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Welcome 2018

January 2, 2018

hey readers!

its finally 2018:

the year of my graduation

the year i turn 18 – and become a legal adult

the year i start college (and move out of my house)

the year i can finally vote

and it will be:

the year i will kick my serious addiction to sour patch kids

the year i start my dream school

the year i get back into a solid yoga practice

the year i will celebrate 4 years of macarons and must haves!

so i am seriously super excited for 2018, and i am so glad its here!

share with my what your 2018 might look like in the comment box down below!

xoxo

kwe monogram

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2017 Year in Review

December 31, 2017

hey all!

2017 has been quite a year, so in honor of my crazy year i am going month by month reminding you of what went on!

here we go!

january

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i started 2017 with the some awesome food and the lacma rain room!

february

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i made homemade valentines – and shared them wih y’all! HERE

march

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i went on my east coast college tour and gave a rundown in these posts: DC, NYC & Boston!

april

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we had easter and i went to my junior prom!

may

i turned 17!

june

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i explored around LA all month with my free time and i shared an outfit post!

july

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i shared another outfit post, and enjoyed more of my summer

august

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i prepared for school, and then school started for me.

september

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i tried out for the rose court and went to hamilton the muscial!

october

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i celebrated my 3rd anniversary and visited the museum of ice cream!

november

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i started sharing my gift guides and i celebrated thanksgiving!

december

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i shared an outfit and celebrated christmas!

enjoy and happy new year! see you in 2018!

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

 

 

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Cold Weather Clothing

December 28, 2017

(this post contains affiliate links which may be monetized)

hey all!

do you guys know about the rose parade? well i have been volunteering with the organization which puts on the parade so i am sharing my favorite cold weather clothing because i’ve been outside, and will be putting in a lot of hours in some cold weather!

once again, a note to all my readers – this post does not mean i own any of the above, or that i will buy any of the above. it just means that i like it visually and (unless noted) i do not own it; all that i will write about is stuff i hear from friends and other users of the product as well as the visual aspects of the product which i will mention in the comment below!

here we go!

#1: patagonia packable down jacket

this waterproof jacket is warm and perfect for different activities1 its perfect because it has easy pockets and the whole thing can be packed away and stored for any travel needs!

#2: patagonia ‘better sweater’ zip pullover 

this pullover combines a sweater-knit outer face with a moisture-wicking fleece interior for unbeatable lightweight warmth.

#3: rag and bone classic wool scarf

i love rag & bone (even though its much above my pricepoint!) i just think its perfectly classic! i love this color, the camel works so well with all black (because i seriously pretty much wear all black anyway!).

#4: adidas beanie

just a basic beanie, and i am not usually one for logos, but i actually think this looks so cute!

#5: adidas climaheat leggings

i know in cold weather  most people would rather go with a thicker pant like jeans, BUT these adidas climaheat leggings have insulation ‘inspired by natural fur’ to trap heat in and keep you warm! AND right now they are 50% off!

#6: hunter boots

i love my hunter boots which i picked up at the nordstrom anniversary sale last year! black hunter boots with thick socks make my feet so warm, and as opposed to other snow boots these are actually cute boots!

#7: sam edelman boots

i also have these little guys and i love them! they are super cheap – less than $60! and they go on sale all the time, so that you can get them for less than $50 pretty frequently! also they are just light enough for no rain and just hefty enough for a pretty hefty rain.

#8: echo tech gloves

these gloves are under $20 (on sale rn!) but they look pretty good! they look warm enough for your fingers and keep you texting while you have your gloves on.

enjoy & happy shopping!

xoxo

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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What I Got for Christmas 2017

December 26, 2017

(this post contains affiliate links which may be monetized)

hey all!

i had an amazing christmas, and because most of the craziness (from the holiday) is all gone i finally feel able to get to share my presents with y’all! here are just a few of my favorite things that i got for christmas!

here we go!

#1: TILI box :

QVC makes a product called the ‘try it love it’ box, and (much like birchbox without the subscription) they offer 3 full sized products and the rest trial products of different of their favorite items. in my box i got a ‘julep konjac sponge‘, a ‘skinfix hand repair cream‘, a ‘becca jaclyn hill shimmering skin perfector‘, a ‘mini first aid beauty bouncy mask‘, ‘mini philosophy amazing grace shower gel‘, a ‘vita liberata body blur‘ and a mini ‘it cosmetics confidence in a cream‘.

after trying all the products (likely after the new year) i am planning on doing a ’tili box review’ for y’all, giving a lowdown on certain products in that month’s box and how well i enjoyed the concept of the tili box!

