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Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Giveaway ends 6/15 and is open worldwide. Winner will be notified via email.
Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!
One of my favorite parts of college was being an orientation leader. Everything about it was so exciting. It's what made me really fall in love with my university, and then I became passionate about sharing that love with all of the new bulldawgs coming to Louisiana Tech. I became really close to fifteen people rather quickly, and they were like my little summer family.
Becoming an orientation leader is what helped bring me out of my shell. While I do have my introverted moments (and many of them), I usually like to be outgoing and just outright weird (#ESFJ). Being an orientation leader brought me so much happiness in the simplest of ways, and one of my favorite ways was with the creation of a happy file. I guess it wasn't technically a happy file per say, at least not at first. I created a happy file on my own with the help of OSL.
Being an OSL was like taking a class. We really had to learn about the university and take tests, and this was all done in a private little classroom. On the wall of the classroom hung paper bags with each of our names on them. We were instructed to write down nice things about one another and put them in the bags. This was done sporadically and randomly and pretty much anytime that you noticed your fellow orientation leaders doing something awesome.
It always amazed me how I was viewed in the eyes of others. I never thought of myself of funny or clever or witty, but all of these notes said otherwise. And what did I do with these notes? I put them in what I now call my happy file. All of the little warm fuzzies that my summer family wrote for me were put into a file, and anytime that I'm feeling down in the dumps, I pull it out and read them.
Since my OSL summer, which was in 2010, I've added to my happy file. In it are cards and notes that say nice things about me, pictures of amazing memories that I love to relive, inspirational quotes and photos and so many other things. Whenever I need a pick-me-up, I pull out my file. Just reading and seeing all of these things instantly pulls me out of my foul mood.
I know everyone has their different processes to pull themselves out of anger or sadness or any other unhappy emotion, but I want to challenge you to create a happy file for yourself. Pull out old greeting cards, print out some fun pictures, get on Pinterest or Etsy and print out or order some inspirational quotes or printables, scour the internet for memes or photos that make you laugh. Anything that makes you smile should go in your happy file. When you're not feeling 100%, take out your happy file and let that help you turn your mood around.
Even though I'm a December baby, I've never been too fond of winter. Yes, Christmas is my favorite holiday and ringing in the new year with champagne and friends can be fun, but I hate having to wait 20 years (#dramatic) for my car's heater to get me warm enough to stop shivering, and I hate having to bundle up just to take my dogs outside, and I hate that my electricity bill shoots through the roof because I don't like being cold. It's just all so inconvenient.
Spring, however, I can get down with (most days - minus the bugs and the pollen and my hair's frizziness from the rain and...). I love when the sun is shining, and I can ride in the car with the windows down with it being that perfect temperature between freezing cold and unbelievably hot. Fall will always be my favorite season, but for now, I'll take spring.
One upside to winter is that when I do take the time to put together an outfit, I get to have fun and experiment with layering. You can take different pieces and pair them with something else to create a variety of combinations for outfits. In the spring, it's obviously warmer, so you don't always have the luxury to put together so many combinations, but I love when some of my winter pieces can be transformed into something I can wear for spring, which is why I'm collaborating with my friend, Erica from Coming Up Roses, to bring you a couple pieces that you can easily transform from winter to spring. Erica lives in Philadelphia, which I've only gone to once, but if I got to go again, you can only imagine the havoc the two of us would wreak on the city together. She's a Philly fashionista, and she's also a newbie YouTuber like me! Check out her channel here.
During winter, I wore the mess out of all my leggings (not literally; I just mean that I wore leggings a lot because I love them). Because Louisiana doesn't always get uncomfortably cold (minus a few weeks, give or take, that are usually randomly scattered throughout the winter months), I didn't have to wear a heavy jacket every day. Some days, I could just wear a long-sleeved top or a sweater and get away with it (especially because I work in an office eight hours a day, and the temperature in my office is always the opposite of what it is outside).
For spring, I, of course, lose the leggings (unfortunately, because that means I actually have to shave my legs - another upside to winter). While I wear leggings a lot in winter, I wear flower crowns all the time during spring. I think it's appropriate with the flowers blooming and all. I also love sporting string bracelets and bringing out my inner bohemian.
Did someone say partayyyyy??? Celebrate 3 Years with The Grand Adventures of Me and her friends with a Giveaway! With this giveaway you'll enter for a chance to win $50 to Target (just in time for the Lily Pulitzer collection to come out!), a DIY mug design of YOUR choice, and fresh Appalachian Morning Coffee from Nina's favorite and local coffee shop.
1// GREET EVERYONE LIKE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THEM IN YEARS
I love coming home to my dogs, because it doesn't matter if I stepped outside for 10 minutes or I've been out of town for two weeks, they always greet me like they haven't seen me in a million years. That's definitely a personality trait that I'd like to adapt.
2// NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO NAP
If there was an Olympic sport for dogs that was all about napping, my dogs would take the gold. Actually, Molly would take the gold and Farah would take silver because she's always so alert. I think we all regret complaining about kindergarten nap time. I used to take naps all the time in college, but now I can't remember the last time I took one. Naps are great rejuvenators and motivators.
A photo posted by Tiffany Khyla White (@tiffanykhyla) on
3// FORGIVE AND FORGET
When my dogs do something wrong, I unfortunately have to punish them. Even though it breaks my heart, I love knowing that in 30 seconds they'll forget about it and start loving on me. While 30 seconds may be a stretch for people to forgive and forget, it's a good practice to calm down, think rationally, and just let things go. Holding anger in your heart gets pretty exhausting.
4// ALWAYS STAY LOYAL TO THOSE WHO ARE THERE FOR YOU
Friends come and go, but dogs will always be there for you. Why not adopt this practice and be loyal to your friends? Stand up for them when people are saying horrible things. Be there for them when they need you most. Just be a friend.
A photo posted by Tiffany Khyla White (@tiffanykhyla) on
5// THERE'S NEVER A BAD TIME TO BE SILLY
Laughter is the best medicine, and my dogs never fail to make me laugh. Whether it's them jumping around because they're excited about who knows what or they're rolling around on the floor or the bed for a reason no one knows or making noises in their sleep, my dogs always seem to keep me laughing. Take a lesson from my pups and never be afraid to be silly and free.
6// ALWAYS STAND UP FOR YOURSELF
When Farah is doing something that Molly doesn't like, she doesn't hesitate to let her know, even though she's smaller. Molly is always so great at standing up for herself, and Farah never allows another dog to get more attention than she does. If you're really passionate about something, don't be afraid to speak your mind and stand up for yourself.
7// NEVER HESITATE TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS
The great thing about dogs is that they never hesitate to run up to anyone (or anything) and greet them like they're already best friends. Take a lesson from my dogs and take the time to meet new people and make a new friend.
8// PERSISTENCE WILL LEAD TO GREAT REWARDS
Whether it's a pathetic face or endless begging, my dogs always seem to get what they want. One of my dogs' favorite treats are Blue Bones Natural Dental Chews from Chewy.com. What I love about these treats are that they're not only delicious for the pups, they also help keep their teeth healthy and their breath fresh. Molly seems to inhale the treats as soon as I give them to her, but Farah likes to take her time with each bite.
It really just goes to show that if you keep at it, you can get what you want. Dreams do come true (especially if your dream is getting a treat cupcake).
9// LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY
No matter what happens, my dogs always love me. It doesn't matter if I'm mad at them or disappointed in something they've done, they always seem to know exactly what to do to make me cuddle them and give them kisses. This is a lesson that everyone should learn. Love is better than hate, judgement, fear, sadness, everything.
Disclaimer: I received two complimentary bags of Natural Dental Chews from Chewy.com for review. All opinions are 100% mine.
What an awesome month February has been. I can't believe it's already over. This year is flying by fast, which I'm pretty okay with because I have a lot of wonderful things to look forward to:
1) Spring - helloooo. Get this cold weather away from me. I'll take the rain over the snow as long as I can get some sunshine and 65+ degree weather.
2) Reunion with my friend, Anamaria - She'll be visiting Shreveport to go to a wedding, and I'll be attending as her date. I always have a fun time reuniting with her, so who knows what antics we'll get into?
3) Wheels Up Tour - I just bought tickets last week to see Lady Antebellum on tour with Sam Hunt and Hunter Hayes. I'm extra excited to see Sam Hunt since I didn't get to see him when he was in town last night. I love all three artists so much, and I know it's going to be a good time.
4) Taylor Swift!!! - So excited to see my girl, Tay, in concert for the third time. I already know it's going to be a night for the books. Not to mention, I'll be seeing her in Chicago with two of my college roommates. "I can't wait" is an understatement.
5) Getting feedback from my beta readers - I have six beta readers who have been reading my book for the past 1-2 months, and I'm looking forward to getting feedback at the end of March. Once I do, I'll be making all sorts of changes and then hopefully taking the next steps toward publication!
Plus, there are so many more, but of course, there will be several blogs and vlogs coming about all of those adventures.
Anyway, like I said, February was a great month, so naturally, I had to make a video of my favorite things from the LOVE-liest month of the year.
I'm also celebrating my friend, Heather's, 30th birthday today! She's officially become a 30-something, and she put together an awesome group of girls (including yours truly) to bring you a chance to win $175! Even though it's her birthday, this cash is just for you, so use the Rafflecopter below to enter!
