diy camera strap

how adorable is this camera strap?

to learn how to make it : 

READ MORE

thanks for reading

{anatomy of a thank-you note}

Hi everyone, I’m Julia from the blog Newport Jules guest posting for Chloe today!

Inspired by my birthplace of Newport Beach, California, and my current location in sunny Florida, I created Newport Jules for real girls who love all things monogrammed, organized, and adorable! I'm a senior in high school this year and a total prepster!

I always love getting a handwritten thank you note, especially after spending time and money choosing the perfect gift. I hope I’m not the only one who hates those generic “Thank you for the nice gift. I hope you had fun at my birthday party.” thank you notes! 

Even though it takes more time to write an individualized letter for every gift received, I try my best to write a personal note for significant gifts I receive (birthday, holidays, graduation, etc.). Plus, it’s an excuse to buy adorable stationary---monogrammed, please! 

So if you’re daunted by how to write that perfect thank-you note to your lovely grandma, here’s your guide---just keep it short, sweet, and specific. 

Here are my absolute favorite stationary sets that make writing thank-you’s fun.

Monogrammed---the one in my note! 

More monogrammed

Full name

Patterned 

Thanks for reading! Hope you stop by my blog, Newport Jules, for more!

love, Newport Jules

netflix is dangerous

netflix is one of the most dangerous tools invented.

it's the number one fueler for procrastination

yesterday i made the dumb decision to "try netflix out"

but let me tell you, one doesn't just "try it"

one "becomes addicted to it"

via

lucky enough for me, the main page wasn't working all of yesterday so i didn't become addicted until today

i mean it has 5 seasons of gossip girl & 12 seasons of law and order svu

that's enough tv to keep me procrastinating until summer time 

when you first "test the waters" of netflix you get an entire free month

i wasn't sure why they would give you an entire free month of television and movies, but then i discovered it's because people can't just have netflix for a month

it's definitely something you don't ever unsubscribe from 

with that being said, i need some movie and tv show recommendations! 

i promise i will get at least six hours of school work in each day before i start watching anything

what is your favorite tv series?

what is your favorite movie? comedy? thriller? chick flick? kids&family?

thanks for reading! 

what I received for my birthday

i hope y'all had a very merry and cheery holiday season

today I'm going to share my birthday presents with y'all

i am very very thankful for everything I received and had a blast being able to spend my birthday with my mom's side of the family on our ski trip! (post soon to come)

here are my presents in no particular order : 

a gorgeous pair of silver hoop earrings

a received these from my grandparents, and i absolutely love them! 

they go with everything and i can't wait to wear them they're beautiful

a bauble bar necklace 

i have been eyeing bubble necklaces for the longest time and when i told my mom that i was wishing for a necklace from bauble bar, she definitely knew which one to get me! 

i'm in love

 a gold pair of hoop earrings

i received these from my aunt and uncle and couldn't be happier

i love how they're not seen everyday while still being a classic hoop earring!

 a kate spade phone case 

i received this case from my brother and i absolutely LOVE it! 

it's just so so cute and ugh 

it's on my phone right now, and i don't expect it to come off anytime soon

my big present this year was a michael kors watch from my parents! 

my parents gave me all of my gifts before they gave me this one so i was so surprise when they said "wait i think we have one more gift"

(classic christmas story line ;) ) 

my poor dad had to brave the michael kors store this holiday season and he accidentally got the rose gold watch, so i'm going to exchange it for the gold one!

i love both rose gold and gold watched, but i feel like the gold one is more classic 

 last, but certainly not least i received hunter boot socks from my cousins! this is my first pair of hunter boots socks, and i can't wait to where them in the snow and rain and if i'm obsessed enough maybe even the sun;)

i also received a target gift card, some spending money, and a pair of madewell pants! 

i'm so grateful of everything that i received and absolutely couldn't be happier! 

what should i spend my birthday money on?

what was your favorite gift this holiday season?

thanks for reading! 

xox

christmas to do list

Hey lovely readers!

