New Year, New Me! (Again)

I know, I know. You, me, and the rest of the world has either heard it or said it a thousand times before -- New year, new me! And each time, we promise ourselves that we mean it this time. For me, I mean it for a maximum of two weeks before I decide that "new me" is just too hard to work on when I have to go through real life at the same time. Generally, my "new me" that I resolve to work on is a new and fitter me. Like many other people out there, I've got a bit more belly than I'd like. However, getting rid of all that extra belly is pretty tough when I have so many other life obligations.

That's why this year, I consulted the help of technology. More specifically, an app on my phone. That's right. When it comes to a fitness-themed (and other-themed, too, I'm sure) resolution of 'new year, new me,' there's an app for that!

Before I get into that, though, let me tell you all the try-and-fails that I attempted before turning to the app for help.

For the past year or so, I've been paying a gym membership fee. I think in the entire time that I've been a member at that gym, I actually visited the gym a total of five times. That basically means I've been giving the gym free money for the better part of the past year. This year, I wanted to change that. Sure, I could just cancel the membership and save myself a lot of money, but I figured it would be more worth it to just use the gym more frequently. So I went to the gym to get my run in. I ran a mile, did some half-hearted workouts, and then headed home. Honestly, it was incredibly unsatisfactory. Not only did I not really feel winded in the slightest by my gym time, but I didn't feel like I got anything out of my time there. The next day, I went back, ran an even faster mile, did a more thorough and vigorous workout, and felt a little more satisfied than I did the day before. Still, something was lacking. I was a little winded, but not enough to motivate me to go back. At the risk of sounding cocky, I can handle a pretty rigorous workout for someone who doesn't do much exercising. Of course, I've trained with Army soldiers before for three months. Then I got lazy and quit exercising. That's when things started to go downhill.

Then, I discovered this app. After years of not exercising, I downloaded the 30 Day Fitness Challenge App for Android. The nice thing about this app is that it has workouts for several different areas, including abs, butt, and arms. It also throws in cardio workouts, squat workouts, and push-up workouts. If that wasn't good enough, it also offers various levels of workouts, from beginner level 1 to advanced. Since I haven't worked out in a while, I started with a beginner level 1 workout for abs, arms, squats, and cardio. Everything can be done from the comfort of my own home, so I fired up my Netflix account, hit play on one of my shows, and got to work.

I was a little apprehensive about the beginner level 1 at first. I thought it'd be too easy, but boy, was I wrong. The workouts are deceptively short and easy, but after doing them, they prove to be quite the workout. My ab workout required me to do just 15 sit ups, 5 crunches, 5 leg raises, and a 10 second plank. By the end of it, I was definitely feeling it! Throughout the rest of my day, I definitely felt a little sore. The soreness was barely noticeable, but it was there. I don't know about you, but physically feeling the results of my workout (aka being sore) motivates me to continue.

I just completed my day 2 workout for the day, and I'm feeling my abs and legs more than ever. My arms are tingling a little, too, but the pain is mostly targeted in my abs and legs as of right now. Definitely looking forward to seeing results at the end of the 30 days!

Chao for now!

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Trump's New Presidency and Its Effect on My Life (already)

I know it, you know it, the world knows it: Donald J. Trump is the new president elect of the good ol' United States of America.

To help readers who may not want to hear what I have to say about our new president, I'm going to cut to the chase and tell you right now that I am 100% anti-Trump, and will never support him as president of this country. 

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let me go on to my opinion on the results of this election.

I am a non-white female child of two immigrants. Although I believe my English is as accent-free as my white American peers and colleagues, the one thing I don't have in common with them is the fact that I don't have the privilege of being white.

Yesterday, not 24 hours after the country found out the results of the election, I was told by one of my students that it's a good thing Trump won because "women don't deserve to be the president." Do you understand what that does to me? Here I am, holding the highest authority in that classroom as his teacher, and he's looking me in the face and essentially telling me that women don't deserve to be in positions of power. This dialogue isn't a new one; it's one that the patriarchy has been instilling in each and all of us in order to ensure that women do not feel empowered. However, the reason that this student felt bold enough to say those words with such confidence is because he believes that under Trump's presidency, he is allowed to say those words without suffering the consequences.

