Monogrammed Gift Ideas

Hey y'all!  Everyone loves monograms, and it feels just as good to give them as it does to receive them.  Here are a few of my favorite monogrammed gift ideas.  Whether you order the items already monogrammed or take them to a local boutique for monogramming, these gifts are a great way to give someone something unique and personalized.

Beach towels are such a cute gift that you can be sure will be used frequently.  If you want to save a little bit of money, pick out a cute inexpensive one at Target and take it somewhere local for monogramming.  Or, splurge a little and check out the adorable one shown above here!

Cups and tumblers are another thing everyone uses.  Whether it's a trip to the lake or a day at school, they are essential.  Choose a simple tumbler with a circle monogram, or an adorable cup with a straw and bow for someone who's always on the go.  These are all over Pinterest and Etsy, so it's easy to shop around and find good deals.

Monogrammed koozies are always a good idea.  They aren't very expensive but are so adorable.  They're all over Pinterest and Etsy too, and from seersucker to Lilly, there's so many designs to pick from.

Everyone loves the classic monogrammed frocket.  Depending on your budget, you can go with something as simple as a solid color t-shirt with a white monogram to a printed pocket with an anchor monogram.  Etsy is the best place to shop for these, but here's the link to the one shown above!

You're never too old for a bow in your hair!  Monogrammed hair bows are adorable and {if you pick the right color scheme} can be worn with so many different things.  Check out this cute one from Marley Lilly here!

All of y'all who have been reading for a while know how much I love my monogram decals.  My favorite Etsy shop, Cuttin Crazy, has such great decals at such affordable prices.  These make perfect gifts themselves, but can be added to almost anything for the perfect finishing touch.  I've used them on everything from Lilly notebooks and tumblers to sunglasses.  Angela is the nicest shop owner and offers buy one, get one free decals in over twenty colors and fonts which you can mix and match.  The decals ship quickly and come with easy application instructions.  Definitely a must-have of mine!  She also sells the cutest monogrammed kroakies for a great price.

What's the best monogrammed gift you've ever received?  Should I have included something that I didn't?  Let me know!

Binder Covers!

{I know I published this post a few days ago, but somehow it disappeared, so here we go again!}

Hey y'all!  I've been making myself the cutest monogrammed binder covers for a while now and decided last year to share how I did it since I got so many compliments on them.  If you didn't catch it, check out my tutorial here!  Even though it's almost a year old, it's still one of my favorite and most viewed posts.  In fact, just the other day I got an email about it.  I love helping people out and getting feedback from it, so I decided to share my binder covers again this year.  Here's what I came up with!

Prints

Above: In the Groove and Lobstah Roll

Below: She She Shells and Bubbly

As much as I love all the new prints, nothing beats the classic First Impression.

What do y'all think?  I'm super satisfied with the way they came out and can't wait to print them out and put them in my binders.  I know a lot of people love Better Binders from Staples {they are super durable}, but the black outline doesn't compliment my prints very well.  Instead, I use the Office Depot brand.  They are plain white and look like the typical plastic binder, but I used them all year and not a single one ripped, plus they look much better with my bright colored Lilly patterns.

I know that in my tutorial last year, I never covered how I made the spines.  They have the class name going down the side and a mini monogram on the bottom.  If that's something y'all want to know how to do, let me know!  I can definitely put up a tutorial!

Also, if you have trouble making your covers, just ask!  I'll take as many email requests as I can this year again.  Just send me your class titles, monogram, and your favorite prints {doesn't even have to be Lilly}, and I'll email you a PDF of the binder cover.  I know a lot of Etsy shops sell them, but they're so easy to make and it only takes me like a minute per cover.  My email address is on the contact page!  

One more thing-- if you figure it out for yourself, please share your final product with me.  A few of y'all sent me pictures of your binders last year and it made my day.  I'd love to see what you can come up with.  Have fun!

I Chose A Print! {How I Organize My Lilly Agenda)

Hey y'all! I'm so excited to say that I finally got my new Lilly Pulitzer agenda!  I've been putting it off since the beginning of summer, mostly because I really couldn't decide which new print I liked the best.  Thanks to y'all, I'm so happy that I finally decided on Lilly Lovers because it's perfect!  I ordered a monogram decal, and I just know it's going to be a cute touch.  Pictures to come when it arrives!

I know "How I Organize My Lilly Agenda" is such a popular post, so I decided to do one of my own!  I really do use mine constantly and think I have such a good system going.  Everyone has something that works for them, so here's mine.  Let me start by saying that highlighters are absolutely essential for me when I'm trying to organize anything.  Without them, writing everything down would be almost useless because half the fun is feeling accomplished when you can finally mark something off a to-do list!  I also have a color-coding system that I used last school year and plan to continue this year because it worked so well for me.

In the Notes section in the front, I write down important things that I'm going to need to reference throughout the year, such as class schedules, frequent points of contact, and login information for important sites.  Sorry y'all, no pictures here!

