Weekly Recap

Okay, so this week was a bit of a blur to me! It went bye really fast and was filled with so many different emotions. in my last post I talked about how crazy confused I am about my "diet"/lifestyle, and looking at it now I feel kind of stupid about it.

I've talked to so many different bloggers about this, and I even got in touch with Jordan from the Balanced Blonde (formerly the Blonde Vegan). If any of you know her blog, you know that she was a very strict vegan until last year when she came out about her eating disorder. She has a huuuuge following, and for her to be able to get back to the email I sent her made me absolutely ecstatic. And the email was long and loving and so so amazing, and basically saved me from going into a deep whole of another disorder. I basically told her I'm totally lost with what to do about my disorder, meaning if I should try these certain lifestyles like high carb or high fat. Jordan answered perfectly that I know deep down doing these fad diets not only cause me more of a restrictive mindset, but also inner competition. It's hard to explain but she did so well.

So anyway, I'm not going on a high carb diet. I had low energy, and I'm getting signals from my body that it wasn't working, like my thinning hair and dry skin. Basically I need to get back to the way I was eating, but more. Which brings me to my next point, my calories and fitness. I'm taking a two week break from exercise, which if you know me is totally unheard of. I haven't taken that long of a break for over a year. It's crazy but its true. I read another blog post from Emma D Fitness, and she basically has the same story as me. She lost her period, restricted her food, and became obsessed with healthy food and overexercising. ME. She explained in her post that she had come to the realization in the midst of her eating disorder that what she was doing to her body was absolutely pointless. She was obsessed with having abs 24/7 (guilty) and always pushing herself to her limits (guilty again). She knew she had to gain body fat because she had none in order to get her period back, and to do this she needed to up her calories and stop working out for the time being. To make this story shorter, she did, despite being addicted, stop exercising for 2 weeks and majorly ate more. She didn't gain a ton of weight funnily enough, but she did get her period back. And that was the beginning of her recovery. And I've come to the realization that that's what I have to do too. It's so hard for me not to exercise or at least do yoga everyday, but I HAVE to get my body back to normal. I'm sick of being so thin and tired all the time. For what? I miss my old body, where I was strong and ready to do anything all the time. I miss my thick hair and strong nails..

So yep. Starting today I'm eating a lot more, especially fats. I'm not going to exercise for at least a week or two, and we're gonna see where this goes. It's like I'm starting over on my health and fitness journey. It's time for me to get my body back in order, because I'm almost 18 and I'm 20 pounds underweight. Not good.

That's my crazy week for ya! It's been very cold and rainy every single day, which I love, but don't get me wrong I'm constantly feeling like an icicle. Most days after school I've been bundled up reading blogs and catching up on youtube videos ;)

Here's to the beginning of my new journey, day one.

Have a good weekend <3

Maddie

iPhone Life

1// Feeling joyous

2// Winter nails (essie a list)

3// First chilly day calls for a sweater and boots!

4// A pretty rose in my school garden

5// Rainy mornings <3

6// Soup and sushi with mom

7// Yummy breakfast of almond butter and blueberries on toasted raisin bread

8// Piling on everything from the whole foods salad bar

I want to do more of these, they're fun haha! Just a peek into my daily life from my iPhone ;) This week went bye fairly quickly. It was my moms birthday on wednesday so I bought her balloons and flowers, and surprised her with a few gifts. We also went out to dinner and I got her a beautiful fruit tart :) Now I am trying my hardest to decorate the house and my bedroom for Christmas…so far I have my white fairy lights up around my window, a mini christmas tree, and some other little knick knacks. But thats about it! Besides getting through school also ;) 

What are you guys up to this weekend? We have a family friend coming in so hopefully we will do something fun together since I haven't seen her in YEARS. 

Maddie

Girl Crush: Gigi Hadid

Guys. I'm having kind of a girl crush. Ever since a few weeks ago, I've been obsessing over Gigi Hadid. Well not just a couple of weeks, but when Cody Simpson was dating her. I was like, okay okay this girl is pretty haha. I mean, I don't know what it is about her, but I really think she is a model to watch. Already she's been walking in major shows and shooting for some big names. Just a couple days ago the Pirelli Calendar was released and I was stunned to say the least. Gigi has very prominent features and I think thats why I'm drawn to her. Shes also not stick thin, she's healthy and strong and you can tell. Anyway I thought I'd share this with you guys. Isn't anyone else obsessing over her with me?! 

