Category: lifestyle

The Dress I Couldn’t Wait to Post About

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I bought this dress in May. When I roadtripped to visit my best friend in Dallas we decided to go to Waco and Houston together and visited Mercy House Global’s Big Red Barn. Y’all they had some really cute stuff (and still do, the fall line is to die for) including some dresses from Elegantees. I ended up getting the Riley dress from their kid’s line because I’m basically the size of a child and it was $20 cheaper (keepin it real). And then I got home and realized it was really short so I decided to just put it away and wait until I could wear it with tights in the fall. 3.5 months is a long time to wait when you’re really excited about the dress you just bought but fall is finally here and I can’t wait to live in this outfit until next May.

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Dress: Eden by Elegantees, shop their dresses in adult sizes here, Shoes: Target (Sold out) similar, similar

Have you every bought something you had to wait months for the right season to wear? Or am I crazy? Tell me in the comments!

~Maizy

Unless I let you know otherwise, my posts aren’t sponsored by any of the companies whose products I mention. I won’t accept sponsorships from companies whose products I don’t truly think are really great. However, links marked with an * are affiliate links. Should you click on the links and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you, I’ll go add to my growing stash of tea, or yarn, or pay the fines on that library book that I couldn’t put down for a month.

 

 

DIY Floral Applique Skirt

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I love love love the floral embroidery trend. Skirts, jeans, jackets, it’s all super cute. The best part about the trend is that it is a super easy way to upcycle something you already have in your closet. I recently upcycled a pair of jeans using *these appliques so I’ve decided to show you the process on a skirt I’ve been wanting to change up.

For this project you will need:

  • Floral appliques or patches I used *these ones
  • Needle and thread to match your appliques
  • scissors
  • Sewing pins
  • *Fabric glue would also be useful. I didn’t have any when I did this project but I would recommend it.

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Step 1. Gather and prep your supplies

The floral appliques I bought come in a pack of two but I cut them apart so I had four.

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Step 2. Lay the appliques out and make sure you like how it looks.

Play around with this, look up inspiration pictures and make sure you really love it.

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Step 3. Pin (and/or glue) everything down.

Once you have everything how you want it, make sure it won’t move around using pins or fabric glue.

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Step 4. Sew it all onto the skirt.

Depending on the type of appliques you might be able to use a sewing machine or you might just opt to use permanent fabric glue. Personally, I trust needle and thread more than glue so I sewed mine down. Unfortunately, I couldn’t use my machine on the applique I chose. If you end up in the same boat as me, I recommend spreading this out, and watching a movie because it is a long, tedious, process to make sure you have it stitched down in enough spots to make sure it won’t gape or move around.

What do you think of the floral applique trend? Are you going to try this DIY? Tell me in the comments!

~Maizy

Unless I let you know otherwise, my posts aren’t sponsored by any of the companies whose products I mention. I won’t accept sponsorships from companies whose products I don’t truly think are really great. However, links marked with an * are affiliate links. Should you click on the links and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you, I’ll go add to my growing stash of tea, or yarn, or pay the fines on that library book that I couldn’t put down for a month.

 

Fall Internship Outfit Inspo

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A major focus of college is finding internships and eventually jobs. For many people, this is the first time that they’ve needed to dress for a professional setting on a regular basis. It definitely was for me. Thankfully, my internship has a lot of flexibility in the dress code but there has still been a bit of a learning curve for this girl who pretty much lives in denim. I’ve added a couple of pieces to my wardrobe and learned how to wear my existing pieces differently and it’s actually been a fun experience! This look is one that I can’t wait to break out when we get farther into autumn and I’m also linking some other looks that have inspired me and hopefully will be inspiration for you as well!

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Unfortunately for my ability to link where I got all of my pieces, everything in this outfit is from Poshmark and sold out from the original seller. I do however, have two more outfits that are super easy to recreate and that I can’t wait to use as inspiration for my internship looks this fall!

This look is a bit more casual but is the perfect transition outfit for early fall!

Who says you can’t wear white after Labor Day? This sweater and skirt combo is adorable.

