2017 ~ Don't Quit Your Day Dream

Happy Wednesday! I don't know about your corner of the universe, but Pittsburgh has been feeling a lot like Spring lately. I don't want to get too excited because it is quite literally the middle of Winter, but a girl can dream, right??

If you haven't already picked up on the theme, January's posts have been focused around reflecting on the past year and planning out success in the new year. (or at least that's the goal!) I've been reading up on business plans and sitting in on different webinars to help me formulate my own thoughts to figure out the direction I want to take RL in 2017.

So far this month, I've been making moves to create a more organized blog. Part of that for me includes keeping clear objectives for each day, week, month and quarter. (yeah, I'm hella determined) I've already felt more focused and motivated and really hope that shows in the type of content I'm creating.

Fingers crossed!

So, if you've been around Rachel Lynn for a while now, you already know how much I love setting goals and sharing them with you! I feel so much more accountable when they're posted up for all my readers to see. One of the best feelings is reviewing the previous month and having all of my goals (or almost all of the goals) complete.


This post will give me something concrete to look back on--something I can revisit each quarter to make sure I'm on track. I also love reading posts like these & want to inspire my readers to live an "intention driven life", which is my overall goal for 2017.


Because what this all boils down to is creating the life you want to live. I want to create a life that I will love each and every day & not just the days I have off of work. I want to look back on 2016 and 2017 knowing that all of the hard work was worth it.

#dontquityourdaydream

amiright, ladies?!



Quarterly Goals:

Q1: Refresh & Renew

New year, new blog, who's with me?? In my mind, there's no better way to start the new year than refreshing. The hype of the new year has everyone's head in the "changing" and "revamping" game. What motivation you didn't have at the end of the year has suddenly reincarnated on January 1st.

Crazy how that works!

So I've decided, while I have all of my revamping motivation, to do all of the things I wanted to accomplish *logistically* with my blog but never actually got around to. As you can see, I've already gotten a few of those goals down (i.e. my personal domain name and blog graphic), but there are two more pivotal items I still have to finish off. 2017 is all about making Rachel Lynn more professional!



Q2: Work/Life Balance

One of the biggest failures for me in 2016 was finding a work/life balance. When I graduated, I threw myself into blogging. Which was fine, because, at first, I had all of the time in the world. But I got a job and suddenly I had half of the time I used to but still trying to do the same amount of work.

Not a smart idea.

Now that I know this is a quarterly goal I want to accomplish, I can already feel myself making positive changes this month to bring good work/life habits (i.e. writing posts ahead of time & cutting back on the amount of time I spend on menial tasks). But I still definitely have room to grow. I really don't want to stay up the night before a post should go up working on finishing touches. It's better than waiting until the morning of (like I used to do), but I want to move towards having things all wrapped up and ready to go at least a day in advance.

"Life is a balancing act."

Q3: Scale It Up

This quarter is just what it sounds like. After I have renovated everything that needs renovating and after I have found balance in my work & personal life, I want to focus on scaling everything up. I want to figure out what projects I can dive into that will put Rachel Lynn on the maps.

I already have a project in the works for February (which I am so FREAKING EXCITED ABOUT!), but I want to do more. I want to bring my readers products & take webinars and online classes-- I want to do things take Rachel Lynn to the next level.



Q4: Time to Shine

This quarter is admittedly the least planned out, but it's the one I'm most excited for. This quarter is where I want to take all of the work I've done over the past 9 months and gear that towards starting projects and taking all of the knowledge I've just learned to grow.

This quarter is also the same quarter where my blog started to stumble a bit in 2016 and when I had to take a break. In 2017, I want to have secured a strong enough base throughout the rest of the year to take this last quarter by storm.




wish me luck!

xoxo,

Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Snapchat: rgolden75 / Bloglovin'

End of Year Reflections + Exciting Moves for 2017

Hello, friends! I am so excited to be back in the blogging game! This past month and a half hiatus was much needed, but I figured I should write a little check in and bring you all up to speed. The holidays are always a crazy time of year, and I quickly realized that I would not have the time or energy to prepare and keep up with blogging. This year was actually my first Christmas living away from home, so it was a bit of an adjustment. I worked an ish ton and spent the rest of the time buying presents and spending time with my family. (Sounds pretty typical, now that I'm writing it...)

