Unwind, relax, and throw a comfy tee on.

This has been such a stressful week. Okay, nothing compared to finals week, but pretty dang busy. I feel like that has been this way all summer. I get done with one task just to pick up and run to the next. I love my major and all, but I can’t wait to be done with classes. I never feel that I can truly relax when I know there is always something I could possibly be doing. To top it all off this week, I had to begin moving back into my apartment. I have included some tips on apartment renting and the day you go to pick up your keys so that you don’t end up in a mess like meeee. When it finally rolls around to the weekend there is nothing I love more than to take some quality time with myself getting ready in the morning and to throw on an oversized comfy shirt. Tailgate is my go to when it comes to comfy tees and plus they are super cute for tailgating.

Hope y’all are having a great summer! And remember if you are ever feeling like you’re about ready to lose it, take some quality TLC time for yourself and put on the most relaxing thing you own. You will feel rejuvenated and yourself again after a day spent to yourself. According to one of my future professors today we have exactly 4 and 3/7 weeks left of summer so you should soak it all up while you still can!

xoxo ariel

Tips for Renting:

1. READ THE WELCOME LETTER. I can’t emphasize this one enough. My apartment sent one out and my move in process was much more difficult and full of a lot more frustration because I was not prepared from reading the welcome letter.
2. Bring proof of setting up utilities. I was again not prepared because I did not have a printed copy with me, but they will want to have proof of utilities.
3. Ask to see the apartment you will actually be renting. I have learned from previous mistakes that not every apartment, even if it has the same layout looks the same, they are not the same!
4. Have patience. There are hundreds of people trying to move in at the same time as you so it is extremely important to stay calm and take your time.

My go to comfy outfit.

Shirt: Tailgate is full of cute comfy shirts just like this one. They are super flattering and so soft to wear. Plus you can never represent the Hawkeyes too much.

Shorts: These shorts are OLD haha. But they are super comfy. I have had them for a couple years, but I have always loved the studded detail on the pockets.

Shoes: My go to Adidas. The basic white Adidas go with any outfit and are the perfect weekend on the go shoe.

My favorite accessories.

Head band: This is a bandana I found laying around the house. I love the summer trend of wearing them as a head band as I did above, or tying it around your neck. Either way this is my favorite accessory this summer.

Earrings: I recently bought these. I love how blingy they are and they can go with nearly every outfit.

Relaxation:

Here are some of my go to relaxation supplies that make me feel a little better when I am overwhelmed!

I love bath bombs. There is nothing better than just soaking in a good ole bath and letting all the worries go away. This bath bomb is from The Basin in Florida, but you can still order them online. This is my go to favorite place to buy bath bombs, since I think they are cost effective and quality as well.

My face never feels better than after I was and moisturize it. This moisturizer i recently started trying from Sephora and loveeee it. It is for oily with some dry spots and my skin has never felt better. You can always go to Sephora to find the one that is best for your skin type.

This hair mask has been my life saver. Over the past year I have developed extremely damaged hair. This hair mask has saved my life and my hair and made it feel soft even when it is damaged! You can’t beat putting on a hair mask then watching a great movie.

I hope my tips for a stress free summer have helped!

Stripes can be edgy too.

Happy Wednesday! It’s officially Hump Day! This has been a super long week already. Having to move out of my apartment at the beginning of the week has been so stressful, but is so relieving now. It’s like turning a new page in a book and starting fresh. Getting ready to start my senior year in a little over a month is amazing and terrifying at the same time. It seems like just yesterday my parents were dropping me off at the dorm leaving me to fend for myself in this crazy world we call college life. Boy have I grown up a lot and learned a lot throughout these last 3 years of college. My tips for future freshmen are as follows:

1. Boys suck. Do not worry about them. It’s an unnecessary stress that you don’t need when you’re dealing with so much. I am a firm believer that it will happen when the time is right so don’t worry about it until then.
2. Don’t sweat the small stuff. And I mean this on every aspect of life. From roommate troubles, which there are bound to be unless you found your long lost soulmate and in that case good for you, to school work. If you are trying your hardest then that is all you can ask for, but if you feel that you could’ve given that test more effort then perhaps try that for the next one.
3. Find a passion. This may be hard when you are trying to get good grades, discover who you really are, and balance a social life, but it helps. I have discovered a couple that keep me grounded such as running and my love for clothes as you see here. Once you find it hold on to it and have that be a part of your foundation as a person.
4. Don’t forget who you are. Okay I may be getting all Rafiki on you here, but for real. College is a wonderful time to discover who you really want to be, but don’t forget where you came from and the ones that love you. So often I see people become a completely different person than I knew them to be. You are a beautiful person and don’t have to change for anyone.

