I was talking to my blogging buddy Kristin a few weeks ago about wanting to do a blog post about some of my favorites movies from the childhood. Of course, all of these movies fall into that 80’s children’s fantasy genre that was clearly a strong force at the time. Seriously, what was it about the 80’s that produced so many epic movies, the likes of which we really haven’t seen since. There was something about these movies that was just different from the way they make children’s movies today. They were much darker and often times more adult than movies today tend to be today and even though these movies were my favorites back when I was a kid, I still have an obsessive need to watch and rematch them even till this day. I know its not unusual for children’s movies to include moments of humor for adults, and really the best children’s films (and books as well) are the ones that blur the lines between entertainment for children and entertainment for adults. These movies do just that, and although I fell in love with them as a child, they are even more enjoyable for me as an adult.
So, I’m sure you’re on the edge of your seat wondering which films I have chosen as my Top 5. This was a really difficult task for me to pick 5 out of the many, many more that I watched and loved throughout the years. But, I have chosen to limit this to 5 and so here is what I came up with!
Now, if you would like a little more backstory and explanation behind this list, go ahead and check out my YouTube video below where I talk more about each film!
So, how did you feel about the movies on this list? Are these some of your favorites as well or do you think have a different set of favorites? I would love to know which movies from the 80’s are your favorites and which ones you still enjoy until this day! Feel free to leave a comment, or better yet, send me a Tweet and we can chat about it!
Hands down, one of my favorite skin care items is the Caudalie Beauty Elixir! If you’re not familiar, the Beauty Elixir is a facial toner & makeup setting spray made from all naturals ingredients that help to hydrate, moisturize and refresh your skin! Problem is, it will set you back about $50 for a full size bottle, and during the warmer months or during times when my skin is out of control, I can go through that bottle fast! So, I did a bit of research and decided that I would try my hand at creating my own recipe for a DIY facial toner spray that I could make at home for a fraction of the price of Caudalie’s! Here’s what I came up with!
Now, if you would prefer a step by step tutorial, I also made a video showing how I make this elixir so you can watch that in real time! I’ll link it below so you can take a look!
I hope you enjoyed this DIY skin care recipe I cooked up for you guys! I love facial toners and they are easy enough to make at home, but I am always up for hearing your thoughts and recommendations for similar products or alternate ingredients! Send me a tweet and let me know what you thought about this DIY!
I have been wanting a DSLR camera for such a long time! I’m honestly so surprised that it actually took me this long to finally bite the bullet and just buy one, but now I have one and life is picture perfect! Okay, camera puns aside, I am very excited about my new purchase and since it is definitely going to be affecting the blog the most, I thought I should introduce you all to my new toy! Here is my new Canon EOS Rebel T5i… TA DA! Feel free to start throwing confetti on your end of the computer screen!
Now, you might be wondering why I chose this camera and what compelled me to finally make such a large photography purchase. Perhaps you are also a blogger and have been looking for a nice DSLR to help you make the most of your photos as well. That’s pretty much why I decided now was the time to buy. You see, I have been making do with my Canon point and shoot camera for the last few years, and of course my iPhone’s camera as well. Now, however, I feel like with blogging being my full-time career, that I really needed to take my quality up a notch. Once I knew it was time for a DSLR, I knew I would purchase a Canon because I have always owned Canon’s. After looking at the budget I wanted to work within and scouring reviews for different cameras, the T5i seemed to be the best fit for me. Although it is technically a 2013 model, as far as consumer grade DSLRs go, this one is top of the line and checked all the boxes for my needs as a blogger.
Do I think every blogger needs a DSLR camera to take good photos? Heaven’s no! I have said it before and I will say it again, I think it is important for bloggers to make do with that they have and what is in their budget. If a DSLR isn’t in the cards for you, I firmly believe that a decent point and shoot or even your iPhone’s camera can be used to take awesome images for your blog. You may need to do a little more work making sure things like lighting and composition are on point in order to capture the best image possible, but I still know its possible. Heck, I have been doing it for years and I am always complemented on my photos!
