Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is usually my favorite holiday of the year, and this year was no different. What is not to love about family, good food, and lots of pie! My mom happens to be a ridiculously good cook and my dad makes the juiciest turkey, so thank you mom and dad for a wonderful meal! Hershey (our family wiener dog) sure enjoyed all the scraps! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got to spend time with their loved ones. I finally had an occasion to wear my new favorite bag that one of my great friends, Cheryl, gave me. It's a fabulous take on the Hermes Kelly bag, which I will never be able to afford, nor would ever willingly pay that much for a bag! We did a bag trade, which I think is a wonderful idea when you have something you no longer wear. In fact, forget shopping from now on. I am just going to arrange clothing trades with friends. We all get sick of our old things anyway.. someone else's trash is another's treasure, right? I would just like to say how grateful I am for everything I have, including the love of family, friends, and my amazing dogs! I hope that this holiday season we can all remember to be thankful for the people and things in our life, because there are many who don't have either.

I'M BACK BABY...

Wow, it's been almost two and a half months since I've posted! I have missed writing in my blog so much!! Life just got so busy all of a sudden, and of course, school has to come first. But, I think I may have finally figured out  how to balance everything, or so I hope. All I can do is try my best, but I really want to continue writing. I love writing about the things that make me happy, and I hope that my writing can inspire others. That is really important to me, so I will try harder to make this blog a priority. Sorry for the delay in posts, but I PROMISE there will be loads of exciting material to come!

Part of the reason I have been so busy is because I have been working tirelessly to put on an exciting new dog adoption event coming up in December! The name of the event is "Paw Date," and it is speed dating for rescue dogs! How fun does that sound?? Everyone will get a few minutes with each dog before hearing a bell, which will mean it is time to rotate to the next. Reaching out to all the rescues, food sponsors, locations, arranging the day/time everyone can make it, ordering banners/balloons/cards, and creating the flyer have all kept me quite busy, not to mention regular school work. The event has really come together, and I am so excited about it. It is all about the dogs in the end, so I hope they all get adopted out into safe and loving homes. Here is the flyer:

 

Please come by and bring your friends that are looking for a dog! There are going to be some super cute dogs. I don't know what I am more excited about - all the fur babies that will be there or the cupcakes and pizza! Hope to see you all there. You can RSVP to pawdate@doglover.com by 11/25.

On a different note, here are some photos from a recent visit to the Getty Museum with my dear friend, Nancy. I love the Getty so much, both for it's architectural simplicity and for the beautiful vibrant gardens there. It's a great place for photography!

(My own little artistic creation!)

J.Crew top, Earnest Sewn jeans, Chloe Sunglasses, Topshop Alexy Boots, Vintage fringe bag

Colab x Elke Kramer Sunglasses

I am currently loving this brand spankin new sunglasses collaboration with Colab (Australia) and Elke Kramer! The fabulous miss Kramer is known for her inventive and ingenious jewelry designs, and she has now teamed up with Aussie collaborative shades company, Colab for a limited capsule collection. The bold shades have a very unique, yet universally flattering shape and the colors are to die for. There are three colors available for women (named after chapters of French poet Charles Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du Mal), and two for men, which are also pretty brilliant. Really feeling these shades!

 (Top two images via TheFashionSpot, bottom two images via Vogue Australia)

Get them HERE!

SALE ALERT: Robert Clergerie x Opening Ceremony Pumps

                                                                                 Get them HERE!

SALE SALE SALE! Get these babies while they're available. I am drooling over these Robert Clergerie x Opening Ceremony glitter heel pumps. They've been marked down from $784 to under $240! These sexy, strappy, glittery pumps will add va va voom pizazz, and may I add, some much needed height to any ole' outfit. And, best of all, Mr. Clergerie is known for making comfortable shoes.. LOVE! In the words of Rachel Zoe, "I die."

INSTAlife

From left to right: 1.)first day of school at 103 degrees! 2.)beautiful sky while walking the dogs 3.)new metallic polish & arm candy 4.)Sammy cooling off by the fan 5.)cupcakes (no explanation necessary!) 6.)flapper headband + doc martins = can't go wrong 7.)my Arty YSL ring 8.)strawberries over granola w/milk 9.)Mazzy catching flies?

So, it's been too hot to think straight this week, which makes it kind of difficult to focus on going back to school. I get so lazy when it's hot, so I've really surprised myself by continuing to work out and be productive. I got into my jewelry class that I crashed at Santa Monica Community College, which I am sooooo excited about! Our first project is an aluminum mask pin. Of course, I chose a Dia De Los Muertas mask, which is a little bit of an obsession of mine. I love anything Day of the Dead! Which reminds me - I need this necklace by the fabulous miss Pamela Love! She never disappoints and is always coming up with something new and inspiring. I have always felt she pushes herself to continuously design with a fresh, unique, yet genuine approach. Whereas, so many designers tend to copy (or slightly change) designs they see happening, Pamela Love is, how shall we say, at the top of her class? As an aspiring jewelry designer, I find her truly inspiring and am reminded that you can still create and sell handmade pieces in this age of mass production and industrialization, it's refreshing to know there are still artisans and craftsmen (and women!) out there creating works of art.

