hey all!

GUYS, I HIT 400 POSTS

i can’t believe it, with a little under 3 years of macarons and must haves – i have done it!

to me, 400 is beyond crazy. 400 is more than a full years worth of posts – as if i posted every day.  this is definitely worth my time, my blog was a first a hobby for me, but has translated into a real life job, i feel like an actual adult when i am blogging which is a totally amazing feeling for a 17 year old – i mean i love what i am doing and i am doing it seriously.

i have changed so much since my blog began, i mean as a freshman i was just getting into preppy style, and now my preppy style is a totally new age preppy for me – different with twists of trend. its insane to think that my blog will always be around to document my life, my style and my feelings through high school – and definitely beyond to college and after that as well.

there is a lot to look forward to in october (just as a sneak peak: giveaways, pictures and more!) – my official 3rd birthday. make sure to subscribe to macarons and must haves to keep up with me in the coming months ahead.

i hope you enjoy!

(aka kate wins!)

 

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hey all!

technology has become a huge part of my high school experience. i mean, being ‘of that generation’ (i am basically the end of the millennials) i haven’t really had any experience where the internet did not exist.  i mean like smart phones didn’t really even exist till like my 4th grade. anyway, since my school experience is filled with technology i wanted to share some of my favorite – “school – related apps.” some of them are better for the iphone, while some are better for ipad or mac related needs.

here we go!

1. starbucks: while this isn’t too “study-related” this is a must have for me. i absolutely love the “mobile order” option for before school, and i am a person who loves to leave early before school and pick up a coffee, it so makes my day! like i feel ready! of course, i rarely even pick up coffee, but the few times i do, the mobile order feature is my key to make me not wait in too long of a line.
2. spotify: i have talked before, but i love studying to background sound. whether that is a crash course video, or my ‘study’ playlist on spotify. i think that spotify is so neccessary because there is always time to listen to music with friends or if you like to run after school – to get out my energy before homework, thats awesome too!
3. pinterest: pinterest – although it can be SUCH a time suck is super awesome to collect project ideas, and art ideas. pinterest is also great for mood boards and if you are completely creatively blocked its awesome to go on pinterest and you know just put together a collection of images or articles that give you inspiration!
4. reminders: so this app comes with your iphone and its really underrated. i am a forgetful person, so whenever i need to remind myself to bring something to school the next day, or to remember an upcoming test. and the app is really great and is good for the icloud, like if you want it to show up on both your computer and your phone and can – and will!
5. the homework app: this is a new app that i am trying this year, i have heard great things about it and i am testing it out now. it seems amazing because you can keep track of homework and view stuff from your phone, ipad or laptop! it also helps you to keep track of you schedule which is awesome!
6. wunderlist: i have had this app for awhile, with a list of places in LA that i have to go to. but this is also an awesome app for to-do lists. wunderlist is cross platform and allows you to share and collaborate on to-do lists.
7. khan academy: well, this is an app and a website that i remember using all the way back to 7th grade – and i am a 12th grader this year! khan academy is the amazing self-tutor with videos on a horde of different subjects and practice activities KA is super helpful and definitely has helped me in math.
8. quizlet: i have talked about quizlet many times before, i LOVE QUIZLET. its digital notecards. you type them out and then yoiu have them whenever you need them. last year i put my apush notecards on quizlet and while i drove to school i put the “play” button on and tested myself before the test itself so i would know my terms even better!
9. notability: notability is a super cool way of taking notes. you can type, you can draw, video record, highlight and more with notability’s cool fetaures.
10. google drive: along with khan academy, i remember using google drive since middle school. google drive is basically the microsoft programs (like word, powerpoint and excel) by google and on the cloud! you never lose them – its practically impossible and because google saves every version if you need to go back you always can.

i hope you enjoy! and maybe even download a few of these apps!

xoxo

aka kate wins!

 

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hey all!

school is on its way! i mean, after all it is august 10th, which means my school starts in a little over two weeks. ah i am not ready for summer to be over. like i wish it could last forever, but there is something about starting school thats just awesome and getting into my groove again finally!

i mean you guys know my obsession (that i have mentioned way too many times) with school supplies! so today, i wanted to share my favorite supplies and accessories for the school year – which means anything you can carry or hold (and not wear on your body) for the back to school time!

here we go!

