Grand Opening of OHHELLOFRIEND

Oh, Hello Friend Goes Retail!

As I mentioned before in my birthday haul post, my friends and I went to the grand opening of Danni aka OhHelloFriend's new brick and mortar shop! We woke up extra early that Saturday of the opening to head to Downtown Fullerton, which is roughly about 2 hours away from San Diego. We already had some things in plan besides visiting her shop. Guppys for lunch, The Great Park, and whatever else was near by. But OHF was first ;) we got there around 10ish to make sure we were the first 100 customers. Why? FREE SWAGBAG! Haha! Who doesn't love free stuff? I did end up buying a couple things, but seriously how can you not when you're in this type of shop filled with the cutest items? Anyways, here are some photos that I snapped!

Waiting in line to get into the shop.

SHOP LOCATION: 122 N. Harbor Blvd, Suite 103 Fullerton, CA 92832

Inside of the shop - cuuute overload!

(action shot ^ could you tell by the blurriness haha)

Outside after shopping and hanging out inside of the store..

 The swag/goodies I got :)

*all photos taken from my iPhone*

I wish I took more photos! There was a DIY station, photobooth, and a snack table with desserts. Also, if we instagrammed photos and tagged #ohfparty, we were also in the running to win an instant camera. So that's pretty exciting :) I'm so happy for Danni and I feel like a proud mother watching one of my favorite bloggers fulfill her dreams! Such and inspiration for me and something I'd love to do someday as well. 

Late Birthday Presents Haul!

The Goodies!

So my birthday was almost  a couple weeks ago, (on January 27th to be exact), and I honestly didn't ask for much. Usually, I would make lists upon lists about what I want for my birthday ;) but now there were only just a small amount that I did want and did tell people about. I've been wanting the A. Wang rocco duffel bag for a couple of years now, but knowing no way in life am I ever going to be able to afford it (let alone anyone else buying it for me for my birthday present). I did however receive the amazing "inspired" bag by Melrose Glam from Baginc.com! It's stunning in comparison and honestly, you wouldn't be able to tell. I even showed my friends and they thought it was a genuine rocco ;) as did I!

My parents also knew that I've been in need for a new laptop. The one I've been using was almost 5 years old and nearing it's end. I thought that if I were to invest in a new laptop, it would be one that would last me quite a while and one that was perfect for what I need in the long run (graphic design major over here)  So they agreed to pay for half of my new MacBook Pro! Yes! I'm grateful that they are willing to help me out :)

Another fun "gift" that I got was from my two of my good friends. It wasn't anything physical but rather a road trip to see one of our favorite bloggers, OhHelloFriend and the grand opening of her new shop! I did take pictures but I'll save that for a later post though! It was fun spending time with them and getting to see Danni and her shop in person! Not to mention the laughs and inside jokes made throughout the car ride! I'd say it was a pretty chill and fun time spent for my birthday!

Cheers to 2013

Things to look forward to in 2013..

(warning: image heavy post)

1. My 20th Birthday!

No image for this one but it's pretty self explanatory ;) My 20th birthday! I know it's no big deal, in fact my sister calls it the "boring/in-between" age. Sort of like my tween years but for adulthood. No longer a "teen" ager (sans the word teen in the number) but not quite an adult (a legally drinking one at least). But it's still special! I remember someone saying once that your twenties are your selfish years. It's the years where you aren't officially settled and stable, and where you make some of the craziest mistakes in your life. I'm young, I'm still learning, and I'm super excited for what's to come!

2. A love for HP..

image via weheartit

Now I'm sure everyone in the internet world has proclaimed their love for the cult classic, Harry Potter. I'm definitely a part of that crew. One of my best friends, Katrina and I have LOVED HP from the very start. I guess it started in elementary school when our 4th grade teacher, who was equally as fanatic as we were, made the series a required reading. I remember buying all the books every chance I could whenever a book fair would come by. Remember those? Anyways, we're planning to set our love to stone.. or skin by getting tatted. 

3. Finally get a haircut -_-

image via etsy

I admit, I have a problem with cutting my hair. I guess I've just always loved long hair and always having that short bowl cut hair, done by my mom nonetheless, when I was a child kind of scared me into growing out my hair when I was a teen. I hated short hair on me. But now it's time for a change! After not getting a significant cut in about.. 3 years, I'd say it's time. Maybe nothing crazy like the images above though ;)

4. Dress for success.

left: Rumi Neely ; middle: Jenn Im ; right: Alyssa L.

