Paint Sample Calendar {DIY}

Hi loves, I haven't done a D.I.Y in a while so here is one. 
I love calendars, and when I saw something similar on pinterest a couple of months back I knew I wanted to make it. And so here it is. my Calender made out of paint samples!! :)

//Materials// - Picture frame (I found mine in my mom's closet) - Paint Samples (any color, and enough too cover your frame and enough for the days of the month) - Tape or Glue - White paper - Dry erase markers.

//Directions// - Trim your paint samples to the desired shape, be sure to that you are able to fit 7 paint samples from left to right for the days of the week. - After you have the desired length and design of your paint samples, glue or tape the paint samples on to the white paper.  - Place you white paper with your calendar inside you frame, and add the days of the week, and the month with your dry erase markers. 

What do you think of my project?

Life Lately + Book Swap Reveal!!!

Hi ya'll. I'm back!! hehe. So let me tell you why I'm been kinda M.I.A lately. I started a new job last week!! I'm so excited about it. But it has been craziness. My room is a mess, finding something to wear in the morning is a mission. My car is a mess, eating breakfast while stuck in a 40 min commute is a mission too. My life is a mess, hahah, trying to learn all these words and procedures is also a mission. So basically everything is mayhem right now. But you know what I'm loving it. Although I'm overwhelmed like 80% of time at work, I love being busy and learning new things, and helping people. 
But I definitely need to be back here, and writing some posts. I miss it, and I've learned, as I'm writing this that it relaxes me. :) yay for BLOGGING!!!!
---------------------------------------------------- So besides my life rant, today I bring you my Summer Book Swap reveal!!!!

I love Swaps. I love meeting new people. I love sending mail, and of course receiving it. So when I saw this Book Swap I knew I had to jump on it. It was hosted by Tiffany, Emily, Lauren and Carly. I was paired up with one of the hostess, Emily and she blogs over at Emily Finta. So go check her out!!

5 things I learned about Emily. 

- Her favorite author is Sarah Dessen (like me!!)

- She's lived in Michigan her whole life. 

- She loved listening to Song Covers. Check her post for amazing music covers. 

- The book that she recently loved reading were The Fault in Our Stars and Where'd You Go Bernadette

- It was her first time participating in a book swap, and she designed the Swap button. How cool!!!

So this is what she sent me!!! I was soooooo excited!!!

Isn't she the best!!! Thank you so much Emily!! I love it I can't wait to start reading it. :) 

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Also you still have a couple more days to enter the giveaway that I'm co-hosting for Raewyn and Cassi and Katie's Blogiversary celebration. You have a chance to win $100 to a charity of your choice. So go on and enter. 

The Revealed by Jessica Hickman {Summer Reading Challenge Review}

Hi everyone!!! Happy Friday!! Woooo!! I've been looking forward to this day since 5:45 am on Monday. For those of you that don't know, I started a new job this week, and its been a crazy, hectic, but somewhat fun week. I'm sorry I haven't been posting on here lately, but everything will go back to normal on here next week. :) But now I give you  a book review. Also don't forget to enter the giveaway I'm co-hosting for a chance to win money for your favorite charity.

This post is sponsored by BookSparksPR in honor of their 

4th annual Summer Reading Challenge. Check out all the details here.

Title : The Revealed

Author:  Jessica Hickam

Publisher: Spark Press

Release Date: June 17th, 2014

Summary from GoodReads:

Lily Atwood lives in what used to be called Washington, D.C. Her father is one of the most powerful men in the world, having been a vital part of rebuilding and reuniting humanity after the war that killed over five billion people. Now he’s running to be one of its leaders.

But in the rediscovered peace on Earth, a new enemy has risen. They call themselves the Revealed – a powerful underground organization that has been kidnapping 18 year olds across the globe without reservation. No one knows why they are kidnapping these teens, but it’s clear something is different about these people. They can set fires with a snap of their fingers and create a wind strong enough to barrel over a tree with a flick of their wrist. No one has been able to stop them, and they have targeted Lily as their next victim.

