Forcing spring inside

Ah this weather, I don't know about anyone else but it sure is throwing me off.  One week it's 70+ degrees outside, I think it's finally time to put the sweaters away & start being able to go for walks to the park everyday, and then next thing you know, bam!  it's in the low 30's again.  So I decided to teach the weather a lesson by buying a bunch of flowers to put in various spots around my house, at least it will feel, I mean look, like spring inside.  There.  Take that, winter.  

sweater: Kohls, dress: YA, (bought at a boutique), tights: Kohls, boots: Target, necklace: Francesca's 

Lent + Colorado = Brrr

Hello, lovely readers!
    Long time, I know.  Life in Colorado has been gradually getting busier and busier, and I'm happy to say I finally made the time for another blog post.  Should I have finished my paper that's due tomorrow?  Probably.  But I got the sudden inspiration for a quick mind break from both school and wedding planning.
   As mentioned in the previous post , we at 1918 Miles are doing our best to have a "no pants Lent." Given the recent snowstorms and crazy-cold weather in CO, it has definitely taken some inner convincing to stick with the idea. I tried it out last year, and I must say I had no idea how little thought it takes to put together a typical pants outfit. This goes, that's warm, the end.
   Although it takes a bit more planning than I'm used to, I think I'm liking it so far. I feel so much more motivated when I'm out and about in a cute outfit, and double points for feeling as though I actually look like a lady! Of course, there have been the inevitable "you look so nice! Where are you going?" comments, but what's Lent without explanations of why you're doing something? ;)  Frankly, I think it's sad that we've gotten to the point of dressing nicely being so unusual for daily behavior, but that's another matter entirely.  Besides that, modesty is a bit of a passion of mine, although I'm not proud to say I usually fall quite short of my goals.  Granted, I'm not the biggest fan of waking up and realizing it's 15º outside and knowing I have to find a way to stay warm. Once you get used to the idea, though, it's really not so hard to figure out what does and doesn't look good with multiple layers of tights. All that being said, I was quite fortunate to have a day right off the bat that was about 60º (no tights!).

shirt: Target | skirt: JW | shoes: Target

(FYI, my hair isn't actually asymmetrical)

(ignore the less-than-appealing background; I was in a hurry)

How awesome are these shoes?!  They were handed down to me recently by one of the other sistahs, and they've quickly become a favorite part of my wardrobe.  Do they hurt like I've been standing on sharply sloped stilts all day?  Yes.  But I refuse to wear them now if I have a considerable amount of standing or walking to do (I was on my way to the airport that day to pick up my fiancé).  So worth it.

Skirts for life, I mean, lent

You know it's gonna be a good day when you discover clothes in your closet that you totally forgot you owned.  Like this striped tank I found while looking for a print to mix with this leopard print skirt.  And I confess, I may have gotten a little too excited when I realized I owned this shirt.  It's the little things in life.  

And in other news, all three sisters have decided to try giving up pants for lent so we apologize in advance for all of the skirt/dress posts that you will see.  Happy sacrificing all!  But not too happy, cause that would be opposite the point of Lent...  Haha, kidding.  

cardigan: Newyork&Company, tank top: Forever21, skirt: NewYork&Company, boots: Target, necklace & bracelet: Francesca's 

Fashion Friday!

"Elegance is not about being noticed, it's about being remembered."

I decided to do a non-work related fashion post today!  It's also not a winter fashion post, but it did suddenly get warm here again.

*Credit for this fantastic photo shoot goes to my wonderful friend Bethany!  I was fortunate to be a model in one of her photo shoots a while back.  Be sure to check out her photography page and blog at: BethanyBownPhotography !

Shorts: Express (Express.com)

Top: Forever 21 (Similar Style)

Scarf: Charming Charlie (Similar Style)

Spring Dreaming

This weekend I decided to get a little crafty and make a weather for our front door that could last through spring and summer.  I've made some for fall and Christmas but I guess it's about time that I take the poinsettia wreath down.

