Guest Post: Lindsey aka The Bargain Blonde

I have a super, special treat for you today that I just know you’re going to LOVE! Lindsey {The Bargain Blonde} is here guest posting for moi! Can you believe it? Neither can I. I can’t even tell you how much I adore this girl and her blog! Not only does she manage to crack me up in every post {literally, every one}, but she’s a total beauty, and has the most GENIUS bargain finds! Sure, I consider myself pretty frugal and love a good steal, but this girl knows it all! She finds amazing deals/ideas for everything – I’m talking make-up, home decor, organization, recipes, fashion, you name it! Oh yeah, and she blogs about her lovely Dallas lifestyle…  she even just scored herself a stellar townhouse! It’s no wonder I live vicariously through her :) So, without further ado, take it away Lindsey!

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Hello Life is a Sunset fans!  I'm Lindsey aka The Bargain Blonde, and I blog about living the fab life on a budget.  Isn't Chelsea the sweetest and the prettiest?  She's definitely one of my faves out here in the ole blog-o-sphere, and so when she asked for a guest post, I couldn't wait to oblige. I'm actually a fairly new blogger, but in a few weeks I will celebrate my 1 year anniversary of blogging.  Yay!

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Unlike Chelsea, I got a really slow start blogging because I had no clue what I was doing.  Then I didn't get super serious about blogging until around January and that's when my addiction for blogging was born.  Chelsea is already doing a fabo job blogging, but I thought I'd offer a few tips that I've learned along the way. I don't consider myself a blogging expert by any means as I am still learning, these are just the top 5 things that have worked for me as I developed my little blog:

 

1. Find your voice.

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All of my "In Real Life" (IRL) friends who read my blog always tell me they love that when they read my blog because they can hear me when they read it. Biggest. Compliment. Ever.  Just be the best version of you, don't try to write like anyone else or be anyone else.

 

2. Build blogger relationships

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If you would have told me I'd meet the amazing girls I've met through blogging, I wouldn't have believed you.  These girls have changed my life and completely inspire me each and every day. Any blogger can attest to the amazing community we have.  Make sure you build and maintain your blogging relationships. 

 

3. Develop good content

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It takes a while to get rolling because you need good content.  This semi goes along with finding your voice, but when you first start out, write as though you're writing to a ton of readers.  And write stuff you'd want to read yourself. I always think would I want to read this?  If not, then I won't write it.

 

4. Write often

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Self-explanatory.  It's pretty crazy how much blog post ideas take over my thoughts. I'm always thinking up what new topics I can blog about. I recently bought a calendar from the Dollar Store that I plan my blog posts out on, which helps me stay on track. Any time I get an idea I write it down because if I don't, I'll forget.  I try my best to blog Monday through Friday, but that doesn't always happen.

 

5. Social Network Your Blog [via]

I didn't start Tweeting until a few months ago and I made a Facebook page just a few weeks ago.  Social networking helps build your brand, get in touch with those blog friends I mentioned already and promote yourself for free.  Do. It. And that concludes my top 5 blogging tips, thanks for having me Chels! I hope you ladies found them semi-useful and informative!  Whatever you do, if you love to blog then keep it up and do what makes you happy.  Eventually you'll find success.  Promise.  What are your top blogging tips for newbies starting out?

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Like I said, she’s a genius! You’re pretty much guaranteed to always learn something new in her posts. Lindsey is living proof that with a love for blogging and some hard work and dedication, you can go far! Thanks, Linds for all the awesome tips! I know I’ve definitely taken them all to heart {and I’m sure I’m not the only one!} :)

So, go do yourself a favor and head over to The Bargain Blonde if you haven’t already, and before you know it, you’ll be a bargainista too :)

Early Birthday Wishes

I just wanted to write a little dedication to the greatest man I know, my dad :) Tomorrow is his birthday but tomorrow he will be spending a good portion of his day flying through the air on his way to me. It’s a last minute trip and proof of his selflessness. I’ve never met a person as selfless as he is. Truly.

Don’t worry, I plan on taking him out to dinner tomorrow to one of my favorite places in Salt Lake City. I can never thank him enough for all that he’s done for me. This year especially.

Happy Birthday, Pops! I’m so exited to see you :)

Would I Change Anything?

