a good friend always carries your clutch

{ a follow-up to "it's clutch" }

My fabulous friend/neighbor and I were discussing the blog the other day, and I started to tell her about the article I was writing about clutches. I was explaining the dancing dilemma, in which you want to dance and have a good time while you are out, but you feel tied down since you have to carry your clutch onto the dance floor. My friend then explained her strategy in those situations: always bring your friend that carries a bigger bag. That way, you can slip your clutch into her bigger purse, and be hands-free the rest of the night. 

Now some people might say that this is not very fair to your friend, but I beg to differ. Your friend was already carrying a big purse into the bar. Your choice to force her to carry your clutch is simply economical. Maybe your friend enjoys sitting at the table guarding her bag, while she watches you do the electric slide clutch-free. It's a maternal thing. And you are just giving her the gift of responsibility. 

So to all you girls out there still dealing with the clutch problem, there's your solution. That, or just use a cross-body. ;)

*Note: this article is tounge-in-cheek. Please don't be offended. 

its clutch

Ah, the clutch. I don't know if it's the same way for you, but for me, the clutch is contradiction. It is both to big and too small. I love my everyday bag because it has room for everything I would need during an average day. On the other hand, I love carrying a small clutch or evening bag, because it's just so much lighter and less of a hassle.

The problem with the small bag is that it's a small bag. For a night on the town, you never know what you'll need. I usually start out with my cell, ID, debit card, and lipgloss. But what if we end up eating at Mexican restaurant for dinner and I need a breath mint? I toss those in. And what if I get a headache right when things are getting fun? Toss in the Advil. And if I dance all night, I'm going I need my oil-blotters and my powder. In they go. If we walk home from the restaurant, I'll need my flip flops to change into. And if we end up staying out all night, I don't want to be stranded the next morning without my sunglasses. Oh, and my house key...I'll need that too.

All of the sudden my "small" bag is stuffed to the brim and I can't even close it.

The next time I go out, I decide just to take the cell, ID, debit card, and Chapstick. I shimmy out to the dance floor, but I don't feel free to dance since I've got my clutch in one hand and my drink in the other (and we all know not to leave our drink unattended). Now the clutch is too high-maintenance.

It's times like these where - gasp - I wish we could just stuff all our stuff in our pockets like men.

For my upcoming night out in Las Vegas, I've packed three evening bags. One small crossbody, one adorable clutch, and one small shoulder bag. I'll let you know how it goes...

home base

Since Christmas, I have spent a lot of time reorganizing my house (FYI, I see a yard sale in my very near future). My family and friends blessed me with all kinds of new goodies, and I wanted to make sure everything had a home. I had a few home decor items that quickly found a home. The kitchen stuff was a little bit more of a battle. Since there seems to be an endless array of kitchen tools, it was harder to toss something to make room for something else. With clothes and bags, I try to stick by my rule of "one thing in, one thing out." But what about all those small things? Adorable mini pack of tissues, small hand lotions, the fancy pen, and the new wallet.

I've got the essentials that always travel in my purse (wallet, phone, keys). I've got the replacement things I will use once my other runs out (hand lotion, tissues). And in addition to that, I've got those things that I sometimes need to carry with me, but not always (coupon book). My problem is this: where do I store all of this stuff?

A couple of months ago, I got an idea as I was drifting off to sleep - yes, I occasionally dream about handbags. I decided I needed a "home base" for my purse. I went out and bought a small wicker "box" that now sits by my front door. Every day when I walk into the house, that is where I set down my purse. That is it's designated spot. Now I have decided that the contents of my purse also need a home (when not in their natural habitat - aka my purse). Thankfully this decorative basket/box is spacious enough to corral all of my items.

I believe every woman needs a Home Base for their bag. This is a place where you can organize the different genres of items that you need to carry. This will also be the place that may save you from a sore shoulder. If you sit next to your Home Base every few days and reassess what you are carrying, that may literally take a load off your shoulders. Throw away the trash, organize and address the receipts, replace the empty tin of Altoids, and you've got a fresh start.

These are some pictures of my first attempt at a Home Base. I'm sure I will adjust things as needed, but I think this is a good start!

Other things I've been working on...

Here are two more projects I've completed recently. Their inspiration comes from the wonderfully creative site PSIMadeThis.com and from a local boutique in my hometown. Hopefully I'll find somewhere to wear them soon!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Addiction

So, I've found a new addiction. 

