rhinestone Ribbon Bracelet

Pyramid Crystal Bracelet and Glam Leatherette Ring

Packing Tips!

When I was in my early twenties, I was a chronic over packer. I think every time I went on a trip with girlfriends we'd try to "out shoe" each other.  Meaning "How many shoes did you bring?" "You brought 5?  I brought 7!"  LOL!  But in recent years, I've had to travel a lot more for work and packing for work travel (which you don't want to be lugging around a huge suitcase when doing multi-city stops with your boss) has helped me figure out ways to help make packing easier so thought I'd share my method with you guys!

 

I'm a super organized traveler so as you can see from my photos, everything has it's own pouch or case.

The Tools: 

• A good sturdy suitcase - Mine is a Tumi roller (similar here) that is carry on size but roomy enough for a 5 day trip as well.  I've had it for I think 5 years now and it's incredible how much it's been through yet nothing is broken.  Zippers still work perfectly, the wheels run smoothly and the handle isn't wobbly.  Although expensive, this suitcase was worth every penny.  Luggage is one of those things that I truly believe that you should invest in if you travel a lot.  I also love that mine is a rare pink that you never see.  I try to do carry on most of the time but the times that I check my bag, I never have trouble spotting my pink luggage!
• Packing Cubes - These are amazing for someone that loves organization.  I put all of my clothes into one by rolling everything (rolling helps with wrinkles) and the other ones I put in my delicates (undies, sleepwear, workout clothes) and the last one is miscellaneous but I usually keep my toiletry bag, curling iron or flat iron (only one, never both), makeup brush pouch and ipod speakers in there.  You know how sometimes you forget something and you need to dig into your suitcase to get it and then it ruins your packing job?  With packing cubes, you never have that problem.  You just find the one you put it in and pull it out without ruining everything else.  Then when you pack all the cubes, they just fit together into the suitcase.  There is no sitting on the suitcase to get it closed.  It just fits!
• Shoe bags - You don't have to worry about getting anything dirty or anything scratching your shoes.
• Jewelry Pouch - My mother in law bought me a whole travel bag set for my birthday a few years ago and this jewelry pouch was included and is my favorite.  Unfortunately I don't know the brand of it but this one looks really nice as well.  It has compartments for all my jewelry and even a neat little roll that you can slip your rings on.  None of my jewelry ever has to get tangled together and it's so easy to see what I brought.
• Laptop Case - If you get a slim one like mine and keep nothing else in it, you can take it through security without taking it out of it's case.  (Don't hold me to it though, TSA gets picky, but most let me take it through w/o taking it out.)  Pack the laptop case last (right on top of the packing cubes) for easy access to pull it out when you get to security.  (Mine is by Knomo and you can find a similar style here or here.  Mine is a few years old so they don't make this color/style anymore.)

What I pack:

• Check the weather before you go: I bring clothes for the climate but knowing that I often get cold, I always bring an extra cardigan and scarf just in case.  I like Accuweather because it has the temperature but also the "RealFeel" temperature which when you see 78 degrees but "RealFeel" 100 degrees than you know you really don't need to bring that extra cardigan!
• Keep it in the same color family: I always try to take basics like black pants, dark skinny jeans and things that mix and match with similar tones or patterns.  I never pack "outfits" meaning "these pants go with this top and these shoes" because that always fails for me.  Inevitably I don't feel like wearing that outfit that I packed and I don't feel as comfortable that day.  
• The essential shoes (only!): I don't go overboard with shoes now because shoes are bulky and take up too much space.  I always always bring 1 pair of flats that will go with every outfit and 1 pair of heels that will go easily from office to dinner.  The shoes that I wear on the plane are usually either my bulkiest shoes (like boots that would be hard to pack) or heels that are a good alternative to the black ones in case I don't feel like wearing black.
• Cosmetics bag: Because I travel a lot and I hated packing and repacking all the same makeup essentials, I bought two of everything I use a lot and keep one set in my travel cosmetics bag at all times.  That way there is no way I can forget my favorite eyeliner or blush, which I always used to do.  I do the same with my makeup brushes and have a set that I only use for travel.  I use this Vera Bradley one because it's roomy and lined in plastic so it can be cleaned easily when makeup breaks or spills (which inevitably it does, I had eyeshadows shatter and the whole inside was covered in brown and gold eyeshadow but with water it cleaned right off.)
• Extras to make your trip easier: iPod speakers (when I travel alone, it gets lonely and I'm not a TV watcher so prefer music),  I use this one which you can connect your iPod and iPhone to.  A power strip - yes, a power strip.  How many times have you looked around a hotel  room for an electrical outlet only to find one that is easy to plug into, but you have 3 things to charge?  It doesn't add too much weight to bring one and when I travel with the hubs we never have to fight for who gets to charge what first.  This is especially helpful when traveling to a tropical city where it's more of a touristy destination and they don't think about outlets like business hotels do.  For photographers, this was super handy for us because charging DSLR batteries takes up an outlet for a long time!  Room Spray: (Keep this in your baggy of liquids that you have to take out at security) I know I'm not the only one that hates the smell of most hotel rooms!  I am a fan of these Bath and Body Works room sprays.  Small and compact and last a long time.