It's Caroline from Citrus and Style here today guest posting for the fabulous Chloe. That lucky lady is on a ski trip right now. {so jealous.}

Anywho, Christmas is sneaking up so quickly! With exams, it was so difficult to get into the holiday spirit while still studying. Here are 11 fun and easy ways to Christmas it up!

1. Make a Christmas playlist on Spotify, your iPod or Pandora. You can sing joy to the world while still getting some last minute wrapping done!

2. Watch your favorite Christmas movie. Elf, A Christmas Story and Home Alone are some of my favorites ;)

3. Decorate a gingerbread house. I've found these for super cheap at Michaels and they are actually really fun!

4. Do a Christmas photo shoot. Dress up in your favorite Christmas sweater, sparkly jewelry and reindeer antlers!

5. Do volunteer work. Volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen for an hour or two. Nothing feels better than helping the less fortunate, especially right before Christmas.

6. Treat yourself with a peppermint hot chocolate from Starbucks. Who can argue with that?

7. Write some new years resolutions. When you are done, record them on a slip of paper and slip them into your stocking. See how you did next year!

8. Take a relaxing bubble bath with a delightful Christmasy scented soap.

9. ELF your friends and family. So fun!

10. Scroll through some Christmas Pinterest boards. There's nothing like Christmas on Pinterest! Here's a link to mine.

11. Sit back and enjoy a good book by the tree. Soak in the beautiful scenery of Christmas!

Happy Holidays to everyone! I hope you have a divine holiday (and break from your hard work)!

xoxo,

cYa

Citrus and Style

-- kate spade cyber monday --

if you're like me and like to get your holiday shopping done early, then you're in luck! 

kate spade is having a 75% off sale RIGHT NOW

there are perfect little gifts that are under $30 that you can give to your friends 

here are some of my favorites

pearls are the perfect gift for any girly girl, and these are only $19. 

you can buy a pair for the bestie and a pair for you! 

these hoops are super cute, and they too are only $19!

this little coin purse is the perfect gift

a few years ago one of my friends gave me a coin purse 

for my birthday, and I still use it to this day! 

this is just $29

if your friend likes earrings, she will just die over this pair! 

also, if you're in a bind about what to buy your mom, I can guarantee that she will cherish these earrings! 

these are $29

and of course, you can never go wrong with an iPhone case! normally kate spade cases are $35 which is kind of pricey for a phone case, so snatch up a ton while they are only $15

they are perfect for your friends that are lucky enough to have an iPhone.

are you thinking of getting anything from this amazing kate spade sale?

thanks for reading! 

xox

i need your input!

hey everyone! 

i need your input on how i should reply to comments. i absolutely love when i get comments, but i'm not really sure how i should reply. 

what would y'all prefer? 

right now i reply to your comments directly on my blog, but that requires you to come back to my blog and see the answer, which is fine by me, but it might be too much of a hassle to you! 

so, should i

1. continue replying to comments directly on my blog

or 

 2. e-mail you my reply

or 

3. e-mail you my reply and reply directly on my blog (so other's can see my response if they have the same comment/question)

I'm leaning towards the third option, but please let me know what you think! 

which option should i go with?

how do you reply to comments on your blog?

thanks for your input! 

xox

and because i don't want another picture-less post, here's a picture of what my desk looks like at the moment! 

the online school life

S.O.S i need your help!

i'm lacking post ideas, and i want to know what y'all want to read! 

i don't know what to call it, but i guess i have a serious case of 

writers block..

bloggers block..?

whatever it is, i miss blogging! i want to make sure that what i'm blogging about interests you so pretty please comment below telling me what you'd like to read from me! 

i'm thinking about possible doing a room tour, but only if y'all are interested! 

what would you like to see more of on the blog?

any post ideas?

