I gotta say, 2019 has kicked off on a creative, lively note—and yet I’ve also had ample time to work on creative projects!

If I were living in a cute dark-wood hued two-story house with full wall windows in the mountains (with three dogs), I’d have achieved my ideal life balance.

Alas, most of that is a work-in-progress.

Anyway, I’ve been thinking about goals lately, as I shuffle them around in Asana and attempt to organize my days. I have these scary, bolded “must-do” goals listed out, but I want to make more room for fun, seemingly superfluous goals this year: things like drawing and sketching more, finishing the short story I’ve been working on for a year, learning to make macarons…

These things aren’t monetized or part of any greater plan. They’re just extracurriculars, but I want to start prioritizing them. I thought I’d write out the full list to reference (and share, in case you want to steal any) and then check back in to see how I’m doing every quarter or so.

Will you guys keep me accountable?

Also, I’ve added a life update below. I don’t do that often enough. 😉

Winter’s here, and that means you get to live your life to the faux-est.

I recently bought a (non-vintage, full disclosure) statement faux fur scarf that I just can’t stop wearing, and it made me wonder what glam & fuzzy vintage gems are out there in my favorite online market place.

Naturally, that led to scrolling through Etsy all night to seek out the crème de la crème for you!

Not only is faux fur super-stylish, but it’s much nicer to our animal friends. Add to that the fact that shopping vintage is better for the planet, and you’ve got a double dose of good karma to keep you warm this winter.

I believe that’s what they call a win-win. *~eyebrow waggle~*

Scroll below for my top picks for the cutest vintage faux fur coats on Etsy right now, from under $65 to $250.

Here’s my entire 2018 in 2 minutes or so. I struggle to put entire years into words when I write about them, but this pretty much sums it up!

Of course, what you don’t see here are the tough moments and struggles. Those happened! It wasn’t 100% festive and celebratory. I had plenty of breakdowns, failures, moments of confusion… It was the year of biting off more than I could chew.

Still, it was a year worth celebrating, like every other, and I’m glad to have this little montage to take me back.

Hope you enjoy, too. ♡ What was the highlight of YOUR year? (If you made one of these, I want to see it! Link me below.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🥂

2018 was a whirlwind, so as the year came to a close, nothing sounded better to me than a laid-back New Year’s Eve with minimal fuss. Yup! For the first time in over a decade, I wanted to stay home.

In stark contrast to the full-blown bonanzas I’ve planned every year since my early 20s, I invited the girls over for a laid-back hang. It was planned in one day and I spent nothing, save for the cost of drinks and some snacks, to make it happen.

The ultimate secret, though? I held it the Saturday before NYE, so I checked the “fun party” requisite off my list and took the pressure off the 31st*.

Here’s how to throw a well-decorated, super-festive, totally low key New Year’s Eve party with the girls.

It might be a stretch to call The Palm Court at The Plaza Hotel a “café”, but my visit for Christmas tea this week more than earned it a place on my list of aesthetically pleasing hideaways.

I felt halfway between Gossip Girl and Downton Abbey as mom and I sipped bubbly and snacked on decadent bites in the midst of towering palms and a stunning interior. The prefix is pricey, but you know what? The experience was worth it.

The one word I’d use to describe Christmas Tea at The Plaza Hotel? Exquisite. Read on for stunning photos and a few insider tips that may be helpful if you’re planning your own visit.

We’re only just getting into the thick of December, but I’m already deep in the holiday madness. Freelance writing gigs and planning the Sugar x Spice Holiday Makers Market (next weekend in Brooklyn! RSVP there) have been taking time and energy, but you know me… I must make space for frivolity.

It’s non-negotiable. 😉

Since I didn’t have time to plan a full-blown Rose Gold Dinner Club gathering, I hosted an informal hang involving festive drinks, gingerbread houses, and antlers. Because of course I did.

As we constructed little houses and got royal icing all over the place, I realized a whimsical party was just what I needed to start the season on a jolly note. I mean, when was the last time you genuinely felt jolly?

