Pictures from Horcaio Printing

Happy Wednesday loves! We are halfway through the week and closer to the weekend! Those close to me know that I am very organized and strive when there is a plan in place. The firm that I work for is very tech and digitally-driven, so when I first started working there people would laugh at the fact that I still used a paper planner when all my appointments, meetings & reminders could easily be on any device in my Google Calendar. 

Working a full-time job, running a blog and planning our wedding is a lot to handle and keep track of. Since college, I have always loved planners. There's something about quality stationery, beautiful design, and intentional planning. I've gone through quite a few planners and while each of them had things I loved (fun designs, unique layouts and a variety of sizes), none of them had everything I wanted in a planner until I discovered Horacio Printing!

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As soon as I saw the 2017 Heavenly Planner on Instagram, I knew I had to have it. The gorgeous marble cover, thick paper, and simple design were everything I was looking for. The layout is structured but also allows for you to decide how you layout your planner. With a monthly and weekly view, you can see everything at a global level or drill down to the details of your week.

The planner is sold on its own, but what I love about this brand is their kits! You receive the planner, a note pad, a day-planner notepad, stickers, washi tape, two beautiful prints and everything comes perfectly packaged in a canvas bag and gorgeous collectable box. 

There are other planners and kits available - the Classic Planner (pictured above), the Lovely Planner (the cutest pink!), and their newly released Student Planner + Kits!

The best part? All of the 2017 planners and kits are 50% off right now! If you love planners, appreciate beautiful design and being intentional with your time, run don't walk to this site! I also love this brand because of their beliefs and mission. Being a Christian company, they strive to inspire and give back with their business. Horacio Printing gives 10% of all sales to A21.org, an incredible non-profit organization that is making a difference by fighting human trafficking globally. 

With a great mission, high quality products & a sale happening, you have to check out Horacio Printing! 

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SHOP THE LOOK

Happy Monday loves! I hope everyone's week is off to a great start! I'm having a hard time getting out of Sunday Brunch mode from yesterday. We were celebrating my cousin's birthday and I wore this cute romper & mules! They are both older purchases, but I linked some great look a likes above, most of which are on sale! This one is my favorite & has such a cute halter neckline!

Looks like this are easy to throw on and not feel too hectic to put together, but still super chic! This look could also be great for a night or a date with your SO! Just add a fun lip color, bold earrings or a colorful shoe. 

These mules have been on my wishlist for months & they are sale during the Nordstrom Anniversary sale right now! There are a ton of sizes left & they also come in 3 other colors!

Thanks so much for reading! I'd love to hear what you'd like to see on the blog in the comments below! Or head to my instagram & leave me a comment there! (@amanda_ballard). 

Happy Thursday loves! I wanted to let you know about a great sale other than the Nordstrom Anniversary sale! Steve Madden has always been one of my favorite affordable shoe designers that stay on trend and knows that their consumer can't break the bank with this season's new style. 

I've rounded up my favorites from the sale below with all sorts of styles and seasons in mind! These are my favorites for this summer - they aren't too high and are super comfortable! Cognac is the easiest color to match with any outfit and will be huge for fall! Over the knee boots have been on trend for a few seasons now and you can't beat these black ones! I have the heeled version and always kick myself for not getting the flat version. They go with everything and are so chic in the winter! 

Summer is such a great time to bring in color into your wardrobe and shoes are my favorite way to do it (and lipstick!). These are so fun and are perfect for date night! Definitely on my wish list!

We are just hanging out this weekend and are going to enjoy the nice weather at the beach! What are your plans? Comment below to let me know what you're doing and what shoes you'll be wearing & getting from the sale! Thanks so much for reading! xx

Similar Top | Similar Pants | Shoes | Similar Bag & love this | Sunnies

When it comes to after work drinks or dinner, it is a thing in Chicago! I feel like it's a thing for most people in their 20s in big cities, but learning how to structure the right outfits that are appropriate for work and fun enough for cocktails can be tricky. I've added some of my favorite looks and some tips and tricks below so you can get some style inspo! 

One of my favorite tips for work to cocktails is to put a clutch in your work tote. With a bright lipstick inside and some fun earrings, you'll have everything you need for a quick switch before you head out! 

Living in Chicago, I walk most places. While even the most comfortable shoes can get you from A to B, they will eventually hurt. My favorite hack of this is bringing along a similar pair of flats that you can wear around the office or while you walk to the restaurant and then head to then switch into your heels! Having a tote bag with you that can carry both is super helpful, especially if you can leave it at work, grab your clutch and go! 

Fun jewelry can completely change an outfit! Adding a statement necklace or colorful shoe can switch up your outfit from work wear to a night out in a flash. A structured bag works for both outfits and a neutral color works with any changes your making from the office to drinks!

A monochromatic outfit is one of my favorite looks in the summer! It is so chic (especially in white) and I love adding pops of color with lipstick, a bag or a patterned shoe! Add some classic, simple jewlery and you will be the chicest girl at the bar! I added a few color options if you're looking for something other than white! 

I'd love to hear your go-to work outfit in the comments below! Thanks so much for reading and have an amazing rest of the work week! xx

Hey loves! Happy Nordstrom Anniversary Early Access Day! For those of you that have a Nordstrom credit / debit card, you can start shopping the sale today (as I'm sure you've been told 5 million times already by other bloggers!) If you aren't a card holder, no worries! The sale opens to the public on July 21st! But if you want a Nordstrom Card, you can apply and shop the sale here.

I've rounded up my favorites from the sale above, most of which are under $50! There are a few splurge items on here. If you are thinking about buying a designer item NOW is the time before prices go back up after August 6th! Just click the pictures above and it will take you straight to that item! 