1. kate spade metallic sticky note set :  i love this super cute set of sticky notes – and i am so gonna mark up all of my books and notes with these adorable ampersand, money sign and question mark little stickies! these are just so absolutely useful – and will so make me wanna study more!
2. s’well water bottle in ‘milky way’ stainless steel : s’well bottles – as i have talked about many times – keeps your drink cold for up to 24 hours. as a cold water fiend – i literally will sit and wait for the water to get cold in the fridge to keep it cool – this bottle is so necessary and super cute, i love the ‘milky way’ texture on the bottle.
3. white hydroflask water bottle : hydroflask – like s’well bottles keep your water super cold. i love my hydroflask because it definitely holds a lot more than the s’well and although it has a super simple design – and no fancy patterns you can add super cute stickers and other stuff like that!
4. kate spade 17-month agenda : kate spade’s designs are so adorable – and gold is definitely my preferred color – it will already match my computer and pencil bag! although i am not a particular fan of the pre built agendas – kate spade’s design are almost too cute to pass up!
5. hershel supply anchor laptop sleeve in cloud pink & ash : in addition to gold, pink is so my aesthetic right now! this is such a cute – almost millennial pink and gray laptop case is so perfect and protects the computer so well! its so cute!
6. MT sparkly gold washi tape : washi tape is SOO my thing guys! i picked this gold washi tape out the other day at paper source on a card run and just had to pick it up for my collection and i have already used it so much! MT has absolutely amazing quality washi tape – it tears and cuts easily but is pretty thick!
7. MT solar system washi tape : i have had this washi tape for awhile and think its an absolute MUST! click the link to check it out – the small size on my photo does not do it justice but its so absolutely adorable and its great to add to anyone’s washi tape collection if you are looking for tape!
8. mildliner highlighters : if you are a note taking fan like i am – these will be your go to pens. they are super light pens so they don’t leak through your paper and they also don’t leave too much color which is perfect for note-taking and bullet journal usage.
9. leuchtturm1917 pink dotted notebook : you guys all know that i LOVE bullet journaling and my absolute favorite notebook for bullet journaling has been the leuchtturm in the dotted pattern inside. its not too many lines but easily allows you to line out and create your images for your journal!
10. kate spade ‘out to lunch’ lunch tote : this simple polka dotted kate spade canvas lunch tote is so cute! its insulated interior allows you to keep your lunch at an edible temperature while allowing for you to also totally stay in style with the adorable exterior!
11. packed party ‘good as gold’ pouch : as i have already mentioned, gold is in my aesthetic so this adorable gold confetti pouch totally fits my aesthetic! it would make an absolutely adorable pencil pouch!

i hope you enjoy my favorites! remember you can always check out my ‘back to school wishlist’ via pinterest which you can follow below!

xoxo

(aka kate wins!)

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hey all!

i am a planner fiend. i love planners. just L – O – V – E them! they just make my world go round man. i love being able to see my week all laid out. i like being able to write in beautiful pens and draw, put stickers and washi tape out on my agenda.

personally, i am on the bullet journal system (if you do not know what that means check it out here) and i use a leuchtturm notebook but i am still in LOVE with the look of planners. so in honor of my back to school series i decided to put together my favorite non-bullet journal agendas.

just as a note to all my readers – ‘favorites’ does not mean i own any of the above (unless noted) 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!

