I’m always happy to chat about beauty and health & wellness, but one of my goals this year is to share more of my other interests with you! I’ve always loved fashion, magazines, clothes and accessories and I LOVE browsing my favorite stores online. I have bookmark folders for every different category and am always saving things for inspiration, ideas and to buy or try.

One thing I like shopping for this time of year is actually swimsuits! If you live in a tropical place that’s always 70 degrees and up like me, then swimwear is obviously a necessity year round. This is also the start of when many of us start planning warm-weather & beach trips that begin in the spring. Fashion has always had a kind of weird cycle of releasing product lines that are technically out of season, and the resort category (also called a cruise/ travel collection) is usually released in the winter. It’s a great time to shop since there are so many cute pieces available that don’t last long—meaning you’ll be less likely to see your same swimsuit on everyone at the beach this summer (and waiting until then to shop is sometimes too late to find something you love)!

This might be my favorite Halloween costume yet! 👸🏻 

I recently met Krystina via Instagram, and we connected over our mutual interest in creating a less toxic home. I then found out that her husband is actually a craftsman and nontoxic furniture maker! See out interview below to find out what Krystina’s priorities are for clean living, and some of her tips for creating a more natural home environment!

This weekend was the one year anniversary of my blog, and I’m so excited to celebrate by telling you that I’ve officially become an affiliate with Petit Vour!

I’m also part of some affiliate programs like ShareASale and Amazon Associates, but this is kind of the first real and direct partnership that I’ve chosen to agree to. I’ve worked with a couple of other brands and companies this past year, and honestly I chose not to continue with most of them because the relationship just didn’t feel right to me until now.

I love the holiday season—all the way from fall until Valentine’s Day, really. I love the fun of Halloween and the warmth of Thanksgiving, but Christmas time will always be a favorite for me. I moved away from home a few years earlier than most kids, so the holidays used to be one of the only times I’d get to see my friends and family at home. As I’ve grown up, traditions have changed and I might not even get to be with some of the people I love every year, but the feeling I get is the same. I feel so much love for my family and feel loved by them during the holidays, and that happiness is so comforting and fulfilling long after the tree and stockings have been taken down.

I can’t believe it’s almost August! We’ve still got a little summer left, though (and where we live, it’s basically summer year round), so I thought I’d share some of my faves and essentials that I’ve been loving the past few months.