All of this snow has me itching for spring weather and the cute clothes that come with it! Check out my favorite items for spring on my wishlist below.
Review // For the Love of Stationery
While putting together my new inspiration wall, I always like looking for motivational quotes and prints that would look great. When I came across this "let's dream big together" quote from For the Love of Stationery, I knew it would be perfect for the wall!
I'm so excited to place this print above my desk to look at for guidance whenever I am drowning in my to-do list. It definitely reminds me to always dream big and never give up!
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by For the Love of Stationery, but all opinions are 100% my own.
Prom Dress
Because I was on winter break all of last week, I decided to go prom dress shopping since I had the time! I walked into the store I chose knowing that I wanted something pink with straps. I found my dress within 15 minutes, fell in love with it, and then freaked out when I realized it was in my size! I knew it was meant to be. I was so lucky that it was in my size because the specific designer of my dress does not send out different sizes for the dress in the store; for example, if the dress was too big, I wouldn't be able to get the dress at all because the designer would not send out the right size. So since it was in my size, I got to take my dress home that very day!
I'm obsessed with it, and I cannot wait for prom to finally come!
Five Productive Things To Do in the Morning
Although being lazy after waking up in the morning is always nice, starting your morning off on a productive note guarantees that you'll have a successful day. There are five simple things that you can do shortly after you wake up (while drinking your cup of coffee!) that will make your day run smoothly.
one // check your email
A lot of people don't like to check their email in the morning in case they get an email that will aggravate them, starting their day off on a bad note. However, I like to start out reading my emails because I like to know what my plans are for the day and what I'll be doing. Also, it helps to declutter my inbox so my inbox isn't overflowing at the end of the day, causing me to feel overwhelmed.
two // write your to-do list
Your morning to-do list doesn't need to be super long, as I'm sure you'll be adding to it as the day goes on. Start out by writing a short list of things you know you need to get done by the end of that day. You can even write goals that you would like to accomplish by the end of that day, which are slightly different than tasks. Writing a list will give you an idea of what you need to do so you can manage your time wisely.
three // read the news
I never really have the time to just sit and watch the news; if I ever watch the news, it's on as background noise while I'm doing something else. I don't like to read newspapers because the articles are usually too boring for me to read. So, I decided to get the ABC News app! It's awesome because I get to choose what I want to read depending on what articles sound interesting to me. If you want to be updated on the story, you can "star" the story. Once an update comes out, you'll get notified for it! It's an easy and efficient way to know of any news.
four // organize your wallet
At the end of the day my wallet is usually cluttered with money, business cards, and receipts. If you're the same way, go through your wallet and clear it out. Make sure your money is all in one place, throw away any receipts that you don't need, and store the business cards in your desk. Usually the only receipt that I keep in there is the one that tells me my debit card balance! Your wallet will feel lighter, and it will be much easier to find your money.
five // check social media
I also like to check social media to see what was going on while I was sleeping. I will reply to any mentions that I have and check other people's tweets. I also like to read through some of the articles that people tweet. Just like the ABC News app, it's a great way to stay updated!
What are some productive things you like to do in the morning?
Review // Amourable Art
Being an avid coffee drinker, searching for cute coffee mugs is one of my favorite things to do! When I came across this "but first, coffee" mug from Amourable Art, I knew it would be perfect for me. The saying totally describes me; I can never start my day without a cup of coffee.
This mug is 15 oz., and I love the size of it. I can't wait to use this mug on my next snow day when I need to jump into tackling my to-do list!
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Amourable Art, but all opinions are 100% my own.
Walking in A Winter Wonderland
There has been so much snow here that I have been unable to take pictures for all of the outfit posts I have planned. So when we finally had a nice day, I had T snap a few quick pics!
I'm a huge fan of simple outfits that have fabulous details. I picked up this shirt last week when I needed a shirt to wear for the dress down day I had on school the day before Valentine's Day. I knew I needed to pick up something that was red, white, or pink, and when I came across this shirt, I fell in love! The thread detailing is fabulous, and the shirt would look great with jeans or colored pants.
