Happy Friday

Happy Friday!  If you didn’t already know, it is Free Slurpee Day at 7-Eleven!  My boyfriend, and I made sure we took advantage, because we always seem to forget every year.  I had a lemonade and coke slurpee, YUM.  No I’m not too old to mix my flavors, and neither are you.  This year, they are doing a whole week of FREE stuff, how cool is that?

We stopped by 7-Eleven on our way back from the local Fedex because I needed to pick up my latest Stitch Fix package.  For those of you who don’t know what Stitch Fix is, I wrote a post about it a few weeks ago when I received my first one.  Basically, it is a personal styling service that sends you five clothing items and/or accessories in the mail based on your style profile that you fill out when you sign up.  They also allow you to link a Pinterest board and send a note to your stylist about what you would like to see in your “Fix.”  Once you receive the items, you try them on at home with other pieces in your wardrobe, keep the items you like, and send back the ones you do not within three days.

For Fix #2, my stylist was Meagan.  She did a great job looking at my Stitch Fix board on Pinterest and reading my personal note about what I was looking for.  I wanted white jeans, something with stripes, a maxi dress, and a summer scarf.  I got a pair of white jeans, a striped maxi dress, a scarf, a necklace, and a cotton henley shirt.  Pretty spot on Meagan, thanks!

The gray shirt above is the Pomelo Cherise Cotton Tab Sleeve Henley Shirt.  I tried it with a skirt as suggested and leggings.  I liked it, but didn’t like it enough to spend $48 on it.  I loved the soft material and the feminine neckline, but didn’t like the length for a shirt to wear in the summer.  It looks great with jeans and leggings, but not very good with shorts, or tucked in due to the scoop at the bottom.

I really wanted a layered pendant necklace, but my stylist Meagan said that they didn’t have any in stock at this time and to keep putting it in my notes that I would like one.  I thought this Shayla Bead Cluster Pendant Necklace was pretty, but I don’t have a lot of green in my wardrobe and at $54, I couldn’t justify it.  I passed on this item as well, and will hopefully get a layered pendant necklace in my next Fix.

I  I absolutely loved this Connor Racerback Mixed Striped Maxi Dress by Under Skies on the left, but I was super disappointed to see that the seams were starting to split.  The fit was a little long, but was very flattering on me.  Stitch Fix has an email based customer service contact system instead of a phone based system and it said that it may take 48 hours to respond to your email.  I only have three days to return the items I do not want to keep, and didn’t want to wait for a response because I am going out of town on Sunday morning.  I did let them know that was why I was not keeping the dress, and will probably request that they send me an undamaged one for my next fix, because I liked it so much!  It is hard to see, but I have a picture of the seams splitting.

I also received the Liah Lightweight Geo Stripe Scarf.  It was pretty and I loved the geometric patterns, but it felt a little bulky for a summer scarf.  I would love to see this for Fall, but I didn’t want to spend $38 on a scarf that will sit in my closet unused for the next few months.  The jeans in the photo below were my only keeper this time.  They are the Duboce Straight Leg Jean by Margaret M.  I love them!  I was so happy to see white skinny jeans in my Fix this time, I feel like the stylists really try to give you items that you want.  The note from Meagan said, “although these are a bit higher that your price range, I thought they would fit your style perfectly.”  Thanks Meagan, they do! #StitchFixFriday

American Happy

O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave!

I’m proud to be an American, but sometimes with all of the political drama that unfolds in DC, it’s hard to remember.  This week I chose to remember why I am proud to be an American, and I had lots of fun doing it.

First off all FREEDOM.  We live in the Land of the Free.  I am lucky this week that I had the freedom to be off work, go out to Baltimore to watch the US Men’s World Cup game against Belgium, and then immediately head to Camden Yards for the O’s game!  The World Cup game was incredible and I think Belgium is lucky that they didn’t have to face Tim Howard in penalty kicks.  What a beast!  Someone posted a funny message from an Englishman to the American soccer team about how well they did this World Cup.  I hope Americans stay interested in soccer like this man suggests!  Lupey even got into the World Cup with my old soccer ball that he found at my parents house.