thanks for reading this pathetic post;)

xox

tackling your monogram obsession

i don't know about y'all, but everywhere i turn i see monograms! i am in no way complaining, but now that everyone is monogramming everything it's time to get creative! tumblr and pinterest are both filled with monogramed items so i wanted to share some of my favorite things i've seen with y'all! also, monogramming is pretty expensive, but decals on etsy can easily be found for less than $10! 

i recently discovered the etsy store monogramsandmore2 and am completely crushing on everything in the store! Karen, the shop owner, was sweet enough to send me a few of her products. i seriously can't tell you how much i love absolutely EVERYTHING! the quality is better than i've ever seen, the decals are super easy to apply, the prices are great, and there are tons of color choices. quadruple whammy!

here is how i decided to use my decals, and couldn't be happier with how they turned out! 

here's everything! can you say cute??

i love the way this monogram looks on my water bottle! its so simple, and so classy at the same time! and i have a habit of leaving my water bottles in class, so this will easily fix that problem! 

the little iphone monogram added the perfect touch to my lilly pencil pouch! its big enough to be seen, but still small enough to not take away from the lilly print! 

my new kindle case needed a preppy touch, and the monogram decal did the deed! 

i wasn't sure if the decal would stick on the leather (or faux leather?), but it seems to be sticking just fine, and i don't think that it will be coming off anytime soon! 

i've shown an iphone decal before, and as much as i liked that one, i do have to say i like this one so much better. it isn't too thick so i can easily press the home button, and i don't think that it will leave a sticky residue! 

it is required that everyone in my school owns one of these hefty calculators. sometimes when people forget theirs, i let them borrow mine and it is great to know that my initials are always on it so nobody can accidentally forget to return it to me! 

 if you need some more inspiration, here are some other things that you could monogram!

the lilly agenda : everyone and their mothers now owns one of these (and if you don't, no worries because you can still pimp whatever planner you have out!) so make sure that you don't get your lifeline confused with anyone else's! all you have to do it purchase a monogram decal from etsy and slap it on your planner and voila! you've got yourself a personalized, yet very cute, planner! 

hunter boots : this is a little bit more adventurous in the monograming world, but i think when done right monogramming your hunter boots can look super polished and still be fun! who wants to have boring boots when it's raining? i know i don't! 

laptop : i am allowed to take my computer to school, and a ton of people have the same computer! i have a shell on my laptop, but a ton of other people have the same color as i do so i needed to add something else to make sure no one else accidentally picks up my computer! when i add one to my laptop i'll either put it on the right hand corner near where the mouse pad is, or i'll put it on the front left or right hand corner! 

don't forget to check out the esty store where all of these great decals are from! 

are you liking the monogram trend? 

what's the coolest thing that you've seen monogrammed? 

thanks for reading! 

xox

you're bow-tiful!

bows are pretty much the cutest thing ever, and they scream PREP! 

(get it -- caps lock -- scream)

 ok i tried. 

my mad Paint skillz.

i know you're jealous;) 

anyway, i really think that bows are a great way to accessorize your hair especially when you just can't stand having your hair in your face! all you have to do is take half of your hair and pin it up with a bow! it's so simple, quick, and easy which is the best type of hair style! 

here are a few inspiration photos i have found, that have really made me jump on the trend. all i need now is to find some affordable bows that i like! 

via

via

via


oh, and this tank is too cute to pass up!! i mean seriously, have you seen anything more clever and cute at the same time? i definitely want need this shirt from Kiss My Southern Sass! 

do you like the bow trend?

do you already own a cute bow? if so, where's it from?

thanks for reading! 

xox

transition pieces

even though it's still pretty warm outside where i live, summer is coming to an end and fall is about to start! winter is my favorite season and fall is pretty much the start to winter, so i like fall! also, fall fashion is always super cute. i think the hardest thing about fashion is finding a happy medium of clothes between the seasons! i made a few outfits with key "transition pieces" that will help you figure out how to wear your staples into the next season!! 

