Resolution: Skinny Girl!

Happy New Years!!
Here is a great quote I saw that LP pinned and I love!! Beneath it is  the VSX campaign for getting fit 2013!!

So I made my main resolution for New Years : To go the gym. To get fit. To be that skinny girl. To feel healthy. To be proud of my body. 

What's your goal?

Thank You Very Much!!

With the passing of the holiday season, it's time to acknowledge people for the kind things that they have done for you. The holidays are soo busy and stressful, so you may keep putting thank yous on your to-do list. Don't. Let me reiterate. The holidays are soo busy and stressful AND these people took time out of their busy lives to do something special FOR YOU! So let them know how much you appreciate it! Whether it's a gift or an invitation to Christmas dinner, send a HANDWRITTEN note. Please do not send an email. They didn't just email you a picture of dinner, they spend all day cooking it.

Tips

* Hand-write your notes

* Organize. Make a list of everybody you need to write, what they did for you, and their addresses. 

* If they gave you a gift, name the gift, and how you have used it or plan to use it. (Emily Post taught me this!! It shows that you care. ( http://www.emilypost.com/) 

* Send your notes within a month of the date you received the kind act, preferably within 2-weeks or sooner. 

XoXo

Breanna Banana

Getting in the Spirit

Some people have a difficult time getting in the Christmas spirit while at college! Here are some ways that my roommate and I have tried to make the holidays glow around our dorm!!

 Our Sweet Little Dorm Tree!! (Lilly Pulitzer Ornaments and Pink Lights!)

Mickey Mouse Mini Candy Canes! (On Sale at CVS)

Hallmark Inspiration!!!

Paper Chain!!

Counting Down The Days!!

Hope you can get in the spirit! Happy Countdown!! :)

Xoxo

Breanna Banana

Spread Your Christmas Magic!!

The holidays are in full bloom, with every department store and mall decked out with lights, trees, faux gift boxes and advertisements on what to buy your loved ones. As much as we love giving special gifts to people that are in our immediate social circle such as friends, and siblings, this can also be a time to give something special to somebody that may not be as fortunate.
Consider Donating or Lending a Hand at/to your local homeless shelters, food pantry's, Salvation armys and more! Our neighbors and friends are what bring us happiness so lets help them out as well!!

Here are some events in Boston for you Massachusetts People:

Stuff A Truck-  This Thursday, November 29th at 11:00 Am at Boston Common and at Legacy Place in Dedham - Trucks will be present to fill with children's toys to give to the children at the Home for Little Wanderers for the holidays! Please bring a toy that could inspire happiness in these precious children and help stuff these trucks!! Want to learn more about the cause? Check out their website http://www.thehome.org/site/PageServer

Operation Elf-  Come Donate toys and household items to a great charity at a great event!!

The Salvation Army Kroc Center of Boston

Sunday December 9, 2012

1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

650 Dudley Street

Dorchester, MA 02125

http://www.operationelf.org/elf-events/

Here are some Cape Cod Philanthropy Organizations:

Chatham Angel fund- 

Stop by Ginny’s gallery at 618 Main Street in Chatham and purchase an ornament or a JJ King photograph, and all proceeds are  used to help people in need with shelter, clothing, etc

Harwich Family Pantry- is always looking for donations and volunteers. Do you make pies or have extra canned goods? Send them over! You could help somebody that needs something to eat!

There are many other places that accept food and toys donations such as your local grocery store. Please keep an eye out! We may be "out" of this "recession" but times are still tough for many recovering and still suffering from the economic downfall. Please help out families and children in need this holiday season!

How are you planning to help? Please let me know of any organizations or events to add to this posting!

Xoxo

Breanna Banana

Darien Sport Shop!

So my new friends on Twitter introduced me to Darien Sport shop. It's a great online shop that has a ton of my favorite brands at great prices ( Everything from Hunter to Vinyard Vines to Godiva)! Whats not to love!? To check it out head over to      http://www.dariensport.com ... I'm sure there will be something you will fall in love with too!

Wait, did I mention that they feature one of my favorite brands of all time? They Have a Specific section for Lilly Pulitzer!! Eeeek!! If you don't know about Lilly (How could you not!?) I will fill you in! Lilly was an incredible little woman who started an amazing little juice stand in 1959. My favorite person, the lovely style icon Jackie O even wore her dresses! Lilly had big dreams about design, and taking inspiration from the natural colors of the fruit, she began an amazing brand that still exists today! They design the cutest shift dresses, planners, accessories and more!

Now that we have our little history lesson out of the way... Let me give you the details on my favorite item this season and why you should head over to www.dariensport.com and buy it for yourself or your BFF (or both!) !!