This year was also the first year I bought my own Christmas tree!! Guys, I was SO excited about this tree. I had been dying for a small, cute, white Christmas tree for the longest time. I was bound and determined to bring that little addition into my home & was so psyched to find it at Target. (What can't you find at Target?? amiright?!) I also scored two darling bronze reindeer from TJMaxx and the most adorable Christmas ornaments that matched my room decor perfectly. I really don't want to take it down yet. Am I the only one that wants to keep their decorations up as much as possible??


It was definitely a new experience and now that I have one holiday under my belt as an "adult" I'm sure I'll be better prepared next year. (fingers crossed.) While I didn't have time to blog, I did, however, make time admits the craziness to start planning out 2017 for Rachel Lynn. Earlier in December I watched Hilary Rushford's webinar on organizing your business for the new year and I was so motivated to really put the pressure on myself to make RL as professional and business-esque as possible. I have some seriously exciting goals for this year and an IG project coming up in February! Naturally, I had to pick up an adorable notebook to keep all of my thoughts organized. (Its surprisingly working really well!) I don't want to spoil any of the plans, but I definitely foresee a blog makeover in the future. As soon as I figure out all of the tech aspects of it!


So, as I sit here writing my blog I feel hopeful. I'm not where I want to be in life, but I have a plan, have set goals and see myself making it where I want to be. As Hilary said, you have to get to a point in life where you are unhappy enough with where you are at that the hard work to get where you want to be is worth it. For me, it is 100% worth it. I am so ready for 2017 and all of the challenges awaiting me. I'm hopeful and determined.

"Where you movin?" I said onto better things. 

P.S.- Does anyone else have the worst time uploading photos onto their computer?? I have a Mac Air and I don't know if my computer is just running out of room or if I need to do something, but it seriously took me an hour and a half to upload these pictures. This girl does not have time for that! If you have any tips, help a sista out. <3 <3

xoxo,

Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Snapchat: rgolden75 / Bloglovin'

November Goals & October Recap

Hello, friends! I hope you all had a spooky Halloween yesterday. Sadly, I was scheduled to work last night, so I wasn't able to do much more than snuggle up after I got off and watch Hocus Pocus. Still a great evening, nonetheless! What were you guys up to last night?! Today, though, I'm going to review my goals for last month and set some new goals for myself! For some reason, I'm obsessed with these 'goal' posts. I love writing them because they always keep me accountable. I think about what my goals are the month and what I can be doing to complete those goals. And I love keeping them manageable so I don't feel too overwhelmed! And reading other people's goals gives me so many ideas & inspiration. So without further ado, my november goals and october recap!

OCTOBER BLOG POST RECAP:

Afternoon Tea Time .06: October Goals

Speakeasies in New York City

Fall Hats and Blanket Scarves with Sammy Dress

10 Must Watch Flicks for Halloween

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Your Next Must Visit Brunch Spot in NYC

Real Talk: the Problem with Waiting Until You're Ready

OCTOBER GOALS:

Personal:
1. Read Two Books - Wow, I completely failed on this goal. I've read half of one book, but I definitely wouldn't call that a win. oops!

2. Learn to cook one fall inspired dish - I finally am starting to cook more! I've been having avocado toast with eggs and sautéed tomatoes for breakfast, and it is such a game-changer! This month I made pumpkin spice snickerdoodles and blogged about it here. Then I made spaghetti squash, which was just as yummy. I'm excited to see what else I can create!

3. Finish AHS Season 1 - COMPLETED! I love, love, loved the first season of AHS. All of the characters were so perfectly developed and the cinematography is always on point. I've already started watching the second season, although this one has me a lot more creeped out, so I've been taking it slowly and making sure to watch One Tree Hill afterwards, so that I don't get nightmares. I'm such a baby!

4. Complete at least 5 Fall Bucket List items - I just reread this goal and mentally panicked because I had completely forgotten I even had this as one of my goals. YIKES! I did end up getting this goal completed, though!