~Maizy

Unless I let you know otherwise, my posts aren’t sponsored by any of the companies whose products I mention. I won’t accept sponsorships from companies whose products I don’t truly think are really great. However, links marked with an * are affiliate links. Should you click on the links and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you, I’ll go add to my growing stash of tea, or yarn, or pay the fines on that library book that I couldn’t put down for a month.

Compassion El Salvador 2018 CHILD VISIT DAY!!

adminCompassion International

Y’all I’m finally talking about the reason why I even went to El Salvador in the first place. It’s about time amiright? If you’ve missed my previous posts you can find my the first post here and the second post here.

The last full day in El Salvador was child visit day and it was absolutely one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. I cried at least 3 times. I think every Compassion sponsor who has the ability to visit their child 100% needs to do it. In addition to meeting Nuria, I met her mom, her tutor, and another staff member from her Center. I actually was not sponsoring Nuria when I signed up for the trip. My mom and the two of my sisters that I traveled with had sponsored children in El Salvador and I went just to experience Compassion’s work firsthand meet my family’s kids. A few months before the trip I volunteered at a Compassion event and found Nuria’s packet and decided to sponsor her. It was so cool getting to meet her so early on in our relationship. Now, when I write to her, I know her personality, I know her mom, and I know some of the people who she sees every day.

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left to right: Nuria’s mom, Nuria, me, Nuria’s tutor, the computer workshop instructor from her center.

For child visit days, Compassion sets the meeting up in a large public place, in El Salvador child visits take place at a waterpark. Especially if you are meeting younger children it is great to be able to play and move around, some sponsors also brought soccer balls or other toys to play with. I brought a volleyball and coloring supplies and after lunch we were able to sit down and color which gave me a chance to talk to her mother and tutor a little bit.

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I loved the waterfall but Nuria was more a fan of the slides.

Most people expect that Compassion sponsorship is a blessing to the children who are sponsored but I think that it is just as much of a blessing to the sponsors. God is the one changing lives in El Salvador and it’s crazy awesome that I get to be a part of that, that I get to build a relationship with Nuria and meet the literal superheroes who are following God and transforming their entire country by serving kids. Compassion sponsorship is one of the best decisions anyone can make, it really makes a difference in the lives of children all over the world and in the lives of sponsors. If after reading these posts you are interested in sponsoring yourself, please pray about it and seriously consider it. The website is right here.

~Maizy

 

What to Wear After the Long Weekend

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Y’all Labor Day is quite possibly my least favorite holiday of the year. Just when I’m starting to come to terms with the fact that school is in fact here and I’m going to have to deal with class schedules and homework for the next 9 months a four day weekend rolls around and throws me right back into summer mode. This year I’m a little more excited for the long weekend though because I get to take a mini road trip to attend my cousin’s bridal shower and I wouldn’t have been able to attend if I didn’t have the extra time off of school. If the day after the Labor Day weekend is as much of a struggle for you as it is for me I’m sharing the coziest outfit that will keep you looking put together when you just want to go back to bed. It’s also what I wear pretty much nonstop in the Autumn so hopefully it will help you get into the fall spirit too!

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Is socks and birkenstocks just a Colorado thing? It’s so comy!

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This tshirt is from a company called Z Supply, they’re fast fashion unfortunately, but they are donating 100% of the profits from this shirt to the anti-trafficking organization The Exodus Road and if you post a photo with #everydayeveryone they’ll donate $5 to The Exodus Road. It’s also soo comfy and I’ve been living in it a lot lately.

What are you doing for the long weekend? Tell me in the comments!

~Maizy

Unless I let you know otherwise, my posts aren’t sponsored by any of the companies whose products I mention. I won’t accept sponsorships from companies whose products I don’t truly think are really great. However, links marked with an * are affiliate links. Should you click on the links and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you, I’ll go add to my growing stash of tea, or yarn, or pay the fines on that library book that I couldn’t put down for a month.

 

 

6 Goals for the Fall Semester

adminFeminism

Exactly one week from today (the day I’m writing this) I’ll be starting what is hopefully the second-to-last school year before I graduate from college. All my rising juniors out there we only have 4 semesters left! We can do this! Classes haven’t started yet and it’s already shaping up to be a busy semester so I’m setting some goals to help me stay focused on what’s actually important to me and I’m posting them here for accountability.

