High Five for Friday!

Happy Friday, you guys! I've had such a great week! I guess the reason why I've had a great week is not because of what activities I did, but the joy that I have had lately. I have been so appreciative and grateful, recently. Maybe it's the beautiful weather we've had, or maybe I've found the secret to being content in every circumstance (Philippians 4:11-13). Whatever it is, I'm definitely going to keep it up. :)

Check out the top five high points of my week:

1. On Saturday, we had family dinner night for Memorial Day. Since my birthday was yesterday, some of my family gave me my birthday gifts. I got some of the prettiest jewelry ever! Thanks, y'all!

For some reason, my camera hates focusing on things, so here is a close up of the earrings:

2. I borrowed this game from my aunt, and I love it! It is so much fun to play! I am a big game person, so this is right up my alley. If I haven't already convinced you that I love this game, I've already played it on Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday. :)

3. On Monday, I went to Old Navy with my two sisters for a sale that they were having. They had buy one get one free on all of their shorts. These shorts were regularly $19.94 (for some reason the price is different online), and with the deal, my sister and I each got a pair. Essentially, we each paid $10 for one pair. If that's not a steal, I don't know what is!

4. On Wednesday, I wrote my fifth capsule wardrobe post. Does anybody have any ideas on how to wear a crop top like this?

You can see the full post here.

5. Like I said above, Thursday was my birthday. To celebrate, I am going out tomorrow with my family. I have lots of things planned including, among other things, shopping, a delicious cake, and a movie. I am super excited!

Have a great weekend! Go into this weekend and week knowing that you are appreciated by me, and loved, treasured, and accepted by the Creator.

also linking up at A. Liz Adventures, Meet @ The Barre, and The Diary of a Real Housewife

Blogging Binder: Full Reveal

Happy Thursday! How are you guys? I am having a really great day today. I'm just super happy. Anyway, last Thursday, I posted the first part of my blogging binder. The first part was on how I made my dividers and monogram cover. Today, it is time for the full reveal of my blogging binder,

Let me just tell you, I use my blogging binder all. of. the. time. I don't know how I survived as a blogger before I made mine. I am so organized now! It keeps everything all in one place.

I got the idea of a blogging binder from Pinterest. The two pins that helped me the most were this one and this one. Speaking of Pinterest, I am linking up with Anne at In Residence who hosts a pin to present link up the last Thursday of every month. You should hop on over there and check out hers and all of the other pin to present posts.

Let's get to the binder:

The first thing that I did was find a binder. I have like a binder stash, so it wasn't super hard to find one.

I then looked on Pinterest and found the pins that I mentioned above. Finding these pins helped me to figure out exactly what I wanted and needed in a blogging binder. 

Next, I made a list of what I would need to print and make.

Then, I made my dividers and monogram cover, and made some other things like this Style Snippets posts organizer that I would not be able to print from a website.

Next I found some really great blogging binder printables. I found two kits that I loved: this one and this one. I actually didn't print any from the second source because it had some of the same ones as the first kit, and the first kit had more that I liked.

I also discovered a style guide which I find to be very useful. You can find the style guide that I printed here.

Lastly, I organized everything and put it all in the binder. I also put my blogging notebook in the very back of the binder because I had some important stuff already in there. This is what the binder looks like on the inside:

All of the printables (except for my two homemade ones) that I used in my binder are from Designer Blogs. You can find the exact ones here. Also, the style guide I got from By Regina.

I love my blogging binder! I hope I have convinced you to make one, too!

Have a great rest of your Thursday!

Linking up at Curly Crafty Mom, and In Residence

Capsule Wardrobe Outfit #5: Polka Dot Crop Top

Outfit details:

Top: Wal-Mart (similar, similar)

Jeans: Kohl's (exact, similar)

Sandals: Kohl's (similar, similar)

Photography by Allie D.

Happy Wednesday! How has your week been? Remember, it is already half over!

I included this top in my capsule because I had only ever worn it a couple of times since I bought it a year or two ago (can't remember how long ago I bought it, but probably close to two years ago). I also really like challenges, and this top seemed/s to be a challenge in itself. I haven't worn it any other way except with a tank top underneath and with jeans. That said, I look forward to trying it different ways.

I have found some really great crop top inspiration from Merrick at Merrick's Art. She recently wrote a post on how to wear a crop top without showing your midriff. For me, covering my midriff is vital, so her tips are really helpful.

When I wore this crop top, I opted for a black tank top underneath to contrast with the peach. I have also worn a lavender/periwinkle color underneath. I think that white would be fresh and cute, too. 

I really like crop tops, but if I ever get another one, I would get one that is not sheer. I think that a non-sheer one would be much easier to style, but for now, I will just brainstorm new ways to wear the one I do have. :)

Would you ever wear a crop top? If so, how would you wear it? I'd love to hear your ideas! Fire away! :)

Linking up at The Pleated Poppy, Garay Treasures, Tucker Up, Because Shanna Said So, Get Your Pretty On

Capsule Wardrobe Outfit #4: Pink and Cinderella Blue

Outfit details:

Top: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Jeans: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Scarf: Charming Charlie (similar, similar)

Flats: Kohl's (exact, similar)

Photography by Allie D.

