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Saturday, April 25, 2020

Creating The Perfect Work-From-Home Space


Hello beauties! I thought it would be a great time to share some tips on creating the perfect work space at home as I know many of us are adjusting to this new norm of the constantly having Zoom meetings in our PJs.

Working With A View
I recently moved my desk from my sunroom to my spare bedroom. I realized after many months, that having my TV so accessible while working was becoming unproductive. I decided to then move my work space to my guest room. I like to keep this room free of clutter & make sure to always keep it clean. I'm one of those people who gets stressed by disorganization/messes. The most important change I made was to move my desk FACING a window. This really made a huge difference in my productivity.

Facing the window gave me more energy because the sunlight would really keep me focused. Also the view of the trees/nature really gave me positive feelings that kept me motivated to work. Although I do have a TV in my guest room it is behind me so I do not think of turning it on to watch anything. If anything I use it to play relaxing music like some good ol' Frank Sinatra or Billie Holiday. Having a window view also gave me great lighting for my my meetings where I am on video calls. I highly suggest this tip as the first one to implement if you are struggling with the new norm of having to be productive at home.

Organization & Scheduling
As mentioned previously, I am one of those types of people who gets overwhelmed when there is a mess or lack of order. This applies to EVERYTHING in my life. Working from home can make it really difficult to separate work & home life. Make sure to set an alarm to remind you for your lunch break, your meetings, & your time to "clock out". Keep up with your schedule using a planner, your phone, or your Outlook calendars. Make a to-do list for your work tasks everyday but remember there is only so much you can get through in one day so give yourself some grace, especially in times like these. Think about all the aspects of what a typical day at work was like before & implement what you still can while at home.

Work Attire
I occasionally get asked, "Why are you so dressed up just to go to _____?" and my response is always "Because if I look good, I feel good, & I have a good day". Don't get me wrong, I have my days where feeling good involves a pair of sweat pants & fuzzy socks, but since we are staying safe inside these days we all want a reason to get all dressed up. I encourage you to do your makeup, try out a new look, or even a new hairstyle while you get ready to work from home. This will give you that extra pump you may need to have a productive day.

Overall my current work from home routine consists of getting dressed, light makeup, the perfect cup of iced coffee, & some jazz music to keep me going.

Do you have any work from home tips you recommend? Let me know on my IG @lapetitedemoiselle

Hope you are having a productive week!


Love always,
-HaylyO

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Productive Things To Do At Home


Hello beauties! I hope you are all staying safe & inside! I'm sure I'm not the only one that likes to keep busy & does well with routine. The circumstances we are all in right now are not ideal & everyone is pretty much handling things in a different manner. I figured it would be a great time to give you all some ideas of some productive things to do while at home. You know, other than binge watching Netflix shows! Let me know what you guys are doing to keep yourselves afloat during the quarantine.

Closet Clean Out/Organization
This is one of my first go-to tasks whenever I have a lot of time on my hands. I did a lot of closet clean out when moving but I realized that there was still some things I could do without. Since the seasons are in transition I decided to move all my winter clothing out & make space for spring/summer pieces. I like to pick out pieces that I do not wear or do not fit anymore & set them aside in a bag to take to Plato's Closet. You can also use apps like Poshmark to sell your items. Most of the time I like to donate my clothing to those in need. Since summer is around the corner, this would be a great time to try on bathing suits & see which ones you don't want anymore. Doing this closet clean out even motivated me to begin styling summer/spring outfits.

As far as organization I like to coordinate my clothing. Some people like to coordinate by style (glam, casual, athletic, etc.) or even by color. I prefer to organize my clothing by sleeve length. My closet begins with crop tops & tanks then moves to dresses & sweaters. On the opposite side I keep all my casual wear like t-shirts, work shirts, flannels, etc. All my leggings are folded in one pile & my jeans are folded in another. Rearranging the way you organize your closet will likely create more space & it will feel less overwhelming if you have a lot of clothes.

Try New Recipes
Since we are staying safe at home, this is the perfect time to try out new recipes. A lot of my friends have been baking cupcakes & other sweets. It is very entertaining & of course, tasty :)
Aside from desserts, I like to look on Pinterest for dinner/lunch recipes to try out. I recently came across a tasty Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadilla recipe & let me tell you... FIRE! A great idea is to FaceTime or ZOOM call your friends & having a cooking/baking party virtually! If you have a quarantine bae you can set up a Painting with A Twist kind of night like I did! I made pizza from scratch, pulled out a bottle of wine, set up Netflix & had a relaxing time painting.

Interior Design
If you are interested in finally getting around to decorating or maybe even re-decorating your house, I highly recommend the Morpholio Board app! It is basically an app where you can connect your Pinterest account & create vision boards for your home. This app has helped me a lot because I am a very visual person. It makes it easy to see exactly I how I want things to look like when remodeling.

