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Amy Marie

Life + Style

Thrift Challenge: Cocktail Party Outfit

Thrifty girls – You make the rockin’ world go ’round! ♫

Wow wow wow! Hello everyone! I am so excited to write this post, because it was so much fun to put together! Some of you might have already seen this on my Instagram, but I thought it was worthy of a full blog post!

A few weeks ago I challenged myself to find an entire outfit at the thrift store for Fundraiser cocktail party I was going to. This is an annual event I attend every year, and each year I spend way too much money on a new dress. 2019 is my year of THRIFT so I had a decision to make… 1 – Pick a dress from my closet or 2. Find something at the thrift store… and you all know what I chose!

So for this challenge I told myself I needed to find a dress, shoes, and a bag. Spoiler alert I only bought a dress and bag. There were plenty of shoes at the Goodwill but the dress I bought required black heels which I already owned…

Here is the breakdown on receipt:

Dress (Anthropologie new w/tags) – $15

Bag (target Merona brand) – $4

Sooo yes – I would say I made our pretty well. A $15 dress is on the pricer side of my thrift find, however this being an Anthropologie dress with the tags still on, I was will to splurge 😉

Thrift challenge success! I hope to share more of these with you all… if your willing to read them! What challenge should I do next? Tried my thrift challenge? Let me know below!

Thanks for reading! – xoxo Amy

Thrift Tips: Buying Shoes

If your initial thought is “ew” upon reading the title of this post. I would like you take a step back from your computer, take a deep breath, and come back again with a more open and positive attitude.

…

Are you ready now? Wonderful! Listen, I get it. Feet? Gross. Other peoples feet? Gross. Smelly second hand shoes? Nasty. I am not saying that every shoe in a second hand store is your Cinderella slipper. However, I will tell you there are hidden gems if you take the time to look.

Lets start off with an inspirational story.

Once upon a time I was perusing around my local (and favorite) Goodwill and thought I spotted a pair of Jack Roger wedges in the general population shoe display (not the one behind glass that literally requires a key to get into.) I thought no freaking way, must be fake. So I snatched them before anyone else noticed and snuck into a dressing room to google Jack Roger dupes, and other important investigative things. Sure enough being an expert I came to the conclusion that these babies were real and an employee must have made a mistake by putting them in the general shoe population. I ran to the front to purchase them for a mere $15 then ran out of the store.

Feeling inspired? Lets get to the tips!! >>>>

Tip #1: Have Standards

As I said previously, not every shoe at the store is Cinderellas slipper. However, I have to admit – although I buy second hand shoes… most of the time I suspect that they were never worn. I look mainly for shoes that have tags still on them, no signs of wear on the insoles or soles. These are my standards. You can create your own standards! But just make sure you create standards for buying shoes so you know your intentions when browsing the shoe section.

Tip #2: Check the Insoles and Soles

I always check the soles and insoles for wear and tear. I steer away from shoes that are warn down on the soles, or if the insoles have apparent wear marks. Again, I have a high standard for second hand shoes.

Tip #3: Check for Holes, Cracks, or any Damage

Just like any item you buy second hand it is important to inspect all parts of the shoes. Remember, if there is something on the shoe that looks “fixable” think to yourself “Am I really going to fix it? Is it worth it?”

Tip #4: How to Clean Thrifted Shoes

Simple method you can buy an anti bacterial spray (similar to ones used at bowling alleys) or you can make one yourself with items around your house.

The easiest method I use is to apply rubbing alcohol to a paper towel, then rub down the inside and outside of the shoe. Additionally, if you are looking to get rid of an odor a mixture of water and vinegar in a spray bottle will also help.

If it is a pair of sneaker you can throw them in the wash, or if you would really like you can replace the insoles of the shoes with new ones.

Now, take this tips and get out there and buy your self some new (previously owned) shoes!

Want more?

Wedding Wednesday: My (#Thrifted) Bridal Shower Decor

Thrift Challenge: Cocktail Party Outfit

Vegan Protein Pancakes

Yesterday Connecticut was hit with about a foot of snow which granted me a snow day (yay!!). In my household snow-day tradition is pancakes and hot chocolate. I substituted hot chocolate for coffee and decided to make a stack of protein packed pancakes.