So, for me, I am looking forward to using a DSLR, taking what I have learned about styling photographs and images for blog posts and marrying the two together to create some wonderful images for this site! If you would like more details on all the items and accessories I purchased with this camera, like the lens and a very cute camera bag, feel free to take a look at the YouTube video linked below! I did film a haul for all the items I purchased and if you are a blogger looking for the best lens for your DSLR, I talk about the one I purchased and why (Hint, I didn’t bother with a kit lens)! Also, make sure to check out my blog post on Photography Basics to help you take the best photos for your blog, no matter which camera you are using!
I hope you enjoyed this post and this video! Let me know if you use a DSLR, which one you use and which lens you prefer to shoot with. Also if you have any resources that you recommend for beginner DSLR users or any awesome, can’t live without accessories for a DSLR, please let me know in the comments below or feel free to send me a tweet about it!
So, I thought it would be fun if I spiced things up here on the blog and let you guys in on a little more of my personal life, including the music I like to listen to throughout the day. Consider this Whistle While You Work 2.0! Without further ado, here is my first installment of My Productivity Playlist series, five of my favorite songs from various genres that makeup the soundtrack to my work day!
I hope you have enjoyed this first installment of my new feature! Let me know in the comments if you would like me to continue with this series and make sure to send me a tweet letting me know what you like to listen to while you are working!
This is incredibly odd to write, but it was 10 years ago, this month, that I first packed up and left home for college! It’s weird to think it has been a decade but I can still remember the day I packed up my dad’s truck and made the four hour drive with him from New Jersey to Virginia, where we then stopped off at my mother’s house to get more boxes and my little brother to help with the moving in process. We spent the night in a hotel right off campus after another two hour drive down to what would be my final destination for the next 3.5 years! On move-in day, I remember everything taking far less time than I expected. Since we were staying so close to my dorm, we woke up very early and after a few quick trips between the truck and the three flights of stairs to my dorm room, it was all over and my father and brother were gone. That’s pretty much the long and the short of it! After that, came an unforgettable few years that were filled with more ups and downs than I will ever have time to convey. Last fall, I wrote briefly about my college experience in a post chronicling my biggest regrets from college. It’s a must read for any soon to be college freshman or really any college student who still has time left to get in those critical experiences that will be carried with you for a lifetime. Today, however, I thought it could be helpful if I shared some tips for college freshman on how to have a productive and successful college career.
Stay on top of your credits: One of the reasons I was able to graduate early, despite having two full majors in college, was because I was always on top of my credits and graduation requirements. For the most part, colleges and universities lay out a plan for students by major with required and elective courses that they are required to complete before graduation. Make sure you are actively paying attention to that list and have a plan for the classes you are going to take to fulfill these requirements. That means you may need to take a certain number of classes per semester to stay on track for a timely graduation and you may also need to be a little flexible when it comes to which classes you want to take vs which classes you need to take.
Prioritize your major: The second reason I was able to graduate early with my double major is because I always prioritized taking the classes I needed for my major. This meant that I took prerequisite classes as soon as I was eligible to, I sometimes took less interesting classes that fulfilled major requirements when others I was interested in filled up, and when necessary, I took the maximum number of courses allowed (with my advisors permission, of course). I pretty much did whatever it took to make sure I was on track to graduate, which in the end resulted in me graduating early at a school that had an unusually high number of students that went on for a 5th year to complete course requirements.
Don’t skip class: This was my one major mistake the first semester of my freshman year! I made the mistake of signing up for 8am classes every day, thinking, “no problem, I had to be in class at 7:20am in high school, so this should be a piece of cake!” No! It was not a piece of cake, it was terrible and I unfortunately received the lowest marks in my college career in those classes because I skipped too often (C’s, gasp)! However, I learned from my mistake and never again signed up for an 8am class! I also stuck to a general rule, which was not to skip more than two classes of a single course. At my college, some teachers had this as a general rule and missing more than two classes resulted in a negative grade on your attendance, but many teachers operated under the concept that as a college student, you are an adult and if you want to waste your money by skipping class, that’s your choice, good luck with that final! Look, when you break it down, as a college student you will have a class 1-3 times a week on average, and a semester lasts about 16 weeks. Seriously, there is really no reason, other than illness or emergency, that you should be skipping class anyway, so keep your missed classes to a minimum!
