Year: 2018

Five Fall Favorites

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To all of you jumping ahead to Christmas trees and holiday decor- hold up a sec!? I JUST put out my fall wreath and I’m feeling accomplished, ok!? It’s been a busy season (the good kind) of conferences, work travel, and writing projects, but I’m happily slowing down a bit for the remainder of 2018.  Along with the craziness, I’ve managed a few quiet pockets of absolute joy to savor simplicity and wrap up in a cozy blanket of gratitude. So what’s been keeping me sane and steadfast through a hectic few months?  Without further adieu, here’s a glimpse of what I’ve been up to, things I’m loving, and plans for the new year! MY FIVE FALL FAVORITES Homemade hot chocolate I’ve been using Taza stone ground chocolate and making it the old fashioned way- heating milk in a saucepan on the stovetop and stirring in chopped chocolate pieces until it melds into a steamy, foamy cup of deliciousness. It’s a game changer, ya’ll.  I’ve never adored hot chocolate, but it’s become a regular treat …

Summer 10×10 Recap

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I’m squeezing out the last drops of summer before welcoming cooler temps, changing leaves and chunky sweaters.  Before all that- I wanted to share my VERY belated Summer 10×10 recap. For anyone new here (WELCOME!!!), 10×10 challenges involve choosing 10 garments (excluding workout attire/jackets/outerwear), styling them together 10 different ways over a period of 10 days, and sharing them with the 10×10 community on Instagram. The seasonal challenge began several years ago with style bloggers Style Bee and http://www.un-fancy.com and it’s something I look forward to year round! The experience fosters creativity with my wardrobe and helps refine my capsule style.  I don’t restrict my closet to a certain number of items, but instead I ensure every single piece in my closet is utilized throughout the year. Since I LOVE to occasionally thrift, I practice a ‘one in, one out’ rule to keep my closet tidy. 80% of items this round were thrifted!  Excluding my Nisolo shoes (my splurge items), the total cost of all other items is around $50.   I prefer fall and winter layering, …

Winter Capsule/10×10

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In just a month we’ll be springing forward and welcoming warmer weather and sunshine.  Anyone else feel your vitamin D levels diminishing as we speak? In the meantime,  I thought I’d finally recap my winter 10×10 and basically what I’ve been wearing ALL winter. For those of you just tuning in, I’ve slowly been shifting my closet to reflect my less is more philosophy with a capsule wardrobe.  The 10×10 challenge is a seasonal wardrobe challenge hosted by mindful fashion bloggers, Lee Vosburgh and Caroline Joy to inspire closet creativity by styling only 10 garments for 10 days in 10 different ways. These challenges introduced me to the slow fashion movement and so many transparent brands making positive impacts in the industry by creating quality garments, ensuring fair wages for factory workers and reducing environmental impact. I’ve replaced a few pieces of clothing and shoes with these more ethical pieces, but not without a small investment. What seems like a small investment to me may be normal to others, only because I pride myself on …