As most of you know, I am a dog mom and both of my boxer pups were rescues. I strongly believe in adopting pups, and giving them that second chance at the amazing life they deserve. So when Houston Pets Alive reached out to me for a little help, I jumped at the opportunity!
If you haven’t heard of Houston Pets Alive, they are a non-profit organization with a huge heart, and mission to make Houston the largest no-kill city in the country. They work to save pups from being euthanized and assist in finding them forever homes.
Myself, Kristine of Kristine’s Kaleidoscope, and Alessandra of Alessandra Laura all spent the day at the Stella Link shelter location, to learn a bit more about Houston Pets Alive, meet the animals currently up for adoption, and spread the word!
The shelter is run by an amazing and inspiring staff alongside daily volunteers – which they are always in need of! The pets are all well attended to, and are provided a private kennel, water and food bowl, with blankets and a toy. They have veterinary assistance available to care for those at risk, and strive to keep the pups as happy and comfortable as possible. While there, we spent some time walking a few of the pups and gave as many of them love as possible. The air in the shelter is full of hope, and you can feel that even in the pets. They know they are in a safe space, and are just waiting for that special someone to come and take them to their forever home.
If you are looking for ways to help out, or want further information on the pups we have featured feel free to check out the HPA website! There are so many options that one is sure to be perfect! I have even listed a few ways below!
The shelter also hosts events you can attend! Click here to see their calendar!
I hope this inspires you to help out a dog or cat in need! I was completely humbled by my time at the shelter and will be working with them again in the future to help out in whatever ways I can.
Thank you Houston Pets Alive for all you do!
I was recently invited to visit my local Crossroads Trading, to experience what all it had to offer. I love the idea of thrifting, but haven’t been to a location quite like this before!
Everything is that “one amazing treasure hunt item” you hope to find, and you are sure to leave there with something special!
First things first, you can sell your gently used, current season items for cash or store credit! While the sales associates are appraising your items, its time to shop! While browsing I came across items from Manolo Blahnik, Salvatore Ferragamo, Halston, Kate Spade, and Burberry! Those are some serious labels people!!!!
I tried on a Burberry dress, which was priced at $85 and a beautiful tan long coat from a Los Angeles brand, DRA for only $37.50, still with the original tags! The dressing rooms are super roomy with great lighting and plenty of space and mirrors.
H&M dress $12.50
Elaine Turner dress: $32.50
My next score was a mini Longchamp bag in Navy…can you believe it was under $40!? You cannot beat that price.
The store is categorized my clothing type, accessories and there is even a men’s section! I was very much impressed with the cleanliness as well as the breadth of assortment. And most shockingly, the labels! Every item I sifted through the rack was a recognizable label. And to see those price tags…it will bring a smile to your face! Everything is so reasonable- not to mention, all items are very gently used, if not brand new! I can’t remember when I have had that much fun shopping!?
So if you have a Crossroads Trading near you, stop in and check it out! Better yet, purge your closet for the new year by taking in those items you aren’t wearing anymore and trade them in for something designer! You seriously don’t know what amazing product you might find! For locations click here!
One of my absolute favorite accessories to wear in the winter time is a beret! I know, they aren’t exactly the most practical, but this tiny hat sure packs a major style punch! I’m sharing one of my favorite winter ensembles with you that is made perfect with the finishing touch of a beret! In chic maroon with plaid I’ll show you how to pair this accessory seamlessly.
If you are new to the beret, and don’t want to fully commit to the style, or are not sure if its the look for you, I suggest trying a slouchy- less structured version of the beret, like this chunky knit one. It sits more relaxed on the head and requires little to no adjustments.
This look is so cute, and so much fun to wear! I love mixing textures, so here I am wearing a ribbed knit mock turtleneck from Boohoo, a wool cream and tan plaid skirt from White House Black Market, and Over-the-Knee faux suede boots from Steve Madden. The mix of colors, textures and subtle print come together to create such an effortlessly interesting ensemble! For accessories, I kept the look to a minimum with my signature Coach Dinky, and “H” initial necklace from Elizabeth Buena Ventura. The soft chunky knit beret adds the perfect finishing touch to this winter-ready look, and ties in with the color of my boots. Now all you are missing is a plate of macaroons and the Eiffel Tower in the background!
I have rounded up some of my favorite stocking stuffer ideas for pretty much everyone in your family! 🙂 Enjoy!