  1. Find a bullet journaling rhythm that works for me I love the idea of bullet journaling but it feels like a lot to take on so this fall I’m going to focus on slowly adding pieces to it until I find something that fits my life.
  2. Get the best grades I can in all my classes This goal is about as far as you can get from a SMART goal but at least it’s honest haha. I’d love to get As in all of my classes and that is definitely what I’m going to work towards. I also know that I’m going to be taking some difficult classes this semester so ultimately I want to walk away knowing that I put in my best effort and got the best grade I’m capable of even if that’s not an A.
  3. Apply for the Compassion Internship Working for Compassion would be an amazing opportunity career-wise and also a dream come true for me because of how passionate I am about their mission. I’ll be eligible for the summer 2019 internship and applications open in November. This fall I’ll be working on developing skills and networking to set myself up to be a top candidate for the internship.
  4. Learn Adobe Premier Pro, Photoshop, and Lightroom In order to take my blog to the next level, and improve my skills for internships and jobs I want to apply for, these are three programs that I would like to learn.
  5. Write to my Compassion Kids every month I love writing to my Compassion kids but it’s not always something that I’m good at doing often so this fall I am going to schedule times to sit down and write to all of them at least once a month.
  6. Blog twice a week Blogging is another thing that I love doing, but often gets pushed aside when I get busy with classes. School is still a higher priority but I want to get into a better rhythm of scheduling posts ahead of time and prewriting content when I’m less busy so when things get hectic my blog isn’t neglected.

What are your goals for this fall? If you are starting your freshman year this semester I have a post just for you! Check out 5 Things to do as a Freshman That Will Set You up for Success!

~Maizy

Unless I let you know otherwise, my posts aren’t sponsored by any of the companies whose products I mention. I won’t accept sponsorships from companies whose products I don’t truly think are really great. However, links marked with an * are affiliate links. Should you click on the links and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you, I’ll go add to my growing stash of tea, or yarn, or pay the fines on that library book that I couldn’t put down for a month.

5 Things to do as a First Semester Freshman that will set you up for Success

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It’s August which means it is officially back to school season! If you’re starting your college career this month you’ve probably signed up for classes, ordered your textbooks, and you might even have moved into your dorm by this point. You’re probably also feeling a whirlwind of excitement and anxiety at the unknown that is your freshman year. Trust me, it’s really not as scary as it seems right now. I’m entering my 4th year of attending college classes in one way or another and I’ve learned a few things that I think are helpful for any college freshman, whether you are moving across the country or attending community college. Read this list, then take a deep breath. You’ve got this; you’re going to do great. Good luck!

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  1. Get to know your professors 2 things are true about college professors. 1. They want you to succeed; 2. If you don’t act like you care, neither will they. Going to office hours, speaking up in class, and emailing your professor with questions even if you feel confident with the material will be sooo helpful when you aren’t sure about something, and can make a few points’ worth of difference when it comes to that major assignment you really need to do well on. Professors are great people to write letters of recommendation and some will have a huge influence on your entire academic and possibly professional career so its good to make a good impression early. IMG_1885
  2. Identify study spaces Every campus has three different kinds of public areas: Social spaces (abandon all hope ye who study here), Casual study spaces (you might get some work done but let’s be real you’re just here because your friends are), and Serious study spaces (this is where you go to really get stuff done). You’ll be able to focus better in some areas than others so find out where those spaces are at the beginning of the semester to make life way easier when midterms hit. IMG_1884
  3. Don’t dismiss the easy classes You took calc 2 back in high school but for some reason, they put you back in pre-calc. Or maybe you took the easiest science class because you’re an English major so whatever but now you’re bored out of your mind. You could skip class or treat these courses as nap time or can say “Yay! Free GPA boost!”, actually put in the effort, and not be kicking yourself when you barely pass Anatomy and Physiology and your grades could really use some cushion. IMG_4346
  4. Get involved Your roommates or sorority sisters might end up being the best friends you ever have but is that a reason to pass up the opportunity to connect with that girl who loves historically accurate baking as much as you? Of course not! Try out any and all of the clubs and events that interest you. You don’t have to stay involved with all of them but its healthy (and fun) to connect with several groups that you have something in common with. IMG_2442
  5. Budget Its college, you have freedom and social events every weekend and the credit card companies won’t stop sending you offers. Use this time to learn how to handle your money while you still have a safety net and your 22-year-old recently graduated self will thank you.

