June Reflection

June seemed to fly right by! Right after Memorial Day Weekend, the countdown to the last day of finals started. The days left of school seemed to quickly pass. I've had a wonderful summer so far, and I'm very happy about that! With that being said, I will now share my accomplishments.

1. I started my two internships. I've started my internship with The Smart Girls Group and my internship with Project Eve! They are both going great so far, and I'm learning so much information that will not only help those two organizations but myself as well.

2. I aced my finals. I was super excited about this one! I knew I was going to do good on all of my finals because I felt prepared for them, but I didn't know how I felt about taking my history final. I've probably already said this before, but the history class I took this past year was probably the hardest class ever. It's a college-leveled class, but I still managed to get an A for that class every term, and I don't know how. I got an 86 on the midterm, so I was super nervous about the final. When I got to the final, I ended up whipping through it because I knew every answer! I later found out I got an A. Woo!

3. I started my own social media service. I'm not going to talk much about this because I'm going to be doing a blog post about it soon! Just know that I'm super excited about it, and keep your eyes open for the blog post ;)

4. I got my first Lilly Pulitzer dress. I'm not going to say much about this one either since I'm also going to do a blog post about it, but this one basically made my whole month!!!

5. I went to a wedding. Most people wouldn't think this is an accomplishment, but it is for me! Once again, you'll be seeing a blog post about this very soon... :)

6. I got a job. FINALLY! For those of you who know what Honey Dew is, that's where I'll be working. For those of you who don't know what Honey Dew is, it's a donut shop similar to Dunkin' Donuts. I actually don't really like the food and coffee and Honey Dew (oops...), but hey, a job is a job!

What have you accomplished this month?

Pen Pals

I came up with this idea awhile ago, but I never got around to posting it or coming up with an actual plan for it. However, how cool would it be to have a blogging pen pal?! I came up with the idea while looking through all of the cute stationary I have and thinking about how I don't really have any reasons to use my stationary since I don't really have anyone to write to.

Having a blogging pen pal would be so much fun because you and your pen pal would already have one major thing in common - you both love to blog and (for those of you who read my blog but don't have your own!) and read blogs! Everything could then take off from there. You could make new friends while learning new things. And just think about all of the adorable stationary you'd be able to buy and use... eek! I love meeting new people and writing letters, so this is something that I'd definitely love to do.

Please let me know if you're interested in doing something like this! If you are, please send an email to ash.mas19@gmail.com. If I get a good amount of people who are interested in having blogging pen pals, I can try to put something together. The pen pals would probably be random though, so you wouldn't necessarily get to choose who you get to write to. I also have readers and followers who are from England and other countries, so you could possibly meet someone from a whole different country than you! How cool would that be? If you're not comfortable with sharing your address to other people, please don't sign up for this! However, I could probably manage to find some email pen pals if you're more comfortable with sharing your email address.

What do you think about having a blogging pen pal?

Beach Necessities

In the summer, beach trips are common. However, one of the worst things is getting to the beach and realizing you forgot something that you really need. So, I put together a list of super important items to remember while going on beach trips!

