him & her: this thimble life

Him: you guys

Her: y’all

Him: PC

Her: Mac

Him: cake

Her: pie

Him: zombies

Her: ZOMBIES!

Him: new

Her: vintage

Him: Gondor

Her: Rohan

Him: Kansas

Her: Queen

visit mandy over at this thimble life. 

him and her: not a couples blog

him: costco hot dog
her: costco pizza

him: arizona for life
her: a heart full of wanderlust

him: parks & rec
her: parks & rec

him: softball
her: writing

him: bathrooms
her: laundry

him: bedtime bath giver
her: resident storybook reader

him: reeses blizzard
her: heath blizzard

him: morning person
her: night person

him: the bourne identity
her: looking for alaska

him: bed hog
her: bed hog

visit kara's blog here! 

see more him & her posts here. 

him and her: jessica jean

Jessica and I met one night on instagram while we were blog experiencing insomnia and I am so glad we did! She is so fun and has the cutest personality. I am so happy she is sharing a him and her post today! Check out her blog here.

Him: big
Her: little

Him: small town boy
Her: big city girl

Him: buffalo chicken sandwich
Her: salad

Him: Adidas
Her: Sandals and wedges

Him: Oreo Cheesequake Blizzard
Her: Twist Cone

Him: crossfit
Her: abs & running

Him: early riser
Her: night owl

Him: chocolate chip cookies and icecream
Her: Fruit smoothie

Him: watches tv before bed
Her: blogs, cleans, and makes jewelry before bed

visit jessica's blog here! 

see more him & her posts here. 

him and her: breezy days

Let the celebration of love continue with Bri from Breezy Days. I was so excited when Bri agreed to guest post for us because I really love the story of how she fell in love with her husband. She wrote out the entire thing and I really hope that one day I will be able to do the same. By the time this Him & Her post posts Jane will most likely be married.... EEEEEEK! Follow me on instagram if you want the inside scoop :)

him: 1/2 mexican 1/2 finnish

her: 1/4 icelandic & 3/4 butt white

him: montana country boy

her: california city girl

him: knee surgery

her: skin cancer surgery

him: football

her: tennis

him: espn & funny youtube clips

her: reading books & magazines

him: afraid of frogs

her: afraid of textures

him&her: the story of us 

visit bri's blog here! 

see more him & her posts here. 

him and her: golden swank

We are celebrating love here at harley and jane this week because Jane is getting married!!! We are so excited. To get in the marriage mood we asked some of our blogging friends to do a him & her guest post. Today we have Jessica from Golden Swank and she is the loveliest. And isn't this picture ADORABLE? Jessica also just got married and her bridal pictures were unreal. See them here.

Him: 6 AM

Her: 9 PM

Him: P90X

Her: turbo kick

Him: Arrested Development 

Her: Pretty Little Liars 

Him: guitar

Her: Piano

Him: Sports

Her: Shopping

Him: cinnamon rolls

Her: gummy bears 

Him: people pleaser

Her: people pleaser

Him: love language = service

Her: love language = gifts 

Him: Movie Theater

Her: redbox

visit jessica's blog here! 

see more him & her posts here. 

fabulous DIY's from lynn and lou and a $25 anthro giveaway!

Hello Harley and Jane readers! Richelle and McKenna from Lynn + Lou. We are sisters, living in two different cities, trying to bridge the gap by writing our blog. We have had a very adventurous year and have loved expanding and sharing our creativity with the blogosphere. With the both of us contributing to the blog, we have our own distinct styles and sources where we find our inspiration.

Where you do find creative inspiration? Where do you shop, what do you read, what blogs do you read to glean daily inspiration? Both of us have our distinct favorites:

Lynn does not go a day without checking her Pinterest account, and has made this a habit since the early months Pinterest was introduced to the world. That and various Tumbler accounts make it into the daily rounds along with a dose of How About Orange and Print & Pattern. Lou loves to frequent A Beautiful Mess and Pinterest as well. We are both obsessed with creatively inspiring blogs, and we are so pleased to have added Harley and Jane to that list.