Choose your professors wisely: When I was in college, and I assume the same goes today, students were always talking about their professors. Everyone had an opinion on each and every teacher they took and even some they had never taken. It was not uncommon for certain teachers to get a bad reputation, which then caused certain students to avoid taking their classes. Now, I believe that listening to peer reviews of teachers/professors is important, however, you need to make sure you are being smart about it. For example, in college, I remember taking two classes with teachers that were notoriously “hard.” At the time, I had no clue what “hard” meant really. So, I assumed these classes were going to be hell. As it turned out, they weren’t really as bad as people said and I ended up receiving fairly good marks (I think B+) because I did my work and didn’t skip class. See, as it turned out, the people who’s recommendations I was taking failed to explain that the reason they thought the teacher was hard was because they were not “nice” to their students. However, as professors, they were thorough, fair graders and willing to answer questions outside of class to help you understand the content and increase your grade! In fact, I remember, one of these “hard” professors had this clever tactic that scared the shi*t out of me at the time, but once the semester ended, I understood and appreciated what she had done. On the first day of class, this notoriously “hard” professor gave the scariest lecture ever. She outlined how hard her class would be, her zero tolerance policy for lateness and missing classes, and explained how excruciatingly hard her exams were, encouraging the students who were unwilling to do the work to drop the class now! By the second class, half the students were gone, but I will tell you what! She ended up being the most easy going person after that, an excellent resource for her students and a fairly easy grader, in my opinion. Everyone left that classes with at least a B, despite the fact that she explained that she graded on a “harsh curve.” She wasn’t “hard” she just didn’t want to waste her time with students unwilling to take her class seriously! So, when discussing your professors with other students and friends, make sure to ask the right questions. Ask what grade the student had received, how often they studied, if they missed class or were late often. Just because a professor doesn’t like to put up with BS from their students, doesn’t mean they are “hard” or bad teachers.
Remember what you came for: At the end of the day, I think the most important thing to remember is that as a college student, you have chosen your path. As much as our friends, family and especially our parents encourage us to go to college and do the best we can, ultimately, you are the one in control of the situation. If all you wanted from college was to party and hook up, good for you, but I will say there are easier and less expensive ways to achieve this without going through the trouble of a college admission. If you are eager to learn and want to grown and develop new skills and passions, try to remember that from time to time when you would prefer to go out partying with your friends or want to wait until the last day to study for your final. When it all boils down, by the time you graduate, it doesn’t matter what grade you got in econ, or if you went to that one blow out mixer! The only thing that really lasts from college, other than that piece of paper they give you that says you finished, are the lessons you learned about yourself and the type of person you have become from the effort of your own self discipline. So, have fun, stay safe and above all, actively participate in your own self discovery and education!
I hope you enjoyed this post and if so, I encourage you to share this in your social media feeds or send it along to any college students, or soon to be college students, that you know!
A lot of people frequently compliment me on the way I live; my personal style, my hair, my makeup, and my home decor. I think that in a lot of ways people often look up to people they see on YouTube or on the internet and imagine that those people are somehow different from themselves because they have this wonderful style or own a lot of lovely things. But the truth, as I know it, is that the only thing that makes me different from you, is the choices that I make in the way I choose to live my life. So, today, I wanted to let you all in on a little secret of mine, and share with you the set of rules that I live by in my own life that help me to feel fabulous and live fabulously! Now, I’m not sharing this information with you in the hopes that you will follow these rules and suddenly turn into me, instead, I am hoping you understand this information, and put it to practice in your own life to become the most fabulous version of yourself possible, because being you and being the most amazing version of you possible, is probably the most amazing thing you can do for yourself, and for the whole wide world!
1. Define your style and stick to it 90% of the time!
I wasn’t always a stylish dresser. I went to private school most of my life and by the time I was in college, I had no clue how to dress myself without a uniform! It took me years to figure out what personal style meant, and often times, I feel like I am still figuring it out, but I made a decision a few years ago to define what my style was going to be and to only buy pieces that fit within those parameters. I chose the colors I looked best in, the overall style that I was trying to convey, and the price range that I was willing to spend within for my clothing. In the beginning, I would often make lists of clothing items that I needed in my wardrobe. Things like a great little black dress, or a pair of comfortable nude pumps. I basically blueprinted the wardrobe and got to work on building it. It has been years and I am still working on the list to an extent, but now, I have become more skilled in my own style so I no longer need to refer to a list to determine what I need to buy. Now, I say that you should stick to your style 90% of the time because if you are anything like me, you may want to experiment. I think experimentation with your style is great, but I caution moderation in this department because when you start experimenting too much you deviate from the style your trying to establish. Just know its okay to take a little risk, but make sure your only doing it in small doses for things you’re really excited about.