1. ban.do ‘i did my best’ agenda:  with the spiral edge, ban.do nailed this agenda design with the cover ‘i did my best’ lettering. i love the millennial pink agenda color and think that its so absolutely perfect!
2. ban.do ‘rose parade’ agenda: with the spiral edge, (again) this print is amazing. i love the roses, i love the fact that its called “rose parade” because, i am from pasadena – in case you didn’t know, its the home of the world famous rose parade!
3. rifle paper company 2018 lively floral agenda: rifle paper co has such neat designs i have a REALLY cool travel journal from them! i think this is a very unique and VERY fall toned agenda!
4. lilly pulitzer 17 month agenda ‘sparkling sands pink’:  lilly pulitzer prints look bomb on planners. i had a LP agenda in freshman year and loved it. the layouts are super nice inside and they share different prints on each page which keeps even the most boring of moments feel like summer!
5. lilly pulitzer 17 month agenda ‘beach loot blue’: this print looks like a magestic mermaid, i seriously can’t get over it! all that i said about the planner before applies – because its practically the same inside!
6. kate spade new york ‘dahlia’ agenda:this is a new kate spade print that i had not yet seen until i went to paper source looking at agendas. i think this planner will be fun for a long term this year especially into spring.
7. kate spade new york ‘black and gold polka dots’ agenda:this is a SUPER classic kate spade agenda, i mean could you get any more classic than polka dots.  i totally love that the rings on the agenda are on the inside so nothing messes up!
8. kate spade new york ‘fashionably late’ agenda :kate spade just has such cute sayings on their items. like on the agenda is super cute in the different fonts!
9. fringe studio ‘get on my level’ agenda:this fringe studio planner totally reminds me of ban.do planners and im just loving it!
10. rifle paper company icon 2018 agenda:i love this new rifle paper co agenda for its miminalism. the little icons are so cute and relatable for life!

remember you can always check out my school and journal pinterest board below – follow it so you get updates whenever i post more new school and journal pins!

i hope you enjoy

xoxo

(aka kate wins!)

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hey all!

so yesterday i introduced my ‘back to school series’ that i will be sharing starting today! in my first post of my series i wanted to share with you all my favorite backpacks.

just as a note to all my readers – ‘favorites’ does not mean i own any of the above (unless noted) 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!

let’s get started why don’t we!

1. Converse Original Canvas Backpack:  so i saw this bag at my local nordstrom rack a few days ago and totally fell in love. the color ‘porpoise’ is super cute – its basically a little lighter than a baby blue. the canvas bag is really well made which is a little surprising considering its a converse backpack!
2. Fjallraven ‘Kanken’ Laptop Backpack: i own one of these in this color – called ‘pink’ it’s a little dark millennial pink backpack. its the perfect size to carry your laptop in – thus the name of the bag as ‘laptop’ – and a few other items if you don’t carry too many items in your backpack (like if you are in college and stop at your living quarters between classes) this just might be for you! it gets a little dirty so make sure you don’t drop it too many places.
3. State Bags The Heights Adams Backpack: this blue and pink accented backpack is just too adorable to pass up! being sold on nordstrom – the reviews are amazing and it apparently looks just like it does in the picture! also (like the fjallraven) looks like it can hold a laptop and just a few books and pens from class to class. and the STATE bags backpack program gives a backpack to a child in need for every backpack sold – so it does some good!
4. Herschel Settlement Backpack: i have heard alot about herschel backpacks over the years and have almost tried them quite a few times. its a pretty standard backpack in a pretty standard size. the look of these backpacks is pretty cute and it would definitely be worth the buy for someone looking for a quality backpack for a not too hefty price point.
5. Kipling Tina Laptop Backpack: kipling makes some amazing products. i have never personally tried this ‘tina’ backpack but it looks amazing! in the color ‘antique rose’ its got perfect tones and and tons of pockets. the reviews mention its color being different in person – so i might be a tad skeptical of it but it also has some great reviews! click on the link to see more!
6. Madeleine and Company Navy with Pink Slim: madeleine and company is an amazing backpack company created by a girl named madeleine (obvious fact) who is not much older than myself actually! her backpacks are extremely well made and super cute! the stripe on its adorable, she has a ton of different options but my personal favorite is this pink slim one!

i hope you guys all enjoy this post today!

AND since its the last day of the #NSALE, check out my final picks : this adorable madewell tote bag, these nike leggings and this amazing deal on tory burch high boots.

xoxo

(aka kate wins!)

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hey guys!

happy saturday! i know its odd that i am posting on a saturday because i usually post on tuesdays, thursdays and sundays but i have a very special surprise that i am sharing with you all today!

drumroll please…

this month of august i am sharing a ton of back to school themed posts in my ‘back to school series’

from my backpack favorites to my school supply favorites and others like apps to download for school. during this month i will be sharing products, how to posts, diys, sharing my own products and getting real about my own school experiences.

make sure to keep up with my back to school favorites and wishlist with my pinterest board that you can find below!

i hope you guys enjoy this upcoming series!

xoxo

(aka kate wins!)

