Homemade Dog Cupcakes!

This past Friday, I celebrated my favorite furry friends 1st Birthday!! My baby girl, Maddyn. 

And, like a lot of young dog owner's, I treat her like my own child and wanted to make her something special for her day (even though I'm sure she had no idea why I was making her such a good treat). 

I bring you... HEALTHY and HOMEMADE Dog Cupcakes. 

Ingredients: 

* 1/2 Wheat Flour

* 1/2 Teaspoon baking powder

* 2 1/2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter (crunchy or regular)

* 1/4 Cup Shredded of very finely chopped carrots

* 1/4 Plain Greek Yogurt

*1/2 Cup Water

* 1 Egg

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a cupcake tin (Recipes Makes 6 cupcakes)

2. Mix all Ingredients together

3. Pour batter in tins and bake for 12-14 minutes. 

4. Cool and Serve!! You can add a little "frosting" or other addition to spruce it up a little. For picture's sake, I spread a tiny bit of Peanut Butter and put a small jerkey treat in the center. 

And let your pup enjoy! Maddyn absolutely loved it!! So did the other pups I gave them too. Plus, they are pretty healthy and easy. 

Until Next Time, XO

Kaitlyn

Winter Workout Playlist

We all know the winter weather can put a real damper on not only our workouts, but on our motivation completely! Let's be real, it's a little bit harder to get out of bed in 40 degree weather! (okay, it's a lot harder).

Something that ALWAYS helps motivate me to get to the gym is knowing I have a good playlist to workout too (and the fact that the Victoria Secret Fashion Show airs every December doesn't hurt my motivation either).

And while I can't turn anyone into a model, here is my current workout playlist to help instead.

1. Britney Spears feat. T.I "Tik Tik Boom"
2. Ellie Goulding "Burn" (Tiesto Remix)
3. Sebastian Ingrosso & Tommy Trash- "Reload"
4. Fall Out Boy "My Songs Know What you Did in the Dark"
5. Tegan and Sara "Closer"
6. Katy Perry "Dark Horse"
7. Armin Van Buuren "This is What it Feels Like"
8. Diplo "Revolution"
9. Nicki Minaj "Pound the Alarm"
10. Disclosure with Sam Smith "Latch"
11. Timeflies- "I Choose U"
12. Lana Del Ray "Summertime Sadness" remix
13. Krewella "We are One"
14. Rihanna "Pour it Up"

Happy workout! Until next time, XO

Kaitlyn

CYBER MONDAY! Swimwear Edition

We rang in the month of December with 81 degree weather yesterday in Southern California, so it's only appropriate that we still ask Santa to bring us bikinis! 

I've searched the internet high and low and found the best deals to bring to you... ENJOY!

SWELL.com - An additional 40% off ALL SALE ITEMS (including bikinis), plus, 30% everything else when you use the code : INSTA30

INSTYLESWIMWEAR.com- Take 25% off with code: CYBERMON2013

ILOVELOLLI.com- 40% off Lolli Swim with code : GOBBLE

MOLLYBROWNSWIM.com- 20% off everything (plus free shipping with orders of $75). Promo code: CYBER20

NASTYGAL.com- 30% off everything, including bikinis :) No promo code needed

LADYLUXSWIMWEAR.com- 15% off site wide with code : CYBER13

ISHINE365.com-  Additional 25% off sale items, plus 15% off everything else. No Promo code needed.

6PM.com- Up to 77% off swimwear brands like L*Space!! No promo code needed :)

TAVIK.com- 30% off plus FREE shipping! Promo Code: CYBER2

REVOLVECLOTHING.com- 20% off everything, including bikinis. Use Code: CYBER2013

MIKOHSWIMWEAR.com- 30% off everything! Code: MIKOHXCYBERMONDAY


and for all our shoe, flip flop and beach bag needs:

STEVEMADDEN.com: 35% off everything PLUS free shipping. Use code THANKFUL35

Anyone else have some awesome Cyber Monday deals for the bikini lovers?! Let me know :) And happy shopping. 

