Tea Talk Tuesday : Caroline from Citrus and Style

  Caroline from Citrus and Style
I read tons of blogs every day, but one that really sticks out is Caroline's! She has great posts about fashion and fitness, and really shows that you can live a healthy lifestyle while still having a lot of fun. Recently, Caroline was featured on The Trendy Chic and shared her amazing tips on how to stay organized, blogging, and doing well in school. It's definitely worth the read! 

What are some of the greatest lessons you’ve learned as a high school student? What are you most looking forward to in your junior year? 

This year I’ve definitely learned the value of hard work. I have always studied hard, but something made me work harder this year, especially on my finals! Junior year is definitely going to be a difficult one, but I can’t wait to take photography and get closer to becoming an editor on my school yearbook ;)

What are your dreams when it comes to college and choosing your occupation? 

I know I want to stay in the Midwest or head to the East Coast, but I’m still kind of confused about whether or not I’d like to be in a city or a more rural area! As for my occupation, I’d love to go into business with a minor in fashion - combining those two things would be so fun for me. 

What drew you to blogging and what is the background to your blog’s name, Citrus and Style? 

In middle school I began reading fashion blogs like The College Prepster, and everyone always told me that I should start my own blog. I knew how much work it would take so the summer before my freshman year I took the plunge and have been obsessed ever since! The name citrus & style was really a spur of the moment decision, and I didn’t know it would it would come to represent my blog or myself so well.

What motivates you to live a healthy lifestyle and exercise frequently?

The number one thing that inspires me to live a healthy lifestyle is how good I feel when I’m eating nutritious foods and exercising regularly. I feel well rested, energized and am usually in a good mood. Not to mention, there’s no better feeling than when you finish a long workout! 

Even though you’re very minimal when it comes to makeup, what are a few products you wouldn't be able to go without?

I’ve found that curling my eyelashes really gives the allusion that I’m wearing mascara, so my eye lash curler is definitely a good tool to have, as well as a great lip butter and gloss, preferably in a pretty pink. 

What are three classic pieces you believe that every woman should have in her wardrobe?

Pearl studs, a navy and white striped tee and a great tan bag are my 3 go-to’s!

How do you find time to balance both your high school life and Citrus and Style?

It definitely is kind of difficult to manage it all, but I focus on school during the week and brainstorm blog ideas when they come to me. Over the weekend I write up all my posts (minus the Friday Fours of course) and schedule them for the upcoming days. 

Who/What are some of your inspirations for interior design, fashion, and beauty?

Blogger wise, Mackenzie Horan and Julia Dzafic always inspire me with their fun outfits and colorful interior spaces! I also love Olivia Palermo’s street style - she always looks so chic and put together.

What are your 5 favorite posts that you’ve published on Citrus and Style?

This is a hard one! I love sharing pictures from my space so my desk tour and gallery wall tours would be up there.

What would be your biggest tip for an aspiring blogger?

I would say be original and really emphasize what makes you and your blog unique. There are so many similar blogs these days that people are attracted to content that is new and fresh!

What are some of your favorite summer reads?

I just finished Something Blue by Emily Giffin and I LOVED it. A few nights ago I started Where’d You Go Bernadette and it is such a funny one.

Apps you can’t live without?

Instagram. I check it way too many times a day ;)

What do you use to photograph your blog posts? 

Sometimes I use my iPhone depending on what I’m photographing, but I usually use my Nikon DSLR d3200. I just got it for my birthday and it is the most useful gift I’ve ever gotten!

Where can we find you on social media?

@citrusandstyle on both Instagram and Twitter, and Caroline Yauck on Pinterest! 

Make sure to go and show sweet Caroline some love! 

Come back next Tuesday to read the next installment in "Tea Talk Tuesday"!

xoxo

feedback + what's to come

Happy Monday! 
This week is already proving that it won't be the easiest. I'm currently blogging from my iPad mini because my computer charger broke, and we're waiting for the new charger to come in. Please bare with me as I'm having a few technical difficulties on this side! 
I also am traveling to see family later this week, so there's been lots of packing and post preparation/planning that's going on. I'm thinking about taking a week off (August 1-9) while I'm gone, to really enjoy my time with family and start brainstorming lost of posts. With a week off, I feel like I can really get myself motivated and ready to blog and get back to school soon after I return home. 
Also, I'm rebranding the blog yet again. I mainly want to change the URL to start with, that will most likely come with a name change. I contacted someone today about working with me in this process and I'm so excited. It's something I've been debating, but going into sophomore year, I know I won't have time to worry about it all in a few weeks from now; so, I'm going to get it done while I have the time and resources! 
I really value your opinion as the reader here on A Thousand Tomorrows, so let me know what you think about all these changes/breaks, and I'd also love to hear what you want to see in the future. You mean so much to me, and I love getting to chat with you, whether it be on a form of social media, in the comments below, or through email.  Just a few sneak peeks: this August myself and Kira are talking about doing another back to school collaboration, and possibly adding a few others bloggers into the mix! I'm getting lots of Tea Talk Tuesdays in from some amazing bloggers (Carly from The College Prepster, Meredith from Monogram Meredith, Kira from Kira Tabor, and more!), and I've created a rough blogging schedule for the school year. Tea Talk Tuesdays will be featured every other Tuesday, and blog posts will be coming your way every Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday, just depending on the week of the featured Tea Talk Tuesday.  I really love blogging, so with the amount of work I'm expecting, I feel as though creating a specific schedule will help me to give to you the best quality content you deserve. I've learned so much about myself and who I am because of this little corner of the internet that I like to call my own. 
I really look forward to hearing from you, either through email or commenting!  Have a great Monday!
xoxo

