Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

*Psst* Click the picture to find a copy

Oh wow, this book had a lot of hype! SO much hype! Friend reccomendations, booktubers, PopSugar book lists, this book was everywhere! So when I saw it was under $5 in the Nook store, I thought, "Why not?" I clicked that dangerous "buy now" button and it (and soon after Eleanor & Park) were safely waiting for me in my library. This was a few months ago, but after the constant talk of how good it was I decided to read it at the beach this weekend.

**Disclaimer: I gave this book 4 stars, I loved it, the next paragraph is just my reading process. Keep going and don't start lighting the torches, just yet**

I was worried that because of the hype and praise, it would fall short and believe me for the first hundred pages I was sure that's what was happening. Honestly, I felt bad for Cath, I thought she was a depressing character and need to get over herself. I also understood her because the first week at college for me was a total nightmare, but unlike Cath, I picked myself up and forced people to be friends with me. I had such a hard time connecting with Cath, that I just felt like the whole story was mediocre. I also was super impatient to find out who the love interest would be that I almost jumped on Google, but I stayed strong and didn't spoil the surprise for myself. 

BUT FOR SOME REASON I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. 

Rainbow Rowell's writing is so fun. It's not complicated, it's not overdone, it's just like your reading a note from a friend. That's what kept me coming back. I loved how relaxed she writes and for a beach read that's exactly what I wanted. 

As a friend said a few days ago when I finished the book, 

"Rainbow's books usually send me on a rollercoaster because her protagonist usually goes through a really shitty time 3/4 of the novel and then the last little bit is pure happiness."

I really couldn't put it better myself. By the time Cath is in her second semester of college, half way through the book, I was hooked. Things started looking up, she started being a stronger character and I was rooting for her. 

I would definitely recommend this book, hang in there, and get to the end because it's so worth it! I was sad to not really find out what happens with Cath's fanfic and I really wish there was a sequel to look forward to. I want to know what happens with Cath and her romantic interest (Don't want to spoil anything)! I think a sophomore year sequel would be a great!

I understand what the hype was about! Eleanor & Park is on my Nook and Landline (hardcover is on sale for $3.99!!) is on my shelf waiting for me! I'm excited to read all of Rowell's work because she spread some sunlight my way on a cloudy beach weekend.

Lots of love, 

All That Glitters is Gold!

Yellow Top || Levi Jeans || Sandals (50% off!!!) || Arm cuff || Watch (Similar) || Necklace || Sunnies (The Tortoise color is back in stock!)

I woke up and the sun was shining and I just felt like it was a yellow day! I love this outfit because the clothing pieces were so simple that I got to play up my accessories!

Let me begin with the star of this outfit, my shoes! They are simple, but they are my favorite pair right now! I found these at Nordstrom Rack in Boston and I have worn them so much in the last month! If you have $50 to spend and need a new pair of summer sandals, take advantage of this sale and buy these. I have dressed them up, I've worn them with shorts, I've put them on my feet just to admire them (not really, but it sounds good!).

After I was dressed I started piling on the jewelry because it's summer and why not? A few years ago, I hated wearing gold jewelry, but recently I have completely flipped. My jewelry box has gone from almost all silver to almost all gold! I loved pairing the yellow and gold, it just seems like a such classic combination. I keep thinking of The Devil Wears Prada when I say that. Yellow? Gold? Groundbreaking. But if it's not broken, keep wearing it.

I also love this necklace! It's retro and I love daisies, so it combines two of my favorite things! It reminds me of the Marc Jacobs Daisy fragrance collection! I have always loved the design of that bottle and now I have the design without dropping $75 on perfume that I might not wear! 

I also would like to apologize for my two unpainted nails in the last photo. I was stressed at work, my nails were chipped and I picked the rest off. Am I the only one who does that??? 

Make sure you spread some sunlight today! It's Wednesday ... people need it! 

Love you bunches, 

 

DIY: Pretty Pineapples!

Pineapples are huge right now and I think it's the coolest summer trend! So I wanted to make myself a pineapple tank like the ones I have been seeing all over the Internet. Not gonna lie, I still have my eye on a few and might buy them, but it was nice to take this one to the beach with me! This whole project cost less than $20!

Step One: Collect your supplies. 

You'll need a white tank top, yellow, green, and gold paint, a pen, a stencil, and a few paintbrushes in different sizes. 

I bought this white tank at Target in the athletic section. Looking back I wish I had gotten one with smaller straps and less of a muscle tank look, but I can always make another one! When picking out your shirt, just make sure that it is mostly cotton because the paint will absorb better. It also helps to wash your shirt before painting it. 