  I am definitely not a very crafty person; usually, my patience runs thin before I even get halfway through a project.  So when I do undertake a craft project, the simpler the better!

This wreath was so simple and only took about 15 minutes total!  I was inspired by some ideas I had seen on Pinterest, but I decided to do all hydrangeas on mine - I love the full look of it.   Obviously you could do any colour combo, I am just in a coral phase right now. 

So here you go!  The total cost for this project was around $20 (everything was purchased from Michaels on sale and with coupons).  The only materials you need are:

 

-Hot glue gun

-Wreath base (I used one made of branches)

-Flowers of your choice (I used 9 hydrangeas)

 

 

 Depending on what kind of flowers you use, you may need some heavy-duty scissors or wire cutters.  The ones I used actually broke easily after just bending back and forth a few times. You are going to need about 1-2 inch stems on your flowers.

Cover the base of the flower stem in hot glue and quickly place on the wreath.

 

You may have to wriggle the flowers back and forth in order to get the stems all the way in to the wreath.

 

Continue placing flowers all the way around the wreath, if desired.  You could definitely just place a few if you like that look!

 

Voila!  The finished product!  I am pretty in love with it, even if it's not entirely symmetrical.

 

I'm ready for spring weather now! 

 

Happy Friday!

With our current temperatures hovering somewhere between 20-83 degrees (Seriously.  This weather needs to get its act together), it's hard to ever plan what to wear for work.  But my mint leggings are always a good option for a casual Friday look!  They are so versatile and they pair with just about anything, making them one of my go-to work options.  Leopard-printed flats add the perfect little touch of flair to any outfit (and they look especially cute with the mint colour!).

 Happy Friday, everyone!

Leggings: Express

Tank Top: Old Navy

Cardigan: Target

Flats: Target

Necklace: Target  (I see a trend here!)

Earrings: Handmade by my little sister!

Love of coffee & mugs

Sometimes, okay maybe always, coffee mugs are my favorite accessory.  Not even just the mug but the caffeinated goodness that's inside the mug.  Come to think of it, it's more of a necessity!  Trying to make it through the day without it is just torture, after all, something has to keep me awake.  I found this adorable travel mug at Target (where else?!) for $3.00!  I picked up a red one as well and then noticed even more colors when I was there the other day.  It took a lot of will power to not buy every single color...

top: GAP, sweater: Holister, jeans: American Eagle, boots: Target, mug: Target

DIY Gift Basket for a Bride-to-be!

One of the three sisters behind this blog got engaged recently (woo-hoo!), so the other two sisters decided to create a fun gift basket to celebrate her engagement and get her started on the path to planning her perfect wedding!

The inspiration for this idea came from Pinterest (where else?).  We found some good tips and then put our own spin on the idea.  Assembling the basket was fairly easy and, fortunately for us, it shipped and arrived in perfect condition!  Here are a few photos and descriptions of what her cute gift basket contained:

The contents of the entire basket were: Bridal magazines, a Starbucks gift card, a personalized cell phone case, "Mr. & Mrs." luggage tags (for the honeymoon!), a monogram coffee mug with her soon-to-be last initial, a small sign that reads "To have and to hold from this day forward," a ring dish, some ring pops (for a funny touch), nail polish in wedding-themed colours, a cute basket to hold it all, and some personalized cards!

The ring holder came from an Etsy shop.

All of the items had a tag added to them with a cute quote or saying!

This sign was actually made by one of the sisters; hand-painted, stenciled, and added the ribbon to hang it up!

What bride doesn't need a caffeine boost during wedding planning?

All ready to be packaged up (in yards of bubble wrap and foam)!

She absolutely loved the gift basket and we were very pleased with the way it turned out.  If you have friends or family members who are newly engaged, this is definitely a great way to show support and love to them following the news of an engagement!