Guest Post -- Candace of Together for the Better

How fun would life be to live on an island? Today you are blessed by the presence of Candace of Together for the Better. She is sweet, and not to mention gorgeous. You can tell from her blog that she and her husband truly love each other and just happy where they are at in life because they have each other. Hope everyone is doing great, I'm sad my vacation is coming to an end, I truly need this break. Talk to everyone soon!

Hi there, I'm Candace from together for the better!

I'm so excited to be guest posting for Meg today!

I wasn't exactly sure what to write about, so I just decided to let you all in on what life in Hawaii is like. 

Cause come on, who doesn't love Hawaii? 

I've lived on the island of Oahu for two years now.

My husband and I met out here while attending school together.

When people hear that I live in Hawaii, this is the picture that usually comes to mind...

And if that picture is anything like you imagined Hawaii to be, then you're dead on.

The main difference in living in Hawaii and vacationing in Hawaii is that when you actually live here you don't have the freedom of no-responsibilities unfortunately.  

But even with work and school, I find time to enjoy this beautiful island.

Some of my favorite things to do in Hawaii involve...

Eating acai bowls. Seriously, these things are heavenly.  Acai ice cream (or sorbet maybe??) topped with honey, granola, and berries.  Drooling yet? Cause I am. 

Playing at the beach

Watching the sunset

Hiking to beautiful waterfalls

And just running around the island visiting our favorite towns.

So there you have it, my home in Hawaii.

My husband and I live a pretty simple life here, but we absolutely love it.

It's looking like we'll probably be leaving the island in a year, once I graduate.

But whether we stay or leave, I feel so lucky to be able to live on this beautiful island, even for just a little while. 

If you're interested in following a long with my and my husband's adventures in Hawaii, 

stop by my blog and say hello!

Thanks again for having me Meg!

Guest Post -- Eleise of One Artsy Mama

Yippee it is the weekend again and I hope all of you are enjoying your weekends! Today you are in for a real treat the lovely Eleise from One Artsy Mama has graciously blessed you with a super fun and easy DIY project. Don't have any major plans today? Do this project! I guarantee you won't regret it! If you make these bracelets, please send me a photo and I will happily do a post of all the ones I see. Please be kind to Eleise, she did an excellent job on this post and I appreciate her bunches!

Hello! I’m Eleise from One Artsy Mama. Since friendship bracelets are popping up everywhere, I thought I would take you all back to when we were young & were busy whipping them up for everyone we knew & share with you a fun new twist on the friendship bracelet.

All you need is-

*Fabric scissors

*Ribbon

*Chain

First, cut your ribbon into 3 long strips.

Then tie them to one end of your chain.

Then you begin your braiding. First, take the ribbon on the left & loop it under the other 2 ribbons. Then take the ribbon from the right & loop it through the ribbon on the left. Bring the far left ribbon up from behind & through the ribbon on the right. Grab the outer 2 ribbons & pull tight.

Repeat until you have your desired length & tie your ribbons to the other end of the chain.

It’s so easy & fun! Try varies widths of ribbon to get different looks. I went with a wider ribbon to give my bracelet a chunkier look.

Fun have!

Guest Post -- Michelle of twentynineblog

Today you are privileged to have a guest post from the sweet and adorable Michelle over at twentynineblog. Hope you enjoy her post and for those of you currently planning a wedding, Michelle has some cute photos for her as she is planning her wedding now too, good luck with all the planning Michelle!

First, I’d like to thank Meg for letting me guest post on her blog today.  I absolutely love her blog, especially her fun yellow background and I hope she’s enjoying her incredible vacation!  I have to be honest – it was hard for me to come up with a topic for this post.  I recently got engaged so most of my thoughts have been wrapped up in finding a venue and getting all of my inspiration on Pinterest.  Pinterest, by the way, is the most fabulous way to waste time.  It also helped inspire me to write this post (finally!). 

What motivates you?

My boss recently asked me this question in a review.  What motivates me to work harder?  Well at work its easy – I want my bonus and I want to hear “good job” every once and a while.  In my personal life, it’s a little different.

At the gym

 via Pinterest

I repeat “Sweat is Fat Crying” in my head every.single.time I’m at the gym now.  It pushes me to finish up that last 5 minutes on the stair stepper even though I’d rather bathe in hot sauce than climb up one more stupid fake step. 

