A lot of you probably know that I moved into an apartment this year for my junior year of college. I couldn’t be happy, especially since I was pretty much done living in the dorms! Don’t get me wrong, they were super nice to be in for my first two years of college, and I ended up meeting some of my best friends, but I really missed having my own kitchen and all of the other benefits that come along with living in an apartment (like actual rooms…).
As soon as I knew I was definitely going to be living in an apartment, I made a board on my Pinterest so I could keep track of all of the decorations I wanted to put up, and other organization tips. Moving in was stressful, and it took way too long to decorate – procrastination on my part – but I finally have up all of the decorations I want, so I thought it would be fun to show you all how it turned out!
I thought the most simple way of doing that would be to post the video I made about it on my channel, since I basically walk you through it! Here are some highlighting photos, though, of some of my favorite things!
I’m so happy with how my apartment came out! It’s really nice being able to have my own space – shared with roommates – that we can just come home to at the end of a long day filled with classes and work. My roommates and I honestly don’t really want to take down all of the lights even after Christmas is over because they make it so cozy in the apartment! Maybe we’ll swap them out for white lights, but for now the colors are super festive and give it such a warm feeling.
Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful day! 🙂
Merry Christmas Eve, Eve!
Every year, my parents ask me for a Christmas list, and in recent years they have changed a lot! There are a lot less toys, and receiving socks is now one of the highlights of my Christmas mornings. Whereas getting clothes as a kid was not cool at all, I love it now. Since Christmas is only a couple of days away (what?!) I thought I would share what’s on my list this year!
Every year, my parents ask me for a Christmas list, and in recent years they have changed a lot! There are a lot less toys, and receiving socks is now one of the highlights of my Christmas mornings. Whereas getting clothes as a kid was not cool at all, I love it now. Since Christmas is only a couple of days away (what?!) I thought I would share what’s on my list this year!
1. Gray socks
Is it weird that gray socks are seriously my favorite thing in the world? There is something about them that I absolutely love, and I am always in need of cozy socks!
2. Nike Frees
I’ve had my trusty Nike’s for a couple of years now, so I think it’s due time to get a new pair! I’m running a whole lot more lately, so I desperately need another pair to switch around with.
3. The illustrated copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
I was thumbing through a copy the other day, and ohmygosh is it gorgeous! I’m a total Harry Potter fanatic, so I’ve been dying to get my hands on it!
4. Ecosphere
These things are so cool!
They are an enclosed glass bowl (or in this case, oval), and contain microorganisms and shrimp that don’t need anything from the outside! I love the environment, so this thing is so fascinating to me.
5. Booties
My favorite pair of flat booties have finally bit the dust, so it’s time to get a new pair, as much as it pains me. I have a pair with heels, but I like flat ones for day-to-day wear since they’re a lot more comfortable.
6. Pink Sugar Perfume
This is my all-time favorite scent, and I’ve been out of it for a couple of years, so I really wanted another bottle. I smelled it somewhere a little while back, and now I’ve really been missing it!
7. Bralettes
I have been wearing bralettes non-stop because they’re so comfortable – it seriously feels like you’re not wearing a bra!
8. DSLR Camera Stabilizer
These guys are great for filming, because they create a much smother and stable image for things like landscape shots.
9. Over-sized turtleneck sweater
I have seen so many celebrities wearing these lately, and I think they are so cute! They are so easy to make an outfit out of, and are super comfy for the winter.
10. Tickets to the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Los Angeles
I am so excited for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to open in Los Angeles, because it’s much closer than Orlando! It would be so incredible to go for the opening weekend, but I figure that’s probably not going to happen. A girl can dream, though!
Well, that is everything that is on my grown up Christmas list! I’m so excited for Christmas, and I can’t wait to give my family and friends what they want for Christmas! Seeing my loved ones’ faces light up when they open up their presents on Christmas is truly my favorite part of the day. We’re getting so close! Looking at Spring also really helped me to create my Christmas list this year!
What’s on your Christmas list this year?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
Decorating for Christmas is one of my favorite things to do, so I thought I would share how I decorated my dorm for Christmas! I’m back home now for winter break, but I’m so glad I decorated my dorm for Christmas, because it really got me into the holiday spirit, and allowed me to get through finals sanely!
1. Get festive pillows and put them on your bed, couch, etc.
Christmas pillows are always so pretty, and there are so many to choose from! I love to go to Michaels to get them because they have a lot, and they also have a lot of coupons you can use! This makes the cost of the pillows go down a lot, and also allows you to get a lot!
2. Get a mini-Christmas tree
I found my little Christmas tree in the dollar section of Target (it was $3), and later found the little ornaments for $3 as well! I had the little firefly lights already, but I know Target has some for super cheap as well. It’s super easy to find really cute and small Christmas trees that don’t cost a lot, and also won’t take up a lot of room in your small space! It was also super fun decorating it, even though it didn’t take that long at all.
