Blog Tips

5 FAVORITE Blogging Tools of 2019!

by Gabrielle Loomis
written by Gabrielle Loomis

Over the past few years of blogging, I’ve discovered many tools that help me manage my blog. Some of these tools I’ve been using for years and some I’ve started using recently. Whether you are a blogger or not, these tools that I’m going to show you today can be incredibly useful for your daily work life.

Below are 5 FAVORITE Blogging Tools of 2019!

Google Drive

Google Drive is my #1 tool. This tool is so important to me because I’m able to access anything that I save in Drive (images, documents, contracts) through my phone. If I’m not home near my computer and I need access to a document, I have access to that on the tip of my fingers. I call Google Drive my “right-arm.”

Grammarly

Grammarly is a website/program that automatically detects grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, and style mistakes in your writing. You can use the Free version of Grammarly, and install the browser extension for  Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. If you are writing an email and make a grammar mistake, Grammarly will pop-up and notify you about the error. Since English is my second language, Grammarly has made me 90% more confident when writing a pitching email and blog posts. I recently upgraded my account to Premium, and that was the best decision I made. With Grammarly Premium, you have access to more tools to make your writing even better.

Canva

Canva is a fantastic graphic design tool that I use to design images for my blog. When I’m creating Gift Guides for my followers, for example, I use Canva to design it. The program is free, and I find it pretty user-friendly. With Canva, you can also create business cards, invitations, flyers, etc. 

*I used Canva to create the image for this post.

Lightroom

Lightroom, to me, is so crucial because this is the program I use to edit all of my photos. If you only take phones through your phone, you can use awesome apps to edit them such as VSCO, Snapseed, and theTezza app. But, if you take pictures with your DSLR, Lightroom is a must. I learned how to use Lightroom by watching YouTube videos and taking online courses. I used Lynda.com to learn the basics of Lightroom. 

Tailwind

After I heard a lot of people suggesting using Tailwind to schedule your Pinterest Pins, I decided to give it a try. I first signed up for the Free month and after that, I upgraded to the Plus version and I’m paying $14,99 a month. The nice thing about Tailwind is that you can schedule your Pins to go live at high-traffic times and on any day. I’ve been scheduling my Pins to go live around 8 p.m. I make sure to have new Pins every day to keep the momentum going. 
My Pinterest is at 55,000 monthly views and continually growing and bringing more traffic to my blog!

You can sign up here to start scheduling your Pinterest and Instagram posts!

Let me know which tools are your favorite!

Xo, Gabrielle

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CollaborationFashion

EVEREVE Trendsend Box – 7 Pieces to Mix & Match and Elevate your Fall/Winter Wardrobe

by Gabrielle Loomis
written by Gabrielle Loomis

I’m excited to show you guys all the pieces I received in my EVEREVE Trendsend Box this month.
I received seven pieces that were hand-selected by an Evereve stylist based on my taste and lifestyle. All of the pieces I received can be mixed and matched, so I can create multiple outfits that I can wear in the Fall and Winter.
One of the biggest reasons why I love Trendsend is the convenience of receiving outfits to my doorstep. I don’t have to browse on the internet searching for clothes that I like. Once I decide which items I want to keep, I return the ones I don’t.

*See how I styled more EVEREVE’s outfits here: MAXI LENGTH CARDIGAN FROM EVEREVE

All of the featured items are linked below!

I hope I gave you guys some outfit inspiration!

Xo, Gabrielle

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LifeStyle

14 Activities to do with Children in the Fall

by Gabrielle Loomis
written by Gabrielle Loomis

Although Fall is not my favorite season (because Winter will come shortly after), there’re lots of fun activities to do with the kids. Today I’m sharing with you 14 Fall Activities to do with children. Hey, if you don’t have kids, you can still do them 😉

  1. Visit a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. This is one of our favorite activities to do with the kids. Many farms will have a petting zoo, and playground for the kids to play. 
  2. Decorate pumpkins with parkers, paint, and stickers.
  3. Take the kids to a corn maze.
  4. Collect different leaves and glue them on white paper.
  5. Make caramel apples.
  6. Make a big pile of leaves and let the kids jump and play with them.
  7. Attend a Fall Festival. 
  8. Make apple crips with the kids – my personal favorite. Eat it warm and with vanilla ice cream, YUM!
  9. Make leaf rubbings. Place a leaf bottom side facing up on a flat surface. Put a white sheet of paper on top of the leaf. Rub the side of a crayon gently on the area over the foliage. Watch as part of the leaf shape will start to appear.
  10. Go for a nature walk to see the change of the colors on the trees. 
  11. Go to an October Fest. Always good food!
  12. Search for Halloween themed parties. It can be in your neighborhood library or even the Zoo.
  13. Go on a hayride.
  14. Make a Halloween-themed movie and book marathon. 