1. Finish Stranger Things: I 100% finished watching Stranger Things and wow is it amazing!! I seriously can't wait for the next season, whenever that decides to come out. I'm considering rewatching it with Mason because he hasn't seen it yet. 
2. Watch American Horror Story: I've definitely been watching AHS (as seen up above)
3. Drink a pumpkin spice latte: I drank a pumpkin spice latte (documented for proof here and here :P). I've actually only had that one all season. I like PSL, but I'm not crazy about them anymore. There's a hazelnut drink that comes out around this time that I seriously swoon over, though! 
4. Have a scary movie date: I had a scary movie date with my boyfriend last week. We watched Freddy VS Jason. For some reason the Freddy movies always intrigue me. It wasn't the best scary movie I've ever watched, but it was still a fun date night. :)
5. Watch Hocus Pocus: Last night to celebrate Halloween, I watched Hocus Pocus! It's been one of my favorite Halloween movies since I was a little kid and I love watching it every year. Some of the middle parts dragged on a bit, but it was still as good as always!
6. Go to Fright Nights at Kennywood: Earlier this month, I was able to go to Kennywood with my two girlfriend's and Mason. We spent most of our time going on the rides, but there was a bit of scaring going on, for sure! I snapped/instagram storied the adventure. There was some shrieking involved and some guy ran up to me and tried to chop my head off with a fake ax. I knew he wasn't going to actually hit me, but damn, did he get pretty close! There was also a dead guy doing parkour trying to scare everyone. He was quite interesting. 

For the Blog:
1. Reach 1,500 followers on Instagram & engage more - FINALLY! Wow, guys, I've been trying to reach this goal since like June. I know, JUNE! Granted, at that time it was a pretty lofty goal and most months I wasn't really doing the best at engaging with others, but this month I kicked my butt into gear and finally reached my goal! Persistence definitely paid off.

2. Continue to work on growing Twitter, Pinterest, & Facebook - I've definitely kept these other social medias in the back of my head. Twitter and Facebook have had alright growth, but my Pinterest has been exploding lately! Granted, Pinterest is my newest obsession and I post to group boards a decent amount, but I wasn't expecting such a high amount of growth in one month!

3. Write 4 blog posts ahead of time - I honestly didn't count how many I wrote ahead of time, but I feel like I wrote at least a portion of almost all of my posts ahead of time. Even though I didn't have everything completed, it was seriously a timesaver when it came to posting it the day of and I was able to get more PR stuff done as a result. This is definitely a habit I need to keep up!

4. Update editorial calendar for October - Completed! This is another goal I want to start making into a habit I don't even have to think about. I had half of my calendar completed and staring at the last, empty half gave me such anxiety I had to fill it out immediately! It also helps me visualize how my blog will flow for the upcoming month, which I really like.

5. Organize and send out first newsletter - ooops. There's always one goal I don't complete, that I really should have completed. Honestly, I'm just really overwhelmed with the whole newsletter thing. I'm not really sure how to go about formatting it and what I should write in it. I just need to bite the bullet this month and get it done!




NOVEMBER GOALS:

Personal:
1. Finish one book: I still want to make reading a priority amidst the craziness of life, but I have to be realistic. I do have three books coming in the mail, so hopefully that will be the motivation I need to get to work! 

2. Donate one bag of clothes: I've been meaning to do this for a while now. Today I read Blissfully Brunette's post about minimalism and this has definitely been something I want to start moving towards. I really don't need all of the things I have. So little by little I want to go through my things and decide what I really need and what I'm just holding on to. 

3. Start Scream Queens: Rachel from The Confused Millennial told me a few weeks ago that I should start watching this show. It's been on my to watch list for a while now, and in celebration of the spooky season that has just passed, I think it's appropriate to start watching. Even if I can only sneak in an episode or two. 

4. Complete 5 more items off of my Fall Bucket List: I'm still so determined to make it to a pumpkin patch this season! It seriously needs to happen.

5. Start saving/shopping for Christmas: Yes, I know Halloween was just yesterday and I not honestly in the Christmas spirit just yet, but I am a waitress and have to be practical about the amount of money I need for Christmas shopping. Christmas is my absolute favorite and I hate just giving one present--even if it's a really nice present. When I was younger my grandmother was ALLL about christmas. We'd get our presents and then she would break out all of this stuff to give us. It would be silly things like tissues or tampons-- just odds and ends type things. But we would always leave with an ish ton of stuff. Maybe it's her influence or just my love of giving gifts, but Christmas shopping is always a big thing for me. I really have to be proactive this year! 