What is one great piece you've picked up recently?
What is one great piece you've picked up recently?
Tripda
Have a long distance to travel, don’t want to travel alone, or don’t want to pay for expensive plane tickets? Then Tripda is the best option for you! Tripda is a ride-sharing platform that allows people who are traveling to the same place to travel together. For example, if you need to head to San Francisco, Tripda can find you a person to travel with who is also going to San Francisco. Or if you’re driving to San Francisco yourself, Tripda can pair you with someone who is also looking to head there and you can make money from driving them! It’s an easy, safe, affordable, and earth-friendly solution to long-distance traveling.
A great part about Tripda is being able to meet new people and establish friendships. An awesome feature of this platform is matching drivers with the perfect passengers. As a driver, you can pick travel companions based on how much they are willing to pay, whether they like talking or not, how comfortable they like to be, whether you don’t mind their dog in the car, and more. By finding compatible passengers, you’re destined to have a car ride that is awkward-free and fun! It’ll make traveling much more enjoyable than being squished next to a stranger on a plane. And who knows, you could end up finding your next best friend or lover!
Another cool feature is being able to make money. Getting paid to drive someone to the place that you’re already traveling to? I’ll take that! As a driver, you get to choose the price you want to set for each passenger to pay. Tripda will then turn the price green if it believes the price to be fair. If the price turns orange, it's less fair. And if it turns red, it's too expensive! This helps drivers find passengers easily, and it makes sure that passengers aren't over-paying.
Out of all methods of transportation to long-distance destinations, Tripda is the best one to choose. Not only does it accommodate to you, but it also benefits the environment and society. Book your next trip with Tripda!
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Her Campus Media. All opinions are my own.
Blog Design
I'm so excited to announce that my blog design is finally complete! In the beginning of August, I had contacted Breckenridge about doing my blog design, creating a media kit, and putting together business cards for me. I had seen a little bit of her portfolio on her blog, and I fell in love with her work.
The process took a while because we both had school and work commitments, which is totally understandable. Breck is extremely accommodating to your budget, which is really nice since I'm only in high school. She'll do whatever she can to make sure that you love the product that falls in your price range! I love how everything came out, and if you ever think of getting yourself a professional design, I highly suggest going to her!
Review // Sweet Water Decor
I was fortunate enough to recently get in touch with Melissa, the founder of Sweet Water Decor! Sweet Water Decor is a fabulous press company that makes wedding invitations, wall art, mugs, and more. I received the "she turned her dreams into plans" print and the "let's do this" mug, and I'm obsessed with both!
The print is the first of my new "inspiration wall" hanging above my desk. My desk is where I do all of my work grind, so it's really nice to look up when I'm swamped with work and find those encouraging words that make me want to keep going! I'm also an avid coffee drinker, especially when I'm loaded with work, so the mug with its motivating phrase is great.
I'm super thrilled with how my print and mug turned out. Melissa even does custom orders too to make your products even better!
My Valentine's Day
Unfortunately, my Valentine's Day didn't go as planned! Due to the fourth snowstorm in less than a month that took place on Saturday night, Tyler and I decided to celebrate Friday night. We didn't get to do much because he had some last minute errands to do, so we just relaxed and ate pizza which was honestly okay with me!
We're planning on officially celebrating sometime this week since we're on winter break. Can't wait!
How was your Valentine's Day?
Her Conference High School
For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you'll know that I attended Her Campus's second annual high school conference last Saturday! I had so much fun at last year's conference that I knew I had to attend this year.
I went with my best friend, Alex, who also went with me last year. The conference was at Northeastern University in Boston again, but it was at a different building. I honestly think this building was better than last year's building because there was a lot more room. However, the one part I didn't like was that as the day went on, there were so many Northeastern students in the building using it versus having pretty much no students in last year's building. Alex and I decided to take the train in that morning because we learned the hard way last year that driving in isn't the best scenario!
