Holla Holla, I'm Savin' Dollas... and it's Cute!

     I have a confession to make- I spend way too much time on Pinterest drooling over all of the cool crafts and DIY ideas. Granted, I'm pretty sure most women also have a Pinterest addiction, which makes me feel just a tad less guilty. A while back I discovered a home made recipe for chalkboard paint and kept seeing THE COOLEST projects using it (like these.) 

     My piggy bank (which is coincidentally a hippo) is quite small and doesn't really hold all that much change, so I've been yearning for a new bank. Thanks to my pickle-eating-champ of a husband, we go through jars at a fairly consistent rate, so I had been toying around with the idea of decorating a pickle jar as a bank. After some musing, the idea of painting a pickle jar with chalkboard struck me, and bam! Awesomeness was created. 

    This is my finished product. To create my paint I added 1 tablespoon of unsanded grout to 1/2 cup of acrylic paint and mixed thoroughly. I waited a day before using chalk on my freshly painted jar, but before writing anything, I made sure to scribble all over it with chalk and wipe it off. This helps prevents shadows after erasing. For my coin slot, I hammered a nail through the metal lid several times in a row, tucking the metal edges under with a flathead screwdriver. 

     Overall, I'm pretty pleased with my new coin bank! I like being able to write a specific goal on it, or being able to decorate it when I feel the urge. My only problem is that it takes a bit more work that I'd like to wipe of the chalk, but I'm going to blame that on the texture of my brushstrokes, and even more so on the uneven surface of the jar. 

     After my success with painting this bank, I'm eager to branch out and do a few more chalkboard paint projects. I recently acquired a small chest/ cabinet that I'm plotting over, so hopefully I'll be able to share how that turns out soon! 

Kiss my Fat!

     Here lately I've being doing quite a bit of reading on body love and fat- acceptance. I've been what most people consider overweight the majority of my life. Not really morbidly obese, but chubby. Soft. Curvy. Pear-shaped. I am am a fat- bottomed girl. And up until fairly recently, I've always had a problem with this. 
     The moment that I can most poignantly remember being ashamed of my body was in middle school. According to the dress code, shorts had to be as long as your fingertips. It was summer and quite warm, so like most of my classmates, I was wearing shorts. I was fairly shy and modest, so my shorts were naturally an adequate length. I was siting on a bench near the front doors waiting on my bus to come, and I was approached by the secretary from the office. She informed me that my shorts were much too short and I shouldn't wear them to school again. I was lucky my mother hadn't been called over me showing so much leg.
     My shorts were too short, but many of the other girls slipped by with wearing shorts that were obviously against the dress code. No amount of tugging or shoulder- shrugging could suggest otherwise. Their shorts were OK, but I shouldn't show my legs. I felt so embarrassed... my face turned violently hot and tears pricked my eyes. My shorts were too short... my legs should not be exposed. 
     I would like to say that this upset me for a bit and then I got over it- I would be lying. After that, I didn't wear shorts above my knees in public again until after I graduated high school. I did swim on the rec-league swim team until the summer after my sophomore year, but eventually I quit, one of the main reasons being that I was tired of being so fat and exposed, scurrying around with a towel wrapped around me, trying to fool anyone into thinking I had a smaller mass. 
     Now, I have two pairs of Levi denim shorts, both just above my fingertips. Whenever I go out in them, I seem to garner disapproving looks. For example, today I went to the mall with my hubby to search for appropriate work clothes. I didn't bother to wear makeup, and although my hair was obviously clean and brushed, I hadn't bothered to style it. In addition to my shorts, I wore one of my favorite tees- it's black, and has art from a Harley Quin comic book cover with her, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy. 
     While redeeming my coupon for free panties at Victoria's Secret, the salesgirl was friendly, but her eyes revealed perplexion. I suppose I'm not the typical VS shopper. I also noticed looks accompanied by hushed voices directed towards me from a few of the thinner, "trendier" girls. When in Walmart a few days ago I noticed the same thing from two other girls, one of which who seemed to be around my size... fat- stabbing, is what I like to call this behavior. 
     Fat-stabbing:verb- when girls who are perceived to be heavy verbally cut- down other heavy girls. "Ohh snap, that size 16 girl is showing her thighs. How nasty. " I guess this stems from personal insecurity, and wanting to reassure oneself that you're OK for covering up those thighs. "I'm covering my fat. I'm made up, and my hair is done. I'm compensating for my fatness." I used to have this mindset. And eventually, I decided that anyone who didn't like the way I looked could just get over it. I'm not lazy. I eat healthy things. I'm clean. And anyone assuming that I'm a slob just because I don't get dolled up to shop for polo shirts and khakis probably has some issues of their own. 

