New Years Resolution

Photo taken by: The 25th Hour Studio

At the beginning of every year everyone creates a New Years Resolution list that they may or may not stick to. They'll write it down, or even make a blog post, and not even look at it until the next new year rolls along. Once again saying "Well, I'll just save it for next year". 

I didn't want to be cliche and make a post of my own but I caved in because lets face it...we are all a little basic inside. 

Work Out & Eat Healthier

This is always everyone's first go-to resolution and it's always the one thats never really kept up with. Lately I haven't been feeling too comfortable with my body and that's because I haven't treated it the way it should be. I definitely gained weight last year from stress eating so this year I want to work out more. Not necessarily be a gym junkie but get to the point where I love my body once again. 

We've all tried the smoothie diets, the detoxes, yet they're all too hard to stick with or just plain ridiculous. Instead you can still be healthy by eating all the foods you love but just learning how to portion it. This year I want to cut back on fast food. Yes, it's cheaper than salad (sadly) but it's so bad for your body. All the grease can make you gain weight and make your skin breakout.

Travel More

Traveling is always good for the soul. Life is too short to stay where you are. It's possible to travel even with a college budget. You just have to spend wisely. Stressed out with life? Why not take a spontaneous trip to the beach or a museum with some friends to clear your head.

Have a Regular Sleep Schedule
Lets face it, with college, theres no such thing as sleep. But you can achieve the possimpible (HIMYM reference) where the possible and impossible meet. It's all about timing. Learning what schedule works for you and to stick with it. Getting your regular 8 hours of sleep can do wonders for your body, mind, and soul. Too cheesy?

The first step to having a regular sleep schedule is by cutting down your coffee and caffeine intake. Cutting off caffeine can give you a deeper and more quality sleep. Craving some coffee? Replace it with some green or herbal tea! Oh, and while you're at it have a cup of water too!

Worry Less
I'm constantly worrying about things that are out of my control. It's a pretty vague and hard resolution because you're committing yourself to not worry about things you can't change. But remember, you can't change it so why waste your time by sitting there worrying? Also worrying about how much you're worrying won't do you any better either. Instead find alternate ways to deal with worrying. Have some coffee with friends, journal, or pet your dog/cat.

Be More Comfortable in My Own Skin
I'm constantly telling myself I'm not as pretty as the famous instagram people, youtubers, and celebrities. I'm not as skinny, tall, or etc. It's time I stop comparing myself to others and find a way to be more comfortable with the body I was born with. Instead of hating my flaws learn to love them. My flaws are what make me who I am so I need to learn to embrace it.

In order to be more comfortable with my skin, I need to take care of myself more as well. Drinking more water, exercising regularly, washing my face daily, and etc. However, what most people forget to take care of is their mind. Do yoga, stretch every morning, and just take out a couple of minutes of your day to just relax and have 'me time'.


My last resolution of all is to actually follow this list. I'm sure I won't truly stick to it all but it's better to say that I tried than not have tried at all.

What are your new years resolutions for 2016? And no, it can't just be "New Year, New Me." (:

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Last Minute DIY H A L L O W E E N Costume

Pineapple and Strawberry Costumes

I decided last minute to participate in Halloween, which was a bad idea because then I had to find a costume. I've always hated buying a costume at the local Halloween stores because they were so over priced for something that I would honestly wear once. Instead I decided to Pinterest some easy last minute DIY costumes and that's when I stumbled upon the pineapple and strawberry girls! 

There were many variations of this costume but the one I liked the most was done by a fellow blogger Ann Le. I found that her DIY video (link here) was one of the easiest and most simple to follow. 

I found everything at AC Moore for under $15. I was able to cut down the price of the materials by using 50% off coupons, which they email every day! So if you're looking for a cheap-on-a-budget costume you have come to the right place!

I've created my own step by step process of how to make both costumes!

Materials

1. Red & Yellow shirts (I chose a size Large so that it was bigger)

2. White & Green felt

4. Black fabric paint (squeeze bottle)

5. Headband

6. Construction paper

7. Hot glue gun

8. Scissors

9. Pineapple & Strawberry tumblrs (optional)

Pineapple Costume

1. For the shirt you want to start off by getting some fabric paint and drawing upside down V's

2. The directions say it will take up to 14 hours for the fabric paint to dry, but if you want to speed up the process, you can use a blow dryer! 

3. To start off the head band, take some construction paper and form it into a cone to give the pineapple stem shape 

4. Take some felt and cut it into long thin leaves. Then glue it onto the cone. 

5. As you make your way through you are going to want to make the leaves shorter to create layers

6. To keep the stem sturdy on my head I decided to glue it onto a head band

Strawberry Costume

1. Cut out tear drop shapes from the white felt and glue it onto the shirt

2. Cut out a rectangle from construction paper and tape it together. You want to make the leaves shorter and wider than the pineapple leaves. Glue the leaves on the outside and the inside of the crown 

3. With the left over scraps twist and glue them together. Take the bottom of the stem and glue each side to both sides of the crown

4. Just like the pineapple, glue the crown to a head band to keep it secure on your head

To keep it simple I paired the whole outfit with white converses. Lastly, to add a final touch to the costume I found some cute pineapple and strawberry tumblrs! 

Snapshots of Madrid

Thank you, Melissa, for capturing the moments that I couldn't.

M A D R I D

Today my sister, mom, and I were able to explore Madrid. Even though we did some typical touristy things such as souvenir shopping, we still tried to try/do some local things. Thanks to the best tour guide, Melissa, we were able to see some of the best parts of Madrid. 

Our first stop was Retiro Park also known as Parque de El Retiro. El Retiro was originally closed off for only the King and the Royal family to enter but then it was later on open to the public. There is anything and everything to do at Retiro. There are running/walking trails, a small restaurant inside the park, a small garden to walk through, boat rides, and etc. The picture above is a temporary art exhibit in Palacio de Cristal within Retiro Park. 

The best way to experience and see every inch of the city is by walking (and it also happens to be the cheapest). However, the Madrid heat can be unbearable and within 5 minutes you'll be sweating and craving AC. It's best to always have a bottle of water when you're walking around to stay hydrated and on the plus side the cold water bottle and help cool you off! Another way to cool off after a long day of walking is to grab some tapas at Tapas Tapas joined with cava sangria. 

     

For more about my trip in Madrid check out my sisters blog post(:

FIRST STOP: Madrid, Spain

It’s 6:14 pm and I’m currently sitting in a quaint little coffee shop called Polenta. It’s still surreal that I’m in this beautiful country and that within my 3 weeks here I will be traveling across Europe to Italy, Rome, and Paris. What an amazing way to kick off my twenties: a euro trip!

Since it’s my first day here in Madrid my sister and I are going to take it easy and just plan out our trip. First on the list is a hashtag because did you really travel if you didn’t have a hashtag? #VegasTravelEurope

*Rough Itinerary*
Madrid, Spain — Nice, France
Nice, France — Florence, Italy
Florence, Italy — Cinque Terre & Pisa (day trips)
Florence, Italy — Rome, Italy
Rome, Italy — Paris, France
Paris, France — Madrid, Spain
If you’re traveling on a budget, like we definitely are, I would recommend staying in hostels/AirBnb and traveling by train or bus (and of course a plane if you really have to). Hostels can be iffy at times but it’s important to do your research ahead of time and take into consideration everyones reviews. A great website that I would recommend is Hostel World.

As much as the café con leche is helping, this jet lagged girl needs her rest.