Happy Birthday to Me!

Yup, it's my birthday and I've turned the big two three! Well, okay... it's not that big or important. I decided this go around I would share a few things I've learned through this past year. The good and the bad.

1. Do what makes you happy (even if it means you are broke most of the time).

2. Spread love not hate.

3. Take time to reflect on you and your life instead of others.

4. People don't always stick around in your life forever. So find that close group of friends or family who honestly have your back no matter what.

5. Be yourself. Why try to be someone you are not? What a waste of your life...

6. Dress for success. No matter if you are a doctor, office worker, or nanny, dress the part that you want to be in life.

7. Don't quit dreaming. There are so many things I still want to do in my life and I have got plenty of time to accomplish them. But start working towards those goals now, don't put them off forever!

Thank you,

Spencer 

Beach Bag Must Haves 2016!

Summer has officially arrived and everyone is headed to the beach! The scorching sun is no doubt a huge help in packing the beach full of families looking for some fun and college students ready to work on their tans! No matter if you are taking a day trip or are on vacation, your beach bag needs to be stocked with the essentials. I have a beach bag checklist to ensure that you are going to have a fun and safe time!

1. Sunscreen and Chapstick- Keeping your skin protected should be number one priority when spending hours outside in the sun's rays. I personally use three different types of sunscreen throughout the day. 

My favorites are... Coppertone Oil Free Faces SPF 30, Banana Boat Protect & Hydrate SPF 50, and Banana Boat Regular SPF 50. I also make sure to reapply chapstick with an SPF in it because sunburnt lips are awful! Remember they are part of your skin too! 

2. Big Hat- Another great way to keep your face, neck, and sometimes shoulders out of the sun. Plus it looks super cute! 

3. Sunglasses- All this talk of protecting our skin, what about your eyes? Don't forget to bring a lens cleaner because I can guarantee they will end up covered in sunblock and sand! 

4. Hair ties/clips and a Brush- Now that my hair has gotten longer, I carry extra hair ties with me everywhere. If you are headed into the Ocean, tie up your hair. It will be much easier to brush out and wash later. I also carry a brush for those windy days on the beach. We have all been there where your hair looks like a birds nest due to the wind. 

5. Water and Snacks- What good is a trip to the beach if you end up dehydrated? Bring a large water bottle that you semi-froze over night and it will stay cold for most of your time on the sand. Small snacks such as Goldfish, fruit snacks, and grapes are perfect beach food. 

6. Magazine or Book- Being at the beach isn't always about building sandcastles and swimming, for the most part it's about relaxing. This is where a great book or magazine comes in handy. 

7. Ear Buds and Phone- I always bring my phone and ear buds with me in a ziplock or water proof bag. This is for the occasions when you have very annoying beach neighbors or you want to tune your kids out and get a break! 

8. Beach Bag and Towel- A huge bag is key to throw everything in and go but you can't forget a small wristlet or, like me, a travel makeup bag for the smaller items. I love picking out a bright colored towel to take with me every year. These are items that allow you to show your personality at the beach. 

Safety Tips: In my family every year we try to use the same beach bags and similar color towels to help us locate where our "camp" is for the day. Another great tips is to make sure your children know what your umbrella and chairs look like so they can spot them from the ocean. Teach your children to look at lifeguard stand numbers next to where you have set up for the day in case they get lost or hurt. 

Enjoy the summer down the shore!

Thank you,

Spencer 

Mother's Day Gift Guide

With Mother's Day being right around the corner I thought I would share a few of my Mother's Day gift ideas! I've tried to put together the best collection of gifts that would benefit all types of mothers and in all different price ranges. I hope this last minute list will help a few of you in surprising your mom on her special day!

For the Sporty/Healthy Mom:

FitBit Alta in Teal

For the "I don't want Anything" Mom:

Sweet Sangria Candle

For The New Mom:

Q&A Journal for Mom's 

For the Beauty Addict Mom:

Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Rose Perfume 

For The Fashion Forward Mom:

Tommy Hilfiger Floral Wallet

For The Mom who is Always in the Kitchen:

3-Tier CupCake Stand

Wishing all the Mothers out there a very happy day. 

Thank you,

Spencer

Photo Time!

I made the commitment! I got a bunch of photos I had taken last year printed. I am a huge believer in photos making a home more personal. I love having the ability to take an album off the shelf and looking through it at all the fun times within. In this digital age we live in, most people don't get their beautiful photos printed. I use Snapfish to print all of my photos, I even used them to print my graduation pictures. They are super cheap and always have some sort of deal on. Since I got over 300 photos printed, I needed a few albums to put all those memories in! 