I only used fabric paint in the gold because craft paint works really well on fabric and I already owned the the colors I needed. If you prefer fabric paint or if you're buying these colors just for this project then definitely go for it! 

For the stencil, I drew my own pineapple and then cut out the pieces that would be painted with an X-acto knife. I will do my best to get a .pdf of my stencil on here so that you can print it and cut it out. You can also find some great examples and clipart online here. Just save the image, print it at the size you want on the shirt and then cut out the stencil. (If you use someone else's artwork, please don't sell the shirts you make! That's stealing someone's hard work!) 

Step Two: Protect your shirt!

Slide a piece of cardboard or a paper shopping bag in between the layers of your shirt so that the paint doesn't seep through to the back layer. You will want to leave this in the shirt until it is completely dry!

Step Three: Trace it!

Grab your pen (or pencil) and trace the stencil that you made. I like using a pen because the lines show up better, but if you're worried about it showing then a pencil will work, too!

Step Four & Five: Color in the lines!

Think back to the elementary school and start painting in the lines. I used a square, flat paintbrush to fill in all the yellow shapes. I found that the squared-off edge made it easier to get clean lines. Don't worry about the pen lines showing through! We are going to cover them up with a very opaque gold paint. If you don't want the gold then you will just need to add a few more layers of paint to cover it up.

Then I used a really fine paintbrush to do the leaves at the top. Once I was finished, I free-handed a few more to make it look fuller and more balanced.

Step Six: Work that Puffy Paint!

Grab the gold paint and using the fine tip just outline the edges of your yellow shapes. I originally was going to paint these lines, but I realized the tip on the fabric paint made it so much easier and eliminated the possibility to make the lines different widths. I was unsure about it being puffy. I didn't want it to look like a '90s shirt I found at Goodwill, but the paint definitely flattened out as it dried!

I hope you all have an awesome time making your very own pineapple shirts! I'd love to see pictures if you chose to make one! Tag me on Instagram (@magnoliasandsunlight) or tweet me a pic (@evinelizabeth) so I can see your creations!

Don't forget to spread some sunlight to someone today!

Love you tons,

All-American Dessert!

Every summer my grandma made two desserts for Fourth of July; Strawberry/Blueberry Shortcake or Peach Cobbler. So if you're looking for the perfect summer dessert, look no further! 

What you need:

·      About 8 cups of peeled, sliced fresh peaches

·      firm but ripe, they must just smell wonderful

·      2 cups of sugar

·      2 to 4 Tablespoons of flour (this helps to thicken the peach juices)

·      1/2 Teaspoon of nutmeg

·      1/2 Teaspoon of cinnamon

·      1/3 cup of melted butter.

·      Pie Crust for two pies

Start cooking: 

1.     Slice and peel peaches

2.    Combine the sliced peaches with the sugar, flour and spices in a large skillet. 

3.    Stir gently and then let it sit for a while so a natural syrup forms. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes or until your peaches are tender. 

4.    Remove from heat and add the melted butter. 

5.    Roll out one of your piecrust to about 1/8 to 1/4 thickness. The crust will absorb some of the peach syrup while baking so if you like this texture make it the thicker of the two. 

6.    Cut the crusts to fit your baking dish. Lightly spray the dish with cooking spray. 

There are two ways to go from here, so choose your own adventure! 

First way: Cover the bottom of your baking dish with one of your cut crusts. Spoon the warm peaches in to it and cover with your other piecrust. You can cover the top completely or you can do a lattice pattern to make it super fancy looking! Bake at 475 degrees Farenheit for 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. 

Second way: THE DOUBLE DECKER! Cover the bottom of your baking dish with one of your cut crusts. Spoon half the peaches, cover with crust, Bake this first layer at 475 for ten minutes. Then remove from the oven and spoon in the remaining peaches. Cover it all with the remaining crust and bake for another ten minutes. 

Once you take it out of the oven, let it sit for a few minutes to cool. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Happy eating! 

Hope you're all having a lovely Fourth of July! 

Make sure you spread some sunlight on this special day! 

Love you bunches, 

Packed for the Fourth!

Similar Navy Cover Up || Turkish Towel || American Flag Cup || White Tank || Polka Dot Top || Monogrammed Bikini Top || White Bottoms || Monogrammed Hat || Sunglasses (top, middle, bottom) || Perfume || Sea Salt Spray || Nail Polish || Lip Color || Shorts (Printed, Pink Seersucker, White Eyelet, Blue Seersucker (or these), Paisley)

I am counting down the hours until I leave for the beach! I packed my bags last night and here is a look at what's in them! Yes, I have two bags for three days. One suitcase and a beach bag. Deal with it.

