A Week in the Life {Weekly Recap}

Hi guys! So for this week's post, I was feeling pretty sentimental/inspirational and decided to do something different. Here it goes!

So basically, this post is about the past 2 weeks of my oh-so-interesting life (lol). Lately in my group of friends there has been some minor drama, which is very out of the norm for us. It's all pretty much cleared up now, but let me say one thing: I really, truly, dislike playing the mediator/taking sides.

I also received some monogram stickers in the mail! I put them on my calculator and agenda, and still have a third one I was planning on using for a folder.

My friend group situation did stress me out a bit, so what did I do? Accidentally made cookie batter for FOUR HUNDRED COOKIES (woops).

{"Ox" is a running track joke lol}

They were pretty good though, if I do say so myself ;)

Not to mention I happened to also make waaaayyyyy too much icing. But hey, it's all good.

My family also had the pleasure of being able to stay in a friend's beach house for the week. Because my work schedule allowed me to (wooo!), my mom and I drove out a few days later and stayed for a day. 

This was my FAVE part of the house!! It was a huge room facing the backyard surrounded by screens, so no bugs! It was the perf place to read, and brainstorm some blog posts (heh).

Here's also where I got a little inspiring. So on the shore close the house, we happened to find the beach literally LITTERED with perfect scallop shells! My dad and I used to always comb the beaches near us in search of perfect shells so this was super fun!

I also started thinking. The reason we got so excited was because we put value in those shells. For some people, they're probably thinking,"Ok, cool, you found something the tide washed up..." which is pretty true. But since we made the shells important, it made us happy.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is if you put some value and importance behind everyday things (even if it's someone making you a cup of coffee in the morning), it can really make you happy and life your mood :)

 Kinda going along with that, if you've been reading my blog, you know my odd macaroon obsessions. I found this print on pinterest and made it my iPhone background! It really makes me happy just to look at it :)

Busy busy week! My mom and I headed to the Hamptons one weekend and did some shopping.

I'm totally creepy, but there's Adam Sandler in the orange shirt!!

It was really nice being able to spend some time with my mom. We stopped for lunch at this adorable little cafe, and I pretty much had the best salad OF MY LIFE.

Lastly, it was one of my good friend's birthday, and she had a nice bonfire at her house! I was pretty excited to get some use out of my funky romper that's a bit of my usual style :)

That's all for today! I think for next week, I'll be doing some back to school fashion ideas, since I don't start school until the day after labor day. If you've already started, maybe you can use some of my ideas!

Make a Statement: Statement Necklace Styling!

Hi everyone! After fighting blogger for the past few days, I was finally able to get this post up (a day late, but still up)!

Recently, I've found myself wearing a lot of statement pieces, whether it be bracelets, clothing, necklaces, etc. Today I'll be showing how I like to style some of my favorite necklaces!

I was planning on getting some pictures outside, but it's basically been overcast and cloudy every time I step outside with my camera!

Here's a photo of (most!) of my statement pieces:

I like to get them from all over; some chain stores, some boutiques, online, etc. My mom and I also share them! She has the J. Crew necklace with single diamonds on it, similar in shape to the blush one 3rd from top on the right side, and she styles it so well!

One of my fave necklaces is my J. Crew Rose one. I got it at a J. Crew Factory store, and am so glad I did! I wear it so much and it's definitely easier to style than you might think.

Patterned Top

One of my favorite ways to wear this necklace is with a playful yet subtle patterned top

forgot to put on the necklace.... typical

I love the details around the collar, sleeves, and buttons!

This button up is actually a horseback riding shirt that I used wear for horse shows, and I shamelessly wear it because it's so cute!

I also love pairing it with this subtle polka dot top from J. Crew! I'm also wearing black chinos from J. Crew and my Rainbows.

Soft Neutrals

I love this "quieter" necklace I got from Francesca's because it's so versatile and adds a nice hint of color. You can also tell I actually layered it with a dainty pearl that I got at a stand in the city!

I got my SUPER comfy cardigan from a boutique in the Hamptons, and am wearing under it a plain white T as well as some light wash Ditto brand jeans.

**Speaking of the Hamptons: My mom and I recently took a day trip out there to do some shopping and I realized she was actually wearing a cute statement necklace of her own! I believe it's by Kate Spade

Like Mother Like Daughter...

