emi-jays

If you haven't heard about emi-jays yet then you have been missing out! And if you have then you probably are obsessed like Michela and I are. We both have super thick hair and most of the time by then end of the day our hair is on top of our heads in a bun. You wants to keep their hair down all day while studying, taking tests, eating, crafting, and doing all the other things we do on a daily basis?! So emi-jays to the rescue.

These snag free, super soft hair elastics have been a life safer during the summer with the super hot weather! I first heard about them from a friend who goes to school in South Carolina and they were huge down there! When she visited and showed me them I had to go out and find them! You can buy them at Anthropologie for $12 for 5 of them. To me this seemed a little pricey for hair elastics...so I (of course) found a way to make them for way less.

I found a website that sold the elastic for .40 cents a yard! With this amazing price you can make 80 hair elastics for $12!!!! There were so many different colors and sizes. This way you can buy which ever colors you want instead of buying packages with the colors already chosen for you.

Once you have the elastic all you do it measure the size of your wrist, add a little bit of extra elastic for some wiggle room. Tie a knot by wrapping it around on finger, and you have your own emi-jays! I also thought that they would make nice gifts, so just cut a piece of cardstock or cardboard and wrap them around it and insta present.

These are mine:

Etsy also has a ton of emi-jays and decorated elastic. I especially like this elastic! The nautical theme is one of my favorites; it's just too cute!

Have you heard of emi-jays??

xoxo

diy: month onsies

I have been trying to get all my crafting in before I go back to school. I have seen all different variations of month onsies on pinterest and thought it would be a perfect idea for Lily, since it will force my brother to take a picture of her every month and send it to me :)

I was so glad when I cam across these simple DIY for monthly onsies. I wanted to make them myself but I didn't want to have to sew each number on. This was the picture I found on pinterest, and it came with a link for templates (boy and girl ones).

This is all you need:

I got the fabric transfer paper from staples and then I found that the onsies were the best price at Walmart. Then all else you need is an iron. 

I printed the girl template on two pages of transfer paper. Then I cut out all the circles (I didn't keep the month because I didn't like the way that the floating words looked when transferred). 

I placed each circle on a onsies and ironed according to the instructions. About 45 seconds per onsie. For the placement I didn't do anything to special I just hoped for the best, and I think they came out fine.

After they were ironed I let them cool (about 2 minutes), then carefully I peeled the backing off and tada you have your own onsies! Here's how mine came out. I was so excited I think they are adorable and they were so easy!

Then just fold them up, and place them in a cute box and you are set to go. What a cute present for a

baby shower, especially if you like giving personalised gifts. 

I can't wait to get pictures every month of Baby L :)

xoxo

move in day 2012

Move in day is always stressful for me not matter what grade! Freshman year was of course the most difficult since it was my first time moving into a dorm. This year it was a little bit better, but of course there were some bumps along the way. My Mom, Dad, and I spent about 8 hours today at the school unpacking boxes, organizing, and hanging up clothes. The biggest problem today was not having the correct tools to build the wardrobe I got from Ikea; causing us to have to make a last minute target trip. It's also so difficult to fit all my stuff in such a tiny room compared to living in a house haha!

Here's the luggage that I packed just for the flight down:

This year, luckily, I have a single so I didn't have to worry about taking up another persons space or being in the way. I was so excited for this, and to make my room completely my own. I wanted to make it a place that I could retreat to when I needed time alone to study or just relax. So, this summer I set out to make many different decorations for my room, and I am so happy with how they came out. I painted and crafted different pieces and I love how they all look hanging on the walls. My room is definitely girly, with all its pink, green, and navy accessories, but I couldn't be happier. I definitely feel at home, which is so important especially being hours from home.

I can't wait to start the school year on Monday! Only one more day of relaxation/trying to make the dorm room perfect. I'm sure this year will be great, even though I am a little nervous about taking organic chemistry this year! Wish me luck!

How do you make your dorm your own?

p.s. I will post pictures of my dorm when it is more organized and put together.

puttin' on the glitz

I came across these Michael Kors watches while reading my daily 67584 blogs, and I am absolutely in love! I'm not sure if they are new, but I had not seen them before. As part of Michael Kors' "Glitz" collection, each notch is made up of two rhinestones. The subtle glitter in these watches is so cute! Now my only decision is gold or silver?