For the Blog:

1. Send out newsletter: I'm making this number 1 because I seriously need to do this! Even if I just send out a newsletter once a month, it's something I need to figure out and send out. #determined

2. Reach 1600 followers on Instagram

3. Reach 600 followers on Twitter

4. Reach 600 likes on Facebook

5. Reach 600 followers on Pinterest

6. Write all blog posts ahead of time: (minus today's blog post because it's almost noon and it's still not done. lolololz)

7. Update editorial calendar

8. Read more from Melyssa Griffin: I've already read a few things from her and she's seriously the queen of blogging advice! I get her emails, but I've been too busy to read them. I need to actively take time to read more of her stuff!



Welp, that was a lot of goals. Clearly, I have a lot I need to get done this month. There will definitely be a plethora of coffee snaps, that's fo sho! What are some of your goals for this month?? Help me out on some of my goals and follow me on my different social medias. :) Until next time!

xoxo,

Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Snapchat: rgolden75 / Bloglovin' / Pinterest

Afternoon Tea Time .06: October Goals

Hey, everyone! Things have been a little quiet on the blog lately. Last week was my birthday and I visited my sister and her boyfriend in NYC to celebrate. It was such an exciting and exhausting experience. If you followed along on my Snapchat (rgolden75) you got the full force of my NYC adventures. I feel like I saw and did so much and there was still so much I wanted to do. I'm already planning out my next trip! Now that I'm back and settling into the rhythm of life in Pittsburgh I'm more motivated than ever. New month, new adventures!

September Goals:

Personal: 
1. Read two books - Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud. This was an amazing ending to a thrilling trilogy! I put the book down after finishing and just sat in shock. If you're looking for a thrilling fantasy series, the Bartimaeus trilogy is what you should read!  I was only able to complete half of this, but I had a pretty busy month, and I'm glad I even had time to read one full book!

2. Learn to cook one fall inspired dish - For whatever reason, cooking has just not been a priority for me. I almost always opt for whatever is easiest to throw together. This upcoming month I have to be better about this.

3. Finish New Girl - I cried during the season finale. Nick and Jess are just meant to be together. The current season just started and I can't wait to start watching it! I hope they end up together. 

4. Plan birthday trip to NYC - I just made it back yesterday and I had such a blast! I have so many posts about it planned. Be on the lookout for all things NYC! There will be speakeasies and bottomless brunch involved. :) 

For the Blog:
1. Reach 1,500 followers on IG & engage more - Seriously thought I was going to make it this month. I've still been really bad at engaging and with all the planning for NYC, I have barely been on IG this month.

2. Reach 550 followers on Twitter 

3. Reach 300 followers on Pinterest  - I had so much fun working on growing and engaging on my different social media platforms. Pinterest was definitely my favorite to work with this month. Fall pins are my weakness!

4. Reach 500 followers on Facebook

5. Write blog posts ahead of time - I wasn't able to write all of my posts ahead of time, but I was able to for a few of them. This took so much of the stress out of the blogging process! I'm a procrastinator by nature, but writing ahead of time really helped the process run more smoothly. Slow progress is still progress!

6. Schedule blog posts for the whole month - I was able to write posts ahead of time because I had my whole month planned out.  My editorial calendar saved me. I loved being able to look at my calendar and see how the posts flowed and switch things around if necessary. I love staying organized, so this made my Type A self very happy. :) This will definitely be something I start implementing every month.




October Goals:

Personal:
1. Read Two Books - I want to finish The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud and start on Water for Elephants. Hopefully, I'll have time to work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but that may be a bit ambitious for all the other activities I have planned.

2. Learn to cook one fall inspired dish - I seriously need to start cooking more. This one is a must for me. Apple pie and pumpkin bread sound soo yummu. Leave me links to your favorite fall recipes in the comments below!

3. Finish AHS Season 1 - I started watching this the other night and promptly had a nightmare. hahah, It was totally worth it, though! The first season is so good. Perfect for the spookiness of October!

4. Complete at least 5 Fall Bucket List items - I have so many fall-inspired activities I want to do and I feel like I have next to no time to get them accomplished! I can't wait to get started, though :)


For the Blog:
1. Reach 1,500 followers on Instagram & engage more - Persistance will pay off!

2. Continue to work on growing Twitter, Pinterest, & Facebook - Last month I was so concerned with all my other social medias that I left IG to the wayside. I still want to keep up with the other platforms, but IG is my main focus.

3. Write 4 blog posts ahead of time

4. Update editorial calendar for October

5. Organize and send out first Newsletter - Everyone tells me that a newsletter is such a game changer. It's been something I've always wanted to get around to but never did. I think I'm going to start it off as being bi-weekly. That way I don't bite off more than I can chew. October will be the month I start it!