We decided today to share with you a few of our most favorite DIY posts from Lynn + Lou. Hopefully they will help fill up your daily bucket of creativity. These are just a few of our favorites:

As with some of our favorite blogs, we think that it is important to have a physical place to find creative inspiration. For both of us, we find that the amazing decorative and gorgeous clothing of Anthropologie fulfills this. Who doesn't love Anthro, right? We would love to offer one reader a $25 gift certificate to Anthropologie. Kindly hop on over to our blog and leave us a comment, on our post today on How to Perfectly Frost a Cake. Make sure you say that you are a Harley and Jane reader. We will choose a winner one week from today, Tuesday June 18th.

Thank you to Harley and Jane for letting us post today. We have so much fun creating fun things on our blog and hope that you will come on over and visit us sometime.

him & her: rachel sayumi

In honor of Jane getting married this Friday (eeeeek!) we thought it would be fun to ask some of our favorite bloggers to share a Him & Her post. we are all about celebrating love this week. enjoy! and i'll be back on monday with tons of sappy wedding photos for you to see. today we have Rachel Sayumi- she's the cutest!

him: vans
her: oxfords

him: Dr. Pepper
her: Sprite

him: 5'10"
her: 5'1"

him: pizza
her: salads and wraps

him: Pacsun
her: Forever 21

him: blue eyes
her: dark brown eyes

visit rachel's blog here. 

see more him & her posts here. 

in the spirit of april fool's day

Back in January during a blog planning session, I knew I needed my bosom friend Becca to contribute on April Fool's Day (you'll see why...). She's the wittiest person I know, and she has a rockin' recipe blog that makes me wish I lived at her house. Read this and you'll be inspired to be more fun.

Two years old, pranking at a young age.

I have always loved a good prank.  April Fool’s has long been a favorite holiday of mine, but like the spirit of Christmas, I try to celebrate it year-round.

My mom was quite a prankster in her day, but I don’t think it’s a genetic trait . . . it’s The Mother’s Curse.  My tormented Grandma told my mother more than once, after my sobbing aunts complained again about my mom teasing them, “I hope you have a child just like you!”

And she got one.

Seven years old. All braids and teeth and mischief.

How well I remember the thrill, at the tender age of ten, of wrapping a rubber band around the handle of the dish-sprayer at the kitchen sink, so that the spray button was permanently depressed.  I didn’t even have to stick around to see when some unwitting family member went to the sink for some water—I could (and did) hear their yells from any room in the house.  Prank Tip #1: Avoid the scene of the crime.

Looking back, I bet the neighbors wondered why my mother walked around with a soaked shirt five days out of ten.  Since I never tired of this particular prank, she got to the point of not bothering to change.

The prank that got me in the most trouble was also my best one.  I have five younger sisters, none of whom inherited the tomboy ways of yours truly.  While I played with Legos, went fishing with Dad, and dressed up as a monster every Halloween, they played with Barbies, went shopping with Mom, and dressed up as cheerleaders every October 31st.  It was a hot afternoon in my early teens when I saw three of my sisters sunbathing on the trampoline, so I decided to have some fun.

This particular situation called for a smoke bomb.  I envisioned hitting a 10 on the hilario-meter by lobbing one under the trampoline and then watching as colored, sulphuric smoke enveloped my tanning targets.  I hid behind the deck, lit my bomb, and tossed it artfully (I thought) toward the tramp . . . only to see it arc through the air, a plume of purple smoke trailing behind . . . and land ON the trampoline, right in the middle of my sisters.

You never saw such an explosion of arms and legs and bleach-blonde hair!  It was better than the Idaho Falls Melaleuca Fourth of July Fireworks display!  They screamed and bounced and dove off the tramp while I hightailed it out of the backyard, laughing maniacally.

My dad didn’t laugh at the four or five holes burned into the trampoline, however.  But sometimes, after you cut your losses, you find you still came out ahead.  Prank Tip #2: Make sure it’s worth it, should you catch some heat.

33, and still pranking after all these years.

I like to think I have matured with age, but I wouldn’t say I’ve outgrown the joy of a good prank.  Now that I’m married, my favorite person to tease is, of course, my husband.  Of the sundry and hilarious jokes I’ve played on Allen, I have chosen one particular gem to share.

When we take a long road trip, my husband prefers to drive.  (I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not because he’s some macho sexist.  It’s the same reason that I prefer to drive: because the person driving can’t help the kids in the back seats of the car).  Invariably, he will get tired and ask me to swap seats with him so he can sleep (usually coinciding with the kids falling asleep, I’ve noticed).  As I start driving, we might talk for a little bit while Allen’s eyes begin to droop.  And juuuuuust as he’s aaaaalmost all the way out, I like to slow down, start pulling over to the shoulder of the highway, and say, “Oh, man!  I didn’t think I was speeding!  Where’d that cop come from?”