okay, now that I have that rant over, back to clothes. This outfit is my go to cute, but casual. Stripes are always a must as they are extremely slimming. I have a ton of stripes in my closet, and I mean a ton. But I simply “can’t get enough of them”. Read on for the outfit deets and some of my favorite makeup pieces. Enjoy!

xoxo ariel

Top: bodysuit from Express. I bought it this spring and I love the quarter sleeves with the scoop neck. Anytime I wear this I feel really chic and slim (which I need to work on at the moment) haha.

Shorts: These edgy shorts came from my favorite, American Eagle. Yay! I got them this summer and I’m sure they are on sale by now. They are called high rise festival shorts. I have been able to wear them with so many different things and I love how edgy they are.

Belt: This belt came from TARGET. Many designer stores are selling them for a whole lot more, but I got this bad boy for pretty cheap. It adds the right touch to any outfit and “helps me keep my drawers up” as my dad would say.

Hat: My go to rain or shine hat. Literally wore this yesterday and got so many compliments just at the mall. It’s super flattering on and I love the cute and simply saying on the front and back “crazy hair” and “don’t care”.

Shoes: As you can see my white ADIDAS have gotten a lot of love. They are plain white and super simple, but they are my go to shoe to add a cool vibe to my outfit.

My go to spring/summer eyeshadow palette. All the colors on here are so gorgeous. Today I focused on using “Summer Yum” and “Caramelized”. They are actually super pretty together and I love this look.

My new highlighter!! Finally committed and got a Becca Highlighter. This adds the perfect summer glow to any face. I can’t get enough of how gorgeous it is. I got mine in Champagne Pop for a bright glow.

The perfect nude lip. I have been looking high and low for the perfect simple, but striking nude lip and I think I have found it. This lip stain in Anastasia is simple but perfect. You can make it more striking by adding a lip liner. This color is “Pure Hollywood”.

Hope you enjoyed!

God Bless America.

Happy 4th of July everyone! …well almost 4th of July. I couldn’t be more excited to be spending my day sleeping, spending time with my family, and attending our annual neighborhood block party. We are very fortunate to live in such a great neighborhood that loves to have fun. The fourth is a time to be grateful that we live in the wonderful country we do. I am very thankful for having been born in such a wonderful country, so happy birthday America! After a weekend of fun with friends I am looking forward to a relaxing Fourth. What better way to celebrate the birthday of America than with fashion? Couldn’t be prouder to wear red, white and blue. God Bless America and have a wonderful Fourth of July with the ones you love.

xoxo ariel

Some of my favorite patriotic outfits:

What’s more iconic than a read bandana on our nation’s birthday? If Rosie the Riveter can wear it than so can I. Nautical stripes on one of my favorite things to wear on the Fourth. It’s a classy way to dress up the normal red, white, and blue. I paired it with the red bandana and a white button up skirt. This top came from Francesca’s. Adding bright red lip stick adds the final touch to this patriotic outfit.

As most of you know, I adore my bibs. From tailgate season to celebrating the Fourth this is the perfect piece to an outfit. Here I paired them with my red Keds, and a white crop top for the perfect Fourth outfit last year. What I love most about this outfit is that the red, white and blue flow together rather than be tacky or stand out too much. I purchased these bibs at Nordstrom and they have been my go to favorite since.

I recently bought this strappy little red dress at Francesca’s. I think it is important to buy pieces that can be worn more than just one time a year. This dress is the perfect way to grab attention this Fourth. Pair a red dress with a denim shirt for when it gets cold watching fireworks and you’re set for the night.

As you can see we were having plenty of fun this last weekend. This was such a fun flirty outfit for the Fourth of July celebration in SEI. I wore my American flag shorts (or MAGA shorts) that I got at Francesca’s recently. I also paired them with my front tie red crop top that I got at American Eagle. I loved wearing this outfit and got so many compliments that night.

