Fashion Tips: Breaking in Sperry's

I bought a new pair of Sperry's a few months ago and was about to write about how much I loved them because I thought they were really cute...until I realized I hated wearing them.  I had no idea they needed to be broken in and that breaking them in would take absolutely forever!  They severely cut up my feet, especially at the back of my heel and on my ankle bones.  The fabric seemed to chafe against my skin, and I could barely walk in them.  I was told that if I put band-aids on my ankles and heels and then wore them for a full day, they would get broken in.  Unfortunately, this was not true.  I even went back to Nordstrom, which is where I bought them, and asked what to do in order to break them in.  The saleswoman said to rub the back of them with bristle brush, but this didn't work either.  At this point, I had a big dilemma: it was too late to return the shoes and they were scraped up because of me trying to break them in, but they also hurt too much to wear.  I couldn't even walk a block without them hurting!

I asked some of my friends what they did to break in their shoes, but they didn't have any straightforward answers.  Most people said they just wore them a lot and the shoes eventually broke in.  However, these friends told me that they still get blisters from wearing Sperry's for too long.  So, I started Googling "how to break-in Sperry's".  Some people said to just wear them all the time and they would eventually get broken in.  This wouldn't work because I could barely walk with them on.  Other people said to dunk them in water and sea salt.  I was skeptical to do this because I didn't want to completely ruin the shoes.  Finally, I found out how to break them in and comfortably wear them!  One person online said that I need to first loosen my shoes.  The reason why they were chafing my ankle and heel was because the shoes were too tight and the shoe forced itself onto my skin.  So, I loosened up my shoes and this seemed to do the trick!  Now that my feet weren't cutting, I felt so much better.  However, the shoes still weren't perfect.  They were uncomfortable and stiff.  However, one day after loosening up the laces on my shoes, I got caught in the middle of a rainstorm while walking home and my shoes got soaked.  I thought that it was the end of my shoes since I never got them waterproofed, but I was SO wrong!  It turns out that water does the trick on breaking in Sperry's!  So I made sure to wear my Sperry's during a few more rainstorms and now, my Sperry's are PERFECT!  They are actually the most comfortable shoe I own.  When walking with them on, I actually feel like I'm walking on clouds.  It's amazing! 

xoxo Kasia

Bows, bows & more bows!

Lately, I've been wearing lots of bows and headbands in my hair.  I think they look super cute, and they are a convenient and fun way to keep your hair out of your face.  My bow obsession started this past fall, when I was picking out my outfits for the football games at my university.  Football and tailgates are really big at my school, which means that looking good at these events is crucial.  So, my friend and I went shopping at a few campus stores to stock up on school spirit gear, and we came across the most adorable bows!  They were the colors of our school (maize and blue--I think you can easily guess which school I go to!).  Because the bows looked so good in my hair, I decided to try out some hair accessories.  I started wearing seersucker bows, plaid headbands, pink ribbons and even crystal headbands!  I grew to love matching my hair accessories with my outfits, especially because I felt that it gave my outfit character and showed that I like to have fun with my clothes.  Everyone should try out hair accessories!  Not only are they so darn cute, but they are super practical (I love that my hair is never in my face anymore!).

Here are some of my top picks:

 Seersucker Bows (Comes in 6 colors & a monogram option) $7 (via Etsy)

Navy Check Bow $7 (via Etsy)

Diamond Headband, $29.50 (via J. Crew)

Vicki Jerangle Carrick Headband, $30 (via Kiel James Patrick)

xoxo Kasia

Daily Playlist: STAY POSITIVE

I've been listening to a diverse range of music lately.  Country music has practically taken over my life because it is just so relaxing, but I've also been trying to keep up with some great albums that have recently come out.  Some in particular that I'd like to note: Jason Aldean's Night Train, Taylor Swift's Red and Mumford & Sons' Babel.  I've definitely been keeping up with the above artist's albums, but it certainly hasn't limited me in what music I've been listening to.  Lately, I've been trying to stay optimistic despite college's horribly large workload.  So, I've been listening to super happy music!  Here's my happy and positive playlist!




