Thursday, August 21, 2014

Back-to-School Pick Me Up Playlist

Bonjour Beauties!
I love music. That is no understatement, I LOVE MUSIC. I listen to it all the time, and I love to discover new artists and new songs, I also love to share that music! So here is a playlist of the songs or albums I've been listening to on repeat all month long!

1) Happy Little Pill-Troye Sivan
Troye Sivan is a YouTuber/actor/singer, who just released his first EP, Trxye. His voice is great and his songs don't hide anything. They are so real, most love songs floating around these days are a typical boy meets girl song, but his clearly use pronouns like he, him, his, expressing clearly that his heart lies with a boy.


2) Sing-Ed Sheeran
3) Photograph-Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran is like an angel. He is my absolute favorite artist. He can do anything musically, rap, slow songs, pop, everything under the sun. His voice is so absolutely versatile its amazing.


4) She Looks so Perfect-5SOS
5 Seconds of Summer is a band that is sorta teenie bopper, but they also have a great touch of rock and punk in their songs. I really really like them and would encourage anyone to check them out!


5) Hope Road-Anne Clark
Okay this is an old song, and its more like a spoken word poem/song all in one. My sister showed it to me and its literally like the best thing ever on planet earth! I swear, its seriously amazing.


6) Shake it Off-Taylor Swift
AMAZING. This is Taylor Swifts new song off of her album 1989, and it is fabulous. She sings about how a persons dancing can show their true personality. It really is a good song and I can't wait to listen to her new album when it hits shelves in October.


7) Girls Chase Boys- Ingrid Michaelson
I don't even have words. This song just always puts me in the best mood. Its great. No arguement. It makes me want to stand up and just dance.


8) All About That Bass- Meghan Trainor
Just a good song that makes girls feel better about their curves. Also a good dance sort of song!


I hope you enjoyed my playlist, I think all of these are definitely worth checking out if you have the time!
Bisous,
Emily and Liana (Limly)

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Liana's Dorm Tour : A Quick Glimpse Into College Life

Welcome to my dorm, lovely blog readers! 
I have recently gotten quite a lot of requests for a college dorm tour post...so here it goes! 


I created my quote wall with 66 square photographs that I liked, varied shades of purple paper that I cut into large capitol letters, turquoise flowered christmas lights that I bought at target (close up photo of the lights is inserted below), a drawing from a special child in my life and a wooden sign that I got as a graduation present. 

The title of your quote wall can be anything!  I choose "Embrace The Journey" Because it was a quote/advice from a loved one that gave me hope and meant a lot to me! Choose a quote or saying that you personally love! Choose something that resonates with you! 


To hold up the lights I used command hooks, to hold up the sign I used velcro command strips and to hang all the photographs I used clear command photograph squares. 


This is the cozy, comfy spot that I call my bed! 

As most of you know dorm beds are a death wish for your back and aren't exactly what you would call "cozy," or "comfy." Not mine!... anymore at least. I worked around this minor drawback by getting a memory foam bedding pad and a feather filled, pull over, elastic, bed cover. I added the feather bed cover to help hold the memory foam pad in place as well as add extra fluff and comfort! The creaky, thin dorm bed is now the softest thing I have ever felt! It truly worked miracles, and I didn't want to get out of bed this morning! It wasn't until my roommate tempted me with fruit loops, that I finally did. 

I purchased both the memory foam pad and the the feather pull over comforter at Bed Bath and Beyond. 

I bought my purple and blue paisley bedspread online at www.dormco.com, which has large amounts of cute bedding for twin extra long beds. 

I purchased the black and white reversible "amour" pillow at Bed, Bath and Beyond. 

The large pink and yellow flowered elephant was purchased at Toys R Us and given to me as a gift and the signed owl was a graduation present.  


Above my bed, I used clear command squares to hang a poster of Elsa from the Disney movie frozen. I bought both the poster and clear photo squares at my local Micheals! Lastly I threw a fuzzy turquoise throw over the foot of the bed to had a hint of homeyness! Although the blanket was a gift, I can tell you that the giver bought it at Costco. 