So one night, my mom burst into my room exclaiming that she needed help with an outfit for a summer party! Of course I was happy to oblige. usually, she wouldn't be a statement necklace type of girl, but she totally fell in love with all of mine! Here's the one she picked out (which I totally love):

she made the blog twice so far lol

Aaaaaand here's how I wore it a while ago:

Summer White

Finally here's how I styled a white flower necklace I purchased from an online boutique which I simply can't recall!

It may be a bit too matchy-matchy for some people, but I love how this Sugar Lips tank looks with it!

I also wore it with this adorable tie-dye dress when I was in Mexico! I paired it with some white Tory Burch sandals, and think it's one of my all-tome favorite outfits.

That's all for today! I hope you liked this post, let me know how you style you favorite necklaces!

Until next time,

                          Ti

Simple DIY Projects {Collab with Kadasia!}

Hey guys! I'm so excited for my post today, because it's actually a collab with my friend Kadasia from Life's Little Bits of Happiness! The both of us decided on doing a post on some fun and easy DIY projects and I loved making everything :)

Today I'll show you 3 different projects; one for your room, one fashion item, and one "back to school" project (hey, might as well make it fun!)

Let's begin!

1. Polaroid Inspired Pictures

{you'll need: iPhoto or Microsoft Word, photo or regular paper, clothespins, Mod Podge, glitter, thumbtacks, a paintbrush, string, & a glue gun}

The first project is kind of an upgrade from when I showed it in my last post (see it here). It's basically how to make your own Polaroid-esque pictures but without the camera! I used iPhoto for this, but you can easily use Microsoft Word as well.

1. Add your photo into iPhoto and hit command+P (the "print" command)
2. On the different tabs on the left side, hit "simple border." This will give you a white border surrounding your picture
3. Under "print size," you can play around with the different dimensions to see which best fits your photo. I decided to just keep it as is.
4. Change the paper size to the paper you'll be printing on. I went with a standard 4X6 photo paper
5. Trim around the edges of your photo, but be sure to leave extra room at the bottom (great for writing in a caption), and you're done!

Now for the fun part! Once you have your pictures, you can cut around the border to make them look like a Polaroid! Next, I actually took some clothespins (wooden ones work the best) and used them to hang the pictures.

This is my HOLY GRAIL way of covering things with glitter! You'll want to mix equal parts Mod Podge and your glitter in a bowl and mix it well. It'll look a little something like this, with the glitter seemingly hidden. TRUST ME, it WILL dry clear!! I just coated the clothes pins (you can leave the back unpainted if you want, so it's easier to attach the thumbtack), let them dry for about a half hour, and voila! Once they're dry (or mostly dry if you're impatient like me!), you can hot glue thumbtacks on the back and you're done! This way, you won't have to puncture your pictures to hang them! I also strung them on some baker's twine, and love how it came out :)

Ta-Daaaaaa

2. Monogrammed Nike* Shorts

(*Assuming you don't burn your shorts like I did the first time*)

{you'll need: a monogram to trace from, shorts, pre-made iron-on fabric OR fabric+Heat n' Bond, scissors, and an iron}

My second project is...wait for it... monogrammed shorts! I was weary as to how these would turn out, but LOVE it! The brand of iron-on material that I used is also supposed to be able to go through a washing machine, so that's a plus :)

1. Take your iron-on fabric (I got mine from Jo-Anns) or regular fabric using Heat n' Bond (it can turn fabric into iron-on!) and trace your monogram on it. I used a circle block one from http://forchicsake.com/, and it's obviously MUUUCH easier than trying to cut out a script one!

2. I used a sharp scissor to carefully cut out my monogram

3. ***BE CAREFUL: DO NOT place the iron directly on top of your shorts!!! If you noticed, the third picture above has Nike shorts, while the last one is Under Armour. That's because I actually burned a hole right through the Nike ones, which I don't suggest trying :) Place a thin fabric (ex. t-shirt) on top of  your shorts and iron on top of that instead!

4. Wear your awesome monogrammed shorts

3. Lilly Pulitzer Labels

{you'll need: Microsoft Word, label paper, laminating paper}

My third project is a Lilly Pulitzer school supply label! This is kind of a spin-off/alternative to Lilly binder covers, and are great if you're more of a notebook+folder person. These would also be great on a calculator!

