July Favorites 2018 | Things I Loved Last Month

Hi, lovelies! 💖 Happy Saturday! I hope you’re having a great start to your weekend! So, I wanted to share some of my July favorites from last month. I’m sorry that this post is coming a bit late since it’s already August 11th. It took a little bit longer for me to compile my list and write down my thoughts about the month. Summer is ending soon and I can’t believe we’re already on our way to September.

Thoughts about July

July was pretty up and down. A lot of wonderful things happened, especially when it comes to figuring myself out a little bit more. I started working second shift and it’s the perfect schedule for me in terms of stress levels. I’ve never been a morning person and struggled with morning anxiety as long as I can remember. Since my start time is later in the day, I have the mornings and early afternoon to myself.

I’ve been doing a lot of writing, reading, and even started singing again a little. The best part is I get Fridays off (and work Saturdays instead). Every Friday, I’ll walk to Starbucks, put my headphones on, and work on my writing. That alone time is always restorative. I’m thankful to have finally found a schedule that works for me.

When it comes to blogging, I felt a dip in inspiration as sad as that makes me. Although I managed to post at least once a week last month, I’d like to maintain a consistent schedule. Also, I felt myself nitpicking at my posts again and telling myself they weren’t interesting or creative enough. It left me feeling exhausted.

I’m happy to say that I’ve been feeling much more motivated again compared to July. Blogging isn’t always easy, but it’s so much fun. I truly believe being a part of this community has made me a better person. 💖

July Favorites

– Scrapbooking –

I rediscovered an old love of mine in July, scrapbooking! When I was in high school, I used to make scrapbooks often. I even took a scrapbooking elective during my senior year! That was such a fun class!

Somewhere along the way, I kind of just stopped. My grandma’s birthday was at the end of July. I decided that I wanted to make her a scrapbook as a gift. For the theme, I featured different aspects of her personality, life, interests, and favorite memories.

The scrapbook took about 9 hours to make in total. I went to Michael’s (a true gem of a store) and collected different stickers and decorative paper for the scrapbook. It was a blast sitting on the floor, turning on Spotify, and brainstorming each page for the scrapbook.

My grandma means so much to me. She’s truly one of the kindest and most generous human beings I’ve ever met. Her eyes lit up when she saw the scrapbook for the first time. It made me tear up. Definitely one of my most meaningful July favorites!

– Aveeno Stress Relief Moisturizing Lotion –

Aveeno products have always been a fave of mine. When I saw their Stress Relief lotion at the store, I knew I had to buy it! I have pretty sensitive skin and struggle finding the right soaps, shampoos, and lotions. Aveeno’s Pure Renewal Shampoo is top 3 when it comes to shampoos and I also love their daily moisturizer.

At first, I was skeptical about the lotion providing any stress relief. After applying a little onto my skin though, my body felt a lot less tense especially after a hot shower. Throughout the month, I found myself reaching for this lotion first before the other bottles in my bathroom cabinet.

– The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook by Edmund J Bourne –

Another awesome find this month (thanks to Barnes and Nobles) was The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook by Edmund J Bourne. The book gives a lot of helpful tips for dealing with panic attacks and phobias. Since the workbook is pretty extensive, I’ve been skipping to chapters that are most relevant to my situation. Eventually, I’d like to read the entire workbook!

– Makeup Vanity –

I’ve mentioned to y’all that Alejandro and I live in a pretty tiny apartment. Finances have been a bit better lately, but we still need to save. Our lease doesn’t expire until next April, so we do have some time. I don’t mind the little apartment since we sectioned it off. At the same time, finding space is always a bit of a struggle. One of my pet peeves was having nowhere to efficiently do my makeup. 

Since I don’t have enough space for a real vanity station, I decided to create a mini/semi-portable one! During one of our trips to the store, I noticed that Target had little storage drawers. I placed my everyday makeup products and wipes inside the drawer. I also bought a cup for my makeup brushes.

It’s been so much easier doing my makeup and keeping everything organized!

– Vacation to Lake Geneva –

The best part of July was going on vacation to Lake Geneva with my family and the beau. I wrote a post dedicated to our trip, but here’s a couple of pics that I didn’t post! One of Alejandro and I at dinner, and can’t forget about the adorable souvenirs!

– Black Midi Dress –

My inner vampire goddess has come out! LOL! But seriously, I can’t even deal with this super cute side button black midi dress! I’ve noticed that these type of dresses have been in style lately and I’m totally living for it. I’m pretty open when it comes to my style, and I’ve been into simplistic outfits lately.

I styled the dress with an off-the-shoulder striped top and patterned shoes.

What really won me over is the dress’s slit and stylish buttons!

– Dream Pop –

My favorite genre of music is easily dream pop. I adore the mystical, slightly mysterious vibe that it always gives. Spotify recommended a band called EXES to me last month and I’ve fallen in love with their music. “Cain” has been on repeat for days. Even Alejandro likes it!

Aside from EXES, I’m obsessing over Aly and AJ’s latest EP. “Promises” is amazing and needs to be featured on a Netflix Original, like yesterday!

– Enchiladas at La Hacienda –

Alejandro’s go-to Mexican restaurant growing up was La Hacienda. So glad he introduced me to this restaurant and it’s one of my July favorites for food! Their enchiladas are delicious. Also, they have the best chips and salsa. After dinner, they even serve you a little plate of complimentary fried bananas with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.

It’s been a few weeks and I’m already craving some enchiladas!

I hope that you enjoyed this post, lovelies! Have a wonderful rest of your day!

How was July for you? Also, what were some of your July favorites?