As we laughed hysterically, belted out x-mas karaoke songs, and reenacted childhood Christmas traditions, I realized “jolly” was the only word for it. 

My favorite snaps from the gathering, as well as tips for putting one together, are below.

Introducing… the project I’ve been going nuts over for the past couple of weeks! The Hey Mishka Vintage shop is officially open for holiday 2018.

I’ve been hunting high and low, online, offline, upstate, and all over NYC for magical vintage pieces that you can rock during the holidays. I’ll be adding additional styles to the shop all week and into the new year.

We did an exciting shoot in my apartment at the end of November to kick off the launch. It was a day of pastries, xmas lights, and standing on a step ladder to capture big smiles and candy cane-garnished toasts. So fun!

I hope it gets you in the holiday spirit and gives you a few outfit ideas, too.

Some of you may remember the vintage shops I’ve had connected to this blog in the past—and the fact that shooting DIY lookbooks in my various apartments has been a long-standing passion of mine.

Treasure hunting for special pieces and sharing them on my blog has also been a passion for the past decade! This time, the shop is bigger, better, and more festive than ever.

See the full lookbook below—and shop Hey Mishka Vintage holiday 2018! You can also get on the mailing list to receive updates on new arrivals and sales.

Is it just me, or is it kind of perfect when Halloween falls on a random weekday? That gives you actual Halloween and a weekend before—or after—for extended costume & candy festivities!

Am I actually just an overgrown child? Yes, when it comes to holidays, I am.  And nothing brings out my inner dork like Halloween.

This year I decided to host a chill pregame get-together for Halloweekend, gathering some friends up for drinks and costumed foolishness before we headed to the Queens Brewery for additional foolishness.

With just a few touches, I created a spooky spread for snacks, drinks, and creeping it real (sorry not sorry). Here’s a closer look! 

Halloween might be Wednesday, but we’re officially landing in Halloween weekend this evening! 🎃 Eeek!

Don’t know what you’re wearing? No problem. I tore through my closet and put together five fun costumes using things I already had laying around.

Now, some of these definitely did involve costume pieces from years past, but I’m willing to bet if you read my blog you’ve got a few random wigs, masks, and other fun things in your room, too.

We’re just those kinds of gals, amirite?!

I’ve noted below where I purchased things to add to the costume, along with the price, so you can see just how cheaply I put these together.

And while you might not be able to copy my costumes verbatim, I hope these will serve as inspiration for you to create your own!

Ready to dive in and trick-or-treat yourself to some no-fuss costumes?

Let’s go!

Geeze! It’s been a minute. How are you, babes?

When life is so rich with people, places, and moments that you don’t have time to blog… that’s not really a bad thing, is it? But yes, I miss writing for Hey Mishka. 💗 This blog of mine is always on my mind.

I thought I would pop in and give you a little preview of what’s in store here—as well as what I’ve been up to.

Life tends to get away from me in the summer months, especially this time around. I was moving, working with two incredible companies on freelance projects, and buried in the many initiatives we have going on as we prepare to launch Day Job Optional.

We also had our annual family camping trip to the beach, which was dreamy, and I went through some big changes in my personal life that definitely reshaped my world.

So yeah, a lot has gone down!

As soon as Libra season hit though, I felt back at home in the universe: creative, aligned, and full of good vibes.

Of course, that also means my social side comes out, even more so than the summer, and I tend to fill my calendar with fun stuff.

Exhibit A: fun stuff

Fall brings a creative whirlwind that sucks me right in. All I want to do is make things. This delicious urge keeps me scribbling and sketching during every moment of downtime.

I’m in a pretty demanding freelance role at the minute, so time is precious, but whenever possible I’ve been planning holiday content to brighten your world this season—and I’m beyond excited to share it and breathe some life back into this blog!

Get ready for epic festivity, joy-inducing content, and cool DIY projects.

I’ll even be collaborating with some inspiring women in the city who have amazing talents and energy to share.

Make sure you subscribe to the newsletter and follow me on social (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) so you don’t miss out on anything.

I’ll see you back here soon!