Friday, July 31, 2015

Lindsay from Sugar & Something

Happy Friday all! Today Lindsay from Sugar & Something is guest posting for me. I met Lindsay late summer last year, and we quickly became friends! She has the BEST style, and is one of the nicest people I've ever met. (Seriously, I text her the most random questions sometimes, and she's always the best about it.) She has some amazing tip for starting a blog that you can use throughout your blog life- let's get reading!
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Hi there!! My name is Lindsay Emow and I blog over at Sugar & Something! I am so excited to be guest posting on Dress In Sparkles today! I "e-met" Kylie quite some time ago now and we became fast and great blogger friends! It's funny how the blogging world works and how someone who you never would have known about or met in the real world can walk into your life over Instagram. I am so thankful for it! 

I wanted to introduce myself and give some advice on starting a blog. I am sure  there are many people out there that want to start but really don't know where to even begin. I was definitely in the same boat. Four years ago I became completely and utterly obsessed with blogs and that was what I spent my spare time doing, reading, swooning and dreaming about blogs I began following. I knew I wanted to be in the writing industry but didn't really know how or where to start. I took my love for blogging and writing and decided to give it a shot. Now Sugar & Something has morphed quite some bit from the Baking and DIY blog it was from day one but it's still has the same heart. So what advice to I have for beginning your journey in the blog world? 


1. Know your brand- This one took me a really long time. I was all over the board with colors, names, logos, etc. I can honestly say it took me until very recently to find my brand. Sugar & Something was pink and sparkle covered and I sat down and really thought about my style and my personality and I realized that wasn't me at all. I am a minimalist who veers towards neutrals, blacks and whites before I would ever grab a bright pink peplum top. Once I realized how wrong my branding was it didn't take long to figure out how to make it right. So sit down and really think about the message you want your blog to give off, and go from there. 

2. Invest in your hobby- Yes blogging may just be your hobby, but doesn't any hobby deserve some investment. You wouldn't pick up kayaking and decide it was okay to buy the cheapest equipment with holes in it. So why do that with your blog? If you are a style blogger, invest in a good camera that shows off your style, if you're a food blogger invest in a good pair of pans, you get the idea. It's okay to spend a little hard earned money on something that truly makes you happy. Who knows- you may see a lot of return on that investment :)


3. Be social!- Don't be afraid to reach out to followers, fellow bloggers, brand, etc! It is a really great thing to have a solid network of people that are at your finger tips. I go to my blogger friends constantly for advice, motivation or even to grab a quick drink after work. Say thank you to followers for commenting on your photos, check out other blogger's works, look at new products from brands and share your love for their work! 

4. Don't be afraid to be yourself, and always try your best!- It took me awhile to stop comparing myself to other bloggers (I still find myself doing it sometimes) I often would catch myself saying "Her pictures are better," "How did she get to work with that brand??" "My hair will never have that perfect look in my photos" so on and so forth. We all are different people so to compare yourself and try to be someone else is impossible. Show your own colors because the more genuine and true to yourself that you are the more people will positively respond to your posts. 


Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share some insights! Happy Blogging!



Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Dani from Drafts and Crafts

Today we have Dani from Drafts and Crafts guest posting! You might remember Dani from when I blogged about her adorable 'listaholic' notepad and 'champagne' print back in February. We've become good friends since then, and I knew I had to have her guest post! And when she suggested doing a summer cocktail recipe, I knew I had made a good choice! I absolutely cannot wait to make this! YUM!
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Let me begin by saying, I was so excited to write a post for my gal pal, Kylie, on Dress in Sparkles! A blog is like your little baby, so I was honored that Kylie asked me to create a guest post! Networking with her over the past year has been wonderful! 

With that being said, have you been to Target lately? The shelves are already lined with school supplies and I even saw a few Halloween items… that is just craziness if you ask me!! I am over here like can we just slow things down, it is still summer for over a month! I plan to enjoy the rest of my warm summer days with the help of my homemade watermelon-lemon mojito recipe.



{Kitchen tools}
Muddle utensil
Large cocktail shaker
Measuring cup

{Ingredients}
2 squeezed lemons
½ cup mint leaves
2 cups watermelon cubes
1 cup simple syrup (see how to make you own below)
¾ cup white rum
hint: have a little extra mint, lemon and watermelon for garnish!

Homemade Simple Syrup: This is a little trick that is good to know incase you want to throw a sip together but do not have simple syrup on hand, which numerous drinks require. It is 1 part sugar to 1 part water ratio. I put half of cup sugar and a half of cup water and slowing bring it to a boil. I added an extra tablespoon of sugar because I threw in a few ice cubes at the end to make the syrup room temperature. 

