A Look Inside My Kate Spade Planner

I finally bit the bullet and bought a Kate Spade planner last week and I am so glad I did. Before making the switch, I was a huge fan of the Lilly Pulitzer planner and it is still a great planner, but the Kate Spade one has a bit more of a professional feel to it. I can't believe that this is my last college planner...seriously, where has the time gone? I am not ready to leave yet!

I know that picking a planner can be stressful and I feel like I see pictures of Lilly planners all the time, but not so much what other planners look like. Here is a peek at my Kate Spade planner!

One of the reasons I love the agenda being so simple inside is that it makes my Le Pen colored notes pop that much more. I am also thinking of getting some Washi Tape to highlight things in my agenda. If you haven't seen it on Pinterest, definitely take a look. I love how people have been using it to incorporate cute colors and patterns into their agendas.

What is your agenda of choice?

xx,

Erin

Simple Kale Blueberry Smoothie

It is amazing how a morning routine can shape a day. I haven't had work for the last week and I can honestly say that the biggest difference between me today and over the past couple of days was getting back in my routine and starting the day off in a great way. One of the things that I have added to my morning routine is a delicious berry kale smoothie based off of a recipe I found on Pinterest.

Kale is so good for you and this smoothie is a satisfying breakfast, keeping me plenty full until lunch rolls around. As with any recipe, there are a bunch of great variations on this smoothie and you can enjoy it any time of the day!

Kale and Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 Cups Kale leaves (rip them off the stem)

3/4 Cup Frozen Blueberries

6oz Greek Yogurt

-possible additions-

1 Banana

splash of Almond or Skim Milk

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until you get it to a consistency you like. Enjoy!

so simple!

Also, if you like for your smoothie to be a bit creamier, add some milk and possibly some extra yogurt, it's all about proportions!

3 ingredients (plus banana and a little extra yogurt)

xx,

Erin

Camo Chic

Okay, I admit, I didn't really think the camo trend was going to stick around very long, but I am loving how people put different feminine touches on the pattern. This top is obviously a grey pallet, but the traditional army greens are such a great base for a fall outfit! I picked up this tank at Old Navy at the beginning of the summer and have loved styling it the past couple of months.

top: Old Navy // jeans: Talbots // necklace: Kendra Scott // bracelets: Fornash // earrings: Target // shoes: Kohls

If you haven't gotten the chance to check out the newest additions to the J. Crew Factory, definitely make your way over there because they're bringing camo back! I love the vest they have, but I don't think I would get enough wear out of it for my investment, but I am sure some of y'all could make this a wardrobe staple!

What is your favorite camo item for the fall?

xx,

Erin

Friday Five: Polished and Productive

This was just an off week for me. I kept saying that I was going to get it together and every single time, I felt like I was floundering. Oh well, I am going to blame it on that Kim Kardashian game I keep playing (review coming soon...all in the name of a blog post, am I right?) On a serious note though, I am starting a new at-home yoga program this morning and maybe that will help center me for the day!

One: Lead Like the Reigning Business Women of the South

Did you know that four of the five states with the most growth in women-owned business are in the south? Well I certainly didn't before I read this article. The article is well-written and includes both a bit about women business owners in general and features several successful women as well. There is just something about knowing that others have been successful pursuing their passions that make going after your own dreams less intimidating. 

Two: The Prettiest Vending Machine Ever

I love nail polish and getting my nails done and this may have made me grin from ear to ear. I need to find one of these! Essie has such fun, bright colors and being able to stock up on the go would be perfect because I am sure we have all packed our bags only to realize that we have no polish!

Three: Pinterest Quote

Man, I needed this quote when I read it. There is something about having the place you spend time tidy that makes life so much more productive, at least for me. You can always tell that I am spending all my time in the library when I am at school because my room becomes good only as a closet with a bed...clothing all over the place...oops!

Four: Five Fashion Tips from Jackie Kennedy

We all love her iconic style and ability to look flawless in Lilly shift dresses and Jack Rogers. The amazing thing about her is that she did not create waves because she dressed in outlandish clothing, she is an icon because she knew how to make classic, timeless pieces work. 

Five: The Definitive Ranking of the Men of Gilmore Girls

I came so darn close to not posting this, so close. The only reason I posted it is because I do agree with most of it...most. There is one small detail though that I dislike...WHY IS LOGAN 9?!? Seriously, Jess gets to be 1 and Logan is 9th? Well whatever, I would definitely give Jess a 3 behind Luke and Logan the 1 seed, but I didn't sit down to write this list, did I? Nope, but it is a pretty great list and definitely worth checking out if you're a Gilmore Girls fan!

xx,
Erin

Wednesday Determination with Oprah

Good Morning...from Starbucks. Yep, my house ran out of coffee this morning. The upside of that is that I was out of the house for the day early, despite not having work, to run my errands and get started on work and planning that I'd been putting off. The week or so has been really weird and busy, yet I really didn't feel productive. Today that is going to change though because I am unstoppable with a cup of coffee, the Frank Sinatra Pandora station, and a to-do list in a coffee shop. 

Also, I am using this as an excuse to not have the blog post I was planning on doing today because I headed over here in my workout clothes, not the outfit I had planned, but that's what tomorrow is for, right?

