Boots: Steve Madden ♥ Skirt: B.P. Nordstrom ♥ Tank: Target ♥ Scarf: Nordstrom ♥ Watch: Kate Spade ♥ Bracelet: Kate Spade ♥ Ring: Charming Charlie ♥ Bracelet: Alex and Ani
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wilsonmadeleine
All too often we get caught up in the romantic side of Valentine’s Day (I’m one to blame!). Many people feel frustrated or lonely during this time of the year, so I thought it would be a great idea to brainstorm some ideas of people you can celebrate this Valentine’s Day that may get overlooked otherwise. Instead of focusing on finding a date on Friday, take some time to show your appreciation for people who bring love into your life on a daily basis. Thanking people in your life will not only make them feel great, but you too! Here’s a list of fourteen people you can write a (non-romantic) love letter to and show your appreciation for this Valentine’s Day:
- Your mom
- Your sister or brother
- Your dad
- Your best friend
- Your favorite professor
- The president of your sorority
- The barista that memorized your name and order
- Your boss
- The coworker that shares your cubicle
- Any member of your extended family
- The author of a book that changed your life
- Your mentor
- Your tutor
- Your roomie
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Share the love! How are you spending Valentine’s Day this year? Share in the comments!
I feel incredibly blessed to have such a generous family that spoiled me this year on my birthday! I’ve had my eyes on this Michael Kors Jet Set bag for as long as I can remember. I mean, it’s perfect. It even fits my Microsoft Surface, wallet, and planner perfectly. With a cross-body strap and the option to hold it as a handbag, it’s completely versatile. Made out of beautiful leather, it really is a masterpiece. My parents were so generous in giving this amazing gift to me, it would be criminal if I didn’t show it off! I’m obsessed to say the least.
The New Year is the best time to set new goals! Most people have difficulty following through with their goals, but one great way to stay on track is to create a “dream board.” Even Oprah swears by it! Essentially, a dream board is a collection of pictures, words, and phrases that will inspire you and remind you daily of your objectives! I was shocked that only a few short months after creating one for myself, I had accomplished over half of the goals I set. Images are so powerful and it’s a great feeling to use them in such a positive way!
Want to make your own dream board? Follow the steps below!
- Set your goals – Do you want to land a job or internship? Improve your health or fitness? Learn a new language? Want to save money for that Michael Kors bag you’ve been crushing on forever? Make your goals specific and realistic – don’t try to lose 20 pounds in a month, you’ll drive yourself crazy!
- Find compelling images – use magazines, Google images, favorite celebrities, inspirational quotes, etc.
- Make a cute collage including all of the pictures you find on a big poster board.
- Hang it somewhere you look everyday – think subliminal messaging!
- Go conquer the world!
It can be overwhelming to decide which goals to focus on. Here are some of the ones I chose for my dream board:
- Take more pictures with a REAL camera and print them out
- Write more letters
- Read five books
- Save $1,000
- Work out at least 4 times a week
- Get three A’s spring semester
- Drink more green smoothies
- Give more compliments
It’s so simple and rewarding. You’ll be thanking yourself for the daily reminder – it will motivate you to actively work towards your goals. Once you’ve accomplished all of them, save the board as a memento and start a new one!
More digitally inclined? Check out Oprah’s online dream board creator: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/O-Dream-Board-Envision-Your-Best-LifeTM
My 20th birthday is coming soon and I’ve got a great wish list. I only expect to get one or two things from my list, but I thought I’d share it just for fun! Enjoy!
- The Sorority Secret‘s Anti-Bullying Campaign Tank by Big Cartel
- B.P. Kellie Wedge Bootie from Nordstrom
- Lush Lily Slide Slit Woven Tee from Nordstrom
- Lush Roll Tab Sleeve Woven Shirt from Nordstrom
- High-Waist Fleece-Lined Leggings from The Flaunt Shop
- Lynet Boot by Steve Madden
- Jet Set Leather Tote by Michael Kors
- Body by Victoria Push-Up Bra by Victoria’s Secret
I’ve pinned this recipe about a hundred times, but never got around to making it. Finally, with a little bit more free time lately, I was able to whip this up today.
I’ve always been the one that asks to lick the spoon when my mom bakes cookies. I know there’s the risk of salmonella, but I just can’t resist the temptation of delicious, creamy, cookie dough. Luckily, these little marvelous truffle balls are egg-free, so I promise they are safe to eat! I’m not a good cook, so the best part about this recipe is that it’s incredibly easy and fast.