These three are just a few of my favorite fashion icons/bloggers whose wardrobes are simply impeccable. I just want to own everything they wear. But being on a small budget, I realize this isn't going to happen right away. I've seriously made it a point to start dressing up a little more. I guess a goal of mine is to stop always buying loud patterns and statement pieces, but instead keep it minimal. Buy key statement pieces including shoes and accessories that are timeless, and spend more on basics that I can dress up or down in various different outfits. Also, I want to start taking outfit photos for the blog! These ladies have greatly inspired me!

5. Fingers Crossed for COACHELLA!!

image via pinterest

Like I said, fingers crossed for Coachella! I devastatingly missed the payment plan period.. But I still have lots of hope that I get tickets! Last year's Coachella was amazing and I lived vicariously through the stories of my friends who did get to go. This year I'm hoping I get to share in those stories and fun times and of course, be there live to listen to some awesome music!!!! 

7. Get more tattoos..

image via this blog

Being on the tattoo topic from earlier, I definitely want to get more tattoos. I have so many ideas and once you get a tattoo, it becomes a serious addiction. I only have one so far but I'm planning on getting more. I'm down for a sleeve on my left arm, although my mom is obviously against it. That's why I'm willing to compromise.. half sleeve it is ;)

8. Build up my brand! 

image via my instagram

I definitely want to build up my brand a lot more this year. Last year around the beginning of June, I "relaunched" my etsy shop with a whole new look and store content. I even got the opportunity to sell my work in an actual store! This year I'm planning on doing more. Get more business cards in the work, promote more, start blogging about shop endeavors, and I'm thinking about doing another craft show. This time maybe go bigger and sign up for ones in LA.. Okay that's a goal for sure. I just hope I don't get so lazy like I always do.

9. More adventures with the homies :)

I couldn't find one image that sums up the whole vibe of adventures, otherwise this would probably look like one giant post of tumblr pics. Literally that's what I think of when I say more adventures with the homies. When I go on tumblr & see those types of images I think "yep, we should do that." So I'm looking forward to getting to spend some time with the people I love surrounding myself with, and going on new adventures, whatever those may be. (*coachella,disneyland,camping,roadtrips,foodhunts,springbreak,summer,etc) 

10. HOLIDAYS IN THE PHILIPPINES!

image via philippines !

Last but most certainly not least, PHILIPPINES 2013-2014! YES! I am so so so excited to be going back to the land of my people. Haha! I haven't been to Philippines since 2004 when I was about 10 or so, and I'm so glad to be going back more grown up and able to do more things. I'm going back in December and coming back mid January. That of course means Christmas and New Years in the Philippines, and let me tell you they do it BIG up there! So excited! My cousin, who in fact lives in Australia, decided to have her 18th birthday party (or as we Filipinos call it, a debut) there so we're all flying to celebrate, have a good time, and enjoy this vacation. And yes, I'm stoked for the shopping! There's the night markets which means cheap thrills and unique finds, then there's Mall Of Asia which means serious flights of non-stop shops. I'm not sure how I'll feel yet about that mall, it's HUGE and I might get overwhelmed. Most of all, I cannot wait for the landmarks, the beaches, everything! Philippines is really a beautiful place :)

Hope you enjoyed this snippet of things I'm looking forward to!

Better Late Than Never..

HAPPY (belated) NEW YEAR! 

image via pinterest

Okay so I might be a little (more like a week) late in saying this but HAPPY NEW YEAR! It's 2013! I can't believe it's already a new year, I feel like I haven't accomplished all that I wanted to in 2012 and bam! It just flew by in a snap. But that's what 2013 is for. New year, new goals, fresh start, etc ;) I'm not actually one to make any new year's resolution just because I know my goals change from day to day and that would mean having about a million new resolutions that I have to keep in mind. I do however have one specific one I don't mind counting as a resolution. And that would be to ALWAYS keep pushing forward no matter what obstacle comes my way. To be honest, I do find myself being guilty of doubting the things I do, or even coming up with wild and creative ideas I have that I tend to put down just because I feel like it's too much or that I can't accomplish it. I don't know. I guess another goal would be to make this year meaningful. Do fun things with friends. Actually save up and go to music festivals, have road trips, be young. Not to mention, this is the year I finally exit my teen years and drive right into my adulthood, aka my TWENTIES :O This month's my birthday month! Woo! Excited for the days ahead!

