I believe I’ve mentioned before that it’s been ten years since I first went off to college! My, my, where has the time gone? Well, in the spirit of back to school season, I thought it would be fun to do a special Back to School Edition of a What’s In My Bag post! So, here it is!
The Bag
If I was heading back to school this season, there would be only one bag that I would want to carry. My Kate Spade Beau! This large briefcase style bag marries form with function and the result is 100% fashion adorable-ness! Although this bag is nearly a year old at this point, it still holds its form very well and has managed to make it with only a few light marks and scuffs on the leather, which makes me think it would be perfect for the college experience!
The Contents
I don’t think I need to go into detail about each and every single item in this bag, so let’s cover these bullet point style!
11′ Macbook Air with the Michael Kors Sleeve
Kate Spade Literary Glasses Agenda
Multi-subject notebooks (with cute designs on the cover, of course!)
A File Folder (also with a cute design)
A Pencil Case filled with pens, pencils, highlighters, correction tape, markers and more!
A large pouch filled with purse essentials (since I wouldn’t carry a pure with this bag!)
Amazon Kindle (you can buy and read ebook textbooks and save yourself the weight in your bag!)
Rebecca Minkoff Little Louis Card Case
Ban.do iPhone Backup Charger
iPhone 5
Kate Spade iPhone 5(s) case “Keep It Short And Sweet”
The Video
Of course, if you want to see more of these items in greater detail, including a deeper look into my necessities pouch, you will want to check out the video I made to accompany this post! Direct links to items mentioned in this post (or similar) are also included in the video’s description, so make sure to click through to YouTube to watch and of course “Like” the video! You can also go ahead and subscribe while you’re there too, you are going to need to if you want to enter the super secret giveaway at the end of the video 😉
I have been practicing yoga since I was a junior in high school. When I first started out, it wasn’t all the rage it is today. It was still largely misunderstood and not quite considered a mainstream form of physical activity as we know it now. Finding information on yoga and how to get started on a beginners level wasn’t as easy as you would think! Obviously, we are talking about two very different times, one of those being a time when the internet was young and sites like YouTube were years from inception. So, I starting off talking to as many people as I knew that had some clue about starting off with yoga and of course I googled the heck out of the subject, although good websites with solid information were few and far between. Eventually, either through a friend or through a website (I honestly can’t recall, but I think it was a friend in my AP Euro Class that suggested it) I discovered the book Yoga Burns Fat by Jan Maddern. It is a pretty simple guide to practicing yoga at a beginners level, and I still reference it from time to time today. At the time, yoga classes were not an option for me most likely because they were either hard to find or would have cost money to attend. I prefer to work out alone anyway, and especially when it comes to practicing yoga, I don’t think I would feel comfortable in a group setting. But of course, we live in a totally different world now, which means I have much more control over my options for practicing yoga, including many technologically advanced methods, like using an app!
Specifically, I prefer to use the app Yoga Studio. This comprehensive app acts like a personal yoga instructor, with a variety of options on classes offered by skill level or customizable routines that you can build to suit your own needs. I love how clean and simple the interface is; it makes finding the classes or routines you want a breeze and with the built in step by step video demonstrations, you almost get the sense that you are in a real yoga studio filled with serene white light!
So, if you are a beginner who needs that visual guidance that will help you figure out the positions and give you extra advice during the routines on ways you can challenge yourself more or even how to make a difficult position easier for you if you’re having a hard time, I would suggest an app like Yoga Studio over a book. It’s all the benefits of having an instructor, plus you are able to practice in the privacy of your own home and even on the go while traveling! As long as you have an iPad handy and preferably a yoga mat, you are ready for your workout!
I hope this app helps you get starting on your own personal yoga practice! I also went ahead and made a video discussing my history with yoga and why I love it so much that goes along with this post, so if you have some time, feel free to check it out below!
