Hi friends! 

So I know that personal moodboards can be seen as unnecessary, a waste of time and even sometimes a little bougie, but I sincerely enjoy making them because I'm super big on visuals that can inspire you to keep going. Who doesn't love to curate a board of images and words that reflect what you want in your life for a period of time or for forever?! This girl is all for it and so I wanted to share what I put together for another dumpster fire of a year - 2021. I like to think it's me developing my "brand" and conveys what my current mood is. I decided to focus on one magazine this time around, so all the images and text are from the Winter 2021 edition of "Artful Living", which is based here in Minnesota and is essentially a luxe "moodboard" for a boutique lifestyle. It was serendipitous, as it arrived right when I wanted to make something and so I dove in and found some great inspiration.

When you're flipping through your visual source, the magic begins to happen. For me, I start to visualize what I want the board to encompass for an entire month or a full year and pull things out immediately when I see them. Turn on some music to really get the creative energy going and then start cutting up exactly what you want, which then turns into figuring out the exact layout. The overall mood for this one was "to being alive and thriving" so I had to turn on this song to really get the ~vibes~ going. Eventually I really got into it and the overall layout began to take form, with many a revision here and there, but it only took me about an hour to really be satisfied with the end result. It's by no means perfect but I feel like that sums up what I expect this year to be like.

Dream.

Creativity.

Living. 

The Great Escape

Dwell in Beauty. 

I find this so relaxing to do and I highly recommend putting together your own. It gets you to put things in perspective and there's some clarity in that for me. So tell me! What does your moodboard look like?

Happy Halloween, babes! What a spooky time to celebrate, am I right? While I have no plans to go out I will be staying in and watching a few movies, possibly watching the Julien podcast on twitch, trying not to think about someone and having a few drinks. I hope everyone stays safe this year, try and do Halloween at home and spoil yourself with as much candy as you want!

For this edition of My Style File, I wanted to set the mood and share a look that made me feel sexy, confident and like I could just go dancing in the dark. A slit on the left side of the dress makes for a tiny peek of leg that would sure be fun to wrap around another. This off-the-shoulder maxi dress comes from Eloquii, however, since it was about 40 degrees when we took these photos, I decided to put a black J.Crew turtleneck underneath to keep warm. I completed the look with a pair of knee-high boots from torrid. While this seems like a normal outfit, it's something I wouldn't usually put together, so I loved stepping outside of my comfort zone in terms of my personal style. Also, because I haven't worn ANYTHING this nice in about 7 months, lol.

Can I just say how beautiful this cemetery is? It's called Lakewood Cemetery and it has to be one of the biggest locations here in Minnesota. They were extremely kind in letting my photographer and I come in and take a few shots before they closed, being as respectful as we could be. I have several family members that are buried there, so it always feels nice to come and visit even if it's not to directly visit their grave.

 Again, I hope you all have a great Halloween weekend. Let me know what you'll be doing in the comments below!

 Side note: GO VOTE!

(photo via: crfashionbook)

We're right in the midst of fall and while I haven't necessarily needed to wear any makeup or buy new products because of quarantine, I wanted to touch on a few products that I've been using since March and that have easily transitioned into this new season. One thing I love about beauty products is the fact that they can do such a transition and you don't have to feel like you're wasting the products because you purchased it at a certain time. Here are five products that I'll be using this fall and more than likely the rest of this dumpster fire of a year. At least my skin will look (and smell) good! What are you using this autumn?

1. Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum: ($80) - This product has been great to use in my daily morning routine. I usually put it on as my second step as to make sure it really blends well into my skin. There is a scent to this but it does go away for me after I put on my moisturizer. The price is a bit hefty, but I've had it for about a month and half and have used it almost every single day. I particularly like using this on my neck and have noticed a difference in how loose my "double chin" is. Highly recommend!

2. First Aid Beauty Cleanser: ($32) - I've started using this product as my first step in my morning skincare routine! After being recommended by a Sephora employee to use it on my neck/chin after getting a wax, I haven't looked back. It's super easy to apply and has a soft scent, not at all overwhelming, and a little goes a long way. 

3. Yves Saint Laurent Perfume Mon Paris: ($100) - An investment to add to your collection, that's for sure, but I definitely believe it's worth it. Another product where a little can go a long way and it'll be worth having it be in certain sections on your skin. This scent makes me feel romantic, sexy and confident. The packaging doesn't hurt either. 

4. Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray: ($33): This product has been in my collection for a few years. It's just a necessity to have, to be honest. Gives you smoother looking skin as well as locks in your makeup all day long. You must get it!

5. Colourpop Cosmetics Pressed Powder Shadows ($7): I love finding a good deal, who doesn't? So I was so excited to find these pressed powders from Colourpop when shopping in Ulta a few months ago. They are so affordable and pack a lot of punch when it comes to pigmentation and longevity of wear.

We can all agree this fall is going to be very different than what we've experienced previously, right? Everything feels delayed and I'm mentally still in winter mode from March, so it's insane that it's already the third week of September. Seriously though, what is time? Can someone tell me? While I've decorated my apartment to feel a tiny inch of excitement for the new season upon us, especially Halloween, it's definitely muted than years past. That being said, I'm hoping to get out on walks and see the color changing leaves around my neighborhood, grab a Salted Caramel Mocha from Starbucks, eat those pumpkin Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and hopefully see some friends while social distancing. So there's definitely some silver lining in that we have some more time on our hands to truly prepare for the changing of so many various things! 

Even though we're not doing a whole lot this year, I still wanted to share some things that are getting me in the mood for autumn and I hope they will for you too. Let me know in the comments below what is on your fall shopping list.

Colorblocked Dress

 Long Tailored Blazer

Rivulets Quilt

 

 a playlist for when you need a boost of serotonin and you want to sing out loud in your pajamas to songs you've memorized since they first graced your eardrums. hold that pretend microphone and belt your heart out to some happy songs that can personally turn around my mood, even if just for a few minutes, and make me feel like I'm holding a concert for my neighbors. turn your speakers up and sing with me! fyi, I'll be adding songs to this list whenever I come across one that puts a smile on my face. feel free to add to it and let me know which songs you're listening to right now!