If you're anything like me, then most of the time, your nails are bare because painting your nails every week can be daunting. As much as I love having a splash of color on my nails, I somehow manage to chip them after just a few hours. It doesn't matter if I'm using gel polish or if I put on a million top coats. I always seem to chip them. You'd think I was working at some labor-intensive job, but no. I work a typical 9-5 and sit at a desk all day, so how they chip so fast is an unsolved mystery to all.
Thanks to my lovely blog friend, Emily, I've discovered Jamberry, and I'm seriously obsessed. I can spend just 15-20 minutes putting Jams on my nails, and I don't have to worry about doing my nails for at least two weeks. This is every lazy girl's dream!
I'm going to share this tutorial with y'all, but I ask that you don't judge me too harshly. I don't have a hairdryer, so I was forced to use another heat source known as my oven. Yes, I used my oven to heat these Jams, and I placed my hand in the oven after placing the Jam on each nail. Again, I ask that you don't judge, because the struggle is real, and I don't believe in using hairdryers.
Here's all the materials you'll need plus a hairdryer (or oven, obviously not pictured):
1// Place the Jam over your finger and decide which one is closest to your nail size.
2// Use the stick (I bought some shish kebob sticks for $1 at Wal-Mart) to remove the Jam from the sheet. Don't use your fingers.
3// Use the scissors to cut the Jam in half. Place one half of the Jam back on the sheet.
4// With your Jam on the stick, use your heat source to loosen it up a bit. When I put it in the oven, I waited for the Jam to start curling.
5// Place the Jam on your finger, and rub it so it's sticking nice and tight.
6// Cut off the excess using the scissors.
7// Use the finger nail file to file the Jam to the shape of your nail. Make sure you do downward strokes so the Jam better sticks to your nail.
8// Place the Jam near the heat source and rub it in a little more to make sure it really sticks.
9// Continue until all of your nails are Jammed out.
10// Admire your handy work and share your nails on Insta so your friends will be jealous.
I'm obsessed with Jamberry, and I can't wait to order more! If you want to learn more about Jamberry and get some of your own, check out Emily's site! If you're impatient and/or want to try before you buy, enter the giveaway below, and you could win some Jams of your own!
Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Giveaway ends 3/19 and is open worldwide. Winner will be notified via email.
Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!
My blogger friends and I have come together to bring you a Totally Awesome Amazon Giveaway! This month we're giving away a $750 Amazon gift card to one of our lucky readers!
Want a chance to be the lucky winner? Here’s what you need to do - bookmark this page and come back every day to enter and earn bonus entries by sharing the giveaway with your friends on social media. Good luck!
Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. All entries are optional. Giveaway ends 1/1 and is open worldwide.
Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!
I was recently tagged by Allison to share 20 facts about me and also tagged by Erica for the Liebster Award, which I don't qualify for (and neither did she haha), but I'm going to answer all of her lovely questions anyway.
I guess it would ironic for me to say that I haven't talked about myself on my blog in a long time, but in a sense, it's kind of true. When I compare my day-to-day life to what I blog about, y'all are only getting part of the story. If I took y'all through a typical day with me, you would probably fall asleep about halfway through. Most of my day consists of me sitting at a computer, either at work or at home (with the combo of blogging and NaNoWriMo this month, I feel like I'm always glued to my screen!).
I say all that to say, I'm excited to share 20 random facts about myself with all of my lovely readers!
1// Back when MySpace was a thing in high school, I used to run a separate MySpace page for contests called Heels Over Head Contests, inspired by Boys Like Girls, who I was obsessed with at the time. It actually had quite a few entries and voters. (I wasn't alone in doing this, okay? Tons of people had these contest sites!)
2// I've never broken a bone or had the chicken pox.
3// When I was in elementary school, I had a beta fish named Bob. He died after just 6 months, and he received a proper toilet bowl funeral.
4// I could eat sushi every single day of my life. Yum! (Is it morbid for me to mention this after talking about my fish?)
5// I'm a not-so secret fangirl at best. I'm obsessed with all things Harry Potter and Supernatural, and I'm not ashamed. In January, I'll be going to Houston for Supernatural Con, and I don't know how I'm going to be able to control myself when I meet Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins. My heart rate went up just thinking about it.
6// My happy place is in the Mediterranean Sea outside of Rome.
7// I shouldn't be allowed to meet famous (or even semi-famous) people. With Shreveport becoming known as the "Hollywood of the South," I've run into famous people randomly. Amber Tamblyn, Stephen Lang, Treat Williams and a few others I can't think of right now. Also, to me, authors are celebrities, so meeting them is a thrill (#bookworm). Not to mention meeting James and Oliver Phelps in Dallas. I'm always awkward around famous people. I'm awkward in general, but it's times a million when I'm meeting someone well-known. I get tongue-tied. I can't stop smiling. I can't control my body or the words that come out of my mouth. It's not pretty. Tell me they're just people all you want, but it doesn't help. Apologizing in advance to everyone I meet at Supernatural Con.
