sponsor love: interview and GIVEAWAY from Erika of Rouge and Whimsy!!!

today i bring you one of the sweetest sponsors ever and has easily become a friend over twitter. plus she and i share a love for poppies and headbands - and get this, mango flavored smoothies! (score!) you will find her shop is colorful, friendly and the perfect touch to any spring outfit!

meet erika.

tell us about your shop.

Rouge + Whimsy is filled with creative custom accessories meant to brighten up any moment-- a wedding day, birthday or perhaps an average Wednesday morning. My items are a blend of vintage florals and feather hippie chic. I take pleasure in seeing what my hands create and sharing it with others. :)
  

what is your idea of the perfect spring day?

No work! My husband and I are home all day. We wake up around 8 a.m. and sip coffee on our deck. Later, we take the dog to the park, and go for a leisurely walk. I make a delicious fruit smoothie and bake cookies, and perhaps squeeze a trip into the fabric or thrift store. ;) Later friends come over to our house for happy hour drinks and chips, salsa and guac. That night we watch a movie (while I craft) and laugh at our dog's antics. perfect, right?

what is your go-to outfit?

Skinny jeans from Forever21 ($12 people!!), a comfy tee and cardigan, printed scarf, brown flat boots. My messy red hair, flower stud earrings and my freckles. 

favorite smoothie flavor 

Mango!

today you have the chance to rock one of these two lovely Rouge and Whimsy products made especially for this Much Love, illy giveaway!! (and here's a secret: these items are not even listed in Erika's shop yet!!)

stretchy hippie headband + 

a matching stretchy elastic bracelet set!!!

a stretchy hippie headband with turquoise poppy accented with crystal bling, black tulle netting and little glass black seed beads as well as a matching stretchy elastic bracelet. the bracelet has two snaps to adjust to two different sizes and features a similar turquoise poppy as well as three sets of clustered black seed beads.

[how to enter:]

visit Rouge and Whimsy and comment below with your favorite item in Erika's shop!!

 [really, really wanna win?]

(keep in SEPARATE entries so they they count individually)

1. be a public follower of Erika's blog

2. be a public follower of Much Love, illy

3. heart Erika's shop

4. follow @erikalc via twitter

5. follow @muchloveilly via twitter

6. tweet about the giveaway

(including @erikalc and @muchloveilly so that we can track your tweet!

[don't wanna wait?]

use coupon code MUCHLOVE15 for 15% off of your entire order from Rouge and Whimsy!

Giveaway is open to ALL Much Love, illy readers through Tuesday, June 7th.

Winner will be announced on Wednesday, June 8th.

much love.

[happy tuesday, friend.]

rainbows, capri suns, and sun-kissed faces.

this weekend has been one of the laziest, most wonderfully relaxing ones ever.

but not like lazy on the couch. more like lazy on a blissful, hot beach.

our family has a tradition to hit the beach up every Memorial Day weekend.

so on Saturday, we totally hit it up.

we pulled out the swimsuits, the beach chairs, umbrellas and sunscreens and dove right into that refreshing cool Atlantic ocean water.

we swam until our arms ached.

we ate snacked on chips and ate capri suns till we couldn't have another.

we sat outside on the sand on our towels till our faces turned pink.

 then we all came home and crashed.

it was the perfect day to kick off summertime.

what are you up to this Memorial Day weekend?

on a more serious note, may we remember the lives of men and women that have served 

and those lives that were lost for the sake of our country. 

may God bless America!

much love.

[happy Memorial Day, friend!]
p.s. on the hunt for Memorial Day sales?! 
use coupon code MEMORIAL20 for 20% off of your entire order from my shop. 
visit HERE!!
 

May Large Ad Sponsor Love: if you could jump into a huge pool of whatever, it would be...?

okey-dokey. if you thought yesterday's round up of sponsors was incredible, i have more to add to that incrediblicious list of goodness!!! (is incredibilicious a word? i think not. just invented that.) and if there were mountains around where i lived, i would yell this:

I HEART MY SPONSORS!!!

they are seriously the bomb.dot.com. i feel so blessed to have such a supportive, uh-maaazing group of bloggers and business support me. they inspire me and creatively challenge me more than they know. and i seriously, think that we should have a giant pool-jumping party.

see for yourself. you're gonna get addicted to these lovelies.

 Adrianna of Le Mode Accessories.

shop / facebook / twitter

Le Mode Accessories is your source for the latest trendy fashion jewelry and accessories. Whether you are feeling boho-chic, glam rock, eclectic or anything in between, you will always find something to suit your mood.Your fashion style is a reflection of who you are and Le Mode Accessories is here to provide you with a unique selection of fashion jewelry and accessories.

if you could jump into a huge pool of whatever, it would be...

vanilla ice cream and rainbow sprinkles!!