2. Acquire furnishings one curated piece at a time.
My home is probably one of the elements of my life that I am most proud of. Whenever I have guests over, they are always surprised at how nicely my home is decorated and the types of quality, timeless pieces I own. From the time that I lived in my first apartment, I have been collecting furnishings piece by piece that align with my personal style and the overall feel I want for my home. I never buy anything for my home that I don’t absolutely love or that I don’t have a permanent home for. Gradually, I have collected pieces like my prized tufted settee and my gorgeous upholstered bed, and I continue to collect items for my home that will continue to perpetuate my overall style and add to the luxury I desire in my life.
3. Spend your money on the things that matter to you.
Some people love expensive dinners, some people like expensive toys, everyone is different and neither are right or wrong. People often comment that I own a lot of high quality accessories and gadgets, its true, I do! I’m not a millionaire, but I choose to spend my money on the things that matter to me. This means that I spend less money in other areas of my life that I don’t care too much about. For example, my car. My husband and I own one single car between us. We could own two, but one is all we need, so we make it work. The car isn’t anything fancy, technically is a crossover SUV, but it’s american made and was purchased as a certified pre-owned vehicle. Some people are more into cars than they are gadgets, and might buy a second car for their family or buy a luxury model brand new, but that isn’t the way I choose to spend my money, so I don’t spend it that way. Now, I am not trying to tell you how to spend your money, except to say that you should spend it on things that matter to you and forget about the rest. Your life isn’t made fabulous by other people’s definitions, it’s made fabulous by your own!
4. Be picky, it’s a good thing!
On that same vein of spending your money on things that matter to you, I also advise that you start getting more picky with the way you spend not only your money, but also your time. We all have things that we have to do, and things that we have to buy or spend money on, but we also have a good amount that’s up to us. I find that I like to be picky when it comes to how I spend my time and how I spend my money because those are the two most important things we have in life. A lot of living fabulously is about narrowing down what a fabulous life looks like to us. Some people want to travel the world, some people want a lovely home and to spend as much time there as possible. Some people like to try new experiences and some like quiet evenings with friends. No matter what it is you like to do, get picky about it. Start holding yourself to a higher standard of living. Remember, having it all is a relative concept. It’s not about literally having every single option available, it’s about having those few things that really make you happy. Start figuring out what those few things are and be super picky with everything else because you have a limited amount of time in life so you have to draw your line in the sand for how to spend it!
5. Be a wonderful person
Being outgoing doesn’t always come naturally to me. I know it doesn’t come naturally to many people, and I think there is this misconception that you have to be an outgoing person for people to like you and think you’re wonderful. I don’t think that’s it. I think that the most wonderful people, the people who you always remember, and the people who you want to be around are the nice ones. The ones that always have positive things to say and never bother with the negative. These are the people who are friendly to strangers and kind to those around them. Sometimes, this sort of behavior can be hard for us to achieve, it means forgiving the world as soon as it hurts you and getting over that pain before it starts. It really is true that you never know what struggles those around you are facing and so you should always show them kindness. If someone cuts you off at an intersection, say a prayer for them that they make it home safe. If someone cuts in front of you in a line, just smile and nod at them. Others can only upset you if you let them, and if you live with this sort of kindness in your heart and in your mind, nothing will ever hurt you. You will find that those around you will love you deeper and show you more kindness than you could ever expect. All because you are a wonderful person.