The conference started out with a continental breakfast. They had bagels, muffins, coffee, and more. One of the sponsors was Pinkberry with their brand new Greek yogurt. Since I'm on a health kick, I tried it and was super impressed! It was just a plain tart yogurt, and I added on blueberries, strawberries, and granola.
After breakfast, everyone attended a keynote by Ryan Scheuer, the Assistant Director of Admissions at Northeastern, about the college admissions process. It was super helpful, and he really tackled the different myths that people hear about colleges. I really liked that he summarized all colleges as a whole instead of focusing on Northeastern.
Everyone attended their first of three seminars after the keynote. There were nine different seminars total with three going on at once so each girl had an option of which one she wanted to attend, which was awesome. Alex and I chose one about packing for college. It basically said the dos and don'ts of what to bring to school. I'm pretty sure that I'll be commuting to college so it wasn't too helpful to me, but Alex found it really helpful.
There were 15 minutes in between each seminar to walk around the different sponsor tables. The tables were Dormify, Signet, and Studio C. There were different promotions that were going on, which was awesome. Hint and Avitae waters were also available to drink! There was also a social currency station, which gave you raffle tickets! By using the hashtag #HerConferenceHS, you got one ticket for each tweet, two tickets for each Instagram, and three tickets for each Facebook post. And an extra ticket was given each time you mentioned a sponsor! That's why I was tweeting like CRAZY on Saturday because I wanted a lot of raffle tickets... #SorryNotSorry.
Anyway, the second seminar followed right after the first. I chose to attend the seminar all about study tips. It was really helpful because the girls talked about how to find time to study and which study methods work best! College is extremely different from high school, so it was nice to see how to handle schoolwork.
Lunch catered by Chipotle was followed by the second seminar. It was delicious. I'm not a big fan of Mexican food, so I just had rice, lettuce, guacamole, chicken, and sour cream all mixed. It was SO GOOD. And of course I had guacamole and chips! Chipotle seriously never fails.
After lunch, Tammy Tibbetts, the founder of She's the First, gave a keynote. It was super inspiring! She talked about how and why she started She's the First. As an entrepreneur myself, her keynote was really motivating to me. It made me realize that if I work hard enough, I can achieve any of the dreams that I may have.
The third and last seminar was Tammy's keynote. I chose to attend a seminar all about joining extracurriculars and clubs in college. This one was really helpful to me because I definitely plan on doing extracurriculars, so I was given all kinds of information.
The day ended with the raffle! There were a good amount of prizes, which was awesome. The raffle tickets that were used were the raffle tickets earned at the social currency station. And I was so excited when my name was announced for FREE CHIPOTLE CATERING FOR 20 PEOPLE!!!!!!!! I knew tweeting an obnoxious amount would be worth it! I can't wait to plan a little get together in the summer.
pic credit: Katherine
I was also reunited with these two fabulous gals, Katherine and Jacqueline! They are both a part of the Her Campus Blogger Network like I am, and I met them both at last year's conference. Katherine is actually now the new community blogger network manager at Her Campus, which I'm so excited about!
Overall, I had a blast at this year's conference. The time flew by, and I was disappointed when it was finally time to go! It was funner than last year, there was more people, and I can't wait to attend again next year.
Happy Valentine's Day
Happy Valentine's Day, gals! I'm so excited for today. I'm not exactly sure how I'll be celebrating (Tyler is keeping it a surprise - he's the best!), but I know it will be fun. Let's just hope this snowstorm (and fourth one within the last two weeks *eye roll*) doesn't ruin whatever plans I will have!
Have a fabulous day ladies! XO
Show Some Love Linkup
The day of #lovelinkup is finally here - eeeek! This is my first linkup that I've hosted before, and I'm so lucky to be hosting it with my best gal Claire. The theme behind #lovelinkup is showing off the perfect Valentine's Day outfit. Can't wait to see what all of you fabulous girlies have come up with!
tunic (similar) // boots // necklace // earrings // ring (similar)
I got this adorable tunic from the Lilly sale last month, and I have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to wear it. I knew it would be perfect for this linkup! This is a great outfit for Valentine's Day because it's festive, comfy, and cute.