1.   1. Begin by squeezing the two lemons into the shaker. Then, place the mint and watermelon cubes in the shaker. Muddle these three ingredients.
2.    2. Place simple syrup and rum into the shaker. Shake well!
3.    3. Pour over ice and garnish with extra mint, lemon, and watermelon

Tip: If you hate anything with a few chunks, you can make this recipe in a blender.




This sweet sip will come in handy when entertaining at any summer social!
The watermelon-lemon mojito would be amazing with a Taco Tuesday or a weekend BBQ. So, Kick back, relax, and enjoy the rest of those long summer days! Thank you for featuring my cocktail! You can find more recipes, outfits, and DIY’s on my blog, Drafts & Crafts. Be sure to follow along with me on Instagram for more fun ideas, @dccold.

Keep in touch,

Dani

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Darcy from A Memory of Us

Next up in this week of guest blogging is Darcy from A Memory of Us! I started following Darcy over a year ago because I absolutely loved her style, and she was always just so sweet! We quickly became good friends in this blogging world, and I knew I wanted to have her be one of the guest posts this week! 
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Hi everyone! My name is Darcy and I blog over at A Memory of Us. I am a Midwest blogger based out of Kansas City, Missouri. Most of my posts are simply my outfits, but I always try to include some personal details as well! I want my blog to be a place where I document my outfits, but also a place where I get to document what is happening in my life.

 I am super excited to be guest posting today for Kylie! Kylie and I "met" through blogging awhile ago and have quickly formed a good friendship! We have a ton of similar interests such as our love for dance, Disney, and of course fashion! 

On my blog, you will find fashion posts where I talk about my favorite trends! Most recently, I styled this white on white look and loved it!



I am a newlywed and got married in April of 2015. It was the most perfect day! I have done quite a few posts about wedding planning and have plans to share more tips as time goes on.



One of my favorite things to do is travel. I love exploring new places! I have even gotten my husband, Tyler, in love with it. We probably add a new place to our list each week! I always share my trips and experience on the blog!



Recently, I also started a YouTube channel and have been sharing my videos on my blog as well! YouTube is such a fun creative outlet for me because I get to do all the editing, find music that fits, etc.



I hope you will head on over to my blog and get to know me a little bit better. Blogging is a huge passion of mine and I am so happy to share it with other people! Thank you to Kylie for letting me take over your space on the internet today!

I would love it if you would follow me on GFC or Bloglovin'!

Monday, July 27, 2015

Michaela: How Blogging Made Me Brave

Hi all! I am so happy to say that it is my final week in my accelerated nursing program! It's been a long, crazy, insane, hectic year, but it will all be worth it in just a few days when I'm DONE! (And once I pass the NCLEX and become a registered nurse, and then start pediatric nursing!) So since I'm going to be pretty busy this week, I decided to get some of my favorite blogging ladies to guest post for me!
First up we have Michaela, who I absolutely love! I started following her because I loved her edgier style, and how she could could make everything look classic and put together. And when she started showcasing her art, I fell in love even more! She's probably annoyed of all my "LOVE THIS" comments on all her art posts! ;) But seriously, she is so incredibly talented, and I knew I wanted to have her guest post so everyone else could see her amazing art! (But I'm calling dibs on the Haunted Mansion painting, so don't get too attached ;))
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How Blogging Made Me Brave

Before this post turns into an article I want to thank Kylie for allowing me to post on her lovely blog! She is so kind and seriously one of my favorite internet friends. I adore her!

Now onto what the title implies, or proclaims rather. Yes, blogging made me brave. When I refer to such courage I am far from comparing myself to war vets, or even hinting that I have conquered my fear of flying and/or spiders. Ha. When I say bravery, I mean confidence. My blogging career began shortly after college with my best friend who suggested we combine closets and play dress up. This was before influencers had assumed a third of all fashion week's seats and had larger followings than movie stars. For us, it was just an excuse to hang out more and keep our writing skills fresh. That venture eventually evolved into a hobby which led to collaborations, brand partnerships and friends like Kylie! 

With that said, to blog one must be resilient. Whether you are a fashion blogger, a food blogger, a mommy blogger, whatever, you are putting your interests, tastes, thoughts, etc. out into the world. A virtual world where anyone can cycle through your very personal and original content and form their own opinions about you and your writing. (That includes friends, family, frenemies, ex-boyfriends, ex-girlfriends, whomever. It. is. scary.) 

