Summer Favorites 2013...

It's that time of year again- time for summer favorites! 

1. My day trip to NYC! It was such a fun day in the city with friends. 

2. My favorite album of the summer would have to be Anthem by Hanson, with The Civil Wars coming in a close second. 

3. One of my favorite things about summer is all of the time that I get to spend reading. I went to the library so much this summer and crossed a handful of books off of my reading list.  

4. I worked out almost every night this summer. It was nice to just listen to my music while working on my fitness. 

5. I was able to go and see my good friend, Todd Wright, perform at "Acoustic on the Green" in August. This was a fabulous night! 

6. I started getting back to writing. It has made me feel so good and I am really proud of the pieces that I wrote this summer. 

7. Seeing Late Night with Jimmy Fallon was so surreal and a definite check off of my bucket list. 

8. The vscocam app has to be my favorite app of the summer. I used it to edit all of my photos! 

9. My trip to Nashville was such a blast! I had so much fun with my family and it was awesome to start familiarizing myself with the city that I hope to move to next year. 

10. Joey Graceffa. I watched so many youtube vlogs this summer but this boy and his videos have to be my favorite! 

11. Coconut Cupcakes. Whenever I let myself have something sweet this summer it was most likely a coconut cupcake. Divine! 

12. Starbucks- another one of my downfalls. My drink of choice this summer was an iced vanilla latte. 

13. I made it a priority to give myself some "me time" every day to try to relax and meditate. This is something that my therapist suggested I do and I think that it has really helped me. I hope to keep this going throughout my semester of school. 

14. I loved looking at Forever21's instagram and seeing all of their "look of the day" and "what's in my bag" posts. 

15. Crape myrtles. They are just gorgeous and will forever remind me of beach houses. 

16. Jack Reacher. This has to be my favorite movie that I watched this summer. It was SO good! 

17. Late night conversations in our hotel room with family are definitely high on my list of favorite summer memories. 

18. I started watching Sex & the City. 

19. I have connected with so many lovely bloggers and started following some beautiful blogs this summer. 

20. I spent a wonderful day at the beach with friends. 

21. Pinterest. I spent entirely too much time on pinterest this summer but I also stumbled upon so many things that have inspired me. 

22. Brian Roberts is back. I didn't watch the Orioles as much as I wanted to this summer but I am thrilled that my boy, B-rob, is back in the game.  

23. The smell of sunscreen. Bobbi Brown's Beach constantly reminds me of this summer. 

24. Flip flops from Old Navy in all of their beautiful colors. I wore mine all summer long! 

25. HGTV. I watched a lot of HGTV this summer. Design Star is one of my summer staples. 

And there you have it, my favorite things from this summer! 

What were some of your favorite things? I would love to know :)

Peace and Love, 

Em

Summer Essentials...

Today I just wanted to share a couple of items & trends that I am loving for summer! 

1. BDG West/East Tote Bag// A big leather tote is perfect for summer. I'm the kind of girl who likes bags that she can throw EVERYTHING in. With this bag you can carry your magazines, camera, laptop, and all your other essentials. It's perfect for everyday running around and even trips to the beach.  

2. Mini Diana// This tiny little film camera is easy to carry and will make the perfect companion for day trips. A cute way to capture memories! 

3. Round Sunglasses// I am a huge fan of round sunglasses. Personally, I think they are quite bohemian and add that John & Yoko flare to any look. These are from Nordstrom but I also grabbed a nice pair from Urban Outfitters. 

4. Muscle Tees// Muscle tees seem to be all the rage this summer and I am jumping on the bandwagon. These shirts have a light and oversized look that is great for summer. You can throw them over a bathing suit or pair them with shorts!  

5. Denim Boyfriend Shorts// When it comes to buying shorts I am pretty picky. I don't like them to be too short but I also don't like when they are really long. I have fallen in love with boyfriend-cut denim shorts. I like the distressed look and they have a nice shape to them. This particular pair is from American Eagle. 

6. Turquoise Cuffs// I have always loved turquoise jewelry and it is making a comeback this summer. Southwestern cuffs and necklaces make the perfect accessory to any look. You can layer cuffs on top of one another to create a super bohemian look or just wear one as a simple statement piece. 

