Days Off

Because I work two jobs, I don't have many days off. So when I do, I love to just walk around and get outside since normally I'm stuck inside all day and not being very active. Today my sister Audrey and I woke up early to get coffee, run errands, and adventure around southern Maine a little bit.

Since we live in the woods, it's no surprise that we have a lot of farms surrounding my house. These are so cute to walk around in the Spring and Summer when there are horses and animals around, but they can be just as pretty in the winter.

The next day we went for a walk on an island just off the coast of our town - Mackworth Island. This is a fun place to walk around in the winter because it's pretty, and there are tons of dogs running around which makes it even better!

It was even over 20 degrees out when we went - so naturally as true Mainers, we wore dresses! (I would not recommend)

Beauty Blogger Tag

Hi! First I want to thank Erica Aube for tagging me to answer some questions with some of my favorite bloggers. I'm excited to let everyone know me a little bit more - since I know sometimes I get wrapped up in just people, places, and things and don't share much about myself.

The challenge for this tag is to answer 10 questions about myself. Let's get started!

Rules for the tag:

• Tag the Blogger who nominated you
• Answer the questions you were given
• Nominate 5 bloggers whose blog is about beauty, fashion, or lifestyle
• Come up with 10 questions for your nominees
• Inform the Bloggers that you nominated them

Questions for me:

1. What is your blog about?

Fashion and lifestyle, and motivating yourself to stay fashionable and fit when you're not in a fast-paced city that is constantly encouraging it!

2. Why did you start blogging?

I started my blog with the purpose of sharing my tips and tricks for staying fashionable when you aren't really surrounded by much fashion. I went to college in upstate Maine where there was no shopping (other than a Sears and Wal Mart) and everyone around me dressed in layers consisting of sweat pants and sweaters. I wanted to have a place where I felt comfortable dressing up and sharing ways to stay fashionable (even when it's hard)!

3. What's your favorite form of social media?

Instagram all day! (@abbiemaine)

4. What's your favorite item in your closet?

It changed with the seasons... but right now it's got to be my LLBean Fisherman Sweater!

5. What's your current favorite song?

I'm on a real guilty pleasure Dixie Chicks kick right now.

6. Who inspires you the most?

My mom

7. What's your favorite season?

Fall!

8. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go, and why?

I'm very excited for my upcoming trip to Spain and Greece, but I've always also wanted to go to Turkey & Romania... not sure why. I think I've read too many books based there!

9. What's your favorite color?

Pink!

10. What's your favorite quote?

"She quietly expected great things to happen to her, and no doubt that's one of the reasons why they did"

Bloggers I Tag:

Caitlin Marie (Your Typical Prep)

Kim Lane (Simple Yet Chic)

Sam Chimel (Little Miss American)

Jen Daddario (Red White Denim)

Ashley (Preppy Miss)

Same questions! Can't wait to see everyone's answers!

Pine Tree Travels: Falmouth, ME

This is part of a series I'm hoping to do on beautiful places to go in Maine. The first place I've chosen is right in my backyard - Town Landing! This quintessential Maine spot is right on the water in Falmouth, and it includes a tiny marketplace, a pier, and a little beach.

You'll first thing you'll see is the Town Landing Market which is at the top of the hill which leads to the beach. This little Market was built around 1880 and has tons of treats, a deli, and some seafood. Right now it's still decorated for Christmas which makes it even more adorable!

Down the road, you'll find the water. During the winter, you'll see some locals walking their dogs or just taking pictures (guilty). In the summer it's much more busy, with people tanning and hanging out.

My Favorite Bag

I just had to do a post about my favorite bag, because it is back in stock this Spring at Kate Spade. This bag is perfect because it is big and can hold everything in it including anything I would need for classes or extracurriculars.

This bag holds absolutely everything - and it's so cute! It's pretty plain but it's scalloped edges give it a girly touch, which means it pairs perfectly with a pretty plain outfit if you're trying to spice it up with a pop of pink.

In pictures:
J.Crew Vest // Madewell Sweater // Hunter Boots

Kate Spade Tote // Kate Spade iPad Case // Kate Spade Planner

J.Crew Makeup Bag // Lilly Pulitzer Pencil Pouch

How To Paint: You Gotta Regatta

 Whether it was for sorority crafts, or just doodling while I was bored in class... I became a bit of a perfectionist when it came to painting Lilly Pulitzer prints. This is (what I hope) the first in a series of posts I've been meaning to do with step-by-step paintings of some of my favorite Lilly prints. 

The first print I chose is my favorite: You Gotta Regatta

1. Outline the sailboats
Do this in pencil first! I forgot to take a picture before I had painted over in the dark blue, but it's much easier (and less nerve wracking) if there's a pencil outline to follow when you're painting the shapes of the boats.

2. Add color

Four main colors are used in the You Gotta Regatta boats: Dark Blue (used for the outline of the boats only!), Green, Yellow, and Pink. Some drawings use Orange as well, but I opted for two shades of Pink so that it would match my room well (which is mainly decorated in blue and pink). Don't be afraid to switch up the colors for whatever works for you!

3. Add the waves

This is by far the easiest part - but also the most tedious! Use light blue, switching up how light and dark the strokes are to give it a little depth. Be sure to keep the strokes very short (don't do long squiggles across the whole canvas, do many short ones instead). There is also an option to mix a small amount of dark blue waves in as well, but I settled for varying heaviness of the light blue.

4. Hang your masterpiece!

Here's how my finished piece looked hung over my couch. I hope this tutorial helped, and feel free to leave any questions in the comments!

Winter-izing your Lilly Pulitzer

When you live in Maine, it seems ridiculous to invest in something like Lilly Pulitzer. With the light fabric and bright patterns, Lilly is a quintessential summer staple, and it can feel weird wearing it in the dead of winter. Today, I wanted to share some of my tips and tricks for "winterizing" your Lilly Pulitzer in cold weather, so you can enjoy those beautiful summer patterns all year long!

1. Style a popover like a sweater

Yes, a popover is not as warm as a sweater, but if you place a warm undershirt or spandex underneath your popover, and a vest on top - it can feel just as warm!

2. Commit to bright colors in the winter

Just because an outfit has bright colors, doesn't mean it can't look meant for winter. Don't be afraid to pair light colored vests and accessories with Lilly to commit to a bright style in winter. You might stand out a little, but that's better than blending in!

3. Don't be afraid to layer

One of my favorite tricks is to take a Marlowe dress and turn it into an outfit. The sleeves of the Marlowe add a little extra insulation, and with a sweater on top you can stay nice and cozy in the cold weather!

Featured:

Lilly Pulitzer Popover

Patagonia Fleece Vest

Vineyard Vines Vest

Lilly Pulitzer Marlowe Dress

J.Crew Sweater