The Lilly Pulitzer Alexis Coat

 

I'm pretty sure it goes without saying how adorable this coat is! What is there not to LOVE about it!? First of all, the feminine dress length will slim out your body, allowing you to look and feel like a supermodel! The ruffles on the trim are to die for, and the self adjusting belt tie with flatter that tiny little waist of yours! Simply put, this is the PERFECT coat for all of your holiday parties. Put it over your favorite dress, add some accessories and you are in perfect shape! Everybody will be telling you how much they LOVE your coat and how much they WANT it when you arrive! When somebody offers to take your coat, you may not even want to take it off- it's just too perfect! So for those holiday parties, strolls down main street and hot coco dates, here's exactly what to wear. You need the link? Find it HERE! How much do you love this coat!?

Xoxo

Breanna banana

Happy (Almost) Thanksgiving

This week is a whirlwind of emotions, from cramming in last minute projects, to the excitement of going home, I'm sure almost every college kid is feeling it. The holidays have finally begun. So here's a little post about Thanksgiving Prep!

Wear:

Taste

 Martha Stewart's Ginger Cranberry Sauce    Lauren Conrad's Mini Pumpkin Pies!!

    

Get the Recipe !                                                                   Get the Recipe!

So excited!!! Can't wait to taste all of the amazing food! Do you have anything special to wear or taste?

Xoxo

Breanna Banana

Miss Southern Prep

Miss Southern Prep is doing a great giveaway! She is giving away new items everyday for her followers!
Check it out while it's going on and maybe you will win something cool :)

Day One of the Giveaway- Whale Earrings!

Day Two Of the Giveaway- Lilly Glasses!

Link to her home page

And I won!! I won a hand painted canvas from Unique and Chic creations on etsy! YAY! I got an adorable hand painted name plate for my little sister! So below I will post the Next round of links for the giveaway!! wooo!!

Day Six!!

Day 7!!

Day 8!!

Day nine- Custom serving trays!
Good luck!!

Xoxo
Breanna Banana

Sondra Celli - Bling Queen

Sondra Celli of TLC's "Bling It On" , and "My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding" visited my school this past week to give a presentation on bling, gypsies, and the fashion industry! She had very inspiring messages, that if you work hard, and produce, you can make your dreams come true. She pointed out the harsh truth that many people can make pretty drawings on paper, but the difference is being able to actually execute the design. The business world is very competitive  and you need to be able to set yourself apart. A suggestion she gave was marketing  yourself in a creative way, instead of being stuffy on paper. If you are a Lime Green girl, then send in your resume on Lime Green paper, it will set you apart from every other piece of white paper on the desk.
She started into fashion at a young age, sewing a dress from a pattern for her 8th birthday, traveling Europe as a preteen, and attending design school. She now has created a very successful business for herself. She creates incredible beautiful and unique wedding gowns covered in Swarvoski crystals. Her main clientele are mainly soon to- be Gypsie brides who want outstanding, over the top, loaded with bling gowns. She once even had lights wired into a gown, and has even sold a baby dress covered in glass mirrors! She says that her and her "Blingettes" are willing to bling anything... they have even "blinged" toilet paper. Their favorite thing to bling? She responded with, "Baby things!" She even had a table on display with a baby outfit, baby shoes, and a pacifier, all covered in stones! Beyond adorable!

Some creations from her website at www.sondracelli.com

Aren't these dresses interesting... made for a fairy tale I think!?

Xoxo
Breanna Banana

Not to "YOLO" or anything...

Today I am going to drop my Statistics class. It's been very stressful for me, because I feel badly about it. It took up so much time and money already that it's difficult to just let it go and move on. But I did get extra help and I still did FAIL my exam. The truth? My learning style just clashed with the teaching style. But I've realized .... It HAPPENS.

So here's a little inspiration for all of you... Don't get stressed about small things, get happy about other opportunities  I dropped my math class = more time to spend on other classes = higher GPA. Always look for the brighter side, because as the catchy motto says, "You only live once" . It's true. Be happy, because you can't relieve these days again, once they pass, they are gone. Every moment is fleeting, so make sure that you are happy as you can possibly be.


Keep calm, and keep loving life.... :)



Xoxo
Breanna Banana

Sewing Isn't Just for a 50's House Wife

Recently, the commercial washing machines (along with the fact of being worn many times) at my school have torn some small holes in some of my old favorite pairs of jeggings. At first I thought that I would have to throw them away. However, with Christmas approaching I did not want to spend hundreds of dollars buying new jeans (I just got one new pair at work anyways). So I thought of a solution: stitching the holes back together. Since no fabric had been lost in the rip, it was an easy fix.


Here's how you can fix tears in your favorite clothes (basic fix):

Materials: Sewing needle, Thread close to the color of your fabric, Damaged clothing
Tip: You can buy small sewing kits at Walmart and similar stores for under $5

1. Turn your clothing item inside out, and lay it so that the clothing is flat and that both sides of the tear line up.
2. Thread your needle by sticking an end of thread through the hole at the top
3. Tie a small knot at the far end. Loop the end of the thread around the sharp end of the needle twice, pull it down past the eye of the needle, and a loop will form, tighten that into a knot.
4. Pinch the fabric on both sides of the tear together, and stick the needle through the fabric all of the way and back up.
5. Sew in a  zigzag shape pattern
6. When finished, tie another knot at the end!