Until Next Time, XO

Kaitlyn

Brighten Your Winter Wardrobe!

Who says you can't dress warm and still channel those summertime vibes?! I've searched the internet for some of my favorite pieces to make your winter a little more sunny, here they are!

1. GLAMOROUS White Palm Fleece from Swell.com- $66

2. Gold Anchor Necklace from Etsy.com- $24

3. Swell Collection- "Where My Beaches At" Long Sleeve from Swell.com- $39.50

4. "More Aloha Print Mug" by Goldfish Kiss from Society6.com- $15.00

5. "Aloha" Cover Shall- from Forever21- $19.50

6. NCLA nail Stickers with Ombre Palm print- $16.00

Any other products you've found to brighten up your winter wardrobe?!

Until next time, XO

Kaitlyn

Catalina Island

With summer fading away and the winter blues kicking in, last weekend was the PERFECT time for a little island getaway with friends. We went with a group of 7 to celebrate a friends birthday and it was amazing. 

This was my 2nd time on the Island, and if you live in Southern California and have never been, you are missing out. It has that small town, tropical island vibe, but it's only an hour boat ride away from the beautiful coast of Long Beach. There are a ton of activities to do, but they are a little pricey. 

The weather was absolutely beautiful and I had a blast on my mini island vacay. 

Hope everyone has a happy weekend. 

XO, Kaitlyn

One person's trash is another's treasure

It's a saying everyone has heard "One man's trash is another man's treasure", and it couldn't be more true!! In this case, I used my own trash and transformed it into something I would actually use, and like to see in my room. A dirty old white picture frame transformed into.....

**Materials Needed**

((Scissors, Scotch Tape, Paint, Paint Brush, Frame))

Step 1: Paint frame desired color. Mine was white, but super old and dirty so I painted it a solid black. 

Step 2: Cut small strips of scotch tape and place sporadically in any desired location. ((Make sure your frame is completely dry, or else the tape will rip off the paint when you pull it off))

Step 3: Paint any color over the scotch taped area *I chose gold*

Step 4: Let it dry completely and peel off the scotch tape and you will be left with the frame in the first picture! Probably one of the easiest frames i've made. It's also perfect for small holiday gifts :)

Until next time

XO, Kaitlyn

Cheers to the Weekend....

If I could be anywhere in the world this weekend, I would be here....

Starfish Beach in the Grand Cayman Islands. 

One of the most beautiful places in the world to me...I will take a picture like this of my own someday!

Buuuuut since that's not going to be happening this weekend, i'll settle for the next best thing. 

A delicious cocktail in my hand and the 80 degree October weather of beautiful So Cal. 

Kiki Beach Sangria:

 

 *A Bottle of White Wine

* Sliced up peaches, mangos, apples and oranges

* A "splash" of Cherry 7-Up

+Mix it all in a pitcher and let it sit for a few hours in the fridge (so the wine can soak up the flavors of the fruit)

+ Don't forget your drink umbrella's so you can feel like you're on VACATION <3

Cheers to the Weekend

Until Next Time, XO

Kaitlyn

"The Code"

I'm not much of a reader, in fact, it is INCREDIBLY hard for me to finish a book. Recently, one of my favorite bloggers, GoldfishKiss, posted about a book she read and I decided to give it a try...

"The Code" is written by Shaun Tomson, a world-champion surfer and is based on 12 statements, all beginning with the words... "I WILL". This book will make you rethink things, will motivate you to keep working toward any goal, and will inspire you.  From small mistakes turning into great accomplishments, to hardships preparing you for something better, this book is a true "Code" and brings to life the fact that no one will succeed if they don't preservere.


So next time you need a good beach read, or just some life inspiration, this book is the perfect choice.

((I WILL DREAM))

((I WILL HAVE FAITH))

((I WILL NEVER GIVE UP))

Until next time,

XO

Kaitlyn

Because Bulletin Boards are boring...