I usually start my mornings with a smoothie, but could not even bare to drink something cold with a foot of snow outside. Since transitioning to a plant based diet I have to pay close attention to everything I put into my body mainly to ensure I am getting all the proper nutrients I need. I did not want to skip my protein powder as it is extremely important for me (as I often get my protein from plants). The addition of the chocolate protein powder to the pancake mix made them even better!

This recipe is quick, easy, and adaptable. You can add in your choice of protein powder and your choice of toppings. I topped my pancakes with almond butter, maple syrup, and chia seeds! This recipe makes plenty for two people.

Enjoy!!

In this recipe I used Orgain Chocolate Fudge – Vegan!

Vegan Protein Pancakes

Amy Parenteau
These fluffy pancakes will become a regular in your household. Top with your favorites like fresh berries, nut butter, and maple syrup! Dig in and enjoy!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Course Breakfast
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup creamy chocolate orgain protein powder You can used any vegan protein powder.
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 cup water

Instructions
 

  • Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
  • Add the maple syrup and then slowly add the water. It should be thick, add a extra water if needed.
  • If you would like to make these oil free use a non-stick pan. Make pancakes by pouring batter into pan and flip after a couple minutes and cook for a little longer.

Local CT Wedding Vendors (+ Planning Tips!)

If you recently got engaged and now are thinking “Oh shit – where do I start?” don’t worry you’re not the only one. TV and movies make wedding planning look like a blissful experience, but if you are a bride on budget like me, I’m here to tell you it’s not. Wedding planning can be stressful and you may ask your finace’ a million times “Can we just elope, who cares that we already paid the venue!” I get it sis. How much would you love me if I told you I can plan your entire wedding (well, most of it) in this one blog post? I’m not joking from your venue, to photography, to makeup. I have you covered! So, lets jump right in!

Website / Instagram

Venue: The Inn at Middletown

Picking your venue (and date) is one of the first things you should do after getting engaged. Venues book up very fast, especially during the “hot season”, which are late Spring, Summer, and Fall. Another thing to take into account are Saturday nights, which are extremely popular. How Justin and I saved some money while looking for a venue is by settling on a Friday night wedding and an “off season” date.

The Inn at Middletown is a beautiful classic place to get married. Also, what is better than partying the night away and then being able to walk to your hotel room? The Inn also has other special offers which include late night menus, room block deals, and breakfast the morning after.

The Inn has lots of great indoor and outdoor places for photos before or after your wedding. The exterior of the Inn is just as gorgeous as the inside which has a beautiful spiral staircase – perfect photo op!

Website / Instagram

Coordinator: Kelly at Top Knot Occasions

Once you’ve picked your date and venue and you truly feel lost on where to start, a wedding coordinator is the next piece of your puzzle. Wedding coordinators are wonderful human beings. They can hold your hand through the entire wedding process or they can help you fine tune the details of your wedding as you are coming to the end.

I meet Kelly in November of last year. Her enthusiasm about weddings was contagious and her ability to juggle many things and keep organized shone. Also a bride to be, she knows the ins and outs of the wedding industry.

Website / Instagram

Photographer: Courtney at Live Lovely Photography

Just like venues, photographers book up quick! It’s important to narrow down some photographers that take photos in a style that you are looking for. Every photographer has their own style, so make sure to check their website and Instagram to see how they shoot their photos. Once you’ve narrowed it down, you can meet with these photographers to discuss packages and pricing. A lot of photographers will include engagement photos in with your wedding package – this a wonderful thing!

I had the pleasure of meeting Courtney (in real life) also in November of last year. She is a fellow CT blogger and I have followed her for some time on Instagram. Please check out the extremely creative Christmas cards her and her husband create, they are amazing! Courtney is wonderful to work with and takes beautiful photos. All these photos in this post – yah they’re hers!!