His reaction is not unlike that of my sisters’ reactions on the trampoline (without the purple smoke).  He jerks awake, his arms and legs shoot out, and he gets whiplash from spinning his neck around faster than a barn owl spotting a crippled kitten.  It’s a beautiful prank.

Which brings me to Prank Tip #3: Love, honor, cherish . . . and tease, as long as you both shall live.

There’s only one major drawback to being an incurable prankster . . . The Mother’s Curse.  Yep.  My mom uttered those fateful words to me, too.  “I hope you have a child just like you!”  And I got him.  So if you see me around wearing a soaking wet shirt . . . you’ll know why.

-------------

Becca Renfroe pulls pranks on her longsuffering husband and four kids somewhere in Southeastern Idaho.  She loves reading, running, and baking, but not necessarily in that order.  She is also crazy about graphic design, and enjoys creating printable recipe cards of her favorite foods at BexRecipeBox.  Becca also contributes to her sisters' craft blog, Drab to Fab.  She keeps chickens and wishes she lived on a farm.

Featured Blogger: Hunters of Happiness

Hi Harley and Jane readers, I'm Elise! I'm the girl behind the blog Hunters of Happiness. 

I'm excited to be here and tell you a little bit about myself. 

So, I'm Elise and this is my new husband Scott. 

Together we're the Hunter family!

Scott and I met in college. It really was a fairy tale love story. 

We got married just 4 months ago. It was the best day ever! 

Now, we are having so much fun being newlyweds!!

 I'm crazy addicted to cereal, instagram and shopping.

 He's more of a football, meat and google kind of guy.

Together we're a perfect match!

Hunters of Happiness is all about our journey to find happiness in the everyday. 

So far I am the sole author of our blog and so you'll hear about all those things I love!

Mainly, fashion, food, family and faith.

 I LOVE blogging! It's super fun. I love getting creative with outfits, sharing a hilarious story, making something new in the kitchen or journaling our various adventures.

Harley and Jane asked me to answer a few questions, so here we go...

Why did you start blogging?

My blog really has been a roller coaster ride. I first started my blog as an assignment for an English class- how funny is that? Then I really started using it when I studied abroad in London, England two years ago. Then I stopped when I got home. Then I started again to document my newlywed life. Now it has become a place to share fashion, travel, recipes and all the crazy fun that life brings!

What inspires you?

I'm a HUGE pinterest fan. I also love looking at other blogs for inspiration. And sometimes a good old-fashioned  magazine will do the trick.

If you could sum up your blog in one word what would it be?

Happy of course :)

Well, I hope you'll stop by and see what our hunt for happiness is all about :) 

blog // instagram// pinterest // twitter // bloglovin'

how to make a memory jar by Lost in Travels

Hey there! I'm Chelsea and I blog over at Lost in Travels. After my man and I got hitched two years ago, we started getting cold sweats every time we even thought about ‘settling down’ in our hometown. We wanted to do something out of the ordinary, something adventurous. We wanted to spend our lives traveling the globe. So what did we do? Sold all of our belongings that wouldn’t fit in two 50-pound bags and took the first flight to South Korea to teach English to snot nosed adorable little kids and never looked back!

This past New Years, I did something out of the ordinary. I actually made goals for myself. Let's face it, I always have the intention of making goals but then I just get lazy (who wants to stick to a goal of going to the gym everyday when you could curl up on the couch and watch reruns?) So this year my husband and I sat down and made some goals that we were excited about completing. Lists of where we wanted to travel, new restaurants we wanted to try, things we were excited about and wouldn't feel like a burden to complete. Among those goals was a little project of my own, a memory jar. A jar that we could keep all the small moments that are so often over looked or forgotten. The goal is to write down certain memories, large or small, throughout the year and then on New Years, open the jar and read them aloud together. 

I wanted the jar to look like another piece of decoration, not just  random jar filled with tiny slips of paper. 

So to make the memory jar I:

.Bought a glass jar large enough to fill to the brim with little pieces of paper where we would write our memories from the year. I also got glass crayon to write 'memories', a hot glue gun to trace the letters and some white spray paint. 