I’ve been in the journaling mood for quite some time now but the only “journals” I have right now are half-used spiral notebooks and I’m too OCD to start halfway through the pages. One day I will go buy myself a pretty, new journal. Until then, I’ve got this blog :) I can’t tell you how much I LOVE Danielle’s blog over at Sometimes Sweet. She has posted another journal prompt and I’ve decided to take the challenge:

If you had a free pass to go back and change anything in your past, with the promise that it would only affect you positively, would you do it? And if so, what would you change?

I have always been one to say, I don’t regret things, I learn from them. Recently, I started to question that. I hit a point where it felt like I had made a series of wrong turns along this thing called life; turns I wished I had never made. But now as I’m able to shed a bit more light on those turns, I KNOW and TRUST that I made them for a reason. I truly believe, no matter how hard it is sometimes, that everything happens for a reason. It may be days, months, or years before we start to find the answers, but one day we will.

There is a difference between wishing something didn’t happen the way that it did and regretting something. If I could go back and change anything, I would change the way I approached some situations. Looking back, I went into certain times being too naive and caving to pressure instead of standing up for myself. This is a random example, but one of the first times I drove on the freeway, I was in the far right lane and out of nowhere, I looked in my rearview mirror and there was a huge tractor trailer on my tail. I am terrified of tractor trailers. So, instead of keeping my pace and letting him pass me, I caved and hit the pedal to the floor. I had to have hit almost 80 mph in a few seconds. Something bad could have happened.

I’m not some dare devil who flies by the seat of my pants. I’m a planner and I’m usually overly very cautious. But, looking at the past I see that most situations where I wasn’t cautious were when my thoughts and actions were influenced by something or someone other than myself. In the end, I end up letting myself down. I think that while it may take longer and it may inconvenience someone else, if I am making a decision about my life, I should take my time. It will affect me positively in the end.

Here’s another example: Today I was at the pet store. I was at the register, had Stella in her carrier on one arm, my purse hanging on the elbow of my other arm, and my wallet in one hand. The cashier hands the bag, some dollar bills and some coins back to me and starts ringing up the lady behind me. I try putting the change back, and then the dollars but they start to get stuck. I feel like I must be taking forever, so I start to walk away with two bulky things on my arms and money and a wallet in my hands. I should have just taken my time at the register but instead, I made it hard on myself.

While I can’t go back and change what’s happened in the past, I want to make a point of not letting this happen as frequently {or at all} in my future. I want to stay true to myself in all things I do.

Fill in the Blank Friday {14}

Happy Friday, everyone! You know that feeling when you just go, go, go and you wonder what it’s going to be like one day when you stop, stop stop? Yeah, that’s me.

I started thinking about Fridays. What Fridays were like as a little kid. What Fridays were like in high school and then in college. What Fridays were like two years ago, two months ago, and what my Friday is like today. Next Friday will be different too. More on that next week. For now, I’m linking up with Lauren over at The Little Things We Do! If you haven’t checked out her blog lately, you have to because she has some adorable and exciting news to share :)

1. My idea of pure perfection would be     having the job, funds, and means to travel to many of the world’s cities with my family and close friends. Talk about making memories to last a lifetime…

2. Compassion     makes the world go 'round.

3.  If it weren't for     music    I’d    probably go insane. I can have it pretty much everywhere I need it. In the car, on a plane, at the gym, in a quiet house.

4.  Bloggers are      some of the most talented, caring, fun, and creative people I’ve ever “met.” I’ll say it again, this community is amazing and I’m so thankful to be a part of it finally.

5.  If I had     won the lottery   I’d buy you    a vacation anywhere you’d like!

6.  I'm glad it's Friday because     it’s been a long, busy, exhausting week and I’m ready to watch all my MTV shows online. That said, if any of you have some suggestions for awesome shows I can find and watch online, let me know! :) I’m bummed that TLC isn’t easily accessible.

7.  Something I'm excited about is      Fall! I’m so excited for brown leather boots, a light jacket, the sound of the crisp leaves skimming the streets, a Styrofoam cup of apple cider in between my hands, and all the colors :) Mmmmm

Source: sunsurfer.tumblr.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

That’s all for this week! Be sure to check back next week because some of my favorite people ever will be over here guest posting and I couldn’t be more excited! Seriously. It’s a big deal!

