A Day in the Life: February 2015

As much as I would like to do one of these posts every month it can sometimes be hard for me to find time. My last "Day in the Life" was posted back in December. I had planned on doing one in January since I had a lot going on but I never got the chance.

So this month was somewhat crazy! I went back to school toward the end of January and ever since then I have been quite busy. I normally find myself spending way to much time in the library and meeting with professors. Since it is the second semester of my Junior year, I have been working so hard to get my GPA really high as well as setting up my portfolio for this Summer when I take on an internship. Last semester was one of the best semesters I've had (All A's and B's) so I plan on making this semester just as good if not better! I would love to talk more about what a normal day in college looks like for me, so if you would like me to talk about it in a separate blog post I will!

Also, can we take a minute to discuss how adorable this mug is! "Born Free Now I'm Expensive", sounds like me..... :) I found this mug at T.J. Maxx and when I saw it I knew I had to have it! It is a huge mug which is nice because I am addicted to coffee! I drink at least 2 cups a day! And of course, you gotta have your classic oatmeal with strawberries, my go-to breakfast. 

When I'm making breakfast in the morning, sometimes I get sidetracked. On this particular morning I opened up my koozie drawer and realized it was a disaster so I fixed it up and made it a bit more organized. You can never have too many koozies! 

When I got home after a long day of classes I walked into my room to find a little present waiting for me on my bed. My wonderful boyfriend (Shawn) bought me the Lilly Pulitzer scarf that I have been wanting for the longest time. It was kind of a late birthday present since he never got the chance to get me one on my birthday because of the awful weather here! When I saw this scarf I just about died. It is the Florida state scarf from Lilly Pulitzer and if you all don't already know. I grew up in Florida so I consider it my home. I miss it every single day, I wanted to go and visit this Summer but it's a little too expensive. Florida is where  all my happiest memories lie. I plan on moving back once I graduate! (Fingers crossed I make it happen!)

 

Later that evening, Shawn and I went to Target to pick up a few things for our upcoming trip to South Carolina. We are heading to Myrtle Beach for Spring Break this year and I could not be more excited since I have never been there before! As you can see he bought a new suitcase and I managed to slip in some Valentine's Day goodies. :)

After our little shopping trip we came back to my place and I made some dinner for Shawn and Chelsea. One of our favorite dishes ever! I found this recipe on Taralynn McNitt's blog a couple months ago and ever since then I have been addicted to it. 

I plan on posting a couple more blog posts this week so keep a look out for those! I really enjoy blogging, it keeps me busy. If you have something exciting to share from January or February leave it as a comment down below!

What's in my Purse?

Well, long time, no talk! Life has been so hectic for me lately. I have been putting most of my time into my school work, my personal life and organizing my Summer plans (Hoping for an internship this Summer, fingers crossed!) But anyways I thought it would be nice to do a blog post on my purse and what exactly I carry in it on a day to day basis! 

I feel like what a girl keeps in her purse says a lot about their personality. I usually clean out my purse once a week or sometimes once every other week, it just depends on how busy I am. I normally am a very organized and clean person. There is truly nothing I hate more than clutter and junk taking up space in my life.

So for this blog post I will show you exactly what I keep in my purse and how I manage to keep everything organized and clutter free!

So let me start off my saying I am not a professional organizer in any way but I do enjoy organizing my life as much as I can. So I hope you take my tips and tricks with a grain of salt and put your own little twist on them!

The purse I carry around with me on a day to day basis is my Longchamp "Les Pliage" Large Tote in the color Beige. I've had this bag for a few years and I absolutely love it! It's a great multifunctional bag. During the school year I use it to keep my books and things in. Then during the Summer months I use it as a beach tote! 

The tote retails for $178 at the Longchamp store and on their website. I bought mine at the actual Longchamp store in the King of Prussia Mall (Great customer service!) for the full asking price. I somewhat regret paying that much for this bag since all it really is is a rubbery plastic material on the inside but the bag is made really well. Since then I have purchased a few more in all sorts of colors. I have one in red, navy blue, and black! They are also all the large size but for these I did not pay full price I bought them at a local upscale consignment shop near my house. 

As for what's inside....