Above my desk I created a jewelry hanger from a decorative folding wood fence that I purchased at a small store in Morgan Hill. I then hung it from my wall with...I'll give you one guess...velcro command strips, of course...its a shocker I know! To hang the necklaces and bracelets on, all I did was slip the around the top of each fence post and ta da! The cute and unique jewelry hanger is complete! 


To make my desk a more personal space I used the top shelve of it to house my many frames of friends and family, a motivational figurine that I got as a gift a few years ago that says "The sky is the limit" and a small broccoli stuffed animal from my childhood. 

My desk also holds required school items like my mac laptop and new Epson XP-410 printer that scans and prints from macs, PCs and even Iphones! If you are looking for a good wireless printer I would completely recommend it! I have loved it so far! 

Below I have provided close up photographs of my desk contents, as well as what else is above my desk! 

On the left back corner of my desk is where I keep all of my books to read for personal enjoyment. I currently have with me, Focus by Daniel Goleman, which my dad gave me as a gift before they left Chico this afternoon, a Wonder Woman comic that my friend purchased for me and a book pamphlet that talks about all the performances coming up throughout the year in Chico's auditoriums! While the rest of Chico is searching for parties, I will be at the performing arts events!  Thats a guarantee! 

Along with my strange assortment of reading material, on my desk, I also keep my flower tape dispenser, and pink stapler (both target purchases) as well as my pencil cup that holds my two drumstick pencils. The drumsticks pencils, a purchase that will undoubtedly decrease my attention span steadily, were acquired at Bed Bath and Beyond and the square pencil cup, with removable/interchangeable design was bought at Office Depot! 

Last but not least the retro record bowl, I got at a pretty cool little shop in Willow Glen called Whatnots and Doodads. I choose the Sister Sledge record with the title song We Are Family on it, purely because that was the song I sang with my theatre family at my graduation party. To me that small connection made it more then just a really cool creative record bowl but it also turned a really happy memory into something tangible that I could take with me to college. 

Above it all I tacked up a vintage styled photo strip that I created with my friend a few years ago in a mall Photo Booth. 


Next to my homemade jewelry hanger I hung a weekly wipe board calendar that I bought at target. Below the days of a week, on the black flower design, it also provides me with a place to hang notices, reminder and important papers with the push pin friendly surface. Between the door frame and the calendar I hung a white plastic command hook so that I could hang my ID and key lanyard. Its quick and easy to grab when heading out of my dorm room. 


Next is the glorious food cupboard (or should I say pantry) and mini fridge Katia and I share! Here is where you can find every possible college student food or should I say every possible carb packed food, that you can think of, along with a few kitchen aid objects and other random items.

In the lower two shelves we keep a stash of cup of noodles, Nature Valley granola bars, oatmeal packets, mini boxes of every possible cereal imaginable, breakfast essential drink packets, Frozen themed gummies, microwaveable popcorn, poptarts, gluten free macaroni cups, strawberry fruit roll ups, Lancaster carmels, fresh cutie oranges, Pringle's baked crispy pizza stix, bananas, Swiss Miss hot chocolate packets, apple cider drink packets, a mini cutting board, a cream cheese bagel spreader, a dust pan, plastic popsicle forms, and reusable water bottles. 

On the next shelf up we keep a large bag of extra cheese puff goldfish, Honey Maid graham crackers in the shape of Despicable Me minions, more microwaveable popcorn, reusable glass cups and mugs, microwaveable paper plates and bowls, dish towels, sun chips, gushers, fruit by the foot, more fruit rollups, tea, chocolate straight from Seattle, paper napkins, and reusable plastic silverware. 

The third shelf up on the right holds, a large box of honey nut cheerios, wheat thins, dried strawberries and mangos, honey nut cheerio milk and cereal bars, Ritz crackers, prepackaged croissant with almond butter, prepackaged peanut butter and crackers, and individual dip-able carmel containers. The left holds my roommates nail polish collection. 

The last and top shelf contains a bag of organic apples, my Tide pods for doing laundry, ziplock bags of all sizes, my collection of  hand sanitizers, and our room perfume to freshen our room. 

