My Summer Wardrobe

I usually have a few outfits and key pieces that wear all summer and I thought I'd share them with you. I just love their versatility, comfort, and durability. Within these outfits there are trends like, colors, cuts and styles. I seem to adore neon yellow, a certain cut of shorts, statement necklaces, and an overall polished look. I hope you enjoy! Let's dive in...

For the Fourth// I recently bought this red tank from J.Crew Factory for $5, I thought it was perfect for the 4th as well as any other hot day in July. I got my white and navy shorts from TJ Maxx, they are originally from Willi Smith.  My gold flip-flops are from Old Navy, and my cat-eye sunnies are from H&M. To draw in some more white, I added an off-white belt from J.Crew and a white statement necklace from J.Crew. Wow, I wonder what my favorite store is.

A Little More Laid-Back// This outfit is for a quick trip somewhere in the heat, you can throw in on and still look like you tried. The blueish-patterned, top is from PacSun, I'm pretty sure it was $20. The neon yellow, 3'' Chinos are from J.Crew (surprise, surprise). My neon pink flip-flops are from Old Navy. 

A Little Bit Fancier// I figured this look could be great for a party or an event requiring semi-formal attire. The white, crocheted dress I am sporting is from Old Navy and the tan wedges on my feet were purchased from DSW. As for the mint-colored statement necklace, I recently bought that at J.Crew Factory. The pink purse over my shoulder is from Nine West, it's a few years old but I found the same one TJ Maxx the other day. 

Some Prep in the Mix// In the summer it's always nice to have a basic v-neck to use as a staple. I love this one and have it in about five more colors from Old Navy. I matched the tee with dark blue shorts with green whales on them from TJ Maxx. On my wrist I am wearing two beaded bracelets I made, and an Alex and Ani Sagittarius bangle. My belt, half leather half elastic, is from Banana Republic. My feet are the most comfortable they have ever been in these flipflop-like Birkenstocks. My mom brought these coper-brown babies back from Europe and I couldn't be happier! 

A Bit More Put Together// I just love, love, love wearing button-down shirts with some patterned/ geometric shorts. My bright, green/yellow top is from J.Crew (this is getting old). I was so happy I waited for it to go on sale; it went  from $65 to $10 in a matter of a month. The pink and white shorts are from Old Navy, I purchased them last summer. To dress this up a little bit, you could add a statement necklace like I did, or, you could tie your hair back and wear some big, noticeable earrings.

I hoped you liked reading this post as much as I liked writing it. I love to share what I like to wear -- I also love when things rhyme like that! 

Until next time...

xoxo,

Stella

On My Radar

I thought I'd enjoy talking about what's been on my radar lately. First off though, I would like to apologize for not posting anything for three weeks, or however long. I was wrapping up final projects and exams. But as of last week, it's officially summer!!

Chilin' at the Pool // 

The pool is a summer must-do. Lately, when I'm bored and it's a really nice day out I've been going to the pool with my friends. There are a few pools around town that I prefer over others, one reason being cost. Where I live, all the pools are a part of a club to which I am usually not a member. Some of my friends are members so I can get in for free with them. I should think about getting a few punch-passes though. 

The pool I sometimes go to.

Watching the World Cup //

Recently, for some arbitrary reason I have been loving to watch soccer. Honestly, I barely know the rules or what's happening at a given time, but I really find it exciting and fascinating how soccer is a huge part of a country's culture. I just watched the Spain vs Netherlands game and I was overjoyed that the Netherlands won 5 to 1. I can't wait to watch the rest.

Going Summer-Natural // 

I know what this sounds like, and I'm here to inform you that your initial assumptions are incorrect. What I mean by "going summer-natural" is not wearing make up, and letting my hair exist in it's natural state rather than blowdrying it straight (OMG that rhymed). To me this also means not having to shave my legs (yes!), it's such a pain in the butt. Weird fact: I actually shave more in the winter months than in the summer ones, I think it has something to do with the fact that no one from school is seeing my hairy legs in the summer. 

Driving //

It's hard to believe that I can legally drive with a parent now! I got my learner's permit about three weeks ago and I've been driving almost everyday since. First we did a couple parking lots, then various twisty neighborhoods with stop signs, and then we moved on to intersections and the highway! I'm learning really quickly and according to my brother, I'm actually kind of good.