I've already got a gold watch, but do you think my silver jewelry would be to matchy-matchy with a silver watch?

packing

Since I go to school in DC, and I cannot handle sitting in the car for 10 hours nor do I think I could actually fit all my stuff into one car...I fly. Personally this is much easier for me, but I know many people who come from farther away and drive. Impressive! With this comes with one major problem. How do I get all my clothes, blankets, furniture, toiletries, etc down there??? There is not a chance in France that it would all fit in a suitcase either. Solution: College boxes. AKA my life safer over the past year at school.

This company literally made moving 10 hours away such a breeze. Last summer I packed everything except for absolute essentials that I would need for a few weeks into boxes. Then they came picked them up, and when I got to school on my first day they were in my dorm waiting for me :) Then came the decision of what was I going to do over the summer with everything? In came collegeboxes again! They picked up everything that I didn't need to bring home and stored it for me. Then I shipped a few boxes home and packed 3 suitcases and I was off.

These were my boxes this year:

I can't believe it's almost time to go back!

So,  this coming year I did the same thing. They came a couple weeks ago took my boxes and now I am scrambling to fill the 3 suitcases I have and hopefully not be overweight for my flight on Friday. The hardest part about packing is deciding what you actually need to pack. Since I am used to freezing NH weather I needed to change my thinking because the winters are not as bad in DC. Depending on where you go to school, you need to decide- is this something I will need now or can someone ship it to me later when the weather changes? Last year when the cooler weather came my mom shipped all my winter coats, hats,  gloves, and mittens. In return I sent her my flip flops, shorts, and other things that I knew I would not be wearing.

This of course depends all on where you go to school. If you go somewhere were it is hot all the time then winter jackets might not even be needed as much. My hardest part was deciding that I couldn't bring absolutely everything. I left books in my bookshelf and stuff in my desk that I didn't need. I also left some clothes like pajamas that I have plenty of and can use when I come home to visit instead of packing them again.

Good luck packing for school or wherever you are going! Do you have any special packing tips?

xoxo

lilly sale

LILLY SUMMER SALE!

If any of you are as big of Lilly Pulitzer fans as I am you should be so excited for the Lilly summer sale!!! It starts today August 21 at 9am and ends the 23rd at midnight!

I got the email a few days ago, and I have been anxiously waiting to see what they will have on sale this year. I love lilly in general but when it's on sale it's even better! Plus there is even free shipping. Paying for shipping is one of my biggest pet peeves.

These are some of my lilly favs right now:

I absolutely love everything about this dress. It's navy and white (classic). The style is so flattering, and the detailing is just so cute!

I think that this would be such a fun dress to wear. I mean who doesn't love whales??? And the little bows on the bottom are just the perfect touch. 

This belt would go with so many outfits. I also love anything with a bow on it haha! They have this belt in so many colors it is hard to choose. 

Can't wait to see what is on the sale! Let me know if you get anything good :)

xoxo

pinterest

As you can probably tell by my posts, I love love love to craft! Over last semester I fell in love with pinterest. There are just so many awesome craft ideas that I probably would have never found without it. I have soooo many projects that I want to do its kind of overwhelming, but one of my favorite things is deleting an item on my crafts board once I've made it :) This summer has been my catch up for projects!

I just made a pinterest for nhprepsquared, so if you have a pinterest definitely follow us! We will pin inspirational quotes, yummy desserts, DIY projects, and fashion inspiration.

Do you love pinterest as much as we do?

xoxo

quarter-zip

I am OBSESSED with quarter-zips! I started packing for college last week, and I counted seven (!) quarter-zip sweatshirts just in the pile of clothes I am bringing to school. I wear them throughout the fall and winter, to class and to the library. They are perfect for a casual day in college. 

Row 1:

Tommy Bahama Aruba Zip Sweatshirt with Pockets | My mom has one of these sweaters, and it is made of the softest cotton. I like the style with pockets, but the original style (sans pockets) has tons of cute colors!

Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt | A classic quarter-zip, this is at the top of my Things I Need Right Now list. I especially love the pastel colors from the fall catalog.