After a month long hiatus on the blog, I think it's safe to say I have been failing majorly! So I have vowed to myself to blog at least once a week from now on. For anyone who reads this, get ready for more!! For those who are reading this for the first time, you should probably start following me because I promise I have a lot of fun posts coming up :)

For now, I decided to share with you my bulletin board re-vamp I recently did. I do not like bulletin boards. Why? Because they are a boring brown blob that look terrible in every room and don't add any sort of decorative vibe. However, I wanted a space to "pin"real life inspirations, especially magazine cutouts of swimwear and other ideas, almost like a vision board. So behold.... my bulletin board makeover!

Supplies needed:

**A bulletin board, fabric of your choice, small gold thumb tacs, a hot glue gun, decorations of your choice (I chose a wooden K and a few fabric flowers) and a staple gun. If you don't have a staple gun lying around you can use hot glue as well. 

Step 1: Fold fabric over the board so that it covers the entire thing. Staple to the back making sure each corner and edge is secure. (You can use hot glue for this if you don't have a staple gun. 

 Step 2: Hammer gold thumb tacs around the entire perimeter of the front of the board (where the wooden boarder usually is). I measured mine to be every inch but you can use more or less space in between, depending on your personal preference. 

 Step 3: Spruce up your decorations! I painted my wooden letter Gold, and simply glued a few fabric flowers in the bottom corner. But really, the creativity is endeless here. You don't even have to add any decor if you want more simplicity. 

And there you have it. A re-vamped bulletin board that can be used for any purpose and decorated to fit in any room decor. I filled mine with some design inspo, and some "vision board" type pics like my dream car, my future dream job, and a few other things I am determined to accomplish in my lifetime :) 

Hope you enojyed! 

Until next time, XO

Kaitlyn

Steal of a Deal

So i'm sure everyone has heard the term "it was a steal of a deal" said once or twice in their lifetime. Well now, I FINALLY understand the true meaning of this silly phrase.... it's about getting such a good deal on something, that you literally feel like you are stealing it!

This past Saturday, some friends and I attended the L*Space warehouse sale in So Cal. There were many things I LOVED about this sale. First, it was 3 days long. Second, they put out new merchandise everyday, so if you couldn't make it there until the last day (like us), you still had the same selection everyone else did. Third, their bikinis were priced anywhere from $5-$20. Yup, those sassy little bikinis that usually sell for a pretty penny were 80% off and more!

I scored 3 bikini tops and 2 bikini bottoms (which are still sold in stores) for a grand total of $80. Now to put this in perspective, the Stella Periwinkle top (blue top with gold arrow trim) is currently being sold on instyleswim for $86. Which basically means I still got a discount on the top, and got the other 4 pieces for free with the price I paid. 

The point of this post is not to brag about the great deal I got (even though I'm still super stoked on it and LOVE my new L*Space wardrobe). I wanted to make this post to spread the word about these warehouse sales and how beneficial and WORTH IT they really are! 

 #1 rule of advice, get there right when it opens, if not about 20 mins before. Orrrrr, wait until late afternoon when it dies down a bit. 

I knew about this sale because I have a serious obsession with L*Space and I follow them on all outlets of social media. But my friends had no idea anything like this was going on a mere 15 minutes from where they live! Drum roll please.....

http://whsale.com Literally, the yellow pages of warehouse sales. Every state, every region! Check it out and thank me later.  Until Next Time, xo Kaitlyn

Beach Bag ESSENTIALS!!

Summer may be nearing an end but those of us in So Cal and other parts of the world still have plenty of time to hit the beach! I've been doing "beach research" all summer to perfect my list of the absolute MUST HAVES in every beach gal's bag. So here it is! 