But Lily has waited too long to break free from her father’s shadow to let some rebel organization just ruin everything. Not without a fight

My Take: Don't you just love the summary?! When I read the summary I got so excited to read it. Although I'm not completely done with it, I'm loving it right now. 
I'm a huge dystopian reader. I like a book to take me to those dystopian worlds, where it seems to be so far away from the world we live in. And this one is no exception. 
A couple of reviewers on GoodReads have mentioned that it has a bit of X-men feel to it. And I must agree!! So if you love dystopias, mutants/x-men I think you will like this book. :) 
Any body read this book?? What do you think?
My other Summer Reading Challenge reviews: Love and Other Foreign Words by Erin McCahan Cure for the Common Breakup by Beth Kendrick The One and Only by Emily Giffin The Witch of Belladonna Bay by Suzanne Palmieri
Find my other reviews here: Book Thoughts

Five Little Grins!!

It's Monday!! And I am excited today and kinda nervous. Read on to find out why. 
//one// I'm starting a new job today. Gahh.. It's a big day!! And I'm excited and scared at the same time. Wish me luck ya'll. :) 
//two// This weekend I teamed up with Raewyn and Cassie and Katie on their joint blogiversary giveaway. So make sure you enter!! What is the prize? It is $100 for the charity of your choice!!! :) Soooo go and enter.
//three// Also this weekend, my aunt (she is the same age as me) got married. She looked pretty and although I didn't get a picture of her :/ But we did manage to get a group picture. 

//four// Father's Day yesterday was great. Got to spend time with my dad and grandpa and uncles. :) 
//five// Spending time with family is great. Especially when you can have fun together. 

What are you smiling about lately?

The Rule of 4s {Sunday Social}

Happy Sunday Everyone!!!! 
1. 4 favorite phone apps Gahh.. I'm lame, I don't have many apps on my phone. Would love any recommendations. The ones I use on the daily are Instagram, Pinterest and Candy Crush.

2. 4 favorite Summer TV shows Pretty Little Liars! And the new shows I'm excited about are Girl Meets World on Disney; Power on Starz. And will finally start watching Orange is the New Black (no spoilers please)

3. 4 things you would NEVER do - Watch any ghost/spirits/scary movies again.(I'm such a scaredy cat)

- Dye my hair a crazy bright color.

- Do any "fear factor" sort of stunts. 

- Scuba dive (I'm afraid of being in the ocean :/)

4. 4 items you carry with you no matter what iPhone, a little journal, a lipstick, and my wallet. And most times, a book.

5. 4 blogs we should follow . Ahhh this one is hard. So many amazing blogs out there!!!! Elsie and Emma from A Beautiful Mess Kallie from But, First Coffee Raewyn from Be A Warrior Queen Carly from Carly Blogs Here
What is one thing you wouldn't do?
Make sure you enter our giveaway!! 

Giving to Charity {Giveaway}

Happy Saturday everyone!! I have a very special post today. I'm teaming up with Raewyn from Be a Warrior Queen  and Cassi and Katie from The World From the View of Two Teenage Girls as they celebrate their Blogiversary Giveaway!! 

The prize is $100, which will be given to a charity of your choice!!! So go on and ENTER it's for a good cause.

My recent favorite charity.

Autism Speaks

Recently I have been working with students who have autism. The kids that are worked with are sooo soo smart. Autism Speaks dedicate themselves to help fund research for autism spectrum disorders.

Raewyn and Cassi & Katie both have blogiversaries coming up!  What better way to celebrate than with $100 to charity?  Who ever wins the giveaway picks where it all goes!

First, meet your hosts!

Raewyn blogs over at Be a Warrior Queen and is celebrating her fifth blogiversary!

Cassi and Katie blog at The World From the View of Two Teenage Girls are celebrating their second blogiversary!

Next, your lovely co-hosts!