Patagonia Re-Tool Snap-T Fleece Pullover | Fleece quarter-zips are essential for New England winters. I love Patagonia's version, but L. L. Bean has a similar style for half the price!

Note: L. L. Bean doesn't have a snap quarter-zip online yet, but I'm sure they will repromote the style this winter.

Row 2:

Tufts Jansport Quarter Zip Sweatshirt | I have two (eek!) quarter-zips from my college, and now I want this one! College apparel is pretty popular on my campus, and this is a cute and comfy way to show my school spirit. 

Lands' End Polartec Aircore 100 Half-zip Pullover | These fleece quarter-zips are super simple and a great price. They go on sale all the time; right now you can save $15 if you buy two. But be sure to try before you buy, Lands' End sizes tend to run big.

J.Crew MEN'S Merino Half-Zip Sweater | Yes this is a men's sweater. I bought a men's merino sweater on sale last Christmas, and 1) the merino wool is so soft, 2) it comes in great fall colors, and 3) it is perfectly oversized. I have a men's size XS, and it fits like a J.Crew women's small or medium. Check for these sweaters on sale at J.Crew because a lot of men's size XS ends up in the sale section.

Do you have a favorite sweatshirt? I'd love to add to my collection!

diy: lilly binders

I go back to school in less than a week now, so it is definitely crunch time to get everything ready before I hop on my flight to DC! Of course I wanted to have the cutest school supplies. So, when I saw directions on how to make Lilly inserts for binders I knew I had to make them. I was also hoping it wouldn't make studying so bad!

The instructions were from The Pink and Green Prep Blog and they were so easy to follow. It probably took me 15 minutes to make 4 of them for myself.

I found these (perfect) pink binders from Office Max (buy 2 get one free), but you could do any color really.

Then I just followed the instructions! I googled different Lilly backgrounds and picked out my favorites. That was the hardest part because there are so many cute ones!!!

Then I just picked a cute girly font and matched the color to the background. All you have to do after that is take a screen shot of your text, and then past it onto the Lilly background. Then print. Simple as that; The Pink and Green Prep explains it more in detail and shows pictures too. 

Here's how mine came out! I cannot wait to use them when I start classes in almost a week!!!

Has anyone else tried this project? If so, which backgrounds did you choose?

xoxo

warby parker

Fun fact: I have awful eyesight. I have worn glasses since first grade, and I have worn contacts since eighth grade. As much as I love the freedom of contacts, I have been warned countless times that I need to let my eyes "breathe" or my prescription will continue to worsen. In high school, wearing glasses was considered uncool, so I always wore my contacts. But at my college, wearing glasses seems more effortless and academic, and when I am spending eleven hours in the library staring at a book and/or computer screen, glasses are definitely the way to go.

I have a beautiful pair of black glasses that look chic and grown up, but I wanted a pair that were more trendy and, dare I say, nerdy looking. Warby Parker has an awesome selection of plastic frames, and they let you try on five pairs at home for free!

I tried on these five pairs of glasses. Which ones do you like best?

diy: picture clothesline

My youngest brother (I have 4) just had a baby about 3 weeks ago!!!! I have been busy making so many new things for my new baby niece! One of my favorite things to do is craft and crafting for a new baby is probably the best! I wanted a way to creatively display photos, but since babies change so quickly I wanted the parents to be able to switch the pictures out easily. I saw this idea everywhere, but I kinda just make my own directions to work with what I already had at my house.

These are the products that I used:

The command hooks are clear so that they wouldn't be too obvious.

I found the adorable pastel clips at Michaels. The colors are perfect for a new baby!

The Fire Line was what I used for string and the little crimp beads are what held the loop together so that the string could hang on the hooks. 

My first step was the put the two command hooks on the wall. I placed them about 5 feet part so that there was plenty of room for pictures. 

Then I measured the length of string but added a little extra so I could make looks for it to hang from. 

To make the loops I just folded the string over, added the crimp bead, and crimped it with a pair of needle nose pliers. This is what the loop should look like:

Then, after I made a loop on each side of the string, I hung it on the command hooks and began attaching pictures with the clothes pins. I didn't measures the distance between I just added them until the string was full of pictures. 

Here is what my finished project looked like!

These are some close ups so you can see the pins. 