If these are the comments that people -- no, a child -- is willing to direct at me so soon after hearing the results of this election, I am terrified to see what adults will feel bold enough to say to me. Trump's victory makes me upset not because the candidate I wanted to win didn't, but because it now means I have, now more than ever, legitimate reason to fear for my physical and mental health. It tells me that half this country does not care about my life, my body, my voice, or my opinions. It means that despite being born and raised in this country, I will still not be good enough because of the color of my skin. This is why Trump is not my president. This is why I did not and do not support Trump. This is why Trump did not get my vote.

Lowering Your Craft Expenses

If you're anything like me where crafting and baking cool things is part of your daily cravings and actions, then you probably find yourself browsing through a craft store fairly often.

...

Or is it just me?

I promise A.C. Moore did not pay me to endorse them or advertise them. I just happen to live conveniently close to an A.C. Moore (seriously. The location is a 10 minute walk from my apartment. It doesn't get any more convenient than that, short of a taxi service from my front door to theirs). So I happen to be in there a lot. I find myself doing a lot of DIY projects, and most of those projects involve various materials that I simply do not have laying around. I'm also a pretty avid scrapbooker. My boyfriend and I started doing "adventure books" together -- scrapbooks filled with fun memories of things we've done together. This means I'm always looking for fun stickers and scrapbook paper. I'm also looking for material to work on my DIY projects. Needless to say, I'm always at this A.C. Moore.

When I first started out shopping at A.C. Moore, I constantly bemoaned the fact that I had to pay so much for stuff that probably could be found cheaper at other places. Then, on a whim, I decided to sign up for their rewards program. This ended up being a pretty great decision. If you're looking for a way to lower your A.C. Moore craft cost, definitely sign up for their rewards program.

I get emails every day with at least one coupon. Most days I get two. They're usually pretty good coupons, too. It's usually something like 50% off a regularly priced item. In fact, I've received so many coupons that I honestly don't get a chance to use most of them. I don't feel like I've missed out, though, because I always get a fresh coupon the next day.

Another great way to save at A.C. Moore is their receipts! This tends to get overlooked quite often. In fact, I overlooked it all the time for a while. But on their receipts, A.C. Moore usually has a coupon. It's usually something like a 50% off coupon that's valid about a week after your purchase. Having to wait before you can use the coupon can be a drag sometimes, but it comes in handy when you're at the store and need a coupon but don't feel like having to browse through your email on your phone to find the coupon.

Another thing on the receipt, in smaller print, is the opportunity to get a discount for taking a very quick and easy survey. If you go to acmoorecares.com and put in a few details about your purchase, you're asked to answer a series of questions that's essentially rating them on a scale of 1-5 on various aspects of your shopping experience. It's pretty easy and painless to complete. At the end of the survey, you get a validation code that you write on the receipt, Then on your next visit to an A.C. Moore store, you get a discount on your next single-item purchase. Like I said, super easy.

Now with all these new ways to save on your next purchase, go forth and shop!

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DIY Elsa Costume for Adults

DIY #2: Elsa from Frozen!

The girly princess side of me just couldn't resist being a princess -- excuse me, queen -- for Halloween. But when I looked for an Elsa costume, the price of the costume didn't justify the look of it. So my solution - DIY, of course!

This costume took quite a bit of time because this costume was made specifically for adults, and I wanted the skirt to be a full-length one, not one of those mini-skirt-esque ones that aren't exactly appropriate for my workplace. But if you're making this for a child or if you want your skirt to be shorter, this shouldn't take as long as it took me.

Let's get started on this no-sew fun!

You'll need:

- Tulle. A lot of tulle. I'm not kidding. Do not underestimate how much tulle you'll need. I used three different types of tulle: dark blue, glitter blue, and glitter light blue. (Glitter tulle is optional, obviously, but I just really wanted to be a sparkly queen). I'm 5'4", and I needed:
- 80 yards of dark blue tulle
- 50 yards of glitter blue tulle
- 50 yards of glitter light blue tulle
As you can see, I needed a total of 180 yards of tulle. For those of you who are doing the math, that's 540 feet of tulle! You might have a little extra left over by the end of the project, but it's better to have too much than too little.

