What I want to accomplish in 2016

It's almost 2016 which means time for the New Year resolutions. Having a blog is particularly great for resolutions because it holds you accountable. While New Years Eve may not be one of my favorite holidays, I do like drinking champagne and setting some goals for the new year.

This year I'm focusing on some lifestyle goals, improving on my hobbies, and taking on some new responsibilities (hello future puppy). What are some of your resolutions? As always thanks for reading and Happy New Year!

What I want to accomplish in 2016..

1. Create an adult budget.
Let me start by saying, I do budget, just in my own way. I actually enjoy saving vs. spending. However, I am not organized about my budgeting AT ALL. I don't have a spreadsheet or any other formal document to show my expenses, etc. I pretty much just know all my bill amounts in my head and I set up automatic drafting so I never miss a payment. I budget for things I know I'll always want to do, such as traveling and shopping. But I would like to become a real adult (who still watches every Disney movie when it's on TV) with a very detail monthly budget that lists everything out.

2. Grow the blog.
This blog will almost be a year old very soon! I'm proud that I started it but now I want to actually grow it. Including redoing the site completely, posting more often, and learning more about growing your blog with social media.

3. Get a puppy.
Specifically a French Bulldog. Kevin and I send each other more pictures of French bulldogs than I'd care to admit. I don't see this happening in 2016; I don't think we're ready yet and we're traveling a lot this year, but I do want one eventually. I never thought I'd get a dog because I can be a tad selfish but if I can make myself create a real budget (see #1) I think I deserve a puppy, right?

4. Do an ab workout everyday.
I don't believe in vague workout goals. If you say 'I'm going to go to the gym more in 2016' that could mean more as in twice a month or going everyday. Focusing on one body part or saying 'I will do 1 hour of cardio twice a week' will make it easier to stick with the goal and will also help with seeing results.

5. Cook more and new vegetarian recipes.
I've mentioned on here before that I don't eat a lot of meat. Kevin will normally entertain whatever vegetarian dinner I make but I would like to cook more of them this year and try some different things. This means actually cooking the recipes on Pinterest, not just saving them for a later date.

Christmas Outfit

I wore this look last week but it would be make a perfect Christmas Eve/Christmas Day outfit. The red and plaid are just festive enough. The leggings and long loose tunic are perfect for all those holiday treats. You can also swap out the heels for flats or take off the fur vest if you're lucky enough to be somewhere warm for Christmas (however it's suppose to be in the 50s here, yay!). Happy Holidays and thanks for reading!

Leggings here; Boots here

Faux fur vest here and similar here

Similar sweater here; Hat here; Similar scarf here

Holiday Glam

Dressing up for the holidays is one of my favorites. Between company Christmas parties, family get togethers, and New Years Eve there's always something to dress up for. The textures and patterns you can incorporate during this time of year in your wardrobe are endless, sequins, velvet, tweed, fur and so many more.

And as always you can't go wrong with a little black dress. Look for one in a rich texture this velvet number or take one you already own and add some faux fur, red lips, and a statement shoe. Or do what I did and add all of them! It's the holidays so glam is always the way to go. Thanks for reading!

Similar shoes here and here

Faux fur stole here

Dress here

Similar clutch here and here

His Wish List

Hopefully you tackled some of your Christmas shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday but just in case you didn't I'm here with some ideas for probably the most difficult person on your shopping list; him.

Guys can be tough to shop for because they often don't hint at things they want (not everyone starts a Christmas wish list in October...guilty).  The items below focus of a few general interests and from there you can hopefully pick out the perfect gift! Thanks for reading.

Travel Bag- $80. This is a great idea for a guy who travels a lot for work or pleasure. Even if you don't want to go with a duffel bag you could look into backpacks or travel cases.

Wallet- $55. May not be the most exciting gift but he will definitely use it (and his wallet from collage is probably falling apart).

Sunglasses-On sale for $97. Perfect gift for when you really don't know what to get them!

Hat- $32. If you know he likes sports pretty much anything sports related will work. A hat is a good option if you don't know his size in clothing.

Beer Making Kit- $40. If he's into drinking beer this would make a great gift. Or other alcohol related gifts such as a cocktail recipe book or a couple of nice bottles of wine.

Her Wish List

I keep a pretty extensive wish list at various different stores. Most are items I love that either I can't afford or they're more of 'want' item rather than a 'need' item, which is exactly why it's called a wish list right?? For this holiday whether you're shopping for a wife, girlfriend, mom, niece, or best friend keep in mind items you know she would love but may never buy herself. Below I've rounded up some of my favorite items at various price points. Happy shopping!

CLARISONIC Mia Skin Cleansing System-$99

One of the best 'want' items I've ever bought. It's definitely not a need but it will make your face smooth and soft and it really does take off all your make up.