I seriously can't wait to get to work! What are your goals for October??

xoxo,

Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Snapchat: rgolden75 / Bloglovin' / Pinterest

The Reading List of an English Grad -- Fantasy

Hey, everyone! I hope you're all having a fabulous week. Mine looks like it's going to turn into another whirlwind of a week, but I'm definitely not complaining about it! I'm the type of person that thrives when busy. Today, though, I'm going to slow it down a bit for you and talk about what I love to do to unwind more than anything else-- read. Ever since I was a small child, I loved reading. Library class was my favorite. I had a goal in grade school to read all of the books in the library before I graduated. Pretty ambitious for a small child, but I loved to read, so it was a challenge I was more than willing to accept!


As an English student, I read a LOT in college. Some of the books were pretty tedious and others I just couldn't put down. So today I've decided to start a series about all of the books I've had to read for college. I love finding new books to read and would love to help someone else find their newest favorite novel! As an English Lit major, we were allowed to take a few electives. One of the electives I took was a Fantasy class and this was by far, one of my favorite classes. The teacher was so insightful, yet fun at the same time, and because the books were of a genre we were all invested in, the discussion was interesting and definitely got heated at times.  So without further ado...

The Reading List of an English Grad -- Fantasy edition: 

1. The Fellowship of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - If this list hasn't started off on a good note for you, I may have lost you already, hahah. I had always wanted to read the Lord of the Rings series, but for whatever reason, I had never gotten around to it. This book surpassed all of the hype I had heard about it. Tolkien was truly a genius writer and his books are just as magical as the characters he writes about. 10/10 would recommend! 

2. The Tolkien Reader by J.R.R. Tolkien - This book isn't a novel, but if you're obsessed with Tolkien and his novels, this book gives excellent insight into how he wrote and his thought process. 

3. Lirael by Garth Nix - This book is actually the second in a series called 'The Old Kingdom Trilogy'. I honestly had no idea what to expect when I first started reading this book and was a little confused when I found out we were reading the second book of the trilogy. After diving in, though, I had no problem catching on to all of the characters. This book may not have the same fame as some of the others on this list, but it definitely held its own in my book! (pun intended) I can't wait to get my hands on the first book of this series and finish what I started. 

4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Does this book really need any explanation? With all of the hype around The Hunger Games these past few years, you would think everyone and their mother has read the series. I was so excited when I saw this on my syllabus. I would take any opportunity to read this book again and talk about it in an academic context-- or any context for that matter!

5. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman - Wow. What an amazing book. Unlike the other books on this list, this particular novel is a very quick read! Only about 200 pages. Don't be fooled, though. There's a LOT going on it in. This particular novel takes on the magical world and the read world side by side. This class focused, in general, on the unlikely hero in all of the novels-- mainly the children as heroes and the adults as causing the trouble. I lent my copy to my mother earlier this summer and she really liked it! It's one of the first books that comes to mind as a quick, easy and intriguing read.

6. The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud - If you've been following along my summer goals (June, July, August), you've noticed a slight obsession I've had with Jonathan Stroud. Here is where it all started. Yes, this novel is for children, but it is SO good! Thematically and literarily interesting enough for a term paper or two! This novel takes a look at London in an alternate future where ghosts are not only prevalent but an epidemic. The only solution to this problem comes at the hands of children. Literally. The government hires children to eradicate the problem. In this novel, children are the powerful portion of society and the adults rely fully on them. A very, very interesting and exciting read. 

7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling - Yes, I got to read this amazing novel for class. Yes, it was everything I remembered it to be. 

I can assure you not all of the classes were this exciting. Although I enjoyed all of my classes and the reading material that came along with them, I certainly had my fair share of Renaissance plays and 19th century British Literature. Fun fact, I was in a small group discussion during a British Literature class on a day around Christmas when a girl in my group set one of her papers on fire as a joke. I seriously thought I was going to get kicked out of class. Thankfully, we had seminar in the Cathedral of Learning and my teacher thought the smell of burning paper was due to the fireplaces they light around Christmas in the common area. Never a dull moment.