I go to outdoor boot camps on Tuesdays and Saturdays.   This past Tuesday it was 89° outside (which is obscene for Buffalo, NY) and I was sprinting, running around a track and basically trying not to die.  At one point, my pace was almost a walk when I heard someone behind me – eff – it was my trainer who I HATED at that moment.  He started singing “Here Comes the Bride” and I knew he was right – I sucked it up and started running faster… and continued to wish he broke his leg.

I have a goal and I have a mantra – hopefully there will be no more fat left to shed tears by next year.

While trying to be creative

 Yay Fringe! via Pinterest

Since I’m in wedding mode, I thought I’d give you a peek into how I’m starting to plan.  I basically stare at wedding blogs all day and pin every idea, good or meh, to Pinterest.  It’s gotten to the point where I have a post-it on my monitor reminding me NOT to sit on Pinterest all day.  It only kind of works. 

Dior’s “something blue” via Pinterest

I got really good advice from one of my readers this week.  She said “No matter what happens, at the end of the day, you’re married to the man you love.  Therefore it was all a success.”  I repeat this to myself when I open my email to find my mother has written me 6 one-sentence emails in the span of 3 minutes – I wish I were joking.

How I hope I feel! Via Pinterest

About life in general

My favorite quote of all time is: If you want something, you’ll find a way – if not, you’ll find an excuse.  That about sums it up.  You can always find a way if your heart is set on something.  People would rather complain sometimes than actually try – I try every day to live the opposite.

So what motivated me to write this post?

For starters, I wanted to see my writing against Meg’s awesome background.  Secondly, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to write about something that didn’t have to do with Ashley Hebert’s desperate attempt to get engaged to a stranger.

tvfoodanddrink.com

Thanks for reading, everyone!

Michelle from twentynineblog.

Guest Post -- Erin of Designer Me

Hey ladies! Today you have the lovely Erin from Designer Me. I have been following Erin's blog long before I started my own blog and always looked forward to her posts. Today you are blessed with something she is passionate about, running! Exercise is a must, sorry to me it is a non-negotiable. I haven't talked about this a ton yet but running is something I do 5 or 6 days a week. Plus the added pressure of running when your husband is a asst coach for cross country and track at a university aids in my desire to run. Anyways chit chat from me, here is Erin's post! Thank you so much Erin for putting this together and helping me out!

When Meg posted a request for guest bloggers while she is on her fabulous cruise vacation, I was thrilled to help out!  I am so happy to have stumbled upon her blog.  From recipes to fashion to running, it is always a wonderful read!

I grew up as a swimmer, dancer, and Girl Scout.  Running never even entered my vocabulary until college, when I dabbled in it by running a couple of miles every so often around campus.  It wasn't until a few years later that I really laced up my shoes and got going with it.  Truly, the story on how I got started was that I one day up and decided that I was going to run a half-marathon...in 6 weeks.  I need motivation to run and this was perfect.  My husband went along with my plan and we started with 3 miles, increasing mileage by about a mile a week.  Pretty ambitious, but I wanted to run at least half the total distance before the race.  

The race went well, overall, but after mile 9 or 10, it got hard.  Regardless, I was addicted, already planning for my next race.  Since then, I have done another 4 half marathons with an additional one on the calendar.  I've battled an ankle injury (a posterior tibial tendon tear), finally gotten proper nutrition down, and found a hobby that I love.

Running gear is infinite and I certainly have learned my preferences along the way (socks, shorts, visor, water bottle, hydration, and so on), but one of the most important things is a good pair of shoes.  From my research and experience, I have fallen in love with Mizuno shoes.  After training for and running 2 half-marathons in who-knows-what kind of shoes, I finally caved and got real-deal running shoes.  What a difference it made!  The comfort, support, and even the propel forward motion it provided was like a whole new world.  I have moderate to severe over pronation, so I have gone through a couple different models of the Mizuno Wave Nirvana and will very soon transition to the Mizuno Waze Alchemy.

I am also a serious advocate of women running in a good, supportive sports bra.  It pains me to see someone running in the wrong level of support for them.  For the longest time, I would buy what was on sale.  When I was finally introduced to the CW-X line of sports bras, I was wary of the price, but asked for it for my birthday one year.  Best decision ever.  The Xtra Support Bra is just what the product title says - a great level of support that women need.  This thing straps you in and lets you jog and run without much movement in the area and I am thankful for it.

How many of you out there are runners or triathletes?  What products are you passionate about?