The Best 2 Weeks of My Summer - SCGSAH

Long time, no talk ladies! After scheduling multiple posts for my time at camp, I needed two days off before I jumped right back into the swing of things - and it’s been so relaxing.

I wish I could have updated you more as I was away at camp, but with such a busy schedule that had me busy (almost) 24/7, I really didn’t get the chance to sit down and write out a blog post.

If you haven’t been following A Thousand Tomorrows for long, (welcome!) or need a brief intro, here’s a little overview as to where I was the past 2 weeks -

In Greenville, SC, there’s the most magical school on the planet - AKA the South Carolina Governor’s School for Arts and Humanities (SCGSAH). Throughout the standard school year, SCGSAH is a residential high school for close to 230 juniors and seniors combined. These students apply in February of their Sophomore year (sometimes Junior year, applying for a “first year senior” position) to attend for the final two years of high school. The school is very similar to the one I attend now because of the perspective major you apply into - and there’s 8! (Creative Writing, Dance, Strings, Band, Piano, Visual Arts, and Theater). In order to hopefully attract prospective students and give them a look into pre-professional life, SCGSAH allows opportunities for 3 groups of students - a 2 week program for Rising Freshman (Discovery), a 2 week program for Rising Sophomores (Academy), and a 5 week program for Dancers (age varies!).

I had the pleasure of attending both Discovery and Academy, and it has honestly changed my life for the better - there’s no doubt about that! I’ve been able to really experience solo singing for the first time (last summer I sang my first classical solo ever), learn more about my field of music by taking part in classes such as Music Theory, Music History/Appreciation, Performance Seminar, and by singing in small ensembles and large choirs, taking private lessons, and singing on stage as part of Master Class. I’ve had the opportunity to be taught by some of the best teachers in the state, some of which have PhD’s in their respective field. I’ve meet friends that I’ll know for a lifetime, and have really stirred up a passion and love for solo singing.

I’ll never forget stepping onto the SCGSAH campus in June of 2013 and telling my mom that first day that I wouldn’t ever even think about attending the school as a residential student. That changed the next day. During a call to my mom, I told her that this was where I wanted to be and exactly how I wanted to spend my Junior and Senior years in high school. There was (and still is) no doubt in my mind.

Being able to immerse myself and really branch out and be my own singer was something I never get the opportunity to do at my home school. (Which many people are surprised by, especially the private teachers I’ve come across at Governor’s School.) At School of the Arts (SOA) here in Charleston, you have an opportunity that not many high schools have in the state - you spend 90 minutes each day in your respected art area. It really is a great opportunity, but I’ve found throughout the past few years, that it’s slowly becoming more of a burden. I don’t get the chance to sing solos, as they go to upperclassmen first; the attention to a single person is little to none, as in choral singing, you have to address a certain voice part; the amount of time I’ve spent preparing for concerts I don’t have the drive to participate in is way too much time. Overall, SCGSAH is my dream and this year it will be my main focus. It definitely would be so hard to leave everything here in Charleston behind, but I’d be gaining so much and learning more than I ever could, and that means so much to me.

Back to the main topic, there’s really no other place I’d rather spend my high school years at other than SCGSAH. The campus is beautiful. It’s modeled after a Tuscan Village (you can say stunning), the food is (surprisingly) good (but it won’t ever beat a meal from my mom’s kitchen!), the facilities are exactly what students need, and the library is absolutely insane - they have everything any type of artist no matter what your major is would ever need!

After getting to spend 4 weeks (combined) there over the past 2 summers, I’ve been able to realize that the campus and everything about it really suits me, as I’m a very independent worker. I’ve been able to experience what it’s like to live away from home! I’ve met with lots of the music faculty and have been able to see how I interact with them and make connections that will (hopefully) help come audition time. I’ve shows many of these faculty members how I participate in a class/group setting, as well as how I perform on stage in a solo setting after 2 weeks of work and progress.  

Performance Night!

