Cheers from the UK

Hello all!! I have been away from blogging forever! But I am back with some free time and blog worthy adventures. I am currently studying abroad in Lancaster, England. It is a charming place with loads of new experiences ahead of me! Here is a few photos of my almost first week here. Some pictures are from Manchester. I spent a day there when I first arrived. My suitcase was lost and took a few days too get here, but I finally got it and got to take a nice UK outfit pic! So stay tuned for whats to come!

Summer must haves

Summer is finally amount us! I have been trying to enjoy all my free time and do all the summer musts! By doing this I have noticed a select few things I must have for this time of year! Here is my list of 6 must haves for summer..

1: Water is a must! Staying hydrated is so important while spending time in the sun. It is good for you on many levels too, like helping with digestion and keeping your skin hydrated and glowing. I use a babble. They are perfect because they are reusable and have a filter. I like plastic water bottles more than metal. They are also cheap and sell new filters for cheap too.

2: sun hats are all the rage this time of year. They are fashionable and come in all kinds of styles, fits, patters, and colors. I have never been a hat person, but I am going to try on sunny days. Hats also help protect your scalp from sun damage and your face too. 

3: Yoga is my new favorite activity. You can do it outside, in a porch, or in your Livingroom. So even on rainy summer days you can still get your tree pose on. I also like yoga because it helps center me and connect with my nature surroundings. Not to mention it is great exercise. 

4: sunglasses are an absolute must!! There are so many pairs to choose from! Beach day pairs, road trip pairs, family BBQ pairs, it's endless. You should look for pairs that have a uv protected sticker on them. That will help protect your eyes from those harmful sun rays. 

5: Summer is the main time I have to read any book I choose. Finally I can read for pleasure and not chapters of a text book. Reading can be done at all my favorite summer spots, a coffee shop, outside, in a big comfy chair looking out the window. I have a list of books I look forward to reading this summer.

6: Last but not least is sun screen! You cannot go through summer without sunscreen! Protecting your skin is a huge issue that many people look over, myself included. I now carry some in my purse for days I catch myself sitting outside. Having tattoos has helped me keep up on The sun screen, but I still have areas I sometimes look over. It is worth the investment to purchase face lotion and chap stick have have sun screen in them too.

So there are my 6 summer must haves!! What items can you not make it through summer without? Health is a big part of my list. Taking care of your body and mind will make summer that much more enjoyable!

Cheers to e new year!

Happy new years eve everyone! I know I have been MIA for a while, but it was finals and then the holidays. I am sure you understand. I will be sharing some Christmas fun soon. I just wanted to announce 2013 is going to be my year to start taking steps towards my goals and dreams, 100% about me, myself, and I. Yayyy for fresh starts! Have a nice fun new year! P.S MIchael is my date tonight!

Halloween, Halloween, Halloween!

Halloween is over and I am pretty bummed. I had a lot of spooky fun this year though. I got to dress up for work all month, eat tasty treats, hand out candy at the mall to trick-or-treaters, and see my friends. I have said it before and I will say it again, what isn't there to love about Halloween!!

Spooky Treats-

I could not get enough fall flavors for Halloween this year! I had many delicious Caramel apple ciders, they were so tasty! Spooky cat cookies were a must for the holiday. Even the frozen yogurt shop got in the spirit and had pumpkin flavored froyo! Nom nom nom!!!

Horror Decor-

What is Halloween without all the decorations??!! Little boy Pi and I went to Emma Crumbies and got some nice little pumpkins. I didn't get to carve any pumpkins this year. I did get a Halloween Micheal Myers tribute tattoo with my dad, our matching kitchen knives. I decorated my room with pumpkins, bats, and skulls and cuddled up to watch Walking Dead. My movie collection didn't grow this year, but I will have to check the Halloween clearance.

Dress up-

Pilot as a giraffe

Vintage Lady

Chaplin & Misty

Cow Kitty Pumpkin

80's

So many McGrubbers...

Dressed as my manager, Pam!

I just love dressing up for Halloween!! Of course I thought of like 20 more ideas of things to dress up as, guess I will just have to wait till next year. What were your favorite costumes this year?

Till next year Halloween...

Bottle Cap Craft

This Sunday I had a pleasant evening with my Aunt and cousin. We watched some movies and made a very easy and unique craft. We made bottle caps buttons, magnets, and hair clips. Here is what you will need!

*Bottle caps
*Magazines
*Mod podge
*Melt Art
*Scissors
*Paintbrushes
*An oven
*baking sheet
*Wax paper

 Step 1: Pick out the pictures you want from magazines. They need to be smaller images since they will be cut to fit into the cap. Cut your pictures out and use the mod podge to apply a light layer under the picture and on top. Make sure to glue the edges down good. Also have then oven preheated to 300 degrees.

Step 2: Wait an hour or so to make sure the mod podge clue is dry. Then fill each cap with the melt art powder. Fill the cap slightly more than full and make sure it is as evenly spread across the whole top.