Me with my permit 

I hope you liked seeing what's been on my mind lately! I like these types of post and I'll be sure to do one again!
xoxo,
Stella

A Year at a Glance

I cannot believe that this school year is over, I've had 90 periods of each class and it feels like I've only had about five. The strangest thing is, that summer is right around the corner and I can't even feel it. It's like my brain doesn't recognize it because it's too inundated with reminders for tests and end-of-the-year things. I don't think I'll feel the excitement of summer until school finally gets out next Thursday; I have an exam just about every day up until then. Looking back at the 2013-14 school-year, I have done quite a bit, especially for it only being my Freshman year in high school.

ONE // Science Fair

At SLVSEF with my beloved biochemistry project.

Science is my thing. You could say that I "geek out" over science, and it would beyond accurate. It just makes so much sense to me, almost everything has a reason, and I like reason 99% of the time. This year in my Honors Biology class, we were required to participate in the school science fair. I chose to do this project alone and initially I was nowhere near excited for it. But when things started to unfold and I was a finalist in my school fair, I loved it. I advanced to district fair and then to regionals (Salt Lake Valley Science and Engineering Fair). Seeing as it was my first regional science fair, I didn't expect to place or advance, but it was a great learning experience and it made me want to do it again next year. 

TWO // Uganda Fundraiser

I am the president of my school's Builder's Club, which is a subdivision of Kiwanis and this year we did many service projects mostly for the community, but this year our huge project was raising money for our sister school in Uganda, St. John's. Alexia a friend from the club and I decided to take this one step further and include my former elementary school in the project. We had competition between classes in which they filled their class donation jars with coins and bills. The winning class received certificates as well as popsicles. In total we raised about $500 that goes towards desks for schoolchildren in Uganda. It was pretty amazing, leading a fundraiser on our own, we learned so much.

TREE // Service Hours

As a part of the National Honor Society we are required to complete twenty hours of community service within the school-year. As you may know from a few posts back, I volunteer at the hospital once a week. Well three hours a week every week for this school year, plus numerous extra shifts taken, I was up to 110 hours of community service. I was awarded third place in number of service hours this year. 

I hope this post didn't seem too self absorbed, I purely wanted to reflect on everything I've done in my first year of High School. I'm sure I did more, but for now these are the biggest, most important things I can think of.
Thanks for reading!
xoxo,
Stella

Spring + Summer Shopping

Wow, I have really been on a roll with spring and summer lately. Spring is here and summer is right around the corner, I only have two more weeks of school! I found it appropriate to share what I bought for the upcoming season and it just so happens that many of the things I talked about in my last post are in this one too. Some of the items in this post I purchased last weekend and some I got last month. But nonetheless, I would like to show you what I will be wearing quite a bit this summer.

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From TJ Maxx-

Silk Tee // This is one of the clothing items I mentioned in my last post, the one I showed is obviously different from this one but they both are very cute. I love this because it has a sort of "mod" look to it and it has my favorite tones of blue in it. This piece was $14.

Woven Sandals // Or Haraches are super cute, simple, and most importantly, comfortable. People who live in South America wear these all the time, it's probably because they look good with almost any outfit. I featured another pair of these in my last post too but I like mine better (haha). These woven sandals were $30.

Chic Shorts // I always like to have a pair of shorts that are a little more on the dressier side. I love these particular ones because of the color (my favorite) and how I can dress them up or down. These were $20.

Flowing Shorts // These are great for when you want to wear a flowing skirt but you don't want to be constantly have to worry about your skirt coming up and people seeing. The geometric pattern on these is really eye-catching and black and white go with everything. These were $16.

From H&M-

Oxblood Skirt // I know, I know, the beautiful color isn't exactly bright like most summer clothes are. But I just had to get it, it was on sale and I don't have anything like it. I think I could sport it this summer and definitely through the fall. This was on sale for $7.

Navy Tank // Believe it or not, It gets really hot in July where I live, and it comes to a point where tee shirts are too much and I need something lighter. Instead of wearing a plain old tank, I thought I'd get one with lace trim. This was $3.

Cat-eye Sunglasses // I never knew what type of sunglasses looked good with my face and nose shape until I tried a whole bunch on and looked it up on the internet and magazines. But I found it, and it's the cat-eye look. I was so happy when I found the perfect pair of tortoise, cat-eye sunnies! These were only $7. 

