The art of stacking bracelets doesn’t always come naturally to everyone. The key is to find the perfect balance between bold statement style and simplicity. Your gem colors and metal tones must complement each other and create a harmonious color story. You want a variety of textures and sizes to add eye catching interest, stacking bracelets should never be boring!
Read MoreHaving a sleepover as a tween or teenager was a rite of passage for many of us American girls. They usually involve snacks, movies, makeovers, and talking for hours about crushes. It’s an easy way of having fun and a great bonding experience.
But the fun doesn’t have to stop in adulthood. Grown women can still have sleepovers and connect, just like in the old days. While it may look a little different than when you were 13, sleepovers can form a fun part of celebrating everything from birthday milestones to graduations and bridal and bachelorette parties.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly and nostalgic way to hang out with your girlfriends, then you’ve come to the right place!
Read MoreJust an hour's drive from sunny San Diego toward the mountains, and you find yourself in a completely different world. Julian is a tiny town – just a few streets and nearby farms and ranches. Because of its location in the mountains, there is a much brighter sense of seasonality – the heat in summer, yellow and red leaves in fall, snow in winter, and flowers in spring.
Tourists love coming to Julian, especially during the fall season, because it is one of the few places in Southern California where you can see colorful fall foliage. Combined with the beautiful scenery, it is also a great place to vacation out of town.
Another reason why Fall is great for visiting Julian is that it is apple picking season. Since the town's culture is associated with pies, this dish is a must-try. In Julian, they are baked and sold hot in all kinds of flavors, though the most popular, of course, is the apple pie.
We visited during the second week of November and in our pictures you can see all the holiday festivities and colorful fall foliage. In this guide you’ll see plenty of Julian family-friendly activities and even some romantic weekend itinerary ideas for a couple’s weekend away. For the foodie fans, I’ve also included all the must-try autumn foods and deserts.
Read MoreBirthdays come around every year, but you only turn 30 once! Your 30s are an exciting time full of growth, new adventures and meeting personal goals. Quoting one of my favorite characters Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City: “Your thirties are to learn the lessons.” And yes, during your 30’s you do truly grow into adulthood and learn who you are and where you’re going in life. But for myself, the 30’s have been the best so far. You can appreciate this special shift in your life by planning an awesome celebration.
In the last few years, one by one my friends and I have turned 30. We all found fun and unique ways to mark the “Dirty Thirty” occasion. In this blog post I share all kinds of ways to plan not only your 30th birthday, but this next decade of your life. It’s so exciting to consider the potential changes and possibilities in the upcoming years. While you anticipate what the future will bring, make the most of the present with a fun celebration.
Read MoreAhh, fall. Who doesn’t love days filled with cozy sweaters, leaves that crunch underfoot, and the delicious smell of everything pumpkin spice? This season's warm and inviting vibes just make us feel like curling up in a big blanket and never leaving!
But with the changing weather, it’s time to slightly alter our wardrobe styles for the colder days ahead. As October rolls in, a great way to stay snug is to dress in stylish yet comfortable outfits appropriate for any activity in the fall.
The overall dress is a fall favorite fashion staple, and it goes so well with our favorite autumn activities. This particular style of dress is also often called a pinafore or jumper dress. Whatever you call it, these dresses are perfect for layering and building a cozy fall outfit.
Whether you’re planning an apple-picking outing, a romantic day date, catching up with friends over coffee, or window shopping, we have the perfect looks to keep you chic and cozy.
Read MoreWith both of my pregnancies I was extremely curious to know the gender of my babies very early on. Gender reveal ultrasounds are usually around 20 weeks, and it can be a long and impatient wait for eager parents. When you finally know the big news, it’s so fun to make a formal announcement with a creative photo!
Read MoreThe Romanesco is very easy to prep and cook with roasting being the most preferred way to eat it. It doesn’t take too many ingredients to bring out the flavor. My recipe below has a mix of nutty, tangy and acidic flavors. Once roasted those little florets are so irresistible to pop into your mouth.
Read MoreYou may have already discovered that shopping for maternity clothes can be a real drag. It’s difficult to find cute attire that you actually want to wear, especially during the time of pregnancy when you’re already feeling big and bloated.
The good news is that there’s actually plenty of non-maternity clothes that will get you through the 9 months of pregnancy. You will also find that these new wardrobe staples will come very much handy during your postpartum months while your body is adjusting back to normal.
In this blog post I’m giving suggestions on cuts and styles of dresses, pants, tops, leggings, tunics and more that aren’t necessarily maternity clothes but you can wear for each trimester. After my two pregnancies I’ve learned a thing or two about hacking my closet to fit my growing baby bumps.
Because maternity clothes are so drab, my recommendation is to find wardrobe gems that celebrate pregnancy and mark the special occasion. Not to mention the fact that pretty dresses make motherhood more fun. You want to find clothes that make you feel good and ultimately extend your regular wardrobe. Depending on your style you may even want to flaunt your belly. Do you girl!
Read MoreYour 30th birthday is truly a milestone event unlike any other, especially if you celebrate it while pregnant. When you enter into your 30’s era, your life tends to shift and your priorities change. You begin to settle down and focus on big picture life changes. This is all particularly true when you’re about to become a parent to a new baby.
If you happen to be celebrating your 30th birthday while pregnant, you may be wondering how you can still commemorate this special occasion. This particular birthday is known as the “Dirty Thirty” which can imply partying with alcohol and shenanigans. Well obviously the pregnant birthday girl will be responsible and not partake in any unruly or unhealthy exploits. But don’t worry, you can still live it up and have plenty of fun.
This guide is filled with pregnancy-friendly party and activity suggestions. All of them are great choices for any point in your pregnancy, no matter what trimester you’re in during your birthday. I myself have done all of these things during my own pregnancies so I speak from experience. Trust me when I say that you can enjoy plenty of get togethers with friends and family to make your birthday memorable without compromising your baby's health.
Read MoreThis pasta salad may be easy to make, but it really delivers when it comes to flavor! You’ve got the tangy and creamy ranch sauce, smokiness from the bacon and a dash of fresh zest from the veggies. The protein from the chicken really makes this a hearty side dish, and it can even be a quick leftover main dish lunch!
Whenever I have a BBQ gathering coming up, or I need to make a potluck dish for work, this is one of my go-to recipes. If you have a busy schedule, you can make it ahead of time and leave it the refrigerator overnight. It can be served warmed up or at room temperature, either way its delicious!
Once you’ve got all the ingredients purchased, prep work for this recipe just requires chopping up the veggies, cubing the chicken and mixing up the sauces. Next it’s time to cook the pasta and bacon, chop the bacon, and then mix it all up. If you’re working diligently, you can make this recipe in under 30 minutes, and it yields a large amount of pasta salad to feed a crowd.
Read MoreSkirts are a closet staple that are fun to wear all year long, but shorter lengths can be impractical once the season starts to turn. If you want to continue enjoying the easy and chic vibe that they give to your outfits, then midi skirts are your best bet.
The mid-calf length minimizes leg exposure, so you can wear midi skirts even when temperatures are starting to drop.
Today’s midis are also available in a variety of fits, from the narrow and sleek style to the popular A-line design, which starts fitted at the hips and then flares out to the hemline.
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