Tory Burch 'Minnie' Travel Ballet Flat-$225

If I had to pick the one shoe I wear the most it's my Tory Burch flats. I wear them to work constantly and I've even packed them on a few trips that required a lot of walking.

Kendra Scott 'Mariam' Rings- $85

Rings are something most women probably won't buy themselves. These rose gold beauties are at the top of my wish list.

J. Crew Factory PJ Flannel Set- $44

Kevin bought me cute pajamas last Christmas and I keep telling him I want more. As a kid this may not have been the best gift but now I can't get enough!

 Sole Society Printed Foldover Clutch-$44

The leopard print will easily spice up any outfit and this version is a great dupe for some of the more expensive designer ones that I've seen. This will be her new favorite bag. 

 

Holiday Bucket List

This post is a little different than my usual. Partly because I didn't take pictures of my outfit this past weekend (oops) and also because around the holidays I'm always googling for festive, and relatively cheap, things to do. Below is my "holiday bucket list". I say this lightly because honestly some of the things I will do while others I think are great ideas, just not sure if I'll get around to them (you know how busy this time of year is). So use this list as your starting point for your own holiday bucket list. Thanks for reading!


1. Scope out the best Christmas lights and displays.


2. Host a holiday party.
Some theme parties: ugly Christmas sweater party, gift wrapping party,secret Santa party, a wine and cheese party, cookie baking party (see #4 for some great recipe ideas).

How cute would this sweater be for a party?? Forever 21 has so many good 

'ugly' Christmas sweaters right now.

3. Check out your cities' winter festivals.
Cleveland has quite a few events this season I want to check out! Below are links to a couple. 
Winterfest in Cleveland
Glow at the Cleveland Botanical Garden
Crocker Park's Tree Lightening
 


4. Find a holiday recipe on Pinterest and actually make it.
White Cranberry Martini Recipe
Slow Cooker Mash Potatoes
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies 
Buffalo Ranch Slow Cook Chicken (I made this the other night, so good and easy!)

Candy Cane Kiss Cookie Recipe

Holiday Spirit

Halloween is officially over which means it's time for the most wonderful time of year! I love the holiday season so much that from now until Christmas I'm going to focus the blog posts on holiday related themes, such as holiday recipes, decor,  outfits, and of course gift ideas. So for me the best way to get in to the holiday spirit is by decorating the house. Below are some of my favorite holiday home decor items, all are under $50 dollars so you'll have money left over to start your holiday shopping. Thanks for reading!

Tree here

Sign here

Candle here

Pillow case here

All Gray

If you're stuck in style rut, matching is a great concept especially with neutrals. I love black on black and white on white but gray on gray is a refreshing different look. Gray is huge this season so you'll be sure to get a lot of wear out of these pieces even as separates. This outfit will work in the colder months too, just add a gray jacket and you're good to go.

Also I'm loving the sleeveless sweater trend. I've worn this sweater so many times already. This one is from Forever 21 and is unfortunately sold out but I've linked similar ones below. I want a couple more but not sure how many is TOO many..

Thanks for reading!

Jeans here; Similar sweater here and here

Shoes here; Necklace here

Similar purse here

Cozy Sweaters under $50

I'm not sure if you can ever have enough sweaters. They're perfect with leggings and jeans or throw on a skirt and some heels and you have a date night outfit. Right now is prime sweater season in Cleveland. Soon enough we'll have to wear big coats over our cute sweaters so I plan to wear my favorites as long as I can!

I've rounded up some extra cozy sweater options all under $50 dollars so stock up! Thanks for reading.

Ponchos: The ultimate comfy sweater. This one here.

Pullovers: Just throw this on with a statement necklace and you're good to go! This one here.

 

 

Sleeveless: This style will only work for milder weather but layer it with another turtleneck or a jacket and you can wear it all winter. This one here. 

 

Cold Shoulder: A great option for a night out with some leather leggings. This one here.

Classic Turtleneck: Mt personal favorite. You can't go wrong with a cream turtleneck sweater. There one here.

Easy Sausage and Sweet Potato "Chili"

When the weather gets colder out comes the Crock Pot. This recipe is a version of chili but since I'm not the biggest chili fan I tweaked it. You can easily change up many of these ingredients based on what you have or even make it vegetarian. I also added spices in as I went along, tasting it to see what it needed. Since you cook the meat beforehand this recipe really only needs 4-5 hours in the Crock Pot so it's perfect for lazy Sundays. Enjoy!


