Sometimes it's the little things that make our day (like hemming this skirt) and when this happens, savor it!
Friday, October 11, 2013
Skirt Refashion
Okay, so I recently bought a denim skirt from Savers for a total of $3. Let's face it, I only buy cheap clothing. This skirt was VERY cute, but a little long for my taste. I bought it anyways, and I just figured I would hem it when I got the chance. The only sewing machine I currently have use of resides with my family, so I couldn't hem it until the next time I came home. That was TWO weeks away-- way too long to wait before wearing something new I just bought! So I decided to wear the skirt a couple of times. I discovered something. I don't like hate wearing skirts that are over an inch past my knees. That being said, the first thing I did when I got home was hem this skirt so I could actually enjoy wearing it and not counting down the minutes until I could take it off. Hemming it took a total of two minutes and the after product is so worth $3!
Sometimes it's the little things that make our day (like hemming this skirt) and when this happens, savor it!
Sometimes it's the little things that make our day (like hemming this skirt) and when this happens, savor it!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Decorating: Halloween
I'm usually big on decorating for special occasions, especially holidays. Sadly, since I've settled into college life I've struggled a lot to find the right balance of size, quality and how expensive decorations are. In many college dorms or apartments space is extremely limited, so creativity is a key element in decoration because as amazing as something might be, sometimes there just isn't enough space for it (a full size Christmas tree for example). Another thing I strongly consider when browsing for decorations is (of course) how much it costs. Being a college student, I want need to buy something that is extremely cheap. At the same time though, I don't want whatever I buy to look so horribly made that a five year old made it in ten minutes. That being said, as you've probably (or not probably, I don't really know if you would have guessed this) guessed, I do a lot of my shopping at Walmart and Target. Let me say, they have some pretty cute stuff there!
Interested to see how I decorate my room on a college budget? Well, here you go!
In the interest of full disclosure, my mother bought me these items for Halloween this year, so I did not personally pick them out. They're all cute nonetheless though!
Okay, this last one isn't TECHNICALLY Halloween, but it's Fall! I feel like a lot of times Fall and Halloween decorations kind of mesh together, so I felt it was appropriate for me to include this one also.
Interested to see how I decorate my room on a college budget? Well, here you go!
In the interest of full disclosure, my mother bought me these items for Halloween this year, so I did not personally pick them out. They're all cute nonetheless though!
Okay, this last one isn't TECHNICALLY Halloween, but it's Fall! I feel like a lot of times Fall and Halloween decorations kind of mesh together, so I felt it was appropriate for me to include this one also.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
DIY Calendar
It's already October. I know people say time goes by quicker the older you get, but this is getting ridiculous. I swear it was August two days ago. So I know it might be a little late to do this post, it being October and all. However, I loved doing this project so much that I just had to share it.
Last year, I saw that one of my friends had a homemade calendar hanging up in her room instead of the generic white and grey wall calendar I had in my room. I instantly decided that I was going to make a calendar for the next school year instead of buying a generic, ugly and expensive wall calendar. So that's exactly what I did. I was very surprised how easy and quick it was to make it. The best part? I didn't have to buy a single thing.
What you'll need:
Cardboard
Scissors
Tape
Paper
Printer
Stapler
Instructions:
1. Find a piece of cardboard (there's probably empty boxes somewhere around your house, I used a box from something I recently ordered online). Make sure it's sturdy and in good condition. It can be as big or as little as you want. Next, decide how big you want your calendar to be and cut it to that measurement. To make things easier, I just cut the sides and top off of my cardboard box, so I was left with a piece that measured 14x19.25 inches.
2. Find a calendar template online that you would like to use, or if you are feeling particularly crafty, make your own. I found one online, but I can't seem to remember where I found it (I even looked online for about an hour trying to find the template I used before finally giving up). Print out the template.
3. Find a background to match your calendar design. Again, you can either search for one online, or you can make one yourself. I looked online and found a cute design within minutes. Print out your chosen background. You'll need to print out multiple pages and that number depends on how big your piece of cardboard is. Be aware though, that you'll want to have enough paper for it to hang of the edge of the cardboard. I printed out four copies of the design just to make sure I had enough.