I found my little Christmas tree in the dollar section of Target (it was $3), and later found the little ornaments for $3 as well! I had the little firefly lights already, but I know Target has some for super cheap as well. It’s super easy to find really cute and small Christmas trees that don’t cost a lot, and also won’t take up a lot of room in your small space! It was also super fun decorating it, even though it didn’t take that long at all.
3. Make a cute Christmas banner
I found a little kit at Target (I promise this isn’t sponsored by Target!) with gift tags and a bunch of twine. Instead of using the trees as gift tags, I decided to make a little banner out of them and put them by my desk! It was super easy to do, the kit was $3, and it looked so cute once I hung it up! This would also be really simple to do with simple construction paper and twine if you can’t find a kit like the one from Target!
I found a little kit at Target (I promise this isn’t sponsored by Target!) with gift tags and a bunch of twine. Instead of using the trees as gift tags, I decided to make a little banner out of them and put them by my desk! It was super easy to do, the kit was $3, and it looked so cute once I hung it up! This would also be really simple to do with simple construction paper and twine if you can’t find a kit like the one from Target!
4. Hang up twinkle lights. Everywhere.
I have little fairy lights in my room year-round, but they definitely feel super festive around the holiday season! You could even get some red or green colored lights to layer on top of twinkle lights already there.
Alright, well those are four, simple ways to decorate a small space for Christmas!
I can’t believe it is already time for Christmas – this year has seriously flown by. This is my favorite time of the year, though, so I’m trying to soak it all in as much as I can.
You can also check out the video I made down below, and you can see more of my Christmas-fied dorm room!
Do you like decorating for Christmas?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day!
Finals are finally over, and it is winter break at last! I’ve been home for about a week now and my parents just now got internet, since they live in the middle of nowhere. It has been killing me to not be able to post, but it gave me a lot of time to think about my blog and YouTube channel! I have big plans for next year, and I’m so excited to get started on them. I’ve realized just how important they are to me when I was stuck not being able to post anything.
I also have a big project I have been working on for a while now, and I am finally going to tell you guys about it! This past January I wrote a post entitled 2015 Will be the Year… in which I wrote out my goals for the year. They were more of just general things I wanted to work on, because I felt that would be better for me personally. The second goal of the list was “to celebrate myself, and learn to love the person I am. It might take the whole year, but this year I’ll learn to love myself.” A little bit into the year I decided to document the whole process, and think about how I was doing. I can honestly say that my self-confidence has never been better, and I’m in a wonderful spot right now! So, at the end of this year, I will be publishing a blog post and video called “The Year I Learned How to Love Myself.” I’m so excited for you all to see it, because I’ve been working very hard on it!
I have a couple of Christmas-related posts going up this week, so look forward to those, as I am back in business with Internet! I can’t tell you all how happy I am, because now I get to resume my daily Gilmore Girls binging. This girl has her dogs, cats, and Netflix, and I couldn’t be happier.
I’m sure you are well aware that Father’s Day was yesterday, and if your friends are anything like mine, all of your timelines were flooded with adorable “Dad and Me” pictures and posts! It was really cool looking through them and seeing all of the love! I spent the day with my parents at home, just lounging around the house for most of the day. It was relaxing, and exactly what my dad wanted. I, of course, was taking snapshots throughout the day, so I thought I’d do a roundup post of yesterday, as well as some pictures from the whole weekend.
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| Mmmm the cinnamon filling for the pancakes. |
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| Look at those beauties cookin’. |
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| Cinnamon roll pancakes! I made these for my family, and they were pretty darn good! |
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| Look at that little smile! |
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| And of course TJ was taking his morning nap right underneath me while I was cooking. |
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| Sweet little moment between my dad and Miki. |
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| Aaaaand then Willow sees Miki is getting brushed… |
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| …so she of course gets right in the middle of it! |
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| My mom and I made this little fairy garden for my dad that doubles as a hummingbird feeder, since he loves birds! |
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| The card I made for my dad. |
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| It even lights up! I’ll be doing a whole post on this in the coming week so be on the look out for that! 🙂 |
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| Perry apparently did not want to be photographed… |
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| I had to show you guys the close-up. |
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| Angel never looks amused when I pull the camera out, but I promise she’s a sweetheart! |
So there were some little snapshots from my weekend! I love relaxed weekends at home because you get the chance to just be lazy and spend time with your family (and puppies and kitties)! My family had a wonderful Father’s Day, and I cooked for my parents the whole day so they could also relax and do nothing! It’s nice to be able to do that since I’m home from college for the summer.
How was your Father’s Day weekend?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
My Spring Dress Lust List seemed to go over really well, so I thought I would do a Bikini Lust List for spring break! I’m not traveling anywhere like Mexico or Florida, but I am going to California (FOR VIDCON!!!) this summer, and want to get some cute bikinis when they’re on sale! So, since I’ve been looking at some, I thought I would just do a whole post about them!
Even though I’m not going on a vacation over Spring Break, I’m still super excited! It’ll be nice just to stay at home and relax for a week and a half, and see my friends from high school. And I have Vidcon and LA to look forward to this summer! I seriously cannot wait.
Which is your favorite bikini? Do you have any Spring Break plans?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.
