Sparkles Holiday Look '15

Are you ready for Christmas? You probably are more prepared than myself. The only thing I have down packed is this holiday outfit I'm sharing with you Sparkles. 

I had no clue what to wear to our holiday party. I literally went into my closet and stared several times hoping for inspiration. When I think of holiday parties, I think of bold colors, plaid, or sequins. Literally that's what I looked for in my closet. I bought this skirt back in June with the intentions of wearing it for all the holiday festivities. I thought it paired just perfectly with this plaid button down. To me, they are both such statement pieces that can be rocked in varied ways. These are pieces that make me so happy, i just feel like they are show stoppers. I  just love how much this ensemble screams Christmas to me! Heck, I might wear this same outfit for New Year's Eve. 

What are your plans for the Holidays? The Hubster and I will just be home enjoying the end of another year and the start of a new one. 

Get the look:

Skirt: Express (in store only, clearance!) similar  and how cute is this longer version

Shirt: J.Crew Factory

Boot:Nordstrom Rack

Flannels and Booties

Welcome back, Sparkles! I hope everyone is having a great week!

Note for fall: flannels and booties. I am not much of a "fall" person. I'm all about warm weather and long days. The less I have to wear, the better! Being in frigid weather is the real struggle, for real! I hate feeling "stuffed" with layers upon layers. I thought this flannel and LuLu's suede booties were the perfect transitional outfit for summer to fall. I bought both of these this summer online and I'm so thankful I did. I love the variety of ways I can wear flannels: buttoned, opened, tied around the waist, or underneath a vest. It's just so practical! 

P.S.- I literally wear these booties more than any shoe should be worn, honestly.

Get the look:

Booties: LuLu's (general ankle boots page) and loving these  and these

Jeggings

Flannel: Sold out! Similar

Shirt Dress Perfection

Sparkles!

Get the look:

Dress: Gap  and love this one from Urban Outfitters

Shoes: Love and I really want these

Hey Sparkles!

I had to showcase this Gap dress for y'all today. This dress has been a lifesaver, in all honesty. I found it on sale on Gap.com, and sadly I no longer see this color optipm there anymore. Thankfully, I received this beaut in the mail literally the night before I left for ATL. It's soooo easy to style, clearly. I simply just threw it on and paired it with some earring and mini wedges. I can't wait to add a blazer, or switch out those wedges for converse.  This was perfect for my trip, it's so HUMID in Atlanta. And on this particular day, we were rushing and in the wedding frenzy, so I loved this little easy pick me up :)

All I gotta say is...I'm on summer break..boo yah (well, not quite on summer break but..just a couple of days away!).  I work all summer as a nanny, but it's still summer and I get to do summer activities with the kiddos, I love it!! I'm just in the best mood today, hope you are too! Have a great weekend, Sparkles! Meet you back here Monday!!

Love and Sparkles // Chels

Rolling with the Punches

Hey, Sparkles! Oh my word! I had to blow the dust off my blog today by finally making a post. The last two weeks have just been full of interesting life events, I don't even know where to start. Really, I just learned to roll with the punches and take it a day at a time. I recently visited my girl Jules at their new place. The view is literally crazy out there. I couldn't miss out on the opportunity to persuade her on snapping some shots for me. You know you're a blogger when...you bring your camera everywhere!   I think this may be one of my new favorite photo spots. She's awesome, thanks baby Jules. 

I got rid of these wedges right after this shoot, haha, but the rest of the outfit remains in my closet!

P.S. we took an excessive amount of photos, so... have fun!

Get the Look:

Shirt: Love and Cheap Steal

Skirt: SO old.. but I'd wear this one

Breaking Spring

Hello Sparkles!

By the time you all read this I will be back at work and no longer on spring break! I lived in daisy dukes shorts and graphic tees all week. Except for that crazy Wednesday where we had both winter and spring in the same day! This is exactly why I love warm weather, simply because of the small amount of pieces needed to complete the look.  It's crazy how a few days off can make you feel. I loved being with my friends, trying new things, and visiting my old school and all my co workers who made me feel it at home. 

By the way, I got several compliments on my blog last week. Seriously, thank you to everyone who supports this establishment of mine. It really is my passion, my love, my heart.  

Just having some fun in the sun. 

Get the look:

Similar Pacsun shorts (as a matter of fact, I own this pair as well!)

Vans

Graphic Tee and here

love you gals and guys!

Love and Sparkles // Chels

4 Tips on Making Free Time!

With there only being 24 hours in a day, I am very careful with the way I spend my time...well..sometimes I am. Lol. 

I am a person who loves to be alone most of the time. I am interacting with humans of all ages (literally 5 years of age to 70!!).  My perfect day would be spent reading,writing, and eating while watching numerous episodes of reality tv. This SOMETIMES happens, but not often! 

I conjured up this post idea because I have a few days to myself this week. It really got me thinking that we all should have at least a couple of hours worth of free time to ourselves!

1. Stop Making Plans!

I am the worst at this, and this is really going to be one of those "practice what you preach" lessons. oI get ahead of myself and and will make plans a month in advance. The moment I say yes, I usually regret it! I hated saying no, crazy as it sounds. The more life goes on, the busier it gets for me. I hate that burned out feeling, and complaining just doesn't always work for me either. Now if someone asks me to do something with them, I usually say "Let me see how I'm feeling in that moment", and it works! I mean, why lie and say yeah when I know I'm probably not going to be able to do it anyhow? 

Or take a selfie of yourself. It's really refreshing...yeaaaah.

2. Or DO Make Plans!

Oh dear, I hope I am not confusing you. Before I said to not make plans, meaning, don't make plans that you know you can not keep. Trust me, people hate when others flake. But DO set goals and make plans that will benefit YOU. For instance, this weekend I am making firm plan to enjoy take my dog to the park while enjoying a boba. It doesn't have to be huge, just needs to be something where you can connect with yourself.  

3. Take Advantage of Every Second!

Omg, again, this is a "practice what you preach" lesson. Time passes us by like crazy. I can have a solid hour of free time and use it on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. Haha, I know I am not the only one here! Can I get a witness? I get so angry at myself once that hour is over with and I've run out of time. One of my main goals is to use my wisely. I could be caught up on so much if I just got everything completed and out of the way.

4. Use Organizers to Help You

I have 3 organizers that keep me updated.

 Desktop Calendar: Located below! For starters this was just too cute so I forced to buy it. It really is just one big huge reminder of what events I have to focus on.

 Pocket Planner: I keep this in my purse at ALL times. It has all of my events, blog posts, shopping lists, menu for the week, and odds and ends that need to added. This planner is a life saver. I keep a pen on me at all times, and add ideas to it daily. 

iPhone: My iPhone is my biggest form of organization. The hubster and share the calendar on it and it really lets us know what's going on. Anytime I have to nanny or we both need to be somewhere, we update our calendar. I also use it like crazy for notes I think of so many blog post ideas while on the go, so when I do I just type them in my notes!!! I keep tabs on picture inspirations, looks ,and locations I would like to use as well. I also use my phone as my source of work while I'm on the go. I work as a freelancer and much of the work can be completed on my phone. Phones are amazing, point blank.

I hope this advice will help you with your free time! Remember, it's all about using your time wisely. #WorkHardPlayHarder!

Love and Sparkles // Chels