5.Tyler Ward - Born This Way
4.Taylor Swift - I Knew You Were Trouble
3.Taylor Swift - Red
2. Train - Mermaid
1. Alex G - Starships

xoxo Kasia

Daily Playlist: I'm Back!

Okay, so I know I haven't been posting very much at all.  College has literally taken over my life.  I have so much homework/studying to do that it's difficult to balance both academics and my social life/free time.  However, I'm going to try super hard to balance both and to keep up with my blog posts.  So in an effort to return to blogging, today's playlist is commemorating my return!  Also, I've had some lack of self esteem this weekend due to a few different factors.  So in order to make myself feel better, I love listening to songs that remind me that I am a strong, independent woman who can stand on her own and be confident in myself!

5. Lady Gaga - Born This Way
4. Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl
3. Taylor Swift - We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
2. Britney Spears - Piece Of Me
1. Nicki Minaj - Marilyn Monroe

xoxo Kasia

DIY: Apple Candles

Now that autumn is in full session (the first day was September 22nd!), I'm ready to bust out my sweaters, scarves, boots and other fall-esque clothing items.  But lets not forget about one of the best things about fall--apples!  YUM.  During the autumn, I always find myself going to cider mills and stocking up on apple cider, caramel apples and cider donuts.  Because I can't constantly be going to cider mills and taking in the sweet smell of apples, I found a way to take the cider mill home with me: APPLE CANDLES.  This cute idea is something I'm looking forward to making lots of this season and embracing one of my favorite seasons. 

What You Need:

• Ripe Apple
• Tealight Candle (preferably without metal edges so it looks more natural)

Steps:

1. Find a ripe apple and stand it up so it doesn't or roll around when it is sitting.
2. Hollow out a hole just big enough for the tealight candle. The hole doesn't need to be where the stem of the apple is located.  It should wherever the top of the apple is when it is sitting up and not moving around.
3. Place the tealight candle in the hole and light the candle.  Now you're all set to decorate your home in a fall fashion!

xoxo Kasia

Daily Playlist: Beach Chill

With school back in session, I've been trying to destress myself in every way possible.  I get really bad anxiety when it comes to assignments, tests and with my social life, so a great way for me to chill out is to listen to really relaxing music.  This way, I can just daydream and pause the world for a few minutes.  So here are some relaxing songs that I love listening to when times get tough!


5. Joe Brooks - Superman
4. Ferras - Hollywood's Not America
3. Jimmy Eat World - Hear You Me
2. The Goo Goo Dolls - Better Days
1. Peter Bradley Adams - The Longer I Run 

Update: College

Hey everyone!  Sorry I haven't posted in forever!!  I just moved in at college about a week and a half ago, and my life has been a whirlwind of events since then.  I've had so much to deal with as far as classes and academics go, not to mention my social life!  It's been a little stressful, but I'm finally getting back into my old routine.  So don't worry, I'll be posting frequently once again!  Love you all!

xoxo Kasia

Throwback Thursday: Laguna Beach & The Hills

Back in Middle School, when I was still shopping at Hollister and Abercrombie, appeared a new show that changed my views of reality TV forever.  It was a brisk Tuesday evening when MTV first introduced me to Lauren Conrad (LC) and Kristin Cavallari, and I knew it was love at first sight.  Laguna Beach showed me a world where teenagers only go to the beach, shop and vacation in Cabo for Spring Break.  Though my high school years weren't exactly the same, Laguna Beach gave me hope that if I ever moved out to California, my life might also be as relaxed and carefree.  Don't get me wrong--there was plenty of drama go to around, though it mainly only centered around LC and Kristin fighting over Stephen. 