Also pictured is one of my besties, Hanna. Her outfit was uber adorable as well. I couldn’t get enough of her top (it’s even a DIY!). She made it herself and she was kind enough to contribute to my post below with instructions on how to make your own!

Hanna’s DIY:

Here are the directions to make your own patriotic tie-dye!

Supplies:

-white shirt (size up if you want to tie it)

-red tie-dye kit

-blue tie-dye kit

Steps:

You can place the shirt however you want to tie dye it. Hanna chose to make her’s  like a flag. First you tie little dots up at the top, then do the rest of the shirt in stripes that are about 3-4 inches apart. Hanna did the blue dye first then the red. Let your shirt dry for about a day once you have it dyed then wash it out and let it dry. When you wash it make sure it’s by itself since the dyes tend to bleed on the first wash. Once Hanna’s shirt was fully washed and dried she cut about an inch around the neck line then tied the knot at the bottom to get the slouchy look. So grab your girlfriends and plan your Fourth of July DIY party. (Thanks for all the tips Hanna!).

I hope you all have a wonderful Fourth with lots of food and fun. Remember to be safe & Make America Great Again!

 

Saturday, I love you.

I can’t think of a day I love more than Saturday. It’s a time to do what you want and have fun after a long week, and let me tell you it’s been a long week. Whether it’s watching movies on the couch all afternoon or being outside, my heart belongs to Saturday. This morning when I woke up I began binge watching Ghost Whisperer (my favorite show) since I have to finish a whole season in one week since Netflix is getting rid of it…boooo. If you haven’t watched it before I highly recommend it, but since Netflix is getting rid of it in less than a week it might be a heart breaker. This Saturday we also had to do some major grocery shopping since there was absolutely nothing left in our house since Mama had been gone (my dad and I are the worst, I know). So when in Ottumwa on a Saturday you simply can’t pass up a Graham’s trip so of course I got my favorite, chocolate with sprinkles. So worth the diet buster. I have also been working on a little DIY project today of redoing my mama’s gross orange toad stool from like the 80s. I love the 80s as you all know, but this is one thing that needed an upgrade. I’m sharing before and after pictures as I think it turned out pretty well, along with supplies and tips! All in all it’s been a pretty successful Saturday. Sporting my new shorts or as I like to refer to them as my “make America great again shorts” I’m feeling patriotic today. I will definitely be wearing these come the Fourth in a couple weeks. Anyone have a Make America Great Again hat I can borrow? Until then,

xoxo ariel

This shirt I scored on sale last summer at American Eagle. It’s super soft and comfy, but I warn you it is cut like a crop top so I sized up to be able to tie it as well.

Love love love these shorts. My very sweet and loving mama brought these back for me from her recent trip to San Diego. They are from Francesca’s so I’m sure you can find them online. I am now calling these the MAGA shorts, woo go Trump!

I have had these shoes for quite some time and ordered them from a Delia’s catalog… is that even still a thing?? But they are Keds, which is definitely still a thing and will never go out of style! Super cute and comfy.

I have had pretty rotten luck with sunglasses lately. I had my Raybans for 3 years before they got broke by my cat! ugh so sad. But then I also recently broke my Quay sunnies. I just about gave up but scored these cuties for only $15 at American Eagle.

My new favorite lip color is this bright reddish orangish matte lip color by Anastasia. It’s just the right pop of color for the summer. I recently got this at Sephora and the color is Spicy.

The before. Sorry mom, but this is one orange that needs to be left in the 80s…

The finished product. Turned out to be a lot cuter and much more chic. Now if only I can keep it clean.

Supplies:

Staple Gun

Fabric

Old furniture

This turned out to be pretty simple. I went to Hobby Lobby and found some fabric that I thought was adorable. After purchasing a heavy duty staple gun and staples. I was about all set. First I pinned the fabric around the stool exactly where I wanted it. I then stapled it in and then removed the extra pins. I did the base first then the top. Since the fur was a little thicker it became a tad more difficult, but it turned out great!

Hope y’all are having a great weekend!

Rainy days are made for the movies.