1. Keys and My Student ID-- I have my keys and my student ID on a Vera Bradley lanyard I bought a few years ago. As for the key chains on it... one is from Lilly Pulitzer, the little boot is from L.L. Bean and the key fob is from an Etsy shop! (it's in the You Gotta Regatta Print!)

 

2.  Cell Phone and Apple Headphones-- I have the iPhone 6 in the Gold version and I love it! My case is from Lilly Pulitzer and it' in the "Let's Cha Cha" print.

3. Wallet-- I bought this wallet at Target about a year ago after my other wallet broke. But I love this wallet! It zips around and the color is so pretty I couldn't pass it up.

4. Hand Food by Soap and Glory-- I love this hand cream! It smells like marshmallows and keeps my hands so soft without feeling greasy or heavy! You can buy it at Sephora for $5!

5. Lip Products!-- I have one MAC lipstick in my purse and it is in my favorite lip color of all time (Creme Cup). I am near to obsessed with it and I am due for a new one! As for the other lip products, I have two NYX glosses, one is in "Tiramisu" (Butter Gloss) and the other is in "Beige" (Mega Shine Gloss). I also have a Smashbox lip gloss duo in "Peepshow" and a Burt's Bees lip balm in Dark Chocolate and Blueberry!  

6. Polar T4 Watch-- This watch is my life. I work out almost everyday so this watch is my best friend. It tells me my heart-rate, calories burned, my pace, etc. It is a great little gadget! It's super lightweight and it comes in all sorts of colors. I bought mine on Amazon for around $50!

7. iPhone 6 Armband-- The day I bought my iPhone 6, I also placed an order on Amazon for a new armband. I always use armbands when I workout because I love listening to music! It gets me motivated and I don't focus on working out. I love this armband! Not only was it affordable but it is also fits my arm really nicely.  

8. Lilly Pulitzer Koozie-- I always carry a koozie with me! I normally use koozies for water bottles or canned beverages. I usually keep one in my backpack when I'm at school too, just in case I buy a water bottle when I'm on campus and don't want water to get on my schoolwork.

9. Eyeglasses-- I love my eyeglasses! Mine are from Kate Spade and they are adorable! She has so many designs to choose from and the case is so pretty.

10. Lilly Pulitzer Wristlet-- Everyone needs a wristlet. I keep one in my purse just in case I don't feel like carry my purse into a store with me. I just throw my driver license and my credit card in it and I'm ready to go!

11. Kashi Bar-- I plan on doing a healthy snacks blog post at some point in time because I have a lot of healthy recipes and tips to share with you all. But I always keep a Kashi Bar on me at all times. They have so many different flavors to choose from and they always keep me full for a long period time.

12. Sweetarts-- What can I say?...... They are delicious! :)

13. Gum-- Trident White. Best. Gum. Hands down! 

14. Makeup Bag-- Everyone needs a small cosmetic bag to keep in their purse filled with their essentials. I keep a bunch of random things in mine! Powder compact, floss sticks, tampons, band-aids, tissues, etc. 

15. Sunglasses and Croakies-- My sunglasses are from T.J. Maxx which is where I buy most of my sunglasses and my croakies are from Lilly Pulitzer! They are great if you don't feel like keeping your glasses on your head! 

A Day in the Life: December 2014

Well December is just about wrapping up and I thought it would be fun to do "A Day in the Life" in the month of December! 

December was a crazy month for me and it usually always is. Between finals, last minute projects, holiday shopping, packing and of course getting sick with pneumonia and strep, I am beyond tired by the end of the month. So to make myself feel better I thought I would write a blog post on some shopping I did recently. 

This month I did a lot of shopping which was much needed since I needed to buy some new winter clothes anyway! (I've outgrown a lot of things recently) I will probably post a separate blog post discussing some of the things I picked up on a recent Target and Plato's Closet trip! But for now I want to share with you a few things I picked up while I was shopping at the King of Prussia Mall this past week because I am more than excited about my purchases! 

So the first store I went to while I was at the King of Prussia Mall was of course Lilly Pulitzer! Probably my favorite store in the entire world! I actually wasn't planning on purchasing anything special while I was there. I was just in the mood to browse and maybe pick up a couple koozies but of course while I was there I ran into something very special.....

