Esss Party Time

Learn to Make a Pom-Pom Garland with Me!

My roomie and I have been out of AZ for most of the summer, and we're moving back and into our new apartment soon! Once we have all of our crap in order, and our space is habitable, we thought it would be fun to throw a little house-warming party!
Of course, me being the pinterest addict that I am, I took that as an excuse to look at millions of pictures of garlands and balloons, and other cutesy instagram-filtered, fairy light, mason jar projects.
Guys- I fell in love- with a pom pom garland.
Remember how I told you guys that my mom is a hoarder? Yeah. I have tons of yarn at my disposal, just waiting to be molded into something adorable. Something like... I don't know, GIANT POM POMS? What better way to use up some yarn?
My roomie and I aren't sure about the details for the party, or even actually throwing one, but I'm still going to bring this with me and hang it on my door, or over the arch to the hall, maybe? It's too damn cute to refuse, so here you go! I hope you enjoy!

First you have to pick your yarn, and make a template. Out of the yarn I had, I picked out some spring/summer pastels, including Mint (with shimmer), White (with shimmer), Orange Sherbet, Dusty Rose, and Raspberry.  I'll be showing you the first steps on Mint.
For the template, I just used the front of a graham cracker box. Super easy bro.

So once you have the template and the yarn, you're going to just wrap the yarn around the template a bajillion times, and then cut each side. Try to keep your wrapping relatively loose, or cutting the ends is going to be a bitch.

Now that you have the loose bits of yarn all in a bundle, pinch that stack in half, and tie another piece of yarn around the middle. Pull and tie.
Done! Sorta.
You end up with this sad, foppish, Cousin-It wannabe.
You need to give it a haircut.
There isn't any right way of doing it, just trim the ends until you get it as symmetrical and spherical as possible.
Personally, I like the shaggy ones, they look like flowers out of a Suess Book, but it's up to you.

The one on the left is trimmed, the one on the right is not.

 Repeat the process of making Pom Poms until you have the right amount. This is going to vary depending on how long you want your garland to be. I made 11, and that is the perfect size for your standard door jam. Arrange them in an order that suits you, and move on to the attachment.





The next part is probably the most tedious. You have to sew them on the ribbon.
I tried gluing, and stapling, and begging, but this seems to be the only thing that works. Sorry, you just have to do it, but I promise it'll be worth it.

Tadahhhh!

Golden Goddess Gets All the Lads and Lasses

 Racial Ambiguity Really Works in Bars

I wouldn't really call myself a party girl, but since I'm leaving Seattle in the next few days, my friends wanted to take me out to celebrate a bit before I left. She knew the bouncer at this bar who would wave me in as long as I behaved once I got in. Score. 
She told me to get all swanked up, so I went with my go-to party look: Golden Goddess. 
I'm racially ambiguous most days, but play up my eyes and my tan, and people really don't know what to think. In a party situation, this is always a conversation starter.  It's a great way to break the ice without having to say a damn thing. Let my eyes do the talking, so I don't have to worry about stumbling over an introduction. Done. 

All right folks, here we go!
It's Prime Time.

Let's prime that face yeah? I'm using Benefit's That Gal Luminizing Primer, MAC's Studio Moisture Tint in Medium, and Benefit's Boi-ing Concealer in No. 02. I like to mix a pea size amount of the luminating primer into the tinted moisturizer for a more sheer, "lit from within" look. Of course, then use the concealer brush to cover your spots, and move on to step 2.












 This is mainly an eye look, so you're going to need a really great primed eye to pull it off and make it last. I'm using Jordana Eye Shadow Pencils in Nude and Brown, and Benefit's Concealer/ Primer Duo, in Boi-ing No. 02/Lemon Aid.

Pre-Blend

Post Blend

Fill in your brows with the brown eye shadow pencil, then highlight the arch with Lemon Aid. Color the lid and inner corner with the nude eye shadow pencil, paint a triangle under the eye with Boi-ing in No.02.
Bled that sucker out with either your finger, or a soft fluffy concealer brush.

Now that we're primed, it's time for the Peep(er) Show

From Urban Decay's Naked Palette, I'm using Half-Baked, a pretty sheer gold color. Use a fluffy eye shadow brush to swipe that across the entirety of your lid.









From the same palette, I'm using Toasted to smudge into the outer two thirds of my crease, this time using an angled eye shadow brush.








Using a clean fluffy angle brush place the lightest color, Virgin,on your brow bone and inner corner.












Use Creep to line the top lash line, and fill in the outer two thirds of the bottom waterline. Smudge the outer third to connect the top to the bottom.






Wet an eyeliner brush, and dip it into Half Baked. Use this to line the inner half of your eye, and blend it into the black.

Curl your lashes, and use two coats of black mascara. The first is a lighter coat, mainly focusing on length and separation, and the second is for volume.

Yay Your Eyes are Done! Move on to the Rest of Your Face!

