Outfit of the Day: Cheers Dahhhling!

'Sadie' Off The Shoulder Sweater:  Goodnight Macaroon // High Waisted Denim (on sale!): kate spade new york // Color Crush Linear Earrings (in multi): kate spade new york // Dainty Sparklers Bar Ring: kate spade new york // Cheers Darling Champagne Bottle Wristlet: kate spade outlet // Gray Booties (old but I linked similar): Forever 21 // Suglasses (old from fall, linked similar): Charming Charlie // Liquid Glitter Voila iPhone 6 Case: kate spade new york

Lips: Almost Lipstick (in Black Honey) by Clinique, more on why that's my fave lipstick here!

Cheers dahhhling!

I whined a lot about the weather lately (super cloudy, foggy, kind of depressing).  I think Mother Nature finally decided to hear me out because yesterday we got quite a bit of sun!  I took that as an opportunity to spend some time outside.

Before Christmas, I really wanted to invest in a few off-the-shoulders sweaters, like the ones that are so popular right now.  Then I started wearing them and was like hmmm, I don't know if I actually like this.  I felt like they were inconvenient to wear if I was trying to get anything done...like lifting my arms!  I couldn't figure out exactly how they were supposed to lay either.  Now that I've gotten used to them and worn them a few times, I can truthfully say I love them!  I think they're so cute and don't think they get in the way too much at all.

I especially love this baby pink one from Goodnight Macaroon!  Actually, I love everything on their website.  Very much my aesthetic.  I had noticed a lot of fashion bloggers wearing this specific style from that site lately, and loved the way that it looked.  They also have a gray and a blush pink.

The jeans are some of my favorite high waisted denim, and they are from kate spade.  They're a super dark wash and make any casual look seem a little bit more polished.

The booties are old from Forever 21, but I did link similar ones.  When I say old, I mean reeeeally old like high school.  But I rarely wore them until this year, when booties got oh-so-popular again!  

The Cheers Darling champagne bottle wristlet is kate spade, but from outlet.  I know for sure they did it for Holiday 2015, and it did so well that they brought it back for Holiday 2016.  Only downside is that whenever I try to take it out places, someone thinks it's real and is like, "oh, you can't bring that in here." Hahaha.

The earrings are one of my favorite pieces of jewelry from the specialty Holiday 2016 collection from kate spade.  I bought them initially to match with this dress that I wore on Thanksgiving, but they have so many colors that I can wear them with a lot more things than I originally anticipated.  I love how they JUST almost sweep my shoulders.  There is a matching bracelet too!  They also come in a gorgeous blue palette.  I also wear the tiny spades in my second earring holes, which I always forget to talk about because I never take them out!

For my rings, one was a Dainty Sparkler (a collection that's always available) from kate spade.  Mine is rose gold, but I linked the gold which is available online.  The other is something I picked up from a vintage store in London last summer.  It has a cool looking baby pink stone that I am always receiving compliments on!

My phone case says Voila and is filled with silver glitter that floats around!  This kate spade case looks especially good on my iPhone because it's silver.  Kind of weird I have a silver phone because I prefer gold AND everything else I own is gold, but I don't think I had a choice at the time.

Hopefully the weather stays somewhat agreeable so that I can do more OOTD posts!

(PS: I hope you're loving my blog's rebranding?  It's starting to look a bit different and I am really happy about it.  I'm trying to do a post about all my changes soon!)

Free Downloadable Green Bay Packer Chalk Art!

I definitely don't care much about football, but I do have a lot of Packer pride.  Surprisingly, I am watching the game right now.  It's not unheard of, but not a weekly occurrence either.

I decided to provide you with a printable piece of chalk art that I designed!  It's hanging in my house right now on a real chalkboard, but I figured why not share the love.

Click on THIS LINK and you should be able to access the file for download!  Feel free to use it however you please (like...aside from selling it), but it prints nicely as an 8x10!

PS: I made this chalkboard.  Let me know if I should do a chalkboard-making tutorial!

GO PACK GO

Check Out My Personal Faves of the kate spade 25% Off Sale on Sale!

IT'S A ksny SALE ON SALE WEEKEND!

I'll just disclose one more time that I work for the company...for no other reason than because I am obsessed with it.  Like everything about it.  Their branding, their quirky details, their apparel, handbags, accessories, etc.  For this reason, I like to post about how much I love it!  I really don't get into any other designers other than kate.  The brand is just so unique and awesome that I want all. the. things.