I’m so sorry I’ve been MIA for a couple of weeks, but I’ve been super busy with family stuff, and Christmas in general!
This is what I wore to our church’s Christmas Eve service, but I think it would be really cute to wear to any holiday party you might have, or for New Years Eve! It isn’t too fancy and it is also really comfy, so you could definitely last all night in it!
Dress: Nordstrom
Tights: Nordstrom
Bangles: They were actually a gift, but they’re just little gold bangles that are sold most places.
I have really been loving my Ted Baker bag!!
Shoes: Nordstrom Rack
Anyway, I thought I would just show you guys what I wore on Christmas Eve, and the fact that it is really versatile for the holiday season!
What did you wear for the holidays?
Thanks for reading, and have a great day! 🙂
Blogmas Day Five!
Today I was watching Louise’s (from Sprinkle of Glitter) latest Vlogmas vlog, in which she talked about giving back, and how the holiday season is the perfect time. With my last couple of posts being about gift ideas for loved ones, her thoughts got me thinking about the importance of giving back as well. I’m not saying that it’s horrible to only give presents to those we love, if that’s all you can afford to do, then that’s perfectly okay! But if you happen to be fortunate enough to have the time or money to help out, then by all means go ahead. I actually went into a store today, and the fire department was standing outside doing a toy and canned food drive. My family usually donates a couple of cans of food, but this year I really want to do more and try to help a lot more people. With it being the holiday season, giving back is all the more important to help other people have the warm fuzzies associated with Christmas and other holidays. So many people aren’t fortunate enough to even have a warm place to be at night, let alone receive presents on Christmas morning. Don’t get me wrong, giving back is extremely important all year long, but this time of year really helps people realize that there are others who are in desperate need of help from people who can afford to lend a hand.
Being at college has also opened my eyes to the horrible realities some people face; homelessness, going without food for a couple of days, becoming unemployed, or worse. It’s easy to forget how some people live in the world when you aren’t surrounded by it everyday. Living is very, very hard in some parts of the world – sometimes it can only be called surviving. This time of year is the time for you to be grateful of what you have and not what you don’t have. What I mean is, don’t be grateful that your life isn’t like the lives of the less fortune, rather be happy with the things that you do have, and try and help others out when you can. I heard a wonderful talk about this, and how the speaker hated it when people were grateful for the wrong things – that they have a home that unlike homeless people, or that their health isn’t like that of the ill. Try and always be thankful for the things in your life as they are. Life becomes so much easier when you are able to be thankful for everything you have, and even for the little things in life. And on that same point, trying to help out in little ways, but often, can add up to a lot over time! An act of any kind of kindness goes a long way.
Giving back and helping out has always been something that I’ve been passionate about, so it’s something I could drone on and on about! I just think the world would be a much better place if more people tried to help out, even in the smallest of ways. I know that I could definitely try and help and give back more myself! This is just the perfect time of year to try and help out a little bit more than you usually would, because it helps spread holiday cheer 🙂 This time of year is definitely my favorite for that reason, and all of the warm fuzzy feelings of being with those you love, and being able to give them a gift that shows just how much you care for them. I hope all of you have a great holiday season this year!
What are some of the ways you give back?
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day! 🙂
I can’t explain to you guys how excited I am for the holiday season. I live for Christmas decorations (my dorm is already decorated), Christmas music, family dinners, getting dressed up, the warm drinks…I could dedicate a whole post to it, which I will probably be doing soon!
With the holidays comes a reason to get all dressed up and fancy – without looking like the odd one out. Since I’m so excited to dress up for the holidays, I thought I would share with you guys some possible outfits I’ll be wearing for Thanksgiving this year!
Formal Affair
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| You can see this dress here |
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| Find it here |
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| Find these shoes here |
I absolutely adore this outfit, because I love every piece! I love high heeled booties with dresses, and gold with maroon colored clothing. I think this would be so cute to wear if you have a formal dinner to go to, and it just reminds me of the holidays with the warm colors! I also have a dress just like this, so if I end up going to a formal dinner, I will definitely be wearing this.
Semi-Casual
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| Find this skirt here |
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| Find this sweater here |
I think this outfit would be perfect for a dinner that is neither super fancy or casual – it is the goldy-locks outfit of Thanksgiving! I would also wear my hair up in a high bun (especially now that I have my tattoo behind my ear!) and wear a chunky scarf since it is getting really cold where I live, and I would also probably wear some sweater tights!
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| Find these here |
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| Find these guys here |
Casual
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| You can find this here |
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| Find these here |
I’ll most likely be wearing something like this for Thanksgiving, since my family isn’t that formal, and will most likely all be in PJ’s. Still, it’s fun getting semi-dressed up, even if no one else is! Plus, tall riding boots complete any look, and you can wear fuzzy socks with them for ultimate comfort!
Or, you could always just go for this…
I will be doing a post on what I end up wearing for Thanksgiving, because I really don’t know for sure what that will be yet!
What are you planning on wearing for Thanksgiving?
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you have a wonderful day, and I hope you have a great Thanksgiving as well!
Disclaimer: none of these photos are mine!