I was talking to my blogging buddy Kristin a few weeks ago about wanting to do a blog post about some of my favorites movies from the childhood. Of course, all of these movies fall into that 80’s children’s fantasy genre that was clearly a strong force at the time. Seriously, what was it about the 80’s that produced so many epic movies, the likes of which we really haven’t seen since. There was something about these movies that was just different from the way they make children’s movies today. They were much darker and often times more adult than movies today tend to be today and even though these movies were my favorites back when I was a kid, I still have an obsessive need to watch and rematch them even till this day. I know its not unusual for children’s movies to include moments of humor for adults, and really the best children’s films (and books as well) are the ones that blur the lines between entertainment for children and entertainment for adults. These movies do just that, and although I fell in love with them as a child, they are even more enjoyable for me as an adult.
So, I’m sure you’re on the edge of your seat wondering which films I have chosen as my Top 5. This was a really difficult task for me to pick 5 out of the many, many more that I watched and loved throughout the years. But, I have chosen to limit this to 5 and so here is what I came up with!
Now, if you would like a little more backstory and explanation behind this list, go ahead and check out my YouTube video below where I talk more about each film!
So, how did you feel about the movies on this list? Are these some of your favorites as well or do you think have a different set of favorites? I would love to know which movies from the 80’s are your favorites and which ones you still enjoy until this day! Feel free to leave a comment, or better yet, send me a Tweet and we can chat about it!
Hands down, one of my favorite skin care items is the Caudalie Beauty Elixir! If you’re not familiar, the Beauty Elixir is a facial toner & makeup setting spray made from all naturals ingredients that help to hydrate, moisturize and refresh your skin! Problem is, it will set you back about $50 for a full size bottle, and during the warmer months or during times when my skin is out of control, I can go through that bottle fast! So, I did a bit of research and decided that I would try my hand at creating my own recipe for a DIY facial toner spray that I could make at home for a fraction of the price of Caudalie’s! Here’s what I came up with!
Now, if you would prefer a step by step tutorial, I also made a video showing how I make this elixir so you can watch that in real time! I’ll link it below so you can take a look!
I hope you enjoyed this DIY skin care recipe I cooked up for you guys! I love facial toners and they are easy enough to make at home, but I am always up for hearing your thoughts and recommendations for similar products or alternate ingredients! Send me a tweet and let me know what you thought about this DIY!
So, I thought it would be fun if I spiced things up here on the blog and let you guys in on a little more of my personal life, including the music I like to listen to throughout the day. Consider this Whistle While You Work 2.0! Without further ado, here is my first installment of My Productivity Playlist series, five of my favorite songs from various genres that makeup the soundtrack to my work day!
I hope you have enjoyed this first installment of my new feature! Let me know in the comments if you would like me to continue with this series and make sure to send me a tweet letting me know what you like to listen to while you are working!
A lot of people frequently compliment me on the way I live; my personal style, my hair, my makeup, and my home decor. I think that in a lot of ways people often look up to people they see on YouTube or on the internet and imagine that those people are somehow different from themselves because they have this wonderful style or own a lot of lovely things. But the truth, as I know it, is that the only thing that makes me different from you, is the choices that I make in the way I choose to live my life. So, today, I wanted to let you all in on a little secret of mine, and share with you the set of rules that I live by in my own life that help me to feel fabulous and live fabulously! Now, I’m not sharing this information with you in the hopes that you will follow these rules and suddenly turn into me, instead, I am hoping you understand this information, and put it to practice in your own life to become the most fabulous version of yourself possible, because being you and being the most amazing version of you possible, is probably the most amazing thing you can do for yourself, and for the whole wide world!