The mini fridge and freezer holds our cold water bottles, milk, tropical juices of different sorts, cheese sticks, blocks of cheese, cut up pineapple,  individual apple sauce cups, lunchables, strawberry smuckers uncrustables and mini pizza bagels. 

The storage goddess has blessed us in closet space! Both my roommate and I get each get three massive draws and two large closet cubby spaces to store our clothes. I brought more then half my closet and dresser drawers from home and I still have a large amount of room left! I separated my clothes into four categories, casual clothes, fancy clothes, tank tops and sweatshirts. I kept the categories together and placed the sweatshirts on the top shelf of the closet along with all of my bags, purses and a few stuffies!

One tool that I found really helpful was the tank top hanger I purchased at Target. (pictured below) 

On the bottom of my closet I placed my rolley cart of school supplies, my makeup pouch, my shower caddy and a basket of shoes. 


Under my bed I keep a box of plastic hangers, another box full of extra sheets, my school books, my DVD collection and a stack of photos.


Next I will give you a quick glimpse of my roommates side of the room. 



Hope you enjoyed the tour! 
Please feel free to request more posts! 

Bisous, 
Emily and Liana (Limly) 

Monday, August 11, 2014

My Style Icons: The Bold, the Beautiful and the Breathtaking

Bonjour Beauties!
Everyone has style. If you wear clothes you have some sort of style, it isn't just for high fashion twenty-somethings living in New York City and attending the Fashion Institute. We all have an individual and unique style that makes us who we are, it reflects our personality and gives a good (or bad) impression to those we've just met. With style comes those people who have inspired it. Everyone's style began somewhere, whether it was a three year old little girl who absolutely adored the yellow rain boots they saw on their play mate, a thirteen year old boy trying to impress the girl in his math class so he takes outfit ideas from that one actor every girl his age loves, or a fifty year old rediscovering animal print after deciding to splurge on a Gucci handbag because that three day work call she was on really took a toll.
A style icon can be a celebrity, a movie character, a family member or a stranger you saw on the street. So here are my super chic inspirations:

 Taylor Swift: 
Common Style Elements: High waisted skirts, 50's style clothing, colored jeans, cat printed anything, kitten heels, oxfords
Aside from being gorgeous Taylor sure does know how to dress. From high waisted skirts to cat shirts to jeans and a plain tee she always looks amazing, and also gives the rest of us amazing ideas for new ways to wear old clothes.
 Demi Lovato:
Common Style Elements: Ripped denim, leather jackets, band tees, tights, combat boots, high heels
Okay, Demi is an inspiration in general in everything she does, but in this case she is very much an inspiration for style. Her punky style is my absolute favorite, especially the way she wears her ripped denim shorts and band t-shirts.
 Effie Trinket from The Hunger Games:
Common Style Elements: Comstumey dresses, excessive jewelry, wild hair pieces
Admittedly I would never go out in her outfits seeing as they are a little wild for day to day life, but her girly day to day style and confidence in wearing whatever she wants makes me want to be super confident and slightly over the top with my outfits.
Sam from The Perks of Being a Wallflower:
Common Style Elements: Tights, headbands, oxfords, high waisted skirts, well fitting dresses, letterman jackets
Everything about Sam is admirable, and I aspire to be her. She is my idol (yes, my idol is a movie/book character, deal with it). Her confidence and forwardness is amazing and not to mention her style is outrageous gorgeous. Though simply and easy to wear, her outfits are often very flattering and very pretty, without having to spend to much time ripping through your closet to find an outfit.

Who are your style icons? I hope you enojoyed reading and I hope you may have found inspiration for a new look! Keep an eye on these ladies style because you will not be disappointed at what you see!
Bisous,
Emily and Liana (Limly)

10 Ways To Be Beautifully Flawless Without Wearing Makeup

Every female, especially of teenage or young adult age, enjoys playing around with makeup and style. Finding what they look good in, what color suits them best, and of course discovering and inventing new makeup designs to try out. Thats all fun and games, but when it comes down to it, beauty shouldn't be defined by the amount of makeup or the brand of makeup you ultimately wear. Beauty is so much more than that! Own your makeup-less beauty and feel beautifully flawless while just being your natural self! If you feel beautiful, everyone around you will see you that way! I have provided 10 trusty tips, to guarantee your own personal beauty without hiding behind the mask that makeup can sometimes be.