.I then took the glass crayon and wrote where I wanted 'memories' to be.

.I used the hot glue gun to go over the tracing.

.Lastly, I spray painted the jar and added some twine to the top.

How are your New Years Resolutions going? Be sure to stop by my blog where I talk about our daily lives as expats in the land of kimchi and our world travel adventures. Be sure to say hi, I would love to hear from you!

Featured Blogger: Elora!

We are asking all of our blogger friends why they started blogging and what inspires them. Here is another in the series! To see the rest click here.

******

Have you heard the one where the girl gets stuck in a mailbox while at work? Ok, it’s not a real joke but it did happen to me, and awkward things like that always do. I started blogging because a couple of friends encouraged me to share my awkward and spastic moments with the world. Then, I got married and a “newlywed” blog seemed like a great idea. However- I discovered that my “newlywed” blog was different then all the other ones out there. How come all of these new brides are so domestic? How come they all can bake a pie, sew a dress and everything else crafty? I couldn’t bake muffins, gagged every time I cooked chicken and even messed up an EASY pasta dish. Plus they all were so, so normal and cool. I started to feel down, “Why am I blogging? I have nothing to offer.” Then I realized there are probably a lot of girls out there who feel that way! A Storybook is made up of true stories of domestic fails, laughs and life’s moments with a quirky girly girl and her (semi) normal husband; and I hope the girls who have a hard time being domestic and are a little spazy, can feel better and those who are perfectly domestic can feel free to lend a hand! Once a weekish, I publish style posts. However, I don’t focus ON the outfits as much as the moments that happen IN them. 

Now, when it comes to what inspires me- its’ love and the arts. No matter how cheesy it sounds, when I see pictures of or involving love, or if I see people showing it- my heart feels warm and everything seems ok. What’s greater than love!? (I know, I know, extra cheese please.) And when it comes to the arts... it truly is one of the most amazing things on this planet. A beautiful dance can bring me to tears and make me want to be better. When I see a beautiful painting, hear a wonderful song, take in a play/musical, or enjoy a charming movie...I can want to change and have a better view of life and the world. I wish my home had a more artistic feeling to it. I’m hoping to bring in more music, photography, paintings and design into my life- because everyone just needs a little art to make things lovelier and life better. 

(To you domestic, creative types... if you wanna teach me how to draw, paint, sew, craft, play a instrument, snap photos, etc- I can totally trade for dance lessons! Deal? Yeah?)

***
Thanks Elora!
You can visit her at tandestorybookblog.blogspot.com

Featured Blogger: Eat Live Make

Today we have Meg from Eat Live Make telling us why she blogs and what inspires her. Enjoy!

After encouragement from several friends, I started blogging in October of 2011. I really had no idea what I was stepping into, or what direction I wanted to go with this Eat.Live.Make. Honestly, I didn't even know people blogged! But have since found many wonderful friends and a beautiful community of people.

Coming into this venture, I knew several things. I knew that David (my hubby) and I lived a bit differently than a lot of folks. We always get asked questions about our lifestyle, our diet, things we create in our home and our beliefs. I have been excited and eager to share answers to those questions with all of you here.

 I've been dealt a lot of pain and disappointments over the past years and I wanted to share my story with others. I felt like this may be a way to offer encouragement and friendship and hope. I know when I've been at my worst, stories of hope and encouragement have been the things that have kept me going.

I also believe that the table is something communal and holy. There has always been so much transparency and beauty in welcoming people into your home and offering them food that has been cooked with your hands and heart. Some of my best and most cherished memories were made while gathering around the table with family, friends and strangers. Now that I have to eat gluten free and casien free, the table has become even more important to me. It has so much more meaning. Health, community and connection can be found in a meal around the table and no longer do I eat for fill. My blog documents how and what we eat around our table, and the health we find there.

I am inspired by nature (and learning how to live closer to it), people and beauty. I have learned that beauty can be found everywhere and in everything- even in the hardest times. I channel my inspiration in making our house a home, photography, creating art, sewing, cooking and writing. The hardest part is finding time for all of those things!

