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thehautehydrangea

fashion / home / beauty / life

What to Pack for a Cruise

April 18, 2018

Guys, I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am to be heading off to the Caribbean next week for a 7 night cruise with Royal Caribbean!  This will be Patrick & I’s second cruise together, but we’re going to 2 new ports this time to keep it new & interesting.  We’ll be stopping at Roatan, Honduras, Costa Maya, Mexico & Cozumel, Mexico.  Follow me on Instagram & Stories to keep up with all of the fun!  In the meantime, I’ve been planning my outfits in an attempt to keep from over-packing & today I’m sharing what to pack for a cruise vacation!

pack for a cruise1: Denim Peplum Top // 2: Sparkly Dress // 3: Pink Cover-up // 4: Asymetrical Top (sold out in olive) // 5: Scalloped Shorts // 6: Blue & White Sundress // 7: Boho OTS Top // 8: Racerback Dress // 9: Block-heel Sandals // 10: Flat Sandals // 11: Striped OTS Top // 12: Cold Shoulder Dress // 13: Bell Sleeve Dress // 14: Green Tank // 15: Distressed Denim Shorts

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BY Amy Leave a Comment CATEGORIES: Fashion, Life, Making It Easier, Round-Up's, Travel TAGGED: Fashion, Lookbook, travel, travel style

Sunday Funday at the Caldwell Zoo

May 2, 2017

A few weeks ago we took a Sunday day-trip to the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas.  Tyler is only an hour & a half drive from our home in Shreveport, so it’s a really easy & fun trip to make in an afternoon.  With 85 acres, 6 exhibit areas & over 3,400 animals, it’s an impressive facility for our area.  The zoo is beautiful, with winding paths, lots of shade, & carefully designed habitats.  I took so many pictures (an obnoxious number), so I’m sharing a small portion & some of my favorite animals today!CONTINUE READING

BY Amy Leave a Comment CATEGORIES: Fashion, Life, My Style, Travel

TZR Box of Style Dallas Event

April 13, 2017

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to attend The Zoe Report’s first Box of Style event in Dallas, Texas.  The event was part of Dallas Start Up Week & began with a panel featuring Marissa Heyl of Symbology Clothing and Katie Sansom of Tribe Alive to discuss the rise of ethical fashion practices in the industry.  Both brands were featured in the spring Box of Style.  Symbology’s scarf, which I’ve been wearing tied onto my bag since it arrived weeks ago, was handcrafted by women in the desert region of India.  Tribe Alive’s black & white handbag was also made by independent artisans in India.  I love that both brands were founded by women as a way to provide women in developing countries with meaningful employment & fair wages.CONTINUE READING

BY Amy Leave a Comment CATEGORIES: Life, Travel

PEP! The Pet Education Project

September 15, 2016

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Today I am so excited to share an organization that has become so dear to my heart!  PEP! The Pet Education Project was founded 8 years ago by Erica Callais Falbaum.  While volunteering at our local animal shelters, Erica saw a need for community education & began speaking to elementary school classes about the core responsibilities of pet ownership in order to reduce pet overpopulation, abuse, neglect, & euthanasia.  3 years Erica spoke to Patrick’s Rotary Club about PEP!  He came home with her contact information & told me that he had found the perfect organization for me to be involved with.  I contacted her immediately, joined the board, & have been involved ever since.  Erica’s dedication to animals & enthusiasm for helping children learn the importance of responsible pet ownership has been so inspiring.

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The question that we most often receive is why focus on animals when there are so many children that need help.  Albert Schweitzer said that “Anyone who has accustomed himself to regard the life of any living creature as worthless is in danger of arriving also at the idea of worthless human lives.”  Studies have shown that approximately 89% of child abusers have also abused an animal.  By teaching children to value & respect the life of their pets, we are teaching them compassion that will translate into value & respect for human life. 

The program has grown exponentially in the last few years & we recently traveled the country to visit our first 2 chapters!  If you followed along on instagram, facebook, or snapchat, you know that we had a blast spreading PEP!’s message!

13775515_1056832344353396_8606731997438996817_nOur first stop was in Denver, Colorado to tour the KONG offices & factory.  Most employees are able to bring their dogs to work, which sounds like heaven to me!  We toured the factory where most of the products are made & even got to bring some home.  I had no idea that many of their publicity photos are taken at area shelters & that so many toys are donated to shelters.  KONG has been a huge supporter of PEP! & this visit made me love them even more!