1. Confidence - Confidence is key! It doesn't matter what you wear or what makeup you have on, as long as you you exude confidence. If you exude confidence, you exude beauty. 

2. Smile - They say the first thing people notice about someone is their smile. Beauty definitely resides in a true genuine smile. Think hard. I am sure you can recall at least one time someone's small or unexpected smile filled your heart with complete warmth and love. Genuine smiles are a direct pipe line to happiness and as Audrey Hepburn said happy girls are pretty girls! Its true, happiness makes anyone gorgeous!

3. Natural Lips - You don't have to wear lipstick to make your lips look full, soft and lush. Just remember to take care of them. Use moisturizer, chapstick and drink lots of water to to keep them healthy and hydrated. 

4. Sleep - Getting enough sleep is important. Sleep gives you energy to put your whole heart into things. When you are sleep deprived, it natural to be angry, easily irritated, and negative. No one wants to be around someone like that all the time. Sleep is important, not only to be your best, but also to help keep your health up. Sleep keeps you fun, energetic and positive! Naturally those three things make you beautiful 

5. Positive Attitude - People never fail to love what brings joy to them. Positive people are always the center of attention and people always want to spend more time with them, in hopes that a little of their positive spirit and charm might rub off on them. Admit it, positive people are addicting to hang out around! 

6. Wear What Makes You Feel Comfortable and Confident (and Beautiful) - You don't need to wear the latest style or the cutest new trend. Wearing what makes you feel comfortable and confident and wearing what makes you personal FEEL beautiful will give you a radiant glow. You will emanate this glow of happiness and confidence, making you shine with beauty. 

7. Nutrition - Eat healthy food (less sugar and alcohol) to give your skin a healthy and beautiful glow! Eat lots of fruits, veggies and proteins. Also, remember to drink lots of water, as it helps keep your skin smooth and clear. 

8. Kind Words - Kindness and kind words help inner beauty triumph over all. A small (honest) compliment or a few words of genuine loving encouragement, can go a long way. Kindness is the best way to win someones heart and make your own beauty shine through. Just remember to keep your kindness genuine and real. 

9. Take Care Of Your Skin - This means wearing sunscreen on hot (or even gloomy days), to protect your skin from harmful rays. Sunscreen also helps prevent wrinkles and dark spots. Make SPF your new BFF. You will thank yourself, many years, from now for this one. Also finding a healthy skin care routine or regimen, washing morning and night as well as finding the right skin or acne product, is another great tool for keeping your skin soft, flawless and beautiful! 

10. Love Yourself - Ultimately if you love yourself most everyone else will too. When you are able to accept yourself the way you are you become beautiful in a whole new way!

Please remember you are beautiful no matter what! 
Stay Golden! 

Bisous, 
Emily & Liana (Limly) 

Sunday, August 10, 2014

UNDERGROUND MUSIC : Introducing Singer Eric Sage

Many people say love is the universal language, I would have to disagree and say that music is. Music has the ability to touch everyone. Even if you don't speak the same language as a certain song, it can still have the power to touch you, sometimes it even has the ability to strike a certain heart cord. Some of my favorite songs are in other languages. I can't understand a word they sing but I love them, because somehow I can still relate. Music can be a source of happiness or even an escape for its listeners. Music is always there for you no matter what.

Underground Music is post segment dedicated purely to introducing our readers to small singers or local bands that most people are unaware about. There are so many amazing artists out there, just starting out their music career or waiting to be discovered. 

Today I wanted to introduce you to....