Let’s change gears and talk about this outfit. I love this tunic from Free People. I wore it at the end of the Summer with jean shorts, and now in the Fall, I’ve been wearing it with jeans. For reference, I’m wearing this tunic in a size XS. I love that you dress this tunic up or down. Pair it with a nice pair of pants/jeans and heels, or dress it down with booties like the way I am wearing in these pictures. 

My aviator sunglasses are from MVMT. Get 15% off your purchase with code: COLORMESASSY15

My whole outfit is linked below along with a few similar options.

SHOP THE POST

I want to hear from you guys! What’s your favorite Fall activity?

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CollaborationTravel

Top Things to Do in Rhinelander, Wisconsin

by Gabrielle Loomis
written by Gabrielle Loomis

It’s no doubt that we had an absolute fun time in Rhinelander, WI. I’ve written two blog posts about our trip there, and you can check them here: Best Places to Eat in Rhinelander, WI & Weekend Getaway in Rhinelander, WI. 

Today, I am sharing with you some of the top things to do in Rhinelander to wrap up this travel series. 

1.Holiday Stables at Holiday Acres Resort

Holiday Stables is open seven days a week from Memorial Day through Labor Day. If you want to go horseback riding, you have to call or stop by and reserve your time. You ride your horse through a series of beautiful wooded trails that lasts approximately 50 mins. Our children loved riding with us. Horseback riding was probably one of our favorite things we did in Rhinelander. Oh, the Holiday Stables also have a little petting zoo that the kids loved. 

2. Pirate Falls – Mini Golfing

We love taking our kids mini-golfing. Well, it can be a bit challenging sometimes, but we always manage to have fun. Pirate Falls wasn’t too far from where we stayed (Holiday Acres Resort) and it’s a great place to go with friends or children to have a good time.

3.The Hodag

Rhinelander is known for its legendary creature called Hodag. Some say that this creature has been roaming the Northwoods for more than a century. Learn more about the story of the Hodag here.

You can see Hodag Statues spread across Rhinelander. A larger-than-life representation of this creature can be found outside the Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce office. 

4.Holiday Acres Resort

If you stay at Holiday Acres Resort as we did, you will find lots of activities to do there. The resort has an indoor heated pool, pontoon boat rental, tennis courts, paddleboat, and 16 feet boat that comes with your lodge rental. 

One of the things we did on our trip was to go fishing and boating before sunset. It felt so peaceful to me in the lake before dusk. 

Thanks for reading and I hope that by now you have a good idea of how Rhinelander is like.

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CollaborationFashion

Maxi Length Cardigan from EVEREVE

by Gabrielle Loomis
written by Gabrielle Loomis

Last week I went to Evereve at Bayshore Mall in Glendale, WI to look at their new fall merchandise. If you haven’t shopped at Evereve before, I’m telling you, you are going to love their store! Employees there are trained to style any women that walk in the door. Before you leave the store, their employees become your friends!

SHOP THE POST

Anyways, I left the store with a bag full of awesome clothes to wear this fall, including this maxi length cardigan, black jeans, and this t-shirt.

To be honest with you, I wasn’t sure how I was going to like this cardigan because I’m a shortie. It turned out that I love the way it looks on me. This cardi’s colored stripes and long lines for sure make a statement! To elongate my short figure, I added some heels. In this case, I’m wearing those taupe booties that go nicely with those black jeans.

I love pairing this cardi with my Agolde high-waisted skinny jeans. Those jeans fit absolutely amazing. They are a little bit more pricey, but the quality is excellent. To finish this edgy-cool look I wore my WILD t-shirt also from Evereve. I’ve worn this t-shirt at least five times, and I’ve paired it with shorts, leggings, jeans, denim skirts.