The Getaway Quilted Vest and the most gorgeous Sarasota Tunic I have seen in a long time! Both of which were on sale! I could not believe I found the Getaway Vest in particular since I had actually had my eye on it for the longest time but it sold out online. It was the last Getaway Vest in the store in a size Extra Extra Small so I decided to try it on and believe it or not, it fit! (Thank the Lilly Gods!) I wish it was in an Extra Small because I would have been able to layer shirts with it but the Extra Extra Small will do. I asked one of the lovely ladies at Lilly to check to see if they had any Extra Smalls or Smalls available at any of the other stores but they were actually sold out of the vest in 

 every Lilly store in the country which was beyond crazy! 

As for the Sarasota Tunic, it fit me just perfectly (I tried on a Small). But at the end of the day I decided to just go with the Getaway Vest since it was still somewhat pricey. It is by far one of the most amazing Lilly items I own! The gold buttons are such an amazing detail and the "Multi Hot Spot" print in the inside of the vest is gorgeous.

The next store I decided to stop by was Vineyard Vines!  This store was beyond crowded and the line was out the door so I didn't actually get a chance to buy anything. I had my eye on a Vineyard Vines Travis Tumbler but I wasn't going to wait in line just for that.

After Vineyard Vines I went into L.L.Bean to look for the Bean Boot key-chain which I found but in a red color! I decided to buy it since it was so darn cute and it was only $7.95! (How cute is that little bean boot?!)

After L.L.Bean I went to Francesca's which is my go-to store! I saw this really cute jewelry tray while I was browsing! I almost bought it but I practiced self control! (Even though I might secretly go back and buy it!) 

 After Francesca's my boyfriend and I decided to head on home since the Mall was getting really crowded! After our shopping trip we decided to go on a little picnic since it was so beautiful outside. And there is truly nothing better than WaWa hoagies (subs) and fresh fruit for lunch! 

 

After dinner we decided to go on a walk around the neighborhood because the sun was shining and it was so warm outside! (Reppin that Bama! Roll Tide!)

When we got home we just relaxed and watched a couple movies! I also cleaned my Kendra Scott earrings since I wore them out earlier that day! (How gorgeous are they?!) 

As for some outfit details! I wanted to be comfortable walking around the mall so I opted for a purple pinko top I bought at Kohls (on sale now for $6.99), my J.Crew Herringbone Vest, some basic black leggings, my Longchamp Les Pliage Bag in Beige, and my new Kendra Scott Danielle Earrings in Mystic Iridescent.

I hope everyone did some shopping of their own this month! There were so many great deals going on! I'm excited for January to roll around so I can do even more shopping! 

-Laura

Monogram Push Pin Art

It is no secret that I spend a majority of my time on Pinterest (I am addicted!). So just recently I was browsing Pinterest in search of some affordable and creative decor ideas for my apartment back at school. As I was browsing I stumbled upon a blog post that showed you how to make artwork using push pins! I thought to myself what an amazing idea! I decided to go off the blog post I found and put my own little spin on it. 

I have always wanted a wooden monogram above my bed but the only problem is they can be kind of pricey! So I decided it would be cool to create a monogram using push pins.

This push pin monogram art took me a couple hours to complete (might have taken me longer if my mom didn't help! Thanks mom!) but it was well worth it. The finished project came out better than I had expected! 

 

What you will need

1. Gold Thumb Pins--You can buy these basically anywhere! I bought them at my local grocery store for $1 and they came in a pack of 100. (I used around 500, just depends on how big you want to make your monogram)

2. Fabric-- I suggest using fabric that has a little more texture to it but isn't too thick because you want your push pins to stay in. (I used old curtains laying around my parent's house)

3. Foam Board-- I bought my foam board at my local A.C. Moore store for about $2.99! They have all sorts of sizes but I used the 20 by 30 foam board! 

4. Hot Glue Gun and Hot Glue Sticks--You will need this to glue the fabric to the board.

5. Scissors--You will use these to cut your fabric if you need to!  

6. Pencil-- You will use this to trace your monogram!

7. Ruler-- It is important to be precise when doing this project! You don't want your monogram to be uneven.

8. Tissue Paper--You will use this to trace your monogram on! I suggest using white tissue paper but I used a baby pink and it worked out okay for me! Just make sure it is somewhat of a light color.