But the drama didn't stop in Orange County.  It seeped its way into Los Angeles, where The Hills introduced the world to a new Lauren Conrad...one who was attending fashion school, interning my dream internship at Teen Vogue, partying with her friends and not being able to decide between Jason or Brody (GO BRODY!!).  My friends and I always loved comparing our lives to The Hills and we would try to see whose personality was matched up with which girl in The Hills.  I was apparently like Lo Bosworth, which I'm totally okay with because she was the fun, bubbly friend.  However, I've always loved Whitney and Audrina and thought I had some of their personality traits!  And our comparisons didn't stop there.  This show gave us some of the best friendship and guy advice ever.  Literally every episode is quotable.  I don't think I could write a review without mentioning Speidi, but I've never, ever been a Heidi fan.  However, I always did feel a little bad for her and that she chose to be with Spencer over being friends with LC.  Also, I'd like to point out that The Hills officially ended with Season 5 because The Hills without LC isn't The Hills. 

I love Laguna Beach and The Hills, and these shows will never grow old.  They're part of the reason that my dream location to live in is Los Angeles, and I still daydream about living the lives of the girls from these shows.  You know it's going to be a good day when you get to watch Laguna Beach or The Hills!

xoxo Kasia

Tuesday Ten: Top Travel Destinations

I absolutely love to travel.  Whether it be domestic or international or even within my own state, as long as I'm visiting a new place, I'm satisfied.  Over the years, I've traveled to many different places.  Some have been fun experiences, others not as fun, but all have been experiences none-the-less.  When I travel, I not only learn about the place that I've traveled to, but I also learn new things about myself and about the people I am with.  Plus, it's so much fun to get away from the stress at home and take a mini-break from my life.  I've been to big cities, small ski resorts, national parks, among other places, and each place gave me a different adventure.  So, here are my top ten travel destinations!

10. Naples

No, not the one in Italy, but arguably almost as beautiful.  Located deep in Southern Florida, Naples is home to pristine beaches and world-class shopping.  I had an amazing time in Naples, where I also traveled to the Everglades.  It isn't a far drive, but the Everglades are totally worth it.  It's the complete opposite of suburban Naples.  Alligators and tropical birds might be visible in Naples, but the Everglades boasts more natural scenery.  Nevertheless, Naples is the perfect place to relax on the beach or even rent a boat and sight-see for dolphins and manatees. 

9. Las Vegas/Grand Canyon

When I went to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, I went when I was 6 years old, so I never experienced it as the "Sin City" that it is acclaimed for.  However, this doesn't mean that it wasn't fun!  My family and I stayed at the beautiful MGM, where we saw and pet lions and viewed a magic show one evening.  The days were spent by the resort's pool area, which literally looked like a jungle from the perspective of my 6 year old self, and the nights were spent exploring Las Vegas.  I might not have gone to any casinos, but I did see the Bellagio's fountains and Mirage's volcano.  The Grand Canyon was the complete opposite of Vegas but so beautiful.  I loved exploring the desert with my family and seeing the burnt colors of the rocks that have been there for millions of years.  

8. San Diego 

When I went to San Diego, I didn't go for the beaches.  Or the surfing.  Or the Laguna Beach star spotting.  I went for a service trip, where I traveled to a city named El Cajon, which is just about 20 minutes east of San Diego.  I volunteered at a center for developmentally disabled adults, called St. Madeleine Sophie' Center.  It was one of the best experiences of my life, literally.  I had the most fun getting to know the adults at the center and bonding with the other volunteers.  However, the trip wasn't all work!  A group of volunteers and I went to Mission Beach for the day and a boardwalk near the downtown.  

Me and some surfers on Mission Beach!

7. Washington, DC

 I've been to Washington, DC twice and both were completely different experiences.  The first time I went was in high school for an International Relations program at Georgetown University.  During the day, I attended classes and lectures at the university and at night, my friends and I ventured down into Georgetown to shop, eat and explore.  We even spent our last night jumping into the fountain at the university!  The second time I went was just this past summer to visit my friend.  We explored different places everyday.  Some days it was Dupont Circle and Foggy Bottom, while other days we went the National Mall and Smithsonian.  This city has so much to offer not only in the downtown areas, but even in surrounding Virginia and Maryland! One day, we even went to Annapolis, which is one of the most beautiful coastal towns ever!  I loved everything about it, from the Sperry and fudge shops to the hundreds of sailboats in the Chesapeake!