4. Flip the background papers on the off side (the side of the paper that is blank and has no design on it). Bring the papers together and arrange them to fit the cardboard. Tape the sides of the paper together. Be careful to ensure there are no gaps and the design lines up if applicable.
5. Once all the papers are taped together, place the on side (the side of the paper with designs on it) of the paper facing the surface it is on, with the off side of the paper facing you. Place your cardboard on the center of the papers. Taking one edge of the paper, flip it up and tape it on the cardboard. Repeat with all sides until all sides of cardboard is covered. If this sounds confusing, just tape the paper to the cardboard just as you would as taping wrapping paper to a gift.
6. Flip the cardboard over. Make sure the design looks good on the cardboard and was done correctly. Next, take your printed calendar template. Make sure all the months are in the correct order and place them where you would like them on the cardboard. I placed mine in the center. Next, grab a stapler and staple the top of the papers to the cardboard.
And you're done!
*Please ignore what I wrote on the calendar*
Last year, I saw that one of my friends had a homemade calendar hanging up in her room instead of the generic white and grey wall calendar I had in my room. I instantly decided that I was going to make a calendar for the next school year instead of buying a generic, ugly and expensive wall calendar. So that's exactly what I did. I was very surprised how easy and quick it was to make it. The best part? I didn't have to buy a single thing.
What you'll need:
Cardboard
Scissors
Tape
Paper
Printer
Stapler
Instructions:
1. Find a piece of cardboard (there's probably empty boxes somewhere around your house, I used a box from something I recently ordered online). Make sure it's sturdy and in good condition. It can be as big or as little as you want. Next, decide how big you want your calendar to be and cut it to that measurement. To make things easier, I just cut the sides and top off of my cardboard box, so I was left with a piece that measured 14x19.25 inches.
2. Find a calendar template online that you would like to use, or if you are feeling particularly crafty, make your own. I found one online, but I can't seem to remember where I found it (I even looked online for about an hour trying to find the template I used before finally giving up). Print out the template.
3. Find a background to match your calendar design. Again, you can either search for one online, or you can make one yourself. I looked online and found a cute design within minutes. Print out your chosen background. You'll need to print out multiple pages and that number depends on how big your piece of cardboard is. Be aware though, that you'll want to have enough paper for it to hang of the edge of the cardboard. I printed out four copies of the design just to make sure I had enough.
4. Flip the background papers on the off side (the side of the paper that is blank and has no design on it). Bring the papers together and arrange them to fit the cardboard. Tape the sides of the paper together. Be careful to ensure there are no gaps and the design lines up if applicable.
5. Once all the papers are taped together, place the on side (the side of the paper with designs on it) of the paper facing the surface it is on, with the off side of the paper facing you. Place your cardboard on the center of the papers. Taking one edge of the paper, flip it up and tape it on the cardboard. Repeat with all sides until all sides of cardboard is covered. If this sounds confusing, just tape the paper to the cardboard just as you would as taping wrapping paper to a gift.
6. Flip the cardboard over. Make sure the design looks good on the cardboard and was done correctly. Next, take your printed calendar template. Make sure all the months are in the correct order and place them where you would like them on the cardboard. I placed mine in the center. Next, grab a stapler and staple the top of the papers to the cardboard.
And you're done!
*Please ignore what I wrote on the calendar*
Thursday, October 3, 2013
One piece worn five ways
I'm doing 31 for 31 and what does that mean? 80% of my usual heap of clothes I never wear that fill my closet are out of bounds at the moment. I have very few clothing items to choose to wear and I want to save my favorite clothing combinations for special days. Unfortunately, I have many days this month where I need to look cute and presentable.
What's my solution to this predicament? Write a "one piece worn five ways" blog post. Three days before this challenge started, I found a pretty adorable top at JC Penny. It was even on sale! Let's face it, when it comes to buying clothing I am a cheapskate and won't buy anything unless it's severely on sale or less than $15 to begin with. Anyways, I just can't wait a full month before wearing a new clothing item, so I was hoping i would be able to find at least a couple outfits to pair it with.