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hey all!

as my typical first month post, i am gonna keep this one short- simply sharing my excitement for the august ahead of me! here we go!

1. going back to school
2. getting back into my groove
3. trying out a new pair of shoes
4. sending my sister back to school
5. starting my golf season
6. being a SENIOR
7. showing y’all my senior portrait
8. making more artwork
9. preparing for BTS
10. more bullet journaling!
11. testing out more bullet journal prompts and ideas
12. finishing up my summer homework
13. decorating the senior locker room
14. getting those #seniorperks
15. being a SENIOR (once again)

thank you guys for reading – and let me know what you are looking forward to for your august!

xoxo

(aka kate wins!)

 

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hey guys!

its so crazy that its already july 30th. i mean there is only one more day left in july.

this month there was…

the end of my diet. my diet, the blogilates 28 day reset ended on july 3rd, just in time for  prime ice cream season. my diet was no dairy, no gluten, no sugar and more. i have realized, since then that i am likely – in addition to being lactose intolerant i probably have a gluten problem as well – isn’t that unfortunate, NO MORE PIZZA. at least at lot less of it because of how it makes me feel. so a few days ago i picked up the diet again -this time adding in the red meat! i will let you know how it goes.

 

and this month had the fourth of july. i celebrated with some of my old friends – my oldest friend leah and her family. we were able to see the amazing pasadena rose bowl fireworks – which were amazing and we had a barbeque and it was just so fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

then, following the fourth i took a little day trip up to visit san luis obispo – and visit cal poly SLO, a school i will be applying to this fall. i absolutely love the school and i am so excited for all of the schools i will be applying to at the end of this year!

of course in SLO i had to check out the coffee shops – because i LOVE coffee – check out how i take my coffee here – and i found this amazing place called scout which had a really great latte!

i made homemade pasta. i made bucatini – which my family loves to eat with an amatriciana sauce – like this one from mario batali – its basically a strawlike pasta. i used this really cool pasta extruder and it turned out really well! my family would agree they  really liked it – and i successfully completed one of my 101 in 1001 tasks!

my family and i visited little damage – the home of the ‘goth ice cream’. and the verdict is: that soft serve is amazing! all of my family enjoyed it – and we all agreed that it was worth the CRAZY one hour wait time! i suggest the ‘dark cinns’ and ‘salted covfefe’.

 

i also had my senior portraits taken this month! also to clear up any misunderstandings – this is not my official portrait – they are not out yet but i will definitely share them with you all – my blog family! this is a photo my sister took later that day!

my family and i also got a chance to visit this amazing italian place in la called rossoblu. it was fabulous and the food was insanely delicious and i hope to go back soon and try the classic bolognese.

i also got to catch up with some of my friends this month! which i have loved seeing them so much and catching up – i could talk to them for hours on end!

of course, this month also had the #NSALE! i shared with you my outfit post and my picks. and just a reminder – you can easily shop my picks from clicking the #NSALE link in my header!

i hope you enjoyed my post!

xoxo

(aka kate wins!)

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hey all!

how have your summer’s been so far? recently mine has been CRAZY with the #NSALE – as being both a blogger and a blog reader! right now i am in LOVE with these rose gold nikes and this adorable tee shirt.

so about two years ago I was “diagnosed” (if you can even call this diagnosed) with “convergence insufficiency” – which is basically a fancy medical world meaning that my eyes don’t work together – (check out more of an explanation in the post here!). So this means that I wear prism lenses as reading glasses so I don’t see double when I read in books or on the computer. So, I have had some pretty awesome glasses over this year – but now I’m trying something new – glasses from Warby Parker!

If you guys don’t know what Warby Parker is it’s an awesome eyeglasses and sunglasses company with adorable glasses. they have an awesome “toms” like philosophy with a “buy one, give from program”. so today, i have a post for you guys of my favorite warby parker glasses which i will be sharing soon!

here we go!

1. baker glasses
2. coley glasses
3. stockton glasses
4. percel glasses
5. downing glasses

stay tuned to see the ones i picked – and check out my instagram for a super special surprise coming soon to my blog!

xoxo

(aka kate wins!)

 

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