Ingredients
1 package of mild Italian sausage
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can diced tomatoes (could drain if you'd like)
1 can corn (drained)
1 can chili peppers
1 package of frozen sweet potato (could use fresh too)
3 cups chicken broth
Olive oil cooking spray
Cumin
Minced garlic (2-3 tablespoons)
Chili powder
Cajun seasoning
Salt and pepper
*May need cornstarch to thicken if it's too soupy for your taste

Garnishes
Cheese
Avocado
Sour cream
Tortilla chips

 Directions
1. First cook the sausage in a pan until browned (10 minutes or so)

2. Spray the Crock Pot with cooking spray.

3. Add in all your canned and frozen ingredients

4. Pour in 3 cups of chicken broth

5. Add in the meat

6.  Top with all seasonings and garlic (I used 1-2 tablespoons to start and then added more throughout the cooking process). Mix everything together.

7. Cook for 4-6 hours on high. You may need to add cornstarch in it's too much liquid.

8. Top with your favorite toppings. The avocado was a perfect combo!

Puffer Vest

I'm not going to lie, I felt a little "puffy" in this puffer vest at first. But it was freezing (and I mean cold, not the nice fall chill, down right cold and rainy) this past Saturday and we had an outdoor event to go to so warmth wins. And this vest is warm. It's from Old Navy last season but puffer vests are everywhere this season. They make a great addition when you don't feel like wearing a big coat just yet.

Next up are these boots. Sometimes called "duck boots" L.L. Bean makes the most common version of these but I'm really liking Sperry's version. I bought these during Nordstrom's Anniversary sale and many sizes are already sold out so make sure you get yours soon! Thanks for reading.

Similar vests here and here

Boots here and here

Jeans here

Scarf here and similar sweater here

Plaid

Let's talk about a fall classic, plaid. I've always liked plaid print but sometimes I feel like a lumberjack in it. So this season I've decided to play with the print and make it my own. Instead of wearing this plaid button up by itself I paired it with a graphic tee. Mixing plaid and leopard print and adding the red lip dressed up the outfit too.

It was a little chilly the evening I wore this but I've also worn this plaid top around my waist just to add something to an outfit and it works great if you want to dress for fall but the weather isn't working in your favor. Thanks for reading!

Similar tee here

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Jeans here; Belt here

Similar plaid here and here; Boots here

Fall Accessories under $50

Fall is officially here starting tomorrow, which means time for a change! The easiest way to change up your wardrobe for a new season is with accessories. Accessories don't have to be expensive and with the money saved you can invest in other big purchase items for fall, such as a new coat or jeans.  I've rounded up my favorite fall necessitates for under $50 dollars. Happy shopping and thanks for reading!

Express
Blanket scarves: They're back for another season! These over sized scarves were very popular last year and they aren't going anywhere. Many styles sell out quickly so make sure to get yours soon!

Forever 21
Hats: I loved hats in the summer and I love them even more in the fall. They can make a simple sweater and jean outfit more fun and hide a bad hair day. Win. 

Old Navy
Belts:  This is an accessory I need to stock up on. I especially love the versatility of a leopard print belt. You could pair this with an all black outfit or mix and match with a stripe top. This belt is only $15 bucks so it won't break the bank either.

Sephora
Red lips: Not really an accessory but a good red lip stick is a must for fall and winter. I recently tried Kat Von D's liquid  lipsticks and I'm obsessed.

ASOS
Satchels:  Cross body purses are great for any season but the satchel style is on trend this fall. I love the stud details on this bag. It also comes in black but the pink is an unexpected color for fall which would looked great paired with gray or navy. 

Canada

This past weekend Kevin and I headed to Montreal for a wedding. I intended on taking outfit pictures while I was there but the weather didn't want to cooperate (it rained almost all weekend). So I'm going to a do a recap of of some places we ate at, where we stayed, and mention again about another wonderful experience with Rent the Runway. Thanks for reading!

Location/Hotel:We stayed in Old Montreal at Hotel Nelligan (which was also where the wedding reception was at). The hotel was the perfect location and beautiful with exposed brick walls in the rooms. We walked to most shops and restaurants (even in the rain), only taking a taxi once and to and from the airport. I loved everything about Old Montreal, as you can tell from the pictures the buildings are magnificent.

Food: Ah the food. Besides being one of the most fashionable cities I've ever been to Montreal did not disappoint in the food area either. There are cafes and coffee shops on every corner, all of them equally charming and adorable. My personal favorite was a sandwich shop called Olive & Gourmando. Their grilled cheese sandwich was to die for. I also had the best corn of my life from Grumman 78.

Dress:  Everyone in Montreal dressed extremely well (must be a French thing because everyone looked so chic) so this dress made me fit right in. I knew I wanted a long dress and was leaning towards black so that helped narrow my search on their site. I rented this dress for 8 days since we were gone longer than a weekend. There is an additional charge for this. My biggest concern for this dress was the length so as I was reading the reviews I focused on my height (5'3-5'4). I originally was going to order the petite size for the length but after reading I decided to order the regular. I am so glad I did, the length was perfect with heels. So when in doubt read the reviews!