Website / Instagram

Wedding Dress: Bliss Bridal

Ok – so you have a venue, coordinator, and photographer. The next important item on your list is your wedding dress. Now, I am going to give you the same advice that everyone is going to give you and you are going to push it away. However, this is VERY important. Ready? Repeat after me – “I will be open to all dress styes.” Again. “I will be open to all dress styles.” Yes, we all have the same 90s wedding magazine under our bed with the dress circled since we were 10. BUT, you will be shocked that when you put on your dream dress and you actually don’t like it. I kid you not. I always thought I was a boho, lace, gal. I put on those dresses and they just weren’t me. Still feeling lost? Here are some things you should know before you go wedding dress shopping.

Ok, I’m done ranting. Let’s talk about Bliss Bridal. Located in Cheshire, CT, this bridal shop honestly has it all to make you feel amazing on your wedding day. (When I was playing around in their dresses, it wasn’t even my wedding day and I felt like a star.) They have a wide variety and selection of dresses (including prices!). They are appointment only shop – so call before you stop in!

Can I talk about appointment only shops for a sec? One thing, thank you. Appointment only shop means individualized attention from an expert. Dress shopping is overwhelming and having someone there to talk with and walk you through, styles, prices, designers, etc. is crucial.

Website / Instagram

Bridesmaid Dresses: Dynamite Designs

Bridesmaid dress shopping is the wild, wild west. I speak from experience on this. Different colors, different designers, different styles, but this designer only makes dresses in this color palette, and that style dress only comes in two colors – oh I could go on! Some people choose their dress for their girls or have ideas in what they would like them to wear to guide them. I however told my bridesmaids to saddle up and handed them some lassos.

Here is another secret – I’m full of them today. Bridesmaid dress shopping doesn’t have to be that difficult. Let me introduce you to Kristen from Dynamite Designs. Dynamite Designs features a wide variety of designs that cater to prom dresses, bridesmaids dresses, and mother of the bride dresses. Kristen was amazing to work with, she was like our own personal cheerleader during our shoot day. Fluffing dresses, fixing hair, just an overall amazing personality!

Website / Instagram

Makeup: Lauren Page

I don’t mean to scare you, because I feel like I might be with all this “they book up quick” talk. But, let me let you in on a… you guessed it A LITTLE SECRET. If you have found a make up artist you like… book ’em! Now, if you are planning a 1 year engagement or a 6 month engagement I don’t want you to think the pickings for amazing wedding vendors will be slim, they won’t. There are a ton of amazing people to hire for your wedding day. So don’t stress, believe me there are a million things to stress about for you wedding, your time will come.

Now, let chat about Lauren. Do you ever just connect with someone? Well, I totally did with Lauren. We had amazing conversations and both connected on how we became obsessed with make up and beauty by watching YouTube videos. Because Lauren and I were working on a styled shoot together she had makeup directions from the coordinator, but took time to ask us how we like our make up done and tried to make both visions work.

I won’t lie I was extremely nervous when she pulled out the airbrush machine. I have never had airbrush done, but Lauren changed my life that day! She also made my lashes look bomb!

Instagram

Wedding Accessories: DV Couture Bridal

Don’t forget to add sparkle to your wedding day – even if you aren’t a sparkle gal. A little shimmer on a veil or beautiful handcrafted hair clip can add such a special touch.

DV Couture Bridal located in Hartford, Connecticut offers a variety of one of a kind, hand made items special for your wedding day. If you are looking to add a little shimmer, try a belt, hair piece or veil. Hair pieces are perfect day of gifts for your bridesmaids to add something special to their hair.

Website / Instagram

Calligraphy: Tara at TS Calligraphy

If you are looking for signs for your wedding or personalized invites Tara is your gal. A master calligraphist her work is amazing! Handmade signs at your wedding add such a personal touch! Tara creates amazing pieces and she isn’s just for hire for weddings. She is available for any invite or personal signs needed, a quick brainstorming session with Tara and your vision can become a reality.

Tara is such a nice person and a joy to be around. She is easy to work with and can help make your vision a reality. Thats the wonderful thing about working with a small business owner. The colors, the style, and the material can all be customized. It’s so fun getting to work with someone who is so willing to help create your vision!

Website

Cake: Sofy Cakes

Cake, cake, cake, cake, cake, cake , everybody – cake! Did you know its bad luck to not eat your own cake on your wedding day. I know your thinking – heck?! Of course I am going to eat my own cake on my wedding day… crazier things have happened.