Maddie

Fall Inspiration

As Fall continues on I continue to obsess over dark colors. I guess it's just a habit, but I'm wearing it everywhere. On my nails, eyes, lips, and especially clothes. What I'm really looking for is a nice trench coat, not that I need one for the kind of weather I live in haha! 

Just some quick inspiration for everyone :)

Maddie

Hello October

It's heeeeere :) Last night my mom and I went to the grocery store. And let me tell you it looked like Fall hit that place like a tornado. Pumpkin EVERYTHING. As a matter of fact there were like 20 different types of pumpkins to chose from. Also, some called 'fantasy pumpkins' and they are out of this world beautiful. Huge and white, with swirly trunks. Some were creme, others orange and white striped or spotted. 

I picked up some cans of pumpkin, and I cannot WAIT to start busting out my fall recipes. This morning when I drove to school, it was actually breezy and cool outside. No gust of hot summer air. Ah, fall you bring me lots of joy. Here's to the hundreds of cups of tea and never ending burning candles ;)

Happy 1st of October!

Maddie

The Moodboard Tag

This mood board is kind of all over the place, but I've been obsessing over black and white...and lately I've been really loving my body and myself, which i guess is a good thing haha! I've just enjoyed looking at myself in my mirror and admiring the body I was blessed with. Sounds a little cheesy but after reading a lot about people who don't have body parts or get sick and can't do something, it really makes me love what I have. This past week I've had so much energy and I've loved sweating and exercising, because it just releases stress and makes me feel amazing. So that's what I wanted to show in this board. Odd I know but that's just me haha! ;)

Thanks for tagging me Victoria! I tag Katie, Ashley, and Rachel :)

Maddie

4th of JULY ☼

Happy 4th of July to all my fellow Americans! To be honest, I really didn't feel like I usually do on the 4th. Well first, usually I am in California on the beach *holds in tears* Ugh I can't tell you how sad I am that I can't be there...but hopefully I will make it out there this month. Anyway, it just seems like this holiday came so fast so I wasn't ready for it. I made no plans and just hung out all day, which is fine by me! :) 

I did, though, do some fancy eye makeup and a bright red lip of course! I was feeling spirited later in the day so I though I would throw on my american flag shorts and matching scarf. I LOVE both of these to death haha, although I probably only wear them for this time of year. So, I guess I looked ready for the part as I watched fireworks at the park :)

The day after the 4th, my family and I were actually invited to a barbecue so we went to that and I had tons of fun. I swam, ate tons of yummy food, and then it started raining so I went home, showered, and snuggled up in my bed with a movie, i know I'm such a party animal right? I might of baked some cookies too...;)

Did you guys do anything fun or interesting for the 4th of July? Let me know! I hope you guys had a great weekend, even if you didnt celebrate haha :)

Happy Monday!

   Maddie

Are You an Introvert?

I was at the bookstore with my mom a couple days ago and I spotted Company Magazine in the sea of all the other magazines. I was shocked because my bookstore never carried this magazine before and I've been dying to read it for a couple months now, so as soon as I saw it I grabbed it right away! Anyway, I was reading through it and absolutely loving it. And, this may be cheesy or weird, but I love how everything in it is priced with pounds or euros, and they use English words that us Americans don't use, so it made me feel like I was actually in England...cries.

The point of this post is about an article I read in the magazine, and it really got me thinking. It was all about how introverted people are thought of the wrong way. I mean think about it, when you think of someone who is 'introverted' you think of someone who is shy, quiet, un-confident, simple..right? That's what comes to my mind. But after reading the article I quickly got to scolding myself thinking where did I even come us with those words?? 

An introvert is someone who could be totally social and talkative, but the difference between an introvert and an extrovert is simply this: an introvert needs time alone to recharge and re-energize, while an extrovert needs to be around people to feel re-energized. It all makes a lot of sense to me now. I think introverts get a bad wrap in society. Personally, I know I'm an introvert, and saying that doesn't bother me the slightest bit. I'm a very talkative, outgoing person, and when I want to speak up boy do I speak! (I've kinda gotta be careful with that lol.) But I definitely need my time alone. If I don't get the right amount of alone time in a day, I feel drained and frantic, you know like when you can't think straight. I'll admit, I could only hang around crowds of people for so long before I feel like I need to get away and come back to reality.