6. Put yourself first!
There is this major misconception floating around the world that says if you don’t put others before yourself you are a selfish person. This makes absolutely no sense. If you are not taking care of yourself first and foremost, how then can you take care of others properly? This subject always makes me think about one perfect example that illustrates the point. When you’re flying in an airplane, going over the emergency procedures, there is always a part about using your oxygen mask in the event of an emergency. The directions always tell you, point-blank, to secure your own mask before attempting to help anyone else around you! Why? Because you can’t really help anyone else if you’re still in imminent danger. The same goes in daily life. If you’re not putting your own needs, like personal hygiene, health and wellbeing first, there is no way you’re going to be able to do much good for others and people don’t like to be around others who don’t seem to have their shit straight, so get your shit straight and put yourself first so you can help other people get their shit straight! Thus adding to the fabulousness of the world as a whole!
So, that’s it! Those are my top secret tips for living a fabulous life! I hope you can take something from this and evaluate how these “rules” apply to you in your own life. Remember, it’s not about being more like me or someone else out there that you think has a fabulous life, it’s about making small but impactful changes in your own life to make yours more fabulous! Seriously, being the best version of yourself is a gift you give back to the world, so get to it!
On my iPhone is a new monthly feature on Strange & Charmed where I give you a peak into what I have been loving on my iPhone for the month! Covering topics like apps, games, podcasts, music, websites, books and more, I hope this series helps you all discover new and exciting content out there that can be enjoyed from your iPhone! To stay up to date with this series, make sure to follow the On My iPhone tag!
I had such a great time putting together my first installment of On My iPhone last month that this month I was pumped for this post! This month has been a lot of fun for me and I have been trying to make the most of my summer while it still lasts. I’ve been watching more TV than I think I ever have (thanks to a cable upgrade) and I feel more creative and inspired than I have in a long time. So, without further ado, here is what I have been loving on my iPhone this month!
Currently Playing, LYNE: Puzzle games are some of my favorites, especially when they are meant for a relaxed, enjoyable pace of play like LYNE. The basic premise of the game is to create an unbroken line from start to finish on the triangular tiles of the game board. With no annoying timer and a mellow soundtrack of ambient sounds, this app is a nice way to pass some extra time. I was lucky enough to get this app for free from Starbuck’s Pick of the Week, but you can grab it for $2.99 on the app store!
Currently Reading, Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1:In July, I finally got my act together and watched Game of Thrones on HBO. All four seasons in two weeks (I know, I’m hardcore!). Now that I am all caught up, I want for more! So, I started reading, err, listening to the audiobook of Game of Thrones on my iPhone. I know this is sort of cheating since I am not actually reading it, but I thought it would be more enjoyable for me if I listened to the audiobook instead of reading it since it is a rather lengthy series. You can pick up the audiobooks via iTunes, but I will warn you, they don’t come cheap!
Currently Watching, Nicole Matthews: Recently, I have been watching a lot of videos from my new favorite YouTuber, Nicole Matthews, and I have really been enjoying her channel. She has only been making videos for about a year and has a little over a thousand subscribers, but she has great quality videos and I can really see her channel going places! So, if you are interested in fun beauty videos, tutorials, OOTDs, hauls and the occasional TAG video, you should head on over to Nicole’s channel and subscribe!
Currently Surfing, Yoga Studio: Okay, so again, I cheat, this is an app, not a website, but I have been pretty obsessed with Yoga lately and I am really into this app! I have a few Yoga apps, but this one is by far my favorite. Again, I got this one for free from Starbuck’s Pick of the Week (seriously, they give away some of the best apps ever!). It’s basically like having a yoga instructor on your iPhone/iPad with pre made routines as well as an option to design your own. It’s a clean, easy to use app with wonderful step by step instructions and soothing narration. If you are into yoga or would like a great app to help you get started at home, pick it up for $3.99 on the App Store!
Currently Listening, Lana Del Rey: There is something about Lana Del Rey and her album, Born to Die that is so quintessentially summer to me! I am a major fan of hers year round, but I get get enough of her music lately. Something about her sultry voice and suggestive lyrics has me listening to her songs on repeat, so if you haven’t checked her out yet, I suggest you check her out or pick up her album on iTunes!
So, how have you been liking my new On My iPhone Series? Have you been looking forward to it as much as I have? Let me know what you think about this month’s picks, and of course, let me know what your tech and web favorites have been this month!