Choosing a cake can be hard, its got to look good and taste good. Sofy Cakes nails both! I am coming to you from first hand experience, I’ve eaten a Sofy Cake and it was so good. Located in Wethersfield, CT Sofy Cakes makes beautiful on of a kind cakes!

Website / Instagram

Flowers: Amber Works Floral Design

Are you guys still with me? I know we’ve been on quite a journey through out this post, but I did say at the beginning I was going to plan your entire wedding. Now, last but certainly not least – flowers! If you want jaw dropping florals on your wedding day then you need to check out Amber Works Floral Design.

Pops of colors, elegant style, sturdy – these flowers are gorgeous. Amber can help you with all your floral needs for your wedding. From her bouquets to her center pieces she will be able to help your floral vision become a reality!

Yay – we did it! Congrats on your new planned wedding! Send me an invite, k?

I would also like to give credit to the two amazing models I worked with and who were also featured in this blog post: Michelle and Paul.

Michelle can be found here.
Paul can be found here.

Things I Don’t Have Time For In 2019

First post of the new year — you know its going to be a sassy one. Alright, ladies and gents lets get started.

I had a serious talk with my self at the beginning of 2019, and no I wasn’t talking to myself in the mirror while doing my makeup pretending to be a beauty vlogger. I had a serious talk with myself, I really wanted to target what made me happy in 2018 and what didn’t. I wanted to take the things that made me happy and do more of them and take the things that didn’t make me happy and throw them in the trash. Cliché, I know… however my brain likes to play depression/anxiety roulette, so I have to be on my toes at all times. One way I attempt to counter the bad feelings is to get the things that give me bad feelings out of mind. So here are the things that ya girl does NOT have time for this year!

  1. Women who don’t support other women/Mean girls/ Hoes : LOL I just put hoes in there because it was funny, but I am talking about the first two… obviously. I met some mean girls this year… I mean who doesn’t and I’m here to say. Don’t. Got. Time. You might ask where do you find these mean girls? Well, they are everywhere – at work, in your social circles, randos. I legit got yelled at, at a bodega this year because some girl was shopping for mountain dew and the cashier decided to check out my items first… because she was still shopping around. I also was body shammed by a woman at the gym, she told me I looked like one of those “gym memes – ya know when you see people like you (me) at the gym.” *eye roll city* Honey, you don’t know my struggles. *does 10 deep yoga breaths* So 2018 I leave you mean girls, and 2019 I give you woman who support other woman, good vibes, and nice ladies.
  2. Meat. Yup… meat. Ok, so here is the thing a few years ago I decided I wanted to eat less meat/animal products. I was becoming more educated on eating whole foods and I was feeling really good. The thought of eating meat began to make me nauseas and I just did my best to stay away from it. But you will never guess what happened.. people judged me. They would say side comments about my unwillingness to eat a product produced by an animal and just overall be not be supportive. Changing something you have done for your whole life (like eating meat) is difficult and it’s not always perfect. So 2018 I leave you meat/animal products, and 2019 I give you animal cuddles, love, and support.
  3. Being scared to be creative. I have so many ideas in my head, but always think “what does my audience want?”. I have completely forgotten why I’m here. Why I exist on this small corner of the internet. My style is so diverse and I worry that trying to keep with a perfect instagram flow I can’t show popped collars one day and rainbows another. So 2018 I give you my lame unenergized content, and 2019 I give you the content I want to make.
  4. Not appreciating my body. I am not nice to my body. I drink too much, don’t eat that well, and don’t exercise. Want to hear a secret? I cry after I run road races. Yup, every 5k in the past 3 years I have ran I tear up/cry at least one time during it. Out of pain? Torture? No. I cry because I take running (+ physical fitness) for granted. There are so many people who are not able to run. Something that is so simple to some: running. And here I am mother effing my way through 3 miles, that people who kill to do. My unofficial goal for 2019 is to run a 10k. So 2018 I leave you my inappreciativeness of my body and 2019 I give you my strong body and all the wonderful things it is capable of.

Wow… that post did not go how I expected. I let my mind run with it and here is a piece of content I am overjoyed with to give you. See you next week! (Oh yah that will be a new thing around here- posts once a week Tuesday or Wednesday – Stay Tuned!!)