Have you heard of Pinterest.com? If you haven't, like me up until about 2 days ago, you've been living under a rock. This website will be the downfall of any productivity I had left, and it will be the inspiration for probably most everything I do from now on. 

In a nutshell, Pinterest is a site that allows you to share the wonderful things that you find whilst surfing the web. People follow you to see what you have found, and you follow fellow Pinterests to see what they have found. A lot of what you see has been "pinned" from other members' "boards". Your findings can be organized by theme (ex: Home Decor, Recipes, Artwork, etc.). 

As my first Pinterest-inspired project (which I will call my Pin Project), I converted a Kelly Green turtleneck into somewhat of a blazer. The picture of the final product on Pinterest was much cuter, but this will do for now. I will continue to make adjustments as needed. 

The Bacon-Glazed Doughnut

     Sometimes there are things in life that are so utterly indulgent, so selfishly decadent, that you feel guilty for even entertaining the idea of it. I’m here to tell you that those things must not be lost. You should, however, keep in mind that one of my many mantras is “everything in moderation.” Given that little bit of always-helpful knowledge, go ahead. Indulge.

     This morning, I was faced with a decision. It was a tough one. I was presented with a gourmet, glazed doughnut that was sprinkled with bits of bacon. I’ve seen something like this on TV before, but never thought I would run into one in real life. If you are vegetarian, or if, for some reason (though I can’t think of any), you don’t like the smell of bacon, then you won’t get what I’m about to describe. Imagine waking up for your morning workout session, ready to attack the day, when you are met with the haunting smell of freshly fried bacon. This smell drifts towards you, mingled with the succulent smell of warm sugar. You open your eyes to find something very different from your average breakfast. There, sitting in front of you, is a temptation only an enemy could dream up.

     I had planned on this morning being productive and healthy. So, I ignored that marvelous smell and put on my yoga pants. I coaxed myself to the gym and strengthened both my core and my soul. I decided, mid Downward Dog, that I would not have the doughnut that was waiting for me at home.

     Long story short, I ate the doughnut. I enjoyed it for the same reason that I thrive off of visiting New York for a few hours every time I have a work obligation in Newark, NJ. For the same reason that I wanted more than anything to visit the original Starbucks (even though I cannot stand their coffee) while I was visiting Seattle. It was for the same reason as when I quit my horrible job in hopes of really being able to do what I love, even if I don’t know what that is yet. I want to EXPERIENCE my life. I want to look back on the life that I have lived, and know that I lived it, within reason. Some people might take it as far as skydiving, or diving with sharks. Those adventures may not be up my ally, but that’s what I am talking about.

     So, get out there, try the bacon-glazed doughnut. Make that jump. In the end, wouldn’t you rather have lived and lost, than never lived at all?

Lined or Unlined?

            I am a journaler. I like to write things down. I’m not sure why I like to write things down. I know a big part of it is that I forget things very easily, so I want to make my previous thoughts accessible to “future me”. I make lists, and journal about my daily devotions. I journal about experiences I have traveling and working. I draw diagrams and paste inspirational photos into my journals.

But here is my problem; I just said “journals”. I have four journals active right now. One is for my devotionals, one is for my travels, one is for my to-do lists and future goals, and my newest one is, in my current mindset, going to serve for all of the above functions, plus whatever I need it to be. I had one like this a few years ago, and I really loved it. I’m not sure how exactly it got phased out of my life, but it did. I found it the other day, and decided that would be the perfect place for my devotions. About three pages in, I realized I didn’t like how the journal held all my old brainstorms, and then it just skipped to my new breakthroughs. I also thought lines might be better.

Side-note: The fight between the lined journal and the unlined journal will forever be a struggle for me. I am a creative person who flourishes without guidelines. But, structure is always needed, to a degree. The lines keep me neat and tidy, while the absence of lines gives my brain the go-ahead to be creative. Once, I tried grid paper, thinking that would enable me to use lines, and also to reject them. That journal turned into my Financial Log. But, I digress.

Another is my “travels” journal. I got it as a gift from my sister for Christmas. It is one of those journals that is too pretty to write in. For a long time, I couldn’t think of anything that I knew I would be able to fill the piece of art with. Then, I broke the seal a few months ago when I tore out some stories I had dictated onto some notebook paper, and taped them inside. Still not a full commitment, since I can probably peel off the tape to reveal pristine paper.