#2: bose soundlink speaker 

i am not really a music person, so i have been skeptical for awhile of buying myself a nice speaker, but as soon as i got this i fell in love. its a PERFECT size, and i have found myself just listening to netflix on it and just enjoying my music alot more with it!

#3: shinola sketchbook

i actually knew about this baby because i went down with my dad to the arts district in LA to pick it up. i love shinola because they heat imboss their stuff in store with your monogram. its super cute because its exactly what i wanted and is perfect for me.

#4: ‘i love you’ ‘i know’ pins

my sister picked up this little guy up at disneyland and i’m in love with it. its limited edition and WAYY more expensive online than it is in person!

#5: disco ball cup

my sister came across this at work and knew i just HAD to have it for macarons and must haves!

enjoy y’all!

xoxo

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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Merry Christmas!

December 25, 2017

hey all!

i know its late but i just wanted to wish you a….

merry christmas!

i am so thankful for all of you guys, and no matter the belief i want to wish you happy holidays during this season!

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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Holiday Outfit Ideas

December 24, 2017

hey all!

i know this is supposed to be a gift guide today, but i thought y’all would enjoy this outfit post of inspired stuff to wear for new years or any other holiday events you may have left this season!

here we go!

look #1:

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dress / shoes / bag / barette

i absolutely love this topshop dress, i wore it to my school’s christmas luncheon and loved how it looked and got so many comments on it! what could be better about this dress? its only $55! insane because its a perfect dress (it comes in green, maroon and black) and can be totally versatile! these steve madden heels are also totally versatile, come in a TON (a literal TON) of colors – but i am in love with these black suede ones. i also included a cute tortoise barette because i always wear my hair half up / half down and a fun gold clutch to make the outfit shine!

look #2:

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dress / bodysuit / bag / shoes

i have learned to love wearing sheer shirts under dresses like this! i just think it looks so good and it makes a more summer dress a little more fall ( or in my case, california winter!) i love velvet dresses, they are siper popular this winter and i really like them. once again, i included a bag with a pop of color!

look #3:

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sweater / skirt / shoes / bag

i am a big fan of the sweater skirt combo because its easy and super trusty! i usually opt for a plain sweatshirt, like this plain black topshop one, and a cute either plain skirt or slightly patterned skirt. i wear a plaid skirt to school so you’d think it would stop me, but i actually love CUTE plaid skirts!

guys! thats it!

merry christmas (eve!) i’ll see y’all soon!

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

 

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My Favorite Cookies for Santa! From Martha Stewart

December 23, 2017

hey all!

its december 23rd and we are in the swing of things! presents wrapped, cookies baked, halls decked – what more could you do! i know that i am done with my cookies – but are you? because i figured maybe people would be a little behind schedule for christmas (like me almost every year) so i wanted to share my favorite christmas cookies!

just a note: this is NOT my recipe, this recipe belongs to martha stewart and just  happens to be my favorite christmas cookie recipe. i do not claim to own it, and i just wanted to share it with you all!

here we go!

Martha Stewart's Giant Ginger Cookies

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

my favorite christmas cookies from the magical martha stewart!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/3 cup for coating
  • 6 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 large egg

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, allspice, and pepper.
  2. With an electric mixer, cream butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg. With mixer on low, gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and freeze for 20 minutes.
  3. Divide dough into twelve 2-inch balls. Place remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a bowl. Roll balls in sugar to coat; place at least 4 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten into 3-inch rounds. Sprinkle with sugar remaining in bowl.
  4. Bake until brown, rotating sheets halfway through, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

enjoy guys! i really hope you enjoy these!

 

xoxo

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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DIY Last Minute Gift Ideas

December 21, 2017

hey  guys!

christmas is t-4 days away ahh!

and since its super last minute i thought, stop it with the gift guides – and you probably can’t even buy most of the things anymore, not because they are sold out just because they won’t ship from online unless you have amazon prime or are willing to pay a large sum of money to make sure it comes in 4 days, OR you would be willing to buy and pick up in the store, like nordstrom AND target do too!

well, lets just get started with these last minute DIYs with stuff that you can pick up at target or any local craft store – and i might even link to a few of the items that you may need! (AND i might have a few links that are monetized so be aware of that too!)

without further ado…

ornaments:

