The end of an era...The Clique Books.

     After years and years of reading The Clique books I have finally finished the whole series! Now your probably wondering...Lizz your 20 and going to be a junior in college...why are you just finishing this now?! Well, good question! I started reading the series my freshmen year of high school (I believe...It might had been 8th or 7th grade...? I honestly forget) The last book came out Feb. 2011 and I started reading it I think not until 2012 which was my senior year of high school. I would read sections of it everyday until I got to the middle of the book. I didn't want the series to end so I put off reading it until the summer of my freshman year of college was over. I read some more and stopped again at a good place. It wasn't until tonight that I had the courage of reading the last couple of chapters of the series and finish what I started as a worried freshman that didn't know what was going to happen in her high school years.
          These books weren't just a book. They taught me so much. About friendship, fashion, different situations I'd be put in during school. Everything I almost needed to know were in these books. I looked up to Massie so much as a kid. So much I wanted to be her. But I was too nice of a person to insult people and act meaner towards them (I was more of a Claire wanting to be like Massie). But that wasn't just what Massie did. I admired her confidence even though she wasn't totally confident all the time. I admired her fashion sense and how she'd help her friends. I wanted to be that Massie. Someone people looked up to and saw as a someone who was cool and not dorky and shy. People would tease me about not swearing as a high schooler and middle schooler (which I didn't see as much as a problem as the people who pointed it out). There was one person who always seemed to want to bring me down but I didn't let them get to me because that was what Massie did. She would keep her cool until she got home and then talked about it with Bean. She wouldn't let people get to her and same with Cuh-laire! I admired both of them for that and brought it in myself to do the same.
        The books showed me a whole new world and how nothing really changes once you leave high school and go into college. I'm sure the same goes for college into the real world as well. Lisi did base these books on when she worked at MTV!
         It may sound silly but the Clique books really helped me through my teenage years. I don't care if people make fun of me for saying this or make fun of me saying that I wanted to be just like Massie Block and have BFF's just like her's because I know inside they wanted the same. It was addicting. Everyone wanted to be Massie and her Pretty Committee at some point in their lives and if you don't say yes then you are lying! I made a Polyvore with outfits for events that the PC would wear whether it was an OCD dance or meeting a celebrity on Mrs. Marvil's TV show! I would spend HOURS on that website blah-ging about what the girls were doing trying to keep the PC alive still. It showed me how much I love fashion and styling people which continued to my life today! Going to school for fashion design and styling for my school's magazine! Those little details of what the girls were wearing that Lisi included made more of an impact then she probably thought. I learned about designer clothes and their significance to the world. How important designer everything was to some people and how department store buys were other people.
        I just finished reading the last book and I couldn't help but cry. It really is an end of an era. The Pretty Committee will forever be in our hearts and inspire us in every way to be who we truly are. I want to thank my best friends for putting up with me/going along with me in telling them they were either Alicia, Kristen, Dylan or Cuh-laire. For my ah-mazing mother for also putting up with me through my teenage years. To my new best friends at college for reminding me that good things are to come. To the people who made the Pretty Committee alive and making a movie of the first Clique books...thank you!!! I've watched the movie at least 40 times and I kid you nawt! Wish you made it into a series...And to Lisi Harrison for helping me get through my challenging teenage years and creating a place I could run away to when things got tough! I will always frequent your blah-g for new adventures (every wednesday!)! I remember when you would put up little spoilers of chapters and I would be counting down the days for the books to go on shelves! Thank you for making reading fun for me! As someone who can't pick up just any book and read it through (I swear I have ADD...) you really made reading fun for me and inspired me to start writing myself! After 20 books and over 6 years of reading I can finally say I have some closure. I know designer clothes aren't everything in the world. I know being popular isn't everything you need to be in the world. And the Clique books have shown me that. I accept myself for who I am and who I'm becoming in the world. It's ok to like designer clothes even though you can't afford them and it's ok to look up to the popular girls who are nicer and learn lessons from the ones who aren't so nice.
           Saying goodbye to fictional friends was hard but I'm happy with the ending. Even if I didn't want it to end. I hope to see Massie over in London next semester! *wink wink*


