Style: Summer Things

My style (for myself, and my home) tends to change with the season. For me, summer is all about freshening things up with bold accessories, lots of layers, new scents and wholesome foods.

Scent: It's rare that I change up my scent, but I stumbled upon Hippie Chic by True Religion and I don't think I'm ever going back. It's the perfect mix of musky and fruity with a hint of floral. With a description like this on their website, how can you go wrong? "Like the rise of the sun or the bloom of a flower, Hippie Chic leaves a lasting sense of wonderment."

Scarves: I'm a fan of scarves for any season, and a light scarf is the perfect accessory, especially on cool summer nights. I'm digging paisley right now (weird? I hope not) and am loving how it looks in a neutral color.

Sandals: Birkenstocks. Need I say more? I have two pairs that I wear religiously almost every day because they go with everything - dresses, denim shorts, jeans etc. A summer staple for sure.

Hydration: Water, water, water! I tote this bad boy around with me everywhere.

Beauty: Burt's Bees Lip Tint is my summer staple for lip care (helps protect your lips and provides a hint of color). For my toes, it's all about purple and turquoise. For my hair, I'm mostly using my homemade sea salt spray, but any sea mist will do for that beachy look.

Hat: I don't think I look good in hats, but for sun protection and style, Forever 21 has some great (and totally affordable) hats to wear this summer.

Jewelry: My go-to jewelry in the summer is a handful of silver rings and long, boho-inspired necklaces. I'll have a handful listed on my Etsy page (coming soon!) but Forever 21 also has some great pieces for less than $10 each.

Bag: YES to bucket bags! They're versatile and casual and can usually fit an extra swimsuit and sunblock.

Tee: We're embracing the muscle tee at our apartment this summer. From the gym to the patio, a muscle tee can be dressed up or down. (Usually) made of 100% cotton, they're breathable too. I'm currently crushing on every single one of Spiritual Gangster's tanks (currently wearing the "Trust the Universe" tee as we speak!)

Electronics: A portable charger is a must-have when you're out and about during the summer. I'm in the market for a new one, and love everything about the cute power banks from Free People.

Food: My diet has naturally evolved into a (mostly) meat-free diet, and Pure Food has been my go-to for easy, plant-based meals. 

candle || scarf || shoes || water bottle || hat || lip balm || nail polish || necklace || perfume || tee || charger || book || spray || bag || bracelet || bracelet

Mood: July Feel

I'm a little late, but July is here, nonetheless.

Puppies, pies, yoga, fireworks, new adventures, farmers markets and dirty jeans. Hello, summer. 

one (owned) || two || three || four || five || six || seven 

Welcome to Mountain Shadow Morning

After a long hiatus, I'm back! Welcome to Mountain Shadow Morning.

I'm sure by now after an odd redirect, you were brought back to nearly the same exact page with the same look and a different name. Twentyapolis is now Mountain Shadow Morning.

Why the change to Mountain Shadow Morning? I think blogs, just like people, grow, evolve and develop over time. Twentyapolis started as a Tumblr page in 2010, and eventually became a blog in 2012. Over the past five years, I've grown immensely, and so has Twentyapolis! My writing style, content, interests and passions have developed, and during that time, Twentyapolis has gone through many different design updates. 

Twentyapolis captured an incredible stage of my 20s where I was learning who I was (as both a person and a blogger), what my passions were, and what I wanted to do with my life after graduation. As I'm growing older and eventually leaving my twenties (whaaat?!) I wanted to update my blog to take me in that direction. And that's where Mountain Shadow Morning comes into place.

The name "Mountain Shadow Morning" has a lot of personal meaning to me. I spent much of my childhood at our cabin in the woods on Mountain Shadows Lane. My fondest memories growing up were spent there with friends and family, in the great outdoors underneath the Wisconsin sunshine. We cooked over the fire, stared at the stars, handcrafted and made all sorts of things and spent quality time together. It was (and still is) a truly magical place. 

I'm hoping to bring this wonder, outdoor vibe and DIY spirit into Mountain Shadow Morning. Much of the content will stay the same; I still plan on sharing lots of DIY projects, recipes, travel tips, yoga and fitness inspiration, natural beauty product reviews and general musings and thoughts on everyday life. Plus, an Etsy page is on its way, full of handmade goods from Mountain Shadows, Wisconsin.

For each and every one of you who has visited Twentyapolis, I thank you. I am so grateful and deeply humbled for your support and kindness over the years. You make every moment of this so special, and so worth it.

Now, without further ado, welcome to Mountain Shadow Morning. Yay for new beginnings. 

Now onto my hiatus (and more new beginnings!) I've had some big life changes happen since my last post in April. After taking a long, hard look at my life, career and the journey I want to take with my life, I knew I needed to make a change. 

In June, I made the decision to leave my job in public relations and pursue a career in yoga. Starting next week, I'm leaving my desk job for a new career on my mat with CorePower Yoga. I couldn't be more excited.

I'm not going to lie, leaving my job in PR is scary. With a stable salary, benefits, a path for growth and wonderful coworkers, it was one of the most difficult decisions I've had to make. Don't be fooled - my new career path will not make me a millionaire, and I'll need to budget and manage my time like never before! But I know that, for me, this is the path I need to take.

I'm not sure how many times in your life (if any), you're given the opportunity to make a change, listen to your heart and make a leap into the unknown to pursue your dreams. When this opportunity came along, I knew I couldn't pass it up. Sometimes, the universe answers your questions, and I knew in my heart that I had to listen.

So there it is - new blog, new journey. I believe in the good things coming...