(Clockwise starting top-left) Adri at Adri's Thoughts // Tiffany at Endless Bliss // Jess at Jess Loves this Life // Laura at Simply Me the Way I See It  // Angie at My So-Called Chaos // Shane at Whispering Sweet Nothings // Jackie at Jade and Oak // Samantha at The Samantha Show

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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What charity would you choose if you won?

The Witch of Belladonna Bay by Suzanne Palmieri {Summer Reading Challenge Review}

This post is sponsored by BookSparksPR in honor of their 

4th annual Summer Reading Challenge. Check out all the details here.

Title : The Witch of Belladonna Bay

Author: Suzanne Palmieri Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin Release Date: May 13, 2014

Summary from GoodReads:

It’s the trouble you aren’t expecting that gets you. And it’s all around you, Bronwyn, it’s all around you like the air.…

Bronwyn "BitsyWyn" Whalen hasn’t set eyes on the red dirt of Magnolia Creek, Alabama, for fourteen years—not since her mama died. But with her brother, Patrick, imprisoned for the murder of her childhood best friend, and her eccentric father, Jackson, at his wits’ end while her eleven-year-old niece, Byrd, runs wild, Bronwyn finds herself once again surrounded by ancient magnolia trees and the troubled family she left behind. She becomes immersed in a whirlwind of mystery and magic as she tries to figure out what really happened that fateful night her friend died. And as her bond with Byrd deepens, Bronwyn must face the demons of her past in order to unravel her family’s uncertain future.In Suzanne Palmieri's thrilling new novel, The Witch of Belladonna Bay, readers will learn if love and magic are enough to bring a broken family back together

Quotes:

"Why do you suppose we do that push ourselves away from those we love right when we need them the most." - Wyn

My Take: First, let me say that although I'm a scary cat on the surface, deep, reallly really deep down I love everything about witches, spells, magic, all the mysterious things. And this book had that and more. 
This book was magical. It pulled me in every time I read it. I felt the magic that the characters had. But the book was more than just magic, it was about finding forgiveness, finding oneself, it was about not hiding who you really were. 
The book was told in the perspective of three very powerful and unique "witches." The story started when Naomi was outcasted by her family for having powerful "strange ways." Out of fear they put Naomi in an asylum, until her aunt and a handsome man saved her from it all. But while in there, Naomi decided to run away from her strange ways, she hid her powers and turned to drugs to block them. 
While on opium, Naomi pushed everyone away including her children. Her daughter Bronwyn, needed her mother the most, and when Naomi pushed them away she was hurt the most. When Naomi overdosed, thinking it was her fault, Bronwyn ran away and never looked back. Until now.
The town is struck with a murder. And Patrick, Bronwyn's brother is in prison. Bronwyn's goes back home and is surrounded with magic and mystery and an eleven-year-old niece, Byrd, who has "strange ways" like her mother. 
While at home, Bronwyn's learns and uncovers a lot of her past that she kept buried for the fourteen years she was away. But with the help of the immense love she has for her niece Byrd, she was able to forgive her mom, and herself, and her father for everything that happened in the past. 
If you like mystery and magic, I highly recommend it. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

My other Summer Reading Challenge reviews: Love and Other Foreign Words by Erin McCahan Cure for the Common Breakup by Beth Kendrick The One and Only by Emily Giffin
Find my other reviews here: Book Thoughts

If you had a super power, what would it be and why?

Bookshelf Curtain {D.I.Y}

Do you have a book shelf where you just stuff random things in? Is so messy that you can barely look at it? Well I do. And even though I try and try to organize it just doesn't work. I just couldn't stand it any longer. I needed to cover it somehow, so after some time on Pinterest I came up with an idea of making a mini curtain to hide my messy craft shelves.  Let me tell you, this Bookshelf Curtain was super easy to make.  //Materials// - 1 yard (how much ever fabric you need for the size of bookshelf you are covering) of any fabric you like - Velcro strips or circles - Hot Glue Gun/Glue - Fabric Glue (optional) - Sewing Machine *Instead of attaching your curtain with Velcro Strips you can use a mini curtain rod like this one.

