dream in sequins

via 

Looooooong time, no see, talk, or write fellow bloggies and friends! Oofta, it's been awhile since I've been on this "thing" here. I am sorry if those of you that look forward to The Happy Initiative or girly inspirations but i just got SO busy and burnt out with the end of school and other events in my life.

This past month or so has been quite the roller coaster ride. But I feel grown up because I am learning to embrace it because through the ups & downs and the dips & whips I grow as a person and end up in a much better place then when I started. #loveit #growingup #twitterspeakisaddictive

But enough soapbox talk and on to more important things liiiiike FASHION :) As I was perusing (if that's even how you spell it) Facebook yesterday I came across a wonderful mini-video on Jenna Lyons of J Crew. Can you say genius?! Ohmygahhhh, she is definitely one of my fashion idols! LOVE HER! I love how she "dreams in sequins". #obsessed

Just take a peek for yourself and let this be your style inspiration for the rest of this week. 

Until next time!

xoxo, 

m

agenda: happy initiative + copywriting

Well what do ya know, I was lazy this past Sunday and didn't get to writing the happy initiative. My bad bloggies. But never fear, for happy is here... And vintage Chanel..

 In honor of The Happy Initiative this week..

First on the agenda, "Shtuff" that made me happy this week...

1. Spring has sprung! Birds chirping in the morning is heavenly.
2. My morning cup 'o' joe with hazelnut cream. Yummo!
3. The end of my nursing home days... as an nurse aide that is.
4. Finding new brands to LOVE. [EmersonMade] <-- check out my last post about this one.
5. Living Word Christian Center.
6. Downtown Stillwater. I know, so not original since this has been on the list for the past couple weeks. But I'm telling you guys, its just devine!
7. Finding vintage Chanel, Gucci, and Yves Saint Laurent in the vintage shops in Stillwater.
8. Vanilla ice cream with a little bit of chocolate sauce and a sprinkling of ground up coffee grounds.
9. First BBQ din-din of the season. The smell of burning charcoal excites me.
10. 4 weeks left of school... yes, the countdown continues.

If that ain't a great list of happy things then I dunno what is people! [country accent emphasized]

And now second item on agenda, copywriting.

The North Loop: My new place of work. 

I started my new job today at IN Food Marketing & Design. I am now their new (might I add lovely) junior copywriter. Never in my life had I seen myself as a writer. But look at me now, writing in the blogosphere, writing copy for an agency..who knows what else could be in the future for me. Exciting thing's I'm sure. I must emphasize the creative toll it takes on ze brain but I am up for the challenge! Now I just need to get this silly "school business" out of the way so I can focus on the good stuff like work, writing, and ...designing. Yes that is in the works my dears, big things on the horizon!

Must go now and study hard aka doze off after ten minutes of reading... tootle loo!

xoxo,

m

EmersonMade.

Need a little pick-me-up on this dreary Saturday morning? I have just the thing for you...Read on..

I found a classically chic new designer to follow, rant & rave about, and seek inspiration from. Who is it you ask... well its EmersonMade of course. This line is not new but sure new to me. I don't know how I haven't heard of them until now though, boggles.my.mind! 

Emerson is the designer that lives in the countryside of New Hampshire. She does all the design, styling and artwork, and her "right-hand-man",aka here husband, helps out with the photography. They are high school sweethearts and still find time to run every morning together. [Precious] They opted out of New York City to live the farm life. They run a certified organic farm with a thriving business to boot! What a FAB duo!

You can find them online at Emersonmade.com. Emerson and her husband were also just featured in Boston Magazine.. check out the article here!

Pictures! Pictures! I hear you yelling all the way from your screen... I know, I know, I was saving the best for last obviously...

This is Emerson. 

EMERSONMADE TRADEMARKED. 

This woman embodies style. 

Mod dress. Need it. Want it. 

In white as well...

This blazer! I can't stop drooling over it.

Totally a Think In Pink necessity...don't ya think? Someday I WILL have my own t-shirt company with romantic tees such as these. 

I hope this brightens up your day lovelies! Look for The Happy Initiative tomorrow and have a stylish weekend. 

xoxo,

-m

rockin the reds.

Did anyone happen to see the beautiful day today? Ha, I keed, I keed. You'd be a fool if you didn't! Tis finally getting warm enough to roll down the windows, wear lighter clothing, and put on dem spring time shoes!