“Evolving is cool.” Liza Koshy

My Wedding Vision Board

As you have probably just read the title of this blog post you will know that this post is not for you. It is for me. I most often will post on here things I want to share: tips, DIY, life experiences, style, beauty, etc. But today is all about me, baby. Maybe you will leave here with some ideas for your own wedding, or inspiration for your life. But, I wanted a place to go to when people are asking me a million questions: What flowers do you want? What are your bridesmaids going to wear? What kind of center pieces do you want ? Your hair? Your underwear? You get it. At times, I am very excited to talk about my wedding, because what girl wouldn’t be… but sometimes I wish I could just be like HERE. *cue me handing my vision to others* Ideally, I would have a big poster board with little cut outs of my dream center pieces, bridesmaid dresses, hair, bouquet, etc. However, we are in the twenty first century, we have Pinterest!

For those of you who don’t know, my wedding date is November 8, 2019. I cried after we visited our venue, because I just felt like Justin and I fit there. November gives me a home feeling and thats how Justin makes me feel. If I were to sum up my wedding vision in a word or phrase it would be… bohemian, fall not pumpkin fall, like November fall, with hints of Christmas, but not Christmas, fall with a touch of winter.

Okkk party people… lets start with the wedding aisle. Also my color scheme is burgundy & blush and obviously lots of greens (natural, not puke).

This gal wants RUGS!

Our chairs have the ability to hang items off the side, so instead of having something on the ground along the aisle, I would like something dainty hanging from the chairs.

And, it would not be a November wedding, without blankets!

Ceremony arch…

Center pieces – I have 15 inch white lanterns and I plan on doing a ring of greenery, with gold tea light candles on the table…

Bouquet ….

 

Hair… At first I wanted a full on flower crown… I mean I still want a flower crown, but I have dialed it back a bit…

Telling people where to sit…

Wedding favors …

End of the night…

Ok… I think I am done – for now. Is this what it feel like to take a long drag of a cigarette? Well, I hope you enjoyed. I will most likely add to this, because once I fell down the rabbit hole… well lets just say Alice and I were drinking the juice and eating the cookies we shouldn’t.

My Experience Teaching with VIPKID!

At the end of 2017, I was looking for a second job to help pay off my college debt and save for some big things coming up in my life – getting married, buying a house, etc. As I was scrolling on Facebook I saw an ad for VIPKid which advertised “Teach children English from the comfort of your own home!”. I immediately thought it was a scam or false advertisement. The idea of being an online ESL teacher to me was crazy. I kept scrolling but curiosity obviously got the best of me, so I Googled it thinking I would find people claiming the company to be a lie or needing to have extreme qualifications in order to me considered. However, I found the complete opposite. I stumbled onto Nancy Taylors Youtube channel, a mom who teaches before her kids wake up in the morning, and makes enough to stay home with them! She quit her day job as a teacher and successfully taught with VIPKid for over a year! Next I found Erin a girl around my age who is able to travel full time and teach with VIPKid at any location (with wifi!). I was pretty convinced, this seemed legit. So I applied!

Application & Interview:

One of the main requirements for VIPKid is having bachelors degree, which can be in anything! Experience working with children is beneficial, but you can have a degree in anything from archeology to zoology! They also require you have stable internet, a computer with an internal or external camera, and headset. These are all questions that will be asked on your application. After your application is reviewed and they find you to meet all the requirements, you will be able to book an interview!

Your first interview will be with someone from VIPKids head office in China! (This is when I really knew that this was no scam!) They will start by asking you a few questions: Do you have a bachelors degree? Why you want to work for VIPKid? Do you work for another ESL company? Where you do you live? etc. After you will teach a mock class. Mock class materials will be provided to you ahead of time. If you are looking for some amazing examples of how to teach a mock class – Youtube has a ton! There are a lot of awesome teachers out there that create amazing content! This part of the interview can be uncomfortable as you are teaching an adult as if they are a 5 year old… but after a few minutes you’ll get into the groove!

