#FridayFinds: Links I'm Loving

Cheers to another fast week! The first full week back to school felt super long but, as always, sped right through! It helps to have some exciting plans for Friday night to look forward to! Tonight, the roommates and I are taking to the town to visit the local art galleries! Some good food, some good art and some dressed up friends are right up my alley! Below are some of the links on my radar this week from J.Crew New Arrivals to 15 beautiful cities to a heart warming video of two first graders. I hope you enjoy these links and your Friday plans!

{Link} // Gotta start off with the best! J.Crew released their Spring arrivals this week and it seems to be the light at the end of the snowy tunnel! I'm lusting over these slim cargo pants {here}, they've put a spin on the classic baseball tee {here} and this sequined dress is my favorite piece of the whole collection {here}! Check it out!

{Link} // The 15 Places You Should Add to your Travel List. This article caught my attention this week and I'm definitely adding some of these places onto my never-ending wanderlust list. Fun fact: Milan made it to #6!

{Link} // Gasp! Kate Spade Saturday is closing up shop in 2015. Can't say I didn't see it coming but I can say that I am going to be sad. So do pay your respects and add some items to your shopping bag to forever remember this kitchy branch of KS!

{Link} // Whoop whoop! Look out! Disney is introducing it's first Latina princess! While she doesn't have her own feature film, she will star in a television series called Sophia the First. I applaud you Disney!

{Link} // These two first graders are absolutely adorable. What Vincent does for his best friend with cancer is truly heartwarming. Take a look for yourself!

Cheers!
Emily

Snack Attack with Reese's Spreads!

Healthy snacks are a necessity for me at school. To get through cram-packed days with (way too many) lunches on the go I turn to snacks to keep me fueled to finish all my work. I've definitely gotten in a rut of the same choices, a Chewy granola bar, goldfish or pretzels, so when I got this jar of goodness I was in for a treat! I'm a big sucker for apples and peanut butter but this stuff is a-m-a-z-i-n-g! It has that classic Reese's taste all in a spread! I love it as a quick afternoon snack or a healthier dessert alternative! It has the same amount of calories as my normal peanut butter but with an added chocolatey taste! The pairings are seriously endless - apples, pretzels, bread you name it! Head to your local grocery store and snag this spread up!

What's your choice of snack?
Emily

*I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes

Battling the Cold with these Winter Must Haves!

I've definitely lucked out in Memphis with some far from freezing temperatures but I've been living out my white winter dreams through my friends in the northern part of the country.  There have been some absolutely beautiful snowy photos but I'm more than happy to enjoy them solely via screen! For those of you who are right in the thick of this winter storm I hope you've got the gear to make it through! I put together all of the pieces on my Winter Lust list from these super affordable Old Navy gloves {here} to this to-die-for green cocoon coat from J.Crew {here}. Battling the cold weather is all about layering, so what a great excuse to buy it all! Check out the direct links to these pieces {here}!

What's on your list of winter must haves?
Emily

The Best Kind of Party is a Blog Party!

Yesterday I got the absolute best box of goodies from Jamie over at Blog Party. Fruity Custards, 45 Wall Designs Notebook, A Rome city guide and BareMinerals oh my! There were so many adorable things in this little box so I just had to share! So what is this all for?

Jamie runs Blog Party. Ever heard of it? Well, you should! It's a meet-up, hosted in various places, for bloggers of all kinds to come together, meet and mingle! The parties are great opportunities for companies to connect with bloggers and advertise to global audiences! To put it in their words it's, "Just a casual meet-up with cool people; sounds like a good party to us!" If you want to learn more head over to their website {The Blog Party} or checkout some of their snaps from their latest get together {here}! Way too cool!

Follow {@theblogparty} on Instagram and you could score one of these awesome goodie boxes! Now I'm just crossing my fingers that a party will make it's way down to Memphis!

Thanks Jamie!
Emily

#FridayFinds: Links I'm Lovin'

Wow I really can't believe it's Friday! I'm pretty sure I say this every week but the 4 day week was a especially fast and I'm okay with that! This Friday's links are killer and I'm really obsessed with all of them. Click around and see if you're digging them as much as I am!

{Link} // If you haven't seen the Maroon 5 "Sugar" music video you need to get on it. Click the link and fall in love with Maroon 5 (and Adam Levine) all over again. 