In honor of TOMS "Going barefoot so kids don't have to" Day I went barefoot wore my tommies today. 

I suppose I should have taken the pics outside to capture the glorious weather... another day, another time I suppose. 

Next on my list for TOMS purchases... the pink glitters. Too cute! 

Alright I better stop procrastinating. The solution to multiple deadlines? Diet Coke, pistachios, and Pandora :)

xoxo, 

m

LC : self-made fashionista

We all can remember the days of Laguna Beach where jean skirts, flip flops, and teeny bikinis was the "go-to" look we all wanted to emulate. And though this might be still okay for a lot of beach babes it is certain that a repuatble look these days is much more pulled together and effortlessly chic. One main Laguna lady, the one and only Lauren Conrad, has grown up before our eyes and transformed into a fashionista of her own making.

Its impressive to see a reality TV star to gain such a respected reputation in the fashion world. She has mastered the art of looking chic yet comfortable, trendy yet classy, and be able to cater to both ends of the budget spectrum when it comes to fashion. Lauren is a published writer, fashion designer (she's got line at Kohl's if you want to check out her work), and TV starlette.

I've pulled together some outfits that I loved her in. I love taking outfits I see celebs (or anyone really) wearing and seeing how I can put that outfit together with my wardrobe and maybe just a little shopping to add a few key pieces. Try this out! It makes thinking of a cute new outfit much easier if you have a picture to work with. (No one needs to know you copied wardrobe ideas!)

via Nydailynews.com

Perfect balance of casual and dressed. Simple pair of black shorts with a pair of peep-toe pumps and loose shirt looks great for a night out with the girls. 

via Posh24.com

I seriously think a blazer pulls together any outfit whether you want to dress up or down. Black ensemble with the leather wedges and Chanel quilted bag is a great outfit for a day out shopping and lunch. 

via X17online.com

One of my favorite outfits is a pair of jeans and a white tee. So many variations can be made with this classic outfit. Adding some leather accessories and a fun pair of sunglasses makes it your own. 

via People.com

LOVE this outfit. Mixing feminine and masculine elements in one outfit can make anyone look chic. Throw on your fave accesories and a rockin hair do (love her bun in this) and you're geared up for a fun night on the town!

I love the way she puts together outfits. She's not afraid to mix it up but she never is a slave to a trend. She always makes every outfit her own... and that's what fashion is all about. Check out her book, Style, which I wrote about in the "early" days of Think In Pink. 

Happy Outfit-Hunting!

xoxo, 

m

no naked nails!

Being the girly-girl that I am, its only fitting that I love to get mani &pedi's whenever possible. And if not that, I have to have my nails polished. I mean, who likes naked nails? They're not pleasant to look at, especially toes (am I right, or am I right?) and just plain ole boring. Plus, painting your nails is a simple, affordable luxury that anyone has access to. Those are enough reasons for dressing up those nails ladies! 

Essie Weingarten, founder of Essie Cosmetics, is the mastermind behind the nail polish line that I absolutely love! The name in itself is just down right adorable but the vast amount of colors and durability of polish gives this product an A+.

Essie nail polishes, from left to right: French Affair, Coat Azure, Topless & Barefoot, and Nice is Nice

Above is the line that I recently got. It is the spring collection, inspired by Southern French flair. I can't get over the names. I get laughed at for this but I think it would be such a fun job to be a "nail-polish namer". But anyways, I'm sporting Coat Azure (the blue one) and it looks pretty rad. And for those of you who can't bear to spend $8 on one bottle of polish, which is what one bottle of Essie polish costs, a cost efficient strategy is to buy a sampler pack, like I did with these four colors. That way you spend a little more the $8 but then you get 4 colors to work with. Deal!

 

So ladies, what polish names do you love? Have you tried Essie and absolutely love it too ;)? What color are you wearing? 

Happy Sunday!

xxoo, 

-m

initiate happy.

"Happy is the man who finds wisdom and understanding for the gain from it is better than gain from silver and profit better than gold. "- Proverbs 3:13,14

Yes, you guessed it, it's time for The Happy Initiative. Ten things, among many, that made me happy this week.

via Jen Gotch Photography

- Bookstores. I don't even have to get anything, I love just looking...but of course purchasing the goods is fun too. 

- April! Woot woot! That means only one month and a half left of school.

- Rolling down the windows in the car. 

- Green juice.