6. Lake Tahoe

Last year for Spring Break, I went to Lake Tahoe with a group of friends to go skiing and it was amazing!  It was the first time I had gone skiing out West and definitely won't be the last.  From the breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe to the rugged mountains, California skiing has yet to be beat.  I skied at Heavenly Ski Resort, which was so cool because half the mountain is in California and the other half is in Nevada.  So when skiing the California side, I saw Lake Tahoe and lots of snow, but while skiing the Nevada side, my view was all desert.  It was weird but awesome!  I know I'll be going back very, very soon!!!

 

Me skiing on the Nevada side!

 

5. Poland

Because a lot of my family lives in Poland, I often go back to visit with my immediate family.  Though my family is from a small city about 2 hours outside of Warsaw, I always travel all over.  Poland has so much to offer.  My favorite city is hands-down Krakow because it's one of the few untouched cities in Poland that has architecture and artifacts preserved from times as early as the first few centuries.  From mountains to the lake district and bustling cities, Poland has it all!

4. Seattle

Just like when I went to San Diego, I didn't go to Seattle for fun.  I went on  a service trip, where I volunteered in various homeless shelters, a tent city, soup kitchens, food banks and even a  nursing home.  However, just like San Diego, it wasn't all work!  The afternoons were spent exploring Seattle.  I went on ferry rides across Puget Sound, explored rocky beaches, visited Snoqualmie Falls and even shopped the infamous Pike Place Market, which was actually maybe one of the most unique places ever.  It was 3 floors of both underground and above-ground venders, where anything from hemp clothing to fresh fish could be bought.  Right now, Seattle is one of my favorite cities ever and I want to visit again soon!  It is a perfect mix of urban bliss and wilderness exploring.  Plus, this is the place where I first learned how to make homemade sushi, yum!

3. New York City

Need I say more?  New York has so much to do and see that I don't think I could even choose a favorite place, though Central Park is definitely up there.  I love the city and everything about it.  The shopping, food, architecture, art, museums, UN...just everything.  It really is the concrete jungle where dreams are made.  

 

2. Wyoming (Yellowstone National Park & the Grand Tetons)

My family and I roadtripped out to Wyoming last summer and boy, was it an experience!  We drove over 30 hours, going through the Badlands, Bighorn National Forest and Black Hills.  We saw Mount Rushmore and even the Corn Palace.  But the best part of the whole trip was visiting Wyoming.  We camped and hiked and it was better than any hotel I've ever stayed in, though the cold weather at night made me miss heating a little.  I want to go back to Wyoming, ASAP!

My family and I on top of the world in the Grand Tetons.  One of my fav pictures ever.  

1. Los Angeles 

It might not be a concrete jungle where dreams are made of or even Sin City, but it's the city where dreams come true.  I stayed in Beverlywood, an adorable neighborhood in Los Angeles, just outside of Beverly Hills.  My mom and I went to visit our good friend and we all had the most fun ever!  We went to Santa Monica (my favorite boardwalk), Venice Beach (my favorite beach), Paradise Cove (my favorite restaurant and tanning location) and a ton of other places!  Even Hollywood, while it is true that it is a tourist trap and really dirty, has the wax museum, which my mom and I spent hours in even though it was only a 20 minute walk-through.  I love Los Angeles and dream of living there in the very near future.  

What are your favorite travel destinations?

xoxo Kasia

Daily Playlist: Sunny Daze

Today is sort of a mucky, rainy day here in good ol' Michigan, but I actually made this playlist yesterday and meant to put it up yesterday because it was such an amazing day...but never got around to it.  But anyways, yesterday was such a gorgeous day!  It was sunny and, thankfully, comfortably warm since our air conditioner conveniently broke.  So I had all the windows in my house wide open, with a beautiful breeze coming through and the sun peeking its way into my bedroom.  I loved it and wished everyday was that beautiful.  Plus, I had The Hills on constant reruns, and it was just the most perfect day overall.  Keeping my playlist in order with the weather and my happy mood, here is today's (actually yesterday's) playlist!

5. Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
4. Lady Danville - Operating
3. Michael Franti & Spearhead - The Sound of Sunshine
2. The Format - Give It Up (Same singer as the band F.U.N.!)
1. Foster The People - Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)

Fall Favorites: The Sweater + Vest Combo

I love fall fashion.  Every year, I look forward to busting out my favorite fall staple items and mixing them up with some new clothes that I got for the current season, so my wardrobe is a combo of old and new items.  One of my favorite fall fashion combos is the sweater and vest combination.  Just match a cute vest with a sweater underneath, a pair of leggings, some cute rainboots for wet weather or leather riding boots for colder weather and you already have a perfect outfit!  Plus, it's both fashionable and practical because this outfit is warm enough for even the colder fall days.  Here's an example of my ideal fall outfit:

1. Burberry Scarf
2. J. Crew Sweater
3. J. Crew Quilted Vest
4. Black Leggings
5. Hunter Boots
6. Plaid Headband, Burberry Headband, Kiel James Patrick Headband

xoxo Kasia

Friday Favorites

This has been an amazing week!  I got to spend some last-minute time with so many of my friends are who going off to college and some friends who are going to college with me!  I got lots of frozen yogurt, walked my dog a lot and did ridiculous amounts of shopping.  The week was fun, the weather was perfect and everyone was in a good mood.  This is what I would hope every week would be like!

Favorite Road Trip Song (The Wind by Zac Brown Band):

Favorite To-Go Thermos (Just bought this, can't wait to use it! Vineyard Vines):

Favorite Home Idea: 

Favorite Guy of the Week (Gregg Sulkin):

Favorite Poster (I want this on my wall!):

xoxo Kasia

Thursday Throwback: Gilmore Girls

I'm pretty sure every girl who was between the ages of 10 and 50 watched Gilmore Girls.  Younger fans could relate to the subtle drama of Rory's life, and moms wanted to relate to Lorelei's mother-sister type of relationship with Rory.  Plus, we could all relate to how Rory and Lorelei fell in love with different guys throughout the seasons because we fell in love with them at about the same time.  From Dean to Tristan and back to Dean...then who could deny bad-boy Jess and finally, Logan.  Of course, the only guy we cared about with Lorelei was Luke because they were meant to be with each other.  Rory's life was the one we always dreamed of having...growing up in sleepy Stars Hallow, where all the neighbors know everything about one another, a sisterly mother-daughter bond, financially supportive grandparents and multiple guys who were in love with her.  I also wouldn't mind attending Yale. 

That being said, Gilmore Girls is undoubtedly one of my favorite TV shows of all time.  I love spending a girls day with my friends, kicking out junk food and watching the show.  Plus, the theme song was hands-down one of the best theme songs on a show ever. Gilmore Girls for life!

xoxo Kasia

Recipe: Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Cupcakes

  Recipe via Annie's Eats

I came across this absolutely delicious recipe just the other day!  It's very easy to do and for once, I know have to go to the grocery store to get most of the items because the ingredients required are mostly everyday household foods.  Since this recipe makes 32 cupcakes, I'm planning on making this right before I go back to school so I can share it with all of my friends!

What You Need:

For the crust:

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tbsp. sugar

For the raspberry swirl:

• 6 oz. fresh raspberries
• 2 tbsp. sugar

For the filling:

• 2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1½ cups sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar.  Stir together with a fork until well blended and all the dry ingredients are moistened.  Press 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner.  (I like to use a small drinking glass to easily and evenly press the crumbs down.  One of Andrew’s sippy cups works wonderfully.) Bake until just set, 5 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack.
2. To make the raspberry puree, combine the raspberries and sugar in a blender or food processor.  Process until smooth, then pour through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.
3. To make the cheesecake, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy.  Blend in the sugar until smooth.  Mix in the salt and vanilla.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. To assemble, spoon 3 tablespoons of the cheesecake batter over the crust in each cupcake liner.  Dot a ½ teaspoon of the raspberry puree in a few dots over the cheesecake filling.  Use a toothpick or a wooden skewer to lightly swirl and create a marbled effect.
5. Bake until the filling is set, about 22 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  (They will look quite puffed initially but will return to normal quickly.)  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.  Transfer to the refrigerator and let chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