Here's a little motivation for your Wednesday!

xx,

Erin

DC Living: Eastern Market

Let's see if I have more success writing this post for today than I did yesterday...seriously, it was terrible. Monday was a struggle in case you missed that, but today is Tuesday and I am so blessed with all the things I have and hopefully the brain in my head to make today a bit more functional than yesterday. One of the things that I am so blessed by is living just outside of DC and getting to enjoy both life in the suburbs and all the culture that DC has to offer. One of my favorite parts of the city is Eastern Market. The neighborhood, the South Hall, Barracks Row restaurants just down the street, the whole area is fantastic. 

please let me move in

The South Hall market is packed with meat, produce, and baked good vendors Tuesday through Sunday and on the weekends the area in front of the South Hall transforms into a giant farmers and arts market. There are products from local farms and many local vendors and artisans also set up booths to check out. Personally, I absolutely love fresh, local produce and the experience of getting it from somewhere like this. 

THough I've never bought any of the artwork at Eastern Market, the vendors selling paintings, drawings, and photographs of DC monuments and other scenes from around town. There really is some amazing local talent and they aren't charging absurd prices for their work. Also, the jewelry vendors are plentiful and they have cute, affordable pieces. I got a necklace and two pairs of earrings plus a birthday gift for a friend without breaking the bank!

So if you ever find yourself around the Capitol, especially on a weekend, I highly recommend stopping by at least for a half hour or so to check out the historic South Hall and support the local economy. If you don't live in a city, you might not realize, but these prices for produce are quite cheap for the area!

one of the many meat vendors in Eastern Market

walking up from 6th Street 

Oh, and on Saturday I went to Charlottesville with Momma and Tia and we went to King Family Vineyard with one of my best friends, Katie. It is absolutely beautiful out there and a few hours on their patio is good for the soul. Definitely a place to consider going if you find yourself in Charlottesville (two hours south of DC!)

xx,

Erin

It Happens to the Best of Us

I am thinking of making this "It Happens to the Best of Us" a regular feature on the blog because I feel like there really is no limit to the number of ways to end that phrase. For example, I have been floundering for the last two weeks with getting adjusted to not working, then working again, and now, Monday has been the struggle of all struggles. 

...skipping spin class this morning because "I couldn't find my gym card" (it may be true, but it's a crap excuse)
...opting for a professional ponytail because actually doing something with your hair is just not happening
...then proceeding to spend half of the day trying to perfect doing a french braid on yourself
...wearing pants or a maxi skirt because you chose to lay in bed for an extra few minutes instead of shaving
...legitimately including "get my life together..." on today's to-do list
...eating a sugary scone for breakfast because it tastes better than healthy food
...proceeding to choke on said scone while driving because filling up your mug with extremely hot coffee was more important than filling a water bottle
...not being able to taste anything for the rest of the day after forcing that coffee down in hopes of dislodging the dry scone
...dreaming of being able to afford the designer items in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale because even on sale they're miles out of budget
...being upset with myself because I no longer crave junk food...it's just not as fun to crave fruit
...packing lunch is the greatest accomplishment of the day so far
...that choosing a planner for the school year is actually a stressful decision...again
...using a Title Capitalization website to double check the title of this post
...wanting to crawl into a hole an hibernate when you realize that yes, it is only Monday

xx,
Erin

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Beauty and Home Favorites

Since there were just so many things that I loved in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I couldn't put all of my favorites into one post. If you missed part one yesterday, you can check it out here. Part two is all about the fantastic beauty and home products they have in this sale. One of the first items on my list is the Clarisonic which I have been doing a bunch of research on lately and it seems to be a worthwhile investment, if any of you have a recommendation on it, I would love to hear it!

Clarisonic Mia 2

Stila Lip Glaze

bareMinerals Eyecolor

Emi-Jay Hair Ties

MAC Look In A Box Kit

Kate Spade Ferris Wheel Coffee Mug

Kate Spade Tidbit Plates

Foreside Oval Clock

Nordstrom At Home Kasey Duvet

Sweet Apartment Apron

Antica Farmacista Home Perfume

Voluspa Two-Wick Tin Candle

xx,

Erin

Fashion Favorites: Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

So if you follow any other Fashion blogger out there, you probably know that the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale opened to the public yesterday and it is just as amazing as ever. For those of you who don't know, this is not a summer clearance sale, instead it is a sale on many of their new items for Fall and Winter and these items are just now hitting the store. It is virtually impossible to pick favorites from this sale and I have already walked away with two items after only the first day!

Sam Edelman Pembrooke Boot

Kendra Scott Danielle Earrings

If I had an endless bank account, I would shop till I dropped, but instead, I will just post my wish list and dream of a day when I don't have student loan payments looming in my not-to-distant future:

Kate Spade Metro Grand leather strap watch

Hanky Panky Undies

North Face Glacier Quarter Zip

Sam Edelman Pacific Wrap Bootie

ASTR Jacquard Button Back Top

Dooney and Burke Leather Tote

PJ Salvage Pajamas

Halogen Calf Hair Pointed Toe Heel

Hudson Jeans Collette Skinny Jeans

Tory Burch Wrap Bracelet

What are your favorites in this sale?

xx,

Erin