Archive for January 2014

Positivity.

Friday, January 31, 2014




Another short post, I know, I know.

Positivity. I would put a definition here, but I think everyone has their own definition of positivity. 

I'm really trying hard to be more of an optimist about everything. Every morning, I wake up and tell myself 'it's gonna be a good day' and I know I can make it a good day. You and I have the power to change our day. It sounds silly, but it can really affect a lot if you think about it. Be happy and smile a little more and it brightens your day as well as others. But if you're being a Negative Nellie, it will just depress your mood and that's no fun.

Why waste your short time on Earth unhappy when you could be happy?

Do things that put you in a good mood. Do you like to paint? Go out, buy some paint, and PAINT! Do you like to write? Go out journal hunting and buy something that you will ENJOY writing in! Do you like to dance? DANCE! Join a class or just dance around your house like a nut! No one can judge you if you don't let them!

Keep telling yourself what you WANT to believe until you START believing it yourself! 

Got a bad grade? That's alright! Even though you're probably sick of hearing it - you do really learn from your mistakes. You'll do better next time. 

Maybe you don't know how to motivate yourself. Setting goals can be hard and I understand. How do I reach my goals?

I force myself to do it by rewarding myself along the way until I feel like I want my goal enough to power me through the work.

Did you know that to be a master at something you have to work 10,000 hours at it?
That's like, say, a person works 8 hours a day 5 days a week. They'd have to work for over 5 years. Yes, that seems like quite a while, doesn't it? But I promise, promise, PROMISE, it'll come to you once you really want it to!

Oh, and it's also OKAY to be a quitter. When it's not okay is if you quit because you think what you're doing is embarrassing or you've been peer pressured out of it. If you like it, do it. If you don't like it, don't. Your opinion is the only one that should matter to you.

But when you stay positive, you can do anything. Anything at all. Just keep swimming through the hurricane and you'll make it through eventually.


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This Weeks Favorites

Monday, January 27, 2014




I have some various things I've been wanting to share/recommend to you guys. Most of these change on a weekly basis, so maybe in the future I can make an updated post or two. Here's a quick list:

Favorite Song - Trampoline by The Unlikely Candidates

Favorite Playlist - note to self on 8tracks

Currently Reading - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Favorite Show - Teen Wolf

Favorite Singer/Artist/Band - The Neighbourhood

Favorite Snack - anything from Wawa, usually their donuts and s'mores cappuccinos.

Favorite Kitten - Nestle! My new kitten I told you guys about. Remember that? He's doing good, but he keeps tackling our fat cat, Barney. Other than that, both cats are fabulous. Care for some selfies with him, anyone? Haha, leave a comment if you'd like to see some pictures of either of my kitties!

Favorite YouTuber - Michelle Phan

Favorite Blogger - Estee aka EssieButton or Olivia (All Those Little Things)

Favorite Beauty Product - Urban Decay's Naked 3 Eyeshadow Palette

Favorite Article of Clothing - pink cardigan from Forever 21 (I got it on sale for $12 eeep!!!)


What about you guys? Anything particular you've been fawning over these past couple weeks?

Ciao!



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Winter Skin Care Routine

Friday, January 24, 2014



Tarte Maracuja Oil - This stuff works miracles, let me tell you. It's used for moisturizing and firming up the skin on your face and neck, while clearing up your complexion and leaving you with an absolutely radiant glow! I have the rollerball applicator which is so much easier to apply and there's tons of oil in it anyway. I use this right before I go to bed, after washing off all my makeup. If you have oily skin, it may seem weird to apply an oil to your face, but this will clear that all up within a matter of days! It also works with dry skin, hydrating that as well. If it can work with any skin type then it's a miracle worker in my book.

Clean and Clear Deep Action Cream Cleanser - The typical cream cleanser. Just wet your face, rub it in, and rinse it off. I usually do this is the shower at night. I use this mostly around my T-zone where blackheads gather and after 2-3 nights of this, they clear right up! Nice to have and very inexpensive.

Clean and Clear Morning Burst Hydrating Facial Cleanser - I usually use this on mornings where I wake up feeling..'blah'. I don't really feel like this does much for my skin and probably won't repurchase, but it is nice to have.

Lush Tea Tree Water - I've raved about this on previous posts, but this is still a staple for me. I imagine this is especially great in the summer to spritz on as well. In the winter, I use this before bed with a couple squirts directly on my face and I'm good to go. It's awesome at balancing out my skin tone and clearing out blemishes.