That's all for today! Be sure to subscribe if you have not already to keep up with everything Rachel Lynn. Also, help me reach my August Goal and follow me on Instagram! I love flowers and coffee and pretty dresses. It's a good time, I promise! Until next time,

xoxo,

Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Snapchat: rgolden75 / Bloglovin'

Floral Print Zaful Dress

Happy Thursday! It's just about the end of the week, and I couldn't be more excited. I know it's only four days in, but I've already been hard at work with my August Goals. I only have four episodes left until the final episode of Gossip Girl and I'm both excited and sad for it to be over. I've been watching this show on and off for five years (yes, it's crazy it's taken me five years to finish this series). In other news, I was so ecstatic to receive this package in the mail and I'm here to tell you all about it. Today I'm bringing to you my latest collaboration with  Zaful. 

*Disclaimer: Zaful gifted me the dress and sunglasses in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 Shop the look: Dress / Sunglasses 

I am low-key obsessed with this company. If I could buy all of the pieces on their site, I would! They're all so chic and modern. This adorable, round collar, a-line dress immediately stood out to me and I knew I had to have it. The back has the perfect amount of cutouts, but the front is still conservative. I also have the worst time finding dresses in the right length for me. Most dresses, even if they're supposed to be short, fall way too long on me. This dress is perfect, though. I can't tell you how excited I was about this find. This dress would be great if you're attending any last minute weddings. And, guys... it's twirl-worthy. That's what I call the perfect dress!

While on their site, I also snagged up these two glasses. I've been dying to get my hands on a pair of statement sunglasses this summer and these are exactly what I was looking for. Their sharp, gold edges give a crisp look to any outfit and I just love how reflective they can be!

Shop the look: Black and Gold / Pink and Gold 

If you like what you saw, be sure to check them out and fall in love just as hard as I have!

Zaful:

Facebook

Pinterest

G+

Blog

Coupon Codes 

xoxo,

Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Snapchat: rgolden75 / Bloglovin'

Afternoon Tea Time .04: August Goals

Hey all! I hope you are all having a lovely Tuesday. It's already been an exciting day over here. If you follow me on Twitter you saw that I just sent in my first paid blog post! I was contacted by Remington a few months ago to write two hair tutorial's for their blog and I just sent in the first one today. This is the first time I've really felt all of the hard work paying off and I can't wait to see where things go from here! It won't be posted to their page for a few weeks, but I will definitely let you know and link it when it does. I'm very proud of it.

Now to the subject of this post-- GOALS. wow. Have I ever mentioned how much I love writing 'goal' posts? These are my favorite to read and write. I get so much inspiration reading others' goals and then feel motivated to complete my own. This past month, however, I was swamped with work. I had a ton of bills due at the end of the month, so I put my personal self to the side and focused. As a result, I wasn't able to complete almost all of my goals. lolololz @ myself.



July Goals:

1. Read two books - I finished half of this goal and am working on another book at the moment. I finished The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud and am currently working on the second book in the trilogy, The Golem's Eye. I'm reading children's books and have zero shame.


2. Get in an exercise routine - I don't think I went out of my way to exercise once this month. Not even going to try to talk my way out of this one.


3. Learn how to cook one new dish - Did I even eat during July....?


4. Catch up on 'The Vampire Diaries' - Finally, a goal I started! I wasn't able to finish the latest season, but I've been obsessing over it. It's sooo good!! 10/10, would recommend.


5. Reach 1500 followers on IG - I'm getting there! I've been chillin around 1330 followers, so I'm pretty proud about this one.


6. Start writing my weekly blog posts the weekend before I want to upload them - lololz


7. Research/ learn more about SEO - lololz


8. Finish two Summer Bucket List items - This month I went to the Pittsburgh Zoo and the PPG Aquarium with my dad and little sister. One Saturday they made a surprise trip down to Pittsburgh and I joined them for a fun, relaxing afternoon. I also went thrifting with two of my friends, devoured some more Dave & Andy's and made my way to Waffles INCaffeinated for another delicious waffle experience!

August Goals:

1. Read two books 

2. Cook dinner more  - One of the things I noticed during July was my lack of cooking, in general. I was so busy with work, I went with the easiest form of food-- mainly soup or sandwiches. I was able to cook dinner with my boyfriend a few nights, but this is definitely something I want to get more into.

3. Learn how to cook one new meal 

4. Finish The Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl - Along with obsessing over TVD, I've got my boyfriend hooked on Gossip Girl. He willingly watched 4 episodes yesterday and I felt like it was Christmas in July! I've never completed all of Gossip Girl, but I'm currently on the final season, so I think I can finish both of these shows. Fingers crossed!