{Link} // Need your cute-fix this Friday? These photos of a baby elephant seeing the beach for the first time will make your heart melt. No really.

{Link} // I bought this sweater in the Vibrant Flame color over break and I am definitely over-wearing it. It's a shear knit with a great neck and it's longer length is super flattering. Plus there are high side slits giving it a little extra edge. Get it while it's on sale!

{Link} // Lingerie giving back? This is one of the coolest things I have stumbled across. This brand trains household women to sew in Colombia allowing these mothers to support themselves and their children. Not only are these pieces philanthropic but they're absolutely beautiful! Splurge a little on these, you won't regret it.

{Link} // I first came across Kayla Itsines on Instagram and decided to do a little research. She is an Australian fitness model who has a 12 week workout program with insane results. Every transformation is incredible and I'm saving up to dish out the money for her miracle-workouts!

Happy Friday!

Emily

Get it Done! To-Do Lists!

{Links}

Whew, has this year already started off with a bang! Meetings from week one, new books to get, forms to turn in and emails to send have created a hectic frenzy of things to do. In order to combat the constant go-go-go I use lists. So many lists! I have a list by my bed for the things I remember I need to do as I'm falling asleep. I keep a list of my homework, a list of my meeting times and a constantly growing grocery list of healthy snacks that I never get around to picking up. With so many things to be constantly ticking off it's a must to have some personality in your to-do lists and I'm a definite believer that you can never have too many!

There are great options for to-do lists on Etsy with all price ranges and customizable options! Then there is always my favorite, Rifle Paper Company as well! For Christmas, I received a Rifle Paper Co. Weekly List {here} and it's amazing! It consolidates my pile of lists into one little place and helps me keep track of the whole week with one view! Also, if you're looking for a low-cost option there are a ton of options for printables online like this rad monster to-do list {here}! Click {here} to see the links to all of the adorable lists in the image above!

So add this to your to-do list - get cute lists! Are you a list person? 
Emily

Unplug and Engage!

{via}

It's crazy how connected I am we all are to technology. I sat back the other day to calculate how much I use any form of technology throughout the week and (without counting my phone) I would honestly say that it is easily 40 hours a week. Now, if I were to add the time on my phone, this number would be even more outrageous and pretty frightening. The benefits of the internet, social media and messaging are amazing for staying connected however there are downsides that a lot of times we fail to acknowledge. I know that I am definitely guilting of missing the little moments around me because I'm desperate to grab my phone and snap a picture. This year I'm working on making a change, stepping back from the screen and making a sound effort to unplug.

I'm a self-proclaimed Instagram addict. I love challenging myself to see the "little things" in my day, and I will always get a kick out of a good photo; however, there is beauty in wholly engaging in the moment and there's also a refreshing respite in keeping a little bit of mystery. I'm not saying to completely fall off the face of the earth, but not everyone needs to know every great moment in your life and every great moment in your life doesn't need to be photographed. 

I definitely have a subconscious habit of picking up my phone and scrolling through Facebook, Pinterest, you name it. Half the time I'm not even looking at the photos, it's simply a time filler. Walking to class I know I'm glued to my phone answering emails and text messages and doing other mind-numbing and truly insignificant things. I know that I need to take more time to engage in the things around me and clear my mind without the clutter of messages, notifications and bright screens so I've challenged myself to make little changes.

There are so many little things that we can do to take a step away from our electronics. Personally, I need to make a few times in my day (key point: "a few") that I sit down to answer emails instead of constantly checking for that little red bubble to show up on my phone. I need to acknowledge when it's necessary to close my laptop and skip out on streaming music to immerse myself fully in homework. I need to chose to schedule a movie night with friends and popcorn instead of binge-watching Netflix alone and I need to leave my phone at home when you go to dinner and to keep my phone in my backpack as I walk to class. Heading out for the day doesn't always need to require keys, a wallet and a phone. Engage in the day and immerse yourself in the people, places and memories around you. We'll all be thankful for it down the line. 

What do you think about unplugging? 

Emily

Connect With Me through Social Media!

After a short (but much needed) break from the blogging world, it's time to get back up and running! I wanted to take this post to remind you all of my social media handles! I love to stay connected with my followers and other bloggers so leave your social media links in the comments and I'd love to follow back!

Instagram // @emilyanddot

Bloglovin/ // Emily and Dot

Pinterest // Emily Rizer

RSS // Linked Here

If you leave your handles below, I'd love to follow along!

