Portland Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger

Nov 30, 2017

A HOLIDAY GUIDE | BOOTLEG BAUBLES


I'm totally kidding, this is not a gift guide. I came across bootleg baubles earlier this week and I am sad I didn't think of this myself. Everyone is dying over these Ikea stockings. I have a few ikea bags so I might fire the sewing machine up and make a couple.
Tis the season.
Does anyone have a hype tree? I cant wait to see holiday decor. I know any people put up decorations right after thanksgiving... including me. It's also officially sag season!Where did this year go? I can't.
LOVE, MARA
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Nov 26, 2017

HP AMP PRINTER REVIEW

I was given this printer for free from HP but all opinions are my own. 
When I was in college this AMP printer would have been so clutch. Not only is it small and compact, prints wirelessly, it also has a built in Bluetooth Speaker. I would not have normally put these two things together but it's pretty genius. I keep it folded up in my living room console so I can quick print things I need to, and it doubles as a good living room speaker. I usually just move my beats pill from room to room but this is more convenient. 
The AP printer retails for $129 but is on sale for $79 at walmart right now. It has a USB port to charge your phone as well, and you can print wirelessly and effortlessly from a phone or computer. How clutch!? To set it up you download the HP app, and then you are good to go. This printer also takes calls but I haven't used that feature yet. I'm a fan. It folds so small, it's a millennial maven.

Side note, I have been so obsessed with NERD Lemon for like the past month. After that listening party at complexcon I've been wondering when they will drop the album and they just announced it will be Dec 15th! The day after my birthday. It's going to be a good b-day week. 
SO MUCH BETTER THAN LAST YEAR. 

I also hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! I decided to unplug this holiday, I am so tired of all of the gift guides with affiliate links galore and uncreative blog posts that are all over my social media. With that being said, blogmas is coming up. Get exited, a blog post EVERYDAY in the month of December until Christmas. I hope to bring different content than what is out there right now. It's getting really boring. 
LOVE, MARA
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Nov 20, 2017

CREATE & CULTIVATE PORTLAND

Create & Cultivate Portland was the same week as complexcon and I never got to share this event with you! It was great timing because it brings up a great concept: collaboration not competition. I've been dealing with some adversity at work and I finally am at a point where I just realize I'm always going to make someone mad. Even when it's not my fault. I am a black female in corporate America. I will always piss people off just by existing, so existing and making waves is a formula for some hateful vibes. There are people that will be mad based on insecurity and jealousy, and there are some people that embrace my disruption. The people cheering me on are the ones I am interested in investing time with. The people upset with your waves are people you don't want in your presence. There are ones that cheer you on to your face, but behind your back wish you fail beyond the things they are comfortable of doing. 
My advice is to keep collaborating with the right people and forget the competition. 
Create & Collaborate was a good night to be around other entrepreneurial minded women encouraging each other. The theme was tech but the values were definitely applicable in any field.

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Nov 19, 2017

MY FAVORITE WINTER ACCESSORY

My knit cap collection is slowly taking over my hat shelf and I am ok with it. Growing up in HTX it was always too warm to consider wearing a beanie 24/7, but here in Portland it's a way of life. It also comes in handy on days my hair looks nappy. Below I left a few cute ones as beanie inspo. 

I think beanies pair best with a polished look. Even though knit caps are so casual, I love them paired with long coats and a simple sneaker. Is this model off duty? I kind of love it.

Also, How is it Thanksgiving week?
LOVE, MARA
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Nov 12, 2017

HP SPROCKET PRINTER | CALIFORNIA DREAMING

OK, last of the Calfornia posts. I am so sad my HP Sprocket delivered after I left because it would have been so fun to print while on vacation! It is much smaller than my Instax camera and better because it prints from your phone photo albums. Both Iphone and Android are compatible with the easy to use app. I installed and used mine rather quickly. Luckily amazon sells carry cases for around $10. This thing is guaranteed to get beat up in my purse. I love how mine is white with a hint of Rose Gold. So chic. Made for me. It retails around $130, right in line with other instant cameras. The value of how compact this is sells me on this product. I will always have my phone with me, so carrying this is easier than an additional instant camera. 

Huntington beach, our Air BNB was so close and an easy walk!
Also while I was gone HP sent me a Printer that doubles as a speaker! You will have to wait until next week to see how I like it! I am officially an HP Millennial influencer :) I'll be testing and sharing fun things from HP for the next year.
OMG this place had the best acai bowls but I can't remember the name. I need to because I need the receipts for my expense report! I've never had bowls sooo good, I wish I knew the places name. This bowl was the Gangsta Goddess. On day 2 I grabbed the Gangsta Goddess with a shot of immunity so I wouldn't get sick on my whirlwind week. Needless to say, I'm not sick! 
I can't wait to put my new Sprocket to more use! Stay tuned to my review on the HP 2 in one printer next week.
LOVE, MARA
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COMPLEX CON | DAY 2

DAY TWO.
The vibe on day 2 was less stressful. I actually was able to view inside a few booths and buy a few things. I Am Other threw a crazy concert with 2 Chains, Migos, Lil Uzivert. The night concerts were Yung Thug and M.I.A. Gucci Mane also performed but we left early for that.
I was able to pop into Melody Ehsani's booth and buy an amazing "Stay Woke" ring. It is not on her website but she has so many other goodies on there.
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Nov 7, 2017

COMPLEX CON 2017| DAY 1

The second year ever of complexcon, my first year ever attending. We decided to take day one slow and arrive a little after the opening. Lines were easier to manage and we were quickly swept into the transactional vibe of the floor that is ComplexCon.
Of course the first order of business was heading to the three stripe booth, we were here for work after all. After cutting through the velvet ropes I found myself staring up at Pharrell, Chad and Shay. The adidas booth had soooo many assets in it. Travis Barker and his son came by, Asap, and  (randomly) Ocho Cinco came by too. I didn't like how the booth only had retail and not as much interactive experience. They displayed franchises that exist, but I know there are a few new things that would have been perfect to premier here. Regardless, it stayed packed and people really loved it. It didn't look like anything else there. The only thing trendy was there was a Pusha T Bodega and I walked past maybe 3 or 4 other brand Bodegas (including the actual brand called Bodega.) Still the top booth there! Bonus points for ASAP shouting FUCK NIKE like 3 times. 
We quickly got split up and roamed the floor for a few hours. Undefeated and Nike both had a lot of hype around their booths and drops. Nike had an interactive AF1 custom lab, the only complaint I heard was how long it took to wait and then custom. Puma had a booth that looked really cool but I didn't understand it. It wasn't clear if you could buy something or listen to a panel or what? I'm keeping an eyeout for them because they did paste up the collabs coming up including ones from Fubu, Mac and MCM. I need to get my hands on something MCM or Fubu. I don't even know how they pulled either of those but thats for the culture.

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