TGIS. I feel that you always need to be thankful that it is Saturday as you have made it through another brutal week again, and with my summer class, I mean it is BRUTAL. Through much luck and a few Starbucks trips I will hopefully survive this summer. The weekends are my time to relax unwind and focus on me. I cherish this time as I am able to go home, work at one of my favorite places in my hometown, and spend time with my mama. The weather this Saturday didn’t turn out to be especially pleasing as it has been threatening to rain all day. This did turn out to be the perfect opportunity to see one of the movies I have been dying to see since I saw the previews, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. I highly recommend this final chapter of the Pirates of the Caribbean saga (I heard it was the final one, I’m not for sure). This movie is so exciting and almost terrifying at points that it had my mama and I jumping out of our seats, the sharks really got us. We both really liked how this one ended, and Captain Barbosa turns out to not be so awful of a guy after all. After the movie we made a Starbucks run to get one of my all time favorite drinks. I had my mom try it and she was pleasantly surprised as she thought Starbucks only had coffee; may make her into a believer after all. Also, sported one of my favorite and extremely colorful summer outfits. It is the perfect amount of comfy when trying to get comfortable at the movie. I have my outfit details listed below along with my favorite drink. I hope y’all have a great Memorial Day weekend and get to celebrate this time off from work and school.

xoxo

ariel

Shirt. This shirt I bought about a year ago at my all time favorite store American Eagle. Its uber comfy and is easily able to be tied in the front as I did (love this trend btw) or to be tucked in. I have also just let it hang long before if I’m wearing pants. This bralette I bought this spring at Victoria’s Secret. I absolutely loved the colors in it and thought it would go great with spring into summer.

Shorts. I bought these shorts I couple summers ago at Dry Goods. I love the light color that they are and how soft the denim is. I don’t think there is anything worse than stiff shorts to be honest, but these are extremely soft and comfy.

Shoes. My strappy Steve Madden sandals are my absolute fav this summer. I can wear them with just about any outfit to give it an earthy casual vibe. They are also easy to walk in a lot without having to worry about getting blisters. I splurged on these last summer, but as you can see they are so worth the price.

Drink. Surprise, surprise my favorite drink at Starbucks is pink haha. This Strawberry Acai refresher is my favorite thing to order at Starbucks and is perfect for that summer drink.

Happy memorial day and remember to think of those that have fought and died for our country.

Oversized Shirts, my new obsession.

Oh how I love Mondays… not. Literally the only part I dread about Sundays is that the next day is Monday. It’s really a buzz killer. The next buzz killer after Mondays is summer classes; combine the two and you have a pretty depressing start to the week. The only thing to make this Monday worth it is my absolute new favorite shirt (literally wore it out of the store, kinda embarrassing, but whatever.) and knowing that I’m one step closer to the weekend. I always try to focus during the week so that I am able to freely enjoy my weekends, this means cracking down on the books and sticking to my diet, yum.. When I see the weekends come it is like a little reward for working so hard during the week. As a reward for getting straight A’s last semester (still in a mixture of shock that I accomplished it and exhaustion from doing it) my mama took me boutique shopping in Centerville, Iowa on Saturday. As my dad owning his own small business I am a HUGE supporter of buying from local businesses. It’s true what they say, “When you buy from a small business there is actually someone that does a little happy dance,” or however it goes. Needless to say when in Centerville we stopped at my favorite local store, Gypsy Quarter. This store has everything. I mean everything. From unique clothing pieces to home decor, they have it all. I always seem to find something when I step in there. I highly recommend taking a look around the next time you are in that part of the state, also get George and Nick’s pizza, another one of my personal favorites. While shopping I stumbled upon this button up shirt. I love button ups as they have a timeless quality about them and seem flattering on many different body shapes. I’ve listed the details to my outfit below. I hope y’all are having an amazing Monday, and just remember that you are one step closer to the weekend. 🙂 Happy reading!

xoxo

ariel

Shirt. This tan button up is my new favorite. I wore it out of the store, which was a little embarrassing, but I was in love. It can be worn as a shirt itself or over the top of a tank top or graphic tee. Which ever way you choose this is a very versatile piece to be worn throughout the summer.

Good ole American Eagle. This fall I was hooked on their colored skinny jeans. This are really flattering when worn as they really show off your leg shape. They are also super comfy and do not feel as if I am wearing jeans. I have been extremely happy that I purchased these. I received this belt as a gift a few years ago, but I love the brown leather with the different colors woven throughout it. I have been able to wear it with so many different outfits and it always gives it an earthy vibe.

