twenty fourteen

It seems to me that when New Year's Resolutions are made, they are rarely kept. I've never been big on making them myself. Over the past couple months I've had a lot of ideas, plans, and thoughts come to my head that I haven't acted on, so I've formulated a list of these things. I'm not calling them resolutions. They're just plans. Things I'm going to spend time focusing on in the upcoming year. I've decided to share my list here so that not only will I have documentation of them, but also so that I can come back and look at them when I'm feeling stuck in a rut in 2014, because inevitably that will happen. So here's my list, in no particular order:

1. Go blonde. Not like, Barbie blonde, but a nice dark blonde. I've been in a sort-of personal style struggle for ages (think I'm just bored) and I've decided that maybe a drastic hair change will be for the good. I haven't been blonde in years, and the last time I was blonde, it was not a good blonde.
2. Post a video on YouTube. I've always enjoyed singing but have never taken lessons and am too self-conscious to sing in front of people. I don't really know why but for awhile now I've wanted to record something and put it on YouTube. I think it will just feel like a personal feat of sorts.
3. Do volunteer work. I don't know where, or doing what, but I'd really enjoy doing this. I am a person who thrives off of making other people happy, or doing things that I know make a difference. 
4. Read as many books as I can. I've always been an avid reader, but in the last 5 or so years, since becoming a mom and going to school and working full-time and well, really just growing up, I've spent less time with books. I'm going to make an effort to give more of my time to them.
5. Practice yoga routinely. I flirted with this idea in 2013, but mainly because of timing issues, it didn't work out so well. From the little yoga I've done, I've decided that it is calming, stress-relieving, and strengthening, both physically and mentally.
6. Work harder on health and fitness. I've done so much better in the last 2 years than I ever have in my life. I've been going to the gym, and I've been paying more attention to what I eat. However, I still struggle with keeping up on this on a regular basis. It comes and goes in spurts. I need to focus on making it a constant practice.
7. Progress long-term plans with my boyfriend. We're something like 3,650 miles apart, and have been our entire (two year) relationship. I'd like to devote this year to closing that gap.
8. Complain less. I find myself complaining often. Half the time I probably don't even need to be complaining. I'm not saying I'm going to try to be content 100% of the time, I'm just going to try not to waste precious time complaining about how I'm not.
9. Learn a new hobby. I have a few ideas but I think I'm going to try to teach myself to play the piano. I have a couple years of lessons under my belt (from back when I was like 13), so I have a very, very basic understanding, but I want to advance that!
10. Appreciate more. This sort of goes hand-in-hand with number 8. Time is too limited to not appreciate what you have. Also, I believe in karma. 
11. Put my camera to better use. Didn't I go to school for photography? Why is my camera in my closet? Why are all my pictures iPhone pictures? 'nough said.
12. Spend less time staring at screens. Technology is great, sure. But my generation spends WAY too much time on their phones, on their computers, watching TV. I'm guilty as well. I do plenty of the aimless web browsing and channel surfing. I'll find activities or books to replace this with.
13. Do more DIY projects. I've done quite a few of this in recent months, and I've really found them to be quite satisfying. I want to find more and do more!! 

I think 13 is a good number to stop at. Can't get too crazy with the list or it will become an overwhelming to-do list that gets put on the back burner and only occasionally thought about, and never looked at.

Here's to a year of self-improvement! 
-ted x

hemingway tea

I love tea. Like, really love tea. Mainly black, but sometimes green. Never citrus. 

I got this fun Ernest Hemingway tea in my stocking for Christmas and I wanted to share it because after just finishing a book about him, and then starting a book by him,

 it's made me very excited!
(Yes, I know I'm a nerd.)

"There's no one thing that's true. It's all true."

-ted x

melting snowmen cookies

Alright, so yet another Pinterest project that I tried... and I think I did pretty ok here! I thought these cookies were adorable and looked fun to make for the holidays so I thought I'd share how it's done. They're super easy (and I can barely cook)!

First, you'll need sugar cookies. Feel free to make your own but I didn't have time so I decided the easy-bake Pillsbury kind were perfect. 

Bake these and then let them cool. If you're unfamiliar with baking, this part is pretty important, as the frosting won't spread well if they're too warm. 