Guest Post -- Danielle of Tongue Tied in Awe

Happy Wednesday everyone! Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Today you have the lovely Danielle sharing a bit of what inspires her. I love how open she is with her post and appreciate her taking the time to put together this great post! Creativity is very important to her and if you take a look at her gorgeous blog, you definitely will understand how close it is to her heart. 

Hello lovelies! I am thrilled to be spending some time with you today while Meg is basking in the sunshine. I hope she is enjoying every single moment!

First off, what is inspiring you this week? My mind is usually all over the place. I am either thinking, daydreaming, or creating – it seems like my mind is always going one hundred miles a minute. I like to feel things, ask questions – textures, patterns, colors - there is beauty in everything and I am always determined to find. We are surrounded by inspiration – big and small. Personally, I like to keep track of what inspires me daily – whether that be on Pinterest, writing about it in my journal, creating a collage, or blogging about it. It amazes me when I look back at what got my creative juices flowing on a particular day. Here are just a few things I’ve attracted to this week.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonfilip/5959137865/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21762776@N03/2814601568/

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/julianbialowas/5960363484/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/giorgiatolfo/5045715084/

http://jopet.deviantart.com/art/Maximillia-Evelyn-Dress-171269920?q=gallery:jopet/3712142&qo=5

What are you loving this week? Have any reoccurring themes? How do you keep track of your inspiration? I would love to know!

Love, Danielle

Guest Post -- Dani of The Daily Dani

Hey all you wonderful people! I hope your week is going great. Today I have a wonderful guest post from The Daily Dani. She is giving you a bit of fashion for the day. I love her bright, long necklace paired with the lighter cream top, just gorgeous! Hope you enjoy her post and head over to her blog and give her some comment love :-) Hello to all of you fabulous henning love readers! Dani here, from The Daily Dani! While I'd much prefer to be on a cruise a la Meg (that lucky duck!), I'm so happy to be blogsitting over here for the day! :) {Top: H&M | Leggins: Target | Boots: Steve Madden | Necklace: Luna B | Watch: Nordstrom} My blog, The Daily Dani, is primarily a fashion blog, so I post photos of my outfits daily! I have an affinity for all clothes that feel as comfy as pajamas, a Southern California beachy feel, and Native American-influenced accessories! Give me some leggings, cut-off shorts, oversize tops, turquoise, and feathers, and I am a happy girl! I wore this little ensemble last weekend for some family time and to go to The Monkees concert! That's right, The Monkees! I guess I missed the memo, but I'd say bout 50% of the crowd was dressed in '60s mod costumes! So fun! I'm never one to say no to a theme, so I guess I'd better think harder next time! ;) Anyway, how fun is the swirly textured pattern on this top? I also cannot stop wearing this statement necklace - I am obsessed with the juxtaposition of natural turquoise and gold chains! It's from one of my favorite local Huntington Beach boutiques, Luna B! These black cowboy boots are also one of my year-round staples! I love to dress them up, dress them down, dress them warm, dress them cool! They are so versatile! While you ooze jealousy over all of the sunshine and summer fun that Meg is enjoying, feel free to stop by my blog, The Daily Dani, and say a little hello! :)

Guest Post -- Becca of A Blonde's Logic

Hi everyone, 

I am so thankful to be on vacation this week and extra thankful for the sweet and wonderful ladies who were willing to help me out with their guest posts. I hope you enjoy their posts, get to know them a bit more and 
start following them. :-) Be back in a week, hope you all have a terrific week, and can't wait to hear from you all when I return. I started getting to know Becca recently and she has always been great at commenting on blogs and following up, you will adore her blog, plus she has great fashion sense, just you wait and see :-)

Hello all of Meg’s followers! I’m Becca from A Blonde’s Logic and I’m so excited to be able to help Meg out while she’s soaking up the sun on her cruise! 

When I think of cruises I think of turquoise waters, fruity cold drinks, and white sandy beaches. Here's some inspiration to make you wish you were on a cruise as well.

 all images via Pinterest

But she can’t just pack up and leave right? She needs fabulous outfits to take with her. So I’ve been having wayyyy too much fun on Polyvore picking outfits for every occasion: lounging by the pool, formal night, and exploring local areas! 

1. On any cruise you must have a swimsuit ready to go. Here I've combined a super cute hot pink bikini and anything else you'd ever need for the beach: cover-up, shades, big floppy hat, sandals, and bag. And you must not forget your tanning lotion and Maui Babe is my go-to for that.

2. Most cruise lines have a Formal night for everyone to get glammed up for and have a nice fancy dinner. I fell in love with this red gown; it's gorgeous but not overdone. Paired with simple accessories makes for a classy outfit.