Are you a freshman? What do you think will be most useful to you from this list? Have you been in college for a while? What would you add?

~Maizy

Unless I let you know otherwise, my posts aren’t sponsored by any of the companies whose products I mention. I won’t accept sponsorships from companies whose products I don’t truly think are really great. However, links marked with an * are affiliate links. Should you click on the links and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you, I’ll go add to my growing stash of tea, or yarn, or pay the fines on that library book that I couldn’t put down for a month.

Compassion El Salvador 2018 Day 1: The Country Office and Home Visits

adminCompassion International

Out of the three-ish days we spent exploring the country of El Salvador and learning about Compassion programs, the most impactful for me was the day we visited the national office and a new center in San Salvador. The national office is full of passionate, intelligent people who are using their gifts to break cycles of poverty, exploitation, and marginalization that have been affecting their communities for generations. We had the opportunity to hear from several directors of various programs but listening to the directors of the youth development and income generation programs was especially exciting to me because those are already areas that I am passionate about and pursuing a career in.

The youth development program (YDP) was developed by Compassion in conjunction with closing down the leadership development program (LDP). Formerly, students would graduate from the child development program (CDP) at 18 years old and only those who showed the most potential would have the opportunity to enter the LDP and be matched with a sponsor to pursue a bachelor’s degree or higher. The YDP extends the benefits of the LDP to more students, allowing them to stay in the CDP until the age of 22 (except in a few countries where military service is mandatory at 18). Students in the YDP receive discipleship, mentorship, and opportunities to be involved in sports, music training, as well as higher education whether that be in a trade or a university degree. The YDP benefits students starting at the age of 12 until they graduate from the program. All but one of my sponsored children is over the age of 15 so it is exciting for me to see Compassion working to provide opportunities to more students than would have been possible with the LDP.

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These shoes were made in one of Compassion’s income-generation workshops. I bought the pink pair!

One of the downfalls of the LDP was the high cost of sponsorship. LDP sponsorship is significantly more than the $38 to sponsor a child in the CDP and so significantly fewer people could afford to sponsor a leadership development student. The cost of higher education hasn’t gone down so in order to cover the difference between what sponsorship pays for and what education costs for YDP students many centers have started income generation workshops. In El Salvador, the workshops range from bakeries to shoemaking factories. Students set their own hours around their school schedule and can work up to 20 hours a week to earn income that helps them pay for their education. Not only are students learning useful skills like breadmaking but they are also learning entrepreneurship and how to run a business which will help them earn sustainable income no matter where they go in life. I firmly believe that dignified employment is one of the most effective ways to fight poverty and so I am thrilled to see Compassion begin incorporating that into their ministry.

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After leaving the national office we visited a center located in San Salvador where we split into groups to visit families involved in the Compassion program and eat lunch in their homes. I visited the home of Maria and her granddaughter Lucero. Lucero has been involved in the Compassion program since her center opened a year ago. She and her brother love soccer and after lunch, they challenged us to a match…needless to say they won that game and the one after it. Lucero’s grandmother, Maria supports her family by selling tortillas. She taught us how to make authentic Salvadoran tortillas and they were delicious! During our visit to the center, I was struck by how amazing the tutors and center staff are. Many of them are not paid and live in the same neighborhoods as the kids they serve but they still work tirelessly to help those kids break out of poverty. Thinking about the Compassion tutors gives me a whole new perspective on sacrificial giving!

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I’ll have another post about my trip up soon but I hope what I have shared in this post has made you as excited about Compassion’s ministry as I am! If you are interested in sponsoring a child send me an email or message me on insta or facebook! I would love to help you get started on what is truly an amazing journey!

~Maizy

Unless I let you know otherwise, my posts aren’t sponsored by any of the companies whose products I mention. I won’t accept sponsorships from companies whose products I don’t truly think are really great. However, links marked with an * are affiliate links. Should you click on the links and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you, I’ll go add to my growing stash of tea, or yarn, or pay the fines on that library book that I couldn’t put down for a month.