Powder your face to neutralize any pigmentation issues your tinted moisturizer missed, and control shine. I'm applying MAC's Sheer Pressed Powder in NC30, with a fluffy retractable kabuki brush manufactured by Eco-tools.

Next, I'm using a duo-fiber polishing brush to apply Benefit's Coralista Blush. It smells like vacation time :)

For that true "Golden Goddess" look, we need bronzer. I'm using MAC's Refined Gold with a dense angled brush, on my forehead, nose, and the hollows of my cheek. 

Finish off with a coat of sheer pink gloss. I'm using Vaseline's lip butter in Sheer Rose. 

There You Have It!

I wore a Black Maxi with cutouts at the bust and back, and a subtle gold leaf earring. I just let my hair just hang out, and do what it does naturally. 

Enjoy!

One Dress, Ten Ways!

How to Make Your Closet Work Overtime

I come from a family of hoarders. My mom hoards craft supplies, my aunts hoards mystery novels/games, my uncle hoards art and graphic novels, and my grandparents hoard everything else. My grandma has three fur coats from the 40's, and my grandpa makes planters out of toilets and tubs because he can't bear the thought of giving it away.   

I didn't skip out on this trait. I have TONS of clothes. And shoes. And an unreasonable amount of scarves and sweaters considering I live in the desert. I mean I can go a whole month without doing laundry and still have plenty of clothes to spare. It's pretty bad.
I'm moving into a new apartment next week, and one of my goals is to streamline my belongings. My furniture is minimal, and my book collection is just enough to give life to my shelves, so the key here is my wardrobe.
I'm on the verge of tears just thinking about it.
I was reading a bunch of books about minimalism, and one of the themes that kept popping out to me is, "Everything must serve more than one purpose".
Oh.
So those electric lime heels that only match that one dress should probably go...
I have a tiny portion of my closet with me right now since I only took a carry-on to Seattle, so I wanted to see how much I could stretch each piece. I started with an easy basic that I bought right before my trip up here: The striped dress. 

The Striped Dress

H&M: $12.95

I'm in love with this dress. It's light weight and stretchy, making it super comfortable to wear, and virtually impossible to wrinkle, so it's the perfect dress to pack on a summer trip. The black and white stripes are super cute, and perfect for highlighting a curvy shape like my own. Plus, it goes with EVERYTHING! I'm sure this dress will have even more potential when I get home and I can mix it with the rest of my wardrobe.

 

1) Teal Scarf+ Hot Pink Vans= Casual, Girlie, Sporty
2) Elephant Infinity Scar+ Belted High Waist Jorts+ High-Top Red Keds= Semi artistic with a pop.
3) Semi-sheer Rose-Embroidered Tank+ Black Docs= Badass with a Touch of Romanticism



4) Burgundy Belted Cardigan+ Flower Burst Collar Necklace+ Black Docs= Cozy Librarian who listens to NIN sometimes.
5) Homemade Denim Scarf (with fringe!)+ Hi-Top Red Keds= American in Paris.
6) Life Motto Crop+ Black Docs= Pinch of Sugar, Pinch of Spice, makes the pie taste so nice. (Btw, the shirt says "Unicorns, Tacos, and Sunsets". It's perfect.)



7)Creme Crochet Scarf+ Tassel Earrings+ Embroidered Black Flats= World-Traveling Classic.
8) Belted Black Cardigan+ White Collar Necklace+ Nude Flats= Classy and Cool.
9) Mickey Mouse Dolman+ Red Keds= Perfect for a Disney Sing-Along (or you know, life)

10) Belted Skinny Jeans (rolled at the ankle)
+ Nude Flats+ Double layered delicate necklaces= Crisp Prep with a Tinge of Boho.
















Well there you have it guys! With the help of accessories, I was able to create 10 very different looks with just one dress! I hope this inspired you to test the limits of your own wardrobe, and try combinations you never thought of before. I challenge you to pick out your favorite piece and work it in ten different ways and comment back with a picture of your favorite!

Happy Mixing!

People, you need to start knitting... or something

Attention all Young Adults: Learn to make shit. 

Hi.

I'm 20 years old, and I am a cat-lady in training, minus the cats. I love knitting, reading, and complaining about the kids on my lawn. I make jam as a thank you gift, tailor all of my own clothing, and find infinite amounts of joy in buttons (I have a jewelry box full of buttons- organized by color and size of course...)
I'm an undergraduate music major with aspirations of getting a PhD in fuddy-duddying.
And I refuse to apologize.
Let's face it, my crafting makes me just a teensy tiny bit more useful than the average kid my age, and here's why you should pick some needles and start making things:

1. It's meditative. I find peace in patterns and routine, and after a long day doing whatever I'm doing, I can come home, perform a small ritual, and just let my mind wander.

2. You have complete control over at least one aspect of your life. You can choose the color, the texture, and of course the design of any project you make.

3. Everything you make is one of a kind! If you can't find it, you can make it, and NO ONE ELSE will have it.

4. It lasts forever. My grandma is still wearing a sweater that her mother made her for her honeymoon. That was over 40 years ago people. No holes, no pilling, and so so soft. I'm hoping to inherit it, because pure alpaca is hard to find, and soooo expensive.