Yet, and I am sure many of my fellow bloggers would agree, that once you get over that hump of embarrassment and fear of judgement you are free, you are confident, you are courageous enough to partake in any sort of work that tickles your fancy. That is exactly what happened to me. 



Blogging served as my creative outlet for many years, but is was always a place holder for my long suppressed dream of becoming an artist. Finally with encouragement from family, friends and you guessed it... fellow bloggers, leapt into the realm of self-employment. Without learning confidence from blogging, in other words how not be afraid of negative reactions, I may have never been brave enough to make art for a living. 



So to all you bloggers out there that made it to the end of this post or even the ones that read the title and got the point, keep it up. Do you. You never know where this hobby or job will take you, but I promise at the very least fear will no longer hold you back from your dreams.

xo Michaela


Art enthusiasts, be sure to check out my instagram and website! New paintings will be available Thursday July 30th. And for those of you who are curious, here is my old blog. xo


Friday, July 24, 2015

weekly roundup

one: The trailer for Mockingjay Part 2 is here and it is SO EPIC! It looks absolutely amazing and I can't wait for November 20 to see it! 

two: The 26 most wiener dog things to ever happen in the history of wiener dogs. Yes, that's the actual name of the article. And yes, it's as adorable as you would expect it to be. Excuse me as I go run out to adopt a wiener dog. 


four: A dad and his baby doing the "Lily Ann" workout. (spoiler: the baby is Lily Ann and it is so cute.)

Have a great weekend all!
-Kylie

Thursday, July 23, 2015

a needed quote break

If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that I really love quotes. Have a whole board of them on pinterest. And when I'm stressed or just need to take a breather, I take a quote break on the blog, and share some with you guys! Hopefully they make you smile :)






Have a great day everyone!
-Kylie

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

navy and pink, what a concept

In case you all were unaware of just how much I love navy and pink together, here's yet another combo for you ;) I wore this out for dinner with my family, and I just love the combination of the colors together. Plus, these pants I got at J.Crew Factory last year are my absolute favorite, and I take any chance I can to wear them! 







shirt: Target (similar) // pants: J.Crew Factory (similar fit) // purse: Kate Spade (similar) // sunglasses: J.Crew (similar) // shoes: Carlos Santana (similar)

Have I worn out the navy and pink yet?
-Kylie

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

insta roundup

Time for another instagram roundup! Make sure to follow along in real time here!

A Marvel and Converse kind of day! similar tank // shorts // converse

Threw it back to this post for #nationalicecreamday!

I got this mask at Ulta the other week, and I'm in love! It left my skin so soft and bright!

Two of my favorite workouts right now. Can you tell I miss ballet?

Scored the perfect summer wedges for just $30 at Target!

Make sure to follow along on insta!
-Kylie

Monday, July 20, 2015

hat lovin'

This is going to sound weird, but I finally found a hat to fit my head! No one ever believes me until they've seen me trying hats on, but I have an abnormally large head. (I must just be really smart guys ;)) So I have such trouble finding cute hats that fit me right. And then I stumbled across this cute one at Aerie, and as soon as I tried it on, I knew I was going to buy it. It was exactly what I had been looking for AND it fit my head. Check, check. 






hat: Aerie // tank: Lilly for Target (similar) // shorts: Target (similar) // purse: Kate Spade (similar) // shoes: Carlos Santana (similar)

Does anyone else have this problem with hats?
-Kylie

Friday, July 17, 2015

weekly roundup

one: Okay, starting off with a real tearjerker here. Caleb is a little boy who was in a major car accident and had to undergo lots of rehab. Enter a wonderful therapy dog, that completely changed everything.

two: 51 places you have to visit before you die. My love for these lists is never ending. 

three: Cell Block Tango becomes SPELL Block Tango in this EPIC video, featuring villains from Disney movies as the merry murderesses.

four: 32 guilty pets who swear it's not what it looks like. Andddddd....yup. still adorable. Still want a puppy.

Have a fun weekend!
-Kylie

Thursday, July 16, 2015

getting flowery

I think this is one of my favorite shirts. And no surprise, it's something I snagged on sale. (All my favorite things tend to be ones I scored on a deal.) I got this at Anthropologie a couple years ago, and I still continually wear it. Which makes it an even better deal! Plus, it can be worn with so many different things. I dressed it up a little here with fun sunglasses and a gold purse, but I usually just throw it on with some jeans and head out the door!







shirt: Anthropologie (similar) // shorts: Target (similar) // sunnies: Anthropologie (similar) // purse: Lilly Pulitzer (similar) // shoes: Chinese Laundry

Do you have a favorite piece that's lasted over the years?
-Kylie

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