What do you plan on wearing on Valentine's Day?
Want to join the linkup or already posted a Valentine's Day outfit? No problem - email me to get your blog added to this post!
Simply Darling // Allison Nicole // Dash of Serendipity // Caralina Style // California Belle // Preppy by the Sea // Prepster in the Post // The Trendy Chick // Navy Striped Peonies
I got this adorable tunic from the Lilly sale last month, and I have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to wear it. I knew it would be perfect for this linkup! This is a great outfit for Valentine's Day because it's festive, comfy, and cute.
What do you plan on wearing on Valentine's Day?
Want to join the linkup or already posted a Valentine's Day outfit? No problem - email me to get your blog added to this post!
Simply Darling // Allison Nicole // Dash of Serendipity // Caralina Style // California Belle // Preppy by the Sea // Prepster in the Post // The Trendy Chick // Navy Striped Peonies
Valentine's Day Crafts
As mentioned in yesterday's post, I love crafting and finding cute ideas to do. Valentine's Day is the perfect time to make things because you can make cute cards or homemade gifts! Need ideas of things to make? Check out my favorites from Pinterest below.
via (I did this for T freshman year!)
Which ones are your favorite?
Valentines Acts of Kindness
Although Valentine's Day is all about love, I do like to do little acts of kindness to make other people feel loved and appreciated. These acts can be big or small, but I always get a rewarding feeling after I complete one! Need an idea of what to do? Check out the list below.
1. Pay for the coffee of the person behind you.
2. Make valentines for your friends.
3. Leave $5 in a random spot for someone to find.
4. Leave valentines in public bathrooms and restaurants.
5. Give people compliments.
What would you do for random acts of kindness?
DIY Valentine's Day Cards
I love crafting, but I usually don't have time to because I'm always so busy. So when I had one of my snow days last week (I've now had six in the past two weeks - crazy!), I knew it would be the perfect time to craft! I decided to make Valentine's Day cards.
Making these was super easy, and I made all different cards. I already had the cardstock, Sharpies, and envelopes. I also used paint swatches, which I had as well. (Side note: I highly suggest keeping paint swatches around for crafts. Last year I went into a hardware store, took a bunch of pretty paint swatches, and walked out. #SorryNotSorry) Then I looked online and saw cute phrases that I liked and made my own cards! I will admit that it took me a little while to make these cards, but that's only because I'm a huge perfectionist.
I sent these cards off to my gals for Galentine's Day, and I hope they enjoy them!
Did you send out homemade valentines?
Galentine's Day Gifts
Celebrating Valentine's Day with your favorite gals is just as important as celebrating it with your significant other. Although you don't need to get your best friends big gifts, it's nice to get them little gifts to show your appreciation of your friendship with them. Check out my favorite little gifts below, and click on them to be brought to the website!
Kate Spade Valentine Collection
Every year I look forward to the Kate Spade Valentine's Day Collection because the items are always adorable. They're the cutest and easiest gifts to get for a girl! Although I don't have any pieces (maybe someday that will change!), I'm always obsessed with the collections. Check out the pieces I'm swooning over below and click on each image to be brought to the link!
Valentine's Day Gifts for Her
I'll admit it: girls are either really easy or really hard to shop for. If you know a girl inside and out, then you should be able to easily a gift for her. However, if she already seems to have a lot of items that you could have potentially given her, then you're in trouble!
These four gifts below are simple, easy, and meaningful. Your girlfriend (or wife!) is bound to love one of these! Click on the image to be brought to the website.
Valentine's Day Outfit
I always get super excited about dressing up on Valentine's Day! I think finding a cute outfit to wear is my favorite part about Valentine's Day. Here is an adorable outfit below for some inspiration; click on the item to find out where each piece is from!