One of the greatest things that I was able to do (and I’ve mentioned this in the last paragraph) was that I got to meet and connect with lots of the faculty and Residential Life Counselors (RLC, they’re adults who live in the dorms and act as a backbone to the entire program). One of the RLC’s, Kristen, was actually a graduate of Voice from SCGSAH, and now attends Furman University on a full ride (and gets some money in her pocket, too!). She was able to answer some of me and Margaret’s (one of my very close friends) burning questions all about the program. I’ll never forget her comments after I performed and how much they meant to me. The comments she made is part of my inspiration, drive, and motivation. Also, I was able to talk with Dr. Rhyne, who is the Vocal Ensemble teacher throughout the school year, and he was able to answer some of me and Margaret, Leah, and Skylar’s (more friends!) questions. He was also our Theory teacher, which was definitely an advantage for us - he got to see us in a class setting, interacting with others and responding to his direction. And lastly, our Music History teacher, Dr. Hamilton (he is BAE!) is the head of the music department for the residential high school.

Throughout these 2 weeks, I’ve learned new techniques, new things about music history, lots about music composition/theory, and I’ve made more friendships. Leaving campus this past Saturday, it was so hard to accept that that may be that last time I’m ever on the campus of SCGSAH. But I’m so ready to work hard this year and not allow it to be my last time on campus. I'm so excited to work more on my choral singing as well as my solo singing, and add more music to my repertoire and add more knowledge to my bank of vocal knowledge!

My best friend, Margaret - we've already begun planning for our time there together! #whoops

With all of this being said, my sophomore year is full of big goals, a lot of work, and one big audition, and I’m ready to tackle it all.

xoxo

Tea Talk Tuesday : Darcy from A Memory of Us

      

Darcy from A Memory of Us

Tell us a little bit about yourself! 

Hi everyone! My name is Darcy and I blog over at A Memory of Us (www.amemoryofus.blogspot.com) A little about me -- I graduated college 1.5 years ago. I'm a Nebraska girl at heart but I followed my then-boyfriend, Tyler, to Kansas City, MO after graduating. Monday through Friday I am working as a System Engineer. Tyler proposed to me on October 31, 2013! We are in the midst of wedding planning now and are officially becoming Mr. and Mrs. April 2015! I could not be more excited. These days I am spending my time wedding planning, blog writing, hanging out with my best gals, and just living life to the fullest! 

Where did you go for college and how did you decide on your major? 

I went to Northwest Missouri State University (go Bearcats!) and graduated with a business management major and database management systems minor. My ultimate career goal is project management so that is how I landed on business management. I added in a minor when I realized I was going to graduate in 3 years without one, haha! (I still left in 3.5 years, though.) I chose to focus on computer science because of the demand for programmers. It is definitely challenging and some days are frustrating but ultimately I love writing code... especially when I get the program to do what I want it to! 

What are some of the fashion blogs that inspired you to create your own? 

The first fashion blog I ever read was Pink Peonies. After, I started discovering more that I loved... especially The Sweetest Thing. 

You mentioned that you enjoy watching beauty videos. What are some of your favorite YouTube channels? 

The Beauty Community on YouTube is seriously amazing! Not kidding when I say I can watch YouTube videos all night after work. Missglamorazzi and TessChristine are my absolute favorites! 

How were you able to grow your blog to what it is today? 

Blogging looks like it would be easy and not a huge time commitment from the outside, but really it takes so much time and work! Network like crazy. People are not just going to stumble across your blog in the beginning. You need to get your name out there so comment on other people's blogs and participate in link ups!

What are some of your apps? 

I don't really use anything that exciting... I love Instagram for social media and 7 Little Words for a fun game. 

Where would you love to travel to at the moment?

LONDON! Tyler has already agreed that London will be where we go for our one year anniversary trip! 

How do you edit your Instagram pictures? 

I really only use the filters on Instagram, however I use picfx for cropping! 

What is the biggest opportunity that has come your way since you began blogging in 2013? 

The biggest opportunity is working with brands and being able to write reviews about the products! The best moment was being featured as Lauren Conrad's chic of the week! 

What are the three makeup products that you have to use on a daily basis? 

Foundation (right now I am just using the sephora brand), mascara (Maybelline the Rocket), and I always fill in my eyebrows! I use the NYX eyebrow kit. 

What kind of camera do you use when taking your pictures for “A Memory of Us”? How about lenses?

18-55 mm lens on a dslr Nikon. 

Where can we find you on social media? 

I only use Instagram and my username is _darcyylynn_ . Hope to "meet" you there!! 

Navy Whales

It's no secret that navy is my absolute favorite color, so when my mom brought home this Vineyard Vines skirt after a long week of exams, I was so excited. I've only worn it twice so far, but each time I've gotten a few compliments and have realized how comfortable it is! 