After I bought this top, I knew it would go pretty well with a skirt I had also bought recently at Savers (for $3!), but other than that, I didn't think it would go with ANYTHING. I'm the type of person that really needs the clothing I'm wearing to match extremely well or I just can't stand wearing it at all. This isn't a magic shirt or anything, but I was quite pleased to discover that while wearing this shirt, not all of my outfits needed to match exactly. I was also surprised that I was actually able to find five different outfits that this shirt went well with. Needless to say, this shirt was included in my 31 items this month.
An unexpected, but completely matching outfit:
I first put this outfit on as kind of a "well, I know this won't go together, but I'll try it anyways". To my surprise, I actually liked it quite well! It doesn't go together so much that it works. To all the people that says denim goes with everything, I'm sorry but I disagree. I have a hard time finding clothes to wear with denim, but I think this shirt pairs with it quite nicely.
[skirt: savers, cardigan: savers]
Pattern Mixing:
As a general rule for myself, I do not pattern mix. EVER. I hate mixing patterns. I generally can't pull it off and I have no concept of what patterns a person can get away with wearing and what patterns a person should never set outside the house in. However, I think the pattern in the scarf and the shirt go well together. They're both the same shade of green and blue and neither of the designs are too overpowering or overwhelming.
[pants: Old Navy, cardigan: Old Navy]
Why is it every outfit that I've done so far, all the clothing in that picture comes from the same place? Now you know where I like to shop!
Dressing up for something or other:
This might possibly be the world's stretchiest pencil skirt, which is why I have a deep fondness for it. It's stretchy and comfy, while still making you look presentable for church, events or even job interviews! The best part about this skirt is actually the fact that it's from Wal-Mart and only cost me $10!
[skirt: Wal-mart, cardigan: Old navy]
Casual:
Simple, cute and again, extremely comfortable! I love how wearing grey and green helps me accentuate a very neutral and earthy tone. I usually don't like layering a short sleeved top under a sleeveless top, but I like this outfit so much I'm willing to make an exception.
[jeggings: JC Penny, shirt: Old Navy]
Looking adorable without actually having to dress up:
This is the outfit I had planned out when I bought this top, so I knew it would make the cut into the five outfits. It's cute and everything matches. Also? Extremely comfortable. And this skirt is reversible, which makes it a 12 out of 10 in my book.
[Skirt: savers, cardigan: Old Navy]
So what have you learned about me from this post?
What's my solution to this predicament? Write a "one piece worn five ways" blog post. Three days before this challenge started, I found a pretty adorable top at JC Penny. It was even on sale! Let's face it, when it comes to buying clothing I am a cheapskate and won't buy anything unless it's severely on sale or less than $15 to begin with. Anyways, I just can't wait a full month before wearing a new clothing item, so I was hoping i would be able to find at least a couple outfits to pair it with.
After I bought this top, I knew it would go pretty well with a skirt I had also bought recently at Savers (for $3!), but other than that, I didn't think it would go with ANYTHING. I'm the type of person that really needs the clothing I'm wearing to match extremely well or I just can't stand wearing it at all. This isn't a magic shirt or anything, but I was quite pleased to discover that while wearing this shirt, not all of my outfits needed to match exactly. I was also surprised that I was actually able to find five different outfits that this shirt went well with. Needless to say, this shirt was included in my 31 items this month.
An unexpected, but completely matching outfit:
I first put this outfit on as kind of a "well, I know this won't go together, but I'll try it anyways". To my surprise, I actually liked it quite well! It doesn't go together so much that it works. To all the people that says denim goes with everything, I'm sorry but I disagree. I have a hard time finding clothes to wear with denim, but I think this shirt pairs with it quite nicely.
[skirt: savers, cardigan: savers]
Pattern Mixing:
As a general rule for myself, I do not pattern mix. EVER. I hate mixing patterns. I generally can't pull it off and I have no concept of what patterns a person can get away with wearing and what patterns a person should never set outside the house in. However, I think the pattern in the scarf and the shirt go well together. They're both the same shade of green and blue and neither of the designs are too overpowering or overwhelming.