And let’s not forget the landing pad for all lists, to-do’s, and a few math equations I still seem to have to write down on paper to figure out. This journal is the closest one I have to a pad of paper. Well, it actually is a pad of paper, with a more chic cover. If anyone needed to know anything about the type of person I am, they can simply look through the journal I have situated right next to my mouse pad.

Now I have purchased a journal that I have all intentions of making my only journal. At first, I had a problem with all of these things being in the same place, in such a scattered order. But, then I started to think about why I am writing in this journal. Is it for me? Is it for whomever reads it after I die (or drop it running through the airport)? Is it one day going to become the most famous autobiography of all time, making me billions of dollars after a world-renowned publisher sees me drop it as I run through the airport? The most likely scenario, given that I do not misplace it between now and then, is that I look through it later in life, and remember all the dreams and goals I had, along with the things I was learning and the experiences I was living through. If this is the case, it will probably be a lot easier on “future me” to keep all of those things in one place. Thus, yesterday I bought a new pen and a clean, lined journal. For some reason, I felt the impulse to copy things from my other half-hearted attempts into my new journal. I’ve spent the past hour rewriting all of my past ideas, and I feel like this journal is now properly “broken in”. Now, for some new material…

Quiche!

It can impress even the pickiest of eaters. It can utilize the random assortment of veggies and meats you have leftover from the week’s meals. It can go from a bunch of ingredients to a steaming plate of delicious comfort food in less than an hour, with little more than 5 minutes prep time. What is it?

It’s quiche!

The basic recipe looks like this…

The best part about this recipe is that it can be altered a hundred different ways, depending on what you have in your fridge. It is the best Saturday morning food you can find, served alongside some sliced fruit. It can squeeze in the nutrition that your waffles and hash browns lack. And, it serves up to six people! What more could you want?

Attributions: Background to recipe

Naked Window?

My mom called me yesterday to inform me that she had taken the Lowe’s gift cards my brother and I gave her for Mother’s Day, and gone shopping. My mother is the wonderful type of woman that will walk up and down every isle to make sure she didn’t miss a sale or clearance item. On a side note, my brother and I were always very patient and never once bothered her to hurry up. You believe that, right?

Well, when she got to the Home Décor section of Lowe’s, she discovered that many of the curtains and drapes were on sale. I have done a little research, but cannot seem to find when this sale will end. But, if you are looking for something to cover up those naked windows, this is the time you need to go. I got two beautiful, double-panel drapes for a little less than $7 each. You can’t find a deal like that very often. Trust me, I live my life driving back and forth from one end of town to the other, determined to find the best pricing on whatever I am looking for. Go check it out!

Attributions: Lowe's Pic

Yes, dear...

Hello. My name is Jen, and I am a sunaholic.

What kind of –aholic are you? Do you routinely forget to floss? Do you go out to grab a sweet treat from Starbucks or Sonic a couple of times a week? We all have more than one of these sorts of vices, and they are hard to tame. Personally, I have a problem with habitually getting burned at the beach. I also have a problem with spending entirely too much money at Walgreen’s or CVS. I also have a problem with watching too much TV. This is just the beginning, like it surely is with most people. But what do these habits add up to long-term?

A friend of mine smokes. She also eats mints like they’re going out of style. She also gets too sleepy at night, sometimes, and doesn’t brush her teeth. That friend now owes $6,000 to her dentist, and is missing four back teeth. Her teeth literally starting falling out. We were at a party one night, and she came running up to me. “Jen, my tooth just crumbled in my mouth!”

“What?! Does it hurt? Are you ok?”

“No, it didn’t hurt. It just sort of fell apart. What do I do?!”

After countless trips to the dentist, 3 tooth extractions, 2 root canals, and 13 fillings, she now owes more to the dentist than she makes in 2 months salary. And this is not a made up horror story. It really did happen. This is the result of a bad habit: not taking care of your teeth.

Habits can truly make or break you. Good habits will stick with you for life, but so will bad ones. This is what I did one day: I stepped back and took a look at my life. I analyzed my day. What were things I did every day? I watch a lot of TV. And even if I’m not watching it, it’s on. I like having that noise in the background to keep me company when I’m doing housework or fiddling on the computer. Do you know how much energy a flat screen TV uses?