In this look, I paired it with a chestnut v-neck sweater to create a look that would be suitable for a nice dinner. It's also able to be transitioned into fall - just add a pair of flats or cute heels! 

Skirt (similar here) // Sweater // Shoes (similar)

Tea Talk Tuesday : Sloane Kratzman from Sailing the Sea of Style

          

Sloane from Sailing the Sea of Style

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I write a personal style and travel blog called Sailing the Sea of Style. I started my corner of the interwebz in August of 2012, quite randomly but it has turned into something that I will be forever grateful for.

What drew you to sailing and what is one of your favorite memories of sailing?

My dad grew up sailing and it was always been something huge in our family and life. My older brother is a sailing, so it was quite obvious I was going to be one too- ha (-: I've yet to come across a favorite memory.... so I'm not sure. 

What are your 3 favorite travel destinations?

Without a doubt, Florence, Provence, and St.Barths

How have you been able to grow your blog to what it is today?

I am about to be very cliche, but all it takes is passion and dedication. The readers will come as long as you give them a reason too.

Your outfit pictures are absolutely perfect! What camera/lenses do you use and how do you edit your pictures?

I use a Nikon D3200 with several different lenses, but I must give more credit to some my primary photographer, Alexandra Gibbs.

Who are some of your biggest fashion inspirations?

Less "who", but more "where & when". For inspiration, I look to the Euro cities of Stockholm, Coopahagen and London. And of course, the 60s and 70s. 

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Two words: no.clue. 

What are your three favorite outfits that you’ve featured on your blog in 2014? All time?

These three are some of my favorites- 1,2,3

What are you most looking forward to about high school?

Just a new adventure.

What are your favorite parts about the city?

The endless culture and new experiences.

What three locations would you recommend to a friend to visit when they are visiting NYC?

1- The High Line

2- Lunch at BG

3- Brunch at August and shopping on Bleecker St.

Where can we find you on social media?

@sailingseastyle

xoxo

What's in My Purse - Kate Spade Little Minka

It's been a while since I last shared what's in my purse, so I thought it was time to update you all! I recently received the Kate Spade Little Minka as a "congrats! you survived freshman year!" from my parents. I had seen so many bloggers using this bag and knew that I had to get my hands on it - and it's just as great as  I imagined. It can easily be converted from a handbag to a crossbody, and fits even more than you can imagine. 

My Purse Essentials : 

Kate Spade Little Minka

Notebook and Book // I need somewhere to write my blog ideas and lists - this Tiny Prints notebooks does it all! And if I'm not reading from my kindle app, I always make sure to throw my current read into my purse just in case there's a need to pull out my book! 

OMG! I wish I Had A ... Kit // This small cosmetic bag holds it all! Some of the essentials I put in this bag include - hair ties, nail clippers (I am constantly breaking nails!), lipsticks and/or glosses (NYX, Stila, Bare Minerals, Maybelline), Perfume, lotion, Chapstick, flash drive, and hand sanitizer. 

Kate Spade Coin Purse (similar)

Heaphones

Advil

Phone + iPad Mini

Pens

Compact Mirror

What do you keep in your purse at all times?
xoxo

Bedroom DIY : Inspiration Board

Yesterday I mentioned that I have dreams of creating my own gallery wall in my room, but on the smaller scale, I think that creating an inspiration board would also be lots of fun! The cost is definitely lower and the materials needed aren't that extensive. To create your own that isn't too intense, you simply need a cork board and some push-pins, and an empty wall to place your boards on! 
After even more time spent on Pinterest, I've found a few of my favorite inspiration board looks that aren't too extensive. 
( And again, Mackenzie Horan has a few great options under her board for Office Spaces! )








I love the holder for the tablet! 



What inspiration board have you seen that's made your jaw drop? 
Have a great weekend! xoxo

Bedroom DIY : Gallery Wall

Over the years, my room has changed as I've grown, and new interior design ideas have popped into my head. I won't be investing in another duvet in the near future for my bed at home, because this time next year I may be shopping for a dorm (fingers crossed, many prayers being prayed!). With the movement of furniture over time, I've slowly added different art pieces to my walls that I've collected over the years, as well as fun pictures. 
With this being said, I've realized how much I really want a gallery wall above my desk or across one of my walls. So many bloggers and interior designers have styled these walls perfectly and it's one of my dreams to create a gallery wall of my own in my current home or sometime when I have a home of my own.  (And if I can't create a gallery wall, I really want to put together a fun inspiration board - which shouldn't be too expensive! Post to come tomorrow!) 
Mackenzie Horan shares this love just as much as I do, as she has a Pinterest board solely dedicated to Gallery Walls - how perfect! Below I've shared just a few of my favorites from her board, as well as my "For the Home" board. 







What's something you want to add to your bedroom/home? Do you have a favorite gallery wall that you've seen before? 
xoxo