Happy Tuesday! I hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend! I did! I'll be sharing more about mine on Friday.

Okay, let's talk about...

• This scarf. I can't get enough of it. It is so cute! If you can't tell from the pictures, it is white/ivory with light blue, brown, light green, and lavender. Also, it has birds on it. The tassels are just so pretty. I am not usually a big fan of tassels, but these make the scarf. This scarf is too beautiful.
• These shoes. If you have read this post and this post, you would know just how much I love these flats. I fell in love with them when I was viewing the Cinderella Collection by Lauren Conrad that was to be at Kohl's. They also come in blush, and black. I had spent a while trying to decide what color I wanted to get. I already have a black pair of flats, so I was deliberating between blush and blue. After watching Cinderella, and weighing the pros and cons, I decided on the blue. I hindsight, I'm glad I chose the blue. I don't think that I would have worn the blush as much.

I really like this outfit! It looks like Spring, which makes me a happy girl.

Have a wonderful rest of your Tuesday! Don't forget that Thursday I am posting the full reveal of my blogging binder!

and Bless Her Heart Y'all

High Five for Friday- Summer Edition

Happy Friday! It has been pretty quiet here at home this week. Not much has really happened. Because not much happened, I decided to do a Summer Edition of my regular High Five for Friday post. Plus, it is Memorial Day weekend, which, in my book, kicks off Summer.

To be honest, I forgot that it was Memorial Day weekend mostly because my family and I usually don't really celebrate it that much, and because I can be pretty forgetful sometimes. I can remember birthdays, phone numbers, names, and faces, but if you try to get me to remember the important stuff, your trying will be in vain. :)

Anyway...

1. One thing that I really love about summer is all of the light, yummy food. Summer picnics and barbecues are my favorite! I especially love all of the fresh fruits and vegetables, too. As a matter of fact, right now there is a giant cantaloupe and a luscious watermelon calling my name from the kitchen. 

I really want to try this Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake, this Raspberry Sorbet, and this Avocado and White Bean Salad. They all look super fresh and yummy! I'll tell y'all if I like the recipes if I ever get around to trying them.

2. I also love going to the beach. The beach is my all time favorite place to travel. Beaches that I have gone to and loved are: Hunting Island, South Carolina, Folly Beach, South Carolina, Outer Banks, North Carolina, and Isle of Palms, South Carolina. As you can see, I like to stay in the Carolinas.

These two pics are from Hunting Island. I loved Hunting Island! The beach was very secluded, was bright, and gorgeous. There were little crabs, lots of seashells, and so much beauty!

This picture is from Outer Banks which was equally as gorgeous as Hunting Island. The beach was secluded, not too hot, beautiful, and so much fun. They have amazing beach houses in Outer Banks that are very cheap.

3. While I love the beach, I also like sitting out by the pool and reading a great book (plus tanning, of course). Right now I am reading Love Idol by Jennifer Dukes Lee. Let me tell you, It is wonderful! It can also be a devotional, and it has discussion questions in the back. Jennifer Dukes Lee is such a great writer! She just draws you in, and it is hard to put the book down.

I recently finished The Giver, by Lois Lowry, which I really enjoyed! It was a great, delightful read that left me crying and laughing.

4. I love the colors of Summer. Coral, bright blue, bright pink, fresh white, all of them. They are just so pretty and fun. They brighten up my day! I am really loving coral right now. What is your favorite Summer color?

5. The beautiful days are just so pleasant! On those beautiful days, and since I have more time during the Summer, I like to craft. I recently finished a blogging binder that I absolutely love! Yesterday, I posted about how I made the dividers and monogram cover for it, and next Thursday, I will post the full reveal. You can see the full post here.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

also linking up at A. Liz Adventures, Meet @ The Barre, and The Diary of a Real Housewife

DIY Binder Dividers and Cover

Happy Thursday! I mentioned I had made a Blogging Binder and that it would coming to the blog soon. Since there are so many elements to it, I decided to split it up into two posts: DIY Binder Dividers and Cover, and DIY Blogging Binder. Today, I am posting about the binder dividers and cover that I made. Next week, I will post the full reveal of my blogging binder. Stay tuned!

For my binder dividers I:

1. Found scrapbook paper in pretty and coordinating colors
2. Cut the scrapbook paper to regular paper size so that it will fit in the printer
3. Made a document in Word with the names of my dividers. I made a new document each time so that my title would be at the top of the paper.
4. Cut small pieces of the said paper to make tabs and wrote my title on them
5. Put the cut to size paper in the printer and printed my titles onto the paper.
6. Attached the tab to the divider with a big piece of tape to secure it on. Be sure to stagger placement so that you can see the title of each divider

That's all! Super easy, right? Keep scrolling down to see my monogram cover.