IMG_3664Collage 2Collage 1Next we were off to Los Olivos, California & Old Yeller Ranch Rescue!  OYRR operates a rescue shelter on the Fess Parker Winery property, pulling urgent dogs from shelters throughout California.  OYRR organized a PEP! Rally at the vineyard, with activities for kids, information on adoptable dogs, a PEP! Talk, & a presentation on emergency care for animals.  The weather could not have been more perfect & it was a fun, relaxing way to start the trip.  The kids played on a bouncy train, had lunch on the lawn, & met Sweet Socchi, the therapy dog!

If you are a new pet owner and sometimes you do not understand what your pet wants, then here is a solution to understand your pet’s problems. If your pet is scared of lightning, of thunderstorm, as well as of strangers, or why it hides under the bed when it hears loud noises, then maybe it has anxiety. But there is nothing to worry about as all pets experience anxiety or stress to some extent in their life, just like humans do. What cbd oil for dogs is safety? Human CBD oil is technically safe for dogs. However, it is highly recommended to give your dog a pet-specific version of CBD oil.

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After the ribbon cutting, we went up to OYRR to tour the facility & visit the dogs.  OYRR houses up to 15 dogs at a time & they work with each animal on rehabilitation.  Their executive director & trainer, Deanna “Dee” Folger-Diaz, & founder, Amanda Parker, put everything they have into each animal.  It is absolutely amazing to see how far some of these dogs have come in trusting people again.  They were the ideal first partnership for PEP!

IMG_4664We were able to spend some time with many of the dogs.  Mr. B, seen just below, wanted to come home with me but there was no room on the plane! (insert crying face here!)  Each animal has plenty of room, shelter, & attention to meet their individual needs.  Zoey, one of their newest additions, has been making incredible progress from the scared & fragile animal that she was when OYRR took her in.  You can follow her progress on Instagram!

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Our next stop was PEP!’s second chapter, Second Chances Volunteers, in Dickinson, North Dakota!  Second Chances is a group of volunteers dedicated with providing assistance for local animal rescues and shelters, advocating for the well-being of animals, and educating the community about responsible pet ownership.  They are such an inspiring group of women, who came together because of their love for animals.  We are so happy to have them as part of the PEP! family!

Erica, dressed as an animal hero, gave a PEP! Talk, with the help of Second Chances, to a huge group of kids at a local elementary school.  We were able to bring a therapy animal to show the kids the proper way to approach an unknown animal.  It is always amazing to see the children’s eyes light up when Erica walks in & to know that they are leaving with some practical knowledge that can help them care for their pets at home.  One of the best parts of the trip was to see that, even though each organization faces some different local issues, there is the common goal of helping animals in need & educating the public.  As Dee said, it was rejuvenating to spend time learning from each other.

IMG_4741 IMG_4743The animal tower, a staple at all PEP! Talks, shows the number of animals that are euthanized every day in Louisiana.  It’s so powerful to see a visual representation of how many animals that actually is.

IMG_4782After the talk, we visited the Dickinson Animal Shelter & played with some of the adorable kittens!  Second Chances helps to organize local adoption days so that people can meet the animals & hopefully find a new family member!  There was an adoption of the sweetest little kitten while we were at the shelter!

Dickinson CatsIMG_2747The next morning we were off to a book reading, PEP! Talk, & ribbon cutting at the Dickinson Public Library.  Earlier this year, Erica published her first children’s book, Pep Squad, starring the PEPpets.  It’s a fun way for parents to reaffirm the fundamentals of responsible pet ownership with their children.  We had a huge turnout & had so much fun interacting with the kids.  The kids loved to see one of the PEPpets read the book & all of the characters were able to sign copies of the books!

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Then we hopped back on the plane for our final stop – Detroit, Michigan!  We started with a tour of the Michigan Humane Society‘s new Detroit location.  It is such an incredible facility!  They have a state of the art veterinary center, outdoor runs for the dogs to get exercise, plenty of space to house animals, and adoption suites where adopters can get to know the animals.  They offer assistance to pet owners in order to keep more pets in their homes & are able to investigate neglect or cruelty cases.  MHS President, Matt Pepper, is a former director of our local animal shelter & has been a supporter of PEP! since the beginning, so it was great to catch up with him & see all of the amazing things that MHS is doing.

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Many of the cats & kittens are housed in large playrooms, which provide much needed freedom & interaction.  The staff was so friendly & knew so much about each of the animals housed there.  IMG_2873Cat CollageKitten Collage

We gave 3 PEP! Talks during our 2 days in Detroit.  The first was at the Michigan Humane Society’s Education Center.  It was a small group of kids, but we had a blast playing with them & reading Erica’s book.