I mainly used the recipe from Food Network’s website as my guide – tweaking it just a little bit.
Don’t they look great? The pink ones have the Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses candy and the dark ones have Ghirardelli milk chocolate on them.
Ingredients
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I didn’t have any mini ones when I made this, so I used regular sized chips)
(optional) 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 bag of Ghirardelli chocolate chips
1 bag of Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses
Instructions
Mix butter and brown sugar in a large bowl on medium. When creamy, add vanilla. When thoroughly integrated, gradually add flour and milk – alternating between the two. Mix on medium. Finally, add chocolate chips (and walnuts if desired). With a melon baller or spoon, scoop dough into 1-inch balls and place on wax paper. Put them into the fridge to chill for 1.5 hours. After 1.5 hours, place candy for coating into a microwave safe bowl and heat until fully melted. Every 30 seconds, stir. Roll the balls into the melted candy and then place back on wax paper. Let them sit in the fridge for 1 hour or until hardened.
***Tip: After the balls have chilled in the fridge and before dipping them into the melted candy, roll them in your palms to make them perfect balls.
The Ghirardelli covered ones were my favorite! So rich and delicious
I love how these ended up pink! They would be great for a holiday themed bridal shower or baby shower.
I am beyond guilty of this fatal flaw of my generation. We feel compelled to document every sight and post every thought. There’s something to be said about being in the moment – not recording it, not taking a picture of it, and not sharing it with the internet. We need to spend time listening to people when they speak. Making eye contact. Reflecting on our thoughts. Experimenting. Guessing. Adventuring. Being alone. We can’t experience these things if we’re glued to our screens. I really need to work on this this year. I always use the excuse that I need social media for my job and my portfolio, but to be perfectly honest – I shouldn’t allow my job to completely consume my life. Here’s to making positive changes in the new year!
Christmas Eve is my favorite night of the year! Every year, we have a nice family dinner and then go to the 11pm candlelit church service. I absolutely love the music and everything about that service – it really is so amazing! Then, we go home and get to open one present – it is always a new pair of pajamas. My dad then reads “The Night Before Christmas” to us and we head off to bed. Church is always fun because everybody gets super dressed up. I love picking out my Christmas Eve outfit and this year I had a little fun shopping for an entirely new outfit. I had a budget of $150 which I met, but I went slightly over it with tax.
The first item I purchased was this amazing skater dress. From B.P. at Nordstrom, it is the perfect LBD – fitted where I’m the smallest (my waist) and then it flares out where I’m the largest (my hips). It has a high neckline which I usually tend to stay away from, but I thought it would look beautiful paired with a statement necklace. It’s fancy enough to be dressed up for special occasions, casual enough to be worn during the day, and modest enough to be worn for an interview. Very versatile, flattering, and high-quality, it’s shocking that it was only $46! I paired it with a beautiful royal blue statement necklace also from B.P. Nordstrom that was $24 to add a pop of color and liven up the neckline.
This is the skater dress I bought from B.P. Nordstrom for only $46 paired with a lovely statement necklace also from B.P. that was $24
Next, I had to find shoes. Most of my heels are too high to be appropriate for church, so I wanted to find some that were lower but not frumpy. Immediately, I saw these amazing blue pointed-toe suede heels from B.P. Shoes at Nordstrom. They matched the color of the necklace perfectly, fit well, and didn’t look too old lady-ish. I fell in love! I had to buy them. They actually were not that expensive for the quality of the shoe, coming in at $70. Without tax, I came in at $140 – under budget! It was so fun to pull together an entire outfit for a set budget and really get quality items. I had a blast and I can’t wait to wear this outfit tonight.
Beautiful blue suede heels from B.P. Nordstrom to go with the rest of my Christmas Eve outfit for only $70!
To say I love a good deal would be an understatement. You can always find me scouring the sales racks, obsessing over coupons, and frequenting thrift stores. I was recently helping my little sister find an “ugly Christmas sweater” at our local Value Village and came across the most amazing find – a Ralph Lauren sweater in pristine condition! It was the perfect chestnut color and fit me like a glove. I was beyond excited when I saw the $7.99 price tag! I have been looking for some new, warm sweaters, so this was absolutely perfect. I dressed this sweater up by putting a white classic button-up dress shirt from B.P. Nordstrom and a statement necklace from Forever 21.
Ralph Lauren sweater from thrift store, Value Village
Dress up a basic sweater with a classic button up and a statement necklace
My beautiful Ralph Lauren sweater that I got at a thrift store for only $7.99