1. Open up a Lilly print as your background; I recommend http://pulitzerprints.tumblr.com, there's a great collection!

2. On Microsoft word, size your image to how large you want your label to be (I kind of just guestimated)

3. Go to Insert>Shape and drag a rectangle onto your document, then change it to white. This will be where your text will go

4. Go to Insert>Text Box and type in your class or your name! I used the font "KG Hard Candy Striped" from http://www.dafont.com/, which has a ton of cute ones!

5. I actually had label paper that came in a full sheet, so it didn't matter where my labels were placed on the document. I cut them out, then cut out some laminating paper I found at Staples (best thing EVER) and covered the label with it! This stuff is GREAT because it makes your label SO much more durable, and I really use it alot :)

I hope you guys enjoyed this post! Sorry if it's a bit long, but I wanted to be sure I explained everything :) 

Kadasia has her post up, so be sure to read up on her projects as well! I love her take on Lilly binder covers, and it's nice to see the instructions!

 Let me know which one you think you'd try!

Until next time,

                           Ti

Past-Present-Future: Summer Days

Hi guys! Today I decided to do kind of a life update post, as I've done in the past. If you're newer to my blog, I'll explain: These types of posts are about things I've recently done/ what's happened (past), what I'm doing now (present), and what I'm looking forward to (future)!

Also, I just wanted to say that I've done some renovations on my blog page! I decided to switch up my background, fonts, and even figured out how to add Instagram and other social media widgets (which you should so follow me on ;). I've been loving the gold glitter and pastel color combination lately as well, so I threw that in both my header and background :) Let me know what you think!

Past

-Of course the one weekend I make it down to the beach, the weather gets crazy! I did have fun hanging out with my friends though :) I also snapped this photo, which I think looks pretty awesome between the sign and clouds

-As I also mentioned in previous posts, I went to Boston for a track camp! My mom and I had so much fun walking around Harvard Square, which was a 10 minute walk from our hotel. On the walk back, we saw this awesome sunset over the water

-A few days ago, I was nominated by Itunu from Beyoutiful Beauties to do the Liebster Award! It's my second most recent post, if you'd like to check it out!

Present

-As Kate Spade says, "Pop. Fizz. Clink."!!! For most of the summer, I have been doing online tests to become certified as a reading tutor for underprivileged kids who may not have the resources to pay for tutoring outside school. After what feels like forever, I at last completed the final test! Fingers crossed!

-Yesterday, my mom and I planned to take a trip to the Hamptons. But since the weather was kinda gloomy, we headed to an area closer to us that has a bunch of little boutiques! I didn't pick up too many things, but it was actually so much fun just to look around! In one small stationary store, they had a corner with glass jars, striped straws, bunting, AND chalk board labels!! Safe to say I got overly excited! 

I did decide to get two items from Lush, and a VV T-shirt from a Lilly signature store. The Lush soap was special for shark week, and smells AMAZING! I also picked out a lavender bath bomb. (Confession: I keep these in my room because that's how good they both smell!)

-If you've seen my room tour, you'd know that I have a wall in my room with different cork boards, whiteboards, and chalk boards! I decided that they looked a little crowded, and took everything off them. I'm still in the process of completing all of them, but here's a few that I've done already (there also may be a DIY post coming soon in the future...;)

I found all of these on Pinterest!

DIY Polaroid inspired pictures

 Future

-Every year, August is like down time for me in the summer. I usually don't have any more camps, and my high school has preseason at the end of the month, so I'll be super busy completing summer work (BLEH) and such. 

Someone said the other day that August is like one big Sunday, and I have to agree!! I always try to keep a positive outlook, but let's be real, who is looking forward to school stress?? I must say though, I am excited to see some friends who have been away the whole summer.

-As I mentioned before, I start my SAT class tomorrow. This is crazy for me, because it's always seemed so far away!! I'll be a junior in September, so I know I have an important year ahead.

That's all for today! I hope you enjoyed reading this post; leave a comment about what you're looking forward to!