Jewelry. I love this top, but without any sort of necklace or jewelry it seems very plain. I found this gem at Gypsy Quarter as well. I love long pendent necklaces as they dress up any shirt. This wrap leather bracelet came from Magnolia Market (online) last summer. I wear it with so many different outfits, it is a staple to my wardrobe (and a sweet reminder of one thing I love, thanks Chip and Jo) 🙂

Boots. My faux cowgirl boots went perfect with this outfit as it gave it the earthy vibe that I was going for. These faux boots were able to keep it casual and my feet warm as I made the cold walk to class this morning.

Happy Monday!

Finally Summer!!!… well kinda.

Happy summer y’all! I don’t know about you, but I immediately feel a sense of relief when I make it through a school year. It’s like a weight has been lifted off my back. That was until this year when I have to take the dreaded summer classes. Every college student hates them as they consume you’re entire summer. This is definitely going to be a tough summer, but I am up to the challenge. On a positive note I am happy to share that I got straight A’s this last semester. I set this as my goal and worked hard and achieved it (by the skin of my teeth in some classes!). It just shows that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. I finished my first week of summer classes this week. I have learned that it is a lot of work and reading. I like being in Iowa City when hardly anyone else is there. It makes the town seem a lot less sketchy. Here is one of my favorite outfits this summer with one of my favorite accessories, the tied bandana. I have listed the deets below, enjoy!

Shirt: I found this shirt at Tailgate in Iowa City. They are located down town and carry an array of vintage clothing which is perfect for game day!

Bandana: I literally swiped this bandana from my dad (shhh!). They are such a cute and fun accessory this season and you can find many different colors to go with many outfits.

Skirt: This skirt was bought at Drygoods last spring. I love denim button up skirts as you can dress them up or wear them casual as I have here.

Shoes: Strappy sandals are so versatile with many different outfits and oh so comfortable. These are Steve Madden. They were kind of pricey when I bought them, but I have worn them so much!

I hope everyone is having an awesome start to their summer!

xoxo

ariel

Straw”babies”.

The weather has been absolutely wonderful lately. I have a hard time on the weekends actually focusing to get all my projects for school and homework accomplished. Today, was another beautiful day I couldn’t let pass me by. I have many projects on my to-do list this spring and I finally got this one accomplished. Not only is this one good for the environment, but I hope they turn out to be delicious as well. As you can see I had some faithful helpers that stayed with me through this whole project today, couldn’t have done it without them. This actually turned out to be a very simple project once we got all the pieces and a little help a long the way (thank you Megan & Brad, & my mom!). I am very excited for this project and hope that it turns out great as well. I have decided to call them my straw”babies” even though they are my strawberry plants! I will keep you updated on how they are doing! Enjoy!

1. Gather Supplies. 

Supplies Needed:

-An old drawer

-Plastic

-Drill

-Dirt

-Top soil

-Strawberry plants

2. Drill holes in the bottom of the drawer. 

We drilled about 8-9 holes in the bottom of the drawer to allow the water to drain out. Our holes were a little bit smaller than a quarter. Adjust the amount and size of the holes depending on the size of your drawer.

3. Cover inside of drawer with plastic. 

To avoid rotting, we lined the inside of the drawer with plastic. This will also make it easier to clean out whenever we need to replace the dirt or the plants. Make sure you poke holes inside the plastic as well to allow the water to drain out.

4. Pour in farm dirt. 

Our drawer was pretty deep so instead of using a whole bag of top soil to fill the drawer we used some farm dirt that we found laying around the house to fill the drawer 3/4 the way full.

5. Pour in top soil. 

For the last 1/4 of the drawer we added top soil to the top layer. This is the soil we bought at our local gardening center Ogle’s Greenhouse. This is the soil that is rich with nutrients to allow the plants to grow.

6. Add your plants. 

We planted 8 plants for our larger drawer, depending on the size of your container you may want to plant more or less. Just keep in mind that these plants like to grow and spread out. We also placed them inside in sort of a zig zag pattern so that one is catty corner from the next. This will allow them plenty of room to grow.

7. Water. 

Finally we watered the new plants to make sure that they are hydrated in their new home.

I hope that this has been helpful and inspiring. I am sure excited for my new straw”babies” this spring. This is one of my favorite times of year as it is full of new life. This is one of our many planting projects this spring, and I hope that it has inspired you to go out and spend some time outside!

Let me know your fun planting projects this spring in the comments.

xoxo ariel

Living with Simplicity.