{one} hair elastics - If you wear your hair down at the beach, it's a good idea to bring hair elastics with you in case your hair makes you hot or gets knotted from the wind. Along with hair elastics, you should bring a brush and detangler spray just in case your hair turns into a nightmare!
{two} sunglasses - Having the sun in your eyes for long periods of time is far from fun. Sunglasses make it easier for you to see and don't make you aggravated from not being able to see.
{three} food - Fruit is a common food to bring to the beach, but anything works. Just make sure to pack sandwiches, snacks, and whatever else you want to bring because laying in the sun and swimming in the water can make you hungry and tired, causing you to need some energy.
{four} a hat - Hats not only keep the sun out of your eyes but protect your head from the sun, too. If your scalp burns, you should wear a hat to protect it from any damage. Also, hats keep your hair out of your face so it doesn't get knotted.
{five} drinks - Laying out in the hot sun makes you sweaty and thirsty. You should always pack water or any other drinks to quench your thirst and keep you hydrated.
{six} towel - Being wet and cold from the water and not having anything to dry yourself off with is one of the worst things. Bringing a towel allows you to stay warm and dry yourself off after coming out of the water, and it works as a great mat to sit or lay on so you don't get sand all over yourself.
{seven} sunscreen - I can't stress enough how important it is to bring sunscreen to the beach. It's super easy to get burned at the beach, so sunscreen protects you from the sun and prevents you from being in pain while you're having a good time.
{eight} a book - Whenever I go to the beach, I see at least half of the people there reading. A book and the beach are just such a good combination because they both provide major relaxation. Bring a book that you enjoy to the beach and get reading!
{nine} a cover-up - You should always bring some type of cover-up, dress, clothes, etc. when you travel to the beach just in case you go somewhere afterwards. You never know if your friends decide to go out to dinner, go shopping, etc., so having a change of clothes or a cover-up will allow you to do all of that.
{ten} money (not shown) - I thought of this after I made the collage, which is why it isn't on here. Anyway, you should always bring money to the beach. You never know when you might have to pay for parking or decide to buy an ice cream from the ice cream truck.
{eleven} chair (not shown) - I forgot about this one, too. Bringing a chair is a good idea if you don't like laying down all the time. It makes it easier to eat, drink, and read in a chair than laying down on a towel.

What do you like to bring to the beach?

Review :: Lifeguard Press

I was so lucky as to be sent two free items from Lifeguard Press to review! Lifeguard Press is a brand that sells items from four different brands - Lilly Pulitzer (which is actually the majority of Lifeguard Press's items!), Susan Wallace Barnes, Jonathan Adler, and Dylan's Candy Bar. I was sent a Lilly Pulitzer koozie and Lilly Pulitzer croakies, both in Lucky Charms, and I absolutely love them!

I worked with Kaitlyn from Lifeguard Press, and she was so sweet. My items didn't get shipped out together, and she made sure that the second item got shipped out the very next day. She was very friendly and super helpful!

These are the koozie and croakies taken together in one picture. I took this picture while laying by the pool at my friend's house!

The front view of the Lilly Pulitzer croakies in Lucky Charms.

The back of the croakies so you can see the pattern if you're unfamiliar with it!

Lilly Pulitzer koozie in Lucky Charms.

I'm definitely satisfied with these two items! The croakies and koozie are perfect for going to the beach or just laying by the pool, like I did with my friends. The koozie definitely kept my soda cold in the hot sun, and the croakies handily kept my sunglasses right around my neck when I didn't want to wear them but wanted them near me.

I suggest all of you go check out Lifeguard Press! They just got in brand-new Lilly Pulitzer agendas, and they are to die for. If only my school didn't already provide agendas for us!

What do you like from Lifeguard Press?

Project Eve Internship

Along with having an internship for the Smart Girls Group, I have an internship with Project Eve. Project Eve is an online community of women entrepreneurs helping other women entrepreneurs. It's full of super helpful articles, mentors, groups, and more.

This internship also has to do with social media! I have to tweet from their Twitter, answer DMs sent by users, and more. Another aspect of the internship is spreading the word about Project Eve. I have to comment on various websites and lead them back to Project Eve. I'm basically doing a little bit of everything because I get a to-do list every week that tells me what to complete by the end of the week.

I'm enjoying the internship so far, and I'm learning a lot of new things! Meridith and Kim, the co-founders, are so sweet, intelligent, and helpful. I'm hoping that during the time I have this internship, I can help expand the site and drive more traffic to it!

Are there any internships that you would like to have?

What's In My Summer Tote Bag

I don't always use the same bag when I go places in the summer, but I do carry around mostly the same stuff. So, I thought it would be fun to do a "What's In My Summer Tote Bag" since I've never done one of these types of posts before!