With that said, through this weekend, you can get an additional 25% off sale merchandise with the code CLINK!

This includes everything that is already marked down, so you could be getting as much as 50% off!

I'm going to share my favorite things that I personally own that are part of this sale!  I'll even tell you what the price comes down to after the discount, because the less math involved the better, right?

 Everything is linked, of course.  

Happy shopping!

I had this Jeweled All an Act phone case on my iPhone 6 up until very recently!  I've never been one to care more about phone protection over the aesthetic aspect of my phone cases (not proud)...but I will say I love the hybrid hardshell cases that kate sells!  They snap on in two parts, one being a rubber bumper and the other a hard shell.  I drop my phone a lot (also not proud) and have had different kate hybrids on it since April!

Full price: $45

Mark down price: $32

With additional 25% off: $24

One of my favorite pieces of apparel so far is my Shadow Buds Pleated Skirt.  It's 100% silk and is covered in this gorgeous fall floral pattern.  I feel like it's really easy to find nice spring florals, but I rarely find fall/winter patterns that I like.  I pair this with chambray shirts and of course, the Rosette Sweater.

Full price: $328

Mark down price:  $197

With additional 25% off: $147.75

Oh, Orchard Street Small Natalya, how I love you.  I bought this bag in June before my trip to London (it was part of the July collection) and it was THE BEST travel bag.  Perfect size for a crossbody, and it fits my camera.  Not to mention, you can carry it two different ways.

Full price: $348

Mark down price:  $244

With additional 25% off: $183

As worn in my NYE post, this Cameron Street Small Byrdie is my holiday bff!  Online, she is available in black multi. The initial letters are online as well!

Full price: $268

Mark down price:  $201

With additional 25% off: $150.75

I bought this Ooh La La Makeup Card Case to fit inside the Small Byrdie (above).  I'm really sad, but it is no longer available online.  BUT THERE'S A BRIGHT SIDE, the Crossbody version is still available!  Same design, but it's actually even cooler than the card case. (Janai is holding it in this photo, we both have it!)

Full price: $298

Mark down price:  $209

With additional 25% off: $156.75

My mahogany Cedar Street Jensen is probably my most useful purchase from kate.  It has 2 zipped areas that can fit regular letter-sized sheets of paper (for your business lyfe, obvi) and then a large opening that can fit your laptop.  I actually use it for none of these purposes.  It carries everything when I go to work, including wallet, phone, lunch, planner, and pouch full of random things.  I cannot rave enough about the color either.  Mahogany is like a more purpley burgundy, and it actually functions really well as a neutral.

Full price: $378

Mark down price:  $284

With additional 25% off: $213

This mahogany Cameron Street Byrdie is the regular sized version of the glittery one from above.  She can fit a larger wallet than the small version, among other things.  If you're going for function rather than just fashion, I would go with this one!

Full price: $298

Mark down price:  $224

With additional 25% off: $168

Can't really go wrong with any of these choices!

Plus, there are a million other things waiting for you to look at in the sale section online!

Outfit of the Day: NYE

Styles are linked as usual if you scroll over the names! 

One of my very favorite dresses that I own: the kate spade Metallic Multi Dot Mini Dress.  It was absolutely perfect for the holidays, including New Years Eve, which is when I wore it!  Actually I only wore it during the day and changed into jeans and an off-the-shoulders top once night rolled around.  I love the colors and pattern of this dress, as well as how flattering it looks on basically everyone!  I can't wait to find another opportunity to wear this one.

My bag, the Small Byrdie, is obviously also kate.  It is no longer available online, but you can get the black and white version here on sale.   I definitely gave it a twist with my initials and the exclamation point!

The shoes are actually old from Target, but they matched SO perfectly with my bag!

The headband was from the New Years set sold by Shop Bracket, but the set is no longer in season.

My bracelet is new kate for January and is called the Whimsies Happy Bangle.  I love it!  I think anything that looks like balloons is the cutest thing, and I love that I'll be able to match it with so many colors.

Finally, I thought the Make Magic Champagne Drop Earrings would be perfect for New Years!  (spoiler alert: they were)

It's 2017

Okay, I must have been in such a slump last week, because I'm reading what I wrote for this new year goals post now and I don't resonate with like, ANY OF IT!

