Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Scrapbook: Random Pieces of Summer, The Beginning















So far, summer has been exactly what I needed.  Being at home can be slow paced which is a nice break from what the city has to offer.  I am making time for myself, friends, and family and spending a lot of time outside enjoying the gorgeous weather.  Overall, I have nothing to complain about and I am perfectly happy just living.  

Monday, May 28, 2012

Currently Loving











my clothing rack: It sounds pretty lame, but I just bought this from target to use in addition to my normal closet.  It has helped me stay a bit more organized.  Things are easier to see, and it allows me to consider clothes that have been hidden in the back of my closet for quite some time.
puzzles: I think that I do one puzzle every summer and when I do I become addicted to it until I finish.
catching fire: It's the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy.  It keeps you sucked in from the beginning and it is definitely worth reading.  I can't wait to start the third.  
drink spout: The correct name for this is escaping me right now.  This is greatest five dollars that I have spent recently.  It was holding sangria when I took the picture, but since then it has been amazing for making iced tea which I drink constantly in the warmer months.  You can just fill it with water, throw some tea bags in, and let it sit in the sun until its ready.  Add some frozen berries and you'll be good to go for a few days at a time.
tiger balm: This old chinese topical contains camphor and menthol that feels amazing when you rub it on sore muscles after a tough workout.
herbalism: This facial cleanser from lush is great in the summer months when my skin tends to be oilier.  This, as well as keeping hydrated and getting a lot of sleep has been saving my skin lately.
pink and gold chain necklace: I bought this from H&M and I love the contrast between the pink and the gold. 
crossword puzzles: I have been taking the metra back and forth from the city a lot lately.  These keep my occupied and I am starting to get pretty good at them.
opi's i have a herring problem: I picked this up a little while ago from the Holland collection.  It is a pale blue with tiny flecks of glitter in it which looks great on the nails.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Fresh Salsa

Chips and salsa has got to be one of my all time favorite snacks.  Fresh salsa is so simple to make, tastes much better, and is healthier than the kind in the jar.

what you need:
1/2 medium onion
1 large tomato
1 jalapeno (seeded if you cant handle the heat)
juice from 1 lime
1 T cilantro leaves
salt to taste
cumin to taste

Throw everything into a food processor and blend until consistency desired.


That's it! If you are feeling really adventurous you can bake your own tortilla chips.  Just take some corn totillas, cut them in eights, toss in some olive oil, and bake at 375 until crispy.  Feel free to throw some salt on there after baking.  You could also add some variety like grilled corn, grilled tomatillo, mango, or anything else you can think of.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Drugstore Makeup Haul With a Splash of Color

I have been loving color lately in clothes, makeup, and just about anything else.  I am usually a browns and grey kinda girl, but I think it's good to try new things and be a bit more girly.

Revlon Lip Butters:
I finally caved and bought a couple of the famous lip butters.  Yes, they are everything that everyone hypes them up to be.  I usually hate the feeling of lipsticks or lip-glosses, but these are actually tolerable and leave a nice color.  Tutti Frutti is the orange which looks amazing on the lips. Cherry tart is a redish color that makes your lips look like you just sucked on a cherry popsicle, if your are in to that kind of thing.

NYX Rouge Cream Blushes:
I always break out the cream blushes in the summer because they tend to stay longer in the hot and humid weather.  I recently purchased orange and hot pink (not very creative with the names).  I love them.  They are easily bendable, stay on the whole day, and have great color payoff.  A little goes a long way with these for sure.

Essie Nail Polish:
This is number 722 Haute as Hello.  I've heard great things about this color and I love Essie, but I was a little bit disappointed with the product.  It looks amazing in the bottle, a sort of orangey coral pinky color.  However, It takes 3 or 4 coats to get that nice color without any streaks in it.  

Sunday, May 20, 2012

dip-dyed summer scarf

The other day my sister and I decided do dip dye some cheap fabric we found at fabric store close to my apartment to make a few scarfs that will be perfect the slightly cooler days in the summer.  It was really simple and turned out great.
We both chose to use teal and grey fabric dye from Micheal's by following the directions on the package but also adding a little vinegar because we were using lighter fabrics.  I finished my edges with a zig-zag stitch and faded from dark grey to dark teal lengthwise.  Amy left her edges as is and faded from dark grey to dark teal widthwise. The darker colors were achieved by letting some parts sit in the dye longer than the rest.


I hate to admit it, but I think my sisters turned out slightly better than mine.  However, they both turned out well and are completely wearable.
Mine 

Hers

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Neon Boat Shoes

My mom passed along these old pair of boat shoes, and I thought a little color would bring new life to them so I picked up some paint and a sponge and went to work.  I got this idea from a blog some time ago, but I can't remember quite where.  My apologies to the writer.  I think that they will be perfect for the summer.  




Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Gone Fishing

Whenever my sister comes home during the summer my family always makes it a point to go fishing.  It's smelly and you get fish guts all over you and your line gets tangled everywhere.  But I love it for some reason.  The waves are calming, and you feel like you are somewhere else entirely.  Plus, it's kind of exciting when you actually reel one in.




My dad's teeny fish. woommmp.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Garlic and Herb Roasted Potatoes

I eat rice with almost every meal, but I will jump at any chance I get to eat potatoes.  This has got to be one of my favorite ways to cook them as a side dish.  I always end up eating more than I should.  It's easy to prepare, and the potatoes come out packed with flavor and crispy on the outside but tender on the inside.


One thing about how I cook.  I eyeball most everything.  

red potatoes
5-6 cloves of garlic
olive oil
parsley 
sage
oregano
salt
pepper
garlic powder

1. preheat the oven to 425
2. finely mince the parsley, sage, and oregano
3. wash and quarter the potatoes
4. drizzle olive oil on the potatoes
5. mix in salt, pepper, garlic powder, and the minced herbs
6. mix well and place on a baking sheet
7. bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and tender

Saturday, May 5, 2012

It's Summer!

Right now it doesn't feel much like summer break because it's cold and not so sunny out.  Regardless, I am glad to be done with school, and I am glad to have the time to do things that I want to do without feeling guilty about it.  The past few days have already been a lot of fun.

Nothing terribly exciting has been going on in my life lately, but let me catch you up on a few of my favorite pictures.