After your first interview is reviewed by the VIPkid team, you will receive an email that you have either passed or failed. If you failed you will received feedback on your class and have the opportunity to apply again. If you passed you will then schedule a second mock interview with a VIPKid teacher (a mentor). In total you will do 1 – 2 mock classes with a mentor. In these classes you will practice teaching VIPkid lessons and be provided feedback from the mentor teacher.

When you finally get offered a contracted (which is reviewed on a 6 month basis), you upload your files, pass a background check, open your schedule and start teaching!!

The entire application process takes 1 – 2 weeks.

 

My First Classes:

I am not going to lie, it is scary sitting in front of your laptop at 5am, props ready, smile on, waiting for your first class to start. The student opens their camera, you open your camera and game on! “Hello! My name is teacher Amy. What is your name?” Each student you meet will be at a different English speaking level and will depend on what levels you are certified to teach. Looking back to my first couple classes I was a nervous wreck. You have this child that is sitting on the other side of the world and you are responsible for teaching them a second language! Wild! However, now this thought empowers me. I want you to know that you will get over the first couple class jitters and before you know it you will be a teaching pro!

Something that help me learned and get through my first couple class was to watch my class feedback. This gave me me the opportunity to see where I could improve. Parents have the opportunity to rate and provide feedback for your class but it is not always the most helpful. I get feedback that will say “Kid likes this teacher very much.” or “Teacher is kind.” – most parents do not leave feedback at all, just an apple review (score 1 -5 ).

My Schedule:

I open my schedule to teach Monday to Friday 5:30am to 6:30am. I have to leave for my day job at 7:15am, so as of now this is my current schedule. There are “peak” times where is it most popular to open your schedule and parents to book your class. In the Winter I have more availability on the weekend and will open more slots starting at the end of October. You can open any slot even if it is not label as “hot”. During the summer when the students were our of school, my schedule was booked between 9:30pm and 12am, because all of the student were home. Based on this schedule I make roughly $100 a week. Obviously, the more time slots you open the more class you book, the more money you make! Which is why I love VIPKid – the flexibly. On days that I have off, or week long vacations I can open up multiple slots and make a ton of extra money!

Payday:

I was definitely nervous awaiting my first paycheck. VIPKid begins to direct deposit paychecks on the 15th of the month. Currently, you can request to be paid bi weekly or one time time a month. I chose bi weekly payments as it worked best for me. When I saw that my first check was deposited in my account I officially knew- this was the real deal. I am online ESL teacher! Curious as to what my monthly earning are? Well here ya go!

January 2018 – $244

February 2018 – $156

March 2018 – $239

April 2018 – $462

May 2018 – $204

June  2018- *took this month off

July 2018 – *took this month off

August 2018 – $510

8 months Update:

I.LOVE.MY.JOB – Does it have it ups and downs? Yes. Are some months slower than others? Yes. Are their difficult kids? Yes. Are their kids that book me weekly and I now know all about their family and their lives? Yes! Have I leaned an incredible amount about a culture I may have never had the opportunity to learn about? Yes! 

You are interested in knowing more please feel free to comment, email, reach out! I love helping other teacher get started on their journey! Be on the look out for more blog post about VIPKid – I am hoping to share any and all helpful information for interested or new teachers!

If you want to keep up with my day in the life of a teacher follow me on Instagram – teacheramyesl

Email – teacheramyesl@gmail.com

Did my post convince you to get started? CLICK HERE

Podcasts I’m Listening to Right Now

When I started my new job in November I increased my commute by thirty minutes. Although, I love a good morning music chill sesh or pump up sesh, my mind asked for more. More knowledge, more meaning, more understanding. After my fiance told me he had started listening to podcasts I decided to do my own exploration on the topic. Since I became one of those people who listen to podcasts, I thought I would share my favorites so you too can open and expand your minds.

The Morning Toast

Girl With No Job (also here) and Jackie O are back “like you’ve never seen them before”. Still streaming on Facebook and now on Youtube they have added a new addition to their bag of tricks – a podcast. Which honestly I am SO thankful for. Before I had to either watch them live on Instagram or the saved live broadcast from earlier. It is so nice being able to listen to the mornings episodes on my commute home from work.

They are share the fast 5 stories before you wake up and take a bite out of your morning toast. It is a must listen for fun and high quality entertainment.

