posting delay // new shows

Phew, this was a whirlwind of a week. Christmas was great; the whole family was together. I got some nice new clothes and jewelry, plus a couple other cute things. And a pillow pet. :) After Christmas, some personal issues came up. Therefore, a posting delay. I apologize for taking so long to write again.

This Christmas break has allowed me some extra time to watch some new television shows, however. I always see commercials about new shows or hear peoples' recommendations, but don't have much time to get into new ones during the school year. Which is why I love having some time off!

New Girl

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I watched the pilot episode for New Girl, thought it was hilarious, but never got into it. I've recently caught up on Hulu and am so glad I did! It cracks me up so easily.

The Vampire Diaries

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I was skeptical of this show at first. I like the Twilight series but had always drawn the vampire line right there. After hearing people saying how addicting it is, I watched a few episodes on Netflix...and then a few more...I am now currently halfway into season one. Yes, very intense and addicting. Anyone else think Ian Somerhalder is a fantastic actor?

xo

christmas eve

Tank, belt: Nordstrom Cardigan: Macy's Skinnies, bracelets: F21 Flats, handbag: Tory Burch Watch: Michael Kors Scarf: my mom's closet

Merry Christmas Eve! I went with my family to do last-minute Christmas shopping for a majority of the day and then out to dinner. There was a lot of Christmas music ranging from The Beach Boys and Michael Buble to Justin Bieber and The O.C. Chrismakkuh album.

I also got an adorable and funny-looking snowman cupcake. :)

xo

updated christmas list

I posted a Christmas list a few weeks ago, but then re-made a newer one with more options. I like giving my family plenty of ideas so I don't know what I'll get and am still surprised! 

Think one of these things would make for a perfect gift for someone? (Or want to snag it for yourself?!) The links to the items on the list are below!

Top Row:

L to R:

J. Crew checkered button-up in blue and white, $72 

Kate Spade clear bauble necklace and/or ModCloth green necklace, $148 and/or $24:

Middle Row:

L to R:

Ralph Lauren "Megan Solid Oxford Shirt" in white, $89

Black Nordstrom Leggings & Turquoise Free People long sleeve shirt from Nordstrom

Back quilted camera bag/handbag, $158

"Manhattan Cocktail Ring" in ruby red (Just like Blair's signature ring on Gossip Girl!), $78

"Fashion Fantasy Heel" from ModCloth, $34

Bottom Row:

L to R:

Lilly Pulitzer 2012 Calendar, $25

Puma Running Tights, $65

Ankle Weights, 5lbs, $10

White Nike socks, $15 for 3 pairs at Nordstrom

Nail Polish:

Top to Bottom:

Gold sparkle polish, Butter London, $14

"Chimney Sweep" polish, Butter London, $14

"Rainbow Connection" (Muppets Collection) polish, O.P.I., $8.50

Enjoy the Christmas weekend! I hope it is filled with lots of holiday cheer!

xo

conquering the big hill [running]

     Today was a gorgeous day of blue skies and no clouds - a rare thing in western Washington. I decided to go out on a quick run before the sun went down, thinking I'd just run a mile or two and call it a day. I also checked the weather forecast, which says that today was the last sunny Seattle day for a while.

     So I started running. I'm pretty busy considering it's winter break, and it was so nice to clear my head. The endorphins were pumping and I had passed the 2-mile mark without even thinking about it. 

     Then I started getting closer to this huge hill. Did you get that? This hill is HUGE. If I wanted to run the hill, I would have to tack on another few miles to get myself back home. I told myself that since I hadn't run the hill in a few months, I could just walk/run it and the rest of the way home.

     But I didn't. I ran the whole way! I ran all the way down and all the way up the hill, and my heart rate evened itself out the rest of the way home with the (smaller) hills.

     The most brutal part of the hill is about three quarters of the way up when my breathing gets heavy and my muscles are tensing up. I knew I wanted to get up it without stopping though. So in my head, I repeated a phrase I've heard many times, 

"You don't think you can, but you can. Your body is stronger than you think." 

     It sounds SO corny, but it worked! It is a great reminder for any type of physical exercise to just keep pushing, because your body is truly capable of so much.

     After the six miles, I was back home. I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight, especially since my muscles haven't had a long run in a while.

xo

disney castle

When I was studying in Italy this summer, I had some friends who went to go see the Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany. They said it was amazing.

Take me there, please!

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From the pictures, the castle looks gorgeous. It was also the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle.

Next time I'm in Europe (and I hope there's a next time!) I would like to see this.

xo

My Favorite Posts of 2011

With only five days till Christmas and 12 till the new year, I cannot believe how quickly 2011 is coming to a close! I started this blog in March 2011, but didn't blog very regularly until September. I love it!

After reading about IFB's next project, I decided to look through my archive and pick out my top five favorites.

#1. "Italian Fashion Post #2"

I wrote this during my time in Italy last summer - I saw these accessories everywhere. Italians are so classy and effortlessly glamorous. Click here to read it!