[pants: Old Navy, cardigan: Old Navy]
Why is it every outfit that I've done so far, all the clothing in that picture comes from the same place? Now you know where I like to shop!
Dressing up for something or other:
This might possibly be the world's stretchiest pencil skirt, which is why I have a deep fondness for it. It's stretchy and comfy, while still making you look presentable for church, events or even job interviews! The best part about this skirt is actually the fact that it's from Wal-Mart and only cost me $10!
[skirt: Wal-mart, cardigan: Old navy]
Casual:
Simple, cute and again, extremely comfortable! I love how wearing grey and green helps me accentuate a very neutral and earthy tone. I usually don't like layering a short sleeved top under a sleeveless top, but I like this outfit so much I'm willing to make an exception.
[jeggings: JC Penny, shirt: Old Navy]
Looking adorable without actually having to dress up:
This is the outfit I had planned out when I bought this top, so I knew it would make the cut into the five outfits. It's cute and everything matches. Also? Extremely comfortable. And this skirt is reversible, which makes it a 12 out of 10 in my book.
[Skirt: savers, cardigan: Old Navy]
So what have you learned about me from this post?
- I only wear extremely comfortable clothing. If it isn't comfy, it isn't worth wearing!
- I apparently only shop at three stores: Savers, Old Navy, and JC Penny.
- I wear cardigans like I breathe air.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
31 for 31
After much debate among myself for literally months and months, I have decided to take on RA's 31 for 31 challenge for the month of October. I have wanted to do this challenge for such a long time, but I always made up excuses not to do it (typical procrastinator me) and I didn't want to do it alone. I knew if I did it alone, I would be giving up on it less than a week after starting it. So I gathered my mother, two sisters and friend to all agree to do it with me!
October is a hard month to do, especially considering I live in Logan, Utah. October is the month around here that the weather really starts to change. When I say change, what I really mean is go from 80 to snowing constantly. October also includes Halloween, and I still dress like to dress in a costume every year so I needed to find some way to work around that also. Lastly, I'm flying to Texas to visit a friend for a little less than a week and Texas weather is basically the polar opposite of Utah weather. Therefore, choosing clothes and shoes for this challenge was not an easy feat.
The first step after deciding I wanted to do this challenge was to decide and agree upon rules. Everyone does this challenge a little differently, so I had a few things to decide. After much thought, here are the rules and guidelines that I came up with that I am going to abide by:
This includes:
Decorative/fashion scarves
necklaces
earrings
bracelets
rings
fashion belts (used for cuteness, not for actual need)
headbands
hair bows/clips/flowers
October is a hard month to do, especially considering I live in Logan, Utah. October is the month around here that the weather really starts to change. When I say change, what I really mean is go from 80 to snowing constantly. October also includes Halloween, and I still dress like to dress in a costume every year so I needed to find some way to work around that also. Lastly, I'm flying to Texas to visit a friend for a little less than a week and Texas weather is basically the polar opposite of Utah weather. Therefore, choosing clothes and shoes for this challenge was not an easy feat.
The first step after deciding I wanted to do this challenge was to decide and agree upon rules. Everyone does this challenge a little differently, so I had a few things to decide. After much thought, here are the rules and guidelines that I came up with that I am going to abide by:
1. You are allowed to pick 31 items/clothing to wear for the month of October and you are only allowed to wear these 31 pieces during the entire month.
These include:
shirts
skirts
decorative tank tops (ex: tank tops that you wear with as the main top with a cardigan over it)
dresses
pants/shorts
cardigans/sweaters/blazers
shoes (each pair counts as one item)
hoodies/jackets (if worn during the entire day- if only worn outside for warmth, then it doesn't count)
Items that don't count towards your 31 items, and you may freely wear:
underthings (bras, underwear)
tank tops (tank tops that you wear to add more layers or to cover up more that you would wear under your top)
Halloween costume
sleeping clothing
work out clothing
socks/tights/leggings
Outerwear/Jackets/Scarves (only don't count if you only wear them outside to keep warm, they do count if you wear them all day as part of your outfit)