Next up, gather all the supplies you'll need for the decorating! I bought the following items:

Whipped vanilla frosting (doesn't have to be whipped)

Jet-puffed marshmallows (not minis)

Cookie icing in black and orange (I couldn't find black so I got chocolate)

More cookie icing in your choice of colors (I went with red, blue, green, and purple)

White sparkle sprinkles (powdered sugar is a good alternative!)

Now that the cookies are cooled, frost them!

After frosting, we get to the fun part. 

Take the marshmallows on stick one on each cookie, a bit off-center.

Now my favorite part -- putting the faces on! (My chocolate icing was a bit runny, so when it started creating droopy Frosty faces I'd pop it in the freezer for a few minutes.)

Once you have all the faces done, you get to create the scarves! 

Last but not least, sprinkle on some snow!!

Cookies complete! 

Thanks for reading! 

Enjoy! 

-ted x

a tip for french tips

So every once in awhile I'll get the urge to do French tips on my nails, but I always get discouraged because they always turn out sloppy. Awhile back, I found something on Pinterest and they're simple as pie now! 

Here I've shown step-by-step how it works.

Try it out! Think out of the box and don't go with the typical white tips! Make things fun!

Step 1: Pick a base colour. Or, leave that natural. With Christmas only 4 days away I chose red.
If you choose a colour, make sure to let it dry fully before going to step 2.

Step 2: Find some Scotch tape, and choose a colour for your tips. Feeling festive, I went with gold for mine. Tear off 10 strips of tape, each about an inch and a half long. You can try reusing strips but I've found it's less messy and stressful to just use one per finger.

You're going to want to place the tape over your nails, with the edge right on the end of your nail bed. Don't press the tape down too hard. This will prevent peeling off your base polish. Pushing it just so it is sticking is perfect. If you have short nails, just leave a couple mm of space before the tip of your nail.

Step 3: Take the colour you've chosen to do your tips and paint only the area not covered by the tape. I suggest leaving the tape on your nail for a few minutes after applying the tip colour to prevent smudging or smearing.

Step 4: Just add a clear coat on top and voilá! Done!

Happy nail painting! 

-ted x

hem

As of late, I have been slowly but surely making my way through the fiction piece entitled
"The Paris Wife". As a book lover, I have thought time and time again
about reading Hemingway, but I have yet to do it. 

This novel by Paula McLain I think has pushed me to being ready to take on Ernest. 

The language of this book is absolutely brilliant.

Short, simple, to the point. Not overly wordy.

Yet... She manages to create such real, raw emotion throughout.

Three-quarters through, I find myself yearning to know more about Hadley and Ernest. 

Paris in the 1920's: magical on the outside, devastating on the in.

I find myself living vicariously through this story. I don't want it to end.

When it does, because we all know at some point it will,
I will start on "The Old Man and the Sea", 

by Hemingway himself.

-ted x

blog lovin'

Follow me on bloglovin'!

Hello loves! I have the faintest idea what bloglovin is but I've started following some very cute blogs on there so I've decided to put mine out there as well. 

cheers! 
-ted x

M6

 beams break through branches

of trees,

bare,

ready for winter.

M6 curves ahead,

black and smooth,

guiding north.

head back.

eyes closed.

soothed by the steady hum

of the road under us,

I am home.

-ted x

elizabeth taylor

  beauty && class 

"I feel very adventurous.
There are many doors to be open, and I'm not afraid to look behind them."

"Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together."

-ted x

41 dalston road

autumn leaves beneath my feet;

heavy, damp air

sticks to my skin,

exposed.

clouds

close to earth –

not oppressive –

embrace tree tops.

branches droop.

my lungs expand

and I breathe in

his scent,

lingering.


-ted x

slacker

Right, I've been dead awful at this blog thing. Back at it for another go. Quite short on time tonight so I'll just leave a brief summary of my going-on's and then I'll expand on them when I'm able.

So, big news. I've officially decided to grow out my fringe/bangs. I get too bored and I've had them for 4 years. On to the next style.

SAP ALERT: I'm more in love than I have ever been in my whole life ever and it makes my chest feel like it's going to burst sometimes.

Ha, after leaving the college I attended for 4 years... I'm returning. Management and Supervision, bitches! Watch out for my all-American diner coming soon-ish.

Seems to be that 4 is a popular number tonight. So I'll just throw in here that my 4 year old is the most fantastic little person ever. Never fails to put a smile on my face. Today when we were playing in the snow he spoke to the earth as well as "the aliens". He's got this life figured out.

I'll be back for a more thorough update.

I hope.

Cheers 
-ted x