30 Days of Outfits: Day 9

I hope you guys are having an incredible week so far. Can you believe 2022 is just days from being over? I’ll be doing some recaps shortly but wanted to share a quick 30 Days of Outfits post. I paired this gorgeous burgundy dress with matching burgundy pumps from Jenn Ardor. I love the lace sleeves on this form-fitting dress made out of the softest cotton. The sleeves are comfortable and this look is perfect for Valentine’s Day which will literally be right around the corner. I wore it with a pair of gold filagree hoops from Kendra Scott and threw on this cream coat from HM. Such a timeless and classic look! This outfit is also perfect for being a wedding or event guest, a gala, and a date! You can shop the entire look here!

Tips to Combat Depression

The thing is… sometimes we have to have emotional lows to get back to the highs. It’s a contrast. When we have to let go of something really big in life oftentimes we are left with an emptiness. That emptiness takes time to refill. So what can you do?

How To Blog: Photography Tips

If you missed my first post in this How to Blog series I talked about five ways you can make money on your blog. You can read that post here, and today I’m continuing the series to share more tips and tricks with you. A key element for any blog is photography. Whether you are snapping pictures of food for recipes creating or you work in the tech world and are delivering copy on wide area networks you still need pictures for your posts! There are a few reasons - first, it helps optimize your page when you add alt text behind graphics. That allows search engines like Google and Pinterest to find your blog. Spiders will crawl your page to look for strings of keywords that are relevant searches, but images help boost your visibility!

Thoughts on Rest and Play (and Why You Need It)

I spent the weekend resting, relaxing, and playing. The past month of my life was a whirlwind. My role at my job changed, a trip mid-month for a work conference in Vegas took place, and then when I returned it was a non-stop follow up from the trip. I worked twelve days straight without taking even an evening to myself. It was absolutely necessary, but at the beginning of last week, I started to feel really heavy. I dreaded Monday morning and felt like I had zero time to decompress. That was it for me. I knew it was time to take a break. It was suggested I take a full day off and just do what makes me happy, so I did just that. It can be a HUGE challenge to work full-time and run a blog and a business on social media. Although I’ve been doing all three for years, this month was particularly tough. I struggled to bounce back with energy. One thing I have learned about life is that I am the only one responsible for my life. If I want to live a life with clarity and calm I have to create that environment. I also know that I am prone to maxing myself out. Here are a few things I’ve learned about the necessity of rest and play.

Spring Accessory Report

Let’s chat about all things Spring now. Over the next few weeks, I begin rotating out all of my cold weather clothes and put my Spring things front and center. I usually gravitate to a few color palettes - nudes with whites, pastels, and cherry red. Depending on my mood, I’ll dress accordingly. Having a few classic accessories like a basket bag, gold jewelry, and scarves make endless options for your favorite pieces. The switch of a bag and the addition of earrings can make any outfit come to life. Also, a pretty statement necklace pops on web meetings! I love being able to show up in real life or on camera with a little color on. It draws people’s eyes to pay better attention to what I’m saying. Below are over 100 spring accessories for you to shop! Let me know which ones are your favorites in the comments!

Valentine's Day Stay At Home Outfit and Date Ideas

Can you believe it’s almost February? Goodness! This month has been amazing but flying by quickly. I don’t know about you, but these days I spend a good amount of time cocooning at home. I travel so much that when I’m home, I’m home. One thing that really helps my mental health is having my home in order and full of things that bring a smile to my heart - fresh flowers, my vintage ashtray that holds a deck of pink playing cards from Rosemary Beach, and soft cozy throw blankets. Lighting a single candle on my coffee table or flipping through a stack of interior design magazines are little joys that make it perfect for a cold, rainy day. When you find the right person, snuggling up in the cocoon of a home makes it even better. Here are a few ways to make a stay-at-home date night perfect this Valentine’s Day!

Red Outfit Ideas for Valentine's Day This Year

Valentine’s Day whether I’ve been single or in a relationship is actually one of my favorite days of the year. Although I believe that love should be celebrated every day, I also find the holiday fun since it involves candy, colorful outfits, and a fantastic dinner with atmosphere. Whether you are going to be a party of one or you are looking for a hotspot around your city… a new outfit for the occasion always makes for a better day.

The Best Holiday Gifts from Amazon

It’s no secret that I love Amazon. From their incredibly streamlined delivery and return policy to the quality of the Amazon the Drop collections that highlight influencers, time and time again I am impressed by what they have created in the retail space. To think that they single-handedly changed the book and printing industry! I’m overjoyed day after day with my Audible subscription, endless tv options on Amazon Prime, and getting packages regularly that have that little smile icon on them. With all of the amazing sales and deals happening I had to share my favorite Amazon finds. I’m dating things back over the past year with each item being something I’ve either used, purchased for someone else, or currently have on my own wish list.

Fire Red

Some nights have to be documented. Last week my daughter made all A’s on her first middle school report card and I couldn’t be happier for her! I believe moments like this should be celebrated and so off we went to dinner for a special treat. Golden hour was exquisite so we stopped on the way to grab a few photographs. Over the years, I’ve had the joy of working with photographers, friends, and family to help me take photographs on the blog but my favorite person to work with is my kiddo. She’s developed such a skill set through time and these are some of her best work! I believe if you put in hard work and focus time and time again you’ll find that skill is built over time. Whether it’s good grades, or it’s a series of photographs, repetition increases the ability to get it right.

Finding Joy Alone

“‘Tis the Damn Season…” says Taylor Swift. If there were ever a song line to relate to that would be the one for Holiday Season 2020. That’s exactly what I thought when Christmas started getting closer. It would be the first in four years that I wouldn’t have my kiddo with me. My heart hurt. However, I have a responsibility to myself and those around me to not sit in pain but instead find joy. Joy in all moments. I figured out this year that joy can come in so many forms if you are willing to seek it out. So I went searching for it instead of sitting home on my couch moping. (I’ve done my fair share of moping for one lifetime and don’t want to go back to being that way.) I wrote about what happens when you let go in your life earlier this week and I’m letting go of all of the fear, sadness and past pain so I have tons of room for peace and joy. If you are also at this crossroad where you are just tired of being sick and tired… then read on.

How to Handle Being Single Over the Holidays

I realized that most of my adulthood I’ve been in a relationship or marriage every year during the holidays. When that sunk in I immediately thought there are some of you guys who also are single this year and not sure what to do with yourself. Fear not! I’ve got some coping skills for you in today’s post. Being a single doesn’t have to be a downer. You can shop all of the sales and buy gifts for yourself without anyone complaining about the budget. You can decorate your house however you want - bring on all the pastel decor and mini Christmas trees. You also can take as much time for self-care and sleep as you need. Interested in learning a new hobby? Yes please! Now is the time! Being alone can be incredibly growing, positives and much needed after a period of hardship. Give yourself a break over the next few months, grab a cozy cup of hot chocolate and just snuggle up with a good book in front of your tree.

Houston Hotspots: The Whimsy World Part 3