9. A picture of your monogram-- You will use this to help you get an idea of what your monogram should look like. I used one of the monogram apps called "Monogram It" I have on my iPhone to help me design my monogram. I drew mine free hand but if you want you can always print your monogram off and trace it!

Shall we begin?!.......

So to start off I laid out some of the items I will be using for this project on the table just to get a general idea of all the things I need and plan on using. That way I don't have to stop midway through my project to look for something! 

Next you are going to lay out your foam board and cut a piece of tissue paper to the desired size, you can make the tissue paper as big as your foam board or you can make it smaller (I made mine the exact same size of my foam board).

Once your tissue paper is laid out you are going to begin to measure the sides as well as the top and bottom of your monogram letter so they all come out even, this will help you get an idea of where to stop and start the monogram letters (I did my "L" and "M" 3 inches from the top and 3 inches from the bottom, I did my "B" 2 inches from the top and 2 inches from the bottom so it would appear bigger, and as for the side of the "L" and "M" I made them 2 1/2 inches from the sides). *I forgot photos for this step*

Once you are finished measuring out your monogram, place the tissue paper onto the foam board. 

 You can now begin to trace your monogram. Like I said above I drew my monogram free hand but you can always trace it if you want. 

Once your monogram is complete you can now take the tissue paper off of the foam board and begin to place the fabric onto the board. Once you have fit the foam board with the fabric as desired you can use your hot glue gun to glue the fabric to the foam board (The picture below are what the back of your foam board should look like). 

Once you have glued the fabric to the board you can place your monogram tissue paper back onto the board and begin pinning the key points of your monogram letter (Such as the top of the "B" or a curve on a letter, it should look like the image below once you are complete).
This will act as a guide when you begin pushing the pins in.

Now you can begin pinning your letters! I will warn you that this will take time and patience but take your time! The end result will be well worth it! (It took me around 2 hours to complete this project) You will probably mess up a few times but you can always go back and fix it if you need to. 

 

Once you are finished pinning your letters you can start removing the tissue paper. Be very gentle while doing this so you don't pull the pins out. Juts slightly pull it like you would if you were tearing a piece of paper in half. 

When you have finished tearing the tissue paper off your letters, it should look very defined, now is the time to go back and fix what needs some fixing! 

Of course mine did not come out perfect but it came fairly close and I am very happy with the result! I plan on hanging this above my bed when I get back to my apartment!

Holiday Gift Ideas for Her

Since Black Friday is right around the corner I wanted to put together a "Gift Ideas for Her" post to give you some ideas for things to buy the ladies in your life this holiday season. One of my favorite things to do during the holiday season is go shopping for all the wonderful girls in my life. This holiday season I came up with a list of things that I think would make the perfect gifts!

1. Clarisonic

{Pictured: Clarisonic Mia 2 Skin Cleansing Systems}

{$149}
I think the Clarisonic is a great gift for just about anyone! whether you're a guy or a girl this is a wonderful treat for your skin!

2. Earrings

{Pictured: Kendra Scott 'Danielle' Black Iridescent Earrings}

{$75}
You can never go wrong with a good pair of earrings. These ones from Kendra Scott are on my wish list this year! She has so many styles and colors to choose from it's hard not to buy them all! 

3. Wine and Whiskey Set

{Pictured: 5-pc Wine/Whiskey Set}

{$52}
I think of a wine and whiskey set as a very sophisticated gift. This would be a great gift for someone who enjoys entertaining or has a love for vino!

4. Shower Speakers

{Pictured: FreshETech Waterproof Bluetooth Wireless Shower Speaker}

{$20}
Shower Speakers are an interesting gift that would come in very handy during those relaxing bubble baths. Or maybe even helping you wake-up in the morning! (Nothing wrong with jamming out to some Beyonce before class!)

5.  Phone Case

{Pictured: Sonix Gold Lace Clear iPhone 6 Case}

{$37}
Since the iPhone 6 was just released not to long ago, I thought it would be appropriate to include a chic cell phone case in my holiday gift guide. This one from Nieman Marcus is very elegant! I might just have to pick it up for myself!

6. Wine Rack

{Pictured: Meridian Wine Rack}

{$100}
A wine rack! Of course! Since I turned 21 this past year I have been dying to find the perfect wine rack! This one from Z Gallery would be ideal for the wine lover in your life!