What to carry on:

• My carry on bag is usually either my matching Tumi overnight bag (similar here) that I keep my purse in along with everything else, or on shorter trips, I just carry a purse like my Louis Vuitton Neverfull that can carry a good amount of stuff.  
• A tote like the Neverfull (I also use the Rebecca Minkoff Cherish tote) is pretty much my go to for work trips as it holds my files, laptop charger, mouse, etc... pretty easily.  For non-work trips where I know I'll be walking around a lot and taking pictures, I usually bring a cross body bag.  My Marc by Marc Jacobs bag is a fave for travel.
• Things that I keep in my purse: my jewelry pouch, wallet, iPhone, iPod, Nook (I have the old Nook but the new color Nook is awesome!), magazines and a small cosmetics pouch that I keep a mirror, blush/blush brush, lipstick and eyeliner in for touch ups when you land and there's no time to go to the hotel to freshen up.  Oh and of course a scarf because I'm always cold!
• If I bring my iPad, I keep it there as well but I never bring both my laptop and iPad.  It's overload and I already carry too much.
• And of course my camera if I bring it.  When I bring my DSLR, I keep the camera body and lens in their own pouches.  Not only does it protect it better, they are easier to carry and less bulky as two separate parts than one gigantic, awkward shape.

I took those photos in a hotel room packing to come home so you can see that I really do pack like that on every trip! :) 

p.s. If you are wondering what luggage we used to transport our camera equipment for our photography jobs, we use this titan luggage and a lot of custom cut foam padding!  Hubs sometimes would also double pack the cameras into this Crumpler bag to make it that much safer.

Lookbook: The Luckiest

What I'm Wearing
*Blazer: J Crew (Similar here or here)
*Tank: Forever 21 (Similar here or here. Or this ruffle tank.)
*Shorts: Forever 21 (Mine are small stripes but loving the houndstooth shorts here and here)
*Shoes: Miu Miu (similar here and here for under $100)
*Bag: Chloe Marcie small satchel
*Jewelry: t+j Designs 3 Stone Dangle Earrings - the pinks are sold out but we have tons of other great colors!  Gold Chain Bracelet with a quick embroidery thread DIY.
*Sunglasses:  Marc by Marc Jacobs (similar here)

Random Thoughts:
*I'm going to miss all the various farmer's markets in Seattle.  They are closing down soon for fall which makes me sad.  I also particularly like that the food trucks decided to join the farmer's market, especially Parfait which has the best homemade strawberry ice cream. 
*Obsessed with Spoon Fork Bacon! The best food photography/cooking blog EVAR.
*I need closure when I end a book.  I get angry when I don't get closure.  Thank you Harvesting the Heart for making me angry.
*I believe I'm the luckiest person in the universe.  Do you?  <---- Really great article, it's something that I truly believe.  And to realize that some people really don't just have luck.  They create that luck.  And everyone can do it. You really can!

 My thoughts too but I could never write as well as the talented Tina Su.
via Think Simple now "How to be the Luckiest Person"

Lookbook: Gray Lace

Went back to the old background for this lookbook. I missed it :)

What I'm Wearing
*Blazer: Eryn Brinie (similiar. I'll take this one with the plaid trim too!)
*Top: Testament "March of Roses" tank - now on sale!
*Skirt: T by Alexander Wang (similar mini skirt and similar longer length) - can't go wrong with any of his skirts, they all fit so nicely!
*Shoes: Prada (similar but way prettier! I will take these Fendi pumps too. thankyouverymuch. Love these pumps in nude and on sale for under $100.)
*Bag: Chanel "Ultimate Stitch Classic Flap"
*Necklace: t+j Designs Delicate Luxe Rhinestone Necklace
*Ring: Wendy Brandes Diana Ring

Not much to say today, just that I hope you guys are having a good day! It's been a crazy week, so be back on Monday. Have a great weekend!