(playing around with a new signature^ should I keep? maybe for a while)

Merry Christmas!

image from pinterest

Christmas is tomorrow and I'm just dropping in to say Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to the world wide web! I can't wait for the company of family and friends this holiday season, and I'm especially excited for some bomb food! Wooo! Stay cozy ;) 

Another feature in Graffiti Beach!

Graffiti Beach's Holiday Issue!

view online now!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to mention that I've been featured (yes, again!) in another issue of Graffiti Beach's magazine! This time in their Holiday Issue. Check out their cover in the first picture! Super cute right? One look at that and I can already tell that this is gonna be a really good issue full of holiday inspiration! Click the link under the image to start viewing it for yourself :)

They featured a few of the items that I'm currently selling at their shop. If you live in the San Diego area, definitely go and check out their shop! It's an amazing store with vintage/industrial decor filled with all sorts of goodies, from retail to accessories to home decor and furniture! You'll love it, trust me! Check out their website for details on the location, or if you can't visit, you can still purchase online!

I know I briefly shared these pictures before in another blog post, but I wanted to properly share their actual magazine and how these pictures came out in them! Aren't they amazing?! I'm really impressed and wish they had a hardcopy of the magazine! These are just a couple of my faves, but you have to check out the magazine to see more photos! 

Anyways, I'll hopefully have some of these items, or similar, up on my etsy shop soon! Now that finals are over and winter break is here, I can finally focus some more time on my shop and getting items up. I know, I know I've been lacking at getting products up in time. Bear with me! I have big plans for my etsy and blog though! So stay tuned for that. (*hint: giveaway is in the works)

Mirror Shots

Instagram OOTD's

images are all from my instagram!

Some of these outfits are from November, but I kind of wanted to start a round up of some of my outfits that I post on Instagram. I hardly actually post "ootd's" (outfit of the days) as they would call it on the IG world because I tend to forget to take a picture, or simply don't have time to. That's probably why most of my ootd's are mirror shots since it's quick and easy. Not sure if I'm going to make this a regular weekly thing. I might just post these once in a while when I have a good round up of outfits! 

December Stresses

It seems like whenever December hits...

I start to feel all sorts of stress. Maybe because it's coming towards the end of the year and we're all just trying to resolve everything before the new year. Or maybe because we all have many different things to worry about, for example, the holidays! And if you're a student like me, this also means FINALS! With that said, sorry for my lack of posts lately. I'm not going to lie, December is always such a bittersweet time for me. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely more sweet than bitter though! There's just so much to think about. Rushing to get presents out of the way while at the same time studying and cramming at the final hours before finals. Whew! On the bright side, I'm officially done with finals :) yay! Now it's time to relax and actually enjoy the holiday season! Family and friends time, hot cocoa, Christmas lights, hunting for the perfect gift for  our loved ones, Christmas/holiday parties, FOOD! The only worry I have left is that Christmas is fast approaching, and I still have a ton of present shopping to do! That shouldn't be too hard I guess! Ahh I'm so excited for the wintertime :) If only it snowed here in Sunny SoCal..

Image from Tumblr

Christmas 2012 WISHLIST!

2012 WISHLIST!

Just wanted to share what I'm currently lusting over this holiday season! I don't typically like making wishlists just because it's hard to just settle on a few things I REALLY want. I mean, I want everything -_- not to sound like a spoiled brat. Which I'm not ;) Also, I always seem to want something really bad and obsess over it for a couple of weeks, and then I end up forgetting that I even wanted it or just plain not care for it anymore. So I've shared some things that have pretty much always been on my wishlist, items that I don't ever really NOT want... if that makes sense? Haha! 

In order clockwise (from top left to bottom left)

Alexander Wang Rocco Duffel - Barneys. etc $800+

Acid Wash High Waisted Jeans - GoJane $35.70

White Fudge Oreos! YUMM - Target, etc $2-3?