If you have any questions, or if something doesn't make sense feel free to comment and I will try to explain it as best as I can :)

p.s. I did this while dog sitting for my brother; I hope they are surprised when they get home! 

tumblr

Check us out on Tumblr!

We use Tumblr for inspiration, beauty, and laughs. Create an Inspiration folder on your desktop to drag 'n drop pretty images, outfits, and designs to your computer. Scroll through the pictures when you can't get dressed or need a room redesign!

Or follow us on Tumblr to see all of our favorite images... and some of Michela's photography!

olympics

The 2012 Summer Olympics are coming to an end tonight, and even though I am sad for them to be over I cannot wait for the closing ceremonies tonight. They really have a spectacular line up. I had so much fun watching them this year! I was even more excited that they were held in London. This is one of our favorite places in the whole world!!!

Tonight I can't wait to see One Direction and The Spice Girls! I have been listening to The Spice Girls since I was a little girl, and One Direction is one of our new favorites. I mean come on they are adorable!

Click here to watch the video of our favorite One Direction song! I hope everyone enjoys watching the closing ceremonies tonight!

xoxo

my school essentials

Although I don't want the summer to end I absolutely LOVE school supplies! This time of year is definitely when my inner nerd comes out. I have found my favorite schools supplies so I usually get the same items every year.

Every year before I go back to school I buy a new agenda. Agendas are probably my favorite back to school purchase because I love organizing. I have been using Lilly agendas since high school and I don't think I will ever change. They have the cutest patterns, and writing in it always brightens my day. I was super excited this year when they came out with the soft cover agenda since it is so much easier to fit in my bag.

this is the one i got this year :)

One thing I'm really excited about for this school year is that I bought most of my textbooks as eBooks. Being a biology major I have a ton of books and last semester it was very hard to go anywhere without a bunch of heavy books. Amazon is my favorite place to buy ebooks and the kindle app is so easy to use!

My notes have to be pretty and what better way than to use Lilly highlighters of course! I found these new ones that are a pen and a highlighter perfect. 

I am a science major, but I am probably one of the girliest ones. I always get tons of compliments when I pull my pink calculator out in chemistry class.

One of my biggest pet peeves is that I hate my handwriting. These pens write so nicley; my pencil case is always stocked with them.

To finish my list I couldn't live without my LL.bean backpack (in navy with a monogram of course). Backpacks are not the most fashionable, but when I have to carry a bunch of books, notebooks, and a my macbook it is definitely a must. 

back to school supplies

I love school. As a college student, this idea isn't particularly rare; a lot of college students really like their majors, their professors, and their campuses. But even in elementary school, I enjoyed going back to school every fall. However, I must admit, I think that 99% of my back to school excitement was (and still is) fueled by shopping for new school supplies. In elementary school, this meant picking out glittery pencils, folders, and notebooks at Staples. After 14 years of back to school shopping, I like to think I've found my favorites and am planning on sticking to them. Unfortunately, my love for glitter is not exhibited by my school supplies anymore, but my top-notch organizational skills now extend beyond Lisa Frank folders to Apps and agendas. I'm going to call that an improvement :)

Kate's Paperie journals are perfect for assignments and lists.

Quo Vadis makes daily agendas. I like that you have a whole page to write appointments and to-do's!

Moleskine notebooks are expensive, so I don't recommend buying one for every class, but I feel so academic when I take notes in a leather-bound notebook!

Again, this Russel + Hazel pencil case is pricey, but I love the soft leather and the fun metallic color. I fill mine with pens, pencils, Paper Mate markers, and yellow Sharpie highlighters.

My favorite Apps for school are Evernote and SelfControl. Evernote syncs with my iPhone and iPad, so I can easily study my class notes without my laptop. SelfControl shuts down your internet for a certain period of time, so it's a life saver during finals!

I was always warned to back-up my computer onto an external hard drive, but I never did until the College Prepster recommended My Passport. Time Machine is so easy to use that I back-up my computer every week, just in case. I would cry if I lost all of the papers and study guides on my laptop!

Finally, all of my school supplies go in my navy L.L. Bean backpack. Great (preppy!) minds must think alike, because MaryKate and I have the same backpack! Check back soon for her favorite school supplies.