The month dividers are probably my favorite part of Lilly agendas.  The sayings are absolutely perfect, and who doesn't love flipping to a fresh new page and starting off the month with a cute little saying?  June 2015's is by far my favorite!

I use the monthly spreads to write out things like appointments, important days, and deadlines.  I love the cute stickers in the front and add them here too.  I always use leftovers from last year first.  The To Do column on the side comes in handy when I working on a big project that month and am trying to keep track of what I have done and still have left to do, especially during the school year or for planning big events.

And speaking of big events, guess what the very first thing I added to my new agenda was?

Only 343 days left!

The weekly spreads are where I write down all my school assignments and where the color coding comes into play.  I use green for completed and pink for in progress.  If something doesn't get done, it stays neutral and is usually carried over onto next week's page.  Since I'm big on procrastination, this happens pretty frequently during the school year.  Since it's summer, I really don't have any assignments added.  I usually write important appointments or tasks here too, just because I'm more likely to check here than on the monthly page.

Now that you know my system, tell me about yours!  How do you organize your agenda?  If you've already written a post on this, send me a link.  Yay for new beginnings and happy planning y'all!

Joining My Unit

Hey y'all!  This weekend has been a big one for me, because I got to check into my unit and attend Future Soldier Training and battle assembly {the new name for what's popularly known as "drill"} for the first time.  Thursday morning I met my recruiter and we went to check into my unit.  I met with a financial adviser and took care of a bunch of paperwork, then headed downstairs to meet my company's operations NCO.  When he gave me my unit's schedule, I was so excited to find out that we would be having battle assembly this weekend.

Since I'm enlisted in the Army and am getting paid, but haven't been to BCT {Basic Combat Training} or AIT {Advanced Individual Training} yet, I have to attend Future Soldier Training at my recruiting station every Thursday afternoon.  We work towards the goal of becoming as prepared as possible for BCT.  This week was the first time I attended, and it was just PT {Physical Training} in a formation.  I was fortunate because my knowledge and experience from JROTC enabled me to fit right in and understand everything that was going on.

I was so anxious on Thursday night because Friday at 0630 was the check in time for battle assembly.  I live about an hour away from my unit, so I had to be up and ready to go super early.  When I arrived at the Army Reserve Center, I signed in and waited for formation.  I joined second platoon, got my task for the day, and went to work.

Because I haven't been to any training {BCT/AIT} yet and I'm still a Future Soldier, I'm really not qualified to do any real or serious jobs.  My unit had a MUTA-6 this month, which meant that we'd be there Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this weekend, and everyone hard at work on a mission that I still have no idea about.  I did all the work I was assigned and, even though it wasn't glamorous, it was still important.  Although I was initially disappointed with my assignment of KP {kitchen patrol}, I've realized these past two days that ya have to start somewhere.  I may not have got to do anything cool or fun, but I did get to serve my country, and that makes it all worthwhile.  That's why I wanted to join the Army.  Mission accomplished.

It made my day when I was scrubbing the tables down after lunch and a member of my unit walked up to me and told me that he was once a future soldier on KP too and that it was worth it.  He reassured me that it gets better.  I can't wait until my first weekend back at drill after I graduate from AIT, because I hope I meet a Future Solider and can tell him or her the same thing, because I already know that he's completely right.

Plus, I got to meet a lot of incredible people from a unit that I'm proud to call myself a part of.  Showing up for battle assembly at only seventeen years old and without an ACU {Army Combat Uniform} for the first time, I never expected anyone to pay me any attention.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  I got to work with some of the coolest people who told me so many awesome stories about BCT and AIT, genuinely answered all of my thousands and thousands of questions, and treated me like I'd been drilling with them forever.  They showed me around, taught me the basics, and in only two short days became my friends.  I couldn't have asked for a kinder welcome from my fellow soldiers.

I have one more day at drill tomorrow and am truly looking forward to returning.  It's been such a great learning experience for me this far and I know that by working hard and not getting discouraged, I'm setting myself up for success.  It's a privilege to be able to learn from such dedicated soldiers and I can't wait until I truly become one.  I'm shipping for BCT at Ft. Jackson in 345 days, and it will be here before I know it!

Yay for officially becoming a member of 324th ESB!  "Ready anywhere anytime"!

The Perfect Pajamas

Hey y'all!  I absolutely love the feeling of being comfortable.  There's nothing better than being in my bed, scrolling through Pinterest, and maybe sometimes even enjoying a creamy cup of decaf out of my favorite Lilly mug.  I understand bloggers are supposed to be interesting, but in all honesty this is where I can be found each and every night, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  More often than not, I'll fall asleep in the middle of exploring a new Pinterest board or catching up on some of my favorite blogs.  That being said, it's pretty essential that what I'm wearing is also nice and comfy.  Here's what I consider the perfect set of pajamas.

Spirit Jerseys have to be my favorite article of clothing ever created.  They are so perfect for summer nights inside when the air conditioning has the house feeling a little chilly.  They're so soft and comfortable, but aren't too heavy to the point where they make you uncomfortably warm.