Enjoy!
 xoxo Kasia

Daily Playlist: To Be Me

Here's some songs that I've been listening to non-stop recently!  They're songs that get me in an upbeat, confident mood and when I listen to them, it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks because I'm me!  The songs are a huge mix...there's some pop country and folk, among other genres of music.  But all are catchy and fun to listen to!

5. Taylor Swift - We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
4. Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten
3. Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
2. The Lumineers - Ho Hey
1. Chet Haze - Hollywood

xoxo Kasia

Tuesday Ten: European Playlist

Every Tuesday, I'm going to try to post my top 10 things of the past week.  It could be anything from music to food to even workouts!  Enjoy!

Just less than a month ago, I got back from Europe.  I traveled all over Poland, visiting family, exploring castles and eating lots of food!  When I travel to a new place, I like to listen to their music, attend concerts, shop at local bazaars and eat their food so I can get immersed into their culture.  Poland, like most of Europe, is really into dance/electronic upbeat music.  So here are my favorite songs heard while in Poland!

1. KICK - Fest Hos Mig (Summer 2008 Remix)
2. Aura Dione - Geronimo
3. Alyssa Reid - Alone Again
4. Lolita - Joli Garcon (Ron Bon Beat RMX Edit)
5. Italobrothers - Boom (feat. Carlprint)
6. Kobojsarna - Sång Om Ingenting
7. Avicii - The Party Next Door (feat. Taio Cruz)
8. Tacabro - Tacata
9. Italobrothers - Stamp on the Ground
10. Rihanna - We Found Love (feat. Calvin Harris) (Chuckie Remix)

xoxo Kasia

Daily Playlist: 60s Throwback

 

I'm so into oldies music right now.  For some reason, I've been listening to music from the 60s all day.  It started last night, when I was watching Sister Act.  I heard the song "Rescue Me", and I was like, I need to hear some more of this NOW!  So got out my oldies playlist on Spotify, and I haven't stopped listening to it every since. 

5. Stevie Wonder - We Can Work It Out
4. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son
3. The Kinks - Lola
2. Simon & Garfunkel - Mrs. Robinson
1. Fontella Bass - Rescue Me

xoxo Kasia

Review: Kusmi Tea

While I was visiting the East Coast last week, my friend, her family and I went to New York City to spend time with her grandparents and, of course, to see the city!  My friend and I had a beautiful Sunday in the city, complete with horse-drawn carriage rides around Central Park, the Central Park carousel, seeing Sister Act on Broadway and shopping!  Because we both absolutely adore Home Alone 2, we decided that we must go and see the Plaza Hotel.  So we strolled up through the magnificent lobby and down into the Shops at the Plaza.  Many people don't know about the shops, but it's like a food court...for shoppers of Louis Vuitton.  All the food looks like it's straight out of a gourmet food show, and the prices are pretty reasonable.  In addition, there's a series of unique boutique shops that surround the food area.  One of the shops I stopped at is called Kusmi Tea.  My mom loves tea so I decided on getting her some tea from there.  Therefore, I was able to test out lots of different teas and know which ones are the best!

I ended up buying a box of St. Petersburg black tea.  The tea bags are really fancy and unlike regular tea bags.  The tea leaves are inside of a fabric, netted bag and is attached to netted string.  So even though the box was not very expensive (only $13.49 for 20 bags!), it looked like it could have been pretty expensive.  Plus, Kusmi Tea has been around since 1867, so they really know what they're doing!  According to the Kusmi Tea website, the St. Petersburg tea is described as being infused with citrus fruits, red fruits, and caramel--which is definitely true!!  It has a sweet, citrus flavor but the caramel is definitely there too.  It tastes delicious.  In fact, I'm drinking it right now!  Some other ones that I enjoyed are Smoky Earl Grey, Prince Vladimir, Russian Morning and Earl Grey Polish Blend.  These are all black teas, but there are obviously other options of green tea, detox tea and much more!  Their teas can also be bought on their website, so I know I'll be buying more tea very soon!