1- Henri Bendel Perfume Rollerball
3- Coola Suncare Mineral Liplux set
4- Origins RitualiTea Feeling Rosy Comfort Powder Face Mask
7- Henri Bendel Cortland Card and Key Holder
10- Jack Black Shave Essentials Gift Set
12- Stranger Things: Notes from the Upside Down
15- World’s Smallest Walkie Talkies
16- 3-pk. boxed set of dress socks
So this past weekend Jhonathan and I took and impromptu trip to Seattle! Since this was the first time visiting there for the both of us, and seeing as we were only going to be there for the weekend, we wanted to pack in the best spots possible for the time-frame we had. So if you ever find yourself on a layover in Seattle, or just have a day to explore there, here are some must-see places!
Where We Stayed
Our accommodations were at the W Seattle. This hotel is not only beautiful with modern appointments, but it also features great live entertainment in the evening, comfortable spacious rooms, excellent customer service, and is walking distance from a lot of sights!
Favorite Breakfast
Sweet Iron seriously has the best waffles EVER! Just two short blocks from our hotel, this trendy breakfast spot was a must! Jhonathan and I tried two from the menu, one sweet, the chocolate dipped waffle, and one savory, the bacon with maple syrup, and loved both! The waffle is so soft and made to order. All ingredients are fresh and served to perfection. I also ordered hot chocolate, which was the optimal choice to finish off breakfast.
For Pictures
I know everyone wants to see the space needle, but how do you get a great picture of it? Go to Kerry Park! Kerry Park is on the Queen Anne hill, about a 15 minute drive from where our hotel was located. This park is on a hill, and provides the perfect view of the skyline, and on a clear day, Mount Rainier! We weren’t so lucky to get a glimpse of the mountain, but we were able to get the skyline.
The Market & Starbucks
After breakfast, we walked over to the market and stopped at the very first ever Starbucks! I of course had to pick up a few souvenir mugs, coffee, and get myself a hot cider to drink.
The Pike Place Market was not at all what I expected! It was so large with many floors and seriously has a shop for everyone! There are levels of stores, from fish, tea, to magic stores, comic books and collector model cars…everything! You could honestly spend an entire day here, there is just so much to see!
Quick eats
One of my favorite things about NYC is the easy access to food, i.e. street food (hotdogs and chicken kabobs) We found a park area across from Macy’s that had just the thing!
Speaking of Macy’s, since we were visiting in December they had their window displays set for Christmas and it was totally amazing!
And yes, if you a breathing, I am sure you have heard of Christian Grey. Well this is where he lived in the movies and the books. Sooooo obviously I had to take a quick snap of the Escala on our walk.
Bars
So the two bars we had to check off of our list on this trip were: Canon and The Nest.
Canon is a whiskey bar with a spirit collection of over 4,000 labels serving AMAZING specialty drinks in quirky serveware, with the perfect amount of gastro/old timey vibe!
The Nest is a rooftop bar in the Thompson hotel. It features beautiful views of the city and an amazing space to relax and have a drink while watching the ferry, ferris wheel, and city life.
Seattle is such a great city, and I cannot wait to visit again! Even though it rained the entire trip, that didn’t take away from the fun! I will mention I did not expect the amount of hills! LOL so yes, keep that in mind if you plan on walking, phew! But I did love that even with the rain my hair did not mess up! There is not all the humidity like we have here in Houston so I could actually fix my hair and it would hold through the weather!
The buildings are beautiful, the transportation is easy and convenient, the food is great and I cannot recommend it more! Next time I’m planning on checking out the mountains so I guess a spring or summer trip is is store?!
So you are thinking about entering the blogging world. There might be many questions keeping you from dipping your toes into this industry so I am here to answer a few of them for you.
I get asked pretty often how did I grow my following? How does one start in this business? And, are there any tools available to be successful? That got me thinking, I should share a quick reference guide for all of these answers!
Though I would like to add that these are my own opinions to success in blogging, I know there are many other ways, I just wanted to share a few quick tips and tools that I wish knew from the get-go to help anyone just starting out. So let’s get started!
Focus on your brand, and who you want to be.
This is something I don’t feel I paid enough attention to when I started. Branding is really important and something you don’t want to exactly rush yourself into. Now I’m not saying you can’t change your mind, but it’s best to start with a name you love, is unique, you can identify with, and that you will keep. This helps you when it comes to SEO and where you will populate through google searches. Also you want it be catchy and easy to spell so people will remember you, and you will be easily searchable through Instagram.
Photo Time! Find your angle, literally!
When taking pictures I started off by looking at bloggers photos that I admired. I would screenshot photos I really liked based on pose and background for reference, and then reference them when prepping for a photoshoot. This is not an exact science as everyone has different flattering angles and it takes practice to find yours, but it’s a good start!