I, of course, have more than this packed (remember there are two bags), but these are my highlights, very monochromatic, navy blue and white highlights. To be honest, I'm not surprised, I love nautical anything and don't own a lot of red (hence the lipstick!).

Beach Weekend Packing Tips: 

1. Multiple swimsuits

I always take two extra swimsuits than I think I will need. I hate putting having to put a wet or sandy swimsuit back on. So if you're at the beach in the morning, change for lunch, you'll have a cute and dry suit to throw on for an afternoon in the sun!

2. Cover ups

Always have a cover up ready to go. I have two like the one above that I love, but even shorts and a tank will work. There are so many places, even on the beach, that frown on you entering they're establishment in nothing but a bikini. I don't get it, but when I am hungry on the beach I don't want to be turned away from getting lunch! Just throw on your cover up and go! Plus, you'll look super chic.

3. Plan your reading material

This took the longest to pack last night. I have a super short attention span so just sitting on the beach doesn't cut it. I need something to read, a volleyball to play with and music to listen to. Last year, I took my favorite copy of Pride and Prejudice to the pool and it got really water logged. I was crushed. So now I plan more carefully and take a book to read in the beach house and on the drive (read: hardbacks) and books that I can deal with if they get wet (read: mass market paperbacks and things I got on sale). I also threw in my Nook so I can read at night under the stars! 

4. Take products with SPF

Sunscreen, Sunscreen, Sunscreen and Sunscreen. I mean it's kind of a given, but also take a look at the makeup you wear and make sure that there is SPF in your moisturizer, foundation, and powder. I just realized recently that my moisturizer didn't have SPF. I immediately went to get some that did because sun damage is no joke. Also, stock up on Aloe Vera! You might not be the one getting burnt, but it's likely someone you're with will and you'll be the house hero!

I'm so ready to soak up the sunlight! Hope your weekend is great!

Love, love, love,

Currently Obsessed with these June Favorites!

Aveda Dry Remedy || L'oreal EverCurl || Essie Find Me An Oasis || Essie Plumberry || 

NatureBox Dark Cocoa Nom Noms || The Nook ||  Etsy Monogrammed Hats || 

Marley Lilly Hats || Black and White Shorts || Yellow Shorts ||

WOW! June went by so fast! I can't believe that we are more than half way through the year! I am currently still loving summer, I'm enjoying the heat and I am a tad worried about how fast fall is approaching! I am just going to keep enjoying each and every day.

June was a great month full of celebrations, shopping and discovering a few new things that I love!

Hope you had a great month! And remember that a new month means a fresh start!

Spread some July sunlight today!

Love you tons,

In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume

*Psst* Click the picture to find a copy

I had no idea what to expect when I picked this book up at Target. I was intrigued that Judy Blume had released a new title and I was drawn to the shiny "Signed First Edition" sticker that was plastered to the front. Having never read any of Judy Blume's most well-known books (I did read the Fudge series when I was nine), I figured it was time to give her a chance. 

I am going to be completely honest that this book didn't captivate me like I thought it would. It was a good story and the characters were well-developed, but I found myself trudging through. Throughout the book I kept thinking how it deserved a solid three stars. AND THEN! I read the Author's Note and it alone earned the book a fourth star. So my advice (something I never thought I would say) is to turn to the back, read the Author's Note, and get a real understanding for the story. I thought this book was fiction, I went in blind, but in reality this is a historical fiction about events that Judy Blume lived through in her hometown Elizabeth, New Jersey. 

The main character is a teenage girl named Miri. The book opens and closes with her character as an adult, but the majority of the book (everything except for maybe 50 pages) is a "flashback" to her life growing up in Elizabeth during the year that three planes crashed in her town. The book covers grief, loss, surviving tragedy and moving on. There's a lot of family drama, a few love interests and an interesting and accurate look at being a woman in the '50s. 

At times I did become very annoyed with the way Miri was portrayed, mainly because at some points she acted like a small child and then other times only pages later she was portrayed as extremely mature. Maybe that's how all 15-year-old girls are, truly trapped between childhood and adulthood, but it just seemed to flip so much and her character lived in that strange gray area. 

Overall, this book was interesting, has a ton of characters and just as many storylines to follow. I liked that all the characters were somehow connected and the storylines all intertwined at some point. It reminded me of Valentine's Day or New Year's Eve. Each character is presented on their own, but somehow they all have a common thread running between them. 

In the Unlikely Event is definitely worthy of being a summer vacation book, a pool read, or an escape from the heat. Maybe pack it in your checked bag, though, reading about plane crashes on a plane makes me a little nervous. Or, you know, be a rebel and go for it. It's up to you!

Happy reading! Make sure to spread some sunlight today!

Love you lots,