For the monogram cover I followed this tutorial. It was so easy! Way easier than I thought it would be! I am definitely going to use it for something else in the near future. To print it on the scrapbook paper, I did the same thing that I did with my binder dividers.

Next Thursday, I will post the full reveal of my blogging binder. I had a lot of fun making it, and I use it all the time. It comes in handy so much! I don't know what I did without it. :)

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Linking up at Motivational Monday

Capsule Wardrobe Outfit #3: Patterned Blazer

Outfit details:

Top: LOFT (similar, similar)

Skirt: Wal-Mart (similar, similar)

Blazer:  Dress Barn (similar but without polka dots, similar)

Wedges: Target (similar, similar)

Bracelet: World Market (similar, similar)

Photography by Allie D.

I wore this outfit on Sunday. I had originally planned on wearing my coral top with this blazer, but when I pulled it out from my closet on Sunday morning, I realized that it really needed to be ironed. Of course, since it was Sunday morning, I had no time to iron it, so I pulled out this white tank and wore it instead.

One thing that I have especially loved about this capsule wardrobe so far, is that it is much easier to get dressed. It only took me all of two seconds to pick this top on Sunday because I didn't have a whole closet to go through. I only had to look at the five other tops at the front of my closet (where I keep my capsule wardrobe items so I don't get tempted by the other pieces in my closet) to find one to wear instead. 

I just realized that today marks the halfway point of my capsule wardrobe. I can't believe that it is already halfway over! I am really enjoying it and I am definitely going to do one again. Since it is halfway over, I thought that I would write a few things that I have learned from it/that I love about it:

1. Like I said above, it is easier to get dressed.
2. It has made me realize that I don't need a ton of clothes to survive.
3. I have been challenged and have had to think outside the box.
4. I have been even more convinced that accessories can change an outfit.

Hopefully at the end of this capsule, I will write a post on everything that I learned and what I gained from doing it. I am really loving this capsule, and I hope that I have convinced you to at least try one. :: insert winking sticking tongue out emoji ::

Here are a couple of other ways that I have styled this blazer:

full posts here and here.

Have a terrific Wednesday!

Linking up at Fizz and Frosting, Garay Treasures, The Pleated Poppy, Tucker Up, Because Shanna Said So, Get Your Pretty On

Capsule Wardrobe Outfit #2: Mint?

Outfit details:

Top: Loft (similar, similar)

Jeans: Old Navy (exact, very similar)

Sandals: Kohl's (similar, similar)

Sweater: Target (similar, similar)

Happy Monday! What's up, y'all? I hope you are having a great day and that you had a good weekend! My weekend went well. It felt pretty long, but in a good way, so that is a plus. Let me tell you, I got a LOT done on Saturday. Mostly blogging stuff, but I got some other important stuff done, too. But, I am sad to say that I didn't finish my dress like I had planned. Which is okay because I will try to finish it next week.

So, I've got a question: Is this top mint, sea green, or any other color? It looks a bit like sea green in these pics, but I'm still not sure. Either way, it is cute top and can be dressed up or down. Here it is dressed down, but you may be seeing it dressed up soon.

I'm having a bit of writer's block today, for some reason. Maybe it is because I am distracted by the pool a few yards away, or maybe I'm just excited that summer is here, at least in my neck of the woods, that is. 

This question is a little off topic, but I really want to know: What is your favorite summer activity/vacation spot? My family and I go camping quite a bit, but I would have to say that a nice long beach trip is my favorite.

Have a great rest of your Monday!

High Five for Friday

Happy Friday! I'm so glad it's Friday! How was your week? I hope it was great! Check out the top five high points of my week:

1. First and foremost, if you would please hop on over to my first Style Snippets post How to Create the Perfect Outfit Every Time and vote on what you what to see next month! The next post is most likely going to be on June 9th. You can just vote in the comments of the post. Thanks!

2. On Tuesday, I got a haircut. While it wasn't a big change, it was still something! I love how you feel after you get a haircut, and you always feel so fresh and new. 

3. Even though you technically aren't supposed to shop during a capsule wardrobe, I went out to Target, Wal-Mart, and Kohl's today. I only got this tee and a swim suit. I won't wear it during my capsule, but after I finish it, I definitely am! It was only $3! I just couldn't resist! 

Just in case you can't tell what the tiny print is, here is a close up:

Isn't the badminton print so cute? I am super into tiny prints this season.

4. I posted my first capsule wardrobe outfit on Monday. I included this dress even though I knew it wouldn't be very versatile, and I was right! It is really challenging my remixing skills. You can view the full post here.

5. I have a good bit of things planned for my weekend. Most of them are blogging things: I will be taking outfit pictures, pictures of my new blogging binder that will be coming to the ol' blog soon, and pictures of some super cool summer lists that will also be coming to the blog soon. Stay tuned!

I am also going to finish sewing my dress, give myself a DIY manicure, and just chill. Thank goodness for weekends, and days to chill!

How was your week? I'd love to hear about it! Tell me in the comments. :)

Linking up also with April, Amanda, and Jennie.