13659195_1058564090846888_8020238332234451346_nThe next morning we were at the Michigan Humane Society’s Berman Center, for another small group presentation.  We played games, read the book, & answered questions.  The room was lined with paintings of adopted animals, with each story written from the animal’s perspective.  I teared up as I circled the room, reading the stories.

IMG_2943Our last stop before heading home was the S.A.Y. Detroit Play Center, founded by author Mitch Albom.  S.A.Y. Detroit provides shelter, food, medical care, volunteer efforts & education for some of Detroit’s neediest families.  The Play Center provides after school programs in academics & sports.  The kids were so excited to see the PEPets & listen to Erica.  It was a wonderful way to end our trip.

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You can find out more about PEP! & sign up for our FREE children’s magazine here!

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BY Amy 1 Comment CATEGORIES: Life, Travel

Travel Diary: Los Olivos

August 26, 2016

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Wow! It has taken me forever to get these pictures up!  Last month I had the opportunity to travel the country with an amazing organization that is teaching kids the importance of responsible pet ownership (more about PEP! & what we’re doing in a later post!).  Our first stop was 3 days in Los Olivos, California.  I’ve never been to the west coast, so I was so excited for this girls-only trip with some of my favorite ladies!

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Los Olivos is a small town in the Santa Ynez Valley, just north of Santa Barbara.  They were having a heat wave while we were there, meaning that temps were in the high 80’s, which seemed cool to us!  The main street is lined with tasting rooms, shops, galleries, & restaurants.  It was great to be able to walk anywhere & we spent a good bit of time just wandering.  One thing to note about Los Olivos, it is a quiet town, so the tasting rooms close around 6pm & the restaurants close around 9pm.  We typically bought a bottle of wine before dinner & would enjoy it at the cabin after dinner.

Cabin exterior

Los.Olivos.2 (5 of 44)Cabin interior

We stayed on the main street in town, at the Fess Parker Wine Country Cabins.  The cabin was absolutely beautiful!  It had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, living room, & a private courtyard.  The courtyard was the perfect spot for our morning coffee or an evening glass of wine!  It was so nice to have a place to regroup, spread out, & have small meals.  I haven’t had a roommate in over 10 years, so it was fun to have a house full of girls.  We had a blast getting ready every night & staying up late to gab.

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The first evening began with a glass of wine in the courtyard & a bottle of Grenache Blanc at the Epiphany tasting room.  Our cabin was located just behind Epiphany, so all we had to do was walk through our gate!  The fruity white wine was one of my favorites from the trip.  We ate dinner in nearby Los Alamos at Full of Life Flatbread.  Flatbread specializes in artisan, wood-fired pizzas, but we couldn’t resist starting with oysters on the half shell!  Many of the restaurants, including Flatbread, are farm to table.  Everything we ate was so fresh & full of flavor!

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Los.Olivos.2 (6 of 44)Los.Olivos.2 (8 of 44)On Friday morning, we had breakfast & coffee on the patio at Petros, a restaurant in the Fess Parker Inn.  I could have spent all morning curled up in a chair on the lawn, with a cup of coffee & a good book!  Most of Friday was spent at a PEP! outreach event.  Our hosts, Old Yeller Ranch & Rescue, planned a wonderful day of education, fun, & food.  I’ll be sharing all of the details on the event & Old Yeller next week!

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IMG_2594Seriously, how delicious do these chicken tacos look?  On Friday night, we had dinner at Sides Hardware & Shoes, located in an old hardware store.  I had the most amazing kobe beef sliders!  On Saturday morning we all had treatments at the Fess Parker Spa.  It had been so long since I had a massage that I didn’t want it to end!  It always amazes me how quickly time passes when you’re enjoying a treatment.  The spa was beautiful & relaxing.  I wish that we’d had an extra day to return & spend time by the pool.  Maybe next trip!

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Los.Olivos.2 (16 of 44)Los.Olivos.2 (12 of 44)TownLos.Olivos.2 (13 of 44)After exploring the town & doing a little shopping (couldn’t resist the cutest little shops), we headed out to Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard for the first tasting of the day.  Fess Parker Winery was founded in 1989 by Fess Parker & his son, Eli.  What started as a small vineyard quickly grew to include almost 700 acres over 4 vineyards.  Parker’s legacy of hospitality is evident the moment you arrive at the winery & vineyard.  Guests are invited to a tasting in the main building, where you can buy a bottle of wine to take outside & enjoy.  There are picnic areas, where you can bring your own lunch, on a sweeping lawn overlooking the vineyard.