"No matter where they were, who they were with, or what they were doing, all they'd have to do was look up and there it would be." -A Tale of Two Pretties : The Clique : Lisi Harrison

Lots of Love,
Lizzie

#Vamping

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       I recently just read an article on TeenVogue.com about a newly found terms called "Vamping".  The article talks about how teens these days are still up way past the correct hours of sleep they should be getting everyday. Social media plays into this "staying up late trend" by people tweeting #Vamping all night long. Pulling all-nighters and staying up all day isn't helping your body with the nutrients that it needs.
       I have experienced this first hand. As a incoming junior in college and a fashion design major all-nighters are essential to me. There simply aren't enough hours in the day to get EVERYTHING I want to be done done! It's become accustom to me so much that now I can run on 4 to 5 hours of sleep and be fine. Although I'm not completely fine I can live off no sleep till the weekend when I actually get sleep.
      For me getting up at 8:30 for my 9:30 class, staying up all day with no naps during the day, and staying up till 3 or 4 in the morning has become easy. I also don't drink any coffee throughout the day(I don't practically like coffee) or energy drinks at all. My body has gotten used to staying up all day and never going to bed with the exceptions of an hour nap here and there. I need those extra few hours to get my sewing done, finish my 5 page research papers, and looking up the latest trends in fashion for styling my school's magazine. I pull at least 1 to 3 all-nighters a semester and not just an "all-nighter" that you go to bed at 4 o'clock in the morning but not going to sleep at all!
       Since I never slept well at school coming home for the summer has taken a toll on my body in more than one way. I slept a lot when I first came home but only during the day. When it was time for bed I would be up till at least 3 or 4 in the morning. During the day I would be so cranky and had no ambition to stay awake or do anything. After a week of being home I got sick and couldn't get out of bed. I was still on school time and didn't get much sleep. If I had the right amount of sleep everyday I wouldn't be in this predicament. But instead I stayed up instead of trying to go to bed. It had become a habit never going to sleep at a good time of night.
       You are probably wondering what I do while being up so late. Well lets just say I watched the whole series of That So 70's Show (how exciting that Mila and Ashton are really getting married and having a baby! Go Michael and Jackie!!!), season 1 of Beverly Hills 90210(original series! But only season 1 was on Amazon Prime videos and I didn't feel like buying the rest of the series), and 2 seasons of Gossip Girl (which this the 3rd time watching the series!). I also watched about 7 different movies. Including...The Spectacular Now, Ride Along, The Good Girls, Walk of Shame, Endless Love, American Hustle, and That Awkward Moment.  
      I get in bed at about 10:30/11 and don't go to sleep till 3/4. That's staying in bed for 7 hours! 7 hours I could be sleeping!!! I blame myself and computer scene that I watch the movies and TV shows on. It's straining my eyes and shrinking my brain! I also think I've gotten insomnia from not sleeping because I've gotten so used to not sleeping! Also I do feel my anxiety has gone up since leading me not go to sleep well at night.
      You can find me hashtaging #TeamNoSleep at 3 o'clock in the morning or acknowledging that 3 o'clock and I have met again! But now after a few weeks of torture of not sleeping and my cranky attitude and restless moods, I've finally gotten a couple of good nights rest! Not going to bed after 2 clock and waking up at 9 instead of 11. I'm feeling a lot better now!

Lizzie's Tips On Getting a Better Nights Rest!
~ Yoga! - I've also taken up yoga and going to take a meditation class to help me release stress!

~ Read! - Reading before bed instead of watching a TV show! The book I'm reading right now is The Hunger Games! I've watched the movie more than the fingers on my hands and I'm finally reading the book! I'll write a post on my thoughts about it once I'm done reading it! Reading a book before bed makes me tired so I'll want to go to sleep. There are times when I want to keep reading but I like stopping and thinking about what happens next to put me asleep.
 