This t-shirt soft and made of 100% cotton. The sleeves are rolled, giving an edgy look, and the front and back hem is curved.

How do you feel about wearing maxi length cardigans?

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Family

How often do you do things that are out of your “safety bubble”?

by Gabrielle Loomis
written by Gabrielle Loomis

How often do you do things that are out of your “safety bubble”?

My hubby wasn’t home yesterday, and I had the kids all to myself. I wanted to do something other than being at home for the kids and my sanity. I usually like to take them to “safe” places where I know I’m most likely in control. If you know my kids, they can be a little wild. As of recently, I don’t go grocery shopping or do any shopping (Target? No way!) with just my boys. They can be a big piece of work!

Anyways, yesterday I challenged myself to take the boys to the Zoo all by myself. I put the “what ifs” to the side and confidently drove to the Zoo. When I saw the mile-long line to the Zoo entrance, I almost turned around, but I didn’t. I told myself, “it’s going to be okay.”

Moral of the story. WE HAD A BLAST! The boys really surprised me. They noticed how busy the Zoo was and actually listened to me when I asked them to be by my side. We spent 3 hours at the Zoo, more than I ever spent when my husband went with us. In the end, I got a Zoo membership.

Doing things alone with children can be scary for some. You have to take a leap of faith, be positive that things will be alright, and believe that you will have a great time! You will only know your limit when you push yourself out of your safety bubble!

Ps: I guess yesterday’s adventure made me really inspired. Sorry for the long post 🙂

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CollaborationTravel

Best Places to Eat in Rhinelander, WI

by Gabrielle Loomis
written by Gabrielle Loomis

As you all know, we went to Rhinelander for a weekend getaway. We had an awesome weekend filled with activities and a lot of good food. On this post, I’ll be sharing with you some of the best places to eat in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

Briar House Coffee
The Briar House Coffee is not your regular coffee shop. Besides their delicious coffee and chocolate chip cookies, they also sell women’s apparel and gifts.

Bitters and Bull
Technically, Bitters and Bull is in Lake Tomahawk, but it was only 20 minutes away from where we stayed, the Holiday Acres. A friend recommended this restaurant to us, and we were so glad we went. Our meals were delicious! Bitters and Bull and have incredible drinks and desserts. Their margaritas are a must-have!

The Butcher’s Wife
Next door to Bitters and Bull you can shop, have a cup of coffee or eat ice cream at The Butcher’s Wife. This quaint place sells beautiful jewelry, small gifts, and it’s perfect for taking the kids for ice cream!

3 Coins Restaurant
We eat Sunday brunch at 3 Coins Restaurant at the Holiday Acres Resort. For only $15.99 you get all you can eat from a variety of hot dishes, desserts and omelet station. We loved dining at 3 Coins, and I think it’s worth going there even if you are not staying at the resort.

CT’s Deli
CT’s Deli is a great lunch spot. They have a variety of paninis, cold sandwiches, and from-scratch soups. One must-try is their beef brisket! It was seriously amazing!

I hope this post was helpful and now you have a few ideas of some of the best places to eat in Rhinelander. Do you have any restaurants to add to this list?
Did you miss my last post about our weekend getaway in Rhinelander? No problem, you can read it here: “Weekend Getaway in Rhinelander, WI.”

Thank for reading 🙂

Xo, Gabrielle

**This post is in collaboration with Rhinelander Tourism Marketing Commission. All opinions are my own.

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CollaborationTravel

Weekend Getaway in Rhinelander, WI

by Gabrielle Loomis
written by Gabrielle Loomis

Before Labor Day weekend we drove to Rhinelander, WI for a quick weekend getaway. We had such a relaxing and fun time that I wanted to do a little recap about our trip.

We stayed at the Holiday Acres Resort. There you have the option to stay at a cottage or a lodge room. We stayed at a quaint cottage that had a fully equipped kitchen. We like staying in places that have full kitchens because it’s easier when you have children and want to store all of their snacks.