I got really lucky and found a few albums that I absolutely LOVE at Walmart. Now I didn't think I was going to find anything I liked when I decided to look at Walmart but, boy was I surprised. So don't be afraid to look for things at those random stores! 

Thank you,

Spencer

Philadelphia 76ers Game

This past Friday I had the privilege to attend the Sixer's game with my dance studio (Stepping Stone Dance Studio) and it's Dance team. The dance team was invited to perform at the pregame show. The game was sponsored by A Wish Come True, a costume company, who paid for all the tickets to the game! With only 2 months to learn a Broadway/jazz dance number and with such a large age difference in the group, I think the girls were wonderful. I am so proud of how professional all the girls acted and performed. Below are some pictures from that night!

I really want to share more with you this side of my life and I hope you can appreciate my love of dance.

Thank you,

Spencer 

Tuesday- FIT Graduation

For the past month, I haven't been keeping up with my blog and I was so upset that I had to put it aside for the time being. All of May I have been working on finals projects, papers, and Final Exams! However, all of this proved to be worth it because on May 21st I graduated from College! I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology for 3 years and finally have gotten my Associates Degree in Fashion Merchandising and Management. Now I could go on and tell you all the hardships I went through to get my degree but, instead I'm going to share some of my pictures from that day with you.

After what felt like the longest car ride of my life (only 2 hours), we made it to the Javits Center in NYC where my graduation was held. I was surrounded by my family who have helped me he most during my time at school. I also graduated with my best friends and could not have asked for a better day.

Unfortunately, I have no pictures of me in my dress without my gown on as well. I will most likely be doing another post about my outfit soon.

Thank you

xx Spencer

Tuesday- My Week In Instagrams

April has been a pretty relaxed month for me compared to what May will be bringing. I thought it would be nice to share my Instagram pictures for the past week with you so you can see what I'm up to. I went NY for school, started redecorating my room, cuddled with my dog, and spent some time soaking in the nice weather.

I can't wait to share with you everything happening in May. Most notable... I'm graduating, so expect tons of pictures! 

Thank you

xx Spencer

Tuesday- New Sunglasses

I mentioned when I posted about my new Eyeglasses that I also purchased Sunglasses. Guess what?! They are here and I'm so happy I picked the frames I did. They look so good.

I purchased a pair of Ralph Lauren Tortoise shell/Light Blue Cat-Eye Sunnies from LensCrafters. I personally think the Cat-eye shape suits a lot of different face shapes, especially if you have a rounder/fuller face.

It's been years since I've had a pair of sunglasses and even longer since I last liked my sunglasses. I honestly act like I'm a movie star when I put them on. I don't care what anyone says about that bit of information, I just love my sunnies! haha :)

Thank you

xx Spencer

Media Monday- Meeting Lane Napper

I'm not sure if I have mentioned before but I am a huge lover of the art of Dance. I personally favor Tap dance and take class every week at Stepping Stone Dance Studio.

I got the amazing opportunity to take a Tap Master Class at from dancer and choreographer Lane Napper this weekend. He has worked with Nickelodeon for the past few years and his work can be seen on shows such as Victorious, iCarly, and Sam & Cat. Lane has a very broadway style dance background, which is my absolute favorite!

Lane has such a fun personality and I'm so glad I got to experience learning from him. Learning a routine from a choreographer is different than from you local dance teacher. A Choreographer of his nature deals with world class dancers on a daily basis, so he expects a lot from you. He was so relaxed in his teaching though, and he would stop for questions and to go over steps if needed.

Thank you

xx Spencer

Tuesday- Places to Visit

Since this winter has been extremely cold and we get snow almost every weekend now I've been thinking of all the warm places I want to visit in the future. I can't wait to be able to travel around the world an experience new things. But a few places that are on the top of my list are...

Santorini, Greece

Mykonos, Greece

Sydney, Australia

Port Douglas, Australia

Sorrento, Italy

I hope this brings you some warm weather cheer!

Thank you

xx Spencer

Media Monday- Home Show

On Saturday, my mom, sister, and I went to the Philadelphia Home Show at the Philadelphia Convention Center. The Home Show was a cool experience.  It's a bunch of vendors/companies ranging from windows and siding to hot tubs and saunas. There were even people cooking there trying to sell kitchen equipment. Most of what was there didn't pertain to us but I was fun to just go and look around the place.

I only took a few snapshots of the day but I hope you enjoy them.

After the home show we grabbed a bite to eat and had a walk around Reading Terminal Market. It was PACKED full of people and needless to say we didn't stay long. 

Instead, we went to a couple of shops and I found the best home ware section ever in Burlington Coat Factory. It looked like it was made for me! 

Hope you liked a little insight into my weekend. 

Thank you

xx Spencer