 

 

 

19 Things I’ve Learned in 19 Years of Living

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Happy birthday to me! I’m celebrating my 19th birthday today in El Salvador. I’m here for a Compassion Sponsor trip and I am so excited to meet my sponsored child, Nuria, and see first-hand the work Compassion is doing! Our itinerary is pretty full so I’ll most likely be a bit MIA online but I still wanted to write a post ahead of time for today and stay tuned for posts about my experience in El Salvador in the coming weeks!

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19 years, in the grand scheme of life, isn’t a very long time but I’ve had enough time to learn a little bit about life so in honor of my birthday I’ve decided to share (in no particular order) 19 things I’ve learned in 19 years of living.

  1. If you have money, you need a budget
  2. Wear sunscreen. You’ll either tan or you won’t but either way, it’s better than a sunburn now and skin cancer later.
  3. My mom was usually right
  4. I need Jesus
  5. Sometimes self-care means bubble baths and chocolate and sometimes it means eating your vegetables and cleaning your room.
  6. Colorado tap water is the best but enough ice makes almost any water drinkable.
  7. A few genuine friendships are better than many shallow ones.
  8. Don’t let what you think of as “just your personality” limit you. Introverts need community and extroverts can benefit from spending time alone.
  9. The attitude you choose makes a huge difference in any situation
  10. If you can’t articulate the argument of someone you disagree with, you don’t completely understand why you believe what you believe*
  11. Surround yourself with people who will respect your values and encourage you*
  12. But also don’t put yourself in a bubble. Make sure you have people in your life who look and think differently than you do.*
  13. You’re not supposed to feel stressed all the time. If you are always stressed out, take a break, go for a hike,  breathe, then see what changes you can make so your stress is lighter.
  14. It’s actually way easier to find time to read than you think, keep a book in your purse or download an e-reader app on your phone (If you need a place to get started  a lot of classics are free to download to your Kindle or the kindle app!) and whenever you have a few minutes and would normally open up social media now you can open a book.
  15. Stressful things are always worse at 11pm. Go to bed, you’ll be better able to figure everything out in the morning.
  16. Don’t try to dress/look/act like everyone else figure out your style and own it.
  17. Phone calls are essential to adult life. You don’t have to like them just learn how to get through them and communicate without sounding like you’re in pain.
  18. On a similar note, being the first one to reach out/initiate a friendship can be scary but it’s so worth it.
  19. Be kind. Life is hard enough without people tearing each other down so strive to be the person who builds people up.

*10-12 are courtesy of my bff who is amazing and way smarter than I am.

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So there you have it! 19 things I’ve learned/am in the process of learning. What are some life lessons you’ve learned recently? Share them in the comments!

~Maizy

Unless I let you know otherwise, my posts aren’t sponsored by any of the companies whose products I mention. I won’t accept sponsorships from companies whose products I don’t truly think are really great. However, links marked with an * are affiliate links. Should you click on the links and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you, I’ll go add to my growing stash of tea, or yarn, or pay the fines on that library book that I couldn’t put down for a month.

Fashion Friday: Rescue is Coming A Casual Look for Summer

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Happy Friday!

Today I have a super casual tank top and shorts look for you. During the summer I have a few go-to pairs of shorts and a rotation of t-shirts that I basically live in. This tank top is a pretty new addition to my closet from the store I’ve been running for my internship. I do e-commerce for a counter-human trafficking organization called The Exodus Road and I love the message of this shirt and that it supports rescue for people caught in modern slavery.

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I don’t think I own a pair of shorts that didn’t start out as jeans or long pants. When I shop for shorts the fit is always awkward and they are either too short or too long. For the past couple of years, I’ve just been buying jeans at thrift stores and cut them into shorts that way I have total control over the length.

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Top: The Exodus Road (black is sold out but they also have it in mint!) 

What is your go to summer outfit? Tell me in the comments!

~Maizy

Unless I let you know otherwise, my posts aren’t sponsored by any of the companies whose products I mention. I won’t accept sponsorships from companies whose products I don’t truly think are really great. However, links marked with an * are affiliate links. Should you click on the links and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you, I’ll go add to my growing stash of tea, or yarn, or pay the fines on that library book that I couldn’t put down for a month.