Happy Friday, all!

I am typically a Friday fanatic, but this Friday is less exciting because it signifies the ending of my winter break. Tear... It's ok, though...because I still have spring break coming up! So yay!

I know that a core component of this blog is happiness, but I must admit, I have been in better moods.  Ya know those kinda moods where you just aren't yourself? Where you have a hundred thoughts flying around in your head but answers to none of them? Yea...that's what today was like for me.  Nothing is really wrong, but my mind just roams...and that's never good. So, I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself (over literally nothing) and go enjoy the day!

Anyone who knows me knows I obsess over my nails.  Typical girl, right? That is the premise of this blog, after all. :)  So... In honor of my baby niece (who is going to arrive literally any day now) I got a nice, new manicure.  I have no idea how I got along before shellac was oh so heavenly introduced in to my life.  It is definitely one of the best things I have ever had in life.  (Hmm...potential post for next week's Thankful Thursday?)  Anywayyy... I got some pretty pink shellac!  My favorite nail salon just so happens to be next to a Starbucks (dun dun dunnnn).

After my pretty pink mani and iced vanilla coffee, my mood was instantly lifted.  I don't want to be seen as materialistic by any means, but let's face it...every girl loves getting her nails did and her name written on a specialized coffee cup.  I don't think that's too much to ask for, do you?

From here, I drove to Michael's house!  It's kinda sucky, because we live an hour apart.  He stays at my house more often because I live 10 minutes away from school, and his commute to work is the same distance from either his house or mine.  And I dance on Saturdays and Sundays.  So, unfortunately, I don't get to be at his house all too often.  I can't wait till we can be under the same roof all the time.  One day...

Michael and I and his parents went to dinner at this cute little restaurant called the Firehouse Grill.  It is Lent, so we cannot eat meat.  I had the best non-Maryland crab soup I have ever had.  (Being a Baltimore native, I am very critical of my crab soups.) If any of you are ever in the Gettysburg area, I recommend this restaurant.  It has the homey, small-town feeling, which makes it perfectly quaint and cute.  

 

We are now back at the house and in for the night.  I have been working on homework, and Michael has been working on an alumni event he is planning at his  high school.  This is our Friday night.  No bars, no parties, no elaborate date night... just a quite night in wearing pajamas and drinking chocolate wine.  And guess what, I wouldn't want it any other way. <3

Enjoy your Friday, everyone.
Keep smiling...

Thankful Thursday

Hi friends.

So...I am officially declaring Thursdays as "Thankful Thursday".  Every Thursday, I am going to post something/someone I am thankful for.  All too often, we focus on the things we don't have and/or are unhappy about.  I admit, I myself fall victim to this negative down-spell, as well.  (Michael gets mad at me for it all the time...I sometimes look at things in a more pessimistic way.  But it is only because I hate when my high hopes get let down, so I try to prepare myself by hoping for the best while expecting the worst.)  But here I go rambling again, so why don't I just shut up and get on with the thanks!

I dedicate the first Thankful Thursday post to my mom. I thank God every day of my life for blessing me with the most loving mother a girl could ever ask for.

Unfortunately, not everyone is close with their mothers.  Some of us don't even have a mother-figure in our lives.  My heart breaks for anyone that does not get the experience of living life the way I do with my mother.  It sounds so cliché, but she truly is my best friend.  There is nothing I cannot tell her...nothing that makes me feel uncomfortable or afraid.  She is the one person who I know I can always turn to no matter what. My mom (I call her Mama, or sometimes Tina...I don't know why, though; her name is Lynda) and I have a very special relationship. Yes, I love her with everything I have and she is my all time favorite person ever, but we are SUCH goofballs.  We get along so well by making fun of each other, calling each other names, I kick her and she slaps me--it's great.  She is the perfect mother because not only does she know how to raise her children as respectful, smart, well-mannered people, but she knows how to be relatable, fun, and genuinely enjoyable to be around.  She is not just a mother--she is a true friend.  Anyone who knows us knows we are ALWAYS playing jokes on one another or wrestling around.  But that is why I love her so much--because she isn't a stuck-up, snooty, sla-your-wrist kinda lady. She's just perfect. Yea, I have the best mom ever.
But that's enough mushy gush. Gosh, I'll have to make extra fun of her tomorrow to make up for all this lovey-dovey stuff.

