Finding the Perfect Birthday Gift.

So, you get invited to your friend's birthday party and, naturally (hopefully), you're looking forward to it, but I'm certain that I'm not the only person who stresses out when it comes to finding the perfect gift. I recently went to the birthday party of one of my best friends and I tried out a new gifting idea. It worked really well for me and I hope this will help you too.

The first step is to set a budget that will be your approximate max and min for the amount of money you will spend. I suggest starting with the general amount for gift giving which is around $25.

The second step is to then find a common theme for all your presents. This will help you add a more personal aspect to your gift and show that you put thought into each item. Keep in mind, your theme can be set after finding your first gift.

My first stop was at Garage where I found this pink chiffon tank top decorated with floral lace down the middle. This shirt was my main gift and the rest of my gifts were chosen to compliment this one.

My next stop was at Spring. Though I don't usually shop there for shoes, they usually have some cute and inexpensive accessories. I picked out two pairs of earrings that were of the same design but different coloured. The earrings were hooped, studded and, going with my theme, bright neon coloured (one yellow and one pink)

To add more personality into my present, I decided to share my current obsession with my friend. I love love love scented products from Bath and Body Works and their constant sales do not help my wallet. I chose a beachy scent that was light and fresh, keeping in mind that some people can  be overwhelmed by a musky and heavy scented perfume.

Finally, from Bath and Body Works, I bought a small candle (my other obsession). Don't be afraid to give a general gift that everyone can use and enjoy, like my candle. 

This whole present didn't take long to put together, yet it might be one of my favourites that I've gifted (if that makes sense?). Just remember, if an item is on sale, it doesn't necessarily take away from the quality. Use your budget wisely. If you were planning to spend $20, but ended up saving $5 on an item, add something else instead of stopping at $15. I hope these tips have helped you as they have helped me, happy gifting! <3

First Day of Summer & New Bikini

After a long school year crammed with homework, clubs and sports teams, summer is more than welcome to make an appearance for me. What usually happens, though, is I spend my vacation curling up on the couch watching a new TV show, sitting in front of my laptop surfing YouTube, or just lying on my bed reading a book and playing on my phone. I go back to school realizing that I've accomplished nothing when my 'life' that I complain about 'not having', is given back to me for 2 months. I've decided to do something about that this year. We'll see how that goes...

June 21st, the first day of summer, I was invited to my friend's house for a pool party. Some of you are probably a lot like me and the thought of actually having to move, tires you out more than you would care to admit. Though it may seem terrifying, dropping technology for an afternoon, or even a whole day, and going out to enjoy life gives you an indescribable feeling of relaxation.

My friends and I spent the whole day playing (childish?) games in the pool, spiking around a volleyball and simply treading water while chatting. We also may have tackled an inflatable dragon on many occasions, but I will deny that if you ever mention it. We stayed out in the pool pruning up until our mosquito bites were getting out of hand and the sun started setting. 

With parties, there's food. And I love me some food. In the picture above, you'll see the amazingly delicious homemade pizza pockets we had for snack. Dinner was simple to make, but just as yummy. So, if you ever have guests over and happen to have a barbecue, learning from my friend's family may be a good idea. Serve something simple to barbecue, in this case, chicken kebabs. Then toss up a salad and some fried rice and you'll have your friends perfectly satisfied and happy.

Finally, this is really exciting for me since I haven't bought a bikini since I was 12. My new bikini bottoms are bright pink with strings on the side to tie them up. My top is white with a floral print that fades out and gives a kind of watercolor effect. I bought these from Garage for $19.90 each since I wasn't looking to spend a big amount of money when I live in Canada where summers are pretty short.

Overall, it was an amazing day out in the sun and I arrived home feeling more refreshed than ever this year! The food was amazing, the weather was beautiful and my friends were just as perfect as usual. I'll definitely be looking forward to spending another day like this!