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Summer

    Outfit

    Black Maxi Dress

    April 13, 2015
     
    Photos by Sarah Veyna
    Outfit Details:
    Old Navy High-Neck Maxi Dress
    Nine West Tertia Sandals
    Turtle Pendant Necklace (Gift from my dad)
    Hoops (Gift from my sister)
    M.A.C. Pigment in Blue-Brown (Eyes)
    M.A.C. Lipstick in Twig (Lips)

     

    Since I’m going to be attending grad school in the fall and will be on a tight budget, I am making a very serious effort to be more mindful about my purchases. I recently bought this black jersey maxi dress because it is a piece that I can combine with many things I already own. I also love that it is a dress that I can wear all year long; I know that I will be wearing this dress often during spring and summer, and I can also see myself wearing it with boots and a belted sweater in the fall and winter. However, what I love most about this dress is that it looks elegant but is extremely comfortable at the same time. I’m a firm believer that you should never have to sacrifice comfort over style.
    I hope you all had a lovely weekend. I only really had Sunday off since I worked Saturday evening, but I was able to make the most of the free time that I did have. It was also my mom’s birthday this weekend, so I made time to celebrate it with her and shower her with tons of love and gifts; it’s the least I could do for the most caring and loving woman in my life. Now, I just need to get through the next three days of work and then I’m off to Portland on Wednesday. I’m so excited to further explore my future home!
    xoxo,
    Helen
    Outfit

    Gray with Gold Accents

    August 11, 2014
    Photos by Sarah Veyna
    Outfit Details:
    Crocheted Dress
    Ruche Earrings
    Jewelmint Bangle
    Madewell Purse
    Target Belt
    Lotta from Stockholm Peeptoe Clogs
    MAC Lipstick in Twig
     As I was digging through my closet about two weeks ago, I found this dress that my aunt gifted to me about 3 years ago. I had never worn it because I usually don’t feel very comfortable wearing clothes that are very form-fitting, and I also thought that it was very plain. As it turns out, this dress is actually one of those items that looks better on than it does on the hanger. The fit was more flattering on me than I thought it would be. I also really love the simplicity of the dress because it makes it easy for me to experiment with different accessories. On this particular day, I wore this dress with a couple of gold accents.
    This weekend was so fun and rejuvenating for me. I was able to schedule a couple of hours of much-needed alone time, and relaxed with a latte and a book at Copa Vida, my favorite neighborhood coffee shop. I sometimes forget that it’s necessary for me to carve out time to recharge, since I’m always trying to catch up with everybody in my life and am afraid to miss out on something important. However, I also need to keep in mind that I’m much more enjoyable to be around when I’m not tired and cranky.
    I also spent a great amount of time working on making items for the Etsy shop that I’m planning to open up in a couple of weeks. I’m currently making packs of notecards with block print designs on them (which you can check out on my Instagram). Although I spent a great amount of time this weekend carving out linoleum blocks and making prints, it was a very fun and therapeutic project to work on. I don’t really know what will happen once I do open up the shop, but right now I’m really enjoying the whole creative process of making and packaging items. At the end of the day, the most important thing to me is that I’m having fun.
    Speaking of having fun, I seem to be having more of that these days. When I started this blog earlier this year, I was going through a “quarter-life crisis,” and many of my posts seemed to revolve around me feeling lost and stressed out. Although I’m still trying to figure out what it is that I want to do with my life, and have even started the process of applying to grad school, I’ve been less stressed about it these days. I realized that part of my anxiety stemmed from me trying to fulfill other people’s expectations of what I’m supposed to be doing with my life at my age. At the moment I’m content with focusing on what makes me happy.
    I hope you all had a lovely weekend. As always, thank you for stopping by my blog.
    xoxo,
    Helen Grace
    Food & DIY

    Strawberry & Mint Agua Fresca

    June 9, 2014
    Since it has been extremely hot these past few days, I thought that it would be a good idea to start sharing some of my favorite Summer recipes on the blog. The first recipe that I’m going to share with you is for a delicious Strawberry & Mint Agua Fresca, which is super easy to make. I have a soft spot in my heart for aguas frescas because they always remind me of my childhood Summers; my mother and my abuela (grandmother) often made different types of aguas frescas such as horchata and other various fruit drinks. Other than the childhood nostalgia that they ignite in me, what I also enjoy about aguas frescas is that they are always a great alternative to store-bought juices and soft drinks, since they are made with fresh ingredients. I really hope that you enjoy this recipe, and that you use it often this Summer!
    Strawberry & Mint Agua Fresca Recipe
    INGREDIENTS:
    3 1/2 cups of water
    1 1/2 cups of pure cane sugar
    2 16-ounce containers of fresh strawberries (chopped)
    Mint leaves (according to taste)
    1. Blend the chopped strawberries, pure cane sugar, and 1 1/2 cups of water.
    2. Leave the strawberry mixture in the blender, and slowly start blending in mint leaves according to taste. This mixture makes a strawberry and mint concentrate, which you can freeze and use to make agua fresca at a later time.
    3. Pour the strawberry and mint concentrate into a large pitcher, and stir in 2 cups of water.
    4. Serve over ice.
    Optional: If you’re really looking to cool off from the heat, you can also pour the agua fresca into popsicle molds for a delicious frozen treat.
    —————–
    I have to admit that I’m glad that I decided to post a recipe on the blog this week, because I definitely didn’t have the energy to get dressed and take outfit pictures this weekend. This past week of work just left me feeling drained and tired, so I spent most of my free time this weekend in my pajamas. All I accomplished was laying on my bed and binge-watching the second season of Orange is the New Black. I still have a few episodes left in the current season. However, I have decided that from now on, I will limit myself to an episode a week so that it feels more like a treat. It’s so hard to do that because this season is so good!
    Another reason that I’m trying to limit my television time is because I’ve let go of many of my hobbies, and I’ve made a habit of spending too much time in front of a computer. I don’t read as much as I used to anymore, and I also haven’t been keeping up with creative projects other than this blog. I need to make time to experience the world around me.
    xoxo
    Helen Grace