What are you thankful for this Thursday (and every day)? Share your happiness!

Keep smiling...

Snow Day!

SNOW DAY!
No work. No school. No practice. Just coffee and relaxation!

Snow Days = TLC alllll day

I am sitting here, coffee-in-hand(duh), watching Four Weddings (of course), thinking about everything I want to accomplish today.  Snow days can be the perfect excuse to kick back and just relax.  But they can also lead to boredom at times.  If you are anything like me, you get restless pretty quickly.  So here are a few fun ideas for a snow day...

1. BAKE!  These are the best days to experiment and try new things. You have no where to be and no time limit on getting there...so take advantage of that and play! If it doesn't work out, try something new.  This is what I plan on doing tonight... Homemade Caramel Corn. It is easy, realllly tasty, and chances are you have all these ingredients already in your kitchen. (If you do not have candy caramels, melt brown sugar with butter...it works just as well.) Here is a link to the recipe.


I found this on Pinterest, of course. YUM!

2. MOVIES!  I plan on catching up with some My Fair Wedding episodes on Netflix today.  I need my David Tutera fix.  If you don't have Netflix, hunker down with your laptop and start a series you've never seen on Hulu.  If you don't like watching shows on your computer (I do not), then just have an old-fashioned movie marathon.  Chick flicks, scary movies, Sex in the City series...whatever you want! 

3.PAMPER YOURSELF! We can't drive out in this weather to our favorite salon, but that doesn't we can't still get treated.  Play with your hair, try a new make-up look,  paint your nails, make a body scrub...anything! I have some of the best beauty ideas on my Pinterest Beauty Tip board here. 

4. EXERCISE! Yea yea yea...I know, it's a snow day. I said to relax. But doing a quick little workout will only make you feel even better.  You can't drive to the gym, but that is not an excuse.  There are tons of workouts you can do just using a chair, railing, or even a bare floor.  Here is a full body workout plan that is super quick.  Remember, no one ever regretted a workout...

There are plenty of things to do on your snow day (or any day off) that will relax you, but also keep you interested and not sleep the day away.  What do YOU do on your day off? I'd love to get some different ideas.

Keep smiling...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earring Organization

Hello all.

I hope you all had a good day.  If you live anywhere near me, you probably have made frequent trips to the grocery store to stock up for this huge snow storm we are supposed to have.  I, however, am calling a meteorology bluff.  I made no grocery trips.  I used this day for Pinterest, exercising, and writing.  And I'm not gonna lie...I did not hate it.



 

 

As I promised yesterday, I am going to share a project with you tonight!  How many of you have a million-ba-jillion earrings and no place to put them all? I have tried so many different tricks from the display holders to the hanging pouches, but I haven't cared for any of them. I like to see all of my earrings at once, not putting them in pouches together. So here is an idea for you...

 

Get a bulletin board...I got this one from Ollie's for $5.99.  If you don't have an Ollie's near you, I found the exact same board at Target for $6.99. You can really buy a bulletin board just about anywhere, but, let's be real, who doesn't like a good bargain?

 

From here, stick thumb pins in.  There is no specific amount of space to leave in between the earrings.  It depends on how many you have, how many you want hung, how close you want them, etc.  This board does not work for straight-post earrings.  It will only work for hoops and fish hook earrings.

 

 

You can do the same thing with bracelets and necklaces, too!
I hope this helps you as much as it has helped me!

Keep smiling!

Xo Victoria

Positive Patty Monday

Happy Monday, everyone!
I know, those are typically not synonymous with one another, but nothing good comes from being down in the dumps. Besides, you strain more muscles when you frown than you do when you smile--frowning clearly sucks.  I am a happy girl--so happy Monday! :)

It was a wonderful weekend.  Busy and stressful, but a lot of fun! The big baby shower/party was Saturday night, and boy was it a hit (or should I say "girl")! The turnout was great and everyone had such a good time.  You know you can throw a party when guests are still sippin drinks at 2:30 am. 


Michael makes a really cute bartender :)

Our 2-tier baby cake got tons of compliments! I love the little baby girl hiding under the blanket. Adds such a personal touch.  Compliments to My Sweet Sins Bakery in York, Pa.