Step 3: Do a few caps at a time for trial and error. Since each oven is different you might want to try your least favorite ones first to get a grip on time and temp. We cooked ours for about 5-7 minutes. Checking every so often. You will know they are done when there is no more powder, just a clear coding. Sometimes some bubble and others just don't turn out. I think it has a lot to do with making sure the mod podge clue is fully dry.

 

 Step 4: Once the bottle caps cool from the over clue magnets, pins, or hair clips to the back. And Wa-La! Personalized accessories!

Happy Crafting!

Mason Jar Creativity

I know I have been a little MIA for a while! But as summer starts to wind down I am trying to wind down too. I feel like I was hustled and bustled right through my summer. Even though time has been flying by I had time to notice mason jars were really making a cute little come back. I don't think mason jars really went anywhere I just think vintage country chic is making a comeback. Again I personally never thought vintage chic left, but that's just me. So I thought I would share some creative ways to use mason jars. The best part about them is they are so cheap and can be found at almost any thrift or antique store.

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 My first favorite way to creatively use a mason jar is as simple as using it as a cup! I have noticed this is a big trend this summer. This is a cute idea for showers, family gatherings, barbeques, a picnic, or at a little coffee shop. Etsy has tons of adorable mason jar covers and other ways to snazz up your mason jar. It is such a simple idea, but I still find it to be incredibly genius and adorable!  

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Lighting is a fun way to add a little romance and ambiance to a room or outside patio. This is a creative way to make lighting unique. The easiest way would be to add a candle in your mason jar and use it as a center piece or hang a line of them up. Making them into actual light fixtures might take a handy man (I know I would need one!) I just love the charm the jars bring to a space.

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 This is a DIY craft project! I think it is so neat! You could do any sort of design you wanted. I believe all it is is a sticker on the inside and then paint rolled around. Again a pretty simple and easy way to do something new and interesting with a plain class jar. It is a great way to bring one of a kind art into your home.

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 I always end up keeping my movie stubs and theater and concert tickets. Normally they just build up in my wallet, purse, or pants pocket until I can't take it and toss them away. And think of all the clothes you buy that come with a spare button and you just throw it out with the tag. Well Wa-La!! A mason jar is the perfect storage container. It isn't a big clunky plastic bin or an untidy drawer. The vintage look of the mason jar makes it a charming display of life's little things.     

 Lets be real..mason jars are great for EVERYTHING!! The options are truly almost endless with these little treasures! I plan to invest in some soon and get my creativity flowing. P.S. they make great containers for craft supplies! Store you yarn, markers, glue, nails, brushes, ect and then use them to make a whole new mason jar craft!

Summer To Dos.

Now that summer is half over it is time to start getting all ideas together of things left to do this summer! I will share some of my summer to dos and give some more ideas of fun things there is still time for!

My To Dos..

• Movie Mania- 

Summer is the best for mega block buster movies. I have already seen Brave, Magic Mike and Spiderman. I will be seeing Batman tomorrow! Movies are a great way to keep cool on those hot days and you can go with your family, friends, or that special someone.

• Outside Fun-

I love the heat of summer and I love being outside without freezing my butt off during those midwest winters. I plan on spending plenty more days out in the pool or at a lake. I also have a beach day set up with my friends. It is one of my summer goals to go paddle boarding this summer. Beach days are also great opportunities to have a picnic. Once Minnesota is out of its second or third heat advisory I plan on going on some bike rides. A trip to our farmer's market is on my summer to do list as well. I feel it is easier to eat healthier in the summer when there are plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to choose form.  I am going to soak up all that vitamin d I can and get my tan on!

• Inside Activities-

There are always those days in summer where it is either too hot, too rainy, or just too lazy to want to go out and do something. For days like this I want to do more cooking and baking. I want that to carry into the fall and winter as well. It doesn't even need to be food, I want to try making new summer drinks. Fresh fruit is a fun and creative way to make drinks have a little extra flavor and a cute summer look. Reading new books is something that is always on my to do list. You can read indoors or out making it a great summer to do. I just started The Perks of being a Wallflower. On a more junkie note, summer is a great time to catch up on your T.V. selection. I just watched all of Breaking Bad season 4 on Netflix and have been tivoing my summer season watch list.

More Summer To Dos..

*Go thrifting*Drink iced coffees and teas*take nature walks/hikes*Start a diary*Plant some flowers*Find a new park*Go for a boat ride*Go on vacation*Take a day all to yourself*Start looking into fall fashions*Get your nails done*Go to a local sports game*Have a tea party*Scope out cute new back to school things*Try a new food*Go to a theme park*Go to a water park*Do something spontaneous*Find a Hot Air balloon ride*Invest in a moped*Take a summer class*Yoga*Run in a Race*Start a pickup (insert sport) game*Whistle*Change the pictures in your frames*Paint and make art* Download a new playlist*Play hopscotch*Use chalk*Volunteer (walk dogs)*Do something new

*Enjoy your summer and be happy!!! 

Birthday,Art Fair, plus some!