– a few things that will work for a few different DIYS:

clear glass ornaments 

paint

ribbon stuffed christmas ornaments

How-to-make-these-beautiful-and-simple-One-Minute-DIY-Ribbon-Stuffed-Christmas-Ornaments-at-The-Happy-Housie-7.jpg

snow globe ornament 

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snow globe ornament

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diy marble indigo ornaments

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other misc. gifts!:

– a few things that will work for a few different DIYS:

mason jars

mason jar drink gifts

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diy gemstone soap

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diy candle holders

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hexagonal coasters

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DIY sugar scrub

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herb candles

Pressed-Herb-Candles-from-Adventures-in-Making

ENJOY GUYS! & i hope your last minute gifting goes fantastic!

xoxo

kwe monogram(aka kate wins)

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101 in 1001 vol. 2

December 19, 2017

hey guys!

on sunday i finished my first 101 in 1001 days – and since i was 20 short, i felt like i needed the opportunity to try again to complete all 101 things in 1001 days. i am so excited because now i actually feel like i picked some attainable goals, and definitely things that i wanted to do, so i am excited to start!

here we go…

start: december 19th, 2017

end: september 15th, 2020

school (9/13/101)

  1. get into college (12/20/2017)
  2. pass my ap exams (july 2018)
  3. go to senior prom (4/14/2018)
  4. finish my coding class (3/1/2018)
  5. graduate high school (6/3/2018)
  6. start college (8/27/2018)
  7. move into college & decorate my dorm room (8/22/2018)
  8. take classes that challenge me (math & politics 1/15-5/3/2019)
  9. start a club at school
  10. try any club/program that even slightly interests me
  11. go out of my comfort zone to meet new people (sorority recruitment! scary but fun!, 1/20-1/27)
  12. catch up with my high school friends after freshman year
  13. learn how to transition out of a uniform

health & fitness (1/20/101)

  1. give up sugar for a month
  2. start yoga (1/15-5/3/2019!) taking at class at GW
  3. get a massage
  4. run a 5k ~competitively~
  5. get a facial
  6. no junk food for a week
  7. workout 5/week for at least a month (literally since i started at GWU)
  8. take a hot yoga class
  9. run an obstacle race
  10. try a juice cleanse
  11. meditate for 20 minutes, once a day for 2 weeks.
  12. try a barre class
  13. do 10,000 steps a day for a whole month (literally since i started at GWU)
  14. try a triathlon
  15. teach myself how to correctly roll out
  16. try a vegan diet for two weeks
  17. figure the best routine for my skincare (3/1/2018)
  18. try out soulcycle
  19. have a spa day
  20. drink 64oz of water every day for at least one week

travel (2/11/101)

  1. get & use a passport (coming soon – summer 2019!)
  2. go abroad/visit another continent (coming soon – summer 2019!)
  3. go to europe
  4. visit a country i never thought i would go to (coming soon – summer 2019!)
  5. visit a national park (4/22/2018)
  6. take an out of state sister trip (coming soon – summer 2019! even further than state)
  7. visit NY at christmas
  8. visit the white house (4/21/2018)
  9. ride a segway
  10. do a road trip with friends
  11. visit 5 new museums ( smithsonian natural history, smithsonian air & space museum, national portrait gallery, smithsonian american history museum,

career/blog (16/101)

  1. go to a blog conference
  2. get to intern in a field i’m passionate about
  3. make more blog videos on youtube
  4. partner with a big brand
  5. switch to wordpress.org (christmas 2019)
  6. reach 1,000 followers on instagram
  7. learn how to animate and edit videos well
  8. create a new media kit
  9. start a blog newsletter
  10. get a tripod
  11. take a trip and document all of it for the blog
  12. be featured on a blog/website i admire
  13. organize all of my pinterest boards (4/1/2018)
  14. organize all of my computer files
  15. continuously keep up my blog
  16. update my resume (1/5/2018)

shopping (8/101)

  1. buy a louis vuitton purse (5/10/2018)
  2. upgrade to a new iphone – in a few years
  3. invest in a new bag
  4. buy a pair of beautiful shoes
  5. purchase a silk pillowcase
  6. get a perfect carry-on bag (anniversary sale 2018)
  7. buy a corkboard to organize important pictures
  8. upgrade my camera to something a little bigger

misc. (5/33/101)

