It's now been 25 days into January, and we're almost completely done with the first month of the year. It's cliche to say 'oh, how quickly time goes,' but I sincerely feel that way right now because it's crazy how life just keeps moving along. It doesn't care about the days, weeks and months that we inhibit during our time here. Life continues to grow, change and keep orbiting in a circle.  While I try not to think about that, it seems to happen a lot during January and February, which is the main reason I am writing this post! I wanted to check in on how everyone was doing. We always start with new resolutions and goals to attain during this first month, but I have to say I didn't really have any to reach for in 2016.

This is not to say that I don't have tinier goals or dreams that I want to achieve during the year, but I wasn't set on making huge goals that would probably not be completed. I tend to get into a winter slump and don't feel motivated to do anything that requires exercise or going out all the time. The main two goals I thought of for 2016 were; read 26 books and start a new journal to jot down my thoughts when the inspiration hit. So far? I have done a little bit of both, and it feels good to even do those tiny actions right now. Who knows how far I will go after winter ends and my favorite season begins, but I hope it will be for the better.

I also really want to blog more, and do posts like this where I can stretch my writing skills. I will never be an author or an insanely talented copywriter, but I try to type whatever it is I am feeling into the post to make it more personal. I like to think that it is Mostly Lisa in a nutshell and I'm fine with that. There is a time and place to refocus during the 365 days of the year, and I really want it to be right now. What do you guys think? Let me know how you stay motivated, or how you get inspired in the comments below! I'd love to hear what you have to say.

(Photo Via: Cooks With Cocktails)
Today's Fancy comes with a fun way to get the weekend started! This Raspberry Vodka & Sparkling Wine Float looks absolutely scrumptious, and will definitely get Friday extra sweet. Cooks With Cocktails provides the recipe + instructions, and I will provide the review when I try it this weekend on my own! Make sure to check out my Instagram during Sunday!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 - 2 scoops of Vanilla Bean Coconut Ice Cream
• 2 oz homemade raspberry liqueur or quick stovetop raspberry liqueur
• 4 - 6 oz sparkling wine

• Scoop some ice cream into a glass. We like a martini glass.
• Top the ice cream with raspberry liqueur and then fill the glass with 4 to 6 oz sparkling wine or champagne.
• Give it a stir and love it!

She's always changing, always ahead of the trends and has been one of my style icons since the early 2000's. Kirsten Dunst is unafraid to bare skin, switch her style almost every time she makes an appearance and has made some impeccable acting choices that call for beautiful costumes. These are just a few of my favorite looks she's ever worn, which are yours?
(Photo Via: Net-A-Porter)
(Photos Via: Kirsten Images)

A dream wedding. While I have not ever truly thought about a dream wedding for myself, I do quite enjoy being a girly girl and making theme boards on Pinterest that might possibly be what I'd want if that day comes. This plays in perfectly for today's theme, as I was approached by Paperless Post to put together a creative and unique concept that is all about making this romantic event in life extra special. If you've never heard of Paperless Post, they are an online platform that provides paperless cards, stationery and invitations for events in life that are important to us. It's a really fantastic site and they have some beautiful products that are high quality, but extremely affordable.

With that being in mind, I definitely wanted to come up with three different concepts of what a dream wedding would be like if I participated. Each would be in a different part of the world, they would all have their own color concept, each would be in a different season and they'd essentially be all very me. For this post as well, I will be focusing on the Save the Date aspect of planning a wedding, and how important sending out these invitations can be for inspiring an overall theme for your guests.

1. I wanted to start with Oscar de la Renta's Embroidered Floral in Aquamarine design. The colors in this invitation are so beautiful, and are an obvious throwback to his Spring 2014 RTW collection. I chose this right off the bat because of the way it made me felt when I first saw it, and I instantly dreamt of where this wedding would take place and what time of year it would be most appropriate.

Destination: Lyon, France
Color Palette: Baby blues, pinks, reds, emerald greens, forest greens, whites, yellows.
Season: Winter
Aesthetic: Bright and playful, while maintaining rich hues of each color. Winter can be dreary, so the backdrop of Lyon and the rich colors will be perfect for this couple. Lovely roses, tulips, peonies adorn centerpieces and bouquets for the bride and bridal party. Enchanting and whimsical.
(Photos via: Paper Fashion, Fashion-Runways, Flickr (2), Jen Huang, Style Me Pretty (2), Once Wed, Dustjacket Attic)

2. The second invitation I chose was the Folio II design, since I enjoyed the rustic feel of the paper and the font that was on it. This one is definitely more neutral and subdued than the first one, and I like that it can bring any type of theme that it wants. I had to go with an English wedding theme for this, since it already offered London as a destination.
Destination: Bath, England
Color Palette: Purples, whites, golds, browns, greens, pale blues.
Season: Spring
Aesthetic: The beautiful setting of Bath, England will make for an extra romantic ceremony during the spring. The history of the city will provide a rustic theme, with a backdrop of enduring landscapes. Garlands are hung with peonies and lavender. Baby blues adorn the bridesmaids, while the men don rich purple in their pocket squares. Table settings have romantic quotes from Jane Austen novels, and it all feels like you're stepping back into a simpler period of time.
(Photos via: Wedding Sparrow, Flickr, Tumblr (2) (3), Junebug Weddings, Intimate Weddings, Style Me Pretty (2))