#2. "new jeans // studious"

The outfit I showed here is one of my favorite outfits I've photographed. I just picked out the jacket I wanted to wear and everything else seemed to fall into place. It is comfortable but still looks put-together. Click here to read it!

#3, #4, and #5. "Popular Prints" Series

I worked hard on this series and I am darn proud of how it turned out! It was my first time doing a shopping guide series and was a lot of fun finding the Lookbook outfits in the 3 prints. 

Click these links to read them: Animal, Plaid, and Navajo.

Enjoy! If there is anything you'd like to see me blog about into the new year, please comment or contact me and let me know!

xo

michael jordan quote

I was browsing Pinterest recently (new addiction...) and came across this quote by Michael Jordan:

"I don't do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results."

This can apply to multiple areas of life.

School.

Work.

Fitness and health.

Relationships.

Leadership.

Sports and other teams.

     If you go to every class but BS that big final paper, you will probably get a mediocre grade. Take time to double-check spelling, grammar, and facts.

     If you show up for work every morning hungover from the night before, you will not be as sharp and can miss your shot on that promotion. Have fun, but know where to draw the line.

     If you go through the motions at the gym and refrain from challenging yourself, you will not be any closer to your goals. Listen to your body, challenge yourself at the gym, and give it the proper fuel it needs to live long and strong.

    If you wait two months without picking up the phone to call a family member, you may find yourself drifting. Two months can turn into 2 years, and then 20 years. Call them now.

You get the picture! Do things whole-heartedly - it's a lot harder to look back thinking you could have done something better and put more effort in when you could just look back and have no regrets.

xo

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Love these easy-to-do Photoshop actions

Earlier this year I downloaded the Pioneer Woman's actions sets for Photoshop Elements to try something new with my photo editing. I loved the effects they put on the photos, and sat for at least an hour and a half trying out the different actions on my photos - so fun!

Here's an example of an original and edited photo.
Original:

Edited with the "Sunshine" action:

Here are some more edited photos from my trips to Colorado and California:

Once the actions are downloaded, all you need to do is open the photo in Photoshop, decide which action to use, and with a click of a button your photo is changed! It is so simple. Thanks, PW! :)

Download the actions from the website here.

xo

Yup...Joined the Pinterest Bandwagon

Of course I am the person that starts using Pinterest right before finals week. I'll study for a little, then go on Pinterest, then study again, then go on Pinterest...for a long time.

Can you blame me?! I found a gorgeous photo of Tahiti...

...and a link to awesome Pilates YouTube videos. (I did some yesterday and am so sore! I'm excited to find new workouts!) I liked this one for obliques/core.

Needless to say, I know where a lot of my time for studying will be going this week. :)

xo

chaps for breakfast

Dress: Nordstrom Bracelets: F21 Wedges: Tory Burch Watch: Michael Kors

Darn the sun for going down before 4pm. I blame winter, not my decision of taking an outfit photo later in the day. The last couple of outfit pics don't have the best lighting. I've been so busy with finals that I hardly have any time to take photos of my outfits! Finals...blahh.

This morning a few friends and I went to Chaps, a restaurant in Spokane that a friend of mine works at. Since she is studying abroad next semester, today was her last day so we went there to visit her at work and have breakfast. And get free candy canes. It was a great start to a Saturday morning.

xo

print ad for marketing class

I've been so busy this week! I liked my outfit today but don't have time to snap a pic...(I'm wearing a gold braided belt and jeans with a tucked in blue tank and white cardigan. I'll probably wear it again...)

This morning my group for marketing class went outside to take photos for a "print ad" for our project. The finished ad is above! Our brand is Chevrolet (who is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year), so we did a "then and now" type of photo. I'm on the left and suppoed to be dressed like Audrey Hepburn/have an Old Hollywood feel. One of our other group members is on the right in a typical All-American baseball fan outfit. I'm taking an actual advertising class in the spring, so who knows if I'll think this is a well-done ad by then, but for now I think it's good. :)

xo



Prep Week

Coat: Gap Shirt: Nordstrom Skirt: F21 Leg warmers: Urban Outfitters Boots: Corso Como

Today marks the beginning of Prep Week at school. Since final assignments worth no more than 10 percent of our grade are allowed to be due during this week, all of the big papers and assignments were due last week. This week, well, a lot of big assignments are still due (many professors ignore this rule). This past week has been very busy, and I have hardly had any downtime! (As in, no blogging. Sorry for the delay of posts!) I thought today was going to be a pretty regular day until it got a lot busier than usual. That's okay, though. I like being busy.

I'll stop writing on and on about school. It's not very interesting, is it?

Well then, let's talk about my outfit. It's a little different today with over-the-knee leg warmers under a pair of riding boots. I paired my striped tee with this burgundy skirt and added a knitted headwrap (not pictured) and coat for extra warmth.