- Stillwater. 

- Having to take summer classes.Wait....that definitely didn't make me happy BUT the silver lining is if I take the summer classes I'll FOR SURE graduate next fall. Oofta!

- Lipgloss, the really glossy and sticky stuff! 

- Homemade facials.

- A night devoted to my relaxation because of my best friend Linley :) She made an amazing pesto linguini dinner, banana bread bread pudding and the homemade facials just to pamper me. Wow! Such an amazing friend!

- Jen Gotch. A LA photographer... her pictures are featured as my inspiration today. 

Dun du dunnnnn.... guess who's turn it is? YOURS! What made your pearly whites gleam this week?

xoxo,

-m

rewind...and play please!

Monday, Monday....

Photo- Pia ulin

I'm back. Ha! My "hiatus" didn't last long. I woke up this morning in a great mood and realized I started Think In Pink because it makes me happy and The Happy Initiative because I want to help other people be happy too. Why take a break from that?!

I also discovered that other bloggers are pushing The Happy Initiative movement forward by blogging their happy moments too! Woot woot! LOVE this!

I need to run off to work soon but I wanted to leave y'all with a couple songs that made me happy today. Take a look, or rather take a ...listen?...

One to make you happy...

"Happy" -Leona Lewis. Love the words in this one.

One to remind you of your own beauty, inner and out. 

"Beautiful"- MercyMe. 

And one to make you "wanna shake yo bootay" :)

"Super Bass" - Nicki Minaj

I'll leave you with those for now. Wish you all the bestest week full of sunshine, warmth, and dreams of summer lovin'.

xoxo,

-m

pause please.

Happy Sunday Lovies!

Once again I overslept about 2 hours past my alarm, something that has been happening all too many times lately. SO I have pondered long and hard about this (okay well not really) and  I decided to take a hiatus from blogging  for the month of April. Usually I can manage everything but it's insane how much school work I have coming up. Plus on top of that I have once job ending, another starting, and an internship still... and well my sanity to keep.

So....so long bloggers! I'll be seeing you...

xoxo,

-m

To end March on a good note, gaze over these lovely photos. I love photography, especially white on white canvases!

Check out this Norwegian-based photographer. Get more of her at her blog, So Mee. 

{Photo credit - Trine Thorson }

Another Trine Thorson goodie. 

Here's a Swedish photog ... Absolutely beautiful. 

{Photo credit - Pia Ulin  }

This would be perfect right now.

.h.a.p.p.y.

Oops, I did it again...

Image from Recherche. Super cute kid prhotography. 

... forgot to post my happy moments of last week. Whoopsies! I'm slacking only because I have been preoccupied with other sorts of things. Sooooooo enough small talk, here comes the goodies:

The Happy Initiative- Week ?:

~50 degree weather, but now we just got dumped on, but I have faith it will melt fast! The weather can only get warmer from here on out!

~ Parade of Homes. Love dream-building.

~ Birthdays: yummy dinner, desserts, cupcakes, presents..

~ PAYDAY FRIDAYS!

~ Making payments on my maxed out  credit card. One of my new years resolutions finally kicking in!

~ Justin Bieber. Yes, I have Bieber Fever. 

~ Quick stop at Mickey D's... I know, I know, sooo bad for you but sometimes I just have to give in to my double cheeseburger kick. :)

~ Hearing the birds sing when I get up now. 

~ Coffee with hazelnut creamer.

~ My new journal I got at Lifeway Bookstore. 

You know what I'm going to say next.... tell me your happy moments please, that in turn would make me veryyyy happy :)

Happy Hump Day everyone! 

Oh and ps I GOT A NEW JOB! Woohoo!!! I will be the junior copywriter at IN Food Marketing and Design. I'm so excited. It will definitely be a challenge because I always will have to have my creative cap on my I am definitely up for it! And its downtown, how cool. 

the middle sister

Good Afternoon Loves-

I found a FANTASTICly awesome wine last night that of course I had to share with you asap. You should know that I LOVE wine! Preferably reds but I'll take a white if I gotta. Also,  I am the middle child, or rather middle sister of the family. And I also get ridiculed for being a "goodie two-shoes" sometimes..So as I was walking into the liquor store hoping to get a bottle of wine there it was. I saw "The Middle Sister": a red (pinot noir) to be exact, named the middle sister, and it even had a pink label. Dang, talk about fate. And to top off the cuteness the back description almost described me to a T, minus the vampire novels ;) It read: 

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful. Or because I graduated top of my class. Being perfect is a terrible burden to bear. So I must confess I do have one or two vices. Wine, cheese, cheeseburgers, vampire novels, pink outfits and serial flirting...is that more than one or two? I hope my secrets are safe with you. I have an image to protect. Let me buy you a glass of wine."