Fish Eye Lens - PhotoJojo $25

Oversize Knit Batwing Cardigan - Romwe $61.99

Ulta Giftcard - Ulta

Denim Circle Skirt - AA $45

The Big Bang Theory Box Set season 1-5! - Amazon.com $100+

There you have it! My wishlist for 2012 :)

Spotted at: Graffiti Beach

All images from Graffiti Beach's instagram

I know, I know! I haven't been updating this blog in awhile! But I just wanted to stop in for a quick post about Graffiti Beach's new magazine that's coming out soon, and shegreetstheday has been featured in some of their looks! I've written about Graffiti Beach previously here. Anyways, amazing shots right?! When I saw these, of course I freaked out a bit ;) Definitely check out their instagram and their website for more! 

Last Minute Costumes!

Last Minute Halloween Costumes

So I'm sure a lot of people out there are coming up with some interesting Halloween costumes to wear to different parties or events. But if you're anything like me who procrastinates when it comes to costumes, then quick and easy last minute ones are the way to go. Now I know some people go all out and buy their entire costume from head to toe, but I just hate the fact of buying a whole outfit that I know I'd probably never wear again. I prefer rummaging through my closet or the thrift store. You can definitely get creative with things you already own. I came up with two costume ideas for two different parties featuring a lot of what I already had in my closet.

First was this "Disneyland Tourist" costume. Super simple, except I had to keep explaining to people that although I had the ears, I wasn't Minnie Mouse! Haha! Everyone thought it was pretty clever for a last minute idea. Check out Jack Sparrow on the left and Psy aka Mr. Oppa Gangnam Style on the right ;) HEYYY SEXEH LADIES!

Then pin up girl! I was inspired by the whole navy pin up girl style and I really wanted to try those pin curls/victory rolls for the look. The cropped shirt, shorts, and garter were all found from the thrift store. That just goes to show that you don't have to spend very much to create something fun!

What are you guys planning to be for Halloween?

Sister Tag on YouTube!

"LONG DISTANCE SISTER TAG!"

My sister and I are pretty into YouTube lately, and her having her own channel, we decided to do the "sister tag" that's all over the YouTube community. Even though we're more than 2,000 miles away, we made it work ;) That's the power of technology.. lol! Sounds like a cheesy apple commercial. But anyways, check it out! It was pretty fun and interesting to see how much we knew each other and our likes & dislikes. I encourage any sisters to do this tag! YouTube or not!

Shop's on Vacaay!

Vacay time! Well, for my shop..

Le etsy shop is currently on vacation right now as I try to work on new designs and items to list up. Also, I'm making/designing products for Graffiti Beach so I don't want to overwhelm myself. I'm pretty excited for the new items coming soon! A lot more fall weather friendly items, although I'm thinking about still including some shorts. I mean one can never have too many pairs of shorts. Lately, I've been having this goal of waiting until I have a pretty full stock of items to reopen the shop from this short vacation. I think it would look a lot better aesthetically in my opinion. I just love looking through shops with lots of options to go through. I've even read somewhere (most likely an etsy tip) that it attracts more buyers as well. Anyways, check back soon at the shop for new items! I'll do a blog post once they're all up :)

Sister's New Youtube!

Check out my sister's youtube (&subscribe)!

adventuresofejje

Hey guys, just wanted to mention that my sister started up a youtube channel! It's a mixture of vlogs with her husband, hauls, some beauty stuff, etc! If you're into that go check her out ;) I know I'm pretty much into the whole beauty/fashion/vlogging youtube community so it's pretty cool to have my sister do her own thang! You'll liiiiiike!

"No Spend October"

No Spend October!

Similar to the idea of "No Shave November" that many of my guy friends take part in, I've decided to take the rest of this month of October to NOT SPEND ANYMORE MONEYYYY! Technically, it should be "No Spend November" since it rolls off the tongue a lot better, but I knew I couldn't wait that long for November to stop spending. I mean why not start now? So I guess it'll be a "No Spend October+November" up until the holidays. I'm officially going on a shopping ban! Seriously, this is much needed. I've probably spent a lot on buying clothes & what not for myself that my closets got an overflow of items. Plus there's so much I NEED to be saving up for! So posts about hauls and current buys will be paused for the mean time. Wish me luck!