1. A Bikini (obviously!). One of my absolute favorite brands is L*Space. Not only are their bikini's super girly and chic, but they're also incredibly comfortable and can be worn all day long. I also love a good top with removable straps. Makes it easy for tanning, surfing and hitting up a game of beach v-ball.
2. A BIG TOWEL- because no one likes to be stranded on a tiny little island in the sand. This towel from Wildfox Couture has been on my wish list for quite some time. It's HUGE and so soft!!
3. Sunscreen/Tanning Oil- If you are a tanning kind of gal, Maui Babe is the ULTIMATE (just make sure you are careful when putting it on, it might stain light colored garmets). They also recently released an SPF 30 sunscreen, not to mention their after sun lotion smells like you are on a tropical island of paradise.
4. Sunnies- No one wants to be blinded! And you can never go wrong with a good pair of aviators (Pictured: Marc Jacbos)
5. BABYLIPS Chapstick- enough said. This ish is AMAZING. Plus it has SPF and a hint of color
6. A chic cover up- I am OBSESSED with this one ViX just premiered on their runway show at Miami Beach Fashion Week.
7. The Perfect pair of sandals- These go with everything and can easily be transferable from beach to everyday wear.
8. A HUGE BAG- We love these Hayden Reis bags for many reasons. First, they have a ton of different styles to fit every beach babes personality. Second, they are amazingly spacious and will FIT EVERYTHING you need. And Third, they have smaller wristlet and sunscreen bags you can also throw in there to organize the smaller items (or they are perfect to store your wet bikini in after that surf sesh).
9. Not pictured: The obvious; Snacks, WATER, a mix of your favorite summer jams on that ipod of yours, of course a good book or two, some gossip magazines (guilty pleasure) and of course, your best friends!

Anyone else have amazing beach products they like?! I am always looking for new things to fall in love with. 

Until next time, xo

Kaitlyn

DIY Starfish Headband.

... Because everyone wants to feel like a Mermaid sometimes :)

Ever had that feeling where you see something in a store and think to yourself..."I can easily make that/customize it for myself!" Well that's exactly how I came about making this little beauty, getting inspiration from a single starfish on an elastic band.

Materials Needed: Black felt, two starfish (you can also use seashells), a hot glue gun, Gold Chain (about 10 inches), and an elastic headband. 

1. Cut small circles in black felt for the starfish backing. Also cut your chain to a desired length. 

2. Hot glue the bottom half of the starfish. Place the chain down first with the black felt over it. Let dry. 

3. Repeat process to the 2nd Starfish. (Make sure the top half isn't glued yet!)

4. Insert the elastic headband in the top  part of the black felt, hot glue them together and let dry

5. Repeat this process with the 2nd Starfish (you can place them however close or far apart you want on the headband, just remember that the elastic does stretch when you wear it on your head). 

6. And there you have it, your very own mermaid inspired headband!!

Until next time, 

XO

Kaitlyn

Day Dreaming....

I am a firm believer in the fact that you could always use a little motivation in life. (Especially when it's a Monday and you just got back from Vegas.) I've been day dreaming about my future all day and my creative mind is going crazy! So I've decided to share some of my favorite motivational quotes that always give me the extra push when I need it. Sometimes, you just have to have a little faith. (Thanks pinterest and We Heart It!!) 

Hope you enjoy. 

  

Until next time, 

xo, Kaitlyn

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Welcome to Sunsets and Falling Stars!

Sunsets and Falling Stars is about all things beachy and all things beautiful. I decided to start this blog to share my passion for bikinis and the lifestyle that goes hand in hand while wearing one (Which I wish could be everyday). 

I'm just a mid 20's So Cal girl with the heart of a dreamer. I would LOVE to own my own swimwear line one day and travel to far away exotic locations for inspiration (But who wouldn't want to do that?!). This blog will take you on my journey and show you all the beauty I find along the way. From the perfect beach bag essentials, bikini re-vamps, a delicious cocktail here and there, to fitness tips for keeping that bikini body in top shape, I hope you never stop coming back for more. 

Why "Sunsets and Falling Stars"? A wise book once told me that beauty is everywhere, and is revealed in even the simplest of sunsets and falling stars. You just have to open your eyes to what the world has to offer. 

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting" -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Until next time!

xo, Kaitlyn