My boyfriend’s Dad was able to get his company seats for the same day as the US World Cup game, so we jumped at the chance to sit 4th Row, right behind the visitor’s dugout!  My boyfriend and I were able to go with his brother and his girlfriend and had so much fun.  Here is a picture of us in the seats that we sent his Dad as a thank you.
Fun Fact– the National Anthem is from a poem written in BALTIMORE during the War of 1812 by Francis Scott Key.  If you are a Baltimore Orioles fan, you yell “O” loudly at the “O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave” part of the song.  The Star Spangled Banner also reminds us that America is the home of the BRAVE!  Next week, I am working on being brave and doing something to make me happy, but more on that later- if it works out.  I am lucky to be an American and live in this beautiful country.  I am going to try to remember this more during other times of the year, because our Freedom rocks and I was happy to reclaim that feeling this week.

Stitch Fix Review

 

A few weeks ago, I was at the beach and a friend told me about one of those monthly mail services called Stitch Fix.  For those of you who don’t know, Stitch Fix is a company that sends you a package with five clothing or accessory items that are personalized to you based on your style profile.  There is a $20 styling fee for this service, but shipping is free.  When the items come, you try them on at home (with the clothing you already have) and send back what you do not want to purchase within three days.  Your $20 styling fee goes towards whatever you purchase, so you only lose it if you do not buy any of the items, and if you buy all five, you get a 25% discount.

So I pretty much immediately signed up, filled out my style profile and requested a Fix, and updated my Pinterest boards (the stylist checks the board you link for inspiration).  When one day I logged in and saw that my Fix was being created and should be to me by June 20th, I was so excited and happy!  I received my package on June 21st, one day late, my boyfriend had to remind me to reclaim my happy.  I was pretty impressed!

This is what it looks like when you unpack the box.  There is the clothing/accessories, the pre-paid return pouch, a style guide for how each item can be styled differently, a pricing guide/receipt, and a cute personalized note from your stylist.  My stylist this time was Karen and she sent me a note welcoming me to the Stitch Fix family.  She also described each piece she sent and why she picked it for me.  How wonderful is that?

The shirt and purse pictured above is what I kept.  The shirt is the Brooks Striped Button Down Cotton Shirt from Ellison.  It is so soft and it goes with so many different things in my closet that I had to keep it.  The purse is the Kacie Half Flap Crossbody Bag from Emperia.  It is Vegan and beautiful!  I was so happy to see this purse inside because I have been pinning lots of similar crossbody purses on my Pinterest boards- good job Karen!

 

The Cranston Paisley tank top was cute, but too big and the red was not flattering for my pale skin.  The Rory Boyfriend Jeans would have been perfect if they were skinny jeans. I loved the color and material, but boyfriend jeans look terrible on me.  The Colorblock Maxi Dress was pretty and very soft, but I just didn’t love it.

Things I like about Stitch Fix:

1. You do not have to commit to every month, they have several choices for automatic Fixes or you can choose to do one at a time whenever you feel like it.

2. The $20 styling fee goes towards the items you purchase, so you are really only paying for the clothing that you like.

3.  The stylist really tries to get your style right by looking at your Pinterest board, and reading your personal notes for what you would like to see in your Fix.

4.  Surprises make me happy and not going to the mall makes me happy, so Stitch Fix makes me REALLY HAPPY!

Overall, I loved my first Stitch Fix and I have already signed up for my next one!  I will review that one after I get it in July.  If you want to try Stitch Fix, please click one of the links I posted, so that they know I referred you there.  Thanks Stitch Fix (and my stylist Karen) for helping me reclaim my happy!

Boh’s and O’s and Friends

Way back in March, my friends and I were all trying to go to the Oriole’s Opening Day game, but tickets were looking too expensive.  Then by some miracle we were able to buy a 3 game pack of tickets that included standing room only on Opening Day, all for the price of Opening Day’s tickets alone.  We obviously jumped at that opportunity and had a blast partying before and during that game!

That was us on Opening Day back in March.  Yesterday was the second game in our 3 game pack, and we had just as much fun.  We took the Lightrail into the city, hopped off at Camden Yards, and walked straight to The Bullpen.  The slogan at The Bullpen is CHEAP ASS BEER.  Seriously, they have posters with the phrase hand written on them framed inside with  “Employee of the Year” on it!  After grabbing a few cheap beers, we headed across the street, and into Camden Yards, one of the most beautiful ball parks in the country IMHO.

The game was great.  The O’s were losing by one in the bottom of the 9th, the crowd was on their feet, 2 men on base, and here comes Chris Davis to the plate.  We were in the outfield and all of us watched as the ball he hit traveled toward us and into the stands for a walk-off home run to win the game!  The crowd erupted, and so did we!  It was such an incredibly happy feeling and I am grateful to have shared it with some of my best friends, and a stadium full of people.  Thanks Chris Davis for helping me reclaim my happy!