See how much better it looks after the tear is stitched?

Please try it! I promise it's worth the money that you save... especially as a college student!

Xoxo

Breanna Banana

A Royal Feast

I am super super excited because after this awfully long week, I get to see my boyfriend tomorrow! He and his always tease me about how I don't cook, and I've decided to surprise him and cook him something! I've decided on a cute easy menu!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds! We are planning on carving Pumpkins in the spirit of Halloween, so what better than to make use of the seeds! The way I make them: Clean off the "pumpkin guts", toss the seeds in your favorite oil, spread them out flat onto a cookie sheet, sprinkle on some salt, and bake for about 45 minutes at  about 325 degrees! Make sure that they are golden brown so that they are perfectly crunchy! The perfect thing to snack on!

Chicken Parm! I make this my own way! I bread the chicken breast, and cook it over the stove top. I add in the tomato sauce and cheese towards the end!

Baked Stuffed Potatoes! I am obsessed with these! You basically bake the potatoes, scoop out the insides, mash them with sour cream and other great stuff, and then spoon the mash back into the shell. AMAZING!

Side Cesar Salad and Italian Bread! Cesar is the easiest salad to make! Maybe someday I will learn to make Italian bread, but for now I will be picking it up at the market!

Halloween Cupcakes! I'm not sure what type of critters that I will make but I'm considering spiders! I saw this on Pinterest and they have candy corn fangs, and licorice  legs. They are really adorable!

I'll post some pictures when it happens! Hope this gives you some inspiration!

XoXo

Breanna Banana

Pinterest Inspired Glitter Keys

I saw the cutest post on Pinterest on making Glittery Keys, so this is not at all my personal idea (I wish I could take credit), however I tried it out and used my own personal style and colors! It was so neat and has been lasting me perfectly fine for weeks so I felt the need to share!

1. Gather Supplies!! 

 Glue of your choice: Tacky glue, or Mod Podge might work great too, but I used basic school glue that I had handy!

Your favorite glitter colors! I used lilac and gold, I bought a three pack for $1 at the Dollar Store! Great deal!

    2. Paint- Taking the glue paint it on to the top part of your key NOT the part that goes into the door! 

    3. Shake- Tap the container of glitter all over the glued area of the key!

4. Wait- until completely dry! (about an hour!!) Otherwise it will smear

5. Flip it over- and do it to the other side.

6. Coat- both sides with clear nail polish or other finish of your choice to seal in sparkles and prevent them from coming off! I used clear nail polish by NYC which was inexpensive and worked great!

I hope you all have as much fun with this as I did!!

Happy Thursday!!

XoXo

Breanna Banana

As Smooth as a Skipping Stone

So my friend has recently been complaining of razor burn.. ouch! So I decided to take it upon myself to do some research on the subject. Ingrown hairs are caused by a shaved hair reentering the follicle, while razor bumps are caused by shaved hair entering a nearby follicle. So with those interesting facts in mind, how do we prevent razor burn?

1. Exfoliate- Scrub your legs with a loofah and exfoliating body wash. I use Up and Up exfoliating body wash with pomegranate seeds. It can be found at Target for a great price and comes in amazing smelling flavors!
2. Be Patient- Wait 20 minutes before shaving in the shower.
3. Use Quality- Shaving cream, not body wash or soap! Shaving cream is made to protect your skin.
4. Shave with- the Grain of hair
5. Moisturize- with preferably unscented moisturizer after shaving
6. Always Replace- your razor head when it gets dull.

These tips are gender-neutral so if your guy friend complains of razor burn on his face, these tips also apply! Try this out and let me know if your legs and guys face feel extra soft and smooth! 

XoXo

Breanna Banana

Princess Without A Crown

When I was a little girl, I made up elaborate stories, and played them out. Not only did they always involve being a princess, but also they were about a struggle to become a princess. My 6-7-8 year old self always started out as a peasant, or an orphan, or a maid of a castle who eventually became a princess. The funny thing was, I always used sneaky tactics, battled soldiers, and manipulated princes, but never once was I rescued by a prince. I guess that's not what Disney and fairy tales really taught girls... Cinderella had to find a way to get dressed for the ball, and escape from her evil step mother to try on the glass slipper. The prince wasn't the one to break her out of there, she did, by dreaming. I think this is what I modeled my young self-made fairy tales out of. My point is, you can achieve anything on your own, if you want it. My HHS senior quote is still one of my favorite quotes today:

"Do not worry if you have built your castles in the air. They are where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."

 I leave that up to you to think about.

XoXo
Breanna Banana