Today I’m mailing out a prize for a giveaway I hosted over on my Instagram account. I am not big on doing a lot of giveaways on my YouTube and social media channels because I always feel bad that there can only be one or a handful of winners. I would prefer to give prizes that everyone can benefit from, but those are usually harder to come by. At least in the example of this giveaway, the prize was a set of three DIY Planner embellishments that I had made during a tutorial I published on my YouTube channel a few weeks ago that were incredibly simple to make. So, I thought I should share them here on my blog for those of you who like stationery and planner DIYs. They were an embellished title page, a decorative page marker and a repositionable divider! For each DIY, I used Project Pages from the Me And My Big Ideas line of stationery, as well as some stickers and embellishments also from the line.
If you haven’t seen the video, I will link it below so you can watch the tutorials. No matter what your skill level, these 3 Simple DIYs are something anyone can accomplish using a few key items and they can add a lot of personality and personalization to your planner system. Although I used MAMBI stationery accessories, you could easily substitute these for Project Life cards or even printed images you found online! If you like these tutorials and give them a try on your own, I would love if you shared pictures of your DIYs with me via Twitter or Instagram! Also, if you have any other planner hacks or tutorials you would like to see, make sure to leave me a comment below!
I have to admit, one of the major benefits of using a digital planning system is that, for the most part, they are easy to back up. Using a calendar or to do app on my iPhone means I can sync with the cloud, have my information on not only my phone but also on my iPads and my laptops as well. If I accidentally delete something in one place, I always have a backup somewhere else. It’s convenient and secure, two very important things that paper planners lack. It’s a critical flaw of Filofax’s and other physical planners, but one that can’t be avoided. It’s paper after all. Paper burns, rips, decomposes if touched by water, and a paper planner can be lost entirely. Even if I lost my iPhone, I wouldn’t have to worry much about my information. Lists would be retrievable, information can be restored and my phone could be instantly whipped of all information if I was concerned about sensitive information getting out (because you know, being an international blogging sensation, I have lots of sensitive and top-secret post information that people are dying to get their hands on… LOL, please note the sarcasm!) Jokes aside, though, you know what I mean! Even though paper planners have their fatal flaws, however, there are some things we old-fashioned analog planner users can do to keep our information backed up, in case any terrible tragedy should strike our organizational companions!
The simplest and easiest way to back up a paper planner or Filofax is through the use of photos on our smartphones. It may be an extra step to take when we make important notes in our planners, but if something were to happen to our planners we would at least have some form of backup for our information. And with the superior quality of smartphone cameras these days, you can capture all the details on a planner page or spread with great clarity in case you need to refer back to it later. Since i use an iPhone, I like to use the app DocScan to back up any important lists or notes in my planner. DocScan is great because it uses the camera on your iPhone to “scan” documents, physical pictures and notes, allowing you to then save the information in a multitude of different formats. Its like having a portable scanner with you at all times! Another popular application, Evernote, does much the same. Evernote is a great note taking application, but it’s also great for storing and saving information via pictures taken on your smartphone! Evernote allows you to synch your notes through the cloud and access them from a variety of different devices, even through the web directly!
So, if you’re concerned about backing up your paper planner or Filofax, give this method a shot! Start getting into the habit of taking a quick pic of your planner pages as you fill them up or make new notes. If you ever, heaven’s forbid, loose your planner or an important page goes missing, at least you have some sort of backup stored away for digital reference.
So, in all honesty, I cannot believe I have never done a post like this before!
I love geeky clothing and accessories and I am always on the hunt for them wherever I go! I have a specific “geek uniform” that I like to wear around which consists of a black blazer, geeky tank top and leggings/skinny jeans. Of course I’m partial to geek glasses, which I do already wear, and its not uncommon for me to wear multiple accessories that include glasses on them like my glasses bangle and iPhone case from Kate Spade. No geek ensemble would be complete, however, without a pair of awesome headphones and some wearable tech. I love the rose gold Frends Layla headphones and I have been thinking about getting a smart watch of some sort, although I’ll admit, I’m waiting for Apple to make one that is killer!
So, I’m wondering, are their any other geek gals out there who like to dress the part? What sorts of clothing and accessories do you prefer? Tweet me some links for some items I should check out or leave me a comment below letting me know your geek chic style! I’m thinking about doing this as some sort of regular feature, so if you like this, make sure to let me know!