//Directions// {HEM} - My book shelf is pretty small so 1 yard of fabric was the perfect size for it. I cut the fabric down the middle so I would end up with 2 panels.
- To make the hem. Fold 1/4 inch at the bottom and both sides. *Not the top part of the panel

{GATHERING}
- To make the gathered part at the top of the curtain, simply set your machine to a wide straight stitch or basting stitch. *It is very important not to back stitch when you start  or finish sewing.
- Make a straight sewing stitch about 1/4" from the raw edge all across the top part of each panel. Make sure to leave some thread at the end.
- Okay so you are ready to gather. Starting on the left side, begin to pull the front thread, gathering the fabric as you pull. Continue until the fabric reaches the middle, and then switch to the right side, pulling the front thread to gather the fabric.
- Gather the fabric until it is at your desired width.
*To learn a little bit more about gathering visit this post on Pretty Prudent .

{VELCRO}
- Now that your panels are gathered to the right size, figure out where you want your Velcro strip/circle to be. I put mine on the top corners of each panel.
- Apply some fabric glue or hot glue to the back side of the Velcro strip and glue it to your fabric panel.
- Do the same with the opposite side of the Velcro strip and glue it to your bookshelf.
- And there you are done. No more messiness out in the open. Please excuse my yarn messiness in the picture. Any ideas on how to organize my yarn stash??
Looking for other D.I.Y projects? Necklace Display Dream Catcher Tiered Plate Stand Shoe Box Shelves Earring Organizer Box Glittered Wine Glasses

Summer Songs 2014 {Top 10}

Okay so we must agree that every Summer has its song? You know the ones. The ones with catchy lyrics, beats that make you want to dance. For some that song becomes so annoying, because it gets to much airplay. For others that song, makes you smile every time you hear it because it reminds you of all the fun times you had that summer, or when that song is being played. Which ever side you are in, you have to admit music is amazing. 
Here are my Top 10 Summer Songs of 2014, so far.
//one//  La La La - Shakira

Shakira and the soccer World Cup go together perfectly. The World Cup is starting this weekend, so I think it will be playing during the World Cup coverage all summer long. Wooo!!! :)  Check out her Spanish version here. 
//two// We Are One (Ole Ola ) - Pitbull

Pitbull!! and Jennifer Lopez!! and the World Cup!! Yes love it. 
//three// Wild Wild Love - Pitbull and G.R.L

Another Pitbull song. I love these girls too. The song is so catchy and upbeat. And Pitbull is sexy.
//four// Problem - Ariana Grande and Iggy Azalea

Can we just talk about the vocals that Ariana has. This girl can take it up there. Loving this song. 
//five// Fancy - Iggy Azalea

People are throwing hate at Iggy, but I really like her songs. I think she is really talented. :) 
//six// Summer - Calvin Harris

You really can't have summer without this song or Calvin Harris.
//seven// First Love - Jennifer Lopez

I just love this song. And Jennifer looks better than ever. Whenever I hear this song I just want to dance. 
//eight// Am I Wrong? - Nico & Vinz

So this song has been released since April 2013, why is it barely playing on the radio, I love this song. 
//nine// Rude - MAGIC!

This song is so cute. If you listen to the lyrics is about a marriage proposal. I love the beat and the sound, and the lyrics. 
//ten// I Will Never Let You Down - Rita Ora
----------------------------------- Honorable Mentions: 
I Really Don't Care - Demi Lovato Aint It Fun - Paramore All of Me - John Legend Chandelier - Sia
What will you be listening to this Summer?

Five Little Grins

I haven't done one of these in a really long time. But I've been feeling extremeley grateful lately. :)
//one// I got a new job and will be starting next Monday. I have been struggling job hunting but I'm so happy that I finally got a full-time job!! Woo!!
//two// Went to a book signing last Thursday with Emily Giffin. I was so excited, and I am still starstruck. 
//three// Spending time with family is always the best. 
//four// Summer is finally here. And although my skin started peeling and my back got sun burned can't wait to catch some more sun.
//five// Still smiling about how much fun me and my friends had a couple of weeks ago in Palm Springs. 
What are you smiling about lately?