Blue Polkadot Dress // If you haven't noticed, I really like dark blues. And I really look forward to wearing this tank dress on hot days July, maybe even for the 4th! This was $15.

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I know I didn't particularly get a lot, but I already have so much clothes that I can't keep them organized. So I figured I would focus on things that I needed more, turns out only needed a few. I hope you enjoyed seeing what I purchased and will be wearing for the summer season! Until next time!

xoxo,

Stella

10 Things Every Girl Needs for Spring + Summer

Spring is one of the best seasons for many reasons, one being how everything turns to different shades of green, another is how we can finally wear shorts! Trees, green, shorts, rain, flowers, and sun is what makes spring so awesome. It's very unfortunate that spring doesn't last long where I live, things seem to shift from a complete winter to a hot, dry summer in a matter of about two weeks. I thought because of my obvious spring fever, I would write about what every girl should have in their spring wardrobe. Here we go...

ONE // Small Cross-body

Everyone needs a bag to carry things around in that's small, easy to carry, and hands-free. Cross-bodies are perfect for that, they're a great way to hold just the bare minimum when you're out and don't want to bother with a huge bag. This particular bag is from Fossil, it's a little more on the expensive side but there are so many other companies that sell really cute cross-overs in fun colors. 

TWO // Silky Tee

A new chic look to try for spring is a silky tee shirt. This one's from Madewell, again expensive but you can find them at TJ Maxx and H&M too. It's got a boxy cut that doesn't hug your body in any places, basically and all around comfortable and free-flowing top that looks great on anyone. I have a silky tee shirt that has a blue pattern on it and I love wearing it with jeans one day and dressing it up the next. 

TREE // Boyfriend Shorts

The concept of the "boyfriend jean" has now transferred to shorts too! I don't know about you, but I don't always enjoy skin-tight shorts that almost expose my butt. I like shorts that are comfortable and not too revealing. These shorts are from J. Crew, I love all of their shorts, they fit me so well and I can always find great deals and sales on them. 

FOUR // Colorful Studs

Studs are always a good accent piece, they add a little to an outfit without adding too much. I have these studs from World Market and I love them, they are really cheap and pretty good quality. My ears are sensitive to certain medals and, I have to say these are awesome, they never give me problems, not to mention the compliments I get on their pretty colors!

FIVE // Sea Star Charm

I have been obsessed with the bracelet company Alex and Ani, they have the cutest bangles with little charms on them. I currently have a bangle with my zodiac sign on it and I find that it goes with everything that I wear. This one is a sea star from their Seaside collection. These bracelets are durable and made with recycled material in the US. What could be better than that?

SIX // Strappy Sandals 

Practical yet stylish shoes are a must for the spring and summer time. Wearing ballet flats when it's hot out isn't ideal and flip-flops are very bad for your feet, so I opt for some strappy, flat sandals. They are super cute, especially when there is an ankle strap and only one band around the toes. These are from Gap but I've seen them almost everywhere in different colors and styles.

SEVEN // Comfortable Dress

For those days where it's sweltering hot out and you don't want anything too snug on your body, or on the days when is the perfect temperature but you want to be comfy, I have the perfect thing. Simple, sleeveless dresses with interesting designs are amazing, they are light and loose and not too air tight. This exact dress is from H&M but I can't even tell you haw many places I've seen these inexpensive dresses.

EIGHT // Pastel Oxford

Oxfords are always a classic and great to have, especially pastel colored ones! Pastels are always great for the spring because they brighten up any outfit, and outfits are so versatile and put-together. This one is from Tommy Hilfiger but you can find them at pretty much any store. 

NINE // Printed Shorts

Regular shorts aren't enough for the spring and summer. Any print on shorts will do, but I prefer floral. You can find these easily at Forever 21 and other inexpensive stores. These particular shorts are from J. Crew and they would look great with the pink oxford (8). 

TEN // Haraches 

Haraches are woven leather sandals that are popular in South and Central America. Now the trend is reaching the US! I have seen these many places including American Eagle, Urban Outfitters, and Anthropologie. 

I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know in the comments if you liked this style/structure of a post. Until next time...
xoxo,
Stella

Track Escapades

As I recently informed you in my "Day in The Life" post, I took up track this year. It's been a thrilling ride, both mentally and physically but overall I'm very glad I decided to join. And as the season is coming to a close, I thought I would share my thoughts and experiences with you all. Enjoy!