Until next time,

                          Ti

TEST: DON'T PUBLISH

Liebster Award! {What it is & What you do!}

Hi guys! Today I am beyond excited to write today's post, because I was nominated for something called the Liebster Award! I was nominated by Itunu of Beyoutiful Beauties, and you should totally check out her blog as well :)

            

So let's say you're like me, a rather enthusiastic blogger who is quite clueless when it comes to tags and such. You're probably wondering what is this post?? With a bit of research and reading other people's cool posts, I think I finally get it! This tag helps bloggers connect and discover new blogs/bloggers, which I think is great for bloggers who may be new but don't know who to follow! Here are the rules:

1. Post 11 facts about yourself.

2. Answer the 11 questions created by the person who nominated you.

3. Create your own set of questions for the people you are going to nominate.

4. Choose 11 people (who have under 200 followers) to nominate, and link them to your blog.

5. Let the people you've nominated let them know they've been tagged. No tag backs!

So here are my facts!
1) Most people tend to spell my name with one "n", but it has 2! It's also pronounced Tee-on-uh (like the princess ;) I also go by just "Ti"

2) I have always been very athletic, and very involved in every sport since I was little!

3) I recently quit soccer in order to focus on track recruitment in college (I mainly do high jump!)

I cleared it, I swear!

4) I think of myself as creative/crafty, and love DIYs and sewing!

Super easy DIY pocket tank!

5) I have close to 20 notebooks in my closet, all of which contain short stories and novels that I used to love to write! (Pre-blogging era ;)

6) I have an older and a younger brother, both of which are 3 years in age from me and who both have names with the letter T!

7) I live in a VERY preppy town (AKA most boys wear pastel pants to fit in)

Exhibit A: My brother's closer

8) I have a rather obsessive fascination with monograms

9) I get really exited when someone notices my blog (a follow, +1, comment, anything!)

10) I plan to major in Mathematics and Statistics in college (I've always loved math!)

11) I live 30 minutes from NYC and go there a lot, and live an hour from the Hamptons! Best of both worlds!

Here are the questions created for me by Itunu!
1) If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would it be?
*I'd love to visit Switzerland! (random I know, but I love to ski and shop!)

2) What's your favorite dessert?
*Vanilla bean ice cream! Or anything with dark chocolate!

3) What was your favorite thing to do as a child?
*I loved being outside, either playing a sport or at the beach

4) What are some of your hobbies now?
*I love track, but I'm also an avid reader and writer :) I also like to make things (aka monogram everything)

5) Who's your inspiration?
*My mom is honestly my best friend! She makes everything she does look so easy, and I can only hope to be as successful as her one day :)

6) What's your style (preppy, boho, urban, etc.)?
*I'd say my closet is decently preppy, but with a few "trendy"/boho items in the mix!

7) Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
*As the joke on pinterest says (will find a picture later!),"Financially stable with 4 kids and a range rover!" But since I'll only be 26 in 10 years, I hope to be in a career field that makes me happy (probably something in math!), and living somewhere I love :)

8) Tribal print or polka dots?
*Hmmm, I'd go with polka dots because they remind me of pompoms and I love pompom hemmed shorts!

9) Why did you decide to become a blogger?
*Like I mentioned before, I've always loved to write, and I love photography. One day I just thought "Hey, why not!" and started my blog!

10) Who is your style icon?
*Kate Middleton is basically my idol, along with the royal family!

11) What's your favorite t.v show?
*No shame, it's Dance Moms. I'm warning you, once you get sucked into the drama, you won't be able to miss an episode!!

Ok, now here are my questions!

1. Coffee, Tea, or other?

2. Are you a country or city girl?

3. What is your favorite scent (candle, body wash, etc.)?

4. Where is your favorite place in the world?

5. What's your favorite thing to blog about?

6. Are you a saver or a spender?

7. What's your favorite book?

8. What is your dream career?

9. What's your favorite season?

10. What's your prized possession?

11. What's your favorite memory?

Aaaaand here are the people I nominate! (Sorry if you've already been nominated before!)

Kate from Long Island Prepster

Kadasia from Life's Little Bits of Happiness

Olivia from Triple Threat

Melissa from http://melissaaa-jo.blogspot.com/

Brianna from Golfer Prep

Emily from Emily and Dot

But that's only 6, not 11 blogs! Yes, I know! I'm still trying to figure out the blogging world and such, and so when I am able to better understand who exactly is following me (lol I'm clueless) and stuff like that, I'l be sure to tag some others! If you're like me, a newer blogger, then I highly suggest joinging a community or group on Google+! Cathleen from Classy Cathleen added me to one, and I was able to find some of my favorite blogs through there! Thanks again to Itunu for nominating me!!!


Until next time,


Ti :)