Well my summer still hasn't slowed down any! However, I am not complaining. I have been keeping busy with tons of fun things happening. Since I will be out in Colorado for my birthday on the 9th I had an early celebration with my fam. We had yummy grilled food, enjoyed the nice weather, and all caught up. I found my cake at Dairy Queen!! I was so happy, it even already had happy birthday written on it. My family friend Layla took me to get a mani pedi and my bestie Amy got me a sugar skull. Too cute!

Hello Cake Kitty!

 

Later that week was the annual Art Fair. It is a little festival with art booths, bands, and performances out in the street where the Coffee Hag is. My aunt and the lovely MaDonna (memadonna) danced there. It was a lovely day out. I got to take my bike out to enjoy the festivities.

1. My chalk boat
2. My new sandals from Heartbreaker
3. Me and MaDonna!!
4. Rakstar fusion belly dancers. My aunt's cute pregger tummy!
5. Candles hanging in a tree. So cute and magical

I have been keeping busy at home but I am beyond excited to go to Colorado tomorrow!!! I might be MIA while I am there but I will have tons to share when I get back! Here is a nice rainbow to remind you to enjoy the little things this summer..

Colorado Bound

Awww! Finally my long week of watching my younger cousins is over! Also my wisdom teeth, or lack there of, have healed up nicely and I can now eat anything and drink from a straw. Oh the simple things in life. I was so overwhelmed and stressed I did some financing and booked a flight for two weeks out to good ol' Colorado. I deserve a vacation. I will be there over my birthday, making it nice to be able to celebrate with my mom. I thought I would share some of my favorite things to do in Colorado and what I plan on doing for my trip!

I love Boulder, CO! The environment and spirit there is so much fun! Between the street shopping and the parks, there is so much to do there. I have only been to the Tea house once, but it was incredibly beautiful. Their own chi tea was so tasty. It really is a tea lovers dream place. Also in Boulder is pearl street. A great place for even better shopping. There are big name shops and little boutiques all down the road. The restaurants on Pearl street are wide variety. No way no one could find at least one place to eat at. You can spend a whole day there and never get bored.
I clearly love shopping. The flatiron mall has a special place in my heart. My mom and step dad used to live right across the street so walking to it was a breeze. Once they moved it was the first place I was able to drive to on my own. It is a huge mall! There is a massive Forever21 there, so I am in love! The 16th street mall is in Denver. It is kind of like Pearl street but much busier with more mainstream shopping. Still a fun place to explore..oh and there is also a Forever21 there. Also both places have a Vicroria's Secret, and the semi-annual sale starts the 12th!!
I have never been to the Ren Fest so I can't really say anything about it. But hopefully my fam and I will be going on my birthday!
Since my foster brother is foster to adopt I plan on bonding with me all I can. So far it seems to be a pretty good chance of my mom and step dad adopting him. I always love getting to spend some time with my mom. And my friend Devin!! I plan on spending some good time with her! Check her blog out, dare to be remarkable.

If you are ever out in Colorado, plan to visit, or live there here are the sites to some of the places I mentioned! Highly recommended to be checked out!
Tea House
Renaissance Festival
 Boulder Shopping
16th Street Mall
Flatiron Mall

Weekend&Fashion Wrap Up

I had a very busy weekend, but in a good way! On Friday we had a big party for my grandfathers birthday! We had a band and everything. It was nice to see family and eat yummy food. Then on Saturday my friend Amy and I went to visit our friend Allie at St. Olaf college! The three of us went to MOA to go shopping and then hung out on campus. I will be having quit a few outfit posts coming up with all my new clothes. Then finally on Sunday after getting back to town Amy and I went to the International Festival at MSU!

Crepe from MOA! Yum!

 International fest is so much fun! There were so many booths of food from tons of countries! I drank so much Mango Lasi! The flavors of the world are the most delicious! You could get food for $1-4. There was also performances of dance from around the world and tons of booths with stuff to buy, like jewelery, fairtrade treats, and baby bamboo trees.

As for my fashion this weekend I got spring fever all over again. Here is what I wore Sunday.

 Dress: Forever21

Cardigan: H&M

Belt: Target

Earrings: Forever21/Ebay

I am more than in love with this dress! It will be perfect for summer concerts, festivals, and gatherings. I plan on wearing a jean vest with it once it warms up a little more. I do wear a slip under it (from target). This dress is all lace and not lines, so a slip or something should be worn under it. Or use it as a cover for your swimsuit beach days! The mullet dress is a pretty big trend and I am glad I found one I like. 

What has spring inspired you to wear lately?

What I Wore

I thought I would pop in quick outfit I put together. I thought it was a pretty casual look and feel but it turned out looking like it could be casual or even professional with the right shoes and accessories.

Top- Charlotte Ruse

Skirt- Ragstock

Shoes- Urban Outfitters

I am still chiffon crazy and trying all sorts of new looks with my tops. I kind of like how this ended up looking like a black dress with the top over it, even though its just a black skirt and tank top. My blue flats add some color and give it the laid back look. Like I said before a pair of heels would give this outfit a professional look. It is so fun to play around and mix and match my clothes.