xoxo Kasia

College Essentials: String Bulletin Board

 (via Apartment Therapy)

I'm a huge fan of cork boards and other boards that I can put pictures, magazine cut-outs and other things that keep my day going.  But I just came across this creative way to display the same things on something a little more quirky: STRING!  This is simple and easy to do.  All you really need is some bright colored string or yarn and clothes pins and VIOLA, you have a string bulletin board!  So keep your room up-to-date with this fun way of displaying pictures and art!

xoxo Kasia

College Essentials: Polaroid Heart

School is almost upon us.  For me, that means going back to college.  I'm so excited to see my friends and to learn (don't judge), but one of the things I'm most excited about is decorating my dorm room!  Around this time of the year, I see advertisements everywhere for back-to-school essentials.  But when on a college budget, it's pretty hard to buy items.  So why not make them?  There are so many DIY project that are super easy, inexpensive and (most of all) fun!  I came across this easy project that looks beautiful in any dorm or apartment bedroom: THE POLAROID HEART!  Instead of buying frames or sticky tacking photos in a square, pick a shape and form your photos into that shape!

xoxo Kasia

Friday Favorites

It's almost the weekend!  Which means it's time for my Friday Favorites!  Today was an amazing week.  I got to spend time with my friend yesterday, having a movie marathon with her and her sister.  We watched Father of the Bride, which I had never seen before.  It got me so excited for my own wedding, which I can't wait to start planning for...I just need to find my guy first!  Then we watched another great movie, Just Friends.  It's a little over-the-top, but the humor never gets told.  I also spent lots of time with my brother this week (we saw The Campaign the other day, which was AMAZING!) and got ice cream with another friend.  I'd say it was a pretty fun-filled week!

Favorite Summer Treat (Greek Yogurt Popsicles via Eat-Drink-Smile):

Favorite Dog (my dog Buttercup!):

Favorite Summer Trend (Colored denim):

Favorite Accessory (Kiel James Patrick knot bracelet):

Favorite Work of Nature (Sierra Cascades, Mossbrae Falls, California):

xoxo Kasia

Daily Playlist: Back Road

I'm feeling pretty patriotic today!  Maybe it's the beautiful sun outside, shining on the land of our great country or it's the fact that I've been listening to country non-stop today.  But nevertheless, I'm about ready to take a back road and go road tripping.  Too bad I already have plans tonight!  So in commemoration of my red, white and blue mood, here's the top 5 songs I've been listening to today!

5. Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel
4. Brad Paisley - Old Alabama
3. Chris Cagle - Got My Country On
2. Eli Young Band - Even If It Breaks Your Heart
1. Florida Georgia Line - Cruise

Honorable Mention (I just love this song so much that I couldn't exclude it from today's playlist!):
Jason Aldean - Days Like These

xoxo Kasia

DIY: Ombre Distressed Denim Shorts

A few weeks ago, I was on a pursuit to become a little more hipster and artsy.  Though it's probably pretty mainstream of me to purposely go hipster, I tried it anyways.  With my creative hippie mind at work, I got busy making ombre distressed denim shorts.  They're perfect for a music festival or even a shopping day!  They're super easy to do, and it's actually pretty fun to do, especially distressing them.  So here is a quick how-to guide on how to create these trendy denim shorts:

What You Need:

• Marker
• Tweezers
• Scissors
• Shallow container for bleach
• Bleach
• An old toothbrush

Steps:
 
The steps can be pretty confusing to follow when they are written out, so here is a video on how to do it.  I actually used this same video to make my distressed ombre denim shorts!

Here is how my shorts turned out:

My next project is to make AZTEC ombre denim shorts.  I am so excited because I think they look so cool!  Here is my goal for the end of the summer:

xoxo Kasia