Guilty Pleasure Buys

Utility Jackets/Anoraks

top left: M's Boutique - top right: Forever 21

bottom left: Nordstrom - bottom right: Thrifted

Current trend I'm loving? Utility jackets & anoraks! Especially military style ones. What can I say? You can never have too many utility jackets, and I think it's pretty essential for fall. Although I must say, it's still pretty damn hot here in southern Cali. *crosses fingers for colder weather* Believe it or not, I'm still looking for MORE to add to my collection. The newest addition and my current favorite right now is the jacket on the bottom left. Olive green with faux leather sleeves. Something about the contrast of faux leather sleeves that always gets me. Hint my spiked shoulder denim jacket in this post. Anyways, I found this jacket to be perfect! Ever since I saw the safari jacket that Zara makes, I instantly wanted it. But one, it sold out ridiculously fast making it impossible to get, and two, even if it was in stock I couldn't cough up that much $mula$ that I didn't have. So I searched high & low. And dunn dun duh dunn... I found it at nordstrom for a fraction of the price at Zara!

Blu Pepper Faux Leather Sleeve Utility Jacket (Juniors) $68 at Nordstrom

Love! Obsessed with anything olive green right now as well so it was perfect! Can not wait for those colder days so I can wear this out already!

Featured in Graffiti Beach's Magazine

Graffiti Beach Magazine - view online now

Featured by shegreetstheday are skull cutout tops & ombre high waisted shorts

Oh, I've been featured in an online magazine. No big deal ;) haha! I talked about Graffiti Beach before when I did my first trunk show at their shop. It was an awesome experience and a few days after the event, the owner actually contacted me about doing an in-store opportunity. Of course I said yes! What better way to get your brand out there than to actually have it in a successful shop? Amazing! So I've heard news about Graffiti Beach doing a magazine, and they finally released it! They even included some of the items I'm selling in their shop!

Haulin'

Tiger shirt: Walmart - Rest of shirts & cross bracelet: Cotton On - Gold chain: Forever 21

Cotton On was having a massive sale so I decided to venture over and pick up a few things. Can you believe it? These tops were only $5! Steaaal! Unfortunately, that Guns N Roses shirt is a little big with major ribcage showage.. lol, but for $5, I'm willing to make that sacrifice ;) Then of course, what's a trip to the mall without a trip to forever 21? Didn't find much except for that gold chain necklace. Thought it'd be cute to just add on with basic shirts or outfits to spice them up a bit. Oh and that tiger shirt? Yeah it's from..... WALLY WORLD! Wal-Mart for those who don't know. I remember seeing someone on instagram rocking it and for $3, hey why not? I could come up with some outfits for it. But yup, there's my haul for last week.

My First Trunk Show!

Probably the most exciting news so far of my summer. This past weekend I got to do my very first trunk show! I've sold at a craft fair a year ago, but doing a trunk show is pretty different. My friend, who interns at a shop in South Park, San Diego called Graffiti Beach was able to get me a spot at an even they were holding. The event was a fashion show that showcased a lot of what they were selling in store for the summer, and they even included some of the items I was selling! How exciting :) Now doing a trunk show is quite different this time around because I was the only vendor featured during that event. A lot of people came up and asked me about what I do and even complimented me on my designs and the items I was selling. In the pictures you can see my progress and madness of trying to get everything together. The second picture shows my set up! I didn't have much to work with since I only had a two by six feet table. I made it work though :D It was a great night and I definitely want to do something like this again.

Studded Shoulders

knitted top from cotton on - fix+ from mac - body spray for bath and body works - 

high waisted shorts from guess - denim&faux leather jacket from xxi

Last week, I went crazy at the mall and ended up buying more than what I needed. I really tried to stay away from forever 21 but of course, it didn't work at all. I saw this denim jacket with faux leather sleeves and instantly knew what I could do with it. I'm obsessing over the studs and spikes trend and I had previously bought several packs of them to use for my shop. Since I had a lot left over, I used those and studded the shoulders. 

Ta-da! I'm loving this jacket! In fact I'm pretty obsessed with it. I'm actually thinking about including designs like this in my etsy shop in the near future, especially since this trend is pretty bangin right now ;) I paired the jacket up with just a white ribbed tank and a red button up skirt that I thrifted. Notice the red white & blue theme going on? Yeah I wore it for 4th of July and I must say, the jacket was definitely a statement piece and conversation starter.