Twice Haul from LikeTwice.com

A little while back (as you can see...before my haircut)...I noticed, Twice was blowing up my Facebook page. So I caved in! And bought 4 dresses. So I'm going to go ahead and blame my impulse on Twice, not me.

It's ok -- because I'm a bit of a dress fiend anyway...I have a lot...but I do actually wear them, even in the winter, and they all turned out to be good purchases. Most of these are sweater dresses anyway. I've been curious about liketwice.com for a while  -- and so tried it out! Overall, I had an easy shopping experience, received good customer service...and the dresses arrived safe and sound within the estimated shipping time...all in good condition -- like new. 

Max Studio

French Connection

Gap

Max Studio -- probably my favorite one.

My order totals BEFORE my first-time purchase 40% discount:

As you can see, they have very steep discounts...AND offer additional discounts when it's your first order. At the time I ordered, the promo was 40% off -- so it brought my total of $132 to $66. So essentially, I felt like I bought 4 dresses for the price of 1 (nice) dress. 

Some of these were risks...like the bright, bright red. And the French Connection dress that from the description sounded like it might be a bit too small...and it definitely is a little snug. But luckily (with affirmations from friends...) it just looks like it's supposed to be -- not like I'm trying to squeeze into something I shouldn't be. :) But with prices so cheap...(Some dresses I was considering would have been as low as $10) it's not much of a risk. And one of the dresses that I didn't love (Max Studio Gray Solid Sweater Dress) -- because the neckline is too low to wear by itself -- I gave it to my little sister. And SHE loves it. 

So perhaps...it's a shopping experience with people who are 1. on a buget, 2. not extremely picky, and 3. have siblings or friends who are a similar size that they can use as back up in case they don't like something. 

I guess...the only stressful thing about shopping here is that you know that if you see something you really like one day, you should buy it now, otherwise it may not be there the next day. (That happened to me...) But on the flip side, you know if you don't see anything that great, check the next day. If I were to shop here again...I'd probably go a little more bold with my choices. Because why not? 

My Weekend in Instagrams: Trip to Chicago

4 days in Chicago is seemingly the amount of time it takes to suddenly fall behind on all else on the weekly agenda. Even with that being said -- was still worth the trip out :)  It felt like a short weekend. It flew. But it was enough time away from my everyday routine to return and realize it may be time to switch up my routine. As much as I love the area I'm in now...I also miss city life. Tall buildings, fast cars, swarms of new faces, new streets and corners, and in all of that, finding calm in the chaos. 

You know you're cousins when she makes you coconut pancakes for breakfast. <3

Next Door coffee.

Milk, honey, Darjeeling, and a new day...

Product placement. It's in your hood.

Tall buildings, tiny windows. Tall trees, tiny branches.

Downtown with my cousin Kristen.

Bistrot Zinc. Ici on mange bien.

Unicorns on the wall.

Three naked ladies.

If this is what the French eat...why are they so skinny?

A town home near the water.

Red light.

No crossing.

On the menu: octopus, scallops, whole olives, mushroom pizza, cheese, prosciutto platter.

Cheers.

Wildflower Chai with milk and honey. The end of the meal. The beginning of the night.

Cold skies.

Let it Flo. Brunch #1 with Chris-Tia Donaldson from TGIN. She's the greatest.

Brunch #2 with the fam.

My cousin Jamie and I. Before the onset of bottomless mimosas.

My first cronut.

Hanging light fixture - on my 'to make' list.

It Looks like My Mumsie was the Original Instagram

Face selfie. Feet selfie. 

#ThrowBack

DIY Paper Collage Journals

I'm a paper fiend. As well as a journal fiend. Have been journaling since I was 8 years old. I am now 23. With over 40 journals. Most written cover-to-almost-cover. For some reason I always leave several pages blank at the end of every journal. I would like to say there is a contemplative reason behind why. But the reason why is likely because I usually end up buying a new journal too soon...then can not be patient enough to finish the pages of the old one before moving on to the new one. 

This time around I thought I'd make my own. I was feeling slightly uninspired one day. On those days I usually venture outside...to wind up back inside in a familiar place...like Starbucks, or in this case, Barnes & Noble. Where I can people watch or meet and greet or participate in some retail therapy to take my mind off of things. When I'm in Barnes & Noble I usually end up wandering to the journals. It's like gravity. There may be other aisles, magazines, books, music, and/or Starbucks in between. But oftentimes, I end up at the journals. And sometimes, walk out with a new one. This time, I thought I'd be creative and save money at the same time and buy a journal filler (is that what they're called?) instead. To make my own cover. I even made one for Spinach Blog - to record my recipes which I am so bad at remembering to write down...New Year Resolution, maybe?

Today I will be happier than a bird with a french fry.

Sometimes happiness (for me...) begins with big messes...that become tiny treasures.

Lazy Day Twist and Pin Updo For Natural Curly Hair

Count on Pinterest for hairspiration (am I right?)...I have a few go-to natural hair styles for lazy days. But recently, I found this seemingly simple and effortless twist and pin updo from Hair Romance and decided to try it out!

Admittedly, the front could use some work. But if a messy and tossled look is what you're going for...it works. Check out the full tutorial here. This style works best if you have medium-to-shoulder length hair -- but it can work on short hair, too (just not too short). 

I especially like how it looks with the blonde highlights -- I've been considering dying it dark again. But styles like this are making me second guess...

Tiny Desk: "Normal People Die" by Evan Marius & "Lovely Cameo" by Peter Felsman

My coworker/bff, Evan, entered NPRs Tiny Desk Contest -- and his song "Normal People Die" = and video are AWESOME. So awesome...it was Metro Times featured worthy.  Him and his girlfriend, Shira (my other bff) are two of the most creative people I know...and decided to make an already unique and creative song even more unique and creative by putting their new Polaroid Cube to the test. 

Evan is not my only creative friend who has entered the Tiny Desk Contest...my friend Peter (along with a friend and vocalist Betsy Soukup) also entered. His song, 'Lovely Cameo' is also very worth listening to!

Since I have bff/VIP status...I was able to be there during the experimental phase of Evan's video. Accompanying the two along the drive to the nearest market to pick up several bottles of food dye and red and purple Faygo (Michigan 'pop' or soda for those of you on the East Coast - unfamiliar with Faygo and 'pop'). 

Why fizzing colorful drinks? To submerge their Polaroid Cube and film in. I guess, kind of like a homemade filter. Using pop, food dye, and water. It worked beautifully. And especially beautifully accompanied by Evan's vocals, guitar skills, and Shira's expert underwater cinematography. 

They announce the winner TODAY. So we are anxiously awaiting to see who it will be...

In the mean time...since you are reading this blog, and you are likely my friend, you are thereby indirect friends with Evan and Shira so get access to behind the scenes footage of the filming process - which involved quite literally submerging a tiny camera the size of my pinkie finger into cups of water, soda, and dye:

As you can see, the process also involved Oreos and alcoholic beverages. It was pretty neat! I highly recommend viewing Evan's video (above) and checking out the rest of the video entries on the Tiny Desk Tumblr here. 

For more music from Evan, visit his Facebook page here.

For more music from Peter, visit his You Tube Channel here.

"Sometimes Rain That's Needed Falls"

One of my favorite lyrics from one of my favorite bands...(the Weepies)...it's very telling. Because it's very true.