Lush Ocean Salt - One of my all time favorite exfoliators. It's infused with lime and vodka to brighten up the skin and unblock pores as well as avocado and coconut to hydrate the skin. It contains sea minerals and tons of sea salt to exfoliate your skin. I know that for me with my sensitive skin, this product can be a little difficult to use. It hurts my face, leaving it feeling a bit raw afterwards, but the effects are so amazing that the little pain is worth the gain!

Lush Charity Pot - As you can probably tell by now, I'm a major Lushie. What can I say? Like I said in a previous post, I received a small pot of this for Christmas which I use everyday and still have. I will definitely be buying this in the full sized version next time I get around to Lush. This unbelievably moisturizing lotion can be used all over the body and all profits (yeah that's right, 100% of them!) go to various grassroots charities depending on whichever one is labeled on the pot. It's a win-win for everyone, right?

The Body Shop Mango Body Butter - This silky, butter like lotion is great for dry skin. Super hydrating, the exotic mango scent can transport you to a tropical island. I originally got this for my mom and now we both share it. This is also great to use on your cuticles! If you want to splurge some more, another great cuticle treatment my mom loves is Lush's Lemony Flutter. *Sadie Saxton voice* You're welcome.


Your lips are part of your skin too! For my lips, I love using Maybelline's BabyLips in Peach Kiss, Burts Bee's Tinted Lip Balm in Petunia and Lush's Honey Trap Lip Balm.




On another note, I'm thinking of posting on more days than just Mondays and Fridays. What do you guys think?

And like always, all pictures are from Tumblr.

Ciao for now, muffins!

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Me Time

Monday, January 20, 2014

Everyone needs some "me time" in their life. Just a couple hours to relax and enjoy yourself and get away from the world for a little while.

For me, that means marathoning a TV show or a YouTube channel after a warm shower or bath. And now I've added eating a deep dish cookie to the mix. Today, I'm going to share with you an absolutely scrumptious recipe for a single serving deep dish chocolate chip cookie.

I got this recipe from this 'ere website which I will most definitely be trying out more recipes from!

1 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tbsp. white sugar
1 tbsp. brown sugar
3 drops of vanilla
pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
1/4 c. flour
2 tbsp. chocolate chips 

In a bowl, mix together the butter, sugars, vanilla, and egg yolk. 
Add in the flour and salt. 
Mix until combined.
Add in the chocolate chips. 
Put the dough into a small microwaveable bowl, ramekin, or coffee cup.
Microwave for 40-60 seconds or until the cookie looks done. 
Best served warm… Enjoy!







Of course, I was out of brown sugar and substituted with some more granulated sugar. I'm pretty sure it affected the outcome, but it was one of the most amazing things I've ever tasted either way! I seriously recommend this if you have a sweet tooth and don't know what to make. I have to say, it looks under cooked when you take it out of the microwave, but after tasting it, you'll see it's perfect and has a fluffy texture, maybe even better than a real cookie.

Hope you enjoy and I'd love for you to share how it turned out for you!

Ciao.
(Oh, and I didn't take any of these pictures. They're all from Tumblr!)

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LATE POST: Tea Haul

Saturday, January 18, 2014

As you can tell, it's a Saturday. And I don't post on Saturdays. I totally forgot I was busy all Friday as soon as I got home from school until midnight and so did not remember to type up a post on Thursday. To shame myself for my miserable failure, I have labeled this post in big, bold, tacky letters: "LATE POST". I think it's some seriously good motivation for me to not be late on posting again.

Anywho, I got a gift card at Christmas for Teavana and decided to do some shopping there last week with it! For those of you who don't know what Teavana is, it's a majestical wonderland for all tea lovers. And by that I mean, it's basically the Starbucks of tea. And it actually is owned by Starbucks. Does it get any better than that, guys?

I bought quite a lot of tea and spent about $40 of my $50 gift card. Let me tell you, boy, was it worth it.

White Chocolate Peppermint Tea



Every single time I go into Teavana, I leave with a couple ounces of this stuff. I can't even begin to explain to you how delicious this tea is. This roobios tea contains truly decadent flavors of chocolate with whirls of peppermint and a smooth, creamy consistency that really just ices the cake! It's limited edition, I believe (for the holidays), but I've heard some rumors that it was such a hit, it might stay all year around..fingers crossed!!