5. It's gratifying. You spent hours and hours doing the same thing over and over, and in the end, you a guaranteed a finished product!

6. You can totally make your hobby into charity. Personally, I make more hats and scarves than I'll ever need (hello, Cali girl raised in Arizona)and whatever I don't use myself or give to friends/ family, I donate. Double duty! My hobby helps others.

7. You'll always have a conversation starter. Try whipping out some knitting in Starbucks- people will come up to you, and they WILL ask you for a sweater.

8. It's a relatively inexpensive hobby- I spent two skeins on my last project, and it took me 12 hours to finish. So my 5$ investment was 12 hours of entertainment! Not too shabby, and it's a helluva lot cheaper than video-gaming.

9. If we were in a zombie apocalypse, I'd be SO USEFUL. Net-making: check bitches. Post-apocalyptic frozen tundra- I'll make a damn parka. Someone in our camp caught the infection- I'll make a noose in no time. Knitting needles= tiny spears, extra fucking pointy. Don't mess with the granny in training, I will TAKE.YOU.OUT. (zombies. I mean the zombies)

It doesn't have to be knitting, or sewing, or painting, but find something artistic to do in your everyday life. Make something from scratch with your hands, and stand back to see what you made. You don't even have to be good at it! Find a way to make beauty and stability in a world that is sometimes harsh and illogically cruel.  You will reap the rewards of your own handiwork, and you will be a better person for it. Trust me. 

P.S. Here's my latest project. So cute right?? FRINGE <3

Here's the lace pattern stretched out so you can really see it. 

Come on a Hike with me!

Hey guys!

This morning I had a hiking date, and I was scrambling around to find something that was both sweat-proof and date worthy (a rare combo) and this is what I came up with! Totally easy to move in, and it looks like you put in effort without putting in too much effort. ;)

First things first, CLOTHES!

Cute, comfy, and practical!
My jacket is from REI, and I bought it during the member sale in December for only 20 bucks! It's a light weight synthetic material that wicks away moisture (i.e. nasty stanky sweat) and is just warm enough to keep out the breeze. It has zippered pockets on the outside, and an internal pocket for your phone/ipod, with a hole for your headphones to thread through. I don't know if you can see them from the picture, but the sleeves also have thumb holes! Keep those metacarpals all nice and cozy ya'll.
The shirt is a Lulu Lemon rip off from target, and it has a comfy built in bra that's perfect for low impact activities like light hiking. I think it was only 15 bucks or so? Bye obscenely expensive name brands. Ain't nobody got time for you! And by time I mean cash, because hello, college, I have priorities here thankyouverymuch.
The leggings are maximum compression capri-length leggings from Old Navy, and they ROCK. I have these in 3 patterns and they are super comfy, breathable, and my butt looks fan-freaking-tastic in them. Almost like I work out and do actual squats. What more do you want out of a pair of leggings? Thank you spandex! They run about 25 dollars pretty consistently, I've never seen them on sale. That being said, these will last you about two years of constant use, and are worth the cost of dinner and a movie. (I would know...)
My shoes are lilac Pumas that match my top, and I think they were 30 smackaroos at Ross. (See what I did there? All coordinated and shit. Hell yeah)
At the same member's sale that I got my jacket, I also got this little Camel back for 30 green, which if you've ever even looked at a Camel Back, you KNOW that's a steal. I love that this one is a waist-belt, it simultaneously carries a liter of water, my keys, sunscreen and lip balm, while also cinching in my waist. Eh? Pretty good right? Right.

Time to do your Hurr Ladies!

(And Gents. I don't believe in gender binaries, and if you have some luscious long locks going on, then you need to get it up and out of your way too.)

For my hair, I'm just doing a bit of an amped-up pony. I started off with a Dutch French Braid starting at my left ear and going over to my right. To do this, all you have to do is section off a 2-3 inch section right next to your hairline, and instead of crossing the left and right pieces over the middle bit, you're going to cross them under! Ta-daah, the secret to the Dutch Braid are revealed! Once you get to the other ear, go ahead secure the end, and pull each side of each little plait so it flattens out, and gives you the appearance of having a thicker braid.

I don't believe in teasing my hair because it causes so much damage, so instead I twisted the top half of the hair I have allotted for my pony, and pouffed it up a bit for some volume at the crown.

Now take out whatever you have holding the braid, and swipe everything into a pony! DONE. So easy!

Mmm dat Dutch braid tho.

Finish it on up!

So before I head out the door, I'm going to swipe on some pink lip balm and a decent coat of mascara for a natural and minimalist look. Nothing is grosser than having your face melt off mid-date, so keep that face nice and bare. I popped on my favorite studs, and called it good. Oh, and one last thing, SO MUCH SUNSCREEN.
Guys. Seriously. Wear it. I'm begging you. Your skin is begging you. Just do it. (Nike swoop)

Now Go Enjoy your Nature-Date!