1. Define your style and stick to it 90% of the time!
I wasn’t always a stylish dresser. I went to private school most of my life and by the time I was in college, I had no clue how to dress myself without a uniform! It took me years to figure out what personal style meant, and often times, I feel like I am still figuring it out, but I made a decision a few years ago to define what my style was going to be and to only buy pieces that fit within those parameters. I chose the colors I looked best in, the overall style that I was trying to convey, and the price range that I was willing to spend within for my clothing. In the beginning, I would often make lists of clothing items that I needed in my wardrobe. Things like a great little black dress, or a pair of comfortable nude pumps. I basically blueprinted the wardrobe and got to work on building it. It has been years and I am still working on the list to an extent, but now, I have become more skilled in my own style so I no longer need to refer to a list to determine what I need to buy. Now, I say that you should stick to your style 90% of the time because if you are anything like me, you may want to experiment. I think experimentation with your style is great, but I caution moderation in this department because when you start experimenting too much you deviate from the style your trying to establish. Just know its okay to take a little risk, but make sure your only doing it in small doses for things you’re really excited about.
2. Acquire furnishings one curated piece at a time.
My home is probably one of the elements of my life that I am most proud of. Whenever I have guests over, they are always surprised at how nicely my home is decorated and the types of quality, timeless pieces I own. From the time that I lived in my first apartment, I have been collecting furnishings piece by piece that align with my personal style and the overall feel I want for my home. I never buy anything for my home that I don’t absolutely love or that I don’t have a permanent home for. Gradually, I have collected pieces like my prized tufted settee and my gorgeous upholstered bed, and I continue to collect items for my home that will continue to perpetuate my overall style and add to the luxury I desire in my life.
3. Spend your money on the things that matter to you.
Some people love expensive dinners, some people like expensive toys, everyone is different and neither are right or wrong. People often comment that I own a lot of high quality accessories and gadgets, its true, I do! I’m not a millionaire, but I choose to spend my money on the things that matter to me. This means that I spend less money in other areas of my life that I don’t care too much about. For example, my car. My husband and I own one single car between us. We could own two, but one is all we need, so we make it work. The car isn’t anything fancy, technically is a crossover SUV, but it’s american made and was purchased as a certified pre-owned vehicle. Some people are more into cars than they are gadgets, and might buy a second car for their family or buy a luxury model brand new, but that isn’t the way I choose to spend my money, so I don’t spend it that way. Now, I am not trying to tell you how to spend your money, except to say that you should spend it on things that matter to you and forget about the rest. Your life isn’t made fabulous by other people’s definitions, it’s made fabulous by your own!
4. Be picky, it’s a good thing!
On that same vein of spending your money on things that matter to you, I also advise that you start getting more picky with the way you spend not only your money, but also your time. We all have things that we have to do, and things that we have to buy or spend money on, but we also have a good amount that’s up to us. I find that I like to be picky when it comes to how I spend my time and how I spend my money because those are the two most important things we have in life. A lot of living fabulously is about narrowing down what a fabulous life looks like to us. Some people want to travel the world, some people want a lovely home and to spend as much time there as possible. Some people like to try new experiences and some like quiet evenings with friends. No matter what it is you like to do, get picky about it. Start holding yourself to a higher standard of living. Remember, having it all is a relative concept. It’s not about literally having every single option available, it’s about having those few things that really make you happy. Start figuring out what those few things are and be super picky with everything else because you have a limited amount of time in life so you have to draw your line in the sand for how to spend it!
5. Be a wonderful person
Being outgoing doesn’t always come naturally to me. I know it doesn’t come naturally to many people, and I think there is this misconception that you have to be an outgoing person for people to like you and think you’re wonderful. I don’t think that’s it. I think that the most wonderful people, the people who you always remember, and the people who you want to be around are the nice ones. The ones that always have positive things to say and never bother with the negative. These are the people who are friendly to strangers and kind to those around them. Sometimes, this sort of behavior can be hard for us to achieve, it means forgiving the world as soon as it hurts you and getting over that pain before it starts. It really is true that you never know what struggles those around you are facing and so you should always show them kindness. If someone cuts you off at an intersection, say a prayer for them that they make it home safe. If someone cuts in front of you in a line, just smile and nod at them. Others can only upset you if you let them, and if you live with this sort of kindness in your heart and in your mind, nothing will ever hurt you. You will find that those around you will love you deeper and show you more kindness than you could ever expect. All because you are a wonderful person.