Emily

#FridayFinds: Links I'm Loving

This Friday Find is going to be a little different. Today I'm throwing down some of my favorite links I've stumbled upon over the past week. So take a break on this Friday to click around and check out some of these treasures!

{Link} // Ann Taylor's resort line has me dreaming of Roman excursions. Their interview with the Style Line and Travelocity editors make me want to book a flight today!

{Link} // If you haven't gotten your calendar yet for the 2-0-1-5 it's time to get on it. With 50% off at Barnes and Noble you now have no excuse!

{Link} // Speaking of sales! Gap has 75% off right now and I'm lusting over this color blocked sweater!

{Link} // I've been a major Pinterest addict over the break. This head-turning hair inspo has me searching for a pop concert to try it out!

{Link} // I've finally fallen in love with the layered necklace trend and now I'm hooked. These minimalist necklaces from Pull and Bear are absolutely gorgeous.

Happy Friday!
Emily

Lilly Pulitzer & Target Break the Internet

Well, a cannonball hit the internet yesterday in the form of sunny pink, yellow and lime green florals and within minutes my instagram feed was covered with the next best thing at Target. That's right, in April, Target is unrolling it's latest collaboration with Lilly Pulitzer. Target is on a roll, from  Toms to Altuzarra to Alice and Olivia. The April collab is sure to sell out within seconds and you best believe that I'll be online right at 12:00. I'm eyeing the above swimsuit already and can't wait to see what else they have to offer. Rumors are everything from scarves to shoes to pillows and umbrellas. Cross your fingers, these preppy goods will be sold at a Target-price!

Here's to more sunny days to come in April! What do you think of the Lilly/Target collaboration?
Emily

Emily and Dot Turns 1!!!

Well can you believe it? It's officially been 1 year that I've been posting on this little corner of the web! For me, it's pretty hard to believe! It feels like just yesterday that I opened up my computer and started typing away hoping for a new kind of outlet. I mentioned in my first post that I've never been someone who was consistent at journaling or any kind of periodic reflection but somehow E&D has made it 365 days and I'm pretty proud.

It's been great getting to work with some fantastic companies, I've gotten to know and collaborate with an amazing community of bloggers and I have readers that make my day with every instagram like and post comment! I'm so happy where E&D has gone over the past year and I can't wait to see how my blog evolves!

To celebrate this day I picked out a few random posts that I thought highlighted the different aspects to Emily and Dot. Of course I had to start from my first post first two posts (E&D essentially started twice) and ended with my recent fashion posts that I finally got rolling! There has been everything in between from writing about unplugging {here}, a mid-week puppy break {here} and even working with Modcloth {here}! Check out some of my favorites below and, once again, a big big thank you to everyone that has stuck around! I'm thankful for your readership, your support and your inspiration! You guys are the best!

{So I'm Starting a Blog} // It all started from a very cheesy post as a New Year's resolution. Beware of the cheese. 

{An End to the Hiatus - I Need Blogging} // After a break from posting I found my way back and got E&D rolling again. This post sums up a lot of the reasons why I continue to blog!

{Emily's Guide to Creating a Custom Pinterest Hover Button} // The first blogger guide turned out to be a great success. It's been an adventure in the coding world but I've learned a lot and I'm happy to help!

{Emily's Guide to Centering Your Blog Header} // After seeing a lot of bloggers with headers left-aligned I figured I'd help some sistahs out! Look out for more coding help to come!

{See my Interview with Rachel from Seashells + Sparkle} // It was super fun getting to do this interview with Rachel! I'm always happy to see that people keep up with my little ramblings and I really loved her questions!

{The Liebster Award} // This award was making its way around the blogger world and I was excited when it landed on me! These awards are such a great way to connect with new bloggers!

{Find Your Sunset} // This post captures my mantra on paying attention to the little things around you

{Closure: It's All About You} // Whoo! Got personal on E&D! The blog has been a good outlet for showcasing my favorite fashion trends at the moment but also for processing events in my life. 

{My Go-To's with Marley Lilly} // I finally got an outfit post up! Thankful for the chance to get to work with Marley Lilly! I've already worn this scarf too many times to count!

{Keeping it Simple with Free People} // I loved the background of this post and I can't wait to keep rolling out more outfit posts in the future! 