7. Makeup Brushes

{Pictured: Sephora Collection Moment to Shine Votive Brush Set}

{$38}
Makeup Brushes! Something you don't really think about to often. Makeup brushes are essential for a flawless makeup application. Brush sets can get somewhat pricey at times but a nice set can make a huge difference in any girls makeup routine!

8. Candles

{Pictured: Diptyque Scented Candle in Vanilla}

{$60}
Who doesn't love candles? Or at least something that smells nice! The Diptyque candles smell amazing and there are so many scents to choose from you're bound to find a scent for that special someone!

9. Soaps

{Pictured: Tory Burch Soap Set}

{$55}
I love when I receive little soap sets and spa sets during the holidays! Or any occasion really! These ones from Tory Burch come in a gorgeous box and would make the perfect gift for any girl who enjoys those warm and relaxing, bubble baths!

10. Portable Charger

{Pictured: Henry Bendel "Charge Me Up" Solar Charger}

{$38}
I just about died when I saw this portable charger last week on 'Pinterest'! It's actually on my wish list believe it or not! It has a series of charging cords for different things such as your iPad or iPhone! This would be a great gift for that girl who is always on the go or travels! 

-Laura
 

Holiday Gift Ideas for Him

  Shopping for the men in your life is never an easy task. Every year when the holiday season rolls around I find myself going store to store in search for the perfect gift. Girls are so much easier to shop for! (Check out her 'Pinterest' page and you're good to go!)  But when it comes to guys it's just not that simple, so this year I decided to jot down some gift ideas to share with people who find themselves in the same predicament as me during these next couple months.  

1.  Cologne
{Pictured: Sephora Favorites Cologne Sampler}
{$60}
You cannot go wrong with a good cologne. I have been buying the Sephora Favorites Fragrance samplers for a few years now and everyone I buy it for loves it! It comes with around 12 samples of Sephora's most popular fragrances. Once you have decided on your favorite one, you are able to buy one of them in the full size version using a voucher that comes in the box!

2. Sound Bar 
{Pictured: Samsung 2.1 Wireless Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer} {$216-$299}
A sound bar! To put it simply, a sound bar is basically a surround sound system but in a more compacted version, that sits right near your TV. This would be great for football season or movie nights!

3. Running Shoes
{Pictured: Nike Flex Run 2014 Men's Running Shoe}
{$65-$80}

A good pair of running shoes is always a good idea especially if he likes to workout. Running shoes are always the first thing to go when it comes to workout gear! And who doesn't get excited when they get a new pair of shoes?!    

4. Poker Set 
{Pictured: C. Wonder Ridley's Poker Set}
 {$54} 
A poker set is a fun and unique gift! I love the idea of a game night with friends or family. This one from C. Wonder is too precious to pass up!

5. Watches 
{Pictured: Nixon 'The Kensington Leather' Watch}
 {$125} 
Watches are always a great gift! I love Nixon watches because there are so many styles to choose from. You can also find great deals on them at places like T.J. Maxx and Marshalls!

6. Apple TV

{Pictured: Apple TV}
{$100}

Apple TV is a must. If your an Apple fan like me you will go to extreme measures to get the latest gadgets when they are released.  Apple TV is a great gift for any tech savvy guy! 

7. Collared Shirts 
{Pictured: Polo Ralph Lauren Mens Classic Fit Interlock Polo Shirt}
 {$60}
Polo Shirts are a wardrobe staple. I love the look of a classic polo shirt, they are timeless and they look good on just about everyone. You can also wear them all year long. There are an assortment of colors to choose from too!

8. Wireless Speakers
{Pictured: Beats Pill Wireless Speaker}
 {$200}
Wireless Speakers are a great gift for the music lover in your life! You can find wireless speakers just about anywhere. These ones from Beats are sleek looking and the sound quality is amazing!

9. Beer Mug 
{Pictured: Pier One Mustache Beer Mug}
 {$9.95} 
Who doesn't love a cute beer mug? I couldn't resist this one from Pier One! I also saw one very similar at Target last year that was beyond adorable.

10. Koozie 
{Pictured: Vineyard Vines Koozie}
 {$10}
Koozies are a great gift and stocking stuffer! I have so many koozies that I have collected over the years and during the summer months they come in handy!

-Laura