If you have your 50” plasma TV on for approximately 5.2 hours per day, it would cost around $60 a year in energy, according to CNet Reviews. That doesn’t sound like a lot. But, like most people, I will admit to having to TV on much more than five hours a day. I watch maybe 1-2 hours of TV, but it stays on throughout dinner, cleaning, workouts, and whatever else. It stays on for most of the time that I am home. It's on right now.

Look, this is not a lecture from your mother. This is a reality check. Be sensible. Be adult. Be strong and proactive. Most of you (I hope) are on your own at this point in your life. It is time to take responsibility for yourself as a human being. You may not be able to control the fact that you are 57% Irish, but you sure as hell can control how much sun your skin sees. You may not be able to manage your sugar intake, but you sure can manage your nightly teeth-cleaning habits.

I do not have an actual product to promote to you in order to save money. This post is all about self-awareness. You’ll be amazed to discover how effective you can be at saving money in the long run when you pay closer attention to your daily habits. You can be rich, or poor, and still make a noticeable difference in your daily intake in whatever your vice may be. Take notes on your every move on a daily basis. Break out your journal and document, preferably in numerical order, your actions of the day. Then, go back, after a week of documentation, and observe your daily money-spending habits, or the habits that will one day cost you too much money.

Now, break one.

Attributions: BeachGirl, TV, Checklist

Showtime!

Are you in the mood for the theater experience, but not so much the theater price tag? Not really convinced that surround-sound and a bowl full of Pop Secret Movie Theater Butter qualifies as a true theater experience? Once again, I have the answers to all your problems.

As many of you may already know, it seems most theaters have some sort of discounted tickets on Tuesdays, which are obviously a slow day at the theaters. Take advantage of being able to see the newest movie with the whole theater experience for about the same price as it would be to rent it from Blockbuster (yeah, I know, it still doesn’t beat the amazing deal of Red Box).

But, wait! That’s not all! With over 5,000 screens, the second largest movie theater chain in the US brings us AMC Weekday Escape. This means half-price tickets all day Monday-Thursday at all AMC Theaters (excluding opening night weekday movies). See this link for more information, and to find a theater in your area.

Or, learn more about Discount Tuesdays at Cinemark Theaters.

She Sells Sea Shells...

You're walking down the beach on the first vacation you've had in God knows how long. You pick up every pretty seashell you see. There are a couple of broken conch shells, a few of those shells that look like snail shells, and maybe even a sand dollar or two. You rinse them off in the ocean and stash them in your beach bag. Once you’re up at the house (or condo, or hotel), you pull them back out of your beach bag. What the hell are you going to do with them now? You place them back in, and they stay at the bottom of your beach bag until your back home. You might even leave them in there until you are no longer able to justifiably leave the beach bag out any longer.

Well, friends, I have a little solution for you. It comes, in part, from the inspirational piece of artwork in the 1995 movie, Man of the House. Jonathan Taylor Thomas’ character searches, with his mother, to find shells to place on a fisherman’s net they have hanging in their home. Eventually, after many long walks on the beach, they complete it, and it is beautiful.

The net becomes a piece of living, ever-changing art that reminds them of the special times they had together on the beach. While it might not be as easy to nail up a fisherman’s net in your living room, you could do something like this for your front door.

I collected shells over a period of about a year, and after I had accumulated a substantial amount of shells, I took a trip to the Dollar General. There, they have wreaths made out of some sort of wood-like material for - you guessed it - a dollar. With my shells and glue gun by my side, I sat down and glued every beautiful shell I had found onto the wreath. Now, I have a beautiful piece of art to hang on my front door during the summer months (or maybe even year-round, if I feel like it).

If you don’t have a Dollar General near you, or if you can’t find a wooden wreath there, try Michael’s or Hobby Lobby. Both of those craft stores will have a Styrofoam wreath, which would be my second choice. They may have prettier wreaths, you'll just have to check. The Styrofoam would be my second choice because the shells are all different shapes and sizes, so you want something that would be ok to look at if it was visible from behind the shells. Also, before you start gluing, wrap some wire around the top of the wreath, and make a little loop, so that you have something to hang it with.

This is a simple and quick idea that can be an ongoing project over the years. Each year, after a trip to the beach, you and your family can add a few more shells. The beauty of this wreath is that the more you build on top of it, the more beautiful it looks. For years to come, you will be able to look at this piece of art and remember the peaceful walks you spent on the coast.