6. Put yourself first!
There is this major misconception floating around the world that says if you don’t put others before yourself you are a selfish person. This makes absolutely no sense. If you are not taking care of yourself first and foremost, how then can you take care of others properly? This subject always makes me think about one perfect example that illustrates the point. When you’re flying in an airplane, going over the emergency procedures, there is always a part about using your oxygen mask in the event of an emergency. The directions always tell you, point-blank, to secure your own mask before attempting to help anyone else around you! Why? Because you can’t really help anyone else if you’re still in imminent danger. The same goes in daily life. If you’re not putting your own needs, like personal hygiene, health and wellbeing first, there is no way you’re going to be able to do much good for others and people don’t like to be around others who don’t seem to have their shit straight, so get your shit straight and put yourself first so you can help other people get their shit straight! Thus adding to the fabulousness of the world as a whole!
So, that’s it! Those are my top secret tips for living a fabulous life! I hope you can take something from this and evaluate how these “rules” apply to you in your own life. Remember, it’s not about being more like me or someone else out there that you think has a fabulous life, it’s about making small but impactful changes in your own life to make yours more fabulous! Seriously, being the best version of yourself is a gift you give back to the world, so get to it!
I have to admit, one of the major benefits of using a digital planning system is that, for the most part, they are easy to back up. Using a calendar or to do app on my iPhone means I can sync with the cloud, have my information on not only my phone but also on my iPads and my laptops as well. If I accidentally delete something in one place, I always have a backup somewhere else. It’s convenient and secure, two very important things that paper planners lack. It’s a critical flaw of Filofax’s and other physical planners, but one that can’t be avoided. It’s paper after all. Paper burns, rips, decomposes if touched by water, and a paper planner can be lost entirely. Even if I lost my iPhone, I wouldn’t have to worry much about my information. Lists would be retrievable, information can be restored and my phone could be instantly whipped of all information if I was concerned about sensitive information getting out (because you know, being an international blogging sensation, I have lots of sensitive and top-secret post information that people are dying to get their hands on… LOL, please note the sarcasm!) Jokes aside, though, you know what I mean! Even though paper planners have their fatal flaws, however, there are some things we old-fashioned analog planner users can do to keep our information backed up, in case any terrible tragedy should strike our organizational companions!
The simplest and easiest way to back up a paper planner or Filofax is through the use of photos on our smartphones. It may be an extra step to take when we make important notes in our planners, but if something were to happen to our planners we would at least have some form of backup for our information. And with the superior quality of smartphone cameras these days, you can capture all the details on a planner page or spread with great clarity in case you need to refer back to it later. Since i use an iPhone, I like to use the app DocScan to back up any important lists or notes in my planner. DocScan is great because it uses the camera on your iPhone to “scan” documents, physical pictures and notes, allowing you to then save the information in a multitude of different formats. Its like having a portable scanner with you at all times! Another popular application, Evernote, does much the same. Evernote is a great note taking application, but it’s also great for storing and saving information via pictures taken on your smartphone! Evernote allows you to synch your notes through the cloud and access them from a variety of different devices, even through the web directly!
So, if you’re concerned about backing up your paper planner or Filofax, give this method a shot! Start getting into the habit of taking a quick pic of your planner pages as you fill them up or make new notes. If you ever, heaven’s forbid, loose your planner or an important page goes missing, at least you have some sort of backup stored away for digital reference.
So, in all honesty, I cannot believe I have never done a post like this before!
I love geeky clothing and accessories and I am always on the hunt for them wherever I go! I have a specific “geek uniform” that I like to wear around which consists of a black blazer, geeky tank top and leggings/skinny jeans. Of course I’m partial to geek glasses, which I do already wear, and its not uncommon for me to wear multiple accessories that include glasses on them like my glasses bangle and iPhone case from Kate Spade. No geek ensemble would be complete, however, without a pair of awesome headphones and some wearable tech. I love the rose gold Frends Layla headphones and I have been thinking about getting a smart watch of some sort, although I’ll admit, I’m waiting for Apple to make one that is killer!