Before shooting examine yourself in the mirror and pretend it’s a camera. Watch your hands, feet and slowly change your positioning. As you do this, take note of expressions and angles you like and try to memorize that position. From there, you will start to find what feels most comfortable at your shoots and also the more experience you have, and the more photos you take, it will come more naturally, and you will grow from your own critiques. I am sharing some comparison shots of myself from when I first started next to a more recent image. Slight changes in posture, foot positioning and face angle can make such an improvement!
I am still constantly learning and evolving which is one of the great things about this industry, there is always ways to improve and grow! This is just a quick glimpse at how much improvement can happen over a short period of time.
Be consistent
Once you start blogging and posting to Instagram, get it the routine of posting at the same time and same days. For example; once you determine what time of day you receive the most traffic, continue posting at that time like clock work. Your followers want consistency and will look for your post, let’s not disappoint them!
Planoly – This is a monthly service I use to help me determine what I want to post and when. This is important because the way your feed looks is extremely vital to grow your following. You want your feed to look clean and even. It should tell a story through color and consistency. Using services like Planoly you can move around your images to plan out the perfect layout before you post your images.
Hashtags
Now this is something to check up on pretty often. Keep up with the most commonly used hashtags for your genera. Do your homework to see what hashtags local bloggers are using, and which “big” bloggers are using. You will notice a traffic spike once you find the best hashtags to use for your posts. Stick with those, but always keep an eye on new trending hashtags.
Affiliates, Education, and Community
If you are a style, fashion, beauty or lifestyle blogger Style Collective is a MUST! This community is filled with bloggers from all over the world working together to build their businesses. One of the most exciting offerings is NYFW. They create a forum with all of the tools you need to get there and even help to set you up with hotel roomies!
SC provides you with the educational tools to build your best business and supports you along the way. From creating your media kit, to sending the perfect pitch, and your first invoice! Sign up for it HERE or from the banner on my homepage.
Next become part of the BFrow fashion community! This is an additional space to share your blog posts for additional exposure, along with having the opportunity to meet and connect with an amazing community of fashion bloggers, just like you!
Community
Find out who is blogging near you! Meet up for brunch and share ideas! This is the most beneficial tool I have found in this industry! You will soon be attending local events on a regular basis, and will become a part of your local blogging circuit. Having friends close by provides opportunities for collaborations, photoshoot buddies, and amazing friends that do what you do! Blogging can get pretty lonely so it is nice to know there are others who understand what you are going through and get the business! You can inspire and learn from each other to be successful and grow in the industry.
Marketing Companies to check out for collaboration campaigns
Reward Style – This is an invitation only, commission based platform that gives your following the ability to shop your posts via blog and Instagram.
Shop Style – This platform is also commission based but does not link to your Instagram, only blog or insta story (via swipe up function) The added bonus to this services is you actually can make commission off of clicks, not just purchases.
Fohr Card – This company feeds straight from your social platforms are generates analytic data verifying your following and offers campaign opportunities.
Octoly – This marketplace offers you the ability to pitch to top beauty brands who can send you their products for review. *You must have 10,000 followers to apply.
TapInfluence – This marketplace is used by influencers and brands alike to collaborate together on campaigns. You simply create a profile and sync it to your social media platforms and brands will reach out to you for work based on their criteria.
Investments
Purchase your domain name. This is really important because it can be seen as an investment in your brand. Purchasing your domain gives you opportunities to make commissions from your site and looks professional when reached out to companies.
Set up a business account through Instagram – more and more companies are requesting analytic data the easiest way to fetch this for them is with Instagram analytic tools.
Purchase a DSLR, and a 50mm lens. Now I held off on this as long as possible but seriously, if you are wanting to do this…you need one. The lens is important because it is what gives you those well-lit images with the blurred backgrounds.
That’s it for now…
Okay, so I know this post was quite long, but I wanted to provide as much information as I could! I truly hope this helps to answer some of your questions and motivates even one person to turn their dream into a reality!
I love finding great priced fast fashion so that I can embrace every trend without breaking the bank. One of the worst feelings is investing so much in a piece that no longer is in style! Tobi is an awesome company to purchase these types of pieces without skimping on the quality! – A dream come true! They offer current trends at a very reasonable price point, and you receive exactly what is pictured on site. I’m going to show you how I styled three pieces from them, and my thoughts on each, enjoy!