I honestly can not get over Chip and Joanna Gaines. I am so happy that a wholesome Christian American family is finally getting the spotlight in America again. Their show not only shows off their many interior design creations, but exemplifies their family values. I recently received my copy of the spring issue of their Magnolia Journal. This issue is jam packed with innovative ideas for the home along with Joanna’s thoughts on living with a simple lifestyle. There are so many reasons why I adore the Gaines, but the simple lifestyle they lead is such a goal to strive for. With so many Kardashians out there and popular culture embracing the glamorous life style it’s like a breath of fresh air to take a look at the Gaines’ life style. Here are some glimpses of the Journal that I felt were eye opening and meaningful along with some reasons why I can’t get enough of the Chip and Joanna. Enjoy!

1. Living a Simple Life. Getting caught up in mainstream culture or always competing with the Joneses as my mother would say, gets many of us (myself included) off track of the really important things in life. I love that Chip and Joanna always bring it back to family values. Too often we are drawn to the drama in people’s lives on reality TV. With Chip and Joanna there is no drama, unless Chip loses his phone in the wet cement again (that did happen!). This issue mentions so many ways to live a simple life from decluttering your house to leaving your phone in the car when you get home from work at night, which is what Joanna does. I know these are not practical solutions for everyone, but it offers a fresh perspective on what we value in our lives.

2. Farm Life. Chip and Joanna show the value of raising a family while growing up on a  farm. The first experience I remember of farm life being publicized on TV was when Paris Hilton and Nichole Richie were sent to live on a farm on their reality TV show. Even as a little kid, I remember seeing my dad cringe at the absurdity and mockery they were making of farm life. Chip and Joanna have embraced farm life and made it something that many Americans are now seeking. My family owns a farm, but I grew up in town. I feel fortunate that I was given the best of both worlds as I have memories of going to the farm with my dad as a kid to see the horses or a new born calf. In this issue Chip touches on farm life by describing getting up at 4am daily to go check on the animals. The value of hardworking is also exuded in the life of the Gaines.

I really loved how this issue highlights living a simple life. This is what I have been striving for lately so this hit a special feeling for me. I hope to embrace this and continue to move forth with  a simpler life style.

3. Hard Work. Nothing about the Gaines’ journey to becoming a national phenomenon has been easy. If you have read their book The Magnolia Story, you would know this (I highly recommend it if you haven’t read it!). The Gaines show that through hard work and determination along with a faith in God that they were able to conquer their dreams and beyond. I love how they pride hard work. On their show you see them teaching their kids lessons on the value of a dollar and creative ways to actually earn money; my favorite episode is when the little girls raise baby chicks to sell. Nothing from their life has simply been given to them and I find this to be very admirable about them.

4. Christian Values. I strongly believe that everyone should be able to worship how they choose to. I am a strong believer in my faith in God. He has been there for my family through many trials and tribulations. My dad celebrated this week 17 years of being cancer free when the doctors said he would only get 5 years after surgery. Through prayers and our faith in God, my dad is a living breathing miracle. The Gaines value their Christian faith, yet are subtle about it. They are not what I’ve heard referred to as Bible beaters, preaching their faith and condemning yours, but are subtle yet devoted to the Lord. I appreciate that they are strong believers in their faith. It gives me as a young adult someone to look up to and admire. They really open up about their faith in their book. I highly recommend it if you would like to know more about their experience with God.

I love that in their issues they show normal people living normal lives. Often we open up a magazine to see the picture perfect people living the picture perfect lives. I absolutely adored the piece about a midwest couple that moved to Texas to start a ranch in the 50s; shows you to never give up on your dreams no matter how challenging and scary the path may be.

5. Valuing the Old. Before Fixer Upper became a show and the Magnolia Journal became a magazine ‘old’ was often discarded as trash to be thrown away. Chip and Joanna have taught America to value the old and cherish it. They have redone houses that have been left to rot and made them into beautiful homes to be cherished. I love watching Joanna go shopping at an antique store. Some of the items she picks out most would discard as trash, yet she makes it beautiful. The message they send is to take something that has lost it’s value and make it beautiful once again. I couldn’t think of a better way to live my life than that.

One of my favorite parts about this issue was the wardrobe capsule piece. It discusses simplifying our wardrobe to the pieces we actually wear and love and donating the rest we don’t use. It is a way of decluttering our closet a long with helping out someone in need!