 Chelsea of Tea Talk.

blog / twitter / flickr

Hi! My name is Chelsea and I am a fashion and lifestyle blogger. I've been blogging under my current blog, Tea Talk, for almost two years now. My posts focus on fashion as it applies to my life, which can be seen through my daily outfit posts, and also about the places I go, and things I do in the Phoenix Metropolitan area. 

if you could jump into a pool of whatever, 

it would be...

ICED COFFEE (I'm obsessed with coffee in general).

 Hannah and Rachel of EttaGrace.

shop / blog / facebook / twitter

EttaGrace is a blog/shop run by Hannah and Rachel... two sisters who miss each other terribly (we live about a gazillion miles apart)... we're California girls who have been "misplaced" in Chicago and Idaho... humph. We spend our time blogging back and forth to each other about our lives, things that inspire us, recipes, DIY projects and new ideas for our etsy shop! Speaking of... our little etsy shop (EttaGrace) is full of all things that are lovely... inspired by Anthropologie we create adorable accessories and "too cute for words" women's clothing!

if you could jump into a pool of whatever, 

it would be...

cherry blossoms... that or those orange marshmallow-y circus peanuts!! 

No... no... let's stick with cherry blossoms.

Amanda of Amanda Lynne Designs.

shop / twitter / facebook

Amanda Lynne Designs is beautiful, unique and life inspiring jewelry. With a little bit of sewing and my blog includes whats going on in my and my family's life.I love that customers allow me to create a precious piece that allows them to remember a moment in their life. And that they can be passed down as family treasures.

if you could jump into a pool of whatever, 

it would be...

it would be Reisens and Diet coke or chips and salsa!!

 Rachel of Goose + Trisser
 shop / blog / twitter / facebook

I'm Rachel Anne and I LOVE embroidery! Goose + Trisser is home to all I can stitch. Take a peek at all the hoop art there is to offer or contact me to create something truly one of a kind, a special treat just for you (did you check out Ms. Illy's special surprise?) The newest offering in the shop is my hand stitched pendant necklaces. Snatch up the ever popular Rosie or tickle your fancy with the Light as a feather design!

if you could jump into a huge pool of whatever, it would be...

Haribo gummy bears!

We Love Colors.

shop / facebook / twitter

We Love Colors is a unique clothing company founded in 2003 as a family-run business. We offer the best selection of colors in tights, leggings, fishnets, socks and dancewear, and more! We have items for women, children, and men from kids to plus sizes. We Love Colors is currently offering over 50 solid colors and 13 hand dyed splash colors. We hope you enjoy our colors and find your own unique expression with We Love Colors apparel.

***

was i right? or was i right?

awesomespice! incredible! the bomb.dot.com!

be sure to use these links to follow, tweet, and shop.

you won't regret it.

much love.

[happy friday, friend.]

beards are not my thang.

  top: forever 21 / wide leg jeans: GAP / platforms: madden girl, belk / watch: fossil

rings: gifts / necklace turned bracelet : Le Mode accessories / nails: OPI dating a royal

so i do not have a thing for beards.

not talking about me (ahem, ashley k. hehe.)

i'm talking about that Chris Hemsworth rocking that beard and long hair in Thor.

oh, yumminess. adding a brand new pin to the pinterest board today. 

my girlfriend and i could not stop talking about Hemsworth.

good movie. good story. and gooood Hemsworth.

(and no worries, folks. the fiance already knows about this eye crush on the god of Thunder.

 actually he knows about all my celebrity eye crushes. 

he could probably list them all for you. my man knows me well.)   

and hey, people! it's the weekend - a loooooong one!! i'm looking forward to movies, a beach days and a trip to Savannah. 

and oh the cherry on top? getting to see Ryan! i cannot wait. it's been far too long. 

what do you have planned for the weekend?

and i must ask, yay or nay on beards?

on Chris Hemsworth?

(but must i really ask?!)

much love.

[happy friday, friend.]
p.s. be sure to show my Large Ad sponsors some love! check 'em out HERE.

do you have a traveling bag? then i have an idea...

dress: f21 / shoes: aldo / traveling bag: le mode accessories

here is my idea.

you should grab your traveling bag, whether it's a duffel bag or backpack.

stuff it with all your necessities that you need.

sleeping bag. toothbrush. nail-polish. food. whatever you need to make a party fun!

and come over and hang out with me and one of my suh-weet blog friends, morgan of meet Virgina design.

meet us here.
see you there!!

May Group Sponsor Love: if you were candy, what would you be and why?!!

  

so heads up, folks. 

i have something i need to tell you. lean in closer. yeah, closer. you did this once for me before. ignore your co-worker or the oven just for two seconds so i can tell you this: 

I HAVE THE BEST SPONSORS EVER! 

you got the chance to meet to some of the other May sponsors from their awesome giveaways! and here are some more rocking ones! i have a feeling that you will fall hard for them like i did. plus they like candy just like me! (mmm, i could go for some sweet tarts or sour patch kids right about now!)

i dare you to check them out. actually, i double dare you.