Good Hair Day

Today I had a plan to reclaim my happy by rediscovering my passion for photography.  I had been using too many excuses for not continuing photographing things and editing them to perfection.  The camera is too heavy, my iphone is more convenient, my computer has a virus and I can’t use Lightroom or import photos, my memory card is full, and I don’t have TIME!  I’m so tired of using excuses for not doing what makes me happy, so I am choosing to stop doing that.  I woke up, found my product registration key for Lightroom 4, downloaded it, and imported my whole memory card onto my boyfriends computer (thanks Love).  I even spent a few minutes before getting ready for work editing an old photo that I had forgotten I had taken.

 

This was taken a few months ago when I was taking my puppy outside at sunrise.  I loved the sky so much, I had to go grab my camera to capture it.  It’s funny how looking at something that I took a few months ago can get me excited about this hobby again, but it has!  I can’t wait to get my camera out and edit my pictures in Lightroom again.  I was feeling great after I finished this photo today, that I actually spent some extra time on my hair to make it match my happy mood!

I had to get a selfie before work to document that I actually took the time to curl my hair today.  It was worth it because I got lots of compliments from my coworkers today, thanks guys!  All in all, today was an exercise in taking the time to reclaim my happy, and a very successful one at that!

 

Backyard Fun With Friends

Yesterday was the first day that has really felt like Summer to me.  It was 93 degrees when I got off work, and it just seemed like a backyard grilling session to break in our new grill was in order.  When my boyfriend and I decided to move out of the house with our roommates and best friends about a year and a half ago, it was bitter sweet.  We were so excited to be on our own and start the next stage of our lives together, but we were a little sad to not see our friends everyday anymore.  So when they started looking for a new place a few months ago, we suggested our apartment complex, and they loved it!  It was a win-win for us because we got our friends right next door and a $200 referral check!

Last night they were able to join us and we had a blast grilling burgers on our new grill, drinking Corona Extra with lime, and playing Kam Jam!  For those of you who have never played Kan Jam before, you need to.  It was the best $40 we have ever spent on an outdoor lawn game.  You take turns throwing a frisbee at a kan and try to make it go inside or hit the kan.  We first played it when we went camping a few years ago and a father and son asked my boyfriend’s family to join in.  Needless to say, we had so much fun, we went straight home and bought our own set right away!

That’s an action shot from last night, notice the sky turning pink!  We had so much fun and were able to play a few games until it got dark.  It was a little windy, which made for some funny looking frisbee wobbling across the lawn.  We are very lucky to have some of our best friends live so close to us that they can join in on a last minute Kan Jam/Grilling party.  I am looking forward to many more of those throughout the Summer!  Thanks friends for helping me reclaim my happy yesterday!

Reclaiming Happy

“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”
― Abraham Lincoln

Over the past few years, I have been wondering why I was feeling more disappointment in my life than happiness.  I couldn’t pinpoint what was causing this because I have so much to be thankful for; my family, my friends, my wonderful boyfriend, my dogs, my job, and the list goes on.  There is a roof over my head, I am in no danger of going hungry, and I am finally feeling healthy!

A couple of months ago, I was really, really sick. I’m talking lay on the couch, don’t move, and hope it gets better sick. I had a fever of at least 102 degrees almost everyday for 2 weeks, followed immediately by a tough case of bronchitis, and then I coughed so hard that I hurt my ribs. All in all I was in a pretty miserable mood for about 6 weeks, so when one day a few weeks ago I woke up feeling great, I took advantage of it.

Wood Sign by Spunky Fluff

I went outside, breathed in the fresh Spring air, smiled, and was thankful for the happinessand relief I was feeling. Then I started to think about how something so simple as being healthy was making me feel happier than I had felt in years. How could that be? I still had bills, I still had a stressful job that pays less than my friends jobs, I still had a puppy who doesn’t always listen, I still had a small apartment that I can’t seem to keep clean, and I still didn’t have time to do all of the things that I want to do.

So I started looking at my life in terms of what I have that makes me happy, instead of what tends to stress me out.  I have bills, but I have set up a budget which helps keep me on track.  I have a stressful job, but I have wonderful co-workers, benefits, and career opportunities.  I have an adorable puppy, who is very smart and is learning more everyday.  I have an apartment that I share with my boyfriend that is close to work and has a community pool!  I can make time for the people in my life, things that need to be done, and things I want to do!

I am twenty-seven years old, and it has taking me far too long to do this, but, for the sake of myself, my family, and my friends, I am finally RECLAIMING HAPPY!