Valentine's Day Gifts For Him
Valentine's Day shopping can sometimes be super hard for guys. For some reason, I never have a hard time thinking of gifts for T! I just always have an idea (or two!) in mind. But for those of you who have no idea what to get your boyfriends, check out this gift guide below.
Galentine's Day Ideas
Celebrating Valentine's Day with your significant other is just as fun as celebrating it with your best friend. And if you don't have a significant other, celebrating with your best friend is even more important. Stuck on how to celebrate Galentine's Day? Check out the ideas below!
one // dinner & a movie
When I'm with my best friend for a girls night, Chinese food, a tub of Ben & Jerry's, and binge watching Netflix is always ideal. This is probably my favorite thing to do for Galentine's Day. Order takeout, grab ice cream, and watch a marathon of TV series or a couple of sappy love movies. Sometimes it's nice to stay in and pig out instead of going out to do something!
two // craft night
I love to craft, and I love when my best friends love to craft as well. Search through Pinterest for a couple of crafts you might want to try, hit up Michael's, and get crafty! Grab a couple of snacks to enjoy while doing the crafts. You could give the finished products as gifts, keep them for yourself, or sell them!
three // spa day
I love a good spa day. You can either go out and get a manicure, pedicure, and massage or you can do it yourself! Sometimes it's nice and easy to have someone else give you a manicure and pedicure. However, if you enjoy painting your own nails and toes, that's always fun to do too. Grab a couple of magazines to read while doing so and you're good to go!
How do you plan on spending Galentine's Day?
How do you plan on spending Galentine's Day?
Saks Fifth Avenue Sale
Saks is having a sale today, and I wanted to make sure I posted a few of my favorites from it! You can get a gift card for up to $700 with the code FEB2015 which is crazy.
Spend $250+, get a $35 gift card
Spend $500+, get a $75 gift card
Spend $1000+, get a $150 gift card
Spend $2000+, get a $450 gift card
Spend $3000+, get a $700 gift card
Valentine's Day Cards
Valentine's Day is always a good excuse to send lots of snail mail! I love looking for cute cards to buy and send to my closest friends and family. I may have to splurge on some of these below!
Which ones are your favorites?
[Side note: Want to receive a valentine this year? Sign up for my Galentine's Day subscription!]
[Side note: Want to receive a valentine this year? Sign up for my Galentine's Day subscription!]
Valentine's Day Date Ideas
Valentine's Day is all about showing love to the most important people in your life. And although I am a firm believer that you should show love every day, not just one day a year, I do believe that you should show extra love on Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day is always something to look forward to, but sometimes it's hard to think of ways to celebrate. However, you can never go wrong with these dates!
one // dinner & a movie
A fancy restaurant and a romance movie is always ideal. However, you have to be super careful with that because reservations for dinner can be pretty backed up (T and I waited an hour and a half last year...) and movies can be sold out. The Valentine's Day movie this year is 50 Shades of Gray which may or may not be appealing to some people. If you want to avoid crowds, ordering takeout and binge watching Netflix is also equally appealing!
two // show
Something that has always sounded appealing to me is going to some type of fancy show: a ballet, an opera, etc. If you have the chance to go to a show, go! I would never turn down the chance to wear a fancy dress ;)
three // shopping
If you're one of those guys who likes to spoil their girlfriend, shopping is definitely the way to go. Instead of getting a present, you could go shopping in the city and walk around. Definitely an easy and fun thing to do!
How would you want to celebrate Valentine's Day?
Galentine's Day Subscription
One of my goals for 2015 is to write more snail mail. It's fun, an excuse to buy adorable stationery, and a great way to connect with some fabulous gals.
I started thinking about some fun Valentine's Day stationery I could make, and then I thought it would be so much fun to have a Galentine's Day subscription where I anybody can sign up and I can send them an adorable valentine! This will help me to accomplish my goal of writing more, and I love seeing other people happy.
If you are interested in signing up for this subscription to receive a Galentine's Day card, please email me at ash.mas19@gmail.com!