German Rock Sugar


I don't care if they've had the same sample teas in the store for the past two months, I'm going to try them every time. And every time they taste better than when I make them at my house. Now I know these people are some serious tea connoisseurs, but they can't magically make it taste that scrumptious. So, I had to ask them. They told me that they add rock sugar to most of their samples. You should use about 2 teaspoons for every 6oz. cup you make or whatever amount tickles your fancy. It's actually sold there, but way in the back corner, so that's why I've never seen it before! The employee explained that if you use granulated sugar, it will try to overpower the tea's flavors and leave you with more of a cup of dirt tasting liquid which I don't presume anyone would enjoy.

Pumpkin Spice Brulee


The first tea I ever had from Teavana -- and I was sold! This taste great with rock sugar, as well! The employees said that everyone had been stocking up on this since it's 75% off and they're discontinuing it! Seriously, go buy some of this stuff like right now! It's pumpkin, toffee, butterscotch, and  vanilla with a bit of mocha splashed it there. It's perfect all year around, not just the fall time!

Sweet Decadence Gift Set


This was more of a gift set for myself and my family, but it was such a great deal that I had to take it! It was also on sale as it was already past the new year and is no longer on sale, but let me just tell you. It contains Toasted Nut Brulee, CocoCaramel Sea Salt, WonderBerry Truffle, and Slimful Chocolate Decadence. These are all for purchase individually on Teavana's website and I believe in all of the stores. It also contained two tea cup infusers (which I'm STOKED about now owning) and four intricately decorated tins to store your loose leaf tea in! You really don't need rock sugar for any of these though, babes!

Strawberry Cream 


This was also on sale, so I figured I'd try it out after getting a recommendation for it. I have to say it's just not for me. I'm not the type for fruity teas like this. It's exactly what it says it is - a creamy strawberry flavor. But my family loves it and it is absolutely creamy. So if you love that kind of stuff, you'll love this.

 Isaac Lahey Tea


Okay, so this isn't from Teavana, but I just HAD to include it considering this is a tea haul! As you all probably know, I'm a little addicted to MTV's Teen Wolf no thanks to my best friend. This past Christmas, I got her a tea blend that was inspired by her favorite character on the show, Stiles Stilinski. She loved it and re-purchased it herself online, so I thought, why not treat myself? I in fact did, but bought my favorite character's tea blend, Isaac Lahey, instead. I'm excited to say that it is the best tea I've ever tasted! Of course, my opinion might be slightly biased because it is (once again) Isaac Lahey tea. I feel like I need to stress that fact because I'm so emotionally attached to this fictional character. It tastes AMAZING with Teavana's rock sugar, also! It's not too overpowering, but a perfect combination of vanilla, mint, chocolate, and foxtrot. I highly recommend this to those who do or do not watch the show. I also highly recommend watching the show *wink, wink*.

---

So sorry for the low-quality pictures! I'm saving up for a camera, but it might be a while...

Oh, and thoughts on the new template/theme? I love it! And it's still a work in progress, so if something's a little off, it should be fixed by the end of the week.


Ciao for now!






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2014 Beauty Wishlist

Monday, January 13, 2014




Why hello there!

Fancy seein' you here.

I've been reading a gazillion and one blog posts on things people got over the holidays or things people want from Spring 2014 lines and things people want in 2014 in general. And it's healthy to want every now and then..or all the time. So, I thought, why not make a post about it?

I just recently started to sparingly purchase more higher end beauty products, which are very interesting to try. If you're like me, you do TONS of research before buying an expensive product. You want to make sure you like it before you pay xx dollars for it. I don't have too many urgent needs right now, as I just got stocked up from the drugstore as well as Sephora and the Tarte website, but lists make me feel a tad more organized. I complied a list of a few items I want this year and now I'm about to share it with y'all!

There will definitely be some more add-ons in the near future, but here's what I have for now:


See you on Friday!

Ciao.




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How to Be A Better Writer.

Friday, January 10, 2014




Write with anger. Because that's when you're most passionate. You feel the need to get your feelings across and you explain them better and all your words come flowing out and you can be yourself. That's what I'm doing now. Why? Well, you don't need to know that.

It's okay to get frustrated. It's okay to be upset or depressed. It's okay to be happy.

How do you think people like Nelson Mandela got their point across? What about MLK? Everyone says they fought a peaceful war. They were calm all the time, right? That's what they were known for, yeah?