***
She also has some of the best gluten free/vegan recipes around. Thanks for stopping by Meghan! 

Featured Blogger: Elsha Rae

Hello lovely Harley and Jane readers! I am Elsha Rae from over at Her and Him! I feel so honored to be guest posting on their blog today! I have followed their adorable blog for as long as I can remember I can never seem to get enough of it! I first started blogging because I had left for school and my family really wanted me to start one so they could see what was going on in my life. Fight with my best friend, eat a hotdog, enjoy a hotdog, admit to my parents being right, wear white after labor day, grow up, change my mind, and wish things were different were all things that I swore I would never do... but ended up doing. And amongst it all I seemed to add blogging to that list, and fell in love with it so much that blogging has definitely become a part of not only my everyday things, but a part of me. Some of my dearest friends I have met through blogging. Words can't express enough how much I love the blog world.

I was also asked to tell you guys what inspires me. This one was a little bit more difficult for me to answer because for the obvious reason there are many people out there that inspire me, I thrive on other peoples inspiration and determination. But to get down to the nitty gritty of it I would definitely have to go to my pops. My dad is  my first love and best friend. He is the most optimistic, hard-working, and selfless man who can fix anything –broken hearts, included— makes me laugh ‘til my sides hurt, offers incredible advice, be my coach and my cheerleader, "fluff" my bangs and make the perfect pony tail, provide for our family, be the best Friday night sidekick, show me the kind of man I hoped to marry, and raise a daughter better than anyone I've ever met! 

Thanks for reading guys and for tuning in! 

****
Isn't she great? We have been reading her blog forever and loved watching her fall in love and get married! Go and visit her here!

This blog is part of our journey in capturing why people blog. 
Why do you blog and what inspires you?

Guest Blogger: Dashboard Diary

Hello!

I'm Emily over at Dashboard Diary!

I first started blogging during my first year of Physician Assistant school.

My fiancé and I (plus our best friend) decided to take a little three week road trip across the country.

We had tons of grand plans, but everything kind of exploded (literally) within the first 24 hours of our trip, which taught us a great little life lesson in planning ahead: it's useless.

Since that adventure, blogging has become quite addicting (and somehow my fiancé and I often find ourselves in many ridiculous blog-worthy predicaments) so I decided to keep it up!

Here's a little brief overview of the adventure that started it all:

Within 30 minutes of reaching Havasupai Falls (top of our bucket list) in the Grand Canyon (after driving for 24 hours straight) we hit an elk and totaled Josh's car.

Airbags deployed, shattered, windshield, and Elk guts all along the side of the car.

We drove 2 hours (with a deployed airbag and shattered windshield, which I think is pretty illegal) in order to drop our car off and get a rental.

Even though we had to completely re-route our plans, we weren't gonna let this freak incident get us down!

See more after the Jump!

Featured Blogger: Breezy Days

Hi everyone!

My name is Bri, and I'm the sassy 'lil firecracker behind Breezy Days.

Harley & Jane asked me to write about how I started into
blogging.

It actually all started with an English project at BYU my
Sophomore year.

I was stuck in a group with all boys and they decided that I would be
the one to put together the group blog because blogs are a "girl
thing".

I logged into Blogger, was soooo freaking confused, how the heck do I
USE this thing?! 

I spent hours and hours figuring out how to make the blog for our
project...

which we eventually got an A on :)

I was still curious about this whole blogging business...so I started
a blog of my own in April of 2011, originally called: "Brios
Adventures"

I loved writing stories.

Short, fun little diddies about life with Ryan and our soon to be
marriage.

After we got married, we ventured up to Portland for Ryan to work.

I was left alone all day, every day, so eventually it became a
creative outlet just for me.

Full of DIY's, recipes, holiday excitement, outfit pictures, dreams,
and a writing installment featuring the love
story of Ryan and I.

I sometimes stress myself out a little too much, so a reminder
that life should be an easy-going and fun adventure, was found in my
new blog title, Breezy Days.

It's a place where I write my experiences about being a California
girl in a small Utah town, about being a newlywed and college student,
how I dress
my curvy body in a way that proves that you can be modest and
sexy, and it's just about the serendipity of life.

I hope you all come over & visit me at Breezy Days :)

<3 Bri

Guest Post: Wishful Thinking

Today we have the lovely Michele visiting from Wishful Thinking. Per usual we have asked her why she started blogging and what inspires her. Enjoy!