Would ya really expect me to include anything other than Norts for pants?  Not only do I sleep in them every single night, but I can be found wearing them 99% of the time during the day too.  Nike tempo shorts are literally the most comfortable, versatile, and practical shorts in the world and I'd wear them for every single occasion if it wasn't frowned upon.

Finally, I included no crease hair ties because I have such a terrible habit of falling asleep with my hair pulled back.  These are amazing, especially for days when my hair is straightened, because they really do prevent damage and creases.

What do you consider the perfect pair of pajamas?  Let me know!

4th of July

Happy 4th y'all!  The United States of America has been independent for 238 years today; we've been running the world since 1776.  In all seriousness, I'm so proud to call this nation home.  I'm so thankful for my independence and freedom, and especially for those who defend it.  We wouldn't be where we are without them.

I hope all of y'all have an outstanding day, filled with fireworks and sparklers, hamburgers and hot dogs, and family and friends.  We're so beyond blessed to live in the best nation on earth, so let's go celebrate.  Merica!

Crazy for Croakies: The Perfect Sunglasses Straps

Hey y'all!  With summertime in full swing in South Carolina, sunny days are plentiful.  There's nothing better than spending a day by the pool or at the lake, but nobody likes to be blinded by the sun.  The perfect sunglasses are an obvious must have, but so are the perfect straps.  I have so many pairs of "croakies", and it's gotten to the point where not having a pair of sunglasses around my neck during the summer just doesn't feel natural.  Here are a few of my favorites!

Let's start with Lilly Pulitzer.  I bought my first pair of Lilly croakies last year in Chiquita Bonita and absolutely love them.  They've been with me through countless days in the sun and trips to the lake and, although faded, are still on my navy SFC sunglasses today.  When Lilly introduced the new style for their sunglasses straps this year, I loved the Lobstah Roll ones immediately, but nothing can take the place of my favorites.  These are currently sold out on the Lilly website, but can be bought at almost any boutique or specialty store.

Would it really be a Melissa Bergey post if a patriotic Marley Lilly item wasn't included?  These Monogrammin' Merica ones are adorable, and only $5.  Plus, they're promotional, so they ship free!

Finally, I love love love my navy Palmetto sunglasses straps.  I bought these last month when I was in Columbia, and liked the so much that I decided to buy a pair in camo too.  They're currently on my monogrammed stars and stripes sunglasses and the ensemble is truly my pride and joy.  I bought them from a specialty store, but here's a similar pair from Palmetto Traditions.

What sunglasses straps are your favorite?  Any other cute ones I didn't include?  Let me know!

Ooohh! Ahhhh! Summer!

Hey y'all!  Okay, so maybe I did mix up my scheduled posts for yesterday and today, which means that I'm welcoming July a day late.  Forgive me.

Either way, it's officially here... the first full month of summer.  July has always been one of my favorite months because of all the fun that comes with it.  In addition, this month is going to be huge for me because I'll be starting my Future Soldier Training and checking into my unit for the first time next week, which means I can start my one-weekend-a-month visits to Greenville!  Thanks to DEP {Delayed Entry Program}, I still have 356 days {and counting} until I actually have to ship to BCT {Basic Combat Training}, but I can attend drill the entire time I'm waiting.  I'm so excited!

And, as always, spending as much time on the water during the month of July as possible is definitely on the agenda.  Today was the perfect way to welcome the month, spent by the pool and soaking up a little sunshine.  Pure bliss.

What are y'all's plans for July?  Any exciting trips planned?

Prepping for the 4th: Patriotic Favorites

Hey y'all!  The 4th of July is just three days away, so, if you're not already, it's time to get in 'Merica mode.  These patriotic favorites are a great place to start!

The stars and stripes seersucker running shorts from Lauren James are unfortunately still on my wish list, but adorable none the less.  They're similar to the ones from Krauss & Co., but a little more tasteful in my opinion.

One of the {million} reasons I love Marley Lilly is because they are so patriotic.  They have so many red, white, and blue products that range from croakies to t-shirts.  These monogrammed America sunglasses are the perfect touch to a 4th spent on the water or doing anything outside.  Oh, and while we're on the topic of ML, check out their cute, free downloads for July.  Can you say perfect?

I love love love my "The Washington" frocket from High Tide Clothing Company.  They also have an All American collection that is absolutely fabulous.  I've posted about my shirt a couple times before, but can't stop wearing it.  It looks perfect with a string of pearls if you're not planning on getting wet this Friday, but also works with Nike shorts over a swim suit.

Finally, I just had to share this perfect wallpaper my friend Rebecca sent me.  Not only is she one of the sweetest people I know, but she's also one of the only people that loves America, monograms, and Lilly as much as I do and is a super talented artist.  I got this on the day I got home from MEPS and it definitely made my day!

What are your favorite patriotic products?  How are you planning to celebrate the 4th?  Let me know!