~ Bed Spray! - Times when I know I can't fall asleep I spray my lavender bed sheet spray on my sheets. Lavender is such a calming smell for me and it does help me fall sleep faster!

~ Shutting off the laptop at 10:30! - This goes along with reading a book for me. I try to shut off my laptop at 10:30 or 11 o'clock to read till about 12 or 1 depending on how sleepy I am.

~ Drinking water! - Drinking 1 glass water before bed helps prevent heart attacks, yes, but also you need it to keep hydrated. I always feel better in the morning if I drink some water about 30 minutes before I go to sleep. DO NOT drink soda or tea before bed! All the sugar will keep you up!

~ Avoid eating sugary foods! - Avoid eating sugary foods before bed! I tried to fill up while at dinner and have a not at "midnight" snack around 8/8:30. Usually 100 cal popcorn!

Well, that's my story on sleeping or well not sleeping! I loved the article on Teen Vogue (HERE) to help keep awareness about this! I know it doesn't happen to just me! Whenever I go on twitter there's always at least 5 people I know that are also awake! College life = sleepless nights!



Lots of Love,
Lizzie

Last Minute Lizz : 4th of July Edition!

Well, I might be known for putting off things till the last minute (but really who is ALWAYS on time?). This is where Last Minute Lizz comes in for the win! An expect (*LOL not so much) guide to your last minute ideas! Today I'll be talking about last minute Forth of July ideas! Since tomorrow is the 4th and you were conveniently asked to go to your best friend or family BBQ but don't want to come empty handed here's a guide to last minute treats to make the night before or even the day of! OR!! Or are you the host and totally didn't get enough decorations to entertain your guest? Don't worry! I got you covered!

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Pretzel + White Chocolate + M&Ms + Sparkles = Your best last minute treat! 

I've made these cute treats so many times for parties and they are always a hit! Who doesn't love pretzels and chocolate! All you have to do is get square pretzels, white chocolate Hershey's, pick out the red M&Ms, and some blue sprinkles! Or blue M&M's and red sprinkles! Put the white chocolate on top of the pretzel...put them on a plate and into the microwave for about 20 seconds (really depends on how strong your micro is! Just until the top half melts!) Take them out and place a M&M on top with a few sprinkles! TaDa! Now, my tip would be to put them in the refrigerator for about a half hour/hour so that the white chocolate doesn't totally melt in this heat wave we've been having! 

Have you ever tried these out?! If so let me know! :D

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Ahhh...the strawberry dipped in chocolate! White Chocolate! So easy and a sure win at a party! All you need to do is melt down white chocolate chips, dip the strawberries into it and spring on blue sugar or sprinkles! 

As you can or cannot tell white chocolate and sprinkles/sugar are a sure win-win products here! 

Now for decorations!

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A party trend/favorite at the moment would be these adorable printables! These are totally DIY material! Just go to your local crafts store or print them out from different websites! I know Etsy has a ton! You can tape them to straws, popsicle sticks, well any kind of sticks! For a backdrop put up the good old American Flag! Or get some stars to hang around, streamers, tie the ends of bandannas together! They are super fun and a cute way to remember the day! Don't forget to Instagram them later! *wink wink*

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This has got to be my favorite last minute decoration idea! Magic flowers! Take a vase (or mason jars! Even cuter!) full them up with water and add red or blue food coloring to them. Buy some white carnations (or any white flowers) and watch the food color color the flowers!! At the end of the night let your guest take home a flower but tell them to put the opposite color and see what happens! 

Well that's all I have for you today! Tell me your last minute 4th of July ideas or party ideas!!! 

Also, shout out to Pinterest for these awesome pictures! Follow my Pinterest for more ideas! ---> (HERE)

Lots of Love,

Lizzie