Take A Walk
This is something that I do on a daily basis & honestly, it is my favorite part of the day. Spring is here & as I take my walks I like to notice things that I typically wouldn't notice on my day-to-day routine. Taking in the moment of seeing the flowers bloom more & more everyday, dodging bees left & right (my least favorite part of my walks LOL), noticing the beauty of my neighborhood. This is a great way to get in some relaxing exercise. I highly recommend that you get up & get moving for at least 20-30 minutes a day.

DIY
I am dying to go to Michaels & pick up a tie-dye kit! The new spring trend is tie-dye & I am living for it. Nicole Guerriero has me wanting to make tie-dye socks after her Nike Tie Dye Socks video. The Fashion Muse has also posted a IGTV video on How To: Tie Dye with Bleach. You can also check out my blog post on my DIY Denim Jacket.


Let me know what you are doing to keep busy on my IG @lapetitedemoiselle

Stay safe & stay inside!


Love Always,
-HaylyO

Monday, June 24, 2019

Short Girl Hack


Hey beauties! I recently came across a YouTube video on how to cut your jeans to make you look taller & I decided to try it out. This hack is great for those of you on the shorter end, like me (4 ft. 11 in. over here)!

All you need is:

The jeans I have on are from Hollister, I find that their jeans are super comfortable and soft. I actually have two other pairs but I accidentally bought the wrong measurement for this pair. I never ended up wearing them until now since I was finally able to get rid of the bunch that tends to happen around the ankles. I love how they came out !


Check out Milena's videos, I love her! She also does vlogs, family & faith related videos.
Milena's YouTube channel: Milena Ciciotti
Milena's Instagram: @milenaciciotti


Let me know if you beauties try this hack out!


Love Always,
-HaylyO

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

5 Things College Taught Me That Weren't On The Syllabus


Hello beauties! I'm here to spill the beans about what I learned throughout my college experience, & I'm not talking about the course competencies that are on the first 10 pages of your syllabus!

Do you, boo boo
If there's one thing I was shocked about during my time in college was that adults are just as immature as children LOL. I always expected everyone to have some sort of maturity when It came college since ... we are not in high school anymore, especially because I was always the youngest student in all of my courses. However, I quickly learned that wasn't the case. Some people, no matter their age, knowledge, point of view, etc. will hate on everything you do. My advice is, ignore the comments, ignore the hate, be the outcast, sit alone if you have to, do NOT settle. You are better off without them, trust me! If you are passionate about your work believe in yourself & create what makes you happy. Stay authentic!

Take it into consideration
Some professors will be hard on you & sometimes, it sucks. I'm always learning to listen to other points of view & take them into consideration.

"Wise people prefer to benefit from constructive criticism rather than be ruined by false praise."
-Shiv Khera

One of my favorite quotes during my college years!
Great people care about your growth and want to see you do better. If a wise person gives you constructive criticism, don't shut down! Take it into consideration. Trust me, you will know who really wants to see you do better & who is really just trying to put you down (hence, my first tip^). be humble & except the advice.

Not everyone shares the same passion
Not everyone in college is passionate about their major. Some people are dealing with life outside of class, some people are distracted, and some people just haven't gotten their wake up call yet. Find people who are just as passionate as you, even if it's only 1 other person. Remember: quality over quantity. One thing that never changes in life is that fact that you will always outgrow some people, even in college. You will outgrow those people who are not as passionate as you. When you find those who share the same dedication to their craft as you, you will see the value in networking and having these relationships. These kind of friendships will drive all parties towards a positive outcome. Growth. 
Never underestimate the importance of your support system.

Don't expect everyone to understand
Throughout your college years you may be too busy for a social life, stressed, frustrated, you may need to quit a job/hobby, you may need to get a 2nd or 3rd job, you may not see your family/significant other as much as you would like, etc. Guess what? Some people just don't get it. I learned not to blame them. Some people just dont' get it or can't relate because they are just simple not in your shoes, & that's fine. I learned to move past that frustration of no one understanding what I was going through. I just kept reminding everyone & myself that this was only temporary. It's just a season in your life.

Learn to take the hint
Don't ignore when your body is telling you when it's time to take a break or make a change. Take a moment to analyze the cause and effect of your negative feelings whether it be physical or mental. For me I had to change my priorities & organization. I had to give myself a bedtime, force myself to better prepare for things, realize that I had to cut certain people out of my life, & had to acknowledge my anxiety. College taught me to be just as passionate about myself as am I to my craft.

To my college beauties: Enjoy your college years! People always told me "high school is the best four years of your life", but I disagree. College was SO much better!

I hope this piece helps you on your journey!