Props go out to Peggy from My Sweet Sins.

I have no class this week--waddup waddup winter recess.  Originally, I had planned to spend this week with my hot glue gun, rhinestones, and my coffee pot. Buuuuut, change of plans.  Mom and I will be making frequent trips down to Baltimore this week to help Nick and Jen move out of their apartment and into their newly refurbished house!  So the crafts will have to wait till spring break, but it is totally worth it to help my wonderful brother and soon-to-be-sister-in-law (das alotta hyphens).

Peanut Countdown is now at just 17 days!!! However, poor Jenny has serious gallbladder issues.  She is constantly having horrendous attacks which could potentially cause her to go into labor early.  So I don't think it will even be 17 days--I have a hunch she will be born early, which I would love because I am dyingggg to meet her, but, of course, I am PRAYING that everything goes well.  It is a scary issue. 

Nick and Jen are moving into what used to be my grandparents' house.  It is a big, old house with a lot of loving memories, but needed some serious remodeling.  For months, Nick, my dad, and other workers have been fixing this house up to restore its beauty and safety.  I have seen pictures of the transformation for several weeks now, but today I finally get to see it in person--I can't wait!!

I do have some organization/craft/recipe findings I want to share with you all, but everything is focused on Nick and Jen and the baby lately.  NOT THAT I'M COMPLAINGING, because I am so unbelievably excited.  But I do love sharing such fabulous ideas with others.  So tomorrow I will post some fun stuff. 

Thanks for bearing with me through the inconsistent postings--it's been hectic.
But just think, you'll all get to meet baby Layla Nicole very soon!

Keep smiling, beauties!
Xo Victoria

Hey Strangers

2 weeks. <sigh>  I suck. :(
Basically, the past 2 weeks consisted of my parents being away in Mexico, so Michael and I played house, homework, cleaning, meetings, pinterest (between 2-4am), more homework, cleaning, case studies, planning a babyshower, taking care of sick Michael, dancing like crazy, getting sick, and freaking out over a dance team tryout.  Let's just skip all the other garb and go straight to the dance team tryout.

York, PA has joined the AIF (American Indoor Football) League with the York Capitals!  It is a professional league that is continuously growing.  York's team even has some former NFL players! It's pretty exciting :) So...This past Saturday, I auditioned for the Lady Capitals Dance Team. Anddd....I MADE IT!

The best part about the whole experience is that Jen made it, too!!! I am finally going to get to dance with my best friend again.  It's crazy how far the two of us have come together...through dance, boys, friendships, family, and life in general. We are unbreakable. :)

 

I love this picture of her.  She so coot.

  

 There is another tryout for the team on Friday.  Then the first practice is Saturday.  I am so excited for the season to start. I feel privileged to be a part of the original Lady Capitals team. :)  If you want to read more about the league or the dance team, check us out at http://yorkcapitals.com/

Since then, I have been super sore and, even worse, EXTRA hungry!! Seriously, I don't know what happened. It sounds like a joke, but truthfully, since this tummy-exposed dance team, my appetite has sky rocketed. -__-  Like what the heck?! Not cool. The treadmill and I are rekindling our bestfriendshipness.

Now that the stress of trying out is relieved, I have been back to focusing mainly on school.  I don't know if I have ever mentioned, but I LOOOOVE school.  I love taking notes, and highlighters, and outlining, and captioning, and diagraming, and binders, and post-its..AH..just love it. But lately, I've been feeling a little out-of sorts.  I honestly thought I would love my classes this semester.  So far, only one has really got me hooked.  The others I am just not passionate about.  My favorite, as predicted, is my events and promotions class.  It is by no means an "easy A" course or a breeze-through.  It is a ton of work, but it is what I love to do.  Organize. Plan. Design. Create. Ya know, fun stuff! But I don't know...I just haven't been as motivated in school as I typically am.  I have got a baddd case of spring fever...and it is not even spring...so that is not good.  I think it's because I am wanting more out of my classes.  Several of them are being handled in a completely different manner than what the department has done in the past, so the students (as well as the professors) have to readjust.  It just feels off to me.  Grades are not an issue--I've barely had any grades so far this semester, however.  Which I am not a fan of.  But... it is still early, so hopefully I can get out of this slump and start getting excited for class again.