belts
2. You are allowed to only wear 13 accessories during October.
These include:
shirts
skirts
decorative tank tops (ex: tank tops that you wear with as the main top with a cardigan over it)
dresses
pants/shorts
cardigans/sweaters/blazers
shoes (each pair counts as one item)
hoodies/jackets (if worn during the entire day- if only worn outside for warmth, then it doesn't count)
Items that don't count towards your 31 items, and you may freely wear:
underthings (bras, underwear)
tank tops (tank tops that you wear to add more layers or to cover up more that you would wear under your top)
Halloween costume
sleeping clothing
work out clothing
socks/tights/leggings
Outerwear/Jackets/Scarves (only don't count if you only wear them outside to keep warm, they do count if you wear them all day as part of your outfit)
belts
2. You are allowed to only wear 13 accessories during October.
This includes:
Decorative/fashion scarves
necklaces
earrings
bracelets
rings
fashion belts (used for cuteness, not for actual need)
headbands
hair bows/clips/flowers
3. You are not allowed to wear an outfit twice during the duration of this challenge. On other words, you have to come up with 31 different outfits for October. This sounds difficult, but it is possible, and it can help you determine the versatility of an item.
4. You are not required (but highly encouraged) to take a picture of your outfit every day and send it to everyone.
5. No clothing/shoe shopping is allowed (unless there is a serious, legitimate reason and you clear it with me first) while this challenge is underway, with the exception of a Halloween costume.
Now if you've read through all of that, I bet you're wondering what clothing, shoes and accessories I actually picked for the month. Well here they are!
It may look like I can't fold that top shirt, but I assure you I spent a good 10 minutes trying to fold that shirt as pretty as I possibly could and it just WOULDN'T cooperate.
Half of the shirts above are long sleeved, but I didn't have the time to separate things into that many sub-categories.
I love cardigans. I wear them with almost every outfit. Maybe I should have just included all my cardigans with a couple of shirts.
I also live in dresses. Sadly, dresses are cannot produce many mix and match outfits when doing this challenge. But because it's me, I had to still include a couple. I also added another dress after taking this picture, so there are actually 4 dresses.
I also love skirts. However, I am in serious lack of them.
I obviously own way more tops than I do bottoms.
I switched out a couple of items after I took this picture, so I'm only included three pairs of shoes instead of the five pictured.
I wear accessories like there's no tomorrow so only picking out 13 accessories might have actually been harder for me than picking 31 items.
So that's what I've picked out for my 31 by 31 challenge. Here's hoping I'm able to stick to the rules and make it through the month without breaking any of them!
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
I am a person that gets excited for Fall very early in the year. Since it is now well into September, I am overdue to start my round of pumpkin themed baked goods. I haven't always been a fan of pumpkin, but over the past two years or so, I've developed a downright obsession with it. Anything that has even a mere hint of pumpkin in it, I'm all for. So, in celebration of the official beginning of fall a couple days ago, I decided to start off the Fall season with one of my favorite Fall (and coincidentally pumpkin themed) baked goods- Pumpkin cupcakes! I found this recipe on allrecipes.com a couple of years ago when my pumpkin obsession had started to spread its wings and its been a crowd favorite. I haven't met a single person that doesn't like these and people tend to gobble them up faster than eggnog during Christmas. So if you need a Fall treat to bring for an upcoming event, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend these!
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
(Adapted from Javaru)
Makes 24 cupcakes
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup almond milk
1 cup pumpkin puree (I use real pumpkin, which significantly improves it)
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners. Sift together the flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
Beat 1/2 cup of butter, the white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Stir in the milk and pumpkin puree after the last egg. Stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar a little at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and ground cinnamon; beat until fluffy. Once the cupcakes are cool, frost with the cream cheese icing.
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
(Adapted from Javaru)
Makes 24 cupcakes
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup almond milk
1 cup pumpkin puree (I use real pumpkin, which significantly improves it)
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners. Sift together the flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
Beat 1/2 cup of butter, the white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Stir in the milk and pumpkin puree after the last egg. Stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar a little at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and ground cinnamon; beat until fluffy. Once the cupcakes are cool, frost with the cream cheese icing.
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