Summer 2013 (Color Palette)

I don't know about you, but I've never been a big fan of rainbow colors. You know, like red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet (but everyone always forgets about indigo ;)). I've put together a new rainbow color palette filled with some of my favorite colors that are perfect for Summer. Let's break it down:

Let's break it down again: poppy red... a bright and popular color this Spring/Summer! tangerine... muted, but still a fun color. Plus, it looks great with aqua and yellow. sunny yellow... not quite lemon, but not quite banana. This color makes me want to wear my sunnies! mint... one of the most popular colors of the season. A personal fav too. aqua... another popular color you'll see all over. It reminds me of the pool! lilac... pastel, pretty, and sweet. You really can't go wrong with this purple.
What are your favorite Summer colors?

Dream

Does this sum up how I feel today? :) image via: 1, 2 (source unknown), 3

5 Tips for Starting a Blog

Maybe you've been keeping up with your favorite blogs for a while, and now you've decided to start your own! I've gotten several emails from readers asking how they can start their own blog. Here are some of my quick tips... 1. Topic Pick a topic or two (or three!) that your blog will be mainly about. Make sure that you have lots of post ideas for each topic and it's about something that you really love. Here are some popular categories: fashion, cooking, crafts, photography, lifestyle, beauty, interior design, and parenting. 2. Blog Name Now that you've got a topic, you get to choose a name! Try to keep it somewhat short (a long blog name is hard to remember) and original. It should, but doesn't have to, reflect you or your topic. If you're planning to buy a domain, see if your name ideas are available before settling on any of them. 3. Design First impressions are important. A good design should be easy to navigate, not too busy, and pleasing to the eye. You can buy a design, which usually costs somewhere between $60-$300 (I have full design packages for $45 here). Or you can make your own, using Photoshop or this free online editor and coding tutorials (google it!). 4. Photos If you've ever been on Pinterest, you know how intriguing a big, beautiful photo can be. Almost every post of yours should have at least one photo in it. I like to put my photos at the top, so it will draw the reader in. You don't need to have a fancy camera to take good photos, but these tips can certainly help you. 5. Getting connected Sign up for a Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or Bloglovin. These are some of the most popular social media for bloggers. Not only is it fun to chat, pin, and keep up with other bloggers, it's also a great way for people to follow your blog. Another fun way to get plugged in in the blogging world is to participate in linky parties, which are virtual "parties" bloggers have weekly. In their post, you will see a long list of thumbnails that link to specific blogs. Always follow the blogger's simple party rules, and link up your own post! (find a huge list of linky parties here) What are some of your blogging tips?

Adding Green + a Free Printable

Right now I'm working on a huge project (pssst: Project Redo-My-Room), and one of the things I want to do is add lots of green. I usually kill every plant I try to grow, so I picked out Golden Pothos, which is pretty much the easiest plant ever!

And of course, since i'm now crazy for plants, I made this free little printable. Download it here. :)