I guess my first step would be to close out this entry, and get to work on my next case study. -__- 
I need to not let 2 weeks pass before posting, though.  Sometimes just a few minutes of typing can help release a little steam.  Thanks for being there for my vent.  <3

Xo Victoria

Ramble Ramble Ramble

Hiiilo!

It's Thursday! That means it is almost FRIDAY!!! Yayyy! Has anyone else had a super stressful and busy weekend? I sure have...and next week will be even busier.  I can taste the coffee now...

My parents are going to Mexico for a week! Without me...can you believe that?! How rude, ugh. ....I'm just joking (kinda`).  But really, they totally deserve this trip.  They are honestly the 2 most giving people I know. And this past year has been very, very rough on my whole family, but especially my parents. They 120% more than deserve this trip. 


June 8, 1985

Riviera Maya, Mexico -- Summer 2011

Married for 27 years...and still totally in love. 

Tell me that isn't special.

Anyway...they are leaving me. And it kinda came up out of the blue. So this week has been chaotic with packing and researching where they are going and making sure I have everything I will need while they are away and yada yada ya.  My grandmother (who also lives with us) is going to be staying at her friend's house in Baltimore for the week. This means I am going to be home all by myself for a whole week. Can you say PARTAYYY!?!? Yea...except not.  Isn't it funny how most 20-ish year old college kids would be SO excited for a week away from their parents? A week where their parents literally leave the COUNTRY and have the house all to themselves? I'm so the opposite, haha. I don't want me mama to leave...I'll miss her way too much.  My mom is seriously my absolute best friend in the world.  I hate that she's leaving me here alone, but I'm happy that she will finally get some time to relax. Meanwhile, I will be working on event planning and studying makeup tutorials and above all else...planning another baby shower for Nick (my brother) and Jen (his girlfriend)! I am so excited!!:)

I have so much on my mind right now.

I feel like I am jumping all over the place.
I apologize for that.
For such an organized person, I sure do ramble a lot, huh?
I'm doing it again.
Dang.


I have an early morning of college fantasticness tomorrow, so I better get to bed.  This girl's got some serious bags under the eyes right now... I need me some beauty sleep.

Stay smiling, girls!
Xo Victoria

SuperBOH Champs!

Hello all!

I write to you ladies today with a HUGE smile on my face!  Why? Because the RAVENS WON THE SUPERBOWL!!!!! Yayayayaya!!! Woo woo woo woo woo!!!
 
My family and I are huge Ravens fans.  We have either gone to or watched on TV every game in the franchise history. This was the second year the Ravens made it to the Superbowl (the first being in 2001), and it was their second time WINNING the championship. 2 for 2, baby!

 

 
We are a bunch of football crazies.  I even made purple-battered cupcakes with purple whipped icing for the festivities.

There's always room for a cupcake...or two.  Shh;-)

 
The final score was 34-31. The 49ers put up a good fight in the second half, but the top dogs (or should I say birds?) prevailed!  I could not be more proud of my team and the city of Baltimore, who has had an emotional year with the team.




Real quick.....

I've been on a non-fat smoothie kick lately.  Frequently, I find that I am not very hungry, but it is bad to just not eat.  So I make a smoothie!! I can get all my natural vitamins and nutrients, and it is so filling...and super yummy!  So, in honor of the Ravens, I made a blueberry-banana (banerry..haha) smoothie today!

It was a half cup of blueberries, one small banana, 6 ice cubes, and 1/2 cup of non-fat yogurt.  Super healthy and sooo good in flavor.  I was unsure if I'd like this concoction, but I was more than pleasantly surprised.  It is one of my favorites.





I have a ton of homework to do, so I better get to it. But I have a LOT of interesting blog topics coming up for you guys, so stay tuned.

Talk to you soon,
Xo Victoria

A Healthy Change.

Hello all!

So I went a whole week with no posts... shame on me.  That is not like me, but this week has been an exception.  Classes started back up from a month-and-a-half long break. It is very difficult to transition from six weeks of fun and vacationing back to school. But, being the geek I am, I was excited to start back up. :)

I am excited for this semester.  My classes are getting more and more in depth of my concentration, event planning. I have a night class (yuck!), but at least it is a class that I absolutely LOVE--Special Events & Promotions. It is going to be a lot of work, but it is exactly what I want to do with my life...so I am excited to start! I also really like my teacher for the class.  She is a younger woman, which makes it easier to relate to her.  She also is the leading event coordinator of the city of York, which is where I live! (Connections are ALWAYS a good thing!)