They had a burning passion within them to get their point across. They were driven by anger, but carried it out with peace! That's brilliant! And, that's how you should write.

Now, I'm not saying to get angry every time you write. But the next time you're angry at someone (family, friends, maybe even yourself), sit down and WRITE! That's how you'll find what you're most passionate about.

Emotions are human. We are human. We have emotions. It's okay to feel different emotions than others because that's normal. Frankly, I think that's really cool. That we're all actually the same person with the same feelings.

Once you write with your emotions overwhelming, you'll be able to figure yourself out along with your writing style and your passion on what to write about! Doesn't that sound awesome?

Take advantage of your emotions, but don't let others take advantage of your emotions. Got it? Okey doke.

--

On another note, I think I'll be making an extra post this weekend. This one was quite random. And didn't make much sense.

Ciao for now, muffins!




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Playlist + Mini Life Update

Monday, January 6, 2014





I have compiled a few songs to help you get in the mood for the new year!

+ Brave by Sara Bareilles
+ Neon Lights by Demi Lovato
+ Let It Go (from the Frozen soundtrack)
+ Carried Away by Passion Pit
+ Goodness Gracious by Ellie Goulding
+ Burn by Ellie Goulding
+ Just Keep Breathing by We The Kings
+ Move by Little Mix
+ Something Good Can Work by Two Door Cinema Club
+ This Year by Meghan Tonjes
+ Glory and Gore by Lorde
+ The Silence by Bastille

Guess what else? I got a new cat! A kitten, to be exact. He's black and has the (baby voice) cutest little face ever! We're still debating names, but I'm leaning towards Nemo, Nestle, or Nugget..hmm, seems like I have a fetish for N names. Maybe I'll post some pictures later this week. Who knows?

Oh, and I'm in the process of making a template and all that jazz, so my blog will be a bit more visually appealing. Or a lotta bit. Yeah, definitely a lotta bit.

There will probably be a Teen Wolf review coming in the near future, also.

That's all, I guess.

Ciao for now, muffins!





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New Years Resolutions

Friday, January 3, 2014

It's that time of year again when everyone has or is making promises they probably won't keep with their selves for the upcoming year.

That being said, Happy 2014!

Today was a good day all in all. I slept in until noon mainly because I'm sick, but I'm a lot better now that I have some food in me. It was a snow day, so no school which is always a huge plus. And I've been listening to music all day. As I'm currently writing this, I'm sitting in my living room with my fat cat sitting on the top of my chair above my head. So, yeah. Pretty good day.

The other night, I made a list of resolutions for myself. I've never really done that on my own free will before. Usually, in the past, I've had to do it for a school grade. I'm pretty proud of myself right now.

I won't be posting all of them because some are more personal and could possibly be taken the wrong way. So, I'll just post some more basic ones that maybe could inspire you if you're having trouble creating a list!

1. Read more - I used to love to read. And to be a good writer you must be a good reader. I need to devote periods of time just to reading.
2. Write more - not just blog posts. I love to write for fun and make up a world in my head.
3. Stress less - pretty straight forward, I think.
4. Smile more - just smile all the time. For good reasons or stupid ones. Laugh a lot, too.
5. Listen - listen to other people's thoughts, opinions, problems. Just LISTEN!!
6. Take more naps - also very straight forward. (Fun fact: Did you know it's scientifically proven that taking naps on a regular basis will increase your memory?)
7. Compliment people more - it'll make them feel good which will, in return, make me feel good.
8. Study for school more and work a little bit harder - I feel like I get so close and give up. I just want to push a little bit further and I know I'll be rewarded if I do so, I just have to do it, y'know?
9. BE HAPPY!!! - Every minute you're angry or upset or sad, you lose a minute of happiness. And frankly, happiness is just so much better.

I also want to listen to music more. How cool is music, though? It's like a whole story in a pretty tone. Does it get any better than that? Last year, I saw a video on YouTube (forget which one, but I know it was one of Ingrid's! a.k.a missglamorazzi) I thought it would be appropriate for this time of year, so I'll just leave a it here and let y'all see for yourselves.

(This Year by Meghan Tonjes)

What are some of your resolutions for this upcoming year? I'd love to hear them!

Oh, and before I go! Who's watching the season 3b premiere of Teen Wolf on Monday night? Feel free to hit me up, so we can fangirl together about it. That will be all.

Ciao for now, muffins!





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