If you missed my curling with a flat iron tutorial, it's on the Smarter blog today!

Hair Dryer review and hair essentials

I completely forgot that after blow dryer explosion debacle, I never did a review on what I ended up getting!  I do love my new blow dryer so thought it was worth doing the review.  I got the Elchim 2001 (also called Elchim Classic) from Folica.com for a great price.  They do a lot of discounts so keep an eye on their promotions.  I was able to get mine for a good price and shipping was pretty fast too.  I also ordered a flat iron from them and will do a review on that later.

The Good:

*Price: Under $100.  Cheaper than my previous hair dryer and easier to find a discount for.
*3 different power settings and 3 different temperature settings.  I usually use the medium power on medium heat but I've used the high power in emergencies before and it dries my hair in minutes!  (I never use high heat.  Too hot for me.)
*Doesn't make my hair frizzy
*Fits my diffuser perfectly (see below)
*Fairly quiet

The Bad:
*A bit heavy and if you have to blow dry for a while or do some styling with it, your arm really starts to hurt.

Overall - definitely recommend!  I think it's a great blow dryer for the price and my hair has been very happy since getting it.

I've mentioned that I use a finger diffuser to blow dry my hair and I always get questions on what mine looks like.  I bought this from my salon that I got my digital perm from and it works really well.  Just hold the diffuser underneath your hair, rather than pointed directly at your hair.  Twist up a small section of your hair and place it in the diffuser (make sure you are blowing on low or medium heat, high is too hot) and let it dry like that instead of blowing directly at your hair and waving it around which can create frizzies.  This worked really well when I had my digital perm (my waves came out a lot better this way) but I still like this method even now, after my digital perm has grown out.  If I don't use the diffuser, I kind of get weird kinks in my hair.


Hair essentials:
These are my favorite hair products that I've used for the past few months and I seriously can not get enough of them.

 Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo

I have, I think, 5 different dry shampoos and I use them all for different reasons.  Some work really well to tease my hair (I find the sprays work the best for the purpose) and some work really well to absorb the oils in my hair when it's feeling a bit greasy (powders seems to work best for me) but the Oscar Blandi dry shampoo actually does both really well which is why I'm loving it the most.  Just put a little into your hair, comb it out (it comes out white and with black hair, it looks terrible so make sure to comb it out really well!) and it gives your hair enough texture to hold most styles.  I use it when I want to backcomb my hair just to give a little "poof" at the crown.

Wen by Chaz Dean Replenshing Treatment Mist (Courtesy of Guthy-Renker)

This is to help "revive and re-style hair in between washes" and since I don't wash my hair every day (it makes my hair way too dry if I do and it's easier for me to style dirty hair) I am always looking for something to help keep my hairstyle last that extra day between washes.  Love this light spray and the fragrance isn't overwhelming which is nice.  It just gives your hair an added little bounce and shine.

ALTERNA Bamboo Smooth Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist

Let me tell you, I am obsessed with this product and am recommending it to everyone.  I think I read about it in a magazine and it just sounded like something I needed.  I only it spray it twice to cover all my hair and then just fluff it in.  It has made my hair so much shinier and healthier than I've ever seen it.  The description from Sephora: "A weightless, nutrient-rich oil mist that protects hair from heat styling tools, enhances shine, and boosts hair's health." which sounds amazing right?  Well, it is and it works!  Also, I don't know how to describe the scent but I love it.  It's not a strong scent but it's just enough and I love the way it makes my hair smell.

One last thing, I'm a huge believer in Biotin.  Along with my daily vitamins, I've been taking Biotin which is supposed to help with hair, skin and nails and I've seen a huge improvement in all 3 since I started taking it.  My hair has been growing like crazy and is thicker than ever which I do attribute a lot of it to the Biotin.  I was recently reading a magazine (I forgot which one) where a celebrity hairstylist said the same thing about his clients that take Biotin, so I know I'm not the only one!  The amount my hair grew when I started taking Biotin was much faster than before.  If you remember, I had a little freak out about my hair cut when I got a major chop (for me, it was a major chop!) but I'm finally happy with the length that it is now.