If you want people to look at you,

just recreate this look. Also. I didn't 

realize I was this tan. Cool.

     Because of my own experiences with how "fat people," especially women, are perceived, I've decided that I want to start posting "kiss my fat" posts. Each one is going to explore one of my features I've felt shame towards and why, in actuality, it's not all that bad. I may try to make them a monthly feature, so they get spaced out nicely. Because all of my insecurities don't stem from fat, some of them might be non-fat-related, but I'm sure they'll still be relatable. I'm hoping that by writing about myself, other people might come to love and accept who they are, as well. After all, no one is perfect, and if you're holding yourself up to some unattainable example, you'll never be happy. 
     

Magazine Must- Haves

     I love to read, but it seems like I have trouble getting through regular books when school is in session. I hate wading halfway through a great book, and then having to put off reading it because of assignments and general busy-ness. Then, when I actually pick the book back up, it can be hard to remember the last few things I read. I guess that's why I tend to gravitate towards magazines when I have a lot going on. Here's a quick list of my favorites:

1) Mary Janes Farm
    Crafts, recipes, beautiful and fun pictures, and pertinent information- this magazine has it all. The layout is very dynamic and good at leading your eye around, and the aesthetics are just fabulous. Even though it is written from an organic- living point of view, it's not abrasive. It is informative about new studies conducted about food safety and the ongoing battle for more transparent food labeling. However, the thing I love most about this magazine is how empowering it is for women. It really supports women pursuing their passions and dreams, and there are frequent spotlights on people (men and women) who are making a difference. Mary Janes Farm is really a pleasure to read. 

2) Better Homes and Gardens, and BH&G "Do It Yourself" special interest publications
     I do not own a house. I currently rent an apartment, and as a short- term renter I'm fairly limited on how I can customize my home. For this reason, I live vicariously through these magazines! When I was younger I didn't really understand their appeal, but now that I'm at an age where I'm excited about having a home all my own, and these magazines give me endless inspiration. Some of the ideas are do-able in an apartment, which is cool, but for the most part I just gather ideas  about what I'd like to have in a house I owned. Some of the ideas are so clever! Plus, the photography is spot- on, making BH&G chock full of eye- candy. 

3) Country Living
     I like Country Living for many of the same reasons I like BH&G, but it has a more- down-home vibe. I also showcases a lot of decorating ideas using repurposing and vintage items. I also love their articles on actual homes. Some of the ideas and techniques people use are so clever and creative, it make me think "we didn't I ever think of that!?" Again, the photos are stunning, so they eye- candy factor is high on this one, as well. 


     
     

Come One, Come All....

     Hello, all! This is my latest attempt at blogging. For a while I wrote a beauty blog, which was fun, but eventually I just became disenchanted with the whole thing. I would write reliably for a bit, then have a long hiatus, followed by a lame heartfelt excuse and then the cycle would repeat. I really wanted to expand it out to just a general blog, but I felt like I had already framed myself in such a way that I could only follow a set formula for every blog post... and I just needed a change- a fresh start, if you will. On this blog be prepared for product reviews (of both beauty and non-beauty related items), random ramblings, food/ recipes I like, and a TON of pictures. 
     I have a million and two different interests. One day I'll be wearing foxy heels, the next I can rock high- top Chucks, I like to run errands in comfy flats, and I'm always at home in manure crusted work boots. So buckle, up, and hopefully this will be a fun ride.