We loved that the resort property had a lot to offer: indoor heated pool, petting zoo, horseback riding, boat rentals, and an excellent restaurant with a delicious Sunday Brunch! We highly recommend the Sunday Brunch. It was only $15.99 per person, all you can eat!!

Our weekend getaway was just what we needed to end the summer on a high note. It was relaxing, fun, perfect to unplug, and experience nature.

Our cottage came with a small 8-foot boat that we used every day to go fishing and watch the sunset. The kids loved trying to catch fish from the boat, and Rapha now knows how to cast with his Ninja Turtles fishing pole :).

Our kids experienced new things on that trip. They went mini-golfing and horseback riding with us for the first time. We rode horses in the Holiday Acres property which is attached to the petting zoo. That was probably one of our favorite things we did. The kids loved being on a “horsey.”

Our resort wasn’t too far away from downtown Rhinelander, restaurants, and coffee shops. That enabled us to drive and explore the area with the kids.

Our trip lasted three days and two nights. I think that was the right amount of time to scape on a little getaway.

We loved staying at the Holiday Acres and would like to go back in the winter to go cross country skiing and snowmobiling.

Thanks for reading and let me know in the comments if you have ever been there before!

**This post is in collaboration with Rhinelander Tourism Marketing Commission. All opinions are my own.

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CollaborationLifeStyle

Why Shopping at Goodwill is so Much Fun?

by Gabrielle Loomis
written by Gabrielle Loomis

Why shopping at Goodwill is so much fun? It’s because you never know what you are going to find! It’s like a treasure hunt where you have to dig and explore to find the treasure!

I usually visit the Goodwill store near me once a month. There’s one only ten minutes away from my house, so it’s easy to pop in wherever I want. Some days I find a ton of goodies, and some days I find none. That’s the beauty of Goodwill; it’s a hit or miss.

I recently found out (by chatting with a Goodwill floor assistant) that our local store receives a lot of furniture on Sunday nights. I was very excited that the salesperson shared this golden information with me. When I’m on the lookout for furniture, I now know when to go. If you ever want to know when the best time to shop for certain things is, ask one of the employees that work at Goodwill. You will be sure to get the great scoop!

Last weekend I went to Goodwill to drop off a few bags, and I decided to make my way in to see what kind of things I could find. I was walking down the “toys” aisle, and I saw a brand new “Jake the Pirate” ornament. I mean, we are only four months away from Christmas, right? I love buying ornaments for our Christmas tree, especially the ones that mean something to us. In this case, my oldest son loves the Disney show Jake the Pirate. Besides seeing my son’s eyes full of excitement, the best part was that the ornament was only $1.99. A brand new Hallmark/Disney ornament retails anything from $15-$25.

On my recent trip to Goodwill, I also found this gorgeous green faux leather jacket. I scored this beauty for $4.99. Not bad! Since fall is coming up soon, I wanted to check what kind of jackets and coats Goodwill had in store.

If you are new at thrift shopping, here are a few tips that will go along the way:

  1. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t find anything you like. The chances are that you went on an “off” day. Go often to find out when is the best day to shop. Ask the floor assistant when are the best days and times to visit the store.
  2. Found something you liked? Grab it before someone else does. That’s another reason why I love shopping at Goodwill; you are likely to see one of a kind item. So if you like something, put it in your shopping cart!
  3. Goodwill is an excellent place to shop for the Holidays. I wrote a blog post last year with all the decor I bought for Christmas. You can read that post here: Decorating for the Holidays with Goodwill. If you want to find Halloween costumes and decor, Back to School items, Christmas decor and more, make sure to visit the store early to find the best stuff!
  4. Think outside the box! You can find furniture or house decor items that will look new with a fresh coat of paint. If you have never refurbished anything, you can easily find YouTube videos with all the resources you need for the makeover.

Read about my last year’s Holiday finds at Goodwill here: Decorating for the Holidays with Goodwill.

I hope that those tips help you on your next visit to Goodwill!

Xoxo, Gabrielle

**This post is sponsored by Goodwill. All opinions are my own.

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Fashion

3 Casual Ways to Style a Blazer

by Gabrielle Loomis
written by Gabrielle Loomis

SHOP THE POST

Today I wanted to share with you guys three casual ways to style a blazer so you can hop on the trend wagon yourself. These days, you can see people wearing blazers outside of work. It’s becoming more popular every day to wear blazers with jeans and other casual garments. 