I try not to use too many heat styling tools as I want to keep my hair as healthy as possible so I don't use the blow dryer every time and just let my hair air dry occasionally.  My favorite thing lately has been to pile it up in a big bun on the top of my hair while wet and let it dry all day and by the time I take it out to go out at night, it's become soft, wavy and voluminous hair!

If you want to see more of my favorite hair products, see this post here and for styling, you can see my Glam Curls video tutorial or how to curl with a flat iron video tutorial.

Lookbook: Never fail

You know how some things never fail?  Like every time I wear white jeans, they inevitably get a major stain on them.  Like on the day I wore this outfit, I'm super careful all day long and then when we take the dogs out for a walk, I decide not to change out of laziness and knowing that I'll be careful, until of course, something happens, my dog gets distracted and I have to pick her up to get her out of the street and voila, dirty paw prints all over my white jeans.  And not just like dirty paw prints, more like dirt smears - I don't even know how she got so dirty!  That stuff doesn't happen when I'm not wearing white pants but of course it happens when I am! 

What I'm Wearing
*Top: J Crew (similar)
*Jeans: J Crew (here - on sale!) size down they stretch lots!
*Shoes: Miu Miu (look for less under $100, look for less under $50)
*Bag: Louis Vuitton - Neverfull MM
*Bracelets: t+j Designs - Neon Rhinestone Cuff, the other pink bracelet will be available in the store in a few weeks!  Silver bangle is vintage.

*Don't worry, I went home and OxiClean-ed my jeans right away.  Good as new!

Lookbook: Stripes and Chanel

I took these photos after watching my 8 month old nephew and let me tell you those under eye bags are from him!  He is adorable but SUPER exhausting and I wasn't even watching him alone!  My mother in law and my husband were there too!  hahaha!  This is why I don't have children of my own.  I can work 20 hours a day every day but put a baby in front of me for 2 hours and I feel like I need a 12 hour nap!  Oh and can you tell that I'm not used to being around babies?  He LOVED all my jewelry and thought I was his little entertainment center.  I spent half my time prying my jewelry away from his very tiny but strong fingers.  Lesson learned, no jewelry around babies!  

What I'm Wearing

*Top: Zara - OMG, the online store is finally open!  I got my shirt at the beginning of summer so I don't see it on the site but how cute is this green top?  Perfect for fall!  So not over stripes (as you know from yesterday's post).  Am completely in love with this striped blouse at Shopbop.  Would look so fabulous with some slim black trousers, black pumps and lots of fun jewelry.

*Shorts: J Crew - similar here except mine are a wool blend.  I mean does wool shorts even make sense?  No they don't but if you were to wear wool shorts, Seattle would be the place to wear them.  I've worn these a bunch this summer and I'm always the perfect temperature.

*Shoes: Miu Miu - buy them here or here in leather.  Loving these too!  And a look for less here.

*Necklace - Vintage | Bracelets - Bhuddist beads from Taiwan and J Crew bangles

Shopping Haul!

 

I did some shopping recently and wanted to share my buys with you guys!  Plus it takes me forever to post lookbooks so hopefully if you like the stuff you can grab it now before it's sold out of your size.  I went to the new Forever 21 in downtown Seattle and it's super overwhelming in there because it's 3 floors just PACKED with stuff and usually that turns me off from shopping but since I wasn't in a rush, I took my time and found some cute stuff!

I got this adorable ruffled top, that looks way more expensive than the 15 dollar price!  I recently wore while hanging out with the adorable Ro of La Sea, see the picture on my facebook here!

 Forever21 Ruffled Woven Top
 There's also a similar version with sleeves.

I got a size small and the fit is a little baggy.   It could use some tailoring on the sides but worn with slim jeans, it looks fine.  I don't really love the length one me as it ends at a weird place and with the ruffles, it makes me look a bit wider so I tucked it in at the last ruffle and it looks much better that way.

Here's a preview of the lookbook.  The necklace and bracelet are both t+j Designs new collection that will be launched in the next few weeks!  Check out our blog for more of the collection!

I also purchased this polka dot top as I realized that I have way too many stripes in my closet so wanted to mix things up with some polka dots!  I love the peter pan collar and the slightly sheer layers.   I plan on wearing this with my white jeans before it gets to be fall and I can no longer wear them!