3. Finally, I had to include an invitation set by Rifle Paper Co. in this! Being one of my favorite stationary companies out there, I was so happy to see that they have an exclusive series just for Paperless Post. This set named, Destination: New York, is definitely an easier one to get inspiration from, as the city is literally on the Save-the-Date. Enjoy this last series, and thank you for reading!
Destination: New York City, New York
Color Palette: Yellows, reds, dark pinks, browns, whites, emeralds, blacks.
Season: Fall
Aesthetic: The city that never sleeps is on board for this chic wedding. Fall is the perfect time to have a wedding in New York and with rich hues of yellow, browns and reds, it's definitely going to be pleasing to the eye. Think a chic Manhattan hotel or someplace in Central Park, with a moody atmosphere during the reception. The bride is willing to go all out to make this the wedding of the year, and the groom is just waiting to see his future wife walk down the aisle.
(Pictures via: ModWedding (2), Tumblr (2) (3), Artfully Wed, 100 Layer Cake, Project Wedding, Poppy Talk, NY Through the Lens, She Hurina)

To end the first week of 2016, I wanted to bring another new series into the mix. Friday Fancy is going to be filled with different inspiring words, people who I adore, photography that moves me, or anything in between to make the weekend be something magical. I'm moving on some extra motivation right now, and so I wanted to share with all of you. For the first Fancy, here are five quotes to get you inspired for whatever the upcoming weekend/week has in store for you. This idea actually came from my own inspiration, by way of one of my favorite bloggers, Katie Armour Taylor. Happy Friday! Photo via Dean James.

1. "If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." - Ronald Dahl
2. "Creativity is intelligence having fun." - Albert Einstein
3. "I don't think sadness is always devastating. It can be quite uplifting and joyful as well. Sometimes you have to allow yourself to be sad in order to move forward." - Adele
4. "I don't dress to be stared at. I dress for myself." - Iris Apfel
5. "For what it's worth: it's never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you're proud of, and if you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start over." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

I am always on the hunt for a great read, and this time of year always seems to be the best to find the next book to add to my bookshelf. 2015 was severely disappointing in terms of finding a novel that really piqued my interest, and so I made a goal for myself during this new year to read 25 books by the end of it. If you're on Goodreads, make sure to make your own goal and we can share our progress together. So going through the recommendations from previous books I've read, I've compiled a list of nine so far that I want to read by the end of April. I am sincerely hoping that I can make this goal, and it seems like a pretty attainable one. Here is a rundown of the books listed above and let me know below if you've read any of these, or have any other recommendations!

Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner
Genre: Historical Fiction

She stood at a crossroads, half-aware that her choice would send her down a path from which there could be no turning back. But instead of two choices, she saw only one—because it was all she really wanted to see… 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Genre: Mystery & Thriller

A debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people’s lives.

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
Genre: Fiction

Hauntingly beautiful and heartbreaking, Colm Tóibín's sixth novel, Brooklyn, is set in Brooklyn and Ireland in the early 1950s, when one young woman crosses the ocean to make a new life for herself.

Wake by Anna Hope
Genre: Historical Fiction

A brilliant debut for readers of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, in which three women must deal with the aftershocks of WWI and its impact on the men in their lives—a son, a brother and a lover. Their tragic connection is slowly revealed as the book unfolds.

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Genre:  Fiction

“If we know this story, we haven’t seen it yet in American fiction, not until now. . . . Deep, heartfelt.” —The New York Times Book Review

The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams
Genre: Historical Fiction

Passion, redemption, and a battered suitcase full of secrets: the New York Times-bestselling author of A Hundred Summers returns with another engrossing tale.

The Darling Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott
Genre: Historical Fiction

From the best-selling author of The Dressmaker comes the warm-hearted and enthralling saga of a bold young woman caught between two worlds-the vibrant camaraderie of factory life and the opulence that a budding romance with the mill owner's son affords-as the murder of her best friend sends shock waves throughout the town.

Clever Girl by Tessa Hadley
Genre: Fiction

Like Alice Munro and Colm Tóibín, Tessa Hadley possesses the remarkable ability to transform the mundane into the sublime—an eye for the beauty, innocence, and irony of ordinary lives that elevates domestic fiction to literary art. In Clever Girl, she offers the indelible story of one woman's life, unfolded in a series of beautifully sculpted episodes that illuminate an era, moving from the 1960s to today.

Elizabeth of York: The Forgotten Tudor Queen by Amy Licence

As Tudors go, Elizabeth of York is relatively unknown. Yet through her marriage to Henry VII she became the mother of the dynasty, with her children including a King of England (Henry VIII) and Queens of Scotland (Margaret) and France (Mary Rose), and her direct descendants including three Tudor monarchs, two executed queens and, ultimately, the Stuart royal family. 

It is pretty hard to believe that we are already on the fourth day of January 2016, and things keep chugging along. Nothing really has changed, but there is always that sense of new and promising adventures to happen during these first few weeks. While I'm not sure if anything will be happening with me yet, I wanted to spruce up Mostly Lisa a little and add a new series called "My Style File." It's essentially the same thing as my "Fashion Friday" series, but a little more focused on aspects of the type of style I wear and how I wear it. So for the first installment let's journey back to literally a week ago, and how I styled an outfit for a BFF date!

The BFF Nicole and I had set on going to a familiar place here in the Twin Cities, The Copper Hen, with an added bonus of getting to dress up. The task of finding a dress that would fit the occasion came on a whim, and I ended up finding a Plus Size Deep-V Midi Dress from Forever 21. It was definitely not something I would normally purchase, but it ended up pairing really nicely with an Old Navy Plaid Pocket Tee (similar) I had on hand! What a slimming option both of these were, and I felt so comfortable having it cover most of my stomach and legs. The statement necklace and pair of flats were a must to go with this, and my favorite red lip added a nice festive touch.

This was such a magical night! Especially being able to be with my BFF, exchange gifts, be in a beautiful setting and be able to eat some delicious food. It made the ending of the holiday season that much better, and had my hopes for a positive New Year. I hope that all of you were able to do the same, and if you weren't, listen to Zara Larsson! You'll get an instant dose of happiness!