Kindly With K: November 2014

5 Creative Ways to Countdown to Christmas

I can't believe that tomorrow is already December 1st! Wow has this year flown by. The start of December means that the countdown to Christmas officially begins. I have wrangled up five creative ways to countdown to Christmas this year.

Enjoy!

via Oh Happy Day

via Little Lucy Lu

via Makoodle

via Oh Happy Day

How do you countdown to Christmas?

"Every girl is a superhero sometimes."

Friday Favorites

Happy Black Friday! I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends! My family spent the day at Disneyland yesterday enjoying the 90+ degree weather in Southern California. Have a great weekend!

Comments We Need To Stop Saying. (thedatingdepartment.com)
Informational Interview 101: How To Get Them, What To Ask And How To Follow Up. (careercontessa.com)
To Work on Thanksgiving Weekend or Not? (inc.com)
Black Friday Sales + Steals. (envisionpretty.com)
How To Be Thankful Everyday. (tipsywriter.com)

"The heart, like the mind, has a memory. And in it are kept the most precious keepsakes." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Holiday Gift Guide: "The Hostess"

With the holiday season already upon us, I wanted to put together gift guides for those looking for the perfect gifts. Today's gift guide is for the hostess of the holiday party you are bound to go to this year! Make her feel special and show up with a token of your appreciation.

Kindly With K Holiday Tip: Never show up to a holiday party empty-handed. Always bring the hostess a gift, even if it is small! A bottle of wine is always welcome!

Are you attending any holiday parties this year?

"The secret to change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." - Socrates

Black Friday Deals

Are you a Black Friday shopper? Over the past few years Black Friday has become even more popular among holiday shoppers looking to get the best deals out there. Personally, I have never been Black Friday shopping because the crowds of people just overwhelm me, but my mom and sister are a different story. Every year they are out at the crack of dawn scouring the stores for the best deals. With them in mind, I decided to put together a list of some of the stores that are participating in Black Friday this year with a link to their ad. Happy shopping!

Bed Bath & Beyond

Best Buy

Dell

Express

Kohl's

Lowes

Macy's

Michaels

Microsoft

Old Navy

Pier 1 Imports

Target

Ulta

Walmart

**All ads were originally posted on BlackFriday.com, I do not own the rights to these ads nor was I provided compensation for this post.**

Will be shopping on Black Friday this year? Tweet me @KindlyWithK and show me what types of deals you are looking for and/or received!

"When you forgive, you don't change the past...you change the future!"

Spotlight on Angela & Roi

I hope everyone had a great weekend! I wanted to spotlight a company that I just discovered and knew that I had to share. Angela & Roi is where fashion handbags meets philanthropy. Let me tell you a little bit more about them...

HANDBAGS WITH A PURPOSE:

“Our company was founded on strong moral principles. We value customer satisfaction, not profit margins, and believe that we can use our resources to positively impact the greater community. We believe fashion can be used to both an artistic and charitable effect. At Angela & Roi, we’re all about philanthropy, not consumerism. We hope you will join us in our “Donate by Color” movement to raise awareness and support for our causes.

We meticulously design minimalist styles of tote, shoulder, cross-body bags and backpacks in a variety of colors. The Angela & Roi aesthetic is classic with a modern touch and every bag is made with vegan leather and durable fabric.”

The most amazing part about Angela & Roi is the fact that they donate $5 of each sale to their charity partner based on the color of the bag.

Here are some of my favorites from their collection...

Angela & Roi is such an amazing company and they are bound for great things! If you haven't checked out Angela & Roi, make sure you visit their website - www.angelaroi.com - today! They have a fan in Kindly With K.

"Big things often have small beginnings."

All images are from Angela & Roi. Kindly With K was not given products or compensation to publish this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Friday Favorites

Have a great weekend everyone!

7 Ways To Make An Impression At A New Job. (advicefromatwentysomething.com)
12 Weekend Habits of Highly Successful People. (lifehack.org)
The Dos and Don’ts of a Coffee Date. (levo.com)
Gaining Respect As A Workplace Rookie. (careercontessa.com)
Why Germans Work Fewer Hours But Produce More: A Study In Culture. (huffingtonpost.com)

"Own who you are."

Want It, Need It

Here are some of the things I am lusting after lately!