Forever 21 Polka Dot Top

I bought the size Small and the fit is a bit baggy on the sides.  I think this under a white blazer would be super cute too!

I've really been into plaid boyfriend shirts as I think it looks so cute with a pair of shorts or even dressed up with a skirt.  I got a similar shirt to this except mine is navy blue/white plaid.  Love this pink one though!  I think I'll go back to the store to see if I can find it.  I like to girly up my plaid shirts by rolling up the sleeves, unbottoning the top 3 buttons and then topping it off with a sparkly necklace!  (my favorite is to pair it with our luxe crystal drop necklace.  The casualness of the shirt plus the sparkly-ness of the necklace makes for the perfect combo.)

Forever 21 Boyfriend Plaid Shirt

The size small is pretty big but probably right on for a "boyfriend look".  Although I do like that there is no chest gap like most button downs do on me.

Now onto my fall buys from J Crew!

J Crew sends their card members a 25% discount from time to time so I had to take advantage of it and order some stuff online.  Luckily all the stuff fit and I love it all!  I always stock up on sweaters from J Crew for the fall.  They are great quality for a good price and always last a long time.  I thought about being adventurous and get this very fall appropriate "vibrant flame" color but instead I went with a safe navy color.  Maybe I'll wait it out to see if the "vibrant flame" color will go on sale and get it then.

J Crew Merino V-neck Sweater
I got an XS and the fit is great.  It's pretty much like on the model, a little bit loose but fitted in the right places.

As I was just saying, I have too many striped shirts in my closet but of course I had to add more!  I love this one as it's a bit more dressy and could definitely work for the office with a pair of nice trousers, perhaps the cafe capri pants that I thought about getting but wasn't sure about the fit.  Of course, since I didn't get them, I now want them!  (Thank you to Jackie for your feedback on them!)

J Crew Stripe Out Tee
The XS fits a little loose and slouchy which is exactly what I was looking for.  It's made from a nice very smooth and silky jersey so it's different than my other striped tops that are mostly cotton.

I was looking for a top that I could just throw on with jeans for a "casual chic" look and this top is perfect for that. You would think that I would already have a bunch of tops that would work but when I pull them out, I feel like it's either too dressy or too sloppy and I just don't like it.

J Crew Boatneck Painter Tee
The XS is very slim fitted which will look great with both my skinny jeans and my new bell bottom jeans.  I love this tee because of the long length.  I have a short torso so longer length shirts always look much better on me than cropped lengths.

That's it for now!  I'm probably going to save my monies for some fall shoe shopping, I need new boots!  So what about you guys?  Have you bought anything lately that you are loving?  Please share!

Nike Training Club - Week 5

For the past 5 weeks I've been using Nike Training Club app on my iPhone and it's been a really great change of pace for my workouts.  I've come to actually enjoy weights and intervals much more than I did before and actually prefer this to running, which is what I opted for previously.  It also really  motivates me to workout as before I kind of felt like I'd just go to the gym and do my regular routine and it got a bit boring.  I love that I get different workouts everytime and that it really feels like it's making a difference.  I've never left a workout without being completely out of breath and full of energy!  I really loved that quite a few of you took the challenge with me and downloaded and used the app as well.  How have you guys been doing with it?  Do you find that it helps motivate you to workout as well?

I wasn't able to squeeze in as many workouts as I wanted to last week since it was so busy but here's where I am after my 5 weeks of using the app.  I feel really good about my progress and how much more I can do with it.  I started out using the "Get Lean" program but I've switched in between that and the "Get Toned" program which I love as well.  It's so great to have so many options with just one app!

This is my last post for my progress on the Nike Training Club but it's something that even if I wasn't blogging about it, I'd still use anyway. I do plan to continue using this weekly so if any of you guys that are using it and want to keep up with my progress and keep on encouraging each other towards our fitness goals, feel free to email me!  I'd love to have a virtual workout buddy to keep each other motivated!  And don't forget to enter the giveaway below if you've downloaded it!  So many great prizes, I hope one of you guys win!

The Nike Training Club App is a full-body functional training app designed for you to make yourself whatever you want to be. Whether you’re looking to get lean, toned, or strong, NTC takes every workout to the next level. Download it here.  And after you download it (or if you already have!) click here to enter for a chance to win an iPad2 complete with the Nike Training Club app and Nike gear including the Legend Pant, Victory Bra, and Free XT Motion Fit+!

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Nike Women via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Nike Women.