I'd say this definitely isn't my best photo, as I took it at night when the sun had gone down and didn't have the little bit of natural light from my window. I couldn't get the lighting right! All in all, I felt this outfit might be worth sharing.

xo

chocolate jeans

Jeans: DL 1961 Sweater, flats: Nordstrom Jacket: Gap Watch: Michael Kors Feather earrings: F21

Okay, so my jeans aren't actually made out of chocolate. They're just this deep, rich, dark brown hue that is the same color of my favorite sweet treat. They're by this brand called DL 1961, and what's great about them is that they have a four-way stretch so they'll stretch to fit, but won't get baggy over time. I got these jeans last Friday and have already worn them three times!

I pulled out my bronze glitter flats, which I haven't worn in ages! I love anything that sparkles, and it's nice to wear them with other brown pieces in my outfit. I kept the rest of the outfit pretty fall-casual with a beige sweater, cozy cotton jacket, and feather earrings (earring close-up attempt is above. Haha.) I also curled my hair, giving it a much-needed boost of volume.

I just got back to school after a very relaxing Thanksgiving break, and I am so busy! There are so many things to finish up before the semester is over. I was in such a "home" mode last week, just relaxing, watching TV, and going on runs. Now it's all go-go-go for the last couple weeks of the semester. It's crazy how fast time flies!

xo

$200 Brownies

Last weekend I made the $200 brownies found on Tasty Kitchen! They were delicious and super easy to make.

All you need is brownie mix, oil, an egg (or however many the mix calls for), and Symphony bars.

The recipe calls for two boxes of brownie mix and three Symphony bars, but I only had one box of brownie mix on hand. The brownies weren't as thick, and I only needed two Symphony bars to layer across my 9x9in pan.

When they were ready, I took them out of the oven to cool, ran upstairs for less than 5 minutes, and when I came back down my family had already gotten into them!

I was going to take a picture of a tray of perfectly cut up brownies, but this is what I was stuck with.

Overall, they were yummy treats and I'm sure I'll make them again!

xo

I've got travel on my mind...

There have been three places on my mind lately that I've been wanting to visit.

I've only been across the pond to Europe once, and over the border to Canada last weekend.

I love seeing things that are just completely new.

I love seeing how other people live their live so differently, yet are still so similar to me.

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People say that once you go abroad once, it sort of becomes an obsession. I wouldn't second-guess that theory! Here are the three places I've been thinking about lately, and they are a little out of the ordinary:

Reykjavik, Iceland

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Anywhere in Switzerland

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Cape Town, South Africa

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Has anyone else been to these places? What did you think?

xo



And the holiday season begins!

Today officially "marks" the beginning of the holiday season. I celebrate Christmas, and am so excited to see the touches of the holiday everywhere.

One of my favorite catalogs of the season is the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book:

It's exciting to see all the winter clothes, accessories, and especially the GIFTS! There are plenty of ideas for anyone, and makes for good gift-giving inspiration even if it's a little out of your price range.

xo



floral tights & ankle boots

Tank and skirt: Brandy Melville Tights: F21 Watch: Michael Kors Ankle boots: Me Too

Today I paired a creamy white tank and skirt with fall flower tights and boots. I feel like it is appropriate for Thanksgiving dinner with my family.

There is a lot of cooking going on at my house today! Since my extended family lives far across the country, my parents, brother, and I have just gone out to a nice dinner for the past few years. The house smells of turkey and mashed potatoes.

A friend told me about this brownie recipe that sounds amazing. I might give it shot today for dessert!

xo

a day of thanks

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My wonderful family. My friends. Life. College. Dancing. Chocolate. My favorite TV shows. My experience in Europe last summer. Rock climbing class.

Every sunny day.

And so much more. :)

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

xo

granville island

My photoshop isn't really cooperating with me right now. I wanted to put up more Vancouver pictures from my camera (the ones on Monday's post were from other girls' cameras). Instead, here are a few un-edited ones from Granville Island:

Walking to Granville Island

The architecture was pretty cool, in my opinion

Fruit section

Designs printed on chocolate

Mini Christmas cookies

Lots of pasta

xo

International Traveler

Today I'm on the final leg of my travels this weekend, and currently sitting in the Alaska Board Lounge.

It started Friday with a 15-hour bus/train ride to Vancouver, BC, Canada. Dance Team got invited to perform at the Gonzaga vs. Hawaii mens basketball BC Classic game, and it was great. We performed at Rogers Arena (where the Canucks play!) and did two dances. The audience seemed to enjoy it, and on the way out we got plenty of high-fives, "good jobs," and got asked to take photos with lots of people. Canada seemed to like us!

En route to Canada

After the first leg of the trip

Team with poms

Typical! I was also trying to do a "thumbs up" with my left hand...

Downtown Vancouver

Celebs ;)

DT4life

The next morning it was back on the bus all day until about 3:30, where we switched to a train back to school. About 12 hours later, I was on my way to the airport to fly home for Thanksgiving.

When we got back to Spokane, there was snow everywhere! According to a few sources (students), it was 9 degrees last Saturday. Glad I missed that! This is what my car looked like:

It has been a fun but long weekend and I'm ready to relax!

xo