  1.  vote! (6/5/2018)
  2. inspire someone to start a blog
  3. buy coffee for the person in line behind me
  4. host a brunch
  5. read 15 new books (#1: frankenstein, #2: beloved, #3: hamlet, #4: feminist fight club, #5: the animators, #6: the mothers, #7: modern lovers #8: crazy rich asians #9: landline, #10: female of the species, #11: the nerdy and the dirty #12: my not so perfect life, #13: the girls, #14: here i am
  6. organize my closet by color and season
  7. make a font with my handwriting
  8. listen to 6 books on audio in 6 months ( #1: feminist fight club, #2: the animators, #3: the mothers, #4: modern lovers #5: crazy rich asians #6: female of the species + more!)
  9. learn how to do eyeliner
  10. get a gel manicure
  11. do a declutter challenge
  12.  help a stranger in need.
  13. eat at a michelin star restaurant
  14. learn how to tie a bowtie
  15. perfect my curls ( 4/12/2018) *post coming soon!*
  16. turn 18 (5/2/2018)
  17. volunteer more regularly
  18. continue practicing my spanish
  19. contribute to an emergency fund/in case of a rainy day
  20. get into journaling
  21. try 5 new restaurants (#1: the ivy santa monica {dec. 30, 2017}, #2: terroni DTLA {jan. 21, 2018}, #3: sqirl {feb. 10, 2018}, #4: the butcher’s daughter {mar. 16, 2018}, #5: joan’s on third {mar. 30, 2018}, #6: the butcher baker and capuccino maker {may 12th, 2018}, #7: yoga-urt {june 18, 2018}, )
  22. build up my closet with clothes i love
  23. send birthday cards to my friends
  24. begin writing a story
  25. reduce the waste i use in day to day life
  26. try 5 new foods (#1: cauliflower crust pizza, #2
  27. watch a tv show without binging it
  28. update the contacts on my phone
  29. continue bullet journaling to organize my life
  30. make as many blog posts as i can about things on this list
  31. ice skate and/or play in the snow (winter 2018-2019!!)
  32. finish 101 in 1001/donate $1 for every uncompleted task
  33. come up with a 3rd 101 in 1001 list!

enjoy!

xoxo

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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ITS OVER : 101 in 1001 Days

December 17, 2017

hey all!

oh my god! i am so dead, my 1001 days are over! its been close to three years, so insane that i have been blogging for such a long time, but hey i love it so its never too hard!

so today, i will share with you my complete 101 in 1001 list, and the things that were my favorite to do from that list!

here we go!

  1. Finish this list (March 23, 2015)

  2. Get 450 subscribers to my blog (okay, I don’t know the exact date, but I noticed on May 22, 2015 that I had 454!)

  3. Get 100 followers on my Instagram and Twitter

  4. Make 5 Blogger Friends (PaulinaKateAshleySammyOlivia)

  5. Save my money, until I get to $1000 (May 2, 2015)

  6. Write a collaboration with another blogger (With Paulina look here)

  7. Get a Job (working at my school teacher’s assistant)

  8. Get real fans  (gradually happening!)

  9. Buy a Website Domain (Christmas 2015)

  10. Have someone design my Blog (me I love my redesign ! October 10th 2015)

  11. Write in a journal for two months (BULLET JOURNALING May-July)

  12. Inspire someone to blog

  13. Grow my hair out, past my shoulders (a little bit–then I cut it! May 2015)

  14. Learn how to use Photoshop, and buy Photoshop (June 2015!)

  15. Read 1 Book a Month for 6 Months (April –Crazy Rich Asians, May-The Royal We, June-Skin and Bones, July-#GirlBoss,  August-Joy Luck Club,September-Perks of Being a Wallflower!)