I was like "I feel like don't accomplish half of the things that pop into my brain..." and "I probably could have done more in 2016..." and all these sort of depressing thoughts about how I am a big loser.  Just kidding I didn't quite go that far, but it honestly looks like that's where it was headed!  I mean, yikes.

Let me just be real with you right off the bat here and link my 2016 goals post.  Without going into detail, I accomplished 2 out of 5ishhhh goals.  There is definitely room for improvement, maybs why I was feeling so glum.  

But in reality, I did a lot more than what was on that list.  In that post, I did all this talk about not writing "vague resolutions," because they're hard to pinpoint and accomplish.  And then I proceeded to not accomplish almost any of these resolutions I so eloquently listed in numerical order, and then went on and on and on about.  From reading that post, I'm annoyed with 2016 Olivia (who I should be reminded, was with us until last week.)

I've been trying to do resolutions a little differently this year.

(find the really cool "this is my year" printable to use on Canva at Saffron Avenue linked HERE.)

I don't even want to call them resolutions, that's a scary word.  These are just goals.  Naming everything you're going to do this year on JANUARY FIRST seems daunting to me right now.  A year is a really long time.  A ton of the projects I took on last year weren't even on my radar until halfway through the year.

Some of my goals for this year have been in the works for some time now, and others I haven't even started.  These are just things I'm hoping to work on getting a little bit better at throughout the year.  

No pressure.

I think I'm fine on the amount of planning I do, but I worry a lot about completing all the things I have on my plate.  Which is where "saying no" is going to come into play.  I've been actively working on this, but I tend to say yes to a lot more than I can handle, and then feeling really badly when I have to say no.  No more of that.  

When I do a project, I prefer to do everything myself (#controlfreak).  Outsourcing is something I really would like to/NEED TO start doing with my blog.  I have no graphic design or coding skills, so it's hard for me to create a website that I'm proud to look at.  Also, I like to do all my own photography even though I'm definitely not even close to being a pro at that either.  I've been thinking about outsourcing a little of that too.  Doing less will hopefully mean enjoying it all more.

I have plans to go to NYC with some of my bffs in March, yay!  We're going to the opening night of Anastasia on Broadway, like true fans of 90s princesses.  

Also: Stay tuned for my Midwest Mermaid rebranding.

I want to continue to read a lot, but I'm done holding myself to impossibly hard standards in terms of numbers.  Silly girl.

And at the end of the day, week, month, whatever, I really want to take the time to realize how much I've actually accomplished.  I didn't do much of that last year, which is probably why I didn't really feel like I met my goals.  But upon thinking about it a little bit harder, I did a ton!  And had a lot to be proud of. 

I actually have like double the actual amount of goals for 2017, but I don't really feel the need to share everything with everyone all the time.  (PS: That's kind of how I do the social media thing, I share just enough to let you feel connected to me, and not a thing more. And this is how you stay sane.)  Some of them I just want to set into motion before releasing the info, but others would really just bore you to death.

In other goal-related news, I'm reading:

and I'm feeling totes inspired about life, you guys.

This one really makes sense to me.  Jen Sincero really knows what she's talking about.  She's explaining that what you put out into the world is what you're going to get back.  So I'm going to put out good vibes and lots of goals, and hope that errrrrrythang manifests.  You obviously can't sit and do nothing and hope for things to become your reality, but you get the picture.  If you don't read the book linked here.  Lots of good stuff in there.

I think this book is why I'm in such a good mood about 2017, and not super mad about 2016.

You can't really dwell on the past because then you're clearly not doing anything to put yourself in a better position right now, ya feel?

It also inspired me to make a vision board, which I did digitally via Pinterest.  It's a secret board for now as I continue to build it, but I'm thinking about printing some things out and putting together a real-life board that I can hang in front of me to look at every day!  I've always looked at vision boards as just a fun craft, but I'm a highly visual person so I have no idea why I didn't try this out sooner.

Another really inspiring resource about getting stuff DONE: Goal Digger Podcast.

I feel like this goals post was a lot more lighthearted than the two I had written in previous years.  I like it better that way.  It doesn't mean I have less to work towards, but I'm not going to be such a crazed lunatic about it.

So it's 2017...let's do this!

(headbands from Shop Bracket, NYE set is no longer in season, but website linked)

Coming soon: a new graphic for my sign-off!  

But until then,