the blue "city mini" skirt by j.crew is literally the most comfortable thing i own! i was talking to a lady that worked to j.crew before i bought it, and she was telling me how versatile the skirt was, because it's great for summer but when it starts getting chiller outside all you have to do is throw some tights on underneath it. 

colored jeans were a big summer trend, and i think that the trend will be moving into the fall time as well! all you have to do is throw on a comfy sweater and some boots, and you look polished! 

the striped tee is pretty much an essential in every prep's closet. in fact, i think everyone, regardless if they're preppy or not, has a striped tee in their closet. they too go with pretty much everything! 

hope this helped you with finding some great transition pieces and how to wear them! 

if you want to know where any item of clothing is from, then don't hesitate to ask! 

what's your favorite season?

thanks for reading! 

xox

pimped out binder

i posted this picture on instagram two days ago, and ever since then all i have been doing is making binder slips for my followers! 

i absolutely love designing these types of things, and i am actually enrolling in a graphic design course at the local college. i am so excited, and can't wait to share what i learn with y'all! but for now i'm just going to show y'all how to make this binder slips so head on over to popcosmo, and i'll teach you how!! if you just can't seem to master the look, then e-mail me at preppydiaries@gmail.com and i'll make some for you, cause i'm just that nice!! 

thanks for reading 

xox

back to school basics

with school right around the corner, everyone is out shopping for back to school clothes! i think when people go back to school shopping, they get caught up in the moment and forget to think about what new shirts go with what shorts you already have or the new ones you're buying! its important that you buy a ton of basics that go with everything (and don't go out of style), so you can wear them throughout the year paired with tons and tons of different things! here's what i think is a must buy for back to school!

back to school basics by popcosmo featuring short shorts


what's on your shopping list right now?

thanks for reading!
xox

personalization is the key to success

hey everyone! school starts in three weeks for me and i get my schedule tomorrow! i can' believe how fast this summer went by, and even though i say that every summer i truly mean it this time! with that being said i think its definitely time to do a little back to school must have haul type thing! i absolutely LOVE going back to school shopping (but then again who doesn't), but i always seem to forget the fun stuff when i'm at staples. i get my notebooks, cute binders, pens, pencils all the typical stuff, but who wants to be typical. i go to a school with a strict uniform (picture plaid green kilts and collared shirts) so i'll do anything to change up the usual. so i guess i'll do the list by category, and see how this post works from there!
*i'll post pictures later, but i'm too lazy to get out of bed now;)*

numba uno -- backpack

i was a new kid freshman year (as in new in the state), and i knew absolutely nobody. since i didn't know anybody, i didn't know what kind of backpacks were the "standard". i just happened to get an ll.bean backpack, and it turns out pretty much everyone in the school uses the same backpack! luckily there are a ton of different colors of ll.bean backpacks so there weren't too many mix-ups, but a couple girls in my grade did have the same color. at my school we have an honor code so we are allowed to leave our backpacks laying in the hallways without worrying that someone will steal something. that being said i may have picked up the wrong backpack. i only did it once and realized that it wasn't mine the second i picked it up, but it was enough to show me that i needed something special on my backpack! i decided to tie a really cute hot pink bow onto the strap of mine, and this summer i picked up an iron-on decal with a C on it (my first initial). so if you want to make your backpack a little more personalized the here's the list

--cute ribbon

--iron on decal (there are thousands of choices at hobby lobby and joanne's. i got mine for potter barn kids)

--sharpies! (some girls at my school write their favorite quotes or lyrics on the armhole/handle or back of their backpacks)

numero dos -- computer

i don't know if it's just my school, but we are allowed to take our laptops to some classes and take notes, if we are working on a paper in the class then we can take it, or if we are in a study hall we are allowed to have our own computers. since a ton of people have the silver macs, its really important to make sure you (and other people) know that your computer is yours. i personally have a spec case shell, and its great especially since i put my laptop in my backpack! i also recommend getting a soft case with a zipper to put your computer in! 