Earth to Us

Hannah and Evan deliver a thought provoking podcasts that focuses on kindness: to our earth, body, animals, and others. A Vegan themed show (not the only topic they discuss) often discussing was we can live a more sustainable and conscious life. This is a podcast I listen to “to wake up”, to other thoughts ideas, philosophies , and more. I very much enjoy the topics, interviews, and questions Hannah and Evan cover. I highly recommend if you are looking for more information on a vegan life, sustainable living, zero waste, being a conscious consumer, and more.

Inside the ABA Track

This might bore you if you are not in the field of applied behavior analysis, BUT I am being completely transparent here and sharing all of the podcasts I am currently listening to right now. This is a “podcast about applied behavior analysis (ABA) and recent research in the field. A resource for continuing education.” As some of you know i completed my Masters Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and am currently seeking certification in the field. One important thing in this field (and many others) is to stay up to date on research. The crew at inside ABA make this a fun task. Always bringing on new guest to openly discuss the continuous flow of new research. If you are in the field I highly suggest listening for continuing education credits or if you are a student a chance to learn more about a variety of topics.

If you listen to Podcasts, please list your favorite below!

DIY: Tassel Earrings

Tassel earrings and very on trend right now! This quick and easy DIY will keep you on trend without breaking the bank!

Woah a DIY blogger too now? I’m just hitting all the genres this week. But, honestly I’m a DIY gal. You guys probably don’t know this (because I haven’t #blogged it) but, my fiance and I renovated a 32 ft long pull camper last summer… AND i’ve been known to dabble in the craft fair, Etsy shop scene. So yes, I would definitely consider my self a crafty person. If you have lived under a rock for the past 6 months or year you might not know, but TASSLE IS IN. Thats right, its on your clothes, shoes, hand bags, and now hanging from your ears… especially for Spring. So in the art of creating content  and challenging myself I decided to make my very own, one of kind, tassel earrings. Through this process I not only learned how to make my own tassel earrings, I also learned how to spell tassel (not tassle…) .

Step 1: Gather your materials.

Very easy start here. Go to your local craft store (get coupon online… not need to pay full price ladies and gents) and gander amongst the jewelry isle. Because, girl… you are a jewelry maker now. I first picked out an assortment of golden hoops (like these), I could not find the exact package I purchased, but they are pictured below. I also picked up some embroider floss (similar). At home I already had scissor and an assortment of beads… which I did not use and will explain later.

Before going any further I want to point out that I made this way harder than it needed to be. Originally my design had cute beads on either side of the tassel to create some flash and sparkle, but I didn’t have any of the right tools to bend the material to allow the beads to slip on. Also, this materials is so flexible and flimsy. I mean its $3.99 for a packing… this isn’t Kendra Scott. Moving on…

Step 2: Create the tassel

Making tassels are so easy! I slipped the embroidery floss through the open hoop and pulled out to strings to tie around the top part of the tassel.

As you will see in the photos below I open the hoop in hopes to slide beads on to the hoop, and it resulted in me bending the wire hoop and not being able to slip beads onto the wire. If I had the appropriate tools, I probably would have been able to straighten the wire, and then bend it back. But I am on a budget, the tools I used were the ones God game me. My hands.

Step 3: Length 

Once you have tied a knot, you will need to cut the length of your tassel. My advice to my self at the moment was to not cut to short, I can always go shorter, but I can’t go longer if I don’t like it. (Also, shoutout to my hair dresser for those words of wisdom. It wouldn’t be fair to take credit for her Grade A advice.)

Step 4: Repeat and Compare

Repeat steps 1-3 for your other earring.. LEAVING OUT the mistake where I unnecessarily opened the hoop and created a bumpy circle. When going to cut compare the two earrings next to each other for a matching length for both. (see: all-star hairdresser advice above)

Step 5: Assemble and Admire 

If need be, continue the assembly part of your DIY project. Then admire your new favorite accessories.

Want to read more?

DIY: Monogram Bag

Things to know before you go wedding dress shopping!

 

*Premium content alert* Since I am engaged and getting married in the next twenty years I now qualify as a very professional wedding blogger. Thats right, ya girl is coming in hot with that wedding planning content. I recently went wedding dress shopping and found the perfect dress… I now feel obliged to share some tips and tricks to help make your wedding dress shopping experience special and magical.