7. Tramper Ankle Hi Boot// I own quite a few pairs of Minnetonka's and these are next on my list to buy. I love the ankle height boots and the tie-up laces in the front. These would look great with a pair of shorts!

8. Southwestern Scarf// I think that this scarf from Forever 21 is so lovely but unfortunately it's sold out :( Every girl needs a couple of pretty colorful scarfs for summer. These are fun just to stuff in your purse and have when your out on the go. I like to wear them with a white tee but you can also use them as a head scarf! 

Peace and Love, 

Em

Summer Favorites 2012...

I can't believe that it's time to post my Summer favorites already! Summer has flown by and I am going to miss her dearly. So without further ado, here are my favorite things from Summer 2012.

1. Moonpies. Maybe it's the new-found Southern girl in me but these little pieces of heaven have become my new favorite treat. No surprise seeing as they are made in Chattanooga.

2. Sweet tea. You had to have seen this one coming. For a while I was picking up a large sweet tea everyday of the week. This is the perfect little refresher on a warm Summer day and it has never failed to quench my thirst.

3. Pure limeade. My other favorite drink this Summer. I didn't get the chance to try a lot of lemonades this year but limeade never failed to hit the spot.

4. I was so so happy with how my hair came out this Summer. My family always says that I am the Queen of hair fails but my little bit of honey and blond was a definite win! I loved the way it turned out and I can't wait to go and get it touched up soon.

5. Too say that I have Olympic withdraw is to put it lightly. I have never been really obsessed with the Olympics but for some reason I fell in love with London and the 2012 games. I think it was just the perfect setting and the perfect group of athletes. I watched every night all night. Needless to say, now I find myself lost at night and looking for things to watch. These were the best games ever and I am so glad that they were a part of my Summer.

6. I so enjoyed blogging this Summer. I found myself trying to get more creative with posts and I made some new friends in the blog world. I also fell in love with a few new blogs as well.

7. I loved the hours I spent this Summer with my nose in a book. One of my favorite things is picking out the books that will make up my Summer reading list.

8. Morning coffee time would have to be my favorite time of day. This Summer I got to take full advantage of enjoying my large, hot cup of joe. It was so nice not to have to rush out of the house at early hours and I was able to take my time sipping away while catching up on my favorite tv shows or reading my favorite blogs.

9. Love is a Four Letter Word. Not only was the cd the soundtrack of my Summer but it also has made it into my top 5 albums of all time. Every lyric on this album moved me. I loved cranking it up in my car, rolling the windows down, and belting it out with my friend Tara. She and I spent a lot of nights driving around and listening to this album. It's just that good. If you haven't listened to it yet: shame on you!

10. I spent hours and hours on Pinterest this Summer. It's so addicting! But I also got a lot of inspiration from it as well. A nice way to unwind and collect things that make you happy.

11. I am so thankful that I got to go to one of my favorite places this Summer. Wolftrap is my favorite place to go and listen to music and see shows. It's just this magical little place in Vienna, VA that has a huge place in my heart.

12. Jason Mraz. I will just say that my Summer would not have been the same without Mr. Mraz. Such a cool and inspiring guy.

13. The two concerts I went to this past week were some of my top Summer moments. They were two of the best shows I have EVER seen and I had such a blast going to them!! It was great to spend quality time with my mom and rock out to Train and Jason Mraz. It was the best way to end my Summer.

14. My road trip to Tennessee with Sarah and Maddie was another top moment of my Summer. I had such a fun time with them and my family and I fell in love with Nashville in the process. Such great memories were made on that trip. I can't wait until I am in that magical city again.

15. It's funny how much Wilfred I watched this Summer. When the show first came out I thought that I would hate it but my love for Elijah Wood took over and I decided to check it out. Before I knew it I had watched the whole first season and couldn't wait for the second. It's a weird show, but once you get into it you're hooked.

16. One of my favorite things to do this Summer was to pick out new albums or albums that I had been wanting to check out and listen to them on Rhapsody. I was able to stumble upon some great artists and fell in love with some albums. It was so much fun just to lay in my bed and take a different musical journey each night.