Sunday Social

It's Sunday!!!! Woooo!!! Happy Sunday!!
1. When do you take time for you? Right before going to bed, I like to take some time for myself to read or do a little bit of crochet. 

2. What do you find to be your biggest weakness? Gahhh I always have trouble answering this question.. heheh. But I think my biggest weakness would be that under pressure I sometimes tend to break down. I'm working on it. :) 

3. What is your biggest attribute? Gahh another hard one. But I think I'm a good and loyal person. 

4. What is your favorite place to shop online? I don't usually shop online. Sometimes its hard to find the right clothes, so I'm the kind of person who NEEDS to try things out. :) 

5. What is your favorite place to kill time? Barnes and Noble or Starbucks. :) 

What do you do in your down time?

The One & Only by Emily Giffin {Review + Photos}

This post is sponsored by BookSparksPR in honor of their 

4th annual Summer Reading Challenge. Check out all the details here.

Okay so this post is going to be a long one.. The first part will be all about the book review, which I highly recommend. The second part will be photos of the Book Signing I went to with Emily Giffin. Ahhhhh.. Sooo excited. And someone very special and sexy made an appearance. :)

Title : The One & Only

Author: Emily Giffin

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Release Date: May 20th, 2014

Summary from GoodReads:

Thirty-three-year-old Shea Rigsby has spent her entire life in Walker, Texas—a small college town that lives and dies by football, a passion she unabashedly shares. Raised alongside her best friend, Lucy, the daughter of Walker’s legendary head coach, Clive Carr, Shea was too devoted to her hometown team to leave. Instead she stayed in Walker for college, even taking a job in the university athletic department after graduation, where she has remained for more than a decade.

But when an unexpected tragedy strikes the tight-knit Walker community, Shea’s comfortable world is upended, and she begins to wonder if the life she’s chosen is really enough for her. As she finally gives up her safety net to set out on an unexpected path, Shea discovers unsettling truths about the people and things she has always trusted most—and is forced to confront her deepest desires, fears, and secrets.

Thoughtful, funny, and brilliantly observed, The One & Only is a luminous novel about finding your passion, following your heart, and, most of all, believing in something bigger than yourself . . . the one and only thing that truly makes life worth living

My Take: I'm loving it. I'm about 80% done with the book. And I really liked it. Yesterday at the book signing they described the book "a mix between Friday Night Lights and When Harry Met Sally". And I think it is a perfect combination. The book takes place in Texas, the capital of football. 
The book follows the life of Shea, a 33 year old, who still lives in her small hometown, where she grew up, went to college, and works. She is OBSESSED with the game of football. She lives, eats and breathes football. She grew up alongside her best friend Lucy. Lucy is the daughter of football coach Clive Carr.  But when a tragic event shakes her close-knit small town, she begins to question her relationships with men, love and even her job. 
Coach Carr has become Shea's role model and "all-time favorite person. " When Coach helps Shea get her dream job working as a sport reporter to Coach's team, she is ecstatic. But soon she realizes that she has to look deep within herself to admit things that  she never admitted before.  I love how Emily Giffin, makes her characters so relatable. Although this is slightly different than her other books like "Something Borrowed" I highly recommend it. And don't worry, if you know nothing about football. It think Emily Giffin does a good way to mesh romance with sports. :) 

Rating: 4 out of  5
My other Summer Reading Challenge reviews: Love and Other Foreign Words by Erin McCahan Cure for the Common Breakup by Beth Kendrick
Find my other reviews here: Book Thoughts

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I was so excited to go to the book signing. Although I went by myself, I did make new friends, which was really cool. Emily Giffin is so down to earth, and so sweet and hilarious. She talked about how The One & Only came about and how she thought it would be a good idea to make football a part of the story. She answered questions about all her books. She talked about how she likes the way she ends her book, "they aren't tied up in a perfect bow" but the characters are in a good place.  She did confirmed that there will be a movie adaptation for Where We Belong. And then talking about movie adaptations this cutie pops in. 