here's the list

--spec case

--soft case

--stickers (you might want to use stickers to put your name/initials on your spec case, it's cute and you can scrape them off if you need to in the future)

last but not least numero tres -- pencil pouch

i'm a pouch/case collector. whether it be makeup cases, coin purses, or really any small pouch i'm obsessed! my freshman year i went through probably five different pencil pouches! i love them so much, but get bored of the same one too fast! the one i'm using now though has lasted me over a year so i'm sticking with it! i use pencil pouches because i always get nervous that i won't have a "good" pen to write with during a test, and will therefor fail miserably. call me weird but it works! i'm always the girl that has a pencil or pen ready for borrowing!  right now i'm using a victoria's secret cosmetic case and i love it! it has lasted a really long time, and it's adorable! 

here's the list

--cute cosmetic pouch (you can find cute ones at local boutiques, victoria's secret/pink, department stores, and sephora)

i hope this helped! let me know if you have any great personalized staples for back to school! 

thanks for reading! 

xox

p.s. don't forget to enter my giveaway below!!
p.p.s  the portuguese prepster is having an adorable iPhone case giveaway so be sure to check it out!

to do lists galore

as some of you know, i have been going through a lot of heath issues lately. that's a pretty weird way to start a post about to do lists, but i just want to let you know that today (which will be yesterday) i went to a pelvic pain doctor, because i have been having extreme extreme stomach pain (which is also called pelvic pain i guess?). anyway i had to get this super intense muscle massage thing on my stomach, and because it was so intense i was given a prescription for muscle relaxers. i took one pill tonight, and although my mom continuously told me that i was acting "loopy" i felt fine. i'm writing this as i'm on muscle relaxers late at night, and with the combination of those two things i just wanted to explain myself if the writing on this post makes (a. no sense and (b. can be described as "loopy" 

i'm not going to post this until the morning, so i can go back and make sure i didn't add in any weird stuff, so i'm not 100% sure that this post will actually be posted.

ok anyway..

as summer winds down and school is about to start back up i feel like i have been seeing a ton of peoples to-do lists on twitter, tumblr, instagram, pinterest, and other social media websites. most people's to-do lists are super boring, and just jotted down on a random boring sticky note, so i decided that i'm going to help y'all out and give you some fun sticky note writing material to write on (was that a confusing sentence?). here are a few that i've already made, and feel free to save these to your computer and print them out! if you want a monogramed one, just leave a comment telling me which lilly background or what type of pattern you want, and i'll totally make you a cute to-do list for the great price of free! also, in the comments tell me whether you want the arrow bullet points or the box bullet points. 

bee-tee-dubs, if you want one of the ones below with a different print just holler at me (leave a comment)! 

oh, and i realize that the "sh*t to get done" to-do lists aren't that classy, but they're funny so deal with it. 

1.

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

if you want me to make you a personalized one

leave a comment like this:

"omg you're the best blogger i know, i'd love a to-do list with the clam jam lilly print, i want mine to have my monogram on it which is cGs, and i'd like the arrow bullet points with the days of the week underneath my monogram! thanks so much!"

also make sure you leave your e-mail address!!  

thanks for reading!! 

xox

sleepover movies!

even though summer is starting to wind down, i have just been craving a good movie! i've put together a little list called "sleepover movies" (creative i know, no need to tell me), and they are pretty much my top movies that i've either watched at a sleepover or just with a friend! i think they are all around funny, cute, and sweet which makes the perfect summer/sleepover movie! i honestly don't like watching depressing movies (although i do like reading depressing books -- kinda weird), so these movies are just fun happy ones! i hope you like this list! 

let me know your top favorite fun movie! or five, because i've got time;)

thanks for reading!! 

xox