17. Dresses, dresses, dresses. I love wearing Summer dresses; it's one of the greatest things. I loved just slipping into a maxi or a sundress all the time. That's one downside about Fall.

18. I really started to care about my photography this Summer. I spent a lot of time researching and trying new things and I think I may have gotten a little bit better. It's something that I am so passionate about and can't wait to continue working on.

19. Everyone knows that one of my favorite things is to travel and I LOVE road trips! Sarah and I were able to take a few very cool day trips this Summer in addition to our trip to Nashville. It was so cool to see new things and explore new cities. Our world is just so cool!

20. My favorite app of the Summer would have to be instagram. I used it anywhere and everywhere despite the ridicule from my friends. Now they are hooked on it! ha

21. Every trip we would take to the beach I would buy handfuls of incense. Needless to say I have a TON of it and I really only use it in the Summer. I loved lighting it in my room when I would be reading or cleaning. It just put me in a calm place and made everything seem peaceful. My favorite scents would have to be Coconut and Ocean.

22. My face would lit up every time a new Martha Stewart would come in the mail. I loved flipping through the pages of beautiful pictures, yummy food, and inspirational crafts. And there were so many good ideas for Summer!!

23. Mason jars were really big this Summer. I started to see them everywhere beginning with our trip to TN. After that, everywhere I saw a mason jar at an affordable price I would buy it. Needless to say I am now a collector.

24. I hate trying to do things with my hair. I wish I could just wake up in the morning and have it look exactly like I want it to. I have always likes messy, wavy hair and this Summer (and with the help of Pinterest) I decided to try it out for myself. I loved this look for Summer! I'm still working on perfecting it but it's so fun and free.

25. I went to Goodwill a lot this Summer. It was just so fun hunting to little treasures!

26. I found that my family and I actually sat down and watched a number of movies together this Summer. I also went to the movies some this Summer which is rare for me. I always enjoy sitting down and watching something new and it was something fun that we could all do together.

27. I ate a lot of frozen yogurt this Summer. Most of the time when my friends and I would go out we would go for this stuff. My favorite is chocolate with raspberries, white chocolate chips, and coconut shavings.

28. My favorite beauty item of the Summer would be my Love Forever lipstick from MAC. It's bright and fun and a perfect little addition to anyone's Summer look.

29. I am a fan of naps no matter what time of year it is but there is just something about the sun beating on you and the windows open that makes for the perfect setting for a cat nap.

30. I normally don't, but this Summer I found myself buying t shirts from different places and shows I would go to. It's fun to have those little souvenirs. Now I might as well start a little collection.

There you have it. I hope everyone had a lovely Summer!

Peace and Love,
Em

Summer Favorites 2011...

1. I was obsessed with flavored lemonades this year. Pomegranate, raspberry, cranberry- I tried them all.

2. Neil Young was a big part of my summer! I bought three of his albums and even put a little piece of him on my wall in my bedroom.

3. The "Civil Wars" and their album "Barton Hollow" were definitely the soundtrack to my summer. I couldn't get enough of these guys.

4. Late night Netflix marathons were one of my favorite things to do this summer. I would stay up into the wee hours of the morning watching all kinds of good stuff.

5. I spent so much money on "Essie" nail polish this summer. All of their colors are just gorgeous and beautiful.

6. I realized how much I really loved cherries. After eating a huge bowl of them on my trip in Connecticut I just couldn't stop. One of my new favorite snacks.

7. I watched a whole lot of Ryan Gosling movies this summer. In fact I almost watched every one that he has made. Some call it obsessed, I say dedicated. (Definitely a summer crush here.)

8. Pink lipstick was a must have. I fell in love with some new shades and I found an everyday look that I adore.

9. I couldn't go a morning without my cup of coffee. Waking up to a cup of joe was a necessity.

10. I fell in love with anything and everything chevron.

11. I loved driving with the windows down and my hand out the window with the music turned up loud.

12. My road trip to New England with my two best friends was such a great time. All the places we went, food we ate, and laughs we shared made for a wonderful and unforgettable summer.