Love Always,
-HaylyO





Sunday, May 26, 2019

Life Update



Hello Beauties! A lot has happened since I've last posted so I thought I'd post a life update. 
    • First of all, ya girl has finally graduated college! No more stressing over assignments, observations, and presentations! It still feels weird not having to do homework or go to class. Am I crazy for saying I kinda miss it?!
    • The most exciting news of all is that I've moved! I am now a North Carolinian. I hope you guys are ready for all the #adulting posts that are to come in the new future. Maybe I can post updates as I decorate my new home.
    • As I dive deep into #adulting, I want to incorporate some tips/advice into my blog posts. Although I've mostly kept my blog focused on fashion, I feel like it would be great to share ideas and tips with each other.


I look forward to getting into the swing of things on here. Please stay connected with my through my Instagram @lapetitedemoiselle!


Love Always,
-HaylyO



Saturday, January 20, 2018

Birthday Brunch & Bubbly












Hey beauties! How's the new year treating you? Above are photos from my birthday brunch at TAP42 Coral Gables. Luckily it wasn't too chilly and I was able to wear this embroidered romper I purchased just a few days prior. I had a different outfit in mind but when I saw this piece I immediately thought it was perfect. The restaurant is great for a Sunday hangout spot with friends or even to dance to some good music. I do suggested making reservations/coming early because there is a line to get in.

One Sundays, TAP42 has $20 unlimited Mimosas, Bloody Mary's and Floridians. Their menu has unique entrees but I went with the White Chocolate Pancakes with Strawberries and sipped on some frozen Rosé ($5 each).

For those of you who attended, I am extremely grateful to have you and your support in my life. I hope you all enjoyed yourselves!

Cheers to another year full of memories and happiness!

Romper- $34 Love Culture
Gold heels- Aldo


Love Always,
-HaylyO





Saturday, January 6, 2018

A Chilly Morning At The Farm

















Happy Saturday beauties! Today I had the best breakfast ever, cinnamon rolls from Knausberry Farm down in Homestead, FL. My friends and I woke up at 6AM just to beat the line for these famous sweets. The lines are known to be ridiculously long! After devouring our rolls we stopped at Burr's Berry Farm about 10 minutes away to take some pictures. These spots have fresh produce, baked goods, shakes, and you can even pick your own strawberries.

If you are ever in the area during season, I would definitely recommended stopping for some goods at these farms (cash ONLY)! We had a beautiful Saturday morning together and I can't wait to eat another cinnamon roll! I wish you all could smell the deliciousness.

Blush pink sweater- H&M
Black leggings- Forever21
Black boots- Traffic shoes (years ago!)
Olive bomber jacket- Forever21


Love Always,
-HaylyO 

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

NYE In NYC












Hey beauties! Happy New Year! I wish you all the best in 2018! This year I plan to dedicate myself even more to my content for you all as well as my school work. I have yet to come up with a new years resolutions since I got a little sick from my trip and I am busy unpacking/catching up with life. Please let me know what your resolutions are in the comments or on my IG (@lapetitedemoiselle). I want to hear them ALL! 

I must say 2017 was a year of new experiences: I got my first degree, voyaged on my first cruise, attending blogger events for the first time, met one of my fav. influencers, The Fashion Muse, made some great people, and last but not least I traveled to New York for the first time!

Above are a few of the many pictures from my trip to NY. I visited the Empire State Building, Louis Vuitton exhibit, 9/11 Memorial, Grand Central Station, etc. It was honestly, an experience of a lifetime. Although the temperature was about 17 degrees, I still made it through all the sight seeing. On my last day there I met a great group of people at the NYE party I attended and got to end my trip with a night full of positive vibes. I hope to see them again soon.

I hope you all dedicate yourselves to whatever you believe in and like I always say, if no one has told you they are proud of what you've done, I am!

Cheers to 2018! 


Love always,
-HaylyO

Monday, December 25, 2017

Waiting On Santa Like ....










Hey beauties! Here I am, alive after Fall 2017 semester! Can you believe it? I can't. What a busy 4 months it has been and it's only going to get busier in 2018. Im glad I have a little more time to post. Stay tuned for posts on my Winter vacay.....packing as we speak. I hope you all have enjoyed the holidays and cherished the great memories with your friends and families. I'm glad I am lucky enough to be home for the holidays. Always appreciate the time spent together, love is not materialistic.

On another note, I want to wish my mother a very Happy Birthday today! Im extremely happy to see her enjoying her life now after some rough past years. Te amo mom!

Happy Holidays from me to you!

P.S. It's Capricorn season ;)

Mesh black body suit- $12.90 Forever21
Black lace strapless bra- I have no idea 
Black slit pants- Less than $25 TJMaxx
Black suede heels- $18.99 AMI Clubwear


Love always,
-HaylyO



Creating The Perfect Work-From-Home Space

Hello beauties! I thought it would be a great time to share some tips on creating the perfect work space at home as I know many of us ...