Yes that is Colin Egglesfield aka Dex from the movie Something Borrowed. He is so gorgeous. He even read an excerpt from The One & Only. And yes it was one of the sexy scenes in the book, his favorite. Also, Something Blue will be made into a movie.. Ahhh.. She didn't say when... but it will be done.

It was my first author book sign, and I had so much fun. :) 

What's your favorite Emily Giffin book?

Necklace Display {D.I.Y}

Gahhh I haven't done a D.I.Y in such a long time. I'm sorry ya'll!! :/  But here is my latest creation. A Necklace Display, using Shoe box lids. We all love necklaces, and if you are anything like me, you have your necklaces all over the place and all tangled up. I needed something to hang my necklaces in a neatly way. I found this pin like a couple months ago, and decided to try it. Trust me super easy and inexpensive. 

//Materials// - Shoe box lid (any size) - Fabric (any kind you want) I used the Fabric Quarters they sell at Joann's for like $1 - $2 - Mod Podge glue or any adhesive to glue the fabric down - Scissors -Tissue Paper (optional - I used tissue paper before I glued the fabric down, because my lids had bright colors and the fabric was kind of see-through) - Nails -Thumbtacks

• If you need to cover the bright colors of the lids, glue tissue paper that is a similar color  of the fabric you are using. 
• Next, measure the fabric to the lid, making sure you have extra fabric on the sides to be able to fold it over inside the lid. 
• Make a diagonal cut on the corners of the fabric, so that the corners will be easier to glue. 
• Apply some mod podge to the side of the lid, one side at a time,  and wrap the fabric to the inside of the lid. Do the same with all four sides. 

• Once the glue is finished drying, attach the lid to the wall using the nails. 
• Once the lid is in your desired postion begin adding your jewelry using thumbtacks, make sure you dsitribute the weight of your jewelry evenly. We don't want it to fall off. :) 

And there you are done, wooo!! Who doesn't love some jewelry organization. :) 

How do you display your jewelry?
Looking for other D.I.Y projects? Dream Catcher Tiered Plate Stand Shoe Box Shelves Earring Organizer Box Glittered Wine Glasses

Hello June..

Wooot Wooot!!! Happy June everyone!! We are at the halfway point of the year.

When I think of June I think of summer, longer days, late nights, barbecues, the pool and the beach. 

Here are some of the things I'm looking forward to this month.

1. One of my aunts (but she is the same age as me) is getting married this month. So I'm excited to be with the family and dance. 
2. Vegas trip at the end of the month!!! wooot woot!!! 
3. I got a new job and I'm so excited to be starting in two weeks. Wooo!!!
4. Continue enjoying the Summer Reading Challenge new books. 
5. Continue working out before going to work, I feel it works so much better for me in the morning than in the afternoon, when I'm feeling lazy. 
6. Hoping to spend time at the beach or the pool. :) 
7. Looking forward to my Half Birthday!! I'm halfway to my 25 birthday on June 25th.. eeek.

----------------------------------------------------- This next part was inspired by this post over at But first, Coffee. Where Kallie summarized the month of May by showing her iPhone pictures!! :) Love it!! May through my photos:

Row 1: Never a dull moment with these cuties. I love spending time with my nieces and nephews Row 2: Healthy start to most of my days with a green juice. We celebrated mom's birthday at Benihana's. May was a really hot day here in California, I needed to bring out my Maxi dress for my Fashion Photo Shoot. Row 3:  Got my creative juices flowing this month, with a handmade Peplum Skirt and a cute baby blanket for my pregnant cousin. Another cousin graduated from college, wooo!!! Took my mom out to watch a movie, guess what she wanted to see.... X-Men!! #nerd Row 4: Palm Springs Vacation!! We spent it mostly at the pool!! How was your May? What are you looking forward the most in June?