ERIC SAGE

      
Eric Sage is a singer and songwriter, who, like many recording artists, started his career off by writing jingles that would later be played for both TV and radio audiences . He predominately specializes in light rock with a slight country twinge. It is a great combination, that is perfect for his rich and pleasantly raspy voice. He recently started to tour around the U.S along side his home country, Canada. If you are interested in purchasing his debut CD, Redeem My Heart, or listening to a short demo of his music, both can be found on his personal website at http://ericsage.com/ . All proceeds from his CDs go to help support the Make-A-Wish Foundation, in order to help kids with cancer.

Here is the official music video to the title song of Eric's album for you to enjoy! 


Another way to access short excerpts of (or purchase) all of the other songs on Eric's debut album is through Amazon and Itunes.

Both links are provided below for your listening pleasure! 



Hope you Enjoy! 
Remember To Keep The Magic Of Music Alive In Your Heart 

Bisous,
Emily and Liana (Limly)

Back-to-School Clothing Haul

Bonjour Beauties!
I know, its been like twenty years since Liana and I have posted on here...oops? Sorry, Liana is in the process of getting ready to move away to college and I'm busy salvaging the very last few days of my summer vacation in hopes that if I have fun now the happiness will last through the year until the next break (hint: it won't).
Anyways, today I'm going to share with you the clothing I've bought for school just because I can! If you have been outside in the past few weeks you will notice all of the shops have back to school sales and supplies and whatnot, so I guess its that time again... Without further adieu here is!


 White Shoes: Vans, Brown Wedges: XXI
up: Shoes!
A pair of plain white shoes is a must for me, even if they tend to get dirty quickly they go with EVERYTHING. Also I love wearing heels but they suck for school, so instead I like to opt for a pair of wedges, which are heels but so much more comfortable than any other kind! 
Red Faux Leather Jacket: XXI
 Next: A leather jacket!
They are warm but not boiling hot, so they are definitely fit for California winters! Definitely my favorite sort of jacket. (I have four leather jackets...is that overkill?)
Solid Black V Neck: Forever 21, Amour Baseball Shirt: Forever 21, Lacy Red Collared Blouse: Forever 21
 We all need to wear shirts to school so obviously it was a good idea for me to pick up a few!
 A simple black t-shirt is always handy to have around because you can wear them with most things. I also picked up a new baseball tee, which is great for lazy days when you still want to look cute! My last purchase was a lacy Forever 21 blouse that I purchased from a thrift store called Plato's Closet (which was an awesome find seeing as it still had the tag on!

 Polka Dot Shorts: XXI, Dressy Sweats: XXI, Jeans: American Eagle
I go through jeans and pants like crazy, so I was due to buy more asap. 
I bought a pair of red shorts that were deemed 'school appropriate' by the finger tip test, as well as a pair of what I like to call 'fancy sweatpants' which are exactly what they sound like; dressy sweats. Also I needed a pair of jeans because all of mine are ripped up...
Purple Skirt: Bongo, Feather Skirt: XXI
And lastly everyone needs a skirt or two!
I am completely in love with skirts because they are beyond comfortable! The purple one that looks like it has a quilted material of sorts is easy to pair and also out of the ordinary, which is my favorite thing. The other is harder to pair but is still absolutely gorgeous and I refused to leave the store without it!

That's it for my haul today, thanks for reading, and thank you for being patient about the uploads!

Bisous,
Emily and Liana (Limly)

Saturday, August 2, 2014

The Before 30 Bucket List

Bonjour Beauties!
Last night I was making a bucket list of things I wanted to do before 30 and I decided 'why not post it on the internet'! So without further adieu here it is!

The Before 30 Bucket List
1.Travel to London.


2.Visit at least 10 different countries.

3. Grant someone's life long wish.

4. Be fluent in French.

5. Run a marathon.

6. Have a career  doing something I love.

7. Meet a celebrity (preferably British).

8. Move to a new city.

9. See the Northern Lights.

10. Grow a garden (complete with trees). 

11. Have a song written about me.

12. Adopt a cat.

13. Go vegan for a year.

14. Ride a train (a real one).

15. Make my name known by a multitude of people.

Hope you all liked the post, and I encourage you to leave your bucket list dream down in the comments! xx
Bisous,
Emily and Liana (Limly)