A few things to remember:

• If you like something and are contemplating, buy it! Nordstrom has free shipping and a great return policy so if you regret the purchase or something doesn't fit you can always return it!
• If you aren't sure about sizing, get multiple (see first bullet returns!) 
• Designer items like jeans, Tory Burch anything, Rebecca Minkoff, and shoes all sell out really quickly! 
• Start online - many stores will not have all the inventory they have online. If you can't find something in store there's a good chance it is still online! But, if you can't find it online try calling your nearest store to see if they can ship it to you or pick it up!
• I know it's Summer, but most of the things on sale are geared for FALL. You probably will not find many Summer items on sale. 

Happy Shopping! xx

Hey, Y'all! I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend and everyone is getting back into the grind this Monday! I am definitely adjusting to the time zone changes we went through and the whole more-than-four-hours-of-night time-thing! (Alaska had about 20 hours of daylight!). 

Just a heads up, this post is filled with pictures so I hope you're ready for a longer-ish post. Kollin and I were so excited for this trip since we both love the Pacific Northwest and all that Alaska had to offer! We started out boarding the ship in Seattle and left port in the afternoon.  

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We had a full day of sailing all the way to Juneau, Alaska, but the views on the way there did not disappoint! Once we arrived in Juneau, we had our first excursion of whale watching. It was cold and rainy that day, but it made for some pretty ominous and epic pictures! We boarded a smaller boat and made our way to a lodge for a salmon bake prior to whale watching. After a delicious lunch, we hopped back on the boat and set out to find some whales. We saw about 5 humpback whales and it was so neat to be as close as we were to them! I think the whale watching excursion is great, but you will definitely see a ton of whales while on the cruise ship so keep that in mind if you are looking to do something else!

Following whale watching in Juneau, we boarded the ship and made our way to Skagway, Alaska (my favorite part of the trip!). Our day in Skagway consisted of taking a coach bus to the top of a mountain and boarding a train to take back down the mountain. This was by far the best day for visibility, as you can see in the pictures! We stopped several times during the bus ride up the mountain for some breathtaking views and then boarded the train to head back down. 

Over the next two hours, we cruised rode down the mountain and saw such breathtaking, amazing imagery. I wish we could've stayed in Skagway for a few more days, it was the cutest town and area! *Fun Fact* Skagway was rushed upon by miners in the late 1890s on the hunt for gold. With thousands of miners traveling to the area, it quickly became the hub for gold miners looking to strike it rich. However, this was because Skagway was the closest town to the gold fields, a difficult 600 miles away. Thousands of men and horses died on the passage from avalanches, illness, murder and hunger. This difficult journey was mostly unsuccessful for the majority of the travelers because the mines had been dug by so many that by the time they reached to field, the gold was gone.

Jacket - old (Similar) | Boots 

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After Skagway, we sailed on to Tracy Arm Fjords and Glacier and began to venture into icy waters, literally! Unfortunately, because of the ice we were not able to see the glacier and bypassed that part of the trip to continue onto the Canadian portion of the cruise.

During the sailing day between Skagway and Victoria, British Columbia, we celebrated the Fourth of July on the ship with a "street" party in the promenade and a festive dinner. This day was actually really beautiful with sunshine and warmer weather!

Sunglasses (use code "NewShades4You" for 10% off!) | Jacket | Shoes 

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Our last stop on the cruise was Victoria, British Columbia. This was the best weather of the trip, sunny and a high of 80 was a great change of pace! We docked and jumped on a bus to go explore Victoria. We stopped at several shops and gathered some mementos, Canadian favorites (maple syrup) and some unique artwork to take home. It was the perfect ending to the trip before we headed back to Seattle. With gorgeous scenery, whales, delicious food and incredible memories, this trip is one we will never forget! Kollin is already asking to go back! lol

What I packed:

• Jeans (several pairs)
• Leggings / Yoga pants
• Jean jacket, army green jacket, cold weather jacket, rain jacket
• Sweaters
• Baseball hat, would highly recommend a beanie as well for colder days!
• Two dresses for dinner (one formal)
• One pair of heels, flip flops, boots, tennis shoes
• Tank tops for layering under cardigans
• Sweatshirt or pullover for excursion days to layer under jackets (lived in this one!)

Thank you so much for stopping by & reading! 

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Happy Tuesday loves! We are a week out from the Fourth of July (where did June go?!) and I wanted to put together some outfit inspo for you! Many of these items are discounted as a part of some major sales happening so be sure to check them out at the links above! 

We are headed to Alaska in a few days and will be in a bit of cooler temps on the Fourth so I'm thinking of some jeans, a cute long sleeve knit and this adorable neck scarf! I can't wait to share our amazing trip will y'all and the pictures are going to be amazing! 

What are your all's plans for the holiday? I'd love to hear from you in the comments! Thanks so much for stopping by! xx

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Happy Friday, y'all! I wanted to end the week with something fun and Tory Burch is having an amazing sale right now! All of their sale items are an additional 30% off through July 10th using code EXTRA30! Tory Burch has always been one of my favorite designers, but her retail prices are a little out of my price range so I always wait for this sale to grab some items I've been eyeing! 

These espadrilles are adorable and the perfect color for spring (they also come in white, black and green). Can't wait to get them in the mail soon! If you're looking for an easy, light crossbody, I love the ones above that can easily be translated into Fall and Winter. Many of the sale items are such fun colors to break out for Summer, so if you're feeling bold go for those as they sell out quickly! 

We are taking it easy this weekend as we leave for an Alaskan cruise next Friday! What are y'all up to this weekend? Would love to hear from you and the items you're wanting from the sale in the comments! Thanks so much for reading! xx