{Morgan of Meet Virgina Design}

blog / twitter/ facebook

about your blog.

I am a Fashion Merchandising Graduate, Rainbow Brite is my style icon, I love being creative and anything I can get my hands on to do so! This blog is a hodgepodge of design, style, and life. So lets be friends mmk??!! Love, love.

if you were candy, you would be...

Sweet tarts because I'm sweet and sassy all wrapped up in one!

 {Megan of Making Lemonade}

shop / blog

about your shop.

Making Lemonade is full of cute and affordable accessories that will perk up any outfit of yours! 

if you were a candy, you would be...

This was hard! :) I finally narrowed it down though. Starburst Choozers (they don't sell them in the U.S., I've only seen them in England). They are chewy on the outside but the inside oozes with flavor. You have to get to know me before you get to the flavorful, outgoing part of me :)

{Chrissy of Whimsical Poppysmic}

shop / blog / twitter

about your shop.

Hi, I am Chrissy - I blog about my family (the hubby, the kiddo, the pup, the kitty and I), my crafts and anything that comes to mind! My passion for creating things has led me to open my Etsy shop Whimsical Poppysmic last winter! I love knitting and crochet, I adore anything made from felt and I am obsessed with cute embroidery! I am offering you a 15% off discount by using coupon code FUN15 at the checkout!

if you were candy, you would be...

If I had to pick a candy to describe myself it would be a Reese's peanut butter cup - good on the outside but even better on the inside! Come on over for a visit - I would love to have you!

{Sandy of Sandyalamode}

blog / shop / twitter

about your shop.

hello, my name is sandy. welcome to my shop~! i love bubble tea, cupcakes, my canon 50d, fabric, dresses, ruffles, event planning, and traveling. i hope you stay for awhile and find something you like! 

if you were a candy, you would be...

Sour patch kids. 

I am colorful and love color, am a kid at heart and really am sweet on the inside.

{Ashley of After Nine to Five}

 shop / blog / twitter / batering blogger

about your shop.

After Nine To Five's shop will be relaunching on June 1 to expand the coverage of everyone's favorite hobbies. The new shop (on an entirely new site) will have a vast array of accessories, including: necklaces, earrings, bags, and more. Be sure to follow the blog for more information on the launch as well as promotions and deals that will be going on the week of the launch!

if you were a candy, you would be...

 A jelly bean. 

There are so many different kinds and flavors of them and it matches the multitude of things I love and enjoy in life. It also prevents life from ever being considered boring.

***

see? what did i tell you? aren't they rockin' awesome?!

be sure to check out their shops and blogs. 

it'd make their day and make mine, too! 

much love.

[happy thursday, friend.]

current obsessions wednesday: sunglasses needed. these leggings are electric!!!

 dress: belk / belt, capri tights: f21 / shoes: Blowfish Shoes

nails: OPI dating a royal + sally hansen rockstar pink

so this girl is pretty darn happy about last night's DWTS results!

did a little dance around the room. appropriate, right?

but i'm so bummed the season is over. 

what am i gonna do without my hines, karate kid, and chelsea on monday nights?!

well, it's been awhile since we've had a current obsessions post around here. ((oops!))

but hey, we're back with another one today and first on the list of current obsessions...

neon, contrast, and floral.

i louuuuuurve neon and highlight hues (check out my pinterest if you don't believe me). i also had a little fun pairing it with something contrast like an olive green. the hot coral def. gives it amount of shock value to the outfit. 

and the floral print lining my Blowfish Javas - killer!!

popcorn.

i love my popcorn. sometimes just plain butter. 

other times no butter but with lots of parmesean cheese and garlic salt.

best.snack.ever.

made by hank.

i've owned a little madebyhank wallet for sometime now but as the uh-mazing Katie Henry continued to restock her shop with some new colors and designs, i couldn't hold it in any longer. i fell in love with this baby. the colors are perfect-o!

what are you loving these days, friend?

 (and oh, if you are watching American Idol tonight, i must know...

are you Team Lauren or Team Scotty?! )

oh! and real quick before i sign off, if you are Samantha (#113) of Simply Samantha, 

you just won the Blowfish Giveaway for your own pair of Beachers in your choice of color! 

so shoot me an email (muchloveilly[at]gmail[dot]com) so we can get your hands on your pair stat!

Samantha, congratulations!! Blowfish Shoes, thank you for a fantastic giveaway!!

much love.

[happy wednesday, friend.]

p.s. if you didn't win, don't be bummed! Blowfish has a huuuuge discount code to celebrate Memorial Day. 

get this - 25% off your entire order with code MEMORIAL25!

so what are you waiting for?! GO!!