13. Getting together with Sarah at least once a week and doing something fun and exciting is a big highlight for me.

14. Thank the Lord for Jimmy Fallon re-runs and jokes that would make me laugh so hard that I would cry.

15. I found a lot of "Pandora" radio stations that I liked and put them on full blast every single day.

16. We had quite a few days that were just perfect beach weather. I wish that I had taken more advantage of them.

17. I got to explore a lot of new places. My favorites were probably the little sea towns of New England.

18. I loved chopping off all my hair. I wanted a drastic change and that's what I got. It was weird to get used to at first but now I am in love with my short little do.

19. My family bought a snow cone machine and we enjoyed shave iced goodness all summer long.

20. I started working on my journal from my trip to Europe last year. Love reliving all those memories and looking at pictures and trinkets from my trip.

21. I got to read a ton this summer. I loved being able to lay down with the sun coming in from the windows and get lost in a book.

22. I promised myself that I would add to my vinyl collection and I sure did. I bought a lot of used vinyl including "Crosby, Stills, and Nash", "Neil Young," and "Creedence Clearwater Revival."

23. I am a huge fan of sleep and being able to lie down after lunch or work and take a nap while the warm breeze flowed through the windows was a treat.

24. I got to walk barefoot in the sand a couple of times this summer. There is no better feeling.

25. My day trip to Ocean City with my best friends and sister was such a blast. It was the perfect day and I wish that I could relive it over and over again.

26. Sarah and I got the chance to go to "Georgetown Cupcakes" and bite our way into little pieces of heaven. Such a fun and delicious time.

27. While in Connecticut, Sarah and I spent a whole warm afternoon looking through "Martha Stewart Living's." I think a subscription is definitely in order.

28. I rarely go to the movies but this summer I went to a lot (at least for me.) I go to see "Bridesmaids," "Midnight in Paris," and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2."

29. I wanted to take a lot of pictures this summer and learn more about my camera. While I still have a lot to learn, I really enjoyed attempting to improve my photography.

30. I got into scrap booking this summer and I had a lot of fun doing it. My summer album isn't finished yet but I think that I am a real scrap booker at heart.

Peace and Love,

Em

A Few Of My Favorite Things...

Over the summer I have fallen in love with some new stuff. I decided to list it all so that I can remember all the wonderful things that I have been introduced to or reaquainted with this summer...

1. Orange Juice (I have it at least twice a day and normally with every meal)

2. Old Judy Garland Movies

3. Skirts and Tights (I have decided this will be my new fall look!)

4. Flowers in my hair

5. Used book stores (I still think that Capitol Hill Books is my favorite of the summer but the Book Thing of Baltimore rocks too!)

6. LA Ink (Always been a fan but I have been particularly inspired by Kat Von D lately.)

7. Ferris Wheels

8. Jamie Bell (He has been my summer crush!)

9. Happy Anniversay Nail Polish by OPI

10. Hippie chicks who double as rockers ( i.e. Ann and Nancy Wilson, Stevie Nicks)

11. Baking homemade cup cakes

12. Black eye liner and red lipstick

13. Wearing tons on bracelets

14. Orioles games at night with my daddy as my date and a lemonade and "O" pretzel in my hand.

15. Taking pictures

16. Tweeting ;)

17. Blue Cheese and Bacon burgers

18. Musicals

19. Zac Efron (despite my hesitation at first I have fallen for him)

20. Cuddling up in a blanket and reading during the afternoon with the breeze of the fan going

21. Phone calls to TN

22. The smell of the ocean

23. Lighting incense

24. Laugh with me Lee Lee Perfume

25. Chats with my sister in her room

26. F. Scott Fitzgerlad Novels

27. Late Night 30 Rock Marathons

28. Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Fallon making me laugh out loud

29. Trips to Jammin Java

30. The excitement of finding the perfect little dress

31. Reading the Rockstar Diaries blog and being inspired to try so many new things!

32. Psych marathons with Sarah along with pineapple juice and big umbrellas!

So there it is...some of my favorite things this summer! I have been so blessed and have been amazed by God's love and grace this summer! I hope that I can continue to be adventurous and try a bunch of new things during the school year. Here's to what was a great summer!

Peace and Love,

Em