- Ribbon or elastic (I used a blue ribbon that matched my tulle, but that was only because I couldn't find elastic. I definitely recommend elastic for a better fit.

- A blue shirt

- A white shrug or something similar

Procedure:

1. Measure and cut your ribbon. I measured around my waist and added about a quarter of an inch for when I would have to adhere it back together.

2. Measure and cut your tulle. I initially measured and cut one spool of tulle at a time, but as I kept working, I found it easier to just cut several spools of tulle at once. I measured how long I wanted the skirt to be, and then doubled that length and cut it.
The glitter tulle cooperated much better than the non-glitter one. They were a little more stiff, so they folded more easily, as you can see in the picture below.

(You'll also notice that I lay down a lot of newspaper. My apartment is carpeted and I learned the hard way that glitter is not easy to get out of carpet, so I had to prep my work area by laying down lots of newspaper to avoid a headache when it came time to clean up. I highly recommend either doing the same or working outdoors if you're using glitter tulle, because glitter never leaves)

3. To start working on your skirt, take two pieces of the plain blue tulle and fold them in half. The length should now be the length of your skirt. Make a slip knot around the ribbon to secure the tulle to the ribbon. Repeat the same process for the glitter blue tulle. Then again for the glitter light blue tulle. Continue this pattern until you're out of tulle or until you're satisfied with the way the skirt looks. Here's a look at my in-progress skirt to give you an idea of what it should start to look like as you make your skirt. (This was also before I added the glitter light blue tulle)

                           (Once again, notice the newspaper on the floor to catch falling glitter)

4. Now that you're done with the skirt, the top is significantly easier in comparison. All you need is a blue shirt (I chose a v-neck to kind of imitate the curves on Elsa's actual dress). Then I threw on a white shrug because Elsa's top is made of one dark against one light material. Although Elsa didn't have a crown in the movie (not toward the end, anyway), I sprung for a plastic tiara anyway. Here's the finished look: 

I really loved the full-length skirt. It seemed more true to Elsa's original dress than a short little tutu. 

Happy crafting! 

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DIY Cruella De Ville Costume

DIY Halloween costume #1: Cruella Deville!

No way was I going to let this Halloween pass without a nod to something scary and Disney! Of course, I could have picked from several other Disney villains, but if I'm being honest, Cruella was really the most affordable and cost-friendly option for me. Unfortunately, I was so busy trying to perfect the costume that I didn't stop to take many progress pictures, but hopefully the written directions will be clear enough to make up for the lack of visuals.

Here we go!

You will need:

- A large white furry coat or shawl
- Red fabric
- Hot glue gun
- A black outfit
- A black and white wig
- Red gloves, or black & red nail polish

I actually couldn't find a white furry item of clothing in my closet, so I had to do some shopping for one. I didn't go out with high hopes. I would have been content with just a regular old white coat. But I couldn't believe my luck - I found the perfect white fuzzy coat that was super soft and fit exactly the way I hoped it would. I found mine in the bathrobes section of TJ Maxx. It was even on sale! I bought mine in a size L because I wanted it to fit a little looser than a typical coat.

Next, I measured out my red fabric and cut it so that it was the size of one side of my coat. That sounds a little confusing, but the picture below shows what I mean. You can cover the entire inside of your coat with the red fabric if you want, but since only the sides will be visible, I figured I'd just cover up the visible portions. Less work that way.

 As you can see, I cut my fabric so that it fit just nicely on the inside of the left and right sides of my coat. I seriously recommending splurging for fabric scissors. They're sharp and made specifically for cutting fabric without making those awful jagged marks as you go. Just remember not to use it for any other material than fabric. Fabric scissors cost a pretty penny, so it's helpful to make it last for more than just one project.

I have zero sewing skills, so my hot glue gun has very quickly become my best friend in DIY projects. I carefully glued the piece of fabric onto the coat. It stuck surprisingly well. I was initially worried that it wouldn't adhere nicely because of the material of the furry coat. You'll have to adjust the fabric as you go. Don't rush this process - since this fabric is visible, you'll want to make it look neat.

