Happy Halloween!!

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How cute are these little ones in their costumes? So cute and so chic!

Happy Halloween, friends!!! I hope you have a safe, fun and candy-filled Halloween! I don't have any exciting plans, and I haven't even eaten any candy since I have a stress ulcer in my mouth (boo!), so today just feels like a normal Wednesday for me. However I'll probably watch Hocus Pocus because that's THE classic Halloween movie. Have fun y'all!

Real Talk: Consuming vs. Not

When I was interning and living in Atlanta this past summer, I went to Peachtree Presbyterian Church. I also signed up for their daily email devotional, and I still get it even though I'm now back in Alabama. Mark Crumpler, the pastor who writes the devotional, has a really great way of explaining the devotional while not condemning or judging the reader.

Anyway, I was scrolling through Tuesday's devotional on my phone and it really stuck with me. The topic of the devo was consumption of worldly goods and how that affects our "social space" and self worth.

This is something I struggle with almost daily. As a member of the fashion industry, I'm expected to know the latest trends and wear them and always be at the forefront of what's "in" and what's "out". I'm expected to embrace new trends and through that, show others what's fashionable. In order to do this, I feel pressured into continuously buying clothing and accessories or browsing through catalogs and websites 24/7 in order to stay in the know. And to be completely honest, I derive a good bit of my happiness through shopping and buying new things, whether it's clothing, something for my apartment or just stuff.

However, that's not how Jesus called us to live our lives. Earthly possessions can burn, break, or be stolen. They're fleeting and only around for a small portion of our lives. Jesus, and our relationship with him, is eternal. To quote Mark: "We were made to know who we are in relation to our creator. Our "social space" is defined by one key relationship: our relationship with Jesus Christ. That relationship defines all others. It tells us why we're here and what we were put here to do. Those things can never be given to us by something we purchase. They come by grace from one who loves us." 

Wow. I definitely needed to read those words and the accompanying Scripture (Luke 12). So much of my energy is focused on acquiring things when it needs to be focused on my relationship with Jesus and the Lord. I'm going to challenge myself to not purchase anything that's not a necessity for a month (hopefully longer).

 I have a closet full of clothes, a pantry and fridge full of food, and a cabinet full of beauty products yet I always want more, more, more. In the end, these things don't matter. My relationship with Christ does.

**I can't find the link on the PPC website to sign up for the email devotional...if you're interested, email me and I can forward you the most recent one and you can sign up that way**

What Kate Likes: Maybooks Stationery!!

 Eeep I am so excited about this! Especially since it comes right on the heels of my previous post about stationery.


I first heard about Maybooks through Carly's blog and decided to check it out. They make custom notebooks for whatever you want. I have a gray chevron monogrammed agenda and a purple notebook that I use for random lists, mostly about what needs to get done each day. They're durable (I spilled tea in my backpack today and the covers are perfectly fine!), super cute, and best of all: affordable! I love custom anything, and if you add a monogram to that, I'm completely sold. Maybooks 4 Life.

Maybooks, post tea spill

ANYWAY. They now have stationery!!!! You can customize the front, back, and the envelope liner (I die for a lined envelope). Most of the notebook patterns are available as stationery too, so you could make a cute gift set of a notebook + stationery for someone special.

Here are some designs I played around with, just for fun.

mint + melon blogging stationery!

 

orange + navy personal notes

shades of blue personal notes

The possibilities are really endless! It's really fun to just play around and make different combinations. I played it pretty safe by choosing coordinating colors for everything, but you could be as colorful as you want. So obsessed.

 

What Kate Likes: Stationery

I am a stationery addict. I love buying new notecard sets and writing little notes to people so they can get them in the mail. I even really love writing thank you notes (for anything) because I get to use some of my extensive stationery collection. It's just so classy and old-school to send a little handwritten note. Plus, who doesn't love getting letters in the mail?

I think everyone should have at least one set of stationery in their possession. Whether it's flat cards, folded cards or actual sheets, you need a set of something you like and that expresses your personality. I personally prefer flat or folded cards, but only because I haven't found the right paper.