8// My real life job is working as a sales coordinator at a dual-brand hotel. I love my co-workers, and everyday is pretty unpredictable. Working in hospitality really makes you appreciate good service everywhere you go. Another random tidbit: I was the first promotion in the hotel. We're a new hotel that opened in 2012, and I was part of the opening team, but I was working front desk. After 8 months, I was given the opportunity to get my first ever promotion, and I jumped at the chance.
9// I take Halloween costumes very seriously. This year, I dressed up as Mr. T.
A photo posted by Tiffany Khyla White (@tiffanykhyla) on
10// When I was younger, I used to think I was supposed to pee standing up. Mind you, I was living with just my dad and my brother at the time.
11// I used to have a My-Size Barbie. Never got a Barbie Jeep though. Still waiting... (And yes, I did have my birthday at Burger King)
12// The first concert I ever went to was a Switchfoot concert at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. One of the opening bands was The Format, and I fell in love with them. And yes, I did get to meet them. And yes, I do listen to fun. too.
13// I love when the power goes out. All the disappointments of everything in the fridge and freezer pushed aside, I just like the idea of living, albeit temporarily, without power (I don't know that I could actually survive long-term without it). When I was younger, anytime the power would go out, my siblings and I would play board games together in the candlelight, so when it goes out now, I expect people to just know to break out the board games and play them with me.
14// I took my first step at 7 months old, and it was documented (apparently on a Saturday?).
15// I'm black and Filipino, and every day, I'm sad that I never learned to speak Tagalog. Perhaps there's still time?
16// I call all dogs 'puppies,' and I'm obsessed with mine. World, this is Molly and Farah. Molly and Farah, this is the world.
Molly's the little one being crushed. Farah is the one crushing her.
17// I have an obsessive personality. Sometimes, I get these ideas in my head that I just can't shake, so I'll dedicate a few weeks or a few months to it before I move on to the next obsession. Right now, I'm obsessed with buying records. On the day I found out Blogcation was canceled, I spent a little bit of the money I had been saving up for it on a record players and some records. Now I can't stop buying them.
A photo posted by Tiffany Khyla White (@tiffanykhyla) on
18// I LOVE MOSCATO! My new favorite is Astoria Lounge Sparkling Moscato. It's so delicious.
19// Talents I wish I had: singing, dancing, painting, public speaking, playing piano
20// I love free things: free samples, chotskies, hand-me-downs. Even if I don't need them, I want them, and I'll take them, and I'll be so happy about them. Give me all the free things!
If you could up and go to anywhere in the world for the rest of the day, where would you go, who be your travel buddy, and what would you see/do there?
I would go to Australia with my sister, Bre. I've been talking for years about how I want to go to Australia, but it seems like it's the most expensive country/continent to travel to! I would hang out with some kangaroos and koalas, learn to surf and find a job, because I'd never leave!
You’ve just had an insanely ridiculously tiring and stressful day at school/work/blogging in your pajamas with hot tea and macarons all day. Top 3 ways to de-stress?
1. Wine
2. Puppy cuddles
3. Netflix
Who do you think are the two most influential (guy and girl!) people in the world today?
Girl: I'd have to say Emma Watson. I love that she's using her fame to educate people on feminism. She's always so poised and beautiful and is such an amazing inspiration to everyone today.
Guy: Is it sad that I can't think of anyone besides Emma Watson right now?
What song best fits your personality?
Right now - "Be Okay" by Oh Honey
If you could re-name yourself today, what would it be?
I can't imagine being named anything but Tiffany Khyla White, but if I could change my name to Taylor Swift and actually be Taylor Swift, then I would be okay with that.
Best blogging tip you’ve ever received?
Install Disqus. Disqus has literally changed my blogging game.
The most popular 3 websites in your computer history?
Socks, sweaters, and fleece leggings. Baby, it's cold outside.
What are you most excited for right now?
FRIENDSGIVING! I can't wait to have some of my favorite people in one place.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten?
Not advice, but one of my favorite quotes: "I don't care what you think about me. I don't think about you at all." I just love that quote by CoCo Chanel so much because it pretty much embodies how I want to think. I don't want to think or care about what people think about me because what matters is how I feel about myself.
If you made it here, yay for you! You win a hug! You can redeem at a later date if we ever meet in person. If you'd like to do the 20 facts tag, then consider yourself officially tagged! If you do it, share your link in the comments below so I can learn more about you too!
My blogger friends and I have teamed up to bring you another fun giveaway! One lucky winner will win a $750 cash prize (via Paypal) and it just might be you!
If you want a chance to be the lucky winner, here’s what you need to do - bookmark this page and come back every day to enter and earn bonus entries by sharing the giveaway with your friends on social media. Good luck!
Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. All entries are optional. Giveaway ends 12/16 and is open worldwide.
Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!
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