#trending: hair scrunchies !

There are a lot of fashion trends in history that are currently making a comeback (such as bell-bottom pants, overalls + shortalls, crop tops, high-waisted shorts + "mom jeans," etc.), and I wish some of these that are creeping back from the past trends would stay there. One thing I have noticed that's been #trending as of lately: hair scrunchies.

Hair scrunchies are those colorful (typically neon) or patterned giant elastic hair ties that every girl wore in her hair in the 90's/early 2000's, typically in a high ponytail or bun or in pigtails. I remember I would wear these in my hair all of the time when I was a little girl. My family had a drawer in our bathroom specifically just for these scrunchies, headbands (which are also #trending as of lately), and other hair accessories.

A pack of scrunchies I recently bought.

I noticed hair scrunchies were back in style when I went to a Forever 21 store in Valencia over Spring Break. I've been to Forever 21 countless times and have never noticed scrunchies were being sold. Immediately, my reaction was to buy one; whether this was fueled by nostalgia or because it was just plain cute... I'm not sure.

Scrunchies are definitely an accessory to have this summer. I find most of my outfits for the summer are very plain: a typically plain or printed tank top, shorts, and sandals. Plus, it is hotter outside and I put my hair in a ponytail and bun way more often. What better way to add color to your outfit and accessorize a plain ol' ponytail or bun than with a scrunchie? I also put the scrunchie around my wrist throughout the day so it acts as a cute bracelet (and a readily-available hairtie for when it gets hot!).

A simple outfit featuring white tee & light-washed jeans, accessorized with a b&w polka dotted hair tie (with bunny ears? That is why I'm doing the pose I'm doing hehehe).

Printed dress, denim vest, brown heeled booties, and a pink scrunchie as an accessory.

I currently own around five scrunchies (at least, with me in San Diego; any scrunchies I have from when I was younger are at home), and I never leave the house without one.

You can find hair scrunchies at American Apparel for $6-$8, Forever 21 (typically $1.80 for one or $3.80 for a pack of 3), or your local dollar store for some (Daiso Japan has a pretty good selection for $1.50 each!). They come in all kinds of patterns: plain, polka dots, floral, lace, stripes, you name it!

From the recent pack of scrunchies I bought:
Left: pink + shiny. Middle: black lace (you can't really tell oops). Right: black + pink floral print.

Is this a trend you support? Or a trend you'd rather keep in your childhood? Leave a comment below!

#gettingcrafty: washi tape cards !

If you haven't already noticed, I am kind of in love with washi tape (or paper tape, they're the same thing). I am in love with washi tape for multiple reasons:

1. The tape is so versatile. You can use it to label things, tape things together in a colorful way, create tabs for your notebooks, decorate your room, etc.
2. It is easy to remove. If you do not want it on one place, you can easily take it off no matter what surface it is on and move it to the next place.
3. There are sooooo many patterns--from stripes, to polka dots, to owls (hehehe) and flowers and more! There is a pattern out there for everyone!

Besides using washi tape to decorate and stick things in my SMASH book, I also use washi tape to make simple cards for multiple occasions. I typically get my inspiration for these cards from a simple Pinterest or Google search of "washi tape cards."Despite the mess I make (imagine paper scraps everywhere, rolls of washi tape sprawled out on the floor, markers in an uneven pile, and all other craft supplies in between), I love the process of making and truly personalize the cards that I make for the person I am giving it to. Below are some cards that I have made with washi tape.

Christmas Cards I made for my Secret Santa within my "family" in an organization & my "little" in the organization!

Closer look at one of the cards. The present is made of three different patterns of washi tape & the tag is one pattern. The rest is drawn in with marker!

Random card I made for my "little" to wish him luck for his first round of finals!

May the odds be in all of our favors when it comes to finals.

Valentine's Day card for my boyfriend. It's a simple heart cut-out with different patterns of pink/red washi tape! On the back was a cute, maybe-romantic message for him.

Baby shower card for one of the ladies that work in the lab I work at (I hope you can tell that's a diaper--a lot of struggle went into trying not to make it look like underwear!). I tried to make it as gender-neutral as possible because she does not know the gender of the baby.

The front of the message card has pink polka dots and the back of the message card has blue polka dots. It kind of enforces gender stereotypes, but it was the only cardstock paper I had that exhibited the most "gender neutrality."

I challenge you to get creative & make your own cards (even if it's just a card made of lined notebook paper and a pen). No matter how cliche, it is the thought that counts. Your parent, sibling, relative, friend, or coworker will truly truly value your effort and the sweet message you say within the card.

Comment with your own washi tape creations; I'd love to see them! More inspiration for me for my next crafty project.