Here are some of my favorite picks for stationery:

1. Kate Spade 'From Me to You' cards: I love Kate Spade's notecards. They're made of luxuriously thick paper that looks great with gel or liquid ink pens. They're also a great size--large enough to accommodate longer notes, but not so big that you feel forced to fill up the entire space.They're always super cute whimsical designs too. These are my personal favorite!

2. Mara-Mi Ornate foldover cards: These are SO cute! Preppy without being childish, they're perfect for writing a quick thank-you or hello. I love the pink/navy combo. They're also available at Target and super affordable, which is great if you go through stationery as quickly as I do.

3. Mara-Mi Lemon cards: I have these, and they are so cute in person. The detailing on the edge of the envelope flap looks so expensive and impressive. These are my "interview thank you" notes because they're fun without being childish or too young, and are affordable enough so I can send tons of them out.

4. Nico and Lala Mod Monogram cards: Once I use up a set of my current card collection, these are my next purchase. I love monogrammed things, and these are just the right combination of classic and modern. I cannot wait for these and may just order them to add to the collection right away!

5. Emily Ley Striped note cards: These are just so cute and fun. Perfect for gift thank yous, or just a little note to say hello. Plus they're monogrammed! The pool/pink combo is my personal favorite color combination, but the pink/orange is equally adorable.

6. Jonathan Adler Destination Letterpressed cards: These are just so happy. I love the cute color combination and the fact that they're summery. These would put me in such a good mood every time I saw them! I'm also a huge sucker for letterpressed anything, so these are a done deal.

What do you think? Do you have any favorite stationery? I had such a hard time narrowing down the selection...there's way too many good sets out there!

What Kate Likes: Clothes for Cold Days

It got cold in Alabama over the weekend. Like, really cold, really fast. I'm talking 70s on Friday, then down to the 50s by Sunday and it was 39 degrees when I woke up this morning. Brrrrr. I like cold weather and all, but I like to ease into it, rather than jump into it feet first.

Anyway, since I'm now having to face the reality of dressing for cold weather, I thought I'd do a post or two about what I wish I was wearing right this second and what I'm currently wearing.

sweater//jeans//shoes//earrings//watch

Sometimes I am a J. Crew clone. It happens. And that's not my exact watch, just a very close approximation. Mine is MK from last Christmas, so it's not online anymore. Not an exceedingly creative or innovative outfit, but cozy and comfy.

 

Cashmere loungewear? 

YES, please. The ultimate luxury! Especially if you're not going anywhere and can laze around the house all day. #perfectday

Stay warm, friends!

What Kate Likes: Netflix TV

I am kind of a Netflix addict. There, I said it. It's just so convenient! I only do the instant streaming, so I'm not sure what it's like getting the DVDs in the mail (do people do that still?), but I'm pretty satisfied with the selection. There are way more TV shows than movies, and the movie selection is kind of weird and random sometimes, but overall it's worth the $8 a month.

I feel like writing a Netflix post now is like 5 years overdue (it's fine, whatever), but I've found some pretty great shows and movies that I think are awesome and need to be viewed by everyone on the planet.

 

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1. Sherlock.
I discovered Sherlock through one of my friends. Due to our mutual love of BBC shows and historical/literary shows, he thought I would love it. And of course, he was right. Basically it's a modern retelling of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, and while that sounds weird, it's totally great. It's well-written, original, and you get hooked on it super fast. Plus Benedict Cumberbatch has the greatest name in the history of names. My only issue is that each season is SO short--only 3 episodes. Each episode is 2ish hours long, but I wish the seasons were longer.

 

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2. Murdoch Mysteries
This is a Canadian show and I so wish I lived in Canada so I could catch up on seasons 4-6 since Netflix doesn't have them yet!! Basically Murdoch Mysteries is the 1890s version of CSI. The series follows Detective William Murdoch as he solves crimes (mostly murders) using the techniques available in the 1890s and some of the "newer" technology. It's fascinating to see how crimes were solved without any of the high-tech gadgets we have now, as well as seeing what life was like back then. One of my favorite things about the show is Dr. Julia Ogden, the medical examiner, mostly because she's a great strong female lead and it's really interesting seeing a woman in an (for the time) all-male profession and how the different characters react. Definitely one of my favorite shows.