Have a beautiful weekend :)

Friday's Fancies | Back to School

Since the Spring of 2008, the closest thing I've had to a "Back to School Outfit" is a "First Day of New Job" outfit. Not quite as exhilarating. So, I was pretty pumped when {av} over at {long distance loving} chose Back to School for this week's Friday's Fancies theme.

I decided this would be my "22-year-old going into senior year" outfit for Fall Semester. While my style has changed slightly, I tried to think back to what I would have chosen during those college days while keeping up with today's trends.

My guidelines for First Day of School fashion:

Something fun and cute but simple

For the outfit, I went with solids. I found the caramel brown skirt first and LOVED it. I love that it's flowy and playful and pairs perfectly with a brightly colored tank. If you went to college where I did, it's still sweltering hot and humid on the first day of classes. While I would freeze to death in class thanks to the A/C being on full-blast, tanks and shorts/skirts were necessary while walking across campus and/or socializing with friends that I hadn't seen all Summer.

Since I chose solids, I wanted to pick a flashy statement necklace and some other fun accessories. {Okay, so maybe that's just my philosophy on accessories in general.} Sandals are a given on campus in the warmer months and these match almost perfectly with the skirt! And the aviators... oh, the aviators! I'm aviator-obsessed to the point where I finally made myself start buying other styles of sunglasses because I had so many aviators. I miss them. They remind me of my college days...

The saddlebag is PERFECT for back to school AND for this outfit! I mean, really. What would we do without our big bags?! Throw your notebooks, pens, overpriced textbooks, and Vera Bradley planner in here and you're good to go! And since it's still hot, you'd find me with a drink in hand such as a lemonade or a fun Starbucks smoothie like this one. Again, that would not help once I'm in class sitting at my ice-cold desk. Eh.

Okay, now I miss college even more. Even the cold desk part. Oh, CNU... do I need to write a post about all the things I miss about you? It's hard to believe this time of year 4 years ago I was getting ready to start my senior year. To all of you still in college, treasure these days. You'll never have anything like them again.

Sailing the Seas of Life

"You can't control the wind but you can adjust your sails."  

Source: my.qoop.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

My nephew posted that quote yesterday on Facebook and it hit me pretty hard. I immediately loved it and found it rather fitting for where I am in life right now.

Things happen in this life that we can't control. They just happen. However long we search for the answers or try to change what happened, we can't. We can't go back.

 

Source: happythings.tumblr.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

But we can control what we do after it happens.

We can control how it affects us.

How it changes our lives.

And maybe, just maybe, we can control what happens next.

 

Maybe the incident will help us become better prepared for the future.

If we sense strong seas ahead, maybe we can adjust our sails ahead of time.

 

I don’t have all the answers. I don’t always know why.

But, I do know that I can always adjust my sails and for that I am grateful.

Oh, How Pinteresting | Sassy Skirts

My wardrobe needs a major re-vamp. Buying a shirt here or there every couple of months just isn’t cutting it. So, one of these days {who knows when?} I’ll go on a shopping spree and have a fun, new wardrobe. For now, though, I do my window shopping on Pinterest. It’s safer that way!

Today while I link up with The Vintage Apple for Oh, How Pinteresting Wednesday, I’ll be showing you some of the sassy skirted outfits that I’m loving. I’m seeing Labor Day reminders and signs everywhere now which means, Fall is right around the corner. Wear skirts while you can! {Although I’ve never been one to pass up a skirt with tights}

Source: brunchatsaks.blogspot.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: masikawa.tumblr.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: runningonhappiness.blogspot.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: whatiwore.tumblr.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This outfit below so reminds me of something a girl in DC would be wearing. GW chic!

 

 

 

Source: weheartit.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: chictopia.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

And now for a little color blocking:

This first one reminds me of an Ashley Hebert {Bachelorette} outfit

Source: kristinakh.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: blog.cocoandrogers.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

Last up is one of my favorites and I can’t figure out why. Maybe it’s the belt paired with the fun Aztec pattern? I know not. It could be just a littttle bit longer though. And I just made up the name of that pattern.

Source: nymag.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

These styles are all completely different. I must be in an in-between style. Hopefully as I re-vamp my wardrobe I’ll find the style that feels right for me. Can I say “style” any more?!

Which kind of sassy skirt do you rock?