Reptile Print Skirt
This is my favorite piece! This material is lightweight and moves beautifully! I styled this skirt with an elbow length turtleneck and OTK boots. The black really brings out the print of the skirt and makes it the focal point of the look. Since I have light hair I went dark with my top and boots, but would recommend pairing with a tan turtleneck and nude OTK boots if you have dark hair. The contrast looks beautiful! This look is perfect for work, weekends, or pretty much any activity you have planned this fall and the skirt is at such an amazing price, it makes no sense not to order it! Since the closure on this piece is a side zipper, I decided to size up and get a Large but the skirt fits true to size so I could have actually worn a Medium.
White Dress
Since this is a bodycon dress I decided to size up on it as well, and am glad I did! It is very short and the material is pretty thin. There is a lining, so with a slip the dress is perfect. I styled it with a black fuzzy shawl from Express and nude heels I ordered from Hautelook. This is the perfect evening out ensemble. I love the bar detailing at the shoulders! It adds such a special touch, and makes the dress so unique.
Back Lace Up Sweater
Seriously the softest, most cozy sweater! This piece is super boxy and oversized, but that is all part of the charm! I ordered this sweater in a size small and it fits perfectly for an oversized look. I would recommend sizing down on this piece. I paired it with a faux suede hat, and dark wash jeans from Mott & Bow for a comfortable weekend look that’s ideal for running all of those last minute holiday errands.
I definitely recommend checking out Tobi for amazingly priced, high-quality fast fashion! They also have great gift options for the holiday season!
Well the sales have already begun and I still haven’t gotten my fill of turkey yet! Check out some of my favorite stores’ Black Friday deals below and enjoy the busiest shopping day from home!
Kate Spade – Surprise Sale up to 75% off
Cyber Monday – 30% off full price 40% off sale items
H&M – Exclusives starting at $3! plus free shipping
Coach – 3 bestsellers: 50% off / 30% off everything
Cyber Monday – up to 50% off!!
Shein – up to 90% off plus free gift over $19
Nordstrom – Extra 20% off select sale items
Elizabeth Buenaventura – 20% off sitewide! code: REDBF20
Sephora – Special limited edition products
Cyber Monday – New Beauty Launches!
Forever 21 – Extra 50% of clearance
Cyber Monday – 21% off everything!
Banana Republic – 50% off Reg. price
- Sunglasses always make a great gift and my favorite trend right now would have to be the wooden frames! This pair is super affordable and so stylish.
- For the GOT man in your life, this limited edition Monopoly will make the perfect gift.
- I actually came across these boots at Express and think the mixed material style looks really sharp!
- For the fragrance buff, you can’t go wrong with Chanel!
- If you are looking to splurge, a Bulova timepiece is an excellent option for an everyday and special occasion watch.
- If the man in your life is a frequent traveler, think about a nice weekender bag. This is something no man is going to invest in for himself but will definitely use!
- To add a staple clothing piece to his wardrobe, I recommend a long sleeve Lacoste polo. They are made from a soft comfortable cotton and offer a slim fit.
- For a gift that keeps giving, here is the Goby! This electric toothbrush is super affordable and offers a subscription service to receive your new brush heads by mail.
- A great pair of headphones is ideal for every man. These bluetooth headphones are sweat proof so he can use them at the gym or to make business calls. With an 8 hour battery life he can use them all day!
- The perfect modern home electronic! I sort of think everyone needs an Echo product.
- For a glamorous scent in a beautiful bottle I would suggest YSL’s Black Opium.
- I can’t speak more highly of the Daniel Wellington watch brand! All of their styles are lightweight, comfortable to wear, and are so elegant! They are also super affordable and would make an awesome gift for any bossbabe!
- If luxury is what they crave, opt for small leather goods! I love this card holder from YSL! It is perfect for when she doesn’t want to carry a bag.
- Wrist candy! This mesh and screw style wrap bracelet by Henri Bendel is perfect for layering or wearing alone, and goes with any style.
- Booties are a must, and these suede ones from Yosi Samra are super comfortable and stylish.
- This Henri Bendel bag is a classic, and would be perfect for just about anyone! I love the size and style of this bag, plus it is perfect to carry year-round!
- For the makeup lover a Huda Beauty palette is a must. These blendable and highly pigmented shades are gorgeous!
- So I am in love with this headphones brand! The Vasa is offered in a few colors and are under $100! They are wireless, stay charged for 8hours are have a microphone so they can be used for phone calls too!
- NARS always makes a great gift, and these essentials are under $25 so they are perfect your besties!
- This Karl Lauderfeld candle is the coolest, and an amazing gift for that friend who has everything!
- A small touch of glam! These earrings are the perfect neutral shade to go with everything, offer the must-have tassel trend, and are super affordable! Gotta love Baublebar, they always come to the rescue with the perfect pieces of jewelry!