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3. Parenthood
I'm a few years late in discovering this show (apparently I never watch real TV channels enough...), but I caught up on the first 3 seasons quickly enough to now be up to date on the current season (Season 4). Oh my goodness. I love how multi-dimensional each character is and how well-written the show as a whole is. Some of the characters/storylines annoy me at times, but that's because they're so lifelike. I always want to go give my parents a big hug after each episode and thank them for everything they do for their children, because this show really does show what everyday struggles parents go through, what sacrifices they make, and how they unconditionally love their children. I typically cry at least once per episode, so make sure you watch with tissues. Team Braverman for life!

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4. Murder, She Wrote
This is the comfort food of my Netflix queue. Whenever I've had a rough day or need to be cheered up or whatever, I turn to Jessica Fletcher and her endless supply of nieces, nephews, and cousins and everything is instantly better. Netflix has all 12 seasons (YAY!) so I'm rewatching them in order. Basically, Jessica Fletcher is a widow-turned-mystery writer who travels around the globe visiting people and places and someone just so happens to get murdered wherever she goes. Jessica then helps solve the mystery and saves the day (duh). I love how cheesy and 80s things can get (pay phones! computers that type in that weird font! floppy disks being the latest technology!), but it's endearingly sweet. I want to be JB Fletcher's sidekick forever and ever and hang out in Cabot Cove, Maine annoying Sheriff Tupper. So great. Angela Lansbury is the best. THE BEST, y'all.


So. Those are my top 4 shows. Do you have Netflix? What shows do you think I NEED to see? Let me know in the comments and I'll check them out!

What Kate Likes: Modern Prints

Recently, I've been job-hunting for a post-grad, real world job. In addition to attempting to find a job, I've also been scoping out apartments in potential cities. Naturally, all of this looking has led me to think about decorating my very own apartment and deciding on what I want it to look like. My design aesthetic is traditional infused with a healthy dose of fun and modernity. These prints are perfect for decorating my future walls!

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

Be sure to check out these Etsy artists' other work! They are all very talented and best of all, very affordable! Happy shopping!

What Kate Likes: Weekend Edition

Kate likes...

bacon fried until it's so crispy it melts in your mouth (seriously, try it)

staying in pajamas all day...working on homework

cheering on the Auburn Tigers...even when they lose

watching tons and tons of Netflix (documentaries, TV shows, movies...I love it all)

not having anything to do, nowhere to go, and no demands on my time

the satisfaction of having a perfectly clean apartment in preparation for the week ahead

freshly washed sheets and towels...so comfy cozy

waking up with the sun instead of an alarm

lying in bed watching Food Network

squeezing a run in, as a break from endless schoolwork



I had a relatively low-key weekend, full of productivity and also a bit of relaxation. Somehow, the weekends seem to stretch on forever, something for which I am very grateful, due to my jam-packed school schedule. I hope you all had beautiful weekends too!

Starting out

Hello! I'm Kate. I'm 23 and currently in that weird life stage between college and "the real world". This blog is a way of working through the weirdness and problems, a place where I can share what I like and what inspires me, and connect and share with others who are in the same boat.

Since I am a fashion major and fashion lover, a lot of my posts will be fashion-related, but in a realistic way. Obviously, I would love to have the cash to spend on new pieces 24/7, but since I am (currently!) an unemployed student, that's just not going to happen...so instead I'll focus on remixing what I already have as well as what a 20-something should invest in vs. what you should save on. I'm also trying to upgrade my daily outfit choices from Nike shorts and t-shirts to real world-appropriate outfits without sacrificing comfort.

In addition to fashion, I want to tackle the tough stuff like anxiety whilst job searching (this is HUGE for me right now...), budgeting, furnishing an apartment on a super strict budget, and whatever else I'm currently dealing with and think others could benefit from.

I'm excited to figure life out...won't you join me?