Hope you have enjoyed this blog post! I know I absolutely loved writing it. The Gaines exude morales, hard work, and a strong faith for us to all look up to. Sign up for a subscription for their next issue this summer at Magnolia Market.

xoxo ariel

Weekend Adventures: Shopping at Small Businesses

Hey y’all! I know it’s been awhile, but life keeps getting in the way. I plan to try to be a little more on top of things again now that the semester is nearing it’s end and summer is just around the corner. It seems like just yesterday I was starting freshman year at Iowa, now I am nearing my final year at Iowa. Time sure does fly. I cherish every moment I can and that includes spending most weekends with my mama! As most of you probably know, she is my number one best friend. I know that I wouldn’t be who I am in life if it wasn’t for her. She is my biggest cheerleader. Most weekends I come home from college to work on projects at my house (which I hope to be sharing with you all soon!) and to go on adventures with her. Last weekend our adventure took us to one of our favorite little towns near us Centerville. I told people I was going shopping in Centerville and they were pretty confused, but honest to God  Centerville is full of cute little stores that sell quality antiques or junk that can be used in a special DIY project. I will list some of my favorite stores below! Centerville is also home to our favorite restaurant in South East Iowa, George and Nick’s. It has the BEST pizza and never fails to disappoint. My mom and I have become somewhat regulars there on the weekend. I highly recommend their pizza along with the 5 cheese pasta, so yummy! Any ways I have decided to share our little adventure last weekend with you all hope you enjoy!

Favorite Shops:

-Gypsy Quarter: have cute clothes to sort through a long with many different rooms full of home decor

-Claudia’s: used furniture store that sells quality furniture at a low price. I purchased my dresser and a mirror there for my apartment and they are some of my favorite pieces!

-Bonnie’s Needful Things: are full of many different antiques and junk that can be used for a special DIY project. I had my eyes on a couple of things when we walked in there the last time that I hope to get my hands on in the future

Albia:

-Black Bird Primitives: one of my absolute favorite stores for rustic home decor. They recently just had their spring open house. I got some amazing pieces for the finishing touch on my bedroom. I just love looking at their windows whenever my mom and I walk by.

Outfit of the Day:

This outfit is one of my favorite casual outfits that can be worn almost anywhere. Blush pink is so popular and pretty this spring. I can’t get enough of it! Here are all the details for my outfit!

This is my favorite casual weekend outfit. Blush is such a popular color this spring and I am obsessed. I can’t get enough of it and plan to wear more of it this spring and summer.

Shirt. This shirt is super comfy and adorable with the collar at the top. Blush pink is so popular right now, and I scored this tee on sale for a buy one get one half off at American Eagle, which is one of my favorite stores. I also love wearing this shirt with burgundy, such as my burgundy tassel earrings. It gives it just the right pop of color.

Grey. These grey pants I bought at American Eagle this fall are sooo comfy. They are stretchy and soft making it feel like you’re almost not wearing jeans. These can be dressed up with a sweater or worn with a tee for a more casual look. Such a good buy!

Sunnies. These shades are my new babies since my Ray Bans bit the dust this winter, thanks to my Dad’s cat! No offense to the Ray Bans but I almost like these better. They are Quay sunglasses and I purchased them at Urban Outfitters. They were less expensive than Ray Bans and are soooo cute, so happy that I switched cause I’m a believer now!

Denim. This denim jacket I purchased a few years ago. It is a staple for any wardrobe and can be worn with many different things. With summer right around the corner it can be worn with so many different summer dresses.

Shoes. Sorry that I forgot to take a picture of them before I came home for the weekend, but these slip on sneakers I recently bought from Target. The blush pink caught my eye and they are so comfy when walking all over campus! 

My Dad being a small business owner, I firmly believe in this quote. Take the time to enjoy the small businesses some of them are full of the most unique treasures that you can not find in a department store.

Black Bird Primitives on the square in Albia is one of my favorite small businesses. It is full of so many unique pieces that you can not find anywhere else. If you are into rustic decor I highly suggest stopping by. Also, absolutely adore Chip and Joanna Gaines; so sad that season 4 ended Tuesday!

Hope you have all enjoyed my recap on one of our weekend adventures! Remember to shop at small businesses, the business owners will thank you.

xoxo ariel