***
As a sophomore, studying at one of the highest rated interior design programs in the country, I was sinking. I sat next to a 'friend' who loved to put me down. Without getting too much into it, she made me feel like I was a horrible designer. She crushed my confidence, which started to effect my grades.

At the end of the semester, each student had a mini meeting with our professor. My professor told me that she thought I was a great designer, but that I couldn't articulate well; she told me that my designs didn't speak for themselves and that I had to have the confidence to speak for them. Like every other student, I needed to explain my designs. With my self-esteem crumbling, I needed an outlet. I decided that I would start a design blog. I would share inspiring images and explain what I liked about them (those posts are long gone now). It stayed very hidden for a year - no comments. Then, my grades started to improve. I went from a B- to a B+. Then, for my junior and senior year, I received straight A's in studio.

The blog worked it's magic! I started to share more of myself with the blogging community - a peek into my life (graduation, first apartment, new puppy) my thrifted finds (85 cent J.Crew button ups) and everything in between. It was rewarding to find girls with similar interests to my own and now I use my blog as a way to share all my passions, not just design.

Now, I live outside Philadelphia with my boyfriend (Alex) and my puppy (Naleigh). I hit up flea markets, craft and eat a lot of mint chocolate chip ice cream on the weekends.
If we share any interests (hello, ice cream) head on over to my blog and say hi! Thanks, girls for having me! I hope everyone is having a splendid summer :)

***
Thanks Michele! We love asking everyone why they started blogging. Everyone has a reason. What is yours?
If you are interested in guest posting shoot us an email. We would love to have you.

Guest Post: Rachel Sayumi

Heyo,friends of Harley & Jane!

My name is Rachel Sayumi. I blog over at xoxo Rachel Sayumi.

I'm so excited to be guest postin here today! I LOVE Harley & Jane and their sense of style.(:

Today I'm going to chat a little bit about how I started my lil bloggin hobby.

So. I've had a Blogger account since 2007,since my aunts who live all over the States started blogging about their families,and I loved seeing what my cute lil cousins were up to.

Then,during the springtime of 2011,I discovered through my roommate blogs such as The Daybook... Thrifted Things... UCreate... All that fun girly stuff that I LOVED.

After feelin like a total creep for blog stalking a bunch of women,I decided to start one of my own during the summer of 2011. Also,it gave me something to do,since a lot of my friends had left on LDS Missions and all I ever did was work, swim in my pool, eat.. and sleep. I was pretty bored. So basically it was like a journal of funny/cute things that happened in my life.

Then,inspired from Katherine at Thrifted Things,I discovered my love for stores such as Goodwill,Saver's.. and Deseret Industries. I could not believe what treasures I could find! It was amazing!

Slowly over time,it started to be a "what I wore" blog.

(back when I was tan...)

I came back for my second year at BYU during the fall of 2011,and I really started getting into combining my clothes in different ways that I had before.

I started picking up more and more followers. Then,during Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks of 2011,I started to refashion clothes I'd find at thrift stores. I really started to get creative with the way I dress,rather than the plain shirt,jacket,and jeans combo I used to wear. EVERY DAY.

Through blogging,I learned to really appreciate style and utilizing all of the clothes I have. I learned that it's okay if I can't afford J. Crew or Anthropologie. I found the beauty of thrift stores.. Target... and Forever21. Those are my top 3 stores I shop at! And hey,I guess I'm doing a good enough job since it seems like people enjoy what I wear? haha.

And now,here I am! Still learning and growing from every post. It has been such a fun adventure,and I have definitely made some legit friends from this world of blogging!

I will throw in random tidbits of my life,good deals I find,music I'm into.

I honestly never thought it'd become what it has today!

Before I peace out,here is some advice for aspiring bloggers. Not that I'm an expert,but I have definitely learned a ton!

1. Don't do it just for publicity. Make it something fun,something you enjoy doing!

2. Don't worry about followers. I remember when I'd FREAK out if I lost a follower. Now,it's just whatever. I appreciate the support,but that's not the sole reason why I'm blogging. It's a fun & creative outlet for myself! (hehe)

3. Have fun with it. If you're not into fashion,then don't force yourself to blog about clothes. Base it around something that interests you! It will only be for your benefit.

Thanks,H&J For having me here! You two are super sweet.

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Rachel Sayumi.

***

 She is pretty much the best is she not?

Thanks so much for stopping by Rachel we think you are the coolest. 