I consider myself to be lucky to be the last person out of my friend group to get married. Many might disagree as recently married friends *opinions* can be tough to handle however, I am open to all suggestions and tips. Why be stressed when I can learn from all of my friends mistakes? (love you…).

The first tip, which I think is obvious is budget. Know your budget before you go shopping. When I booked my shopping appointment, I sat down with my mom to review my dress budget. We compared prices of dress shopping places and found a place that would have a lot of dresses in my budgeted area. At the start of the appointment I informed the  shop owner of my budget so that she wouldn’t pull dresses for me to try on that were over.

This brings me to my next tip, finding a place to shop for wedding dresses. There is no wrong answer when choosing a place to buy a wedding dress. Most of them carry similar dresses and have a wide price range, however I was going for an overall experience. I chose The Wedding Embassy in Connecticut for its selection of dresses, price range, and environment. As I said earlier, I am the last of my friends to get married, so this wasn’t my first dress shopping rodeo. The Wedding Embassy offers a private shopping experience, Champagne Sunday. For a small fee you book a 3 hour time frame where you and your “party” get a 1:1 shopping experience with either the owner or another wedding “embassador”, brunch, and champagne. I knew wedding dress shopping was going to be an overwhelming experience, so this was honestly the best option for me.

The next important thing to consider is what you are going to be wearing underneath your dress. We are going to get a little personal here. So boys close your eyes. During your wedding dress shopping experience you get the chance to get up close and personal with your wedding dress embassador. She is your one and only friend for the day. She will be there for you in the dressing room taking your side on all the dresses you hate. She will be there to calm you down when you are feeling overwhelmed, she will remind you continuously that at the end of the day it is your dress and only your opinions matter, and she will be there you help you shimmy in and out of multiple wedding dress half naked. Honestly, a life long friendship is formed behind those pastel curtains. Sticking to my true ways I wore full coverage (granny) hot pink underwear, and my all time fave gel breast petals. 100% recommend these to a friend. They are reusable, comfortable, and my wedding embassador thanked me for wearing them. When she sincerely thanked me for wearing glorified nipple pasties… I wondered what awful things she has seen in her days as a wedding embassador.

The fourth thing to do, and honestly was a tip / gift from a friend was to bring a robe. Oh this was an amazing gift. During your time trying on dressed there will be a time where you become overwhelmed, hangry, hot, tired, etc. There is no better feeling then slipping into a comfy robe, sitting with your crew and sipping champagne for a couple minutes as you reflect on all the different shades of white.

The fifth thing I highly recommend is to get glam before your fitting. I curled my hair, put a little extra effort into my makeup, and got my nails done. It really helped me visual each dress I put on as to what I might look like that day. It also made me feel good. Self care is so important, and yes I consider getting glam self care.

The sixth tip, is to bring all the right accessories. Shoes, hair pieces, vail, etc. I know I am most likely going to be in flats so shoes were not important to me, however if you are planning on wearing heels, bringing a pair that matches the ideal height you would like to achieve is beneficial. Additionally, I know I want to wear a flower crown. I also knew the wedding embassy had one there as a prop to use for when trying on dress. The addition of the flower crown also helped me better visualize the dresses I was trying on… Are you see the theme here? VISUALIZE. “Visualizing my dreams to obtain my optimal level success.” – Some self help book I’m sure…

Finally chose a good team. I brought my mom, aunt, best friend from childhood (MOH), best friend from high school (Bridesmaid), future sister in law (Bridesmaid), and future mother in law. I felt strong with my team. Everyone has great opinions and really let me explore all dress styles… this boho girl went a little wild, but we brought it back in.

And my final, final tip… be open minded. We all go in there thinking we know what we want, what style looks best on us, but it is alright to not know… or to be wrong. Try on styles you are not comfortable with and styles you have never thought to try. I PROMISE. You will not regret it…

Have any other tips? Let me know in the comments! Happy shopping 🙂

Want to read more?

My Wedding Vision Board

Wedding Wednesday: My (#Thrifted) Bridal Shower