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TastingLos.Olivos.2 (43 of 44)Tasting 2We started our tour with a tasting in the VIP tasting room.  We settled into a couch while our guide led us through 6 wines, from a buttery Chardonnay to a rich Syrah.  We learned the characteristics of each wine, where the grapes were grown, & the best pairings for each.  Our guide showed us how to “roll” our Cabernet to release all of the flavor.  Laying my glass on its side & rolling it across the table to aerate the wine is my new party trick!  My favorite, which wasn’t part of the tasting, was the Pinot Noir Rose.Los.Olivos (18 of 22)

Los.Olivos (6 of 22)Los.Olivos.2 (21 of 44)Los.Olivos.2 (1 of 44)After the tasting at the winery, we came back to town for an outdoor tasting at Epiphany.  Sitting on the outdoor couches & visiting with the groups around us was the perfect end to our day.

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Walking to dinner, we stumbled upon The Crooked Path, a private home whose yard is open to the public in the evenings for live music.  You’re encouraging to bring some food & wine, grab a table, & enjoy the music.  Being from Louisiana, we love any chance for live music!  Of course, we had to grab a seat for a little while.  Throughout the trip, I was struck by how hospitable, easy-going, & generous everyone was.

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Dinner on Saturday night was on the patio at the Los Olivos Wine Merchant Cafe, where Sideways was filmed.  We took advantage of any opportunity to eat outside, since it’s so rare that the weather at home allows it.  This was the best meal of the trip & I highly recommend getting a reservation if you’re in Los Olivos.  It was also the only place I found that would ship wine to Louisiana, so the sommelier helped me put together a case of Santa Ynez Valley wines.  On Sunday morning, it was back on the plane & off to our next stop!

**Although we were guests of Fess Parker Winery & Old Yeller Ranch & Rescue, this post was not sponsored**

BY Amy 1 Comment CATEGORIES: Life, Travel

Travel Diary: New Orleans

August 1, 2016

New Orleans has always been one of my favorite places to visit.  No matter how many times we’re there, we always seem to discover something new.  Last month we were there for a friend’s wedding & stayed in the Central Business District.  The CBD is an area between the French Quarter & the Garden District.  We had not spent much time there before this trip & I was excited to explore a new area of the city.  The CBD had plenty of art galleries, shops, restaurants, & bars to keep us occupied for the whole weekend!  We didn’t venture outside of the area, except to visit a cemetery on the way out of town.

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We arrived on Friday afternoon, just in time for happy hour!  Our Mardi Gras Krewe’s new royalty happened to be in town for a bonding trip, so after having a quick drink at the hotel, we met them at John Besh’s LUKE.  We had a private area near the kitchen, where we could watch the food being prepared.  The food was amazing!  We started with crispy brussel sprouts, followed by crab & corn bisque.  Patrick had a ribeye with crab meat & I had etouffee over homemade cavatalli pasta.  We ended the day with a nightcap at Emeril’s bar.

Food Collage

The next morning, we were up bright & early to visit the National WWII Museum.  Patrick is a huge military history buff, so he was happy to finally visit the museum.  I had no idea how large the campus was!  It’s comprised of 5 buildings, each full of exhibits.  We could have spent the entire day there, walking through the artifacts & restored planes.  We hope to go back when we have more time to spend reading about each artifact & watching all of the documentary shorts.  After the museum, we ducked into Peche Seafood & Grill for lunch & to get out of the rain.  I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of raw oysters, but I couldn’t resist trying one.

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The wedding & reception were held at The Chicory, just a few blocks away from the hotel.  The building originated as a coffee warehouse in 1852.  Now an event venue, it maintains the original feel of the building with coffered ceilings, wood beams, & exposed brick.  It was a stunning place for a wedding!  I had originally planned to wear the same strappy sandals both nights, but made the rookie mistake of wearing them without breaking them in.  Luckily we were a few blocks from the Riverwalk, so I snagged a new pair of shoes for the wedding!

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Dress: Leith // Earrings: Kendra Scott // Necklace: Kendra Scott // Shoes: Steve Madden, similar here, here, & here

On the way out of town, we stopped at St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery No. 1 in Uptown, where my mother’s family tomb is located.  Although I did not personally know anyone buried there, it’s become a tradition to stop & pay respects while I’m in town.  The uptown area is a grid of streets just upriver from the Garden District & is home to Tulane University, Audubon Park, & the Audubon Zoo.