If you are unsure of how to style a blazer or, need some inspiration, this post is for you 🙂

At the bottom of this post, there’s an IGTV Styling video that just went live on my Instagram. Hey, if you are not following me on Instagram yet, you can follow me here: @colormesassy.

I bought this plaid blazer at Target last week. I couldn’t find this same blazer online, but I did find very similar options. They are linked below under “shop the post.”

Plaid blazers are fun to style. They add a casual, edgy feel to your outfit. You can wear them to work if your workplace allows business casual wear. You can also wear a plaid blazer to grab dinner in the city or go out for drinks with your girlfriends.

Outfit details:

Button-down shirt on sale for $31

 Mark Fisher Black booties, one of my best purchases from last year! Very comfortable and the price is sweet!

Those high-waisted mom jeans are AMAZING! I would go up a size. These jeans were on sale for two weeks but now it’s back to full price.

This GIGIPIP gambler hat is my absolutely favorite! For 15% off your purchase use code: COLORMESASSY.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1pEr6Sn0zw/

I’m having so much fun creating IGTV Styling videos for you guys! Hope you are enjoying them. Please let me know what kind of videos you want to see next.

Read my previous post 3 DIFFERENT WAYS TO STYLE A MIDI SKIRT + IGTV STYLING VIDEO for more styling ideas.

Thanks for reading!

Have a wonderful week!

Gabrielle

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Family

3 Different Ways to Style a Midi Skirt + IGTV Styling Video

by Gabrielle Loomis
written by Gabrielle Loomis

Midi skirts came in hot this summer so I decided to show you guys 3 different ways to style a midi skirt. Plus, there’s an IGTV Video at the bottom of the post to give you more styling ideas.

I bought this Free People midi skirt with a slit in front at Ryloo Boutique. If you are local, you can still find a few skirts left in the store. Otherwise, you can shop this skirt under SHOP THE POST.

Free People Midi Skirt

When styling a midi skirt, pair it with a top that is fitted or can be tucked in into the waist of the skirt. For example, you could wear a sweater that you can tuck in which will look very cute in the fall paired with booties. Showing the waistline is key when styling midi skirts. 

I love that this skirt is very versatile. You can wear it almost all year round (except in the winter) by pairing it with sandals, booties and a jacket…the options are endless. 

SHOP THE POST

After watching the IGTV Styling video, which outfit out of the 3 is your favorite? 

My block high heels are on sale for $39.99!! They are extremely comfortable and true to size. I found a cheaper version of my black suede jacket ($28) that looks very similar to the one I have. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Mo4LnAydh/

Thanks for reading!

Xoxo,

Gabrielle

Ps: Read my previous blog post where I share my favorite jumpsuit for summer! It’s seriously gorgeous! Read the post here: 
https://colormesassy.com/2019/08/12/the-most-beautiful-summer-jumpsuit/

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Fashion

The Most Beautiful Summer Jumpsuit

by Gabrielle Loomis
written by Gabrielle Loomis

I bought this tie-back jumpsuit at Abercrombie and I didn’t realize it was going to be the most beautiful summer jumpsuit ever! I am seriously obsessed! This olive green polka dot jumpsuit is very flattering, comfortable, and it comes in red and black.  

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This casual jumpsuit is stylish and for sure gets compliments. The fabric is 100% viscose which is light and breezy. I like pairing this jumpsuit with my espadrille wedges for a date night or a concert. You can also wear it with tan-colored heels for a more dressier look and a casual outing. 

Abercrombie tie-back jumpsuit

We are lucky that in Wisconsin the weather is still nice and warm and I can wear this jumpsuit a few more times this summer. 

You guys are lucky because this beautiful Abercrombie jumpsuit is on sale today for almost half price. Enjoy before the price goes up!

If you guys missed my previous blog post, you might really like reading about my Favorite Summer Basics. You can find pieces are timeless so you can wear it summer after summer. 

Thank you so much for reading! Hope you guys enjoyed and I inspired you to get on the jumpsuit wagon.

Have a lovely week!

Xo, Gabrielle

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