{one} wristlet with money - Having a wristlet with money in your bag is so important to have with you, no matter where you are. You never know when you'll come across an impulse buy or want to buy food. It's always good to have in case any type of emergency happens!
{two} sunscreen - Because I'm so pale, I burn super easily. I carry sunscreen with me wherever I go in the summer just in case I happen to be outside and I feel like I'm burning. I'd much rather have to carry sunscreen around with me wherever I go than get a sunburn!
{three} sunglasses - I can't stress how important sunglasses are in the summer! No one wants to squint and have their eyes water just so they can try to see things. It's embarrassing when you have to squint to see the person you're talking to and your eyes start to water when it's sunny out... Trust me, I know from experience. Sunglasses prevent that from happening!
{four} a book - I absolutely love reading, so I have a book with me all the time anyway. But if you're going somewhere in the car (and happen not to get carsick!) or the beach, it's good to bring a book along to keep you entertained and to help pass the time.
{five} chapstick - I like to carry chapstick with me because my lips get chapped really easily. It's also a good idea to carry some in the summer that has an SPF amount so your lips don't burn!
{six} notebook and pen - I'm obsessed with office supplies, so I always have a pen and paper on me. However, you should always carry one with you because you'll never know when you need a pen and paper! You could end up getting blog post ideas, sharing contact information with someone, even doodling when you're bored, etc.
{seven} tumbler/beverage - You should always drink water, especially in the hot summer sun. It's a good idea to have a drink in a tumbler or even just a bottle to carry around with you because walking can tire you out, and even just sitting in the sun can make you thirsty and tired.
{eight} charger - One of the worst things is your phone dying while you're not at home and when you don't have a charger with you (#firstworldproblems). If you have a portable phone charger, you should definitely bring it (and if you don't have one, get one!) just in case your phone dies. If you don't have a portable phone charger, bring your normal phone charger because you never know where there will be an outlet for you to charge your phone.
{nine} headphones - Headphones are needed for the same reason as a book. If you just want some downtime, pop your headphones into your phone or iPod and listen to some music.
{ten} (not shown) hair elastic - I thought of this while I was writing, which is why it isn't in the collage. Anyway, keeping an elastic on your wrist can be super helpful in case your hair is down and makes you hot, annoyed, etc.

What do you keep in your summer tote bag?

The Best Summer Skin Protection Products

I'm Laura Pearson-Smith, a UK actress and magazine editor. I also have my own lifestyle blog, A Life With Frills, and I was delighted when Ashley asked if I would do a guest post for you guys on summer skin protection. You get a lot more sun in the US than we do in the UK!

It's so important to look after your skin in the sun. In my view, full protection is best. There are so many great fake tanning products out there, that you don't need to damage your skin by exposing it to the sun's harmful rays without doing all you can to protect it. Here is my pick of the best Summer skincare around...

Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream, $35.00, Sephora

We all like to wear base make-up to improve the look ofour skin; but foundations are usually too heavy in hot weather. Clinique's CC (Color-Correcting) Cream is basically a tinted moisturiser that evens out your skin tone. It gives you the coverage you need; but without feeling you have much on your face. It's SPF 30 too, to protect your face's extra delicate skin.

Evian Mineral Water Spray, $17.50, Sephora

This is an amazing product to instantly cool you down with its mist. It will re-hydrate overheated skin, and soothe sunburnt skin.

St.Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse, $42.00, Nordstrom

This is one of the best fake tans on the market, and it gives you natural colour and goes on streak free. It's so easy to apply, and is a completely safe way to get a tan. It contains Aloe Vera too, to soothe and condition your skin.

Sun Bum SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray, $16.00, Nordstrom

Yes, you read correctly, it is SPF 50. High protection from the sun is the best and safest option. This sunscreen is in an easy spray format, so you don't have to worry about missing bits or twisting your arms to try and rub lotion on your own back. It's waterproof too, for that all important pool time.

Hawaiian Tropic After Sun Moisturizer, $7.99, Walgreens

Exposure to the sun will dry your skin and overheat it. When you get home, pop some of this gel on to cool and moisturize. If you happened to damage your skin by getting it burnt, it contains Vitamins A and E to soothe also.

Enjoy your Summer and stay safe!