Some of the most successful business owners and celebrities are introverts; like Beyoncé (i know right! i couldn't believe it!) Christina Aguilera, Pink, and Lady Gaga to name a few. And not that it matters, but that made me feel better about it too haha.

So I'm curious, are any of you introverts, or extroverts? Do you think this information describes you, or what you thought? Let me know in the comments!

Maddie

∙•❁June Favorites❁•∙

I can't believe it's June Favorites already...I remember typing my May Favorites like it was yesterday! This month flew bye but I still managed to try some new things and now I get to share them with you :) 

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray// This stuff is talked about everywhere so I thought I may as well try it..Well i absolutely love it. I used it on freshly washed hair and it did wonders, and I also used it on day 3/4 hair and it still made my hair so voluminous and wavy. Also, the smell to me is amazing, and it brings me to think about special memories I've had on the beach :)

Maybelline Vivids in Shocking Coral// I LOVE the Maybelline Vivids Collection (I have pretty much all of them) and since I've been getting tanner I've been able to pull off the brighter, peachy-er shades of lipsticks. This color is the perfect coral color (of course) and it's so smooth and buttery and it's actually pretty tough to take off. I love wearing this with some highlighter and bronzer, ooooh the summer feels!

#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso// All I have to say about this book is it got my imagination running like crazy and it made me want to get off of my ass and start something! Haha, but really if you're in need of some motivation or just an interesting read of a woman who started from the bottom, pick up this book immediately! 

L'Oreal Infallible The Super Slim Liquid Liner// Okay, so before I purchased this I probably would of had no future with cat-eyes or with any sort of 'flick'. But I'm telling you, this has helped me so much with precision and patience haha! It's so easy and build-able, and I love it to death. I've been wearing it for weeks. It really does stay on for 12 hours, and it's pretty tough to take off, and its BLACK!

Benefit They're Real! Mascara// I picked this lovely product up in my Mini Sephora Haul at the beginning of June and after hearing so much positive feedback about it I decided to give it a try. It definitely makes your lashes look voluminous and fake (hence the name they're real) and you could also probably get away with one coat because it coats them very thick. I would say if you're not a fan of the clumpy, spidery kind of lashes you may want to pass. Although it is build-able, and boy is it a job to remove.

Lot's of beauty lovin' this month. I've been having this urge to drop a lot of money at the mall, and I am trying soooo hard to fight it, but I think I might have to go and see what I can get...I need some summer clothes! ;)

Have you tried any of these products? What's a favorite of yours this month?


Maddie

Things I Wanna Do This Summer ☼

I really can't believe it's already halfway through June. Can you believe that? It seems like we were all waiting so anxiously for summer to come and now it's here full force. Time is going bye suuuper fast, and that scares me a bit, and that's why I wanted to create a list of things I want to do before this season is over. Summer to me is a time to be free, have endless nights, and memories that you'll never forget. 

1. Make new friends// This is an important one for me. I'm not quite sure how I'll go about doing this, but I know I want to meet people. Even over the internet and through blogging. Meeting and talking to new people makes me feel so happy and it even turns my creativity on. So, wanna be friends?! ;)

2. Work on my photography skills// Since getting my amazing new camera, I've been trying to work with the different features it offers. It can sometimes make me feel stupid because I have never really worked with a camera like this, so I really want to perfect the way I take my pictures. 

3. Re-decorate my room// I am SO excited to do this. It's actually been a loooong time since I've done anything to my room, and to be honest I've totally grown out of it. I have completely changed my taste in furniture and style, which is kind of weird to me. I used to be all about vintage, victorian, and ornate designs. Now, while I still love vintage, I'm more minimal and simple. I like a lot of whites, simple lines, and pops of color every now and then.

4. Change my hair// I've already done a post on this, but I really have to change up my hair. I just know that if I change my hair, I'll feel like a completely different person, and I need that haha. I'm growing and changing and learning so many things that I already feel different, so I need to look different!