  16. Get ads *good* on my blog (Summer 2017!)

  17. Do a giveaway on my blog (may 2016)

  18. Do a thirty day photo challenge

  19. Do 8 pinterest crafts

  20. Build a terrarium (June 4th 2015)

  21. Visit the East Coast (again) (March 2017)

  22. Go on a tour riding something

  23. Make exercise goals and actually do them (May 2015)

  24. Buy/Get a nice camera (May 9th, 2015, The Nikon 1 J5)

  25. Save my money to buy my own *personalized* Purse

  26. Spend a day on Catalina Island

  27. Go thrift-shopping (for Costumes, June 2016)

  28. Go to Vidcon two years in a row ( 2014, 2015)

  29. Host a fancy party (my sweet 16 see it here )

  30. Make a whole day of food from Pinterest (May 2015)

  31. Jump in a pool fully clothed

  32. Go one month without shopping

  33. Start collecting coffee table books (I started with the Kate Spade book!- April 19th 2015)

  34. Get my license (May 2016)

  35. Do a fancy professional photo shoot (Senior Portrait, Summer 2017)

  36. Run a 5k with my sister

  37. Travel to a new state (Nevada July 23-25, 2015)

  38. Travel to a new continent

  39. Take a Trip with my Sister (Newport Road Trip July 2016)

  40. Re-do My Room (summer 2017!)

  41. See a college football game (September 2016)

  42. Create the perfect home office space (Summer 2017)

  43. Pull off an epic surprise (My Sister’s birthday, January 2016)

  44. See snow (December 28, 2015)

  45. Invest in some Hunter Boots (nordstrom anniversary sale! 2016)

  46. Establish my style (that would be preppy! SUMMER 2015!)

  47. Buy 5 monogramed things (1. My Backpack 2. My Water Bottle 3. iPhone Case 4. My Necklace 5.A duffel bag)

  48. Design and order business cards (October 2015)

  49. Meet blogging friends – in person (Jessica Joy! March 2017)

  50. Attend a midnight premiere of a movie

  51. Go through my closet, and actually weed out things that I don’t like (June 2015)

  52. Make my own bracelets

  53. Take a photography course (at School 2016)

  54. Buy/get a new phone (IPHONE 7 YOOOO – summer 2017)

  55. Send care packages to friends

  56. Try a Juice Cleanse

  57. Get a 45 or below on a 9 hole course (Golf Season 2017-2018)

  58. Paint on a canvas (July 2015)

  59. Buy a Lilly Dress (April 2015!)

  60. Find my perfect makeup routine (April 3rd, 2015)

  61. Visit Disneyland *again* (April 18th, 2015) (May 16th, 2015)

  62. Make my own stationary ( for snail mail sisters! Summer 2015)

  63. Learn how to *really* use chopsticks

  64. Host a DIY/Pinterest Party

  65. Take more pictures (since I bought my camera! SUMMER 2015)

  66. Attend a blog conference

  67. Get a new piece of furniture (a desk in 2016!)

  68. Dress up fancier more often (Summer 2015! when i bought my lily dresses!)

  69. Buy a whole outfit together

  70. Run a disney race

  71. Be happy with my body (ah-ish?? summer 2017)

  72. Learn how to drive (May 2016)

  73. Work on my posture (September 2017)

  74. Go to a conference (Vidcon 2015)

  75. Go to a concert (Coldplay in September 2016)

  76. Send 10 handwritten notes to friends (10/10)

  77. Regularly work out for a week (Week of April 5-11 2015)

  78. Let my blog turn one, while still writing on it (October 5th 2015!)

  79. Develop a good photo taking process (Summer 2015)

  80. Create a budget (April 7th, 2015)

  81. Go to a fashion show

  82. Get a maise purse from Kate Spade (Christmas 2015)

  83. Invest in a pair of great heels

  84. Go two weeks without junk food (28 day reset! – summer 2017) 

  85. Go ice skating

  86. Get a massage

  87. Make homemade pasta (summer 2017)

  88. Re-Watch a Show I enjoyed (Glee March-April 2015)

  89. Make a cake with Fondant or macarons *successfully* (Summer 2017)

  90. Learn to Shoot Manual (May 2015)

  91. Actually, print the photos I take (June 2015)

  92. Make a polymer clay figure (I made a macaron how fitting! July 17, 2015)

  93. Do a media fast (for one day) (April 6th, 2015)

  94. Have a disney movie marathon (Summer 2017)

  95. Get to 10k pins on pinterest (March 2016)

  96. Make homemade ice cream (CHOCOLATE, Father’s Day 2016)

  97. Watch 5 classic movies I have never seen (1. Sabrina-March 30, 2015, 2. Gentlemen Perfer Blondes- April 1, 2015 3. 9 to 5- April 11, 2015  4. The Producers- April 17, 2015 5. A Room with A View- April 25, 2015)

  98. Get a Henna

  99. Be On TV (October 2nd, 2017)

  100. Go to San Francisco (August 2015)

  101. Finish everything on this list

okay so 20 unfinished things is not terrible – but this next time i strive for 0 unfinished!

my favorite things i did were:

being on TV:

IMG_3873

although i didn’t get picked for the rose court, you may be able to see me in the front in my lilly pulitzer (#59) dress in this video!

host a fancy party:

DSC_0603DSC_0590

i hosted all of my friends to my 16th birthday party, it was ‘breakfast at tiffanys’ theme and it was so fun!

have someone design my blog:

Screen Shot 2017-06-30 at 1.50.41 PM

i designed my blog and could not be more happy with the result! i love doing it because its so personal and really does reflect me!

enjoy guys!

xoxo

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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