3. Since Meg and her hubby won't be on the boat the entire time, she needs an outfit to wear while exploring. A very light outfit is best because it will likely pretty warm and you don't want it too be too much fuss. For links to all the pieces of the ensembles click here.

Thanks for having me today Meg!  I hope you are having a fabulous cruise! 

xoxo, 

Becca

Guest Post -- Emily of Sprout Through Concrete

Happy Sunday all! Who doesn't love a DIY decoration? It can be relatively cheap, and when your friends are oohing and aawing over some decoration you have in your house, you can proudly tell them you make yourself and take all the credit! Today you are privileged to have the company of Emily from Sprout through Concrete. I met her a few weeks ago during her blog feature about if you could go anywhere in the world where would you travel to and she has been one of the nicest people to me since I "met" her.  Remember lots of blog love for all these sweet guest posts you have this week? Thanks!

Hi everyone! I'm Emily from Sprout Through Concrete. I recently moved and, with the tole of expensive city living, I've had to be creative in my apartment decor. 

A quick and oh-so-cute DIY decor idea that I love to use is putting flowers in wine bottles. Not only is this "vase" easy to do but it looks very chic. I have a wine bottle with flowers in it next to my nightstand and on my kitchen counter - in both areas it's a perfect accessory and really adds character to the room. 

I also love this idea as a centerpiece for anything from weddings to dinner parties. Especially if wine is on the menu, you can't go wrong. 

Do you have other decor ideas for wine bottles? Thanks so much to Meg for inviting me to guest post!"

100!!

Thanks to Sarah my newest follower I have now received 100 followers, thank you all very much for helping me reach this goal! I appreciate you all taking the time to comment when you do and you all have such sweet things to say. Hope you are having a great Saturday and I am signing off at 100 just in time for my vacation :-)

LWD - Its Friday!

Happy Friday everyone! Boy, am I glad this week is practically over. It has been a good but busy week. Yesterday I was invited to attend a lunch by my Masters alma mater in association with the professional society for public administrators. My good friend, Jeanna, and I were both invited so as well as hanging out with a friend and being able to catch up, we saw a lot of our former professors. It was nice to catch up with them and found out how they were doing. After this busy week, I am doing looking forward to relaxing tonight, packing up 

and getting ready for my week of vacation. 

I did the little white dress for Friday Fancies today and linking it over to Long Distance Loving. I'm gonna admit this was a bit of a difficult assignment for me for some reason. I was piecing together an outfit and there was just something I didn't like about it, so I would add new accessories or change the shoes and it still didn't seem quite right. Also Polyvore seemed to be giving me a hard time, so that is why I don't have a bag with this week's outfit, the bag option didn't want to come up for me, and I didn't want to mess with it any longer. 

Side note before I continue with Friday Fancies, I have plenty of guest posts lined up next week. You will be impressed with the girls that graciously written some posts for me, please give them plenty of comment love and be sure to follow them. Believe me, you will be impressed with what they have written for you, my lovely readers!

And here is my outfit!

LWD by mhenning featuring satya jewelry

Also I wanted to mention my newest favorite shampoo and conditioner especially great for colored hair. I received a small sample the other day of Aveeno Living Color collection. Wow this stuff makes my hair so silky smooth and the smell is wonderful. Check it out yourself!

Hope you all have a wonderful Friday and an awesome start to your weekend!!

Dessert plates

It is no secret that I love to bake and desserts are especially my favorite! I sometimes dream of opening up my own little bakery, baking all day and baking the desserts that I love the most. It would be a variety of baked goods, I wouldn't focus on just one particular item like cupcakes or macarons but a whole variety of items!
After all variety is the spice of life isn't it? ;-)

My bakery shop would be a sit down place, to enjoy your dessert, chat with your friends and just take a moment to yourself with a wonderful dessert. One thing I want in my shop is very cute dessert plates. You know you want a slice of lemon meringue pie or you want a mint chip brownie and it is served to you on a colorful dessert plate. I might even change the plates according to the season. Here is a small sampling of some very fun plates I found that I would love to have in my dream bakery, maybe one day :-).
I would even change out my plates according to the season.

These would be the summer plates.

For autumn desserts like apple strudel and pumpkin pie, I would love to serve them on plates like these.

For winter time, desserts like Christmas cookies, gingerbread would be served on these plates

For spring time desserts, strawberry tarts, peach pie, these would be the plates