One of our early morning meets

The initial reason I joined track was because I was not doing any other extracurricular, physical activities at the time. I had just recently quit dance (ballet) after 7 years last spring and my parents were giving me grief about not doing anything active. Which leads me to another reason I joined the track team, to please my parents. But don't think that I didn't do this for myself, I did, I wanted to have fun and do something physical to stay in-shape. One more reason I wanted to join track is because I had heard the track community was very accepting and friendly and after 7 years of bratty dancers, I wanted a change of scenery.

My friends and I before practice one day

I am a pretty cautious person, so I would never let myself do anything completely new without someone I know to share the gut-wrenching experience with me. So I recruited an old friend with a background in swimming and a new friend who I knew would be at the same level of novice as me. The whole school day leading up to the first practice my inside felt twisted and I could practically hear my heart beating, ready to leap out of my cheast (did I mention a have a bit of anxiety?). Words cannot explain the first day of practice let alone the first two weeks! I probably told myself as well as my friends, that I was going to quit. But I made it through the hardest part, my theory was that the coaches were trying to weed out the people who didn't have it in them to keep going, which in the very beginning, was me.

Bathroom stops on the way to meets

Throughout the whole season, my anxiety never went away. Meets were the worst, but at the end of them I always had a good time, it was just leading up to it. It's kind of unfortunate that I stopped being so nervous about practice up until, well, this past Monday. Now for some strange reason, I am so excited for practice, I don't know it it's because its starting to be sunny and warm, or that I have no more meets. Officially, my track season is over, I'm not going to any of the big meets. I never really expected to, I'm definitely not one of the best on the team or even close. But that never bothered me, I did this for me, to have fun and to stay fit, I was never trying to be the best or beat anyone but myself.

Currently I am still going to practice to get a chance to train with the really fast people who will push me and make me better. Plus, my dedication to the team will be recognized and maybe next year I'll be in more meets and the coaches might actually remember my name! Oh, I completely forgot to mention the friends I've made through track, some girls my age who I've known for a while but never really been close to, and some sophomores too. I look forward to returning to track for the next three springs until I graduate, it's been great. I hope you found this post interesting and maybe even a bit encouraging, let me know if you liked this post and I'll be sure to write more about my experiences in high school. Until next time!

xoxo,

Stella

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

I know I've blogged about healthy eating and food previously, but I never actually posted a recipe, so I thought I'd try one! I was watching one of my favorite YouTube channels, MissGlamorazzi,  and she did a great job demonstrating how to make healthy but tasty meals and this pudding was one of them. I had remembered that a while back my mom had told me about this chocolate avocado pudding, so I decided to make it!

What you will need:

•1/3 c organic cocoa powder (no added sugar)
•1/3 c organic raw honey
•1 tsp vanilla extract
•1/2 tsp chia seeds ( I used ground chia seeds)
•3 tbs coconut oil

•1 or 2 ripe avocado (whatever you prefer)

•1/4 c peanut butter (optional)
•Blender (mine is a Blend Tech)




Procedure:

Ground Chia Seeds

First, scoop 1/3 cup of organic cocoa powder and place it into a clean blender. Then scoop raw honey and put that into the blender too. Now add vanilla, chia seeds, and coconut oil. *The raw honey I used is local, supporting local businesses is really good to do and less fuel used to transport!

Second, cut avocado around the pit and twist to open. Then stab the put with your knife, twist, and pull away to take it out. After you have the exposed center, scoop it out with a spoon and drop it into the blender with everything else. *Avocados are a really good source of healthy fats, they also have many other benefits.

Looks kind of nasty

Now that you have everything you want in the blender, you can do ahead a blend it. You may need to stop it a couple times to push the pieces of avocado closer to the blades so they are blended completely.

Once all blended up, scrape out the pudding with a spatula, pour it into a bowl, and set in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. I decided to decorate my pudding with pistachios since berries aren't in season right now, but that would be a great option too!

Well, I hope you enjoyed this post and I strongly encourage you to make this on your own. It tastes amazing and doesn't have any added sugars or artificial sweeteners in it. I don't know of a dessert that is more healthy! Be sure to check out MissGlamorazzi's video, she has two more awesome recipes. Enjoy!

xoxo,

Stella