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BY Amy Leave a Comment CATEGORIES: Life, Travel

Summer Essentials

June 8, 2016

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We’re already closing in on 90+ degree temperatures & high humidity, so I’ve been dreaming of a getaway.  While my summer vacation is still a month away, there are some pool days in my near future.  In honor of the start of summer, I’ve compiled my must-haves for time in the sun, whether it’s a beach trip or a day by the pool.

Summer Essentials

No matter where you’re heading, a large straw tote will keep everything together.  I love this one with poms in almost any color you want!  An oversized towel or mat is perfect for covering your chair or lying out on the sand.  There’s not much worse than hopping across concrete or sand, but a pair of cute sandals will protect your feet.  I always leave my wallet at home & bring only the essentials (cash, license, etc) & keep all of my smaller items in a small, water resistant pouch.  I bring a secondary battery for my phone since I use my phone to keep up with friends, post to social media, & for music.  It’s just not summer without a fun float like this flamingo.  We all know how obsessed I am with flamingos!

I have very fair skin & am prone to sunburn, so I take several steps to protect my skin, beginning with a good coat of broad spectrum sunscreen, like Coola Sport or CeraVe.  Both are light & cooling, with a high SPF.  A big, floppy hat & chic sunglasses not only look great, but will help protect your face & eyes.  A tinted lip balm, with sunscreen, will protect your lips from the sun & keep them hydrated all day.  Sand, sun, & salt water can do a number on your hair, so always apply a good leave-in conditioner, like this one from Unite, and use a detangling comb.

BY Amy 1 Comment CATEGORIES: Beauty, Life, Travel

Chimp Haven Discovery Day

May 23, 2016

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Over the weekend, Patrick & I ventured out to Chimp Haven for one of the facility’s biannual discovery days.  Despite being located so close to my home, I had never made it out to tour the facility.  Chimp Haven was founded in 1995 in order to respond to the need for long term chimpanzee care and rehabilitation.  They house over 200 chimpanzees no longer used in biomedical research, the entertainment industry or the pet trade.  It broke my heart to hear that many of the animals had never lived outside of a cage or seen the sky unobstructed by bars.

Chimp.Haven-13We arrived just in time to see the group of young chimpanzees make their way into the wooded habitat for a day of play & scavenging.  The facility is set on a large nature park, with a combination of man-made & natural barriers.  Natural ground cover & trees provide the chimps with opportunities to nest & climb, while play structures & man-made termite mounds provide extra opportunities.

Chimp.Haven-11Chimp.HavenWe started with a walk along the moat, which forms a barrier between the habitats & visitors for an unobstructed view of each group.  It was amazing to see the animals in such an nonrestrictive environment, where they choose how to spend their time.

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A highlight of the visit was a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility.  We rode through the more secluded play areas & visited with staff.  We learned about the diet that the chimps receive, much of which is grown on the facility.  We watched as staff played games with the chimps & demonstrated the training program used to get the chimps ready for their new environment.

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The staff works hard to ensure that the chimps are given a naturally stimulating environment to keep them happy & safe.  The organization includes administrative support; husbandry and veterinary care; chimpanzee behavior, observational research and enrichment; education and facilities and grounds maintenance.  Part of the training program is designed to help the animals assist staff when evaluations or medical treatment is needed, so that the chimps are used to interacting with staff in a non-threatening, low stress way.  The chimps learn their body parts &, through positive reinforcement, can show staff an injured area for evaluation without the necessity of sedation.

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Chimp.Haven-17Chimp.Haven-10The facility is also home to a beautiful nature trail, which we couldn’t resist.  There are also longer trails for hiking, biking, & horseback riding on the nature park that serves as Chimp Haven’s home.

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 A plaid button-down is a wardrobe classic & pairs perfectly with crisp shorts for a morning outdoors!  I got this tan cross-body several years ago for a cruise & I use it year-round.  It’s big enough to hold the essentials, but still small enough to keep out of the way.  I probably should have worn sneakers for the nature trail, but these sandals worked out just fine.

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Shirt: Treasure & Bond, similar here, here, & here // Shorts: New York & Co (buy one, get one 50% off), similar here // Sandals: Michael Kors, similar here, here, & here // Crossbody: Coach, similar here // Sunnies: BCBG, similar here

BY Amy Leave a Comment CATEGORIES: Fashion, Life, My Style, Travel

Welcome! I’m Amy - an attorney, reality TV junkie, flamingo lover, & southern girl. I’m a true girly-girl, attracted to anything pink and/or sparkly! This blog is my little space to share my love for fashion & beauty!

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