Thank you, thank you to everyone and everything that has made 365 days possible! Here's to more to come!

Emily

New Years Resolutions / Reminders

The turning of a New Year is a great chance to sit down and reflect. It's known as a time to start fresh and clean and make new renowned change in your life. I mentioned in a post earlier {link here} about how this year I want to focus on continuing the change started in 2014. I'm happy where I am right now however there are things that I need to remember moving forward. I finally got a chance to sit down today and really think about these little reminders and it turned out to be quite a hefty list. Here they are!

Relationships

Write more notes // Good stationary and happy thoughts can make anyone's day

More one-on-one dinners // Friends and food and good conversation

Acknowledge thankfulness // Don't take relationships for granted

Plan a roadtrip // Take advantage of friends and a full tank of gas

Blogging

Reach 1,000 followers on Instagram // Hopeful to see where my new insta account will go!

Have blog posts scheduled two days in advance // Less stress and earlier posts!

Work on more blogging relationships // Get connected to this great web community

Consistent Link-Ups // What's better than one blogger? Two!

Look into guest posting // Mixing it up is always welcomed!

Fashion

Invest in high quality neutrals // Grey, black and camel will never go out of style

Wear more hats // I like hat people. Let's be hat people.

Take more risks // Be who you want to be that day. No apologies.

Nail an all-black outfit // It's classic and chic. It doesn't have to be emo. 

Beauty

Face mask once a week // Treat your skin as well as you want to be treated. 

Don't skip washing your face // No excuses.

Discover drug store products // Make up is good. Cheap good make up is better.

Diet

Don't drink your calories // Cake > Coke

Drink four glasses of water a day // Starting with realistic goals
Think Green // Green is good!

Fitness

Morning stretches // Start each day fresh.

Work out daily // Keep up with daily worksheets. Your body will thank you.

Rediscover running // Some addictions can be a good thing.

Spending

Curb spending // Any more to say?

Start saving  // Milan ain't cheap. 

School

Visit professors 3 times a piece during the semester // Even if it's for one question. Go. 

4 hour Off-Days // Four hours of work between Friday & Saturday. Sunday will thank you

Read the news // Break out of the bubble. Come out from under the rock.

Unplug

Tech-free days // Step away from it all for 24 hours at least once a month.

Walk to class without looking at your phone // De-clutter your mind before class.

Read for fun // This doesn't just have to be a break privilege.

2015 Jar // Collect the little things throughout the year. 

I hope to come back to this periodically. It's important to revisit and revise these little reminders. What's on your list of New Years reminders?
Emily

#FridayFinds: TSwift is One of a Kind

To be honest, I really tried to resist the Taylor Swift craze. I'll admit that I'm typically stubborn when it comes to jumping on a massive celebrity bandwagon like the followings of Miley Cyrus or OneDirection but I've fallen for TSwift. She really has it all - the album, the look the overall vibe and I'm digging it. I stumbled across this video yesterday and it's plain to see why people love her so much, she really cares about her fans. Her humble attitude, sincere excitement and genuine kindness is a different kind of celeb that we've seen in a while and I definitely support it. You go TSwift. Keep it up, girl.

What do you think of Taylor?
Emily

Years that Question & Years that Answer

Well, happy 2015 everyone! It's crazy thinking that another new year is upon us. Usually I see the new year as a fresh start, a blank page and a place to start completely from scratch but this year I see that last digit change in the date a little differently. I truly was happy with how last year turned out. I had a lot of changes that I did not see coming and they all had a funny way of really working out. So today, and this year, I only want to continue on that path of change and see where these opportunities take me. This year, my New Years Resolutions are more of New Years Reminders and when I finalize my list I'll share them but for now I'm just focusing on enjoying this bright new day. 

I did want to take the time to share something that I stumbled across the other day. I saw this quote while I was on Pinterest (of course) but it really stuck with me. There are years that go along steadily and then there are years that push us out of our comfort zones and make us make changes. Both are good and both are needed. I definitely experienced the latter in 2014 and I'm excited for an answering year to see how the questions raised in this past year are really going to play out. 

In the meantime, I will continue to be stubborn with my goals. I will continue to work hard, be kind, stay humble and laugh often. I will continue to keep trying to make the most out of my everyday. And I will continue to believe that life has a funny way of always working out. 

Here's to an answering new year. What's your favorite new year quote?

Emily