5. Reach 1,500 followers on IG - This will be my goal every month until I can complete it.

6. Reach 500 followers on Twitter 

7. Reach 500 likes on Facebook 

8. Write blogposts ahead of time - This is something I really need to make routine. With work, I have less and less time to devote to blogging and the more I can get ahead of the game, the better!

9. Learn more about SEO and SumoMe - I have a list of blogging goals I write each week and cross off as I get them done. These two have been on that list for a while now and I really need to get them figured out, asap.

10. Finish 4 Summer Bucket List items - I only have one month left of summer and really need to get a move on this list! I've gotten a decent amount done, but there is so much left to do. Kayaking is a M.U.S.T.





What goals do you have for the month?

xoxo,

Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Snapchat - rgolden75 / Bloglovin' 

Step by Step Guide: How I Edit My Instagram Pictures

Hey guys! Lately I've gotten a few questions from people asking how I edit my Instagram pictures. As a complete disclaimer, I'm relatively new to the whole 'theme' idea, but I'm certifiably obsessed with Instagram, so naturally I ran with the idea. When I first started, though, I looked to a thousand different sources to figure out what I was doing. The amount of YouTube videos on the matter is slightly embarrassing. I have compiled all of the knowledge I've learned on the matter and bring to you today the step by step process of how I edit my Instagram pictures.

SETTING
Without a doubt, where you take your pictures and the backgrounds you choose are crucial. I love white space in pictures. I think it gives a clean cut, more professional look to the pictures I take. For me, I gravitate to anything white--rugs, chairs, walls, ice cream, bedspread. Really anything. Once I have that clean base, I build from that. Color pops so much more when put up to a white surface. So whatever your theme and whatever you color scheme, find a setting/background that works with that. 




CAMERA+
Once the perfect picture is taken, then the real magic begins. Camera+ does cost money ($2.99 to be exact), but I've been using this app for the past year and no matter what my theme or style I've been trying to portray, this app has never failed.

           IN THE APP:
          1. 'The Lab'
          2. 'Clarity PRO'
          3. 'Intensity'-- I only bring the intensity up between 10 and 20. This is enough to make the edges pop, but isn't too overbearing.
          4. 'Brightness & Contrast'-- This can be found in 'The Lab', if you scroll to the right.
          5. 'Brightness' -- I bring the brightness up to varying degrees depending on the picture, but I love bright, light pictures, so I usually use a lot of brightness.




FACETUNE
After the picture is accurately intensified and brightened, I make my way over to Facetune. This is another purchased app. It runs at $3.99, but, again, this is such a lifesaver for me. Before the only way I could brighten pictures was through the 'brightness' button. While this worked in some cases, there were times I only wanted to brighten a section of the photo. I use this app to make my whites, whiter. I don't really use it to photoshop my face, although they do have really great features for that, also! For every day pictures the only feature I use is the 'Whiten' feature.





VSCO
This is every blogger/Youtuber's favorite editing app, and for good reason, too!

        IN THE APP:
      1.'HB1' -- My go-to filter, followed closely by 'HB2'. I always edit the strength depending on the picture.
      At this point, depending on the picture I may bring up the 'temperature', to give it a warmer look or bring down the 'saturation' if the picture has too much going on.






UNUM
I used to use VSCO to plan my pictures and how I wanted my page to flow, but after their recent update I had to look elsewhere. I found this beautiful app, that had the answer to all of my prayers! This free app links up the most recent pictures from you Instagram to help you get started. From there, you had add as many picture as you want in whatever order you want. Once added, you can hold down on the picture and rearrange things to see how the flow of your page would change. This app has been such a game changer for me. I always have at least four pictures ready to be posted to my IG and am able to switch the order around whenever I take a new picture. I am also able to see if the picture I just edited fits my theme, or if I need to tweak a few things before going live. This app is my planning savior! 100% recommend. 10/10

There you have it, my Step by Step Guide: How I Edit My Instagram Pictures! If this post has taught you anything, it's that I'm obsessed with IG and will go to great lengths to perfect a picture. Apart from my blog, though, IG is my only other creative outlet, so I love to keep things fun and dedicate time to it. If you have any apps or techniques that have been full proof for you I would love to hear about them in the comments below!  Thanks for reading and happy editing!

xoxo,

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