5. Travel// This one is a no brainer. I would love to make it to California, because that place is like my second home, but I don't know if I'll be able to get there this summer. It really puts a pit in my stomach because I love that place so much. Since I might not make it there, I want to travel around my state and head up North to Sedona. It's sooooo beautiful  there, with tons of red rock mountains, forests, and creeks. I can't wait to spend a couple of nights there with my mom :)

6. Get a dark tan// Not so serious, but this is always a goal of mine for summer!! Usually I get pretty dark and my hair lightens up...ahh the signs of Summer :)

7. Upgrade my blog// This is something I've wanted to do for a little while now, but I just wasn't ready. Now I think since I'm committed to my blog and I've been learning the ins and outs to it, I'm closer to knowing what I want my blog to look like. It's so hard because I'm a picky person and I get bored of things easily so I want to make sure I can create something I'll like for a long time!

8. Meditate/Do yoga every morning// This one takes some dedication, but I'm really dedicated to both of them. Yoga isn't new for me, I've actually done it for a while, but I'm just starting to learn about meditation and what it can do for your body and mind. Really, you need to look up what it does because it's pretty amazing. I'm willing to wake up an extra 30-45 minutes earlier so I can fit this into my morning. I find that when I do yoga before I even leave my bedroom, my whole outlook on the day has changed and I feel energized and happy.

9. Bake// ooooooh how I absolutely LOVE to bake. Normally, I will bake cookie dough bites, cookies, brownies, or something like that. I usually make my creations vegan/semi vegan/gluten free too. I bake a lot, and I've gotten some really good tips and recipes down that I've made and created from scratch. Now I think it's time that I move onto some more difficult things to bake vegan/gluten free like cakes, cupcakes, and things like that. And of course I can then create some recipe posts! :)

10. Explore new hobbies// I am a very creative person, and I pretty much love a lot of different activities. From painting to writing to photography, running, swimming, baseball, baking, cooking, and pretty much creating anything in general. But as I said before in a few posts, this last year has been tough for me and my creative brain kind of shut off when I went into a sad/depressed little world. BUT, I'm over that now, well trying to push my way through, and I am READY to grow and develop my little different kind of a brain haha :) And I realize that in order to switch my brain back to 'on' I need to push myself to do those kinds of creative things.

So this is just a little tiny list of things I wanna do, I actually might post another one of like 25 things I wanna do or something, but just not as in depth. I really am excited this Summer, just to start doing things I want to do, especially since school is finally over!! 

Tell me something you want to do this summer! <3

xx,
Maddie

Mini Sephora Haul ❁

Oh yes it happened. I asked my mom to drop me off at the outdoor shopping center, because it was a lovely day and I had a gift card that I was dying to spend at Sephora. As usual I walked in and wanted to go in three different directions. Believe it or not I was so confused on what to pick up. I originally planned on buying one or two things (i really dont know what I was thinking) but that thought quickly escaped my mind and I walked around the store for at least an hour and a half. First I actually made my way to the benefit area. The "They're Real!" has been getting much attention and I've never tried that mascara before, so I picked that up (i'm really excited for the gel liner pen too). I don't think I've heard anything bad about it, so I'm hopeful I'll love it.

Then I passed the Tarte stand and saw the limited edition packaging for a summer collection and immediately fell in love. This blush is a gorgeous peachy pink color, and it leaves such a beautiful glow on the skin, especially if you're tanned a bit. I like it because the color is more of a nude-y peach than a pink, and that's exactly what I've been looking for! The packaging scores major points too.

By this time I've been walking around for ages but I managed to try out the Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray that's made its way around the blogosphere. I have to say, I saw instant results. So I put it in my basket and went to the dreaded checkout line where there's more products to choose from! That's when I smelled the Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black and White rollerball perfume.. Ahh guys. Literally me in a scent. I wish I could afford both spray perfumes, but I'm in the process of that haha. So for now I just picked up the Nirvana Black rollerball. As I'm writing this I actually grabbed it and rolled it on my wrists...it smells SO GOOD. 