Fossil Jacqueline Three-Hand Date Stainless Steel Watch - Black | Piperlime Collection Embellished Shoulder Woven Tee | DVF 440 Mini Colorblock | The Everygirl 16 Oz. Success Is Not for the Lazy Insulated Travel Tumbler - Pink | Kendra Scott Carry All Train Case in Black | Kendra Scott Rayne Gunmetal Necklace in Black

What is on your favorites list at the moment?

"The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it's all that matters." - Audrey Hepburn

What to Wear to Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and whether you are having a casual "Friendsgiving" or a sophisticated dinner party with your family, you want to have an appropriate, yet fashionable outfit. I have put together two outfits to help you plan what to wear to your Thanksgiving dinner this year.

Friendsgiving

Family Thanksgiving Dinner

What are you wearing to Thanksgiving this year?

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." - Oprah Winfrey

14 Reasons to Absolutely, Positively Love Being a Woman

Happy Monday everyone! This weekend I received the latest issue of Glamour and one of my favorite parts of the magazine every month is "The Glamour List." This month was no exception, so I had to share! Enjoy.

image via Cool Girl Style

The Glamour List: 14 Reasons to Absolutely, Positively Love Being a Woman

by: Pamela Redmond Satran & Kimberly Bonnell

You can get away with not wearing pants, like, ever. Hat tip to all the skirts and dresses of the world.
And speaking of clothes, men pretty much just have pants, shirts, and ties. You've got capes and jumpsuits and minis and crop tops and midi-pants and -- well it's a party in your closet.
When you do gain weight, you probably gain it in your boobs, and who minds that?
You can grow a human!
Also, you can choose whether and when to.
You've got a killer immune system. Scientists have found women are less likely to get their male partner's cold than he is to get yours. Sorry, boys.
You can watch all the Ryan Gosling movies you want. Because if you get turned on in public, no one has to know.
You can completely transform your look with one swipe of Nars Scarlett Empress red.
Feminism: Now chic! (Not that it ever wasn't!)
You don't have to settle for one orgasm.
You can bounce the baby with one arm, stir the holiday soup with the other, and keep the conference call going. It's not "balance." It's life.
You know how to cut through the bar-stool B.S.: A study found women are better than men at recognizing pickup lines.
Betty White! Proof that at 92, women still have it.
Because your mom says so, and that woman is never wrong.

"Vodka is kind of a hobby." - Betty White

Friday Favorites

TGIF! Enjoy the weekend everyone! XOXO

26 Ways to Make the Most of Your 20's. (cosmopolitan.com)
3 Ways To Make The Most Of Your Weekend. (tipsywriter.com)
Recreate Anna Wintour's Chic Office Decor. (bustle.com)
Work-Life Balance: 10 Best Jobs. (clarionledger.com)
30 Sneakers That'll Survive The Polar Vortex. (refinery29.com)

"Stay positive even when it feels like your life is falling apart."

World Kindness Day

Today is World Kindness Day and it is fitting for me personally because my motto has always been to spread kindness throughout my daily life! That is even why this blog is titled "Kindly With K". You never know what a person is going through, so even a simple smile can brighten their day. Being kind does not take a lot of effort, but making the conscious decision to be kind can be difficult. Our world would be a much better place if everyone made that conscious decision to be kind. Like I always say...be the reason that someone smiles today!

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation inspires people to practice kindness and to pass it on to others. Be sure to visit their Kindness Ideas to see how you can spread kindness throughout your day!

INSPIRATIONAL KINDNESS QUOTES

“Your greatness is measured by your kindness; your education and intellect by your modesty; your ignorance is betrayed by your suspicions and prejudices, and your real caliber is measured by the consideration and tolerance you have for others.” - William J.H. Boetcker

“You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.” - Oprah Winfrey

“Wherever there is a human in need, there is an opportunity for kindness and to make a difference.” - Kevin Heath

"What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness." - Jean Jacques Rousseau

“Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.” - Bob Kerrey

“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.” - Henry James

TOMS for Target Favorites

Back in September it was announced that TOMS and Target were teaming up to bring us an incredible collaboration that will still follow the TOMS mission and give back with every purchase! Well the time has come, the collection is launching THIS Sunday November 16 and I couldn't be more excited. I wanted to share with you my faves from the collection and what I hope to be picking up on Sunday.

You can view the whole collection online here. Will you be shopping the TOMS for Target collection?

"People inspire you or they drain you - pick them wisely." - Hans F. Hanson

Fashion For Good - 31 Bits Holiday Collection

Are you looking for a great gift for your girlfriends this Christmas or that perfect necklace to accompany you at your holiday parties? Look no further...31 Bits newest Holiday Collection is incredible. Full of sparkle and shine, this collection is sure to wow everyone.

via 31 Bits

If you are not familiar with 31 Bits, let me tell you a little bit about them. Started by 5 carefree college girls, 31 Bits is using fashion and design to empower people to rise above poverty.