Now that classes started back up, dance team is back! We had our first practice on Sunday. I made sure to stretch the week before so I was not in TOO much humiliating pain at practice...... It didn't work. I woke up this morning (Tuesday) and as any dancer or athlete would know, the second day is always worse.  So I am currently walking like an 86-year-old grandma with a bad hip and a serious hump back. I'd post a picture, but I can barely lift my arms up, nor do I think I have enough strength to press the shutter button.  Yea, it's that bad....Okay, maybe I exaggerated a little, but I hurt.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of school and dance and bookstore purchases, I had to do something very tragic.  I cut my hair...BIG time.  Now, to some of you that may seem like, "Uhh...ok?"  But anyone who knows me knows that I OBSESS over my hair.  It has always been long and thick and full and curly and nice.  But for the past couple months, it started thinning out, dying, breaking, had no volume, wasn't curly, and just overall looked depressing.  Has this happened to any of you? I did research and I think part of it was stress and my diet, but then I developed a terrible product build-up. Anyone who has ever had this knows it is MISERABLE! Moral of the story...Take care of your hair, ladies!  But yes, I got it cut...


I actually really like it.  I miss my long locks, but it feels so nice to have healthy hair again.  And it's a nice, new change.  I am proud of myself for taking this much-needed life step... :)  I am going to be spending some time learning new hairstyles for the short-hair species. 

Now time to finish some homework before I head over to the dance studio for a 9-11pm practice.
Talk to you soon! =)


Xo Victoria

Homemade Sugar Scrub

Hello all!

OK! So I don't know where you all live, but if it is anywhere near where I live, you know that today was FREEEEZING. I mean like straight up ridonculous, icicles nose, freezing. I wanted to lay in bed and watch old episodes of David Tutera's My Fair Wedding on Netflix all day, but I had to be a big girl and run errands. 

Afraid to brace the morning frost.

 

I have my nose pierced, and I absolutely love it! But a terribly tragic thing (waddup waddup, alliteration) happened the other day...I lost 2 nose rings in 2 days.  That NEVER happens. So amidst my "grown up" errands I had to run today, I went to the mall.  Uh oh...


I recommend Spencer's for nose rings.  That is not my kind of store in the least; I get frightened every time I go in there.  I think it's the strobe lights... but anyway! They have the best nose rings that I've found.  I like the straight post with the ball on the end.  A pack of 8 is only $9.99, and I sure do love me a good bargain.

SUCCESS!



 

 

 

Next order of business.

Remember how I was talking about how cold it was today? Yea, well that bitter cold destroys my hands.  Dry skin is G R O S S.  I carry lotion with me everywhere I go--and I don't mean the little travel size lotions, I mean the big mama, thick, cream stuff. And my hands will STILL get dry.

I decided to make my own homemade sugar scrub! If you've never used a sugar scrub before, START! They are absolutely fabulous.  The only problem...little bit pricey for the good stuff.  So I thought to my crafty little Sally-homemaker0self, "Hmm... I could do this on my own." 
It turned out wonderfully, so I want to share with you all!

Here's what you need: 

• brown sugar
• white sugar
• an all-natural oil of your choice (I will explain after this)
• pure vanilla extract
• a jar/container to hold your scrub

***Notice there are no measuring cups.  I did not list precise measurements because not everyone uses the same size container.  If you are a person who likes to know perfect measurements, what you can do is fill your container up with water, and then pour the water into a liquid measuring cup.  That will tell you how much the jar can hold.  Just be sure to use 2 parts sugar vs 1 part oil.

So, how to make the scrub! DIRECTIONS:

• Pour both the brown and white sugars into your jar.  I used about 1 1/4 cups of both sugars.
• Add your oil.  (For this particular scrub, I used olive oil.  This is for my hands and feet.  If you want to make a facial scrub, I recommend using either baby oil or almond oil.)
• Mix the contents with a spoon.

