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    Outfit

    Queen of the Fairies [Raina Roo Giveaway!]

    August 18, 2014
    Photos by Sarah Veyna
    Outfit Details:
    ASOS Leather Belt (Old)
    Raina Roo Queen of the Fairies Headband
    Floral Dress (Old)
    Seychelles Pumps (Old)
    Forever 21 Clutch (Old)

     

    As you can probably tell from all of my recent posts, lately I’ve been doing a whole lot of shopping in my own closet.  I’ve made a personal goal to really work on paying off my car and saving up some money in the next year, so I can’t splurge on clothes as much as I used to. Although it’s been a extremely hard to fight off the urge to indulge in some retail therapy, I’m determined to practice some self-control. As I’m working towards my goal, it really helps me that the joy of rediscovering a piece that I forgot that I had in my closet is just as satisfying as purchasing something new.
    My latest closet find was this floral sundress that I purchased a couple of years ago. Upon rediscovering this dress, it really blew my mind that I hadn’t worn it at all this summer. The cutout in the back and the breathable fabric make it perfect for the intense heat that we’re experiencing in SoCal. I decided to pair this dress with my new Queen of the Fairies headband from Raina Roo’s Etsy Shop, and it totally made me feel like a magical nymph.
    My younger sister Sarah takes most of my outfit photos for my blog, and it’s been a true bonding experience for us. Thanks to these outfit shoots, we both manage to get dressed and out of the house every weekend. This weekend we took my outfit photos by a pond at Caltech in Pasadena, and we decided to take a break by taking some nature shots. It was a good way for both of us to get some practice photographing different subjects. I can only hope that one of these days, Sarah will  finally allow me to photograph her outfits.
    Putting together this post was very exciting for me because this is actually my 50th blog entry. I started this blog a couple of months ago as a New Year’s resolution, in hopes that it would serve as a creative outlet and give me a reason to be more socially active. This blog has definitely served that purpose, and has even turned into part of my weekly self-care routine. When I’ve had a tough week and all that I want to do is lay around and watch T.V. on the weekend, it helps me to have something that motivates me to actually get out of the house. I’m also very grateful that this blog has helped me keep in touch with friends that are far away, and has even connected me to other amazing people with similar interests.
    In celebration of my 50th blog post, I’ve teamed up with Raina Roo to offer you a chance to win the two beautiful, handmade crocheted headbands pictured below. I’m very excited to collaborate with Raina Roo because I have been a huge fan of Raina’s shop for a long time, and I love that she makes beautiful handmade items that fit a variety of styles. You can enter to win some of her wonderful creations below! I will announce the winner here on September 1st.

     

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    Outfit, Travel

    It’s Beach Time!

    June 2, 2014
    Photography by Laura Nolan
    Outfit Details:
    Forever 21 Sunglasses
    Old Navy Chambray Shirt
    Forever 21 Crop Top
    ASOS High Waist Linen Shorts
    H&M Strappy Sandals in Black (Not Pictured)
    My best friend Laura and I met up in Dana Point this weekend, since it’s our halfway meeting spot between L.A. and San Diego. I had only been to Dana Point once before on my first year of college, and I basically spent all day seasick on a boat collecting water samples for my marine biology class. Needless to say, my first visit to the area wasn’t a memorable experience. Thankfully, this trip made up for my last. Laura and I decided to head over to Dana Strand Beach while we were there, and I loved how calm and relaxing it was. I’m not much of a beach person, and I’m used to frequenting busy L.A. beaches that offer limited and expensive parking. Unlike most beaches that I’ve visited, Dana Strand Beach had tons of free parking, and it had a very calm vibe to it.
    What I really loved about Dana Point is how friendly everybody was. People noticed Laura and I taking pictures of each other–she took outfit pictures of me for my blog, and I took pictures of her in various yoga poses for her Instagram–and they were quick to offer to take a picture of the two of us together. Laura thinks that many of the beach goers had a friendship crush on the two of us. However, my guess is that many of them were probably super impressed by Laura’s awesome yoga poses. She is currently participating in Free People’s Instagram Yoga Challenge, and where else can you find a more serene spot to practice yoga than the beach? I can only dream of the day when I’ll be as strong and graceful as my best friend. You should all go check out her pictures on Instagram and cheer her on throughout the challenge.
    After lounging at the beach for a couple of hours, Laura and I decided to head out for lunch. Thanks to recommendations on Yelp, we ended up going to the Hummingbird House Cafe in nearby San Juan Capistrano. Little did we know that this particular cafe was located on Los Rios Street, which just happens to be the most darling street I have ever laid eyes on. Los Rios Street is located behind the San Juan Capistrano MetroLink Station, and is lined with houses that have been converted into shops and restaurants. These businesses all had a boho chic and vintage feel to them, and every store we walked into had a nice garden and lounging area which made you feel right at home.
    This was the outdoor dining area of the Hummingbird House Cafe.
    Las Catrinas, a cute and colorful shop featuring Mexican/Mexican-Inspired Jewelry, Crafts and Artisanal Products.
    Laura has the coolest laid back beach style.

    I can’t believe June is here already! It’s already starting off to be an exciting month. Not only did I meet up with Laura this weekend, but I also had the opportunity to celebrate my friend Sara’s birthday at a cute restaurant called Abricott in Pasadena. It’s seems like it was only yesterday when I had made my New Year’s resolution to start this blog, and made a commitment to doing new and fun things. I’m very proud of myself for keeping up with it.

    What was your New Year’s resolution and are you keeping true to it? Are you making any new resolutions now that we’re halfway through the year? Let me know, I’d love to hear from you.

    Love,
    Helen Grace