"Our model is to empower people through the fashion industry. We work with our beneficiaries in Uganda to create fashionable, quality products. They earn an income enabling them to provide for their families. We care for them holistically through counseling, health education, finance training, and business mentorships. After five years in our program, our beneficiaries are ready to graduate. A graduated beneficiary has her own business and is educated, healthy, and confident. She is empowered." - 31 Bits

via 31 Bits

Be sure to check them out online at www.31bits.com or if you are in the Orange County area at their latest pop-up at Fashion Island.

What is your favorite piece of the 31 Bits Holiday Collection?

"Love yourself first and everything else falls into line." - Lucille Ball

Kindly With K was not given products compensation to publish this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Brunch in the OC - Haute Cakes Caffe

Hope everyone is having a great start to their week! I wanted to share with you a great find of mine from the weekend. My good friend called on Saturday and told me to pick a place for brunch on Sunday. Now if you are from Southern California you know that the options for brunch are endless. I had always heard that Haute Cakes Caffe in Newport Beach had a great brunch, so I figured we could try it out.

Let me tell you...it was delicious. We arrived around 9:30am and were surprised to see that the line was quite long, but due to the amount of seating we decided to stick out the line. At Haute Cakes Caffe, you order first and then are given a number to take to your table. It is made very clear that you can't sit and reserve a table until you have ordered! After about a 20 minute wait, we both ordered the Bill's Breakfast (two scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, sourdough toast and fruit). I substituted the oven roasted potatoes for the toast and I'm so glad I did!

via Haute Cakes Caffe

The food was delectable and the service was incredible. One of the neat things about Haute Cakes is the ambiance as well. Most of the seating is outside, although they do have some seating indoors, and you don't feel overcrowded. I have been to way to many busy restaurants where you can fully hear the table next to your's conversation, which was NOT the case at Haute Cakes Caffe.

I definitely recommend if you are in the Newport Beach area to check out Haute Cakes Caffe. You won't be disappointed!

Haute Cakes Caffe is located at 1807 Westcliff Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660.

"The universe might not always play fair, but at least it's got a hell of a sense of humor." - Carrie Bradshaw

Kindly With K was not given compensation to publish this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Friday Favorites

TGIF! Enjoy your weekend!

When Sweatpants Become a Form of Protest. (nymag.com)
What to Do When Your Coworker Is Fired. (levo.com)
A Seven-Step Guide To Heartbreak. (joannagoddard.blogspot.com)
30 Empowering Songs To Get You Through A Broken Heart. (thedatingdepartment.com)
Money Can’t Buy You Happiness… But It Can Buy That Mascara. (nycprgirls.com)

"Stop complaining and just appreciate the life you have."

5 Things I Can't Live Without

1. My Family :: Whether we want to admit it, our families our the backbones to our existence. Now that is not to say that my family is perfect, but I know that without a doubt they will always 110% stand behind me. Without my family, I would not be the person that I am today.

2. My Dog :: This may sound crazy, but I can't imagine not having my dog by my side. Lucy has been through thick and thin with me and she is always there for me to brighten my day. Unfortunately since Lucy is 12 1/2 years old and not doing very well, the reality is I don't know how many more days or months I have with her. Her love for me is unconditional as is my love for her.

3. My Cell Phone :: Yes I am that person who can't live without their cell phone. For me it is a way to always be connected.

4. A Good Pair of Shoes :: This may sound silly, but a good pair of shoes is a necessity. Shoes can make or break an outfit, so always having a good pair of shoes is crucial.

5. A Timeless Purse :: I have been known to change my purse daily, but I always try to stick with classic, timeless pieces. If I can buy a handbag and know that I can still use it in 10 years then that is a good purchase!

What are 5 things that you can't live without? I would love to hear your thoughts...feel free to email me at kindlywithk@gmail.com or tweet me @KindlyWithK!

"Your attitude determines your direction."

Shoesday Tuesday

My love for shoes is never ending. Pretty soon I am going to have to convert my spare room into a closet just to accommodate all of the pairs of shoes I have accumulated over the years. I wanted to share with you two pairs of flats that I recently saw that are not only perfect for fall, but also are very versatile, everyday pair of flats.

SOLE SOCIETY - CARMELLE