So yeah I spent more than I wanted too but hey. I'm pretty happy with the things I walked away with and I don't feel guilty at all. Should I?! I know I'll be back soon anyway... ;)

Have you picked up anything recently?

xx,
Maddie

Summer Glitter ♡

Let me just start off by saying where has this week gone?! It's already Friday! That is insane. Actually, it's Thursday as I'm writing this but thats okay ;) Today I had a very productive day. I started the morning off with some light yoga, had my beautiful and delicious breakfast, and then caught up on a TON of blogs. While scrolling through my bloglovin' feed, I came across this post and fell in love with the makeup look. 

It was perfect timing because later today I have to go for a little drive to see my grandparents. They are leaving on a vacation for a month and they're taking my brother, so we have to drop him off, and my dad thought we might as well go to dinner since we won't see them for a while! 

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my makeup, but after seeing that post I had found my look! :)

It's pretty similar to her look. I used the same eyeshadow, Half Baked from my Urban Decay Naked palette all over the lid, and then I used a matte brown shadow called Buck (same palette) in my crease, outer v, and smudged along my bottom lashes. Instead of doing some outrageous eyeliner or anything too defined, I decided to go with more of a smokey look and use a black pencil. Any pencil will do, as long as you don't make any harsh lines!

I then piled on my mascara (as I alwayyyys do) and I went for a nude glossy lip. Pretty simple, yet soooo pretty! Sometimes I'm afraid of what glitter all over a lid will look like. I don't want to be a disco ball during the day. But this turned out nice :) It's just enough glitter to catch some light and reflect off. 

Now I need to find something to wear!! By the time you read this I will have already gone to dinner, so hopefully I find something nice ;) 

What do you think of the look?

xx, 

Maddie

Experimenting With My Hair

Summer is here and to me summer means change. Everyone around me seems to be changing a little something about their look, style, whatever it may be. Well I’m here to tell you I am dying, DYING to give my hairstyle a major makeover. See, my hair is very difficult to work with and style. I have so much of it, and it’s very heavy, so it basically falls flat to my head. No matter what product I use, or how I curl or dry it, it will end up looking the exact same. The problem is, my hair is on the thinner side, so that makes it even harder to hold a style.

Lately, well, since like October of last year, I’ve wanted to dye my hair. And it seems like since I’ve wanted to do that, everyone else has! All of the beauty gurus and celebrities out there have chopped inches off and dyed it every color imaginable, and I’m over here like “Well I thought of that ages ago and I did nothing about it” so now I’m kind of pissed at myself haha.

So like I said, I want to make a change. The ends of my hair are embarrassing, so I need to cut at least 4 inches to help it look healthy. Then this is the confusing part: Do I dye my entire head? Do I dye the ends and do ombre? Or do I do highlights? EVERYTHING IS SO CONFUSING! And it’s not like I have blonde hair, I have a medium hazelnut kind of color so if I was going to dye my hair I need to be quite sure of it. Cause there’s no turning back! I’ve been going back and forth with colors like pink (like Sprinkle of Glitter) purple, blue-ish turquoise, and even red. I think I’m leaning most towards pink ombre, but I reeealllly don’t wanna make a mistake. After all, I’ve never dyed my hair before so this is all a new adventure for me.

If you guys could give me any tips, advice, or input I would really appreciate it!! ;)

Xx,

Maddie

❁•∙May Favorites ❁•∙

I seriously cannot believe it's June already...Like, 2014 is halfway over!! That's absolutely crazy to me. Time is going bye wayyyy too fast if you ask me. Throughout the month of May, I did a lot of "spring cleaning" through my wardrobe and my makeup. I decided that I needed to get rid of some things that were just taking up space in my room. While doing this I rediscovered some beauty products and I ended up using them most of the month! 


1// Essie's Mint Candy Apple: I painted my nails three times this month with this color! If that doesn't say love or obsessed, I don't know what does. I just find this color to be springy and summery and i can't get enough.

2// Urban Decay NAKED Palate: It's an oldie but a goodie. I think I used this palate every single day. You can't go wrong with the colors; there's perfect neutrals and stunning shimmery shades to blend with. I always went for a simple daytime look, and enhanced my eyes with the darker colors.