Guest Post: Lowercase Letters

I'm on the phone with my Nana. My curiosity is peeked as she proceeds to tell me about this book her former co-worker gave to her as a gift. The next time I drop by Nana's house, the book is eagerly put into my hands. The Christmas Jar, the title reads. The cover is catchy enough and I soon begin the book.

I can't put it down. I finish devouring the whole book in just a few hours time.

The story goes of how an adopted girl mysteriously receives a jar full of money on her doorstep after her only family member dies. Her journey to track down the giver is adventurously portrayed with great suspense. This true story of her discovery of the giver and his story is beyond inspiring. The entire town is changed because of it.

The zeal to begin my own jar grew. An old, big, smelly pickle jar I soon found and placed on the kitchen counter. Each time the lid is opened, a sour smell wafts out as a coin is dropped in.

The goal is to have the jar filled by Christmas to then be anonymously given to a family in need. This is one of my New Year's resolutions. My family has even joined in on the journey to fill the Christmas jar.

This Christmas just can't get here soon enough. Great things will unfold, I can feel it.

*****

Thanks for the guest post Memory. You are awesome.
Go visit Memory here!

Featured Blogger: The Daily Dani!

Hi there, Harley & Jane readers! I'm Dani, from The Daily Dani! I post daily outfit photos, weekly blogger features, and the occasional celeb fashion update!

When Harley & Jane asked me to write up a post about how I decided to start my blog and the process that it has been to get to where I are now, I was immediately excited about the idea - and then I was immediately terrified... because that's a great question! How did I decide to start my blog? What has the process been to get where I am now?

Well, let's start at the very beginning...

Towards the end of 2010, I became an avid reader of a select few fashion blogs. Most specifically: The Glamourai, Cupcakes & Cashmere, Snappy Casual, and perhaps most importantly, Kendi Everyday.

I became engrossed in Kelly's high-end style. I was a slave for Emily's savvy mix of high & low. I loved Kelsey's mix of fashion & lifestyle. Kendi's outfits wowed me & her sense of humor wowed me even more. What started as a mild interest in the world of professional blogging and (currently) unaffordable fashions lead me in the direction of the other end of the style blogging world: "real girls" with real budgets, read wardrobes, and just as fashionable style. Kendi's 30x30 Remix blew my mind.

It was after months of reading these and other blogs avidly that, in January 2011, I decided to start The Daily Dani.

With my trusty photographer (my mom) and my amazing digital camera (a circa 2005 Canon PowerShot) in tow, I began taking daily outfit photos. Like many others, I believe, I was immediately concerned with how many Google Friend Connect followers I had/could get, who was following me on Twitter, who would return my comments... and then I realized, I just needed to calm down! Blogging isn't about how many people are reading your words or looking at your photos. Blogging is about posting what is true to you and what you feel like! Readers and followers will come, when they make a connection with what you are posting about and with your true voice. If you aren't genuine to whom you are or to your character, blogging can become a chore rather than an enjoyable, creative outlet! I personally prefer the latter!

Only a few weeks into blogging, I embarked on the first of two 30 for 30 challenges I participated in.

If I had to pinpoint two key elements that blogging has opened up to me, these remixes would be the catalyst of the first: whether your wardrobe is made up of 15, 50, or 500 items, it is equally as versatile and full of endless options! To realize that the different ways you can mix, layer, and accessorize the pieces in your wardrobe can expand your style exponentially has been an asset that will stay with me forever! Thank you, Kendi, our fearless leader!

The second thing that creating my own little niche in the blogosphere has brought me is cultivating friendships with amazing bloggers all across the country! (Oh, and Canada, too.) I even have what I'll consider my own personal "Bling Ring," my blogging besties... Bekah, Sarah, and Sarah.

Who knew that ladies who live in Tennessee, Texas, and Louisiana would become as close to me as some friends I have living within a 30-minute radius? I couldn't be more grateful.

If I could give any advice to those who are interested in beginning, or just starting out, in the blogging world, it would be this: Don't be afraid to be you! Take your time, find your niche, and keep your content unique and original. You won't regret it. I know I'm better for it, and I just bet you will be, too. :)

Please come say hello to me over at The Daily Dani! Thanks for having me, Harley & Jane!

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Isn't she great? Her blog rocks. So go read it. :)