Stay fabulous and original!

The Brand: J.Crew

I NEVER thought I would be writing anything good about J.Crew (harsh!), but over the last few years I have witnessed one of the most outstanding brand transformations of all time. J.Crew has gone from t-shirt basics and "all -American prep" to imported Italian cashmere and chic basics. But, it's even gone beyond the basics by collaborating with world class designers and companies, such as British-born milliner Patricia Underwood, FACE Stockholm makeup line, Cutler and Gross sunglasses, and Sperry Top-Siders shoes. I think it's really smart to bring in other brands to accompany the collections. Creative director, Jenna Lyons, said in an interview with Style.com, "It goes back to editing, and also appreciation of quality. The Red Wing boot—they do it well, they do it in America. Why try and re-create it? Some things are amazing the way they are. Alden shoes, Sperry Top-Siders. We love that you’re buying our Ludlow suit, but we want you to have the option of the best possible shoe out there. They come with tons of history and brand integrity that we might not be able to offer in shoes."

The J.Crew re-branding took place in 2003, when ex-Gap CEO Millard "Mickey" Drexler came on board as chairman and CEO. Mickey wanted to bring up the level of quality and also design. I have to say, the man has made a difference. No longer are the days of multi-colored plastic flip flops and boring crew tees. Hello sequin tweed jackets, Italian calf-hair purses, and cap toe satin pumps! J. Crew has become a staple in my closet, and I especially look forward to their seasonal and limited COLLECTION, which they describe as, "A tightly edited, elevated line of exceptional pieces..." I can't get enough of it!

Here is my current J.Crew wish list after browsing the shop with my fabulous mother today. Oh, and she got one item from my wish list (the Tippi sweater in polka dot), which I will definitely be borrowing very soon!

J.Crew knit sweater / J.Crew polka dot top / J.Crew slim fit t shirt / J.Crew polka dot shirt / J.Crew long sleeve sweater / J.Crew button up shirt / J.Crew j. crew pants / J.Crew ballerina shoes / J.Crew ballerina shoes / J.Crew velvet slipper / J.Crew crossbody handbag / J.Crew vintage style jewelry / J.Crew j crew jewelry / J.Crew costume hat

Cheers to the Crew!

My Life As Of Late

I cannot believe school starts in three days! I always get butterflies right before school starts again - guess it's the unknown; like whether or not I will dig my teachers, how I will manage everything, and what annoying just out of high school scoundrels will be seated next to me all semester. The latter is always the worst - one big negative of going to school at a later age. One more year and all done! Then more scary changes after that; afraid life is never too comfortable or stable in your twenties, but maybe that's a good thing. Maybe when it does get all comfy and stable, it also gets a bit boring and expected.

Anyways, in preparation for the beginning of the fall semester, I've been trying to exercise more, eat better, and get on a good sleeping schedule (since every day was Saturday this summer). It's amazing how much better I already feel and how much more energy I garner whenever I start eating healthy and working out! My go-to's lately have been Kombucha (fizzy fermented tea drink), almond milk, and everything gluten free. I just wanted to try the gluten free thing to see if it would make me feel better, since I feel so sluggish usually. It's actually been really great! And, I certainly cannot forget my at home trainer, miss Jillian Michaels. Love that woman! She pushes and motivates me, aka "this is not your mother's workout," as sweat and tears pour down my face. Hah, I just realized how brutal that sounded. Okay, maybe it's not that bad, but it sure ain't your mother's workout (if your mother is sixty, of course).

So, there it is. My life as of late - Kombucha, bread sans gluten, and exercise DVDs. We shall see how long this lets up, but here's to hoping it doesn't. I've never been very good to sticking to well, anything, so as I approach adult-hood, or whatever you call a mature person that actually does what they say they will do, I hope to change that. I am looking forward to the future, but also enjoying every day NOW.

 Never live for tomorrow.

Trending: The Embellished Collar

                  Equipment jewel tip collar shirt  / Zara printed shirt with studded collar / Nishe pearl collar blouse / Zara pearl collared shirt / Zara top with pearl appliques / Zara blouse with appliques

I have been in love with the embellished, jeweled, and/or pearled collars happening lately. It's such a fun and easy way to add some pizazz to your outfit! Jeweled collars are everywhere right now, and by adding a jeweled or embellished collar to a piece, it instantly becomes a statement. Decorative details are all the rage right now, and the good news is, you can do it yourself!

Here are a few fabulously creative DIY'ers I found online to draw inspiration from and create your own fun collar. The possibilities are endless, and all you need is a little glue and some fun embellishments!

I think I may make an attempt at one myself this week.. will show you what I come up with! Or if I get too lazy, I can always make a quick trip to Zara, which seems to be the house of fun, embellished collars right now!

Have a lovely day!