3// Pink Sugar Perfume: Have you smelled this? If you haven't, you're really missing it. It smells like straight up sugar cookies, but without making you sick. I used to wear this in middle school...ahh those were the days. Brings back a lot of weird memories of gym class *shudders* Any who, this is the perfect scent to spritz anytime of the day. Is it weird that i like to spray myself with a hint of perfume when i get out of the shower?? It makes me feel fancy..

4// Maybelline Color Elixir in Nude Illusion: Ahhh the nude lipgloss! Since I've gotten darker, this color has looked better and better. I've probably worn this everyday too. It has a warm peachy tone to it and like i said, if you have a bit of a tan it doesn't look like you have no lips, it will give you a simple fresh summer look. Which is my fave. It also stays on through eating!! Score.

5// Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Dry Shampoo: Another somewhat oldie! I bought this at the drugstore a couple months ago and kind of forgot about it. When I was going through my bathroom cabinets I grabbed it and kind of squealed when I found it..Let me just say it definitely does it's job. It gives amazing volume and gets rid of any oil. The only down side is...white powder. Yep. It does leave a cast behind, so if you have dark hair, I wouldn't recommend going into direct sunlight with this in your hair!

So that's what I've been loving currently. What are some items you have been loving? Have you tried any of the products above?


Happy June! :)

xx, Maddie

It's my birthday?!

Yep. I turned 17 yesterday. Honestly, I'm a little more scared than i am excited! No i'm still happy to be 17, but really? I don't understand where the time is going. I woke up at 6:00 in the morning and I was surprisingly not tired at all, so I just stayed up. I actually caught up on my youtube subscriptions and read some blogs for a little while!

When I walked out to the kitchen, my mom surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a bunch of balloons. Ah I love her :) 

This is what I ended up wearing. It's just a basic romper, i got it at a little store/boutique in Ventura, California last summer. I was swimming earlier so that was the quickest thing to throw on! Please ignore my hair though...it definitely wasn't having a great day. *face of the day is coming soon* 

If you know me, know you that i will do anything for Persian food. So that's what we ate for dinner *insert giant smiley face emoji* The restaurant that we go to is definitely authentic food, and everyone that works there is Persian! They bring out fresh pita bread that smells heavenly, and for an appetizer the waiter will set down a big round bowl of hummus, dolmeh, tomatoes...it goes on and on. I ended up ordering a vegetarian vegetable kabob with basmati rice and hummus. I nearly finished it, and if you saw the portion sizes you would think i'm insane. but it was delicious and we had a great time :)

So being 17 is a little crazy to me, but I'm already feeling a little more grown up. I'm just so excited to finally start posting on my blog like i actually mean it. 

xx, Maddie

Chit-Chat ♡

So today I was woken up to the sound of drilling! Yep, we are getting new windows. I am actually really excited because my current bedroom window can't even open! So now I will be able to have the nice Autumn breeze throughout my room. 

On another note, my wisdom tooth is coming in and I am in terrible pain. Have any of you had your wisdom teeth pulled? I'm quite afraid of being put to sleep, and I have never had a tooth pulled in my life! So I don't know what to expect when I get them pulled :( All four of them are impacted...(i know, I am such a lucky girl!)

To try and make myself distracted from the pain, I hung my twinkling lights around my headboard. They were around my mirror, but hanging them this way makes it feel all cozy and Christmas-y in my room. And having a pumpkin candle lit just makes it all the better! 

I can't wait to use these in my YouTube videos. Well, I am just so anxious to start youtube I can't handle it!! Anyone have any tips? :) I'm just going to jump right in and post, haha that's how excited I am.

Have a wonderful day :-)

xx, Maddie

Manicure Monday ♡

Hello lovelies, I hope you had a restful weekend :) Over the weekend I decided to switch up my nail color. I was wearing Essie's 'Sole Mate' and I felt like I wanted to go lighter. I have never really worn light, nude-y polishes before, and I thought this Fall would be a perfect place to start. 

I decided to go with Essie's 'Mamba.' I thought it was a nice nude-y pink color, and it doesn't make my hands look dead! It still gives my nails a glow. I really like it, and I'm glad I am starting to dip my toes (or my hands, get it?) in the water for nude polishes. Cannot wait to buy more!

Any recommendations for me?!

Have a lovely week 

♡
xx, Maddie