Just too cute! Pictures of course...

Trying to be cool with the effects...

Cute huh?

Ahhhh... refreshing...

Of course opened with my PINK Houdini... Get one. Seriously. They are so fun!

Pink gem stopper. So presh!

The wine was only $7.99! Bingeing on a budget..ha just kidding! A glass of wine is juuuusttt fine with me :) Try it out and let me know what you think, and until next time..

xoxo, 

m

DIY : Facial Scrub

Who loves pampering themselves? I do! I do!

While I was reading my Whole Living Magazine, which by the way has so many fun and healthy beauty/health/wellness tips, I found a great do-it-yourself facial scrub that you can make with just the ingredients in your pantry! Sounds like a plan to me!

So I started off with the directions...

(horrible photog but had to show you the original recipe)

I gathered the correct ingredients from the pantry...

This scrub calls for 1 teaspoon of organic raw honey, 1 cup of raw or regular granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of olive oil, and 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice. 

Then assembled it into this adorable jar for cute presentation. I was opting for a mason jar at first ( I love the antique country feelings that mason jars convey) but couldn't find it so I used this instead. Still super cute!

 

Though I had to substitute regular sugar for raw and concentrated lemon juice for fresh lemons I still got phenomenal results! I rubbed the scrub onto my face for about a minute then left it on for about 30 minutes. Once I washed it off my face was amazingly smooth, pores appeared smaller, and red spots seemed lighter. WOW! And I still have plenty left for the remainder of this week and even beyond that!

So you may be sitting there wondering what are the benefits of these natural ingredients?

*Honey: Absorbs the impurities from the skin making it a perfect cleansing agent, especially those lucky ladies who are so privileged to have oily/combination skin, such as moi. Lovely, huh? Honey also has antioxidant properties and retains moisture to keep your skin supple and wrinkle free!

*Lemon Juice: As a natural detoxifier for your internal system, lemon juice can also help with skin. The citric acid exfoliates, dries out pimples, and helps to bleach and heal scars. 

*Olive Oil: This ancient beauty remedy packs a powerful punch of vitamins A & E and include polyphenols too. This works to help with cellular repair and aids in delaying aging.

*Sugar: This sweetie exfoliates your skin big time! With a good exfoliation comes radiant and glowing skin. But be careful to not use sugar scrubs too often. As I just learned, when used too much it can cause tiny fissures in your skin which is not good. So be sure to use gentle strokes when applying this scrub. Good alternatives when you want to switch it up? Oatmeal, yogurt, egg yolks... all work wonders! 

Besides getting phenomenal results, I didn't have to spend a single dollar! Talk about beauty on a budget... perfect for THINK IN PINK :) So try this out and let me know what you think! Any more DIY beauty tips for me? Send them my way!

xoxo,

m

p.s. I found another great blog/site to follow for those of us who love anything to do with fashion, beauty, and health & wellness- FabFitFun.com started by the gorgeous Giuliana Rancic. Check it out!

oh happy day!

Another week gone by, another happy initiative to complete.

I feel as though I have been neglecting Think In Pink. Perhaps because I am so drained from midterms the past two weeks. Spring break couldn't have come at a better time. And though I don't get the luxury of traveling anywhere warm and sunny I still will be appreciating the time off to rejuvenate, get back to my regular workout schedule, catch up on some long overdue reading and just plain ole veg out!

Thanks to some shopping rendezvouses this week, I was able to collaborate a "happy" list with ease for this week. So here it is:

- New nikes! About dang time. 

-Reading, reading, reading. 

- A few goodies from Stacia Wilson Skincare... A couple Murad products and a few things from her own makeup line! Love it!

- Hearing what makes my awesome readers happy! Thanks for commenting ladies. Keep 'em coming!

- Sleeping in. 

- Crave salad and Margherita pizza from Crave Restaurant. Yummmm. 

- Sampling perfume at the perfume counters. I love perfume! Hear are some of my favorites..

(Notice these are all shades of pink. By chance, I swear!)