After doing the same to the other side of the coat, you're done! That's the main part of this costume, other than the wig. Then slap on some red gloves, or, if you're in a warmer climate like me, you can opt to paint your nails black and then add some nice red tips. Add some red pumps (or just any pair or red shoes, really), and voila! You are Cruella Deville! If you want to go the extra mile and add a cigarette holder to finish off the look, you can easily paint a straw black, white, and gold.

Here's the final look (minus hair and nails) :

This costume took all of 40 minutes to put together, so it's a great costume if you're trying to come up with a last minute costume for Halloween. Plus it's warm, too, so you can be comfy and cute! 

Have fun!

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Halloween Prep Week!

One of the perks of teaching -- I mean, other than the actual act of teaching -- is seeing how hyped up kids get over Halloween. Now, I'm honestly not the type of person to be in the Halloween spirit. I tend to not get invited to many Halloween parties, and when I am invited to one, I politely decline because I'd rather be sitting in the quiet comfort of my home binge-watching a TV series on Netflix and drinking hot tea. However, now that I'm a teacher, I'm just as excited as my students are to get in the spirit of Halloween.

To celebrate Halloween, staff members are highly recommended to come dressed up in Halloween costumes for the entire week before Halloween. They say highly recommended because they can't really require us to do dress up. After some initial reservations, I have come to terms with being whole-heartedly in the spirit of this. Unfortunately, my coworkers don't seem to share my enthusiasm. I'm hoping they're just playing it cool and are also planning on showing up dressed in some fabulous costumes so I don't look like the only idiot teacher there dressed in a costume.

I've been thinking about what I want to be a lot, and have come up with some ideas. Some ideas include Carl from the movie Up, Cruella Deville from 101 Dalmations, and Elsa from Frozen. I wanted to keep my costume as easily recognizable as possible so even my youngest students will know what I'm supposed to be. I started making my Elsa costume today, and the more I worked on it, the more excited I got. I've also started browsing and shopping for a Cruella costume as well, so I'm stoked to go to work dressed as Cruella one of those days as well. I'm planning on DIY-ing my way through most, if not all, of the costumes during Halloween week, so stay tuned for some tutorials in the near future!

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Chocolate Stuffed Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Dessert is by far my favorite pat of any meal. Coincidentally, making dessert is also one of my favorite past times. And since today is one of my student's birthdays, I decided that today is a great day to make a delicious treat.

However, since the weather has been heating up and I was a little pressed for time, I was both too hot and too lazy to heat up the oven to make a baked treat. My solution? Chocolate covered strawberries stuffed with chocolate truffles. Yum! 

I might have snacked on a piece or two during the process, but I couldn't resist. There's still plenty for everyone! So let me share with you how I made this very tempting treat. 

You will need: 

1 package of double stuffed Oreos 

2 chocolate pudding cups

1 8 oz. package of creamed cheese

optional: 1 cup of mini chocolate chips 

32 oz. of strawberries 

I got excited just looking at all this stuff! 

Procedure: 

1. Wash your strawberries thoroughly. Cut off the tops of the strawberries. 

2, Use a small but sharp knife to take out the core of the strawberries. 

3. Put that aside and open the package of Oreos. I got the double stuffed kind because that just sounds more festive. Break a few Oreos and then put them in a food processor and grind them until they become fine crumbs. My food processor is a small one, so it took me two or three rounds of processing, but it got the job done, so that's what counts. 

4. In a large bowl, cream together the creamed cheese and Oreo crumbs until it almost resembles dough. If you want, add a cup (or less, depending on how much or how little chocolate chips you want) of chocolate chips and stir until everything is well combined. 

5. Very carefully start stuffing your cored strawberries with the creamed cheese mixture. This is going to be most easily done with your hands. 

6. Put the delicious chocolate stuffed strawberries in the freezer for 20 minutes. When you take them out, cover the tops of the strawberries with a generous helping of chocolate pudding.

7. Toss those puppies back in the freezer for another 30 - 40 minutes. Some of the pudding might fall off, but that's why we put a generous helping of pudding on top of the strawberries before we put them in the freezer. 

8. Take them out of the freezer and enjoy! 

These treats are very delicious, and it's helpful that they're cold. Perfect for a nice hot summer day! :)