 

• After that, add some vanilla! The amount is totally up to you.  I never really measure vanilla. :)

• Depending on the amount of ingredients you used, your jar may either be full or only half full.  This is where you just have to play around.  Just keep in mind, keep your sugars 2-1 to lotion.  (Just make sure your scrub is actually a scrub and not an oil with sugar particles.)

 

• When you're finished mixing, take your pointer and ring finger and scoop some scrub out into your palm. It's best to dampen your hands a little before you rub them together.  Keep rubbing your hand (or wherever you are using the scrub) for a good while...about a full minute or so.  See how you like it. Is it too dry? Add some more oil. Is it too oily? Add some more WHITE sugar, not brown.
• When you reach a slushy-like consistency, you're good to go! Tie a cute little ribbon around your jar, and place it n your sink. 
  
  Voila! You just made your very own sugar scrub. You will now have baby-soft hands that yummy enough to eat!

 Now go hold your boyfriend or husband's hand!

I made one for my mom, too! These are so easy and inexpensive. Perfect gift idea. :)

Xo Victoria

 
 
 
 

 

And So It Begins...

Hello all!

So...my blogging journey begins! I am so excited to finally be doing this.  I've been interested in it for about a year and a half or so now, but I always backed down. My much-more-than-best friend (Jen) is really the one who encouraged me to finally get it going...so thanks, Jen!(Go follow her at thefreckledartist.blogspot.com ....she is a very talented, and very comical, artist!)

Before we get into the really good stuff, let me give you an idea of who I am and WHY I'm doing this...

My name is Victoria. 

Most people call me Tori, but there are still a few who prefer calling me Victoria. (Truth is, I prefer Victoria, too. But that's ok.) I'm a 20 year old college student studying Public Relations with a concentration in Event Planning. I have been dancing for 15 years, and am on the university dance team. I have a SEVERE obsession for weddings/anything bridal and make-up.  I could probably keep TLC's ratings up just by myself...it's pretty much the only network I watch (along with AMC's Breaking Bad...best show ever! Everyone needs to go watch the seasons on Netflix right now!!! Well, finish reading my blog first, then do it! mwaha) After I graduate from college, I plan on taking classes in cosmetology. I want to be a wedding planner who can do it all! I have 2 older brothers who are more like friends, and the absolute BEST parents in the world. I also have a sweetheart of a boyfriend named Michael.  (You will be hearing lots about all of these people in upcoming posts...)

I started All Things Girly because I am interested in just that...everything that has to do with being a girl.  Make-up, clothes, nail polish, dancing, fashion, hair, baking, crafts, organization, glitter, coffee...everything! I want to use this space as a place for sharing ideas, as well as inspiring girls to be happy with themselves.  I have always been a very self conscious person.  Girls always seem to have something on their minds that they are worried about..."Oh my gosh, my frickin hair just will not stay curled today." "Why am I so fat? Why do I have no self control?" "I want to wear leggings like everyone else, but my thighs are too huge." "Maybe if I were a twig like her, he'd be dating ME." "I'm never gonna make the team without a six-pack." GAHHHH!!!! Too. Many. Thoughts.  Trust me, I get it...I'm the leading culprit of this.  But in the past 5 months or so, I've really learned a lot. The key to being happy is to first be happy with yourself. So...I want to help girls find ways to be happy by being healthy...and Mod Podge and play with make-up while we're at it.  I'm crazy and silly, yet organized and professional.  Let's be friends!

You should most definitely follow All Things Girly if you're interested in any of the following:

• Crafts
• Health
• Beauty
• Make-up
• Bargains
• Home décor
• Fooooood
• Smiling

I cannot wait to take this journey with all of you.  Stay tuned for more postings.

xo Victoria

Pre-Blogging Blog

Hello all!

First impressions are huge...and I am not proud of what I have to offer at this point. :-/ Wahh. It is currently 2:39 am and I am wiredwiredwired, working feverishly on the blog set-up.
See... I (a technology-ignorant girly-girl) am teaching myself how to set everything up. It is a work-in-progress. Bare with me... I WILL conquer this blog, that I can promise. 

I hope everyone is enjoying their beauty rest.
I'm going to watch blog tutorials and listen to TLC all night...er, morning.

Till next time...xoxo