- Informational interview with Lisa Shortridge from La Rue Marche. She gave me some rockin' advice about starting my own business!

- Twitter. I'm officially addicted. Follow me @MonsThinkInPink. Please and thank you :)

Just click here. 

- Spring break has arrived! Yayayyyyyy. 

That should do it. Now your turn. What made you happy this past week? Any shopping indulgences perhaps? Tell me, tell me!

xoxo,

m

happy happy joy joy

Alright people!! It's THE HAPPY INITIATIVE time!

10 things that made me HAPPY this week are...

- Sister time.
- Delish bread and dipping oil from Biaggi's in Maple Grove.
- Dresses. I would wear one everyday if I could!
- Homemade truffles and caramels. No, I didn't make them... But I should try some time.
- Naps. LOOOONG naps.
- My BCBG Paris black, suede peep-toe booties.
- Informational interviews with savvy business people.
- Puppies.
- Earl grey tea.
- The thought of just one more week left until spring break. Wahooooo!!

Tell me your happy moments of the week. No really, please do. You would make my day if you responded!

xoxo,

m

p.s... So I have an update on my "business plan". I have been meeting with different business owners and talking with professors about how to start my own business. I finally feel like an entrepreneur now. I have all these ideas in my head that I feel like I'm going to burst..I'm lovin' it.  I mean, it's going to be awhile before I even have the money to start but ya gotta start somewhere right?!

I'm trying to figure out some cute ways to set up a little work station for myself. I'm likin' the rustic feel captured here...

Image found at Lushlee.com. Photography done by Artemis Russell. 

musical chairs

I just realized that I forgot to post my top ten happy moments of last week! So I must share those ASAP!

But first- remember the days of musical chairs? How fun was that game?! It was especially exciting when the teacher would put on a silly song that made all the kids laugh. So this week's, well actually last week's, happy initiative is/was inspired by music.

Anyone up for a game of musical chairs? Or perhaps just a lazy day beach getaway with some good tunes? 

Image from A Beach Lover's Place

Top Ten Songs that made me HAPPY:

1. "Rolling in the Deep" -Adele
2. "Born this Way" - Lady Gaga
3. "All Day Long" - Billy Currington
4. "Show Me a Good Time" - Drake
5. "Mountain and the Sea" - Ingrid Michaelson
6. "At or With Me" - Jack Johnson
7. "Don't Panic" - Coldplay
8. "Man of the Hour" - Norah Jones. So cute for the dog owners out there!
9. " E.T" - Katy Perry ft. Kany West
10. "Syrup & Honey"- Duffy
Bonus tracks: "Karaoke"-Drake, "Love Gun"- Cee Lo Green ft Lauren Bennett, and "Kissin in Cars"- Jesse Lee.

Tell me some from your playlist! I love adding to mine. Also, keep your eyes out for this week's happy initiative!

xoxo,

m

i enjoy being a girl

Here are some fun, girly commercials that lit up my day today... perhaps it can do the same for you.

"Pretty Khaki", GAP

"We're only human", Dove Chocolate

"Back in Black", GAP

"Balcony Kiss", Nivea

I couldn't find the video for this one youtube but go to

 http://www.splendad.com/ads/show/2677-Nivea-Lip-Care-Balcony

Super cute!

Tomorrow is hump day! Hopefully everyone is having a fantastic week so far!

xoxo,

m

gals in gowns

Who watched the Oscars last night? I did! I did! Though it was more of catching a few glimpses here and there as I was taking care of residents at work, so not glamorous. But no worries, I still was able to catch my favorites for the night.

Drumroll please....

Reese Witherspoon had to be my number one favorite. She's gorgeous, the dress is gorgeous but I think what did it for me was the hair! Retro-chic, love it!

Dress: Giorgio Armani Prive

Image: people.com

Mila Kunis in a beautiful Elie Saab Haute Couture. 

Image: justjared.com

Scarlett Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana. Again, love her hair! 

Image: huffingtonpost.com

Matthew McConaughey's girlfriend, Camila Alves = Beautiful! 

Dress: Kaufmanfranco

Image: Huffingtonpost.com

And last but not least, one of my all-time favorite singers, the one and only Celine Dion. Dazzled in Giorgio Armani Prive. 

Image: Justjared.com

All beauties, don't ya think? Who were your best dressed picks? Happy Monday everyone!

xxoo,

m