So, I’m wondering, are their any other geek gals out there who like to dress the part? What sorts of clothing and accessories do you prefer? Tweet me some links for some items I should check out or leave me a comment below letting me know your geek chic style! I’m thinking about doing this as some sort of regular feature, so if you like this, make sure to let me know!
Aren’t you super impressed with my Starbucks Green Tea Frappe Watercolor? I made it myself, much like this recipe!
One of my favorite summer drinks from Starbucks is their Green Tea Frappe! I am a big fan of green bubble tea and green tea flavors in general, but as you know, in the heat of summer, that Frappe addiction can end up costing you quite a pretty penny. So, I save my cash and opt for a homemade version instead. It’s pretty easy to make so long as you have a blender and either matcha or a green tea powder mix. I buy my matcha from Teavana because it’s owned by Starbucks now so I assume they are sourcing their matcha from the same place that Starbucks does. Matcha is a little pricey, but a little bit goes a long way. Another option is to purchase the Tazo Green Tea Latte Concentrate. It’s what Starbucks uses for their drinks, but it’s a bit controversial because its a mix of matcha with other sweeteners and ingredients that end up making it really high calorie (another reason, I have been opting to make my Green Tea Frappes at home). The third and final option is to use a Green Bubble Tea powder mix. You can buy this online or purchase it in an Asian market. It is a mix of matcha and sweetener, but its more reasonable calorie wise, although you don’t get as strong of a flavor as you do with the artificial Starbucks mixture.
From there you just need some milk, additional sweetener, vanilla extract and of course, ice! Below is my recipe using matcha. I have also included a video I made on how to make a Starbucks Green Tea Frappe at home, using green bubble tea powder. The recipes for these two differ slightly because when you are using matcha you need to add sweetener at a 2:1 ratio because matcha is very bitter. When using a powder mix that also contains sweetener you use a 1:1 ratio of mix to sweetener (if you even need sweetener depending on the type of mix you are using).
Green Tea Frappe
1 cup of Milk (your choice)
1 tsp matcha
2 tsp sugar (or alternate sweetener)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup filled with ice (5-6 cubes)
Whipped Cream (optional)
Add all ingredients into a blender and mix until desired consistency (ice cubes have broken down into a slush consistency and no large pieces of ice remain). Pour mixture into cup and garnish with whipped cream and an extra sprinkling of matcha if desired.
See, that’s super easy! And delicious! And have I mentioned I’m obsessed with green tea flavored things?
I hope you enjoyed this installment of Starbucks @ Home. If you did, please make sure to tweet this recipe out and/or share it on your social media! Let me know if you have any other drink requests for me to create an at home recipe for you! Have a Frapptastic Day!
I know I am all about that digital life, doing most of my writing a designing via my laptop, but the truth is that paper is still a major part of my creative process. As much as I love the clean, sleek feel of a Macbook Air under my fingers as I type away endlessly, writing in notebooks can be even more satisfying and specifically very cathartic for me as I pour my mind out onto paper. Lately, I have been spending chunks of time working on a book that I hope to publish sometime later this year. Although I use my favorite piece of software, Scrivener, to organize most of my writing, it’s been my time with pen and paper that have really helped me organize my thoughts for this longer, more meaningful piece. That is why I love having beautiful notebooks and notepads around me for making lists, doing quick sketches and writing out my thoughts before I hash them out in Scrivener.
A lot of people are always asking me for stationery recommendations, so I thought it would be fun for me to curate a few of my favorite notebooks and notepads from around the web. Some of these I already own and some of these I am simply lusting after, but if you’re looking for a fresh new notebook to crack into for some writing or note taking of your own, I think these are a beautiful escape from the ordinary notebook or journal. Click through the carousel below for more information on this lovely collection!
